Campaign Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Campaign Finance - Essay Example The Supreme Court Case Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission did extend the free speech rights to the corporations. However, in the light of the doubts raised by the documentary Big Sky, Big Money and a thorough perusal of the views of Justice Anthony Kennedy and Justice John Paul Stevens in the given case, it would be pragmatic and fair to say that corporations should not have the free speech rights as the individual citizens and much more needs to be done to protect the American elections from the influence of â€Å"big money†. The big question is to decide as to what extent the personification of corporations should be allowed in a democratic society like the US? This question needs to be analyzed in the light of the assertion made by Justice Stevens that â€Å"†the special characteristics of the corporate structure require particularly careful regulation† in an electoral context (Stevens 301).† Thereby, the one salient characteristic of corpora tions is the kind of financial wherewithal they have at their disposal, to influence the outcomes of an election. This doubt needs to be approached in the context of the claim made by Professor David Parker of Montana State University in the documentary Big Sky, Big Money that in Montana elections, almost 68 % of the money being ascribed to the election campaigns could be traced to outside groups, who are taking the advantage of the Citizens United vs. ... It simply amounts to a base and shallow playing with the statutory rules to pump corporate money into the election campaigns of the select candidates, as Rodell Mollineou, the President of the research group American Bridge extending services to 501C4 groups like WTP blatantly asserts in the documentary that â€Å"I am playing by the rules given to me (Frontline 1).† Thereby, the Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission in a way gave a free hand to the corporations to use the pecuniary power at their disposal, to extend the much needed financial brawn to the candidates whose views happen to be in tandem with their designs. Till today the biggest obstacle before the corporate interference in the American election system was the challenge as to â€Å"How to use money to effect elections without disclosing where money is coming from (Frontline 1).† The Supreme Court decision in one stroke ameliorated this impediment by declaring corporate financing of private issue advocacy groups like WTP to be legal. The other salient hassle before the corporate interference in the election process was the onus of endowing this criminal practice with a moral justification. However the premise lay down by the Supreme Court decision that the independent corporate election expenditure aided the cause of democracy by increasing â€Å"the number of issues discussed, the depth of their exploration, and the size of the audience reached (Kennedy 296)†, further facilitated the corporate electoral intentions. As was expected, this decision provided the much needed fuel to the corporate lobbyists like the campaign finance attorney James Bopp to accrue the much required

Organic solar cells Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Organic solar cells - Essay Example Solar energy is a potential alternative to the production of energy with petroleum. The present solar-cell technology’s energy yield is often not the same and mass-production proves expensive. There is incomplete information of the solar energy production’s total effect on environment. A research team at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) carried out one of the first assessments of the life-cycle of organic solar cells in an attempt to develop a better understanding of the detriments and environmental benefits of solar power. The research was directed at the calculation of total use of energy and impact of material collection, production, fabrication, and use of organic solar cells on the environment by means of a detailed assessment of the technology. As a result of this research, it was found that the total amount of energy needed to make a product is more for the conventional inorganic devices in comparison to the organic solar cells. The assistant professor of chemical engineering, Brian Landi, who has served as a faculty advisor in this research project at RIT says, â€Å"This analysis provides a comprehensive assessment of how much energy it takes to manufacture an organic solar cell, which has a significant impact on both the cost and environmental impact of the technology† (Landi cited in Dube). Organic solar cells are considered to be low-cost as well as potentially benign power sources environmentally. The components of organic solar cells that play the role of absorbing light and taking the charge i.e. Ï€-Conjugated (semiconducting) polymers cannot be made in the laboratories in amenable ways to the manufacturing with low impact on the environment. Organic solar cells are lightweight and flexible. Their tendency to provide the cost effective solution processing generates a range of benefits for manufacturing over the technologies of the

Supply chains and distribution in India

Supply chains and distribution in India Abstract Indias FMCG industry has emerged as a distinct sector over the last few decades. Multinationals are seeking to pursue growth opportunities in emerging markets due to increased globalization and competition. India is one such emerging market that not only provides multinational companies with a large customer base but also welcomes western products. Having a presence in India means sourcing, moving and processing up to one billion or more units. In addition, the cost expectations and the larger size of the consumer market will have implications on supply chains. Excellent supply chain strategies for India will involve adopting efficient processes enabling products to smoothly change hands from the supplier to the consumer while adapting to the constraints of cost, infrastructure availability and market size of the economy. Other constraints associated with political, religious or cultural barriers may also need to be considered. The report is divided into two major parts. One deals with the distribution chains prevalent in the urban market while the second part delves into the intricacies of the rural distribution market. We follow the same format for both the parts starting with an introduction into the current trends found in the urban or rural market, then clearing our point with a case study and finally presenting what are the challenges faced by the companies. Supply Chain Management in Urban region- Introduction The FMCG sector is the fourth largest sector in the country and has been growing in folds in the past few decades. The sector has both organized and unorganized players and the number of players in both the segments are on increase, in addition to this there is also an increase in the number of products introduced every year. Since the sector is characterized by the fast movement of goods and services its dependence on effective supply chain is higher than that of any other sector so supply chain management is become one of the most vital functions. Supply chain management in urban sector typically refers to procurement of raw materials, processing them into finished products and distributing them in the urban region till its reaches the end consumer. Every company/ firm in the FMCG sector has its own supply chain models which are similar yet different from one another. Below are two examples of the supply chain models. The supply chain management in urban regions is more to do with choices for instance in logistic a firm can choose to transport the product via railways, roadways, airways or in some case even waterways. An effective supply chain will enable the firm to minimize the cost, maximize returns, match the supply to the demand and ultimately satisfy the customers. An urban supply chain in most cases has clear cut distinction between the inbound supply chain (pertaining to providing raw materials and components), in house supply chain (conversion process), outbound supply chain (distribution of good and services. The profile of the urban consumers plays a crucial role in determining the supply chain because at the end without the consumer there is no point in building up the supply chain model. Strategic decisions like number of outlet the firm would have to distribute its product, the kind of outlet, method to transport the product, places from were the raw material is procured, manufacturi ng method (automated, semi automated or manual) etc are taken keeping the consumer and the utility of the product to the consumer in mind. This is on account that the urban consumers are well informed and there are many competitors fighting for that consumer. The Supply Chain of Dominos Pizza (India) Dominos Pizza in India Dominos Pizza opened its first store in India in 1996. Jubilant FoodWorks Limited, a Jubilant Bhartia Group Company holds the Master Franchisee Rights for Dominos Pizza for India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Prior to Sep 24, 2009, the company was known as Dominos Pizza India Limited and underwent a name change, rest of the terms remaining the same. The promoters of the company are Mr. Shyam S Bhartia, Mr. Hari S Bhartia and Jubilant Enpro Private Ltd. Today Dominos has more than 300 stores in India with more than 9000 employees. According to the India Retail Report 2009, we were the largest Pizza chain in India and the fastest growing multinational fast food chain between 2006-2007 and 2008-2009 in terms of number of stores. Over the years Dominos Pizza has focused on:- Delivering great tasting pizzas Superior Quality Exceptional Customer service Think global and act local Value for money offerings Being a home delivery specialist capable of delivering pizzas within 30 minutes or else FREE Revenue in India 70% of the revenue comes from home deliveries 30% of the revenue comes from OTC sales 30 minute Guarantee Dominos has its unique proposition that they deliver pizza at a customers doorstep within 30 mins of placing the order or they would receive the pizza free. They have positioned themselves as a brand that delivers happiness home (Khushiyon ki Home Delivery) has an emotional benefit which they offer to their customers Dominos Supply Chain Integration Shown below is a high level flow of the supply chain followed by Dominos Pizza, India:- Raw Material Procurement Distribution Logistics Inventory Management Operational Strategy Production Process Quality Initiatives Customer Service R Raw Material Procurement Dominos has 4 commissaries or production kitchens-cum-warehouses (Regional Centralized Facilities) in India Delhi Caters to 54 outlets in NCR region including 33 outlets in Delhi City itself Bangalore Caters to 90+ outlets across south zone Kolkata Caters to 15+ outlets in Kolkata Mumbai Caters to 80+ outlets in Maharashtra including 51 in Mumbai and 15 in Pune Raw materials like Wheat is brought in from Jalandhar and sent to commissaries in refrigerated trucks. Pizza dough is prepared using a proprietary recipe in the commissaries. They are then made into dough balls and sent to retail outlets in refrigerated trucks. Vegetables like tomato, capsicum, baby corn, onion and spices are purchased locally. Cheese is brought in from Karnal, Haryana. Food which is frozen is sent in these trucks at -18 deg Celsius. It uses a hub and spoke model with commissaries as Hub and retail outlets as spokes. Logistics Wheat (Jalandar) Dough Vegetables (Local) Cheese (Karnal) Commissary Refrigerated Trucks Retail Outlets Inventory Management Major inventory consists of perishable items with a very small shelf life. Some of the items are tabulated below:- ITEM SHELF LIFE Dough Ball 3-4 days Seasoning and Toppings 4-5 days Onion, Capsicum , Tomato 5 days Cheese Blend 4-5 days Chicken Meat 2-3 days Cheese Dip 4-5 days Mexican Wrap Base 3-4 days Each store maintains approximately 4 days of inventory since most of the items have a shelf life of around 3-4 days. Inventory is refilled by trucks from the commissary every 4 days. There is a mini cold storage in every outlet. Inventory levels are monitored centrally by POS (point of sales) data using Intura Vision (POS management system) installed in every outlet. Intura Vision is the simplest and most reliable point-of-sale management system available for delivery and quick service restaurant operations. Intura Vision streamlines every aspect of your operation, including order taking, credit card processing, kitchen management, deliveries, inventory, and customer marketing, to make your business more efficient and profitable. There are two POS per outlet. Orders are received in telephonic form also there are in-store orders. Production Process The entire production process is streamlined into three stages:- Dough Table Here the pizza base is prepared. It is rolled out of the dough ball. There are three standard sizes Personal (8 inches), Medium (10 inches) and Large (14 inches). Personal, medium and large serves one, two and four persons respectively. Then cheese blend is applied on the base. The entire process of making a pizza base takes 1-2 minutes. Bake line In this stage toppings and seasonings are applied on the top of the prepared base. The choice of toppings depends upon the pizza ordered. Customers also have the facility to customise their own pizza by choosing their toppings from a variety of toppings available. Toppings can be veg, non-veg or both. Customer can also choose the seasoning they prefer depending upon the spices they would like to have in their pizza. The entire process of make line is 1 minute. Ven The pizza is then ready to be baked in oven. The temperature maintained is 470 Fahrenheit. Oven has a capacity to bake 6-7 pizzas in one slot. The pizza needs to be baked for about 5-6 minutes. The ovens used now-a-days are fully automatic along with a conveyer belt, so that the flow is continuous. In case of production in India, Dominos has a turnout of 1 pizza per minute. This meets the current demand requirement. The constraint here is the oven. They have overcome this by withdrawing the 30 min guarantee during festivals like New Year, Christmas, Diwali and rush-hours. Operations Strategy Dominos follows a hub and spoke distribution network wherein the 4 commissaries are the hubs and the retail outlets are the spokes. The raw material is replenished in the outlets from the hubs every 4 days or when it gets over, whichever is earlier. Vegetables are purchased locally (delayed differentiation). They have incorporated IST (interstore transfer) to cater to sudden spikes in the orders during special occasions wherein inventory falls short. In such cases material from nearby store is transferred to the critical store so that there is no halt in operations. They also have performance based costing for their employees where employees are given incentives depending upon the volume of sales which they achieve. Higher the sales better the incentives. Present status due to mismanaged Supply Chain in India: In India, about 60% of food value is mislaid in the supply chain from the farm to the final consumer. Consumers end up paying approximately 35 percent more than what they could be paying if the supply chain was refined, because of wastage as well as multiple margins in the present supply structure. Comparing with what returns farmers in India get (30%), in the USA the farmers can receive up to 70 percent of the final retail price and wastage levels are as low as 4 to 6 percent. Therefore we can appreciate the benefits that could be generated from implementing those practices and tapping those skills for the supply chain in India. The significance can be understood by the fact that the logistics  cost component in our country is as high as 7 10 percent against the global average of 4 5 percent of the total retail price. Therefore, the margins in the retail sector can be improved by 3 5 percent by just improving the supply chain management. Supply Chain Challenges Urban India Some key reasons of underperformance of supply chain management in urban India 1. Supply chain risk mitigation in an economic downturn: supplier financial risk, volatility in energy, commodity, labor rates and currency exchange, unpredictable economic recoveries. 2. Searching for working capital: FMCG companies will look to reduce inventory and lower operating or carrying costs. Buyers will look to extend payment terms Suppliers will drive to collect receivables more quickly, creating the need for a liquidity buffer such as supply chain financing 3. Shortening the supply chain by making proper use of transportation facility: Companies will need to plan a distribution system that takes care of the realities of domestic transportation infrastructure. Indias supply chains must contend with slow transit networks and inadequate infrastructure. For example, 70 % of Indias seaborne trade is handled by just 2 of the 12 major ports. The Railways is also constrained when it comes to freight movements. Historically, the countrys rail capacity was limited to passenger traffic, and people protested the use of rail for freight movement. Only of late has the government initiated efforts to promote rail shipments. Most commercial shipments in India make their journey aboard a truck. Hiring a carrier meant working with a small trucking company, as the country has no large, national transportation companies. A recent study of the transportation industry found that the majority of carriers had less than five trucks in their fleets. Scheduling deliveries and pickups also can be tricky. At present, most warehouses are located in the heart of Indian cities, and many municipalities prohibit large truck movements during daytime hours. It is possible to negotiate special exemptions in some places, but generally shippers must plan on nighttime movements. Another alternative is to unload large shipments at a cross dock outside the city and move orders to smaller vehicles for delivery. 4). More free-trade agreements and more scrutiny: The entry of foreign players in the retail segment will increase competition even further. More importantly multi-national companies might be having more money at their disposal. Thirdly they will also have access to latest technology and a ready highly efficient model to implement from.   5). Push-pull boundary: Increased competition, and fluctuating demand will make it difficult to identify the points at which the flow of goods switches from being pulled by consumers to being pushed by extractors.. 6). Maintenance of safety stock: Instead of having huge safety stocks at different places, centralized place will have to be used to have even more cash liquidity and lesser availability of godowns. 7) Judicious use of newer technologies and decision making tools: Use of newer technologies such as RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) continue to change the way SCM systems are designed and managed. Until recently, barcodes were the primary means of tracking packages. The advent of cheap, reliable RFID technologies have eliminated the need to physically scan packages in shipment, storage, etc, since packages with the embedded chips can be remotely scanned. 8) Creating a demand-driven supply chain To support a demand-driven supply chain, FMCG companies must deploy performance-oriented supply chain practices, such as continuous monitoring and alert notification. This will give them a clear idea of their total supply network to adapt to changes in demand and adjust based on real-time insight into global operations. A reliable demand plan provides the foundation for sales and ops planning (SOP) which helps FMCG companies better arrange daily operational; more effectively balance supply and demand; and make better decisions that impact both the top and bottom lines. 9) Other problems faced:. Inadequacies in infrastructure such as lack of high quality road networks, power shortages and insufficient storage spaces. The current rise in property prices and rentals may render a few retail business models unviable. The retail industry loses to the tune of US$120 to US$130 million every year in frauds, thefts and employee pilferage, shop lifting, vendor frauds or inaccurate supervision despite using standard and modern security features Multiple taxes at the federal and state level Rural Market Introduction The FMCG sector in the urban areas is becoming quite saturated (though it will continue to dominate in the next 8 10 years) while the penetration in the rural areas are only about 1%. The rural areas have and will continue to make up more than 50% of Indias total households and accounting for more than its current 66% contribution to total FMCG consumption. Rural India has a large consuming class with 41 per cent of Indias middle-class and 58 per cent of the total disposable income. Currently, nearly 34% of the off take of FMCG companies come form rural areas. Companies like HUL, ITC and Colgate have already established good distribution networks in these regions. Other companies would start catering to these regions in near future. Figure 1: Urban and Rural growth rates (Personal Care products) A huge segment of this market is currently flooded with obscure brands that are largely manufactured and distributed by small and medium enterprises. However, with the growing competition in the FMCG business, it has become difficult for SMEs to market their products sustainably. This is mainly due to the solidly established brand images of bigger players and the increasingly sophisticated demands of the urban customer. SMEs also lack the capital investment needed to compete with bigger players. However, with the growing economy, substantial business opportunities for FMCG producers have emerged in the Indian rural sector. The rural FMCG market is growing with a CAGR of 3-4%. In the case of products like soaps, talcum powder, cooking oil, tea, cigarettes and hair oil, the share of rural market crosses 50%. The capital expenditure of urban consumers on FMCG products is Rs. 49,500 crore, while that spent by rural population is over Rs.63,500 crore. This is indicates the growth rate and participation of rural FMCG markets in India. Despite the huge scope for FMCG products in the fast-emerging rural markets, some gray areas need to be worked out before SMEs can establish sustainable businesses: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Rural India does not represent a homogeneous market. The tastes and preferences of the consumers vary from district to district in the country. With changes in the language and dialect, advertising has to be tailored specifically for different target consumers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Networks are not efficient to tackle the distribution demands. Problems exist in reaching the interiors of the country. Initial expenditures to develop distributor networks are immense, because in Roads and communication networks are not efficient to tackle the distribution demands. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ As there is little consumer research regarding the rural markets, companies commit the folly of overestimating the awareness of product usage in the rural market. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The Indian consumer is traditionally price sensitive and more so in the rural parts. Multinational companies that modify portions and packaging to create a greater value proposition have succeeded in targeting the rural consumer. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The rural distributor cannot stock a large variety of products because of credit problems. Also as the retailer plays a vital role in the village in convincing the consumer about the usage of the product, it becomes imperative to provide sufficient information and infrastructure support to stock adequate inventory of goods. Major global brands have included villagers in their distribution channels, not only providing employment but also extending the reach in the rural markets. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ While increased penetration of telecommunication has resulted in an increased awareness among villagers, it is still important to understand that a major chunk of rural community is not educated enough to comprehend the technicalities of the product/brand usage. Models for Rural distribution chains Approach 1 : Dedicated Rural Entrepreneur: The Individual is preferred to have a two wheeler and act as the spoke between the super stockiest and the villages in a hub and spoke model. He is expected to know the area well and has sufficient education to run a business. He is recruited to cover the nearby areas as well ( upto a 40KM range). He acts as the point of contact to receive and deliver the goods to the respective stores in his area of service. The analysis says this model works well for products that cost more than 75 per Kilo and the important part is that the company need not worry about the administration part of the operation. Approach 2: Distributor consolidation for urban and rural markets: Here we are to consolidate the urban distributor and the super and sub stockiest into a single group to serve the retail outlets. This entity is supposed to cover the town and the villages nearby. Approach 3: Consolidated Distribution with tele-order booking: Rural tele-density in India is expected to go up in the near future. This would help to remove the role of saleman an facilitate direct communication with the rural retail outlets to the super stockiest. However the drawback is that the company might loose on the relationship with the retail store in the absence of a sales person. Approach 4: Distributor choice based on unutilized reverse logistics potential Another non-traditional form of Collaboration for rural distribution could be to partner with other partner low-margin, high-reach players in rural markets. An example could be that of the dairy industry. The vehicles form the Dairy factories goes empty to the rural areas for collection and comes back with the milk. So it could be used for the transportation of goods from the factory site to the rural areas. Pepsico Distribution Chain Pepsico Indias distribution in rural areas thrives on two major factors :- Third party outsourcing Hub and spoke model in the rural areas. This mechanism is followed in the urban areas as well but in the rural regions the local entrepreneurs from the smaller spokes of the distribution channels. In all its operations the transportation is outsourced to the third parties. However there are some cases in which large distribution centres have their own fleet for transportation of finished products. The major two challenges faced by the company in the Indian context are the insufficient distribution in the rural sector and the inherent market risks. Distribution forms a major part of the companys concerns as it not only accounts to the revenues lost but also the potiential market share. The concern is primarily because of the Physical conditions of the Indian market and also the low purchasing power of the rural customer base this results in the setting p of the distribution centre cost being high. Coupled to that we have the insufficient sales offsetting the set up cost. Another concern is the taste of the rural customer who is more attracted to the local juice store or the fruit stall thereby increasing the competition from the unorganized sector. In case of distribution we have the issue of the size of retail store. The retail outlets in rural areas are more or less Kirana stores and there is near complete absence of the retail chains. So the amount of inventory that can be stocked in the small retail stores is very small. Apart from the distribution channel issues we have the risk of the market conditions. The small shops in the rural areas lack the refrigeration or storage capacities. The inventory is kept to meet the demands for the day and most of it is kept out in the open dues to lack of storage facilities. Thus many a time during the rainy season we can see the closure of these shops and sales of the products getting stalled. Pepsico has implemented the following strategies to overcome these concerns Utilizing the collective efforts of the small scale farmers, land holders and regional government Alliances with other multinationals Promoting entrepreneurship It started with a strategy similar to project Shakti used by the Hindustan Lever, but alliances were with local entrepreneurs and other multinationals. Its started by making the entrepreneur the spoke of its regional distributional network in the rural areas and then went along with Hindustan levers to share its distribution network. This helps the entrepreneur having a larger spectrum of products for distribution and hence a better prospect. The distribution chain of Pepsico India has a fragmented design which can be largely attributed to the lack of transportation infrastructure. And this resulted in the creation of collaborative and entrepreneurial partnership that thrives with symbiotic existence. An example could be that of a supplier who Is willing to lease land holding from other farmers Supply Chain Management in Rural Market- Challenges The following are a few of the challenges that a company faces while managing its supply chain in rural markets. Multiple Tier, Higher Cost and Administration Problem In the first place, the rural supply chain requires a larger number of tiers, compared to the urban one. The long distances to be covered from the manufacturing points to the scattered consuming households cause this situation. At the minimum, the rural supply chain need the village-level shopkeeper, the mandi-level distributor and the wholesale/stockiest in the town. And on top of them are the manufacturers own warehouse and branch office operations in selected centres. Such multiple tiers and scattered outfits push up the cost and make supply chain management a major problem. The scope of manufactures direct outlet such as showrooms or depots is quite limited in the rural market unlike in urban areas. It becomes expensive as well as unmanageable. The dependence of the firm on intermediaries is much greater in rural areas as direct outlets are ruled out. But controlling such a vast network of intermediaries is a difficult task. Control is mostly indirect. And because of these factor s the firm has to be more careful while selecting the supply chain members in rural areas. Non-availability of dealers Another problem is the availability of dealers. Many firms find that there are limited numbers of suitable dealers. Even if the firm is willing to start from scratch and try out rank newcomers, the choice of candidate is really limited. Poor Viability of Retail Outlet Retail sales outlets in the rural market suffer from poor viability. A familiar paradox in rural distribution is that the manufacturer incurs additional expenses on distribution, still the retail outlets find that the business in unremunerative. The scattered nature of market and the multiplicity of tiers in the supply chain use up the additional funds the manufacturer is prepared to part with. And no additional money comes to any of the groups. Moreover, the business volume is not enough to sustain the profitability of all the groups and the retail outlet suffers the most. Inadequate Bank Facilities Supply chain in rural markets is also handicapped due to lack of adequate banking and credit facilities. Rural outlets need banking support for three important purposes. To facilitate remittances to principals and to get fast replenishment of stocks To receive supplies through bank (retiring documents with the bank) To facilitate credit from bank As banking facilities are inadequate in rural areas, rural dealers are handicapped in all these aspects. It is as estimate that there is only one bank branch for every fifth village. Inadequate Credit Facilities Inadequacy of other institutional credit is another constraint. Rural outlets are unable to carry adequate stocks due to lack of credit facilities. They are unable to extend credit to their customers. Thus there is a vicious circle of lack of credit facilities leading to inadequate stocking and loss of business, finally resulting in poor viability of outlets. Lack of Transportation Facilities Many rural areas are not connected by proper transportation facilities. There are a very few villages with railways lines. Atleast 50 percent of the rural roads are poorly surfaced, and many totally destroyed or severely damaged by the monsoons and remain unserviceable. Also the use of bullock carts looks inevitable for many years into the future. In such a scenario distribution of goods via any supply chain is a huge challenge in itself. Lack of Proper Communication Facilities Communication with these villages is difficult and highly expensive. Moreover, 300,000 villages in the country have no access to telephone. This acts as a hindrance to proper supply chain management. Other Challenges Apart from the above there are various other challenges that firms face on day on day basis like. Low literacy rate Difference in languages and Dialects Prevalence of Seasonal Demand Rural policy Caliber of the rural community- they have great acumen but they need intensive training Supply Chain Management in Rural Market- How to tackle the Challenges In order to tackle the problem of supply chain management the following strategies can be implemented. Satellite Supply Chain In this system stockists are appointed in the major towns and feeder towns. They by and large discharge the following functions; (a) Financing (b) warehousing and (c) sub-distribution. Retailers in and around feeder towns get attached to these stockists. The manufacturer supply goods to the stockists either on consignment or on cash/credit basis. Further these stockists deliver the good to the retail market points or satellite markets. Over a period of time some retailers grow in stature and importance. If such retail points also coincide with centres of demand and transportation within the feeder town area, they are elevated to stockists points. If 15-20 retailers were operating as part of the original stockists network, 5 or 6 get elevated over a period of time to stockists. Fresh retail points get established simultaneously out of which some get attached to the original stockists while others to the new one. This process continues as long as the market and consumption level keep expanding and the supply also catches up via such a supply chain. Just like second-generation stockists, set of third generation stockists get established with the passage of time. At any point of time, a certain number or retail points hover round a particular stockist. Hence the system is called Satellite Supply chain distribution. The satellites have their own satellites too. The advantages of this system are Market penetration takes place without manufacturer having to expand his direct stock points. This system can bring in ample rewards in terms of increased sales and lesser distribution costs. Syndicate Supply Chain This solution is essentially for small companies: tie up with leading companies that already has a presence in rural market and distribute products through there supply chains. Relying on Private Village Shops Tie ups with the village private shops are the cheapest and most convenient channels in the rural markets. Supply Chain Management in Rural Market- Opportunities In the present scenario, companies operating in India will have only two options: either

july 1 :: essays research papers

I began to be able to focus my rage. When I finally got back into football, four weeks into the season, it seemed like I had better control of my body. I was able to unleash devastating blows, and had an unyielding power that never seemed to diminish. The over abundance of energy carried over into the track season as well. I participated in two events discus and shot put. Before every throw I would lock my jaw shut, close my eyes, and relive the entire experience of being metaphorically imprisoned. Immediately my heart would go from beats to what was like larger and larger explosions in my chest, my hands would then begin to shake profusely, and adrenaline would fill my entire body. Then I was ready to throw. Nothing is like the ability to focus you rage into power; it makes you believe you are unstoppable. The accumulation of rage from the past two months fueled this power, and I only wish I could have focused my energy years earlier. This incident was really a blessing in disguise . I just do not understand that in order to receive this blessing I had to suffer through so much pain and aguish. After the physical fight I had another fight to endure, the fight for what is right for myself. This time it was a psychological war, and my mind was the battlefield. With my mind being occupied for war, sanity became a rare commodity. The metal wires in my mouth were prison bars to the mind. The two sides, good and evil, had been locked up, caged like an animals, and forced to clash. Insanity, rage, hatred, evil had swayed victory of the first battle. Soon I detested an entire race, a mere thought of them made the blood in my veins burn with a fiery rage and my mind scream with madness. I became someone I never expected or wanted to be. Attempts to fight these feelings were futile. Logic was smothered by insanity. Trust had vanished from my life and became an unnecessary liability that I could no longer grant to any one. My thoughts were raped this way for weeks. I felt evil wrapping its claws around complete domination. Yet, even at evil’s highest peak it could not eclipse g ood’s light. It became clear to me that it was not their race that I hated, but their comradely.

Dance Helicap Essay

In 1967, Frank Dance proposed the communication model called Dance’s Helix Model for a better communication process. The name helical comes from â€Å"Helix† which means an object having a three-dimensional shape like that of a wire wound uniformly around a cylinder or cone. He shows communication as a dynamic and non-linear process. Theory Dance’s model emphasized the difficulties of communication. Frank Dance uses the form of a Helix to describe communication process. He developed this theory based on a simple helix which gets bigger and bigger as it moves or grows. The main characteristic of helical model of communication is that it is evolutionary. Frank Dance explains the communication process based on this Helix structure and compares it with communication. In the Helix structure, the bottom or starting is very small then it’s gradually moves upward in a back and forth circular motion which form the bigger circle in the top and it’s still moves further. The whole process takes some time to reach. As like helix, the communication process starts very slowly and defined small circle. Communicators share information only with small portion of themselves to their relationships. Its gradually develops into next level but which will take some time to reach and expanding its boundaries to the next level. Later the communicators commit more and share more portions themselves. Example When a child is born the only means of communication is crying, he/she cries for everything like hunger, pain, cold etc.. As the child grows the means of communication become wider and broader. He learns to makes noises then he learns language to obtain attention and to fulfil his needs. As a Helix the process of communication in this case started from crying and later it developed into a complex and compound means. The Helical model of communication is largely dependent on its past. A child learns to pronounce a word in his elementary classes and throughout his life he uses that word in the same way he learnt. Just like that we used to react to certain things in a certain way in our childhood and such reactions and habits lasts with us forever. The communication evolves in the beginning in some simple forms then the same process of communication develops based on the past activities. It develops further with modifications. Conclusion Frank Dance included the concept of time in his theory. Something happens over the other will always be based on the first event according to him. This theory of communication was a subject to a number of experimental researches. Even though this model of communication clarifies everything there is a problem of over simplification. According to this theory a communication process is the product of what we learnt. Let us understand the model with the help of an example. A child from the very moment he comes to this world starts communicating. When a baby is born, the nurse rubs his back to make the child cry. If the child doesn’t cry, it is an indication of a still born child. What does crying in this case refer to? It is actually a way the child is communicating to his parents that he is alive, absolutely hale and hearty and ready to face the challenges of the world. As the child grows up, he cries whenever he is hungry or expects something from his parents and sometimes simply for his parent’s attention. It is again a child’s own way of conveying his message to the whole world. When the same child grows up and starts going to school, he soon interacts with his parents, teachers, friends in the form of words. Now crying actually gets replaced by words or his speech but one thing which is common is the process of communication which existed since the child’s birth. Thus the child actually started communicating from the very first day of his life and has been communicating all through till the present day. This explains one part of helical model of communication. According to the Helical model of communication, the process of communication evolves from the very birth of an individual and continues till the existing moment. All living entities start communicating from the very first day of their origin. When seeds are planted, they convey the message to the gardener that they need to be watered daily and should be treated well with fertilizers and manure. When a plant emerges from the seed it also starts communicating its need for water, sunlight, manure and fertilizers, thus supporting the Helical model of communication. The same also applies for animals, birds, fishes and all living creatures. Now let us throw some more light on a real life situation An individual in his elementary classes learns to pronounce a particular word or react to a particular situation. It has been observed that even though the child grows up, he continues to pronounce that particular word in the same way as he did during his growing up days or for that matter, if the same situation arises again he would under all circumstances react in the same way as he did in the past. The fear of the child when suddenly the light goes off at night resulting in a complete blackout is present in his younger days as well as when he grows up. The above example again makes the Helical model of communication clear. According to the Helical model as the process of communication moves forward it also comes back and is largely dependent on the past behaviour of the individual. The model believes that communication process is just like a helix which moves forward as well as comes backward and is dependent on the behaviour patterns of the past definitely with some modifications and changes. As the child grows up, he does make slight changes in his past body movements or past pronunciation or facial expressions. He makes certain changes, modifications in his communication and tries to get rid of the communication errors. An individual will definitely get less nervous in his teenage days as compared to his childhood days, thus a slight change in his behaviour.

Ruth Chris: Fine Dining Experience Of A Lifetime

Page 1 Sydney Wright Dr. Bridget Brennan English 1000 13 February 2013 Ruth Chris: Fine Dining Experience Of A Lifetime There are alot of places in the DC-metropolitan area that not only I but others as well find interesting and intriguing. A resteraunt was brought to mind that fits this description. It was the none other Ruth Chris Steakhouse located in Baltimore Maryland just walking distance away from the inner harbor. Although a very popular resteraunt, not many people in my age group have had the opportunity to dine at Ruth Chris. The best aspects of this resteruant are hands down its atmosphere, service, and their famous steaks.The atmosphere of Ruth Chris gives off a classy, romantic, upscale vibe. Through out the resteraunt featured relaxing warm red and gold tones providing the perfect ambience. The walls are comlemented by beautiful modern art and paneled walls. The background music is nice and soft setting the mood to relaxing and comfortable. The lights are dimmed to set that romantic mood and also relaxing mood. Everything about this resteraunt is impressive. Even the bathrooms are impressive. They have hand soap and lotin for your hands. The dont just have the average paper towels that you use to dry your hands, but they have cloths. here was not a spec of dirt anywhere to be found. This upscale enviroment will make you feel like royalty. This comfortable yet chic atmosphere is perfect for you if you want to be somewhere calm and settled. Not only does the atmosphere gives off a comfortable vibe, the servers do as well. Ruth Chris has excellent service. The servers already know your name when you are introduced to them. The staff are very kind and patient, they have an anwser to all of your questions. They have great listening skills, and give great recommendations if you are indecisive as to what it is you want.The servers are very attentive to your every need. They make sure that your food is perfectly how you wanted it. They do not mind going b ack in the kitchen for a recook. You do not have to call on them for refills or more napkins, for they already do so themselves. They will even wrap your food up for you if you have left overs. They will not let you lift a finger, only to eat of course. You can automatically tell that all of the staff has had alot of expericence in the food industry. You can look at the way they carry themselves and how they talk to you. These are the type of people you want to serve you.One more thing you must know about the service is that all entree plates are served to you piping hot with the food on the plate still sizziling. So for the love of your fingers DO NOT TOUCH THE PLATES!! Even thought they provide you with excellent service, the all time best aspect of this resteraunt is what they are most famous for, THE STEAKS! Its not an opinion, its a fact that Ruth Chris has the best steaks. If you are a steak lover you will no doubt love all of their steaks. Ruth Chris has a variety of entees t o choose from off the menu. The one you absolutely must try is their filet mignon and lostertail entree.This melt in mouth, juicy, flavorful steak is the king of all steak. Its tender texture is just perfect. So tender that it can literally be cut with a fork. The lobster tail perfectly compliments the steak with its juicyand chewyness. This resteraunt has so mush to offer from their relaxing atmosphere to their wonderful juicy steaks. Wheather its a steak dinner for two, a business meeting, or even for a romantic evening out, Ruth Chris is the place to be. Everybody shud visit there at least once in their lifetime. I promise you its worth your your every penny. This is the utimate fine dining experience ofa lifetime!

The crucible context essay Essays

The crucible context essay Essays The crucible context essay Paper The crucible context essay Paper The Crucible is a play, written in America during the 1950s, by Arthur Miller. It is based on the true events that happened in the American town of Salem in the 1600s. Many Women and some men were arrested, trialled and imprisoned for alleged witchcraft. Twenty were hanged. However it is also influenced by other events that occurred before and during Arthur Millers life. For example the anti communist movement that is now known as McCarthyism. The period Miller wrote the crucible was the 1950s this was a time when new beginnings were happening in the USA and most people at that time were in search of the American dream. As James Truslow Adams describes it in his book entitled The Epic of America (1931) That dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to his ability or achievement. . It was the time when the cold war was threatening to get serious and break out into full scale war. The cold war was the conflict between the two super powers of the world; the communist Soviet Union and the capitalist United States. In 1953 the year of the plays first performance the Korean War had just come to an end, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) exploded its first hydrogen bomb and Joseph Stalin died. This all sparked an American movement now known as McCarthyism which loomed over and dominated American society throughout the 1950s. McCarthyism is the term that describes a period of intense anti-Communist suspicion initiated by Senator Joseph McCarthy however to began before he was ever involved. This period is also referred to as the Second Red Scare, McCarthyism later took on a more general meaning, not necessarily referring to the conduct of Joseph McCarthy alone. Everyone was being accused of dealings with communism in fact people were punished for doing anything that was considered un-american including Arthur Miller who was asked to give the names of people he knew who were believed to be communists but he refused, consequently he was fined and sentenced to prison, but he did not serve his sentence as it was dropped on appeal. He reflects his being asked to name names in his play the crucible in the scene where Abigail is asked to name witches in the town but unlike Miller she consents to save herself and falsely accuses various women in Salem of her crimes of witchcraft. The period the play is set in is the 1600s. The Puritans were the leading religion of the time it was formed in England. The puritans strongly believed in the separation from the Roman Catholic Church and its traditions, the movement away from the Episcopacy (the government of the Church by a hierarchy of bishops) towards a Reformed Protestant Church and theology, simplified forms of worship, an emphasis on personal interpretation of the Bible and harbored a deep dislike for church ritual, robes, music and idolatry. Their aim was to cleanse people from the remnants of Roman Catholicism, cleanse and convert them to Puritanism. A modern day equivalent of the Puritans would be the Quakers or the Amish. People began emigrating from England to Massachusetts in the 1620s with the intention of creating models of puritan life and theocracy, a religious institution. Salem originally settled in 1629 and was completely built from scratch in the wilderness. The frequent problem with this was viscous, fatal attacks from the Native Americans who were clearly there first. The community was run by a pioneering spirit. Their way of life was hard work and they abided by strict religious observance. This was a new world for all and the only way of life they ever knew. At the stage of the settlers in the crucible we find a small town in turmoil with itself. There are those within the town with a compelling temptation to rebel and break free from conformity and those who are desperately still trying to enforce the towns harsh rules because they are afraid of the unknown. Witchcraft, the exercise or invocation of alleged supernatural powers to control people or events, practices typically involve sorcery or magic, with the usual intention of harm. In early modern European history there was a mass witch scare; people lived in constant paranoid fear of supernatural activity meaning witchcraft. This terror was injected into people by the church. Christian theology portrayed witches as the servants of satan, who was indecently evil in carnation, witches were the ones responsible for attacking the upright godly and seducing the feeble, in fact they were scapegoats for everything bad that ever happened. So in order to rid themselves of these vermin, similarly to a person killing an innocent spider for the irrational fear of it, people would organise witch hunts with the intention of riding a town or village of all its filth meaning witches. Subsequently witch hunts were very popular from the 1400s to the mid seventeenth century. When a said witch was discovered it often resulted in public hysteria on a large scale. The alleged witch would then be trialled and imprisoned or put to death. Hence the strict, religion crazed Puritan settlers took this custom along with them from England to poison their new land, America. Thus when a group of young women were found cavorting naked around a fire and drinking frog juice it is not astounding that the conclusion of witchcraft was reached by the puritan authorities. Witchcraft to the puritans is the broad term given to anything that threatens to appose their perfect society. The girls behaviour was wild and out of control and if this attitude spread around Salem it would break the power of those in command e. g. reverend Paris. The witchcraft trials were a time when no one was above suspicion and so it became everyman for himself. Every person was desperately trying to save themselves from the noose and they soon discovered that they had to do to achieve this was repent and direct the blame at someone else. All that was needed to convict a witch was a witness that claimed that an apparition of the witch (that only they could see) demonically attacked them. This was always enough evidence to link the defendant with having an elicit affair with the devil. Those that testified obviously saw nothing. People began to use the trials for personal gain, land disputes were settled by one party accusing the other of witchery consequently they would be taken away and hanged and that was the end of that. Many had to testify against their neighbours with no choice if they wanted to save themselves from conviction. The Crucible isnt entirely historically accurate Miller admits in his notes to the play that he used dramatic license and fictionalised in order to make the play feasible, for example Abigail was in reality only twelve not sixteen it would not have been acceptable or appropriate for John Proctor to have a sexual affair with a twelve year old girl. However with a couple of exceptions the facts in the play are correct. In the middle of such a difficult time in American history Arthur Miller was able to make a subtle attack on McCarthyism (which was causing him and the rest of the nation so much strife) with his manuscript The Crucible about a parallel situation that happened over 200 years before. The Crucible even after such a long time still has modern day relevance. We can compare the play to the current affairs happening in the twenty first century as Miller did with McCarthyism. The witch scare in Salem is similar to the problem we face today with terrorism. Public terror is ensued by terrorist attacks just it was with rumours of witchcraft. However this modern day threat is far more real. There are still real people who call themselves witches in the 21st century and there are places around the world where witch hunts still take place. To incarcerate or kill someone for being a witch in 2007 would no longer be permitted because it would be seen as prejudice, just as it would be wrong to imprison a person for being black. If I were to stage a play of The Crucible this year I would use realism, but not for the visual, spatial or aural aspects. I would have the set minimalist and use emotive colours with props, of which there would be few. The cast would be dressed basically in brownish colours to reflect the peoples Puritanism culture. The props and furniture would be far apart from each other and the actors should use as much of the space as they can when performing. Id have the actors use modern day accents to imply modern day relevance. All this should be so, so that the audience can use their imaginations to create their own interpretations. Similarly to imagining the story when reading a book. The Crucible is a tragedy. It tells us that people were ignorantly cruel at that time. And that humanity is fallible when it comes down to doing what is morally righteous or saving itself from pain and hurt.

The Great Recession of 2008 Essays

The Great Recession of 2008 Essays The Great Recession of 2008 Essay The Great Recession of 2008 Essay A recession is full-proof sign of declined activity within the economic environment. Many economists generally define the attributes of a recession are two consecutive quarters with declining GDP. Many factors contribute to an economys fall into a recession, but the major cause argued is inflation. As individuals or even businesses try to cut costs and spending this causes GDP to decline, unemployment rate can rise due to less spending which can be one of the combined factors when an economy falls into a recession. Inflation is the general rise in prices of goods and services over a period of time. Inflation can happen for reasons such as higher energy and production costs and that includes governmental debt. Great Recession of 2008 Introduction The U. S. 2008 recession was felt in nearly every country’s economy worldwide. As inflation increased and various other factors began to fail the United States economic system a global recession began to take place. The U. S. began to face hardships such as high unemployment, bank failure, rising energy costs, housing and auto bubbles that ruptured into a global crisis. Although, much of the media focus was initially known as the so-called, â€Å"super power† U. S. , now as more attention is being shifted to Japan the world’s number two economy and other nations financial markets. The global downturn had the potential to affect exports which the Sweden market experienced because of their high percentage of contributed over half to their GDP. However, during the next few pages we will elaborate further on the how the U. S. 2008 recession is dissimilar and parallel with that of Japan and Sweden’s. Also, listed will be those economic actions implemented that were effective or unsuccessful in fighting the recession. Similarities of U. S. Recession and Other Nations Japan and Sweden both had similar attributes and causes of the economic global downturn with those of the United States. Japan is the second largest economy in the world. However, experiencing two straight quarters of declining GDP Japan followed the U. S. into a massive recession. As the U. S. began to experience low consumer confidence and demand, Japan’s corporate powerhouses such as Toyota, Honda, and even Sony profits took a dive. The nation’s export driven economy watched overall global demand slow down especially since the U. S. s one of Japan’s biggest customers for exporting goods. According to CNN Money, Stocks in Japan and the United States have been equally hard hit, falling 42% and 33% respectively (CNN Money, 2010). Both Japan and the U. S. dollar weakness helped to hinder economic recovery. Slow growth in Japanese bank loans had added to the similarities as the U. S. did. â€Å"Falling home and stock prices reduced c onsumer wealth. Feeling poorer, consumers were less willing to buy goods and services at the prevailing price level. This aggregate demand led to a drop in equilibrium GDP† (Schiller, p. 167). As the known business cycle of alternating periods of economic growth and contraction, the United States financial sector affected the financial systems through its exposure to foreign financial assets with high level risks. Thus, the downward slope of the aggregate demand curve is reinforced by changes in imports and exports (Schiller, 2010). Great Recession of 2008 Sweden has more similarities with the U. S. recession than that of Japan. Both the United States and Sweden are mixed economies, and both experienced the housing crisis with helped lead to one of the worst recessions on record that has been felt globally. In Sweden the residential price falls, and a significant decline in property sales which resulted in overall slowdown of construction activity. The 2008 great recession is global and Sweden was not immune. As consumers began to spend less, other people and businesses aren’t earning any money, which eventually led to high unemployment rates such as that of the U. S. this began to spread even further. According to Sweden real estate, exports accounted for 54% of GDP, with 60% of exports and 70% of imports going to the EU (2010). However, Sweden and the United States are also significant trading partners, with the U. S. spending less and losing more jobs. As demand fell so did Sweden’s export contribution to its GDP, thus spiraling Sweden into a recession. Key interest rates began to fall in Sweden same as in the United States due to the global financial meltdown. â€Å"As the demand for loans diminish, interest rates tend to decline as well† (Schiller, 2010). Dissimilarities of U. S. Recession and Other Nations Although, Japan and Sweden had few similarities with those of the United States during the Great Recession, there were dissimilarities that displayed the U. S. failure to achieve full employment GDP and other factors. Japan’s unemployment rate of about 4% opposed to the U. S. unemployment rate of close to 10%. Even the financial debt to GDP ration is an advantage, and debt in the private sector has not increased unlike the U. S. and European countries, (Time, 2009). In addition, since Japan is a huge exporter and with the U. S. demand going downward, the international balances and growth declined especially as the dollar value dropped and the yen surged. Unlike the United States, Sweden took a double hit as weak international demand for its products and interest rates at home – GDP contracted by 0. % down, according to Sweden Real Estate (2010). Sweden’s home prices keep rising while the U. S. home prices had plummeted. As the United States continued to lose jobs monthly, Sweden kept the unemployed working thus, keeping them employed as jobs were affected globally. Internal market forces may have kept unemployment rising however, instability keep consumer confidence at bay. Great Recession of 2008 Government Economic Actions from Other Nations Both Japan and Sweden acknowledged the global economic situation that their country was now experiencing. With this acknowledge came much action to help aid in multiple shifts such as a rightward shift of the aggregated demand curve which can cause a recovery, with real GDP and employment increasing (Schiller, 2010) which was much needed not only in Japan and Sweden, but worldwide. Japan did a lot in terms of capital injection, recapitalization, public investment, and tax cuts. However, many agreed that many of the Japanese tactics helped to stabilize the economy, but these effects did not help recover the economy as originally first thought. Japan announced an economic stimulus package to help curb the recession which included the following actions: expanded credits for small business and a cash payout to every household to spur spending. Also tax breaks for workers affected by the recession and home buyers. This also injected funds into the markets and support for mid-sized businesses (Time, 2009). My favorite incentives include low interest mortgages for new home buyers and incentives for â€Å"green† technologies. Sweden was proactive in its approach to minimize and reduce the recession’s impact on its citizens and economy. Sweden kept it’s unemployment from soaring by cutting unemployment benefits and lowering taxes on low-income workers. However, this was not enough as the Swedish government presented a crisis package. One of the main actions of Sweden was being one of the first banks in Europe to make a large cut in its official bank rate. Moving further, the Swedish government provided a reduced in employment tax by half for the hiring of people who are long-term unemployed, the maintenance of railways and roads, construction programs, trainee programs, and student grants for individuals over the age of 25 years (Time 2009). Japan and Sweden received criticism for the stimulus/crisis packages to help their perspective nations to recover. Citing that packages were either not sufficient or they were short-term fixes. Also, critics were angry of the excessive spending which in short added to the rising debt of unemployment benefits, construction packages, and interest rates. Ultimately, this was and still is a global recession. There has to be a long- run self-adjustment formulated to not only entice investors, but provide confidence in the consumer again. Since the United States provides 70% in spending to the GDP while countries like Japan and Sweden provide the U. S. imports of various goods and services, this provides a healthy, global business cycle that incorporate growth in each contribution sector to every countries GDP. Great Recession of 2008 United States Economic Actions As the United States entered a new phase with a new president, a recession loomed amongst the nation. This recession was not like any other recession within the past two decades, but one that is compared to one such as the Great Depression that lasted a decade. Although the United States is known to be the biggest economy worldwide, it is not immune to global catastrophe. Many nations rely upon the U. S. for exports and imports and investors take notice. Although, the U. S. is a strong nation, a push for a faster economic recovery was addressed. The United States economic stimulus package was a $787 billion sanction which was the biggest bill since the great depression. The package included the following: Energy efficiency and renewable energy projects Science and technology to improve broadband internet Infrastructure for highways, bridges and clean water Education and healthcare Interest rate of 0% `The U. S. stimulus package was parallel to that of Japan and Sweden with the â€Å"green† initiative to save and preserve energy, also the infrastructure idea to create jobs and keep the citizens minds at bay and become more confident in the system. We must remember that economic stimulus is another means by which a government can seek to boost its economy, either in the short term, by encouraging consumers or companies to consume goods, or in the longer term, by encouraging the growth of businesses and the creation of jobs through investments in infrastructure and research. Education was a big change with both Sweden and the United States (Teslik, 2009). It certainly depends on the individual and critics to assume what was successful and what wasn’t. For example, a homeowner that receives tax credit for new more energy efficient appliances may think that the package has worked in his/her favor. Or even the person that purchases a new vehicle during the cash for clunkers deal, this may be a great experience and the stimulus is working for him/her. However, there are always the negative experiences when a college graduate wants and is eager to enter the work force, but is discouraged when him/her have been searching for over a year. Nevertheless, there is part of the stimulus that had to be altered from my experience. President Bush gave every household a lump sum depending on your household size and dependants. Many of the individuals either saved the money or spent on necessities. However, later as President Obama acknowledged did not work, he later revised and gave the tax break it increments on your payroll or unemployment check. Great Recession of 2008 Conclusion The U. S. 2008 recession was like no other, economists mention a stronger comparison with the 2008 recession to that of the great depression. The 2008 recession was and still is in fact, one of the worst recessions on record. Many individuals don’t realize the impact the U. S. has on other nations. In my opinion, if the U. S. does not recover the surrounding the neighboring nations that have a relationship with the United States will falter and potentially end up bankrupt. This new millennium does not compare to the 1920’s and 30’s. This new day and age bring mass media coverage, global corporations, extensive investing, trade, external shocks, policy levers, and international balances. There is a difference. There will always be critics to voice what went wrong and what should have been done prior to a recession occurring. Nonetheless, a recession is needed for growth and creative innovation for a country to continue to develop. The determinants and outcomes of the economy are important and is a direct effect of the nation’s GDP. The uses of monetary and fiscal policies are important when trying to shift the AD curve and have the nation recover from a recession. Although spending exists with a deficit that continues to grow, the nation will prevail as it had before. The United States have learned much from many nations such as Japan with the lost decade and Sweden’s double dipping economy. The great recession of 2008 has taught many businesses, citizens, and global governments many lessons and through these lessons is preparation for a new tenure.

Adults with Learning Disabilities Essay Example for Free

Adults with Learning Disabilities Essay ? The discourse of ‘learning disabilities’ is now being used to challenge a wide range of acts and practices, including violence and intimidation, non-consenting sexual acts, the bullying of less resilient people by more able service users, unacceptably deprived physical or social environments and financial exploitation or fraud. Some argue that it should include all abuses of human rights. Clearly, these issues are not new as the following essay illustrates, and historically some of these practices have been hidden within service cultures while others have been quite open but variously rationalized as ‘behavior modification’, ‘relationships’, ‘control and restraint’, or ‘not giving in to attention seeking’. Abuse was regarded as a central, and inevitable, feature of institutionalized provision in influential models such as that of Goffman (1961) and Wolfensberger (1975 and 1980) within an analysis whose focus was on organizations and ideology. The new discourse is much more personalized and within it the focus is on the experience of the victim. This has some advantages for individuals and highlights some dilemmas for service organizations. It makes clear that people with learning disabilities are harmed, as any individual would be, by personal or sexual violence or exploitation. Harm is deemed equivalent whoever has caused it, for example whether it has been perpetrated by another service user, a member of staff or a stranger. This way of framing harmful acts highlights conflicts of interest between service users: the discourse of ‘challenging behavior’ for example, designed to neutralize the stigma of difficult behavior, inadvertently deflects from and discounts the experience of those on the receiving end of difficult behavior. Naming these acts as abusive confronts service agencies with the need for specialized, safe (expensive) placements for those who present a risk to others. Men with learning disabilities who have difficult sexual behaviors, for example, are often placed alongside very vulnerable people, their needs for asylum taking precedence over the safety of more vulnerable people (Thompson and Brown 1998). But while this acknowledgement is a step forward for individuals ,the new discourse risks personalizing forms of mistreatment that arise out of societal and structural inequalities. At an individual level, when issues of power are overlooked or neutralized, abusive and exploitative interactions can be explained away as relationships of choice. At a service level, new fault-lines between agencies and between purchasers, providers and regulators set up contingencies that make abuse more likely and less visible. At a societal level, there is growing inequality between the pay and working conditions of managerial, professional and so-called ‘unqualified’ staff within and across the statutory, private (for-profit) and voluntary (not-for-profit) sectors. Gender and race exacerbate the unequal position of direct care staff and the disproportionate responsibility that falls on them. This paper divides into two parts. First, I shall review the current usage of the term ‘learning disabilities’, looking at how it is being defined and categorized. Second, I will outline what is emerging as good practice in this field. WHAT DOES A LEARNING DISABILITY LOOK LIKE? Let me explain this with an exaomple: Sara’s lifelong difficulty with reading and writing had nothing to do with not being â€Å"smart. † Most individuals who have a learning disability are of average to above average intelligence and therefore have the intellectual potential to succeed at school and in careers. But they often do not reach this potential. While effort and motivation are important for success, it is clearly unfair to say of someone with a learning disability that he or she â€Å"just needs to try harder. † No matter how hard Sara worked, her problems did not go away. We know that a learning disability is caused by specific dysfunction within the central nervous system. The central nervous system, made up of the brain and the spinal cord, controls everything we do: our ability to process and think about language and to express ourselves verbally, as well as our ability to process nonverbal information, including art or music. Sara’s symptoms included reversing or rotating numbers (6 for 9), letters (b for d;p for q), and words (was for saw; on for no) when writing; omitting letters and sounds; and making sound and word substitutions when reading (tril for trial;then for there). Such problems make it difficult to decode words, and these decoding errors are most evident when reading aloud. Though never diagnosed, Sara’s symptoms became evident in first grade, when formal reading instruction began. As we learn to read we must of course master the alphabet, which is like a code, and learn the relationship between letters and sounds. Reading is a process of decoding the clusters of letters, converting them into words, and then attaching meaning to the words. In many cases, problems with phonological processing the ability to receive, transform, remember, and retrieve the sounds of oral language interfere with the acquisition of reading skills. Phonological processing involves the ability to separate a word into its component parts or blend sounds to construct a word. Problems with these skills make it very hard for the beginning reader to achieve fluency. Comprehension of written material depends on accurate and fluent decoding, a good vocabulary, and comprehension of the grammatical structure of sentences. When these skills are not developed that is, when they are slow and labored — the reader must devote more energy and effort to identifying and comprehending each individual word, rather than constructing meaning from an entire paragraph or from general context. For many years, researchers believed that the reader automatically moved from reading the words on a page to comprehending, without participating in the process of constructing meaning. But recent research points to the fact that the reader plays an active role: using background knowledge about the subject, calling on appropriate strategies for both decoding and comprehension, and applying the right amount of attention and concentration. Reading strategies are now considered essential components of the reading process. These might include paraphrasing while reading or summarizing afterward to help with comprehension. Competent readers are able to evaluate the reading task and select strategies that are a â€Å"good fit† or match to the task. In Sara’s case, she read slowly and had to reread material several times, so she found it difficult to comprehend content or recall important facts when questioned about them later. Unlike good readers, she did not rely on strategies that could help her. She also struggled with writing. Many times she was ashamed to submit patient reports because she knew they were filled with spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors and were not organized or structured well. Her reports never reflected her knowledge or keen insight into patient care. Writing problems can be seen at any age, although they become more evident as academic or work demands increase. While Sara knew what she wanted to say, she had trouble getting started, focusing on the essential facts, and editing effectively. She tended to use the same words over and over. This was so different from her spoken language, which was rich and varied. Not surprisingly, it took her a long time and a good deal of effort to complete her reports. Her mathematical skills, though, were more than adequate. But there are people with learning disabilities who have problems understanding mathematical concepts or difficulty solving verbal or written mathematical problems. These problems may stem from more than one source, including inadequate spatial or directional sense and difficulty understanding abstract symbols or the language of mathematics. To use a basic example, someone who does not have a good understanding of concepts such as â€Å"plus† and â€Å"minus† is going to find it hard to identify the process needed to solve a mathematical problem. Learning strategies will be of great help to this person. Sara was also troubled by her erratic performance at work. Some days, she would be fine. But when she was fatigued or stressed, she found her attention was poor and she made more than the usual number of errors. At these times, she did not feel in control and usually needed to take a break and call on the support of friends to help her get back on track. While Sara felt her social life to be strength, some individuals who have learning disabilities have difficulty in social situations because they cannot perceive others’ needs and make or keep friends. Relationships with family and friends and associates on the job may suffer. As a way of compensating, an individual may avoid social situations altogether and thus become isolated. Others may struggle with low self-esteem and a lack of assertiveness, which can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies of failure. Moreover, repeated negative experiences in school and at home can discourage an individual from even trying. Many individuals who have learning disabilities have difficulty planning ahead and then evaluating their performance in academic courses or work-related tasks. Planning involves the ability to determine the outlines of a task and the skills it will require. Planning helps us generate strategies or know when to ask for outside help. We are not always conscious of initiating this type of planning because so many tasks are performed automatically, such as remembering a frequently called phone number by using a mnemonic, or writing notes in a book or on a memo. But when tasks are new or complex, active planning is needed. Other learning problems may stem from an inability to manage one’s time effectively to get something done on schedule. For example, many college students do not leave sufficient time to research and write a term paper, and end up frantically completing it the night before it is due. Or a manager may delay writing a budget or marketing report, finding it hard to begin. In order to use strategies at school, at home, or on the job, we need to be aware of ourselves as learners. Researchers have suggested that each of us has our own built-in executive function that directs and controls our actions. If this â€Å"executive† is efficient and aware of individual skills and the strategies needed to accomplish a task, the appropriate plan of action can be put into effect. If the plan is unsuccessful, then the executive reevaluates and initiates a new course of action. Individuals who have learning disabilities have a less efficient executive, the theory goes, and are therefore less able to generate and use effective strategies in their personal and professional lives. In addition to learning disabilities, a large number of adults suffer from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD affects an individual’s ability to focus and concentrate on school or work tasks, and to make good use of strategies. The struggle to achieve is so much harder with the added burden of ADHD. Although external factors do not cause a learning disability, we know that they do play a significant role in learning. It is well documented that the environment we live and work in influences and helps to shape our learning patterns, behavior, and sense of self. Research has consistently shown that the type and quality of support provided both at school and within the home are strong determinants of success in school, at work, or in one’s personal life. For example, a supportive family, early identification of learning problems, and appropriate intervention may make all the difference in helping an individual compensate for the disability. Learning disabilities are found throughout the world and in all socioeconomic groups — they are not bound by culture or language. Approximately the same numbers of males as females have learning disabilities, and the problem tends to run in families. Many prominent figures in politics, science, and the arts are reported to have had a learning disability, among them Nelson Rockefeller, Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, and Auguste Rodin. Einstein, for example, was described as having difficulty learning a foreign language and mathematics — of all things! He also struggled with other academic subjects and with writing. All adults face the challenges and rewards of employment, home and family, leisure pursuits, community involvement, emotional and physical health, and personal responsibility and relationships. Adults who have learning disabilities must manage these life demands with an added set of problems. Society expects adults to be self-supporting, to function within a community, and to exhibit appropriate social behavior. Typically, to be self-supporting one must be employed. Employment for most adults spans a long period of time. It may begin with the exit from high school and continue for fifty or more years. While research on the employment of adults who have learning disabilities is sparse, and the findings that are available reflect the heterogeneity of the population, the information reported is unfortunately discouraging. It suggests that individuals with learning disabilities, as a group, show higher rates of unemployment, have jobs of lower status, receive lower pay, and change jobs more frequently than those without learning disabilities. Of course, there are many individuals at all levels of the workforce who do attain professional success. Further, there are well-documented accounts of persons with learning disabilities throughout history who have made significant contributions to society, among the most notable being Einstein, Edison, Churchill, and Rockefeller. It is important to keep in mind that adults who have learning disabilities who have above average intelligence, come from middle to higher economic backgrounds, and/or have completed postsecondary education, have higher rates of employment, higher job status, and greater job satisfaction than this research indicates. Those who graduate from college are much more likely to hold professional or managerial positions, for example, than those who have only a high school diploma. What makes success on the job so difficult for some people with learning disabilities? For one thing, persistent problems with reading, writing, and arithmetic can interfere with their work. Many report that they continue to struggle with decoding skills, sight vocabulary, and reading rate. Banking tasks and money management often bring out their troubles with arithmetic. Spelling is frequently reported to be the biggest problem of all. The level of basic skills that is required in the current job market is expanding to include more abstract abilities. Employers want their workers not only to be proficient in basic skills but also to be able to use these skills effectively and efficiently to solve on-the-job problems. Employers want the people they hire to be able to read for information, to analyze and synthesize the material, and apply the material read to on-the-job situations. They further expect employees to analyze problems, formulate solutions, and communicate that process, in writing, to others. Workplace mathematics, like reading and writing, also requires identification of the problem, analysis, and then the ability to find a solution. Employers further expect good interpersonal skills. The ability to use technology and information systems is becoming more essential as well. To do all of these things efficiently and effectively, workers must have mastered basic skills and be able to apply thinking skills. They also need personal qualities such as individual responsibility, self-esteem, and self management. The nature of a learning disability may affect the development of some of these competencies. For example, because of years of struggle and failure, self-esteem may be low and self-monitoring skills may not be functioning effectively. Employers often do not understand what a learning disability is, thus making it even more difficult for the adults with learning disabilities whom they supervise. Because employers cannot â€Å"see† the disability and may have limited knowledge about learning disabilities, they may find it difficult to understand that the problems are real. Therefore, they may fail to provide the necessary accommodations and supportive environment. They may often fail to recognize that, with assistance, workers who have learning disabilities may be tremendous assets to the company. A learning disability is a lifelong condition. Some adults, by the time they have completed their formal education, have learned to compensate for their difficulties. For many others, difficulties continue and to varying degrees impact on careers, social relationships, and activities of daily living. There are adults who were diagnosed as children and received services under the guidelines of PL 94-142. But more and more adults, who never knew why school was so hard, are now addressing the problem by initiating an assessment and seeking services to help them cope with their disabilities. Adults who have learning disabilities are a heterogeneous group. Some struggle with reading and writing, some with mathematical tasks, some with the basic challenges of daily life. There are adults who have learning disabilities who have trouble finding and keeping a job; others are professionally successful yet cannot seem to develop a satisfying social life. And there are those who seem to have few problems as they successfully negotiate the range of life’s demands. Adults who have learning disabilities are not merely children with learning disabilities grown up. The impact of having a learning disability differs at each stage of development. And adulthood itself has many stages, each with its unique challenges. Satisfaction or dissatisfaction at one stage does not guarantee the same degree of adjustment at another. At one point, the adult might deal with self-identity, at another with employment and economic independence, and still another with personal responsibility and relationships. As a group, adults who have learning disabilities represent a broad spectrum of the population. We see individuals of different ages, from different socioeconomic, ethnic, and cultural groups. We see different clusters of social and learning problems that affect education, social, personal, and occupational adjustments. The field now recognizes the unique needs of the adult who has learning disabilities, and as such has responded by providing legal protection, programs, services, and an ever-developing information base. Where do we stand today? References: Erikson, E. H. 1968. Identity: Youth and crisis. New York: Norton. Hallahan, D. P. , Lloyd, J. W. , Kauffman, J. M. , Weiss, M. P. , & Martinez, E. A. (2005). Learning disabilities: Foundations, characteristics, and effective teaching (3rd ed. ). Toronto: Pearson Education, Inc. Johnson, D. J. , & Blalock, J. W. (1987). Adults with learning disabilities: Clinical studies. Orlando: Grune & Stratton. Jordan, D. R. (1996). Teaching adults with learning disabilities. The professional practices in adult education and human resource development series. Malabar, Fla: Krieger Pub. Shapiro, J. , & Rich, R. (1999). Facing learning disabilities in the adult years. New York: Oxford University Press. Wong, B. Y. L. (1998). Learning about learning disabilities. San Diego: Academic Press. Adults with Learning Disabilities. (2016, Dec 10).

Works of Karl Marx and Georg Simmel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Works of Karl Marx and Georg Simmel - Essay Example The so-called "commodity fetishism," as Marx (1976) tell us, is the fact that a "definite social relation between men themselves' assumes here, for the, the fantastic form of a relation between things, [or] to the producers' the social relations between their private labours appear' as material relations between persons and social relations between things." (p. 165) This concept was conceived wherein humans are the real actors whose social relationality was obscured in the reified commodity form. (Brah & Coombes 2000, p. 116) The concept of "autonomy of objective culture", on the other hand, is Simmel's characterization of the prevalence of monetary relations in modern society. Here, he is suggesting that, paradoxically, it is the fact that money empowers us that accounts for the fragmentation of subjective life and that monetary freedom is abstract and devoid of substance because it becomes alive and valuable only through being incorporated into the substance of real social relations. (Dodd 1999, p. 38) This principle by Simmel is, in a way, an extension of Marx's commodity fetishism to cultural production in line with the idea that objective culture exists in an autonomous realm that follows an immanent developmental logic. Here, the commodity, money and capital - with money as the "consummate fetish" of money making more money - appear in such a way that they are immediately present on the surface of the bourgeois society but their immediate being is pure semblance. (Simmel 200p, p. xxvi) The comparison of the commodity fetishism and autonomy of objective culture is best illustrated in Marx and Simmel's discourse on money, the aesthetic sphere and freedom. On Money A common ground between Marx and Simmel is their extensive discourse on money and its effects on culture. Marx utilized the Shakespearian theme of money in Timon of Athens wherein it was said that money is an unnatural power which converts the morally bad into the morally good, the antisocial becomes social and that the ugly becomes beautiful. In Shakespeare's Timon of Athens, Timon talked about his gold: Thus much of this will make black, white; foul, fair; Wrong, right; base, noble; old, young; coward, valiant' Thou common whore of mankind, that putt'st odds Among the rout of nations. (Timon of Athens: Act 4, scene 3) Marx adopted this and elaborated more in his effort to illustrate that money is an alien medium - one that conceals the true value of labor and that it takes upon itself and its possessor qualities that are external to man. To quote: That which money can create for me, that for which I can pay (i.e., what money can buy)- that I, the possessor of the money, am. The extent of the power of money is the extent of my power. The properties of money are the properties and essential powers of me - its possessor. Thus what I am and what I am capable of is in no way determined by my individuality. Therefore I am not ugly, for the effect of ugliness, its power of repulsion, is destroyed by money. I - according to my individual nature - am lame, but money gives me twenty legs, therefore I am not lame. I am wicked, dishonest, unscrupulous, stupid man; but people honour money, and therefore also its possessor. (cited in

Sport event reporting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sport event reporting - Assignment Example und 177 countries all over the world with 3,000 coaches and 7,000 athletes are going to participate in this particular sports event (SWGLA 2015, 2015a) and that a total of 491 member delegation will represent the United States (Verrett, 2014). Next to the 1984 Olympic Games, the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2015 is considered as one of the biggest sports events in history (SWGLA 2015, 2015b). In preparation for the said sports competition, approximately more than 4.4 million sports athletes have already gone through tough trainings (Verrett, 2014). Recently, it was also reported that more than 500,000 people would attend as fans, spectators, and news reporters from ESPN and LA2015 (SWGLA 2015, 2015a, 2015b). Considering the volume of people who would attend the game, more than 30,000 people have already registered as volunteers to facilitate the event (SWGLA 2015, 2015a). Anticipated by millions of people worldwide, the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2015 will feature a maximum of 25 different Olympic sports including aquatics, athletics, badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, bocce, bowling, cycling, equestrian, football, golf, gymnastics, half marathon, handball, Judo, kayaking, open water swimming, power lifting, roller skating, sailing, softball, table tennis, tennis, triathlon, and volleyball (SWGLA 2015, 2015c). Basically, the games are open and free to all interested parties who wish to attend (SWGLA 2015, 2015d). The official venues for the games are mostly concentrated in Griffith Park, Long Beach, and UCLA whereas some minor events will take place somewhere in Encino, USC, and Downtown (SWGLA 2015, 2015e). For instance, certain games will be held at the Convention Center and Lucky Strike LA Like in Downtown area whereas other games would be held in the Balboa Sports Center in Encino, Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Griffith Park, Alamitos Beach, Belmont Pier, and the Marine Stadium in Long Beach, Drake Stadium, Easton Stadium, Intramural

Corporation Law case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Corporation Law case study - Essay Example The main issue is if the selling of stocks and the responsibility of the directors. Its nesassry to tell a few words about dealing with outsiders. Also the seconde question deals with the problem of outsider trading. Express authority4 In the context of a Co, actual authority will be conferred by the Co const or, in its absence in accordance with the replaceable rules of the CA. In general, in the case of any Co with more than 1 D, authority is vested in the Board collectively - s 198A Any act lying outside the authority of the D's or the Board can be performed by the members in general meeting - s 198A(2) Implied authority of Co officers The Board may appoint someone as Managing Director (must be one of their own number - replaceable rule s 201J), conferring on that person the powers of the Board - s 198C(1). According to the articles concerning duties of directors one of theliste every managing director is obliged to act in good faith in the best interests of the corp and to use powers for a proper purpose - s 181.5 In this case the managing director haven't acted in the best iint of the company because the board of directors had rejected the contract. So mister Lam is responsible for comensation the losses to the company. Also he have to take responsibility of information given about the information given on the new project because he promised the increase in productivity of about 100%. The law prohibits insider trading. Generally, D's do not owe a fiduciary duty to individual s'holders Percival v Wright [1902] 2 Ch 421 - shareholders offered to sell shares to directors - directors already negotiating to sell shares at much higher price but did not inform s'holders - court held no fiduciary duty to shareholders,... The second question concerns different articles of the corporate law. There is some information about the corporations' law. The main issue is if the selling of stocks and the responsibility of the directors. Its nesassry to tell a few words about dealing with outsiders. Also the seconde question deals with the problem of outsider trading. According to the articles concerning duties of directors one of theliste every managing director is obliged to act in good faith in the best interests of the corp and to use powers for a proper purpose - s 181.5 In this case the managing director haven't acted in the best iint of the company because the board of directors had rejected the contract. So mister Lam is responsible for comensation the losses to the company. Also he have to take responsibility of information given about the information given on the new project because he promised the increase in productivity of about 100%. The law prohibits insider trading. Percival v Wright [1902] 2 Ch 421 - shareholders offered to sell shares to directors - directors already negotiating to sell shares at much higher price but did not inform s'holders - court held no fiduciary duty to shareholders, and so they could not recover. Primary prohibition in s 1043A(1) - insider may not purchase or sell shares in Co or get anyone to do that for him.

T.S. Eliot's The Wasteland Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

T.S. Eliot's The Wasteland - Essay Example "What Tiresias sees," Eliot tells us, "is the substance of the poem." But it is the nature of Tiresias' vision that is our concern. There are three principal stories about Tiresias, all of them relevant. In Oedipus Rex, sitting "by Thebes below the wall" he knew why, and as a consequence of what violent death and what illicit amour, the pestilence had fallen on the unreal city, but declined to tell. In the Odyssey he "walked among the lowest of the dead" and evaded predicting Odysseus' death by water; the encounter was somehow necessary to Odysseus' homecoming, and Odysseus was somehow satisfied with it, and did get home, for a while. In the Metamorphoses he underwent a change of sex for watching the coupling of snakes: presumably the occasion on which he "foresuffered" what is tonight "enacted on this same divan or bed." He is often the prophet who knows but withholds his knowledge, just as Hieronymo, who is mentioned at the close of the poem, knew how the tree he had planted in his garden came to bear his dead son, but was compelled to withhold that knowledge until he could write a play which, like The Waste L and, employs several languages and a framework of allusions impenetrable to anyone but the "hypocrite lecteur." It is an inescapable shared guilt that makes us so intimate with the contents of this strange deathly poem; it is also, in an age that has eaten of the tree of the knowledge of psychology and anthropology ("After such knowledge, what forgiveness"), an inescapable morbid sympathy with everyone else, very destructive to the coherent personality, that (like Tiresias' years as a woman) enables us to join with him in "fore suffering all." These sciences afford us an illusion of understanding other people, on which we build sympathies that in an ideal era would have gone out with a less pathological generosity, and that are as likely as not projections of our self-pity and self-absorption, vices for which Freud and Frazer afford dangerous nourishment. Tiresias is he who has lost the sense of other people as inviolably other, and who is capable neither of pity nor terror but only of a fascination spuriously related to compassion, which is merely the twentieth century's special mutation of indifference. The "dissociation of sensibility" cataloged by Eliot's imagery traces the dissociation of individual senses from each other in the absence of any intellectual Aufhebung into a logos. There is a great irony, for example, in Eliot's assertion that "what Tiresias sees, in fact, is the substance of the poem." Tiresias' blindness should, according to myth, grant him a vision of the truth. What he "sees" in Eliot's poem is a troping of the primal scene in the mechanical copulation of the typist and the young man carbuncular. The metric, the rhyme scheme, and the ending sight of the "automatic hand" that "puts a record on the gramophone" enforce a feeling of remorseless repetition of a scene "foresuffered" a thousand times in memory and desire. Tiresias endlessly sees the scene of the crime, the origin of his own "blinding" or castration in witnessing the difference between men and women. What Tiresias sees is "substance" itself, physical life (or signifiers) unredeemed by spirit (or a tran scendental signified). Eliot's note plays on the philosophic sense of "substance" as essence and tacitly reminds us of its declension into mere matter. In some legends, Tiresias loses his eyes in retaliation for looking upon the naked body of the bathing Athena, goddess of wisdom. In the version from Ovid that Eliot quotes as "of great anthropological interest," we have