Essay on Enron and its Shortcomings - 1048 Words

Enron’s overall business practices are not ethical. One business practice of Enron that I think poses an ethical issue is their attitude towards its employees. They create a highly competitive and a result oriented business atmosphere. They used a system where they would rank employees every half a year and fire employees who ranked on the bottom 1/5 of the scores. This kind of attitude where only results matter and if you don’t produce anything good you will get fired will only hurt the company. This promotes unethical behavior and getting what needs to be done to get good results no matter what and if you do well you will receive big bonuses. This approach towards Enron’s employees did not have very good utilitarian reasoning. This†¦show more content†¦All the borrowing from the creditors just put Enron in more debt. The practice that Enron did violate the human right to be informed, is not just, and just didn’t have good utilitarian reasoning. They did not inform the shareholders, the employees, and the creditors about their practices or what the real picture was. The practices in accounting was not fair because they were not really working with money they actually had and kept doing business when other businesses in their position would, and should, re-evaluate how their business is run. The benefits and costs were not fairly distributed, this is because while most everyone that dealt with lost money in Enron when it collapsed the top management won out because they new what was going to happen so they sold massive amounts of shares of the company. Overall Enron didn’t solve any ethical dilemmas and they had unethical practices. Social responsibility means that a corporation should be accountable for any of its actions that people, their communities, and their environments. Enron fell victim to the iron law or responsibility because they were not socially responsible for their actions. In the long run Enron lost its power in the world from being one of the most powerful companies to a company that had shares worth less than one dollar and having their bonds turn into junk bonds. Enron was not able to forgo profits and take on losses so the social impact they had seriously hurt all otherShow MoreRelatedUniversity of Phoenix Organizational Culture1133 Words   |  5 Pagesis the case with the Enron Corporation, a once massive energy company that suffered arguably the most horrific financial collapse in American history. The Enron failure began with the development of a flawed corporate (organizational) culture, and was fulfilled by the constant reinforcement of that culture. From the top down, Enron s corpora te culture damned the company s successes and ensured it for eventual collapse. It must by noted that while the collapse of the Enron Corporation was dynamicRead MoreComm101 Tutorial1 Essay858 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Comm101 Tutorial 1) What were the individual factors that contributed to the failure of Enron? Briefly explain two key factors. Enron collapsed in large part because of the unethical practices of its executives. Egoism (Self interest) was one of the major factors contributed to the failure of Enron. Enron’s executives put their own interests above those of their employees, company and the public, and failed to exercise proper oversight or shoulder responsibility for ethical failings. They allowedRead MoreThe Sarbanes Oxley Act Of 20021563 Words   |  7 Pagesan event that brought about public distrust was the Enron Corporation scandal brought on by mismanagement and corruption. The general public considered Enron Corporation as one of the major and reputable electricity, natural gas, paper, and communications companies. Between 1996 and 2000, Enron posted an increase of 57% in sales, hitting a 52-week high in shares of $84.87 per share in the last week of the year 2000. When the balance sheet of Enron reached analysts, it did not make sense to them. SomeRead MoreThe Sarbanes Oxley Act Of 20021614 Wo rds   |  7 Pagesan event that brought about public distrust was the Enron Corporation scandal brought on by mismanagement and corruption. Enron was a corporation that was considered as one of the major and well known electricity, natural gas, paper, and communication companies. Between 1996 and 2000, Enron posted an increase of 57% in sales, hitting a 52-week high in shares of $84.87 per share in the last week of the year 2000. When the balance sheet of Enron reached analysts, it did not make sense to them. SomeRead MoreJaclyn Givens. Kathy Osburn. Management 101. 5/8/17. The1400 Words   |  6 PagesJaclyn Givens Kathy Osburn Management 101 5/8/17 The Enron Era â€Å"Just as character matters in people, it matters in organizations,† says Justin Schultz, a corporate psychologist in Denver. The Enron scandal had a big exposure in 2001 confirming the big secret to the increase in billions. In July 1985, Enron formed the merger of Houston Natural Gas and Omaha-based Inter North. The Enron corporation was an American energy company based in Houston Texas. The corporation’s catastrophe in 2001 signifiesRead MoreForensic Investment1144 Words   |  5 PagesSituation analysis    Important internal controls that were ignored? The auditors of Enron did fail in their task of providing a duty of care to all of the parties. The main reason for this is that they failed to correctly audit the assets and financial position of Enron resulting in all stakeholders having no clue about the forthcoming collapse of Enron. This resulted in the stakeholders facing a very critical condition or a phase where in they were not sure if they would be able to recover theirRead MoreEnrons Organizational Culture : Enron1643 Words   |  7 Pages Enron: [Don’t] Ask Why During the year 2000, Enron was exceeding all expectations, its stock was through the roof, and the company seemed to be on top of the world. The next year Enron declared bankruptcy. So how did a company rise and fall so quickly? The key in analysing this question lies in Enron’s organizational culture, which is defined as â€Å"a shared meaning held by members distinguishing an organization† (Robbins and Judge, Essentials of Organizational Behavior, 269). During its primeRead MoreEnron, An American Energy Company1587 Words   |  7 PagesEnron Leadership One of the best examples recently seen relating to bad leadership is what took place within Enron. Throughout the late ‘90’s, Enron, an American energy company, was considered one of the country s most innovative companies; while the company continued to build power plants and operate gas lines, it became better known for its unique trading businesses (npr.org, 2014). It can be described as the ideal company for the dotcom-driven stock market boom of the 90s; Enron threw itselfRead MoreThe Case Of Enron And Worldcom1490 Words   |  6 Pagesusers from corruption by monitoring the company’s control system. However, the accounting scandal has challenged the role of audit. Therefore, the remaining part of the paper will investigate the shortcoming of external audit which is independence issue. This essay also attempts to explore the case of Enron and WorldCom as the real example of the scandal. Finally, the conclusion demonstrates a summary and critique of the f inding that would associate with the effectiveness of statutory audit. StatutoryRead MoreEssay on Frank Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington617 Words   |  3 Pagesown intense confrontation with a seemingly omnipotent political machine; his ultimate victory is a condemnation of all industrial greed as well as a reaffirmation of the power of the citizen to make an impact in a government that through all its shortcomings is still democracy. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Capra’s film is dramatically enhanced by its patriotic representation of our National’s capitol, with particular emphasis on the splendor of the Capitol and strength of the Lincoln Memorial. These

Essay on Role of Sir Robert Peel in Starting Community...

Sir Robert Peel Policing has been a part of America for many decades. In fact, policing was known to exist prior to 1066, the year of the Normandy Invasion of Britain. Throughout the years policing has been a complicated and ongoing progress. The people of England did not have a stabilized policing standard and were often responsible for protecting and serving themselves. As early as the 1600s the Colonial America introduced the English styles of policing; citizens were responsible for monitoring community members’ behavior. Early constables and sheriffs were with the increased rate of crime and developed a ‘sort’ in community policing known as â€Å"watch and ward.† Later throughout history in the early 1700s policing became an†¦show more content†¦By this, he employed his first principle that the â€Å"basic mission for which the police exist is to prevent crime and disorder.† In this, Sir Robert Peel instituted a force that served as uniformed police called â€Å"Bobbies† or â€Å"Beats.† This form of policing is well-known today and has had a significant impact on American policing. Law enforcement agencies still practice the use of â€Å"Bobbies† and â€Å"Beats† but now refer to this method as police patrolling with the goal of preventing crime, getting to know the community, and establishing the trust and safety of the public (Siegel, 4th Ed). This brought about the next two principles, established by Peel, which stated (2) â€Å"the ability of the police to perform their duties was dependent upon the public approval of police actions. (3) Police must secure the willing co-operation of the public in voluntary observation of the law to be able to secure and maintain the respect of the public.† This laid a serious impact on American policing and its history; society today, as in the past, dealt with the importance of diversity and the need for police to comprehend the different cultur es, races, and religions that scattered the communities in which they patrolled. Police were expected to participate a multicultural training and education that prepared them for these situations. Peel believed that if the police could understandShow MoreRelatedPolice History Paper1117 Words   |  5 PagesAbstract Starting In 1829, Sir Robert Peel began developing his theory of policing. These nine principles are as relevant today as they were in the 1800s. Peel established the Metropolitan Police when he served as Home Secretary of England. Since Sir Robert Peel introduced his principles of policing in the early 1800s, our country has continued to follow his ideas of effective policing. Community policing is based on Peels concept of prevention. According to one of Peel’s principals, the realRead MoreHttp: //Contentrader.Com/How-Sir-Robert-Peel-Influenced-Modern-Policing/#Comments1927 Words   |  8 PagesHow Sir Robert Peel Influenced Modern Policing | ContenTrader CONTENTCART OUR MISSION  WRITERS START HERE  INFO FOR BUYERS  TUTORIALS TIPS  TERMS PRIVACY ContenTrader An Open Market for Freelance Writers to Display Sell Written Content. SUBSCRIBE TO CONTENTRADER Search †¦ Enter your email address to subscribe and receive notifications of New Content, Site News, and Specials. CATEGORIES Academic Topics Email Address Activism Addiction Read MoreThe Evolution Of Law Enforcement Essay1279 Words   |  6 PagesBabylonian period, members of families suggested the ideas of having a group from the community to maintain safety and order. Normally during that time, protection and social control were the major responsibility of that group. In that time, people requested the eldest and strongest males of the tribes to take part in the first security force of community for survival (Rainer and Librett 1089). The early development of policing in the world was not invented, but it was rather an idea of people who lived inRead MoreHistory of Security Essay example3164 Words   |  13 PagesInfluence Modern policing was started back in Anglo-Saxton times in England. This started off as the King making demands for complete and total obedience and order from the kingdom, knights, and anyone else within the ruling kingdom. If these demands were met then the king would provide protection from invasions, which were very common, and any uprising from other people within the kingdom. The first king that started this policing was King Alfred the Great, it was a type on internal policing. (NickersonRead MorePolice And Police : A New Criminal Justice System1520 Words   |  7 Pagesapproaches which term ‘targeted policing’ and that include hotspots policing, tackling repeat victimisation, focused deterrence (Khrn,2013).However, this essay we will only be discuss random patrol ,stop and search ,hotspots policing and focused deterrence. It will also identify some of the advantages and disadvantages of these mechanisms and to what extent they are functional and how they could b e developed. To be able to understand the developments of police and policing it is better to define eachRead MorePolicing And The Policing System1850 Words   |  8 PagesPolicing and the way that it operates is a regularly changing system, that develops and adapts depending on the situations and environment that it is involved in. policing, as a whole is a function that is dependent on legislations and laws brought in by the English legal system. with each new piece of legislation comes new policies, procedures and systems that change the way that the police are able to function. Throughout this discussion, you will be able to see an analysis of how the policingRead MoreHistory of Law Enforcement Systems2193 Words   |  9 Pagesindividuals were chosen within each community to take charge of catching criminals. The statue of Winchester set up a parish constable system which enacted in 1285.There is a thing called watchmen who enforce the criminal law and they are also responsible for lighting street lamps and putting out fires. It wasn’t until the eighteenth century when an organized police force evolved in England. In the mid 18 centuries Henry Fielding which who was a novelist and his brother sir John fielding led efforts toRead MoreThe History Of Early Law Enforcement2794 Words   |  12 Pagesefforts many were seen to be largely inadequate to maintain order. As time went on many things went on to change law enforcement for the better. In 1829 in London Sir Robert Peel established the first modern, non military police force. New York City’s police department was established in 1844. New police units in this time were starting to wear uniforms and carry guns, they also became common in many cities. (â€Å"Careers In Focus 9†) As time moved so did the evolution of our law enforcement system. This

The Offense Principle Essay Research Paper The free essay sample

The Offense Principle Essay, Research Paper The Offense Principle The Offense Principle claims that single autonomy is justifiably limited to forestall violative behaviour. I believe that the Offense Principle provides the right autonomy bound n rules that the province should raise. The province should forestall behaviour that causes shame, embarrassment and uncomfortableness from adult stuff and Nutmeg States. There are three conditions that are typically understood to be portion of the Offense Principle. The first status provinces that behaviour must be significantly violative. A individual bubbling in populace is non violative plenty to be limited under this status. But a adult male urinating as he walks down the street is significantly violative and should be limited. The 2nd status provinces that the behaviour must be violative to about everyone. This is an of import status because I think that if merely a few people find something violative, does non represent the act to be limited. Many people may believe that person picking his olfactory organ in public is violative but non about everyone believes this act to be violative, hence, this act could non be limited. A adult male masturbating in public is violative to about everyone, hence, this act should be limited. The concluding status provinces that an violative act should be limited if you have to travel out of your manner to avoid the act. An # 8220 ; grownup # 8221 ; bookstore incorporating adult stuff should non be limited because one does non hold to travel out of their manner to avoid the shop. They merely merely make non come in into the shop. But a adult male and adult female holding sex on a bench should be limited because one would hold to keep from looking in certain waies to avoid seeing the violative act. I believe that erotica in public should be banned. This includes shops that sell adult stuff. Alternatively, these magazines and other adult stuffs should be kept individually in a private room, where you must be an grownup to enter and purchase stuffs. Pornographic stuff that is kept in private either to be sold or to be viewed or used in the privateness of one s place, should non be banned. I see perfectly no ground why a individual should non be allowed to see adult stuff in the privateness of their ain place. Some people may reason with me and state that the Harm Principle should be invoked by the authorities. They may state that erotica increases the likeliness of injury. And I slightly agree. I am certain that some injury has occurred because of erotica. But injury has besides occurred because of intoxicant, nationalism, cigarettes andXreligion. These things are non banned so neither should pornography. There is even proof that coffin nails are harmful and they are still non banned. There is no cogent evidence stating that erotica causes people to make things that they usually would non make. Pornography can be titillating, which is something that is designed to bring forth sexual rousing. Person may reason that it is incorrect to bring forth sexual rousing. But people are given the right of freedom of look. Pornography can be considered an art. There are many celebrated creative persons and images that include bare organic structures that could be considered erotica. If erotica is abolished, these great graphicss would hold to be destroyed. Some people may reason with me and believe in the Principle of Legal Moralism, which states that single autonomy is justifiably limited to forestall immoral behaviour. This rule seems to coerce ethical motives on people. Every individual has his or her ain ethical motives. If this rule was passed by statute law, rights of people would be taken off because of ethical motives of others that are different from their ain ethical motives. Gambling ( in some provinces ) and homosexual relationships are illustrations of rights that may be taken off because of the Principle of Legal Moralism. Many people argue that erotica feats adult females. Equally long as these adult females are non forced into take parting in the adult stuff and it is of their ain free will, there is no ground to wholly restrict erotica like some people would wish to make. A major job with the complete restriction of erotica is that the stuff is traveling to be made, whether it is made lawfully or illicitly. If erotica is banned, an full black market would get down up and the authorities would non hold any ordinance at all. The Offense Principle provides for the above jobs that people find with erotica. I believe that erotica is socially good. Pornography provides pleasance without bring forthing important injury. It provides sex by placeholder for lonely and disadvantaged people. Pornography cuts down on condemnable behaviour by supplying a release of tensenesss by utility satisfactions. It gives people a manner to let go of their sexual desires that might otherwise be harmful to others if non released. The rule protects nonconsulting grownups from violative shows of erotica. Equally long as I am non forced to see erotica or non warned in progress, I have no job with people watching or taking portion in something they enjoy. It is similar to single sexual penchant. I have non a individual job with homosexual life styles every bit long as I am non forced into anything. Pornography will neer be abolished every bit long as it is regulated and non forced on people. Peoples must esteem others, and if there is respect than there should be non jobs with erotica. 332

Seven Eleven Japan Essay Example

Seven Eleven Japan Essay Study question 1. A convenience store chain attempts to be responsive and provide customers what they need, when they need it, where they need it. What are some different ways that a convenience store supply chain can be responsive? What are some risks in each case? 2. Seven-Eleven’s supply chain strategy in Japan can be described as attempting to micro-match supply and demand using rapid replenishment. What are some risks associated with this choice? 3. What has Seven-Eleven done in its choice of facility location, inventory management, transportation, and information infrastructure to develop capabilities that support its supply chain strategy in Japan? 4. Seven-Eleven does not allow direct store delivery in Japan but has all products flow through its distribution center. What benefit does Seven-Eleven derive from this policy? When is direct store delivery more appropriate? 5. What do you think about the 7 dream concept for Seven-Eleven Japan? From a supply chain perspective, is it likely to be more successful in Japan or the United States? Why? 6. Seven-Eleven is attempting to duplicate the supply chain structure that has succeeded in Japan in the United States with the introduction of CDCs. What are the pros and cons of this approach? Keep in mind that stores are also replenished by wholesalers and DSD by manufacturers. 7. The United States has food service distributors that also replenish convenience stores. What are the pros and cons to having a distributor replenish convenience stores versus a company like Seven-Eleven managing its own distribution function? We will write a custom essay sample on Seven Eleven Japan specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Seven Eleven Japan specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Seven Eleven Japan specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Women in novel Essay Example For Students

Women in novel Essay Hindu goddesses are traditionally conceived to be strong figures,even indomitable ones. By comparing his female characters to these goddesses, Rushdie attributes them with a force of character.He perceives India as a matriarchy, where maternal power, energy, and love is the means to social cohesion. (Jennifer Takhar)Durga, the washerwoman who had nursed Saleems son in his sickness, is an important figure in Saleems life. As we understand from the description of her (pg:445), she is a powerful woman who is an opposite image of the docile Indian woman. She may be representing the power that is repressed in these women. Saleem fears her as she symbolizes the hope that he has lost. Her name, even before I met her, had the smell of new things; she represented novelty, beginnings, the advent of new stories, events, complexities, and I was no longer interested in anything new. (pg:445) She is again the one who foretold Saleems death. So, these kind of women as witches inspired fear in Salee m. We will write a custom essay on Women in novel specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Like Durga, Parvati-the-witch, who is Shivas wife, is another important figure. She causes in creating their child which is necessary for the continuation. Mother was seen as a nation. There is parallelism between continuity of nation through having children. Women have roles in productivity; that is why they are important. Parvati acts as somebody restoring order. She helps Saleem return to Delhi by using her magic basket, making him invisible. Parvati reminded Saleem of things he had tried to put out of his mind. (pg:389) So, we can say that she influenced Saleem as other women, as being representator of a nation. When we come to other women in Saleems life, for example Mary Pereira. She is the one who gives birth to Saleem; she creates him in both biological sense and metaphorical sense. She changes the babies and at the same time fates. Out of guilt, she attaches her whole destiny to Saleems life by becoming his caretaker.She also influences the class positions of the babies. (Saleem and Shiva) The pickling process which is a process of preservation, linked to preservation and continuity of traditions metaphorically, is significant. This food process is under control of females and it is an important source of authority and identity for the women. It is the preservation of the past. The womens way is practical, oral; it is a way of transmitting tradition we can say. Pickling process is only a symbol of this transmission. So, Mary P., like the other women in Saleems life has great effect on Saleem. Reverend Mother, on the other hand, who is the bride behind perforated sheet turns out to be the head of the family. She is also very powerful. She becomes the head after the marriage. She preserves identity of the nation. She is like the other women; asserts her authority in cooking. Her food, for example, revives Ahmed Sinai after freeze. She uses food as battleground where she wages her battles against her husband. (W. Glasgow Philips 92) We see the monitoring of food, so simple and practical but can influence men. It is this simplicity of mothers, their affection influnces Saleem. To Saleem women, like India, is nothing without its past. no escape from past acquaintance. What you were is forever who you are. (pg:368) And this connection to past is through these women. They are the ones who create nation and preserve it like the pickles. Amina, Saleems mother, changes and influences his life also. He sees her naked in the bathroom and witnesses her unfaithfullness on the phone. All this causes him to have some kind of explosion in his head and that explosion causes him to hear voices in his head. It is the birth of Midnights Children. He sees mother, motherland, the nation-India-,earth is not pure as he identifies women with the nation. Identification is between the country and the body of the woman, especially mother. He sees the body of woman as the country and he should protect country as well as honor of mother. But seeing her motheris not pure, the discovery of impurity in mother will bring crisis in his head- the multiplicity of nation-. The body is homogeneous as anything. Indivisible, a one-piece suit, a sacred temple, if you will. It is important to preserve this wholeness. (pg:237)Padma,whom Saleem exchanges opinions about how to tell a story is another significant figure. While he writes, his illiterate li stener, Padma, sits beside him showing her emotional responses to his stories, questioning their credibility. When Padma shows interest on her face, Saleem speeds on telling his story. She keeps questioning what is next?. She encourages him to write which is the only gift Sallem has for continuity, preservation. Padma is important as a caretaker; providing warmth, food, human kindness to Saleem. She is India for him, connected to all country as a mother. She has earthly characteristic. She emerges as an earthly, stable, real, practical woman that ties her to the motherland. That is why, according to me, she is the most important character in this novel. But although she is a preserver for Saleem, she unwillingly poisons him by feeding him with things she thinks hell be ni love with her. It is a poison which is also a cure; both nourishing, reviving, perserving and also poisonous,destructive. She is like India creating him. And ceratinly Padma is leaking into me. As history pours out of my fissured body, my lotus is quietly dripping in, with her down-to-earthery, and her paradoxical superstition, her contradictory love of the fabulous (pg:38)In short, women had important role in Saleems life. They are the mothers, the creators of men. If they were not on earth, no continuity would take place; there would be no world. Saleem is afraid of them also because although they create him as nation creates men; they also prepare the fall of men. They both give significance and at the same time destroys. They can take away the identity as in Saleem. .u4be721bce5638b3546b40f4f9fa2b3ba , .u4be721bce5638b3546b40f4f9fa2b3ba .postImageUrl , .u4be721bce5638b3546b40f4f9fa2b3ba .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u4be721bce5638b3546b40f4f9fa2b3ba , .u4be721bce5638b3546b40f4f9fa2b3ba:hover , .u4be721bce5638b3546b40f4f9fa2b3ba:visited , .u4be721bce5638b3546b40f4f9fa2b3ba:active { border:0!important; } .u4be721bce5638b3546b40f4f9fa2b3ba .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u4be721bce5638b3546b40f4f9fa2b3ba { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u4be721bce5638b3546b40f4f9fa2b3ba:active , .u4be721bce5638b3546b40f4f9fa2b3ba:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u4be721bce5638b3546b40f4f9fa2b3ba .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u4be721bce5638b3546b40f4f9fa2b3ba .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u4be721bce5638b3546b40f4f9fa2b3ba .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u4be721bce5638b3546b40f4f9fa2b3ba .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u4be721bce5638b3546b40f4f9fa2b3ba:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u4be721bce5638b3546b40f4f9fa2b3ba .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u4be721bce5638b3546b40f4f9fa2b3ba .u4be721bce5638b3546b40f4f9fa2b3ba-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u4be721bce5638b3546b40f4f9fa2b3ba:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Stranger Essay ThesisSaleem is the nation also as he creates; he writes. He tries to create meaning and form. And women help Saleem create himself, his identity like the nation does to all human beings. But it can also unmake people. The women try to hold on to past and keep it safe as past is a country from which we have all migrated; that its loss is part of our humanity. (Imaginary Homelands; Essays and Criticism 1981-1991. London: Granta Books, 1991) And this statement teaches the migrants that reality is an artifact and it doesnt exist until it is made and it can be made well or badly, and it can also be unmade, like women did to Saleem. When we come to the question of why White Castle didnt give place for women might be because the childhood theme ook great importance in the book. For example, the grandfathers looking for his childhood at homeThat is why it gives much space for the child king. There is the continuous looking for the simple, untouched ide before recognizing sexuality, leaving the mother, to have potency. There is again the fear to lose the pureness, wholeness of the childhood. And because of it there are the speeches in this novel that tells about the childhood naughtiness. It is like the fear of the child. And if we relate this to the women ,as we said women are the creators and they are connected to past, there is no escape from it and when it involves naughtiness and things like a child fears. So, as the Hodja did, there is both an escape from it and at the same time looking for the past innocence. That is why there is no sexuality with women in the book. As they are feared, they can unmake men. T he dangerous influence of women is not given permission in the book; only limited and innocent ones are implicitly told. Consequently, women and sexuality are barred and not given much importance as in Midnights Children happened the contrast. According to me, it is because it is known how influential women are and can be dangerous in creating. And when you want something wholly new and create your own identity, as the characters in White Castle wanted, it is not a good idea to include women and sexuality. The women can bring fall of men while creating them. Bibliography:

MARKETING AND PROMOTING A FILM essays

MARKETING AND PROMOTING A FILM essays A film is the source of most of all our comedy and entertainment which all sorts of ideas come from. One film inspires another and so on and so forth. Once a rough draft of a script has been written, the writer has to see a director who will forward the film to a production company (like the ones mentioned below) who will call some well known actors who will then look over the script and decide whether they feel that the script will bring them publicity and whether they are being given the right wage. Sometimes there is a whole cast of people. Like on the Oceans 11 set there was at least five famous film celebs. The script is used to show other potential buyers like COLUMBIA-TRISTAR, PARAMOUNT PUICTURES and UNIVERSAL STUDIOUS. they decide whether the film has potential or whether it will be a flop like some of the older forgotten films (THE LEPRECHAUN rings a bell doesnt it Jennifer Anniston?) Most of the people you see on serialized television e.g: Friends (most of the cast), Spin City (Michael J. Fox), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Sarah M. Gellar, Alyson Hannigan, Seth Green) have all been in a film as part of their debut on television. If you see somebody in a film and get to like their character and familiarize yourself with the person and when you see them on serialized TV you will watch it because you think that because the film was good, then the program might be just as good. Movies are also used to portray the things in life, which seem almost impossible or impossible completely, such as: Vampires, Werewolves, Goblins, Superheroes and so on. Once an actor or actress has approved the script, a contract is drawn up about how much the actor will be paid. Once the film has been approved by the actor, the film studio start with the production and have to set a location. They sometimes use open ...

ECOM AUTO BUSINESS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

ECOM AUTO BUSINESS - Essay Example Analyzing import Federal policy from the view point of agency’s interest and government’s interest will be important part of the study. The report will try to analyze ethical dilemma in terms of transparency, common interest and fairness to create sound argument to support Sara’s (V.P. of Sales for ECOM Auto) ethical dilemma. Finally the study will try to establish a valid recommendation by taking help of Nash equilibrium. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 1.0 Lobbying 5 2.0 Responsible Lobbying 6 3.0 U.S.A Trade Laws- Trader’s View 7 3.1 Import Quota 7 3.2 Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) 8 3.3 Voluntary Export Restraint (VER) 8 4.0 U.S.A Trade Laws- Government’s View 9 5.1 Ethical Dilemma 10 5.1.1 Fairness 10 5.1.2 Transparency 11 5.1.3 Common Good 11 6.0 Answer 2 12 6.1 Recommendation 12 6.1.1 Nash Equilibrium 12 1.0 Lobbying The exercise of lobbying comes in many forms in terms purpose and functionality. Although establishing theoretical definition o f the subject is a complex work but research scholars have tried to underline a theoretical concept of lobbying. They defined lobbying as an act to influence decision of government authority or legislators or public officials for or alongside a particular cause. The process comes in various formats. Various formats can be described in the following manner. 1- Submission of official responses to legislator or government over anticipated legislation. 2- Appointment of professional lobbyists to help the company to move forward in the lobbying process. 3- Participation of associations in membership process with other association in order to lobby for combined interests. 4- The association gets engaged in multi segment partnerships with other partners to promote higher values in lobbying condition. 5- The association creates campaigns in order to elect representative in the lobbying process. Common people or governments perceive lobbying as unethical strategic initiative while lobbying i n the field of business is common legitimate activity. Many of the business lobbying can be classified as against the common interest of people and often create hindrance in the way of sustainable development of society. Negative image about lobbying process is garnished by the absence of transparency in the process. Many companies use critical business legal jargons to define lobbying which ultimately creates barrier in understanding for common people. Stake holders and other interest groups do not equivalent influence over objectivity of lobbying process. Business communities are largely dependent on professional lobbyists in order to understand complex procedures of lobbying process. Complex lobbying process demands huge investment of capital and time in the process. 2.0 Responsible Lobbying Government or legislator acts as primary addressees for lobbying and must align the process with unbiased legal procedure in order to achieve sustainable development of the society. Governmen t can accomplish this by implementing rigorous gearstick against ‘improper and unethical influence’ to ensure that the discussion between business agency and them is aimed to achieve sustainable development of the society. Responsible lobbying is emerged as latest trend in the field of lobbying process. Companies use responsible lobbying process to construct successful long-standing relationships with public sector and civil society. Corporate and business agencies are trying to establish more visible and ethical lobbying process from the view point of public interest in order to gain trust from the majority of the society. Business agencies focus on various issues like creating sustainable social development for poor, managing environmental opportunities

MEDIEVAL WARFARE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MEDIEVAL WARFARE - Essay Example Certainly, masculinity is not exhibited only in terms of the nature of the combat, which generally involves brute force. Rather, critical aspects of the Full Metal Joust such as characterization continue to be an area where masculinity works most. Taking the season 1 of the Full Metal Joust as a case study, it would be noted that out of a total of 16 contestants, over 70 percent of the number were males (Froissart, 1346). This shows a preconceived knowledge and idea in the minds of the ordinary person on the street of how masculine medieval warfare was and thus the need to preserve it as a masculine venture. The second instance or example has to do with the fact that there is a general stereotype that depicts males as combative and agile in defense as compared to females. This stereotype has created a misconception that Full Metal Joust should be a thing for the males and that females should find themselves associated with certain less violent and combative ventures. Some pundits have linked the masculinity and stereotype involved in medieval warfare and other popular media to even the custom used by candidates, which they believe are always designed to appear masculine. This way, it is barely impossible to differentiate between a male and a female if they are both clad in their medieval warrior custom. In the whole idea or system of medieval warfare, it would be noted that much emphasis is given to some weapons over others. Technically, it could be said that this strategic approach has been taken due to the roles that selected weapons play in bringing about victory to warriors. To this effect, bow, arrow and spear have been given much attention whiles others like the sling have been sidelined. Two factors that could possibly account for reasons for this development has to do with the reaching ability of some of these weapons in the event of combat and the portability of the weapons for swiftness. On the reaching ability of

Role of Women in the Odyssey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Role of Women in the Odyssey - Essay Example He learnt most of his traits due to his encounter with different cultures and dangerous assignments. This evident in the story where the Greek army commander sends Odyssey to gather information from the Trojan camp, a task requires him to be brave and wise so that the Trojans do not to capture him. The adventure of the Odyssey has also had various challenges, most of which are posed by women. These ancient women in the story reveal the role of women through various encounters with the Odyssey. Women in the story have a great influence on the actions of men. The roles of women have been portrayed in the story where the immortal Calypso, the goddess of Calypso Island, is seducing Odyssey and his fellow warriors while on their mission on the island. She manages to do so by using her sweet melodious voice to capture the attention of the men on the island. She successfully does this and lures them closer to her home. She takes this advantage and turns some of them into swine. Luckily enough, Odyssey possessed a potion that reversed Calypso spell and used this chance to escape. Calypso falls in love with Odyssey and holds him captive on the island for about 18 years. This shows how women are used to seduce men even in present day situations. They can do anything to men to accomplish what they want to do. According to Homer, women use their beauty to put men in to temptations that is against the culture of ancient Greece (188). Calypso uses her immortal powers to prevent Odyssey from leaving the Island. After sometime Odyssey decides to return home to his wife Penelope but calypso does not agree to that. She uses her charms and manipulates Odyssey to stay on the island. The act of manipulation reveals how women can be scheming when they have the power over male gender. Women who become leaders by controlling the society can act as a hindrance to men who want to attain their dreams. Odyssey’s love to Penelope and his son Telemakho’s gives him the will to try overcoming the immortal Calypso for him to return home. Calypso is not aware of what would make Odyssey want to leave the immortal life and prefer the mortal life. She tries to relate her beauty to that of Penelope saying, â€Å"I think I can claim that I am not her inferior either in build or stature, since it is n ot likely that mortal women can challenge the goddesses for build and beauty† (Homer 24). According to Homer, calypso plays the role of a seductive monstrous woman who aims at destroying the society beliefs and culture. Penelope also portrays the role of women in caring for the family. She wanted Odyssey back as the father of her son. Women fights for the rights of their family when other women tend to come between them. The story reveals the role of women as wives and mothers. Penelope is a woman portraying the image of an ancient Greek woman. The role of a woman as a mother is evident where she has raised her son Telemakho’s until maturity even in the absence of Odyssey. Penelope being Odysseys wife she poses a unique character that reveals a strong female gender. After many years of people claiming that Odyssey was dead, Penelope did not lose the faith that one day his husband would come home. She encounters the challenge of many suitors trying to court her but her l ove for Odyssey kept them off.

Impact of Abusive Language in Hollywood Movies on Youth

Impact of Abusive Language in Hollywood Movies on Youth Research Question: Q. Does the abusive language in Hollywood movies change the speech/language behavior in the youth of Lahore? Rationale: The aim of this research is to examine the impact of abusive language used in Hollywood movies on youth of Lahore. This research is new to us because the trend of watching English movies among the youngsters has increased. And due to this they are effecting with the offensive language that is used in Hollywood movies. I selected the Hollywood movies because the issue pointed in this which seems to be quite little but leaving a very bad impact on our society specially the youth. Abusive language was never acceptable in any society but offensive language which was otherwise considered broadly acceptable was considered unacceptable by some when used too frequently. Dockterman (2014) notes that, â€Å"It’s not surprising thatâ€Å"the wolf of wall street† set a new recordsince the movie is all about excess: excessive hookers, excessive drug use and, of course, excessive swearing.† Whether children were likely to be watching or listening and, if so, what impact the language might have on them was is a key consideration. It is very interesting topic as it is attention seeking for the people. This research intends to find out that how much people are adopting such prohibited words and languages. I took this topic because I want to bring it to the frontline. I personally feel this topic interesting because I found lots of examples related to this in Pakistani society. People are considering it a part of high class and our youth is using such language to throw such impact that they belongs to high class society. And it becomes a part of being stylish and swag. Mail online (2014) notes that, â€Å"Television viewers are being deluged with foul language as swearwords and blasphemy become commonplace in Hollywood films. Media monitors counted the f-word 1,429 times in 60 movies shown on terrestrial TV in the first six months of this year. There were 827 uses of s*** as well as 221 exclamations of Jesus or Christ, which also offend many.† Hypothesis: H1: Abusive language in Hollywood movies changes the speech behavior in the youth of Lahore. Ho.: Abusive language in Hollywood movies does not change the speech behavior in the youth of Lahore. Literature Review: My research area includes the level of abusive behavior among the youth of Lahore. I picked some articles and existing work done on this topic which will help me to land at considered decisions about my research and to examine that what I have to find out of these existing literatures. First literature includes the notions of gendered language in action films which indicates that whether men use more swear words or women. Second literature includes that how Hollywood films promote the American culture among the audience. Third literature notes that the Hollywood movies are responsible for the behavioral changes that occur in the other cultures. Forth literature investigated that the offensive language on prime-time show and cable programs found that 9 out of 10 projects contained no less than one episode of profanity. These literatures are described in detail below. Marcus Midefelt (2013) notes that, â€Å"A few specialists said media depicts the truth and different says it reshapes the view of reality. This study examines this relationship by measuring the recurrence of three folk linguistic thoughts of gendered language in action movies. They chose ideas are Ladies talk more than men, Men swear more than ladies and Ladies utilize more label and pitch questions than men. The study demonstrates that male heroes produce the most astounding number of every examined variables. Then again, considering that the study additionally shows that male heroes talk more than their female partners; the higher creation of every examined variable may be a consequence of this. The technique used to accomplish this point is the quantitative system Content Analysis. The most unmistakable after effect of this study is that men create the most astounding number of each variable contemplated. In any case, the generation of contemplated variables in the middle of mal e and female heroes contrasts by generally the same rate for each variable. The generation of any mulled over variable by male heroes fluctuates between 62-66% of the aggregate events of the variable, including the quantity of lines articulated. This implies that the high number of studied variables expressed by male heroes is prone to be an aftereffect of male heroes articulating a greater number of lines than female heroes. (p.2) Wanwarang Maisuwong (2012) notes that, The Americans movies are seen in the America, as well as they are seen by the huge gathering of people the world over. Moreover, the American film firms overwhelm the majority of market share on the planet film industry. It appears that utilizing movies is the best mean for the America to pick up acknowledgment and kinship. Movies depict a smooth narrating and draw in the individuals to continue viewing from the earliest starting point until the end. In this paper, Researcher has chosen 30 Hollywood films from year 2001-2010, each of them won universal recompenses. He investigated the films on what are discriminating social qualities and political messages in every chose film that America tries to impart towards the world group of onlookers. He mostly centered around seven alternate points of view of society which appeared to be the most clear culture showed up in Hollywood motion pictures. In this study specialist has investigated the Hollywood film, Pearl Habor is a true to life talk motion picture where it contains both war and sentiment stories. Two young men grew up together, turned out to be great companions, and later experienced passionate feelings for the same lady. The film communicates the difficult of adoration for three individuals and the endure of American individuals amid the atrocity. He examined the accompanying focuses quickly Freedom of Expression, Nationalism, sexuality, Language, way of life and worth. At last he reasoned that Expected Cultural Effects of Hollywood Movies to the Audience is Language Effect, subsequent to presenting to the motion pictures, the individuals may swing to speak American intonation, they might likewise receive those American slangs and languages to their day by day life.† (P.2-4) Birkel, J., Lee, S. Oirya, J. (n.d) explains in his study, â€Å"That study was built on the theory of Americanization that postulates that American movies have a profound impact on certain aspects other cultures. It focused on examining the international opinions of people who watch Hollywood movies, as well as the extent to which and ways in which they felt these movies affected their culture and them as individuals. It relied on convenience sampling from international college students, studying in the United States. The main implications of this study, as it are explained in the results that Hollywood movies are responsible for the behavioral changes that occur in the other cultures. Hollywood’s ability to Influence sexual behavior creates an issue that affects the world by influencing the rise and fall of sexual behaviors. Along with sexual and violent media, some groups and individuals within the United States are concerned with the frequency in which profanity is used i n Hollywood movies. This issue can be examined from a broader point of view as well, assuming that if a culture’s language is affected by Americanization, then trends in America’s use of profanity will naturally be part of that. So the people in other cultures may be correct in assuming that America’s influence results in the decline of their culture.† (p2-4) Kaye, B. K. Sapolsky, B. S. (2009) notes that, â€Å"This examination of offensive language on prime-time show and cable programs found that 9 out of 10 projects contained no less than one episode of profanity, and viewers were presented to 12.58 cuss words every hour in 2005. Viewers of show projects were presented to somewhat under 10 questionable words every hour contrasted with 15 words-every hour on link programs.† (P.1-3) Offensive language occasionally has been slipped into programs subsequent to the beginning of TV, however beginning in about the late 1980s, coarse language. The primary focus of this research is to extend earlier published work by Kaye and Sapolsky (2001, 2004) by examining whether cable-delivered programs contain more instances of profanity than broadcast shows. Overall, 9 out of 10 programs on both broadcast and cable television contained at least one indecent word or 330 phrase. Risquà © language was spoken nearly once every 5 minutes. Just over one- half of objectionable words were of the mild type (i.e., damn, hell). These findings are similar to previous studies that show the proportion of profanity represented by mild-other words has steadily decreased; 80.7% in 1990, 75.0% in 1994, 68.6% in 1997, 60.6% in 2001 (Kaye Sapolsky, 2004) indicating a gradual coarsening of 335 language spoken in prime-time. Overall, this study contributes to the issue of verbal indecency on television, especially in its comparison of broadcast to cable programs. While offended viewers and lawmakers are insisting that the FCC more strongly penalize broadcast stations for airing programs that contain verbal indecency, they, along with broadcasters, are 415 also wagging their fingers at cable programs, which they claim are even more vulgar. My research area would bring a new research in such a way that I mainly focused on language as it is a part of our culture and what is the impact of offensive language on the youth of Lahore. I am going to add to the existing literature in this way that my research is directed towards on a very essential part of our culture which is language and its impact on the youth of Lahore specifically. This research would help you to find out that what are the factors attracting students towards use of abusive language and to understand how viewers and listeners decide what is considered generally acceptable/unacceptable in terms of possibly abusive language. Research Methodology: The researcher has laid a research design to study the impact of abusive language on youth of Lahore, to find out the answers to the research questions and to investigate the formulated hypothesis. Research Design: Research design refers to the different methods through which the data is collected. For the study at hand the researcher has employed descriptive research that includes surveys and fact-finding enquiries of different sorts. The researcher applied one method to carry out the research. I will conduct surveys in order to find out some results regarding my research. Tools of Data Collection: The researcher used one method to collect the information and analyze the Impact of abusive language on youth of Lahore. I will use the method of questionnaires to conduct my research and asks people to fill these questions which include young people. Survey In the current study the researcher used the quantitative method i.e. survey for data collection. Questionnaires were used as the tool of survey. Quantitative method: I will use quantitative method which includes questionnaires in order to conduct my research. I will use Questionnaire method because it is an easy method to collect data from a large and massive audience. I can easily collect my data by asking young people to fill out the questionnaire paper. Population The population of the survey was selected by keeping the target audience in mind. And the target audience was youth in the universities of Lahore. Young people from universities are selected because they watch more Hollywood movies. Movies are more popular among the youth. Educated people especially young educated people are more likely watch Hollywood movies in their leisure time or for entertainment. . The university students are mature and make their own decisions so the effect measured on them will be realistically accurate. So the researcher chooses university students to determine the impact of abusive language used in Hollywood movies. Sampling The Purposive sampling is a form of probability sampling which the researcher used to collect the data from different universities. Variables Dependent: Lahore Youth’s exposure to Hollywood films. Independent: Level of abusive language. Ethics: My research will also include the ethics that I will ask permission from my population before taking information from them. My questionnaire has a section of ethics that will u allow me to take your few seconds in order to fill this questionnaire. As this research needs some personal information and language is also a part of personal thing that what is there language and what kind of swear words they use. So ethics are an important part of my research because it is matter of people’s personal behavior i.e. speech behavior. Bibliography: Birkel, J., Lee, S. Oirya, J. (n.d.). Hollywood Americanized Sex, Violence, Language and Body Images: A Study of Cultural Perceptions Regarding the Influence of American Movies on International Students. Retrieved on April 12, 2014 from www.lekrib.com/HollywoodHegemony.pdf Dockterman, E. (2014). The Wolf of Wall Streert Breaks F Bomb. Retrieved on April 6 , 2014, from Time.com: http://entertainment.time.com Kaye, B. K. Sapolsky, B. S. (2009). Taboo or Not Taboo? That is the Question: Offensive Language on Prime-Time Broadcast and Cable Programming. Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, 53(1)P1-3. Retrieved on April 23, 2014 from http://www.cci.utk.edu Midefelt, M. (2013). Sailors and Tentative Talk-a-lots: A Study of Folk Linguistic Notions of Gendered Language in Action Films. Unpublished P.H.D Thesis, University of Gothenburg. Retrieved on April 8, 2014 from https://gupea.ub.gu.se Mail Online (2014), Too much bad Language on TV.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-188713/Too-bad-language-TV.html#ixzz37JemGBN0 Maisuwong, W. (2012). The Promotion of American Culture through Hollywood Movies to the World Audience: A Threat to National Identity and Sovereignty. International Journal of Engineering Research Technology, 1(4)P2-4. Retrieved on April 12, 2014 from www.ijert.org

Adoption of E-Prescribing in Healthcare Organizations Essay -- Health

Electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) has the ability to improve the quality, safety and cost effectiveness of health care. Experts have predicted that e-prescribing could avoid over 2 million adverse drugs events annually, of which 130,000 are life-threatening. This report defines e-prescribing and the challenges that may be faced in adopting this system. E-Prescribing The eHealth Initiative defines e-prescribing as â€Å"the use of computing devices to enter, modify, review, and output or communicate drug prescriptions.† (Electronic Prescribing, n.d.) There are varying levels of e-prescribing systems ranging from Level 1 through Level 6. Level 2, which is a â€Å"stand-alone† application, enables providers to order medication electronically but does not include medical patient information. Level 6, which is the most sophisticated, is an integrated system which uses other electronic databases such as the Electronic Health Record (EHR), pharmacy, and Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) systems, which provide greater efficiency, patient safety and the largest return on the investment. The Medicare Part D prescription drug program more formally defines e-prescribing as: E-prescribing means the transmission, using electronic media, of prescription or prescription-related information between a prescriber, dispenser, pharmacy benefit manager or health plan, either directly or through an intermediary, including an e-prescribing network. E-prescribing includes, but is not limited to, two way transmissions between the point of care and the dispenser. This allows the physician to electronically access information regarding a patient’s drug benefit coverage, medication history (including adverse drug events), and to submit the pr... ...ful use incentives. HealthImaging. Retrieved January 23, 2012 from http://www.healthimaging.com/index.php?view=article&id=30707:nchs-more-physicians-applying-for Leavitt, M.O. (2007). Pilot Testing of Initial Electronic Prescribing Standards. Health Information Technology. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Retrieved January 23, 2012 from http://healthit.ahrq.gov/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=5554&mode=2&holderDispla yURL=http://wci-p Popovich, M. (2011, November). e-Prescribing Essentials: Get the Most Out of E-Prescribing. Practical Dermatology. Retrieved January 23, 2012 from http://bmctoday.net/practicaldermatology/2011/11/article.asp?f=e-prescribing-essentials-get-the-mo Wolper, L.F. (2011). Health Care Administration: Planning, Implementing, and Managing Organized Delivery Systems (5th ed.). Sudbury: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

Morality and Honesty Essay

The meaning of honesty is â€Å"truthfulness† Honesty is a great value which is recognized all over the world. A person is born with the quality of honesty but it is difficult to find a truly honest person. This â€Å"honesty† word is very much know to whole world but has less impact on the character main part of our society. The value of honesty is highest compliment for a person. An honest person can also be identified by his nature and behavior like sun. The sun is known to all by its light and energy. An honest man succeeds in life better than a dishonest man. He is trusted by the people, and respected for his moral character. A dishonest person may cheat some people some time, but not all the time. Today’s biggest gap in true sense is the honesty; which not strength properly in the young generation specially school student. It does not mean that; the taught is not in the schools but wan to draw the attention of the school teaching system. The school student must be impressed with honest practice rather than paying strong attention on the science subjects. This is one of the good values of our growing youngster kids and school student. In the future they will carry the nation on their feet. We all have to dictate the tremendous value of honesty to our kids from very beginning from their childhood. An honest man becomes morally strong and character is like a sharp sword made of stainless steel. Thus an honest man moves in the society freely like pure and sacred flower spreading sweet smell in all directions. But when a dishonest man is met on the road, people try to avoid his sight or company lest they should fall into his evil trap or get into some trouble for nothing. Today’s people forget the best policy, â€Å"honesty is the best policy†. One who remains honest all his life, honesty becomes his goodwill in the life time. It is honesty that leads him to reach the goal. He becomes fearless, straightforward, outspoken, and possesses clear conception of everything on earth; and hence he is capable of taking correct decision and giving faultless judgment in any matter. We have to realize the value of honesty otherwise social, economical balance will be lost. One day we answer our life before God. Thus his life becomes miserable.

Economics Airline Industry Essays

Economics Airline Industry Essays Economics Airline Industry Paper Economics Airline Industry Paper Part 1 The Characteristics Of The Airline Industry Preface Introduction The Primary Characteristics Competition Within The Airline Industry The Secondary Characteristics – The Tertiary and Quaternary Characteristics – Part 2 PESTEL Of The Airline Industry Conclusion References PART 1 The Characteristics Of The Airline Industry Preface Economics or Managing In The Global Environment, a subject everyone needs to be familiar with and most believe or think that they are, but at the end of the day, very few are competent and understand it’s deep meaning, intricacies and implications. These implications and meanings are for the Government, the people, the economy as well as for the observer ( a person observing the economy or industry in a foreign country ). I do have an economic background and therefore I understand the intricacies of all this and that a layman may find the perusal of economic charts or data statements confusing or ambiguous. Anyway that’s beyond the boundaries of this assignment. Having been given a free hand at choosing a business sector of my choice for this assignment and going on to highlight its key economic characteristics, the effect of the same on the sectoral development and paying particular attention to any global influences on this development, I shortlisted two sectors both from the leisure industry – hotels and aviation. Being deeply knowledgeable about both and having a keen interest on the subject made sense to me. For the purpose of this examined coursework assignment, we shall focus purely upon the aviation industry. The ECA guidance document states to mention, the geographical domain that you shall cover in this report. I am looking at the aviation industry on a world wide platform. I’m not looking at the United Kingdom or India or China specifically. Introduction – Not many inventions have changed how people live and experience the world as much as the invention of the airplane. It was the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur who on 17 th December 1903 changed the manner in which the world would travel forever. During both World Wars, government subsidies and demands for new airplanes vastly improved techniques for their design and construction. Following the World War II, the first commercial airplane routes were set up in Europe. Over time, air travel has become so commonplace that it would be hard to imagine life without it. The airline industry, therefore, certainly has progressed. It has also altered the way in which people live and conduct business by shortening travel time and altering our concept of distance, making it possible for us to visit and conduct business in places once considered remote [1] Air travel remains a large as well as growing industry. It facilitates the most vital process of economic growth, world trade ( free or restricted as the case might be ), international investment and tourism and is therefore key to the globalization taking place in many other industries. It makes boundaries smaller and shrinks national borders to almost make them seem non-existent from the sky at 35000 feet. The Primary Characteristics – Everyday thousands of aircraft go into the sky and come back onto terra firma. It’s like a process, it keeps repeating itself, thankfully successfully. But is it that simple. Is it only about passengers boarding, take off and being served an average meal with pride, landing, taxi and disembarking, immigration and collecting their baggage. No there’s a lot more to it. The key characteristics of the airline industry are several. There are micro as well as macro economic factors that affect the industry. It’s an industry that is quick to be hit by global events and slow to recover from them. The key economic characteristics of the airline industry are as follows The main feature of the airline industry is that it is not a monopoly or monopolistic competition but operates as an oligopoly. The reasons for the airline industry being an oligopoly according to a study done by Wells AT [2] are listed below – 1. High Barriers To Entry 2. There are few sellers in the market place 3. All airlines offer products and services of similar nature 4. Airlines enjoy substantial as well as major economies of scale 5. There is growth through merger 6. Airlines are mutually dependant on one another 7. Price rigidity and non – price competition 8. Price Transparency and collusion Having said that, it is now amply clear that airlines, whether full service carriers or low cost, short haul or long haul operate in an oligopoly. Competition Within The Airline Industry A key characteristic of an oligopoly is limited competition, collusion and interdependence within firms. In recent times, we have seen sworn public enemies colluding privately. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic coming together to fix the passenger fee for ‘fuel surcharge’ to the flier. The first to investigate were the Office for Fair Trade and after much investigation, the trial broke down on 10 th May 2010 due to discovery of certain e-mails. Last month it was revealed that Virgin Atlantic and Cathay Pacific might have illegally co-ordinated prices for passenger flights between London Heathrow and Hong Kong’s Chep Lap Kok airport between 2002 and 2006. [3] Airlines compete in several other ways as well. Ticket prices fluctuate and the earlier you purchase, the cheaper it is. Frequencies and timings of flights differ over sectors. With regard to timings, British Airways have the BA 26 and the BA 28 leaving Hong Kong for London within 15 minutes of each other. Virgin leaves at the same time. Cathay Pacific has two flights at the same time. That’s approximately 1630 seats over 2 hours. Some airlines fly differently configured aircraft to different cities ( British Airways 777’s to Mumbai and New Delhi have 4 classes while the 777’s to Chennai or Bengaluru are 3 class aircraft’s ). They compete over landing and departure slots and parking slots at busy airports such as Heathrow. One key reason for Lufthansa and Virgin wanting to purchase a carrier like BMI was simply it’s stronghold over slots at Heathrow, second only to British Airways. This would give the buyer real competitive advantage. Airlines also compete with different offerings or quality as well as quantity of offerings in both their ‘on the ground or before you board’ product and the product and service once on board. The availability of a loyalty programmes is also a point of competition and whether the airline belongs to an alliance like One World, Star Alliance or Sky Team. Again the alliances compete in the same way against each other via their members – the airlines. The recent proposed mergers between BA and AA is also one way airlines wish to come together to curb competition although I believe this to be stifling. The Secondary Characteristics – There are several characteristics of a lesser nature that affect the airline industry. They are unique, cannot be ignored and hence are listed as tertiary characteristics below – 1. Governmental Monetary Aid – Unlike most oligopolistic industries, various governmental systems have played key as well as direct roles in financing the growth and development of the airport-airways system. 2. Governmental Intervention – Besides finance, governments play a direct role in the aviation sector. There are rules and regulations put down by them that operators cannot violate. This ensures discipline in the skies. 3. High Operational Expenditure Airlines have to pay high salaries to several categories of staff, as they are highly skilled. Airlines require a skilled and specialized workforce. On the macro level, they are subject to high fuel prices and ever-rising ATF. 4. Sensitivity to Economic Conditions The airline industry is extremely sensitive to economic conditions. When there is a period of recession, people travel less and companies also cut back on executive travel or executives are downgraded a class. Sir Richard Branson said about a year ago that Upper Class ( Virgin’s brand name for their business class product ) takers were far less than previous years or as anticipated. The Tertiary and Quaternary Characteristics – Having outlined the main characteristics of the airline industry, we need to have a quick glimpse of the other characteristics that affect the industry from time to time – 1. High and Constant Equipment Requirements – Airlines need to constantly upgrade their product. It is not uncommon for airlines to change cabin and cabin layouts and launch all together new products every five years or so. Airlines also have to spend on equipment by purchasing new planes and getting rid of older ones due to safety and also because people are very conscious of what they fly or would like to fly. 2. Weather and Conditions Weather is ever fluctuating and unpredictable. Extreme heat, cold, fog and snow can shut airports, delay and cancel flights, which costs the airline money. The operating cost meter still ticks on while everything else is at a standstill. The volcanic ash is the most recent example that can be provided for the same. 3. The airline industry is a service industry. It is labour intensive and requires a lot of capital. You require high cash flows and looking at it purely financially, the payback period may be rather long. It is highly unionized ( perfect example British Airways ) and is also a seasonal business ( flights to tourist destinations and charters ). PART 2 Here we discuss how the characteristics discussed above have impacted upon the development of the sector during the recent past. I suggest that by doing a PESTEL analysis of the same, we shall amply exhibit our point of view. A PESTEL Analysis Of The Airline Industry – 1. The Political Factors There are several political factors that have impacted the industry, the main one being deregulation. As the market size has increased, economies of scale have also increased exponentially. Skies have been liberated. We have ‘open skies’ in many parts of the world. Ownership rules have been relaxed with the EU and USA forcing this through increasing the market size as well as capacity. Safety standards offered by airlines is also something that is now political. The Federal Aviation Administration and other regulatory bodies the world over keep a close look on airlines. Aircrafts, Airports and cabin crew all require certificates and checks, which is again in the political domain. 2. The Economic Factors In the recent past, it has been the economic factors that have impacted the development of aviation. There are economies of scale in production due to expanding market size. The recession has played a huge role. Airlines are definitely amongst the worst affected. They shall also be slow to regain altitude. Oil prices are another huge factor. Although the flier pays a part for this, the airline is definitely affected. When crude crossed USD 105 per barrel on 4 th March 2008 the airline industry was in a bad way. Fiscal and Monetary policies also play a part. Whenever, Governments decide to raise tax on domestic or foreign carries, it’s the passenger who bears the brunt and this does have a ricochet effect upon the airlines. When taxes are lowered, it’s the opposite effect obviously. Interested rates to financial institutions also affect airlines. When they lease aircrafts from organizations like ILFC, The International Lease Finance Corporation, interest has to be serviced. ILFC are amongst the largest owners of aircraft worldwide. Airlines do run into severe financial strife from time to time and most of them do rise. Sir Richard Branson said on his Facebook page approximately ten days ago that the way ahead for survival would be through mergers. You could say that it is the economic characteristics that have the most bearing at the moment 3. The Social Factors Events like 9/11 impacted the industry beyond measure. Security issues are unfortunately still prevalent. Airports safety authorities are discussing features like full body scans at airports to see if anyone has anything on them that could be destructive. The liquids ban still carries on, although there was some mention of The British Airport Authority planning to lift in the future [4]. All this does cause a reluctance to fly and aviation authorities and airlines need to create a confidence to fly once again. More recently, health issues like swine flu also made people not want to be in a closed environment for too long. 4. The Technological Factors Technology has also changed how we fly. E-Commerce and the Internet have put travel agents into a weaker position. You can book, pay and print your tickets online and then choose your seat and check in online. Leave your luggage at the baggage drop and avoid long queues. Certain airlines now pay no commission to travel agents thereby promoting their own website. British Airways did this to Indian travel agents two years ago. You also have sites like dealchecker. co. uk, tripadvsior. co. uk and kelkoo. co. uk that actually display fares and offers across selected airlines on your screen so you always might get the best or most suitable deal. Technological factors also refer to equipment. BA to quote Willie Walsh were in a fortunate position that Rod Eddington left them a fleet in good condition and they would not have to do anything in the short term. 5. The Environmental Factors These include new rules with regard to carbon emissions (while booking on ba. com you can pay a small fee to offset the carbon emissions of your seat), contrails and noise pollution. Example would be the FAA’s Environmental Policies. 6. The Legal Factors These include regulations with regard to ownership and control. Price fixing, collusion and cartels also come under this. Authorities have to constantly upgrade their rules to ensure that airlines don’t breach them and the passenger does not suffer. Conclusion It is evidently clear that global patterns and movements have a heavy impact on the aviation industry even though it operates in an oligopoly. The peaks and troughs of the world economies ever so clearly make the industry move the same way and as already said, it is much slower in recovery than other sectors or the economy in itself. The time we live in now is not favorable for the airline industry and they barely keep their heads out of water. In the coming years, the situation will be tougher for the airline industry if the global economic slowdown isnt over. There may be several factors for this condition. The global recession and the hike in air fuel are considered the major factors. The airline industry is a competitive market. There are various airlines providing flights all over the world. In the current recession period, all airlines are putting their best efforts to overcome this situation by providing cheap tickets for their customers with different holiday or business packages. So from the various key economic characteristics that affect the airline industry today, it is definitely the economic and technological characteristics that are the most important and affect the airlines the most. 2494 Words References – Below is the list of references. The important part of giving credit where it is due for information used by us to our benefit, which originally isn’t ours. [1] http://adg. stanford. edu/aa241/intro/airlineindustry. html [2] Digispace at University of Johannesburg [3] t. com/cms/s/0/8eed9770-4e3d-11df-b48d-00144feab49a. html [4] independent. co. uk/news/uk/home-news/airports-in-talks-to-lif tsecurity-ban-on-liquids-924491. htm - Top of Form Bottom of Form - Top of Form Bottom of Form - Top of Form Bottom of Form - Top of Form Bottom of Form

Parasitic Flatworms Essays - Parasitology, Digenea, Helminthiases

Parasitic Flatworms Essays - Parasitology, Digenea, Helminthiases Parasitic Flatworms INTRODUCTION Imagine going to the doctor for a simple check up. Sure you've had some minor problems- indigestion, lack of energy, weight loss, and a bit of gas- but that's not out of the ordinary....or is it? In most cases you would be correct...but today is your unlucky day. The doctor has just informed you that you have a tapeworm parasite. PARASITIC CHARACTERISTICS By definition, a parasite is an organism that lives either in or on another organism. Infected organisms that are carrying a parasite are called host organisms- or hosts. This parasitic relationship can vary from benign to harmful- and sometimes even fatal. There are two main types of parasites: endoparasites and exoparasites, however endoparasites will be the focus of this paper, and flatworms in particular. Endoparasites are parasites that live inside the host organism. Endoparasites that inhabit vertebrates or invertebrates live off the nutrients in the food host organisms eat as well as the tissue of the host. These parasites not only live in the cavities of hollow organs but can also live within the tissue. Endoparasites can range from microscopic in size to 25 feet or more in length. Many worms are antiparasitic. Some live in the host's digestive tract feeding off the host's blood. Others, such as trichinosis, enter the host through the digestive tract and then migrate throughout the body tissue. Most microscopic worms secrete toxins into the hosts blood stream which then circulates and often causes damage to surrounding systems and tissue. The life cycle of endoparasites is as varied as the parasites themselves. Some parasites are permanent fixtures in a host's body, while others only live within the host for a limited amount of time. For example, parasitic worms can live within a host for up to 30 years! The host not even being aware of this fact because there are little or no symptoms of the invasion. Not only are life cycles varied for parasites but the number of hosts they live in are as well. Sometimes parasites live in only one host for their entire life- known as autecious - while others change hosts- known as heteroecious. In relation to the life cycle of parasitic worms, there are also different reproductive methods. Many parasites do not reproduce within their host, or reproduce to a limited degree. They are more likely to reproduce eggs that enter another host before they develop in the final host. These parasites just use their fist host as an intermediatory step in completing their life cycle. The species schistosoma ( Refer to Figure 1 ) from the class trematoda is an example of such a parasite. These parasites go through a life cycle in which they use an invertebrate, usually a snail as an intermediatory host. ( Refer to Figure 1a ) FLATWORM CHARACTERISTICS Flatworms from the phylum Platyhelminthes, are parasites that live within the intermediatory host but usually complete their sexual maturity within a vertebrate. They are broken into three major classes: Turbellaria, the most primitive, free-living class that resides either in or on a host, they generally live in a marine environment. Trematoda which is the small parasitic flatworm ( most of which are called flukes) has disk like suckers which attach to the outside or internal organs of their host, and the class Cestoda which consist of the parasitic flatworm known as the tapeworm. ( Refer to Figure 2 ) Tapeworms have no true digestive tract, therefore they live inside the digestive tract of vertebrates and some invertebrates, absorbing food through their body wall. They latch onto the walls of their host's digestive tract with suckers and hooks, located at their head, which is called a scolex. The phylum platyhelminthes are one of interest when discussing parasitic flatworms that in fect vertebrates and invertebrates. INFECTION Humans and animals are in continuous contact with microorganisms, because of this relationship there are numerous ways in which infection of flatworms can occur. Organisms that transmit parasites are known as vectors. Some vectors transmit parasites when they are eaten by the hosts. An example of this would be a flea eaten by a dog or cat. When the animal eats the flea, the immature form of the tapeworm emerges from the fleas body and later develops

Evaluate Submission Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Evaluate Submission - Assignment Example The participating students were needed to develop a training prototype. The participants’ aims depend on the outcome of the instructional training; individuals were required to carry out a step by step framework of tasks directed at meeting the objectives and goals of the training (William & Rothwell, 2006). The modified version of the evaluation instrument provides the instructor with an opportunity to evaluate the training materials and the effectiveness of the entire training package by incorporating distinct and measurable outcomes. This method also creates a framework of identifying any flaws in the training program. Consequently, improvements and adjustments to the course curriculum can be implemented based on the results of the training program developed by the participants (Aris, 2000). The failure of participants to effectively provide a framework of the working of the new concepts and theories learnt from the training program would be viewed as a total failure. They should be able to set clear goals and directions as a result of new knowledge earned through the training prototype. Inability on the part of participants to incorporate the steps learnt from the program and be able to achieve desired goals shows the incompetence aspect of the overall framework of the training program. The inability of the participants to put to test and practice what they have gained from the training program is evidence of the flaws present in the training prototype, or the participants may not be able to comprehend the information given to them. The training prototype should be redesigned and the methods used to convey information should be examined and evaluated. Inability on the part of the student to outline some of the theories used in the training program may be as a result of poor reading skills. The training program should ensure participants understand the concepts used and are able to comprehend them. The inability of the students to comprehend the

Ryanair Airline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Ryanair Airline - Essay Example Ultimately; when employees are happy, they tend to work better and produce good results increasing the productivity of the firm and making it more valuable for stakeholders (Nishii, Lepak & Schneider, 2008). The effectiveness of the staff is however not something that happens automatically and management must be sure to provide the right mix of elements and conditions so that their staff can be both motivated to work efficiently and feel valued and appreciated. To this end, the firm needs must put in place a variety of factors such as social corporate responsibility, reward schemes as well as treating them in an ethical and protecting from them from exploitation. In the Airline industry, CRS is very important in the airline industry since it is one of the main ways they make name for themselves in in the eyes of both the general population and their clients (Coles, Dinan & Fenclova, 2009). The subject of this paper is Rynair airline which will be examined in the context of its intera ction with the staff with attention to the nature of the relationship and making recommendations on how the situation can be improved. However before endeavouring to make the changes it is important that their effect on the overall productivity of the firm is always taken to account to avoid compromising the interests of the customers. To be successful a firm must be treat its customers well, which as aforementioned makes them the most important stakeholder, when customers are dissatisfied with the quality of service, they will in most cases leave for the competition. Unfortunately, this does not necessarily apply to employees sometimes a firm can treat them badly with the intention of improving the firms bottom line and actually succeed. This is because employees cannot leave as easily as customers given that jobs are not very easy to come by and some will sacrifice their happiness and in some cases even dignity for the sake of the job. It is

Liberty of Conscience and Individuality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Liberty of Conscience and Individuality - Essay Example He might have put much focus and contribution in his own country for his fellow countrymen, but this has influenced leadership of nations across the globe. The liberty of every person is an essential factor for governance; as one is able to demand their right as well as play a role in the way they are governed by freedom of speech and demonstration. In this essay am solely going to expound on what Mill advocated for in his quest for liberty in his country as its written in his book On liberty. Mill had a strong believe on the liberty of an individual and had his strong points to back his reasoning at such a time when many governments were transitioning and locked out any idea of a person trying to criticize or influence other citizens. One of his greatest opinions was on the fact that there should be different experiments of living. This was based on the fact that human beings are flawed in their way of acting and reasoning, but this should not be a determinant of what they could be permitted to do or not to do. He argued that opinions of any individual should be done in action as long they did not interfere with the lives of others around them. To him as long a person’s opinions could be freely formed and expressed, so should be his actions on the same opinion. According to Mill societies had to factor this opinion in action the same way they had considered it just as an opinion. He stated that if an individual chooses to follow his opinion in what he/ she believes is right, they should be allowed to put into action. Actions meant that an individual could do whatever he/ she values to be right and justified as long as they never complicate the lives of others around them. According to Mill, the process of taking opinions into another level which was action had to be acceptable by the fact that a number of characters about an individual are not likely to harm others around him/

Decalogue is no longer relevant Essay Example for Free

Decalogue is no longer relevant Essay With reference to other aspects of human experience, explore the view that the teaching of the Decalogue is no longer relevant. Justify your answer. [15] The Decalogue could be considered irrelevant because it belonged to a different era and it cannot address the complex moral dilemmas of modern life, such as abortion and IVF. It is hard to apply absolutist statements such as ‘do not kill’ to the unborn, due to the debate surrounding when life actually begins. Furthermore, the Decalogue was addressed to the nation of Israel. God chose Israel. The one thing about which the Jews are absolutely sure is that they are the chosen people: that in some way or other they specially and uniquely belong to God. This makes it irrelevant for other cultures. Morality is often relevant to culture. For example, in some countries such as Saudi Arabia stoning people may be seen as moral, yet most Western countries would disagree. You cannot expect one moral code to be relevant worldwide. In our modern age of pluralism and secularism, the commandments seem very negative, as they are predominated by prohibitions. As presented by Moses, however, and taken as a whole, they are primarily religious. Relevant to Judeo-Christian believers, not so much to others. And, really, we didnt need the god of Moses to tell us its wrong to commit murder, steal, and commit perjury. That is, or should be, common sense. And societies not based on Judeo-Christian principles have managed to recognize this without the help of Moses. So, to protect our constitutional rights, I have to say that the ten commandments are irrelevant to modern secular society, but may have relevance within the confines of certain religious organisations. On the other hand, the Commandments can continue to inform moral decision making. Religious or not, society would greatly benefit if people did not kill, steal or commit adultery. The original settlers in America based their laws upon the Ten Commandments, and Samuel Adams Father of the American Revolution, Signer of the Declaration – wrote, In the supposed state of nature, all men are equally bound by the laws of nature, or to speak more properly, the laws of the Creator. Pope Francis encouraged people to embrace â€Å"the art of living through the Ten Commandments. † The principles of loving God and your neighbour remain relevant: â€Å"This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome† (1 John 5:3). The Ten Commandments were essentially a summary of the entire Old Testament law. Nine of the Ten Commandments are clearly repeated in the New Testament (all except the command to observe the Sabbath day). Obviously, if we are loving God, we will not be worshipping false gods or bowing down before idols. If we are loving our neighbours, we will not be murdering them, lying to them, committing adultery against them, or coveting what belongs to them. The Ten Commandments are the very basis of Christian morality. According to S Michael Houdmann, â€Å"The purpose of the Old Testament law is to convict people of our inability to keep the law and point us to our need for Jesus Christ as Saviour. † Furthermore, the Ten Commandments remind us to slow down. We live in an age of 24/7 connectedness, especially to our jobs. Research shows that longer workweeks are associated with a decline in physical and mental health. The third commandment reminds us that the Sabbath is a needed respite and, as one Jewish rabbi put it, a â€Å"celebration† and a chance to connect with family. To conclude, the Decalogue remains relevant to Christians but not general society. According to Nick Spencer of the Guardian, the average Briton can quote four of the Ten Commandments from memory. Some 6% of people know all 10 from memory, and six of the Ten Commandments are deemed relevant by a majority of people (sabbath, no other gods, no graven images, and taking Gods name in vain all missed the cut). This suggests that the Decalogue is at least partially relevant to most people.

Essay --

Film Critic Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Just like most well received novels Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close has its own film adaptation by Stephen Daldry. It is just as impressive as the book itself, keeping the main storyline which is the best a film adaptation should do but in the other hand it has some changes that are very hard to go unnoticed. The cast is probably the main reason for the great result of the film. For the main roles Daldry went for award-winning actors such as Sandra Bullock, Tom Hanks and Max von Sydow who couldn’t have done a greater job at playing their characters. Sandra as Linda Schell played very well the distance Oskar feels she has to him, as well as the difficulty we can see in the book that she’s going through. Also Tom Hanks, who perfectly fit the image of an intelligent man who chose his family and family business over a more appropriate education for his level. However the big star is of course Thomas Horn who played the part of Oskar Schell. The talented young actor’s performance simply unbelievable, it is hard to believe how easily he played such a dramatic story. The screenwriters did a good choice maintaining the storyline: Oskar finds the key in his father’s closet in an envelope which has â€Å"Black† written on it, inside a blue vase and desperately starts an expedition in NYC to find the lock that fits the key. So far so good, however the three-narrators perspective we have in the book that’s gives the story an exciting dynamic, is completely ignored and we have Oskar as the only narrator of the story. The movie is told from Oskar’s point of view but it still is very poor in what refers to his longs internal monologues that are seen in the book. Another point that has been igno... ... on his emotional response, combined with the same melancholic music every time. However, the melancholy of the song would always change into violent, loud, confusing notes whenever Oskar was outside on the streets facing his fears. Here the use of various points of views from Oskar’s perspective was explored. Extreme close ups on objects like screws were often used to demonstrate Oskar’s panic. Although all the changes which are necessary but still bothers the readers of the original work, the film contained the same melancholy and excitement in the story. We learn in both works that the number of people who leave is high, but the one who stay is even higher and everyone has their own story and sadness to share. The filmic adaptation intensifies the literary work, and both of them can be studied and compared side by side and still have their own particular charm.

Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 65~67

65 Down to the Promised Land Malink joined Tuck on the flight deck and tried to work the flight officer's harness around his belly as Tuck released the ground brakes and the jet started rolling. The two fighters did another pass overhead, one of the pilots warning Tuck not to attempt to take off. â€Å"You forced me down,† Tuck said into the headset mike. â€Å"What more do you guys want?† He rammed the throttles to maximum. They either had enough runway or they didn't. What was certain was that he wouldn't know in time to stop. They were going into the ocean or into the sky and that was that. The flaps were down for maximum lift, which would use three times as much fuel as a regular takeoff, but that was a problem to deal with once they were in the air. He looked at the ocean ahead, then at the airspeed indicator, then at the ocean ahead – back and forth, waiting, waiting, waiting for the airspeed indicator to reach the point where the plane would lift. He was twenty knots short of takeoff speed when the end of the runway disappeared from view and he started his pull up. The rear wheels of the great plane grazed the water as it lifted into the air. Tuck heard what he hoped was a cheer coming from the back of the plane, but there was a distinct possibility that he was hearing collective screams of terror. He had just lifted off with three hundred and thirty-two people who had never flown before. Tuck thought of Sepie, who would have started her first plane ride two hours ago. â€Å"Where are we going?† Malink asked. He was trying to compose himself, but when Tuck looked at him, he saw that the old chief's eyes were as wide as saucers. â€Å"A place called Costa Rica,† Tuck said. â€Å"You ever heard of it?† Malink shook his head. â€Å"Vincent tells you to take us there.† â€Å"No, it was my idea, actually.† â€Å"There is plenty cargo on Costa Rica?† Couldn't say, Malink, but the climate is nice and there's no extradition.† â€Å"That is good?† Malink said, as if he had the slightest idea what extradition was. Tuck admired the old chief. He was here because his god told him to be here. He had just made a decision that would change the history of an entire population, and he had done it on faith. Tuck set the autopilot and crawled out of the pilot's seat. â€Å"I'm going back to make sure everyone is strapped in. Don't touch anything.† Malink's eyes went wide again. â€Å"Who is flying the plane?† Tuck winked. â€Å"I think you know.† He turned and headed down the steps to check on his passengers. Pushed to his limit and no little bit frightened, Sebastian Curtis sneaked up on his wife, who was in full tantrum, and injected her in the thigh with a syringe full of Valium. She turned and gave him a good shot to the jaw before she started to calm down. He caught her by the shoulders and backed her into the office chair in front of the computer. â€Å"Don't worry,† he said, â€Å"Nomura is on his way back with the Lear. We'll be long gone before anyone can get here.† â€Å"How did he do it?† Beth's voice was weak now, trailing off at the end. â€Å"I don't know. I'm surprised he's even alive. We'll be fine. We have plenty of money. Not as much as we'd hoped, but if we're careful†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"He turned them against me,† she said. â€Å"My people†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She didn't finish. Sebastian stroked her hair. The clinic door opened and Mato came inside carrying his Uzi. â€Å"Phone,† he said. â€Å"No,† Sebastian said. â€Å"I've already called Japan. The Lear is on its way. Now give us some privacy.† Mato threw the bolt on the Uzi and said something in Japanese. Sebastian didn't move. Mato dug the barrel of the gun into the doctor's ribs. â€Å"Phone,† he said. Sebastian picked up the receiver that was connected to the satellite and handed it over. â€Å"Out,† Mato said. Sebastian helped Beth to her feet. â€Å"Come on. We have to do as he says.† Beth let him lift her to her feet, then she pointed a finger at Mato. â€Å"You can kiss your Christmas bonus good-bye, ninja boy. That's it.† Sebastian dragged her through the door and helped her across the com-pound to her bungalow. Inside he lay her on the bed. Getting her out of the surgical greens was like trying to undress a rag doll. She babbled inco-herently the whole time, but did not fight him. When he turned to leave the room, two of the guards were standing in the doorway grinning. One of them motioned for him to leave the room. The other stared hungrily at Beth. â€Å"No,† Sebastian said. He stepped into the doorway and pushed aside the barrels of their weapons. They stepped back in unison and raised the Uzis. Sebastian stepped toward them. They took another step back. He was a full foot taller than either of them. â€Å"Get out,† he said and he took another step. They stepped back. â€Å"Out. Get out. Or do you want to lose all your fingers?† He'd found the magic words. The people they worked for were notorious for taking the finger joints of those who disobeyed. The guards looked at each other, then backed out the door that led into the compound. One of them hurled a curse in Japanese as he went. Behind them Sebastian saw Mato coming out of the clinic. He marched right for Beth's bungalow, almost stomping the ground as he walked, his jaw clenched and his weapon held before him. Sebastian closed the door, locked it, and ran to the bedroom. â€Å"Come on, Beth. Get up. We've got to get out of here.† She was still conscious, but had no coordination. He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry, then went out the french doors onto the lanai and down the steps to the beach. The warm water seemed to revive her somewhat and he managed to get her to kick as together they made the swim around the minefield. The fighters veered off after an hour and the 747 was picked up by a B-52 that stayed on them until they were in fighter range of the Americas, where they were joined by two F-16s. Out of Panama, Tuck guessed. What exactly did they think they were going to accomplish? A 747 wasn't the kind of plane you ditch in the jungle and make your escape. In fact, Tuck didn't think that any plane was that kind of plane. He certainly wasn't going to ditch in the jungle or in the water for that matter. Despite his misgivings, they were going to make it to Costa Rica with plenty of fuel. They were well below the plane's passenger capacity and they carried almost no baggage and no commissary supplies. The only worry he had now was what would happen to him when they got on the ground. It was true, Costa Rica had no extradition treaty with the United States, but what he had done was an act of international terrorism. He might have done better to head back to Hawaii and take his chances with the FBI ra ther than risk rotting away in a Central American jail. Still, something told him that this was where he should be going. He didn't know why, really, he had picked Costa Rica, any more than he knew why he had stolen a plane and gone back to Alualu in the first place. As he started his descent for Palmar Airport on the coast, the B-52 veered off to the north and was soon out of sight. Tuck had turned the radio off hours ago, tired of hearing the same threats and commands from the milit-ary pilots. As much as he hated the idea of giving the authorities a warning, however, he turned on the radio to advise the tower at Palmar that he was coming in. A midair collision might be even worse than a Costa Rican jail. Especially with three hundred and thirty-two lives riding his soul to hell. He called to the tower, then took off the headset and sat back and relaxed, convinced that for once in his life he had done the right thing. Somehow he would see to it that Sepie got half the money from the Swiss bank ac-counts. He envisioned her in a big house with one bedroom and seventy-two bathrooms with a television in every one. She'd be fine. Malink, who had gone to the back to reassure his people, came up the steps and climbed into the flight officer's chair. â€Å"We are going down?† he said. â€Å"You'll like it,† Tuck said. â€Å"The weather here is the same as Alualu. There are beaches and jungles just like home.† They could see the coast now, extending into the distance to the north and south, the rainforest running from beaches to mountains. â€Å"This island much bigger than Alualu.† â€Å"It's not an island.† Tuck realized that Malink had never walked more than a mile without having to turn. â€Å"Your people will be fine.† â€Å"Are there sharks here?† â€Å"A lot of sharks,† Tuck said. Malink nodded â€Å"My people will be fine.† He was quiet for a minute, then said, â€Å"Will you come with us?† â€Å"I don't think so, Chief. I'm going to be in a lot of trouble when we land.† â€Å"But didn't Vincent tell you to do this?† â€Å"Sort of. Why?† Malink sat back with a self-satisfied smile. â€Å"You'll be fine.† An alarm went off in the cockpit and Tuck scanned the instruments to see what had gone wrong. The red air collision warning lights were flashing. Tuck scanned the sky for another plane, then, seeing nothing, put on the headset to see if the Palmar tower could tell him what was going on. Before he could key the mike someone said, â€Å"Darlin', I'll be whitewashed if stink don't follow you like a manure wagon in summer.† A familiar, melodic Texas drawl, probably the sweetest sound he had ever heard. â€Å"Mary Jean,† Tuck said. â€Å"Where are you?† â€Å"Out your window at eleven o'clock.† Tuck looked up and saw a brand-new pink Gulfstream running parallel to them. â€Å"If you'd a been wearing your headset, you would have known I was here fifteen minutes ago.† â€Å"What are you doing here?† â€Å"Jake called me from Hawaii and told me what you was doing. We cooked up a little plan. I'm gonna get your tail out of the fire one last time, Tucker Case, but you owe me.† â€Å"Boy, have I heard that before.† â€Å"Do you remember the corporate address in Houston? The number?† â€Å"Sure.† â€Å"Well, you dial that up as a frequency and I'll give you the skinny. It's unladylike to broadcast your personal matters over the same frequency the tower's using.† They were lying in the jungle near the runway when the Learjet landed. Sebastian left Beth sleeping under some banana leaves and crawled to where he could see. The jet taxied to the gate and stopped with the engines still running. The guards came out of different buildings and converged on the plane. They'd stacked duffel bags near the gate. â€Å"What's going on?† Beth crawled up behind him. The effects of the Valium were obviously wearing off. â€Å"I think they're leaving.† â€Å"Not without us, they're not. I am the Sky Priestess and I won't allow it.† She started to get up and Sebastian pulled her back down. â€Å"They were coming to kill us, Beth. You were out.† â€Å"Right. If you ever drug me again – â€Å" â€Å"You're insane,† he said. She reared back to slap him and he caught her hand. â€Å"Keep it up, Beth. I'm telling you that if they find us, they'll kill us. Do you understand that?† â€Å"They're grunts. I won't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Suddenly there was a huge explosion from across the runway and they turned to see a mushroom of fire rising from where the clinic used to be. The guards had loaded onto the jet and Nomura was taxiing to the end of the runway. The guards' quarters went off next, then the hangar, the barrels of jet fuel throwing a column of flame five hundred feet in the air. â€Å"Where did they get explosives?† Beth said. â€Å"Did you know they had explosives?† â€Å"They're destroying the evidence,† Sebastian said. â€Å"Orders from Japan, I'm sure.† The Learjet started its run for takeoff as Sebastian's bungalow went off like a fragmentation grenade, followed by Tuck's old quarters and Beth's bungalow. Fire rained down across the island. â€Å"My shoes! All of my shoes were in there. You bastards.† Beth pulled away from Sebastian and ran out on the runway just as the Learjet passed. â€Å"You rotten bastards!† The Sky Priestess stood in the middle of the runway and screamed herself mute as the Lear disappeared into the clouds. 66 If They'd Only Had Her at the Alamo Mary Jean brought the pink Gulfstream in right on the tail of the 747. Tuck kept the speed over eighty in the taxi, turning it away from the terminal, where police jeeps and a hundred men in riot gear waited. He also noticed a half-dozen TV news trucks there as well. â€Å"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Costa Rica, the new home of the Shark People. The temperature outside is 85 degrees and it's clear that things are going to get ugly. I hope everybody's ready.† The police jeeps were speeding across the tarmac toward the two jets. Mary Jean turned the Gulfstream so that it was facing back toward the runway. Tuck turned to Malink. â€Å"Where's Roberto?† Malink pointed up. Roberto hung from the handle of the emergency hatch. There was a spring-loaded spool of steel cable attached to the ceiling next to the hatch. â€Å"Mary Jean, you ready?† â€Å"Sweetheart, we'd better git while the gitten's good. We stirred a hornet's nest out here.† Tuck grabbed Roberto and stuffed him inside his shirt. â€Å"Stay,† he said. Then he opened the hatch and looked back at Malink. â€Å"I have to go now.† Malink took Tuck in his big arms and squeezed until the bat screamed. â€Å"You will come back.† â€Å"If you say so, Chief.† Tuck flipped the intercom switch and picked up the headset. â€Å"Go!† he said and climbed up into the hatch. The six doors on the 747 all sprung open at once and the yellow emergency slides inflated and extended to the ground as if the jet was a huge insect suddenly growing legs. The Shark People piled down the emergency slides and Mary Jean spooled up the Gulfstream for takeoff. Tuck climbed onto the roof and reached back into the hatch for the loop of nylon webbing that attached to the spool of cable. The police jeeps were pulling up on the sides of the two jets; men with rifles stood in the back trying to figure out what they should be shooting at. The Shark People crowded in between the jets, making a human corridor. Tuck took a deep breath and leaped off the top of the jumbo jet. The spring-loaded coil of cable did exactly what Boeing had designed it to do: It lowered the pilot safely to the ground from four stories up. Once on the ground, Tuck ran under the cover of the Shark People and leaped into the open door of the Gulfstream. â€Å"Go!† he yelled. The Shark People scrambled away and Mary Jean released the ground brakes. The jet shot forward. Tuck slammed the door and got to the cockpit just as a jeep swerved out of the jet's path and flipped over. â€Å"Don't try to play chicken with me, snotnose,† Mary Jean said grimly. â€Å"I knew James Dean his own self.† â€Å"Think they'll let you get this thing in the air?† â€Å"I'd like to see 'em try to stop me.† The police jeeps seemed to part for the jet as it headed back to the runway. For all the guns there, no one seemed interested in firing a shot. Tuck looked back and saw the Shark People waving as Mary Jean made her takeoff run. When they were airborne, she said, â€Å"Tucker Case, when you make a turnaround, boy, you don't do it half-twiddle, do you?† Tuck laughed. â€Å"Did you really know James Dean?† â€Å"Sounded good, didn't it?† She turned to him. Not surprisingly, her makeup was done perfectly to complement her outfit and the Gulfstream's headset. She let out a little yelp. â€Å"Tucker, there's a varmint in your shirt.† â€Å"That's Roberto,† Tuck said. â€Å"He no like the light.† â€Å"Darlin', if I had a face like that, I'd gravitate toward dim and unlit territories myself. Remind me to give your friend a sample of our new depilatory.† â€Å"What was that all about back there?† Tuck asked. â€Å"Heroics, son. I told you on the phone, I believe in redemption and I thought it was time I practiced what I preached. Were they really selling those poor heathens' organs?† â€Å"Beg your pardon, Mary Jean, I really do appreciate the rescue, but don't bullshit me. Any one of those cops could have shot out the tires of this plane and we'd still be on the ground.† She smiled, a knowing smile with a hint of mischief, the Mona Lisa in a big blond wig. â€Å"Media event, son. You'd be surprised how far a little palm grease goes in the Third World. Why, I couldn't buy the media coverage my company's going to get on this with a year's profits. And of course you're going to reimburse me for the bribes. Jake says you'll be able to. The tax boys frown on taking bribes. as a deduction. Although we could take it as advertising expense. Never mind, you don't owe me nothing.† â€Å"So that's the only reason you did it, the media coverage?† â€Å"I was shabby to you, Tucker. Not that you didn't deserve it, but I wasn't feeling so good about myself for doing it. I aways kinda looked at you like my wayward little lamb. Course, I'm from cattle folk.† Tuck smiled. â€Å"Whatever. Where are we going?† â€Å"Little place of mine in the Cayman Islands. Jake's going to meet us there with your little friend.† 67 The Cannibal Tree Revisited The Sky Priestess awoke with a terrible pain in her head. She couldn't feel her arms or legs, and something was cutting her between her breasts. She and the Sorcerer had been living in the deserted village for two weeks. The last thing she could remember was the Sorcerer going into the dark for more firewood and hearing a thud. When he didn't answer her call, she had gone to look for him. She opened her eyes and blinked to clear her vision. The world seemed to be spinning and for a second all she could see was a green blur that was the jungle. Then things popped into focus. She was slowly turning at the end of a coconut fiber rope, suspended six feet above the ground. The harness was digging in between her breasts and cutting off the circulation to her limbs. She lifted her head and saw an ancient native tending a long earthen oven that was spouting smoke from either end. The Sorcerer's clothes were piled nearby. The old native looked up and ambled over to her on spindly legs. There were chicken feathers stuck in his hair and his eyes had a rheumy yellow cast to them. He grinned at her with teeth that looked as if they had been filed to points, then reached up and pinched her cheek. â€Å"Yum,† he said. Epilogue Due to the influence of Mary Jean Dobbins, who opened a manufacturing plant in the capital, and a large land purchase by an anonymous buyer, the Shark People were accepted as Costa Rican citizens and their land was set aside as a national reserve. Malink remained chief for many years, and when he became too old to carry the responsibility – since he had no sons – he appointed Abo his successor. Abo learned to preside over the ceremonies in honor of Vincent and led the prayers for his return, for they all believed that he would return, but as time passed and history grew to legend, they believed that this time Vincent would return in a pink jet and at his side would be the prophet Tuck – who had delivered them from the Sky Priestess – and the great navigator Kimi, without whom, it was said, the prophet Tuck couldn't find his ass with both hands. Every morning before breakfast, Tucker Case walked his bat on the beaches of Little Cay. Actually, the bat flew on those mornings. Tuck usually flew in the afternoons. He owned a five-passenger Cessna that he tied down on the airstrip next to the small house where he and Sepie lived. With what was left of his half of the money from the Swiss bank accounts – after buying the house and the plane and ten thousand acres of Costa Rican coastal rainforest, which he gave to the Shark People – Tuck was able to buy Sepie a satellite dish and a thirty-two-inch Sony Trinitron, which was all she asked for besides his love, loyalty, and that the bat stay out of the house. Tuck gave her all she wanted, and in return asked her to love him, respect him, and to turn down â€Å"Wheel of Fortune† when he was doing his books. He chartered his plane out to fishermen and scuba divers who wanted to island-hop and made enough money to keep them in food and Sepie in perfume, lipstick and Wonder Bras, the latter a new obsession she had picked up and more often than not the only item of clothing she ever wore. One morning, just before sunrise, after they had been on Little Cay for a year, Tuck spotted a figure standing alone on the beach. He knew who it was before he was close enough to see him. He could feel it. As he got closer, he looked at the sharp dark features, the flight suit shot with starch and free of wrinkles, and he said, â€Å"You look pretty good for a dead guy.† Vincent took a pack of cigarettes out of his jacket pocket, tapped one out, and lit it. â€Å"You did good, kid. I'd have to call it even.† â€Å"The least I could do,† Tuck said. â€Å"But can I ask you a question?† â€Å"Shoot,† said Vincent. â€Å"Why'd you do it?† â€Å"I didn't do anything. I didn't move a thing, I didn't touch a thing, I didn't change a thing. Believers do everything.† â€Å"Come on,† Tuck said. â€Å"I deserve a straight answer.† The flyer turned away for a moment and looked at the corona over the water where the sun was about to rise. â€Å"You're right, kid. You do. You re-member that speech the dame gave you about losers doing good on islands because there's no competition?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Well, it ain't the case. Islands are like, you know, incubators. You got to start things and let em grow. Isolate 'em. That's why all your loony-toon cult guys have to get their people out in the boonies somewhere where no one can talk any sense into 'em. Just nod if you're gettin' any of this, kid. Good. â€Å"Well, I had this bet with these guys I play cards with that my little cult could go big-time if I could get enough citizens. I told 'em, ‘Two thousand years ago you guys were just running cults. Get me to the mainland and give me a thousand years and I'll give you a run for your money.' All the conditions were right. You need some pressure, I got the war. You need a promise, I got the promise I'll come back with cargo. I'm on easy street. Then this crazy dame and the doc come along and start selling me up the river and I'm thinking it's my chance to make the bigs. You've got to have some bad guys so your citizens can recognize who the good guys are, right? So I says to myself, ‘Vincent, it is time you got yourself a Moses. Get a guy who can get your people out of trouble and give them some stories to build a reputation on.'† â€Å"And that was me?† Tuck said. â€Å"That was you.† â€Å"Why me? Why did you pick me?† â€Å"You weren't busy.† â€Å"And that was it? I wasn't busy?† â€Å"Face it, kid, you were flying with full flaps down. You know that saying? â€Å"The devil makes work for idle hands.† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"It's true, but only if he gets there first. He didn't even want you, so I showed.† â€Å"So are you going to screw up the rest of my life?† â€Å"You ain't got it so bad. It ain't like you have to go into the desert for forty years. What are you worried about?† â€Å"Yeah, I'm happy now, but are we finished?† Vincent butted his cigarette in the sand. â€Å"That kind of depends on what you believe, doesn't it kid? He began to fade as he walked down the beach. â€Å"Don't do anything I wouldn't do.† Tuck watched as a sailing canoe materialized on the beach. Kimi was at the tiller and waved as Vincent climbed into the front of the canoe. Tuck waved back even as the canoe dissolved to mist, then he walked home to have breakfast with Sepie. He stopped at the door to wipe his feet and Roberto landed with a thud against the screen, digging his claws in to keep from slipping. â€Å"Boy, I'm glad all that supernatural stuff is over,† the bat said. Afterword and Acknowledgments My approach to research has always been: â€Å"Is this correct or should I be more vague?† A quick word search of one of my books reveals that I use the term â€Å"kinda-sorta† more than any living author. My readers, who are the kindest and most intelligent people in the world, understand this. They know that using my books as a reference source is tantamount to using glazed doughnuts as a building material. They know that these pages serve the masters of goofiness, not those of accuracy. So†¦ While some of the locations in Island of the Sequined Love Nun do exist, I have changed them for my convenience. There is no island of Alualu, nor do the Shark People exist as I have described them. There are no active cargo cults in Micronesia, nor are there any cannibals. The position of mispel did exist in Yapese culture but was abandoned almost a hundred years ago. A strict caste system still exists on Yap and the surrounding is-lands, and the treatment of Yapese women is portrayed as I saw it. My decision to make the â€Å"organ smugglers† Japanese was dictated by geo-graphy, not culture or race. Most of the information on cargo cults comes, secondhand, from anthro-pological research done in the Melanesian Islands. I have found since fin-ishing Island of the Sequined Love Nun that the â€Å"Cannibal-Spam Theory† was first postulated in Paul Theroux's book The Happy Isles of Oceania, and I must give a jealous nod to Mr. Theroux for that twisted bit of thinking. The information on Micronesian navigation and navigators comes from Stephen Thomas's wonderful book The Last Navigator. My depiction of the shark hunt comes from a story told to me by a high school teacher on Yap about the people of the island of Fais, and I have no idea whether it is ac-curate. The day-to-day life on Alualu, with the exceptions of the religious rites and outright silliness, comes from my experience on the high island of Mog Mog in the Ulithi Atoll, where I had the privilege of living with Chief Antonio Taithau and his family. Many thanks to Chief Antonio, his wife, Conception, and his daughters, Kathy and Pamela, who saw that I was fed and who pulled me out of the well that I fell in after too much tuba at the drinking circle. Also, thanks to Alonzo, my Indiana Jones kid, who followed me around and made sure I didn't get killed on the reef or eaten by sharks and who I forgive for letting me fall down the well. Many thanks also to Frank the teacher, Favo the elder, Hillary the boat pilot, and all the kids who climbed trees for my drinking coconuts. I also owe a debt of gratitude to those people who helped me get to the outer islands: Mercy and all the Peace Corps Volunteers on Yap, Chief In-gnatho Hapthey and the Council of Tamil, and John Lingmar at the Bureau of Outer Island Affairs on Yap, who educated me about local customs, gave permission, and made arrangements. Also to the people of Pacific Mission-ary Air, who got me there and back and answered my questions on flying in the islands. Thanks to the Americans I met on Truk: Ron Smith, who loaned me his diving knife, and Mark Kampf, who gave me his sunscreen, Neosporin, and duct tape, all of which saved my life. (Research Rule #1: Never go to an undeveloped island without duct tape and a big knife.) Here in the States, thanks goes out to the following people: Bobby Benson, who told me about Micronesia in the first place. Gary Kravitz for voluminous information on aircraft and flying. Mike Molnar for more pilot stuff as well as patient explanations of computer and communication technology. Donna Ortiz, who gave me the phrase, â€Å"you're just a geek in a cool guy's body† (and I have no idea who she was talking about at the time). Dr. Alan Peters for medical information. Shelly Lowenkopf for supplying out-of-print books on cargo cults. Jim Silke and Lynn Rathbun for drawings and maps. Ian Corsan for advice on equipment and how to survive in the tropics. Charlee Rodgers, Dee Dee Leichtfuss, Liz Ziemska, and Christina Harcar for careful readings and helpful suggestions. Nick Ellison, my agent and friend, for helping to keep the wolf from the door while I wrote. Rachel Klayman and Chris Condry, my editors at Avon Books, for their confidence and support. And most of all, my thanks to novelist Jean Brody, who took the time from her own writing to do a line edit on Love Nun. While all the above people helped in the research and writing of this book, none of them are responsible for the liberties I took with the information they gave me. When in doubt, assume that I made everything up. – Christopher Moore November 1996