Reggio Emilia Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reggio Emilia - Article Example Role of Teachers: Teachers' role is that of both facilitator and partner in learning which includes selecting topics based on student interests ands experiences, providing resources (notes, slides, audio or visual taping) on topics, composing small groups of friends to work on projects favoring cognitive conflicts, developing collaboration among all students to question things, emerging out project content by student's spiral understanding, extending time to a project and supporting in documentation. They share portfolios instead of checklist of skills, tests or diagnostic evaluations at end of each year. Role of Parents: Parents are an active part of their children's learning experience and they take many forms such as day-to-day interaction, work in the schools, discussions of educational and psychological issues, special events, excursions, and celebrations. Parents have the right to be involved in the life of the school. Children with special rights: Children with special rights have first priority for enrollment into the schools beginning at three months of age. If the child's neighborhood school is full, then he/she has to go to another school. They have an additional teacher with special experience and training. Children with special rights stay an extra year.

Product Market Analysis Essay Example for Free

Product Market Analysis Essay In 1873, Adolph Coors and Jacob Schueler, both German immigrants established Golden, Colorado brewery. In 1880, Coors bought out his partner and became the sole owner of Coors Brewing Company. Today Molson Coors Brewing Company is the third largest brewing company in the United States (Molson Coors, 2013). In 1990, Coors Brewing introduced Coors Rocky Mountain Spring Water. The product was short lived and was taken off the market in 1992 after only two years. There are a few problems with the marketing and advertising of this product. To remarket this product I would start with the use of various types of media communication. Television, radio, magazine, and other social media outlets would be take advantage of. Television and radio commercials will be broadcast during sporting event on the major sports networks. The focus on the sports and outdoor community will be the main target. The Coors Company did not target these markets with their product. Magazines advertisements will be added to outdoor and sporting magazines. The product will be advertised on social Medias such as Facebook and Twitter. Facebook also gives the option of paying for more advertisement. This can triple the products reach more than 1000 different views a day. The advertisement for this product was limited to television and magazines. The problem with the television is that Coors was tried to target their beer drinking customer. The times the commercials were aired were during the same times that beer commercials. The customer base that they were reaching limited the exposure. That consumer base is not interested in the Rocky Mountain Spring Water unless is has the rest of the ingredients in it. The big issue that this product has is in the name. Coors Rocky Mountain Spring Water makes you think of the alcoholic beverages that they are known for. This alone discouraged those who do not drink or those too young to drink. In 1987, the average person would consume 4.5 gallons of bottled water per year. That grew in 1997 to 12.7 gallons per person. There an no reason why with that much increase in the consumption of bottled water this product did  not take off (Natural Resource Defense Council, 2013). This product has a simple fix. First, it is important that we change the name of the product. At the least drop the Coors of the name, Rocky Mountain Spring Water. This will still bring in the loyal customers to the Coors product. Any true fan on Coors will remember that Coors is made by Rocky Mountain Spring Water. This will also disassociate the product from the alcoholic beverages. The original product was bottled in glass bottles. This could also hinder the sales of the product. The glass bottles are heavy and harder to store. Change the glass bottles into plastic bottles. This will cut down on the price of the product and make it easier to carrier. The next step would be to us media to get the product out to the public. We need to bring more advertisements to television and radio during sporting events. Advertising online can be done in many different ways. There are ways to reach online customer by e-mail or online advertisements. Facebook, Netflix, and a podcasts offer advertisements during interaction with their services. Online magazines and newspapers also offer advertisements while on the websites. Facebook has more than one billion people who us its services monthly. People spend an average of six hours and 35 minutes a month. Because of the way Facebook works it has a 94% targeting accuracy. This is highly effective when trying to reach the target market (Facebook, 2013). Internet radio is a great way to reach people. Internet radio accounts for 23% of the average weekly listening time among consumer between the ages of 13 and 35. 49% of US consumers listen to Internet radio 30 minutes prior to going into a store and the average online listener will listen almost 12 hours a week (Factbrowser, 2013). All these things I have listed will help to increase the public awareness for the product. The more the public is aware of the product, the more attention it will receive. In 2012 9.67 billion gallons of bottled water was consumed in the U.S. That was up from the 9.1 billion gallons that was consumed in 2011. Despite the efforts of some activist people are still turning to bottled water, and it is showing in the marketplace. References Facebook. (2013, Summer). The Power of Facebook Advertising. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/business/power-of-advertising Factbrowser. (2013, Fall). Research discovery engine. Retrieved from http://www.factbrowser.com/tags/radio/?page=2 Molson Coors. (2013, November). MolsonCoors. Retrieved from http://www.molsoncoors.com/en/Index.aspx Natural Resource Defense Council. (2013, July 15). Bottled Water. Retrieved from http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/chap2.asp

Free Song of Solomon Essays: Milkmans Search for Self :: Song Solomon essays

Milkman's Search for Self in Song of Solomon Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon is the story of Milkman's search for self. Milkman appears destined for a life of isolation and self-alienation. The Deads exemplify the patriarchal, nuclear family that has been a stable and critical feature of American society. The family is the institution for producing children, maintaining them, and providing individuals with the means to understand their place in the world order. But this nuclear patriarchal family creates many of the problems it should be solving. What represses the Deads is the father, Macon: his single-minded ambition, his unscrupulous greed, his materialism, and his lack of nurturing his family. Macon does not concentrate on being a loving and nurturing father; instead he concentrates on another aspect of paternity, the acquisition of property. Macon aspires to own property and other people too. His words to his son, "Let me tell you right now the one important thing that you'll ever need to know: Own things. And let the things you own own other things too. Then you'll own yourself and other people too". The owning of things as well as other people is a rather remarkable statement, coming from a descendant of slaves. Macon has not inherited this trait from his father, even though he mistakenly thinks so. His father had owned things that "grew" other things, not "owned" other things. Pilate Dead, Macon's younger sister, is a marked contrast to her brother and his family. Macon has a love of property and money, and this determines the nature of his relationships with others. Pilate has a sheer disregard for status, occupation, hygiene, and manners, and has the capability to respect, love, and trust. Her self-sufficiency and isolation prevent her from being trapped or destroyed by the decaying values that threaten her brother's life. The first part of the novel details the birth of Macon Dead III, the first black baby to ever be born at Mercy Hospital, which has been named by the African American community as No-Mercy Hospital. He acquires the name Milkman when people learn that his mother is still nursing him long after it is considered normal to do so. His father, Macon Dead, is a cold, insensitive man who places undue importance on material wealth and intimidates all he comes into contact with. Macon forbids Milkman to visit his Aunt Pilate because her eccentric ways, her unkempt appearance, and her stubborn insistence in making bootleg liquor embarrass him.

Case Study: Google in China Essay

Google issued a statement mentioning the attacks across the Internet generated from China and declaring its unwillingness to censor search results any more and indicating its decision of exiting China. Several months later, the company moved from Beijing to Hong Kong, out of Mainland China, and still has provided services to users in Mainland China, but also has faced many difficulties. This case is very typical and meaningful for foreign companies, which have willingness to launch their business successfully in China. Culture, local laws and differences between western market and Chinese market should be taken into consideration. Case A 1. Why did Google issue the statement of January 12? Google issued the statement to express the company’s unwillingness to tolerate censorship in China and the decision to exit from China. The Chinese government made the decision to control the information flow on the Internet and insisted on removing information from search results that it is considered politically objectionable, which leads to the insufficiency and inaccuracy of the search result. This is not what Google wants. The statement doesn’t aim at accusing of the cyber attacks across the Internet and helping users make their computers much safer, but declare that Google won’t compromise to the censorship in China any more, which violates the missions and principles of the company—To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful and do no evil. 2. Can Google take comfort from the reactions of stakeholders so far? In my opinion, it depends on different stakeholders. For competitors, such as Baidu, there is no doubt that Google exiting from China is great news by getting rid of such a strong competitor. And also I don’t think the shareholders of the company were happy to see that, as the stock price of Google falling as low as $573.09 on January 13 comparing to $714.87 in December 2007. And cutting themselves off from one of the fastest-growing economies in the world and giving up such a huge market would lead to negative impact to the revenues of the company. Those shareholders would give extra pressure. However, the statement won some respect and support from democrats and human rights activists, and also won the trust of its users and the employees outside China, not the ones in China.

The Treaty of Versailles Essay

Treaty of Versailles Essay During World War One, there was massive devastation done to the Allies and the Central Powers and will be remembered for many years to come. The peace treaty that ended the war was called the Treaty of Versailles and its consequences would have far reaching impact. The Great War was fought using trench warfare and a stalemate was created. On the Western front France was fighting Germany, there were many casualties, 15 million soldiers were seriously injured, 7 million were permanently disabled and 8 million were killed.There was major destruction to land, property and empires were destroyed: The German, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman and Russian. It was a total war; it took all resources from countries and caused food shortages. By the end of the war, famine had killed millions of people and diseases flourished in the wartime conditions. In 1917 the Americans came into the war and the Russians left. Finally the stalemate is broken and Germany made an extremely h arsh treaty with Russia. The victorious countries were furious, they blamed Germany for starting the war and causing so much devastation to their countries.They wanted Germany to pay, so the Allies created a treaty which held Germany responsible for WW1. The second cause of the Treaty was the Big Three setting the stage for the treaty with their aims and attitudes. Woodrow Wilson (President of the U. S) wanted to end war by making a fair peace. He wanted disarmament and a League of Nations set up, where countries could settle their problems without war. David Lloyd George (Prime Minister of Britain), wanted justice, not revenge. He said the treaty must not be harsh because that in return would just cause another war in a few years time.By far the harshest of all the Big Three was George Clemenceau the Prime Minister of France. Most of the war had been fought in France, so he wanted revenge and to punish the Germans for the massive destruction they had done to France. He also wanted Germany broken up (weakened), so that France couldn’t be invaded again. Basically Clemenceau’s aim was to completely shatter Germany. The terms of the treaty include – blame for the war (cause 231, war guilt), high reparations, army restrictions and loss of territory.In addition to the huge loss Germany had already suffered, the worst of it all had to be the extreme amount of reparations. A figure was set in 1921 of ? 6,600. 000 million. Germany was seriously disadvantaged, because reparations economically crippled them. The first of the payments were made in 1922 (only just), and in 1923 Germany falls behind on payments. France gets angry and invades the Ruhr, in the Ruhr the German workers go on strike and to pay them the government prints more money, which creates hyperinflation. This meant it was cheaper to burn money than firewood.The economy was hugely suffering and as a whole so the country. The Germans were angry for having to take blame for starting the war. Another consequence of the treaty was the League of Nations, which was apart of Woodrow Wilson’s 14 points. The league was very weak because the three big powers were not involved and they needed the big, powerful nations to strengthen the league. This was so they could have more authority, because hardly anybody listened to the League. It was pointless because there weren’t very strict penalties and if countries didn’t agree with the League they would just drop out.However the League did have a few successes, such as when they freed 200,000 slaves in Africa and Burma after they attacked slave traders. The League also worked to prevent malaria and leprosy as well as taking home half a million World War One prisoners of war. In addition to those successes the league also set up camps and fed Turkish refugees and sent economic experts to help Austria and Hungary. Although the League was relatively weak, they had a number of successes, but even the successes didn’t seem to overcome the failures of the League.Eventually when war broke out in 1939 the League closed down and ultimately failed to prevent war from happening. In conclusion World War One was the major cause of the Treaty of Versailles, along with the aims and attitudes of the Big Three, which caused an awfully harsh treaty to be created. This in turn economically crippled Germany, because of the huge reparations and also left the Germans feeling angry for having to take the blame for starting the war. The final consequence of the treaty mentioned in this essay was the formation of the League of Nations, which in time closed down because of more failure that success to prevent war.

Economic Stability

Economic Stability The article "The Selfishness of the Unselfish"  offers a concise observation from the liberal economists' perspective that those individuals and groups who lobby and advocate for policies and government regulation of run-away capitalism in the name of unselfishness are actually just as, if not more, "greedy"  and "selfish"  than the policies and institutions they claim to be fighting. The author, Boudreaux, describes a brief encounter he had with a woman, several years ago, who was actively involved in the city of Atlanta's historical-preservation movement and who vocally rebuked "greedy developers"  for destroying or renovating older homes and destroying these homes' "historical integrity."  The problem with this woman's argument, the author claims, is that, while she believes herself to be selfless, with the interest of preserving history and its dignity, she is actually being greedy by forcing her beliefs and opinions upon other people in the city, who may not be ab le to afford living in renovated, "historically accurate"  housing.Berry College logoThe author then goes on to describe a few instances where groups of individuals who claim to be watching over the good of society are actually advocating policies that benefit only some people at the expense of others. For example, environmentalists often vocally and passionately oppose what the author refers to as "capitalist greed."  However, while the environmental policies might benefit the environmentalists, they do so at the expense of other consumers who might benefit from the greater supply of goods and services that would be available if there weren't any of these output-reducing policies. At the end of the article, the author warns against those who protest for greater government involvement in the economy who are unable to support their protests and demands with sound, logical, well-researched evidence and reason. Most of those people who are quickest to rile and...

No and Negation Words in Spanish

No and Negation Words in Spanish Changing a Spanish sentence to a negative can be as easy as placing no before the main verb. Spanish is different than English in that Spanish can require the use of the double negative under some circumstances. No as an Adjective or Adverb In Spanish, the most common negative word is no, which can be used as an adverb or adjective. As an adverb negating a sentence, it always comes immediately before the verb, unless the verb is preceded by an object, in which case it comes immediately before the object. No como. (I am not eating.) No quiere ir al centro. (She doesnt want to go downtown.) No lo quiero. (I dont want it.)  ¿No te gusta la bicicleta? (Dont you like the bicycle?) When no is used as an adjective, or as an adverb modifying an adjective or another adverb, it typically is the equivalent of the English not or of a prefix such as non. In those cases, it comes immediately before the word it modifies. Note that while no is sometimes used to mean not in this way, this use isnt terribly common, and usually other words or sentence constructions are used. El senador est por la polà ­tica de la no violencia. (The senator is for the policy of nonviolence.) Tiene dos computadoras no usadas. (He has two unused computers.) Mi hermano es poco inteligente. (My brother is unintelligent.) Ese doctor es sin principios. (That doctor is unprincipled.) Other Negating Words Spanish also has several negative words that are frequently used. They include nada (nothing), nadie (nobody, no one), ninguno (none), nunca (never), and jams (never). Ninguno, depending on its usage, also comes in the forms ningà ºn, ninguna, ningunos and ningunas, although the plural forms are seldom used. Nada vale tanto como el amor. (Nothing is worth as much as love.) Nadie quiere salir. (Nobody wants to leave.) Ninguna casa tiene ms televisores que la mà ­a. (No house has more televisions than mine.) Nunca bebemos la cerveza. (We never drink beer). Jams te veo. (I never see you.) One aspect of Spanish that may seem unusual to English speakers is the use of the double negative. If one of the negative words listed above (such as nada or nadie) is used after the verb, a negative (often no) also must be used before the verb. Such usage is not considered redundant. When translating to English, you shouldnt translate both negatives as negatives. No sà © nada. (I dont know anything, or I know nothing.) No conozco a nadie. (I dont know anybody, or I know nobody.) A nadie le importa nada. (Nothing matters to anybody.)

Chronology of Major Events in the 1830s

Chronology of Major Events in the 1830s This decade of the 1800s featured several significant events in America and across the globe: a steam locomotive raced a horse,  the U.S. President beat up  the man who tried to assassinate him,  Darwin visited  the Galapagos, and a tragic siege at the Alamo became legendary. The history of the 1830s was marked by railroad building in America, Opium Wars in Asia, and the ascension to the British throne of Queen Victoria. 1830 May 30, 1830: The Indian Removal Act was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson. The law led to the relocation of Native Americans which became known as the Trail of Tears.June 26, 1830: King George IV of England died and William IV ascended to the throne.August 28, 1830: Peter Cooper raced his locomotive, the Tom Thumb, against a horse. The unusual experiment proved the potential of steam power and helped to inspire the building of railroads.December 10, 1830: American poet Emily Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts. 1831 January 1, 1831: William Lloyd Garrison began publishing The Liberator, an abolitionist newspaper, in Boston, Massachusetts. Garrison would become one of Americas leading abolitionists, though he was often derided as someone on the fringe of society.July 4, 1831: Former president James Monroe died in New York City at the age of 73. He was buried in a cemetery in the East Village. His body was exhumed and taken back to his native Virginia in 1858, in a ceremony partly intended to calm tensions between North and South. MPI / Getty Images August 21, 1831: A slave rebellion led by Nat Turner broke out in Virginia.Summer 1831: Cyrus McCormick, a Virginia blacksmith, demonstrated a mechanical reaper which would revolutionize farming in America and eventually worldwide.September 21, 1831: The first American political convention was held in Baltimore, Maryland by the Anti-Masonic Party. The idea of a national political convention was new, but within years other parties, including the Whigs and the Democrats began holding them. The tradition of political conventions has endured into the modern era.November 11, 1831: Nat Turner was hanged in Virginia.December 27, 1831: Charles Darwin sailed from England aboard the research ship H.M.S. Beagle. While spending five years at sea, Darwin would make observations of wildlife and collect samples of plants and animals which he brought back to England. 1832 January 13, 1832: American author Horatio Alger was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts.April 1831: The Black Hawk war began on the American frontier. The conflict would mark the only military service of Abraham Lincoln.June 24, 1832: A cholera epidemic which had ravaged Europe appeared in New York City, causing enormous panic and prompting half the citys population to free to the countryside. Cholera was closely linked to polluted water supplies. As it tended to occur in poor neighborhoods, it was often blamed on immigrant populations.November 14, 1832: Charles Carroll, the last living signer of the Declaration of Independence, died in Baltimore, Maryland at the age of 95.November 29, 1832: American author Louisa May Alcott was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania.December 3, 1832: Andrew Jackson was elected to his second term as president of the United States. 1833 March 4, 1833: Andrew Jackson took the oath of office as president for the second time. Hulton Archive / Getty Images Summer 1833: Charles Darwin, during his voyage aboard H.M.S. Beagle, spends time with gauchos in Argentina and explores inland.August 20, 1833: Benjamin Harrison, future president of the United States, was born in North Bend, Ohio.October 21, 1833: Alfred Nobel, inventor of dynamite and sponsor of the Nobel Prize, was born in Stockholm, Sweden. 1834 March 27, 1834: President Andrew Jackson was censured by the U.S. Congress during a bitter disagreement over the Bank of the United States. The censure was later expunged.April 2, 1834: French sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, creator of the Statue of Liberty, was born in the Alsace region of France.August 1, 1834: Slavery was abolished in the British Empire.September 2, 1834: Thomas Telford, British engineer, designer of the Menai Suspension Bridge and other noteworthy structures, died in London at the age of 77. 1835 January 30, 1835: In the first assassination attempt on an American president, a deranged man shot at Andrew Jackson in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. Jackson attacked the man with his walking stick and had to be pulled back. The failed assassin was later found to be insane.May 1835: A railroad in Belgium was the first railroad on the continent of Europe.July 6, 1835: United States Chief Justice John Marshall died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the age of 79. During his tenure, he had made the Supreme Court into a powerful institution.Summer 1835: A campaign to mail abolitionist pamphlets to the South led to mobs breaking into post offices and burning the anti-slavery literature in bonfires. The abolitionist movement changed its tactics and began seeking to speak out against slavery in Congress.September 7, 1835: Charles Darwin arrived at the Galapagos Islands during his voyage aboard H.M.S. Beagle.November 25, 1835: Industrialist Andrew Carnegie was born in Scotland.November 30, 1835: Samuel Clemens, who would achieve enormous fame under his pen name, Mark Twain, was born in Missouri. December 1835: Hans Christian Andersen published his first book of fairy tales. Kean Collection / Getty Images December 15 to 17, 1835: The Great Fire of New York destroyed a large part of lower Manhattan. 1836 January 1836: The siege of the Alamo began at San Antonio, Texas.January 6, 1836: Former president John Quincy Adams, serving in Congress, began trying to introduce petitions against slavery in the House of Representatives. His efforts would lead to the Gag Rule, which Adams fought for eight years.February 1836: Samuel Colt patented the revolver.February 24, 1836: American artist Winslow Homer was born in Boston, Massachusetts.March 6, 1836: Battle of the Alamo ended with the deaths of Davy Crockett, William Barret Travis, and James Bowie.April 21, 1836: Battle of San Jacinto, the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution, was fought. Troops led by Sam Houston defeated the Mexican Army.June 28, 1836: Former U.S. president James Madison died in Montpelier, Virginia at the age of 85.September 14, 1836: Former U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr, who killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel, died in Staten Island, New York, at the age of 80.October 2, 1836: Charles Darwin arrived in England after s ailing around the world aboard H.M.S. Beagle. December 7, 1836: Martin Van Buren was elected President of the United States. 1837 March 4, 1837: Martin Van Buren took the oath of office as president of the United States.March 18, 1837: U.S. President Grover Cleveland, was born in Caldwell, New Jersey.April 17, 1837: John Pierpont Morgan, American banker, was born in Hartford, Connecticut.May 10, 1837: The Panic of 1837, a major financial crisis of the 19th century, began in New York City.June 20, 1837: King William IV of Great Britain died at Windsor Castle at the age of 71.June 20, 1837: Victoria became Queen of Great Britain at the age of 18.November 7, 1837: Abolitionist Elijah Lovejoy was murdered by a pro-slavery mob in Alton, Illinois. 1838 January 4, 1838: Charles Stratton, better known as General Tom Thumb, was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut.January 27, 1838: In one of his earliest speeches, Abraham Lincoln, at the age of 28, delivered a public address to a lyceum in Springfield, Illinois.May 10, 1838: John Wilkes Booth, American actor and assassin of Abraham Lincoln, was born in Bel Air, Maryland.September 1, 1838: William Clark, who with Meriwether Lewis had led the Lewis and Clark Expedition, died in St. Louis, Missouri at the age of 68.Late 1838: The Cherokee Tribe was forcibly moved westward in what became known as the Trail of Tears. 1839 June 1839: Louis Daguerre patented his camera in France.July 1839: A slave rebellion broke out aboard the ship Amistad.July 8, 1839: John D. Rockefeller, American oil magnate and philanthropist, was born in Richford, New York.December 5, 1839: George Armstrong Custer, American cavalry officer, was born in New Rumley, Ohio.

Rubrics and Student Learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Rubrics and Student Learning - Essay Example Tables 1, 2 and 3 present quantitative data on the results of a paired sample t-test applied three pairs of art projects. Two-tailed paired samples t-tests were carried out using a significance level (ï  ¡) of 0.05. In a two tailed test, it is hypothesized that two variables being considered have equal means. This hypothesis is rejected when the computed p-value, also known as the observed significance level is less than the hypothesized level of significance, which in this study is 0.05, signifying that the means are not equal and the difference between the two means are significant. The variable with the higher mean is said to have a significantly higher mean than the other variable. Table 1 presents the results of the scores of Line Project 1 and Line Project 2. Line Project 1 was undertaken with no rubrics presented to the class prior to the project, while Line Project 2 was assigned to the students after clear and explicit expectations were clarified by a scoring rubrics. In this part of the analysis, even if a statistical software was used, the scores of Student No. 17 and Student No. 23 were manually excluded from the computations, since their scores on both projects were 0. 1Simple mean was computed without the scores of Student No. 17 and Student No. 23, since both students were not able to submit both projects. When the 0 scores of both students were included, the means were lower at 75.92 and 85.69 for Line Projects 1 and 2, respectively. 2Standard deviation was also computed without the scores of Student No. 17 and Student No. 23.When the 0 scores of both students were included, the standard deviations were higher at 27.405 and 25.901 for Line Projects 1 and 2, respectively. As shown in Table 1, statistical analysis of the students’ score in Line Projects 1 and 2 revealed that the mean of the scores in Line Project 2 (92.83) is significantly higher than the mean of the

Parallel trade (import) in pharmaceuticals in the UK Dissertation

Parallel trade (import) in pharmaceuticals in the UK - Dissertation Example One of the most common problems of these practices is their failure to fully meet the standards related to the relevant activity. Furthermore, it seems that the willingness of the state to support business initiatives in various industrial sectors is not standardized. The above problem has resulted to the development of practices, which can help businesses to minimize the risks of loss and increase their competitiveness; parallel trade is such practice. Despite its value in increasing business performance, mostly through decreasing prices while the quality of offered products is not affected, parallel trade has been often negatively criticized as of its effects on the economy. On the other hand, there are industries more appropriate for parallel trade and others where parallel trade practices are difficult to be established. In the pharmaceutical industry of Britain, parallel import was used in order to control prices, which are already at a high level – compared to the averag e prices of similar products in other EU countries. The use of parallel trade in the pharmaceutical industry has been initially related to the reduced prices for patients; however, through the years, the specific activity has been also found to help towards ‘the reduction of costs for the social security system of the importing countries’.1 In practice, it has been proved that the use of parallel trade in the specific case did not manage to significantly support the particular industry – at least, not at the level expected by its initiators. However, important benefits were resulted for the British economy. The effects of parallel trade on the British pharmaceutical industry are examined in this paper. Emphasis is given on the policies used by the British legislators to control parallel trade regarding the pharmaceutical products and minimize relevant risks. It is concluded that parallel trade in the British pharmaceutical industry has helped the industry in incr ease its competitiveness against its rivals – referring mostly to the pharmaceutical industries of other member states; however, in terms of the performance of British pharmaceutical firms, the benefits of parallel trade are not clear, a fact indicating that additional measures need to be taken in order for the parallel trade in the specific industry to be more effectively controlled. 2. Parallel trade – description, characteristics and benefits Due to its nature, parallel import cannot be clearly defined; rather, reference could be made to its characteristics, as identified in the literature published in the particular field. In accordance with Cheng et al. (1995) the key characteristics of the parallel import are the following ones: ‘a) it relates to goods protected by trademark/ patent or copyright and b) the importer is not the rightholder of the said right but obtained and exported’.2 In terms of their legal status, parallel import goods have been cha racterized as ‘greymarket goods’, meaning that they are not fully legal;3 this issue is judged each time by reviewing the conditions of the local market but also the economic benefits to which parallel import is related in a particular market.4 In practice, this means that in countries where parallel import highly supports the national economy, its potential alignment with the law (referring to the legal status of the parallel

Film analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Film analysis - Essay Example s, it has the Old Testament’s ten commandments as its theme, but the history is all modern, based in a housing estate which consists of a set of tower blocks around a bleak garden area. The moral and social themes of the ten commandments are played out in the ordinary lives of ordinary citizens. The films of thee Decalogue are filled with atmospheric shots of the interiors of individual flats, and of bleak cityscapes in which the humans are dwarfed by multi-story buildings. A Western European or American audience is immediately struck by the relatively primitive furnishings of the living arrangements and the worn-down and worried population who live there. Characters are presented with all their faults on show, and there is a deliberate focus on illness and physical imperfections. Clothing is grubby, hands are arthritic and disfigured, as if to emphasize the harshness of the human condition. Minutes can go by, with nothing much happening, no dialogue, and just a series of domestic interiors being captured frame by frame. The characters reveal their natures in simple actions like walking down an empty road or drinking tea in a neighbour’s kitchen. If ever there was a film series to exemplify Durkheim’s theories of social conditioning, then this is it. The films are not pretty, in the sense that Hollywood films are, but what makes the films interesting, is to see the way that these downtrodden human beings exercise their free will to interact with others and resolve moral conflicts in a way that transcends their drab surroundings. While the communist day to reality insists on a purely materialist perspective, without any divine intervention, or any hope of heaven or fear of hell, the people who feature in these films, for example the doctor in Decalogue 2, find themselves in situations where a purely rational process does not bring any clarity to moral dilemmas. The doctor is asked by Dorota to make a decision which rightly belongs to God: a decision on the

Marketing and Strategy Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing and Strategy Analysis - Assignment Example Strategic decisions are concerned with the issue of setting a direction for the organization to move or the course the organization will follow. Though very crucial, yet preparing 'strategic moves' for future often is not always based on hard fact, but on presumptions as well. It involves past experience, forecasting and 'surround-effect'. Reckitt Benckiser has over the year successfully implemented the strategy of building strong brands across all its key categories like surface care, fabric care, dishwashing, home care, health and personal care and food. If Lysol is a leading brand in disinfectant cleaning, Calgon holds the number one market position in fabric care in Europe. Similarly placed are the major categories like Vanish (fabric care), Veet (cosmetic depilatories), Mortein (pest control) and Airwick (air fragrance). This strategy has paid rich dividends for the company with its top 15 brands consistently accounting for a majority of the company's revenues, from 40% of total revenues in 2001 to about 56% in 2005. such a brand creation in different categories allows Reckitt to; The consumer products business is mainly driven by three basic demographic factors: population growth, household formation and household income growth. Reckitt Benckiser has been consistently on the lookout for such a market in order to register strong growth in many such developing markets. Increasing focus on the developing markets like India and China are part of this strategy. The strategy of Brand building in such a market helps in deep penetration of the product reach. This way the investment in brand building is more than compensated by the market revenues. Reckitt Benckiser has made strategic moves with the help of the management comprising of young as well as experienced with careful selection of team from different nationalities in order to solicit contributions from them in good measure which helps in devising marketing strategies for different markets. Bart Becht, Chief Executive Officer, a Dutch national leads the pack. He has served many good companies in various capacities. Bart is followed by five Executive Vice Presidents with Javed Ahmed (a Pakistani), Freddy Caspers (a German), Rakesh Kapoor (Indian), Alain Le Goff (French national) and Elio Leoni-Sceti (Italian). Company has segmented its market broadly in three categories worldwide; North America & Australia, Europe and Developing markets. This helps the company in gaining a broader outlook about different markets. PESTLE analysis for Reckitt Benckiser PESTLE stands for political, economical, socio-cultural, technological, legal and ecological factors. Political: The range of products that Reckitt Benckiser is in, doesn't make it too controversial and unpopular with any government or society. The company has committed itself to the health, safety and welfare at work of its employees; complying with applicable health & safety legal requirements; and, the continual improvement of its health & safety control arrangements and performance. The products too are categorized as safe and great emphasis is laid in understanding all the issues involving safety associated with its products. Keeping high standards of safety saves it from the ire of the political classes as

Legal Issues in Reduction of Workforce Simulation Essay

Legal Issues in Reduction of Workforce Simulation - Essay Example If terminated, the Age Discrimination and Employment Act (ADEA) could be called out, as well as Employment at Will (Reed, O.L., Shedd, P.J., Morehead, J.W., & Corley, R.N.). Female, Age 28 Contractor, Good Attendance, Below Average Production, Rescued Two Major Accounts, College Dropout, Public Relations Skills, Customer Service, Telemarketing, Sales, Good Listener (2007, University of Phoenix). If terminated, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Chapter 14 could be called out (2005, Reed, O.L., Shedd, P.J., Morehead, J.W., & Corley, R.N.). Female, Age 30 Pregnant, Contractor, Poor Attendance, Average Production, Contractor, No Special Achievements, Bachelor of Science in Public Relations, Troubleshooting, (2007, University of Phoenix). If terminated, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act could be called out (2005, Reed, O.L., Shedd, P.J., Morehead, J.W., & Corley, R.N.). There are certain extenuating regulatory circumstances (e.g., exceptions to employment at will, or a collective bargaining agreement) that would affect the decision to terminate these people. Simulations such as these help business managers and those with a vested interest in an organization or in learning the trade a good perspective on a real-world situation. Each of these is represented in the above table in the form of a law or act as listed. Under the agency principle, it is your obligation that you act in the best interest of the organization as opposed to self interest. Therefore, your decision on which three people to lay off must align with the best interests of the organization. The above table shows both flaws and strengths of certain individuals that are being considered for termination. The final decisions were determined based upon the best interest of Fast... The author of this essay constructs a fictional company and fictional case to understand how to make a right decision regarding the termination of employees. The author is considering downsizing due to their recent decision to leave the online distribution market. In order to downsize, the company has decided to terminate three of its employees based on their work evaluations. The observer in this case is a senior manager from the Human Resources Department at Fast Serve. His objective is to determine which three out of five potential employees are to be terminated. This may sound easy enough, but it gets tricky due to certain laws that protect employees from unfair treatment, including termination, in the workplace. The observer has two weeks to make a decision that is in the best interest of Fast Serve and that does not violate any laws. Through understanding the decisions that were made in this exercise, the viewer gains a better understanding of regulatory requirements that govern the termination of employees. The laws that were considered in this case were those that protect a company’s employees against unfair treatment or wrongful termination. As was learned in the case with Manson, sometimes it is in a company’s best interest to assist an employee rather than terminate him or her (University of Phoenix, 2007) In conclusion, decisions of this nature must be made in light of what is legal and what is ethical. A company must make decisions that are in their own best interest without losing valuable talent or risking a lawsuit.

Marketing and Strategy Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing and Strategy Analysis - Assignment Example Strategic decisions are concerned with the issue of setting a direction for the organization to move or the course the organization will follow. Though very crucial, yet preparing 'strategic moves' for future often is not always based on hard fact, but on presumptions as well. It involves past experience, forecasting and 'surround-effect'. Reckitt Benckiser has over the year successfully implemented the strategy of building strong brands across all its key categories like surface care, fabric care, dishwashing, home care, health and personal care and food. If Lysol is a leading brand in disinfectant cleaning, Calgon holds the number one market position in fabric care in Europe. Similarly placed are the major categories like Vanish (fabric care), Veet (cosmetic depilatories), Mortein (pest control) and Airwick (air fragrance). This strategy has paid rich dividends for the company with its top 15 brands consistently accounting for a majority of the company's revenues, from 40% of total revenues in 2001 to about 56% in 2005. such a brand creation in different categories allows Reckitt to; The consumer products business is mainly driven by three basic demographic factors: population growth, household formation and household income growth. Reckitt Benckiser has been consistently on the lookout for such a market in order to register strong growth in many such developing markets. Increasing focus on the developing markets like India and China are part of this strategy. The strategy of Brand building in such a market helps in deep penetration of the product reach. This way the investment in brand building is more than compensated by the market revenues. Reckitt Benckiser has made strategic moves with the help of the management comprising of young as well as experienced with careful selection of team from different nationalities in order to solicit contributions from them in good measure which helps in devising marketing strategies for different markets. Bart Becht, Chief Executive Officer, a Dutch national leads the pack. He has served many good companies in various capacities. Bart is followed by five Executive Vice Presidents with Javed Ahmed (a Pakistani), Freddy Caspers (a German), Rakesh Kapoor (Indian), Alain Le Goff (French national) and Elio Leoni-Sceti (Italian). Company has segmented its market broadly in three categories worldwide; North America & Australia, Europe and Developing markets. This helps the company in gaining a broader outlook about different markets. PESTLE analysis for Reckitt Benckiser PESTLE stands for political, economical, socio-cultural, technological, legal and ecological factors. Political: The range of products that Reckitt Benckiser is in, doesn't make it too controversial and unpopular with any government or society. The company has committed itself to the health, safety and welfare at work of its employees; complying with applicable health & safety legal requirements; and, the continual improvement of its health & safety control arrangements and performance. The products too are categorized as safe and great emphasis is laid in understanding all the issues involving safety associated with its products. Keeping high standards of safety saves it from the ire of the political classes as

The effects of high player turnover on marketing of minor league Thesis Proposal

The effects of high player turnover on marketing of minor league baseball and the perceptions of the fan experience - Thesis Proposal Example Meanwhile, observers normally reveal the baseball players’ inherent or innate ability over time (Rosner & Kenneth 199). Learning and revelation of intrinsic ability are commonplace in almost all sporting activities and occupations. The relationship between player turnover and marketing of minor league baseball underscore the importance of outstanding performance. Many baseball teams lose a significant amount of talent and revenue when high caliber players leave the baseball league. Such teams would, therefore, need a meticulous spring camp to prepare adequately for the next season. As a result, the marketing of minor league baseball is notably compromised, as well as the perceptions of the fan experience (Armour & Daniel 342). High player turnover not only affects the team’s performance during subsequent seasons but also impact its marketing approach, as well as that of the league in entirety. A positive effect on the baseball league will arguably improve its marketing approach and competitiveness. If the high player turnover negatively impacts the minor league baseball, the league consequently suffers a massive decline in its marketing goals and perceptions of the fan experience. Meanwhile, the minor league baseball could also attain considerable benefits from a high player turnover. For instance, many baseball teams in the league could still maintain their winning percentages despite high turnover differential (Fried et al. 49). Player experience also increases the batting average of minor league baseball players. The experience and reputation of incoming players would particularly influence baseball fans to rethink their arguably waning support for the league in the wake of high player turnover during a given season. Similarly, the quality and competence of players leaving the minor baseball league will positively or negatively affect their perceptions of the league (Fried et al. 49). Most

Papa Johns Essay Example for Free

Papa Johns Essay It shouldnt have to be shared, but Papa Johns exists pretty strongly within the fast food environment. Power of buyers is high, substitutes are readily available, etc. Now, to explain their current strategy. Papa Johns, through their efforts, have allowed them to rise to having 6% of the market they exist in, but generally still pale in comparison to Pizza Hut and Dominos. However, their strategy that theyve picked for themselves seems to be working for their environment. Their strategy being that they promote themselves as a premium pizza, with superior quality and an attention to customers details. Theyve also differentiated themselves by having partnerships with larger corporations such as Coca-Cola and their suppliers. This is a key point. By having contracts with their suppliers, such as the quarterly contract with their cheese suppliers, keeping prices stable at all times is a very easy task, while the other pizza places will often have to vary their prices throughout the year. However, one mistake that has been coming up that they dont match the environment, has shown that they have tried placing too many stores too quickly. Theyve had to shut down several underperforming stores within the past year, which shows that trying to forcefully expand their market share into areas that already have strong brand loyalty with other competitors is not the answer. Their recent partnership to be the pizza sponsor of the Superbowl over the past three years is a correct way. This allows people to get a cheap premium pizza and try and understand its superiority. There are a few key issues that Papa Johns should expand on, especially in the next five years. Papa Johns, in terms of its menu, is drastically behind its competitors. Dominos and Pizza Hut both offer more alternative options in terms of just having pizza. If Papa Johns differentiated its product and included the same items that the competitors provide, such as sandwiches and salad options, their focus could be spread to more people that are not currently within their market share. This can also be solved through acquisition. Papa Johns was created by a company combining with a pizza company, so another acquisition of another type of food industry could drastically change Papa Johns for the better. Another key issue that none of the big three pizza companies are doing is touching the international market. All of them have stores, but they often are just moving their culture to other countries. Papa Johns is known for their customer details. Why not incorporate other countries tastes and cultures within their food details? At any rate, from the previous year, growth and sales are a bit down. In a market of strong brand loyalty, these minor differentiations are going to be what makes or breaks Papa Johns.

Explore The Meanings Of The I Am Sayings Religion Essay

Explore The Meanings Of The I Am Sayings Religion Essay Introduction For the children of Israel the term I am was very significant, for it was with this name that God revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush encounter when He had commanded him to deliver the people of Israel, (Exodus 3:6,14 ). In this case God would be seen as a mighty deliverer or the one who brought salvation to His people from their bondage. In Johannine context, whether it is in the predicate or absolute form the I am sayings essentially were written to reveal God through Christ so that Israel and by extension the world could receive salvation. The purpose of this discourse is to explore the meanings of the I am sayings and their implication for salvation. To accomplish this, the work of various authors along with relevant scriptural passages will be examined and a balanced conclusion will be reached. To accomplish the above objective the writer will explore the two forms of the I am sayings, i.e. the predictive and absolute forms and explain their significance to salvation. The Significance of the I am Sayings The I am sayings are associated with the Greek word, egoeimi, which means, it is I, and this suggest that it is a way of identifying oneself.  [1]  The I am saying are two fold in nature, one is with the pronoun ego used for emphasis. This is essentially the I am sayings with predicates or those followed by a noun. Bauckham cited in Longenecker, argued the predicates were used by John to describe Jesus as the one through which people could receive salvation. The other set of I am sayings were characterized as the absolute which the author stated were used by John to reveal Jesus divinity or deity.  [2]   The predicated I am sayings include examples such as: I am the Bread of Life, I am the Light of the World, etc. These sayings represent descriptions of Jesus as the source of the eternal and the unity of the Godhead, for example, as in John 6:33.  [3]  Bauckham cited in Longenecker also pointed that the seven predicated I am sayings, were significant in Jewish culture. He concluded that seven represented completeness in Jewish culture, thus the seven I am sayings above represented completeness in Christ.  [4]  This point of view although debateable, speaks to the inadequacy of Judaism. Kysar examined the sayings from a cultural-historical context and argued that the, I am sayings was an essential part of Hellenistic religious thought, thus John may have intentionally written them in that way as a method of affirming Jesus identity in contrast to the claims of Hellenistic gods.  [5]  This probably means that John got the attention of the Hellenist because he wrote about something that they were familiar with but from a different perspective, which was to introduce Christ. The author concedes to this view when he argued that the I am sayings introduced Jesus as the divine revelation of God, for example, the use of predicates like the Good Shepherd, promoted Jesus in both the Hellenist and Jewish traditions. For followers of the Jewish tradition it meant that just as Yahweh is one True God, so is Jesus the one True Revealer, none other is comparable.  [6]  Mc Grath showed correlations of Johns I am sayings in Old Testament traditions. For example, he claims th at they allude to fundamental themes in the Old Testament, and apply them to Jesus. Thus when God revealed Himself as I am to Moses and Jesus uses the term, I am He is implying that He is God or He was declaring His divinity.  [7]   It would seem that there was a correlation between the I am sayings and some of Jesus miracles. The resurrection of Lazarus is an example, perhaps this miracle was used to allow the audience to see that He is truly Lord. This may be seen in the number of days for which Lazarus was had been dead. A similar view is proposed by Kaysar who conceded that the I am sayings were concurrent with the signs or miracles performed by Jesus for example, the feeding of the five thousand and Lazarus resurrection were both used to declare different aspects of the person of Christ.  [8]   From the above it is seen that the I am sayings, were essential in revealing Jesus in a descriptive way so that the audience could connect to His divinity. The degree to which this aim was achieved is sometimes questionable because a large section of the Jews appeared oblivious to Jesus declaration which culminated in hostility and eventually His crucifixion. At this juncture the predicted I am sayings will be discussed. The predicated I am Sayings 1) I am the Bread of Life- John 6:35 This saying refers to Jesus as the source of eternal life. It also implies that the human race is in a perpetual state of hunger, searching for food to satisfy the soul, this hunger refers to the emptiness that a person feels without Jesus in their lives. The above view is supported by Quast, who suggested that Jesus used this saying to make a comparison between Himself and Moses in terms of the temporal nature of the Manna which Moses offered. According to him Moses manner was used to satisfy the physical hunger, whilst Jesus as the Bread of Life satisfies spiritual hunger. Additionally Quast noted that Jesus used this saying to prove that He transcended Moses, perhaps hinting to His deity. The author also makes reference to other Old Testament links to this sayings, by proposing that it is related to the Wisdom tradition of Solomon, as seen in (Proverbs 9:5) and Isaiah, (Isaiah 55:1) where God is described as Bread.  [9]  This wisdom then can be seen as a way of giving life because much prominence is given to it in the Proverbs, for example, Proverbs 1:7, Proverbs 2:12 and many more. Quast added a different perspective to this view when he concluded that this is more evidence of Jesus deity which shows that He pre-dated the prop hets of old.  [10]  Perhaps this is indication that Jesus was ready to usher a new paradigm which the Jews were not ready for, which is, belief in Him would result in their salvation and satisfaction so that there would be no need to keep looking for salvation in the works of the Law. Some authors have theorized that Jesus used this saying to invite the Jews into an intimate relationship with Him. This is seen when He challenges them to eat the Bread of Life and drink His blood, (John 6:53).  [11]  This intimacy would result when the Jews came into a relationship with Jesus, but they clearly missed the point as in indicated in the negative reaction of some of the Jews, (John 6:66). This confirms that they had an ulterior motive for following Jesus who was seeking to address their error in thinking. This also shows that there was a lack of sync between Jesus proclamations and the understanding of what He meant, clearly, He was having a difficult time reaching them. This passage has been reinterpreted as communion for the Christian; however, this view has come under attack from Casey who contended that it was meant to focus on Christ and belief in Him.  [12]  Caseys criticism is weak because in communion the focus is on Christ, (1 Corinthians: 11). The main message of this saying is that anyone, who receives Jesus, will have eternal life. Thus there will be no need to search for alternative means of satisfying this spiritual hunger. 2) I am the Light of the World John 8:12 This saying suggests that Jesus is the only true Light, as indicated by use of the. The use of the word a light would have conveyed, something different, meaning one of many lights with no special significance. Thus it is this one True Light who is able to give salvation, the rest of the explanations below provides support for this viewpoint. When Jesus refers to Himself at the Light, He is indicating that He is the source who can bring illumination in the lives of people. This illumination means that He can bring profound spiritual understanding in the lives of men and women which can lead to salivation.  [13]  This is seen in the healing of the blind man in whom both physical healing and spiritual insight about Jesus deity was received. Furthermore it underscores that Jesus is seeking to cure the inner blindness of man which can lead to eternal death. Winstanley confirms this view by concluding that, Jesus is able to give deliverance from inner blindness, darkness and ignorance to the insight and vision of faith.  [14]  The idea of Jesus giving spiritual insight is testament of His deity. Ridderbos took a more critical view of this saying by signifying that it shows a contrast between day and night. Day in this context means opportunities for Jesus to work; presumably to bring the Jews toward Him as the Light, where as darkness refers to the limitations of time which constrained how much could be achieved.  [15]  This view is confirmed in John 12:35. Clarke also presented a pessimistic view by suggesting that Jesus intentions were to use His authority to bring condemnation and to expose all their iniquities and sins.  [16]  Clarkes idea shows a clear deficiency in understanding of Jesus motive. Jesus boldly stated that He does not pass judgment in John 8:15. Some of the Jews rejected Jesus attempt to bring illumination into their lives. Winstanley contended that despite the Light of the Gospel presented to people they may still fail to learn and understand.  [17]  This is probably because people may prefer to remain in bondage than to receive deliverance. 3) I am the Gate for the Sheep John 10:7 I am the gate for the sheep; this phrase parallels the mass exodus of the Israelites from Egypt (Exodus12:13). This deliverance was accompanied by the sprinkling of the blood of a spotless lamb on the door post of every Israelite (Exodus12:13). Keller postulated that everyone who went through this sprinkled door was guaranteed protection from Gods judgement. He further claims that a person went out through that door to liberty, freedom and a new dimension of life under Gods direction.  [18]  Kellers claim is synonymous with Jesus salvation, for example, the door way in Israels case is similar to Jesus as the way or gate to salvation. Similarly, the blood on the doorpost parallels the blood of Jesus which was shed. Consequently, when an individual comes through Jesus salvation is received, (John 10:19). Weaver conceded with the above analysis by stating that this saying implies that Jesus is the only way to salvation, He is the gateway to the Father.  [19]  This is probably because many others proclaimed another way, they are referred to as thieves, strangers because they cannot give salvation. Jesus thus had the task of correcting the falsehood associated with Jewish religious tradition but they fail to perceive His intentions. Weaver suggested that Jesus explanation may have been ambiguous because of the use of Greek terminology, paroimia which means proverb. He claims that this may have been deliberate on Jesus part because this saying was intended for His disciples.  [20]   4) I am the Good Shepherd John 10:11 Here Jesus is seen as the ultimate guide to the Father, the extraordinary love for the sheep or humanity led Him to become a lamb so that this guidance to the Father may be possible. Harris confirms the above by suggesting that for a literal shepherd with a literal flock, the shepherds death would have spelled disaster for the sheep; in this instance it spells life for them.  [21]  Tiat argued from a similar persuasion by noting that Jesus became a lamb to save the sheep.  [22]   OGrady proposed that Johns use of the word shepherd was to convey the reciprocal relationship between Jesus and the individual sheep. According to him this signifies intimacy in the Christian Jesus context and in the unity which is characteristic of the relationship between Jesus and the Father. This union is what leads to eternal life.  [23]  A similar idea is proposed by Brown who suggested that this intimacy qualifies the shepherd to perform duties on behalf of the sheep.  [24]  MacLaren added that these duties included; guidance, guardianship, companionship, sustenanceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. He continued by stating that in response to these duties the sheep simply obeys and trusts the shepherd.  [25]  This idea suggests that Jesus is able to meet all the needs of the person who will trust in Him, Tait stated that this is because the Shepherd has intimate knowledge of the sheep,  [26]  this intimate knowledge is only possible with someone who is Omniscient, thus proving t hat divinity of Christ, as seen in the many instances where He was able to perceive what people thought, Luke 11:17. Jesus identified Himself as a true shepherd which denotes exclusivity, i.e. He is the only shepherd who can give eternal life, and all the others are false. Sanders cited in Barrett supported the above by noting that the Sheep referred to Israel who was bombarded with many false messiahs.  [27]  Thus it is seen that Jesus used this saying to set Him apart from the false messiahs so that Israel may believe on Him. This salvation is not only exclusive to Israel but is extended to the entire world. This is seen in John 10:16, the idea conveyed by use of the term, other sheep, is that salvation is extended to the Gentile world.  [28]   5) I am the Resurrection and the Life John 11:25 This saying was in conjunction with Lazarus resurrection. This showed that Jesus has authority over death and able to give life beyond the natural, which is basically eternal life. Guardinis work confirms the above when he stated that, mortality has no foothold on Jesus.  [29]  He extended his view by proposing that the person who is in Christ has a life which will transcend death. The authors view clearly confirms that the eternal life and resurrection of the Christian is only possible in Jesus. Clarke developed this argument by examining the concept of life, which he contended is the life of the soul which surpasses the thought of death and only attained in Jesus.  [30]  In response to this claim Micklem concluded that our redemption is completed beyond the grave, but it must begin in our hearts now.  [31]  Micklems view suggests that external life and the resurrection on the last day is only possible when a person has received Christ in this lifetime. This resurrection also infers the glorified body that the Christian will have when resurrected. Martini supports the above by noting that Christians will one day possess the physical and spiritual embodiment of a resurrected life just like Christ.  [32]  This is the culmination of eternal life for the Christian, escape from eternal damnation which is described in Matthew 25. 6) I am the Way the Truth and the Life John 14:6 In this saying Jesus points to Himself as the only path to salvation. Martini suggested that term I implies exclusiveness, meaning that Jesus is the only means to salvation, the only truth and the only life.  [33]  He went on to describe Way as the direction and process of salvation which involves acknowledgment of the Way and then repentance. Micklem agreed, by hinting to Jesus mediatory capacity in which He leads those who receive Him to the Father.  [34]   In addition Martini concluded that Jesus illustrated truth by making predictions which came to pass in other words, He substantiated everything He said about Himself.  [35]  Micklem added the saying means deliverance from falsehood, error, judgement and blindness from the truth. He continued by stating that Jesus exposes the truth of the soul in relation to the Truth of God.  [36]  This implies that He exposes the hopelessness of the soul without Him and His ability to give eternal life. This exposure of the Truth of soul sometimes produces hostility as in the case of the Pharisees, thus there must be a corresponding acceptance of Truth for salvation to occur. 7) I am the True Vine John 15:1 This imagery shows that Jesus as the Vine gives life to the branches, thus the Christian can only be sustained in Him.  [37]  Meyer makes a similar observation by noting that the use of the word True is used to make a distinction between the eternal and the temporal.  [38]  This is perhaps to contrast the temporal nature of Judaism or religion with the enduring nature of Jesus salvation. The branches or the Christians are also sustained by producing fruit. Talbert speculated that this refers to evangelism and manifesting all the fruits of the Christian life.  [39]  OGrady and Hylen reached a similar conclusion by noting that fruits refer to love which is a sign of Christianity. This love is able to sustain the Christian. He also noted that the Christian is able to bear fruit only if they remain faithful to Gods word.  [40]  This suggests that the bearing of Fruit has eternal implication which is if a Christian does not live a holy life the result is eternal damnation. The Christian is pruned to promote fruitfulness.  [41]  This pruning is necessary for salvation, John 15:2, 5-6. Thus, the only guarantee of salvation is to remain in Christ daily, not merely receiving Him and living carelessly. This is perhaps because God expects the Christian to make disciples as is commissioned in Matthew 28:19-20. 1) The Absolute Sayings The absolute sayings essentially relate to Jesus divinity. However some have ordinary meanings, for example, John 6:20, I am should be understood as Jesus identifying Himself to the disciples to calm their fears. This is in contrast to the reactions of the soldiers at Gethsemane who fell to the ground when Jesus used the term. I am.  [42]  The reaction of the soldiers clearly proves the deity of Jesus. The I am sayings in the absolute sense prove the deity of Christ as is seen in John 8:39, where Jesus established that He predate Abraham,  [43]  a statement which prompted the Jews to accuse Him of blasphemy. This reaction probably shows that they were clearly not prepared for the change which Jesus was ushering. Some authors have attacked the validity of the I am sayings by hinting to its absence in the other synoptic Gospels.  [44]  Casey noted that in some instances Jesus appeared to be ambiguous which probably led to a misinterpretation on the part of the Jews. From this view this misinterpretation informed their unbelief. Barrett also noted that some of the sayings lack clarification such as I am the Good Shepherd, which is difficult to understand. According to him this is because John combines several themes which do not express a clear thought.  [45]   Brown criticized this view by stating that the I am Sayings, are full of truth and of grace too. They are transparently clear and unfathomably deep.  [46]  Browns view holds relevance because the criticisms above do not apply to all the sayings which in many cases correlated with miracles to inspire the Jews to believe, so that if the sayings were ambiguous then the miracles would provide clarity; thus, it is the Jew who chose to disbelieve. Conclusion The main theme of the I am sayings is salvation through Christ. These sayings promote various aspects of Jesus character and deity and simultaneously show how people could resist the gospel because of religious traditions or ideology. In order words the pride produced by self righteousness can be a major hindrance to a persons salvation. This is because in such instances the individual defines themselves righteous; consequently, the gospel may be seen as an offense to them. Thus the method used to present the Gospel should be one where Christ is the central message and not an attack on religious ideology.

Communication in Amy Tans The Joy Luck Club :: Joy Luck Club Essays

Communication in The Joy Luck Club Sadly, the characters revealed in The Joy Luck Club have personal histories so complicated by cultural and emotional misunderstandings that their lives are spent in failed attempts to cross the chasms created by these circumstances. Lindo Jong provides the reader with a summary of her difficulty in passing along the Chinese culture to her daughter: â€Å"I wanted my children to have the best combination: American circumstances and Chinese character. How could I know these two things do not mix? I taught her how American circumstances work. If you are born poor here, it's no lasting shame . . . You do not have to sit like a Buddha under a tree letting pigeons drop their dirty business on your head . . . In America, nobody says you have to keep the circumstances somebody else gives you. . . . but I couldn't teach her about Chinese character . . . How to know your own worth and polish it, never flashing it around like a cheap ring. Why Chinese thinking is best†(Tan 289). Each of the Chinese mothers attempted to guide her daughters, yet they were ill equipped to translate their life experiences in China to the alien environment they found in America. It was their lives, not their language, that they were unable to translate. Like her friend Lindo, An Mei Hsu was raised the Chinese way, as she describes: " . . . taught to desire nothing, to swallow other people's misery, to eat my own bitterness. And even though I taught my daughter the opposite, still she came out the same way! Maybe it is because she was born to me and she was born a girl. And I was born to my mother and I was born a girl. All of us are like stairs, one step after another, going up and down, but all going the same way"(Tan 289). As the story unfolds, both mothers and daughters are forced to face "truths" that their own private histories had previously blinded them to. Yet, as readers, we must ask "what is truth?" When a person lives their life according to that which they believe to be true, does their belief not become the truth itself, with the conventional "truth" then becoming a lie? As the characters begin to face their past demons, in order to resolve their personal conflicts (both internal and external), the reader begins to hope that their might be resolution.

Environmental Concerns and Public Policy Essay

Your 8 to 10 page final paper is to be a comprehensive research study on one of the following Public Policy topics: Social Security Health Care Welfare Primary and Secondary Public Education Environmental Concerns You will identify relevant material consistent with the focus of the topic using scholarly journals and professional websites with authored material (not popular Internet sites). Your analysis of the selected topic must include the following: The scope and nature of the public policy problem The evolution of public policy Evaluation of policy, the actors involved The intergovernmental structure and political concerns The approaches to policy setting The suggested policy direction that is supported by research In addition to the textbook, you must use a minimum of six resources from the Ashford Online Library Database, academic websites or professional journals and organizations in the field of Sociology. You are encouraged to analyze your findings and avoid over-use of direct quotations. Writing the Final Paper The Research Paper: Must be eight double-spaced pages in length and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the approved APA style guide. Must include a cover page that includes: Student’s name Course name and number Title of paper Instructor’s name Date submitted Must include an introductory paragraph with a succinct thesis statement. Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought. Must conclude with a restatement of the thesis and a conclusion paragraph. Must use APA style as outlined in the approved APA style guide to document all sources. Must incl†¦ To get this material copy and paste link to browser – https://bitly.com/1rubRAC Going to college is an experience that will help you shape your personality and build a better future for yourself. It is important that you think about your decision carefully, compare different schools and programs and find a way to finance your education. Read this article to learn more about college. Sociology – General Sociology Final Paper Your 8 to 10 page final paper is to be a comprehensive research study on one of the following Public Policy topics: Social Security Health Care Welfare Primary and Secondary Public Education Environmental Concerns You will identify relevant material consistent with the focus of the topic using scholarly journals and professional websites with authored material (not popular Internet sites). Your analysis of the selected topic must include the following: The scope and nature of the public policy problem The evolution of public policy Evaluation of policy, the actors involved The intergovernmental structure and political concerns The approaches to policy setting The suggested policy direction that is supported by research In addition to the textbook, you must use a minimum of six resources from the Ashford Online Library Database, academic websites or professional journals and organizations in the field of Sociology. You are encouraged to analyze your findings and avoid over-use of direct quotations. Writing the Final Paper The Research Paper: Must be eight double-spaced pages in length and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the approved APA style guide. Must include a cover page that includes: Student’s name Course name and number Title of paper Instructor’s name Date submitted Must include an introductory paragraph with a succinct thesis statement. Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought. Must conclude with a restatement of the thesis and a conclusion paragraph. Must use APA style as outlined in the approved APA style guide to document all sources. Must include six sources in addition to your text. Must include, on the final page, a Reference Page that is completed according to APA style as outlined in the approved APA style guide. Carefully review the Grading Rubric for th†¦

Ford Business Environment Essay

Ford Motor Company is one of the greatest automobile manufacturers of all time. They started under Henry Ford in Detroit, Michigan. Ford had a skill for craftsmanship when he built an experimental car in 1896. It was a twin cylinder engine with potential of 20 mph. In 1899 he left his job in order to organize the Detroit Automobile Company. Ford’s first production was in 1903, the Model A, with an under the floor engine selling for $850. In the first season it sold 1,708 cars. After World War II production slowed down until the entrance of the 1949 line. At this time power units were new along with the automatic transmission in 1950. Great automobiles were manufactured in the coming years. The sporty Ford Thunderbird was introduced with 5.1 litres and capabilities of 113 mph. In 1958 it became a convertible with five seats and a strengthened structure. Major restyling occurred in the late 1950’s with such automobiles as the Falcon, a compact car, with the help of General Motors and Chrysler. During the 1960’s competition increased and Ford had to become innovative in order to remain one of the top manufacturers. They put their minds together to create the Ford Mustang in 1964, a compact semi GT with four seats, at a price of $2480. The automobile had a 4.7 litre V8 engine with speeds exceeding 110 mph. The car was a great success and remained so until the present day selling over 500,000 in the first year and a half on the market. During the coming years Ford realized its potential. They have created some great cars including the Thunderbird, Model T, Fairlaine, Galaxie, Falcon, and Mustang. They have also increased their production well into the 1980’s and further with the offerings of four wheel drive pickup trucks and all terrain vehicles such as the Bronco, Jeep, F series, and Ranger. They became increasingly aware of needs for change such as colors, convertibles, hardtops, and number of doors. With increased production, innovative styles, low prices, and customer satisfaction Ford Motor Company has become a worldwide leader in the manufacturing of automobiles.

The Host Chapter 28: Unenlightened

It was disorienting to wake in the absolute dark. In the past months, I'd gotten used to having the sun tell me it was morning. At first I thought it must still be night, but then, feeling the sting of my face and the ache of my back, I remembered where I was. Beside me, I could hear the sound of quiet, even breathing; it did not frighten me, because it was the most familiar of sounds here. I was not surprised that Jamie had crept back and slept beside me last night. Maybe it was the change in my breathing that woke him; maybe it was just that our schedules had become synchronized. But seconds after I was conscious, he gave a little gasp. â€Å"Wanda?† he whispered. â€Å"I'm right here.† He sighed in relief. â€Å"It's really dark here,† he said. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"You think it's breakfast time yet?† â€Å"I don't know.† â€Å"I'm hungry. Let's go see.† I didn't answer him. He interpreted my silence correctly, as the balk it was. â€Å"You don't have to hide out here, Wanda,† he said earnestly, after waiting a moment for me to speak. â€Å"I talked to Jared last night. He's going to stop picking on you-he promised.† I almost smiled. Picking on me. â€Å"Will you come with me?† Jamie pressed. His hand found mine. â€Å"Is that what you really want me to do?† I asked in a low voice. â€Å"Yes. Everything will be the same as it was before.† Mel? Is this best? I don't know. She was torn. She knew she couldn't be objective; she wanted to see Jared. That's crazy, you know. Not as crazy as the fact that you want to see him, too. â€Å"Fine, Jamie,† I agreed. â€Å"But don't get upset when it's not the same as before, okay? If things get ugly†¦ Well, just don't be surprised.† â€Å"It'll be okay. You'll see.† I let him lead the way out of the dark, towing me by the hand he still held. I braced myself as we entered the big garden cavern; I couldn't be sure of anyone's reaction to me today. Who knew what had been said as I slept? But the garden was empty, though the sun was bright in the morning sky. It reflected off the hundreds of mirrors, momentarily blinding me. Jamie was not interested in the vacant cave. His eyes were on my face, and he sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth as the light touched my cheek. â€Å"Oh,† he gasped. â€Å"Are you okay? Does that hurt bad?† I touched my face lightly. The skin felt rough-grit crusted in the blood. It throbbed where my fingers brushed. â€Å"It's fine,† I whispered; the empty cavern made me wary-I didn't want to speak too loudly. â€Å"Where is everybody?† Jamie shrugged, his eyes still tight as they surveyed my face. â€Å"Busy, I guess.† He didn't lower his voice. This reminded me of last night, of the secret he wouldn't tell me. My eyebrows pulled together. What do you think he's not telling us? You know what I know, Wanda. You're human. Aren't you supposed to have intuition or something? Intuition? My intuition tells me that we don't know this place as well as we thought we did, Melanie said. We pondered the ominous sound of that. It was almost a relief to hear the normal noises of mealtime coming from the kitchen corridor. I didn't particularly want to see anyone-besides the sick yearning to see Jared, of course-but the unpopulated tunnels, combined with the knowledge that something was being kept from me, made me edgy. The kitchen was not even half full-an oddity for this time of the morning. But I barely noticed that, because the smell coming from the banked stone oven overruled every other thought. â€Å"Oooh,† Jamie moaned. â€Å"Eggs!† Jamie pulled me faster now, and I had no reluctance to keep pace with him. We hurried, stomachs growling, to the counter by the oven where Lucina, the mother, stood with a plastic ladle in her hand. Breakfast was usually serve-yourself, but then breakfast was also usually tough bread rolls. She looked only at the boy as she spoke. â€Å"They tasted better an hour ago.† â€Å"They'll taste just fine now,† Jamie countered enthusiastically. â€Å"Has everyone eaten?† â€Å"Pretty much. I think they took a tray down to Doc and the rest†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Lucina trailed off, and her eyes flickered to me for the first time; Jamie's eyes did the same. I didn't understand the expression that crossed Lucina's features-it disappeared too quickly, replaced by something else as she appraised the new marks on my face. â€Å"How much is left?† Jamie asked. His eagerness sounded a trifle forced now. Lucina turned and bent, tugging a metal pan off the hot stones in the bottom of the oven with the bowl of the ladle. â€Å"How much do you want, Jamie? There's plenty,† she told him without turning. â€Å"Pretend I'm Kyle,† he said with a laugh. â€Å"A Kyle-sized portion it is,† Lucina said, but when she smiled, her eyes were unhappy. She filled one of the soup bowls to overflowing with slightly rubbery scrambled eggs, stood up, and handed it to Jamie. She eyed me again, and I understood what this look was for. â€Å"Let's sit over there, Jamie,† I said, nudging him away from the counter. He stared in amazement. â€Å"Don't you want any?† â€Å"No, I'm -† I was about to say â€Å"fine† again, when my stomach gurgled disobediently. â€Å"Wanda?† He looked at me, then back at Lucina, who had her arms folded across her chest. â€Å"I'll just have bread,† I muttered, trying to shove him away. â€Å"No. Lucina, what's the problem?† He looked at her expectantly. She didn't move. â€Å"If you're done here, I'll take over,† he suggested, his eyes narrowing and his mouth setting in a stubborn line. Lucina shrugged and set the ladle on the stone counter. She walked away slowly, not looking at me again. â€Å"Jamie,† I muttered urgently under my breath. â€Å"This food isn't meant for me. Jared and the others weren't risking their lives so that I could have eggs for breakfast. Bread is fine.† â€Å"Don't be stupid, Wanda,† Jamie said. â€Å"You live here now, just like the rest of us. Nobody minds it when you wash their clothes or bake their bread. Besides, these eggs aren't going to last much longer. If you don't eat them, they'll get thrown out.† I felt all the eyes in the room boring into my back. â€Å"That might be preferable to some,† I said even more quietly. No one but Jamie could possibly hear. â€Å"Forget that,† Jamie growled. He hopped over the counter and filled another bowl with eggs, which he then shoved at me. â€Å"You're going to eat every bite,† he told me resolutely. I looked at the bowl. My mouth watered. I pushed the eggs a few inches away from me and then folded my arms. Jamie frowned. â€Å"Fine,† he said, and shoved his own bowl across the counter. â€Å"You don't eat, I don't eat.† His stomach grumbled audibly. He folded his arms across his chest. We stared at each other for two long minutes, both our stomachs rumbling as we inhaled the smell of the eggs. Every now and then, he would peek down at the food out of the corner of his eye. That's what beat me-the longing look in his eyes. â€Å"Fine,† I huffed. I slid his bowl back to him and then retrieved my own. He waited until I took the first bite to touch his. I stifled a moan as the taste registered on my tongue. I knew the cooled, rubbery eggs weren't the best thing I'd ever tasted, but that's how it felt. This body lived for the present. Jamie had a similar reaction. And then he started shoveling the food into his mouth so fast it seemed he didn't have time to breathe. I watched him to make sure he didn't choke. I ate more slowly, hoping that I'd be able to convince him to eat some of mine when he was done. That was when, with our minor standoff over and my stomach satisfied, I finally noticed the atmosphere in the kitchen. I would have expected, with the excitement of eggs for breakfast after months of monotony, more of a feeling of celebration. But the air was somber, the conversations all whispered. Was this a reaction to the scene last night? I scanned the room, trying to understand. People were looking at me, a few here and there, but they weren't the only ones talking in serious whispers, and the others paid me no mind at all. Besides, none of them seemed angry or guilty or tense or any of the other emotions I was expecting. No, they were sad. Despair was etched on every face in the room. Sharon was the last person I noticed, eating in a distant corner, keeping to herself as usual. She was so composed as she mechanically ate her breakfast that at first I didn't notice the tears dripping in streaks down her face. They fell into her food, but she ate as if she were beyond noticing. â€Å"Is something wrong with Doc?† I whispered to Jamie, suddenly afraid. I wondered if I was being paranoid-maybe this had nothing to do with me. The sadness in the room seemed to be part of some other human drama from which I'd been excluded. Was this what was keeping everyone busy? Had there been an accident? Jamie looked at Sharon and sighed before he answered me. â€Å"No, Doc's fine.† â€Å"Aunt Maggie? Is she hurt?† He shook his head. â€Å"Where's Walter?† I demanded, still whispering. I felt a gnawing anxiety as I thought of harm befalling one of my companions here, even those who hated me. â€Å"I don't know. He's fine, I'm sure.† I realized now that Jamie was just as sad as everyone else here. â€Å"What's wrong, Jamie? Why are you upset?† Jamie looked down at his eggs, eating them slowly and deliberately now, and did not answer me. He finished in silence. I tried to pass him what was left in my bowl, but he glowered so fiercely that I took it back and ate the rest without any more resistance. We added our bowls to the big plastic bin of dirty dishes. It was full, so I took it from the counter. I wasn't sure what was going on in the caves today, but dishes ought to be a safe occupation. Jamie came along beside me, his eyes alert. I didn't like that. I wouldn't allow him to act as my bodyguard, if the necessity arose. But then, as we made our way around the edge of the big field, my regular bodyguard found me, so it became a moot point. Ian was filthy; light brown dust covered him from head to toe, darker where it was wet with his sweat. The brown streaks smeared across his face did not disguise the exhaustion there. I was not surprised to see that he was just as down as everyone else. But the dust did make me curious. It was not the purple black dust inside the caves. Ian had been outside this morning. â€Å"There you are,† he murmured when he saw us. He was walking swiftly, his long legs cutting the distance with anxious strides. When he reached us, he did not slow, but rather caught me under the elbow and hurried me forward. â€Å"Let's duck in here for a minute.† He pulled me into the narrow tunnel mouth that led toward the eastern field, where the corn was almost ripe. He did not lead me far, just into the darkness where we were invisible from the big room. I felt Jamie's hand rest lightly on my other arm. After half a minute, deep voices echoed through the big cavern. They were not boisterous-they were somber, as depressed as any of the faces I'd read this morning. The voices passed us, close by the crack where we hid, and Ian's hand tensed on my elbow, his fingers pressing into the soft spots above the bone. I recognized Jared's voice, and Kyle's. Melanie strained against my control, and my control was tenuous anyway. We both wanted to see Jared's face. It was a good thing Ian held us back. â€Å"†¦ don't know why we let him keep trying. When it's over, it's over,† Jared was saying. â€Å"He really thought he had it this time. He was so sure†¦ Oh, well. It will be worth all this if he figures it out someday,† Kyle disagreed. â€Å"If.† Jared snorted. â€Å"I guess it's a good thing we found that brandy. Doc's going to blow through the whole crate by nightfall at the rate he's going.† â€Å"He'll pass out soon enough,† Kyle said, his voice beginning to fade in the distance. â€Å"I wish Sharon would†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And then I couldn't make out any more. Ian waited until the voices faded completely, and then a few minutes more, before he finally released my arm. â€Å"Jared promised,† Jamie muttered to him. â€Å"Yeah, but Kyle didn't,† Ian answered. They walked back out into the light. I followed slowly behind them, not sure what I was feeling. Ian noticed for the first time what I carried. â€Å"No dishes now,† he told me. â€Å"Let's give them a chance to clean up and move on.† I thought about asking him why he was dirty, but probably, like Jamie, he would refuse to answer. I turned to stare at the tunnel that led toward the rivers, speculating. Ian made an angry sound. I looked back at him, frightened, and then realized what had upset him-he'd only just seen my face. He raised his hand as if to lift my chin, but I flinched and he dropped it. â€Å"That makes me so sick,† he said, and his voice truly did sound as if he were nauseated. â€Å"And worse, knowing that if I hadn't stayed behind, I might have been the one to do it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I shook my head at him. â€Å"It's nothing, Ian.† â€Å"I don't agree with that,† he muttered, and then he spoke to Jamie. â€Å"You probably ought to get to school. It's better that we get everything back to normal as soon as possible.† Jamie groaned. â€Å"Sharon will be a nightmare today.† Ian grinned. â€Å"Time to take one for the team, kid. I don't envy you.† Jamie sighed and kicked the dirt. â€Å"Keep an eye on Wanda.† â€Å"Will do.† Jamie shuffled away, casting glances back at us every few minutes until he disappeared into another tunnel. â€Å"Here, give me those,† Ian said, pulling the bin of dishes from me before I could respond. â€Å"They weren't too heavy for me,† I told him. He grinned again. â€Å"I feel silly standing here with my arms empty while you lug these around. Chalk it up to gallantry. C'mon-let's go relax somewhere out of the way until the coast is clear.† His words troubled me, and I followed him in silence. Why should gallantry apply to me? He walked all the way to the cornfield, and then into the cornfield, stepping in the low part of the furrow, between the stalks. I trailed behind him until he stopped, somewhere in the middle of the field, set the dishes aside, and sprawled out on the dirt. â€Å"Well, this is out of the way,† I said as I settled to the ground beside him, crossing my legs. â€Å"But shouldn't we be working?† â€Å"You work too hard, Wanda. You're the only one who never takes a day off.† â€Å"It gives me something to do,† I mumbled. â€Å"Everyone is taking a break today, so you might as well.† I looked at him curiously. The light from the mirrors threw double shadows through the cornstalks that crisscrossed over him like zebra stripes. Under the lines and the dirt, his pale face was weary. â€Å"You look like you've been working.† His eyes tightened. â€Å"But I'm resting now.† â€Å"Jamie won't tell me what's going on,† I murmured. â€Å"No. And neither will I.† He sighed. â€Å"It's nothing you want to know anyway.† I stared at the ground, at the dark purple and brown dirt, as my stomach twisted and rolled. I could think of nothing worse than not knowing, but maybe I was just lacking in imagination. â€Å"It's not really fair,† Ian said after a silent moment, â€Å"seeing as I won't answer your question, but do you mind if I ask you one?† I welcomed the distraction. â€Å"Go ahead.† He didn't speak at once, so I looked up to find the reason for his hesitation. He was staring down now, looking at the dirt streaked across the backs of his hands. â€Å"I know you're not a liar. I know that now,† he said quietly. â€Å"I'll believe you, whatever your answer is.† I waited again while he continued to stare at the dirt on his skin. â€Å"I didn't buy Jeb's story before, but he and Doc are pretty convinced†¦ Wanda?† he asked, looking up at me. â€Å"Is she still in there with you? The girl whose body you wear?† This was not just my secret anymore-both Jamie and Jeb knew the truth. Neither was it the secret that really mattered. At any rate, I trusted Ian not to go blabbing to anyone who would kill me over it. â€Å"Yes,† I told him. â€Å"Melanie is still here.† He nodded slowly. â€Å"What is it like? For you? For her?† â€Å"It's†¦ frustrating, for us both. At first I would have given anything to have her disappear the way she should have. But now I†¦ I've gotten used to her.† I smiled wryly. â€Å"Sometimes it's nice to have the company. It's harder for her. She's like a prisoner in many ways. Locked away in my head. She prefers that captivity to disappearing, though.† â€Å"I didn't know there was a choice.† â€Å"There wasn't in the beginning. It wasn't until your kind discovered what was happening that any resistance started. That seems to be the key-knowing what's going to happen. The humans who were taken by surprise didn't fight back.† â€Å"So if I were caught?† I appraised his fierce expression-the fire in his brilliant eyes. â€Å"I doubt you would disappear. Things have changed, though. When they catch full-grown humans now, they don't offer them as hosts. Too many problems.† I half smiled again. â€Å"Problems like me. Going soft, getting sympathetic to my host, losing my way†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He thought about that for a long time, sometimes looking at my face, sometimes at the cornstalks, sometimes at nothing at all. â€Å"What would they do with me, then, if they caught me now?† he finally asked. â€Å"They'd still do an insertion, I think. Trying to get information. Probably they'd put a Seeker in you.† He shuddered. â€Å"But they wouldn't keep you as a host. Whether they found the information or not, you would be†¦ discarded.† The word was hard to say. The idea sickened me. Odd-it was usually the human things that made me sick. But I'd never looked at the situation from the body's perspective before; no other planet had forced me to. A body that didn't function right was quickly and painlessly disposed of because it was as useless as a car that could not run. What was the point of keeping it around? There were conditions of the mind, too, that made a body unusable: dangerous mental addictions, malevolent yearnings, things that could not be healed and made the body unsafe to others. Or, of course, a mind with a will too strong to be erased. An anomaly localized on this planet. I had never seen the ugliness of treating an unconquerable spirit as a defect as clearly as I did now, looking into Ian's eyes. â€Å"And if they caught you?† he asked. â€Å"If they realized who I was†¦ if anyone is still looking for me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I thought of my Seeker and shuddered as he had. â€Å"They would take me out and put me in another host. Someone young, tractable. They would hope that I would be able to be myself again. Maybe they would ship me off-planet-get me away from the bad influences.† â€Å"Would you be yourself again?† I met his gaze. â€Å"I am myself. I haven't lost myself to Melanie. I would feel the same as I do now, even as a Bear or a Flower.† â€Å"They wouldn't discard you?† â€Å"Not a soul. We have no capital punishment for our kind. Or any punishment, really. Whatever they did, it would be to save me. I used to think there was no need for any other way, but now I have myself as proof against that theory. It would probably be right to discard me. I'm a traitor, aren't I?† Ian pursed his lips. â€Å"More of an expatriate, I'd say. You haven't turned on them; you've just left their society.† We were quiet again. I wanted to believe what he said was true. I considered the word expatriate, trying to convince myself that I was nothing worse. Ian exhaled loudly enough to make me jump. â€Å"When Doc sobers up, we'll get him to take a look at your face.† He reached over and put his hand under my chin; this time I didn't flinch. He turned my head to the side so he could examine the wound. â€Å"It's not important. I'm sure it looks worse than it is.† â€Å"I hope so-it looks awful.† He sighed and then stretched. â€Å"I suppose we've hidden long enough that Kyle's clean and unconscious. Want some help with the dishes?† Ian wouldn't let me wash the dishes in the stream the way I usually did. He insisted that we go into the black bathing room, where I would be invisible. I scrubbed dishes in the shallow end of the dark pool, while he cleaned off the filth left behind by his mystery labors. Then he helped me with the last of the dirty bowls. When we were done, he escorted me back to the kitchen, which was starting to fill up with the lunch crowd. More perishables were on the menu: soft white bread slices, slabs of sharp cheddar cheese, circles of lush pink bologna. People were scarfing down the delicacies with abandon, though the despair was still perceptible in the slump of their shoulders, in the absence of smiles or laughter. Jamie was waiting for me at our usual counter. Two double stacks of sandwiches sat in front of him, but he wasn't eating. His arms were folded as he waited for me. Ian eyed his expression curiously but left to get his own food without asking. I rolled my eyes at Jamie's stubbornness and took a bite. Jamie dug in as soon as I was chewing. Ian was back quickly, and we all ate in silence. The food tasted so good it was hard to imagine a reason for conversation-or anything else that would empty our mouths. I stopped at two, but Jamie and Ian ate until they were groaning in pain. Ian looked as though he was about to collapse. His eyes struggled to stay open. â€Å"Get back to school, kid,† he said to Jamie. Jamie appraised him. â€Å"Maybe I should take over†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Go to school,† I told him quickly. I wanted Jamie a safe distance from me today. â€Å"I'll see you later, okay? Don't worry about†¦ about anything.† â€Å"Sure.† A one-word lie wasn't quite so obvious. Or maybe I was just being sarcastic again. Once Jamie was gone, I turned on the somnolent Ian. â€Å"Go get some rest. I'll be fine-I'll stay someplace inconspicuous. Middle of a cornfield or something.† â€Å"Where did you sleep last night?† he asked, his eyes surprisingly sharp under his half-closed lids. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"I can sleep there now, and you can be inconspicuous beside me.† We were just murmuring, barely over a whisper now. No one paid us any attention. â€Å"You can't watch me every second.† â€Å"Wanna bet?† I shrugged, giving up. â€Å"I was back at the†¦ the hole. Where I was kept in the beginning.† Ian frowned; he didn't like that. But he got up and led the way back to the storage corridor. The main plaza was busy again now, full of people moving around the garden, all of them grave, their eyes on their feet. When we were alone in the black tunnel, I tried to reason with him again. â€Å"Ian, what's the point of this? Won't it hurt Jamie more, the longer I'm alive? In the end, wouldn't it be better for him if -â€Å" â€Å"Don't think like that, Wanda. We're not animals. Your death is not an inevitability.† â€Å"I don't think you're an animal,† I said quietly. â€Å"Thanks. I didn't say that as an accusation, though. I wouldn't blame you if you did.† That was the end of our conversation; that was the moment we both saw the pale blue light reflecting dimly from around the next turn in the tunnel. â€Å"Shh,† Ian breathed. â€Å"Wait here.† He pressed my shoulder down gently, trying to stick me where I stood. Then he strode forward, making no attempt to hide the sound of his footsteps. He disappeared around the corner. â€Å"Jared?† I heard him say, feigning surprise. My heart felt heavy in my chest; the sensation was more pain than fear. â€Å"I know it's with you,† Jared answered. He raised his voice, so that anyone between here and the main plaza would hear. â€Å"Come out, come out, wherever you are,† he called, his voice hard and mocking.