Seventh Amendment Jury Trials in Civil Cases

The Seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution ensures the right to a trial by jury in any civil lawsuit involving claims valued at more than $20. In addition, the amendment prohibits the courts from overturning a jury’s findings of fact in civil suits. The amendment does not, however, guarantee a trial by jury in civil cases brought against the federal government. The rights of criminal defendants to a speedy trial by an impartial jury are protected by the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The complete text of the Seventh Amendment as adopted states: In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law. Note that the amendment as adopted ensures the right to a jury trial only in civil suits involving disputed amounts that â€Å"exceed twenty dollars. While that might seem a trivial amount today, in 1789, twenty dollars was more than an average working American earned in a month. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1789 would be worth about $529 in 2017, due to inflation. Today, federal law requires a civil suit must involve a disputed amount of over $75,000 to be heard by a federal court. What is a ‘Civil’ Case? Rather than prosecution for criminal acts, civil cases involve disputes such as legal liability for accidents, breach of business contracts, most discrimination and employment-related disputes, and other non-criminal disputes between individuals. In civil actions, the person or organization filing the lawsuit — called the â€Å"plaintiff† or â€Å"petitioner† — seeks payment of monetary damages, a court order preventing the person being sued — called the â€Å"defendant† or â€Å"respondent† — from engaging in certain acts, or both. How the Courts Have Interpreted the Sixth Amendment As is the case with many provisions of the Constitution, the Seventh Amendment as written provides few specific details of how it should be applied in actual practice. Instead, these details have been developed over time by both the federal courts, through their rulings and interpretations, along with laws enacted by the U.S. Congress. Differences in Civil and Criminal Cases The effects of these court interpretations and laws are reflected in some of the main differences between criminal and civil justice. Filing and Prosecuting Cases Unlike civil misdeeds, criminal acts are considered to be offenses against the state or the entire society. For example, while a murder typically involves one person harming another person, the act itself is considered to be an offense against humanity. Thus, crimes like murder are prosecuted by the state, with charges against the defendant filed by a state prosecutor on behalf of the victim. In civil cases, however, it is up to victims themselves to file the suit against the defendant. Trial by Jury While criminal cases almost always result in a trial by jury, civil cases — under the provisions of the Seventh Amendment — allow for juries in some instances. However, many civil cases are decided directly by a judge. While they are not constitutionally required to do so, most states voluntarily allow jury trials in civil cases. The amendment’s guarantee to a jury trial does not apply to civil cases involving maritime law, lawsuits against the federal government, or to most cases involving patent law. In all other civil cases, a jury trial can be waived at the consent of both the plaintiff and the defendant. In addition, the federal courts have consistently ruled that the Seventh Amendment’s prohibition of overturning a jurys findings of fact applies to civil cases filed in both federal and state courts, to cases in state courts that involve federal law, and to state court cases reviewed by federal courts. Standard of Proof While guilt in criminal cases must be proven â€Å"beyond a reasonable doubt,† liability in civil cases must generally be proven by a lower standard of proof known as â€Å"the preponderance of the evidence.† This is generally interpreted as meaning that the evidence showed that events were more likely to have occurred in one way than in another.  Ã‚   What does â€Å"preponderance of the evidence† mean? As with a â€Å"reasonable doubt† in criminal cases, the threshold of probability of proof is purely subjective. According to legal authorities, a â€Å"preponderance of the evidence† in civil cases may be as little as a 51% probability, compared to from 98% to 99% required to be proof â€Å"beyond a reasonable doubt† in criminal cases. Punishment Unlike criminal cases, in which defendants found guilty can be punished by time in prison or even the death penalty, defendants found to be at fault in civil cases generally face only monetary damages or court orders to take or not take some action. For example, a defendant in a civil case could be found to be from 0% to 100% responsible for a traffic accident and thus liable for payment of a corresponding percentage of monetary damages suffered by the plaintiff. In addition, defendants in civil cases have the right to file a counter-suit against the plaintiff in an effort to recover any costs or damages they may have incurred. Right to an Attorney Under the Sixth Amendment, all defendants in criminal cases are entitled to an attorney. Those who want, but cannot afford an attorney must be provided with one free of charge by the state. Defendants in civil cases must either pay for an attorney, or choose to represent themselves. Constitutional Protections of Defendants The Constitution affords defendants in criminal cases many protections, such as the Fourth Amendment’s protection against illegal searches and seizures. However, many of these constitutional protections are not provided to defendants in civil cases. This can generally be explained by the fact that because persons convicted of criminal charges face more severe potential punishment — from jail time to death — criminal cases warrant more protections and a higher standard of proof. Possibility of Civil and Criminal Liability While criminal and civil cases are treated very differently by the Constitution and the courts, the same acts can subject a person to both criminal and civil liability. For example, people convicted of drunk or drugged driving are typically also sued in civil court by the victims of accidents they may have caused. Perhaps the most famous example of a party facing criminal and civil liability for the same act is the sensational 1995 murder trial of former football superstar O.J. Simpson. Accused of killing his former wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman, Simpson first faced a criminal trial for murder and later a â€Å"wrongful death† civil trial. On October 3, 1995, partly due to the different standards of proof required in criminal and civil cases, the jury in the murder trial found Simpson not guilty due to a lack of adequate proof of guilt â€Å"beyond a reasonable doubt.† However, on February 11, 1997, a civil jury found by a â€Å"preponderance of the evidence† that Simpson had wrongfully caused both deaths and awarded the families of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman a total of $33.5 million in damages. Brief History of the Seventh Amendment Largely in response to the Anti-Federalist party’s objections to the lack of specific protections of individual rights in the new Constitution, James Madison included an early version of the Seventh Amendment as part of the proposed â€Å"Bill of Rights† to Congress in the spring of 1789. Congress submitted a revised version of the Bill of Rights, at the time composed of 12 amendments, to the states on September 28, 1789. By December 15, 1791, the required three-fourths of the states had ratified the 10 surviving amendments of the Bill of Rights, and on March 1, 1792, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson announced the adoption of the Seventh Amendment as a part of the Constitution. Seventh Amendment Key Takeaways The Seventh Amendment ensures the right to a trial by jury in civil cases.The amendment does not guarantee a trial by jury in civil suits brought against the government.In civil cases, the party filing the lawsuit is called the â€Å"plaintiff† or â€Å"petitioner.† The party being sued is called the â€Å"defendant† or â€Å"respondent.†Civil cases involve disputes over non-criminal acts such as legal liability for accidents, breaches of business contracts, and illegal discrimination.The standard of proof required in civil cases is lower than in criminal cases.All parties involved in civil cases must provide their own lawyers.Defendants in civil cases are not afforded the same constitutional safeguards as defendants in criminal cases.While not constitutionally required to do so, most states comply with the provisions of the Seventh Amendment.A person may face both civil and criminal trials for the same act.The Seventh Amendment is part of the U.S. Constit ution’s Bill of Rights as ratified by the states on December 15, 1791.

My Community Service At An Elementary School - 2022 Words

I did my community service at an elementary school called daily academy and I taught art to multiple grades. I needed a lesson plan that multiple grade groups could benefit from which lead to my research question; how can two different grade groups learn from the same lesson plan? multi-grade classrooms use lesson plans the entire class can benefit from, like the the one I created, multi grade classrooms have been around as long as the American school system has. My question came from my experience working at an after school teaching program teaching children from kindergarten to sixth grade; I had to teach multiple grade groups at a time, which lead me to creating a lesson plans that would benefit the entire class. I had to keep in mind according to my research; each student s attention span is a minute longer than their age, the age of a student doesn’t determine their ability, and when pairing students to work together, to think about their strengths and weaknesses and be s ure the exercise will benefit all students involved in each lesson. I did not have that much experience with multi-grade classrooms, it was a new concept for me to understand; I looked on many different websites for teachers who teach multi-age classrooms; on these websites I looked for multi-age lesson plans so I could get an idea on how to I would go about preparing my multi-age lesson plans for my class. Eventually I created many different lesson plans I could use in the classroom when I started myShow MoreRelatedVolunteer in a Elementary School Essay600 Words   |  3 PagesMildred Rivas 11-29-2010 Social Justice Volunteering in an elementary school Volunteering is a fulfilling experience. Many people do not take the opportunity to volunteer in their children’s school for a variety of reasons. In fact, volunteering at your child school give you a lot of opportunity and experiences. Personally, I began my volunteer experience this year at Irving Elementary School, ever since that first volunteering opportunity available to me. From helping young studentsRead MoreBecoming An Elementary School Teacher Essay800 Words   |  4 PagesBecoming an Elementary School Teacher An elementary school teacher has numerous daily duties and procedures to follow throughout a school day. Some of the most important task that an elementary school teacher has to do are planning lessons and assigning homework, maintaining grade books, and creating a positive learning environment for students. Some teachers believe that the way a classroom is setup reflects there student behavior so it is very important to create an encouraging learning environmentRead MoreTutoring : The Win Place Situation952 Words   |  4 Pagesculture driven by self-interest, a community service requirement in school might not be such a bad idea. Community service offers an opportunity to give back to the community and learn an appreciation for the undermined people and jobs that help a community function. On college applications there is even a category for a perspective student to list all of his or her community service activities. Requiring high school students to serve a certain number of com munity service hours would be a great way toRead MoreAutobiography Essay642 Words   |  3 Pagesvery small county style town. I attended Seville Public School from K-6 grade. Seville Public school was a very small school with great teachers. One of the teachers was Mrs. Stevenson who was a third grade teacher; Mrs. Stevenson inspired me to become a teacher. Her students were always first and she made learning fun. One day I will be a great teacher has Mrs. Stevenson. My name is Nancy Perez. I was born on May 24, 1980. I was raised by my grandparents who I truly appreciate for all their hardRead MorePersonal Statement : An Elementary School1117 Words   |  5 Pagesthat most informed me of my values include my parents, my high school teacher Mr. DeLuca and my internship mentor Dr. Henkel. My parents have informed me in values to do the best I can in life and also to show to show respect and kindness to those who you know and do not know. They also have informed me in other values, especially in wanting to pursue a career profession that would contribute to a person’s life. There overall values that they instilled to me help shaped my other values and other participationRead MorePersonal Narrative My Life Essay578 Words   |  3 PagesNarrative My Life I never really thought about where my life was going. I always believed life took me where I wanted to go, I never thought that I was the one who took myself were I wanted to go. Once I entered high school I changed the way I thought. This is why I chose to go to college. I believe that college will give me the keys to unlock the doors of life. This way I can choose for myself where I go instead of someone choosing for me. I have chosen to go to the local community collegeRead MoreCultural Diversity At Washington Elementary School883 Words   |  4 PagesFor my 5th EDUC Lab, I had to go to a local elementary school and take a walk around its neighborhood. I was told to observe cultural diversity, types of homes surrounding the school, and answer a variety of questions regarding the kinds of students that attend the school. I was originally a bit baffled by the kinds of questions on the sheet like are there any apartment buildings near by? or where do the children get food? I thought to myself Why do these things matter to a school? And thenRead MoreCity Council Essay995 Words   |  4 PagesI was born into a family with strong political identities. My mother’s name is Teri Lachermeier. Buffalo has been her home for most of her life. My fathers name is David Grage and they raised me and my two other siblings in the town of Buffalo. Dustin is my oldest brother and he is now married to his wife, Kala, and they reside in Buffalo. Garrett attends the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, and I am a senior at Buffalo High School. I consider this town, something, to be very important to meRead MoreMeadow View Elementary School Is My Practicum Site For My Bachelor Of Social Work Essay1461 Words   |  6 PagesMeadow View Elementary School was my practicum site for my Bachelor of Social Work (BSW). The assigned unit, was the Family Resource Center (FRC) which is a government funded agency. Erica Scott is the FRC Coordinator at Meadow View Elementary School, while completing the practicum, Erica Scott demonstrated the epitome of a great social worker. The social work profession requirements include: Being flexible as knowing how to prioritize and complete several tasks at once is crucial to getting thingsRead MoreMartin Luther King, Jr.949 Words   |  4 PagesAs a child, my first memories with race were when my mother was trying to integrate more Native American representation in my early media. However, the lack of Native American representation in children’s books and movies made her search to find fitting and accurate role models for me difficult. In the end, I only had Disney’s Pocahontas and a series of books about Kaya, an American Girl doll. Although she wanted me to learn more about my Native American heritage, these two examples were the only

Ancient Rome vs Ancient Greece Free Essays

In Rome, there are three social classes, arranged according to wealth; Patricians, Plebeians, and Slaves. Patricians are the upper class citizens; they are very wealthy and highly educated. They make up the majority of the senate and therefore control the laws. We will write a custom essay sample on Ancient Rome vs Ancient Greece or any similar topic only for you Order Now Plebeians are the poor, lower-class citizens. They greatly outnumber the Patricians, make up most of the army, and pay most of the taxes. They are not allowed to marry Patricians or take part In government. Slaves are at the bottom of the Roman social order; they make up over 25% of Romeos population, and are essential to Its survival. Wealthy citizens often own many slaves, which they use to complete various tasks around the home. They consisted of prisoners of war, Plebeians whom were In debt, or children born of slaves. Slaves often work on farms, In mills, at shops, doing city construction, or are servants. Roman writer, Seneca, believes that masters should treat their slaves well, as a well-treated slave will work better for a good master rather than Just doing enough begrudgingly for someone who mistreats their slaves. Slaves can receive freedom from their masters if they mom up with enough money, or are released upon the master’s death. Women are not considered equal to men. Their primary duty is to care for their family. The amount of work that they do is correlated to the amount of wealth they have, with rich women usually having servants to do most of their work. Women from lower class families have to do daily chores on their own, or assisted by daughters. This usually includes washing dishes, sweeping floors, and cooking. Rome is home to some of the finest pieces of art in the world. This includes architecture, paintings, sculptures, and mosaics. The sculpture is the most important piece of artwork, with thousands of sculptures located all over Rome. If you’re looking for entertainment, Roman citizens often gather in The Coliseum to see fights between gladiators, slaves, prisoners, and wild animals. These fights are very violent, and therefore enjoyable. They only end when the loser is dead. Chariot racing at The Hippodrome is also very popular in Rome. The Coliseum, The Pantheon, and Circus Maximum, are mongo some of Romeos grandest buildings. Greece: The Greek social structure is broken Into three groups; citizens, emetics, and slaves. A citizen Is born of Athenian parents, and they are the most powerful group In Greece. After compulsory service In the army, they often became government officials, and took part in Jury service. A emetic Is of foreign birth and has migrated to Athens to trade or practice craft. They must pay taxes and are sometimes required to serve In the army, despite this, they can never achieve the full rights of a excellent. This Includes the ability to own houses, and the ability to speak In court. Slaves were servants and laborers without any legal rights. Slaves can be prisoners of war, or bought from slave traders. These social statuses only apply to men, as women adopt their social status from their husband. Women In Greece are not permitted to take part in public life, making it a prime destination for the whole family! Greece is the sculpture is our preferred form of artistic expression, as it shows an expression of individuality, and the beauty of the human body. Aphids, Polytheists, and Myron are three of our most prized sculptures. One of the most distinguishable art feature of Greece, are our columns. They are crafted in three different styles; Doric is the simplest of these three styles. Ionic is thinner and more elegant with a scroll-like design. Corinthian is the rarest but most elaborate column, with many complex designs; it is often decorated with acanthus leaves. In Greece, there is no shortage of entertainment. We have invented the theatre, a place in which audiences come from all around to watch comedies or tragic plays. Greece is also home to the Olympic Games, the world’s premier sport event. Held in honor of Zeus, athletes from around Greece compete in various events in front of thousands of spectators. There are also many marvelous building in Greece, such as The Parthenon, a temple overlooking Athens. The Erection is a temple north of the Acropolis, dedicated to Athena and Poseidon. The Temple of Olympian Zeus is a temple in the center of Athens, with enormous columns. Greece is the premier destination of the World, so why not come by? How to cite Ancient Rome vs Ancient Greece, Papers

Battle Royal Essay Example For Students

Battle Royal Essay In Battle Royal, Ellison uses details of setting to create the mood of horror and repulsion. The horror begins when the narrator listens to a conversation between his father and grandfather, as his grandfather lay on his death bed. Son, after Im gone I want you to keep up the good fight. I never told you, but our life is a war and I have been a traitor all my born days, a spy in the enemys country ever since I give up my gun back in the Reconstruction. Live with your head in the lions mouth. I want you to overcome em with yeses, undermine em with grins, agree em to death and destruction, let em swoller you till they vomit or bust wide open 256. This statement had a great effect on the narrator, although he wasnt quite sure what it meant. It set a sense of fear in him. And whenever things went well for me I remember my grandfather and felt guilty and uncomfortable. It was as though I was carrying out his advice in spite of myself257. The narrator didnt plan on taking his grandfathers advice, and each time he found himself doing exactly that, it made him feel guilty. I felt guilt that in some way I was doing something that was really against the wishes of the white folks 257. This continued path of fear and hatred are carried out throughout the story. Ellison gives the reader the idea of hatred and horror when he sets the scene in the ballroom of the hotel. This is where the Battle Royal was to take place. The battle room was filled with smoke and in the center was the portable boxing ring that was to be used for the fight. On three sides of the ring, chairs were placed for the audience to observe the battle. These audience members were that of an upper-class status, bankers, lawyers, judges, doctors, fire chiefs, teachers, merchants. Even one of the more fashionable pastors 258. To top it off, they were all white as well. Each of them arrived in tuxedos wolfing down the buffet foods, drinking beer and whiskey and smoking black cigars 257. Ellison was taking us into the scene to show us the intimidation the narrator felt as he saw the audience members. It was extremely terrifying for the narrator. After the fighters were ordered to the ring, they were to be blindfolded. This gave the narrator a sense of fear and horror that he was not used to. He didnt like the darkness and the unknowing of what lied ahead. I felt a sudden fit of terror. I was unused to darkness. It was as though I had suddenly found myself in a dark room filled with poisonous cottonmouths 259. One of the audience members spoke to the narrator, See that boy over there?I want you to run across at the bell and give it to him right in the belly. If you dont get  him, Im going to get you 259. This was told to the other fighters as well. Not one person in the audience felt any sympathy for the boys. One yelled, I want to get that ginger-colored nigger. Tear him limb from limb 259. Others were kicking chairs and causing quite a commotion. This put an even greater horrifying feeling in the narrator. I wanted to see, to see more desperately than ever before 260. The blindfold was not allowing this. All it was doing was taking away what dignity he had. After the battle was complete, the portable ring was taken away and a small rug with coins, bills, and gold pieces was put in its place. Each of the fighters were told to sit around the rug as though they were of another species, perhaps from another planet. This set a sense of excitement in each of them, but at the same time they feared what was to come. Once the narrator heard the word Go 262 he went straight for the goods. I lunged for a yellow coin lying on the blue design of the carpet, touching it and sending a surprised shriek to join those rising around me. I tried frantically to remove my hand but could not let go. A hot, violent force tore through my body, shaking me like a wet rat. .ud077651c833e1ff226daa7dd8482e10d , .ud077651c833e1ff226daa7dd8482e10d .postImageUrl , .ud077651c833e1ff226daa7dd8482e10d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud077651c833e1ff226daa7dd8482e10d , .ud077651c833e1ff226daa7dd8482e10d:hover , .ud077651c833e1ff226daa7dd8482e10d:visited , .ud077651c833e1ff226daa7dd8482e10d:active { border:0!important; } .ud077651c833e1ff226daa7dd8482e10d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud077651c833e1ff226daa7dd8482e10d { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud077651c833e1ff226daa7dd8482e10d:active , .ud077651c833e1ff226daa7dd8482e10d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud077651c833e1ff226daa7dd8482e10d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud077651c833e1ff226daa7dd8482e10d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud077651c833e1ff226daa7dd8482e10d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud077651c833e1ff226daa7dd8482e10d .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud077651c833e1ff226daa7dd8482e10d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud077651c833e1ff226daa7dd8482e10d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud077651c833e1ff226daa7dd8482e10d .ud077651c833e1ff226daa7dd8482e10d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud077651c833e1ff226daa7dd8482e10d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Dickinson and Roe's nineteenth century english prose - critical essayThe rug was electrified 262-3. This didnt stop the crowd from yelling obscenities at the boys. Pick it up, goddamnit, pick it up!Go on, get it 263. This made the boys feel as though they had to do what was said, they feared the crowd more than they feared the electricity of the rug. Ellison uses this scene to show the repulsion the audience felt toward the fighters and the fear the fighters had of them. Throughout this story, Battle Royal, Ellison creates a mood of horror and repulsion toward the black fighters, especially toward the narrator. From the first scene next to the grandfathers death bed, to the money on the rug. He takes his readers to the fight to see just whats taking place, not only in the mind of the narrator, but in the minds of the upper-class white folks as well. By describing to the readers the details of each scene, he gives them a chilling sense of what its like to be horrified and hated.

From one society to another, t... free essay sample

From one society to another, the value placed on individualism varies significantly. While some countries consider individualism very valuable for the advancement of society, others however, discourage this idea. In the American culture and modern society, we are often encouraged to be independent individuals. Such characteristics appear in Franz Kafka The Metamorphosis. Kafka begins the novel by recalling Gregors mysterious transformation into an insect. As the novel progresses, we notice that Gregor has not simply been transformed physically but also mentally. He falls into a state of isolation in his room from the outside world. Furthermore, the mental impact that Gregor suffers after this odd transformation causes him to often feel dehumanized. In The Metamorphosis Kafka introduces the central character, Gregor Famsa, in a very abnormal way, as he is waking up from troubled dreams and consequently realizing that he has been transformed into a monstrous insect (Kafka 3). Although Gregor acknowledges this odd transformation, he fails to accept the fact that something is wrong with him. We will write a custom essay sample on From one society to another, t or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Surprisingly, he does not question what has just happened to him, perhaps because he wanted to believe that it was simply part of a terrible dream. Gregors metamorphosis takes on a supernatural significance and even though the story never explains the reasons for his transformation. However, the fact that Gregor transforms into an insect tells us a lot about his character and reflects how he feels about himself. By all evidence, Gregor has always tried to support his family in every possible way. But we notice that he is not very pleased with his job as a traveling salesman. In the beginning of the story Gregor states that he has chosen an exhausting profession (Kafka 4). However Gregor accepts his role as the money-earner in the family and sacrifices himself at his job in order to financially support his family. Gregor gives priority to his job, even after he has been transformed. Later on in the story, we learn that Gregor is the only person in his family that contributes to the household . This illustrates that he has almost no decision over his life and the only reason why he does not leave his job is for his parents sake and because he was afraid of provoking his fathers fury (Kafka 4) (Kafka 16). Clearly, Gregor is not very committed to his personal life and was significantly influenced by the expectations of others. In the novel, Gregor feels like his familys existence depends on him. They expect him to provide financial support, so he feels the responsibility of looking after them even after he has transformed into an insect. It seems like his family does not see Gregor as a human but rather as an idea of financial stability. When they finally become more independent and see that Gregor can no longer give them the financial support they need they plan to get rid of him. (Kafka 41)The responses of various of the characters in The Metamorphosis add to Gregors state of isolation and individualism. They are usually unquestioning about Gregors transformation and most do not act particularly surprised. (The only exception to the characters responses is the Samsas maid whom begs the family to fire after the event). When Gregors father decides to rent part of his house to three lodgers, Gregor states that he has to be more considerate about others. In one occasion his family and the three lodgers are gather in the living room enjoying Gregors sister play the violin. Gregor tries to join them and as he is making himself closer to his family and the lodgers he ventures a bit further than usual (Kafka 38). Gregors life changed when he became an insect. In the beginning he was very considerate about others because he did not want to incomodate with his presence, especially his family. As a result of their rejection towards Gregor, he eventually becomes alienated from humanity. Furthermore, Gregor believed he had sufficient reasons to keep himself hidden away (Kafka 38). His family had abandoned him in his room and even though Gregor was still a member of their family, they did not consider him a human being anymore. Therefore, in order to avoid any conflicts the best thing to do was to be as isolated as possible from everything and everyone. Additionally, Gregor does not only find himself trapped inside his own body but also in the small apartment were the story takes place. The apartment underlies the themes of isolation and confinement on a number of levels. Not even as human was Gregor able to establish relationships with other people. Now that he had become an insect he felt like he did not belong with anyone. Gregors metamorphosis marked him as an individual and created a sense of isolation and disconnection within himself and the outside world as well. But even inside the apartment Gregor could not be completely free.Kafkas writing style is very unique and interesting to study and in this particular story it helps to emphasize the themes that are portrayed through the life of Gregor. The author describes the dark reality of Gregors complex world through a common term called kafkaesque. Franz Kafka uses this term in various of his literary works, which are mainly based on a person being tormented usually by work matters; this is the case of Gregor Famsa. In The Metamorphosis the novel opens by describing Gregors odd transformation into an insect and how he finds himself trapped by unknown forces and fears in his own body. As the story progresses, we see how he becomes alienated from humanity. At this point, there is not any type of communication with anyone and his family starts excluding him. Eventually. all of these events cause Gregor to become weaker and die. Throughout his work, Kafka dramatizices Gregors world as depicted by kafkaesque alienation. We see that Gregors sense of individualism and isolation appear even before his transformation. Several factors contribute to a state of loneliness which Gregor develops throughout the story. This causes him to isolate from his family and the rest of humanity even before the mysterious transformation into an insect. Even after he has transformed into a giant insect he is not able to find a state of happiness. This probably causes Gregor to suffer even more than when he was actually a human. Despite the physical transformation, Gregor changes very little as a character over the course of The Metamorphosis. Both as men and insect Gregor accepts the hardships he faces without complaint. Although Gregors transformation could be seen as a form of escape to reveal his own personality he still struggles to be a part of the world around him. Because Gregor feels dehumanized even before the transformation from human to bug, he is never able to fully join the society around him.

Frederick Douglas Life essays

Frederick Douglas' Life essays Any anti slavery book published in 1845 was considered radical and daring, but for a black man and a fugitive slave, at that, to have done it was near suicide. Luckily, Frederick Douglass, the author of The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, was able to flee America by way of Great Britain after the book was released so that the United States could have time to embrace it. It was a story all too common in the United States at the time, but nearly unknown except by those to whom were involved, and even then, only the slaves knew the full story. Frederick Douglass knew his escape would have been in vain if he could not make others aware of the atrocities taking place in the south at the time. So, with utter disregard for the consequences of his actions, he revealed to the world the horror that was slavery. Douglass spends much of the novel addressing the most obvious aspect of slavery, which is the cruelty. The novel opens with Douglass talking of being sold from his mother at a young age and then several years later, after hearing of her death, being utterly unmoved as though it had been a total stranger. Although done subtlety, this part of the book hits very hard to the reader, because a reaction like that of Frederick to the death of one's parent is almost unimaginable. He says that his master may have been his biological father (a common occurrence on slave farms) and, the same as in his case, slaveholders sold away children from their mothers "too obviously to administer to their own lusts, and make a gratification of their wicked desires profitable as well as pleasurable." (Pg. 21) By this act many slaveholders had the "double relation of master and father."(Pg. 21) The story is saturated with accounts of severe beatings too numerous to site. Douglass goes from hearing the beating late at night as a small boy, to experiencing the whippings first hand as a young man. The "discipline ...

Chinatown Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Chinatown - Essay Example However, since the economy of America got destabilized, the labor force of China became a danger to the conventional community. Racial bias and tyrannical administration brought the Chinese people from the area of gold mines to the refuge of the locality that came to be recognized as Chinatown. It is the sole ethnic cluster in the account of the United States that have been particularly deprived of entry into the nation, the Chinese people were forbidden by law to give evidence in court, to vote, to possess property, to get married to non-Chinese, to get employed in institutional agencies and to have families to join them. The survival and success of Chinatown relied to a great extent on the family unit and neighborhood compassionate clusters which served as social and political support frameworks to the new-entrants. The associates strove to convene the essential requirements of the group of people, and represented an integrated say in the struggle against prejudiced legislation pro cedure. "CHINATOWN"  presents a informative perception towards how a cluster of people have been restricted culturally, linguistically, economically and geographically throughout aggressive times and how it has grown today to turn out to be a courageous, proud and vibrant society for the â€Å"Chinese Americans† and the â€Å"greater New York†, which is known to be in Chinese as â€Å"Dai Fao† (Big City). (Joe, 1995) Today’s Chinatown Today Chinatown has turned into a distinctive neighborhood characterized by its inhabitants, its organizations and its olden times that accounts for a story of welcome, refusal and recognition. The buildings built according to the Chinese-style and the constricted busy roads provide Chinatown its identity. Beyond the golden storefronts various tenements full of aged people and fresh immigrants stressed with issues caused by years of elimination and unfairness, health problems, substandard housing and unemployment, could be found all over the city. Central part of Chinatown itself has been restricted by its competence to develop, today no longer acts as the key housing region for the Chinese population of the New York. Numerous people have settled out of the packed Chinatown to the Sunset and Richmond regions. During the year 1977, the Chinese Community Housing Corporation and the Chinatown Resource Center commenced a wide-ranging development plan determined to discover way outs for the changes in the patterns of land use. From the time of 1895 the citizens of the Chinese American community coalition has struggled in opposition to disenfranchisement of the dwellers of the Chinese origin and supported a good amount of community assignments. Population, employment and industry In the Census of 1980 it can be found that 84.5% (for a total of 124,372) of the New York region's Chinese population lived in the New York City, and the greater part of the Chinese people of the New York City are comparatively de nser in 3 counties namely the New York County (41.9 %), Queens County (31.8 %) and Kings County (21.0 %). Moreover 73 % of the Chinese people of the New York County used to reside in fourteen census bands in the Lower East Manhattan. The Chinese migrants, above all the new immigrants, have a tendency to look for

Gender Disparity in Employment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gender Disparity in Employment - Research Paper Example The society is usually highly structured and stratified based on social hierarchies which have both dominant and subordinate groups coexisting together. As such, the gender disparity seen in matters pertaining to labor or employment can be traced back to a highly patriarchal and discriminative society (Donahue, 2007). This paper will try to tackle the two dominant causes of gender disparity in the social sphere which are patriarchal systems, and gender discrimination. Patriarchal systems usually refer to male dominance in which gender hierarchy favors the male over the female gender. The males are usually endowed with power, material and status advantages over their female counterparts. Despite advances and profound structural changes within the society, the gender hierarchy is still propagated today in different forms. These structural changes include such things like increasingly venture of women into male dominated careers and more women opting for careers as opposed to formative days when they stayed at home. Currently, there is no one single way through which the patriarchal system can be analyzed and understood as a possible cause of gender disparity, those interactional processes that are taken for granted may be the solution. These interactional processes are usually mediated through gender stratification which is an old time sociological practice (Elliott & Smith, 2004). The reasons for male dominance in patriarchal societies has been attributed to different factors and key among are culture, religion and capitalism. Through the industrialization and modernization of man, the culture of male dominance has been the norm whereby in forms of mass production that existed in the agrarian civilization, man was favored as the dominant figure. This is because it was the duty of man to perform strenuous tasks like fighting while women were allocated lighter duties like taking care of the homes. In that way, division of labor developed which later became entrenc hed in the society. In a way, capitalism propagated paternalism further by favoring men who seem not to overindulge in work in the society according to the cultural settings while it is they who own everything. In a way, that is exploitative but that is way that things have been moving on but slowly they are changing as more parity is being introduced in the previously skewed gender disparity (Donahue, 2007; Ridgeway, 1997). Discrimination simply refers to prejudice based on perceived traits that may be biological or otherwise. When one is discriminated against, it does not necessarily have to be based on race but also gender discrimination exists especially in matters pertaining to labor or employment. Currently, the trend is slowly changing but there are those jobs or careers that are dominated by the male gender at the expense of the female gender. Reasons attributed to this can be traced to individual perceptions of the key players in the field which naturally discriminate again st the female gender in holding some positions. Take for instance the issue of women representation legislation or politics which remains a largely male dominated affair globally even in the US. Although the last word has to come from the voters who by the way comprise a bigger women representation, they discriminate aga

A Nation of Drunkards Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A Nation of Drunkards - Assignment Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the White Southerners feared that drinking would turn their Black neighbors into criminals. This drinking according to the temperance reformers created anger and sorrow, which eventually resulted in the destruction of many families and marriages. In other words, the drunkards out of anger and sorrow mistreated their wives and children. Burns and Novick imply that drinking was considered a symbol of masculinity and yet again it often ruined masculinity’s key obligation and expectations, which is an individual’s capability to provide support to their family. In addition, the National Prohibition depicted a coincidence resulting from a combination of certain aspects. These aspects included the Anti-Saloon League’s political skill, and the formulation and implementation of an amendment to the constitution of the federal government, which resulted to the formation of an income tax (ensuring that drink taxes were rendered inappropriate). It also included the entrance of the American nation into the world war one, a factor that led to the demonization of the German-American brewers. Generally, these explanations made by Burns and Novick are the factors that led to the assumptions that the National Prohibition had a high probability of being self-enforcing.

Definition of International Human Resource Management (IHRM)

Definition of International Human Resource Management (IHRM) International Human Resource Management includes the firms work systems and its employment practices. It embraces both individual and collective aspects of people management. It is not restricted to any one style or ideology. It engages the energies of both line and specialist managers (where the latter exists) and typically entails a range of messages for a variety of workforce groups. (Boxhall, P. and Purcell, J. 2008). HRM responsibilities include: Recruitment and selection Training and development Human resource planning Assessing performance of employees Payment and reward systems Initiatives to align employee developments to corporate strategies. International Human Resource Management (IHRM) Boxall, P. (1992) defined International Human Resource Management (IHRM) as concerned with the human resource problems of multinational firms in foreign subsidiaries (such as expatriate management) or more broadly, with the unfolding HRM issues that are associated with the various stages of the internationalisation process. (Boxhall, P. 1992). Mark Mendenhall (2000) sought to be more specific by outlining a number of criteria relevant to a definition of IHRM: IHRM is concerned with HRM issues that cross national boundaries or are conducted in locations other than the home country headquarters. IHRM is concerned with the relationships between the HRM activities of organisations and the foreign environments in which the organisations operate. IHRM includes comparative HRM studies; e.g. differences in how companies in Japan, Thailand, Austria and Switzerland plan for upgrading of employee skills and so on. What IHRM is not IHRM does not include studies that are focused on issues outside the traditional activities inherent in the HRM function. E.g. leadership style is not IHRM, unless specifically linked to an HRM function; developing a selection programme to measure and select global leaders would arguably lie within the domain of organisational behaviour. IHRM does not include studies of HRM activities in single countries. E.g. a study of personnel selection practices in Saudi Arabia, whether undertaken by an English, German or Canadian researcher, is still a study about domestic HRM in Saudi Arabia. Though such studies may have interest to those who work in international HRM issues, they are essentially examples of domestic HRM research. IHRM approaches Ethnocentric: key positions filled by nationals of parent company Polycentric: host country nationals recruited to manage subsidiary in their own country Geocentric: best people recruited, whatever their nationality Regiocentric: best people recruited within region in which the subsidiary operates (e.g. EU, USA). IHRM solutions Choice of IHRM approach depends upon: Degree and type of internationalisation Type of industry and markets served Characteristics of staff Cultural preferences. Advantages and disadvantages of a decentralised approach to IHRM Advantages Groups within the subsidiary can gain in status Groups within the subsidiary become more cohesive, fostering group identity IHRM takes place within a culture appropriate to the local workforce and customers Disadvantages Tendency to become exclusive Loss of central control, higher administrative costs as HRM function is sent down the line Loss of organisational control and organisational identity Work and Islamic culture Latifi (1997) identified the following work-related values of Islamic culture: Equality before God Individual responsibility within a framework of cooperation with others A view that people in positions of power should treat subordinates kindly, as if their subordinates are brothers or sisters Fatalism, but also a recognition of personal choice Encouragement of consultation at all levels of decision-making, from family to the wider community. IHRM and training and development Training and development increases in complexity as MNEs move abroad. Types of training and development depends on a number of factors: The degree to which management is centralised. The types of workers employed in subsidiaries or joint ventures. The importance of branding, and the extent to which employees are expected to reflect the brand. The cultural expectations of training. In a global company, the training may well be centralised so that suppliers, employees and distributors are aware of the brand image that needs to be communicated. E.g. in Ford training programmes are set up centrally, and then translated and delivered to all main suppliers, subsidiaries and distributors. If, however, a more polycentric approach is taken, then the training may well be far more local, and more in line with the local culture Cross-cultural awareness Support provided for employees moving to overseas subsidiaries: Environmental briefings Cultural orientation Cultural assimilation Language training Sensitivity training Field experience. IHRM and reward strategies To design an appropriate reward strategy for employees taking up an international position, may require a number of factors to be considered, including: A knowledge of the laws, customs, environment, and employment practices of the foreign countries. Familiarity with currency relationships and the effect of inflation on compensation. An understanding of the allowances appropriate to particular countries, etc. For example, awareness of employment related legislation in the country of operation is vital to an appropriate international reward structure. India has as many as 45 labour laws at national level and close to four times that at the level of state governments (Kaushik 2006). The main method of drawing up a compensation package is known as the balance sheet approach. This approach is, according to Reynolds (1986): a system designed to equalise the purchasing power of employees at comparable position levels living overseas and in the home country, and to provide incentives to offset qualitative differences between assignment locations. IHRM and Balance Sheet reward strategy In order to achieve balance in reward structure, the organisation must take into account: Income taxes incurred in both home and host country Housing allowances (which might range from financial assistance to employees to providing company housing) Cost-of-living allowances (to adjust differences between home and abroad) Contributions to savings, pension schemes, etc. while abroad Relocation allowances (including the moving, shipping and storage of personal and household items and temporary living expenses) Education allowances for expatriates children (e.g. language tuition and enrollment fees in the host country or boarding school fees in the home country) Medical, emergency and security cover. Appraisal Identifies individuals strengths and weaknesses Reveals organisational obstacles blocking progress Provides feedback to improve human resource planning Improves communication. Cultural variations: performance appraisals Dimension general USA low context Saudi Arabia high context Japan high context Objective of performance appraisal Fairness, employee development Placement Direction of company/employee development Who does appraisal? Supervisor Manager several levels up. Appraiser has to know employee well Mentor and supervisor. Appraiser has to know employee well Authority of appraiser Presumed in supervisory role or position. Supervisor takes slight lead Reputation important (prestige is determined by nationality, sex, family, tribe, title, education). Authority of appraiser important Respect accorded by employee to supervisor or appraiser. Done co-equally How often? Once a year Once a year Developmental or periodically once a month. Evaluation appraisal after first 12 years

The Main Outcomes of the Industrial Revolution Essay -- Industrial Rev

The Main Outcomes of the Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution had a huge impact on society. The major effects were socially and economically. It is rather difficult to date the start of the industrial revolution but history books of today suggest the onset during the 18th century. The change from agriculture to industry was vast and it must be remembered that England was the first country to undergo this profound change. The initial effect on engineering industries arising at the start of the Industrial Revolution were due partly to the geographical location of the resources i.e. coal iron and water. The inventiveness of our ancestors in these as well as other industries such as textiles chemical electrical and transportation contributed greatly to the Industrial Revolution. The first two of these coal and iron provided the capital infrastructure and options for future development, whilst textiles supported and encouraged developments. Coal was originally mined by small group’s even families, using the long wall system. * SEE DIA 1. This technique was changed dramatically with the invention of the Commen engine. * SEE DIA 2. (named after its inventor THOMAS NEWCOMMEN) This was a pump that pumped the water out of coalmines allowing deeper more productive mines to be worked by more people. [This in turn had effects on the production of iron] In the early 1700s iron was produced by burning vast quantities of wood. The production techniques were crude. Technology had already provided machines like the newcommen engine; this pumping device allowed ABRAHAM DARBY II to fill a millpond to power a water wheel for a blast furnace. This enabled the production of better quality pig iron. This technique provided the iron for the manufacture of one of the major symbols of the industrial revolution the Ironbridge over the river seven. * SEE DIA 3. A water wheel also played a major part in one of the first inventions within the textile industry. RICHARD ARKWRIGHT invented the water frame for spinning (1769) this device was used by local man JEDEDIAH STRUTT in a mill at Cromford. The changes within the textile industry from wool to cotton called for more and more mechanisation. The mechanisation of the industry also led the setting up of the first factories; some of the first major mechanical devices were to be used in these factories. Such as JOH... ...820 employers organisations registered, they mainly dealt with wage bargaining and labour questioning in general. A forum was created for the exchange of technical ideas and development. Pressure groups encouraged favourable legislation. In today’s industry, employers’ organisations fall into two categories: 1. Those concerned with the common interest of a particular trade or technology. The engineering employers federation in London co-ordinates the engineering employers association, this operates at local level and is largely concerned with wage bargaining and representing engineering employers interests locally and nationally. 2. General groups of employers, for example, the confederation of British industry, this balances the role of the TUC this also acts as a pressure group encouraging favourable government response to the requirements of British industry at home and abroad. There are also technical development associations, providing a forum for technical exchange, carrying out fundamental research on behalf of their member companies, one of these being the copper development association (C.D.A.). and the motor industry research association (M.I.R.A.).

I Turned over the Question Paper

I turned over the question paper, I flipped through all the pages. I did not know how to answer any of the questions. I racked my brain to recall what I had studied yesterday but I barely could remember anything. I viewed around the class and found all my classmates were poring over and solving the question papers intently. My bosom friend, Serene was sitting beside me at the corner of the class. I doubted I was the only one who was still musing. The exam started at 10 a. m. and now the wall clock above the whiteboard was showing 10. 30 a. m. Time really flew, but I still had not even written a single word on my question paper. I started to have butterflies in my stomach. ‘What can I do now? ’ I kept asking myself. My brilliant yet filthy mind suddenly thought of an idea. I occasionally threw surreptitious glances at Serene. When I noticed Miss Lim was busy marking the exam papers, I rapidly threw a folded memo I had written to Serene: ‘Serene, please pass me your paper for just a couple of minutes. ‘ I could sense that she hesitated for a split second, however, she still handed her question paper to me in a swift manner so that Miss Lim would not have realised what we were actually doing. Serene was like my angel, she had always been part and parcel of my life since we had first met in Form 1. With lightning speed, I copied the answers favourably but apprehensively. My jubilance came to an abrupt end when I heard a discreet cough from behind. It was Miss Lim! She speedily snatched the question papers from me and glanced at me with the eyes of a hawk. It was too late for me to react when Serene beckoned me as I was profoundly concentrating with what I was doing. Then her creepy eyes turned to Serene who was close to tears. Her tears had yet accumulated in her guilty eyes. Miss Lim was too dazed to even talk. I could sense that all eyes were looking at us at that moment. Regaining her composure, she asked all the students to continue with their exam and took us out of the class. Just then, she made a phone call to our well-known discipline teacher, Mr Lambert. Mr Lambert took us to his discipline room together with the question papers in his hand. He scrutinised the question papers attentively. We thought he would have scolded us as loud as thunder until the staffroom located a few miles away could hear us. Surprisingly, he did not. He looked at us with his smiley and warmth face. Tears welled up in our eyes and we tried to hold them back. However, we could not. They started flowing down our cheeks. He waited with the patience of a saint until we had finished and asked us if we wanted to tell him why and how everything had happened. We told him. I confessed that I was the one who insisted Serene to pass me her question paper. He gave us a lecture and warned us not to repeat the same thing in future if not we would be suspended from school. Each of us was given a warning letter and our parents were called to the school. We vowed to Mr Lambert that we would never cheat again during examinations. From that day onwards, we were renowned to be the best cheaters ever.

Sullivans Travels essays

Sullivans Travels essays The Great Depression was a time when Americans were lost economically, and emotionally, and many movies have been made in an attempt to capture the horrors of life in that time. The film Sullivans Travels however is in my opinion satirizes the Depression. It inaccurately depicts the tribulations of the 1940s and is useless in its historical account. The value in this movie lays in entertainment, and in nothing else. In short, the protagonist in the film Sullivan, a wealthy movie director, wants to make a movie about pain and suffering, and in doing so, decides to live out on the streets with 10 cents in his pocket. From the beginning, he makes a mockery out of human kind in general. We see Sullivan going back and forth from his street-life to his mansion, never fully experiencing how life was for the unfortunate. In his attempt to become a tramp, he makes a joke out of the Depression. He is poor when it is convenient to him, and when he meets a pretty girl, he tries to use him money and fame to impress her. The movie really never focuses in on the pain and suffering of anyone, but instead we see a fickle man who attempted to do something beneficial, but instead turned away from it when it became difficult. Sullivan chooses when he wants to sleep in a bed, and out on the streets, and when the streets posed a problem, he had his team following him in a van while they promoted his actions as simply a publicity stunt. The climate during the Depression was that the poor and unfortunate had no choice as to whether they should sleep on the street or in a bed on any given night, they had no other life that they could go back to. In this movie, we are not exposed to any of the hardships that Americans underwent, but instead we see a game that Sullivan played. At the end of this movie we as the viewer have not been given and interesting insight to life in the Depression, we a ...

Speech to the Troops at Tilbury Essay Example

Speech to the Troops at Tilbury Essay Example Speech to the Troops at Tilbury Paper Speech to the Troops at Tilbury Paper Essay Topic: Dunkirk Speech to the Troops at Tilbury Portrait of Elizabeth made to commemorate the defeat of the Spanish Armada (1588), depicted in the background. Elizabeths international power is symbolized by the hand resting on the globe. The Speech to the Troops at Tilbury was delivered on 9 August Old Style, 19 August New Style 1588 by Queen Elizabeth I of England to the land forces earlier assembled at Tilbury in Essex in preparation of repelling the expected invasion by the Spanish Armada. Prior to the speech the Armada had been driven from the Strait of Dover in the Battle of Gravelines eleven days earlier, and had by now rounded Scotland on its way home, but troops were still held at ready in case the Spanish army of Alexander Farnese, the Duke of Parma, might yet attempt to invade from Dunkirk; two days later they were discharged. On the day of the speech, the Queen left her bodyguard before the fort at Tilbury and went among her subjects with an escort of six men. Lord Ormonde walked ahead with the Sword of State; he was followed by a page leading the Queens charger and another bearing her silver helmet on a cushion; then came the Queen herself, in white with a silver cuirass and mounted on a grey gelding. She was flanked on horseback by her Lieutenant General the Earl of Leicester on the right, and on the left by the Earl of Essex, her Master of the Horse. Sir John Norreys brought up the rear. Content of the speech The text was found in a letter from Leonel Sharp sometime after 1624 to the duke of Buckingham. My loving people We have been persuaded by some that are careful of our safety, to take heed how we commit our selves to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery; but I assure you I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people. Let tyrants fear. I have always so behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good-will of my subjects; and therefore I am come amongst you, as you see, at this time, not for my recreation and disport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of the battle, to live and die amongst you all; to lay down for my God, and for my kingdom, and my people, my honour and my blood even, in the dust. I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm; to which rather than any dishonour shall grow by me, I myself will take up arms, I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field. I know already, for your forwardness you have deserved rewards and crowns; and We do assure you in the word of a prince, they shall be duly paid you. In the mean time, my lieutenant general shall be in my stead, than whom never prince commanded a more noble or worthy subject; not doubting but by your obedience to my general, by your concord in the camp, and your valour in the field, we shall shortly have a famous victory over those enemies of my God, of my kingdom, and of my people. Second Version Another version of the speech was recorded in 1612 by William Leigh. His version reads: Come on now, my companions at arms, and fellow soldiers, in the field, now for the Lord, for your Queen, and for the Kingdom. For what are these proud Philistines, that they should revile the host of the living God? I have been your Prince in peace, so will I be in war; neither will I bid you go and fight, but come and let us fight the battle of the Lord. The enemy perhaps may challenge my sex for that I am a woman, so may I likewise charge their mould for that they are but men, whose breath is in their nostrils, and if God do not charge England with the sins of England, little do I fear their force†¦ Si deus nobiscum quis contra nos? (if God is with us, who can be against us? ) Two primary sources of the Tilbury Speech in Elizabethan English are available from the Women Writers Project.

Urban Housing Reforms and Urban Blight Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Urban Housing Reforms and Urban Blight - Essay Example Cultural groups overran areas that were under urban development reforms in an effort to enjoy imminent benefits like reasonably priced houses (Aoki, 1992). For example, the aftermath of the First World War saw a profound inflow of African Americans from the south. This influx led to troubles of the â€Å"metabolism† of urban housing reform and population distribution (Pritchett, 2003). The dumbbell tenement is another example of urban blight in the form of a product of urban design reform. The vast arrival of communities resulted in the acceleration of the â€Å"junking† procedure in the field of deterioration. Reform supporters never built a systematic procedure by which to ascertain the positive impacts of the reforms. One example is the presented of outmoded contracts in many urban development councils. Similar to the private sector, urban design reform integrated control and imposed order on surrounding environs. Another example is the burdensome structure of checks and balances that reform supporters did not abandon. This system of transacting fostered fraudulence, corruption, overstated taxes, and election rigging. From this point of new, an urban blight in late nineteenth century America was not just a naturally happening procedure. Urban housing reforms of the late 1800s in the end contributed to urban blight. The loss of interest in the greater good by landowners, migration influxes, the invasion of urban areas by ethnic groups, and the lack of a systematic process contributed to urban blight.

Terrorism Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Terrorism - Term Paper Example Similarities and differences with insurgency Insurgency is not a conventional war or terrorism. It shares with terrorism the use of force to obtain a political end. Difference that arises between the two is the degree of violence. Terrorism does not lead to political change on its own but insurgency tries to bring forth change use of force of arms. Insurgents use ways like hit and run attacks and laying ambushes on the security forces. Insurgency unlike terrorism gets significant support from a large portion of the population. Insurgency is a movement or a political effort that has an aim. The major difference between terrorism and the insurgency is the intent of their activities. Insurgency contains nothing inherent that will need the use of terror. However, there exist other successful insurgencies that used terrorism and the terror acts, other formed into conflicts where the tactics of terror and terrorism became predominant. Other insurgencies renounced the use of terrorism total ly in their movement. The choice of using terrorism is to inspire increased resistance, destroying the government efficiency, and to mobilize support (Sageman 20). The goal of an insurgency is, to adequately challenge the present government for the control of the entire or a portion of its territory. Insurgents can also force different political concessions in sharing of political power. Insurgencies, however, need the tactic or active support of a portion of the involved population. The insurgents could also require support from foreign countries. This, however, does not bother them at all. A terrorist group does not need and minimally has empathy or support of a big fraction of the population. While the insurgents describe themselves frequently as guerillas or insurgents, the terrorists will never refer to themselves or their organization as terrorists. They describe or portray themselves using political or military terminology such as activists and freedom fighters. Terrorism dep ends on public impact, and relatively conscious of the benefits of avoiding the negative impacts of the term terrorists’ when identifying themselves (Simic 15). Terrorism acts do not try to fight the government forces directly, but will tend to change the perceptions as to the legitimacy or the effectiveness of the government in question. They achieve this by ensuring the greatest knowledge of terrorist acts of violence. The terrorists do not attempt to control any region, as this identifies them to a location which reduces their security and mobility. The terrorist avoid direct confrontations with the forces of government. Insurgents can have something to achieve from clashing with the government forces, like proving that they can efficiently challenge the government military and test their effectiveness. Terrorist organizations have nothing to gain from clashing with the governments. The terrorists groups will not engage in anything that resembles a fair fight or a war itse lf. They use ways that will neutralize the powers of the conventional forces. Terrorists tactics include; bombings of civilian targets where the military spend off duty time, ambushes of conveys that are not defended and the assassinations of poorly guarded individuals (Sageman 24). Insurgencies do not need the targeting of civilians, despite the fact that they expand the required legal definition of combatants to include the police and other security personnel

Volcanic impact on environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Volcanic impact on environment - Essay Example The exploitation of these materials in turn has a direct impact on the environment.† (Marti and Ernst, xiii) Significantly, the direct and indirect impact of volcanoes on the environment and society requires significant public awareness as volcanic eruptions never get public attention unless when people and buildings are harmed directly by these volcanoes. The crucial impact of hazardous volcanic processes on the environment and the society needs to be analyzed comprehensively and it is important to realize that the direct volcano hazards include fall processes, flowage processes, and other processes, while the indirect volcano hazards include earthquakes and ground movement, tsunami, atmospheric impact and climate change, etc. A profound analysis of the volcanic impact on the environment confirms that the volcanic eruptions are extremely harmful to the environment, primarily because of the number of toxic gases emitted in the process. Significantly, the toxic gases emitted in volcanic eruptions include carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, carbon monoxide, volatile metal chlorides, etc. and these are extremely hazardous to the environment. This paper makes a reflective exploration of the volcanic impact on the environment in order to discover the various hazardous ways in which volcanic eruptions and process influence the environment and the society, directly and indirectly. One of the major research questions of an analysis of the volcanic impact on the environment should be how the volcanic gases have

Evaluation of the play Blood Brothers Essay Example for Free

Evaluation of the play Blood Brothers Essay Thomas Hardy suggests that in the mid-ninteenth century women were limited in their choice of jobs. Factory work was available in some areas but this meant working long, tiresome hours. They could also work for the rich, but for very little money. The term used for a woman who makes dresses is a seamstress. They spent their lives sewing for the rich ladies who wore smart dresses. In Far From the Madding Crowd the main character Bathsheba is the proud owner of her inherited farm. She has maids, farm workers and shepherds working for her. She spends long hours of the day working in fields. She is a fortunate woman, very popular among the men but who clearly is unsure about life /love. Her character is affluent and enjoys a privileged lifestyle. In Wessex where the book was set it is very traditional, old fashioned (even some parts are today). The rural setting makes it relate to what the scenery was like, and enhances the atmosphere. At the time this book was written, health standards were very poor and there was no birth control. Illness was common, and people often had to cope for themselves. A woman was considered lucky if she was rich enough to employ a maid to care for her. There were no injections to prevent people against tetanus, common among farm workers. (It occurs when dirt is passed through a wound with a risk of getting paralysed) Nowadays we have modern medicine and equipment and highly trained doctors. Unlike men, woman had many limitations. If a party/ festival was being held all the women were obliged to leave the room, while the men drank. But Hardy shows a different stereotype to the one most women were accustomed to at that time- Bathsheba, instead of leaving the room quietly and without protestation, she leaves indignantly, having complained to her husband about the amount of alcohol that was offered- dont give it to them. This shows she was more independent than other women of her day. Women were expected to cook mostly and were frequently bossed around by their husbands (male domination) this has held a topic of sexism to woman today. In the Victorian times, women were expected to dress respectively. Evan if a woman showed a small amount of her ankle it was though of as blasphemous and unpleasant! Woman wore long dresses, bonnets and covered their arms up. Obviously a rich person would have a more fancy-detailed dress than a poor person. People though that woman were not equal to men because men were stronger and protector. Women were quoted as feeble and timid. Woman could vote very little and there was very little education for them. One thing I picked up on was that in the book when Troy was performing in the circus among the other men, there were no woman performing. This was against the rules and the circus would have needed strong performers, which were not, in their eyes woman. The workhouse was a place in which many poor/old people ended their days. But the workhouse was also for young people too. Fanny was one who died in the workhouse after giving birth. People would work and pray throughout the day. They had a regime but they were also allowed to relax and have free time to do what they wanted. It was thought that religion would help the poor to overcome their laziness, fecklessness and drunkenness. Even school lessons for children revolved around the Bible. There were foundation orphanages for children where they were treated with great care. This option was for woman who could not look after their children or were ill/having problems etc. This option would have done Fanny help, if she hadnt had died. From reading the book, and observing the film I have seen in depth that life then, is extremely different from today and what woman could and couldnt do. Men could do far more and seemed to get more out of life than woman. Troy was often seen doing much more than Bathsehba?

The operations of the PepsiCo Company

The operations of the PepsiCo Company The report based on the operations of PepsiCo was done in the satisfaction of a Dynamics of Strategy Assignment. The company original location is in the United States of America but the company also operates in countries globally ranging from large emerging countries, the BRIC countries: Brazil, Russia, India and China to the small Caribbean Islands. PepsiCo, initiated as Pepsi: a carbonated cola drink in the beverage industry initiated in 1968 and has continued to expand since. The company has expanded through diversification and acquisitions into both the food and beverage industry. The company has been analyzed in terms of its internal and external environment and strategic opportunities for improvement has been proposed. PepsiCos mission Our mission is to be the worlds premier consumer products company focused on convenient foods and beverages. We seek to produce financial rewards to investors as we provide opportunities for growth and enrichment to our employees, our business partners and the communities in which we operate. And in everything we do, we strive for honesty, fairness and integrity. PepsiCos vision, PepsiCos responsibility is to continually improve all aspects of the world in which we operate   environment, social, economic   creating a better tomorrow than today. Introduction PepsiCo, one of the most diverse and leading companies in the food and beverage industry initiated as Pepsi Cola in 1898 producing only cola beverages. In 1965, the company took the step to merge with another company, Frito Lay, in the food industry to form the company as the name is today, PepsiCo. PepsiCo controls 103 billion litres in market volume in the US beverage industry and concurrently a UDS $321billion in market value. PepsiCo with competitors in both the food and beverage industry, focused on international growth and further diversification. PepsiCo is the second largest beverage producer in the world and the worlds leader in its Frito Lay division in the food (salty snacks) industry. PepsiCo has numerous competitors in both the food and beverage industry: CoCa Cola, Kraft Foods, Unilever, and Nestle. PepsiCo expanded its production initially from Pepsi, a cola beverage to diversifying to water (Aquafina), Quaker Oats in the cereal and snack industry to juices and energy drinks such as Gatorade. The company further acquired and formed joint ventures increasing its product line to teas and root beers. The company acquired and formed joint ventures, along with the purchase of famous restaurant chains such as Kentucky Fried Chicken. PepsiCo currently focuses on growth through Performance with a Purpose: to improve the performance of the company, human and talent sustainability as they move towards being more environment friendly. The assignment seeks to review and analyze the external and internal environment, evaluating whether the company is in strategic fit or drift. When this is determined, the researcher would assess the feasibility, acceptability and suitability of the proposed strategic option of growth in emerging markets. The researcher would then go on to recommend a detailed implementation plan of the chosen strategic option in terms of new product development. Task 1 Evaluation of the External Environment The evaluation of the external environment was undertaken through the use of various tools which analyses conditions, entities, events and factors of the environment in which PepsiCo operates. The tools used by the researcher were the PESTLE analysis, Porters Five Forces, the 3 Cs and the Industry Life Cycle. This analysis of each tool was embarked on to determine how the activities of PepsiCo are influenced by the macro environment and whether the company is in strategic fit. PESTLE Analysis is a tool that could aid organizations making strategies by helping them understand the external environment in which they operate now and how they will operate in the future. In all markets PepsiCo has entered, the government has intervened to some extent, where they were confronted with several political barriers to entry, adhering to laws and regulations. These issues increased, as the company expanded its operations and portfolio. PepsiCo was further affected when the economic downturn negatively impacted on their financial statement as costs fluctuated. Despite this, PepsiCo was granted approval for investment into the company. Cultural and demographic aspects, social factors also affected the operations of PepsiCo which include a shift towards healthier lifestyles. PepsiCo has kept up-to-date with technological advancements by introducing the most recent improvements to machinery in the industry. They have implemented modern media methods to increase brand awareness, allowing them to being innovative, reduce costs and improve quality. PepsiCo faces legal challenges where there were bans placed on advertising in some countries. In some countries the governments have reduced the awarded contract previously set at a term of five years to one year. PepsiCo has decided to go green and be environment friendly, focusing on water, climate changes, agricultural and packaging change. They have initiated to reduce their utility consumption. Michael Porter provided a framework that models an industry as being influenced by five forces. Porters five forces is a framework used by the researcher to determine the competitive intensity of the macro environment in which PepsiCo operate. Considering PepsiCo is one of the dominants in the food and beverage industry there is little room for new entrants to create competitive pressure. Due to capital, market knowledge and experience, PepsiCo has the absolute advantage in terms of cost which would deter new competitors. PepsiCo with the advantage of high bargaining power of suppliers are able to identify, differentiate and substitute inputs. If the suppliers have greater influence on the industry, then PepsiCo would have to pay high prices for the raw materials. PepsiCo allows the buyers a strong bargaining power so that they could maintain the number of buyers they have and attract new ones. Buyers may have greater influence on PepsiCo since there are numerous substitutes for its products. The threat of substitutes which exists within the beverage and food industry is a major issue for PepsiCo, where a price change can prove futile for the company. PepsiCo is fortunate since although there are substitutes for the products there are no close rival, with a diversified portfolio that links directly to PepsiCo at all product levels. This, a strength to the company gives them the competitive advantage of operating in the industry. The 3Cs Model is a business model which offers a strategic look at the factors needed for success The researcher would use the 3Cs model to measure the differences between the actual and the perceived quality of the companys product portfolio, helping to assess the importance of the brand name PepsiCo. Market dominance of certain products such as Frito Lay and Gatorade has been a success since PepsiCo would have increased market share. PepsiCo can maintain this dominance by obtaining control of their brand through patenting. The company can further seek other measures to maintain this success, through innovation by improving existing products. PepsiCo segments its market and goals are directed towards consumers since it is the consumers who the company depends on for revenues and profits. PepsiCo portrayed them as the New Generation or the Pepsi Generation. PepsiCo has even adjusted its portfolio by improving existing products and developing new ones to meet current trends in the market: a healthier lifestyle. Although PepsiCo is dominant in some products in the market they still need to focus on its competitors strategies and techniques. Coca Cola, leader in the beverage industry enjoys the largest market share for carbonated soft drinks. Smaller competitors use strategies to allow them to remain in the market and their size, although smaller than PepsiCo to gain competitive advantage. PepsiCo is in the mature stage of the Industry Life Cycle in the food and beverage industry. This tool with knowledge of past and current market trends are used to predict future trends and potential entrants or threats that may arise in the market. PepsiCo maintains its position by using techniques such as diversification strategies and developing products towards current trends and market development. Critical Assessment of Strategic Resource Capabilities The researcher undertook an analysis of PepsiCos internal environment, comprised of the organizations resources, capabilities and competencies. This assessment helped to determine whether the company is in a strategic fit or drift. Several tools such as the SWOT analysis, the VRIO framework and the Key Success Factors were used. PepsiCo has the second highest market share in the beverage industry but have always had and continues to maintain a strong brand image. The company had the advantage since with their diversified portfolio; they were able to create an image for not only for their cola beverage but for all their products. Due to this PepsiCo encountered additional revenue for growth and was able to invest in technology with helped them to benefit from economies of scale. Despite PepsiCos many strengths they had their fair share of weaknesses. The company has limited themselves with their diversified portfolio since they have concentrated mostly in North America. This could prove that they are not fully utilizing their resources available to them globally especially in emerging countries. This weakness can be converted to an opportunity where it can be used as a strategy towards growth. Further opportunities may emerge where PepsiCo can further diversify through new product development, improvements to old products and acquisitions, towards changing demand, a healthier lifestyle. PepsiCo faces challenges from competitors and the declining economy could also prove as a threat where there is sluggish growth of the economy. PepsiCo with a strong internal work culture, an intangible resource, is structured toward the companys Performance with a Purpose to encourage professionalism and personal development while subsequently having fun. Ideas and comments are most welcomed by the management team. Young employees are given the chance to embrace early responsibility, to accept risks and make some decisions allowing them to develop and become prospective leaders. PepsiCo also focuses external culture where they give back to communities. Geographic location has impacted on the internal culture of PepsiCo where culture is altered towards employees in different regions. The strategic location of the company also helps to improve the distribution of products. At some locations, PepsiCo use to their benefit government incentives to decentralize their operations. This helps to reduce operating costs. Brand imagery, reputation and high employee morale plays a huge role in increasing goodwill of PepsiCo. This intangible asset could lead to a positive impact on the financial statements. Despite the negative outlook from the financial statements due to the economic storm and currency fluctuations, the company was able to achieve growth in 2008. Although numerous government bodies planned to increase taxes for snacks and cola beverages and PepsiCo had a high short term debt, they continued to invest for long term prospects. VRIO framework is an internal tool of analysis in the context of businesses. VRIO is an acronym for the four question framework you ask about a resource or capability to determine its competitive potential: the question of Value, the question of Rarity, the question of Imitability (Ease/Difficulty to Imitate), and the question of Organization (ability to exploit the resource or capability). PepsiCo was able to add value to their manufacturing process through innovation and efficiency in all resources: Culture/HR, Location, Brand Image, Goodwill and Financially. All these resources are aligned, organized and exploited by PepsiCo. Culture/HR is the only resource of PepsiCo which can be identified as rare and not possessed by competitors. Although Goodwill is not rare, it is not easily duplicated by customers, hence is imitable and has a sustained competitive advantage. Despite this, if given sufficient time, money and resources all of PepsiCos other resources such as location, brand image and financial prosperity can be emulated, referred to as having a competitive parity. Key Success factors necessary for the success of PepsiCo in the market is that they should continue their use of celebrities in their advertising campaign. This would help to lure customers toward the product. The company can focus on widening their distribution channels as they expand their portfolio. This would help inject additional revenue into the company. Strategic Fit PepsiCo is in a strategic drift to the extent where there is minimal innovation to develop new products. The company prefers to obtain products through mergers and acquisitions, since these products would have been established already and it reduces PepsiCos risk of a failing product. The disadvantage of this is that the brand names of the acquired products are standardized. When PepsiCo acquire these products, they continue to trade under their original name and not the name of the company, such as Gatorade. Another drift of the company is where they fail to have optimal utilization of all their resources. Their advertising campaigns do not include a wide target market. Although the company serves approximately 86% of the worlds population, their advertising is mostly positioned towards the North American markets. Despite the strategic drift of PepsiCo, the company is in a strategic fit due to their strong Culture and Human Resources. This is clearly practiced within the goals of the company Performance with a Purpose. This is advantageous to them since the management team ensures they are practice of good work culture, factors that are rare and cannot be imitated easily. The culture of this organization contributes to standardized operations which lead to high quality of the products, giving them the competitive advantage. Another factor which contributes to PepsiCos being in a fit is that the company has a diversified portfolio with no other single company in the food and beverage industry directly competing with PepsiCos range of products allowing them to sustain their competitive advantage. PepsiCos most recent objectives in their sustainability report is being accomplished and puts the company in strategic fit where they are moving towards meeting the needs of the changing demand towards healthier products. This not only increase revenue but creates a strong brand image and gives the company the competitive advantage. Another object from PepsiCos sustainability report which puts them in a fit is their drive towards going green by reducing utility consumption, the labels in their packaging and usage of plastics. The company currently takes into consideration Green Initiatives, such as building codes when entering new markets. Despite of having few strategic drift issues which cannot be ignored, PepsiCo continues to maintain their competitive advantage in the changing markets and is in a strategic fit. Task 2 Discussion of Strategic Option PepsiCo, since established in 1898 has grown into a vast well established organization with a diversified portfolio. The company has achieved this through all factors in the Ansoff Matrix, allowing them to be the worlds largest food and beverage company. The company has achieved and continues to achieve growth through improvement, diversification of their product portfolio, entering new markets and through new product the development. Through extensive research into PepsiCo, the researcher found PepsiCo has experienced a drastic fall in sales in recent times as a result of the global economic recession and due to changing consumer demands. CEO of the company, together with management has proposed to introduce new products to combat this predicament so that the company can maintain their market status and continue to achieve growth. Through profound investment and innovation, PepsiCo is targeting emerging markets: BRIC countries. In keeping with PepsiCos mission grounded on Performance with a Purpose, their goals of Human Sustainability, and their current proposal, the researcher has chosen new product development as a growth strategy towards the improvement of the future strategic direction of the organization. By this route the company would Suitability Feasibility Acceptability Implementation Plan Conclusion Appendix 1 PESTLE Appendix 2 Porters Five Forces Model Appendix 3 3Cs Model Appendix 4 SWOT Analysis Appendix 5 VRIO Framework Resources Valuable Rare Imitable Organized Competitive Implication Hierarchy of Resources Culture/HR YES YES YES YES SCA Core Financial YES NO NO YES CP Base Location YES NO NO YES CP Base Brand Image YES NO NO YES CP Base Goodwill YES NO YES YES SCA Core Appendix 6 Ansoff Matrix SOURCE: http://tutor2u.net/business/strategy/ansoff_matrix.htm

Jim Daniels Poetry Essays -- Jim Daniels Poem Poetry Essays

Jim Daniels' Poetry Jim Daniels may not write poetry as eloquently as one would expect, but his style matches the subject matter he writes about perfectly. Indeed, it is this unrefined colloquial style, which allows Mr. Daniels to capture the essence of working class Detroit and relay it to the reader. His words may be somewhat coarse and he does not hesitate to use profanity, but one is still able to find beauty in his writing. The same can be said about the working class society, in which Jim Daniels was born and raised. At first glance, the Blue-Collar landscape of Detroit Michigan, with its dilapidated factories and toxin belching smokestacks, may seem coarse and profane. Yet, when one looks closer it is not hard to find beauty in this god-forsaken place. Amongst the UAW workers, Millwrights, ironworkers, and construction workers of Detroit lurk philosophers, artists, historians, economists, and, as proven by Mr. Daniels, poets. In â€Å"Ted’s Bar and Grill† Mr. Daniels writes, â€Å"†¦we shuffle our greasy boots up to the bar where Jeannie serves up drinks with her long blond hair and nice ass.† (15). The language he chose to use conveys a lot to the reader. By choosing the verb, â€Å"shuffle† and describing their boots as â€Å"greasy† Mr. Daniels paints a picture of a seedy â€Å"shift† bar where workers go after work, before work, or during work to get drunk. This is not a classy establishment. Indeed, patrons are not striding up to the bar in wingtips to procure libations here. In addition, by describing Jeannie as having â€Å"long blond hair and a nice ass†, Mr. Daniels gives the reader another insight into what kind of bar this is and what type of patrons frequent it. One can assume that few, if any, of the regulars at â€Å"Ted’s Bar an... ...rnacular is an essential part of his writing because it gives his poetry authenticity. If one did not know better, one could easily imagine Mr. Daniels sitting at a â€Å"shift† bar after work guzzling Budweisers and writing poetry on cocktail napkins. He does a tremendous job of illustrating the good and bad aspects of Blue-Collar life in Detroit. This is very important because many people assume that working-class life is horrific, but in truth it has it’s good points and bad points. As a native Detroiter, who has worked on a myriad of construction sites for more than a decade, I can definitely relate to Jim Daniels poetry. This is because I have fallen in love with a dozen â€Å"Jeannie’s† in a dozen â€Å"Ted’s Bar and Grill’s† and I can definitely â€Å"do real dancing.† Works Cited Daniels, Jim. Places Everyone. Madison, Wisconsin: The University of Wisconsin Press, 1985.

You Suck: A Love Story Chapter 8

Chapter Eight She Walks in Beauty Jody moved down Columbus Avenue with long, runway-model strides, feeling the windblown fog brush by her like the chill ghosts of rejected suitors. What she could never teach Tommy, what she could never really share with him, was what it felt like to move from being a victim – afraid of attack, the shadow around the corner, the footsteps behind – to being the hunter. It wasn't the stalking or the rush of taking down prey – Tommy would understand that. It was walking down a dark street, late at night, knowing that you were the most powerful creature there, that there was absolutely nothing, no one, that could fuck with you. Until she had been changed and had stalked the city as a vampire, she never realized that virtually every moment she had been there as a woman, she had been a little bit afraid. A man would never understand. That was the reason for the dress and the shoes – not to attract a minion, but to throw her sexuality out there on display, dare som e underevolved male to make the mistake of seeing her as a victim. Truth be told, although it had come down to confrontation only once, and then she'd been wearing a baggy sweatshirt and jeans, Jody enjoyed kicking ass. She also enjoyed – every bit as much – just knowing that she could. It was her secret. Without fear, the City was a great sensual carnival. There was no danger in anything she experienced, no anxiety. Red was red, yellow didn't mean caution, smoke didn't mean fire, and the mumbling of the four Chinese guys standing by their car just around the corner was just the click and twang of empty swinging dick talk. She could hear their hearts speed up when they saw her, could smell sweat and garlic and gun oil coming off them. She'd learned the smell of fear and imminent violence, too, of sexual arousal and surrender, although she'd have been hard-pressed to describe any of that. It was just there. Like color. You know†¦ Try to describe blue. Without mentioning blue. See? There weren't a lot of people out on the street at this time of night, but there were a few, spread up the length of Columbus: barhoppers, late diners just wrapping it up, college boys heading down to the strip clubs on Broadway, the exodus from Cobb's Comedy Club up the street, people giddy and so into the rhythm of laughing that they found one another and everything they saw hilarious – all of them vibrant, wearing auras of healthy pink life, trailing heat and perfume and cigarette smoke and gas held through long dinners. Witnesses. The Chinese guys weren't harmless, by any means, but she didn't think they'd attack her, and she felt a twinge of regret. One of them, the one with the gun, yelled something at her in Cantonese – something sleazy and insulting, she could tell by the tone. She spun as she walked, smiled her biggest red carpet smile, and without breaking stride, said, â€Å"Hey, nano-dick, go fuck yourself!† There was a lot of bluster and shuffle, the smart one, the one with fear coming off him, held his friend Nano-dick back, thus saving his life. She must be a cop, or just crazy. Something's wrong. They clustered around their tricked-out Honda and huffed out great breaths of testosterone and frustration. Jody grinned, and detoured up a side street, away from traffic. â€Å"My night,† she said to herself. â€Å"Mine.† Now off the main drag, she saw only a single old man shuffling ahead of her. His life aura looked like a burned-out bulb, a spot of dark gray around him. He walked stooped over, with a dogged determination, as if he knew that if he stopped, he would never start again. From what she could tell, he never would. He wore baggy, wide-wale corduroys that made the sound of rodents nesting when he walked. A wisp of breeze off the Bay brought Jody the acrid smell of failing organs, of stale tobacco, of despair, of a deep, rotting sickness, and she felt the elation leave her. She slipped comfortably into the new slot the night had made for her, like tumblers of a lock slipping into place. She made sure that she made enough noise so that he could hear her approaching, and when she was beside him, he paused, his feet still moving in tiny steps that turned him to the side, as if his motor was idling. â€Å"Hi,† she said. He smiled. â€Å"My, you are a lovely girl. Would you walk with me?† â€Å"Sure.† They walked a few steps together before he said, â€Å"I'm dying, you know.† â€Å"Yeah, I kind of figured,† Jody said. â€Å"I'm just walking. Thinking, and walking. Mostly walking.† â€Å"Nice night for it.† â€Å"A little cold, but I don't feel it. I got a whole pocketful of painkillers. You want one?† â€Å"No, I'm good. Thanks.† â€Å"I ran out of things to think about.† â€Å"Just in time.† â€Å"I wondered if I'd get to kiss a pretty girl once before the end. I think that would be all I'd want.† â€Å"What's your name?† â€Å"James. James O'Mally.† â€Å"James. My name is Jody. I'm pleased to meet you.† She stopped and offered her hand to shake. â€Å"The pleasure is all mine, I assure you,† said James, bowing as best he could. She took his face in her hands, and steadied him, then kissed him on the lips, softly and for a long time, and when she pulled away they were both smiling. â€Å"That was lovely,† James O'Mally said. â€Å"Yes it was,† Jody said. â€Å"I suppose I'm finished now,† James said. â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"The pleasure was all mine,† Jody said. â€Å"I assure you.† Then she put her arms around his slight frame, and held him, one hand cradling the back of his head like an infant, and he only trembled a little when she drank. A little later, she bundled his clothes together under her arm, and hooked his old wing tips on two fingers. The dust that had been James O'Mally was spread in a powdery-gray pile on the sidewalk, like a negative shadow, a bleached spot. She brushed it flat with her palm, and wrote, Nice kiss, James, with her fingernail. As she walked away, an hourglass trickle of James trailed out of his clothes behind her and was carried off on the chill bay breeze. The guy working the door of the Glas Kat looked like a raven had exploded on his head, his hair plastered out in a chaos of black spikes. The music coming from inside sounded like robots fucking. And complaining about it. In rhythmic monotone. European robots. Tommy was a little intimidated. ‘Sploded raven-head guy had better fangs than he did, was paler, and had seventeen silver rings in his lips. (Tommy had counted.) â€Å"Bet it's hard to whistle with those in, huh?† Tommy asked. â€Å"Ten dollars,† said ‘Sploded. Tommy gave him the money. He checked Tommy's ID and stamped his wrist with a red slash. Just then a group of Japanese girls dressed like tragic Victorian baby dolls breezed by behind Tommy, waving their wrist slashes like they'd just returned from a joyful suicide party instead of smoking cloves on the street. They, too, looked more like vampires than Tommy did. He shrugged and entered the club. Everyone, it appeared, looked more like a vampire than he did. He'd bought some black jeans and a black leather jacket at the Levi's store while Jody was off finding something hideous for her mother for Christmas, but evidently he should have been looking for some black lipstick and something cobalt- or fuchsia-colored to weave into his hair. And in retrospect, the flannel shirt may have been a mistake. He looked like he'd shown up at the sacrificial mass of the damned ready to fix the dishwasher. The music changed to an ethereal female chorus of Celtic nonsense. With a techno beat. And robots complaining. Grumpy robots. He tried to listen around it, the way Jody had taught him. With all the black light, strobes, and black clothing, his newly heightened senses were overloading. He tried to focus on people's faces, their life auras, look through the haze of heat, hairspray, and patchouli for the girl he'd met at Walgreens. Tommy had felt alone in a crowd before, even inferior to everyone in a crowd, but now he felt, well, different. It wasn't just the clothes and the makeup, it was the humanity. He wasn't part of it. Heightened senses or not, he felt like he had his nose pressed against the window, looking in. The problem was, it was the window of a donut shop. â€Å"Hey!† Someone grabbed his arm and he wheeled around so quickly that the girl nearly tumbled over backwards, startled. â€Å"Fuck! Dude.† â€Å"Hi,† Tommy said. â€Å"Wow.† Thinking, Ah, jelly donut. It was the girl from Walgreens. She was nearly a foot shorter than he, and a little skinny. Tonight she'd gone with the waifish look, wearing striped stockings with holes ripped in them and a shiny red PVC miniskirt. She'd traded in her Lord Byron shirt for a tank top, black, of course, with dripping red letters that read got blood? and fishnet gloves that went halfway up her biceps. Her makeup was sad-clown marionette: black tears drawn streaming down either side of her face. She crooked her finger to get him to bend down so she could shout into his ear over the music. â€Å"My name's Abby Normal.† Tommy spoke into her ear; she smelled of hairspray and what was that? Raspberry? â€Å"My name is Flood,† he said. â€Å"C. Thomas Flood.† It was his pen name. The C didn't really stand for anything, he just liked the sound of it. â€Å"Call me Flood,† he added. Tommy was a stupid name for a vampire, but Flood – ah, Flood – there was disaster and power there, and a hint of mystery, he thought. Abby smiled like a cat in a tuna cannery. â€Å"Flood,† she said. â€Å"Flood.† She was trying it on, it seemed to Tommy. He imagined that she'd have a black vinyl binder at school and she'd soon be writing Mrs. Flood surrounded by a heart with an arrow through it on the cover in her own blood. He'd never seen a girl so obviously attracted to him, and he realized that he had no experience in dealing with it. For a moment he flashed on the three vampire brides of Dracula who try to seduce Jonathan Harker in Stoker's classic novel. (He'd been studying all the vampire fiction he could get his hands on since meeting Jody, since it didn't appear that anyone had written a good how-to book on vampirism.) Could he really deal with three luscious vampire brides? Would he have to bring them a kid in a sack the way Dracula does in the book? How many kids a week would it take to keep them happy? And where did you get kid sacks? And although he hadn't discussed it with Jody, he was pretty sure she was not going to be happy sharing him with two other luscious vampire brides, even if he brought her sacks and sacks full of kids. They'd need a bigger apartment. One with a washer and dryer in the building, because there'd be a lot of bloodstained lingerie to be washed. Vampire logistics were a nightmare. You should get a castle and a staff when you got your fangs. How was he going to do all of this? â€Å"This sucks,† Tommy finally said, overwhelmed by the enormity of his responsibilities. Abby looked startled, then a little hurt. â€Å"Sorry,† she said. â€Å"You want to get out of here?† â€Å"Oh, no, I didn't mean – I mean, uh, yes. Let us go.† â€Å"Do you still need to get your heroin?† â€Å"What? No, that matter is taken care of.† â€Å"You know, Byron and Shelley did opiates,† Abby said. â€Å"Laudanum. It was like cough syrup.† Then, for no reason that he could think of, Tommy said, â€Å"Those scamps, they loved to get wrecked and read ghost stories from the German.† â€Å"That is so fucking cool,† Abby said, grabbing his arm and hugging his biceps like it was her newest, bestest friend. She started pulling him toward the door. â€Å"What about your friend?† Tommy said. â€Å"Oh, someone made a comment about his cape being gray when we first got here, so he went home to redye all of his blacks.† â€Å"Of course,† Tommy said, thinking, What the fuck? Out on the sidewalk, Abby said, â€Å"I suppose we need to find somewhere private.† â€Å"We do?† â€Å"So you can take me,† Abby said, stretching her neck to the side, looking more like a stringless marionette than ever. Tommy had no idea what to do. How did she know? Everyone in that club would have scored higher on the â€Å"are you a vampire?† test than he would. There needed to be a book, and this sort of thing needed to be in it. Should he deny it? Should he just get on with it? What was he going to tell Jody when she woke up next to the skinny marionette girl? He hadn't really understood women when he was a normal, human guy, when it seemed that all you had to do was pretend that you didn't want to have sex with them until they would have sex with you, but being a vampire added a whole new aspect to things. Was he supposed to conceal that he was a vampire and a dork! He used to read the articles in Cosmo to get some clue to the female psyche, and so he deferred to advice he'd read in an article entitled â€Å"Think He's Just Pretending to Like You So You'll Have Sex with Him? Try a Coffee Date.† â€Å"How 'bout I buy you a cup of coffee instead,† he said. â€Å"We can talk.† â€Å"It's because I have small boobs, isn't it?† Abby said, going into a very practiced pout. â€Å"Of course not.† Tommy smiled in a way he thought would be charming, mature, and reassuring. â€Å"Coffee won't help that.† As Jody pushed the bundle of clothes into the storm sewer, a silver cigarette case slid out of the jacket pocket onto the pavement. She reached for it and felt a light shock – no, that wasn't it. It was a warmth that moved up her arm. She kicked the clothes into the opening and stood under the streetlight, turning the silver case in her hands. It had his name engraved on it. She couldn't keep it, like she had the folding money from his pockets, but she couldn't throw it away either. Something wouldn't let her. She heard a buzz, like an angry insect, and looked up to see a neon  «Open » sign flickering above a shop called Asher's Secondhand. That was it. That's where the cigarette case had to go. She owed it to James. After all, he'd given her everything, or at least everything he'd had left. She quick-stepped across the street and into the shop. The owner was working the counter at the back by himself. A thin guy in his early thirties, with a look of pleasant confusion not unlike the one she'd first noticed on Tommy's face. Normally, this guy would be prime minion material, or at least based on her minion recruitment of the past he would, except apparently, he was dead. Or at least not alive like most people. He had no life aura around him. No healthy pink glow, no crusty brown or gray corona of illness. Nothing. The only time she'd ever seen this before was with Elijah, the old vampire. The shopkeeper looked up and she smiled. He smiled back. She moved to the counter. While he tried not to stare at her cleavage, she looked more closely for some life aura. There was heat, or at least there appeared to be some heat coming off him. â€Å"Hi,† said the shopkeeper. â€Å"Can I help you?† â€Å"I found this,† she said, holding up the cigarette case. â€Å"I was in the neighborhood and something made me think that this belonged here.† She set the case down on the counter. How could he have no life aura? What the hell was he? â€Å"Touch me,† she said. She held out her hand to him. â€Å"Huh?† He seemed a little frightened at first, but he took her hand, then quickly let go. He was warm. â€Å"Then you're not one of us?† But he wasn't one of them either. â€Å"Us? What do you mean us?† He touched the cigarette case and she could tell that this was exactly why she had brought it here. It was supposed to be here. Whatever part of James O'Mally had been left in that cigarette case had led her here. And this thin, confused-looking guy was supposed to have it. He took what was left of people all the time. It's what he did. Jody felt some of the confidence she'd felt earlier draining away. Maybe the night wasn't hers after all. Jody backed away a step. â€Å"No. You don't just take the weak and the sick, do you? You take anyone.† â€Å"Take? What do you mean, take?† He was furiously trying to push the cigarette case back to her across the counter. He didn't know. He was like she was when she'd awakened that first night as a vampire and had no idea what she had become. â€Å"You don't even know, do you?† â€Å"Know what?† He picked up the cigarette case again. â€Å"Wait a second, can you see this thing glowing?† â€Å"No glow. It just felt like it belonged here.† This poor guy, he didn't even know. â€Å"What's your name?† She asked. â€Å"Charlie Asher. This is Asher's.† â€Å"Well Charlie, you seem like a nice guy, and I don't know exactly what you are, and it doesn't seem like you know. You don't, do you?† He blushed. Jody could see his face flush with heat. â€Å"I've been going through some changes lately.† Jody nodded. He really would have been perfect as a minion – if he hadn't been some bizarre supernatural creature. She'd just gotten used to the idea of vampires being real, and it took some serious blood drinking to drive that reality home, and now there were other – other – things? Still, Jody felt bad for him, â€Å"Okay,† she said. â€Å"I know what it's like, uh, to find yourself thrown into a situation where forces beyond your control are changing you into someone, something you don't have an owner's manual for. I understand what it is to not know. But someone, somewhere, does know. Someone can tell you what's going on.† And hopefully they aren't just fucking with you, she wanted to add, but thought better of it. â€Å"What are you talking about?† he asked. â€Å"You make people die, don't you Charlie?† She didn't know why she said it, but as soon as she said it, she knew it was true. Like when all her other senses had been dialed to eleven, she could sense something new, like noise on the line, and it was telling her this. â€Å"But how do you – ?† â€Å"Because it's what I do,† Jody said. â€Å"Not like you, but it's what I do. Find them, Charlie. Backtrack and find whoever was there when your world changed.† She shouldn't have said that, she knew it as she was saying it. She'd just handed him an item that had been owned by someone she'd taken not twenty minutes ago. But even as regret for passing out incriminating evidence hit her, she also realized that she had left Tommy out there to wave in the wind just like this guy. Even if it was only for a few hours, Tommy had no idea how to go about being a vampire – truth be told, he hadn't really been that good at being a human. He was just a doofy guy from Indiana and she'd abandoned him to the merciless city. She turned and ran out of the shop. â€Å"Cocoa?† Tommy said. â€Å"You look cold.† He'd given her his jacket out on the street. He's so gallant, Abby thought. He probably wants me to drink cocoa to get my blood sugar up before he sucks the life from my veins. Abby had lived much of her life waiting for something extraordinary to happen. No matter where she had been, there was a world somewhere that was more interesting. She'd progressed from wanting to live in a fantastic, kawaii-cute plastic world of Hello Kitty, to being a Day-Glo, Manga lollipop space girl in platform sneakers, and then just a couple of years ago she had moved into the dark gothic world of pseudo vampires, suicidal poets, and romantic disappointment. It was a dark, seductive world where you got to sleep really late on the weekends. She'd been true to her dark nature, too, trying to maintain an aspect of exhausted mopeyness while channeling any enthusiasm she felt into a vehicle for imminent disappointment, and above all, suppressing the deep-seated perkiness that her friend Lily said she'd never shed when she'd refused to throw away her Hello Kitty backpack or let go of her Nintendog virtual beagle puppy. â€Å"He has virtual parvo,† Lily had said. â€Å"You have to put him down.† â€Å"He doesn't have parvo,† Abby had insisted. â€Å"He's just tired.† â€Å"He's doomed, and you're cute, and hopelessly perky,† Lily taunted. â€Å"I am not. I'm complex and I'm dark.† â€Å"You're perky and your e-dog has i-parvo.† â€Å"As Azrael is my witness, I will never be perky again,† said Abby, her wrist set tragically to her forehead. Lily stood with her as she threw her Nintendog cartridge under the tire of the 91 midnight express bus. And now she had been chosen by a real creature of the night, and she would be true to her word: she had shed her perkiness. She sipped her hot chocolate, and studied the vampire Flood across the table. How clever, that he could appear as just a simple, clueless guy – but then, he could probably take many shapes. â€Å"I could be a slave to your darkest desires,† Abby said. â€Å"I can do things. Anything you want.† The vampire Flood commenced a coughing fit. When he had control again, he said, â€Å"Well, that's terrific, because we have a lot of laundry piled up and the apartment is a wreck.† He was testing her. Seeing if she was worthy before bringing her into his world. â€Å"Anything you desire, my lord. I can do laundry, clean, bring you small creatures to quench your thirst until I am worthy.† The vampire Flood snickered. â€Å"This is so cool,† he said. â€Å"You'll do my laundry, just like that?† Abby knew she had to tread carefully here, not fall for his trap. â€Å"Anything,† she said. â€Å"Have you ever gone apartment hunting?† â€Å"Sure,† she lied. â€Å"Okay, you can start tomorrow first thing. You need to find us an apartment.† Abby was horrified. She hadn't really tried on the idea of leaving her old life so quickly. But all that would mean nothing when she became immortal, and ran with the children of the night. But her mom was going to be pissed. â€Å"I can't move in right away, my lord. I have affairs to put in order before I make the change.† The vampire Flood smiled, his fangs barely visible now. â€Å"Oh, it's not for you. There's another.† He paused and leaned across the table. â€Å"An elder,† he whispered. There was another? Was she to become the sacrifice to a whole coven of the undead? Well, whatever. Lily would be so jealous. â€Å"As you please, my lord,† she said. â€Å"You might want to chill with the ‘my lord' stuff,† Flood said. â€Å"Sorry.† â€Å"It's okay. You know this all has to be completely secret, right?† â€Å"Right. Secret.† â€Å"I mean, I'm okay with it, but the other, the elder, she has a terrible temper.† â€Å"She?† â€Å"Yeah, you know, an Irish redhead.† â€Å"A Celtic countess, then? The one who was with you at Walgreens?† â€Å"Exactly.† â€Å"Sweet!† Abby blurted out. She couldn't help it. She immediately tried to hide her latent perkiness by biting the edge of her cocoa cup. â€Å"You've got chocolate, here.† The vampire Flood gestured to her lip. â€Å"Kind of a marshmallow mustache.† â€Å"Sorry,† Abby said, wiping her mouth furiously with the back of her fishnet glove, smearing her black lipstick across the side of her face. â€Å"It's okay,† said the vampire Flood. â€Å"It's cute.† â€Å"Fuck!† Abby said.