HB Fuller Company Essay

H.B. Fuller Company is an operational company that deals with paints, adhesives, coating for manufactures and sealants that we find ourselves using everyday in our life. However, due to its activities mostly being underground or rather that it deals with behind the scene activities and that most of its products we can only see the results not the actual product, most common people may not know it or even have an idea that it exists. They would be surprised to know that it was founded back in 1987 and operates in around 34 countries in North America. It had net revenue totaling to $1. 472 billion in 2006 a 2. 5 percent increment from the previous year. The company is known to make a lot of profit though some of its money ends up in the public relation department in the dealing with cases concerning glue sniffing. It has over 3700 employees worldwide and at present, it reaches over 100 countries worldwide. It is operational and makes profit and was recently celebrated its 120th anniversary and it has been ranked by the Forbes Magazine in its Platinum 400 list of best big companies for two consecutive years. (www. hbfuller. com/about us) The company has Michele Volpi as the President and the Chief Executive Officer, Fabrizio Corradini as Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Kevin Gilligan as the Vice President, Asia Pacific, Timothy Keenan as Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, James C. McCreary, Jr. s the Vice President, Interim Chief Financial Officer and Controller, Monica Moretti as the Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, Jan Muller as the Vice President, Europe, Ann Parriott as the Vice President, Human Resources, Cheryl Reinitz as the Vice President, Treasurer, Jay Scripter as the Vice President, North America and Ramon Tico as the Vice President, Latin America. (www. hbfuller. com/about us/ directors) Michele Volpi is the President and the Chief Ex ecutive Officer from December 2006 to present. He holds a B.  A degree and a Masters degree in business administration form Bacconi University in Italy. He is also a certified Six Sigma Green Belt. He was the General Manager and Group President, Global Adhesives Group from 2004 to November 2006. he has been the director of many other companies such Global SBU Manager, Polymer shapes Business Unit, General Electric Company, Huntersville. He has also worked in Italy and Spain. (www. hbfuller. com/about us/ directors) Fabrizio Corradini is the Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer. He holds an MBA from University of Chicago and a Masters of management science from Solvay Business School in Brussels in Belgium. He has worked with HB Fuller as the Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer form 2007 to present. He has also worked with Luxembourg, Management Consultant, Boston Consulting Group, Italy, France, Germany, Spain (1996-1998). (www. hbfuller. com/about us/ directors) Kevin Gilligan is the Vice President, Asia Pacific. He holds a B. S. E. , industrial engineering degree from the University of Michigan and an M. B. A. , marketing & operations from Indiana University, Bloomington. He has been working with HB Fuller from 1994 to present at various positions as the Group vice president, General Manager, operational director, e-business director, product line manager, plant manager and management rotational program. He has vast experience in different fields and he has worked in Poland and Texas. (www. hbfuller. com/about us/ directors) Timothy Keenan is the Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. He holds a B. A. economics degree from University of Notre Dame. He has worked in the H B Fuller since 2004 as the general and the deputy counsel and corporate Secretary. He has worked as the senior attorney and assistant secretary, International Multifoods Corp. , Minneapolis. (www. hbfuller. com/about us/ directors) James C. McCreary, Jr. is the Vice President, Chief Financial Officer Controller and Chief Financial Officer. He holds a business administration and accounting degree from Kent State University. He has also worked as the Administration, Product Manager and Controller Vice President of the Industrial Chemicals Division in Pittsburgh. (www. hbfuller. com/about us/ directors) H B Fuller is presented in a case where it is accused of using an intoxicating substance that is used by a street boy in the case where the dies after inhaling the substance. It has been accused that it has caused a number of people to die and that most of them are the youth or rather teenagers who sniff the shoe glue. Earlier on, business ethics was viewed as the compliance of the legal standard and the adherence the internal regulations and rules. However as time went by, this turned out to be a different case as the organizations has to consider the wellbeing of the goods and the services that they produce in their companies this would help them get the confidence and the respect of their customers. There is a high growth in demand for social responsibility and companies are held accountable for the actions that come out of their products. Companies are producing comprehensive ethics management systems in their work so that they can be able to deal with the complex ethical issue that they may encounter in their day-to-day life from the places they market their products as some of them pose environmental risks. ( www. pangaea. org/street_children/latin/fuller) There is the Ethics Compliance Management System Standard (ECS2000) that is the guideline for organization and corporations which would like to conduct businesses in a responsible and reliable manner. It offers the all the required standards to a good social responsibility and is made available to most of the ethics research project centers. It is through these codes or standards that H B Fuller was charged in the federal court for the case of the death of Honduras street children after they had sniffed the glue that was produced by the company. (www. pangaea. org/street_children/latin/fuller) On the part of the company, it wanted the case to be dismissed as it claimed that it has reformulated its products and the substance or rather the shoe glue no longer contains any serious intoxicant. It claims that it has replaced the sweet smelling toxic substance with a less intoxicated and not so nice smelling brand. It claims that it has also increases the price of the product and it expects that children may have turn into the other brand. In addition, there had to be the government intervention, as the main issue with the children was the availability of the chemical to these. Though the company has made a lot of profit from the sale of glue, executives claim that the issues relating to the public relation has outweighed the profits. Fuller also decided to pull out of the market as some of its resolution. It decided to pull some of its products such as the Resistol to see to it whether it will have an effect to the abuse by the children. However, this had very little effect and they decided to pull back as it did not have any effect. They resolved to be selling the products to companies and not to individuals. They also claimed that the issue of the black market was the one responsible for the tragic abuse of the children Central America. (www. pangaea. org/street_children/latin/fuller) Fuller also came up with a new provision for the prevention of the use of its substances. It came up with an advertising slogan â€Å"We work chemistry in to answers. † This would help the notion in the people that the glue has been intoxicated and that it is the killing people. Among those that are involved in the case was Linare’s lawyer who filed a case after her brother died of inhaling toxic glue as they called it. Then there is the involvement of the government that had to protect the Fuller Company in the cases that it was accused in most of those third world countries. Also in the case were the human rights advocates who fought for the cases of the children who majority of them were intoxicated and all that they wanted was justice be done for them. (www. business-humanrights. org/Links/Repository) According to Ethics Compliance Management System Standard (ECS2000), a company is supposed to be responsible of all the activities and the outcome of all its products and it should take the required measures to correct the problem. In case the company is sued for a poor product or a hazardous product, it is supposed to take full repercussion for the poor product. (Malachowski 2001, 10)

Massey-Fergusion Case Study Essay

1. Net sales for Massey-Ferguson actually increased between 1979 and 1980. Despite this, net  income and income from continuing operations both dropped sharply in 1980. Which item  on the income statement was most responsible for this drop in income? The item on the income statement most responsible for this drop in income was the rise in cost  of goods sold due to currency risk exposure. The pound appreciated strongly against currencies  that Massey sold its products. Especially since engine production was highly concentrated in the  United Kingdom. Cost of goods sold rose from $238.18 million to $2568.5 million from 1979 to  1980 because of the rise in strength of the British pound. 2. Why would the Canadian government have any interest in helping Massey-Ferguson  refinance its debt? A bulk of Massey’s operations were centralized in Canada which meant that a large portionof Canada was employed by Massey (6,700 in Ontario) and without the help of  the Canadian  government these jobs would be loss and they would need to pay out unemployment. Also,  Argus Corporation, a stock holding company in Canada, had a 16.5% stake in Massey and was a  conservative supporter who wanted more support for Massey. 3. Why would it be difficult for Massey-Ferguson to conduct an equity issue to pay down its  debt?   It would be difficult for Massey to conduct an equity issue to pay down its debt because of how  much debt Massey accrued and their consistent inability to pay it. Also, Argus refused to take  a block of preferred share issues Massey intended to issue in 1980. Since Argus was Massey’s  largest shareholder, if they lacked confidence in Massey it shows a lot. Massey also fell behind  with dividends to both preferred and common shares due to covenants on their outstanding loans.  So equity capital was out of the question.

The Ritz-Carlton: A Snapshot

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company is a management company that develops and operates luxury hotels for W. B. Johnson Properties, also based in Atlanta. In 1983, W. B. Johnson acquired exclusive U. S. rights to the Ritz-Carlton trademark, a name associated with luxury hotels for 100 years. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company operates 23 business and resort hotels in the United States and two hotels in Australia. It also has nine international sales offices and employs 11,500 people. Two subsidiary products, restaurants and banquets, are marketed heavily to local residents.The company claims distinctive facilities and environments, highly personalized services, and exceptional food and beverages. â€Å"Gold Standards† Quality planning begins with President and Chief Operating Officer Horst Schulze and the other 13 senior executives who make up the corporate steering committee. This group, which doubles as the senior quality management team, meets weekly to review the quality of products and services, guest satisfaction, market growth and development, organizational indicators, profits, and competitive status.Each year, executives devote about one-fourth of their time to quality-related matters. The company's business plan demonstrates the value it places on goals for quality products and services. Quality goals draw heavily on consumer requirements derived from extensive research by the travel industry and the company's customer reaction data, focus groups, and surveys. The plan relies upon a management system designed to avoid the variability of service delivery traditionally associated with hotels.Uniform processes are well defined and documented at all levels of the company. Key product and service requirements of the travel consumer have been translated into Ritz-Carlton Gold Standards, which include a credo, motto, three steps of service, and 20 â€Å"Ritz-Carlton Basics. † Each employee is expected to understand and adhere to these standards, which de scribe processes for solving problems guests may have as well as detailed grooming, housekeeping, and safety and efficiency standards.Company studies prove that this emphasis is on the mark, paying dividends to customers and, ultimately, to Ritz-Carlton. The corporate motto is â€Å"ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen. † To provide superior service, Ritz-Carlton trains employees with a thorough orientation, followed by on-the-job training, then job certification. Ritz-Carlton values are reinforced continuously by daily â€Å"line ups,† frequent recognition for extraordinary achievement, and a performance appraisal based on expectations explained during the orientation, training, and certification processes.To ensure problems are resolved quickly, workers are required to act at first notice — regardless of the type of problem or customer complaint. All employees are empowered to do whatever it takes to provide â€Å"instant pacification. † No matter what their normal duties are, other employees must assist if aid is requested by a fellow worker who is responding to a guest's complaint or wish. Much of the responsibility for ensuring high-quality guest services and accommodations rests with employees.Surveyed annually to ascertain their levels of satisfaction and understanding of quality standards, workers are keenly aware that excellence in guest services is a top hotel and personal priority. A full 96 percent of all employees surveyed in 1991 singled out this priority — even though the company had added 3,000 new employees in the previous 3 years. Detailed Planning At each level of the company — from corporate leaders to managers and employees in individual work areas — teams are charged with setting objectives and devising action plans, which are reviewed by the corporate steering committee.In addition, each hotel has a â€Å"quality leader,† who serves as a resource and advocate as teams a nd workers develop and implement their quality plans. Teams and other mechanisms cultivate employee commitment. For example, each work area is covered by three teams responsible for setting quality-certification standards for each position, problem solving, and strategic planning. The benefits of detailed planning and the hands-on involvement of executives are evident during the 7 days leading up to the opening of a new hotel.Rather than opening a hotel in phases, as is the practice in the industry, Ritz-Carlton aims to have everything right when the door opens to the first customer. A â€Å"7-day countdown control plan† synchronizes all steps leading to the opening. The company president and other senior leaders personally instruct new employees on the â€Å"Gold Standards† and quality management during a 2-day orientation, and a specially selected start-up team composed of staff from other hotels around the country ensures all work areas, processes, and equipment are ready.Quality Data Daily quality production reports, derived from data submitted from each of the 720 work areas in the hotel system, serve as an early warning system for identifying problems that can impede progress toward meeting quality and customer-satisfaction goals. Coupled with quarterly summaries of guest and meeting planner reactions. the combined data are compared with predetermined customer expectations to improve services.Among the data gathered and tracked over time are guest room preventive maintenance cycles per year, percentage of check-ins with no queuing, time spent to achieve industry-best clean room appearance, and time to service an occupied guest room. From automated building and safety systems to computerized reservation systems, Ritz-Carlton uses advanced technology to full advantage. For example, each employee is trained to note guest likes and dislikes. These data are entered in a computerized guest history profile that provides information on the preferen ces of 240,000 repeat Ritz-Carlton guests, resulting in more personalized service.The aim of these and other customer-focused measures is not simply to meet the expectations of guests but to provide them with a â€Å"memorable visit. † According to surveys conducted for Ritz-Carlton by an independent research firm, 92 to 97 percent of the company's guests leave with that impression. Evidence of the effectiveness of the company's efforts also includes the 121 quality-related awards received in 1991 and industry-best rankings by all three major hotel-rating organizations.

Mateship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mateship - Essay Example He spoke with his wife and they had determined that if they portioned there money properly they would be able to purchase a home, with a small amount of livestock and farmland. If they were able to reach their quotas they would be able to continue to support themselves and their infant daughter Abby. As Alex continued to look outside his window he became increasingly worried. While the first few years after moving to their new home had gone as they had hoped, in recent years they had experienced tremendous hardship. A spread of disease had overtaken much of their cattle, causing them to use the profits they had saved throughout the earlier years to buy new livestock. While the farmland had been the backbone of their existence, the recent drought had placed them once again on hard times. Added to this difficulty the couple’s infant daughter Abby was now a five year child with increasing demands; should be need to be sent to school in the upcoming year and the family worried abo ut having the money to support her education. Alex worried that if things did not soon improve he would have to sell the farm and admit catastrophic failure. While Alex and his family had enjoyed their lives and had become accustomed to the relative solitude, it did mean that they had to rely only on themselves in these challenging situations. Alex considered his solitude. He thought that of all the friends and family he had known throughout his life and recognized that there was nobody that could help him. He began to think about his surroundings. There was not another neighbor for nearly twenty-miles in any direction, except the lone estate on Douglas Hill. He had never ventured to this estate. It was clearly the home of a rich man, as it had fantastic architecture and was surrounded by a large and expensive fence. Alex recognized that there was farmland in the back and that the owner must have a reservoir of water he saved for droughts. Still, Alex had always been intimidated by entering the area of the home as he recognized the individual probably wanted nothing to do with a poor farmer like himself. Alex thought to himself – desperate times call for desperate measures – and set out to the estate. When Alex reached the estate he pressed the buzzer outside the gate. A light came on and he spoke into it identifying himself. He heard nothing on the other end and began walking away; as he was walking away the gates began to open. Alex turned around and walked towards the estate. When he reached the door Alex remained intimidated as he knocked on the door. He waited for a moment, expecting to be sent away or disregarded. Suddenly the door opened. ‘Howdy mate!’ a smiling middle-aged man in a hat said. Alex was taken aback. He had expected an old and serious gentleman, but had found an upbeat and casual person. Alex explained to the individual that he lived in the house a mile away. Before he could explain why he came, the man invited h im in. He introduced himself, saying his name was Steve. Alex was still slightly intimidate, but had become increasingly relaxed by Steve’s friendly demeanor. The two men walked into the home and onto the back porch. Steve retrieved some beers and they sat and talked about the area. Steve told him he had move there twenty-years ago and had started out from humble beginnings and built his farm and wealth up from nearly nothing. The conversation shifted to the drought and Alex told him about the dire straights his family had fallen into as a direct result. Understanding

Consequential Contribution of Founding Fathers to America Essay

Consequential Contribution of Founding Fathers to America - Essay Example They laid the foundations of a capitalist America, based on the belief that the eventual economic well being of any nation was a direct function of the opportunities it extended to its citizens to channelize their energies and talents in a free market. Enlightened individualism, which is the hallmark of the American way of life, has its origins in the thought and vision of our founding fathers. It was by the dint of the validity and sanctity of their values that America was able to win a war of independence against a nation that was far superior to it in terms of military might and economic affluence. They envisioned a nation with a system of governance that relied on the fundamental principles of natural rights, free from any form of monarchial or ecclesiastical interference. Founding father undeniably made a marked contribution to the American way of life that will continue to guide and motivate this great nation in the times to come. George Washington was a leader far ahead of his times. It is easy for people today to visualize America as a free and sovereign nation. However, in the times of Washington, America was just a bunch of rebellious colonies, which were loosely held together, courtesy their shared aversion to the British rule.1 The astuteness of Washington was manifested in his will to hold on to a vision of a united America, irrespective of the ground realities of those times, which totally discouraged the perception of America as a great nation. The vibrant and self-sufficient America that we see today was once a mere vision in the heart and mind of Washington and other founding fathers.2 It was only by the dint and confidence of Washington and his revolutionary propensities that a nation was born irrespective of the mighty resistance posed by the great military and political powers of those times. George Washington was a prominent personality that defined the American nation, not only because he was the first president of America, but also because he happened to be the supreme commander of the American forces fighting for independence and the chairman of the convention that drafted the constitution of the United States of America. The wisdom of Washington lied not only in his ability to hold together the 13 rebellious colonies with diverse interests and priorities, but also in his shrewdness in channelizing the rebelliousness governing the American resistance into a well knit, consolidated and unanimous verdict in favor of the foundation of an independent America.3The task before Washington was utterly complex in the sense that he was not only required to be a military commander, but also a seasoned and sharp political leader who could extend guidance and direction to a zealous but nascent movement, which could have easily degenerated into an insignificant and directionless m utiny, as was desired by the imperial forces.

Samsung's Corporate Social Responsibility Essay

Samsung's Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example Center of discussion in this paper is corporate governance as a set of guidelines, rules, regulations and procedures which help an organization to run smoothly and take care of the stakeholders. These stakeholders include customers, employees, society, government, members, promoters, investors as well as all other members who are directly and indirectly associated with the organization. As a result of the increasing awareness among consumers and society regarding environment, health and safety, organizations have also started considering investing back into the society. Thus, the concept and application of corporate social responsibility have evolved. The general objective of Samsung’s CSR is to improve the conditions across the globe with the help of its various social programs contributing to the environment as well as people. Corporate sustainability includes environmental, economic as well as social performance of the organization. At present, the company is involved in va rious CSR activities such as, maintaining harmony among the society, people and environment, green management, social contributions, partner collaborations, integrity management and also, environmentally sustainable services and products. Samsung has been focusing on developing the lives of numerous children as a part of its philanthropic umbrella across the globe. The program has supported STEM educational campaigns which are critical for the workforce needs of Samsung. The various products which are utilized from the portfolio of the organization are also a relevant example of the numerous ways by which the needs which are expressed by the educator are met. (Samsung, 2013d). b) Partnerships: In order to contribute to the communities, Samsung has partnered with various government organizations such as, NEEF (National Environment Education Foundation) and PTA (National PTA). Through the involvement with these government agencies, the brand was assured that real needs of these commun ities are met with and it is able to impact the social lives in a practical manner (Samsung, 2013c). It also helps the company to better understand the sensitivities of parents and teachers and execute these programs in an enhanced manner. Also, the

Wipro Consulting Services (WCS) as a global business leader in Coursework

Wipro Consulting Services (WCS) as a global business leader in technology consulting - Coursework Example But in order to become the business leader in technology, it needs to go further. It required the independence and also the strategic focus which comes from operating as one of the separate unit within Wipro but at the same time take the advantage of the parent company in technology and to acquire the customer base. Wipro Technologies Ltd is based in Bangalore and employs about 95000 people across its office which is spread globally (Lampel, wt al, 2010). In the year 2001, most of the technology consulting firms such s Infosys, Wipro and Tata Consultancy Services had started to provide the basis IT infrastructure as well as development of application services to its customers. As the companies started to gain a better knowledge and understanding of its customers the companies started to assist them to use IT in their business to improve the efficiency and hence reduce the cost. Today these IT firms face a tremendous pressure in order to deliver high value of IT services to its custom ers. As a result different business models were adopted by the firms and also by Wipro. Wipro Technologies uses two distribution models namely â€Å"Global Delivery Model† and â€Å"Fixed Delivery Model†. Wipro have developed globally a competitive business which is based on the expertise and also the ability to identify, train, and manage and motivate the talent. Prior to 2001, it was difficult as well as costly for the company to access their talent in the developed countries. Thus in such a situation it become increasingly necessary for Wipro to develop business models so to compete with the upcoming demand in the developed markets. Under the leadership of Kirk Strawser, Wipro undertook two from of business model. When IT software and consulting firm emerged in India, most of the Indian companies did not use the sophisticated technology to support the system; this further resulted in challenge for Wipro to convince the companies to use the technology and help build them a competitive advantage over the other firms. In addition, most of companies had an in house IT department and was not willing to outsource to other firms. The developed market offered a much deeper pool of customers and also higher price for the services than those in the Indian market (Khanna and Palepu, 2010, p.155). With the emergence of IT services and software, many big companies started to implemented the use of IT and as a result Wipro technologies competed with the service providers of technology. Wipro had faced challenge in its technology sector from two categories one was the global players and the next was the Indian players. Global players included companies such as Accenture, IBM, HP, Cap Gemini and EDS (Burgelman, et al, 2008). These companies had made more than 90% of the global consulting market. Wipro was way behind these companies. The companies made use of the resources and also because of cost advantage of its offshore presence in countries such as Russia, India, Philippines, Europe and others. Indian layers included companies such as TCS, HCL, Cognizant, Infosys and others. Wipro and these firms basically used the same concept as they started their operation with low cost IT service providers and adopted the â€Å"global delivery models†, â€Å"technology rationalization† and â€Å"service integration† (Lampel, wt al, 2010). The terrain of IT services and

Discussion 3 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Discussion 3 - Assignment Example I think one does not have to be a nutritionist to differentiate between starving and dieting. My uncle and I are very close, more like friends. He has done doctorate in comparative religions. Once, I fell ill. He came to see me. He said, â€Å"I am a doctor, doctors can cure illness in patients, so I can cure your illness.† I took it as a joke because it was meant to be one. It was a poor argument as it was not deductively valid. While it was true that he is a doctor, and that doctors can cure illness in patients, the conclusion that he could cure my illness was false as he was a doctor of comparative religions, not a medical doctor. My mother often says that every person has equal mind and intelligence and thus can score the highest in academics, but I find disagree with her saying that different people have different IQ levels. When I say so, she becomes emotional and says, â€Å"None of my children has a lower IQ level than any other. I know my children. They are all very brainy. Period.† I find this argument very poor as my brother is very weak in studies whereas my academic performance is much better than his. By saying that all her children are very brainy, my mother tries to make emotional appeal. Once I was on a weight-loss plan. I was following a particular diet pattern, which was based on balanced meals. I was taking both vegetables and meat with certain limits on both. My brother told me to leave consuming meat altogether and instead drink more of fresh juices. I disagreed because fresh juices contain a lot of natural sugars and drinking too much of them is not recommendable in a weight-loss plan, but my brother said, â€Å"Go ask anybody. He would recommend you to drink fresh juices to lose weight.† I know there is a lot of misconception about the effects of fresh juice consumption on weight. I find this argument poor as it is an example of ad populum. Drinking a lot of water is recommended

What is sub-prime lending and how has it affected the housing crisis Essay

What is sub-prime lending and how has it affected the housing crisis - Essay Example nd the nature of subprime lending, this paper also provides a background of the subprime lending which gained popularity in the 1990’s, and also a comparison with other forms of mortgages like the prime lending. Subprime lending is a type of granting loans in which the client’s ability to pay is questionable. Kenneth Temkin et. al (2002) add that subprime lending mortgage originations are more inclined to risky borrowers. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, subprime loans are given to individuals with limited credit histories. One reason for this is the lack of background check on the borrower. In order to compensate for the higher credit risk, the loans that are given have higher interest rates.1 The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development presents three (3) truths about the subprime lenders: (1) the increased shares of subprime lenders’ overall origination as compared to the prime lenders’ originations are due to home refinance loans; (2) they occupy a bigger percentage in total originations in black-predominated communities than prime lenders; and (3) terms like â€Å"consumer, finance, and acceptance† are seen more in their lender names.2 Temkin et al. (2002) find out that subprime borrowers have lower incomes or belong to minority groups than their primary counterparts. They have less information financially on the bank mechanisms. They are also less sophisticated and less comfortable in dealing with banks. Danielle DiMartino and John Duca (2007) add that the prime or the traditional mortgages are offered to borrowers with good credit histories and can make down payments and document their income entirely. Whereas the subprime or the nontrad itional mortgages, are extended to borrower applicants who are less credit-worthy as reflected by their low credit scores and unsure income forecasts which â€Å"reflect the highest default risk and warrant the highest interest rates†. They also introduce the near-prime

Economic Growth - Solow Growth Model and Beyond Essay

Economic Growth - Solow Growth Model and Beyond - Essay Example At the core of this model, it is a neoclassical aggregate production function that in most cases is similar to Cobb – Douglas model and this makes it possible for this model to be in contact with microeconomics. This model was established by Robert Solow and Trevor Swan in the year 1956 (Dimand and Spencer, 2008). Dimand and Spencer (2008) say that the version of Solow’s Growth model where savings are chosen optimally by utility maximization of the households is known as the Neoclassical Growth Model. The neoclassical model was an extension of Harrod – Domar model that was developed in 1946. It superseded Harrod – Domar model due to the characteristic mathematical attractiveness. In that sense, the model was a convenient start point for various extensions (Hendrik and Lewer, 2015). David Cass developed a solution for the growth model in 1965 with technological change and the growth in population (Jones, 1997). Jones (1997) observed that Solow and Swan did an extension of Harrod - Domar model, first, by the addition of labor as a factor of production. Secondly, they ensured that the capital – labor ratios were not in a fixed position like in Harrod–Domar model’s case. In a study carried out by Jones he recognized the modification that provided for a continual increase in capital intensity which could be distinguished from progress in technology (Jones, 1997). In this sense, they independently simplified the growth model. Solow’s model fitted the economic growth data that was available with some level of success. In the present day, his model is used by economists in the estimation of the separate effects on the economic growth of capital, labor as well as the technological change. The previous models that include the closed economy a nd small open economy models give a static observation of the economy at a given point in time. The Solow growth model allows us a dynamic view of how savings affects the economy over time. The

How did the womens rights movement of the 19th century emerge out of Essay - 1

How did the womens rights movement of the 19th century emerge out of abolition activism - Essay Example These included the rights to vote, the right to vie for different offices and the right to be treated equal with the men irrespective of their gender. This led to the development of the women’s right movement, a movement that changed the political alignment and environment in the United States. The development of the women’s right movement began immediately after the abolition of the slave trade and most of the founding members were active freedom fighters in the abolitionist movement. In this paper, the impacts of the abolitionist movement and the manner in which it shaped the formation of the women’s right movement will be determined. The pioneer leaders of the Women’s right movement who previously served in the abolitionist movement will be discussed to show the connection between the two movements and how one inspired the other. The abolitionist movement played an essential role in inspiring the development of the women’s right and women suffrage movement of the 19th century. Women’s right movement was based on the principles and experience of the founding mothers who had witnessed the efforts of the abolitionist freedom fighters in their effort to achieve social justice (Maternal association 54). The need to improve human condition and remove the element of slavery within the society of the United States oiled the abolitionist freedom movement and this motivated the formation of other groups that agitated for the attainment of equal social justice for all irrespective of the color and race. The history of feminism in the United States can be better understood by investigating the connection between the women suffrage movement and the abolitionist movement. During the active years of the abolitionist movement before the end of the civil war, many women leaders participated as facilitators and spies for the men who were active in the movement

War and the pity of war Essay Example for Free

War and the pity of war Essay Owens use of the word pity in this quotation immediately reveals his opinion of war. In the dictionary pity is defined as sorrow and compassion aroused by anothers condition or something to be regretted. Owen incorporates both of these definitions into his poetry when describing war. I intend to concentrate on the various devices Owen uses to convey his opinion of War in three of his poems, Disabled, Mental Cases and Exposure. The titles of two of his poems, Disabled and Mental Cases tell of the effect that Owen believes the war to have on those who fought in it. He believes that it has a detrimental, crippling effect on such people and that many lose their sanity because of it. Owens poem Mental Cases focuses on those people who survive the war but are confined to a mental asylum because of it. He uses words such as misery, tormented, hideous and madness to describe the mental state of these men. Owens poems give the distinct impression that the men involved in it are constantly plagued by memories of those that they have killed. Owen writes effectively and truthfully about this because he fought in World War One himself. In Exposure the soldiers imagine the bodies of their comrades impaled upon wire: we hear mad gusts tugging on the wire, Like twitching agonies of men among its brambles. This shows that their thoughts always return to those who have died in the War. Owens use of the word mad is an attack on the cruelty and irrationality of War. In Mental Cases the survivors are described as purgatorial shadows. Purgatory was considered to be a place somewhere between heaven and hell, a place of indecision, an eternal hell. These people in the poem are experiencing a living hell. In fact, later in the poem Owen says that people who walk amongst these tortured souls feel as though they are walking hell. The description of the mental patients as shadows indicates that the War has turned them into apparitions who barely brush the boundaries of existence. These are men whose minds the Dead have ravished. This shows that the men are in fact being tortured by the memory of those they have killed in the war. In the quotation the dead people have been personified. This makes them seem more like one body rather than many individual men. By depriving the dead of their identity the mental cases are able to lessen some of the guilt that they feel, and the extent of the carnage incomparable is easier for them to comprehend. Having ended the line preceding it with a question, Owen starts the above line with a hyphen, to give the effect that he is answering the question. In the first paragraph of Mental Cases the identity of the men is repeatedly questioned. The above line provides these men with an identity Owens attempt to pay homage to all those who served in the War. The lack of appreciation for those men involved in the war is something that Owen often incorporates into his poems. For example in Disabled the young man is not commended by anyone other than a religious figure who thanked him for his efforts in the War. The word thanked is printed in italics to convey the mans (and therefore Owens) bitterness at this lack of appreciation. Similarly in Exposure it is said that those soldiers lucky enough to return home soon find that their families and friends have moved on without them: on us the doors are closed. This shows that Owen believes that the War cuts every man off from the rest of the world. The men have experienced something so terrible that no one else can sympathise with them, including their families. It should be clear to anyone reading Owens poems that he associates the War with pain and suffering. In Exposure he suggests that the impact of the War is so huge that even nature begins to become cruel. Owens association of the unkind weather to the cruelty of the War could be described as pathetic fallacy. The merciless iced east winds that knive us Owens use of the word merciless is typical of the vocabulary he commonly uses to describe a War that he views as callous and unrelenting. He says that the wind knives the soldiers, which is a violent human action, and he later describes it as mad. Such description is more suited to the description of a living thing and therefore Owen almost personifies the wind. In Disabled Owen dwells on the debilitating effect the war has on a young boy. He is changed from a handsome man for whose face an artist was silly into an insecure old man who will never feel again how slim girls waists are. The poem focuses on this mans life before and after the war in order to make the change in his life from good to bad seem more dramatic. The picture that is conjured in the readers mind by Owens poetry is lacking in colour. The image formed in the readers mind are grey bland and empty, not at all alive or vibrant. They therefore can represent the lives of those involved in the war. In Disabled the mans life before the war is described using colourful words. Trees are light blue and his blood is purple (the colour purple is considered to be prestigious, and therefore may be an indication that courage coursed through his veins before the war ruined him). After the war, his world becomes dull and grey. He wears a ghastly suit of grey (note the use of the word ghastly to represent the horror of the War). In Exposure a personification of dawn attacks the ranks on shivering ranks of grey men. This lack of colour is explained in Disabled, when Owen states: hes lost his colour very far from here, Owen explains that war strips the colour and life from all those involved in it. Owen often uses alliteration in his poetry to add effect. For example in Exposure: Worried by silence, sentries whisper, curious, nervous. The repeated s sound in this line makes the reader feel that he/she can hear whispering. In Mental Cases the line: Rucked too thick for these mens extrication uses a lot of harsh ck sounds. The line is referring to the huge amount of human squander, and therefore such harsh sounds make the mood increasingly dramatic. Owens use of the word squander shows that he views the death of so many men in the war as wasteful and pointless. Similarly in Disabled the young man says that he threw away his knees. By using the word threw Owen shows that the man acted recklessly, wasting the gifts that he would not appreciate until he was without them. In Exposure there are many questions asked that Owen does not answer in the poem. For example What are we doing here? and -Is that why we are dying? The men in the poem are questioning the point of their fighting in the war. The fact that they are so unsure of their existence is pitiful. The rhyming and rhythm in Owens poetry is not always regular. Because it is satisfying for people to hear an perfectly rhyming poem with a regular beat, Owen makes sure that his work is not satisfying to the human ear. The almost disjointed manner in which many lines read makes the poems disconcerting, thus the war is less enjoyable to read about. Owen also achieves this dissatisfaction by varying the structure and length of the passages in his poems. For example in Disabled the length of each passage varies greatly. More time is spent reflecting on the young mans past, which gives the reader the impression that the man is regretful. The paragraphs concerning his present life are relatively brief and to the point, showing the extent to which his life has been cut up by the War. Owen uses para rhyming in Exposure, keeping the constanents of the rhyming words the same but changing the vowel sound. This technique is not satisfying to the human ear and therefore ensures that the reader feels troubled about what he/she is reading, i.e. the war. The rhyming and rhythm of Mental Cases is more regular. Therefore in order to ensure that his reader does not feel comfortable with what he/she is reading, Owen makes use of stronger, more shocking imagery such as leering skulls and men wading sloughs of blood. Owen also disrupts the order of the poem to some extent by starting lines with hyphens and punctuating the piece with questions such as but who these hellish? Owens message to his readers is that war is horrific. However the propaganda for the First World War during Owens time did not reveal such horrors, therefore many people joined for the wrong reasons. In Disabled the young man: thought of jewelled hilts For daggers in plaid socks. Owen wanted to reveal this to be a misconception of war. To me, Owens poems convey a strong sense of regret. In Disabled the young man ruins his life simply to please the giddy jilts. Because of this the man is eventually forced to: take whatever pity they may dole. Owens use of the word dole seems as though the people doling the pity are insincere, and it makes the man sound bitter and resentful. It is possible that the young man in this poem is a figurehead of Owen himself, who spent time in Craiglockhart War Hospital having been severely injured during the war. The above quotation uses the one word that Owen directly associates with war: pity. In Exposure the soldiers constantly ask questions, almost as though they are vulnerable (exposed) and in need of guidance. They are despairing and definitely regretful: We cringe in holes. This animal-like action reveals the soldiers shame at what they have been reduced to. They do not try to glorify or even justify their actions. They are forced to accept them. In Mental Cases there is no regret expressed on behalf of the mental patients until the very end of the poem. Throughout the poem the mental patients are described as purgatorial shadows and do not appear to have the state of mind to by conscious of their surroundings. However at they end they are described as: Pawing [those] who dealt them war and madness. This shows that they resent those people who caused them to end up as mental cases.

Expansion Analysis for BMW

Expansion Analysis for BMW 1. Prepare and implement a plan for the collection of primary and secondary data for assessing an area of business of your choice. a. Develop and use a questionnaire and justify its design for a particular purpose. 1.1 Research Topic General Area of interest: Expansion Diversification of Business. Specific sub area of interest: -BMWs expansion in car segment in Mumbai, India. More specific topic of interest: Which type of car segment should BMW expand their business in Mumbai, India. Research Topic BMWs expansion in particular car market segment. 1.1.1 Background BMW entered the Indian market in the year 2006 after their arch rival Mercedes-Benz. Both the German luxury car makers have the maximum market share in the luxury car market segment. Recently Audi has entered their market and is giving both the automobile companies a tough competition. BMW is able to overtake Mercedes-Benz in terms of sales and has been at the top of the luxury car market segment in India since the last four years. Audi is capturing the market segment rapidly with its new cars. So in order to remain at the top of the luxury car segment BMW as to react according to the change in trend and bring out new models to beat its competitors and block the entry of new competitors like Nissan, Porsche, Volkswagen, etc in their market segment. BMW has its sales subsidiary in Gurgaon, Delhi to develop its dealer network in India. BMW has established 14 dealers all over India. Mumbai is one of the largest cities of luxury car market segment in India. The SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufactures) has reported that BMWs sales have grown by 12.76% to 1,020 units in July, 2009. The report also says that BMW has increased its sales by 43% to 3,000 units in 2010. BMW has future plans on increasing their dealership in eight more cities of India. BMWs management team can understand the taste of the Indian consumers based on the research conducted in Mumbai, India. Mumbai being the economic capital of India had the largest number of buyers of luxury cars in India. BMW had opened its first assembly center in Chennai in 2007 by seeing the potential growth in Indian market. BMW is really caution about its product launch in Indian markets because they just dont want to sell cars based on their brand value, but they wish to create better brand value by serving their customers with luxury cars with top of the line features, amazing performance and competing prices. BMW had surprised all its rivals by launching Rolls Royce cars in Indian market after studying the economic growth in India. But they still havent launched the cars of brand Mini because Indian customers are not ready for expensive small cars. BMW has always tried to make their cars on the basis of an idea of being practical and contemporary which has helped them succeed in luxury car segment in India. The firm has also made cars which are fuel efficient and eco-friendly (working on hybrid technology) has boosted their brand value and has helped them find many new customers. http://automobiles.mapsofindia.com/cars/bmw/ 1.1.2 Aim for the Research Project The aim for the research topic is to find out in which market segment should BMW make expansions (produce new models) in Mumbai. 1.1.3 Objectives The objectives for my research are to gather primary information for the research through Descriptive or Survey Research Design with the help of a questionnaire, secondary information via the staffs of the car companies and through companies sites, and conclude by research analysis and present it as a report to the BMWs management team. 1.2Research Leedy (1985) defines research as the manner in which we attempt to solve problems in a systematic effort to push back the frontiers of human ignorance or to confirm the validity of the solution to problems others have presumably resolved. 1.2.1 Research Design Research Design is defined as a framework or blueprint for conducting a marketing research project. It specifies the details of the procedure necessary for attaining the information needed to structure and/or solve marketing research problems. http://destinydawnmarie.blogspot.com/2007/05/research-design.html 1.2.2 Type of Research Design Chosen Descriptive or Survey Research Design is used for the research as it attempts to describe and explain conditions of the present by using many subjects and questionnaires to fully describe a phenomenon. Survey research design /survey methodology is one of the most popular for dissertation research. http://www.dissertation-statistics.com/research-designs.html 1.2.3 Primary Secondary Research The methods used for primary research is Descriptive or Survey Research Design method by which qualitative data is collected through questionnaires. The questionnaire is filled by 100 people visiting the showrooms of BMW, Audi Mercedes-Benz and the data collected is analyzed and a conclusion is made. The questionnaire is designed to know the preference of the type of car segment people prefer to buy. Secondary data is collected from the showroom managers, balance sheet of companies and from the companys site. Using both primary and secondary research a conclusion is drawn and presented in form of a report to the BMW management. 1.2.4 Network Diagram The network diagram is used to show how the market research is carried out and data is analyzed and generated into a report for the management of BMW. PD = Primary Data, SD = Secondary Data Diagram 1: Network Diagram 1.3.1 Questionnaire for Primary Research 1.3.2 Analysis of the Questionnaire The first question was asked to determine the ratio of gender of 100 people who had been a part of this survey. The result showed that out of the population of 100 the ratio of Men: Women were 7:3. The number of female who came to the showroom was 30 and the number of male was 70. Gender: Male = 70 People Female = 30 People Diagram 2: Gender The second question is a general question asked to check how much the Indian people prefer to drive their car. The data collected showed that 95% of the people prefer driving their cars and 5% of the people do not drive their cars. People who like driving their car (Yes) = 95  Ã‚   People who dont drive their car (No) = 5 Diagram 3: People Who Prefer Driving Their Car The third was based on how many cars each one owned who was surveyed. The data collected showed that 1 car was owned by 15 % people, 2 cars were owned by 10% people, 3 cars are owned by 25% people, 4 cars are owned by 10% people, 5 cars owned by 15% people, 6 cars owned by 15% people, 7 cars owned by 5% people, and 8 cars owned by 5% people. Number of cars owned: 1=15 people   2=10 people   3=25people   4=10 people   5=15 people   6=15 people   7=5 people   8= 5 people Diagram 4: Number of Cars Owned The fourth and fifth questions were asked to gather the information for the company to check the preference of what type of car the people who were surveyed preferred. The data collected was tabulated according to the age group. Age Group of People Surveyed and their Preference for the Type of Car Diagram 5: Preference of Type of Car of People of Different Age Group The sixth question was asked to see what price range the Indian customers prefer when they plan to buy a car. Price range of cars (00,000 Rupees) 20-40 = 25 people 40-60 = 40 people 60-80 = 25 people 80-100 = 10 people  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Diagram 6: Price Range of cars (00,000 Rs) The data collected showed the price range preferred by the Indian customers. The data showed that 25% people preferred car in the range 20-40 (00,000 Rs.), 40% people preferred car in the range 40-60 (00,000 Rs.), 25% people preferred car in the range 60-80 (00,000 Rs.), and 10% people preferred car in the range 80-100 (00,000 Rs. This data is also essential as this will help the company to make cars according to the taste of their customers. 2. Create information for decision making by summarising data using representative values, and use the results to draw valid and useful conclusions in a business context. a. Analyse the data collected in Task 1 using measures of dispersion, and use to assess an area of business of your choice. b. Use quartiles, percentiles and correlation coefficient, and use these to draw useful conclusions in a business context. 2.1 Quartile, Quartile Range and Quartile Deviation a. Sedan Quartiles Nth Value = = 45 Q1 = Q2 =   Q3 = Quartile Range QR = Q3 Q1 = 39 18 = 21 years Quartile Deviation QD = = 10.5 years b. SUV Quartiles Nth Value = = 35 Q1 =   Q2 = Q3 = Quartile Range QR = Q3 Q1 = 47 32 = 15 years Quartile Deviation QD = = 7.5 years c. Sports Car Quartiles Nth Value = = 20 Q1 = Q2 = Q3 = Quartile Range QR = Q3 Q1 = 38 18 = 20 years Quartile Deviation QD = = 10 years 2.2 Mean, Variance, Standard Deviation Coefficient of Correlation a. Sedan Mean = xÃÅ'†¦ = = = 35 Variance = = = 66.67 Standard Deviation = ÃŽ ´ = = = 8.16 Coefficient of Variation = = = 0.23 b. SUV Mean = xÃÅ'†¦ = = = 39.28 = 39 (approx.) Variance = = = 81.71 Standard Deviation = ÃŽ ´ = = = 9.04 Coefficient of Variation = = = 0.23 c. Sports Car Mean = xÃÅ'†¦ = = = 32.5 Variance = = = 78.75 Standard Deviation = ÃŽ ´ = = = 8.87 Coefficient of Variation = = = 0.27 2.3 Coefficient of Correlation of Pricing and Age Group Sedan Car Correlation Coefficient = r = r = r = r = = = 0.16625701 = 0.17 (approx.) SUV No. of People Age Group (X) Pricing Range (Y) XY X ² Y ² 1 21 35 735 441 1225 2 23 45 1035 529 2025 3 27 45 1215 729 2025 4 27 55 1485 729 3025 5 29 65 1885 841 4225 6 31 75 2325 961 5625 7 31 70 2170 961 4900 8 32 80 2560 1024 6400 9 32 85 2720 1024 7225 10 35 35 1225 1225 1225 11 35 45 1575 1225 2025 12 36 50 1800 1296 2500 13 36 60 2160 1296 3600 14 37 45 1665 1369 2025 15 37 55 2035 1369 3025 16 38 60 2280 1444 3600 17 38 60 2280 1444 3600 18 38 65 2470 1444 4225 19 39 40

History of Foreign and Security Policy

History of Foreign and Security Policy Defining Foreign and Security Policy from the Cold War to Present Today’s increasingly globalised community has seen more diplomatic and social evolution in the past half-century than the civilized world has seen in recent memory. The advent of multinational trade and military alliances such as the North Atlantic Trade Organization has increasingly intertwined security policies with foreign policies, which in turn entail more than just military alliances. Foreign subsidies by way of fiscal aid grants and weapons contracts warrant the need for nations to adopt solid, transparent foreign and security policies as the traditional global threat of warfare changes. The most notable examples for security and foreign policies as well as the need for a national and supranational governmental monitor are the United States and the European Union. The aforementioned two bodies share between them diplomatic ties to most every member of the international community. The onus of foreign and security policies becomes more apparent through examination of dipl omatically fragile and militarily-temperamental regions such as the Middle East, whose international agreements and regional alliances are the basis for subsequent American and EU policy, without which allies and trade partners would find little benefit from trade and security agreements. Foreign policy amounts to little more than a series of political guidelines and rules of engagement by which any country implementing it best gains at a certain point in time. Foreign policies are known to change radically from one year to the next; the Cold War is perhaps the greatest testament to the temporal nature of international relations and foreign policy. Robert John Myers notes in his US Foreign Policy in the Twenty-first Century how quickly Western countries changed their approach to the Soviet Union. Prior to 1945 â€Å"during the savage struggle of World War II, the primacy of the wisdom of political realism seemed to have been learned† by the Allies, who interlocked â€Å"inte rest, power, and morality in the councils of the principal Allied power†[1]; the USSR at the time was an indispensable ally against Germany and Japan. Much to the chagrin of their current political detractors, the Soviets were perhaps the most powerful ally America had in the war against the Axis powers, with borders spanning the heart of the Nazi regime and maritime waters bordering the Imperial Japanese. Foreign policy then had nothing to do with the civil liberties, democracy, and freedom of the press so touted today in the same countries that huddled together in opposition to Moscow during the Cold War. Prior to the partition of Germany at the close of the war, it was easily recognizable that â€Å"wartime cooperation to defeat the Axis was clearly important† and Allied foreign policy toward its Soviet contingent was one of camaraderie and mutual interdependence[2]. Once the war ended, however, the close ties between the powers dissipated and politically malignant a ntipathy filled the void. With a barely nascent United Nations absent as policy moderator, the US and the USSR led a series of proxy wars starting with â€Å"the attack by North Korea on South Korea on 25 June 1950,† marking â€Å"the limited cooperation [and mediation] that came to be expected from the UN in the security field†[3]. International mediation, which should have taken place given the alliance that transpired between the US, USSR, and Europe during WWII was all but gone in the years of reconstruction and the escalation of the Cold War. There are two points of speculation given the rise of the Cold War: the first is that the United Nations failed as an international mediator, and the second is that the United Nations was obsolete, serving only to keep other countries out of the periphery of the Soviet-American struggle for dominance. The difference between foreign and security policy during the Cold War was elementary. The American foreign policy toward the Soviet Union was one of mutual trade and sales, the development of which was speculated by many to be a financial insurance policy; if the two superpowers intertwined economically, the idea of armed struggle would be so financially devastating that neither side would be willing to continue along the path to war. American security policy was markedly different given the proxy wars fought in Korea, Vietnam, and the Middle East. Foreign policy essentially existed in the case of the Cold War to ensure that security policy would never be employed. The Cold War was a fascinating case of how foreign policy and security policy could run completely contrarian to each other. Any two given nations can foster amicable foreign policies in their approach to each other independent of a covertly hostile security policy as evidenced by the oft-shifting approach of successive American administrations to the Soviet behemoth. Jimmy Carter, for example, â€Å"forbade grain sales to the Soviet Union following the nation’s invasion of Afghanistan in 1979,† while â€Å"Ronald Reagan made the unpopular embargo an issue in the 1980 elections, reversing the policy after his election†[4]. The Reagan policy shift did not predicate a change in security policy, as the administration continued its support of Afghan mujahideen forces through arms sales and finance while continuing its agricultural trade with Moscow. It is now well-known that the UN was inconsequential in international mediation throughout the Cold War. This is not to say that an international or supranational regulatory body is not needed; in the case of the US and USSR, the absent (and perhaps powerless) UN was perceived as such because their collective power was dwarfed by the two superpowers. With no military or financial incentive, the question of the relevance of a supranational regulatory body in foreign and security policy is moot. Even today, American foreign policies often contravene UN resolutions with little or no repercussion due to the immense economic, political, and military might of Washington. While the Cold War ended relatively peacefully without UN intervention, the concept of an international body was not scorned by the US, which partnered with various countries to create the North Atlantic Trade Organization (NATO). It should be noted, however, that the US was an open advocate of NATO for the very reason tha t the UN was not potent enough a body to act on American will or on behalf of American aspirations. International mediation in this sense is needed for the monitoring of foreign and security policy; whether or not mediation will be effective in both sectors is quite another issue. Foreign policy can be monitored, policed, and even dictated by a supranational body as evidenced in the partition of Germany and the formation of the Eastern Bloc post-WWII. Security policy, however, is a point of major contention with any nation faced with the prospect of supranational control. Any nation with major investment (diplomatic or financial) abroad would be reluctant to cede jurisdiction of its own soldiers and sovereignty to an outside body, especially one such as the UN whose member list consists of nations antagonistic to one another. The irony here is that a multi-national group could have foreign and security policy power over a nation whose security policy is antagonistic to one or more members of the same international group. Israel, for example, would embark on an unprecedented leap of faith if it allowed the UN and its Arab members to mediate its security policy, all despite the fact that from the first years of its inception (1948-1967) the Jewish state relied o n the UN to justify its existence to the international community. The multi-faceted Arab-Israeli conflict is just one example of how unchecked world superpowers exerted their influence unchecked by the vigil of an international body. Prior to the fall of the Soviet Union, foreign policy was a much simpler venture as the world found itself functioning under the umbrella of just two superpowers, led by and acting under the auspices of either Washington or Moscow. The fall of Communism left a vacuum in the Middle East, as the now-extinct USSR had no allegiances to the Middle East in which it fought a series of proxy wars and conflicts with the United States. What transpired following the end of Moscow’s reign as a world superpower was the creation of several diplomatically independent states in the Middle East. Where Moscow once supported Syria, Egypt, and Iraq while arming said nations’ leaders, they found themselves increasingly dependent on other sources for trade and international subsidy such as the EU and the United States. The foreign policy then drove the security policy, baited by American and EU sponsorship acting independently of the UN. Today, Egypt, once the sworn enemy of Israel (whose cl osest international ally is Washington), receives America’s second-largest international aid package. This of course is contingent upon the maintenance of a lasting peace as well as other conditions detailed in the Camp David Accords of 1978. The UN and the EU’s parts in the conflict were minimal, as security policies of the two comprised of a minimal militaristic component and a far larger foreign policy component. Pinar Bilgin observes in Regional Security in the Middle East how the fragile Mediterranean â€Å"as an alternative spatial representation began to take shape from the 1970s onward largely in line with the development and changing security conception and practices of the European Union,† a group whose policies toward the region â€Å"have been shaped around three major concerns: energy security (understood as the sustained flow of oil and natural gas at reasonable prices); regional stability (understood as domestic stability especially in countries in geographically North Africa); and the cessation of the Israel/Palestine conflict†[5]. Unlike the US and USSR, whose motives will be examined later, the EU was interested solely in the protection of their economic preservation and the prevention of any armed conflict from spilling into their geographic vicinity. In addition to the Arab-Israeli crisis, EU Member States such as Italy, France, and Spain faced growing resentment in the Maghreb (Arab North Africa) as a corollary of imperial European rule. The EU’s policies were hence different from â€Å"non-EU actors [who] encouraged and supported the search for security within a Euro-Mediterranean framework†; the EU has almost â€Å"single-handedly sought to construct a Euro-Mediterranean Region to meet its own domestic economic, societal, and, to a much lesser extent, military security interests†[6]. The American and Soviet interest in the region was also one of economic, political, and security nature, bu t on a much larger scale. Buzan and Waever note in their Regions and Powers: The Structure of International Security how: â€Å"The United States and the Soviet Union were latecomers as major players in Middle Eastern regional security, though the former had long-standing oil interests there. The two superpowers were drawn into a pattern of regional turbulence that was already strongly active. Their interest in the region was heightened by the fact that, like Europe, the Middle East sat on the boundary between the spheres of communism and ‘free’ worlds. Stalin’s aggressive policy after 1945 had pushed Turkey and Iran into the arms of the West. Turkey became a member of NATO, and was thus fixed into the main European front of the Cold War. Until the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran fell increasingly under American sway, not only through corporate oil interests, but also as part of the loose alliance arrangements that connected American containment clients in Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan. To counter this US success right on its borders, the Soviet Union tried to play in the Arab world b ehind this front line, by establishing political and military links to the radical regimes and movements that sprang up in the Middle East during the 1950s and 1960s (Syria, PLO, Iraq, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Yemen)†[7] The entire Middle East, ranging from Egypt to Iran, became what Buzan and Waever describe as a â€Å"third front in the Cold War, after Europe and Asia, and its oil resources tied it powerfully into the global economy†[8]. The Camp David Accords were especially important; while Israeli security policies remained virtually unchanged (the Israeli-Egyptian peace is frequently described as â€Å"cool† in comparison to Israeli-Turkish relations), their foreign policies shifted. The two acted under the auspices of the United States, signalling a significant achievement in the Cold War. Though the â€Å"crosscutting complexities of internal alignments in the Middle East† make it â€Å"difficult to trace a clear Cold War pattern of great power intervention,† the small gains and losses in war and political action were of huge consequence. With the 1978 signing of the Camp David Accords, the United States shifted its foreign policy in the Arab world successfully, sp litting allegiances in the Middle East to one drawn along Arab lines to one drawn along foreign policy lines. With Turkey and Iran (at least until Tehran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution) securely in the American camp, the Middle East was thus left only with Syria and Iraq in alliance with the USSR. Conflict in the Middle East was hence capitalized upon by the United States by way of foreign policy, which existed independently of the nations’ security policies. Foreign policies always shift more easily than security policies, as the former serve the interest of a nation’s economy and the latter are charged with the military protection of a nation’s sovereignty, diplomatic or otherwise. As evidenced by the Cold War, American policies in Iraq alone have shifted dramatically. Prior to 1979, for example, American foreign and security policies were in place to secure its interests (Saudi Arabia and Israel) from Baghdad. From 1979 to 1991, American foreign policies toward Iraq remained the same, but its security policies shifted to accommodate Iraqi military suppression of post-revolutionary Iran. From 1991 to 2003, both foreign and security policies shifted to those of aggression and financial seclusion. It should be noted that until 1991, these foreign policy shifts were executed at the whim of three American presidents. Iran followed the same path, with pre-1979 Tehran under Reza Shah Pahlavi serving as a vital blockage to Soviet expansionism. Following the Islamic Revolution of 1979, security policy was hostile toward and sought to exclude Tehran by funding Saddam Hussein. Foreign policy changed during the Contra Scandal, wherein American military leaders sold Tehran various munitions and weapons in direct subterfuge of Washington’s official military support of Baghdad; weapons were sold to a lesser evil (Iran) in order to fund covert operations in support of Nicaraguan right-wing guerrillas. Managua’s leftist-government was thought to be the latest expansion of Soviet influence and was hence a closer threat in physical proximity than the rise of the radical Islamic government of Tehran which was equally opposed to the Soviets at the time. All this transpired, again, without minimal monitoring by an international body. The greatest irony of the aforementioned events, however, is the perception of their respective successes and failures. America succeeded without international intervention in the pacification and dismantlement of the Soviet Union; however, today’s chaotic Middle East was a corollary, including the 9/11 attacks that changed forever the security and foreign policies of the United States. The current wars waged by America and what allies remain are again largely conducted without the support or monitoring by the UN or any other international body, and it remains to be seen how the future will unfold. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bilgin, Pinar. (2005) Regional Security in the Middle East: A Critical Perspective.London: Taylor Francis Routledge. Buzan, Barry and Ole Waever. (2003) Regions and Powers: The Structure ofInternational Security. Cambridge: Cambridge U P. Myers, Robert John. (1999) US Foreign Policy in the Twenty-first Century: TheRelevance of Realism. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State U P. Wilson, Ernest J. (2004) Diversity and US Foreign Policy: A Reader. New York:Taylor Francis Routledge. 1 Footnotes [1] Myers 1999, p. 98 [2] Ibid [3] Myers 1999, p. 98 [4] Wilson 2004, p. 127 [5] Bilgin 2005, p. 140 [6] Bilgin 2005, p. 140 [7] Buzan and Waever 2003, p. 198 [8] Buzan and Waever 2003, p. 197

energy for 1999 :: essays research papers

Total world carbon dioxide emissions from the consumption of petroleum, natural gas, and coal, and the flaring of natural gas increased from 5.873 billion metric tons of carbon equivalent in 1990 to 6.144 billion metric tons in 1999, or by 4.6%. (Carbon dioxide emissions are measured in metric tons of carbon equivalent. Tons of carbon equivalent can be converted to tons of carbon dioxide gas by multiplying by 3.667. One ton of carbon equivalent equals 3.667 tons of carbon dioxide gas.) The United States, China, Russia, Japan, and India produced 51% of the world's total carbon dioxide emissions from the consumption and flaring of fossil fuels in 1999. Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, and France—ogether produced 12%. Petroleum accounted for 44% of the carbon dioxide emissions; coal, 35%; and natural gas, 21%. Between 1990 and 1999, energy production and consumption increased in every region of the world except in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet bloc. East Asia a nd Oceania saw a production increase of 13.6 quadrillion Btu, and a consumption increase of 24.9 quadrillion Btu. Energy production in the Middle East increased by 12.1 quadrillion Btu, the second-largest increase for any region, while consumption increased 5.3 quadrillion Btu. Energy production in Central and South America increased by 8.2 quadrillion Btu, while consumption rose by 6.2 quadrillion Btu. In North America, energy production rose by 7.1 quadrillion Btu, and consumption increased 15.6 quadrillion Btu. Energy production in Western Europe rose by 5.8 quadrillion Btu, and consumption increased by 6.6 quadrillion Btu. Energy production in Africa increased by 5.2 quadrillion Btu, while consumption rose 2.4 quadrillion Btu. In Eastern Europe and the former USSR production declined 22.9 quadrillion Btu and consumption dropped 25.3 quadrillion Btu.In 1999, the United States, Russia, and China were the leading producers and consumers of energy, producing 38%, and consuming 41%, of the world's energy. The United States, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, and Canada were the five largest producers of energy in 1999, supplying 47.9% of the world's total. The United States supplied 72.3 quadrillion Btu of primary energy; Russia, 41.5 quadrillion Btu; and China, 30.9 quadrillion Btu. The next leading producers—the United Kingdom, Iran, Norway, India, and Mexico—together supplied 13.1% of the world's energy. The United States, China, Russia, Japan, and Germany were the largest consumers in 1999, using 49.9% of world energy. Canada, India, France, the United Kingdom, and Brazil together used an additional 14%.

Anxiety And Depression In Afro-americans :: essays research papers fc

Anxiety And Depression In Afro-Americans   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A major cause of mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety in individuals is stress. Defined stress is an internal response caused by the application of a stressor or anything that requires coping behaviour. For example the pressure of a job, supporting a family or getting an education are stressors that can result in depression and anxiety. Individuals and groups that have numerous resources or other coping mechanisms are better suited for coping with stress than are those who lack such resources. As a result, social and economic circumstances in North America suggest that the black and Latino communities have a higher risk for developing mental disorders than does the non-black make up of the United States. Hence this paper will attempt to demonstrate how due to socio-economic differences such as money, racism and increased exposure to violence, blacks have a greater chance to develop mental disorders such as depression and anxiety. Some definitions: Stress, Depression & Anxiety   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stress is everywhere in our lives and it can be found in two forms. The life of Afro-Americans is filled with both eustress and distress, but it is the high rate of distress due to socio-economic circumstances that are responsible for higher rates of depression and anxiety amongst them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Depression is an emotional state characterized by extreme sadness, gloomy ruminations, feelings of worthlessness, loss of hope, and often apprehension, while anxiety is a generalized feeling of fear and apprehension. The number of reported cases combining both depression and anxiety with Afro- Americans has dramatically increased since the civil rights movement, when scientists began recording such causal relationships. In addition, statistics show that the rate of violence demonstrates a positive relationship of mental health disorders within the black community. Studies by Bell, Dixie-Bell and Thompson show that Afro-Americans have a 36% higher chance of developing depression than do non-blacks (Bell, Dixie-Bell, & Thompson, p.53). It is felt that a portion of these results can be attributed to the high incidence of violence and exposure within the black community. Economic Distress   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Poverty and unemployment are rampant in Afro-American communities in the United States. Approximately 65% of the black community in the U.S. live in poverty or are unemployed (Bell et al., p.53). In comparison to other ethnic groups, this is the highest rate with the exception of the Latino community at 68.7%. The closest group above the blacks are the Chinese at 35%. Not only are most blacks poor and unemployed but, the future does not look promising in terms of job opportunities for Afro-Americans. This rampant spread of poverty within the black community causes great distress within the family unit.

Thorn Queen Chapter Nine

Returning home was great. I was exhausted mentally and physically and didn't even mind the onslaught of dogs and cats that greeted me. Tim stood in the kitchen, mixing up some kind of batter. He also wore a full Native American feather headdress that went all the way down his back. â€Å"Isn't that a Sioux thing?† I asked. â€Å"Er, Lakota?† â€Å"I keep getting in trouble when I pretend to be one of the local tribes,† he explained. â€Å"So, I figure if I claim to be from out of town, no one can push for details. Besides, you're one to judge appearance. Did you sleep out in the rain or something?† Ironically, I had, but I wasn't about to tell him that. â€Å"It's been a long day. Days. Whatever.† â€Å"Lara called like eighty times. She's got a real attitude, you know.† â€Å"That's why she makes the big bucks,† I said with a yawn. â€Å"I'm going to go take a nap. Wake me if she calls.† â€Å"You going to go hear me perform tonight?† he called as I headed down the hall. I froze. â€Å"Oh, um, gee. I've got plans†¦.† â€Å"You do not!† â€Å"I do.† I turned around. â€Å"I'm going to my mom's.† â€Å"The reading's late,† he said. â€Å"Doesn't start until nine. You'll be done by then.† I had long since accepted Tim's fake American Indian gig, but accepting it and witnessing it-aside from when he stood in full regalia in my kitchen-were two entirely different things. â€Å"I've even written new material,† he added when he saw that he wasn't making much progress. â€Å"I'm not sure that's a selling point.† He held up the bowl of brownie mix. â€Å"I'll make them with walnuts.† I sighed and turned back toward my bedroom. â€Å"You don't play fair.† He whooped with joy. â€Å"You'll love it, Eug. I promise.† I fell asleep pretty easily and woke to two pleasant surprises. One was the scent of freshly baked brownies wafting in the air. The other was Kiyo sitting in a chair in my room, eating one of the aforementioned brownies. With the way he'd been in and out lately, I never really knew when to expect him. â€Å"Nice surprise,† I said, sitting up. â€Å"Likewise,† he said, eyeing my bare legs. I'd gone to sleep in a T-shirt. â€Å"Anything new in the Otherworld?† â€Å"Not much. Maiwenn's getting nervous about the delivery, but I kind of figured that would happen.† â€Å"She's got good healers,† I said, wanting to reassure him in spite of all the troubled feelings Maiwenn generated in me. I noticed then that he wore his white coat. â€Å"You going into work?† â€Å"Just got out.† Damn. It was later than I'd realized if he'd hung out with Maiwenn and pulled a shift at work. â€Å"Do you want to go see my parents with me?† Kiyo made a face. â€Å"Roland hates me.† â€Å"Hate is a strong word.† But it wasn't an entirely inaccurate one. Roland, my shaman stepfather, made no secret of the fact that he didn't like me spending as much time as I did in the Otherworld. Bringing home an Otherworldly boyfriend hadn't earned his approval either, even though Kiyo was half-human like me. Still, Roland was always more or less polite. My mother, who didn't know about Kiyo's heritage, couldn't gush over him enough. I think she'd nearly given up on me ever dating anyone, so me landing a veterinarian was quite a coup as far as she was concerned. She was a fantastic cook and so even though Roland made him uneasy, Kiyo still consented to go. â€Å"Are you sure you got enough to eat?† she asked after we finished dinner with them later that night. She operated under the assumption that I was on the verge of malnutrition and that Kiyo was incapable of feeding himself if someone else didn't cook for him. In truth, Kiyo was a much better cook than me. â€Å"It was great,† he assured her. â€Å"Believe me, I had more than enough.† â€Å"Well, don't be afraid to go back for more. Or take home leftovers.† â€Å"Geez, Mom. He had three helpings. Are you fattening him up for the kill?† I asked. â€Å"There are worse fates,† mused Kiyo good-naturedly. My mom beamed. I thought she was exceptionally pretty, but maybe I was just biased. People said we had similar looks, and we did as far as build and facial features went. It was the coloring we differed in. Her eyes were just plain blue, and her dark hair was graying. My reddish hair and violet-blue eyes were Storm King's legacy. After dinner, I stole Roland away to the den to talk shop and left Kiyo to entertain my mother. She knew what it was we did, but after her own experiences in the Otherworld, she preferred to avoid our shamanic discussions. â€Å"Still with him, huh?† asked Roland, relaxing back in an easy chair. â€Å"He's nice, and you know it. He's the same as me.† Roland scratched his head thoughtfully. His hair had gone gray, and he seemed to have new wrinkles every year. He was still more than a match for most Otherworldly foes (even though he'd ostensibly retired), and the crosses, whorls, fish, and other Christian tattoos on his arms could summon the same power my goddess-based ones could. â€Å"He is like you,† he agreed. â€Å"He's not entirely Otherworldly-but he's tied to it. He's spent more of his life there than you, let it become more a part of him. And you being with someone like that means that you'll just be that much more tied to it in return. With everything that's going on over there, it's really better if you stay away.† â€Å"Everything,† of course, meant the prophecy about me bearing the Otherworld's savior. While I usually recapped a lot of my shamanic business to Roland, I had neglected to mention a few of my recent activities-say, like inadvertently conquering a kingdom and becoming a queen. Call me crazy, but I just had to think our relationship would be better if he remained in ignorance about that. â€Å"Well, I've kind of gotten involved with something over there. And don't give me that look,† I warned, seeing his frown. â€Å"I'm helping out some people who need it, and it's too late to back out. But the other day, I saw fire demons.† That got his attention. â€Å"You do mean in the Otherworld, right?† â€Å"God, yes.† Demons in our world would be pretty horrible. â€Å"There were five of them.† He let out a low whistle. â€Å"That's substantial even for them. It'd take a powerful summoner to do that.† â€Å"I was with, uh, some others, and they managed to do some damage, but for the most part, we were useless. I banished one, and that just about wiped me out.† â€Å"Yeah, it can be done, but it's not easy. You could do it with a couple of other shamans, but on your own†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shook his head. â€Å"I really don't like you getting involved with that.† â€Å"I know, I know, but like I said, it's too late. Do you know how to get rid of them? Aside from assembling a shaman posse?† â€Å"The easiest way-and I use that term loosely-would be to find a gentry who could summon water demons. Put them with fire demons, and they'll all turn on each other.† â€Å"Somehow I'm not optimistic about finding someone like that.† Yet, even as I said that, I wondered if I could do it. As far as I knew, that wasn't part of my storm magic. I could summon water and had once controlled air, bending those forces to my will. Summoning elemental creatures was out of my range. Storm King had allegedly been able to do it. Jasmine had commanded water creatures as well, though I didn't know if that would include demons. It irked me that I couldn't do what the rest of my family could. â€Å"True,† Roland agreed. â€Å"In that case, brute force may be the only way to go. Let them assemble their own forces to get rid of the demons. It's not your problem. It's the gentry's and their leaders' responsibility.† â€Å"Right,† I said uneasily. â€Å"Well, we'll see what happens.† The look he gave me showed that he didn't believe I'd leave this alone. It also said he knew nothing he could say would convince me. â€Å"I've got another question. Ever heard of Otherworldly towns called Ley and Skye?† Shamans generally avoided crossing over to that world, but Roland had been there many times and knew a lot about the land. â€Å"Ley sounds familiar†¦it's in the Alder Land, isn't it? Or is it Rowan?† In addition to not knowing about my queenly status, Rowan also didn't know there'd been a complete upheaval in the Alder Land. â€Å"Rowan,† I said. â€Å"But very close to, um, Alder. There's supposedly a crossroads near there. Do you know where it comes out?† â€Å"No†¦nowhere around here, I'm sure.† â€Å"Any way you could find out?† â€Å"Is this tied in to the demons?† I hesitated a moment and opted for the truth. â€Å"No, it's something else. A different thing I'm helping them out with.† â€Å"Eugenie!† Roland rarely lost his temper, but I could see the anger in his eyes now. â€Å"What are you doing? You can't do this. You can't get entangled in their affairs. Your job is to protect this world, to keep them and the other monsters and ghosts out of here.† â€Å"They're not all bad,† I said, surprised as the words came out of my mouth. â€Å"Do I need to remind you about your mother's abduction and the assorted attempts to rape you?† Hearing him say those words stung, but I held my ground. â€Å"I'm dealing with that. It's not an issue.† â€Å"It's always going to be an issue,† he argued. â€Å"And I'm not going to help you keep getting into more trouble with them.† â€Å"What, are you threatening to cut me off from information?† I exclaimed. â€Å"Maybe. If it'll keep you safe.† â€Å"Well, it won't. The only thing you'll do is put me in more danger if I keep going there uninformed!† His eyes narrowed. â€Å"So now you're the one threatening me?† â€Å"What's going on?† My mother stuck her head in the den's doorway, concern on her face. â€Å"Is everything okay? I thought I heard shouting.† I stood up. â€Å"Roland's just getting hard of hearing, so I was helping him out.† I followed her back to the other room, where Kiyo watched me curiously. Even in human form, he had a fox's hearing, and I wouldn't have found it surprising if he'd heard the whole argument. â€Å"We have to take off,† I said. â€Å"We're going to hear Tim recite some poetry.† Kiyo's raised eyebrow was his only sign of surprise at our evening plans. I'd neglected to tell him earlier because I was pretty sure he would have never left the house with me. He smiled politely at my mom. â€Å"Thanks for dinner. It was great.† My mom was sad to see us go. â€Å"Well, you should come back next weekend. I'll make lasagna. And cherry pie.† I kissed her cheek. â€Å"You don't have to bribe us to come over.† â€Å"No, but it doesn't hurt.† Mad or not, I gave Roland a hug too. In that brief moment, he murmured in my ear, â€Å"I'll talk to Bill.† He sounded weary and defeated, and I hugged him closer. â€Å"Thank you.† Bill was a shaman friend of his in Flagstaff. Once we were finally able to leave, Kiyo didn't waste any time in getting to the point. â€Å"Trouble on the home front?† â€Å"Like you don't know,† I said. â€Å"Told you he hates me.† â€Å"I think he hates me making all these trips to the Otherworld more.† â€Å"But he still thinks I'm a bad influence.† â€Å"You are a bad influence.† We drove in silence for a few moments. Then Kiyo noticed that I wasn't heading toward my house. We were going downtown. â€Å"No,† he groaned. â€Å"We are not actually going to hear Tim, are we? I thought that was just an excuse to leave.† I shook my head. â€Å"Sorry. I promised.† Kiyo sighed but took it like a man. We went to one of Tim's regular venues, a place called the Fox Den. I thought Kiyo would think that was funny, but he didn't. When we walked in, there was a girl on the stage reciting poetry about the bleakness of existence and litter on the side of the highway. Kiyo looked around, taking in the patrons and tables-and then realized we were in a coffee shop, not a bar. â€Å"They don't serve alcohol here? There's no way I can do this without hard liquor.† â€Å"Oh, just hush,† I said, trying to hide my smile. We found a small round table in the middle of the crowded cafe, and I left him there while I went to get hot chocolate. I would have loved coffee but had enough trouble sleeping without the addition of caffeine this late at night. When I returned, I saw three visitors had pulled chairs up to our table. â€Å"Hey, guys,† I said. â€Å"Nice to see you again, Eugenie.† The speaker was named Barbara. She was an elderly woman, belonging to the Pascua Yaqui tribe. Their religious beliefs, while having some similarities to the nature-oriented views of neighboring tribes, had picked up a lot of Christian influences over the years. Indeed, she wore a cross around her neck but was also still regarded by many as a type of holy woman. She had no problem with me calling myself a shaman, as those of other Indian tribes sometimes did. Her grandsons, Felix and Dan, were with her tonight, and they didn't have a problem with me either. Tim, however, was a different story. â€Å"Please tell me your asshole roommate isn't performing tonight,† said Felix. â€Å"Watch your language,† said Barbara in a very grandmotherly way. I shifted uncomfortably. â€Å"Well†¦he might be up there tonight†¦.† â€Å"Jesus Christ,† said Dan, munching on biscotti. He looked apologetically at Barbara before turning to me. â€Å"We've told him a hundred times not to do that.† â€Å"Come on, guys. Don't start something again-it took forever for that last black eye to go away,† I reminded him. Felix shook his head. â€Å"Look, impersonating us wouldn't be so bad-and it is bad-if his poetry wasn't such shit.† â€Å"Felix!† warned Barbara. He turned sheepish. â€Å"Sorry, Grandma. But you know I'm right.† â€Å"It's the only thing he knows how to do,† I said lamely. â€Å"Besides, he's going Lakota tonight-if that helps.† â€Å"I don't think it'll improve the poetry,† noted Kiyo, stretching back in the chair. â€Å"Agreed,† said Felix. â€Å"His poetry's crappiness transcends all cultures.† He looked smugly at his grandmother, pleased that he hadn't sworn this time. She turned to me, ignoring him. â€Å"How's business?† â€Å"Good,† I said. â€Å"Weird.† While she had no issues with me being a shaman, she was sometimes troubled by the thought of me fighting Otherworldly creatures. She seemed undecided about whether they were holy or not, though she had seen her fair share of evil ones and knew what I did was sometimes necessary. She was about to ask me more when Tim suddenly walked onto the stage. He had on the feather headdress, no shirt, and leather chaps. â€Å"Oh God. No,† groaned Felix. Tim held up his hands to silence the scattered applause. â€Å"Thank you, friends,† he said in a deep, flat voice. â€Å"The Great Spirit welcomes you and your joining of our holy circle tonight.† â€Å"I am not even joking,† said Dan. â€Å"I am this close to walking up there and dragging him out back.† â€Å"Please,† I hissed. â€Å"Not tonight.† â€Å"For my first poem,† continued Tim, â€Å"I would like to read you something I was inspired to write while sitting outside and considering the way the beating of a butterfly's wings are just like the beating of our hearts in this transient world.† Spreading his hands wide, he recited. â€Å"Sister Butterfly upon the wind Wings so yellow Let us fly with you into the sky so blue Our souls soaring in the clouds so white As we look down on those who dream to fly But are too afraid And must stay earthbound Like Brother Beetle so brown.† â€Å"I'm going to help Dan,† said Kiyo as the audience applauded. â€Å"I'm going to help him drag Tim off.† â€Å"Seriously?† said Dan, excited. â€Å"No,† said Barbara and I in unison. Tim's next poem was about a mythological woman named Oniata, a girl of divine beauty and youth who came to Earth and caused men everywhere to fight over her. The story was interesting, but like all of his poems, the verses were pretty bad and filled with horrible metaphors. â€Å"That's a real story,† I challenged my companions. â€Å"I've heard it before.† â€Å"Yeah, but it's not Lakota,† said Felix. â€Å"I think it's Iroquois or something.† â€Å"Honestly, I don't think it matters at this point,† said Dan, looking weary. â€Å"Besides, everyone's got some story about unearthly beautiful women.† Kiyo linked his hand with mine and murmured, â€Å"And fortunately, I've got my own.† â€Å"Sly man,† I said back. â€Å"Sly as a fox.† When the poetry reading wrapped up, Tim sold his self-published poetry books. I think this was the most remarkable part of all-he always sold a bunch. And the women†¦the women loved him. A number were cozying up to him already, no doubt wanting to go out later. Watching the women, Dan declared that he was going to quit his job as a computer-support technician and start up on Tim's gig, causing us all to laugh. â€Å"Say what you want,† I said to Kiyo, watching Tim and his admirers. â€Å"This all means Tim probably isn't coming home tonight.† â€Å"What are you saying exactly?† â€Å"That the sauna is all ours.† Not that anyone else could have really fit into it, though. My wet sauna wasn't that big, which just meant that when Kiyo and I got home, we had to be that much closer to each other. Neither of us really minded. We shed our clothes in the hallway, and he pulled me to him, hands running over my waist and lips grazing my neck. â€Å"You owe me big for making me endure that poetry,† he growled in my ear. â€Å"Whatever. That was practically foreplay. Are you saying Tim's poem about Brother Woodpecker plunging his beak into the tree didn't turn you on? You know that was a total metaphor.† Kiyo's only response was a smothering kiss that ended any other witty commentary I might make, his lips hot and hard as his tongue sought mine. Without breaking the kiss, we somehow managed to open the door to the sauna and stumble inside. Immediately, heat and steam surrounded us. Everyone always praised Arizona's heat for being dry, but I loved humidity and the way it enveloped my body. I also loved the way the moisture dampened Kiyo's dark hair, making it curl up even more against his neck. Still holding on to that kiss, he pressed me against the sauna's wooden wall, his hands gripping my hips. In only a short time, the heat had us both slick and sweating. I tangled my fingers in his hair and then ran them down his arms and chest. The oil and sweat made my hands glide effortlessly across his skin. I paused to run circles around his nipples, slowly increasing the pressure and squeezing them in the way he so often did to mine. He gave a small grunt of surprise and pleasure and then moved his lips to my neck. I tipped it back, giving him greater access. His kisses were hard, like he was trying to consume me with his mouth alone, and there were even a few teeth involved. With as fair as my skin was, he actually left me with the occasional hickey after sex. It always made me feel like I was sixteen and foolish the next day, but in the moment? It seemed totally worth it. His lips moved from my neck to my shoulder while his hands slid up from my hips to my breasts, again moving easily with all that sweat and moisture. He rubbed them and cupped them, his fingers slipping back and forth against my wet skin and occasionally pausing to stroke my nipples in a way that sent waves of need throughout my entire body. Driven to impatience by my own desire, I slid my hands down his stomach, down to the erection pressing against me. I grabbed a hold of him and started to bring him into me. Unexpectedly, he turned me around, still keeping me pressed against the wall. I held my hands against it for support while his strong fingers rubbed my back, massaging the muscles that always seemed sore lately. I gasped, finding the massage almost as arousing as the rest. It was fleeting, however. His hands soon moved to my hips again, tipping me out slightly so that I was bent over, rather than pressed flat against the wall. A moment later, he pushed against my body, and I felt him enter me. My own wetness made the thrust almost as effortless as our hands had been on each other's flesh. I cried out at the feel of him filling me up, pushing harder and harder into me. I rested my check against the sauna's wall, bracing myself and allowing him to take me more deeply. He gripped my breasts as he continued moving in and out of me, and I moaned as his touch sent shockwaves through my skin. I was overloaded with sensation as he seemed to take control of every part of my body, both inside and out. His thrusts grew more urgent and fierce; his hold on my breasts became tighter. Having him inside me built a heat between my thighs that radiated out to the rest of my body, rivaling the heat of the air around us. That bliss grew and grew to unbearable heights, until at last the orgasm burst within me, making my legs go weak and nearly give out underneath me. Every part of me tingled and burned, and the feel of him still slamming into my body was almost too much for my flooded senses. Yet, even as I thought I couldn't handle any more, I still felt that intense pleasure building within me once more and knew that it would take only a little more of this for me to come yet again. By then, Kiyo's hands had moved back to my hips, steadying himself so that he could push even harder. With all that force, it was a struggle to continue bending and not simply get pressed flat against the wall. Then, I felt his body grow tense and knew he was about to come. He made a guttural, primal sound, his thrusts growing long and deep as he came and let his own orgasm explode within me. He pressed his face against my shoulder, his motions gradually slowing down as his body sated itself. When he was done, he slid his hands from my hips to my shoulders, turning me around and pulling me toward him. We wrapped our arms around each other, gasping as we leaned against the wall. He said nothing but gently kissed my cheek. I smiled, pushing closer to him and drowning in the scent of his sweat and skin. â€Å"Worth enduring the poetry reading?† I asked. â€Å"Yes,† he said. â€Å"Definitely.† The phone woke me up the next morning. Kiyo dozed naked beside me in bed, and I had to practically crawl over him to reach my cell. It was Roland. â€Å"I found out about your crossroads. It crosses over to a town in Texas called Yellow River.† â€Å"Texas, huh?† That was unexpected. â€Å"Yep. And there are two shamans who live there already to keep an eye on it.† â€Å"Two?† There weren't really that many in our profession. We were spread thin, so more than one in a region (aside from a father-and-daughter team like Roland and me) was surprising. â€Å"It's apparently a big gate. Doesn't take much power or effort to cross through it, so it needs a lot of attention.† Interesting. Crossroads varied in accessibility. Most required more power than the average human or even gentry could use, fortunately. On certain days of the year-like Beltane and Samhain-areas between our worlds grew thin, making it easier for crossings. Those were dangerous times that kept Roland and me busy. A gateway that was usable the rest of the year was even more dangerous. But, if it was easily accessible, then it wouldn't be too difficult for these girls to cross and seek out humans to father their children. The whole thought made me squirm. A generation of half-Texan, half-gentry kids. God help us all. â€Å"Eugenie?† asked Roland warily. â€Å"What are you thinking?† â€Å"I'm thinking I need the names of those shamans.† He still seemed troubled at my involvement, but I think he felt better about me getting in touch with others-particularly others who were human. He pushed me a little about what was going on, but I still refused to talk about it. After much thanks on my part for the information, we finally disconnected. Kiyo had climbed out of bed during the call and was in the shower. As I waited for him, I wondered how I should proceed. Presumably, I should contact these shamans and see if they'd noticed a recent influx of gentry girls. If I could confirm that, it'd ease my worry about bandits (or monsters) kidnapping them, even though it still left the moral dilemma of whether I should be kicking those girls back to their own world. A drop in temperature and a prickling of my skin signaled Volusian's sudden arrival. He materialized in the darkest corner of my room, expression as sullen and malevolent as usual. â€Å"Well, this is a treat,† I said. â€Å"I do so love seeing your cheery face in the morning. What's up?† When I'd left the Otherworld last time, I'd kept Volusian on standing orders to ferry any messages over to me. My joking aside, I wasn't overly thrilled to see him because I knew it meant there was something I had to deal with. â€Å"The hulking imbecile who commands my mistress's guards has requested her presence,† said Volusian. â€Å"Do you mean Rurik?† â€Å"Yes, unless my mistress has appointed another hulking imbecile to command her guards.† â€Å"Did he say why?† If it had been more trade business, Shaya would have been the one to ask for me. â€Å"He wished to tell you that one of the missing girls returned.† â€Å"What?† I sprang out of bed and hastily threw on some clothes. Kiyo returned to the room, astonishingly sexy with wet hair, and gave me a surprised look. â€Å"What's up?† â€Å"I got a lead on one of the girls. You want to come with me?† He shook his head. He held up his white coat. â€Å"Can't. I've got to work.† I was disappointed. I would have liked to have him with me, but that petty part inside of me felt better about him working than hanging out with Maiwenn again. So, we made our good-byes, parting with a long kiss-a really long kiss. When we finally dragged ourselves away from each other, Volusian looked as though he wouldn't have minded being smote out of existence. I sent him on ahead of me and then crossed over shortly thereafter. Nia as usual fell all over herself, but I had to politely dismiss her in my eagerness to find Rurik. He was sitting with Shaya in the parlor adjacent to her room, deep in conversation. Both sprang up when they saw me. â€Å"Your majesty,† intoned Shaya politely. â€Å"Where is she?† I exclaimed. â€Å"The girl. I want to talk to her and get this settled.† Rurik grimaced. â€Å"Ah. About that.† â€Å"What's wrong? Volusian said you found her.† â€Å"Well, we did, in a manner of speaking. It was the girl from Westoria-the one whose parents spoke to you. She surfaced last night in the village, hysterical and going on and on about how she escaped and how horrible it all was.† â€Å"There really was a monster?† I said, surprised. â€Å"Or did she escape from the bandits?† I still hadn't ruled out their involvement. He shook his head. â€Å"Nobody knows. She wasn't making any sense, and mostly, her parents wanted to calm her down. In the meantime, they sent word to us because they knew you'd want to talk to her, and†¦well, that's when the problem started.† â€Å"Like the rest of this isn't already a problem?† â€Å"When the girl heard you were coming, she became even more hysterical.† â€Å"More hysterical over me than a monster or whatever?† Rurik shrugged. â€Å"As we've learned, your reputation is a bit†¦alarming to some.† â€Å"Good God. Didn't she hear I got my ass kicked by fire demons?† I sighed. â€Å"What happened?† â€Å"She ran away. For real this time.† I groaned and sank back into a chair. â€Å"We sent out a search party as soon as we heard,† he added somewhat hopefully. â€Å"Well, that's something, I guess. It's one girl†¦she can't be that hard to find, right?† Rurik and Shaya exchanged doubtful looks. I groaned again. With the way the land was around here, it was likely anyone who wanted to disappear could. I'd had parties out looking for Jasmine for the last three months and found no clue to her whereabouts. â€Å"We need to start putting faces on milk cartons,† I muttered. â€Å"I beg your pardon?† asked Shaya. â€Å"Never mind. Anything else I should know about? Any word from Leith?† I figured I'd go do my meditation and connection with the land and then head back to Tucson. â€Å"Nothing yet,† said Shaya. â€Å"However†¦we did hear from Dorian.† Right. Another of my problems. She seemed a little nervous about going on. â€Å"He sent a message wondering why you hadn't contacted him yet about trade. And†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I rolled my eyes. â€Å"Go on. I expect the worst.† She looked embarrassed. â€Å"He said if you can't be troubled to come in a timely manner, then he's going to rescind his offer.† â€Å"That might not be horrible,† I pointed out. â€Å"I mean, you've told other people, right? We've got other kingdoms wanting to buy the copper, don't we?† Her look of discomfort grew. â€Å"Well, not so many.† â€Å"How many is not so many?† â€Å"Aside from the Rowan Land? None.† â€Å"Son of a bitch.† Honestly? I wouldn't have put it past Dorian to influence others not to trade with me just so he could play these games. I steeled myself and met Shaya's pleading gaze. â€Å"I don't suppose he specified what a ‘timely manner' is?† â€Å"He did, actually,† said Shaya. Rurik was smiling, which I took as a bad sign. â€Å"Today.†