Using Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon Essay Example for Free

Using Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon Essay Many feel that the mentally challenged are put through the many hardships of prejudice and maltreatment by people who lack the knowledge and understanding of their mental conditions. Usually what people dont know about, they consider strange or awkward and this is the case with the hardships of the mentally challenged. Prejudice, maltreatment and ignorance towards the mentally challenged are illustrated by the novel, Flowers for Algernon. In Flowers for Algernon, Charlie Gordon, being mentally challenged, goes through many experiences when he is pre judged by many people, especially those who claim to be his friends. These friends of his have the wrong ideas and wrong views when it comes to the mentally challenged. They believe that if an amputee has no limb then maybe a retard has no brain, which is completely irrelevant. Joe Carp said hey look Charlie had his operashun what did they do Charlie put some brains in (Keyes, 16) Just because someone is mentally challenged is no reason for believing that they are not capable of learning or doing anything and that is exactly what his friends and many others did to Charlie. I asked Joe Carp how he lerned to read and if I could lern to read to. He laffed like he always done when I said something funny and he says to me Charlie why waste your time they cant put any branes in where there aint none. (Keyes, 19) The hardships of prejudice that are faced by Charlie in his retarded state later change the way he looks at the world in general. Along with prejudice, Charlie, was also maltreated by his so-called friends and many other people, including his own mother. Rose, Charlies mother, wanted so much for Charlie to learn and become somebody in life and she did not want to accept that he was mentally challenged. This was not really helping him much. He is afraid to go there alone. He reaches up to her hand and sobs out: Toi-toi and she slaps his hand away. (Keyes, 55) Charlie was not only subjected to physical abuse and maltreatment but he also received emotional maltreatment from the people at the bakery by allowing Charlie to believe that he is one of their friends, but really is not treated as a friend should and is instead treated as the subject of their jokes. Then Frank Reilly said what did you do Charlie open a door the hard way. That made me laff. Their my friends and they really like me. (Keyes, 16) Maybe if Charlies mother and his fellow workers knew more about his conditions, then there may have been less maltreatment and abuse toward him. Maybe if everyone knew more about the conditions of the mentally challenged, then there may have been less subjection, for Charlie and other retarded people, to the many hardships the exist. It dont mean nothing, laughed Frank. It dont hurt him. He dont know any better. Do you, Charlie? (Keyes 42) Even his own mother did not really make much of an attempt at learning more about her sons conditions. She did not even want to see the truth of Charlies problems and thought that if he cannot do it, she had the right to disregard him. go to the washroom. Go by yourself. You know how to go. Cant you see he wants you to take him. (Keyes 53) At times she even tried to beat knowledge into him but instead of learning whatever it was his mother was teaching him, he was emotionally scarred. Its a pity to imagine that this could be happening anywhere and that it may not just be a story. In Conclusion, Flowers for Algernon helps demonstrate how the mentally challenged are judged and treated badly because of the lack of knowledge people have of them. The prejudice Charlie faces is mainly caused by is caused by ignorance people have of his conditions which eventually leads to his maltreatment. All people should take some time to think and learn more about what is happening and being done to make mentally challenged people go through the many hardships they go through.

The Vinland Map :: History Papers

The Vinland Map is believed to predate Christopher Columbus’ expedition by almost 50 years as it has realistic cartography of the island of Vinland, thought to be a part of Canada or even Northeastern America. The map could potentially provide evidence that the Norse explorers were the first Europeans to visit America and map it. However, there is doubt surrounding the origins and age of the map. These issues have divided scientists into two groups devoted to proving the authenticity or lack thereof of the map. Recent research has used several chemical analyses which have examined specifically the paper and the ink present on the map. The most recent methods used to test the map have been carbon dating and Raman spectroscopy. It is thought that the map was written on paper which has origins in pre-Columbus days. However, several analyses of the ink have revealed the presence of anatase, a form of TiO 2, which was not developed until the first part of the 20 th Century. This c learly would contradict the evidence that the paper is authentic. However, these two claims do not necessarily contradict one another. A recent theory is that the parchment was recovered from an earlier work and then a forger used modern ink to draw a fake map. Carbon-14 dating has put the origins of the parchment to the mid 1400’s. It is very hard to come to a definitive conclusion from the available evidence as both sides offer strong arguments. In my own opinion, the map is more likely authentic than a forgery. However, the controversy surrounding the map has not yet been settled. The Vinland Map has been at the center of controversy ever since it appeared around 1957. It depicts several islands in the Atlantic Ocean, but more importantly, an island called Vinland. This island is believed to be part of Canada or even Northeastern America. If the map is truly genuine, then it pre-dates Columbus’ discovery of America by more than 50 years (Gorman, 2002). However, there has been constant doubt surrounding its origins and authenticity. These issues have divided scientists into two camps which seem to ride circles around one another. As soon as new evidence arises, someone disputes it with counterarguments that are just as strong. The controversy has focused most recently on two issues: the ink used to draw the map, and the parchment that it is drawn upon.

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 12. Some People Just Don’t Grasp …

12. Some People Just Don't Grasp The Concept Of â€Å"Unwelcome† I was right on the edge of sleep. The sun had risen behind the clouds an hour ago – the forest was gray now instead of black. Seth'd curled up and passed out around one, and I'd woken him at dawn to trade off. Even after running all night, I was having a hard time making my brain shut up long enough to fall asleep, but Seth's rhythmic run was helping. One, two-three, four, one, two-three, four – dum dum-dum dam – dull paw thuds against the damp earth, over and over as he made the wide circuit surrounding the Cullens' land. We were already wearing a trail into the ground. Seth's thoughts were empty, just a blur of green and gray as the woods flew past him. It was restful. It helped to fill my head with what he saw rather than letting my own images take center stage. And then Seth's piercing howl broke the early morning quiet. I lurched up from the ground, my front legs pulling toward a sprint before my hind legs were off the ground. I raced toward the place where Seth had frozen, listening with him to the tread of paws running in our direction. Morning, boys. A shocked whine broke through Seth's teeth. And then we both snarled as we read deeper into the new thoughts. Oh, man! Goaway, Leah! Seth groaned. I stopped when I got to Seth, head thrown back, ready to howl again – this time to complain. Cut the noise, Seth. Right. Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!He whimpered and pawed at the ground, scratching deep furrows in the dirt. Leah trotted into view, her small gray body weaving through the underbrush. Stop whining, Seth. You're such a baby. I growled at her, my ears flattening against my skull. She skipped back a step automatically. What do you think you're doing, Leah? She huffed a heavy sigh. It's pretty obvious, isn't it? I'm joining your crappy little renegade pack. The vampires' guard dogs. She barked out a low, sarcastic laugh. No, you're not. Turn around before I rip out one of your hamstrings. Like you could catch me.She grinned and coiled her body for launch. Wanna race, O fearless leader? I took a deep breath, filling my lungs until my sides bulged. Then, when I was sure I wasn't going to scream, i exhaled in a gust. Seth, go let the Cullens know that it's just your stupid sister – thought the words as harshly as possible. deal with this. On it!Seth was only too happy to leave. He vanished toward the house. Leah whined, and she leaned after him, the fur on her shoulders rising. You're just going to let him run off to the vampires alone? I'm pretty sure he'd rather they took him out than spend another minute with you. Shut up, Jacob. Oops, I'm sorry – meant, shut up, most high Alpha. Why thehellare you here? You think I'm just going to sit home while my little brother volunteers as a vampire chew toy? Seth doesn't want or need your protection. In fact, no one wants you here. Oooh, ouch, that's gonna leave ahuge mark. Ha, she barked. Tell me who does want me around, and I'm outta here. So this isn't about Seth at all, is it? Of course it is. I'm just pointing out that being unwanted is not a first for me. Not really a motivating factor, if you know what I mean. I gritted my teeth and tried to get my head straight. Did Sam send you? If I was here on Sam's errand, you wouldn't be able to hear me. My allegiance is no longer with him. I listened carefully to the thoughts mixed in with the words. If this was a diversion or a ploy, I had to be alert enough to see through it. But there was nothing. Her declaration was nothing but the truth. Unwilling, almost despairing truth. You're loyal tome now? I asked with deep sarcasm. Uh-huh. Right. My choices are limited. I'm working with the options I've got. Trust me, I'm not enjoying this any more than you are. That wasn't true. There was an edgy kind of excitement in her mind. She was unhappy about this, but she was also riding some weird high. I searched her mind, trying to understand. She bristled, resenting the intrusion. I usually tried to tune Leah out – I'd never tried to make sense of her before. We were interrupted by Seth, thinking his explanation at Edward. Leah whined anxiously. Edward's face, framed in the same window as last night, showed no reaction to the news. It was a blank face, dead. Wow, he looks bad,Seth muttered to himself. The vampire showed no reaction to that thought, either. He disappeared into the house. Seth pivoted and headed back out to us. Leah relaxed a little. What's going on?Leah asked. Catch me up to speed. There's no point You're not staying. Actually, Mr. Alpha, I am. Because since apparently I have to belong tosomeone – and don't think I haven't tried breaking off on my own, you know yourself how wellthat doesn ‘t work – choose you. Leah, you don't like me. I don't like you. Thank you, Captain Obvious. That doesn't matter to me. I'm staying with Seth. You don't like vampires. Don't you think that's a little conflict of interest right there? You don't like vampires either. But Iam committed to this alliance. You aren't. I'll keep my distance from them. I can run patrols out here, just like Seth. And I'm supposed to trust you with that? She stretched her neck, leaning up on her toes, trying to be as tall as me as she stared into my eyes. will not betray my pack. I wanted to throw my head back and howl, like Seth had before. This isn't your pack! This isn't even a pack. This is just me, going off on my own! What is it with you Clearwaters? Why can't you leave me alone? Seth, just coming up behind us now, whined; I'd offended him. Great. I've been helpful, haven't I, Jake? You haven't madetoo much a nuisance of yourself, kid, but if you and Leah are a package deal – if the only way to get rid of her is for you to go home†¦. Weil, can you blame me for wanting you gone? Ugh, Leah, you ruin everything! Yeah, I know,she told him, and the thought was loaded with the heaviness of her despair. I felt the pain in the three little words, and it was more than I would've guessed. I didn't want to feel that. I didn't want to feel bad for her. Sure, the pack was rough on her, but she brought it all on herself with the bitterness that tainted her every thought and made being in her head a nightmare. Seth was feeling guilty, too. Jake†¦ You're not really gonna send me away, are you? Leah's not so bad. Really. I mean, with her here, we can push the perimeter out farther. And this puts Sam down to seven. There's no way he's going to mount an attack that outnumbered. It's probably a good thing†¦. You know I don't want to lead a pack, Seth. So don't lead us,Leah offered. I snorted. Sounds perfect to me. Run along home now. Jake,Seth thought. belong here. I do like vampires. Cullens, anyway. They're people to me, and I'm going to protect them, 'cause that's what we're supposed to do. Maybe you belong, kid, but your sister doesn't And she's going to go wherever you are – I stopped short, because I saw something when I said that. Something Leah had been trying not to think. Leah wasn't going anywhere. Thought this was about Seth,I thought sourly. She flinched. Of course I'm here for Seth. And to get away from Sam. Her jaw clenched. don't have to explain myself to you. I just have to do what I'm told. I belong to your pack, Jacob. The end. I paced away from her, growling. Crap. I was never going to get rid of her. As much as she disliked me, as much as she loathed the Cullens, as happy as she'd be to go kill all the vampires right now, as much as it pissed her off to have to protect them instead – none of that was anything compared to what she felt being free of Sam. Leah didn't like me, so it wasn't such a chore having me wish she would disappear. She loved Sam. Still. And having him wish she would disappear was more pain than she was willing to live with, now that she had a choice. She would have taken any other option. Even if it meant moving in with the Cullens as their lapdog. don't know if I'd go that far, she thought. She tried to make the words tough, aggressive, but there were big cracks in her show. I'm sure I'd give killing myself a few good tries first. Look, Leah†¦ No,you look, Jacob. Stop arguing with me, because it's not going to do any good. I'll stay out of your way, okay? I'll do anything you want Except go back to Sam's pack and be the pathetic ex-girlfriend he can't get away from. If you want me to leave – she sat back on her haunches and stared straight into my eyes – you're going to have tomake me. I snarled for a long, angry minute. I was beginning to feel some sympathy for Sam, despite what he had done to me, to Seth. No wonder he was always ordering the pack around. How else would you ever get anything done? Seth, are you gonna get mad at me if I kill your sister? He pretended to think about it for a minute. Well†¦ yeah, probably. I sighed. Okay, then, Ms. Do-Anything-I-Want Why don't you make yourself useful by telling us what you know? What happened after we left last night? Lots of howling. But you probably heard that part. It was so loud that it took us a while to figure out that we couldn't hear either of you anymore. Sam was†¦Words failed her, but we could see it in our head. Both Seth and I cringed. After that, it was clear pretty quick that we were going to have to rethink things. Sam was planning to talk to the other Elders first thing this morning. We were supposed to meet up and figure out a game plan. I could tell he wasn't going to mount another attack right away, though. Suicide at this point, with you and Seth AWOL and the bloodsuckers forewarned. I'm not sure what they'll do, but I wouldn't be wandering the forest alone if I was a leech. It's open season on vamps now. You decided to skip the meeting this morning?I asked. When we split up for patrols last night, I asked permission to go home, to tell my mother what had happened – Crap! You told Mom?Seth growled. Seth, hold off on the sibling stuff for a sec. Go on, Leah. So once I was human, I took a minute to think things through. Well, actually, I took all night. I bet the others think I fell asleep. But the whole two-separate-packs, two-separate-pack-minds thing gave mea lot to sift through. In the end, I weighed Seth's safety and the, er, other benefits against the idea of turning traitor and sniffing vampire stink for who knows how long. You know what I decided. I left a note for my mom. I expect we'll hear it when Sam finds out . .. Leah cocked an ear to the west. Yeah, I expect we will,I agreed. So that's everything. What do we do now?she asked. She and Seth both looked at me expectantly. This was exactly the kind of thing I didn't want to have to do. guess we just keep an eye out for now. That's all we can do. You should probably take a nap, Leah. You've had as much sleep as I have. Thought you were going to do what you were told? Right. That's going to get old,she grumbled, and then she yawned. Well, whatever. I don't care. I'll run the border, Jake. I'm not tired at all.Seth was so glad I hadn't forced them home, he was all but prancing with excitement. Sure, sure. I'm going to go check in with the Cullens. Seth took off along the new path worn into the damp earth. Leah looked after him thoughtfully. Maybe a round or two before I crash†¦. Hey Seth, wanna see how many times I can lap you? NO! Barking out a low chuckle, Leah lunged into the woods after him. I growled uselessly. So much for peace and quiet. Leah was trying – for Leah. She kept her jibes to a minimum as she raced around the circuit, but it was impossible not to be aware of her smug mood. I thought of the whole â€Å"two's company† saying. It didn't really apply, because one was plenty to my mind. But if there had to be three of us, it was hard to think of anyone that I wouldn't trade her for. Paul?she suggested. Maybe,I allowed. She laughed to herself, too jittery and hyper to get offended, i wondered how long the buzz from dodging Sam's pity would last. That will be my goal then – to be less annoying than Paul. Yeah, work on that I changed into my other form when I was a few yards from the lawn. I hadn't been planning to spend much time human here. But I hadn't been planning to have Leah in my head, either. I pulled on my ragged shorts and started across the lawn. The door opened before I got to the steps, and I was surprised to see Carlisle rather than Edward step outside to meet me – his face looked exhausted and defeated. For a second, my heart froze. I faltered to a stop, unable to speak. â€Å"Are you all right, Jacob?† Carlisle asked. â€Å"Is Bella?† I choked out. â€Å"She's†¦ much the same as last night. Did I startle you? I'm sorry. Edward said you were coming in your human form, and I came out to greet you, as he didn't want to leave her. She's awake.† And Edward didn't want to lose any time with her, because he didn't have much time left. Carlisle didn't say the words out loud, but he might as well have. It had been a while since I'd slept – since before my last patrol. I could really feel that now. I took a step forward, sat down on the porch steps, and slumped against the railing. Moving whisper-quiet as only a vampire could, Carlisle took a seat on the same step, against the other railing. â€Å"I didn't get a chance to thank you last night, Jacob. You don't know how much I appreciate your†¦ compassion. I know your goal was to protect Bella, but I owe you the safety of the rest of my family as well. Edward told me what you had to do___† â€Å"Don't mention it,† I muttered. â€Å"If you prefer.† We sat in silence. I could hear the others in the house. Emmett, Alice, and Jasper, speaking in low, serious voices upstairs. Esme humming tunelessly in another room. Rosalie and Edward breathing close by – I couldn't tell which was which, but I could hear the difference in Bella's labored panting. I could hear her heart, too. It seemed†¦ uneven. It was like fate was out to make me do everything I'd ever sworn I wouldn't in the course of twenty-four hours. Here I was, hanging around, waiting for her to die. I didn't want to listen anymore. Talking was better than listening. â€Å"She's family to you?† I asked Carlisle. It had caught my notice before, when he'd said I'd helped the rest of his family, too. â€Å"Yes. Bella is already a daughter to me. A beloved daughter.† â€Å"But you're going to let her die.† He was quiet long enough that I looked up. His face was very, very tired. I knew how he felt. â€Å"I can imagine what you think of me for that,† he finally said. â€Å"But i can't ignore her will. It wouldn't be right to make such a choice for her, to force her.† I wanted to be angry with him, but he was making it hard. It was like he was throwing my own words back at me, just scrambled up. They'd sounded right before, but they couldn't be right now. Not with Bella dying. Still†¦ I remembered how it felt to be broken on the ground under Sam – to have no choice but be involved in the murder of someone I loved. It wasn't the same, though. Sam was wrong. And Bella loved things she shouldn't. â€Å"Do you think there's any chance she'll make it? I mean, as a vampire and all that. She told me about†¦ about Esme.† Tel say there's an even chance at this point,† he answered quietly. â€Å"I've seen vampire venom work miracles, but there are conditions that even venom cannot overcome. Her heart is working too hard now; if it should fail†¦ there won't be anything for me to do.† Bella's heartbeat throbbed and faltered, giving an agonizing emphasis to his words. Maybe the planet had started turning backward. Maybe that would explain how everything was the opposite of what it had been yesterday – how I could be hoping for what had once seemed like the very worst thing in the world. â€Å"What is that thing doing to her?† I whispered. â€Å"She was so much worse last night. I saw†¦ the tubes and all that. Through the window.† â€Å"The fetus isn't compatible with her body. Too strong, for one thing, but she could probably endure that for a while. The bigger problem is that it won't allow her to get the sustenance she needs. Her body is rejecting every form of nutrition. I'm trying to feed her intravenously, but she's just not absorbing it. Everything about her condition is accelerated. I'm watching her – and not just her, but the fetus as well – starve to death by the hour. I can't stop it and I can't slow it down. I can't figure out what it wants† His weary voice broke at the end. I felt the same way I had yesterday, when I'd seen the black stains across her stomach – furious, and a little crazy. I clenched my hands into fists to control the shaking. I hated the thing that was hurting her. It wasn't enough for the monster to beat her from the inside out. No, it was starving her, too. Probably just looking for something to sink its teeth into – a throat to suck dry. Since it wasn't big enough to kill anyone else yet, it settled for sucking Bella's life from her. I could tell them exactly what it wanted: death and blood, blood and death. My skin was all hot and prickly. I breathed slowly in and out, focusing on that to calm myself. â€Å"I wish I could get a better idea of what exactly it is,† Carlisle murmured. â€Å"The fetus is well protected. I haven't been able to produce an ultrasonic image. I doubt there is any way to get a needle through the amniotic sac, but Rosalie won't agree to let me try, in any case.† â€Å"A needle?† I mumbled. â€Å"What good would that do?† â€Å"The more I know about the fetus, the better I can estimate what it will be capable of. What I wouldn't give for even a little amniotic fluid. If I knew even the chromosomal count†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You're losing me, Doc. Can you dumb it down?† He chuckled once – even his laugh sounded exhausted. â€Å"Okay. How much biology have you taken? Did you study chromosomal pairs?† â€Å"Think so. We have twenty-three, right?† â€Å"Humans do.† I blinked. â€Å"How many do you have?† â€Å"Twenty-five.† I frowned at my fists for a second. â€Å"What does that mean?† â€Å"I thought it meant that our species were almost completely different. Less related than a lion and a house cat. But this new life – well, it suggests that we're more genetically compatible than I'd thought.† He sighed sadly. â€Å"I didn't know to warn them.† I sighed, too. It had been easy to hate Edward for the same ignorance. I still hated him for it. It was just hard to feel the same way about Carlisle. Maybe because I wasn't ten shades of jealous in Carlisle's case. â€Å"It might help to know what the count was – whether the fetus was closer to us or to her. To know what to expect.† Then he shrugged. â€Å"And maybe it wouldn't help anything. I guess I just wish I had something to study, anything to do.† â€Å"Wonder what my chromosomes are like,† I muttered randomly. I thought of those Olympic steroids tests again. Did they run DNA scans? Carlisle coughed self-consciously. â€Å"You have twenty-four pairs, Jacob.† I turned slowly to stare at him, raising my eyebrows. He looked embarrassed. â€Å"I was†¦ curious. I took the liberty when I was treating you last June.† I thought about it for a second. â€Å"I guess that should piss me off. But I don't really care.† â€Å"I'm sorry. I should have asked.† â€Å"S'okay, Doc. You didn't mean any harm.† â€Å"No, I promise you that I did not mean you any harm. It's just that†¦ I find your species fascinating. I suppose that the elements of vampiric nature have come to seem commonplace to me over the centuries. Your family's divergence from humanity is much more interesting. Magical, almost.† â€Å"Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo,† I mumbled. He was just like Bella with all the magic garbage. Carlisle laughed another weary laugh. Then we heard Edward's voice inside the house, and we both paused to listen. â€Å"I'll be right back, Bella. I want to speak with Carlisle for a moment. Actually, Rosalie, would you mind accompanying me?† Edward sounded different. There was a little life in his dead voice. A spark of something. Not hope exactly, but maybe the desire to hope. â€Å"What is it, Edward?† Bella asked hoarsely. â€Å"Nothing you need to worry about, love. It will just take a second. Please, Rose?† â€Å"Esme?† Rosalie called. â€Å"Can you mindBella for me?† Iheard the whisper of wind as Esme flitted down the stairs. â€Å"Of course,† she said. Carlisle shifted, twisting to look expectantly at the door. Edward was through the door first, with Rosalie right on his heels. His face was, like his voice, no longer dead. He seemed intensely focused. Rosalie looked suspicious. Edward shut the door behind her. â€Å"Carlisle,† he murmured. â€Å"What is it, Edward?† â€Å"Perhaps we've been going about this the wrong way. I was listening to you and Jacob just now, and when you were speaking of what the†¦ fetus wants, Jacob had an interesting thought.† Me?What had thought? Besides my obvious hatred for the thing? At least I wasn't alone in that. I could tell that Edward had a difficult time using a term as mild as fetus. â€Å"We haven't actually addressed that angle,† Edward went on. â€Å"We've been trying to get Bella what she needs. And her body is accepting it about as well as one of ours would. Perhaps we should address the needs of the†¦ fetus first. Maybe if we can satisfy it, we'll be able to help her more effectively.† â€Å"I'm not following you, Edward,† Carlisle said. â€Å"Think about it, Carlisle. If that creature is more vampire than human, can't you guess what it craves – what it's not getting? Jacob did.† I did? I ran through the conversation, trying to remember what thoughts I'd kept to myself. I remembered at the same time that Carlisle understood. â€Å"Oh,† he said in a surprised tone. â€Å"You think it is†¦ thirsty?† Rosalie hissed under her breath. She wasn't suspicious anymore. Her revoltingly perfect face wasall lit up, her eyes wide with excitement. â€Å"Of course,† she muttered. â€Å"Carlisle, we have all that type O negative laid aside for Bella. It's a good idea,† she added, not looking at me. â€Å"Hmm.† Carlisle put his hand to his chin, lost in thought. â€Å"I wonder†¦ And then, what would be the best way to administer___† Rosalie shook her head. â€Å"We don't have time to be creative. I'd say we should start with the traditional way.† â€Å"Wait a minute,† i whispered. â€Å"Just hold on. Are you – are you talking about making Bella drink blood?† â€Å"It was your idea, dog,† Rosalie said, scowling at me without ever quite looking at me. I ignored her and watched Carlisle. That same ghost of hope that had been in Edward's face was now in the doctor's eyes. He pursed his lips, speculating. â€Å"That's just†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I couldn't find the right word. â€Å"Monstrous?† Edward suggested. â€Å"Repulsive?† â€Å"Pretty much.† â€Å"But what if it helps her?† he whispered. I shook my head angrily. â€Å"What are you gonna do, shove a tube down her throat?† â€Å"I plan to ask her what she thinks. I just wanted to run it past Carlisle first.† Rosalie nodded. â€Å"If you tell her it might help the baby, she'll be willing to do anything. Even if we do have to feed them through a tube.† I realized then – when I heard how her voice got all loveydovey as she said the word baby – that Blondie would be in line with anything that helped the little life-sucking monster. Was that what was going on, the mystery factor that was bonding the two of them? Was Rosalie after the kid? From the corner of my eye, I saw Edward nod once, absently, not looking in my direction. But I knew he was answering my questions. Huh. I wouldn't have thought the ice-cold Barbie would have a maternal side. So much for protecting Bella – Rosalie'd probably jam the tube down Bella's throat herself. Edward's mouth mashed into a hard line, and I knew I was right again. â€Å"Well, we don't have time to sit around discussing this,† Rosalie said impatiently. â€Å"What do you think, Carlisle? Can we try?† Carlisle took a deep breath, and then he was on his feet. â€Å"We'll ask Bella.† Blondie smiled smugly – sure that, if it was up to Bella, she would get her way. I dragged myself up from the stairs and followed after them as they disappeared into the house. I wasn't sure why. Just morbid curiosity, maybe. It was like a horror movie. Monsters and blood all over the place. Maybe I just couldn't resist another hit of my dwindling drug supply. Bella lay flat on the hospital bed, her belly a mountain under the sheet. She looked like wax – colorless and sort of see-through. You'd think she was already dead, except for the tiny movement of her chest, her shallow breathing. And then her eyes, following the four of us with exhausted suspicion. The others were at her side already, flitting across the room with sudden darting motions. It was creepy to watch. 1 ambled along at a slow walk. â€Å"What's going on?† Bella demanded in a scratchy whisper. Her waxy hand twitched up – like she was trying to protect her balloon-shaped stomach. â€Å"Jacob had an idea that might help you,† Carlisle said. I wished he would leave me out of it. I hadn't suggested anything. Give the credit to her bloodsucking husband, where it belonged. â€Å"It won't be†¦ pleasant, but – â€Å" â€Å"But it will help the baby,† Rosalie interrupted eagerly. â€Å"We've thought of a better way to feed him. Maybe.† Bella's eyelids fluttered. Then she coughed out a weak chuckle. â€Å"Not pleasant?† she whispered. â€Å"Gosh, that'll be such a change.† She eyed the tube stuck into her arm and coughed again. Blondie laughed with her. The girl looked like she only had hours left, and she had to be in pain, but she was making jokes. So Bella. Trying to ease the tension, make it better for everyone else. Edward stepped around Rosalie, no humor touching his intense expression. I was glad for that. It helped, just a little bit, that he was suffering worse than me. He took her hand, not the one that was still protecting her swollen belly. â€Å"Bella, love, we're going to ask you to do something monstrous,† he said, using the same adjectives he'd offered me. â€Å"Repulsive.† Well, at least he was giving it to her straight. She took a shallow, fluttery breath. â€Å"How bad?† Carlisle answered. â€Å"We think the fetus might have an appetite closer to ours than to yours. We think it's thirsty.† She blinked. â€Å"Oh. Oh.† â€Å"Your condition – both of your conditions – are deteriorating rapidly. We don't have time to waste, to come up with more palatable ways to do this. The fastest way to test the theory – â€Å" â€Å"I've got to drink it,† she whispered. She nodded slightly – barely enough energy for a little head bob. â€Å"I can do that. Practice for the future, right?† Her colorless lips stretched into a faint grin as she looked at Edward. He didn't smile back. Rosalie started tapping her toe impatiently. The sound was really irritating. I wondered what she would do if I threw her through a wall right now. â€Å"So, who's going to catch me a grizzly bear?† Bella whispered. Carlisle and Edward exchanged a quick glance. Rosalie stopped tapping. â€Å"What?† Bella asked. â€Å"It will be a more effective test if we don't cut corners, Bella,† Carlisle said. â€Å"Ifthe fetus is craving blood,† Edward explained, â€Å"it's not craving animal blood.† â€Å"It won't make a difference to you, Bella. Don't think about it,† Rosalie encouraged. Bella's eyes widened. â€Å"Who?† she breathed, and her gaze flickered to me. â€Å"I'm not here as a donor, Bells,† I grumbled. â€Å"‘Sides, it's human blood that thing's after, and I don't think mine applies – â€Å" â€Å"We have blood on hand,† Rosalie told her, talking over me before I'd finished, like I wasn't there. â€Å"For you – just in case. Don't worry about anything at all. It's going to be fine. I have a good feeling about this, Bella. I think the baby will be so much better.† Bella:s hand ran across her stomach. â€Å"Well,† she rasped, barely audible. â€Å"I'm starving, so I'll bet he is, too.† Trying to make another joke. â€Å"Let's go for it. My first vampire act.†

Bank Of Queensland Operations In Australia Essay Example Pdf - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 10 Words: 2885 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? The objective of this paper is to try and understand the Bank of Queensland (BOQ) operations in Australia and its successes or failures in the last 5 years as it devises various strategies to take an even bigger slice in the banking industry in Australia. We shall critically analyze each strategy and understand how it has helped or hampered the banks operations. We shall also try and understand strategies followed by other banks and accordingly try and devise future strategies for Bank of Queensland to follow to help aid their growth in the industry. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Bank Of Queensland Operations In Australia Essay Example Pdf" essay for you Create order Till a few years back, Bank of Queensland remained an almost unknown entity outside of Queensland, but over the last few years, through its unique Owner Managed Branches (OMB) strategy, they have expanded their growth across Australia at a rapid pace. They have also merged or acquired companies along the way in order to help strengthen their base. As of now, the Bank sits outside of the Big 4 banks present in Australia, but it hopes that in the future they would be able to be amongst the biggest players in the Australian Banking Industry. In order to be amongst the biggest players in the Australian Banking Industry, the bank needs to expand its network further through more OMB networks and try and buy out financial institutions that are up for sale which would be assets to the organization in the long run. BOQ..A Snippet Bank of Queensland (BOQ)  is a  136-year old organization and one of Australias top 100 companies (BOQ, 2010). The Bank was established in 1874 as The Brisbane Permanent Benefit Building and Investment Society, the first permanent building society formed in Queensland. In 1887, the society converted to a bank. Then in 1942, following mergers with other Queensland-based financial institutions it became a trading bank. The name Bank of Queensland was adopted in 1970, just as  the Banks  operations were computerized. A year later the Bank became a publicly traded company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. The Banks first regional branches Cairns and Townsville were opened in 1985. Between 2001 and 2004, an accelerated branch opening program saw  it open 55 new branches throughout metropolitan, regional and rural Queensland, the perfect springboard from which to launch its national expansion under the Owner Managed Branch strategy, a first in the banking industry (BOQ, 2010) which has seen the company open up branches across Australia in a very short span of time. It currently has 266 branches and 3,598 ATMs across Australia (BOQ, 2010). The Bank offers a range of personal banking services catering to the individual banking needs in the country. Its services includes everyday banking accounts, credit cards, debit cards, home loans, wealth management, savings and investments, personal loans, insurance, travel money services and margin lending. In addition, the bank also provides private banking services primarily to high net worth customers. Its services includes cheque accounts, at-call and term deposits, credit cards, mortgage and line of credit finance, home and investment loans, and equipment finance. The Bank offers an array of business banking services which include business transaction accounts, equipment finance, business cards, business investment accounts, statutory trust accounts, cash-flow finan ce, business loans and merchant services. The Bank also offers international services to its business banking customers which includes foreign exchange payment options, trade finance and services, foreign exchange hedging services, foreign currency accounts and deposits, and traveler cheques. The Bank also offers online banking services to its clients through both internet and on phone. The Banks majority shareholders includes HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia), Share Investment No2, National Nominees, J P Morgan Nominees Australia, Milton Corporation and ANZ Nominees among others (BOQ, 2010). AUSTRALIAN BANKING INDUSTRY The Global financial crisis didnt affect Australia as much as the rest of the world due to the rather strong Banking regulations in place (Abott, 2010). In fact, Australia has a long history of stable and safe banks.  One indicator is the fact that virtually no Australian has lost their deposit in an Australian bank in the last 100 years. The last failure where depositors money was lost occurred in 1931 when depositors in the Primary Producers Bank of Australia lost a negligible amount of their deposits. Not a single dollar of taxpayers money has been demanded or required to reimburse bank depositors in over one hundred years (Australian Bankers Association, 2004). While there are many banks present in the Australian Banking Industry making it rather competitive, there are only 4 Banks which command a substantial market share namely, Commonwealth, WestPac, NAB and ANZ who together have a little more than 80% of the housing loan segment (BOQ, 2009). The other banks are generally small or regional players such as Bank of Queensland. Bank of Queensland currently has a market share of 2.2% (BOQ, 2009). The acquiring of BankWest by Commonwealth Bank (The Australian, 2008) and a similar merging of St George with WestPac (ABC, 2008) has left BOQ a vacant 5th position for it to move into and then slowly grow from there (BOQ, 2009). The recent takeovers of BankWest and St. George by major banks have left a void in real alternatives for small business finance in Australia (BOQ, 2009). (Source: Full Year Results 2009) BANK OF QUEENSLAND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION 2005 2009 Despite the Global Financial Crisis, Bank of Queensland didnt suffer any loss during the period despite facing more expenses to secure their funding (BOQ, 2008). In fact, the profits of the bank went up by a staggering 46% despite the downturn to settle at $ 155.4 million (BOQ, 2008). Let us critically analyze each aspect of the Banks business over the last 5 years. Below is a snapshot of the Banks Finances over the last 5 years. (Source: BOQ Annual Report, 2009) As can be seen from the table above, the bank has maintained a steady growth in its profits as well as its assets and despite the strain put on it by the Global Financial Crisis; it managed to withstand it and grow by a very healthy 46% during that period. The total assets under Management have also grown 150% times from $ 14,388 million to $34,545 million between the years 2005 to 2009. Total Loans under Management has also seen an increase from just $12,381 million in 2005 to $28,866 million in 2009, an increase of 130%. Retail Deposits also saw a gigantic increase from just around $5,843 million in 2005 to 16,248 million in 2009, an increase of around 200%. The reason for such a steady growth in profits can be mainly attributed to 3 factors namely: The Growth in Owner Managed Branches (OMB) Mergers and Acquisitions Reduction in Cost to Income Ratio These 3 Factors have formed the backbone of BOQ expansion strategy and have greatly helped the bank as can b e seen below: (Source: BOQ Annual Reports, 2009, p 43) EVALUATION OF CURRENT GROWTH STRATEGIES Let us now analyze each of these strategies individually and understand how they have benefitted the company. OMB MODEL BOQs Owner-Managed model is unique to the Banking industry as no other bank in the world follows this model (BOQ, 2010). Under this model, People can apply for a franchisee of Bank of Queensland, and provided they meet the stringent conditions of the bank, they are allowed to open one and operate them with the Bank of Queensland providing them full support. The contracts are renewable every 5 years. The Owners pay for the day to day expenses in the running of the bank including staff salaries and in return they get a percentage of profit that the bank makes. With local people being the Owners of branches, the bank is trying to give each bank a local feeling. Also, with the Owners also being Branch Managers of the bank, they would be more inclined to work harder to pursue the banks interests as it would lead to more profits for them. It combines the benefits of a motivated sales culture with a compliance focused culture. The OMB model has worked very well for the bank an d has helped the bank expand its base to other parts of Australia thus giving it a much more national presence. From the Banks perspective it is a low cost expansion strategy. It is a variable model that rewards performance. Since 2001, the Bank has expanded from 93 branches to now having 283 retail sites in each state of Australia. Such has been the success of OMB that 22 corporate branches were converted to OMB, and the average monthly settlements in these 22 branches rose by 62% (JP Morgan Conferences, 2008). Below; one can see a more accurate representation of the performance of OMBs. (Source: JP Morgan Conference, 2008) MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS Besides the huge role played by OMBs in expanding the business operations of BOQ, Mergers and Acquisitions of already established businesses have also helped BOQ expand its geographical presence all over Australia. In 2003, the Bank made two key acquisitions. BOQ purchased convenience ATM provider ATM Solutions Australasia, which it subsequently doubled in value and sold for a net profit of $15 million. The Bank still maintains one of the most widespread ATM networks in Australia, with 3,599  ATMs till date (BOQ, 2010).  BOQ also purchased equipment finance company UFJ Finance Australia, giving  it their first significant interstate presence and positioning  themselves as a major player in the $20 billion equipment finance industry. In 2005, BOQ acquired the $78 million debtor finance division of ORIX Australia, further strengthening  their position in the debtor finance industry (BOQ, 2010).  In  August 2007,  Bank of Queensland made a successful bid for the Mackay-based Pioneer Permanent Building Society, providing the Bank with strong market synergies in the booming Central and North Queensland economies (BOQ, 2010).  In November 2007,  members of Home Building Society  in Western Australia overwhelmingly endorsed a$592 million merger proposal.  This merger with Home delivered an additional 35 branches,  access to the strong  growth economy in Western Australia and  further increased BOQs national footprint making it a truly national company (BOQ, 2010). In early 2010, BOQ finalized a deal to purchase St. Andrews Australia Insurance Business from Commonwealth bank for $60 Million with the hope of expanding into life and credit insurance besides diversifying its business and improving its returns (SMH, 2010). In recent news, BOQ announced its intention to buy CIT Groups Australia and New Zealands vendor finance business for a deal reportedly around A$500 million (Reuters, 2010). CIT group is said to hold assets of around $A66.2 Billion in various banks (NineNews, 2010). This acquisition would prove a shot in the arm for BOQs $100 Million vendor fina nce business (NineNews, 2010). REDUCTION IN COST TO INCOME RATIO In order to increase profits, BOQ embarked on an ambitious cost reduction plan with an aim to bring down their cost to income ratio to as low as 45% by 2011. The program has seen tremendous success as the banks Cost to Income ratio has come plummeting down from as high 64.5% in 2006 to 49% in 2009, a drop of 15.5% in just 3 years (BOQ, 2009) or a $50 million saving annually (UBS, 2009) as can be seen in the illustration below: (Source: UBS Financial Services Conference 2009, pg 16) Below is an illustration on the areas of operation where BOQ managed to get a reduction in costs: (Source: BOQ Full Year Results 2009, pg 15) CORE COMPETENCIES OF BANK OF QUEENSLAND Being a small regional bank, its but obvious that the resources available to Bank of Queensland were rather negligible. However, they managed to overcome this shortcoming by coming up with a very unique OMB model which saw the rapid expansion of bank to become a Pan Australian company in a short span of time, with little or no investment done by themselves (Liddy, 2002). The banks main competency lies in its ability to streamline its costs, but at the same time offering its customers a good quality of service. As Liddy (2002) rightly put it, Across the organization, I see us as the Virgin Blue of banking, utilizing revenue and sales incentives to motivate employees to strive for excellence in customer service and creating shareholder wealth in the process. It is pertinent to note here that according to a survey conducted by TNS Business Finance Monitor (2009), Bank of Queensland emerged with the highest customer satisfaction levels of 90.9%. Another main competency of the banks remains in their proper identification of companies to merge with as they have picked up good companies to acquire which have helped them consolidate their business manifold (Refer Mergers and Acquisitions above in this paper for more details). LOOKING FORWARDÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¦MOVING FORWARD SUGGESTED DIRECTION FOR THE FUTURE CONTINUE OMB EXPANSION The OMB model of expansion has been a big success to the bank as it has helped the bank expand at a rapid space with minimal investment (Liddy, 2002). Given its success, it would be wise to carry on with this expansion model. A few alterations could be made to the model by reducing terms and conditions of setting up franchises in rural segments so as to enable a better rural penetration. However, the company must continue to ensure total care with whomsoever it franchises with to ensure no misrepresentation of the company takes place. LOW COST TO INCOME RATIOS The low cost to income ratio has seen the bank save around $50 million annually (UBS, 2009). The bank should continue in this same vein and look at further streamlining their business. They should however ensure that this cost cutting does not have an adverse effect on customer service and efficiency or else it would have a negative effect in the long run. MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS Past mergers and acquisitions have been very beneficial in helping the company move forward and expanding its reach across Australia. Given the current Global Financial scenario, where many businesses are up for sale due to lack of credit, Bank of Queensland should look to capitalize on this and try and acquire these companies, many of which are still feasible ventures such as CIT who BOQ are trying to purchase. BOQ should also not limit itself to only companies that operate within Australia and look towards expanding their reach in developing nations such as India, China where profits are also very good. Other overseas markets should also be looked at to enable BOQ to have a more global reach. I would recommend the setting up of a complete department or workforce that would search for feasible companies for BOQ to merge with that would help BOQ strengthen its Global reach. ADDRESSING THE MARKET VOID The Global Financial crisis has seen a major change in the market with many companies being forced to sell off or shut down entirely due to lack of credit (UBS, 2009). Some examples of these are the acquiring of BankWest by Commonwealth bank and St. George by WestPac, RAMS by WestPac just to name a few (UBS, 2009). The Global financial crisis also effectively shut down the RMBS market which Australias smaller non-bank lenders were highly relying on (UBS, 2009). To add to the situation, many foreign banks such as GE Money Motor Solutions and GMAC have informed the Australian treasury that they can give no guarantee of being able to provide funds for Australian borrowers (UBS, 2009). While this may seem all bad for the industry, this could well be good news for BOQ considering the global financial crisis didnt seem to affect them too much. There is a void present in the market now and BOQ should set themselves up to be in a position to fill that void. With the departur e of BankWest and St. George, BOQ are in a position to move themselves up to either the 5th or 6th largest bank in Australia and slowly move upwards from there. There should also look at buying out smaller non-bank money lenders to further diversify their product offerings and their reach to the different segments of the Australian market. It is important to note here that there has not been an RMBS default till date and mortgage arrears have just been 1.58% (IBT, 2009). CALL CENTRE IMPROVEMENT According to a survey conducted by Canstar Cannex (2009), most of the Bank of Queensland customers complained about the poor quality of customer service offered by the call centre. The Bank should look towards addressing this issue and ensure that they can meet customer satisfaction. DIVERSIFIED PRODUCT RANGE The bank could work on its product range being offered in the market and add more products to ensure that it has the ability to cater to a wide range of clients. Each persons needs are different, so the bank must ensure that it meets the needs of as many customers possible and therefore must ensure that it has a wide array of customer products ready. LIMIT LENDING TO RETAIL BORROWERS The Banks strategy has been to concentrate more on Home Loan borrowers and less on Retail Borrowers. The bank must pursue this strategy in order to ensure that bad debts are kept to the minimum. Retail Borrowings come at a higher risk of future bad debts, and the bank must do its best to keep this to the minimum. CONCLUSION To conclude, it is safe to assume that BOQ is following the proper strategy to success. This statement can be supported by the rapid expansion of the bank and its increase in profits despite a Global Financial crisis. Despite being a relatively small bank in the Australian Banking Scenario; Bank of Queensland has got their strategies right and are surely moving forward into the right direction. Their expansion at a breath taking space surely will go a long way into helping the bank strengthen its credentials. Though the bank is on the right part to success, they can certainly increase their growth rate a little further by implementing some of the above mentioned suggestions such as a diversified product range.