John Cabot Essays - Age Of Discovery, John Cabot, Navigators

John Cabot John Cabot, an Italian sailor, was conceived in Genoa, Italy around the year 1450. He filled in as a merchant in what is currently called the Middle East. He moved to England in 1484 with his three children, Ludovico, Sebastiano, and Sancto and picked up understanding as a sailor. On his business ventures, which took him to the shores of Arabia, he knew about the nations wealthy in flavors that lay to the Far East and needed to locate a superior course to the Orient. John Cabot set out to get licenses from the rulers of Spain and Portugal to get support for his journey. Be that as it may, both turned him down. At long last, King Henry VII allowed Cabot and his three children the option to look for islands and nations of the West, with a little boat named Matthew and a team of 18 men. So he set sail from Bristol, England in May 2, 1497. Cabot never got to China via ocean. Just about two months after the fact, John Cabot found the island of Newfoundland on June 24, 1497. This was the primary recorded journey to Newfoundland. Numerous individuals accept he arrived at Cape Bonavista. He thought he had arrived at a little island off the bank of Asia. On June 26th, Cabot started his arrival journey as a result of awful climate and no food. He returned with no flavors or fortune however he got a warm invite notwithstanding. He returned with mapped out subtleties of the North American coast. He was conceded another patent on February 3, 1498, and this permitted him to set out on a subsequent campaign. This was comprised of five boats and 300 men, and set sail some time before July 25, 1498. Lord Henry VII just conceded him one boat however 4 shippers wanting to capitalize on another course to Orient gave the other 4 boats. They originally went north, obviously beyond what many would consider possible; floating ice constrained them to turn. They cruised along the east shore of North America past Newfoundland, which Cabot named Bacallaos, and to the extent Cape Hatteras. John Cabot likewise may have arrived at the Hudson Bay on his campaign toward the North West Passage. Later he additionally investigated the Rio de la Plata district of Brazil for the Spanish. In 15448 he became legislative head of a business entity in England with he arranged a business settlement with Russia. This organization, later called The Muscovy Company, was the primary significant English joint-stock exchanging organization and financed exchanging undertakings to Russia and Asia. Cabot was paid money for finding Newfoundland. He was likewise given an annuity. He just gathered that annuity once. It is accepted he suffocated adrift. All things considered, his disclosures ensure John Cabot a spot among the best pioneers. Indeed, they are as yet praising his revelations. The Cabot Tower was based on Signal Hill in St. John's in 1897. It was worked to stamp the 400th commemoration of Cabot's disclosure.

Conceptual Framework of 4`S Library

Dwindle Drucker characterized the advertising ideas as â€Å"the business as observed from the client? s perspective. † Keating and Hafner [68] started that plans of action can be applied to libraries; they draw analogies from business by subbing â€Å"library† for â€Å"corporation and â€Å"user† for â€Å"customer†. The e-Business space is being utilized broadly in government, library, and non-benefit differing associations recently. Constantinides (2002) [69] proposed the Web-Marketing Mix (WMM) model to recognize the internet advertising basic components and addresses the E-Commerce vital, operational, authoritative and specialized issues by: Scope, Site, Synergy and System (4S). The degree recognizes the vital and operational goals to be tended to. The webpage proposes a strategy for drafting practical and steady Web showcasing plans so as to build up the useful foundation of correspondence, communication, and exchange with the web clients. The cooperative energy alludes to the fundamental association, foundation, human asset and information for supporting smooth online operational procedures. The framework distinguishes principle innovative and managerial issues that will support web based showcasing exercises. To delineate how to execute the 4S into reasonable system, every one of them will be clarified further. The â€Å"Scope† is gone about as a vital course for chiefs to guarantee the entire staff follows the authoritative predefined objectives and destinations. So as to quantify an association's inside procedures, at that point to recognize, comprehend, and adjust outer practices for persistent improvement from different associations, there is a longing to build up benchmarking across organizations [70]. For managing peruser profiles and supporting exercises, a division of perusers is useful to arrive at the objective setting and position the vital job of library during the administration procedure. The â€Å"Site† changes a web required to assess how well the site? s introduction has agreed to the presetting utilitarian prerequisites. Library site (Libweb) is the virtual front ways to accumulations and administrations [71], and as an incredible International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology.

Islam in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Islam in Business - Essay Example Fiqh muamalt is the investigation of money related and monetary exchanges from an Islamic viewpoint which is a part of Islamic statute that is connected with trade and remaining financial exercises. For Islamic monetary ideas, Arabic expressions are utilized and shariah consistent budgetary items are exceptionally well known in the Islamic business circle. Shariah offers controlling standards for everyday living for a Muslim yet following the equivalent involves conviction and soul and not of implementation by governments. In most of the Islamic countries, Islamic banking is just a matter of inclination and the main Muslim nation in the World, for example Iran has made principles that all banks must follow with fiqh muamalt under Usury Free Banking Law that was presented in 1983. Fatwa alludes to the decisions given by Shariah researchers and these are given through thinking by researchers and trying to apply fiqh to introduce budgetary and monetary exchanges and this procedure is kn own as ijtihad and in genuine practice, this needs understanding of legally binding deeds concerning money related exchanges and financial exercises and ensuring that it is unfailing with shariah. (Wilson 177). This examination paper abides into how Islamic practices apply in business, financial matters and banking (corporate greed, profiteering, advances and premium, associations, and so on) and how Islam directs one behaves in business in a point by point way. Islam and Business Muslims are allowed to immerse in exchange and business as long as it is legal and not impeding to either society or the economy. Islam likewise allows to obtain riches through business and be that as it may, a Muslim ought not have any pride in his riches. Further, in Islam, insatiability and parsimony are viewed as sins. A Muslim is viewed as just a transitory gatekeeper of any riches that he gets as all riches is the possessions of Allah. Islam expects that business is run on the ethical guideline, and it evades extortion, deceptive nature, distortion and double dealing in business. Managing in unlawful products (haram) is denied in Islam. Islam likewise denies lotteries. Betting and business connected with appropriation and offer of liquor. Coming up next are a portion of the precluded business exercises under Islam. Value control Price gouging and Hoarding by falsely decreasing flexibly of items, particularly nourishment items. Government value control activities with the exception of in some unavoidable situations. Impedance in the free markets Buying taken property Cultivating plants like hashish and poppy and raising pigs. Business benefits that are produced through halal (legitimate) business exercises are allowed and no haram (illicit) business exercises. A Muslim is expected to regard his business obligations. (Khan 1999). The essential standard is that Muslims are allowed to buy whatever he needs like items that Allah has permitted from the two Muslims and kaafirs. It is to be noticed that Allah himself bought items from the Jews. In any case, if a Muslim abstains from buying merchandise from another Muslim without any justifiable cause like awful items, significant expenses or misdirection products , then that will be considered as harram. Working with Kaffirs mean lessening business with the Muslim and along these lines deterring Muslims to sell their items or to put forth the accomplishment in their business attempts. (Abdul - Rahman 7). The person who banishes the products of the Kuffaar imply that they are pursuing a perpetual war with the Islam, proposing consequently to show reality

Case Study of Sottilette Kraft - Free Essay Example

Case Study of Sottilette Kraft. Introduction. Krafts General Foods was founded in the U.S.A in 1908 and its presence was established in Europe in 1927. The company entered Italy in 1964 with its best known products at the time-Sottilette and Mayonnaise. It grew steadily and its growth was significantly influenced by mergers and acquisitions. Philip Moris after taking over General Foods one of the World’s and region’s leading companies in the food sector acquired Kraft in 1990. Jacobs Suchard – a top sweats company created by the partnership between Suchard, Tobler and Jacobs in 1993 merged with Kraft General Foods Europe. Hard work, imagination and a commitment to bringing the world its favorite foods have helped it grow into a company that touches more than a billion people in more than 150 countries. The most common brands of the company include: Beverages such as coffee and refreshment beverages Cheese and Dairy Snacks which include confectionery, salty snacks and biscuits Convenient meals Grocery including deserts, enhancers (dressing and spreads), cereals. This case study is aimed at investigating one of its cheese brands the â€Å"Sottilette Kraft† in Italy. The sottilette Kraft is processed cheese in the form of slices that is used as a culinary ingredient in preparing both hot and cold dishes of different varieties. Kraft is easy to use as the slices have already been cut up and well packed singly. It can also be stored for longer periods of time. Consumers recognize that it has a good taste and is adaptable for every type of dish. It is seen as the best guarantee for success in the kitchen and its superior quality is vouched for by the image of Kraft Foods. It is described by loyal customers as â€Å"a reliable friend† that encourages creativity in the kitchen. The main function of Sottilette Kraft is that it serves as an ingredient in hot dishes to enhance their taste and to add a touch and imagination. The brand has gone through four major phases including introduction, development, crises and reaction. Having identified the different product phases, the study will now discuss each of the phases in turn. Introduction of Sottilette The product was introduced in 1961 and between 1961 to 1978 sottilette had to create its own market. In less than 15 years the product had recorded sales of approximately 8,000 tonnes. It initially served as a sandwitch filling and was therefore presented as a tasty and very practical cheese. The message distributed by successive advertising campaigns centered around the functionality of the product as well as its role as a food to be combined with bread. The most relevant advertisements were broadcast as follows: The product was launched in 1964 with the help of a well known Italian comedian Gino Brameri; in 190, when its first positioning was defined in terms of a â€Å"robust sandwich†; and in 1974, when the new singly wraped slice packaging was introduced. As time went on, the product was later differentiated and the range of the product was extended into three distinct flavours. The price remained relatively high since it was a new product and because there were limited or no competitors. Development of Sottilette Kraft maintained its leadership position between 1979 to 1993 following a fast growing market for sottilette. During this period the product reached a volume of sales in Italy that matched all the other European countries taken as a whole. The market growth for the product came as a result of continuous innovation and development of the product which witnessed the addition of new versions the product range enabling manufacturers and distributors to make a more extended use of the product and reposition the basic version (Sottillete Emmental) as a fully-fledged culinary ingredient for all recipes and not just as something to be eaten with bread. Another version referred to as Fila e Fondi (stretch and melt), which was particulary well suited for all over-cooked dishes was added in 1979. It was later followed by Piccadolce in 1982. happy snacks was added in 1989 and in 1992 following consumer’s growing interest in low-fa products, Light was introduced. In the marketing campaign for Emmental (that remains the basic product), t he key benefits for consumers were shown to be versality (in terms of its good hot and cold performance), taste and the guarantee represented by the Kraft trade mark. A megabrand campaign based upon a young boy was carried out as from 1993. This was to enable Kraft capitalize on the advertising campaign carried out for the single type brands. In addition to the basic message that reflected the superior quality of the product, guaranteed by the experience of Kraft, different messages where added on a case-by-case basis such as Emmental (â€Å"superior taste†), Fila e Fondi (â€Å"suitable for hot dishes†), and Light (â€Å"only 16% fat content†). Advertising investments were supplemented by promotion-type initiatives based on the collection of points designed to increase customer loyalty and favour heavy users and the price remained 30-35% relatively higher than competitive brands. Figure 1: Sottillete’s Market Share in 1992 Source: Pratesi[1] Crises for sottilette Sottilette witnessed tremendous crises in 1994 as a result of a number of factors which include the following: A period of economic recession; Consumers developed an approach to food consumption where quality and price relationships where properly evaluated; There was an introduction of hard discount into the market and low-price competition (modern distribution’s reaction to the challenge of hard discount) doubled the sales of unbranded products; The devaluation of the Italian lira resulting into an increase in prices of foreign-sourced inputs; The foregoing resulted in the collapse of the existing market (taking into consideration the fact that hard discount was a closed market for branded products). In addition other adverse conditions included the following: A fall in the market share of sottilette Kraft by 4%; Decrease in sales volume; Decrease in profit owing to low-price competition and high import cost following local currency depreciation. Figure 1 above show the development of the sottilette market and its direct competitors in 1992. One can observe that the market share of the sottilette brand was very high in 1992 while it witnessed a fall in 1995. Sottilette’s market share in 1992 was 55.8% and that of competitor brands was 44.2% as shown in figure 1. Following the crises period, sottillette’s market share fell from 55.8% in 1992 to 51.9% in 1995. It should also be noted that low price products had a market share of 7.5%, hard discount products a market share of 9.6%, private labels 8.9% and other brands a market share of 22.1%. Figure 3 below shows the sales trend of the sottillette brand. One can observe that the brand has gone through 4 phases: introduction; development; crises; and reaction. From 1961 and 1969 the brand witnessed a constant growth in sales volume from 0 to about 8,000 tonnes. The sales volume remained constant at 8,000 tonnes between the period1969 and 1977. During the develo pment phase that began in 1969, the sales at first remained constant at 8,000 tonnes. Following the megabrand communication campaign, the sales began rising again and by 1983 the sales figure had reached 15,000 tonnes. Between 1983 and 1993, the sale volume continued rising despite slight fluctuations and by 1993 the volume stood at about 18,000 tonnes. The crises period witnessed a drop in the sales volume from about 18,000 tonnes in 1993 to about 16,000 tonnes in 1994 representing an 11% drop in the volume during this period. Figure 2: Sottillette Trend of Sales (Tonnes) Source: Pratesi[2] Reaction to Crises Kraft Food’s reaction to the crises was the adoption of a strategy that concentrated upon a more aggressive marketing mix along side low price products and hard discounts in an attempt to win back customers and consolidate the loyalty of existing customers. Prices which were 50% above other brands were reduced by 20% and a new advertising message that ex plained in a rational manner the superior quality of Sottilette Emmental was launched. The new advertising campaign took the form of two commercials in which one was aimed at addressing brand products and the other aimed at hard discount and low-price products. The aim was to consolidate the loyalty of existing customers and eliminate the shift towards competitive brands that provided cheaper products. The commercials were aimed at providing a rational justification for the premium price of the Sottilette brand in terms of its superior taste and better culinary properties. This was justified by the product’s ingredients (100% Emmental Bavaria). Following the aggressive strategy, the Sottilette brand witnessed positive results as its sales volume which had exhibited a dramatic decline during the 1994 crises immediately increased by 10%. Profitability also witnessed a significant increase and sustained increase. Since the campaign focused much attention on the basic version of the Sottilette brand Emmental, the other versions of the brand including: Flia e Fondi; and Light were penalised because they were not sustained by the campaign. This resulted in decrease in their sales volumes. In a nutshell, Sottilette’s overall market share increased by 2% in 1995 and the increase continued in 1996 following increased investments in communication for the entire product range. From figure 3 above one can observe that following the reaction phase, the sottillete brand witnessed an increase in sales volume from about 16,000 tonnes in 1994 to 17,000 tonnes in 1996. Current Situation. Direct Competition. The main competitors in the cheese slice market constitute five main groups including: Sottilette: this is the market leader with a market share of above 50 per cent. other branded products including Tostine by Invernizza (which is also part of the Kraft Jacobs Suchard Group), Bel Paese and Grill by Galbani, Miette by Locatelli and Tigre. This group accounts for 18% of the cheese market share. Private Labels: These include products of large retail chains. For example, Coop. This group maintains a 20-30% lower prices than branded products. Together, they constitute a market share of 10% and have been witnessing a sustainable growth rate. Low price products: they include unbranded low-price products sold in modern distribution chains. Their market share following a strong growth in the period 1994-1995 has witnessed a considerable drop by 50% and now levels at 4%. Hard Discount Products: Hard discount products refer to unbranded cheese slices sold at very advantageous prices in eponymous chains (for example, Lidl). Their development moves in perfect lock-step with the spread of hard discount stores, while their market share has stabilized at 12%. Consumption. There are over 16million consumers of cheese slices representing over 80% of all Italian Families. 20% of all families acquire about 50% of the Sottilatte brand. Among the sottilatte customers representing 75% of all consumers of cheese slices one can further break them down as follows: 25% who consume exclusively Sottilatte; 44% who alternate between Sottilatte and low-priced products; and 31% who alternate between Sottilatte and other branded products. In general among the consumers of cheese slices there are those who never use any other type pf cheese in cooking (about 20% of the total) and those who alternate between these and other products that are regarded as being capable of performing the same culinary functions including: 8% that also make use of Emmental; 27% that use mozzarella; and 63% that use not only slices but also Emmental and Mozzarella. According to a 1996 market survey on cheese slice purchasers (over 90% women) using cl uster analysis techniques four different groups of consumers were identified including: Critics – 26%; Ambivalent – 19%; The Serene – 32%; and The Disenchanted – 23%. Critics represent consumers who generally have a negative perception towards the entire category of cheese slices. They have the belief that the product is wholly artificial and thus tend to use them as sparingly as possible. They are young, of high school age and generally do not live in the south. The ambivalent are women who are not completely convinced that branded products have a better quality than unbranded products but however appreciate the practicality of sliced cheeses. They belong to a medium-to-low social class, live in the northeast with large families. They are light users of the category of cheese slices and adopt a relatively positive attitude towards the uncooked uses of the product. The serene represent brand loyal consumers who are convinced that high priced products represent the inherent quality of the products. They mainly like the use of the slices for cold dishes and for certain special recipes. They include middle-class women who often live in the south with part-time jobs and they are heavy users of the category of cheese slices. The disenchanted alternate between different brands and choose the brands in accordance to how each brand suits their particular needs. They adopt a positive attitude towards private labels and greatly appreciate the functionality of the product. They are young, resident in the northeast with small families but without children. They have full-time jobs and are medium users of the cheese slice category. They have no negative attitude towards using the product for uncooked dishes. Appendix. The perspective that can be identified from the above case study is centred on two strategic perspectives, which include the resource-based view and the innovation strategy. According to the resource based view, valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable resources make it possible for a firm to develop and maintain competitive advantage and also to use this competitive advantage and resources to a chieve superior performance by generating superior profits which in turn create superior shareholder value for the shareholders[3]. Application of the resource based view to marketing can be achieved with the help of identifying resources that are both marketing specific (that is, generated and leveraged in part through marketing activities) and potentially manifest at least some of the desired attributes of the resource-based view (i.e., appear to be difficult to imitate, are rare, non-substitutable, etc)[4]. One can see from the case that Kraft Foods had such resources in its Sottilatte brand given that it could maintain competitive advantage for a very long time and even during the crises period it was still possible for the company to adjust to the situation and continue as the market leader. The ability of Kraft to define the rational quality of the Emmental brand following low price competition reflects Kraft Foods possession of resources that are difficult to imitate by compe titors. Given that the Sottilatte brand still has a market share above 50% in the market for cheese slices is also a reflection of the company’s possession of resources that are difficult to imitate by competitors. The resources have also been leveraged through its aggressive marketing campaign and its continued investments in advertising and brand communication. This has enabled the company to consolidate its existing customers while trying to attract and maintain new customers. Innovation refers to a situation whereby a company tries to differentiate its products in such a way as to provide value to customers that cannot be matched by competitors to enable it to maintain competitive advantage[5]. Kraft has been trying to innovate as can been seen from the introduction of different versions of the Sottilatte brand such as the Fila e Fondi, which was well suited for over-cooked dishes, and Light with low fat contents. Providing different versions of the brand enabled diffe rent customer segments (for example, those who did not love too much fat) to at least find a product that could suit their particular needs at any given point in time. This strategy paid off given that it further widened the customer base, sales volume and thus profit during the development phase of the brand. However, the company failed to properly communicate the additional versions of the brand during the crises period and thus witnessed falling sales volumes. This was later corrected as it increased investments in marketing and communication of all the brand versions as well as their different attributes to consumers in a bit to consolidate existing customers and enroll new ones. The number of words used in the case study amount to a total of 2203 words while the total number of words used in the appendix amount to 488 words. BIBLIOGRAPHY Blocker E., Chen K., Cokins G., Lin T. (2005). Cost Management. A Strategic Emphasis. 3rd International Edition. McGraw-Hill. Prat esi C. A. (2002: p. 426). The case of Sottilette Kraft. Consolidating the Business through innovation – 1998. Marketing Food Brands in Italy. British Food Journal, vol. 104, No. 5. pp 425-434 Srivastava R. K., Fahey L., Christensen H.K. (2001). The resource-based view and marketing. The role of market-based assets in gaining competitive advantage. Journal of Management, vol. 27, pp 777-802. 1 Footnotes [1] Pratesi C. A. (2002: p. 428). The case of Sottilette Kraft. Consolidating the Business through innovation – 1998. Marketing Food Brands in Italy. British Food Journal, vol. 104, No. 5. [2] Pratesi C. A. (2002: p. 426). The case of Sottilette Kraft. Consolidating the Business through innovation – 1998. Marketing Food Brands in Italy. British Food Journal, vol. 104, No. 5. [3] Srivatal et al (2001: p. 779). [4] Ibid. [5] Blocker et al (2005).

business plan Essay - 2166 Words

Wedding Consultants 1.0 Executive Summary CMG Wedding Consultants is a full service company that provides complete consulting services for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and every other special event. Our consultants are experienced and dedicated professionals with many years of event planning experience. CMG is unique in that we give our clients our undivided attention. We listen to their needs and work with them to create the event of their dreams. Our clients wishes become our commands. So whether our client wants a Western, Tropical, Las Vegas or more traditional wedding, we can help. Our services include weddings, honeymoons, receptions, anniversary consultations, budget planning, answers to etiquette questions, as well as†¦show more content†¦By doing this, our clients can sit back and enjoy their event. The result? We create events suited to the couples unique style--a true expression of their relationship and individuality as a couple. 2.1 Company Ownership This business will start out as a simple propri etorship, owned by its founders, Carol and Michelle Gautier. As the operation grows, the owners will consider re-registering as a limited liability company or as a corporation, whichever will better suite the future business needs. 2.2 Start-up Summary The company founders, Carol and Michelle Gautier, will handle day-to-day operations of the plan and will work collaboratively to ensure that this business venture is a success. We estimate that our start-up costs will be $3,000 (including legal costs, logo design, advertising, direct mail, and related expenses). An additional $5,000 will be required in the bank account as an operating capital for the first two months of operation. 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Borderline Personality Disorder ( Bpd ) - 932 Words

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is an emotional disorder that causes emotional instability, leading to stress and other problems. With borderline personality disorder your image of yourself is distorted, making you feel worthless and fundamentally flawed. Your anger, impulsivity and frequent mood swings may push others away, even though you desire loving relationships. It is an often misunderstood, serious mental illness characterized by pervasive instability in moods, interpersonal relationships, self- image and behavior. It is a disorder of emotional dysregulation. This instability often disrupts family and work, long-term planning and the individual’s sense of self-identity. While less well known than schizophrenia or bipolar†¦show more content†¦As a result, their interests and values may change rapidly. People with BPD also tend to see things in terms of extremes, such as either all good or all bad. Their views of other people may change quickly. When you h ave borderline personality disorder, you often have an insecure sense of who you are. That is, your self-image or sense of self often rapidly changes. You may view yourself as evil or bad, and sometimes may feel as if you don t exist at all. An unstable self-image often leads to frequent changes in jobs, friendships, goals and values. Your relationships are usually in turmoil. You often experience a love-hate relationship with others. You may idealize someone one moment and then abruptly and dramatically shift to fury and hate over perceived slights or even minor misunderstandings. This is because people with the disorder often have difficulty accepting gray areas things seem to be either black or white. Other symptoms of BPD include: Fear of being abandoned, Feelings of emptiness and boredom, Frequent displays of inappropriate anger, Impulsiveness with money, substance abuse, sexual relationships, binge eating, or shoplifting, Intolerance of being alone, Repeated crises and acts of self-injury, such as wrist cutting or overdosing. Borderline personality disorder affects how you feel about yourself, how you relate to others and how you behave (Grohol,2010). Personality disorders are diagnosed based on signs and symptoms and a thorough psychological

Dove free essay sample

The advertising endorsement of this campaign was different from the normal advertising campaign in this industry. For example, Dove hired some normal or even slightly over-sized women instead of celebrities as their models to ask the pubic to define whether it is oversized or outstanding. As the matter of fact, this campaign successfully attracted the public attention but it still has certain potential risks. In that case, should the Unilever continue the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty? My answer is positive but with certain reservations due to the fact that the campaign didn’t properly response the issue of culture differences in the global environment. In the following essay, I will analyse the situation and provide some suggestions to illustrate my point of view. SITUATIONAL DIAGNOSIS Should Unilever continue the â€Å"Campaign for Real Beauty†? Nature of the Problem The Campaign for Real Beauty indeed achieved the brand awareness and broke people’s tradition definition of real beauty. However this campaign was controversial to the board of directors of Unilever. From one hand, some people hold the view that this advertising campaign was effective due to the fact that it improved the sales volume of Dove product by increasing the public product awareness. From another hand, some other people argued that this advertising campaign would be too risky for Unilever to continue and suggested that it might receive negative outcome in Asian countries. Because the culture differences in various countries might cause the reverse definition of beauty. Here comes the conflict for the decision-making of Unilever to decide whether to continue this campaign. ADVANTAGES From the Perspective of Public a) New technology changes the social value In the contemporary society, new technology, such as new media, plays an important role on reforming the value system of the public especially for the younger or middle generation. Dove utilised the new technology commercial channel and released this advertising campaign on YouTube. This new social media changes the social value by giving them questions on the topic of what is real beauty and generate discussions of the current trends of social value, for example, the interrelationship between parents and children. It generated volumes of discussion on chat rooms, with contributions on topics like anorexia and heartfelt interchanges between fathers and daughters. † (Deighton, J 2008, p. 6) Therefore, the Unilever should continue the Dove Campaign of Real Beauty because the campaign is beneficial to the public in terms of positively changing the social value. b) Social Trends New role of women Dove propos ed the significance of the natural beauty and tried to change the way people view beauty by carrying out its advertisements. Dove’s mission is to make more women feel beautiful every day by broadening the narrow definition of beauty and inspiring them to take great care of themselves. † (Deighton, J 2008, p. 4) Consequently, this campaign successfully motivated the women to increase their self-confidence and esteem and encouraged them to pay more attention to their outlook. It is advisable for Unilever to support this campaign from the perspective of public because it broke people’s stereotypical value of beauty and generated the new role of women which changes the self-expression value themselves in a positive way and rebuild the self-esteem for women. From the Perspective of the Dove Company a) New technology improves the product awareness Social media has a huge number of audiences and it provides an effective tool to generate the public interest and boost the sales volume by increasing the product awareness of one company. Dove released this campaign on YouTube instead of the traditional way of carrying out the advertisements which was cost-effectively and functional-effective. â€Å"It was among the most downloaded commercials ever to appear on YouTube, and its popularity was the subject of considerable newspaper, radio and television coverage. (Deighton, J 2008, p. 6) Dove improved its brand popularity by using the new media channel which is one of the main reasons that the Unilever should continue the advertising campaign. b) Benefit The beauty and health industry has mass market. According to the survey, only 2% women considered themselves as beauty and more and more females become interested in applying for plastic surgery to change their outlook. The Dove Real Beauty Campaign increased the sale volume of Dove which was beneficial to the turnover of company. And the evidences are obvious according to the revenue growth of Dove Company. It computed that the brand had grown by $1. 2 billion. Much of the growth was attributable to its extension into personal care categories which could be credited to this campaign. † (Deighton, J 2008, p. 7) As we all know, the interest of share holders is the priority for one company to consider when making the decision. Therefore, it is feasible for Unilever to continue the campaign for its own sake. DISADVANTAGES It is conceded that the Dove Real Beauty Campaign was effective and beneficial from the perspectives of both public and the company itself. However, there are two main disadvantages of this campaign which might cause undesirable effect. And Unilever should fairly address these two factors before making any further decisions. a) Negative outcome in the Asian market The Campaign of Real Beauty successfully attracted their target customers and tried to give the public a broader definition of real beauty which reached their own expectation. The problem existed when Unilever launched this campaign all over the world. They neglected the issue of cultural differences and the different way of define beauty between Eastern and Western countries. For example, a lady as the model of Dove might seem to be attractive from the view of people in the Western countries, because feminine beauty in Western countries, a plentiful body with tan skin is considered as a beautiful and sexy lady but it is surprisingly reversed in the Eastern countries. In the Asian countries, this lady might be definitely oversized. In Asian countries, such as China, they define the character of slim body and fair skin as feminine beauty. The model of this campaign might be not attractive from the view of Asian people which cause a negative outcome in the Asian market. b) Potential risk for Dove Continuing the campaign might have potential risk for Unilever to some degree. The advertisement was criticized by some people for choosing some old or heavily freckled ladies as their super model. And some people viewed the models of Dove was too natural and not appealing. â€Å"Taking up the cudgels for reality is a risky strategy for Dove. The underlying idea is appealing; the difficulty is in how to express it. † (Clegg, A 2005) And other example of the undesirable effect is that Dove sponsored the series â€Å"Ugly Betty† in order to improve their product awareness by telling the public that all the girls are beauty as long as you have confident. However, it might ruin the impression of the brand value and lost their target customers if Dove became a brand only for the old, fat and heavily freckled ladies. SUGGESTIONS a) Continue this campaign It is suggested that Unilever should continue the Dove Real Beauty Campaign from the aspects of the public and the company itself. As mentioned above, this campaign used new technology advertising channel to change people’s social value in a positive way and improve the self-esteem for women which was beneficial to the public. And for its own sake, this campaign improved the sales volumes which generate the avenue for the company by using this campaign to improve their product awareness. Therefore, Unilever should support this campaign and manage to achieve greater progress and win the larger market share in the health and beauty sector. b) Adjust the issue of Localization Localization is one of the essential issues to adapt to the external changeable environment. Dove should adjust the issue of cultural difference as the strategy of localization. In order to better adapt to the Asian market, Dove should redesign its advertisement campaign and hire some slim lady with fair skin as their model to attract the Asian customers. In spite of variation in the description of beauty, the marker of health and fertility a small waist has always been an invariant symbol of feminine beauty in Asian countries. (Agence France-Press 2007) Therefore, Unilever should make adjustment on localization when launching this campaign. CONCLUSION To sum up, in my opinion, it is advisable for Unilever to continue the Dove Real Beauty Campaign. Because it changed the social value positively and achieved satisfied profit for the company. Besides that, Unilever should also address the issue of cultural differences when launching this advertisement campaign. References: Agence France-Press (2007) ‘Beauty is defined as a waist† viewed 7th November 2012lt; http://www. cosmosmagazine. com/news/961/beauty-defined-a-waistgt; Clegg, A (2005) ‘Dove Gets Real’ viewed 7th November 2012 lt;http://w ww. brandchannel. com/features_effect. asp? pf_id=259gt; Deighton, J (2008) ‘Dove: Evolution of a Brand’ HBS 9-508-047, 25 March.

Transcendentalism in Dead Poets Society Essay Example

Transcendentalism in Dead Poets Society Essay The movie Dead Poet’s Society has a transcendentalism theme which compares to many literature pieces we have read so far. Many ideas and thoughts from Dead Poet’s Society were expressed in literature from poets like Thoreau, Emerson, and Whitman. The movie Dead Poet’s Society starts at a conformists school where kids are taught and learn conformist ways of learning. The school says that 75% went to Ivy League schools and headmaster says â€Å"You have to conform to become successful.† The kids all stand up at the same time, and in synchronization, they repeat the school’s code which is â€Å"Discipline, tradition, excellence, and honor.† Then they all sit at the same time as well. This example is the machine that is in play like how Thoreau has mentioned in poems. Thoreau has said, â€Å"That government is best which governs least.† The headmaster is the machine making kids follow conformity. Which is transcendentalism? Neil Perry, the main character of the story, was a leader and straight A student who was told by his dad he would become a doctor in the medical field. Neil signed up for a class for taking yearbook pictures, and once his dad found out he immediately told him to drop the class, and Neil tried disputing with him, and his dad said â€Å"How dare you!† he brings in Neil’s mother as manipulation and Neil quickly agree to drop the class. This is also an example of a machine which would be Neil’s dad trying to make him conform but also another example of transcendentalism would be Neil being civilly disobedient by trying to fight and take that class. We will write a custom essay sample on Transcendentalism in Dead Poets Society specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Transcendentalism in Dead Poets Society specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Transcendentalism in Dead Poets Society specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In the movie, the character Knox who is also a great example of civil disobedience he tried pursuing the girl he liked who was from a public high school and had a boyfriend. He got invited to a party, and he kissed her on the forehead there and got beat up by the boyfriend this is his mind free thinking which is an example of transcendentalism. Knox even after getting be

The Link between Fire Research and Process Safety An Evolution from Specific Needs to General Concern by Cadena Munoz

The Link between Fire Research and Process Safety An Evolution from Specific Needs to General Concern by Cadena Munoz Brief Introduction The article â€Å"The Link between Fire Research and Process Safety: An Evolution from Specific Needs to General Concern† identifies the gap between Fire Safety Engineering and Performance-based Risk Analysis (PRA). Risk Analysis is â€Å"a powerful field that makes it easier for engineers to improve their dynamic systems† (Cadena Munoz, 2013, p. 2).Advertising We will write a custom article sample on â€Å"The Link between Fire Research and Process Safety: An Evolution from Specific Needs to General Concern† by Cadena Munoz specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More That being the case, Fire Safety Engineering (FSE) should become a critical input in every Process Safety (PS). Although â€Å"a link exists between these engineering fields, the agreeable fact is that they require more applications in different structures† (Cadena Munoz, 2013, p. 3). According to the authors, such fields will impro ve different Fire Protection Systems (FPSs). The article examines the importance of Risk Analysis in complex buildings and industrial facilities. Engineers should use performance-based and prescriptive approaches in order to prevent industrial fires. Statement of the Research Problem The article analyzes the effectiveness of different engineering processes. A Process Safety (PS) framework â€Å"consists of technical structures, guidelines, and tools that can manage the risks encountered in different organizational operations† (Cadena Munoz, 2013, p. 3). The RA process makes it easier for engineers to understand the nature of different risks. According to Cadena and Munoz (2013, p. 3), â€Å"Fire Safety Engineering (FSE) offers advanced solutions that can deal with different Fire Safety Challenges (FSCs)†. The researchers therefore wanted to understand â€Å"how these functions can produce better Fire Protection Systems† (Cadena Munoz, 2013, p. 3). The authors wanted to â€Å"understand the connection between FSE and PS and their applications in different fire systems† (Cadena Munoz, 2013, p. 4). Description of the Research Procedures The researchers began their article by presenting the required literature review. This procedure identified â€Å"the major practices associated with fire protection in different industrial processes† (Oh, Jiang, Panganiban, 2013, p. 3). This knowledge made it easier for the scholars to identify the existing gap between PS and FSE. The scholars used a Correlation Approach (CA) for the study.Advertising Looking for article on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This approach made it easier for the researchers to understand the challenges affecting different Fire Protection Systems (FPSs). This knowledge encouraged the scholars to identify the existing gaps in different FPSs. The scholars â€Å"analyzed the imp ortance of Fire Safety Engineering and Process Safety† (Cadena Munoz, 2013, p. 4). The researchers applied these concepts in different fire scenarios. The approach made it possible for the scholars to get the best findings. According to the researchers, many industries were not embracing the use of PS and FSE. The CA made it easier for the researchers to achieve their potentials. They also identified the practices that can improve the level of fire prevention in different industrial processes. Flaws in the Procedural Design The above procedural design presented a number of flaws. To begin with, the research method did not present a clear hypothesis. This weakness made it impossible for the researchers to predict their results. The researchers were unable to gather the best evidences during the study. The authors failed to support their arguments using meaningful data and ideas (Oh et al., 2013). The authors did not collect the best data thus affecting the validity of their st udy. A proper research design could have produced better results. Analysis of the Targeted Data The literature review made it easier for the researchers to analyze the issues affecting different companies. According to the article, many engineers were not taking PS and FSE seriously. The agreeable fact is that such engineering fields were critical and applicable in different organizations. The researchers identified the importance of these two engineering practices. The â€Å"joint application of FSE and PS can make it easier for engineers to understand the safety challenges encountered in different facilities† (Gagnon, 2007, p. 85). This approach can make it easier for analysts to examine various fire behaviors and dynamics (Gagnon, 2007).Advertising We will write a custom article sample on â€Å"The Link between Fire Research and Process Safety: An Evolution from Specific Needs to General Concern† by Cadena Munoz specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/pa ge Learn More These two fields can therefore improve the practices undertaken by different industries. The gathered information encouraged the researchers to examine the effectiveness of these engineering fields. This knowledge addresses the problems affecting different organizations. Limited and Justifiable Conclusions The authors concluded their article by highlighting the significance of FSE and PS practices. Engineers â€Å"should use PS and FSE ideas in order to have a clear understanding of different fire safety problems† (Cadena Munoz, 2013, p. 4). This practice can also deal with high complexity problems such as industrial fires. This knowledge is admirable because â€Å"the link between PS and FSE is less common in different industries† (Cadena Munoz, 2013, p. 5). Engineers should strengthen this link in order to achieve the best goals. According to Gagnon (2007, p. 109), new studies â€Å"will ensure every engineer identifies better improve ment opportunities in the field of fire protection†. The article also explains how FSE inputs might offer appropriate solutions to different RA processes. The authors encourage different scholars to invent new FSE ideas and concepts (Gagnon, 2007). Engineers should apply such ideas in different PS problems. This practice will deal with the challenges affecting many industrial processes. More studies and research designs are required in this field. Such studies will present the best ideas and strategies in order to support different industrial processes. Reference List Cadena, J., Munoz, F. (2013). The Link Between Fire Research and Process Safety: An Evolution from Specific Needs to General Concern. Chemical Engineering Transactions, 31(1), 1-6. Gagnon, R. (2007). Design of Special Hazard and Fire Alarm System. Cengage, KY: Cengage Learning.Advertising Looking for article on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Oh, J., Jiang, Z., Panganiban, H. (2013). Development of a Smart Residential Fire Protection System. Advances in Mechanical Engineering, 1(1), 1-6.

Civil Rights Era Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Civil Rights Era - Essay Example Before the 1960s, other major nations like the United Kingdom had in various ways permitted higher levels of freedom to the Black community (Mohammed, 2010). Faith Ringgold had used the ‘N’ word in her painting thus to bring attention to the fact that it was high time the so called ‘nigger’ of the United States had his or her own freedom and rights respected. Clearly, the overall meaning of her work could be summed as a protest against racism. Living a fight that had been started by the civil rights movement, Faith Ringgold was more or less adding her voice to the call for the Black American to be respected by virtue of his color and the need to the Black community to be granted as much freedom and justice as the White community. In relation to the documentary, the N Word, which sought to review various meanings associated with the word nigger, one is right to say that the title of ‘Die Nigger’ used by Faith Ringgold was an advocacy call for the negative connotations associated with the word nigger and the personality of the African American, of which the painter was one, as nigger to die (Mohammed, 2010). In the opinion of the painters, the African America did not deserve any more continuation of nigger connotations and so the overall meaning of the painting was for the associated nigger to die once and for all. One unique social structure of the United States that distinguishes it from other major countries and cultures of this world has to do with the kind of identification they give to citizens who are not of original American descent. This identification is in the fact that they want to mention the original origin of the citizen in addition to the word, American. One of such identifications is Mexican-American. Interestingly, this does not end there. In the era prior to the civil rights freedom era, it was generally speculated and notion that Americans refused to give total freedom to the respect of the rights of thes e labeled Americans. In this vain, several civil rights groups sprang up among these labeled Americans who in most cases formed the minority group (Rogers, 2009). The Chicano Movement is one of such popular groups that were instituted to defend the human rights of Mexican-Americans. As a member of the Mexican-American himself, Mel Casas used his talent and profession as a painter to trumpet his side of the message for equality before the law. In support of his move, other famous methods of trumpeting the need for equality sprang up through the use of strange means like cartoon and commercials. PART 2 1. A s far as the representation of the two imagery are concerned, it can be seen that the artist took advantage of the power and authority behind the national flag of the United States to put her message of the need for absolute equality before the law across. It is not surprising therefore that the painting really was done in the image of the United States flag. Imperatively, one nati on that had all its people using the same flag needed to be treated the same but in the opinion of the artists this was not done. She therefore could not help than to use her painting to create the impression that some people among the American society had a different identity by virtue of the treatment they received in the hands of their own people. 2. The first point that confirms that the message in the work of

Check the file i sent Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Check the file i sent - Assignment Example God is real, a truth and exists because he is conceivable to the human mind, he is conceivable to Descartes’ mind. Just as explained in Meditation1 all things that Descartes grew up to believe in was challenged and a new system of beliefs which had no doubt in them were established, here the existence of God is justified through doubtless belief. My thesis builds on Descartes’ primary logic that whatever the mind can conceive and facilitates the propagation of the belief exists. Therefore my understanding states that both God and Evil Demon exist as it can be conceived with distinct attributes and qualities. The Thesis states that God exists, because it is he who is putting these thoughts and it is he who is responsible for the author has come to be, i.e., his birth as a human being, his existence and his life. Similarly as stated in Meditation 1 â€Å"No, surely I must exist if it’s me who is convinced of something. But there is a deceiver supremely powerful ad cunning, whose aim is to see that I am always deceived†. (Descartes, 1641, p.137) This goes to show the authors belief that the Evil Demon exists. Would Descartes think that his having an idea of the Evil Demon proves that the Evil Demon exists?   Descartes states that the Evil Demon exists, as the deceiver, as a sublime thought in a human mind to constantly question the existence of one self, about the realism of one’s physical structure (i.e., eyes, hands, legs, head etc) and natural habitat like land, water, air, wind, earth etc. The Evil Demon exists as a force that tries to disprove that he exists. The author concludes by saying that, thus having fully weighed every consideration, I must finally conclude that the statement â€Å"I am. I exist† (Descartes, 1641, p.138) whenever I state or mentally consider it. Another perspective of Evil Demon’s existence is: based on the premise of Descartes’ system of thoughts and the fact that presentation al reality determines the strength of the case for the existence of an object of thought; the Evil Demon exists because of having a concrete idea with clear presentational reality of the Evil Demon. The fact that Descartes can have a clear idea of the Evil Demon together with all its attributes of evil, malice, loathness, craftiness etc leads to the fact that the Evil Demon exists. It is a thought that comes from within and is clear and distinct. Just like there is a supremely powerful and good power that we call God, who is the source of all truth, there is an evil demon, supremely powerful and cunning who works as hard as he possibly can to deceive the author (Descartes, Knowledge and Reality, Meditation 1, p. 138). Why did Descartes think that his having an idea of God proves God exists? Descartes’ primary approach is to withdraw his senses and empty his mind of thoughts of all physical things that he has seen so far in life like objects, people, things and articles. He ei ther empties his mind from it or writes them off as non-existent and not real. The fact that he can comprehend the concept of God clearly and distinctly is the basis for the argument that God exists. The idea of God is planted in his mind and this idea is clear, distinct and makes him certain. Therefore, according to Descartes, God exists. Descartes believes that whatever he thinks exists due to the connection of the outer reality and its logical conclusions with the inner reality of our imaginations. The very fact that the mind can comprehend God as a super power capable of making anything happen is

Personality Assessment Instruments Essay Example for Free

Personality Assessment Instruments Essay Personality Assessment instruments are comprised of theories and techniques to measure an individual’s personality traits. The traditional psychoanalytical theories provide a framework for understanding negative behavior as well as concepts that predict future behavioral outcomes. Because of the possibility of predictive personality traits, career counselors and organizations have used personality assessment instruments to screen possible employers for qualification. In addition, personality assessment instrument have also been used to detect disordered personalities or other unresolved issues that cause negative behavior patterns in an individual. In this paper I will discuss three Personality Assessment Instruments widely used in measuring an individual’s personality; Myer-Briggs Type Indicator, Rorschach Inkblot Test and self help books. I will discuss the validity, comprehensiveness, applicability and cultural utility of these personality assessments in also examine the strengths and weaknesses of why some work and some do not. The strength and weaknesses of each personality assessment instrument is key in understanding which instrument is â€Å"appropriate† to use. Myer-Briggs Type Indicator Largely based on Carl Jung’s Theory of Personality, The Myer-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was created by Katherine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myer, during WWII to evaluate personality types to know where to place women entering the industrial workforce. The MBTI would assess women for jobs they were best qualified for. Seeing how successful the MBTI was in placing women in the workforce, today it is still used as an assessment instrument by career counselors and organizations for team building (McCaulley, 2000). The MBTI is a self-report, forced-choice questionnaire. The letters represent the respective personality types which have 16 unique possible outcomes. The test has about 100 questions with only two choices to pick from. MBTI divides an individual’s personality into four areas (McCaulley, 2000); 1. Extraversion (E) or Introversion (I) . Sensing (S) or intuition (N) 3. Thinking (T) or feeling (F) 4. Judging (J) or perceiving (P) This scale is an important factor in determining the dominant, auxiliary, tertiary and inferior behaviors of the individual (McCaulley, 2000). Each individual is measured by the four-letter type formula. Each group of letters reveals the dominant function of the individual and followed by the auxiliary. Each of the 16 combination of letters explains the person’s personality and what area they best function in. Rorschach Inkblot Test Hermann Rorschach, Swiss psychiatrist, created ill-defined designs on paper using ink. After much trial and error, Rorschach settled on 10 inkblot cards used to show to patients and illicit a response. It was determined that different patients in a particular psychiatric group gave different responses. The test was created to understand the mind of an individual. During the assessment, the patient is shown a card and is expected to explain the thoughts that come to mind when analyzing the card (Cervone, 2010). The test-giver waits to see the type of response that comes from the patient. And the question of how the patient responds or perceives the inkblot determines the type of personality the patient may have. If the patient’s response matches the inkblot structure’s intended meaning, then the patient’s thoughts are geared towards their reality. If the patient’s response does not correspond with the inkblot then the patient is perceived to have a dysfunctional personality. Self-Help Books Widely popular, Self-help books are a great way for a person to understand psychological disorders and possible treatments. There are a variety of books written by scholars and psychologist who have done extensive work in their area of expertise. Many people who are skeptical about going to therapy choose self-help books as a way to self-administer treatment (Redding et. al, 2008). The problem people face when relying on these books for help is that there is no discussion to make sure that the person understands what they are reading. Also, the books cannot assess the person to see if they can help the person like the MBTI and Rorschach Inkblot do. There is no way to measure if the specific book can help the person. Personality Assessments: from Theory to Practice In this next section I will examine the validity, comprehensiveness, applicability and cultural utility. Throughout my research I have discovered that some critics have argued that each of these personality assessment instruments have weaknesses that do not support what it claims to produce. Others critics have shown the strengths’ in these widely used personality assessment to be applied in various cultures that have shown consistent scoring. Validity One of the most widely used personality assessment instruments is self-help books. They are easily accessible by most people seeking to resolve psychological issues. However, it is difficult to say if what the writer proposes to be a solution works effectively for the reader (Redding et. al. , 2008). The problem with the validity of self-help books is that not all are written by professional psychologist. Often people are faced with serious psychological disorders that they wish to resolve on their own as opposed to therapy (Redding et. l, 2008). Another issue with self-help books is that they do not test people to see if they have applied the information coming from the book to the area in their life where they face challenges nor can it pinpoint the exact disorder a person is dealing with. I would have to say that the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator holds the most validity out of the three personality assessment instruments and is the most favored. The MBTI has been tested and based on the 16 different possible personality types most people have fallen under one of the combinations. The MBTI follows the theory of personality traits by Carl Jung. Jung’s theory distinguishes two dichotomous pairs of cognitive behavior: extraversion and introversion (McCaulley, 2008). The MBTI has been shown to be successful in determining an individual’s personality that fits a specific career or in organizing groups for team building. On the other hand, when a person has been assessed using the Rorschach inkblot test, disordered personality can be revealed thru extensive testing. The validity of the Rorschach inkblot test as but argued that there is a bias in the testing because Hermann Rorschach’s training was in psychoanalytical theories. Another problem that arises with the Rorschach in examining its validity is the scoring of the test. Many of the scorers give a higher score to the test taker if their response matches those of previous scorers (Sendin, 2010). Comprehensiveness Self-help books focus on an areas in an individual’s life such as alcohol addictions, Attention Deficit Disorder, How to deal with a Break-Up. And while the books can be informative the theory behind the solution must be examined. Most self-help books are written in the opinion of the author writing the book. Some of these opinions may not be in accord with the reader’s background so it is difficult to say if the reader is able to comprehend what the author is conveying (Redding et. al, 2008). It also depends only what the reader is looking for. If the reader is open to alternative solutions as opposed to traditional one then the book will help but because a person is not tested on the self-help books they are reading it is hard to determine how comprehensive the book is. MBTI has 16 possible personality types that this world-wide instrument uses to address issues faced by individuals, groups and family counseling that are challenged with communication, career planning, learning and life -long development (McCaulley, 2000). When assessing an individual’s personality not only is this helpful in career counseling but also when determining why individuals or family members are having communication problems. Applicability Self-help books can be easy to understand. Some of the methods are broken down in simple steps that anyone can apply. However, if one wants to assess the type of personality that can handle a certain job the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator is more appropriate to use. This assessment instrument has been used by career counselors and employers to match individuals to specific studies or industries (McCaulley, 2008). I would not recommend using the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator when assessing an individual’s personality for disorders. The Rorschach Inkblot has been a successful instrument in examining the mind of a person (Cervone, 2010). However, the Rorschach inkblot was constructed according to Hermann Rorschach’s training in psychoanalytical theory. Cultural Utility Each culture is made of its own belief system and traditions. What applies in one culture may not necessarily apply in another. Some assessments can be used in most cultures and give the same results across the board. However, not all cultures will accept the theories behind the assessment. The issues that I have noticed in researching the MBTI and Rorschach Inkblot test is that in applying to different cultures there has been challenges faced by psychologist. For one, psychologists have not had extensive training in cultural diversity. Nor have they had training in language. Most ethnic low income groups have had poor health service in which there has been a misdiagnosis due to language barrier (Dana, 2000). Also to consider are groups who come from another country and have different views on the mental health system. For example, in administering the MBTI and Rorschach Inkblot test to Russian Jews challenges are faced because of their cultural belief. Russian Jews are highly suspicious of mental health professionals and find it difficult to believe that community health agencies do not have ties to the government (Dana, 200). As a result, they deny any mental health issues. The fear that exists with Russian Jews is because of the way they saw the Soviet Government force people to commit to a mental health institute (Dana, 2000). Consequently, self help books have been successful in reaching a mass audience because books have been published in various languages. Conclusion As you can see Personality Assessment Instruments have been very useful in helping to examine an individual’s personality for career choices, in team building and examining a disorder. However, specialist have has revealed their weaknesses and show that these instruments cannot be applied in any situation without further investigation. Each personality assessment instrument is unique with it’s own characters. In order to be able to better serve the mental health industry only a particular assessment can be used for a specific analysis.

Structure and Function Essay -- Medical Research

First labelled an oncogene upon its discovery in 1979, p53 (or TP53 in humans), was correctly re-labelled a tumour suppressor a decade later following the discovery that the gene previously being studied was, ironically, a mutant. Now realised as the most common mutated gene, found in a staggering 50% of cancers, p53 is a keystone in the face of cancer. Its structure and functions continue to be delved into. Amino acids, genome stability, tumour suppression, iPS? Gene Structure 53 kilo-Daltons in size, 11 exons and 10 introns, p53 gene is located on chromosome 17. Using a clone isolated from a cDNA library of simian virus 40- transformed human fibroblasts, Mcbride et al. (1985), identified the location of p53 gene. Using karyotypic analysis and Southern analyses, they narrowed down the exact position of the p53 gene to the most distal band on the short arm of chromosome 17- the telomeric band 17p13. Structurally abundant in domains, p53 has three main functional domains and 393 amino acids in total. The first domain, the N-terminal (NH2 terminal) houses amino acids that are important in transactivation. In vivo, p53 requires amino acids F19, L22, and W23 found in the N-terminal for transcriptional activation (Lin et al., 1995). Present also, are the amino acid residues 22 and 23, although positive- regulators of transcriptional activity, are later to play a role in the negative-regulation of p53. In highlighting similarities between p53 protein-DNA interactions to other protein-DNA complexes, Cho et al. (1994), point out that p53 uses a loop packing at the NH2-terminal part of the alpha helix to make extra connections to the bases in the major groove of DNA. The C-terminal (carboxyl terminal) —61 important amino aci... ...anaka, S., 2009. Suppression of induced pluripotent stem cell generation by the p53-p21 pathway. Nature 460, 1132-1135. Lee, S., Elenbaas, B., Levine, A.J, and Griffith, J., 1995. p53 and its 14 kDa C-terminal domain recognize primary DNA damage in the form of insertion/deletion mismatches. Cell 81, 1013-1020. Levine, A.J., 1997. p53, the cellular gatekeeper for growth and division. Cell. 88, 323-331. Lin, J., Wu, X., Chen, J., Chang, A., and Levine, A.J., 1995. Functions of the the p53 protein growth regulation and tumour suppression. Cold Springs Harbour Symposia on Quantitative Biology LIX, 215-223. McBride, O.W., Merry, D.E., Oren, M., and Givol, D., 1985. The gene for human p53 cellular tumor antigen is located on chromosome 17 short arm (17p13). Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 83, 130-134.

The Host Chapter 31: Needed

I froze and then looked quickly over my shoulder to see if someone was behind me. â€Å"Gladys was his wife,† Jamie whispered almost silently. â€Å"She didn't escape.† â€Å"Gladys,† Walter said to me, oblivious to my reaction. â€Å"Would you believe I went and got cancer? What are the odds, eh? Never took a sick day in my life†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His voice faded out until I couldn't hear it, but his lips continued to move. He was too weak to lift his hand; his fingers dragged themselves toward the edge of the cot, toward me. Ian nudged me forward. â€Å"What should I do?† I breathed. The sweat beading on my forehead had nothing to do with the humid heat. â€Å"†¦ grandfather lived to be a hundred and one,† Walter wheezed, audible again. â€Å"Nobody ever had cancer in my family, not even the cousins. Didn't your aunt Regan have skin cancer, though?† He looked at me trustingly, waiting for an answer. Ian poked me in the back. â€Å"Um†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I mumbled. â€Å"Maybe that was Bill's aunt,† Walter allowed. I shot a panicked glance at Ian, who shrugged. â€Å"Help,† I mouthed at him. He motioned for me to take Walter's searching fingers. Walter's skin was chalk white and translucent. I could see the faint pulse of blood in the blue veins on the back of his hand. I lifted his hand gingerly, worried about the slender bones that Jamie had said were so brittle. It felt too light, as if it were hollow. â€Å"Ah, Gladdie, it's been hard without you. It's a nice place here; you'll like it, even when I'm gone. Plenty of people to talk to-I know how you need to have your conversation†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The volume of his voice sank until I couldn't make out the words anymore, but his lips still shaped the words he wanted to share with his wife. His mouth kept moving, even when his eyes closed and his head lolled to the side. Ian found a wet cloth and began wiping Walter's shining face. â€Å"I'm not good at†¦ at deception,† I whispered, watching Walter's mumbling lips to make sure he wasn't listening to me. â€Å"I don't want to upset him.† â€Å"You don't have to say anything,† Ian reassured me. â€Å"He's not lucid enough to care.† â€Å"Do I look like her?† â€Å"Not a bit-I've seen her picture. Stocky redhead.† â€Å"Here, let me do that.† Ian gave me the rag, and I cleaned the sweat off Walter's neck. Busy hands always made me feel more comfortable. Walter continued to mumble. I thought I heard him say, â€Å"Thanks, Gladdie, that's nice.† I didn't notice that Doc's snores had stopped. His familiar voice was suddenly there behind me, too gentle to startle. â€Å"How is he?† â€Å"Delusional,† Ian whispered. â€Å"Is that the brandy or the pain?† â€Å"More the pain, I would think. I'd trade my right arm for some morphine.† â€Å"Maybe Jared will produce another miracle,† Ian suggested. â€Å"Maybe,† Doc sighed. I wiped absently at Walter's pallid face, listening more intently now, but they didn't speak of Jared again. Not here, Melanie whispered. Looking for help for Walter, I agreed. Alone, she added. I thought about the last time I'd seen him-the kiss, the belief†¦ He probably wanted some time to himself. I hope he isn't out there convincing himself that you're a very talented actress-slash-Seeker again†¦ That's possible, of course. Melanie groaned silently. Ian and Doc murmured in quiet voices about inconsequential things, mostly Ian catching Doc up on what was going on in the caves. â€Å"What happened to Wanda's face?† Doc whispered, but I could still hear him easily. â€Å"More of the same,† Ian said in a tight voice. Doc made an unhappy noise under his breath and then clicked his tongue. Ian told him a bit about tonight's awkward class, about Geoffrey's questions. â€Å"It would have been convenient if Melanie had been possessed by a Healer,† Doc mused. I flinched, but they were behind me and probably didn't notice. â€Å"We're lucky it was Wanda,† Ian murmured in my defense. â€Å"No one else -â€Å" â€Å"I know,† Doc interrupted, good-natured as always. â€Å"I guess I should say, it's too bad Wanda didn't have more of an interest in medicine.† â€Å"I'm sorry,† I murmured. I was careless to reap the benefits of perfect health without ever being curious about the cause. A hand touched my shoulder. â€Å"You have nothing to apologize for,† Ian said. Jamie was being very quiet. I looked around and saw that he was curled up on the cot where Doc had been napping. â€Å"It's late,† Doc noted. â€Å"Walter's not going anywhere tonight. You should get some sleep.† â€Å"We'll be back,† Ian promised. â€Å"Let us know what we can bring, for either of you.† I laid Walter's hand down, patting it cautiously. His eyes snapped open, focusing with more awareness than before. â€Å"Are you leaving?† he wheezed. â€Å"Do you have to go so soon?† I took his hand again quickly. â€Å"No, I don't have to leave.† He smiled and closed his eyes again. His fingers locked around mine with brittle strength. Ian sighed. â€Å"You can go,† I told him. â€Å"I don't mind. Take Jamie back to his bed.† Ian glanced around the room. â€Å"Hold on a sec,† he said, and then he grabbed the cot closest to him. It wasn't heavy-he lifted it easily and slid it into place next to Walter's. I stretched my arm to the limit, trying not to jostle Walter, so that Ian could arrange the cot under it. Then he grabbed me up just as easily and set me on the cot beside Walter. Walter's eyes never fluttered. I gasped quietly, caught off guard by the casual way Ian was able to put his hands on me-as though I were human. Ian jerked his chin toward Walter's hand clasped around mine. â€Å"Do you think you can sleep like that?† â€Å"Yes, I'm sure I can.† â€Å"Sleep well, then.† He smiled at me, then turned and lifted Jamie from the other cot. â€Å"Let's go, kid,† he muttered, carrying the boy with no more effort than if he were an infant. Ian's quiet footsteps faded into the distance until I couldn't hear them anymore. Doc yawned and went to sit behind the desk he'd constructed out of wooden crates and an aluminum door, taking the dim lamp with him. Walter's face was too dark to see, and that made me nervous. It was like he was already gone. I took comfort in his fingers, still curled stiffly around mine. Doc began to shuffle through some papers, humming almost inaudibly to himself. I drifted off to the sound of the gentle rustling. Walter recognized me in the morning. He didn't wake until Ian showed up to escort me back; the cornfield was due to be cleared of the old stalks. I promised Doc I would bring him breakfast before I got to work. The very last thing I did was to carefully loosen my numb fingers, freeing them from Walter's grasp. His eyes opened. â€Å"Wanda,† he whispered. â€Å"Walter?† I wasn't sure how long he would know me, or if he would remember last night. His hand clutched at the empty air, so I gave him my left, the one that wasn't dead. â€Å"You came to see me. That was nice. I know†¦ with the others back†¦ must be hard†¦ for you†¦ Your face†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He seemed to be having a difficult time making his lips form the words, and his eyes went in and out of focus. How like him, that his first words to me would be full of concern. â€Å"Everything's fine, Walter. How are you feeling?† â€Å"Ah -† He groaned quietly. â€Å"Not so†¦ Doc?† â€Å"Right here,† Doc murmured, close behind me. â€Å"Got any more liquor?† he gasped. â€Å"Of course.† Doc was already prepared. He held the mouth of a thick glass bottle to Walter's slack lips and carefully poured the dark brown liquid in slow drips into his mouth. Walter winced as each sip burned down his throat. Some of it trickled out the side of his mouth and onto his pillow. The smell stung my nose. â€Å"Better?† Doc asked after a long moment of slow pouring. Walter grunted. It didn't sound like assent. His eyes closed. â€Å"More?† Doc asked. Walter grimaced and then moaned. Doc cursed under his breath. â€Å"Where's Jared?† he muttered. I stiffened at the name. Melanie stirred and then drifted again. Walter's face sagged. His head rolled back on his neck. â€Å"Walter?† I whispered. â€Å"The pain's too much for him to stay conscious. Let him be,† Doc said. My throat felt swollen. â€Å"What can I do?† Doc's voice was desolate. â€Å"About as much as I can. Which is nothing. I'm useless.† â€Å"Don't be like that, Doc,† I heard Ian murmur. â€Å"This isn't your fault. The world doesn't work the way it used to. No one expects more of you.† My shoulders hunched inward. No, their world didn't work the same way anymore. A finger tapped my arm. â€Å"Let's go,† Ian whispered. I nodded and started to pull my hand free again. Walter's eyes rolled open, unseeing. â€Å"Gladdie? Are you here?† he implored. â€Å"Um†¦ I'm here,† I said uncertainly, letting his fingers lock around mine. Ian shrugged. â€Å"I'll get you both some food,† he whispered, and then he left. I waited anxiously for him to return, unnerved by Walter's misconception. Walter murmured Gladys's name over and over, but he didn't seem to need anything from me, for which I was grateful. After a while, half an hour maybe, I began listening for Ian's footsteps in the tunnel, wondering what could be taking him so long. Doc stood by his desk the whole time, staring into nothing with his shoulders slumped. It was easy to see how useless he felt. And then I did hear something, but it wasn't footsteps. â€Å"What is that?† I asked Doc in a whisper; Walter was quiet again, maybe unconscious. I didn't want to disturb him. Doc turned to look at me, cocking his head to the side at the same time to listen. The noise was a funny thrumming, a fast, soft beat. I thought I heard it get just a little louder, but then it seemed quieter again. â€Å"That's weird,† Doc said. â€Å"It almost sounds like†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused, his forehead furrowing in concentration as the unfamiliar sound faded. We were listening intently, so we heard the footsteps when they were still far away. They did not match the expected, even pace of Ian's return. He was running-no, sprinting. Doc reacted immediately to the sound of trouble. He jogged quickly out to meet Ian. I wished I could see what was wrong, too, but I didn't want to upset Walter by trying to free my hand again. I listened hard instead. â€Å"Brandt?† I heard Doc say in surprise. â€Å"Where is it? Where is it?† the other man demanded breathlessly. The running footsteps only paused for a second, then started up again, not quite as fast. â€Å"What are you talking about?† Doc asked, calling back this way. â€Å"The parasite!† Brandt hissed impatiently, anxiously, as he burst through the arched entry. Brandt was not a big man like Kyle or Ian; he was probably only a few inches taller than me, but he was thick and solid as a rhinoceros. His eyes swept the room; his piercing gaze focused on my face for half a second, then took in Walter's oblivious form, and then raced around the room only to end up on me again. Doc caught up with Brandt then, his long fingers gripping Brandt's shoulder just as the broader man took the first step in my direction. â€Å"What are you doing?† Doc asked, his voice the closest to a growl I'd ever heard it. Before Brandt answered, the odd sound returned, going from soft to screaming loud to soft again with a suddenness that had us all frozen. The beats thudded right on top of one another, shaking the air when they were at their loudest. â€Å"Is that-is that a helicopter?† Doc asked, whispering. â€Å"Yes,† Brandt whispered back. â€Å"It's the Seeker-the one from before, the one who was looking for it.† He jerked his chin at me. My throat was suddenly too small-the breaths moving through it were thin and shallow, not enough. I felt dizzy. No. Not now. Please. What is her problem? Mel snarled in my head. Why can't she leave us alone? We can't let her hurt them! But how do we stop her? I don't know. This is all my fault! Mine, too, Wanda. Ours. â€Å"Are you sure?† Doc asked. â€Å"Kyle got a clear view through the binoculars while it was hovering. Same one he saw before.† â€Å"Is it looking here?† Doc's voice was suddenly horrified. He half spun, eyes flashing toward the exit. â€Å"Where's Sharon?† Brandt shook his head. â€Å"It's just running sweeps. Starts at Picacho, then fans out in spokes. Doesn't look like it's focusing on anything close. Circled around a few times where we dumped the car.† â€Å"Sharon?† Doc asked again. â€Å"She's with the kids and Lucina. They're fine. The boys are getting things packed in case we have to roll tonight, but Jeb says it's not likely.† Doc exhaled, then paced over to his desk. He slouched against it, looking as if he'd just run a long race. â€Å"So it's nothing new, really,† he murmured. â€Å"Naw. Just have to lay low for a few days,† Brandt reassured him. His eyes were flickering around the room again, settling on me every other second. â€Å"Do you have any rope handy?† he asked. He pulled up the edge of the sheet on an empty cot, examining it. â€Å"Rope?† Doc echoed blankly. â€Å"For the parasite. Kyle sent me out here to secure it.† My muscles contracted involuntarily; my hand gripped Walter's fingers too tightly, and he whimpered. I tried to force it to relax while I kept my eyes on Brandt's hard face. He was waiting for Doc, expectant. â€Å"You're here to secure Wanda?† Doc said, his voice hard again. â€Å"And what makes you think that's necessary?† â€Å"Come on, Doc. Don't be stupid. You've got some big vents in here, and a lot of reflective metal.† Brandt gestured to a file cabinet against the far wall. â€Å"You let your attention wander for half a minute, and it'll be flashing signals to that Seeker.† I sucked in a shocked breath; it was loud in the still room. â€Å"See?† Brandt said. â€Å"Guessed its plan in one.† I wanted to bury myself under a boulder to hide from the bulging, relentless eyes of my Seeker, yet he imagined I wanted to guide her in. Bring her here to kill Jamie, Jared, Jeb, Ian†¦ I felt like gagging. â€Å"You can go, Brandt,† Doc said in an icy tone. â€Å"I will keep an eye on Wanda.† Brandt raised one eyebrow. â€Å"What happened to you guys? To you and Ian and Trudy and the rest? It's like you're all hypnotized. If your eyes weren't right, I'd have to wonder†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Go ahead and wonder all you want, Brandt. But get out while you're doing it.† Brandt shook his head. â€Å"I've got a job to do.† Doc walked toward Brandt, stopping when he was between Brandt and me. He folded his arms across his chest. â€Å"You're not going to touch her.† The throbbing helicopter blades sounded in the distance. We were all very still, not breathing, until they faded. Brandt shook his head when it was quiet again. He didn't speak; he just went to the desk and picked up Doc's chair. He carried it to the wall by the file cabinet, slammed it to the ground, and then sat down hard, making the metal legs squeal against the stone. He leaned forward, his hands on his knees, and stared at me. A vulture waiting for a dying hare to stop moving. Doc's jaw tightened, making a little popping noise. â€Å"Gladys,† Walter muttered, surfacing from his dazed sleep. â€Å"You're here.† Too nervous to speak with Brandt watching, I just patted his hand. His clouded eyes searched my face, seeing features that weren't there. â€Å"It hurts, Gladdie. It hurts a lot.† â€Å"I know,† I whispered. â€Å"Doc?† He was already there, the brandy in hand. â€Å"Open up, Walter.† The sound of the helicopter thumped quietly, far away but still much too close. Doc flinched, and a few drops of brandy splattered on my arm. It was a horrible day. The worst of my life on this planet, even including my first day in the caves and the last hot, dry day in the desert, hours from death. The helicopter circled and circled. Sometimes more than an hour would pass, and I would think it was finally over. Then the sound would come back, and I would see the Seeker's obstinate face in my head, her protruding eyes scouring the blank desert for some sign of humans. I tried to will her away, concentrating hard on my memories of the desert's featureless, colorless plain, as if I could somehow make sure she saw nothing else, as if I could bore her into leaving. Brandt never took his suspicious stare off of me. I could always feel it, though I rarely looked at him. It got a little better when Ian came back with both breakfast and lunch. He was all dirty from packing in case of an evacuation-whatever that meant. Did they have anywhere to go? Ian scowled so hard he looked like Kyle when Brandt explained in clipped phrases why he was there. Then Ian dragged another empty cot beside mine, so that he could sit in Brandt's line of sight and block his view. The helicopter, Brandt's distrustful watch, these were not really so bad. On an ordinary day-if there was really such a thing anymore-either one of these might have seemed agonizing. Today, they were nothing. By noon, Doc had given Walter the last of the brandy. It seemed like only minutes later that Walter was writhing, moaning, and gasping for breath. His fingers bruised and chafed mine, but if I ever pulled away, his moans turned to shrill screams. I ducked out once to use the latrine; Brandt followed me, which made Ian feel like he had to come, too. By the time we got back-after nearly running the whole way-Walter's screams no longer sounded human. Doc's face was hollow with echoed agony. Walter quieted after I spoke to him for a moment, letting him think his wife was near. It was an easy lie, a kind one. Brandt made little noises of irritation, but I knew that he was wrong to be upset. Nothing mattered beside Walter's pain. The whimpers and the writhing continued, though, and Brandt paced back and forth at the other end of the room, trying to be as far from the sound as possible. Jamie came looking for me, bringing food enough for four, when the light was growing orangey overhead. I wouldn't let him stay; I made Ian take him back to the kitchen to eat, made Ian promise to watch him all night so he wouldn't sneak back here. Walter couldn't help shrieking when his twisting moved his broken leg, and the sound of it was nearly unbearable. Jamie shouldn't have this night burned into his memory the way it would surely be burned into Doc's and mine. Perhaps Brandt's as well, though he did what he could to ignore Walter, plugging his ears and humming a dissonant tune. Doc did not try to distance himself from Walter's hideous suffering; instead, he suffered with him. Walter's cries carved deep lines in Doc's face, like claws raking his skin. It was strange to see such depths of compassion in a human, particularly Doc. I couldn't look at him the same way after watching him live Walter's pain. So great was his compassion, he seemed to bleed internally with it. As I watched, it became impossible to believe that Doc was a cruel person; the man simply could not be a torturer. I tried to remember what had been said to found my conjectures-had anyone made the accusation outright? I didn't think so. I must have jumped to false conclusions in my terror. I doubted I could ever mistrust Doc again after this nightmarish day. However, I would always find his hospital a horrible place. When the last of the daylight disappeared, so did the helicopter. We sat in the darkness, not daring to turn on even the dim blue light. It took a few hours before any of us would believe the hunt was over. Brandt was the first to accept it; he'd had enough of the hospital, too. â€Å"Makes sense for it to give up,† he muttered, edging out the exit. â€Å"Nothing to see at night. I'll just take your light with me, Doc, so that Jeb's pet parasite can't get up to anything, and be on my way.† Doc didn't respond, didn't even look at the sullen man as he left. â€Å"Make it stop, Gladdie, make it stop!† Walter begged me. I wiped the sweat from his face while he crushed my hand. Time seemed to slow down and stop; the black night felt unending. Walter's screams got more and more frequent, more and more excruciating. Melanie was far away, knowing she could do nothing useful. I would have hidden, too, if Walter hadn't needed me. I was all alone in my head-exactly what I had once wanted. It made me feel lost. Eventually, a dim gray light started to creep in through the high vents overhead. I was hovering on the edge of sleep, Walter's moans and screams keeping me from sinking under. I could hear Doc snoring behind me. I was glad that he'd been able to escape for a little while. I didn't hear Jared come in. I was mumbling weak assurances, barely coherent, trying to calm Walter. â€Å"I'm here, I'm here,† I murmured as he cried out his wife's name. â€Å"Shh, it's okay.† The words were meaningless. It was something to say, though, and it did seem that my voice calmed the worst of his cries. I don't know how long Jared watched me with Walter before I realized he was there. It must have been a while. I was sure his first reaction would be anger, but when I heard him speak, his voice was cool. â€Å"Doc,† he said, and I heard the cot behind me shake. â€Å"Doc, wake up.† I jerked my hand free, whirling, disoriented, to see the face that went with the unmistakable voice. His eyes were on me as he shook the sleeping man's shoulder. They were impossible to read in the dim light. His face had no expression at all. Melanie jolted into awareness. She pored over his features, trying to read the thoughts behind the mask. â€Å"Gladdie! Don't leave! Don't!† Walter's screech had Doc bolting upright, nearly capsizing his cot. I spun back to Walter, shoving my sore hand into his searching fingers. â€Å"Shhh, shhh! Walter, I'm here. I won't leave. I won't, I promise.† He quieted down, whimpering like a small child. I wiped the damp cloth over his forehead; his sob hitched and turned into a sigh. â€Å"What's that about?† Jared murmured behind me. â€Å"She's the best painkiller I've been able to find,† Doc said wearily. â€Å"Well, I've found you something better than a tame Seeker.† My stomach knotted, and Melanie hissed in my head. So stupidly, blindly stubborn! she growled. He wouldn't believe you if you told him the sun sets in the west. But Doc was beyond caring about the slight to me. â€Å"You found something!† â€Å"Morphine-there's not much. I would have gotten here sooner if the Seeker hadn't pinned me down out there.† Doc was instantly in action. I heard him rustling through something papery, and he crowed in delight. â€Å"Jared, you're the miracle man!† â€Å"Doc, just a sec†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But Doc was at my side already, his haggard face alight with anticipation. His hands were busy with a small syringe. He stuck the tiny needle into the crease at Walter's elbow, on the arm that was attached to me. I turned my face away. It seemed so horribly invasive to stab something through his skin. I couldn't argue with the results, though. Within half a minute, Walter's entire body relaxed, melting into a pile of loose flesh against the thin mattress. His breathing went from harsh and urgent to whispery and even. His hand relaxed, freeing mine. I massaged my left hand with my right, trying to bring the blood back to my fingertips. Little prickles followed the flow of blood under my skin. â€Å"Uh, Doc, there really isn't enough for that,† Jared murmured. I looked up from Walter's face, peaceful at last. Jared had his back to me, but I could see the surprise in Doc's expression. â€Å"Enough for what? I'm not going to save this for a rainy day, Jared. I'm sure we'll wish we had it again, and too soon, but I'm not going to let Walter scream in agony while I have a way to help him!† â€Å"That's not what I meant,† Jared said. He spoke the way he did when he'd already thought about something long and hard. Slow and even, like Walter's breath. Doc frowned, confused. â€Å"There's enough to stop the pain for maybe three or four days, that's all,† Jared said. â€Å"If you give it to him in doses.† I didn't understand what Jared was saying, but Doc did. â€Å"Ah,† he sighed. He turned to look at Walter again, and I saw a rim of fresh tears start to pool above his lower lids. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I wanted to know what they were talking about, but Jared's presence made me silent, brought back the reserve I rarely felt the need for anymore. â€Å"You can't save him. You can only save him pain, Doc.† â€Å"I know,† Doc said. His voice broke, like he was holding back a sob. â€Å"You're right.† What's going on? I asked. As long as Melanie was going to be around, I might as well make use of her. They're going to kill Walter, she told me matter-of-factly. There's enough morphine to give him an overdose. My gasp sounded loud in the quiet room, but it was really just a breath. I didn't look up to see how the two healthy men would react. My own tears pooled as I leaned over Walter's pillow. No, I thought, no. Not yet. No. You'd rather he died screaming? I just†¦ I can't stand the†¦ finality. It's so absolute. I'll never see my friend again. How many of your other friends have you gone back to visit, Wanderer? I've never had friends like this before. My friends on other planets were all blurred together in my head; the souls were so similar, almost interchangeable in some ways. Walter was distinctly himself. When he was gone, there would be no one who could fill his place. I cradled Walter's head in my arms and let my tears fall onto his skin. I tried to stifle my crying, but it made its way out regardless, a keening rather than sobs. I know. Another first, Melanie whispered, and there was compassion in her tone. Compassion for me-that was a first, too. â€Å"Wanda?† Doc asked. I just shook my head, not able to answer. â€Å"I think you've been here too long,† he said. I felt his hand, light and warm, on my shoulder. â€Å"You should take a break.† I shook my head again, still keening softly. â€Å"You're worn out,† he said. â€Å"Go clean up, stretch your legs. Eat something.† I glared up at him. â€Å"Will Walter be here when I get back?† I mumbled through my tears. His eyes tightened anxiously. â€Å"Do you want that?† â€Å"I'd like a chance to say goodbye. He's my friend.† He patted my arm. â€Å"I know, Wanda, I know. Me, too. I'm in no hurry. You get some air and then come back. Walter will be sleeping for a while.† I read his worn face, and I believed the sincerity there. I nodded and carefully put Walter's head back on the pillow. Maybe if I got away from this place for a little bit, I'd find a way to handle this. I wasn't sure how-I had no experience with real goodbyes. Because I was in love with him, no matter that it was unwilling, I had to look at Jared before I left. Mel wanted this, too, but wished that she could somehow exclude me from the process. He was staring at me. I had a feeling his eyes had been on me for a long time. His face was carefully composed, but there was surprise and suspicion in there again. It made me tired. What would be the point of acting out a charade now, even if I were that talented a liar? Walter would never stand up for me again. I couldn't sucker him anymore. I met Jared's gaze for one long second, then turned to hurry down the pitch-black corridor that was brighter than his expression.