BUSINESS MODELS AND PLANNING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

BUSINESS MODELS AND PLANNING - Essay Example Archetypally, a value chain viewpoint is embraced, and affiliations to dealers and clienteles and other peripheral forces are put into consideration. For instance, corporation ‘fundamentals’, put emphasis on the â€Å"information most pertinent to decision making in the contemporary economic setting concern the enterprise’s value chain (business model, in analysts’ parlance)†. In addition, this technique of theorizing the business model focuses on outlining the company’s manner of undertaking business. On the other hand, a narrow business model entails a business model that bases solitary on in-house aspects in the organization. A business model should not be a depiction of a multifarious social system with entirely its actors, dealings and practices. As a replacement for, they argue that, it ought to designate a company’s significance thus creating logic, the processes that enable this, i.e. the groundwork for generating worth and set up the foundation for hypothesizing the strategy of the business. Occasionally, it propagates in the form of an innovative idea. More often, it encompasses amalgamation of merchandise and service features that offers more quality value. For instance, a cheaper price for the equivalent advantage or supplementary benefit for the equal price. In due course, the aforementioned move achieves its key objective of safeguarding loyal customers along with anticipated sales. Business models incorporate strategies that identify and establishing a significant differentiator. For instance, it comes up with a strategic move to attract attention of the customer or superb performance and customer care. Rationally, these models figure out unique barriers to entry that protect their profit streams. In the long run, this strategy ensures that the business continues to control a desirable market share as well as enjoy healthy profits. The business

Mortgage Essay Example for Free

Mortgage Essay 1. In 1932, the federal government’s intervention in the market for home ownership was desirable. Not only was it desirable, but it was needed. It has been the federal government’s desire to have every American become a part of the American dream and be a homeowner. In 1932 President Hoover signed the Federal Home Loan Bank Act to establish a series of discount banks for home mortgages. This would assist in increasing the likelihood of Americans owning a home and not feeling that they were restricted because of financial pressures. Fannie Mae, Ginnie Mae, Freddie Mac were created to help bail out banks that had a growing number of defaults in mortgages. These three enterprises made it possible for banks to offer mortgages to riskier clients who normally would not qualify. This greatly expanded homeownership. It also shaped lending practices at banks and other mortgage lending firms by creating new forms of financing and creating the market of secondary mortgages. 2. Why did the U.S. Congress enact:Â  * Community Reinvestment Act – passed in 1977 requiring banks to lend in the low income neighborhoods * Mortgage Disclosure Act – passed in 1975 to provide the public with loan data that can be used to determine whether or not financial institutions are serving the needs of their community, identify possible discriminatory lending patterns and make this data publicly available * Depository Institution Deregulation and Monetary Control Act – passed in 1980 to provide gradual elimination of limitations on the rates of interest payable on deposits and accounts; authorize interest bearing accounts * Housing and Community Development Act – amended to create section 8 housing These methods were effective in expanding homeownership by making it easier and providing greater methods to become a homeowner. The government’s promotion of subprime mortgages created more problems that assistance. It was the initial cause of the 2008 financial crisis due to the rise in delinquencies and foreclosures. Basically many people were approved for houses that were not financially stable or capable of the long term obligation of buying a home. As subprime lending expanded, so did the crisis due to the over-regulation, deregulation and failed regulation that the government brought on. 3. Subprime mortgages made a contribution to the housing bubble. Since there were several more individuals approved to purchase homes, the demand for houses increased. This demand created many financial institutions and creditors to attempt to make a profit by approving loans, selling or enforcing short term buying. Once people got caught up in homeownership, but were beyond what they could afford and interest rates as well as lending practices went bad, the demand decreased, which resulted in a surplus, reduction of prices, rise in interest rate and the bubble burst. Borrowers will struggle with financing the purchase of a house, loan originators suffer from debt , MBS will suffer since the cash flow is not know in advance, the MBS investors may not receive payment and CDO holders because of the use of reserve funds due to the lack of incoming cash flow.

Learning from the Homeless Essay -- Personal Narrative Essay Example

It began in the County Mall food court. Resting at one of the tables after my lunch, I casually glanced around the place. The food court wasn't crowded, and consequently I had no trouble spotting him: a tall, dark, gray-haired man. He caught my gaze, and started walking towards me. As I took in his gaunt frame, his tattered red t-shirt, and the holes in his great sweats, it dawned on me that before me stood a homeless man. Reaching my table, he asked if he could sit down with me but I declined. I wasn't in the mood to talk to him, and so mumbling a poor excuse and an apology that was probably a few octaves below any decipherable level, and not particularly caring whether the man heard me or not, I got up and walked away. The man called out after me, assuring me that he didn't want money, but rather only someone to talk to. I was rattled by his persistence, and pretending I didn't hear him I quickly walked away, my heart pounding in my chest.    Later that day the incident gnawed on my mind; that I coldly turned down a man who simply wanted someone to talk to was uncharacteristic and appalled me. As I lay awake that night, listening to the rain beat against my roof, my thoughts drifted back to the man at the mall. Was he outside in this rain right now? Was he cold, wet, and hungry? Was he lonely? The thought of him feeling abandoned because of me weighed even more heavily on my conscience. In my first year of high school I suffered through a terrible ordeal that distanced me from my friends for some time. I am familiar with the despair that arises from loneliness, and it made my guilt all the more acute. As I lay in bed, I felt frustrated and angry with myself for acting so callously.    I was eager to ... ...change from the torpid state I found him in and I was elated by the transformation.    Since the mall incident my time with the homeless have widened my eyes considerably. I learned about panhandling, canning routes, and day labors.   I learned about the depression and loneliness that plagues many of the homeless. When I glance upon the effusive joy they derive from STATH's help, I get an idea as to how scathing my rejection might have been to the homeless at the mall. If only I could live the day over -It's a thought I've entertained on many occasions. I fear that in my callousness I have driven the man into a deep despair at the thought that no one wants to spend their time with him. Every time I adopt another homeless on one of STATH's excursions, I relive the incident at the mall. Only now, I take solace in the fact that I make the right decision.

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking Essay

Brief Summary and â€Å"Arrangement† of the Book: Malcom Gladwell published the most pleasant book, â€Å"Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking,† which he extended the landmark style of his number one international bestseller The Tipping Point. Gladwell transformed the ideas of how people understand the world within its rapid decisions. The Blink is about the power of thinking without thinking, which choices that seem to be made in instant decisions in the blink of an eye of a person that can’t be as simple as it may seem to be. Blinked discussed the many elements that affect the individuals judgments, culture, and even their experienced, in which told how they can be improved. Gladwell states various reasons and examples why the human brain is necessary to make a correct decision without thinking and examine information that is necessary to choose a course of action, which he termed this ability as â€Å"thin-slicing.† The â€Å"Blink† is structured starting with an advantageous introduction, fol lowed by several chapters, conclusion, and extra-textual elements such as the afterword, author’s notes, index, and ended with a special section of a reading group guide. Introduction. The Statue that Didn’t Look Right- The author begins by introducing the concept of immediate reactions to people whether it’s physical or emotional responses. Therefore, Gladwell’s story relates to a particular type of a statue by the J. Paul Getty Museum in California, which was known as a kouros. He proceeds to explain the questioning of the statue and to ascertain the truth of how owners maintain the museum to stay open in public. Although the museum faced several conflicts, it was proven that the ownership documents were forged, and yet the museum reopened. Chapter I. â€Å"The Theory of Thin Slices: How a little Bit of Knowledge Goes a Long Way†: The first chapter accounted how Gladwell introduces the main concept of the â€Å"thin-slice,† detailing the way people’s minds can make brisk decision and yet make judgments as well. He employs different concepts to illustrate the individuals within their power of thinking without thinking, in providing an example of married couples. By watching videotapes of married couples, the research team began to specify a system that reveals many deep-seated  problems in the marriage through their body language patterns and gestures. Chapter II. â€Å"The Locked Door: The Secret Life of Snap Decisions†: The context of this chapter discusses the story of how most of the time, we create snap judgments unconsciously and make quick decisions from it. The author explains the different experiment that was done to help prove his reasoning by the students who participated in small tests. This can encourage us to rethink of how certain we are with our thoughts. Gladwell also demonstrates how humans seem to be naturally ill at ease with ambiguity, so we unconsciously create stories that account for decisions we make or within our actions. Chapter III. â€Å"The Warren Harding Error: Why We Fall for Tall, Dark, Handsome Men†: This chapter consists of the impact of the Warren Harding error, which has the negative side to rapid thinking and it affects the accuracy of the way we make fast decisions. Due to this error, people can cause others to create false conclusions without any thinking further. In other words, we can have a better control with our thoughts and even form a more accurate judgment for ourselves. Chapter IV. â€Å"Paul Van Riper’s Big Victory: Creating Structure for Spontaneity†: In this chapter, the a uthor discusses the case of Paul Van Riper, a commander in the Marine Corps within military philosophy. He explains how snap decisions wasn’t the best choice because its outcome is never certain. Often, Gladwell contends, the best decisions are made by relying on only a few pieces of information which could just prolong the process and not become useful. Chapter V. â€Å"Kenna’s Dilemma: The Right-and Wrong-Way to Ask People What They Want†: The author focuses on a different concept in this chapter describing about Kenna, a rock musicians who would receive a different reactions from an audience. Gladwell demonstrates that removing a problem from its normal context makes it very difficult for us to actually make accurate decisions. Eventually it is realized that most people would continuously make incorrect judgment when it is not based on their range in knowledge and how it will appeals to others. Chapter VI. â€Å"Seven Seconds In the Bronx: The Delicate Art of Mind Reading†: The author specifies the negative outcomes that can occur when a series of judgments are made in rapid decisions. Gladwell uses an expert studies, like a man named Amadou Diallo, wh o was shot and killed by police officers after the misjudgments that happened and became a huge mistakes. This shows that the kind of adrenaline rush can cause the brain in  creating an inappropriate actions and could hurt the others around us. Conclusion. â€Å"Listening with Your Eyes: The Lessons of Blink†: To conclude this novel, the author recounts that the power of decisions made in the blink of an eye lies in the absence of other factors and its actions. The book ends with Glawell encouraging readers to take this lesson and learn from it in order to make positive outcomes and change the habit of making rapid decisions. Rhetorical Analysis: Exigence- Malcolm Glawell was motivated by his desire to show people that making quick decisions have more value than what we actually think. He says, â€Å"I believe that the task of making sense of ourselves and our behavior requires that we acknowledge there can be as much value in the blink of an eye as in months of rational analysis.† (17), suggesting that we should focused on what we actually know, and examined the processes of how we think in making decisions in order for it to create a positive outcome and deliver a better world. Audience- The audience would presumably be for those who believe that the best decisions are made after a certain amount of time in collecting and analyzing of high-quality information. The fact of how â€Å"decisions made very quickly can be very bit as good as decisions made cautiously and deliberately.† (14). His writing is directed to people who often make snap judgments and first impressions for better means of making sense of the world and by not believing in the validity of blink decisions. Purpose- Gladwell’s purpose is to teach ourselves to think logically and deliberately in controlling our rapid cognition within it consistent set of reasons. The author’s purpose was, â€Å"to shape and manage and educate the unconscious reactions.† (16). His purpose enlightens and educates the readers for them to take action and use their ability in cultivating ourselves. The task of â€Å"Blink† is to convince people of a convincing his readers that snap judgments and first impressions can be educated and controlled. The author’s purpose enlightens and educates the readers for them to make more positive outcome when it comes to making decisions. Logos- The author provided an insight of using logical appeal such as  statistics due to how this book is based upon a true story. Gladwell refers to the laboratory work of a psychologist named John Gottman at the University of Washington. Gottman has created a coding system that can be used to analyze a videotape in every conceivable emotion that a married couple might express during a conversation. This coding system focuses of every emotional nuance, bits of dialogue, and movement detected by the sensors that is factored in which can be used to predict, with 95% accuracy whether that couple will still be married fifteen years later (21). Another example was how the author included the observers’ ratings which predicted with better than 80% accuracy of marriages around this time (47). From the statistics that he provided, the readers would be aware of making decisions with only little information given in a short amount of time. Pathos- Gladwell may have not use a strong emotion but instead he was able to use his technique in addressing the reader directly which increases the amount of communication between himself and the reader. On â€Å"The Warren Harding Error,† the reader is asked to take a test on unconscious connections. However, in order for him to gain this connection within his reader, at times, he asks questions such as, â€Å"That was easy, right?† and more phrases like â€Å"Now try this†¦ did you notice the difference?† (78-80). It is called the Implicit Association Test (IAT), which was a devised in making connections. Therefore, Gladwell’s technique gives the reader a sense of being familiar to this test and leads to more understanding with those circumstances when rapid cognition leads us astray. Ethos- â€Å"Bink,† by Malcolm Gladwell refers to the incredible works of educated and experienced individuals like John Gottman a psychologist at the University of Washington (18.) Another reference was Paul Ekman and Silvan Tomkins, which they developed the Facial Action Coding System, or FACS (204). This system assembled the rules for reading and interprets thousands of combinations of movements or its actions that make up facial expressions. Malcolm Gladwell is also the author of the number 1 international bestseller The Tipping Point. Gladwell is a staff writer for The New Yorker and was formerly a business and science reporter at the Washington Post (back cover). The author establishes his credibility to get the reader to  acknowledge his talent as a writer. Style/tone- The author’s overall tone was very serious due to the amount of information that he provided in his book. â€Å"We’re a bit too quick to come up with explanations for things that we don’t really have an explanation for.† (69). Gladwell’s tone in this novel was very informative stating that we, as humans would have to gather a lot of information and in as many different contexts as possible. He reveals his position in his conclusion, â€Å"It is not enough simply to explore the hidden recesses of our unconscious†¦ once we know how the mind works about the strengths and weaknesses of human judgments, it is our responsibility to act.† (276). The author ensure the book is less boring which he added questions that needed to be answer in order for the reader to take notice and understand his position. Delivery- The book was very plain and was kept simple. The front cover is plain white with the font title made to be in blue and bold print to capture the reader’s attention. The publishers included under the title that â€Å"Blink† is written by the author of The Tipping Point. The inside of the book was organized by the introduction, 6 chapters, conclusion, and several extra-textual elements which it provides more information for the readers. Within the organization of Gladwell’s book in his acknowledgements, he gave thanks to the people who helped him finished this book such as, Michael Pietsch, Geoff Shandler, Heather Fain, and most of all, Bill Philips, who deftly and thoughtfully and cheerfully guided this manuscript from nonsense to sense. Also, there are several people who deserve special thanks like Terry Martin and Henry Finder, as they did with The Tipping Point – wrote long and extraordinary critiques of the early drafts. Suzy Hansen and the in comparable Pamela Marshall brought focus and clarity to the text and rescued Gladwell from embarrassment and error (285-286). The author trusted these amazing people to make revision throughout the book to make it more presentable and effective to the eyes of the readers. Above all, the back cover of the book provided a short summary of the book, the special critiques with a name given below, that will capture the reader’s attention. The genre was given on the left corner at very top of the book with the font color of white. It also provided Malcolm Gladwell’s recognition from his  accomplishments to establish his credibility. Use of Outside Sources: Malcolm Gladwell’s â€Å"Blink† uses multiple outside sources throughout his book. The author provided quotes taken from interviews, psychological research, and even some historical references such as the Civil War and the use of Morse code in the Second World War. Gladwell’s uses of outside sources were very effective due to enlarging his ideas and helped me understand his position within the new concepts throughout the whole book. He also includes additional notes and fascinating examples to increase the effectiveness of the book and support his ideas which added credibility to his book. Overall, the amount of sources that he provided helped him established his authority and credibility as it become effective to the idea that he was trying to get across. Personal Response: In my opinion, â€Å"Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking† was very interesting and very informative. It made me realized how there are times that we, as humans, love to think and make quick decisions with only few information given to us. From this book, I learned more about my unconscious and its ability in making decisions without me knowing the real situation or having enough information. The book was very well written by discussing the general meaning of making decisions with the blink of an eye. I enjoyed every chapter of this book because I was able to learn something new and understand these unfamiliar concepts. My mainly concern about this book is the multiple examples that he provided each chapter which was a bit confusing. However, his concepts are still clearly stated and understandable due to the explanations that relates to his idea. I highly recommend that this book should be keep in the book list because I believe everyone would find this interesting as well. The â€Å"Blink† made me rethink of the quick decisions I made in the past, which now, I know better and quit the habit of making snap decisions that may form a negative action. This book gives knowledge about our world and ourselves, which tells us how the majority of people are used to not analyzing information and just make the best of it from what we think is right.

Impact of Market Revolution on American Workers

It is a matter of fact that American workers were strongly influenced by the market revolution in America. Market revolution took place before the Civil War and this time is considered to be uprising for America. For example, market revolution caused improvements and enhancements in transportation system, and development of new technologies. Furthermore, due to market revolution agricultural products significantly increased and the number of textile factories grew up. The life of American society was changed as market revolution caused political, economic and technological changes. Nevertheless, not all the changes are positive. For example, American workers became less independent and more structured, but more women were provided with opportunities to earn wages meaning that gender roles were changes. Speaking in detail, American workers were provided with new farming equipment and advancements. Furthermore, new staple crops were introduced. In transportation sphere new methods appeared: steamboats, railroads and canals. American workers were allowed in such a way to move faster from place to place. American workers obtained new employment opportunities due to establishment of new textile factories. With time machines made the work easier and faster. As it is mentioned above, market revolution created new job opportunities for women. For example, women became more economically independent and they were the first workers at the textile factories. Moreover, their payments were descent. It was hard for them to struggle for descent payments and it was market revolution that helped them to achieve the desired outcome. Summing up the market revolution greatly affected the life and work of American people. They were provided with new employment opportunities, expanded suffrage, new technologies and equipments, etc. Market revolution showed people that life should and must be changed for better. References Rise and Impact of Market Economy. Retrieved September 5, 2007, from http://balrog.sdsu.edu/~putman/410a/marketpres%2010am.htm                  

Market Segmentation Essays

Market Segmentation Essays Market Segmentation Paper Market Segmentation Paper Executive Health Club is a health club which caters to a very important need of each human†¦ Health. Executive Health Club caters to the health concious people who want outstanding health maintaining/enhancing facilities so that they can play a pivotal role in improving/enhancing and energizing their lifestyles and the lifestyles around them. Executive Health Club shall offer an array of health related facilities including yoga, Mediation and Exercise. The goals of our company are to be profitable and build  a product line through name recognition. It is the  immediate goal to launch an additional product line into the beauty market, while the long-term goal is to go public with several health club facilities and an active product line. The initial market for Executive Health Club is Seattle, Washington. With its growing population of moderate to high income professionals, Seattle provides an ideal market. It is also one of the fastest growing areas in the country, with  a continually expanding  consumer base. Another advantage to the Seattle market is the high level of travel to the area, especially among professionals. This also increases our possible consumer base. Executive Health Club aims  to provide health and spa services to those seeking physical and mental well being. Women between the ages of 18 and 70 are the vast market, with an emphasis on professional women in their mid twenties through their mid fifties. Also, women battling or recovering from a serious injury or illness are another specific target market. For men, professionals concerned about their appearance are our main market. They are often in their late twenties through their mid forties.  We target anyone who is searching for a natural method to heal body and soul, regardless of age or income. Market Segmentation Our market segmentation is specific to two target groups. Our first target market is the corporate workers of Seattle. We have chosen these people, ranging from early  twenties to mid  forties, because they are in  stressful jobs and could use  relaxation and exercise. They also have the financial opportunity to regularly treat themselves to a facial or massage. Often in the working world it is necessary to look healthy and fit, therefore, we offer  exercise facilities to keep people fit and happy. The second group we target is people either recovering from an injury or people who have a condition which needs special attention. We wanted to create a safe environment where people feel comfortable and get the attention they need with out feeling ostracized or sick. We offer special classes, massage, and homeopathic opportunities for people with specific needs. The chart and table below outline the target markets we have chosen; however, for simplicitys sake, we break our market into two segments: Women and Other. We firmly believe that women would take advantage of our services more often than men would. ;

What Is a P-Value

What Is a P-Value Hypothesis tests or test of significance involve the calculation of a number known as a p-value. This number is very important to the conclusion of our test. P-values are related to the test statistic and give us a measurement of evidence against the null hypothesis. Null and Alternative Hypotheses Tests of statistical significance all begin with a null and an alternative hypothesis. The null hypothesis is the statement of no effect or a statement of commonly accepted state of affairs. The alternative hypothesis is what we are attempting to prove. The working assumption in a hypothesis test is that the null hypothesis is true. Test Statistic We will assume that the conditions are met for the particular test that we are working with. A simple random sample gives us sample data. From this data we can calculate a test statistic. Test statistics vary greatly depending upon what parameters our hypothesis test concerns. Some common test statistics include: z - statistic for hypothesis tests concerning the population mean, when we know the population standard deviation. t - statistic for hypothesis tests concerning the population mean, when we do not know the population standard deviation. t - statistic for hypothesis tests concerning the difference of two independent population mean, when we do not know the standard deviation of either of the two populations. z - statistic for hypothesis tests concerning a population proportion. Chi-square - statistic for hypothesis tests concerning the difference between an expected and actual count for categorical data. Calculation of P-Values Test statistics are helpful, but it can be more helpful to assign a p-value to these statistics. A p-value is the probability that, if the null hypothesis were true, we would observe a statistic at least as extreme as the one observed. To calculate a p-value we use the appropriate software or statistical table that corresponds with our test statistic. For example, we would use a standard normal distribution when calculating a z test statistic. Values of z with large absolute values (such as those over 2.5) are not very common and would give a small p-value. Values of z that are closer to zero are more common, and would give much larger p-values. Interpretation of the P-Value As we have noted, a p-value is a probability. This means that it is a real number from 0 and 1. While a test statistic is one way to measure how extreme a statistic is for a particular sample, p-values are another way of measuring this. When we obtain a statistical given sample, the question that we should always is, â€Å"Is this sample the way it is by chance alone with a true null hypothesis, or is the null hypothesis false?† If our p-value is small, then this could mean one of two things: The null hypothesis is true, but we were just very lucky in obtaining our observed sample.Our sample is the way it is due to the fact that the null hypothesis is false. In general, the smaller the p-value, the more evidence that we have against our null hypothesis. How Small Is Small Enough? How small of a p-value do we need in order to reject the null hypothesis? The answer to this is, â€Å"It depends.† A common rule of thumb is that the p-value must be less than or equal to 0.05, but there is nothing universal about this value. Typically, before we conduct a hypothesis test, we choose a threshold value. If we have any p-value that is less than or equal to this threshold, then we reject the null hypothesis. Otherwise we fail to reject the null hypothesis. This threshold is called the level of significance of our hypothesis test, and is denoted by the Greek letter alpha. There is no value of alpha that always defines statistical significance.

Free Online Public Schools for Michigan Students

Free Online Public Schools for Michigan Students Michigan offers resident students the opportunity to take public school courses online for free. This public school option is for parents who prefer a flexible, home-based environment for their children.  The online schools use certified teachers and follow a curriculum designed to provide the students with an education that equals that of other public school students. Most virtual schools offer full-time and part-time enrollment. The online schools offer core courses similar to the standard courses offered by other programs. They meet all the academic requirements for graduation and for potential admission to colleges. Honors courses and Advanced Placement college-level courses are also available.   All the virtual programs require that students provide a computer and an internet connection. In some cases, the programs provide a computer and an internet allowance to families who cannot afford the equipment. The family is expected to provide a printer,  ink,  and paper. In most cases, online students are free to attend school activities in their district. Several no-cost online schools currently serve grades K-12 in Michigan.   Michigan Free Online Public Schools Highpoint Virtual Academy of Michigan  serves Michigan students in grades K-8. Students are offered the same core courses that are available to students in a brick-and-mortar school. Textbooks and instructional materials are provided for the student. Virtual students are invited to participate in school outings and field trips and other social events. Jenison International Academy is available in West Michigan. Because Jenison is a School of Choice district, any family not residing in the Jenison district can simply apply for non-resident enrollment. JIA is a tuition-free public school serving students in grades K-12.Insight School of Michigan is a full-time only free virtual public school authorized by Central Michigan University. Currently, the Insight School of Michigan offers grades 6-12. Michigan Connections Academy  is a free K-12 virtual charter school. State-certified teachers provide instruction with support from trained counselors and administrative staff.Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy  serves students in grades K-12. Parents do not pay tuition for their students to attend an online public school. The academy offers core, comprehensive, honors and AP courses.Michigan Virtual Charter Academy  offers full-time enrollment for grades K-12. Because Michigan Virtual Charter Academy is part of the public school system, there is no charge for the curriculum.   Michigan Virtual School  offers two free classes per academic term at no cost to parents of students in Michigan. Additional courses require payment of a fee.Virtual Learning Academy Consortium serves students in grades K-8. The Virtual Learning Academy Consortium  serves students in Genesee, Lapeer, Livingston, Oakland, Washtenaw and Wayne counties.VLAC also serves students in grades 6-8 in Kala mazoo county. Choosing a Michigan Online Public School When choosing an online public school, look for an established program that is  regionally accredited  and has a track record of success. Be wary of new schools that are disorganized, are unaccredited or have been the subject of public scrutiny. For more suggestions on evaluating virtual schools see  how to choose an online high school. About Online Public Schools Many states now offer tuition-free online schools for resident students under a certain age (often 21). Most virtual schools are charter schools; they receive government funding and are run by  private organizations. Online charter schools are subject to fewer restrictions than traditional schools. However, they are reviewed regularly and must continue to meet state standards. Some states also offer their own online public schools. These virtual programs generally operate from a state office or a school district. Statewide public school programs vary. Some online public schools offer a limited number of remedial or advanced courses not available in brick-and-mortar public school campuses. Others offer full online diploma programs. A few states choose to fund seats for students in private online schools. The number of available seats may be limited and students are usually asked to apply through their public school guidance counselor.

Food Legislation is an effective way to protect Public Health Discuss Essay

Food Legislation is an effective way to protect Public Health Discuss - Essay Example The growing scope of public health issues and the role of food quality and safety for public wellbeing place additional burden of legal, social, and legal responsibility on food manufacturers and suppliers. Simultaneously, greater reliance on self-regulatory mechanisms illustrates a rapid change in public attitudes toward risk management in the food industry. Today, businesses carry greater responsibility for meeting the broad demands for food quality and public health protection, especially in food poisoning/ hygiene. Enforced self-regulation in food hygiene regulations has significant advantages and serious drawbacks, but gives a hope that UK food manufacturers can zero the risks of food poisoning and its risks for public health. This paper discusses the current state of food hygiene legislation in the UK in the context of food poisoning, its philosophy and relevance in the present day business environment. The main thesis of the paper is that philosophy of enforced self-regulation is a reliable measure of public health protection, which can potentially reduce the risks of food poisoning but requires efficient mechanisms of enforcement and regulatory compliance. Public health: a multitude of meanings Public health is rightly considered as an essential factor of social stability and wellbeing. Protection of public health remains one of the top social priorities in the developed world. The relevance and significance of public health issues are difficult to underestimate, but the meaning of public health itself is extremely difficult to define (Parmet 2009). Parmet (2009) uses a definition from the Oxford English Dictionary, which suggests that public health is â€Å"the health of the population as a whole, especially as monitored, regulate, and promoted by the state† (p.7). However, the Oxford English Dictionary is not a measure of last resort in defining the scope and underlying meanings of public health. For example, the Institute of Medicine defines p ublic health as a complex set of collective measures, to which societies apply, to ensure that their people are healthy (Parmet 2009). However, all these definitions consistently emphasize the importance and dominance of the word â€Å"public†, whereas the meaning and philosophy of â€Å"health† remains beyond professional attention. Defining the term â€Å"public health† is impossible without trying to define the word â€Å"health† in it. The meanings and definitions of health are numerous and varied. The Oxford English Dictionary treats health as soundness of body and its functions, meaning that the notion of health is both individually and socially constructed (Parmet 2009). Simply stated, a person with sound body and sound functions does not carry any dangerous implications for public health. The World Health Organization goes further and defines health as the state of absolute mental, physical, and social well-being (Parmet 2009). In this sense, WHO also implies that health is not limited to normal physiological functioning but necessitates social stability and normal social conditions of life (Parmet 2009). As a result, public health can be defined as a complex set of collective measures, aimed at maintaining normal mental, physical, and social functioning in society. In this context, food legislation is one of the vital preconditions for developing and maintaining sound systems of public health. The current state of food legislation in the UK and the recent changes in its philosophy have proved to be an effective measure of social and health stability in the British society. The

Reason, Faith and Logos Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Reason, Faith and Logos - Essay Example As part of discussing the arguments made by each author, this study will present some self-evidence and/or empirical evidences behind the claims or arguments of each author. Comparison between the Philosophical and Theoretical Views on the Nature of Logos Plato was one of the great Greek philosophers in our history. Inspired by the theories of Parmenides, Plato mentioned that the term â€Å"logos† is a Greek term which means both the spoken and unspoken thoughts and reasoning that are rational by principles (Hillar, 1998). Since the era of Heraclitus, Audi (1999) revealed that the philosophical view of logos eventually became the basic philosophical theory of order and knowledge. The study of theology is focused on analyzing issues related to religion. As an essential part of the 1st century Jewish religious beliefs (Boyarin, 2001), the nature of logos is very much focused on revealing the truths. Given that the â€Å"logos† of theology is based on religious concept, Pl atonic defined logos as the divine â€Å"soul of the man Jesus Christ† (Basic Theology, 2012). It means that theological â€Å"logos† is all about thinking and uttering the word of God. Unlike the philosophical point-of-views, the Greek term â€Å"logos† (when based on a theological perspective) is simply referring to the act of speaking God’s words (Brent, 1999). It means that the nature of logos under the theological point-of-views is based on theological reasoning rather than pure rational reasoning. Conclusion that Boyarin (2001) Aims to Establish Published under the Harvard Theological Review, Boyarin (2001) wrote the article entitled â€Å"The Gospel of the Memra: Jewish Binitarianism and the Prologue to John†. In this article, the author thoroughly discussed the nature and significance of logos based on the views of theology (i.e. Judaism and Christianity) and philosphy. Unlike in Christianity which considers Jesus Christ as the son of God, Boyarin (2001) mentioned that the Deity is considered as the ultimate form of god. Regardless of whether or not a specific religion considers a Deity or Christ as the creator of this world, it will remain a fact that the logos of theology will always be associated with the reasoning of God. On the contrary, the logos of philosophy is not based on religious concept but rather based on the reasoning that is currently being used to govern the world. In other word, the philosophy of logos is not purely based on the teachings of God but more on a set of rules that people are obliged to observe when living in a particular society. Conclusion that Hillar (1998) Aims to Establish Hillar (1998) wrote the article entitled â€Å"The Logos and its Function in the Writings of Philo of Alexandria: Greek Interpretation of the Hebrew Myth and Foundations of Christianity†. According to Hillar (1998), Philo’s concept of logos is not clear because of his religious and mystical point-of-v iews. Since Philo’s religious views is very strong, God is considered as the ultimate goal whereas logos is considered as the â€Å"wisdom of God† (Hillar). Referring to God’s chief messenger, logos serve as the link between the human creatures in this world and God. Within this context, it means that the divine logos will allow the human

Theology (The Bible and Archeology) questions Research Paper

Theology (The Bible and Archeology) questions - Research Paper Example Because of this need, aspects of the political, economic, and commercialized powers had to be held in check in order to create fair trade. Ashlar construction is a method of cutting stone in a rectangular shape with a very even symmetry of cut and using the material instead of brick for building. The stone is usually a smooth finish, although it can be decorated with a scraped in design. The Latin root of the word citadel is the civis, which is also the root of the words city and citizen. A citadel is a part of the means of protecting the city through the use of barriers, most commonly walls, that are surrounding a central fortified structure that is the last means of protection against invaders. This last structure, the citadel, is usually taller than the other buildings, can act as the location of the highest political power, and is built to withstand a great assault. Within the citadel the citizens could wait out a siege with the hope that the invader did not have the strength to breach this last hold. Because the city of Jerusalem is built on a mountain it has a great amount of protection from invaders. However, the availability of water during a siege is greatly hampered by this construction. The Siloam Tunnel, built by Hezekiah in 701 B.C., is beneath the Ophel and can act as a aqueduct to transport water to the city. There is evidence of cro-magnon and Neanderthal remains within the area of Canaan from the Paleolithic era. Neanderthal remains date from the Middle Paleolithic age, while Cro-magnon remains date from around 40,000 - 10,000 B. C. There is also evidence that man settled in the area of Jericho as early as 9000 B.C. within agricultural communities. Earlier civilizations were hunting gathering communities. The two Neolithic phases are defined by the pre-pottery stage and the pottery stage. The pre-pottery phase of the Neolithic phase is distinguished by the emergence of Jericho as

Sweatshops Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Sweatshops - Essay Example Out-of-date facilities and poor labor education often lead to workers being injured. In turn, employers rarely provide health insurance, and the burden of recovery expenses lies entirely on the employee. Lethal cases are also frequent. Thus, over 400 were buried alive after an apparel factory collapsed in Dhaka in May 2013 (Kazmin). Secondly, since the poorer countries are dependent on the foreign cash inflows, huge multinational corporations can satisfy their selfish motifs deriving the most benefit out of the host country. As far as the third-world countries share similarly appalling economic conditions, it gives companies the scope to choose the location of their plant. To win a tough competition, governments and local authorities have to draw the attention of the organizations offering greater financial benefits. Unfortunately, fundamental laborer’s rights, such as a minimum salary and adequate workload are often neglected, and employees get unfairly exploited. Some of the most ludicrous concessions may even include unlimited tax holidays. Additionally, the firms do not bring technology that the local population could take advantage of. The deficit of education mixed with the lack of skill conduces to a situation where no economic growth is possible. Furthermore, employing nearly 165 million children worldwide, sweatshops have a detrimental impact on education. For instance, four in every five Bangladeshi kids aged 10 and below attend school. However, of those employed only 20% are capable of combining work with classes (Salmon). The lack of education limits a person’s further employment opportunities and enables only to be a worker qualified enough for a sweatshop, where mainly low-skilled work is performed. Superficially, it may seem that sweatshops help to resolve the issue of unemployment in the absence of better alternatives, but digging deeper, one realizes that they only launch the vicious

Women in the Bible and Their Gender Roles Essay

Women in the Bible and Their Gender Roles - Essay Example Topics of sexual morality within gender studies have spurred hot debates amongst various scholars. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that sexual morality emanates from the Bible. Perceptions of sexual morality in the contemporary church significantly borrow from the ancient Israelites and the lives of Christians during the life and after the death of Jesus Christ. Many women in the Bible have shaped the perception of contemporary church on gender roles. There is no doubt that the gender roles in which Biblical women subscribed to emanated from a culture that largely differs from contemporary culture. Women in the Bible and Gender Roles The Old Testament vividly describes the life of the ancient Israelites, which shaped the perception of women and gender roles. During the classical period women were considered to be wives in charge of domestic duties and not leaders. The Biblical perspective of women as portrayed in the Old Testament is that they (women) were never expected to participat e in leading a given community (Belleville, 2000). Most women in the Bible during the Old Testament are seen as submissive and helpless as they abide by the directives of the men. From the onset of creation, Eve was created as Adam’s helper. Creating a woman as a man’s helper changed the perception of men towards women during the classical period. Consequently, women were despised and never allowed to take any leadership position within the society. In this perspective, the Bible identifies women as helpers and not leaders. Other than being wives, the other gender role of women in the Bible is being mothers. Many women in the Bible are portrayed as good and caring mothers with very few exceptions (Hancock, 2003). For instance, Moses’ mother was a good and caring mother to the extent that when Moses was born she placed him along the river banks with a view of protecting him (Moses) from Pharaoh. Even when the King’s daughter came across Moses, Mosesâ€℠¢ mother accepted to take care of him (Giles, 2002). This depicts women as mothers besides being wives. In addition, the Bible describes women as those who prepare food for the family, provides a helping hand in the fields, sews, and sells merchandise amongst other functions, which are essential the functions of a mother. Therefore, the Bible portrays women as caring and good mothers who are able to take of their husbands and the whole family (Hancock, 2003). Despite the negative perception with respect to leadership and authority, there are women who excelled more than men when they were in leadership position. This was an indication that what men can do women can also do and in most cases better. For instance, the story of Deborah and Miriam being judge and prophetess respectively is a clear indication that besides being perceived as people who cannot take leadership or authority, women are better leaders than men in some cases. What’s more, the Bible does not identify circ umstances under which God was never pleased with women leaders, an indication that besides being wives and mothers women can take up leadership roles within the society. Other than Debora and Miriam, Hulda was another woman figure that changed the perception of men towards women. Evidently, women in the Bible were not only wives and mothers but also leaders. On a different perspective, the New Testament, which revolves around the times of Jesus Christ, portrays women slightly different from the Old Testament while trying to describe various gender roles. Nonetheless, the New Testament identifies women as good and caring mothers (Groothuis, 1997). Good and caring mothers are seen amongst many women in the New Testament such as Mary mother of Jesus. Mary and Martha are also considered to be caring and

The Tragedy of Macbeth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Tragedy of Macbeth - Essay Example Macbeth’s guilt and his words demonstrate that he knows it is an evil act he and his wife have plotted and are talking about in this scene, but having been approached in Act 1, Scene 3 by the Weird Sisters, the three witches, who, before disappearing, give Macbeth their prophesies as to his ascension to the King’s throne, Macbeth seems to reconcile himself to the fact that he must murder the King and fulfill the prophesies. The seed of what is to come has been planted in Macbeth’s mind, and that it is prophesized by the three withes, in Macbeth’s mind, makes it somewhat of a done deed. It is at this point that Scene 1, Act 1 becomes vitally important, because it is in that scene that the withes meet and talk about their ideas, and upon departing the third witch declares, â€Å"Fair is foul, and foul is fair,† which sets the stage for the notion that for every action there is a reaction. Though the result of â€Å"fair is foul,† as it certainly is in the mind of Lady Macbeth in Act 1, Scene 7, there is, too, the end result of what is â€Å"foul is fair,† which is what Macbeth seems to be concerned about in Act 1, Scene 7, when he says, â€Å"False face must hide what the false heart knows.† This, as Macbeth resolves himself to what he is about to do to his kind and friend, Duncan, knowing that it is evil, and his face must not betray what his mind knows lest his evil be detected. There is a balance in the universe that comes from the concept of the idea that for every action there is a reaction, or a balance. Act 1, Scene 7 prepares us for that which will be the reaction to the couple’s murder, in that Macbeth’s troubled conscious will manifest itself in a way that brings physical and mental distress to Macbeth. His wife, who denies her conscious in this scene, will suffer equally great physical and mental distresses. Avarice, the basis for the pair’s evil, will meet with the balancing

Women in the Bible and Their Gender Roles Essay

Women in the Bible and Their Gender Roles - Essay Example Topics of sexual morality within gender studies have spurred hot debates amongst various scholars. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that sexual morality emanates from the Bible. Perceptions of sexual morality in the contemporary church significantly borrow from the ancient Israelites and the lives of Christians during the life and after the death of Jesus Christ. Many women in the Bible have shaped the perception of contemporary church on gender roles. There is no doubt that the gender roles in which Biblical women subscribed to emanated from a culture that largely differs from contemporary culture. Women in the Bible and Gender Roles The Old Testament vividly describes the life of the ancient Israelites, which shaped the perception of women and gender roles. During the classical period women were considered to be wives in charge of domestic duties and not leaders. The Biblical perspective of women as portrayed in the Old Testament is that they (women) were never expected to participat e in leading a given community (Belleville, 2000). Most women in the Bible during the Old Testament are seen as submissive and helpless as they abide by the directives of the men. From the onset of creation, Eve was created as Adam’s helper. Creating a woman as a man’s helper changed the perception of men towards women during the classical period. Consequently, women were despised and never allowed to take any leadership position within the society. In this perspective, the Bible identifies women as helpers and not leaders. Other than being wives, the other gender role of women in the Bible is being mothers. Many women in the Bible are portrayed as good and caring mothers with very few exceptions (Hancock, 2003). For instance, Moses’ mother was a good and caring mother to the extent that when Moses was born she placed him along the river banks with a view of protecting him (Moses) from Pharaoh. Even when the King’s daughter came across Moses, Mosesâ€℠¢ mother accepted to take care of him (Giles, 2002). This depicts women as mothers besides being wives. In addition, the Bible describes women as those who prepare food for the family, provides a helping hand in the fields, sews, and sells merchandise amongst other functions, which are essential the functions of a mother. Therefore, the Bible portrays women as caring and good mothers who are able to take of their husbands and the whole family (Hancock, 2003). Despite the negative perception with respect to leadership and authority, there are women who excelled more than men when they were in leadership position. This was an indication that what men can do women can also do and in most cases better. For instance, the story of Deborah and Miriam being judge and prophetess respectively is a clear indication that besides being perceived as people who cannot take leadership or authority, women are better leaders than men in some cases. What’s more, the Bible does not identify circ umstances under which God was never pleased with women leaders, an indication that besides being wives and mothers women can take up leadership roles within the society. Other than Debora and Miriam, Hulda was another woman figure that changed the perception of men towards women. Evidently, women in the Bible were not only wives and mothers but also leaders. On a different perspective, the New Testament, which revolves around the times of Jesus Christ, portrays women slightly different from the Old Testament while trying to describe various gender roles. Nonetheless, the New Testament identifies women as good and caring mothers (Groothuis, 1997). Good and caring mothers are seen amongst many women in the New Testament such as Mary mother of Jesus. Mary and Martha are also considered to be caring and

Nursing Conflict Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nursing Conflict Management - Essay Example The article entitled â€Å"A literature review of conflict communication causes, costs,The article entitled â€Å"A literature review of conflict communication causes, costs,benefits and interventions in nursing† written by Brinkert (2010) which was published in the Journal of Nursing Management proffered pertinent   issues relative to presenting a review of related literature on the subject of conflict communication. The article was replete with presenting relevant issues about conflict in the nursing profession. Since the author presented a literature review, he used authoritative secondary sources of previous studies and researches that discussed the causes, costs of unmanaged conflict, the benefits of normal conflict communication, as well as the identified strategies which were deemed most effective in addressing conflicts encountered by nurses. One of the most relevant findings was stated as â€Å"while conflict cannot be entirely eliminated from nursing, particular sources of destructive conflict may be decreased or eliminated† (Brinkert, 2010, p. 151). Likewise, the author revealed that conflict communication is a facet in the nursing profession that remains underdeveloped. The content is highly beneficial to nurse managers in terms of its extensive and comprehensive content that included determining the origin, nature, causes, costs and other interventions and strategies that would be helpful in resolving conflict within the nursing profession.

Google Brand Strategy Essay Example for Free

Google Brand Strategy Essay This paper will give you an inside look as to how Google Inc. has evolved into a multi-billion dollar empire since it was first developed in 1996 by two Stanford University graduates working out of a garage. The paper will also compare Google to its strongest competitors in the search engine, web advertising and mobile phone industries. The paper will also reveal what the key elements to success are in those industries. The paper will also detail the resources and key competencies that Google has to make them the leading internet search engine with over 60 percent of market shares. The paper will also discuss the business model and strategies used by Google to help them become one of the fastest growing companies in history. The paper will also touch briefly on some of the threats and weaknesses they face in the marketplace. The paper will also include a recommendation to Google’s top management to help them sustain its competitive edge and financial success in the industry. Background History and Company Growth In 1996, Stanford students Larry Page and Sergey Brin teamed up to develop a new search engine they named BackRub. They chose this name because of the engines ability to rate websites in relevancy based on metatags and keywords. Backrub was quickly gaining popularity and in 1998 Yahoo’s cofounder, David Filo talked Brin and Page into leaving school to put their focus making Backrub a major part of Yahoo. Backrub was later named Google, which was taken from the word googol. Googol is mathematical term for a number represented by the numeral 1 followed by 100 zeros. The founder of Sun Microsystems was the first person to invest in Google with $100,000 in August of 1998 which raised $1 million by the end of September. Google was named â€Å"Top 100 Web Sites and Search Engines for 1998† by PC Magazine and was recorded successes at record pace. Google saw potential for profits in other segments of the market and made innovative ideas to gain market share. In 2000, their innovations included wireless search technologies, search capabilities in ten languages, and Google Toolbar browser. Google expanded its product line again in 2004 with the launch of Google News, Google Product search, Google Scholar and Google Local. Google’s index of web pages also grew to more than 8 billion and increased its country domain to more than 15. Google then entered the mobile phone market in 2004 when they created a feature allowing users to text a search request and Google would provide results to the search. Google Earth was created in 2005, which was later enhanced in 2010 when it included an Earth View mode allowing users to view 3D images of various locations at ground level. Between 2005 and 2010, Google also added Book Search, Music Search and Video Search. Google created features for its website to include Gmail software, web-based calendar, web-based documents, spreadsheet applications and language translations to accommodate 51 languages. Discuss competition in the search industry. Which of the five competitive forces seems strongest? Weakest? What is your assessment of overall industry attractiveness? Google has been able to sustain its competitive advantage because of the strong relationships they have built with Internet users, advertisers and websites. In 2010, Google was the most visited website with more than 147 million internet users visiting their site on a monthly basis to search for information. Google’s management believes its strongest rivals are Microsoft and Yahoo, although market share rankings from June 2006, June 2009 and May 2010 showed Google has more than twice their competitors combined. Yahoo was first founded in 1994 and in 2010 held the top third position for most visited search engine site. Almost any information available on the web can be viewed through Yahoo’s portal. Yahoo has many of the same features as Google such as, personal calendar, email, news, weather, television listing and online photo albums. Yahoo has also partnered with mobile phones allows users to search from their mobile devices just as Google has done and the searches performed through Yahoo accounted for 35 percent of the market in 2010. Yahoo’s many features and services have generated revenues from many sources. Yahoo’s relationship with Google goes back to 2000 and has at times been cooperative and other times adversarial. In fact, Yahoo was one of Google’s first customers, but in 2002 they parted ways when Yahoo purchased other companies to develop search engines and since then they have been considered rival companies. Another of Google’s top competitors is Microsoft whose revenues in 2009 were approximately $58.4 billion, with $14.6 billion net income. They were able to make these impressive profits through sales of computer software, consulting services, video games hardware and online services. Microsoft’s computer software Windows 7 and Microsoft office raked in half the company’s revenues in 2009 and most of its operating profits. Their online sales of $3.1 billion showed a loss of $2.3 billion during 2009. The online services generated income came from banner ads on the company’s MSN web site and other affiliated sites, as well as search-based ads displayed with Bing results. Microsoft entered the search engine industry during 2004 in an effort to compete with Google. This happened because Microsoft noticed job postings for Google were nearly identical to Microsoft specifications. Microsoft believed Google was attempting to design software applications that compared to Microsoft office such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Google is well aware of the competitive pressures created by its rival and they fully understand what it takes to hold the competitive edge. They created a strategy that would allow themselves to hold their own against its rivals. In their mind, if the competition could do it, so could they. Competition stems from all sorts of directions for Google. They must compete against their rivals like Yahoo and Microsoft in the search engine industry, new entrants to this industry, the product innovations of their rivals, as well as the bargaining powers their rivals may have that they do not. One of the biggest forces of competition is website traffic. If Google can get more internet users to visit their site over MSN or Yahoo, they will have more bargaining power with advertising sales. Google must also obtain qualified employees with the capabilities to compete with the new and innovative products that Microsoft continues to create. Because the search engine sites are so alike, this causes the rivalry between competitors to increase because the products are less differentiated. What are the key factors that define success in the industry? What are the key competencies, and resources of successful search engine companies? Success in the search industry can be defined by looking at several different factors. One of the most obvious signs of success is revenue growth. Googles revenues from its websites have grown from $792,063 in 2003 to $15,722,486 in 2009 as stated on its 10-k reports. Revenues from licensing have grown from $45,271 in 2003 to $761,759 in 2009. However the value of their stock reached the high point in 2008 at just over $700 per share and has dropped to below $300 in 2008, gained a little in 2009 and dropped again in 2010 to around $450. Some analysts believe Google’s recent decline in revenue and earnings stemmed from their decisions to increase stock prices in order to achieve revenue and growth earnings that pushed the boundaries of their corporate philosophy of making money without doing evil. In order to be successful, Google must continue to develop innovative products at features to better meet the needs of its customers. They need to offer these products at lower prices than their competitors as well. Have Google’s business model and strategy proven to be successful? Should investors be impressed with the company’s financial performance? How does the company’s financial performance compare to that of Microsoft and Yahoo? Google’s innovative products and business acquisitions have all played a part into their strategy directed at increasing the company’s market share in internet advertising. The addition of these products has increased traffic to Google’s website, and therefore, has given them more opportunities to advertise to Internet users. The strategy to dominate the internet advertising market was designed to be worldwide. China was a market that they were particularly interested in taking over since they have more than 300 million users. Unfortunately for Google, China was not as interested in this and they were faced with challenges from their local search provider, Baidu and the Chinese government. As of 2009, only 31 percent of China’s internet users searched using Google and 64 percent used Baidu. Googles business strategy included creating new products and features for the mobile phone industry. In 2010, 234 million people owned mobile phones, with 30 percent having internet access from their devices. Google first introduced its Android operating system in 2008 free of charge to any phone manufacturer marketing mobile phones with internet capability. The applications included the operating system had Wi-Fi capability, email, web-based calendar, Google Earth maps, and GPS. T-Mobile was the first to use Googles Android operating system with the launch of G1 in September 2008. The G1 had many of the same features as Apples iPhone, but much less expensive. The Android operating system was extremely successful with its market share, increasing from zero in 2008 to 13 percent in May of 2010. Another area of Googles business strategy focused on computer software programs used by businesses. Senior management believed the programs would move from local hard drives to the Internet. These is referred to as cloud computing. The market was believed to grow to as much as $95 million by 2013. The move would offer many benefits to corporate users such as lower software acquisition costs, lower computer support costs, and easier collaboration amongst employees in different locations. Google first launched its beta version of free word processing and spreadsheet in 2006 and later relaunched in 2008 to compete with Microsofts Office products. In 2008, Google launched its Chrome Browser and Chrome operating system, specifically to accommodate cloud commuting applications. The Chrome browser was created with a multiprocessor design that allowed users to operate spreadsheets, word processing, video editing and other applications simultaneously. Each tab opened a new window so if one crashed the other applications running would not be affected. Also in 2009, Google made agreements with Acer, Hewlett-Packard and Lenovo to start production of netbooks that used Chrome OS and Chrome browser to access cloud-based Google apps software. Googles business strategy also included expanding into the television market. In 2010, Google teamed up with Intel, Sony, Logitech, Best Buy, DISH Network, and Adobe to develop Google TV. Google TV was built on the Android platform, running the Chrome browser to search live networks and cable programming that streamed videos from providers such as Netflix, Amazon on demand videos, and YouTube. Google TV users would be able to use their televisions to browse the web and run cloud based applications. Googles business strategy also focused on the addition of targeted advertising placed alongside search results on its website. Google Adwords increased annual revenues from $220,000 in 1999 to more than $86 million in 2001. These ads were prices using an auction system, where uses bid on keywords that described their product or service. What are the company’s key resources and competitive capabilities? What competitive liabilities and resource weaknesses does it have? What opportunities exist? What threats to its continued success are present? In order for Google to have continued success in the search engine industry, they need to have resources and capabilities to create competitive advantage over its rivals. Many of theses resources needed for success are intangibles. They included human assets and intellectual capital. This means having employees with experience, education, creativity and innovation to develop new products and features to compete with its rivals. Another important resource is their company image. Googles 10 principles of Corporate philosophy includes You can make money without doing evil. Their image is different from many other businesses. Google believes in conducting business in unconventional ways. They believe their work should be challenging, but fun. The company puts emphasis on team achievement and individual accomplishments that contribute to the companys overall success. They work in a place where there is great communication and camaraderie in order to have the tools necessary to produced Google users with the information they are seeking. Google also believes being great will not make them successful. They must anticipate the future needs of its user and develop innovate product and services in order to be successful in the search engine industry. Building relationships or alliances with suppliers is another key component of success. These relationships can help to reduce costs and enhance product quality and performance. A perfect example of this relationship is Google offering its Android operating free of charge to mobile phone providers or its collaboration with Sony, Logitech, Best Buy and DISH network to develop Google TV. Some of the tangible resources needed for success include financial assets, technological assets and organizational resources. Google must have cash and marketable securities in order to finance new products and investments as well as pay dividends to its stock holders. Some technological assets are its copyrights and production technology. Production technology refers to the processes used to develop new products to compete with its competitors. Organizational resources included the companys workstations and servers used in developing these products. Some of the threats that Google faces in the industry include new entrants in the market and product innovations from its competitors. Overall, Google has done a relatively good job in competing with the development of competitors products. They created the Android operating system in order to enter the mobile phone industry and they are developing new applications for cloud commuting to compete with Microsoft office software. They need not worry too much about the entrance of new businesses as they have developed a brand and corporate image that has already earned loyalty from many consumers. What recommendations would you make to Google’s top management team to sustain its competitive advantage in the search industry? How should it best capitalize on its strategic initiatives in mobile phones, cloud computing, emerging markets, and other venues? Because Googles rivals are competing with relatively the same products, I would suggest to Goggles top management to focus in conducting business in an ethical manner that conforms with the business philosophy. They have received much criticism recently because of their impressive revenues growth during the recession. They need to focus on building their brand image that consumers are appealed by. I would also suggest finding ways to offer products and services at a lower price to its consumers in order to dominate the market. With products being so comparable and easily substituted they need to compete on price. It would be in Googles best interest to focus on the markets in the United States and Canada , rather than in China. China does not want them competing there and they are spending too much time and money trying to get in when there is plenty of opportunity here. The only thing they are gaining from this is bad publicity. It would be in the best interest of the company to put much of their focus on the thing they do best and that is the search engine. Google should stay with the industries they have performed well in, such as search engine and mobile phones. Their biggest competitor, Microsoft, is the leader in innovative products and they will most likely be more successful than Google in the cloud commuting market because businesses are familiar with their products and have already created a following where Google has not. They should focus on the areas they do well in and leave the other markets to competitors. Management needs to add features to make their current products more appealing to consumer rather than looking for new markets to enter. References Thompson, A., Peteraf, M., Gamble, J., Strickland III, A. J. (2012). Crafting and executing strategy. (18 Edition ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Thompson, A. A., Peteraf, M. A., Gamble, J. E., Strickland, A. J. (2012). Cases m for crafting and executing strategy. (19 ed., Vol. 1). The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Terrorism has become a major concern in todays world

Terrorism has become a major concern in todays world Terrorism is widespread around the world. On September 11, 2001, the attacks on New York not only inflicted thousands of casualties and significant economic damage, but also marked the beginning of a new era of terror in which counter-terrorism has become one of the highest priorities for international institutions and national governments. Ruinous events including the modern attacks in Madrid, London, Bali, and Mumbai have placed fights against terrorism high on the political agenda. As a result, many governments reacted not only by limiting civil rights and individual freedoms but also by raising their budgets for anti-terror spending. Terrorism is stated as one of the main challenges to global security. This has led to terrorism affecting a national social and economic development. Hence, the most critical evolution of a strategy is how to reduce the threat and result of catastrophic terrorism while protecting public liberties. This essay will describe and analyze the economic cos ts and overall consequences of terrorism for society, and thus provide and evaluate several practicable solutions to counter-terrorism. These include governmental aids and international cooperation strategies. Terrorism has a complicated definition that has spread all over history appropriately describes in many expressions. Among the variety of definitions of the term are: to create regular social activity difficult; to make high image impact on the public with the goal of destroying public confidence in their own government; to seek revenge on everything without justice; to cause as much casualties as possible; and to make physical suffering and stupefying psychological emotions, such as a sense of grief, anxiety, fear, unrest, chaos, anger and panic (Drummond 2002; Loza 2007). Terrorism in reaction to political power or ideology is not a new phenomenon. This type of political violence and crime has occurred since the dawn of human chronicle. The nature of this form of political conflict has changed over time, though, developing from domestic activities to regional and international events. Because of this, terrorism has become an experience shared by many individuals, organizations, and states. Nowadays, global terrorism has become a severe actuality in society. In the 19th century, some of the most famous events of terrorism happened by anarchists who murdered many political leaders. There are several reasons have given for the use of terrorist movements. Franks (2009) points out that terrorist activities are advanced plans and beyond public expectation, the main elements are shocking, and illegal violence versus common people and non-armed personnel for the sake of threatening or forcing civilian population or a government to accept an underlying ideology of terrorism or armed attack of demands. Terrorist events are depicted according to the dynamic type of uncertainty. For instance, terrorists use suicide bombings, armed attacks, and kidnapping, to accomplish goals of inflicting damage against the military, people and government. Whatever terrorist attacks depend on, the terrorist facilities and locations and time of occurrence will bring different outcomes. Terrorism has critically affected international economic harmony between the economy and led to panic. Recently, developments in terrorist acts, in particular the 9/11 events have created vast collapses in the global economy. Lenain et al. (2002) mentioned that nearly 200,000 jobs were devastated and people have been forced to move out of New York City, and this is only temporary minimum. Manhattan has lost scores of businesses and about 30 percent of its office places have vanished. Furthermore, the damage of physical property was calculated sum of $14 billion for private businesses, thus the state and local government had spent at least $1.5 billion enterprises and $700 million for federal government. Following the cleanup, rescue and related costs have been calculated the sum of $11 billion. For trade and commercial assets, casualty insurers, the calculated costs arising from the 9/11 attacks in total $40 billion U.S. dollars. (Brown et al. 2002).The global tourism, financial mark ets and the airline industries had a huge collision in short-term effect. Despite the global economy has recovered from the 9/11 event and adapting to the new global realities, thus the asset markets that around the world can feel the longer-term impact of security risk in high-risk premiums, also the handling terrorism in substitution for resources. In terms of its economic impact, the 9/11 attacks exacerbated the defects already observed seen in the global economy in 2001. Abadie and Gardeazabal (2008) state that before the terrorist attacks, great economic depression in the United States had already increased unemployment and equally revealed global total demand fell on the back of weakness in the United States economy. Based on purchaser and merchant surveys, demonstrated decline in the overall confidence measured in the United States due to 9/11 attacks, and in other countries with similar in extent measure. Therefore, counter-terrorism procedures are required in order to settl e the social, cultural and governmental panic caused by terrorism. As the result of the terrorism has destroyed the whole world economical conditions, if the society and the government want to return to the regular path and operation, counter-terrorism can be the only solution. Terrorism not only causes social problems, but inevitably aggravates international stability. That is why security is to encourage by governments to improve counter-terrorism in seven different methods: Development of terrorist detailed databases and relevant intelligence gathering; Creation and use of third-force, by means of build special military units, or Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams to deal with terrorist cases (Branscomb, 2004); Countries should signing and complete of new treaties; Adequate use and development of anti-terrorist technologies; Extended use of counter-terrorism intelligence and justice; Signing and implement of new laws in violation of national and international terrorism (Boulden, 2009); Keep suspected terrorists and their supporters under su rveillance. Therefore, governments could built an anti-terrorism systems; such a system brings together advanced and diverse and technologies, reconnaissance missions, persistent intelligence and surveillance, to potential actions. Another valuable way to defeat terrorism is by refusing resources to the terrorists. As Sandler and Enders (2004) emphasized, it is more productive to deny terrorists resources of financing, support groups, weapons, propaganda, recruits and intelligence. Rather than trying to protect wealth at risk which is extraordinarily hard or impossible in view of the extremely large amount of purpose and substitute possibilities. With use these ways to resist terrorism will control the terrorist activities in actuality or potency. The scope of international cooperation and mutual support should range from local law enforcement and first responders to corporations, states and regions, up to and including nations and international organizations. For example, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is an institution that combats terrorism at the international level that includes Russia, China, and the central Asia republics, sharing intelligence and has a training program in Bishkek (Intriligator, 2009). Another suggestion has been the collection and timely analysis of superior intelligence, both human and technologically be captured. Although the aims of counter terrorism require nations cooperation, government agencies lack for a common definition of the term terrorism. Thus, there have some of the perplexities that impede effectively counter-terrorism, these include the lacking of cooperation; not only between countries that may have helpful terrorist information, but also among state agencies who have an intere st in monitoring terrorism. Mass of these entities are refuse to share information to each other, especially secret intelligence, only when they believe that it is in their short-term political benefits. Also, countries will need to rely more on good informants. Stewar (2009) claim that the confidential nature of anti-terrorist organizations, including the inability to develop appropriate sources, and the lack of expertise in appropriate foreign languages caused many intelligence make it difficult for agencies to obtain detailed information on terrorist organizations. Therefore, states should develop a holistic national database to track suspected terrorists and to permit criminal justice to integrate the appropriate infrastructure. These plausible solutions will most definitely be useful in practicing counter-terrorism. In conclusion, counter terrorism will become an ineluctable part of our lives. Even though the immediate economic influence of the 9/11 events was devastating, consumer confidence and the stock markets recovered rapidly. Public cost on military operations and security is rising. The governments use counter-force in terms of anti-terrorism, carrying out passive sanction in reality and disincentive policy to presumptive terrorists to reduce the event of terrorism. Countries and their national security agencies must also carefully balance the personal freedoms of citizens versus that of the pursuit of terrorists. Otherwise, there would be a lot of repression and the legitimacy of the existing regime would be questionable. In reprisal of terrorist actions, there is always the possibility of collateral damage, especially when innocent civilians are detained, injury of death and when property is damaged or destroyed. Terrorist attacks will cause economic social and political panic; therefo re, every country should adopt complete policies and operations to resist terrorism, through governmental aids and international cooperation strategies. By solving the problems caused by terrorism, nationals will indubitably draw closer to a more harmonious and peaceful world. References ¼Ã… ¡ Abadie, A Gardeazabal, J 2008, Terrorism and the world economy, European Economic Review, vol. 52, pp. 1-27. Boulden, J 2009, Terrorism and civil wars, Royal Military College of Canada, vol. 11, no.1, pp.5-21. Branscomb, L 2004, Protecting civil society from terrorism: the search for a sustainable strategy, Technology in Society, vol. 26, pp. 271-285. Brown, JR, Kroszner, RS Jenn, BH 2002, Federal terrorism risk insurance, Nberworking Paper, vol. 9271. Drummond, JT 2002. How to fight terrorism: alternatives to deterrence, Defence and Peace Economics, vol. 14, pp. 237-249. Franks, J 2009, Rethinking the roots of terrorism: beyond orthodox terrorism theory-a critical research agenda, Global Society, vol. 23, No. 2, pp154-176. Intriligator, MD 2009, The economics of terrorism, Economic Inquiry, vol. 48, no. 1, pp. 1-13. Lenain, P Bonturi, M V 2002 The economic consequences of terrorism, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Discussion Paper, vol. 20, pp. 22-30. Loza, W 2007, The psychology of extremism and terrorism: a Middle-Eastern perspective, Aggression and Violent Behavior, vol.12, pp.141-155. Sandler, T. and Enders, W. 2004, An economic perspective on transnational terrorism,European Journal of Political Economy, vol.20,pp.301-316. Stewar, MG 2009 , Risk-informed decision support for assessing the costs and benefits of counter-terrorism protective measures for Infrastructure, International Journal of Critical Infrastructur protection, vol. 3,pp.29-40.

To Build A Fire Essay -- essays research papers

'To Build a Fire';   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Jack London's, 'To Build a Fire';, it is obvious to see that as the story progresses, the man becomes more bestial. However at the same time the dog seems to gain the human quality of good sense. This quality of good sense, which the dog acquires, allows it to away from the same fate of the man. There are many examples of how this is portrayed as the story makes headway.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first example of how the man becomes more bestial occurs after his first fire fails. After his fire fails, his hands are too cold to allow him to pick up matches. He was trying everything in order to warm up his hands, but nothing was working. Then he came up with a crazy and savage idea to warm them up. The story reads, 'He would kill the dog, and bury his hands in the warm body until the numbness went out of them. Then he could build another fire...'; That idea is a perfect example of his turn to bestiality. When the man tries to carry out this insane idea, the dog demonstrates his lean towards human characteristics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another example how the man is beginning to move and act like an animal. It reads, 'After some manipulation he managed to get the bunch between the heels of his mittened hands. In this fashion he carried it to his mouth...'; At this point, the man's hands are so cold that he can no longer grasp objects, such as matches. In order to get the matches he has to use the heels of his ...

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 20

Part IV Spirit He who sees in me all things, and all things in me, is never far from me, and I am never far from him. THE BHAGAVAD GITA Chapter 20 The road was just wide enough for the two of us to walk side by side. The grass on either side was as high as an elephant's eye. We could see blue sky above us, and exactly as far along the path as the next curve, which could have been any distance away, because there's no perspective in an unbroken green trench. We'd been traveling on this road most of the day, and passed only one old man and a couple of cows, but now we could hear what sounded like a large party approaching us, not far off, perhaps two hundred yards away. There were men's voices, a lot of them, footsteps, some dissonant metal drums, and most disturbing, the continuous screams of a woman either in pain, or terrified, or both. â€Å"Young masters!† came a voice from somewhere near us. I jumped in the air and came down in a defensive stance, my black glass knife drawn and ready. Josh looked around for the source of the voice. The screaming was getting closer. There was a rustling in the grass a few feet away from the road, then again the voice, â€Å"Young masters, you must hide.† An impossibly thin male face with eyes that seemed a size and a half too large for his skull popped out of the wall of grass beside us. â€Å"You must come. Kali comes to choose her victims! Come now or die.† The face disappeared, replaced by a craggy brown hand that motioned for us to follow into the grass. The woman's scream hit crescendo and failed, as if the voice had broken like an overtightened lute string. â€Å"Go,† said Joshua, pushing me into the grass. As soon as I was off of the road someone caught my wrist and started dragging me through the sea of grass. Joshua latched onto the tail of my shirt and allowed himself to be dragged along. As we ran the grass whipped and slashed at us. I could feel blood welling up on my face and arms, even as the brown wraith pulled me deeper into the sea of green. Above the rasping of my breath I heard men shouting from behind us, then a thrashing of the grass being trampled. â€Å"They follow,† said the brown wraith over his shoulder. â€Å"Run unless you want your heads to decorate Kali's altar. Run.† Over my shoulder to Josh, I said, â€Å"He says run or it will be bad.† Behind Josh, outlined against the sky, I saw long, swordlike spear tips, the sort of thing one might use for beheading someone. â€Å"Okey-dokey,† said Josh. It had taken us over a month to get to India, most of the journey through hundreds of miles of the highest, most rugged country we had ever seen. Amazingly enough, there were villages scattered all through the mountains, and when the villagers saw our orange robes doors were flung wide and larders opened. We were always fed, given a warm place to sleep, and welcomed to stay as long as we wished. We offered obtuse parables and irritating chants in return, as was the tradition. It wasn't until we came out of the mountains onto a brutally hot and humid grassland that we found our mode of dress was drawing more disdain than welcome. One man, of obvious wealth (he rode a horse and wore silk robes) cursed us as we passed and spit at us. Other people on foot began to take notice of us as well, and we hurried off into some high grass and changed out of our robes. I tucked the glass dagger that Joy had given me into my sash. â€Å"What was he going on about?† I asked Joshua. â€Å"He said something about tellers of false prophecies. Pretenders. Enemies of the Brahman, whatever that is. I'm not sure what else.† â€Å"Well, it looks like we're more welcome here as Jews than as Buddhists.† â€Å"For now,† said Joshua. â€Å"All the people have those marks on their foreheads like Gaspar had. I think without one of those we're going to have to be careful.† As we traveled into the lowlands the air felt as thick as warm cream, and we could feel the weight of it in our lungs after so many years in the mountains. We passed into the valley of a wide, muddy river, and the road became choked with people passing in and out of a city of wooden shacks and stone altars. There were humped-back cattle everywhere, even grazing in the gardens, but no one seemed to bear them any mind. â€Å"The last meat I ate was what was left of our camels,† I said. â€Å"Let's find a booth and buy some beef.† There were merchants along the road selling various wares, clay pots, powders, herbs, spices, copper and bronze blades (iron seemed to be in short supply), and tiny carvings of what seemed to be a thousand different gods, most of them having more limbs than seemed necessary and none of them looking particularly friendly. We found grain, breads, fruits, vegetables, and bean pastes for sale, but nowhere did we see any meat. We settled on some bread and spicy bean paste, paid the woman with Roman copper coin, then found a place under a large banyan tree where we could sit and look at the river while we ate. I'd forgotten the smell of a city, the fetid mlange of people, and waste, and smoke and animals, and I began to long for the clean air of the mountains. â€Å"I don't want to sleep here, Joshua. Let's see if we can find a place in the country.† â€Å"We are supposed to follow this river to the sea to reach Tamil. Where the river goes, so go the people.† The river – wider than any in Israel, but shallow, yellow with clay, and still against the heavy air – seemed more like a huge stagnant puddle than a living, moving thing. In this season, anyway. Dotting the surface, a half-dozen skinny, naked men with wild white hair and not three teeth apiece shouted angry poetry at the top of their lungs and tossed water into glittering crests over their heads. â€Å"I wonder how my cousin John is doing,† said Josh. All along the muddy riverbank women washed clothes and babies only steps from where cattle waded and shat, men fished or pushed long shallow boats along with poles, and children swam or played in the mud. Here and there the corpse of a dog bobbed flyblown in the gentle current. â€Å"Maybe there's a road inland a little, away from the stench.† Joshua nodded and climbed to his feet. â€Å"There,† he said, pointing to a narrow path that began on the opposite bank of the river and disappeared into some tall grass. â€Å"We'll have to cross,† I said. â€Å"Be nice if we could find a boat to take us,† said Josh. â€Å"You don't think we should ask where the path leads?† â€Å"No,† said Joshua, looking at a crowd of people who were gathering nearby and staring at us. â€Å"These people all look hostile.† â€Å"What was that you told Gaspar about love was a state you dwell in or something?† â€Å"Yeah, but not with these people. These people are creepy. Let's go.† The creepy little brown guy who was dragging me through the elephant grass was named Rumi, and much to his credit, amid the chaos and tumble of a headlong dash through a leviathan marshland, pursued by a muderous band of clanging, shouting, spear-waving decapitation enthusiasts, Rumi had managed to find a tiger – no small task when you have a kung fu master and the savior of the world in tow. â€Å"Eek, a tiger,† Rumi said, as we stumbled into a small clearing, a mere depression really, where a cat the size of Jerusalem was gleefully gnawing away on the skull of a deer. Rumi had expressed my sentiments exactly, but I would be damned if I was going to let my last words be â€Å"Eek, a tiger,† so I listened quietly as urine filled my shoes. â€Å"You'd think all the noise would have frightened him,† Josh said, just as the tiger looked up from his deer. I noticed that our pursuers seemed to be closing on us by the second. â€Å"That is the way it is usually done,† said Rumi. â€Å"The noise drives the tiger to the hunter.† â€Å"Maybe he knows that,† I said, â€Å"so he's not going anywhere. You know, they're bigger than I imagined. Tigers, I mean.† â€Å"Sit down,† said Joshua. â€Å"Pardon me?† I said. â€Å"Trust me,† Joshua said. â€Å"Remember the cobra when we were kids?† I nodded to Rumi and coaxed him down as the tiger crouched and tensed his hind legs as if preparing to leap, which is exactly what he was doing. As the first of our pursuers broke into the clearing from behind us the tiger leapt, sailing over our heads by half again the height of a man. The tiger landed on the first two men coming out of the grass, crushing them under his enormous forepaws, then raking their backs as he leapt again. After that all I could see was spear points scattering against the sky as the hunters became, well, you know. Men screamed, the woman screamed, the tiger screamed, and the two men who had fallen under the tiger crawled to their feet and limped back toward the road, screaming. Rumi looked from the dead deer, to Joshua, to me, to the dead deer, to Joshua, and his eyes seemed to grow even larger than before. â€Å"I am deeply moved and eternally grateful for your affinity with the tiger, but that is his deer, and it appears that he has not finished with it, perhaps†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Joshua stood up. â€Å"Lead on.† â€Å"I don't know which way.† â€Å"Not that way,† I said, pointing in the direction of the screaming bad guys. Rumi led us through the grass to another road, which we followed to where he lived. â€Å"It's a pit,† I said. â€Å"It's not that bad,† said Joshua, looking around. There were other pits nearby. People were living in them. â€Å"You live in a pit,† I said. â€Å"Hey, ease up,† Joshua said. â€Å"He saved our lives.† â€Å"It is a humble pit, but it is home,† said Rumi. â€Å"Please make yourself comfortable.† I looked around. The pit had been chipped out of sandstone and was about shoulder deep and just wide enough to turn a cow around in, which I would find out was a crucial dimension. The pit was empty except for a single rock about knee high. â€Å"Have a seat. You may have the rock,† said Rumi. Joshua smiled and sat on the rock. Rumi sat on the floor of the pit, which was covered with a thick layer of black slime. â€Å"Please. Sit,† said Rumi, gesturing to the floor beside him. â€Å"I'm sorry, we can only afford one rock.† I didn't sit. â€Å"Rumi, you live in a pit!† I pointed out. â€Å"Well, yes, that is true. Where do Untouchables live in your land?† â€Å"Untouchable?† â€Å"Yes, the lowest of the low. The scum of the earth. None of the higher caste may acknowledge my existence. I am Untouchable.† â€Å"Well, no wonder, you live in a fucking pit.† â€Å"No,† Joshua said, â€Å"he lives in a pit because he's Untouchable, he's not Untouchable because he lives in a pit. He'd be Untouchable if he lived in a palace, isn't that right, Rumi?† â€Å"Oh, like that's going to happen,† I said. I'm sorry, the guy lived in a pit. â€Å"There's more room since my wife and most of my children died,† said Rumi. â€Å"Until this morning it was only Vitra, my youngest daughter and me, but now she is gone too. There is plenty of room for you if you wish to stay.† Joshua put his hand on Rumi's narrow shoulder and I could see the effect it had, the pain evaporating from the Untouchable's face like dew under a hot sun. I stood by being wretched. â€Å"What happened to Vitra?† Joshua asked. â€Å"They came and took her, the Brahmans, as a sacrifice on the feast of Kali. I was looking for her when I saw you two. They gather children and men, criminals, Untouchables, and strangers. They would have taken you and day after tomorrow they would have offered your head to Kali.† â€Å"So your daughter is not dead?† I asked. â€Å"They will hold her until midnight on the night of the feast, then slaughter her with the other children on the wooden elephants of Kali.† â€Å"I will go to these Brahmans and ask for your daughter back,† Joshua said. â€Å"They'll kill you,† Rumi said. â€Å"Vitra is lost, even your tiger cannot save you from Kali's destruction.† â€Å"Rumi,† I said. â€Å"Look at me, please. Explain, Brahmans, Kali, elephants, everything. Go slow, act as if I know nothing.† â€Å"Like that takes imagination,† Joshua said, clearly violating my implied, if not expressed, copyright on sarcasm. (Yeah, we have Court TV in the hotel room, why?) â€Å"There are four castes,† said Rumi, â€Å"the Brahmans, or priests; Kshatriyas, or warriors; Vaisyas, who are farmers or merchants; and the Sudras, who are laborers. There are many subcastes, but those are the main ones. Each man is born to a caste and he remains in that caste until he dies and is reborn as a higher caste or lower caste, which is determined by his karma, or actions during his last life.† â€Å"We know from karma,† I said. â€Å"We're Buddhist monks.† â€Å"Heretics!† Rumi hissed. â€Å"Bite me, you bug-eyed scrawny brown guy,† I said. â€Å"You are a scrawny brown guy!† â€Å"No, you're a scrawny brown guy!† â€Å"No, you are a scrawny brown guy!† â€Å"We are all scrawny brown guys,† Joshua said, making peace. â€Å"Yeah, but he's bug-eyed.† â€Å"And you are a heretic.† â€Å"You're a heretic!† â€Å"No, you are a heretic.† â€Å"We're all scrawny brown heretics,† said Joshua, calming things down again. â€Å"Well, of course I'm scrawny,† I said. â€Å"Six years of cold rice and tea, and not a scrap of beef for sale in the whole country.† â€Å"You would eat beef? You heretic!† shouted Rumi. â€Å"Enough!† shouted Joshua. â€Å"No one may eat a cow. Cows are the reincarnations of souls on their way to the next life.† â€Å"Holy cow,† Josh said. â€Å"That is what I am saying.† Joshua shook his head as if trying to straighten jumbled thoughts. â€Å"You said that there were four castes, but you didn't mention Untouchables.† â€Å"Harijans, Untouchables, have no caste, we are the lowest of the low. We may have to live many lifetimes before we even ascend to the level of a cow, and then we may become higher caste. Then, if we follow our dharma, our duty, as a higher caste, we may become one with Brahma, the universal spirit of all. I can't believe you don't know this, have you been living in a cave?† I was going to point out that Rumi was in no position to criticize where we had been living, but Joshua signaled me to let it go. Instead I said, â€Å"So you are lower on the caste system than a cow?† I asked. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"So these Brahmans won't eat a cow, but they will take your daughter and kill her for their goddess?† â€Å"And eat her,† said Rumi, hanging his head. â€Å"At midnight on the night of the feast they will take her and the other children and tie them to the wooden elephants. They will cut off the children's fingers and give one to the head of each Brahman household. Then they will catch her blood in a cup and everyone in the household will taste it. They may eat the finger or bury it for good luck. After that the children are hacked to death on the wooden elephants.† â€Å"They can't do that,† Joshua said. â€Å"Oh yes, the cult of Kali may do anything they wish. It is her city, Kalighat.† [â€Å"Calcutta† on the Friendly Flyer map.] â€Å"My little Vitra is lost. We can only pray that she is reincarnated to a higher level.† Joshua patted the Untouchable's hand. â€Å"Why did you call Biff a heretic when he told you that we were Buddhist monks?† â€Å"That Gautama said that a man may go directly from any level to join Brahma, without fulfilling his dharma, that is heresy.† â€Å"That would be better for you, wouldn't it? Since you're on the bottom of the ladder?† â€Å"You cannot believe what you do not believe,† Rumi said. â€Å"I am an Untouchable because my karma dictates it.† â€Å"Oh yeah,† I said. â€Å"No sense sitting under a bodhi tree for a few hours when you can get the same thing through thousands of lifetimes of misery.† â€Å"Of course, that's ignoring the fact that you're a gentile and going to suffer eternal damnation either way,† said Josh. â€Å"Yeah, leaving that out altogether.† â€Å"But we'll get your daughter back,† Joshua said. Joshua wanted to rush into Kalighat and demand the return of Rumi's daughter and the release of all the other victims in the name of what was good and right. Joshua's solution to everything was to lead with righteous indignation, and there is a time and a place unto that, but there is also a time for cunning and guile (Ecclesiastes 9 or something). I was able to talk him into an alternate plan by using flawless logic: â€Å"Josh, did the Vegemites smite the Marmites by charging in and demanding justice at the end of a sword? I think not. These Brahmans cut off and eat the fingers of children. I know there's no finger-cutting commandment, Josh, but still, I'm guessing that these people think differently than we do. They call the Buddha a heretic, and he was one of their princes. How do you think they'll receive a scrawny brown kid claiming to be the son of a god who doesn't even live in their area?† â€Å"Good point. But we still have to save the child.† â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"How?† â€Å"Extreme sneakiness.† â€Å"You'll have to be in charge then.† â€Å"First we need to see this city and this temple where the sacrifices will be held.† Joshua scratched his head. His hair had mostly grown back, but was still short. â€Å"The Vegemites smote the Marmites?† â€Å"Yeah, Excretions three-six.† â€Å"I don't remember that. I guess I need to brush up on my Torah.† The statue of Kali over her altar was carved from black stone and stood as tall as ten men. She wore a necklace of human skulls around her neck and a girdle made of severed human hands at her hips. Her open maw was lined with a saw blade of teeth over which a stream of fresh blood had been poured. Even her toenails curved into vicious blades which dug into the pile of twisted, graven corpses on which she stood. She had four arms, one holding a cruel, serpentine sword, another a severed head by the hair; the third hand she held crooked, as if beckoning her victims to the place of dark destruction to which all are destined, and the fourth was posed downward, in a manner presenting the goddess's hand-girded hips, as if asking the eternal question, â€Å"Does this outfit make me look fat?† The raised altar lay in the middle of an open garden that was surrounded by trees. The altar was wide enough that five hundred people could have stood in the shadow of the black goddess. Deep grooves had been cut in the stone to channel the blood of sacrifices into vessels, so it could be poured through the goddess's jaws. Leading to the altar was a wide stone-paved boulevard, which was lined on either side by great elephants carved from wood and set on turntables so they could be rotated. The trunks and front feet of the elephants were stained rusty brown, and here and there the trunks exhibited deep gouges from blades that had hewn through a child into the mahogany. â€Å"Vitra isn't being kept here,† Joshua said. We were hiding behind a tree near the temple garden, dressed as natives, fake caste marks and all. Having lost when we drew lots, I was the one dressed as a woman. â€Å"I think this is a bodhi tree,† I said, â€Å"just like Buddha sat under! It's so exciting. I'm feeling sort of enlightened just standing here. Really, I can feel ripe bodhies squishing between my toes.† Joshua looked at my feet. â€Å"I don't think those are bodhies. There was a cow here before us.† I lifted my foot out of the mess. â€Å"Cows are overrated in this country. Under the Buddha's tree too. Is nothing sacred?† â€Å"There's no temple to this temple,† Joshua said. â€Å"We have to ask Rumi where the sacrifices are kept until the festival.† â€Å"He won't know. He's Untouchable. These guys are Brahmans – priests – they wouldn't tell him anything. That would be like a Sadducee telling a Samaritan what the Holy of Holies looked like.† â€Å"Then we have to find them ourselves,† Joshua said. â€Å"We know where they're going to be at midnight, we'll get them then.† â€Å"I say we find these Brahmans and force them to stop the whole festival.† â€Å"We'll just storm up to their temple and tell them to stop it?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"And they will.† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"That's cute, Josh. Let's go find Rumi. I have a plan.†