The War Of 1812 By Andrew Jackson - 1932 Words

The War of 1812, perhaps like most wars, may appear to be without merit, ironic and perverse. It began in response to Britain’s policy of impressment, employed to prevent France, its enemy in the Napoleonic Wars, from obtaining supplies from America, and ended with the reallocation of British troops to North America after the defeat of Napoleon. The War contained so much irony to the extent that a truce was declared, but not communicated to the troops in America, before the largest battle of the war took place at New Orleans. A war that curbed American expansion also included a general, Andrew Jackson, who parlayed his fame as a general the War of 1812 to the Presidency and who would become an expansionist President responsible for the†¦show more content†¦Far from the shores of England, and to a large extent independent from the mother country, Canada remained reliant upon Britain, at least for its military expertise. Although Britain was largely preoccupied with the Napoleonic Wars in Europe, its military support of Canada, especially in the later phases of the war, proved to be decisive in the defeat of the Americans. Perhaps this is only appropriate given that Britain’s policy of impressment of American vessels and sailors was a principal cause of the War of 1812(Black, 185). To be fair though, American expansionist sentiment, embodied in the cries of the War Hawks leading up to the War of 1812, and that later manifested itself in the form of Manifest Destiny contained in the Monroe Doctrine, was also a cause of the war. Also contributing to the start of the War was the growing expansionist sentiment in the United States that was based on the idea of American superiority over Canada(185). This sense of superiority was rooted not only in the ideology of the American revolution, that republicanism and democracy were superior to monarchy and despotism, but also in the comparative advantage in population, manpower, financial and indu strial strength enjoyed by America (Creighton,108). To the Americans, Upper Canada was an appealing and exceedingly vulnerable province by virtue of its geography, small population and perhaps even more so because of the composition of that population that included many recentShow MoreRelatedThe War Of 1812 By Andrew Jackson1681 Words   |  7 PagesFrom being a well-known war hero in the War of 1812 to becoming the 7th president of the United States, Andrew Jackson lived a marvelous life. His past life may have affected him greatly, but it never stopped him from moving to one role to another. In addition, Jackson had gone through great lengths to obtain his position and popularity as president. He was the first self-made man, who started from very low points in his life, who became president. Furthermore, he was well known for his casual temperRead MoreAndrew Jacksons Colorful Military Career1286 Words   |  5 Pagesbecame Commander in Chief. Andrew Jackson, born 1767 in South Carolina, was a prisoner of war during War of Independence; his treatment resulting in a lifelong dislike of Great Britain, (Andrew Jackson n.d.). After the British captured the belligerent Jackson, he was ordered to clean a British officers boots. When he refused, the officer drew his sword and slashed Jacksons hand to the bone, (Patrick, n.d.). This memorable treatment by the British inspired Jackson to take up arms against theRead MoreThe War Of 1812 Was A Great Deal Of Curiosity1615 Words   |  7 Pagesto cause a great deal of curiosity. For instance, someone may wonder what the War of 1812 was and what difficulties the United States had in waging the War of 1812. They also might ponder about why the War of 1812 was widely viewed as a victory for the United States or how the war lead to an increasing pattern of diplomatic cooperation between the United States and Britain. Our very own seventh president, Andrew Jackson, has meant a great deal in our history and some may ask wha t it was about hisRead MoreAndrew Jackson 3 Essays1624 Words   |  7 PagesMcQuade U.S. History 1-c Laba term paper April 17, 2013 Andrew Jackson Throughout the years there have been many presidents, but Andrew Jackson was different. He had many different policies, and his personality set him apart from a lot of other presidents. Andrew Jackson was the seventh president but some would consider him to be the first because he seemed so different from others. Andrew Jackson did not have the easiest childhood while growing up, his father hadRead MoreAnalysis Of Forest Mcdonad s States Rights And The Union1101 Words   |  5 PagesStates, the Declaration of Independence, this problem of knowing where the people, states, and national government holds authority occurs. The question of power occurs in the the first document, the Declaration of Independence, the War of 1812, the presidency of Andrew Jackson, and McDonald points out in the first document of the United States, the Declaration of Independence, the rights of states and the rights of the nation are stated; however, some portions of the document can easily lead to confusionRead MoreThe Man Of History : Andrew Jackson1124 Words   |  5 PagesMEN OF HISTORY ISSUE #1 ANDREW JACKSON MEN OF HISTORY issue #1 ANDREW JACKSON 7TH PRESIDENT Andrew Jackson was born on March 15, 1767, in the area between North Carolina and South Carolina. He was a lawyer and a landowner, he became a national hero after beating the British at New Orleans during the War of 1812. Jackson was elected the seventh president of the United States in 1828. Known as the people s president, Jackson removed the Second Bank of the United States, founded the DemocraticRead MoreThe Legacy Of Andrew Jackson1090 Words   |  5 PagesAndrew Jackson America’s history is rich and full of countless heroes, scandals, and incredible stories. Perhaps one of the most interesting of those stories is that of Andrew Jackson’s. To some, he was a hero, but to others, he was their worst enemy. Being raised in the mountains of the Carolinas, he became the first â€Å"backcountry president† of the United States (Wilentz, 13). His fame, though, began years before his presidency. Jackson’s reputation was established during the War of 1812, namelyRead MoreThe Philosophy of the American Settlers Westward Expansion Leads to Expulsion of the Native Americans1197 Words   |  5 Pagespolicies that would remove Indians. Due to the long history various conflicts between Indians and Americans, the American settlers were apprehensive toward the Indians, leading to the perceived need of the removal of the Indians for their safety. Andrew Jackson’s negative attitude toward of the Indians also aroused public sentiment against them. Jackson’s position as a leader gave him more influence on the people, who knew of the battles he had won against the Indians during his time as an â€Å"IndianRead MoreEssay Andrew Jackson: A National Hero Never to be Forgotten969 Words   |  4 Pageswas not a man to mess with. Nick-named for his toughness, our nation’s seventh president was a favorite general among his soldiers. Andrew Jackson stood for t he common man, being one of the only presidents born into poverty. This victorious man shaped the modern Democratic Party we know today, and is a national hero that will never be forgotten. Andrew Jackson was born March 15, 1767 in Waxhaw, a settlement between North and South Carolina. He resided in the forested region of the western CarolinasRead MoreThe Legacy Of Andrew Jackson919 Words   |  4 Pagesof Irish colonizers in 1767, somewhere in the Carolina’s, Andrew Jackson received little formal education throughout his adolescence. During the British raid of the Carolinas in the 1780’s, Andrew Jackson, was taken as a prisoner of war, where in the course of his imprisonment, after refusing to clean and polish an English officer s boots, Jackson was struck across the face with a saber, leaving scars. In due course of the attack, Jackson lost his mother and two brothers to British forces, leaving

The Industrial Revolutions Effect on The United States...

The Industrial Revolutions Effect on The United States and Russia *Works Cited Not Included Some people think that it is good to do bad things to achieve something good. Well, that seemed to be the case in Russia and the United States after the Industrial Revolution because in the United States and Russia problems led to solution .The Industrial Revolution caused many problems in both the United States and Russia. Even though the Industrial Revolution caused similar problems, the solutions and results were different. There were many problems in the United States due to the Industrial Revolution. First, some Americans attempted to form monopolies to take over a particular industry. For example, Rockefeller and†¦show more content†¦Overcrowding was a big problem in some areas. Many people that lived in cities had to live in tenements. The conditions there were not very good, and cities were getting dirtier and unhealthy. Diseases began to spread and people got sick and some died. The cities were getting worse and worse. Lastly, due to the diversity of people, and imm igration because of the Industrial Revolution, there were many prejudice people in the United States that discriminated against colored people just because of the color of their skin. They were powerless and were not listened to by people. These were just some of the problems in the United States after the Industrial Revolution. There were also many problems in Russia after they had an Industrial Revolution. Russia had many government problems. The Russian government was a type of government that did not listen to the people. The government did as it pleased without consent from the people. The people had no say in the governing process as in the United States. Due to this there were poor working and living conditions, overpopulation, poor sanitation, not many jobs and many people were starving. The majority of the people in Russia (about ninety percent) were poor and only about ten percent were rich and they controlled the nation. This meant the majority of the nation was not being listened to. There were also solutions to the problems in the United States. In order toShow MoreRelatedLenin‚Äà ²s October 1917 Revolution: limited accomplishments, yet a turning point in 20th century history2291 Words   |  10 PagesLenin‘s October 1917 Revolution: limited accomplishments, yet a turning point in 20th century history Abstract In 1917, Lenin led factory workers in St. Petersburg, Russia, in taking over the government, expecting to spark the rapidly spreading revolution to abolish capitalism predicted by Marx and Engels. Unexpected relationships among the nations impeded that spread,. Once having become the leader of the vast territories that had formed the Russian Empire and having created a constitutionRead MoreThe Essential Questions5521 Words   |  23 Pages and the man who regards it with contempt is really despising Gods creation. The Renaissance also had a number of serious negative effects. In particular, Schaeffer claims that in Aquinas the intellect of man was not seen as being affected by the fall (which is in fact not true), and the intellect of man was increasingly seen as autonomous. This has several effects. First, there is the development of natural theology, theology developed without reference to Scripture. In this version of the relationRead MoreUnique Characteristics of Soviet Montag e5818 Words   |  24 Pagessequence to condense space, time, and information, Soviet Montage on the other hand is a style of filmmaking that is evolved to immerse the audience in a story and disguise technique was turned upside down in order to create the opposite emotional effect to bring the audience to the edge of their seat, and in the case of the Odessa Steps sequence, to push the viewer towards a feeling of vertigo. In a simpler form, Soviet Montage  combination  series of short shots are edited into a sequence to create

5 Forces of Carnival Cruise Line free essay sample

Charting a course for adventure: 25 ships from major cruise lines three more than last year carrying about 10% more passengers. All this means more choices for travelers. Power of Suppliers A rise in fuel prices has been quite costly for the cruise industry, who are not only directly affected by fuel cost for running their own ships, but must aise ticket prices to cover the increase cost of flying due to high fuel prices and a hike in airfares. Quality, dependable suppliers are vital in order to ensure repeat cruisers. If the food was good on the first cruise, consumers expect it to be up to par each time they cruise. This goes for advertising too. Carnival was the first cruise line to use television ads to promote itself. Travel services also play an important role in promoting and fulfilling cruise reservations. Many publications also get the word out to first time cruise vacationers who are curious about what is available. We will write a custom essay sample on 5 Forces of Carnival Cruise Line or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Bargaining Power of Customers Todays cruise vacationers have many different lines to choose from, each offering a slightly different spin on cruising. Most cruise lines target middle class vacationers with the grand ocean liner experience not found in decades. Many first time cruisers are lured in by moderately priced air and cruise package rates. Often one can buy a cruise vacation anywhere form $125-$250 per person, per night. Most hotel stays in major cities are more expensive per night, not including transportation as well as food. Along with low priced package rates, consumers are also demanding a unique vacation experience. Now cruises appeal to a younger, hipper audience, and its easy to see why. Modern cruise ships are floating resorts, offering everything from state-of-the-art spas and gyms to in-line skating and Rock- climbing walls. Cruising is the fastest-growing segment of the travel Ships also stop at more ports, with over 1,800 destinations worldwide to choose from A marketing audit is a comprehensive, systematic, independent, and periodic examination of a companys or business units marketing environment, objectives, strategies and activities with a view to determining problem areas and opportunities nd recommending a plan of action to improve the companys marketing performance. kotler,2006, p. 719) Carnival Corporations strategic belief about its product positioning is based on the three primary divisions of the cruise market each having different demographics and characteristics and requirements. The three divisions are called contemporary, premium, and luxury. This helps better identify and serve the potential customers and realize better operational efficiency Car nivals strategic objectives are: Place high priority on marketing in attempt to promote cruises as an alternative to land-based vacations. Use innovation in attracting new customers, keeping existing ones, and in the operation activities. Remain the leader and innovator in the cruise industry by heavy promotional efforts, creating customer marketing. It emphasizes that the ship is the destination, while the cruise experience is the most important. They have done this in several ways. First of all, it uses newspaper ads, particularly on Sunday. In early 2001, they began using loyal customer testimonials to attract new customers. They are even using television commercials using songs with fun in them. Travel agents help cruise lines sell 95% of all cruiseslf the travel agent specified a Carnival cruise before other options they received $100 on the spot. The competitive advantage that Carnival has on its rivals is the range of products it has to offer to each segment from cheap to luxury cruises and from short to long vacation cruises on a large fleet of ships offering a variety of activities. Carnival ships provide a fantasyland atmosphere (appendix 1)(2) 1 . http:// www. frommers. com/trip_ideas/cruise/line. cfm? linecd=CARNlVALsection=nut 2. www. carnival. com 3.

Teen pregnancy Essays (2729 words) - Midwifery, Adolescence

Teen pregnancy It maybe irritating in the part of the listener to hear the same thing over and over again. Elders keep on reiterating such advice but it is still being ignored. Mistakes that were committed weren't used as a learning experience but an excuse to do the same. This is what happens to teenage pregnancy issue. Our parents and older people never fail to remind us on the possible consequences but it is still evident in our community. We always want to discover things on our own not thinking that what we are doing cant be reversed. I was pressuring myself on what are the real reasons behind this unending problem about teenage pregnancy. It made me realize of the reality that we can observe around us. The most common excuse that we cant avoid is lack of parental guidance. We always put the blame to the parents, basically, because the first classroom is at home and the behavior reflects how the person was grown. Sometimes, we also come to a point when we put the blame to the society and to th e government, which doesn't have anything to do with children. We have different reasons or causes on teenage pregnancy depending on certain situations. After reading a lot of information about teenage pregnancy and asking those who experienced it, it made me realize that factors include lack of parental guidance, society or environmental influence, and media. When we say lack of parental guidance, it doesn't only mean that the parents were not around but also they were spoiled, not guided accordingly, or the attention that they need from their parents were not given. Another factor is the societal or environmental influence where we see a lot of young people who experienced it but doesn't regret it at all. If the younger generation wont see this people regret and share the things they regret then their experience wont serve as the learning experience for the next generation. On the other hand, even if those who were already grown up share their regrets to the younger ones, the mentality of the young people of this ages is to try or to see is to believe, where they are more curious on what they will be having in exchange of what they will do. Lastly, the influence of the media or the television series is sometimes inappropriate to the teenagers because instead of the youths learning the lesson from what they are watching, the more that they engage their selves on premarital sex. In exchange to this teenage pregnancy, in some cases is early marriage. Once this young people enter into early marriage there will be lesser chance that they will finish their studies in preparation of their future. In the long run, their kids will be the ones to suffer. Aside from the children to suffer, it will also contribute in the fast growth of the population. In some scenarios where these teenagers are afraid of responsibilities, it is more likely that they employ abortion as an option which is illegal and may cause more complications and problems. Teen Age pregnancy effects to poverty. Most teens have probably not thought about being a teen mother. Having a child is a lot of responsibility that most teenagers dont think about before they have a sexual relationship. Teens think that a baby is cute and want to have one of their own, but in reality its a lot harder than they think. Teenagers who have babies find that raising a child can be costly, financially and emotionally. Parenting at a young age can be very stressful and the media makes it look easy. Being a teen mother is not like regular mother hood you can't just place the child down like it's a doll. Being a Teen motherhood is for sure not a walk in the park, it takes lots of growing up to do. Having a child when being a teen mother is very hard thing to do. It's also hard for a teen mother to finish her High school education and even go to get her college education. Everyday teens deal with the decision of having sex but none of them think about the consequences

Ethical Leadership Essay Sample

Ethical Leadership Essay Sample Ethical Leadership Essay Stories of corrupt and incompetent leaders are increasingly becoming rampant and an obvious tale. Some leaders involve themselves in the most bizarre ethical breaches which tend to shutter an organization’s reputation. These leaders are becoming a true testament of the old adage, â€Å"power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.† Human beings naturally crave control and while most of us are not gifted in leading, everyone tends to think they have what it takes to lead. However, what most fail to realize is that being a leader is not the same as being or gaining a promotion. A leader is defined by the influence one holds over his colleagues, and at times his superiors. Power attracts many and often ends up destroying lives, careers, entire organizations, and even countries. However, one can choose to rise above the greed that is often exhibited as people are struggling for power and integrate ethics with their leadership. Being an ethical leader is not an easy task and often involves a conscious decision to shun backdoors and other shortcuts that are embraced by many. One has to be different and embrace the common principles of trust, respect, fairness, integrity etc. These principles form the foundation of ethical leadership but as stated earlier it takes time to synthesize these into effective actions. This essay will, therefore, focus on how one can synthesize the above values and be regarded as an ethical leader. First of all, one has to strive to set and be an example to his subordinates. It is often said that actions speak louder than words and this statement applies more to leaders than anyone else. Human beings are judgmental but they tend to judge someone based on what they do and not what they say. As a leader, one should be aware that their actions speak more than their words. This means that in order to create an honest culture, one must first be honest. A leader must practice and demonstrate what they feel is best for the organization. If one conducts themselves unselfishly, is honest, respectful and leads in fairness, employees will as well be moved to live up to the standards that are set. By acting ethically, one would have changed an organization’s culture and their leadership would qualify to be regarded as ethical. Secondly, ethical leadership entails a lot of communication with one’s subordinates as well as other colleagues. An ethical leader will always try to create an environment that makes communication, whether horizontal or vertical or diagonal, possible. Employees will always feel respected if their voice is heard and their opinions are taken seriously. No one should be punished for speaking their voice or airing their grievances. Ethical leadership embraces open communication where employees feel free to air their views. Building a relationship with one’s subordinates is key to the success of an organization. However, it is essential to understand that successful relationships are built on trust, openness, fairness, integrity, respect, and compassion. Without the above values involved, employer-employee relationships would be hard and employees will not be at ease to communicate their thoughts regardless of how bad the situation might be. In conclusion, ethical leadership involves caring, respecting, and treating one’s employees or subjects fairly. It does not chest-thumping or the use of force. The truth is, ethical leadership achieves greater success than an authoritative leadership. Ethical leaders will always get the best out of a team but as already stated, it takes time and patience to become one.

The Case Against Giant Sharks

The Case Against Giant Sharks Does anyone remember when Shark Week used to be about sharksthe biology of sharks, the lifestyles of sharks, fun facts about sharks and the people who watch them? Well, those days are long gone: now we have made-up documentaries about giant prehistoric sharks like Megalodon and endlessly recycled exposes of humongous, mythical, 40-foot-long Great Whites that swallow other sharks practically whole. (Lest you think  Im unfairly picking on The Discovery Channel, bear in mind that no less an eminence than The Smithsonian Channel has aired dreck like Hunt for the Super Predator.) But before we go any further, heres an important caveat. There are, in fact, gigantic predators lurking beneath the oceans depths, some of which have only rarely been glimpsed by humansthe classic example being the Giant Squid, which can grow to over 40 feet long. But even the Giant Squid isnt as giant as its cracked up to be: this elongated invertebrate weighs only a few hundred pounds, and its cousin, the Giant Octopus, is only about the size of a well-fed fifth-grader. If these real-life cephalopods are nothing like the monsters depicted in movies and unscrupulous TV shows, imagine how much license producers take when it comes to the long-extinct Megalodon! Everyone clear on this? OK, time for some questions and answers. Q. Isnt it conceivable that a Great White Shark could be 30 or 40 feet long? After all, there are well-documented examples of 20-foot-long Great Whites, and 30 feet isnt that much bigger. A. Lets put it this way: the late NBA star Manute Bol was one of the tallest human beings who ever lived, at seven feet and seven inches. Does the fact of Manute Bols existence mean that human beings can potentially grow 10 or 11 feet tall? No, it doesnt, because there are genetic and physiological constraints on how large any given species, including Homo sapiens, can grow. The same logic applies to all animals: there are no 40-foot-long Great White Sharks for the same reason there are no five-foot-long house cats or 20-ton African elephants. Q. Megalodon swam the worlds oceans for millions of years. Why is it so impossible to believe that a small population, or even one individual, has survived into the present day? A. A species can only prosper as long as environmental conditions are conducive to its continued existence. In order for, say, a population of 100 Megalodons to thrive off the coast of South Africa, their territory would have to be stocked with the kinds of giant whales these sharks feasted on during the Pliocene epochand theres no evidence for the existence of these giant whales, much less for Megalodon itself. As for the persistence into modern times of one lone, ornery individual, thats a tired cultural trope directly traceable to the original Godzilla movie, way back in the 1950sunless youre willing to believe that Megalodon has a million-year life span. Q. Ive seen reasonable-looking people on nature shows who insist theyve seen 40-foot-long sharks. Why should they go out of their way to lie? A. Well, why would your Uncle Stanley lie when he said that Bluefin Tuna ​that got away was seven feet long? Human beings like to impress other human beings, and they arent very good at estimating the sizes of things that lie outside a human scale. In the best cases, these people arent intentionally trying to deceive anyone; they just have a misplaced sense of proportion. In the worst cases, of course, they are intentionally trying to deceive the public, either because theyre sociopaths, theyre out to make a quick buck, or theyve been instructed to misrepresent the truth by TV producers. Q. The Loch Ness Monster surely exists. So why cant there be a living Megalodon off the South African coast? A. As Lois Griffin once said to Peter on Family Guy, Hold on to that thought, because Im gonna explain to you when we get home all the things that are wrong with that statement. There is absolutely no reliable evidence that the Loch Ness Monster (or Bigfoot, or Mokele-mbembe) actually exists, unless you want to credit the kind of fuzzy, forged photographs that shows like Megalodon: The Monster Shark Lives traffic in. In fact (and Ill probably be wildly misquoted here), Im inclined to say that theres LESS evidence for the existence of Megalodon than there is for the Loch Ness Monster! Q. How can the Discovery Channel lie about the existence of Megalodon, or giant Great White Sharks? Isnt it legally required to state the facts? A. Im not a lawyer, but based on all the available evidence, the answer is no. Like any TV channel, Discovery is in the business of making a profitand if hogwash like Megalodon: The Monster Shark Lives or Megalodon: The New Evidence brings in big bucks (the former shows 2013 premiere was viewed by five million people), the networks executives will gladly look the other way. In any case, the First Amendment makes it nearly impossible to hold broadcasters like Discovery to account: they have a constitutional right to spew half-truths and lies, and the public has the responsibility to doubt all of the evidence presented on these shows.

Mortgage and Depreciation Expense and Tax Analysis Essay

Mortgage and Depreciation Expense and Tax Analysis - Essay Example However, although the mortgage rate rises from 5% to 10% in the current scenario, the appreciation of houses that consumers can buy rises from 2% to 9%. This implies that demand for consumers wanting to purchase a house goes down. With such deliberations, it is apparent that an investor will find it difficult getting customers willing or able to buy a house. This becomes tricky unless the investors have some other sources of obtaining funds to service the mortgage. To many investors, availability of consumers to purchase their house is a vital factor to consider when mortgaging a house because rents collected from them highly help pay for the mortgage (Lank, 2003). In another dimension, it is argued that in any investment, it is important to venture into business when prices are low, and exit or dispose when prices are high. However, in this scenario, both interest rates and prices of housing are high. In this regard, investors need to consider other factors such as growth in the eco nomy, local employment rates, and the growth of population in the area they wish to invest in. this means that if predictions about these factors turns out to be in his favor, the investor can go ahead with the mortgage. Second scenario If interest rates were able to be deducted from investor’s income, it is an option that many people would like to go for. However, since every investor aims at making a profit and avoid making losses, having interest rates for the mortgage being deducted from their income poses a great threat in servicing the mortgage and meeting other needs that are planned to be addressed by the income (Lank, 2003). Obviously, the investor has other obligations to meet with the income. So when his income starts servicing the mortgage, this means that some of his other projects would be at haul. However, this option is only applicable to first real estate investors who have not experience on serving their mortgage. When this happens, there is a possibility of the investor to service the mortgage on his own as he awaits such a time when prices goes up for him to dispose the house. However, this being the only option the investor has to service the mortgage; it is risky because unlike when the investor would have other means of servicing the mortgage, if consumers are unable to pay or even decides to move to other houses, the investor risks loosing the house unless they turn into their personal income to pay for it (Lank, 2003). All in all, if the income generated from the house can be able to pay for the mortgage, the better. This ensures that an investor’s other businesses or incomes are not disrupted to service the mortgage. Third scenario Deducting taxes from the income earned from the property can be argued to be the best option. The deduction is partial recovery of the cost of the property. Generally, when the property is able to take care of taxes, investors are assured of effective payment of the mortgage. This is unlike wh en they have to pay for the taxes from other sources. In fact, when taxes are deducted from the income generated from the property, the investor is in a better position to claim a tax reduction whenever there is depreciation of the property that generates the income (Lank, 2003). More importantly, when taxes are deducted from the income, the investor can take advantage of the internal revenue services provisions in the area where the property is located. Fourth scenario Every investor would be happy to have

Strategic leadership for organizational improvement Assignment

Strategic leadership for organizational improvement - Assignment Example Lastly, the paper would provide potential barriers and opportunities for a driving force that could help bring change. The Current Situation: The organization that has been selected is Al Marfaq Hospital which is situated in Abu Dhabi. Many officials claim that most parts of the Al Marfaq hospital do not have the same level of medical standards as the rest of the government hospitals (Khalaf). The competence level of Al Marfaq is different from others in that its management and its standard of quality for treatment is not the same. Doctors with quality of the expertise and experience also vary in this hospital which is governed by government officials. However, UAE has been rated as the second most frequently visited country for medical tourism by World Bank. The mortality rate of cardiovascular disease in the whole UAE has risen up to 28% due to the fact that there are not many facilities regarding the cure of the disease. Accordingly, Al Marfaq is also a hospital that is having dif ficulties to lower mortality rate for cardiovascular diseases. The number of doctors that take care of that particular disease is comparatively lower and not highly qualified as other specialist doctors (Oxford Business Group). The doctors that are hired by officials for treating the disease are mostly foreigners that have come a long way from their countries and have become permanent. Due to this fact, other local doctors are de-motivated for not being supported by their own government. Public hospitals have been providing the treatment for free of cost for their UAE residents but this hospital charges are a particular cost for the overseas people without giving them any kind of discounts. These overseas people had to travel a long distance for their treatment but expenses are too high for them to afford. Administration issue has been a debate for a long period of time and has not been rectified (Oxford Business Group). The management lacks a guideline or a code through which a hos pital could be run. It may become harmful for hospital in the long run. The lack of leadership is also a concern for institution as government has failed to design strategies that could help improve their managerial problems (Khalaf). Analyzing the situation: The main issue for this public hospital is the management problem due to which these issues have been erupting. As there are no such guidelines for the recruitment of medical doctors, therefore, the administration is hiring foreigners for the job which creates dissatisfaction amongst the local people. There is no quota system defined that could help the management in making decisions for the recruitment. No proper guideline has also been the major reason for no coordination of public hospitals with each other which is the reason why this hospital does not have any kind of collaboration. This also raises the fact that there is no collaboration and practices of government hospitals vary from one another (Oxford Business Group). E ven though the medical tourism is on its verge in UAE, expenses for the people coming from overseas has risen in recent years which has prevented people from visiting UAE. This is because the government does not provide any support to overseas people but it only cares of its local people. This could create a source of disappointment for these overseas people and would start finding an alternate place for medical tourism if the government did not pay attention to these

Disipline in Schools Essay Example for Free

Disipline in Schools Essay The definitions of ‘violence’, ‘bullying’ and ‘indiscipline clearly incorporate a wide range of behaviors which can alter depending on both the context within which the behaviors are enacted, and, indeed, with whom they are directed towards. Discipline in schools is now passing through an extended eclipse. The problem of indiscipline permeates all facets of our life. It has, in fact brought us down to the knees Each day there are thousands of kids who go to school and get picked on in some way or another. Those same kids will probably come home and tell nobody about the pain that they are going through inside. There are numerous causes and solutions for this problem that we are facing in our schools. One main cause is that those doing the discipline problems suffer from bad parenting. I believe that parents need to be responsible for their children. They’re the ones who raised the child and filled them with their beliefs of what’s right and wrong. When a principle calls home about a child misbehaving and the parents do nothing , that just lets the child know that it’s alright for him or her to do it again. The parents will cause the child to form the mindset that he or she can do it again because they know that they won’t get reprimanded for their actions. Even if their child doesn’t get punished at home, that will lead the child to start acting out of control at school. Therefore, parents must take responsibility for their children’s behavior. The child needs to be teached that there will be consequences not only at school but homes as well for any discipline problems to be solved.

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

If I was asked to describe the attitude of the common high school student with one word, I would choose the word "why." We seem to be constantly questioning everything that appears out of the ordinary, anything that departs from the routine which has been established for us. We seem to be intolerant of anything that our MTV culture has declared "uncool." As we graduate from Washington High School, we must stop asking "why" and start asking "why not." We should be open to anything as we venture into what society has labeled "the real world." No longer should we limit ourselves to the same environment and small group of people we have grown accustomed to. In turn, we should no longer limit ourselves to the same view of the world. Life is merely a collection of experiences. However, how many different experiences can you have if you are constantly asking why? If we refuse to venture into the world and see what, in fact, is out there, we may never find our true calling. For it is through experiences that we will find who we really are and what we truly believe. Somewhere out in the d...

Critical Analysis of Porphyria’s Lover

Michelle Padgett English 102 Ms. Riggs 3 March 2013 Critical Analysis of â€Å"Porphyria’s Lover† by Robert Browning Robert Browning wrote â€Å"Porphyria’s Lover† in the 1830s. The speaker is Porphyria’s lover and he speaks in a very solemn tone. The poem never divulges the two characters’ real names. The mood is grim and despondent throughout the whole poem. The speaker in the poem shows through many ways that Porphyria yearned for her death, through the spontaneity of her murder, his solemn demeanor, her sickly symptoms, and the smile that was on her face when she was killed.The mood is very dismal and melancholy. It begins with a description of a storm approaching. This sets the overall tone of the poem. â€Å"The rain set early in tonight,/ The sullen wind was soon awake,/ It tore the elm-tops down for spite,/ And did its worst to vex the lake:†(698). The speaker seems to be in a solemn mood because he is troubled with what he is about to do. He is preparing himself for the horrific crime he must commit. When Porphyria sits beside him, he does not respond to her when she speaks to him. And, last, she sat down by my side/ And called me. When no voice replied, /She put my arm about her waist†(699). The speaker hints that something is wrong with Porphyria. He states that she has passion for him, but is too weak to express it, even though she has done so before. â€Å"Murmuring how she loved me–she/ Too weak, for all her heart’s endeavor,/ To set its struggling passion free†(699). Illness is evident in Porphyria when her lover claims that she is pale and his love for her was â€Å"all in vain†(699). A sudden thought of one so pale†(699). His love for her was futile and hopeless because of her failing health and he knew they would not be together for much longer. The speaker was not yet decided upon what he wanted to do with their situation. â€Å"Porphyria worshiped me: s urprise/ Made my heart swell, and still it grew/ While I debated what to do†(699). The act of taking her life was spontaneous, a spur of the moment decision. Even though her death was inevitable, he had not known the means to which her demise would be carried out. I found/ A thing to do, and all her hair/ In one long yellow string I wound/ Three times her little throat around,†(699). The word â€Å"found† indicates that he did not plan out her death beforehand. After he kills her, he convinces himself that she felt no pain. This proves that he did not do it out of anger or revenge. â€Å"No pain felt she;/ I am quite sure she felt no pain†(699). The lover warily opened her eyes and he saw no blame in them, only happiness. He described her blue eyes as laughing which reveals what she feels in the last moments of her life. I warily oped her lids: again/ Laughed the blue eyes without a stain†(699). He then unwound her tresses from around her neck and gav e her a â€Å"burning kiss† filled with all the love he had for her (699). He sits with Porphyria’s head resting on his shoulder while she still smile. â€Å"The smiling rosy little head,/ So glad it had its utmost will†(699). Porphyria’s will was to die, but to not know when or how she would. This makes the spontaneity of the act all the more understandable. The speaker calls it her â€Å"darling one wish† making it all the more important and special (700).The speaker was not able to let her go, even after her death. â€Å"He must and has indeed chosen to sit within the realm of the painful emotion that his act of granting her last wish burdened him with†(Best). His act of love burdens and renders him unable to relinquish his love just yet. â€Å"And thus we sat together now,/ And all night long we have not stirred†(700). Porphyria’s death was so just that â€Å"God has not said a word! †(700). His actions were ethicall y right and not one God from any religion would disagree and punish him for it.Robert Brown’s â€Å"Porphyria’s Lover† is very misunderstood in its meaning. The speaker is seen as a madman, when really, he is a man faced with a task that he must grant unto his love. Brown sets up the play as gloomy when he writes that a storm if fast approaching and the wind is blowing so hard that the trees are bending. The lover finds it hard to speak to Porphyria because he is faced with a horrific situation. Her murder was made with a split decision and carried out with great remorse. He even remarks upon her pale face, hinting that she is sick.After her death, she has a smile on her face and her eyes are laughing. This is a telltale sign that she wished for her own painless death to escape a gruesome one down the road. His love for was so great that even the Gods could not object to him killing her. Works Cited Best, J. T. â€Å"‘Porphyria's Lover’ — Va stly Misunderstood Poetry. † The Victorian Web. N. p. 8 June 2007. Web. 6 March 2013. Browning, Robert. â€Å"Porphyria’s Lover. † 1836. Compact Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing. 8th ed. Ed. Kirszner and Mandell. Boston, MA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2013. 698-700. Print. Padgett

A number of factors disqualified the ‘deserted wife’s equity’ from recognition as a property right in National Provincial Bank Ltd v Ainsworth [1965] AC 1175:

Introduction I suggest you look at the developing concepts of fairness, because this is why the MHA 1967 was developed. Proprietary Estoppel for cohabitees is becoming less prevalent due to the decisions in family home trust. Thus, fairness is at the centre of the approach, except the clear provision of a proprietary interest is necessary and not merely the provision of a roof over the other’s head. This is common to Ainsworth, proprietary estoppel and the family home constructive trust. The rationale is that it would not be fair to impose a proprietary right without a proprietary intention. The case of National Provincial Bank Ltd v Ainsworth [1965] AC 1175 holds a limited approach to understanding non-occupier’s rights in property. National Provincial Bank Ltd v Ainsworth held that the common law right for the husband to provide a roof over the head of the deserted wife was merely in personam. This means selling the property to a third party will allow the husband to avoid his obligation to his deserted wife It is important to note that it predates the Matrimonial Homes Act 1967 (MHA 1967). The MHA 1967was developed to remedy the flaw in National Provincial Bank Ltd v Ainsworth, which indicates that the legislature recognised that the existing law with respect to deserted wife’s equity and its enforceability against third parties was manifestly unfair. The law on proprietary estoppel provides that the third party find their rights will be interfered with. The elements of proprietary estoppel can result in an in personam right defeating an in rem right if the following element is fulfilled: Reasonable belief that the person will have interest in property Acts reasonably in reliance Gillet v Holt This is illustrated in a number of cases that have expressed that the main factor is that there is a clear expression of a proprietary right in the property (Thorner v Major [2009] UKHL 18). The case of Walsh v Singh [2010] 1 FLR 1658 held that conduct plus detriment is not enough is not enough to allow a claim for proprietary estoppel. In addition, the case of Negus v Bahouse [2008] 1 FCR 768 held that statement to provide a roof over the individual’s head or a determination to move in is not enough to allow a claim for proprietary estoppel. The Negus v Bahouse Case is, in part, applies the same formulaic approach, as The implication is that there has to be a clear expression of a proprietary right, in order for proprietary estoppel to be used. There are a series of cases on the constructive family home trust, which may change the goal posts on what an expression of a proprietary right when it comes to a spousal/partner interest. These cases are Oxley v Hiscock [2004] EWCA Civ 546, which identified that in family relationship there is an obligation to ensure that there is fairness in the rights of a non-property owning spouse/partner. In these cases the use of the constructive trust would be better for the family member who has relied on a property right inferred by the property owning spouse/partner ( The â€Å"deserted wife† (partner) has to show that she â€Å"has any interest in it [the property] at all† (Stack v Dowden at 56). This means the intention is imputed through the relationship (i.e. relationship plus contribution = share in the property). Thus, both proprietary estoppel and the family home constructive trust has move away from the in personam right not trumping an in rem right. However, for this to work there has to be a clear expression of a proprietary interest and not merely providing a roof over the individual’s head (Negus v Bahouse cf. National Provincial Bank Ltd v Ainsworth for similarity). The impact of the fairness rulings in Oxley v Hiscock. Stock v Dowden and Jones v Kernott may change the mere expression argument if the nature of the relationship imputes an assumption of a proprietary right. Thus, potentially the obligation to provide a roof over the head of the other party is sufficient. Additional References to Consider on top of Proprietary Estoppel: Baroness Deech, ‘Cohabitation’ [2010] Family Law 39 Fretwell, K â€Å"Fairness is what justice really is: Kernott v Jones in the Supreme Court† (2011) Family Law 41(7) Hayward, AP â€Å"Family Property and the Process of Familialization of Property Law† (2012) Child and Family Law Quarterly 24(3) McGhee, M â€Å"Shifting the Scales of Social Justice in the Cohabitation Context: The Juridical Basis for the Varying of interests in Residential Property† (2012) Oxford University Law Journal 1(19) Mee, J â€Å"Burns v Burns: The Villain of the Piece?† in Probert, R, Herring, J and Gilmore, S Landmark Cases in Family Law (Hart, 2011) Mee, J â€Å"Ambulation, Severance and the Common Intention Constructive Trust† (2012) Law Quarterly Review 128(500) Miles, J â€Å"Charman v Charman (No 4) [2007] EWCA Civ 503 – making sense of need compensation and equal sharing after Millar: MacFarlane† (2008) Child and Family Law Quarterly 20(376) Pawlowski, M â€Å"Joint ownership and the family home† (2011) Property Law Review, 1(68) Probert, R â€Å"Cohabitation: Current Legal Solutions† (2009) Current Legal Problems 62(1) Probert, R â€Å"Cohabitation in Twentieth Century England and Wales† (2004) Law and Policy 26(1) Smithdale, J â€Å"Inference, Imputation, or BothConfusion Persists over Beneficial Interests in the Family Home† (2011) CSLR 74, p 79

Essay on College

Essay on College Essay on College - What Is the Problem College – What is the problem? The problem is the high cost of a college education. Tuition at both state and private colleges and universities continues to rise every academic year. This is a problem because we don’t live in a society where parents save money for their children’s education. For kids to pay their own way in college, many of them end up taking out substantial student loans. These student loans then follow the student well after they graduate and it can become a burden for them to pay back the loans. Graduates then try and begin their professional careers carrying a ton of debt. Another problem that graduates may face is that they aren’t able to find a good paying job right out of college. By not finding a high paying job, having the student debt can be very stressful. A graduate may have a difficult time paying living expenses in addition to paying student loan debt. The important cause of graduates having substantial debt is that they get offered student loans that exceed the cost of tuition and they accept the entire loan. In addition to being offered excessive student loans, students tend to get bombarded with credit card offers from banks. Temptation can be far too great for students to resist and they gravitate toward accepting one or more credit card offers. To help cover the cost of tuition, schools should provide more work-study programs for students to participate in. This would take off some of the burden of tuition and book costs. Also, credit card companies need to stop preying on students with their offers. As for student loans, the Department of Education should stop offering excessive loan amounts to students. These entities make it seem like their helping the student pay for tuition, but really aren’t

French Expressions Using Bouche

French Expressions Using Bouche The French word une bouche literally means any kind of mouth - of a person, an oven, a volcano... - and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to say food bills, gourmet, astonished, and more with this list of expressions with bouche. Expressions with Bouche le bouchebouchekiss of life, mouth-to-mouth resuscitationune bouche feugun ​une bouche daà ©rationair vent, inletune bouche de chaleurhot-air ventune bouche dà ©goutmanholeune bouche de mà ©trosubway entranceune bouche dincendiefire hydrantune bouche dune rivià ¨re, une bouche dun fleuvemouth of a riverune bouche inutileunproductive person; just another mouth to feedles bouches inutilesthe non-active, unproductive population; burdens on societyles dà ©penses de bouchefood billsune fine bouchegourmetles provisions de boucheprovisionsbouche bà ©eopen-mouthed, agape, astonishedBouche cousue  ! (informal)Its top secret! Mums the word!dans sa bouche...in his mouth, coming from him, when he says it...Dà ¨s quil ouvre la bouche...Every time he opens his mouth... est dans toutes les bouches.Everyones talking about ...; ... is a household word.Il en a plein la bouche.He can talk of nothing else.Il na que ... la bouche.... is all he ever talks about.Jen ai leau la boucheMy m outh is watering. La và ©rità © sort de la bouche des enfants (proverb)Out of the mouths of babesMotus et bouche cousue! (informal)Mums the word! Dont tell anyone!par sa boucheby ones words, by what one saysTa bouche  ! (familiar)Shut up! Shut your trap!Ta bouche bà ©bà ©Ã‚  ! (familiar)Shut up! Shut your trap!aller de bouche en boucheto be talked, rumored aboutapprendre quelque chose de la bouche de quelquunto hear something from someoneapprendre quelque chose de la bouche mà ªme de quelquunto hear something from someones own lipsavoir 3 bouches nourrirto have 3 mouths to feedavoir la bouche amà ¨reto have a bitter taste in ones mouthavoir la bouche en coeurto simperavoir la bouche en cul-de-pouleto purse ones lipsavoir la bouche fendue jusquaux oreillesto be grinning from ear to earavoir la bouche pà ¢teuseto have a thick-feeling or coated tongueavoir la bouche pleine de ...to be able to talk of nothing but ...avoir la bouche sà ¨cheto have a dry mouthavoir toujours linjure / la critique la boucheto always be ready with an insult / criticismsembrasser bouche que veux-tuto kiss eagerlysembrasser pleine boucheto kiss right on the lipssembrasser sur la boucheto kiss on the lipsà ªtre bouche bà ©eto be open-mouthed, lost in wonder, astonishedà ªtre dans la bouche de tout le mondeto be on everyones lips; to be talked about by everyonesexprimer par la bouche de quelquun dautreto use someone else as ones mouthpiecefaire du bouchebouche quelquunto give someone mouth-to-mouth resuscitationfaire la fine boucheto turn ones nose upfaire la petite boucheto turn ones nose upfermer la bouche quelquunto shut someone upgarder la bouche closeto keep ones mouth shutgarder quelque chose pour la bonne boucheto save the best for lastmettre leau la bouche de quelquunto make someones mouth watermettre un mot dans la bouche de quelquunto put a word into someones mouthne pas ouvrir la boucheto not say a wordouvrir la boucheto speakparler la bouche pleineto talk with ones mouth fullp arler par la bouche de quelquundautreto use someone else as ones mouthpiecepasser de bouche oreilleto be spread by word of mouthpasser de bouche en boucheto be talked, rumored aboutrester bouche bà ©eto remain open-mouthed, lost in wonder, astonishedtourner sept fois sa langue dans sa bouche avant de parlerto think long and hard before speakingse transmettre de bouche oreilleto be spread by word of mouthune bouchà ©emouthful

The questions below are of a generic nature Essay

The questions below are of a generic nature - Essay Example However, according to many experts the situation is not yet under control. The world is still passing through the worst economic and financial times. Stock markets are showing sluggish movements and recently there have been sharp decline in the international stock markets. Large financial institutions have collapsed which has been the biggest shock to the financial world. Rescue of these banks have involved huge amounts of money for bail outs. The government of the respective countries have provided lump sum amount of money (that have run upto many trillion dollars in the United States alone) to these failed banks for rescuing them. In the United States the Federal Government has followed the Keynesian theory of economics. As recession set in, policymakers have not left the economy to the forces of the market that might autocorrect the market and improve the condition of low aggregate demand. They have intervened with fiscal and monetary policy changes, so as to augment economic acti vities in the country. Interest rates were reduced as an immediate response to the crisis (Velde, 2008). This paper looks at the causes of the GFC and the responses of the government to this crisis. The main aim of this article is to research the protectionist activities of the governments in reflex to the harm caused to these economies by recessionary pressure. In this light the preventive measures of the governments have been studied to understand the course of action adopted by the global economy to prevent the recurrence of a situation similar to the Great Depression of the 1930s. Causes of the GFC The causes of the GFC are manifold and analysts have not come to any particular agreement about the actual reasons that have eventually led to the financial crisis of such a huge dimension. Yet it is commonly agreed that GFC has occur due to the combined effect of the shocks faced by the real estate market in the United States and the European countries on one hand, and the increasing risk premia for the corporate firms and the investment banks on the other (Stoeckel, 2009). The shocks in the global financial market have potentially created strong contractions in international trade. The root to the financial crisis can be traced to the collapse of a number of large and influential financial institutions in the United Sates and the Europe. Among them, the most notable mortgage bank failures are Lehman Brothers, Northern Rock and Bear Sterns. As these banks filed for bankruptcy, a wave of apprehension ran through the most established financial markets of the western world. In this situation, banks curtailed their lending facilities to other banks which increased the risk premium on interbank borrowing. This rate increased steadily from near 0 to 5 per cent. On corporate bonds this risk increased to more than 6 per cent. In spite of efforts by the government to increase liquidity levels in the market, the financial markets crashed inevitably. The economic slowdown started with the shelving of big corporate projects. Therefore, the primary borrowers in the economy (i.e., the large corporate firms) stopped lending money from the banks. On other side of the coin, obtaining credit for commercial purposes became difficult. This causes the great financial crisis. Since credit facilities dried up, corporate firms had to revise their investment decisions. They faced a

Erikson's theory on child development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Erikson's theory on child development - Essay Example mas in the ego’s relations with the family and larger social institutions at significant points in childhood, adolescence, and early, middle and late adulthood (Sadock et al, 2007). The different aspects of child development identified by Erikson (1963) are: biological, social and individual. Erikson’s most important contribution to psychology is his demarcation of the eight psychosocial stages represented by the eight ages constituting the life span of an individual. An individual’s identity is related to each stage of the lifecycle. During adolescence a conflict between identity and role confusion can arise. Ego development occurs through the stages of the life span, and is part of a child’s evolution into adolescence. As a student of Freud, Erikson took a unique perspective on Freud’s work, incorporated Freud’s primary assumptions, and broadened the network of factors considered responsible for influencing development. He extended Freudian psychoanalytic theory to focus on the ego as the fundamental component in an individual’s functioning. Erikson’s (1963) psychosocial theory of personality development is similar to Freud’s psychosexual theory of development with its emphasis on instinctual energy as a determining life force (Sadock et al, 2007). Freud’s viewpoint was that the most important determinants of development occurred during early childhood, but on the other hand Erikson believed that the most important development came later, and that development continued through the lifespan: from childhood till the last stage of life. Other differences between Freud and Erikson’s theories is that: Erikson does not stress on unconscious motives or desires, and he based his ideas on analyses of the functioning of healthy people, whereas Freud studied individuals being treated for mental health problems. Erikson considered key social interactions at each stage of development to be very important. Though he agreed that biological unfolding was

Learning to read and write Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Learning to read and write - Essay Example When Douglas attained 12 years, he acquired a book, the Colombian Orator that gave him an insight about slavery. Within the book was a conversation between a slave and his master. The slave had made three futile attempts to escape but finally managed to negotiate his terms of slavery. Douglas quest for education spurred deep resentment against his masters and the whites. The more he read about slavery, the more he loathed the white people. He hated himself for being black and even worse hated how the whites treated him and fellow blacks. Douglas learnt about the abolishment campaign by citizens from the North but lacked the nerves to see it happen. Once when helping Irish whites unload a scow of stones, he learnt of the northerners’ piety for the black slaves in the south. His resentment peaked when he decided he needed to run away but later settled to stay since he was young. For him to earn a dignified life as any other free American, he needed to know how to read and write. He knew how to read but was not good at writing. Douglas made an effort to educate himself on how to write with the help of other white children (Frederick). I t was a long, painstaking journey for Douglas to learn how to read and

Simone De Beauvoir: Gender and Sex

Simone De Beauvoir: Gender and Sex Simone de Beauvoir’s Insights Towards Gender and Status Is there any wonder that Simone de Beauvoir rejected the idea that gender  has innate characteristics from birth? As a woman philosopher living in a man’s world I believe she fully understood what she was talking about. The writings in her world renowned book ‘The Second Sex’ written in 1947 give us a historical and cultural lesson of what women have had to overcome to exist as women in a man’s world. Men and women are both influenced by their conditioning the main difference is that man has been attributed the leading role. Times are changing and Simone de Beauvoir has played an important role in our attempt to undo the erroneous programming. Today’s leading ladies have proven their capacities at playing the part. Simone de Beauvoir’s example of what a woman that is intelligent can do in life by her straightforward, honest approach may be the stepping stones for other women to fearlessly do the same. As far back as the 10th century ideas of antifeminism have haunted the women of the world. The handful of women that were in the limelight were usually obliterated for witchcraft as in the case of Jeanne D’Arc or publicly ridiculed or at worse martyred. Women as the lesser sex have been depicted as temptresses from Bible days which at the same time undermined their intelligence. This dual image which has conditioned women to see themselves as passive beings who lie in wait for men to save, them or come and love them and their counterparts the devouring temptresses who take what they want and leave the rest behind including their intelligence is what Simone de Beauvoir sees as our conditioning. This conditioning starts at a very early age when there are no apparent differences between baby girls and baby boys. They are both at this early age totally in need of nurturing and physical contact which they thrive upon. This loving care is exactly the same up until a certain moment w hen the baby is weaned. According to Simone De Beauvoir from that point on boys are taught to become little men and they receive less physical contact and affection than their girl counterparts; They are also a product of their conditioning just as we are. This is an important thing to remember throughout this reading. Boys and girls alike are part of their environmental conditioning through family heritage, cultural traditions, religious beliefs and historical beliefs. As children we all have the same attitudes of temper tantrums, pouting, charming our parents then we are in fact the same until our environment gives us another outlook upon ourselves. Little girls quickly learn that they need to be careful. They need to act like little ladies not climbing trees and skinning knees as their brothers are encouraged to do. This myth starts very early with the family attitude about the physical differences between sexes. Boys have an outward expression of their masculinity which turns th em rapidly into having something to be proud of. This expression of self that has, in the eyes of the parents, a value becomes what the boy measures himself to other boys with. It’s a tactile indicator of their manliness and gives them the instinct of measurability. How long their sex is and how far they can urinate. The inevitable presence of their extension gives them a power of object. Women are inwardness. All of their discoveries are inward and therefore left unsaid. You can’t see much of the sex of a little girl so it is not made a fuss over as boy’s sexes are. Girls try to express their transfer towards an object to a doll for example. This treating a doll as herself gives her the idea that the substance is the same and therefore she is someone to dress up to cater to, that has an existence because others make her exist. Later on in life she will eventually become that doll thing that sits home waiting for her husband and children to pick her up and do as they please with her. Just as she idled away her childhood she idles away the hours of her parenthood, or wifehood at home staving off boredom with no particular goals or worlds to conquer. Boys grow up with the idea that they are going somewhere and have something to accomplish and will assume responsibilities along the way. They learn at around 13 yrs. old that the answer may not come out in words but through violence. A girl wills repress her own violence because girls don’t do that sort of thing. This violence turns into neurosis which in part is violence unexpressed which comes back to oneself eventually. Simone De Beauvoir was avant guard when she recognized the fact that women have their own part of violence at that age but we do not allow ourselves to express it. We are simply not encouraged socially, historically or culturally to express it. Where progress has been made is that more and more women are training in martial arts which are a positive way to express their inner violence. What upset our mothers, and depending on what conditioning you were also given, was the pre- established path chosen for us no matter what we would like to become. Once the path was set then fear was quickly to follow. What path? The path that says no matter what education you receive you will end up a wife and mother then grandmother. This is a frightening aspect of the growing girl’s plight. She will not only have to learn to become a woman, a wife, a mother and a grandmother. She can study all that she would like but there is no real asking of her to do so or to assume the responsibilities that this implies. She’ll marry then stop working to have children and her husband’s career will prevail and take on the traditional role of breadwinner. Perhaps today’s economy has obliged young women to be career assertive but maybe not for the right reasons. Career minded because families are not withstanding without two good salaries to support them. The outer exp ression of sexual pride may still be baring the road. The fact that a young woman can be a productive and important member of our society and that she also has her contribution to make does not seem to impress upon girls as it does on boys. There are so many frightening biological events in the life of a young girl who is becoming a woman that possessing her own inward sexuality is a complicated task. Young men can see theirs, be proud of it, and use it where as young girls have to deal with what biologically is imposed upon them. Their menstrual cycles which alter their characters for several days a month is in itself part of the mystery of womanhood. The changes in her body that may lead her to withdrawal because now she is becoming the object so desired by men. The doll has come of age and can now be manoeuvred accordingly. This is a moment in time when many young women become anorexic keeping their bodies at bay and stopping the menstrual cycle as if time would stand still. The onset of an eventual pregnancy, abortion risk, risks during pregnancy, menopause and all the choices that implies has made being a woman probably more complicated than being a man. What is very interesting to remark according to statistics there are a large majority of women that would prefer being men. Men in a very small minority if they had the choice would have preferred being a woman. There is the unfortunate, radical, feminist view of continuously proving that women can be more or better than men by doing the same things and acting the same way.. I find this unfortunate. If we want equality then we should be striving for equal respect and equal rights not superiority and domination which are what has made us suffer from the ages. Women finding ways to be assertive, well-balanced, brilliant, and effective is what can give us our strength in today’s world. It was unthought-of at the time of French sculpt rice Camille Claudel that a woman could surpass the master. Camille Claudel would never have broken through the layers of men to get to where she did in the arts if she hadn’t had the support of her father firstly and Rodin. Once Rodin retracted she lost all prestige and control over her life. There is the great Mexican artist Frida Kahlo who also had the support of her father interestingly enough and that of a great Mexican artist as well. Both fathers in these two examples gave their support to their daughters which were probably what they would have received if they were sons instead of daughters. In the face of talent and genius these men were supportive and able to recognize potential. How many other Sunday morning painters got left by the roadside because they were not recognized in virtue of their talents but because of their gender? What did the world wars teach us about women? It taught us that in the absence of brothers, cousins, fathers, and husbands they were capable of running a country from industry to education the national health Women kept their families fed, clothed, and sheltered during the war. We are not warriors are heart but have the same potential. There are examples in history like Amazons and Jeanne d’Arc of women capable of leading armies and warring. We could have been cultivated as war lords also but weren’t. Women are givers of life and that is probably what gives us the incentive to promote peace culture instead of war. No woman wants to see her sons, daughters, husband, brothers or sisters go off to war and not come back. The peace movement has a majority of women supporters and that seems to go with the fact that life giving is still our realm. The political world has opened up it’s doors to women within the last twenty years. Before that time there was usually a woman behind a great man in the shadows and there to decorate the photographs for the press more than for her opinions. In France there were three woman ministers elected in the late 70’s. This was a turning point. The paradox comes in when women fought in the French resistance showing their bravery and didn’t obtain the right to vote until two years after the war was over. The equality act was also pronounced shortly after women’s right to vote. This maintaining of women in a conditioned status has been painful for us and is now becoming painful to our male counterparts who are seeking the limits of their own identity. Women are now brought up and beginning to think for themselves, what they want out of life, what they are going to do to get what they need. This is a true cultural revolution. If the conditioning has begun to change then women shall become women and know themselves. Thus knowing themselves they will become decision makers, and active citizens not through man’s making but through their own. This fundamental step has been operating since May 1968 even though precursors since ancient times have been trying to change this. Simone de Beauvoir succeeded in starting the league for Women’s Rights and was a militant for family planning. Giving back to women the right to do what they need to do with their own bodies was an essential step in accepting the responsibilities that are incumbent for every human being either man or woman. The big waking up of our society started with her book and has continued to live on inspiring women to take the responsibility for their lives as a person and an equal which gives them a lot more freedom than it did our mothers. The social role was encouraging us look pretty but please don’t say anything. Mediocrity amongst woman rose as her only idea of self was stemming from what others mirrored her. Her husband and her family were her only mirrors and connection with the world. He went out in the world she quietly stayed home or followed in the shadows. If an intelligent woman did express herself she was ridiculed in public and could not be accepted for her thoughts. The Marie Curie’s and other thinkers are a small handful of the potential that women have been suppressing since the beginning of time. Women are beginning to realize that no matter what their conditioning since birth they can change the course of events in their lives. Taking their own responsibility for their own lives and what is to become of them is the next chapter in our evolution. Women are finally starting to be raised to believe in themselves and their capacities. Ask a little girl today what she wants to become later and she might surprise you and answer â€Å"an astronaut, a research worker, an architect â€Å". We are far from the days of Simone de Beauvoir’s struggle to live in a man’s world. I think that men are having trouble adjusting to this change. They are becoming more and more aware of women’s presence in the work field and their contribution as fellow citizens. Their own identity has been questioned and ours is beginning to grow and develop. This cleavage will be difficult to stabilize  since all related gender problems have finally come to the surface, the debate is whether or not women that are raising their children can make the ‘shift’ to raising their sons and daughters alike. The story perhaps begins and ends with women. Are we going to keep attributing to ourselves the role models that went before us? Or are we finally going to break the bondage of what we have been made to think of ourselves? There has come a time when the individual man or woman will begin to raise his consciousness and choose him or herself first. Not in and egotistical way but to ask oneself the question ‘†What do I need for myself right now to be in agreement with myself?† When finally women and men have worked on themselves enough to be able at any moment to ask themselves that question then it is definitely not a question of gender but autonomy. Do women want their autonomy? Is the easy way out or women to continue a mediocre existence to take the easy way out and let this be a man’s world and a state of dependency and submission? Men take their independence and unfortunately women think or have been taught to think theirs is to be earned. Men believe it is their right from the beginning. Women ask permission for it and in most circumstances and it never comes. Leaving behind all the social prejudice and family prejudice and historical and cultural prejudice can only be the choice of women. Simone de Beauvoir showed us that a woman is herself and can dare to be herself if she so chooses. Although this idea will not appeal to some, women are running for presidential office these days and hold important functions within our highest auspices while Simone’s message has probably hit home. Women are accepting to be themselves without asking permission to do so. Men are battling with their own conditioning and their own identity problems due to this conditioning. In order to create a balance it will take time and courage. Women for peace, for children’s rights, for non-vi olence, for equal education and career rights have united all over the world to speak their piece. A beautiful French song that implies women as being men’s future. could hold a lot of truth in these words. Thinking back on the historical events and cultural ideas about gender it must have taken great incentive for a woman like Simone de Beauvoir de openly and honestly explore the femaleness and the contradictions of our times. It is also easy to comprehend why men find it so difficult to understand us when we are on the brink of finding ourselves as people and as women. Perhaps if our own opinion of self changes then the worlds opinion can also evolve. Starting with individual awareness can only lead to universal awareness in time. Simone de Beauvoir in her rejection of gender has put back the sparkle in the eyes of women and helped us overcome the conditioning of the years. References Simone de Beauvoir ‘ Le Deuxieme Sexe’ Galiard, Paris 1947 Nancy Bauer Contributor ‘Simone de Beauvoir Philosophy and Feminism’ Columbia University press N.Y. 2001 Isabelle De Courtivron Contributor ‘ New French Feminism’ An Anthology ED. Elaine Marks ED. Publisher University of Massachusetts press,Amherst ma. 1980 www.lang.soton.ac.uk/students/french/FrenchThought/beauvoir/ Reference to song written and sung by Jean Ferrat ‘La Femme est l’avenir de l’homme’

Gene One Problem Definition :: Business Strategy Analysis

To grow or not to grow, that is the dilemma. Many companies are often faced with this challenging decision. The consequences of this decision may be the overall success or failure of the organization. Change is often necessary to create opportunities for growth and profitability. In fact, change is required for companies looking to grow the business (Andersen, 2005). Such changes may include modifying the existing culture of the organization and the company's leadership philosophy. McShane and Von Glinow (2004) define organizational culture as the set of core values, beliefs and behaviors shared by the members of an organization. Culture determines how formal or informal an office is, how much emphasis is placed on rules and regulations, how approachable senior management is, how problems are tackled and successes shared, etc. It is important, particularly in times of change, for companies to have a clear sense of who they are, what they stand for and what behaviors their people must exhibit for the organization to be successful. Having a clear vision has a positive impact on the organization and its employees. Having a strong sense of who the company is and what it stands for promotes an environment where people demonstrate a commitment to the company's core values, such as providing excellent customer service, being dedicated to quality, acting with integrity, and showing respect for each other. These values keep the company on course, regardless of the changes and challenges that are faced. Core values enable the company to not just weather the difficult times, but to come through them an even stronger organization. This paper explores the challenges and opportunities faced by Gene One and identifies end state goals used to measure success. It will show the benefits of revamping the existing culture of an organization in an effort to drive business results and experience growth and profitability. Gene One, faced with increasing demands in the biotech industry, is challenged to grow the business 40 percent per year for three years, become a publicly traded company, raise capital and develop new products. The company has experienced rapid growth, growing annual revenue from $2 million to $400 million over its first eight years. The CEO and Executive Board of Gene One are implementing the strategy to become a public company in order to gain access to the much needed capital for new product development and marketing.

Practical Demonkeeping Chapter 16-18

16 HOWARD Howard Phillips, the owner of H.P.'s Cafe, had just settled down in the study of his stone cottage when he looked out the window and saw something moving through the trees. Howard had spent most of his adult life trying to prove three theories he had formulated in college: one, that before man had walked the Earth there had been a powerful race of intelligent beings who had achieved a high level of civilization, then for some unknown reason had disappeared; two, that the remnants of their civilization still existed underground or under the ocean, and through extreme cunning and guile had escaped detection by man; and three, that they were planning to return as masters of the planet in a very unfriendly way. What lurked in the woods outside Howard Phillips's cottage was the first physical evidence of his theories that he had ever encountered. He was at once elated and terrified. Like the child who is delighted by the idea of Santa Claus, then cries and cowers behind its mother when confronted with the corpulent red-suited reality of a department-store Santa, Howard Phillips was not fully prepared for a physical manifestation of what he had long believed extant. He was a scholar, not an adventurer. He preferred his experiences to come secondhand, through books. Howard's idea of adventure was trying whole wheat toast with his daily ham and eggs instead of the usual white bread. He stared out the window at the creature moving in the moonlight. It was very much like the creatures he had read about in ancient manuscripts: bipedal like a man, but with long, apelike arms; reptilian. Howard could see scales reflecting in the moonlight. The one inconsistency that bothered him was its size. In the manuscripts, these creatures, who were said to be kept as slaves by the Old Ones, had always been small in stature, no more than a few feet tall. This one was enormous – four, maybe five meters tall. The creature stopped for moment, then turned slowly and looked directly at Howard's window. Howard resisted the urge to dive to the floor and so stood staring straight into the eyes of the nightmare. The creature's eyes were the size of car headlamps and they glowed a faint orange around slotted, feline pupils. Long, pointed scales lay back against its head, giving the impression of ears. They stood there, staring at each other, the creature and the man, neither moving, until Howard could bear it no longer. He grabbed the curtains and pulled them shut, almost ripping them from the rod in the process. Outside he could hear the sound of laughter. When he dared to peak through the gap in the curtains, the creature was gone. Why hadn't he been more scientific in his observation? Why hadn't he run for his camera? For all his work at putting together clues from arcane grimoirs to prove the existence of the Old Ones, people had labeled him a crackpot. One photograph would have convinced them. But he had missed his chance. Or had he? Suddenly it occurred to Howard that the creature had seen him. Why should the Old Ones be so careful not to be discovered for so long, then walk in the moonlight as if out for a Sunday stroll? Perhaps it had not moved on at all but was circling the house to do away with the witness. First he thought of weapons. He had none in the house. Many of the old books in his library had spells for protection, but he had no idea where to start looking. Besides, the verge of panic was not the ideal mental state in which to do research. He might still be able to bolt to his old Jaguar and escape. Then again, he might bolt into the claws of the creature. All these thoughts passed through his mind in a second. The phone. He snatched the phone from his desk and dialed. It seemed forever for the dial to spin, but finally there was a ring and a woman's voice at the other end. â€Å"Nine-one-one, emergency,† she said. â€Å"Yes, I wish to report a lurker in the woods.† â€Å"What is your name, sir?† â€Å"Howard Phillips.† â€Å"And what is the address you are calling from?† â€Å"Five-oh-nine Cambridge Street, in Pine Cove.† â€Å"Are you in any immediate danger?† â€Å"Well, yes, that is why I called.† â€Å"You say you have a prowler. Is he attempting to enter the house?† â€Å"Not yet.† â€Å"You have seen the prowler?† â€Å"Yes, outside my window, in the woods.† â€Å"Can you describe him?† â€Å"He is an abomination of such abysmal hideousness that the mere recollection of this monstrosity perambulating in the dark outside my domicile fills me with the preternatural chill of the charnel house.† â€Å"That would be about how tall?† Howard paused to think. Obviously the law enforcement system was not prepared to deal with perversions from the transcosmic gulfs of the nethermost craters of the underworld. Yet he needed assistance. â€Å"The fiend stands two meters,† he said. â€Å"Could you see what he was wearing?† Again Howard considered the truth and rejected it. â€Å"Jeans, I believe. And a leather jacket.† â€Å"Could you tell if he was armed?† â€Å"Armed? I should say so. The beast is armed with monstrous claws and a toothed maw of the most villainous predator.† â€Å"Calm down, sir. I am dispatching a unit to your home. Make sure the doors are locked. Stay calm, I'll stay on the line until the officers arrive.† â€Å"How long will that be?† â€Å"About twenty minutes.† â€Å"Young woman, in twenty minutes I shall be little more than a shredded memory!† Howard hung up the phone. It had to be escape, then. He took his greatcoat and car keys from the foyer and stood leaning against the front door. Slowly he slipped the lock and grabbed the door handle. â€Å"On three, then,† he said to himself. â€Å"One.† He turned the door handle. â€Å"Two.† He bent, preparing to run. â€Å"Three!† He didn't move. â€Å"All right, then. Steel yourself, Howard.† He started the count again. â€Å"One.† Perhaps the beast was not outside. â€Å"Two.† If it was a slave creature, it wasn't dangerous at all. â€Å"Three!† He did not move. Howard repeated the process of counting, over and over, each time measuring the fear in his heart against the danger that lurked outside. Finally, disgusted with his own cowardliness, he threw the door open, and bolted into the dark. 17 BILLY Billy Winston was on the final stretch of the nightly audit at the Rooms-R-Us Motel. His fingers danced across the calculator like a spastic Fred Astaire. The sooner he finished, the sooner he could log onto the computer and become Roxanne. Only thirty-seven of the motel's one hundred rooms were rented tonight, so he was going to finish early. He couldn't wait. He needed Roxanne's ego boost after being ditched by The Breeze the night before. He hit the total button with a flourish, as if he had just played the final note of a piano concerto, then wrote the figure into the ledger and slammed the book. Billy was alone in the motel. The only sound was the hum of the fluorescent lights. From the windows by his desk he had a 180-degree view of the highway and the parking lot, but there was nothing to see. At that time of night a car or two passed every half hour or so. Just as well. He didn't like distractions while he was being Roxanne. Billy pushed a stool up to the front counter behind the computer. He typed in his access code and logged on. WITKSAS: HOW'S YOUR DOG, SWEETIE? SEND: PNCVCAL The Rooms-R-Us Motel chain maintained a computer network for making reservations at their motels all over the world. From any location a desk clerk could contact any of the two hundred motels in the chain by simply entering a seven-letter code. Billy had just sent a message to the night auditor in Wichita, Kansas. He started at the green phosphorescent screen, waiting for an answer. PNCVCAL: ROXANNE! MY DOG IS LONELY. HELP ME, BABY. WITKSAS Wichita was on line. Billy punched up a reply. WITKSAS: MAYBE HE NEEDS A LITTLE DISCIPLINE. I COULD SMOTHER HIM IF YOU WANT. SEND: PNCVCAL There was a pause while Billy waited. PNCVCAL: YOU WANT TO HOLD HIS POOR FUZZY FACE BETWEEN YOUR MELONS UNTIL HE BEGS? IS THAT IT? WITKSAS Billy thought for a moment. This was why they loved him. He couldn't just throw them an answer they could get from any sleazebeast. Roxanne was a goddess. WITKSAS: YES. AND BEAT HIM SOFTLY ON THE EARS. BAD DOG. BAD DOG. SEND: PNCVCAL Again Billy waited for the response. A message appeared on the screen. WHERE ARE YOU DARLING? I MISS YOU. TULSOKL. It was his lover from Tulsa. Roxanne could handle two or three at once, but she wasn't in the mood for it right now. She was feeling a little crampy. Billy adjusted his crotch, his panties were riding up a bit. He typed two messages. WITKSAS: GO PET YOUR DOGGIE FOR A WHILE. AUNTIE ROXANNE WILL CHECK ON YOU IN A WHILE. SEND: PNCVCAL TULSOKL: TOOK AN EVENING OFF TO SHOP FOR SOMETHING LACY TO WEAR FOR YOU. I HOPE YOU DON'T FIND IT TOO SHOCKING. SEND: PNCVCAL While he was waiting for a response from Oklahoma, Billy dug into his gym bag for his red high heels. He liked to hook the stiletto heels into the rungs of the stool while he talked to his lovers. When he glanced up, he thought he saw something moving out in the parking lot. Probably just a guest getting something from the car. PNCVCAL: YOU SWEET LITTLE THING, YOU COULD NEVER SHOCK ME. TELL ME WHAT YOU BOUGHT. TULSOKL Billy started to type in a modest description of a lace teddy he had seen in a catalog. To the guy in Tulsa, Roxanne was a shy little flower; to Wichita she was a dominatrix. The desk clerk in Seattle saw her as a leather-clad biker chick. The old man in Arizona thought she was a struggling single mother of two, barely making it on a desk clerk's salary. He always wanted to send her money. There were ten of them in all. Roxanne gave them what they needed. They loved her. Billy heard the double doors of the lobby open, but he did not look up. He finished typing his message and pressed the SEND button. â€Å"Can I help you,† he said mechanically, still not looking up. â€Å"You betcha,† a voice said. Two huge reptilian hands clacked down on the counter about four feet on each side of Billy. He looked up into the open mouth of the demon coming at his face. Billy pushed back from the keyboard. His heel caught in the rung of the stool and he went over backward as the giant maw snapped shut above him. Billy let loose a long, sirenlike scream and began scrambling on his hands and knees behind the counter toward the back office. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw the demon crawling over the counter after him. Once in the office, Billy leapt to his feet and slammed the door. As he turned to run out the back door, he heard the door fly open and slam against the wall. The back door of the office led into a long corridor of rooms. Billy pounded on the doors as he passed. No one opened a door, but there were angry shouts from inside the rooms. Billy turned and saw the demon filling the far end of the corridor. It was in a crouch, moving down the corridor on all fours, crawling awkward and batlike in the confined space. Billy dug in his pocket for his pass key, found it, and ran down the hallway and around the corner. Making the corner, he twisted his ankle. White pain shot up his leg, and he cried out. He limped to the closest door. The images of women in horror movies who twisted their ankles and feebly fell into the clutches of the monster raced through his head. Damn high heels. He fumbled the key into the lock while looking back down the hallway. The door opened and Billy fell into the room just as the monster rounded the corner behind him. He kicked the stiletto heel off his good foot, vaulted up and hopped across the empty room to the sliding glass door. The safety bar was set. He fell to his knees and began clawing at it. The only light in the room was coming from the hallway, and suddenly that was eclipsed. The monster was working its way through the doorway. â€Å"What the fuck are you!† Billy screamed. The monster stopped just inside the room. Even crouching over, its shoulders hit the ceiling. Billy cowered by the sliding door, still clawing under the curtains at the safety bar. The monster looked around the room, its huge head turning back and forth like a searchlight. To Billy's amazement, it reached around and turned on the lights. It seemed to be studying the bed. â€Å"Does that have Magic Fingers?† it said. â€Å"What!† Billy said. It came out a scream. â€Å"That bed has Magic Fingers, right?† Billy pulled the safety bar loose and hurled it at the monster. The heavy steel bar hit the monster in the face and rattled to the floor. The monster showed no reaction. Billy reached for the latch on the door and started to pull it open. The monster scuttled forward, reached over Billy's head, and pushed the door shut with one clawed finger. Billy yanked on the door but it was held fast. He collapsed under the monster with a long, agonizing wail. â€Å"Give me a quarter,† the monster said. Billy looked up into the huge lizard face. The monster's grin was nearly two feet wide. â€Å"Give me a quarter!† it repeated. Billy dug into his pocket, came out with a handful of change, and timidly held it up to the monster. Still holding the door shut with one hand, the monster reached down with the other and plucked a quarter from Billy's hand with two claws, using them like chopsticks. â€Å"Thanks,† it said. â€Å"I love Magic Fingers.† The demon let go of the door. â€Å"You can go now,† it said. Before he could think about it, Billy threw the door open and dove through. He was climbing to his feet when something caught him by the leg from behind and dragged him back into the room. â€Å"I was just kidding. You can't go.† The monster held Billy upside down by his leg while it dropped the quarter into the little metal box on the nightstand. Billy flailed in the air, screaming and clawing at the demon, ripping his fingernails against its scales. The monster took Billy into its arms like a teddy bear and lay back on the bed. Its feet hung off the end and nearly touched the dresser on the opposite wall. Billy could not scream; there was no breath for a scream. The monster let go with one arm and placed one long claw at Billy's ear. â€Å"Don't you just love Magic Fingers?† it said. Then it drove the claw though Billy's brain. 18 RACHEL After Merle died and Rachel observed a respectable period of mourning, which was precisely the same amount of time it took the courts to transfer Merle's property to her, she sold the Cessna and the trailer, bought herself a Volkswagen van, and on the advice of the women at the shelter, headed for Berkeley. In Berkeley, they insisted, she would find a community of women who could help her stay off the wheel of abuse. They were right. The women in Berkeley welcomed Rachel with open arms. They helped her find a place to live, enrolled her in exercise and self-actualization courses, taught her to defend herself, nurture herself, and most important, to respect herself. She lost weight and grew strong. She thrived. Within a year she took the remainder of her inheritance and bought a lease on a small studio adjacent to the University of California campus and began teaching high-intensity aerobics. She soon gained a reputation as a tough, domineering bitch of an instructor. There was a waiting list to get into her classes. The fat little girl had come into her own as a beautiful and powerful woman. Rachel taught six classes a day, putting herself through the rigors of each workout along with her students. After a few months of that regimen, she fell ill, waking one morning to find that she had just enough strength to call the women in her classes to cancel, and no more. One of her students, a statuesque, gray-haired woman in her forties named Bella, appeared at Rachel's door a few hours later. Once through the door Bella began giving orders. â€Å"Take off your clothes and get back in bed. I'll bring you some tea in a moment.† Her voice was deep and strong, yet somehow soothing. Rachel did as she was told. â€Å"I don't know what you think you've done to deserve the punishment you are giving yourself, Rachel,† Bella said, â€Å"but it has to stop.† Bella sat on the edge of Rachel's bed and watched while Rachel drank the tea. â€Å"Now lie on your stomach and relax.† Bella applied fragrant oil to Rachel's back and began rubbing, first with long, slow strokes that spread the oil, then gradually digging her fingers into the muscles until Rachel thought she would cry out in pain. When the message was finished, Rachel felt even more exhausted than before. She fell into a deep sleep. When Rachel awoke, Bella repeated the process, forcing Rachel to drink the bitter tea, then kneading her muscles until they ached. Again, Rachel slept. When Rachel awoke the fourth time, Bella again served her the tea, but this time she had Rachel lie on her back to receive her massage. Bella's hands played gently over her body, lingering between her legs and on her breasts. Through the drugged haze of the tea, Rachel noticed that the older woman was almost naked and had rubbed her own body with the same fragrant oils that she used on Rachel. It didn't occur to Rachel to resist. Since Bella had come through the door, she had been giving orders and Rachel had obeyed. In the dim light of Rachel's little apartment they became lovers. It had been two years since Rachel had been with a man. Trading soft caresses with Bella, she didn't care if she was ever again. When Rachel was back on her feet, Bella introduced her to a group of women who met at Bella's house once a week to perform ceremonies and rituals. Among these women Rachel learned about a new power she carried within herself, the power of the Goddess. Bella tutored her in the machinations of white magic and soon Rachel was leading the coven in rituals, while Bella looked on like a proud mother. â€Å"Modulate your voice,† Bella told her. â€Å"No matter what you are saying it should sound like a chant to the Goddess. The coven should be taken with the chant. That is the meaning of enchantment, my dear.† Rachel gave up her apartment and moved into Bella's restored Victorian house near the U.C. campus. For the first time in her life, she felt truly happy. Of course, it didn't last. One afternoon she came home to find Bella in bed with a bald and bewhiskered professor of music. Rachel was livid. She threatened the professor with a fireplace poker and chased him, half-naked, into the street. He exited clutching his tweed jacket and corduroy slacks in front of him. â€Å"You said you loved me!† Rachel screamed at Bella. â€Å"I do love you, dear.† Bella did not seem the least bit upset. Her voice was deep and modulated like a chant. â€Å"This was about power, not love.† â€Å"If I wasn't filling your needs, you should have said something.† â€Å"You are the most wonderful lover I have known, dear Rachel. But Dr. Mendenhall holds the mortgage on our house. That loan is interest free, in case you hadn't noticed.† â€Å"You whore!† â€Å"Aren't we all, dear?† â€Å"I'm not.† â€Å"You are. I am. The Goddess is. We all have our price. Be it love, or money, or power, Rachel. Why do you think the women in your exercise classes put themselves through so much pain?† â€Å"You're changing the subject.† â€Å"Answer me,† Bella demanded. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"They want a sound body. They want a strong vessel to carry a strong spirit.† â€Å"They don't give a rat's ass about a strong spirit. They want a tight ass so men will want them. They will deny it to the death, but it's true. The sooner you realize that, the sooner you will realize your own power.† â€Å"You're sick. This goes against everything you've ever taught me.† â€Å"This is the most important thing I ever will teach you, so listen! Know your price, Rachel.† â€Å"No.† â€Å"You think I'm some cheap slut, do you? You think you're above selling yourself? How much rent have you ever paid here?† â€Å"I offered. You said it didn't matter. I loved you.† â€Å"That's your price, then.† â€Å"It's not. It's love.† â€Å"Sold!† Bella climbed out of bed and strode across the room, her long gray hair flying behind her. She took her robe from the closet, threw it around herself, and tied the sash. â€Å"Love me for what I am, Rachel. Just as I love you for what you are. Nothing has changed. Dr. Mendenhall will be back, whimpering like a puppy. If it will make you feel better, you can be the one that takes him. Maybe we can do it together.† â€Å"You're sick. How could you even suggest such a thing?† â€Å"Rachel, as long as you see men as human beings, we are going to have a problem. They are inferior beings, incapable of love. How could a few moments of animal friction with a subhuman affect us? What we have between us?† â€Å"You sound like a man caught with his pants down.† Bella sighed. â€Å"I don't want you around the others until you calm down. There's some money in my jewelry box. Why don't you take it and go down to Esalen for a week or so. Think this over. You'll feel better when you get back.† â€Å"What about the others?† Rachel asked. â€Å"How do you think they'll feel when they find out that all the magic, all the spiritualism you preach, is just so much bullshit?† â€Å"Everything is true. They follow me because they admire my power. This is part of that power. I haven't betrayed anyone.† â€Å"You've betrayed me.† â€Å"If you feel that way, then perhaps you'd better leave.† Bella went into the bathroom and began drawing a bath. Rachel followed her. â€Å"Why should I leave? I could just tell them. I know as much as you do now. I could lead them.† â€Å"Dear Rachel.† Bella was adding oils to her bath and not looking up. â€Å"Didn't you learn anything from killing your husband? Destruction is a man's way.† Rachel was stunned. She had told Bella about the accident but not that she had caused it. She had told no one. Bella looked up at her at last. â€Å"You can stay if you wish. I still love you.† â€Å"I'll go.† â€Å"I'm sorry, Rachel. I thought you were more highly evolved.† Bella slipped out of her robe and into her bath. Rachel stood in the doorway staring down at her. â€Å"I love you,† she said. â€Å"I know you do, dear. Now, go pack your things.† Rachel couldn't bear the idea of staying in Berkeley. Everywhere she went she encountered reminders of Bella. She loaded up her van and spent a month driving around California, looking for a place where she might fit in. Then, one morning while reading the paper over breakfast, she spotted a column called â€Å"California Facts.† It was a simple list of figures that informed readers of obscure facts such as which California county produces the most pistachios (Sacramento), where one had the best chance of having one's car stolen (North Hollywood), and tucked amid a mlange of seemingly insignificant demographics, which California town had the highest per capita percentage of divorced women (Pine Cove). Rachel had found her destination. Now, five years later, she was firmly set in the community, respected by the women and feared and lusted after by the men. She had moved slowly, recruiting into her coven only women who sought her out – mostly women who were on the verge of leaving their husbands and who needed something to shore them up during the divorce process. Rachel provided them with the support they required, and in return they gave her their loyalty. Just six months ago she initiated the thirteenth and final member of the coven. At last she was able to perform the rituals that she had worked so hard to learn from Bella. For years they seemed ineffective, and Rachel attributed their failure to not having a full coven. Now she was starting to suspect that the Earth magic they were trying to perform just did not work – that there was no real power to be had. She could lead the coven to attempt anything, and on her command they would do it. That was a power of sorts. She could extract favors from men with no more than a seductive glance and in that, there was a power. But none of it was enough. She wanted the magic to work. She wanted real power. Catch had sensed Rachel's lust for power in the Head of the Slug that afternoon, recognizing in her what he had seen in his ruthless masters before Travis. That night, while Rachel lay in the dark of her cabin, contemplating her own impotence, the demon came to her. She had locked the door that night, more out of habit than need, as there was very little crime in Pine Cove. Around nine she heard someone try the doorknob and she sat upright in bed. â€Å"Who is it?† As if in answer, the door bent slowly inward and the doorjamb cracked, then splintered away. The door opened, but there was no one behind it. Rachel pulled the quilt up around her chin and scooted up into the corner of the bed. â€Å"Who is it?† A voice growled out of the darkness, â€Å"Don't be afraid. I will not hurt you.† The moon was bright. If someone was there, she should have been able to see his silhouette in the doorway, but strain as she might, she saw nothing. â€Å"Who are you? What do you want?† â€Å"No – what do you want?† the voice said. Rachel was truly frightened; the voice was coming from an empty spot not two feet away from her bed. â€Å"I asked you first,† she said. â€Å"Who are you?† â€Å"Ooooooooooo, I am the ghost of Christmas past.† Rachel poked herself in the leg with her thumbnail to make sure she was not dreaming. She wasn't. She found herself speaking to the disembodied voice in spite of herself. â€Å"Christmas is months away.† â€Å"I know. I lied. I'm not the ghost of Christmas past. I saw that in a movie once.† â€Å"Who are you!† Rachel was near hysteria. â€Å"I am all your dreams come true.† Someone must have planted a speaker somewhere in the house. Rachel's fear turned to anger. She leapt from bed to find the offending device. Two steps out of bed she ran into something and fell to the floor. Something that felt like claws wrapped around her waist. She felt herself being lifted and put back on the bed. Panic seized her. She began to scream as her bladder let go. â€Å"Stop it!† The voice drowned her screams and rattled the windows of the cabin. â€Å"I don't have time for this.† Rachel cowered on the bed. She was panting and felt herself getting light-headed. She started to sink back into unconsciousness, but something caught her by the hair and yanked her back. Her mind searched for a touchstone in reality. A ghost – it was a ghost. Did she believe in ghosts? Perhaps it was time to start. Maybe it was him, returned for revenge. â€Å"Merle, is that you?† â€Å"Who?† â€Å"I'm sorry, Merle, I had to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Who is Merle?† â€Å"You're not Merle?† â€Å"Never heard of him.† â€Å"Then, who – what in the hell are you?† â€Å"I am the defeat of your enemies. I am the power you crave. I am, live and direct from hell, the demon Catch! Ta-da!† There was a clicking on the floor like a tap-dancing step. â€Å"You're an Earth spirit?† â€Å"Er, uh, yes, an Earth spirit. That's me, Catch, the Earth spirit.† â€Å"But I didn't think the ritual worked.† â€Å"Ritual?† â€Å"We tried to call you up at the meeting last week, but I didn't think it worked because I didn't draw the circle of power with a virgin blade that had been quenched in blood.† â€Å"What did you use?† â€Å"A nail file.† There was a pause. Had she offended the Earth spirit? Here was the first evidence that her magic could work and she had blown it by compromising the materials called for in the ritual. â€Å"I'm sorry,† she said, â€Å"but it's not easy to find a blade that's been quenched in blood.† â€Å"It's okay.† â€Å"If I had known, I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No really, it's okay.† â€Å"Are you offended, Great Spirit?† â€Å"I am about to bestow the greatest power in the world upon a woman who draws circles in the dirt with nail files. I don't know. Give me a minute.† â€Å"Then you will grant harmony to the hearts of the women in the coven?† â€Å"What the fuck are you talking about?† the voice said. â€Å"That is why we summoned you, O Spirit – to bring us harmony.† â€Å"Oh, yeah, harmony. But there is a condition.† â€Å"Tell me what you require of me, O Spirit.† â€Å"I will return to you later, witch. If I find what I am looking for, I will need you to renounce the Creator and perform a ritual. In return you will be given the command of a power that can rule the Earth. Will you do this?† Rachel could not believe what she was hearing. Accepting that her magic worked was a huge step, yet she was speaking to the evidence. But to be offered the power to rule the world? She wasn't sure her career in exercise instruction had prepared her for this. â€Å"Speak, woman! Or would you rather spend your life collecting gobs of hair from shower drains and fingernail parings from ashtrays?† â€Å"How do you know about that?† â€Å"I was destroying pagans when Charlemagne was alive. Now, answer; there is a hunger rising in me and I must go.† â€Å"Destroying pagans? I thought the Earth spirits were benevolent.† â€Å"We have our moments. Now, will you renounce the Creator?† â€Å"Renounce the Goddess, I don't know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Not the Goddess! The Creator!† â€Å"But the Goddess†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Wrong. The Creator, the All-Powerful. Help me out here, babe – I'm not allowed to say his name.† â€Å"You mean the Christian God?† â€Å"Bingo! Will you renounce him?† â€Å"I did that a long time ago.† â€Å"Good. Wait here. I will be back.† Rachel searched for a last word, but nothing came. She heard a rustling in the leaves outside and ran to the door. In the moonlight she could see the shapes of cattle standing in the nearby pasture and something moving among them. Something that was growing larger as it moved away toward town.