Nurture and nature affect the human growth and development Essay

The dictionary defines growth and development as the process by which human increase in size and mature in form and function. It can be influenced by nurture- the act of nurturing and the physical world or nature itself. Nurture affects growth when it comes to biological aspects- heredity for instance. If the parents are both tall, the possibility that the offspring be tall is high. Hence, it really affects growth. But, what about the development? Read more: Personal factors that affect child development essay For sure, heredity is again involved. However, nurture affects human growth especially development. It is a huge factor in both two. It affects growth in the sense that the nutrients needed by a child is dependent in nurturing ways of his family most especially the parents themselves. Parents are the agent for nurturing their child. Nurture, moreover, affects development in so many ways. If the social interpretation of an individual is bad, maybe the product is also bad and vise versa in good. In addition, here are some instances that nurture affects development: First, during the primary stage when the family is the immediate environment and the child is still not capable of thinking, the parents themselves influenced the identity of this child through the given name. whether we like it or not, we cannot choose what name we wanted others to call us because nurture dictates it. Second, during the secondary stage, our social concept is affected/influenced by the environment- church, school, peer group, social setting and mass media. If we are raised in a Christian family, maybe we tend to practice what has been indoctrinated to us. Hence, even Socio-Economic status(SOS) affects one’s social concept. Lastly, it is just to say that nurture dictates one’s personality. It should be normative enough and is accepted by the society.

Analysis of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Essay

Introduction Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR), a leader in specialty coffee and coffee makers, was founded in 1981 by Bob Stiller (Green Mountain Coffee Roasters [GMCR], n. d.). From a small cafà © to a company listed on NASDAQ and then to a company with more than $2.6 billion net sales revenue by Sep 24 2011 (GMCR, 2011), GMCR enjoyed great financial successes. Besides, it has been recognized consistently as a socially responsible company. Key Factors in GRMC’s Success After studying GMCR case, several key points are identified which together contribute to the success of GMCR as both corporation and corporate citizen. First, GMCR convenes members from all parts of its system for important company activities. In many companies, most of the staff in the lowest level of organizational structure are excluded from company activities. But representatives from GMCR’s whole system get together in its annual summit meetings (Mary 2008). The get together is useful in helping its participants better understand their importance within the organization and realize they can do more to better serve the system. People from all parts of GMCR also go to training programs (Mary 2008). These programs are a platform for staff to learn necessary knowledge with which they can better serve the customers. Including members from all parts of the system gives them a sense of personal involvement which encourages them to align their own interest with that of company. When employees feel that they are truly part of the organization, they tend to internalize the needs of the company rather than just treat their jobs as externally imposed obligations. They may also find their job meaningful and pleasant, have a stronger feeling of belonging and eventually are likely to work harder and exhibit increased labor productivity. In a nutshell, Bob Stiller makes all members truly participate in his venture and sparkles their potentials to better serve GMCR. Bob Stiller also take employees from different parts of the company to coffee farms(Mary 2008). Therefore employees can have personal experience about coffee farming which may increase their awareness and attention. For example, roasters may learn that lots of hard working is needed to harvest organic coffee bean and hence may pay more attention when roasting coffee bean which cause less waste of bean. Second, GMCR’s decision making process is based on the interest of all stakeholders rather than the company itself. For example, GMCR works to add social value by engaging in education programs for the children from farming families and communities (Mary 2008). Assisting these children builds stronger relations between GMCR and its farming families. GMCR also provides interest free financial resources to the farmers (Mary 2008), which eventually results in smooth supply of high quality bean. By taking all members’ interest into account, Bob Stiller builds a strong, desirable and sustainable network with all members within the system, which in turn supports the growth of GMCR. Third, GMCR has committed to organic coffee and creates social value by offering a much healthier lifestyle. Besides, GMCR’s success sets an example for other companies want to join organic market. GMCR improves environment by protecting coffee farm from the bad impact of chemicals and assuring the future generations a viable farm (Mary 2008). It is difficult for farm owners to keep coffee trees alive as long as possible (Mary 2008) and the support from GMCR makes it possible. Therefore farmers are able to make a living out of coffee beans, and more importantly, they have a higher satisfaction because they can preserve and pass the farm to their future generations(Mary 2008). GMCR’s partnership with its farmers not only guarantees a smooth bean supply but also increases farmers’ spiritual wealth and again strengthens their relations. For trade-off problems, Bob Stiller always adhere to â€Å"future thinking† (Collins & Porras, 2002), making decisions based on long term benefits for the whole interconnected system rather than GMCR itself. Besides, Bob Stiller has committed to creating wealth which not only incorporates financial value but anything brings value to the whole system and the whole society. References Collins, J., and Porras, J. I. (2002). Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies. New York: Harper Business Essentials. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. (n. d.). Corporate review. Available at http://www.gmcr.com/about-GMCR.html, accessed August 24, 2012. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. (2011). Consolidated Statements of Operations. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. Form 10-K. Available at

Promotion and advertising strategies Essay

In 1966, while sitting in a small diner, Rollin King, a Texas businessman presented his attorney, Herb Kelleher with an idea. The idea entailed creating a new airline, one that would offer low fares to passengers and would fly quickly between three cities: Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Together, they formed Southwest Airlines. Initially, the airline battled a number of obstacles from various competitors of that time, as the other airlines did not want to see a new competitor in the market who offered low cost flights to local areas. Despite various attempts made to keep Southwest a mere vision, they legally won the right to fly through the Supreme Court and began offering air service in 1971. AirTran Airways, formerly known as ValuJet Airlines, first began operating October 26, 1993. The Airline was renamed after the 1996 crash of ValuJet into the Florida Everglades, killing all 110 passengers and crew members on board. Since that time, AirTran has grown to be one of the most pro fitable airlines in the industry, offering service to more than 60 destinations across the United States, as well as to Mexico and the Caribbean. On September 27, 2010, AirTran Airways made a public announcement that they entered into agreement allowing Southwest Airlines to acquire them. Numerous entities report the reasons behind the acquisition are: to make Southwest a dominant competitor in the airline industry, â€Å"Southwest is following the trend in the industry: merge or acquire in order to stay alive and competitive† (Mouawad, 2010). In addition, the acquisition would allow Southwest to mark its presence in markets they were previously unable to penetrate, â€Å"The deal would expand Southwest’s network by 25 percent and give it its first international  destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico† (Mouawad, 2010). As relayed in a statement made by Bob Fornaro, AirTran Chairman, President and CEO on AirTran’s official website, â€Å"Joining Southwest Airlines will give us opportunities to grow, both professionally as individuals and as a group, in ways that simply would not be possible with out this agreement. Together with Southwest, the world’s largest passenger airline, their financial resources, tremendous brand, legendary customer service, corporate culture and decades-long record of success, we will have the opportunity to go places neither company could have gone alone.† As a result of the acquisition, which was completed on May 2, 2011, Southwest has experienced several unexpected glitches during the transitioning stages. One major issue has been with the ticketing and reservations systems, â€Å"Southwest Airlines agents struggle with AirTran Airways tickets and vice versa, sometimes leaving passengers who have been delayed and need rebooking in the lurch† (McCartney, 2013). It is reported that prices and seat availability are inconsistent on both websites when attempting to book a ticket online. Customers, who purchase early boarding passes for their itineraries, are limited to using them only for the Southwest leg of the trip, as it is not recognized by AirTr an. This has caused numerous complaints with customers who pay full price for early boarding, but are only able to use it for half of the itinerary. Southwest has been diligently working to combine both airline systems, but has not successfully completed the project to date. â€Å"Southwest, for now, have agents of both airlines trying to work two reservation systems on different windows of their computer screens so one airline can check in customers from the other. Southwest says it will have a unified system, new to both airlines, in place by the end of the year† (McCartney, 2013). A prominent issue that has resulted in the acquisition is that once AirTran has been fully integrated into the Southwest Brand, upgraded seating will no longer be available, as Southwest only offers coach class with unassigned seating. In addition, Southwest has been in the works to transition all aircraft from AirTran’s 717 aircraft, which it inherited, to its existing 737 model. â€Å"AirTran had first class, they had assigned seats, and Southwest has no first class, no assigned seats, doesn’t sell through global distribution systems-a very different product than what AirTran offered in the market. It is very distinguishable† (Boehmer, 2010). Delta Airlines and other major competitors feel they will be able to capture former AirTran customers, who find the elimination of upgraded seating unacceptable. Prior to the acquisition, Southwest Airlines had an organizational structure which was instrumental in the company becoming a leading competitor in the airline industry. Founder Herb Kelleher’s leadership style allowed for everyone, including front line employees to play a major role in business planning and operational budgeting. Herb believed that â€Å"management decisions are made by everyone in the organization, not just the head executives† (Advance Business Consulting Website, 2013). As a part of their organizational structure, Southwest maintained over 35,000 employees, had 568 Boeing 737 model aircraft, and operated in 67 domestic cities coast-to-coast. Whereas AirTran, who operated with a similar organizational model, listed assets of 8,500 employees, 86 Boeing 717’s and 52 Boeing 737’s, operating in approximately 37 markets. Southwest Airlines has not made major changes to their organizational structure as a result of the merger. The new Southwest airlines assets contain: â€Å"43,000 plus employees, over 700 aircraft, operating in over 100 markets, serving 100 million customers†, (Bomkamp, 2010). Southwest continues to function with three primary levels of management: Executive Vice Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents, and Vice Presidents, all positions subordinate to Chairman of the Board, President, and CEO, Gary Kelly. Since the acquisition, Southwest has taken a slow approach to integrating AirTran systems, procedures, and employees into the Southwest family. Southwest appears to believe they will be able to seamlessly integrate 8,500 AirTran employees into the body of Southwest’s existing 35,000 employees. However, industry analysts feel Southwest’s expectations are risky at best, â€Å"It will be tricky for Southwest. Southwest’s whole business model is built on a particular approach to managing employees. It’s a big bet they are making that they can swallow AirTran† (Cappelli, 2010). According to Southwest Airlines Announcements for Reporting Structure of AirTran and Leadership Changes, Human Resources Practices were modified in effort to embrace the leadership team coming from AirTran. Almost all AirTran leaders were placed in positions with Southwest that were commensurate to positions previously held. The other leaders who were not placed in commensurate positions were hired on as full time consultants to ensure the integration of the two  airlines went well. Southwest airlines have maintained a precedent that was established in 1971, when the company first began conducting business. Southwest Airlines began with four planes and less than 70 employees. During its first year of operation, the company experienced financial trouble, forcing the executives to make the decision to sell one of its planes or lay off employees. In effort to maintain the relationship with its employees, Southwest opted to sell the plane. In return, the employees were asked to cut gate turn-around from 55 minutes to 15 minutes. The employees obliged, helping to establish one of the friendliest management/labor relationships in the airline industry, as reported by PBS.org. According to Atlanta Business Chronicles, the following statement was issued to AirTran employees in the form of a Question and Answer sheet in effort to address their concerns regarding job security, â€Å"The combination of the two airlines will result in additional employment opportunities as the combined airline continues to grow and expand the Southwest network. In its nearly 40 year history, even during the most recent financial crisis, Southwest has remained profitable and has never had layoffs.† This statement was in attempt to calm fears that the acquisition would bring surrounding job stability. As in any industry, when employees are facing major changes in the workplace, especially as it relates to mergers and acquisitions, it is important to communicate plans for the direction of the company and the employees involved. This strategy allows time for the employees to process the information they have been given and adjust to the changes to come. It is imperative that companies model this practice as non-communication results in insecurity, chaos, and hostile work environments where uncertainty is present. References Advance Business Consulting Website (2013). Retrieved from http://www.advancebusinessconsulting.com/advance!/strategic-alignment/strategic-alignment-business-cases/the-rise-of-southwest-airlines.aspx AirTran Airways Official Website, (2014). Retrieved from http://www.airtranairways.com/about-us/history.aspx Atlanta Business Chronicle, (2010). Q&A on the Southwest-AirTran merger. Retrieved from http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2010/09/27/daily2.html Boehmer, Jay (2010, November 08). Delta Sees Opportunity In Southwest, AirTran Merger. Business Travel News, (15), 4. Retrieved from http://elibrary.bigchalk.com Bomkamp, S., (2010). Huff Post Travel: Southwest Airlines Buys AirTran for $1.4 Billion. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/27/southwest-airlines-airtran_n_739975.html?view=print&comm_ref=false Cappelli, P. (2010). Strategic Management North America: By Acquiring AirTran, Will Southwest Continue to Spread the LUV? Retrieved from http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/by-acquiring-airtran-will-southwest-continue-to-spread-the-luv/ McCartney, S., (2013). The Wall Street Journal: Southwest and AirTran Airlines: Mergers and Aggravations. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887324448104578611980670019710 Mouawad, J., (2010). The New York Times: Southwest, Determined to Expand, Buys AirTran. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/business/28air.html?_r=0&pagewanted=print PBS.Org (date not available). Chasing the Sun: The History of Commercial Aviation Seen Through the Eyes of Its Innovators. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/kcet/chasingthesun/innovators/hkelleher.html Southwest Airlines Official Website. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.southwest.com/html/about-southwest/index.html?int=GFOOTER-ABOUT-ABOUT

Lev S. Vygotsky's Sociohistorical School Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Lev S. Vygotsky's Sociohistorical School - Essay Example aradigm in psychological research, which would surpass narrow objectivism of behaviorism and subjectivism of James’ and Wundt’s introspective psychology. It focuses on human development in order to make a general conclusion about the work of the mind in active state. Vygotsky and his followers focused on non-adaptive nature of character and mechanisms of development of higher mental functions. Defining the main purpose of psychological observations as the objective study of human consciousness, members of Vygotsky’s school discovered a role of cultural considerations and cultural mediators such as a word, sign, symbol, myth, in the development of higher mental functions, personality development and its phenomena. According to his socio-historical theory, the main difference between a man and animal is conditionalism of human behavior and development due to socio-cultural factors. There are two types of human mental functions, â€Å"natural† - organic and â€Å"higher† - social and cultural. The first are predominantly determined by genetic factors, while the latter are formed on the basis of the first under the influence of a social impact. The importance of socio-historical conception of Vygotsky is not so much in justifying symbolic determination of human consciousness, as in the attempts to understand a sign, symbol, text as a tool for expanding consciousness into socio-historical perspective which is not imposed on a subject by society, but is chosen, in a varying degree of self-consistency, from

How Laws Have Impacted Commercial Lending Essay

How Laws Have Impacted Commercial Lending - Essay Example In relation to this paper, the introduction of The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA-REG BB) and Regulation B (Equal Credit Opportunity Act) altered commercial activities landscape for lending institutions. Brown (3) indicates that Acts have had impacts on business and commercial related activities for the past thirty years since they were established. Part 1 CRA was an Act put to place to ensure equity in access to financial services regardless of individual’s background. This Act lays outs steps necessary when settling commercial lending legal issues. EOA was established to provide guidelines and enforce civil liability on lending institutions that offered services in segregation. This law has ensured accessibility of financial services to all legible citizens (Brown 42). Over the 30 years the introductions of commercial lending laws have altered the business environment. This paper evaluates the impacts of CRA and ECOA on commercial lending institutions and society. CRA and E COA acts have achieved more positive benefits as opposed to the challenges they have brought. Before these Acts were in place lending institutions targeted the high income market for their services, preferably big business and white collar companies. This shift was realized when policies forced them to provide their services in line with societal demands for their financial rights (Brown 11). CRA and ECOA have also impacted on businesses negatively by reducing their owner’s authority in dealing with fiscal policy matters. There have been conflicts involving the government and lending institution on what is considered ethical when conducting businesses. Imperfect information is obtained by lending institutions from borrowers due to restrictions interfering with record keeping by financial institutions. There was a backlog of legal issues concerning lending institutions and the new clients of commercial banks. According to Brown (10), laws facilitate effective running of busine ss whereby client’s interests are safeguarded when seeking commercial services. These Acts provide clear channels for use when sorting financial disputes.CRA made financial institutions put measures in place that correspond with community’s interests. Institutions have delved on markets initially neglected thus increasing their customer base resulting in healthy business competition. The Acts have led to societal well being by catering for its clients needs. Commercial institutions that tapped on new markets such as the marginalized communities realized growth in their profit margin. Good ethical practices by commercial banks adhering to CRA and ECOA acts have promoted fairness and equity to the world of business. Financial institutions have altered their mode of obtaining information from people of different social backgrounds. Unfortunately prejudices have led to collapse of businesses where clients boycott discriminatory organizations. In the current years commercia l banks are being forced to respect the rights of minorities when transacting businesses with them. Banks have expanded the operations venturing into neglected territories when capturing the untapped markets. Part 2 The five essential elements of credit include character, capital, collateral, cash-flow and capacity (Larson & Harms 38). As a commercial lender I will minimize the risks involved safeguarding my business. Banks should seek expertise from other professionals like

Great Lakes, Great Decisions Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Great Lakes, Great Decisions - Case Study Example Political – the political environment for leaded gasoline had changed markedly due to the intense lobbying of environmental groups. Politicians who plan to seek office and those already in office but are seeking re-election have no choice but to listen to advocacy groups. By the end of the twentieth century, various scientific studies have established that lead can really cause adverse health conditions such as brain damage in children, respiratory problems in adults and overall lowering of the air quality (Mead, Wicks, Werhane and Freeman 156). In such a politically-charged atmosphere, not only politicians but businesses as well have to also take into consideration how their products may harm the environment and listen to opinion. A big company like Great Lakes has to exercise its responsibilities as a corporate citizen too. A new operating environment has to be taken into consideration when making strategic plans in business decision making like compliance with stricter emis sion standards as required under new policies by the Clean Air Act (1970) that banned the use of leaded gasoline. Economic – the economics of mass transportation such as private cars and buses has been going in the direction of clean and renewable energy such as ethanol or through the use of lower-rated unleaded gasoline through the use of catalytic converters the prices of which are going down because these previously specialized products are now becoming generic. At any rate, the cost of transitioning away from leaded gasoline is not that expensive as studied by both the World Bank (WB) and the World Health Organization (WHO); the net negative impact on economic growth rates is not that substantial anyway as thought (ibid. 158). Social – people are getting sick from all the lead pollution in the air they breathe and now realized how harmful some of their lifestyles have been on themselves and environment. To such an extent, a growing social movement towards healthy living and health awareness is making the changeover to unleaded gasoline a mandatory strategic move for big busines ses. It is unrealistic for a business enterprise to ignore these social movements which determine to a large extent the buying patterns of consumers. Sooner or later, people would see the healthy benefits of using unleaded gasoline for themselves and their children. Using macro-economic environmental analysis allows business leaders to anticipate future trends (Fleischer 172). Technological – energy production has been shifting towards a renewable and clean energy source for cars such as bio-fuels like bio-ethanol derived from alcohol produced by a fermentation process of the sugar components of plants like sugarcane and starch crops. Shift to clean energy sources has been partly driven by a combination of factors such as peak oil (a realization that fossil fuels production is now on a downtrend due to fast depletion of known reserves which are non-renewable), the political instability of crude oil supplier-countries, the high gasoline prices, concern over the environment and government subsidies for bio-fuels. A shift to renewable energy sources is inevitable as new production techniques lower its costs. Legal – as can be seen from the experience with the markets in developed countries, new environmental regulations and laws pertaining to preservation of the environment are all being strictly enforced such as clean air standards requiring lower sulfur emissions. All those developing

My View of American Undergraduate Culture Essay

My View of American Undergraduate Culture - Essay Example My View of American Undergraduate Culture The book mentioned that, after fifteen years of teaching anthropology at a large university. Therefore Nathan decided to do what anthropologists do when confused by a different culture: Go live with them. She enrolled as a freshman, moved into the dorm, ate in the dining hall, and took a full load of courses. And she came to understand that being a student is a pretty tricky job,too. Since everyone's campus experience is brand new and different, I am going talk about somethings she did not mention in her book. Moreover I would like to discuss something she mentioned, because I have an differing view on those things (Bryson 93). Rebekah Nathan intended to participate in every step of being a freshman. And she was trying to learn how to integrate into campus life, in order to touch students better. During this particular type of research, Rebekah Nathan tried her best to observe all the details around. For example, "at the first day of the new semester, every freshman had to go to the designated place, because they should check in and get keys of their dorms. While Rebekah Nathan got the key, her roommate was a little depressed, because she knew that her roommate was not a girl who got a similar age to herself. However, when Rebekah was looking at her roommate, her roommate was still smiling to Rebekah.This is only a part of her experiences, she also participated in activities as many as she could, on account of understanding students' thoughts. In addition, she tried to communicate with other students on her own initiative, as she wanted to know what they were doing everyday and how students manage their college lives. Nathan spend much of book discussing individual student experiences and not much time on peer groups. I consider that Rebekah Nathan does not involve every type of situations, hence I am going talk about something she did not cover (Nathan 56). Gym is the first step for me to learn of American undergraduate culture, because this place is a public place for all the students to exercise, no mater where you are from or what language you speak, students just play together. Additionally, in my opinion, it is more comfortable to playful learn, because it is a kind of leavening influence. For instance, when I just came to UConn, I was too shy to talk to any American student. However, one of my Chinese friends told me that I could go to the gym, people in gym were pretty nice and easy to talk, because when you were playing with them, it meant that you guys had same hobby, therefore it would be easier to communicate. After I arrive at gym, I straightly walked to the basketball place, because I played it a lot when I was in high school, and it was also my most adept movement. I stood on the sidelines, a little while, some American students ask me if I wanted to play together, I said" Sure!"with nodding. During the game, a strong guy ran me down incautiously, but he put the ball down and help me up rapidly with saying" Sorry." From the se point, I found that American students were greatly friendly in human behavior. To communicate with American students is the most orderly way to learn of American undergraduate culture.Since I was a truly freshman, I was easier to communicate with American students than Rebekah Nathan. As I was talking to my American friends, I found that American students could say anything they want. Sometimes they even played joke of their won country, it really shocked me, because in my country, people all

International Relations - feminist movement Essay

International Relations - feminist movement - Essay Example Feminism and their movement for equal treatment and gender equality, in some ways, succeeded in their various objectives most especially in making their struggles known. In the past few decades, debates on the link between feminism and international relations have ensued as the feminists contend that international relations has failed to embrace gender neutrality in both its orthodox and mainstream theories. Thus, the last couple of decades were said to be the start of invasion of feminism on the core of international relations. Ann Tickner, one of the leading advocates of the feminist critique in international relations asserts that international politics is purely man's domain.1 She states that only men are given the privilege to get involved in warfare and adds that the masculine dominion not only encompasses international politics but also includes diplomacy and military service.2 In contrast, women had always been, according to Tickner, refused to be embraced in diplomacy or the military as she further observes that women in international politics are restricted to areas such as international political economy, North-South issues and distributive justice related issues. The study of gender neutrality under this field is significant as Sarah Brown suggests that the study of international relations involves the 'identification of and explanation of social stratification and of inequality' as configured in the global relations level.3 In the light of this controversy, this paper will attempt to answer the gravity of feminist assertions or if gender-neutral theories exist in the area of international relations and why the answer to this is significant to the discipline as a whole. One of the major feminist critiques of international relations (IR) claims that most of the theories put forward by IR do not support reality and has always been a dominion of the males. Sarah Brown observes that the assumption that women need to be included or considered in the disciplines - a liberal-feminist concern, only implies that women were not really there in the first place.4 International relations is mum about women. This only means that subject matter would not exclude women in the field if it were gender neutral. The absence of women in the theories of the discipline is said to be 'hegemonic'5 as international relations failed to put forth gender related theories in which women are 'brought into the discipline'.6 Hence, advocates of this view, proposed to embrace women in the discipline.7 In order to understand what these critiques put forward, it is also significant to comprehend the arguments that feminism in the field of IR is putting forth. It is said that the most prevailing assumption we can glean about the world of politics and international relations is that it is natural and neutral. This assertion refers to the roles of males and females with regards their gender. However, the notion of gender, its universal definition and implications must first be understood. Gender mainly refers to the identity of females and males as they are conceived in certain cultures. These identities imply socio-cultural traits assigned to women and men instead of the biologically defined distinction between the sexes. Sandra Whitworth states that gender does not imply the sex of either women or men but to the notion bestowed on their differences. Thus gender is a 'socially constructed'8 definition of the distinction

Carnivals readings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Carnivals readings - Essay Example Every social position within a society has sacred attributes, and such attributes are only gained through a rite of passage from one position to the other. The role of liminality is not to simply confer the sacred state of the social positions, but rather to act as the bond that unites society in its different levels and structures. Liminality acts as a bond without which there could be no society, since there could be no high, unless the low existed, while no society could be complete even without the social class like the hippies, who do not observe the rites of passage, but still demonstrate the requisite liminality behaviors (Turner, 1969:370). The state of the rite of passage represents a moment in life during which the lesser in society wields more power than the individuals who are well endowed politically, economically and socially, since the weakness dominates greatness during the rite of passage, denoted by the words, â€Å"Even if your child is a chief’s son, tomor row he will be like a slave†, words spoken to mothers on the day before the initiation of their children (Turner, 1969:367). The relevance of the rights of passage within a society is that; the rites of passage serve as the bridge through which men are released from structure into communitas, and will only go back to structure after their experience of the communitas (Turner, 1969:373). The characteristics of liminality include: humility, passivity, nakedness and expression of the power of the weak, where the weak in society are the powerful in rituals, because they are the ones who administer them to the well-endowed, and those seeking to rise into a position of power in the society (Turner, 1969:368). The difference between communitas and community is that; communitas refer to the social bond created by the socio-cultural systems of rites of passage to bond the society together and makes

Violence in Sports - an Ethical Perspective Essay Example for Free

Violence in Sports an Ethical Perspective Essay Violence in sport has become far too commonplace. Aggressive sports such as football and hockey involve many aggressive tactics; however far too often do these aggressive tactics become overshadowed by deliberate acts of violence with the intent to cause bodily harm to an opponent. Many professional and non-profession athletes, as well as coaches, have adapted the mentality that winning is the common goal that all who participate in sport strive for and therefore feel that engaging in violent acts while competing should be permitted in achieving this goal. In sport winning is what each athlete strives for and seemingly they will consign in harmful acts of violence to achieve their goal. Former Boston Bruins player David Forbes was quoted â€Å" I just don’t see, no matter how wrong the act is, how anything that happens in an athletic contest be criminal†, (Gillespie). The mentality of being above the law that most professional athletes possess does not only affect the game in which they are playing. Many athletes who execute physical acts of violence while competing are more prone to committing such violent acts in their everyday lives, most commonly domestic violence. Harvard Law Review). Spectator violence and hooliganism are also primarily linked to the violence fans observe during sporting events. (Williams). Also, professional and amateur sport has become an integral part of our culture and society. Sports can be seen or heard, in one form or another, at any time of day or night. Professional athletes are amongst the most publicized people in the world. Thus, the words and actions of these athletes have been commonly mistaken as notions of acceptable conduct. Therefore, people, especially children, who view these acts of excessive and dangerous violence often imitate the aggressive acts they too frequently observe from professional and amateur athletes. The core of these on going problems is the lack of, or far too feeble disciplinary actions assigned to players who commit unlawful acts of violence while competing in sport. League officials must enforce harsh penalties for acts of violence during a sporting event. In more severe cases violence in sport should be treated as a criminal matter, where perpetrators can be tried and convicted in civil court. This paper will discuss the affects that violence in sport has on our society by discussing the sub branches of the Social Conflict Theory of sociology. In understanding the sociological affects of violence in sport it is possible to discuss how violence in sports affects our present day society, which closely follows Socrates’ pattern in achieving an ideal state. In applying Socrates’ pattern in achieving an ideal state along with the psychological aspects of Plato’s cardinal virtues it will be possible to come to an understanding on how to eliminate violence in sport. In conclusion, the paper will discuss why athletes, conscious of their actions or not, commit violent acts while competing by applying Psychologist Immanuel Kant’s Theory of Command Given by Reason. Unpunished acts of violence that occur while competing that goes without punishment ultimately leads to violence acts while not competing. There have been numerous accounts of athletes performing physical assault while not competing. The most prevalent form of violence carried out by athletes off the playing field is domestic violence. Football coach Joe Paterno of Penn State University was quoted â€Å"I’m going to go home†¦.. nd beat up my wife† after a pre-season loss (Harvard Law Review [HLR], 1996 p. 1048). Many people have speculated about why athletes are like likely to commit acts of domestic abuse. One of these speculations is that players such as enforcers â€Å"train to use violence and intimidation on the field and may have difficulty preventing these lessons from carrying over into their personal relationships†, (HLR, 1996 p. 1050). Another, more logical speculation is that â€Å"sport has had a kind of sanctuary atmosphere to it in terms of the legal system and police have kept their distance†, (Lapchick, 2000 p. ). For an athlete to be above the law simply because he or she is an athlete is irrational. However, â€Å"the public has gotten fed up with athletes crossing the violent lines, both on and off the court, and that may contribute to police entering the sanctuary†, (Lapchick, 2000 p. 1). If indeed the police begin to get involved when acts of violence are performed by athletes on and off the court, violence and physical aggression may not be as commonplace in the future as they are today. Irrational as it may be for sport to have its own sanctuary atmosphere in terms of the legal system, we as a society must question why we ultimately allow for this to occur. During the 2003- 2004 National Hockey League season Todd Bertuzzi of the Vancouver Canucks viciously attacked unsuspecting Colorado Avalanche forward Steve Moore. The attack left Moore with a broken neck which ultimately ended his NHL career. Although Bertuzzi was suspended for the remainder of the season and his team was fined $250,000 no criminal charges were laid. One can only wonder how an unprovoked attack on an unsuspecting victim which ultimately ended a career due to a broken neck cannot be treated as a criminal offense. The Bertuzzi incident is an ideal example which illustrates how our society allows professional athletes to advocate themselves above the law. The problem of violence in sport can be discussed using the sub branches of the Social Conflict Theory of sociology. The Social Conflict Theory of sociology deals with the ideology that the problems that society faces are the result of the way that society, as well as the economics of that society are organized. The sub branch of Social Conflict Theory that gives support to the explanation to why we as a society put professional athletes above the law is The Marxist Theory. The Marxist Theory can also be broken down even further into Instrumental Marxism and Structural Marxism theories. The general premises behind the two Marxist theories however are quite similar. Marxist sociologists view crime as an outcome of Capitalism. The upper class, or the Bourgeoises, control all modes of production. It is this system that creates the division between the classes. The upper classes have all they need; they are the wealthy class as well as the most powerful and influential. The lower class, or the Proletariat, on the other hand has virtually nothing. These are the people left with no power no influence and virtually nothing. The general concepts of the Marxist theory are: that the laws are set up to protect the interests as well as maintain their financial standing while nothing is given to the lower classes or the poor. In our society we view our professional athletes as the upper class or the Bourgeoises. Professional athletes are indeed wealthy, powerful and influential. Thus our current laws, according to the Marxist theories, are set up in a way to protect the interest of the upper class (including professional athletes) as well as not to ruin their social status. The Marxist Theories provide an explanation of how professional athletes, such as Todd Bertuzzi, can carry out intentional acts of violence and not be prosecuted while if others who are not part of the upper class (the Proletariat) were to carry out the same act of violence would be prosecuted in a civil court. Therefore, to eliminate violence in sport our society must not allow subcultures, hockey for an example, to follow a different set of laws than the rest of society. Today our society is divided into many different classes. There is the upper class, the upper-middle class, middle class and so forth. Our present day society closely follows Socrates’ pattern in achieving an ideal state. Socrates’ pattern divides society into three classes. The first of the three are the workers, craftsmen, farmers, shopkeepers ect. Another class is the auxiliaries or warriors, and the third class is the guardians or rulers. Each man in the state belongs in one or another of these classes. However to simply divide a society into three classes in an attempt to achieve an ideal state seems somewhat implausible. Plato believed that every man must possess the cardinal virtues to live a good live. These virtues: wisdom, temperance, justice and courage are essential in living a good life and therefore are essential in achieving an ideal state. These virtues however can be applied not only to everyday life, but also to subcultures, such as hockey or football. Plato believes for a state to be ideal it must possess wisdom. The concept of wisdom is understanding ones self and controlling self. If professional or amateur athletes were to possess the virtue of wisdom they ultimately possess self control. To say an athlete committed an act of violence unintentionally or because he or she was â€Å"caught up in the game† is absurd. To commit an act of violence with the intent to cause injury is premeditated. If all athletes were to possess the virtue of wisdom they would have complete control over one self. All athletes should also possess the virtue of courage. Courage can be defined by Plato as â€Å"preserving things which may rightly be feared† (Plato 31). In professional and amateur sport athletes need to respect and obey the rules and regulations. In other words athletes must fear the possible punishments, whether criminal or not, for violence to ultimately be terminated from sport. If athletes begin to feel that they are not above the law or that their subculture must follow the same laws as the remainder of society violence in sport will ultimately decrease. In the republic Plato describes temperance, the third virtue, as: â€Å"†¦ within man himself, in his soul, there is a etter part and a worse; and that he is his own master when the part which is better by nature has the worse under control† (Plato 32). Clearly the virtue of temperance is important to possess for violence to diminish in sport. To master oneself and have the worse under control would definitely decrease the amount of violence in sport. Also, for athletes to have temperance would make for a more exciting game. To have control over one’s self in a team game means putting the team before the individual. Doing so will lead to less violent acts and a more exciting team oriented style of play. The final and most important virtue is justice. Plato believes that if a community were to follow and obey the three previous virtues of wisdom, courage and temperance justice will automatically exist. This can also be applied to the subculture of sport. If all people within the subculture of sport such as the General Managers, league officials and athletes were to possess the three virtues of wisdom, courage and temperance justice would automatically exist and therefore violence in sport would be a criminal matter where perpetrators can be tried and convicted in civil court. In society there are two types of command given by reason; hypothetical and categorical imperatives. Immanuel Kant describes hypothetical imperatives as â€Å"an action that must be done to justify a means or reach a set goal†, (Kant 2). Categorical imperatives are â€Å"actions that are done because of their necessity to morality†, (Kant 2). Hypothetical and categorical imperatives are also present in subcultures. Athletes who commit violent acts while competing follow the hypothetical imperative command. They are driven by hopes of winning and will do whatever it takes to achieve this goal. This is a key factor in giving an explanation to why some athletes find reasoning in committing a violent act while competing in a sporting event. Also this gives explanation to why some athletes fell that no matter how wrong the act is, how anything that happens in an athletic contest be criminal. Following the hypothetical imperative is described as performing an action to justify a means or reach a set goal. If this action is violent many athletes will argue that it should not be considered criminal because it was a justified action executed to reach a set goal; a goal which they are entitled and expected to carry out. However, Kant would argue against this stating that the only ethical principle is universal, and therefore categorical, is â€Å"to treat oneself, always as an end, never as a mean†. For example in hockey a hypothetical imperative could be â€Å"if you don’t obey the rules you go to the penalty box†. A categorical imperative would be â€Å"Obey the rules, it is your duty†. If athlete’s were to take on a categorical imperative way of life sport violence would come to an end, not because it is right or wrong, but because it would be the athletes duty to treat oneself, always as an end, never as a mean. Nonetheless, it is illogical to assume that violence in sport will one day be non existent. It is not illogical to assume that if the subculture of sport and those who are in command adapt the categorical imperative ways that violent acts in sport will be considered a criminal matter. To live a good life it is essential to possess the cardinal virtues. The cardinal virtues are essential in achieving an ideal state. In achieving an ideal state Kant would argue that the only ethical principle is universal and therefore categorical is to treat oneself, always as an end, never as a means. By treating oneself always as an end, never as a means true justice in present day society will prevail and everyone who commits a violent act will be prosecuted in civil court regardless if they belong to a subculture or not.

Induction of Beta Galactosidase in E.Coli | Lab Report

Induction of Beta Galactosidase in E.Coli | Lab Report Aim: To study the effects of IPTG, lactose, glucose, chloramphenicol, rifampicin and streptomycin induction on the units of beta-galactosidase of E.coli Introduction In 1961, a special group of units that able to control its beginning and ending of transcription activities by undergoing induction process was discovered by Jacob and Monod. This special enzyme is known as Lac operon which is group of genes that arranged in sequences of promoter region, operated region and structural genes that found in the Escherichia Coli. Promoter region is the site where the RNA polymerases binds to and initiate the transcription process while the operated region in the operon is the site where the regulatory protein such as inducer and repressor bind to and stimulate the genes to turning on or off the transcription process. Lac operon made up of three specific lac genes; there are lac Z, lac Y and lac A and they can be found in the structural genes of the operon. At the end of the transcription process, Lac Z gene can be encoded into ÃŽÂ ²-galactosidase which is an enzyme that used to hydrolyze lactose molecules into allolactose molecules fist then further into glucose and galactose which are the monosaccharide molecules (Kathryn Grace Patterson, 2009). Allolactose is the intermediate product when ÃŽÂ ²-galactosidase used to catalyses the reaction of converting lactose to glucose and galactose. According to Miiller-Hill, Rickenberg Wallenfels, allolactose is a natural and effective inducer to trigger transcription process to occur (1964). lacY encodes into ÃŽÂ ²-galactoside permease which playing the role in transporting lactose molecules into the cell while lacA is converted into ÃŽÂ ²-galactoside transacetylase through transcription process which is an enzyme that involved in adding an ac etyl group (CH3) from acetyl coenzyme A to the 6 position of the ÃŽÂ ²-galactosidase (Xing Guo, Wang, Laurence R. OlsenSteven L. Roderick, 2002). As the inducer such as allolactose (natural inducer) or IPTG, Isopropyl ÃŽÂ ²-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside which is an artificial inducer binds to the operated region and deactivated the repressor protein. Hence, repressor protein generated by the lac I gene cannot binds to the operated region which stimulates the RNA polymerases to bind to the promoter region and start the transcription process which is positive control mechanism. On the other hand, negative control mechanism occurs when active repressor protein binds to the o-site (operated region), it blocks the RNA polymerases binds to the p-site (promoter region) and thus no transcription can take place. IPTG acts as the inducer due to its structure is similar to the allolactose. o-nitrophenol ÃŽÂ ²-galactosidase Isopropylthiogalactosidase (IPTG) ortho-Nitrophenyl-ÃŽÂ ²-galactosidase  which known as ONPG is used to measure the ÃŽÂ ²-galactosidase enzymatic activities in this experiment which show a yellow colour when ÃŽÂ ²-galactosidase  presence. ONPG has a similar structure as lactose which also catalyze by the beta-galactosidase enzyme to form galactose + O-nitrophenol whereas the O-niotrophenol responsible to the colour changes. When the intensity of yellow colour increases, the rate of enzymatic activity also increases. Hans Noll and Joseph Orlando also mentioned that o-nitrophenol-beta-galactosidase is hydrolyses by ÃŽÂ ²-galactosidase enzyme but not for IPTG molecules (Hans Noll Joseph Orlando, 1960). Hypothesis: a) IPTG activates beta-galactosidase enzyme at most effective effects. b) The rate of beta-galactosidase enzymatic activities depend on the time of induction. Materials and Methods: Part A: Time course of induction of ÃŽÂ ²-galactosidase by IPTG Induction of the ÃŽÂ ²-galactosidase enzyme. Two different sets of culture condition were investigated. One set in the condition with IPTG (5mM) and another set in the condition of adding water as the control experiment. 15 labeled microfuge tubes which contain 100  µl of the CTAB solution which used to kills the E. coli cells and lyses the cells to release the contents including ÃŽÂ ² -galactosidase were prepared and placed in the ice bath. 2.5ml of actively growing Escherichia Coli K12 was transferred into two separate 50ml conical flasks and covered with the foil immediately and then immersed in the temperature of 37  °C shaking water bath. 250 ÃŽÂ ¼l of water was added into the control flask and note the time as t=0 and then transferred 200 ÃŽÂ ¼l of the E. coli culture out immediately into the microfuge tube which labelled as 0c tube, mixed well and stored in the ice bath. The same procedure for another set of conical flask but 250 ÃŽÂ ¼l of IPTG was used inst ead of water. After that, two conical flasks were placed in the shaking water bath to maintain the temperature constant at 37 °C.The previous two steps were repeated for preparing the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 30 and 45 minute time points for the induction flask and 15 and 45 minutes time points for control flask. ÃŽÂ ²-galactosidase activity of each sample was ready to be observed after addition ONPG and Na2CO3 which used to stop the assay activity by changing the pH value to 11. (School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, 2012). ÃŽÂ ²-galactosidase Assay. 15 sample of microfuge tubes were placed in the 37 °C water bath for 5 minutes to reach thermal equilibrium. Addition of 200 ÃŽÂ ¼l of 3mM ONPG into each sample at every 30 intervals and addition of 300 ÃŽÂ ¼l of 1M Na2CO3 into the microfuge tube followed by order after exactly 5 minutes of time of ONPG induction to deactivate the ÃŽÂ ²-galactosidase enzyme activities. The time of ONPG induction was recorded. All samples were centrifuged for 5 minutes and then 300 ÃŽÂ ¼l of supernatant of each sample was taken out and read the absorbance under 414nm with 300 ÃŽÂ ¼l water used as the blank. (School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, 2012). Part B: Characteristics of the induction of ÃŽÂ ²-galactosidase Exactly same procedures in the Part A were carried out but several different of conditions were tested in this experiment following by: *A. 250 ÃŽÂ ¼l of IPTG (5 mM) and 250 ÃŽÂ ¼l of water (this is to keep the culture at close  to the same concentration for all alternatives) *B. 250 ÃŽÂ ¼l lactose (20 mM) + 250 ÃŽÂ ¼l H2O. *C. 250 ÃŽÂ ¼l IPTG (5 mM) + 250 ÃŽÂ ¼l glucose (20mM). *D. 250 ÃŽÂ ¼l IPTG (10 mM) + 250 ÃŽÂ ¼l glucose (20mM).. E. 250 ÃŽÂ ¼l IPTG (5 mM) then, after the 10 min sample is removed, add 250 ÃŽÂ ¼l  chloramphenicol (200ÃŽÂ ¼g/ml). F. 250 ÃŽÂ ¼l IPTG (5 mM) then, immediately after the 10 min. sample is removed,  add 250 ÃŽÂ ¼l rifampicin (250 ÃŽÂ ¼g/ml). G. 250 ÃŽÂ ¼l IPTG (5 mM) then, immediately after the 10 min. sample is removed,  add 250 ÃŽÂ ¼l streptomycin (500 ÃŽÂ ¼g/ml) . Note: At zero time point, all materials were added into set A, B, C and D while the antibiotic that used in the set E, F and G was added after 10 minutes time points sample has been taken out. (School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, 2012). Discussions: From the graph shown in the figure 2, it can clearly see that the units of beta-galactosidase per ml of bacterial culture show a positive results when IPTG used in the induction but no response when water used instead of IPTG. The longer the IPTG induction time, the greater the units of beta-galactosidase per ml of bacterial culture produced. It can be explained that, IPTG acts as the inducer which depressed the repressor protein into inactive form by undergoes conformational change in the shape of the repressor protein that prevent them from binding to the operator region. Thus, the RNA polymerases can bind to the promoter site without any obstacles, transcription of lac operon occurs. Therefore, it can be concluded that inducer is playing a significant role in inducing of beta-galactosidase enzyme. Model data provided by the coordinator was used instead of the raw data because there is induction timing error when transferred the sample which causes the failure of the group results as it can notice that there is a sudden decrease in the value of the beta-galactosidase per ml of bacterial culture produced during 12 minutes in the figure 1. Based on the information provided in the part B experiment, the highest value of unit of beta-galactosidase produced was observed when IPTG was presence in the culture environment. An increasing trend of response with lower efficiency of effect were shown in the lactose, IPTG (5mM)+glucose and IPTG (10mM)+ glucose induction. However, as rifampicin, streptomycin and chloramphenicol added into the culture samples, a increasing concentration of beta-galactosidase enzyme at the beginning of experiment until 10 minutes then the reactions started to maintain at the constant level. The observations can be elucidated that when both IPTG and lactose were used as the inducer, they play the similar mechanism but the only reason that causes lactose had lower performance is IPTG will not be broken down during reaction whereas lactose will be degraded or used by the cells. As the rate of lactose degradation increases, the concentration of inducer in the culture decreases. In addition, glucose and galactose were formed after hydrolysis of lactose molecule. Glucose molecule is more preferred than the lactose molecule by the E.coli. Hence, a lower performance was shown when lactose was used as the inducer and IPTG always the best choice of inducer to use in the experiment. Since the glucose molecules involved in the experiment, a mechanism named as catabolite repression can be used to illustrated the other two IPTG (5mM)+glucose and IPTG (10mM)+ glucose conditions. Catabolite repression is a mechanism that represses the transcription process by introducing glucose molecules into the reaction since E.coli is more preferred glucose than IPTG while IPTG is essential for switching on the reaction. When the concentration of glucose molecule increases, the level of cyclic-AMP becomes lower. CAMP is required to start the transcription process as it is needed to binds with the Catabolite activator protein (CAP protein) and form an active complex which promotes RNA polymerases binds to promote region. Therefore, if cAMP level is low, there is inactive complex produced it unable to deactivate the repressor protein so repressor protein will bind to o-site and inhibit the occurrence of the transcription process. On the other hand, if the glucose molecule is absence, the high level of cAMP permit the transcription process to take place due to the cAMP binds to the CAP protein to form cAMP.CAP complex and deactivated the repressor protein, transcription takes place. Since the glucose is the preference substrate so when concentration of IPTG increases, it also will not affect the result when glucose is supplied. CTAB solution which also defined as the cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide and used in the experiment to remove the E.coli cells and also destroyed the membrane of the E.coli cells in order to release ÃŽÂ ²-galactosidase enzyme that needed for the experiment from its content. E. coli is the source of the beta-galactosidase enzyme in the experiment. In the IPTG+ chloramphenicol culture condition, there was only IPTG inside the sample at the first 10 minutes and induction of enzyme was occurs but after Chloramphenicol was added the units of beta-galactosidase of bacterial culture remain constant due to the reason that Chloramphenicol is an antibiotic that inhibit the protein synthesis process and growth of E.coli (Ambrose,P.J,1984). The polypeptides synthesise of the RNA in the E.coli was hindered when added Rifampicin (Campbell, E. A et al, 2001). Rifampicin changes the shape and structure of the ribosomes which makes the lyses of the ribosomes (Sippel Hartmann, 1968) and also preven ts RNA polymerases from binding to promoter region. After streptomycin was added into the culture sample, Streptomycin inhibits growth of the E.coli by leading to misread the mRNA and protein synthesize disturbance when low amount of streptomycin provided (Modolell,  Juan, 1969). Hence, induction of beta-galactosidase activity was prohibited. Nevertheless, high quantity of Streptomycin added will even cause the death of E.coli.

Marketing Strategies Of Reva Marketing Essay

Marketing Strategies Of Reva Marketing Essay The positioning statement will change accordingly. The target market is first identified by doing segmentation. Then not only in one or two cities but a gamut of cities across the whole of India are targeted. This is done by collaborating with the dealers across cities. The partnership with Mahindra Automotive Group will come in handy at this juncture, not only by leveraging the established trusted dealership network of Mahindra Automotive group, but also with the help of fresh infusion of funds in this cash strapped venture. Appropriate positioning the product across these cities can potentially maximize sales. In this marketing strategy, we shall also take into account the customer inertia that the car will face, not only because it is the first of its kind but also because it would be difficult to get people to change their style of driving from petrol cars to electric cars. In the current national scenario anybody who is buying a car has two things in their mind, fuel prices and manoeuvrability. On a bigger sense carbon foot print they leave behind is also a concern. This is where REVA fits in. At 40 paisa/km it is far cheaper than any gasoline vehicle and they leave no carbon foot print. Electric and hybrid cars are the cars of the future. In a growing economy like India where purchasing power of people increases and awareness of going green is increasing a car like REVA as huge market. REVA is doing extremely well in UK and other European countries but its market performance is below expectation in India. This is mainly because of wrong segmentation, positioning and the prevailing image of car among public. It is one of the least advertised automobile in India. In current light of REVA being taken over by Mahindra Mahindra, we expect there will be a huge shift in the strategic positioning and making the brand REVA. This is where our brand choice beco mes relevant. In this project we are trying to come with a proper STP analysis and a market plan to make REVA a mass brand in India. This is the same path on which Indias biggest corporate house MM is also working. MM vision is to make REVA a mass brand and position it as an affordable vehicle. The rationale behind choosing REVA is it is very much industry relevant and it is more or less a live project. The REVA Electric Car Company (RECC) was incorporated in 1995 as a joint venture between the Bangalore based Maini Group and AEVT Inc. of Irvindale, California, to manufacture eco-friendly, cost-effective electric vehicles for city mobility. The RECC is located at the Bommasandra Industrial Area, Bangalore. The company has an installed capacity of 5000 units and employees over 180 people. An advanced flexible assembly line production technology ensures high productivity at lower breakeven volumes. The Research and Development unit has DSRI recognition for further indigenization and development of next generation electric vehicles. With Mahindra Group taking controlling stake in the company, the completion of new plant and fresh fund infusion would accelerate the development pace of world class electric vehicles. Customer The lack of print and TV advertisements have left the company rely on early adopter reviews and word of mouth marketing. The news in media is also another form of exposure which the company relies upon in reaching to the customers. The dismal sales of REVA show that the customer is not well informed to be coerced into the buying decision. The gender profile of the customers shows that 49% of current customers are women in urban centres. The demographic profiling provides no specific bias of any particular age group customers. The elderly has adopted the car due to the ease of driving to a large extent. The customers look at it as a second car rather than a primary car. Collaborator The controlling stake holding by Mahindra Group has given a new direction to the vision of RECC. The plan for small batch production schedules in collaboration with suppliers will have a cascading effect in the fortunes of company. The most important factor in the tie-up would be the showrooms and dealerships of Mahindra which can be accessed by REVA. This is instrumental in getting the relevant exposure in the absence of significant advertising campaigns. The internal RD activities will get a boost with the establishment of a joint-venture by Mahindra and Nissan. Competition Currently there are no direct competitors for REVA in the electric vehicle segment. Players like Bajaj, Renault, and Toyota are planning to rollout electric cars in India. Comparing with other fuel based vehicles, Tata Nano and Maruti Alto can be considered as competitors in price bands. The prospective competitors, both domestic and foreign are given below. Domestic players AJANTA GROUP The Morbi-based world famous clock-maker Ajanta group is the new entrant in the small car sector. The company is planning to manufacture an electric car at its Samkhiyali unit in Kutch district and market it at a price lower than Rs 1-lakh Nano. The company is already into manufacturing electric scooters and bikes under the name Oreva. The technology is almost similar and a major per cent of its parts can be produced in-house, which will give them an edge over the vehicles pricing. TATA Tata Companys chairman, Ratan Tata, has, on two occasions talked about his companys plans to develop an electric car. At the companys annual meeting last year, he said that they were developing an electric car. In June 2009, at the Cornell Global Forum on Sustainable Global Enterprise, Tata suggested that his companys electric car would be in the market by fall of 2009. Tatas distribution network would give its electric car an immediate advantage. Mahindra Mahindra is planning a four-seater electric car in 2010. Tara Tiny, an Electric Vehicle from Indias Tara International and Chinas Aucma, plans to retail at Rs. 99,000 -which is lower than even Tata Nano. Foreign players VOLKSWAGEN Europes largest car manufacturer Volkswagen, is all set to launch the electric version of Volkswagen Polo. The Volkswagen Polo is the most successful hatchback car in Europe and Volkswagen recently launched its Indian Version. Volkswagen is all set to capture the market segment by launching not only Electric Polo, but a whole new range of electric cars. The German car maker is following a planned and meticulous strategy in India. They will be launching E-Golf sometime in 2013, which will then be followed by the launch of E-Jetta. Volkswagen also announced that the company has plans of launching an electric vehicle which is affordable for users from various segments. The key to an efficient electric car is a strong Lithium-ion battery, for which VW has collaborated with Japanese companies such as Toshiba Sanyo. VW is also planning an LPG launch of its Polo which will have a 1.4 Litre engine and will run on both petrol and LPG. Currently the Polo petrol version costs around Rs.5 lakh to 7 lakhs. However we can expect the electric cars from Volkswagen to be priced competitively. RENAULT Renault already has an impressive lineup of existing Electric Vehicles, EVs selling in many countries, These EVs include Kangoo (goods moving vehicle), Zoe (mid-sized sedan) and Twizy (two-seater concept car) which was also displayed at the Auto Expo 2010 at Delhi, India in January 2010. French auto major Renault is also looking at launching zero-emission electric vehicles in India by the middle of the decade. The company also plans to manufacture up to 500,000 units of electric vehicles (EV) globally by 2014. The company will first bring cars to India. These will be completely built units (CBU) but may look at local assembly of manufacturing later.The company plans to introduce the car in the European market post 2012.All these Renault models will use lithium ion batteries. While Twizy has a single charge mileage of 100 kilometres, Fluence and Kangoo will run up to 140-160 kilometres in a single charge. They are in discussions with the Delhi state government to finalize all details regarding special incentives for EVs, like tax benefits. The company is looking for tie-ups with local electricity authorities in India.

Misunderstandings in Culturally Diverse Workplaces Essay -- social iss

This essay will explain issues that occur in culturally diverse workplaces and describe how personal conceptions may contribute to misunderstandings when working with others in culturally diverse workplaces. This essay will also discuss the impact of cultural differences when conflict occurs and it will give suggestions on how to resolve and manage this conflict. An explanation of who to discuss the conflict with in a work environment will also be discussed in this essay. The issues that arise in a culturally diverse workplace need to be known and identified by counsellors to ensure they are aware of any obstacle forming. Cross-cultural conflict can arise from a range of issues. These issues include language barriers, customs, roles and status, differences in non-verbal behaviour, personal space, appearance, gender, religion and responses to authority (Open Colleges, 2012, p.47-49). While working as a professional in a multi-cultural country it is important for counsellors to understand the influence these issues can have on relationships in the workplace with both clients and colleagues. Fontes states, when the client and counsellor come from different cultures, obtaining correct basic demographic information can be challenging due to atypical family configurations, facts that have been lost or changed in the process of immigration and lying (2008, p.282). These issues may be overcome with honesty and confidence once the counsellor and client have strong rapport. It is important for counsellors to understand their own cultural concepts and how they may contribute to conflict when working with others. As a young female, I understand that in many cultures I would be recognised as incompetent and unhelpful. However, by using le... ...of how to resolve it successfully. A reflection on my own cultural concepts has enabled me to understand how personal values and beliefs may contribute to misunderstandings when working with others and how the impact of cultural differences can affect conflict. It has also explained where to get assistance if needed if conflict arose. This information will be used in my work when counselling clients from a different cultural background. Works Cited Open Colleges (2012) Student Workbook: Work within a structured counselling framework. Open Colleges Sydney, Australia Geldard, D., and Geldard, K. (2012) Basic Personal Counselling: A training manual for counsellors (7th Ed.) Frenchs Forest: Pearson Education Australia Fontes, Lisa Aronson, May 23, 2008, Interviewing Clients across Cultures: A Practitioner's Guide Guilford Press, New York, ISBN: 9781606230534

physics of soccer Essay -- essays research papers fc

Physics of Soccer   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eleven men take the field on a warm sunny day in South Korea. Thousands of anxious soccer fans await the blow of the referee’s whistle to commence the culmination of the world’s greatest sporting event, The World Cup. Thirty-two once stood now only two remain .The pitch is fair and the competition is fierce, four time defending champ Brazil looks confident as it glares across at its nemesis for the duration of ninety minutes, Germany. The entire world is spell bound by the natural creativity that ensues from a high level soccer match, but do they know the necessary physical laws that make the game possible? The answer is no, the average soccer fan has no idea the physical restrictions and factors involved in moving a ball one hundred meters, the standard length of an international playing field.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Once in Yokohama stadium the able athletes stretch their finely tuned musculature in order to get ready for today’s athletic competition. Roberto Carlos the star left back, for the acclaimed Brazilian national team has the important job of defending the goal and preventing the ball from crossing the threshold of the goal line at any cost. A good defender can boot the ball weighing approximately one pound the length of the field at any given time. Carlos is not good, he is great, solid legs and a supple foot he is quite capable of accomplishing this feat. His leg is so strong he his able to strike the b...

Coyote Blue Chapter 8~9

CHAPTER 8 Meet the Muse, Mr. Lizard King Santa Barbara Calliope Kincaid waited on the steps of the Tangerine Tree Cafe thinking about the past lives of lizards. A small, brown alligator lizard was sunning himself on the planter box by the steps and his lidless eyes, glazed but seeing, reminded Calliope of a picture of Jimi Hendrix that her mother had kept next to the bed when she was growing up. She wondered if this lizard really could be an incarnation of Jimi, and what he must feel like living in the planter box in front of a cafe, eating bugs and hiding, after being a rock star. Between the ages of seven and nine Calliope had been raised a Hindu, and during that time she had developed an acute empathy for other creatures, never sure what bird or beast might just be Daddy or Grandma working off some karma. She had taken the concept almost to the point of agoraphobia – she was afraid to go out of the house for fear that she might crush some relative doing time as a stinkbug – when her mother moved into NSA Buddhism and Calliope's spiritual focus was changed to sitting before a gong with her mother, the two of them chanting for prosperity until the apartment's heater ducts began to vibrate. Evicted for disturbing other tenants, Calliope's mother turned to goddess worship, which Calliope liked because she didn't have to wear clothes to the rituals and there were always lots of flowers. When Calliope blossomed at thirteen and began to attract too much attention from neopagan males, her mother turned to Islam, changed her daughter's name to Akeem a Mohammed Kincaid, and equipped her with a veil. Calliope, who had easily grasped the concepts of karma and reincarnation, of transcendentalism and oneness, of harmony with nature and the goddess within, was completely thrown by the concepts of guilt, self-flagellation, and modesty set down in Islam. She promptly shaved one side of her head, dyed the remainder of her waist-length blond hair hot pink, and began taking hallucinogenic drugs and sleeping with awkward, pimpled tough-boys with mohawks. Men replaced religion, and Calliope accepted their seductive lies with the same open wonder she had given the gods. In an attempt to pull her daughter out of a spiritual tail-spin, Mom turned Unitarian, but Calliope had already slashed the ecumenical apron strings and Mom was left to hopscotching religions on her own. Currently she lived in an ashram in Oregon where she acted as the spirit channel for a four-thousand-year-old, super-enlightened entity named Babar (no relation to the elephant). As a child exposed to so many religions, Calliope had developed a malleability of faith that stayed with her into adulthood. Through the assimilation of many spiritual beliefs, without science or cynicism to balance them, Calliope was able to define everything in her world, accept the highs and lows of life with resolve, and never be burdened by the need to understand. Why understand when you can believe? For Calliope, every event was mystical and every moment magical; a flat tire could be a manifestation of karma, or a lizard might be Jimi Hendrix. If she fell in love too easily and got hurt too often it wasn't bad judgment, it was just faith. She was humming â€Å"Castles Made of Sand† to the lizard when Sam's Mercedes pulled up to the curb. She looked up and smiled at him, not the least bit concerned that he was thirty minutes late. It had never occurred to her that he might not show. No man had ever stood her up. She ran to the car and tapped on the passenger window. Sam pushed the button and it whirred down. â€Å"Hang on a second, I have to do something,† she said. She went around to the front of the car and searched the grille until she found a moth that had met its end with minimal damage. She plucked the moth from the grille, took it to the planter box, and wiggled it in front of the lizard while singing a few bars of Hendrix's â€Å"Little Wing.† The lizard snapped at the moth halfheartedly and slithered away under the geraniums to sulk. Calliope had been correct in guessing that this particular lizard had, indeed, been a rock star in a previous life, and if she had sung a chorus of â€Å"L.A. Woman† or â€Å"Light My Fire† the lizard would have been delighted, but how could she have known? She dropped the moth into the planter box and returned to the car. â€Å"Sorry I'm late,† Sam said. â€Å"It's only time,† she said. â€Å"I'm always late.† â€Å"I had them fix your car.† He was trying not to look at her. He'd just gotten enough control of his nerves to drive and he wasn't ready to be rattled by the girl again, but he wouldn't have thought of not picking her up. During the whole debacle at the condo, the urgency to see her again had hovered in the background of his mind and finally snapped him out of his confusion over the Coyote medicine. Was she connected to the Indian? â€Å"That's sweet of you,† she said. â€Å"Did you look at the car?† â€Å"Look at it? No. I just had the garage come down.† â€Å"It's a great car,† Calliope said. â€Å"It has over three hundred horsepower, a six-pack of Weber carburetors, competition suspension and gearing – it'll do over a hundred and eighty on a straightaway. I can blow most Porsches off the road.† Sam didn't know what to say, so he said, â€Å"That's nice.† â€Å"I know that women aren't supposed to care about things like that. My mother says that I'm obsessed with vehicles because I was conceived in the back of a VW microbus and spent most of my childhood in one. We moved around a lot.† â€Å"Where does she live?† Sam asked. He would ask her about the Indian, really, when the time was right. â€Å"Oregon. I didn't build the car myself. I used to live with this sculptor in Sedona, Arizona, who built it for midnight drives in the desert. One day I was telling him that I thought that cars had replaced guns as phallic symbols for American men, and I thought it was interesting that he had one that was so small and fast. The next day he gave me the Datsun and went out and bought a Lincoln. It was very sweet.† â€Å"Very sweet,† Sam echoed. Now or never, he thought. â€Å"Calliope – that is your name, right?† â€Å"Yes,† the girl said. Sam put on his salesman's this is a serious matter voice. â€Å"Calliope, do you know who the-â€Å" â€Å"My name wasn't always Calliope,† she interrupted. â€Å"Sherman – he was the sculptor – started calling me Calliope, after the Greek muse of epic poetry. He said that I inspired men to art and madness. I liked the way it sounded so I took it as my real name. My mom even calls me Calliope now.† Sam had brought thousands of sales interviews back into control when the client tried to wander, he wouldn't let this girl sidetrack him. â€Å"Calliope, who was the Indian-â€Å" â€Å"You know, the Indians used to change their names as they grew up and their personalities changed or when they did certain things, like Walks Across the Desert and stuff like that. Did you know that?† â€Å"No I didn't,† Sam lied. â€Å"But I really need to know-â€Å" â€Å"Oh, there's my car!† Sam slowed and pulled the Mercedes in behind the Z. â€Å"Calliope, before you go-â€Å" â€Å"We can't have sex tonight,† she said. â€Å"I have some things to do, but I can cook you dinner tomorrow if you want.† Sam turned to her, his mouth hanging open. She was smiling at him, waiting for his answer with her eyes wide, as if she'd just been surprised. He realized that every time he had looked at her she'd worn that same expression of wonderment, and each time it had thrown him. Dammit, he wouldn't be distracted. She was sharp, but he was sharper. He was in control here. â€Å"Okay,† he said. â€Å"Terrific. I live at seventeen and a half Anapamu Street – that's upstairs. Whatever you do, don't go to the downstairs door. Six o'clock, okay?† Without waiting for his answer, she was out of the car and away. Sam rolled down the window and shouted after her. â€Å"My name is Sam.† She looked back at him and smiled, then got into the Datsun and fired it up. Sam watched the little sports car tilt with the torque of the engine as she revved it. She burned off the back tires, filling the air with squeals and blue smoke as she pulled away. CHAPTER 9 Quitting Now Greatly Reduces the Chance of Visions Crow Country – 1967 It was well before dawn and no lights burned in the houses and shops of Crow Agency as Pokey piloted his old truck through town, a sleepy-eyed Samson wobbling on the seat next to him. â€Å"How far is it to the fasting place?† Samson asked. â€Å"About two hours, but only fifty or so miles as the Crow drives. Get it, as the Crow drives?† Pokey grinned at Samson and took a swig from a pint bottle of whiskey. He and Harlan had talked and drunk all night after Samson's sweat. Now he was using the road like a buttered harlot – he was all over the place while trying to stay in the middle – and scaring Samson, whose head whacked the window when Pokey got too much shoulder and had to yank the truck's retreads back onto the asphalt. â€Å"Could we slow down, Pokey?† â€Å"We're not going that fast.† Samson peeked at the speedometer, which registered zero, as did all the broken gauges in the truck. Pokey caught Samson looking and grinned again. â€Å"I ain't in any danger at all, you know. I seen my death in a medicine dream. I get shot, and it ain't nowhere near this old truck. Nope, I'm plumb safe in this truck, no matter what I do.† â€Å"What about me?† Samson asked. â€Å"Don't know? What's your death dream?† â€Å"I didn't have one.† Pokey looked down at Samson with a worried expression. â€Å"You didn't?† â€Å"Nope,† Samson said with a gulp. â€Å"Well then, if I wreck you could be plumb fucked.† He began to weave more radically, leaning hard into Samson as the truck slipped off the shoulder again. â€Å"Oh, shit! These tires are bald too! Don't worry, son, I'll dance for your ghost at the Sun Dance!† â€Å"Pokey, stop it!† Samson had begun to giggle as his uncle leaned into him. â€Å"Quick, go to sleep fast, and dream of dying on top of a pretty woman, Samson. It's your only chance.† â€Å"Pokey!† Samson was doubled over with laughter now as Pokey fishtailed the truck back and forth in the road while pumping the brakes and the clutch, causing Samson's head to jerk around like a rag doll's. Pokey shouted, â€Å"Blacken your face, Samson Hunts Alone, this is a good day to die.† Then he slammed on the brakes and brought the truck to a skidding stop in the middle, of the road. Samson was thrown to the floor of the truck among a collection of old beer cans and soda bottles. Still giggling, he climbed back up onto the seat and began pounding on Pokey's shoulder. Pokey grabbed his hands and shushed him. â€Å"Look,† Pokey said, nodding to the front of the truck. Samson turned to see a huge buffalo bull crossing the road in front of them. â€Å"Where did he come from?† Samson asked as he watched the bull lumber out of the headlights. â€Å"Must of wandered off the Yellowtail's place. They got a few head of buffalo.† â€Å"Good thing you saw him in time.† â€Å"I didn't see him. Them things are so dark they just eat up your headlights. I was just fooling with you when I stopped.† â€Å"We were lucky,† Samson said gravely. â€Å"Nope, I told you we was safe. Now you quit being afraid of things that ain't happened yet. That's why I gave you that dream.† Pokey geared up the truck and they rode in silence for a while, listening to the rattling grind of the old Ford's engine. The sky was just getting light and Samson could see the new leaves coming on the trees and the blossoms on the cotton-woods. He was glad his fast was to be in the time of the first grass. The days would be mild and warm, but not hot. â€Å"Pokey,† Samson said. â€Å"What do I do when I get thirsty?† Pokey took a long pull on the pint before he answered. â€Å"You must pray that your suffering is accepted and you are given a spirit helper.† â€Å"But what do I do? What if I die?† â€Å"You won't die. When your suffering is too much you must go to the Spirit World. You must see yourself traveling into a hole in the ground and down a long tunnel. You will come out into the light and you will be in the Spirit World. There you will not be hungry or thirsty. Wait there and your spirit helper will come to you.† â€Å"What if my spirit helper doesn't come?† â€Å"You must go back down the tunnel again and again, looking for him. In the buffalo days you had to have a spirit helper to go into battle or people thought you were a Crazy Dog Wishing to Die.† â€Å"What's that?† â€Å"A warrior who is so crazy, or so full of sadness, that he rides against the enemy just so they will kill him.† â€Å"Was my dad a Crazy Dog Wishing to Die?† Pokey smiled and looked wistfully ahead. â€Å"It is bad luck to speak of it, but no, he did not wish to die. He just got too drunk and drove too fast after his basketball games.† They drove south through Lodge Grass, where the only activity was that of a few dogs trying to clear their throats for the day's barking and a few ranchers cadging free coffee at the feed and grain store. Once through town, Pokey turned east on a dirt road into the rising sun to the Wolf Mountains. In the foothills the road became deeply rutted, and washed out in places. Pokey shifted into low and the truck ground down to a crawl. After a half hour of kidney-jarring bumps and vertiginous cutbacks, Pokey stopped the truck on a high ridge between the peaks of two mountains. From here Samson could see all the way to Lodge Grass to the west, and across the green prairies of the Northern Cheyenne reservation to the east. Lodgepole pines lined the mountain on both sides, as thick as feathers on a bird, thinning here, near the peak, where the ground was arid, strewn with giant boulders, and barren but for a few yucca plants and the odd tuft of buffalo grass or sage. â€Å"There.† Pokey pointed east to a group of car-sized boulders about fifty yards from the road. â€Å"That is the place where you will fast. I'll wait for you on this side of the road if you need me, but you must only come up here if you have a vision or if you are in trouble.† Pokey grabbed a bag from the floor of the truck and handed it to Samson through the window. â€Å"There's a blanket in there and some mint leaves to chew when you get thirsty. Go now. I will pray for your success.† As he walked down the hill toward the boulders, Samson felt a lump rising in his throat. What good is medicine if you die of thirst? What good is medicine, anyway? He'd rather be in school. This was no fun, this was scary. Why did Pokey have to be so strange? Why couldn't he be more like Harlan, or Ben Cartwright? Once on the downhill side of the boulders Samson could see the place where he would sit through his fast: a small stone fire ring under the overhang of one of the boulders. Samson sat down facing the sun, which was now a great orange ball on the eastern horizon. He thought of Grandma at home. She would be pouring Lucky Charms in everyone's bowls about now, getting his little cousin Alice's insulin out of the refrigerator and filling the syringe, making sure everyone was dressed and ready for school. Uncle Harlan would be sitting in the living room drinking coffee and telling all the kids to be quiet because of his hangover. Samson's aunts would be pulling the blankets off the sweat lodge and loading them into the back of Harlan's truck so they could take them to the laundromat. Normally, Samson would be trading punches in the arm with Harry and Festus and lying to Grandma about having his homework done. He wanted to be at home with everyone else, not sitting by himself up here on a mountain. He had never been by himself before. He decided he didn't like it. For the first time in his life he was lonely. He tried to think of the Spirit World. Maybe he could go there really fast, find a spirit helper and go back up to the truck so Pokey could take him to Lodge Grass and get a Coke: thirty minutes, tops. Get in, get out, and nobody gets hurt, as Uncle Harlan always said, something he picked up in Vietnam. Samson tried to imagine the hole he would enter the Spirit World through. He couldn't do it. Maybe a prayer. â€Å"O Great Spirit and Great Mother,† Samson prayed in Crow. â€Å"Hear my prayer. Please let me find my spirit helper so I can go home.† He waited a moment. Okay, that didn't work, back to the hole in the ground. After two hours he grew bored and his mind wandered to the Ponderosa, then to school, home, the planet Krypton, the snack bar in Crow Agency, the McDonald's in Billings, the damp basement of Lodge Grass High School, where Harlan had taken him and shown him old black-and-white films of his father playing basketball. He wondered what his father had been like. Then wondered about his mother, who had died when he was only two. Her liver quit, Harlan said. No one else would talk about the dead. He tried to remember her, but could remember only Grandma and his aunts. The new feeling of loneliness was getting worse. Maybe he could make up a vision. He could go tell Pokey that he had a vision and found his spirit helper and Pokey would tell him how to make his medicine bundle and he could go home. That would work. He thought for a moment about what animal he should pick for his spirit helper and decided on a hawk. He didn't know what hawk medicine was, but it was probably pretty good for you unless you raised chickens or something. Samson ran up the hill and just as he was cresting the ridge he began to shout. â€Å"Pokey! Pokey! I had my vision! I saw my spirit helper!† When he reached the road the truck was nowhere in sight. He looked up and down the road, then crossed it and looked down the other side of the ridge. Pokey was gone. Samson felt his lip begin to quiver and water fill his eyes. He sat down in the dirt as the first series of chest-wrenching sobs escaped him and echoed down the ridge. He buried his face in his knees and cried until his throat hurt. When finally he found the bottom of his sadness he looked up and wiped his eyes on his forearm. Why would Pokey just leave him? Maybe he just went to buy some beer. Maybe he would bring back a Coke. Samson suddenly realized that he really was thirsty. The sun was moving higher in the sky and it was starting to get hot. He stood and looked around for a shady place to wait, but the closest shade was down by the boulders, and from there he wouldn't be able to see the truck coming. He sat on a small rock by the road in the full sun. During the next two hours Samson chewed all his mint leaves and took to sucking pebbles to keep his mouth from getting dry while he drew pictures in the dust with a stick. He heard a car engine and looked up to see a cloud of dust coming off the road about two miles away. That would be Pokey. Samson stood on the rock to see if he could make out the truck. As the cloud approached, however, he noticed that it wasn't Pokey's truck at all, but a big powder-blue car unlike any he had seen before. He sat back down on the rock and was fighting back another fit of sobs when the car skidded to a stop beside him, bringing with it a choking cloud of dust. There was a whirring sound and the car window slid down, revealing the big, round face of the driver, a white man, who seemed to have four or five spare chins under his first one. â€Å"Excuse me, son.† The driver smiled. â€Å"I seem to have gotten myself turned around here. Would you know the way to get to Highway Ninety?† â€Å"It's a long way,† Samson said. â€Å"You have to go down the mountain into Lodge Grass, then go to Crow Agency. That's where the highway is.† The white man wasn't really white, he was more of a bright pink, and he smiled with his voice, like Samson was his best friend. â€Å"You lost me, son. Lodge Grass?† â€Å"You have to stay on this road down the mountain, then you have to turn.† â€Å"I got you there, son, but which way did you say I should turn?† Samson pointed down the mountain and the driver's eyes followed his finger, then he turned back to Samson looking confused. â€Å"I don't suppose you are heading that way, are you, son?† Samson thought for a minute before he answered. If this man would take him to the highway in Crow Agency he could walk home from there. Never trust a white man who wants to give you something, Pokey had said. Soon as you think you got it he will take it away and take everything you got along with it. But Samson couldn't figure out how the driver would take away a ride, and all he really owned was his hunting knife. If the white man tried to take that, Samson would cut his gizzard out. â€Å"I'm going to Crow Agency,† the boy said. â€Å"I can show you the way.† â€Å"Well, jump in quick, partner. It's hotter than blazes out here and it's gettin' in the car.† Samson walked around the back of the car, remembering what Pokey had told him about not trusting white men. It was the biggest, bluest car he had ever seen. Maybe it was the heat, but it seemed to take a long time to walk around it. When he opened the door a blast of cold air hit him that instantly brought goose bumps to his arms and back: He jumped into the car and stared in amazement at the vents in the dashboard where the cold was coming from. He'd never experienced air-conditioning before. â€Å"Close the door, son. You want to bake us?† Samson closed the door as the car started moving. â€Å"It's cool in here, and it smells good.† The driver, still smiling, looked down at Samson and tipped the straw skimmer he was wearing. He was the fattest man Samson had ever seen and he was wearing a powder-blue suit the same shade as the car; he filled the driver's seat like a bagful of sky. Up close Samson could see that the man's skin was pink from little veins that ran through it like road maps. â€Å"Thank you kindly, son. Name's Commerce. Lloyd Commerce, purveyor of the world's finest cleaning apparatus, the Miracle.† He held out a fat hand to Samson. Samson shook two of the giant fingers with his right hand. He let his left drop near the handle of his hunting knife. â€Å"I don't know what that is,† Samson said. â€Å"I'm Samson Hunts Alone.† â€Å"You don't know about the Miracle? Well, Samson Hunts Alone, let me tell you: in a few years the Miracle will be the standard by which all vacuum cleaners will die. In a few years, if you don't have a Miracle in your broom closet you might as well just hang a sign outside your house saying ‘We live in filth. The Miracle is just the most advanced machine for the elimination of household dirt, dust, and disease that the world has ever known!† Samson was amazed at how excited Lloyd was – it seemed that the more Lloyd talked, the pinker he got. Even if it was rude, Samson thought he should interrupt before Lloyd hurt himself. â€Å"I know what a miracle is. One of my aunts is a Christian. I don't know what a purveyor is.† Lloyd took a deep breath and shot a smile at Samson. â€Å"I am a salesman, son, one of the last truly free individuals on this planet. I sell miracles, son. Not just vacuum cleaners. I sell real loaves-and-fishes miracles.† He paused for a moment and waited. Samson was hugging the car door, his hand on his knife thinking that this was the craziest talk he had ever heard from anyone besides Pokey. â€Å"I know what you're thinking,† Lloyd continued. â€Å"You're thinking, Lloyd, what kind of miracle do you perform? Am I right?† â€Å"Nope,† Samson said. â€Å"I was thinking about a Coke.† â€Å"There's some in a cooler in the backseat,† Lloyd tossed off, trying to get back to his point. â€Å"Grab me one too, would you, son?† Samson scrambled over the seat and dug into a cooler where a dozen Cokes lay in the ice around a fifth of rum. He grabbed two and slithered back over the seat. Lloyd took the Cokes and opened them. He handed one to Samson, who drank half the bottle in one pull. â€Å"Miracles,† Lloyd said. Samson didn't care how crazy Lloyd was – life was fine! The car was cool and quiet and smelled like spices. He wasn't thirsty and he was going home. Even on the rough mountain road the car rode like a cloud. He closed one eye and rested, keeping the other eye on Lloyd. â€Å"Miracles?† Samson said. â€Å"That's right! I can make dreams out of nothing, wants out of dreams, needs out of wants, and leave a dream in your hand. You know how I do it?† Samson shook his head. This man was just like Pokey: if he wanted to tell you something he would tell you even if you dropped dead and rotted right before his eyes. â€Å"Well, son, it all starts with a smile at the door. When you hit that door people ain't been sitting there waiting for you. They been sitting around thinking about how miserable they are. They got nothing to hang on to, nothing to go on for. When they answer that door they're as sour as green oranges, but I don't give it back to 'em. I give a smile of pure honey, and words just as sweet. I tell them what they want to hear. If they're ugly, I tell 'em they're looking fine. If they're a failure, I marvel at their success. Before they got the latch off the screen door I'm the best friend they ever had. And why? Because I see them as what they would like to be, not what they are. For once in their life they are living their dream, only because I make them think they are. â€Å"But then they look around and get a little uncomfortable. If they got what they wanted, how come they ain't feeling it? How come they still feel empty? Well, son, between you and me, there ain't no contentment, no satisfaction, this side of the grave. You ain't never going to be as pretty or as rich as you want to be. No one ever has, no one ever will. Folks don't know that, though. Folks think that there's an answer to that scary feeling that keeps riding them no matter what they do.† â€Å"Coyote Blue,† Samson said. â€Å"Don't talk nonsense, boy, I'm trying to teach you something. Where was I? Oh, yeah, they think that there's an answer. So I give it to them. I watch their eyes while I'm telling them how damn good they're doing, and when they get right to the edge of panic 'cause they can't see it, I tell them about the Miracle. â€Å"Suddenly a clean rug is all that stands between them and all they could ever be. I take out my machine, and I vacuum up their beds into a little black bag. Then I have them boil that bag on the stove until the whole house smells like a sun-ripe battlefield. You see, all that dead skin that falls off you in your sleep is in the mattress; when you boil it the smell is disgusting. There is filth in these folks' houses. How the hell you gonna be beautiful and successful with filth all around? You can't. Filth is the problem and the Miracle is the solution. Now they want it. â€Å"So we talk some more and I make like I'm gonna leave, but they want the machine. I understand that, but they already got a vacuum cleaner. They don't need my machine. I guess a little filth never hurt no one. But they do need it, they say. They need it. And why do they need it? Because now it's all they got standing between them and their dream. So I write them up. I take their money and I leave them holding that dream in their hand while I drive away. Wants, to needs, to dreams – usually in forty-five minutes or less. Now that's a damn miracle, son.† â€Å"So you trick them,† Samson said. â€Å"They want to be tricked. I just provide a service. It ain't no different than going to the movies or seeing a magician. You don't want to see that the pirates are using rubber swords, do you? You don't want to see the secret pockets up the magician's sleeves, do you? You want to believe in something that you know ain't true, just for a while. People spend a lot of money and time to get tricked. And I get to drive a nice car, stay in good motels, eat in restaurants, and see the country in style.† Samson thought about that for a while. Driving around in a big, cool, good-smelling car would be almost as good as living on the Ponderosa. Maybe better. Nobody on the reservation drove a car like this, and they hardly ever ate in restaurants, except the burger stand in Crow Agency. Maybe tricking people was the way to go. It sure sounded better than baling hay or fixing truck engines. â€Å"Do you think I could sell miracles?† Samson asked. Lloyd laughed. â€Å"You got some growing to do first. Besides, it takes a man of character to handle freedom. Do you have character, Samson?† â€Å"Is that like medicine?† â€Å"It's better than medicine. You get yourself some character and come see me in a few years. Then we'll see.† That settled it. Samson was going to get himself some character and sell himself some miracles. He lay back on the seat and closed his eyes. Lloyd started talking again. The words were soft and rhythmic and soon Samson Hunts Alone, full of Coca-Cola and miracles, fell asleep. -=*=- â€Å"Samson, wake up.† Someone was shaking his shoulders. He opened his eyes and saw Pokey holding him at arm's length. â€Å"What are you doing up here by the road?† Pokey asked. â€Å"What?† Samson looked around. He was on the ridge where he had sat down before the big blue car had come along. â€Å"Where's Lloyd?† â€Å"Who's Lloyd?† Pokey asked. â€Å"I've only been gone a couple of hours. Why did you come up here? Did you have your vision?† â€Å"No, I went for a ride. I took a ride home with a man who sold Miracles.† â€Å"Samson,† Pokey said. â€Å"I don't think you took a ride anywhere. I think you better tell me what the man said to you.† Samson told Pokey about Lloyd Commerce, about the car as long as a house, about selling miracles and tricking people and living the good life. When he was finished Pokey sat staring at the boy for a long time before he spoke. â€Å"Samson, you had your vision. I'm sorry.† â€Å"Why are you sorry, Pokey? Because I didn't find my spirit helper?† â€Å"I wish you saw a squirrel or a flicker, Samson, but you saw a vacuum cleaner salesman,† Pokey said forlornly. â€Å"But he was just a fat white man.† â€Å"He only looked like a white man. I think you saw Old Man Coyote.†