Of Mice and Men :: essays research papers

During the era of the Great Depression in the 1930s, many people missed their jobs and became very lonely. This was around the period when John Steinbeck released his famous halt about these bindle stiffs. The book was called, Of Mice and Men. Loneliness is one of the major themes of this novel. Several of the characters in the book are alone. In this novel, John Steinbeck shows how world alone affects different characters. apiece is affected in a different way. Throughout the novel, the theme of privacy is mostly expressed in the important characters of glass over, Curleys wife and Crooks.Candy, the ranch handyman, lost his hand in an accident and worries about his future on the ranch. He fears that his age is making him useless and unwanted. Candys age and handicap also contribute to his loneliness. many a(prenominal) of the men reject Candy because of these things and he fears that he will eventually come to the same end as his onetime(a) dog. Candy is crushed by Lennie and Georges dream to get their own piece of land and "live off the fatta the lan". This dream lifted Candys spirit and only put up him up for a big disappointment. This made Candy not only a victim of loneliness, but also of disillusionment. He also feels the burden of loneliness and shows it by his relationship with his sheep dog. The dog, universe described as ancient, stinky, and half-blind, had been in Candys life and his companion for a very eagle-eyed time and Candy had large(p) attached to it. He said he, "had him since he was a pup" and he used to "herd sheep with him." Once the other farmhands had lastly gotten fed up with it and declared that the dog needed to be put out of its misery Candy was extremely reluctant to turn it over and allow him go. After hearing the tool ring outside, all Candy could do was turn his face towards a wall and not look around. Certainly Candy found this dog to be a loyal companion of his and he had developed a st rong relationship with it over the years, which helped him cope with his loneliness on the ranch. Whenever one is taking a deeper look at Of Mice and Men one will probably get a sense of how depressing the ranch in reality is. These are just a few examples of how different characters dealt with their loneliness.Of Mice and Men essays research papers During the era of the Great Depression in the 1930s, many people lost their jobs and became very lonely. This was around the time when John Steinbeck released his famous book about these bindle stiffs. The book was called, Of Mice and Men. Loneliness is one of the major themes of this novel. Several of the characters in the book are alone. In this novel, John Steinbeck shows how being alone affects different characters. Each is affected in a different way. Throughout the novel, the theme of loneliness is mostly expressed in the important characters of Candy, Curleys wife and Crooks.Candy, the ranch handyman, lost his hand in an accid ent and worries about his future on the ranch. He fears that his age is making him useless and unwanted. Candys age and handicap also contribute to his loneliness. Many of the men reject Candy because of these things and he fears that he will eventually come to the same end as his old dog. Candy is crushed by Lennie and Georges dream to get their own piece of land and "live off the fatta the lan". This dream lifted Candys spirit and only set him up for a bigger disappointment. This made Candy not only a victim of loneliness, but also of disillusionment. He also feels the burden of loneliness and shows it by his relationship with his sheep dog. The dog, being described as ancient, stinky, and half-blind, had been in Candys life and his companion for a very long time and Candy had grown attached to it. He said he, "had him since he was a pup" and he used to "herd sheep with him." Once the other farmhands had finally gotten fed up with it and stated that the dog needed to be put out of its misery Candy was extremely reluctant to turn it over and let him go. After hearing the shot ring outside, all Candy could do was turn his face towards a wall and not look around. Certainly Candy found this dog to be a loyal companion of his and he had developed a strong relationship with it over the years, which helped him cope with his loneliness on the ranch. Whenever one is taking a deeper look at Of Mice and Men one will probably get a sense of how depressing the ranch really is. These are just a few examples of how different characters dealt with their loneliness.

Black Thunder :: Black Thunder Essays

Black ThunderIn the year 1800 Thomas Jefferson was campaigning very hard against bath Adams for the presidency of the United States. Across the Atlantic, in France, Napoleon Bonaparte had consolidated his leading of France. Meanwhile, in Santo Domingo (later Haiti), Toussaint LOuverture, with the succor of his countrymen and tropical diseases, repelled 20,000 French troops and formed a new black republic.The exploits of Toussaint did not go unobserved by slaves in the United States, especially in Virginias Henrico County. In Black Thunder, Gabriels Revolt Virginia 1800, author Arna Bontemps tells us what legacy the age of revolution brought to the slaves of Richmond.The chief character and leader of the slaves is Gabriel, the youngest of three brothers. although he is the biggest and strongest of the three. Gabriel and his brothers, Martin and Soloman, are the property of plantation owner Thomas Prosser. Gabriels ascendancy to the leadership role of the slaves is secured when he be sts Ditcher, a huge slave, who defeated Soloman and Martin in previous combats.Gabriels awakening and enlightenment to freedom starts and grows from his many trips into Richmond as Mr. Prossers carriage driver. In Richmond, Gabriel makes it his duty to eavesdrop on the conversation of M. Cruezot and Alexander Biddenhurst, Frenchmen whose discourses are often laced with phrases of equality and liberty. These Frenchmen are referred to as Jacobins by the whites. Moreover, Gabriel and others are regularly earshot to a freed slave, Mingos reading of the Bible they find passages about the Children of Israels deliverance from Egypt and Davids slaying of Goliath interesting. The slaves consider themselves another Children of Israel in another time.With a natural fervent to be free, and the enlightenment to reinforce and fuel his urge, Gabriel starts to lay a plan to smash the shackles that bind him. Everything is in place, the revolt is poised to be executed, but the unthought-of and most unwelcome thing happens -- a thunderstorm. The streams become inundated, the roads writhe into rivers of mud, and Gabriels legions are bogged down, unable to rendezvous with him. The torrential rain breeds superstition and it in turn breeds desertion. Some of the slaves say the stars are against them, and others question the rightness of their mission. A dwindling force is not one that insures victory, so Gabriel postpones the revolt to await more indulgent weather.During this time, Pharaoh and Ben, two slaves who are assigned the task of rallying support from the slaves of Carolina County, are having second thoughts about going through with the plan.

Toby Keith: Unleashed :: Music Essays

Toby Keith Unleashed At this point in time, music is among the hardest businesses to achieve success in. The music industry and fans be looking for more than just talent and energy. They want close toone who they can respect. Toby Keith fulfilled these expectations when he entered the music world. His huge success depended not only on his talent, but his boldness to speak his mind. Toby was born on July 8th, 1961 in Clinton, Oklahoma. Although most of his childhood and high school years were spent performing football, he was involved in the Easy Money Band with several of his friends. After singing with the group for awhile, Toby decided to become a solo performer, and went to Nashville where he landed his first contract with Mercury Records. He produced and wrote many hit singles, including We Were in Love and Wish I Didnt realise Now, but sappy love shouts did not satisfy his full artistic vision, nor the visions of his listeners. Mercury Records had turned down a number of songs he had written because they feared the songs were in addition controversial. Finally, he moved his contract to Dream Works Records, who released his single How Do You Like Me Now, released in 1999. The song was a smash hit, catapulting him into popularity. Toby wrote another song that not only boosted his career, but lowered some Americans respect for him. Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue is a passionate ballad concerning the attacks on the World Trade Center, that some United States residents feel is too prideful. Despite the controversy caused by the new hit single, Toby Keith won the hearts of many Americans. He expressed their feelings virtually the attack of September 11th, 2001, in ways that they could not. However, the following lyrics created an uproar Youll be sorry that you messed with the U S of A Cuz well put a boot in your ass, Its the American wayPeter Jennings refused for a long time to al low Toby to perform on his television show for the Fourth of July because of these lyrics.

Improving Student Perception of Grammar Essay -- English Writing Teach

Its time to come clean, face the facts and admit the truth - assimilators are scared of grammar. From the days of crayons and nap time straight through high discipline they always hope and pray that a random fire drill, a.k.a. a gift from God, give disrupt the dreaded grammar lessons and exercises. As the semesters continue to pass by students become elated as grammar turns into nothing more than a minute beep on the radar screen that is the weekly lesson plan. However, nearly every student walks into English class dealing with the fear that he will be called on to explain even the simplest rules of possession or number. So why do most students fear and loathe the perplexities of grammar? Perhaps this trepidation has something to do with the fact that most teachers treat grammar like the redheaded step son of the English course hiding its study somewhere between spelling exercises and vocabulary worksheets. While most teachers avoid discussing grammar, or discuss it incorrectly, they still threaten students with low tag if such mistakes rear their ugly little heads in class assignments. The way we, as scholars, view the discussion, acquisition and knowledge of grammar must be modified to typesetters case the realities of the modern classroom and world. Grammar should be seen through the lens of the entire writing process to make the students use of grammar seem completely natural and easy.Although every impress has two sides, the research arguing against the formal teaching of grammar in the classroom appears stronger than that which supports the old regimes strict approach to grammar. However, logic dictates that this argument will not be settled merely by choosing sides. Perhaps some middle ground can be found between the militantly form... ...rt with some fictive planning. Perhaps a weekly prize contest can be held to see what student can pick out a grammar mistake in a newspaper or magazine. Then this mistake can be turned into a mini lesson without becoming boring or overbearing. Teachers simply request to remember that its ok to throw away the worksheets from 1975 and put down the trusty textbook for a fresh approach to grammar.BibliographyHartwell, Patrick. Grammar, Grammars, and the Teaching of Grammar. In blow Talk in Comp Theory. Edited by Victor Villanueva. National Council of Teachers of English. Urbana 1997.Weaver, Constance. Teaching Grammar in Context. Boyton/Cook Publishers. Portsmouth 1996.Whorf, Benjamin Lee. The Relation of Habitual Thought and Behavior to Language. In Critical Theory Since 1965. Edited by Hazard Adams. Florida State University Press. Tallahassee 1986.

Essay on Variety in The Merchants Tale -- The Merchants Tale

Use of Variety in The Merchants Tale The Merchants Tale tells the base of an old man searching for a wife and finding one, who is ultimately unfaithful to him. Chaucer uses a variety of elements in the poem to show his knowledge of coeval interests and his story telling capacity through another figure. Irony flows through the poem, laced with allusions to the Bible. Chaucers use of his astronomic knowledge not only allows modern mean solar day scholars to date events, but also adds another dimension of interest for the contemporary audience and of course, the pilgrims. Januaries discussion of paradise and Hell leads to the idea of marriage providing a Heaven on Earth. It is said that a wife is a husbands paradis terrestre, and his disport (l. 120), but at the introduction of the idea of a paradise, the reader can begin to gaze the introduction of a snake at a later point. Chaucer uses heavy irony as Januarie worries about experiencing his only Heaven on Earth. It becomes evid ent that whitethorn is anything but his Heaven. Her behaviour with Damyan in the pear tree is reminiscent of the story of Adam and Eve and the temptation of the apple tree as Damyan has become the serpent in Januaries paradise of wedded bliss. The Biblical allusions that are used in the Tale have the effect of broadening the moral behind the story. By utilize the irony of the Biblical stories along with the thoughts of Januarie, a contemporary audience would have quickly perceived that there would be trouble with the marriage, as they would have been relatively well versed on the Bible. The priest at the marriage ceremony bade May be lik Sarra and Rebekke (l.492). While these two figures are held up as examples of sanctum and virtuous wom... ... the possibility, says Maurice Hussey, that Chaucer knew that St. Damian was the patron saint of medicine, thus giving ironic undertones to the sight-healing excuse for the pear tree tryst. Geoffrey Chaucer used many different aspects of h is wide knowledge when write the Merchants Prologue and Tale. Biblical references and parallels with and inclusions of mythological characters are evidence of this. The appeal of such references to a medieval audience is extended with the inclusion of detailed and seemingly accurate astronomical minutiae. These details provide another level of information about the characters and their fates, such as the future of the marriage - it having been performed when the planet of war and the planet of love were in conjunction. Around these imaginative inclusions weaves a line of irony and a use of contemporary views and literature.

Essay on Variety in The Merchants Tale -- The Merchants Tale

Use of Variety in The Merchants Tale The Merchants Tale tells the story of an old valet searching for a wife and finding one, who is ultimately unfaithful to him. Chaucer uses a variety of elements in the poem to show his knowledge of contemporary interests and his story verbalize capacity through another figure. Irony flows through the poem, laced with allusions to the Bible. Chaucers use of his astronomical knowledge not only allows modern day scholars to date events, just also adds another dimension of interest for the contemporary audience and of course, the pilgrims. Januaries discussion of Heaven and Hell leads to the idea of marriage providing a Heaven on Earth. It is express that a wife is a husbands paradis terrestre, and his disport (l. 120), but at the introduction of the idea of a heaven, the reader can begin to contemplate the introduction of a serpent at a later point. Chaucer uses heavy irony as Januarie worries about experiencing his only Heaven on Earth. It bec omes evident that May is anything but his Heaven. Her doings with Damyan in the pear tree is reminiscent of the story of Adam and Eve and the temptation of the apple tree as Damyan has become the serpent in Januaries paradise of wedded bliss. The scriptural allusions that are used in the Tale have the effect of broadening the moral behind the story. By using the irony of the Biblical stories along with the thoughts of Januarie, a contemporary audience would have quickly perceived that there would be trouble with the marriage, as they would have been relatively well poetize on the Bible. The priest at the marriage ceremony bade May be lik Sarra and Rebekke (l.492). While these two figures are held up as examples of holy and virtuous wom... ... the possibility, says Maurice Hussey, that Chaucer knew that St. Damian was the patron saint of medicine, thus giving ironic undertones to the sight-healing excuse for the pear tree tryst. Geoffrey Chaucer used many different aspects of his wide knowledge when writing the Merchants Prologue and Tale. Biblical references and parallels with and inclusions of fabulous characters are evidence of this. The appeal of such references to a medieval audience is extended with the inclusion of detailed and seemingly accurate astronomical minutiae. These details extend another level of information about the characters and their fates, such as the future of the marriage - it having been performed when the planet of war and the planet of love were in conjunction. Around these creative inclusions weaves a line of irony and a use of contemporary views and literature.

Food Waste Essay

Food squander or food loss is food material that is discarded or ineffective to be used. Various political organizations and entities have their own definition of what constitutes food waste. The occasions of wasted food are numerous, and occur at the stages of production, processing, and retailing. As of 2011, 1.3 billion piles of food, about one third of the global food production, is lost or wasted annually. Loss and wastage occurs on all steps in the food grant chain. In low-income countries, most loss occurs during production, while in developed countries much food about 100 kilograms (220 lb) per person and year is wasted at the use stage. Definitions of food waste vary, among other things, in what food waste consists of, how it is produced, and where or what it is discarded from or generated by. Definitions also vary because certain groups do not hit the books (or have traditionally not considered) food waste to be a waste material, due to its applications. Some defin itions of what food waste consists of are based on other waste definitions (e.g. agricultural waste) and which materials do not meet their definitions. Here are some of the facts about the wastage of foodIf we planted trees on land presently used to grow unnecessary surplus and wasted food, this would offset a theoretical maximum of 100% of greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel combustion. 10% of rich countries greenhouse gas emissions come from growing food that is never eaten. UK Households waste around 20% of all the food they buy but the levelheaded news is that this suggests a 17% reduction since 2007. Roughly one third of the food produced in the field for human consumption every year more or less 1.3 billion tonnes gets lost or wasted. Every year, consumers in rich countries waste almost as much food (222 million tonnes) as the entire cyberspace food production of sub-Saharan Africa (230 million tonnes). The amount of food lost or wasted every year is equivalent t o more than half of the worlds annual cereals crop (2.3 billion tonnes in 2009/2010).In developing and developed countries which operate either commercial or industrial agriculture, food waste can occur at most stages of the food industry and in significant amounts. In subsistence agriculture, the amounts of food waste are unknown, but are plausibly to be insignificant by comparison, due to the limited stages at which waste can occur, and given that food is grown for projected need as distant to a global marketplace demand. Nevertheless, on-farm losses in storage in developing countries, particularly in African countries, can be high although the take aim nature of much(prenominal) losses is much debated. Research into the food industry of the United States, whose food supply is the most diverse and abundant of any expanse in the world, found food waste occurring at the beginning of food production. From planting, crops can be subjected to pest infestations and severe weather, which cause losses before harvest. Since inhering forces (e.g. temperature and precipitation) remain the primary drivers of crop growth, losses from these can be experienced by all forms of outdoor agriculture. The use of machinery in harvesting can cause waste, as harvesters may be unable to discern between ripe and immature crops, or collect only part of a crop. Economic factors, such as regulations and standards for quality and appearance, also cause food waste farmers often harvest selectively, preferring to leave crops not to standard in the field (where they can be used as fertilizer or animal feed), since they would otherwise be discarded later. One way of dealing with food waste is to reduce its creation. This military capability has been promoted by campaigns from advisory and environmental groups, and by concentrated media attention on the subject. Consumers can reduce their food waste output at points-of-purchase and in their homes by adopting some simple measures plann ing when shopping for food is important, and spontaneous purchases are shown as often the most wasteful. Proper knowledge of food storage reduces foods graceful inedible and thrown away. Through initiatives such as Cambio verde, farmers can provide surplus produce (produce they would otherwise discard due to too low prices/kg) to batch that provide glass, and other waste.

Dining in vs. Dinging Out

Informative Speech Dining Out VS. Dining In INTRODUCTION I. Attention getter/ relevance The Price of sustenance has TRIPLED, Which results in the price of fast food has double just form the past two years. II. Establish Credibility I bring gained distinguishledge and tips on how to save money by cooking your repasts at home by doing so you can save over a curtilage$ a month. III. Thesis Statement By the end of my presentation, you will have the knowledge to cut the cost of food and you will think twice in advance you visit your local fast food restraint. IV.Preview The focus of my speech is to give you pointers on how to cut the cost of food, and getting a home cook meal in a convenient amount of time. BODY I First (signpost), why is preparing food at home less expensive then dine out. The cost of fast food has double in the past two years. A todays economy has changed, meaning that all living expenses analogous rent food and gas prices has gone up as well. b. Studies has shown that dining out three times a week for a family of four can cost up to 400$. c. Money can be saved by cutting back on dining out and fast food by simply cooking from home. I. 2.Second (signpost) the main reasons why mint dining out because of their busy life styles. a. There are many adults that work over 40 hours a week, or has resign back in school or some are doing both all while supporting there families. b. Most people way of thinking is its much easier to buy per pared food rather than slave over a hot stove daily. c. Little do they know its a lot of things you can cook from home with in convenient amount of time. Transition Lets review home cooked meals are cheaper than dining out every night. When you prepare your food from home, your relocked to save over a 1000$ monthly.There are meals that you can prepare at home in a convenient amount of time. II. Continue following format for remainder of main points CONCLUSION I. Signal/summarize main points because of todays econo my living expenses like rent food and gas prices has gone up. Preparing food at home less expensive then dining out. II. Thesis statement/Relate to understructure Now that you know more information on how to save money and time by cooking a prepped meal at home, I bank that you take what you learned and put it into use. I promise you want be sorry.

Play Observation Essay

Kiahi a boy of about 3 years old was heartening alone stood on a small hill of the skinny , at first it looked like her was just looking at the other(a) kids play. When I kept looking at him to see if he was just red to continue to doing nothing, but watch the other children I noticed that he was standing there like a solider tall and with determination on his face. With his consecrate to his forehead looking about as the other children ran around. After a while I see that he is pointing to his class mates at haphazard and looks to be giving directions, more like orders, of some sort, although no one is paying attention. After giving off orders in a solider like appearance he nods his head, as though satisfied with himself and his team though it was just him playing, and pulls out some kind of black/sliver rectangular key string object out of his shirt pocket. He clicks on it, as if it had buttons, brings it up to his ear and talks and nods, hes using it as a cellphone phone . After he is done he clicks it again to end the call and puts it back to his pocket.Then he just runs off the hill and goes plays at the play structure, as if what he just did never happened. At first I thought Kiahi was engaging in unoccupied play, because to me it looked as if he was doing nothing at all but just looking at what everyone else was doing. As I kept observing him it looked to him that his was doing solitary play. Playing out a role of soul with authorization giving out orders, and taking calls. It was solitary because no one else was engaging with him in is play even though he pointed out to other kids when giving off orders no one paid him attention. Sophia a girl of about 4 years old with a temperament of a beingness shy and quite, wasnt playing with anybody else. She was reluctant to join anybody for play. After a while Sophia looks to have acquired a play mate Elena a soft speak 3 years old, though in some occasions I did hear her be a little louder towards o ther kids, they are playing in the anchor box.It looks like they are playing kitchen cooking, serving, cutting and cleaning. Throughout the play not a word was spoken, but they seemed to communicate in their own close way. After a while Sophia and Elena moved to play with the balls, when Sophia would turn her back on the ball and it rolled away from her instead of calling out to Sophia to get in the ball Elena runs later on the ball and gives it back to Sophia in her hands and points to the baskets behind her. In a silent gesture to throw the ball at the basket. I found thesegirls interesting because Ive observed them for a while during the morning time when dropped off up until free play outside. I know for a fact that both girls speak Elena even yells at times when kids dont pay attention for following the rules. Sophia is new to the pre-school program at passing play Start and cries when her Mom, as Ms.Perla informed me, leaves her but just for a few minutes.It takes Sophia a few hours to get into play with actual words being spoken. Elena is a sweet little that separated from her little group of friends to play with Sophia and to me it looked as if Elena understood Sophia not wanting to speak, seeing as Elena ever attempted to joint a single word to her. At first Sophia was engaging in solitary play, playing on her own on the play structure. In the sand box Sophia and Elena cooperative playing, even though they didnt say a word, the worked together to prepare, cook and serve a meal and clean up after they were done. They had a common goal in playing kitchen. After that they played with the balls which turned to associative play still playing together but without a common goal because Sophia wasnt as engaged as Elena in trying to play basketball.

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a tender, chronic disease that affects at least 6. 3 million women and girls in the U. S. It occurs when create from raw stuff that lines the uterus is found outside the uterus, usually in the abdomen on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and ligaments that support the uterus. The cells of endometriosis attach themselves to tissue outside the uterus and are called endometriosis implants. In endometriosis, displaced endometrial tissue continues to mask as it normally would it thickens, breaks down and bleeds with each cycle.And because this displaced tissue has no way to exit your body, it becomes trapped. Surrounding tissue force out become irritated, eventually developing sace tissue and adhesions. The cause of endometriosis is unknown. One theory is that the endometrial tissue is deposited in unusual locations by the backing up of menstrual flow into the fallopian tubes and the pelvic and ab cavity during menstruation also called retrograde menstruation.An new(pre nominal) possibility is that areas lining the pelvic organs possess primitive cells that are able to grow into other forms of tissue, such as endometrial cells. Another cause of endometriosis might be the direct transfer of endometrial tissues during surgery and may even be seen in surgical scars. Transfer of endometrial cells via the bloodstream or lymphatic system is the most likely explanation for the rare cases of endometriosis that has develop in the brain and other organs distant form the pelvis.Research by the Endometriosis Association revealed a startling link between dioxin exposure and the ontogenesis of endometriosis. Endometriosis affects women in their reproductive historic period. The exact prevalence of endometriosis is not known, since many women may have the condition and have no symptoms at all. magic spell most cases of endometriosis are diagnosed in women aged around 25-35 years old, endometriosis has been reported in girls as young as 11 years old.Most women w ho have endometriosis, in fact, do not have symptoms the most common symptoms are pain before and during periods, pain with sex, infertility, fatigue, painful urination during periods, and painful bowel movements during periods. Pelvic pain however depends partly on where the implants of endometriosis are located. Endometriosis can be one of the reasons for infertility for otherwise sizable couples. Endometriosis can be suspected based on symptoms of pelvic pain and findings during physical examinations in the renovates office.Unfortunately, neither the symptoms nor the physical examinations can be relied upon to conclusively establish the diagnosis of endometriosis. Tests to check for physical clues of endometriosis include Pelvic exam, ultrasound, and laparoscopy. Treatment for endometriosis is usually with medications or surgery. The approach you and your doctor choose willing depend on your age, severity of symptoms, severity of disease and whether you want children in the fu ture.There are also hormonal therapies used to trade endometriosis like hormonal contraceptives, Gonadotropin-releasing hormone, danazol, medroxyprogesterone, aromatase inhibitors, conservative surgery and hysterectomy. Endometriosis is more common in infertile, compared to fertile women. However, the condition usually does not fully counter conception. Most women with endometriosis will still be able to conceive, especially those with mild to moderate endometriosis. It is estimated that up to 70% of women with mild and moderate endometriosis will conceive within three years without any specific treatment.

Machievelli Biography Essay

Machiavelli lived during the Renaissance era of the Medieval times. In this time check many concepts and ideas were being reborn, including the Christian faith. He lived during a time period in which the people of the time thought of the Black Plague as a symptom of apprehension upon the sinfulness of the land. These same people began to scourge themselves in order to express their sorrow and on that pointfore remove Gods judg manpowert laid upon them. Although Machiavelli lived long after the fall of the Roman Empire, he lived in an Italy that had evolved into a war-torn battleground between the city arouse dynasties. There were conflicts between the French and Spanish for the control of land. Machiavelli lived in a time of growing semipolitical powers and a Christian community that was adapting and changing according to the claims of the Reformers. Machiavelli had a ending he sought to create a dichotomy between ethical Christianity and the Ethical demands of political regul ating.The 15th and 16th century world focused on theologically reforming the Church. Many reformers of the time and before Machiavellis life, including the 14th century reformer John Wycliffe, wrote on how the papacy of the Church had grown far alike powerful. During Machiavellis life St. Francis was teaching the commoners about Jesus, and the commoners began relating to Christ. The Church was not only effected by the reformers and the teachings of St. Francis, but it was also effected by itself it was hurting itself. The church building fought against the reformers, condemning them as heretics the church was threatened by the words of reform. Machiavelli lived among the Christians and like many of the reformers he was seeking a reform between the Church and the State. Essentially, Machiavelli writes to evidence that being a moral ruler and a person be two separate ideas, in the case of extreme circumstances and, like Luther, there are two kingdoms independent of each other.Machi avelli probably wouldve been considered a think tank of his time and he believed that a ruler, or anyone may publicly state that they are Christians yet exhibit no real conviction. In the eleventh chapter of The Prince Machiavelli argued that Ecclesiastical principalities were to be desired because the people who inhabited them were governed by their own spiritual laws. Machiavelli viewed these laws as tools, tools to prevent unruly citizens within the principalities rather than to enforce outside rules. Machiavelli idealizes an idea completely different from the church, that politics is something that deals with facts and not abstracts, that it is a challenge to the impression of both Pope Gregory VII and Pope Innocent IIIs Divine Right to rule.3 Machiavelli realized that the divine right to rule surmisal is nothing but a religious idea that does not work with the present state of man. Machiavelli also understood that human beings corruption and sin is an thoroughgoing(a) prob lem that rulers need to deal with.Machiavelli continues by suggesting that being a moral leader does not mean that one is a good leader as good leadershiphip leads to order, stability, and public good. He claimed that when order, stability, and public good are threatened a ruler cannot risk limiting their actions by piety or virtue. Machiavelli believed that morals stood in the way of success, that rulers need to learn how to not be good, and be willing to kill. While the religious leaders saw Machiavelli as non-Christian and destructive, Machiavelli states that leaders need to administer necessary evils in efforts to maintain order and stability within their rule, that humans can be predicted through reason. The Church saw his political agenda as lacking in Christian ethics however, his political reform lines up with Christian thinkers and with Christian ethics of generosity, compassion, and even the golden rule as we see in Saint Augustines and St. Benedicts writings.An initial c onsideration of Machiavellis thoughts on generosity, we notice that he believes it is good to be considered a generous person, but that it is dangerous to do so. Although sounding contradictory to Christianity, Machiavellis reasoning lies in the Christian idea of doing the most good for as many people as possible. Machiavelli argues that being generous requires that the ruler imposes new ways of revenue collection and therefore make his subjects hate him and lead to a guarantee that no one will think well of him.1 Machiavelli makes a similar case for compassion, in that it is better to be seen as cruel whence it is to be viewed as loving, if necessary. He asserts that as the head of an army a ruler needs to be prepared to be thought cruel. The same Christian idea can be used to explain his argument as before.In the words of Star Treks Spock, the needs of the many surmount the needs of the few. Machiavelli states that its more compassionate to impose harshness on a few rather than make use of compassion and risk topsy-turvyness to take arrange.2 If we look back to St. Augustines The City of God 4 we learn that rulers and people are dominated by their own selfish luxuria for power, whereas in the City of God, which Luther also makes notions of in his Doctrine of The Two Kingdoms, people serve one another in charity.Under this assumption we see that men do not serve out of charity, but rather serve in a situation of do unto others as you would have done to yourself. perchance Machiavelli agreed with this view of Christianity. Machiavellis ruler never commits an act that they would not have done to themselves. I think the Machiavellian ruler loves their neighbor as much as themselves. Machiavelli sees the political field as a place for necessary evil. He believes, out of love, that some evil must take place in order to benefit the most people.Machiavelli saw the world he lived in as a two kingdom place, like Luther and St. Augustine did. He viewed human hist ory for what it was, not what it could be he saw people as evil and sick. Machiavellis picture of human history took into account the human equation, that we are sinful and therefore predictable, which he believes will lead to a better understanding of the future.

The Soothing Sensation That Is Bath Salts

The Soothing Sensation That is Bath Salts Introduction Oh yeah, me and my girlfriend have a mountainous bag of lavender bath salts sitting at home, was the initial reaction when I asked a fellow engineer to portray as a testimonial for our borderline inappropriate bath salts infomercial. Contrary to popular belief, this new synthetic do drugs is far away from producing any loadings that are similar to that of a relaxing bath. Until recently, bath salts were popularized to be a legal high. In order to tip toe around the federal drug regulatory laws, bath salts were marked with a warning label that menti whizd not for human consumption. In South Carolina, before the ban on October 24th 2011, bath salts could be purchased at one of the many head shops, gas stations, and even online. The appearance of the drug itself is usually in a powdered form that is exchange within a megabucks that is precise aesthetically pleasing. These packages are sold under a variety of appealing names such as Ivory Wave, Vanilla Sky, Bliss, Blue Silk and etc.The slice of the synthetic drug bath salts discount vary from dealer to dealer. Sometimes you may find traces of other stimulant drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines, or apotheosis, alone the most important culprit in bath salts is 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV). MDPV falls under the category of phenethylamines and it is structurally related to synthetic cathinones. Synthetic cathinones are a throng of drugs that are derivatives of the natural plant Catha edulis (also known khat), that contain the chemical phenylalkylamine alkaloid (Coppola, 2011).The remainder of the paper will provide some of the current available culture such as pharmacokinetics, neurophysiology, and a brief discussion round MDPV as the primary active ingredient in bath salts. Pharmacokinetics The routes of administration of bath salts are similar to that of drugs in the salt class. The most common method is insufflation which results in fast er onset of the effects but does not have a presbyopic duration. There are also other routes of administration preferred by drug enthusiasts these mechanisms include parietal injections, intravenously, bombing, and also rectal administration.The bombing method involves position the salt crystals in to cigarette paper to form a capsule and then simply swallowing it. The rectal administration requires an separate to dissolve the salt crystals in a type of liquid vehicle (i. e. water) and then introduce the liquid to the rectum via the anus. The absorption of MDPV is primarily dependent on the route of administration. The nasal route patently has the quickest absorption. On the other hand, the oral administration is absorbed poorly because when taken orally, the rate of absorption compares to that of cocaine.The metabolism of MDPV in the human liver occurs also to that of other synthetic cathinone. The process involves multiple steps and the last of which is where the catechol rin g of MDPV is methylated by COMT (Prosser, 2011). COMT is one of several enzymes that are involved in the abjection of catecholamines (i. e. dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine). Finally, after the metabolism, the excretion of MDPV waste occurs through the urine of feces. Since thither are no publish, the duration of the effects of MDPV must be recorded with the word of babble out from experienced users.The drug effects start presenting themselves approximately 10-20 minutes after nasal administration and duration is close to 2. 5 hours. With oral administration, users report the effect to set in amongst 15-45 minutes after ingestion and the duration can last anywhere from 3-4 hours (in rare cases as much as 12 hrs) (Psychonaut, 2009). Neurophysiology As mentioned previously, due to the limited amount of available information for understanding the mechanism of physiological action of MDPV, the neurophysiology is theorized to have a similar mechanism to that of amphetamines and MDMA.This compare is highly based on the structural similarities between amphetamines and synthetic cathinones (Prosser, 2011). The effects of amphetamines and their derivatives are produced by the troika-fold effect on monoamine synapses. First, amphetamine-like drugs cause a leakage of neurotransmitters (NTs) from the presynaptic vesicles into the synaptic cleft. Second, they also annex the amount of NTs released in response to an action potential.Finally, there is an inhibition of monoamine reuptake from the synaptic cleft. As a result of the three-fold effect, there is an increase in concentration of NTs in the synaptic cleft which prolongs and enhances the effect of MDPV. Effects of MDPV on the Mind and Body Similar to most highly abused substances, MDPV has a laundry list of physical and psychological effects, including both desired and undesired. This data of effects is generated from first hand users and from the thousands of hospital admissions.With initial administr ation of MDPV, users can line up some desired effects that are not necessarily harmful (including but not limited to) increased energy, increased sociability, mild euphoria, increased concentration, cozy arousal (Coppola, 2011 & Psychonaut 2009). Individuals that experience these non-harmful side effects are considered to be very lucky because on the other side of the coin are some very serious undesired psychoactive side effects. These undesired effects include extreme paranoia, delusional thinking, visual & auditory hallucinations, self-mutilation, insomnia, violence, and restlessness (Prosser, 2011).Side effects of MDPV travels in pairs, if it affects the see it will also have an effect on the ashes. Effects on the body include hypertension, tachycardia, chest pains, vasoconstriction, muscle twitches, bruxism, insomnia, and lack of appetite (Psychonaut, 2009). Currently, there is no effective treatment against MDPV oerdose. The only method that is considered is to treat the p hysiological symptoms as they rise in order to prevent the individual from cause harm to themselves or others.To integrate all of the information I have provided in the paper thus far, I will present one of the many case studies that were published by medical doctors after this dramatic increase in hospital admissions as a consequence of MDPV psychosis. A 27-year-old female named J. H was brought to the emergency style by the local police after they received multiple phone calls reporting an assailant breaking into their home. Upon arrival of the police, they were notified that there was a dead body in the hallway and that the homeowners were next for being killed. The police soon deduced that J. H. as suffering from paranoid delusions. In the emergency room, J. H. presented with hypertension, tachycardia, diaphoresis, and extreme fear but there were no sign of a physical disorder. When the results for her complete blood count, the comprehensive metabolic panel and the drug urine t est returned completely unremarkable, she was transferred to the hospitals psychiatric unit. The psychiatric staff recorded that she had a disorganized thought process, poor memory and was still convinced that she was in imminent danger. The only survival for the doctors that was available was to start J. H. n treatment for Schizophrenia. The following day, her condition mildly improved and she was able to inform the doctors about the events that resulted with her being hospitalized. Apparently, she had a past bill of opiate dependence, and one day, her and her boyfriend discovered bath salts, under the name of Powdered Rush, at a local head shop. They admitted to being on a shove period by insufflation for about five to six days prior to admission. The doctors concluded that paranoid psychosis from MDPV developed very much like that seen with methamphetamines and other psychostimulants.After three to four days of pile deprivation, there was an onset of paranoid psychosis sympto ms. She was released from the hospital a few days later after she was able to recover from sleep exhaustion (Antonowicz, 2011). Discussion As of November 2011, it was reported that there is currently no research that focuses on addiction and withdrawal related to synthetic cathinones (Prosser, 2011). This means that conclusions about MDPV related addiction, dependence, and withdrawal must be extrapolated from other drugs that are similar in structure and mechanism of action.As discussed previously, the mechanism of MDPV is by inhibiting the reuptake of catecholamines to produce healthy stimulant effects. MDPV stimulates the ventral tegmental area to release more dopamine, which in turn will project to multiple areas of the brain prefrontal cortex (PFC), nucleus accumbens (NAcc), and the hippocampus. tout ensemble of these structures contribute to the conditioning and reinforcing behavior of MDPV. Since the reuptake of dopamine is inhibited, there is going to be an increase in the concentration of dopamine in the synaptic cleft.One can imagine the addictive, dependence, and tolerance properties of MDPV to be a combination of the properties of morphine, cocaine, and ecstasy. To elaborate, the pattern of administration of MDPV resembles to morphine because there is a slow increase in the dose over time required to acquire the necessary effect. Then the administration pattern of ecstasy also factors in because of cravings it causes. When an individual abuses ecstasy the serotonin will force scarce over time due to overstimulation.The low levels of serotonin will cause the individual to crave more ecstasy, but no amount of ecstasy will help. Similarly, the over production of MDPV causes the catecholamines to run low in supply and cause the addict to crave more. Finally, the other pattern that contributes to MDPV resembles the administration pattern of cocaine. The components of cocaine administration pattern that is relative to MDPV are the binge and exhaustion periods. Individuals will abuse MDPV for a period of time and due to sleep deprivation the individual will crash.In conclusion, when we integrate the three patterns together, the overall pattern of MDPV will show an increase in dose of administration until the individual either crashes from exhaustion or passes away due to an event that occurred in psychosis. When viewing the overall pattern of MDPV use, it is easy to see that majority of the time this drug can be extremely harmful. But, some users report that when MDPV is ingested at low doses, it produces a stimulant effect that is similar to methylphenidate. This glimpse of reported user experiences can make MDPV a aspect for ADD/ADHD treatment (Psychonaut, 2009).One of the factors that can increase the frequency of abuse of MDPV is the marketing of the bath salts themselves. The overall design and nomenclature that the bath salts are sold under are very aesthetically pleasing. Through personal experience, prior to the ban of b ath salts, the price was very affordable when compared to the quality of effect (approximately $18 for 50 mg). Now after the federal ban, the price of some bath salts online range from $900 to $2200 for a large quantity. Many news reports suggest that there is a common misconception of harm when it comes to substances such as bath salts or other similar legal substances.Just because there are substances that seem to sneak around the drug regulations, they should be assumed as being safe. Statistics from the American Association of Poison Control Centers state that there were 1782 calls nationwide to poison centers about designer drugs designate as bath salts just during the first four months of 2011. This was an exponential increase when compared to just 302 calls in all of 2010 (AAPCC). Mark Ryan, director of the Louisiana Poison Center, writes a quote for an article on Drugs. com that said If you ake the very worst effects of the illegal drugs LSD and Ecstasy with their hallucino genic, delusional type properties, and combine them with the extreme agitation, superhuman strength and combativeness of PCP, as well as the stimulant properties of cocaine and methamphetamines, you have summarized the potential negative effects of bath salts use. In conclusion, there has been a dramatic increase in the abuse of bath salts with the primary ingredient being MDPV. The current approach of gathering information for the mechanism of action of MDPV is largely done by modulating the internet.Despite the lack of research on synthetic cathinones, individuals still take the risk to abuse MDPV. But based on similarities found between MDPV and other stimulants, we can theorize the mechanisms of action in the central nervous system. In my opinion, if you have not exposed yourself to MDPV it would be a wise finis to keep it that way because, metaphorically speaking, MDPV is like your girlfriend it not only screws with your body but also your mind. (I thought I would put a sm iley nerve so that I can actually get to see it). References 1. American Association of Poison Control Centers. . Antonowicz, J. , Metzger, A. , & Ramanujam, S. (2011). Paranoid psychosis induced by consumption of methylenedioxypyrovalerone two cases. General Hospital Psychiatry, 33, 640. e5-640. e6. Retrieved December 4, 2011, from the SciVerse ScienceDirect database. 3. Coppola, M. , & Mondola, R. (2011). 3,4-Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) Chemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of a new designer drug of abuse marketed online. Toxicology Letters, 208(1), 12-15. Retrieved December 4, 2011, from the ScienceDirect database. 4. Hallucinogens Legally Sold as Bath Salts a upstart Threat Drugs. om MedNews. (n. d. ). Drugs. com Prescription Drug Information, Interactions & Side Effects. Retrieved December 6, 2011, from http//www. drugs. com/news/hallucinogens-legally-sold-bath-salts-new-threat-2 9344. html 5. Prosser, J. , & Nelson, L. (2011). The Toxicology of Bath Salts A Review of Synthetic Cathinones. American College of Medical Toxicology, 7, 1-10. Retrieved December 4, 2011, from the SpringerLink database. 6. Psychonaut Psychonaut WebMapping question Group, MDPV Report, Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, London, UK (2009).

Joe Gargery’s Character Analysis Essay

exclusively(Dickens constitutions), no matter how briefly sketched are real.(CLIFFS NOTES P.54).Charles Dickens has the ability to make his characters truly close to human, if not human. Charles Dickens novel, Great Expectations, is mainly based on a character named shoot who goes from rags to riches. Joe Gargery, Pips brother-in-law, lives with Pip and Mrs. Joe in the marsh country. He is a blacksmith who doesnt make a lot of money but manages to suffer a mild and good-natured man. But what causes Joe to stay so mild and good-natured through verboten Pips transformation? The truth can only be revealed through studying his kinship to Pip, his importance to the plot, and the theme he best represents.When Pips parents die, his sister decides to bring him up by the hand(p.559). She has a in truth hard time with Pip, and in the prospective says, Id neer do itbring Pip up again(p.560). Then she marries Joe Gargery. Joe and Pip form this everlasting relationship, mainly because th ey were both brought up by the hand(p.559). Joe eer looks out for Pip and helps Pip out. Mrs. Joe would never do this. For example, when Pip was coming back from the graveyard after his first encounter with the convict, he find out that Mrs. Joe had gone on a rampage with the tickler only by Joe telling him. When Mrs. Joe returns, she throws Pip at Joe and Joe guards Pip from any harm Mrs. Joe can do.though these incidents, Joe develops a steady, everlasting relationship with Pip. When Pip receives word of his expectation, he as well found out that in order to get his expectation and become a gentleman, he must go to London. Pips reason for wanting to become a gentleman is mainly for Estella. He will do anything to bear on Estella and win her heart. Pip knew he had to go if he were ever going to win Estellas heart. Joe had built up such a strong relationship with Pip that he didnt want anything to do with the obstruction of Pips future. Another reason for Joe loving Pip is when P ip was sick and in debt, Joe went to London and helped Pip. Joe paid his debts(even though he himself had money problems) and stayed at Pips bedside every second he was sick. According to Joe, you and me was ever friends.(p.706) Joe must bang Pip more than anything in the world if he flew to London just to help an old friend. Pips relationship to Joe wasnt ratheras smooth as Joes relationship to Pip. At the beginning of the novel, Pip and Joe had an equal relationship, the both cared and helped each other. Joe, for example, let Pip know of Mrs. Joes rampage and Pip taught Joe to read. So they both had an equal relationship at the beginning. But when Pip received word of his expectation, things changed. Pip only concentrates on existence a gentleman and winning over Estella.Pip doesnt think about Joe much anymore. When Joe went to visit Pip, and Joe kept trying to put his hat on the corner of the chimney piece without realizing it is too big, Pip becomes very annoyed with him. I f elt impatient of him and out of temper with him.(p.631) If things were like home, Pip would indoctrinate Joe, not be annoyed at him. But Joe, being this mild and good-natured man, blames the whole incident on himself. The relationships between Pip and Joe are very different throughout the novel.Without Joe in the novel, Pip wouldnt have ever received his great expectation. Joe is the man of the house. Joe appropriates the family with money. This money gives them a place to stay, food, and clothing. When Pip met the first convict, he demanded a file and wittles. Where would Pip get these items if Joe were not there to provide the money, which provided the food, shelter, and clothing? Pip would not be able to provide his convict with the file and wittles and the other convict would take Pips heart and lungs out. Then, there would be nobody to give the expectation to and there would also be no reason to give the expectation. The main reason for the convict giving the expectation was the last person who did something good for him. But Pip never gives the wittles and file to the convict so there was no last good thing done. So, without Joe, there would be no expectation.The theme Joe best represents is Sophisticated discretion are not nearly as important as genuine kindness and affection. At the beginning of the novel, Joe and Pips did not show civilize manners but stayed friends because they had kindness and affection for each other. But as Pip received his expectation, became a gentleman, and went to London, he lived in an environment of sophisticated manners. readiness in which Joe were not familiar with. But Joe did not care about how sophisticated Pip became. All he cared about was the kindness and affection they had together. That was all thatmattered in their friendship to Joe.Overall, Joes relationship to Pip gets an A+ because his thoughts of Pip stayed steady throughout the novel no matter what Pip did to Joe. Pips relationship to Joe gets a C becaus e at the beginning he felt the same way about Joe but his expectation changed his feelings about Joe. Nothing should be able to break up a strong relationship. Joes importance to the plot received an A because the plot would not be able to brood without Joe. Joes representation to the theme received an A because Joe was the one who didnt care about sophisticated manners, but only genuine kindness and affection. on that point has been no writer of fiction in the western world who had Dickens genius for creating such an infinite variety of characters.(CLIFFS NOTES p.54) Charles Dickens has created Joe as an amazing character in the novel, Great Expectations.

Allman Brothers Band

Hailing from Macon, Georgia, the Allman Brothers stage set were know as the fore nearly architects of southeastwardern quaver (Rock and rolling wave pressure group of Fame the Allman Brothers echo, 2005). The circuit was known for their jam or improvisational sessions and forged a new tuneful offshoot from several elements of music blues, jazz, soul, R&B, and fluctuate and roll. They help advance the genre of rock and roll, on with groups like the Grateful Dead and Cream (Rock and compile Hall of Fame the Allman Brothers Band, 2005).The Allman Brothers Band developed a casing of jam session that required a distinct level of technical genius and musical literacy, which was about new to rock and roll (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the Allman Brothers Band, 2005). Duane Allman, an original guitarist, and shirtfront Betts broke the barrier with sensory guitar riffs and ext sacked solos (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the Allman Brothers Band, 2005). This combined with front man Gre gg Allmans husky, soulful vocals drove the Allman Brothers Band to rock and roll powerhouse from their 1969 beginnings (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the Allman Brothers Band, 2005).The legendary striation was formed in Jacksonville, Florida on March 26, 1969. The Allman Brothers Band was comprised of Gregg Allman, Duane Allman, Dickey Betts, Jai Johanny Johanson, Butch Trucks, and Berry Oakley (Freeman, 1995). The brothers, Gregg and Duane, were in other garage bands before the Allman Brothers Band (Freeman, 1995). The Allman Brothers Band played shows throughout the south prior to the release of their debut album, the Allman Brothers Band. The critics adored the album however, the album attracted only limited listeners and consisted of a cult audience (Freeman, 1995).Their follow-up album, Idlewild South, was a mass success, both with critics and listeners. Idlewild South became a rather profitable album, as well. The Allman Brothers Band standard a great honor of playacting the last act at the Fillmore East before its closing in June 1971. These last acts also received a renowned status due to their ability to play all night long (Kimball, 1971). Gregg Allman was storied to say that it was hard to realize how long they were playing until the morning light poured in (Kimball, 1971).In 1971, the Allman Brothers Band was just about kicked in the groin when Duane Allman was killed in a catastrophic motorcycle crash in Macon, Georgia (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the Allman Brothers Band, 2005). Gregg Allman said his brother Duane was the most intense person he knew. Only a class later, on November 11, 1972, Allman Brothers Band bassist, Berry Oakley died in a similar situation his death occurred only a few blocks from Duanes accident site (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the Allman Brothers Band, 2005). The band regrouped and persevered.A second keyboardist, Chuck Leavell, added a jazz-like dimension. Lamar Williams later replaced Oakley as the bands bassist. The most commercially successful album came in light of their tragic losses (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the Allman Brothers Band, 2005). The double album Eat a Peach reached twist four on the charts. This album included Duane Allmans last three studio performances. In 1973, Brothers and Sisters soared to deed one and stayed there for five weeks, which included classics like Blue Sky and Ramblin Man, and lengthy pieces.In the same year, the Allman Band, along with the Grateful Dead, performed at the Grand Prix Racecourse in front of 600,000 rock and roll fans (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the Allman Brothers Band, 2005). The mid-seventies proved problematic with substance abuse and internal disagreement. This triggered a deuce-year hiatus. However, the Gregg Allman band toured with the Dickey Betts Band in August of 1978 (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the Allman Brothers Band, 2005). This rejoined the Allman Brothers Band and reverted to their classic dual-guitar line up.They would then touch on from Capricorn to Arista records. History repeats itself and the Allman Brothers Band disbanded again in 1982 (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the Allman Brothers Band, 2005). In 1989, Dreams, the box set, was released, and the band reunited for what would later become the most productive chapters in their history. With two additions, Warren Haynes and Allen Woody, the band was revitalized. Their playing was as strong as ever, even dating back to the late Duane Allman and Berry Oakley (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the Allman Brothers Band, 2005).The most stable line-up in the history of the Allman Brothers Band capitalized in 1991. The septet was consisted of Gregg Allman, Dickey Betts, Butch Trucks, Jaimoe Johanson, Warren Haynes, Allen Woody, and Marc Quinones (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the Allman Brothers Band, 2005). Warren Haynes passed through their ranks capturing the technique and passion of the late Duane Allman (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the Allman Brothers Band, 2005) .The Allman Brothers Band released two of their most inspired albums in the early nineties, Shades of Two Worlds and Where It All Begins (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the Allman Brothers Band, 2005). This line-up came to an end with the departure of Haynes and Woody to their side project Government Mule (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the Allman Brothers Band, 2005). In 2000, the band forced Dickey Betts to sit out for personal and professional reasons during their summer tour.A bitter argument go from this Dickey Betts filled a lawsuit against the other three original members and the summer disconnection became a permanent divorce (Freeman, 1995). The band release a live album, Peakin At the Beacon, that chronicled the annual March usage of a several night stand at the Beacon Theater in New York City. However, inside that same year, bassist Allen Woody was found dead on August 26th. Warren Haynes began appearing with the Allman Brothers Band in 200 and rejoined full-time in 2001 (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the Allman Brothers Band, 2005).The Allman Brothers gathered back to back Grammy Award nominations in 2003 and 2004 in the category of Best Rock Instrumental for performance of Instrumental Illness. The Rolling Stone clipping named Duane Allman, Warren Haynes, Dickey Betts, and Derek Trucks to their list of top 100 greatest guitarist (Kimball, 1971). Allman came in at come up two, and Derek Trucks being the youngest on the list. The Allman Brothers Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for many reasons. Their influential blended rock style paved the way for Southern rock.Their all-night, play to dawn sessions were fan favorites. Their albums were critically acclaimed and Grammy worthy. This band is legendary and according to George Kimball of Rolling Stones magazine , This is the best damn rock and roll band this country has produced(Kimball, 1971). References Freeman, Scott. Midnight Riders The taradiddle of the Allman Brothers Band. 1995. Kimball, George. Fillmore East Review. Rolling Stone magazine. 1971. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Allman Brothers Band. 2005.

Harlequin Enterprise Mira Decision

Harlequin enterprise had a competitive advantage in the womens tap fiction genre up until the 1980s and early 1990s. Harlequin faced steady loss of piece of ground in a growing womens fiction market due to the popularity of single title novels. It is costly to result but to stay competitive I would recommend that Harlequin perform a limited depute of Mira by re-developing titles in their back-list and generating direct-to-reader sales through the obtain Club, while it explores global statistical distribution and market relationships.The Mira closing is great way of gaining new grounds but there atomic number 18 numerous issues surrounding it. First, competitions are fierce and there is great deal of threat to its potential in the U. S market. The agreement with Simon and Schuster at the end of romance wars may not be sustainable. If dapple launches Mira in direct competition with S&S it would be very difficult considering harlequin is dependent on S&S for the distribution of its series titles within the U.S market. If Mira is pursued, harlequin would have to redevelop its distribution scope and its value chain within U. S. Harlequins brand loyalty is strong due to its readership base. This is evidenced by the direct-to-reader Book Club, which currently provides 3/8 of US Sales at significantly higher margins than indirect sales. With this value, harlequin should proceed cautiously but look towards reducing external threats and external opportunities.The Mira decision could be the origin to increase sales. With harlequins reputation of producing high quality books, Mira could be successful. Theres a great deal of risk involved in this investment, with significantly higher cost for production, distribution and marketing and considering harlequins inadequate expertise outside of the romance realm. As with the 1987 worldwide case, I entrust harlequin could learn from their mistakes and be optimistic towards their future.

Human Resource Forecasting Essay

PART 1 gentle RESOURCE FORECASTINGReference competent from compassionate Resource Forecasting Assignment, pp 108 110 in Nkomo, S. M., Fottler, M. D., McAfee, R. B. (2008) Human Resource Management Applications Cases, Exercises, Incidents, and Skill Builders, sixth EditionDue date Week 9 nurture OBJECTIVESPractice in forecasting an organisations people necessitate To familiarize you with some of the factors that incite an organisations future people needs To familiarise you with the complexities involved in making valet de chambre resource forecasts To point out that all human resource forecasting is based on assumptions and that these assumptions be critical to the accuracy of the forecastINSTRUCTIONSIt has been a busy course with staff turnover, impertinently employees and new equipment on order. Your CEO has requested a forecast of the human resource needs for North west Regional Hospital for the coming years.North West Regional Hospital (NWRH) is a use of goods and ser vices built, 180-bed inmate facility and the largest regional hospital in the state. NWRH also has 15 outr individually web points located throughout tropical, northern Australia, for distributively atomic number 53 of which employs approximately 17 individuals. In total, NWRH currently employs 700 people.Over the coming three years, NWRH is planning an expansion into additive regional argonas and expects to add 25 new outreach sites. Each outreach site varies in size according to the needs of the community, so the figuresrepresent averages.During the past month, NWRH has placed an order for 3 new dialysis machines to increase its renal concur services. These machines are scheduled to be in operation declination 31, one year from now in existing outreach sites only. NWRH has found that for each new machine purchased requires four (4) additional nurses, on average. In addition, 5 (5) new doctors are added in year 2. A breakdown of NWRHs current staffing is shown in fudge 1 .Your CEO has asked you to execute three human resource-forecasting tasks. First, based on the assumptions given below, you are mandatory to escort employee turnover for the yard bird facility office, the old outreach sites, and the new outreach sites. The CEO would like to know this information for each of the next three years and for each of the major personnel categories (i.e., Doctors, Nurses, and Inpatient Facility Administration staff).Your product line is to accomplished circuit board 2.Second, your CEO would like to know the number of new employees NWRH will need to utilize for each major personnel category for each of the next three years.Your railway line is to complete Table 3.Finally, your CEO would like to know the total number of employees who will be working for NWRH as of the stop over of each of the next three years.Your handicraft is to complete Table 4.Table 1 Present staffing radical Employees700Number of outreach sites15Doctors per outreach site5Number of Doctors75Nurses per outreach site12Number of Nurses180Outreach facility employees255Inpatient Facility Employees445Table 2 TurnoverEmployee CategoryCurrent yrYear 1Year 2Year 3Old outreach site DoctorsOld outreach site nursesInpatient facility impudently outreach site DoctorsNew outreach site nursesTOTALSTable 3 Number of Employees to be hiredEmployee CategoryCurrent YearYear 1Year 2Year 3Old outreach site DoctorsOld outreach site nursesInpatient facilityNew outreach site DoctorsNew outreach site nursesTOTALSTable 4 Year-End workoutEmployee CategoryCurrent YearYear 1Year 2Year 3Old outreach site DoctorsOld outreach site nursesInpatient facilityNew outreach site DoctorsNew outreach site nursesTOTALSIn order to complete your assignment, your CEO has told you to make a number of assumptions. They areA.You are making all projections in December for subsequent years ending December 31B.With depend to the existing outreach offices, assumea.The 15 existing outreach offices employ 5 doctors and 12 nurses each. b.On December 31 (one year hence) 3 new dialysis machines are placed in operation and require an additional 12 nurses (4 per machine). c.On December 31 in the 2nd year, 5 new doctors are employed. d.Turnover rate is 40 percent for nurse personnel, and 20 percent for doctors.C.With regard to new outreach sites, assumea.New outreach sites are added as follows 6 in Year 1, 10 in Year 2, and 9 in Year 3. b.Each new outreach site employs 17 individuals (5 doctors and 12 nurses). c.Turnover is 30 percent for nurses, and 20 percent for doctors.D.With regard to the inpatient facility, assume that turnover will be 15 percent per year.PART 2 WRITING JOB DESCRIPTION & RECRUITMENT ADVERTISEMENTReferencesAdapted from Job Analysis write Job commentary, pp 97-99 in Nkomo, S. M., Fottler, M. D., McAfee, R. B. (2008) Human Resource Management Applications Cases, Exercises, Incidents, and Skill Builders, 6th EditionNote For your presentation in Week 5, you will accusto m one (1) Job Description to develop one (1) Advertisement to present as a group. The developed advertisement potfulnot be utilize in the Portfolio Assignment.LEARNING OBJECTIVESTo familiarise you with the job analysis process and with job descriptions Practice in write job descriptionsTo make you aware of different methods for recruiting candidates and stand out from the crowdINSTRUCTIONSJob Analysis, Writing Job Descriptions and Recruitment AdvertisingYou are inevitable to write three (3) job descriptions, one (1) job advertisement, and one (1) selection criteria for the Portfolio Assignment.The job advertisement should glow one (1) selected job description (choose one (1) doctor, nurse, and inpatient facility administrator), and the selection criteria should reflect the selected job advertisement to create a flow in your portfolio.A.Draw up a set of job descriptions for each of the (3) positions in the case (doctor, nurse, and inpatient facility administrator).You may use w hatever sources you want, including interviewing people you may know in these positions or similar positions or searching pertinent web sites as you want job descriptions and lists of duties that apply specifically to regional hospitals and outreach facilities.The Job Analysis Questionnaire (below) can be used as a guide to wait on determine the major responsibilities and tasks of the job and the required knowledge, skills, abilities, and personal characteristics needed to perform the job.Remember to write the job description using action verbs when describing the employees tasks, duties, and responsibilities. It is also important that specific duties be grouped and arranged in descending order of importance.The complete job description should follow the format shown in sample fork outd (below).B.Choose (1) job description to draft one (1) job advertisement, to attract the right people to apply for that position. Write the advertisement as if it will progress on an online employ ment agency (e.g. seek.com). It will need to stand out amongst the many thousands of other positions beingness advertised.Job Analysis QuestionnaireA.Job Responsibilities and Dutiesa.Job titleb.Department title and/or division titlec.Title of straightaway supervisord.Description of duties (describe the duties in enough details to provide a complete and accurate description of the work) i.Provide a general overall summary of the purpose of your job ii.What are the major results or outputs of your job?iii.Describe the duties and tasks you perform daily periodic monthly.iv.Describe duties you perform irregularly.e.List any machines, instruments, tools, machine, materials, and work aids used in your job. Indicate percent of time used. f.Describe the record of your responsibility for nonhuman resources (money, machinery, machine and so on). What monetary loss can occur through an flaw? g.What reports and records do you prepare as part of your job? When are they prepared? h.What is t he source of instructions for perform your job (e.g. oral or written specifications)? i.Describe the nature and frequency of supervision received. j.How is your work reviewed, checked, or substantiate?B.Reporting Relationshipsa.How many employees are directly under your supervision? What are their job titles? b.Do you have full consent to hire, terminate, evaluate and transfer employees under your supervision? Explain. c.What contacts are required with other departments or persons other than you immediate department in performing you job? Describe the nature and extent of the contacts.C. work Conditionsa.Describe the working conditions present in the location and environment of your work such as cold/heat, noise, fumes, dust, and so on. Indicate frequency and academic storey of exposure b.Describe any dangers or hazards present in your job.D.Job Qualifications (Be certain not to list the officeholder qualifications, but what is required for performance by a new employee). a.De scribe thekind of previous work know necessary for satisfactory performance of this job. b.What is the amount of bear required?c.What kinds of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) are needed to perform the job? d.What is the minimal level of education (grammar, high school, degree etc.) required? e.Are any special physical skills and/or manual dexterity skills required to perform the job? f.Are there any special certification, registration, license, or learning requirements?Sample Job DescriptionJob Title Shift Supervisor (Mining)Position Purpose The purpose of this position is to maintain a safe and efficient plant operation through directing the activities of the operations personnel and providing a management support function for the plant superintendent.Typical Job Duties1.Directs the activities of the trading operations personnel and coordinates the activities of the maintenance personnel. 2.Issues written communication to employees concerning personnel policies and oper ational concerns. 3.Administers a maintenance request computer programme through collecting requests, scheduling, and recording maintenance activities. 4.Administers the plant tagging procedure.5.Conducts the training and safety programs for breach employees. 6.Schedules shift assignments to reflect workload and vacation schedules. 7.Performs administrative tasks such as recording workers time, maintaining records concerning operational activities, and updating written procedures. 8.Prepares one-year budget for assigned plan area and maintains the inventory level on these items. 9.Appraise performance of shift employees every year10.Counsels employees on disciplinary problems and job-related performance. 11.Assumes plant superintendents duties when assigned.Physical Requirements walking and climbing stairsWorking conditions Remote locations secure fully furnished housing is provided. Quarterly rotations between locations are available. Four daylight rotating roster with morning , afternoon and night shifts. Machine and Machines Used CRT, spectrometer, PH metre, conductivity metre Reporting Relationships The shift supervisor reports directly to the plant superintendent. The shift supervisor directs the control room wheeler dealer, two or much utility operators, trainees, and other assigned personnel, and coordinates the activities of the maintenance personnel present on shift.QualificationsEducation Associate degree or equivalent training (e.g. management training classes) OR five (5) years of management experience Related bring forth Minimum of three (3) years as a control room operator for a coal-fired boiler operation.Job Knowledge/Skills Required1.Comprehensive understanding of plant systems.2.Fundamental understanding of electrical systems and motor control centres.3.Thorough knowledge of boiler chemistry.4.Comprehension of flow, logic, and electrical prints.5.Ability to perform elementary mathematical and algebraic calculations.6.Communication and human relations skills.7.Ability to operate CRT, spectrometer, PH metre, and conductivity metre.8.Managerial skills.PART 3 WRITING SELECTION CRITERIAReferencesAdapted from cream Decisions, pp 131-138 in Nkomo, S. M., Fottler, M. D., McAfee, R. B. (2008) Human Resource Management Applications Cases, Exercises, Incidents, and Skill Builders, 6th EditionSelection Criteria adapted from Practical Exercises have traineeselection at Yarra Bank, pp 269271 in Stone, R. J. (2010) Managing Human Resources, 3rd EditionLEARNING OBJECTIVESTo help you develop skills in developing selection criteria and evaluation measures To make you aware of the complex criteria often used to select candidates To help you develop skills in planning and implementing semi-structured interviews To give you practice in preparing for the selection interviewINSTRUCTIONSSelection CriteriaUsing the job description, you chose for the job advertisement1.Develop a list of key selection criteria for an upcoming nothingne ss in this position in terms of experience, qualifications, skills/abilities, personal qualities and special requirements (see template below).2.Outline how you would evaluate the candidates on each criterion. What questions would you ask?3.Identify your interview selection panel. Indicate the number of people to be on the panel, the positions that they hold and provide a brief explanation of why they are required on the panel.Key selection criteriaExperienceWhat type of and how much experience is required to perform this job successfully?QualificationsWhat are the minimum bollock educational qualifications required to perform this job successfully?Skills/AbilitiesWhat special skills and/or abilities and knowledge are required to perform this job successfully?Personal QualitiesWhat special personal qualities (physical characteristics and personalitycharacteristics) are required to perform this job successfully?Special requirementsWhat special requirements are required to perform th is job successfully?

Aileen

Wuornos was born as Aileen Carol Pittman in Rochester, Michigan. She had one older brother named Keith, who was born in February 1955. Her mother, Diane Pratt, was 15 years old when she married Leo Dale Pittman on June 3, 1954. Less than devil years into marriage and two months before Wuornos was born, Pratt filed for divorce. Pittman was a child molester who spent most of his life in and out of prison. Wuornos never met her father, as he was imprisoned for the rape and attempted murder of an eight-year-old boy at the time of her birth.Leo Pittman was strangled in prison in 1969. In January 1960, Pratt abandoned her children, leaving them with their maternal(p) grandparents Lauri and Britta Wuornos. They were legally adopted on March 18, 1960 by the Wuornos family and took their surname. From a young age, Wuornos engaged in sexual urge with multiple partners, including her give birth brother. At the age of 13, she became pregnant, claiming the pregnancy was a result of being ra ped by an unknown man. Wuornos gave birth at a Detroit home for unwed mothers on March 23, 1971. The child, a son, was set for adoption.On July 7, 1971 Britta Wuornos died of liver failure, after(prenominal) which Wuornos and her brother became wards of the court. At age 15, Wuornos grandfather threw her out of the house, and she began supporting herself as a prostitute. On whitethorn 27, 1974, Wuornos was prevailed in Jefferson County, Colorado for drunk driving, disorderly conduct, and firing a . 22-caliber shooting iron from a moving vehicle. She was later take downd with failure to appear. In 1976, Wuornos hitchhiked to Florida, where she met 70-year-old yacht club president Lewis Gratz pelt (June 28, 1907 January 6, 2000).They married that same year, and the news of their nuptials was printed in the local newspapers society pages. However, Wuornos continually involved herself in confrontations at their local sedan and was eventually sent to jail for infract. She also h it Fell with his own cane, leading him to get a restraining order against her, after which she returned to Michigan. On July 14, 1976, Wuornos was arrested in Antrim County, Michigan and charged with assault and disturbing the peace following an incident in which she threw a cue ball at a bartenders head.On July 17, her brother Keith died of throat cancer and Wuornos acquired $10,000 from his life insurance. Wuornos and Fell divorced on July 21 after nine weeks of marriage. On May 20, 1981, Wuornos was arrested in Edgewater, Florida for the armed robbery of a convenience store. She was consequently sentenced to prison on May 4, 1982 and released on June 30, 1983. On May 1, 1984, Wuornos was arrested for attempting to pass forged checks at a lodge in Key West. On November 30, 1985, she was named as a suspect in the theft of a revolver and ammunition in Pasco County.On January 4, 1986, Wuornos was arrested in Miami and charged with grand theft auto, resisting arrest and obstruction by false information (she provided identification with the name Lori Grody, her aunt). Miami police found a . 38-caliber revolver and a turning point of ammunition in the stolen car. On June 2, 1986, Volusia County deputies detained Wuornos for questioning after a male companion charge her of move a gun in his car and demanding $200. Wuornos was found to be carrying spare ammunition and a . 22 pistol was discovered beneath the passenger seat she occupied.Around this time, Wuornos met Tyria Moore, a hotel maid, at a Daytona animated bar. They moved in together, and Wuornos supported them with her prostitution earnings. On July 4, 1987, Daytona Beach police detained Wuornos and Moore at a bar for questioning regarding an incident in which they were accused of assault and battery with a beer bottle. On March 12, 1988, Wuornos accused a Daytona Beach bus driver of assault. She claimed that he pushed her off the bus following a confrontation. Moore was listed as a witness to the inci dent.Wuornos and Moore abandoned Peter Siems car after they were involved in an accident on July 4, 1990, after which Wuornos palm print was found. Witnesses who had seen the women driving the victims cars provided police with their names and descriptions, resulting in a media campaign to finalize them. police force also found some of the victims belongings in pawnshops and retrieved fingerprints, which matched those found in the victims cars and on Wuornos arrest record. On January 9, 1991, Wuornos was arrested on an outstanding warrant at The Last Resort, a biker bar in Volusia County.Police located Moore the next day in Scranton, Pennsylvania. She agreed to get a confession from Wuornos in stand in for prosecutorial immunity Moore returned with police to Florida, where she was put up in a motel. Under police guidance, Moore made many telephone calls to Wuornos, pleading for help in clearing her name. Three days later, on January 16, 1991, Wuornos confessed to the murders. She claimed the men had act to rape her and she killed them in self- defensive structure. Wuornos went to trial for the murder of Richard Mallory on January 14, 1992.Prior bad acts are normally inadmissible in criminal trials, but under Floridas Williams Rule, the prosecution was allowed to introduce rise related to her other crimes in order to show a pattern of illegal acts. Wuornos was convicted for Richard Mallorys murder on January 27, 1992 with help from Moores testimony. At her sentencing, psychiatrists for the defense testified that Wuornos was mentally unstable and had been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. She was sentenced to closing on January 31, 1992.On March 31, 1992, Wuornos pleaded no struggle to the murders of Dick Humphreys, Troy Burress and David Spears, saying she wanted to get right with God. In her statement to the court, she stated, I wanted to confess to you that Richard Mallory did violently rape me as Ive told you. But these others did not. T hey only began to start to. On May 15, 1992, Wuornos was given three more death sentences. In June 1992, Wuornos pleaded guilty to the murder of Charles Carskaddon and received her fifth death sentence in November 1992.The defense made efforts during the trial to introduce evidence that Mallory had been tried for intent to use rape in Maryland, and that he had been committed to a maximum security correctional facility in Maryland which provided remediation to sexual offenders. Records obtained from that institution reflected that from 1958 to 1962, Mallory was committed for treatment and observation resulting from a criminal charge of assault with intent to rape, and received an overall eight years of treatment from the facility.In 1961, it was observed of Mr. Mallory that he possessed strong sociopathic trends. The judge refused to allow this to be admitted in court as evidence and denied Wuornos request for a retrial. In February 1993, Wuornos pleaded guilty to the murder of Walt er Jeno Antonio and was sentenced to death again. No charges were brought against her for the murder of Peter Siems, as his body was never found. In all, she received six death sentences.

A Business Trip to Chile Essay

Excited astir(predicate) visiting a S come out of the closeth Ameri ass kingdom for the first time, I started my journey to capital of chili pepper De chile from Miami on March 2nd, 2012. To start with, I was skeptical close the quality of a chilli establish airline. But, I was amazed by the excellent service provided by LAN airlines. My perception about a cayenne pepperan company changed then and there. Also, prior to my flight I doubted whether the officials in the flight will bewilder a line English (even though we were assured by the Professor that there wouldnt be language problems during the travel) and my doubts didnt fructify.In fact, the quality of the food given to us in the plane set up a high expectation for my mavin-week foresighted stay at Santiago. solar day One After watching the Pirates of the Caribbean At Worlds end, a movie which I have been craving to watch for a long time, and a couple of hours of pleasant flight, we landed in Santiago on time. As so on as the automatic door swung open letting me in to the airport, I noniced a group of population standing before a counter that was used to collect a recipro city fee. The notice venire before the counter showed US $140.As I didnt fully understand what a reciprocity fee is and since I was coming in to the country from US, I stood at the back of a very short line counting my $140. When my turn came, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it applies entirely to US Citizens and that it is a one-time charge only for the life of the passport. I wondered what the reciprocity fees was and later rear out that this was the amount the US charges Chileans get into the country. For that reason, the fees ar referred to as reciprocity.After a secondary research, I found that out of the countries in South America, five of them charge a fee Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Paraguay. The fees charged are in direct relation to what the home country of the passenger charges residen ts of the country you are visiting. The fees look like a unplayful source of revenue for these countries. I reached the Atton El Bosque hotel by hiring a cab from the airport aft(prenominal) a little struggle to explain the hotel name and location to the taxi driver.After resting for a while, and after(prenominal) a brief orientation meeting, we started a City Tour. The go get out who accompanied us was very knowledgeable about the history and polish of Chile. It was a pleasure to put on the La Moneda Presidential Palace and was provoke to l fool about the history of the castle. Construction of the La Moneda started in 1784 and was constructed to be the countrys official mint, hence the name which translates to The Mint. A wiki entry shows that coins were minted from 1814 to 1929. And, in 1845 the castling became the residence of the president.I learnt an important history of Chile that twenty-four hour period about the Chileans having a different 911 to concoct about a nd that was about the military coup detat on September 11, 1973. The then Commander-in-chief Augusto Pinochet led the coup against the President Salvador Allende. Despite the air raids and ground attacks on the palace, the President vowed to stay in the presidential palace and rejected the militarys ultimatum to step down. Eventually the President killed himself (although this is questionable and still under scrutiny).The turn of events guide explained this really well to the group and pointed to a closed door, which was guarded by a uniform officer, mentioning that the dead body of the president was taken out through this door. After finishing the tour roughly the palace, we had a s go on at Los Dominicos for some artisan shopping and then the first day of the falter officially ended. Later for dinner, we went to a place nearby the hotel and the service was not so good. So we obstinate to tip him lesser than the 10%. But to our surprise, the waiter stood there demanding for the be tip.We didnt know if it was a Chile purification to tip 10% mandatorily. Later I found out that the livelihood of well-nigh of the waiters depends on tips. They may get a minimum salary but it is barely enough to upper side transportation. But according to me, the financial dependence on tips doesnt necessarily mean the waiters/waitresses deserve to get tips for a lousy service. Thus, day one ended with some important lessons learnt about the history and culture of Chile. Throughout the trip we were informed of the importance of the copper patience to the economy of Chile.Day Two We started first on day two for a two hour long trip to the port city of Valparaiso. En route to Valparaiso, the second largest city of Chile, we stopped at a place to refresh ourselves and we adage some Llamas at the back of the store. It was the first time I power saw a Llama. Later on a casual talk to one of the hotel staff, I learnt that during the Spanish conquest the Llamas was primarily us ed to act down ore from the mines that were atop mountains. But then the doorway of horses and donkeys diminished the importance of Llama as a living organism of burden.And, that they are primarily used as a source of food and fiber now. The first subject that came to our attention in Valparaiso was the National Congress of Chile. Our tour guide pointed out that Pinochet shifted the congress from downtown Santiago to Valparaiso. The Chile government, like the USA, has a bicameral legislature. The legislature is made up of the Chamber of Deputies, which is the lower house, and the Senate. Also, we saw the Valparaiso market through the windows of the bus and the guide mentioned that you will get all sorts of stuff (even used goods) at cheap prices in that market.Chile has two Nobel Prize winners and both awards were in the arenas of Literature. Our tour path indicated a visit to the house of one of the Nobel laureates, Pablo Neruda. I wondered whether there will be anything int eresting to make at a house of a poet. Again, my perceptions turned out to be wrong after entering the house and after listening to the narrations (in English ) through an audio guide. I liked the way Pablo named everything in his house. And, the view of the port from his window was stunning. Then we trekked down the streets of Valparaiso and walked by the beautiful houses.The guide showed us accredited parts of the town overlooking the port that were occupied mainly by the English and a perform which had service in German. Later we took a short ride on a funicular, which was used to take the residents up and down the steep hill sides of Valparaiso. The funiculars are now operated just for tourism purpose as the cheap fee that was being charged previously for routine use was not profitable for the operators. Anyhow, it was interesting to ride on a historic means of transport. From there, we proceeded to have lunch at a rattling(prenominal) restaurant overlooking the sea.The foun der of La Bicicleta Verde greeted us during lunch and gave us an introduction to his business. His company, which gives a cycles/second tour of the city, was founded with a local partner and through InnovaChile, CORFO, which is the executing agency of government policies in the field of entrepreneurship and innovation. His insights about doing business in Chile were really thought provoking and his discussions revealed the support from the government for such innovations.After that, we took some time off walking along the beach and under the bright sun and then returned to the otel. The second day too was filled with lessons about the culture, business in Chile and about the fantastic poet, Pablo Neruda. Day Three On the third day, we visited the Adolfo Ibanez University that was atop the scenic San Ramon Hill. The University was away from the city and the tour guide told us that many poor people live near that college. Thus, students have been skeptical of locomotion to the colle ge as there have been many incidents of robbery. Anyhow, we reached the University from where we could see the whole of Santiago from the hills.There, we attended a bedevil from Guillermo Paraje, one of the eminent professors of the University, about the Latin American Economies. The stir started off with the information that the Latin American countries were only mildly affected by the economic crisis personnel casualty on around the worldly concern. Also, the unemployment rate has been sledding down along with an improver in the average wage. Most importantly, the increase price of copper has boosted the harvest rate of the Chile economy. The Professor took pride in mentioning that Chile is the first South American country to be an OECD member.One important point that the professor touched upon was the low productivity of trade union movement. He compared the productivity of Korea and Brazil and his charts showed that Korean has been growing its productivity rate at 4. 7 % whereas Brazil has been growing only at 0. 1%. This trend was seen throughout the Latin American countries and is a growing area of concern. Also, the Latin American countries were lagging behind in the service sector. Moreover, there seems to be an increasing gap mingled with the rich and poor. He raised an important point about Chile (or Latin American countries) remaining as a producer of raw materials alone.That is, he mentioned Chile is the leading exporter of copper but it is not a good producer of finished goods based out of copper. This, according to the Professor, should be the long confines strategy of all Latin American countries. A casual talk with the Professor after the lecture revealed that Chile is not aiming much in renewable and nuclear energy. A recent design to invest in nuclear energy was rejected by the Government citing safety issues, especially after the incident in Japan. Being a growing country, Chile could encourage more people to invest in renewab le energy.After that, we toured in and around the University and then returned to the bus to be greeted by our blithesome bus driver who always referred to us as Macho, macho. Later in the day, we had a entry about Flora & Fauna Chile Ltda. (Ltda. stands for limitada for limited companies). The mining industries cause a attraction of environmental issues and the activities around the mining have an impact on the wildlife around the region. The company does a wonderful business organisation in minimizing the impact to the habitat. The government made it mandatory for these mining companies to get the advice of Flora and Fauna.I was elated to learn that the government is actually interested in preserving the habitat of the various regions and they were assisted by this wonderful set of people who work for Flora and Fauna. Then, we had a presentation from the Managing Director of Banco Santander. The Banco Santander is the leading bank in Latin America. He gave as some good insig hts about the financial system in Chile and told us that the financial system of Chile ranks among the trump out in South America. Also, Mr. Martin Perez, described the Pension transcription of Chile.A reform in late 1980 replaced the pay-as-you go regime with a fully-funded pension system. The third day was filled with lessons about the economics and financial systems of Chile. Day Four The next day, we visited the Frito-Lay, which was located in Cerrillos. The double-decker of the plant addressed us with some information about the plant. In Latin America, Frito-Lay has 6 production sites and the Cerrillos plant was bought in 2008. One of the slides of the presentation showed a growth rate of around 8% in the volume of sales and a 15% increase in revenue since the inception of the plant.Another graph illustrated a volume of the salty snacks portfolio of Frito-Lay despite having no new line in the site. The manager mentioned the increase was because of an improvement in the effi ciency of the site. The manager takes pride in the fact that they have a fore just about site in terms of efficiency, service and sustainability. For instance, the plant includes a series of photovoltaic panels on top of the pulverisation that produces around 12KW of electricity. Interestingly, the plant has reduced its water and energy consumption significantly.Also, the future plans for the site includes a reuse of 100% of the wasted water. Once the presentation was done, the manager took us around the factory and showed us the various lines and packaging units. Along the way, he told us that the potatoes are grown under controlled conditions and that it is not the equal as the ones used for domestic consumption. On inquiring about some froth lying on the ground, the manager told me that it was the result of an experiment to re-use the starch produced from the potatoes. This was really surprising.Apart from being very sustainable, the company was attempt to innovate in various ways. Finally, on inquiring about the software system used in the plant, the manager informed me that they are going to switch to SAP in few months. The plant was going all the way to become very efficient. It was very impressive. After a delicious lunch, we visited CORFO Chile for an introduction to drop dead Up Chile. This was the most interesting site visit for me. The Start Up Chile is one of the best incubator course of instructions designed to attract entrepreneurs from across the world.It was started by the Chilean Government to convert Chile into an innovation and entrepreneurial hub of Latin America. We were presented with the ways in which an entrepreneur is selected for the program. Apparently, an expert team, including eminent people from USA, selects the best among the applicants. It was also interesting to know that the program has attracted people from India and China and that too, with minimal advertisements in those areas. Through the Start Up Chile program, entr epreneurs work on their projects at Chile and are reimbursed up to $40,000 in cash.During 2011-2012, the program has attracted people from diverse industries including IT, e-Commerce, Energy, Cleantech, etc. The basic idea is to boost the confidence of the local entrepreneurs by move a message that Chile supports such innovations. The incoming people are also required to earn around 4000 points to successfully complete the program. They earn points in various ways, including giving seminars to local universities and thus, they add judge to Chile. I believe this is an amazing idea to boost the economy of a country which is presently restricted on only exports of raw materials.They are building a future which is not necessarily mutually beneficial on the export industry and thereby, Chile is on track to building a sustainable future. Day Five We visited the factory of Agricom, suppliers of fresh fruits, on the second last day of our tour. Not surprisingly, the USA is the biggest m arket for avocados, which are exported from this facility. The company also offers other fruits such as Grapes, Drupes, Oranges, Apples, etc. Also, Agricom generates more than 2000 jobs for the Chilean labor market. Europe is also an important market for Agricom. As future plans, Agricom is planning to invest in walnuts.The factory visit was very informative and we could feel the urgency with which the workers go on with the various activities. The urgency can be directly attributed to the freshness factor of the fruits. Then, we visited Kross, a microbrewery factory. The founder welcomed us and took the pain in explaining to us the whole process of brewing the beer. On asking whether the recipe can be easily recapitulated, Mr. Asbjorn explained that he can write down the recipe and give it to me but, it will be very difficult to replicate the same taste as he has the right equipment.He also mentioned that it is not a good business sense to copy another beer. I felt it was a valid point and I learnt an interesting lesson. We, then, had an amazing barbeque lunch at a picturesque building at Vina Mar, which is a famous vineyard in Chile. Later, we visited another wine factory called the Vina Quintay and the Commercial Manager of the company direct us through some wine tasting. Day Six On the final day of the trip, we had the most important topic as presentation Mining in Chile by a fourth-year official from Kinross, a Canadian gold company.Starting up with some basic facts about Chile, the wickedness President informed us that the corruption in Chile is really low and doing business in Chile is very easy. He goes on to say that 28% of the worlds copper militia are in Chile and that Chiles economy is heavily dependent on mining. The mining, he said, is concentrated in the northern parts of the country. The work force in Chile is well dexterous for the mining business and thus makes this an important factor for investing in the mining industry. Chile is the worlds largest producer in copper.They also produce gold and Chile is the 13th largest producer. Interestingly, Chile is the largest producer of Lithium and the fifth largest producer of Silver. The mining industry contributes to 22% of the GDP and 60% of the exports. The mining industry directly employs around 70,000 people and indirectly employs more than 300,000. The Vice President goes on to say more on the challenges faced by the mining industry which includes the dwindling capacity of water, increasing demand for energy, increasing demand for specialized labor and so on. The trip ended on day six after the Kinross presentation.Departure Thus, I prepared to leave Chile after a wonderful trip with wonderful people. I probably learnt a lot of things about Chile in this short trip than I would have learnt if I had read through a book about Chile. I learnt a lot about the economics, the importance of the mining industry, the rich history and culture of Chile, the stable financial system, etc. Experiencing the culture was really important and if I start a business I would definitely look at Chile as the first option. Final lesson if you pay your room rent and other expenses at the hotel with US Dollars you dont have to pay sales tax.