Bad habits

â€Å"There are a thousand excuses for failure, but never a good reason†, I agree. Some psychologists think that bad and good habits people get through lifetime period. If so, then people can get rid of undesirable habits, but how? Some people would say that to get rid of bad habits is easy when person has a desire. Also, some will say that who love God can rely on his help and blessing. However, a lot of people would say that it is not that easy to kick a bad habit.In fact, bad habits affect our lives actively, but when person follow these steps, she can easily overcome a problem. First of all, people should find a motivation to stop a bad habit. A person who has a motivation is always looking for solutions while others are looking for reasons and excuses. Before person makes any bad move in her life, she should ask herself one question: â€Å"For what or for whom I should stop doing a bad habit? † A lot of people would say that it is not worth it. However, some people would stop their bad habit for the loved ones.For example, there is could be internal reason for solving this robber. People often break bad habits because they do not want to spoil their children. Moreover, children usually pick up bad habits from parents and peers. To prevent that unlikable situation, parents would do their best for break a habit. Also, smoking is a cause of heart and lung diseases. Moreover, smoking can cause a cancer. 90% of lung cancer patients developed their disease because of smoking. There is, also, external reason for motivation. For example, smoking is a cause of yellow teeth, super dry skin and breaking hair.Smokers often are nervous, irritable, old not focus their thoughts, and could not sleep well. These causes affect peoples social life in many ways. Therefore, smokers have difficulties in Job interviews and relationships because they have low self-esteem and self-confidence. All in all, West Virginia University about the bad habits say:† if yo u want to quit smoking, you should focus on decreasing your risk of lung cancer and heart disease. If you are driven by positive motivation, think of how much whiter your teeth will be and how much more breath you will have when you climb stairs.Also, you will save some money by not eying cigarettes. † Second, create conditions and be away from people who have bad addictions. People learn the features of behavior in their environment. It is very difficult to deny alcohol in the cheerful company of friends. In Russia, for instance, when people are visiting each other at home, they should drink three shots of vodka before they enter the house. However, even when person is not drinking at all, householder finds it unrepeatable and would not ask that person to come to his house again.Another example, at the party there are two groups: in-group and out- roof. In-group people are those who run the party. Of course, alcohol is included for this group. However, people from out-group d o not have bad addictions. In-group can make bad Jokes and encourage drinking, and out-group does not feel themselves such as all, so they Just can give up. Nevertheless, not only alcohol can make people in-group. Furthermore, if person is attractive, interesting and outgoing, he do not need alcohol to be in-group. Briefly, to be separated from those who have bad habits, does not mean to be away from them.It is mean, that people should put a task in heir head, for do not give up on the goal to break a habit.. That is how people separate themselves at parties. Briefly, people should follow some quote in life, for pushing themselves for something valuable. Third, people should never give up, but go to their target to the end. People should not be disappointed after the first obstacle. This is not the end of the world. Nothing comes easy, especially when people are trying to get rid of bad habits that exist in their lives. For instance, I knew the girl Katherine. She was drinking beer every single night.Katherine wasn't aware of her problem until she got an addiction to alcohol. Moreover, she lost communication with her friends. For them, she was simply alcoholic. She was like a blind Capitan who can not notice a leak in the vessel until it finally sinking. Soon, Katherine understood that she needs to get rid of her addiction. For this purpose, Katherine started looking for a solution. After a lot of tries, she finally found a solution. Instead of bottle of beer, she was drinking a glass of orange Juice. There were a lot of doubts from her friends that she not going to cake it.They Just did not believe in her. Although, she did not give herself up, but was fighting with her bad habit till it gone. Indeed, Katherine throws away a bad habit of her because she believed in herself. Fourth, do not make any exceptions. When people decide to kick bad habits, in any case or situations do not give concessions. Once people start thinking: â€Å"Oh, today is a nervous day, so I can smoke one cigarette†, or â€Å"l would not gain weight if I will have some ice-cream. † Our bad habits begin to fight for a place in people's life. When people make exceptions, it s an illusion to break a bad habit.The number of exceptions will increase every day until the bad habit will not take his place again. For example, humans can imagine that our good and bad habits like two wolves that always are fighting with each other. Who will win? Answer is the wolf whom you feed will win. Nevertheless, stop feed and give support to a bad habit. â€Å"If you do not pour water on your plant, what will happen? It will slowly wither and die. Our habits will also slowly wither and die away if we do not give them an opportunity to manifest. You need not fight to stop a habit.Just don't give it an opportunity to repeat itself. (67)† ? Swami Statisticians, The Yoga Sutras. Last step is to imagine you without a bad habit. Just turn an imagination, and you will see yourself succeed. The people are very likable to a person without a bad habit. People don't like see you hiding your hands because of bitten nails or smell the cigarette smoke from someone's mouth. Let it all go! Imagine, when you are going to give a speech in front of many people, you would not stammer in front of audience, but behave discreetly and fluently. Imagination acts as hypnosis.If a person presents himself without bad habits, he subconsciously is hypnotize himself to quit one. As a result, a person could get rid of the bad habit. For instance, I was biting my nails. I wanted to quit hundreds of times, but couldn't. Then I started imagine myself as a bride, but how bride would have bitten nails in the ceremony? How the groom would put the ring on the bride hand? Consequently, I quit biting my nails. In short, imagination helped me to get rid of nail biting problem. Imagination set a desire to be better person, and to increase in someone's eyes.TO conclude, bad addictions c ause an unpleasant influence in our life. Bad habits have negative impact on people's health and social life. However, people can overcome them by find a motivation, create conditions and be away from people with bad habits, never give up, do not make any exceptions, and turn imagination in which there is no place for a bad habit. â€Å"Bad habits are like a comfortable bed, easy to get into, but hard to get out of. † ?Unknown. If people would follow these steps, they can kick bad habits very willingly. Bad habits â€Å"There are a thousand excuses for failure, but never a good reason†, I agree. Some psychologists think that bad and good habits people get through lifetime period. If so, then people can get rid of undesirable habits, but how? Some people would say that to get rid of bad habits is easy when person has a desire. Also, some will say that who love God can rely on his help and blessing. However, a lot of people would say that it is not that easy to kick a bad habit.In fact, bad habits affect our lives actively, but when person follow these steps, she can easily overcome a problem. First of all, people should find a motivation to stop a bad habit. A person who has a motivation is always looking for solutions while others are looking for reasons and excuses. Before person makes any bad move in her life, she should ask herself one question: â€Å"For what or for whom I should stop doing a bad habit? † A lot of people would say that it is not worth it. However, some people would stop their bad habit for the loved ones.For example, there is could be internal reason for solving this robber. People often break bad habits because they do not want to spoil their children. Moreover, children usually pick up bad habits from parents and peers. To prevent that unlikable situation, parents would do their best for break a habit. Also, smoking is a cause of heart and lung diseases. Moreover, smoking can cause a cancer. 90% of lung cancer patients developed their disease because of smoking. There is, also, external reason for motivation. For example, smoking is a cause of yellow teeth, super dry skin and breaking hair.Smokers often are nervous, irritable, old not focus their thoughts, and could not sleep well. These causes affect peoples social life in many ways. Therefore, smokers have difficulties in Job interviews and relationships because they have low self-esteem and self-confidence. All in all, West Virginia University about the bad habits say:† if yo u want to quit smoking, you should focus on decreasing your risk of lung cancer and heart disease. If you are driven by positive motivation, think of how much whiter your teeth will be and how much more breath you will have when you climb stairs.Also, you will save some money by not eying cigarettes. † Second, create conditions and be away from people who have bad addictions. People learn the features of behavior in their environment. It is very difficult to deny alcohol in the cheerful company of friends. In Russia, for instance, when people are visiting each other at home, they should drink three shots of vodka before they enter the house. However, even when person is not drinking at all, householder finds it unrepeatable and would not ask that person to come to his house again.Another example, at the party there are two groups: in-group and out- roof. In-group people are those who run the party. Of course, alcohol is included for this group. However, people from out-group d o not have bad addictions. In-group can make bad Jokes and encourage drinking, and out-group does not feel themselves such as all, so they Just can give up. Nevertheless, not only alcohol can make people in-group. Furthermore, if person is attractive, interesting and outgoing, he do not need alcohol to be in-group. Briefly, to be separated from those who have bad habits, does not mean to be away from them.It is mean, that people should put a task in heir head, for do not give up on the goal to break a habit.. That is how people separate themselves at parties. Briefly, people should follow some quote in life, for pushing themselves for something valuable. Third, people should never give up, but go to their target to the end. People should not be disappointed after the first obstacle. This is not the end of the world. Nothing comes easy, especially when people are trying to get rid of bad habits that exist in their lives. For instance, I knew the girl Katherine. She was drinking beer every single night.Katherine wasn't aware of her problem until she got an addiction to alcohol. Moreover, she lost communication with her friends. For them, she was simply alcoholic. She was like a blind Capitan who can not notice a leak in the vessel until it finally sinking. Soon, Katherine understood that she needs to get rid of her addiction. For this purpose, Katherine started looking for a solution. After a lot of tries, she finally found a solution. Instead of bottle of beer, she was drinking a glass of orange Juice. There were a lot of doubts from her friends that she not going to cake it.They Just did not believe in her. Although, she did not give herself up, but was fighting with her bad habit till it gone. Indeed, Katherine throws away a bad habit of her because she believed in herself. Fourth, do not make any exceptions. When people decide to kick bad habits, in any case or situations do not give concessions. Once people start thinking: â€Å"Oh, today is a nervous day, so I can smoke one cigarette†, or â€Å"l would not gain weight if I will have some ice-cream. † Our bad habits begin to fight for a place in people's life. When people make exceptions, it s an illusion to break a bad habit.The number of exceptions will increase every day until the bad habit will not take his place again. For example, humans can imagine that our good and bad habits like two wolves that always are fighting with each other. Who will win? Answer is the wolf whom you feed will win. Nevertheless, stop feed and give support to a bad habit. â€Å"If you do not pour water on your plant, what will happen? It will slowly wither and die. Our habits will also slowly wither and die away if we do not give them an opportunity to manifest. You need not fight to stop a habit.Just don't give it an opportunity to repeat itself. (67)† ? Swami Statisticians, The Yoga Sutras. Last step is to imagine you without a bad habit. Just turn an imagination, and you will see yourself succeed. The people are very likable to a person without a bad habit. People don't like see you hiding your hands because of bitten nails or smell the cigarette smoke from someone's mouth. Let it all go! Imagine, when you are going to give a speech in front of many people, you would not stammer in front of audience, but behave discreetly and fluently. Imagination acts as hypnosis.If a person presents himself without bad habits, he subconsciously is hypnotize himself to quit one. As a result, a person could get rid of the bad habit. For instance, I was biting my nails. I wanted to quit hundreds of times, but couldn't. Then I started imagine myself as a bride, but how bride would have bitten nails in the ceremony? How the groom would put the ring on the bride hand? Consequently, I quit biting my nails. In short, imagination helped me to get rid of nail biting problem. Imagination set a desire to be better person, and to increase in someone's eyes.TO conclude, bad addictions c ause an unpleasant influence in our life. Bad habits have negative impact on people's health and social life. However, people can overcome them by find a motivation, create conditions and be away from people with bad habits, never give up, do not make any exceptions, and turn imagination in which there is no place for a bad habit. â€Å"Bad habits are like a comfortable bed, easy to get into, but hard to get out of. † ?Unknown. If people would follow these steps, they can kick bad habits very willingly.

Pharaphrasing the Purple Hibiscus Essay

Kambili and Jaja both come of age in Purple Hibiscus as a result of their experiences. The book opens with Jaja rebelling against his devout Catholic father by skipping communion on Palm Sunday, an important religious holiday. The following chapters detail the events that culminate in Jaja’s defiance. The book is narrated by Kambili three years after this incident. Since she has been stunted by the severe punishments of her father, Kambili barely speaks. Her narration is striking because it can be concluded that she finds her own voice throughout this ordeal. Both Kambili and Jaja take steps towards adulthood by overcoming adversity and being exposed to new thoughts. Part of growing up is building your own identity by choosing which paths to follow. In Enugu, the only path Kambili and Jaja are allowed to follow is Papa. He writes out schedules and severely punishes them when they stray. When Kambili and Jaja visit their Aunty Ifeoma in Nsukka, they are astonished by what they find. Though her home is small and devoid of luxuries, there is love and respect. Her children Amaka and Obiora are allowed to question authority and choose their own paths. Obiora, though he is three years younger than Jaja, is articulate and protective. He has been initiated into Igbo culture by performing a rite of manhood. Jaja was not allowed to participate and is ashamed that he is lagging behind his cousin. In Nsukka, Jaja is encouraged to rethink his allegiances and make his own decisions. Aunty Ifeoma encourages Kambili to reconsider her stance on Papa-Nnukwu. As she has been taught by Papa, her grandfather is a heathen. But when she searches his face, she sees no signs of godliness. After witnessing his innocence ritual, Kambili questions the absolute rule of her father. Both Kambili and Jaja take major steps towards adulthood by claiming their individuality. Religion There is a contrast between Father Benedict and Father Amadi. Priest at Papa’s beloved St. Agnes, Father Benedict is a white man from England who conducts his masses according to European custom. Papa adheres to Father Benedict’s style, banishing every trace of his own Nigerian heritage. Papa uses his faith to justify abusing his children. Religion alone is not to blame. Papa represents the wave of fundamentalism in Nigeria that corrupts faith. Father Amadi, on the other hand, is an African priest who blends Catholicism with Igbo traditions. He believes that faith is both simpler and more complex than what Father Benedict preaches. Father Amadi is a modern African man who is culturally-conscious but influenced by the colonial history of his country. He is not a moral absolutist like Papa and his God. Religion, when wielded by someone gentle, can be a positive force, as it is in Kambili’s life. Papa-Nnukwu is a traditionalist. He follows the rituals of his ancestors and believes in a pantheistic model of religion. Though both his son and daughter converted to Catholicism, Papa-Nnukwu held on to his roots. When Kambili witnesses his morning ritual, she realizes that their faiths are not as different as they appear. Kambili’s faith extends beyond the boundaries of one religion. She revels in the beauty of nature, her family, her prayer, and the Bible. When she witnesses the miracle at Aokpe, Kambili’s devotion is confirmed. Aunty Ifeoma agrees that God was present even though she did not see the apparition. God is all around Kambili and her family, and can take the form of a smile. The individualistic nature of faith is explored in Purple Hibiscus. Kambili tempers her devotion with a reverence for her ancestors. Jaja and Amaka end up rejecting their faith because it is inexorably linked to Papa and colonialism, respectively. Colonialism Colonialism is a complex topic in Nigeria. For Papa-Nnukwu, colonialism is an evil force that enslaved the Igbo people and eradicated his traditions. For Papa, colonialism is responsible for his access to higher education and grace. For Father Amadi, it has resulted in his faith but he sees no reason that the old and new ways can’t coexist. Father Amadi represents modern Nigeria in the global world. Papa is a product of a colonialist education. He was schooled by missionaries and studied in English. The wisdom he takes back to Nigeria is largely informed by those who have colonized his country. He abandons the traditions of his ancestors and chooses to speak primarily in British-accented English in public. His large estate is filled with western luxuries like satellite TV and music. Amaka assumes that Kambili follows American pop stars while she listens to musicians who embrace their African heritage. But the trappings of Papa’s success are hollow. The children are not allowed to watch television. His home, modernized up to Western standards, is for appearances only. There is emptiness in his home just as his accent is falsified in front of whites. Over the course of the novel, both Kambili and Jaja must come to terms with the lingering after-effects of colonialism in their own lives. They both adjust to life outside their father’s grasp by embracing or accepting traditional ways. Nigerian Politics Both Kambili and the nation are on the cusp of dramatic changes. The political climate of Nigeria and the internal drama of the Achike family are intertwined. After Nigeria declared independence from Britain in 1960, a cycle of violent coups and military dictatorship led to civil war, which led to a new cycle of bloody unrest. Even democracy is hindered by the wide-spread corruption in the government. In Purple Hibiscus, there is a coup that culminates in military rule. Papa and his paper, the Standard, are critical of the corruption that is ushered in by a leader who is not elected by the people. Ironically, Papa is a self-righteous dictator in his own home. He is wrathful towards his children when they stray from his chosen path for them. In the wake of Ade Coker’s death, Papa beats Kambili so severely she is hospitalized in critical condition. Both in Nigeria and in the home, violence begets violence. Kambili and Jaja are kept away from the unrest at first. They witness protests, deadly roadblocks, and harassment from the safety of their car. But when they arrive in Nsukka, they are thrust into political debate. Obiora says the university is a microcosm for Nigeria – ruled by one man with all the power. Pay has been withheld from the professors and light and power are shut off frequently. Medical workers and technicians go on strike and food prices rise. There are rumors that the sole administrator is misdirecting funds intended for the university. This is a parallel to what is happening in the country at large. Kambili and Jaja now understand firsthand the struggle of their cousins. The personal becomes political, and vice versa. Silence Several characters are gripped with silence throughout the novel. Kambili suffers the most, unable to speak more than rehearsed platitudes without stuttering or coughing. Her silence is a product of the abuse that she endures at the hands of her father. Kambili does not allow herself to tell the truth about her situation at home. When her classmates taunt her for being a backyard snob, she does not explain that she does not socialize out of fear. She is not allowed to dally after school lest she be late and beaten. She finally learns how to speak her mind when she is taunted continuously be her cousin Amaka. Aunty Ifeoma encourages her to defend herself and only then can Amaka and Kambili begin their friendship. Kambili begins to speak more confidently, laugh and even sing. The titles of the second and fourth section are Speaking With Our Spirits and A Different Silence. Kambili and Jaja communicate through their eyes, not able to utter the ugly truth of their situation. Mama, like her daughter, cannot speak freely in her own home. Only with Aunty Ifeoma can she behave authentically. The silence that falls upon Enugu after Papa is murdered is, as the title suggests, different. There is hopelessness to this silence like the one that existed when Papa was alive. But it is an honest silence. Mama and Kambili know the truth and there is nothing more that can be said. Jaja’s silence betrays a hardness that has taken hold of him in prison. There is nothing he can say that will end the torment he experiences. The tapes that Aunty Ifeoma sends with her children’s voices are the only respite he has. Silence is also used as punishment. When Kambili and Jaja arrive in Nsukka for Easter, Jaja refuses to speak to his father when he calls. After the years of silence that he has imposed upon his children, they use it as a weapon against him. The government also silences Ade Coker by murdering him after he prints a damning story in the Standard. When soldiers raid Aunty Ifeoma’s flat, they are trying to silence her sympathies with the rioting students through intimidation. Silence is a type of violence. Domestic Violence On several occasions, Papa beats his wife and children. Each time, he is provoked by an action that he deems immoral. When Mama does not want to visit with Father Benedict because she is ill, Papa beats her and she miscarries. When Kambili and Jaja share a home with a heathen, boiling water is poured on their feet because they have walked in sin. For owning a painting of Papa-Nnukwu, Kambili is kicked until she is hospitalized. Papa rationalizes the violence he inflicts on his family, saying it is for their own good. The beatings have rendered his children mute. Kambili and Jaja are both wise beyond their years and also not allowed to reach adulthood, as maturity often comes with questioning authority. When Ade Coker jokes that his children are too quiet, Papa does not laugh. They have a fear of God. Really, Kambili and Jaja are afraid of their father. Beating them has the opposite effect. They choose the right path because they are afraid of the repercussions. They are not encouraged to grow and to succeed, only threatened with failure when they do not. This takes a toll on Jaja especially, who is ashamed that he is so far behind Obiora in both intelligence and protecting his family. He ends up equating religion with punishment and rejects his faith. There is an underlying sexism at work in the abuse. When Mama tells Kambili she is pregnant, she mentions that she miscarried several times after Kambili was born. Within the narrative of the novel, Mama loses two pregnancies at Papa’s hands. The other miscarriages may have been caused by these beatings as well. When she miscarries, Papa makes the children say special novenas for their mother’s forgiveness. Even though he is to blame, he insinuates it is Mama’s fault. Mama believes that she cannot exist outside of her marriage. She dismisses Aunty Ifeoma’s ideas that life begins after marriage as â€Å"university talk.† Mama has not been liberated and withstands the abuse because she believes it is just. Ultimately, she poisons Papa because she can see no other way out. The abuse has repressed her to the point that she must resort to murder to escape. Nature/Environment The book’s namesake flower is a representation of freedom and hope. Jaja is drawn to the unusual purple hibiscus, bred by a botanist friend of Aunty Ifeoma. Aunty Ifeoma has created something new by bringing the natural world together with intelligence. For Jaja, the flower is hope that something new can be created. He longs to break free of his Papa’s rule. He takes a stalk of the purple hibiscus home with him, and plants it in their garden. He also takes home the insight he learns from Nsukka. As both blossom, so too do Jaja and his rebellion. Kambili’s shifting attitudes toward nature signify her stage of transformation. During one of the first times she showers at Nsukka, Kambili finds an earthworm in the tub. Rather than coexisting with it, she removes it to the toilet. When Father Amadi takes her to have her hair plaited, she watches a determined snail repeatedly crawl out of a basket. She identifies with the snail as she has tried to crawl out of Enugu and her fate. Later, when she bathes with water scented with the sky, she leaves the worm alone. She acknowledges that God can be found anywhere and she appreciates its determination. In the opening of the book, Kambili daydreams while looking at the several fruit and flower trees in her yard. This same yard, a signifier of wealth, leaves her open for taunts of â€Å"snob† at school. But here she fixates on the beauty of the trees. When she returns from Nsukka after her mother has miscarried, Kambili is sickened by the rotting tree fruit. The rot symbolizes the sickness in the Achike household but also that Kambili is seeing her home with new eyes. Like the trees, she is trapped behind tall walls. Weather also plays a role in the novel. When Ade Coker dies, there are heavy rains. After Palm Sunday, a violent wind uproots several trees and makes the satellite dish crash to the ground. Rain and wind reflect the drama that unfolds in the Achikes’ lives. Mama tells Kambili that a mixture of rain and sun is God’s indecision on what to bring. Just as there can be both rain and sun at the same time, there are good and evil intertwined. In nature, Kambili gleans that there are no absolutes. Papa is neither all good or all bad, her faith does not have to be either Catholic or traditionalist, and she can challenge her parents while still being a good child. * 1-310-919-0950 * Log In | * Sign Up * 1) Five major issues explored in purple hibiscus are; domestic violence, oppression, religion, education and love. 2a) Adichie uses a narrative point of view to explore the theme of domestic violence. The book is narrated in the first person by a 15 year old who is directly affected by domestic violence. Because of her young age she is quiet honest and this allows her to paint a great picture to the audience of the brutal abuse that Eugene bestows upon his family. This is as a result of her sensitive, intelligent and observant nature. 2b) Oppression is explored through narrative point of view. Adichie uses the point of view of Kambili to show the audience how oppressed the country is not only in the Achike household but the whole of Nigeria. Again Kambili’s honesty and good descriptions help to give the readers an idea as of how oppressed the country and Eugene’s household really is. 2c) Adichie uses narrative point of view to explore the theme of religion. She uses this because Kambili the narrator is exposed to different kinds of religion, such as, fanatic Catholics, liberated Catholics and Traditionalists. Again, it is Kambili’s observant nature that helps to give the readers a good idea of what all of the practices are like. Kambili’s narration is also used to show the great impact that religion has on life. 2d) Education is also explored through narration. In the narration Kambili has an encounter with her father and Kambili’s father’s past gives us an idea of how important he thinks education is. 2e) Love is also explored through narration. Although Kambili is a 15 year old through her narration we are able to see that she loves father Amadi. The love however is immature in because they have known each other for a very short time. Although the love narrated is not very mature it is still love. Adichie uses narration to show the audience that Kambili is in love and Adichie uses her narration to give us some hints of this love. 3a) Adichie bring out†¦ [continues]

How did Technology connected our modern society together (such as Research Paper

How did Technology connected our modern society together (such as Iphone) - Research Paper Example This paper casts light upon the fact that IT has removed the distance barriers and the world is converging to a common culture. This is mainly the culture introduced by IT products which are used all over the world. It is interesting to mention that many of these products are outcome of combined efforts of experts from various countries of the world. An example is iPhone. It is the superb invention of the modern age which has connected the entire world in a unique way. iPhone is the invention of Apple Computers, a well known brand in the field of computer technologies. It is a smart phone which contains uncountable features in it. iPhone is based on advanced technology. The idea was conceived by Steve Jobs (Imbimbo 6); it was materialised by Apple Computers, which is located in California, USA. Apple Computers required certain other gadgets for its production, like the mini size camera, handsets, display screen, sound system, special software and many other things. Apple Computers invited the participation of many other business entities to design this wonderful product. Finally, the display screen was imported by Japan or Korea. The final product was assembled in China and was launched for sale in the global market. The credit for inventing this beautiful product is given to Apple Computers for conceiving its idea, but they also have given due credit to all the countries and companies from which they imported the material. It is because the idea of iPhone was materialised with the help of the gadgets imported from the various domains. iPhone is an amazing product which has captured huge market all over the world. It attracted youngsters as well as businessmen. This product is unique in the sense that its target market encompasses various groups and people of many professions. It is not the need yet it is felt no less important than the basic tool nowadays.

The Increasingly Changing Immigration Policies Research Paper

The Increasingly Changing Immigration Policies - Research Paper Example The ‘Geneva Convention’ provided refuge to millions of Refugees in the post world war period until the Cold War of the 1980s and it set the basis of immigration policies and laws in most of the countries. But in the post-Cold War period till today it has been faced with a number of issues and as a result of a number of member states especially the European countries have begun straying away from the basic policy, in order to block the huge flow of migrants every year due to the insufficiencies of the convention. It is an undeniable fact that the ‘Geneva Convention’ was the foundation of the Refugee protection regime and was the one truly universal instrument that gave basic principles on which the international protection of Refugees was built. But the essence of disapproval of the 1951 UN Refugee Convention is that it is archaic. The treaty was formulated in and for a specific era. While Western countries' refuge structures might have managed well enough un til the end of the Cold War, they were not intended to counter the current mass refugee outflows and migratory activities. The United Kingdom had a long custom of migration. Due to its ownership of a large number of colonies all over the world, the UK has been the centre for asylum seeker, working immigrants and refugees. Despite the huge influx of refugees in the UK even in the post-cold war period, the policy system was rather reactive in nature and a decentralized approach was maintained to the refugee issue until 1993. Politicization of the migration policies in most of the European countries since 1970s was rather less intensified in the UK’s case.

Greek Civilization Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Greek Civilization - Assignment Example The major thinkers that have existed in this world have roots in ancient Greece. The civilization of the Greeks grew in small city-states (Montgomery, para 4). An individual city-state was made up of a town which was surrounded by many other villages. There was a lot of farmland from where town residents could get their food. Many of the small city-states of the Greek civilization had a lot of rivalries; they were characterized by constant fighting. It is, however, important to note that the citizens of particular city states were very patriotic and took a keen interest in affairs of their states. Among those many city states, two of them were most significant; the Sparta state and the Athens state. These cities are known to have been the first to establish mature democracies. It was difficult for these states to form a single united nation(Montgomery, para 13-17,). However, a few things bound them together; their language was common, religion and cultural practices played this important role. This gave the ancient Greeks a feeling that they were totally different people compared to others whom they tagged as barbarians. Ancient Greek civilization is much attributed to its formidable political structures as well as geographical location. These two factors placed it in a strategic position which accelerated its growth and development. Geographical factors were the prime reason for its growth, compared to other near eastern civilizations, the Greek civilization existed between several ranges of mountain ranges.

Local Police Response to Terrorism Research Paper

Local Police Response to Terrorism - Research Paper Example It is quite clear that the national security agencies cannot work alone in the fight against terrorism. Hence the situation requires team work among the private and public agencies; most importantly along with the local police. All of them must work in tandem to ensure the security of the country. Getting back to the role of local police it is to be said that local police can definitely identify probable terrorists operating or living in the respective jurisdictions and thus coordinate with the other agencies to prevent or even to respond to terror attacks. However, such responsibilities are of extreme significance and may lead to increase in the work load of the police of force, which to be honest is already quite hectic (Jongman, 2005). The present study looks to analyze the importance of the role of the local police in the fight against terrorism. During the course of the study various aspects such as the effect of political, economic and social changes on the law enforcement agen cies including local police; importance of partnership among local communities and local police along with other critical issues such as related to the role of the local police in the battle against terror has been analyzed. ... It has also been claimed by both of them that this role not much different in the role that the authorities play in case of the fight against local crimes. It has also been argued that counter terrorism should be added into the everyday departments. This should be inducted in to the agendas of every meeting. The officers should be communicated and trained regarding the new role to ensure that the prevention against terrorism becomes a part of the daily thought process and routine. However, things are easier said than done. It is needless to discuss that terrorist attacks are quite rare events. Terrorist attacks would not occur as frequently as a homicide or robbery or theft (Miller and Braswell, 2010). The arguments posted by Researchers are absolutely right and has to be agreed. However, the next question that comes to mind would be: What can the local police actually do? One mat say that the local police can collect intelligence about probable terrorism activities; ensure the prote ction of seemingly vulnerable targets are protected; and there would also be the most obvious response, i.e. the local police should always be in a position to respond to any kind of attack. The last topic is quite controversial and hence in the best interest of the research it has been avoided and hence the first two tasks would be discussed. Such an approach is of great significance because if the phrase prevention is better that cure had to come true then it would be for the battle against terrorism. It is needless to discuss about the devastation of terrorist attacks and hence the prime focus should be on avoiding such disasters rather than any other crime such as murder of robbery, where the main focus would be to ensure that the criminal(s)

Chimestry Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chimestry - Lab Report Example This is an indication of corrosion in the given metal. This experiment’s main purpose is the determination of the properties of metals and to find out the corrosive effect on metals. The properties of the metals, iron, brass and copper, were compared. This involved comparing the conductivity of both iron and copper, Hardiness, and brittleness. The observations were made and recorded. In testing for conductivity, the metals were heated and time taken to heat up observed. In comparing for brittleness, the wires of the respective metals wire bent and the number of times the wire was bent before breaking observed. Comparison of the hardiness between copper and iron resulted in iron being harder than copper. On comparing the hardiness between copper and brass, it was found that brass is harder than copper. Also, it was found that alloys of these metals are harder as compared to the pure metals. Copper has a higher conductivity as compared to iron and brass. This is due to the fact that copper contains a large number of de – localized electrons. These electrons move freely and as a result facilitate the conductivity process. From the experiment, it’s clear that iron is harder than copper. This is due to the strong covalent bonds which exists between the iron molecules making it to be harder than copper. Comparing the two pure metals with its alloys resulted in the alloys being harder than the metals. On brittleness, iron was found to be more brittle than copper. It can be concluded that copper has high conductivity as compared to iron, copper is more corrosion resistance than iron and iron is more brittle than copper. The alloys of the metals have enhanced properties as compared to the pure metals. Finally, Copper was found to be corrosive resistant as compared to iron and

Revenue Recognition and Lucent Technologies, Inc Essay

Revenue Recognition and Lucent Technologies, Inc - Essay Example In the case of Lucent Technologies, Inc. ("Lucent"), the recognition policies proved to be unfortunate in light of the SEC action against them. Generally, one of the most reliable methods for revenue recognition is the critical event basis. When a critical event takes place within the operating cycle, such as a final sale, there are few questions regarding the recognition of the revenue. This more conservative method is "justified because the price of the product is then known with certainty; the exchange has been finalized by delivery of goods, leading to an objective knowledge of the costs incurred" which allows the revenue from the transaction to be accurately recorded (Riahi-Belkaoui 45). This results in a faithful representation of the company's underlying financial condition because it is unbiased and verifiable. In terms of relevance of the information, the company may take the position that, since investors use the data to make decisions regarding timely investments, they should be given information that presents the company in the best possible light. This approach can result in more aggressive methods, like the on es used by Lucent, via a scheme of issuing credits to recognize revenue as soon as possible. ... Revenue should be recognized at the final sale. In the case of Lucent, the company's actions demonstrate the worst aspects of ignoring conservative revenue recognition. They chose to use any means necessary to present investors with a positive picture. Lucent's management decided that it was more important to show higher levels of income than engage in a faithful representation of true financial condition. The problem for Lucent was that investors were relying on the overstated revenues as a basis for owning the company's shares, and when the true revenue numbers were revealed, the stock lost over five percent of its value. Management's decision to massage the numbers toward the higher revenue representation was a poor one. This case demonstrates the down-side of tampering with information to meet sales goals so that investors will be please. It is far better to use a reliable methodology. Lucent's aggressive revenue recognition policies ultimately hurt the company because they were dishonest and biased. When a vendor has an ownership interest in a customer, it is easier to engage in these practices. By using the leverage of customer ownership, Lucent could claim the revenues it originally reported while knowing that renegotiated terms would result in subsequent credits against that revenue. The issue is one of control. Rising to the level of collusion, Lucent could over-ship to its partner/customers, show the gross revenue on its financials, and then control the final customer cost through credits. The failure to book the impending credits, when management knew that such reporting would temporarily meet the sales targets but ultimately result in reduced revenues, was

The management of organisational culture is central to contemporary Essay

The management of organisational culture is central to contemporary management ideas and practices - Essay Example â€Å"American management had been preoccupied by rational and systematic aspects of management like organizational structures and strategies whereas Japanese companies had a more holistic approach which included attention to people’s skills and management styles† (Grey, 2009, p.65). Along with the changes happening in the life styles, attitudes and philosophies of people, organizational culture is also undergoing constant changes. Scientific and technological advancements contributed heavily in rewriting some of the traditional and established organizational principles. The introduction of internet and computers has revolutionized the organizational world and the concept of business has changed a lot because of that. Organizational communication strategies underwent drastic changes because of computers, internet and mobile phones. Current organizations realized the importance of a healthy organizational environment for the better productivity of the organization. New techniques like teamwork, outsourcing, offshoring etc like business strategies have gained prominence in the current organizational world in place of the traditional concepts like individual work, insourcing etc. Moreover, current organizations are more particular about doing something for the comm unity in which it operates and also for environmental protection in order to demonstrate their corporate social responsibilities. This paper briefly analyses the current organizational culture existing in the global organizational world. Musacco Ph.D (2009) has pointed out that â€Å"harassment, mobbing, bullying, and emotional abuses are common at the workplaces which resulted in increased fear and minimal trust between workers† (Musacco Ph.D, 2009, p.2). It is difficult for an organization to progress rapidly if the environment does not provide the necessary atmosphere. Most of

Effect of Employee Satisfaction of Driving Customer Satisfaction Essay Example for Free

Effect of Employee Satisfaction of Driving Customer Satisfaction Essay Its common sense when people feel great about the place where they work†¦ they provide better customer service Dick Clark, Group leader of Financial services at Monsanto Customer satisfaction is the main aim of every organization running a business everywhere. Various level managers consider the importance of customer satisfaction and try to pass this issue to the lower levels that have direct contact with the customers. Those front-line employees should be satisfied themselves in order to deliver customer value. (bulgarella, 2005). Some researchers and business pioneers went further to include employees as internal customers whom they seek to satisfy their needs in order to make sure that they will do the same with the external customers (Harrison, 2003) and this highlights the direction towards the study on the employee satisfaction and its factors. In Egypt, employee satisfaction should be one of the most highlighted topics in every business field and should gain wider interest day after day. The emphasis on these kinds of studies will help improve the service standards and, consequently, raises the satisfaction levels of employees and external customers of any organization. From this perspective, the researchers decided to investigate the sense of career development and its effect on employee satisfaction (Research1 or R1). The second part of the research will be devoted to measure the effect of employee satisfaction on delivering customer satisfaction (Research2 or R2). The main research questions are designed as: Q1: How can the sense of career development affect employee satisfaction? Q2: what is the effect of employee satisfaction on customer satisfaction? Hypotheses: H1: Sense of career development has an effect on employee satisfaction. * Components of career development on this research paper are: * Quality of Employees ‘Lives. * Social and economic contribution to society. H2: sense of employee satisfactions affects Customer satisfaction. R1: The relation between sense of career development and employee satisfaction. When the researchers decided to define employee satisfaction, they called back the definition of the word satisfaction from the dictionary and it was found as gratification of an appetite and pleasure (Wilson Learning, 2006). Satisfaction researchers can never ignore Maslows human satisfaction pyramid that starts with physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, self-esteem and self-actualization needs (Parvin, 2011) Scholars vary in their definitions to employee satisfaction; Reilly defines job satisfaction as the feeling that a worker has about his job or a general attitude towards work or a job and it is influenced by the perception of one’s job. (C.R.Reilly, 1991). Some employee-satisfaction theories depends mainly on the individual factor or the employee himself; employees objectives, age, social status, gender and education level have the major impact on determining the degree of his satisfaction and loyalty in his job (Ann, 1992) while others, such as Alan Witt, go in deeper analysis to study Fit or Lack of Fit or the Want-Have Dilemma between the employees requirements and the organizational offerings (Ann, 1992) Papers agree on a main drive for employee satisfaction in any organization; employers must work on enhancing the sense of career development for their employees. However, career development itself is a broad concept that needs to be clarified. Sears defined career development as the total group of physiological, sociological, educational, physical and economic factors that direct the individuals career (Patton McMahon, 2006). This definition classifies the components career development to: 1. Physiological component 2. Sociological component 3. Educational component 4. Physical component 5. Economic component When going to a deeper practical definition, Careers England, one of the most recognized organizations in career guidance industry that has a wide variety of partnerships with various associations (Careers England, 2012), defined career development as follows: Career development is the lifelong process of managing progression in learning and work. The quality of this process significantly determines the nature and quality of individuals’ lives: the kind of people they become, the sense of purpose they have, the income at their disposal. It also determines the social and economic contribution they make to the communities and societies of which they are part (Careers England, 2012) This definition analysis Career Development terminology to the following components * Quality of individuals lives * Social and economic contribution to society When linking both definitions together, the researchers can identify the main components of career development to two main categories 1. Quality of individual lives: a. Salary paid to employees b. working conditions c. physiological and safety needs d. the purpose they have 2. Contribution to society * Achievements and contribution to society economically and socially R2: the relation between employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction. To measure the degree of employee satisfactions effect on customer satisfaction, the meaning of customer satisfaction should be clear for the researches and the readers; A comprehensive definition of customer satisfaction in terms of pleasurable fulfillment is given by Oliver (1997): â€Å"satisfaction is the consumer’s fulfillment response. It is a judgment that a product or service feature, or the product or service itself, providing (or is providing) a pleasurable level of consumption-related fulfillment, including under or over fulfillment† (Siskos, 2010) According to an exhaustive review of Yi (1991), customer satisfaction may be defined into 2 basic ways: either as an outcome, or as a process: 1- The first approach defines satisfaction as a final situation or as an end-state resulting from the consumption experience. 2- The second approach emphasizes the perceptual, evaluative and psychological process that contributes to satisfaction. (Siskos, 2010) (R2) will try to measure the degree of dependence of both factors on each other through surveys with employees and customers. Bibliography Ann, M. (1992). A STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP. SOUTHWEST TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY, Political Science. Texas: The Digital Library. attia, s. (2008). Healthcare quality and moder. emerald insight, 3. bulgarella, C. (2005). Employee Satisfaction Customer Satisfaction. Guide Star rerearch. C.R.Reilly. (1991). Organizational Behavior. Annual Review of Psychology, pp. 427- 458. Careers England. (2012). MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT. Careers England. Careers England. Careers England. (2012). Why Career Development Matters. 1. Harrison, C. (2003, 11). Turning Customer Service Inside Out! Retrieved 10 1, 2012, from expressionsofexcellence.com: http://www.expressionsofexcellence.com/ARTICLES/InsideCS.html Parvin, M. (2011, December). FACTORS AFFECTING EMPLOYEE JOB SATISFACTION OF PHARMACEUTICAL SECTOR. Australian Journal of Business and Management Research, 1, 115. Patton, W., McMahon, M. (2006). Career Development and Systems Theory. QueensLand university, Faculty of Education. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. Siskos, E. G. (2010). Customer Satisfaction Evaluation. Greece: Springer Science+Business Media. Wilson Learning. (2006). Redefining employee satisfaction: business performance, employee fullfilment and leadership practices. Edina: Wilson Learning Inc.

The evolution of Guerilla marketing

The evolution of Guerilla marketing The aim of this research proposal is to critically evaluate how Guerrilla Marketing has evolved to cope with the ever diversifying marketing environment in the current economic recession. This proposal will analyse the effects that the recession has had on Guerrilla Marketing and its applications within the marketing community. The project will deal specifically with the topic of Guerrilla Marketing and how it has evolved to cope with the diversifying marketing environment in the current economic recession, so there must be a series of objectives that will demonstrate how best to achieve the projects aim. Through this research: the effects of the recession on marketing and its trends will be evaluated. the issue of Guerrilla Marketing increasing in its applications naturally over time will be considered Or whether it has increased in correlation to recession and the effects that it has brought to the marketing community will be investigated The extent to which Guerrilla Marketing has or has not replaced existing or more traditional techniques in the current economic climate will be explored. Saunders comments that research objectives are more generally acceptable to the research community as evidence of the researchers clear sense of purpose and direction. (Saunders, Lewis Thornhill 2009) This will be achieved through a demonstration of why the research is important and has to be conducted. The Literature Review will provide an awareness of preceding literature, a critical review of the literature concerning Guerrilla Marketing in the recession and the key issues arising from these works regarding the aim of the proposal. The Research Methodology will identify how best to conduct the research itself, whether it be through primary or secondary research and how best to analyse and interpret the results. The Proposed Time Scale will detail a timetable for conducting all aspects of the research proposal and project. From this it hoped that there will be a better understanding of how the current economic recession has impacted on the evolution of Guerrilla Marketing, whether it has had to evolve at a faster rate in order to combat the ever changing marketing environment and whether possible changes in marketing budgets that companies have available have had a direct impact on this. Through the implementation of the objectives stated previously, this should be an achievable research project. Importance of the Research Jay Conrad Levinson is widely regarded as the father of Guerrilla Marketing. He has written several books on the topic. He is a former Vice President and Creative Director at J. Walter Thompson Advertising and Leo Burnett Advertising. He is also the chairman of Guerrilla Marketing International. Guerrilla Marketing is defined as Tactics available to every small firm to compete with bigger firms by carving out narrow, profitable niches. These tactics include: 1) extreme specialisation, 2) aiming every effort at favourably impressing the customers, 3) providing service that goes beyond the customers expectation, 4) fast response time, 5) quick turnaround of jobs, and 6) working hours that match the customers requirements. (Business Dictionary 2009) With the tough economic climate, companies are increasingly having to use more cost effective marketing techniques to stay ahead of the competition. This research will expand upon Levinsons previous work and relate the applications and evolution of Guerrilla Marketing to a marketing environment in a recession. Significant Prior Research/ Literature Review The review of the literature on significant prior research is crucial when carrying out a research proposal. In this case, it is important to be aware of studies or research that have been carried out previously on the topic of the evolution of Guerrilla Marketing to cope with the ever diversifying marketing environment in the current economic recession. The analysis of the literature will show that people may support or disprove a particular theory or hypothesis. It is essential in the literature review to be critical, as an argument cannot be made if it just supports one standpoint. It must therefore reflect all sides and aspects of the research topic. The choice of literature to be reviewed is extremely important. It is crucial that all the sources referenced are relevant to the topic area and that they are of suitable academic standard. Several sources of previous literature will now be examined. Guerrilla Marketing During Tough Times is written by famed Guerrilla Marketing author Jay Conrad Levinson. The book is directed at business owners. This book has particular importance as it demonstrates the need for Guerrilla Marketing in increasingly tough economic environments. It comments on the need for there to be better creativity in marketing in times when there are stricter restraints on time and budgets for marketing. He comments that the guerrilla lives by different rules during tough economic times than during boom times. The guerrilla attacks when the competition retreats and the attack is concentrated where the guerrilla offers specific service or product advantages. Levinson goes onto say that retreating companies leave a void in the market, which is an ideal niche for guerrilla marketing companies. (Levinson 2006) Levinson further highlights the necessity for distinction and making the marketing unique. This book is of significance due to the importance Levinson places on being able to market in a way that is more cost effective and time sensitive than competitors. This is all made relevant to the increasingly tough economic climate he comments on which is at the heart of this research proposal. Guerrilla Marketing Easy and Inexpensive Strategies for Making Big Profits From Your Small Business is another book from Jay Conrad Levinson. This is a significant piece of literature as it highlights in great detail how Guerrilla Marketing has evolved. The book was published in 2007 and is a seminal piece in the analysis of how Guerrilla Marketing has evolved in the 21st century in relation to traditional marketing methods. The book highlights how in the current economy Guerrilla Marketing combats smarter and more sophisticated competition. (Levinson, Levinson Levinson 2007) It details how to develop a Guerrilla Marketing plan to best deal with competitors. He further highlights the need for innovation and how Guerrilla Marketing has evolved on an ad-hoc basis through various new media such as the internet. This text supports his literature mentioned previously and is central to the aims and objectives of this proposal. Even More Offensive Marketing by Hugh Davidson provides a basis for how marketing strategies have evolved over time. It stresses the need for there to be constant innovation in marketing. Davidson comments that Offensive Marketing requires a dedication to both strategy and planning. (Davidson 1997) This book details how Guerrilla Marketing has evolved out of necessity in order for marketers to be pioneering and ahead of the competition. Although the book makes no direct reference to Guerrilla Marketing, it does provide the foundation for how it has come to play such an important role in current marketing strategies and shows the need for constant innovation in marketing. Ethnography for Marketers is a journal article from Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal. This journal is a significant piece of literature as it describes how marketers have become increasingly more reliant upon Guerrilla Marketing techniques through methods such as Ethnography Marketing. It details how the marketing community is increasingly having to adopt new techniques to cope with an ever changing marketing environment. (Desai 2008) Guerrilla marketing is a journal article written by Andrew Ashwin. It is a relevant source for the proposal as Ashwin highlights the fact that guerrilla marketing is an unconventional approach to marketing and has become increasingly popular over recent years. He highlights the link between it and the fact that there are somewhat limited marketing budgets for companies, particular smaller ones. This will draw upon the evolution of Guerrilla Marketing into the recession. (Ashwin 2006) Guerrilla marketing for information services is a journal article from Guido Baltes and Isabell Leibing. The article describes how Guerrilla Marketing is an unconventional strategy. It details major differences in it from traditional marketing methods, such as cost effectiveness and the applications of Guerrilla Marketing towards information services which as time moves further into the 21st century, becomes increasingly more important. (Baltes, Leibing 2008) The IPA Bellwether Summary 2009 from WARC provides up to third quarter information on marketing budgets for the 300 biggest UK companies, it gives reference to the market break down as well. This is a very good source of information. (Whiteside 2009a) Hairy need not apply is a scholars article from Marketing Research which shows the practical applications of Guerrilla Marketing in the current economic climate. The article gives information on a campaign by Air New Zealand that used a Guerrilla Marketing technique in order to speed up queues at check-in order to reduce the layover time in airports, which would make the airline more cost effective. (Grapentine 2009) In order for the literature review to be comprehensive and critical of all aspects of the aims and objectives, other sources of literature that may conflict or appear critical to the literature already listed must be examined. Essentials of Marketing by Jim Blythe is a book of relevance to this research proposal as it describes the essential aspects of marketing. Blythe goes into detail regarding the marketing environment in which companies operate through methods such as SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) and PEST (Political, Economic, Social and Technological) analysis. (Blythe 2008) This provides a comprehensive account of the factors that may affect or influence which particular style of marketing companies may adopt in light of the economic recession. An example of this would include the Political and Economic effects the recession will have on the evolution or use of Guerrilla Marketing as a marketing strategy. Through the various forms of analysis Blythe can be critical of the evolution of Guerrilla Marketing. Levinsons message behind Guerrilla Marketing is about crushing the potential impact of competition by staying ahead of the competition, yet Blythe comments that there should be more cooperation and not as much fighting between competitors which is contrary to the previous literature from Levinson. Marketing Strategy and Competitive Positioning by Graham Hooley et al. is a book that is not essentially critical of the increasing use of Guerrilla Marketing as a weapon for marketers in the recession, but rather highlights alternative confrontation marketing strategies. The alternative strategies include Frontal Attack, Flanking Attack, Encirclement Attack and Bypass Strategy. (Hooley, Saunders Piercy 2004) This source is of relevance as it serves to demonstrate that Guerrilla Marketing strategies are not the only option for marketers who wish to have a high impact campaign and that there may not be a direct correlation between the evolution of Guerrilla Marketing and the recession. All the literature that has been mentioned is of direct relevance and importance to the research proposal and the aims and objectives of the report. Research Methodology This section of the research proposal is very important as it indicates how the research on the topic (A critical evaluation of how Guerrilla Marketing has evolved to cope with the ever diversifying marketing environment in the current economic recession) will be carried out. The approach adopted to the research focuses on the aims and objectives. The amount and type of data collected and through what means, will be described and its relevance to the topic clarified. The methodology provides the avenue through which results can be analysed and interpreted. Phase 1 The first phase of the methodology is to conduct a literature review. The literature review shows what prior research has or has not been carried out. It shows the extent to which research has been carried out and will help to formulate a structure for the collection and analysis of data, whether it be primary or secondary sources of data. The literature review was carried out previously, there are several seminal pieces of literature that are of specific importance to the research. Levinson has written several books on Guerrilla Marketing. He makes particular reference to the diversifying nature of the marketing environment and how Guerrilla Marketing is used as a method for attracting and keeping customers. Several other sources mentioned highlight the practical application Guerrilla Marketing with particular reference to the effect of recession and the effects it is having upon existing or traditional marketing trends. However in order for the literature review to be objective, sources have been examined that are critical of the standpoints taken by Levinson and other authors in regard to Guerrilla Marketing. The nature of this research will be inductive as it will provide the basis to fulfil the aims and objectives of the research project. The nature of the research topic is such that no clear hypothesis can be made. The data will be collected and examined and patterns will be sought within the data. The inductive approach will allow for the adoption of different research techniques that will enable the research to cater for the restrictions on time, access to information and types of analysis used to interpret the results. (Saunders, Lewis Thornhill 2009) The research onion below can help to show which research strategies will be used and why. (Saunders, Lewis Thornhill 2009) (Saunders, Lewis Thornhill 2009, Saunders, Lewis Thornhill 2009, Levinson, Levinson Levinson 2007) Phase 2 In order to fully understand the research project and make it accurate, the proposal must centre on the questions that need answered and the objectives of the research. The aims and objectives are essentially the research question: The research project will deal specifically with the topic of Guerrilla Marketing and how it has evolved to cope with the diversifying marketing environment in the current economic recession. So in order to fulfil the aim of this project there must be a series of objectives that will demonstrate how best to go about achieving the aims. Through this research an evaluation of the effects of the recession in marketing and its trends will examined. Has Guerrilla Marketing increased in its applications naturally over time? Or has it increased in correlation to recession and the effects that it has brought to the marketing community. The examination of the extent to which Guerrilla Marketing has or has not replaced existing or more traditional techniques in the current economic climate. Therefore the design of the research to be carried out must reflect the type of data that will be collected and how the results will be analysed and interpreted. Extracting the right answers lies in the design approach. (Jankowicz 2005) This research will be an exploratory study of the evaluation of how Guerrilla Marketing has evolved to cope with the ever diversifying marketing environment in the current economic recession. Adams and Schvaneveldt comment that exploratory research can be likened to the activities of the explorer or traveller. The major advantage with such an approach, is that it is flexible and adaptable to change. This research design allows for freedom to change direction in the light of new data or information that may appear. (Adams, Schvaneveldt 1991) Whilst the initial direction of the study may be broad, it will become narrower as the research process continues. Phase 3 The Research Strategy must address the aims and objectives of the proposal. The objectives of the proposal (below) will help to determine what level of secondary data must be analysed and interpreted in order to best show what type of primary data should be collected. Through this research an evaluation of the effects of the recession in marketing and its trends will examined. Has Guerrilla Marketing increased in its applications naturally over time? Or has it increased in correlation to recession and the effects that it has brought to the marketing community. The examination of the extent to which Guerrilla Marketing has or has not replaced existing or more traditional techniques in the current economic climate. In order to fulfil the aims and objectives of this research proposal, (Saunders, Lewis Thornhill 2009) comments that it is prudent to reanalyse data that has already been collected for some other purpose. This data is known as secondary data. Secondary data can include figures, reports and published work. With the nature of this study in relation to the recession, comparative data available from databases will be crucial. Secondary data has many advantages; the data is of high quality i.e. is peer reviewed, it can be comparative and longitudinal thus helping to show possible trends over an extended period of time. (Saunders, Lewis Thornhill 2009) The literature mentioned in the literature review will provide a foundation for the research. Several of the works relate directly to the evolution of Guerrilla Marketing. They are known as Documentary Secondary data. (Saunders, Lewis Thornhill 2009) The opinions and standpoints that scholars and experts take on the area of research play a huge role in the development and refinement of the research. The quality of the data that is analysed will have a huge bearing on the validity of the research. These literary sources will provide information on the evolution of Guerrilla Marketing against traditional marketing techniques. A Keynote report Direct Marketing 2009 is a very useful source of secondary data as it gives a large amount of information on the market size of the marketing industry, what sectors have been affected by the recession, how budgets have been altered and how trends have been affected by the recession. (Keynote 2009) Another Keynote report which is of great value to the research is Direct Marketing Services 2008. It gives the accounts filed for 3 years of marketing companies and agencies up to April 2007. This report will provide a lot of accurate and up to date information on marketing activities leading up to the recession. For companies to be included in the report they must generate 50% of their turnover from activities relating to the report and be of significant size within the industry. (Keynote 2008b) B2B Marketing 2008 from Keynote gives information on marketing trends and how B2B marketing compares to B2C marketing. This report will highlight possible trends that can be drawn from the research. (Keynote 2008a) The IPA Bellwether Report 2009 from WARC provides up to third quarter information on marketing budgets for the 300 biggest UK companies, it gives reference to the market breakdown as well. This is a very good piece of secondary data. This report will help in the drawing of conclusions from the research. (Whiteside 2009a) Recession Marketing again from WARC provides a series of articles on Recession Innovation, Consumer Behaviour, Consumer Recovery, Better Budgeting and Plans for the Downturn. These articles give particular reference to the effects of the recession on marketing trends and the evolution of offensive marketing techniques. (Whiteside 2009b) The collection of secondary data within this study should ultimately lead to the collection of primary data. The collection of primary data will be achieved through interviews. But who will be interviewed, why and what topics will be covered in the interviews relative to the aims and objectives of the research? The importance of the interview is to gather qualitative information on the research topic. A qualitative interview is a term used for unstructured and or semi-structured interviews aimed at gathering qualitative data. Qualitative data is data that does not have a direct numerical value as it has not been quantified. (Saunders, Lewis Thornhill 2009) In order to gather information of the highest validity and reliability, a wide range of interviews will take place. With this in mind, the degree of access to possible interviewees plays a huge role in the interview selection. The sampling strategy for the interviews is very important. It will not be feasible to interview every marketing company within the UK or every company that has used Guerrilla Marketing within the UK. As such, the interview sample will be a non-probability sample. (Saunders, Lewis Thornhill 2009) This is because for the research to be of the highest possible validity and reliability the interviews will not be selected statistically. Since the sample must be reflective of the aims and objectives of the research, it will be a Purposive sample. (Saunders, Lewis Thornhill 2009) Two representatives from the Chartered Institute of Marketing have been contacted and are willing to give interviews. These representatives will give valuable insight into the developing trends within marketing. M2S Consultancy from Portadown will provide valuable insight into the area of B2B planning and marketing in Northern Ireland IAS Smarts is an advertising company that has carried out notable advertising campaigns within the non-profit sector in Northern Ireland A representative from Invest NI from will be able to provide data on the effects of offensive marketing strategies for companies in Northern Ireland and information on possible correlations within marketing in the recession Millward Brown, a marketing company in Northern Ireland that has a contract with Newtownabbey Borough Council, will provide valuable insight into the extent to which Guerrilla Marketing is a feasible marketing strategy for public sector organisations. A representative from The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising can provide valuable insight into whether the applications of Guerrilla Marketing have evolved naturally over time or in correlation to the recession. A representative from Virgin Atlantics marketing department can give information from the aspect of a company that has used Guerrilla Marketing techniques in previous campaigns . The extent to which the campaigns have been a success or failure will be relative to possible turnover figure and quarterly reports. The interviews will be non-standardised and semi-structured in format. (Saunders, Lewis Thornhill 2009) This format will allow for information on a wide a varying topic area to be gathered from participants who have wide ranging areas of expertise and can provide information covering the aims and objectives of the proposal. The semi-structured format will allow for the omission or inclusion of particular topics relative to each interviewee. The qualitative nature of the interviews will provide the ability to probe for in-depth information and gain a better understanding of the research collected previously from the secondary data. For the interviews to yield the best information a pilot of the interviews will be run with two representatives from the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a representative from the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising. From the pilot, feedback will be gathered and possible changes made to interview structures and topic areas covered before the fina l interviews are carried out. The interviews will cover a broad range of topics that are ethical to the research. The topics areas will allow for the interviewees to expand on topics depending on their particular area of expertise. The topics covered will be relative to the aims and objectives. Here is a broad outline of the topics to be covered: The extent of their involvement in marketing Their role within said organisation What the organisations role is The extent of their knowledge of Guerrilla Marketing and its applications Opinions on Guerrilla Marketing in the marketing community The evolution of marketing strategiesnaturally or as a correlation with the restrictions. The extent to which traditional marketing techniques have been replaced by Guerrilla Marketing The longevity of Guerrilla Marketing Strategies The extent to which it has helped said organisation Possible marketing strategies, post-recession The effect the recession has had on said organisation and what marketing strategies have been adopted. From this qualitative research it is hoped that a sufficient amount of data can be gathered, along with the secondary data, that results can be formulated and the aims and objectives of this inductive study can be met. Phase 4 The next phase of the methodology is the analysis and interpretation of the results using the data gathered previously. The structure and nature of the secondary sources is such that, it is hoped possible trends or correlations may appear. This research is based upon qualitative research and although it has no direct numerical value, the data still needs to be interpreted and understood. The first stage is then to transcribe the interviews. The interviews will be audio recorded and then word processed. The nature in which the interviews are going to take place will require that notes are taken on interviewee appearance, attitude and facial expressions when talking about certain topics relative to the study. As the research is following an inductive and exploratory approach it is not necessary to have clearly defined theoretical framework. Instead relationships can be identified between the data and hypothesis developed to test these. Theory emerges from the process of data collection and analysis. (Saunders, Lewis Thornhill 2009) (Saunders, Lewis Thornhill 2009) go on to highlight three main ways of grouping data: Categorisation of meanings The structure of meanings, using narration The condensation of meanings. Using the three types of data processing mentioned earlier along with analytic aids such as summaries or a researchers diary, this should enable the qualitative data to be reliable and valid. From the data there should be a comprehension of the results, an integration of related data drawn from different sources, key or recurring themes should be identified for further exploration, theories should be tested based on these patterns and conclusions drawn from the results gathered. (Saunders, Lewis Thornhill 2009) Timetable In order to conduct the research project to the highest possible standard a timetable for the completion of each stage of the research process is crucial. The timetable has to be realistic considering the amount of work to be completed, the amount of access to data and data processing. Week 1 4th January 2010 (1 week) Formulate Research Idea Week 2 11th February 2010 (1 week) Outline Aims and Objectives of Research Week 3 18th January 2010 (2 weeks) Literature Read Week 4 25th January 2010 Week 5 1st February 2010 (2 weeks) Start writing Literature Review Week 6 8th February 2010 Week 7 15th February 2010 (2 weeks) Collect Secondary and Primary Data Week 8 22nd February 2010 Week 9 1st March 2010 (2 weeks) Write up and Analysis of Data Week 10 8th March 2010 Week 11 15th March 2010 (1 week) Finish and submit draft for feedback Week 12 22nd March 2010 (1 week) Submit finished and corrected project The timetable should provide a rough outline for the completion of the project and will allow enough time to complete each section of the report.

The Mood in Funeral Blues by W.H. Auden Essay -- Poetry Analysis

The Mood in Funeral Blues by W.H. Auden The poem, "Funeral Blues", by W.H. Auden tells about a person's grief and is successful in creating a very sad and depressing mood. This is achieved by the poet's use of language, word choice and sentence structure. The way in which the author describes his feeling - along with the use of rhythm and rhyme - was created in a very effective way which made it clear to the reader. In the first stanza the depressing mood is created straight away by the poet's use of commands, which created the impression that he wanted the whole world to come to a stand still: "Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone, Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone" These particular commands are demanding silence from everyone as he is requesting silence from everyone as he wants the clocks to stop ticking, the phone to stop ringing, the dog to be quiet and basically every aspect of normal, everyday life to come to a halt. By doing this the author has made it obvious that the person he has lost was his whole world and he feels as if the world cannot go on anymore without this person. W.H Auden also made effective use of rhythm and rhyme in order to create the atmosphere, which exists at a funeral: "à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦with muffled drum, Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come." By the use of the word 'muffled' I was given the impression of a foggy, depressing and cold day with the coffin being removed from the black hearse. I thought it to be effective when 'drum' was mentioned as normally it is at state funerals for very important people where drums are used. The impression I received was that it... ...der to swallow pills. This is then continued as the next line is telling of the complete despair that he feels and shows the lack of hope and happiness he possesses: "For nothing now can ever come to any good." The use of the word nothing also shows he does not see a future for himself anymore. As it is a short sentence and if you follow the rhythm intended it is a drowsy beat which again extends the overdose idea as it is him falling asleep and puts him out of his misery but at the same time the ending remains sad and does not give a happy ending. In conclusion, Funeral Blues by W.H Auden was successful in creating a very depressing mood that was full of despair and contained absolutely no hope. This was effective by the use of simple language, sentence structure and most importantly the use of rhythm and rhyme.

The 8220Second8221 World War :: Essays Papers

The 8220Second8221 World War In the book The Battle for History, John Keegan, talks of the many different views on World War II. He takes into account other historical works such as Robert M. Kennedy’s The German Campaign in Poland, Christopher Duffy’s Red Storm on the Reich, The Struggle for Europe by Chester Wilmot and many others. He has already analyzed these other works. He has summarized the authors’ major points and used them to support his own theory, although Keegan’s theory about the written history of the war is quite unclear. The only theory that I could derive, is that â€Å"[it] has not yet been written.† (30) What does he mean by this? The works cited in the back of the book number over one hundred fifty. Numerous references are made to the works of other authors. Keegan does not seem to tell anything from his perspective, but state what he has read. All good and well considering this is history, but are the past events so clearly set in stone? Keegan seems to bring up questions throughout the book such as: did Roosevelt know of the attack on Pearl Harbor before it happened? â€Å"There have also been explorations of the allegation that Roosevelt had foreknowledge but chose not to act on it, as a means of bringing the United States into the Second World War on the anti-Axis side.† (17) Keegan does not do much to answer these questions, simply brings them into the picture. The book gives no feel of ending or resolution to most of the questions he brings about. Maybe this was his purpose. Topics in the book up from one place to another. In one paragraph Keegan may be discussing the use of the Enigma, a commercial cipher machine; in the next Keegan might begin discussing the use of U-boats. Although there is some logical flow through the book, for the most part the subjects are jumpy, causing the work to be choppy and cluttered babbling. It seems like the author is trying to squeeze as much as he can into as few pages as possible. Keegan does, however, give a good overview of the major events and inside action that went on during this significant period in world history. He speaks of rebellions, strategic bombing, spies and other elements that played a part in the downfall of the Third Reich.

“White Man’s Burden” Essay -- Literary Analysis

Rudyard Kipling’s 1899 poem â€Å"The White Man’s Burden† epitomizes the European man’s view on imperialism, Euro-centrism and social Darwinism. Four centuries before 1899, such ideas were briefly hinted in the letter from Christopher Columbus to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, however by 1899 these attitudes strengthened and developed fully into their complete meaning. The U.S and Europe’s imperialism in the nineteenth century were the most influential ever in the history of human civilization. The immense motive for imperialism came from social factors including religion and Social Darwinism. Missionaries frequently rushed to Africa and Asia to convert its people to Christianity. On the other hand, social Darwinism argued the survival of the fittest- applying science to racism, which fed ideas of European racial superiority. After landing on the African continent, Europeans felt they had a duty to civilize Africa, which is explicitly indicated by â€Å"The White Man’s Burden.† When white men invaded countries in Africa, they saw a new group of people who wore very little clothing and lived in simple buildings. This gave the Europeans the idea and need to help these people become more developed and evolve socially (Bentley and Ziegler 912). Rudyard Kipling’s "The White Man's Burden" encouraged the United States to impose colonial rule in the Philippines. Stanzas like â€Å"To wait in heavy harness,†¨ On fluttered folk and wild – Your new-caught, sullen peoples, †¨Half-devil and half-child†, indicates that Kipling believed main taining oversea colonies was a burden for the colonial empire because the empire was responsible for the inferior people. His reference to Filipinos as being both half devil and half child explicitly means that new ca... ...entley, J. H., Ziegler, H. F. Traditions & Encounters: A Global Perspective on the Past. Vol II – From 1500 to the Present. Fourth Edition. McGraw Hill, 2007. 2. Reilly, K. Worlds of History: A Comparative Reader. Third Edition. Bedford / St. Martin’s, 2007. 3. â€Å"Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815).† History of War. 2000. Dugdale-Pointont. 27 April, 2008 . 4. â€Å"Convention Revising the General Act of Berlin, February 26,1885, and the General Act and Declaration of Brussels, July 2,1890.† American Journal of International Law. 1921, 15(4), 314-321. 5. â€Å"Social Darwinism.† Explore the World of Replicators. 2000. Think Quest. 27 April, 2008 . 6. â€Å"Age of Discovery.† HCS-OSU. 1992. OSU. 27 April 2008 .

Bag of Bones CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The ringing of the phone or, more accurately, the way I received the ringing of the phone was as familiar as the creaks of my chair or the hum of the old IBM Selectric. It seemed to come from far away at first, then to approach like a whistling train coming down on a crossing. There was no extension in my office or Jo's; the upstairs phone, an old-fashioned rotary-dial, was on a table in the hall between them in what Jo used to call ‘no-man's-land.' The temperature out there must have been at least ninety degrees, but the air still felt cool on my skin after the office. I was so oiled with sweat that I looked like a slightly pot-bellied version of the muscle-boys I sometimes saw when I was working out. ‘Hello?' ‘Mike? Did I wake you? Were you sleeping?' It was Mattie, but a different one from last night. This one wasn't afraid or even tentative; this one sounded so happy she was almost bubbling over. It was almost certainly the Mattie who had attracted Lance Devore. ‘Not sleeping,' I said. ‘Writing a little.' ‘Get out! I thought you were retired.' ‘I thought so, too,' I said, ‘but maybe I was a little hasty. What's going on? You sound over the moon.' ‘I just got off the phone with John Storrow ‘ Really? How long had I been on the second floor, anyway? I looked at my wrist and saw nothing but a pale circle. It was half-past freckles and skin o'clock, as we used to say when we were kids; my watch was downstairs in the north bedroom, probably lying in a puddle of water from my overturned night-glass. ‘ his age, and that he can subpoena the other son!' ‘Whoa,' I said. ‘You lost me. Go back and slow down.' She did. Telling the hard news didn't take long (it rarely does): Storrow was coming up tomorrow. He would land at County Airport and stay at the Lookout Rock Hotel in Castle View. The two of them would spend most of Friday discussing the case. ‘Oh, and he found a lawyer for you,' she said. ‘To go with you to your deposition. I think he's from Lewiston.' It all sounded good, but what mattered a lot more than the bare facts was that Mattie had recovered her will to fight. Until this morning (if it was still morning; the light coming in the window above the broken air conditioner suggested that if it was, it wouldn't be much longer) I hadn't realized how gloomy the young woman in the red sundress and tidy white sneakers had been. How far down the road to believing she would lose her child. ‘This is great. I'm so glad, Mattie.' ‘And you did it. If you were here, I'd give you the biggest kiss you ever had.' ‘He told you you could win, didn't he?' ‘Yes.' ‘And you believe him.' ‘Yes!' Then her voice dropped a little. ‘He wasn't exactly thrilled when I told him I'd had you over to dinner last night, though.' ‘No,' I said. ‘I didn't think he would be.' ‘I told him we ate in the yard and he said we only had to be inside together for sixty seconds to start the gossip.' ‘I'd say he's got an insultingly low opinion of Yankee lovin,' I said, ‘but of course he's from New York.' She laughed harder than my little joke warranted, I thought. Out of semi-hysterical relief that she now had a couple of protectors? Because the whole subject of sex was a tender one for her just now? Best not to speculate. ‘He didn't paddle me too hard about it, but he made it clear that he would if we did it again. When this is over, though, I'm having you for a real meal. We'll have everything you like, just the way you like it.' Everything you like, just the way you like it. And she was, by God and Sonny Jesus, completely unaware that what she was saying might have another meaning I would have bet on it. I closed my eyes for a moment, smiling. Why not smile? Everything she was saying sounded absolutely great, especially once you cleared the confines of Michael Noonan's dirty mind. It sounded like we might have the expected fairy-tale ending, if we could keep our courage and hold our course. And if I could restrain myself from making a pass at a girl young enough to be my daughter . . . outside of my dreams, that was. If I couldn't, I probably deserved whatever I got. But Kyra wouldn't. She was the hood ornament in all this, doomed to go wherever the car took her. If I got any of the wrong ideas, I'd do well to remember that. ‘If the judge sends Devore home empty-handed, I'll take you out to Renoir Nights in Portland and buy you nine courses of French chow,' I said. ‘Storrow, too. I'll even spring for the legal beagle I'm dating on Friday. So who's better than me, huh?' ‘No one I know,' she said, sounding serious. ‘I'll pay you back for this, Mike. I'm down now, but I won't always be down. If it takes me the rest of my life, I'll pay you back.' ‘Mattie, you don't have to ‘ ‘I do,' she said with quiet vehemence. ‘I do. And I have to do something else today, too.' ‘What's that?' I loved hearing her sound the way she did this morning so happy and free, like a prisoner who has just been pardoned and let out of jail but already I was looking longingly at the door to my office. I couldn't do much more today, I'd end up baked like an apple if I tried, but I wanted another page or two, at least. Do what you want, both women had said in my dreams. Do what you want. ‘I have to buy Kyra the big teddybear they have at the Castle Rock Wal-Mart,' she said. ‘I'll tell her it's for being a good girl because I can't tell her it's for walking in the middle of the road when you were coming the other way.' ‘Just not a black one,' I said. The words were out of my mouth before I knew they were even in my head. ‘Huh?' Sounding startled and doubtful. ‘I said bring me back one,' I said, the words once again out and down the wire before I even knew they were there. ‘Maybe I will,' she said, sounding amused. Then her tone grew serious again. ‘And if I said anything last night that made you unhappy, even for a minute, I'm sorry. I never for the world ‘ ‘Don't worry,' I said. ‘I'm not unhappy. A little confused, that's all. In fact I'd pretty much forgotten about Jo's mystery date.' A lie, but in what seemed to me to be a good cause. ‘That's probably for the best. I won't keep you go on back to work. It's what you want to do, isn't it?' I was startled. ‘What makes you say that?' ‘I don't know, I just . . . ‘ She stopped. And I suddenly knew two things: What she had been about to say, and that she wouldn't say it. I dreamed about you last night. I dreamed about us together. were going to make love and one of us said ‘Do what you want.' Or maybe, I don't know, maybe we both said it. Perhaps sometimes ghosts were alive minds and desires divorced from their bodies, unlocked impulses floating unseen. Ghosts from the id, spooks from low places. ‘Mattie? Still there?' ‘Sure, you bet. Do you want me to stay in touch? Or will you hear all you need from John Storrow?' ‘If you don't stay in touch, I'll be pissed at you. Royally.' She laughed. ‘I will, then. But not when you're working. Goodbye, Mike. And thanks again. So much.' I told her goodbye, then stood there for a moment looking at the old fashioned Bakelite phone handset after she had hung up. She'd call and keep me updated, but not when I was working. How would she know when that was? She just would. As I'd known last night that she was lying when she said Jo and the man with the elbow patches on the sleeves of his sportcoat had walked off toward the parking lot. Mattie had been wearing a pair of white shorts and a halter top when she called me, no dress or skirt required today because it was Wednesday and the library was closed on Wednesday. You don't know any of that. You're just making it up. But I wasn't. If I'd been making it up, I probably would have put her in something a little more suggestive a Merry Widow from Victoria's Secret, perhaps. That thought called up another. Do what you want, they had said. Both of them. Do what you want. And that was a line I knew. While on Key Largo I'd read an Atlantic Monthly essay on pornography by some feminist. I wasn't sure which one, only that it hadn't been Naomi Wolf or Camille Paglia. This woman had been of the conservative stripe, and she had used that phrase. Sally Tisdale, maybe? Or was my mind just hearing echo-distortions of Sara Tidwell? Whoever it had been, she'd claimed that ‘do what I want' was the basis of erotica which appealed to women and ‘do what you want' was the basis of pornography which appealed to men. Women imagine speaking the former line in sexual situations; men imagine having the latter line spoken to them. And, the writer went on, when real-world sex goes bad sometimes turning violent, sometimes shaming, sometimes just unsuccessful from the female partner's point of view porn is often the unindicted co-conspirator. The man is apt to round on the woman angrily and cry, ‘You wanted me to! Quit lying and admit it! You wanted me to!' The writer claimed it was what every man hoped to hear in the bedroom: Do what you want. Bite me, sodomize me, lick between my toes, drink wine out of my navel, give me a hairbrush and raise your ass for me to paddle, it doesn't matter. Do what you want. The door is closed and we are here, but really only you are here, I am just a willing extension of your fantasies and only you are here. I have no wants of my own, no needs of my own, no taboos. Do what you want to this shadow, this fantasy, this ghost. I'd thought the essayist at least fifty per cent full of shit; the assumption that a man can find real sexual pleasure only by turning a woman into a kind of jackoff accessory says more about the observer than the participants. This lady had had a lot of jargon and a fair amount of wit, but underneath she was only saying what Somerset Maugham, Jo's old favorite, had had Sadie Thompson say in ‘Rain,' a story written eighty years before: men are pigs, filthy, dirty pigs, all of them. But we are not pigs, as a rule, not beasts, or at least not unless we are pushed to the final extremity. And if we are pushed to it, the issue is rarely sex; it's usually territory. I've heard feminists argue that to men sex and territory are interchangeable, and that is very far from the truth. I padded back to the office, opened the door, and behind me the telephone rang again. And here was another familiar sensation, back for a return visit after four years: that anger at the telephone, the urge to simply rip it out of the wall and fire it across the room. Why did the whole world have to call while I was writing? Why couldn't they just . . . well. . let me do what I wanted? I gave a doubtful laugh and returned to the phone, seeing the wet handprint on it from my last call. ‘Hello?' ‘I said to stay visible while you were with her.' ‘Good morning to you, too, Lawyer Storrow.' ‘You must be in another time-zone up there, chum. I've got one-fifteen down here in New York.' ‘I had dinner with her,' I said. ‘Outside. It's true that I read the little kid a story and helped put her to bed, but ‘ ‘I imagine half the town thinks you're bopping each other's brains out by now, and the other half will think it if I have to show up for her in court.' But he didn't sound really angry; I thought he sounded as though he was having a happy-face day. ‘Can they make you tell who's paying for your services?' I asked. ‘At the custody hearing, I mean?' ‘Nope.' ‘At my deposition on Friday?' ‘Christ, no. Durgin would lose all credibility as guardian ad litem if he went in that direction. Also, they have reasons to steer clear of the sex angle. Their focus is on Mattie as neglectful and perhaps abusive. Proving that Mom isn't a nun quit working around the time Kramer vs. Kramer came out in the movie theaters. Nor is that the only problem they have with the issue.' He now sounded positively gleeful. ‘Tell me.' ‘Max Devore is eighty-five and divorced. Twice divorced, in point of fact. Before awarding custody to a single man of his age, secondary custody has to be taken into consideration. It is, in fact, the single most important issue, other than the allegations of abuse and neglect levelled at the mother.' ‘What are those allegations? Do you know?' ‘No. Mattie doesn't either, because they're fabrications. She's a sweetie, by the way ‘ ‘Yeah, she is.' ‘ and I think she's going to make a great witness. I can't wait to meet her in person. Meantime, don't sidetrack me. We're talking about secondary custody, right?' ‘Right.' ‘Devore has a daughter who has been declared mentally incompetent and lives in an institution somewhere in California Modesto, I think. Not a good bet for custody.' ‘It wouldn't seem so.' ‘The son, Roger, is . . . ‘ I heard a faint fluttering of notebook pages. ‘ . . . fifty-four. So he's not exactly a spring chicken, either. Still, there are lots of guys who become daddies at that age nowadays; it's a brave new world. But Roger is a homosexual.' I thought of Bill Dean saying, Rump-wrangler. Understand there's a lot of that going around out them in California. ‘I thought you said sex doesn't matter.' ‘Maybe I should have said hetero sex doesn't matter. In certain states California is one of them homo sex doesn't matter, either . . . or not as much. But this case isn't going to be adjudicated in California. It's going to be adjudicated in Maine, where folks are less enlightened about how well two married men married to each other, I mean can raise a little girl.' ‘Roger Devore is married?' Okay. I admit it. I now felt a certain horrified glee myself. I was ashamed of it Roger Devore was just a guy living his life, and he might not have had much or anything to do with his elderly dad's current enterprise but I felt it just the same. ‘He and a software designer named Morris Ridding tied the knot in 1996,' John said. ‘I found that on the first computer sweep. And if this does wind up in court, I intend to make as much of it as I possibly can. I don't know how much that will be at this point it's impossible to predict but if I get a chance to paint a picture of that bright-eyed, cheerful little girl growing up with two elderly gays who probably spend most of their lives in computer chat-rooms speculating about what Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock might have done after the lights were out in officers' country . . . well, if I get that chance, I'll take it.' ‘It seems a little mean,' I said. I heard myself speaking in the tone of a man who wants to be dissuaded, perhaps even laughed at, but that didn't happen. ‘Of course it's mean. It feels like swerving up onto the sidewalk to knock over a couple of innocent bystanders. Roger Devore and Morris Ridding don't deal drugs, traffic in little boys, or rob old ladies. But this is custody, and custody does an even better job than divorce of turning human beings into insects. This one isn't as bad as it could be, but it's bad enough because it's so naked. Max Devore came up there to his old hometown for one reason and one reason only: to buy a kid. That makes me mad.' I grinned, imagining a lawyer who looked like Elmer Fudd standing outside of a rabbit-hole marked DEVORE with a shotgun. ‘My message to Devore is going to be very simple: the price of the kid just went up. Probably to a figure higher than even he can afford.' ‘If it goes to court you've said that a couple of times now. Do you think there's a chance Devore might just drop it and go away?' ‘A pretty good one, yeah. I'd say an excellent one if he wasn't old and used to getting his own way. There's also the question of whether or not he's still sharp enough to know where his best interest lies. I'll try for a meeting with him and his lawyer while I'm up there, but so far I haven't managed to get past his secretary.' ‘Rogette Whitmore?' ‘No, I think she's a step further up the ladder. I haven't talked to her yet, either. But I will.' ‘Try either Richard Osgood or George Footman,' I said. ‘Either of them may be able to put you in touch with Devore or Devore's chief counsel.' ‘I'll want to talk to the Whitmore woman in any case. Men like Devore tend to grow more and more dependent on their close advisors as they grow older, and she could be a key to getting him to let this go. She could also be a headache for us. She might urge him to fight, possibly because she really thinks he can win and possibly because she wants to watch the fur fly. Also, she might marry him.' ‘Marry him?' ‘Why not? He could have her sign a pre-nup I could no more' introduce that in court than his lawyers could go fishing for who hired Mattie's lawyer and it would strengthen his chances.' ‘John, I've seen the woman. She's got to be seventy herself.' ‘But she's a potential female player in a custody case involving a little girl, and she's a layer between old man Devore and the married gay couple. We just need to keep it in mind.' ‘Okay.' I looked at the office door again, but not so longingly. There comes a point when you're done for the day whether you want to be or not, and I thought I had reached that point. Perhaps in the evening . . . ‘The lawyer I got for you is named Romeo Bissonette.' He paused. ‘Can that be a real name?' ‘Is he from Lewiston?' ‘Yes, how did you know?' ‘Because in Maine, especially around Lewiston, that can be a real name. Am I supposed to go see him?' I didn't want to go see him. It was fifty miles to Lewiston over two-lane roads which would now be crawling with campers and Winnebagos. What I wanted was to go swimming and then take a long nap. A long dreamless nap. ‘You don't need to. Call him and talk to him a little. He's only a safety net, really he'll object if the questioning leaves the incident on the morning of July Fourth. About that incident you tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Got it?' ‘Yes.' ‘Talk to him before, then meet him on Friday at . . . wait . . . it's right here . . . ‘ The notebook pages fluttered again. ‘Meet him at the Route 120 Diner at nine-fifteen. Coffee. Talk a little, get to know each other, maybe flip for the check. I'll be with Mattie, getting as much as I can. We may want to hire a private dick.' ‘I love it when you talk dirty.' ‘Uh-huh. I'm going to see that bills go to your guy Goldacre. He'll send them to your agent, and your agent can ‘ ‘No,' I said. ‘Instruct Goldacre to send them directly here. Harold's a Jewish mother. How much is this going to cost me?' ‘Seventy-five thousand dollars, minimum,' he said with no hesitation at all. With no apology in his voice, either. ‘Don't tell Mattie.' ‘All right. Are you having any fun yet, Mike?' ‘You know, I sort of am,' I said thoughtfully. ‘For seventy-five grand, you should.' We said our goodbyes and John hung up. As I put my own phone back into its cradle, it occurred to me that I had lived more in the last five days than I had in the last four years. This time the phone didn't ring and I made it all the way back into the office, but I knew I was definitely done for the day. I sat down at the IBM, hit the RETURN key a couple of times, and was beginning to write myself a next-note at the bottom of the page I'd been working on when the phone interrupted me. What a sour little doodad the telephone is, and what little good news we get from it! Today had been an exception, though, and I thought I could sign off with a grin. I was working, after all working. Part of me still marvelled that I was sitting here at all, breathing easily, my heart beating steadily in my chest, and not even a glimmer of an anxiety attack on my personal event horizon. I wrote: [NEXT: Drake to Raiford. Stops on the way at vegetable stand to talk to the guy who runs it, old source, needs a good & colorful name. Straw hat. Disneyworld tee-shirt. They talk about Shackleford.] I turned the roller until the IBM spat this page out, stuck it on top of the manuscript, and jotted a final note to myself: ‘Call Ted Rosencrief about Raiford.' Rosencrief was a retired Navy man who lived in Derry. I had employed him as a research assistant on several books, using him on one project to find out how paper was made, what the migratory habits of certain common birds were for another, a little bit about the architecture of pyramid burial rooms for a third. And it's always ‘a little bit' I want, never ‘the whole damn thing.' As a writer, my motto has always been don't confuse me with the facts. The Arthur Hailey type of fiction is beyond me I can't read it, let alone write it. I want to know just enough so I can lie colorfully. Rosie knew that, and we had always worked well together. This time I needed to know a little bit about Florida's Raiford Prison, and what the deathhouse down there is really like. I also needed a little bit on the psychology of serial killers. I thought Rosie would probably be glad to hear from me . . . almost as glad as I was to finally have something to call him about. I picked up the eight double-spaced pages I had written and fanned through them, still amazed at their existence. Had an old IBM typewriter and a Courier type-ball been the secret all along? That was certainly how it seemed. What had come out was also amazing. I'd had ideas during my four-year sabbatical; there had been no writer's block in that regard. One had been really great, the sort of thing which certainly would have become a novel if I'd still been able to write novels. Half a dozen to a dozen were of the sort I'd classify ‘pretty good,' meaning they'd do in a pinch . . . or if they happened to unexpectedly grow tall and mysterious overnight, like Jack's beanstalk. Sometimes they do. Most were glimmers, little ‘what-ifs' that came and went like shooting stars while I was driving or walking or just lying in bed at night and waiting to go to sleep. The Red-Shirt Man was a what-if. One day I saw a man in a bright red shirt washing the show windows of the JC Penney store in Derry this was not long before Penney's moved out to the mall. A young man and woman walked under his ladder . . . very bad luck, according to the old superstition. These two didn't know where they were walking, though they were holding hands, drinking deeply of each other's eyes, as completely in love as any two twenty-year-olds in the history of the world. The man was tall, and as I watched, the top of his head came within an ace of clipping the window-washer's feet. If that had happened, the whole works might have gone over. The entire incident was history in five seconds. Writing The Red-Shirt Man took five months. Except in truth, the entire book was done in a what-if second. I imagined a collision instead of a near-miss. Everything else followed from there. The writing was just secretarial. The idea I was currently working on wasn't one of Mike's Really Great Ideas (Jo's voice carefully made the capitals), but it wasn't a what-if, either. Nor was it much like my old gothic suspense yarns; V. C. Andrews with a prick was nowhere in sight this time. But it felt solid, like the real thing, and this morning it had come out as naturally as a breath. Andy Drake was a private investigator in Key Largo. He was forty years old, divorced, the father of a three-year-old girl. At the open he was in the Key West home of a woman named Regina Whiting. Mrs. Whiting also had a little girl, hers five years old. Mrs. Whiting was married to an extremely rich developer who did not know what Andy Drake knew: that until 1992, Regina Taylor Whiting had been Tiffany Taylor, a high-priced Miami call-girl. That much I had written before the phone started ringing. Here is what I knew beyond that point, the secretarial work I'd do over the next several weeks, assuming that my marvellously recovered ability to work held up: One day when Karen Whiting was three, the phone had rung while she and her mother were sitting in the patio hot tub. Regina thought of asking the yard-guy to answer it, then decided to get it herself-their regular man was out with the flu, and she didn't feel comfortable about asking a stranger for a favor. Cautioning her daughter to sit still, Regina hopped out to answer the phone. When Karen put up a hand to keep from being splashed as her mother left the tub, she dropped the doll she had been bathing. When she bent to pick it up, her hair became caught in one of the hot tub's powerful intakes. (It was reading of a fatal accident like this that had originally kicked the story off in my mind two or three years before.) The yard-man, some no-name in a khaki shirt sent over by a day-labor outfit, saw what was happening. He raced across the lawn, dove headfirst into the tub, and yanked the child from the bottom, leaving hair and a good chunk of scalp clogging the jet when he did. He'd give her artificial respiration until she began to breathe again. (This would be a wonderful, suspenseful scene, and I couldn't wait to write it.) He would refuse all of the hysterical, relieved mother's offers of recompense, although he'd finally give her an address so that her husband could talk to him. Only both the address and his name, John Sanborn, would turn out to be a fake. Two years later the ex-hooker with the respectable second life sees the man who saved her child on the front page of the Miami paper. His name is given as John Shackleford and he has been arrested for the rape-murder of a nine-year-old girl. And, the article goes on, he is suspected in over forty other murders, many of the victims children. ‘Have you caught Baseball Cap?' one of the reporters would yell at the press conference. ‘Is John Shackleford Baseball Cap?' ‘Well,' I said, going downstairs, ‘they sure think he is.' I could hear too many boats out on the lake this afternoon to make nude bathing an option. I pulled on my suit, slung a towel over my shoulders, and started down the path the one which had been lined with glowing paper lanterns in my dream to wash off the sweat of my nightmares and my unexpected morning's labors. There are twenty-three railroad-tie steps between Sara and the lake. I had gone down only four or five before the enormity of what had just happened hit me. My mouth began to tremble. The colors of the trees and the sky mixed together as my eyes teared up. A sound began to come out of me a kind of muffled groaning. The strength ran out of my legs and I sat down hard on a railroad tie. For a moment I thought it was over, mostly just a false alarm, and then I began to cry. I stuffed one end of the towel in my mouth during the worst of it, afraid that if the boaters on the lake heard the sounds coming out of me, they'd think someone up here was being murdered. I cried in grief for the empty years I had spent without Jo, without friends, and without my work. I cried in gratitude because those work-less years seemed to be over. It was too early to tell for sure one swallow doesn't make a summer and eight pages of hard copy don't make a career resuscitation but I thought it really might be so. And I cried out of fear, as well, as we do when some awful experience is finally over or when some terrible accident has been narrowly averted. I cried because I suddenly realized that I had been walking a white line ever since Jo died, walking straight down the middle of the road. By some miracle, I had been carried out of harm's way. I had no idea who had done the carrying, but that was all right it was a question that could wait for another day. I cried it all out of me. Then I went on down to the lake and waded in. The cool water felt more than good on my overheated body; it felt like a resurrection.