Succubus Revealed Chapter 16

The next week was one of the longest in my life. Every moment that passed was a moment without Seth and another reminder that I'd lost my one great love. Even if I hadn't quit as Santa's helper, that job would've been done now anyway, so my days were made even longer by their emptiness. Hugh was over a lot that week, and sometimes he and Roman tried to cheer me up or at least distract me. Mostly, they were holed up together, working on my appeal to Hell. They occasionally consulted me on it, but Hugh had most of the info he needed and simply had to put it all together in the appropriate manner. The two of them discussed other things too, mostly having to do with Hell's legal system in general. I didn't entirely understand why, but Roman was very adamant about learning every detail of it. It was like he was trying to pass the bar exam or something. I tried to preoccupy myself with packing for Las Vegas. Even with my appeal, I couldn't count on anything changing with my current Hellish status. So, I had to go forward with life as though Vegas were definitely in my future. Packing was mindless enough, however, that it didn't distract me so much as just provide more time for me to ruminate and agonize over being apart from Seth. Packing also had its own pitfalls because I kept running into things that reminded me of him. The worst was when I unearthed a box of keepsakes collected from over the centuries. The most recent addition was a ring Seth had given me last Christmas, just before we broke up. It was a modern twist on a Byzantine wedding ring, decorated with dolphins and sapphires. Even when we'd gotten back together, I'd left it in the box. Little did he know that I also had – in the same box – my actual wedding ring from the fifth century. It was worn with age but hadn't entirely lost its gleam. Looking at them both gave me a weird moment of disorientation as I tried to grasp the idea that they'd technically been given to me by the same person. During that week, I also received a fair amount of e-mail from the Las Vegas crew. Phoebe, Bastien, Luis, and even Matthias had stayed in touch since my visit, and all seemed to have increased their excitement over my pending move. Messages I would have found so witty and touching a week ago now left a bad taste in my mouth, now that I knew the truth about the transfer. Luis was simply helping to orchestrate Hell's grand plan to keep me and Seth apart, and I didn't trust a single word he said. Still, he was a demon, and one could expect a certain amount of insincerity from him. Phoebe and especially Bastien hurt more because they were operating under the pretense of friendship. I didn't doubt Bastien was still my friend, but everything he sent me seemed forced, since it was coming from the orders of those above him. Matthias was kind of a mystery. I didn't know what role he played here, if he was just a convenient mortal they'd found to take me on or if he was in league with Hell. Many humans knowingly were, in the hopes of grandiose rewards someday. For all I knew, he could be an innocent in all this, just an ordinary guy who thought he'd lucked out in finding a dancer. Without being able to say for sure, I took no joy in his e-mails either. Notably missing from the Las Vegas gang's correspondence was Jamie. I'd received no friendly â€Å"Can't wait to see you!† messages at all from him, something I suspected was also a direct result of Hell's orders. They wouldn't want to risk the topic of Milton again. When I mentioned this to Roman and Hugh, they told me it would be surprising if Jamie was even still in Las Vegas. If Hell saw him as a liability that might inadvertently expose the double-contract snafu, Hugh felt the odds were good they'd simply removed him to prevent me from finding him. If so, I hoped it was simply a matter of a transfer and that the imp hadn't been punished for drunkenly revealing information he didn't realize was dangerous. On New Year's Eve, Hugh and Roman told me my petition was finished. They presented it to me, a staggeringly huge stack of paper filled with legalese, and showed me where to sign. There was an air of both gravity and pride around them, like they'd just created a painstakingly crafted work of art. Considering how rare this type of event was, perhaps that wasn't such a bad assessment. I gave the ream back to Hugh, once I'd signed it about fifteen times. â€Å"Now what?† I asked. â€Å"Now I take it to Mei and say you gave it to me to submit to Hell. I also claim ignorance about what this is in regard to, but the fact that it went through me tips her off that there's a witness to it all. Not that she'd probably ‘lose it' or anything, but . . . well, with demons, it's best to be cautious.† â€Å"Are they really going to believe you're a hapless messenger ?† I asked. Hugh crooked me a smile and gestured to the paperwork. â€Å"Well, they certainly aren't going to believe you did this on your own. But there's no real way to prove my involvement, and anyway, I haven't technically done anything wrong. I'm an imp. I conduct business for Hell. That's what this is.† Too many days of pent-up emotion took hold of me, and I flung my arms around Hugh. â€Å"Thank you,† I said. â€Å"Thank you so much.† It was all kind of awkward since he was trying to juggle the papers, but he still managed to pat me on the back. â€Å"It's nothing, sweetie,† he said, seeming a bit flustered. â€Å"I just hope it actually accomplishes something.† I stepped back and attempted to get myself under control. â€Å"How will we know if it does?† â€Å"When you're summoned to Hell,† he said. â€Å"Oh.† My heart lurched with fear. â€Å"I actually . . . actually have to go there?† Roman leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. â€Å"How else do you think this is going to get resolved?† â€Å"I'd kind of just hoped they'd send me a letter,† I said. â€Å"You know, like a college acceptance.† Hugh snorted. â€Å"Afraid not. If they respond to it, they'll summon you to Hell and hold a hearing to examine the contract, your complaints, and whatever evidence either side can muster.† I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to picture what that hearing would be like. â€Å"I've never been to Hell. Have either of you?† They shook their heads, which wasn't a surprise. Lesser immortals were recruited on Earth, where they then served. We had no reason to visit the realm of our employers, not even an imp like Hugh. Roman, as a nephilim, was on Heaven and Hell's hit list. Walking into Hell would be like showing up in a lion's den and presenting yourself on a platter. â€Å"I always kind of pictured Hell as a cross between waiting in line at the DMV and watching a marathon of Perfect Strangers,† remarked Hugh. Roman shot him a sharp look. â€Å"What's wrong with that show?† Overcome, I hugged Hugh again and then Roman. â€Å"Thanks, you guys. I mean it. I owe you . . . more than I can ever pay back.† â€Å"Just win,† said Roman fiercely. â€Å"That's all the payback I need.† Hugh put the papers into his briefcase and slipped on his coat. â€Å"I'm going to get these over to Mei now, then head off to a party and drink away the memories of wading through all that legalese.† â€Å"You're going to Peter's?† I asked. Unsurprisingly, our vampire friend was holding a shindig to ring in the New Year. â€Å"Nah,† said Hugh. â€Å"Not much chance of getting laid there. I'm going to a party one of my nurses is hosting.† We wished him a happy new year and bid him farewell. As soon as he was gone, Roman turned to me. â€Å"What about you?† he asked. â€Å"Are you going to Peter's?† I knew Peter was counting on it, but it was hard to make myself feel like celebrating. â€Å"No. I'm not in the mood. Besides, I'm not sure I want to risk running into Jerome since I'm sure Mei's going to tell him about the appeal. I'll just keep packing.† â€Å"Come on,† Roman said. â€Å"You can't just sit around tonight. It's a new year . . . new opportunities. Maybe even the chance to break free of Hell.† I nodded, though it was still hard for me to imagine what â€Å"breaking free† would even look like. It was something we kept talking about, but I really couldn't feel it yet. And even though I'd talked a good talk to Seth about how the integrity of the soul and eternity were so much more important than any earthly concerns, it all seemed lackluster without him in my life. â€Å"I know,† I told Roman. â€Å"But any celebrating I do is going to be forced. If I'm going to be unhappy, I'd rather do it in a place where I feel comfortable.† He glanced at the clock. â€Å"Let's at least go out to dinner. Dress up and get a good meal. Then we'll come back and watch all the New Year's shows.† I didn't have much of an appetite but suspected if I said no, Roman would consign himself to the same self-imprisonment as me. I didn't want his night ruined because of me, especially after everything he'd done this week. One problem presented itself. â€Å"It's almost five,† I said. â€Å"We'll never get in anywhere on such short notice. Unless we want to dress up for Taco Bell. Which I'm actually not averse to.† Roman was already reaching for his cell phone. â€Å"I know someone who's a chef at this Italian place in Green Lake. We'll get a table.† Sure enough. One mysterious phone call, and we were on our way an hour later. I hadn't been up for elaborate styling and simply shape-shifted myself into New Year's finery, with an off-the-shoulder satin dress and my hair cascading in perfect waves. Roman had warned me â€Å"no black,† so the dress was dark purple, which still seemed appropriate for my mood. I paired it with a glittering necklace of white gold and amethysts that had been my Secret Santa gift to myself. I had great taste. â€Å"Have you made any moves to put your condo on the market?† asked Roman as he drove us through the city. â€Å"Contacted a real estate agent?† I gazed out at the bright lights of the downtown skyline. This time of year, darkness came early. â€Å"No. I need to. Unless . . .† I glanced over at him. â€Å"Do you want to keep staying there? I'll keep it and rent if you want.† He shook his head, a wry smile playing over his lips. â€Å"No. It wouldn't be the same without you and those furballs. I'll get another place. Sell it or rent it to someone else.† â€Å"Easier to sell,† I mused. â€Å"Well, in theory. But I'm not concerned with profit, and it saves the hassle of screening and dealing with – † I stopped as a startling thought suddenly came to me. â€Å"Hey. Do we have time for a, oh, fifteen-minute stop? Will your friend get rid of our table?† â€Å"Not if I call. Where do you need to go?† â€Å"The U District. Seth's place. Don't worry,† I added, seeing his look of alarm. â€Å"I'm not going to do anything crazy or lovestruck. I'm not even going to see Seth. Please? Just a quick stop?† Roman concurred, though his expression said this was against his better judgment. I almost told him his fears were unfounded because I was only going to actually stop if Margaret was home and Seth wasn't. The odds against that possibility seemed slim, particularly with the way my luck tended to run. The universe apparently owed me a favor because when we reached Seth's condo, I saw her car there but not his. A light inside gave me hope that they hadn't just all carpooled off together. â€Å"Do you need me to come in?† asked Roman, as he pulled into my parking spot. â€Å"No, but thanks. I'll be right back.† I left the car and walked up to the door, hoping some wacky happenstance wouldn't actually put me face to face with Seth. Not that I wouldn't have loved to see him. God, I missed him so, so much. But I knew no good could come of an encounter between us. I rang the bell and waited anxiously. A few moments later, Margaret answered. â€Å"Georgina,† she said, clearly surprised. â€Å"What are you doing here?† She took in my appearance. â€Å"Are you supposed to meet Seth?† â€Å"No . . . can I come in for a minute? I'll be fast, I promise.† She had on a coat, making me think she'd been about to leave. Either that or she was trying to save Seth money on his heating bills. She gestured me inside and shut the door. â€Å"I was about to go to Terry's. Seth's already there.† I didn't bother asking where Ian was. He probably celebrated New Year's on January third or something, just to be contrary. â€Å"You haven't been around in a while.† I wondered what Seth had told his family about us, if he'd even told them anything at all. Maybe he was just going to say nothing until one of them noticed my absence. â€Å"Ah, well,† I said. â€Å"Seth and I are having a disagreement.† She clucked her tongue disapprovingly. â€Å"You two need to sit down and fix it then.† How I wished it was that easy. I forced a neutral smile. â€Å"We'll see,† I said. â€Å"But the thing is . . . I may be moving. No, I am moving. I have a new job . . . and I was wondering if you'd like to stay in my condo when I leave. I remember you saying you didn't want to impose on Seth's space but that you wished you could stick around more to help. Well, now you can. You can have your own place. Mine.† â€Å"I can't afford to keep my place in Chicago and pay rent somewhere here, though,† she said sadly. â€Å"That's been the problem.† â€Å"You don't have to pay rent,† I said. â€Å"You can stay there for free.† She eyed me curiously. â€Å"How will you afford your mortgage?† Yes, how indeed would a poor retail-bound girl like me be able to swing that? â€Å"The condo's paid off,† I explained. Let her think it was passed down through the family or something. â€Å"And my new job pays well. Look, I really don't mind you staying. It'd be worth it to me to know that the girls have you close by to help. I mean, they're going to need a strong woman around, right?† Margaret took a few moments to answer. â€Å"Right. I just thought you'd be that woman.† â€Å"Fate has other plans,† I said. Wasn't that the damned truth. â€Å"Is that why you and Seth aren't getting along? Because you're moving? I'm surprised he doesn't just go with you. . . .† â€Å"No, no, it's not that at all,† I assured her. â€Å"It's . . . complicated. If it was as simple as moving, he would when he was able to . . . you know, when Andrea's better.† I hesitated, afraid of the answer to the next question, but it was one I had to know. With no contact from Seth, the status of the Mortensens had been a mystery. â€Å"How is Andrea? Is she still doing well?† â€Å"Yes, she's doing great. We won't know the details for sure until she sees the doctor in a couple weeks, but on the outside, things look wonderful. We're all praying.† I found myself smiling, unable to help my joy and relief. Andrea had looked good at Christmas, but I'd worried ever since then that whatever demon had made her sick before would return one of these days. Again, a doctor would have the ultimate answer, but I took Margaret's own observation as a good sign. â€Å"Thank you,† I said. â€Å"You have no idea how much that makes my night. I've needed some good news.† â€Å"Well, thank you for the housing offer. Can I let you know my answer later?† â€Å"Of course,† I said. I wished her a happy new year and told her good night. Then, I hurried off before I cracked and asked her to deliver some sentimental message to Seth. I liked Roman's company, but I still couldn't shake the wrongness of being out with him instead of Seth tonight. After last year's miserable New Year's Eve, I'd hoped this one would be better. â€Å"That was nice of you,† Roman said, when I explained what I discussed with Margaret. â€Å"It's an easy thing for me to do that can help a lot of people,† I said. â€Å"No reason not to.† He shook his head, incredulous. â€Å"You shouldn't even need a technicality to escape Hell's reach. They should fire you out of principle.† The restaurant was tiny but elegant – and packed. I seriously doubted any connections Roman had would get us in, but through some magic, the hostess beckoned us through the crowd and led us back to a cozy candlelit corner. In it was a table covered with an old-fashioned lace cloth, as well as crystal and china place settings – for three. I looked at her in surprise. â€Å"But there's only – â€Å" â€Å"Hey, hope I'm not late.† Carter suddenly emerged from the crowd, wearing his usual grunge wear. The hostess didn't even blink an eye. Seeing us about to sit down, he smiled. â€Å"I guess not.† â€Å"What are you doing here?† I asked. I looked to Roman, who appeared just as perplexed as I was. â€Å"I didn't tell him any details. He called while you were inside Seth's to see if we were going to Peter's, and I told him we were going to dinner instead. That's it.† Carter waved it off. â€Å"That's as good as a homing beacon. I love this place. You're getting wine, right?† It wasn't that I was unhappy to see Carter. It was just that when Carter appeared, there was usually a reason. â€Å"So you heard?† I said, once we'd placed our orders and dispensed with small talk. Carter swirled the wine in his glass. We'd ordered a nice vintage that would probably be wasted on him at the rate he drank. â€Å"That you're skipping Peter's party? Yeah, I did. Man, he's going to be pissed.† I rolled my eyes. â€Å"That's not what I mean. Are you here about the appeal we filed?† â€Å"I'm here to have dinner with friends,† said Carter demurely. â€Å"But now that you mention it . . .† â€Å"Word gets around fast, huh?† I asked. It had been a couple hours since we'd seen Hugh, more than enough time for him to deliver the paperwork to Mei and enough for her to have told Jerome. â€Å"Oh, I found out from him,† said Carter, nodding toward Roman. â€Å"He asked when he called me earlier,† explained Roman. â€Å"He knew we'd been working on it.† â€Å"How?† I asked, startled. â€Å"Hugh and I have had to consult him on a couple of things this week,† said Roman. â€Å"Nothing that breaks any rules, of course.† Carter gave him a mock toast to that. â€Å"But enough to clarify a couple points about Hell's fucked-up legal system.† I wondered what they had needed to consult Carter on but doubted they'd tell me. I was also kind of amazed that I'd been so out of it this week that I hadn't even known my legal team had been in touch with the angel. No, on second thought, I wasn't that surprised. My misery had been pretty all-consuming. â€Å"So what do you think our odds are?† I asked. Carter shook his head. â€Å"I can't answer that.† â€Å"Because it breaks a rule?† â€Å"Because it's too tempting for me to answer with a joke about a snowball's chance in Hell.† I sighed. â€Å"That's not very comforting.† â€Å"You're awfully grim about this,† said Carter. â€Å"I figured there'd be a little more excitement from someone trying to win back their soul.† â€Å"It doesn't mean much without Seth,† I said. â€Å"Oh, for God's sake,† said Roman. He reached for the wine bottle. â€Å"You're on the verge of getting your soul and your life back . . . and he's still what determines your happiness ? You don't need a relationship to be happy, Georgina.† â€Å"No,† I agreed. â€Å"But Seth's not just any relationship. He's tied to my soul. He found me in the world of dreams. We've come together, life after life. I'm not just some girl who needs a guy around. Seth and I are connected. We both have done terrible things to each other . . . but also made great sacrifices for each other. It just seems like only half a victory to get my soul back but not be with the person who's affected it so much.† Roman surprised me by acknowledging the point. â€Å"Okay. I can see where you're coming from there.† â€Å"And,† added Carter gently, â€Å"you need to replay your own words there. You and Seth have come back together, life after life. What makes you think you won't again?† â€Å"Well, his recent actions for one,† I remarked bitterly. â€Å"That and . . . I don't know. Just the look in his eyes.† â€Å"Seth had a lot thrown at him all at once. Whose idea was the hypnosis anyway?† â€Å"Mine,† said Roman. â€Å"And get that accusing tone out of your voice. It was the fastest and easiest way we had to get the information we needed.† â€Å"Perhaps,† said Carter. â€Å"But there's a reason reborn mortals forget their past lives. It's a lot to process, and that kind of regression brings on too much, too fast.† â€Å"Hugh kind of said something like that too,† I said. Carter nodded, gray eyes kind. â€Å"Don't give up on Seth yet. I think he might surprise you once he's settled down. He loved you enough to always come back to you. He loved you enough to remember you, even when Hell tried to erase you from his mind. That's powerful stuff, Daughter of Lilith.† It was, and I suddenly questioned how fairly I'd been approaching this situation. My old fears had held me back from truly fighting for Seth. I also hadn't really tried to imagine what it must be like for him to have ten people in one mind. â€Å"It could take a while,† I said, unable to meet Carter's eyes. â€Å"For him to come around, I mean. And it could take a while for Hell to respond to my appeal too, right?† Both men nodded. â€Å"What do I do then? What do I do with all that time?† â€Å"You live,† said Carter. â€Å"You go on with the life you have, with the opportunities you have. You want your soul. You want Seth. If it's within your power to achieve those things, do it. If it's not, accept it and figure out what else you want.† I muddled over his words. â€Å"Part of my immediate life is dictated for me. I have to go to Las Vegas.† â€Å"What do you want to do there?† prompted Carter. â€Å"Be happy . . . if it's possible.† I knew I was being melodramatic but couldn't help it. â€Å"If I have to be there, I'd like some sort of chance at a happy life that I created. Not a fake one Hell fashioned for me.† I thought about it some more. â€Å"I'd like to find out if Bastien is my friend first and Hell's servant second.† â€Å"There you go,† said Carter. â€Å"Start there. Focus on what you can control.† â€Å"I'd like to help Seth's family too,† I added, kind of on a roll now. â€Å"I'm already trying to do something for his mom, but before I leave them, I want to do whatever I can. Even if Hell leaves Andrea alone, we don't know how things will turn out. Even if Seth decides he never wants to see me again, I still care about them. And there are still things they need.† â€Å"Indeed. That pony collection isn't nearly complete,† Carter mused. When I dared a look back at him, I saw that the angel was smiling at me. â€Å"You see? You aren't lost. No matter what happens to you, you have a plan. There's still hope.† â€Å"You told me that once . . . that no matter what happens, there's always hope. Do you really still believe that?† I asked. Carter topped off all of our wineglasses. â€Å"I'm an angel, Georgina. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't.† â€Å"And even though you're counseling contingency plans, you still think I can pull it all off, don't you?† I pushed. â€Å"What do you know that I don't?† â€Å"At this point?† he admitted. â€Å"Nothing more than you do. The only difference is that I think I have more faith in you than you do.† â€Å"You're an angel,† I pointed out, throwing his words back at him. â€Å"Don't you have to have faith in everyone?† â€Å"You'd be surprised.† He chuckled. â€Å"I have faith in some more than others. And you? I've always been one of your biggest fans. If you believe nothing else, believe that.† â€Å"Here, here,† said Roman, raising his glass. â€Å"To faith and a new year.† I clinked glasses with them and caught Carter's eye. He winked. Was it enough? His faith? I'd noted before that having him pull for the Mortensens was a powerful thing. Having an angel say he believed in you was equally monumental. But I wasn't fighting an ordinary adversary. I was fighting Hell, the only force that could stand against Heaven. I've always been one of your biggest fans. I would find out soon if it was enough. For now, I drank up and tried to have hope.

Las Siete Partidas: Laws on Jews, 1265 Essay

Las Siete Partidas was a work commissioned by King Alfonso X in 1265. It introduced law codes which only took effect in Castile a century later. These law codes, which were based on earlier feudal, civil, and canon laws, were hostile to Jews. The conditions placed on Muslim Moors, however, were even more severe than those placed on the Jews (Muslims, for instance, were prohibited from having mosques. ) The focus of this essay will be on excerpts taken from Las Siete Partidas which deal primarily with the Jewish people. The â€Å"Laws on Jews† were an attempt to manage the costs and benefits of living with a Jewish minority. Laws which served to control the spread of the Jewish minority forbid miscegenation: â€Å"Jews who live with Christian women†¦shall be put to death. † Jews were also forbidden from proselytizing: â€Å"Moreover, a Jew should be very careful to avoid preaching to, or converting any Christian†¦. † Socializing with Jews was prohibited: â€Å"†¦we forbid any Christian†¦to invite a Jew or Jewish†¦to eat or drink together†¦. † Jews were prohibited from owning slaves or oppressing Christians. Some laws were based on false allegations which claimed that Jews were engaging in human sacrifice (blood libel). Blaming Jews for Christ’s crucifixion (deicide) led to further anti-Semitism. Some of the laws were designed to protect Jews. Jews were protected on Saturday (Sabbath) as well as in their place of worship (synagogue. ) Jews were prohibited from leaving their homes on Good Friday (days on which Christians were hostile towards Jews. ) Some laws served not only to protect Jews, but were degrading as well. For instance, Jews had to wear a Jewish badge to distinguish them in public: â€Å"†¦in order to avoid the offenses and evils†¦all Jews†¦shall bear some distinguishing mark†¦. † A law which requires Jews to identify themselves with a badge implies that Jews and Christians were not so different racially, but separate peoples in terms of their history, culture, and language. The Christian community in Castile, in order to maintain power over their population, introduced laws which would ensure that the Jewish minority would not grow. These laws were at times degrading and hostile towards Jews. However, there were attempts to protect and appease Christian hostility towards Jews. It would prove to be a challenge to maintain a balance between denigrating the Jewish community – in an attempt to check its growth – and making use of its influence and power (King Alfonso made use of Jewish doctors and bankers. ) It would not be unfair to ask whether the conflicting relationship between Christians and Jews was due to the fact that the Jews were in fact a nation within a Christian nation. Moreover, if the Christian community in Castile recognized the Jewish people to be a nation, then they may have felt threatened by the possibility of the reestablishment of a Jewish state.

99 Supermarket

1. 0Introduction Convenience store (or known as mini-markets) according to Cambridge Business English Dictionary is a store that sell foods and sometime other goods but the size is typically below supermarket. 99 Speedmart is convenience store that based in Malaysia and they have over 300 outlets around Klang Valley. Three distribution centers have been set up to smooth their logistics and the latest distribution is located at Balakong Jaya. However, 99 Speedmart is not a solo-player in retailing market.Connivance stores chains like 7-11 Malaysia, KK Mart and Hypermarket chains like Tesco, Aeon, Giant and Aeon BIG (formerly known as Carrefour). Carrefour has reported in March 2011 that its profit has been dropped by 14. 3 percent to 371 million euros ($463 million). Carrefour recently had quitted in some Asia country such as Thailand in the year of 2010, Singapore and Malaysia in the year of 2012. Action taken by Carrefour recently can be a sign that they does not do well in their op eration in the market mention above. Out of the three, Carrefour Malaysia seems to be the worst.This is a good example that 99 Speedmart has to take extreme careful steps before expanding their business nationwide. 1. 1Objectives * Expanding the Service around Peninsular Malaysia before the year of 2020 * Redesign the Organizational Structure to smooth the administration work * Ensure the Supply Chain is able to cope with the expansion while maintaining â€Å"Near ‘n Save† slogan 2. 099 Speedmart Current Operations Different with 7-11 Malaysia, 99 Speedmart has started to taken back all franchise license issue by phase as the franchisee do not getting the profit as they expected in the year of 2004.Recently, they have started to issue limited franchise licences for selected entrepreneurs. 2. 0. 1Relationship with Suppliers In order to comply with the slogan â€Å"Near n Save†, a lot of effort has been made by Mr Lee Thiam Wah. The first step he has taken is to on ly carry limited product and only high turnover product will be sold in the store and they do not focus much on sales margin. Furthermore, Mr Lee has made the process of ordering and payment easy for suppliers and it will be done within 30 minutes.The payment will be cleared every time if the next order has been place to supplier to get better discount. 2. 0. 2Distribution Centre 99 Speedmart has been setting up 3 distribution centre (figure 1) for smoothing their logistics process in short time frame from the year of 2002 to 2011. There are located at Jalan Meru, Jalan Kebun and Balakong Jaya. The first two is at Klang area while another one is at Seri Kembangan Area which is much more nearer to Kuala Lumpur City Center thus North South Highway. Figure 1 2. 0. 3Stock ReplenishThe distribution centres will be taking batch order from manufacturers or distributors. The ordered stocks will be shipped to distribution centre for further allocation to all outlet based on the report genera ted. Based on the info getting from my local 99 Speedmart store located Kepong Area, they will replenish the stock 3 times a week for both Kepong Store and 4 times for Sri Sinar Store as their sales is higher. Normally Both Kepong store will be sharing one lorry to have their stock delivered on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning directly from distribution center.As for damage product and expired, the rules and regulation is being set to a store can only return a limited box to headquarters. Besides weekly replenish, some of their stock is replenish by third party or directly from supplier. These items are mostly refrigerated goods such as Ramly’s frozen product, Atlas ice cubes, Gardenia Bread and many more. They will take responsible to taking care of their product such as collecting expired and damage goods. The 99 Speedmart currently deploying computer assisted ordering system.A computer assisted ordering system will normally using together with the point of sales syst em, whenever an item is sold, it will be updating the central server in headquarters for compiling into a sheet if the stock down to certain level for re-order. The same process applies to their distribution centres too. 3. 0Expansion of Service 99 Speedmart is a retail service that provides product from groceries to personal care products such as hand soap. It is very important to ensure the end consumer gets what they need when they enters the shop.Currently, 99 Speedmart have around 3000 items (or Stock Keeping Unit) sold and it is not easy to manage it properly. 3. 1Logistics & Geographical Location 99 Speedmart recently have started back their franchise program to limited entrepreneurs and stated expanding beyond Klang Valley. The decision is not made in a hurry but slowly with plans. This can be seen from the newest distribution centre being set at Balakong Jaya which is near the North South highway. It takes about approximately 1 hour to reach Seremban, which is non Klang Val ley shop located.Currently there are 11 stores at that particular area as of 29 November 2012. It is recommended to take the expansion plan in phases instead of covering the service in whole Peninsular Malaysia at a time. The recommended expansion schedule can be as stated on table 1. The priority has been consider the geographical location and the also density of population as well. With proper planning of distribution centres, this will gradually reduce the lead time to supply enough stocks to the end outlet. Phase| Location| 1| Negeri Sembilan & Melaka| 2| Perak & Johor| 3 | Pulau Pinang| | Kedah & Perlis| 5| Pahang| 6| Kelantan| 7| Terengganu| Table [ 1 ] Negeri Sembilan and Melaka is suggested as their destination of expansion for reason that both the state have a close distance to Klang Valley’s distribution centres where even for Melaka , it will not take more than 2 hour to reach from Balakong Jaya distribution centre due to the infrastructure, the expressway is good for both the states (Figure 2). Figure [ 2 ] (Google, no date) Beside the distance of distribution centres, the density of the state’s population also is an added advantage.According to data obtain from Department of Statistical Malaysia (figure 3), both the state have a high density of population compare to Pahang state thus the area fairly smaller compare to Perak. This will let them to set up only a few distribution centre but high in efficiency in terms of centralize item delivery. When the market is mature enough and enough distribution centres is being set near the near target market, they can start proceed to the next phase. Figure [ 3 ] 3. 2Customer Service A business organization main objective is to get profit and a good customer service will ensure customer stay loyal.Based on both Laura and Johson’s (2003) research, the supply chain trend has been moving from supply focus to demand focus but currently 99 Speedmart still does not apply this yet. They will ju st distribute the stock without really over looking into what is the real demand of the particular’s shops demand. As a result, the store room is pack of stocks that does not really sells but some of the items are quickly sold off within few days without any more new stock coming in because of the lead time between the orders being placed.The main reason lies to their computer assisted ordering system’s nature where minimum stock level system being use. Orders will only be place when it reaches certain limit without actually overlook how long it takes to make their stock reach that level. A same item might be taking just few days to reach minimum stock level in one outlet but a few weeks for another outlet as each of the area will have a different buying behaviour that affected by factors such as religion and cultures. 3. 2. 1Computer System SupportInstead of just using only the lowest stock level method, they should also take initiatives to do research on the data sti pulated from time to time. They will have meeting every week on reviewing their sales done. Thus they should also implement a system where cashiers will key in the customer’s estimated age and gender before proceeding to payment flow and headquarters will study the data being sent. A SKU will be eliminate after a continuous weeks of low turnover (Lee, 2001). This is how and why 7-11 Japan is expanding fast and understands the customer demand well.The benefits they can obtain thru this are minimize their space to store stock and also provide the right product to the community. Furthermore the data being collected also useful to do future prediction especially festive seasons on providing enough stocks to full fill demand. This will also gradually minimize the effect of lead time and bullwhip that impacts their operation. 3. 3Warehousing Warehousing is always an important part of supply chain management and a poor warehousing efficiency will cause delay on delivery, damage good s and many unexpected issues. 9 Speedmart is using a paper based checklist when trying to assign all the stocks to destination outlet. This actually is a big issues as 99 Speedmart is currently is expanding fast in Klang Valley and also some experimental outlet outside of Klang Valley. In order to speeding up the process, voice directed picking system is suggested to be apply. A voice directed picking system where computer will give instruction thru headset and workers can make voice command to retrieve the next information.The main benefit is that the workers will have both hands to do their work and maximize the efficiency of distributing the stocks. According to the speaker from Lein Hing Group, currently 7-11 Malaysia has been adopted this technology thus increase the efficiency up to 30% for their speed of assigning goods to designated outlet thus lower down the lead time. 3. 4Supply Chain Figure [ 4 ] : Current Supply Chain Model As stated as section 2. 0, 99 Speedmart outlets are getting stock supplies from distribution centres and some is directly from manufacturer (figure 4).When the operation is expanding, the need to reconsider on how to optimize the supply chain structure as each state it might be having different supplier for same product brand. Figure [ 5 ] : Suggested Supply Chain Model Since some of the item is low in turnover, they have buy in a large batch order to get better discounts from manufacturer or suppliers. So I suggest that they should set a central distribution centres or such items where the item will be delivered in a milk run method from area distribution centre to another area distribution centre.They can either outsource the delivery to third party logistics companies such as Tiong Nam or set up a special team for this if the scale is big as the concern is how to use minimum cost to send the end goods to the outlet. When the service is expanding nationwide, they have to coordinate with suppliers in order to get the nearest so urce on getting their good supplies. Big consumer brand normally will have an area distributor for each area so 99 Speedmart can make full use on nearer source to obtain least cost of transporting goods. Furthermore, they can take 7-11 Japan operation model for reference on building a new logistics systems.This is a very success model where 7-11’s competitors such as Lawson, Family Mart are also emulated their way of operation. Both suppliers and 99 Speedmart can set up a joint service whether items that can be delivering together will be cross docked in same warehouse. The driver is expected to do a milk run to area assigned to them to do daily replenish stocks. 3. 5Organizational Structures When an organization is growing bigger, a good management team must be there to coordinate the business well. Without a good management, they will be facing issues such as delay in order, late payment and others.As referring to figure 6, we can notice that 99 Speedmart is having a flat s tructure to speeding up the decision process. Generally is the current structure is already good enough but some position must be added to meet their objectives of expanding their business as showed on figure 7. Malaysia is a multi cultures society and each part of the area will have different demand for the product they need. In order to understand what they need for each part of the area, the branch operation can further divide their department based as stated on figure 7.Section| State| North Malaysia| Perlis, Kedah, Pulau Pinang & Perak| Central Malaysia| Selangor, Kuala Lumpur & Negeri Sembilan| South Malaysia| Melaka & Johor| East Coast| Kelantan, Terengganu & Pahang| Table [ 2 ] Figure [ 6 ] : Current Organization Chart Figure [ 7 ] : Changes for Cope with Service Expansion 4. 0Conclusion The area of caution has been stated in section 3 start from geographical location to organizational chart and some suggestion has been given to how to overcome the possible issues they might face throughout the expanding rocess. I am quite sure 99 Speedmart will be very successful and to cover up the Peninsular Malaysia before the year of 2020 if they are able to implement the all the suggestion above. Thus the bad economy that happens recently also will impact how they use their money. People to tends to compare the item price between retailers to save their money and in this case 99 Speedmart is very competitive as they are offering their product low in price thus near to residential area. I am expecting they will set up 25~50 new stores in the year of 2013.

Type 1 diabetes Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Type 1 diabetes - Research Paper Example This causes deficiency of insulin in the body. Introduction Type 1 diabetes is a major disease in young adults and children. Experts previously recognized it as juvenile diabetes because those diagnosed were mostly young people. Type 1 diabetes describes a diabetic condition where the body lacks producing any insulin. Insulin is necessary in converting starches, sugar and other foods into energy that the body requires. This type of diabetes is not common among people suffering from diabetes. Only around five percent of diabetes patients suffer from type 1 diabetes. The best treatment for the condition is insulin therapy. This type of therapy and various treatments allows a person to manage the condition and live a healthier life (Drake, Smith, Betts & Crowne, 2002). The paper looks at how lack of insulin causes the development of type 1 diabetes and for the best treatment recommended in managing the condition. Type 1 Diabetes Type 1 diabetes forms when the pancreatic glands produce l ess or no insulin when a person suffers from type 1 diabetes. Insulin is a hormone produced that lets sugar enter cells to generate energy. When the body starts resisting insulin effects, it results to type 2 diabetes. The various signs and symptoms of type 1 diabetes include extreme hunger, enhanced thirst, recurrent urination, fatigue, and weight loss. Some causes of type 1 diabetes include exposure to specific viruses or genetics. However, the exact cause of this condition is not clear. Most people develop type 1 diabetes because their immune system starts destroying insulin instead of fighting viruses and other harmful bacteria, which mainly occur due to genetics (Garg, 2011). The condition may be prevalent in young people, however; it can also develop during adulthood. There has been a lot of research carried out to determine the best treatment for diabetes. However, there is no cure for the condition. The best a person can do is to manage it and prevent severe cases such as ty pe 2 diabetes. Insulin Types of insulin depend on their speed of effectiveness, when they peak and the amount of time they last. The strengths of insulin have different levels with the most general being U-100 (Gillespie, 2006). The United States manufactures insulin, however; it is possible to use animal insulin (Gillespie, 2006). The pancreas has beta cells that make and release insulin hormones with every meal. Insulin assists the body in using and storing blood glucose it receives from food. A person suffering from type 1 diabetes no longer produces insulin because the beta cells in the pancreas no longer work. The difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes is that type 2 diabetes produces insulin, but the body fails to respond to it (Drake, Smith, Betts & Crowne, 2002). The best way to receive insulin medication is through direct injections into the fat under the skin. There are different types of insulin that a person can inject to manage type 1 diabetes. Rapid-acting insul in starts working five minutes after its injection and continues for about four hours afterwards. Regular insulin is short acting since it gets to the bloodstream after 30minutes, but it is more effective than rapid-acting insulin because it continues to work for six hours. There is intermediate and long acting insulin that work four hours and ten hours after injection, respectively (Gillespie, 2006). The longer the time any type of insulin takes to starts acting the

LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

LAW - Essay Example As such, the national courts are under an obligation to promote EU law. However, the English courts follow a dualist approach in dealing with cases of non – compliance. This practice has resulted in a number of barriers for the UK courts to integrate the EU law with their national legislation1. In order to interpret the EU law, the European Court of Justice mainly depends on three sources; namely, the EU Treaties, Articles of the Treaties and provisions of EU law. The ECJ deals with cases of breach of EU law by Member States if their national legislation fails to correctly interpret the EU law. The ECJ then examines the legal basis of the Acts enacted by the institutions of the EU to find out their legality and practicality. Member States refer cases of infringement of EU law to the ECJ for the proper interpretation of EU law2. In the context of European integration, the United Kingdom has retained its parliamentary sovereignty to a very limited extent, in several matters relating to the European Union. The UK cannot escape from being penalised for breach of EU law; and it cannot determine the scope and extent of the penalties imposed upon it. Furthermore, the United Kingdom cannot abstain from implementing any directives issued by the EC nor does it have the power to withhold parts of directives from being implemented. This was established in the case of Factortame in 19913. In that case the parliamentary sovereignty of the UK was completely ignored by the European Court of Justice. The House of Lords refused to implement the Merchant Shipping Act 1988 on the plea that the Act challenged and derogated from, parliamentary supremacy in the UK. In another case, namely, R v. Secretary of State for Employment4, the House of Lords held that the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 was not in accordanc e with the EU Law. Their