Sunday, January 26, 2020

Banking Industry Because There Are Always Information Technology Essay

Banking Industry Because There Are Always Information Technology Essay Recently the Banking business has taken a rather remarkable change in the last few years. There has been a new development, and a precedent of online banking. The Banks allow customers to access everything concerning their financial records online without getting out of the convenience of their own homes. This new development does not only allow immense opportunities for banks to provide to all of its customers needs but it also allows a great chance for hackers to access a greater amount of the customers information. According to an ehow contributing writer Online transfer is a transfer of money from one bank account to another, the actual transfer is done by the bank, and neither the sender nor the receipt of the money sees or touches the actual funds. The reason a bank would want to adopt an online transfer policy would be because the banks are under increasing attack from phishing gangs who send emails to customers purporting to be from their bank, requesting account and password details. The money is then transferred to an account with the bank and typically sent abroad through a money transfer. To support this According to a writer Joe Morgan of Times online one of the biggest banks in Britain Barclays introduced a one day delay for transfers. This delay enables us to carry out checks that seek to prevent fraud. In addition to that the only reason why a bank should not adopt an online transfer delay policy should only be because we live in a global economy, we need to be able to communicate effectively with people, and also in this changing world, each and every day there are several evolutions and revolutions which are impacting the way we work, live, and do things, and also this means immediate satisfaction for many people. In the case study mentioned in the textbook of all the Banks only Barclays bank mentioned the online transfer delay. This allows them to continue to providing additional security but they forget that they have a tendency to lose feedback because several customers expect real time response when dealing with the internet. A bank may choose not to put into practice an online transfer delay, if its customers scrutinize both speed and competence a key factor. In the conference the past week with the article on Building a Collaborative Enterprise, I elaborated on Collaborative enterprises being built on people, process, and technology because it helps an organization become very effective and productive because businesses with good team work produce industrious work. The two primary lines of security defense are both people and technology because banks continue to deal with money they must offer the most highly developed security features to keep their customers finances secure. The difference between the types of security offered by the different Banks; Bank of America, Barclays bank, wells Fargo and company, and e-trade financial corporation mentioned in the case study. I currently bank with Bank of America, and would definitely encourage everyone to open an account with them because they are all over the place that makes it so much convenient and easier having to use an ATM, they have better benefits compared to other banks for example, its free for students no monthly surcharge like other Banks, and also they have a great online service, and international account program. According to our textbook Business Driven: Information system. Bank of America is implementing authentication and authorization technologies such as online computer identification. For example, their site key offers two factor authentication, the customer picks an image, writes a brief phrase as well so that whenever the customer signs in from their personal or a different computer an image and phrase are displayed indicating that the bank recognizes the computer and the customers identity. Wells Fargo company as well as implemented authentication and authorization technologies such as additional criteria, for example, implementing an out-of-wallet which consists of questions that is not found on the drivers license or ATM card. E-trade financial corporation is also implementing authentication and authorization technologies such as digital security IDs, for example, the free digital device displays a new six digit code every 60 seconds which a customer must use to log on. Lastly, Barclays bank is also implementing prevention technologies such as online transfer delays and account mentoring. Additional types of security Banks need to implement, when it comes to both authentication and authorization this entails what the user knows such as the user ID and password, something the user has such as a smart card, and also something that is part of the user such as fingerprint. Prevention and resistance such as content filtering, firewalls. Detection and response such as antivirus software, and also providing a combination of all three types is very advantageous. Three policies a bank should implement to help improve information security, the information security plans must identify and assess risks to customer information, make sure the security and confidentiality of protected information, and protect their information against unauthorized access, loss of data integrity, errors introduced into the system, unauthorized access of data and information. Describe monitoring policies; information technology monitoring is tracking peoples activities by such actions such as number of keystrokes, error rate, and number of transactions processed. An organization must continue to put together the right monitoring policies and put them into practice, the right path for an organization planning to engage in employee monitoring is open communication surrounding the issue. The organization needs to continue educating their employees on whats unacceptable behavior, and the organization will find out that the employees not only become accustomed to a policy but also reduce the burden of the organization by policing themselves.

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Oedipus Research Paper Essay

Aristotle has long been recognized for his contributions to many areas of society, from math and science to literature. It is claimed that Aristotle was racist, sexist and homophobic and that these views colored the way he saw the world (Engle, 2008). From some of these views, the tragic hero emerges. There are several key components to a Oedipushaving a tragic hero. The first is that the main character (protagonist) must be of noble birth or a member of a royal family. In addition to being of noble lineage, the protagonist must suffer from a fatal or tragic flaw. This flaw is not necessary a morale flaw, but rather a flaw that occurs as a consequence of one’s choices or actions. A tragic hero will evolve the feelings of pity or fear and cause the reader and audience to identify with the main character. And, finally, the audience or reader must experience â€Å"Catharsis†. Catharsis is a feeling of relieve that the main character had his come-uppance and was brought down. It is not a feeling of depression or sadness over the fate of the nobleman. Kennedy (pages 856-858). To elaborate, the nobleman must be of high estate that gives him a place of dignity. The fall from this dignity makes the event seem more of a calamity in that it involves more than just the main character. A fall that affects an entire nation or people is often the result of a nobleman’s fall. The main character is certainly no superman; he is fallible and has a weakness of character that leads to his end. Kennedy (pages 856-858) According to Aristotle, the ideal tragic hero is defined as: â€Å"There remains then the man who occupies the mean between saintliness and depravity. He is not extra-ordinary in virtue and righteousness and yet does not fall into bad fortune because of evil and wickedness but because of some hamartia of a kind found in men of high reputation and good fortune such as Oedipus and Thyestes and famous men of similar families. † Adade-Yeboah, et al (2012). The next part of a tragic hero’s role is that of recognition or discovery. This part includes the revelation of some prior unknown fact or element to bring to light the true identity of the main character. The revelation may be due to the actions of the main character or due to those of a minor character. They may already be known by the reader or the audience, thus making some of the choices the character makes almost painfully ignorant. Often times, once the revelation has been made, it leads to a reversal. A reversal is simply an action that has the opposite effect from the one intended. This reversal may be due in part to the tragic or fatal flaw of the protagonist. Kennedy (pages 856-858) Finally, there is the fear and pity that is aroused in the audience and / or reader. Even though most may feel like the main character deserved the end results, there is still a sense of pity or sorrow that they must suffer and hurt so much. Now that we have looked at the common requirements for a tragic hero, we will look at King Oedipus as the tragic hero. King Oedipus was worshiped by the people of Thebes. They saw him as wise and came to him to seek help and counsel when their city was suffering. He has freed them from the tyranny of the Sphinx and they were forever grateful. He even recognized his own greatness by referring to himself as the one who was called great by all men and calling the people of the city children. Oedipus (Prologue, Line 8) Through birth and adoption both, Oedipus was a nobleman. He has been left out in the wilderness by his other due to a prophecy that his father would die by the son’s hand. He was then adopted by King Polybus of Corinth. Thus, he fulfilled the first requirement of the tragic hero – being of noble birth or royal bloodlines. The next aspect of a tragic hero is one with a fatal or tragic flaw. Oedipus wanted to seek the truth regarding the murder of King Laius, believing that the truth would purge the city of the horrible curse that it was under. We see the king as one of high moral integrity, but subject to the normal frailties of the human being (Adade-Yeboah, et al (2012). He is portrayed as being somewhat short tempered and often rash due to his desire to do the right thing. This perhaps is his tragic flaw – in his zeal to find the murdered, he makes rash statements about shunning the individual guilty of the murder, regardless of his standing in society (Oedipus). This brings us to the next aspect of the tragic hero – the revelation. Through seeking the advice of a prophet, it is revealed to King Oedipus that he is the murderer â€Å"You are the murdered of the king whose murderer you seek. Oedipus Initially, the king does believe that this is the case, but as he examines the evidence, it becomes clear that he is the guilty one. This revelation leads to the reversal in the king’s life. In one moment, he realizes that his wife is his mother, that his children are his brothers and sisters and that all is lost for him. Then enter pity for the king. Not only does Oedipus find out that he is adopted, he also discovered that he killed his father, and had married his mother. He was truly sorrowful for the shame and anguish that the people of his city would suffer â€Å"I grieve for you, my children. Believe me, I know all that you desire of me, all that you suffer; and while you suffer, none suffers more than I. † Oedipus We feel even more pity for him when his wife and mother hangs herself and he puts his own eyes out â€Å"He was called my king, but now whose tale is more miserable? † Oedipus As Oedipus loses his throne, his thoughts are of those around him who he has hurt – the people of Thebes and his children (who are also his brothers and sisters). He leaves them in the care of their uncle Creon. Before leaving them, he tells them how sorry he is â€Å"For the unhappiness that must be yours: And for the bitter life that you must lead. † Oedipus In conclusion, Oedipus has all of the criteria for a tragic hero. He is a nobleman, through choices and actions experienced a fall from greatness and his throne and aroused the pity of the reader and audience. Aristotle speaks of a tragic hero’s Harmatia or his tragic flaw being not one of moral roots, but rather one that is displayed through the choices and actions of the character. It is quite apparent that had Oedipus not killed his father, then the other events of marrying his mother, fathering his brothers and sisters, losing his site and his throne would not have come about. Although there is tragedy throughout this drama, one must applaud the nobleness and courage that Oedipus demonstrated by accepting responsibility for his actions and accepting the same consequences as he had previously deemed needed to purge the land of the curse. As a result of the fall of the king, the audience and reader is left with a feeling of relieve (catharsis) that the king gets what he deserves for killing his father. Although there is pity for all the heartache he has to endure, there is a sense of poetic justice that just because the â€Å"hero† was of noble birth, he was not spared punishment. References Adade-Yeboah, A. , Ahenkora, K. , & Amankwah, A. S. (2012). The tragic hero of the classical period. English Language and Literature Studies, 2(3), 10-17. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/1045567248? accountid=12085 Engle, Eric (2008). Aristotle, Law and Justice: The Tragic Hero, Page 1. Kennedy, X. J. , & Gioia, D. (2010). Critical Casebook – Sophocles. Literature- An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama & Writing (pp. 856-858). New York: Pearson.

Friday, January 10, 2020

Practical Demonkeeping Chapter 29-30

29 RIVERA Right in the middle of the interrogation Detective Sergeant Alphonse Rivera had a vision. He saw himself behind the counter at Seven-Eleven, bagging microwave burritos and pumping Slush-Puppies. It was obvious that the suspect, Robert Masterson, was telling the truth. What was worse was that he not only didn't have any connection with the marijuana Rivera's men had found in the trailer, but he didn't have the slightest idea where The Breeze had gone. The deputy district attorney, an officious little weasel who was only putting time in at the D.A.'s office until his fangs were sharp enough for private practice, had made the state's position on the case clear and simple: â€Å"You're fucked, Rivera. Cut him loose.† Rivera was clinging to a single, micro-thin strand of hope: the second suitcase, the one that Masterson had made such a big deal about back at the trailer. It lay open on Rivera's desk. A jumble of notebook paper, cocktail napkins, matchbook covers, old business cards, and candy wrappers stared out of the suitcase at him. On each one was written a name, an address, and a date. The dates were obviously bogus, as they went back to the 1920s. Rivera had riffled through the mess a dozen times without making any sort of connection. Deputy Perez approached Rivera's desk. He was doing his best to affect an attitude of sympathy, without much success. Everything he had said that morning had carried with it a sideways smirk. Twain had put it succinctly: â€Å"Never underestimate the number of people who would love to see you fail.† â€Å"Find anything yet?† Perez asked. The smirk was there. Rivera looked up from the papers, took out a cigarette, and lit it. A long stream of smoke came out with his sigh. â€Å"I can't see how any of this connects with The Breeze. The addresses are spread all over the country. The dates run too far back to be real.† â€Å"Maybe it's a list of connections The Breeze was planning to dump the pot on,† Perez suggested. â€Å"You know the Feds estimate that more than ten percent of the drugs in this country move through the postal system.† â€Å"What about the dates?† â€Å"Some kind of code, maybe. Did the handwriting check out?† Rivera had sent Perez back to the trailer to find a sample of The Breeze's handwriting. He had returned with a list of engine parts for a Ford truck. â€Å"No match,† Rivera said. â€Å"Maybe the list was written by his connection.† Rivera blew a blast of smoke in Perez's face. â€Å"Think about it, dipshit. I was his connection.† â€Å"Well, someone blew your cover, and The Breeze ran.† â€Å"Why didn't he take the pot?† â€Å"I don't know, Sergeant. I'm just a uniformed deputy. This sounds like detective work to me.† Perez had stopped trying to hide his smirk. â€Å"I'd take it to the Spider if I were you.† That made a consensus. Everyone who had seen or heard about the suitcase had suggested that Rivera take it to the Spider. He sat back in his chair and finished his cigarette, enjoying his last few moments of peace before the inevitable confrontation with the Spider. After a few long drags he stubbed the cigarette in the ashtray on his desk, gathered the papers into the suitcase, closed it, and started down the steps into the bowels of the station and the Spider's lair. Throughout his life Rivera had known half a dozen men nicknamed Spider. Most were tall men with angular features and the wiry agility that one associates with a wolf spider. Chief Technical Sergeant Irving Nailsworth was the exception. Nailsworth stood five feet nine inches tall and weighed over three hundred pounds. When he sat before his consoles in the main computer room of the San Junipero Sheriff Department, he was locked into a matrix that extended not only throughout the county but to every state capital in the nation, as well as to the main computer banks at the FBI and the Justice Department in Washington. The matrix was the Spider's web and he lorded over it like a fat black widow. As Rivera opened the steel door that led into the computer room, he was hit with a blast of cold, dry air. Nailsworth insisted the computers functioned better in this environment, so the department had installed a special climate control and filtration system to accommodate him. Rivera entered and, suppressing a shudder, closed the door behind him. The computer room was dark except for the soft green glow of a dozen computer screens. The Spider sat in the middle of a horseshoe of keyboards and screens, his huge buttocks spilling over the sides of a tiny typist's chair. Beside him a steel typing table was covered with junk food in various stages of distress, mostly cupcakes covered with marshmallow and pink coconut. While Rivera watched, the Spider peeled the marshmallow cap off a cupcake and popped it in his mouth. He threw the chocolate-cake insides into a wastebasket atop a pile of crumpled tractor-feed paper. Because of the sedentary nature of the Spider's job, the department had excused him from the minimum physical fitness standards set for field officers. The department had also created the position of chief technical sergeant in order to feed the Spider's ego and keep him happily clicking away at the keyboards. The Spider had never gone on patrol, never arrested a suspect, never even qualified on the shooting range, yet after only four years with the department, Nailsworth effectively held the same rank that Rivera had attained in fifteen years on the street. It was criminal. The Spider looked up. His eyes were sunk so far into his fat face that Rivera could see only a beady green glow. â€Å"You smell of smoke,† the Spider said. â€Å"You can't smoke in here.† â€Å"I'm not here to smoke, I need some help.† The Spider checked the data spooling across his screens, then turned his full attention to Rivera. Bits of pink coconut phosphoresced on the front of his uniform. â€Å"You've been working up in Pine Cove, haven't you?† â€Å"A narcotics sting.† Rivera held up the suitcase. â€Å"We found this. It's full of names and addresses, but I can't make any connections. I thought you might†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No problem,† the Spider said. â€Å"The Nailgun will find an opening where there was none.† The Spider had given himself the nickname â€Å"Nailgun.† No one called him the Spider to his face, and no one called him Nailgun unless they needed something. â€Å"Yeah,† Rivera said, â€Å"I thought it needed some of the Nailgun's wizardry.† The Spider swept the junk food from the top of the typing table into the wastebasket and patted the top of the table. â€Å"Let's see what you have.† Rivera placed the suitcase on the table and opened it. The Spider immediately began to shuffle through the papers, picking up a piece here or there, reading it, and throwing it back into the pile. â€Å"This is a mess.† â€Å"That's why I'm here.† â€Å"I'll need to put this into the system to make any sense of it. I can't use a scanner on handwritten material. You'll have to read it to me while I input.† The Spider turned to one of his keyboards and began typing. â€Å"Give me a second to set up a data base format.† As far as Rivera was concerned, the Spider could be speaking Swahili. Despite himself, Rivera admired the man's efficiency and expertise. His fat fingers were a blur on the keyboard. After thirty seconds of furious typing the Spider paused. â€Å"Okay, read me the names, addresses, and dates, in that order.† â€Å"So you need me to sort them out?† â€Å"No. The machine will do that.† Rivera began to read the names and addresses from each slip of paper, deliberately pausing so as not to get ahead of the Spider's typing. â€Å"Faster, Rivera. You won't get ahead of me.† Rivera read faster, throwing each paper on the floor as he finished with it. â€Å"Faster,† the Spider demanded. â€Å"I can't go any faster. At this speed if I mispronounce a name, I could lose control and get a serious tongue injury.† For the first time since Rivera had known him the Spider laughed. â€Å"Take a break, Rivera. I get so used to working with machines that I forget people have limitations.† â€Å"What's going on here?† Rivera said. â€Å"Is the Nailgun losing his sarcastic edge?† The Spider looked embarrassed. â€Å"No. I wanted to ask you about something.† Rivera was shocked. The Spider was almost omniscient, or so he pretended. This was a day for firsts. â€Å"What do you need?† he said. The Spider blushed. Rivera had never seen that much flaccid flesh change color. He imagined that it put an incredible strain on the Spider's heart. â€Å"You've been working in Pine Cove, right?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Have you ever run into a girl up there named Roxanne?† Rivera thought for a moment, then said no. â€Å"Are you sure?† The Spider's voice had taken on a tone of desperation. â€Å"It's probably a nickname. She works at the Rooms-R-Us Motel. I've run the name against Social Security records, credit reports, everything. I can't seem to find her. There are over ten thousand women in California with the name Roxanne, but none of them check out.† â€Å"Why don't you just drive up to Pine Cove and meet her?† The Spider's color deepened. â€Å"I couldn't do that.† â€Å"Why not? What's the deal with this woman, anyway? Does it have to do with a case?† â€Å"No, it's†¦ it's a personal thing. We're in love.† â€Å"But you've never met her?† â€Å"Well, yes, sort of – we talk by modem every night. Last night she didn't log on. I'm worried about her.† â€Å"Nailsworth, are you telling me that you are having a love affair with a woman by computer?† â€Å"It's more than an affair.† â€Å"What do you want me to do?† â€Å"Well, if you could just check on her. See if she's all right. But she can't know I sent you. You mustn't tell her I sent you.† â€Å"Nailsworth, I'm an undercover cop. Being sneaky is what I do for a living.† â€Å"Then you'll do it?† â€Å"If you can find something in these names that will bail me out, I'll do it.† â€Å"Thanks, Rivera.† â€Å"Let's finish this.† Rivera picked up a matchbook and read the name and address. The Spider typed the information, but as Rivera began to read the next name, he heard the Spider pause on the keyboard. â€Å"Is something wrong?† Rivera asked. â€Å"Just one more thing,† Nailsworth said. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Could you find out if she's modeming someone else?† â€Å"Santa Maria, Nailsworth! You are a real person.† Three hours later Rivera was sitting at his desk waiting for a call from the Spider. While he was in the computer room, someone had left a dog-eared paperback on his desk. Its title was You Can Have a Career in Private Investigation. Rivera suspected Perez. He had thrown the book in the wastebasket. Now, with his only suspect back out on the street and nothing forthcoming from the Spider, Rivera considered fishing the book out of the trash. The phone rang, and Rivera ripped it from its cradle. â€Å"Rivera,† he said. â€Å"Rivera, it's the Nailgun.† â€Å"Did you find something?† Rivera fumbled for a cigarette from the pack on his desk. He found it impossible to talk on the phone without smoking. â€Å"I think I have a connection, but it doesn't work out.† â€Å"Don't be cryptic, Nailsworth. I need something.† â€Å"Well, first I ran the names through the Social Security computer. Most of them are deceased. Then I noticed that they were all vets.† â€Å"Vietnam?† â€Å"World War One.† â€Å"You're kidding.† â€Å"No. They were all World War One vets, and all of them had a first or middle initial E. I should have caught that before I even input it. I tried to run a correlation program on that and came up with nothing. Then I ran the addresses to see if there was a geographical connection.† â€Å"Anything there?† â€Å"No. For a minute I thought you'd found someone's research project on World War One, but just to be sure, I ran the file through the new data bank set up by the Justice Department in Washington. They use it to find criminal patterns where there aren't any. In effect it makes the random logical. They use it to track serial killers and psychopaths.† â€Å"And you found nothing?† â€Å"Not exactly. The files at the Justice Department only go back thirty years, so that eliminated about half of the names on your list. But the other ones rang the bell.† â€Å"Nailsworth, please try to get to the point.† â€Å"In each of the cities listed in your file there was at least one unexplained disappearance around the date listed – not the vets; other people. You can eliminate the large cities as coincidence, but hundreds of these disappearances were in small towns.† â€Å"People disappear in small towns too. They run away to the city. They drown. You can't call that a connection.† â€Å"I thought you'd say that, so I ran a probability program to get the odds on all of this being coincidence.† â€Å"So?† Rivera was getting tired of Nailsworth's dramatics. â€Å"So the odds of someone having a file of the dates and locations of unexplained disappearances over the last thirty years and it being a coincidence is ten to the power of fifty against.† â€Å"Which means what?† â€Å"Which means, about the same odds as you'd have of dragging the wreck of the Titanic out of a trout stream with a fly rod. Which means, Rivera, you have a serious problem.† â€Å"Are you telling me that this suitcase belongs to a serial killer?† â€Å"A very old serial killer. Most serial killers don't even start until their thirties. If we assume that this one was cooperative enough to start when the Justice Department's files start, thirty years ago, he'd be over sixty now.† â€Å"Do you think it goes farther back?† â€Å"I picked some dates and locations randomly, going back as far as 1925. I called the libraries in the towns and had them check the newspapers for stories of disappearances. It checked out. Your man could be in his nineties. Or it could be a son carrying on his father's work.† â€Å"That's impossible. There must be another explanation. Come on, Nailsworth, I need a bailout here. I can't pursue an investigation of a geriatric serial killer.† â€Å"Well, it could be an elaborate research project that someone is doing on missing persons, but that doesn't explain the World War One vets, and it doesn't explain why the researcher would write the information on matchbook covers and business cards from places that have been out of business for years.† â€Å"I don't understand.† Rivera felt as if he were stuck in the Spider's web and was waiting to be eaten. â€Å"It appears that the notes themselves were written as far back as fifty years ago. I could send them to the lab to confirm it if you want.† â€Å"No. Don't do that.† Rivera didn't want it confirmed. He wanted it to go away. â€Å"Nailsworth, isn't possible that the computer is making some impossible connections? I mean, it's programmed to find patterns – maybe it went overboard and made this one up?† â€Å"You know the odds, Sergeant. The computer can't make anything up; it can only interpret what's put into it. If I were you, I'd pull my suspect out of holding and find out where he got the suitcase.† â€Å"I cut him loose. The D.A. said I didn't have enough to charge him.† â€Å"Find him,† Nailsworth said. Rivera resented the authoritarian tone in Nailsworth's voice, but he let it go. â€Å"I'm going now.† â€Å"One more thing.† â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"One of your addresses was in Pine Cove. You want it?† â€Å"Of course.† Nailsworth read the name and address to Rivera, who wrote it down on a memo pad. â€Å"There was no date on this one, Sergeant. Your killer might still be in the area. If you get him, it would be the bailout you're looking for.† â€Å"It's too fantastic.† â€Å"And don't forget to check on Roxanne for me, okay?† The Spider hung up. 30 JENNY Jenny had arrived at work a half hour late expecting to find Howard waiting behind the counter to reprimand her in his own erudite way. Strangely enough, she didn't care. Even more strange was the fact that Howard had not shown up at the cafe all morning. Considering that she had drunk two bottles of wine, eaten a heavy Italian meal and everything in the refrigerator, and stayed up all night making love, she should have been tired, but she wasn't. She felt wonderful, full of humor and energy, and not a little excited. When she thought of her night with Travis, she grinned and shivered. There should be guilt, she thought. She was, technically, a married woman. Technically, she was having an illicit affair. But she had never been very technically minded. Instead of guilt she felt happy and eager to do it all again. From the moment she got to work she began counting the hours until she got off after the lunch shift. She was at one hour and counting when the cook announced that there was a call for her in the office. She quickly refilled her customer's coffee cups and headed to the back. If it was Robert, she would just act like nothing had happened. She wasn't exactly in love with someone else as he suspected. It was†¦ it didn't matter what it was. She didn't have to explain anything. If it was Travis – she hoped it was Travis. She picked up the phone. â€Å"Hello.† â€Å"Jenny?† It was a woman's voice. â€Å"It's Rachel. Look, I'm having a special ritual this afternoon at the caves. I need you to be there.† Jennifer did not want to go to a ritual. â€Å"I don't know, Rachel, I have plans after work.† â€Å"Jennifer, this is the most important thing we've ever done, and I need you to be there. What time do you get off?† â€Å"I'm off at two, but I need to go home and change first.† â€Å"No, don't do that. Come as you are – it's really important.† â€Å"But I really†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Please, Jenny. It will only take a few minutes.† Jennifer had never heard Rachel sound so adamant. Maybe it really was important. â€Å"Okay. I guess I can make it. Do you need me to call any of the others?† â€Å"No. I'll do it. You just be at the caves as soon as you can after two.† â€Å"Okay, fine, I'll be there.† â€Å"And Jenny† – Rachel's voice had lowered an octave – â€Å"don't tell anyone where you are going.† Rachel hung up. Jennifer immediately dialed her home phone and got the answering machine. â€Å"Travis, if you're there, pick up.† She waited. He was probably still sleeping. â€Å"I'm going to be a little late. I'll be home later this afternoon.† She almost said, â€Å"I love you,† but decided not to. She pushed the thought out of her mind. â€Å"Bye,† she said, and hung up. Now, if she could only avoid Robert until she could think of a way to destroy his hope for their reconciliation. Returning to the floor of the cafe, she realized that somewhere along the way her feeling of well-being had vanished and she felt very tired.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Procurement Strategy Supply Chain Management - 1170 Words

1 Introduction Procurement strategy is the important strategy involve the supply chain management, It provides the business could access the opportunities to reduce the cost, makes the quality promise, consequensely, gain the profit. The supplier selection process starts with the requirements of the materials for the business. The processes of the supplier selection include supplier identification, supplier evaluation and set the contract with the supplier. Supplier selection is designed to ensure their quality, safety and efficiency. 2 The main body 2.1 Supplier selection process 2.1.1 supplier identification At first, the business must identify potential suppliers applied to the procurement strategies as described in the procurement†¦show more content†¦Green Chilly has to analyze all the information together about potential suppliers. Generally, the business make 3 types of request to suppliers, request for information(RFI), request for proposal(RFP), request for quote(RFQ), (Beil and Ross, 2009) the suppliers must give the response according to these three requests. There are more complex factors take into consideration to select the suppliers, such as environmental, social, political, and customer satisfaction. It is important to identify the requirement and the criteria for the different types of the supplier in the business, the quality and the price is widely used in the supplier selection, according to the Green Chilly restaurant, the criteria can be divided into the food supplier and nonfood supplier, because of the restaurant request a high requirement for the fresh foo d, delivery is the most important factors to consider, the non-monetary term is applied to the food supplier. The equipment in the restaurant could use the monetary criteria to reduce the cost. Additionally the supplier s operational capacity, technical capability and financial ability should be taken under consideration (Solish and Semanik 1999). 2) Determine Sourcing Strategy . It is important to determine the sourcing strategies,