Instructions will be attached Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Instructions will be attached - Essay Example First, it is an opportunistic response to the weak economy evidenced by the way customers respond to price reductions. Secondly, price cutting is a also a differentiated competitive strategy against the main competitor, Wal-Mart. This is evidenced by the fact that Target has maintained high price margins on home goods, electronics and designer apparel, and invested that extra capital in lowering prices in departments where they are directly competing with Wal-Mart, such as their grocery sector. However, it is worth noting that price wars have escalated with time forcing both retail giants to lower their price margins considerably. For instance, Mercent Corp. claims to change prices of approximately two million products every hour (Angwin and Mattioli web). This is no different from Target and Wal-Mart, as they seek to retain respective market shares. Considering Target’s strategy is more oriented towards product differentiation, then it cannot simply translate to â€Å"Wal-Mart mini-me† simply because Wal-Mart has a more price oriented strategy. Since Wal-Mart has maintained low price strategy especially in outlets competing with Target implies that Target is a worthwhile competitor to Wal-Mart. Target definitely needs a more rigorous strategy to grow. The best strategy will certainly depend on what Wal-Mart will do. Perhaps, Target may take Wal-Mart as a benchmark as they formulate their way forward. Angwin, Julia and Mattioli Dana. Coming Soon: Toilet Paper Priced Like Airline Tickets. The WallStreet Journal. September 5, 2012. Web. 24 April 2013.

Report 2 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Report 2 - Research Paper Example The average income level of individuals in the economy had been recorded to increase substantially but due to the recent recession the growth of the income level has slowed down considerably (Euromonitor International, â€Å"Country Factfile†). However, French mousse is evidently a frequently available product in the market of France. Its high availability in turn decreases its cost of purchase with minimum influence of the income level enjoyed by the population of the market. 2. Age The total population in the economy of France comprises a majority of young people, i.e. belonging to the age group of 15 to 64 years covering almost 64.7% of the total population. The people aged between 0 to 14 years comprise around 18.5% of the total population while the age group of over 65 years captures almost 16.8% of the population (CIA, â€Å"France†). Due to the fact that French mousse is stated to have a huge amount of calorie, it is most likely that health conscious people will tend to avoid consuming the product at a large proportion. On the similar context, French mousse can be delivered to any of the age group as a beverage. Moreover, there is no age limit for the consumption of the product. Thereby, the market segmentation should be based on the preferences of the customers rather than their age group, as the product can be consumed by consumers belonging to any and every age group. 3. Gender The total population of the economy of France comprises a sex ratio of 0.96 male(s)/female on an average basis (CIA, â€Å"France†). However, to be related with the market segmentation of French mousse, the product can be consumed by both males and females irrespective of their gender. In other words, gender does not have a strong influence on the market potential of French mousse and thus can be ignored while determining the target market. 4. Geography The geography of France comprises of five major cities in terms of population and urbanization, namely, P aris, Marseille-Aix-en-Provence, Lyon, Lille, and Nice-Cannes. The urbanization rate in the economy is figured to 85% according to the latest available data (as on 2010), which is also recorded to increase by 1% annually (CIA, â€Å"France†). Therefore, the target market of French mousse shall be focused on the urban markets of the economy, as it comprises of the majority of the population. Moreover, as it is quite likely that people residing in urban areas will possess stronger preference for the products, such as French mousse and targeting the urban markets shall be highly beneficial. 5. Usage The current statistics depict that the economy of France has witnessed a downfall in the growth of the consumer spending on food after the recent economic downturn. Conversely, the average consumer expenditure on food figures is around US$ 1,422 monthly (i.e. Consumer Expenditure on Food (US$ Million)/Population = (179,782.5/63,197,000) x 1,000,000 = US$ 2,844.78/12 = US $1,422). Wit h reference to the above findings it can be stated that as the expenditure of the population is decreasing it is quite likely that the preference for costly beverages will also decrease in turn. Therefore, it will be highly beneficial to market the product at a low price targeting the group of people who possess stronger preference for the product. 6. Other Considering the other factors of the French economy, it can be stated that the social aspects have a strong inf

Cause and Effect Technology Essay Example for Free

Cause and Effect Technology Essay Technology continues to make progress every single day in society. Schools, the workplace, and even homes have advanced so much over the past twenty years. As technology starts to take over every little part of people’s lives, some new advances may end up as the â€Å"next big thing† and others may slowly destroy the ways of human life. First, technology in schools, which have adapted so many new advances in even the last five years. A cause of increased use of technology in classrooms could be the pressure to do better with the resources they were given. This can lead to three consequences such as a cheating, easier access to information, and they could even use technology as a sort of tutor. Second, the workplace has adapted to all the new technologies maybe even faster than schools. Businesses search for a more productive way to run their operations. The increased usage of technology in the workplace has a very dangerous outcome which usually manifests in stress. Three causes of the stress in the workplace could be due to technology such as malfunctions, job insecurity, and certain medical issues when the employees use the technology all the time. Last, these new technologies even have tried to make life at home simpler for everyone. Things may seem like they are there to help you, but in the long run these new techniques may end up turning out poorly. Since the new technology has been brought about, there are more ways to find a recipe than just looking in a cookbook that was found in the kitchen cupboard. This may end up in obesity for in the long run and may not even see it coming. The effects of the increased usage of technology has caused the way people live their lives at school, at work, and at home to change drastically. As more schools tend to adapt to the â€Å"technology wave† there has been an increase of discussion about whether the advances of technology in the  classroom help the students learn better, or if it distracts them from actually doing the work themselves. These types of improvements increase the pressure of succeeding academically. One result of the growing amount of pressure on a student is that children are able to use technology as a tutor. Whether it is used as an educational social media to connect peers together outside of school, or even just simply being able to go to a search engine and gain the same knowledge that could be learned in the classroom. The internet is a great tutor if the resources are used properly. Another ramification of the flourishing amount of pressure put on a student because of the increased use of technology in classrooms is that information is far more accessible than before. Due to the mass amount of information available, everything is one click away. With the use of tablets, students are able to practically hold an entire encyclopedia set in their hands. The third effect of the increase of pressure among students is the fact that academic dishonesty is too easy. Since it is so easy to gather information from other sources besides your own head when you are stuck, this can lead to dangerous temptations of cheating in school. Workplace stress is a serious consequence that employees experience because of the increased use of technology in businesses. One reason stress is created at work, related to the escalating use of technology, is due to technological malfunctions. When technology does not work correctly, employees can lose important data, miss deadlines, and slow down production. This can not only have harmful effects, but become a waste of time. Another reason stress is created in the workplace is due to job insecurity. Technology is able to do jobs that more efficiently and at a cheaper cost than what a human would do. Since the increased use of technology, robots are now able to perform simple tasks with no mistakes like the assembly line, to more complex situations like medical procedures. Companies save thousands of dollars by making the transition to robots. This creates stress on employees seeing the possibility of jobs being replaced by a robot. The last cause of this stress is the risk of medical injuries. Technology may be able to reduce some medical risks that employees had with their job, but now there are medical conditions that are arising because of the technology that workers use. Since companies are starting to use more robots, they do not  know what is going on at all times besides they are programmed what to do. Any incident could happen at any second because the robots do not stop unless a human presses a button to make them stop. The increased use of technology at home has been a blessing. Senior citizens and other adults that were not once used to technology, now are using it more than ever. For example, with the increasing use of technology, cookbooks are almost at the point of extinction. Before, when families wanted to make a new recipe for dinner, they had to get all of their cookbooks out and try to make their own recipe. This has all became simpler due to the internet. Practically any recipe can be found on the internet today. Although many recipes are so accessible, finding the perfect one may be difficult, which leads to frustration. They may not have the exact ingredients needed to make the meal or may not want to take the time to create a dinner for the family. Therefore, the outcome of someone becoming frustrated with technology could result in fast food or take-out options. Since technology has become so advanced, food can be ordered online and delivered to the door. This would cause people to become much lazier. Technology then could become the staring point of obesity. Instead of families going out and getting the food, or going out to the store and getting the ingredients for the meal they just get on the computer and order their unhealthy choices, which could lead to obesity, due to the convinces of technology, and creates a lack of exercise. Overall, technology has become a great tool for everyone and has helped paved the way to success for many. Sometimes technology does not work the way it is supposed to and causes problems to arise. But luckily, technology is slowly becoming more useful and less of a hassle. Whether technology is used at school, work, or home it has changed the way people live their lives dramatically.

Very Short Wedding Toasts :: Wedding Toasts Roasts Speeches

Very Short Wedding Toasts The Light that Shines There is a light that shines beyond the heavens; this is the light that shines in your heart when you are in love. "May you have warmth in your igloo, oil in your lamp and peace in your heart!" ~Eskimo Proverb The Days of your Life May you live all the days of your life. — Jonathan Swift From this Day Forward May the face of every good news, And the back of every bad news, Be toward you, From this day forward. No Sorrow May the goblets of life hold no dregs of sorrow. Happy Endings I love weddings. They are where strange tales begin and happy endings are possible. Your Grandchildren’s Hair May I see you grey And combing your grandchildren’s hair. Your Right Hand May your right hand always Be stretched out in friendship And never in want. Luck Always remember, if you’re enough lucky to be married to _______, then you’re lucky enough! Misfortune May misfortune follow you the rest of your life, but never catch up. Mountain Girl Marry a mountain girl and you marry the whole mountain. The Bannister of Life As you and your wife slide down the bannister of life, May the splinters never point the wrong way. Your Laugh May your laugh, your love and your wine be plenty, thus your happiness will be nothing less. Your Enemies, Enemies. May God bless and keep in good health your enemies, enemies.

What is the meaning of Responsibility

The ultimate word in life is â€Å"responsibility†. What is responsibility you ask? Responsibility is â€Å"doing the right thing†. Doing the right thing means living a life where every move or decision you make is all your own and you do things that will not harm others. It is a moral belief that as individuals we must behave ethical and be accountable for our actions, and be conscious of our decisions and the impact it has on society. In today’s world I believe we have even more responsibilities then our ancestors. If we do not take responsibility for our actions innocent people can be hurt. You will be frowned upon and will lose the trust of others. Behaving in a responsible way can improve our quality of living. In life we all want freedom and with freedom comes responsibility. So many people today do not want to take responsibility for their actions and the impact it has on others. I know as a child, my mother, repeatedly told me that I must take responsibility for my actions, which I should always think twice before I do something, because my actions could result in a negative outcome. As human beings we are given by God free will. If we make certain choices based on our free will, we must be willing to take responsibility for the effects our decisions may have on the people around us, as well as ourselves. So many people think that if you are a responsible person, you may be a boring person. That is just not true. Just because you choose to be a responsible person, you can still have fun and contribute interesting things to the world. I remember another famous quote by Abraham Lincoln, he stated, â€Å"One cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today†. I remember a famous quote from Albert Einstein that states â€Å"Man must cease his problems to the environment, and learn again to exercise his will – his personal responsibility†. Sometimes freedom can be dangerous and could destroy our society. So many people believe freedom means you have the right to do as you please, however, that is not 100% true. As soon as you stop taking responsibility for what you do in life, it is almost certain you will be doing things that will be harmful to others. This is why it is so important to have laws that society must abide by. As an example, let’s say you are having a get together and you have you stereo on a little too loud. To you and the people attending your party the music is just fine, but to your neighbors it is entirely too loud and disruptive. Wouldn’t you be a responsible person if you made sure that the music was loud enough for you and your guests to enjoy, but not too loud that it would annoy your neighbors? When one recognizes that they are 100% responsible for their life, they will soon see the great achievements that come with being a responsible person. Responsibility is a very valuable trait in all that we do. Taking responsibility for one’s self leads to a more optimistic life and one is able to accomplish all that they want. Sometimes taking responsibility can be a very difficult thing, but in the end one is usually happy that they did. If one chose’s to lead an irresponsible life, they will soon see that they will be living a much uncontrolled life and therefore grow to be very pessimistic. One’s health is also affected by the choices one makes. When we choose to blame others for the wrong doings in our life, we soon see that we have no control. Everyone wants to be in control of their own lives. One must remember that when we are responsible we are willing to accept the outcome be it good or bad. People who take responsibility in life are confident and will have a very high self esteem. The thing we have to remember is what happens to you in your life, or where you may end up at in your life is a result of either taking responsibility or not taking responsibility of one’s actions in the past. We all have the right to choose our own destiny. Another great example is what if we didn’t have laws that we had to abide by and everyone was a loud to just do as they wanted and when we committed crimes, no one would be held accountable. Can you imagine the amount of destruction that would be taking place in this world? So as you can see from my examples, it is very important to be a responsible person.

Junk Food And Its Effects On Society - 1762 Words

Here in America, we rely very much on junk food, which leads to higher obesity rates, more illnesses, and a less healthy society, which means that food manufactures could be placing things in the food making it very unhealthy and a less living life. Most junk foods now have a lot of calories which is usually commercially packaged and prepared. Junk food is almost readily available almost anywhere across this country in all sorts of restaurants in the form of soda, chicken tenders, french fries, and in almost every food served. It also promotes overeating because it’s high in fat and the more that is eaten it begins to taste better making it close to addicting. Junk food is known to largely affect someone’s life in negative ways, causing early deaths and chances of becoming obese in consuming lots of it. Firstly, junk food is filled with empty calories, which means that when consumed it gives extra calories that aren’t needed making it extremely bad for the human body. Eating even a little bit of junk food could give a high calorie rate, which leads to excessive weight gain. Most of the time if someone is consuming junk food they’re distracted by a tv or a movie making them unaware of how much is going in their body which eventually could lead to overeating. Overeating could open up even more and brand new problems that could be worse than just a Rosales 2 high calorie rate. If eating extra calories the human body stores the energy as fat or glycogen to use at aShow MoreRelatedJunk Food A Slow Poison Essay1477 Words   |  6 Pages JUNK FOOD-A SLOW POISON INTRODUCTION: We Humans have now developed a habit of even manipulating our own system to vanish the hunger and to reduce the time of making as well as eating the food in a faster manner .But is it a right method? Despite many abnormal incidents and side effects reported due to consumption of junk food we humans are still following the same manner of consuming it and even there is no serious action being taken on the manufacturers of the junk food because ofRead MoreHealth Effects Of Fast Food1207 Words   |  5 PagesHealth Effects of Fast Food Healthy eating and living are indispensable requirements. The modern world has adopted a system of consumption of foods, which has a lot of adverse effects on health. Every day, life changes so much that people don’t have enough times to think about what is right to eat. Civilization and globalization have affected peoples eating habits and forced many to consume high calorie fast foods, which is known to as junk food. Recently, research into the likely health effects on consumptionRead MoreJunk Food1546 Words   |  7 Pagesnegative effects of eating a lot of junk food. There are several negative effects because of eating junk food without having control. There are three main negative effects which they are getting obesity because of the high amount of sugar and trans fat in the junk food, having diabetes later on due to the high amount of sugar and artificial flavors in the junk food, and heart diseases which is the most dangerous negative effect. Lack of health awareness i n the society about the seriousness of junk foodRead More Junk Food: Can What We Eat Change How We Behave? Essay1330 Words   |  6 PagesJunk Food: Can What We Eat Change How We Behave? Ice cream, chocolate, McDonald’s hamburgers, potato chips, and hot dogs, all symbolize a taboo in our society. Honey, wheat germ, fruit juices, and sprouts, take on a certain manna in our society. For years, our society has been involved with a health food movement. We are carrying this movement with us to every new day, every new year, and now into a new century. As we go into the new century, our emphasis, is on wellness and prevention ratherRead MoreUnderstanding The Impact Of Junk Food Essay1510 Words   |  7 PagesTOPIC : Understanding the Impact of Junk Food INTRODUCTION Junk Food is that type of food which doesn’t contain nutritional value. It do not contain high level of calories and has little protein, vitamins and minerals. Such foods are also not good for health and has negative effects after consuming them. Why there is a More Demand of Junk Food? There are following reasons which shows that why people are attracted towards junk food:- â ¦  Preparation of junk food doesn’t take so much time and itRead MoreShould Junk Food Be Banned at School1699 Words   |  7 PagesShould junk food be allowed at school? Junk food is generally defined as â€Å"a diet high in processed foods and soft drinks† (Wiles et al., 2009, p.1). By definition, junk food contains artificial food colorings and preservatives, including fast food, oily foods, snacks and high sugary beverage. Students usually eat snacks between meals. According to McPhail et al. (2011), the snacking habit among students has increased in the past twenty years. This means students are taking more junk food in a higherRead MoreENG4U IP EO1142 Words   |  5 PagesSoft Drinks and Junk Food Huang Kunting(Alice) Ms. Costa ENG4U-S7 January 22, 2015 Introduction Paragraph â€Å"Once you start dipping it’s hard to stop† (â€Å"Chicken McNugget†) is how McDonald’s describe Chicken McNuggets. People never stop their enthusiasm for McDonald’s. However, those fast food are defined as junk foods which contain numerous calories and are rarely good for health. Moreover, not only junk food but also soft drinks can affect society negatively. The effect of an increasingRead MoreNegative Effects On Junk Food911 Words   |  4 Pagesincome a year on fast food†? (Johns 2). There are certain ingredients in junk food and fast food that keep people coming back for more. Although junk food is not as addictive as alcohol and drugs, it certainly has similar effects on the brain, which has brought scientists to the conclusion that most junk food has addictive properties. It is so easy these days to go to the store and buy cheap junk food, but knowing the negative outcomes may have people reconsider their food options. Gaining more knowledgeRead MoreArgumentative Essay: Sin Taxes Are Positive for Society801 Words   |  4 Pagesand alcohol. The government does this as a way to discourage the abuse or over use of these products. Recently, governments have tried to raise taxes on other products like large, sugar-filled soft drinks and junk foods. There has been opposition to raise taxes on soft drinks and snack foods, but it is a good idea. There is evidence that these taxes can reduce the number of people who purchase these items. Therefore, the added cost can help people be make better choices and be healthier. SinRead MoreCutting A Tax On Junk Food961 Words   |  4 PagesRaising food taxes is the topic of the editorial article â€Å"Slapping a tax on junk food is still a bad idea† by the Globe and Mail. The writer states that raising taxes is not the answer to decrease high obesity rates and instead suggests that moderation and lifestyle are key to enjoying food. The editorial also acknowledges the increasing amount of attention we give to this problem now that it has grown larger and more complex. Also, an increase of taxes ultimately allow the consumers to have

Modern Genocide in Africa Essay - 928 Words

Since Burundi’s independence in 1962, there have been two instances of genocide: the 1972 mass killings of Hutus by the Tutsi-dominated government, and the 1993 mass killings of the Tutsis by the Hutu populace. Both of these events in Burundi received different levels of attention by the international community and the western media due to a lack of foreign governmental interest, political distraction, and an unwillingness to acknowledge the severity of these atrocities in Burundi. Interestingly, events of genocide occurring at times without these distractions received more foreign attention than those ignored due to these factors. Because of this, much of the western world is unaware of the Burundian genocide and events similar to it.†¦show more content†¦The noteworthy western response can be partly attributed to the little political distraction within the United States and Western Europe. On the contrary, the Soviet Union did not intervene in the Burundian Geno cide, as the Soviet Union’s foreign affairs were occupied with fueling the civil war in Ethiopia and spreading Marxism in former Portuguese colonial states, particularly in Angola (Soviet Military and Other Activities in Sub-Saharan Africa). Despite showing a clear interest in affairs in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Soviet Union neglected to intervene in the 1972 Burundian genocide, whereas western nations took initiative in humanitarian efforts in the region. The lack of political distractions within western nations facilitated the support by western nations during the 1972 Burundian genocide. The mass killings of Tutsis by the Hutu populace in Burundi are considered one of the most severe acts of genocide, however, it was overshadowed by the coinciding genocide in Rwanda and political distractions around the world. Coinciding with the genocide of Tutsis by the Hutu majority in Rwanda and other neighboring countries, the second incident of Burundi is an act of vengeance for th e genocide in 1972 (Rwandan Crisis). The major difference in terms of international reaction from the 1972 genocide was that there was little aid to Burundi and this event was largely ignored by western news media and governments. With the end of a Republican reign inShow MoreRelatedHistory And Events That Happened During The Colonization Of Africa Essay1113 Words   |  5 Pageshas helped them develop and change who they are in the modern day. The colonization of Africa in the late 1800s-early 1900s are an example of this. The actions and events inflicted on Africa by the European powers have helped shape the continent of modern-day Africa. These events are largely significant to historians and the people of Africa, such as the first genocide of the 20th century, committed by the German powers in now what is modern day Namibia, against the Herero people. This report willRead MoreGenocides And Genocides Of Genocides987 Words   |  4 PagesAfrican Holocaust Genocide is a million African people being butchered by hand by their neighbors, with household tools and homemade weapons—machetes, hoes, and hammers. Genocides are commonly overlooked throughout many countries. Africa has had many genocides and wars occurring over the past century. The most known genocides are ones that occurred in Rwanda and Darfur. Researchers have found that most genocides show the same patterns and key elements. As different genocides of Africa have occurredRead MoreCommon Causes of War and Genocide Essay example1271 Words   |  6 PagesGenocide, or the systematic destruction of a race or tribe is an all too common phenomenon in our planet’s history and even more so in Africa. Genocide and war share many common causes such as desperation brought on by a declining economy. Experts on the Central African Republic believe that current events point to a possible repeat of the Rwandan genocide of 1994, in which over one million people were kille d. Many think that U.N. involvement is necessary to stop the escalating violence in the CentralRead MoreThe World s Population No Matter1408 Words   |  6 Pageswhat different inequalities exist in Africa. Seek to find how much of an impact it is to the rest of the world. Africa is known for its hot climate, beautiful attractions of nature and wild life. Africa is the world’s second largest continent. It remains today as the worlds poorest and undeveloped continent. Scientists believe that Africa is the birthplace of mankind. Africa was not where slavery began despite the many years of so many Africans as slaves. Africa has valuable natural resources suchRead MoreThe United Nations Is An International Organization Created After World War II1738 Words   |  7 Pagessuccess has not been the same with respect underdeveloped nations. Is the United Nations’ ability to maintain peace with smaller conflicts around the world up to par? The United Nations is not an effective peacekeeper in the undeveloped regions of Africa and the Middle East because the United Nations disrupts the balance of power, takes sides, and is controlled by the world powers. Applying the realist view to the United Nations, United Nations has become a pawn of the world powers.. In a FrontlineRead MoreLegacies of Historical Globalization956 Words   |  4 Pagesof the apartheid still exist today such as racism and inequality. The law even restricted black people from voting and they only allowed them to have certain jobs and areas to live, they also forced the children to attend specific schools. Although Africa has continued to strengthen and grow, unfortunately poverty and inequality still plays a huge role today. It is even said that the amount remains â€Å"unacceptably high and the pace of reduction is unacceptably slow†. The stopping of both racism and theRead MoreInanga: A Song of Survival in Daughter’s Rwanda1673 Words   |  7 Pages Transcending individual differences, music in Africa has proved to be more than just a collection of notes and the production of sounds. Throughout this past semester, Professor B drew materials from W est, East and South Africa to demonstrate the powerful ability of music to bring and bind people together. Consistently exemplified throughout African history, music has served as the unifying link between generations. In the documentary, Inanga: A Song of Survival in Daughter’s Rwanda, a family’sRead MoreAnalysis Of Hotel Rwanda By Terry George880 Words   |  4 Pagescinematic telling of the systematic genocide that occurred in the spring of 1994 in modern Africa. It depicts the boiling point of tense relations between two ethnic factions the Tutsi and the Hutu. The movie directed by Terry George, and starring Don Cheadle as Paul Ruseasabagina portrays the struggle of survival Paul endured as he sheltered over one-thousand refugees in a hotel to avoid the slaughter. The film employs the use of elements to convey the violent genocide that erupted as a result of theRead MoreLife Of The Innocent : Taken1425 Words   |  6 PagesInnocent: Taken As confirmed in Genocide in Rwanda the war that began April 6, 1994, mainly in Rwanda, Africa, lasted one hundred days and took close to one million lives of innocent people. Genocide is defined as the deliberate and systematic extermination of a national, racial, political, or cultural group. With Rwanda being the most densely populated nation in Africa, housing about ten million people, by the time the outside countries began assisting to stop the genocide hundreds of thousands wereRead MoreContemporary Society Has Done Enough to Respond to the Legacies of Historical Globalization922 Words   |  4 Pagesof the apartheid still exist today such as racism and inequality. The law even restricted black people from voting and they only allowed them to have certain jobs and areas to live, they also forced the children to attend specific schools. Although Africa has continued to strengthen and grow, unfortunately poverty and inequality still plays a huge role today. It is even said that the amount remains â€Å"unacceptably high and the pace of reduction is unacceptably slow†. The stopping of both racism and the