Why did the Munich Putsch fail?

The Munich Putsch failed for a number of reasons. Hitler was forced to act too quickly and to make a hasty, spontaneous response because of ill-judged and flawed plans that were based on too many assumptions. Hitler assumed that the time was right. The invasion of the Ruhr resulted in the crisis of Hyperinflation which caused disorder in Germany. Hitler believed that the people wanted a weak end to Germany and he thought that he had a lot of supporters. However, Hitler was mistaken because he had left the Putsch too late. By November 1923, the worst of Hyperinflation was over and the Germans had faith in Gustav Stresseman, as Chancellor, to solve their problems. The Putsch failed because Hitler was misguided and didn't see the wider picture. He was too focused on Bavaria and he didn't think things through. Hitler's plan was to March on Berlin, gathering support, just like Mussolini had marched on Rome in 1922. Hitler was naive and shortsighted, he assumed too much. He thought that he could just take over Berlin and everyone would just follow him hen nobody even knew whom he was. Hitler felt he had to act because he had heard that Ritter Von Kahr was threatening to make Bavaria a republic. This would ruin Hitler's plans. On the 8th November 1923, Hitler panicked. He burst into the Beer Hall because he believed that Kahr was going to announce a Republic. 600 SA surrounded the hall while Hitler put a gun to Kahr's head and forced him to support Hitler's revolution. Hitler also got General Luddendorff to offer his support. Hitler then et Kahr go after he promised to come back in the morning. He was naive and he didn't think that Kahr would warn the police or army about his plans. Hitler was impulsive and he didn't think about the consequences of his actions. On the morning of 9th November Hitler began the Putsch with 2,000 instead of 55,000 men. His uncoordinated plans, poor organisation and impulsive acts left no time for clear instructions. This meant that so many Nazis turned up either late or confused. The result of this was that the police killed 16 Nazis and injured over 100 people, including Hitler. However, Hitler and Luddendorff were later arrested and charged with treason. However, it can also be argued that in the long term the Putsch didn't really fail. He gave Hitler widespread publicity and his name was spread all over Germany. He learnt from his mistakes, and realised that the only way to seize power was through elections. 10 years later, he would be voted leader of Germany.

Commentry on Rising Fuel Prices Essay

Air travel is fast getting out of reach for relatively small town Indians. According to Airport Authority of India’s (AAI) latest figures, April 2008 saw lesser number of people flying from places like Goa, Patna, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati, Calicut, Srinagar and even tourist hotspots like Udaipur, Jammu and Jodhpur over same period last year. On a national basis, the growth rate of domestic passengers this year has fallen to single digit, down from the heady 30% to 40% figures recorded in past three years. While this growth was largely due to airlines offering attractive fares, the drop in passenger flow was as high as 35% in Jodhpur or 24.5% in Jammu. These figures have the alarm bells ringing as the steep hike in jet fuel prices – which have led to sharp increase in airfares – started only in April and the fall in flyers could get much worse for later months. Till April, fuel surcharge on each ticket was Rs 1,650. Now the same surcharge is between Rs 2,250 and Rs 2,900 and base fares are also much higher, making flying a fancy for many. â€Å"We are slowly reaching a situation where only flights between metros or ones originating or ending there may remain viable for airlines at these operating cost levels. State governments must come forward and offer low sales tax on jet fuel to airlines in return for an assurance that the latter would neither cut flights, nor hike fares to those places,† said a senior AAI official. In fact, the huge 30% to 40% growth recorded in past four years (after the advent of budget carriers) was substantially due to airlines rushing in with flights to places where bus and rail users could be shifted to air by the lure of low fares. But now with airfares on the rise, this connectivity is under severe threat. Airlines have already started pulling out of unprofitable centres. SpiceJet executive chairman Siddhanta Sharma gave the airlines’ perspective. â€Å"Basically flights from most small cities are short haul. On such sectors, high airfares now compete with other cheaper fares of other modes of transport and air travel becomes unviable. Only a reduction sales tax on jet fuel may help keeping such places connected as we would be able to offer competitive fares,† he said. But as state government still dilly dally on this issue, their connectivity is suffering. Cities like Lucknow, Varanasi, Trichy, Patna and Rajkot witnessed much lesser domestic flights in April 2008 than last April. While fares of international flights haven’t risen as sharply, international passengers have also declined. Times of India Introduction: The Indian Aviation sector has grown by leaps and bounds over the last financial year but this seemingly booming sector is now slowing down. The above article talks about the decline in the number of air travellers from cities other than the metropolitans. The growth in the number of passengers came about because of one major reason, the introduction of low budget airlines which fly at a much lower cost. Even this effect is being negated by the rising cost of civil aviation. I will use the concepts of Choice, Necessity and Price Elasticity of Demand. The alongside diagram shows the increase in Jet fuel or aviation fuel over the last few months. It also comparatively shows how expensive travelling by car is becoming, due to the rising fuel coats. Figure 1 Concepts Involved: There are mainly three basic concepts involved in this article- ‘Choice’,’ Necessity’ and ‘Price Elasticity of Demand’. 1. Choice: In today’s day and age of cut throat competition, if we need to travel from New Delhi to Mumbai we have several options regarding as to what mode of travel that can be taken. Flying is obviously the fastest and least time consuming and according to popular belief was also very expensive. Since the introduction of low budget carriers, the cost of flying drastically reduced, as these airlines worked on a â€Å"NO FRILLS† policy meaning that they offered no service whatsoever. As a result travel by aeroplane became as expensive as travelling by a second or third class Air Conditioned compartment by the most popular mode of transport in India namely the Railways. As a Result the people travelling by rail reduced in the respective ticket brackets and the passengers aboard aeroplanes increased. People from smaller towns thus for better and quicker travel increased their journey a little bit out of choice and took a plane from the nearest airport of their departure to the airport nearest to their destination. Footnotes: 1. Financial Year- the time period between the 1st of April to the 31st of May. It is called a financial year as the government of India asks for the finances of a company between this period. 2. Low Budget Airlines- They are those airline services that operate on a lower cost due to certain in-flight service policies that they follow. As the price of aviation fuel rises so does the cost if the ticket required to sit on a plane and as a result people from smaller towns are not finding air travel to be a viable means of transportation as they found to be having a lesser income than travellers in bigger cities are resorting to the next best option for their travelling needs. 2. Necessity: A necessity in economics means a compulsion to consume a certain good or service. This applies to a lot of people who travel from larger cities by air. Maximum usage of domestic air travel is done due to some business activity. Businessmen are in vast numbers in big cities such as Calcutta or Bangalore and as a result they not only have a want to travel but this want of theirs is a need. They travel by air as it is the best and the most convenient way to get to a destination in which business has to be transacted. As a result he businessman would not care what the price of air travel is as; they gain more business in exchange for paying a higher price. 3. Price Elasticity of Demand: Elasticity of demand is the responsiveness of the demand of a commodity to a given change in the price of a commodity. We can generalise the kind of people who travel by air in two categories, one who have a highly elastic price elasticity of demand for a commodity and the other who have a relatively inelastic price elasticity of demand for air travel. People from smaller towns will be generally classified in to the first category as they use air travel as an alternative to other modes of transport and seeing a rise in the price they will happily revert back to their earlier means of travel. Travellers from large cities on the other hand will be classified into the second category. They travel by air out of necessity or because they have enough means to account for a rise in the price of air travel. As a result a change in the price will induce small town travellers to cut down on air travel while not so much affecting others from larger cities. Conclusion: Travelling by air for people in smaller towns was a better alternative and not a necessary change. As a result when price went against them, they simply chose not to fly by air. Footnotes: 1. Highly Elastic Price Elasticity of Demand – A change in demand which is related to the price of and article. It is called highly elastic as the change in demand is large due to a change in price. 2. Highly Inelastic Price Elasticity of Demand – A change in demand which is related to the price of and article. It is called highly inelastic as the change in demand is not very large due to a change in price. 3. Aviation fuel- The fuel consumed by aeroplanes. 4. Domestic air travel- Travel which is within the country. 5. Want- It is a desire to consume a good or service backed by the ability and willingness to pay for it. 6. Business- A venture taken on by an individual with the purpose of gaining a profit out of it. Bibliography: * The article was taken from the Indian newspaper â€Å"The Times of India†. Dated 2nd July it is written by a journalist by the name of Saurabh Sinha. The link to the article is: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Steep_fares_lead_to_drop_in_small-town_flyers/articleshow/3186374.cms * The footnotes and other definitions were written with the help of the book: â€Å"Economics Course Companion† written by Ian Dorton and Jocelyn Blink. * Footnotes and definitions that are not found in the book were written out of memory and previous reading from various unrelated and previously read newspapers and articles. * http://content.edgar-online.com/edgar_conv_img/2007/12/21/0001362310-07-003512_C71797C7179706.GIF

Explore the Ways in Which John Steinbeck Presents He Character of Lennie in ‘of Mice and Men’

In this essay I am going to be writing about one of the main characters in John Steinbeck’s novella ‘Of Mice and Men’. The story portrays the travels and arising problems of two migrant workers who share an uncommon friendship for the time and environment in which the novella is set. Lennie Small is the character I will be exploring and I will start off by giving a detailed explanation of his physical appearance and behaviour. Second I will look at his and the other main character George’s relationship which will then be followed by Lennie’s relationships with other characters throughout the book. I will then go on to look at the foreshadowing in which Steinbeck displays in the story and finally I will conclude the story of its final climax. Steinbeck uses many different descriptions of Lennie Small in the novella. Often compared to animals, one of the first descriptions of him is him being compared to a bear. ‘He was dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws’, is a line which portrays an image of how physically large Lennie is while also suggesting the extent of his strength. Lennie is also described to be ‘shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes’ which compares easily to a small innocent child who doesn’t understand his surroundings. The imagery created in this scene begins to imply that Lennie, even though a grown man, does not have a mind of his own, almost childlike, while always having someone to direct him through life. Despite his age, Lennie acts and speaks with immaturity due a mental disability. ‘Slowly like a terrier, who doesn’t want to bring a ball back to his master’ is a line Steinbeck wrote to emphasise Lennie’s immature personality. By comparing him to a terrier he becomes viewed as irrational with a very instinctive side to him. Steinbeck uses the word ‘master’ which signifies how Lennie, unable to make sensible decisions, needs a master or more so a carer. It stresses his naivety and also his loyalty to George. Furthermore in this novella Lennie doesn’t intentionally mean to do harm but that does not mean he is completely harmless. This is shown when Steinbeck writes ‘I wasn’t doing nothing bad with it, George.. jus’ stroking it. in the scene where George is demanding the dead mouse from Lennie. By writing this Steinbeck has suggested that the innocent Lennie is and both a victim and villain throughout his life. No matter how harmless he is within his mind, his strength betrays his personality leaving his child like mind, and brute strength a threatening combination. Steinbeck’s first description of George and Lennie’s relationship demonstrates the fact tha t George is very much like a father figure to Lennie. He is constantly mimicking George and following obediently which is described when ‘they had walked in single file down the path, and even in the open one stayed one behind the other’. This quote emphasises the dominance in the relationship and how Lennie is always following behind George because he wants to show him respect. Also Lennie imitates George with the upmost precision, ‘Then (George) replaced his hat, pushed himself back from the river, drew up his knees and embraced them. Lennie who had been watching imitated George exactly’ highlights this as it shows just how much Lennie looks up to George as if he is also a hero as well as a father figure in which he wants to make proud. It produces the thought that maybe all Lennie wants is for George to be proud of him and is symbolic to the fact Lennie looks up to George as a role model. In the opening dialogue between George and Lennie the nature of their relationship is easily distinguishable when George says ‘Lennie! Lennie for Gods sake, don’t drink too much.. ou gonna be sick like you was last night’ because it conveys how much George actually cares for and worries for Lennie without making it sound too affectionate. He speaks down to Lennie in a patronizing manner which also symbolises the authority in the relationship. In this novella one of the key things about Lennie and George is the dream they both wish to achieve. Due to Lennie’s childlike mind set and George’ s fatherly role in Lennie’s life the dream becomes somewhat a bedtime story for Lennie. On several occasions ‘Lennie pleads â€Å"Come on George. Tell me. Please, George. Like you did before. † ‘ which further emphasises how much of a child he is due to the fact it makes him calm, happy and almost settled as if he were an infant going to bed. It could also portray the subconscious worries Lennie has so he feels the need to be reassured about their dream. Lennie’s relationships with other characters vary and progress throughout the novella. When Slim, the jerkline skinner, is first introduced to Lennie and George he is taken aback by the oddness of their relationship with each other. He immediately see’s Lennie’s lack of mentality and later on states to George ‘it seems kinda funny, a cuckoo like him and a smart guy like you travelling together’ which is the first opinion Slim reveals towards Lennie. At first he only sees the childlike Lennie but after the situation explained he understands and views Lennie in a completely different light. ‘He’s a nice fella, guy don’t need no sense to be a nice fella’ is a line which Steinbeck wrote to show clearly how Slim respects and likes Lennie as it emphasises that he doesn’t just see the absence of intelligence but the nice guy hidden underneath the childish exterior. Even though Slim doesn’t really get to know Lennie in this novella, his friendship with George allows him to understand Lennie and the position the two are in. Slim appreciates that Lennie is not a cruel person when he says ‘He ain’t mean, I can see Lennie ain’t a bit mean’ which further emphasises the intelligence Slim possess to see behind the original interpretation of Lennie as a man and shows how his feelings towards him have developed into somewhat respect. Another relationship that Lennie has is one with the stable buck, Crooks. Steinbeck enforces this unspoken friendship between the two because both are isolated from the rest of the ranch workers, Lennie because of his size and childish behaviour and Crooks because of him being black and being segregated from the rest of the workers. Although Lennie is portrayed as the weakest mentally, he doesn’t understand the unwritten code of racial segregation which brings out the intelligent side to him which is proven in the way he acts towards Crooks. When Crooks questions him about why he has entered the barn Lennie replies with ‘Nothing- I seen your light. I thought I could jus’ come an’ set’ which shows how innocent Lennie is and in a way how lonely he is as he goes to investigate the possibility that he could converse with someone. It could also show that Lennie sees crooks as an equal unlike the other men on the ranch who merely see his colour. In this novella Steinbeck uses foreshadowing a great deal throughout the whole story. It appears everywhere, hinting on what will happen to different characters and the way the story will develop. It is used to show that Lennie will be getting in trouble with Curley’s wife, her death and also his death and the exact way in which he dies. The moment Curley’s wife is introduced an ill feeling overcomes the atmosphere signifying that Lennie will in fact be getting into some sort of mess involving her. George says at the very beginning ‘I seen ‘em poison before, but I never seen no piece of jail bait like her before. You leave her be’ is a quote from the novella which directly foreshadows Curley’s wifes death because by having George tell him to leave her alone, it’s obviously going to go the opposite way and something will end up bringing the pair together. Another thing that adds to the foreshadowing of her death is Lennie’s tendency to ‘get carried away’ with touching soft, silky and pretty things. Throughout the novella the victims of Lennie’s harmless ‘petting’ gradually get bigger, starting off with the girls dress in Weed, the mouse, progressing on to Curley’s hand and the puppy and finally ending with Curley’s herself. The skirt, mouse, puppy and Curley’s wife all link in with the need to touch ‘soft things’ and the same reaction even happen in each. Once they begin to panic or squirm Lennie reacts in a childlike way and doesn’t know what to do so he simply doesn’t let his hold of that object go. Excluding Curley’s hand which was purely down to animal and childish instinct, all the other incidents could connect to the idea that in Lennie’s naive mind, ‘soft and pretty’ things relate to the dream that he and George have and once the victims begin to struggle it instantly alerts Lennie that the dream is escaping him and he holds on in fear of letting go and loosing it. The foreshadowing of Lennie’s death occurs at different points throughout the novella. The shooting of candy’s dog being the main one. When Carlson is trying to persuade Candy into letting him shoot the dog he says ‘He ain’t no good to you, Candy. An’ he ain’t no good to himself. Wh’n’t you shoot him, Candy? ’ which is exactly how Lennie is viewed as a partner of George. Both the dog and Lennie are connected as they both in some way weigh down their ‘owner’ and aren’t really useful to them. Another thing which foreshadows his death is George’s constant reminders of how his life would be easier without him. ‘God you’re a lot of trouble, I could get along so easy and so nice if I didn’t have you on my tail. I could live so easy and maybe have a girl’ is a line which Steinbeck wrote to foreshadow what might happen in the end of the story as it is how George feels inside which he frequently tells Lennie at different points in the story. Lennie’s death, placed right at the end of the story, is no big surprise when it actually occurs. Beforehand Lennie and George are merely talking. Lennie is confused as to why George isn’t shouting at him and this particular bit shows how much George secretly does care for Lennie and wishes that this didn’t happen. ‘No Lennie, I ain’t mad. I never been mad an’ I ain’t now. That’s the thing I want ya to know. ’ is a line from George which symbolises that no matter what bad things Lennie has ever done, George only wants the best for him, even if that means killing him. Steinbeck uses the phrase ‘never been mad’ to show that George is feeling guilty about his reactions towards Lennies mistakes in the past and trying to make it right. Despite the fact he has already made the decision to end Lennie’s life George still finds it difficult to do so which is portrayed when Steinbeck wrote that ‘George raised the gun and his hand shook, and he dropped his hand to the ground again’. This quote lays emphasis on how challenging it is for George to follow through with his task. No matter how much of a dead weight Lennie is to him, they have still been together for a long while which adds to the fact George finds it so hard to kill him. The thing that played the most part in the decision George made to kill Lennie was Candy’s words, ‘I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog. ’ because George understands that the death of Lennie is inevitable and is going to happen one way or another whether it be now or in the next town when he does something else wrong. Georges decision is reassured by Slim right at the end of the novella when he says ‘You hadda George, I swear you hadda’ because he understands the situation George is in and is trying to assure him that he made the right decision in killing Lennie. In conclusion, Lennie Small is a very complex character. The description of his character is very precise and so is his personality. Throughout this novella it is obvious that Lennie’s character is the one that undergoes the least amount of development. His childlike mentality and mind set prohibit any possible expansion of his character however Lennie's protection from George, devotion to him, and dreams of the farm make him the character that he is. His portrayal of innocence during the course of the novella is a key reason why readers feel so much sympathy for him, and is the main way in which he is represented all throughout Of Mice and Men.

A study investigating the mismatch between the course book and the Literature review

A study investigating the mismatch between the course book and the needs of saudi technicians working in air forces - Literature review Example Therefore, new courses were prepared to meet the requirement. In the process of course designing, ESP became the dominant tool in view of its demand by the stakeholders and the employers (Anthony 1997, 2). With the passage of time, it was admitted that such module of learning would attract workforce migrated from all over the world in search of green pasture. In the fast developing economies like India, Dubai, Malaysia, and Eastern Europe such courses are considered as a useful method of learning for the workforce. The learners themselves now realize that English is an effective tool in achieving the empowerment and self-expression. Hence, it should not confine to few situations only (Anthony 1997, 2-3). To further improve the situation in the mid of seventies, the idea of needs analysis was floated. Prior to that, needs analysis mainly focused on linguistic and register analysis. The focused analysis method in 80s was first used by chambers in their articles and tried to remove the confusion that existed about certain terminologies (Astika 1999, 1). In the light of the statement of Iwai, formal needs analysis was the new concept in the field of language teaching. This method was mostly used by the teacher to examine what sort of techniques could woo or influence the students to become master of English language. These experiments were the mother of new approaches to be replaced with the existing. John opined that such analysis is needed to introduce for course designing, which provides authenticity, validity and relevancy for the following courses to be designed in the same pattern (Astika 1999, 2-3). The insertion of subject related pictures in course of English language for Specific Purpose are in fact technological and theoretical assessment of languages that are to be used to satisfy the learner needs and to meet the globalized requirement, where local and global needs are merged. By using ESP with its multiple analytical methods may address the need of a hotel worker at one particular place or situation in a detailed manner than ever before. Now the learners and the workers are started realizing that in different circumstances different methods of learning are to be adopted in an effective manner to cope with the situation. Now the specialists of ESP finding out more ways and means that attracts more and more participants in the courses specifically designed for them to cater to their needs. It is true that without understanding the problems of the course participants, the desired result could be elusive dreams. Therefore, in order to ensure effective participation of the specific participants in basic learner’s academies, at work place and in the communities merits in depth research by the researchers about their needs and how to handle them (Belcher 2006, 134-135). The aim and work of Munby was just to find out the linguistic problems for the initial learners, used in many situations are praiseworthy. The outcome of Munbyâ €™s model is appreciated by Hutchinson and Waters (1987) since it serves the purpose of learners very effectively in a targeted situation. Subsequent model derives their strength from the model of Munby because it provides valuable data banks and target performance (Songhori 2008, 7-8). There are researchers who focus on analyzing target situation needs that followed Munby’s CNP model. We should take into consideration the efforts of Hutchinson and Wa

Microplex Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Microplex - Essay Example If the company directors know it, they can stop any body from purchasing the land by convincing peter not to sign for it. But here the problem is not about purchasing land but the amount owed to Burkes and Wills and the clause that it was a heritage land and cannot be used for private commercial purposes. Here there was a provision in the corporate act (2001) to get enough time by applying for compensation. Microplex can get compensation from the Katrina family for deliberately hiding the legal tangles bebind the land scape (water front) they wanted to purchase from them. If they get the compensation then they can successfully get rid of burden of Burkes and Wills. If they did not get it they can get at least time for settling the legal tangles in Babinda trust and get credit from them to pay the dues of Bukes and Wills. The company can approach court according to the following provisions. (1) If the information in the application for a market licence in Australia contains information about the proposed compensation arrangements according to paragraph 881B(2), the minister can be compelled to treat the application as a thing for approval of the compensation arrangements and, for that action, he must consider the proposed arrangements were adequate. (3) When it was felt by the minister that the proposed compensation ar... (3) When it was felt by the minister that the proposed compensation arrangements are adequate the minister can grant the licence. But while granting the licence the minister must approve the compensation arrangements. Note: The other provisions about granting licences are in Subdivision A of Division4 of Part7.2. (4) The minister must follow the following in the conditions of licence. He must deal with the least amount of cover required in relation to the compensation arrangements in such manner as the minister thinks appropriate and He can identify the source of funds available to cover the claims and he can approve arrangements on the basis of them. (section 885H) 882B How to get compensation arrangements approved after licence is granted (1) There will be operators of licenced market. It any one of them wanted to have a compensation arrangements for the market approved after the granting of the licence, the so called operator should apply for approval according to the provisions of this section. (2) The application must: funish the information regarding and relevant to the compensation arrangements proposed. Those must be the arrangements required by regulations made for purposes about this paragraph and must accompanied by a copy of the proposed compensation rules and (b) can be made to the minister through lodging the application with the help of ASIC. Note: For fees in respect of lodging applications, see Part9.10. (3) The minister has a right or rejecting the application if he consider that the proposed compensation arrangements are not adequate according to the things mentioned in the law. (4) If the above (3) is not the case and if the minister considers the proposed arrangements are adequate then he must: (a) approval of the arrangements of

A Framework for Effective Communication Skills Research Paper

A Framework for Effective Communication Skills - Research Paper Example The framework focuses upon the five ‘Is’ such as interaction with the patient, developing the intention of the interaction, planning upon the kinds of intervention techniques used, evaluating the impact of such sorts of intervention and assessing the implication of the information that has been gathered and thus taking actions accordingly (Hamilton & Martin, 2007). The article tries to focus upon the fact that it is significant for the nurses to communicate with the patients by making use of diverse skills in order to ensure the patients that the health care practitioners are there to help the patients both psychologically and physically taking into account the patient’s state of health. The article also tries to identify that the patients must be given chance to express their fears, worries, anxiety, and concerns if any so that the healthcare professionals are able to identify the root cause of the problems prevailing with the patient (Hamilton & Martin, 2007). It is significant for the nurses to identify that providing the patients with information needs to be goal-directed activity. The intentions behind the interaction with the patients need to be identified. If such intentions can be identified by the practitioners then they will be capable of evaluating the efficiency of their contact with the patient.  

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System proposal assingment 3 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

System proposal assingment 3 - Assignment Example diagrams. The current Unirec system is a manual system where forms are given to customers to fill their health records and registration forms. Working hours for trainers are manually recorded, the same way as payments. The fittness protocols are written on a paper and the company does not keep personal records of customers. All these are problems which can be captured by the new system that is to be implemented. The new system will do away with unnecessary and excess paper work. It will also give room for expansion by accommodating more data that does not require much physical space for storage. The logical data flow diagrams of the current and new system are shown below An alternative system to this one would be a UniRec fitness management system that has a website where gym information is always available for everyone and people can register for membership online. Members would be able to access the gym staff from wherever they are saving on time and reducing chances of overcrowding and queues at the gym location. Another alternative system would be a gym management system that provides online gym sessions through YouTube videos. These videos are made by the gym instructors and people pay to access the videos remotely. The payments and membership registration details could be stored on a physical or virtual server. In both systems, customers would upload their medical records online, the records get approved by fitness consultants, then the client gets a go-ahead to sign up for training sessions. No paper work would be needed whatsoever. The customers, consultants, fitness trainers and the manager would each have their accounts from which they all see data that is relevant to them. The manager would however be able to see all the data in the system by simply querying the database. The database could be stored in a computer in the gym or on a virtual server over the internet, from which storage space is paid for. The new system will

Eco-tourism Environmentally friendly resort development business plan Essay

Eco-tourism Environmentally friendly resort development business plan - Essay Example is a relatively new trend in the tourism industry, has taken many travelers to various remote corners of the world, exposing them to many diverse wildlife and cultures that have been developing in relative isolation from the modern world, consequently making ecotourism one of the most interesting and therefore fastest growing sectors of the tourism industry (Ibid.). Costa Rica, unlike the other so-called Third World countries which are focusing on rapid urbanization and industrialization, has turned to ecotourism and considered it as its key to its goal of economic development (Dulude, 2000). Despite its relative smallness compared to other countries in Central America, Costa Rica is home to an incredible biodiversity highlighted by scenic beaches, lush rain forests, impressive volcanoes and a very exotic wildlife, with its tourist industry bringing in about one million visitors a year and generating approximately $1 billion annually, making tourism Costa Rica’s second largest income generator after the silicon chip production industry (Ibid.). Further, Costa Rica also has the following features which make it an ideal country for ecotourism, which also rationalize this paper’s overall concept of an eco-friendly resort business in the country, as follows: 1. Rich biodiversity. Costa Rica has an incredible biodiversity that can offer tourists – foreign and local alike – with a glimpse of mountains and volcanoes, as well as beaches and lush green rainforests that are all located within a relatively small region in the country (Garen, 2000). According to Lizano (2000, p17), there are about twenty-four national parks in Costa Rica that are covering its diverse flora and fauna, covering about twenty-one percent of the country’s territory, which includes twenty-eight percent of the country’s Indian reserves. 2. Strategic Location. Costa Rica is situated closely to the United States (US), which makes it ideal and strategic for its tourist industry, giving

Do revolutions 'happen' or are they 'made' Discuss with reference to Essay

Do revolutions 'happen' or are they 'made' Discuss with reference to at least two theories of revolution, and using exa - Essay Example A revolution is known to be a change, a metamorphosis for the outbreak of the whole political, social and economic system of a certain area. The whole setup is not just crashed because of some unknown reason of just by a group of people who are seeking their vested interest; rather, there is some lack and seepage in the system which in turn gives rise to the revolution. The primary advocates of this theory include Aristotle. He says that causes of every revolution lie in mass spread inequalities, rejection of the working class by elite class of the society and oppressive behavior of the rich. The rejectionist behavior that is faced by majority of the masses makes them set their foot out for a change that will bring them eventually some honor, pride, power and money. Abuse of standards of legal frameworks and misuse of power by the privileged class are also the main causes of revolution. ... will try to oscillate the running system because the majority is happy with the system and any attempt from outside to throw away the current regime will not be entertained by the environment or the people. According to this theory, the revolutions are triggered by the events caused by the running class, and then these events can be manipulated by other parties who have their own interests in the coming revolution, but this does not mean that revolutions are made up by some powers initially. The idea is that each revolution is started internally on some causes that are very much anticipated in the books of revolution. Aristotle said that under corrupt regimes, people are tired to rule over by fear and brutal behaviors. As a result of this, the ambitious people get their emotions beefed up and they set out some movements to change the tyrant and oppressive ruling class. This is the stage when other powers can show interest, but the starting of the revolutions has already taken place. Karl Marx was in support of the same theory as he said potential working class and lower middle class are often offended by the upper class or the rich class because they regard themselves as some kind of more privileged people than others. They think the production in society is earned by them, and this gives them every right to harm or humiliate the lower classes. They can also hurt their feelings because they are gentiles in their view. As a result, the consequences take the form of revolution and the working class uses their numerical edge and power of numbers against the ruling class because the suffered class has always been in majority and exploitative classes are always in minority. When there is an open battle between minority and majority, the end result goes in favor of majority

Welfare Reform in the United States Essay Example for Free

Welfare Reform in the United States Essay Throughout recent years the economy of the United States of America has been going through a major recession. There have been and continue to be irresponsible fiscal policies that have led to these major problems that are at the forefront of the minds and lives of the American people. Picking just one cause or problem to our nations’ economic decay is virtually impossible, yet one of the aspects of government that is considered for reform quite often can be refined to help stimulate the economy now and in the future. History in the United States  The United States welfare program is full of a rich history that began well before the actual system of welfare was developed by President Roosevelt. The welfare ideas stemmed from a very human trait of caring for the needy. Many small programs were developed to try to help the lower class. These programs focused on â€Å"teaching a man to fish† or giving him a short term solution and education to help him have a better opportunity in his future. The programs were never designed to be a long term solution for the needs of those people who were suffering through financial difficulties. In fact few private and government retirement pensions existed in the United States before the Great Depression. The prevailing view was that individuals should save for their old age or be supported by their children. About 30 states provided some welfare aid to poor elderly persons without any source of income. Local officials generally decided who deserved old-age assistance in their community (welfare reform. 123HelpMe. com. ) ( transplant-speakers. olhblogspace. com) â€Å"†The New Deal† The emphasis during the first two years of President Franklin Roosevelts New Deal was to provide work relief for the millions of unemployed Americans. President Roosevelt’s focus on helping people become working and financially responsible was an important part to the economic relief during the great depression. The â€Å"New Deal† provided a short term solution and plan for the unemployed to become financial independent. Most federal money was given to the states pay for public works projects, which employed the jobless. Some federal aid also directly assisted needy victims of the Depression. The states, however, remained mainly responsible for taking care of the unemployables (widows, poor children, the elderly poor, and the disabled). But states and private charities, too, were unable to keep up the support of these people at a time when tax collections and personal giving were declining steeply. In his State of the Union Address before Congress on January 4, 1935, President Roosevelt said â€Å"the time has come for action by the national government to provide security against the major hazards and vicissitudes [uncertainties] of life. He went on to propose the creation of federal unemployment and old-age insurance programs. He also called for guaranteed benefits for poor single mothers and their children along with other dependent persons. By permanently expanding federal responsibility for the security of all Americans, Roosevelt believed that the necessity for government make-work employment (make-work employment refers to the government stepping in and creating work/jobs) and other forms of Depression relief would disappear. In his address before Congress, Roosevelt argued that the continuation of government relief programs was a bad thing for the country: â€Å"lessons of history, confirmed by the evidence immediately before me, show conclusively that continued dependence upon relief induces a spiritual and moral disintegration fundamentally destructive to the national fiber. To dole out relief in this way is to administer a narcotic, a subtle destroyer of the human spirit . . .. † (F D R: the words that reshaped America By Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Stamford Parker) As we reflect on these words we can see that America and her leaders have lost sight of the true purpose and plan behind the welfare program. (citizenjoe. org- Percentage of welfare spending) â€Å"The Social Security Act† A few months later, on August 18, 1935, Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act (Wikipedia. org). It set up a federal retirement program for persons over 65, which was financed by a payroll tax paid jointly by employers and their workers. FDR believed that federal old-age pensions together with employer-paid unemployment insurance (also a part of the Social Security Act) would provide the economic security people needed during both good and bad times. Not by any means was Roosevelt implying he wanted the vast minorities or majorities in age or race to become dependent on the federal or state governments. In addition to old-age pensions and unemployment insurance, the Social Security Act established a national welfare system. The federal government guaranteed one-third of the total amount spent by states for assistance to needy and dependent children under age 16 (but not their mothers). Additional federal welfare aid was provided to destitute old people, the needy blind and crippled children. Although financed partly by federal tax money, the states could still set their own eligibility requirements and benefit levels. This part of the law was pushed by Southern states so they could control the coverage made available to their African-American population. This is how welfare began as a federal government responsibility. Roosevelt and the members of Congress who wrote the welfare provisions into the Social Security Act thought that the need for federal aid to dependent children and poor old people would gradually go away as employment improved and those over 65 began to collect Social Security pensions. But many Americans, such as farm laborers and domestic servants, were never included in the Social Security old-age retirement program. Also, since 1935, increasing divorce and father desertion rates have dramatically multiplied the number of poor single mothers with dependent children. This made it much harder for the government to dole out the funds for social security. Since the Great Depression, the national welfare system expanded both in coverage and federal regulations. It has become a crutch for many of American citizens. The welfare program is not serving its original purpose. From its inception, the system drew critics. The system does not do enough to get people to work. Others simply believed the federal government should not administer a welfare system. As the system grew, so did criticism of it, especially in the 1980s and 90s. Additions to Welfare† In 1992, Democratic candidate, Bill Clinton, ran for president promising to end welfare as we know it. Yet a complete mend to a federal and state entity that provided support and stability to thousands would cripple the economy and leave all those in the system to fend for themselves after being on a system that did everything for them. Then in 1996, a Republican Congress passed and President Clinton signed a reform law that returned most control of welfare back to the states, thus ending 61 years of federal esponsibility (â€Å"Constitutional Rights Foundation† http://www. crf-usa. org/bill-of-rights-in-action/bria-14-3-a-how-welfare-began-in-the-united-states. html ). When the federal Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program began in 1936, it provided cash aid to about 500,000 children and parents. By 1969, the number had grown to nearly 7 million. Over the years, Congress added new programs. President Lyndon B. Johnsons War on Poverty provided major non-cash benefits to AFDC recipients as well as to other needy persons. In 1964, Congress approved a food stamp program for all low-income households. The next year, Congress created Medicaid, a federal and state funded health-care system for the destitute elderly, disabled persons, and AFDC families. In 1974, during the Nixon presidency, Congress established the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program to provide aid to the needy elderly, blind, and disabled. This program made up the last major component of the federal welfare system. By 1994, more of the nations needy families, elderly, and disabled received federal welfare than ever before. Aid to Families with Dependent Children alone supported more than 14 million children and their parents. By the 1990s, AFDC supported 15 percent of all U. S. children. In most cases, these children lived at home and were cared for by a single parent, usually the mother, who did not work. In August 1996, after 18 months of debate, Congress passed and President Clinton signed into law the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act. This welfare reform law ended 61 years of AFDC guaranteed cash assistance to every eligible poor family with children. The new law turned over to the states the authority to design their own welfare programs and to move recipients to work. Under the new law, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, funded by federal block grants and state money, replaced AFDC. States are given wide discretion in determining eligibility and the conditions under which families may receive public aid. But Congress tied a number of strict work requirements to the federal block grants: †¢ Adults receiving family cash-aid benefits must go to work within two years.  States may exempt a parent with a child under 1 for no more than 12 months. States had to have 25 percent of their welfare caseloads at work in 1997 and 50 percent of their caseloads at work by 2002. States who fail to meet these requirements will lose 5 percent of their federal block grants (http://www. welfareinfo. org/history/). Each adult is limited to no more than five years of cash assistance during his or her lifetime. But states may exempt up to 20 percent of their caseloads from this limit. A 1995 study by the Cato Institute revealed that the value of the total benefit package received by a typical welfare recipient averaged more than $17,000, ranging from a high of over $36,000 in Hawaii to a low of $11,500 in Mississippi. In 9 states welfare pays more than the average first-year salary for a teacher. In 29 states welfare pays more than the average starting salary for a secretary. In 47 states welfare pays more than a janitor makes. In the 6 states benefits exceed the entry-level salary for a computer programmer (http://www. heritage. org/ and www. cato. org). America can be on her way to economic stability and growth once again if we obtain a complete understanding of the rich history of the public welfare system. We can come closer to helping our citizens be financially independent, we can become a more cultured and sophisticated society. When we embrace the true purpose behind the original establishment of welfare programs and provide people with an opportunity to live within their means when they need assistance, and teach them how to provide for their future, then we will be able to further help our country and our economy. We will once again become the world’s leading economic power and our citizens will be the force behind that great power. PROPOSAL A Plan for Modern Reform One of the greatest ways we can help America regain the great power it once had is by electing a leader who can help us solve some of the financial issues we face, specifically welfare. Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney is that person. Regarding the current welfare problem he stated, â€Å"â€Å"Fundamentally, this is a debate about the best way to help someone lead a fulfilling life. We know that the best system isn’t about a handout but a hand up. † –Source: press release on welfare reform (July 2005) â€Å"People want a chance to work so they can build self-sustaining lives instead of relying on a welfare check that will keep them trapped in poverty. By providing support services and incentives where necessary, we want to give welfare recipients the opportunity to achieve independent and fulfilling lives. † –Source: press release on welfare reform (January 2005) We must not allow people to abuse the welfare system. We need to establish and follow strict guidelines and laws for receiving welfare. We must also develop a system to help people get off of the program and stop abusing the system. Mitt Romney has offered a full-fledged detailed economic plan when he announced a 59-point job and economic proposal during a speech at the McCandless International Trucks dealership in Nevada, Las Vegas on September 6, 2011. Called Day One, Job One, the plans main objective would be to restore America to the path of robust economic growth necessary to create jobs. .

Relationship between hypothesized behavior Essay Example for Free

Relationship between hypothesized behavior Essay The aim of the paper was to determine the relationship between hypothesized behavior resulting from a personality test and actual information behavior from a group-based assignment. Traditionally, information seeking behavior is subsumed under a single monolithic theoretical framework. The study seeks to address the empirical categorization of such behavior. About three voluntary groups of ten library and information science students were observed during a project assignment. The NEO-PI-R test was employed to describe and define personality traits of participants. The independent variables are gender and test results. The dependent variable is the so-called ‘differential information-seeking behavior’ (between the populations). The findings are as follows: 1) some personality traits are related to actual information-seeking behavior, 2) gender is not a good determinant of good behavior, and 3) personality traits are also related to the overall context of group activities. 2) Research Design. You want to know more about the social interaction of preschoolers in the playground. Suppose the number of preschoolers (assuming) is 30 and above, then we can conduct a statistical test. The independent variable is ‘time spent playing with other preschoolers’- X- (assuming that we expand the playing time of the children). The dependent variable is ‘personal acceptability’ – Y (the degree in which a child receives positively other children). If we observe that an increase in X is accompanied by an increase in Y, then we can assume that the two are correlated. In short, as the amount of time spent playing with other preschoolers is increased, the degree of personal acceptability increases. 3) A correlation value of 0. 89 means that there exists a very strong positive linear relationship between the two variables. In short, the amount of time (in hours) spent in studying is positively related to exam scores. A student who spends more time studying will likely to receive high exam scores. 4) The researchers subjected ‘Albert’ to intense psychological conditions without his consent. The researchers were also indifferent to the consequences of the experiment (which turned out bad for the child). These two instances merit as ethical faults in the study. 5) Neurotransmitters are chemicals which allow the transmission of signals from one neuron to the next across synapses. Neurotransmitters, in a sense, activate receptors of the nervous system. Hormones are also signal chemicals but with different purpose. They are chemicals that transport signal from one cell to another, altering body metabolism (which neurotransmitters cannot do).

Vocabulary On Writing In EFL Learners

Vocabulary On Writing In EFL Learners Vocabulary knowledge has been considered as basic principles of learning English and it also has a determinant impact on EFL Witting skills. Writing is one of the important ways to learn English language that involves students ideas into the written text. Vocabulary mastery is one of knowledge that important to learn writing, listening, reading, and speaking A good writer has to know a set of vital items to enrich his writing such as grammar punctuation, capitalization rules; figurative language; rhyme; rhythm; and vocabulary. One item that can power up writing is a strong vocabulary. Spoken and written words are used to communicate ideas, thoughts, and emotions and they are so common among EFL learners, sometimes communicating will be successful and sometimes its quite reverse. To write an article, essay or even a composition which is written at school by students, good vocabulary is an essential object. Knowing synonyms and using strong vocabularies, give readers a good sense of meaning and information will make the writing more influential. In Santos, 1988; Astika,1993 study(cited in Lee,2003) has shown that lack of vocabulary contributes to writing difficulty for foreign language learners and that vocabulary is one of the most important features that determine writing quality The current article focused on the impact of vocabulary on writing in EFL learners. Importance of Vocabulary in Writing Vocabulary is defined as knowledge of words which is considered vital for language development and acquisition and is recognized as an essential factor in writing. It can also describe as the ability to use words in the generation and understanding of sentences. Beck, McCaslin, McKeown, 1980 study(cited in Yonek,2008)There is a substantial body of evidence demonstrating a link between vocabularies and students ability to read and comprehend passages. Researchers have also explored the role of vocabulary in three main aspects of students writing performance: (a) shaping teachers perceptions of writing quality; (b) predicting students overall writing performance, and (c) enhancing the quality of students written compositions( Papadopoulou, 2007,p.35). Papadopoulou,2007 said that there is a positive relationship between mature vocabulary (assessed by lexical choice) and high quality ratings. Particularly, when Neilsen and Piche (1981) compared the effects of syntactic complexity versus lexical choice on the ratings of writing quality, they reported high quality ratings for passages with mature vocabulary regardless of the passages syntactic complexity. Similarly, according to Papadopoulou,2007 examined the role of vocabulary in formatting teachers judgments of college freshmens written arguments:. It was reported that the appropriateness of words used, rather than the simple production of words, was more important in influencing teachers judgments of writing quality. The number of diction or word-choice errors per 100 words written was found to be a particularly strong predictor of writing quality. (Papadopoulou,2007,p.102) Vocabulary is also considered as a strong predictor of students overall writing performance when vocabulary scores are compared to more elaborated criterion measures of written expression such as the Test of Written Language (Towel;Hammill Larsen, 1978), the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT; Madden, Gardner,Rudman, Karlsen, Merwin, 1978), and the Developmental Sentence Scoring System (Lee Canter, 1971). Significant research has been conducted on the effects of vocabulary instruction on reading performance but studies investigating vocabulary instruction and writing are few (Duin Graves, 1987). It also illustrates the effects of vocabulary instruction on the quality of students written products. (Yonek,2008,p.68) Despite the correlations between verbal ability and writing, the nature of the relationship between the two is less certain. A rich vocabulary allows writer to get a richness of thought onto paper. However, the writers real pleasure comes not from using an exotic word but from using the right word. In other research, effective writing has also been shown to be reliant upon verbal working memory . Those students who have considerable difficulty in producing well written compositions suffer from underdeveloped oral proficiency levels. According to Bereiter Scardamalia, 1987 study,(cited in Lee,2003)Further research shows that verbal memory limitations impact both quantity and quality of writing . In writing, using correct verbs, propositions and grammatical point is so important. Vocabulary and writing: Finding the right words In some ways, the ability to write effectively hinges upon having an adequate vocabulary even more than does the ability to read. Once students have learned to decode words, they may be able to read and pronounce many words that are unfamiliar to them. They may even be able to determine accurate meanings of unfamiliar words simply by examining the context in which those words are used. During the writing process, however, a student does not have the luxury of examining the context in which a word is used; he or she is creating the context. Therefore, the writer must be able to spontaneously recall words that are known not only by sight, but that are understood well enough to use correctly. Writing is dependent upon the ability to draw upon words to describe an event. The breadth and depth of a students vocabulary will have a direct influence upon the descriptiveness, accuracy, and quality of his or her writing. Yonek( 2008) notes, variety in selecting words to convey accurate meanings is necessary in speaking and writing, the outgoes of the language arts and at any level, written communication is more effective when a depth of vocabulary and command of language is (p. 25-26). Principles of vocabulary development Since words are the writers most important tools, vocabulary development must be an important and ongoing part of classroom learning. In Laflamme (1997) study( cited in yonek 2008) offers several key principles that should guide the creation and implementation of a comprehensive vocabulary development program. 1. Teachers must offer direct instruction of techniques or procedures for developing a broad and varied vocabulary. This instruction can be provided both formally through the language arts program, and informally through various classroom interactions-such as story time-with students. 2. New vocabulary terms must be connected to students previous knowledge and experiences. If students are unable to contextualize new words by attaching them to words and concepts they already understand, the words will likely have little meaning to them, and if meaning is lacking, the chances are pupils will memorize terms and concepts for testing purposes only or largely. 3. Students should be able to contextualize the vocabulary terms they have learned and use them in society. In order for students to do this successfully, they must first learn to become comfortable using these words in the classroom. Students should be required or encouraged to incorporate new vocabulary terms into their oral and written reports and presentations. 4. Practice and repetition are important methods by which students can become familiar with new words and under- stand how they may be used correctly .Students should be frequently exposed to the same words through practice exercises, classroom use, and testing. 5. Teachers should model an enthusiasm for and curiosity about new words through their own behaviors and attitudes. Teachers who are enthusiastic about vocabulary development will automatically look for teachable moments throughout the day, pointing out interesting words as they crop up in texts, stories, or conversation; asking students to explore alternative ways of expressing concepts; and helping identify colorful, descriptive ways of speaking and writing. 6. Schools, teachers, and students must be committed to vocabulary development over the long term. The teaching of vocabulary must be an interdisciplinary project, integrated into the curriculum at every level. Effects of vocabulary Instruction on writing and using vocabulary to improve writing skills Efforts to improve writing performance through vocabulary instruction have been limited making generalizations about the role of vocabulary instruction unwarranted. However, a few studies examining the effects of vocabulary instruction on writing reveal some promising findings between the two. While improved vocabulary can enhance students writing skills, there is no guarantee that it will do so automatically. Improvement in vocabulary will result in improved writing skills only if the teacher is able to create a classroom that takes writing seriously. In Corona, Spangenberger 1998 study (cited in lee 2003) in such a classroom, process and environment are closely intertwined and interdependent. The process does not come alive unless the environment is conducive to it. The following are techniques teachers can use to create a writing-centered classroom. 1. Sharing vocabulary-rich literature by reading books, poems, and stories that contain interesting vocabulary, teachers can both introduce new words and provide a forum for discussing them. It helps the students become better writers, 2. Helping students to look for interesting words. There are many different forms this can take. For example, students could pair up and look through books for words that catch their attention, then write down common words that the author could have used instead. 3. Offering a variety of writing opportunities. A writer-centered classroom emphasizes using written expression to communicate ideas. Writing is an important part of all areas of the curriculum. The authors go on to note that students have a greater investment in their writing when they are given choices about their assignments. Such choices may include journal or diary entries, weekly logs summarizing journal entries, book reports, outlines, poetry, autobiographies, short stories, or any number of variations on the above. 4. Providing sample time for students to fully experience the writing process . The teaching of writing should be approached as a process that must be studied in depth, and substantial blocks of time should be devoted to writing. 5. Allowing students to conference with teachers and fellow students. When writing topics are chosen, students should meet with their teacher to discuss ideas and answer questions. The teachers role is to encourage, build on existing strengths, and help the student expand his or her abilities. Conferencing with fellow students gives the budding writer the opportunity to share ideas, brainstorm, and rework his or her project. Research (Henry, Scott Wells, 1999;cited in Yonek 2008) has shown Teachers who are following principles relating to vocabulary development: valuing words is critical to student learning, wide reading and direct instruction are critical components to vocabulary learning, and modeling word consciousness with a focus on language use encouraged students to pay attention to words Conclusion: In Scott 2004, study (cited in Lee 2003) research shows that having a large and sophisticated vocabulary helps a writer produce quality text by limiting the cognitive demands during a writing task. Though research connecting effective vocabulary instruction and writing is limited, some studies suggest that rich vocabulary instruction and developing word consciousness can positively influence writing. Principles identified from the research relating to generalized effects in comprehension as a result of vocabulary instruction may serve as the basis for effective instructional methods designed to increase word knowledge to a degree that can affect writing.

John Keats Ode on a Grecian Urn and Ode to a Nightingale Essays

John Keats' Ode on a Grecian Urn and Ode to a Nightingale John Keats, in "Ode on a Grecian Urn" and "Ode to a Nightingale" attempts to connect with two objects of immortality to escape from the rigors of human life. In "Ode to a Nightingale", Keats attempts to connect with a bird's song because the music knows nothing of aging and mortality. Keats has the same motivation in "Ode on a Grecian Urn" while trying to connect with three separate images on a mysterious urn. Connecting in this sense means to either fully understand the object or become the object itself. For example, when Keats attempts to "connect" with an image on the urn, he attempts to fully understand the origin of the image. While his attempts to connect with the two objects fall short, he nevertheless makes an interesting conclusion about the ideals of beauty and truth. Keats begins the "Ode to a Nightingale" in pain, before hearing the melody of the nightingale. After hearing this music, he wishes to join the bird and leave the human world. He first attempts to connect with the bird using a "draught of vintage" (11), but upon further thinking, decides that he will "not (be) charioted by Bacchus and his pards" (32). (Bacchus is god of wine and revelry.) Keats finally joins the bird on the "viewless wings of Poesy." Though able to imagine his flight with the nightingale, the narrator is can't actually see anything. Keats can imagine the "fast fading violets cover'd up in leaves" (47), but "cannot see what flowers are at my feet" (41). He can also picture the moon in his mind, but says "there is not light" (38). The song of the nightingale has Keats in such ecstasy b... ...ll we needed to know, according to Keats, was that "beauty is truth, truth beauty" (49 Urn). The narrator would never know what the nightingale meant when it sang its songs. Furthermore, Keats would never be able to fully understand the images on the urn because it was created in a different time period. Therefore, Keats would never understand the full truth behind either the song or the urn. But according to Keats' conclusion, none of this mattered. The only truth that he needed to know was that these objects were beautiful and worthy of being admired. Works Cited: Keats, John. ?Ode on a Grecian Urn.? Poetical Works. 1884. Bartleby.com GreatBooks Online. 15 June 2004 <http://www.bartleby.com/126/41.html>. Keats, John. "Ode to a Nightingale." Romanticism: An Anthology. Ed. Duncan Wu. Oxford: Blackwell, 1998. 1058-1060. John Keats' Ode on a Grecian Urn and Ode to a Nightingale Essays John Keats' Ode on a Grecian Urn and Ode to a Nightingale John Keats, in "Ode on a Grecian Urn" and "Ode to a Nightingale" attempts to connect with two objects of immortality to escape from the rigors of human life. In "Ode to a Nightingale", Keats attempts to connect with a bird's song because the music knows nothing of aging and mortality. Keats has the same motivation in "Ode on a Grecian Urn" while trying to connect with three separate images on a mysterious urn. Connecting in this sense means to either fully understand the object or become the object itself. For example, when Keats attempts to "connect" with an image on the urn, he attempts to fully understand the origin of the image. While his attempts to connect with the two objects fall short, he nevertheless makes an interesting conclusion about the ideals of beauty and truth. Keats begins the "Ode to a Nightingale" in pain, before hearing the melody of the nightingale. After hearing this music, he wishes to join the bird and leave the human world. He first attempts to connect with the bird using a "draught of vintage" (11), but upon further thinking, decides that he will "not (be) charioted by Bacchus and his pards" (32). (Bacchus is god of wine and revelry.) Keats finally joins the bird on the "viewless wings of Poesy." Though able to imagine his flight with the nightingale, the narrator is can't actually see anything. Keats can imagine the "fast fading violets cover'd up in leaves" (47), but "cannot see what flowers are at my feet" (41). He can also picture the moon in his mind, but says "there is not light" (38). The song of the nightingale has Keats in such ecstasy b... ...ll we needed to know, according to Keats, was that "beauty is truth, truth beauty" (49 Urn). The narrator would never know what the nightingale meant when it sang its songs. Furthermore, Keats would never be able to fully understand the images on the urn because it was created in a different time period. Therefore, Keats would never understand the full truth behind either the song or the urn. But according to Keats' conclusion, none of this mattered. The only truth that he needed to know was that these objects were beautiful and worthy of being admired. Works Cited: Keats, John. ?Ode on a Grecian Urn.? Poetical Works. 1884. Bartleby.com GreatBooks Online. 15 June 2004 <http://www.bartleby.com/126/41.html>. Keats, John. "Ode to a Nightingale." Romanticism: An Anthology. Ed. Duncan Wu. Oxford: Blackwell, 1998. 1058-1060.

Communication Process Essay -- essays research papers Work Communicati

Communication Process Introduction Communication establishes relationships and makes organizing possible. Every message has a purpose or objective. The sender intends -- whether consciously or unconsciously -- to accomplish something by communicating. In organizational contexts, messages typically have a definite objective: to motivate, to inform, to teach, to persuade, to entertain, or to inspire. This definite purpose is, in fact, one of the principal differences between casual conversation and managerial communication. Effective communication in the organization centers on well-defined objectives that support the organization's goals and mission. Supervisors strive to achieve understanding among parties to their communications. Text Communication Process Communication is the process in which data is sent from a source to an intended audience with a meaning perceived by the receiver. Communication is vital if a company wants to survive. Without communication there will be no work getting accomplished and chaos will reign in the workplace. It is the process of passing information and understanding from one person to another. The communication process involves six basic elements: sender (encoder), message, channel, receiver (decoder), noise, and feedback. Supervisors can improve communication skills by becoming aware of these elements and how they contribute to successful communication. Communication process cab be described with help of the following eleme...

Israel and Irans Incompatibility Essay -- Bushehr, Iran, Israel

The incompatibility for the game between Israel and Iran is because Iran would not play by the same set of rules that were set between the United States and Russia during the Cold War. This assumption is based on Iran’s own unique scenario in a regional game in the Middle East, as well as Iran’s history to avoid inside the box thinking when it comes to strategic warfare. Tira concludes that the unreliability accompanying the area’s instability and Iran’s known use of creating black swans to continuously push and wear down an opponent, shows that if a nuclear Iran were to develop it would be a major threat not to be taken lightly. The conclusion that Tira arrives at is very helpful in explaining why Israel is not fond of Russia assisting Iran develop its nuclear program further than where it already stands. IV. Findings and Analysis To understand why Israel is concerned with Iran, it is first imperative to understand the Iranian nuclear program’s history and the extent of Iran’s current program. The goal to obtain a sufficient nuclear energy program has been a long standing goal for Iran. Iran’s first reactor, the Tehran Research Reactor, was established in 1967 and since then has seen nuclear energy and the possible gains of a nuclear arsenal as an insurance policy in the survivability to the current regime (Collina and others 2013, 3). To increase its capacity for production Iran has also worked with Russia to build the Bushehr reactor, which was completed in 2011 (Katz 2012, 58). On top of these two sites, Iran has many more facilities that help in the production of nuclear energy, as well as nuclear enrichment facilities. These enrichment facilities, which were publicly recognized by Iran in 2003 had been kept hidden... ....1080/10736700.2013.769375. (Accessed November 9, 2013). Katz, Mark N. 2012. "Russia and Iran." Middle East Policy 19, no. 3: 54-64. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy2.apus.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=aab26c60-18b8-40e7-8764-bddcc193eee9%40sessionmgr115&vid=5&hid=103 (Accessed November 20, 2013). Shenna, J. C. (2010). â€Å"The Case Against the Case Against Iran: Regionalism as the West's Last Frontier†. The Middle East Journal, 64(3), 341-363. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/744027301?accountid=8289. (Accessed November 9, 2013). Tira, Ron. 2011. "Can Iran be Deterred?." Policy Review no. 169: 39-48. Retrieved from EBSCOhost http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy2.apus.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=aab26c60-18b8-40e7-8764-bddcc193eee9%40sessionmgr115&vid=7&hid=103 (Accessed November 20, 2013). Israel and Iran's Incompatibility Essay -- Bushehr, Iran, Israel The incompatibility for the game between Israel and Iran is because Iran would not play by the same set of rules that were set between the United States and Russia during the Cold War. This assumption is based on Iran’s own unique scenario in a regional game in the Middle East, as well as Iran’s history to avoid inside the box thinking when it comes to strategic warfare. Tira concludes that the unreliability accompanying the area’s instability and Iran’s known use of creating black swans to continuously push and wear down an opponent, shows that if a nuclear Iran were to develop it would be a major threat not to be taken lightly. The conclusion that Tira arrives at is very helpful in explaining why Israel is not fond of Russia assisting Iran develop its nuclear program further than where it already stands. IV. Findings and Analysis To understand why Israel is concerned with Iran, it is first imperative to understand the Iranian nuclear program’s history and the extent of Iran’s current program. The goal to obtain a sufficient nuclear energy program has been a long standing goal for Iran. Iran’s first reactor, the Tehran Research Reactor, was established in 1967 and since then has seen nuclear energy and the possible gains of a nuclear arsenal as an insurance policy in the survivability to the current regime (Collina and others 2013, 3). To increase its capacity for production Iran has also worked with Russia to build the Bushehr reactor, which was completed in 2011 (Katz 2012, 58). On top of these two sites, Iran has many more facilities that help in the production of nuclear energy, as well as nuclear enrichment facilities. These enrichment facilities, which were publicly recognized by Iran in 2003 had been kept hidden... ....1080/10736700.2013.769375. (Accessed November 9, 2013). Katz, Mark N. 2012. "Russia and Iran." Middle East Policy 19, no. 3: 54-64. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy2.apus.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=aab26c60-18b8-40e7-8764-bddcc193eee9%40sessionmgr115&vid=5&hid=103 (Accessed November 20, 2013). Shenna, J. C. (2010). â€Å"The Case Against the Case Against Iran: Regionalism as the West's Last Frontier†. The Middle East Journal, 64(3), 341-363. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/744027301?accountid=8289. (Accessed November 9, 2013). Tira, Ron. 2011. "Can Iran be Deterred?." Policy Review no. 169: 39-48. Retrieved from EBSCOhost http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy2.apus.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=aab26c60-18b8-40e7-8764-bddcc193eee9%40sessionmgr115&vid=7&hid=103 (Accessed November 20, 2013).

Indian village Essay

In a small Indian village, a young child, Natu, wanders away into the jungle and was assumed to have been killed by the evil man-eating tiger Sheer Khan. In the other hand, a pack of wolves took care of the boy as one of their pups and named him Mowgli. Raksha, his wolf mother, kept a watchful eye out for him for she knew that Sheer Khan has a relentless thirst for the man-cub. During his years in the jungle, he befriended several animals which aided him as he grows old. Raksha is a she wolf who nursed the little Mowgl as an infant. Baloo, a kind-hearted laidback grey-hided bear, teaches Mowgli and his feral brothers the law of the jungle. The black panther Bagheera sets an eye out for Mowgli for he is constantly hunted by a evil man-eating tiger, Sheer Khan. Kaa is a huge powerful hundred year old serpent who helps Baloo and Bagheera rescue Mowgli when he was captured by group of monkeys in the hidden ruins. The boy grew into a young man and one day stumbles upon the village once again. His real mother recognized the boy as the child she lost long ago and welcomed him back home. She teaches Mowgli how to speak their language and how people behave in their village. Mowgli’s extraordinary ability to talk to the animals as fascinated the whole village including the young lady Mahala, Buldeo’s daughter. Buldeo is a boastful and arrogant hunter who despises Mowgli for contradicting him about real life and animals in the jungle. Mowgli wants to buy a â€Å"tooth† (knife) in order to kill the evil tiger Sheer Khan and buys one from Buldeo. Buldeo wanted to kill the tiger Sheer Khan for the reward of his hide. But Mowlgi killed the tiger first before Buldeo did. Buldeo forced Mowgli to surrender him the tiger skin but he refused for he vowed to lay it upon the wolfpack’s council rock. Even though Buldeo forbids Mahala to talk to Mowgli, she goes with him into the jungle. Mowgli shows her the ruins of an ancient city with a vast treasure horde. Inside the ruins, a python named Kaa warns them that the jewels are deadly. Mahala takes one coin with Mowgli’s permission. Buldeo finds out about the treasure and persuades Mowgli to show him the rest of the treasure. He accidentally drops the coin his daughter took from the trove which caught the eye of the barber and his customer, and now they want to find the treasure too. After finding out about his daughters discovery of the gold coin, Buldeo coerced Mowgli to lead him to the treasure trove. He accidentally let the barber and his customer to find out about the treasure too. Mowgli leads the men and set out to the jungle to look for the ruins. They find the ruins but greed took place and they all fought for the treasure. When the barber and the customer died, Buldeo set the jungle on fire. Mowgli saves his mother and goes back to live in the village. A quintessential characters in the story is Mowgli, the main character in the story, a child raised by wolves who eventually goes back to his village when he becomes a young man. Another is Baloo, sleepy old grey bear, teaches the wolf pups and Mowgli the laws of the jungle and how to live in the jungle. Same is Bagheera, the black panther is originally born in captivity in the palace of the Rajah of Oodeypore, India escapes his cage when he was mature and strong enough, saves the life of Mowgli by offering a freshly-killed bull to the pack of wolves and demands them to raise Mowgli. Stock characters in the story include Mahala, a gentle young lady who fell in love with Mowgli. Mogli showed Mahala the ruins where the treasure was hidden. Messua is the wife of the richest man in the village and she believes that Mowgli is her long lost son, Natoo, who was lost in the jungle some years before. When she and Mowgli are reunited, teaches him the virtues and language of their village. Raksha is the she-wolf who takes care of Mowgli and raised him as one of her own pups. Defying the tiger Sheer Khan who is determined to hunt and eat the man-cub Mowgli she says that her name is Raksha, which means Demon, because of her ferocity and fighting skills, and vows to fight to her death for any of her cubs, natural or adopted. The play wanted to portray the 1894 original story of author Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. The cast sought to represent the essence of each character in the story for the audience to feel the flow and tension of the play. The producers did an excellent job on capturing the spirit of the original story. Every key character was played well and with outstanding acting skills. The setting, background, and lighting makes the audience feel that they are one with the environment. The play and production was all meaningful for it captured and delivered what the audience would like to see, feel and hear. The cast skillfully played their roles and vividly showed emotion of the scene. As a child, I really enjoyed Disney’s animation of The Jungle Book. I enjoyed the play a lot. It made me feel like I was in the story with the characters. I liked how the play was delivered and how the cast depicted the characters. The lights and background gave a good addition to the environment. The sounds made the play alive. Sound effects give a really big impact to me in plays. I like how the production and script matched the original story, but with a little twist, which made it play even more fascinating. I look forward to watch more plays similar to this one for it brings back memories of my childhood. I know that the audience loved it too. Plays like this will be excellent to fuel the minds of kids and help enjoy life. Reference: (2006). The jungle book. Retrieved October 17, 2006, from Answers.com: world’s greatest encyclodictionalmanacapedia. Web site: http://www. answers. com/topic/the-jungle-book Internet Movie Database Inc. (2006). Full cast and crew for the jungle book (1942). Retrieved October 17, 2006, from IMBD: Earth’s Biggest Movie Database Web site: http://www. imdb. com/title/tt0034928/fullcredits Scheib, R. (2003). Jungle book. Retrieved October 17, 2006. Web site: http://www. moria. co. nz/fantasy/junglebook42. htm _____. (2006). The jungle book. Retrieved October 17, 2006, from Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Web site: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Jungle_Book

Rag Pickers in India

Sustainability of Human Rights with Special Reference to Child Rights: A Case Study of Rag Pickers in Cuttack City Abstract Dillip Kumar Mallik The discourse on rights is evolving with time. The rights of the Rag Pickers as part of the broad rights discourse have assumed significance in contemporary times. My Ph. D research is located within the rights framework. Rag Pickers are those children we can find out them in railway station, municipality areas, bus stand, industries areas, garbage and household areas with having a heavy gunny bags and collected and sorted: plastic, paper, bottles, bones and metals.Diferent plans outlined by Government Agencies have rolled out government has taken lot of initiative for empowering the childhood. For example, policies like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the free mid-day meal programme and many others have been there for a long tyime. But the question is if they are successful, then why there is early drop out of students and more significantly, why chi ldren belonging to poor sections in urban areas have turned into rag pickers. The metro cities have the largest number of rag pickers in the country.It would be difficult to ascribe any particular caste or any other form of identities to these children. The central question of this research is whether Government policies are inadequate to respond the needs and requirements of this group of children. Along with this central question the study also looks at other related questions. Whether the rag pickers belong to marginalised groups? Do these rag pickers constitute a majority of school drop outs? The research revolves round these questions.Some of the key objectives of the research are 1) to study and understand the socio-economic condition of the rag pickers, Second is To know the impact of the rag pickers on the society, Third, to provide proper education as well as health awareness for the children. Fourth, to make assessment the changing behavioural pattern of the children of ra g pickers, and finally To improve the nutritional health status of children. The researcher choose Cuttack district of Odisha will the area of study because it is one of the oldest cities, better known as the Business Capital of Orissa.The study was concentrated slums, railway stations, medical, municipality area and most important industrial estates where these children were picking more rag. In the present study the researcher employed interview schedule and group discussion as the tools for data collection. Both primary and secondary sources of data will employ for this research. The primary data are collected from the respondents of Cuttack district of Orissa. The secondary data are based on books, journal, article, guides, magazine, newspaper, and statistical report, published and unpublished document and mostly from internet sources.In the present study the researcher will employ two types of method for data analysis: qualitative and quantitative. Both the methods are correlat ed with each other, though qualitative method is little prior than quantitative methods. Qualitative method is a raw material for any type research, by which we know the details about the theoretical aspect, but by using of quantitative method we would able to manipulate and evaluate the statistical analysis of the data through the helps of advanced computing package like SPSS.

Modern Family Essay

Family is an essential part of every person’s life and of our society. Family is a little world with its own values and priorities. Close families share dreams, ideas, hopes and even possessions, and it’s a good side of being a family. However, as usual, every good thing can have its drawbacks. Same with families: they can often have different types of problems. One of the most frequent and common problems is the misunderstanding between parents and children, due to the difference of generations. This problem is especially acute with teenagers, who want to have more freedom, to express their self-identity in a way they want to. They can also gradually develop different values and interests which conflict with those of their parents. During this complicated periods, parents should rather try to understand their children, find the right approach to them, or find the ways to solve the conflicts. It’s important to talk about the family problems openly to solve them. There are also many problems in modern young families, which might be based on misunderstanding, shortage of money, bad conditions of living and else. Family conflicts often occur because of change of interests. To solve such kind of problems families should try to spend more time together. Another variety of problems occurs in extended families, between brothers and sisters. They often quarrel or treat each other badly. They can also get jealous about parents’ attention. From one hand, nobody wants to share and many people prefer they had more privacy and freedom. From the other hand, life without siblings would be boring. There are many other problems which can take place in any family, but when regarded with love, respect and understanding, every problem can be solved.

A Dirty Job Chapter 20

20 ATTACK OF THE CROCODILE GUY It was a brutally hot night in the City, and everyone had their windows open. From the roof across the alley, the spy could see the little girl happily splashing away in a tub full of suds, the two giant hounds sitting just outside the tub licking shampoo from her hand and belching bubbles as she screeched with glee. â€Å"Sophie, don't feed the puppies soap, okay?† The shopkeeper's voice from another room. â€Å"Okay, Dad. I won't. I'm not a kid, you know,† she said, pouring more strawberry-kiwi shampoo into her palm and holding it out for one of the dogs to lick. A cloud of fragrant bubbles burped out of the beast, through the bars of the window, and out into the still air over the alley. The hounds were the problem, but if the spy had his timing right, he'd be able to take care of them and get to the child without interference. In the past he'd been an assassin, a bodyguard, a kickboxer, and most recently a certified fiberglass-insulation installer – skills that could serve him well in his current mission. He had the face of a crocodile – sixty-eight spiked teeth and eyes that gleamed like black glass beads. His hands were the claws of a raptor, the wicked black nails encrusted with dried blood. He wore a black silk tuxedo, but no shoes – his feet were webbed like those of a waterbird, with claws for digging prey from the mud. He rolled the large Persian rug to the edge of the roof and waited; then, just as he had planned, he heard, â€Å"Sweetie, I'm going to take the trash out, I'll be right back.† â€Å"Okay, Dad.† Funny how the illusion of security can make us careless, the spy thought. No one would leave a young child alone in the bath unattended, but the company of two canine bodyguards wouldn't make her unattended, would it? He waited, and the shopkeeper emerged from the steel door downstairs carrying two trash bags. He seemed momentarily thrown off by the fact that the Dumpster, which was normally right outside the door, had been moved down the alley twenty feet or so, but shrugged, kicked the door wide, and while it hissed slowly shut on its pneumatic cylinder, he dashed for the Dumpster. That's when the spy sent the rug off the roof. The rug unrolled as it fell the four stories. Unfurled, it hit the shopkeeper with a substantial thud and drove him to the ground. In the bathroom, the huge dogs perked up. One let out a woof of caution. The spy already had the first bolt in his crossbow. Now he let it fly – nylon line hissed out and the bolt hit the rug with a thump, penetrating the rug and probably the shopkeeper's calf, effectively pinning him under the rug, perhaps even to the ground. The shopkeeper screamed. The great hounds dashed out of the bathroom. The spy loaded another bolt, attached it to the free end of the nylon line attached to the first bolt, then fired it through another section of the rug below. The shopkeeper continued to shout, but with the heavy rug pinned over him, he couldn't move. As the spy loaded his third bolt the hounds burst through the doorway into the alley. The third bolt wasn't attached to a line, but had a wicked titanium-spiked tip. The spy aimed at the pneumatic cylinder on the door, hit it, and the door slammed shut, locking the hounds in the alley. He'd practiced this a dozen times in his mind, and it was all going exactly as planned. The front doors to the shop and the apartment building had been Super Glued shut before he'd come up on the roof – no easy job getting that done without being seen. His fourth shot put a bolt in the window frame over the hall window. The bars on the bathroom were too narrow, but he knew that the shopkeeper would have left the door to the apartment open. He attached a carabiner to the nylon line and slid silently down the line to the window ledge. He unclipped, then squeezed through the bars and dropped to the floor in the hallway. He kept close to the hall walls, taking careful, exaggerated steps to keep his toenails from catching on the carpet. He could smell onions cooking in a nearby apartment and hear the child's voice coming from the door down the hall, which he could see was open, if only a crack. â€Å"Dad, I'm ready to get out! Dad, I'm ready to get out!† He paused at the doorway, peeked into the apartment. He knew the child would scream when she saw him – his jagged teeth, the claws, his cold black eyes. He would see to it that her screams were short-lived, but nobody could remain calm in the face of his fearsomeness. Of course, the fearsome effect was somewhat reduced by the fact that he was only fourteen inches tall. He pushed the door open, but as he stepped into the apartment something grabbed him from behind, yanking him off his feet, and in spite of his training and stealth skills, he screamed like a flaming wood duck. Someone had Super Glued the key slot in the back door and Charlie had snapped his key off trying to get it open. There was some kind of arrow stuck on a string through the back of his leg and it hurt like hell – blood was filling up his shoe. He didn't know what had happened, but he knew it wasn't good that the hellhounds were bouncing around him whimpering. He pounded the door with both fists. â€Å"Open the goddamn door, Ray!† Ray opened the door. â€Å"What?† The hellhounds knocked them both down going through the door. Charlie jumped to his feet and limped after them, up the steps. Ray followed. â€Å"Charlie, you're bleeding.† â€Å"I know.† â€Å"Wait, you're dragging some kind of line. Let me cut it.† â€Å"Ray, I've got to go – â€Å" Before Charlie could finish his sentence, Ray had pulled a knife from his back pocket, flicked it open, and cut the nylon line. â€Å"Used to carry this on the job to cut seat belts and stuff.† Charlie nodded and headed up the steps. Sophie was standing in the kitchen, wrapped in a mint-green bath towel, shampoo horns still protruding from her head – she looked like a small, soapy version of the Statue of Liberty. â€Å"Dad, where were you? I wanted to get out.† â€Å"Are you okay, honey?† He knelt in front of her and smoothed down her towel. â€Å"I needed help on the rinse. That's your responsibility, Dad.† â€Å"I know, honey. I'm a horrible father.† â€Å"Okay – † Sophie said. â€Å"Hi, Ray.† Ray was topping the steps, holding a bloody arrow on the end of a string. â€Å"Charlie, this went through your leg.† Charlie turned and looked at his calf for the first time, then sat on the floor, sure that he was going to pass out. â€Å"Can I have it?† Sophie said, picking up the arrow. Ray grabbed a dish towel from the counter and pressed it on Charlie's wound. â€Å"Hold this on it. I'll call 911.† â€Å"No, I'm okay,† Charlie said, pretty sure now he was going to throw up. â€Å"What happened out there?† Ray said. â€Å"I don't know, I was – â€Å" Someone in the building started screaming like they were being deep-fried. Ray's eyes went wide. â€Å"Help me up,† Charlie said. They ran through the apartment and out into the hall – the screaming was coming from the stairwell. â€Å"Can you make it?† Ray said. â€Å"Go. Go. I'm with you.† Charlie steadied himself against Ray's shoulder and hopped up the stairs behind him. The harsh screaming coming from Mrs. Ling's apartment had dwindled to pleas for help in English, peppered with swearing in Mandarin. â€Å"No! Shiksas! Help! Back! Help!† Charlie and Ray found the diminutive Chinese matron backed against her stove by Alvin and Mohammed, swinging a cleaver at them to keep them at bay while they barked salvos of strawberry-kiwi-flavored bubbles at her. â€Å"Help! Shiksas try to take supper,† said Mrs. Ling. Charlie saw the stockpot steaming on the stove, a pair of duck feet sticking out of it. â€Å"Mrs. Ling, is that duck wearing trousers?† She looked quickly, then turned and took a swipe at the hellhounds with the cleaver. â€Å"Could be,† she said. â€Å"Down, Alvin. Down, Mohammed,† Charlie commanded, which the hellhounds ignored completely. He turned to Ray. â€Å"Ray, would you go get Sophie?† The ex-cop, who felt himself the master of all situations chaotic, said, â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"They won't back off unless she tells them to. Go get her, okay.† Charlie turned to Mrs. Ling. â€Å"Sophie will call them off, Mrs. Ling. I'm sorry.† Mrs. Ling had been considering her dinner. She tried to shove the duck feet under the broth with her cleaver, but to little effect. â€Å"Is ancient Chinese recipe. We don't tell White Devils about it so you don't ruin it. You hear of paper-wrap chicken? This duck in pants.† The hellhounds growled. â€Å"Well, I'm sure it's delicious,† Charlie said, leaning against her fridge so he didn't fall over. â€Å"You bleeding, Mr. Asher.† â€Å"Yes, I am,† Charlie said. Ray arrived, carrying the towel-wrapped Sophie. He set her down. â€Å"Hi, Mrs. Ling,† Sophie said, then she stepped out of her towel, went to the hellhounds, and grabbed them by their collars. â€Å"You guys didn't rinse,† she said. Then, buck naked, her hair still in shampoo spikes, Sophie led the hellhounds out of Mrs. Ling's apartment. â€Å"Uh, someone shot you, boss,† Ray said. â€Å"Yes, they did,† said Charlie. â€Å"You should get medical attention.† â€Å"Yes, I should,† Charlie said. His eyes rolled back in his head and he slid down the front of Mrs. Ling's refrigerator. Charlie spent the entire night in the emergency room of St. Francis Memorial waiting for treatment. Ray Macy stayed with him the whole time. While Charlie enjoyed the screaming and whimpering from the other patients waiting for treatment, the retching and pervasive barf smell began to wear on him after a while. When he started to turn green, Ray tried to use his ex-cop status to gain favor with the head ER nurse, whom he had known in that old life. â€Å"He's hurt bad. Can't you sneak him in somewhere? He's a good guy, Betsy.† Nurse Betsy grinned (which was the expression she used in lieu of telling people to fuck off) and scanned the waiting room to make sure that no one seemed particularly attentive. â€Å"Can you get him to the window?† â€Å"Sure,† Ray said. He helped Charlie out of his chair and got him to the little bulletproof window. â€Å"This is Charlie Asher,† Ray said. â€Å"My friend.† Charlie looked at Ray. â€Å"I mean my boss,† Ray added quickly. â€Å"Mr. Asher, are you going to die on me?† â€Å"Hope not,† Charlie said. â€Å"But you might want to ask someone with more medical experience than me.† Nurse Betsy grinned. â€Å"He's been shot,† Ray said, ever the advocate. â€Å"I didn't see who shot me,† Charlie said. â€Å"It's a mystery.† Nurse Betsy leaned into the window. â€Å"You know we have to report all gunshot wounds to the authorities. Are you sure you don't want to take a veterinarian hostage and have him sew you up?† â€Å"I don't think my insurance will cover that,† Charlie said. â€Å"Besides, it wasn't a gunshot,† Ray added. â€Å"It was an arrow.† Nurse Betsy nodded. â€Å"Let me see?† Charlie started to roll up his pant leg and lift his leg up on the little counter. Nurse Betsy reached through the little window and knocked his foot off the shelf. â€Å"For Christ's sakes, don't let the others see I'm looking.† â€Å"Ouch, sorry.† â€Å"Is it still bleeding?† â€Å"No, I don't think so.† â€Å"Hurt?† â€Å"Like a bitch.† â€Å"Big bitch or little bitch?† â€Å"Extra large,† Charlie said. â€Å"You allergic to any painkillers?† â€Å"Nope.† â€Å"Antibiotics?† â€Å"Nope.† Nurse Betsy reached into her uniform pocket and pulled out a handful of pills, picked out two round ones and one long one, and slid them through the little window. â€Å"By the power invested in me by Saint Francis of Assisi, I now pronounce you painless. The round ones are Percocet, the oval one is Cipro. I'll put it on your chart.† She looked at Ray. â€Å"Fill out his papers for him, he's going to be too fucked up to do it in a few minutes.† â€Å"Thanks, Betsy.† â€Å"You get any Prada or Gucci bags in that store where you work – they're mine.† â€Å"No problem,† Ray said. â€Å"Charlie owns the store.† â€Å"Really?† Charlie nodded. â€Å"Free,† Betsy added. She slid another round pill across the counter. â€Å"For you, Ray.† â€Å"I'm not hurt.† â€Å"It's a long wait. Anything could happen.† She grinned in lieu of telling him to fuck off. An hour later the paperwork was done and Charlie was heaped in a fiberglass chair in a posture that seemed possible only if his bones had turned to marshmallow. â€Å"They killed Rachel here,† Charlie said. â€Å"Yeah, I know,† Ray said. â€Å"I'm sorry.† â€Å"I still miss her.† â€Å"Yeah, I know,† Ray said. â€Å"How's your leg?† â€Å"But they gave me Sophie,† Charlie said, ignoring the question. â€Å"So, you know, that was good.† â€Å"Yeah, I know,† Ray said. â€Å"How are you feeling now?† â€Å"I'm a little concerned that growing up without a mother, Sophie won't be sensitive enough.† â€Å"You're doing a great job with her. I meant how are you feeling physically?† â€Å"Like that thing where she kills people, just by looking at them. That can't be good for a little girl. My fault, all my fault.† â€Å"Charlie, does your leg hurt?† Ray had opted not to take the painkiller Nurse Betsy had given him, and now he was regretting it. â€Å"And the thing with the hellhounds – what kid has to deal with that? That can't be healthy.† â€Å"Charlie, how do you feel?† â€Å"I'm a little sleepy,† Charlie said. â€Å"Well, you lost a lot of blood.† â€Å"I'm relaxed, though. You know, blood loss relaxes you. You suppose that's why they did leeches in the Middle Ages? They could use them instead of tranquilizers. ‘Yes, Bob, I'll be right in to the meeting, but let me stick a leech on, I'm feeling a little anxious.' Like that.† â€Å"Great idea, Charlie. You want some water?† â€Å"You're a good guy, Ray. Did I ever tell you that? Even if you are serial-killing desperate Filipinas on your vacation.† â€Å"What?† Nurse Betsy came to the window. â€Å"Asher!† she called. Ray looked pleadingly at her through the window – a few seconds later she was coming through the door with a wheelchair. â€Å"How's Painless doing?† she said. â€Å"Oh my God, he's incredibly irritating,† Ray said. â€Å"You didn't take your medicine, did you?† â€Å"I don't like drugs.† â€Å"Who's the nurse here, Ray? It's the circle of meds, not just the patient, but everyone around him. Haven't you seen The Lion King?† â€Å"That's not in The Lion King. That's the circle of life.† â€Å"Really? I've been singing that song wrong the whole time? Wow, I guess I don't like that movie after all. Help me get Painless into the chair. We'll have him home by breakfast.† â€Å"We got here at dinnertime,† Ray said. â€Å"See how you are when you're off your meds?† Charlie had a foam walking cast and crutches when he got home from the hospital. The painkillers had worn off to a level where he was no longer painless. His head was throbbing like tiny twin aliens were going to burst out of his temples. Mrs. Korjev came out of his apartment and cornered him in the hallway. â€Å"Charlie Asher, I am having bone to pick with you. Last night am I seeing my little Sophie run by my apartment naked and soapy like bear, pulling giant black dogs around singing ‘not in butt'? In old country we have word for that, Charlie Asher. Word is nasty. I still have number for child service from days when my boys were boys.† â€Å"Soapy like bear?† â€Å"Don't change subject. Is nasty.† â€Å"Yes, it is. I'm sorry. It won't happen again. I was shot and wasn't thinking straight.† â€Å"You are shot?† â€Å"In the leg. It's only a flesh wound.† Charlie had waited his entire life to say those words and he felt very macho at that moment. â€Å"I don't know who shot me. It's a mystery. They dropped a rug on me, too.† The rug diminished the machismo somewhat. He vowed not to mention it henceforth. â€Å"You come in. Have breakfast. Sophie will not eat toast Vladlena make. She say is raw and have toast germs.† â€Å"That's my girl,† Charlie said. Charlie was no sooner in the door and on his way to rescue his daughter from toast-borne pathogens, when Mohammed grabbed the tip of one of his crutches in his mouth and dragged a hopping Charlie into the bedroom. â€Å"Hi, Daddy,† Sophie said as her father went hopping by. â€Å"No skipping in the house,† she added. Mohammed head-butted the hapless Beta Male to his date book. There were two names there under today's date, which wasn't that unusual. What was unusual was that they were the names that had appeared before: Esther Johnson and Irena Posokovanovich – the two soul vessels he'd missed. He sat down on the bed and tried to rub the pain aliens back into his temples. How to even start? Would these names keep coming back until he got the soul vessels? That hadn't happened with the fuck puppet. What was different here? Things were obviously getting worse – now they were shooting at him. Charlie picked up the phone and dialed Ray Macy's number. It took Ray four days to come back to Charlie with the report. He had the information in three, but he'd wanted to be absolutely sure that all the painkillers had worn off and Charlie wasn't going to be crazy anymore – going on all night about being the big death, â€Å"with a capital D.† Ray also felt a little guilty because he'd been holding out on Charlie about breaking some rules in the store. They met in the back room on a Wednesday morning, before the store opened. Charlie had made coffee and taken a seat at the desk so he could prop his foot up. Ray sat on some boxes of books. â€Å"Okay, shoot,† Charlie said. â€Å"Well, first, I found three more crossbow bolts. Two had barbed-steel tips like the one that went through your leg, and one had a titanium spike. That one was stuck in the pneumatic closer on the back door.† â€Å"Don't care, Ray. What about the two women?† â€Å"Charlie, someone shot you with a deadly weapon. You don't care?† â€Å"Correct. Don't care. It's a mystery. Know what I like about mysteries? They're mysterious.† Ray was wearing a Giants cap and he flipped it around backwards for emphasis. If he'd been wearing glasses he would have whipped those off, but he wasn't, so he squinted like he had. â€Å"I'm sorry, Charlie, but someone wanted you and the dogs out of the house at the same time. They threw that rug on you from the rooftop across the alley, then, when you were pinned down and the dogs were outside, they shot the closer on the door so it would slam shut. They sabotaged the back door's lock and glued the front doors shut, probably before they even started with the rug, then they slid down a line to the hall window, slipped between the bars, and – well, then it's unclear.† Charlie sighed. â€Å"You're not going to tell me about the two women until you finish this, are you?† â€Å"It was highly organized. This wasn't a random assault.† â€Å"The hall window upstairs has bars on it, Ray. No one can get in. No one got in.† â€Å"Well, that's where it gets a little crazy. You see, I don't think it was a human intruder.† â€Å"You don't?† Charlie actually seemed to be paying attention now. â€Å"In order to get through those bars, an intruder would have to be under two feet tall, and less than, say, thirty pounds. I'm thinking a monkey.† Charlie put down his coffee so hard that a java geyser jumped out of the cup onto some papers on the desk. â€Å"You think that I was shot by a highly organized monkey?† â€Å"Don't be that way – â€Å" â€Å"Who then slid down a wire, broke into the building, and did what? Made off with fruit?† â€Å"You should have heard some of the stupid shit you were saying the other night at the hospital, and did I make fun of you?† â€Å"I was on drugs, Ray.† â€Å"Well, there's no other explanation.† To Ray's Beta Male imagination, the monkey explanation seemed completely reasonable – except for lack of motive. But you know monkeys, they'll fling poo at you just for the hell of it, so who's to say – â€Å"The explanation is that it's a mystery,† Charlie said. â€Å"I appreciate your trying to bring this†¦this furry bastard to justice, Ray, but I need to know about the two women.† Ray nodded, defeated. He should have just shut up until he'd figured out why someone would want to get a monkey into Charlie's apartment. â€Å"People can train monkeys, you know. Do you have any valuable jewelry in your apartment?† â€Å"You know,† Charlie said, scratching his chin and looking at the ceiling as if remembering. â€Å"There was a small car parked across from the shop all day on Vallejo. And when I looked the next day, there was a pile of banana peels, like someone had been staking the place out. Someone who ate bananas.† â€Å"What kind of car was it?† Ray said, his notepad ready. â€Å"I'm not sure, but it was red, and definitely monkey size.† Ray looked up from his notes. â€Å"Really?† Charlie paused, as if thinking carefully about his answer. â€Å"Yes,† he said, very sincerely. â€Å"Monkey size.† Ray flipped his notebook back to the pages in the front. â€Å"There is no need to be that way, Charlie. I'm just trying to help.† â€Å"It might have been bigger,† Charlie said, remembering. â€Å"Like a monkey SUV – like what you might drive if you were transporting – I don't know – a barrel of monkeys.† Ray cringed, then read from the pages. â€Å"I went to the Johnson woman's house. No one is living there, but the house isn't on the market. I didn't see the niece you talked about. Funny thing is, the neighbors knew she'd been sick, but no one had heard that she'd died. In fact, one guy said he thought he saw her getting into a U-Haul truck with a couple of movers last week.† â€Å"Last week? Her niece said that she died two weeks ago.† â€Å"No niece.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Esther Johnson doesn't have a niece. She was an only child. Didn't have brothers or sisters, and no nieces on her late husband's side of the family.† â€Å"So she's alive?† â€Å"Apparently.† Ray handed Charlie a photograph. â€Å"That's her latest driver's-license photo. This changes things. Now we're looking for a missing person, someone who will leave a trail. But the other one – Irena – is even better.† He handed Charlie another picture. â€Å"She's not dead either?† â€Å"Oh, there was a death notice in the paper three weeks ago, but here's the giveaway – all of her bills are still being paid, by personal check. Checks she signed.† Ray sat back on his stool, smiling, feeling the sweetness of righteous indignation over the monkey theory, and a little guilt alleviation for not telling Charlie about the special transactions. â€Å"Well?† Charlie finally asked. â€Å"She's at her sister's house in the Sunset. Here's the address.† Ray tore a page out of his notebook and handed it to Charlie.