The Tell-Tale Heart

The Tell-Tale Heart In his narrative poem The Tell-Tale heart, Edgar Allen Poe tells the story of an insane madman who is in love with an old man’s eye. The story begins with the madman telling us how he loves the old man but wants to kill him because of his eye. The old man’s eye is like none other and resembles a vulture’s eye. And Poe instills his poem with the same despair experienced by the narrator by using characteristics that are typical of gothic literature such as, High Emotion, Mysterious Atmosphere’s, and Spooky Visions. One gothic element that Poe uses throughout The Tell-Tale Heart is high emotion.This is first apparent when the old man heard someone in the room. The old man sprung up terrified and said â€Å"Who is there? † alert as can be the old man stayed up and put out a terrified groan. The horrific groan of the old man contributes to the high emotion feel of the story. The other gothic element Poe uses throughout The Tell-Tale H eart is a mysterious atmosphere. This was first noticeable when the madman crept into the old man’s room and said â€Å"The room was black as pitch with thick darkness† And within the room the madman had to carry with him a lantern to see clearly.The pitch black room certainly contributes to the mysterious feel of the story. The fact that the old man is asleep and lives in a creepy place makes the story have a mysterious atmosphere. More Gothic elements Poe uses throughout The Tell-Tale Heart are Omens, Portents, and Visions that the mad man haves. These first appeared at the beginning when the mad man said: â€Å"I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and rid myself of the eye forever. † The mad man was having vision of killing the old man.The mad man started hearing a loud unbearable ringing in his ears after he buried the body under the floor and the cops came in. All of these examples certainly contribute the omens, portents, and visions occurrin g in this narrative. Tell-Tale Heart is a classic story about a mad man who stalks and kills someone because of his eye. The madman was so in love with this eye that he would be willing to take the life of an innocent old man. Deep down inside the madman’s conscious wouldn’t let him live.The madman thought everything was going to be okay but the only person that wouldn’t let him go on was himself. As the cops where talking he got an annoying ring in his head and it wouldn’t stop until he came clean. It is not surprising that this narrative poem ends on such an unhappy note, because Poe places that tone throughout the poem. By using things that are typical of gothic literature like High emotion, Mysterious Atmospheres, and Crazy Visions, Poe creates a poem that is wrapped in Mystery. The Tell-Tale Heart The Tell-Tale Heart In his narrative poem The Tell-Tale heart, Edgar Allen Poe tells the story of an insane madman who is in love with an old man’s eye. The story begins with the madman telling us how he loves the old man but wants to kill him because of his eye. The old man’s eye is like none other and resembles a vulture’s eye. And Poe instills his poem with the same despair experienced by the narrator by using characteristics that are typical of gothic literature such as, High Emotion, Mysterious Atmosphere’s, and Spooky Visions. One gothic element that Poe uses throughout The Tell-Tale Heart is high emotion.This is first apparent when the old man heard someone in the room. The old man sprung up terrified and said â€Å"Who is there? † alert as can be the old man stayed up and put out a terrified groan. The horrific groan of the old man contributes to the high emotion feel of the story. The other gothic element Poe uses throughout The Tell-Tale H eart is a mysterious atmosphere. This was first noticeable when the madman crept into the old man’s room and said â€Å"The room was black as pitch with thick darkness† And within the room the madman had to carry with him a lantern to see clearly.The pitch black room certainly contributes to the mysterious feel of the story. The fact that the old man is asleep and lives in a creepy place makes the story have a mysterious atmosphere. More Gothic elements Poe uses throughout The Tell-Tale Heart are Omens, Portents, and Visions that the mad man haves. These first appeared at the beginning when the mad man said: â€Å"I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and rid myself of the eye forever. † The mad man was having vision of killing the old man.The mad man started hearing a loud unbearable ringing in his ears after he buried the body under the floor and the cops came in. All of these examples certainly contribute the omens, portents, and visions occurrin g in this narrative. Tell-Tale Heart is a classic story about a mad man who stalks and kills someone because of his eye. The madman was so in love with this eye that he would be willing to take the life of an innocent old man. Deep down inside the madman’s conscious wouldn’t let him live.The madman thought everything was going to be okay but the only person that wouldn’t let him go on was himself. As the cops where talking he got an annoying ring in his head and it wouldn’t stop until he came clean. It is not surprising that this narrative poem ends on such an unhappy note, because Poe places that tone throughout the poem. By using things that are typical of gothic literature like High emotion, Mysterious Atmospheres, and Crazy Visions, Poe creates a poem that is wrapped in Mystery.

Contact Information Essay

Charlotte, NC (January 1, 2013) – Johnson C. Smith University is having a Whitney Houston tribute on February 20, 2013. The school choir along with President Carter is organizing a beautiful tribute on campus. The tribute will be held in Biddle auditorium on that Wednesday. President Carter emailed students to find out who wanted to volunteer for the event and receive community service hours. Johnson C. Smith University will be selling tickets as well. The prices are 2$ for JCSU students, and 5$ for everyone else. Special guests will be Mariah Carey, Brand, and Chris Brown. The event has been posted in local charlotte area newspapers and it will also be discussed on the local news. President Carter said â€Å"This event is a must see, I think myself and everyone who helped did an awesome job. I suggest everyone come out and see this tribute†. After the event Johnson C. Smith University will have food sponsored by FDY food services. The food is free after admission and drinks are free as well. There will also be an autograph signing from the special guests after the event. Special guest Mariah Carey says â€Å"It’s always a pleasure doing events like this. Anytime I can help, and give back, I’m always willing to†.

Swanage Geography Coursework

This is the first of the 2 hypotheses I am going to be focusing on in my coursework, I will be using a variety of graphs and relevant statistics to prove my hypothesis. Throughout my coursework you will notice how I will link back my explanation towards my hypothesis and give my opinion of how shops in Swanage need tourist's to be able to run their business successfully. * Retail Opportunities In Swanage Urgently Need To Be Redeveloped To Take Into Account The Needs Of Local Population This will be the second of the 2 hypothesises I will be focusing on and developing as well. This hypothesis is about redeveloping shops in Swanage that need to be redeveloped; I will be working on this near the end of my coursework as I do see areas which are in desperate need of improvement. As I developing the areas of Swanage which need developing I will give explanations as to why I made that choice and what positive impacts can come from it. Site Map of Swanage For my coursework I was asked to produce a Site Map of Swanage which shows the 6 different areas of the area. * Tourist Facilities * Retail Streets * Holiday Flats * Hotels * Residential Leisure * Residential Houses As you can see from figure 1.2 I took the liberty of colour coding these areas so that it would be easier to analyse later for future reference in my coursework. From the Site Map you can see that there is large amount of Tourist Facilities. This further proves my hypothesis 1 which I will discuss later in my coursework. Why is Swanage a Tourist Attraction? Swanage is a place where it is unlikely for you to walking around aimlessly doing nothing; this is one of the reasons why tourists enjoy visiting the area. There are a lot of things tourist's could involving themselves with in Swanage. They could visit the beach or go to the retail stores or just relax and enjoy the scenery. The main reason why people would go to Swanage is simply because it is both affordable and enjoyable le which are the two important factor of a vacation. Tourism is very important in Swanage because without it the facilities that are being opened in Swanage will eventually close down due to no profit thereby no developments will be made, which will make swanage a place that wouldn't be nice to visit. Geology of Swanage Beach In Figure 1.3 you can see it is fairly detailed geological diagram of swanage beach, it also shows all the rocks involved within the beach which will be useful to most geographers. BACKGROUND INFORMATION OF SWANAGE On this Page in my coursework I will give statistics and graphs about some of the relevant information on Swanage like population, Employment Rate, Age Structure etc. From these results it should give me a clear indication about Swanage and its history. Population of Swanage In Figure 2.1 it shows both the statistics and the graph of the Population of Swanage as you can throughout the years is has increased in population. However from the year 1921-1931 there was a major decrease in population. This is probably due to people migrating out of the area because of expenses of houses or people just simply wanted to move out. From 1951 to 2001 there is a constant increase meaning in the future Swanage will overpopulate due to the large tourists and residents. 2001 Census Data for Swanage In Figure 2.2 you can see that it shows both statistics and graphs for the population of Male and Females in Swanage and Dorset. Obviously Swanage is a smaller area than Dorset so Dorset's results will obviously be greater in population. In both areas Females have a higher population than Males. The reason for this is probably because there are more retail shops that attract for Females than Males. Age Structure This Graph shows the Age structure of people from both Dorset and Swanage. From Figure 2.3 you can see that the people from (18-44) and (60-84) have the highest amount of %. This shows that middle aged people live in Swanage and Dorset than Older or Younger people. This means that most residential people who live in Swanage have Jobs or have Part-time Job and owns a house or an apartment. There are hardly any 16-17 yr olds also there aren't that many elderly people as well. Conclusion From all of the statistics I have I will make a final conclusion that Swanage will gradually increase in population which would have more females than males. Also most of the residents would have Jobs because most of the population in Swanage are aged form 18-84. EXTENT OF TOURISM The Importance of Tourism In Swanage Tourism is especially important as that is what keep the area going â€Å"money-wise†, without tourism the town would not get no profit therefore will not be able to develop their area. From the land use map there is a pattern which shows how the shops for Tourist's are near the beach as the beach is the most popular sight in the area. This is what will get tourists motivated to shop in the area. In summer time the tourist visiting rate will increase as the scenery will seem better due to the fact that the weather is beautiful. Who benefits from tourism? The retail store owners would partly benefit from tourism as they are gaining profit from their business which will help them for the future. The whole area of swanage will benefit from tourism as well because with their money Swanage will be able to further develop into something better. TOURIST QUESTIONNAIRE For my coursework I was asked to create a questionnaire based on the tourists of swanage I asked a range of different questions based on relevant information I needed to find out. On this page I will focus on a few questions in particular that will help prove my first hypothesis. The first question I came across is in figure 4.1 it was to find out which shops tourists use when they are shopping. As you can see from the graph the two highest selected Shops were Restaurants and Supermarkets. This Graph tells me that most people would visit Supermarkets and restaurants while they are in swanage. This doesn't surprise because on the geography I came a across a handful of Supermarkets and Restaurants for Tourists to visit so this is an obvious result. So far this proving my hypothesis because restaurants and Supermarkets are the essential thing's a tourist needs so the retail stores would make those types of shops accessible for tourists. This is another question that I have been focusing on in the questionnaire. What this Pie Chart is telling is that because of the impact of tourism, tourism has influenced the area to change the way they run their shops. This is a positive impact as this will persuade more tourists to visit because of the demands previous tourists have made. As you can see from the graph because of tourism there are more restaurants opening and gift shops are opening as well. These are popular retail store for tourist which explains the results. This is the final question I will be bringing forward for discussion as this is one of the most important questions. As you can see from the Pie Chart Tourists would like Easier Car Parking Overall, this is very understandable because on week days and weekends tourists would want to visit shops however the only things delaying their shopping time is Parking. If Tourist's have more parking then more Tourists will be able to shop thereby giving more profit towards swanage. Another improvements that the tourists have mention was the fact that most of the shops need to be open of Sunday's this will give them more shopping time to do last minute shopping which is bound to happen at one point or another. If they put this improvement forward swanage will gain more profit. RESIDENTS QUESTIONNAIRE This is one question I chose from the residents Questionnaire which shows which area Residents visit to shop in the surrounding area. Wareham was the most mentioned. The reason for this is because there is more variety of shops to visit which would keep local people interested. I would imagine that it would closer to their work so the journey would be easier. Another key reason why residents would want to shop elsewhere besides Swanage is because there us easier parking so they will be able to visit shops faster. This is one issue that will lead more local people to shop elsewhere besides swanage the reason being, no good car parking facilities. From the Pie chart it shows that 78% think that there no car parks being provided for local people. As I said before because of this issue swanage will lead local people out of the area due to the fact that they have nowhere to park their cars. These are the improvements suggested by the residents of Swanage; overall it is similar to the Tourist's improvements as both mentioned Car Park as their main concern. Both would rather excellent Car Parking than Shops, I imagine both residents and tourists are annoyed with Car Parks which is the reason they brought it up in the questionnaires. One improvement mentioned in the resident questionnaire which relates back to figure 2.2 is that people require more hairdressers. Because there are more females than males in swanage it is quite obvious that women would be demanding more womanly stores. Conclusion Gathering information from both Questionnaire it is safe to say that the main improvement it Car Parks which is an understandable request. People from swanage should take this on board and make a bigger car park in swanage. They have not got anything to lose because more car parks means more people which means more shoppers which eventually lead to money that they can use to redevelop swanage. RETAIL MAP OF SWANAGE Conclusion As you can see from the annotations I have made you can get a clear idea of the types of shops open on Institute road and Station road. Institute road would be a great place for tourist's as there are more shops which would be suitable for them, Residents would not find shops on Institute road helpful as they are specifically aimed at tourist to persuade them to stay in swanage and the way to do that is to feed them with cheap advertisements. Residents would prefer shops on Station Road as there are shops that are aimed at residents as well as Tourist's so everyone would be satisfied on station road. OPENING AND CLOSING TIMES OF SHOPS THE SECOND HYPOTHESIS Retail Opportunities in Swanage urgently need to be redeveloped to take into account the needs of local population This is the second hypothesis I will be focusing on and developing as well. This hypothesis is about redeveloping shops in Swanage that need to be redeveloped; I will be working on areas which are in desperate need of improvement. As I developing the areas of Swanage which need developing I will give explanations as to why I made that choice and what positive impacts can come from it. The main reason I am going to improve swanage town is because of the improvements people have stated in both the resident questionnaire and tourist questionnaires. The improvements they have made are realistic and true towards the area of swanage. Why would you improve swanage? There are many reasons as to why people would want to improve swanage the obvious reason is to make the living conditions better and the facilities to be more flexible with the needs of residents and tourists. Gathering information from the both questionnaires I feel that swanage does need improving. Better Car Parking would be a huge improvement as most people feel that is a huge downfall in swanage, there is never enough parking. More variety of shops is one suggestion that also seems to be popular in the tourist questionnaire which is understandable as tourists visit areas to shop not to be bored. Opening and Closing times of shops in another issue in swanage, it seems that shops close too early for residents so shops need to be opened later for all people to do last minute shopping. My development plan will support most of those improvements to make swanage a better area to visit. DEVELOPMENT PLAN EXPLANATIONS Development 1 and 2 – These are the first two improvements I have made, I have added two retail shopping areas. The reason why I did this is, is because in the residential questionnaire a large number of residents requested shopping areas that will also be open longer to accommodate the times of residents. The types of shops that will be around here are sports shops because that was also requested in the questionnaire a large amount of residents wanted this. Development 3 – As I said before in the previous explanation a handful of people wanted sports shops so I assumed that they would want leisure facilities as well. Because there are more Females than Males in Swanage it is only natural that some of the residents would request leisure facilities for football or basketball etc. Development 4 – This is the biggest request that the residents have made clear in the questionnaire; there wasn't enough parking throughout swanage I have taken that complaint onboard and have now added a Free Car Parking facility for residents only. Because of this residents will find it easier to get to the shops without any hassle. Since residents already live in the area it would be foolish to pay for their own parking which is why I made car parking free, this was another improvement mentioned in the questionnaire. Development 5 – This is the area that will be having the food market once a week this is another request mentioned in the questionnaire I thought it was a good idea as it would give residents a chance to get food useful for their homes. Development 6 – Hairdressers will be added here because there are not enough hairdressers in the area so adding hairdressers will support the improvement of swanage Development 7 – This will be a huge Supermarket for all residents to support all there need whether it is food or clothes etc. Residents would really appreciate this as there are never enough supermarkets in swanage. This will improve swanage because more people will shop thereby putting more money into the swanage development. Development 8 – This will be the pedestrian path leading to the Supermarket people complain about there being too many cars which could get dangerous for most people Development 9 – This is the final improvement I will make in swanage, this area will be the picnic area/quiet area for residents who would just like a relaxing day. It is away from the supermarket so there will no collision with the people who want to relax and the people that want to shop. I would imagine this was requested by the older people of swanage These are the final improvements I have towards swanage based on the results of the questionnaire. On the next page of this coursework I will justify my coursework giving reason as to why it is effective and fits the needs of residents and if it will benefit them or not. JUSTIFICATION OF PLAN On this page I will evaluate my plan giving reason for why it is good plan and why I placed those specific facilities on the plan. I will also write about who benefits from the result of my plan. Why is my Plan Good? I feel my development plan is well planned out because I have placed facilities according to what people have said in the questionnaire, I took that on board on what the people wanted and added that in my plan. The Car Park issue from before as now been resolved because of my plan, there is now a huge Car Parking facility which is free for residents, so I managed to improve in two ways. Another way my plan is good is because I added a large supermarket for residents to use. Residents would find this very useful as they mentioned this in questionnaire. Most of the facilities did not take much thought it was mostly commence sense and guidance from the tourist and residential questionnaire. Who will benefit? Many people will benefit from this improvement change, one group in particular would be the elderly people because I have added a quiet area away from the excitement where people can relax and enjoy the day. Residents would appreciate this, as they can be in a clam environment which would calm them down if they were stressed. The male groups will benefit because I have added a leisure facility for all popular sport, for men who like sport this is one improvement that will make swanage for enjoyable. For the female groups I have added hairdresser facilities, women from swanage will appreciate this change because there are hardly any hairdressers in swanage and having one near residential houses will benefit residential women. What do I think my plan overall Overall I feel my plan is good because it satisfies the needs of residents and there won't be any collisions with tourist shops. Everyone will be satisfied in the area they are in since the change I made to swanage. CONCLUSION AND EVALUATION Conclusion After all information gathered from questionnaires and statistics I have come to the conclusion that my hypothesis has been proven due to the fact that most all tourist and residents gave listed improvements for swanage. All the data analyzed led me to this conclusion and I feel I made that my conclusion has been proven. Although the conclusion I managed to come up with was true there are still areas in my coursework that I feel can improved. The explanations I gave for my maps and graphs could have been explained better with more evidence to prove my point. The statements I gave for development could've been explained more clearly but was still a satisfactory effort. Evaluation Overall I would say my project would be graded from a B to an A because I followed the criteria given and gave evidence to prove my point. I created diagram and graphs to prove another point. However as I said there are still areas for improvement which is the reason for the grade I have given.

PepsiCo Business Level and Corporate Level Strategies Research Paper

PepsiCo Business Level and Corporate Level Strategies - Research Paper Example From the paper, PepsiCo emerged in 1965 as a business union between Frito- Lay, and Pepsi- Cola. Later on, the company acquired Tropicana in 1998. Additionally, in 1998 it merged with Quaker Oats and later with Gatorade in 2001. PepsiCo mainly deals with beverages, snacks, and foods with revenues over $ 65 million dollars. The company aims to be a global leader in the production of convenient beverages and foods. In addition, it aims to increase shareholder’s wealth, empower employees, business associates and communities in which they conduct business. The company is divided into PepsiCo Americas Foods, PepsiCo Europe, PepsiCo Americas Beverages and PepsiCo Middle East and Africa. Under the business strategy, corporations with various businesses treat each as a separate strategic business unit. Essentially, in each unit, there are independent markets or products served by organizations with each serving diverse environments. For each market (or product segment), there is a uni que environment suitable for that division. In order to attain a competitive advantage then the organization ought to satisfy the needs of customers with a focus on youth. The essence of the business level strategy is the customers; the young people. The unique taste and features of the customers are a critical factor in ensuring that the strategy works properly. In addition, the consumption patterns of the youth should be taken into account when implementing the business level strategy. Market research on the customer’s preferences helps to gain a competitive advantage over Coca-Cola, which is more recognized globally in the beverages sector than Pepsi Cola. Maintaining a good relationship with customers has been effective by providing superior products to customers. The massive investment in market research and R&D is a testament to this. The Company focuses on brand loyalty, particularly in America. This loyalty translates to value creation and an increase in profitability for the company. The business strategy also tries to reach more global customers given that international business is more globalized than ever before. The business level strategy is also related to the generic five forces of competition. Thus, the strategies aim to gain a competitive edge over similar companies. One of the forces is the threat of new entrants. Given the popularity of soft drinks and the vast revenues among beverage companies, new entrants pose a huge threat. The emergence of new entrants is likely to come from emerging countries due to the low cost of production. In spite of the threat posed by new entrants, the industry is capital intensive with research and development a necessity for the companies.

Talent Management Strategy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Talent Management Strategy - Research Paper Example This paper will therefore analyse a talent management strategy that links an organization’s goals to talent management strategy in order to gain a competitive edge over rival organisations. The first step in coming up with a talent management strategy is to access the business environment and come up with the important issues that affect the performance of a business both in the long run and in the short run. Strategic context of talent management First, is the visionary aspect of the organisation where it will be concerned with trend spotting; here an organisation scans the environment it is operating in to identify the trends in social, economical and technological activity. In visionary aspect, a company will weigh its effectiveness in translating academic and technical research to business ideas that will give it a competitive edge over its rivals. The explorer aspect of the business involves identifying products for potential growth and markets that are unexploited, in ad dition, the organisation identifies other organisations with which it can collaborate with in order to increase the volume of its business. The third aspect that organisations can capitalise on is the builder aspect; this involves managing customers’ feedback and determining their preferences. In addition, it will entail developing the products of the organization and adopting the appropriate pricing and advertising mechanisms, the distribution mix, which ensures maximum customer satisfaction, will be evaluated. The lobbyist aspect will involve maintaining a good corporate image with the key stakeholders, presenting the organisations interests within the political environment and lobbying for favourable operating conditions with the regulating bodies. The architect aspect involves recognising technological developments that can be relevant in operations of the organisation, implementing those developments to ensure improved processes and systems. In addition, it oversees plan ning and implementing of major changes in the organisation structure and practise (Dejoux & The?venet, 2011). Trouble shooter aspect will involve measuring of the corporate activity to be able to identify problems, refocus of an organisations operations for them to be in line with its core aim and tackling problem with high cost operations that have low value hence increasing the productivity of the organisation. The regulator aspect will ensure development of relevant indicators that will be used to monitor and control business activity within the organization, in addition, it ensures the development of standard procedures of operation in order to improve process efficiency and standardisation, establishing financial discipline throughout the organisations activities will also be a part of the regulator aspect. The integrator aspect will ensure the continuous process of improving the employees’ capabilities, it will also be responsible for the continuation and upholding of t he business values and ethics. In addition, integrator aspect is responsible for sharing of information, resources and knowledge throughout the organisation. Key components of talent management For an organisation to capitalise on the above aspects, it will require that talent within its employees or externally be identified, the process of identification of talent will be done

The Measures to Ensure Compliance and Smooth Running of the Cadsolar Case Study

The Measures to Ensure Compliance and Smooth Running of the Cadsolar Inc - Case Study Example The company should have a higher liability policy to ensure that if an employee does a wrong in the line of duty the company is liable which is under the doctrine of respondeat superior. This is where the actions of an employee acting within the scope of employment the employer will be held liable for their actions. Larry an employee of Cadsolar battered and falsely imprisoned Antonie after he discovered that he had indicated all Cadsolar’s information in the term sheet but Antonie did not disclose any information regarding Pathways Lighting. The government requires companies to have strategies that prohibit bribery and corruption to avoid future instances like experienced when opening a company where they recommend transparency2. For instance, during formation of Cadsolar Inc. SSC demanded 15% of equity for every invention created by the company so as to allow the opening of Cadsolar Company. Cadsolar Company should ensure that there is enough cash flow to avoid using money set aside for income tax that is emitted from the employees’ accounts in order to avoid penalties from Internal Revenue Service. Cadsolar Company tried to pay Antonie for the damages that were caused by Larry with the money meant to pay Internal Revenue Service. Cadsolar Company had opted to hire contractors instead of employees because they wanted to evade paying taxes which would have amounted to fines and penalties. Hiring employees would be expensive for the company because it would have catered for the insurance but contractors are not insured by the hiring company. It is a fundamental rule that any company that has more than twenty employees should put in place a policy ensuring that no discrimination exists whether by race, sex, color, religion, or sexual harassment and any other element that would amount to discrimination.  

Georges Coffee- Business Development Strategies Essay

Georges Coffee- Business Development Strategies - Essay Example The management of George's coffee has some different ideas for the promotion of their business in an extremely competitive industry. Some of their plans and strategies to cope with the competition include using Electronic mailing as a method to boost their sales through methods such as e-marketing (direct marketing), setting up an E-brochure for ready reference. The main objective of the study is to identify methods which are suitable for Geroge's coffee which can enhance the chances of their success in a competitive field. It is imperative that the methods suggested shall yield results for a longer period of time and hence they should have time relevance. Every new business or business units, however,big they are before starting or venturing into a new business or expanding naturally goes for a market feasibility study. In other words, a market feasibility study allows them to understand important factors such as their own Strengths, weaknesses, Opportunities and threats, also by co nducting a market feasibility study they can understand the external business environment as such. We know the business environment is very fluid in nature and the market situations as well as the market requirements tend to vary from time to time. In order to reap rich dividends the management has to understand the scope or the extent of usage of the methods suggested. ... The business requirements for George's coffee in terms of plans and strategies to survive the heat are: Internal requirements: i. Sound supply chain mechanisms which are cost effective, innovative and sustainable for a long time. ii. Development of a strong and unyielding distribution network for easy distribution. iii. Use of electronic services for enhanced performance. External requirements: i. The methods developed shall flexible enough to accommodate changes as per the requirements of the organization. ii. The methods have to designed in such a fashion that they can be used for a long time and reusable. iii. The methods have to be tested and re- tested again and again for better application and results. Scope of application: Inorder to reap rich dividends the management has to understand the scope or the extent of usage of the methods suggested. I'm a firm believer of the fact Business strategies are custom made and any method or application suggested for one particular business may or may not be applicable for another one. They are totally custom made as per the requirements of organizations. Hence the management has to understand the scope upto which the methods can be used extensively and for better results. Also the methods suggested can be time bound, so usage after a certain period of time after which the methods have to be reconfigured as per the market dynamics once again. Usage of obsolete methods may not yield effective results as such. Factors influencing the business development plans: There are several factors which can act as hindrances in the business development of George's coffee as such. Broadly we can

Do you agree the impossibility of measuring the size of ecological Essay

Do you agree the impossibility of measuring the size of ecological footprints accurately undermines the idea of ecological citizenship - Essay Example rol the rate of individual man’s exploitation of natural resources, but the question that arises in this context is: can the ecological footprint support and incorporate corporate citizenship or does it actually undermine it? This study examines whether and to what extent, the ecological footprint can contribute towards environmental sustainability and how far it promotes or undermines a spirit of ecological citizenship. The co-creator of the concept of ecological footprint is Mathis Wackermagel, who in an interview, pointed out that there must be some degree of relative parity in the use of Earth’s resources among individuals from different parts of the planet.1 The ecological footprint offers a measurable tool that can determine how much of land and water resources humans need in order to be able to produce the resources they use and to absorb the wastes they generate, and this has been pegged at a footprint of 4.5 acres per person. But in the United States, the average size of this footprint is much larger, i.e, about 24 acres, which suggests that the average American citizen uses up much more than his or her fair share of the resources of the Planet.2 An ecological footprint may be defined as a â€Å"measurement of the land area required to sustain a population of any size.†3 Wackernagel, the co-creator of the ecological footprint, has defined it as â€Å"the land (and water) area that would be required to support a defined human population and material standard indefinitely.†4 Every individual uses certain basic amenities such as food, electricity and other basic amenities in order to survive and these resources need to be derived within the constraints of nature by using raw natural resources. An ecological footprint thus seeks to determine the amount of both land and water resources that must be used by every individual in order to sustain a population of any size over a future continuous period, with such an assessment being made on the basis of the

Human resource management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 4

Human resource management - Essay Example The Harvard approach is rooted in the human resource relation’s tradition, and supports the view that people can influence the outcomes of strategy. It employs the multiple stakeholder models. Employees are seen as having interests along with other stakeholders such as shareholders, management, unions, and government. HRM has four policy areas, which must be addressed. They are human resource flows, reward systems, employee influence, and work systems. Human resource flows involve managing the flow of people into organization (recruitment, selection), through the organization (placement, appraisal, promotion), out of the organization (termination). HR policy must ensure the right mix and number of staff through resourcing and developing employee competences. Reward systems cover pay and benefits designed to attract, motivate, and keep employees. Employee influence is concerned with controlling levels of authority, power, and decision- making. Work systems involve defining and designing jobs, so that the arrangement of people, information, and technology provide the best outcomes. These policies are designed to achieve the crucial goals of: commitment, congruence, competence, and cost effectiveness. The Harvard approach also emphasizes a belief in an organization’s people as assets rather t han costs. People can be allocated in order to obtain maximum efficiency. Their efforts can be directed towards particular objectives and their competences developed to achieve the highest quality work. Time spent on training and development is an investment in a firm’s human capital. Human capital is the body of knowledge, skills, and experience possessed by an organization’s people. According to this viewpoint, investment in people provides long-term benefits for an organization. Every business consists of physical, financial and human resources but

Health Information Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Health Information Systems - Essay Example Moreover, implementation of Cisco devices would add more reliability to the existing system and help the professionals to obtain the best results. The medical center is facing several problems, which are giving rise to numerous other critical issues in regards of patient care and medication. In such a state of affair, the board of directors needs to sort out the core problems and make arrangements for the medical center to function properly. The standard of patient care needs to be improved and a feasible technological solution is to be implemented. It is the very duty of the advisory committee to examine the possible options that can aid in the better functioning of the hospital and help the hospital staff in building a standard work culture. There are errors in patient medication, maintenance of lab records and patient charts, prompt communication, etc. Doctors are not getting sufficient, authentic, and timely information of their patients, and nurses are receiving incorrect or incomplete orders from the physicians. There are problems in the radiology department and pathology labs. A combined effect of these problems is culminating at occasional critical incidences and loss of hospital reputation. The idea of the CTO is very much in compliance with the hospital’s genuine requirements. If the medical professionals are enabled to access and exploit the hospital information system anywhere and anytime, several vital issues can be really solved. The following recommendations are intended to create a proper roadmap in this concern: 1. Implementation of IEEE 802.11g: The IEEE 802.11g networks use a 25 MHz channel and a spatial stream with the aid of a single antenna, providing only a single transmit/receive path between all the wireless access points and devices. It can obtain a speed up to 54 Mbps. 2. Implementation of IEEE 802.11n: Using the Multiple Input

Learning and Sleep Essay Example for Free

Learning and Sleep Essay Title: 234 Provide support for sleep Level: 2 Credit Value: 2 GLH 13 Learning Outcomes The learner will; Assessment Criteria The learner can; 1. Understand the importance of sleep 1Explain how sleep contributes to an individual’s well-being 2Identify reasons why an individual may find it hard to sleep 3Describe the possible short-term and long-term effects on an individual who is unable to sleep well 2. Be able to establish conditions suitable for sleep 1 Describe conditions likely to be suitable for sleep 2 Minimise aspects of the environment likely to make sleep difficult for an individual. 3 Adjust own behaviour to contribute to a restful environment 4 Describe actions to take if the behaviour or movement of others hinders an individual’s ability to sleep 3. Be able to assist an individual to sleep 1Explain the importance of a holistic approach to assisting sleep 2Encourage the individual to communicate the support they need to sleep 3Assist the individual to find a position for sleep consistent with their plan of care 4Support the individual to use aids for sleep in ways that reflect the plan of care and follow agreed ways of working 4. BE ABLE TO MONITOR SLEEP 1ESTABLISH WITH THE INDIVIDUAL. and others how sleep will be monitored 2Record agreed observations relating to the individual’s sleep and the assistance given 5. Know how to access information and advice about difficulties with sleep 1Describe situations in which additional information or assistance about sleep would be needed 2Explain how to access additional information and assistance Additional information An individual is someone requiring care or support Agreed ways of working will include policies and procedures where these exist Others may include: †¢family †¢friends †¢advocates †¢line manager †¢health professionals. †¢others who are important to the individual’s well-being Unit aim (s) This unit is aimed at those working in a wide range of settings. It provides the learner with the knowledge and skills required to establish conditions suitable for sleep and support the individual to sleep. Assessment requirements specified by a sector or regulatory body (if appropriate) This unit must be assessed in accordance with Skills for Care and Developments QCF Assessment Principles. Learning outcomes 2, 3 and 4 must be assessed in a real work environment. Details of the relationship of the unit and relevant national occupational standards HSC216.

Estimating Cranial Capacity Essay Example for Free

Estimating Cranial Capacity Essay Human beings share approximately 94% of their DNA with their closest living relative, the chimpanzee. Yet, when one compares the proliferation and accomplishments of these two closely related species, one finds huge differences: human beings have spread across every continent but Antarctica; erected towers and pyramids hundreds of meters tall; crafted millions of beautiful works of art, literature, and music; travelled far beyond the Earth’s atmosphere, and deep into the crevices of its oceans; and engineered enough weapons to wipe the whole world of life. In contrast, chimpanzees have remained largely confined to their jungle habitats, and amongst their greatest accomplishments is the discovery that twigs can poke insects out of holes. So, if humans and chimpanzees are so closely related, what can account for such a huge difference in their abilities? One needs not think very hard to realize that the answer is brain-size. The chimpanzee brain is about half the size of the human brain, and this difference, of about 600 cubic centimeters, is the difference between sticks and space shuttles. Thus, because larger brains confer such an overwhelming evolutionary benefit in hominids, it is safe to say that a study of hominine brain size is no less than a study of hominine evolutionary advancement, as illustrated in the graph below, which is indicative of the results obtained from such studies. Fig 1: Scatter graph typical of results obtained when comparing cranial capacities of various species of fossil hominid. Since brain tissue deteriorates over time, the only way paleontologists can approximate the brain-size of extinct species is by studying the capacity of their fossilized craniums. This is known as craniometry. Given that it is such an important area of investigation, study into craniometry has been widespread and diverse, encompassing research from such eminent and eclectic figures as the evolutionary biologist T. H. Huxley and the physician and anthropologist Paul Broca. Although such studies vary greatly in their scopes and applications, almost all utilize one of two standard craniometrical methods: the glass-bead technique (and variations like the lead-shot technique) and the caliper measurement technique. Because craniometrical researchers rely so much on these two methods, it is important that the accuracy of the methods is thoroughly investigated. Aim: The purpose of this practical is to use the glass-bead and caliper techniques to measure the cranial capacity of hominid skulls, and compare the two sets of results obtained in an attempt to determine their concord, and therefore their accuracy. Materials and Methods: The Glass Bead Technique: †¢ Measuring Cylinder †¢ Glass Beads (or items of similar size such as mustard seed or lead shot) †¢ Funnel †¢ Cotton Wool †¢ The following skull specimens: P. troglodytes (male and female specimens), G. gorilla (male and female specimens), P. pygmaeus (male and female specimens), H. sapiens (male specimen) To begin with, all of the foramina (holes) in the skulls, except for the foramina magnum, were plugged with cotton wool. Next, each skull was placed upside down. A funnel was then inserted into the foramen magnum of each skull and glass beads were poured into the cranial vault. Note that glass beads were used because they are small enough to approximate the viscosity of water, and large enough to prevent them falling through minor cracks in the skulls. When the cranial vault was completely packed with glass beads, they were transferred to a measuring cylinder, and their volume was recorded.

Stages of Decomposition: Effect of Time and Temperature

Stages of Decomposition: Effect of Time and Temperature Chapter I INTRODUCTION Watson, can you determine cause and time of death? I knelt over the woman and began a cursory examination â€Å"Rigor mortis has set in, so Id estimate shes been dead about 10 to 12 hours. Holmes stood up and brushed himself off with his hands. So, that puts her death between midnight and 2 am†(Anonymous 2007). After the question of cause of death; the question of time of death is the most sought after piece of information associated with a medical death investigation. As a consequence, death investigators find themselves in need of a means of ascertaining the period of time between when an individuals body is found and when they died, sometimes referred to as the post mortem interval. Establishing the time of death through the determination of post mortem interval may have a direct bearing on the legal questions of guilt or innocence by confirming that a suspects alibi covers the period when the victim died, or demonstrating that it does not. If the time of death can be established to within hours, days, months or even years, an individual may be able to prove that they were at some other place at that time. On the other hand, if the suspect is known to have been in the vicinity of the victim during the appropriate time period, then they can be shown to have had an opportunity to commit th e crime. Currently, there are multiple techniques for determining post mortem interval that incorporate methods in almost every discipline of forensic science. Depending on the circumstances, these techniques can yield results that vary from a narrow accurate estimate (video of the victim, the victims stopped watch etc.) to a wide range estimate (counting tree rings on trees growing over or through the remains). Regardless of the of the method used, the calculation of post mortem interval is at best an estimate and should not be accepted as accurate without considering all of the factors that can potentially impact the result. Post Mortem Interval Estimation â€Å"For everything there is a season, And a time for every matter under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 The techniques currently utilized for estimating post mortem interval can be broken down into two broad categories based upon the methodology used. The first of these categories are the concurrence-based methodologies. Concurrence based methods relate or compare the occurrence of a known event, which took place at a known time, with the occurrence of death, which took place at an unknown time. Examples of concurrence-based methods include the determining the years of manufacture of clothing found on a body, tree ring development, dates on personal effects, etc. Concurrence based methods rely on both evidence associated with the body, and anamnestic evidence such as the deceaseds normal pattern of movements. The second grouping of techniques include rate of change methodologies. Rate of change-based methodologies measure some aspect of a evidence, directly associated with the body, that changes at a known or predictable rate and is started or stopped at the time of death. Examples of the rate of change based methods include body temperature, tissue decomposition, insect succession and bone weathering. Some of these methodologies can be considered to fall into both categories. Examples of these would be tree ring development (Coyle, Lee et al. 2005) and insect succession. Previous post mortem interval Estimation Methods The variety of approaches for estimating post mortem interval spring from the varied expertise and experiences of their proponents as such the different methods tend to be focused on the immediate needs of the investigator, and limited to a particular stage of the post mortem interval or type of observation. As a consequence, the period of time for which a procedure is effective will overlap others. Algor, Rigor and Liver Mortis â€Å"Tis after death that we measure men.† James Barron Hope The earliest recorded methods for estimating early post mortem interval were a rate of change methodology based on the most easily observed changes. The cooling of the body after death (algor mortis), the gradual stiffening of the body (rigor mortis) and the fixed pooling of the blood resulting in discoloration of the lower portions of the body (livor mortis) can be easily assessed with minimal or in some instances no instrumentation. Since the time of the ancient Greeks when the following rule of thumb was developed: Warm and not stiff: Not dead more than three hours; Warm and stiff: Dead between 3 and 8 hours; Cold and stiff: Dead between 8 and 36 hours; Cold and not stiff: Dead more than 36 hours; (Starkeby 2004) until modern times, the basis of most temperature based post mortem interval analyses is the assumption that the human body, which averages 98.2 oF +/- 1.3 oF (Mall and Eisenmenger 2005), was at 98.6 oF (Mackowiak, Wasserman et al. 1992) at death and that after death the body looses heat in a predictable manner. There have been many temperature based methods for estimating post mortem interval. As early as the 1800s, Dr. John Davy had developed a method using the fall in body temperature (algor mortis), measured rectally, to determine the post mortem interval (Henssge and Knight 2002). This method was refined by De Saram by recording detailed temperature measurements collected from executed prisoners (De Saram G. 1955). More recent approaches to this technique have included measuring rectal temperature, body surface temperature, ear canal temperature, eye socket temperature and liver temperature (Simonsen, Voigt et al. 1977; Henssge and Knight 1995; Baccino, De Saint Martin et al. 1996; Kanetake, Kanawaku et al. 2006). Improvements to these techniques have included multiple progressive sampling, and the introduction of concepts such as the initial temperature plateau, core temperature, heat gradients, the effects of insulation, the ratio of surface area to volume, the effects of humidity and the effect of conductive surfaces, Microclimates and postmortem skin cooling (Green and Wright 1985; Nokes, Flint et al. 1992; Nelson 2000). However, most methods that attempt to use body temperature changes to determine the post mortem interval are hampered, as most methods are, by individual variability. Even when complex calculations and algorithms have been designed to model for tissue density, initial temperature distribution, post mortem exothermic reactions and heat loss, these refinements have not appreciably narrowed the estimate window for post mortem interval. Multiple studies outlining instances of initial temperature increase of a body soon after death (Hutchins 1985) associated with post mortem chemical changes such as rigor mortis, cell lysis and the conversion of cellular energy production to anaerobic respiration (Nelson 2000); variations in the core body temperature ranging from 0.5 1.2  °C during a 24 hour period (Chisholm 1911; Mackowiak, Wasserman et al. 1992); the effect of variable environmental temperatures (Green and Wright 1985; Green and Wright 1985); and the effect of environmental temperatu re on overall body surface temperatures (Mall, Hubig et al. 2002) have all contributed to limit the usefulness temperature as a consistent indicator of post mortem interval. Additionally, once the body has reached ambient temperature temperature ceases to be a factor. Marshall said it best when he said ‘‘It would seem that the timing of death by means of temperature can never be more than an approximation(Henssge and Knight 1995). Soft and Hard Tissue Decomposition â€Å"Now, a corpse, poor thing, is an untouchable and the process of decay is, of all pieces of bad manners, the vulgarest imaginable†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Aldous Huxley Cadaveric decomposition is a complex process that begins immediately following death and proceeds beyond the time when recognizable human remains have ceased to exist. Decomposition can be broken down into two major stages. The first stage, soft-tissue decomposition, is caused by autolysis and putrefaction. Autolysis is the digestion of tissue by cellular enzymes and digestive processes normally present in the organism. Putrefaction is the digestion of whole tissues systems caused by the enzymatic activity of fungi and bacteria that are either present in the organism or the environment that opportunistically invade the tissue. Both autolysis and the microorganisms responsible for putrefaction are normally held in check in living organisms. However, when an organism dies the cellular and systemic mechanisms responsible for regulating autolysis and inhibiting putrefying microorganisms stop. â€Å"Without these controlling processes the body becomes fancy (bacterial) culture media† (Carayannopoulos 1992). These early postmortem changes in soft tissues can be used to provide an estimate of the post mortem interval from death until skeletonization. However, the rate of soft tissue decomposition can be dramatically affected by both internal and external factors that affect the body (i.e. ambient temperature, cause of death, scavenging, trauma, environmental conditions, clothing, body size, mummification and adipocere formation) (Rodriguez and Bass 1985; Micozzi 1986; Mant 1987; Vass, Bass et al. 1992; Komar 1998; Campobasso, Di Vella et al. 2001). There are reported instances of rapid decomposition associated with acute illness (Frisch 2001) and the author is personally aware of an instance of a post mortem interval of less than eleven days resulting in complete skeletalization of an individual that died of complications related to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (Watson 1994). Additionally, there are a number of examples of bodies remaining intact for year s after death (Bass and Jefferson 2003). Beyond gross observation for assessing decomposition, researchers have developed multiple morphometric and chemical methods for assessing soft tissue decomposition. These have ranged from early (ca.1800s) methods such as the Brouardel method which examined the shift in flammability of putrefaction gases in the early post-mortem interval, and the Westernhoffer-Rocha-Valverde method examining the formation of crystals in the blood formed after the third day of putrefaction (Cengage 2006); to more modern methods such as ultrasound assessments of organ condition (Uchigasaki, Oesterhelweg et al. 2004) and the use of electron microscopy to examine measurable physical changes in mitochondria (Munoz, de Almeida et al. 1999) and platelet count (Thomsen, Kaatsch et al. 1999). Chemical methods used to assess time since death include the assessment of volatile organic compound formation (Vass, Bass et al. 1992; Statheropoulos, Spiliopoulou et al. 2005; Statheropoulos, Agapiou et al. 2007; Dekeir sschieter, Verheggen et al. 2009); the concentrations of non-protein nitrogen (Sasaki, Tsunenari et al. 1983; Gallois-Montbrun, Barres et al. 1988) and creatinine (Gallois-Montbrun, Barres et al. 1988; Brion, Marc et al. 1991). Bony tissue decomposition, the second major stage of decomposition, consists of a combination of surface weathering due to environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, sunlight) and erosion from soil conditions (pH, mineral content, etc.) (Behrensmeyer 1978; Janjua and Rogers 2008). While not much detailed study has been done on the environmental factors that affect bony tissue breakdown, it has been established that environmental factors such as pH, oxygenation, hydrology and soil flora and fauna can affect the long term stability of collagen (Garlick 1969; Henderson 1987; Bell, Skinner et al. 1996). Collagen, the primary protenatious component of bone, slowly hydrolyzes to peptides and then to amino acids leading to the breakdown of the collagen-mineral bonds which weakens the overall bone structure leaving it more susceptible to environmental weathering (Henderson 1987). By examining the effects of related changes (cracking, flaking, vacuole formation, UV-fluorescence of compa ct bone) the investigator can estimate the period of time a bone sample has been exposed to weathering (Yoshino, Kimijima et al. 1991; Bell, Skinner et al. 1996; Janjua and Rogers 2008; Wieberg and Wescott 2008). Current methods of assessing time since death using bone weathering rely heavily upon the experience of the investigator (Knight and Lauder 1969) and are limited to immediately post skeletalization to 10 to 100 years based on environmental conditions (Haglund and Sorg 1997). As with the assessment of soft tissue decomposition for time since death, investigators examining bone decomposition have supplemented observational methods with quantifiable testing techniques that analyze changes that are not directly affected by the physical environment (Lundquist 1963). Radiocarbon dating of carbon-14 and strontium-90 have been used to group remains pre and post 1950 (Taylor, Suchey et al. 1989; Maclaughlin-Black, Herd et al. 1992). Neis suggested that, with further study of strontium-90 distributions, determination of times since death should be possible (Neis, Hille et al. 1999). Bradley suggested that measuring the distribution of 210Pb and 210Po in marrow and calcified bone could prove forensically significant (Bradley 1993). This work was built upon by Swift who evaluated using 210Pb and 210Po distribution in conjunction with trace element analysis to provide a meaningful estimate of the post-mortem interval (Swift 1998; Swift, Lauder et al. 2001). Maclaughl in demonstrated that chemical changes due to environment could measurably affect isotope levels (Maclaughlin-Black, Herd et al. 1992). In addition to radionucleotide studies, investigators have also measured the changes in both organic (amino acids, urea, proteins, DNA) and inorganic compounds (nitrogen, potassium, sulphur, phosphorous) in bone. (Jarvis 1997; Prieto-Castello, Hernandez del Rincon et al. 2007). Stomach Contents/Rate of Digestion â€Å"Govern well thy appetite, lest sin surprise thee, and her black attendant Death.† John Milton The presence or absence of food in the stomach is often used as an indicator of post mortem interval. Its use as an indicator of post mortem interval is predicated on the assumption that under normal circumstances, the stomach digests and empties at a predictable rate taking from two to six hours to eliminate a full meal (Jaffe 1989). If a person had eaten a light meal the stomach would empty in about 1.5-2 hours. For a medium-sized meal the stomach would be expected to take about three to four hours to empty. Finally, a large meal would take about four to six hours to exit the stomach. Regardless, it would take from six to eight hours for the initial portion of the meal to reach the large intestine (Hallcox 2007). This information, coupled with reliable ante-mortem information relating to when an individual last ate is used by some pathologists when providing an estimate of the times since death. It is for this reason, among others, that comprehensive autopsies usually include an ex amination of the stomach contents (Batten 1995; Siegel 2006). Although it provides another useful indicator of time since death, there are serious limitations to the assessment of the stomach contents as an accurate indicator of time since death. Its reliance on reliable anamnestic evidence such as eating habits, the extent to which the victim chews their food (Pera, Bucca et al. 2002), the physiological state of the victim (Troncon, Bennett et al. 1994; Jayaram, Bowen et al. 1997; Lipp, Schnedl et al. 1997; Phillips, Salman et al. 1997) and the state of mind of the victim (Jaffe 1989); as well as verifiable antemortem evidence such as what the last meal consisted of (protein vs. fiber vs. fat)(Dubois 1985; Tomlin, Brown et al. 1993), the amount of liquid consumed with the meal, alcohol consumption and the time when it was consumed limits its usefulness to a small number of cases (Jaffe 1989). These factors combined with evidence that digestion can continue after death (Koersve 1951) makes the estimation of post mortem interval using stomach co ntents difficult at best. Insect Succession â€Å"Buzzards gotta eat, same as worms.† Clint Eastwood from the Outlaw Josey Wales Insect colonization of a body begins within hours of death and proceeds until remains cease to be a viable insect food source. Throughout this period, multiple waves of colonization by different insect species, as well as multiple generations of previously established species can exist. Forensic entomologists can use the waves of succession and generation time to estimate the postmortem interval based on the variety and stage of development of the insects, or insect remnants, present on the body (Archer and Elgar 2003). In addition to information regarding time since death, forensic entomology can provide useful information about the conditions to which the body was exposed. Most insects have a preference for specific conditions and habitats when colonizing a body and laying their eggs. Modifications to that optimal habitat can interrupt the expected insect colonization and succession. The presence of insects or insect larva that would typically be found on bodies colonized indoors o r in shade on a body discovered outside in direct sunlight may indicate that the body was moved after death (Sharanowski, Walker et al. 2008). Aquatic insects found on bodies discovered on land could indicate the body was originally in water (Wallace, Merritt et al. 2008; Proctor 2009). Although insect succession varies by season, geographical location and local environmental conditions, it is commonly assumed to follow a predictable sequence within a defined habitat. While there are a multitude of studies that have examined regional succession patterns (Archer and Elgar 2003; Tabor, Brewster et al. 2004; Tabor, Fell et al. 2005; Martinez, Duque et al. 2007; Eberhardt and Elliot 2008; Sharanowski, Walker et al. 2008) these studies use different approaches towards defining habitat and assessing insect succession making cross-comparisons of their data difficult. Also, the majority of these studies do not rigorously address the statistical predictability of a species occurrence making their results of limited use as post mortem interval indicators (Michaud and Moreau 2009). Additionally, beyond the presence or absence of clothing, the majority of the post mortem entomological studies conducted do not examine non-habitat external factors that may affect succession. For example, only a few studies have been conducted that assess the affect of drug ingestion (George, Archer et al. 2009) or the presence of chemicals (bleach, lye, acid etc.) used to cover-up evidence (Charabidze, Bourel et al. 2009) on the insect life cycle. As with other means of assessing time since death, more extensive studies with different insect species and drugs in a wider variety of habitats is necessary. Electrolyte Concentration â€Å"Death is a low chemical trick played on everybody†¦Ã¢â‚¬  J.J. Furnas Cellular activity does not immediately cease when an organism dies. Rather, individual cells will continue to function at varying metabolic rates until the loss of oxygen and metabolic substrates caused by the cessation of blood flow results in hypoxia (low oxygen). As cell metabolism shifts from aerobic to anaerobic, oxidative phosphorylation and ATP generation, the cellular processes keeping autolysis in check, begin to decrease and eventually cease all together. Without energy to maintain osmotic gradients membranes begin to fail. As lysosomal membranes begin to fail the enzymes within are released and begin consuming the cell from the inside out. With autolysis comes a cascade of metabolic chemicals, released ions, originally bound up in various cellular processes begin to diffuse due to the diffusion gradient according to Ficks law into the intracellular spaces (Madea 2005). Forensic researchers have used the presence, absence or effects of inorganic ions such as potassium, phos phorous, calcium, sodium and chloride as a means of estimating time since death (Schleyer and Sellier 1958). In most instances the higher the concentration gradient, the more suitable is the analyte for the estimation of the time since death. When analyzing body fluids for the purposes estimating post mortem interval, early researchers tended to focus their studies on body fluids such as, cerebrospinal fluid, blood and pericardial fluid (Schleyer and Brehmer 1958; Coe 1972; Henssge and Knight 1995; Yadav, Deshpande et al. 2007) with a few others examining other compartmentalized bodily fluids (Madea, Kreuser et al. 2001) and the largest numbers focusing on vitrious humor (Madea, Henssge et al. 1989; Ferslew, Hagardorn et al. 1998; Madea and Rodig 2006; Kumagai, Nakayashiki et al. 2007; Thierauf, Musshoff et al. 2009). Chemical methods used to assess these analytes in blood and spinal fluid as an indicator of post mortem interval have failed to gain general acceptance because, for th e most part, they failed to produce precise, reliable, and rapid results as required by the forensic community (Lundquist 1963). Current chemical methods which have primarily focused on vitreous fluid tend to suffer from the same limitations demonstrated by the fact that with notable exceptions (Pounder 1995) very few statistically rigorous field studies on the reliability and precision of estimating post mortem interval are available in the literature (Coe 1993; Madea 2005). Enzyme Activity As previously discussed, cellular activity does not cease when clinical death occurs. In any circumstances where the cellular metabolism shifts from a homeostatic balanced state to an imbalanced state biochemical changes occur. Changes in the levels and/or activity of enzymes (i.e. cardiac troponin, c-reactive proteins, and G proteins) have long been used as indicators of cellular stress (Li, Greenwood et al. 1996; Katrukha, Bereznikova et al. 1998; Tsokos, Reichelt et al. 2001; Uhlin-Hansen 2001). Assessing similar changes in cellular biochemistry as a function of time since death provides investigators with a wide variety of tissues, testing methods and analytes for consideration. As a consequence, forensic investigators have assessed and suggested enzymes from heart, pancreas, muscle, blood and brain as potentially suitable markers for time since death (Wehner, Wehner et al. 1999; Wehner, Wehner et al. 2001; Kang, Kassam et al. 2003; Jia, Ekman et al. 2007; Poloz and ODay 2009). C omparisons of total proteins analyzed ante and post mortem analyzed using two dimensional gel electrophoresis and Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight have demonstrated changes in metabolic enzymes, (Jia, Ekman et al. 2007; Hunsucker, Solomon et al. 2008). Assessing the changes in enzyme activity provides examiners a means to assess time since death, in many instances long before visible cellular changes. However, in at least a few of these studies results indicate that enzyme degradation during extraction and partial enzyme activity observed with degradation products these markers better suited to qualitative analysis rather than quantitative analysis (Sabucedo and Furton 2003). Muscle/Nerve Excitation Both neurons and myocytes retain the ability to respond to electrical stimulation for at least a short period of time after organism death. (Sugioka, Sawai et al. 1995; Briskey, Kastenchmidt et al. 2002; Sams 2002). The response of nervous and muscle tissue to external electric stimulation has also been investigated and proposed as means to estimate time since death (Kline and Bechtel 1990; Straton, Busuttil et al. 1992). Methods developed to investigate myocyte excitability assess the relative magnitude and duration of the muscle contraction during the application of external stimulation. To assess the contractile response, a combination of observational based assessments (Madea 1990; Jones, James et al. 1995) and measurement based assessments (Henssge, Lunkenheimer et al. 1984; Madea 1992) have been suggested and reported. Similar investigations have examined post mortem excitation of nervous tissue by measuring a variety of neurological reactions to stimuli. These include the alteration of Compound Muscle Action Potential (Nokes, Daniel et al. 1991; Elmas, Baslo et al. 2001; Elmas, Baslo et al. 2002), lengthen of the refractory or non-propagating period immediately following the CMAP (McDowall, Lenihan et al. 1998), the extracellular impedance/resistance (Querido 2000), the chronaxie measurement or the time over which a current double that necessary to produce a contraction is applied before the contraction occurs (Straton, Busuttil et al. 1992) and the changes in the amplitude of the F-wave (the secondary CMAP observed after the initial CMAP) have all been examined, and been suggested as potential indicators of time since death. The results of studies examining the response of excitable tissue to electric stimulation have been consistent in that the stimulation response varies predictably over time. However, suitability for absolute indicators of time since death remains in questions as investigators have reported contradictory results related to the effect of the manner of death on the stimulation response (Madea and Henssge 1990; Elmas, Baslo et al. 2002). RNA Degradation RNA degradation, both antemortem and postmortem, is a complex process that is not well understood. Unlike with DNA degradation, continuous degradation of inducible mRNAs by native ribonucleases is used as a means of translational control. After cell death these ribonucleases, no longer kept in check by the mechanisms of cellular homeostasis, combine with exogenous ribonucleases from bacteria and fungi to begin un-inhibited digestion of all cellular RNA. Investigators have noted extensive variability in RNA degradation rates in different tissues (Bauer 2007). Not surprisingly such variability appears to be related to the antemortem ribonuclease activity of the tissue; with relatively ribonuclease poor tissues such as brain and retina exhibiting greater RNA stability (Johnson, Morgan et al. 1986; Malik, Chen et al. 2003) when compared to ribonucleases rich tissues such as liver, stomach and pancreas (Humphreys-Beher, King et al. 1986; Finger, Mercer et al. 1987; Bauer, Gramlich et al. 2003). Additionally, but also not surprisingly, some constitutively expressed mRNAs have been shown to be more stable, or perhaps simply more prevalent, than inducible mRNAs (Inoue, Kimura et al. 2002). Additionally, while intrabrain mRNA levels are fairly constant, interbrain levels vary considerably (Preece, Virley et al. 2003). As a consequence of these observations, the degradation of RNA (total and/or mRNA) have been suggested as a potential analyte to assess time since death. Researchers examining the effect of post mortem interval on RNA stability have examined a variety of targets (mRNA, both tissue specific and constitutively expressed, and total RNA) with an assortment of methods including Reverse Transcriptase (RT) PCR(Ohshima and Sato 1998; Fleige, Walf et al. 2006; Haller, Kanakapalli et al. 2006; Zhao, Zhu et al. 2006), RNA (cDNA) microarrays (Bahn, Augood et al. 2001; Catts, Catts et al. 2005; Son, Bilke et al. 2005; Popova, Mennerich et al. 2008) and quantitative RT-qPCR (VanGuilder, Vrana et al. 2008). Based on these studies, there are indications that beyond time and temperature, factors such as hypoxia, tissue pH, antemortem physiological conditions (coma, seizure activity and injury) postmortem transcriptional activity and RNA sequence can dramatically affect the stability and measurable levels of RNA (Burke, OMalley et al. 1991; Harrison, Heath et al. 1995; Ohshima and Sato 1998; Catts, Catts et al. 2005; Bauer 2007). When examining the sem inal question regarding time since death and temperature some researchers have reported temperature and time as significant factors affecting mRNA levels (Burke, OMalley et al. 1991), while others have reported the reverse (Harrison, Heath et al. 1995; Preece and Cairns 2003). These contradictory data are not surprising given the changes in the specificity, sensitivity and application of the assays used; however, the ultimate question has not been resolved. What is clear from the research is that RNA degradation (mRNA or total) is a complex process (Preece and Cairns 2003; Preece, Virley et al. 2003; Heinrich, Lutz-Bonengel et al. 2007) effected by multiple factors indicating more study will be required before RNA degradation can be considered a reliable indicator of time since death. DNA Degradation and its Effect on DNA Typing Since the initial application of molecular biology techniques to samples of forensic significance in the latter half of the 1980s, forensic scientists have noted that increased exposure to environmental insults can negatively impact DNA quality. Developmental validation studies performed to evaluate the efficacy of new typing techniques (SWGDAM 2008) have found that environmental variables such as heat, high humidity, direct moisture, fungal/bacterial contamination and ultraviolet light can impact the quantity or quality of the DNA sample making them unsuitable for DNA analysis (McNally, Shaler et al. 1989; Graw, Weisser et al. 2000; Takayama, Nakamura et al. 2003; Bender, Farfan et al. 2004; Schneider, Bender et al. 2004; Niemcunowicz-Janica, Pepinski et al. 2007). During transitions in technology from Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) analysis to Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) based testing, researchers noted that samples too degraded to produce an RFLP pattern could still produce profiles using a variety of PCR based markers that evaluated loci shorter in length (Hochmeister, Budowle et al. 1991). This finding supports the hypothesis that degradation in the forensic setting is (not surprisingly) processive. Additional research found that while the DNA in some samples like cadaveric blood and kidney tissue could degrade to the point where it was no longer suitable for DNA fingerprinting after as little as a week (Ludes, Pfitzinger et al. 1993); other samples such as bone (Hochmeister, Budowle et al. 1991; Frank and Llewellyn 1999) and teeth (Schwartz, Schwartz et al. 1991; Pfeiffer, Huhne et al. 1999) could, under most conditions, provide typeable DNA for months. The fact that DNA degradation has a detrimental effect on larger genetic loci, and affects different tissues at different rates is considered to be of extraordinary forensic significance is evidenced by the numbers of studies that seek to examine, and overcome this effect (42 validation studies specifically mentioning DNA degradation from 1995-2009 in PubMed). This makes perfect sense when the observer considers the impact that degradation can have on selecting suitable samples and evaluating the resultant DNA profiles. However, a number of researchers have looked beyond the simple question of how degradation affects the typing of samples to broader questions such as the mechanisms of postmortem degradation (De Marà ­a and Arruti 2004; Foran 2006) and synthesis (Oehmichen, Frasunek et al. 1988) and how that knowledge can be used to assist in the assessment of time since death. DNA degradation by RFLP: Since Sir Alec Jeffreys first applied Southern blotting (Southern 1975) techniques to the testing of forensically significant samples in 1985 (Jeffreys, Brookfield et al. 1985) DNA analysis has revolutionized forensic science. Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism DNA analysis relies on variations in the lengths of DNA fragments generated by enzyme restriction. With restriction fragments ranging from approximately from 2 33 kilobases (Baird, Balazs et al. 1986) successful typing and analysis requires high quality (un-fragmented) DNA. Researchers noted from the outset that in some cases involving older and/or postmortem samples that DNA degradation, tied to the exposures of higher temperatures, resulted in the gradual disappearance of the longer fragments reducing the evidentiary value of older samples (Bar, Kratz

Philip Larkin’s The Whitsun Weddings Essay -- Whitsun Weddings

Philip Larkin’s The Whitsun Weddings   Ã‚  Ã‚   As I was reading Philip Larkin’s "The Whitsun Weddings," I was initially struck by the difference between his use of language and the language used by many of the poets we read earlier in the course. The difference between the language of the two W.B. Yeats poems we wrote about previously and this poem by Larkin was particularly striking. Of course, the use of language changed slowly, with each poet we have read between Yeats and Larkin becoming less like the former and more like the latter. But, I suppose I noticed it more in this poem because I was paying more attention to detail in order to comment on the poem.   Ã‚  Ã‚   The speaker of this poem is on a train headed south to London for a long weekend, and begins his/her journey on a Saturday afternoon. It is a late spring or even early summer day, as it is seven weeks after Easter (fn. 1061). Initially, the content of the poem is rather simple, but the language and description are quite rich. Larkin appeals to four of the five senses and makes his reader feel as if they are on the train with the speaker. As I read the poem, I felt like I could hear the train pull out of the station and feel the heat of the cushions under my legs. Then I was seeing the "blinding windscreens" and smelling the "fish-dock". As the poem and the rich description continued, I was then looking at "[c]anals with floatings of industrial froth" and... ...es ahead of them. On the other hand, the line "there swelled / A sense of falling" could be describing their lingering doubts that maybe their families were right and they are making a mistake.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Since the poem ends on that more somber note of "a sense of falling," we leave the poem feeling that the ending will not be happy for these newly married couples. We are full of the beauty of the land as described by the speaker, as well as the dreariness of the future as the people in the poem see it. What started out as a fairly upbeat and happy poem leaves you with a sense of despair and impending doom.    Works Cited Urdang, Laurence, ed.   The American Century Dictionary.   New York: Oxford UP, 1995.

The Real Deal Out In The Field :: essays research papers

The Real Deal Out in the Field   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Being that this will be a very opinionated paper I concluded that I should begin this piece with an opinion. According to myself, there is no such thing as a just war. War is war no matter how much you try to justify it. You can’t escape the fact that with war comes loss of life. This brings up the idea of â€Å"who are we to eliminate someone’s life.† No man should have such responsibility. Naturally those that cause war or instigate war are those that will not be fighting in the trenches. To say that George W. Bush has total and complete passion for every man fighting this â€Å"new type of war† is nothing but ignorance at its finest.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A day after the horrible attacks on the World Trade Center the pope released a statement to the press. In this statement he said, â€Å"Let us beg the lord that the spiral of hatred and violence will not prevail (sept. 12)† then later on the catholic church serves and ordinance allowing the use of a â€Å"just war†. How could it be that after the popes praises for peace the same church virtual gives its ok for a war. This is extremely contradiciary. The only conclusion one can derive from such an act is that the pope used his speech as a political ploy to downsize the visual size of involvement that the church has in all of this.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With this said we now look at our own government for which I have nothing but disgust. If you were to watch a baseball game, they now make it mandatory (not written in stone but very highly ‘pushed’) that during the seventh inning stretch a guest will appear and sing God Bless America. To me this is a cheap ploy at instigating patriotism and forcing it upon the American people that what we are doing is right and if you don’t agree with out actions then you’re not a true American. What kind of a â€Å"kind and caring† government is this? I am a true American. I also recognize BS when I see it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If you have been alive for the past 2-3 weeks you will realize you are hearing a lot about an anthrax scare. This again is governmental tactics. I choose to use the phrase â€Å"silent weapons for quiet wars† to better describe this abuse of power by our almighty government.

United Nations :: essays research papers

The United Nations 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As far as peace keeping methods go, the reputation of the United Nations is very pitiable. This is not only because they have not been doing their job to it’s fullest extent, but also because the member states on the security council haven’t given the UN the power it needs if it is to be a successful force in peace keeping methods. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The United Nation idea was first brought to head during World War II, when 26 nations of the world pledged to work together as one. The United Nations was officially operational as of the 24th of October 1951, with a minor 51 countries signing the UN charter. A stable base was set-up in New York. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The UN structure is a very well thought-out one. The UN contains over 150 countries, with 5 main heads of state. These 5 countries are America, France, Great Britain, Russia and China. The 5 head countries always make the decision on whether to help a country that is in need or not. The basic structure is that there is a general assembly, which is the head of the UN. Off that there are 5 separately run systems, which are International court of justice, Economic and social council, Security Council, secretariat and the trainee council. All have different, yet major roles in striving to make the UN a success. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Security Council is the council in charge of the peacekeeping side of the United Nations. The Security Council contained 15 countries in 1995. The countries were Argentina, Botswana, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Honduras, Indonesia, Italy, Nigeria, Oman, Russian Federation, Rwanda, UK and the U.S. China, France, UK, U.S and Russia are all permanent heads of the council. There are over 50 countries now listed in the Security Council. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The UN can be so ineffective because they do not have the power they would like to have. The United Nations have no power under the current charter to simply waltz into a countries disputes with out any permission being granted. Both countries must invite the UN in, but the Security Council must also agree with this as well. The countries involved in the Security Council must also provide the necessary manpower quickly. This takes time and hinders the UN’s power. 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Somalia – In 1992, after 23 months of Barre’s rain there was an estimated 300,000 people who died of starvation. A vanguard of UN peacekeeping forces was sent in to restore order.

Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 1~3

PART ONE The Phoenix 1 The Cannibal Tree Tucker Case awoke to find himself hanging from a breadfruit tree by a coconut fiber rope. He was suspended facedown about six feet above the sand in some sort of harness, his hands and feet tied together in front of him. He lifted his head and strained to look around. He could see a white sand beach fringed with coconut palms, a coconut husk fire, a palm frond hut, a path of white coral gravel that led into a jungle. Completing the panorama was the grinning brown face of an ancient native. The native reached up with a clawlike hand and pinched Tucker's cheek. Tucker screamed. â€Å"Yum,† the native said. â€Å"Who are you?† Tucker asked. â€Å"Where am I? Where's the navigator?† The native just grinned. His eyes were yellow, his hair a wild tangle of curl and bird feathers, and his teeth were black and had been filed to points. He looked like a potbellied skeleton upholstered in distressed leather. Puckered pink scars decorated his skin; a series of small scars on his chest described the shape of a shark. His only clothing was a loincloth woven from some sort of plant fiber. Tucked in the waist cord was a vicious-looking bush knife. The native patted Tucker's cheek with an ashy callused palm, then turned and walked away, leaving him hanging. â€Å"Wait!† Tucker shouted. â€Å"Let me down. I have money. I can pay you.† The native ambled down the path without looking back. Tucker struggled against the harness, but only managed to put himself into a slow spin. As he turned, he caught sight of the navigator, hanging uncon scious a few feet away. â€Å"Hey, you alive?† The navigator didn't stir, but Tucker could see that he was breathing. â€Å"Hey, Kimi, wake up!† Still no reaction. He strained against the rope around his wrists, but the bonds only seemed to tighten. After a few minutes, he gave up, exhausted. He rested and looked around for something to give this bizarre scene some meaning. Why had the native hung them in a tree? He caught movement in his peripheral vision and turned to see a large brown crab struggling at the end of a string tied to a nearby branch. There was his answer: They were hung in the tree, like the crab, to keep them fresh until they were ready to be eaten. Tucker shuddered, imagining the native's black teeth closing on his shin. He tried to focus on a way to escape before the native returned, but his mind kept diving into a sea of regrets and second guesses, looking for the exact place where the world had turned on him and put him in the cannibal tree. Like most of the big missteps he had taken in his life, it had started in a bar. The Seattle Airport Holiday Inn lounge was all hunter green, brass rails, and oak veneer. Remove the bar and it looked like Macy's men's depart-ment. It was one in the morning and the bartender, a stout, middle-aged Hispanic woman, was polishing glasses and waiting for her last three customers to leave so she could go home. At the end of a bar a young wo-man in a short skirt and too much makeup sat alone. Tucker Case sat next to a businessman several stools down. â€Å"Lemmings,† the businessman said. â€Å"Lemmings?† asked Tucker. They were drunk. The businessman was heavy, in his late fifties, and wore a charcoal gray suit. Broken veins glowed on his nose and cheeks. â€Å"Most people are lemmings,† the businessman continued. â€Å"That's why they fail. They behave like suicidal rodents.† â€Å"But you're a higher level of rodent?† Tucker Case said with a smart-ass grin. He was thirty, just under six foot, with neatly trimmed blond hair and blue eyes. He wore navy slacks, sneakers, and a white shirt with blue-and-gold epaulets. His captain's hat sat on the bar next to a gin and tonic. He was more interested in the girl at the end of the bar than in the businessman's conversation, but he didn't know how to move without being obvious. â€Å"No, but I've kept my lemming behavior limited to my personal relationships. Three wives.† The businessman waved a swizzle stick under Tucker's nose. â€Å"Success in America doesn't require any special talent or any kind of extra effort. You just have to be consistent and not fuck up. That's how most people fail. They can't stand the pressure of getting what they want, so when they see that they are getting close, they engineer some sort of fuckup to undermine their success.† The lemming litany was making Tucker uncomfortable. He'd been on a roll for the last four years, going from bartending to flying corporate jets. He said, â€Å"Maybe some people just don't know what they want. Maybe they only look like lemmings.† â€Å"Everyone knows what they want. You know what you want, don't you?† â€Å"Sure, I know,† Tucker said. What he wanted right now was to get out of this conversation and get to know the girl at the end of the bar before closing time. She'd been staring at him for five minutes. â€Å"What?† The businessman wanted an answer. He waited. â€Å"I just want to keep doing what I'm doing. I'm happy.† The businessman shook his head. â€Å"I'm sorry, son, but I don't buy it. You're going over the cliff with the rest of the lemmings.† â€Å"You should be a motivational speaker,† Tuck said, his attention drawn by the girl, who was getting up, putting money on the bar, picking up her cigarettes, and putting them into her purse. She said, â€Å"I know what I want.† The businessman turned and gave his best avuncular-horndog smile. â€Å"And what's that, sweetheart?† She walked up to Tucker and pressed her breasts against his shoulder. She had brown hair that fell in curls to her shoulders, blue eyes, and a nose that was a tad crooked, but not horribly so. Up close she didn't even look old enough to drink. Heavy makeup had aged her at a distance. Looking the businessman in the eye, as if she didn't notice Tucker at all, she said, â€Å"I want to join the mile-high club, and I want to join it tonight. Can you help me?† The businessman looked at Tucker's captain's hat on the bar, then back at the girl. Slowly, defeated, he shook his head. She pressed harder against Tucker's shoulder. â€Å"How about you?† Tucker grinned at the businessman and shrugged by way of apology. â€Å"I just want to keep doing what I'm doing.† The girl put on his captain's hat and pulled him off of the barstool. He dug into his pocket for money as she dragged him toward the exit. The businessman raised a hand. â€Å"No, I've got the drinks, son. You just remember what I said.† â€Å"Thanks,† Tuck said. Outside in the lobby the girl said, â€Å"My name's Meadow.† She kept her eyes forward as she walked, taking curt marching steps as if she was leading him on an antiterrorist mission instead of seducing him. â€Å"Pretty name,† Tucker said. â€Å"I'm Tucker Case. People call me Tuck.† She still didn't look up. â€Å"Do you have a plane, Tuck?† â€Å"I've got access to one.† He smiled. This was great. Great! â€Å"Good. You get me into the mile-high club tonight and I won't charge you. I've always wanted to do it in a plane.† Tucker stopped. â€Å"You're a†¦I mean, you do this for†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She stopped and turned to look him in the eye for the first time. â€Å"You're kind of a geek, aren't you?† â€Å"Thank you. I find you incredibly attractive too.† Actually, he did. â€Å"No, you're attractive. I mean, you look fine. But I thought a pilot would have a little more on the ball.† â€Å"Is this part of that mistress-humiliation-handcuff stuff?† â€Å"No, that's extra. I'm just making conversation.† â€Å"Oh, I see.† He was beginning to have second thoughts. He had to fly to Houston in the morning, and he really should get some sleep. Still, this would make a great story to tell the guys back at the hangar – if he left out the part about him being a suicidal rodent and her being a prostitute. But he could tell the story without really doing it, couldn't he? He said, â€Å"I probably shouldn't fly. I'm a little drunk.† â€Å"Then you won't mind if I go back to the bar and grab your friend? I might as well make some money.† â€Å"It could be dangerous.† â€Å"That's the point, isn't it?† She smiled. â€Å"No, I mean really dangerous.† â€Å"I have condoms.† Tucker shrugged. â€Å"I'll get a cab.† Ten minutes later they were heading across the wet tarmac toward a group of corporate jets. â€Å"It's pink!† â€Å"Yeah, so?† â€Å"You fly a pink jet?† As Tuck opened the hatch and lowered the steps, he had the sinking feeling that maybe the businessman at the bar had been right. 2 I Thought This Was a Nonsmoking Flight Most jets (especially those unburdened by the weight of passengers or fuel) have a glide rate that is quite acceptable for landing without power. But Tucker has made an error in judgment caused by seven gin and tonics and the distraction of Meadow straddling him in the pilot seat. He thinks, per-haps, that he should have said something when the fuel light first went on, but Meadow had already climbed into the saddle and he didn't want to seem inattentive. Now the glide path is too steep, the runway a little too far. He uses a little body English in pulling back on the steering yoke, which Meadow takes for enthusiasm. Tucker brings the pink Gulfstream jet into SeaTac a little low, tearing off the rear landing gear on a radar antenna a second before impact with the runway, which sends Meadow over the steering yoke to bounce off the windscreen and land unconscious across the instrument panel. The jet's wings flap once – a dying flamingo trying to free itself from a tar pit – and rip off in a shriek of sparks, flame, and black smoke, then spin back into the air before beating themselves to pieces on the runway. Tucker, strapped into the pilot's seat, lets loose a prolonged scream that pushes the sound of tearing metal out of his head. The wingless Gulfstream slides down the runway like hell's own bobsled, leaving a wake of greasy smoke and aluminum confetti. Firemen and paramedics scramble into their vehicles and pull out onto the runway in pursuit of it. In a moment of analytical detachment, one of the firemen turns to a companion and says, â€Å"There's not enough fire. He must have been flying on fumes.† Tucker sees the end of the runway coming up, an array of an tennae, some spiffy blue lights, a chain-link fence, and a grassy open field where what's left of the Gulfstream will fragment into pink shrapnel. He realizes that he's looking at his own death and screams the words â€Å"Oh, fuck!†, meeting the FAA's official requirement for last words to be retrieved from the charred black box. Suddenly, as if someone has hit a cosmic pause button, the cockpit goes quiet. Movement stops. A man's voice says, â€Å"Is this how you want to go?† Tucker turns toward the voice. A dark man in a gray flight suit sits in the copilot's seat, waiting for an answer. Tuck can't seem to see his face, even though they are facing each other. â€Å"Well?† â€Å"No,† Tucker answers. â€Å"It'll cost you,† the pilot says. Then he's gone. The copilot's seat is empty and the roar of tortured metal fills the cabin. Before Tucker can form the words â€Å"What the hell?† in his mind, the wingless jet crashes through the antenna, the spiffy blue lights, the chain-link fence, and into the field, soggy from thirty consecutive days of Seattle rain. The mud caresses the fuselage, dampens the sparks and flames, clings and cloys and slows the jet to a steaming stop. Tuck hears metal crackle as it settles, sirens, the friendly chime of the FASTEN SEAT BELTS sign turning off. Welcome to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The local time is 2:00A.M., the outside temperature is 63 degrees, there is a semiconscious hooker gurgling at your feet. The cabin fills with black smoke from fried wires and vaporized hydraulic fluid. One breath burns down his windpipe like drain cleaner, telling Tucker that a second breath may kill him. He unfastens the harness and reaches into the dark for Meadow, connecting with her lace camisole, which comes away in shreds in his hands. He stands, bends over, wraps an arm around her waist, and picks her up. She's light, maybe a hundred pounds, but Tucker has forgotten to pull up his pants and Jockey shorts, which cuff his ankles. He teeters and falls backward onto the control console between the pilot seats. Jutting from the console is the flap actuator lever, a foot-long strip of steel topped by a plastic arrowheadlike tip. The tip catches Tuck in the rear of the scrotum. His and Meadow's combined weight drive him down on the lever, which tears though his scrotum, runs up inside the length of his penis, and emerges in a spray of blood. There are no words for the pain. No breath, no thought. Just deafening white and red noise. Tucker feels himself passing out and welcomes it. He drops Meadow, but she is conscious enough to hold on to his neck, and as she falls she pulls him off the lever, which reams its way back through him again. Without realizing it, he is standing, breathing. His lungs are on fire. He has to get out. He throws an arm around Meadow and drags her three feet to the hatch. He releases the hatch and it swings down, half open. It's de-signed to function as a stairway to the ground, designed for a plane that is standing on landing gear. Gloved hands reach into the opening and start pulling at it. â€Å"We're going to get you out of there,† a fireman says. The hatch comes open with a shriek. Tuck sees blue and red flashing lights illuminating raindrops against a black sky, making it appear as if it is raining fire. He takes a single breath of fresh air, says, â€Å"I've torn off my dick,† and falls forward. 3 And You Lost Your Frequent Flyer Miles As with most things in his life, Tucker Case was wrong about the extent of his injuries. As they wheeled him though the emergency room, he con-tinued to chant, â€Å"I've torn off my dick! I've torn off my dick!† into his oxygen mask until a masked physician appeared at his side. â€Å"Mr. Case, you have not torn off your penis. You've damaged some major blood vessels and some of the erectal tissue. And you've also severed the tendon that runs from the tip of the penis to the base of the brain.† The doctor, a woman, pulled down her mask long enough to show Tucker a grin. â€Å"You should be fine. We're taking you into surgery now.† â€Å"What about the girl?† â€Å"She's got a mild concussion and some bruises, but she'll be okay. She'll probably go home in a few hours.† ‘That's good. Doc, will I be able to? I mean, will I ever†¦?† â€Å"Be still, Mr. Case. I want you to count backward from one hundred.† â€Å"Is there a reason for that – for the counting?† â€Å"You can say the Pledge of Allegiance if you want.† â€Å"But I can't stand up.† â€Å"Just count, smart-ass.† When Tucker came to, through the fog of anesthesia he saw a picture of himself superimposed over a burning pink jet. Looking down on the scene was the horrified face of the matriarch of pyramid makeup sales, Mary Jean Dobbins – Mary Jean to the world. Then the picture was gone, replaced by a rugged male face and perfect smile. â€Å"Tuck, you're famous. You made the Enquirer.† The voice of Jake Skye, Tuck's only male friend and premier jet mechanic for Mary Jean. â€Å"You crashed just in time to make the latest edition.† â€Å"My dick?† Tuck said, struggling to sit up. There was what appeared to be a plaster ostrich egg sitting on his lap. A tube ran out the middle of it. Jake Skye, tall, dark, and unkempt – half Apache, half truck stop waitress – said, â€Å"That's going to smart. But the doc says you'll play the violin again.† Jake sat in a chair next to Tuck's bed and opened the tabloid. â€Å"Look at this. Oprah's skinny again. Carrots, grapefruit, and amphetamines.† â€Å"Tucker Case moaned. â€Å"What about the girl? What was her name?† â€Å"Meadow Malackovitch,† Jake said, looking at the paper. â€Å"Wow, Oprah's fucking Elvis. You got to give that woman credit. She stays busy. By the way, they're going to move you to Houston. Mary Jean wants you where she can keep an eye on you.† â€Å"The girl, Jake?† Jake looked up from the paper. â€Å"You don't want to know.† â€Å"They said she was going to be okay. Is she dead?† â€Å"Worse. Pissed off. And speaking of pissed off, there's some FAA guys outside who are waiting to talk to you, but the doctor wouldn't let them in. And I'm supposed to call Mary Jean as soon as you're coherent. I'd ad-vise against that – becoming coherent, I mean. And then there's a whole bunch of reporters. The nurses are keeping them all out.† â€Å"How'd you get in?† â€Å"I'm your only living relative.† â€Å"My mother will be pleased to hear that.† â€Å"Brother, your mother doesn't even want to claim you. You totally fucked the dog on this one.† â€Å"I'm fired, then?† â€Å"Count on it. In fact, I'd say you'd be lucky to get a license to operate a riding lawnmower.† â€Å"I don't know how to do anything but fly. One bad landing?† â€Å"No, Tuck, a bad landing is when the overheads pop open and dump people's gym bags. You crashed. If it makes you feel any better, with the Gulfstream gone I'm not going to have any work for at least six months. They may not even get another jet.† â€Å"Is the FAA filing charges?† Jake Skye looked at his paper to avoid Tuck's eyes. â€Å"Look, man, do you want me to lie to you? I came up here because I thought you'd rather hear it from me. You were drinking. You wrecked a million dollars' worth of SeaTac's equipment in addition to the plane. You're lucky you're not dead.† â€Å"Jake, look at me.† Jake dropped the paper to his lap and sighed. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Am I going to jail?† â€Å"I've got to go, man.† Jake stood. â€Å"You heal up.† He turned to leave the room. â€Å"Jake!† Jake Skye stopped and looked over his shoulder. Tucker could see the disappointment in his friend's eyes. â€Å"What were you thinking?† Jake said. â€Å"She talked me into it. I knew it wasn't a good idea, but she was persistent.† Jake came to the side of the bed and leaned in close. â€Å"Tucker, what's it take for you to get it? Listen close now, buddy, because this is your last lesson, okay? I'm out of a job because of you. You've got to make your own decisions. You can't let someone else always tell you what to do. You have to take some responsibility.† â€Å"I can't believe I'm hearing this from you. You're the one who got me into this business.† â€Å"Exactly. You're thirty years old, man. You have to start thinking for yourself. And with your head, not your dick.† Tucker looked at the bandages in his lap. â€Å"I'm sorry. It all got out of hand. It was like flying on autopilot. I didn't mean to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Time to take the controls, buddy.† â€Å"Jake, something weird happened during the crash. I'm not sure if it was a hallucination or what. There was someone else in the cockpit.† â€Å"You mean besides the whore?† â€Å"Yeah, just for a second, there was a guy in the copilot seat. He talked to me. Then he disappeared.† Jake sighed. â€Å"There's no insanity plea for crashing a plane, Tuck. You lost a lot of blood.† â€Å"This was before I got hurt. While the plane was still skidding.† â€Å"Here.† Jake tucked a silver flask under Tuck's pillow and punched him in the shoulder. â€Å"I'll call you, man.† He turned and walked away. Tuck called after him, â€Å"What if it was an angel or something?† â€Å"Then you're in the Enquirer next week too,† Jake said from the door. â€Å"Get some sleep.†