The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald - 1122 Words

The Fresh Prince of West Egg Yo Halla The American dream is a desire to grow one’s domain over more materialistic areas through hard work. In the book, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, this common strivation during the 1920’s dramatizes becomes salient role.Two of the book’s main characters, Nick and Gatsby, have opposite goals to satisfy themselves. Fitzgerald utilizes the motif of the American dream to express the theme concerning the hollowness of this idea by using Gatsby to symbolize it and using Nick to express Fitzgerald s own views on the subject. Gatsby’s lifestyle to some seems to be utterly and definitely perfect and well rounded. People who have a feint knowledge of who this man is say that he is powerful, wealthy,†¦show more content†¦He describes his house in the novel as, â€Å"My own house was an eye-sore,but it was a small eye-sore and it had been overlooked, so I had a view of the water, a partial view of my neighbor’s lawn and the consoling proximity of millionaires - all for eighty dollars a month† (9). The way that Nick so delicately lays out his home for the reader makes it sound like he is fine with his establishment, but not with his big-headed neighbors. Nick directly reflects how Fitzgerald feels about rich snobs. Nick even overhears some party guests gossip begins about him: â€Å"One time he killed a man who had found out that he was the nephew to Von Hindenburg and second cousin to the devil† (65). The amount of people that Gatsby doesn’t know that are in his house partying makes it sound ridiculous to the reader. Fitzgerald sets the scene withdrawing the idea that people infected by this endless dream base their status upon wealth and property before even making a full deduction of character unbiased of rumors. Tons of people show up to these ‘classy’ parties and this allows Gatsby to flex his wealth by amusing them. Nick is not impressed: There was music from my neighbor s house through the summer nights. In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars. At high tide in the afternoon I watched his guests diving from the tower of his

The Evolution of Film-Making Technology - 1417 Words

Film Industry has been expansively affected by the changes in technology. The mechanical and digital innovations give cause to the influence of equipment, distribution and the way in which films are made and consumed. New trends shape directors and filmmakers to expand creatively towards telling stories in motions. The film industry has developed to one of the most important tools of communication, its cause so powerful affecting the way individuals and societies think, act and behave. Among the new Era approaching film, and seeing celluloid film fade is that of the Digital Era and a camera that saw celluloid films passing hastened. The cinematographic camera industry emerged in fact more than 100 years ago, it was only until recently that significant digital changes took place, apart from minimal technological improvements. Before the invention of digital cameras the main medium for shooting a movie was on celluloid film in which the quality of the image was very high from the beginning. However these cameras had some inconveniences. The cinematographer would have to set the lighting and frame to the directors vision and make sure that it was right. He could not see immediately if the scene was shot as desired and this caused the workflow to be very complex and time consuming which most producers would see limited. The developing, processing, transferring, editing and conforming the film normally took a day and the director along with the cinematographer would sitShow MoreRelatedFilm Review On The Film Cinema 1673 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout the history of cinema, a never-ending evolution in technological progression – paired with filmmakers’ resourcefulness and ingenuity – allowed for the development of style and encouraged a more involved craft, thus giving individual films a specific personality which therefore eased the process of discerning which piece of cinema was created by which filmmaker. Because of the progress made in film technology, especially early on, certain aspects of filmmaking that once were inconceivableRead MoreTechnological Evolution in the Film Industry Essay701 Words   |  3 Pageschanging. With that, the development of motion picture complexity has changed the film industry by a continuing technological evolution. It is evident that films have changed significantly over the last 100 years. The intricacy of filmmaking technology has rapidly progressed, allowing creative potential for filmmakers. Films are often due to technological advances, or even to reintroduce a classic story. Some examples of films that have been remade include Sc arface (1932), remade in 1983, and The MagnificentRead MoreThe Blu Ray Disc1456 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction An emergence roadmapping process is crucial to managers and policy makers taken decisions about which technologies it should be or it should not be developed, despite the uncertain trends of the market. This report aims to address the emergence roadmapping of the Blu-ray disc. It will be structured in the three essential parts: the development of this technology, the environment involved and its initial market and competitors. The first part describes the technological developmentRead MoreThe Evoluation of Media Essay563 Words   |  3 Pagesremoved to the media my parents accessed many years ago. I have been long fascinated by the way media has developed around me and the role I play in the evolution of it. Production of digital media not only excites me, but challenges my very being as I am only a minor part in an ever developing media world. The evolution of media stemming from technologies and innovations which are changed, adapted and evolved everyday brings a whole new level of relevance to the core of the course. The many facets ofRead MoreThe Cultural Context and Evolution of the Telephone963 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿The Cultural Context and Evolution of the Telephone It is common knowledge that the telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876 and that Bell was awarded the patent after a race (and legal battle) with Elisha Gray of the Western Electric Telegraph Company; what is less well-known is the cultural context that enabled the invention or the effect that the telephone eventually had on modern life. This paper places the invention of the telephone into context and explores the relationshipRead MoreEssay on Special Effects: Simulation in Cinema by Temengua Trifonova1084 Words   |  5 Pagesthat, in a world where pluralism, an ability to engage in any culture, is more widely practiced than ever before thanks to technology, mainstream media has become so limited. Such limited depictions of contemporary culture reduce humanity’s ability to identify the constructed nature of their reality and to imagine possibilities outside of this system. Advancements in technology have made it possible for astonishing inventions such as nearly limitless access to information via the internet, improvementsRead MoreHow Media Has Influenced The Production Of Documentaries1414 Words   |  6 Pagesadvancements, such as cameras, audio equipment, editing stations and even the distribution of the films themselves. As such it is important to see the impact that these advancements have had on the making of documentaries both stylistically and technically. It is important to first know what a documentary is to fully understand why the development of technology has shaped them. From their conception documentary films have been about capturing life, about the â€Å"raw material of actuality.† (Beattie; 10) NotRead MoreTechnology in the American Classroom1154 Words   |  5 Pages Technology has dramatically influenced our modern day culture in several ways; we now operate completely different compared to the past. In fact, it can be shown in many tasks that we very rarely complete a simple operation without the use of technology. For example, washing dishes, heating food, doing our homework, and even communication are all examples of how technology has evolved simple tasks. Even furthermore, technology has changed the way education has been taught and received in AmericanRead MoreSome Theorists Believe Cinema Must Be Realistic And May1725 Words   |  7 Pagesonly be seen as art if it remains in its original form—a static image on film stock. Others, however, argue that cinema is an important and relevant art medium no matter its form. Digital cinema, while making use of new and different technologies such as animation, is the next step in the evolution of film. Contrary to what certain theorists believe, it is the most efficient and most artistically inclined way to create films as it offers a world of possibilities. This is elaborated on in â€Å"DigitalRead MoreThe Importance Of Fairy Tales1065 Words   |  5 Pageslisteners were extremely important to them, because the response of the listens helped to form the genre (â€Å"Why Fairy Tales Stick: The Evolutions and Relevance of a Genre† 17). The media has played an enormous role in the relevancy of fairy tales. The characters of these stories have visual representations now through device such as painting, photography, radio, and film. They each have a certain look that has expected when the characters are used in different adaptions. While, word of mouth to spread

Classical Conditioning and Associative Strength free essay sample

The experiment conducted was a 22 within subjects experiment. The 2 cue types were over-expectation and control whereas the 2 independent variables were salience. Subjects were randomly presented varying levels of salient stimuli in the form of food pictures. These pictures were then to be associated with an allergy score between 1 and 9. In the next phase, the subjects were given each cue type 8 times along with some filler cues arranged to some simple rules. The allergy ratings were also to be determined by the subject. The third phase combined the stimuli into a compound CS conditioning and subjects were asked to determine the allergy rating. The test phase involved participants being shown each of the previous foods one at a time. They would then determine the allergic reaction rating. Overall, the results of the experiment used an analysis of variables to show that the likelihood rating for the high salience cues were, on average, lower than those of the lower salience. A significant main effect with cue-type was found, indicating an over-expectation effect, of F(1,271)=25.  758, plt;0. 001. This means that participants rated the compound cues in phase 3 as less allergenic than those that were elementally reinforced in phase 3. While there was no significant difference found between the elementally reinforced stimulus cues I and J (pgt;0. 05), there was found to be a significant difference between the compound cases involving stimulus cues B and F (plt;0. 05). Question 2: With compound CS, the associative strength is now dependant on the combined associative strength of all stimuli present and the total amount of learning. Generally in the Rescorla-Wagner model, conditioning is dependent on how effectively surprising an unconditioned stimulus is. With compound conditioned stimuli, this characterisation of surprise is altered. Instead of just a single CS being linked to a US, it is now the combined effects of all stimuli present which collectively predict the US. Over-expectation occurs when the collective associative strength of the various CS is greater than the total capacity to learn. To use the equation, ? V= (? -V) Note: We ignore ? and assume it a constant. The value of V would be  greater than ?. This occurs when the stimuli have been well presented and the associative strength of each individual stimulus is quite high. Because of this, when the target cue for, which the stimuli are conditioned for, is presented the subject expects the combined response of each individual stimulus. When the subject only receives the normal amount of reinforcement, it begins to expect less until there is no mor e association that can be gained from the combined effects of the condition stimuli. To use an analogy, a mouse is conditioned separately with a tone and a flashing light. Each of these stimuli provides one piece of cheese, with the mouse salivating when each stimulus is presented. If both the stimuli are presented together, the mouse expects two pieces of cheese and will salivate more than usual. However, only one piece of cheese is presented. As a result, the mouse begins to expect less of the compound stimuli until no further association can be gained. This consequently lowers the overall association by a certain rate until the total combined association is at total learning potential. Question 3: To get the over-expectation result, we must first have two fully conditioned CS’s which were separately conditioned. For example, let us use the A+ and B+ case. If we fully conditioned A+ and B+ separately, that means the associative strength of both would be 100%. Now, when we combine these two into a compound CS, the Rescorla-Wagner model states that the overall associative strength of the compound CS is equal to the sum of the all the stimuli presented in the compound trial. So with A+ and B+, their total associative strength would be 200%. However, the Rescorla-Wagner model only allows the maximum value of associative strength that can be conditioned to be 100%. The case of A+ and B+ is twice as much as this maximum value. Therefore, after repeated trials of the compound stimulus of A+B+ being paired with their US, the Rescorla-Wagner model predicts that the total associative strength of 200% will fall at the rate of their salience until it reaches a strength of 100%, the maximum level which can be conditioned. To show how an extinction event of a fully conditioned CS operates in the Rescorla-Wagner model. ?V= (? -V) Note: We ignore ? and assume it a constant. With a fully conditioned CS, ? , the total amount of learning, would be 0 as there is no more possible connection to make with a fully conditioned CS. V would be 100% as all possible learning has been made. Therefore, ? V=-? would be what is left over. This means that, in extinction, the rate at which the association strength, ? V, is lost at is –?, the salience. Now, in the case of B+, it was a much more salient stimulus whereas F+ was a lower salient stimulus. Therefore, B would be lost at a faster rate than F. This is shown in the results with the likelihood rating of B being lower than that of F. Therefore, salience of each individual stimulus not only effects how fast the rate of association is increased but also determines, in the case of the over-expectation scenario, how fast the association of each individual, fully co nditioned stimulus is lost.

Swot Analysis of Bank Al-Falah Essay Example

Swot Analysis of Bank Al-Falah Essay SWOT Analysis of Bank Al-Falah Here we have applied this very useful technique to identifythe strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats ofBank Al-Falah. Strengths Strengths Strong Financial Position Strong Financial Position As we can see in the financial statements of the bank, the financial position of the organization is very sound and its profitability is in increasing. The Earning per sharehas been increased on a rate of about 50%, which is a verypositive sign. Highly Qualified Employees Highly Qualified Employees The bank has highly qualified and skilled workforceand it has succeeded to attract the best bankingprofessionals from across the country due to its growingpace and sound reputation. Conducive Environment Conducive Environment The management of the bank is very muchconcerned with the development of and improvement of theworking environment. The bank has state of the art andpurpose built branches where all the modern technologiesare provided to get the efficiency of the workforce and thecustomer satisfaction. Govt. Support and Encouragement Govt. Support and Encouragement As the owners of the bank belong to UAE and thetype of their investment in Pakistan is a foreign investment,the govt. is fully supporting the bank management due to itspolicy to maximize the foreign investment in the country, toget the economic prosperity. Fastest Growing Financial Institution Fastest Growing Financial Institution Due to its successful business policies and thestrong financial position the bank has achieved thereputation of fastest growing financial institution in thecountry. We will write a custom essay sample on Swot Analysis of Bank Al-Falah specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Swot Analysis of Bank Al-Falah specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Swot Analysis of Bank Al-Falah specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It has greatly increased the customers confidencein the bank Huge Expansion Plan Huge Expansion Plan Due to its strong financial position the bank has undergone a huge expansion plan to compete with the existing bank all over the country and with the passage of time the branch network is expanding at a very good pace. Young and Energetic Workforce Young and Energetic Workforce As the bank is a newer one in the country, the bankhas an advantage over its competitors because the majorityof its workforce is young and not very much over aged. Thus the bank is getting maximum out put from its youngand energetic workforce by spending comparatively less ontheir remunerations. Islamic Banking Division Islamic Banking Division The bank is one of the pioneers of the commercialbanks who have started the Islamic Banking along with theirconventional banking. The bank has a separate network ofits Islamic Banking Division which has 16 branches acrossthe country and this network is also expanding at a very good pace. Weaknesses Waiver of charges Waiver of charges Currently the middle management of bank Al-Falah is thebig reason for waiver of charges. Bank Al-Falah loosing alot of its income likes (Cheque book charge, online charges,statement charges, and other things) because ofmanagement. This is a weakness of bank Al-Falah. Inexperienced workforce Inexperienced workforce As the majority of the workforce consists of young professional, they lack in their experience. And sometimes ack of experience becomes a hurdle while serving to thecustomers. It is the point where they feel difficulty whilecompeting the other bank, which have a very experiencedworkforce. Over work Load on Employees Over work Load on Employees It was observed in the branch that as compared tohuge business the bank is dealing in, the no. of employeesis lesser and thus there is an increased workload on theemployees. Due to this the efficiency of the employees isreduced. Employees are not very much Employees are not very much Motivated Motivated As discussed before, the workload is high and theemployees, especially the credit department, have to dolate sittings to complete their tasks. On the other hand thebank has revised its salary increments policy to decreasethe increment rate, as a result a decreased motivation levelof employees is observed Opportunities Rapidly Growing Economy Rapidly Growing Economy At present the Pakistan’s Economy is growing on avery fast pace. The rapid growth of economy has resulted inthe increase in the growth rate of all economic sectorsespecially in the banking sector which is growing at afastest speed than ever and in future the growth is expectedto increase even a higher rate. Increased Interest Rates Increased Interest Rates The SBP has revised the interest policy and theinterest rates have been linked with the KIBOR rates. Dueto which the banks interest rate has been substantiallyincreased which will greatly increase the banks’ profitability. Mega Projects Financing Mega Projects Financing As the increase in overall business activity in thecountry, the investors are launching various types of MegaProjects especially in housing and textile the bank has agreat opportunity to finance these projects at very profitableterm. Huge Demand for Consumer Huge Demand for Consumer Financing Financing The increase in per capita income and overalleconomy has resulted into a great demand for theconsumer financing especially for home finance and carfinancing and it is said that this trend will increase more infuture. The bank can earn a lot by focusing on its consumerfinancing sections. Merger with UBL Merger with UBL After the privatization of United Bank Limited,  themanagement of the BAL has purchased the majority sharesof the UBL, and it is planning to merge these two banks. AsUBL is the second largest bank in the country, this mergercan make the bank the largest bank of the country. Growing Trend of Islamic Banking Growing Trend of Islamic Banking There is a very good growth trend in the Islamicbanking in the country and in the world as well. BAL has theadvantage of having full fledged Islamic Banking networkand the growth in this particular field can be very fruitful forthe bank. Spending Practices of Mass Spending Practices of Mass As the Pakistani’s are known for their extravagantpractices, and to fulfill their funds requirements they don’thesitate from getting loans from banks. Thus there is a verygood scope for the bank to run successful business in suchcircumstances.

Elucidating Tradeoffs Bioengineered Foods

Elucidating Tradeoffs Bioengineered Foods Dr. Seethaler kept on reiterating one theme when she revealed her strategy in evaluating the risks and benefits of scientific breakthroughs. She reminded her readers to keep on elucidating tradeoffs. It is her way of saying that there is more than meets the eye and nothing is what it seems.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Elucidating Tradeoffs: Bioengineered Foods specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A logical thinker must carefully analyze the facts and consider that there are always two sides to the issue. More importantly different stakeholders have a different take on the benefits and risks of a certain product or technology. Thus, Dr. Seethaler developed a framework which focuses on tradeoffs as means to determine risks and benefits. Her framework can be used to analyze if it is worth the risk to use bioengineered foods. Stakeholders There are various stakeholders when it comes to bioengineered foods. The first majo r stakeholder is the company that invested in the research and development of a bioengineered food. The rest of the stakeholders are listed as follows: USDA; WTO; EPA; FDA; and the media. With regards to the first major stakeholder companies like Monsanto spent hundreds of millions of dollars in research and development of bioengineered foods and has to make a profit out of the said investment. It is therefore imperative for biotech companies to demonstrate that bioengineered foods are healthier than ordinary ones. But they often fail to show the tradeoffs such as the extensive use of fertilzers and othe chemicals to produce such foods. The USDA on the other hand finds the development of a bioengineered foods as a breakthrough in science and would support its development and mass production. However, the USDA may not highlight the fact that there is need for more extensive tests because no one is certain of the long term effects of this new type of food products. The WTO on the othe r hand is concerned with efficiency and therefore would love nothing else than to diffuse tension between trade partners. The tradeoff is the tendency to gloss over problems. The EPA on the other hand is focused on saving the planet. It is therefore important for them to point out how unnatural means of producing food is not sustainable and could negatively affect the ecosystem of the planet. But the EPA may not mention the benefit of a vitamin-fortified food. The same thing can be said of the FDA. This government agency is in-charge of determining if a certain food product is safe for consumption. The FDA may downplay the tradeoff which is a much improved food product that can help enhance the quality of life of many people.Advertising Looking for essay on agriculture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Finally, the media is also a stakeholder in this issue. The media has the responsbility to inform the public on new d evelopments when it comes to food. The media can be seen as some sort of a watchdog. But media outlets such as news bureaus are dependent on ratings, thus there is a tendency to sensationalize the news to edge other TV networks in the ratings game. Five Factors With regards to the five factors it is easy to understand that environment must be an important consideration. But someone has to find out the exact process that can link environmental degradation and bioengineered foods. It is also possible that the environmental impact is negligible or manageable and therefore the benefits easily outweigh the risks. Human health is also a primary concern. It is easy for the media to create fear by releasing news information that is not based on facts but on assumptions. There is no hard evidence that the consumption of bioengineered foods can cause acute health problems. On the other hand, if it can be proven that there is indeed a tremendous health benefit in consuming bioengineered foods then the benefits outweigh the risks. When it comes to economics it is difficult to find fault with bioengineered foods. There is evidence to show that this type of products can be enhanced to make it resistant to pests. In other words a higher yield for farmers. Nevertheles, there are those who will argue that in the long run the cost will be catastrophic in terms of the destruction of the environment. But in the present there the main problem to tackle is hunger and if bioengineered food can help curb hunger in many parts of the world then the other issues becomes secondary becaue human life takes priority. Ethics is a difficult issue because there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to what is allowed when it comes to tampering with the natural design of food. But it can be argued that human life is more important than anything. If bioengineered food can help save lives and increase the quality of life then whatever ethical issues that is related to biotechnology. Long term effects of bioengineered food is difficult to determine because the breakthroughs in this field only occurred recently. There is not enough data to know the impact in the next 100 years or so. But this does not mean that nothing can be done to mitigate risks. It is possible to make adjustments as problems crop up and make predictions based on what is known today. In the process problems can be anticipated and solutions can be applied early on.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Elucidating Tradeoffs: Bioengineered Foods specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Europe and Zambia In Europe the main concern is in the long-term effects of bio-engineered food. They are afraid of the unknown. This fear is of course related to the perceived negative impact to human health. The rest of the European consumers are not into bioengineered foods because they believe that farmers who produce this type of food utilized unethical practices. W ith regards to Zambia the reason is less about health and the environment and more on the economic interests. Zambian farmers discovered early on that they can sell unmodified food to Europe. Thus, it is important for them that people continue to oppose the consumption of bioengineered food. The moment that their main market switches to bioengineered food, their livelihood can be threatened. Conclusion There is nothing wrong with bioengineered food. This is especially true if one will talk about vitamin-fortified food. The benefits can easily outweigh the risks considering that fact that there are many bioengineered foods that has been proven safe for consumption. It is easy to embrace bioengineered foods when critics consider world hunger and vitaimin deficiency in many parts of the world.

Philosophy - Plato Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Philosophy - Plato - Essay Example Its democracy was on its knees. There was rampant political selfishness in the great City and this greatly angered Plato. He saw justice as the only true remedy to all of the city’s and the entire country’s problems Self satisfaction was rampant owing to the popularity of the Sophistic teachings that dwelled on self satisfaction that turned the society into largely individualistic people. Most people were running for public offices to achieve their own selfish gains and this eventually divided the city into two groups of the haves and the have nots. The culture of individualism became his main target for attacks in his works.Cephalus established the traditional theory of justice. He viewed justice as speaking the truth and paying one’s debt. He viewed justice as identifying with the right conduct. According to Polemarchus, justice consists in giving what is proper to him. He viewed it simply as doing good to friends and harm to enemies. These two views were criticized to great lengths by Plato. He criticized Cephalus’ theory with the view that there may be cases in which his preferred formula may violate the spirit of right; hence it cannot be taken as a sound universal life principal. He poked holes in Polemarchus’ theory by asking hoe this could be applied in a case whereby the friend is only a friend in seeming but in reality was an enemy. He wondered what would happen in this scenario. He concluded that if justice is determined by the relations between two individuals it promoted individualistic principles and ignores the rest of the society. In the allegory of the cave, Plato proposes a group of prisoners that have been bound in the cave all their lives only being able to see the cave walls. The only light is from a fire at the top of the cave. A path runs above and behind them separating them from the fire. People passing by the path have their shadows cast onto the wall viewed by the

How should other areas of DE Mar(marketing, finance, personnel) Essay

How should other areas of DE Mar(marketing, finance, personnel) support its product strategy.. And how should each of the 10 OM decisions be managed to ensure - Essay Example There are many examples f good promotional techniques, and I will go over some f them in this article. A good time to offer special sales is before and during the busy time f your business year. In De Mar, we see this in retail all the time. There are spring sales, summer sales, fall sales, winter sales, white sales, close out sales, inventory sales and on and on. What's really happening here is that companies want to excite you about coming in and taking advantage f price reductions they are offering. Also, if they are heavy on inventory or out-of-style garments, they want to get rid f them and will do so at a reduced rate. You can have sales too. Let's use the example f an air conditioning contractor. Prior to summer, you can offer reduced rates on cooling systems for homeowners. By doing so, you cause people to think about those systems ahead f time. We all know that you are not going to reduce the prices very much in the dead f summer. Also, people know they may have to wait during the summer because it's a busy time, and this way they can be ready for summer and save money as we ll. Efficient customers' caring policy and service department, De Mar can offer to check systems. Tell homeowners you will come out, check their heating and cooling systems, provide general service and repair any needed components. Your price to come out and perform this service should be purposely reduced from your normal rate to attract attention. This also helps to increase business during slower times and even out your business cycle. If you offer service contracts, you can sign up homeowners at certain times f the year and at a special rate. You'll notice that when you purchase an appliance these days, they offer service or extended warranty contracts at very low rates. You would be amazed at the number f people that take those contracts, and the amount f money it generates for the business. The customer just purchased something at a reduced or sale price and for just a few more dollars the customer can have an extended warranty. Most f us accept the offer, and those extra dollars help to bring the profitability f the sale up. You are probably asking yourself, what about the warranty If something happens, a company could spend all kinds f money fixing the problems under the warranty. This is where quality products, construction or services play an important role. Having an open house, mini trade show, buffet lunch or other events at your location is also very effective. Asking contractors to attend and see the products demonstrated or explained by manufacturers' representatives while they have lunch really works. They get a chance to see your company and services in action. Additionally, most manufacturers will help sponsor the lunch in order to be invited. Done correctly, it is possible to stage such an event and have it totally paid for by others. Companies have invited homeowners to "How To" sessions conducted after working hours, and they have been very