The Case of the Unhealthy Hospital Blake Memorial Hospital

The Case of the Unhealthy Hospital Anthony R. Kovner Harvard Business Review No. 91506 SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER 1991 HBR Anthony R. Kovner The Case of the Unhealthy Hospital Bruce Reid, Blake Memorial Hospital’s new CEO, rubbed his eyes and looked again at the 1992 budget worksheet. The more he played with the figures, the more pessimistic he became. Blake Memorial’s financial health was not good; it suffered from rising costs, static revenue, and declining quality of care. When the board hired Reid six months ago, the mandate had been clear: improve the quality of care and set the financial house in order. Reid had less than a week to finalize his $70 million budget for approval by the hospital’s board. As he considered his†¦show more content†¦And that was just scratching the surface. Without some of these investments, Blake’s ability to attract paying patients and top-grade doctors would deteriorate. As it was, the hospital’s location on the poorer, east side of Marksville was a strike against it. Blake had a high percentage of Medicaid patients, but the payments were never sufficient to cover costs. The res ult was an ever-rising annual operating loss. Reid was constantly reminded of the hospital’s uncompetitive position by his chief of surgery, Dr. Winston Lee. ‘‘If Blake wants more paying patients—and, for that matter, good department chiefs—it at least has to keep up with St. Barnabas,’’ Lee had warned Reid a few days ago. Lee complained that St. Barnabas, the only other acute-care hospital in Marksville, had both superior facilities and better technology. Its financial condition was better than Blake’s, in part because it was located on the west side of the city, in a more affluent neighborhood. St. Barnabas had also been more savvy in its business ventures: it owned a 50% share in an MRI unit operated by a private medical practice. The unit was reportedly generating revenue, and St. Barnabas had plans for other such investments, Lee had said. While Reid agreed that Blake needed moreShow MoreRelatedThe Unhealthy Hospital Case St udy1347 Words   |  6 PagesThe unhealthy hospital case is about a hospital named Blake Memorial that has been in a very bad shape, lacks in providing the best quality of care, is in debt, and financially imbalanced. It is important for a healthcare set up to maintain balance in the financial system so the stakeholders and customers who are the patients their interests are met. If the hospital is lacking in providing the best quality of care for its community and the community is in high needs of the care than the CEO’s ofRead MoreThe Case Of The Unhealthy Hospital1533 Words   |  7 Pages In the article, The Case of the Unhealthy Hospital, written by Anthony R. Kovner, a through description of a struggling hospital, Blake Memorial Hospital, is given. This paper is a SWOT analysis, and addresses the strengths and weaknesses within the hospital, as well as opportunities and threats outside of the hospital and in the surrounding community. Although limited in abundance, there are specific strengths of Blake Memorial Hospital, such as their new CEO, Bruce Reid, and the strong communityRead MoreBlake Memorial Hospital Is Located In The Poorest East1916 Words   |  8 PagesBlake Memorial Hospital is located in the poorest east area of Marksville (Rakish, Longest, Darr, 2010, p. 135). Blake Memorial Hospital is a non-profit organization, and its primary focus is to provide quality care to the poorest people of Marksville. Blake Memorial Hospital operates six off-site clinics and four in-house clinics, among them is the Lorris housing project clinic. Blake Memorial Hospital offers many services, one of which is the clinic program that is being considered for eliminationRead MoreEssay on Montego Bay767 Words   |  4 PagesLeadership Development Fall 2012 Abstract The Unhealthy Hospital case is a very interesting one as it is a hybrid between economical and the social issue of affordable healthcare. Bruce Reid, CEO of Blake Medical undoubting task of trying to balance the hospital budget while not negating the quality of care. This is a very hard task to achieve as seen in recent history locally with Jackson Memorial Hospital who has suffered the same troubles. The results of Jackson have not been that goodRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 PagesRecession 21 Off Shoring 21 Mergers 22 A Look at Ethics 22 Summary 23 Demonstrating Comprehension: Questions for Review 24 Key Terms 24 HRM Workshop 25 Linking Concepts to Practice: Discussion Questions 25 Developing Diagnostic and Analytical Skills 25 Case 1: Work/Life Balance at Baxter 25 Working with a Team: Understanding Diversity Issues 25 Learning an HRM Skill: Guidelines for Acting Ethically 26 Enhancing Your Communication Skills 26 ETHICAL ISSUES IN HRM: Invasion of Privacy? 9 WORKPLACE ISSUES:Read More_x000C_Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis355457 Words   |  1422 Pagesand Data Analysis, Third Edition Roxy Peck, Chris Olsen, Jay Devore Acquisitions Editor: Carolyn Crockett Development Editor: Danielle Derbenti Assistant Editor: Beth Gershman Editorial Assistant: Ashley Summers Technology Project Manager: Colin Blake Marketing Manager: Joe Rogove Marketing Assistant: Jennifer Liang Marketing Communications Manager: Jessica Perry Project Manager, Editorial Production: Jennifer Risden Creative Director: Rob Hugel Art Director: Vernon Boes Print Buyer: Karen Hunt Read MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesUnderstanding and Appreciating Individual Differences Important Areas of Self-Awareness 61 Emotional Intelligence 62 Values 65 Ethical Decision Making and Values 72 Cognitive Style 74 Attitudes Toward Change 76 Core Self-Evaluation 79 SKILL ANALYSIS 84 Cases Involving Self-Awareness 84 Communist Prison Camp 84 Computerized Exam 85 Decision Dilemmas 86 SKILL PRACTICE 89 Exercises for Improving Self-Awareness Through Self-Disclosure 89 Through the Looking Glass 89 Diagnosing Managerial Characte ristics 90

Roman Slavery - 1148 Words

Slavery is an institution of the common law of peoples by which a person is put into the ownership of somebody else, contrary to the natural order. Slavery was commonly practiced throughout all ancient history, but no other people in history owned so many slaves and depended on them so much as the Romans. Slavery was accepted as a part of life in ancient Rome by the slaves themselves and by the society. However, slavery was both beneficial and disastrous to ancient Rome. In Roman times, slaves were primarily prisoners of war. Indeed, war was good business because of the profits from slavery. Entire cities were captured and sold as slaves. Others became slaves when they couldn t pay their debts; sometimes the†¦show more content†¦Torture, degradation, and even killing a slave when he was old and sick, in the eyes of the law was justified. Slaves were property who could not legally hold property, make contracts, or marry. The death of a master did not in fact free the slave. If a slave escaped, he had to live a life of an outlaw, with organized bands of slave hunters on his tracks. A fugitive slave was a crime, for he had stolen himself. If he was caught, he was branded on the forehead with the letter F, for fugitives, and sometimes had a metal collar around his neck. One of these collars, preserved in Rome, says in Latin, â€Å"I have run away. Catch me. If you take me back to my master Zoninus, you’ll be rewarded† ( Mirza 42). Many factors such as military, social, economic, political and Roman dependency on slavery combined, resulted in the fall of the Roman civilization. It was estimated that an average wealthy Roman owned 400 slaves Kendrick Pg. 3 in his town house alone, some wealthy people owned from 10,000-20,000Show MoreRelatedroman slavery2257 Words   |  10 Pagesï » ¿ Roman slavery Slavery was an important part of the ancient world, and it was an integral piece of Roman daily life and the economy. Though slavery was practiced all over the Mediterranean, and was abundant in the east, its impact in other places was not felt nearly as much as it was in Rome and her Empire. As the Romans consolidated their position on the Italian peninsula and began the systematic conquest of the Mediterranean region, millions of slaves were incorporatedRead MoreSlavery in Roman Republic2798 Words   |  12 PagesDuring the Roman Republic, Ancient Rome was at its very beginnings and a civilization was just being created. Like any other civilization there were different levels of status between classes and several positions of power in which people could obtain. Subsequently, just as there were people of power and wealth, there were also people of little to no power and poverty. The Ancient Romans utilized the institution of slavery to help promote their civilization and became a major factor in the economyRead MoreThe Role of Slavery in Roman Comedy1654 Words   |  7 PagesThe Role of Slavery in Roman Comedy The theater of the Roman Empire was very similar to that of the Greek theater. Masks were worn by the actors to amplify their voices and to allow some actors to play two different roles, and women were not allowed to have roles in the theater. Roman playwrights such as Plautus and Terence borrowed comedic stories from the Greek theater, â€Å"Romanizing† them in the process. For instance, Terence wrote a play called Heauton Timorumenos or The Self-Tormentor. ARead MoreComparison of Roman and American slavery760 Words   |  3 PagesComparison of Roman and Western Slavery Slavery is one of the most common entities between the Roman s society and the Western society in the late 1800 s. Both civilizations have many differences and similarities between their views on slavery, treatments of the slaves, and economics of slavery. Such similarities include the imprisonment of slaves, the cruel treatments towards slaves, and the legal status of slaves as their owner s property. However, despite the many differences, slavery between polarRead MoreRoman Slavery And The Works Of Plautus1440 Words   |  6 PagesRoman Slavery as Seen in the Works of Plautus Slavery was extremely common in ancient Rome. In fact, 25% of the population was thought to be slaves. Prominent men in society could host up to five hundred slaves. Emperors would have almost twenty thousand slaves at their court. People could become slaves in many ways. The most common way to become a slave was through piracy. But a huge number of slaves became slaves as war captives as well. Other ways to become a slave were by being born into slaveryRead MoreThe Roles Of Ancient Roman Slavery In Ancient Rome886 Words   |  4 PagesAncient Roman slaves did numerous amount of jobs and helped Rome become prosperous. Slavery in Rome had benefited the Republic in various ways. Slaves increased the economy, fed the entire republic through agriculture, and they also upheld important roles and was the glue that held Ancient Rome together. Slaves played a huge roll in Ancient Rome and was the reason for the great economy and without the slaves Rome would not have been as powerful as it was. An estimate of the slave population inRead MoreIs The Film Pompeii An Accurate Representation Of Slavery During The Ancient Roman Era?1505 Words   |  7 Pagesaccurate representation of slavery in the Ancient Roman era? The movie Pompeii produced in 2014, by Paul W.S Anderson, explores the idea of social hierarchy and the class distinctions along with giving a portrayal of the role of slaves within the Roman Empire. While the film does not go in depth on the many different forms of slavery, it does provide minor examples on certain slaves work, and the way they are treated. Slavery played an integral role in the Ancient Roman society, and without it,Read MoreSlavery in Ancient Roman Society1301 Words   |  5 Pagespeople now think of slavery, they think of the United States because that memory is relatively new and culturally relevant to Americans. However, slavery existed in many other cultures and times across the world. Understanding the nature of slavery is integral to an understanding of Western Civilization in general. Ancient Rome practiced slavery throughout much of the Empire, and especially under Emperor Augustus. It is likely that slavery was just as important for making the Roman Empir e strong, wealthyRead MoreComparison Of Greek And Roman Slavery1683 Words   |  7 Pages Comparable to some degree with the struggle of the early civilizations (i.e. Greek and Roman slavery) to break out their condition of being slaves, the classic animated movie A Bug s Life depicted in a similar way, but in different causes to bring the system down. In the mentioned movie, various societal form and structures of interest are exposed in this paper. The Capitalist Pyramid Strikes Again The government structure of the Ant Island is certainly a monarchy, where the Queen inherits theRead MoreSlavery During The Roman Empire And The New Testament2120 Words   |  9 PagesProfessor McFarland New Testament 9 November 2016 Slavery in the Roman Empire and the New Testament Slavery, a word described as the state of one bound in servitude as the property of a household. This description, along with sadness and disbelief gets brought into peoples’ minds as the chilling sensation of the explanations begins to be sought out. The New Testament brings us many different views on how we percept our personal beliefs upon Slavery, and different problems arising as aspects on this

Aristotle free essay sample

The virtuous person always exhibits an affectation in the appropriate amount. -for ex. Truthfulness: virtue regarding telling the truth about oneself? Defect: self-depreciating Excess: phony omnipotence- all power and unlimited power †¢Distinguish goods that are, according to Aristotle, valued for the sake of other things, valued for their own sake, and valued for their own sake and for the sake of other things you want some things that gets you other stuff. or example money so its a sake for other things. valued for own sake-having a yacht gives you pleasure but then enjoying it with more friends and travel the world and give you more pleasure. the one good. happiness is the one thing that every one wants and is valued for its own sake. That which is valued only for its own sake and for whose sake everything else is desired †¢That which is valued for its own sake and for the sake of other things †¢That which is valued only for the sake of other things Discuss why Aristotle rejects conventional views that identify happiness with pleasure, honor, and virtue, and what he thinks this tells us about the nature of happiness Aristotle rejects three common conceptions of happiness—pleasure, honor, and wealth. Happiness, he says, cannot be identified with any of these things (even though all three may be part of an overall happy life). Pleasure, he says, is found in satisfying desires—but whether or not we can satisfy our desires is as much up to chance as it is up to us. †¢The life of pleasure. Problem: the life fit for a pig †¢The life of honor. Problem: not under our control †¢The life of virtue. Problem: compatible with inaction †¢Distinguish between psychological, somatic, and external goods, explaining how they contribute to Aristotle’s conception of happiness External goods- attractiveness, wealth.. Psychological Goods- mental health.. Somatic goods- â€Å"Nonetheless, happiness evidently needs external goods to be added, as we said, since we cannot, or cannot easily, do fine actions if we lack the resources. For, first of all, in many actions we use friends, wealth, and political power just as we use instruments. Further, deprivation of certain things —for instance, good birth, good children, beauty— mars our blessedness. For we do not altogether have the character of happiness if we look utterly repulsive or are ill-born, solitary, or childless; and we have it even less, presumably, if our children or friends are totally bad, or were good but have died †¢Discuss the roles of habituation and right reason in Aristotle’s analysis of virtuous action function of human beings is knowledge and it what eparates from animals. virtuous action is what a rational person who acts for the right reason. but you also have to feel the correct emotions and feelings to do virtuous actions and be properly affected which means that you find the right things pleasant. and wants to do the right thing. so if you dont feel like you want to give money to homeless and still give it it do es not count as a virtous thing. the teachers ice cream technique- dont want to do it but do it for ice cream but over time the kids want to do it because it is the virtuous thing to do. Identify and describe Aristotle’s three requirements for friendship and his three different kinds of friendship Pleasure-friendships- Most common among theyoung, fades easily utility-friendships,- most common among the old and also fades easily. character-friendships- You love a person because of the good qualities she or he possesses. genuine friendship. †¢Explain what Aristotle means when he claims that friends are â€Å"second selves† â€Å"A friend is a second self, so that our consciousness of a friends existence makes us more fully conscious of our own existence. and Friendly relations with one’s neighbors, and the marks by which friendships are defined, seem to have proceeded from a man’s relation with himself. For men think a friend is one who wishes well and does what is good, or seems so, for the sake of his friend, or one who wishes his friend to exist and live, for his sake† †¢Explain why Aquinas thinks God’s existence is self-evident, why it nonetheless may not be evident to us, and how Aquinas thinks God’s existence can be made evident Not every human realizes the existence of god. †¢Examples of self-evident propositions: A pig is an animal; a bachelor is an unmarried male †¢Being self-evident in itself versus self-evident to us †¢Aquinas: â€Å"I maintain that God exists is self-evident in itself since its subject and predicate are identical†¦[but] the proposition is not self-evident to us† (197). †¢Question 02: can God’s existence be made evident? †¢Perhaps God’s existence is an article of faith, not of reason †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"There are two types of demonstration: those that argue from cause to effect†¦and those that argue from effect to cause† (198). †¢Hitting a pool ball, pressing the ‘on’ button, hand on the stove So, from what effects do we infer God’s existence? †¢God’s effects in the world, Mozart and his music †¢Understand Aquinas’ ‘unmoved mover’ and ‘teleological’ arguments for the existence of God and articulate at least one objection to each Argument one of five : the unmoved mover (200). Everything has a cause, but causes can’t go on infinitely. The first uncaused cause is God. Objections: why must it be God? Maybe time is infinite? Telos: the end toward which a thing strives. Everything in nature has a telos. If a thing is non-intelligent, some intelligence must give it its telos. Objection: nature is not telonic in this way †¢Discuss why the question ‘can God create a stone that God cannot lift? ’ is said to be paradoxical and how Aquinas tries to resolve the paradox †¢The paradox of omnipotence: can God create a stone he cannot lift? †¢If God can, there is something God cannot do, i. e. , lift the stone †¢If God cannot, there is something God cannot do, i. e. , create the stone †¢If there is something God cannot do, God is not omnipotent †¢Therefore, God is not omnipotent †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"So we conclude that God’s power extends to anything possible in itself and not implying contradiction. Clearly then God is called omnipotent because he can do everything possible in itself. † (p. 249). because if god cannot lift the the stone he created, he is not omintipitent and also if he cannot create that he cannot lift therefore he is not omnipotent so either way god is not omnipotent so aquinas says that god creates certain laws in the universe that he himself cannot break which is considered absolute possibility and relativee possibility is what he can change. †¢Explain what Aquinas means when he claims evil does not exist because evil does not exit because evil is absence of happiness Understand the weak and strong versions of the problem of evil and discuss Aquinas’ solution to the problem Strong version of the problem †¢If an omnipotent, omniscient, perfectly good God exists, then evil does not exist †¢Evil exists †¢ Therefore, an omnipotent, omniscient, perfectly good God does not exist Weak version of the problem †¢Evil exists †¢The non-existence of God is a more plausible explanation of evil than is the existence of an omnipotent, omniscient, perfectly good God †¢Therefore, it’s more plausible that God does not exist If an omnipotent, omniscient, perfectly good God exists, then evil does not exist Aquinas’ answer to the problem of evil †¢Why is there evil and sin in thet world? †¢Evil is the necessary result of freedom of the will †¢Thus, God does not command sin, God permits sin †¢Does God cause evil and sin? †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"God is responsible for sinful actions but not for sins† 296 †¢Distinguish Aquinas’ conceptions of eternal, natural, and human law †¢Human law †¢ Quoting Cicero: â€Å"laws start with what nature produces, then by use of reason certain things become customs, and finally things produced by nature and tested by custom are sanctified with†¦the weight of laws† (420). Eternal law †¢God as divine legislator: â€Å"Clearly†¦the entire community of the universe is governed by God’s reason† (417). †¢Divine providence: ordering of the universe toward good †¢Natural law †¢Non-moral sense: laws of nature. †¢Moral sense: guides the actions of animals †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Since everything subjected to God’s providence is measured by the standards of his eternal law, as we have said, everything shares in some way in the eternal law, bearing its imprint in the form of a natural tendency to pursue the behavior and goals appropriate to it. Reasoning creatures are subject to God’s providence is a special, more profound way than others by themselves sharing in the planning† (418). Eternal law is identical to the mind of God as seen by God himself. It can be called law because God stands to the universe which he creates as a ruler does to a community which he rules. When Gods reason is considered as it is understood by God.

There Are Many Labels, Names And Categories That Essays

There are many labels, names and categories that have been assigned or given to lesbians. What is"lesbian"? Is it a certain type of woman? Does one lesbian have an identical feature or character as another lesbian? Does a lesbian have something extra or something missing from heterosexual women? This notion that we can classify a human being by their sexual preference is absolutely ludicrous and unsubstantiated! Women are just that, women. Sexual attraction to humans, be it the same sex or not, is not a concrete science that can allow society to label women. The choice of heterosexuality may not truly be a choice. In a recent survey of women, 57% stated that heterosexuality was not something that was considered and then chosen. For these women, there was no decision to be made regarding their sexual preference (Marrow, 1997). This is an interesting figure when you consider of those above women, some admitted to having sexual encounters with other women. I believe the choice is heavily tied to our culture, family values, and surroundings. If all of the fish are swimming upstream, why would you want to go against your group and swim downstream? Within the lesbian community, Ponse (1978) makes reference to two groups. There are many lesbians that claim to have been "born" lesbian. To expand on this subject, one would say these women never questioned their sexual attraction. From day one, they were attracted to other women. Although this is referred to as a primary lesbian, I don't believe it alleviates any of the stigmas or gives any more comfort or ease to the woman. The elective lesbian is seen as having "elected" to be lesbian. These are women who have experienced heterosexual relations and have decided that they prefer the same sex. This may appear as a choice, but it is far from that. The environment or family setting may have driven these women to repress their true desires out of fear of rejection. They may also simply be confused and needed to try one way to better understand the other way (Golden, 1999). Among lesbian relationships, we find the data to be similar to heterosexual women. This makes sense and gives more bearing to the thought that women are women. Lesbian couples, like their heterosexual couples, prefer monogamous relationships when in a deep and caring relationship. Lesbian couples appear to want and most importantly, expect the same things from a relationship as a heterosexual woman (Garnets, 2000). Commitment, support, and family values. There are those that will claim lesbian couples cannot possibly have or want family values since they are not themselves a true family. This is a comical statement to me when we consider it is men who have defined "family values" throughout the years. It is obvious that there are differing opinions regarding lesbians. Their life style, their beliefs and their choices have all been analyzed, scrutinized and classified, but to the result of what? Does a woman's sexual preference affect anyone but that person? Then why is our society so intent on labeling, understanding and discriminating against lesbians? Could it be that anger is a concealment of personal repressed sexual preferences? The time has come for humans to act like humans and treat our species the same, regardless of sexual preference. After all, sexual preference does not impact intellect levels, work ethics, or honesty in a person. I believe those traits are more important to understand then why a woman wants to be with another woman. References 1. Marrow, J. (1997), Changing Positions, Women Speak Out on Sex and Desire, Chp. 3, 59-99. 2. Ponse, B. (1978), Identities in the Lesbian World. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. 3. Golden, C. (1999), Diversity and Variability in Women's Sexual Identities. Readings in the Psychology of Women, Reading 2, 179-189. 4. Garnets, L. (2000), Life as a Lesbian: What Does Gend

How to Make the Most of Facebook Advertising [PODCAST]

How to Make the Most of Facebook Advertising [PODCAST] Facebook: Nearly a quarter of the entire world’s population uses it, and over two-thirds of those users checks in every day. Chances are good that your customers are using the social media giant. Facebook advertising is a great opportunity for you to connect with your audience. Today we’re going to be chatting with ’s own inbound marketer, Rachel Wiinanen, about how to create high-converting ads, how to test your hypotheses, how to organize your behind-the-scenes processes, and how to measure your success. You won’t want to miss it! Information about and what Rachel does here as the inbound marketer. How Rachel approaches her advertising strategy on Facebook. How Rachel gets creative with both the visuals and the text on Facebook ads. Thoughts about A/B testing: how Rachel does it, why it’s important, and some surprises she’s encountered along the way. Key metrics to measure when evaluating the performance of your ads as well as some tools to use. How Rachel works within a budget for her Facebook ads. Rachel’s best tips on staying organized, planning, and keeping track of everything ad-related. Where a newbie to Facebook ads should start if they want to begin using the platform as part of their marketing strategy. Links: Previous episode with Rachel Kissmetrics Google Analytics If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Rachel: â€Å"Facebook is a huge opportunity that a lot of marketers aren’t necessarily taking advantage of to the level that they could.† â€Å"If you have that goal-first mentality, you are setting yourself up for more success. Really, budget shouldn’t be your limitation.† â€Å"With Facebook being such a social platform, it’s all about the individual. Focus on really hitting down who your target persona is. Start there.†

The Distance Between Me And My Readers - A Bob Mayer Interview

The Distance Between Me And My Readers - A Bob Mayer Interview â€Å"The distance between me and my readers is the internet† An interview with Bob Mayer How can indie authors use eBooks to their full advantage, creatively exploiting their potential to be adapted over time and linked to an author’s whole output?Bob Mayer is a New York Times Bestselling Author who is not afraid to explore the incredible new opportunities available to authors. With 60 books published - both traditionally published and indie-published - Bob has sold over four million books. He and is also a leadership speaker and consultant, coaching authors on many aspects of writing and publishing. He is also CEO of Cool Gus Publishing and his latest book Time Patrol has just come out. On top of all that, he is the only West Point Graduate and Former Green Beret we’ve ever had the pleasure of interviewing! We talk about his work as a hybrid author, his marketing techniques, and Italian book covers†¦ It’s really great to be interviewing Bob this afternoon - a New York Times bestselling author, writing coach, who also writes a lot about publishing and self-publishing. Firstly Bob, it’d be great to start with your writing course Write on the River, how is it going?I’ve been doing writing workshops for a number of years - I used to hold small intimate workshops and various bed and breakfasts. After my wife and I moved to the Tennessee River, we got a nice big house, so a couple of times a year we bring four writers into the weekend, working with them on their books. The weekend after this  I’ve got four people coming down.So you work with them on all sorts of things, structure and character development, that type of thing?I change it for every group because every group is a little different. I’ve had number one New York Times bestsellers here - usually it’s published authors with some experience, but occasionally I’ve had a new auth or. We usually spend a lot of time on the ‘idea and conflict lock’ and a lot of time talking about the business, because so many things are up in flux right now.Many authors - even established authors - are wondering right now, â€Å"should I become a hybrid author?†, â€Å"should I keep traditionally publishing?†, â€Å"should I self-publish?† One of our authors came down here for the weekend and she’s publishing with Cool Gus, so she’s become a hybrid author.You are a hybrid author who has published a number of different ways, could you tell us a bit more about that?I was published in New York for 42 books - Random House, St Martins - many big houses. Then I went self-publishing as I had a huge backlist to which I owned the rights and formed my own publishing company Cool Gus.I knew from the very beginning what I wanted was to sign with 47 North, Amazon’s Science Fiction imprint. The main reason I did that was because of their marketing capabilities. They have tremendous power to market you on their site. So I’ve got a book we’re going to publish May 5th. I’ve got a book coming back from 47 North that’s due out in August, so I alternate writing science-fiction for amazon and thrillers for my own company.What is it specifically about their marketing that interested you?They have reach: they call it ‘merchandising’. They really know who the readers are and have huge databases. They know everyone who has bought one of their previous books and send them an email. They also do pricing - in the UK they have a ‘book for a pound’ - they pick a number of titles and promote those. There is a huge difference sales-wise when you use any of these platforms - whether Amazon, Apple or Audible ACX - they give you some ‘merchandising’ and your sales can skyrocket.Yes, we’ve found with many authors that email lists are really helpful, because you ar e talking to an engaged audience, and that it’s worth slowly building them upYes, we don’t send many newsletters out because we feel many people are bombarded by them, but we are focusing on building our list this year. The other thing we have is a private Facebook group called ‘The A-team’: we’ve got about 30 people in there. These are people who really like my books. It’s a small intimate group where we chat about what I’m writing. If you can get a core of about 40-50 readers who talk about you and promote you, that’s huge. The book - Time Patrol (Area 51: The Nightstalkers Book 4) - just came out yesterday and I’ve already got a handful of reviews, mainly because of those types of people.I like the idea of nurturing a small but dedicated small fan group. They are the one’s you can have a personal connection to.The most important thing is readers. I’ve got a huge Twitter following, but I don’t reall y think it sells books; I don’t think a huge Facebook following sells books - although these things aren’t bad of course. The distance between me and my readers is the internet. I can communicate with them and respond to every email I get or every mention on Twitter. I think that’s key.There’s lot of resistance in the publishing industry to change - I think that’s because so much of it doesn’t change: it’s always going to be about great content and writing. But, of course, things are changing: are there any new developments that are interesting to you?Subscription is big. A lot of people are complaining about Kindle Unlimited for sales dropping, but Kindle Unlimited occurred at the same time as the content flood hit the eBook market - there’s just so much content out there and that’s not going away.We don’t fight those things. Yesterday we got a cheque from Draft2Digital and the Scribd subscription service. We use those things; we use Kindle Unlimited. I broke one of my non-fiction books into 15 shorts, dedicated totally to Kindle Unlimited. I think writers waste a lot of time tilting at windmills they can’t change. They need to look at the publishing landscape and use everything out there to the best of their abilities.Yes, and I think they could anticipate change a lot more than they actually do.Ha! Yea, although I don’t think anyone could tell you where we’re going to be a year from now. It does always come back to good content though. The good thing is that I think if you write a good book, that’s a big part of it and then you do have to get out there and reach the readers. The readers have to know the book exists.You’ve said in the past that this is the moment in publishing you are most excited to be a part of because the author has control.Absolutely! What I’m doing right now didn’t exist ten years ago. Ten years ago I would hold the rig ht to 50 books and be able to do absolutely nothing with them. I wouldn’t be able to sell them to anybody - I couldn’t get them in the bookstore. Now, they are in virtual bookstores, I can sell them to readers. One of our saying is â€Å"If you haven’t read it, it’s not backlist†. I was reading my first book from 1991 and I realised to someone reading it now, it’s a brand new book.One of the interesting things right now is how publishing is relating to other media. People talk about how it is conflicting of complementing other media - cable TV, movies, games, etc - but do you think also that a lot of writers could learn about how they market these media?I see writers say â€Å"go kill your TV†, but my wife and I watch a lot of TV and the writing is fantastic. Marketing-wise, if you look at what Netflix did with the Kevin Spacey show, where they released it all on the same day, I think that’s something to think about.People want instant gratification now. It used to be that in traditional publishing, I have to give a book a year, but I had to write under three pen names because they would not allow me to publish more than a book a year. Now, you cannot publish fast enough, or write fast enough to keep up with demand from readers!Yes, maybe you could experiment publishing lots at once, gaining a core reader group, then change your strategy, slow down or create anticipation.Yes one thing we’re doing is we’re putting out a book every three months this year and what I’m doing personally is I’m racking my books together. I just had a book come out yesterday that loops back to my early Atlantic series, so what I’m doing is connecting the dots over 25 years of books.At the end of the book, I say â€Å"if you want to know more about this character, go to this series†, â€Å"if you want to know more about this world, go to this series†. I think that gives readers mor e options to go through the back story.Now your books are always out there - they don’t grow old, so you can create these links in ways which weren’t previously possible.One thing I often talk about in my business is that an eBook is not like a print book: it’s very, very different. It’s organic. It’s changing. We have so many titles that when we bring out a new one, we have to go into the back and change all the links in it, we have to change the metadata.Yesterday my new book came out and is called Time Patrol and I asked my business partner, â€Å"by the way, do these books have another subgenre on Amazon of ‘time travel’, because this is actually another best seller list!† and she’d already taken care of that. So it’s just constant change, and I think it’s caught traditional publishers a little by surprise, because they are used to the ‘fire and forget’ method. They published a book and itâ €™s out there, it’s never going to change. An eBook changes constantly. I’m not talking the content - although you can do that - I’m talking all the things around it: the cover the endman, the metadata, so it’s a constant churning of things.Have you experimented with changing covers?Oh yea! We’ve changed covers. Actually, you often have to change covers, like on Amazon, where there are certain promotional things you can’t get into if you have things like a gun on the cover. I totally understand, because people complain, but you have to change the image and remove the gun, simply to get in these marketing programs!I think it’s endlessly fascinating how in different countries, different covers just work and different ones just don’t work. I think you can learn a lot about individual countries by the book covers they like!I was in a book store in Italy where it was always a scantily-clad woman on the cover with an atomic blast in the background and there was no woman in a bikini in the book! They just stick it there because that’s what sells.So much of indie publishing seems to require a certain kind of author: entrepreneurial and someone who can effectively manage their own business. Do you think that may change? Do you think it could incorporate other types of writers who are perhaps not entrepreneurial, but who still want control and the best of indie-publishing?Well, that’s a little what we do at Cool Gus. A handful of authors we work with just want to write, yet they want the freedom, so we take care of all the things for them, but we give them final say. So they don’t have to get caught up in the actual doing of it, but we’ll say, â€Å"What do you want on your cover?† - and they get the final say on that, cover copy, everything! So I think that’s a different business model.And so that they have a team to help themYes, I think it’s really hard to do it all well. There are people that do it, but it’s much easier to send someone an email and say â€Å"Please take care of this†.Where do you think agents may fit in the future?I think agents are evolving. Kristen Nelson who works with Hugh Howey is an example of an agent that’s really changed the way she looks at things. And I actually think traditional publishing is not going to die: it’s evolving and they are learning, changing and adapting. I’m querying agents right now because I need help with foreign rights. I can’t really travel to the London Book Fair, for example, so I need an agent to take care of those things for me.I think the reason publishing is so interesting is because it is a very complex industry and there are so many different things to be doing. What are you thinking about experimenting with in the next couple of years?It’s more about the creative part. I’ve been doing it so long, that what I realise is that I can produce better books faster and the market is there for it. I have so many series going, and at the same time I put a few experimental things out there. And I don’t have to sit there and worry, will my agent like it, will my editor like it, will my publisher like it, will the sales force think they can sell it? All I’ve got to care about is ‘will the readers like it?’ I don’t think that’s going to change: that I like. I can directly reach my readers and either they can hit that buy button or not, and that tells me if it’s working or not.That’s a really great message to send to our readers. Thanks so much for your time Bob!Follow @Bob_Mayer and @ReedsyHQ on TwitterDo you think too many authors waste time fighting things they can’t change? Where do you see agents fitting in in the future? Leave us your thoughts, or any question you have for Bob, in the comments below!

Determinism verus Free Will Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Determinism verus Free Will - Essay Example This was not only an accepted conceptual position, it was also a computational fact of life with all of the then-existing sex-role orientation measures. However, Constantinople's (1973) conceptual reorganization allowed for the possibility of two independent dimensions: masculinity and femininity. From this new vantage point, one is not forced to deny one set of characteristics in order to assert possession of high levels of the other. Now, people can be different combinations (conceptually and computationally): high on both masculinity and femininity (androgynous); high on one and low on the other (stereotypically masculine or stereotypically feminine); or low on both dimensions (undifferentiated). It was this simple, conceptual reformulation that appeared to spark the present revolution in sex-role research. Might a similar reformulation of the free will-determinism question stimulate new solutions to an antinomy that has perplexed thinkers for more than 25 centuries Before sketching a re-conceptualization of the free will versus determinism issue, this article will offer a working scientist's or a counseling practitioner's specification of the issues--not a philosopher's reformulation of this seemingly everlasting controversy. ... , in so defining these terms, it becomes unclear exactly what the implications of these conceptual moves (and research findings) might be for philosophical debate on the issues of agency, mechanistic determinism, self-determination, and free will. There have been many different construals of free will (van Inwagen, 1983) over the last two and a half millennia. Some of these construals (e.g., free will results from the absence of any physical constraint upon the agent) clearly do not square with the arguments and research summarized herein. Whenever an agent makes a choice (and then acts for the sake of that choice), however, one might see it as a free choice (and act) if indeed the agent might have chosen to do otherwise ceteris paribus (i.e., all other things being equal). The notion of free will entertained herein is seen in Robert Frost's (1951) poem "The Road Not Taken." Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. If Frost's (1951) traveller had also been able to choose "the road more [italics added] traveled by" but instead opted for "the road less [italics added] traveled by," one might assert that he or she had made a free choice. But since the time of Heraclitus (with his point that one can never step in the same river twice), philosophers and scientists recognized the virtual impossibility of meeting the demands of the ceteris paribus condition in such cases. Fortunately, new experimental methodologies now allow for the testing of the causal force of free choice in studies that do fully meet the requirements of the ceteris paribus assumption (see Howard & Myers, 1989). Like free will, the meaning of determinism has changed over time. "Determinism" was until the mid-nineteenth century a theory

UCCs Effect On International Commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

UCCs Effect On International Commerce - Essay Example The third article provides for the transactions in commercial papers such as negotiable instruments and promissory notes (Hinkelman & Shippey, 2004). The other provisions are also important in trade since they provide guidelines on issues such as bulk transfers, secured transactions and dealings in investment securities such as stocks and bonds. The UCC applies to national trade, but would have positive effects if applied to international commerce. The UCC is designed for quick references on laws regarding formation of business contracts, expert analysis of the impact of various commercial transactions and easy handling of court decisions regarding disputes emanating from trade (Hinkelman & Shippey, 2004). The first effect of UCC on international commerce is facilitation of international transactions in the sale of goods. UCC will ensure that cross-border merchants have faith in sale of goods contracts due to the uniformity in the regulatory laws. The increase in foreign direct inves tments and growth in technology has led to emergency of new type of business transactions that require a uniform form of contractual agreements and legal protection (Hinkelman & Shippey, 2004). For instance, technology has allowed companies to sell digital products across national borders and multinational companies to list their stocks in different national stock exchange markets. In this case, uniform commercial code would be helpful in fostering international commerce (Hinkelman & Shippey, 2004). Uniform commercial code in the international commerce would be useful in curbing instances of international economic crimes such as money laundering and dumping. The UCC would be capable of offering legal guidelines that address issues relating to diversion of cargo in the high seas, counterfeiting and fraudulent insurance claims that are common in maritime trade. UCC will be useful in global tendering processes (Hinkelman & Shippey, 2004). The provisions will be important in ensuring un iformity of global tenders such as government tenders. This will ensure that contracting parties receive high quality services due to good faith requirements and transparency of the process (Hinkelman & Shippey, 2004). UCC will ease the international transfer of funds through creating uniform requirements in bank collections, settlements of financial securities and fund transfers among the international trade participants. UCC will create legal performance obligation to transactions involving a secured party. The code of business will guide the transfers of dematerialized securities. In this case, the final investors in the investment securities will have adequate security entitlement and right to receive any dividends accruing from their ownership of the security. Article 8 decomposes the security rights thus creditors are protected from the possibility of the investor of transferring such stake without informing the creditor who has some interest in the concerned security (Hinkelm an & Shippey, 2004). The impact of securing the transactions is to provide a relief to the lender through a security interest in the collateral and an assurance in the default by the borrowing party. In most states, the secured transactions use personal property, fixtures and intangible property as the collateral in the case of default. This code will facilitate bankruptcy settlements thus facilitating international trade transactions (Hinkelman & Shippey, 2004). Articles 5 of the UCC provide guidelines on the issuance of letters of credit by financial institutions. The letters of credit

Shakespeare and Angela Carter and their works Macbeth and Blood Chamber Essay Example for Free

Shakespeare and Angela Carter and their works Macbeth and Blood Chamber Essay Shakespeare and Angela Carter present through their work of ‘Macbeth’ and ‘The Bloody Chamber’ the struggles of women rebelling against gender stereotypes and how they fall victim to the patriarchal society they are a part of. Firstly, Shakespeare shows the importance of gender boundaries in society and how women who do not conform to their gender stereotypes will be punished. In Macbeth Shakespeare uses the character of Lady Macbeth to show this. Lady Macbeth throughout the play influences and controls her husband Macbeth for personal gain, she does this by taunting her husband which is already the first sign that she doesn’t conform to the stereotypical 16th-century woman who would usually be submissive to their husband. â€Å"When you durst do it, then you were a man† here we see that the gender roles have switched because it’s the wife who has the power here, by saying you ‘were a man’ is telling of this, she is almost mocking him by inferring that if he doesn’t murder Duncan then he is a ‘woman’ in the sense that he was too weak to carry out the murder showing how society viewed women as almost ‘delicate’ however in this scene it’s the woman who has the power. Lady Macbeth teases Macbeth because she knows how if he murders Duncan that she will gain power, now as they’re in a highly patriarchal society Lady Macbeth would not have had any social hierarchy over men but if she becomes queen she will have that power and this would have been desirable for her, as Shakespeare has shown us through her not follow social stereotypes that she has more ‘masculine’ desires rather than women who conform to society by following their only purpose in having children which Lady Macbeth opposes through her description of infanticide she has no interest in having children. To a Jacobean audience, this would be absurd because women’s only purpose in society in the 16th century was to provide men with children. Shakespeare is showing us here how she is against the most feminine thing for a woman and is almost striving for her own personal gain of power which is more masculine in the sense that in most Jacobean plays/stories it is onl y men who strive for power and is a masculine trait traditionally. In The Bloody Chamber, we see a masculine trait again is given to a female character, Carter gives the role of the hero who saves the damsel in distress to the protagonist’s mother which again in traditional stories is a male stereotype where a man would come to save the female who has been captured. The mother is identified with power as she’s described as having â€Å"furious justice† which shows that Carter and Shakespeare have both given female characters that power or shown that like Lady Macbeth they are capable of wanting/having that power. However, a female craving this power is not punished in The Bloody Chamber like it is in Macbeth with her being haunted by her feeling of guilt with her having visions of blood on her hands â€Å"come out, damned spot! But I command you!† as we can see from the way Shakespeare wants this presented as she’s shouting it’s obviously driving her insane as she can see it but no one else can and thus Shak espeare shows how a woman is punished for rebelling against gender stereotypes by her seeking power and has gone insane due to a man’s actions and therefore takes the consequences. But The Bloody Chamber doesn’t punish women for trying to gain power like in Macbeth but through the use of fetishes and sexual desires, they are punished. In The Bloody Chamber, the main protagonist is seen as having sexual desires through the words â€Å"thrusting†, â€Å"ecstasy†, †burning cheek† and â€Å"tender† the main protagonist is usually described with sexual words like this throughout the story. This is a continuative theme throughout the story even by things such as the red necklace she is given by the count which can symbolize blood is a reference to sexual fetishes and desires. However, the same intrigue that allows her to explore sexuality also forces her to explore the secret room which allows her to discover the bodies of the counts old wives. Like Lady Macbeth who is punished for her husband’s actions, the main protagonist in this story would also have been punished for her husband’s actions that being that she discovered his murders and would have been killed by him for discovering them until she is saved by her empowered mother. Secondly, we also see the rebelling of gender stereotypes through the merging of the genders with female and masculine traits being given to opposite-sex characters in Macbeth and The Bloody Chamber. In Macbeth, we see the characters of the witches who cross the line between female and male gender stereotypes. â€Å"You should be a woman, yet your beards forbid me† showing that Shakespeare even blurred the lines of gender through their appearance and thus they rebel against the patriarchal society by not conforming to these stereotypes of looking like a woman and it shows through the confusion of Banquo who has been indoctrinated by the patriarchy and knows nothing else. However, even with the witches who have tried to rebel from gender stereotypes even through appearance they still fall victim to the patriarchy. They have received the punishment of being segregated from a society which is most likely due to the time being that in the 16th century England the fad for witch hun ting was at its peak. A critic states: ‘Of all Shakespeares female characters Lady Macbeth stands out far beyond the rest — remarkable for her ambition, strength of will, cruelty, and dissimulation.’ I agree with this statement that Lady Macbeth stands out and has traits such as ‘strength of will’ because of â€Å"That made you break your enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were a man† it would have been unheard of for someone like Lady Macbeth who is a representation of a woman in 16th century Elizabethan England to stand up and taunt their husband like she does which does show strength, it also shows her rebelling against gender stereotypes because it’s unfeminine for a woman to mock their husband for not being a man in considering if she wasn’t married she would have no power at all in society and therefore doing this could be seen as a risk to a woman and therefore making Lady Macbeth ‘strong’ and ‘ambitious’ As Lady Macbeth propels her husband toward committing Duncans murder, she indicates that she must take on masculine characteristics. Her most famous speech

Juvenile Justice: Age and Judicial Culpability Essay -- Criminal Justi

This paper will first define culpability, explore its various levels and examine how it is used during sentencing. Next, this paper will examine literature that supports the belief that age is not the key factor in determining culpability and should not be used to determine guilt or innocence during trial. Finally, this paper will suggest that trying juveniles as adults and remanding them into adult facilities is ineffective at decreasing juvenile crime rates. These issues will be reviewed to determine if physical (chronological) age is a justifiable cause to lessen culpability or an excuse used to mask the ineffective research efforts of lawmakers. Culpability has long been defined as a legal term that is used by judicial officials to describe the level of responsibility each person has for a crime Giedd et al (1999). Prosecutors use courtroom jargon such as culpability based on physical age as a legal excuse to persuade courtroom officials to reduce sentences for juvenile offenders. Studies taken from Corriero (2007) revealed that a â€Å"normal† child can decipher right from wrong as early as the age of 2 physical years but it may take up to 1 additional year for an abnormal child to develop that same unit of cognitive measure. This statement suggests that although it may take longer for anâ€Å"abnormal† child to reach the same level of understanding mentally, one calendar year does not have to open the door for lessened criminal liability. This raises the chronological age of normal children and lessens the age of abnormal children in many cases. For example, a 14 year old (chronological age) child can have t he mental age of a 6 year old or vice versa. Juvenile accountability varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction throughout the ... ...dies: An International Journal for Philosophy in the Analytic Tradition Vol. 80, No. 1 (Oct., 1995), pp. 41-49 Smit, D. (2005) The Abolition of Capital Punishment for Persons Under the Age of Eighteen Years in the United States of America. What Next? Oxford Journals Law Human Rights Law Review Volume 5, Issue 2 Pp. 393-401 Staniels, J. (1995) Grading Culpability at Sentencing: The Example of Sentencing Entrapment: Federal Sentencing Reporter Vol. 7, No. 4, Criminal Law Defenses at Sentencing pp. 178-180 Steinberg, L & Scott, E.(2003) Less Guilty by Reason of Adolescence: Developmental Immaturity, Diminished Responsibility, and the Juvenile Death Penalty. American Psychologist, Vol 58(12), 1009-1018 Winter, H ( 2006)The Economics of Crime: An Introduction to Rational Crime Analysis 5th and 14th Amendment Retrieved from www.findlaw.com October 29, 2011

Materialism vs. Simple Living

The definition of materialism is not far-fetched from the word material, from which it was derived. Materialism simply means the quest for possessions. Some would readily call it acquisition of goods. It is a term encoding a life style born in a continuous desire to acquire goods of this world with possibly an end result of deriving satisfaction. Hardly any will argue that human needs some basic things in life, conversely, what has been an imprecise issue is, what these human’s needs are. This has generated a lot of argument both in the distant and recent past. However, an agreement has been arrived at that human’s needs are basically Food, shelter and Clothing. Virtually all schools of thought have given assent to these three basic needs, but the question yet unanswered is, will life be bearable with just these three things? Apparently, anybody attempting the above question will answer with a salvo no!, for the idea of human without cars, mobile phones, computers etc is a painful conception itself not to mention human practically living it. At this juncture, we cannot but subscribe to the materialist doctrine, for all logical human know that these material things do not only make our everyday lives easy, they virtually make our existence possible and a reality. Following a logical trend, few would disagree with the fact that too much of many human’s habit is bad. Like a medical doctor will rightly explain that too much smoking is dangerous to health, psychologists would claim that a child being exposed to too much film full of violence is wrong, consequently, it will not be far away from truth to claim that too much desire for materials things is wrong. After all, these things we claim give satisfaction to us are short termed, that can be referred to as timed satisfaction, such as things that do not stand the test of time after a longing for them. It is simply ephemeral (short live). Taking a philosophical flight, one would realize that human can be considerably happy with little or few material things. Imagine the sheer pleasure of sitting under a tree in a nearby park on an early morning before sunrise, with the natural bliss of early singing birds waking all the blossoming flowers. This priceless experience could be unparallel to any acquisition of all the wealth in the world. Aren’t the best things of life free? Living a materialistic existence is a habitual passion to quench thirst for unnecessary luxuries that probable in the end bring pain to human. Imagine the expense of maintaining tax on a garage of cars of different models and brands. The lifestyle could be based on some objective and subjective reasons. For example, a quest for comfort at all time backs up the need to get equipped with different form of   expensive automobiles even though it is certain that more than one cannot be in use at the same time. Some will rather submit that materialistic existence is more than ninety percent base on psychologically reasons that may be unfit to hearing. Many rather remain silence at such a question about the necessity of getting those materials. â€Å"We are dust, and to dust we shall return†! This was an aged verdict of the creator of men. Who sees us occupying space for only a calculated period of time. With a strong holding on this believe, majority of the people who consciously live a simple lifestyle attached reasons to this. Others who are known to live a simple lifestyle really do not have a genuine excuse other than the financial strength to maintain the pace of materialism without wearing out in the lane, but several surveys have proved them the happiest people. We also have the ‘busy ones’ who do not care about other things beyond a single purpose of contributing to their generation. Scientists are categorized in this class. They experiment new discoveries all and derive joy solely in their works, which they consider as the only relevant essence for living in this world. These categories have been the ones that contributed mostly to the world. Their discoveries generate all the expensive gadgets the materialists seek with lust. Personally, I believe most of material things human acquire are not only meant to satisfy their needs but to either impress or entice this or that person, â€Å"vanity† to borrow a word from the bible. Many have gone bankrupt trying to maintain the exotic lifestyle of the society they chose to belong to. Many cases of suicide have been traced to this source. However, between materialism and simple living the thin line separating the two can be difficult to mark out, after all, no human can claim he or she does not enjoy the pleasure of the good things. Today, even the so called men of God are known to have all the material benefit this life could offer, what they renounce is an excessive lust for these things which they claim leads to evil. Summarily, since it has been proven that man cannot do without some material needs and that too much lust after material these things is uncalled for, it will be a logical conclusion to claim that human should pursue their need with moderacy, by limiting their pursuit to their basic need of existence. References Linda Breen Pierce , Choosing Simplicity: Real People Finding Peace and Fulfillment in a Complex World . The Gallagher Press. Dr. Peter C. Whybrow American Mania, Neuroscientist: When More Is Not Enough (W.W. Norton), 2005. Mark Brandenburg MA, CPCC, Secrets of Emotionally Intelligent Fathers, www.markbrandenburg.com n.d.

Iran Contra Affair Essay

In 1979, an Iranian government supported terrorist group overtook the US embassy. They captured 52 people. In an order to obtain the release of the American hostages being held in Lebanon, The Reagan Administration secretly began to sell weapons to Iran. This went against an American ban on arms sales to Iran, which had been in affect since the embassy had been seized. (Corrigan 40-41) These deals were arranged through Robert McFarlane, who was the head of the National Security Council. One of McFarlane’s main staff members was Marine Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North. McFarlane gave North the responsibility of handling the details of the deal and told him not to send anything to Iran until the hostages had been released. North wanted to keep the deal going so he allowed Israel to ship the weapons before any hostages had been released. McFarlane criticized North, but North kept his job. McFarlane was replaced with Rear Admiral John M. Poindexter. North tried to convince Poindexter to continue the arms-for-hostage deal with Iran. North realized that there was a massive amount of money being made in this trade. He used some of this money made could be used to support an anti-communist organization in Central America. This organization, that was active in Nicaragua, was known as the Contras. The Contras were also highly supported by Reagan and his administration, seeing as we were in the Cold War against Communism. (Lawson 41-60) In the early 1980s, Congress passed a series of amendments known as the Boland Amendments. The Boland Amendments made it illegal for the U. S. military to further aid the Contras. (Cohen) The National Security Council was formed in 1947 to acquire secret information about the military plans of Russia throughout the Cold War. (Lawson 49) In 1985, North and McFarlane gave several letters to Congress, in which he lied about the questions that they had been asked about their involvement in supporting the Contras in Nicaragua. North lied again in a face-to-face meeting with Congress in 1986. North told the House Intelligence Committee he was involved neither in fundraising for, nor in providing military advice to, the Contras. In 1987 he was confronted with these accusations to which he admitted to misleading Congress with the answers he gave them. When the president later asked Attorney General to gather the relevant facts, North and Poindexter shredded and altered official documents on November 21, 1986. The destruction of these documents was a major loss to Congress, because they were now unable o use those destroyed documents against North in court. (http://icah. infobaselearning. com/pdocument. aspx? ID=129729&search=iran+contra+north) Further complicating the situation, Congress granted immunity to North and Poindexter so that they could eliminate the need for the testimony of President Reagan and Vice President Bush. Oliver North and Poindexter, while accused and under intense investigation were ultimately convicted. (http://icah. infobaselearning. com/pdocument. aspx? ID=110538&search=iran+contra+north) Lt.  Colonel Oliver North was criminally charged, prosecuted and convicted but later the convictions were overturned upon appeal due to the fact that he was granted immunity. North should have been convicted of his crimes and faced his time in jail for what he did. North burned legal documents containing crucial evidence for his trail, he lied to Congress about using the money from the Iran weapons sales to help the Contras, and by helping the Contra, he violated the Boland Amendments. On November 21, 1986, Oliver North shredded documents that were to be used in court as evidence. These documents were important legal information concerning his involvement in helping the Contras. His destruction of these documents led to Congress losing very valuable data to prove whether he was a scapegoat or a criminal. The fact that he destroyed the evidence made it clear that he wasn’t being honest and that led Congress to believe his other criminal charges. Oliver North violated many laws. The two most flagrant legal violations were the Boland Amendments and the American ban on arms sales to Iran. North continued to sell the weapons to Iran without any argument even though he knew it was against the law that was put in place by Congress. He went against the banned sales of guns with Iran, which was put in place to keep Iran from gaining powerful weaponry and putting American citizen’s lives in danger. His involvement and encouragement of continuing the illegal trade to aid the policies that he believed in should lead to his punishment. Also, the fact that he was also using federal money and weapons for the Contra agenda is a misappropriation of funds and of his position of power.

The Travels of Marco Polo essays

The Travels of Marco Polo essays Marco Polo, an Italian traveler and author, wrote one of the most influential books of all time. This book was no mere travel account, as it was able to give Europeans the first authoritative view of life in the Far East. His book also played a key role in the development of European overseas expansion. With the wealth of vivid detail that this book contains, it was the only existing source in Europe for information on the geography and the life of the Far East for a very long time. This book even gave Christopher Columbus the inspiration to explore the Orient. It is this book that I had the pleasure of reading. Marco Polos Journal is a written account of Marco Polos travels, dictated from Marco Polo himself to a fellow prisoner, Maestro Rustichello of Pisa, while he was imprisoned in Genoa. This recount has been accepted by most people, but some critics doubt whether Marco Polo ever reached China, as his recount never mentions tea drinking, foot binding or cormorant fishing that were prominent in China at that time. However, whether Marco Polo ever reached China we maybe will never know, so you will have to make your own judgement on whether he did or not. Marco Polo was born in Venice. His father and uncle were Venetian merchants and business partners. Their main commercial interest was Constantinople (present day Istanbul). Unfortunately for them, Constantinople fell into the hands of rival Genoese merchants. This meant that the two businessmen had lost their main trade, and in 1260, had to set out and find a new prospering market north of the Caspian Sea. They found a key city on the caravan route to China, where they remained for three years. After several years they left there to serve in the court of the Mongol Emperor, Kublai Kahn. They were welcomed and carried out various missions during their stay. Finally, after three years serving in Kublai Kahns court, they returned home to Venice in 1269. In 1...

Avoid Burnout by Connecting with Your Healthcare Colleagues

Avoid Burnout by Connecting with Your Healthcare Colleagues As a member of the medical field, you already know that you speak a totally different language from non-industry people. But beyond that, your emotional language is also quite foreign to outsiders.  Sure,you can certainly talk to  your friends and family  about your job, but they’ll never  truly  Ã¢â‚¬Å"get† the unique challenges you face daily–not like someone else who’s been there in the trenches. If you don’t have an emotional outlet, the daily stresses that come with a health care job might consume your life outside of the job. After all, someone who hasn’t experienced the phenomenon of being responsible for someone else’s health and well-being will never understand:The pressure of managing life-or-death situations on a daily basisThe physical toll of being on your feet for hours at a timeThe constant worry about possible malpractice suitsThe daily struggle to deal with difficult (and oftentimes irrational!) patientsThe co nstant feeling that you’re moments away from burning outIt’s key to your professional success to seek out peers with whom you can vent and feel understood. The shared camaraderie with peers who work in medicine is indeed a special bond, one that can make you a better employee in the long run. Take advantage of the connection you share to avoid career burnout!

Marketing Essential Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Marketing Essential - Assignment Example The return on assets of the bank was only 0.65% as compared to the average industry return approximated to be only 0. 81%. According to research, this low performance was due to the low interest from the public sector, that gives about 48% of the deposits and 28% of the loans (Thomas 2001). The country's government, in its proposed housing report has given a directive to the Bank to give 100% mortgage finances to its civil servants for three years (Roger 2000). The strategic plan of the Bank for the period starting 2001 to 2004 does not however include this directive from the government, as the competition for the deposits is still high . This situation therefore is a clear indication that the Bank has a great task to manage and give funding for this kind of loan deposits if it's to work with the guidelines of the Central Bank. The government, however, has given the Bank an opportunity to increase its market share as the deal would generate more money. Therefore, there need to raise the required money through deposits, while giving the Bank a greater market share in the local industry and increase the profits for the bank in the coming three years. This has been analyzed by looking at both the internal and external factors. The external factors has taken a look at the â€Å"macro-environment† , and the rivals in the market, while the internal factors was the analysis of the performance of the Bank, its management, infrastructure, the mission statement and its market coverage. There was the â€Å"SWOT† analysis that was aimed at identifying the Bank's strengths, weakness, opportunities and the threats. The analysis gives the Bank an indication that their need to change the strategies the bank used that and to give the market coverage the importance. This does not show that the Bank should ignore its existing market such as giving service to the public sector but refocusing the already being used mission. This would help the bank to achieve her stat ed objectives over time. Introduction The directive by the government to the Bank to give mortgaging, financing to the public servants puts the bank in a hard situation to get the deposits required to finance these servants. The mortgages will have a repayment period of 15 years with the interest rates based on 7. 5 per annum. The mortgage amount the Bank is expected to raise for the civil servants is $ 65 million and according to a research the new mortgage plan is to amount to $10 million in the first year, $18 million in the second year, and $37 million in the third year. This marketing plan for the Bank is intended to enable it raise the required funds for the directive, while to secure a strong position in the market industry and get higher profits for the 3 year period and the future plan (Carl 2000). In order to achieve this objective, the Bank had to deal with the issue of retaining the existing customers, come up with new customers, raise the $65 million to fund the civil s ervants over the next three years, increase her market share, maintain loans to deposit ratio to be in line with central bank's guidelines (appendix A), and to increase the company profits (Mintel 2001). Analysis of the Company Situation Competition In the country, there are four other related banks that offer similar services as the Kenya Commercial Bank. The banks include, the Barclays bank, the Standard Chartered bank, the Equity Bank, and K-Rep bank. These banks have all been successful in their

STRATEGIC REVIEW CASE ASSIGNMENT 1 THE EXCELLENT CONSULTING GROUP Essay

STRATEGIC REVIEW CASE ASSIGNMENT 1 THE EXCELLENT CONSULTING GROUP - Essay Example A thorough analysis of the external elements of the business as well as the current strategies has also been made, based on which a strong set of recommendations have been set down for the company. The next section will deal with the current situation of the company. Here we discuss the mission and vision of the company followed by the strategies that the company currently adopts. The company’s main objective is to grow to become the leaders in mobile computing. The company’s mission statement is â€Å"Our objective is to be the leader in mobile computing† (Palms Annual Report). The company’s vision statement has been noted to include a number of different areas, like, â€Å"a) Develop market-defining products that deliver a great user experience, b) Provide a choice of industry standard platforms, c) Differentiate our products through software and applications, d) Expand global presence and e) Build a brand synonymous with delightful mobile computing† (Palms Annual Report). It is evident that the company is focusing on becoming the world leaders and has taken all possible steps to ensure that they read their mission. As explained earlier, the company’s goal and objective is to become the world leaders in mobile computing. The company focuses on the providing the industry with a wide range of industry standard platforms (Palm Inc.). The company also focuses on ensuring that products and services provide a great customer experience and allow the customers gain the best of the industry. Based on the goals and objectives of the company, Palm Inc has been able to effectively develop a brand image, which has been consistent with one which provides high quality and excellent customer experience. The company has also been able to use the highest and best level of software and applications. The company’s main strength is the differentiation that the company has been able to achieve in the markets and the high choice of standard platforms that the

Recycled toothbrushes make sense Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Recycled toothbrushes make sense - Essay Example This partnership can strengthen the brand image of the company in front of people who are concerned about the environment and help recycline achieve its mission of preserving the environment. Additional ways the company can market its product is by using alternatives to plastic in its packaging. This will further indicate the company’s willingness to achieve better environmental standards. It can also use trash cans or other disposed material in its production facility to allow recycling. Furthermore, the use of environmental ways of marketing, such as planting a tea accompanied by company branding can also serve the purpose as customers will start to associate green with Recycline. As the company grows larger it will face significant challenges in enhancing its production. In order to maintain its motto of using recycled products, it will have to seek partnership with government and nongovernmental agencies to facilitate them in getting disposed material that can be used as potential inputs for their product. Furthermore they will also have to expand their wind production facility. Marketing will have to take the ATL course more often and spending on marketing will also have to be

How To Keep Yourself Healthy Essay

How To Keep Yourself Healthy Essay Maintaining a healthy body is not that easy and not so difficult also. Always there is a need to be healthy because unhealthy body will be attacked by many diseases. Here we will discuss about some tips which will help to have a happy and healthy life. Most important tip for a healthy body is to have healthy food and eat them at proper time. Avoid eating junk food. None of the nutrients are available in these junks foods so no point in having them. Your diet should contain food which has more nutrients. Try to include leafy vegetables, fresh vegetables, fruits, milk, and fish in your daily diet. Make sure you are having your breakfast regularly. Skipping your breakfast regularly will definitely affect your health. If water content in your body goes low then it will lead to dehydration. So to keep the body healthy make sure you drink more amount of water daily. Exercise also pays a vital role in keeping your body healthy. Regular exercise will also keep your body in good health. By exercise it doesnt mean a simple and slow walk. It should be in such a way that your body should start sweating. You can go for running, do cycling, walking faster etc. Daily find some time 30 mints to one hour per day for your exercise. Have a regular checking of your weight and try to control it. Its nice to have Medical checkups and dental checkups by which you can have an idea about your health condition. Apart from these always try to manage your stress. Most people due to stress at work have health problems. By controlling your stress you can maintain a healthy body. Bad habits like smoking, drinking, using of drugs should be avoided. Usage of these items will have a very bad affect on your health. Your body should get enough time to take rest. Make sure you get a sleep of 8 hours daily. Sleep is very important for healthy body and also for mental and emotional happiness. Comparison of health and fitness Fitness and health seems to be same for everyone but they have entirely two different meanings. Fitness can be defined as the physical ability to perform work, sports etc with ease. While health is a condition in which the body should have resistance capacity from all illness and all parts of the body should works fine without any problem. Your body should possess both fitness as well as health. Men and ladies are equally concerned about your body. They want their body to be fit and healthy. Due to more demand for fit and healthy body many gyms and work out centers are opened. To maintain a healthy and fit body primarily requires self control and will power. Many factors can divert us from achieving our goal of having a fit and healthy body. But never deviate and focus on it and try achieving their goal as all knows Health is wealth. Health can be maintained by proper diet, exercise and hygiene. But in the other case to keep your body you need to do proper exercise. Usually sports people will have a fit body. They shape their body in such a way that it will be fit for their respective sport. But coming to healthy body it is just a matter of controlling weight and making your body immune to diseases. Some people will try to make their body fit so vigorously that they will not think about their diet and health. This creates a problem. So always make sure your body to be healthy and fit. Compared to healthy body, fit body needs more exercise and diet. For a healthy and fit body walking is very good exercise which helps in burning the excess fat in your body. A fit body doesnà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t mean that it should look good from outside. A fit and healthy body should be physically active and energetic and smart enough to accept any tasks given to them. Athletic training This is a program followed by athletes to make their body ready for the respective sport that they are going to perform. Training is mainly conducted by certified professional. It is the duty of the trainers to attend if any emergency comes for the athlete Athletic training also deals about how to avoid and cure the sport injuries through many therapeutic exercises and by providing proper food. Candidates who are interested to become an athlete trainer should first get a degree from certified training curriculum. There are many programs under which certifications are possible. Some of them are nutrition, first aid, emergency care, treatment for injury and illness etc. Class room trainings are available for this certification. Most of the certified trainers are having a master degree. Athletic trainers have got a very important role in taking care of the injured athletes. Quick emergency and reviews of the injured athletes are done by these trainers. They also provide an important communication link between the bruised athlete, his family, his coach and his family and will help them to decide when the athlete should be ready for his next practice session or competition. Never compare athletic training with personal training. Both have got vast differences. Athletic trainers can be seen at places where people with more physical activities are available. Athletic training services are available in Schools, clinics, Hospitals, workplaces. Athletic training is a profession that has got wide variety of career opportunities. Yearly the demand for the profession is growing. They can work in High schools as well in college levels to help the students who got injured during any practice or competition. They have got opportunities in Sports health clinic and also in Health care departments of many companies. In these companies they provide service to the employees who have got any bruises or injuries. They have opportunities in armed forces as well. Tips for a healthy and fit body For a healthy and fit body you need to keep on doing exercise. Many factors will come across us and can divert us from achieving our goal of being fit and healthy. But you should be having strong self discipline and will power to achieve this healthy and fit body. Below given are some methods through which can maintain a fit and healthy body. Most important is the exercise. Make it a routine to move your body. You can do this by running around your home, playing with your kids, climbing up and down the stair case and so on. This will help in increasing your blood circulation. You can also join a gym where you will have an instructor who can guide you to have a healthy and fit body. Try to avoid fatty food and junk food. These foods are not going to give any nutrients to your body. Better stick on to a diet which includes fresh vegetables, fruits, fish and Dairy Products such as milk. Limited number of dried fruits can be included in your diet. Reduce intake of foods which are more salty and food with more sugar. Too much sugar and salt is bad for health. Have food at proper timings .Try not skip any meals. If you dont feel hungry also eat something but dont skip the meals. Avoid all the bad habits like smoking, drinking, using drugs etc. This will make your health more badly. Try to manage your stress by walking in beach or watching any sport channel or by listening to music or anything that makes you relaxed. Keep your hands clean regularly because many diseases can attack your body though you hands. Try to maintain good hygiene which will keep all the sickness away from your body. Do a regular body as well as dental checkups. Maintain your healthy weight and make sure it is under control. Above given tips can help you to have a fit and healthy body. But most important is self determination. If you possess self determination then definitely you can achieve a healthy and fit body. How Can Regular Exercise Keep You Healthy Both nutrition and exercise play a very vital role in the amount of fat stored in the body. All types of exercise will not reduce your body fat. For reducing body fat, first try to increase the duration of exercise rather than decreasing the level of food intake. Studies have proved that there is a significant relation between lack of physical activity and fat build up. Just by being more active generally such as ascending stairs instead of taking the lift, moving in the office instead of sitting still in front of our desktop as well as showing some enthusiasm instead of boredom, are all various means to burn calories and reducing body fat. It seems everyone have forgotten the value of being active. Dieting without exercising will result in getting fatter. One should increase his/her metabolism by exercising regularly to avoid getting fat. The easiest exercise for strengthening your bones, controlling weight, leg muscles toning and improving self esteem is walking. It is advisable to walk at a moderate pace. Walking at high speeds every alternate day will help improve ones system. Walking aimlessly for per hour day will not be effective at all. Exercise and diet are linked to each other when it comes to good health and weight loss. Better than maintaining a balanced diet without exercise, it is better to exercise without dieting. Performing sit ups and crunches alone, the fat in your body will not transform to muscles. You have to do many other activities like active sports, running, cycling that help get rid of excess body fat as it burn lots of calories. Running at full vigor burns more calories than walking at brisk pace. It is very important that you keep in mind to lose body fat; burn more calories and eat less. More calories can be burnt and you can attain your goal quicker if you focus on exercising harder.

Essays --

â€Å"Ilmu pengetahuan tanpa nilai-nilai yang mulia belum tentu dapat melahirkan masyarakat yang baik dan berjaya. Nilai-nilai yang mulia tanpa ilmu pengetahuan juga tidak akan melahirkan masyarakat yang berjaya†. Begitulah ungkapan kata-kata bestari oleh mantan Perdana Menteri kita, Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, Bapa Pemodenan Negara yang merupakan salah satu daripada pencetus kegemilangan dunia pendidikan negara. Selamat pagi dan Salam 1 Malaysia saya ucapkan kepada: Pengerusi Majlis, Yang Amat Berhormat Datuk Johan Ashaari bin Murti, Menteri Pendidikan merangkap Timbalan Perdana Menteri. Yang Berhormat Datuk Romario Ansam anak Rungah, Timbalan Menteri Pendidikan. Yang Amat Berhormat Pehin Sri Maher Zain, Ketua Menteri. Yang Berhormat Freddy Jabu anak Jugah, Timbalan Ketua Menteri. Yang Berhormat Datuk Halimah, Menteri Tugas-tugas Khas Dalam Negeri berkaitan Pendidikan. Yang Berhormat Datuk-datuk dan Datin-datin. Yang Berbahagia Datuk Ariffin Faiq, Ketua Pengarah Pendidikan. Yang Berbahagia Datuk Sabri bin Rahmat, Rektor IPGM. Yang Dihormati Encik Hafiz Azman, Pengarah Pendidikan Negeri. Yang Berusaha Puan Saftuyah binti Safri, Pengarah Institut Pendidikan Guru Tunku Abdul Rahman. Pengarah-pengarah IPGK dan Wakil-wakil Pengarah IPGK. Yang Berusaha Encik Amir bin Jamal, Timbalan Pengarah Institut Pendidikan Guru Tunku Abdul Rahman. Ketua-ketua Jabatan Persekutuan dan Negeri. Ketua-ketua Jabatan dan Ketua-ketua Unit Institut Pendidikan Guru Tunku Abdul Rahman. Pensyarah-pensyarah Kanan. Para Pensyarah. Staf-staf Sokongan. Para Graduan. Para Ibu Bapa. Tuan-tuan dan Puan-puan dekat di hati. Tegak rumah kerana tiangnya, tegak bumi kerana paksinya, tegaknya saya di sini adalah untuk menyampaikan sebuah pidato yang bertajuk â€Å"Kecemerlan... .... Kesimpulannya, corak pendidikan yang diaplikasikan di Malaysia adalah lebih menyeluruh kerana ia merangkumi aspek fizikal dan rohani. Pendidikan di Malaysia bukan sahaja ingin membentuk pelajarnya yang aktif dan cemerlang dalam kurikulum dan kokurikulum malah ia juga memberi fokus kepada kelengkapan rohani dan moral agar pelajar yang dilahirkan sempurna dari segala segi. Maka dengan itu hadirin, saya sekali lagi menegaskan, pendidikan ini bukan sahaja penting untuk mengembangkan minda dan bakat manusia, malah ia juga penting untuk memacu legasi pembangunan negara. Ini adalah kerana pendidikan merupakan nadi kepada pencetus kegemilangan dan martabat sesebuah negara tersebut. Oleh itu, penting sekali untuk kita sebagai rakyat Malaysia dalam melancarkan aspirasi negara iaitu mencapai kecemerlangan dalam pendidikan untuk menaikkan nama negara di persada antarabangsa.

My Last Duchess Essay

The poem â€Å"My Last Duchess† by Robert Browning is about a powerful Duke and his beautiful wife who lived in 16th century. The Duke here is the speaker of the poem and is talking to an emissary who has arrived to discuss about his marriage to the daughter of yet another powerful family. The poem begins with Duke mourning for the loss of his wife but the way he speaks and the poem moves on we feel the tone of detestation in Duke’s words. But at the same time the Duke loved his wife and was not ready to tolerate her unfaithfulness and so he gives orders to decease her. It is clear from the words, â€Å"I ave commands; Then all smiles stopped together. † This is the story of marriage relationship of 16th century when men were extremely powerful and would easily kill women if they doubted her character especially in royal families. In the beginning of the poem the Duke shows his palace to the visitor and stops in front of the portrait of his last duchess who looks like a beautiful young lady. The Duke recalls the portrait session and tells the visitor about it and describes about the Duchess also. He told that the Duchess used to flirt with almost everyone and never cared for his â€Å"gift of a ine-hundred-years old name†. She had a dual personality one that was reality and the other laid in the picture, a beautiful young lady. The Duke here very cleverly chooses words to describe about the Duchess, her flirty behavior and also about her death. After giving a brief and partly hidden description of the demise of his last Duchess he very smarty returns to the topic of his another marriage with another girl and talks to emissary. He walks away from the portrait of the Duchess and points out other distinguished works of art in his collection. The Last Duchess† is a poem comprised of rhyming words and mere monologue in which the speaker with the influence of his powerful personality gives away horrifying information in a colorful manner. Here the poet seems to have distinct views from speaker and poet’s main aim here is to reveal the real character of the Duke and not the Duchess. Although there is no such direct intension but by disclosing character of Duchess as per the Duke and punishment she received from her husband, the poet wants the reader to feel the cruelty and harshness in Duke’s character. The Dukes in the 16th entury were very powerful so much so that they could kill or punish anyone and were not answerable for that. Browning was quite fascinated with the Italian Renaissance because of its religious, moral and human beauty and appreciation impact on society. The poem â€Å"The Last Duchess† involves the reader completely and focuses on the psychology of people of that era. It depends upon the reader what aspect he considers of the poem- the horrified fate of the Duchess, the beautiful and dramatic development, which is very much powerful or the beauty of language. The reader gets completely nvolved in the poem and this is the power and beauty of Browning’s poetic language. He forces his reader to get engrossed in the story depicted in poem and leaves him to think on the social structure, Duke’s character, Duchess’ character or her fate and decide for himself. It depends upon the attitude of the reader that makes him decide what exactly dominated the poem. When we compare each and every aspect of this poem to Shakespeare’s â€Å"Othello† we find that both the works are of more or less the same era and brings out the picture of the society at that time. Othello† is a tragic story of deception, manipulation and revenge written in the form of play by Shakespeare. The main character of the drama is Othello who is a black military man and is very powerful. He wins the heart of a white woman Desdemona and they seem to be fully devoted to each other. Initially Othello and Desdemona appear to be ideal couple and it seemed that Desdemona would do anything for Othello. But love of Othello and Desdemona gets horrifyingly hindered by the plans of wicked Iago, who appears to be very faithful and honest but in actual he is the sinister villain inside. For this purpose he uses few people along with his wife and there are quite a lot of circumstances in the play where Iago manipulates and exploits it for his selfish fulfillment. Where â€Å"Othello† is a story completely based on manipulations and revenge, â€Å"The Last Duchess† is the poem in which Duke punishes his wife because of her unfaithfulness. In the end Othello also kills his wife because Iago with the help of his manipulated proofs make him believe that his wife is unfaithful towards him. But it was not the truth here. Whereas Duke’s wife is flirtatious which is clear from the Duke’s wordings, â€Å"Too easily mpressed: she liked whate’er she looked on, and her looks went everywhere. † And he punishes her because he has the power to do so. According to the Duke he has done the right thing. In both the works, â€Å"Othello† and â€Å"The Last Duchess†, the husbands love their wives but could not tolerate their unfaithfulness. The whole story of â€Å"Othello† is based on revenge that Iago takes because Othello did not promote him as lieutenant. He creates and controls the proofs unscrupulously and convinces Othello that his wife is disloyal towards him but it was not the truth. The Duke as well as Othello, both are very powerful and outgoing and can go to any extent to prove that what they do is right. Othello is a dark man and his dark color is also reflected in his character. He is quite mysterious and believes that there is some kind of magic brewing everywhere. Apart from this he has a trusting nature and believes anyone completely and also because he is not very observant, he does not try to find out the truth himself and believes what Iago creates round him. Othello is not able to understand European women and since he had seen Desdemona’s deception for her father he emembers his words, â€Å"Look to her, Moor, if thou has eyes to see: She has deceived her father, and may thee† (I, iii, lines 286-7) Othello when comes to know that he had been tricked by the words and deeds of Iago, is unable to handle the anguish and he becomes his own judge and sentences himself. Othello understands that he had not killed Desdemona for revenge but because of his jealousy. He took a knife and stabbed himself saying, â€Å" I kissed thee ere I killed thee. No way but this, killing myself, to die upon a kiss. † (V, ii, line 359-60) Othello is jealous and kills his wife because he is convinced that his wife is unfaithful and he believes that he is doing justice. But the Duke watches his flirtatious wife for sometime who is not even ashamed of what she is doing and then he orders to kill her. The era in which Duke and Duchess live did not allow women to be seen with any other man than their husbands. It is quite possible that Duchess must be unaware that her husband saw her with her new male interest. The royal families at that time would kill their wives if they were not faithful to their husbands. And the Duke follows the same tradition of justice. Both the story depicts the marriage relationship of that era and the form of justice in royal families. In â€Å"The Last Duchess† the Duke is planning to get married again because he justifies his decision of killing his wife. His wife was a cheat and she had created the element of distrust by herself. But the picture of the wife in Shakespeare’s Othello is completely different where Othello’s wife is not only faithful but also devoted to him and his values. Even Iago’s wife cannot hold this injustice and tells Othello the true story and his shows that she had the guts to tell the truth even if it was against her husband. But the Duchess is a cheat and also is not bold enough to tell her husband about it. So the picture of women is completely different in Browning’s poem â€Å"The Last Duchess† and Shakespeare’s â€Å"Othello†. The only thing common in both the works is that men were powerful in that era and could not tolerate unfaithfulness of their wives. In â€Å"Othello† Iago is portrayed as a very clever character that very smartly weaves his plans just like a chess player and the game of chess. He even uses people in his act of anipulation and makes them do exactly how he wants them to. Here Iago targets a newly wed couple who have not known each other for long and they are not quite aware of the likes and dislikes of each other. Iago tells Othello in such a manner that anyone would believe what he said and Othello believes him as honest and trusts him completely. Othello did not know much about Desdemona before marriage and very easily believed Iago. Othello’s origin also resists him in understanding a European woman and her ethics of life and life-partner. So while comparing Shakespeare’s â€Å"Othello† and Browning’s â€Å" The last Duchess†, we ee that the situation, plot and circumstances all are quite different in both the stories. The wives in both the stories are completely different in character and one is killed because she was a cheat but Desdemona is killed because of the circumstances created by Iago who wants to take revenge from Othello. Here we pity Othello because he acts according to the manipulated circumstances and anyone would react to those situations as he did. And when he comes to know about the truth he is unable to bear the torment and kills himself whereas the Duke has plans to marry another girl.