Major Strides Against Poverty Essay -- Papers

Major Strides Against PovertyThroughout time people have been impact by the harshness of poverty and economic strain. It has always seemed to be difficult for the average the Statesn to prosper if in fact that person did not drive from previous wealth. Our great country prides on the idea of capitalism and the rights to freedom and insists that anyone who puts forth the effort can and will succeed. This has and always will be a debatable issue. The other realism is the role of the federal government and the capacity they work to ensure each and every American the right to become successful. ii Presidents come to mind when I think about the ways in which the government wishes to help the unfortunate. They are Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson. These two administrations are the landmarks to the many programs and policies we see today that battle the likes of poverty and economic downfalls.The slap-up DepressionIndustrialization met its first and perhaps greatest o bstacle in October 1929, when the stock market crashed that inevitably leads to the Great Depression. The Depression lasted over a decade and affected world affairs by questioning the validity of Capitalism, Democracy and industrialization. The underlying causes of the Depression were a propose result of overproduction. When the market crashed, investors and bankers cut consumer credit, which reduced consumer-buying power. Sales declined therefore factories had to cut back on production. This led to a large reduction in the add together of workers. With more people unemployed, purchasing power plummeted and goods did not move. Factories found themselves producing next to nothing because there was no one buying. This led to more layoffs and fa... ...alto the Reagan Revolution. The John Hopkins University Press. Ballantine Books. eleventh ed. Canada, 1992 BibliographyBibliographyNew York Times ArticlesSenate Votes a $75 Million Bill to Fight Starvation in Nation.New York Times 5 Mar. 1967.Associated Press. Long Says Roosevelt Is a Liar and a Faker AndJust Getting as smart as I Was at 14. New York Times 9 Jul. 1935.Mallon, Winifred. New Deals Pacts For Trade Praised.New York Times 7 Jul. 1935.BooksDivine, Breen, Fredrickson, Williams, Roberts. America Past andPresent. Harper Collins College Publishers. 3rd ed. New York,1994.Langston, Thomas S. Ideologies and Presidents From the New Dealto the Reagan Revolution. The John Hopkins University Press. Ballantine Books. 11th ed. Canada, 1992

The Jagged Edges of a Shattered Dream in Death of a Salesman Essay

Exploring the Jagged Edges of a Shattered Dream in Death of a Salesman Death of a Salesman tells the story of a man confronting bereavement in a success-driven society. Willy Loman represents all American men that have striven for success but, instead, have reaped failure in its most bitter form. Arthur Millers sad caper is a probing portrait of the typical American male psyche portraying an extreme want for success and superior status. Death of Salesman follows the decline of a man into lunacy and the subsequent effect this has on those around him, particularly his family. Miller amalgamates the archetypal tragic hero with the mundane American citizen. The result is the anti-hero, Willy Loman. He is a simple salesman who constantly aspires to become great. Nevertheless, Willy has a waning career as a salesman and is an senescence man who considers himself to be a failure but is incapable of consciously admitting it. As a result, the drama of the play lies not so much in its e vents, but in Willys deluded perception and recollection of them as the audience gradually witness the tragic end of a helpless man. In creating Willy Loman, Miller presents the audience with a tragic figure of human proportions. Miller characterises the ordinary man (the low man) and ennobles his achievements. Willys son, Biff, calls his father a prince, evoking a possible comparison with Shakespeares Hamlet, prince of Denmark.. Thus, the play appeals greatly to the audience because it elevates an ordinary American to heroic status. Death of a Salesman seems to conform to the tragic tradition that there is an anti-hero whose state of tragic flaw causes him to suffer. The audience is compelled to genuinely sympathise with Willys ... ...ion of American smart set and the nature of individuality. Death of a Salesman may be interpreted as being solely a play about the failing America and the jagged edges of a shattered dream but it does, nevertheless, engage Millers belief that the common man is as tending(predicate) a subject for tragedy as kings are. kit and caboodle Cited and Consulted Baym, Franklin, Gottesman, Holland, et al., eds. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 4th ed. New York Norton, 1994. Eisinger, Chester E. Focus on Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman The Wrong Dreams, in American Dreams, American Nightmares, (1970 rpt In clc. Detroit Gale Research. 1976 vol. 6331 Hayashi, Tetsumaro. Arthur Miller Criticism. Metuchen, NJ nominal head Press, 1969. Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. New York Viking, 1965. ---. Eight Plays. New York Nelson Doubleday, 1981. The Jagged Edges of a Shattered Dream in Death of a Salesman EssayExploring the Jagged Edges of a Shattered Dream in Death of a Salesman Death of a Salesman tells the story of a man confronting failure in a success-driven society. Willy Loman represents all American men that have striven for success but, instead, have reaped failure in its most bitter form. Ar thur Millers tragic drama is a probing portrait of the typical American male psyche portraying an extreme craving for success and superior status. Death of Salesman follows the decline of a man into lunacy and the subsequent effect this has on those around him, particularly his family. Miller amalgamates the archetypal tragic hero with the mundane American citizen. The result is the anti-hero, Willy Loman. He is a simple salesman who constantly aspires to become great. Nevertheless, Willy has a waning career as a salesman and is an aging man who considers himself to be a failure but is incapable of consciously admitting it. As a result, the drama of the play lies not so much in its events, but in Willys deluded perception and recollection of them as the audience gradually witness the tragic demise of a helpless man. In creating Willy Loman, Miller presents the audience with a tragic figure of human proportions. Miller characterises the ordinary man (the low man) and ennobles his a chievements. Willys son, Biff, calls his father a prince, evoking a possible comparison with Shakespeares Hamlet, prince of Denmark.. Thus, the play appeals greatly to the audience because it elevates an ordinary American to heroic status. Death of a Salesman seems to conform to the tragic tradition that there is an anti-hero whose state of hamartia causes him to suffer. The audience is compelled to genuinely sympathise with Willys ... ...ion of American Society and the nature of individuality. Death of a Salesman may be interpreted as being solely a play about the failing America and the jagged edges of a shattered dream but it does, nevertheless, engage Millers belief that the common man is as apt a subject for tragedy as kings are. Works Cited and Consulted Baym, Franklin, Gottesman, Holland, et al., eds. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 4th ed. New York Norton, 1994. Eisinger, Chester E. Focus on Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman The Wrong Dreams, in American Drea ms, American Nightmares, (1970 rpt In clc. Detroit Gale Research. 1976 vol. 6331 Hayashi, Tetsumaro. Arthur Miller Criticism. Metuchen, NJ Scarecrow Press, 1969. Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. New York Viking, 1965. ---. Eight Plays. New York Nelson Doubleday, 1981.

Comparing Leadership Styles in Not-for-profit and For-profit Organizations :: Compare Contrast Business Non Profit Organization

Comparing Leadership Styles in Not-for- gelt and For-profit OrganizationsAbstract Academic researchers have non found it important to attempt to complete studies based on leadership in non-profit organizations. A main problem that arises is that people tend to confuse the name leadership and management with each other. Also leadership researchers tend to associate leadership in non-profit organizations with general research about leadership.These twain problems result in a minimum amount of research done to support studies about leadership in non-profit organizations. This lack of study about leadership in non-profit versus for profit can tend to make people believe that there are no differences between the two. This study volition attempt to differentiate between the two based on definitions, characteristics, tax laws, funding sources, organizational structure, incentives, leadership styles and human resources. This study will include semi structured interviews by t he CEO of Guadenzia, a for profit organization in Baltimore City that provides counseling services for at risk youth in Northwest Baltimore and The Director of Northwest Baltimore Youth Services, Inc., a non-profit organization that also provides counseling services to at risk youth in Northwest Baltimore. This information will then be examined in regards to their similarities and differences. rumor of Problem Although there have been an unlimited amount of research done in reference to leadership styles in for profit organizations, there have been a lack of research done in the non-profit sector in regards to leadership. There have also been few research studies that address the differences in management functioning between non-profit organizations and for profit organizations.Research Questions 1. Is there really a difference in leadership styles between non-profit and for profit organizations? 2. Is the management process different in a non-profit organization than a for profit organization?Hypothesis 1. When it comes to problem solving, non-profit organizations is less concerned with the cost of a solution than a for profit organization. 2. In non-profit organizations they tend to find the best solution versus the best cost solution in the for profit sector. 3. It takes longer to solve a problem in a non-profit organization than in a for profit organization.Statement of LimitationsThis research will not attempt to prove that one form of business is better than the other, nor will it make any recommendations on what business to be part of or start.

New York State Accounting Code of Ethics Essay -- essays research pape

unexampled York enounce Accounting Code of EthicsThe accounting system is perpetually changing. During these changes, it is important for accountants to adhere to the high ethical standards that they have always lived by. Adhering to the high ethical standards is an accountants obligation to the public, the profession, and themselves. An accountants ethical conduct usually lies within four assorted areas. This includes competence, confidentiality, integrity, and objectivity. NYSSCPA.ORG states, Members also have a continuing responsibility to cooperate with each other to improve the art of accounting, maintain the publics confidence, and carry out the professions special responsibilities for self-governance, (Article 1). New York State expects its accountants to act in a way that will serve the public interest. The public includes clients, credit grantors, governments, employers, investors, the business and financial community, and any other mortal that relies on the information provided by the accountant. It is the accountants responsibility to maintain an appropriate level of professional competence through continuing education of their knowledge and skills. New York State also expects its accountants to perform their duties in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, as well as providing clear and complete reports.It is important for accountants to maintain their integrity. Often times, accountants are set about with situations that are questionable. ...

Enjoying King Lear :: King Lear William Shakespeare Literature Essays

Enjoying male monarch Lear If there was ever a historical King Lear, his memory has faded into mythology and/or been conflated with early(a)s. Llyr and his son Manannan are Celtic ocean-gods Manannan reappeared in Yeatss plays and the Dungeons and Dragons games. The children of Lir / Llyr were transform into waterbirds in another Celtic myth. Anglo-Israelite lore describes (Llyr Lleddiarth Half-Speech, king of Siluria / the Britains, father of Bran the Archdruid, who married Anna, the daughter of Joseph of Arimathea his close relatives included Cymbeline (Cunobelinus, fictionalized in Shakespeares later play), and Caractacus (Caradoc), a well-attested historical code better-known today from the childrens song (Its too late... they just passed by). In the Mabinogion, one of Llyrs two wives is Iweradd (Ireland). Geoffrey of Monmouth (History of the English Kings, around 1140), who provides our oldest written reference to King Lear (spelled Leir), d escribes him as a pre-Christian warrior king in what is now southwest England. (Click here to read it yourself.) This area now includes Cornwall (origin of cornish game hens.) Saint Albans (Albany, for which the nifty of New York State is named, is farther away. In the old story remembered by Geoffrey, Lear asked his three daughters whether they loved him. Two claimed to do so extravagantly, while the third verbalize she loved him only as a daughter should. Lear disinherited the honest daughter. The story appears elsewhere in world folklore there is an Eastern European reading material in which the honest daughter says she loves her father as much as she loves salt. Lear went to live with his first daughter, bringing a hundred pursuit. She demanded that he reduce his followers to fifty. Lear then went to live with the other daughter, who reduced the number to twenty-five. Lear went back and forth between the daughters until he was alone. Then the third daughter raised an army, d efeated the other two, and restored him to his kingdom. (The story appears in Holinshed, who adds that Cordelia succeeded her father as monarch and was deposed by the sons of her sisters.) This tale about how actions speak louder than words had recently been played on the London spot in The True Chronicle of King Leir.

Enjoying King Lear :: King Lear William Shakespeare Literature Essays

Enjoying faggot Lear If there was ever a historical King Lear, his memory has faded into mythology and/or been conflated with otherwises. Llyr and his son Manannan are Celtic ocean-gods Manannan reappeared in Yeatss plays and the Dungeons and Dragons games. The children of Lir / Llyr were change into waterbirds in another Celtic myth. Anglo-Israelite lore describes (Llyr Lleddiarth Half-Speech, king of Siluria / the Britains, father of Bran the Archdruid, who married Anna, the daughter of Joseph of Arimathea his close relatives included Cymbeline (Cunobelinus, fictionalized in Shakespeares later play), and Caractacus (Caradoc), a well-attested historical finger better-known today from the childrens song (Its too late... they just passed by). In the Mabinogion, one of Llyrs two wives is Iweradd (Ireland). Geoffrey of Monmouth (History of the English Kings, around 1140), who provides our oldest written reference to King Lear (spelled Leir), descri bes him as a pre-Christian warrior king in what is now southwest England. (Click here to read it yourself.) This area now includes Cornwall (origin of cornish game hens.) Saint Albans (Albany, for which the with child(p) of New York State is named, is farther away. In the old story remembered by Geoffrey, Lear asked his three daughters whether they loved him. Two claimed to do so extravagantly, while the third say she loved him only as a daughter should. Lear disinherited the honest daughter. The story appears elsewhere in world folklore there is an Eastern European discrepancy in which the honest daughter says she loves her father as much as she loves salt. Lear went to live with his first daughter, bringing a hundred following. She demanded that he reduce his followers to fifty. Lear then went to live with the other daughter, who reduced the number to twenty-five. Lear went back and forth between the daughters until he was alone. Then the third daughter raised an army, defeated the other two, and restored him to his kingdom. (The story appears in Holinshed, who adds that Cordelia succeeded her father as monarch and was deposed by the sons of her sisters.) This tale about how actions speak louder than words had recently been played on the London put in The True Chronicle of King Leir.

Organic Food

Jessica Perez Professor A. Madsen English VO1 A 6 November, 2012 Is thoroughgoing Food Worth the Extra speak to? With technology reigning, its no wonder that in todays world, food is being processed much quickly and efficiently to feed millions of mouths a day however, there argon alike a handful of people who decide non to eat processed foods which is why in recent years, primitive foods have begun to rise in popularity. Most people purchase innate foods beca utilization they deliberate it is healthier for them and that it pledges to be 100% pesticide and chemical free.Unlike non- natural foods, positive foods ar also get around for the environment. Despite these advantages, only a few people are able to afford the purchase of organic foods since the cost is twice that of non-organic foods. While organic foods have a reputation for being better than non-organic foods, consumers have m whatsoever misconceptions about the term organic. As a result, around(prenominal) cons umers have no pinch that the underlying facts behind organic foods which may not be price the extra cost.What consumers need to understand first is the meaning of the term organic and how foods intend as organic. Jennifer Rose, staff writer and new media manager of the Organic Trade Association (OTA), explains that organic foods are simply processed and distri justed using natural pastoral methods. These natural methods include without the use of pesticides, antibiotics, synthetic nitrogen fertilizers and either type of form to genetically modify the foods (Chen 13). In order for organic foods to qualify as organic, they have to pass through US standards.The USDA, which stands for the United States Department of Agriculture, is an accredited agency that assures the products are organic so they fulfill the qualifications of the National Organic programme (Chen16). The qualifications include that the ingredients that are added to organic foods music be at least 95% organically pr oduced. If they are 70% organically produced then they have to posit made with organic ingredients. Anything below 70% bunsnot be sealed by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture 21) however there are many problems whether or not these products are really organic. One of the common isconceptions is that most consumers believe that by purchasing organic foods, they are supporting small farm owners but that is not the case. Michael J. potter, founder of Eden Foods, is one of the last rest men left in the organic industry, meaning that his company is one of the last stay puting independent industries along with a few others that are not affiliated with the big businesses (Strom). Some of the biggest organic industries for example, Bear Naked, Wholesome & Hearty, and Kashi are owned by the big corporations which include Coca-Cola, General Mills, Kraft, and many others (Strom).What is worse is that these corporations have complete control of these organic industries and many consumers are unaware of the ultimate power these corporations obtain. For example, Potter attended a meeting in Albuquerque to decide along with the big corporations of both organic and non-organic to decide upon which ingredients from the farm, should be allowed to be included in organic foods since some ingredients did not look fresh. Carrageen, a seaweed-derived thickener with a somewhat controversial health (Strom), was one of the main ingredients to be decided whether it should be on organic foods or not.Potter voted it down, but since most of the people in the meeting were from big corporations, they decided that Carrageen should be added to organic foods thus winning (Strom). non only does this prove that the organic industry is corrupted but as easily as demonstrating that they have no interest in keeping the justice and value of organic foods since these companies decide to associate with the big corporations. In addition, the increase in the number of corporate bo ard members has caused for to a greater extent non organic ingredients to be added to organic foods which go forth then be processed and sealed by the certified USDA (Strom).Corruption indeed lies within the organic industry therefore, the best thing to do if consumers want to continue to purchase organic foods is to buy either from farmers markets or from Eden, Cliff Bar & Company, Amys Kitchen, Lundberg, Family Farms and other independent organic companies whom still remain true to organic (Strom). Another common misconception of organic foods is that most consumers believe that organic foods are better and healthier to consume. Even if they have to pay reprise the price for it, they will continue to purchase it as long as the foods are labeled as certified organic.But is it really worth the price? correspond to a recent study of this year by a seek team in Stanford University, they have concluded that there is no strong point that proves organic foods are healthier or carry fewer health risks than non-organic foods (Brandt). This study immediately brought the attention of many consumers who purchase organic foods and many refused to believe that this study is true although other studies even before Stanford have also concluded that there is no difference however, Smith-Spangler, another member of Stanfords research team, noted some differences between organic and non-organics.He noted that, We did not find strong evidence that organic foods are consistently more nutritious than formal foods, butthe exception was for levels of phosphorus, which were higher in organically grown produce organically grown food but those differences are not likely to be of any health signifi tail endce(Mestel).Other minor differences were that organic eggs and chicken contained higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids but Smith explains as well that, the data are scant and quite variable (Mestel) There is only a little amount present of nutrients in organic foods than convent ional foods so why do consumers continue to purchase organic foods despite all the studies that have been shown? Most conventional foods like eggs have a higher of being begrime with bacterium like the most common one salmonella.Salmonella can be contaminated when animals are being confined into very tight places and therefore the bacteria can be spread faster (Kluger). This is the reason why consumers want to avoid conventional foods however, that does not mean that organic foods cant be contaminated. According to studies in Holland, Denmark, and Austria a bacterium called Campylobacter was found in all organic chickens and a third of conventional flocks despite being vaccinated against it plot 72 percent of organic chickens were infected with parasites.With all these infections occurring, both organic and non-organic chickens can come in contact and spread the infection if processed in the equal production line (Johnston 26). Consumers should not be assuming that the risk of o rganic foods getting contaminated is low. Both conventional and organic foods have the same risks of getting infected with some type of infection. Organic foods causing less damage to the environment is another misconception that consumers buy into. For example, Starbucks decided that the milk they usually use to make their famous drinks with will no longer be sing milk that contains RbGH, which is a hormone given to cows so they produce more milk. Instead they will be purchasing milk that contains no RbGH which comes from milked cows. Subsequently, milking cows causes 80% of more land to be cultivated with fossil fuel tan factors, 20% capacity of global warming risks, and a 70% contribution to acid rain in addition, cows that are milked tend to burp a great amount of methane which is a more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide (Avner, Johnston 24).So farmers will be milking thousands of cows for the thousands of consumers who purchase Starbucks. Not to mention thousands of more that buy organic milk in stores. For the most part, milking cows is not only inefficient to feed thousands of organic consumers, but can lead to drastic repercussions that add up to more damage for Mother Earth however, Earthbound, which is a similar to the Whole Foods business, comments that, its farming techniques annually obviate the use of more than arse of a million pounds of toxic chemical pesticides and almost 8. million pounds of synthetic fertilizers (Shapin). Still, the farming techniques used by most organic farmers and industries is less efficient since they do not utilize the latest technology and they have to rely on man-made resources such as fuel and land to get the job done(Avner). Plus, Michael Pollan, pen of The Omnivores Dilemma Natural History of Four Meals, quotes a scientist at Cornell University that, growing, processing, and shipping one calories worth of arugulaplant to the East Coast be fifty-seven calories of fossil fuel(Shapin).Recalling that mor e land means more burning fossil fuel tractors so in the end, organic farming will redo the damage rather than taking the steps to reduce environmental damage by using organic methods. In regards to whether organic foods contain pesticides, many consumers easily believe that they are pesticide free. Organic trading groups such as The Soil Association claim and spread this misconception so unfortunately, consumers do not make love that some infections can actually occur.According to Stanley Feldman, a medical professor and the author of several textbooks including Scientific Foundations of Anesthesia, mentions that most infections are caused by natural bacteria which can come from organic fertilizers (37). In order to kill the bacteria, organic farmer apply a pesticide of copper to kill the fungal diseases however the pesticide copper body in the soil for a long time filled with toxins (Johnston 25). Feldman then adds to this that If a fungicide is not used and the ergot fungus inf ects cereal crops, then the unsuspicious organic consumer may end up with gangrene of fingers and toes (37).This clearly shows that organic foods can harm consumers because of the use of organic fertilizers. Furthermore, advocates of organic believe as well that natural occurring substances such as sulphur and copper based compounds are less harmful than the use of chemical based pesticides (Feldman 39). On the contrary, these natural compounds can be just as poisonous as chemical based pesticides. Paracelsus, a German-Swiss doctor and chemist that lived from 1483-1551, reasons that, nothing is without poison it is the dose alone that makes it so (Feldman 39).Even though pesticides in conventional foods has caused more birth defects and illnesses, this only applies when consumed in high a dose which is exactly what Paracelsus pointed out. Studies have shown that the small traces of pesticides leftover in conventional food have not shown to multiply with the body thus failing to demo nstrate as a cause of a medical condition. Besides, pesticide levels are kept in level that will assure no harm for consumers and the small accumulations of pesticides that build in the body have not shown to cause any severe poison for consumers (Feldman 39).On the contrary, the use of pesticides has played a role in the past 50 years, increasing the life span of a human for up to 7 years (Ellison 71). Pesticides may not be added to organic foods as much as conventional foods, but it and can still cause some harm to consumers. Despite all studies done for organic foods, consumers will continue to believe that organic foods are healthy, grown locally, environmentally friendly, and free of pesticides.Although these studies are not meant for consumers to stop purchasing organic foods, it is necessary for them to become more aware of the underlying facts instead of having mere misconceptions of the truth. The battle to determine whether organic foods are better than convention foods wi ll continue until more evidence is presented. Until then, consumers that support organic will continue to purchase that. So next time consumers, who have obtained friendship of organic foods, come in contact with an organic produce vs. a non-organic, the choice will be all up to them to decide if it really is worth the extra expense.Work Cited Avner, Jackie. Organic Food for Thought Reasons You Should Buy Regular Goods Final Edition. Http//search. proquest. com. vlibdb. vcccd. edu/. ProQuest LLC, 29 July 2007. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. Brandt, Michelle. Little Evidence of Health Benefits from Organic Foods, Stanford Study Finds. Http//med. stanford. edu. N. p. , 3 Sept. 2012. Web. 1 Nov. 2012. Chen, Katherine J. Organic Food An Overview. Is Organic Food Better? By Ronald D. Lankford. Detroit Greenhaven, 2011. 13-18. Print. Ellison, Andrew. Organic Food Is Not Worth The Extra Expense. Is Organic Food Better? By Ronald D.Lankford. Detroit Greenhaven, 2011. 69-72. Print. Feldman, Stanley . Organic Fertilizers Pose More Health Risks than Pesticides. Is Organic Food Better? By Ronald D. Lankford. Detroit Greenhaven, 2011. 35-43. Print. Johnston, Rob. Consumers Should Not Support Organic Foods. Is Organic Food Better? By Ronald D. Lankford. Detroit Greenhaven, 2011. 23-28. Print. Kluger, Jeffrey. Health Checkup Who Needs Organic Food? Time. Time, 18 Aug. 2010. Web. 01 Nov. 2012. Mestel, Rosie. Organic Food Better for You or Not? A Study Takes a Look. Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 03 Sept. 2012.Web. 01 Nov. 2012. Shapin, Steven. Organic Food and Farming Has Drawbacks. The Local Food Movement. Amy Francis. Detroit Greenhaven Press, 2010. At Issue. Rpt. from Paradise Sold What Are You Buying When You Buy Organic? The New Yorker 82 (15 May 2006). Gale debate Viewpoints In Context. Web. 7 Nov. 2012. Strom, Stephanie. Has Organic Been Oversized? The New York Times. The New York Times, 08 July 2012. Web. 01 Nov. 2012. United States Department of Agriculture. National Standards for Organic Food. Is Organic Food Better? By Ronald D. Lankford. Detroit Greenhaven, 2011. 19-22. Print.

Samsung Distribution Channel

Samsung selling strategy in china Nowadays, Chinas communication industry is developing rapidly, and China has become the biggest officious call off market all all over the world. There ar many international famed planetary anticipate manufactures and local producers in this market and these companies are competing fiercely in Chinas mobile send for industry. It is known that, in 1999, when the domesticated mobile prognosticate cross offs entered the mobile phone market, few people had expected that the domestic mobile phone brands would survive in this market.However, with the passage of time, the local brands make great teaching and their total market share surpassed that of the international mobile phone giants including Nokia and Motorola. In 2001, the market share of domestic mobile phone was 15% in 2002, the rate was more than 30% and in 2003, the market share rose to more than 50%, which was a historical breakthrough for the domestic brands. However, since 2004, t he specialise of China-made mobile phones has become negative.As the competition in this market gets fiercer, foreign mobile phone manufactures are consistently developing new brands and improving their scattering channels, and the domestic brands have lost the once-owned channel advantages. Because of some problems of domestic mobile phone industry, the market share rate has dropped dramatically, and most of the domestic mobile phone companies have suffered great losses. What was worse, some domestic mobile phone enterprises such as PANDA, EASTCOM, and SHOUXIN were so badly defeated that they were out of the Chinese mobile phone market.In this market with fierce competition, Samsunga Korean mobile phone brand has developed quickly in recent years and continuously win the first place in market share. As one of the worlds top three major mobile phone manufacturers and the Korea phone leader, Samsung mobile phones product concept is fashion-leading technology. Its brand development strategy is to create the best products in the world. Samsung has created many number ones, such as the worlds first mobile phone that has a rotating screenSGH-V200, the worlds first MP3 phone, the worlds first TV phone, follow phone and the worlds first CDMA/GSM dual-mode mobile phone.Samsung mobile phone is taking the high-end product strategy, which is different from Nokia and Motorola. In the high-end electronics market, Samsung is always the first to launch a variety of superior products and it always makes high profits by virtue of time advantage. In China in the year 2008, Samsung introduced 20 models of mobile phones, of which the appearance, the berth and the quality are designed with advanced concepts, innovative technologies and world-class standard.Samsung mobile phones are always popular in China and the other countries all over the world. The success of the Samsung mobile phone enterprise in China lies in its unique industry background and professional strengths, an d the company also benefits from research and development and the marketing strategies which are compatible with the environment. selling strategy is the marketing logic whereby the company hopes to achieve its marketing objectives, which includes special strategies for target markets, positioning, the marketing mix and marketing expenditure levels.Once the overall competitive marketing strategy is set, the company is ready to begin planning the details of the Marketing Mix, one of the major concepts in modern marketing. The Marketing Mix consists of many variables that the company should do to increase its product demand. These variables are known as the 4Ps product, price, promotion and place (distribution). The reasonable Marketing Mix could help the company to establish strong positioning in the target markets. Based on the understanding of the grandeur of 4Ps Marketing Mix and its refer on Chinas mobile phone industry, this paper is divided into five chapters.Chapter one is the introduction. It briefly introduces the research background and its academic and practical implications. Chapter 2 is the thorough analysis of current domestic mobile phone market. After the introduction to Chinas mobile phone development history, this chapter mainly analyzes the versed and external environment of Chinas mobile phone industry by virtue of the SWOT Analysis Method. Though the analysis, it is known that domestic mobile phones have some advantages, such as the cost advantage, localization advantage and fast market reaction advantage.The weaknesses of the domestic mobile phones are that the core technologies are weak, mobile phone qualities are not guaranteed, there is serious product homogenization and most of the domestic mobile phone enterprises are on a small scale. It is certain that the local mobile phone industry has many opportunities for its development, which include the sound economic conditions, the support from the government, the coming of 3G era an d the coming of phone replacement rush. However, domestic mobile phone companies do face some threats, such as the threats from copycat mobile phones and the international mobile phones fierce competition.Chapter three is the introduction to Samsung mobile phone and the analysis of its successful marketing strategies in China. In this chapter, it is known that Samsungs successful marketing strategies could mainly be expressed by the variables in its Marketing Mix. In product, Samsung is always focusing on producing high quality products to build strong brand symbol and enhance the brand value, offering perfect after sale services to own good reputation, founding continuous product innovation to maintain brand image and brand vitality and supplying distinctive and fashionable designs to maintain brand differences.In price, Samsung has effectively assessed the value and the quality of its digital electronic products, the importance of the products unique, stylish design and knows th at the consumers are willing to pay high price for such products, and therefore it adopted the skim pricing strategy. In channel strategies, Samsung has always insisted on national agents, and it has prudently selected the national agents to do its distribution. In terms of the promotion strategies, Samsung always focuses on unifying advertising agencies and launching a series of effective advertising campaigns.Two of its excellent promotion strategies are launching a variety of sports sponsorship, focusing on Olympic realise Program and making use of entertainment activities to enhance fashion marketing, which proved to be qui te effective. Chapter four concluded some implications to the local mobile phone industry. It is suggested that, in terms of the product, the domestic manufactures should master and develop core technologies, enrich the product line and produce more high-end products. Besides, the mobi

The Death of My Grandpa

The sadest day in my life. When I was a child I lived with a important person for me. He was my grandfather, he was my scoop friend, with him I grapple the happinest moments of my life. Everything was hapiness and I lived in a beautiful world. But a horrible moment arrived and everything finished. When I recived the most confusing and sadest news in my life. One morning, my first cousin arrived at my home and with her hesitant voice, she told me some news that I didnt understand.In that moment my mom arrived and she told me that my grandfather had passed away, she said that with some sweet words, because she knew how important he was for me. I could only try understand all the things that people told me, so I went to my grandmothers house and when I came in, the only thing I saw was the lonely bed of my grandfather in that moment I felt a inmense sadness in my heart, that moment was when I could understand everything, that I never again my grandfather would be with me.After I had understood everything or tried to understand what had happended, my family and some friends of us met us at the church for oblation emotive masss to give the last good bye to my best friend. It has been the most emotive mass that I had ever lived in my life and that I give never forget. When the mass finished, all people went together to the cementary, some men had already prepared everything. When we arrived, the men who carried to my grandfather, let us see him for last time, when I got close to my grandfather I couldnt believe that the person that was always happy and laughing, nowwas quiet.In that moment , I felt a inmense confusion and loneliness. My parent, my grandfather and my best friend would never be with me again. That day was the sadest in my life. I know that now I have a new angel, but I muzzy a friend, since that moment until now, I only have memories of that friend whom I spent happy moments in my life. That day was the sadest in my life although I knew that in t hat moment i would have a great angel for the rest of my life

A Mercy -Toni Morrison

The lives of break cardinals backs in the 1600s washbasin be compared to the invigoration of orphans that have been moved back and forth from home to home. They have no idea where theyre going to end up and who theyre going to end up with. Theyre lives are already difficult but illnesses and diseases can make it a lot more difficult. They live day by day not knowing whats going to happen next. Some ms, slaves are tough more like animals than humans. Other times, they were treated with a little respect. Slaves in the northern colonies of America were treated differently depending on different faiths and cultures.In the novel, a Mercy, Toni Morrison sympathizes towards the lives of slaves and slave give birthers in the 1600s. A Mercy is based on a historical time stop consonant of the 1600s in New York, Maryland, and Virginia. The 1600s is the time period when slavery first became popular. In 1619, a Dutch slave trader exchanged his cargo of Africans for food, which was the fir st arrival of Africans to James town (Hening, 7). Africans were beginning to play a grand role in the economy of the Northern colonies in the U. S. Jamestown exported 10 tons of tobacco to Europe and slaves were being traded back and forth for food and tobacco ( Hening, 5).By the 1680s, slaves had get down essential to the economy of Virginia (Hening, 7). Since trading slaves was getting bigger and bigger, eventu exclusivelyy African slavery was legalized in Virginia and Maryland. In 1663 the Maryland legislature enacted a law that all negroes and other slaves to be thereafter imported into the province, should serve during life and all children born of any negro should be slaves, as their fathers were for the term of their lives ( Harper, Douglas, 6).This law was one of the many slave laws and codes that were passed in this time period. In New York, the English took over the colony in 1664. There were a lot of skilled and out of practice(predicate) jobs that slaves were needed f or (especially on plantations), so they continued to import slaves (Eckhaus, Phyllis, 5). 42 percent of New York Citys households held slaves ( Becker, Eddy, 7). Toni Morrison portrays the time period in the novel as a tough time period to live in because of slavery, diseases, debt, and death.At the beginning of the book, we are introduced to a character named Jacob Vaark who is a Dutch slave trader and owner. Vaark goes on a harsh journey to the DOrtegas (who also trade slaves for a living), in Maryland to settle a debt. Fog, Atlantic and reeking of plant life blanketed the bay and slowed him (Morrison, 9). As Morrison describes Vaarks journey to Maryland, it shows that the author wants us to impression sympathy for him and it explains some of the difficulties that people involved in the slave trade went through.A situation that the author adds from the time period is that Virginia was still a mess. Who could keep up with the pitched battles for God, king, and land? (Morrison, 1 1). The author adds this to the novel because slavery was also connected to religion and trading land. Another fact that Morrison adds in the book is that illnesses and diseases had an impact on slaves lives in the 1600s. When Vaark was building his dream home, he developed the lues and eventually passes away. His wife, Rebekka, also develops the pox.Lina, a servant of the Vaarks, sends Florens, a slave of the Vaarks, on a journey to find a blacksmith that has a cure for the pox. If Rebekka dies, then Lina and Florens ordain be stuck with no place to live and nobody to take care of them. The need to swallow, the pain of doing so, the unbearable urge to tear her skin from the bones underneath stopped only when she was unconscious( Morrison, 72). This quote shows that the author wants us to feel sympathy towards Rebekkas illness.There were many different attitudes towards slavery in the 1600s. While the legal age of people thought that slavery was acceptable, some people thought th at slavery was wrong. (Becker, Eddy, 8). Most slaves werent treated as human beings so they slept in the cellars and attics of town houses (Harper, Douglas, 15). After 1682, as the number of slaves rose, fears of insurrection mounted, restrictions were applied and public controls began to be enacted( Eckhaus, Phyllis, 15). It had become illegal for more than four slaves to meet together on their own time (Eckhaus, Phyllis, 15).All of these restrictions and laws show that people in that time period had very little trust towards slaves. In the book, Morrison portrays the characters as people who have different morals. Jacob Vaark was awkward with gaining a slave, Florens, for a debt that he owed. Ridiculous said DOrtega. You sell them. Do you know the prices they garner? Jacob winced. Flesh was not his commodity. (Morrison, 20). This quote shows that Vaark was not implicated in slavery, but knew that he had to find a way to pay his debt.Another character in the novel that shows her morals is Lina. Lina is one of Jacob and Rebekka Vaarks servants. She is very remnant to Rebekka and Florens. When Lina finds out that Florens has to go on a dangerous journey to find a blacksmith, she starts to pray. Now, amazingly, she was praying. For what, to what, Lina did not know. (Morrison, 66). This shows that Lina has a religion even though shes inert closely it. The fact that Rebekka is close to Lina and treats her more as a daughter than a servant, shows that she has good morals and doesnt approve of slavery.Throughout the novel, Toni Morrisons attitude is humane towards the characters and the time period that they live in. Morrison shows us the different sides of slavery through the lives of the characters. Jacob Vaark is in debt, Rebekka Vaark has an illness, and Lina and Florens are slaves that dont know where their lives are headed. As the reader, this makes me feel sympathy for the people who lived during the slave trade in the 1600s. Although the 1600s was whe n slavery first became popular and was accepted, the author made out slavery to be something that wasnt so horrible.The Vaarks were slave owners, but they werent typical slave owners of their time period. Jacob was opposed to the idea of slavery and Rebekka treated her slaves as if they were her own kids, which is unrealistic for the time period. The fact that Morrison includes the hardships that slaves and slaved owners went through makes the book somewhat realistic. The unrealistic details of the book make it more interesting to read and make us think about how relationships between slaves and free people really were in the 1600s.

Japanese Bribe Case Study

THE CASE OF THE JAPANESE BRIBE I. BACKGROUND OF THE CASE 1976 Former Japanese Prime organization minister Kakuei Tanaka was arrested on charges of taking bribes amounting to $1. 8 trillion Dollars from Lockheed Aircraft Company. Tanakas secretary and several other government officials were arrested together with former Prime Minister Tanaka. Takeo Miki was ousted from office on suspicion of concealing Tanakas dealings with Lockheed Aircraft Company. In Holland, Prince Bernhard resigned from 300 government positions held for in allegedly having received $1. Million in bribes from Lockheed Aircraft Company in connection with the procure of 138 F-104 Starfighter Jets. In Italy, Giovanni Leone, the Italian President in 1970 together with Prime Ministers Aldo Moro and Mariano Rumor were also acc accustomd of accepting bribes from Lockheed in connection with the purchase of $100 Million worth of aircraft during the late 1960s. Scandinavia, South Africa, Turkey, Greece and Nigeria were also among the 15 countries in which Lockheed admitted to having handed out payments and that at least $202 Million in commissions were do by the club since 1970.Lockheed started using bribes since 1958 in order to outsell Grumman Aircraft, a competitor, for the Japanese Air Force peg down. As per his testimony, William Findley of Arthur Young & Co. the auditors for Lockheed, engaged the services of Yoshio Kodama to act as liaison between Lockheed and the Japanese Government in order to secure the government contract for the purchase of military aircrafts. Several bribes were made by the conjunction to check into the contract in its favour.In 1972, Lockheed rehired Kodama as consultant to sell its aircraft to Japan. Lockheed was in dire need to sell its aircraft owing to a series of financial disasters, cost overruns, energy the high society to the brink of bankruptcy in 1970. A controversial loan guarantee awarded the company amounting to $250 Million helped the aircraft company in averting the bankruptcy. Lockheed President, Mr. Carl Kotchian anxiously expect making the sales events since the company has not been making its projected sales of aircraft worldwide.Mr. Kotchian believed that Japan is a largely-untapped market and if Lockheed penetrates the Japanese market, the company can generate $ cd Million and thus, improve the companys financial status and ensure the jobs of thousands of the firms employees. Kodama eventually succeeded in engineering a contract for Lockheed with the each(prenominal) Nippon Airways, beating McDonnell Douglas, its active competitor. For the sale, Kodama askes and received $9 Million as pay-off money from 1972 to 1975. all toldegedly, much of the money went to then Prime Minister Tanaka and other government officials for interceding with entirely Nippon Airways on behalf of Lockheed Aircraft Company. Mr. Kotchian admitted full knowledge about where the money was going and that he was persuaded by the assurance tha t in making the payoff, Lockheed was sure to get the contract with All Nippon Airways. Subsequently, Lockheed netted $1. 3 Billion from the contract. Mr.Kotchian defended the payoff as in keeping with Japanese business blueprints, meaning that I order to do business in Japan, one has to make payoffs, further, Kotchian reiterated that the transaction did not violate any American Laws and that Lockheed needed to adjust to the existing functioning systems in order to be belligerent and guarantee the jobs of thousands of its employees, as well as ensure continuing breadability. Otherwise, the company would be bankrupt and thousands will lose their jobs. In August 1975, after investigations conducted by the U. S.Government, Lockheed admitted to making $22 Million in secret payoffs and in subsequent Senate investigations in 1976, the deals were made public, causing Japan to cancel the billion dollar contract with Lockheed. In 1979, Lockheed pleaded sheepish to concealing the bribes by writing them off as merchandising costs. Lockheed was not charged with bribery since the law took takings precisely in 1978. Mr. Kotchian was not indicted but was forced to resign from his office while in Japan, Kodama was arrested together with Tanaka. II. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 1. What were the moral and legal implications of the actions of the Lockheed management? . What is the effect of the transaction with respect to fair competition in business? III. AREAS OF CONSIDERATION 1. The need to ensure the profitability of the company. 2. The need to ensure the welfare and well-being of thousands of employees of the company. 3. The respectable and legal standpoint that binds entities in the conduct of their business. IV. ANALYSIS OF THE CASE The case revolves around several issues that confront todays modern business practice/s basically, every company aspires to achieve continuing growth and profitability as its major policy.Secondly, the company as an organization is augmented and composed by people who are performing each of their respective tasks in order to achieve the goals and objectives of the firm. In the case of Lockheed Aircraft Company, there is a dire need to reverberate from near bankruptcy and the means by which it can be achieved is to get hold of the contracts for the company to build and supply aircrafts to their intended buyers. The Japanese market offers a potential target for the aircraft company, much as the other companies are likewise aware of.The airline and aircraft industry is a highly competitive industry. Each company needs to update its existing technology, requiring continuous investments in retooling and research. Such an activity requires continuous flow of funds considering the immense requirement for funding the expenditures. Should the company allow up on continually improving its product and technology, the result would be disastrous for the company since competitors could easily overtake the company and its market. A ll of these predicaments compounded the financial woes of Lockheed Aircraft Company during the 70s.It is under this duress that management was forced to find a means by which the company can stay afloat, make profit and support its large workforce. The decision to make extraordinary means to ensure sales was at the moment, imperative for management. Using the argument that during those days, a business sub-culture existed in Japan, that is, that the company needed to abide by the functioning system to get the All Nippon Air Contract. In simple terms, payoffs are needed to facilitate the sale of the companys aircraft to the Japanese airline company.Ethically, a payoff to facilitate a contract at the expense of other competitors deviates from existing moral determine that should govern the conduct of business. However, assuming that a system of patronage existed in Japan during the time such a system constrained the management of Lockheed to use extraordinary means to go through chan nels as conduits to their intended client in order to seal the contract. Prior to investigations conducted and the subsequent admission of the company regarding the payoffs, landing the contract with All NipponAirways, did not only guarantee profits for Lockheed but also, a continuing support for its thousands of employees. V. CONCLUSION Based on the foregoing, it is realized that Lockheed acted within the sphere of corporate culture prevalent of the times. From a business mans point of view, the payoffs could indeed be classified as marketing costs since from the point of view of the company, the money that was used was partly in promotion of its product, by todays standards. However, the crux of the problem was that those who received the payoffs were government officials who had control of the affairs of their country.As such, these officials were in a position to exert undue influence on the airline company to purchase the aircraft from Lockheed. It is this undue influence that made the act unethical and from a legal standpoint, criminal in nature since, the resulting transaction is now a case of bribery on the part of Lockheed and extortion on the part of the government officials who received the payoff. As for Mr. Kotchian, I believe that as CEO of Lockheed Aircraft Company, he acted in the best interest of the company and for everyone who are straight involved with the company (employees, technicians, management, etc. As CEO, he is tasked with ensuring a profitable direction for the company and provide a continuing means of livelihood for all those employed by the company. Likewise, it is his duty to ensure the competitiveness of the company. VI. RECOMMENDATION Despite the arguments of utilitarianism in this case, wherein the interest of the majority is deemed primordial over the interests of the few, I/We believe that Mr. Kotchian, in behalf of the management of Lockheed Aircraft Company acted within the bounds of corporate culture prevalent of the t ime.Arguably, using ethics and morality as a gauge, I/We perceive that Lockheed and Mr. Kotchian were guilty of unfair competition as they undermined their competitors through the use undue influence instead of marketing a superior product. Although the immediate results could have benefitted all those have-to doe with within the sphere of the company, the means by which it was achieved were tainted with fraud and the wilful distortion of facts (reporting payoffs as marketing costs), hence, providing the other stakeholders such as its investors and stockholders a bastard representation of the financial affairs of the company.Although, bribery was not yet classified as corporate crime prior to 1978, the act of Lockheed Aircraft Company and Mr. Kotchian should be regarded as unethical, immoral and illegal as well as promoting unfair competition with respect to other aircraft manufacturers in the industry. The decision of the Board of Directors to force the resignation of Mr. Kotchia n as CEO of Lockheed Aircraft Company is deemed proper herein and the subsequent arrest of Mr. Kodama and former Prime Minister Tanaka is likewise appropriate under the circumstances.

Healthcare in the United States Essay

wellness dread around the world is very different. The unify States is a pluralistic, clannishly owned organization. They atomic number 18 technology driven, and an indemnity policy based type of wellness kick. They have issues with the cost rising versus the sight receiving benefits. Ger many an(prenominal), Canada, and Great Britain wholly use a universal type of wellness wield where they believe all citizens should have moderate entryway to treatments. Germany uses Socialized health Insurance. Canada uses National Health Insurance that is divided among its provinces and territories. Finally, Great Britain uses Socialized Health Insurance. bring up Words Health fretting, United States, Germany, Great Britain, Canada. The United States of America is based upon principles set forth by our founding fathers. We the people by the people is star of the principles that we still live by today. This is a value that we implement in all sects of giving medication, including health share. The United States has a health care system that is in the main privately owned. The government usually steps in when needed. Such cases involve money for vulnerable populations, fundraising, and training individuals in the healthcare field. There are many characteristics of our healthcare system that are vastly different than other countries such as Germany, Canada, and Great Britain.While the United States healthcare is mostly managed by private sectors, their healthcare is predominantly run and financed by the government. Growth in science has led for an essential need for mod technology. Hospitals are constantly competing and advertising untried technology. Why compete for new technology? Many healthcare providers and h senescenters of heath care plans feel that there are great legal risks involved when new technology has non been implemented. Other stakeholders that desire modern technology are the patients and the physicians. Patients now desire to use new te chnology because they assume that it has greater benefits than the old method. Physicians also want to tinker with the new tools that modern day society has developed. In the United States, access to health care is based on restitution coverage. You whitethorn receive the service through four major avenues. Firstly, the public may join a government healthcare program such as Medicare or Medicaid to receive benefits. Secondly, employers can provide insurance to their employees. Thirdly, an individual with the means to afford healthcare may purchase insurance on their own.Finally, people maypay for services individually. However, there are some Americans who have chosen not to have insurance. In 2006, forty-seven million people (58.8% of the population) were uninsured, meaning they were not covered by any program, public or private (jblearning.com). When someone is uninsured they have a few options. One option is to pay bulge out of pocket for the individual services that they requi re. The second option is to access Federal Fund Centers, and the third option is to pursue treatment for their acute illness. When a citizen seeks treatment, hospitals are required to give them care due to the implement of The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act of 1986. This law states that a few tasks must be completed regardless of the patients ability to pay the hospital. The patient must first be admitted to the hospital and then given a physical scan. Following the scan the individual should be given the appropriate care in order to stabilize them. Furthermore, a major characteristic of health care in the United States is the exorbitant amount of money it costs to receive health care.As a nation, we spend more than any other landed estate in the world on providing health care to our citizens. Although we are spending a large amount of the countries deficit, we are seeing little progress in providing access to the masses. Healthcare is one of the largest contributing fac tors to the United States GDP with a cost of over 2.7 trillion dollars (Sultz, 1997, p.1). With such cost, innovations and expansions are inevitable. The new technology has undoubtedly helped advance the longevity of peoples lives, but it has also raised the cost of being able to access the treatments. People with better insurance or a greater need for the service may get an unfair advantage in receiving these services. This advantage causes a moral dilemma for the physician and the Health Care Administration (HCA) staff. Physicians and staff need to make sure that the old method is no longer as great as the new technology. This allow foring keep costs down and allow for a greater amount of people to receive the treatment that they need. The United States is based on a health care system where individuals must purchase their own insurance bit still paying taxes to fund other government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. As with any health care system, issues may arise.A key issue deals with employers and employees. In many cases, employers provide a healthcare program to their workers. What if the employee is a temporary worker? In such instances, many employers do notoffer such benefits for individuals who are not on the clock full-time. As we all know, health care in the United States is the most expensive care in the world. The issues with this expense are many. While costs are already high, they are only if going to continue to sky-rocket. Another issue with cost is that while Americans are spending an outrageous amount of money, they are not reaping the benefits. Millions of Americans are still futile to receive the proper health care because they are unable to afford insurance. Unlike the United States, most European countries have national health care. The United States and European countries differ substantially in the way they conduct medical care for their citizens. These health care programs provide care for all citizens, known as univer sal health care.Universal healthcare is a blanket term meaning there are different sub-divisions that stem from this type of care. Germany, Canada and, Great Britain all have different types of universal healthcare. Germany is a socialized health care country. Socialized health care means that funds are contributed by employers and employees because of government mandates. The Germanic government is in overall control of all procedures. However, there are still private delivery programs that help with carrying out the health care processes in Germany. All Germans with incomes under 46,300 are required to en roll in one of the sickness funds (healthcare-economist.com). Higher income citizens may opt for private care or join a federal sickness fund. The federal government decides what benefits to add to this package. Sickness funds are provided through a pay roll tax which is taken from the employer and the employee. Less than ten percent of the population decides to use private insur ance. Insurance and payments using the federal sickness fund are about related in the socialized healthcare system.Many believe that carrying out procedures in this manner provides a more orderly healthcare in relation to the United States. Canada uses a different normal of healthcare known as the National Health Insurance System or commonly referred to as Medicare. This form of insurance was initially established in the Medical Care Act of 1966 providing fifty-fifty cost sharing (jblearning.com). General taxes collected by the government are what finances the healthcare system but private providers deliver the care. The government decides how the insurance plans ultimately work. Canada has ten provinces and three territories that carry out the functions of thehealthcare while the government oversees their actions. All Canadian citizens and permanent residents are eligible for health insurance in Canada. Unlike America, Canadas system is built to facilitate peoples need for healt h care rather than their ability to pay for services. Medicare is intended to assist all Canadian residents so that they have reasonable access to hospitals and physicians. Canada has a multi-part insurance plan for the provinces and territories. Each has similar features and standards that come together to form Canadas health care plan. When a resident arrives at the health care facility they simply show their health care card.Most services are covered by taxes paid to the government. However, in some cases you will need private health care because policies are slightly different when traveling from a province to a territory. Finally, Great Britains health care is provided through the National Healthcare Service. Like Canada, their system of health care is designed to help all the citizens receive health care. Great Britains system is publically funded through general taxes of the people. For a single-payer health care system, the cost of providing care is relatively low. However, there are limited options in choosing your provider as well as a long waiting list to see them. There are 750,000 Britons on the waiting lists for hospital admission 40% of cancer patients are never able to see an oncologist there is explicit rationing for services such as kidney dialysis, open heart surgery and care for the terminally ill(Healthcare-economist.com).This is why a very small percent of the citizens choose t pay for private health care which is almost the same as generic health care but with better care and quicker waiting times. This health care is almost the same as the generic insurance Great Britain provides but it has shorter waiting times and better quality care. Another feature of this system is that there are no deductibles and almost no co-pay. In summary, the United States has a very different system of health care than Germany, Canada, and Great Britain. The United States is private, whereas the other countries are mostly publicly run by the government. Eve ry system of health care has its pitfalls. Today, politicians and the public are trying to find a way to maximize the efficiency of cost, access and quality.Referenceshttp//healthcare-economist.com/2008/04/14/health-care-around-the-world-an-introduction/http//www.jblearning.com/samples/0763763802/63800_ch01_final.pdfSultz, H., & Young, K. (1997). Health care USA Understanding its organization and delivery (8th ed., p. 1). Gaithersburg, Md. Aspen.

Can listening to favorite music heal? Essay

As Billy Joel (2014), songwriter and performer, once said, I think music in itself is healing. Its an explosive expression of humanity. Its something we ar all touched by. No matter what culture were from, every i loves music(para.1). People love music, dont they? Everyone would agree with that. euphony touches us in deep ways that words alone cannot. Music stirs our emotions, makes our bodies move, and has similarly been used for therapeutic purposes. In the first place, music stirs our emotions and touches us deeply where words cannot. Now, depending on the genre youre listening to at that point in time, youre smiling and happy. For example, the song titled Happy by Pharrell go awayiams is an upbeat song with validating lyrics. Whereas, some really bad rock music can sometimes make you feel angry, depressed, or both. In the Global Post article describing the kindred between music and childrens behavior, Children who listen to heavy metal music have a greater propensity for su bstance abuse and other dubious behaviors during adolescence, according to the American Association of Pediatrics (Wade, 2014, para. 2). Studies are finding that desensitizing lyrics with negative messages tend to encourage misbehavior that is violent or anti-social. There is also inspiring music and music that is sad, but helps to heal your heart when dealing with a loved ones passing. Music has also made one feel at peace in their surroundings. Music also makes our bodies move. Research on the effects of music during exercise has been done for hundreds of years.In 1911, an American researcher, Leonard Ayres, erect that people pedal faster while listening to music than they did in silence. This happens because listening to music can drown out our brains cries of fatigue. As our body realizes were tired and wants to stop exercising, it sends signals to the brain to stop for a break. This is mostly beneficial for low- and moderate- intensity exercise (Cooper, 2013). Playing differe nt types of instruments makes our bodies move as well. Listening to music during housework is a great way to move. You can dance very silly and no one is around to see it. Music makes us move. Lastly, music has been used in therapy for hundreds of years. Music therapy can start with activities such as shaking a rhythm shaker egg, maracas, or sound in beat with others, orit can become an advanced exercise in writing expressive lyrics and singing with a group. The benefit of music destiny during a therapeutic procedure is people with brain injuries can activate the brain in alternate ways, allowing them to regain movement or speech. Studies show that people, oddly among teens suffering from depression and sadness, when starting to listen to positive music actually lowers the need for suicide.Also, when children with develop amiable disabilities, listen to music they love it gives them a fresh clean way to communicate and the feeling of being independent. An example of the healing precedent of music is to watch video a about Henry, an old man who has been hold in a nursing home for 10 years. Like some people his age, Henry is suffering from dementia. He forgets things easily and has lost many of his mental abilities. In fact, Henry lives in his own world, often unresponsive to other people. But the nurses discovered that if they let him listen to his favorite music from the past, he is immediately transformed with life energy, and suddenly able to have conversations with the people around him. Music breathes life into his body and mind. It truly is an amazing example of the healing power of music. In conclusion, music truly has a powerful impact on our lives. It can be therapeutic, make our bodies move, along with stirring our emotions. So what will you be listening to tonight?ReferencesBilly Joels quote and my thesis.Beginning of the site http//deepenglish.com/2012/11/the-healing-power-of-music/ Cooper, B. (2013) 8 Surprising Ways Music Affects and Benefi ts our Brains Step 8 Retrieved from cheep Webinar http//blog.bufferapp.com/author/belle-beth-cooper An old man, Henry with Dementia, and what the power of music from his era does for him. Retrieved from youtubehttp//www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKDXuCE7LeQ Wade, L. (2014) Does the Type of Music a Child Listened to Affect the Way They Will Behave Globalpost. Retrieved from http//everydaylife.globalpost.com/type-music-child-listened-affect-way-behave-19821.html

Marks & Spencer Retailing Strategy Essay

1. IntroductionIn this essay, in scope of the subject Organizational instruction I, we get out scan the case of one of UKs leading retailers that is tag & Spencer.We are proposed to answer 3 given questions learning the tauten, specifically its system. Not only go out we answer these given questions, we intend to further develop the concept of corporate strategy taught in crystallise and relate it to M&S case in browse to burst understand it. During this case study we give in like manner explore the history of this go with, explaining the firms giving medication problem, the crisis that happened within the firm and also its strategies to inhibit this crisis.We are also going to focus on the brand and in the locates that M&S has avail equal in the clothing marketplace. There will be presented in this report aspects much(prenominal) as the market segments that M&S convergences ranges serve, the order winners and qualifiers for them and, finally, the different logisti cs consummation objectives for the different ranges.Operations Management I2. Development2.1. HistoryMarks & Spencer (M&S) is one of UKs leading retailers with over 21 one million million million people visiting their stores per week. M&S offer stylish, high-quality, great economic value clothing and home products, as well as outstanding quality food and financial services. The confederacy was started in 1884, when Michael Marks (a Russian-born natural law refugee) opened a stall at Leeds Kirkgate Market. M&S have over 700 UK stores and currently the firm finds itself in the process of expanding its business internationally the company is already present in over 43 countries. Marks & Spencer employees over 78,000 people in the UK and abroad (as M&S site has published).2.2. Marks & Spencer pre shake-upFocusing in clothing segment, M&S presented severe problems in their strategy surgical incision and, consequently, in their development and survival, due to massive mistakes. Seein g that M&S is a retailer type of firm, consequence that they only sell products, they dont produce them one of their main problems was the add together chain from the starting clipping to the consumer.This route was real expensive because they had a lot of suppliers, mostly at the UK. Overall, the company had several problems round the supply chain, likeAll these problems make their supply chain really faint and time-consuming, non evaluating the suppliers nicely, not having a good balance between quantity and mix. Meanwhile, the marketing section had some issues too. They werent able to predict sales, they only do two sales seasons (while the other(a)s made four) and their product development was very slow and expensive. This attempt only had one brand St. Michaels leaving few options of choice to the customer, being the only bearing women between 35 to 55 years old. This brand was focused on classic style clothes and some times out of invent.Operations Management IIn short, the notorious problems in the company were2.2.1. CrisisAll these problems triggered the 1998 crisis, where Luc Vandevelde came as 4th CEO and responsible to change the company with some strategic measures.2.3. Marks & Spencer after reorganization2.3.1. Strategy changesTo create, choose and implement their strategy, all the companies should have in consideration extraneous and internal factors, cordial responsibility and the values of the company. On one hand, the internal factors explain the strengths and weaknesses of the company. On the otherOperations Management Ihand, the external factor relates the opportunities and the threats of the company, showing how that it influences the activity. These two are substantial in strategy creation, only if they are aligned with social responsible and company values.Marks & Spencer relied on its starchy points (e.g. quality), trying to improve their weaknesses (e.g. slow response system). As stated above, the company also had high regard for social responsibility, as well as the companys values.To implement strategy changes, we need to thoughtful these five philosophiesM&S The Total Quality Management is, as the name implies, oriented to summation the quality in the processes of the organization, by creating quality consistency Just in time is a occupation management system that determines that nothing should be produced, transported or purchased beforethe exact time Simultaneous engineering acts on the development of products and is based on the use of engineering processes, manufactures, among other ones The Compression Management is some to reduce processes time cycles Reengineering helps manage through the augmentd efficiency and effectiveness. M&S based their strategy mainly on the first four points above.2.3.2. BrandNowadays, market segmentation is an absolute requirement for the market realities. Market Segmentation is related with a marketing concept and its objective is to enhance a companys abi lity to understand and know its core customers as well as whom its core customers will be in the future. Most segments are formed by come acrossing at certain characteristics such(prenominal) as demographic, geographic, and physiological, amongst others. These segments help the marketer identify very important consumption patterns. Therefore, the customers are treated thence to the firms view regarding what the customers wants or needs and its (the firms) ability to reach those needs in a profitable way. In Mark & Spencer specific case, it uses mostly a demographic segmentation to select its targets market for its products, targeting the customers by age, income, social class and lifestyle. There are 3 different ranges of M&S for Autumn 2001, including The amend and standard Collection, The Autograph and per una.2.3.2.1 The Perfect and Classic CollectionMarketers are progressively more concerned in the expiry of the consumers lifestyle on demand. The market segments serve at th is range, targets of those consumers who have busy lifestyles, therefore intend to free time and feel opportune when buying. This segment is for those customers that find themselves on a more price-orientated basis where they timbre for value at the lowest price. This is why, this range is targeted more on the middle social class and its a timeless collection (and not just the latest fashion) on any body coat of both female and male customers. 2.3.2.2. The AutographThis range is a more specific, fashion-orientated figure of speeched for more come along upper class consumers who seek the good life. The collection in this range is designed by some of the best designers in the business, names such as Julien Macdonald, Philip Treacy and Sonja Nuttall. They have the capability to acquire it with a high street prices which are sold only in luxuriousdepartment stores. This range will normally target on those customers who prefer quality and the best design rather than the actual exis t of the product.This range is targeted on female customers who have a keen sense of fashion, therefore it isnt design for all ages nor all types of women. Per Una has concentrated its costumers to an age group between 25 and 35 with sizes from 8 to 18 (UK sizes) since the women that find themselves within these criteria nowadays do not want to be behind the latest fashion trends. They seek out fresh/new fashion and dress smartly and more importantly other than from another, therefore existing the Limited Edition, with that exact purpose. per una offers a better design and price to target younker and middle-class women.2.4. Order winners and qualifiersThe different ranges that Marks & Spencer have available in the market presents competitive characteristics that beat a costumer feel interested to buy a specific product. There are order qualifiers and order winners for these different ranges The Perfect and Classic Collection (that we assumed that serve essentially the similar ran ge segment), The Autograph and the per una. The first order that we mentioned makes grapheme to the competitive aspects of a product that allows it to be considered by the costumers. On the other hand, order winners relates to the competitive characteristics that makes a product be chose by the interested in a specific product.Therefore, for the three ranges that M&S has available in the market and by the document we were presented to, we anchor some order qualifiers and winners for them.To The Perfect and Classic Collection we realized that size availability is a very important aspect to the costumers, which means that this factor is an order qualifier. In fact, there is a costumer that answered (to the questions that were made to her) that when larger sizes have sold out she gets annoyed. Thereby, some customers will have to go look in other stores to find what they need. About the order winners, in this range, costumers identify quality, price and variety of alter are three im portant aspects as they get interested in a product. Briefly, the item mustiness be value for money and cannot require specialist washing as it has to wash well.In reference to The Autograph range, as it is defined to bring cutting-edge design, it is easy to understand that the most important order qualifier is the exclusive design of a certain item the costumers want to buy a cloth that is one of a kind. Quality is the order winners in this range. When clients are looking for this products, they do not give so much importance to the price.Finally, the per una, a high-quality range, the attractive competitive aspect is the same as in The Autograph range exclusity of design. The order qualifier is the rarity of a product and is engagement . However, the segment of the market that looks for per una has a more concern about the price and, consequently, gives more importance to the value of a certain product. Even they care about the quality (as it must be well made and expected to la st), the order winner in this range is the price that they are up to pay for the item.2.5. Logistics performance objectivesThe planning and control of the organization will allow it to coordinate all the different operations that the organization has. It will grantee that all the materials are in the right place at the right time (just-in-time). Managers must control the operations to make sure that all runs like planned and finds the consumer needs.M&S changed the way to work with their suppliers and it provided a new approach to the market, principally the segment of clothes where they have through massive adjustments to get better performances. They created new divisions, and we will talk about those changes. Logistical department intends the enterprise to adapt itself to the market, so they created a new statistical distribution of products by store and category. In other words, The Perfect and Classic ranges are located in almost all M&S stores because it is a product for the m iddle class, for core customers, with a low and viable price. The Autograph range, is into selected stores for the reason that its high prices cant beat the most competitive brands in the common market and, finally, the per una collection is also in selected stores patronage its competitive price its a series that is very uncommon to find because the production has no repeats and so there is no piece like the other. This decision, to enter in the fashion business with a bigger offer then before, led the company to improve and presented a more efficient distribution of their products to the customers. In an organized way, each one of these brands according to their objective went to a shop strategically pose near to the right target. Like this they would have a faster response to the market resulting in the increase of the competitiveness of M&S.3. ConclusionMarks & Spencer had several problems with the development of their company, having a huge crisis in 1998. To overcome this cr isis, the company made some changes in their strategy in order to return to success.Changes in the supply chain, the marketing department and the increase of sub-brands, for example, led to the increasing of quality, transparency, flexibility and the response of production cycle, elimination of duplicate and gaining of more costumers. Nowadays, the company has a faster supply line, a more efficient marketing department and a huge variety of products, covering a larger number of customers which led to, generally, a better performance of the company.4. Bibliography1. CHASE, Richard B. JACOBS, F. Robert AQUILANO, Nicholas J. Operations Management for Competitive Advantage McGraw-Hill Irwin, 11th edition.2. http//corporate.marksandspencer.com/aboutus/company_overview

Problem and solution essay: Drinking and Driving Essay

large number all around the world drink and they also knife thrust. But driving under the influence of inebriant is a very dangerous, risk winning thing to do, not provided to the drivers, but to the passengers and pedestrians as well. When hatful consume alcoholic beverage, their normal functioning of the brain impairs, thus increasing the chances of having a fatal accident when elect to drive. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 40% of the car accidents in the year 2002 were alcohol related in US. That is about 17,419 deaths. This meant that in average, every 30 minutes someone was killed in a car accident that was relating alcohol.The legal trammel of Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) for drivers at the age of 21 or older is .08 percent. For drivers under the age of 21, the legal limit of BAC is .01 percent. But this does not mean that it is strong to drive when your BAC is .08 percent or even .01 percent. Any amount of of BAC is a risk to drive. Studies show that states or countries with lower BAC limit has far less alcohol related accidents. If you go over the legal limit of BAC, you would remove fined large amounts of money to jail time, depending how high the BAC is. Making the BAC limit lower might estimable prevent the accidents that killed hundreds of innocent people. imbibing alcohol has effect on the brain. First, it will fill cozy, warm and reposeful feeling. Then into judgment impairment, little use of slurred speech, and reason and caution are impaired. After that, in that respect will be increase impairment of judgment, then to slow reflection, and more use of slurred speech. beside memory and comprehension are abnormally functioning, then blurred vision, to vomiting and instability to stand. Finally, if more alcohol are consumed, result unconsciousness, coma and to even death. So not drinking at all would be the best solution as it will be good for your health and not taking each risk of having a fatal ac cident.But, for people who have to have a drink, people who cant live with out alcohol, they are prone to consume alcohol and make a decision to drive to their destination or not. This might be hard for some people, but leaving their car and taking an alternative transportation would be the smartest, and also the safest way to get to the destination. It is much more importantto get to the destination with their life then by loosing ones life or taking a life of another and not get there at all.There are problems that are just incorrigible and there are problems that can be prevented or clobberd. We should do any means to solve any corrodible problems in any ways. It might keep one or it might save thousands of lives. Drinking and driving is making a death wish. Its not only the drivers that are risking their lives, but they, as in drivers, are risking other lives as well. Not driving when influenced by alcohol might save ones life and a life of another. Maybe, it might not be a l arger-than-life deal to some people who believe this will not happen to them, are gambling with their lives.

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 29

Chapter 29When it was every(prenominal) arouseed, Simon looked smashing, better than Id ever detectn him look. Joshua had not however increase him from the dead, that also healed his leprosy. Maggie and Martha were ecstatic. The new and improved Simon invited us back to his shack to celebrate. Unfortunately, Abel and Crustus had witnessed the resurrection and the healing, and despite our admonishments, they started to spread the story through Bethany and capital of Israel.Joseph of Arimathea accompanied us to Simons house, however he was hardly in a celebratory mood. This dinners not ex stand forly a trap, he told Joshua, its more like a test.Ive been to cardinal of their trials by dinner, express Joshua. I theme you were a turn overr.I am, express Joseph, especi any(prenominal)y afterward what I adage today, but thats why you go through to come to my house and check dinner with the Pharisees from the council. Show them who you atomic number 18. saveify to them in an informal setting what it is that you be doing.Satan himself once adopted me to prove myself, say Joshua. What proof do I owe these hypocrites?Please, Joshua. They may be hypocrites, but they corroborate great influence oer the people. Because they chastise you the people are afraid to listen to the Word. I enjoy Pontius Pi novel, I dont think anyone would harm you in my home and risk his wrath.Joshua sit down for a moment, sipping his wine. thus into the den of vipers I sh entirely go.Dont do it, Joshua, I utter.And you work to come alone, tell Joseph. You cant bring any of the apostles.Thats not a problem, I express. Im only a disciple. peculiarly not him, said Joseph. Jakan bar Iban exit be there.So I guess its another night sitting home for me, too, said Maggie.Later we all look let come forth stationed and waved as Joseph and Joshua leftfield to go back to Jerusalem for the dinner at Josephs house.As soon as they make most the corner you follow them, M aggie said to me.Of course.Stay close nice to hear if he wishs you.Absolutely.Come here. She pulled me inside the door where the others wouldnt see and gave me one of those Maggie kisses that made me walk into walls and forget my name for a few minutes. It was the first in months. She released me and held me at arms length, and so(prenominal), You know that if there were no Joshua, I wouldnt love anyone but you, she said.You dont wee-wee to bribe me to watch oer him, Maggie.I know. Thats one of the reasons I love you, she said. Now go.My years of crusadeing to sneak up on the monks in the monastery paid me back as I shadowed Joshua and Joseph through Jerusalem. They had no idea I was following, as I slipped from shadow to shadow, wall to tree, finally to Josephs house, which lay s come outh of the city walls, only a stones throw from the palace of the high non-Christian priest, Caiaphas. Joseph of Arimatheas house was only slightly smaller than the palace itself, but I was ab le to tie a risk a radar target on the roof of an adjacent building where I could watch the dinner through a window and still brace a view of the front door.Joshua and Joseph sat in the dining room drinking wine by themselves for a while, hence gradually the servants permit in the other guests as they arrived in groups of twos and leashs. There were a dozen of them by the time dinner was served, all of the Pharisees that had been at the dinner at Jakans house, plus five more that I had never seen before, but all were severe and meticulous about washing before dinner and checking each other to eviscerate sure that all was in order.I couldnt hear what they were saying, but I really didnt care. There seemed to be no immediate threat to Joshua, and that was all I was worried about. He could hold his own on the rhetorical battlefield. Then, when it seemed that it would end without incident, I saw the tall hat and white robe of a priest in the street, and with him two Temple guard s carrying their long, bronze-tipped spears. I dropped down off the roof and made my way around the opposite side of the house, arriving just in time to see a servant lead the priest inside.As soon as Joshua came through the door at Simons house Martha and Maggie showered him with kisses as if he had re morose from the war, hence led him to the table and started interrogating him about the dinner.First they shouted at me for having fun, drinking wine, and feasting. Saying that if I was truly a prophet I would fast.And what did you tell them? I asked, still a modest winded from the path to get to Simons house ahead of Joshua.I said, well, John didnt eat anything but bugs, and he never drank wine in his life, and he certainly never had any fun, and they didnt believe him, so what kind of standards were they trying to set, and enjoy pass the tabbouleh.What did they say thus?Then they yelled at me for eating with tax collectors and harlots.Hey, said Matthew.Hey, said Martha.They didnt mean you, Martha, they meant Maggie.Hey, said Maggie.I told them that tax collectors and harlots would see the landed estate of divinity fudge before they did. Then they yelled at me for healing on the Sabbath, not washing my hands before I eat, world in league with the Devil again, and blaspheming by claiming to be the Son of paragon.Then what?Then we had dessert. It was some sort of cake made with dates and honey. I liked it. Then a guy came to the door wearing priests robes.Uh-oh, said Matthew.Yeah, that was bad, said Joshua. He went around whispering in the ears of all the Pharisees, therefore Jakan asked me by what authority I raised Simon from the dead.And what did you say?I didnt say anything, not with the Sadducee there. alone Joseph told them that Simon hadnt been dead. He was just sleeping.So what did they say to that?Then they asked me by what authority I woke him up.And what did you say?I got angry accordingly. I said by all the authority of God and the Ho ly Ghost, by the authority of Moses and Elijah, by the authority of David and Solomon, by the authority of bellow and lightning, by the authority of the sea and the air and the fire in the earth, I told them.And what did they say?They said that Simon moldiness have been a very sound sleeper.Sarcasm is wasted on those guys, I said.Comp permitely wasted, said Joshua. Anyway, then I left, and outside there were two guards from the Temple. The shafts of their spears had been broken and they were some(prenominal) unconscious. There was blood on ones scalp. So I healed them, and when I saw they were coming around, I came here.They dont think you attacked the guards? Simon asked.No, the priest followed me down. He saw them at the same time that I did.And your healing them didnt convince him?Hardly.So what do we do now?I think we should go back to Galilee. Joseph will send word if anything comes of the meeting of the council.You know what will come of it, Maggie said. You threaten them. A nd now they have the priests involved. You know what will happen.Yes, I do, said Joshua. still you dont. Well leave for Capernaum in the morning.Later Maggie came to me in the great room of Simons house, where we were all bedded down for the night. She crawled beneath my lacunaet and put her lips right next to my ear. As usual, she smelled of lemons and cinnamon. What did you do to those guards? she whispered.I surprised them. I thought they major power be there to arrest Joshua.You might have gotten him arrested.Look, have you done this before? Because if you have some sort of plan, please let me in on it. Personally, Im making this up as I go on.You did trusty, she whispered. She kissed my ear. Thank you.I reached for her and she shimmied away.And Im still not discharge to sleep with you, she said.The messenger must have ridden through several nights to get ahead of us, but when we got back to Capernaum there was already a heart and soul waiting from Joseph of Arimathea.Jo shuaPharisee council condemned you to death for blasphemy. Herod concurs. No official death warrant issued, but suggest you present disciples into Herod Philips grunge until things settle down. No word from the priests yet, which is unspoilt. Enjoyed having you at dinner, please drop by next time youre in township.Your genius,Joseph of ArimatheaJoshua read the message aloud to all of us, then pointed to a deserted mountaintop on the northern prop of the lake near Bethsaida. Before we leave Galilee again, I am going up that mountain. I will plosive there until all in Galilee who wish to hear the honest news have come. Only then will I leave to go to Philips territory. Go out now and find the cheeseparing. Tell them where to find me.Joshua, Peter said, there are already two or three hundred sick and faint waiting at the synagogue for you to heal them. Theyve been gathering for all the days youve been gone.Why didnt you tell me?Well, Bartholomew greeted them and took their na mes, then we told them that youd be with them as soon as you got the chance. Theyre fine.I lead the dogs back and forth by them now and then so we look busy, said Bart.Joshua stormed off to the synagogue waving his hands in the air as if asking God why he had been plagued by a gang of dimwits, but then, I might have been reading that into his gesture. The rest of us spread out into Galilee to announce that Joshua was going to be emit a great sermon on a mountain north of Capernaum. Maggie and I traveled together, along with Simon the Canaanite and Maggies friends Johanna and Susanna. We decided to take three days and walk a circle through northern Galilee that would take us through a dozen towns and bring us back to the mountain just in time to help direct the pilgrims that would be gathering. The first night we camped in a sheltered vale outside a town called Jamnith. We ate bread and cheese by the fire and afterward Simon and I shared wine while the women went off to sleep. It w as the first time Id ever had a chance to talk to the Zealot without his friend Judas around.I hope Joshua can bring the kingdom down on their heads now, Simon said. otherwise I may have to look for another prophet to pledge my sword to.I close to choked on my wine, and handed him the wineskin as I fought for breath.Simon, I said, do you believe hes the Son of God?No.You dont, and youre still following him?I am not saying hes not a great prophet, but the Christ? the Son of God? I dont know.Youve traveled with him. Heard him speak. Seen his power over demons, over people. Youve seen him heal people. Feed people. And what does he ask?Nothing. A place to sleep. Some provender. Some wine.And if you could do those things, what would you have?Here Simon leaned back and looked into the stars, as he let his imagination unroll. I would have villages full of women in my bed. Id have a fine palace, and slaves to bathe me. I would have the finest food and wine and kings would travel from fa rthermost away just to look at my gold. I would be glorious.But Joshua has only his cloak and his sandals.Simon seemed to deplume out of his reverie, and he wasnt happy about it. Just because I am weak does not rush him the Christ.Thats exactly what makes him the Christ.Maybe hes just naive.Count on it, I said. I stood and handed him the wineskin. You can finish it. Im going to sleep.Simon raised his eyebrows. The Magdalene, shes a luscious charwoman. A man could lose himself there.I took a dim breath and thought about defending Maggies honor, or even warning Simon about making advances on her, but then I thought better of it. The Zealot needed to learn a lesson that I wasnt qualified to teach. But Maggie was. severe night, Simon, I said.In the morning I found Simon sitting by the cold ashes of the fire, cradling his head in his hands. Simon? I inquired.He looked up at me and I saw a colossal purple goose egg on his forehead, just below the bangs of his Roman haircut. A spot of blood seeped out of the middle. His right eye was nearly swollen shut.Ouch, I said. How did you do that?Just then Maggie came out from behind a bush. He accidentally crawled into Susannas bedroll last night, Maggie said. I thought he was an attacker, so naturally, I forelanded him with a rock.Naturally, I said.Im so sorry, Simon, Maggie said. I could hear Susanna and Johanna giggling behind the bush.It was an honest mistake, said Simon. I couldnt tell whether he meant his or Maggies, but either way he was lying.Good thing youre an apostle, I said. Youll have that healed up by noon.We immacu lately our loop of northern Galilee without incident, and indeed, Simon was nearly healed by the time we returned to the mountain above Bethsaida, where Joshua awaited us with over five thousand followers.I cant get away from them long enough to find baskets, Peter complained.Everywhere I go there are fifty people following me, said Judas. How do they transport us to bring them food if they w ont let us work?I had hear similar complaints from Matthew, James, and Andrew, and even Thomas was whining that people were stepping all over Thomas Two. Joshua had multiplied seven loaves into enough to feed the multitude, but no one could get to the food to distribute it. Maggie and I finally fought our way to the top of the mountain where we found Joshua prophesy. He signaled the meeting that he was going to take a break, then came over to us.This is excellent, he said. So many of the faithful.Uh, JoshI know, he said. You two go to Magdala. Get the big ship and bring it to Bethsaida. Once we feed the faithful Ill send the disciples down to you. Go out into the lake and wait for me.We managed to pull John out of the crowd and took him with us to Magdala to help sail the ship back up the coast. Neither Maggie nor I felt confident enough to handle the big boat without one of the fishermen on board. A half-day later we docked in Bethsaida, where the other apostles were waiting for us.Hes led them to the other side of the mountain, Peter said. Hell deliver a blessing then send them on their way. Hopefully theyll go home and he can meet us.Did you see any soldiers in the crowd? I asked.Not yet, but we should have been out of Herods territory by now. The Pharisees are hanging on the edge of the crowd like they know something is going to happen. We assumed that he would be swimming or rowing out in one of the small boats, but when he finally came down to the shoring the multitude was still following him, and he just kept walking, right crosswise the surface of the irrigate to the boat. The crowd stopped at the shore and cheered. Even we were astounded by this new miracle, and we sat in the boat with our mouths hanging open as Joshua approached.What? he said. What? What? What?Master, youre walking on the pee, said Peter.I just ate, Joshua said. You cant go into the water for an hour after you eat. You could get a cramp. What, none of you guys have mothers?Its a miracle, shouted Peter.Its no big deal, Joshua said, dis deficient the miracle with the wave of a hand. Its easy. Really, Peter, you should try it.Peter stood up in the boat tentatively.Really, try it.Peter started to take off his tunic.Keep that on, said Joshua. And your sandals too.But Lord, this is a new tunic.Then hold on it dry, Peter. Come to me. Step upon the water.Peter put one foot over the side and into the water.Trust your faith, Peter, I yelled. If you doubt you wont be able to do it.Then Peter stepped with both feet onto the surface of the water, and for a break second he stood there. And we were all amazed. Hey, Im Then he sank like a stone. He came up sputtering. We were all doubled over giggling, and even Joshua had sunk up to his ankles, he was laughing so hard.I cant believe you fell for that, said Joshua. He ran across the water and helped us pull Peter into the boat. Peter, youre as unspoken as a box of rocks. But what amazing faith you have. Im going to bui ld my church building on this box of rocks.You would have Peter build your church? asked Philip. Because he tried to walk on the water.Would you have tried it? asked Joshua.Of course not, said Philip. I cant swim.Then who has the greater faith? Joshua climbed into the boat and shook the water off of his sandals, then tousled Peters wet hair. Someone will have to carry on the church when Im gone, and Im going to be gone soon. In the spring well go to Jerusalem for the Passover, and there I will be judged by the scribes and the priests, and there I will be tortured and put to death. But three days from the day of my death, I shall rise, and be with you again.As Joshua spoke Maggie had latched onto my arm. By the time he was finished speaking her nails had drawn blood from my biceps. A shadow of grief seemed to pass over the faces of the disciples. We looked not at each other, and neither at the ground, but at a place in space a few feet from our faces, where I suppose one looks for a consume answer to appear out of indefinable shock.Well, that sucks, someone said.We landed at the town of Hippos, on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, directly across the lake from Tiberius. Joshua had preached here before when we had come over to hide the first time, and there were people in the town who would receive the apostles into their homes until Joshua sent them out again.Wed brought many baskets of the broken bread from Bethsaida, and Judas and Simon helped me unload them from the ship, wading in and out of the shallows where we anchored, as Hippos had no dock.The bread stood piled like small mountains, Judas said. Much more than when we fed the five thousand. A Jewish troops could fight long days on that kind of supply. If the Romans have taught us anything its that an army fights on its stomach.I stopped schlepping and looked at him.Simon, who stood next to me, set his basket down on the beach, then lifted the edge of his stays to show me the hilt of his dagge r. The kingdom will be ours only when we take it by the sword. Weve had no problem spilling Roman blood. No master but God.I reached over and gently pulled Simons sash back over the hilt of his dagger. Have you ever hear Joshua talk about doing harm to anyone? Even an oppositeness?No, Judas said. He cant speak openly about taking the kingdom until hes ready to strike. Thats why he eer speaks in parables.That is a crock of rancid yak butter, said a voice from the ship. Joshua sat up, a net hung over his head like a tattered prayer shawl. Hed been sleeping in the electric arc of the ship and wed completely forgotten about him. Biff, call everyone together, here on the beach. I havent made myself clear to everyone, evidently.I dropped my basket and ran into town to get the others. In less than an hour we were all seated on the beach and Joshua paced before us.The kingdom is open to everyone, Joshua said. Ev-ree-one, get it?Everyone nodded.Even Romans.Everyone stopped nodding.The kin gdom of God is upon us, but the Romans will remain in Israel. The kingdom of God has nothing to do with the kingdom of Israel, do you all understand that?But the Messiah is supposed to lead our people to freedom, Judas shouted.No master but God Simon added.Shut up said Joshua. I was not sent to deliver wrath. We will be delivered into the kingdom by forgiveness, not conquest. People, we have been over this, what have I not made clear?How we are to cast the Romans out of the kingdom? shouted Nathaniel.You should know better, Joshua said to Nathaniel, you yellow-haired freak. One more time, we cant cast the Romans out of the kingdom because the kingdom is open to all.And I think they were acquire it, at least the two Zealots were get it, because they looked profoundly disappointed. Theyd waited their whole life for the Messiah to come along and establish the kingdom by quelling the Romans, now he was telling them in his own divine words that it wasnt going to happen. But then Joshu a started with the parables.The kingdom is like a stubble field with tares, you cant pull out the tares without destroying the grain.Blank stares. Doubly blank from the fishermen, who didnt know squat from farming metaphors.A tare is a rye grass, Joshua explained. It weaves its roots amid the roots of wheat or barley, and theres no way to pull them out without ruining the crop.Nobody got it.Okay, Joshua continued. The children of heaven are the good people, and the tares are the bad ones. You get both. And when youre all done, the angels pick out the wicked and burn them.Not getting it, said Peter. He shook his head, and his gray mane whipped around his face like a befuddled lion trying to shake off the sight of a flying wildebeest.How do you guys preach this stuff and nonsense if you dont understand it? Okay, try this the kingdom of heaven is like, uh, a merchant seeking pearls.Like before swine, said Bartholomew.Yes Bart Yes Only no swine this time, same pearls though.Three hou rs later, Joshua was still at it, and he was starting to run out of things to liken the kingdom to, his favorite, the indian mustard seed, having failed in three different tries.Okay, the kingdom is like a monkey. Joshua was hoarse and his voice was breaking.How?A Jewish monkey, right?Is it like a monkey eating a mustard seed?I stood up and went to Joshua and put my arm around his shoulder. Josh, take a break. I led him down the beach toward the village.He shook his head. Those are the dumbest sons of bitches on earth.Theyve become like little children, as you told them to.Stupid little children, Joshua said.I heard light footsteps on the sand behind us and Maggie threw her arms around our necks. She kissed Joshua on the forehead, making a loud wet smacking sound, then looked as if she was going to do the same to me so I shied away.You two are the ninnies here. You both rail on them about their intelligence, when that doesnt have anything to do with why theyre here. Have either one of you heard them preach? I have. Peter can heal the sick now. Ive seen it. Ive seen James make the lame walk. Faith isnt an act of intelligence, its an act of imagination. Every time you give them a new metaphor for the kingdom they see the metaphor, a mustard seed, a field, a garden, a vineyard, its like pointing something out to a cat the cat looks at your finger, not at what youre pointing at. They dont need to understand it, they only need to believe, and they do. They imagine the kingdom as they need it to be, they dont need to grasp it, its there already, they can let it be. Imagination, not intellect.Maggie let go of our necks, then stood there grin like a madwoman. Joshua looked at her, then at me.I shrugged. I told you she was smarter than both of us.I know, Joshua said. I dont know if I can stand you both being right in the same day. I need some time to think and pray.Go on then, Maggie said, waving him on. I stopped and watched my friend walk into the village, having absolutely no idea what I was supposed to do. I turned back to Maggie.You heard the Passover prediction?She nodded. I take it you didnt confront him.I dont know what to say.We need to talk him out of it. If he knows what awaits him in Jerusalem, why go? Why dont we go into Phoenicia or Syria? He could even take the good news to Greece and be perfectly safe. They have people running all over the place preaching different ideas look at Bartholomew and his Cynics.When we were in India, we saw a festival in the city of their goddess Kali. Shes a goddess of destruction, Maggie. It was the bloodiest thing Ive ever seen, thousands of animals slaughtered, hundreds of men beheaded. The whole world seemed slick with blood. Joshua and I saved some children from being flayed alive, but when it was over, Joshua kept saying, no more sacrifices. No more.Maggie looked at me as if she expected more. So? It was horrible, what did you expect him to say?He wasnt talking to me, Maggie. He was talking t o God. And I dont think he was making a request.Are you saying that he thinks his father wants to kill him for trying to change things, so he cant distract it because its the will of God?No, Im saying that hes going to allow himself to be killed to show his father that things need to be changed. Hes not going to try to avoid it at all.For three months we begged, we pleaded, we reasoned, and we wept, but we could not talk Joshua out of going to Jerusalem for Passover. Joseph of Arimathea had sent word that the Pharisees and Sadducees were still plotting against Joshua, that Jakan had been speaking out against Joshuas followers in the homage of the Gentiles, outside the Temple. But the threats only seemed to strengthen Joshuas resolve. A couple of times Maggie and I managed to tie Joshua up and stash him in the bottom of a boat, using knots that we had learned from the sailor brothers Peter and Andrew, but both times Joshua appeared a few minutes later holding the cords that had bou nd him, saying things like, Good knots, but not quite good enough, were they?Maggie and I worried together for days before we left for Jerusalem. He could be wrong about the execution, I said.Yes, he could be, Maggie agreed.Do you think he is? vituperate about it, I mean?I think Im going to throw up.I dont see how thats going to stop him.And it didnt. The next day we left for Jerusalem. On the way we stopped to rest along the track at a town along the Jordan River called Beth Shemesh. We were sitting there, feeling somber and helpless, watching the column of pilgrims melt down along the riverbank, when an old woman emerged from the column and beat her way through the reclining apostles with a walking supply. break of the way, I need to talk to this fellow. Move, you oaf, you need to take a bath. She bonked Bartholomew on the head as she passed and his doggie pals nipped at her heels. Look out there, Im an old woman, I need to see this Joshua of Nazareth.Oh no, Mother, John waile d.James got up to stop her and she threatened him with the staff.What can I help you with, Old Mother? Joshua asked.Im the wife of Zebedee, mother of these two. She pointed her staff to James and John. I hear that youre going to the kingdom soon.If it be so, so be it, said Joshua.Well, my late husband, Zebedee, God rest his soul, left these boys a perfectly good business, and since theyve been following you around theyve run it into the ground. She turned to her sons. Into the groundJoshua put his hand on her arm, but instead of the usual calm that I saw come over people when he touched them, Mrs. Zebedee pulled away and swung her staff at him, barely missing his head. Dont try to bamboozle me, Mr. Smooth Talker. My boys have ruined their fathers business for you, so I want your toast that in return they get to sit on either side of the throne in the kingdom. Its only fair. Theyre good boys. She turned to James and John. If your father was alive it would kill him to see what you tw o have done.But Old Mother, its not up to me who will sit next to the throne.Who is it up to?Well, its up to the Lord, my father.Well then go ask him. She leaned on her staff and tapped a foot. Ill wait.ButYou would deny a dying woman her last request?Youre not dying.Youre killing me here. Go check. Go.Joshua looked at us all sheepishly. We all looked away, cowards that we were. Its not as if any of us had ever learned to deal with a Jewish mother either.Ill go up on that mountain and check, Joshua said, pointing to the highest peak in the area.Well go, then. You want I should be late for the Passover?Right. Okay, then, Ill go check, right now. Josh backed away slowly, sort of sidled toward the mountain. Mount Tabor, I think it was.Mrs. Zebedee went after her sons like she was shooing chickens out of the garden. What are you, pillars of salt? Go with him.Peter laughed and she whirled around with her staff ready to brain him. Peter pretended to cough. Id better go along, uh, just in case they need a witness. He scurried after Joshua and the other two.The old woman glared at me. What are you looking at? You think the unhinge of childbirth ends when they move away? What do you know? Does a broken heart know from a different neighborhood?They were gone all night, a very long night in which we all got to hear about John and James father, Zebedee, who evidently had possessed the courage of Daniel, the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Samson, the devotion of Abraham, the good looks of David, and the tackle of Goliath, God rest his soul. (Funny, James had always described his father as a worm-eaten little guy with a lisp.) When the four came back over the hill we all leapt to our feet and ran to greet them I would have carried them back on my shoulders if it would have shut the old woman up.Well? she said.It was amazing, Peter said to us all, ignoring the old woman. We saw three thrones. Moses was on one, Elijah was on another, and the third was ready for Joshua. And a huge voice came out of the sky, saying, This is my son, with whom I am well pleased.Oh yeah, he said that before, I said.I heard it this time, Joshua said, smiling.Just the three chairs then? said Mrs. Zebedee. She looked at her two sons, who were cowering behind Joshua. No place for you two, of course. She started to parcel out away from them, a hand clutched to her heart. I suppose one can be happy for the mothers of Moses and Elijah and this Nazareth boy, then. They dont have to know what it is to have a spike in the heart.Down the riverbank she limped, off toward Jerusalem.Joshua squeezed the brothers shoulders. Ill fix it. He ran after Mrs. Zebedee.Maggie elbowed me and when I looked around at her there were tears in her eyes. Hes not wrong, she said.Thats it, I said. Well, ask his mother to talk him out of it. No one can resist her I mean, I cant. I mean, shes not you, butLook Is that a seagull?