Run With The Horsemen Essay -- essays research papers

Little Porter Osborne, Jr. grew up on a farm in Georgia where the people own the land and the land, in turn, owns the people. In the novel, Run with the Horsemen, Porter fights his way through adolescence and the depression, learning more about life every day from the big boys under the tree at lunch. Ferrol Sams is able to portray a realistic account of life on a farm during the depression by using humor, dialect, and vivid imagery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Humor is used throughout the book to keep the reader interested in what would otherwise be a boring story of hard work and hard times. The boring and tedious act of plowing is turned into a dangerous, yet humorous, occurrence when a release of methane gas from the mule was met by a match that Porter happened to be holding in cl...

Flooring Company Business Plan Essay

JD Epoxy has established a website that gives general information about products and services. The website will be developed with more detailed functions so it can offer customer services like consultation, Q&A, and reservations. Also, JD Epoxy plans to use the website for links to other social media like Facebook, Youtube and Blogger to connect with customers more closely, and there will be video materials introducing the JD Epoxy team that will deliver a friendly and trustworthy image to customers. Presently Daniel minimizes costs by managing the business from his home. He rents grinders, vacuums, and application tools from Gestion Anny-Picard, and Simplex. He purchases supplies on a per-project basis from CTM adhesives. He plans to open a warehouse in the West Island area as his client base increases, in order to keep an inventory of supplies and purchase equipment. As business continues to grow, he will add an office space to the warehouse. Presently all of the installation work is done by Daniel and Yannick. As contracts increase, they will need to hire additional labor, which will enable them to concentrate on other tasks. The usual installation process takes a couple of days, so having multiple teams will boost the productivity of the business. For the time being Daniel will continue to deal with customers directly by phone and by visiting them in person for estimations. Once financing is ready, JD Epoxy will set up a customer service department to deal with clients. The customer service department will answer the phone, respond to questions and take reservations from customers, as well as attending to the website services. The team will be composed of at least two people in the beginning, so that they can rotate break times, since there should be constant service during business hours. Once website traffic and call volume increases, the customer service team will be expanded to limit wait times. When a customer calls for a consultation, Daniel visits in person to give a more detailed quote and provide explanations about the service procedures. This is a very important role in this business since customers can change their minds during this step, so it requires someone with professional knowledge and great communication skills to interact with the customer. That is why Daniel prefers to visit customers himself at this point rather than sending an employee. However, JD Epoxy will start to prepare a sales consultation department for the future. There will be intense training for customer visitation and quoting. The sales consultation department will be necessary when appointments increase and will allow a more flexible schedule to customers, since overlapping appointments will be possible once the department is in place. The sales consultation department is very important in the JD Epoxy organization since they will represent the company on the front line and speak on behalf of the company, bringing in actual contracts that lead to profits. The accounting department will deal with financing, taxes, and payroll. This department should be organized from the beginning, since JD Epoxy is a partnership, and delegating the accounting work to a third party will give a more objective overview of the company’s financial state and preserves a fair relationship between the partners. The accounting department will start with one inside book keeper working in liaison with an external accounting firm, until JD Epoxy can select a CFO. JD Epoxy will establish a marketing team which will support the sales department by providing target regions and information for sales pitches. This department will work closely with the sales and accounting departments to coordinate the marketing budget and set sales objectives. JD Epoxy will have a general administration department that organizes documents and handles day-to-day office tasks such as routing calls and dealing with suppliers. This department has an important role because they act as the glue that binds all the other departments together, tracking procedures from beginning to end. This department will start with one employee, and expand as needed. These five departments should fit together like nuts and bolts. Each department needs the others’ support at all times. They should be able to share their opinions and information openly. There will be regular meetings and events with all departments present to encourage teamwork and motivation. The glue of the business will center around a management software that Daniel will program. This software will follow clients throughout the whole workflow of the business. All departments will work on the same software and they will update the customer information as it passes through the business: marketing to sales, to production, and finally to clientele satisfaction. This software will track all information of the client and respective projects. At the end of the year, we will know exactly the sales ratio per marketing tool and per period, the gallons bought and used, the hourly estimates and charges, etc. We will then precisely analyze the business and be able to correct faults rapidly. Work Flow: Organizational Structure Goal: JD Epoxy Based on the sales projection JD Epoxy sales revenue will be around $75,000 in 2013 and grow to $150,000, $300,000, and $500,000 in the following years. The SME report (NAICS code # 23833), shows how much members of this industry are spending for wages and labor. For instance, companies with revenue around $70,000 spend $11,000 for wages and labor, while those with revenue around $300,000 spend $77,000 for wages and labor. Since we should include the CEO’s salary in this cost, from 2013 to 2016, JD Epoxy cannot pay for full time employees; they can only afford part time employees when needed. In 2017, JD Epoxy can start to offer full time positions to part time employees and begin hiring full time employees thereafter.

Perceptual Maps in Marketing Simulation Summary Essay

Perceptual maps help to improve a company’s current product on the market by mapping consumer expectation of the product. The motorcycle company Thorr Motors perceptual maps were used to create a marketing plan to aid in maintaining a high brand image of their motorcycles. The Marketing Dictionary defines perceptual maps as a â€Å"process by which consumers’ perceptions of an existing product are charted† (n.d., para. 1). In this paper the three phases of the simulation, the situation, recommended solution, and results will be discussed. In addition there will be a discussion on relationship between differentiation and positioning of products or services and the impact of the product life cycle on marketing. Phase I (2Ãâ€"01)Sales of the Cruiser Thorr are decreasing. This is so because the Cruiser Thorr’s target consumers are aging and their tastes have begun to outgrow the lifestyle that Cruiser Thorr symbolizes. In addition to this issue, younger consumers are more interested in lower priced motorcycles due to their lower personal disposable incomes and they do not indentify with Cruiser Thorr’s lifestyle image. This scenario wanted to determine the Cruiser Thor’s position in the market by choosing four relevant parameters that will reflect the highest potential. For phase I the parameters that were chosen were lifestyle image, services offered, price, and quality engineering. Lifestyle image was chosen since the image for the Cruiser Thorr was being outgrown by the aging target audience and was not identifiable with younger consumers. Since the Cruiser Thorr’s lifestyle image is set very high any vital information gathered will be highly useful to maintain that level of image so that it satisfies both an older and younger audience. Services offered was another parameter chosen because compared to their competitors the services offered by the Cruiser Thorr are limited. The more frills a product comes with, the more it may heighten the desire for it. The third parameter that was chosen was price. Price was chosen because for many consumers price is one of the most important factors in making a buying decision. Furthermore, it was stated earlier that younger consumers were more interested in lower priced motorcycles. Finding out how much is too much as well as how low can you go without diluting brand image will be important in determining the  appropriate price tag to spark consumer interest. The last parameter chosen was quality engineering. This was chosen because of the fact that the Cruiser Thorr will not be able to maintain a high brand image without this feature (University of Phoenix, 2004). The decision to use lifestyle image, services offered, price, and quality engineering were the appropriate parameters to use. The parameters that were chosen were fundamental to the perceptual map and gave the best perspective as opposed to the other options. Phase II The position of the Cruiser Thorr is determined by the perceptual map and this position has not helped sales. This scenario calls for the marketing manager to create a marketing plan that will either reposition the Cruiser Thorr or launch a new motorcycle. Upon researching threats and weaknesses of Thorr Motorcycles, the decision was made to launch a new motorcycle, the RRoth, which will grab the attention of younger consumers. With the new launch the marketing mix needed to be determined. The price for the new RRoth was set between $13,000 and $15,000. This price range was chosen because earlier surveys conducted showed that the younger consumers were more interested in lower priced motorcycles. The types of promotions chosen were sponsored events at Daytona, offering insurance and protection plans, free test rides, publicize through Hollywood films, and providing giveaway merchandise. These were all chosen because of the high amount of appeal these types of promotional methods would have on younger consumers. The places chosen to promote the RRoth were the internet (Manufacturer’s Web site), Dealers, and Distributors. These options were chosen because of the accessibility to younger consumers, especially the internet. The services chosen were training to dealers, customization options, and financial services. Training to dealers was chosen so that the dealers can provide detailed and accurate information about the products sold. Customization options were chosen because this would add to the cool and youthful image of the RRoth. Financial services were chosen because the younger consumers indicated an interest in financing options. Choosing to launch a new motorcycle turned out to be a good decision. The marketing mix options chosen were the most optimal for the formulation of a differentiation strategy. Phase III It has been a year since the marketing plan was implemented and it is now time to determine if the plans have or have not been a success. Consumer perceptions of the Cruiser Thorr and the RRoth have been surveyed and a perceptual map will show whether or not the marketing activities have been a success. The marketing manager has to interpret market research to plot brand attributes of Cruiser Thorr. In addition, attributes relevant to the RRoth need to be chosen and interpreted to create RRoth’s perceptual map. The Cruiser Thorr was rated in lifestyle image at 9 because initially this was rated very high. A nine would be most appropriate. For price a rate of 4 was chosen because consumers saw this particular motorcycle as pricey compared to other brands. A rating of 4 or 5 would be appropriate. Services offered are rated at a 7 because services for the Cruiser Thorr is limited compared to competitors but were revamped because of consumer response. A rating of 7 is most appropriate. Quality engineering was rated at 8 because consumers think that Cruiser Thorr’s engine is the best. A rating of 8 is very appropriate. The RRoth was rated at a 7 for lifestyle image because like other Thorr motorcycles consumers are already considering it a status symbol. The rating chosen was the appropriate choice. Price was rated at 8 because the RRoth is cheaper than the Cruiser Thorr in order to target a younger consumer. An 8 rating is appropriate. Cool was chosen for the RRoth because of the younger audience and a rating of 8 was chosen. A rating of 8 was most appropriate. Relationship between differentiation and positioning of products or servicesDifferentiation of product is according to Investopedia â€Å"a marketing process that showcases the differences between products† (Investopedia, .n.d., para. 1). Positioning of products is â€Å"the consumer perception of a product or service as compared to its competition† (Lake, n.d., para. 1). The relationship is that in order for a company to be a leader in that particular industry not only do they have to differentiate themselves from  the competition, but they must also secure a position in the market that when consumers needs need to be met, that company will be number one on the list in consumer’s minds. The repositioning of the product in the simulation is what I had expected. It was expected because one of the main issues was the changing perceptions of the consumers and there was nothing wrong with the physical product. Tastes were changing but the product was still of high quality. Like many companies they offered a fresh new product and for Thorr Motorcycles this attracted younger consumers. But they did not totally scrap efforts on the Cruiser Thorr and worked on revamping the image. Product Life Cycle The impact the product life cycle has on marketing is that business need to plan their products around the product life cycle. Knowing where the product is on the cycle, marketing strategies can be adjusted to maintain profitability. â€Å"A particular firm’s marketing mix usually must change during the product life cycle† (Perreault et al, 2004, pg. 270). In the simulation the Cruiser Thorr was in the decline stage of the life cycle as their sales were declining rapidly. The declining sales were because the older audience’s tastes were outgrowing the Cruiser Thorr and younger consumers were put off by the high price. Because Cruiser Thorr was in decline stage, a new motorcycle, the RRoth was introduced to the life cycle and aimed at a different target group to revamp sales and consumer perception. ConclusionThe perceptual map helped to determine consumer expectations for Thorr Motorcycles. Precise parameters were determined to hone in on exactly what they wanted and expected from the company. This ultimately is what enabled Thorr Motorcycles to reposition consumer perceptions back to where Thorr motors wanted. In this paper the three phases of the simulation, the situation, recommended solution, and results were discussed. In addition there was a discussion on relationship between differentiation and positioning of products or services and the impact of the product life cycle on marketing. References: Differentiation. (n.d.). Definition. Retrieved on February 16, 2008  from,http://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/product_differentiation.aspLake, L. (n.d.). Product Positioning Definition. Retrieved on February 16, 2008 from,http://marketing.about.com/od/marketingglossary/g/prodpostdef.htmPerceptual mapping. (n.d.). Dictionary of Marketing Terms. Retrieved February 16,2008, from Answers.com Web site:http://www.answers.com/topic/perceptual-mappingPerreault, W.D., & McCarthy, E.J. (2004). Basic Marketing: A Global-ManagerialApproach. McGraw-Hill CompaniesUniversity of Phoenix. (2006). General Marketing. Retrieved February 16, 2008, fromUniversity of Phoenix, Resource, Simulation, MKT421-Marketing Web site:https://mycampus.phoenix.edu/secure/resource/vendors/tata/UBAMsims/general_marketing/general_marketing_perceptual_maps_simulation.html

Customer Service Plan Essay

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), founded in 1887, is one of the world’s foremost medical research centers, and the Federal focal point for medical research in the United States. 26 Institutes and Centers comprise the NIH, which has the primary research goal of acquiring new knowledge to help prevent, detect, diagnose, and treat disease and disability from the rarest genetic disorder to the common cold. The NIH mission is to uncover new knowledge that will lead to better health for everyone. In 1993, President William J. Clinton issued Executive Order 12862 challenging Federal agencies to improve customer service. Further, Executive Order 12862 tasked agencies to survey their customers to identify what kinds of services they really want and to gather ideas from front-line employees on how to better deliver those services. The goal of this Customer Service Plan is to convey to you, the customer, a realistic, achievable approach for improving customer service at the National Institutes of Health. NIH is committed to improving the way it offers high quality services that are easily accessible to every American citizen. With this in mind, this Customer Service Plan is organized for your convenience. Customers may look at Attachment 1 to find some examples of activities going on at NIH that are organized by customer groups, consumers, health professionals, other governmental agencies, and grantee organizations. We want the plan to be as user-friendly as possible, and we welcome your comments and suggestions. Read more: Essay on  Present Proposals for Improvements to Customer Service ________________________________________ EXECUTIVE ORDER Executive Order 12862, â€Å"Setting Customer Service Standards† requires Federal agencies to: †¢Identify customers who are, or should be, served by the agency; †¢Survey customers to determine the kind and quality of services they want and their level of satisfaction with existing services; †¢Post service standards and measure results against them; †¢Benchmark customer service performance against the best in business; †¢Survey front-line employees on barriers to, and ideas for, matching the best in business; †¢Provide customers with choices in both the sources of service and the means of delivery; †¢Make information, services, and feedback systems  easily accessible; †¢Provide means to address customer feedback; and, †¢Provide feedback to our customers on what improvements we have made. [ Return to Menu ] ________________________________________ PRINCIPLES This Customer Service Plan is based on ideas, suggestions, and feedback received from our customers as well as an extensive best practices search. It defines our customer service standards and processes for building and maintaining high quality services to meet those standards throughout the country. The following principles drove the process for developing the plan: Customers Know What They Want – Rather than sitting back and assuming that we know what customers wanted and needed, our agency is going out and asking. Through formal surveys, focus groups, and conversations, we are listening to what our customers think about the types and quality of services and products we offer. What we learn is helping to shape the ways in which we strive to redirect our services to ensure that we continuously improve our ability to meet your needs. Customer’s Needs Are Paramount – Based on feedback from our customers, NIH must respond to comments and suggestions about improving the way we deliver products and services. Communication Is Key to Our Success – Developing effective tools to maintain lines of communication with our customers will help us do our jobs better. By developing more effective ways to direct information to our customers and by providing clearer paths to receive feedback, our agency will better address customer needs and concerns. [ Return to Menu ] ________________________________________ APPROACH/SCOPE NIH is diligently working to address the spirit of Executive Order 12862. A dedicated group of representatives from across the agency is convening to form an on-going Customer Service Management group to implement the customer service program and to ensure that the agency enhances its customer focus as it improves current services and develops new initiatives. The agency has gathered information from customer service surveys, focus groups with  front-line staff, and conversations with key external partners, to ensure that initiatives address issues important to our customers. This plan presents an opportunity to share with our customers our commitment to providing quality service. NIH is committed to protecting, promoting, and enhancing the health of the American people and to improving its processes to offer high quality services that are easily accessible to the public. The Customer Service Plan establishes a broad framework to address customer issues. The customer service standards address issues our customers have told us are important to them. The primary focus of this document is to ensure that we are continuously listening to our customers and making certain that their needs are being met or exceeded. While the focus is on our outside customers, it does not diminish the need to ensure that our internal NIH customer needs are also being met. It is imperative that an integrated view of all our customers’ needs be pursued in order to ensure that the needs of our entire customer population are met. If we do not provide outstanding service to our internal customers, we will be unable to provide outstanding support to our external customers. [ Return to Menu ] ________________________________________ OUR CUSTOMERS The NIH serves four primary external customer groups–the general public, health professionals, other governmental agencies, and grantee/contractor organizations. These four broad categories encompass the populations that we serve and work with most often. When the agency embarked on this process, we felt it was necessary to define and limit our primary groups. As we continue with our customer service initiatives, we may include additional customer groups. [ Return to Menu ] ________________________________________ STANDARDS The standards described in this report represent the NIH effort to identify the needs and concerns of our customers and to establish measurable processes to address these needs and concerns. The standards have been  developed from information gathered from surveys/focus groups, and benchmarking with other outstanding organizations and are based on measured performance attributes – a set of criteria that expresses customer requirements and expectations. Performance attributes are organized into two categories. 1.Process attributes — transaction-related characteristics represented by internal operations, such as procedures, policies, and functions – the primary focus is continuously improving our internal operations so we can deliver our products and services quicker, better and cheaper; and 2.Quality attributes — image-related characteristics that describe the contact between the customer and the organization. The overall standard of quality we seek is customer service for the American people that is equal to or better than the best in business. The following attributes were used to develop the standards: Process Attributes †¢Consistency in policies and procedures – holding to the same principles across the organization †¢Convenient feedback mechanisms – feedback that are easy to use and access †¢Frequent communication – including follow-up – any form of communication on a regular basis, where taking action following that communication enhances the effectiveness of that communication †¢Managing resources well – careful control and use of resources, human as well as fiscal, to maximize their impact and effectiveness †¢Problem solving and attempts to remove barriers – proposed solutions or considerations to resolve something that is an obstruction or prevents progress †¢Prompt handling of customer feedback – immediate or quick management of customer dissatisfaction by empowering employees to fix problems †¢Flexible options – sending and receiving information using a variety of methods, including greater use of e-commerce solutions †¢Continuous Improvement – striving to do everything quicker, better and cheaper Quality Attributes †¢Accessible – ability or freedom to approach, communicate with, or make use of †¢Courteous – respect or consideration  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Flexible – capability to adapt to or change requirements †¢Knowledgeable – familiarity with or understanding of facts and/or conditions †¢Listens well  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ gives attention and/or careful consideration to what is said †¢Reliable and Trustworthy – dependable, confidence in character, abilities, and truth †¢Timely – information and/or responses are provided early or on time [ Return to Menu ] ________________________________________ AGENCY-WIDE STANDARDS The following standards apply to all customer groups. All NIH Customers are entitled to: †¢fair, courteous and professional treatment †¢information that is accurate and current †¢timely responses to requests †¢reasonable access to appropriate staff †¢two-way communication †¢opportunities for collaboration and partnerships, as appropriate and †¢consideration of their opinions and concerns by the agency in the decision making process †¢use of plain language for all communication with the public (Attachment 2) In addition: †¢The General Public is entitled to accurate and timely health information about research being conducted. †¢Health Professionals are entitled to timely information that will assist them in advancing and protecting the public health. †¢Other Government Agencies are entitled to: ocooperation from the NIH in maximizing efficient use of resources, eliminating duplication of efforts and carrying out collaborative efforts; otechnical assistance, training and guidance †¢Grantee/Contractor Organizations are entitled to: otimely review of applications and awards; oprofessional treatment in resolving disputes; ofair application of laws, regulations and policies; ofair and consistent application reviews; orespect in the performance of duties and responsibilities; and otimely payment. [ Return to Menu ] ________________________________________ FUTURE EFFORTS NIH will continue to embark on a variety of initiatives to ensure that it continues to address customer needs. The on-going Customer Service Management group will coordinate these activities. Ensuring that quality service is provided is an on-going process that requires changes in the way we do business by increasing emphasis on listening to our customers and by learning from the best in private industry. The agency will strive to reinvent itself — to become more efficient and effective–and to provide the types of services the public expects. Over the coming months, the agency will: †¢develop programs and initiatives that address customer needs. The agency, as a whole, and the individual centers and institutes will use the information gathered from the survey and focus groups to develop and enhance services. †¢benchmark against the best-in-the-business. The agency will determine what internal processes need to be improved, benchmark with leading industries, and establish performance standards. †¢establish processes to improve customer feedback. Systems will be established to receive and address customer suggestions and feedback.

Should governments be allowed to use cameras to give tickets to those Research Paper

Should governments be allowed to use cameras to give tickets to those who run red lights - Research Paper Example It is one good way to avoid controversy and disputes, especially with fines becoming quite hefty. People who live in civilized society need to comply with its laws. By agreeing to do so, it is incumbent upon citizens to obey traffic laws because this is all part of the social contract. Its aim is to impose order; otherwise, societies can become chaotic when laws are disregarded. This social contract implies the surrender of certain freedoms in order to be governed. The ability to strictly enforce the laws, such as those on taxation, is an example of the social contract features (Krugman 1) for society to function in a decent manner. This means all people should comply to all laws and nobody is exempted from compliance. The key players are those local governments and its citizens, with the issue being compliance with the social contract. The expectations are a good citizen will avoid violating traffic laws and the government hopes to raise some revenues. When drivers are aware that cameras are installed at intersections, they are more likely to drive a bit carefully and less pron e to beat a red light (Schlundt, Warren & Miller 77); it is a good way to reduce unintentional injuries, similar to wearing helmets or putting on seat belts for safety. Krugman, Paul. "The Social Contract." The New York Times, p. A35. 22 Sept. 2011. Web. 27 Sept. 2011. Schlundt, David G., Warren, Rueben C. And Stephania Miller. "Reducing Unintentional Injuries on the Nations Highways: a Literature Review." Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved 15.1 (February 2004): 76-98.

Signifier of Victorian Architecture Annotated Bibliography

Signifier of Victorian Architecture - Annotated Bibliography Example The architecture was like that so that it could fit with the period and all that was going on at that time. This architecture applied to almost all the buildings from that time. Some people maintained older architectures. The Victorian architectures have several readable meanings because the forgotten convictions, monuments, and architectural style show the religious and cultural aspect (Crimson 5). The forgotten convictions, monuments, and the architectural style show that there has been a transformation over the years probably due to interaction with other cultures and architectures from all over the world that have influenced the current architecture. The source is valid as Crimson presents pieces of evidence that support his arguments fully. For example, he gives sufficient evidence to support his claim by showing the cultural exchanges that influenced the Victorian architecture. The pieces of evidence presented by the author are objective research and not personal narrations. Moreover, Mark Crinson is a professor of Art History at Manchester University. This book is relevant to my topic as it addresses the qualities of the Victorian architecture that have a meaning. The book’s conclusion on the Victorian architecture is applicable to my subject area because the book succeeds in showing that religious and political agendas and the racial theory were responsible for guiding the architects during the Victorian era. The book’s targeted audience is any individual who is interested in learning about how the Western architecture has changed over time and what has been its major influence and in turn how it has influenced the architectures in other continents especially the architecture and history students. The book develops my research by providing a lot of information on the changes that have occurred from the Victorian era.

U08d1, u08d2, u08d3 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

U08d1, u08d2, u08d3 - Coursework Example The Sun is not  massive  enough to ever evolve into a black hole; it will end its life in about 4.5 billion years as a white dwarf  star. But, in case if the Sun's mass was suddenly collapsed into a black hole then Earth's orbit then if a one  solar mass  black hole were to suddenly replace the Sun at the center of our solar system, the orbits of the planets would not change. This is because the physical laws that determine the orbital motion of the Earth depend only on the actual mass of the Sun, and not on whether it is distributed within a sphere (like the Sun) or at a point (like a black hole). 2. "There are 1011 stars in the galaxy. That used to be a huge number. But it's only a hundred billion. It's less than the national deficit! We used to call them astronomical numbers. Now we should call them economical numbers." —Richard Feynman, American physicist, Nobel Prize Laureate When we think of an astronomical number – we probably think of a sum thatâ€℠¢s almost beyond human comprehension. We probably refer to huge numbers as astronomical because of the vast and seemingly infinite universe. But the universe may not be as big as it seems when compared to something like the national debt. This quote has been said towards the backhanded critique of government. Furthermore,  we can say that there are at least 100 billion galaxies in the universe and each galaxy containing around 1 trillion stars. That’s 1 x 10^23 or 100 sextillion stars in the universe. Hence this comparison is done against the size of the national deficit. It's a good point, and economics can provide some slightly more familiar analogies to people grappling with large numbers than trying to contemplate entire galaxies. The important point here is not that high finance is catching up with the sciences; it’s that the numbers we encounter everywhere in daily life are growing steadily larger. While the consumer was busy saving, the Federal U. S. governmen t was piling on debt at a much greater pace. In fact, during Q2 of 2008 Washington accumulated debt at a 24.4% annual rate! Therefore, even though households and state and local governments have hopefully begun to learn their lessons; D.C. still managed to increase the overall level of non-financial debt in the U.S. to a record $35.45 trillion.† 3. Picture of the week How are the stars formed within the nebula? What is causing these dramatic pillars? What thoughts and reactions do you have to the pictures and their descriptions? All stars are formed from nebulae (the plural of nebula). Nebula is a term for a cloud of gas, and stars form from gas. Many nebulae or stars form from the  gravitational collapse  of gas in the  interstellar medium. As the material collapses under its own weight, massive stars may form in the center, and their  ultra violet radiation ionizes  the surrounding gas, making it visible at optical  wavelengths. Star formation  is the process b y which dense parts of  molecular clouds  collapse into a ball of  plasma  to form a  star. These eerie, dark pillar-like structures are actually columns of cool interstellar hydrogen gas and dust that are also incubators for new stars. The pillars protrude from the interior wall of a dark molecular cloud like stalagmites from the floor of a cavern. They are part of the "Eagle Nebula" M16, a nearby star-forming region 7,000 light-years away in the