Semiotic Analysis Of Visual Text Dasdhunga Film Studies Essay

Semiotic Analysis Of Visual Text Dasdhunga Film Studies Essay The Dasdhunga film is picked as a media text for this semiotic examination. Dasdhunga is coordinated and composed by Manoj Pandit, the screenplay dependent on the genuine story of Dasdhunga Accident. The mishap occurred 17 years back and the film was discharged toward the beginning of September 2010 in Nepal. The Jeep on which Nepals ideological group UML General Secretary Madan Bhandari and other focal board of trustees part Jivaraj Aasrit were making a trip from Pokhara to Chitwan joined by Amar Lama (the driver), tumbled down in the Narayani River on third Jestha 2050 BS. The two heads passed on that mishap while the driver Amar Lama made due with no scratch on his body (Rijal.P, 2010). The name of the film is named on the name of where the mishap occurred. The story begins from the purpose of mishap and the character follows all relates exploring the puzzle of mishap, unfurling bunches of angle, the contention structured over this battle for unfurling the foundation of riddle. The story additionally gives the examination of homicide of Amar Lama who was shooted on an open space of Kritipur with 3 projectiles on his head, where he kicked the bucket on the spot. The storys central focuses are the good and bad times of the characters individual life just as expert life and are organized adjusting the reality and fiction. (on the same page) The film moves around the fundamental character Kiran Kumar who researches the Dasdhunga mishap and uncovers heaps of data about the mishap which finishes up, that was not just a mishap but rather a schemed mishap. As a matter of fact the executive needed to make a narrative about the spot Dasdhunga. The film has been in the news before its discharge since dangers came every now and again to stop the procedure. Control load up had likewise edited it multiple times. They likewise overlooked a few exchanges and scenes in without losing the pith of the film. (The Kathmandu post, 2010 Aug 31) (Zeeman, 1997: 24) A sign is something which stands to someone for something in some regard or limit. This film has the compassion, suspection and desire. For them Dasdhunga is simply not a film but rather the exclusive standard of truth. Which everyone is suspecting it was a major scheme yet not only a mishap. (Saussure, 1996). As he said the sign is a mix of idea with sound picture which cannot be isolated. Sign here is the brain science of resident about the mishap. Till dates the mishap was a major intrigue. This can't be separeted in the film dasdhunga too. The spot Dasdhunga itself is the primary area in this film which makes film all the more genuine and justifiable to the watchers. (N Virginia, 2011) says it drives crowd into the film which is cooperation perception. The principle cast of the film is Anup Baral, Mohan Bhandari, Daya Hang Rai, Saugat Malla and Sanchita Luitel. The focal character of Madan Bhandari is played by Madan Bhandaris sibling himself, Mohan Bhandari. Furthermore, Ram Krishna Poudel is introduced as Jeeb Raj Ashrit .Anup Baral, the acclaimed theater on-screen character plays the pained criminologist, investigator Kiran Kumar. Unpretentious and amazing Baral glances normal in his job and his ability is recognizable all through the film. Dayahang Rai looks persuading as driver Amar Lama and worked admirably. The acting of the considerable number of entertainers in the film is exemplary and is profoundly recognized. (The Himalayan Times, 2010). It has demonstrated that Sometimes the exhibition of conjugal and parental jobs shows various changes in their own and expert life. The impact of word related attributes on the guys job has appeared in the film as in Nepali setting. The keeps an eye on support in the family at first seems to rely on his holding a type of employment. (J Aldous, 1969). As in the film unnatural birth cycle of the specialists spouse makes bend the story. At that point he leaves the case, to live make sure about existence, this is psycho-social actuality that a human needs no mischief in their life. After eight years, an individual hands over some significant confirmation with respect to Dasdhunga case to Kiran and he revives the case. At that point lift the window ornament from the entire puzzle. The shots are not jolting or unpleasant cut. Chief will in general take the story a good ways off permitting the characters to set up their characteristics to the crowd as opposed to pushing a blast of points at the crowd. The situation of the camera is unpredictably positioned in all scenes. The film is an ideal case of docu-fiction which isn't attempted before in Nepali film. The film Dasdhunga was imagined in different spot of Nepal, as Chitwan Dasdhunga, Kritipur, and Kathmandu. This film has a progression of staggering exceptional spine chiller and genuine scene. For instance of genuine memorial service visual film of Madan Bhandari. This sort of genuine film and, photos from various media banks and file consider as taking the stand concerning the occasion. (M David J Adam, 2006). The cinematography goes connected at the hip with area, props, shoots to cause the crowd to feel like they are inside the scene and getting a charge out of the scene. The emotional increment in rhythm with tight close ups, medium close ups, and areas picture are obviously appeared, so any one cant effectively foresee the up and coming anticipation of the film. (Kress Gunther Leeuwen the o van, 2002:344) Color is examined as a semiotic asset , a mode, which, as different modes, is multifunctional in its uses in the socially found creation of signs and an In the picked film Dasdhunga for the most part dim scale shading is utilized, which accentuates risky, anticipation and loaded with thrill. In any case Dim lights pale sparkles and different procedures of eye getting scene gives watchers a loaded with tension, dread, thrill, fervor experience and feelings. The genuine individuals of the constant were additionally utilized in the film as observer, it makes film dependable. The noisy music and audio cues has been utilized in the film from the earliest starting point. This sticks you in the seat with your eye open. Since some time it is terrifying. For instance feet sounds, cries, noisy music and genuine scene of the film makes crowd alert and think about the genuine mishap. Ensembles and make ups. All types of authenticity are made conceivable through these imaginative creatives, which are suitable for the time and characters proposed. The cast likewise guaranteed that the closet and discourse fit well overall. On the off chance that we take a case of Kiran Kumar the featuring character consistently wears a cap, here is the cap as an image of examination and cross examination. There are components of shock and unforeseen wind in the advancement of the plot with the connection with its scenes, stories and each sign it has. As in syntagmatic methodology as per H.Miriam, 1994, the correct relationship among watcher, projector, screen, story are the piece of a social practice that must be educated. A similar way the driver of the jeep mishap who was indicted as one for the organizer of scheme, later murdered by obscure in an open spot. This gives brimming with shock and anticipation to crowd. (Gorkhapatra Daily, 2010). As Signs are utilized in the film as signifiers and connoted, in the chose scene of trailer (while introduction), an assortment of signs have been utilized to build the favored importance. These signs incorporate sound signs (exchange, music and audio effects), outward appearance, motions shading lightning altering length of shots and moderate and quick moving camera and points signifiers are picked to make film increasingly reasonable. As the term intertextuality is the arrangement of debate as indicated by (Berger An Arthur, 1993) in the film Dasdhunga, the character of the driver is can be found along these lines. Each time he changes his announcement at the hour of cross examination. The language picked in this film is exceptionally easy to comprehend. This encourages crowd to comprehend the film in a correct manner. For instance the driver says when I came to Dasdhunga, it was coming down and out of nowhere I couldnt control my controlling, at that point examiner countered then how just you are alive with no scratch in your body? this sort of discourse makes you to think before something uncovers in the film. This makes you to include in the film. It gives impression of the real world. (C Metz, 1974). End As in Dasdhunga this sort of classification of riddle and examination has not been utilized in the Nepali film previously. So this film has opened an entryway for the creation of criminologist film in Nepal. This breaks the repetitiveness of the non-sense love filcks that Nepali film is acclimated with. The film is enlightening and it hauls crowd into it since it managed the realities that individuals didnt think about. This makes crowd to trust. Yet, the crowd might be baffled in light of the fact that the film doesn't uncover reality of the Dasdhunga. (The Himalayan occasions day by day, 2010). Be that as it may, insofar as rating this film goes, it merits an expert without a doubt. Anup Baral-the specialist is a flat out delight to watch. He was even granted with the best entertainer for this film. Saugat Malla is similarly marvelous and fit in the shoes of the character and gets everyone's attention with his extraordinary planning and characteristic acting. In spite of the fact t hat Sanchita Luitel just assumes a side job, she has done equity to her part. With respect to different on-screen characters, they have done a similarly astounding activity.

Barnados Essay

Thomas Barnardo’s built up his foundation in 1870; and, after its all said and done did it cause allegations. Barnardo’s opened numerous tasks, for example, ‘Believe in Children’ and ‘Child Poverty’ and a lot more arrangement of battles. During 2002 Barnado’s propelled the battle ‘Stolen Childhood’ to help youngsters up to the age of 18, who have been mishandled through prostitution. Grumblings said crowds were left inclination ruffled and upset. However, making calls to stop youngster prostitution was an objective for Barnardo’s; they needed to make another law permitting kid prostitution to end. Barnardo’s delivered banners for promotions about the prostitution of youngsters and changed their appearances to delineate the agony that they are experiencing. Seeing the grievances, has risen, Barnardo’s safeguarded the choice to utilize stunning pictures: saying that these progressions permitted them to get the message across to numerous individuals and permit Minsters to act rapidly, giving enough insurance to kids. In this specific advert, it contains an image of a young lady sitting on a couch. Her face is carefully bizarrely old, yet has a youthful body. Remaining behind the couch is part if a man and his fingers are going through her hair. The foundation is an unobtrusive yellow, with drapes that are drawn. The advert remembers an infectious motto and data for how to give or get advantageous data about the battle. The man in this picture is put behind a couch, with his back towards a window. This course of action gives me a thought he is covering up or shielding the young lady away from people in general. This obscure man can't be recognized on the grounds that the picture doesn't permit the watchers to see his face since his face is intentionally covered up this sets the crowd anxious to see his face. We are additionally not ready to see his base half, as he is fixed up behind the couch Which recommends that the man may not be wearing any pants. You can see the hairs upon the man’s chest, (as his shirt apparently is fixed) this straight away gives me a feeling that this man is route past the age to be explicitly associated with little youngsters. In addition I can recognize that he is wearing a wedding band which expresses the man may be either hitched or separated. This demonstrates anybody can act in this conduct, regardless of whether you’re wedded. Grasping his hand on the couch communicates that the man is out of resentment and has power over the little youngster. In any case, he is likely fulfilled just as exasperated on the grounds that, his other hand is contacting the girl’s hair. Advising ourselves that his shirt is fixed, this can figure that he might be prepared to explicitly manhandle her, or that he has just done as such. The startled young lady in the frontal area is confined up toward the side of the couch: this shows she is most likely apprehensive and is attempting to fend off. She looks as though she is attempting to ensure herself by holding the two arms solidly around her. Through this I can detect that the young lady might be in peril here and there maybe, as she like to hush up about her self. Her reality may be extremely dim and cold along these lines, in this manner holding the two arms is a method of keeping her agony inside herself. However sitting in this position is likewise covering the lower some portion of her body, as she may not be wearing anything. This at that point shows me the little youngsters delicate and enthusiastic side as she might be a timid individual. The purple wounds on her legs must have an alarming story behind them-A story that includes physical, ruthless mishandling strife between the man and her, or possibly be she has self hurt herself which may be an approach to help her torment. The top that the young lady is destroying stands to me, it seems, by all accounts, to be very unbending as it peers nearly cleaned out structure a brilliant pink shading, this recommends a delicate girly side that she once had, and has all been detracted from her. I can unmistakably say that this picture of her attire offers a hint of immaculateness and honesty to diverge from her existence and the hardness of the room. However watchers who take a gander at this banner are straight away attracted straightforwardly to her face. Her computerized modified face seems to look old and wrinkly. Bug, substantial sacks under her eyes are agreed with dull wounds, making her look focused and tired, as though she has gone through her hours crying with absence of rest. From her sagging articulation her mouth is overloaded with many characterized lines which seem, by all accounts, to be loose wrinkles shaping under her lips. Which is overstated on the measure of sexual maltreatment that she gets, subsequently it is equal to an actual existence time and possibly it is hard for her to unwind and get some rest. This all outcomes to how the kid is being dealt with by the man â€Not just does he misuse her however has no goal on her wellbeing and quality, she is a type of shield for him, were she is by and large mercilessly thumped over, while he is securely satisfied. The young lady who once carried on with a glad life, with grins and giggling, has nearly blurred away with a messed up soul of stresses, dread and torment. I figure this adjusting of her face may reflect what she may resemble in the coming years. The picture of this desolate casualty has been acclimated to make her look old with strands of silver hair. By doing this computerized adjustment the crowd are persuaded that this little youngster has been damaged by experiencing an excess of sexual maltreatment from the man, bringing about maturing and loss of youth. This picture catches just a specific piece of the room; this makes tension and gives the crowd contemplations about who else may be in the room†¦ nother abuser, or another kid in a comparative circumstance? The shade of the divider mirrors the floor covering, making a feeling of quiet and an unbiased environment. This matches the shade of the blinds, and gives me an understanding that the primary individual living in the house has a feeling of style, in this way can live in a not too bad looking way. Consequently the delicate hues conflict with the circumstance of the caught, dim story held between the two characters in the picture. Her failure and dread doesn't fit in well with the environmental factors of the scene, which makes her conspicuous. Everything is as opposed to one another, the brilliant tidy up space to the dull messy routine he depicts. However one may think about what is truly going on behind those entryways and closed draperies, where a young lady is compelled to adore with a man. There region various levels situated in this photo. The man out of sight is remaining behind her overwhelmingly as though he is in charge of his ground-breaking activities submitted against the startled young lady, (through his degree of stature) as she is sitting and being moved by him. Maltreatment through prostitution STEALS CHILDRENS LIVES’ is a motto utilized in the banner. These compelling, emotive words make the crowd need to end prostitution, to give everything the youngster need which has been detracted from them. Their expectation would need the crowd to act rapidly and proficiently, because of words ‘prostitution and children’ strangely set up (which is typically not applicable to kids) it is a short g round-breaking message that dillydallies onto to you after you have understood it. The motto additionally features the key focuses about the battle, telling the crowd what prostitution can prompt. In this banner there is sufficient data required, for example the picture is extremely distinctive, trailed by an appealing motto, representing that the audience’s mindfulness can have any kind of effect. In general, Barnardo’s feel they can be all the more brave with their utilization of pictures to a more youthful age gathering. Despite the fact that, the content on this advert is constrained, the pictures delineate a comprehension of the foundation, as it is very much clarified, utilizing absence of words. I concur with the way that Barnardo’s has utilized visual troubling pictures this will empower and uncover how disregard and misuse can get stunning outcomes to kids the UK. The subsequent of the banner will wake people in general up, to the children’s trouble. If not, the foundation despite everything got exposure through the grumblings that were made, and will recognize them. In any case, this advert revolts me, and makes me mindful of what is really occurring around me. I feel compassion toward the little youngster; attempting to comprehend what its like to be in her position and in this awkward circumstance. No youngster should encounter a preposterous, vile act this way! The banner lets the watchers make the remainder of the room in your brain. Which makes me imagine that the remainder of the world may me experiencing a similar circumstance? This sets me an abrupt erg, an anxious to support the adolescent young lady, and attempt to remain associated with her, telling her that there can be help being made. Furthermore, I figure the more educational and clear the advert is, the more effective that crusade will be!

Major Publishers Change Their Ebook Contracts With Libraries Critical Linking, June 24, 2019

Major Publishers Change Their Ebook Contracts With Libraries Critical Linking, June 24, 2019 Critical Linking, a daily roundup of the most interesting bookish links from around the web is sponsored by Libro.fm Penguin Random House comprises the vast majority of ebooks published on a yearly basis and Macmillan and Hachette almost comprise of the rest. These companies have recently revised their contracts with the public library. Libraries will now have to purchase ebooks that are only good for two year contracts and then will have to devote the resources to see what books they want to buy again and which ones they do not. This is a far cry from the old policy which only had the library make a one time purchase for every ebook they wanted and could loan it out with abandon. Major publishers are now deliberately sabotaging the library system and their rational is they don’t want to devalue their front-list books and want people to buy them, instead of borrow them. I dont think this is deliberate sabotage, but I do think this does a huge disservice to so many communities that rely on the library system and punishes readers for not being able to afford a book when it publishes. “As a best-selling author, producer and director, Janet Mock has demonstrated she knows how to bring her vision to thrilling, vivid life,” says Cindy Holland, Netflix VP of original content. “She’s a groundbreaker and creative force who we think will fit right in here at Netflix.” Cannot be more here for Janet Mocks overall deal with Netflix! “Some idiot kid,” says my mother, “probably told Noah he can’t be Peter Pan because Noah is black and Peter Pan is white, so he figures his only other choice is to be MLK.” “No, no,” I say. “Trust me,” says my mother. “I know how this stupid world works.” A beautiful essay: Sorry, Peter Pan, We’re Over You. Sign up to Today In Books to receive  daily news and miscellany from the world of books. Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox.

How to Support Physically Handicapped Students

For students with physical handicaps, self-image is extremely important. Teachers need to ensure that the childs self-image is positive. Physically handicapped students are aware of the fact that they are physically different than most others and that there are certain things they cannot do. Peers can be cruel to other children with physical handicaps and become involved in teasing, casting insulting remarks and excluding physically handicapped children from games and group type activities. Physically handicapped children want to succeed and participate as much as they can and this needs to be encouraged and fostered by the teacher. The focus needs to be on what the child CAN do - not cant do. Strategies That Can Help Students Physically handicapped children long to be normal and be seen as normal as much as possible. Focus on what they can do at all times.Find out what the childs strengths are and capitalize on them. These children need to feel as successful too!Keep your expectations of the physically handicapped child high. This child is capable of achieving.Never accept rude remarks, name calling or teasing from other children. Sometimes other children need to be taught about physical disabilities to develop respect and acceptance.Compliment appearance from time to time. (For example, notice new hair barrettes or a new outfit).Make adjustments and accommodations whenever possible to enable this child to participate.Never pity the physically handicapped child, they do not want your pity.Take the opportunity when the child is absent to teach the rest of the class about physical handicaps, this will help foster understanding and acceptance.Take frequent 1-to-1 time with the child to make sure that he/she is aware that youre there to help when needed. I hope these insights will help you to maximize the learning opportunities for the physically handicapped child.

Feminism in Frankenstein Essay examples - 1745 Words

Over the years, the monster in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein has become universally portrayed in one way: a tall, green-skinned, dumb brute with no language or reasoning abilities. Society has turned the story of Frankenstein into a mere horror story, dehumanizing the monster more than was intended in Shelley’s novel. However, the message of Frankenstein is a far cry from the freak show displayed by the media. While many people may only see Frankenstein as a grotesque story meant to thrill its audience, its purpose goes much deeper as it advocates for the equal rights of women in society. Perhaps the strongest evidence of feminism in Frankenstein stems from what happens when Victor Frankenstein tries to create life without the help of a†¦show more content†¦It is because of this that Shelley seems to suggest that Frankenstein overstepped his boundaries as a man by trying to create life. In the critique, â€Å"Female Gothic: The Monster’s Mother,† Ellen Moers points out that â€Å"Frankenstein’s exploration of the forbidden boundaries of human science does not cause the prolongation and extension of his own life, but the creation of a new one. He defies mortality not by living forever, but by giving birth† (220). Clearly Frankenstein realizes he has overstepped his boundaries as a man as those to whom he is closest are killed one by one as a result of the creation of the monster: first his brother William, then Justine, Clerval, Elizabeth, his father, and, ultimately, himself. This could be seen as analogous to men in society during the nineteenth century and before: overstepping their boundaries by creating a patriarchal society. Shelley seems to suggest that if men were to continue to take as much control away from women as they were back then, society would eventually become a â€Å"monster† that would destroy everyone. In addition to her proposition that a patriarchal society will ultimately lea d to chaos, Shelley uses the character of Frankenstein to illustrate that men are not the strong leaders of society they claim to be. Frankenstein is brave enough to go as far as creating life without a woman; however, as soon as his brainchild comes to life, Frankenstein essentiallyShow MoreRelatedFeminism And Women In Frankenstein1318 Words   |  6 Pagesof Frankenstein seems to focus on the characterization of men yet what is ironic is the fact that she is a woman. After the birth of Shelley, her mother Mary Wollstonecraft who was one of the first and most important feminist advocates had died, leaving Shelley to continue in her footsteps (â€Å"Feminism Women in Frankenstein†). Growing up, she was exposed to the work done by her mother and this led her to become exposed to feminist ideals at a very early age (â€Å"Feminism Women in Frankenstein†).Read MoreMary Shelleys Frankenstein Feminism1429 Words   |  6 PagesRobert Youshock Prof. Matthew Gerber HIST 1012 10/19/18 Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: Feminism before it was mainstream? Writing a paper on the topic of Frankenstein days before Halloween might give you the wrong idea- lets clear something up straight away Frankenstein is the doctor not the monster and the monster doesn’t have a name (which we later learn is mildly important to the story). You see, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is arguably a story of creation, murder, love, and learning amongst manyRead MoreElements Of Feminism In Mary Shelleys Frankenstein804 Words   |  4 PagesMary Shelly’s Frankenstein has various elements of Feminism in the text. One particular feminist ideals that are present in the text is from the first wave of Feminism, her own mother, Mary Wollstonecraft. Using Wollstonecraft’s â€Å"A Vindication of the Rights of Women† to illustrate that inequality and oppression and the lack of access to education for women, the essay will not only use the women in the story but also the monster itself to represent women before and after they achieve an educationRead MoreThe Feminism Behind Mary Shelley s Frankenstein 1341 Words   |  6 PagesGabe Bridges Brit Lit II. Dr. Dodworth 12/19/14 The Feminism Behind â€Å"Frankenstein† Mary Shelley’s story â€Å"Frankenstein† is not only one of the most well respected novels of her time, and today, but it could also be the beginning of a new view on humanity. The focus on feminism comes from the absence of a mother, the critique of men, and the role of the females in the story. Feminism could be a huge aspect throughout the story. Shelley seems to set the story up to make woman look superior fromRead MoreFeminism And Symbolism Of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein 2666 Words   |  11 Pages05/01/2015 Feminism and Symbolism in Mary Shelley s Frankenstein Frankenstein by Mary Shelley was a novel written in 1818. One of the first in the Gothic Romance genera, it was both controversial and captivating in its time. It was a top selling book not only because of its dark and twisted plot, controversial ethical issues, or detailed scenery and imagery, but also because of what it offered below the surface. We will analyze some of the deep symbolism and seemingly invisible feminism qualitiesRead MoreSecret Feminism Of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein2667 Words   |  11 PagesSecret Feminism in Frankenstein Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, which tells the story of an egotistical doctor looking to create life where there is none, is a male-dominated novel. Every female character is portrayed as passive, listening to and depending on the men in her life. It can be argued that the egotistical and aggressive men in the story, particularly Victor, are present to make the reader think about the female characters and the unfair treatment they face throughout the story. BesidesRead MoreFeminism in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essay1047 Words   |  5 Pagesin portraying this in her gothic novel, Frankenstein. Furthermore, in this novel, Mary Shelly shows how society considers women to be possessions rather than independent human beings. In addition, the female characters rely heavily on men for support and survival, thus proving their inability to do it on their own. Lastly, the female characters in this novel are in many ways victimized by the male characters. In conclusion, in Mary Shellyà ¢â‚¬â„¢s novel Frankenstein, the female characters always fulfill theRead MoreComparing and Contrasting Shelleys Frankenstein with Brooks Young Frankenstein1031 Words   |  5 PagesComparing and Contrasting Shelleys Frankenstein with Brooks Young Frankenstein The 1818 book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and the 1972 movie Young Frankenstein by Mel Brooks both portray the differences in feminism regarding the cultural times through the character of Elizabeth. When Mary Shelley wrote the book Frankenstein, she was on a mission to pursue equal rights in education for her daughter. In Shelleys time, the only way to show feminine empowerment was to be literate and well-poisedRead MoreOf The Pernicious Effects By Mary Shelley1290 Words   |  6 PagesThe novel â€Å"Frankenstein† by Mary Shelley, and the article â€Å"Of the Pernicious Effects† by Mary Wollstonecraft, both have relations when regarding the importance of feminism during their time periods. Throughout Shelley’s novel feminism is addressed because she uses female characters to further her plot and display her viewpoints. If Wollstonecraft evaluated the female characters in Shelley’s novel, she would realize that Elizabeth, Justine, and Safie all show an importance to the flow of the novelRead MoreFeminist Criticism of Frankenstein and The Yellow Wallpaper791 Words   |  3 Pages Feminism in literature has existed as early as the 16th century, the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities (Shneir, Miram). Throughout history, women have portrayed the idea of feminism in literature, with one of the most famous feminist writers being Mary Shelley. Shelley was born in 1797 into a notable family, with her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, being a renowned feminist writer herself (Biogram). Her novel Frankenstein was published in 1818, a time when most women

Leading as a principle of management Free Essays

Andy Grove, Intel’s former legendary leader who oversaw this company in the time of its rising to its prominent position, has a remarkable leadership style. His style is really democratic, but forceful and demanding. As a result, a unique culture of â€Å"constructive confrontation† arose at the company that is a direct result of Grove’s managerial traits (Intel Corporation). We will write a custom essay sample on Leading as a principle of management or any similar topic only for you Order Now He allowed his subordinates to insist on their views and arguments at the time of the discussion, but once a decision was reached, everybody was expected to demonstrate the highest level of commitment. As a leader, Grove is remarkable for several major traits that make him stand out from other leaders. First, he is superb in his skill to â€Å"align strategy and execution as the forces of globalization were creating enormous discontinuities in the business environment† (Garten 2005). He was always on the alert for whatever actions the competitors might take to challenge Intel’s dominance and kept a hold on the treacherous IT business environment. Managing the external environment of the business is an important skill that does not come easily to leaders; it takes years of experience and a highly focused personality able to keep an eye on what’s going on in the marketplace. In relationships with employees, Grove excelled in striking an important balance between disciplinary action and support of initiative. In giving his employees freedom to act, he maintained their zest for innovation that can only flourish in a democratically arranged corporate environment. At the same time, Grove maintained rigid discipline in terms of performance evaluation. He demanded measurement of every detail of the performance and was relentless in his requirements. The company executives introduced the so-called â€Å"management by objectives† in which an employee’s performance is evaluated against about 10 objectives all of which are gauged with quantifiable measures (Intel Corporation). Grove can also be applauded for his ability to preserve the flexibility in Intel’s operations at the time when the company was experiencing dramatic growth. Sheer size is often the problem for major corporations who lose market to more nimble competitors. Grove created a company that remains highly adaptable despite its mammoth proportions. Grove also built Intel’s corporate culture on values that have turned it into â€Å"very strong immune system† (Pandya et al. 2004). Grove is the kind of leader who does not get depressed in the tough times and continues to see the silver lining even in the times of a serious recession. In an interview with Business Week reporter he advocates the sizzling future of the tech industry despite temporary difficulties, insisting that â€Å"we can’t even glimpse the potential† of the IT industry, even in the aftermath of the tech bubble and the general downturn in the business (Andy Grove: We can’t†¦). Grove’s optimism stems from his ability to manage change at the company. A particular instance of change at Intel involves the switch from memory chips to microprocessors in the 1980s. The field was entirely new for Intel, and yet the company emerged with dazzling success, turning into the global leader. Another example relates to the large-scale recall of Pentium chips after problems with their functioning surfaced in 1994. Andy Grove dealt with the issue with efficiency and initiative that worked to save the company’s damaged reputation. Andy Grove led the company towards success in the market for microprocessors and was able â€Å"to build the Intel brand (through the famous â€Å"Intel Inside† campaign) and used his savvy in managing risk to steer the company clear of antitrust regulators† (Pandya et al. 2004). Andy Grove spent an impressive 11 years as chief executive officer at Intel, continuing his leadership stance as chairman. Financial data confirm the success of his leadership style and his ability to manage the company, taking it to a level of state-of-the-art perfection. A 31.6% annual rise in stock price, twice the speed of SP 500, growth in revenues from $1.9 billion to $25.1 billion, doubling of the workforce to 64,000 people demonstrate the achievements of Andy Grove as a leader (Garten 2005). These are only dry numbers, and the main breakthrough was qualitative. Intel has been fully transformed into a leader of the global IT industry. First, it has become a truly international corporation, deriving a major portion of its revenues from abroad. Second, the corporation â€Å"became central to the growth of personal computers, cell phones, genomic research, computer-aided design, and virtually everything else that characterizes this age of digitalization and the Internet† (Garten 2005). Intel succeeded in a highly competitive environment of the IT industry, becoming an icon of success for many beginning companies. Intel’s name is a brand worth millions of dollars, and its products like Pentium chips remain the symbol of the industry. Andy Grove has done a lot to translate his convictions for the board operation into real changes in its work. It took Grove six years to â€Å"make Intel’s board exemplary† (Shlender 2004). In his own words, he highly evaluates his role â€Å"in developing the work environment and culture at the company and with the directors† (Shlender 2004). Andy Grove firmly believed in the independence of the board and the separation of the functions of the CEO and chairman. He put his burning conviction that the board should have an important role in making the good governance principles work in his books and lectures on the topic. His work as Chairman of the Board has made Intel’s board a reliable safeguard against management’s sloppy or immoral actions. Thus, Andy Grove was a great leader able to combine rigor with attention to others’ opinion and balance between giving his subordinates freedom to innovate, combined with the need to commit to the already taken decisions. His emphasis on discipline, strategic vision for growth, handle on the market and ability to manage change account for his personal success as a leader and impressive performance of Intel Corporation. Bibliography Andy Grove `We can`t even glimpse the potential`. Business Week 3846, Aug 25, 2003. 19 Sep. 05 http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_34/b3846612.htm. Garten, Jeffery E. â€Å"Andy Grove Made The Elephant Dance†. Business Week 3928, April 2005. 19 Sep. 05 http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_15/b3928036_mz007.htm. Intel Corporation: The Evolution of an Adaptive Organization. 19 Sep. 05 http://www.aom.pace.edu/meetings/1999/INTEL1.htm. Pandya, Mukul, et al. Best of the Best: Inside Andy Grove’s Leadership at Intel. Prentice Hall PTR, Dec 10, 2004. 19 Sep. 05 http://www.informit.com/articles/article.asp?p=345010rl=1. Schlender, Brent. `Inside Andy Grove`s Latest Crusade` Fortune 150.4, Aug 23, 2004. 19 Sep. 05 http://www.fortune.com/fortune/ceo/articles/0,15114,678520,00.html. How to cite Leading as a principle of management, Essay examples

Becoming a Criminal Defense Attorney Essay Sample free essay sample

Siting in the life room floor watching Perry Mason as a immature miss. I neer wavered on what I was traveling to be when I grew up. From the age of about two old ages old it was crystal clear to me. I was traveling to travel to one of the best jurisprudence schools in the state and go a great condemnable defence test lawyer. The route to going a condemnable defence lawyer is non an easy one. It is filled with trials. grades. emphasis. reading. analyzing. tuition. and more. But for most people that choose this way. they are prosecuting this accomplishment like an Olympic medallist trains for the gold. Achieving the dream is worth all of the blood. perspiration and cryings ( Robert W. Davis. Jr. Attny. personal communicating. February 5. 2013 ) . In my discourse community as a future lawyer. there are several of import stairss to follow that I will explicate in my essay. The beginning of the route is the easiest. Anyone desiring to go to jurisprudence school must obtain a Bachelor’s grade at an commissioned four twelvemonth college or university. Any type of Bachelor’s grade will be considered. but jurisprudence schools have their ain penchants. During this period. you must keep a better than mean grade point norm. It is besides good to hold scholastic accomplishments. organisational ranks. and community activities to back up your application. The applications for jurisprudence school are controlled by the LSAC. Law School Admissions Council. They can be found on the cyberspace at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www. lsac. org. On this web site. you can happen anything and everything about jurisprudence schools. applications. the procedure. the LSAT. jurisprudence school advisors. and a future calling in jurisprudence. Harmonizing to the LSAC. you must take the Law School Admissions Test before the go toing year’s deadline. You r egister and pay for the LSAT on the LSAC web site. You must besides hold a lower limit of two letters of recommendation and ratings sent to the LSAC. The LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service manages all of your needed paperss. such as: transcripts. letters of recommendation. ratings. signifiers of designation. LSAT mark and authorship samples. They streamline the application procedure by piecing your complete file one clip and so directing that file along with your application to any American Bar Association-approved jurisprudence school ( s ) of your pick ( LSAC. org. 2013 ) . Within a twosome of months. correspondence from your possible jurisprudence schools will get in the mail and on the web. Every jurisprudence school has their ain tuition rates. place sedimentations. regulations. and deadlines. In add-on. each plan of survey has its ain course of study. class agendas. and certifications of concentration. For a condemnable defence lawyer. an advisor would propose a Juris Doctor ( doctors degree in jurisprudence ) with a certification in Criminal Law concentration. This is a six semester or three twelvemonth plan. The Juris Doctor plan prepares you to really pattern jurisprudence. non merely think like a attorney. The Juris Doctor plan provides you with a strong foundation in bar-exam topics. such as Torts. Contracts. Property. Civil Procedure. Criminal Law and Constitutional Law. You normally have a full twelvemonth of legal research and authorship. climaxing with appellant brief authorship and unwritten statements. You besides have the option of larni ng courtroom judicial proceeding accomplishments through mock test workshops and competitions. It is the assortment of these endowments that makes a all-around felon defence lawyer. During the concluding twelvemonth of jurisprudence school. most schools spend that twelvemonth on your legal accent or certification of concentration. Along with your normal three twelvemonth plan. condemnable defence lawyers are by and large required to finish a set figure of externship hours in the existent universe ( americanbar. org. 2013 ) . Finally. upon graduation from your American and State Bar Association-approved jurisprudence school the route is at its toughest point ( Robert W. Davis. Jr. Attorney. personal communicating. February 5. 2013 ) . Each province has a Bar Association that must accept your rank. Some lawyers apply in more than one province so they may pattern in more than one. Law school and pattern saloon tests will fix you for the trial of your calling. the American Bar Association’s Bar Exam. All of your single instruction. experience. and endowment will be tested on paper for the last clip. Once the Bar Exam is passed. the difficult parts are eventually over. Job offers to work in the field and survey of jurisprudence will pour in. and it is eventually clip to get down practising jurisprudence. Old ages of blood. perspiration. and cryings eventually begin to disintegrate and your calling takes flight ( americanbar. org. 2013 ) . In decision. the discourse community that I have chosen for my calling comes with a tall order of difficult work. dedication. and emphasis. The procedure a prospective felon defence lawyer must finish takes several old ages of instruction. scrutinies. applications. ratings. and dedication. Once all of these stairss are completed. the possibilities in condemnable defence are eternal ( msbar. org. 2013 ) . Mentions Americanbar. org. ( 2013 ) . Bar Admissions. Retrieved February 11. 2013. from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. americanbar. org/groups/legal_education/resources/aba_approved_law_schools. hypertext markup language. LSAC. org. ( 2013 ) Future JD Students. Retrieved February 11. 2013. from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. lsac. org/jd/default. asp. Msbar. org. ( 2013 ) . Law as a Career. Retrieved February 10. 2013. from hypertext transfer protocol: //msbar. org/for-the-public/law-as-a-career. aspx

The Definition of Fun is Not Alcohol free essay sample

Going to parties and having a great time are all part of the college experience but can be done without the use of alcohol. People drink for many different reasons. Alcohol helps in a social environment because it makes the drinker very sociable. Drinking alcohol is the perfect way to help one socialize with people because it boosts his/her confidence to go out and talk to someone. Alcohol isn’t the only thing that can help one make friends. There are many other ways of making friends instead of going to parties, for example, going to academic clubs. Everyone drinks alcohol, and all the time too. Your parents drink alcohol. Your siblings drink alcohol. Your friends drink alcohol. Why shouldn’t you? Drinking is a sign of being cooler and older. It feels good to know that one can fit in with everyone else and look mature, as well. One can also be cool by being independent and not doing what others do. We will write a custom essay sample on The Definition of Fun is Not Alcohol or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Experiences of fun, including parties, need not harm one’s body. Alcohol can have a very negative effect on one’s body. Consumption of alcohol can have short-term effects or long-term effects. Excessive consumption of alcohol can cause hangovers and blackouts. Who likes to have headaches and the feeling of nausea the morning after a long night of heavy drinking? Imagine waking up in the morning with a major headache knowing that you have classes to attend. Alcohol is responsible for altering brain activity and affecting concentration and reflexes. Drinking can make the simple task of walking challenging for the drinker. Abuse of alcohol can lead to many health issues: heart disease, liver damage, obesity. Drinking raises the blood pressure and the risk of stroke in heavy drinkers. Damage can be done to the stomach, liver, and pancreas if one intakes too much alcohol. Cancer can form in places such as the mouth and tongue due to too much consumption of alcohol. With the excessive use of alcohol, a lot of damage can be done to one’s body. Poor performances in college can be correlated to the use of alcohol and going to parties. Instead of studying, most college students spend more time drinking. Alcohol can make one lose motivation to do homework, go to class, or do other important things. After skipping class for a certain amount of times, one might have no clue about what’s going on in the class or one might get dropped from the class for missing too many days. If one is hung-over, he/she might not want to do anything because the feeling overpowers him/her. Homework assignments and projects will never be completed. Alcohol can affect the brain so that nothing works, making one unable to process what’s going on in the class lectures. During class, instead of paying attention, one might think about the parties of the upcoming weekend. Alcohol is a way of relieving stress for some college students. Dealing with stress through a lcohol isn’t the best approach to face stress. Sometimes students will be under a lot of stress because of all the homework and projects and exams. Maybe they’re having relationship problems or family issues. The students turn to alcohol to solve their problem. Drinking to relieve stress won’t always solve the stress though. There are many other alternatives for relieving stress that are better and safer than consuming alcohol. These other options might include eating, sleeping, or talking to someone about the problem. One might think that alcohol helps them to do better in school. Alcohol might make students stress more than they already do. Those students could probably do better than they already do in school if they don’t consume any alcohol. People have trouble controlling themselves when under the influence of alcohol. Alcohol makes people do stupid things, like driving while intoxicated or doing ridiculous things. Some don’t realize that they’re drunk after drinking so they think they’re fine to do anything that they normally could when sober. Getting behind the wheel of a vehicle while under the influence is surely not a good idea. It is illegal and extremely dangerous. Alcohol during social gathers can make one say or do something that he/she might regret later on. One might blur out something true and confidential for everyone to know about, for example, their social security number. While drunk, one might say very inappropriate things. Some other things that people might regret doing while drunk are singing or dancing, or even getting into fights. One might make a fool of themselves while singing or dancing. They’ll regret getting a black eye due to the fact that they started a fight wi th a bigger guy at the bar. Another thing that drunks don’t have control over is who they make out with. One-night stands can cause people to worry about their reputation and make them feel like they have been used. Spending money on alcohol for parties can have a huge impact on one’s financial status. One might want to consider the costs of alcohol before buying it. Particularly if one is throwing the party because a lot of money will be spent from all the alcohol that will be provided by him/her. Alcohol can cause one to spend so much money in less time than ever thought possible. Alcohol is especially expensive when going out to the bars, clubs, or elegant restaurants. Sometimes when drinking, one might be more likely to buy unnecessary things. The expensive and pointless things along with the alcohol can add up to a lot. Since students are in college, they’re going to need money for other things, like food and school supplies. If they spend all their income on alcohol, they won’t have anything left for necessities. To keep from having no money, not drinking alcohol or consuming less of it will surely keep some extra cash in one’s wallet. Everyone’s college experience includes going to parties and having a great time but can be done without the use of alcohol. Experiences of fun, including parties, need not harm one’s body. The use of alcohol and attending parties can be directly correlated to one’s performances in college. College students deal with stress by drinking alcohol. While under the influence of alcohol, one can have trouble controlling oneself. Spending money on alcohol for parties can have a huge impact on one’s financial status. Considering academic performances, health issues, and costs, will you still continue to drink alcohol?

Titanic movie poster essays

Titanic movie poster essays The cover box for Titanic reveals two different meanings to the audience. The first is an explicit meaning, of which is clearly presented through the various images on the cover. The second meaning, the implicit meaning, is subtlety suggested amongst the images and requires some thought to grasp. Through the use of implicit and explicit meaning, the movie box creates interest and intrigue. The cover is composed of images that tell the audience right away what they can expect from the movie. Initially catching the audiences eyes is Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet pictured at the top of the box. DiCaprios arm is around Kate Winstlet, suggesting that the movie is about these two being lovers. The character of Kate Winslet is wearing diamond earrings, which shows that character is from a rich or well off background. The actors names appear above them in a small, hard to read font, probably because the actors are famous enough that they are recognizable to the public by just their faces. Next, the large image of the bow of a large ship tells the audience the setting of the movie is placed on a ship. The ship is obviously the famous Titanic as suggested by the bold title across it. The director's name, James Cameron is above the title, perhaps to draw interest from the directors fans. Under the title states the film has won eleven academy awards including best pi cture. The purpose of stating this fact is to inform the audience how critically acclaimed the movie is, and perhaps creating more interest than compared to not having the claim on the box at all. By studying the cover a little more closely, several implicit meanings can be made out. The first is how the actors are facing. Kate Winslets back is towards DiCaprio. This suggests that even though they are in love something might be holding her back from fully embracing him. Their eyes are lowered, giving the impression that they a...

Letter to the dean Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Letter to the dean - Essay Example The class as illustrated above has had the problem of non-participatory tendencies for quite some time now and it is good that the issue has been highlighted by Ms. Karan. To this extent the students have showed no positive change of this behavior and with this we have seen as teachers that appropriate measures need to be taken to avert this sooner rather than later. These situations of having a lazy class usually results in the teachers too to have low morale in teaching the respective students. This goes a long way in dictating their performance and competence in the areas taught. It is a common scenario to have this but when it persists then the issue needs to be forwarded to the relevant authorities for appropriate corrective measures to be taken. I hereby write this confirmation letter to assert that what Ms. Karan has said about the class is the sheer truth and it is a mutually shared sentiment by all the teachers teaching these students. The laziness has in many ways affected the mode of teaching and learning in that class. As is usually the case with the profession, a teacher is supposed to seek audience from the students and that the same students need to reciprocate by participating in the class activities like asking and answering questions, developing ideas stated by others and the teacher, bringing in new ideas and the general attention required. This I am afraid is lacking quite a great deal in this particular class and teaching has therefore been made rather difficult by this situation. After meeting these students with Mr. Kamal we have come to a conclusion that there needs to be a solution to this problem within the shortest time possible. These students should first say what their issues are with the learning system and thereafter necessary measures taken. This not withstanding, it is important for us, the teachers, to sit down and think of what the root cause of this is

ARTICLE ANALYSIS Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ARTICLE ANALYSIS - Assignment Example The article addresses concern of robust job growth. Through macroeconomic analysis lowest unemployment rate witnessed in the US since June 2008 can be attributed to a rapidly improving economy. The concerns of the article are relevant and practical since we would expect changes within the economy. Unemployment is for a fact a negative phenomenon in societal setup as it adversely affect in different directions or dimensions. Unless the Fed act and counter checks its macroeconomic policies, little to no impact can be felt in the economy and in worker’s paychecks thus harming the prices. The effects of unemployment are verified through their presence and thus. Unemployment can be considered a multi-dimensional phenomenon and one would expect that when it is lowered workers should begin to enjoy the fruits. This is because it is a social growth affected by population expansion with a phenomenon since it effects the social structure shape and pattern. These attributes are directly correlated to price stability within the economy. So as the article suggests, the Fed should be possibly persuaded to move sooner rather than later to increase rates to lessen future inflation or the risk of speculative bubbles. They don’t need to wait for wage growth to increase to raise the rates, they can act speedily to save the economy and ensure price stability and sustainable economic growth. Thus the article is very important in addressing these critical aspects that affects the US economy. In a broader context, the reading relates to my career goals in many ways. More specifically, the goal of understanding sustainability of economic growth and price stability. My career goal is working as a consultant and offering advisory roles pertaining to economic growth and unemployment. The article is very relevant in such pursuit. Through critical analysis, the article can be faulted in a way. The article

Current Issues Facing Revenue Management

Current Issues Facing Revenue Management This dissertation provides an analysis on how revenue management developed through out the years in different industries with more focus on hotels. It discusses the different revenue management strategies including pricing, capacity control, overbooking and forecasting. Related issues such as economic concerns, customer perception, competition, and common techniques and approaches used for solving revenue management problems are also discussed. Finally, I give my suggestion on some important areas that warrant further research. Introduction Tradditionally the main purpose of revenue management has been to maximise revenue. It is the business practice with aim to see the right inventory to the right customer at the right price at the right time in order to maximise total revenue. (B.C Smith, J.F Leimkuhler and R.M.Darrow Vol 22). The concept of right in this definition means achieving the maximum revenue for the sellers, and gaining maximum value for the buyers(S.E Kimes Vol 40). The basic of revenue management is to offer discounted rates to stimulate demand for inventory that would otherwise go unsold, while limiting the availability of the discounts to customers who are willing to pay a higher price. Hotel companies reported revenue increases of 2 to 5% as a result of using revenue management (Ibid) The Brief History of Revenue Management According to Carroll and Grimes 1995; Hanks, Noland, and Cross 1992; Smith, Leimkuhler, and Darrow1992) Revenue management, also known as yield management, has been widely adopted in the airline, hotel, and rental car industries, but has only recently gained attention in other industries (Kimes 2000; Kimes et al. 1998). Companies using revenue management have reported revenue increases of 2% to 5% (Hanks, Noland, and Cross 1992; Smith, Leimkuhler, and Darrow 1992). In 1980s The airline industry launched revenue management practices. During that time yield management techniques became a common practice among airlines. On January 17, 1985 American Airlines launched its Ultimate Super Saver fares in an effort to compete with the low cost carrier People Express. ( www.ehotelier.com ) The need to fill at least minimum number of seats without selling every seat at discounted was the main reason that triggered the born by revenue management. ( www.ehotelier.com) As new Airline companies started to enter the market in the 1980s, Airline companies were eager to sell enough seats to cover fixed operating expenses. Then once fixed expenses were covered, and there were now fewer remaining seats to sell, the remaining seats could be sold at high prices in order to maximise on revenue and profits. According to (Boyd,1998), the application of correct revenue techniques by US Airlines and Delta Airlines resulted of an increase in revenue of US$500 and $300 million respectively, on the other hand Cross (1997) reports that revenue management helps Marriott Hotel to gainUS$100 million additional annual revenue Elliott (2003) presents how revenue management can contribute substantially to cost savings and revenue maximisation while helping maintain quality. Research on revenue management has extended to several industries, with three major streams of investigation: descriptive (whether revenue management will work for a particular industry), pricing control, and inventory control. Industries that can use revenue management can be classified further by their relative ability to exercise pricing- and demand-control levers. An important aspect of implementing revenue management is to ascertain the extent to which customers will view pricing controls as being fair. While customers may initially view nearly any manipulation as potentially unfair, research on perceived fairness has found that customers generally will accept price manipulations as long as they believe they are gaining a benefit at the same time the business is receiving a benefit from pricing changes. Duration control involves some combination of manipulating customer arrivals and managing actual duration of use, depending on the industry in question. Revenue management uses the basic principles of supply and demand economics, in a tactical way, to generate incremental revenues. There are three essential conditions for revenue management to be applicable: There is a fixed amount of resources available for sale. The resources to sell are very perishable. Customers are willing to pay a different price for using the same resources. The hotel industry fits these criteria extremely well. Obviously, hotels have a fixed inventory of rooms to sell; these rooms are also extremely perishable. Hotel rooms perish every day, any room that is unsold tonight is gone forever. There is also no question that different segments of business are willing to pay different rates under various circumstances. Revenue management is of especially high relevance in cases where fixed costs are high as compared to variable costs. The less variable costs there are, the more added revenue will contribute to overall profit. This makes revenue management perfect for the hotel industry. Effective market segmentation is the key to successful revenue management for hotels. Market segmentation begins with seasonal demand. For years, hoteliers recognized that almost all hotels experience periods of high and lower demand. This is even more obvious in hotels, located in resort and attraction areas. Hotels quickly recognized that consumers would also pay more for rooms with a superior view, such as ocean or mountain views and other unique features of their location; larger or unusual rooms; and rooms with unique features. Hotel revenue management hit its stride when hoteliers examined airline RM and realized that the factors of supply and demand, beyond natural seasonal demand, present opportunities to generate higher revenue. As room demand increases and room supply decreases, hotel rate opportunities also increase. The airlines have taught us that supply demand opportunities appear all year long because of conventions, group bookings, room production through web site marketing, special events and local attractions; all create revenue management opportunities.( Ehotelier ) This dissertation address the way revenue management is applied in hotels in UK and discusses the latest issues that faced revenue managers during the economic down turn last year This dissertation Study has been undertaken through detailed analysis on how revenue management is applied in hotels and then discuss the issues facing Revenue managers today through the analysis of responses to a survey that was sent to revenue managers working at hotels in UK. The research also include several working papers, conference proceedings and case studies that I believe are valuable in this study. Overall, 20 articles have been examined. Several review papers have provided an overview of research on revenue management. A list of these papers is in Table 1. In This dissertation will focus on the progress of revenue management in recent years, especially after 1999. Literature review How Revenue Management is Applied Gallego and Phillips (2004) introduce the concept of flexible products for revenue management. They define a flexible product as a menu of two or more alternative, typically substitute, products offered by a constrained supplier using a sales or booking process. In this context, products include not only physical products but also service offerings. Researchers have applied revenue management models in a wide variety of industries where suppliers offer flexible products. Airlines, hotels and rental car industries represent three major traditional applications of revenue management. These industries share some similar characteristics. All of their products are perishable, the demand for their products vary significantly over time, and they have large fixed costs while variable costs are small in the short run. Because of revenue managements success in these industries, researchers and practitioners have begun trying to adopt it in a wide range of miscellaneous industries such as resta urants, casinos, cargo, Internet services and apartment renting. These industries share some similar characteristics with the traditional industries. Some of these practices have acquired great success. In fact, all service providers can take advantage of revenue management theory. Just as ( Berman 2005) says, revenue management is an effective mechanism to allocate a service providers relatively fixed capacity and to provide discounts on a much broader scale. The table below provides examples of revenue management application in different industries. We are not going to discuss the application of revenue management in every industry. In the following section, we provide a brief overview and examples of revenue management research in three non-traditional industries Revenue management practices in different industries (Berman (2005) Industries Example of practices Hospitality Industries Hotels Provide special rate packages for periods of low occupancy; use overbooking policy to compensate for cancellation, no-shows. Restaurants Move customers to off-peak periods by offering discount coupons, or charging reservation fees and higher meal prices on Friday and Saturday nights. Attractions Set different admission charge levels, provide joint-entry tickets, group discounts, coupons, membership rates. Cruise lines and ferry lines Provide luxury class, economy class; change prices frequently according to demand; sell more tickets than seats to avoid cancellation and no show. Casinos Customize offers such as complimentary room, tickets, gifts, discounts, etc., based on customers profitability. Saunas Determine price based upon factors such as room type, duration, and service type. Resort Provide different resort packages to attract different customers. Golf Use different prices to reflect the value of different times of the golf course. Sports events and distribution Determine ticket price for an event based on based on factors such as customer tastes and area of seating; determine the price of season tickets; determine the number of tickets sold for each seat segment. Conference Provide different packages and rates to satisfy different customers requirements. Transportation related industries Airlines Provide business class, economy class; adjust prices frequently according to demand; provide more tickets than seats to avoid cancellation and no-show. Rental cars Adjust prices frequently according to demand; serve highvalued fleet utilisation with priority; accept or reject booking requests based on length-of-rent controls. Railways Divide customers into standard class and first class; provide different prices based on the day of travel and the time of the day. Subscription services IT Services and Internet Services Allocate resources such as human resource, computing capacity, storage and network capacity among segments of customers and determine appropriate price for each segment, high class customers will be served with priority. Cellular network services Control call admission based on customer priority, higher class customers will be served with priority. Major revenue management problems Revenue management problems can be categorized into several different, but related, areas: pricing, auctions, capacity control (or inventory control), overbooking, and forecasting. In the following subsections, we will review each of these areas, but before we start, there are two points that need to be mentioned. First, although we categorize revenue management into several areas, this does not mean that these areas are completely isolated. In fact, these areas are highly correlated and need to be considered jointly when solving practical problems and some researchers are indeed trying to solve these problems jointly. For instance, Feng and Xiao (2006) present a comprehensive model to integrate pricing and capacity allocation. Second, auction is a specific type of pricing strategy. Here we separate auctions from pricing, because we want to emphasise the importance of auctions in the future application of revenue management. In addition, in this section, we also discuss other related issues regarding revenue management, including economic theory, the impact of competition and consolidation, customer perception and behaviour, the development and implementation of revenue management, performance evaluation of revenue management and techniques used for solving revenue management problems Managing Seasonal versus Daily Demand Revenue management principles apply to all levels of demand. Resort hotels with seasonal rates have been using a form of revenue management for years by posting higher or lower rates based upon seasonal demand; this is the essence of revenue or yield management. If these hotels thought they could get in-season rates all year long, they certainly would. They are adjusting for supply and demand. ( ehotelier) Yield management provides the ability to build a base of business by posting a wide range of rates, low to high, to appeal to the broadest range of consumers. For hotels which are capable of handling group business, this is the theory behind quoting lower rates for groups; getting the business on-the-books. Once this base business is booked, either by groups or transient individuals, lower rates can then be closed for sale. This is daily demand. Its important to understand that yield management is the process of closing-out lower rates when there are fewer rooms to sell; leaving only higher rates as occupancy increases. Rates are not increased; lower rates are closed for sale. There is an important distinction between the two. As demand increases, there are more methods of yielding higher revenue; the use of restrictions. Many hotels use restrictions very effectively. E.g. hotels with high weekend demand often restrict weekend reservations to a minimum of two nights by placing a minimum of two nights stay on Saturday, the more popular night. This limits stays to Friday/Saturday or Saturday/Sunday, the two weaker nights. The same can be applied to holiday periods. The key to successful revenue or yield management is to review advance reservations and make rate close-out decisions as often as might be necessary; generally, three times per week. Hotels practicing revenue management gain an insight into the ebb and flow of business, knowledge of reservations booking pace, and a true understanding of factors which impact occupancy and average rate. Capacity control Koide and Ishii (2005) consider the hotel room allocation policies with early discount, cancellations, and overbooking, but without no-shows. The presented model can provide the optimal solution under certain conditions. They also derive an optimal allocation for a simplified problem, which considers early discount but ignores cancellations and overbooking. McGill and van Ryzin (1999) consider the allocation of capacity for rental businesses with two classes of customers. Their research suggests that the capacity reductions enabled by allocation schemes can help to lift profit margins significantly. Zhang and Cooper (2005) address the simultaneous seat inventory control of a set of parallel flights between a common origin and destination with dynamic customer choice among the flights. They solve this stochastic optimization problem through simulation based techniques. Most of the current capacity control practices are based on forecasting. However, forecasting is difficult, costly and the results are sometimes unsatisfactory. Therefore, researchers are trying to find alternative approaches. van Ryzin and McGill (2000) present a simple adaptive approach to optimize seat protection levels in airline revenue management. Instead of using the traditional method that combines a censored forecasting method with a seat allocation heuristic (EMSR-b), this approach uses historical observations of the relative frequencies of certain seat-filling events to guide direct adjustments of the seat protection levels. Their preliminary numerical studies suggest that this method can be used to augment traditional forecasting and optimisation approaches. Overbooking control A number of researchers have developed dynamic optimization approaches to the airline overbooking problem and the related problem in the hotel/motel industry. The usual objective in these formulations is to determine a booking limit for each time period before flight departure that maximizes expected revenue, where allowance is made for the dynamics of cancellations and reservations in subsequent time periods and for penalties for oversold seats. KOSTEN (1960) develops a continuous time approach to this problem, but this approach requires solution of a set of simultaneous differential equations that make implementation impractical. Rothstein (1968), in his Ph.D. thesis, describes the first dynamic programming (DP) model for overbooking and reviews the results of test runs of the model at American Airlines. ALSTRUP et al. (1986) describe a DP treatment of overbooking for a two-class, nonstop flight and describe computational experience with the approach at Scandinavian Airlines. A DP analysis similar to Rothsteins but developed for the hotel/motel industry and extended to two fare classes is described in LADANY (1976, 1977) and LADANY and ARBEL (1991). A control-limit type structural solution to the (one class) hotel overbooking problem is described in LIBERMAN and YECHIALI (1977, 1978 Since McGill and van Ryzin (1999) had already presented a list of publications in overbooking, we will only discuss the new publications. Zhang and Cooper (2005) focus on the overbooking problem for hotels with multiple tour-operators and conclude that an overbooking policy that treats the capacity of the hotel as a whole gives better cost savings than an overbooking policy that allocates the capacity to each tour-operator separately. Zhang and Cooper (2005) proposes two models (stationary-fares model and nonstationary-fares model) to deal with a multi-period airline-overbooking problem for a single-leg flight with a single service class and use the model to calculate the optimal booking limits. Coughlan (1999) presents an airline revenue maximisation-overbooking model at a fare class level for one service compartment-cabin where class level demand is used to determine the number of bookings for each class. He concludes that this model shows significant improvement over previous methods by testing the model with data of Irelands national airline, Aer Lingus. Biyalogorsky et al. (1999) propose that a strategy using overbooking with opportunistic cancellations can increase expected profits and improve allocation efficiency, then derive a rule of how to allocate capacity to consumers optimally. Under their strategy, the seller can oversell capacity when high-paying consumers show up, even if capacity has already been fully booked, then the seller will cancel the sale to some low-paying customers while providing them with appropriate compensation. Toh and Dekay (2002) create an overbooking model for hotels to find the optimal level of overbooking considering customer service level, unexpected stayovers, and cost of walking displaced guest. Forecasting Forecasting is a critical part of revenue management. The quality of revenue management decisions, such as pricing, capacity control, or overbooking, depends on an accurate forecast. PÃ ¶lt (1998) estimates that a 20% reduction of forecast error can translate into a 1% incremental increase in revenue generated from the revenue management system. Revenue management forecasting includes demand forecasting, capacity forecasting, and price forecasting, each of which has its specific requirements. All forecasting tasks need to address issues such as what to forecast, the type of forecasting method, the aggregation level, the data to use and the accuracy of forecast. Forecasting can have different aggregation levels, from full aggregated forecasting to semi-aggregated forecasting and to fully disaggregated forecasting. The data used in forecasting can be based on historical arrivals or bookings. In addition, forecasting must be adjusted according to special An overview of research on revenue management 111 events, for example, holidays. Zaki (2000) gives a summary of forecasting for airline revenue management. Weatherland et al. (2001) discuss different ways to forecast demand for hotel revenue management systems and assess the effectiveness of aggregated approach and desegregated forecast. Furthermore, Weatherford and Kimes (2003) use data from Choice Hotels and Marriott Hotels to conduct a comparative test on a variety of forecasting methods for hotel revenue management systems to find the most accurate method. Their research suggests that exponential smoothing, pickup method and moving average models provide the most robust forecasts. Despite the mounting forecasting methods, human judgment is still indispensable in forecasting demand. Schwartz and Cohen (2004) make a study on 57 experienced revenue managers to evaluate the bias of this kind of subjective judgment. They find that the nature of the user interface can influence the way the revenue managers adjust the computers forecasts, although the managers are given the same predictions. The managers with a deliberate computer and no chart made the smallest volume of adjustments to the computers forecast, while the managers with a slow computer and an interactive chart made the highest volume of adjustments. How to develop revenue management How to develop and implement revenue management systems is another key issue. Kimes (1999) and Kimes et al. (1999) present a 5-step approach for implementing restaurant revenue management and provide insights from the implementation. Secomandi et al. (2002) present a case of how PROS Revenue Management Inc. worked with three non-airline companies to determine the applicability of revenue management, and to design, develop, and implement Revenue Management systems. Skugge (2002) discusses issues that need to be considered when implementing a revenue management system. He presents risks associated with development and implementation and ways to reduce these risks, and then proposes a two-step process to maximise the likelihood of a successful project completed on time and within budget. Okumuss (2004) research reveals the complexity and difficulty of developing and implementing a centralised revenue management project. He argues that this is because revenue management implementation is often viewed as a tactical activity, but this is not correct. He suggests that researchers and practitioners should view the implementation from the perspectives of strategic management, and they should change management fields. Revenue managers play a crucial role in implementing revenue management. Skugge (2004) finds that one of the reasons why some companies enjoy much greater success with revenue management is they have more effective revenue managers and suggests several methods to improve revenue management education and training programs. Zeni (2003) presents a study performed at US Airways to measure the value of revenue managers contributions to a revenue management system and concludes that analysts can add up to 3 percent in incremental revenue. Parker (2003) presents that airlines need to establish and provide support for a community of practice, which is a group of revenue management related people who interact on an ongoing basis. This group takes responsibilities of establishing protocols and standard procedures with respect to revenue management. The implementation of revenue management requires management to make a series of business decisions. Yeoman and Ingold (2000) discuss the decision-making processes using examples from airlines and hotels. All business decisions have risks, as do revenue management decisions. Therefore, every company must evaluate the potential risks of revenue management. Lancaster (2003) focuses on the risk incurred in the revenue management policies and analyses how risk management measurements and methods can be applied to the revenue management practices. In addition, companies want to make sure that their investment on revenue management can achieve the expected return. Delain and OMeara (2004) illustrate how a company can build a business case to estimate the incremental revenues and costs associated with developing or enhancing a revenue management programme IT service and internet service Revenue management also has application opportunities in subscription services, such as on-demand information technology service and Internet service. Internet service is, in fact, a special case of on-demand information technology service. Nair and Bapna (2001) find that Internet Service Providers (ISP) have perishable capacity for users to log on, a fixed number of units, and the possibility of segmenting price-sensitive customers. These three characteristics are common with industries where revenue management is traditionally applied. They also identify that revenue management in Internet service is different than traditional applications. The Internet service is continuous in state and time, the request and the service happen simultaneously, and overbooking is impossible for ISP. Furthermore, they formulate the revenue management problem for ISP as a continuous time Markov Decision Process to maximize the discounted value while improving service levels for higher class customers. Wynter et al. (2004) introduce a revenue management model for a specific information technology service on-demand computing service. Dube et al. (2005) make a further analysis on the model of Wynter et al. (2004) both analytically and numerically, and conclude that the application of revenue management can significantly increase revenue of on-demand computing service providers Economic concerns To better apply revenue management in the industry, practitioners must have a thorough understanding of underlying economic theory, such as supply and demand, opportunity cost, competition, consolidation, etc. Dana (1999) presents how revenue management techniques, such as price dispersion, can shift demand even when the peak time is unknown. Firms must compete with each other to get customers, so revenue management decisions of one firm unavoidably affect the demand for other firms in the same industry. The sudden reversal in the lodging industrys fortunes from 2008 to 2009 made the focus on customer rate resistance, contract renegotiations, competition, and price wars as top priorities for revenue managers. This contrasts with a 2008 study by Cornell university , where human resources and technology issues were ahead of economic concerns. The recent bad economic situation made it for revenue managers to maintain price positioning, because the drop in demand has shifted considerable pricing power to the customer. Although many hotels can compete effectively on price (and others may have little choice), revenue managers may also draw on numerous non-price competitive techniques, including adding value. One pricing approach might be to create a set of targeted rate promotions that are protected by rate fences and designed to attract price-conscious guests. Another technique is to bundle services into packages that disguise room rates. Non-price techniques include competing on the basi s of quality, creating strategic partnerships, taking advantage of your loyalty program, developing additional revenue sources, and developing additional market segments Even as they agreed that customers have gained considerable negotiating power, a research by Cornell university see a larger role for RM as the economy recovers. In the meantime, revenue managers have a key responsibility to determine ways to offset the loss of business by creating special rates that are protected by rate fences to attract different market segments or to augment existing packages to retain current business Looking ahead, revenue managers should be aware that customers will be strongly focused on price and less so on brand loyalty. The common thread in this view of hotels future is that RM is a valuable tool for hotel marketers and managers as they consider tactical price setting and strategic price positioning. The managers are well aware that revenue management cannot help in all cases. Also revenue managers should broaden the perspective on revenue management to include as many customer touch points as is appropriate. In a sense, this represents a combination of marketing principles with revenue management tactics. As demand returns, application of RM approaches will be able to help hotels find the way back to rate integrity. Based on that idea, now is the time to set price strategies and be ready with revenue management tactics when the recovery comes. Customer perception According to Cornell University research many managers have been reluctant to adopt revenue management practices because of possible customer dissatisfaction. They may well find support for their fears in the fairness literature, which has shown that customers will refuse to patronize companies perceived as unfair. Customers from different cultures and nationalities often have different service expectations (Donthu and Yoo 1998). For example, Lee and Ulgado (1997) found that American fast-food customers considered low prices to be of paramount importance when evaluating satisfaction, whereas Korean consumers were more concerned about service dimensions such as reliability and empathy. Also, Asians often see eating out as more of a social or family activity than do Americans or Europeans (Hall 1966)

Admission-Application essay

I often believe that women are the catalyst for nations’ development given equal rights to education, justice, occupation, suffrage and other services.   The silence and the vulnerability of women and children in developing countries like Zaire have awakened my drive to fight for the rights of the unheard and the helpless.Since childhood, I have always pictured a world where people are equal in rights and nobody is above the rest in terms of allocation of basic services, education, laws and job opportunities.   I have closely witnessed the unfair treatment to women and children who are often victims of human rights violation.   I have often wondered why there are more men in politics, schools and in the workplace.Silently, I have also questioned why society has embraced a system where women should remain at home and are not treated as important members of the society.   At a young age, I could not accept the discrimination in my country.   I understand that it is imp ossible for me to solve all the problems facing women and children but I know that something must be done.I have carefully studied my options in finding ways to be the voice that will awaken women in their important roles in the family, community and country.   One of the avenues that I have chosen was to work as a social worker.   To date, I am fulfilled in the profession that I have pursued.   Nothing is more rewarding than to see the helpless rise from poverty, oppression and discrimination.In my years of service, I have worked in a variety of settings within a framework of relevant legislation and procedures to support individuals, families and groups within the community.   These settings include schools, hospitals, public sectors and organizations.I have also worked closely with the health and social care staff.   When I was involved with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), I have pushed for the integration of health and social work services for women and children in my country.   Together with a multidisciplinary team, I have worked on the family code of Zaire to give equal parental rights to both spouses.This has replaced the previous concept of paternal authority.   Both parents have the same duties to care for their children.   Women are given the right to marriage and choice of spouses.   They are also given the right to inherit.   Both women and men acquired legal capacity at the age of 18.   They are both equally free to enter into marriage with the consent of both future spouses.   Women and children are not required to perform forced or compulsory labor, except as provided for by law.Although there are still so much that remain to be done to give wives equal rights similar to their husbands, the family code is a step forward for Zairian women.   As a social worker, I have also worked to ameliorate the living conditions of women by making them self sufficient.Through livelihood training and seminars, wome n can now engage in a small business to alleviate them from poverty.   I have also supervised 300 people and became the agriculture and rural development counselor of the governor of Zaire.Other than having an undergraduate degree and license in Social Work, I have also earned a post Graduate degree in Nutrition in Belgium.Being of service to women and children in terms of poverty alleviation, educational provision and allocation of medical and health care services has always been my passion.   Now that I am already a US citizen, I would like to move to the Department of Social Work so I can continue my work as a social worker in a larger scale.After witnessing domestic violence, child abuse, neglect, delinquency and other social problems in the community, I felt that something should be done.   This has motivated me to become a social worker in the local and international community.I would like to advocate for social justice and be the voice for those who are deprived of thei r basic human rights.   With my utmost dedication and perseverance, I would like to see more women and children around the world living in contented and productive lives that are free of abuse and discrimination.

Black House Chapter Twenty-six

26 WE HAVE HAD our little conversation about slippage, and it's too late in the game to belabor the point more than a little, but wouldn't you say that most houses are an attempt to hold slippage back? To impose at least the illusion of normality and sanity on the world? Think of Libertyville, with its corny but endearing street names Camelot and Avalon and Maid Marian Way. And think of that sweet little honey of a home in Libertyville where Fred, Judy, and Tyler Marshall once lived together. What else would you call 16 Robin Hood Lane but an ode to the everyday, a paean to the prosaic? We could say the same thing about Dale Gilbertson's home, or Jack's, or Henry's, couldn't we? Most of the homes in the vicinity of French Landing, really. The destructive hurricane that has blown through the town doesn't change the fact that the homes stand as brave bulwarks against slippage, as noble as they are humble. They are places of sanity. Black House like Shirley Jackson's Hill House, like the turn-of-the-century monstrosity in Seattle known as Rose Red is not sane. It is not entirely of this world. It's hard to look at from the outside the eyes play continual tricks but if one can hold it steady for a few seconds, one sees a three-story dwelling of perfectly ordinary size. The color is unusual, yes that dead black exterior, even the windows swabbed black and it has a crouching, leaning aspect that would raise uneasy thoughts about its structural integrity, but if one could appraise it with the glammer of those other worlds stripped away, it would look almost as ordinary as Fred and Judy's place . . . if not so well maintained. Inside, however, it is different. Inside, Black House is large. Black House is, in fact, almost infinite. Certainly it is no place to get lost, although from time to time people have hoboes and the occasional unfortunate runaway child, as well as Charles Burnside/Carl Bierstone's victims and relics here and there mark their passing: bits of clothing, pitiful scratchings on the walls of gigantic rooms with strange dimensions, the occasional heap of bones. Here and there the visitor may see a skull, such as the ones that washed up on the banks of the Hanover River during Fritz Haarman's reign of terror in the early 1920s. This is not a place where you want to get lost. Let us pass through rooms and nooks and corridors and crannies, safe in the knowledge that we can return to the outside world, the sane anti-slippage world, anytime we want (and yet we are still uneasy as we pass down flights of stairs that seem all but endless and along corridors that dwindle to a point in the distance). We hear an eternal low humming and the faint clash of weird machinery. We hear the idiot whistle of a constant wind either outside or on the floors above and below us. Sometimes we hear a faint, houndly barking that is undoubtedly the abbalah's devil dog, the one that did for poor old Mouse. Sometimes we hear the sardonic caw of a crow and understand that Gorg is here, too somewhere. We pass through rooms of ruin and rooms that are still furnished with a pale and rotten grandeur. Many of these are surely bigger than the whole house in which they hide. And eventually we come to a humble sitting room furnished with an elderly horsehair sofa and chairs of fading red velvet. There is a smell of noisome cooking in the air. (Somewhere close by is a kitchen we must never visit . . . not, that is, if we ever wish to sleep without nightmares again.) The electrical fixtures in here are at least seventy years old. How can that be, we ask, if Black House was built in the 1970s? The answer is simple: much of Black House most of Black House has been here much longer. The draperies in this room are heavy and faded. Except for the yellowed news clippings that have been taped to the ugly green wallpaper, it is a room that would not be out of place on the ground floor of the Nelson Hotel. It's a place that is simultaneously sinister and oddly banal, a fitting mirror for the imag ination of the old monster who has gone to earth here, who lies sleeping on the horsehair sofa with the front of his shirt turning a sinister red. Black House is not his, although in his pathological grandiosity he believes differently (and Mr. Munshun has not disabused him of this belief ). This one room, however, is. The clippings around him tell us all we need to know of Charles â€Å"Chummy† Burnside's lethal fascinations. YES, I ATE HER, FISH DECLARES: New York Herald Tribune BILLY GAFFNEY PLAYMATE AVERS â€Å"IT WAS THE GRAY MAN TOOK BILLY, IT WAS THE BOGEYMAN†: New York World Telegram GRACE BUDD HORROR CONTINUES: FISH CONFESSES!: Long Island Star FISH ADMITS â€Å"ROASTING, EATING† WM GAFFNEY: New York American FRITZ HAARMAN, SO-CALLED â€Å"BUTCHER OF HANOVER,† EXECUTED FOR MURDER OF 24: New York World WEREWOLF DECLARES: â€Å"I WAS DRIVEN BY LOVE, NOT LUST.† HAARMAN DIES UNREPENTANT: The Guardian CANNIBAL OF HANOVER'S LAST LETTER: â€Å"YOU CANNOT KILL ME, I SHALL BE AMONG YOU FOR ETERNITY†: New York World Wendell Green would love this stuff, would he not? And there are more. God help us, there are so many more. Even Jeffrey Dahmer is here, declaring I WANTED ZOMBIES. The figure on the couch begins to groan and stir. â€Å"Way-gup, Burny!† This seems to come from thin air, not his mouth . . . although his lips move, like those of a second-rate ventriloquist. Burny groans. His head turns to the left. â€Å"No . . . need to sleep. Everything . . . hurts.† The head turns to the right in a gesture of negation and Mr. Munshun speaks again. â€Å"Way-gup, dey vill be gummink. You must move der buu-uoy.† The head switches back the other way. Sleeping, Burny thinks Mr. Munshun is still safe inside his head. He has forgotten things are different here in Black House. Foolish Burny, now nearing the end of his usefulness! But not quite there yet. â€Å"Can't . . . lea' me ‘lone . . . stomach hurts . . . the blind man . . . fucking blind man hurt my stomach . . .† But the head turns back the other way and the voice speaks again from the air beside Burny's right ear. Burny fights it, not wanting to wake and face the full ferocious impact of the pain. The blind man has hurt him much worse than he thought at the time, in the heat of the moment. Burny insists to the nagging voice that the boy is safe where he is, that they'll never find him even if they can gain access to Black House, that they will become lost in its unknown depth of rooms and hallways and wander until they first go mad and then die. Mr. Munshun, however, knows that one of them is different from any of the others who have happened on this place. Jack Sawyer is acquainted with the infinite, and that makes him a problem. The boy must be taken out the back way and into End-World, into the very shadow of Din-tah, the great furnace. Mr. Munshun tells Burny that he may still be able to have some of the boy before turning him over to the abbalah, but not here. Too dangerous. Sorry. Burny continues to protest, but this is a battle he will not win, and we know it. Already the stale, cooked-meat air of the room has begun to shift and swirl as the owner of the voice arrives. We see first a whirlpool of black, then a splotch of red an ascot and then the beginnings of an impossibly long white face, which is dominated by a single black shark's eye. This is the real Mr. Munshun, the creature who can only live in Burny's head outside of Black House and its enchanted environs. Soon he will be entirely here, he will pull Burny into wakefulness (torture him into wakefulness, if necessary), and he will put Burny to use while there is still use to be gotten from him. For Mr. Munshun cannot move Ty from his cell in the Black House. Once he is in End-World Burny's Sheol things will be different. At last Burny's eyes open. His gnarled hands, which have spilled so much blood, now reach down to feel the dampness of his own blood seeping through his shirt. He looks, sees what has bloomed there, and lets out a scream of horror and cowardice. It does not strike him as just that, after murdering so many children, he should have been mortally wounded by a blind man; it strikes him as hideous, unfair. For the first time he is visited by an extremely unpleasant idea: What if there's more to pay for the things he has done over the course of his long career? He has seen End-World; he has seen Conger Road, which winds through it to Din-tah. The blasted, burning landscape surrounding Conger Road is like hell, and surely An-tak, the Big Combination, is hell itself. What if such a place waits for him? What if There's a horrible, paralyzing pain in his guts. Mr. Munshun, now almost fully materialized, has reached out and twisted one smoky, not-quite-transparent hand in the wound Henry inflicted with his switchblade knife. Burny squeals. Tears run down the old child-murderer's cheeks. â€Å"Don't hurt me!† â€Å"Zen do ass I zay.† â€Å"I can't,† Burny snivels. â€Å"I'm dying. Look at all the blood! Do you think I can get past something like this? I'm eighty-five fucking years old!† â€Å"Duff brayyg, Burn-Burn . . . but dere are zose on z'osser zide who could hill you off your wunds.† Mr. Munshun, like Black House itself, is hard to look at. He shivers in and out of focus. Sometimes that hideously long face (it obscures most of his body, like the bloated head of a caricature on some newspaper's op-ed page) has two eyes, sometimes just one. Sometimes there seem to be tufted snarls of orange hair leaping up from his distended skull, and sometimes Mr. Munshun appears to be as bald as Yul Brynner. Only the red lips and the fangy pointed teeth that lurk inside them remain fairly constant. Burny eyes his accomplice with a degree of hope. His hands, meanwhile, continue to explore his stomach, which is now hard and bloated with lumps. He suspects the lumps are clots. Oh, that someone should have hurt him so badly! That wasn't supposed to happen! That was never supposed to happen! He was supposed to be protected! He was supposed to â€Å"It iss not even peeyond ze realm of bossibility,† Mr. Munshun says, â€Å"zat ze yearz could be rawled avey vrum you jusst as ze stunn vas rawled avey from ze mouse of Cheezus Chrizze's doom.† â€Å"To be young again,† Burny says, and exhales a low, harsh sigh. His breath stinks of blood and spoilage. â€Å"Yes, I'd like that.† â€Å"Of gorse! And soch zings are bossible,† Mr. Munshun says, nodding his grotesquely unstable face. â€Å"Soch gifts are ze abbalah's to giff. But zey are not bromised, Charles, my liddle munching munchkin. But I can make you one bromise.† The creature in the black evening suit and red ascot leaps forward with dreadful agility. His long-fingered hand darts again into Chummy Burnside's shirt, this time clenches into a fist, and produces a pain beyond any the old monster has ever dreamed of in his own life . . . although he has inflicted this and more on the innocent. Mr. Munshun's reeking countenance pushes up to Burny's. The single eye glares. â€Å"Do you feel dat, Burny? Do you, you mizz-er-a-ble old bag of dirt and zorrow? Ho-ho, ha-ha, of gorse you do! It iss your in-destines I haff in my hand! Und if you do not mooff now, schweinhund, I vill rip dem from your bledding body, ho-ho, ha-ha, und vrap dem arund your neg! You vill die knowing you are choking on your own gudz! A trick I learned from Fritz himzelf, Fritz Haarman, who vas so yunk und loff-ly! Now! Vat do you say? Vill you brink him, or vill you choke?† â€Å"I'll bring him!† Burny screams. â€Å"I'll bring him, only stop, stop, you're tearing me apart!† â€Å"Brink him to ze station. Ze station, Burn-Burn. Dis one iz nodd for ze radhulls, de fogzhulls not for ze Com-bin-ay-shun. No bledding foodzies for Dyler; he works for his abbalah vid dis.† A long finger tipped with a brutal black nail goes to the huge forehead and taps it above the eyes (for the moment Burny sees two of them, and then the second is once more gone). â€Å"Understand?† â€Å"Yes! Yes!† His guts are on fire. And still the hand in his shirt twists and twists. The terrible highway of Mr. Munshun's face hangs before him. â€Å"Ze station where you brought the other sbecial ones.† â€Å"YES!† Mr. Munshun lets go. He steps back. Mercifully for Burny, he is beginning to grow insubstantial again, to discorporate. Yellowed clippings swim into view not behind him but through him. Yet the single eye hangs in the air above the paling blotch of the ascot. â€Å"Mayg zure he vears za cab. Ziss one ezbeshully must wear za cab.† Burnside nods eagerly. He still smells faintly of My Sin perfume. â€Å"The cap, yes, I have the cap.† â€Å"Be gare-ful, Burny. You are old und hurt. Ze bouy is young und desberate. Flitt of foot. If you let him get avey â€Å" In spite of the pain, Burny smiles. One of the children getting away from him! Even one of the special ones! What an idea! â€Å"Don't worry,† he says. â€Å"Just . . . if you speak to him . . . to Abbalah-doon . . . tell him I'm not past it yet. If he makes me better, he won't regret it. And if he makes me young again, I'll bring him a thousand young. A thousand Breakers.† Fading and fading. Now Mr. Munshun is again just a glow, a milky disturbance on the air of Burny's sitting room deep in the house he abandoned only when he realized he really did need someone to take care of him in his sunset years. â€Å"Bring him just dis vun, Burn-Burn. Bring him just dis vun, und you vill be revarded.† Mr. Munshun is gone. Burny stands and bends over the horsehair sofa. Doing it squeezes his belly, and the resulting pain makes him scream, but he doesn't stop. He reaches into the darkness and pulls out a battered black leather sack. He grasps its top and leaves the room, limping and clutching at his bleeding, distended belly. And what of Tyler Marshall, who has existed through most of these many pages as little more than a rumor? How badly has he been hurt? How frightened is he? Has he managed to retain his sanity? As to his physical condition, he's got a concussion, but that's already healing. The Fisherman has otherwise done no more than stroke his arm and his buttocks (a creepy touch that made Tyler think of the witch in â€Å"Hansel and Gretel†). Mentally . . . would you be shocked to hear that, while Mr. Munshun is goading Burny onward, Fred and Judy's boy is happy? He is. He is happy. And why not? He's at Miller Park. The Milwaukee Brewers have confounded all the pundits this year, all the doomsayers who proclaimed they'd be in the cellar by July Fourth. Well, it's still relatively early, but the Fourth has come and gone and the Brew Crew has returned to Miller tied for first place with Cincinnati. They are in the hunt, in large part due to the bat of Richie Sexson, who came over to Milwaukee from the Cleveland Indians and who has been â€Å"really pickin' taters,† in the pungent terminology of George Rathbun. They are in the hunt, and Ty is at the game! EXCELLENT! Not only is he there, he's got a front-row seat. Next to him big, sweating, red-faced, a Kingsland beer in one hand and another tucked away beneath his seat for emergencies is the Gorgeous George himself, bellowing at the top of his leather lungs. Jeromy Burnitz of the Crew has just been called out at first on a bang-bang play, and while there can be no doubt that the Cincinnati shortstop handled the ball well and got rid of it fast, there can also be no doubt (at least not in George Rathbun's mind) that Burnitz was safe! He rises in the twilight, his sweaty bald pate glowing beneath a sweetly lavender sky, a foamy rill of beer rolling up one cocked forearm, his blue eyes twinkling (you can tell he sees a lot with those eyes, just about everything), and Ty waits for it, they all wait for it, and here it is, that avatar of summer in the Coulee Country, that wonderful bray that means everything is okay, terror has been denied, a nd slippage has been canceled. â€Å"COME ON, UMP, GIVE US A BREAK! GIVE US A FREEEEAKIN' BRAYYYYK! EVEN A BLIND MAN COULD SEE HE WAS SAFE!† The crowd on the first-base side goes wild at the sound of that cry, none wilder than the fourteen or so people sitting behind the banner reading MILLER PARK WELCOMES GEORGE RATHBUN AND THE WINNERS OF THIS YEAR'S KDCU BREWER BASH. Ty is jumping up and down, laughing, waving his Brew Crew hat. What makes this doubly boss is that he thought he forgot to enter the contest this year. He guesses his father (or perhaps his mother) entered it for him . . . and he won! Not the grand prize, which was getting to be the Brew Crew's batboy for the entire Cincinnati series, but what he got (besides this excellent seat with the other winners, that is) is, in his opinion, even better. Of course Richie Sexson isn't Mark McGwire nobody can hit the tar out of the ball like Big Mac but Sexson has been awesome for the Brewers this year, just awesome, and Tyler Marshall has won Someone is shaking his foot. Ty attempts to pull away, not wanting to lose this dream (this most excellent refuge from the horror that has befallen him), but the hand is relentless. It shakes. It shakes and shakes. â€Å"Way-gup,† a voice snarls, and the dream begins to darken. George Rathbun turns to Ty, and the boy sees an amazing thing: the eyes that were such a shrewd, sharp blue only a few seconds ago have gone dull and milky. Cripe, he's blind, Ty thinks. George Rathbun really is a â€Å"Way-gup,† the growling voice says. It's closer now. In a moment the dream will wink out entirely. Before it does, George speaks to him. The voice is quiet, totally unlike the sportscaster's usual brash bellow. â€Å"Help's on the way,† he says. â€Å"So be cool, you little cat. Be â€Å" â€Å"Way-GUP, you shit!† The grip on his ankle is crushing, paralyzing. With a cry of protest, Ty opens his eyes. This is how he rejoins the world, and our tale. He remembers where he is immediately. It's a cell with reddish-gray iron bars halfway along a stone corridor lit with cobwebby electric bulbs. There's a dish of some sort of stew in one corner. In the other is a bucket in which he is supposed to pee (or take a dump if he has to so far he hasn't, thank goodness). The only other thing in the room is a raggedy old futon from which Burny has just dragged him. â€Å"All right,† Burny says. â€Å"Awake at last. That's good. Now get up. On your feet, asswipe. I don't have time to fuck with you.† Tyler gets up. A wave of dizziness rolls through him and he puts his hand to the top of his head. There is a spongy, crusted place there. Touching it sends a bolt of pain all the way down to his jaws, which clench. But it also drives the dizziness away. He looks at his hand. There are flakes of scab and dried blood on his palm. That's where he hit me with his damned rock. Any harder, and I would have been playing a harp. But the old man has been hurt somehow, too. His shirt is covered with blood; his wrinkled ogre's face is waxy and pallid. Behind him, the cell door is open. Ty measures the distance to the hallway, hoping he's not being too obvious about it. But Burny has been in this game a long time. He has had more than one liddle one dry to esscabe on hiz bledding foodzies, oh ho. He reaches into his bag and brings out a black gadget with a pistol grip and a stainless steel nozzle at the tip. â€Å"Know what this is, Tyler?† Burny asks. â€Å"Taser,† Ty says. â€Å"Isn't it?† Burny grins, revealing the stumps of his teeth. â€Å"Smart boy! A TV-watching boy, I'll be bound. It's a Taser, yes. But a special type it'll drop a cow at thirty yards. Understand? You try to run, boy, I'll bring you down like a ton of bricks. Come out here.† Ty steps out of the cell. He has no idea where this horrible old man means to take him, but there's a certain relief just in being free of the cell. The futon was the worst. He knows, somehow, that he hasn't been the only kid to cry himself to sleep on it with an aching heart and an aching, lumpy head, nor the tenth. Nor, probably, the fiftieth. â€Å"Turn to your left.† Ty does. Now the old man is behind him. A moment later, he feels the bony fingers grip the right cheek of his bottom. It's not the first time the old man has done this (each time it happens he's reminded again of the witch in â€Å"Hansel and Gretel,† asking the lost children to stick their arms out of their cage), but this time his touch is different. Weaker. Die soon, Ty thinks, and the thought its cold collectedness is very, very Judy. Die soon, old man, so I don't have to. â€Å"This one is mine,† the old man says . . . but he sounds out of breath, no longer quite sure of himself. â€Å"I'll bake half, fry the rest. With bacon.† â€Å"I don't think you'll be able to eat much,† Ty says, surprised at the calmness of his own voice. â€Å"Looks like somebody ventilated your stomach pretty g â€Å" There is a crackling, accompanied by a hideous, jittery burning sensation in his left shoulder. Ty screams and staggers against the wall across the corridor from his cell, trying to clutch the wounded place, trying not to cry, trying to hold on to just a little of his beautiful dream about being at the game with George Rathbun and the other KDCU Brewer Bash winners. He knows he actually did forget to enter this year, but in dreams such things don't matter. That's what's so beautiful about them. Oh, but it hurts so bad. And despite all his efforts all the Judy Marshall in him the tears begin to flow. â€Å"You want another un?† the old man gasps. He sounds both sick and hysterical, and even a kid Ty's age knows that's a dangerous combination. â€Å"You want another un, just for good luck?† â€Å"No,† Ty gasps. â€Å"Don't zap me again, please don't.† â€Å"Then start walkin'! And no more smart goddamn remarks!† Ty starts to walk. Somewhere he can hear water dripping. Somewhere, very faint, he can hear the laughing caw of a crow probably the same one that tricked him, and how he'd like to have Ebbie's .22 and blow its evil shiny black feathers off. The outside world seems light-years away. But George Rathbun told him help was on the way, and sometimes the things you heard in dreams came true. His very own mother told him that once, and long before she started to go all wonky in the head, too. They come to a stairway that seems to circle down forever. Up from the depths comes a smell of sulfur and a roast of heat. Faintly he can hear what might be screams and moans. The clank of machinery is louder. There are ominous creaking sounds that might be belts and chains. Ty pauses, thinking the old guy won't zap him again unless he absolutely has to. Because Ty might fall down this long circular staircase. Might hit the place on his head the old guy already clipped with the rock, or break his neck, or tumble right off the side. And the old guy wants him alive, at least for now. Ty doesn't know why, but he knows this intuition is true. â€Å"Where are we going, mister?† â€Å"You'll find out,† Burny says in his tight, out-of-breath voice. â€Å"And if you think I don't dare zap you while we're on the stairs, my little friend, you're very mistaken. Now get walking.† Tyler Marshall starts down the stairs, descending past vast galleries and balconies, around and down, around and down. Sometimes the air smells of putrid cabbage. Sometimes it smells of burned candles. Sometimes of wet rot. He counts a hundred and fifty steps, then stops counting. His thighs are burning. Behind him, the old man is gasping, and twice he stumbles, cursing and holding the ancient banister. Fall, old man, Ty chants inside his head. Fall and die, fall and die. But at last they are at the bottom. They arrive in a circular room with a dirty glass ceiling. Above them, gray sky hangs down like a filthy bag. There are plants oozing out of broken pots, sending greedy feelers across a floor of broken orange bricks. Ahead of them, two doors French doors, Ty thinks they are called stand open. Beyond them is a crumbling patio surrounded by ancient trees. Some are palms. Some the ones with the hanging, ropy vines might be banyans. Others he doesn't know. One thing he's sure of: they are no longer in Wisconsin. Standing on the patio is an object he knows very well. Something from his own world. Tyler Marshall's eyes well up again at the sight of it, which is almost like the sight of a face from home in a hopelessly foreign place. â€Å"Stop, monkey-boy.† The old man sounds out of breath. â€Å"Turn around.† When Tyler does, he's pleased to see that the blotch on the old man's shirt has spread even farther. Fingers of blood now stretch all the way to his shoulders, and the waistband of his baggy old blue jeans has gone a muddy black. But the hand holding the Taser is rock-steady. God damn you, Tyler thinks. God damn you to hell. The old man has put his bag on a little table. He simply stands where he is for a moment, getting his breath. Then he rummages in the bag (something in there utters a faint metallic clink) and brings out a soft brown cap. It's the kind guys like Sean Connery sometimes wear in the movies. The old man holds it out. â€Å"Put it on. And if you try to grab my hand, I'll zap you.† Tyler takes the cap. His fingers, expecting the texture of suede, are surprised by something metallic, almost like tinfoil. He feels an unpleasant buzzing in his hand, like a mild version of the Taser's jolt. He looks at the old man pleadingly. â€Å"Do I have to?† Burny raises the Taser and bares his teeth in a silent grin. Reluctantly, Ty puts the cap on. This time the buzzing fills his head. For a moment he can't think . . . and then the feeling passes, leaving him with an odd sense of weakness in his muscles and a throbbing at his temples. â€Å"Special boys need special toys,† Burny says, and it comes out sbecial boyz, sbecial toyz. As always, Mr. Munshun's ridiculous accent has rubbed off a little, thickening that touch of South Chicago Henry detected on the 911 tape. â€Å"Now we can go out.† Because with the cap on, I'm safe, Ty thinks, but the idea breaks up and drifts away almost as soon as it comes. He tries to think of his middle name and realizes he can't. He tries to think of the bad crow's name and can't get that, either was it something like Corgi? No, that's a kind of dog. The cap is messing him up, he realizes, and that's what it's supposed to do. Now they pass through the open doors and onto the patio. The air is redolent with the smell of the trees and bushes that surround the back side of Black House, a smell that is heavy and cloying. Fleshy, somehow. The gray sky seems almost low enough to touch. Ty can smell sulfur and something bitter and electric and juicy. The sound of machinery is much louder out here. The thing Ty recognized sitting on the broken bricks is an E-Z-Go golf cart. The Tiger Woods model. â€Å"My dad sells these,† Ty says. â€Å"At Goltz's, where he works.† â€Å"Where do you think it came from, asswipe? Get in. Behind the wheel.† Ty looks at him, amazed. His blue eyes, perhaps thanks to the effects of the cap, have grown bloodshot and rather confused. â€Å"I'm not old enough to drive.† â€Å"Oh, you'll be fine. A baby could drive this baby. Behind the wheel.† Ty does as he is told. In truth, he has driven one of these in the lot at Goltz's, with his father sitting watchfully beside him in the passenger seat. Now the hideous old man is easing himself into that same place, groaning and holding his perforated midsection. The Taser is in the other hand, however, and the steel tip remains pointed at Ty. The key is in the ignition. Ty turns it. There's a click from the battery beneath them. The dashboard light reading CHARGE glows bright green. Now all he has to do is push the accelerator pedal. And steer, of course. â€Å"Good so far,† the old man says. He takes his right hand off his middle and points with a bloodstained finger. Ty sees a path of discolored gravel once, before the trees and underbrush encroached, it was probably a driveway leading away from the house. â€Å"Now go. And go slow. Speed and I'll zap you. Try to crash us and I'll break your wrist for you. Then you can drive one-handed.† Ty pushes down on the accelerator. The golf cart jerks forward. The old man lurches, curses, and waves the Taser threateningly. â€Å"It would be easier if I could take off the cap,† Ty says. â€Å"Please, I'm pretty sure that if you'd just let me â€Å" â€Å"No! Cap stays! Drive!† Ty pushes down gently on the accelerator. The E-Z-Go rolls across the patio, its brand-new rubber tires crunching on broken shards of brick. There's a bump as they leave the pavement and go rolling up the driveway. Heavy fronds they feel damp, sweaty brush Tyler's arms. He cringes. The golf cart swerves. Burny jabs the Taser at the boy, snarling. â€Å"Next time you get the juice! It's a promise!† A snake goes writhing across the overgrown gravel up ahead, and Ty utters a little scream through his clenched teeth. He doesn't like snakes, didn't even want to touch the harmless little corn snake Mrs. Locher brought to school, and this thing is the size of a python, with ruby eyes and fangs that prop its mouth open in a perpetual snarl. â€Å"Go! Drive!† The Taser, waving in his face. The cap, buzzing faintly in his ears. Behind his ears. The drive curves to the left. Some sort of tree burdened with what look like tentacles leans over them. The tips of the tentacles tickle across Ty's shoulders and the goose-prickled, hair-on-end nape of his neck. Ourr boyy . . . He hears this in his head in spite of the cap. It's faint, it's distant, but it's there. Ourrrrr boyyyyy . . . yesssss . . . ourrrrs . . . Burny is grinning. â€Å"Hear 'em, don'tcha? They like you. So do I. We're all friends here, don't you see?† The grin becomes a grimace. He clutches his bloody middle again. â€Å"Goddamned blind old fool!† he gasps. Then, suddenly, the trees are gone. The golf cart rolls out onto a sullen, crumbling plain. The bushes dwindle and Ty sees that farther along they give way entirely to a crumbled, rocky scree: hills rise and fall beneath that sullen gray sky. A few birds of enormous size wheel lazily. A shaggy, slump-shouldered creature staggers down a narrow defile and is gone from sight before Ty can see exactly what it is . . . not that he wanted to. The thud and pound of machinery is stronger, shaking the earth. The crump of pile drivers; the clash of ancient gears; the squall of cogs. Tyler can feel the golf cart's steering wheel thrumming in his hands. Ahead of them the driveway ends in a wide road of beaten earth. Along the far side of it is a wall of round white stones. â€Å"That thing you hear, that's the Crimson King's power plant,† Burny says. He speaks with pride, but there is more than a tinge of fear beneath it. â€Å"The Big Combination. A million children have died on its belts, and a zillion more to come, for all I know. But that's not for you, Tyler. You might have a future after all. First, though, I'll have my piece of you. Yes indeed.† His blood-streaked hand reaches out and caresses the top of Ty's buttock. â€Å"A good agent's entitled to ten percent. Even an old buzzard like me knows that.† The hand draws back. Good thing. Ty has been on the verge of screaming, holding the sound back only by thinking of sitting at Miller Park with good old George Rathbun. If I'd really entered the Brewer Bash, he thinks, none of this would have happened. But he thinks that may not actually be true. Some things are meant to be, that's all. Meant. He just hopes that what this horrible old creature wants is not one of them. â€Å"Turn left,† Burny grunts, settling back. â€Å"Three miles. Give or take.† And, as Tyler makes the turn, he realizes the ribbons of mist rising from the ground aren't mist at all. They're ribbons of smoke. â€Å"Sheol,† Burny says, as if reading his mind. â€Å"And this is the only way through it Conger Road. Get off it and there are things out there that'd pull you to pieces just to hear you scream. My friend told me where to take you, but there might be just a leedle change of plan.† His pain-wracked face takes on a sulky cast. Ty thinks it makes him look extraordinarily stupid. â€Å"He hurt me. Pulled my guts. I don't trust him.† And, in a horrible child's singsong: â€Å"Carl Bierstone don't trust Mr. Munshun! Not no more! Not no more!† Ty says nothing. He concentrates on keeping the golf cart in the middle of Conger Road. He risks one look back, but the house, in its ephemeral wallow of tropical greenery, is gone, blocked from view by the first of the eroded hills. â€Å"He'll have what's his, but I'll have what's mine. Do you hear me, boy?† When Ty says nothing, Burny brandishes the Taser. â€Å"Do you hear me, you asswipe monkey?† â€Å"Yeah,† Ty says. â€Å"Yeah, sure.† Why don't you die? God, if You're there, why don't You just reach down and put Your finger on his rotten heart and stop it from beating? When Burny speaks again, his voice is sly. â€Å"You looked at the wall on t'other side, but I don't think you looked close enough. Better take another gander.† Tyler looks past the slumped old man. For a moment he doesn't understand . . . and then he does. The big white stones stretching endlessly away along the far side of Conger Road aren't stones at all. They're skulls. What is this place? Oh God, how he wants his mother! How he wants to go home! Beginning to cry again, his brain numbed and buzzing beneath the cap that looks like cloth but isn't, Ty pilots the golf cart deeper and deeper into the furnace-lands. Into Sheol. Rescue help of any kind has never seemed so far away.