Leaving Mexico To Fin For Its Self Even With All The Debt

Leaving Mexico to fin for its self even with all the debt it owes was not part of the United States plans. They organized a way where they not only benefited but help dragged Mexico out of the mess they made. By teaming with two of the most powerful nations in world Mexicans would be able to grab hold or its own country and form a Mexico is a middle-class. businesses. As a result, modern Mexico is a middle-class country (Steffan, 2017). The World Bank estimates that some 95 percent of Mexico s population is in the middle or the upper class. (O’Neil 2013) Mexico was able to utilize its resources to help fulfil needs from the United States. This made it so there was an industry to focus the succeeding in the huge numbers. â€Å"NAFTA gave a†¦show more content†¦Looking at the numbers from 1993 until today it proves that this out reach program from these nations greatly benefited they economic and political development. It helped Mexicans put their labor to use and cont ribute to the worlds revenue. These statistics depicts a time line that demonstrates the progression by more than five hundred percent. This is outstanding due to the two decades it achieved all of these accomplishments in. The two countries accounted for 34% of total U.S. exports in 2016. In imports, Canada and Mexico ranked second and third, respectively, as suppliers of U.S. imports in 201 (CRS Reports 2010). Even with Mexico coming in second and third on the import chart that is still astonishing for the fact that it had one of the most tremendous crisis in the world. With over 30 percent of its people being in complete poverty. The Mexican nation was still able to pull together and create a bond which helped them not only make amends to the debt which was owed but also take back it’s nation and build it to the strongest it has ever been. With the massive lost in the previous year’s Mexico was able to create a democracy unlike anywhere else in the world. It may not have been a pure democracy but the people were able to vote for its leaders and political parties came about. â€Å"Their were different political parties which the people acknowledge to support the rise of this new economi c development era. One party in particular is theShow MoreRelatedStarbucks Annual Report 200846643 Words   |  187 Pagescrossroads. We had just completed a very difï ¬ cult ï ¬ scal 2008, and after 16 years of continuous growth as a public company, we were for the ï ¬ rst time talking about slowing growth, store closures and cost reductions. Consumer conï ¬ dence was approaching all-time lows, and both Wall Street and Main Street were reeling. In the face of these challenges, we made what many believed to be a controversial decision to invest in our people. For me, the decision was obvious. The core of our brand and of our successRead MoreSience23554 Words   |  95 Pagesshort term events, while climate change is a longer process that affects the weather. A warming planet is actually consistent with increasing cold, increasing rain and other extremes, as an overall warmer planet changes weather patterns everywhere at all times of the year. Deke Arndt, head of the Climate Monitoring Branch for the National Climatic Data Center in the US explains it with an analogy: Climate kind of trains the boxer, but weather throws the punches. And what climate will do isRead MoreInstitution as the Fundamental Cause of Long Tern Growth39832 Words   |  160 PagesPablo Querubà ­n and Barry Weingast for their helpful suggestions. The views expressed herein are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the National Bureau of Economic Research.  ©2004 by Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James Robinson. All rights reserved. Short sections of text, not to exceed two paragraphs, may be quoted without explicit permission provided that full credit, including  © notice, is given to the source. Institutions as the Fundamental Cause of Long-Run Growth DaronRead MoreDamodaran Book on Investment Valuation, 2nd Edition398423 Words   |  1594 Pagesin every market. There are those who are disingenuous enough to argue that value is in the eyes of the beholder, and that any price can be justified if there are other investors willing to pay that price. That is patently absurd. Perceptions may be all that matter when the asset is a painting or a sculpture, but investors do not (and should not) buy most assets for aesthetic or emotional reasons; 2 financial assets are acquired for the cashflows expected on them. 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The Legacy Of Nelson Mandela - 1647 Words

Imagine being systematically oppressed from the moment you exited the womb. All your civil rights, based on the amount of melanin in your skin. Drinking from the wrong water fountain, could even get you thrown into jail. Coincidently; this was the life, of black South Africans from the moment of Dutch colonization in 1652, to the first true democratic election in 1994. Apartheid, meaning â€Å"separateness† in Afrikaans; was legal segregation enforced by The National Party (NP) from 1948 to 1994. It legally imposed preexisting policies of racial discrimination on the Majority of the South African population. The entire basis of the racist policies, was the darker your complexion the less legal rights you had. Presumably this injustice, could have continued much longer if it weren’t for all involved in the fight against the NP, however the man who arguably contributed the most, was Nelson Mandela. He ended an apartheid, with both his philanthropy and political prowess. He united a nation that used to be segregated; which seemed a daunting task at the time, but through the sweat and bloodshed he achieved the impossible. This alone exhibited his heroic characteristics, but to be more precise: both his actions and inactions lead to his success. Furthermore, Mandela was both a strong leader and forgiving at the same-time. Being in the forefront of the abolishment movement, was an extremely risky move during the apartheid. He risked his life for what he believed in, and this personalShow MoreRelatedThe Legacy Of Nelson Mandela998 Words   |  4 Pages Nelson Mandela was born on July 18th, 1918 in Mvezo. Born into a royal family of the Thembu tribe, his father, Gadla Henry Mphakanjswa served as chief of their home village. When his father passed away in 1930 Mandela was adopted by Jongintab Dalindyebo. As the Active King of the Thembu people he began to prepare Mandela for a leadership role within the tribe. Mandela was the first in his family to recei ve a formal education, which he conducted at a local missionary school. After that he attendedRead MoreThe Legacy Of Nelson Mandela1377 Words   |  6 PagesThere are very few leaders in every decade in the history of the world that have excelled in leaving their legacy and charisma behind. Their lives are historical and always inspirational to the succeeding generations. Nelson Mandela is among these few charismatic leaders, who spent his entire life for his unquenchable thirst for freedom and human rights. His life was a consistent battle; battle against inequality, racism, peace and democracy. His perseverance and indomitable spirit helped him toRead MoreThe Legacy Of Nelson Mandela893 Words   |  4 Pagesas a unified population. Nelson Mandela was a key figure of someone who wanted equal rights and would do whatever it takes to achieve that goal. The South African people initially did not have any decision on politics, where they lived, occupation, and etc. Nelson Mandela, wh o was a part of this South African population, followed his beliefs to eventually change these laws for his people. Even Nelson did not have the full rights as a human, but that never stopped him. Nelson and his people wanted theRead MoreThe Legacy of Nelson Mandela1215 Words   |  5 Pagessystem of apartheid (â€Å"In Nelson Mandela’s own words†). Nelson Mandela was a moral compass symbolizing the struggle against racial oppression. Nelson Mandela emerged from prison after twenty-seven years to lead his country to justice. For twenty-seven years he sat in a cell because he believed in a country without apartheid, a country with freedom and human rights. He fought for a country where all people were equal, treated with respect and given equal opportunity. Nelson Mandela looms large in the actionsRead MoreThe Legacy Of Nelson Mandela1350 Words   |  6 Pagesone s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others† (Nelson Mandela. Hi story). Nelson Mandela, a anti-apartheid activist, became one of the world’s most significant freedom fighter. His numerous acts and protests flooded South Africa with immense pride and peace and therefore grew South Africa into a thriving, substantial economy with minimal racial boundaries. Nelson Mandela was a prominent political leader who brought a dynamic end to the apartheid struggle, foughtRead MoreOutline Of Nelson Mandela s Legacy2404 Words   |  10 PagesNelson Mandela 2 2 Nelson Mandela Hallmark Assessment Task: Nelson Mandela Jackie D. McDowell University of Louisville Dr. Carpenter, Bradley ELFH 490-91 May 15, 2015 Hallmark Assessment Task: Nelson Mandela Introduction Nelson Mandela is one of the most iconic leaders of the 20th century. 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Doggy Care Executive Summary Free Essays

â€Å"Doggie steps† is a pet business venture, which aims to be set as a leading example in booming business of pet care markets. The operations of the company will be modelled on the basis of innovation, strategic acquisition and brand growth. With a fantastic portfolio of human resources and products which we are intensely passionate about, we will delight growing number of customers in gurgaon with great care every single day. We will write a custom essay sample on Doggy Care Executive Summary or any similar topic only for you Order Now Everything we do will be channelled by the company’s philosophy of care, innovation, customer centricity and intense passion. This report will outline the initial steps to meet the company’s objectives and goals. This report has been formulated after collecting individual insights from key players of the company; which will be instrumental in establishing the company â€Å"Doggie steps†. Our report begins with an overview related to the key events and the developments that has aided the company founders to set up this business venture. In this section, the readers will be able to relate the company’s vision to the significant details of the market. Strategic approach to needs and reasons for choosing a location has been summarised in this section. A brief account of the market related figures has been provided in the market analysis section of the report. This section will also broach upon the current gaps in the market that needs proper attention. The next section will explain how the company is going to provide value to the customers. A six step plan, which has been formulated by the company founders, has been provided in this section. The company aims to win market share by practicing the six step plan. Also a detailed marketing mix comprising key characteristics has been explained in detail to complement and help us meet our goals with respect to the six step plan. The following sections- pricing and distribution channels has been supported with facts and figures that will be implemented by the company to start up the operations of our business venture. The next section, planning, is explained in detail to provide a clear view of the strategies that will be executed to abide by our mission and eventually realize our vision. This section will illustrate that the company has a bold ambition to build a national framework by entering new markets, unconquered markets and with service that will be differentiated and practiced on the scale of world class delivery. The planning section has been divided into sales and financial to provide a clear understanding of the amount that will be invested and the consequential return on investment that will be stipulated for the company. The financial planning section has been formulated with the help of well known business strategists in the market of pet care. Accounting records has also been provided in this section to help the reader analyze the probability of profits and minimization of losses for the company on account of the initial expenditures. The section operational plan has requisite conditions specified for the type of customers that the company is going to cater to. These conditions has been made based on the historical records of the pet care activities which included damages caused by the unruly behaviour of different species of dogs that had been catered to. Health related specifications in the conditions, mentioned in the section have also been provided based on the advice of veterinarians and members of animal council organizations. A schedule for the operational activities has also been provided in this section to help the customers to understand the different services offered at different times. The company aims to deliver exceptional service by employing qualified personnel’s. The report will also identify the reasons, why doggie steps as a company will be embracing talented professionals to provide high class of service in the city of Gurgaon. The section- human resource and human – resource policies have been made after indentifying the needs of the company and the goals that the company is aspiring for. A brief explanation of the job profiles of each valuable participant of our operation has been outlined to help the readers understand the amount of care and service that our customer will be given. At the end of the report, policies have been explained in brief to give an account of the codes and conduct that will be practices by our company. Finally, this report is an account of the business operations of a newly formed company that will be looking to enhance its prospects in the coming years. Several key strategies instrumental for the success of our company is formulated on the aspect; a new company entering a growing sector and aspirations to reach new heights in the field of pet-care. The founders of the company are aspiring to build a national brand by focussing on innovation, processes, distribution and people. In each section of this report, the aforementioned characteristics will be the basis to explain the strategies, figures and goals for the company. Through this report, we would like to encourage our business partners and customers to share our vision and join us on our mission. How to cite Doggy Care Executive Summary, Papers

Pros & Cons of Change Agents Implications for Organizations Sample

Question: Discuss the pros and cons of change agents implications for organizations. Answer: Introduction The contemporary scenario has witnessed a rise in the level of changes associated with technology with the help of technological innovations. In addition to technological changes, there has been a considerable rise in the number of competitors. Hence, in order to tackle the challenges pertaining to competition and meet with the changing needs of the people, there is a need to ensure that the companies are able to implement necessary changes in the organization. Herein, it must be noted that the process of change management is considered as a vital aspect associated with managing change in the organization and ensuring that the process of change management occurs in a successful manner. The process of change management requires the intervention of change advisors who have the key responsibility of managing change in the organization. Change advisors can further be categorized into internal and external; change advisors. Contextually, there further exist a number of pros and cons under lying use of change agents for an organization (McCalman, Paton Siebert, 2015). Hence, based on an assessment of the role play conducted on a one-to-three interview, I would like to share my experiences regarding the pros and cons of using internal and/or external change agents by an organization. I would further focus upon detailing the implications pertaining to organizations and the key questions for change agents. Role of Change Agent It is evident from the interview conducted as parts of the role-play that change agent have an important role to play in managing change in the organizations. According to my interpretation of the role play, I was able to understand that it is very difficult for the companies to make interventions by themselves. From my perspective, intervention change advisors are required in situations when an organization is under pressure from its competitors and it is considered tough for the organization to operate without the intervention of change advisors. I further analyzed that the role pertaining to change advisors needs to be understood with the help of various process underlying organizational change. Specifically mentioning, the role play equipped me with an understanding of the fact that there are there are two ways to work with the change advisors that can be subdivided into internal and external change advisors. Correspondingly, according to my interpretation of the discussion, I no ted that internal change advisors are the ones who are the internal employees of the organization. On the contrary, external change advisors are considered as the ones who provide the most appropriate intervention to an organization in case an organization requires the same. In addition to interpreting the roles played by the change advisors, I was further able to derive an understanding of the various advantages as well as disadvantages associated with recruiting internal and/or external change advisors (Jain, 2005). Pros Cons of using Change Agents My understanding of the knowledge gained from the interview suggests that both the internal as well as external change agents carry a number of advantages and disadvantages. Internal change agents are people such as CEOs, executives, managers and board members of the organization. From the interview session conducted with one of the interviewees, I was able to recognize the importance of internal change advisors regarding the manner in which they helped in implementing interventions. My opinion of the views held by the respondent is fairly true since internal agents are considered as having an established relationship with the employee. I think that this is appropriate since internal change advisors have been trained in values and further possess an understanding of the behavior of organization. Additionally, this might mean that internal change advisors give their views at the time of implementation of change process (Grnwald, 2015). Correspondingly, my opinion about this experience suggests that internal change advisors are beneficial for managing change, and the company does not have to pay extra expenses considering the fact that they receive equal wages when compared with the change initiative. I was further able to develop an understanding of certain examples that strengthened my perception of change advisors. I was able to take a note of the example of Erico Tadashi Yamamoto, who was the Chief Information Officer and Chief Process Officer at Maritima Seguros. After the company hired Yamamoto, it was able to make considerable amount of progress, considering the fact that Yamamoto was able to implement new changes along with the necessary efficiency measures. My opinion regarding the aforementioned example is that being an internal change advisor provides an added advantage to the organization in managing change effectively. Moreover, I consider that a successful internal change agent needs to understand the employees towards making sustainable changes in the organization and ensuring that the organization is capable of meeting with customer requirements. The interview further provided me with an understanding of the fact that internal change advisors are required in organizations that requires implementing long term period of intervention change. Correspondingly, I further realized that the implementation of long-term changes requires an internal knowledge regarding the organization that is made easily possible through an internal advisor. This information will be useful to me since it would enable me to foster my knowledge regarding the pros of internal change advisors. This further suggests that the internal change advisors possess a considerable amount of knowledge regarding the organization and are hence able to make more appropriate decisions. Moreover, they have higher level of authority and control when compared with the external change advisors. Contrarily, from the interview, I further noted some of the disadvantages attributed with the internal change advisors. Although, the disadvantages of each of the internal and external change advisors were discussed to a limited extent; however, a number of disadvantages can be highlighted during the conversation. The cons of internal change advisors include holding biased views and carrying limited level of expertise regarding change management as they emerge from bottom to top levels within the organization (Schollaert, 2003). On a similar note, I was able to develop my knowledge regarding the benefits of seeking assistance from external change advisors in the process of managing organizational change. Specifically mentioning, conversation with one of the respondents equipped me with the benefits of selecting external change managers that include community activists, suppliers and investors. The external change advisors are concerned with dealing with similar issues along with change process across various organizations. According to my opinion, the external change advisors hold considerable amount of expertise and experience that is beneficial towards managing the various change processes that are considered beneficial for the organization. I further learnt about the examples of some of the companies such as Six Sigma and TQM that are considered as the prime external consulting firms associated with transforming countries across the globe. From a similar perspective, I think that external change advisors are important since they are required to attain wider as well as complex changes in the organization that are not possible with the help of internal change interventions. However, as opposed to my perception of the pros of external change advisors, I was also able to develop an understanding of a number of disadvantages underlying external change agents, which include involvement of higher costs and lack of appropriate knowledge regarding the organization. Additionally, lack of acceptance of external change agents by the employees was another important factor that shaped my perspective of external change management for managing change in organizations (Lunenburg, 2010). Implementation of Intervention Change In addition to gaining an understanding of the perspectives highlighting the pros and cons of internal and external change agents, I was further able to assess the manner in which such agents were capable of facilitating change management in organizations. As per the views shared by the participants, firms must realize that change management is a continuous process, and hence, it is vital for the organization to ensure that the employees are provided with continuous performance support after change implementation. Hence, based on my perspective, I consider that good relation and mutual understanding amongst the manager and change agents can play a successful role in implementation of intervention technologies. The case of Nissan and Renault as disclosed during the discussion further broadened my understanding of the importance of intervention change that can be made successful with the help of developing mutual understanding towards enabling development of technical skills, managemen t as well as expertise (Thomas, Robert Paul, 1990). Problems encountered in Change Intervention In addition to highlighting the pros and cons of change advisors, the role-play further enhanced my level of understanding regarding the problems encountered as part of change intervention. Such problems include lack of support from the leaders and the management and negligence of human aspect. Rapid implementation of change was another significant problem that hindered the implementation of change, which results in lack of communication. Hence, in my opinion, I consider that successful change intervention is only possible in case external and/or internal change agents participate throughout change phase (Lunenburg, 2010). Conclusion I consider that change management plays an imperative role in development of an organization, which is ensured with the help of internal and external change agents. The information regarding pros and cons of change agents will be beneficial for enhancing my level of understanding regarding the same. I consider that changes needs to execute in case of business necessity and employees further need to ensure that they are able to adjust to such changes. References Grnwald, N. (2015). Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Sustainability. Hamburg: BoD Books on Demand. Jain, N.K. (2005). Organisational BehaviourVol. 2, Volume 2. India: Atlantic Publishers Dist. Lunenburg, F.C. (2010). Managing Change: The Role of the Change Agent. International Journal of Management, 13(1), 1-6. McCalman, J., Paton, R.A. Siebert, S. (2015). Change Management: A Guide to Effective Implementation. US: SAGE. Schollaert, R. (2003). Disclosing the Treasure Within: Towards Schools as Learning Communities. Belgium: Garant. Thomas, L. C., Robert, J. V. Paul, H. M. (1990). Internal and External Change Agents. Leadership Organization Development Journal, 11(1), 415.

Pablo Picasso Essays (293 words) - Netscape, AOL, Internet Suites

Pablo Picasso have always had an interest in art but nothing major. All throughout high school and grade school I attended art classes and always seemed to enjoy them more than my peers. It wasn't until I attended this art class that I realized that art is more than just paint and water. It is what ever you make of it. Being that I never painted before that also means that I've never studied any artists either. While completing my art assignments this semester I have also been reading about a certain artist on the side. No one could ever get me to pick up a book before but something in this art experience made me do it on my own. The man that I have been studying is not only intriguing but is beautiful and entertaining in his own ways. Not only is this man a legend but has taught me to look deeper into a work of art because you could find your own meaning of life. This man that I speak of is non other than Pablo Picasso. Picasso was born in Malaga, Spain in 1881. His family had lived in Bibliography Bibliography Day, Nancy. Animal Experimentation. New Jersey, 1994. Dolan, F. Edward. Animal Rights. New York, 1986. Farm Sanctuaries. Online. Netscape. Available. Factoryfarming.com September 1999. PETA. Online. Netscape. Available. http:// wwwbullfighting.com September 1999. PETA. Online. Netscape. Available. http:// www.carriagerides.com September 1999. PETA. Online. Netscape. Available. http:// www.circuses.com September 1999. PETA. Online. Netscape. Available. http:// www.greyhounds.com September 1999 PETA. Online. Netscape. Available. http:// www.peta-online.org October 1999. Pets Alive Animal Sanctuary. Online. Netscape. Available. http://www. RobinsFYL.com/petsalive.htm. August 1999. Whiley, Sarah. Pets Alive Animal Sanctuary. Interview. In Person. April 1999. Arts and Painting

Correction for Essay

Correction for Essay Correction for Essay Avery Anderson Period 3 November 2014 Family influences how people think and feel about the world around them, because people spend the most time with their family. In â€Å"By Any Other Name†, Santha Rau and her sister Premila went to the Anglo Indian day school in Zorinabad. They are exposed to British ways of thinking, which conflicts with the way their family taught them how to think about themselves and the world around them. This causes confusion and apathy in Santha. When Santha is given her new name Cynthia, she gets confused about who she is because her family already gave her a name. The teacher asks Santha to introduce her-self by saying her name in front of the class, she simply says â€Å"I don’t know† (Rau 36) and takes a seat. Since Santha was already taught by her mother the basics they were learning in class, she wasn’t really paying attention. She writes, â€Å"most of that morning I was bored †¦ the lessons were mostly concerned with reading and writing – things my mother had already taught me† (Rau 37). Santha saw herself as the identity that her family gave her as a kid. When that was changed by the British it caused confusion, because she lost sight of what she thought her identity was. Also her mom already taught her how to read and write, causing her to be bored because she already knew what was being taught. In â€Å"An Indian Father’s Plea†, Robert Lake is defending his son Wind-Wolf from being labeled as a slow learner. Wind-Wolf is not a slow learner but was taught the Cherokee way of viewing the world by his family. Wind-Wolf was taught differently by his family speaking things verbally. His dad expresses to the teacher that â€Å"he may have trouble writing his name on a piece

Analysis on marketing channels issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Analysis on marketing channels issues - Essay Example This paper will focus on Coles supermarket and its marketing channel, as a retailer in Australia’s supermarket sector. Australia is one of the countries that have the most concentrated supermarket sectors in the whole world and the practises of the two major supermarkets (Coles and Woolworths) that have characterized the sector as a duopoly. Over the past decade, several shifts have occurred that have shown an evolving consumer consciousness and a discontented supermarket sector (LaFrenz,  2014). The lack of competition among the retailers in the supermarket sector has reduced the incentives to keep prices at a considerably low level for consumers. The two supermarkets have the opportunity to wield substantial buyer power that has resulted in lower prices that are paid to the suppliers. The quality of products has also become an issue and the rise of private labelled goods, for instance milk, has become an issue of concern to suppliers and other retail competitors in the retail market. As such, the two supermarkets have been subjected to an ideological opposition that has caused public campaigns t o prevent their entry into different towns and suburbs (Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, 2010). This represents some of the issues that the two supermarkets have to deal with in terms of their market channels (LaFrenz,  2014). Coles supermarket, commonly referred to as Coles, was established in 1914 in Victoria, Australia. It has over 700 stores in the country and employs more than 100,000 employees in its business. It controls about 80 percent of the Australian supermarket sector along with Woolworths supermarket. It has revenue of approximately $32 billion and an operating income of about $2 billion. It operates under its parent company known as Wesfarmers. The role of Coles Supermarket chain as a retailer is to interpret the demands of the

The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams Research Paper

The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams - Research Paper Example The Wingfield family is torn apart due to the failings of its breadwinner – Mr. Wingfield. The play has garnered critical acclaim both as a work of written word as well as an enacted play. The further adaptation of this play into a movie is a testament to its enduring essence. But many critics believe that the play is best experienced through theatre performances. Consequently, many production houses have performed it time and over during the last seventy odd years. The intricate design of the plot and superlative performances from star casts of previous productions is now part of legend. Laurette Taylor’s performance as Amanda Wingfield is now acknowledged by many veterans as the best of the century. Just as the powerful script and excellent acting contributes to the success of the play, so does the direction, visualization, music, sound effects and other technical features. The rest of this essay will present the ideal approach to each of these facets to the play, so that the end product would capture all the definitive qualities behind the play’s resounding success. There are a few things to remember while choosing the cast for the play. The character of Amanda is central to the play and it should be assigned to someone who can portray the rugged southern belle image. She should be a strident and bold personality to fit with the description of someone who drove her husband away. The accent too should be spot on to reflect the southern mindset and sensibility. The actor playing Tom Wingfield should reflect the dreamy nature of his character, because he has to deliver the dialogues and monologues equally efficiently. The final speech by Tom in the final act of the play is especially crucial to the overall effectiveness of the play, for this passage is one of the most poetic, intensive and poignant in the entire play. The virginal daughter Laura Wingfield is someone whose dreams are as fragile as the animals in her precious glass collection. The actor for this role should thus play with sensitivity and a restrained sense of quiet tragedy. The chall enge in shaping the character of Tom is to bring to life the idea that the viewer is watching Tom turn his memories, his pain and guilt, into a work of art. To this extent it could be said that author Tennessee Williams was attempting to create a non-realistic theatre, using the literary devices and technical production tools available to him in the 1940s. Hence, modern productions of the play can incorporate some changes, without actually losing the essence of the narrative. For example, rather than a typewriter, Tom's means of turning the stuff of his life into art can be through a video camera. It can always be with him, even when he's disengaged from the action or sets the camera down momentarily. The other characters are seen from Tom's viewpoint, and the projections of what he sees come to represent the layers of his memory. By removing the burden of realism, one is able to hear the play anew. Coming to the scenic design, the director should ask ‘To what degree do we wan t to follow Williams's copious stage directions about lights, clothes, projections and so on?’ The fact that walls and furniture don't seem to be that useful for actors, makes the director look for less literal ways of solving the world of the play – in other words, capturing its essence without total adherence to author’s original and preferred mise-en-scenes. Lighting design for the play can also be challenging at times. For

Essay of media analysis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Of media analysis - Essay Example The book ‘carved in bone’ by Jefferson Bass conveniently covers the subject under study by virtue of an interesting plot where Dr Bill Brockton who is a Forensic Anthropologist studied the case of a deal mummified woman discovered in a cave. Brockton this makes use of quite intriguing techniques like analyzing the graphical decomposition of the corpse and using various experiments to put together pieces of the puzzle to unveil who the woman really was. He owns a research laboratory where he experiments with the techniques which may have been used during homicides. To de-flesh the bones, he boils them and bleaches them and later tries to determine patterns from fragments on bones and also from the kind of impact he finds on the bones to gather enough evidence to challenge the strong lobbies in the county (Bass 2006). This book, written by a forensic anthropologist himself proves to be an insightful account on how far can the subject matter go in solving mysteries of the c rime world . In the article ‘When Forensic Anthropology meets DNA’, another interesting aspect of the subject is unveiled. The forensics department was able to draw DNA samples from a corpse decomposed to such an extent that extracting any evidence of identity was nearly impossible. However, Laura Fulgitini, who`s a forensic anthropologist uses her impeccable skills to jot together the pieces of skull together by adding cement to the missing sections to conveniently unveil the identity of the corpse, who turns out to be one of the people missing from San Diego, Joy Risker. Under normal circumstances, drawing DNA from the sample would have been of no use since there would have been no one to compare the sample to, however, by re-creating the shape of the skull, the forensics was able to get a fine idea of what the person would have looked like. On comparing the image of the corpse with the person missing, they were able to get a breakthrough, which was only possible due to

Developing self awareness reflection paper

Developing self awareness reflection paper Through attending the course of Knowing ourselves, knowing our world, I have increased self- awareness. Every week, I keep learning more and more about myself. Self awareness, according to Wong (2003), means recognition of our personality, strengths and weaknesses and likes and dislikes. Developing self-awareness can help us to recognize when we are stressed or under pressure. Self awareness also promotes effective communication and interpersonal relations, and also for developing empathy for others. After I have gone to the camp, I learn to face something I used to evade. I was raised up by my aunt when I was young. I always feel difficult to live in the love between my own parents and my aunt. These persecute me for long. All these years, I have never told the others about the above thoughts. I just want to escape from these things. However, I feel so pleased that I have finally let my thoughts released out when I told my classmates in the camp. I used to evade the problem of how to balance the relationships between my parents and my aunts and uncle. Learning to increase self- awareness, Rothman (1999) suggests that it brings increased openness to other ways of thinking and a greater insight into other kinds of life experience. I will not escape from tackling the relationships and I can know more about my deep self. This enables me to understand my clients when they have something used to evade. I can then guide my clients to release their feelings and increase openness. It does help me to be more aware of myself by knowing how my past experiences influence my personal values. Having an uncle who experience three marriages because of having other relationships outside of his marriage (with women from the mainland China), I personally dislike women who are come from mainland China, come to Hong Kong to marry a man and to grab our resources. I dislike like them as I think that they always intervene in their marriage. However, this hatred towards new immigrants makes me unable to make appropriate decision when a client who is a new immigrant seeks help from me. Furthermore, Biestek (1961) suggests that the relationship between the social worker and the client has been called the soul of casework. With such a bias, I may have personal value judgment and uncontrolled emotional attitudes toward the clients. As a result, it may be difficult for me to develop close relationship with the client. However, now I know and realize that my past family experiences are affecting my values and thoughts, Rothman (1999) suggested that it assists the worker to work with clients, and to control and minimize the influences of personal attitudes and beliefs that may be harmful and prejudicial toward clients. According to Rothman (1999), as an adult, one has his own viewpoint towards something. The most concerned part in self-awareness is about the unaware perceptions, especially those negative feelings towards the others, such as biases, prejudices or stereotypes. According to Rothman (1999), they are hidden inside and covered by acceptable excuses and rationale. Take several minorities for an example, general people usually have some negative personal feelings and comments towards the disabled, homosexuals, prostitutes, the street sleepers and so on. Unaware perceptions may be expressed in conversations, acts or behavior since they are hidden in the subconscious. Having these unaware perceptions, as a social worker, I may unconsciously say some words which hurt clients feelings and make them become defensive and do not trust in me. Thus making it hard to develop good relationship with the client and hard to have intervention processes. Besides, sharing my own feelings and opinions among peers can also help to make up my own viewpoint towards the population. I can know more about the peers attitudes and how the others react towards some issue by listening and sharing among a group of peers. By exchanging opinions in an overview, I can learn to think more comprehensively and to view an issue with different perspective. By gaining opinions and experiences from the others, I may then gradually change my former views towards an issue. When it comes to the social work profession, it is common to have values or attitude conflicts with certain aspects. Self-awareness promotes several essential traits, such as openness, acceptance, willingness, trust, knowledge, interest and courage towards the clients (Rothman, 1999). When social worker can have comprehensive thoughts and view towards an issue, it can enable social worker to have a better understanding on the perceptions of the clients. Even the opinions of clients is different from the social workers personal view, the social worker can give clients an appropriate advice without any bias and would be more comfortable and easy to deal with the circumstances with their attitudes, values and beliefs (Rothman, 1999).. Social workers role is to stands right on the clients situations to provide services for them according to their wishes and needs. Self-awareness enables social workers to assist clients in a suitable and appropriate way. According to Segal E.A, part of self awareness is understanding ones down personal problems and biases, and addressing them so that they do not interfere in work with others. As a social worker (in the future), self awareness enables me to know myself and be aware of their own values, assumptions, beliefs, strengths, and weakness, so that I am able to help the clients effectively. Rothman (1999) suggests that increased awareness brings increased openness to other ways of thinking and a greater insight into other kinds of life experience. So, keeping my mind open, as a social worker (in the future), I can then listen to clients sharing patiently, even when clients have other point of view different from mine, I can have an appropriate response and advice. Self awareness promotes effective communication and interpersonal relations, and so as developing empathy for others. These are all elements which enable social workers to provide skillful service and positive attitude to clients. Increasing self awareness do helps me with my professional development.

Internet Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Internet links people together via computer terminals and telephone lines (and in some cases wireless radio connections) in a web of networks and shared software. This allows users to communicate with one another wherever they are in the â€Å"net." This Internet link began as the United States military project Agency Network Advanced Research (ARPANET) during the Vietnam War in 1969. It was developed by the United States Department of Defense’s (DOD) research people in conjunction with various contractors and universities to investigate the probability of a communication network that could survive a nuclear attack. For the first decade that the Internet was in existence, it was primarily used to facilitate electronic mail, support on line discussion groups, allow access to distant databases, and support the transfer of files between government agencies, companies and universities. Today over 15 million people in the United States and approximately 25 million people worldwide access the Internet regularly, including children. Many parents believe that depriving their children of the opportunity to learn computer skills and access the knowledge available on the Internet would give them a distinct technological disadvantage as they enter the twenty first century. Portelli and Mead state by the year 2002, the reported number of children who access the Internet from home is projected to increase from the current 10 million to 20 million (6). In addition to home access, Poretelli and Meads further stated that as of 1997 the percentage of United States schools that offered Internet access as a part of their regular curriculum was over sixty percent. There were over nine thousand public libraries across America in 1997, sixty percent of these offered on-line access to its users (7). In view of this information, one can concluded that the on-line percentage for both schools and libraries has increased notably since 1997 and the number continues to grow as more of these facilities â€Å"plug in and log on." Whether at home, at school, or at the public library, children are accessing the Internet. The word â€Å"children† is somewhat ambiguous considering the range of ages that it encompasses. For instance, eighteen is the normally accepted age at which a child reaches legal adulthood; therefore, â€Å"children† would refer to any age between birth and seventeen. Porterfie... ...n. February 1999. 2 Cummins, H. J. â€Å"War Games - Are Video Games No Different Than Military Training Simulations? Are We Teaching Our Children To Kill ?† Minneapolis Star Tribune. January 1999. 1E Denerstein, Robert. â€Å"Into the Heart of Darkness - Two Killers Lived in Suburbs, But Inhabited Their Own Twilight World.† Denver Rocky Mountain News. April 1999. 31A Durkin, Keith F. â€Å"Misuse of the Internet by Pedophiles: Implications for Law Enforcement and Probation Practice.† Federal Probation. September 1997. 14-18 Groves, Howard. â€Å"Conduct of Life†. Christian Science Monitor. 16 March 1999: 24 CD-ROM. UMI- EBSCOhost. April. 1999 Madden, Lisa. â€Å"What Dangers Lurks Behind that Screen†. New Hampshire Business Review. 15 August 1999: 14 CD-ROM. UMI- EBSCOhost. April. 1999 Sources Cited Portelli, Christopher J. And Mead, Coralie W. â€Å"Censorship and the Internet - No Easy Answers.† Contemporary Women’s Issues. October 1998: 4-8 CD-ROM. UMI- EBSCOhost. April. 1999 Porterfield, Deborah. â€Å"Ask Parents Why They Want a Computer and You’ll Hear...† Gannett News Service. June 1997. CD-ROM. UMI- EBSCOhost. April. 1999 Rushkoff, Douglas. â€Å"Are ‘Screenagers’ Wiser Than Adults ?† USA Weekend. June 1999. 12

Assess the usefulness of functionalist theories in understanding religion today Essay

Assess the usefulness of functionalist theories in understanding religion today (33 marks) There are a variety of different definitions of religion including substantive definitions, which refers to focusing on the content or substance of a religious belief such as God, functional definitions, which refers to religion in terms of the social or psychological functions it carries out for the individual and there are also social constructionist definitions which focus on how members of society actually define religion. Functionalists hold a consensus view and argue that society requires both social order and solidarity in order for it to run smoothly, and religion is one way of providing this as it encourages shared norms and values. As previously mentioned, functionalists argue that social order and solidarity to run smoothly – Durkheim argued that there are four main ways in which religion maintains value consensus. One way is through the sacred and profane, he argued that sacred referred to things that are separate from society and create feelings of awe, wonder and fear whereas profane referred to things that were inferior with no real significance. Durkheim therefore argued that the only thing powerful enough to inspire people in the way religion does is society itself therefore meaning people are not worshipping their religion or god, but in fact society – this means that people unite under the same belief, spreading shared norms and values all over and therefore creating consensus within society. Another way in which religion helps to maintain value consensus is through Totemism – Durkheim argued that heart of all religions could be identified by examining its simplest form in the simplest type of society which he called a clan society. He carried out a study in Australia with a tribe with a clan system. (Arunta) This tribe consisted of a close knit community who carried out rituals together with involved the worshipping of a sacred totem, such as a plant of leaf that identifies the clan therefore creating a sense of social order and solidarity. Totemism is similar to the sacred and profane as it causes individuals to unknowingly worship society instead of a God or supernatural being, therefore again spreading shared norms and values. However, there are criticisms to this view; Worsley argues that there is no difference between the sacred and profane and his view of totemism would only apply to small scale communities with a single religion, but not larger scale communities with multiple religions as there are commonly conflicts between them, meaning there is no longer social order and solidarity. Malinowski argues that religion promotes social order and solidarity through it psychological functions, which helps individuals who are going through hardship therefore preventing them from going against society’s shared norms and values. Malinowski suggested two different types of situation in which religion helps to perform this role. One way is when the outcome is important but is uncontrollable – he compared the differences between two different ways of fishing when carrying out a study in the Western Pacific, he argued that lagoon fishing is predictable, safe and has a more successful method of catching fish meaning there is no ritual. However, when the islanders were ocean fishing, he identified it as more dangerous and uncertain which required the islanders to carry out rituals in order to ensure their safety whilst fishing. Malinowski argued that the ritual gave the islanders a sense of control and more confidence, again highlighting solidarity. The other situation was at times of life crises, this meant events that cause significant change such as birthdays, weddings, and death religion is useful as it helps bring little disruption. Similarly, Parsons argues that religion helps individuals to handle unforeseen events and uncontrollable outcomes. He identified two ways in which religion does this – one way is by creating and legitimising society’s central values but making them sacred. For example, in the USA, Protestantism helped make the American core values of meritocracy, individualism and self-disciple sacred. This therefore helps to promote social order and solidarity as the vast majority of Americans would have the same norms and values, creating little conflict and greater social cohesion. The other way is by answering people’s ultimate questions, such as who created the earth, and why do some people die young. It gives individuals a sense of security and makes people less likely to rebel against society. However, not all sociologists agree with the functionalists and their view of religion and its role. Feminists argue that the role of religion is to oppress women and help maintain patriarchy within society. One way in which religion maintains patriarchy is through religious organisations – these are significantly male dominated, for example, Orthodox Judaism and Catholicism do not allow women to become priests. Armstrong argues that this is evidence for the marginalisation of women in religion and society. Places of worship often separate the sexes, placing men on more holy ground with women sitting behind a screen. Women are also not allowed to preach or read from sacred texts. Additionally, menstruating women are not allowed to touch the Qur’an, this therefore reinforces patriarchy as women are forbidden from doing important rituals within their holy ground and are also discriminated against. Sacred texts are often focused on the actions of male gods and prophets and are commonly written by men. Women who are featured in sacred texts are commonly portrayed through stereotypes such as Eve, who caused the fall of humanity and expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Lastly, religious laws and customs ensure that women are given fewer rights than men, such as access to divorce, how many spouses they can have, decision making etc. In conclusion, there are a variety of different theories as to the usefulness of lack of in regards to religion.

Should Teenagers Be Tried as Adults

* Should teenagers be tried as adults? Opinions differ. Some people argue that teenagers don't know what they are doing when they commit a crime and are still too young to comprehend what is right and wrong. I totally disagree. I am old enough to know that committing a crime is wrong and that if I commit one, I will be punished. Anyone who says teens can't tell right from wrong is either too old to remember what being a teenager is like or they are a teenager who has committed a crime and don't want to be tried as an adult. In either case, they are wrong. All teens know that killing is wrong, yet they do it anyway and get away with a light sentence because of their age. Even if a teen didn't know it was wrong, it doesn't mean it's right. They should still be punished. If they aren't, they will think that crimes are okay and continue to commit them. Teens today don't fear the law because they don't think they will get caught. And if they do, they know they have a good chance of getting off because they are tried as teens and not adults. We have to get tougher on crime. There should be a law that everyone over eleven years old will be tried as adults. That way more teens would be discouraged from committing crimes. They would know that murder would get them a very long sentence instead of staying in juvenile hall until they are eighteen. If we want to cut down on teen crime, we have to have tougher laws. ? * I don't think there is any excuse for committing a crime. * i think it depends on the crimes stances. hat if a kid kills their physically abusive parents in those cases there should be special treatment. However crimes of passion and maybe drugs should they should be tried as adults. * Since we're talking about murder cases, I believe that teens should be tried as adults. If not, they are most likely going to repeat the crime knowing that they won't get in any serious trouble. For example, I know people who have stolen things of mine because they figured they were only 10 and there was no one who would really pun ish them if they were caught. Now, at 13 they are still stealing because they think it's okay. Now if you're a teenager, you know that murder is wrong (unless it's in self-defense) so there is no excuse for doing so. * A rising number of juveniles under the age of 18 are not only being charged for crimes as adults, but are serving in adult jails and even serving life sentences. Every state has some mechanism in place that allows juveniles charged with certain crimes to be tried in criminal court as adults. Thousands of children annually are even being â€Å"automatically† transferred to adult criminal court. Much of the change in the laws over the past few decades making it easier to try youths as adults has been in part due to the increase in juvenile crime and public outrage over particularly violent crimes and repeat juvenile offenders. The most common increases in juvenile crime have been noted with respect to gang violence, school shootings, increases in drugs in youth neighborhoods, and even increases in bullying among peers.

Frankenstein support mockpersausive letter format essays

Frankenstein support mockpersausive letter format essays (Author's Note: This was a semi-creative project. We had to address the issues in a persuasive letter rather than a boring ol' report, so please become unconfused as far as the format..) Scientists are all too ready to lock themselves away with their research, unwilling - perhaps even incapable - of seeing the consequences of their actions. It is our duty as their educators to provide them with not only a means to gain knowledge but also insights into the society into which they will ultimately release their findings. Since none here are literary or English majors, it may seem difficult at first to integrate such needed sociological concerns into their current courses of study, so it is our duty to give them easily-reliable examples which parallel with their own course of study, examples that will And what better to illustrate and retain attention than a tragedy? I suggest that the Mary Shellys novel Frankenstein be included as a central text in the current Humanities courses required here. The reason Frankenstein may hold more relevance as part of the program than say, a classical Greek play, is the subject matter alone. Hopefully, the literary connections are more likely to be drawn, if we can appeal to the students interests as best as we can. Perhaps then they are more likely to believe that the humanities do have something to do with them. The specifics it also raises about ethics and responsibilities of science speak more than enough of the novels behalf.Many scientists in the far-reaching fields today may feel overwhelmed, perhaps even taking on a Gaudi-esque credo to their respective research. That Spanish architect is quoted as saying that he didnt have time to wonder, that he had to spend all of [his] time working. While this is a commendible work ethic, such a belief can lead scientists to bring the curse to mankind&q...

Deploying E-Commerce Solution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Deploying E-Commerce Solution - Essay Example E-Commerce has also enabled a revolution in the way the business is conducted and managed. Being touted as the business of the millennium, E-Commerce is also sometimes described as "digital economy." Simply speaking, Electronic Commerce is the paperless exchange of goods or services through the use of electronic data" (Web Transitions Inc, 2004). Due to its innumerable advantages and benefits, E-Commerce and its web applications are adapted for conducting a hassle free business over the ever popular internet. E-Commerce solutions will also offer merchants a well defined strategic advantage of creating Business to Client (B2C) relation that is sometimes very stable and well glued. Deploying E-Commerce solutions for carrying out internet business is a matter that needs to be thoroughly analyzed and assessed, before actually implementing the final solution. E-Commerce portals is thought to be a highly personalized, secure web environment that allows a business to aggregate, share, trade and exchange contents, products and services with customers, partners, employees and suppliers ( Sun Microsystems, 2006). The future for E-Commerce based merchant solutions is very rosy too, with 70% of the Global 2000 companies turning over to E-Commerce portal strategies by the year 2002, whereas by the year 2006, an estimated 75% of Fortune 1000 companies will have their own web portals to conduct E-Commerce activities almost on a daily basis (Adam Sarner, 2004). This research paper attempts to highlight the commercial importance of E-Commerce solutions, available methods by which a merchant can deploy E-Commerce solutions, different types of Internet technologies and programs that can be used to create a viable solution, and to investigate some of the well known third party E-Commerce website store solutions. It will also compare and differentiate two types of E-Commerce solutions, one that is built from the scratch by the merchants themselves, while the other built and hosted by a reliable third party service provider. Practical Ways to Deploy E-Commerce Solutions: If a merchant wants to know what it takes to successfully implement effective E-Commerce solutions, there are several means currently available for exploration. In fact, there is a plenty of help and assistance, whether a merchant wants to deploy it all by oneself, by using the in-house expertise, or hire for a fee, outside professionals who are the experts in the field. There are valid reasons to look and explore both these approaches, though small and medium sized businesses may need to be extra careful about those sensitive things, that are needed to keep an E-Commerce system up to date and current in the face of a stifling competition. Going solo all by a merchant to set up and deploy an E-Commerce solution might look very strenuous at the initial glance. But, building an E-Commerce website within the house is not actually difficult, as there are several tools, utilities and e-commerce services available at very

Quantitative Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Quantitative Analysis - Assignment Example He also discovered that this relationship depended on the level of school, subgroup status, and the location of the school. He further conducted a repeat of this study using the White’s (1982) meta-analysis to assess whether the socioeconomic achievement relationship improved since the first publication of White’s (1982) meta-analysis. The findings of this analysis indicated a small decrease in the mean correlation. He further discussed the future implication of this research and future areas of research (Sirin, 2005). Literature review Literature review can be defined as an account of what other researchers have published on the topic under investigation (Keyton, 2011). It is a critical assessment of what other researchers have done in relation to the topic under investigation. It also discusses a topic in a given area of research (Keyton, 2011). At the beginning of this research, the research presented a background of what other researchers conducted in relation to me ta-analysis. Keyton (2011) mentions researchers such as Bornstein & Bradley, 2003; Brooks-Gunn & Duncan, 1997; Coleman, 1988; McLoyd, 1998, who stated that the socioeconomic factor is a common variable in education research. Information presented in the review indicated that since the inception of White (1982), most of education researches have focused the relation between socioeconomic factors and students achievement. Other factors revealed from the review are different types of socioeconomic factors and students’ academic achievement. The literature review was well conducted in that the researcher was in a position to present relevant information in relation to knowledge gap describing what he intended to do differently from what others conducted (Sirin, 2005). The literature review presented covered enough scope in this area of investigation because the researcher presented what was conducted before, and what he intended to do with his study. Methodology In the research m ethodology, the researcher conducted the following procedures; he applied a measure of socioeconomic status and students’ academic achievement and made a report on quantitative information in satisfactory statistical information for computation of relationships between socioeconomic status and student academic achievement. The sample selected in the research study included students from kindergarten grades through students from grade 12. The sample also included other students’ participants from the United States (Sirin, 2005). The researcher used several computer explores and manual research to obtain the best conceivable reports to represent the big number of current research studies on socioeconomic status and student academic achievement. The Education Resources Information Center, Sociological Abstracts, and PsycINFO were used in this study as computerized search engines (Sirin, 2005). Search terms like socioeconomic status, social economic class, social status, i ncome disadvantages, and the level of poverty were used to search the socioeconomic status of the students. The researcher used terms such as success achievement, and students’ performance to search for students’ academic achievement (Sirin, 2005). The two Boolean operators were developed to describe the relationship between academic achievements. All information from the database was searched from

Discuss the history of the hospitality industry, characteristics and Essay

Discuss the history of the hospitality industry, characteristics and importance of the hospitality industry - Essay Example From the origin and development of hospitality industry, it can be gathered that the industry has unique and distinctive characteristics. First the industry is to balance between services and products delivered. Communication is also essential between the hospitality staff and clients, another feature in the industry is the fact that there is diversity in culture, which may result to some problems differences (Walker 2007). There are also various importance of hospitality industry to the economy of a given region such as offering employment to the local residents. Since hospitality is related to tourism there is conservation of culture and heritage. Hospitality industry also enhances the development of auxiliary services such as transport, insurance and banking facilities. Tourism and hospitality in Bournemouth is growing tremendously, and it is projected that thousands of jobs will be developed faster as compared to industries such as manufacturing, retail or construction. Due to ho spitality and tourism industry, Bournemouth is the second destination for studying languages after the Great Britain. It can therefore be concluded that there is a lot of economic impact that has resulted from hospitality industry in

Social development Essay Example for Free

Social development Essay Inclusion is viewed as a social development connected to a history of social policy reform in the United States beginning in the mid-1950s. Inclusion involves the processes of increasing the participation of students in, and reducing their exclusion from, mainstream curricula, cultures and communities. There has been a vigorous, ongoing academic debate between those who support and those who oppose the inclusion of special education students in general education classes. Much of this debate has taken the form of argument about the appropriateness of instructing special education students in classrooms with their general education peers or in separate, exclusionary spaces. When special education students are included in general education classrooms, they are expected to adhere to a modified version of the standard curriculum and are graded according to alternative standards. This work considers inclusion in the classrooms of Longview Public Schools. An overview of the national and local contexts for inclusion is presented, and then a high school theater arts class is portrayed from data collected over a fifteen-week period. The work concludes with a synthesis of the issues raised by the case-study and their implications for continued progress toward the goal of inclusion in American society and its impact on special needs students. Literature Review The idea of inclusive education was given impetus by two conferences set up under the auspices of the United Nations. The first of these, held in Jomtien, Thailand in 1990, promoted the idea of education for all; this was followed in 1994 by a UNESCO conference in Salamanca, Spain, which led to a Statement that is being used in many countries to review their education policies. The Salamanca Statement proposes that the development of schools with an inclusive orientation is the most effective means of improving the efficiency and ultimately the cost-effectiveness of the entire education system. The International Journal of Inclusive Education, established in 1997, encourages the same broad conception of inclusive education as ourselves, involving an examination of all the processes of inclusion and exclusion in education. Among those who anticipated the failure of mainstreaming during the 1980s, many challenged the institutional practice of special education, calling for widespread reform (see Reynolds, Wang, and Walberg 1987; Sarason and Doris 1982; Skrtic 1986; Will 1986). The radical restructuring of special education urged by Skrtic (1986) has yet to occur, although some states have attempted special education reform, often in concert with general education reform (Ferguson 1995; Thousand and Villa 1995). However, so-called â€Å"systemic reform† of special education is far from the norm in the United States (Roach 1995). Skrtics (1995) theoretical analysis of the field of special education aims for excellence, equity, and adhocracy through a deconstruction and reconstruction of both general and special education for a post-industrial economy in the twenty-first century. He maintains that an alternative paradigm, that of critical pragmatism, is necessary to reconstruct special education and disability. Without it, the current inclusion debate will not â€Å"resolve the special education problems of the twentieth century†¦ [but] will simply reproduce them in the twenty-first century† (p. 80). He argues that critical pragmatism enables individuals to continually evaluate and reappraise the â€Å"political consequences of a professions knowledge, practices, and discourses by critically assessing them and the assumptions, theories, and metatheories in which they are grounded† (p. 91). The authors of the book From Them to Us: An International Study of Inclusion in Education (Ainscow Booth 1998) used the terms special educational needs or just special needs to categorize pupils with learning difficulties, physical impairments and behaviour disorders. Such terminology implies that there is a division to be drawn between â€Å"normal† and â€Å"less than normal† learners. It implies exclusion, as pointed out by Booth (1995, p. 99). The term integration is still in use among teachers although officially, at least, it has been replaced. When referring to integration, teachers mean the presence in ordinary schools of those children who used to be transferred to special schools or special classes. One of the writers on normalization (Solum 1991) has tried to replace integration with the term anti-segregation. This has a more positive connotation in that it takes for granted that nobody is segregated at the beginning and, therefore, the challenge is to see that everybody remains within the regular school. For many involved in the current debate on inclusion, it is evident that the questions raised by Sarason and Doris over a decade ago remain unanswered, diluted by concerns that locate this endeavor within an educational rather than a societal discourse. The current literature on inclusion in the United States documents the way the practical realities related to inclusion continue to obscure the â€Å"charity† needed to frame the moral issue (Zigmond et al. 1995). This literature, in combination with the concerns of Sarason and Doris and the warnings issued by Skrtic, challenge the success of inclusion. And yet, at this particular moment schools continue to grapple with inclusion: an ill-defined, and yet, ever-increasingly accepted and widely practiced reform.

Stimulus measures policy forms

Stimulus measures policy forms Part 1. Some reject stimulus measures in all current policy forms. These economists focus on the damaging activities and decisions of (a) private corporations, (b) commercial banks, and (c) wealthy individuals. How can these three groups that lead our private market system, each in their own way, frustrate and foil the goals of a fiscal stimulus program. The 2009 Stimulus packages that President Obama released were done so with the intentions of trying to fix the recession bound economy. But the question that surfaced was what the long term results of this stimulus package were. Is it more beneficial or more harmful to our already down falling economy? A fiscal stimulus package by the government consists of generally three options either the use of tax cuts, increased transfers or increased government spending. All three options have one problem in common; it will cause the government budget to increase. It can only serve as a temporary boost to the economy, because the government has to find a way to fund this package. When the government needs to spend money that they didnt revenue from taxes it is called a budget deficit, they would need to borrow and most likely from foreign reserve banks or through the selling of bonds. In Keyness economic vision â€Å"the goal of macro policy is not to balance the budget but to balance the economy at full employment.† This does logically make sense because a low availability of jobs would mean an increase of transfer payments including unemployment compensation and welfare benefits. But if new jobs can be created it will decrease the burden of transfer payments and increase tax revenue. An increase of jobs would equal more taxes to collect and less economic problems when unemployment rates are lower. But since the recession and fiscal policy both are signs that suggest, the economic state is not currently at its best for investments. Private corporations are less eager to invest being that from a business perspective their initial intent is to make profit. Without the confidences in future profit rates theres less of an obligation to want to take the risk. I believe that from any business stand point, private corporations are interested in how much profits they can make and maybe secondarily how many jobs a new project or investment can create. Commercial banks on the other hand could result in a â€Å"crowding out effect because the increase in government borrowing will cause a decrease in private sector borrowing†. Crowding out means that theres less progression which is also an â€Å"opportunity cost for government spending†. When the government is shut out of all other options, borrowing money to finance the budget deficits can cause an increase in interest rates. Theres only a certain about of money available for borrowing and if the government borrows, less money is available for business investments. Wealthy individuals would tend to save more and spend less. They may also invest in foreign counties that stand at a better economy. Therefore private corporations, commercial banks, and wealthy individuals are three power groups that hold the foundation of our private market system. They have the general ability to effect consumption rates because of investments. Its a circular flow effect, less jobs cause less overall GDP consumption and less taxes, less confidence in economy, which causes less investment. After all Keynes did say that â€Å"the goal of macro policy is not to balance the budget but to balance the economy at full employment. The main problem here is that there are not enough jobs to boast the economy in the long run. The American dream is to do better than the past generation. Its hard to reach that when jobs arent available and a recession at hand. Part 2. Given our currently high unemployment rate and low inflation rate, argue for or against a Supply-Side policy focus versus a Demand-Side policy emphasis. Aggregate demand or aggregate supply whats a better a choice when you have high unemployment and low inflation rates? I believe that the demand curve is only going to be a temporary answer to the economic problem. â€Å"The demand curve will shift in response to changes in income, changes in expectations (consumer confidence), changes in wealth, changes in credit conditions or changes in tax policy.† The whole purpose of aggregate demand is to stimulate consumer spending. If unemployment is high its unlikely that this will solve the problem. How do you tell someone who is unemployed to buy more? In contrary I think the aggregate supply is a better policy choice to get the economy back and running. â€Å"The policy options to shift AS rightward include: Tax incentives for saving, investment and work, human capital investment, deregulation, trade liberalization and infrastructure development.† This works better because the tax cuts will increase consumption being that it would result in a higher level of disposable income. This means that people would be more motivated to work. Lets just say Person A makes $40,000 a year and taxes used to 10% and now they are down to 5%, this means that instead of paying $4000 in taxes it would just be $2000. Person A is able to work the same amount and have $2000 extra for disposable income. This guarantees that (C+G+I+(x-m) = GPD) GDP will go up if consumption goes up. Human capital investment is a long term effect; people find it worth their benefit to invest in school and training. Our goal is to find a way to both lower unemployment and lower the inflation rates. To do this we have to focus on the supply side or the production part of the market. By producing more (new technology) it would set the platform so that better prices levels are available. The technology is going to be useful for production for a while and the investments in education will increase the standards of living. This means that cheaper goods equal more consumption. Its a long term answer to the economy because the overall GDP will grow. The economy will grow and the production of output rises while unemployment and inflation falls. If all these aspects are intact theres no way that the next generation couldnt do better. I believe that a lot of the economic problems we face today are because of the actions that the government made without thinking of the long term effects. If we want our country to become stronger and stronger we have to think in long term strategies and I believe that the Aggregate Supply Policy is the right one. Part 3. Upon completing ECO 100, you have been hired by the Obama administration to advise them on Foreign Exchange Policy. Their concern is that low interest rates and a large trade deficit have led to a depreciating dollar. Accordingly, first prepare an overview of the way such rates and trade conditions can threaten our currency value. Then secondly, advise the President whether (or not) steps should be taken to strengthen the dollar in foreign exchange markets. What makes euros worth more than dollars and Chinese Yuan to be below both? The answer is that the currency market determines what the exchange rates are worth. The Foreign exchange market is just like the all markets where theres a demand theres a supply. But if there is a more demand than supply then the exchange rate would go up. Meaning if there was a higher demand for U.S dollars; dollar value would increase also known as appreciation. But in this example if there was an excess amount of U.S currency that is above the demand needed then our dollar value fall also known as deprecation. But the rule is that where theres a lost there is always a gain. Meaning if one countrys currency value goes up some other countrys money value has to go down. If the value of the U.S dollars improves in the Foreign Exchange Market then it would increase the overall supply of dollars. If our country has a trade deficit, meaning we import more and export less, we should find a method that attracts more exports. I think that the best approach to take would be to weaken the dollar. But in order for that to happen there had to be a way to alter the supply of U.S currency. In one perspective its a good thing if our dollars are more valuable we would be able to buy more foreign goods with the same dollar. But if theres too much of a supply of dollars the dollar may lose value. â€Å"As dollars become cheaper, American exports effectively fall in price and demand rises.† In order to reduce the amount of our trade deficit we could export more goods. If our dollar rates were low enough to attract foreigners to buy our good and cooperation would still make their profits then it would all work out. A weaken dollar would work until we could clo se the gap of our trade deficit and after that we would create a strategy that will strengthen the dollar by lowering the supply of it.

The Affirmative Action Debate Essay example -- affirmative action argu

The Affirmative Action Debate    Most Americans desire a colorblind society. A society where individuals are judged upon merit, as opposed to the color of their skin. That is the reason Affirmative Action was birthed by Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. That is also the reason that Proposition 209 was voted for in 1996.   These two historical events are driven by the desire of equality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What is Affirmative Action?   According to Geraldine Leshin, it is "Taking positive or active steps to accomplish the public policy goal of equal employment opportunity."  Ã‚   What is Proposition 209?   Its a new law that has been passed that "prohibits the state of California and local governments from discriminating against or granting preferential treatment to any individual or group on the basis of race,   sex, color, ethnicity or national origin in public employment, public education or public contracting (San Jose Mercury News)."   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Affirmative action was implemented for important reasons.   "Broadly defined, affirmative action refers to efforts to increase educational and employment opportunities for minorities and women.   More specifically, it applies to various programs and policies designed to increase the number of minorities and women hired by government and industry and admitted into colleges and universities."(Faundez, 213)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Affirmative action is important especially in the work force. Before affirmative action, minorities and women felt, and seemed to be, discriminated against being chosen for the job.   Affirmative action was to help with the "increasing of opportunities for those that were previously discriminated against"(Lemann, 145).   Affirmative action   was created to not only help Black-Amer... ....    Leshin, Geraldine (1979).   Equal Employment Opportunity an Affirmative Action in Labor-Management Relations A PRIMER.   Institute of Industrial Relations:   Los Angeles, Tab H.    Mendoza, Ryan (1996).   Affirmative Action remains the American compromise. The Yale Daily News, Internet.   Available: http://www.townhall.com/columnists.duplantier/dul112195.html (1996, October 4).    Mills, Nicolaus, ed.   Debating Affirmative Action:   Race, Gender, Ethnicity, and the Politics of Inclusion.   New York:   Delta trade Paper-backs, 1994.    Proposition 209 and Affirmative Action (1996).  Ã‚   San Jose Mercury News. Available: http://www.sjercruy.com/news/breaknws.htm    Rockwell, Paul (1996).   Angry White Guys For Affirmative Action. Available:   http://www.dnai.com/~awgfaa/html/angry.html (1996, October 4).

Health Care Ethics

The Bartling case was about whether William Bartling had the right, over the objection of his physicians and the hospital, to have life-support equipment disconnected despite the fact that withdrawal of such devices will surely hasten his death. When he entered Glendale Adventist Hospital in California in 1984, he was known to be suffering from emphysema and diffuse arteriosclerosis, coronary arteriosclerosis, abdominal aneurysm, and inoperable lung cancer.At the end, He had to use mechanical respiratory and chest tube to assist his breathing in the ICU. Although each of these conditions could individually be lethal, he was not diagnosed as terminally ill. At first, Mr. Bartling asked his physicians to remove the ventilator but they refused. Then Mr. Bartling attempted to remove the ventilator tubes but was unsuccessful. Eventually, to prevent his attempt, he was placed in restraints so that the tubes could remain in place. The case was taken to Los Angeles Superior Court by Mr. Scot t.Because he was not considered terminally ill, the court refused either to allow the respirator to be disconnected or to order that Mr. Bartling’s hands be freed. At the second time, the case was taken to the California Court of Appeal. However, the result was that Mr. Bartling had the right to make his own decision, which was obviously different with the first time. So I think the main issue in this case is about patient’s decision-making capacity, specifically, when patient is able to make make the decision of his own medical treatments.

A Dirty Job Chapter 12

12 THE BAY CITY BOOK OF THE DEAD Charlie named the hamsters Parmesan and Romano (or Parm and Romy, for short) because when the time came for thinking up names, he just happened to be reading the label on a jar of Alfredo sauce. That was all the thought that went into it and that was enough. In fact, Charlie thought he might have even gone overboard, considering that when he returned home the day of the great firecracker/sewer debacle, he found his daughter gleefully pounding away on the tray of her high chair with a stiff hamster. Romano was the poundee, Charlie could tell because he'd put a dot of nail polish between his little ears so he could tell it apart from its companion, Parmesan, who was equally stiff inside the plastic Habitrail box. In the bottom of the exercise wheel, actually. Dead at the wheel. â€Å"Mrs. Ling!† Charlie called. He pried the expired rodent from his darling daughter's little hand and dropped it in the cage. â€Å"Is Vladlena, Mr. Asher,† came a giant voice from the bathroom. There was a flush and Mrs. Korjev emerged from the bathroom pulling at the clasps of her overalls. â€Å"I'm sorry, I am having to crap like bear. Sophie was safe in chair.† â€Å"She was playing with a dead hamster, Mrs. Korjev.† Mrs. Korjev looked at the two hamsters in the plastic Habitrail box – gave it a little tap, shook it back and forth. â€Å"They sleep.† â€Å"They are not sleeping, they're dead.† â€Å"They are fine when I go in bathroom. Playing, running on wheel, having laugh.† â€Å"They were not having a laugh. They were dead. Sophie had one in her hand.† Charlie looked more closely at the rodent that Sophie had been tenderizing. Its head looked extremely wet. â€Å"In her mouth. She had it in her mouth.† He grabbed a paper towel from the roll on the counter and started wiping out the inside of Sophie's mouth. She made a la-la-la sound as she tried to eat the towel, which she thought was part of the game. â€Å"Where is Mrs. Ling, anyway?† â€Å"She have to go pick up prescription, so I watch Sophie for short time. And tiny bears are happy when I go in bathroom.† â€Å"Hamsters, Mrs. Korjev, not bears. How long were you in there?† â€Å"Maybe five minute. I am thinking I am now having a strain in my poop chute, so hard I am pushing.† â€Å"Aiiiiieeeee,† came the cry from the doorway as Mrs. Ling returned, and scampered to Sophie. â€Å"Is past time for nap,† Mrs. Ling snapped at Mrs. Korjev. â€Å"I've got her now,† Charlie said. â€Å"One of you stay with her while I get rid of the H-A-M-S-T-E-R-S.† â€Å"He mean the tiny bears,† said Mrs. Korjev. â€Å"I get rid, Mr. Asher,† said Mrs. Ling. â€Å"No problem. What happen them?† â€Å"Sleeping,† said Mrs. Korjev. â€Å"Ladies, go. Please. I'll see one of you in the morning.† â€Å"Is my turn,† said Mrs. Korjev sadly. â€Å"Am I banish? Is no Sophie for Vladlena, yes?† â€Å"No. Uh, yes. It's fine, Mrs. Korjev. I'll see you in the morning.† Mrs. Ling was shaking the Habitrail cage. They certainly were sound little sleepers, these hamsters. She liked ham. â€Å"I take care,† she said. She tucked the cage under her arm and backed toward the door, waving. â€Å"Bye-bye, Sophie. Bye-bye.† â€Å"Bye-bye, bubeleh,† said Mrs. Korjev. â€Å"Bye-bye,† Sophie said, with a baby wave. â€Å"When did you learn bye-bye?† Charlie said to his daughter. â€Å"I can't leave you for a second.† But he did leave her the very next day, to find replacements for the hamsters. He took the cargo van to the pet store this time. Whatever courage or hubris he'd rallied in order to attack the sewer harpies had melted away, and he didn't even want to go near a storm drain. At the pet store he picked out two painted turtles, each about as big around as a mayonnaise-jar lid. He bought them a large kidney-shaped dish that had its own little island, a plastic palm tree, some aquatic plants, and a snail. The snail, presumably, to bolster the self-esteem of the turtles: â€Å"You think we're slow? Look at that guy.† To shore up the snail's morale in the same way, there was a rock. Everyone is happier if they have someone to look down on, as well as someone to look up to, especially if they resent both. This is not only the Beta Male strategy for survival, but the basis for capitalism, democracy, and most religions. After he grilled the clerk for fifteen minutes on the vitality of the turtles, and was assured that they could probably survive a nuclear attack as long as there were some bugs left to eat, Charlie wrote a check and started tearing up over his turtles. â€Å"Are you okay, Mr. Asher?† asked the pet-shop guy. â€Å"I'm sorry,† Charlie said. â€Å"It's just that this is the last entry in the register.† â€Å"And your bank didn't give you a new one?† â€Å"No, I have a new one, but this is the last one that my wife wrote in. Now that this one is used up, I'll never see her handwriting in the check register again.† â€Å"I'm sorry,† said the pet-shop guy, who, until that moment, had thought the rough patch that day was going to be consoling a guy over a couple of dead hamsters. â€Å"It's not your problem,† Charlie said. â€Å"I'll just take my turtles and go.† And he did, squeezing the check register in his hand as he drove. She was slipping away, every day a little more. A week ago Jane had come down to borrow some honey and found the plum jelly that Rachel liked in the back of the refrigerator, covered in green fuzz. â€Å"Little brother, this has got to go,† Jane said, making a face. â€Å"No. It was Rachel's.† â€Å"I know, kid, and she's not coming back for it. What else do you – oh my God!† She dove away from the fridge. â€Å"What was that?† â€Å"Lasagna. Rachel made it.† â€Å"This has been in here for over a year?† â€Å"I couldn't make myself throw it out.† â€Å"Look, I'm coming over Saturday and cleaning out this apartment. I'm going to get rid of all the stuff of Rachel's that you don't want.† â€Å"I want it all.† Jane paused while moving the green-and-purple lasagna to the trash bin, pan and all. â€Å"No you don't, Charlie. This kind of stuff doesn't help you remember Rachel, it just hurts you. You need to focus on Sophie and the rest of both of your lives. You're a young guy, you can't give up. We all loved Rachel, but you have to think about moving on, maybe going out.† â€Å"I'm not ready. And you can't come over this Saturday, that's my day in the shop.† â€Å"I know,† Jane said. â€Å"It's better if you're not here.† â€Å"But you can't be trusted, Jane,† Charlie said, as if that was as obvious as the fact that Jane was irritating. â€Å"You'll throw out all the pieces of Rachel, and you'll steal my clothes.† Jane had been swiping Charlie's suits pretty regularly since he'd started dressing more upscale. She was wearing a tailored, double-breasted jacket that he'd just gotten back from Three Fingered Hu a few days ago. Charlie hadn't even worn it yet. â€Å"Why are you still wearing suits, anyway? Isn't your new girlfriend a yoga instructor? Shouldn't you be wearing those baggy pants made out of hemp and tofu fibers like she does? You look like David Bowie, Jane. There, I've said it. I'm sorry, but it had to be said.† Jane put her arm around his shoulder and kissed him on the cheek. â€Å"You are so sweet. Bowie is the only man I've ever found attractive. Let me clean out your apartment. I'll watch Sophie that day – give the widows a day to do battle down at the Everything for a Dollar Store.† â€Å"Okay, but just clothes and stuff, no pictures. And just put it in the basement in boxes, no throwing anything away.† â€Å"Even food items? Chuck, the lasagna, I mean – â€Å" â€Å"Okay, food items can go. But don't let Sophie know what you're doing. And leave Rachel's perfume, and her hairbrush. I want Sophie to know what her mother smelled like.† That night, when he finished at the shop, he went down to the basement to the little gated storage area for his apartment and visited the boxes of all of the things that Jane had packed up. When that didn't work, he opened them and said good-bye to every single item – pieces of Rachel. Seemed like he was always saying good-bye to pieces of Rachel. On his way home from the pet shop he had stopped at A Clean, Well-Lighted Place for Books because it, too, was a piece of Rachel and he needed a touchstone, but also because he needed to research what he was doing. He'd scoured the Internet for information on death, and while he'd found that there were a lot of people who wanted to dress like death, get naked with the dead, look at pictures of the naked and the dead, or sell pills to give erections to the dead, there just wasn't anything on how to go about being dead, or Death. No one had ever heard of Death Merchants or sewer harpies or anything of the sort. He left the store with a two-foot-high stack of books on Death and Dying, figuring, as a Beta Male typically does, that before he tried to take the battle to the enemy again, he'd better find out something about what he was dealing with. That evening he settled in on the couch next to his baby daughter and read while the new turtles, Bruiser and Jeep (so named in hope of instilling durability in them), ate freeze-dried bugs and watched CSI Safari-land on cable. â€Å"Well, honey, according to this Kbler-Ross lady, the five stages of death are anger, denial, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Well, we went through all of those stages when we lost Mommy, didn't we?† â€Å"Mama,† Sophie said. The first time she had said â€Å"Mama† had brought Charlie to tears. He had been looking over her little shoulder at a picture of Rachel. The second time she said it, it was less emotional. She was in her high chair at the breakfast bar and was talking to the toaster. â€Å"That's not Mommy, Soph, that's the toaster.† â€Å"Mama,† Sophie insisted, reaching out for the toaster. â€Å"You're just trying to fuck with me, aren't you?† Charlie said. â€Å"Mama,† Sophie said to the fridge. â€Å"Swell,† Charlie said. He read on, realizing that Dr. Kbler-Ross had been exactly right. Every morning when he woke up to find another name and number in the day planner at his bedside, he went through the entire five-step process before he finished breakfast. But now that the steps had a name – he started to recognize the stages as experienced by the family members of his clients. That's how he referred to the people whose souls he retrieved: clients. Then he read a book, called The Last Sack, about how to kill yourself with a plastic bag, but it must not have been a very effective book, because he saw on the back cover that there had been two sequels. He imagined the fan mail: Dear Last Sack Author: I was almost dead, but then my sack got all steamed up and I couldn't see the TV, so I poked an eyehole. I hope to try again with your next book. The book really didn't help Charlie much, except to instill in him a new paranoia about plastic bags. Over the next few months he read: The Egyptian Book of the Dead, from which he learned how to pull someone's brain out through his nostril with a buttonhook, which he was sure would come in handy someday; a dozen books on dealing with death, grief, burial rituals, and myths of the Underworld, from which he learned that there had been personifications of Death since the dawn of time, and none of them looked like him; and the Tibetan Book of the Dead, from which he learned that bardo, the transition between this life and the next, was forty-nine days long, and that during the process you would be met by about thirty thousand demons, all of which were described in intricate detail, none of which looked like the sewer harpies, and all of which you were supposed to ignore and not be afraid of because they weren't real because they were of the material world. â€Å"Strange,† Charlie said to Sophie, â€Å"how all of these books talk about how the material world isn't significant, yet I have to retrieve people's souls, which are attached to material objects. It would appear that death, if nothing else, is ironic, don't you think?† â€Å"No,† Sophie said. At eighteen months Sophie answered all questions either â€Å"No,† â€Å"Cookie,† or â€Å"like Bear† – the last Charlie attributed to leaving his daughter too often in the care of Mrs. Korjev. After the turtles, two more hamsters, a hermit crab, an iguana, and two widemouthed frogs passed on to the great wok in the sky (or, more accurately, on the third floor), Charlie finally acquiesced and brought home a three-inch-long Madagascar hissing cockroach that he named Bear, just so his daughter wouldn't go through life talking total nonsense. â€Å"Like Bear,† Sophie said. â€Å"She's talking about the bug,† Charlie said, one night when Jane stopped by. â€Å"She's not talking about the bug,† Jane said. â€Å"What kind of father buys a cockroach for a little girl anyway? That's disgusting.† â€Å"Nothing's supposed to be able to kill them. They've been around for like a hundred million years. It was that or a white shark, and they're supposed to be hard to keep.† â€Å"Why don't you give up, Charlie? Just let her get by with stuffed animals.† â€Å"A little kid should have a pet. Especially a little kid growing up in the city.† â€Å"We grew up in the city and we didn't have any pets.† â€Å"I know, and look how we turned out,† Charlie said, gesturing back and forth between the two of them, one who dealt in death and had a giant cockroach named Bear, and the other who was on her third yoga-instructor girlfriend in six months and was wearing his newest Harris tweed suit. â€Å"We turned out great, or at least one of us did,† Jane said, gesturing to the splendor of her suit, like she was a game-show model giving the big prize package on Let's Get Androgynous, â€Å"You have got to gain some weight. This is tailored way too tight in the butt,† she said, lapsing once again into self-obsession. â€Å"Am I camel-toeing?† â€Å"I am not looking, not looking, not looking,† Charlie chanted. â€Å"She wouldn't need pets if she ever saw the outside of this apartment,† Jane said, pulling down on the crotch of her trousers to counteract the dreaded dromedary-digit effect. â€Å"Take her to the zoo, Charlie. Let her see something besides this apartment. Take her out.† â€Å"I will, tomorrow. I'll take her out and show her the city,† Charlie said. And he would have, too, except he woke to find the name Madeline Alby written on his day planner, and next to her name, the number one. Oh yeah, and the cockroach was dead. I will take you out,† Charlie said as he put Sophie in her high chair for breakfast. â€Å"I will, honey. I promise. Can you believe that they'd only give me one day?† â€Å"No,† Sophie said. â€Å"Juice,† she added, because she was in her chair and this was juice time. â€Å"I'm sorry about Bear, honey,† Charlie said, brushing her hair this way, then that, then giving up. â€Å"He was a good bug, but he is no more. Mrs. Ling will bury him. That window box of hers must be getting pretty crowded.† He didn't remember there being a window box in Mrs. Ling's window, but who was he to question? Charlie threw open the phone book and, mercifully, found an M. Alby with an address on Telegraph Hill – not ten minutes' walk away. No client had ever been this close, and with almost six months without a peep or a shade from the sewer harpies, he was starting to feel like he had this whole Death Merchant thing under control. He'd even placed most of the soul vessels that he'd collected. The short notice felt bad. Really bad. The house was an Italianate Victorian on the hill just below the Coit Tower, the great granite column built in honor of the San Francisco firemen who had lost their lives in the line of duty. Although it's said to have been designed with a fire-hose nozzle in mind, almost no one who sees the tower can resist the urge to comment on its resemblance to a giant penis. Madeline Alby's house, a flat-roofed white rectangle with ornate scrolling trim and a crowning cornice of carved cherubs, looked like a wedding cake balanced on the tower's scrotum. So as Charlie trudged up the nut sack of San Francisco, he wondered exactly how he was going to get inside the house. Usually he had time, he could wait and follow someone in, or construct some kind of ruse to gain entrance, but this time he had only one day to get inside, find the soul vessel, and get out. He hoped that Madeline Alby had already died. He really didn't like being around sick people. When he saw the car parked out front with the small green hospice sticker, his hopes for a dead client were smashed like a cupcake with a sledgehammer. He walked up the front porch steps at the left of the house and waited by the door. Could he open it himself? Would people be able to see it, or did his special â€Å"unnoticeability† extend to objects he moved as well? He didn't think so. But then the door opened and a woman about Charlie's age stepped out onto the porch. â€Å"I'm just having a smoke,† she called back into the house, and before she could close the door behind her, Charlie slipped inside. The front door opened into a foyer; to his right Charlie saw what had originally been the parlor. There was a stairway in front of him, and another door beyond that that he guessed led to the kitchen. He could hear voices in the parlor and peeked around the corner to see four elderly women sitting on two couches that faced each other. They were in dresses and hats, and they might have just come from church, but Charlie guessed they had come to see their friend off. â€Å"You'd think she'd give up the smoking, with her mother upstairs dying of cancer,† said one of the ladies, wearing a gray skirt and jacket with matching hat, and a large enameled pin in the shape of a Holstein cow. â€Å"Well, she always was a hardheaded girl,† said another, wearing a dress that looked as if it had been made from the same floral material as the couch. â€Å"You know she used to meet with my son Jimmy up in Pioneer Park when they were little.† â€Å"She said she was going to marry him,† said another woman, who looked like a sister of the first. The ladies laughed, whimsy and sadness mixed in their tones. â€Å"Well, I don't know what she was thinking, he's as flighty as can be,† said Mom. â€Å"Yeah, and brain damaged,† added the sister. â€Å"Well, yes, he is now.† â€Å"Since the car ran over him,† said Sis. â€Å"Didn't he run right in front of a car?† asked one of the ladies who had been silent until now. â€Å"No, he ran right into it,† said Mom. â€Å"He was on the drugs then.† She sighed. â€Å"I always said I had one of each – a boy, a girl, and a Jimmy.† They all nodded. This was not the first time this group had done this, Charlie guessed. They were the type that bought sympathy cards in bulk, and every time they heard an ambulance go by they made a note to pick up their black dress from the cleaner's. â€Å"You know Maddy looked bad,† said the lady in gray. â€Å"Well, she's dying, sweetheart, that's what happens.† â€Å"I guess.† Another sigh. The tinkle of ice in glasses. They were all nursing neat little cocktails. Charlie guessed they'd been mixed by the younger woman who was outside smoking. He looked around the room for something that was glowing red. There was an oak rolltop desk in the corner that he'd like to get a look in, but that would have to wait until later. He ducked out of the doorway and into the kitchen, where two men in their late thirties, maybe early forties, were sitting at an oak table, playing Scrabble. â€Å"Is Jenny coming back? It's her turn.† â€Å"She might have gone up to see Mom with one of the ladies. The hospice nurse is letting them go up one at a time.† â€Å"I just wish it was over. I can't stand this waiting. I have a family I need to get back to. I'm about to crawl out of my fucking skin.† The older of the two reached across the table and set two tiny blue pills by his brother's tiles. â€Å"These help.† â€Å"What are they?† â€Å"Time-released morphine.† â€Å"Really?† The younger brother looked alarmed. â€Å"You hardly even feel them, they just sort of take the edge off. Jenny's been taking them for two weeks.† â€Å"That's why you guys are taking this so well and I'm a wreck? You guys are stoned on Mom's pain medication?† â€Å"Yep.† â€Å"I don't take drugs. Those are drugs. You don't take drugs.† The older brother sat back in his chair. â€Å"Pain medication, Bill. What are you feeling?† â€Å"No, I'm not taking Mom's pain meds.† â€Å"Suit yourself.† â€Å"What if she needs them?† â€Å"There's enough morphine in that room to bring down a Kodiak bear, and if she needs more, then hospice will bring more.† Charlie wanted to shake the younger brother and yell, Take the drugs, you idiot. Maybe it was the benefit of experience. Having now seen this situation happen again and again, families on deathwatch, out of their minds with grief and exhaustion, friends moving in and out of the house like ghosts, saying good-bye or just covering some sort of base so they could say they had been there, so perhaps they wouldn't have to die alone themselves. Why was none of this in the books of the dead? Why didn't the instructions tell him about all the pain and confusion he was going to see? â€Å"I'm going to go find Jenny,† said the older brother, â€Å"see if she wants to get something to eat. We can finish the game later if you want.† â€Å"That's okay, I was losing anyway.† The younger brother gathered up the tiles and put the board away. â€Å"I'm going to go upstairs and see if I can catch a nap, tonight's my night watching Mom.† The older brother walked out and Charlie watched the younger brother drop the blue pills into his shirt pocket and leave the kitchen, leaving the Death Dealer to ransack the pantry and the cabinets looking for the soul vessel. But he felt before he even started that it wouldn't be there. He was going to have to go upstairs. He really, really hated being around sick people. Madeline Alby was propped up and tucked into bed with a down comforter up around her neck. She was so slight that her body barely showed under the covers. Charlie guessed that she might weigh seventy or eighty pounds max. Her face was drawn and he could see the outlines of her eye sockets and her jawbone jutting through her skin, which had gone yellow. Charlie guessed liver cancer. One of her friends from downstairs was sitting at her bedside, the hospice-care worker, a big woman in scrubs, sat in a chair across the room, reading. A small dog, a Yorkshire terrier, Charlie thought, was snuggled up between Madeline's shoulder and her neck, sleeping. When Charlie stepped into the room, Madeline said, â€Å"Hey there, kid.† He froze in his steps. She was looking right at him – crystal-blue eyes, and a smile. Had the floor squeaked? Had he bumped something? â€Å"What are you doing there, kid?† She giggled. â€Å"Who do you see, Maddy?† asked the friend. She followed Madeline's gaze but looked right through Charlie. â€Å"A kid over there.† â€Å"Okay, Maddy. Do you want some water?† The friend reached for a child's sippy cup with a built-in straw from the nightstand. â€Å"No. Tell that kid to come in here, though. Come in here, kid.† Madeline worked her arms out of the covers and started moving her hands in sewing motions, like she was embroidering a tapestry in the air before her. â€Å"Well, I'd better go,† said the friend. â€Å"Let you get some rest.† The friend glanced at the hospice woman, who looked over her reading glasses and smiled with her eyes. The only expert in the house, giving permission. The friend stood and kissed Madeline Alby on the forehead. Madeline stopped sewing for a second, closed her eyes, and leaned into the kiss, like a young girl. Her friend squeezed her hand and said, â€Å"Good-bye, Maddy.† Charlie stepped aside and let the woman pass. He watched her shoulders heave with a sob as she went through the door. â€Å"Hey, kid,† Madeline said. â€Å"Come over here and sit down.† She paused in her sewing long enough to look Charlie in the eye, which freaked him out more than a little. He glanced at the hospice worker, who glanced up from her book, then went back to reading. Charlie pointed to himself. â€Å"Yeah, you,† Madeline said. Charlie was going into a panic. She could see him, but the hospice nurse could not, or so it seemed. An alarm beeped on the nurse's watch and Madeline picked up the little dog and held it to her ear. â€Å"Hello? Hi, how are you?† She looked up at Charlie. â€Å"It's my oldest daughter.† The little dog looked at Charlie, too, with a distinct â€Å"save me† look in its eyes. â€Å"Time for some medicine, Madeline,† the nurse said. â€Å"Can't you see I'm on the phone, Sally,† Madeline said. â€Å"Hang on a second.† â€Å"Okay, I'll wait,† the nurse said. She picked up a brown bottle with an eyedropper in it, filled the dropper, and checked the dosage and held. â€Å"Bye. Love you, too,† Madeline said. She held the tiny dog out to Charlie. â€Å"Hang that up, would you?† The nurse snatched the dog out of the air and set it down on the bed next to Madeline. â€Å"Open up, Madeline,† the nurse said. Madeline opened wide and the nurse squirted the eyedropper into the old woman's mouth. â€Å"Mmm, strawberry,† Madeline said. â€Å"That's right, strawberry. Would you like to wash it down with some water?† The nurse held the sippy cup. â€Å"No. Cheese. I'd like some cheese.† â€Å"I can get you some cheese,† said the nurse. â€Å"Cheddar cheese.† â€Å"Cheddar it is,† said the nurse. â€Å"I'll be right back.† She tucked the covers around Madeline and left the room. The old woman looked at Charlie again. â€Å"Can you talk, now that she's gone?† Charlie shrugged and looked in every direction, his hand over his mouth, like someone looking for an emergency spot to spit out a mouthful of bad seafood. â€Å"Don't mime, honey,† Madeline said. â€Å"No one likes a mime.† Charlie sighed heavily, what was there to lose now? She could see him. â€Å"Hello, Madeline. I'm Charlie.† â€Å"I always liked the name Charlie,† Madeline said. â€Å"How come Sally can't see you?† â€Å"Only you can see me right now,† Charlie said. â€Å"Because I'm dying?† â€Å"I think so.† â€Å"Okay. You're a nice-looking kid, you know that?† â€Å"Thanks. You're not bad yourself.† â€Å"I'm scared, Charlie. It doesn't hurt. I used to be afraid that it would hurt, but now I'm afraid of what happens next.† Charlie sat down on the chair next to the bed. â€Å"I think that's why I'm here, Madeline, you don't need to be afraid.† â€Å"I drank a lot of brandy, Charlie. That's why this happened.† â€Å"Maddy – can I call you Maddy?† â€Å"Sure, kid, we're friends.† â€Å"Yes, we are. Maddy, this was always going to happen. You didn't do anything to cause it.† â€Å"Well, that's good.† â€Å"Maddy, do you have something for me?† â€Å"Like a present?† â€Å"Like a present you would give to yourself. Something I can keep for you and give you back later, when it will be a surprise.† â€Å"My pincushion,† Madeline said. â€Å"I'd like you to have that. It was my grandmother's.† â€Å"I'd be honored to keep that for you, Maddy. Where can I find it?† â€Å"In my sewing box, on the top shelf of that closet.† She pointed to an old-style single closet across the room. â€Å"Oh, excuse me, phone.† Madeline talked to her oldest daughter on the edge of the comforter while Charlie got the sewing box from the top shelf of the closet. It was made of wicker and he could see the red glow of the soul vessel inside. He removed a pincushion fashioned from red velvet wrapped with bands of real silver and held it up for Madeline to see. She smiled and gave him the thumbs-up, just as the nurse returned with a small plate of cheese and crackers. â€Å"It's my oldest daughter,† Madeline explained to the nurse, holding the edge of the comforter to her chest so her daughter didn't hear. â€Å"Oh my, is that cheese?† The nurse nodded. â€Å"And crackers.† â€Å"I'll call you back, honey, Sally has brought cheese and I don't want to be rude.† She hung up the sheet and allowed Sally to feed her bites of cheese and crackers. â€Å"I believe this is the best cheese I've ever tasted,† Madeline said. Charlie could tell from the expression on her face that it was, indeed, the best cheese she had ever tasted. Every ounce of her being was going into tasting those slivers of cheddar, and she let loose little moans of pleasure as she chewed. â€Å"You want some cheese, Charlie?† Madeline asked, spraying cracker shrapnel all over the nurse, who turned to look at the corner where Charlie was standing with the pincushion tucked safely in his jacket pocket. â€Å"Oh, you can't see him, Sally,† Madeline said, tapping the nurse on the hand. â€Å"But he's a handsome rascal. A little skinny, though.† Then, to Sally, but overly loud to be sure that Charlie could hear: â€Å"He could use some fucking cheese.† Then she laughed, spraying more crackers on the nurse, who was laughing, too, and trying not to dump the plate. â€Å"What did she say?† came a voice from the hall. Then the two sons and the daughter entered, chagrined at first at what they had heard, but then laughing with the nurse and their mother. â€Å"I said that cheese is good,† Madeline said. â€Å"Yeah, Mom, it is,† said the daughter. Charlie stood there in the corner, watching them eat cheese, and laughing, thinking, This should have been in the book. He watched them help her with her bedpan, and give her drinks of water, and wipe her face with a damp cloth – watched her bite at the cloth the way Sophie did when he washed her face. The eldest daughter, who Charlie realized had been dead for some time, called three more times, once on the dog and twice on the pillow. Around lunchtime Madeline was tired, and she went to sleep, and about a half hour into her nap she started panting, then stopped, then didn't breathe for a full minute, then took a deep breath, then didn't. And Charlie slipped out the door with her soul in his pocket.