Wednesday, October 30, 2019
The Mental Capcity Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
The Mental Capcity Act - Essay Example The law also applies to common decisions involving personal care, diet, movement and grooming. In practice, the MCA generally provides for making decisions based on the victim’s best interests. In working out what the best interests of a vulnerable party looks like, the proxy must not tamper their decision with other unrelated issues such as the principal’s age, looks, condition or behaviour. Secondly, they should consider postponing important decisions for persons who cannot make decisions due to temporary conditions. Thirdly, they should involve the individual who does not have mental capacity in decision-making processes (Murray, 2013). In contrast, the Act requires decision-making processes to be based on the vulnerable individual’s past principles. It is also important for proxy decision-makers to factor in the perceptions of others, especially care providers and other parties who are interested in the individual’s welfare (Symington, 2007). In addition, any such decisions should not be inclined towards taking the life of the vulnerable party if they still have a chance to recover. The MCA has since substituted an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) with a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). An LPA is a licit document allowing persons to select an individual who can decide about their health and assets in the event that they become incapable. In this case, the attorney is the party mandated to draw conclusions on their behalf. In addition, with the LPA’s property and affairs option and the personal welfare option, vulnerable individuals have, since the MCA was implemented in 2007, enjoyed all-encompassing protection when they become incapacitated. The property and affairs LPA provides the attorney(s) the authority to decide about the victim’s financial and other physical property issues, such as car or managing rental property. In contrast, the personal welfare LPA empowers the attorney(s) to decide on the victim’s health and individual welfare,
Monday, October 28, 2019
Treatment of Native Americans Essay Example for Free
Treatment of Native Americans Essay From the very beginning of American history, settlers have poorly treated the Native Americans. As some people know, â€Å"poorly†is an understatement. The treatment of the indigenous people was horrible during the 1800s from being forced to move west, having laws made against them by the government, and mass murder, even though that isn’t what our history books like to tell us today. In 1804, fur trading was established with the Oglala and became a big part of their life. Then, the Oglala and Lakota tribes decided to expand their control and influences west toward the Big Horn mountains. Then, on March 26, the United States government forced the Native Americans to move west past the Mississippi River. This meant that they would have to leave everything they had to move to a reservation where they would have to start all over again. They only had a certain amount of time to move cooperatively but when that time was up, they would be moved forcefully. If the Native Americans did not agree to move, then they were killed. Many laws and acts were passed against the native American people. In 1833, a law was made that no Native American to reside in the state of Florida, so, yet again, the indigenous people of our country were forced to drop everything thing they had to go live in a reservation in the west to start all over again. Also, in 1834, the Indian Intercourse Act was passed. The Indian Intercourse Act said that Congress created Indian Territory in the west that included the land area in all of present-day Kansas, most of Oklahoma, and parts of what later became Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming. The area was set aside for Indians who would be removed from their ancestral lands which, in turn, would be settled by non-Indians. The area steadily decreased in size until the 1870s when Indian Territory had been reduced to what is now Oklahoma, excluding the panhandle. Along with all of the laws and forced movement of Native Americans, there were also many battles that killed a lot of the indigenous people. In 1835 to 1842 was the Seminole War, the second and most terrible of three wars between the US government and the Seminole people was also one of the longest and most expensive wars in which the US army was ever engaged. Thousands of troops were sent, 1,500 men died, and between 40-60 million dollars were spent to force most of the Seminole to move to Indian Territory more than the entire US governments budget for Indian Removal. Another fight between settlers and Native Americans was in 1855. The Ash Hollow massacre was a pretty dumb battle when you think about it. Colonel William Harney uses 1,300 soldiers to massacre an entire Brulà © village in retribution for the killing of 30 soldiers, who were killed in retribution for the killing of the Brulà © chief, Conquering Bear, in a dispute over a cow. Settlers used any excuse they could think of to humiliate and kill as many Native Americans as they could. In conclusion, the treatment of Native Americans in our country was brutal. We are all told that a human is a human and everyone is equal. Well, clearly, people in the 1800s did not think so. They attacked anyone that was different in order to get ahead, including our indigenous people.
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Censorship Should NOT be Placed on Books Essay -- Censorship Censors
Censorship Should NOT be Placed on Books      "Censorship... a system under which official censors must give permission before communications of a specified type can lawfully be made" (Wilgoren, 1). Recently censorship has become a major problem in our society. Censorship should not be banned on books. People should not be told they cannot read a book. Unfortunately history has shown that words can be used for ill as well as for good, to destroy lives as well as to enhance them? (Steffens, 9) Words and reading them gives us a better understanding of other peoples views. Censorship should not be placed on books.      Every person can find a particular section in a book that they do not agree is appropriate. ?Many local censorship incidents still consist of one parent complaining about one book? (Fege, 10). ?In Colorado kids were eager to hear the fascinating tales of Harry Potter. That all stopped when people thought the book was evil and thought that it did not belong in the schools.? (1) How can people take a book that a child enjoys based on their views? In schools some kids may or may not have read the book Huckleberry Finn. ?Huckleberry Finn is not only one of the best books ever written in this country but it?s also the most influential? (West, 43). Reading books gives people a sense of what history is all about. ?If black kids are never taught Huckleberry Finn they are put at a real disadvantage if they ever go on to study literature at the college level? (43). ?You can get all hyped up about the fact that the word ?nigger? appears in the book over two hundred times, but that was what black Americans were called in the 1840?s, which when the book takes place? (43). Some people might take the word nigger in an unfashionable way. It was never meant to do any harm. ?Even though Huck calls Jim ?nigger,? he treats him like a friend? (43). Slaves were known as niggers at that point of history. ?Black kids need to know the history behind the word so that when they hear it on the playground they know where it comes from? (43). ?They (parents) might not want their own children to declare their own independence in the way that Huck does at the end of the book, and perhaps this is one of the reasons why they don?t want the book taught in the schools? (44). One alternative from the banning of any book is to provide a different bo... ...1991:10-12. Lueker, Donna Harrington. ?Book Battles.? American School      Board Journal Feb. 1991: 18+ Ockerbloom, John Mark. The on-line Books Page Presents      Banned Books On-Line. 13. Oct. 2000.      http://digital.library.upenn.edu/books/banned-books.html. Sipe, Rebecca Bowers. ?Don?t Confront Censors, Prepare for      Them.? Education Digest Feb. 1996: 42-46. Steffens, Bradley. Censorship. San Diego: Lucent Books, 1996. West, Mark I. ?Some Thoughts on Censorship and the Teaching      of Huckleberry Finn.? Multi-Cultural Review December. 1996: 42-44. Wilgoren, Jodi. ?Don?t Give Us Little Wizards, The      Anti-Potter Parents Cry.? New York Times 1 Nov. 1999:1. Thesis: Censorshipe should not be placed on books. I. Unfairness      A. Listening           1. Parents Views           2. Kids Views           3. Teachers Views      B. Freedom of Learning           1. Expressing Views           2. Trust II. Choice          A. Kids and Parents      B. People               1. School Boards           2. Government Officials           3. Censors III. Constitutional Rights      A. What it states      B. How we can change Censorship by an alternative
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Mechanism of PM Effects on Human
Mechanism of PM Effects on Human Introduction Further surveies are still needed on understanding the mechanism of effects of PM. Although surveies have shown the injury increasing with increasing PM concentration, the existent contribute facts are non clear. In these limited surveies, different exposure clip shows different effects. Some effects shown in short clip exposure while some effects shown in long clip exposure. Since the true mechanism of PM consequence on cardiovascular is non clear now, extra research of toxicological is needed. To better the measuring of specific consequence of PM on human wellness, environment and survey sample can besides be specified. Aims: The experiment and work on the farther research can be specified as followed short-run aims:Design and better in vivo and in vitro toxicological experimental theoretical accounts. Many surveies has been done on vivo and vitro toxicological experiment to happen the consequence of PM to cardiovascular, nevertheless, the direct parametric quantity of disease haven’t been clarified.Based on the in vivo and in vitro toxicological experiment, farther experiment on cell degree could stipulate the possible direct parametric quantity. The effects on PM on human wellness likely caused by the effects on cells, particularly on vascular cells and lung cells. To gauge the possibility of this premise, the cell experiment is needed.Once the mechanism of PM effects is clarified on cell degree, the molecule degree experiment can be design. The molecule is the concluding parametric quantity of the effects of PM.The farther aims ( 3-5 old ages ) are focused on the survey of emanation control of P M. Based on the mechanism of PM consequence on cell and human wellness, the chief parametric quantity and direct component can be decide. In that instance, the emanation commanding could concentrate on the chief component of PM. Since the composing of PM have varies of chemical, biological or metal particulates, the specific mechanism of effects on wellness can be assortment so the farther surveies are needed in that field. Literature Reappraisal: Cardiovascular disease-related mortality can be triggered when exposure to PM2.5 in a few hours per hebdomad ; greater extent can happen even in a longer-term exposure for case few old ages and can cut down life anticipation by exposed in high sections of population for several old ages. Cardiovascular mortality will cut down with decrease degree of PM within a clip of few old ages. Biological plausibleness to these findings has been proved. Mounting grounds of the injury of cardiovascular effects of air pollution has been published in late informations. The elevated hazard for cardiovascular with exposure to ticket PM2.5 has been corroborated by most of epidemiological surveies. Mechanisms has been studied by many penetrations that PM was proved have ability to advance cardiovascular disease ( CVDs ) . Endothelial disfunction, increased blood force per unit area, vasoconstriction, prothrombotic and systemic inflammatory and oxidative emphasis responses are been proved have linked to air pollutants. Methodology: Work plan1: In Vivo Experiment Model Enhancement. Yeas 1-2 The really first controlled homo survey related to the PM consequence on vascular map was reported that ague conduit arterial vasoconstriction was caused by exposure to concentrated ambient atoms ( CAP ) plus ozone. However, endothelium dependant and independent vasodilation is still at good status. Recently, survey found that PM2.5 is the ground for the inauspicious vascular effects but non ozone. However, all right CAP exposure did turn out ability of decreasing conduit artery endothelium-dependent vasodilation in 24hours, in the late more complicate experiments. However, the happening in Toronto, Canada of CAP-induced endothelial disfunction insight the composing of the atoms is more of import fact to find the mechanism of PM effects on homo. The improved in vivo experiment theoretical account analysis varies sort of particulate affair with different cricks of composing. To better the experiment theoretical account, controlled air pollution exposures is needed. Controlled air poll ution exposure is shown a unsure impact to map of impair endothelial or vasomotor tone. PM2.5 have different beginnings and the combustion-derived beginnings are the maim beginnings. However, some sorts of PM2.5 have a low dosage in combustion-derived beginnings. Besides, particles chemical science survey in old research shows positive determination in Diesel exposure surveies. There is no impair on microvacular endothelial map in healthy subjuests during a 24-hour exposure to ambient pollution shunted into a chamber in busy street. 1 The work plan1 is expected to happen the direct consequence mechanism of PM at tissue degree. Work during the work program 1 will incorporate experiments to obvious the effects of homo in exposure in different sorts of PM. Work program: 2 Improved Toxicological Experiment in cellular degree. Years 2-3 The effects of particulate air pollution and nanoparticles have been investigated. However, respiratory effects are focused by most of the surveies like inspiration, intratracheal or intranasal insillation. It is easy to understand that redness and oxidative emphasis can be caused by exposure to particulate 2. Single-dose intratracheal instillment of diese exhaust atoms can do lung redness characterized by inflow of inflammatory cells accurately. Interleukin-6 was found released in 18 h. Collected from the urban country of Sao Paulo, acute exposure of healthy mice by intranasal intranasal instillment to PM2.5 caused lung redness and oxidative emphasis and worsened lung electric resistance dose-dependent form 3. Pretreatment of mice with eugenol prevented the alterations in lung mechanics, pneumonic redness, and alveolar prostration which reported late by a research group. To work on the cell degree experiment, we can utilize lung cells as the sample. Culture the cell in the ambiance with different sorts of PM to compare their effects. The cell even can be record all the clip with the alteration in its form and chemical composing. Isotopically labled engineering besides can be used as a method to track the particulate and enter their way in the cell. Experiment in cellular degree will supply obvious in cellular degree. Since the effects of PM on homo are complicate procedure, PM may play a function as signal molecule or direct parametric quantity. The concluding outlook of work program 2 should inflect the possible cause and effects of PM. Work plan:3 Molecular degree experiment. TiO2hold many industrial applications. Occring in four crystalline polymorphs of which rutile, TiO2is considered appears much common as anatase. TiO2atom, increased release of lactate dehydrogenase, wll reactive oxygn species every bit good as down mitochondrial activity in human epithelial tissue cells. As a popular phtocalyst, TiO2hold great advantage uncomplete mineralization of organic pollutants in waste H2O and air. However, late researches show that pneumonic neurophilia and the increased look of tumour mortification will caused in the lung tissue 4. Molecular degree experiment obvers the atom activity and will happen the mechanism of the effects. Atom force microscope ( AFM ) or other engineering can be used to plan a series experiments to happen the relation between the particulate form and its influence. We could choose different sorts of atoms with different form and diameter and utilize these sorts of atom to make nature experiment to compare the alteration in sample’s blood and vas. These experiments may take a long clip. Anticipatedsignificance: For this research, the awaited significance is to sum up the mechanism and the consequence of PM on homo. To accomplish the awaited significance, several stairss is needed: 1 ) Design the in vivo and in vitro experiment with utilizing different sorts of PM and reiterate the experiment with different sort of people in different country to minimise the likely mistake ; 2 ) Based on the effect of the first measure, plan the experiment at cell degree to analyse the PM effects on cells. An unreal lung can be built to better the experiment that exists. 3 ) To compare the form and other physical or chemical character of different sorts of PM to find the most harmful character and happen the mechanism at molecule degree. Mention 1.Brauner EV, Moller P, Barregard L, Dragsted LO, Glasius M, Wahlin P, et Al. Exposure to ambient concentrations of particulate air pollution does non act upon vascular map or inflammcatory tracts in immature healthy persons. Part Fibre Toxicol 2008, 5: 13. 2.Nemmar A, Alaˆ?Salam S, Zia S, Marzouqi F, Alaˆ?Dhaheri A, Subramaniyan D, et Al. Contrasting actions of Diesel fumes atoms on the pneumonic and cardiovascular systems and the effects of thymoquinone. British diary of pharmacological medicine 2011, 164 ( 7 ) : 1871-1882. 3.Riva D, Magalhaes C, Lopes A, Lancas T, Mauad T, Malm O, et al. Low dosage of all right particulate affair ( PM2. 5 ) can bring on acute oxidative emphasis, redness and pneumonic damage in healthy mice. Inhalation toxicology 2011, 23 ( 5 ) : 257-267. 4.Melghit K, Al-Rabaniah SS. Photodegradation of Congo ruddy under sunshine catalysed by nanorod rutile TiO & A ; lt ; sub & A ; gt ; 2 & A ; lt ; /sub & A ; gt ; . Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry 2006, 184 ( 3 ) : 331-334.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
A Human Resources Report To The Acquisition Board Of XXYY Corporation
XXYY Corporation acquired Red Slash, a family company that has existed for twenty years. Red slash will be one of the subsidiaries or associate companies for the XXYY Corporation with the Head office at Santa Clara and many offices all over the world. The new acquisition changes the management structure, with a focus on the combined entity’s human resources.INTRODUCTION The holding company XXYY Corporation will have an extra, one hundred members of staff. These new human resources from Red Slash are unskilled and are just working for the family/ friend’s business. Human resources for the new combined XXYY Corporation need to be transformed by using strategic approaches. This transformation will be improving the intangible assets or resources, which make up the human capital for the company.The body:Transforming the human resources function using strategic approaches will involve a thorough research and development program, on the human resources depa rtment. The strengths and weakness of the members of staff in Red Slash need to be, determined and the main focus should be on the main weakness, which relates to the employment of unskilled family members and friends. Human capital need to have the necessary knowledge, skills, education and experience to provide entrepreneurial ability, that will coordinate all the other factors of production and improve the Profitability, Earnings per share, Market value and general returns to the XXYY holding company.A plan to improve the human resources for the combined entity, especially the new employees from the Red slash subsidiary. Implementation of the plan should be within the first financial or economic year from the date of merging. The unskilled human capital need to be rejuvenated so that they can effectively coordinate with those in the Holding company XXYY corporation and with the, operational, middle management and Top management personnel.Tom G (2003)To transform the human res ources of Red slash, I will explain the following strategic approaches:Conducting organization analysis through human resource audits, job analysis and revamping the recruitment and selection process:Revamping refers to the changing or arranging the human capital to achieve the company’s success. Human resources in Red slash were not acquired through just and equitable procedures. The acquisition Board of XXYY Corporation should officially examine the employees who are currently holding positions in Red Slash.This kind of human capital does not posses the initial ability, knowledge and skill to work for the combined entity. Retaining this kind of workforce will be to the loss of the company, because revenues will be maximized at high costs; huge salaries and wages being paid to unproductive workforce or human resources. Family people and friends working for Red Slash should be replaced with new employees. Selection procedures should be fair and justifiable. The new workforce structure for XXYY Corporation should be composed of only those who have an ability to deliver. Revenues will therefore be maximized at a favorable cost for the new merger.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Free Essays on James Madison And The Enlightenment
Enlightenment was a movement that prevailed ideas about nature. This happened around the 1700’s. This movement played a major part for the world at that point in time. There were many enlightenment personalities that influenced this movement. The person that I would like to enlighten you about is James Madison. Along with that, I would like to share with you how he contributed to the enlightenment. James Madison first interaction with the enlightenment was when he made up the Virginia plan. The reason for the formation of this plan was to give fair representation to the larder and smaller states. In 1776 he made his first contribution which was, that the exercise of religion is a right not a privilege. He served in Congress since March of 1780. He was one of a few who thought the confederation Government needed to be invested with more power at the state’s expense. Though he engineered compromises, the confederation continued using power. Before he took up the task of reformulating the American government system, he left the national office and served in the Virginia House of delegates. He did this to block the establishment of states supporting churches. In 1787 Madison drafted a plan for a more powerful national government. He took s leading role in shaping the constitution. He devoted himself fully to the constitution being ratified. Then he and some colleagues wrote The Federalists. James Madison helped Virginia become the tenth ratified state. He promised his Virginia Constituency that he would sponsor a series of amendments. These amendments in return would provide a safeguard for the people. Ten of these amendments were ratified and is now know as the Bill of Rights. With Madison and Hamilton in a middle of a dispute, it lead to the formation of two groups; the Federalist and Republican parties. He drafted the Virginia Resolutions. During his final years, he paid attention to the domestic affairs. He establishe... Free Essays on James Madison And The Enlightenment Free Essays on James Madison And The Enlightenment Enlightenment was a movement that prevailed ideas about nature. This happened around the 1700’s. This movement played a major part for the world at that point in time. There were many enlightenment personalities that influenced this movement. The person that I would like to enlighten you about is James Madison. Along with that, I would like to share with you how he contributed to the enlightenment. James Madison first interaction with the enlightenment was when he made up the Virginia plan. The reason for the formation of this plan was to give fair representation to the larder and smaller states. In 1776 he made his first contribution which was, that the exercise of religion is a right not a privilege. He served in Congress since March of 1780. He was one of a few who thought the confederation Government needed to be invested with more power at the state’s expense. Though he engineered compromises, the confederation continued using power. Before he took up the task of reformulating the American government system, he left the national office and served in the Virginia House of delegates. He did this to block the establishment of states supporting churches. In 1787 Madison drafted a plan for a more powerful national government. He took s leading role in shaping the constitution. He devoted himself fully to the constitution being ratified. Then he and some colleagues wrote The Federalists. James Madison helped Virginia become the tenth ratified state. He promised his Virginia Constituency that he would sponsor a series of amendments. These amendments in return would provide a safeguard for the people. Ten of these amendments were ratified and is now know as the Bill of Rights. With Madison and Hamilton in a middle of a dispute, it lead to the formation of two groups; the Federalist and Republican parties. He drafted the Virginia Resolutions. During his final years, he paid attention to the domestic affairs. He establishe...
Monday, October 21, 2019
Evolution of Warfare - Ancient Greece, Romans and Chinese essays
Evolution of Warfare - Ancient Greece, Romans and Chinese essays Throughout the ages, weapons, armor, and even warfare have evolved in astonishing ways to suit societys needs. Many reasons exist for the changes in all these tools. Armor evolved through the need for one to protect him/her-self and weapons evolved alongside to break through this protection. Warfare evolved with society, just as society was evolving itself through time. No other societies better than Ancient Greece, Rome and China can show us how the Age of Armor began and evolved. These societies were the dawn of the great cultures of the world. Greeces epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey best describe the kind of warfare that was used in battle, along with the weaponry and armor of the time. Ancient texts and artifacts grant us access of how Greek warfare had changed and how some aspects of war remained the same, until the Roman times. The Romans improvised and improved a lot of the tactics that were used by the Greeks and along with new inventions they brought warfare into a whole new level. And the Chinese (Qin Dynasty) were the pioneers of many intriguing weaponry and battle tactics. The Greek soldiers were called hoplites (acquired this name from the hoplon, a convex, circular shield, approximately three feet in diameter, made of composite wood and bronze.(Encyclopedia Britannica). These soldiers were characteristically equipped with about seventy pounds of armor, most of which was made of bronze. Hoplites were equipped with a hoplon (shield), a cuirass, a helmet and a greaves which all consistent of bronze and a long thrusting spear with an iron tip and butt, along with a sword. The heavy bronze shield, which was secured on the left arm and hand by a metal band on its inner rim, was the most important part of a hoplite's panoply, as it was his chief defense. Hoplites were the primary focus of the phalanx (an organized, dense line of battle, Jona Lenderin...
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Idioms and Expressions That Refer to Eating
Idioms and Expressions That Refer to Eating Idioms and Expressions That Refer to Eating Idioms and Expressions That Refer to Eating By Mark Nichol This post discusses a number of idiomatic expressions that refer literally or figuratively to consuming food and include some form of the word eat. To say that someone will eat someone else for breakfast is to convey that the first person will easily defeat the other in whatever competition or rivalry they are engaged in. Meanwhile, a dog-eat-dog environment is a highly competitive one, with a hyperbolic notion that people within it are so ruthless that they are like animals desperate enough to kill and eat each other. Similarly, to say that one person will eat another’s lunch is, on the analogy of the clichà © of a child stealing a classmate’s lunch, to suggest that a competitor or rival will best someone else decisively. On a related note, â€Å"Eat one’s young†means to betray someone to whom one has a responsibility. â€Å"Eat your heart out!†is a taunt to someone noted for an accomplishment, skill, or talent expressing that the speaker has outperformed the targeted person in that area; the idiom alludes to the notion that the target will agonize about being outperformed to the extent that it affects the person’s health- the defeat metaphorically eats away at his or her heart. Meanwhile, â€Å"Eat me!†and â€Å"Eat my shorts!†are vulgar taunts, while â€Å"Eat my dust!†from the notion that one will be running or driving faster, leaving the other person in a cloud of dust of one’s making, is milder to the point of being acceptable as a lighthearted jab. To say that one is getting or having a bite to eat, or to invite someone to join one for a bite to eat (or just a â€Å"bite†), suggests that the food consumed will consist of a snack or a light meal, though in reality it may turn out to be a full meal. To eat and run is to dine hurriedly. When one says, â€Å"I hate to eat and run!†it’s generally a jocular apology about doing so. To eat in is simply to dine at home rather than going to a restaurant. â€Å"Eat like a bird†alludes to how many birds pick at their food and seem to eat little, while eat like a pig invites comparison with the hearty enthusiasm of a pig when it eats. To eat one’s fill is to consume food until one is full, and a pregnant woman is said to be â€Å"eating for two†when her appetite increases. To eat someone out of house and home refers to when a house guest demonstrate one’s healthy appetite by exhausting the supply of food in the home of one’s host. To say that one could eat a horse is to express that one is extremely hungry. (It’s unclear why this idiom specifies the horse, which in Western civilization has generally not been considered a source of meat for people except in dire circumstance, rather than another large animal associated with meat, such as a cow. One clue is that the expression appears in several sources as â€Å"so hungry, [one] could eat a horse behind the saddle,†alluding to a traveler being so desperate that he would kill his mount for food.) When one says that one will eat one’s hat if something that seems unlikely is true or something that seems unlikely to happen occurs, the speaker is hyperbolically expressing that he or she will consume the headgear as punishment for his or her skepticism. The implication is that the speaker is so confident of the outcome that he or she believes that there is little chance he or she will have to keep his or her word and carry out the act. By the same token, to eat one’s words is to figuratively ingest them after expressing something that has been challenged or refuted; the idea is the same as having to take back one’s words. Eating crow or eating dirt, similarly, refers to the humiliation of being proven wrong; the notion is of having to ingest something unpalatable. The idea of eating humble pie is a figurative extension. When an idea, or an emotion such as guilt, eats away at someone, it is because the person feels as he or she is being gnawed at, with emotional distress akin to physical harm. By contrast, to say that something is eating through something else refers to one substance dissolving another, although it might also refer to pests such as termites gnawing on wood, and to say that one is being eaten alive is figurative and alludes to being swarmed by mosquitoes or biting insects. To eat high off the hog is to live well and prosper, from the notion that the best cuts of pork are located on the upper part of the pig’s body. To say that one has another person eating out of one’s hand (or the palm of one’s hand) suggests that the other person has been tamed, as when someone succeeds in getting a wild animal to eat food in this manner. â€Å"Eat up!†is a friendly admonition to partake in a meal. â€Å"Eat, drink, and be merry†carries the same sentiment, although the original expression concluded fatalistically, â€Å"for tomorrow we die†- a comment uttered at a feast on the eve of battle. When one is told that one looks good enough to eat, the speaker is comparing one’s attractiveness to the visual appeal of delicious-looking food. Meanwhile, assuring someone that one, or another person, â€Å"won’t eat you†is in response to the person assured being apprehensive about approaching or meeting someone because the other person seems imposing or threatening or the first person is shy. â€Å"Let them eat cake†was supposedly a callous response by a member of royalty to a report that peasants were too poor to afford bread. However, it is wrongly attributed to Marie Antoinette, queen of France at the time of the French Revolution, who was reportedly generous to the indigent. A similar remark, referring to the crust of pà ¢tà © rather than to cake, was rumored to have been uttered by another French queen more than a hundred years earlier and is likely the source of the misattributed quote. To say that someone is mad enough to chew (or eat) nails suggests hyperbolically that the person is gnashing his or her teeth out of anger so passionately that he or she could easily gnaw through metal. â€Å"Real men don’t eat quiche,†dating from the trendy popularity of the egg dish during the 1970s, suggests that the delicacy does not appeal to masculine taste in the way that, say, a piece of steak would. To say that a room is so clean, one could eat off the floor hyperbolically concludes that it has undergone such a painstakingly thorough cleaning that the floor is safe for placing food on. â€Å"You are what you eat,†originating early in the nineteenth century but repeated over the years and popularized during the 1960s, suggests the rather obvious notion that one’s diet determines the condition of one’s body. On a related note, the admonition to â€Å"eat your Wheaties†derives from the reputation of that brand of cereal for being particularly nutritious; one who wishes to be successful is encouraged to partake of it. â€Å"You can’t have your cake and eat it, too†means that one cannot simultaneously continue to enjoy the fact that one possesses something while consuming it or using it up. A reference to eating someone’s face has one of two meanings, depending on context. Denoting anger, it means that someone is so furiously confronting someone else that he or she is metaphorically devouring the other’s face. By contrast, people kissing passionately are sometimes said in humor to be eating each other’s faces. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Examples of Passive Voice (And How To Fix Them)Loan, Lend, Loaned, LentHonorary vs. Honourary
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Organisational Structure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words
Organisational Structure - Essay Example le within the company as well as the company itself so that the end result is one on which everyone solemnly agree, that is to make the company thrive from a revenue-generating angle and image building aspect in the long run. The change in the organizations’ strategies as well as structures guarantee that the company is present and willing to do more than just provide products and services to the end consumers. It wants to make the people realize that the company is there and wants to do its very best by tailoring its strategies in such a manner that can only benefit them nonetheless. After all, a company or an organization without the target people is nothing more than an office set up with employees and employers working for no one, at the end of the day. Organization is a body of working people, having various types of persons with heterogeneous behaviors interlink with corporate goals and objectives. This cluster of people is grouped in different categories according to their working importance, caliber and productivity at various hierarchical levels. â€Å"The established pattern of relationships between the component parts of an organization, outlining both communication, control and authority patterns. Structure distinguishes the parts of an organization and delineates the relationship between them†. (Wilson and Rosenfeld, 1990) Functional OS divides the whole company people and departments into various functions they performed. This type of structure is focused on specialized divisions of workers and employees, hierarchical positions, impersonal rules of management and impersonal relations. Functional Have two types in practical form: Flat Functional Structure, also labeled as horizontal or broad structure, has many people at top level with various departments working under them. This type is typically bureaucratic style of business having complicated procedures and many people involved at various levels. When this structure flows down, one person
Analysis Of The Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Essay
Analysis Of The Sir Gawain And The Green Knight - Essay Example The story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is based on the challenges that are made against his ethics in terms of being a knight and the changes that come with age that refine those ethical considerations. The heart of the tale begins as Arthur asks for a story to be told that would inspire him to eat his dinner. At this point, the Green Knight appears and wants to talk to Arthur. He comes to challenge the court because he wants to know whether or not the court and its knights can live up to their legend. The challenge is that one of the knights can take one swing of his giant ax and in exactly a year the Green Knight can return that swing. Sir Gawain uses the ax to cut off the Green Knight’s head when the Knight has offered his neck for the blow. For most people, this would be the end of the game, but the Green knight speaks and reminds the assembly of the deal they have struck before taking his head and riding out of the celebration. Use of the word covenant appears frequently throughout the book, creating a sense of obligation between characters in the story. When the Green Knight first faces Sir Gawain who is to be the person with whom he exchanges strokes of the ax he says â€Å"Make we our covenant ere we go further†, suggesting that the agreement is the lynchpin on which the entire ‘game’ is based (Weston 14). This creates a foundation of ethics on which the events that unfold can be examined. It is the ethical and moral character of Sir Gawain, as well as that of Arthurs court, which is being examined through honoring the idea of a covenant. There is a description of the changing of seasons that occurs within the poem. The changing of the seasons can be equated with the idea of the change that occurs over time as a person begins to mature. The seasonal changes are reflective of the cycle of life in which Sir Gawain believes he has come to an end.
Friday, October 18, 2019
Archetypes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Archetypes - Essay Example She mixes up her business professionalism with life care, in that she endows the main task of caring for the child. This movie lays credence to the socio-economic position of the global period during that 10-year period, characterized by the decreased growth of countries’ low standards of living. Her final decision that overcame the thought of an adoption, as she had grown attached to the child shows how the female figure appreciates life. The viewers remain appreciating the rational decision presented. They remain criticizing her male counterpart who abandoned her at her most crucial time (Harold Ramis), an investment banker. Despite all the challenges and hurdles that Wiatt had grown through including suffering a nervous breakdown, she later resurfaces, and all hopes are high when her Baby Food company sales at millions. With the improvement in the world economy, women leadership position has even been more solidified as the new economic period ushers occurs. The movie, The Devil wears Prada of 2006; shows career based female power, love, and friendship linkages in complex and sometimes paradoxical perspectives. Women power linkages explained in the movie reveal that females utilize power effectively to ensure they are competitive in business. They also help other women advance in their careers. This is evident when Andrea acts loyal to Miranda when she attempted to warn her against the coup that intended to overthrow Miranda for a younger woman. However, love and friendship linkages deteriorate, as women become successful professionals. In spite of linkage drawbacks, such movies portray optimism and stable women figure images for young females in the workforce (Danya 70). With the high and improved economic standards, there has been enhancement in life and consequently because of westernization, social evils such as prostitution and production of pornographic materials have sprung up. In the 2004 American teen film, The
IKEA Warehouse System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
IKEA Warehouse System - Essay Example IKEA furniture are cheap, durable and stylish. Source: The Economist, 2011, http://www.economist.com/node/18229400 From the start, IKEA was perceived as the David of furniture stores who was willing to challenge the Goliaths of furniture dealers, for which reason it concentrated on developing top-quality, low-cost furniture (Elsner, W & Hanappi, 2008). On the other hand, the challenges posed by the group of competitors was much like that of a cartel. The Swedish furniture dealers pressured suppliers not to sell to independent manufacturers to create an artificial shortage of raw materials. They also excluded unaffiliated furniture makers and dealers from their trade fairs. Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of IKEA, saw social problems in the furniture industry, as well as a business opportunity. He saw that the great majority of people had needs which were not being met as far as the need for beautifully crafted but affordably priced furniture and household items were concerned. At the sam e time, he felt that this exclusion of the masses was not fair nor warranted, and that people of all walks of life are entitled to good furniture (Reichert, 1998, p. 3). ... The house is designed with architecture by IdeaBox, mostly straight lines with little detail. Source: Dornob, http://dornob.com/flat-pack-ikea-house-built-shipped-for-under-100000/?ref=search Kamprad was not a social idealist without a practical agenda. He saw a business opportunity in the fact that a huge market existed which was not being serviced by the existing manufacturers and their contract-bound suppliers and retailers. However, this market had a relatively low price target, therefore if the company intends to realize a profit out of its sales to this market segment then it should be able to maintain its production and distribution costs at a margin below the selling price (The Economist, 2011) Flat-packed IKEA furniture can be carted home at the back of a car without need for incurring delivery costs. The packaging also saved on store and warehouse space. Source: http://earth911.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/IKEA-Flat-Pack-300x199.jpg?84cd58 Based on this strategic directio n, the Company developed most of its product designs, supplier relationships, and customer service practices in a way that was intended to minimize production costs and maximize value for the customer. The novel idea was to produce low-cost furniture that were easy to build, and easy for the customer to assemble by himself. The principal innovation that sets IKEA apart is its flat-pack packaging that made IKEA furniture easy and cost-effective to ship, store, sell, and later set up through self-assembly. The cost savings the company realized in terms of saved store space, delivery and labour costs were passed on to the customers in terms of lower prices. In marketing, what the company essentially pioneered in is â€Å"the self-service method of selling†which, aside
Thursday, October 17, 2019
INTRODUCTION TO MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
INTRODUCTION TO MANAGEMENT - Essay Example For providing a flexible work approach and induce engagement among employees, result oriented employee programme was implemented. Also, an innovative employee incentive programme was initiated by the company where employees were asked to make choices with respect to rewards and incentives. Contents Introduction 4 Answer 1- Best Buy Employee’s Programmes 4 Answer 2: Assessment of Best Buy’s Job Listings 5 Answer 3: Employee Recognition Program 7 Answer 4: Motivation of Store employees 8 Conclusion 9 Reference List 10 Introduction In order to succeed in a business, effective management of employees is essential. Employee management programs are one of the few important HR strategies included in every stage of the overall human resource management process. The objective of the present report is to evaluate the various employment as well as customer retention strategies used by Best Buy. The case study has been evaluated as various strategies have been identified. The advan tages and disadvantages of the various employee programs implemented by Best Buy have been discussed. The study also analysed various theories relative to employee management and their applications in real business environment. With an understanding of the various theories and successful management of employee programme, a new employee recognition programme was also developed. Answer 1- Best Buy Employee’s Programmes Best Buys initiated three different employee programmes with the objectives of increasing overall growth and performance of the organisation. These are: 1. Customer- Centricity Customer centricity approach was implemented by the CEO of best buy in order to find out the most profitable customers of the organisation and giving maximum attention to them so that they become regular and loyal customers. This approach is based on Maslow’s need hierarchy theory. Thus, the company is aimed at satisfying the highest order needs of their customers. Advantages- thoug h it is difficult to identify the needs of different customers, through regular feedback, conversations and observations, it is possible to identify the exact requirements of important customers. This will help the employees as well as the store managers to prepare specific strategies for customer retention as well as increasing loyalty towards the products and services. Disadvantages- the major disadvantage is that it cannot be tested empirically and the theory does not apply to all form of jobs or work. In case of organisations set of needs which govern different customers might be different. 2. Results Oriented Work Environment Results oriented work environment or ROWE was implemented in the organisation so that employees are able to perform job in their most creative as well as efficient manner. The application of the programme is based on Vroom’s expectancy theory. According to the expectancy theory, individuals act in a particular way because they expect that choosing a particular behaviour over other will give them the desired or expected result. Advantages- the major advantage of expectancy theory is that it helps in achieving maximum satisfaction and minimum dissatisfaction within the interest of an individual. Since the psychological focus is ultimate satisfaction, individuals will always be willing to rectify their mistakes and take correct steps in order to achieve results. Disadvantages-
Stanley Fish's Critique of John Locke's Concept of Toleration Essay
Stanley Fish's Critique of John Locke's Concept of Toleration - Essay Example Locke argues that there is no religious support for use of coercion, and thus it should not be used to bring persons to salvation. He also often cites his concerns on the level of hypocrisy, he points out that those persons who are so quick to persecute are themselves ignorant of the most grievous sins that happen around them. These transgressions represent a much greater threat eternally than do the sins that they seek to persecute. In the letter, Locke cites many more but similar religious arguments; he further proceeds to provide three reasons which he believes should provide enough grounds for preventing the state to coerce people into adopting specified religious beliefs. First, he identifies that the concern for human soul has not been bequeathed to the magistrate by either God or humans. This argument borders on the view presented in the Two Treatises to confound the natural freedom and sameness of humans. There is no authority within the Bible that requires the magistrate to commit people to the actual faith and that persons should not agree to such an idea for the state as it is impossible for human, at will, to accept as true what the magistrate identifies as true .Their faith is founded on that they consider as true and not really what they wish. Locke’s second argument holds that as the government’s power is yielded in its force, and religion is primarily about free choice founded on inward persuasion of the mind, then it follows that force cannot be used to compel people to follow religion. The third and last argument identifies that even though human’s state of mind could be altered through force, a state where all joined the magistrate’s religion would not bring additional people to the true religion. This is due to the fact that most magistrates ascribe to false religions. Locke’s view on religion and the state has been respected for a favorable period of time, it is not also uncommon to see modern person relat ing with the very elements of his thoughts. This should not be taken to mean that his argument as detailed in the Letter Concerning Toleration is flawed but it means that just like in every philosophical work owner’s prejudices find their way into the argument (Fish, 1997:2255). This is often exposed by a through look at the point’s advanced and constructive criticism of the same allowing a subsequent reader to identify the areas of weakness. Such is the case with Locke’s arguments, a number of modern thinkers have criticized his argument bringing out weaknesses that seem to weaken the argument. In the following part, this study focuses on such criticism as advanced by Stanley Fish. Fish’s criticism titled Mission impossible: Settling the just bounds between the church and the state seeks to reconcile the two, religion and state a task which appears impossible under John Locke’s restoration argument. Fish’s argument starts with Locke’ s assertion at the beginning of his letter that every church is orthodox to itself and that in a situation where there emerge conflicts between these orthodoxies there would be no one on earth able of moderating between them. In such situations Locke insists on the need for tolerance, however, the problem is that if this is allowed to regulate behavior then the role of government as a regulator of wrongful conduct would be curtailed by those who cite that their wrongful conduct is informed by their
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
INTRODUCTION TO MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
INTRODUCTION TO MANAGEMENT - Essay Example For providing a flexible work approach and induce engagement among employees, result oriented employee programme was implemented. Also, an innovative employee incentive programme was initiated by the company where employees were asked to make choices with respect to rewards and incentives. Contents Introduction 4 Answer 1- Best Buy Employee’s Programmes 4 Answer 2: Assessment of Best Buy’s Job Listings 5 Answer 3: Employee Recognition Program 7 Answer 4: Motivation of Store employees 8 Conclusion 9 Reference List 10 Introduction In order to succeed in a business, effective management of employees is essential. Employee management programs are one of the few important HR strategies included in every stage of the overall human resource management process. The objective of the present report is to evaluate the various employment as well as customer retention strategies used by Best Buy. The case study has been evaluated as various strategies have been identified. The advan tages and disadvantages of the various employee programs implemented by Best Buy have been discussed. The study also analysed various theories relative to employee management and their applications in real business environment. With an understanding of the various theories and successful management of employee programme, a new employee recognition programme was also developed. Answer 1- Best Buy Employee’s Programmes Best Buys initiated three different employee programmes with the objectives of increasing overall growth and performance of the organisation. These are: 1. Customer- Centricity Customer centricity approach was implemented by the CEO of best buy in order to find out the most profitable customers of the organisation and giving maximum attention to them so that they become regular and loyal customers. This approach is based on Maslow’s need hierarchy theory. Thus, the company is aimed at satisfying the highest order needs of their customers. Advantages- thoug h it is difficult to identify the needs of different customers, through regular feedback, conversations and observations, it is possible to identify the exact requirements of important customers. This will help the employees as well as the store managers to prepare specific strategies for customer retention as well as increasing loyalty towards the products and services. Disadvantages- the major disadvantage is that it cannot be tested empirically and the theory does not apply to all form of jobs or work. In case of organisations set of needs which govern different customers might be different. 2. Results Oriented Work Environment Results oriented work environment or ROWE was implemented in the organisation so that employees are able to perform job in their most creative as well as efficient manner. The application of the programme is based on Vroom’s expectancy theory. According to the expectancy theory, individuals act in a particular way because they expect that choosing a particular behaviour over other will give them the desired or expected result. Advantages- the major advantage of expectancy theory is that it helps in achieving maximum satisfaction and minimum dissatisfaction within the interest of an individual. Since the psychological focus is ultimate satisfaction, individuals will always be willing to rectify their mistakes and take correct steps in order to achieve results. Disadvantages-
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
A Practical Marketing Communication Report for Rolex and other Related Essay
A Practical Marketing Communication Report for Rolex and other Related Brands - Essay Example In addition, the proponent was also able to successfully draw comparisons with the strategies used by other less, or indeed more successful brands in the same category. It was found that the chosen brands were consistent in their message sourcing and establishment of their credibility. Rolex is aiming to create image and identity and promote as a brand for high-end users. However, Timex is consistent with its effort to create marketing communication that is associated with latest fashion trend models. On the other hand, Nordstrom is trying to establish a more focus strategy to differentiate its product offerings as specialty products for women with varying styles, options, needs and wants. More detailed explanations and implications of the elements used by Rolex in its marketing communication are discussed. Keywords: marketing mix, marketing communication, marketing, Rolex Table of Contents Page Abstract 2 Introduction 4 Discussion 4 Message sourcing and credibility 4 Establishment o f credibility 6 Timex’s point of view 7 Nordstrom style 8 Conclusions 8 Recommendations 9 References 11 Introduction Rolex’s website is a special place to advertise and promote its brand. However, when one has to open the site, the actual products are not the ones to be visibly observed, but the celebrity endorsers like tennis players and recently among the finest players of all time. Unlike any other brands or websites which are built for the purpose of advertisement and promotion, the website for Rolex seems to be promoting the players than its actual products. The website looks like trying to establish the credibility of the spokespersons by making it to the point of giving the visitors more knowledge about the players especially in their performance, and actual capability when they make it on court. As observed, not all of the best contemporary tennis players were chosen as spokespersons, so this creates an implication that there must something more about these fea tured celebrities on the Rolex’s website that could help establish the brand. The focus of this paper is in this particular issue while integrating the concept associated with the actual communication mix used to promote Rolex to its target audience. The proponent of this report chooses Rolex as a branded consumer product and critiques its associated communications mix used to promote to its target audience. Part of the analysis is an explanation why, in the proponent’s opinion, specific elements which are discussed below have been selected to support the brand. In addition, the proponent also draws comparisons with the strategies used by other less, or indeed more successful brands in the same category. Discussion In this section and as stated below are considerable explanations about the specific elements used to support Rolex as brand and the corresponding strategies used by Timex and Nordstrom as another leading brand. Message Sourcing and Credibility Rolex, a bran d of watch that tries to position itself as highly differentiated and creating identity and image as elegant with ultimate unswerving performance, is highly associated with sports and culture particularly in tennis. The best way to integrate this brand into sports and culture is to allow endorsements coming from celebrities. Thus, the involvement of Roger Federer and other tennis players is part of the message sourcing and credibility. What do Federer, Ivanovic, Henin, Na and other excelling tennis players bring to the brand? Based on the advertising and marketing concepts discussed in the class, Rolex’s main goal could be about establishment of credibility of its brand
Monday, October 14, 2019
Company G 3 Year Marketing Plan Essay Example for Free
Company G 3 Year Marketing Plan Essay XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices. Introduction With two decades of innovative and award winning design, Company G has grown to be a market leader in consumer electronics. The Company enjoys unparalleled brand recognition and is highly rated and trusted by consumers worldwide. Company G’s products are known for their original design, durability and use of innovative technology. Company G’s brands enjoy both high consumer desirability and high consumer loyalty. With a reputation as a trend setter, many of Company G’s mobile electronic products are sought-after as â€Å"Status Symbols†purchases. Some of the Company’s products benefit from a cult like following among early adopters and some serve as industry bench-marks against similar products. With the introduction of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway, the Company plans to continue to strive to be the first to market in the consumer electronic market segments that it enjoys competing in. The Company will also maintain the practice of extending products life cycles and promoting their market positions by offering novel peripheral products such as the XG Wi-Fi Gateway timed to support and broaden the market interest and appeal associated with other existing XG products. Mission Statement â€Å"We combine beautiful design and intuitive functionally to provide consumers with desirable products that enhance the quality and convenience of their lives.†The Product The new XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices allows consumers to easily manage which Wi-Fi enabled mobile device can assess their secured home Wi-Fi network. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is a peripheral product of the Company’s popular XG Wireless Router series. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is industry compliant with North America and Euro Zone wireless communication standards and is compatible with other manufacturer’s routers. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices allows a consumer to manage their secure home Wi-Fi network through any other device designated as the â€Å"Administrator†. When a new Wi-Fi enabled device attempts to access the home Wi-Fi network through the XG Wi-Fi Gateway, an alert message is sent to the administrator. The administrator can choose several pre-set network access options as well as select from their own custom rules allowing or limiting network access to specific devices. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices is a 3 inch by 3 inch by 1/3 inch pad that links to the home router via a 2.0 USB plug. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices can also connect directly to any router with the additional purchase of a USB to Ethernet converter cable. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices has a minimal footprint. Once connected, the consumer does not have to interact with or manipulate the devices and it can be hidden or placed out of the way behind a computer or router. The administrator interacts with the XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices through the Wi-Fi Gateway application. The software is provided and compatible with desktop and laptop computers running Windows, OS X and Chrome operating systems. A free Wi-Fi Gateway application can also be downloaded, installed and run on smart phones and tablets using iOS, Android and Windows Mobile. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices is also compatible with the Xbox360 and PS3 gaming consoles. Consumer Product Classification The consumer product classification for the XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices falls under a shopping product. Additionally it should be considered with a sub-classification of unsought products. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway extends the functionality and security of modern router, thus the separate, pre-purchase of a router is required. Consumers have ample information available to make decisions regarding purchase decisions for routers; however, they have limited knowledge of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway peripheral or add-on. Consumers will require education and persuasion during the buying process. This is seen as a unique product, currently, there are no other devices or substitutes that offer the functionality of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway. Target Market Majority of our consumers will be males, head of household age 25-54, in a home with a wireless router. The household has multiple computers, smart phones or tablets. Our consumer expresses interest in electronic gadgets and considers themselves to be a â€Å"tech savvy†buyer. The target consumer is conscious about online security threats and has purchased or upgraded anti-virus software in the last 24 months. Our shopper is engaged with online social networks and media with most news delivered to the household digitally. Purchases of electronic products are heavily influenced by the favorable opinions and reviews from friends and colleagues. They are also strongly influenced by negative reviews of products by tech blogs and consumer comments in social media. Household income of our target consumer is $32,000- $70,000 annually with at least one child living in the home. Analysis of Competitive Environment Threat of new competition The threat of new competition is high. Our belief is the technologies associated with the XG Wi-Fi Gateway could be replicated by any of the other leading manufacturers of wireless routers. Company G hold proprietary technology in the design of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway and will fight to protect its interests and rights, however other manufactures could adopt their own existing patents and processes to compete. We feel these other established brands with distribution channels could generate a competitive rivalry if they choose to enter this market. Threat of substitute products or services The threat of a substitute product is low. Consumers determine if they have a need for the features offered by the XG Wi-Fi Gateway or they choose to forgo those features and service. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway has a high level of product differentiation. Consumers attempting to replicate the services of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway will find it technologically challenging and cost prohibitive to duplicate. Bargaining power of consumers Consumers have moderate bargaining power. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is a discretionary purchase. The consumer has to desire the enhanced control of their home Wi-Fi network and or the additional security offered by the product. Buyers who have suffered a loss from a network breach will be less price sensitive than those only looking to enhance their level of control. We expect downward price pressure due to demand to bundle and discount the XG Wi-Fi Gateway with other XG routers. Bargaining power of suppliers Threats from suppliers are low. While our product is new, most of the individual components are already mass produced or can easily be produced on existing manufacturing lines requiring only minimal retooling. Key proprietary components can be produced by several of Company G’s subsidiaries. Suppliers and materials are plentiful and available globally. Intensity of competitive rivalry Rivalry is low. Currently there are no competing products for the XG Wi-Fi Gateway market. Company G enjoys significant brand recognition and brand loyalty. The XG lines also profits from a history of positive consumer reviews and ratings and benefits from higher perceived value when compared to similar products in the market. Outlays are kept low by utilizing existing manufacturing facilities and distribution channels. Costs, such as RD, marketing, engineering and packaging design are allocated and shared across the whole XG catalog of products. SWOT Analysis Strengths 1.Company G and the XG Brand have high consumer loyalty and are recognized for innovative product design and functionality. 2.The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is the first of a kind to market. 3.The XG Wi-Fi Gateway received positive reviews from influential tech blogs and media. Support 1.Company G has carefully nurtured and reinforced its company brands. Company G has invested a considerable amount of resources promoting and showcasing the various products in the XG line. XG branded products benefit for the loyalty and familiarity consumers have with the existing line thus helping to lower overall new consumer acquisitions costs. We consider this strength to be a core competency. 2.As a first of a kind to market, Company G can maintain a higher price point by controlling the amount of products available without fear of lost of market share to competition. Company G can operate as a monopoly until others enter the market. First to the market also helps reinforce the XG brand’s reputation as a leader in providing cutting edge technology to consumers. We consider this strength to be a core competency. 3.Our target market reads and is influenced by tech blog reviews. Tech blog reviews are a valuable cost neutral resource for increasing product awareness and help raise consumer sentiment and increase product differentiation. Weaknesses 1.The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is a secondary purchase or upgrade after the initial purchase of a router. 2.Low target consumer awareness of product. 3.Target consumer requires educated before purchase. Support 1.Consumers are resistant to making an additional secondary purchase after deciding to buy a router. Consumers realize the enhanced services the XG Wi-Fi Gateway offers are not essential to a secure home network and may postpone a purchase until a demonstrated need is established. 2.As a first of a kind to market, consumers are not aware of the product. The target market is highly sought after and regularly bombarded with sophisticated marketing campaigns. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is a peripheral product and does not command the spotlight associated with a flagship product launch. 3.Our target consumer will do research prior to making a purchase. Company G will have to put forth assessable information through multiple media outlets for the consumer to find and review. Additionally, sales persons and other trusted sources will need to be introduced to specifications and features of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway to be credible and persuasive. Opportunities 1.The XG Wi-Fi Gateway can be developed for commercial and retail use. 2.Integration into other manufactures’ routers through licensing agreements. 3.Add versatility with the incorporation with NFC (near field communication) chips. Support 1.The technology in the XG Wi-Fi Gateway could be upgraded to provide a solution in commercial spaces (coffee shops, restaurants stores) that want to control, monitor or monetize their Wi-Fi bandwidth service. This would expand the XG line into a new market. 2.Company G could increase revenues by licensing the XG Wi-Fi Gateway technology to other router manufactures. By providing completive licensing agreements, it reduces the incentive of the competition from developing rival technology. 3.Near field communication (NFC) chips are an emerging technology with potential to disrupt retail checkout/payment process. The inclusion of NFC could help broaden the market for the XG Wi-Fi Gateway as the technology becomes more widely available in the retail industry. Threats 1.Shifts in technology away from Wi-Fi protocols and services. 2.A low cost competitor enters and disrupts the market. 3.A widespread security breach or software flaw could be catastrophic for the product. Support 1.The pace of change and innovations in technology is ever quickening. Consumer sentiment tends to move towards the newest standard. Wi-Fi technology is well established, reliable and widely taken for granted, it is the old guard. Some modern countries have already shifted away from Wi-Fi services in favor of cellular protocols or Super Wi-Fi, which functions in the TVWS bandwidth. Any shift away from the Wi-Fi protocol would require retooling of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway with new technology which may be prohibitive due to IP rights or development costs. 2.If a low cost competitor enters the market, Company G would have to spend additional marketing resources defending its market share. Company G would also have to engage in completive pricing to maintain its market position. Lower pricing and increased marketing efforts will have a negative impact on the XG Wi-Fi Gateway’s profits. 3.A security breach could permanently tarnish the XG Wi-Fi Gateway’s reputation. A major flaw or breach could kill the product’s viability in just a few days. Any breach would be an embarrassment to Company G, could result in lower share prices and expose the company to additional liabilities and lawsuits. Marketing Objectives Product Objective Provide our target consumer with an innovated and desirable product that is friendly and enhances their online activities with ease of use, technological compatibility and upgradeability resulting in annual sales of 1.5 million units in the first year, 3 million by the second year and 5 million by the third. Price Objective Pricing for a stand along XG Wi-Fi Gateway will start at $34.99. Company G will also offer up to a 20% savings premium when retailers order, bundle and promote the XG Wi-Fi Gateway with other XG products. Place Objective The XG Wi-Fi Gateway will utilize existing Company G online and retail distribution channels throughout North America and Europe. Additionally, the XG Wi-Fi Gateway will be carried and offered by the 3 leading cable companies in North America when selling optional residential broadband internet services. 100 days post launch, Company G will also introduce the XG Wi-Fi Gateway into ATT and T-Mobile retail stores and kiosks in North America along with Vodafone retail outlets in the UK and Movistar retail outlets in Spain. Company G will continue to utilize its proprietary predictive algorithms to ensure global product availability. Promotion Objective We expect to increase our target consumer awareness of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway by 25% in the first six months and by 33% by each year post launch. Catching the attentions of our target consume and demonstrating the XG Wi-Fi Gateway’s unique features will be critical to the product’s success. Company G will leverage its name recognition, reputation and media relationships along with its vast distribution channels to ensure the target consumer has ample opportunities to learn about and interact with the XG Wi-Fi Gateway prior to purchase. These Marketing Objectives are crafted to provide the optimal return for all of Company G’s stakeholders. Marketing Strategies Product Strategies †¢Compatibility The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is compatible with all major router equipment sold in North America and Europe. Our target consumer will be assured that The XG Wi-Fi Gateway will work will even previously purchased equipment regardless of the manufacture. †¢Friendly, Ease of Use The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is a plug and forget it device. The software is multi-operating system compatible. The user interface has been extensively reviewed and focuses group tested to ensure an appropriate and intuitive workflow. †¢Longevity, Durability The XG Wi-Fi Gateway hardware has no moving parts and is incased in a durable vinyl covering. The hardware has a life expectancy, with normal use, of 5 to 8 years. Software upgrades are pushed to the device as needed, no interaction is required from the consumer. Given current trends in Wi-Fi technology, Company G expects the software to be compliant with FCC and EU regulators for 10 or more years. Price Strategies †¢Skimming Model Company G will use Skimming Model for the first 100 days. Leading up to The XG Wi-Fi Gateway’s launch, marketing efforts will target the less price sensitive â€Å"early adopters†portion of our consumer group. †¢High-low Pricing High-low pricing will be utilized for the XG Wi-Fi Gateway after 100 days post launch. Special offers will be presented through online and traditional retailers when they bundle other Company G products with the purchase of a The XG Wi-Fi Gateway. Company G will also offer a rebate program in secondary markets coinciding with â€Å"back to school†activities. †¢Psychological Pricing Psychological pricing will be used to have an encouraging psychological influence on our target consumer. The consumer is well educated and well connected and knows what his peers have paid for other similar products. This pricing model will ensure he feels satisfied with the decision leading up to his purchase and comfortable sharing that information with his peer group. Place Strategy †¢Strategic Channel Alliances Company G will utilize strategic channel alliances to get the XG Wi-Fi Gateway in to areas where our target consumers live, work and play. We are partnering with recognized industry leaders to cross promote their compatible products with the XG Wi-Fi Gateway. This strategy allows consumers to see how the product works with other devices and gives them the opportunity to realize an immediate benefit of ownership. †¢Intensive Distribution Model Company G will also unitize an intensive distribution model. We will maximize our current distribution network to deliver the XG Wi-Fi Gateway to all available channels our target consumer may wish to utilize to make a purchase. †¢Pull Strategy Since our consumer desires product specifications in order to make a purchasing decision, Company G will take that â€Å"teaching†opportunity and convert it in to a desire to, at a minimum, interact with the physical product. We will run a campaign to persuade consumers to â€Å"give it a try yourself at your local electronics retailer†. This pull strategy should help Company G entice retailers to provide the XG Wi-Fi Gateway a more prominent position in their outlets as consumers ask to interact with the device. Promotion Strategies †¢Trade Shows Trade Shows are an important and ideal location to introduce the XG Wi-Fi Gateway to our target consumer. He regularly attends trade shows and often shares part of his experience on social media. If our consumer does not attend a show, he often seeks out opinions or stories from friends that have attended. The trade show environment allows us to craft the best possible informational and presentation opportunity outside of the consumer’s own home. This strategy is important because our consumer tends to make multiple electronics purchase within three months after attending a Consumer Electronics Show. †¢Product Placements Seeing the XG Wi-Fi Gateway in use is important to our target consumer. We are identifying their popular movies, television and web series and negotiating subtle placement of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway in to the main story’s setting. Company G used this strategy successfully for several of its mobile products. The overall return for this strategy was better than that of a 30 second commercial buy on a similar type show. Our consumer pays attention to their favorite show and interprets the commercials as interruptions. †¢Trade Allowances Company G will provide advertising and promotion allowances in targeted markets. Trade allowances will be based on a matrix consisting of ratings for the importance of market, the retailer’s foot traffic, sales volume and ad placement and media buy. Retailers can determine how to use the allowance within the terms and conditions of the trade allowance agreement. This strategy demonstrates that Company G values the retailer’s understanding of how to capitalize on the unique marketing challenges in their local market. Tactics and Action Plan Product Action Plan †¢Compatibility oTactic: Test and adjust all XG Wi-Fi Gateway components to ensure the final unit meets all FCC and EU regulations. Test and rate for compatibility against all targeted compatible products. Make adjustments and updates when identified. oDue Date: 6 months before launch then ongoing every 6 months throughout the products life cycle. oResponsible Party: A team made-up of members for the software development group, components and hardware group, competitor intelligence group and the product management team. †¢Friendly, Ease of Use oTactic: Ensure the XG Wi-Fi Gateway is user friendly and offers an intuitive user interface. oDue Date: 9 month ahead of launch. Review will also be conducted before the release of any update that may impact the user interface. oResponsible Party: A team made up of members from market research, software development, public relations and the product management team. †¢Longevity, Durability oTactic: Only high quality components from Company G selected suppliers will be utilized in the manufacturing of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway. All parts are randomly selected for quality assurance and destructive testing throughout the assembly cycle. oDue Date: Continuous once components arrive for assembly. oResponsible Party: Quality control team as well as independent 3rd party auditors. Price Action Plan †¢Skimming Model oTactic: Capitalize and maximize revenue on consumer interest and desire to own a cutting edge product. oDue Date: Initial pricing to be finalized 90 days prior to launch and monitored for the first 100 days post launch oResponsible Party: Financial analysts, accounting, channel marking managers and product management. †¢High-low Pricing oTactic: To maximize the revenue opportunities by providing incentives for retailers and consumers by making special offers by bundling Company G products or offering appropriate rebates. oDue Date: Special pricing, bundling offers and rebate programs will be finalized at launch then reviewed every 3 months. oResponsible Party: Marketing managers, financial analysts, channel marking managers and product managers. †¢Psychological Pricing oTactic: Ensure our target consumer is persuaded that the perceived value is greater than actual retail price. oDue Date: 90 days prior to launch then every 3 months. oResponsible Party: Marketing managers, public relations team, consumer research team, independent 3rd party consumer survey team Place Action Plan †¢Strategic Channel Alliances oTactic: Partner with non-retail partners to introduce the XG Wi-Fi Gateway in unique and impactful locations and situations to our target consumer. oDue Date: 1 year prior to launch then every 3 months. oResponsible Party: Marketing team, channel marking managers and product managers. †¢Intensive Distribution Model oTactic: We will engage all of our distribution and retail partners throughout the entire product cycle. oDue Date: 1 year prior to launch then continuous. oResponsible Party: channel marking managers and distribution management team †¢Pull Strategy oTactic: Entice consumers to ask their local retailers about the XG Wi-Fi Gateway oDue Date:90 days prior to launch then continuously for the first 100 days oResponsible Party: Marketing team and public relations team Promotion Action Plan †¢Trade Shows oTactic: Secure prominent floor space at CESs and Home Shows in major and secondary markets oDue Date:1 Year prior to product launch oResponsible Party: Marketing team, product management team †¢Product Placements oTactic: Identify and secure placement opportunities on targeted media outlets/shows oDue Date: 9 months before launch and through the first year oResponsible Party: Marketing team and media relations team †¢Trade Allowances oTactic: Provide strategic retailers marketing and promotional resources to increase awareness of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway in the local markets they serve. oDue Date: 3 months prior to launch then ongoing. oResponsible Party: Marketing team and channel marking managers Monitoring Procedures To ensure the Product and Marketing Teams meet the XG Wi-Fi Gateway meets Company G’s financial performance goals: Monitoring Activity: Regular review of ongoing product performance and benchmarking. Due Date/Frequency: Weekly meetings.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Till Death Do Us Part :: essays research papers
The status quo of marriage in American society, in some cases, is a moderately complicated issue. I do know, however, that before the marriage takes place there is an interlude called the dating period. In this dating period the two members of the couple attempt to get to know one another. This is the period where many people fall in love. This is also the period where many people realize that they are with the wrong person and have to start over with someone new. The dating process, which lasts for a sporadic interval of time, ends when one person in the couple offers a marriage proposal to the other. This agreement to marriage is a sacred bond of love and trust that proves to one's significant other that one will enter into an exclusive relationship with that person until they are parted by death. If the marriage proposal is accepted, the couple is pronounced engaged, or betrothed to one another, and they set a marriage date. During the engagement the couple exchanges rings as a sign of devotion. Once the wedding date reaches its destination, the couple then performs the marriage ceremony, which is a gathering of close friends and family to witness the marriage. This ceremony is performed in a church at the hand of a priest who then pronounces the marriage as holy matrimony. During the wedding ceremony there is another exchange of rings that show a symbol of the couples undying love for each other. After the wedding, the couple usually takes a trip called the honeymoon where they consummate the marriage by making love. This process is the norm for how people are married in American society. The problem with this system is that most people enter into the marriage for the wrong reasons and end up getting a divorce. A divorce is a legal dissolution of a marriage contract. The problem with divorce is that the marriage is supposed to be a contract that is supposed to last until someone in the couple dies; only then is the sacred vow broken. Otherwise, the couple is going against God's will. Defying God is not the only detrimental effect, however. More marriages in the United States end in divorce than in any other country in the world, and it can be seen throughout America's history. There is consensus that the overall U.S. divorce rate had a brief spurt after World War II followed by a decline. It started rising again in the 1960's and even more quickly in the 1970's, but leveled off in the 1980's only to begin a fluctuating increase that has lasted to the present. It is said that 40 or possibly even 50% of marriages will end in divorce if the current trends continue. Divorce would not be such a terrible thing
Saturday, October 12, 2019
Happiness in the Fourth Epistle of Alexander Popes An Essay on Man
Alexander Pope's philosophical poem An Essay on Man, published in 1732-134, may even more precisely be classified, to use a German phrase, as Weltanschauungliche Dichtung (worldviewish poetry). That it is appropriate to understand An Essay on Man as world view in verse, as a work which depicts humanity's relationship to and understanding of a perplexing and amazing world, is indicated in the statement of the poem's "Design" in which the author avows that his goal was to examine "Man in the abstract, his Nature and his State." Indeed, Pope sought to fulfill his agenda by describing in each of the work's four "epistles" the nature and state of man with respect (1) to the universe, (2) to man himself as an individual, (3) to society, and finally, (4) in relation to happiness. Pope's poetic and powerful examination of these themes in which "attitudes generated by deism, eighteenth-century sociality, and Roman Catholicism come together" (Mack lxxiv-lxxv) establish this composition as one of the truly great literary statements of a particular world view perspective in the history of the West. Pope's concern with human teleology in An Essay on Man also distinguish it as a distinctive piece of world view literature. According to "The Design" of the poem, Pope asserted that in order to understand man or any creature, it was necessary "first to know what condition and relation it is placed in, and what is the proper end and purpose of its being." For Pope, drawing on a venerable ideal from antiquity onwards, the end and purpose of humanity was happiness.1 As he exclaims at the very beginning of the fourth epistle, The heritage of the supremacy of happiness is impressive. For example, Aristotle believed that happiness was man's stron... ...he bliss of all beings in the chain of being) "Sees, that no Being any bliss can know, But touches some above, and some below." EM 4. 343-50 (regarding bliss in God) "For him alone, hope leads from goal to goal And opens still, and opens on his soul; Till lengthened on to Faith, and unconfined, It pours the bliss that fills up all the mind. He sees, why Nature plants in Man alone Hope of known bliss, and Faith in bliss unknown: (Nature, whose dictates to no other kind Are given in vain, but what they seek they find) Wise is her present; she connects in this His greatest Virtue with his greatest Bliss." EM 4. 359-60 (regarding love and happiness) "Happier as kinder, in whate'er degree, And height of Bliss but height of Charity." EM 4. 397-98 (regarding bliss and virtue) "That Virtue only makes our bliss below; And all our Knowledge is, ourselves to know."
Friday, October 11, 2019
The impacts of Elvis Presley
The impacts of Elvis Presley can be divided into several groups. Firstly is the impact in terms of the amount of sales that he made. He made 6 hit singles, at the time he had only been going for 10 months. This is more that any artist would hope to get in their whole career. His popularity among the younger generations also helps to see the impact the he has made, someone noticed that there was a market for music aimed towards younger generations, so they set out looking for someone; this meant that he had no competition when he was released onto the market. Because of this the impact seemed a lot greater, there had never been anything like it. Among adults there was also outrage because it went against everything that they believed to be right and good. The outrage meant that it must be cool to like him so his popularity grew. He also had a long term impact in that it wasn't just the music. You could get toys and films, records and books. All of this added to the impact of him on U. S society. The next thing to consider is whether it was down to his music. Whatever anyone says it was clear that he had amazing talent; this doesn't mean that everyone liked him but everyone acknowledged that it had its place. He was deemed â€Å"A white man that can sing like a black man†, he was something different and in this time there was no one else like him. The amount of sales from his records also helps to give evidence supporting this. He made it to number to in the company's charts in a very short time shows how effective his music was. His unique dancing style meant that people were attracted to him. If they didn't like him they still watched to see what all of the commotion was about. The fact that he appealed to the younger generations was the main reason for his success. The media, in particular the TV meant that he was always in the public eye. When he went onto the Milton Berle show for the first time they managed to knock Sergeant Bilko off of the top ratings. Everyone watched because the children liked him and the adults just had to see this controversy. The fact that he was followed all through his service in the army meant that he was given allot of credit. They saw his every move and everything he did. This built a lot of credit for him even amongst the adults. Then when he left the army he went straight into a TV special with Frank Sinatra. This meant that he had never really left the public eye, because he was still popular enough to do TV specials. There are other things that helped though; firstly there was a huge gap in the market where teenagers were concerned. This meant that there were many opportunities to offer something for the teenagers and because there was nothing else there would be no competition. They also had a greater chance of any bands released for the teenagers being liked. Marketing also played a big role in his impact on society. The amount of money that went into selling him was incredible. Everywhere that a teenager went there was something to remind you of the â€Å"King†Posters, billboards and TV's shop windows. A third thing that would have helped his impact is the wealth of the US. After World War 2 they were the only country to make it out with a profit. Teenagers as a result were able to spend à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½7billion a year on clothes and records. This meant that there was allot of money available to spend. If people have this much money to waste as a country, the normal thing to do is spend it on something fashionable. The final thing that helped him to become so popular is the films that he stared in. There were so many of them and so many people went to see them, even if he was the worst actor ever and the plots were all the same. This meant that for the first time ever there were films specifically directed at the younger generation, adults didn't approve so the most sensible thing to do was to go and see it, if only to annoy the adults. So all in all there are there are many reasons why his impact on society was so great. I think that it can best be described as a combination of things. His films and TV specials all help towards making him popular, but I think that the thing to remember is people ultimately know him for his music. This is why I believe that his impact on society was so great. If you think about all of the other things, they only came because of the music, he was only found because he could sing.
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Not Waving but Drowning Poetry Analysis
Steve Smith is a particularly somber poem. The poem is about emptiness and shows what people will do to try to get attention. This poem is a metaphor comparing how the emptiness of our lives consuming us is like drowning. This poem is portrayed through the eyes off man who Just died. In the poem the man died by drowning, supposedly because he caught hypothermia but as he suggested he died because he was too far out in the water. What this translates to in real life is that this man was empty inside.In a vain attempt to try to fill this void, he â€Å"swam†further out only to become increasingly more and more empty. In the end the emptiness surrounded him and was â€Å"drowned in it. â€Å"Not waving but drowning†suggests that people saw him doing these thing yet took no notice of it because they thought it was him acting out: â€Å"he always loved larking,†but in reality they didn't see the signs that he was consumed. †It must have been too cold for hi m†¦ †Suggest that they believed he died because it was too risky for him but he refutes that saying, â€Å"it as too cold always,†as in it was always risky.He gives the alternate reason, â€Å"l was much to far out all my life and not waving but drowning. †This suggests he knew what he was doing yet he did it anyways trying to get attention yet everyone misinterpreted. I believe anyone can relate to this poem because it strikes an old chord in the human heart. Everyone is empty inside, and everyone has always tried going on a little â€Å"soul hunt†trying to find someone to truly notice them. But many have failed and end up â€Å"drowning†In their own emptiness and misery. Not Waving but Drowning Poetry Analysis Steve Smith is a particularly somber poem. The poem is about emptiness and shows what people will do to try to get attention. This poem is a metaphor comparing how the emptiness of our lives consuming us is like drowning. This poem is portrayed through the eyes off man who Just died. In the poem the man died by drowning, supposedly because he caught hypothermia but as he suggested he died because he was too far out in the water. What this translates to in real life is that this man was empty inside.In a vain attempt to try to fill this void, he â€Å"swam†further out only to become increasingly more and more empty. In the end the emptiness surrounded him and was â€Å"drowned in it. â€Å"Not waving but drowning†suggests that people saw him doing these thing yet took no notice of it because they thought it was him acting out: â€Å"he always loved larking,†but in reality they didn't see the signs that he was consumed. †It must have been too cold for hi m†¦ †Suggest that they believed he died because it was too risky for him but he refutes that saying, â€Å"it as too cold always,†as in it was always risky.He gives the alternate reason, â€Å"l was much to far out all my life and not waving but drowning. †This suggests he knew what he was doing yet he did it anyways trying to get attention yet everyone misinterpreted. I believe anyone can relate to this poem because it strikes an old chord in the human heart. Everyone is empty inside, and everyone has always tried going on a little â€Å"soul hunt†trying to find someone to truly notice them. But many have failed and end up â€Å"drowning†In their own emptiness and misery.
Mohsin Hamid Essay
Mohsin Hamid is the author of three novels: Moth Smoke (published in 2000), a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award; The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2007), a million-copy international bestseller that was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, made into a feature film, and named one of the books that defined the decade by the Guardian; and, most recently, How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia (2013). His fiction has appeared in the New Yorker, Granta, and the Paris Review and been translated into over 30 languages. The recipient of numerous awards, he has been called â€Å"one of his generation’s most inventive and gifted writers†by the New York Times, â€Å"one of the most talented and formally audacious writers of his generation†by the Daily Telegraph, and â€Å"one of the most important writers working today†by the Daily Beast. He also regularly writes essays on themes ranging from literature to politics and is a contributor to publications around the world, including the New York Times, the Guardian, the New York Review of Books, Dawn, and La Repubblica. A self-described mongrel, he was born in 1971 in Lahore, Pakistan, and has lived about half his life there. The rest he has spent drifting between places such as London, New York, California, the Philippines, and Italy. â€Å"Moth Smoke†Moth Smoke is a steamy (in both senses) and often darkly amusing book about sex, drugs, and class warfare in postcolonial Asia. Hamid struc- tures Moth Smoke somewhat like a murder trial. On the stand is Daru, a cynical, hash-loving 28-year-old bank drone and onetime boxer now accused of running over a child. Daru relates his decline and fall after being fired from the bank (a moment he compares to a â€Å"quick sidestep in un- reality, like meeting your mother when you’re tripping†) in chapters that alternate with self-justifying monologues by the witnesses against him. Moth Smoke foregrounds Daru’s slacker predisposition and resentment toward the aristocrats (with whom he associates but cannot join) against an apocalyptic background of nuclear testing reminiscent ofRobert Aldrich’s 1955 film-version take onMickey Spillane’s Kiss Me Deadly. An underdog redress occurs when Daru steals his rich best friend Ozi’s wife, Mumtaz, a iscontented young mother who has become a clandestine investigative reporter since moving back to Lahore, Pakistan, from New York. Their romance generates big heat and smoke and Hamid leaves no nook or cranny of the fire metaphor unexplored, reinvigorating its archetypal metaforce with everything from the titular play of moth and flame to the apocalyptic burnout of nuclear war. When Daru and Mumtaz meet for the first time, she leaves a smoldering cigarette butt in an ashtray bed. â€Å"I crush mine into it,†relates Daru, â€Å"grinding until both stop burning. Daru’s meager resources wane as the couple’s passion intensifies, and their relationshipâ€â€not unlike that binding India to Pakistanâ€â€threatens to destroy everyone around them. Halfway through the book, to cool things off, Hamid tosses in an only slightly ironic chapter titled â€Å"what lovely weather we’re having (or the importance of air-conditioning),†in which Daru’s former economics professor discusses how Pakistan’s elite â€Å"have managed to re-create for themselves the living conditions of say, Sweden, without leaving the dusty plains of the subcontinent. Although the novel is woozy with alcohol, hash, Ecstasy, and heroin, they serve less as pleasure vehicles than as tokens of societal decadence. Daru’s social status plummets even further when he becomes a part-time dealer to the rich kids who overpay for his wares. Maneuvering in the background are the hardcore Islamic â€Å"fundos,†whose one-size-fits-all fanaticism, Hamid suggests, possesses seductive qualities no less compelling than Ozi’s self-righteous aria justifying his own corruption (he’s not a bad guy, he argues; he just makes people jealous). As for Daru, Hamid leaves unclear whether it’s class rancor that drives him over the brink, or the displaced nurture he derives from bad-mother Mumtaz. The Falstaffian figure of Murad Badshah, the rickshaw driver and dealer who enlists Daru in a wack scheme to knock over upscale boutiques, offers comedy relief. â€Å"Armed robbery is like public speaking,†says Murad. â€Å"Both offer a brief period in the limelight, the risk of public humiliation, the opportunity for crowd control. †Daru’s moment in the spotlight goes awry during a suspenseful scene whose panicky, botched outcome is pure Tarantino mishegaas. By novel’s end, the morally and financially impoverished Daruâ€â€all thirst, no quenching, and recently introduced to the joys of heroin smokeâ€â€amuses himself by playing desultory games of â€Å"moth badminton†with the insects that have overtaken his barren home. The atmosphere is vacant and corrupt, the sense of loss reminiscent of the empty, overgrown swimming pools that populate J. G. Ballard’s Empire of the Sun, the sort of slipstream masterpiece Hamid obviously admires. But Moth Smoke reads more like a tough and sinewy B movie, the kind whose dark complexities expand the more you ponder it. â€Å"The Reluctant Fundamentalist†Some books are acts of courage, maybe because the author tries out an unproven style, addresses an unpopular theme or allows characters to say things that no one wants to hear. Mohsin Hamid’s novel, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, does all those things. Told in the form of an extended monologue, the novel reflects on a young Pakistani’s almost five years in America. After excelling at Princeton, Changez had become a highly regarded employee at a prestigious financial firm. He seemed to have achieved the perfect American life. We know from the beginning, however, that it will not last long. Changez narrates his story from a cafe in Lahore, his birthplace, while speaking to an American man whose role is unclear. Changez tells him, â€Å"Yes, I was happy in that moment. I felt bathed in a warm sense of accomplishment. Nothing troubled me; I was a young New Yorker with the city at my feet. †(Tellingly, while he didn’t see himself as a foreigner during this time, the two colleagues closest to him were also outsiders: one â€Å"non-white,†the other a gay man who grew up poor. ) In the aftermath of Sept. 11, as the tone of the country becomes more hostile, Changez’s corporate cloak lifts, and his life in America no longer seems so perfect. Paralleling the narrative of Changez’s work life is the tale of his romantic involvement with Erica, an elegant and well-to-do New Yorker who has emotional baggage that eventually leads to a breakdown. The impossible love story softens the book, allowing Changez to tell the same story from a different perspective. Both of his potential conquests (America, Erica) have deep appeal, yet both have been damaged, making it impossible for them to be part of Changez’s life. Hamid’s writing is strongest when Changez is analyzing the finer points of being a foreigner, â€Å"well-liked as an exotic acquaintance. When he goes out with Erica, he takes â€Å"advantage of the ethnic exception clause that is written into every code of etiquette†and wears a kurta and jeans because his blazer looks shabby. Later, when he is back in Pakistan and his parents ask for details of his American life, he says, â€Å"It was odd to speak of that world here, as it would be odd to s ing in a mosque; what is natural in one place can seem unnatural in another, and some concepts travel poorly, if at all. †Perhaps as a result of speaking Urdu and English, Hamid’s style is delightfully distinct. His clever tale lingers in the mind, partly because of the nature and originality of the troubled love story and partly because of Changez himself, who is not always likable. Or noble. The courage of The Reluctant Fundamentalist is in the telling of a story about a Pakistani man who makes it and then throws it away because he doesn’t want it anymore, because he realizes that making it in America is not what he thought it was or what it used to be. The monologue form allows for an intimate conversation, as the reader and the American listener become one. Are we sitting across from Changez at a table in Lahore, joining him in a sumptuous dinner? Do his comments cause us to bristle, making us more and more uncomfortable? Extreme times call for extreme reactions, extreme writing. Hamid has done something extraordinary with this novel, and for those who want a different voice, a different view of the aftermath of 9/11, The Reluctant Fundamentalist is well worth reading. â€Å"How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia†The city of â€Å"Rising Asia†remains nameless, but through the lens of Hamid’s critical eye, we understand it to be a metropolis closely resembling Lahore, Pakistan. Drones fly overhead. Corruption, terrorism, and violence are everyday occurrences. Written in a fast-paced, second-person narration a la Jay McInerney’s â€Å"Bright Lights, Big City,†we track our nameless hero, known simply as â€Å"you,†through his journey from poor rural boy to successful tycoon of a bottled-water empire. Similarly, â€Å"Filthy Rich’’ ends up being both a personal saga of love and ambition and a pointed satiric commentary on the head-turning changes in parts of the developing world. We first meet our hero as a child, â€Å"huddled, shivering, on the packed earth under [his] mother’s cot one cold dewy morning. †He’s sickly, infected with hepatitis E, living with his family of five in a cramped, one-room shanty. There’s nothing desirable about village life. Sex between his parents is a ritual undertaken entirely clothed and right next to the children pretending to be asleep. But better things lie ahead once the family migrates to the city, a place where â€Å"wealthy neighborhoods are often divided by a single boulevard from factories and markets and graveyards . . separated from the homes of the impoverished only by an open sewer, railroad track, or narrow alley. †It’s the bleak disparity between the rich and the poor that our hero is determined to cross in order to get filthy rich in rising Asia. Lest we forget, we’re still in the land of self-help, and in proper prescriptive fashion, each chapter homes in on a goal to improving one’s station (â€Å"Get an Education,†â€Å"Befriend a Bureaucrat,†â€Å"Dance with Debt†) and each is a glimpse into our protagonist’s career at a different stage of life, from childhood to old age. He enters the workforce as a teenager, working the night shift as a delivery boy of pirated DVDs. As a result, he meets his soulmate, known only as â€Å"the pretty girl. †She works at a beauty salon but is destined for bigger things. And he’s a poor boy still wet behind the ears searching his â€Å"inner salmon†for the proper motivation. Their relationship develops into a mutual crush, and she deflowers him, but this is a love that could never be, and she finds a better mate to run off with, a marketing manager in advertising. Love, we are told, only â€Å"dampens the fire in the steam furnace of ambition, robbing of essential propulsion an already fraught upriver journey to the heart of financial success. †Hamid’s ear for replicating infomercial mumbo-jumbo is fine-tuned, producing some hilarious moments of dramatic irony. As the novel progresses through our narrator’s life’s work, from street salesman of â€Å"non-expired-labeled expired-goods†to his true calling, the bottled-water trade  a business so dirty that he must lie, cheat, cook his books, make bribes, and sometimes murder  it reveals a rather moving portrait of a life lived in regret and denial. He marries the wrong woman, fails as a father to his only son, and once his bottled-water business becomes an empire, he loses it, and the rise toward staggering wealth becomes a quick plummet to the bottom. There’s an unfortunate side effect to a novel of such admirable ambition. Hamid attempts to find the universal in the non-specific. And it’s an experiment that’s not completely successful. With his intentional generality and the many nameless players â€Å"you,†â€Å"your mother,†â€Å"your father,†â€Å"your wife,†â€Å"your brother-in-law† Hamid has created a set of characters we begin to love but are unable to clearly see. But it’s the lifelong affair the narrator has with the pretty girl that helps us regain our focus time and again. Their lives parallel over the course of several decades. As he rises in business, his infatuation grows, and he tracks her career as a model on billboards, then as a TV personality on his wife’s favorite cooking show, then as a small-business owner in her own right. When the two come together, Hamid allows these scenes to linger pleasantly on, and in turn, his two characters appear at their most human. Hamid has admitted that the genesis of â€Å"How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia†springs from the idea that reading novels can at times feel like a form of self-help. We empathize with a novel’s characters, seek their wisdom, experience their faults, find solace in their lives. Hamid’s novel embodies this concept in a tremendously profound and entertaining way, bringing to the page, front and center, why we read fiction at all. And the answer may very well be what his novel proposes: to get someone who isn’t yourself to help you.
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