The Golden Lily Chapter 21

I'D SEEN MOVIES where blindfolded people were able to tell where they were going, based on some innate talent to sense motion and direction. Not me. After a few turns, I couldn't have told you where in Palm Spring we were – especially since I suspected Trey was taking a slightly roundabout way in order to make sure there wasn't a tail. The only thing I was certain of was when we got on I-10, simply because of the feel of the freeway. I didn't know what direction we were headed and had no way to accurately time how long we traveled either. Trey didn't offer much in the way of conversation, though he did give short answers whenever I asked questions. â€Å"When did you join the vampire hunters?† â€Å"Warriors of Light,† he corrected. â€Å"And I was born into it.† â€Å"That's why you're always talking about family pressure and why so much is expected of you, isn't it? It's why your dad is so concerned about your athletic performance.† I took Trey's silence as an affirmative and pushed on, needing to get as much information as possible. â€Å"How often do you guys have your, um, meetings? Are you always having those brutal tests?† Until very recently, there had been nothing to suggest Trey's life was much different from any other high school athlete who kept up with his grades, a job, and an active social life. In fact, thinking of all the things Trey usually did, it was hard to imagine him having any time at all for the Warriors. â€Å"We don't have regular meetings,† he said. â€Å"Well, not someone at my level. We wait until we're called, usually because a hunt's under way. Or sometimes we conduct competitions, in order to test our strength. Our leaders travel around, and then Warriors gather from all different places in order to be ready.† â€Å"Ready for what?† â€Å"The day when we can end the vampire scourge altogether.† â€Å"And you really believe this hunt is the way to do it? That it's the right thing to do?† â€Å"Have you ever seen them?† he asked. â€Å"The evil, undead vampires?† â€Å"I've seen quite a few of them.† â€Å"And you don't think they should be destroyed?† â€Å"That's not what I've been trying to tell you. I don't have any love for Strigoi, believe me. My point is that Sonya's not one of them.† More silence. Eventually, I felt us exit the freeway. We drove for a while longer until the car slowed again and turned, onto a gravel road. We soon came to a stop, and Trey rolled down the window. â€Å"This is her?† asked an unknown man. â€Å"Yes,† said Trey. â€Å"You turned off her cell phone?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Take her in then. They'll do the rest of the search.† I heard a squeaking gate open, and then we continued on the gravel road until turning onto what felt like packed dirt. Trey stopped the car and turned it off. He opened his door at the same time someone on the outside opened mine. A hand on my shoulder nudged me forward. â€Å"Come on. Get out.† â€Å"Be careful with her,† warned Trey. I was led from the car into a building. It wasn't until I heard a door shut and latch that my blindfold was finally taken off. I was in a stark room with unfinished drywall and bare bulb lights in the ceiling. Four other people stood around Trey and me, three men and one woman. All of them looked to be in their twenties, and two were the guys who had stopped me at the cafe. Also, all of them were armed. â€Å"Empty out your purse.† It was Jeff, the guy with buzzed dark hair, wearing a gold earring of the antique sun symbol. I complied, dumping my purse's contents onto a makeshift table composed of plywood set on top of some cinderblocks. While they sifted through it, the woman patted me down for wires. She had hair with a bad bleach job and a perennial snarl on her face, but at least her frisk was professional and efficient. â€Å"What's this?† Blond Hair from the cafe held up a small plastic bag filled with dried herbs and flowers. â€Å"You don't look like the drug type.† â€Å"It's potpourri,† I said promptly. â€Å"You keep potpourri in your purse?† he asked disbelievingly. I shrugged. â€Å"We keep all sorts of things around. I took out all the acids and chemicals before I came here, though.† He dismissed the potpourri as harmless and tossed it into a pile with other cleared items, like my wallet, hand sanitizer, and a plain wooden bracelet. I noticed then that the pile also included a pair of earrings. They were round gold discs, covered in intricate swirls and tiny gems. They were beautiful – but I'd never seen them before. I certainly wasn't going to call attention to anything, however, particularly when the woman snatched up my cell phone. â€Å"We should destroy this.† â€Å"I turned it off,† said Trey. â€Å"She might turn it back on. It can be tracked.† â€Å"She wouldn't,† argued Trey. â€Å"Besides, that's a little paranoid, isn't it? No one has that kind of technology in real life.† â€Å"You'd be surprised,† she said. He held out his hand. â€Å"Give it to me. I'll keep it safe. She's here on good faith.† The woman hesitated until Jeff nodded. Trey slipped the phone into his pocket, and I was grateful. There were a lot of saved numbers that would be a pain to replace. Once my purse was deemed safe, I was allowed to put it back together and take it with me. â€Å"Okay,† said Blond Hair. â€Å"Let's go to the arena.† Arena? I had a hard time picturing what that would entail in a place like this. My vision in the silver plate hadn't shown me much of the building, save that it was single-story and had a ratty, worn look to it. This room seemed to be keeping right along with that theme. If the antiquated brochures were further proof of the Warriors' sense of style, I expected this â€Å"arena† to be in someone's garage. I was wrong. Whatever the Warriors of Light had lacked in other areas of their operation, they'd sunk it into the arena – or, as I was told its official name was, The Arena of Divine Radiance of Holy Gold. The arena had been built upon a clearing surrounded by several buildings. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a courtyard. It was bigger, and the ground was more of that sandy packed dirt we'd driven in on. This setup was far from polished or high tech, yet as I took it all in, I couldn't help but think of Trey saying the Warriors had come to town this week. Because for them to have put this together so quickly†¦ well, it was kind of impressive. And frightening. Two sets of rickety wooden bleachers had been erected on opposite sides of the space. One set held about fifty spectators, mostly men, of varying ages. Their eyes, suspicious and even hostile, were on me as I was led in. I could practically feel their gazes boring into my tattoo. Did they all know about the Alchemists and our history? They were all dressed in ordinary clothing, but here and there, I caught glimmers of gold. Many of them wore some kind of ornament – a pin, an earring, etc. – with either an ancient or modern sun symbol. The other bleachers were nearly empty. Three men – older, closer to my dad's age – sat side by side. They were dressed in yellow robes covered in golden embroidery that glittered in the orange light of the setting sun. Golden helmets covered their heads and were engraved with the old sun symbol, the circle with the dot. They watched me as well, and I kept my head high, hoping I could hide the shaking of my hands. I couldn't present a convincing case for Sonya if I seemed intimidated. Around the arena, draped on poles, were banners of all shapes and sizes. They were made of rich, heavy fabric that reminded me of medieval tapestries. Obviously, these weren't that old, but they nonetheless gave the place a luxurious and ceremonial feel. The banners' designs varied considerably. Some really did look straight out of history, showing stylized knights fighting against vampires. Looking at those gave me chills. I really had stepped back in time, into the fold of a group with a history as old as the Alchemists'. Other banners were more abstract, portraying the ancient alchemical symbols. Still others looked modern, depicting the sun on Trey's back. I wondered if that newer sun interpretation was meant to appeal to today's youth. All the while, I kept thinking, less than a week. They put all this together in less than a week. They travel around with all of this, ready to put it up at a moment's notice in order to conduct these competitions or executions. Maybe they are primitive, but that doesn't make them any less dangerous. Although the large crowd of spectators had a rough-and-tumble look to them, like some sort of backwoods militia, it was a relief that they didn't appear to be armed. Only my escort was. A dozen guns were still too many for my tastes, but I'd take what I could get – and hope that they mostly kept the guns for show. We reached the bottom of the empty stands, and Trey came to stand beside me. â€Å"This is the high council of the Warriors of Light,† said Trey. He pointed to each of them in turn. â€Å"Master Jameson, Master Angeletti, and Master Ortega. This is Sydney Sage.† â€Å"You are very welcome here, little sister,† said Master Angeletti in a grave voice. He had a long and messy beard. â€Å"The time for the healing of our two groups is long overdue. We will be much stronger once we put aside our differences and unite as one.† I gave him the politest smile I could and decided not to point out the Alchemists were unlikely to welcome gun-toting zealots into our ranks. â€Å"It's a pleasure to meet you, sirs. Thank you for allowing me to come. I'd like to talk to you about – † Master Jameson held up a hand to stop me. His eyes looked too small for his face. â€Å"All in good time. First, we'd like to show you just how diligently we train our youth to fight in the great crusade. Just as you encourage excellence and discipline in the mind, so too do we encourage it in the body.† Through some unspoken cue, the door we'd just come through opened. A familiar face walked out to the center of the arena: Chris, Trey's cousin. He was wearing workout pants and no shirt, giving a clear view of the radiating sun tattooed on his back. He had a ferocious look on his face and came to stand in the clearing's center. â€Å"I believe you've met Chris Juarez,† said Master Jameson. â€Å"He's one of the finalists in this last round of combat. The other, of course, you also know. Quite the irony that cousins should be facing off, but also fitting since both failed in the initial attack on the fiend.† I turned to Trey, my jaw dropping. â€Å"You? You're one of the†¦ contenders to kill Sonya?† I could barely get the words out. I turned back to the council in alarm. â€Å"I was told I'd have a chance to plead Sonya's case.† â€Å"You will,† said Master Ortega, in a tone that implied it would be a wasted effort. â€Å"But first, we must determine our champion. Contenders, take your places.† I noticed now that Trey was also in sweatpants, looking as though he could be going off to football practice. He stripped off his shirt as well and, for lack of anything else to do with it, handed it to me. I took it and kept staring at him, still unable to believe what was happening. He met my gaze briefly but couldn't hold it. He walked off to join his cousin, and Master Jameson invited me to sit down. Trey and Chris faced each other. I felt a little embarrassed to be studying two shirtless guys, but it wasn't like there was anything too sordid happening. My impressions of Chris since the first time I'd met him hadn't changed. Both he and Trey were in excellent physical shape, muscled and strong with the kinds of bodies that constantly worked and trained. The only advantage Chris had, if it was one, was his height – which I'd also noticed before. His height. With a jolt, memories of the alley attack came back to me. There'd been little of our attackers to see, but the one wielding the sword had been tall. Chris must have been the one originally assigned to kill Sonya. Another robed man appeared from the door. His robes were cut slightly differently from the council's and somehow sported even more gold embroidery. Rather than a helmet, he wore a headdress more in line with what a priest might have. Indeed, that's what he seemed to be as Chris and Trey knelt before him. The priest marked their foreheads with oill and said some kind of blessing I couldn't hear. Then, to my shock, he made the sign against evil on his shoulder – the Alchemist sign against evil. I think that, more so than any of the spiels about evil vampires or shared usage of ancient symbols, was what really drove home the fact that our two groups had once been related. The sign against evil was a small cross drawn on the shoulder with the right hand. It had survived among the Alchemists since ancient days. A chill ran through me. We really had been one and the same. When the priest was finished, another man came forward and handed each of the cousins a short, blunt wooden club – kind of like what police sometimes used in crowd control. Trey and Chris turned toward each other, locked in aggressive poses, holding the clubs in striking positions. A buzz of excitement ran through the crowd, as it grew eager for violence. Evening breezes stirred up dust devils around the cousins, but neither of them flinched. I turned to the council incredulously. â€Å"They're going to attack each other with those clubs?† I asked. â€Å"They could be killed!† â€Å"Oh no,† said Master Ortega, far too calmly. â€Å"We haven't had a death in these trials in years. They'll take injury, sure, but that just toughens our warriors. All of our young men are taught to endure pain and keep on fighting.† â€Å"Young men,† I repeated. My gaze moved down to the bleach blonde girl who'd brought me in. She was standing near our bleachers, holding her gun at her side. â€Å"What about your women?† â€Å"Our women are tough, too,† said Master Ortega. â€Å"And certainly valued. But we'd never dream of letting them fight in the arenas or actively hunt vampires. Part of the reason we do what we do is to keep them safe. We're fighting this evil for their good and our future children.† The man who'd handed out the clubs also announced the rules in a loud, ringing voice that filled the arena. To my relief, the Juarez cousins wouldn't be beating each other senseless. There was a system to the combat they were about to enter into. They could only hit each other in certain places. Hitting elsewhere would result in penalties. A successful hit would yield a point. The first person to five points was the winner. As soon as it started, however, it was clear this wasn't going to be as civilized as I'd hoped. Chris actually landed the first hit right away, nailing Trey so hard on the shoulder that I winced. Animalistic cheers and whoops rang out from the bloodthirsty crowd, echoed by hisses of dismay from Trey's supporters. Trey didn't even react and kept trying to hit Chris, but I could tell there'd be a nasty bruise there later. Both of them were pretty fast and alert, able to dodge a majority of the attempted blows. They danced around, trying to get through each other's guards. More dirt was kicked up, clinging to their sweaty skin. I found myself leaning forward, fists clenched in nervousness. My mouth felt dry, and I couldn't utter a sound. In a remote way, I was reminded a little of the way Eddie and Angeline trained. Certainly, they walked away with injury too. In their situation, however, they were playing guardian and Strigoi. There was a difference between that and two guys striving to inflict the most damage on other. Watching Chris and Trey, I felt my stomach twist. I disliked violence, particularly this barbaric display. It was like I'd been transported back to the days of the gladiators. The crowd's fervor continued to increase. It was on its feet cheering wildly and urging the cousins on. Their voices rang out in the desert night. Despite being struck first, Trey could clearly hold his own. I watched as he made hit after hit on Chris and wasn't sure which sickened me more: seeing my friend hurt or seeing him hurt someone else. â€Å"This is terrible,† I said, when I could finally find my voice. â€Å"This is excellence in action,† said Master Angeletti. â€Å"No surprise since their fathers are outstanding warriors as well. They sparred quite a bit in their youths, too. That's them, down in the front row.† I looked at where he indicated and saw two middle-aged men, side by side, with gleeful looks on their faces as they shouted encouragement at the cousins. I didn't even need Master Angeletti's guidance to guess that they were related. The Juarez family stamp was strong on these men and their sons. The fathers cheered just as avidly as the crowd, not even flinching when Trey or Chris got injured. It was just like my father and Keith's. Nothing mattered except family pride and playing by the group rules. I'd lost track of the points until Master Jameson said, â€Å"Ah, this will be good. Next point determines the winner. It always makes me proud when the contenders are so evenly matched. Lets me know we've done the right thing.† There was nothing right about this. Tears stung my eyes, but whether it was from the dry, dusty air or simply my anxiety, I couldn't say. Sweat was pouring off Trey and Chris now, their chests rising and falling with the exertion of battle. Both were covered in scrapes and bruises, adding onto old ones from days past. The tension in the arena was palpable as everyone waited to see who would land the final hit. The cousins paused slightly, sizing up each other as they realized this was the moment of truth. This was the blow that had to count. Chris, face excited and alight, acted first, lunging forward to land a hit on the side of Trey's torso. I gasped, jumping to my feet in alarm with most of the crowd. The sound was deafening. It was clear from Chris's expression that he could taste victory, and I wondered if he was already imagining the strike that would kill Sonya. Sunset bathed his face in bloody light. Maybe it was because I'd seen enough of Eddie to learn some of the basics, but I suddenly realized something. Chris's movement was too rash and sloppy. Sure enough, Trey was able to evade the strike, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I sank back down to my seat. Those who had been certain he was about to be taken out roared in outrage. That left Trey with a beautiful opening to get in on Chris. My tension returned. Was this really any better? Trey â€Å"winning† the right to take a life? The point was moot. Trey didn't take the shot. I frowned as I watched. He didn't exactly fumble, but there was something that didn't seem right. There's a rhythm to fighting, where instinct and automatic responses take over. It was almost as though Trey had purposely fought against his next instinctive move, the one that said strike now! And in doing so, Trey left himself open. He took a hit from Chris, which knocked him to the ground. I rested a hand on my own chest, as though I'd also felt the blow. The crowd went crazy. Even the decorous masters jumped up from their seats, screaming approval and dismay. I had to forcibly stay seated. Every part of me wanted to run down there and make sure Trey was okay, but I had a feeling one of the armed members of my escort would shoot me or knock me out before I took two steps. My worry faded a tiny bit when I saw Trey stagger to his feet. Chris clapped Trey good naturedly on the back, grinning from ear to ear as those assembled shouted his name. Trey soon retreated to the crowded stands, yielding the victor's spot. His father met him with a look of disapproval but said nothing. The man who'd given out the clubs approached Chris with the sword I'd returned. Chris held it over his head, earning more applause. Near me, Master Jameson stood up and bellowed, â€Å"Bring out the creature!† Creature was hardly how I'd describe Sonya Karp as four heavily armed Warriors dragged her out across the dusty arena. Her legs barely seemed to work, and even from this distance, I could tell she was drugged. That was why Adrian couldn't reach her in dreams. It also explained why she wouldn't have used any magic to attempt escape. Her hair was a mess, and she wore the same clothes I'd seen her in that last night at Adrian's. They were bedraggled, but otherwise, she didn't seem to have any signs of physical abuse on her. This time, I couldn't stop myself from standing up. The blonde girl immediately put a hand on my shoulder, forcing me down. I stared at Sonya, wanting so desperately to help her, but knew I was powerless. Swallowing back fear and rage, I slowly sat back on the bleachers and turned toward the council. â€Å"You told me I'd have a chance to talk.† I remembered their sense of honor. â€Å"You gave your word. Doesn't that mean anything?† â€Å"Our word means everything,† said Master Ortega, looking offended. â€Å"You'll have your chance.† Behind Sonya's guard came two more men hauling a huge block of wood with arm constraints on it. It looked like it had come straight out of a medieval movie set, and my stomach twisted when I realized it was for: decapitation. The shadows had increased, forcing the men to bring out torches that cast sinister, flickering light around the arena. It was impossible to believe I was in twenty-first-century California. I felt like I'd been transported to some barbarian castle. And really, these hunters were barbarians. One of Sonya's guards pushed her to her knees from behind, forcing her head against the block's surface while he bound her hands with the leather restraints. In her addled state, it didn't require nearly the level of force the guy put into it. I couldn't believe they could act so self-righteous when they were about to end the life of a woman who could offer no resistance, let alone even knew she was here. Everyone was screaming for her blood, and I felt like I was going to get sick. Master Angeletti rose, and a hush fell over the arena. â€Å"We have gathered here from all parts of the country for a great thing. It is a rare and blessed day when we actually have a Strigoi in captivity.† Because she's not a Strigoi, I thought angrily. They'd never be able to capture a live one. â€Å"They plague decent humans like ourselves, but today we shall dispatch one back to Hell – one who's particularly insidious because of her ability to hide her true nature and pretend to be one of the more benign fiends, the Moroi – whom we will deal with one day as well.† Murmurs of approval ran through the crowd. â€Å"Before we commence, however, one of our Alchemist brethren would like to speak out on behalf of this creature.† The approval vanished, replaced by angry mutterings and glaring. I wondered uneasily if the guards who kept their guns pointed at me would turn on one of their associates if I was attacked. Master Angeletti held up his hands and silenced them. â€Å"You will show our little sister respect,† he said. â€Å"The Alchemists are kin, and once, we were one. It would be a momentous event if we could once again join forces.† With that, he sat down and gestured to me. Nothing else was offered, and I assumed this meant the floor was mine. I wasn't entirely sure how I was supposed to make my case or where. The council made the decisions, but this seemed like something everyone should hear. I stood up and waited for the girl with the gun to stop me from moving. She didn't. Slowly, carefully, I made my way down the bleachers and stood in the arena, mindful not to go near Sonya. I didn't think that would go over well. I kept my body angled toward the council but turned my head in a way that would hopefully carry to others. I'd given reports and presentations before but always in a conference room. I'd never addressed an angry mob, let alone spoken to such a large group about vampire affairs. Most of the faces out there were swallowed by shadows, but I could picture all those mad, bloodthirsty eyes fixed on me. My mouth felt dry, and, in what was a very rare occurrence, my mind blanked. A moment later, I was able to push through my fear (though it certainly didn't go away), and remember what I'd wanted to say. â€Å"You're making a mistake,† I began. My voice was small, and I cleared my throat, forcing myself to project and sound stronger. â€Å"Sonya Karp is not a Strigoi.† â€Å"We have records of her in Kentucky,† interrupted Master Jameson. â€Å"Eyewitnesses who saw her kill.† â€Å"That's because she was a Strigoi back then. But she isn't anymore.† I kept thinking the tattoo would stop me from talking, but this group was already well aware of the vampiric world. â€Å"In the last year, the Alchemists have learned a lot about vampires. You must know that the Moroi – your so-called ‘benign fiends' – practice elemental magic. We've recently found out there's a new, rare kind of magic out there, one that's tied to psychic powers and healing. That power has the ability to restore Strigoi back to their original form, be it human, dhampir, or Moroi.† A few angry denials quickly rose to a frenzy. Mob mentality in action. It took Master Jameson to quiet them again. â€Å"That,† he said simply, â€Å"is impossible.† â€Å"We have documented cases of three – no, four – people this has happened to. Three Moroi and a dhampir who once were Strigoi and are now in possession of their original selves and souls.† Speaking about Lee in the present tense wasn't entirely accurate, but there was no need to clarify. Besides, describing a former Strigoi who wanted to become Strigoi again probably wouldn't help my case. â€Å"Look at her. Does she seem Strigoi? She's out in the sun.† There wasn't much of it left, but even these fleeting rays of sunset would kill a Strigoi. With the way I was sweating from fear, I might as well have been out under a blazing midafternoon sun. â€Å"You keep saying this is the work of some twisted magic, but have you ever, even once, seen her in Strigoi form here in Palm Springs?† No one acknowledged that right away. Finally, Master Angeletti said, â€Å"She defeated our forces in the street. Obviously, she turned back into her true form.† I scoffed. â€Å"She didn't do that. Dimitri Belikov did – one of the greatest dhampir warriors out there. No offense, but despite all the training, your soldiers were hopelessly outclassed.† I was met with more aggressive gazes. I realized that probably wasn't the best thing I could've said. â€Å"You've been deceived,† said Master Angeletti. â€Å"No surprise since your people have long since become enmeshed behind the scenes with the Moroi. You aren't like us, down in the trenches. You don't come face-to-face with the Strigoi. They're evil, bloodthirsty creatures who must be destroyed.† â€Å"I agree with that. But Sonya's not one of them. Look at her.† I was gaining courage, my voice growing stronger and clearer in the desert night. â€Å"You keep bragging about capturing some terrible monster, but all I see is a drugged, restrained woman. Nice work. Truly a worthy enemy.† None of the council looked nearly as tolerant of me as they had before. â€Å"We simply subdued her,† said Master Ortega. â€Å"It's a sign of our prowess that we were able to do so.† â€Å"You've subdued an innocent and defenseless woman.† I didn't know if driving home that point would help, but I figured it couldn't hurt if they had twisted, chivalrous views of women. â€Å"And I know you've made mistakes before. I know about Santa Cruz.† I had no idea if this had been the same group whose men had gone after Clarence, but I was gambling the council at least knew about it. â€Å"Some of your more zealous members went after an innocent Moroi. You saw the errors of your way then when Marcus Finch told you the truth. It's not too late to correct this mistake either.† To my astonishment, Master Ortega actually smiled. â€Å"Marcus Finch? You're holding him up as some kind of hero?† Not exactly, no. I didn't even know the guy. But if he was a human that talked these crazy people down, then he must have some kind of integrity. â€Å"Why wouldn't I?† I asked. â€Å"He was able to see right from wrong.† Even Master Angeletti chuckled now. â€Å"I would never have expected an Alchemist to praise his sense of ‘right and wrong.' I thought your own views of that were immovable.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† I didn't mean to get derailed, but these comments were too puzzling. â€Å"Marcus Finch betrayed the Alchemists,† explained Master Angeletti. â€Å"You didn't know? I assumed a rogue Alchemist is the last person you'd use to make your case.† I was momentarily speechless. Was he saying†¦ was he saying that Marcus Finch used to be an Alchemist? No. He couldn't be. If he had been, then Stanton would have known who he was. Unless she lied about not having any record of him, a voice in my head warned. Master Jameson had apparently heard enough from me. â€Å"We appreciate you coming out here and respect your attempt to stand up for what you believe is true. We're also glad you were able to see just how strong we've become. I hope you'll take this news back to your order. If anything, your attempts here have demonstrated what we've long known: our groups need each other. Clearly, the Alchemists have gleaned a lot of knowledge over the years that could be very useful to us – just as our strength could be useful to you. Nonetheless,† he glanced over toward Sonya and scowled, â€Å"the point remains now that whatever your intentions, you truly have been deceived. Even if there's some tiny impossible chance that you're right, that she truly is a Moroi†¦ we can't take the chance that she's still been corrupted. Even if she believes she's been restored, she may still have been subconsciously influenced.† Again, I was speechless – but not because I appeared to have lost my case. Master Jameson's words were nearly identical to what Keith's father had said, when he'd told me Keith would be taken back to Re-education. Mr. Darnell had echoed the sentiment, that they couldn't take the risk of even a subtle bit of influence affectin g Keith. Extreme actions had been required. We're the same, I thought. The Alchemists and the Warriors. Years have divided us, but we came from the same place – in both our goals and blind attitudes. And then Master Jameson said the most shocking thing of all. â€Å"Even if she is just a Moroi, it's no great loss. We'll come for them eventually anyway, once we've defeated the Strigoi.† I froze at those words. The blonde girl came forward and again forced me to sit down on the first row of the bleachers. I offered no resistance, too shocked at what I'd just heard. What did they mean they'd come for the Moroi? Sonya could just be the beginning, then the rest of my friends, and then Adrian†¦ Master Angeletti snapped me back to the present. He made a grand gesture toward Chris as he spoke. â€Å"By the divine power we have been granted to bring light and purity into this world, you are authorized to destroy this creature. Commence.† Chris raised the sword, a fanatical gleam in his eyes. A happy gleam, even. He wanted to do this. He wanted to kill. Dimitri and Rose had killed many, many times, but both had told me there was no joy in it. They were glad to do what was right and defend others, but they didn't take pleasure in bringing death. I'd been taught the existence of vampires was wrong and twisted, but what I was about to witness was the true atrocity. These were the monsters. I wanted to scream or cry or throw myself in front of Sonya. We were a heartbeat away from the death of a bright, caring person. Then, without warning, the silence of the arena was pierced with gunfire. Chris paused and lifted his head in surprise. I flinched and looked immediately toward the armed escort, wondering if they'd take it upon themselves to become a firing squad. They looked just as surprised as me – well, most of them. Two of them didn't show much emotion at all – because they were crumpled on the ground. And that was when Dimitri and Eddie burst into the arena.

Top Gun

Top Gun relationship to Dully Article Top Gun is a 1986 American action drama film directed by Tony Scott, and produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer. The movie was inspired by the article â€Å"Top Guns† (U. S. navy established an elite school for one percent of its pilots it purpose was to teach the lost art of aerial combat, also known as flight weapon school) written by Ehud Yonay for California magazine.The film starts stars such as Tom Cruise as a young naval aviator named Lieutenant Pete â€Å"Maverick† Mitchell; Anthony Edwards aka â€Å"Goose† as a Radar Intercept Officer, and Maverick best friend; Kelly McGillis as â€Å"Charley† as a civilian instructor in air combat and a lover of Maverick, and others. The movie Top Gun centers around Maverick (Tom Cruise), a hot-headed, troubled, egoist fighter pilot/navy pilot, and how he grows up as a man/person and as a better pilot with the help and influences from his past and his colleagues. In th is paper I will be examining the theory or studies given by Dr.Frank Dully, and relating it to the characters of the movie by identifying their personality traits of naval aviator described in the Dully Article â€Å"The Life Style Keys to Flight Deck Performance of the Naval Aviator. † As mentioned above, this movie portrait around the character Maverick. Who is a very skilled, smart, charming, and one of the best fighter pilots in the nation; but he also is cocky, hot-headed, aggressive, very controlling, emotional, mission-oriented naval aviator who characteristics changes throughout the movie.In the beginning of the film Maverick and his partner Goose are involved in a reconnaissance mission. While maneuvering Maverick and his partner Goose made a contact to enemy aircraft. With his skills and boldness he maneuvered to trail the enemies’ aircraft; while breaking all the rules of flying such as flying under 10000 altitudes, high-speed passes over 5 air controlled to wer, uses the illegal breaking maneuver to outsmart the enemy, performing unrealistic stunts even throughout the movie. This characteristic of Maverick shows that he is reckless, aggressive, and very controlling naval aviator.As Dully mentioned, the first ingredient of a naval aviator characteristic is being in control, and in this movie Maverick is very controlling, the one who make things happen. Dully also mentions that â€Å"oldest sons and oldest daughters comprise a remarkably large segment of this population, well in excess of their demographic one-out-of-three stature. These are the youngsters that initially set out to please that Very Important Parent, (usually Dad), in response to his requirements for excellence in many things. It becomes the mission of the first child to bring to the Very Important Parent a series of vicarious successes.Seizing the opportunity for recognition and a taste of success, the child usually applies himself diligently to the tasks thus assigned. † In this movie Mavericks is known as the only son, and his mission-orientation or goal/action was based on his father action and reputations. However his friends are trying to help him to be a team player and a healthier naval aviator. Another characteristic that is associated with Maverick personality traits described in the Dully article is the calculation of emotional distance. As mentioned in the article, there are three factors that shape our emotional views.First â€Å"occurs in the toddler years, the second plays out in early grammar school, and the third takes place late in his high school years. † For Maverick his emotional feeling or factors seemed like they were inherited from his dad actions. Another example that shows his emotional feeling was in the beginning of the movie when he disobeyed the leader to help one of his fellow pilots back to the carrier. This shows that he is not selfish, he cares for other and he is a team player in his way. Also his emo tional feeling come out when his losses his friend Goose.For instance, when he was trying to drop out of the top gun course; this could symbolize Maverick as a stressed or failing aviator. Lastly his emotions are seen with his relationship with Charlie. That he is a nice, caring and aggressive guy when it comes to Charlie. Another character that plays a huge part in this movie is Anthony Edwards aka â€Å"Goose,† a Radar Intercept Officer, and Maverick best friend. In his movie Goose would be described as the man who influences Maverick to change from a hot-headed, reckless fighter pilot to a well-mannered, responsible, team-player pilot.After Maverick passed by the control tower, Goose told him that his action will also endangered his own place at work, so to be careful. Goose personality traits are not really mentioned well in the movie; however he seems to have a good balance with Maverick to make a good naval aviator. Goose personality traits are that he is very likable, friendly, caring, funny, not controlling, a good husband and naval pilot. According to the Grid I would classify Goose as a 5, 5 pilot because he has come to adopt or adjust to the system and to the comfortable tempo thatMaverick lives in. The last character I will be describing, and who had a big influence on Mavericks well-being is Charlie. She is a highly-qualified instructor at the school and holds a degree in air combat. Throughout the movie she has different personality and behaviors. She too, is an ambiguous figure. She seems fairly masculinizing and controlling through her name. However she has an emotional affiliation with Maverick that she wants to keep private. She is also very aggressive, usually get what she wants.As Dully mentions, usually the oldest son the controlling and aggressive ends up with the same counter-part controlling and aggressive oldest daughter in this case it seems true. Although this movie could be a good description on what a healthy/good and bad na val aviator life might be. It has a Hollywood twist and a perfect ending which make it hard to conclude and study the life, personality, and attitude of naval pilots. But it shows the significant characteristic described by Dully.

Debate on Indian Removal Essay

In the contemporary world the idea of removal of an entire people from its native land would sound wickedly and would perhaps be considered a genocide, yet in the XIX century this idea was quite permissible and corresponded to the ruling concept of civilized nations which were to rule those uncivilized and determine their existence. Therefore, in our estimation of pro and contra Indian removal arguments I shall attempt to evaluate the named arguments first and foremost from the point of view of the time and base my conclusions on such evaluation. The first argument proposed by Andrew Jackson to the Congress in 1829 is that that no new state may be established without consent of the people of that state, and since Indians are living on the territory of existing states and do not constitute a majority, they may not establish their own government and have to obey the laws of the state or immigrate. A harsher version of the argument is provided in the North American Review, January 1830, blaming that Indians are barbarous people â€Å"incapable of sustaining any other relation with the whites, than that of dependence and pupilage. † Francis J. Grund is even more acrid, as he claims Indian’s cruelty towards the Founding Fathers. A counterargument can be found in the â€Å"Memorial of the Cherokee Indians†, published in the Weekly Register vol. 38, and it is that a white man is a ruler of the land, and the red man is weak, yet there were times when whites were week and reds were strong, and the whites received warm welcome from the Indians. Also the Indians argued that previous treaties guaranteed their rights to land. The situation with the Indians is similar to the one with the colonists before the Revolution. The colonists appeared to be weak and Britain was strong, yet the colonists were able to gain their independence by force. However, the Indians were unable to win the war and they had to obey those who are strong. Therefore, the US Government argument was nothing but a sword law, not a just law. This is well confirmed by the Decision of the U. S. Supreme Court in Worcester v. State of Georgia (1832), where the Court has found that treaties between the Indians and the Government, as well as Indian self-government are guaranteed as long as the Indians obey the general laws of the state. Since the Indians did not obey, all they privileges have to be annulled. Yet the laws of the state themselves made the Indians chose between â€Å"becoming civilized† in other words not leading their traditional lifestyle and immigration. So, it may be concluded, that removal has logically followed from the previous relations between the Indians and the Government, in which the Government used sword more frequently than justice. The second pro argument proposed by Andrew Jackson in 1830 were advantages of immigration both for the whites and for Indians. For the US government is was an opportunity to protect the frontiers, for the states of Mississippi and Alabama these were new territories and opportunities for development, and for the Indians, under Jackson, it was an ability not to have contacts with the civilized people, follow their customs and live under the government supervision, gradually becoming a civilized community. A counterargument of the Indians is explained in the mentioned Memorial, as well as in the article published in the North American Review, October 1830 where they claim their right to stay on their land and continue their traditional life same as any nation has title over its land. In fact, we once more face the sword law: the Government determined what is â€Å"civilized† and what is â€Å"law† and the Indians had to obey or disappear. Another Indian argument may be found in the letter from John Ross: the Government was just willing to get rid of the Indians. This is an argument with no counterargument. Government’s desire to make away with the Indians was undisputable. Concluding my analysis I have to recognize that the arguments of the Indians look stronger even for the XIX century. An independent international tribunal of the time would perhaps take their side. Yet there was no such tribunal, but only the will of the Government which caused Indians to be removed.

My Life In Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

My Life In Business - Essay Example I tend to build close relationships with a small group of associates, who together we make progress as we come up with ideas to make the business more productive. Before I make a decision, I conduct a thorough analysis so that I can save time and not repeat the same process again. I am good at analyzing situations, and I believe in situations whereby I can examine the facts. I believe in situations where I can observe a situation and come up with a solution. This attribute makes me an integral part of any team I am a part of. Acquiring my trust takes time because a person has to prove him or herself and know what is expected of them in regards to their duties and responsibilities. I have experience in problem solving, building good business and personal relationships. I also express my feelings good or bad regardless of the situation and if a task is too difficult, I enlist the help from other people to help me accomplish it. I am also empathetic and patient with other people and I indulge with fellow people who are service oriented. I prefer colleagues who when attending meetings, start with a personal comment or joke to break the ice and also provide a friendly environment for the meeting. I prefer that we find common ground and explain their situations with facts, figures and not wasting time in engaging in small talk. I prefer people who work first and then relax and socialize later. I also prefer to listen to everyone`s contribution while in a meeting instead of just proposing and imposing ideas on other people. I do not associate myself with individuals, who are dictatorial, make promises they cannot keep and the individuals who use their positions to t hreaten others. I have also learnt how to communicate with individuals with different characteristics and traits. For example, when dealing with an easily irritable person, I do not indulge in unnecessary dialogue, I stick to business and I am as brief and specific as possible. I am very

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 13

Strategic Management - Essay Example Increase in vehicles in developing countries like Asia, Africa, Latin America regions overtakes the demand in US, Western Europe & Japan. China is the largest market in international market as the country develops as economic superpower in manufacture & fixed investing activity hub. Market develops in India, Thailand, Taiwan & Russia. Sales increases with good economic conditions & high income levels which lead to growth in manufacturing activity, boosting combined with the demand in bearing market. Australia & Canada is the most intensive user of bearing products which reflects the advanced industrial & technically nature of the economies. As bearing industry is rapidly increasing in the global market, developing countries like Russia, Japan etc, are importing the bearing products. Countries of Asia Pacific regions call for 42% of the total demand in the international market. Hence, in future also, bearing industry will be growing in the other developing regions of the world. Political - In political terms, bearing industry like Indian bearing industry collaborated with SKF so that the bearings made at India are exported to SKF and specialized bearings which are not manufactured in India are imported through the other industries. Without the bearing Industry, automobile sectors & industrial sectors will be at a loss. Due to the collaboration, friendly atmosphere develops between the nations. Economical - Duty rates are reduced therefore many countries like China, Russia, Eastern Europe dump their production at a low rate due to which price differs in local & international market by about 40-50%, which encourages imports. Demand of bearings in international market is projected to rise about 5% annually to about $ 40 billion in the year 2010. Technological - There are various types of bearings and technology to equip depends on the type of bearings. Specialized type of bearings is not manufactured in India

Labor realations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Labor realations - Assignment Example However, CLC preferred to disagree with the proposal as CAW was supposed to one of the biggest private union segment and agreeing to the request of SEIW was expected to trigger certain problems for CLC in terms of privilege support and other benefits related to labor (Niemeijer, 2000). With reference to the above context, it can be stated that the dispute between the SEIW and CAW acted as a certain form of threat for the labor unity and solidarity to union democracy as well. The disagreement was considered more of a threat as CAW was one of the largest local labor union of Canada which involved the support of 234,000 members. In relation to this fact, banning the members of CAW from CLC entailed the possibility of creating certain problems for every labor union which included lack of support in response to the undertaken circumstances, privileges provided by the government and the rise of other unions among others (Niemeijer, 2000). The disagreements among the labor unions such as the dispute between SEIU and CAW can lead to various problems within the nations while acting or performing in favor of the labor rights. The problems which can trigger in relation to the labor union disputes can be identified as lack of unity among the unions present within the nations while dealing with similar problems and assisting the labors of the organizations with benefits and rights as specified in the labor laws. Furthermore, the disputes of labor union can prevent the government of the nation from taking interest in the problems related to labor (Pierce, & Bentham, 2007). Discuss The Issue Of National Autonomy From International Parent Union. How Might Canadian Locals Protect Their National Autonomy While Still Enjoying The Benefits Of Membership In A Large, International Union? The issue of national autonomy from international parent union can be identified in terms of the assistance provided by

Tom's of Maine Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tom's of Maine - Research Paper Example Tom’s distribution strategy is selling its products thru health food stores and mass market outlets. Company’s products include toothpastes, mouthwash, deodorant, dental floss, shampoo, soap, shaving cream, and a line of herbal health aids and extracts. (Reference for Business). From a humble beginning of borrowed capital of $5,000, company has grown to be a top notched company earning millions of dollars annually. In 2006, the 84% controlling stake of the company was sold to Colgate-Palmolive on conditions that it will retain the culture of Tom’s Brand. Purpose of the sale is to concentrate in the manufacture of a new business from bees. In a general scope, customers look for support services ranging from correct use of product and making the product cost effective. Specifically, based on research and literatures reviewed, people want products that do well for themselves and products that do not harm the planet (Dougherty and Murthy 2009). Same authors said people need information; Buyers are interested on contents and labeling; Buyers are interested on quality of the product rather than speed of delivery and want loyalty programs. Interestingly, these results of survey could be related to what support services buyers from Toms, Inc want. In particular, buyers of Toms, Inc products want: safe and effective products. For instance, people were alarmed on the product safety scandal of Tom’s toothpaste disclosed by Guciardi, 2011, in a post in the Natural Health Society. Subsequent comments from users of this product proved loyalty to the brand, did not believe the allegations, and even researched to find out the truth. Discarding wastes is a growing problem in any community. To help in environment protection, company launched Tom’s of Maine Recycle Program wherein empty plastic bottles of shampoo of any brand, and other plastic products including

Personal Competency Assessment for Risk Management Specialist Statement

Competency Assessment for Risk Management Specialist - Personal Statement Example Production of presentations and reports that give details of research findings, explanations of risk position or changes recommended are significant areas of knowledge that improve my effectiveness and performance. Additionally, extensive knowledge of research facilitates me to conduct statistical analysis aimed at quantifying risks by use of statistical models or software. Knowledge of risk management has impacted me with skills and abilities to identify and analyze areas of potential risk to the assets, earning capacity, or success of organizations. Subsequently, the knowledge has been instrumental in developing/implementing risk assessment methodologies/models. It has facilitated me in the development of contingency plans to handle emergencies. Additionally, a wide base of knowledge has increased my efficiency in developing a scenario analysis that determines the impact on risk exposure. Moreover, I have familiarized myself with documentation and communication aspect of risk management. Through documentation, I have gained efficiency in storing an important document in an orderly and easily retrievable manner. On the other hand, proper communication skills knowledge has made me indispensable while dealing with clients. For example, I am able to interact with clients and obtain key information in regard to risks. Furthermore, I am able to communicate risks to clients through oral, reports or presentation to the client and the managers. Additionally, I have the ability to deal with client queries and solve their problems satisfactorily. Definition: Skills: Active listening  Ã¢â‚¬â€ Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Research report- Trditional training methods Paper

Report- Trditional training methods - Research Paper Example It is crucial that each member understands the role and responsibilities of the team and how each member should adjust with each other and work collaboratively as a team. The Six Sigma emphasise the importance of defining and applying team tools like brainstorming, multi-voting and other group problem discussion technique. It also teaches the importance of using an effective and most appropriate communication technique to prevent problems that may cause misunderstanding and may disrupt teamwork. Fulfilling this Six Sigma Greenbelt competency area is very essential in action learning to foster teamwork and bring about a working relationship that will help the organisation come up with workable solutions to a real problem in the organisation. Action Learning involves working in teams of 6-30 employees chosen from different divisions throughout the organisation to help find solutions to an existing problem in the organisation.

Literature Review - The perception of pain Essay

Literature Review - The perception of pain - Essay Example Pain causes suffering and renders an individual incapable of carrying out his or her daily activities. Pain may have several negative feelings attached with it, but the function of pain is to protect the individual from further or exacerbating an injury. For instance, when an individual’s hand touches a hot pan, the reflexive withdrawal is the best example to demonstrate this aspect of pain and how it protects the individual from skin burn. Similarly, the excruciating muscle pain during over-exertion clearly indicates that an individual needs to rest and shows that pain can have its benefits, despite the suffering and misery it puts one through. Pain also teaches people to avoid certain behaviors that can trigger the pain and acts as a reinforcer of safety behavior. (Gambert, 2010) Pain is classified into two forms that is acute and chronic pain by Turk, Meichenbaum and Genest. Acute pain is the onset of pain and last for only a few days and it occurs due to tissue damage and has a protective purpose. In other words the source of the acute pain can easily be seen. Certain examples of acute pain include heart attack pain, acute appendicitis, sprain, fractures or lacerations. Chronic pain is a type of pain that lasts for a period of six months or more than that. It is a slow, throbbing pain and usually and may persist for a very long time. Chronic pain is further divided into three categories that is chronic recurrent pain, which is experienced by people suffering from migraines; it is characterized by bouts of no pain in the middle. (Hartvigsen et.al, 2004) The second category is called chronic intractable; the pain experienced is benign but it persists throughout the individual’s life. An example of chronic intractable pain would be lower back pain. The third category is called chronic progressive, whereby the pain is experienced by the individual with increasing intensity. Cancer pain is one such example of chronic progressive whereby, the pain i ntensity increases as the condition of the patient exacerbates with time. The persistence and intensity of chronic depends on a number of factors such as social support and environmental variables that reinforce pain behavior; for instance, if the pain behavior is followed secondary benefits from the individual’s environment then the pain is likely to persist for a very long time. Also individual personality, resistance and resilience play a great role how the pain is perceived and managed by the individual. (Hartvigsen et.al, 2004) Pain may have several functions; however, researchers have often conducted detailed researches regarding how pain is transmitted from the region of injury and processed in the central control unit that is brain. The oldest theory regarding the transmission of pain is called the specificity theory developed by Renee Descartes. This model to explain pain transmission was based on the premise that there is a particular pain pathway that gets activate d every time an individual sustains an injury. This theory was very short on detail and shed no light as to where this pathway was located in the body and did not answer the fundamental question that is how can the pain pathway gets activated regardless of where the injury is sustained and how different kinds of pain are transmitted through one pathway. (Sullivan et.al, 2001) The theory had many shortcomings but remained the most dominant angle on the subject

What is the p-value of 1.92 Essay Example for Free

What is the p-value of 1.92 Essay The strategic plan for the first company is to grow 2.5 million dollars. The strategy helps an organization plan long-term actions to achieve the major objectives throughout the company. The key factors in a strategy include the market, product and the organizational development strategic alliance. The weakness of Tina’s plan is that it might not be enough change to drive 2.5 million in gross revenue. She may need more ideas to get her to 2.5 million. The strategic plan for the second company is to help improve the competitive performance throughout the organization. Ying’s strategy has three broad strategic options that help her collect receivables in a timely manner that should lead to accessible profits for the company. Ying is thinking outside the box to find a way to work with the locals who are out to sea for months on end and may have bills to pay while at sea, or may be short on cash because of the remote environment and lack of available jobs year round. Comparative Analysis Tina and Ying’s strategic plans have many things in common. Both took similar approaches to begin their strategic plans by providing company background, mission statement and values, etc. This approach provides readers information gradually, and makes the transition smooth. Both Tina and Ying also focused on the environmental analysis for their chosen organizations. However, there are many things different in Tina and Ying’s strategic plans as well. In Tina’s environmental analysis, she focused more on the organization’s external environment, especially the threats posed by the organization’s competitors. Ying analyzed her organization’s external environment from three aspects, remote, industry, and operation. As for the internal environment, Ying applied SWOT analysis to identify the organization’s strengths and weaknesses. Another major difference between Tina and Ying’s strategic plans lies in the implementation plans. In Tina’s implementation plan, she took a departmental approach, which means different department will have different objectives, tactics, action items, milestones, and tasks. Ying’s strategic plan focused on reducing accounts receivable days, which is a business office function, thus the implementation plan targets the business office specifically. The Selected Strategic Plan Choosing a strategic plan is difficult due to the writer being a participant. However in this situation Ying has already laid the foundation for the selection. Tina’s paper is a bit more robust when it comes to a strategic plan for the company in general. Tina has worked in all departments of her company in her fifteen years of service, which allows a broader insight of the company’s needs. However, though Ying is focusing on just one department within the hospital, changing the cash flow will help the hospital considerably. Unfortunately, the hospitals leadership team could take the money earned by the receivable department and invest it elsewhere if it is not part of a bigger plan. Ying’s paper is well written and shows great understanding of her department and its needs. Justification ADO is a small company with a need for an increasing workforce. To continue to support the resources brought on to grow different departments, the company must bring more cash flow to the bottom line. Team D believes that  Tina’s plan covers a larger scope, and with a few more tweaks will have a better chance of attaining the interest of investors. Giving investors insight to the company helps promote trust. A level of trust is necessary because investors want to make a strong return on investment. Investors must feel that a company not only has a the inspiration of an idea but also the methodical diligence of execution. Conclusion Members of Learning Team D learned not only how to develop appropriate strategic plan, but also a key to the success of any team project is cooperation and collaboration. Through the journey of this team project, members in Team D have helped one another, and made progress and improvement with one another. It was truly a successful team work.

The Red Convertible Essay Example for Free

The Red Convertible Essay In Louise Erdrichs short story, The Red Convertible, she portrays the change that war imposes on the relationship of two brothers, Henry and Lyman. She uses symbolism to reveal the hardships Henry brings back from Vietnam, and she also uses it to show how Lyman dealt with the separation and the effect of the war on his brother. Edrich’s main purpose in â€Å"The Red Convertible† is to communicate the emotional afflictions war has on a soldier and his or her relationships through symbolism. Throughout the story Edrich uses the red convertible as the main symbol in the story because the red convertible symbolizes Henry and Lyman’s friendship. At the beginning of the story, the brothers use all their money to purchase a red Oldsmobile which they shared. They went everywhere together in the red Oldsmobile. They used the Oldsmobile to travel to Canada and around the continent together. In this part of the story the convertible represented the fun and extreme closeness of their relationship before the war. When Henry is drafted and goes to war, their relationship changes and Lyman demonstrates their separation by taking the car apart. When Henry returns from the war he is a scarred and changed man; he loses his usual interest in the convertible, as well as in Lyman and their friendship. Lyman bangs the car up, as a result of being neglected by Henry. The car portrays the banged up relationship he feels between his brother and himself. When Henry sees and realizes that the car, as well as his relationship with Lyman is damaged, he confronts Lyman. When I left, that car was running like a watch. Now I dont even know if I can get it to start again, let alone get it anywhere near its old condition (pg397). When Henry expresses this concern about bringing the car back to its old condition Erdrich uses symbolism here to express the concerns soldiers have regarding the future of their relationships after war. They fear things will never be the same or even worse, that the relationship itself will become one of the many casualties of war. When Henry starts fixing the convertible, it also represents the repair of his relationship with his brother. After he finishes fixing the car, he asks Lyman to go for a ride with him, which causes Lyman to believe their relationship has been fixed right along with the car. Lyman realizes that their relationship isn’t fixed like he believed it was when Henry jumps into the lake and drowns. Lyman knows he will never see his brother again, so he runs the convertible into the river. Now the red convertible is gone forever, along with his and Henry’s relationship. Now Henry owns the whole car, and his younger brother walks everywhere he goes (pg398). Erdrich connects the death of Henry with the death of the convertible and with the death of his relationship with Lyman. She uses this symbolism to represent how relationships are affected by war. Their relationships start out healthy, and then going to war transforms them; they hope to return to normalcy, but in the end, the war destroys the soldiers as well as their relationships with the people they know and love. Erdrich uses her short story to make a statement that the Vietnam War did not just have a horrendous effect on the soldiers who participated in it, but also on the people who knew them before the war. She depicts a more realistic view of war by showing soldiers for what they really are, human beings with emotions and who are ultimately damaged because of war. Erdrich’s use of symbolism brings her audience the understanding that war affects more than just the soldier. Much like death it affects everyone and everything the soldier is involved in. Work Cited Edrich, Louise. â€Å"The Red Convertible. †

Anger in Children: Causes, Effects and Coping Strategies

Anger in Children: Causes, Effects and Coping Strategies Abstract This project discusses the causes, effects and coping strategies surrounding anger in children. Anger is a natural emotion but children often lack the social and verbal capacity to describe their emotions or to develop appropriate coping mechanisms. This project takes the form of a critical literature review. Anger is caused by many factors but todays children face a particular risk of experiencing anger as a result of divorce. Without aid, persistent anger can lead to overload, characterized by extended periods of upset. The effects of anger problems include physical and health problems, including a compromised immune system and depression. Anger may also cause children to act out, leading to aggression, social problems and even violence. Coping strategies frequently focus upon adults who must provide the support services necessary for children struggling with their anger. This paper offers recommendations for practice as well as some direction for future research. Introduction Childhood anger is a serious behavioral issue. Dr. Bernard Golden (2003) describes the significance of this issue:Whether observing the annoyance of a two-year old demanding to have his way or responding to the hostile, rejecting rage of a distraught adolescent seeking independence, dealing with a childs anger is one of the most frustrating and challenging tasks a parent faces.Anger problems can impact a childs socialization. Anger is frequently viewed as a serious psychiatric symptom in children and is one of the most common causes for a childs psychiatric incarceration (Potegal et al., 2009). The failure to develop healthy coping strategies to deal with childhood anger can result in significant social and behavioral problems in adulthood.The focus of this study is to analyze the causes and consequences of childhood anger and to identify healthful coping strategies. This topic is purposefully broad, allowing for the consideration of how the causes of childhood anger influence the mo st effective development of coping strategies. The purpose of this study is to further understanding on the phenomenon of childhood anger and to provide helpful advice for parents, teachers and psychiatric professionals working with angry children. Another goal is to develop specific recommendations for future study. This topic is explored using a detailed literature review that focuses upon empirical data. Definitions Children: Those under the age of 12. Children are a distinct category of maturity that precedes adolescence and follows infancy. Background Review of the Literature Anger is a natural emotion with which all children must eventually learn to cope. As the NYU Child Study (2004) center notes in a press release to parents, feeling anger is a healthy component of a childs development. Anger poses some distinct challenges for children. Children often struggle with understanding their anger (Marion, 2009). Anger may also become out of hand. While the DSM-IV does not distinguish anger as a separate disorder category, anger is frequently treated as a distinct condition by many psychologists and other practitioners. A distinct psychological problem in children which is separate from diagnoses such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, and oppositional defiant disorder Anger may be a brief condition lasting only a few moments or anger may be more prolonged. Anger overload involves an extended period of intense anger. Gottlieb (2008) explains that with anger overload, the child becomes totally consumed by his angry thoughts and feelings the anger can last as long as an hour, with the child tuning out the thoughts, sounds or soothing words of others concurrent with other conditions, such as bipolar disorder or social anxiety disorder. Negative Consequences Anger in children has been associated with a variety of different negative consequences. These include physical illness triggered by an overstretched immune system, depression and aggression. In a review of empirical literature, Kerr and Schneider (2008) conclude that youth who cope inappropriately with their anger are at a risk for problematic interpersonal relationships and negative outcomes in terms of both mental and general health (p. 559). If anger management or coping strategies are not developed by the child, these problems may continue within adulthood.School-based programs typically focus upon containing the most aggressive consequences of childhood violence. Mytton et al. (2006) surveyed school based violence prevention programs and found that anger management is an important subcomponent of these programs. However, such programs fail to offer support services to children who do not display violent tendencies. Focusing upon violent prevention is important but not adequate for dealing with anger in children. Discussion Methods This project focused upon developing a literature review devoted to the topic of anger in children. Specifically, three distinct factors were studied: the cause of anger, the consequences of anger and coping mechanisms that are useful for children. The literature was collected using a variety of different resources, including the internet and electronic databases such as Questia.com and PubMed, the service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and National Institute of Health. In addition, recent books were surveyed, as were local and regional newspapers. This search method focused upon collecting a variety of high quality resources offering empirical information and analytical discussions.ResultsDivorce is a significant cause of anger in children. Divorce negatively impacts children in many ways because the family unit suffers from a series of different changes that will generate negative emotions (Wallerstein and Blakesleet, 2006, p. 6). Children will often find themselves moved from their home, attending a different school and suffering from the loss of regular contact at home with both parents. Children will be angered by the loss of friends and the loss of the parent without custody. Parents may choose to use their children as a tool to hurt the other and it is difficult for parents to keep our childrens best interests first in the middle of all of the emotional complications of divorce (Emery 2006, p. 3). Such behavior can generate anger, frustration and resentment in children of all ages. Analysis Anger is a persistent problem in children. Considerable research has been conducted on the subject. Coping strategies tend to focus upon behavior modification in children and educating parents and other adults to identify and respond to anger problems.Public attention is primarily focused upon violence in children as a consequent of anger. This focus is not surprising given the phenomenon of violence in American schools. As a USA Today article explained, over the last two decades, the study of violence and aggression has received an increasing amount of attention from behavioral scientists, partly in response to the rising number of incidents among children and youth (Cillessen 48). While the study of the causes of violence is important, anger as a phenomenon in children should be studied as a distinct subject. Children with anger problems may manifest their anger in different ways. Those who turn inward and develop physical or social problems outside of the boundaries of violence ma y be overlooked if the focus upon violence continues. This current research focus provides some grounds for the development of new modes of empirical inquiry, which are discussed in the concluding section. Conclusion Anger in children is generated by a variety of different factors, including divorce. Anger is a natural emotion and its existence is not, by itself, a problem. However, children often lack the maturity to understand their anger. Failure to develop sufficient coping mechanisms can cause lifelong physical and mental problems. Anger management in children begins with responsible behavior by parents and other adults. Adults must learn to identify the warning signs that a bout of anger is going to occur (Gottlieb, 2008). Such warning signs may be specific to the child. Furthermore, parents should concentrate on learning what the anger is intended to express. Children use anger when they cannot otherwise express their viewpoint and understanding the motivations behind the displayed anger can point to a resolution. Recommendations Anger has a variety of different causes, in both children and adults. However, much of the literature focuses upon anger as a result of the trauma of divorce. Parents in particular may be the cause of much of their childrens anger and should be careful to act in a responsible manner. Additional causes of anger may be poor socialization skills and physical problems.The solution to child anger must begin with the preparation of adults. Children are not capable of expressing their needs and this is the primary cause of anger. The lack of autonomy and articulation of children places the responsibility upon their attending adults. Parents, teachers and other adults working with children should become educated on the manifestation of anger in children. Degree programs for youth educators should include child psychology courses to help prepare teachers and other professionals with the tools they need to identify and respond positively to a childs anger.The literature does not offer a consen sus view on how to specifically help children cope. Many different options are available and it appears likely that different children may respond to different coping strategies. Future research should concentrate upon different coping strategies and mechanisms in order to determine the most successful outcomes. Such research may be used to craft a list of best practices that may then be used by child psychiatrists, parents and other interested adults.Further research should also concentrate upon the use of exercise to reduce anger in children. Exercise is frequently used by adults to cope with anger.However, little research has specifically focused upon exercise in children as a coping strategy. Childhood obesity is increasing and linked to both anger and depression(Story et al, 2006). As Blasi explains, obesity, considered the number one health risk for children in the United States today, is now reaching epidemic proportions (p. 321). Given the rise of child obesity, exercise sho uld generally be recommended to all children and its potentially ameliorative influence upon childhood anger poses another reason for the recommendation.

Death, Using symbolic Interactionism and Codes Essays -- Sociology

As human beings we react towards things depending on the meaning it gives us as an individual or a society. ‘For interactionsists, what marks human beings off from all other animals is their elaborate semiotics: a symbol-producing capacity which enables them to produce a history, a culture, and very intricate webs of ambiguous communications’ (Turner, B. 200). Death is a sociological issue that affects everybody from different cultures, religions, and areas of the world, each viewing the meaning of death differently. ‘These meanings are handled in and modified through an interpretative process used by the person in dealing with the things him/her encounters’ (Blumer 1969). The meanings and symbols of death are different within each society. Whether it’s words, gestures, rules or roles, social interactionism focuses on the way people act through symbols, and the way we interpret and give meaning to the world through our interactions. A funeral is an im portant symbolic code that represents the feelings and meanings in which particular societies view death. Even as times are changing, people still believe it is important to visit places where mass-deaths have occurred, such as ground zero or the German war memorials. The fascination with death has a big influence over the media; people are captivated with pandemics and the death of the famous. People now experience social deaths as well as biological deaths. Elderly people with dementia, people who are in comas or who are severely disabled an unable to speak or communicate, are biologically living but socially are not. In this essay I will explore how symbolic interactionism influences funerals, considering the sociological issue of death, and analyse differences in the meaning of... ...atients? Kings College London: Macmillan). (Walter, T. (1990) Funerals: And How To Improve Them. Kent: Hodder and Stoughton) (Bernat, J.L. (1998) A Defence of the Whole-Brain Concept of Death. Hastings Centre Report). (Skelton et al 2002) In Kellehear, A. (2009) The Study of Dying: From Autonomy to Transformation. United States of America: Cambridge University Press) (Antonius C.G.M. Robben (2004) Death, Mourning and Burial: A Cross-Cultural Reader. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.) (Douglas, J. (1974) Understanding Everyday Life. Great Britain: Routledge) ( Turner, B. (200) The Blackwell Companion to Social Theory. (2nd Ed.) Malden, Massachusetts USA: Blackwell Publishers Ltd.) (Turner, R. and Edgley, C. (1976) In : Building Image, The Presentation of Self. http://www.sagepub.com/newman4study/resources/turner1.htm. Accessed on: 04/05/12)

The Physics of Photography Essay -- Pictures Photographs Careers Essay

The Physics of Photography The general population has become so accustomed to their simple point and shoot cameras that they do not either notice the poor quality of images that they are producing or do not have the knowledge to produce better images. For those who desire to take better photographs, photography will be an exciting life long adventure. There are many aspects to consider when taking a photograph. A good photograph is well thought out before the photographer snaps the shutter. Whether taking one’s portrait or shooting a landscape in the back yard, things must be lined up just right to get the best possible image. Different techniques are used to produce the exact feeling the photographer wishes to portray in his/her image. Depth of field is one way in which one can manipulate a photograph to produce the exact image desired. Depth of field is how much of the image is in focus from the front of the photograph to the back of the photograph. Emphasis can be placed on a certain subject by obscuring the foreground or background. There are three main features that can affect depth of field. Lens aperture (f-stop), distance from the camera to the subject, and the focal length of the lens (Heart 100). In order to understand depth of field one must first understand how light works. We can view objects because of light rays reflecting off their surfaces. These light rays are reflected in innumerable directions. In order to capture an image onto film one must be capable of controlling the light rays that enter the camera. This is done through the lens. The lens consists of a mixture of converging and diverging lenses that bend the light so it reaches the film as a real image. The light that passes through the upper po... ...of the light from the scene behind the subject must bend more to reach the film, causing the background to be blurred. When the photographer is farther away from the subject, all the light reflecting from the scene travels a straight path into the lens, making the index of refraction less and creating a sharper image from front to back. There is a wide variety of information to learn in photography and depth of field is just one aspect. Learning the different methods for controlling depth of field such as aperture, focal length, and subject distance will help in the journey of taking great photographs. Gone are the days of taking roll after roll of terrible photographs from a point and shoot camera. With just a little knowledge, taking sharp, well exposed photographs is more that just something the professionals do but rather something one can accomplish oneself. The Physics of Photography Essay -- Pictures Photographs Careers Essay The Physics of Photography The general population has become so accustomed to their simple point and shoot cameras that they do not either notice the poor quality of images that they are producing or do not have the knowledge to produce better images. For those who desire to take better photographs, photography will be an exciting life long adventure. There are many aspects to consider when taking a photograph. A good photograph is well thought out before the photographer snaps the shutter. Whether taking one’s portrait or shooting a landscape in the back yard, things must be lined up just right to get the best possible image. Different techniques are used to produce the exact feeling the photographer wishes to portray in his/her image. Depth of field is one way in which one can manipulate a photograph to produce the exact image desired. Depth of field is how much of the image is in focus from the front of the photograph to the back of the photograph. Emphasis can be placed on a certain subject by obscuring the foreground or background. There are three main features that can affect depth of field. Lens aperture (f-stop), distance from the camera to the subject, and the focal length of the lens (Heart 100). In order to understand depth of field one must first understand how light works. We can view objects because of light rays reflecting off their surfaces. These light rays are reflected in innumerable directions. In order to capture an image onto film one must be capable of controlling the light rays that enter the camera. This is done through the lens. The lens consists of a mixture of converging and diverging lenses that bend the light so it reaches the film as a real image. The light that passes through the upper po... ...of the light from the scene behind the subject must bend more to reach the film, causing the background to be blurred. When the photographer is farther away from the subject, all the light reflecting from the scene travels a straight path into the lens, making the index of refraction less and creating a sharper image from front to back. There is a wide variety of information to learn in photography and depth of field is just one aspect. Learning the different methods for controlling depth of field such as aperture, focal length, and subject distance will help in the journey of taking great photographs. Gone are the days of taking roll after roll of terrible photographs from a point and shoot camera. With just a little knowledge, taking sharp, well exposed photographs is more that just something the professionals do but rather something one can accomplish oneself.

Commentary on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn :: essays research papers

This passage comes from the first chapter of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain. Huckleberry is explaining how life is with the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson. He is describing one evening at his new home in their company. This section serves to characterize the two ladies, to foreshadow some events that will happen later in the novel, to create a mood of death, to reinforce the theme of death and rebirth, and to characterize Huckleberry. At the beginning of the passage, Huck describes Miss Watson as a deeply religious person. She talks about the â€Å"good place† (3), as a reward for â€Å"sivilized† people. Twain satirizes religion when the widow says that all a body does in heaven is play the â€Å"harp and sing forever and ever† (3). Indeed, why would she want to sing endlessly once she is dead? But because of Huck’s pure heart, he â€Å"didn’t think much of it† (3). All he wants is to be with Tom Sawyer. So even at the beginning of the story, Huck is already rejecting society because he does not care about going to heaven. In addition, Miss Watson is mean toward Huck. She keeps â€Å"pecking† (3) at him. The word â€Å"pecking† is very important in this passage because it compares Miss Watson as a bird that strikes with its beak. This comparison suggests that Miss Watson is a nag and that her constant criticism is painful to Huck. With the help of Huckâ₠¬â„¢s description, the reader can infer that the two ladies are civilized and educated, but surprisingly, when it comes to slaves, they lose all of their humanity and just â€Å"fetched the niggers in and had prayers† (3). They treat them no better than they would treat animals. Their behavior toward slaves demonstrates how superficial and hypocritical they are. In addition, Mark Twain foreshadows death, which will happen later in the book. For example, when Huck goes up to his room, he feels â€Å"lonesome† (3), he wishes he were dead. In this passage, Twain emphasizes the theme of Huck’s quest for freedom. Huck has a need for liberty. Since he is stuck in a house he feels â€Å"tiresome† (3), and locked in. The author also uses many morbid words to foreshadow death, such as â€Å"mournful†, â€Å"dead†, â€Å"crying†, â€Å"die†, â€Å"shivers†, â€Å"ghosts†, â€Å"grave† and â€Å"grieving† (3). As a result, the death imagery and diction creates a dreadful mood.

Is Expanding Nuclear Power Really Beneficial to Society Development Essay

In recent decades, the coal consumption among the whole world has sharply increased so as to meet the rapid development in every country. As generating electricity by coal is not renewable and environmental unfriendly, people tend to develop renewable energy like nuclear power, wind power, hydropower etc. though the cost of constructing the plants and utilizing is extremely high. Among the renewable energy mentioned above, nuclear power is the most popular to expand. Nuclear power is the use of nuclear fusion or fission from the reactor to generate electricity. It is highly efficient and produces only nuclear waste but no carbon emission. Nuclear power seems to be an ideal energy source but is it that good? In my opinion, nuclear power has too many drawbacks that they outweigh its advantages undoubtedly, so I oppose the expanding of nuclear power in our society. The first reason I oppose is that nuclear reactor is inherently unsafe to human life. The accidents happened in Chernobyl and Fukushima has shown us apparently that nuclear meltdowns and explosions can occur at any time without any omen. Not only did the accidents bring destructive damage to the buildings or any infrastructure in the cities, but also caused hundreds and thousands of casualties. Despite the high technology and secure safety system implemented in the nuclear plant, and despite many scientists and professors claimed the percentage of not getting explosion is up to 90%, accidents can still happen and result in disastrous outcome. Frankly no one can afford the outcome and dare to say it is impossible for that 10% to occur. The most recent disaster in Fukushima once again alerts people from all around the world. As the communication media is well established nowadays, people in every corner of the world can watch this disaster—nuclear leakage and explosions on live through television or Internet. Current nuclear power plants are no longer safe! † Many communities from different countries ranted. They also vowed that they would use all means to oppose the expanding of nuclear so as to protect their offspring. Life is precious and anything that poses threats to human life should be halted. Secondly the construction and the maintenance of nuclear plant are exceptionally dear. In fact, the cost of building and doing maintenance is highly dependent on taxpayers’ handouts. US, one of the countries investing a lot on developing nuclear power, has put the cost burden to their citizens since 2005. In 2005, President Bush approved an energy bill that included over 13 billion USD in tax breaks and subsidies for the nuclear industry. However, nowadays in every country, including those developed countries, is suffering from the problem of poverty. The poor has difficulties in maintaining their life while the government still imposes heavy tax on them and that is unacceptable. On the other hand, since the nuclear plants are built far away from residence, long electrical wires are required to transfer electricity from the plants to our houses. Whenever electricity is transferred through wires, some energy will be lost to surroundings. Thus for a long distance transfer, much energy would be lost which is definitely uneconomical and inefficient. So please care about the poor. And the third reason that I disagree in expanding nuclear power is nuclear waste cannot be dealt adequately. Being generated during the fuel cycle, nuclear waste actually is not a clean source: it is a radioactive substance emitting radiation all the time and it takes millions of years to become harmless, so it poses a severe potential danger to human health. Furthermore, nuclear wastes are usually buried in a designated place where it is far away from residence, so it is required to transport the wastes to these locations. This may pose risks on the populations that live along the transport route. I am sure nobody wants any nuclear waste is accidentally left in front of their houses. Hence nuclear power should not be developed unless the problem of nuclear waste has been solved. However genuine and persuasive the disadvantages are, some proponents still think nuclear power is a perfect energy source. They believe nuclear power helps reduce the emissions and contribute in easing global warming. Nevertheless it is not the case. An ecologist has once stated that nuclear power is not totally emission free because when we examine the whole nuclear power generating cycle, we can see that in mining of uranium, running the nuclear reactor, transportation of nuclear waste and even the disposal of nuclear waste rely on fossil fuels and produces a lot of greenhouse gases. Therefore there is actually net emission of harmful gases and global warming would not be relieved because of using nuclear power. Although it is right for people to seek for progress and develop new technology to meet their wants, we still need to consider the consequence that expanding new technology brings. Nuclear power, frankly speaking, is much more efficient than the ordinary way of generating electricity, but the outcome of this is disastrous and people cannot afford to lose—that’s human life. Moreover it is very expensive in developing nuclear power, if I am the government I would rather spend this bucket of money to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor. Last but not least, the issue brought by radioactive nuclear waste is very long-lasting which is always threatening our life. Hence unless the above three problems are solved, I am still opposing the development of nuclear power.

Disney Company

External EnvironmentThe Disney Company is renowned throughout the world as a leading media and entertainment company in the world. The external environment for this company is vast and has several effects on the company’s operations and performance and progress. The environment includes competitors such as News Corporation and AOL Time Warner Inc, resources, technology, and the economic circumstances that influence the organization.With media and entertainment companies experiencing a boom with a wider consumer and viewer base it is not easy to compete in the industry. Disney analyzes its general as well as its task environment thoroughly to fish for opportunities and threats. In the following text, we will identify two direct and two indirect forces have the potential to affect the company progress.Direct ForcesDirect forces or forces from the task environment include all those forces that are closer to the organization. They conduct day-to-day transactions with the company a nd have a major influence on the company’s performance and basic operations. The forces which come under this category include customers, competitors, suppliers and the labor market. We would be analyzing customers and competitors.CustomersThe Disney customers are highly important for Disney. The bargaining power of customers is also high. The customers decide what price they are willing to pay for a movie, what price they are willing to pay at the entrance of Disney’s theme parks and lastly but most importantly the unique customer experience they desire. Therefore customers, as recipients of Disney’s services, determine the company’s success and future growth.If Disney slacks any one of these three crucial touch points it would lose its market share to other rivals. Mottos for Disney, thus, revolve around the customers like one which reads â€Å"Be so nice to the guests so that they can’t believe it†. Disney looks for chances to create magi cal moments for its customers and always making them smile. Customers are what make up Disney and if it wasn’t for these customers Disney wouldn’t have been where it is now.CompetitorsDisney faces a range of competitors both at a local and international level. Since the Disney Company has been able to tap a very distinctive niche in the industry and has a stronghold, the barriers to entry do exist for the animated entertainment industry. Despite these barriers competition also exists. Disney has been able to establish a mark in the movie business and the Network-television department where several powerful rivals do exist making it extremely risky.Moreover, new cartoon figures appear every day in television shows and in movie theaters overseas. The recent merger of AOL and Time Warner poses a great threat to Disney. Moreover, Viacom and Fox Entertainment are other big competitors. In order to safeguard its position as the leading media conglomerate, Disney must continu ously invest in technological and operational improvements.Indirect ForcesIndirect forces or forces from the general environment are forces that affect the organization indirectly. It embodies the outer layer of the organizational environment. These forces aren’t involved with the organizations day-to-day activities but do affect the organization’s progress and performance overtime. These indirect forces include several dimensions like technological, international, socio-cultural, economic and legal-political but we will focus on technological and international dimensions.  Technological DimensionThe Disney Company provides entertainment through animation and animation and technology have a very strong link. Superior animation is supported through superior technology therefore it is imperative for Disney to be up-to-date with technology. With scientific and technological advancements occurring at an astounding pace it is often hard for companies to keep up but it is crucial for them to do so. Newer competitors are using the latest world technology and providing customers with better experiences, Disney should do the same in order to maintain its position.International DimensionEvents occurring in other foreign countries also have a strong potential to affect Disney’s progress. Since Disney operates theme parks in France, Japan, Hong Kong and USA and furthermore operates its own cruise line as well, events and relations with other countries are of great importance. This international environment also provides new competitors, customers and suppliers and also forms social, technological and economic trends which Disney has to adapt to.ConclusionDisney is the world’s leading entertainment company but does face many challenges and threats within its environment in terms of direct and indirect forces which have the potential to affect its operations, performance and future growth. It is imperative for Disney to analyze these forces car efully and flex its operations and strategies in accordance to them. References Book Jones, G. R. (2007). Contemporary Management. 5th Edition, illustrated, revised. Mc Graw-Hill Companies Wood, J. C (2002). Henri Fayol: Critical evaluations in business and management. Illustrated edition. Taylor & Francis Online Journal/Article Fine, J (2008). Disney Emerges a Winner. Business Week, Retrieved June 10, 2009.

Management and Business

John Ottersbach Info I-303 Organizational Informatics June 17, 2009 Project # 4 This is the project report from evaluating the AgCredit mini-case (Textbook pages 131-134) 1. Synopsis This case focuses on an agriculture credit and loan company whose core competency is based around its customer knowledge. The organization’s IT structure and function does not suit the business well. The current setup is not enterprise architecture and staff issues are rampant. There has been a lot of preparatory work done in analyzing the situation and a new team was formed to chart a course of action to transform IT.With much of the information gathering completed, the team now must convince the business leadership of the changes and be brought on board. Communicating the goals and future plans to involve the business will be vital for the company’s IT to become effective. 2. Key Issues 1. The company’s executives are very busy with day to day operations and new initiatives. IT com petence has slipped over time and the structure was never aligned with organizational vision. 2. Although some backend tinkering has made company wide information accessible in some cases, the current systems are not compatible and interaction between them is poor. . IT does not have credibility within the lines of business. This is a know shortcoming and will be addressed in the reorganization of IT. 4. Business processes are not understood by IT staff and often the business itself lacks a thorough gasp on their processes. The interconnections of the processes are unclear to both sides of the organization also. 5. The divisions do not understand their role within the organization and they must figure out how they should support the enterprise. Aligning their individual goals with strategic drivers will need to be done.There are four business divisions within AgCredit. 6. The company’s strategic drivers are continuous growth, expanse of customer relationships, ability to spen d more time with the customers, ability to cross-sell services, and provide a consistent experience to the customer. 7. A CIO position was created to align IT and the business and to guide the IT transformation. The new CIO has run a successful campaign with e-business and comes to the position with fresh eyes, but a lack of formal technical experience. He is comfortable utilizing contractors and taking in multiple points of view. 8.No IT governance or architecture is currently in place. Rather a divisional structure has existed and enterprise vision is shallow. IT decisions are made to fulfill short-term needs and initiatives. IT function is viewed as a support service for the business. 9. Some of the IT staffing issues are: low morale, high job ambiguity, unqualified staff filling positions, technical skills lacking in some areas, no senior IT manager positions, and many unfilled job roles. Part of retooling the IT architecture must be to sort out these staffing needs. 10. An appl ication-centric attitude rules the company.This has led to four separate databases, one per division, and huge data untidiness and redundancy. 11. An SOA approach has been suggested based on organizational needs, to transform IT. Those needs include integrating technologies and platforms without replacement. Vendor choices will have to be narrowed and an approval process put in place backed with execution metrics and processes. 12. The next steps will be consolidating the customer data and strengthening its foundation. A single set of customer information is the expectation and this will also help build trust and credibility toward IT, within the organization. . Case Evaluation Strategy that was usedThis report looks at a â€Å"horizontal† slice of many interrelated issues (refer to Section 5 – later in the report – for further explanation of these issues). Mixing the details of the case with the general issues into a relevant and cogent analysis was the main co ncern and involved various methods. a. Setting the Context In order to formulate an organizational structure I role-played possible structures and looked for effective relationships. The case lent many good starting points and I just carried the ideas forward with an eye on the future. . Major Initiatives and Priorities of AgCredit After getting an idea of how the structure would look I applied knowledge from the other cases and best practices mentioned from the textbook to suggest a prioritization process for project selection. After developing textbook scenarios further for the new SOA model to test I looked at the possible outcomes and largest advantages. The recommendations are used in the answer section 4. c. Looking back Ideas for the capabilities and governance also came from the lectures, readings, and previous case work.Although the specifics are much different in that the standardization of equipment is not common between them, the cases all need better business-IT partner ships and oversight. Looking for what makes them similar and different gave a unique perspective to each case. 4. Discussion Questions The following are the answers to the discussion questions on page 134 of the textbook. Propose an organizational structure for the IT department that you feel would support the transformation of AgCredit into a processcentric organization. Recognition of business ownership will be vital to the organizational structure.Having the business sign on and join the conversation about IT and related projects will be instrumental. A steering committee will be need to be part of the approval process of all projects is needed to make sure an enterprise view is taken. The multidivisional committee will need to ensure all projects fit within a SOA framework. The CIO should be involved in the boardroom and have access to senior management, including the CEO. The CIO should hire senior management that can convey departmental and business objects and help guide IT e mployees.Account managers for each LOB that reside in the business but report to senior IT management should be installed. The entire IT staff will need to be reassessed to ensure the proper people are in the right job roles. The IT function will need to be brought in alignment with the enterprise vision. One option is to try to promote internally for vacant IT positions and insource the roles that cannot be filled. Insourcing will have the distinct advantage of training IT personnel while getting the job done as well. Outsourcing IT functions that are not core competencies can also be employed if desired.Outline a project selection process for AgCredit to ensure alignment with the enterprise business vision. As mentioned in the last question, a steering committee that represents many LOBs will need to be formed and giving decision making capabilities. The process should begin by examining how a project ties to the overall vision of the company. Next the committee members should out line how the project effects their division and could be used to meet departmental needs if possible. Additionally it will need to make sure it fits within the SOA and is not duplicated by other software nodes or current processes.If it is an enhancement or add-on to another project, communication with the end user to see potential benefits should begin. Making sure it can be modularized and standardized for the business will be vital for the organization’s architecture. Additionally making sure all project types are considered and funded through a tax upon all LOBs will be required to support SOA. How should Manley â€Å"make the case† for SOA to ensure that the executive team at AgCredit buys in? Manley will need to present the key strengths of SOA and make sure to focus on how it will support the company’s vision and goals. The transition will simplify the organization and speed up product implementation. * Current services and products will be available or m odified for usability. * It supports web services that align with continuous growth opportunities, expanded customer relationships, and ability to cross-sell between the divisions. * It will immediately offer up opportunities for the divisions both in terms of possible financial gains and stretching development dollars. * Existing services can be purchased and implemented quickly within the SOA.This increases our capabilities and ensures we stay caught up with the larger firms. In essence this can level the playing field providing valuable resources and systems. * Once the customer information is centralized, which is required for SOA, the savings from reducing database needs will be realized. * Having common processes will align the business as a whole and ensure value from increased communication and decreased uncertainty. * This kind of technology base may allow the way we work to change, for example working from home or on the road working through a VPN.What new internal IT capa bilities will have to be developed in order to create an IT department to support AgCredits future business architecture? The capabilities needed to support the SOA from the IT perspective are management tools, information management tools, Information delivery options, development cycles, and a customer service attitude toward the divisions. Role clarification will be important in setting up these capabilities. Management tools include visioning and business alignment processes, funding methods, measurement metrics and focus, and monitoring methods.Information management tools include collection activities, organize process including schemes and taxonomy, process modules to use the information, and maintenance procedures that support business functions. Development cycles must conform to SOA standards and guidelines, using compliant hardware and software to make systems that breakdown the functionality, and complaint with regulatory needs, including system proficiency in creating r eports for audit purposes. The customer service attitude will be needed to manage perceptions and keep close ties with the business.What aspects of IT governance do you think would be important in supporting this transformation? Before governance structures are formalized the enterprise and divisional vision and objectives should be outlined. With IT working alongside the business some guiding principles must be drafted up. This may involve setting up account managers within the LOB and forming a multidiscipline steering committee with considerable decision power. This steering committee should work closely with the CIO and have high level approval and corporate sponsorship.The governance system should focus on guiding the transformation process and keeping key issues in focus, such as sox and regulatory compliance. Stakeholder involvement in the steering committee will help the business and IT structures become partners and work together. It will ensure all voices are heard and con sidered in the decision making process. They should outline policy decisions that support the organization’s vision early on. 5. Issues I have Discussed I utilized the chart, Dr. Ramachandran offered, to find the connections between the subject matter we have studied and the case.My analysis follows: From Lecture 4 and the Textbook reading assignment pages 37 – 50. * In this case IT often takes a backseat to other business concerns. The CEO having to be approached on the weekend to look at IT issues shows a lack of perceived IT value. * The company has a reputation of customer knowledge and that has allowed for competitive advantage. * The CEO believes IT supports the business. This belief is reinforced with the way IT is set up to function and furthermore with its failure to meet the minimum standards of competency and credibility.The instinctual desire to outsource all of IT by Paul Manley is a good indicator of IT’s inability to deliver value to the business. * It commonly believed and accepted that IT and business are not aligned at a high level. The desire for the alignment exists and the CEO’s decision to promote a strong business head into the CIO position reflects this understanding. * IT possesses a low self worth due partly to poor organizational engagement and role ambiguity. Without high-quality, business-minded leadership the internal perspective of IT has suffered. OCBs are far less likely to occur in this weakened environment. Without a solid enterprise architecture in place IT lacks a unifying vision and single â€Å"brand†. This lack of oversight has not helped promote IT to the business. * With IT being viewed negatively at the executive level, as at the start of the case, IT is at a disadvantage when trying to return value to the organization. The increased bond between the CEO and CIO will dramatically increase a positive perspective for the IT transformation. * The competency and creditability of IT is st ill highly suspect. The new CIO has acknowledged and is addressing the deficiency.There is an understanding that it will take time and energy to change the perception of the company. This is a prerequisite to having the business units buying into and taking a chance on IT. * The structural changes of IT should address perceptual issues as well at technical ones. The SOA will ensure the business, through their active role as data owners, views IT as a partner rather than just a service for the business. * The perceptual challenge ahead will involve a lengthy temporal component, the organizations view will not shift overnight. IT will have to build confidence and show the business that it adds value.Additionally perceptions will need to be continually managed with IT’s rocky history. From Lecture 6 and the Textbook reading assignment pages 72 – 85. * A good exercise before starting the restructure or even the consolidation to a single customer service file would be to ge t with the business and develop a technology roadmap. The entire process does not need to be completed before beginning other initiatives but this will give the organization focus and set current expectations. This will involve the business greatly and will open the lines of communication for IT and business operations.Since a large part of a technology roadmap is how technology will be implemented to support the enterprise vision, strategy, and objectives this will help ensure the divisions are working toward organizational unification. * Once the enterprise and divisional vision and objectives are lined out the process can begin. Working alongside the business some guiding principles must be drafted up. This may involve setting up account managers within the LOB and forming a multidiscipline steering committee with considerable decision power. IT staffing cannot be done correctly until business needs are communicated.It will be important to make sure the guiding principles map to the vision. * The vision from the textbook would consist of: continuous growth, expanse of customer relationships, ability to spend more time with the customers, ability to cross-sell services, and provide a consistent experience to the customer. Additionally implementing an SOA environment would need to be considered in the process. * Taking an inventory should be split into two sections. The first is coming up with a classification schema, which should work well with planning the SOA objectives.The second is assigning a technology custodian which will help build credibility by increasing transparency of responsibility. * A gap analysis of the current technology to required technology will also need to be completed. This will help build the relationship to the business and show competency for IT if done well. The level of business involvement must be high so an opportunity to influence perception is created. After identifying the missing links a scan of the available technology wil l need to be undertaken. SOA design will play a vital role in deciding on which software and hardware need to be developed or purchased. In order to get from point A to point B, point B being an SOA for the company, a solid migration strategy must be created.This will affect the projects that have been put on hold within the organization and future projects as well. This will need input from the business since they will be severely impacted. The steering committee should be well established and able to make informed decisions on this type of endeavor. A governance body will need to be installed that oversees this process and its future revisions. From Lecture 7 and the Textbook reading assignment pages 98 – 126. In order to succeed in the organization vision AgCredit has an Information Management system needs to be instituted. This will be housing the single customer information file. Visioning exercises will help develop policies to support the IM. * The IM will be a great f irst step toward changing the culture to acceptance of IT function and the partnership role in the organization. A SOA will be supported by this move also and will bring the company focus together. * Shaping the culture to accept the responsibility and a steering committee’s authority will take time to develop especially with such a weak IT role in the current organization.Bring them on board will be vital to success though. With all of the expected growth and centralizing of information security policy will have to become standardized and thorough. If any of the IT functions get outsourced this move will help make the transition and usefulness operate more smoothly and efficiently. * The initial SOA will be created through a process that needs full organizational representation and support. The final acceptance will need to be at the senior level though. * Adjusting the perspective and culture toward acceptance will be instrumental to the initiatives success.Paul Manley will need to take an active role in convincing the business to sign on and support the initiative. 6. Organization Chart CEO Jim Finney CIO Paul Manley COO Steve Stewart Kate Longair Samantha Secord Dirk Schader 7. Further Issues From Lecture 2 and the Textbook reading assignment pages 14 – 25. * IT and the business are not aligned. The business is not even aware of how the different divisions come together to work for the organization. The business will have to sort itself out as well as build a partnership with IT. * They have begun to revisit the business model and are aware there is a lot of work to be done.Since the business is aligning itself that leaves IT in a good position to tie itself to all LOBs. Strategic themes have not been capitalized upon but with the SOA the chances of identifying and being able to act on them will be greater. Getting strong leadership in place within IT and partnering with IT will be a major task that needs to be undertaken. * The different pro ject types are currently not broken up and funded appropriately. The architecture projects seem to be falling behind and definitely not aligned with business strategy. The focus on all dimensions of IT strategy will need to be a priority for the new steering committee.Building these processes and methods alongside the business will ensure commitment and success. This has not been the case with AgCredit in the past but in order to get IT working for the company it will have to be adopted and maintained. * Account managers that report to the CIO or senior IT managers will need to be hired or found internally. IT and the business’s disconnect between must cease and they should unify. From Lecture 9 and the Textbook reading assignment pages 230 – 244. * IT has not kept pace with were it needs to be for the organization.They are not prepared to take on the expanded roles IT is expected to recently. The company will need to correct the IT organizational structure and then fi gure out what competencies they possess. They will need to chart the maturity and make sure they teach or hire staff that can fill the roles the company wants to keep internal. The notion of outsourcing all of IT was raised at the start of the case, but the executives need to get together and chart a course for the organization. After getting an idea of where they want to be they can actually start to consider what IT functions can be outsourced.Customer service functions and capabilities will need to remain in-house since this is the business’s competitive advantage in the environment. * The staffing issues in the company are a direct result of not realizing which IT functions the business needs to cultivate and rely on. There are too many functions for this company to be able to turn around perform well so something will have to give and other alternatives, either insourcing or outsourcing, need to be considered. Without knowing how the business divisions and processes fit together it will be hard to complete, but IT and the business need to work together to create a solution.