New Business Plan for a Gas Station Start Up Free Essays

The customer need that will be satisfied is that my gas station will have gasoline, diesel, and a service station to get the repairs or inspections they will need to have. There will be a free air pump, so they can have the option of filling up their tires. I will also have coffee, snacks and different beverages the customer can purchase as well, so they can also fuel up their bodies as well for the ride they are going to make. We will write a custom essay sample on New Business Plan for a Gas Station Start Up or any similar topic only for you Order Now The product will be unique by my station having a self service, but also a full service section for customers at no extra cost, but if the customer is getting 5 gallons or less than there will be a slight increase on the price per gallon. I will have two self service gasoline pumps; two full service gasoline pumps that are double sided so that’s make 8 pumps for gasoline. I will have one diesel pump, which the one side will be self service and the other side will be full service. The full service section will have a line on the ground that when they ride over it a bell will ring and the employee will know there is someone waiting to get full service. Along with the full service I will have the employee offer them if they would like their windows to be cleaned, their oil to be checked, and if they would like a beverage or a snack while they are waiting for their fuel. I will also make sure that the pavement is cleaned every day. There will be a canopy to cover the fuel pumps and will make sure there is proper lighting and have some calming music playing while the customer waits. I will have a great color scheme to my gas station to make it stand out. There will be neon lights that will trim the canopy and pumps, so at night it will make it more appealing to the customer and hopefully will draw them in. I will also offer a card that can be scanned at the pump when they pull up that will have a record of their purchases and for every $100. 00 they have spent, not including the service station, I will offer them $. 10 off a gallon. This offer can be accumulated over a month, so depending on how much they spend they can accumulate up to getting $. 0 off a gallon. Though, this offer is only valid for the month pertaining to the purchases they made, so if they do not use the discount then the next month it will be erased and will start over again. The customers that will be coming to my gas station are ones with gasoline, diesel, or even hybrid cars and motorcycles that need to be taken care of. There will even be landscaping and other similar customers coming to filling up their small engines. I will also have customers that will be coming for the service station to get repairs or inspections done to their cars. I will not be able to service 18-wheelers though, but they can still get their diesel. I will also not be able to have a mechanic for motorcycles unless he/she has the proper training along with their automotive training. Their profiles are people who range from the lower upper-class to the middle upper-class. There will be both male and female’s who are coming to the station with their ages being from 18 and up. They’ll be high school and college students along with people who are working and even people who aren’t working that just are getting gas for whatever they are putting the fuel in. In the town my gas station resides, the population is %54. 4 African Americans, %29. 6 Caucasian, %8. 7 Asian American, %4. 3 Hispanic, %2. 4 with two or more races, %0. 2 native Hawaiian and other Pacific islanders, %0. 2 other race, and %0. 1 American Indian, which is a total of 2668 thousand residents† (Advameg, Inc, 2011) These people will be living in the area of m y gas station or in the surrounding area of East Lansdowne, PA. They may work in the area at the local stores that surround my gas station. They may work in center city or in the west/south west Philadelphia region. The customer may also work out towards the Springfield mall up Baltimore avenue I may also get people who are going to the gym or going out for the day or night to have a day of fun on the weekend or a day off from their jobs. The customer wants a gas station that will allow them to be in and out as quick as possible so they can continue on with where they are going to go. The customers’ needs are that they feel that this is a place that will take care of them and will treat them with the most upstanding customer service so they will keep on coming back. With the amenities I will provide I will hopefully be going above and beyond their expectations of the service they would receive at another gas station. The customer may need to use the service station, and they’re vehicle will be treated with the proper care it deserves. The Exxon station, located at the corner of Baltimore Avenue and Church lane in East Lansdowne, PA. The Giant supermarket that has a gas station that’s located right by Baltimore avenue and Union avenue in east Lansdowne, PA. The Exxon station’s strengths are that they sell cigarettes and have the lottery. They also have a convenience store that you can go inside with an ATM machine in it. Their weaknesses are that there is only one employee that works there. They have an air pump and vacuum section that you have to pay for. They do not have a full service option, nor do they have a service station to work on vehicles or a diesel fuel pump. It also isn’t a very clean or well maintained place. The Giant supermarket’s strengths are that they have the same option of accumulating points from purchases made inside of their supermarket. They also have an entire supermarket that their customers can do their shopping and then head over to the gas pump after with a free air pump as well. Their weaknesses are that in order to get the discount on the gas you have to buy products from their supermarket, whereas at my station the gas is included in the point system. They also do not offer a full service option even though there is a gas attendant there to supervise the gas station section. Their other weakness is that the gas station is in the very back of the property so some customer’s may only think there is just the supermarket. They also do not have a service station for repairs, nor do they carry diesel fuel. They Exxon station might try to add a full service feature, but that would be hard with only one attendant there working inside the convenience store. They may to try and make their air pump free for customers. They may also try to add a diesel pump. The Giant supermarket has a little more trouble trying to do a lot of changes because it’s a big company so they’d have to get the OK from the higher ups, but they may also try to add a full service option along with adding the diesel option. I feel neither of them would be able to match the service station part because Exxon has limited room and the Giant probably doesn’t have any intentions of adding that because their main focus is the supermarket with the gas being a side thing. â€Å"Sunoco is committed to sustainable business practices. Sunoco adopts business strategies and activities that meet the needs of the business and its stakeholders today while protecting, sustaining and enhancing the human and natural resources that will be needed in the future. † (Sunoco, Inc. 2013) â€Å"A promoter of clean energy alternatives, BJ’s Wholesale Club strives to implement environmentally conscious business practices when possible. BJ’s Wholesale promotes energy efficient methods of harvesting electricity, and many BJ’s stores use solar panels to harvest energy. BJ’s stores also participate in local recycling and waste management programs†¦. Primarily operating from large warehou se-style retail locations, BJ’s Wholesale Club offers club members a wide range of products and services. BJ’s sells everything from food and clothing to gasoline and home office supplies. BJ’s also operates an online store. (BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc, 2013) I plan on being an independent gas station and plan on getting my gas and diesel from the Sunoco/Carlyle Group, which is located at 3144 W Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA. I plan on buying my coffee and snacks from BJ’s, which is located at 1260 E. Woodland Ave. Springfield, PA 19064. I do not want to have a franchise with Sunoco, so it will be considered an â€Å"unbranded fuel†. (Sunoco, Inc. , 2013) I expect the relationship with Sunoco/Carlyle Group to be one that I can have a regular set date or dates that they will come and top off what fuels I need. With BJ’s I just expect to pay their â€Å"BJ’s Business yearly payment of $50 to get the items I need, and with the business card I am able to have my items be tax-exempt and have them available for resale. † (BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc. , 2013) The location cost for the property I plan to buy is $600,000 as is and it’s because it is a closed down gas station. (County of Delaware, 2013) The legalities to having a gas station is that there have to be yearly inspections done by the state to make sure everything is ok. They check the soil for contamination and check to make sure the underground tanks are at the right depth. The state inspectors make sure that each pump is properly working and up to date with the correct parts. â€Å"The ‘U. S. Environmental Protection Agency’ that the pumps are only pumping 10 gallons per minute. † (U. S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, 1997) They also make sure that all my licenses are up to date and make sure that we are operating under the proper protocols provided by the state. I would want to own and refurbish a facility. There is one at 401 East Baltimore Avenue that has exactly what I am looking for. It was recently a Sunoco station, but all the Sunoco signs and words have been taken down so it looks like a blank slate. It has a three car garage with the lifts still in it and an air pump already in place. The only thing I would have to add is the diesel pump to the facility and to have the underground tank for the diesel to be placed in. I would have to have someone come out and make sure that the pumps work and have someone come in and check out the lifts in the garage to make sure they are up to par as well. I will purchase any necessary parts that the maintenance guys found wrong with the pumps and the lifts in the service station. I will have to purchase the line that runs on the ground for the full service section of the gas station to let the employee know the customer is there. I will also have to invest in the tools required for the service station so that the employees have the proper equipment needed to work on the vehicle. I need to have the signs and all the proper naming of my gas station placed on the property along with the neon lighting. I will purchase the speakers that will be playing the calming music for the customers. I will have to get the proper licensing from the state to be able to give inspections to vehicles. I will be open 7 days a week from 5am until 11pm, but the service station will only be open from 8am until 8 pm. I will need to have an employee who is in charge of the cash register and assigning the gas to the right pump. I will need to have a mechanic that will take care of the service station. I will need to hire an employee that can take care of the full service part of the gas station. I will have at least 2 to 3 cashiers that will be able to work part-time shifts. I will need to have at least 2 to 3 mechanics that will be able to work part-time or full-time shifts, but only will need one mechanic available during each shift. If there are days that the service station is overloaded with cars I may need to call in one of the other mechanics to come in and help out. I will need at least 2 to 3 part-time employees that will need to be in charge of the full service section, but will only need one employee at a time during the shift. I will also be at the gas station from time to time to make sure things are the way they are supposed to be. The cashier person will need to be able to work the cashier and be able to set the right amount of gas to the right pump for the customer with the proper customer service skill to keep the customer happy. The cashier will also have to differentiate whether the person is at the self service or the full service station to make the right adjustments in prices and know about the 5 gallon or less rule. The mechanics will have to give me a proper resume or some sort of certification that they are real mechanics and are able to work on different brand vehicles. The mechanic should be responsible for removing, installing, diagnosing, repairing, disassembling and assembling parts, components and engines while performing all duties according to safety procedures. (Salary. com, 2013) The mechanics should know how to properly approach the customer and kindly ask them what it is they need. The employee in charge of the full service station is going to need to be properly dressed in a uniform; while wearing a new pair of gloves for every customer they service. The full service employee will also need to know how to clean the windows properly and be able to check to make sure the oil level is correct in the car if they are asked to check for that. The full service employee will also need to have the best customer service skills to keep the customer pleased and will need to be able to communicate with the cashier on what their total will be when they are asking if they can get the customer a beverage or a snack while the customer waits to be fueled up. The cost of the cashier position per hour will be $8. 00 an hour with the potential to gain a raise every 6 months. (Salary. om, 2013) The mechanics will be working for $18. 00 an hour and also have the potential to get a raise every 6 months and/or if they show they work at a fast rate with quality work being done. (Salary. com, 2013) The full service employee will receive $8. 00 an hour with the potential to gain a raise every 6 months and/or if they show fast, quality customer service. (Sal ary. com, 2013) At the end of the year, excluding leap years, I would potentially be paying my cashiers’ and full service employees’ $52,560 (gross pay). At the end of the year, excluding leap years, I would potentially be paying my mechanics’ $78,840 (gross pay). Works Cited Advameg, Inc. (2011). East Lansdowne, Pennsylvania. Retrieved from city-data. com: http://www. city-data. com/city/East-Lansdowne-Pennsylvania. html BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc. (2013). About Us. Retrieved from bjs. com: http://www. bjs. com/about-us. content. about. A BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc. (2013). Membership Options/Join. Retrieved from bjs. com: http://www. bjs. com/info. aboutmembership. options County of Delaware. (2013). Delaware County Real Estate Parcels Tax Records System. Retrieved from w01. co. delaware. pa. us: http://w01. co. delaware. pa. us/publicaccess. asp? unicipality=00realdistaddress=SubmitHNumber=Street=aFolio=Map=UAYN=Y Salary. com. (2013). Automotive Mechanic. Retrieved from Salary. com: http://swz. salary. com/salarywizard/Automotive-Mechanic-II-Hourly-Salary-Details. aspx Salary. com. (2013). Cashier. Retrieved from Salary. com: http://swz. salary. com/SalaryWizard/Retail-Cashier-Full-Time-Hourly-Salary-Details. aspx Salary. com. (2 013). Job Details . Retrieved from Salary. com: http://swz. salary. com/salarywizard/Automotive-Mechanic-II-Job-Description. aspx Salary. com. (2013). Service Station Attendant. Retrieved from Salary. com: http://swz. salary. com/salarywizard/Service-Station-Attendant-Hourly-Salary-Details. aspx Sunoco, Inc. (2013). Corporate Responsibility. Retrieved from hesreport. sunocoinc. com: http://hesreport. sunocoinc. com/fw/main/Home-1192. html Sunoco, Inc. (2013). Wholesale Marketing. Retrieved from sunocoinc. com: https://www. sunocoinc. com/retail/wholesale-marketing/index U. S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY. (1997, 09 24). the EPA 10 gallon per minuter fuel dispensing limit. Retrieved from epa. gov: http://www. epa. gov/oms/regs/ld-hwy/evap/spitback. txt How to cite New Business Plan for a Gas Station Start Up, Papers

Neville Brody Essay Example For Students

Neville Brody Essay Neville Brody is an internationally known British graphic designer and typographer, who is best known for his work on magazines, most notably The Face. This magazine transformed the way in which designers and readers approach typography and layout. In addition to his magazine work, he designed record covers for such independent record companies as Fetish, Hannibal, and Phonogram Records in the 1980s. Along with his other work, Brody created a vast amount of type faces throughout his career. A few of these types are Arcadia, Industria, and Insignia. Brody was born in 1957 and grew up in Southgate, which is a suburb of North London. He commented that he does not remember a time in his life when he was planning to do anything other than art or painting. In 1975, Brody attended the Fine Art Foundation Program at Hornsey College of Art. The school was extremely conservative and at this time Brody decided to pursue a career in graphics instead of the Fine Arts. He says why cant you take a painterly approach within a printed medium? In the autumn of 1976, Brody started a three-year BA course in graphics at the London College of Printing. Brody says he hated his time there, but that it was necessary to his development as a designer. I wanted to communicate to as many people as possible, but also to make a popular form of art that was more personal and less manipulative. I had to find out more about how the process worked. The only way possible was to go to college and learn it, His work was often considered too experimental. At one stage he was almost thrown out of the school for putting the Queens head sideways on the design of a postage stamp. If tutors said they liked something I was doing, I would go away and change it, because such approval then made me think there must be something wrong with the work. I think that was a very positive and healthy attitude. Brodys attitude on computers has changed a lot since he first started using them. His view had been that if you could do something by hand, you should not use a machine. In 1987, Brody forced himself to play around with a friends computer. He says learning to use the Macintosh computer was a slow process. But in the end Brody acquired his skills with the mouse by playing a game called Crystal Quest for hours, instead of working. He realized all the ways that he could manipulate his work on a computer that he absolutely could not have done any other way. Although he still believes that hands on experience is definitely necessary, he realizes that computers open up a whole avenue that would not be possible without their development. Dadaism and pop art have largely influenced Brodys work. Although he says he never sought to copy these styles, he took from them a sense of dynamism and humanism and a non-acceptance of the traditional rules and values of art. These elements can be seen in Brodys typefaces, which are have a very original and expressive design. All along the line, Neville Brody has tried to create and use typefaces that go against the grain of contemporary fashion. Others that have influenced Brody are Man Ray and Lazlo Maholy-Lazlos photography. Both of these men were able to stretch the limits of their fields, by inventing and manipulating techniques as never before. After his graduation, in the late 1970s, Brody began to design record covers for British punk music companies such as Fetish and Hannibal. The punk music scene then was more concerned with the ideas behind the music than with the actual music. .u1f781fd3089cc1c1635b56ea669a7460 , .u1f781fd3089cc1c1635b56ea669a7460 .postImageUrl , .u1f781fd3089cc1c1635b56ea669a7460 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1f781fd3089cc1c1635b56ea669a7460 , .u1f781fd3089cc1c1635b56ea669a7460:hover , .u1f781fd3089cc1c1635b56ea669a7460:visited , .u1f781fd3089cc1c1635b56ea669a7460:active { border:0!important; } .u1f781fd3089cc1c1635b56ea669a7460 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1f781fd3089cc1c1635b56ea669a7460 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1f781fd3089cc1c1635b56ea669a7460:active , .u1f781fd3089cc1c1635b56ea669a7460:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1f781fd3089cc1c1635b56ea669a7460 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1f781fd3089cc1c1635b56ea669a7460 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1f781fd3089cc1c1635b56ea669a7460 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1f781fd3089cc1c1635b56ea669a7460 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1f781fd3089cc1c1635b56ea669a7460:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1f781fd3089cc1c1635b56ea669a7460 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1f781fd3089cc1c1635b56ea669a7460 .u1f781fd3089cc1c1635b56ea669a7460-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1f781fd3089cc1c1635b56ea669a7460:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Perspective Construction of Masaccio's "Trinity" Fresco and Medieval Astronomical Graphics EssayBrodys outrageous cover designs were readily accepted by these companies. Cabaret Voltaire and 23 Skiddo were two bands that he worked extensively for on album covers. In 1981, Brody began working for a magazine called The Face. During this time he questioned the traditional structure of magazine design. Why be inhibited by the edges of the page? says Brody. His main concerns were to encourage people to have to look twice at a page and to make the magazine as visually interesting as possible. Brody worked at The Face until 1986. Brody also worked with City Limits and New Socialist, both 1980s magazines out of London. Brody became well known around the world in 1988, when his biography was published and he displayed his work in several large art exhibitions. There was a period between 1987 and 1990, when Brody was working for the magazine Arena, when he designed mostly minimalistic non-decorative typefaces. Brody felt his work had been ripped off too much. As a result of this he did not want to make anymore new statements what-so-ever. He began to create simple fonts and avoided creating anything too exotic for a period of time. Since 1987 Brody has had his own London studio. He found that overseas clients were more supportive of his work intentions to embrace the potential of the computer and to provide companies with the templates that they wanted from his own studio. Commissions from Haus der Kulturen der Welt Berlin, Mens Bigi and Parco in Japan, and the opportunity to design postage stamps for the Dutch PTT were followed by two major television graphics projects. The transition to working with electronic images was reflected by Brodys involvement with digital type. In 1990 he opened FontWorks with a coligue named Stuart Jenson. Neville Brody became the director of FontShop International, with whom he launched the experimental type magazine called FUSE. Neville Brody has not only changed the world of typography, but that of graphic design as well. His ideas of creating typefaces that are more concerned with being graphically oriented, rather than contemporary or simply readable, have affected both typography and graphic design.

The difference of childrens education between American culture and Chinese

Asian education system is said to differ greatly from American education system. In Asia, parents and guardians believe in punishing children so that they may grow up morally upright. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The difference of children’s education between American culture and Chinese specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In America this sounds very funny more so in the United States whereby parents and guardians have their own ways of educating their children. The two countries use totally different methods to educate their children and this simply means that the children will have different abilities and potentialities in the future. The children also acquire different skills however they are all aimed at brightening their future and living big. Many researchers have gone a step ahead and studied the two education systems. Many differences have been pointed out following the researches. To begin with, the first and foremost difference is the interaction of the children with the other family members. Parents in China value investing in education of their children and to make them reach higher and advanced levels of education like universities. Most of the parents in China have the belief that it is a great achievement to educate a child up to the university level. The children have no other alternative apart from being serious with their academic work since the parents keenly observe their progress. The children aim at getting educated as their only way of driving to a bright future. The parents are ever keen on their children’s performance from the lowest level of education to the highest one and they even punish them for betterment. Contrary to what happens in China, parents in America aim at making their children comfortable and they always relate closely and in a friendly manner to each other. Children in America are never punished but counseled and corrected in a fr iendly and polite way. Punishment in America is a crime and it is punishable in a court of law. The next difference between the two education systems is observed in the methods used in schools to educate the children. The two are greatly different with no single similarity. In China they believe in good schools. Parents always struggle to ensure that their children land in good schools which perform well. This means that competition is high since each school is always to admit many students as it can hold. This competition for schools begins from kindergarten to university level. Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This competition makes parents to be serious and ready to struggle for the education of their children since a child has to go to a good high school so that she/he may qualify to join public universities. All parents in China believe that education is the only good gift they c an give to their children. Social skills are not valued and parents use little time to educate their children on the social life. The education in America is totally different from that in China because it is done in a free style with parents being less keen. Parents in America give their children freedom to choose what to do and what to learn. Parents only aim at making sure that their children are happy and are living without any struggles. The parents never value taking their children to big schools because there is no competition and therefore not easy to identify the highly performing schools. Parents therefore invest less in educating their children and invest much in making their social life happy and comfortable. Due to the above differences in the education systems of children in China and America, these children have different future and the way they view things. Children educated in China usually have high knowledge academically due to the seriousness they give to schoo ling. These children however, are not experienced on the social life and they therefore find it difficult to communicate perfectly. This is because their parents helped and did a lot for them in every stage of growth and therefore they find it hard to conceptualize things on their own. The children lack most of the daily skills that are needed for living like cooking and washing clothes. These children remain still close to their parents even when they are above 18 years. Unlike this situation in China, children in America are socially experienced and they can communicate perfectly. They children however, have less knowledge academically due to less seriousness in education. At the age18, the children are able to live on their own without getting any aid from their parents. The children are able to solve challenges in life on their own and they can socialize with others freely. People in America believe that their education is the best while those in China have the same belief. Th is makes it easy to choose the best education system from the two. Differences must come in and this means that none of the education systems is unworthy so long as the children grow up well and run their own future. The two countries are expected to learn from each other due to the changing conditions of the world. Technology has greatly advanced and it implies that comparison is necessary.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The difference of children’s education between American culture and Chinese specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This essay on The difference of children’s education between American culture and Chinese was written and submitted by user Aniya Simmons to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

A Brief History of Poaching in Africa

A Brief History of Poaching in Africa There has been poaching in Africa since antiquity- people hunted in areas claimed by other states or reserved for royalty, or they killed protected animals. Some of the European big game hunters who came to Africa in the 1800s were guilty of poaching and some were actually tried and found guilty by the African kings on whose land they had hunted without permission. In 1900, the new  European colonial states enacted game preservation laws that forbid most Africans from hunting. Subsequently, most forms of African hunting, including hunting for food, were officially deemed poaching. Commercial poaching was an issue in these years and a threat to animal populations, but it was not at the crisis levels seen in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The 1970s and 80s After independence in the 1950s and 60s, most African countries retained these game laws but poaching for food- or bush meat- continued, as did poaching for commercial gain. Those hunting for food present a threat to animal populations, but not on the same level as those who did so for international markets. In the 1970s and 1980s, poaching in Africa reached crisis levels. The continents elephant and rhinoceros populations in particular faced potential extinction. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species In 1973, 80 countries agreed to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (commonly known as CITES) governing the trade in endangered animals and plants. Several African animals, including rhinoceroses, were among the initially protected animals. In 1990, most African elephants were added to the list of animals that could not be traded for commercial purposes. The ban had a rapid and significant impact on ivory poaching, which rapidly declined to more manageable levels. Rhinoceros poaching, however, continued to threaten the existence of that species. Poaching and Terrorism in the 21st Century In the early 2000s, Asian demand for ivory began to rise steeply, and poaching in Africa rose again to crisis levels. The Congo Conflict  also created a perfect environment for poachers, and elephants and rhinoceroses began to be killed at dangerous levels again. Even more worryingly, militant extremist groups like Al-Shabaab began poaching to fund their terrorism. In 2013, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature estimated that 20,000 elephants were being killed annually. That number exceeds birth rates, which means that if poaching does not decline soon, elephants could be driven to extinction in the foreseeable future. Recent Anti-Poaching Efforts   In 1997, the Member Parties of the Convention CITES agreed to establish an Elephant Trade Information System for tracking illegal trafficking in ivory. In 2015, the webpage maintained by the Convention  CITES webpage reported over 10,300 cases of illegal ivory smuggling since 1989. As the database expands, it is helping guide international efforts to break up ivory smuggling operations. There are numerous other grassroots and NGO efforts to fight poaching. As part of his work with the  Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC), John Kasaona oversaw a  Community-Based Natural Resource Management program in Namibia that turned  poachers into caretakers. As he argued, many of the poachers from the region in grew up in, poached for subsistence - either for food or the money their families needed to survive. By hiring these men who knew the land so well and educating them about the value of the wildlife to their communities, Kasaonas program made tremendous strides against poaching in Namibia.   International efforts to combat the sale of ivory and other African animal products in Western and Eastern countries as well as efforts to combat poaching in Africa is the only way, though, that poaching in Africa can be brought back down to sustainable levels. Sources Steinhart, Edward,  Black Poachers, White Hunters: A Social History of Hunting in Kenya  Vira, Varun,Thomas Ewing, and Jackson Miller. Out of Africa Mapping the Global Trade in Illicit Elephant Ivory, C4ADs,  (August 2014).What is CITES? Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, webpage, (Accessed: December 29, 2015).

Biography of Edward Low, English Pirate

Biography of Edward Low, English Pirate Edward Ned Low (1690–1724) was an English criminal, sailor, and pirate. He took up piracy sometime around 1722 and was very successful, plundering dozens if not hundreds of ships over the course of his criminal career. Low was known for his cruelty to his prisoners and was greatly feared on both sides of the Atlantic. Fast Facts: Edward Low Known For: Low was an English pirate known for his viciousness and brutality.Also Known As: Edward Lowe, Edward LoeBorn: 1690 in Westminster, London, EnglandDied: 1724 (place of death unknown) Early Life Low was born in Westminster, London, probably sometime around 1690. As a youth, he was a thief and a gambler. He was a strong young man and would often beat up other boys for their money. Later, as a gambler, he would cheat brazenly: if anyone called him on it, he would fight them and usually win. When he was a teenager, he went to sea and worked for a few years in a rigging house (where he made and repaired ships ropes and rigging) in Boston. Piracy Tiring of life on land, Low signed on board a small vessel that was headed to the Bay of Honduras to cut logwood. Such missions were risky, as the Spanish coastal patrol would attack them if they were sighted. One day, after a long days work cutting logwood, the captain ordered Low and the other men to make one more trip, so as to fill the ship faster and get out of there. Low became enraged and fired a musket at the captain. He missed but killed another sailor. Low was marooned and the captain took the opportunity to rid himself of a dozen or so other malcontents as well. The marooned men soon captured a small boat and turned pirate. The new pirates went to Grand Cayman Island, where they met a pirate force under the command of George Lowther on board the ship Happy Delivery. Lowther was in need of men and offered to let Low and his men join. They did happily, and Low was made lieutenant. Within a couple of weeks, the Happy Delivery had taken a big prize: the 200-ton ship Greyhound, which they burned. They took several other ships in the Bay of Honduras over the next few weeks, and Low was promoted to captain of a captured sloop, which was outfitted with 18 cannons. It was a quick rise for Low, who had been a junior officer on board the logwood ship only weeks before. Not long after, as the pirates refitted their ships on an isolated beach, they were attacked by a large group of angry natives. The men had been resting on the shore, and although they were able to escape, they lost much of their loot and the Happy Delivery was burned. Setting out in the remaining ships, they resumed piracy once more with great success, capturing many merchant and trading vessels. In May 1722, Low and Lowther decided to part ways. Low was then in charge of a Brigantine with two cannons and four swivel guns, and there were some 44 men serving under him. Over the next two years, Low became one of the most successful and feared pirates in the world. He and his men captured and robbed dozens of vessels over a wide area, ranging from the western coast of Africa to the southeastern United States. His flag, which was well-known and feared, consisted of a red skeleton on a black field. Tactics Low was a clever pirate who would use brute force only when necessary. His ships collected a variety of flags and he would often approach targets while flying the flag of Spain, England, or whatever other nation they thought their prey might be from. Once close, they would run up the Jolly Roger and begin firing, which was usually enough to demoralize the other ship into surrendering. Low preferred to use a small fleet of two to four pirate ships to better outmaneuver his victims. He could also use the threat of force. On more than one occasion, he sent messengers to coastal towns threatening an attack if they were not given food, water, or whatever else he wanted. In some cases, he held hostages. More often than not, the threat of force worked and Low was able to get his provisions without firing a shot. Nevertheless, Low developed a reputation for cruelty and ruthlessness. On one occasion, as he prepared to burn a ship he had recently captured and no longer needed, he ordered the ships cook tied to the mast to perish in the fire. The reason was that the man was a greasy fellow who would sizzle- this proved amusing to Low and his men. On another occasion, they caught a galley with some Portuguese aboard. Two friars were hung from the Fore-Yard and jerked up and down until they died, and another Portuguese passenger- who had made the mistake of looking sorrowful at the fate of his friends- was cut to pieces by one of Lows men. Death In June 1723, Low was sailing in his flagship Fancy and was accompanied by the Ranger, under the command of Charles Harris, a loyal lieutenant. After successfully seizing and plundering several ships off of the Carolinas, they ran into the 20-gun Greyhound, a Royal Navy ship on the lookout for pirates. The Greyhound pinned down the Ranger and shot down its mast, effectively crippling it. Low decided to run, leaving Harris and the other pirates to their fate. All of the hands on board the Ranger were captured and brought to trial in Newport, Rhode Island. Twenty-five men (including Harris) were found guilty and hung, two more were found not guilty and sent to prison, and eight more were found not guilty on the grounds that they had been forced into piracy. Historians are not quite sure what happened to Low. According to the National Maritime Museum in London, the pirate was never captured and spent the rest of his life in Brazil. Another history suggests that his crew tired of his cruelty (he supposedly shot a sleeping man he had fought with, causing the crew to despise him as a coward). Set adrift in a small ship, he was found by the French and brought to Martinique for trial and hanged. This seems the most likely account, although there is little in the way of documentation to prove it. In any event, by 1725 Low was no longer active in piracy. Legacy Edward Low  was the real deal: a ruthless, cruel, clever pirate who terrorized transatlantic shipping for about two years during the so-called Golden Age of Piracy. He brought commerce to a halt and had naval vessels searching the Caribbean for him. He became, in a sense, the poster boy for the need to control piracy. Before Low, many pirates were either cruel or successful, but Low was a sadist with a well-armed and organized fleet. He was hugely successful in pirate terms, plundering well over 100 ships in his career. Only  Black Bart Roberts  was more successful in the same area and time. Low was also a good teacher- his lieutenant Francis Spriggs had a successful pirate career after absconding with one of Lows ships in 1723. Sources Defoe, Daniel, and Manuel Schonhorn. A General History of the Pyrates. Dover Publications, 1999.Konstam, Angus. World Atlas of Pirates: Treasures And Treachery On The Seven Seas- In Maps, Tall Tales, And Pictures. The Lyons Press, October 1, 2009.Woodard, Colin. The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down. First edition, Mariner Books, June 30, 2008.

Financial Reporting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Financial Reporting - Assignment Example The strengths can also be analyzed by how well it is achieving its objectives or targets. However such comparisons have their drawbacks. Comparing Essex with other fire services is not a good indicator given the different circumstances and environments both fire services are operating. Operators received significant savings as projections. The fighters pension scheme also had significant results since the difference between the actual and estimate is +7,000,000.Generally the net operating expenditure did not suppress the estimates. We could also indicate the fact that the trading activities had their objectives clearly spelt. One of the objectives was to achieve an operating surplus to fund appropriations direct to service budgets to re-invest in new and, replacement equipment for the treading account or to provide an additional source of income to the service where possible. One of the major weaknesses of the budgetary process in Essex fire service is that reviewing programmes after estimates have been indicated in the budget means that the budget might not reflect the actual management plans. It is also at concern that the intended management structure is not consistent with the estimates set out in according to best value accounting code of practice. The estimates have been apportioned to enable the set up. Total operating income of 205 against projections of 965 is a case of considerable concern. ... One of the objectives was to achieve an operating surplus to fund appropriations direct to service budgets to re-invest in new and, replacement equipment for the treading account or to provide an additional source of income to the service where possible. Weaknesses One of the major weaknesses of the budgetary process in Essex fire service is that reviewing programmes after estimates have been indicated in the budget means that the budget might not reflect the actual management plans. It is also at concern that the intended management structure is not consistent with the estimates set out in according to best value accounting code of practice. The estimates have been apportioned to enable the set up. Total operating income of 205 against projections of 965 is a case of considerable concern. Such a discrepancy can affect the objectives of the budget drastically. Such an event is of considerable importance because it is a cash inflow. One of the objectives of engineering services is to get an operating surplus. Such an objective is not consistent with the broad objectives of the public sector services. By ensuring that ICTU courses are in line with Essex counting fire and rescue service policy and practice means that the company is reacting instead of being proactive. Its practices could be better suited than those of the policy. By setting estimates the Essex fire services might be restricting itself only to the projections and may fail to take advantage of existing solutions or the ground of the actual time. In as much as budget is a pointer of intentions for the year, it is bound to strengths and weaknesses. Budgets are just an indicator and room for adjustments should be made. Budgets only provide a framework and should not be relied on

Stem cell research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Stem cell - Research Proposal Example In addition to this, stem cells also help in the internal repairing of the organs by dividing themselves endlessly to cover up for the lost or damaged cells. The new cell which is formed by the stem cell division has the ability to either become another stem cell or a cell with a particular function. Because of its functions, its biological uses are endless. Human heart muscles can be rebuilt, as well as cartilage muscles, bones, neurons and skeletal muscles. Pancreatic cells can be developed for diabetes patients, neurons for people with Alzheimer’s and bone marrow for cancer patients. These are but a few uses to mention. (Gross) Stem cell technology is the best biological step towards repairing of damaged organs as well as creating new ones. The goal of using stem cells is to strap up the chemical signals by which stem cells synchronize the development of organs of a fetus in the womb, and then repeat the process in adulthood to reshape the damaged organs into a better susta inable condition. (KU medical centre) Up till now the research has only been conducted on mice but it is believed that this technology would soon be in practice. Researchers in Washington reported that the stem cells derived from the embryos have the potential to repair organs in two ways: The stem cells either take up the place of the wounded areas or by secreting vital chemicals which help tissues to repair themselves. (Info centre) Craig Basson, director of cardiovascular research at Cornell University's Weill Medical College in New York said "Most of the work on stem cells to date has focused on how to get these cells to turn into a heart cell, a kidney cell, a bone cell or whatever it is you need,". Biological materials like bone marrow, kidneys and even heart could be created out of a stem cell thus with proper utilization and work on this technique, these materials would become abundant. Heart deformities which previously had no cure and proved to be fatal could be cured by t he introduction of stem cells in the affected place as proved by the research and experiments. (KU medical centre) For the first time in the history of biological development, such a gigantic leap has been taken and it is believed, it would result in a positive turn on the life and health of the people. The future is supposed to hold a limitless reserve of the stem cells which would be readily available as per the demand of the user; the prospect of having a new pancreas as well as having your heart repaired with a few injections of stem cells is highly exciting. Abnormalities in blood cells and weak immune system in the people are constantly on the rise and even the youngsters are affected by this; stem cells offer a cure to these abnormalities. Heart diseases are the biggest problem faced by the patients around the world. (Kiessling) Most of the time, these result in death as heart transplants are exceedingly rare and repair of the organ without the stem cell is impossible. This i s the reason what makes heart an expensive biological material, making the treatment of these diseases very costly. In America alone, the total cost of treating cardiovascular diseases and stroke in 2004 is estimated to reach almost $368 billion. Introduction of stem cells would be a great relief for such patients and heart disease would tend to be less lethal. When put into practice,