Fast Food Nation Essay Example

Fast Food Nation Essay The author of the book Fast Food Nation is basically an investigative journalist. Being a journalist the author explored and carried out profound research in order to study the fast food industry. His research helped him to know about the final product that ends up on the restaurant table right from scratch i. e. in case of meat from the farm to the final product. The author combined his three years of research with statistics and other primary research and presented the entire thing in the above mentioned book. The author presents the change in the way industrialized agri-business is done in today’s business scenario. The book is divided to two major and different parts. The first part of the book which is named as the â€Å"American Way† focuses on discussing the history of America’s Fast Food industry. This part also gives background information about the major fast foods of the country like McDonalds, Burger King Etc, including information about their founders. The remaining part of the first part of the book discusses how most of the once family owned and small businesses have become famous worldwide and how they have become part of one’s daily lives especially, Americans. The second part of the book discusses about the regulations that have been instituted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and also provides various reports and information about the working conditions at meatpacking plants and the slaughter houses. The fifth chapter of the book speaks about the making of French fries, one of the most favorite and ordered snack at a fast food and especially about a person named J. R. Simplot. We will write a custom essay sample on Fast Food Nation specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Fast Food Nation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Fast Food Nation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The reasons for speaking about a specific individual is because, it was in his factory which was situated in Idaho that most of the frozen French fries are made and are shipped to most of the fast food restaurants all across the United States. The author deeply delves into the aspects of the color and taste that all the fast food items have. HE also reveals many interesting, astonishing and rather unknown facts like the taste, smell and color of the foods not being natural and how these aspects for the food are created by using chemicals and different additives. In the book, the author specifically speaks about the impact of fast food chains on the people of United States. The statistics presented by the author, approximately one-third of the adult population of the United States visits a fast food restaurant daily and on a weekly basis a typical American is said to be consuming three hamburgers and four French fry orders. The reason behind presenting the above statistics in this paper is to discuss the affects of consuming fast food on the human body. Despite the frequency of eating fast foods, the very immediate affect that it could have on an individual’s health is sickness. This is evident from the fact that the author has presented in the book which states that approximately 2,000,000 people of the United States fall sick due to diseases caused by food they consume and almost 900 people are hospitalized on a daily basis. Though the reasons behind the diseases are many, one main cause may be stated as the way the food is produced. After this, the author starts giving information about the evolution of slaughter houses, the working conditions there etc. According to the book and the author’s arguments, there are a very few fast food restaurants which give value to their manpower and pay them good wages. Two good examples of such fair fast food restaurants are Conway’s Red Top and In-N-Out. Both these restaurants have their own style of becoming known in the fast food industry. Though these two restaurants are not as popular as McDonalds and Burger King, they serve high quality food and deliver better value and customer service. Today, the meat production in the United States of America has become very centralized due to the decrease in the small farmers which in turn has reduced the number of producers of meat. The toxins in the meat production plant are the root cause for the widespread of diseases. A nationwide study published by the USDA in 1996 found that 7. 5 percent of the ground beef samples taken at processing plants were contaminated with Salmonella, 11. 7 percent with Listeria monocytogenes, 30 percent with Staphylococcus aureus, and 53. 3 percent with Clostridium perfringens. All of these pathogens can make people sick (Teh World Traveller) (Michael Shugrue) (Sinclair). The book takes the readers’ through a journey which explains about today’s shocking and extremely corrupt fast food industry. The various truths and happenings in the industry which were gathered through personal interviews, investigations etc were presented in order to reveal what exactly happens behind the scenes of the fast food chains. One example is the reality of brutal treatment of workers and abuse of the same workers at the meat packing plants. Many female workers in the meat making plants are sexually harassed not only by co-workers but also by superiors. This clearly states how dangerous the industry for female employment is. A well-known fact is that the target audiences of the fast food industry are none other than children. The kids are easily influenced by the eye-catching, heavy and attractive advertisements along with the interesting promotional techniques which the fast food chains use. Market statistics reveal that children are more inclined towards a brand name or logo than on their own name. As already stated, many people today have become more inclined towards fast food not only because of the ease and convenience but also because of the taste of the food. Now the question that arises here is, the reasons for fast foods being so tasty. The author of the book has also explored this angle and has presented the tricks and techniques used by the fast food industry players to make the food extremely tasty. Basically, the aroma of the food is solely responsible for the flavor of the food. In order for the foods to be aromatic, it is not necessary that they need to be truly naturally. Today’s scientific advancements have led to the creation of various chemicals which help to secure the aroma of foods artificially too. This can be understood from the following facts which the author has quoted in the book – â€Å"Adding methyl-2-peridylketone makes something taste like popcorn. Adding ethyl-3-hydroxybutanoate makes it taste like marshmallow. The possibilities are now almost limitless. † Next important aspect is the role of the food’s colour. The fast food chains use a material called Titanium oxide which is actually used in the making of women’s cosmetics in order to give a creamy white colour to many of the processed candies and icings. Most of the fast food chains are using colouring agents in many of their soft drinks, cookies and sandwich buns in order to attract more customers. What does all this mean? By using coloring agents and chemicals to present the food in an attractive way, the fast food chains are trying to attract more number of customers to their outlets. More number of customers means more money. But ultimately, one important fact that needs to be understood is that customers who spend their hard earned money in the fast food outlets are actually falling prey to many toxic diseases. To be clear, for the various harmful activities done by the fast food chains, the common man is falling prey after spending his or her hard earned money. However, this fact is not known to most of the people who are used to eating fast foods. In one part of the book the author quotes that â€Å"Flavor compounds sometimes contain more ingredients than the foods being given their taste. † It is actually very strange for people to realize the facts while enjoying a snack at any fast food that they instead of enjoying the natural product which is used in the preparation of the product are enjoying an ingredient which has been artificially prepared. The fact that some chemical is used in order to manipulate the originality of taste itself is very shocking and of course obviously new to discover. It is indeed very difficult to accept and digest the fact that today’s era has so changed that even foods that are consumed are altered and made lose their originality by using chemicals etc. The book realizes many astonishing and unknown facts which many of the fast food goers do not realize. Most of the people who are used to fast foods restaurants would not have any idea about the working conditions at the meat packing plants and slaughter houses. The author presents some very surprising and rather pathetic facts of the inhuman working conditions about the workers at those places. Even this information is absolutely new to many people. The meat packing plants and slaughter houses are known as dangerous work places but not as risky places for somebody to work. The working situation of the workers working at the meat packing plant is so pathetic and dangerous that the workers are forced to wear hard hats and also carry heavy chain mails underneath their waist coats. The jobs of people at the slaughterhouses are even more pathetic. All the workers, irrespective of their sex, are made to stand with their clothes stripped off and made to do their jobs of ripping the innards of the cattle etc. All the workers here are at serious risk of losing their lives anytime while they are on the job and despite such ruthless working conditions, the money that they get paid is very minimal. One interesting fact that can be discovered in this book is that most of the jobs at the slaughter houses are carried out by hand. With technology taking its toll on today’s modern society, it is unbelievable that such ruthless tasks are still carried out by hand instead of using machines which can do the work faster. The author of the book – Eric Schlosser makes it quite evident that the â€Å"most important tool in a modern slaughterhouse is a sharp knife. † â€Å"Working in a slaughterhouse is probably one of the most dangerous jobs in the country, and yet it seems to be one of the not much advanced technologically. It seems that machines would speed up the process at a meatpacking plant, therefore producing much more ground beef. Surprisingly, one of the most mechanical machines in a slaughterhouse is a conveyor belt (Barganini). † Many workers get injured when working on this particular belt as the belt moves so fast that the belt slaughters almost 400 cattle per hours as opposed to the initial days of slaughtering 50 cattle per hour. Above all this, the most shocking fact is that the administration of the slaughter houses does not report many such injuries. â€Å"Their employees are hurt, and instead of sending them to the hospital, they send them to one of their own doctors who tell them that are uninjured and able to work. The point even more shocking than this is that the federal government fails to improve these working conditions. It seems almost discriminatory (Barganini). † Overall, the book provides a lot of information about the fast food industry and the issues which happen behind the scenes and which are unknown. Despite having some weaknesses in it, the strengths of the book are much higher. The author of the book makes it very clear that the people of the United States are more passionate towards eating fast food and the industry in itself and in this attempt he wrote a book that explains the fact more clearly. The entire book focuses on trying to explain the fascination that today’s people have got towards the fast food industry which has over a period transformed the culture of the United States. The book reveals certain strong facts like the ones â€Å"The Golden Arches are now more widely recognized than the Christian cross. † These kind of strong facts are the ones which make the book a good resource to know about the fast food industry. Though many people fail to realize the fact that fast foods have become a major part of their daily life, it is very true. It is actually impossible to not find a fast food when driving down a busy road in any part of the country. The author has very interestingly portrayed the history and evolution of most of the famous fast food chains focusing on the founders like Carl Karcher, Richard and ‘Mac’ of the McDonalds. Though the details about these men are relevant to the point of discussion of the book, the author spends a quiet too long time discussing about the above mentioned people. Apart from this, the author also mentions few other people who have been founders of fast food chains and who have similar background. One interesting and similar fact about all these men is that all of them come from a very poor family and have consistently grown up in their life through their commitment and hard work in order to hold higher positions. One of the major strength of the book â€Å"The Fast Food Nations† is the author’s ability to relate the book to the people who read it and imbibe it into the society. The author also throws light on issues such as the Federal Government’s involvement in the working conditions in the meat packing plants and the slaughter houses. The author has been successful in clubbing the facts of the past, the happening in the present and the possible future of the fast food industry into one single book. The epilogue of the book focuses on the very few fast food chains which still have great value to their employees and also their customers. â€Å"The fast food industry resulted from a culmination of social and economic trends. After reading the phenomena that has taken hold of our country, one must wonder what the future will bring (Barganini). † After reading the book, one fact that needs to be accepted is that the fast food industry has literally taken hold and is riding the lives of many people today without their own knowledge even. Many people who are used to fast foods do not realize the harm that those food cause to their health. As the industry developed, the percentage of obesity too developed in the same pace. Apart from heart attacks and problems of obesity, many new health problems have also cropped up. Though the lifestyle promoted by these fast foods is really fast and new, yet they are equally harmful. In conclusion, it can be said that fast food chains today are profiting at the cost of the health of its customers. Eating fast foods results in obesity and this obesity has become a common problem to everybody. Actually, study reveals that the annual cost of obesity is twice the total revenues of the fast food industry. By revealing so many useful and important facts like the ones presented in the above paragraphs and many more similar facts, the author Eric Schlosser tries and brings to light the alarming truth of today’s fast food industry. ? Bibliography Barganini, Emily. Fast Food Nations Review. Portfolio. du. edu. 01 March 2009 https://portfolio. du. edu/portfolio/getportfoliofile? uid=40150. Michael Shugrue, Christian Matuschek, Marc F. DiPaolo. Conscious Reader. Longman/Prentice Hall, 2008. Sinclair, Upton. The Safety of Raw versus Pasteurized Milk. The Untold Story of Milk. 21 January 2009 http://www. newtrendspublishing. com/USOMilk/Chapter15. pdf. Teh World Traveller. The Founding Fathers Why the Fries Taste good excerted from the book Fast food Nations. 2002. Teh Wrold Traveller. 21 January 2009 http://www. thirdworldtraveler. com/Health/FoundingFathers_FFN. html.

Calladitas No More Professor Ramos Blog

Calladitas No More Marissa Diaz English 261 15 May 2019 Calladitas No More Identity is developed from a young age. For some people their identity is hard to define, or it is hard for them to pinpoint where they stand. Not being able to identify with an identity can be confusing. In â€Å"How to Tame a Wild Tongue† Gloria Anzaldà ºa examines the negative attitudes towards the Spanish Chicanos speak and how that in turn creates a confusion in identities. American Identity is not only singular, and language is part of identity. â€Å"How to Tame a Wild Tongue† by Gloria Anzaldà ºa examines how language plays a role in shaping identity. The author remembers being shamed for being caught speaking Spanish. She recalls, â€Å"If you want to be American speak ‘American’†¦ if you don’t like it go back to Mexico where you belong† (1521). As a young child the author is already being isolated and cast out because of the language that she speaks. The assault on her identity does not stop at school, at home she is also judged on her ability to speak. The narrator recalls, â€Å"‘que vale toda tu educacià ³n si todavà ­a hablas ingles con un ‘accent’’ my mother would say mortified that I spoke English like a Mexican† (1521). This creates a sense of shame for not speaking like an American. It makes one feel as if they need to distance themselves from their culture. Additionally, Anzaldà ºa highlights how Chicanos are shamed for not speaking Spanish well or at all. She recalls being bitterly called, â€Å"cultural traitor†¦ speaking the oppressor’s language by speaking English [and] ruining the Spanish language. For Chicanos there is no refuge in either of the two ethnic groups that make up their identity. Anzaldà ºa bares her insecurities but she embraces them. She proudly declares, â€Å"I will no longer be made to feel ashamed for existing, I will have my voice†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1526). Anzaldà ºa has accepted that she will not fit in with native English or Spanish speak. She embraces the identity of those like her. She describes Chicanos as, â€Å"humildes yet proud, quietos yet wild, nosotros los mexicanos will walk by the crumbling ashes as we go about our business† (1529). Anzaldà ºa embraces that she does not fit in and she inspires others to embrace the diversity within and to reminds chicanos they come from resilient people. â€Å"Sources of Resilience Among Chicano/a Youth: Forging Identities in the Borderlands† explores how the ethnic identities contribute to resilience of Mexican American/Chicano youth that live near the border. The article notes, â€Å"Second generation Mexican American adolescents may hear origin and survival stories from their families that bear little resemblance to textbook, media, and popular accounts written from the perspective of the dominant culture, They may feel pressured to identify as Mexican in their homes and communities, but to act â€Å"American† in school and work contexts† (Holleran 4). From a young age Chicanos are leading two separate identities, these two separate world views conflict. This confusion is said to cause conflict and this in turn leads Mexican-American youth down troubled paths, â€Å"Chicano/a adolescents draw upon traditional cultural values and beliefs as a means of making meaning and coping with their world. These findings contrast with conclusions of researchers who suggest that Chicano adolescents join gangs because they are rootless or decultured† (8). It is not being confused that get’s chicano/a youth in trouble it is the negative stereotypes and stigmas that people hold that make youth feel worthless. This feeling makes chicano/a youth to act immorally. Having bicultural identities does not leave youth vulnerable. The article concludes that having bicultural identities produces strength. The article concludes, â€Å"traditional values and beliefs that give meaning to adolescents’ experiences, guide their behavior, and inspire positive life† (12). The traditions one learns from one culture can help navigate through the contrasting culture of another. The article states, â€Å"adherence to these traditional Mexican American values and beliefs may fortify ethnic identity, give meaning to experience, and assist Chicano/a youth in forging adaptive bicultural identities† (12). The complexity within these two cultures forms resilience in Chicano/a youth as they are able to navigate through both by taking values from both. Calladitas and Calladitos no more, Chicanas and Chicanos are redefining what it means to be American. They are breaking down negative stereotypes and embracing their identities. Whether one speaks Spanish or not there is much to gain from Gloria Anzaldà ºa’s â€Å"How to Tame a Wild Tongue.† Anzaldà ºa imparts to readers to embrace who they are. Language unifies people, people should use their voices to tell their stories and create conversations rather than shut each other out. Holleran, Lori K., and Margaret A. Waller. â€Å"Sources of Resilience Among Chicano/a Youth: Forging Identities in the Borderlands.† Child Adolescent Social Work Journal, vol. 20, no. 5, Oct. 2003, p. 335. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1023/A:1026043828866. Anzaldua, Gloria.How to Tame a Wild Tongue. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 9th ed., vol. 2, W.W. Norton Company, 2017.

Islamic Banking Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Islamic Banking - Research Proposal Example There has been increasing number of people with growing interest in the Islamic banking as a phenomenon and a lot of questions have been raised on its differences from conventional banking. This study will investigate the question that is often raised by most people whether it is an economic or a religious bank. The success of the research depends on the use of both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. The qualitative methods include interviews conducted face-to-face, online and over the telephone. The interviews cover standard closed question requiring a limited range of answers. This offers precision in categorization of the responses offered. Open-ended questions are also included to give a respondent a wide range of answers to express their opinions, interests, concerns, recommendations and disapprovals. This encourages honesty in the respondents’ answers hence facilitates the collection of valid data (Arun & Rachana 2000). The questionnaire was designed as the preferred survey instrument because it included all constructs of the proposed model to help in achieving the objectives of this study. Quantitative and qualitative research methods will begin with the issue of questionnaires to respondents. The questionnaires offer a standard measure of results obtained and enables the performance of secondary research that includes simple regression and correlation. These will further analyze the responses of the customers of Islamic banking. In this study, only the primary data will be used. The primary data will be collected based on interviews conducted face-to-face, online and over the telephone to reach the target group. Primary data is appropriate for this study because it adds value that a researcher to the table. The sampling technique will enable the selection of respondents used in the research. Sampling will cover 200 customers of Islamic

Plate tectonics (earthquakes and volcanoes) Essay

Plate tectonics (earthquakes and volcanoes) - Essay Example In that case oceans filled the areas between the created new sub-continents. Also, the land mass moves apart continuously as it rides on its plate till it reached a place that resides now. The said continents are still on the move to currently. The occurrence of plate tectonics has not been known exactly what drives despite the existence of theories. From one of the theory, it mentions that the convection that exist within the earth’s mantle pushes the plate in much similar way as air heated by our bodies as it rises upward and gets deflected sideways once it reaches the ceiling. From another theory, it associates gravity with the pulling of the older, colder and the heavier ocean floor forces than that newer and lighter seafloor. Plate tectonics activity occurs at four types of boundaries. They include the divergent boundaries where new crust is created, convergent boundaries have its crust consumed, collision boundaries have its land masses colliding whereas the transform bo undaries has its later sliding against each other (Conrad &Lithgow 13). Plate tectonics occurred from the theory that was first initiated in the early 20th century by a meteorologist named Alfred Wegener. In the year 1912, Wegener identified that the coastlines of both the east coast of South America and west coast of Africa were in a position to fit together like the common jigsaw puzzle. From further examination of the globe, it revealed that all of the earth continents fitted together in a way. At that instance, Wegener suggested that all continents in one time connected in single supercontinents called Pangaea. The researcher believed that the continents gradually drifted apart around 300 million years ago. In 1929 Arthur Holmes, who was a British geologist came up with the theory of thermal convection that explained the movement of the earth’s continent (Conrad &Lithgow

Analysis of SEEK Limited, Telstra Limited and Ansell Limited Essay

Analysis of SEEK Limited, Telstra Limited and Ansell Limited - Essay Example Another importance why I used the 10 year period data is that if the period is too short, there may be just the data for bull market, for instance from 201-2015. Moreover, a short time period data may result in inadequate information which in turn may result in misinterpretation. Therefore, I used the longer time period to select stock of the three companies to forecast the upcoming rates in order that legitimate forecasts of stocks may be possible. The data used for the chosen three companies: SEEK Limited, Telstra Corporation and Ansell were for the period of 2005-2015 to assess as well as make projections 3. COMPANY EVALUATION 3.1.SEEK Limited: Business Summary   SEEK Limited manages internet/web employment markets inside Brazil, Hong Kong, Australia, China, New Zealand, Malaysia Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, and globally. The corporation links employers and job hunters with job openings and equivalent overhauls online and delivers as well as offers holiday education and uni versity courses. Also, it provides online job marketing functions. The corporation was formed during 1997 and its headquarters are in Australia, Melbourne state (Australian Broadcasting Corporation & Nelvana. 3.1.1.Choice of sampling frequency In calculating SEEK Limited’ standard deviation and expected a return, I used monthly sampling size which is the optimal allowance sampling frequency founded considerations of cost, and a single sample every month gathered at about similar moment of the month in 10 sample design.

The New Oil: Castrol

The New Oil: Castrol Castrol was originally an oil company set up by Charles Cheers in the year 1899. Within 10-years, he managed to develop a new lubricant named The new oil Castrol which significantly benefits the transportation industry in the twentieth century (Castrol, 2011). The internationalized of Castrol of as a motor oil lubricant brand began in 1966 when Burmah Oil bought over to it become renamed Burmah Castrol, (BP , 2012) and their success in Thailand encouraged them to venture Vietnam in 1991 through a joint venture Saigon Petro (Dodd, 2005) which had a large motorcycle population. They were also the very first foreign lubricant joint-venture operating in Vietnam (NA, 2001). Later in 2000, British Petroleum (BP) acquired Burmah Castrol merging all operations with BP. However, BP still continued to retain Castrols identity as the company had long established brand reputation as a premiere motor oil lubricant. As an international business, Castrol, like any other international firm, were faced with key issues surrounding both formal and informal framework, and they tackled these issues by adopting, adapting and diffusing institutional elements in their strategies to succeed in the Vietnamese market. Vietnam: Key Issues for Castrol Cultural Environment Hostedes Cultural Dimensions (1980) shows the Vietnameses culture (Asia-Pacific) and Castrols native cultures (Anglo-American) are on opposing ends, which means that in order to succeed in Vietnam Castrol had to overcome these cultural barriers. Vietnam is heavily influenced by the Confucian values and ideals, beliefs in a high hierarchal structure, which means they have high power distance, are collective decision making and focus on the relationship element rather than a business transaction (Dong, Liem, Grossman, 2010). Face saving is a core concept practiced, as such maintaining relational harmony is more important than integrating and domination confrontations, which are deemed inappropriate (Oetzel Ting-Toomey, 2000). The Vietnamese tradition strongly emphasizes trust, which can be only obtained through earning peoples respect and affection (Dana Dana, 1999), in other words established through relationships. The relationship emphasis is clearly illustrated in dealing with the government bureaucratic system in which a request can have a long turnaround time and to expedite, an international manager would have to have a strong local network which helps reduce the governments uncertainty about your intentions (Smith Pham, 1996). Relationship also value is vital for Vietnamese manufacturers and distributors as it can enhance product quality, information, and smoother delivery processes (Nguyen Nguyen, 2011). In addition, the ability to grasp language could somehow ease communications as language influences peoples view of the world (Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, as cited by Kay, P Kempton 1984). And because linguistically, Vietnam largely differs from Castrols native home, Britain, as such; Castrol had to overcome the language barriers in their business negotiations with Vietnamese who prefer to have an interpreter even though if the Vietnamese can converse in the foreign language that was used (Bouchart Swierczek, 1994). Halls (1976) polychornic and monochornic concept of time is another significant difference between Castrols home practice and traditionally Vietnamese who see time more seasonal rather than by the clock (Smith Pham, 1996). This perception of time may be changing in todays environment, but Vietnamese can take longer to weigh decisions (Smith Pham, 1996), and because they are collective and have high power distance, it is customary for them to get consent from their superiors beforehand. While, Vietnam was once colonized by the French and Americans, Vietnams socio-cultural orientation substantially varies from their colonizers. Clearly, cultural differences can pose the underlying cause conflict. After all, culture is the collective programming of the mind, which distinguishes one human group (Asia) from another (US), (Hofstede, 1980, as cited by Beaman, 2008) and Castrol had to take these variations into account from the very beginning of market entry in to Vietnam. Ethical standard There is no clear definition of ethics, as the great divide between universalism and relativism explains. Universalists believe that ethical moral standards are universally the same throughout with no regards to culture and moving time; whereas relativists argue that perceptions of right and wrong differ from culture and individuals and tend to evolve with time (Bigambo, 2011). As such, in favor of the relativism approach, the ethical and moral perceptions are perceived differently, in regards of corruption. According to the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) assessment, pre National Strategy for Preventing and Combating Corruption toward 2020 introduction, World Banks Worldwide Governance Indicators rank Vietnam CPI level at 22.9 in 2004 and post the policy, in 2010, the country ranked 33 (Martini, 2012). Castrol had entered Vietnam pre-government policy, as such the Company had to ensure they adhered to policies at all times, to perhaps like Intel who actively cooperated with the government to combat corruption and improper business conduct (Deresky, 2011) Because Castrol had entered the country before establishment of formalized policies, the Company was forced to successfully adopt and adapt to Vietnams standards at the time, while still trying to hold on to its own corporate culture. As such, beyond the reasons of initial foreign direct investment (FDI) required a local state owned company (Schaumburg-MÃ ¼ller, 2002) it was only rationale for Castrol to enter Vietnam with joint-venture with a local player, Saigon Petro in 1991. Political Environment As a result of the fall of the Soviet, Vietnam was forced to undergo an economic reform in the 1980s (Speece, Quang, Huong, 2003). In 1986, the Economic Reform Policy, Doi Moi, removed trading barriers including liberalization of the domestic market and encouraged foreign investments and foreign privatizations of firms (Nguyen Bryant, 2004), an open economy. Through Doi Moi, the country gradually progressed from a command- economy toward a market economy (Van Arkadie and Mallon, 2003), through tax incentives to foreign firms. However; this increased, competition within the nation; hence, Castrol had to up their game to succeed in the country. In many aspects, like China and Laos, the Vietnamese government is communist in only name sense, as they tend to be more inclined toward market-based economic reform practices. Vietnam; however, remain as totalitarian state that deny many basic civil liberties to the people (Hill, 2007). Meaning, the government remains communism, but in reality, the market is similar to capitalism. Only, key industries such as water, electricity communication, logistics (road system, ports, and aviation), are owned by the government. In general, the communist political ideology governs every aspect of the country by holding key industries while maintaining its market-based economy. The country also introduced a new state constitution in 1992 that introduced a more formalized legal system and increased economic freedom (Costello, Nash, Kavanagh, Smyth, Boyce, 2010).The government also offered more tax incentives to attract more foreign oil companies. Castrol benefited from these practices as they took advantage of the first-mover as they entered the Vietnam market in 1991, after seeing great success in Thailand and they also benefitted from local insight with their partnership with Saigon Petro. Competition Castrol entered Vietnam prior to the establishment of the Competition Law, in which there were no formalized practices to regulate domestic competition (Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, 2005). In this sense, Castrol could be vulnerable to being dominated by stronger players and fair trade was unheard of. As the country moved toward a market-oriented economy, the Vietnam Law on Competition 2005 established fairground for all types of enterprises and offered legal protection for fair competition (Harvie, 2001), leaving types and pricing to be determined by the market. The law controlled any potential market monopolies and offered a leveled playing field for market access and fair competition as it encourages consumer choices (Le, 2003); hence; giving Castrols competitors such as Shell, Caltex and Vietlube a better chance to succeed. While Castrol has the first-moved advantage as an already a well-established brand, with Vietnams formalized policies and the country joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2007, to sustain its success, Castrol would have seek ways to reposition itself and use its premium quality against the growing price sensitive and quality conscious Vietnamese consumer behavior. Vietnam: Castrol Succeeds It can be inferred that Castrols success is related to their strategic market entry in Vietnam along with their ability to systematically create marketing mix that customized an advertising and branding, distribution, pricing strategy to fit in the Vietnamese economic landscape. Market Entry Castrols rationale for entering Vietnam was clearly for the purpose of market seeking and strategic asset seeking to which they intended to capitalize on Vietnams Doi Moi policies rather than lose out to their competitors. One of the key advantages Castrol had above everyone else was its first mover advantage in Vietnam and how the company had taken advantage of Dunnings OLI framework (1980). The OLI framework provides great insight on factors that affect a companys ability to enter a foreign market. In Castrols case, the company benefitted largely from ownership and location advantage, through which the company leveraged on its firm specific advantage in lubricant oil knowledge and exploited Vietnams already established motorcycle market. To reduce transaction costs relating cost of negotiating, contract enforcement while gaining a strong foothold in the domestic market it is likely the reason Castrol chose to partner Saigon Petro, illustrated by in Burmahs profits in 1996, to which more than 20 percent of its profits came from India and Vietnam, even in an era where car ownership was growing (Stevenson, 1996). The Company internalized its distribution through establishing its own transportation channels to reach its distribution points (NA, 1998). While this is a costlier route, this help Castrol closely monitor and manage its distribution. Marketing Mix Globally, Castrol offers its consumers one homogenous product lubricant oil. However, the Company varies its product strategy to reach its market segment, motorists who want quality lubricants for long-lasting care of their motorcycles. Coming off their success in Thailand, Castrol wished to establish brand loyalty in Vietnams motorcycle segment in hopes, the loyalty will continue on upon upgrading to a car. The Company reinforced the fundamental need for a reliable mode of transport motorcycle, as Castrols Asia Director, Ian Pringle states the Company focused on turning near haves into have somes (NA, 2010). Being a premium lubricant, Castrols prices was significantly higher than most, and the Company adopted that same strategy in Vietnam, three times the cost of cheaper oil imports from Taiwan and Thailand, while aiming to maintain its strong brand image of superior quality, Dau nhot tot nhat. In terms of promotion, Castrol supported its premium pricing strategy by utilizing the push communications strategy in traditional media such as billboards, bumper stickers and roadside garages and motorcycle cleaning shops signs to establish initial consumer awareness. And as Castrols position in Vietnam strengthened, the company leveraged on its global marketing campaign, which featured David Beckham. On reason for this is perhaps the Vietnamese are the second biggest football fan-following in the Asian region (NA, 2010), and in 2008, Castrol also went on to sponsor the UEFAs European Championships in Vietnam in hopes to drive revenues through brand recognition and recall in Asia (NA, 2008). Vietnam was a strategic decision on Castrols part as not only did the country closely resemble its neighboring Thailand in terms of motorcyclist population, it was a less risky decision for Castrol, as similar successful strategies could easily and inexpensively be exported to Vietnam. In terms of distribution, given Vietnams political divide, Castrols distribution strategy focused on two distinct distributors- stated owned customers, primarily Communist in practices and private customers. While this was costly, this method gave Castrol more control in terms of managing their distributors in terms of corporate practices reduce the risk of illegal practices or other such brand tarnishing practices (NA, 1998), though in the long term Castrol should consider more viable inexpensive measures. Opportunities and Challenges SWOT Matrix As first movers, Castrols strength lays in their success in developing a solid brand strategy that effectively captured a large market share. Today, the Company offers lubricants for the purpose of motorcycles, cars, commercial vehicles, industrial and even professional car repairs. In looking at Vietnam as a fast growing economy, the country is taking major measures to liberalize trade, through which can be seen by the countrys admission to WTO and even trade agreements such as Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Free Trade Area (AFTA) and U.S.- Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). Clearly, Vietnam is on its way toward a more transparent, less corrupted in its practices, which will largely benefit foreign companies like Castrol in their dealings in the country. The setback would be these liberalization practices will eventually increase competition for Castrol as Vietnam becomes a more attractive FDI destination. In terms of weakness, Castrols pricing strategy could be seen as a weakness as Vietnams urban market becomes more price- sensitive toward consumer goods (Speece Nguyen, 2005). Furthermore, Vietnams lack of domestic infrastructure capacity as well as enforced regulations (Pham, 1998), forces Castrol to internalize its distribution strategy, which is less risky; however, the line cost may be transferred to the end customer. In 2000, BP had acquired Burmah Castrol, and this in turn gives Castrol the ability to leverage on its parent companys core competencies from oil and gas production to distribution and supply chain management. Furthermore, the establishment of two refineries provide local source for petro products as well as increase interaction between the northern and southern Vietnam. Despite being a first-mover, Castrol may have already established its competitive edge; however, with the introduction of more structured open-market policies and trade agreements, Castrol will be faced with competition such as Shell and ExxonMobil. While, the country rapidly increased with an average 5.9% GDP growth in 2011, the inflation rate based on consumer prices was extremely high at 18.7% versus Chinas 9.2% GDP growth and 5.5% inflation rate (CIA, 2012). And in recent times, Vietnam has incurred international debt as high as USD12billion which could result in the collapse of the countrys banking system (Nyuen, 2012), and create a ripple effect for Castrol who already operate in the country and region. Recommendations As a dominant player, Castrol has an ample of opportunities to exploit and continue being a leader in Vietnam. Castrol could seek growth through expanding its current offerings in the automobile industry and relying on the existing Vietnam market. Castrol can seek to broaden its product base beyond offering light and heavy automotive lubricants and so forth by offering automobile batteries. While diversification could pose a threat to economies of scales and even increase marketing costs of the new product, by introducing a complimentary and complementary product, Castrol would not face such an issue. Castrol could also extend their strategic global partnership with leading automobile manufacturers such as Honda in Vietnam as they had in the United Kingdom (Castrol, UK and Ireland, 2012). By doing so, the automobile manufacturer can benefit from the tangible value of the ingredient brand which in this case is Castrol to enhance the customer experience. Similarly, Castrol can build a more efficient distribution network by collaborating with partners to share distribution channels and establish value chains as they had intended to with local tire manufacturer, Casumina and local battery manufacturer Pinaco (Phi, 2011). However, a much rationale route would be to leverage off parent company BPs resources including financial, logistics and research and development (RD). Castrol could also choose to adopt its loyalty program from Malaysia as regional strategy in Vietnam, by rewarding returning customers (Castrol, Malaysia 2012). With the establishment of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MONRE) in 2002, the country has intensified its environmental practices. In 2007, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) worked with MONRE to train southern, central and northern Vietnam environmental inspectors (EPA, 2012). In being a responsible corporate citizen, Castrol should adhere not only to Law on Environmental Protection; the Company should also consider measures to create a sustainable environment. For example, Castrol could offer consumers incentives to return their bottled packaging to distributors rather than self-disposing or offer refill-packaging options at a cheaper rate than purchasing the entire bottled package. Conclusion Even though globalization does reduce barriers, its not always as simple as Friedmans (2005) flat world as illustrated by Castrol in Vietnam. While, globalization may standardize selected practices such as consumer product needs; however, in going deeper, motivators tend to differ. In Castrols case, the variation of Vietnams norms both formal and informal from its home country resulted in the Company customizing practices to fit the national culture, and proactively streamlining processes and operations to sustainably grow within its host country.

Crushed Dreams in The Glass Menagerie Essay -- Glass Menagerie essays

Crushed Dreams in The Glass Menagerie      Ã‚  Ã‚   Tennessee Williams is known for his use of symbols, tension, and irony. Williams uses all of these components to express the central theme of The Glass Menagerie - hope followed by despair. Each of the characters has dreams that are destroyed by the harsh realities of the world.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As the narrator blatantly admits, 'since I have a poet's weakness for symbols', symbols are central to The Glass Menagerie (Williams 30). Symbols are merely concrete substitutions used to express a particular theme, idea, or character. One major symbol is the fire escape which has a separate function for each of the characters. This fire escape provides a means of escape for Tom from his cramped apartment and nagging mother. Therefore, the fire escape for him represents a path to the outside world. For the gentleman caller, the fire escape provides the means through which Jim can enter the Wingfield apartment, thus entering their lives. For Amanda, the fire escape allows Jim to come into the apartment and prevent Laura from becoming a spinster. The significance of the fire escape for Laura is that it is her door to the inside world in which she can hide. It is ironic that when Laura does leave the security of her apartment, she falls. This symbolises Laura's inability to function properly in the outside world.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another recurring symbol is the glass menagerie which represents Laura's hypersensitive nature and fragility. Laura is just as easily broken as a glass unicorn - and just as unique. When Jim accidentally bumps into the unicorn and breaks it, the unicorn is no longer unique. Likewise, when Jim kisses Laura and then shatters her hopes by telling her he's eng... ...ructure of the entire play -   an ironic pattern of romantic expectations, momentary fulfilment, and ultimate loss' (Thompson 13).    Works Cited and Consulted Bloom, Harold. Introduction. Tennessee Williams. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1987. 1-8. King, Thomas L. "Irony and Distance in The Glass Menagerie." In Tennessee Williams. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1987. 85-94. Levy, Eric P. "'Through Soundproof Glass': The Prison of Self Consciousness in The Glass Menagerie." Modern Drama, 36. December 1993. 529-537. Thompson, Judith J. Tennessee Williams' Plays: Memory, Myth, and Symbol. New York: Peter Lang, 1989. Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie. In Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing, 4th ed. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995. 1519-1568.    Crushed Dreams in The Glass Menagerie Essay -- Glass Menagerie essays Crushed Dreams in The Glass Menagerie      Ã‚  Ã‚   Tennessee Williams is known for his use of symbols, tension, and irony. Williams uses all of these components to express the central theme of The Glass Menagerie - hope followed by despair. Each of the characters has dreams that are destroyed by the harsh realities of the world.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As the narrator blatantly admits, 'since I have a poet's weakness for symbols', symbols are central to The Glass Menagerie (Williams 30). Symbols are merely concrete substitutions used to express a particular theme, idea, or character. One major symbol is the fire escape which has a separate function for each of the characters. This fire escape provides a means of escape for Tom from his cramped apartment and nagging mother. Therefore, the fire escape for him represents a path to the outside world. For the gentleman caller, the fire escape provides the means through which Jim can enter the Wingfield apartment, thus entering their lives. For Amanda, the fire escape allows Jim to come into the apartment and prevent Laura from becoming a spinster. The significance of the fire escape for Laura is that it is her door to the inside world in which she can hide. It is ironic that when Laura does leave the security of her apartment, she falls. This symbolises Laura's inability to function properly in the outside world.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another recurring symbol is the glass menagerie which represents Laura's hypersensitive nature and fragility. Laura is just as easily broken as a glass unicorn - and just as unique. When Jim accidentally bumps into the unicorn and breaks it, the unicorn is no longer unique. Likewise, when Jim kisses Laura and then shatters her hopes by telling her he's eng... ...ructure of the entire play -   an ironic pattern of romantic expectations, momentary fulfilment, and ultimate loss' (Thompson 13).    Works Cited and Consulted Bloom, Harold. Introduction. Tennessee Williams. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1987. 1-8. King, Thomas L. "Irony and Distance in The Glass Menagerie." In Tennessee Williams. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1987. 85-94. Levy, Eric P. "'Through Soundproof Glass': The Prison of Self Consciousness in The Glass Menagerie." Modern Drama, 36. December 1993. 529-537. Thompson, Judith J. Tennessee Williams' Plays: Memory, Myth, and Symbol. New York: Peter Lang, 1989. Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie. In Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing, 4th ed. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995. 1519-1568.   

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 19

Finding them wasn't so easy. No one was at my apartment, and Vincent didn't answer his phone. I drove down to the Cellar, hoping maybe they'd all decided to start drinking mid-day. Nope. The pub was barren, with only a couple bored patrons sitting at the bar. Frustrated, I called Hugh, deciding it was time to get help from my own resources. â€Å"Is Jerome back yet?† â€Å"No,† the imp said. â€Å"Do you need him?† â€Å"Kind of.† â€Å"Kind of?† â€Å"It's a long story.† â€Å"I'm in the city for a meeting. You want to have lunch and explain? I'm practically down the street from your place. I'll meet you there, and we'll go eat.† It was the first time I'd talked to Hugh since the blowup at Peter's over Seth and me. I was still reeling from all that, but I did kind of want to get feedback from another immortal source. Besides, I was rapidly running out of options. It only took ten minutes for him to show up, but it felt like an hour. â€Å"Holy shit,† said Hugh, spotting the Christmas trees when he walked in. â€Å"Your apartment's a national park.† â€Å"Be quiet.† â€Å"I'm serious. You need a ranger working in here.† â€Å"Come on. Let's go.† We walked to a deli down the street. Once we were seated with our food, I began explaining to him why I needed Jerome. By the time I finished the Nyx story, Hugh's mirth had faded. â€Å"Fuck,† he said, biting into an enormous Reuben. â€Å"That might be worth bugging Jerome after all.† â€Å"Where is he?† I asked. â€Å"Another training?† Hugh shrugged. â€Å"Not entirely sure. He was vague about it. Grace and Hiroko insinuated he's having ‘a personality conflict' with another demon and went to settle it.† â€Å"Oh, God,† I said. â€Å"Not a duel?† â€Å"I don't know. I hope not. Those crazy bitches seemed pretty smug, so they're probably hoping for some opportunity to pull a power play out of all this. You know how they are. Still†¦you could probably go to them for help with all this.† I could†¦but if Jerome had something weird going on, I didn't want to get enmeshed with his lieutenants and possibly be used in some way. The two demonesses worked for him but would seize any chance for promotion, and when political tremors shook our world, everyone was quick to exploit everyone else. â€Å"I'll hold out for the angels,† I said. â€Å"As long as I can space out my energy fixes, there shouldn't be a problem. If I can't find Carter and friends in another day or so, I'll think about talking to Grace and Hiroko.† â€Å"I can get a hold of him if you really need it,† said Hugh. I smiled at the uneasy tone in his voice. â€Å"Yeah, but your instructions were to avoid bothering him at all costs, right?† The imp nodded. â€Å"It's okay. I'll wait on the angels. If I have to go to Grace and Hiroko, they can be the ones to decide if it's worth interrupting Jerome for. I mean, the evidence is pretty solid†¦but, well, if we're wrong, and it turns out to be nothing†¦ Jerome's going to be pissed that I bothered him based on the word of two humans.† â€Å"Pissed at all of us.† â€Å"Yeah.† I idly picked holes in my sandwich with the toothpick that held it together. â€Å"Are you scared?† asked Hugh. â€Å"Of Nyx?† â€Å"Yeah. I am. I don't like the idea of anything invading my sleep. Certainly not something that powerful. That guy I mentioned – Dante – is going to try to make me a charm or something to ward her away.† Hugh snorted. â€Å"No human can make a charm like that.† â€Å"He's a magician. He said he could.† â€Å"Sweetie. Nyx is a fucking deity – no, more than that. An uber-deity. A force of the universe that was instrumental in creation. She's been weakened over time, yeah, but some strung-out, psychic sham can't make a charm powerful enough to scare her off. There are probably only a handful of humans in the world who could, and to get that kind of power†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Hugh shook his head. â€Å"I don't know. Based on what you've told me, I'm just not seeing it.† I'd had my own doubts about Dante, but I'd thus far managed to push them aside and keep hoping for the best. Hearing Hugh, I felt all of my misgivings return. â€Å"Fuck,† I said. Silence fell as we munched on our sandwiches a bit. Rain fell outside, and hungry customers ducked in to avoid it. Hugh watched a cute brunette order at the counter, then he turned his attention back to me. â€Å"Any idea when Niphon's leaving?† I frowned. â€Å"Whenever Tawny gets a victim.† Now Hugh frowned. â€Å"But she did, didn't she?† â€Å"Did she?† â€Å"I don't know. That's what Simon said. Or at least, he thought she did. He said she was up there dancing with a glow a couple nights ago. Made up for the shitty job she was doing.† A couple nights ago†¦ â€Å"No†¦that's impossible. I saw her right around then, and she still hadn't taken anybody. She was so low, I had to kiss her again. He's wrong.† â€Å"Maybe she got a glow from the kiss.† Hugh sounded kind of hopeful. â€Å"You use a lot of tongue?† â€Å"It wasn't that big of a kiss. No glow. Just enough to get by.† â€Å"Huh.† He swirled the ice around in his Diet Coke. â€Å"I guess Simon was wrong. Figured he'd be good at spotting that stuff.† I would have thought so too. â€Å"Hugh†¦this is going to sound weird, but I think Tawny may be faking how inept she is.† He looked rightfully startled. â€Å"Why the fuck would she do that?† â€Å"I don't know. I think it's to help Niphon. But none of this makes sense. This is the second time I've heard of her possibly getting a fix, but then I've seen her shortly thereafter, and she was way too low to have burned through so much so quickly.† â€Å"Maybe she's got your problem.† â€Å"I have a lot of problems.† â€Å"Your Nyx problem. Maybe Tawny's losing her energy too.† Whoa. Interesting idea. And why not? If Nyx was preying on one succubus, why not two? And it would explain how Tawny was losing energy so quickly. Except†¦ â€Å"If Nyx is taking her energy, that means she's actually getting it to begin with. But Tawny keeps telling me she isn't having sex.† â€Å"Huh. A servant of Hell lying. Go figure.† â€Å"Yeah, but why? Niphon's risking getting both of them in a shitload of trouble if Jerome or anyone else finds out. He's gambling a lot just to stick around and annoy me. And if Hell thinks Tawny isn't doing her job, they'll recall her.† Hugh gave me a funny look. â€Å"What?† I asked. â€Å"What's that for?† â€Å"You didn't read the book, did you?† â€Å"What book?† â€Å"The succubus manual.† â€Å"You know I didn't.† â€Å"And I even got you the abridged one,† he said, sounding wounded. â€Å"Hugh,† I growled. â€Å"What's your point?† â€Å"The point is that as her mentor, you're accountable for her actions. If she can't bag a victim, you're the one they'll call in.† â€Å"What? That's ridiculous.† â€Å"Those are the rules now.† â€Å"So, what, I get slapped on the wrist for her screwing up?† â€Å"Slap on the wrist? For being a succubus who can't teach another one to have sex? It's so ludicrous, it's probably never happened before. I don't know what they'd do. Censure you at the very least. Transfer you to work under a senior succubus.† â€Å"I am a senior succubus.† He shrugged. â€Å"But if she's lying†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Then prove it.† I rubbed my eyes. â€Å"This is utterly insane. Why does Niphon hate me so much? He already bought my soul, for God's sake. What more is there?† I expected some smartass remark. Instead, I received silence. I looked at Hugh. â€Å"What? What is it now?† He pointedly glanced away. â€Å"Hugh!† â€Å"I don't know, Georgina.† Hugh rarely called me by my first name. I was usually honey or sweetie. â€Å"Sometimes we make deals, and they seem airtight, but something goes wrong.† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"I worked with another imp when I lived in Dallas. Raquel. She brokered this one deal with a guy who was pissed off when his wife left him because he found out he was sterile. Couldn't have kids.† Hugh helpfully illustrated the meaning by pointing down toward his lower torso. â€Å"I know what sterile means, Mr. Wizard. Get on with it.† â€Å"So, he sold his soul under the conditions that his ex-wife couldn't have kids either. He was bitter and into the poetic justice thing, apparently. Wanted to punish her with what she'd punished him over. So, he gave up his soul, and our side gave her some kind of inflammation thing that totally destroyed her fallopian tubes and scarred up her uterus. I don't know. Girl stuff.† I had to hold back an eye roll. Hugh might feign ignorance about ‘girl stuff,' but he'd found time in his years of corruption to go to medical school. He knew more about this than I did. â€Å"Harsh,† I said. â€Å"But fitting from the guy's point of view, I guess.† â€Å"Yeah. Should have been a done deal, but something went wrong. Or, well, right. Her ovaries still worked – she was making eggs, even if she couldn't carry a baby. She and her new husband found a surrogate mother. The wife donated eggs, they mixed up a Petri dish cocktail, and the surrogate carried the baby. Bam!† â€Å"The wife had a child after all,† I mused. â€Å"Wow. Hell gets defeated by science. All those philosophers from the Enlightenment were right.† Hugh scoffed at my joke. â€Å"It was stupid. Someone – by which I mean, Raquel – should have thought of that when they picked the infection as a way to make that lady infertile. Raquel fucked up. The guy was able to take his case back to Hell and won his soul back for breach of contract.† â€Å"Oh, wow,† I said. â€Å"I bet that went over well. What's Raquel doing nowadays?† He grimaced. â€Å"I think we're all happier not knowing.† I agreed. â€Å"But what's this have to do with me? That's kind of a rare case.† â€Å"Eh, it happens more than you'd think. Most of the time, the seller doesn't even notice something got messed up. But if the imp or someone else in authority catches it, I've seen them move Heaven and Earth – no pun intended – to fix it.† â€Å"So, you're implying that Niphon's here, finagling all this stuff with Tawny, because he did something wrong in my purchase?† Hugh spread his hands out. â€Å"I don't know. All I know is that when an imp shows up and is going to this much trouble over something, the evidence suggests it's big. Maybe not a situation like Raquel's, maybe not a breach of contract, but something.† â€Å"My contract's long since done,† I murmured. â€Å"Everyone it involved is dead now. If there was a problem, I would have had to bring it up back then.† â€Å"Like I said, I don't know. Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions.† â€Å"Could you look? Could you get a hold of the contract?† â€Å"No.† Hugh's answer came almost before I finished speaking. â€Å"Absolutely not.† â€Å"But if there's some wording I didn't know about – â€Å" â€Å"You think I can just go walk into Hell's records and pull a contract I'm not involved with?† he exclaimed. â€Å"Fuck. If I got caught, it'd make what happened to Raquel look like a promotion.† â€Å"But – â€Å" â€Å"No,† he said again, voice like stone. â€Å"No debate. I love you, sweetie. You know I do. You're like my sister, and I'd do almost anything for you, but not this. I'm sorry.† I glared. He glared back. â€Å"Look, you want my advice? Get rid of Niphon. And Tawny, if you can. Expose them if they really are pulling something here, and Jerome will take it from there.† â€Å"Jerome's not even around! Damn it. Why can't you help me with this? You were so quick to help with my love life when you were talking to Seth the other night.† Hugh narrowed his eyes. â€Å"It was probably the best thing I've ever done for you.† â€Å"Are you insane? He's walking around talking about that now – all worried about how he's going to hurt me and make me miserable!† â€Å"Good,† snapped Hugh. â€Å"He should be.† I shoved my trash onto my tray and stood up. â€Å"See you later. Thanks for†¦well, nothing.† Hugh followed me over to the garbage bins. â€Å"You're behaving irrationally. On all of this.† â€Å"I'd never treat you the way you're treating me,† I said, dumping my tray. â€Å"I'm your friend.† â€Å"Friendship has nothing to do with this.† â€Å"It has everything to do with this!† He stacked his tray on the others and looked at his watch. â€Å"Look, I have to go. I'm sorry I can't give you the answers you want. Am I going to see you at Peter's?† Peter, unable to pass up party-giving opportunities, was hosting a Christmas dinner, weird as that seemed. â€Å"No. I'm going to be with Seth. Unless he breaks up with me because of your great advice.† Hugh bit his lip on some remark that probably would have been uncomplimentary. Shaking his head, he turned around and left.

Bush vs. Healthcare essays

Bush vs. Healthcare essays George W. Bush is the Republican candidate for president. His opponent, Al Gore is Vice President of the United States. Medicare and Medicaid are two very important subjects that have to do with Health Care. Bush has many new ideas to try to and help poor seniors to be subsidized. He believes that Medicare prescription drug coverage should be available to low income seniors. According to Bush, Gore has a plan called Mediscare, which hasnt worked for 8 years, and Bush wants to change that.(Issues2000.org) Bush wants to enforce the Rx plan, so that the elderly can get prescription drugs when they need them, for cheaper more affordable prices. The Rx plan works by Patient Rights are another big issue because Health Care Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) often put profits before patients. Bush wants to create a review board to review HMO complaints.(Bush2000.org) He thinks that the elderly should have a choice about theyre Health Care, the bureaucrats shouldnt. Bush doesnt think its right that other people decide on the peoples Health Care, that the people should decide themselves. There will be private alternatives and state reforms. They will come first. HMOs should cover visits to the emergency room, and to the gynecologist. George W. Bush thinks that patients should be able to choose their own coverage if they are not satisfied with what is currently serviced for no extra cost at all. Patients should be able to sue theyre HMOs if they are hurt because of it or denied treatment.(Bush2000) The childrens Health Care Insurance Program(Chips) will help the children who need Health Care by creating more options, including cheaper prices for the parents when the kids are sick. It is aimed at lower income families with children. More kids will be able to get health Care because of this. Also for small businesses there will be a tax cred ...

Literary Analysis Professor Ramos Blog

Literary Analysis

The Fugitive Slave Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Fugitive Slave Law - Essay Example The rights of the citizen especially freedom should be upheld by such legislation in Massachusetts. However, there is higher prevalence of slavery ever since the beginning of the 19th century. The law is supreme and south Massachusetts is a free state. As a citizen, human being and a free member of the American society, just like Jim, therefore, has a right to fare trial and treatment as a human being and not as a property that someone can claim and possess without considering his own personal feelings. This is the quandary (Baker, 167). The Legal Defense Fund Based on the later relationship and existence of Jim among the free members of the state, He has enjoyed better living conditions where, his fundamental rights were upheld. He has thus realized himself, appreciated the role of the society more positively and has come to contribute positively and effectively to the development of the society in the state and America without fear of oppression (Baker, 146). The person claimed to be a property to someone has been enjoying this freedom and rights for over three years now and is happy to remain in this state. As a citizen, the law should allow him to make rightful choices of whether to get back to his original master, where he was the slave or live with his new employers as a free person of rights. The Hearing I have this case due to the fact that much is at stake with the previous ruling already delivered. We realize the supreme nature of the law and we also appreciate that human beings have their rights which the law should strive to protect in whatever circumstances. During the hearing of this case, we note that there was no jury as one of the legislations requirement for this country require. Further, we should note that North Massachusetts is a free state with specific legislations and principles on slavery though most of the time we have never had such complications to call on our state laws in regard to this matter but there is always precedence and thi s is one such circumstance (Baker, 210). It is therefore, highly significant that the above elements are considered in determining this case so as to ensure the slave, as we can not prove otherwise here in Massachusetts, can testify and make rightful propositions. The Procedures The procedures and legislations established by congress are legal and supreme as they form part of our constitution. We therefore realize that the Fugitive Slaves Act established by 1850 belongs to superlative laws, which this State must abide. As a free state, Massachusetts has established its own procedures aimed at ensuring that the rights of its citizenry towards fair legal processes are consistent. Though the Fugitive Slaves act govern the matters of slavery, the Massachusetts procedures should have been used to offer Jim a fair trial. We ask ourselves whether the rights of Jim to a jury trial were upheld and whether he was subjected to fair and due legal process. It is based on this that we can give a final verdict or ruling on this matter. Massachusetts is a free state and by purely abiding to the procedures outlined in the Fugitive Slaves Act, we undermine our own procedures and thus should reconsider this. The Fugitive Slave Laws Though the fugitive slaves Act only requires a hearing, which has been held so far, we should appreciate that this was not done according to the proced

An investigation of the role that the Libyan government and civil Essay

An investigation of the role that the Libyan government and civil society organization can play in facilitating the humanitarian activities of the Libyan red crescent - Essay Example The research is based on the challenges that are faced by LRC or Libyan Red Crescent in terms of providing quality service to all those victims who are affected. The Libyan Red Crescent in the recent years has been deprived of many such facilities that were provided by the civil society organizations. This in turn has resulted into more serious issues for LRC as they are finding it difficult to maintain their humanitarian activities. This study would be focused towards identifying the key issues along with the probable solutions so that the organization can achieve the stage of sustainability in its business operations. The Libyan Red Crescent organization was incorporated in the year 1957 and it comprised of 34 branches in total across Libya. The Libyan government and even the civil society organization of Libya have made the operations of this voluntary aid organization LRC worsen due to lack of support and negligence on their behalf. The primary functions of this organization have greatly been affected due to the unavailability of resources and support that was required to be extended by the Libyan Government. The research study would not be based on the total LRC organization but it would focus majorly on one branch that is Zintan branch. This branch is selected mainly because the researcher is the indigene of the town so it would enable the researcher to gather more appropriate information about the challenges faced by the organization. The major aim of this research study is to identify the possible solutions that would help the organization to enhance their activities by means of leveraging the civil society as well as Libyan government.