Is Right Time Administration And Explores The Causative...

Introduction In this paper, a meaningful clinical event, regarding delayed medications, is examined. The paper explores the importance of right-time administration and explores the causative factors and preventative measures of wrong-time errors. As a final point, I describe how I would handle the scenario differently after learning strategies to reduce late medication administrations, thus reducing patient harm. Look Back/Elaborate During week five, I was assigned to two patients (A and B), one of whom is a shared client (patient B) between me and a colleague. Strategically, my colleague and I planned out the first half of the shift, such that we would perform vital signs and head-to-toe assessments first, administer medications in†¦show more content†¦In the event, I felt distressed and frustrated because I failed to perform daily tasks on time, most importantly medication administration. Furthermore, these emotions were heightened by feelings of not being able to deliver the best possible care and thoughts of my nurses being disappointed in me because of my poor performance. Essentially, these negative feelings arise from my values and beliefs of being punctual and providing safe and high quality care. These values are shaped by my family and profession as I was always disciplined and taught the importance of being on time and promoting patient safety, respectively. Essentially, o ne significant key issue from the event previously discussed, relates to my inability to deliver medications at the specified time. It is important to administer drugs on time to maintain patient safety, since late medications may result in ineffective treatments and unstable patient conditions. Analysis As previously mentioned, right-time medication administration is important to prevent patient harm. Medications are considered late when they are delivered beyond 30 minutes of the scheduled time or depending on the hospital policy. Certain medications, such as antibiotics and Parkinson disease drugs, follow strict schedules to provide and maintain therapeutic blood levels. In particular, antibiotics should be administered on time to prevent bacterial resistance and

Whitmans O Captain! My Captain! And Dickinsons Hope is...

Whitmans O Captain! My Captain! And Dickinsons Hope is a Thing with Feathers America experienced profound changes during the mid 1800’s. New technologies and ideas helped the nation grow, while the Civil War ripped the nation apart. During this tumultuous period, two great American writers captured their ideas in poetry. Their poems give us insight into the time period, as well as universal insight about life. Although polar opposites in personality, Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman created similar poetry. Dickinson’s â€Å"Hope is a Thing with Feathers† and Whitman’s â€Å"O Captain! My Captain!† share many qualities. Hope is a Thing with Feathers† and â€Å"O Captain! My Captain!† contain a similar scansion. Both have a predominantly†¦show more content†¦Along with the irregularities in meter, neither poem has a regular line length or rhyming pattern. Dickinson’s poem contains alternating tetrameters and trimeters, with the exception of the first line, which contains 7 syllables. The poem contains some irregular rhyme; ‘heard’ in line 5 rhymes with ‘bird’ in line 7, and ‘Sea’ in line 10 rhymes with ‘Me’ in line 12. Whitman’s poem contains even more irregular line lengths. The first 4 lines of each stanza vary from 12 to 15 syllables, but the last 4 lines of each stanza vary from 5 to 8 syllables. Unlike in Dickinson’s poem, the rhyming scheme carries throughout the whole poem, although the AABBCDED rhyme pattern contains a few cases of near rhyme. Dickinson and Whitman also use similar poetic devices in Hope is a Thing with Feathers† and â€Å"O Captain! My Captain!† Each poem contains an extended metaphor. In Dickinson’s poem, a bird clearly symbolizes hope. The first stanza introduces the bird metaphor: ‘Hope is the thing with feathers--/That perches in the soul.’ The next lines ‘And sings the tune without the words--/And never stops—at all—’ illustrate the interminable nature of the bird and hope. The second stanza expands the metaphor by saying ‘And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard—.’ The bird’s song, or hope, is the sweetest during a Gale, or troubled times. The first lines in the final stanza ‘I’ve heard it in the chillest land--/ And on the strangest Sea’ describe the bird, or hope, as being

Hamlet’s Character as His Destiny free essay sample

In 1909, A. C. Bradley, an English literary critic, published Shakespearean Tragedy. This writing, which is regarded as the most influential Shakespearean criticism ever written, greatly described the idea of â€Å"character is destiny† in Shakespeare’s tragedies. That is, he states that all Shakespearean tragedies involve a character whose actions and deeds ultimately lead to a catastrophe, being their death. Hamlet, who faces his own demise in Act V, is infinite proof to Bradley’s theory, based on his choices and deeds throughout the play. He causes his tragic destiny through his obsession of avenging his father’s death, his passion to plan the perfect revenge, his habit of doubting and overanalyzing. The appearance of King Hamlet, in the form of a Ghost, began the obsession Hamlet struggles with. The Ghost, in Act I, scene v, demands Hamlet â€Å"Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder. † (I, v, 25) Following this request, Hamlet swears to take on the task of gaining his father the respect and dignity he deserves, through the vengeance of King Hamlet’s murder by Claudius. â€Å"Now to my word. It is ‘Adieu, adieu, remember me’. I have sworn’t. † (I, v, 111-112) This evening encounter then leads to the obsessive thoughts that begin to take over Hamlet’s mind, as he decides to devote his entire willpower and occupy his mind with only thoughts of how to serve Claudius a fair punishment and death, no matter who or what is destroyed in the process. â€Å"This is most brave, That I, the son of a dear father murder’d, Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell, Must like a whore unpack my heart with words And fall a-cursing like a very drab, A scullion! Fie upon’t! Foh! About, my brains. † (II, ii, 569-575) â€Å"O, from this time forth My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth. † (IV, v, 65-66) It is then seen, that as Hamlet becomes more obsessed with the idea of revenge, his character becomes passionate about not only killing Claudius, but also doing it in the perfect way, as to achieve the utmost dignity for King Hamlet and irony on Claudius’ life. In Act 3, King Claudius presents an opportunity for Hamlet to kill him, and Hamlet, now deeply passionate about the idea of the perfect revenge passes up the opportunity. â€Å"And am I then reveng’d To take him in the purging of his soul, When he is fit and season’d for his passage? No. Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent: When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, Or in th’incestuous pleasure of his bed, At game a-swearing or about some act. That has no relish of salvation in’t†. III, iii, 84-92) He instead, chooses to construct a plot in which he catches King Claudius reacting (and in a sense, admitting) to the idea of murder along the same way Claudius murdered King Hamlet, â€Å"There is a play tonight before the king: One scene of it comes near the circumstance Which I have told thee of my father’s death. I prithee, when thou seest that act afoot, Even with the very comment of thy soul Observe my uncle†¦Give him heedful note; For I mine eyes will rivet to his face, And after we will both our judgements join In censure of his seeming. (III, ii, 73-85) Once he witnesses Claudius’ reaction, he sets off on planning the perfect revenge. While Hamlet works on accepting that Claudius was the murderer of his father, King Hamlet, and then later plotting the perfect murder of Claudius, he encounters conflict within his own mind that further leads him towards his self-inflicted demise. He deals with his most prevalent character flaw (Hamlet’s hamartia), which is his tendency to doubt and overanalyze situations. Unable to act and then think, Hamlet struggles with the need to think and analyze before any action occurs. He finds himself questioning the Ghost, needing proof that Claudius was a murderer, â€Å"I’ll have these players Play something like the murder of my father Before mine uncle. I’ll observe his looks; I’ll tent him to the quick. If’a do blench, I know my course. The spirit that I have seen May be a devil, and the devil hath power T’assume a pleasing shape, yea, and perhaps, Out of my weakness and my melancholy, As he is very potent with such spirits, Abuses me to damn me. I’ll have the grounds. More relative than this. (II, ii, 581-591) It is this doubt, and incapability of merely acting without reason or thought, that creates Hamlet’s most tragic flaw; the flaw that will eventually cause his fall. Ultimately, Hamlet achieves revenge against Claudius, killing him with the poison that Claudius had intended to be used on Hamlet. However, victory and revenge is not at all sweet for Hamlet, as he soon finds himself joining Claudius in the underworld, with his death due to a stab wound infested with poison. This death of Hamlet was a destiny that occurred through Hamlet’s character flaws. He was obsessed with the idea of vengeance, ridding his mind of any thoughts that strayed from how to kill Claudius. He was passionate to an extreme about planning the perfect revenge, causing him to pass up opportunities when they were given, and most importantly, he was plagued with the flaw of overanalyzing, thinking before acting to an over the top level, which prevented him from acting without many reasons and justifications in his mind. These three character flaws are what caused Hamlet’s tragic destiny, and are also the basis behind A. C. Bradley’s theory of Shakespeare’s tragedies. Character is destiny, and in all of his tragedies, especially Hamlet, the character causes his own catastrophic death through his actions and deeds, or in Hamlet’s situation, lack thereof.

World War II History

The World War II, which occurred towards the end of the first half of the twentieth century, is important for the history of the United States. The consequences of the war had an impact on the political affairs of the world and resulted in a major change of the course of the history of the world.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on World War II History specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The majority of the powerful nations in the world participated in the combat that was categorized into two conflicting military coalitions: the Axis and the Allies. During World War II, there was a massive engagement of army recruits and at the end of the war, there were many casualties, consisting mainly of civilians. As such, the war was the most extensive and severest battles in the history of humankind. Because of these, the memories of the bloody battle still linger in the thoughts of most individuals who participated in t he combat in one way or the other. Specifically, in my interview with a former United States soldier, called Andrew Livingstone, who was engaged in the battle at only eighteen years old, I have learnt a lot about the history of the country during this period of battle. Similar to the account in most historic books, Andrew told me that the war began on September 1, 1939. In my interview with him, I asked him if he knew any causes of the historic conflict. He said, â€Å"I cannot really remember many reasons that spurred the conflict to start; however, the major one I remember was due to the Prussian militarism that developed for close to two hundred years.† He explained that this power made Germany to be influential and gave the opportunity for a madman and a gimmick in politics, like Adolf Hitler, to have a domineering influence in the affairs of the world, especially after the Germans were conquered in the First World War. As a result, he was the man behind the start of the Second World War as he had the motive of increasing the territorial boundaries of Germany so as to enable his country to rule the whole world. In the same way, Raum, in the book World War II: an Interactive History Adventure, also say that the evil intentions of Adolf Hitler are what led to the war. Nonetheless, Raum also notes that Hitler had developed hatred for the Jews since he considered them to be weak and thus he wanted a way of getting rid of them (10).Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Andrew (now deceased) was compelled to join the war on 10 January 1942, which was about one month after the U.S. joined the war. He said, â€Å"I opted to join the war because I was under pressure from my family and friends to engage in service to my country.† Andrew’s father served the U.S. military as a soldier and although he died in the battlefield, he played a crucial ro le in ensuring that his son takes part in the battle, especially when Japan carried out a surprise attack on the U.S. on 7 December 1941 at Pearl Harbor. Because the threat of the Japanese was huge in the war, every citizen was urged to do what he or she could perform to ensure that the foreigners did not annihilate the U.S. Thus, with the desire to serve his country, Andrew willingly accepted the call to be of service in the military so as to defend his country. Similarly, Isserman and Bowman also note that there was intense mobilization for the war. They say, â€Å"In the early days of 1942, a spirit of unity gripped the nation. It was best summed up by the slogan â€Å"Remember Pearl Harbor† (36). Additionally, Isserman and Bowman note that the U.S. was under threat because it had not engaged in any conflict since the end of the First World War; thus, it was compelled to search for recruits to strengthen the army. After joining the military, Andrew learnt that the Japanes e were incapable of matching up the strength of the U.S. in war and that they had started a conflict that they were not able to win. Andrew later learnt that the renowned Japanese military leader, Admiral Yamamoto, had cautioned his country against starting a war with the U.S. but the extreme militarist management of the army failed to heed to his advice. One major occurrence that still lingers in Andrew’s mind is the battle of Midway in which the Japanese experienced a major loss. Taking place a half a year after the battle of Pearl Harbor, the Japanese army lost the majority of their aircraft carriers force during the historic battle of Midway (Yoshida and Boyd, 76). Even though Andrew was not allowed to take part in this conflict because he was considered inexperienced in matters of war, he was endowed with the responsibility of taking supplies to the soldiers who were in the battlefield. Sadly, he lost his dad who was among the casualties that the United States experience d in the historic combat of Midway.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on World War II History specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A question I raised to Andrew is to explain to me how some countries formed the Axis and the others the Allies. I realized that his explanation was similar to that given by Raum. He said, â€Å"Germany, Italy, and Japan came together to form the Tripartite Pact, which resulted in their forming a military coalition referred to as the axis.† The aggressive Japan army attacked Asian nations, causing extensive damage to infrastructure and several individuals ended up losing their lives. The government of Japan then was very ruthless. In order to support its war engagements, it forced its people to endure long working hours, deprivation of necessities, economic difficulties, and other forceful malpractices. And, as a major axis power in Europe, the Germans also carried out inhumane treatments to people that resulted in massive loss of lives. Notably, the German forces carried out the holocaust in Europe that involved the slaughter of approximately six million Jews and subjecting several others to brutal conditions in the camps. The Germans tortured, starved to death, and even shot their victims who were serving as internees. On the other hand, the United States, the Great Britain, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics came together to form the keys allies of Word War II. In my conversation with Andrew, he made me understand that the allies decided to engage in the combat due to their previous invasion or because they considered the advancement of the axis powers a threat to their superior status in the world. Specifically, he mentioned that extensive mobilization efforts to compel people to participate either directly or indirectly in the conflict established the beginning of the U.S. participation in the global warfare. As pointed above, this is the re ason why he himself participated in the war. After the U.S. was provoked to enter into the conflict, it encouraged several dedicated men and women to participate directly in the war abroad. Similarly, those left behind struggled to provide them with assistance through providing necessary resources for their sustenance in the battlefield. During his engagement in the war, Andrew observed that the economy of the U.S. was getting back on track after about one decade of suffering from depression. Several of the Americans who had been without jobs quickly found means of earning income so as to sustain them and pay off previous debts.Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The United States government feared that the Japanese could attack its West Coast; therefore, they detained several of the Japanese Americans who dwelt in the country in internment camps. Following the end of the confinement program, three years after the war, several of the Americans who came from other countries had served as internees. A vivid memory that Andrew still retained appertained to the last scenes of the combat that resulted in the collapse of the axis and victory to the allies. â€Å"Following bloody years of battle, on June 6, 1944, the western allies eventually were prepared to invade Western Europe with the intention of taking up Germany from the West that matched up with the advancement of the Russians from the East,† Andrew said. He explained that the attack by the French forces was on the D-Day but this played a little role in changing the outcome of the conflict, since the German forces had started giving up. Eventually, the culmination of the bloody conf lict came in 1945 when the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on the cities of Japan. World War II resulted in the demise of over 400,000 United States soldiers and several others suffered severe injuries (Dickson, 1246). As the war ended, the allies were declared victorious and the axes were compelled to surrender to them. Because he lived through the major part of the second half of the twentieth century, Andrew observed how the war was significant in shaping the relationship between the United States and other countries around the world, especially Japan. Following the Word War II, Japan distinguished itself as one of the close associates of the U.S. in international relations and trade. And, this close association between the two countries turned attention from Japan’s responsibility in the war and has assisted it in improving its economic growth from the devastations that were caused from the Second World War. After the war, Japan began to imitate the free world’s ideologi es in societal norms and even in governance structure. After admitting defeat, the U.S. established a democratic system of governance in four of Japan’s islands, established a new constitution that reduced the powers of the Emperor in the new democratic government, and assisted in the addressing of human issues in the country. This is an example that Andrew gave me to illustrate that the Second World War indeed has been of great economic and societal significance to the people in the world. In conclusion, my talk with Andrew assisted me to know the history of the United States and its role in the Second World War. As one of the major conflicts of the twentieth century, the war played a critical role in defining the position of the United States as the world’s superpower. Similar to Andrew whom I managed to interview, the events of the war are still vivid in the memory of most people who participated in the conflict either directly or indirectly. Works Cited Dickson, Ke ith D. World War II almanac 1. New York: Facts on File, 2008. Print. Isserman, Maurice, and Bowman, Stewart J. Word War II. New York: Facts on File, 2003. Print. Raum, Elizabeth. World War II: an interactive history adventure. Mankato, Minn.: Capstone Press, 2009. Print. Yoshida, Akihiko, and Boyd, Carl. The Japanese submarine force and World War II.  Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 2002. Print. This research paper on World War II History was written and submitted by user Zaiden Hood to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

airman leadership Essay

airman leadership Essay airman leadership Essay AF Strategic Initiative Good afternoon. I am 1sgt hekmat and today I’d like to briefly talk about how and why the Air Force Culture and Language center was established. Then, I will talk about some of their responsibilities in the development of the Airmen of today. Finally, I will show you how the Center is transforming the Air Force’s way of doing business in the constantly changing global environment. To start, let’s look at how the center was created. The Air Force Culture

Midterm Election Results - The Presidents Party Loses

Midterm Election Results - The President's Party Loses Midterm elections are not friendly to the presidents political party. Modern midterm elections have resulted in an average loss of 30 seats in the House of Representatives  and Senate by the political party whose president occupies the White House. Midterms,  held in even years in the second year of a presidents four-year term, are typically thought of as a barometer of the majority partys popularity among the electorate. And with few exceptions, theyre pretty ugly. There are  competing theories for why the presidents party suffers in midterm elections. One is the belief that a president who is elected in a landslide, or because of a coattails effect, will suffer deep losses in the midterms.  The coattail effect   is a reference to the effect  a very popular candidate president has on voters and candidates for office who are also on the ballot in presidential election years. Candidates of a popular presidential candidates party are swept into office on their coattails. But what happens two years later in the midterm elections? Apathy. The stronger the presidential victory margin or the more seats won in the presidential year and therefore at risk, the greater will be the subsequent midterm seat loss, explains the University of Houstons  Robert S. Erikson, writing in the Journal of Politics. Another reason: the so-called presidential penalty, or the tendency of more voters to go the polls only when they are angry. If more angry voters vote than do satisfied voters, the presidents party loses.  In the United States, voters typically express dissatisfaction with the presidents party and remove some of his senators and members of the House of Representatives. Midterm elections provide a check on the presidents power and give power to the electorate. Worst Midterm Election Losses Midterm elections are held two years after a presidential election; one-third of the Senate and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives are at stake. Conventional wisdom holds that the Presidents party will lose seats during a midterm election. In the 21 midterm elections held since 1934, only twice has the presidents party gained seats in both the Senate and the House: Franklin Delano Roosevelts first midterm election and George W. Bushs first midterm election. On three other occasions, the presidents party gained House seats and once it was a draw. On one occasion, the presidents party gained Senate seats. The worst midterm losses tend to occur in a presidents first term. Modern midterm election results include: In 2010, Democrats lost 69 seats, 63 in the House and six in the Senate, while Democratic President Barack Obama was in the White House. Obama, who signed an overhaul of the nations health care system that was deeply unpopular among Tea Party Republicans, later described the midterm results as a shellacking.In 2006, Republicans lost 36 seats, 30 in the House and six in the Senate, while Republican President George W. Bush was in office. Voters had grown weary of the war in Iraq and took it out on Bush, one of only three presidents whose party has picked up seats in midterms since World War II. Bush called the 2006 midterms a thumpin.in 1994, Democrats lost 60 seats, 52 in the House and eight in the Senate, while Democrat Bill Clinton was in office and the opposing party, led by conservative firebrand Newt Gingrich, orchestrated a successful Republican Revolution in Congress with its Contract With America.In 1974, Republicans lost 63 seats, 48 in the House and five in the Senate, whil e Republican President Gerald Ford was in office. The election was held just months after President Richard M. Nixon resigned from the White House in disgrace amid the Watergate scandal.   Exceptions to the Rule There have been three midterms in which the presidents party actually picked up seats since the 1930s. They are: The 2002 midterms, in which the Republicans picked up 10 seats, eight in the House and two in the Senate, while Bush was in the White House. The election was held a year after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and the Republican presidents popularity surged amid the strong patriotic sentiment in the electorate.In 1998, the Democrats picked up five seats, all in the House, in Clintons second term - even as he faced impeachment hearings sought by Republicans amid the Monica Lewinsky scandal.  And in 1934, the Democrats picked up 18 seats, nine each in the House and Senate, while Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt was in office and putting in place the New Deal to ease the impact of the  The Great Depression.  Ã‚   Midterm Election Results   This chart shows the number of seats in the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate that the presidents party won or lost during midterm elections dating back to Franklin D. Roosevelt.   Year President Party House Senate Total 1934 Franklin D. Roosevelt D +9 +9 +18 1938 Franklin D. Roosevelt D -71 -6 -77 1942 Franklin D. Roosevelt D -55 -9 -64 1946 Harry S. Truman D -45 -12 -57 1950 Harry S. Truman D -29 -6 -35 1954 Dwight D. Eisenhower R -18 -1 -19 1958 Dwight D. Eisenhower R -48 -13 -61 1962 John F. Kennedy D -4 +3 -1 1966 Lyndon B. Johnson D -47 -4 -51 1970 Richard Nixon R -12 +2 -10 1974 Gerald R. Ford R -48 -5 -63 1978 Jimmy Carter D -15 -3 -18 1982 Ronald Reagan R -26 +1 -25 1986 Ronald Reagan R -5 -8 -13 1990 George Bush R -8 -1 -9 1994 William J. Clinton D -52 -8 -60 1998 William J. Clinton D +5 0 +5 2002 George W. Bush R +8 +2 +10 2006 George W. Bush R -30 -6 -36 2010 Barack Obama D -63 -6 -69 2014 Barack Obama D -13 -9 -21 [Updated  by Tom Murse in August 2018.]

The Effect Of Temperature On Rate Of Photosynthesis Of Pondweed Plant Coursework

The Effect Of Temperature On Rate Of Photosynthesis Of Pondweed Plant - Coursework Example Literal meaning of photosynthesis is â€Å"to put together by light†. It is a process that involves capturing sunlight, in the presence of chlorophyll, CO2, water, and then producing starch and oxygen. This starch is then used by the plants either to produce energy, for storage, or to build them into a complex material and then producing starches, oils and proteins. Starch is the best way to store carbohydrates as it is compact and is easily broken down in the body. During the process of photosynthesis plants fix environments CO2 and release oxygen, which is essential for entire living beings for survival. Thus, more than 80% of plant material is synthesized by photosynthesis including respiration process also depends on its byproducts. Chlorophyll is the chemical, which traps light energy and then uses it to synthesize carbohydrates. It acts as catalysts to speed up the process of reaction. Chlorophyll is present in the chloroplasts of the palisade layer of leaves. The equati on for photosynthesis is: 6CO2+6H2O => C6H2O6+6O2 +energy Photosynthesis involves trapping of CO2 from the environment in the presence of Chlorophyll and the sunlight. If a light source is placed near the pondweed plant that acts as sunlight, then the plant will release more oxygen due to splitting of water molecule into hydrogen and Oxygen molecule. The Hydrogen molecule that is released in the process will then combine with the CO2 and produces carbohydrates. This process again gives off more oxygen. The whole process needs to be catalyzed by enzymes to speed up the reaction. Photosynthesis is a two phase procedure. Stage one is light reliant and it captures sunlight to manufacture high energy molecule. In the second phases, which are light free reactions, these molecules are used to incarcerate CO2 and convert them into originators of carbohydrates. There are various limiting factors that affect the rate of photosynthesis. Most important factor is the presence of CO2 in the envir onment i.e., 0.03% to 0.04%. Only at a certain rate can a plant takes up CO2 and proceeds with photosynthesis. Light intensity will also affect the rate as well as temperature. In laboratory experiments, volume of oxygen released per minute is used to determine the rate of the process, and this in turn can be used as the source for determining the effects of limiting factors (Kent, 2000). The law of limiting factor states that, â€Å"When a process depends on more than one factor to be favorable then its rate is limited by the factor at its least favorable value. For a process to go at its maximum rate, all factors need to be at an optimum stage.† Measurement of photosynthesis rate is required to determine the limiting factors that can affect productivity of the process as well as its response to environmental stresses. Most of the measurement techniques being used today involve the gaseous exchange of the plants as an indicator for the rate. Chemical pathway of intake of CO2 and water discharge is the same and hence these two pathways are involved in measurement of photosynthesis through stomata conductance and transpiration method (MILLAN, GUEVARA, TORRES, OSORNIO, 2009). These days modified methods are being used to conduct the analysis, which increases the precision and accuracy of the results. The purpose of this experiment is to determine the effect of temperature on the photosynthesis of pondweed plant. Basically, temperature does not pose an enormous effect on the rate of photosynthesis individually; it only affects the speed of the process by affecting the rhythm of chemical responses in the plants. This is because photosynthesis is a

Architects of building with gargoyles in New York City Research Paper

Architects of building with gargoyles in New York City - Research Paper Example Gargoyles is a Gothic design which accentuates many buildings in New York. Although some views gargoyles as more on having a superstitious relevance, some say that it is merely used as a water diversion. Schermerhorn Building is one of the most popular gargoyle accentuated building and was designed by a great architect named Henry J. Hardenbergh. He was born in New Jersey and worked as an apprentice in New York with a architectural firm for five years before opening his own practice in 1871. Many refer to Hardenbergh as the architect who â€Å"left his indelible ink† in the world of architecture. (Gillon, 1988) Henry Vaughan is an Anglo-American architect who is claimed to be the one who the Americans owe the revival of Gothic designs to. His designs consists of churches, chapels and school buildings. One of the more famous designs of Vaughan is the St. John the Divine in New York known for its gargoyles. He was in America for approximately 36 years between 1881 to 1917 and hi s contributions to the architectural field is vast and known for being highly original. (Gillon, 1988) Vaughan was just becoming established in Boston, when he came into contact with Charles Perkins Gardiner of Brookline, Massachusetts and was, at the time, dedicating himself almost exclusively to church and church-related buildings. Vaughan, as a man, had deep religious conviction who was quite totally devoted to the Anglican and Episcopalian worship as well as to the English Gothic architecture which he perceived as their true and proper architectural expression.Vaughan's scheme for handling cluttered contexts were brilliant. Although he was attached to the English Gothic religiously, bordering on fanaticism, he remains, to this day, as one of the best architects. (Gillon, 1988) The Chrysler building, designed by the architect William van Allen, is among the last skyscrapers in the Art Deco style. The gargoyles of the said building depicts Chrysler car adornmenys and the spire is sculptured on a radiator grille. Since the building's restoration in 1996, the building once again shines as it must have way back in the 1930s. Despite the magnificence of the exterior of the building, the interior is even more so. Marbles floors and a generous display of Art Deco patterns as well as the stylishly designed elevator doors makes the Chrysler Building as one of the most beautiful office towers in New York. However, as an architect, van Alen was majorly dismissed by contemporary critiques of architecture. They claim that design of spire was pure folly and ostentatious. His design of the Chrysler Building has grown in popularity despite the many criticisms and is now considered as one of the greatest buildings in America, which frequently features magazines and covers of architectural books.(Gillon, 1988) James Bogardus, architect of the 75 Murray Street Building gargoyles pioneered cast-iron architecture. He is one of the most famous architects of New York although he personally did not consider himself as an architect. He considered himself more as an inventor in the 19th-century tradition who patented cotton-spinning machinery, grinding mills, gas meters, clocks and printing apparatus.Starting by 1848, he initiated the promotion of iron buildings as fireproof, mobile and efficient. He sold his ideas to developers up until 1860's before he shifted his attention to other work interests. (Gray, 1995) A common distinguishing factor of Bogardus' design is the Medusa-head keystones which were also used in Bogardus' ill-fated Laing Stores. The said design is believed to protect homes from the entering of evil. The Greeks, similarly, sometimes used the figure of Medusa's terrible gaze in order to protect objects which includes the windows and doors considered as the eyes of the buildings. Oswald Wirz', also a gargoyles architect, uses the same concept with his use of Green Men and numerous gargoyles. (Gray, 1995) Wirz is a designer a few New York City buildings in the Gilded Age. Among those of his buildings that have survived are now land-marked

Nucor Essay Example for Free

Nucor Essay 1. What are Nucor’s resources and capabilities Nucor resources are considered to be the same as any other steel company (equipment, plants, employees, etc.). But to be considered the most cost efficient steel maker in the United States is a different conversation. Nucor manages their resources extremely well from control system, to the company’s culture that promotes efficiency. Management relations are described as â€Å"informal, trusting, and non bureaucratic†, that is a winning combo for a company. Another source of success was Nucor’s ability to stop equalizing freight, giving customers price plus shipping. 2. How would you assess Nucor’s resources in terms of heterogeneity and immobility? Nucor utilized two lines of business; the first line was composed of six steel plants that made steel joist frames. The second line was composed of four steel mills that used a industry leading mini-mill technology to supply the joist plants at first then included customers. Each division operated on its own (selling, manufacturing, accounting, personnel). Nucor’s immobility was exceptional as well, using around 150 trucks to ensure on-time delivery. They strategically placed plants in rural areas near their target markets, I feel that Nucor has a great position when it comes to resources and intern that makes them extremely competitive. 3. Using the VRIO model, how would you evaluate Nucor’s resources. In terms of value I would place Nucor as high. The resources they utilize gives them a good competitive advantage, and when you look at their culture internally they promote efficiency. Comprise that will strong outside relationships described as trusting, that is a high value. Rarity I would say low, there are tons of steel firms competing in the marketplace. When it comes to limitability Nucor has well developed a plan that is hard to duplicate (Job security, efficiency, ect.)so I would rate that a high as well. Organization is high also, no other steel company is organized to win as Nucor and that itself differentiates them from the competition. 4. What strategic recommendations would you offer to Nucor? Adding more plants is always a benefit, results in an increased market share. Also entering global market would be something I would pitch, countries like India pay top dollar for steel since the country doesn’t produce a lot of it. Keeping up with relationships of current clients to turn them into long term customers would help as well, this also avoids the cyclical demand that excess capacity causes.

Using Our Fears to Curtail Our Liberties :: Free Essays

The danger we face today in this country is not that government officials will make hasty and rash decisions out of fear. It is that they will use a national crisis as an opportunity to make themselves more powerful and less accountable for what they do in regards to our civil liberties and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. They realise that in times of great distress and anxiety the general mass of the population is not going to notice these new policies that they are going to rush through congress and have signed by their president all in the name of the war on terrorism. An increasingly tyrannical tone is pervading through the Bush administration. We have seen it in the Patriot legislation act that was so hastily pushed through Congress with barely a mention anywhere in the papers. We have seen it in the President Bush’s order authorizing military tribunals for those thought to be terrorists or conspirators without traditional due process protections and without a right of appeal to anyone but our great President Bush himself. We have also seen it in new federal policies that permit eavesdropping of confidential communications between attorneys and their client’s privileged phone calls. And we have seen it in new regulations that allow the attorney general to imprison non-citizens indefinitely, even if an immigration judge has ruled that there is no evidence to justify holding them against their will. Currently there are 641 citizens and non-citizens being detained throughout our country, who have not been charged with a crime. These de tainees are being held for nothing more then their nationality. This is reminiscent of what happened to the Japanese in our country during the Second World War. If this current wave of policies is to continue, there will be no stopping the current administration and how far they are willing to go.

Production System

Production systems What is a production system? An apparel production system is an integration of material handling production process, personnel and the equipment that directs work flow and generates finished products. Different types of production systems are †¢ Progressive bundle system †¢ Unit production system †¢ Modular production system Each system requires an appropriate management philosophy, materials handling methods, floor layout, and Employee training. Firms may combine or adapt these systems to meet their specific production needs.Firms may use only one system, a combination of systems for one Product line, or different systems for different product lines in the same plant. Progressive Bundle System The progressive bundle system (PBS) gets its name from the bundles of garment parts that are moved sequentially from operation to operation. This system, often referred to as the traditional production system, has been widely used by apparel manufacturers for several decades and still is today. The expert says that use of bundle systems would decrease as firms seek more flexibility in their production systems [pic]Work flow in progressive bundle system Bundles consist of garment parts needed to complete a specific operation or garment component. For example, an operation bundle for pocket setting might include shirt fronts and pockets that are to be attached. Bundle sizes may range from two to a hundred parts. Some firms operate with a standard bundle size, while other firms vary bundle sizes according to cutting orders, fabric shading, size of the pieces in the bundle, and the operation that is to be completed. Bundles are assembled in the cutting room where cut parts are matched up with corresponding parts and bundle tickets.Bundles of cut parts are transported to the sewing room and given to the operator scheduled to complete the operation. One operator is expected to perform the same operation on all the pieces in the bundle, retie t he bundle, process coupon, and set it aside until it is picked up and moved to the next operation. A progressive bundle system may require a high volume of work in process cause of the number of units in the bundles and the large buffer of backup that is needed to ensure a continuous work flow for all operators. [pic] The progressive bundle systemThe progressive bundle system may be used with a skill center or line layout depending on the order that bundles are advanced through production. Each style may have different processing requirements and thus different routing. Routing identifies basic operations, sequence of production, and the skill centers where those operations are to be performed. Some operations are common to many styles, and at those operations, work may build up waiting to be processed. Advantages and disadvantages of using progressive bundle system AdvantagesThe success of a bundle system may depend on how the system is set up and used in a plant. This system may a llow better utilization of specialized machines, as output from one special purpose automated machine may be able to supply several operators for the next operation. Small bundles allow faster throughput unless there are bottlenecks and extensive waiting between operations. Disadvantages: The progressive bundle system is driven by cost efficiency for individual operations. Operators perform the same operation on a continuing basis, which allows them to increase their speed and productivity.Operators who are compensated by piece rates become extremely efficient at one operation and may not be willing to learn a new operation because it reduces their efficiency and earnings. Individual operators that work in a progressive bundle system are independent of other operators and the final product. Slow processing, absenteeism, and equipment failure may also cause major bottlenecks within the system. Large quantities of work in process are often characteristic of this type of production sys tem.This may lead to longer throughput time, poor quality concealed by bundles, large inventory, extra handling, and difficulty in controlling inventory Unit production system A unit production system (UPS) is a type of line layout that uses an overhead transporter system to move garment components from work station to work station for Assembly [pic] Work flow of unit production All the parts for a single garment are advanced through the production line together by means of a hanging carrier that travels along an overhead conveyor.The overhead rail system consists of the main conveyor and accumulating rails for each work station. The overhead conveyor operates much like a railroad track. Carriers are moved along the main conveyor and switched to an accumulating rail at the work station where an operation is to be performed. At the completion of an operation the operator presses a button, and the carrier moves on to the next operation. Most unit production systems are linked to a com puter control center that routes and tracks production and provides up-to-the-minute data for management decisions. The utomatic control of work flow sorts work, balances the line, and reduces claims of favouritism in bundle distribution. Electronic data collection provides payroll and inventory data, immediate tracking of styles, and costing and performance data for prompt decisions. Processing begins at a staging area in the sewing room. Cut parts for one unit of a single style are grouped and loaded directly from the staging area to a hanging carrier. Loading is carefully planned so minimal handling is required to deliver garment parts in precisely the order and manner that they will be sewn.When possible, operations are completed without removing the parts from the carrier. Varied sizes and types of hanging carriers are available for different types of products. Automated materials handling replaces the traditional system of bundling, tying and untying, and manually moving garme nt parts. Unit production systems eliminate most of the lifting and turning needed to handle bundles and garment parts. The need for bundle tickets and processing operator coupons is also eliminated when an integrated computer system monitors the work of each operator.Individual bar codes or electronic devices are embedded in the carriers and read by a bar code scanner at each workstation and control points. Any data that are needed for sorting and processing such as style number, color shade, and lot can be included. Integrated systems have on-line terminals located at each work station to collect data on each operation. Each operator may advance completed units, reroute units that need repair or processing to a different station, and check their efficiencies and earnings Operator may signal for more inventory or call for a supervisor if assistance is needed.The terminals at each station enables central control center to track each unit at any given moment and provide management wi th data to make immediate decisions on routing and scheduling. Operators of the UPS control center can determine sequences of orders and colors to keep operators supplied with work and to minimize change in equipment, operations, and thread colors. A unit production system can control multiple routes and simultaneous production of multiple styles without restructuring production lines. The control center may perform routing and automatic balancing of work flow, which reduces bottlenecks and work stoppages.Each operator as well as the control center is able to monitor individual work history. individual unit, number of units completed, the operator who worked on each unit, and the piece rate earned for each unit. The system will calculate the earnings per hour, per day, and the efficiency rate of each operator. Advantages: Benefits of a unit production system depend on how a system is used and the effectiveness of management. Throughput time in the sewing room can be drastically redu ced when compared to the progressive bundle system because works in process levels are reduced.Operator productivity increases. Direct labor costs are reduced because of propositioned parts in the carriers and elimination of bundle processing. Indirect labor costs may be reduced by elimination of bundle handling and requiring fewer supervisors. Quality is improved because of accountability of all operators and immediate visibility of problems that are no longer concealed in bundles for extended periods of time. The central control system makes it possible to immediately track a quality problem to the operator that completed the operation.Other benefits that are realized are improved attendance and employee turnover and reduced space utilization. Disadvantages: Considerations for installing a UPS include costs of buying equipment, cost of installing, specialized training for the system, and prevention of downtime. Down time is a potential problem with any of the systems, but the low work in process that is maintained makes UPS especially vulnerable. Modular Production System A modular production system is a contained, manageable work unit that includes an empowered work team, equipment, and work to be executed.Modules frequently operate as minifactories with teams responsible for group goals and self-management. The number of teams in a plant varies with the size and needs of the firm and product line. Teams can have a niche function as long as there are orders for that type of product, but the success of this type of operation is in the flexibility of being able to produce a wide variety of products in small quantities. The numbers of employees on a team, usually 4 to 15, vary with the product mix. A general rule of thumb is to determine the average number of operations required for a style being produced and divide by three.Team members cross-trained and interchangeable among tasks within the group. Incentive compensation is based on group pay and bonuses for meeting team goals for output and quality. Individual incentive compensation is not appropriate for team-based production. Teams may be used to perform all the operations or a certain portion of the assembly operations depending on the organization of the module and processes required. Before a firm can establish a modular production system, it must prioritize its goals and make decisions that reflect the needs of the firm.With a team-based system operators are given the responsibility for operating their module to meet goals for throughput and quality. The team is responsible for maintaining a smooth work flow, meeting production goals, maintaining a specified quality level, and handling motivational support for the team. Team members develop an interdependency to improve the process and accomplish their goals. Interdependency is the relationship among team members that utilizes everyone's strengths for the betterment of the team. Work flow in modular production system [pic]A Modu lar Production System operates as a Pull System, with demand for work coming from the next operator in line to process the garment. Wastage is normal, and workflow is continuous and does not wait ahead of each operation. This increases the potentials for flexibility of styles and quantities of products that can be produced. Teams usually operate as ‘Stand-up’ or ‘Sit-down’ units A module may be divided into several work zones based on the sequence of operations and the time required for each operation. A work zone consists of a group of sequential operations. Operators are trained to perform the operations in their work zone and djacent operations in adjoining work zones so they can move freely from one operation to another as the garment progresses Work flow within a module may be with a Single-piece hand-off, Kanban, or Bump- back system. If a single-piece hand-off is used, machines are arranged in a very tight configuration. As soon as an operation is co mpleted the part is handed to the next operator for processing. Operations need to be well balanced as there is usually only one garment component between each operation. Some modules may operate with a buffer or small bundle of up to ten pieces of work between operators.If a small bundle is used, an operator will complete the operation on the entire bundle and carry the bundle to the next operation. An operator may follow a component or bundle for as many operations as they have been trained or until the adjacent operator is ready to assume work on the bundle Advantages of a Modular Production System are: 1. ) High flexibility 2. ) Fast throughput times 3. ) Low wastages 4. ) Reduced Absenteeism 5. ) Reduced Repetitive Motion Ailments 6. ) Increased employee ownership of the production process 7. ) Empowered employees 8. ) Improved QualityDisadvantages of Modular Production System: 1. ) A high capital investment in equipment. 2. ) High investment in initial training. 3. ) High cost incurred in continued training Combinations of Production Systems Some firms may use the progressive bundle system for producing small parts Combined with modular production for garment assembly. This reduces the investment in specialized equipment and reduces the team size needed. Some industry consultants believe that a modular system combined with a unit production system provides the most flexibility, fastest throughput, and most consistent quality.This would be particularly useful for large items such as coveralls or heavy coats. The UPS would move the garment instead of the operators. Each manufacturer needs to determine what is best for its product line and production requirements. The another major and oldest production system followed in industry is TOYOTA PRODUCTION SYSTEM (TPS) Toyota production system [pic] History of (TPS) The production system developed by Toyota Motor Corporation to provide best quality, lowest cost, and shortest lead time through the elimination of waste.Development of TPS is credited to Taiichi Ohno, Toyota's chief of production in post-WWII period. Beginning in machining operation and spreading from there, Ohno led the development of TPS at Toyota throughout the 1950's and 1960's and the dissemination to the supply base through the 1960's and 1970's. Toyota Motor Corporation's vehicle production system is a way of â€Å"making things† that is sometimes referred to as a â€Å"lean manufacturing system† or a â€Å"Just-in-Time (JIT) system,† and has come to be well known and studied worldwide.Then, in 1924, Sakichi invented the world's first automatic loom, called the â€Å"Type-G Toyoda Automatic Loom (with non-stop shuttle-change motion)† which could change shuttles without stopping operation. The Toyota term â€Å"jido† is applied to a machine with a built-in device for making judgments, whereas the regular Japanese term â€Å"jido† (automation) is simply applied to a machine that m oves on its own. Jidoka refers to â€Å"automation with a human touch,† as opposed to a machine that simply moves under the monitoring and supervision of an operator. Since the loom stopped when a problem arose, no defective products were produced. This meant that a single operator could be put in charge of numerous looms, resulting in a tremendous improvement in productivity. [pic] Just in time `Just-in-time' is a management philosophy and not a technique.Just-in-Time† means making only â€Å"what is needed, when it is needed, and in the amount needed. † To efficiently produce a large number of products such as automobiles, which are comprised of some 30,000 parts, it is necessary to create a detailed production plan that includes parts procurement, for example. Supplying â€Å"what is needed, when it is needed, and in the amount needed† according to this production plan can eliminate waste, inconsistencies, and unreasonable requirements, resulting in imp roved productivity. Kanban system [pic] Kanban is a production system†¦ its a part of toyato production or lean manufacturing system†¦ Kanban is a Japanese word which means signal cards†¦. These cards are hung where ever required†¦ o only when this card indicated that the particular space is empty; the products are filled back in the tray†¦ This is a simple concept, but very effective. Kanban mainly focus on the reduction of overproduction. The is also interlinked with the Toyota production system In the TPS, a unique production control method called the â€Å"Kanban system† plays an important role. The Kanban system has also been called the â€Å"Supermarket method† because the idea behind it was borrowed from supermarkets. Supermarkets and mass merchandizing stores use product control cards on which product-related information, such as product name, product code, and storage location, is entered.Because Toyota employed Kanban signs in place o f the cards for use in production processes, the method came to be called the â€Å"Kanban system. † At Toyota, when a process goes to the preceding process to retrieve parts, it uses a Kanban to communicate what parts have been used. Here a Kanban system is used [pic] There are two kinds of Kanban †¢ Production instruction Kanban †¢ Parts retrieval kanban Cellular manufacturing What is cellular manufacturing? Cellular manufacturing, sometimes called cellular or cell production, arranges factory floor labor into semi-autonomous and multi-skilled teams, or work cells, who manufacture complete products or complex components.Properly trained and implemented cells are more flexible and responsive than the traditional mass-production line, and can manage processes, defects, scheduling, equipment maintenance, and other manufacturing issues more efficiently [pic] History Cellular manufacturing is a fairly new application of group technology, although the Portsmouth Block M ills offers what by definition constitutes an early example of cellular manufacturing. By 1808, using machinery designed by Marc Isambard Brunel and constructed by Henry Maudslay, the Block Mills were producting 130,000 blocks (pulleys) for the Royal Navy per year in single unit lots, with 10 men operating 42 machines arranged in three production flow lines. This installation apparently reduced manpower requirements by 90% (from 110 to 10), reduced cost substantially and greatly improved block consistency and quality.Group Technology is a management strategy with long term goals of staying in business, growing, and making profits. Companies are under relentless pressure to reduce costs while meeting the high quality expectations of the customer to maintain a competitive advantage. Successfully implementing Cellular manufacturing allows companies to achieve cost savings and quality improvements, especially when combined with the other aspects of lean manufacturing. Cell manufacturing systems are currently used to manufacture anything from hydraulic and engine pumps used in aircraft to plastic packaging components made using injection molding. Goals of cellular manufacturingThe goal of cellular manufacturing is having the flexibility to produce a high variety of low demand products, while maintaining the high productivity of large scale production. Cell designers achieve this through modularity in both process design and product design. Process design The division of the entire production process into discrete segments, and the assignment of each segment to a work cell, introduces the modularity of processes. If any segment of the process needs to be changed, only the particular cell would be affected, not the entire production line. For example, if a particular component was prone to defects, and this could be solved by upgrading the equipment, a new work cell could be designed and prepared while the obsolete cell continued production.Once the new cell is teste d and ready for production, the incoming parts to and outgoing parts from the old cell will simply be rerouted to the new cell without having to disrupt the entire production line. In this way, work cells enable the flexibility to upgrade processes and make variations to products to better suit customer demands while largely reducing or eliminating the costs of stoppages. Product Design Product modularity must match the modularity of processes. Even though the entire production system becomes more flexible, each individual cell is still optimised for a relatively narrow range of tasks, in order to take advantage of the mass-production efficiencies of specialisation and scale.To the extent that a large variety of products can be designed to be assembled from a small number of modular parts, both high product variety and high productivity can be achieved. For example, a varied range of automobiles may be designed to use the same chassis, a small number of engine configurations, and a moderate variety of car bodies, each available in a range of colors. In this way, a large variety of automobiles, with different performances and appearances and functions, can be produced by combining the outputs from a more limited number of work cells. In combination, each modular part is designed for a particular work cell, or dedicated clusters of machines or manufacturing processes.Cells are usually bigger than typical conventional workstations, but smaller than a complete conventional department. After conversion, a cellular manufacturing layout usually requires less floor space as a result of the optimized production processes. Each cell is responsible for its own internal control of quality, scheduling, ordering, and record keeping. The idea is to place the responsibility of these tasks on those who are most familiar with the situation and most able to quickly fix any problems. The middle management no longer has to monitor the outputs and interrelationships of every single worker, and instead only has to monitor a smaller number of work cells and the flow of materials between them, often achieved using a system of kanbans

Theme of Oppression: Waiting for Snow in Havana compared to Kaffir Boy

A paradigmatic moral witness â€Å"is one who experiences the suffering–one who is not just an observer but also a sufferer. † Carlos Eire, Professor of History and Religious Studies at Yale University and author of Waiting for Snow in Havana, is a moral witness. His book is a memoir of childhood and exile, the recollections of a privileged boy who, at the age of 11, was one of 14,000 children airlifted from Cuba, separated from his parents and, with only a small suitcase in hand, dropped off in a land in which he did not know a soul.The book is, however, more is a record of suffering endured at the hands of evildoers. As its subtitle indicates, Eire writes in the style of confession. Unlike Elie Wiesel, for instance, he does not mainly register evil and suffering to honor the sufferers and warn future generations or to accomplish an inner catharsis. He probes deeply into the warping that evil produces in the souls of victims and struggles with frightening honesty, born of faith, on a journey of redemption from its sinister power.So moving, so wildly humorous and yet so stern in its moral judgment, so concentrated on the self but so concerned with others and their redemption, a story so rooted in a specific time and place and yet so universal in import. Evil keeps appearing in the shape of a lizard, and the lizard of lizards is Fidel, who destroyed everything Eire knew as boy, wrecked it â€Å"in the name of fairness, progress, the oppressed, and of love for the gods Marx and Lenin.†Contrary to what one might expect, the redemption toward which Eire is groping bears the face not of a political figure or a social program but of Jesus, who â€Å"wept with joy upon seeing all the world's sins embedded in those mean, raw pieces of wood that meant death for Him at the age of thirty-three. † A Cuban nun taught him the meaning of redemption. She was wise enough to talk to the orphaned and exiled children not â€Å"about their present situa tion,† utterly dire as it was, but â€Å"in universal terms about [their] faults and about redemption from them. â€Å"In his search for redemption, Eire wrestles with two issues. First, what to do with desire bereft of a precious object, a boy's desire that yearns for what it could have had as much as for what it lost. â€Å"In the past thirty-eight years I've seen eight thousand nine hundred and seventeen clouds in the shape of the island Cuba,† writes Eire, an exiled man in his early fifties. Second, how does one make peace with enemies, even more, how does one love them? â€Å"My dream of dreams,† writes Eire toward the end of the book, is to â€Å"kiss [the lizard] fondly, and let go forever.†The original title of the book, rejected by the publisher as too offensive, was Kiss the Lizard, Jesus (Jesus Rubio was the main character in that first version of the book, conceived as a novel rather than a memoir). Much of what Eire is after as he sifts thro ugh recollections and the emotions stirred by the recollected events can be described as the redemption of memories: â€Å"imagine the sound of memories that have nothing to do with Batista or Fidel. † So how does Eire's journey toward redemption look?You must read the book yourself. One thing that will strike you immediately is the style. Here is its unforgettable first sentence: â€Å"The world changed while I slept, and much to my surprise, no one had consulted me. † Then there is the perspective. Eire combines a way of seeing the world often associated with magical realism (except that it is â€Å"all true,† or â€Å"at least 98. 6% of it,† as he told me) with a humor the likes of which I've never seen before–a humor that is not garnish but a way of life and itself a vehicle of redemption.An even more important element of redemption than humor–an element which lets humor do the redemptive work and not just relieve Eire temporarily of lif e's burdens–is his robust faith in God. His own peculiar â€Å"proofs of God's existence† (proof no. 5, â€Å"the ultimate proof†: desire) structure the whole text, and he repeatedly reads his own story within the framework of salvation history (e. g. , the exiled children of Cuba are the slaughtered children of Bethlehem; as a fatherless boy he sees himself in the image of God's Son abandoned by the Father).The aftereffects of that nun's talk, which left him in a â€Å"stupor, wondering what had hit [him],† are felt throughout the book. Can one get no redemption before the dawn of the world to come? One can. Eire writes as a man who has tasted the sweet savor of a new life even as he is drinking from the bitter cup of evil's memories. He has kissed many lizards, he says. That is why when he condemns Emesto, a lizard slightly trailing Fidel in ugliness and wickedness, the worst punishment he can think of is for him to be embraced by Jesus eternally.So wri tes a man who has admittedly not yet been freed from anger but has offered it up to God and is â€Å"letting Jesus take care of it. † Eire's questions are spiritual: How do we live with memories of irretrievable loss and violation, given that for victims, memories are not so much a solution as a problem? How do we relate to the perpetrators? How do we find healing of losses and redemption from evil? Eire's answers are religious: we find redemption by having our stories inserted into God's story and in everlasting life with God, the source of our life and salvation and the telos of all our desires.â€Å"Secular† and â€Å"religious† are alternatives, but the ethics of memory and the redemption of memories need not be. The advantage of Eire's religious struggle for the redemption of memories is that, if pressed, he can integrate the ethics of memory into his perspective. Eire offers redemption of memories–and redemption of people who remember. The story â⠂¬Å"Kaffir Boy† deals with the agony of racism. In Mark Mathabane's â€Å"Kaffir Boy,† Mark has grown up in poverty. Though Mark is told that he will never amount to anything because he is black, Mark strives for success since he has nothing to lose.Through a comparison of different reactions to prejudices revealed in the stories, we learn that our choices should be determined by which options offer the greatest rewards and/or the fewest penalties. In â€Å"Kaffir Boy,† Mark Mathabane joins his grandmother at her workplace in the big city. Mark is astonished that white people live such extravagant lives while his family can hardly afford food. When Mark and his grandmother reach the Smith residence, Mark meets a white boy named Clyde who has been providing Mark with hand-me-downs.He tells Mark what the white children learn about in their school. Mark is shocked to hear the stereotypes that the white children have about black people. Mark is greatly insulted when Clyde tells him, â€Å"My teacher says Kaffirs can't read, speak or write English like white people because they have smaller brains, which are already full of tribal things† (Mathabane 237). Both writings have characters that are faced with racist discrimination. However, though they go through similar scenarios of racism, their own situations and reactions to racism are different.Mark is a child who lives in poverty, but when he is told he will fail because he is black, Mark becomes motivated to prove himself to the world. What motivates people depends on the results they are trying to accomplish. If someone has more to gain than lose from a situation, they will try that much harder to succeed. Mark realized this and since he had nothing, it was all gain and no loss. The opposite is true as well — if you strive for something that will get you nowhere or leave you in a worse position, the best thing to do is not to try.

Steinand The Lost Generation essays

Steinand The Lost Generation essays If one wishes to use it properly, the term avant-garde should meet three criteria when used to describe works of art. First and foremost it must defy artistic trends of the time, distancing itself as far as possible from established trends of the time. It also must take considerable time to find a significant audience. Lastly, it will most likely inspire future groundbreaking endeavors, by artists in whatever medium. Gertrude Steins work as an author and poet satisfies all of these criteria. Her writings were unlike anything written in their time, and still to this day scholars debate their literary merit. The influence and inspiration that her writing lends to later authors gives Steins work its most weight. The first task of sifting through Steins work to find its purpose and value is indeed a difficult one. Her writing looks and sounds primitive, almost as if a child is trying to draw out of her mind some long-buried memory. But like in a childs pure words, it is in her own unsophisticated language that the reader finds the purpose and value of her works: the truth. Sherwood Anderson, a contemporary of Ms. Stein articulated the ultimate accomplishment of her work. I think that these books of Gertrude Stein do in a very real sense is recreate life in words. This aspect of her writing is the most obvious and prevalent common-thread in the work of all Ms. Steins contemporaries. The pupils of Ms. Stein lived in a frighteningly precarious time. The first World War had only recently ceased, the excesses of the Prohibition-era began appearing across the United States, and young men could not reconcile the values with which they had been raised, and the world outside their childhood homes that blatantly contradicted them. It was in such a climate that aspiring writers in search of truth began reading Ms. Steins works. Her words provided them with the truth; nothing morally concrete, bu...

Why 0% Unemployment Isnt Actually a Good Thing

Why 0% Unemployment Isnt Actually a Good Thing While on the surface it appears that a 0% unemployment rate would be terrific for the citizens of a country, having a small amount of unemployment is actually desirable. To understand why  we need to look at the three types (or causes) of unemployment. 3 Types of Unemployment Cyclical Unemployment is defined as occurring when the unemployment rate moves in the opposite direction as the GDP growth rate. So when GDP growth is small (or negative) unemployment is high. When the economy goes into recession and workers are laid off, we have cyclical unemployment.Frictional Unemployment: The Economics Glossary defines frictional unemployment as unemployment that comes from people moving between jobs, careers, and locations. If a person quits his job as an economics researcher to try and find a job in the music industry, we would consider this to be frictional unemployment.Structural Unemployment: The glossary defines structural unemployment as unemployment that comes from there being an absence of demand for the workers that are available. Structural unemployment is often due to technological change. If the introduction of DVD players cause the sales of VCRs to plummet, many of the people who manufacture VCRs will suddenly be out of work. By looking at these three types of unemployment, we can see why having some unemployment is a good thing. Why Some Unemployment Is a Good Thing Most people would argue that since cyclical unemployment is the by-product of a weak economy, it is necessarily a bad thing, though some have argued that recessions are good for the economy.   What about frictional unemployment? Lets go back to our friend who quit his job in economic research to pursue his dreams in the music industry. He quit a job he disliked to attempt a career at the music industry, even though it caused him to be unemployed for a short while. Or consider the case of a person who is tired of living in Flint and decides to make it big in Hollywood and who arrives in Tinseltown without a job. A great deal of frictional unemployment comes from people following their hearts and their dreams. This is certainly a positive type of unemployment, though we would hope for these individuals sakes that they do not stay unemployed for too long. Finally, structural unemployment. When the car became commonplace, it cost a lot of buggy manufacturers their jobs. At the same time, most would argue that the automobile, on net, was a positive development. The only way we could ever eliminate all structural unemployment is by eliminating all technological advancement. By breaking down the three types of unemployment into cyclical unemployment, frictional unemployment, and structural unemployment, we see that an unemployment rate of 0% is not a positive thing. A positive rate of unemployment is the price we pay for technological development and for people chasing their dreams.

Free Trade Agreement (FTAs) in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Free Trade Agreement (FTAs) in China - Essay Example al or economic mediation has caused other nations, chiefly the ones in Asia Pacific region, to go abroad on preferential trading agreements, thereby, causing consideration from the World Trade Organization regarding the propagation of prejudiced trade agreements (Jiang, 2008). Hence, we will discuss China’s two-pronged free trade agreements, thereby, discussing their ramifications for the World Trade Organization. Moreover, the centralization will totally be on the Chinese viewpoints regarding the association between FTAs and the World Trade Organizations. Also, we will discuss about China’s impetus behind its vigorousness in FTAs and its approach to the negotiations of the same, along with the local roots of China’s FTA strategies. The ramifications of FTAs in China for the World Trade Organizations are inclusive of whether China has discarded mutualism for bilateralism for the sake of its global trade cooperation, whether it anticipates the facilitation of trad e liberalization under the World Trade Organization by means of Free Trade Agreements, or whether China has been attempting to maintain its FTAs acquiescent with the rules and regulations of World Trade Organization (Jiang, 2008). One of the most striking developments in foreign relations maintained by China and the Asian financial system in current times is that China, being a developing economy, is vigorously shoving for free trade agreements or FTAs in Asia and the world (Shulong, 2006). In a matter of few years, it is hooked with proposing and incorporating in the free trade agreement talks and discussions with various countries. China has signed a fundamental agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN, thereby,

Why do different theories of the firm exist Essay - 1

Why do different theories of the firm exist - Essay Example It is also not easy to adopt all the theories but it is necessary to learn about all the theories. As it helps in making a firm progressive. Organizational analysis is relatively new among the sciences as a field of study, coming out of the latter years of the 19th century as industrialization became more technological (Pheby, 2000). Originators of organizational management, among them Taylor, Weber and Mayo, believed there was one best way to manage an organization, and all recommended single, universal solutions to management problems, though they did not agree on what the solutions should be (Buchanan, 1997). Organizations were considered to be the setting in which work was carried out, and were not considered to have self-interest of their own. It was in the 1920's when Mary Follett wrote about the "law of the situation", that the notion of organizations taking direction from outside themselves began to take root. In her way of thinking, it is the situation that an organization exists in that dictates the orders of what needs to be done (Buchanan, 1997). Further development of these concepts by thinkers such as Woodw ard, Thompson and Perrow over the next few decades, lead the way for supporters of the contingency approach. That an organizations' structure and management was effected by, and actually contingent upon, factors other than the whim of the owner, and that there clearly was no one best way to be a successful organization, contributed to the development of this new field of study (Buchanan, 1997). The novel concept that organizations interact with their environment and with each other, as social units within and without, sparked interest in the field that has become known as organizational sociology, and led to a broadening and a deepening of theory in the field (Pheby, 2000).. Resource Dependency Theory The key concept of the resource dependency perspective is that organizations are not self-sufficient. Instead, an organization's activities and outcomes are accounted for by the context in which the organization is embedded (Pfeffer & Salancik, 1970.)Dependence is determined by three factors (Pfeffer & Salancik, 1978): the importance of the resource, the degree of discretion others have over allocation and use of the resource, and the concentration of the resource. Without it the organization cannot operate and will cease to exist.. This is in keeping with resource dependency theory as it predicts that organizations will seek to reduce their dependence by expanding into other domains, thereby decreasing their reliance on any single exchange partner (Davis & Powell, 1992).In order to coordinate the actions of the members of the network and the Foundation toward this goal, linkages have been used. These have especially taken the shape of interlocks among board members and shared social norms. Such linkages and interlocks, as described by

Social Security System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social Security System - Essay Example But there is more to the Social Security System than a mere pension arrangement. The economic gait is that Social Security is a mechanism whose functioning ensures the provision of revenue for disfavored members of the society such as the old, the handicapped, the ill and the unemployed, so as to enable them meet up with basic necessities. Like the Balance of Payment (BOP) and the business cycle, the Social Security System experiences many set backs but there exists a Social Security problem. The interest here is to identify this problem and propose a way of fixing it. It shall therefore be important to view the functioning of the Social Security System then identify the Social Security problem before proposing a possible solution to this problem. In an article entitled 'Solving the Social Security Problem in America', published in his website; Russell Bailyn's Financial Planning Blog, the New York Wealth Manager, states that: 'Social Security is a federal program which provides retirement and disability income to workers through the collection of Social Security taxes. Every worker in the United States is responsible for paying these taxes during their working years and entitled to receiving benefit checks when they are eligible for retirement.' Bailyn's explanation is a perfect illustration of how the Social Security System functions. ... Bailyn further explains that the people who are most concerned with the system are often unaware of it. 'I'm unaware that 12.4% of my paycheck goes towards these taxes, I'm just too far from receiving benefits to worry about it. Perhaps part of that irresponsible logic stems from how the system is organized. Rather than each taxpayer's Social Securitydollars getting earmarked for their own retirement, they get paid into a common pool of money allocated by the federal government. (Bailyn, Russell. 'Solving the Social Security Problem in America'). The Social Security is an 'unjust' system as it the origin of a major problem. The problem of the Social Security lies in its impracticable nature and its tendency towards monetary difficulty. In effect, the problem lies in the fact that for any given economy, if there exists a rapidly increasing ageing population and a small working population, then the amount of money placed in the Social Security fund will not be enough to salvage the problems of both the present and future ageing populations as well as other disfavored sections of the population. In the same line, the system is not a viable one since those who are currently paying their money into the system may later not benefit from it. This is explained by the simple fact that the Social Security system is not like a private bank account where one places his income and later on retrieves it at will. On the contrary, the money one pays into the Social Security is used for the needs of others and if later on the payee is unable to also benefit from the system due to a lack of funds then the system is clearly an unworkable one. 'Perhaps part of that irresponsible logic stems from how the system is

Analysis of Richard Wrights Black Boy

Analysis of Richard Wrights Black Boy Black Boy Essay In Richard Wright’s autobiography of Black Boy, Richard is determined to leave his family to move to the north because they do not provide the necessities for him to be successful. Richard’s bold and stubborn personality negates him success. This runs parallel to the abuse and manipulation that Richard receives that limits his relationships with others around him. Wright also shows how reading frees a soul suffering from discrimination. The US constitution states that â€Å"All men are created equal,† but in the Jim Crow law era, blacks were always looked down upon. Jim Crow promoted segregation and dehumanization amongst blacks and whites, creating the â€Å"wall† that separates whites from blacks. Racial prejudice, hate and discrimination were everywhere; blacks could be punished in any manor, from being arrested and getting a beating, to being slain based on a white person’s judgment on the action perform by the black individual. Throughout the n ovel we can see Richard’s alienation from the white community as well as the black community. Richard grew up in the south bound by rules and regulations formed by the whites. Secluded within their own confines of living, their struggle to survive in such a harsh environment seemed infinite and hopeless. Richard had to take charge when his mother falls ill and must provide for her and the family; disregarding this own health and focusing on keeping up with the rent and bills that needed to be paid. Richard’s father deserted his family leaving him and his mother to be on their own. Nathan, Richard’s dad was a peasant, and a share cropper. He did what the whites commanded him to do, follow the rules with no desire to succeed or progress in life, and repeat each and every demeaning and menial task day by day just to get by. This is the kind of society which ‘trained’ Nathan to be what the whites forced him to be, a dull and dumb individual with no sense of perception of what’s actually going on around him. Being counted as a subspecies, Richardà ¢â‚¬â„¢s father was conditioned to have no sense of hope, his entire life was based upon one thing, and that is falling in line with all other blacks and follows through with all the commands given by the white with no questions asked. This worked on every level imaginable, using sheer force and fear to tear down any sense of hope or positive thinking which blacks had. Just the thought of blacks surpassing a white individual was unthinkable. Why is this? It’s because it was deemed that way, it was how the society worked at that time. No one could question or challenge what whites could or can’t do, all of their thoughts are final. The ideas of being superior amongst the blacks were socially acceptable. And this included dehumanizing and cruel treatments. Richard wasn’t like the other kids that were in the black society. He was more free willed and ambitious. Richard was an independent individual from the start; not getting attached to anyone or in need of assistance of any sort. Richard was fond of education and learning. His quest for knowledge seemed, in the other black people’s eyes as a waste of time and energy, deemed to be helpful. But in some cases, Richard’s knowledge gets him in trouble, even worse getting hurt. An example from the book, is when Richard has to go to the store and buy groceries, but gets robbed numerous times by a gang of boys. The final time that Richard failed to get the groceries his mother told him, â€Å"Don’t come in here†¦You just stay right where you are, I’m going to teach your this night to stand up and fight for yourself†¦Don’t you come into this house until you’ve gotten those groceries.†(pg.24-25). One of Richard’s top quali ties was taught that night by his mother was perseverance. On the other hand we see the opposite, Shorty. Basically this amplifies my point of doing whatever possible to survive in this dreadful environment. He gets kicked in the gut just to get a quarter. My ass is tough and quarters is scarce.(end of ch12) At what point does a person go to violate self-ethics and morals, and go through with it just to survive. How far are you willing to go until you break? There is a delicate bond between the white people and white people, as humans we have limitations on how much we can handle mentally and physically. We can see from this example that Shorty is willing to degrade himself in order to get a quarter per kick. Shorty and Richard go off on a tangent about how to avoid being dehumanized and do something else. Richard offers to help him but Shorty’s hard headedness prevents him from to take heed the information given by Richard. But in Shorty’s remarks, he states that he is lazy to do anything and won’t change his ways of ho w he earns money. The readers recognize that Shorty has accepted the fact of being caught in the white power web of inferiority; he sees that there is no way out of this terrible situation. He went to school for half of his learning, and the half he was self-taught; by reading little bits and pieces he manages to learn quite a bit. Having knowledge and education grants Richard to be ahead of all the other black people. Wanting to be a writer, Wright pursues his dreams of moving North and writing novels. He takes the challenge by getting any job he can to raise money for himself to move to the north once and for all, and freeing himself from the clutches of racial prejudice and white rule. His ability to persevere also guided Richard toward his prosperity. Richard was a fighter and no matter what obstacle he faced, he manages to knock it down and march forth with his duties. Richard was always rebellious, from when he was really young to young adulthood. For example, when the principal at Richard’s school had asked him to give a speech to the audience of whites and blacks, Richard refused to read the principal’s pre-written speech. Just by reading the principal’s speech he was relieved at the same overly stressed out. He had the will and courage that other black individuals lacked to commence forth with this own speech. Richard was willing to leave school without a diploma just because of this unjust action. The whites knew that Richard was different; they knew that he challenged the â€Å"system† and he wasn’t afraid like the rest of the black people. The readers can sense fear coming from the whites, due to Richard’s attitude towards the whites and the boundaries that surround him. The white’s try to cover up their fear and pushing racism by being cruel and demeaning towards the entire black population. We can see in the scene where Richard gets a new job at the optical place, and his co-workers mistreat him just because the boss is kind to Richard. Later Richard leaves the job knowing that his co-workers would ‘kill’ him if told the boss what happed to him. The hostility portrayed by his co-workers was so great that Richard couldn’t handle it anymore, and was forced to leave his job. All of these events mold Richard into the hardy character he is known for. Wright’s intellect was unmatched by the blacks, and well as his rebellious features and conduct. These were a few reasons that he was able to overcome his background of being black individual, and becoming a successful writer. Based on the fact that he was smart and independent, and his perseverance guided him to reach this status, to which all blacks should uphold to. By reading Black Boy it becomes very clear to the reader how life as a black minority is very difficult. We can recognize all the struggles they faced and how Richard challenged and managed to surpass what no blacks ever did.

The Law Enforcement Profession :: essays research papers

The Law Enforcement Profession Abstract In order to understand comptemporary law enforcemment, we should recognize the conditions that impact our profession. It is agreed upon by many scholars that major changes in law enforcement occur every five years. Policing is sometimes characterize"... like a sandbar in a river, subject to being changed continuously by the currents in which it is immersed..." (Swanson, Territo and Taylor, p. 2). However, in recent years some major changes have occurred in a shorter time period. Innovations in law enforcement During the past two decades, I have observed major changes in the viewpoint of society towards police officer's as the symbol of trust and dignity, the technological advances of communication and information systems in law enforcement, and the revision of selection and hiring practices for police officers. Organizational change occurs both as a result of internal and external agents (Swanson, Territo and Taylor, p. 664). These changes have manifested both positive and negative reverberations in the way we perform our job. Police officials have contemplated for years over the key to maintaining a positive image for their organization. Unfortunately, several incidents in the past years have altered society's perception of police in some communities. Police in America are no longer strangers to innovation born of scandal. Law enforcement agencies nationwide have repeatedly been shaken by controversy and forced to make undesirable concessions. Has law enforcement failed to maintain the high standards required by the profession? The cost of public trust is high. It increases each time faith must be regain. Historically, law enforcement agencies throughout the nation have experienced periods of low confidence in communities preceding episodes deemed to be a breach of trust. Early pioneers in law enforcement history such as August Vollmer (1902 - 1932). Berkeley Police Department and J. Edgar Hoover (1924) the Federal Bureau of Investigation made numerous advancements towards improving the professionalism of law enforcement (Anderson and Newman, p. 119 - 120). Other attempts were made in 1956 by the International Association of Chiefs of Police adopted "The Law Enforcement Code Of Ethics" (Wilson and McClaren, p.8) Examples of several historical events locally have attributed to society's decline in respect for police. For example, nine members of a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department special narcotics squad were charged with misappropriating tens of thousands of dollars confiscated in drug raids (L. A. Times, p. 4, Sept. 9, 1989). Another local incident involved 80 Los Angeles police officers stormed and wrecked an apartment and allegedly beat several residents on "Dalton Street." The city was forced to settled in a civil law suit by the resident with a settlement of $3 million dollars of taxpayers money

Fool Chapter 14

FOURTEEN ON TENDER HORNS â€Å"I shagged a ghost,† said Drool, wet, naked, and forlorn, sitting in the laundry cauldron under Castle Gloucester. â€Å"There's always a bloody ghost,† said the laundress, who was scrubbing the lout's clothes, which had been most befouled in the moat. It had taken four of Lear's men, along with me, to pull the great git from the stinking soup. â€Å"No excuse for it, really,† said I. â€Å"You've the lake on three sides of the castle, you could open the moat to the lake and the offal and stink would be carried away with the current. I'll wager that one day they find that stagnant water leads to disease. Breeds hostile water sprites, I'll wager.† â€Å"Blimey, you're long-winded for such a wee fellow,† said the laundress. â€Å"Gifted,† I explained, gesturing grandly with Jones. I, too, was naked, but for my hat and puppet stick, my own apparel having taken a glazing of oozy moat mess during the rescue as well. â€Å"Sound the alarm!† Kent came storming down the steps into the laundry, sword unsheathed and followed closely by the two young squires he'd trounced not an hour before. â€Å"Bolt the door! To arms, fool!† â€Å"Hello,† said I. â€Å"You're naked,† said Kent, once again feeling the need to voice the obvious. â€Å"Aye,† said I. â€Å"Find the fool's kit, lads, and get him into it. Wolves are loosed on the fold and we must defend.† â€Å"Stop!† said I. The squires stopped thrashing wildly around the laundry and stood at attention. â€Å"Excellent. Now, Caius, what are you on about?† â€Å"I shagged a ghost,† said Drool to the young squires. They pretended they couldn't hear him. Kent shuffled forward, held back some by the alabaster grandeur of my nakedness. â€Å"Edmund was found with a dagger through his ear, pinned to a high-backed chair.† â€Å"Bloody careless eater he is, then.† â€Å"‘Twas you who put him there, Pocket. And you know it.† â€Å"Moi? Look at me? I am small, weak, and common, I could never – â€Å" â€Å"He's called for your head. He hunts the castle for you even now,† said Kent. â€Å"I swear I saw steam coming out his nostrils.† â€Å"Not going to spoil the Yule celebration, is he?† â€Å"Yule! Yule! Yule!† chanted Drool. â€Å"Pocket, can we go see Phyllis? Can we?† â€Å"Aye, lad, if there's a pawnbroker in Gloucester, I'll take you soon as your kit is dry.† Kent raised a startled porcupine of an eyebrow. â€Å"What is he on about?† â€Å"Every Yule I take Drool down to Phyllis Stein's Pawnshop in London and let him sing ‘Happy Birthday' to Jesus, then blow the candles out on the menorah.† â€Å"But the Yule's a pagan holiday,† said one of the squires. â€Å"Shut up, you twat. Do you want to ruin the twit's fun? Why are you here, anyway? Aren't you Edmund's men? Shouldn't you be trying to put my head on a pike or something?† â€Å"They've changed allegiance to me,† said Kent. â€Å"After the thrashing I gave them.† â€Å"Aye,† said squire one. â€Å"We've more to learn from this good knight.† â€Å"Aye,† said squire two. â€Å"And we were Edgar's men, anyway. Lord Edmund is a scoundrel, if you don't mind me saying, sir.† â€Å"And, dear Caius,† said I. â€Å"Do they know that you are a penniless commoner and can't really maintain a fighting force as if you were, say – oh, I don't know – the Earl of Kent?† â€Å"Excellent point, Pocket,† said Kent. â€Å"Good sirs, I must release you from your service.† â€Å"So we won't be paid, then?† â€Å"My regrets, no.† â€Å"Oh, then we'll take our leave.† â€Å"Fare thee well, keep your guard up, lads,† said Kent. â€Å"Fighting's done with the whole body, not only the sword.† The two squires left the laundry with a bow. â€Å"Will they tell Edmund where we're hiding?† I asked. â€Å"I think not, but you better get your kit on just the same.† â€Å"Laundress, how progresses my motley?† â€Å"Steamin' by the fire, sir. Dry enough to wear indoors, I reckon. Did I hear it right that you put a dagger through Lord Edmund's ear?† â€Å"What, a mere fool? No, silly girl. I'm harmless. A jab from the wit, a poke to the pride are the only injuries a fool inflicts.† â€Å"Shame,† said the laundress. â€Å"He deserves that and worse for how he treats your dim friend – † She looked away. † – and others.† â€Å"Why didn't you just kill the scoundrel outright, Pocket?† asked Kent, kicking subtlety senseless and rolling it up in a rug. â€Å"Well, just shout it out, will you, you great lummox.† â€Å"Aye, like you'd never do such a thing, ‘Top of the morning; grim weather we're having; I've started a bloody war!'† â€Å"Edmund has his own war.† â€Å"See, you did it again.† â€Å"I was coming to tell you when I found the girl ghost having a go at Drool. Then the lout leapt out the window and the rescue was on. The ghost implied that the bastard might be rescued by France. Maybe he's allied with bloody King Jeff to invade.† â€Å"Ghosts are notoriously unreliable,† said Kent. â€Å"Did you ever consider that you might be mad and hallucinating the whole thing? Drool, did you see this ghost?† â€Å"Aye, I had a half a laugh wif her before I got frightened,† said Drool, sadly, contemplating his tackle through the steamy water. â€Å"I fink I gots deaf on me willie.† â€Å"Laundress, help the lad wash the death off his willie, would you?† â€Å"Not bloody likely,† said she. I held the tip of my coxcomb to stay any jingling and bowed my head to show my sincerity. â€Å"Really, love, ask yourself, What would Jesus do?† â€Å"If he had smashing knockers,† added Drool. â€Å"Don't help.† â€Å"Sor-ry.† â€Å"War? Murder? Treachery?† reminded Kent. â€Å"Our plan?† â€Å"Aye, right,† said I. â€Å"If Edmund has his own war it will completely bollocks up our plans for civil war between Albany and Cornwall.† â€Å"All well and good, but you didn't answer my question. Why didn't you just slay the bastard?† â€Å"He moved.† â€Å"So you meant to kill him?† â€Å"Well, I hadn't thought it through completely, but when I sent his dagger at his eye socket I believed that there might be a fatal outcome. And I must say, although I didn't stay to revel in the moment, it was very satisfying. Lear says that killing takes the place of bonking in the ancient. You've killed a multitude of chaps, Kent. Do you find that to be the case?† â€Å"No, that's a disgusting thought.† â€Å"And yet, with Lear lies your loyalty.† â€Å"I'm beginning to wonder,† said Kent, sitting down now on an overturned wooden tub. â€Å"Who do I serve? Why am I here?† â€Å"You are here, because, in the expanding ethical ambiguity of our situation, you are steadfast in your righteousness. It is to you, my banished friend, that we all turn – a light amid the dark dealings of family and politics. You are the moral backbone on which the rest of us hang our bloody bits. Without you we are merely wiggly masses of desire writhing in our own devious bile.† â€Å"Really?† asked the old knight. â€Å"Aye,† said I. â€Å"I'm not sure I want to keep company with you lot, then.† â€Å"Not like anyone else will have you, is it? I need to see Regan before my bastard ear piercing poisons our cause. Will you take her a message, Kent – er, Caius?† â€Å"Will you put on your trousers, or at least your codpiece?† â€Å"Oh, I suppose. That had always been part of the plan.† â€Å"Then I will bear your message to the duchess.† â€Å"Tell her – no, ask her – if she still holds the candle she promised for Pocket. Then ask her if I may meet her somewhere private.† â€Å"I'm off, then. But try to manage not to get murdered while I'm gone, fool.† â€Å"Kitten!† said I. â€Å"You poxy little vermin,† said Regan, in glorious red. â€Å"What do you want?† Kent had led me to a chamber far in the bowels of the castle. I couldn't believe that Gloucester would house royal guests in an abandoned dungeon. Regan must have somehow found her own way here. She had an affinity for such places. â€Å"You received the letter from Goneril, then?† I asked. â€Å"Yes. What is it to you, fool?† â€Å"The lady confided in me,† said I, bouncing my eyebrows and displaying a charming grin. â€Å"What is your thought?† â€Å"Why would I want to dismiss father's knights, let alone take them into my service? We have a small army at Cornwall.† â€Å"Well, you're not at Cornwall, are you, love?† â€Å"What are you saying, fool?† â€Å"I'm saying that your sister bade you come to Gloucester to intercept Lear and his retinue, and thus stop him from going to Cornwall.† â€Å"And my lord and I came with great haste.† â€Å"And with a very small force, correct?† â€Å"Yes, the message said it was urgent. We needed to move quickly.† â€Å"So, when Goneril and Albany arrive, you will be away from your castle and nearly defenseless.† â€Å"She wouldn't dare.† â€Å"Let me ask you, lady, where do you think the Earl of Gloucester's allegiance lies?† â€Å"He is our ally. He has opened his castle to us.† â€Å"Gloucester, who was nearly usurped by his eldest son – you think he sides with you?† â€Å"Well, with Father, then, which is the same thing.† â€Å"Unless Lear is aligned with Goneril against you.† â€Å"But she relieved him of his knights. He ranted about it for an hour after his arrival, called Goneril every foul name under the sun, and praised me for my sweetness and loyalty, even overlooking my throwing his messenger into the stocks.† I said nothing. I removed my coxcomb, scratched my head, and sat on some dusty instrument of torture to observe the lady by torchlight and watch her eyes as the rust ground off the twisted gears of her mind. She was simply lovely. I thought about what the anchoress had said about a wise man only expecting so much perfection in something as its nature allows. I thought that I might, indeed, be witnessing the perfect machine. Her eyes went wide when the realization hit. â€Å"That bitch!† â€Å"Aye,† said I. â€Å"They'll have it all, she and Father?† â€Å"Aye,† said I. I could tell her anger didn't arise from the betrayal, but from not having thought of it first. â€Å"You need an ally, lady, and one with more influence than this humble fool can provide. Tell me, what do you think of Edmund the bastard?† â€Å"He's fit enough, I suppose.† She chewed a fingernail and concentrated. â€Å"I'd shag him if my lord wouldn't murder him – or come to think of it, maybe because he would.† â€Å"Perfect!† said I. Oh Regan, patron saint of Priapus,[38] the most slippery of the sisters: in disposition preciously oily, in discourse, deliciously dry. My venomous virago, my sensuous charmer of serpents – thou art truly perfection. Did I love her? Of course. For even though I have been accused of being an egregious horn-beast, my horns are tender, like the snail's – and never have I hoisted the horns of lust without I've taken a prod from Cupid's barb as well. I have loved them all, with all my heart, and have learned many of their names. Regan. Perfect. Regan. Oh yes, I loved her. She was a beauty to be sure – there was none in the kingdom more fair; a face that could inspire poetry and a body that inspired lust, longing, larceny, treachery, perhaps even war. (I am not without hope.) Men had murdered each other in competition for her favors – it was a hobby with her husband, Cornwall. And to her credit, while she could smile as a bloke bled to death with her name on his lips, she was not tight-fisted with her charms. It only added to the tension around her that someone was going to be shagged silly in the near future, and how much more thrilling if his life hung by a thread as he did the deed. In fact, the promise of violent death might be to the princess Regan like the nectar of Aphrodite herself, now that I think of it. Why else would she have called for my death all those years ago, when I had so diligently served her, after Goneril had left the White Tower to wed Albany. It had begun, it seems, with a bit of jealousy. â€Å"Pocket,† said Regan. She was perhaps eighteen or nineteen at the time, but unlike Goneril, had been exploring her womanly powers for years on various lads about the castle. â€Å"I find it offensive that you gave personal counsel to my sister, yet when I call you to my chambers I get nothing but tumbling and singing.† â€Å"Aye, but a song and a tumble seem all that's needed to lift the lady's spirits, if I may say so.† â€Å"You may not. Am I not fair?† â€Å"Extremely so, lady. Shall I compose a rhyme to your beauty? A ravishing tart from Nantucket – â€Å" â€Å"Am I not as fair as Goneril?† â€Å"Next to you, she is less than invisible, just a shimmering envious vacuum, is she.† â€Å"But do you, Pocket, find me attractive – in a carnal way – the way you did my sister? Do you want me?† â€Å"Ah, of course, lady, from the morning I wake, I have but one thought, one vision: of your deliciousness, under this humble and unworthy fool, writhing naked and making monkey noises.† â€Å"Really, that's all you think about?† â€Å"Aye, and occasionally breakfast, but it's only seconds before I'm back to Regan, writhing, and monkey noises. Wouldn't you like to have a monkey? We should have one around the castle, don't you think?† â€Å"So all you think of is this?† And with that, she shrugged off her gown, red as always, and there she stood, raven-haired and violet-eyed, snowy fair and finely fit, as if carved by the gods from a solid block of desire. She stepped out of the pool of bloodred velvet and said, â€Å"Drop your puppet stick, fool, and come here.† And I, ever the obedient fool, did. And oh it led to many months of clandestine monkey noises: howling, grunting, screeching, yipping, squishing, slapping, laughing, and no little bit of barking. (But there was no flinging of poo, as monkeys are wont to do. Only the most decent, forthright monkey sounds as are made from proper bonking.) I put my heart into it, too; but the romance was soon crushed beneath her cruel and delicate heel. I suppose I shall never learn. It seems a fool is not so often taken as a medicine for melancholy, as for ennui, incurable and recurring among the privileged. â€Å"You've been spending a lot of time with Cordelia of late,† said Regan, basking glorious in the gentle glow of the afterbonk (your narrator in a sweaty puddle on the bedside floor, having been summarily ejected after rendering noble service). â€Å"I am jealous.† â€Å"She's a little girl,† said I. â€Å"But when she has you, I cannot. She's my junior. It's not acceptable.† â€Å"But, lady, it's my duty to keep the little princess smiling, your father has commanded it. Besides, if I am otherwise engaged you can have that sturdy fellow you fancy from the stable, or that young yeoman with the pointy beard, or that Spanish duke or whatever he is that's been about the castle for a month. Does that bloke speak a word of English? I think he may be lost.† â€Å"They are not the same.† I felt my heart warm at her words. Could it be real affection? â€Å"Well, yes, what we share is – â€Å" â€Å"They rut like goats – there's no art to it, and I weary of shouting instructions to them, especially the Spaniard – I don't think he speaks a word of English.† â€Å"I'm sorry, milady,† said I. â€Å"But that said, I must away.† I stood and gathered my jerkin from under the wardrobe, my leggings from the hearth, my codpiece from the chandelier. â€Å"I've promised to teach Cordelia about griffins and elves over tea with her dolls.† â€Å"You'll not,† said Regan. â€Å"I must,† said I. â€Å"I want you to stay.† â€Å"Alas, parting is such sweet sorrow,† said I. And I kissed the downy dimple at the small of her back. â€Å"Guard!† called Regan. â€Å"Pardon?† I inquired. â€Å"Guard!† The door to her solar opened and an alarmed yeoman looked in. â€Å"Seize this scoundrel. He hath ravaged your princess.† She had conjured tears, in that short span of time. A bit of a wonder, she was. â€Å"Fuckstockings,† said I, as two stout yeomen took me by the arms and dragged me down to the great hall in Regan's wake, her dressing gown open and flowing out behind her as she wailed. It seemed a familiar motif, yet I did not feel the confidence that comes with rehearsal. Perhaps it was that Lear was actually holding court before the people when we entered the great hall. A line of peasants, merchants, and minor noblemen waited as the king heard their cases and made judgments. Still in his Christian phase, he had been reading about the wisdom of Solomon, and had been experimenting with the rule of law, thinking it quaint. â€Å"Father, I insist you hang this fool immediately!† Lear was taken aback, not only by the shrillness of his daughter's demand, but by the fact that she stood frontally bare to all the petitioners and made no effort to close her red gown. (Tales would be told of that day, of how many a plaintiff, having seen the snowy-skinned princess in all her glory, did hold his grievance pitiful, indeed, his life worthless, and went home to beat his wife or drown himself in the mill pond.) â€Å"Father, your fool hath violated me.† â€Å"That's a fluttering bottle of bat wank, sire,† said I. â€Å"Begging your pardon.† â€Å"You speak rashly, daughter, and you appear frothing-dog mad. Calm yourself and state your grievance. How hath my fool offended?† â€Å"He hath shagged me roughly, against my will, and finished too soon.† â€Å"By force? Pocket? He isn't eight stone on a feast day – he couldn't shag a cat by force.† â€Å"That's not true, sire,† said I. â€Å"If the cat is distracted with a trout, then – well, uh, nevermind – â€Å" â€Å"He violated my virtue and spoiled my virginity,† said Regan. â€Å"I insist you hang him – hang him twice, the second time before he's finished choking from the first – that'll be fitting justice.† I said: â€Å"What has put vengeance in your blood, princess? I was just going to tea with Cordelia.† Since the little one wasn't present, I hoped invoking her name might awaken the king to my cause, but it only seemed to incense Regan. â€Å"Forced me down and used me like a common tart,† said Regan, adding rather more pantomime than the petitioners in the hall could bear. Several began to beat their fists to their heads, others grabbed at their groins and sank to their knees. â€Å"No!† said I. â€Å"I've had many a wench by stealth, a few by guile, a number by charm, a brace by mistake, the odd harlot for coin, and, when all else has failed, I've made do by begging, but by God's blood, none by force!† â€Å"Enough!† said Lear. â€Å"I'll hear no more. Regan, close your robe. As I have decreed, we are a kingdom of laws. There shall be a trial, and if the rascal is found guilty, then I'll see him hanged twice myself. Make way for a trial.† â€Å"Now?† asked the scribe. â€Å"Yes, now,† said Lear. â€Å"What do we need? A couple of chaps to do the prosecuting and defending, grab a few of those peasants for witnesses, and with due process, habeas corpus, fair weather and whatnot, we'll have the fool dangling black-tongued before tea. Will that suit you, daughter?† Regan closed her robe and turned away coyly. â€Å"I suppose.† â€Å"And you, fool?† Lear winked at me, none too subtly. â€Å"Aye, majesty. A jury, perhaps, chosen from that same group as the witnesses.† Well, one has to make an effort. From their reaction I would be acquitted, on a â€Å"who could blame† him basis: justifiable shaggicide, they'd call it. But no. â€Å"No,† said the king. â€Å"Bailiff read the charges.† The bailiff obviously hadn't written up charges, so he unrolled a scroll on which was written something entirely unconnected to my case, and faked it: â€Å"The Crown states that on this day, October fourteenth, year of Our Lord, one thousand, two hundred, and eighty-eight, the fool known as Pocket, did with forethought and malice, shag the virgin princess Regan.† There was cheering from the gallery, a little scoffing from the court. â€Å"There was no malice,† said I. â€Å"Without malice, then,† said the bailiff. At this point, the magistrate, who normally functioned as a castle steward, whispered to the bailiff, who normally was the chamberlain. â€Å"The magistrate wishes to know how was that?† â€Å"‘Twas sweet, yet nasty, your honor.† â€Å"Note that the accused hath stated that it was [sweet and nasty], thereby admitting his guilt.† More cheering. â€Å"Wait, I wasn't ready.† â€Å"Smell him,† said Regan. â€Å"He reeks of sex, like fish and mushroom and sweat, doesn't he?† One of the peasant witnesses ran forth and sniffed my bits mercilessly, then looked to the king, nodding. â€Å"Aye, your honor,† said I. â€Å"I'm sure I have an odor about me. I must confess, I was sans trou today in the kitchen, while awaiting my laundry, and Bubble had left a casserole out on the floor to cool, and it did trip me and I fell prick-deep in gravy and goo – but I was on my way to chapel at the time.† â€Å"You put your dick in my lunch?† said Lear. Then to the bailiff, â€Å"The fool put his dick in my lunch?† â€Å"No, in your beloved daughter,† said Regan. â€Å"Quiet, girl!† barked the king. â€Å"Captain Curan, send a guard to watch the bread and cheese before the fool has his way with it.† It went on like that, with things looking rather grim for me as the evidence mounted against me, peasants taking the opportunity to describe the most lecherous acts they could imagine a wicked fool might perpetrate on an unsuspecting princess. I thought testimony of the sturdy stable boy particularly damning at first, but eventually it led to my acquittal. â€Å"Read that back, so the king may hear the true heinous nature of the crime,† said my prosecutor, who I believe butchered cattle for the castle as his normal vocation. The scribe read the stable boy's words: â€Å"Yes, yes, yes, ride me, you crashing tree-cocked stallion.† â€Å"That's not what she said,† said I. â€Å"Yes, it is. It's what she always says,† said the scribe. â€Å"Aye,† said the steward. â€Å"Aye, it is,† said the priest. â€Å"S,† said the Spaniard. â€Å"Well, she never says that to me,† said I. â€Å"Oh,† said the stable boy. â€Å"Then it's ‘Prance, you twig-dicked little pony,' is it?† â€Å"Possibly,† said I. â€Å"She never says that to me,† said the yeoman with the pointy beard. Then there was a moment of silence, while all who had spoken looked around at one another, then furiously avoided eye contact and found spots on the floor of great interest. â€Å"Well,† said Regan, chewing a fingernail as she spoke, â€Å"there is a chance that, uh, I was having a dream.† â€Å"Then the fool did not take your virtue?† asked Lear. â€Å"Sorry,† said Regan sheepishly. â€Å"It was but a dream. No more wine at lunch for me.† â€Å"Release the fool!† said Lear. The crowd booed. I walked out of the hall side by side with Regan. â€Å"He might have hung me,† I whispered. â€Å"I'd have shed a tear,† said she with a smile. â€Å"Really.† â€Å"Woe to you, lady, should you leave that rosebud asterisk of a bum-hole unguarded on our next meeting. When a fool's surprise comes unbuttered, a Pocket's pleasure will a princess punish.† â€Å"Oooo, do tease, fool, shall I put a candle in it so you can find your way.† â€Å"Harpy!† â€Å"Rascal!† â€Å"Pocket, where have you been?† said Cordelia, who was coming down the corridor. â€Å"Your tea has gone cold.† â€Å"Defending big sister's honor, sweetness,† said I. â€Å"Oh bollocks,† said Regan. â€Å"Pocket dresses the fool, but he is ever our hero, isn't he, Regan?† said Cordelia. â€Å"I think I'm going to be ill,† said the elder princess. â€Å"So, love,† said I, rising from my perch on the torture machine and reaching into my jerkin. â€Å"I'm pleased you feel that way about Lord Edmund, for he has sent me with this letter.† I handed her the letter. The seal was dodgy, but she wasn't looking at the stationery. â€Å"He's smitten with you, Regan. In fact, so smitten he tried to cut off his own ear to deliver with this missive, to show you the depth of his affection.† â€Å"Really? His ear.† â€Å"Say nothing at the Yule feast, tonight, lady, but you'll see the bandage. Mark it as a tribute of his love.† â€Å"You saw him cut his ear?† â€Å"Yes, and stopped him before the deed was done.† â€Å"Was it painful, do you think?† â€Å"Oh yes, lady. He has already suffered more than have others in months of knowing you.† â€Å"That's so sweet. Do you know what the letter says?† â€Å"I was sworn not to look upon pain of death, but come close – â€Å" She leaned close to me and I squeezed the witch's puffball under her nose. â€Å"I believe it speaks of a midnight rendezvous with Edmund of Gloucester.†