A Critique Paper for Scent of Apples by Bienvenido Santos Essay

The story of â€Å"Scent of Apples by Bienvenido Santos is told in a first person point of view in a persona of a Filipino immigrant way back in the war period in America. This is a written account of an unforgettable experience of the author with another Filipino immigrant named Celestino Fabia. The structuralism’s approach/theory was used to analyze this literary text as well as for in depth understanding. The author presented the literary text in a detailed and in a chronological manner with the use of overflowing adjectives and vivid descriptions. The first and second paragraph introduced the setting and the governing mood of the entire story. The perfect play of words and adjectives was the weapon of the author to give a concrete picture of the setting and to let the reader feel the real emotions existing in every scenes and conversations/dialogues. â€Å"When I arrived in Kalamazoo, it was October and the war was still on. Gold and silver stars hung on pennants above silent windows of white and bricked-red cottages. In a backyard, an old man burned leaves and twigs while a grey-haired woman sat on a porch, her red hands quiet on her lap. Watching the smoke rising above the elms, both of them thinking of the same thought perhaps about a tall, grinning boy with blue eyes and flying hair, who went out to war, where could he be now this month when leaves were turning into gold and the fragrance of gathered apples was in the wind.† â€Å"It was a cold night when I left my room at the hotel for a usual speaking engagement. I walked but a little way. A heavy wind coming up from Lake Michigan was icy on the face. It felt like winter straying early in the northern woodlands. Under the lampposts, the leaves shone like bronze. And they rolled on the pavement like the ghost feet of a thousand autumns long dead, long before the boys left for faraway lands without apple trees, the singing and the gold.† The style of the author in presenting/narrating the story through an introduction then, inserting conversation/dialogues was quite appealing. It does not make the story so monotonous, thus it became more flavorful in spite the sadness and gloominess of the mood of the story. â€Å"It was the same night I met Celestino Fabia, â€Å"just a Filipino farmer† as he called himself, who had a farm about thirty miles east of Kalamazoo.† â€Å"You came all that way on a night like this just to hear me talk?† I asked. â€Å"I’ve seen no Filipino for so many years now,† he answered quickly. â€Å" So when I saw your name in the papers where it says you come from the Islands and that you’re going to talk, I come right away. Earlier that night I had addressed a college crowd, mostly women. It appeared that they wanted me to talk about my country†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..† The highlight of the story started when Celestino Fabia reminisces the past when he was still in his own country. The descriptions were so vivid, that the readers would feel the same emotion Celestino was feeling during that situation. â€Å"But sometimes, you know, I miss that house: the roosting chicken and low-topped walls. I miss my brothers and sisters. Mother sitting in her chair, looking like a pale ghost in a corner of the room†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.† Celestino Fabia, as one of the main characters was not exactly describe by the author, except mentioning him as â€Å"just a Filipino farmer†. His style of giving the description was through his narration during their conversation and dialogues. It is a good way of spicing up a literary text. Ruth’s role in the story affirmed the sadness and seclusion of Celestino. The failure of providing his family a more comfortable life made him lonelier and regretful. It was stated in this paragraph: â€Å" Finally we rounded a deep curve and suddenly came upon a shanty, all but ready to crumble in a heap on the ground, its plastered walls were rolling away, the floor was hardly a foot from the ground. I thought of the cottages of the poor colored folk in the south, the hovels of the poor everywhere in the land. This one stood all by itself as though by common consent all the folk that used to live here had decided to stay away, despising it, ashamed of it. Even the lovely season could not color it beauty.† As a whole, the very weapon of this literary text is its own language. The author successfully played with the language. He used a lot of metaphors as well as colorful analogies. It made the text so interesting. Each descriptions of the place, of the situation and of the characters appeals to one or more of the reader’s senses. Indeed, the author successfully conveyed his message through his effective command of the language. WALANG SUGAT The Marxist literary theory was used to analyze this literary text as well as for in depth understanding Social struggle has been a long time issue since the start of civilization. Financial and social status, political standpoint and stability, and religious beliefs are among the main reasons and basis why this struggle exists in a certain society. In the Philippines, the Spanish regime brought forth the prominence of this struggle among our ancestors. Many Filipinos experienced many injustices and malpractices during that time that led the rise of Philippine Revolution. Thus, the play/drama â€Å"Walang Sugat† was staged to depict the lives of many Filipinos and the abusive governance of the Spaniards. â€Å"Walang Sugat†, a drama originally written by Severino Reyes is in three acts first released in 1902 and was set during the Philippine revolution. It is about the romantic relationship of Tenyong and Julia and their social and political struggles. Tenyong, as the main protagonist suffered from the many injustices of the Spaniards. His father was killed without any valid reason. The parents of his beloved Julia were against in their relationship because his social status. These reasons caused him to join the revolution and leave Julia behind. Political and financial power forced Julia to marry a wealthy man. The society where they lived dictates they way they will run their lives, thus she was obliged to agree to whatever it will bring. For a person to reach a higher social and political status, he/she must gain money. Julia was the way of their parents to reach that certain status in the society. Social struggle changed the lives of Tenyong and Julia. They were forced to do things they don’t want to do. Their story is just one representation of how society affects human lives. Social struggle will never stop as long as greed and personal agendas reigns in every human.

1999 Frq on the 1920s

The 1920s was a time of great economic growth. It was during the 1920s that the United States of America became one of the richest countries of the world. The economic conditions during the 1920s had a huge effect on arts, entertainment, and technology which represented the 1920s and making it known as the Roaring Twenties because of the new technology, entertainment advances, and cultural changes. The Roaring twenties is quite known for some of the new technology which became available to the public. One of the most significant examples of this was the automobile ndustry. Cars were a luxury exclusive to the very rich before WWI and the 1920s. Now, with advancements in industry and factory production, cars were becoming a cheaper thing to buy and many people were now able to obtain one. Henry Ford’s company sold over 15 million of the Model T car which was the most popular one of that time. Another technology advancement was with radio. Radios, like cars, were now more availab le for the public to use. Radios were able to broadcast news, sports, and quite a variety of other programs as well.These technology advancements lead to a growth in the economy because of the many people who wanted to be a part of history and supply themselves with the new technology. Many Entertainment advancements of the time lead to some economic growth as well. One major entertainment was baseball. The 1920s is referred to as the Golden Age of Baseball. Millions of spectators would come out to all the games to watch the favorite teams and players who would go down in history as the greatest baseball players of all time like Babe Ruth, TyCobb, and Lou Gehrig. Although baseball was the most known for doing well during the Roaring Twenties, other sports like boxing, college and professional football, and basketball were able to bring out many spectators who would pay money to see the games. Technology like the radio and new motion picture technology was another profitable source o f entertainment. There were many cultural changes as well during the time period. Notable culture changes in the 1920s were with women and African Americans. The Harlem Renaissance was a emarkable African American culture change almost directly influenced by the good economy in the cities which influenced many African Americans out of the south and into the northern cities. African Americans started to have more time for entertainment as well. African Americans developed new forms of art and a new form of music know as jazz. African American baseball team played each other in a league known as the Negro Leagues. Basketball teams were formed with African Americans members. There were all black musicals. The GreatMigrations of African Americans lead to a new prosperous time of culture changes. Another group of Americans who went through culture change were the women. Women had gained their right to vote with the passing of the 19th amendment and now women wanted to become more a part of the society. Through this time period many women now had jobs. With the new earned wages they had, it inspired a culture change in which women had new fashions, hair styles, and habits. Places like pubs or speak easies and barber shops that were places where en could hang out without women around now had women in them. The economics of the Roaring twenties inspired the great cultural changes in the women and African American populations. Until 1929 when the United States started to take a bad turn into the Great Depression, the 1920s was a great economic times of the post war economics. The cultural changes, technology, and entertainment were results of the great economic time the twenties and really gave the time period a great reputation as the Roaring Twenties.

Newt Experiences at the Chetco River

Newt experiences at the Chetco river There are many things that might come to mind when a person thinks about camping along the Chetco River. Things like swimming , roating marshmallows over a crackling fire while warming up from the cool summer breeze, or even just the smell of the good ole outdoors. For me, however, the Chetco River brings yet another thing to mind :poison. It all started on a warm summer evening in June of 2001. My family and I, as we always did this time of year,had been camping for 2 or 3 days. My brother,Ethan and I had found our usual perch im the shallow parts of the river catching frogs and Red- bellied newts.Suddenly, a billowing voice came floating through the evergreens and out to the river where Ethan and I stood. It was our mom. â€Å" Come and wash up and eat,† she shouted. So Ethan and I obediently ran up to our campsite. Now, our mom always warned us to wash our hands after playing in the river because we could get sick, and we most always obe yed in fear of getting some terrible disease or worse. This particular occasion however, Ethan went through the typical routine of pouring some water from a gallon jug on his hands,rubbing it all together with soap and rinsing.I however, thought in my little uneducated seven year old mind, that I was somehow above all of that nonsense about death and poison. So while my brother was actually washing his hands and scrubbing off the poisonous slime left behind by the newts, I chose to just pretend that I ws washing my hands so that I could eat quicker. So I , with my slime covered hands, happily scarfed down my hotdog. â€Å" See nothing happened, those newts can't be poisonous. † I thought trying to convince myself that my mom was just over reacting.I went about my usual day running around the campsite, most likely driving any by-standers including my family insane. After about an hour of this ,I felt a sharp, intense pain in my side. I keeled over, gripping my gut. My mom, not icing that something wasn't right, ran over to me. â€Å"what's wrong? † â€Å" I don't feel good,† I Explained. So she sent me to the tent to rest, assuming that I had just run around too much after eating. After an few hours of restlessly lying there, I didn't feel any better. My stomach still felt like the Roman Coliseum on fight day. I couldn't move.I tried to call out to my mom, but where the words should have been, there was just a moan of sheer agony. After a few minutes, I heard footsteps. Finally she was answering my silent plea. She walked into the tent only to find me a motionless sweaty mess. â€Å" I won't be mad,† she started â€Å" but are you absolutely positive that you washed your hands really well before dinner? † Tears filled my eyes â€Å" I'm sorry! † I gasped â€Å" I lied. † â€Å" OK† was her only answer. With that , she sprung up and out of the tent. A few seconds later,i heard her voice talking to an inaudib le listener. well she was out playing with newts and didn't wash her hands before she ate and now she's really sick. † Her voice trembled a bit. As my mom continued to explain my predicament over the phone, I got more frightened by the minute. A few minutes later, the sound of wheels and sirens came. They stopped when it sounded like they were in our campsite. Within seconds, two men who I had never seen before came rushing into the tent toward me with two big bags and what looked to me like an alien mask. One man situated himself right behind me and laid my head on his lap.The other went around to my side and told me that they were going to take good care of me. All I had to do was puke. In a flash a third worker, this one female,came in with a long cot. The three of them hoisted me up onto the stretcher and into the ambulance. After what seemed like a lifetime,we got to the Brookings Hospital. They took me into a little white room with all white walls and teddy bear wallpape r. I wasn't sure exactly where I was, but I was too exhausted to think about it. A doctor came in. â€Å" What happened here? †he asked with a smile his face wrinkled with years of wisdom. we're gonna fix you all up OK? We'll just make sure you're OK, and you'll be better in no time. † After some time had passed, I was released from the hospital with little more than exhaustion and a stern warning to wash my hands before eating. We headed back to the campsite and continued our stay until the end of the week. The next day, I was fully recovered from my fiasco and Ethan and I went back to our everyday routine of catching newts and frogs, But this time, when mom called us for dinner, I was extra sure that my hands were clean. I never want to go through that again.

Policies on greenhouse gas emissions by Canadian industries Essay

Policies on greenhouse gas emissions by Canadian industries - Essay Example Our beautiful earth since its origination has been a ‘hotbed’ of activity. Activity in the sense, we humans has been involved in various activities, utilizing our physical as well as mental part. The activities only caused tremendous transformations, transforming our globe from a primitive one to a developed one. But, one can see that these activities not only resulted in development, but also have resulted in destructions to our earth. That is, in his/her quest to achieve advancement humans have invented or inventing many tools. The same tools have turned out to be life damaging tools, transforming into a threatening problems, damaging human lives and importantly the earth’s environment, which sustain that human lives. So, this paper will discuss the serious environmental problem of Climate change caused by Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Canadian Government response to it, particularly the industry it targets, the intent, the desired and meaningful impact of th ese government policies.Our Globe due to its position in the solar system is the recipient of comfortable warmth from the sun. This has been the feature of earth from its origination, but this favorable aspect had begun to show changes. That is, from the comfortable heat our ancestors faced, the global environment including Canada’s is being exposed to a lot more hotness causing dangerous repercussions. So, this increase in the average temperature on the Earth's near-surface air in recent years or decades have been the basis for climate change.

International Business Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International Business Assignment - Essay Example Company also became an online store in February 2005 with rebelsport.com.au. Now it has become all the more convenient to purchase performance runners, lifestyle footwear and apparel, gym equipment, yoga clothes, junior wear, licensed jerseys, specialized team and individual sport equipment, camping and outdoor gear and such items just at the click of a mouse. The latest financial figures of company (sales revenue for the nine months ended 1 April 2006) indicate an increase in sales revenue by 14.5% to $272.9 million compared to nine months ended 2 April 2005. Company hopes to cash-in on the Soccer mania and is looking forward to the period of April - June 2006 when the Soccer World Cup begins in Germany. Rebel Sport is associated with some major sporting bodies like National Rugby League (NRL), Cricket Australia, and Soccer NS around Australia. Company has also developed two sponsorship programs MVP and Rebel Sport Rookies to assist both sporting clubs/schools and individuals. In order to fulfill its commitment towards the society, company supports some charities as well. Starlight Foundation, The Day of Difference Foundation, Jeans for Genes (an initiative of The Children's Medical Research Institute of Australia-CMRI) are some of the charity organizations being benefited by this Philanthropy. New avenueNew avenues for business are explored when environment demands increase in pace of activity. Strategists feel more satisfied and comfortable with the prospects of growth from expansion and once the company feels secure and experienced enough on the home-ground it can very well start thinking about crossing the borders and entering the fiercely competitive international arena. It can very well be said that online retail counter can cater to anybody around the globe but for the brand to be recognized and developing 'brand loyalty' physical presence in different markets is a must. Rebel Sports has an experience of more than 20 years in this field so it can very well plan a strategy for opening stores in other countries as well. Today, rules of business success have changed. Innovation and the art of mastering the technological edge have emerged as the new competitive advantages. Information technology and improvements in global telecommunications are giving international firm s more flexibility to shape their global strategies. Rebel sports made good use of the information age by starting online training of its staff and thus channeling the inherent creative talents of all individuals in the right direction, a recipe for success. Now the moot question is 'which strategy to opt for, while entering the International arena. In general the strategies could be categorized as; 1. A multi domestic strategy 2. A global or international strategy 3. A transnational strategy A multi domestic strategy enables individual subsidiaries of a multinational firm to compete independently in different domestic markets. The multinational headquarters coordinates financial controls and major marketing policies, and may centralize some R&D and component production. Otherwise subsidiary behaves like a strategic business unit that is expected to contribute earnings and growth

Pharmacological Management of Congestive Heart Failure Using Captopril Research Paper

Pharmacological Management of Congestive Heart Failure Using Captopril and Its Therapeutic Implications (Drug Study ) - Research Paper Example The readings also showed that the pharmacological management of CHF may be typified into first line and second line agents. The first line agents consist mainly of ACE-I, diuretics and beta blockers, while the second line agents consists of digoxin and hydralazine-isosorbide dinitrate. Captropil belongs to the second line of pharmacological agents. Use of Captropil had been found to enhance cardiac performance, among others. However, ACE inhibitors like Captropil sometimes causes in amigo-edema, painful tongue ulcers, and alveoli is to name a few. The implications of these and the rest of the findings are discussed in the conclusion. Discussion Congestive heart failure Congestive heart failure (CHF) is defined as an inability of the heart in supplying normal oxygen and nutrient demands to the body. CHF can be caused by a number of diseases which: (1) weaken the cardiac muscle; (2) harden the cardiac muscle; and (3) increase tissue oxygen demand beyond the capacity of the heart. This condition occurs primarily on elderly patients (Kaufman et al., 2008). Congestive heart failure commonly results from a dysfunctional heart muscle or myocardial dysfunction. CHF may also result from changes in the structure and function of the heart medically termed as progressive cardiac remodeling (Medifocus, 2011). The heart muscle enables it to pump blood to facilitate metabolism for the various tissues of the body. When the heart muscles do not function normally, blood flow through the heart and the entire body proceeds slower than normal. This causes increased pressure in the heart. The body responds to the decrease in the heart’s pumping capacity by the so-called compensatory mechanisms so that cardiac function can be maintained, such as the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and the sympathetic nervous system (Medifocus, 2011).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The compensatory mechanisms can be activated for a period of months or years. During the time that these compen satory systems are functioning, no evident symptoms of heart failure are presented and the patient is regarded as asymptomatic (Medifocus, 2011). Heart disease classified as asymptomatic is one in which the patient does not experience undue fatigue, dyspnea, palpitations and chest pain during ordinary activities (Capezuti, Siegler, & Mezey, 2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It should, however, be made very clear at this point that the functioning of the aforementioned compensatory systems will cause further damage to the heart in the long run, and consequently affect the circulation of the blood in the body. Such damage is caused by the changes brought about by process of structural remodeling where the heart may enlarge, the cardiac walls may thicken or become thinner and further decrease in the pumping capacity of the heart. One or a combination of these changes further weakens the heart and causes the pumping to be less effective until the patient eventually develops symptomati c heart failure (Medifocus, 2011). How CHF manifests itself depends on the type of stress the heart is being subjected to, in addition to which ventricle is affected. For example, disease affecting the left ventricle causes pulmonary edema. Meanwhile, disease affecting the right ventricle is more likely to cause edema to the lower limbs and other parts of the body. Moreover, CHF can affect the flow of blood to other organs. For example, inadequate blood flow to

Max Weber the sociologist Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Max Weber the sociologist - Research Paper Example His theories broke new ground, proposing that interpretive, non-empirical evidence can be used to analyze and understand the intentions and actions of individuals within socio-economic groups. Weber’s works put into perspective the effect of culture and religion on economics. Placed within a historical perspective, Weber’s work was bold for the time in that it refutes the notion that there can be a quantifiable gauge for the study of social dynamics. Observation and analysis, skills that served Weber well during his esteemed career, were part of a legacy of academic achievement, passed on to him by his accomplished parents. Weber: A brief biography Born into an affluent family, Weber’s father was trained as an attorney, held a prominent position in the civil service and was a member of the National Liberal Party. Max Weber, Sr.’s involvement in public life exposed his son to a wealth of socio-political ideas, the family’s home being something of a g athering place for many leading intellectuals of the period. The younger Weber thrived in this atmosphere, which inspired him to take up Goethe, whom he read voraciously from a young age as well as many other volumes of classical works (Ringer, 2004). Law school and a brief stint in the military during World War I were followed by the beginnings of a legal career, which further whetted his appetite for research and theory. The early stages of his professional life were marked by social and economic studies inspired by a growing Max Weber 4 progressive movement, which Weber joined in 1888 as a member of the Verein fur Sozialpolitik, a professional association for economists. â€Å"What united the members of the Verein was a belief that reforms were urgently needed in Germany† (Swedberg & Agevall, 2005). The Verein proved to be a stepping stone for Weber, who earned notice for his report on the displacement of workers in East Prussia by Polish emigres (Kim, 2007). Appointments to Freiburg, then Heidelberg University followed. It was at Heidelberg that Weber’s brilliance attracted the attention of other intellectuals, writers and scholars in the charged academic atmosphere of the famous university town. Germany of the late-19th century was a brash new nation, one gripped by hubris and the aggressive policies of the Prussian political ascendancy. The nation’s burgeoning self-confidence gripped many in the intellectual class, including some of Weber’s contemporaries. Refusing to be swept up, Weber remained true to his progressive convictions, venting his feelings about Germany’s increasing predilection for saber rattling. â€Å"(Weber) also wrote passionate polemics in behalf of parliamentary reform and against the annexationist hysteria that seized many of his colleagues†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ringer, 2004). After his father’s death in 1896, Weber’s unresolved, stormy relationship with his parent contributed to a nervous b reakdown, which so debilitated Weber that he was eventually forced to resign from his teaching post and to suspend all scholarly activities. Ironically, Weber’s condition, which led to an abrupt and radical change in his professional life, brought about an intellectual change of direction and priority that would round out his personal philosophy and make him a pioneer in the developing field of social science (Kim, 2007). The resultant study

Performance management homework 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Performance management homework 1 - Essay Example To determine this rate, all the machining, assembly, and fabricating direct costs must be multiplied with the multiply of their sum total. This calculation will help in determining or estimating the overhead rates. Precision Joinery Co. Manufactures high-quality wooden products for the house-building sector, specializing in window-frames, doors and kitchen cabinets. For many years, the company’s costing system has relied on the assumption that direct labor hours were the critical factor in the occurrence of overheads. Accordingly, overheads were allocated to products on the basis of the direct labor hours taken to manufacture each product. The company’s relationship with its customers has changed in recent years. House-building companies have become more rigorous in their demands in terms of both product design and service support after delivery. The Managing Director of Precision Joinery Co. Has become increasingly disillusioned with the current product costing system, which he believes to be producing costs which do not reflect the change in the market environment initiated by the company’s customers. Under duress, the Management Accountant has carried out a further examination of available costing information, some of which the Managing Director considers useful in a possible redefinition of the costing system. The activity based costing or the ABC cost allocation often assigns the manufacturing overhead costs of the products in a highly logical way than the normal or the traditional approach that simply allocates costs on the basis of the machine hours (Armstrong and Baron, 2005; p. 85). The ABC initially assigns costs to activities that really lead to the overhead. After that, it assigns costs to activities or products that are actually demanding the activities. The overall result often maps the miscalculations on the true cost of the manufacturing overhead. Therefore, it is apparent that the ABC

Review of GE company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Review of GE company - Case Study Example Among them, Aberdeen in Scotland, London in England, and Cardiff in Wales are the most prominent locations where the firm's offices can be found. Company's investment is not limited to any one particular sector, but the company has invested in multiple sectors. Most prominently, the company has invested in Technology Infrastructure, Energy Infrastructure, GE Capital and NBC Universal. All of these entities and subsidiaries have a significant presence in the entire United Kingdom. The company as a whole is a subsidiary of one of the largest companies of the world, General Electric. In the UK, the company is more focused in the field of Aviation and is found to be heavily involved in the work of aircraft engines. The company has two major facilities pertaining to aviation in Wales. It has two specialists overhaul and repair facilities in the notable areas of Cardiff and Prestwick. The company's recent acquisition of Smith Aerospace has made it the world leader in aviation and aerospace industry. It has achieved this position by continuously following the strategy of innovation and it was one of the major factors in making the firm as the winner firm and market leader in the aviation industry. The invention of turbojet engines was a landmark in the history of the company's continuous struggles toward innovation and coming up with "first of its type" products. The company developed some great things, but among them the turbojet engines GE90 and GEnx hold distinctive position. The company is said to be the largest supplier of engines to corporate, military and marine industries not just in the UK, but all over the world. GE, in the recent years, has also focused on operation excellence in combination with responsible leadership. These attributes are hallmark in the long history of GE's success. The company has always given special emphasis to health, safely and environment costs. The greatness of GE lies not just in identifying the problems that are prevalent in above mentioned field, but also finding the solutions to these problems. In the year 2008 alone, the company's hard work resulted in reduction in the injury and health problems of workers by 12 percent. In the very same year, the company committed and achieved reduction in wastewater exceedances by 8%, lost time rate by 7 percent, and Air exceedances by a massive 53 percent. The company has been recognized for its continued involvement in the CSR (Corporate social responsibility) and in the year 2008 alone, it received 650 external accolade, recognitions from the government and other NGO operating in the country. GE is also a worldwide partner of Olympic Games. GE has been providing some important services during these games to the organizers, athletes and participants that are very important for the successful organization of these games. In order to help the organizers to stage these events properly, GE works very closely with the organizers, local municipalities and government to deliver the best-possible solutions to the problems that may occur in staging the event. In order to depict the commitment of GE to these games and to the UK as country, GE has decided to go for GOLD in the upcoming Olympic Games in London. GE is sponsoring the Triathlon team representing the United Kingdom. GE has also worked very closely with Freightliners Limited to come up with the solution to rail road freight problems. The two companies worked tirelessly to come up with a freight

Microsoft Windows operating system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Microsoft Windows operating system - Essay Example But in case of Microsoft operating the market is totally dominated by Microsoft. Based solely on market share, Microsoft appears to have a near-monopoly in operating systems for personal computers yet Microsoft priced the Windows OS very smartly and kept it at bare minimum and thus succeeded in capturing in the market. The law of demand tells us that as the price of a commodity falls, the quantity demanded increases and vice-versa. But the law is silent on the extent of increase in demand as a result of decrease in certain percentage of prices. That means the law of demand tells us only the direction of change, but not the rate which the change takes place. To know about the rate of change we should know the 'price elasticity of demand'. Elasticity of demand can be defined as the "degree of responsiveness of quantity demanded to a change in price." It thus represents the rate of change in the quantity demanded due to a change in price. Now in case of Microsoft it can be said that, if we treat PCs as a single homogeneous commodity, then Microsoft's pricing of Windows was 'not' consistent with its status of a monopoly over personal computer (PC) operating systems. Therefore Microsoft started with such penetrative pricing that consumers had no option but to go for it. The company priced Windows as low as it can because of several types of substitution; For the fi

Methodology and questionnaires Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Methodology and questionnaires - Essay Example This could be due to a plethora of reasons- like gender discrimination, perceived lack of female managerial qualifications/experience, bias shown towards women showing that they are emotionally not competent to occupy managerial positions, perceived threats of male colleagues during promotions, sexual harassment, need to devote time for household work, inability to work at odd hours and night hours, restricted mobility, etc, All these factors combine to create situations in which the situation of women may be marginalised or even threatened by the hierarchy or the work culture and ethos of the institution. There are several aspects for methodology to be carried out and they use the multiple data collection system. The multiple systems could entail both qualitative and quantitative surveys. The quantitative methodology invokes use of statistical and other measures of quantitative analysis whereas, the qualitative would be in terms of structured interviews. Structured interviews are of standard format which entail open ended or closed ended questionnaires. Open ended questions would give the respondents scope for expressing themselves more verbally than closed ends, in which the questions would respond with either Yes or No. This is important because in a study of this kind, in which both quantitative and qualitative data need to be gathered and expounded, qualitative data need to be structured, open ended and amenable to further research and interpretations. 1. Methodology to deal with Research Question No.1: This research question deals with the need to create new management part time jobs to accommodate women into these positions and make better and more productive use of the women work force’s This could be done though face-to-face interviews with the Top Directors and Senior Management Team of the company regarding the induction of newly created vacancies for women in management positions. The interviews with such executives would be able to throw light

Brave New World Essay Example for Free

Brave New World Essay Imagine living in a world with no mom and dad, and that at any of your sides you see many copies of yourself, and the only society you know is the one made up of some sort of hierarchy where you are not allowed to have any feelings or even think. This is the world depicted in the book Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. The book was published in 1932, he was looking to provide people a picture of a future perfectionist society full of science and â€Å"happiness†, but this vision somehow became the world we live in now. In the novel Brave New World, Huxley gives us a view of a society that can only achieve stability through fictional happiness. This is an example of a Utopian society that attempted to create a perfect society. At that time, changes in science were becoming frequent and Huxley noticed these changes. With the invention of the assembly line, the Ford Company allowed people to afford cars. Huxley was able to see where these advances in science were leading. When a person thinks of a utopia he or she thinks of a place where everyone is happy, with no diseases, where anger and sadness do not exist. As the motto of this world says â€Å"Community, Identity, Stability. † These three words hang in a sign over the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre, this creates and conditions new human life. These words are the slogan for this society. Community means that all persons must work together to maximize the greatest happiness for society as a whole, and it occurs through the artificially implanted ideas of Identity that each person has. Regardless of the hierarchy they have, each person is supposed to be happy with their own identity. And Stability is the ultimate goal of society because only through stability can happiness be maintained and all unpleasant feelings and emotions be eradicated. We are living in a Brave New World society in the present days. In the novel, people were being cloned and their lives had been already planned even before their birth with the use of psychological technologies to control the future behavior. Conditioning, combined with prenatal treatment, created individuals without individuality: each one was programmed to behave the way the government wanted. The citizen’s mind was being manipulated basically through the use of drugs and propaganda. â€Å"The principle of sleep-teaching or hypnopaedia, had been discovered. † He critiques modern government institutions whose power and ideals has slowly inserted into the minds of ordinary people. They teaching the children with some kind of propaganda while they were sleeping, the will play a message that they wanted all those children to know for the rest of their lives. The book was written years ago, really far from our time, but the scary truth is that we are living in the same standards as the world idea of Huxley. Together with the media, our government manipulates us to do what they want. For example, those TV commercials of cell phones that tells us to buy smart phones because they are better and then year after year they come up with improvements that are not real and we buy them because we think they are going to be better but we are just being stupid consumers giving money to those big companies. The government approves this because by consumerism, we generate the need of more therefore, more production, more jobs and will better the economy. This utopian society, had also its benefits. Their liberalism respecting relationship and sex, was not as bad because they had no compromises. the government taught them not to have serious relationships with other people. There were no family values, they encouraged to freely have sex with any person they wanted because sex would make them happy. We can see this, when Lenina tells Fanny that she’s been sleeping with the same guy during four months and Fanny responds â€Å"It’s such a horribly bad form to go on and on like this with one man†¦ have somebody else from time to time, that’s all. † They do not condone exclusivity in a relationship, because that involved feelings of love and family and could lead to a disturbance on their social stability. We can totally mirror this in our present society. For example, few days ago a law gave underage girls the ability to purchase the morning after pill. This liberalism in sexuality is bad in the long run. This is allowing children to start their sexual life earlier, when thirteen year old kids are already having sex, there would be no exclusivity by the time they get married; there will be no family values within our society everything will be just about sex just as it was on the book. But were not responsible for those actions because this was all they knew. They manipulated them since babies so they’ll grow up to be a part of their caste and to do what that caste was supposed to do and be happy with it, therefore be more productive in society. Even though, this world was depicted as perfect and everyone seemed to be happy with their lame controlled lives, there were people that were really affecter with the ideals. For example, alpha Bernard Marx, he was a quiet guy that like to use soma (their cocaine-like drug) seemed to be in love with Lenina, he wanted something more than sex from her, but she was know pretty much as a slut, because probably half of the men in the conditioning center had slept with her and he is disgusted to hear the men in the elevator talk about Lenina as though she were meat. People in our society would look upon Brave New World; we would see it as a place of immoral behavior and obscenity. This could this possibly be because they were conditioned to all that and cannot realize it. They could just as easily be conditioned into thinking that only their thoughts are correct. Everyones goal in every culture is to reach a state of ultimate happiness. The society of Brave New World is just the same, but they go in different way by manipulation on actions, feelings and reproduction. There’s no need to sacrifice personal desires for the greater good. I think that what will make us really happy is the ability to freely make decisions about our own behavior and life, rather than relying on our society standards and what the government wants us to do. As an individual, I enjoy making my own decisions about what I want to be and about my sentimental relationship. I think anyone would want to strive to reach their full potential when they have the opportunity and freely reach their maximum happiness.

The Short Story The Necklace English Literature Essay

The Short Story The Necklace English Literature Essay Guy de Maupassants short story The Necklace was first published in the Paris newspaper Le Gaulois on February 17, 1884, and he was successfully incorporated into Tales of Night, his 1885 collection of short stories. Like most Maupassant short fiction, it was an instantaneous achievement, and it has become his most widely read and anthologized story (Smith Christopher). The Necklace describes Madame Loisel as beautiful and born into an average family. She is unsatisfied with her impoverished life and decides to borrow a diamond necklace from a former rich friend to fulfill her happiness. Maupassant presents the theme that one should be true to ones self trough his use of situational irony by which he tells the story of Madame Loisel. Maupassant describes Mathildes external conflicts in the story The Necklace. Though she is pretty and charming(1), she does not appreciate anything in life. She feels her life should have been blessed with wealth. Although her husband works at a ministry of education as a minor clerk, the money he is bringing to his wife is not enough for the kind of life Mathilde has always dreamed of. For instance, her vision is to live in a mansion, dinning in famous restaurants, and dance among the riches (1). She is embarrassed of her poor lifestyle, and decides not to invite any of her former friends who become rich to her home. Therefore, she suffers enormously because her whole life has been based on deficiency of luxury. The love of her husband Charles and the efforts he makes to keep his family healthy is not enough to please Mathilde. However, she happens to be a self-centered person who cares only about her appearance, instead of being thankful for the love of her husband. The author anal yzes Mathildes internal conflicts in the story. She is unhappy and miserable. She is disappointed in herself because she thinks she deserves more than she has. Mathilde appears to be a round person; although she is attractive and pretty, she also seems depressed because of the lack of money. She is a dynamic person; she is not content with herself because her husband is not well off financially. Otherwise, she would be a cheerful person if her husband was wealthy. Guy de Maupassant describes the characters verbal irony in the story; Monsieur Loisel makes an effort to invite his wife to a ball dance because he thinks she would be pleased to get out of the house. However, Mathilde chooses to reject her husbands invitation by saying, Give your invitation to some colleague whose wife has a more suitable gown than I(2). She concerned more about her look and what others might think of her. Still, she convinces her husband to take money out of their life savings to buy a lovely dress for the occasion. Mathildes irony in the story is discontentment because she does not have anything to wear with the dress; she realizes she needs a jewel to look her best, so she will not appear as poor as she is among the women at the ministry. Furthermore, Mathilde goes to her former friend to borrow one of her diamond necklaces, which she loses unexpectedly. In the story The Necklace, the situational irony occurs when Mathilda sacrifices her life for years to work tw ice as hard to repay the loan they take to return the necklace. She loses her beauty; she looks older, and there are traces of gray in her hair(4). She ruins her husband and her life by not making a smart choice, and her selfishness causes her familys pain. Nevertheless, the dramatic irony happens when she comes to learn the diamond necklace she loses is an imitation. The resolution of the story reveals that Mathilde realizes she made a fool of herself for not telling her friend exactly what had happened to the necklace. Therefore, she wastes her husbands and her time for nothing to replace something that was not even real. The writer points out the theme of the story as Malthilde cares only about her appearance, and her greed puts her through so much suffering in life. She should appreciate the sacrifice that her husband makes for her to buy the dress. Her attention is to dance joyfully with everyone, intoxicates with pleasure, and to be on a cloud of happiness(3). She does not worry too much about her husbands feeling toward his happiness. However, she comes to discover the diamond necklace she borrows from Madame Forestier is missing, her husband Monsieur Loisel sympathetically helps her look for the necklace. Moreover, he sacrifices everything he can in his life to help his wife replace the necklace. She confidently lies to Madame Loisel about the necklace. Possibly, if she has told the truth, all the pain and misery could have been avoided. Besides all the pain she puts Monsieur Loisel through, Mathilde wishes she married a wealthy man, but she is a poor girl with no dowry to offer (2). Money and m aterial things have stopped her to improve the living she desires. As a result, she loses her beauty and works harder to replace a necklace that is fake. In simpler terms, Mathilde and her husbands lives were touch in a bad way. She only cares about her happiness and does not even think how is her decision is going to affect others and her life later. In order for her to attend the occasion with her husband, she makes Monsieur Loisel go out of his way to purchase a new dress for her. After all, she is not gratified with the effort; she comes to a conclusion to borrow a diamond necklace to fulfill her happiness. At the end, she loses her charm. Not only does she have to pay for it, her husbands life also comes to devastation. In life, she should always be happy with the little she has. Hopefully, Mathilde learns her lesson and recognizes the value of what she has

Factors that Inform Reward Decisions

Factors that Inform Reward Decisions Assess the context of the reward environment and the key perspectives that inform reward decisions. In this section, you should: Use an appropriate analysis tool to identify the internal and external factors. Analyse the impact of business drivers and related factors on reward decisions. Give examples of different ways of gathering and presenting reward intelligence. An Introduction to the Company of B W Plant Hire and Sales Ltd B W Plant Hire and Sales Ltd was founded in 1994 by Bill Whitwell; Bill has over 40 years experience in the plant hire industry. His son Will, who is also from a plant hire background, joined him in the business in 1998. The company has grown steadily since then by supplying clients with a service they believe cannot be beaten. B W pride themselves in being readily available for advice and help when problems arise on site. Bill and Will now have in place a management team and workforce that mirrors their values, but still lead from the front line. B W are a plant hire company which hires plant (Excavators, Dumpers, Rollers, trenching) B W have 4 depots across the country Blackburn is head office where it all started, in 2004 B W started Bingley Depot now Keighley Depot, in 2006 B W started Southampton Depot, then in 2012 they bought Northwich Depot B W have been trading over 20 years in which time the company has grown and downsized because of the recession in 2008 now they are growing again. From a personal point I, have been with the company since Jan 2002 when there were on 6 employees they now have 73 employees and 30 subcontractors. Turnover is growing year on year. The purpose and goals of the Company is to make Profit and become one of the largest privately owned (Ltd) plant hire companies in the Northwest of England. The Company offers the service of Plant hire self-drive and operated plant along with sales of plant. The Company`s main customers are Civil Engineers, house builders, councils and general builders. External and Internal Environmental AnalysisThis environmental analysis will provide a complete external environmental image designed to provide B W with the tools needed to identify the Company`s strength and weaknesses. This is including an assessment of the company resources. This analysis will assess the company`s competitive position and possibilities of growth. An explanation of how the external environment affects B W structure and company performance. A PESTLE analysis is a framework used to monitor the external marketing environment of which provides an overview of the main external factors currently having an impact on the Company PESTLE see appendices 1 Auto enrolment the company `s staging date was 1st January 2016. It is a compulsory requirement of all companies to automatically enrol employees who are eligible by 2018 This is a saving scheme for when employee`s retire and has tax relief. Employers must either have one of their own (stakeholder pension) or a government back one or have a specialist pension provider. We have a government backed pension scheme called The Pension People (Thepensionsregulator.gov.uk. (2016). Stakeholder pensions |) This became law in October 2012 by 2018 all employed people should be in a workplace pension. This came about as people are living longer than the 3 score years and ten (70). the retirement age is going to go up between December 2018 and October 2020, the retirement age for both men and women will rise to 66. From 2018 to 2020 the state pension age for both men and women will start rising to 67. The governments pot of National insurance has been depleted so when the younger generation come to retire there will be no monies left in the pot (Social). The government decided to push people into saving for retirement by making it law for companies to compulsory join an auto enrolment scheme where by employee`s put 1% of their annual earning with tax relief and the company pays 1% eventually growing too minimum of 5% (political social and legal). The influence on the company and impact on reward strategy is Bonuses and pay rises have been effected by the company, by not increasing remuneration the 1% the company must pay into the pension scheme is a pay rise to the employee. This in turn also influences company growth as the employer must find this from somewhere i.e. profits (Economic) it is also seen by most companies as another tax but beneficial to the employee. Kiddie vouchers (Social and economic) We as a company have a young workforce at present, to help keep them we have introduced kiddie vouchers. This is a benefit that lets parents make substantial savings against the cost of their childcare. This works by Parents can receive up to  £55pw or  £243pm of childcare vouchers from their employer, free of tax and National Insurance. Compared to receiving earnings as salary or dividends, using childcare vouchers can save parents hundreds of pounds each year. Swapping taxable pay for tax-free childcare vouchers typically saves basic-rate taxpayers up to  £933 a year. At the same time, this simple swap saves employers up to  £402 a year per scheme member in employer National Insurance contributions. The impact on the company and the strategy the company has lower PAYE to pay to the HMRC this also helps the employee as they are not taxed as much. The cost of putting this in place is 2% so the company and the employee win. The employee sees this as an extra reward hopefully it will help to keep them employed with the company. The business SWOT see appendices 2 Mission statement this links in with how the company is driven and reward Mission Statement The aim of B W is to provide a service which goes beyond the expectations of their customers through the exceptional service of the staff accordingly who are highly equipped, motivated, trained and competent. B W support their customers with whatever the application, with market leading products and knowledge. The comprehensive fleet of modern machinery they provide is compliant with up to date legislation and regulations. Vision B W are committed to continually improving and aim to provide their customers with a reliable service. B W`s aim is to always satisfy the demand and become the customers only hire/sales supplier of quality Values The work practices and methods are undertaken and managed safely and cost effectively. B W are seeking to be an excellent employer, service provider, and customer. The directors recognise that B W`s staff are one of the most important assets to the company. To that end the company endeavours to reward staff who perform well and prove to be a good advert for the company. B W expect the best and so should B W`s customers and clients. The values of the company indicate the training and development for all employees, the employees are the most important asset to the company, this can be a motivator to the employees (the company is only as good as its staff) The rewards are a bonus paid half yearly to the senior management team this is if the net profit is over 10% of turnover then 1% of the net profit is divided by 5 (a substantial amount of money). B W pay over the national minimum wage. The employees are based on experience and the value they bring to the company if the company employ a fitter the average wage is  £12.00 per hour, B W start them on  £10.00 with 3 months probation after which time their pay will increase (they need to prove their worth) this is the same for HGV drivers but a different rate. The company also have a depot in Southampton the employees in the south are paid 2% more than in the north as the standard of living is more in the south. The driver of the business is growth while B W are tendering for operated plant they also need skilled plant drivers that hold a CSCS card (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) (legal obligation) this provides proof that the card holder has had training and is qualified to carry out the work intended. this could potentially be a large cost to the company CSCS card holders must complete training every 3 years. This is a reward to the employee the card belongs to the employee and can take it with them if they leave. The demand for plant is high now -the company are investing heavily the latest new kit/ plant to promote growth. B W will procced this way until there is a downturn in the economy. There is a healthy competition around now. B W offer customers the latest kit/plant along with competitive costs and good customer service, so they can plan their work. Theories for reward management see appendices 3 Economic theory, this considers wage rates that are determined by the supply of labour and the demand of this labour from employers, if there is a shortness of labour, there is an increase in wages for that sector A shortage of skills is a source of aggravation to companies and, when acute, it is likely to hinder the quality and quantity of their output. Companies can be accustomed to being limited by their capacity to find buyers for their products, not by their capacity to produce products. When companies have, buyers waiting, but cannot produce enough to satisfy the demand because they cannot recruit sufficient skilled workers, they interpret this as a failure of the skills development system. Skill shortages, the cause can be a general under-investment in skills development; rapid structural changes to be combined with low levels of overall unemployment; a recurrent surge in employment in a part of the economy; and spots of weakness in the training system. Employers could find that they are unable to attract the workers they want because the pay and working conditions on offer are unattractive. The supply of workers with a skill is difficult to measure for several of the following reasons. What is important is not just the number of people, but also the number of hours they are willing to work. While some people work long hours, many others work part-time. Within an occupation, there may be specialised sub-sets of skills or locations having difficulty recruiting, while other areas are not. As noted above, vacancies may go unfilled, not because there is no one available who can do the job, but because the wages and conditions on offer are unattractive. Within every skill group, there is a range of ability-from exceptional to ordinary. This variation in quality is important to employers, but not observable in measures of labour supply. Many people work in jobs that do not directly use their formal qualifications; alternatively, they may be of working age but are not seeking employment. (files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED495918.pdf) B W have a shortage of plant fitters and HGV drivers. Tight Labour market This is an area of economic exchange in which workers seek jobs and employers seek workers. A tight labour market has more jobs than workers. In a loose labour market, has more workers than jobs. While parts of the construction and manufacturing sectors have been suffering from skills shortages leading to recruitment difficulties and higher pay, there is growing evidence that this is becoming a more widespread issue. Institutional theories of reward open system approach to setting wage levels environmental factors influence wage levels employers influence employees attitudes and behaviours by way of offering a wage premium to attract labour. Human capital theory. The workers invest in themselves by education and training. the higher the individual capital the higher the return in terms of pay and the benefits for the company Benchmark The need to benchmark the company`s benefits and allowances against those of other employers could be for several different reasons, from conducting an annual pay review to recruiting to a new position. B W rely on other local plant hire companies for information on the hourly rate of fitters and drivers, this can be an unreliable source. Thus, so by pushing rates up to attract potential employees moving around the industry Examples of different ways of gathering and presenting reward intelligence Exit Interviews this is by having a meeting with the departing employee and HR. the advantages are to establish trends within the company Sample size may be small. Thedisadvantages are the employee may not always give the full and accurate reason why they are leaving. Absence, this monitors sickness absence the advantages are it could highlight problem areas where by an employee feels they do want to come to work, rather than there is actual sickness. Disadvantages. This is not always an indicator of issues as may be seasonal (flu) Recruitment Difficulties, the company can find it difficult to recruit what should be available skills in the market. The advantages are it highlights potential short fall in company reward in comparison with local competitors. The disadvantages are a Poor reward is not the only reason people do not want to work for a company. Attitude Surveys this is normally an annual confidential survey for all employeesAdvantages: this highlights several issues including reward.   It Samples the whole company. It can monitor changes in attitude. The disadvantages are none Retention FiguresData on company leavers the advantages are changes in retention can indicate possible reward issues. The disadvantages are leavers are not always reward related. Salary survey this provides the necessary market data to build competitive pay structures for the company, the two most commonly referenced are: Ensuring the plans are internally equitable, and Ensuring the plans are externally competitive. The advantages are to determine if employees are receiving a fair and competitive wage. The survey output is data on the average or median salary for a specific position, taking into consideration the region, industry, company size, etc. Input data is aggregated directly from an employer or employee these companies are well-established on the market and have already created a reputation. Brands such as PayWell (PricewaterhouseCoopers/PwC), AON Hewitt, Mercer and the Hay Group are recognised by nearly all human resources and remuneration specialists. The disadvantages are Non-current data salary surveys based on data from employers aggregate input information over a matter of months. The standard data aggregation period is 3 to 4 months. Processing follows, which may take another 2 months. Companies may only receive the data they need after a half-year delay. The labour market changes over this time, in times of economic growth, and the data is no longer up-to-date after aggregation, processing and evaluation. (hr-guide.com/Compensation/Salary_Surveys.htm) Internal Business FactorsBy looking at company profit, sales and forecasts, what the business can afford. The advantages are job security keeps the company profitable the disadvantages are poor performance the company may not be able to afford the best candidates for the jobs- (Good work ain`t cheap, cheap work ain`t good). Bibliography http://employee-benefit.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/achieving-aims-reward-management.html. (2016, nov 10). http://employee-benefit.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/achieving-aims-reward-management.html. Retrieved from http://employee-benefit.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/achieving-aims-reward-management.html http://en.allexperts.com/q/Dealing-Employees-1641/2015/2/wages-salary-administration.htm. (2016, dec 10). http://en.allexperts.com/q/Dealing-Employees-1641/2015/2/wages-salary-administration.htm. 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Retrieved from https://www.scribd.com/document/181548517/CIPD-Ch-L-5-Org-Dev-And-Reward-pdf https://www.scribd.com/presentation/258020586/Lecture-10-Reward-Management. (2016, nov 10). https://www.scribd.com/presentation/258020586/Lecture-10-Reward-Management. Retrieved from https://www.scribd.com/presentation/258020586/Lecture-10-Reward-Management: https://www.scribd.com/presentation/258020586/Lecture-10-Reward-Management www.independentage.org/pension. (2016, oct 09). www.independentage.org/pension. Retrieved from www.independentage.org/pension: www.independentage.org/pension

The Simpsons as Reflection of our Disintegrating Society Essays

The Simpsons as Reflection of our Disintegrating Society In recent years, a certain animated sitcom has caught the public's attention, evoking reactions that are both favorable and unfavorable, but hardly ever apathetic. As a brilliant, socially aware satire, Matt Groening's The Simpsons has effectively stirred different emotions from different factions of the culturally deadened American populace, and for this alone, it should be recognized as "quality programming." The Simpsons is a brutal satire of our society and our family structures yet it offers several redeeming qualities such as feminism, endurance, and most of all humor. Often, The Simpsons is truly brutal parody, hurling barbs of hostile commentary at our materialistic and gluttonous American life-style. Many in the audience might be offended by this bullying, except that it seems like harmless fun. For example, when father Homer Simpson decides he would rather sleep in on a Sunday than attend church, Groening is obviously pointing out a corruption of traditional values within the family structure. But recognizing that people don't like to be preached to, the show takes a comic approach, having God come to talk to Homer, telling him to start his own religious sect. The hedonism that Homer extols in the name of the Lord is both ludicrous and hilariously funny, and viewers who might be offended are disarmed, so that even the most conservative Republican grandmother is receptive to the comic message. Because it is a cartoon, some might scoff at The Simpsons and call it a children's show. But this cartoon is clearly meant for a mass audience, including adults: it is shown during prime time rather than on Satur... ... incompetence and corruption of contemporary education, industry, government, religion, and, ironically, even television. Yet in spite of all the disheartening social problems it portrays, The Simpsons nevertheless remains funny. Whenever a scene threatens to turn melodramatic or raise an inescapably deep issue, the moment is saved by some piece of nonsense, often an absurdly gratuitous act of violence. At a time when it seems that society is being destroyed by its own designs, it is good to be able to hold up a mirror that shows us the extent of our problems. Neither escapist nor preachy, The Simpsons provides such a satiric mirror, a metaphoric reflection of our dissolving social foundation. More than that, The Simpsons is therapeutic: to be able to laugh in the face of such problems is the ultimate catharsis.

The Interaction Between Body and Writing :: Teaching Writing

The Interaction Between Body and Writing My first text for this assignment was this haiku: thank god for spring in Ypsi; makes it easier to get out of bed. It seemed appropriate to the task of attempting to write in English without using any technology, as the haiku form is traditionally concerned with the natural world. I envisioned the grass and earth on my property, newly bared to the sun again after the snows, and the letter-making materials available on the site. I could hear my paper unfolding in my head; since the point of the project was to come to terms with the bonded nature of language to technology in writing, I could see whole paragraphs about my use of found sticks and mud as well as bits of discarded junk that my landlord had left lying around since last fall. My argument would be that the use of materials that had originated from the natural world and been manipulated by technology that were now returning to their natural home symbolized the interwoven relationships between thought and feeling and action that is written communication. I had some lovely big ideas. But then I started wandering around in my head a little bit, and some interesting questions came up. Having grown up in ballet and still acting in the world to some extent as a dancer, I wondered if dance is also a technology in the same way that the alphabet and writing are. It seems to me that social dance, while it does serve the purpose of communication to some extent, has no articulated 'alphabet' of signifiers that compare to words and letters. Dance forms like ballet and flamenco, however, most definitely do. For the trained dancer and the educated audience member, ballet is a system of movement with numerous gestures, movements and shapes that signify specific meanings. The manner in which dance is formed, however, via the body of the 'author,' doesn't perform the same separating function that Walter Ong claims writing does in his essay Writing is a Technology that Restructures Thought. The technology of dance is contained within the author, but the technology of writing is e xternal to the author. While writing "promotes 'objectivity'" by distancing the performer from his/her ideas via performance (326), dance to some extent preserves the unity of thought/emotion and the thinker. With my confidence shored up by Naomi Baron's discussion of the

Despite several attempts to regulate campaign finance, money increasingly dominates the US electoral process

In recent years the increase in money poured into US elections has created a seemingly money dominated election with some arguing success relies on the highest level of campaign funding. As a result of the Watergate scandal The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974 attempted to make a number of significant changes. However with the increased regulations there have been increased loopholes and many ways to get around these regulations, many donating large sums of money argue they are not the most important part of the campaign and the significance still lies with the Candidates strength and skills. But as the 2008 and 2012 hugely exceeded the expenditure of any previous election it is clearly to see money is playing an increasingly significant role. FECA of 1974 aimed to reduce candidates’ reliance on few wealthy donors and equalise money spent by the major parties. This law was however weakened by the Supreme #Court in the Buckley v Valeo ruling that limitations on what individuals or PACs could spend infringed the 1st amendment. In a similar case the 2010 Citizens united v FEC decision restrictions on corporations was removed leading to Super PACs. These played a significant role in the fundraising and spending in the 2012 presidential election. Supporters see them as a positive consequence of free speech, however many see that they are yet another outlet for unlimited money in electoral politics. It is evident to see that money is the arguably the most significant part of the election process due. Barack Obama has taken part is the two most expensive elections, with 1. 1 billion being raised by Obama in 2012, raising more than Romney and subsequently won the presidential election. The increasing importance of finance has been shown by Obama’s actions in 2008, when he rejected federal funding in order to avoid restrictions on his spending, aware of the advantage of large fundraising support. Indeed in 2012, neither Romney nor Obama took matching funds and neither did any of Romney’s rivals in the Republican primaries suggesting an end to the era of matching funds. Campaign finance has not been sufficiently regulated; this is partly why it is increasingly dominate in the electoral process. As the campaign increases in length, and the apparent non-stop campaigning of US politics, with the invisible primaries, primaries and mid-term elections it is increasingly essential that candidates receive financial support and the need for bigger and earlier funds to compete in all rounds of the election process. The need to campaign through increasingly expensive TV adverts is ever the more important, as these target a large audience and can be very effective in building up own support or knocking an oppositions support. Money is also the most important factor due to the diversity and size of the American electorate. Many interests need to be targeted and this relies on different angles of campaigning with different emphasises on differing policies for individual groups of the electorate. For example Obama in 2012 gained a significant proportion of Latin voters – a +44% advantage over Romney – and targeted these voters with information about immigration. The need to reach out to such a large demographic of voters further puts strains on the costing of elections. Many states require visits and this insures great travel costs for each of the candidates as they go on election tours and rallys. Obama in 2012 visited 4 states in one day in November – New Hampshire, Florida, Ohio and Colorado. As the elections become ever closer swing states also play a higher significance and winning these states have a higher impact on the outcome of the election, visiting these is of primary importance and more money in advertising is require for these states due to the difference undecided voters can make. As the campaign extends and increases more political advisers are typically hired by candidates, Romney in 2012 had 24 Foreign Policy advisors working with him throughout the campaign. However, although money plays a part in the campaign, especially from an administrative point of view it is not the main deciding factor in a candidate’s success. Despite the spending of Bush in 2004 he would have most likely won despite this funding, and Romney is 2008 was the highest spender in the Republican primaries but was not the eventual winner. The use of the free media by candidates is limited and this requires to be bought supporting the argument of the significance of finance, however commercials can backfire and if the candidate is not a strong candidate with wide support this can cost them an election e. g. Bush and Willie Horton. The influence adverts has shown a higher significance media has rather than money being most dominant. This can be supported by the Presidential TV debates, where verbal errors can be costly and have proved difficult for many candidates for example Mondale in 1984. Elections can be won or loss due to the outcome of these debates, debates often do more to confirm what voters already feel about candidates and can challenge and influence de-aligned voters and can convert passive audiences. However the significance of these can be questioned, very few debates have been controversial or change the course of election events out of 30 debates that have taken place. Media today allows for 24hr news on cable and network TV. Radio, websites, social media and smart phones also play an increasingly role with many crediting Obama’s success among younger voters to the influence of social media. The media set the agenda, amplify debate and frame debates and messages. The role of policy and a candidate’s personal strengths can be said to play the most significant part. Opinions on key issues such as the economy in 2012, views and actions to tackle these key issues are likely to change voters’ minds and capture undecided voters. For example the swing voters play a large impact on deciding who wins an election, many in 2012 believe Obama’s ‘Latin vote advantage’ won him the election over Mitt Romney, and in a Reuters poll 61% of mothers felt the country was on the wrong track favouring their vote against the incumbent president. In conclusion, money does not guarantee electoral success but it is increasingly difficult to win without large funds due to the financial demands of the elongated campaigns and reliance on advertising. It is capturing the vote of most Americans that is most essential and significant in the election, and although this can be easier done with financial backing, finance does not necessarily affect people’s opinions presidential candidates and key issues. But as elections get increasingly expensive the dominance of money may lead to a situation whereby only wealthy candidates are able to mount a successful attempt at winning the presidential election.

History of Marie Antoinette as a Leader Essay

  Marie Antoinette has acquired a rather bad legacy in world history. She was the Archduchess of Austria, the Queen of France, and the fifteenth child of Maria Theresa, Empress of Austria. She was also the wife of King Louis XVI, the unpopular king of France. She was also the lucrative symbol of taste, power, and notoriety. Indeed, one when servant said, â€Å"the people of Paris are rioting because they have no bread,’ Marie Antoinette replied ‘Then, they should eat cake. ’ Marie Antoinette’s Austrian origin had made her an easy target of the revolutionaries who accused the royal family of treason. Many of the king’s decision and some of the ministers were heavily influenced by the queen. One such example was the king’s decision to remove Jacques Necker as minister of finance. The libelles accused the queen of having illegitimate sexual encounters with several lovers – a violation of state and church law. These accusations reflected the image of the Crown and in general the legitimacy of the ruling dynasty. Indeed, throughout France, the queen’s name was synonymous with disgust and luxury. The queen however was a leader cloaked in notoriety. As Larry Wolff argued: Precisely the qualities that were making Marie Antoinette into an emblem of decadence for the ancient regime had been realized on the brink of the French Revolution. The queen led by notoriety and abuse, whilst the king led by example and authority. Indeed, Marie Antoinette was not only the symbol of hatred and disgust, she was in essence the manifestation of such qualities (25). As a woman, Marie Antoinette was initially a person of integrity. When Maria Antoine became the only potential bride in the family, Empress Maria Theresa was generally dismayed. Marie Antoine had a cracked smile, due perhaps to the irregularity of her teeth. The empress commissioned a French doctor to perform some painful oral surgeries. After several months, France and Austria set a large dowry for Marie Antoinette. On the 7th of May 1770, Marie Antoinette was handed to the French monarchy. Madame Antoine showed great interest in the marriage, as it was the only way to forge a powerful alliance between the two great powers. Reaction to the marriage was initially mixed. The would-be-queen was popular among the French public. Indeed, her first appearance in the French capital was considered a success. At court, Marie Antoinette was not very popular. The nobles called Marie Antoinette ‘the Austrian woman. ’ Prominent officials of the court accused the queen of attempting to bend the king to Austria’s interests. The queen was frivolous of French politics. Indeed, in a letter to Empress Maria Theresa, her mother, she said: Madame, my very dear mother, I am delighted that Lent has not damaged your health. Mine is still rather good. The same can be said of my husband and the public. I am very grateful that the French people have accepted me as their queen. My joy is politics. Politics is what drives the kingdom into excitement and prejudice (32). Marie Antoinette’s relationship with the mistress of Louis VX was not very good. The mistress, Madame du Barry influenced the king to remove duc de Choiseul from power. Marie Antoinette spoke to Madame du Barry to resolve the crisis. After their conversation, the mistress was satisfied and the crisis over. The king, Louis XV, was pleased with Marie Antoinette. The influence of the Dauphine increased dramatically after the crisis. Marie Antoinette’s anxiety forced her to spend more on fashion and gambling. She spent mindlessly on clothing, special trips, shoes, and perfumes. She also developed intimate friendships with the ladies of the court. The princess de Lamballe became the Superintendent of the Household; the duchesse de Polignac became the Governess of the royal children; the comtesse de Provence became the teacher of the royal children. On the 27th of April 1774, the king fell ill. Marie Antoinette pressured the king to send his mistress away from Versailles. On the 10th of May, the king died of smallpox. The Dauphin was crowned King Louis XVI of France at Rheims. Marie Antoinette, unfortunately, was not crowned queen. Marie Antoinette became more and more desperate after the comtesse d’Artois gave birth to a son. The queen plunged into a spending spree – buying clothes from prominent dressmakers from Paris and gambling. The queen also attracted admirers from the king’s court. Louis XVI gave Marie Antoinette a duty. She was given responsibility to renovate the Petit Trianon. She ordered the construction of an elaborate garden with an arboretum of exotic species. Madame de Pompadour became one of the queen’s closest friends. With the consent of the king, the queen instituted several changes in the court. The queen abolished segregated dining spaces in the court and abandoned heavy make-up and widehooped panniers. The queen also participated in plays and musicals. She was very fond of acting and singing. She also started to influence the appointment of officials in the state. The Marquis de Castries and the Comte de Segur became minister of the navy and minister of war respectively. Unknown to many, their appointments were approved by Jacques Necker, the finance minister. On the 29th of November 1780, Empress Maria Theresa, the queen’s mother, died. Marie Antoinette was worried that the death of her mother would destroy the Franco-Austrian alliance. She sent a letter to Emperor Joseph to request an assurance that Austria had no intention of leaving the alliance. The success of Marie Antoinette’s correspondence saved the country from embarrassment. The king rewarded her with precious items for her services to the French nation. She soon gave birth to a male heir – the Dauphin. However, after the death of her mother, Marie Antoinette was semi-retired from politics. The king shelved the queen from the affairs of the court. Indeed, the king rarely talked to the queen about official policy. As a mother, Marie Antoinette devoted so much time for the royal children. She would tirelessly look after her children and even the children of her courtiers. The queen also read famous historical novels as well as Rousseau’s political philosophy. The queen developed an appetite for leaning the English language. On the 27th of March 1785, the queen gave birth to a second son. There were, of course, suspicions of infidelity. The image of a conspicuous, hard-headed, and spendthrift queen was becoming a public expression. A second daughter was born two years later. According to Wolff and Hubert, Marie Antoinette was a concocted image of power (92). She was the power behind the throne, not in its classic sense. Her actions were beyond the reprove of the king. Indeed, her actions proved detrimental to the king’s position. She also played one minister against another in an attempt to strengthen her own position. It is not a classic expression of power play, but a magnified reaffirmation of the queen’s uncertain position. The queen, above all, was never deterred by the intensity of French politics. She was politically independent. An example of such instance was her management of the Trianon. According to Sheriff: From the moment she was in possession of the petit Trianon, it was spread about in some societies that she had changed the name of the pleasure pavilion that the king had just given her and had substituted that of little Vienna or little Schonbrunn. A man of court, simple enough to believe the rumor and desiring to enter into her society at the petit Trianon wrote to M. Campan to ask permission of the queen. He had in his letter called Trianon little Vienna (61). During the French Revolution, the queen’s extraordinary qualities as a ‘born’ politician and power player began to emerge gradually. She sent letters to the German and Austrian monarchs to restore Louis XVI to the throne. She also sent correspondence to the British prime minister, enumerating the dangers of the Revolution. From time to time, she was actively involved in conspiracy. When she was about to be beheaded, she remarked with haste ‘Long Live the Bourbon dynasty. From a historical perspective, Marie Antoinette was an effective leader in its classic sense. Her power plays were not without purpose. Indeed, her influence was based on pure politics and charisma. Works Cited Sheriff, Mary. ‘Portrait of a Queen. ’ Marie Antoinette: Writings on the body of a Queen. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 2008. Wolff, Larry. ‘Hapsburg Letters. ’ Marie Antoinette: Writings on the body of a Queen. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 2008. Wolff, L and G. Hubert. The Monarchy in Flames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991.

What Family Family Means to Me

Abstract Family is important as it is also important to have a happy family. We might think at times what makes a happy family? Is there such a thing as a happy family? Or is it possible to have a happy family. Having a happy family as we all might know is not an easy task to do, but it is neither impossible. What we can do is search for element to guide us through a happy family. I understand that no one is perfect therefore; there is no perfect happy family. We will learn that a happy family is unique and different from other happy families since we are all different human beings.What Makes Up a Happy Family Is There Such A Thing? â€Å"All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. † (Sokolik, 2010) There is a question that at some point in life a family member may ask themselves is there such a thing as a happy family, or what the elements are in order to have a happy family. Every family is happy in a unique way, there is no such a thing to b e a one hundred percent happy family with no problems what so ever. Every family has problems whether they are marriage problems or problems with their children.They also share sadness, happiness, love, freedom and many more emotions at the same time; otherwise it would not be a happy family. â€Å"In happy families, family comes before friends. The camp counselor understands something that parents don’t and that is that caring for kids also has to be fun. Give rules, but understand that kids need fun, too. When kids get bored and listless, they start looking for excitement out of the home and that is when friends become more important. Friendship is important but subordinate to family. (Mann, 2012) Therefore we should not let our children become bored of us and look for their friends. We must save the future conflicts and try to have the most possible fun with our children so they don’t get bored of us and enjoy being with us their parents, their family. References A gnes, M. (2003). Webster's New World Dictionary. New York : Pocket Books. Mann, D. (2012). Web MD. Retrieved April 2012, from WebMD, LLC: http://www. webmd. com/parenting/features/15-secrets-to-have-a-happy-family Sokolik, M. K. (2010). Sound Ideas. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 58~59

58 Malink's Song â€Å"They're flying the new pilot in tomorrow,† said Sebastian Curtis. â€Å"I told them that Tucker wouldn't fly, so he had to be eliminated. They weren't happy about losing the heart and lungs.† Beth Curtis sat at her vanity, putting on her eye makeup for the appear-ance of the Sky Priestess. The red scarf was draped over the back of the chair. â€Å"Did you check the database? Maybe we can send another set of or-gans back with them. I can pick the chosen tonight and keep them in the clinic until tomorrow morning.† â€Å"The customer already died,† Curtis said. â€Å"Well, I guess he really was sick, then.† She laughed, a girlish laugh full of music. Sebastian loved her laugh. He smiled over her shoulder into the mirror. â€Å"I'm glad you're not concerned about Tucker Case. I understand, Beth. Really. I was just jealous.† â€Å"Tucker who? Oh, you mean Tucker dead-at-sea Case? ‘Bastian, dear, I did what I did for us. I thought it would keep him under control. Write it off as one of life's little missteps. Besides, if he's not dead now, he will be in a day or so.† â€Å"He made it here on the open ocean. Through a typhoon.† â€Å"And with the navigator. Remember, I've seen him fly. He's dead. That old cannibal is probably munching on his bones right now.† She checked her lipstick and winked at him in the mirror. â€Å"Showtime, darling.† Malink trudged through the jungle, his shoulders aching from the basket of food he was carrying. Each day he had been taking food to Sarapul's hiding place. It was not that he didn't trust his people, but he did not want to burden any of them with such a weighty secret. The last of them to see the cannibal saw him covered with blood, gasping in the sand. Malink had told them that Sarapul was dead and that Malink had given his body to the sharks. A chief had to carry many secrets, and sometimes he had to lie to his people to spare them pain. After the third day, Malink was ready to let the cannibal go back to his house on the far side of the island. The guards were no longer searching, and the Sorcerer had stopped asking questions. Perhaps things would go back to the way they were. But maybe that wasn't right either. Malink didn't want to, but he believed the pilot. The Sky Priestess and the Sorcerer were going to hurt his people. He was too old for this. He was too old to fight. And how do you fight machine guns with spears and machetes? He paused by a giant mahogany tree and put the basket down while he caught his breath. He saw smoke drifting in streams over the ferns and looked in the direction it was coming from. Someone was there, obscured by a tall stand of taro leaves as big as elephant ears. There was a rustling there. Malink crouched. â€Å"You're not scared, are you, squirt?† Malink recognized the voice from his childhood and he wasn't scared. But he knew he didn't have to say so. â€Å"I am not a squirt. I am old man now.† Vincent swaggered out of the taro. His flight suit and bomber jacket looked exactly as Malink remembered. â€Å"You're always gonna be a squirt, kid. You still got that lighter I gave you?† Malink nodded. â€Å"That was my lucky Zippo, kid. I shoulda hung on to it. Fuck it. Spilt milk.† Vincent waved his cigarette in dismissal. â€Å"Look, I need you to build some ladders. You know what a ladder is, right?† â€Å"Yes,† Malink said. â€Å"Of course you do, smart kid like you. So I am needing you to build, oh, say six ladders, thirty feet long, strong and light. Use bamboo. Are you getting this, kid?† Malink nodded. He was grinning from ear to ear. Vincent was speaking to him again. â€Å"You're talkin' my ear off, kid. So, anyway, I need you to build these ladders, see, as I am having big plans for you and the Shark People. Large plans, kid. Hugely large. I'm talking about substantial fuckin' plans I am having. Okay?† Malink nodded. â€Å"Good, build the ladders and stand by for further orders.† The flyer began to back away into the taro patch. â€Å"You said you would come back,† Malink said. â€Å"You said you would come back and bring cargo.† â€Å"You don't look like you been shorted on the feedbag, kid. You got your cargo in spades.† â€Å"You said you would come back.† Vincent threw up his hands. â€Å"So what the fuck's this? Western Union? Don't go screwy on me, kid. I need you.† The pilot started to fade, going as translucent as his cigarette smoke. Malink stepped forward. â€Å"The Sky Priestess will tell us orders?† â€Å"The Sky Priestess took a powder fifty years ago, kid. This dame doing the bump and grind on my runway is paste.† â€Å"Paste?† â€Å"She's a fake, squirt. A boneable feast to be sure, but she's running a game on you.† â€Å"She is not Sky Priestess?† â€Å"No, but don't piss her off.† With that the pilot faded to nothing. Malink leaned back against the mahogany tree and looked up through the canopy to the sky. His skin tingled and his breath was coming easy and deep. The ache in his knees was gone. He was light and strong and full, and every birdcall or rustle of leaves or distant crash of a wave seemed part of a great and wonderful song. 59 Call in the Cavalry They had missed Guam and Saipan (passing at night) and all the Northern Mariana Islands (drifting in fog) and Johnston Island and all ships at sea (no reason, they just missed). The sunscreen had run out on the seventh day. The drinking coconuts ran out on the fourteenth. They still had some shark meat that had been smoked and dried, but Tuck couldn't choke down a bite of it without water. They had had nothing to drink for a full day. They were at sea for three days before Sepie came out of her catatonia, and after a day of sobbing, she started to talk. â€Å"I miss him,† she said. â€Å"He listen to me. He like me even when I am being mean.† â€Å"Me too. I treated him badly sometimes too. He was a good guy. A good friend.† â€Å"He love you very much,† Sepie said. She was crying again. Tuck looked down, shielding his face so she couldn't see his eyes. â€Å"I'm sorry, Sepie. I know you loved him. I didn't mean to put him in danger. I didn't mean to put you in danger.† She crawled to his end of the canoe and into his arms. He held her there for a long time, rocking her until she stopped crying. He said, â€Å"You'll be okay.† â€Å"Kimi say he would sail me to America someday. You will take me?† â€Å"Sure. You'll like it there.† â€Å"Tell me,† she said. She grilled Tuck about all things American, making him explain everything from television to tampons. Tuck learned about men, about how simple they were, about how easily they could be manipulated, about how good they could make a woman feel when they were nice, and how much they could hurt a woman by dying. Telling the things that they knew made them each feel smart, and sharing the duties of sailing the boat made them feel safe. It was easier to live in the little world inside the canoe rather than face the vast emptiness of the open ocean. Sepie took to curling into Tuck's chest and sleeping while he steered. Twice Tuck fell asleep in her arms and no one steered the boat for hours. Tuck didn't let it bother him. He had accepted that they were going to die. It seemed so easy now that he wondered why he'd made such an effort to escape it on the island. Roberto hadn't spoken since the first night. He hung from the lines and pointed with a wing claw when Tuck called to him. When Tuck was still reckoning, he reckoned that they were traveling at an average speed of five knots. At five knots, twenty-four hours a day, for fourteen days, he reckoned that they had traveled well over two thousand miles. Tuck reckoned that they were now sailing though downtown Sacramento. His reckoning wasn't any better than his navigation. On the fifteenth day Roberto took flight and Tuck watched him until he was nothing but a dot on the horizon, then nothing at all. Tuck didn't blame him. He accepted his own death, but he didn't want to watch Sepie go before him. At sunset he tied off the steering oar, took Sepie in his arms, and lay down in the bottom of the boat to wait. Sometime later – he couldn't tell how long, but it was still dark – he woke with a parched scream when a tube of mascara dropped out of the sky and hit him in the chest. Sepie sat up and snatched the tube from the bottom of the boat. â€Å"To make you pretty,† she said. Her voice cracked on â€Å"pretty.† Tuck was too disoriented to recognize what she was holding. He took it from her and squinted at it. â€Å"It's mascara.† â€Å"Roberto,† Sepie said. Tuck looked around in the sky, but didn't see the bat. It was beginning to get light. â€Å"You brought us mascara? We're dying of thirst and you brought us mascara?† â€Å"Kimi teach him,† Sepie said. Tuck didn't think he had the energy left for outrage, but it was coming nonetheless. â€Å"You†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Sepie put a finger to his lips. â€Å"Listen.† Tuck listened. He heard nothing. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Surf.† Tuck listened. He heard it. He also heard something else, a rhythmic stirring in the water much closer to the canoe. He looked in the direction of the noise and saw something moving over the water toward them. â€Å"Aloha!† came out of the dark, followed by a middle-aged white man in an ocean kayak. â€Å"I guess I'm not the only one who likes to get out early,† he said. In their first hour at the Waikiki Beach Hyatt Regency, Sepie flushed the toilet seventy-eight times and consumed two hundred and forty dollars' worth of product from the minibar (five Pepsis and a box of Raisinets). â€Å"You poop in here and it just goes away?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"In this big bowl?† She pointed. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"You poop?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"And you push this?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"And it goes away?† â€Å"That's right.† â€Å"Where?† â€Å"To the next room.† Plumbing. They hadn't talked about plumbing. â€Å"And they push this and it goes away?† â€Å"Look, Sepie, there's a TV in here. You push this and it changes the picture.† Tuck couldn't be sure because they'd never had sex and because she'd told him about how she could fool a man, but he thought she might have come right then. He made her promise not to leave the room and left her there flushing and clicking while he went to the police. The desk sergeant at the Honolulu police department listened patiently and politely and with appropriate concern right up until Tuck said, â€Å"I know I look a little ratty, but I've been at sea in an open boat for two weeks.† At which point the sergeant held up his hand signifying it was his turn to talk. â€Å"You've been at sea for two weeks?† â€Å"Yes. I escaped by boat.† â€Å"So how long ago did these alleged murders happen?† â€Å"I don't know exactly. One about a month ago, one longer.† â€Å"And you're just getting around to reporting them now?† I told you. I was trapped on Alualu. I escaped in a sailing canoe.† â€Å"Then,† the sergeant said, â€Å"Alualu is not a street in Honolulu.† â€Å"No. It's an island in Micronesia.† â€Å"I can't help you, sir. That's out of our jurisdiction.† â€Å"Well, who can help me?† â€Å"Try the FBI.† So Tuck, on the cab ride to the FBI offices, changed his strategy. He'd wait until he got past the front line of defense before spilling his guts. The receptionist was a petite Asian woman of forty who spoke English so precisely that Tuck knew it had to be her second language. â€Å"I'm sure I can help you if you will just tell me what it is that you'd like to report.† â€Å"I can't. I have to talk to an agent. I won't be comfortable unless I talk to a real agent.† She looked offended and her speech became even crisper. â€Å"Perhaps you can tell me the nature of the crime.† Tuck thought for a moment. What did the FBI always handle on television? Al Capone, Klansmen, bank robberies, and†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Kidnapping,† he said. â€Å"There's been a kidnapping.† â€Å"And who has been kidnapped? Have you filed a missing persons report with the local police?† Tuck shook his head and stood his ground. â€Å"I'll tell an agent.† The receptionist picked up the phone and punched a number. She turned away from him and covered her mouth with her hand as she spoke into the mouthpiece. She hung up and said, â€Å"There's an agent on his way.† â€Å"Thanks,† Tuck said. A few minutes later a door opened and a dark-haired guy who looked like a mobile mannequin from a Brooks Brothers window display entered the reception room and extended his hand to Tuck. â€Å"Mr. Case, I'm Special Agent Tom Myers. Would you step into my office, please?† Tuck shook his hand and followed him though the door and down a hallway of identical ten-by-twelve offices with identical metal desks that displayed identical photos of identical families in identical dime-store frames. Myers motioned for Tuck to sit and took the seat behind the desk. â€Å"Now, Rose tells me that you want to report a kidnapping?† Special Agent Myers unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. â€Å"You allowed to do that?† Tuck asked. â€Å"Casual Fridays,† the special agent said. â€Å"Oh,† Tuck said. â€Å"Yes. Kidnapping, multiple murder, and the theft and sale of human organs for transplant.† Myers showed no reaction. â€Å"Go on.† And Tuck did. He began with the offer of the job on Alualu and ended with his arrival in Hawaii, leaving out the crash of Mary Jean's jet, the subsequent loss of his pilot's license and pending criminal charges, anything to do with cargo cults, cannibals, transvestites, ghost pilots, talking bats, and genital injuries. As he wrapped up, he thought the edited version sounded pretty credible. Special Agent Myers had not changed position or expression once in the half hour that Tuck had talked. Tuck thought he saw him blink once, though. Special Agent Myers leaned back in his chair (casual Fridays) and templed his fingers. â€Å"Let me ask you something,† he said. â€Å"Sure,† Tuck said. â€Å"Are you the Tucker Case that got drunk and crashed the pink jet in Seattle a few months ago?† Tuck could have slapped him. â€Å"Yes, but that doesn't have anything to do with this.† â€Å"I think it does, Mr. Case. I think it affects the credibility of what is already an incredible story. I think you should leave my office and go about the business of putting your life in order.† â€Å"I'm telling you the truth,† Tuck said. He was fighting panic. He worked to stay calm. â€Å"Why would I make up a story like that? As you pointed out, I've got enough on my plate just rebuilding my life. I'm not so stupid that I'd add charges for filing a false crime report to all the others. If you have to take me into custody, do it. But do something about what's going on out on that island or a lot more people are going to die.† â€Å"Even if I believed your story, what would you like me to do?† And there Tuck lost it.† ‘Special agent.' Does that mean that you had to take the little bus to the academy?† â€Å"I was at the top of my class.† A rise. â€Å"Then act like it.† â€Å"What do you want, Mr. Case?† Tuck jumped up and leaned over the desk. Special Agent Myers rolled back in his chair. â€Å"I want you to stop them. I want covert action and deadly technology. I want Navy SEALS and snipers and spies and laser-guided smart stealth gizmos out the ying-yang. I want surgical strikes and satellite views and a steaming shitload of every sort of Tom Clancy geegaw you got. I want fucking Jack Ryan, James Bond, and a half-dozen Van Damme motherfuck-ers who can jump through their own asses and rip your heart out while it's still beating. I want action, Special Agent Myers. This is evil shit.† â€Å"Sit down, Mr. Case.† Tuck sat down. His energy was gone. â€Å"Look, I'm giving myself up. Arrest me, throw me in jail, beat me with a rubber hose, do whatever you want to do, but stop what's going on out there.† Special Agent Myers smiled. â€Å"I don't believe a word you've told me, but even if I did, even if you had evidence of what you're claiming, I still couldn't do anything. The FBI can only act on domestic matters.† â€Å"Then tell someone who handles international matters.† â€Å"The CIA only handles matters that affect national security, and frankly, I wouldn't embarrass myself by calling them.† â€Å"Fuck it, then. Take me away.† Tuck held out his arms to receive handcuffs. â€Å"Go back to your hotel and get some rest, Mr. Case. There are no outstanding warrants for your arrest.† â€Å"There aren't?† Tuck felt as if he'd been gut-punched. â€Å"I checked the computer before I brought you in here.† Myers stood. â€Å"I'll show you out.† After another cab ride and another truncated telling of his story, Tuck was also shown out of the Japanese embassy. He found a pay phone and soon he had been hung up on by both the American Medical Association and the Council of Methodist Missionaries. He found Sepie curled up on the king-size bed, the television still blaring in the bathroom, three minibottles of vodka empty on the floor. Tuck considered raiding the minibar himself, but when he opened it, he opted for a grapefruit juice instead of gin. Getting hammered wasn't going to take the edge off this time, and at this rate, the money he'd left on deposit at the desk in lieu of a credit card – the money that Sarapul had found in Tuck's pack – would run out in two days. He sat down on the bed and stroked Sepie's hair. She had put on mascara while he was out and had made a mess of it. Funny, she'd walked into the hotel wearing one of Tuck's shirts – the first time she'd worn a top in her life – looking very much the little girl and now she had on makeup and was passed out drunk. Tuck had a feeling that coming to America was not going to be easy on either of them. He kissed her on the forehead and she moaned and rolled over. â€Å"Perfume tomorrow,† she said. â€Å"You get me some, okay?† â€Å"Okay,† Tuck said. â€Å"A woman who smells good is a woman who feels good.† The phrase rattled off the walls of his brain. He snatched up the phone and punched up information. When the operator came on, he said, â€Å"Houston, area code 713†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 