Reflective Practice Essay

I am writing this reflective journal in accordance with the CNO`s reflective practice standards and the LEARN model. Though my time on 600A has only just begun I have learned so much. Like many second year students, this is my first experience in the hospital. It has proven to be much different than my previous clinical experiences. My time with my first client stands out in my mind as a key learning experience. I like to believe that I am caring and compassionate with everyone I meet, especially in a professional setting. This particular client was a lady in her early 80s. She was good natured and very easy to get along with. She was cognitively aware and quite bright. As a result of bowel surgery she had an ostomy. This was new to her and I could tell she was unsure about it. My first day with her we did a lot of chatting and sharing. She told me about her husband, children and career as a kindergarten teacher. This helped build a certain level of comfort with me as a caregiver. I had her to come for walks with me down the hall and once she was up and moving she said she felt much better. I helped her with her first shower post-op. I made her feel more comfortable by promising to stay outside the door while she was in there. When she was finished, I helped her to apply lotion to her dry skin and at her request gave her a good back rub. My shift ended and I said my goodbyes. My client told me she was sad to see me go and was looking forward to my return the next morning. That night when I went home I did some research into ostomies. Through my textbooks and previous experience I had a solid knowledge of the basic care but just in case I wanted to refresh. I was excited to return to clinical the next morning. My client had a big smile for me when I walked into her room. Throughout the evening the ostomy nurse had come in, did some assessments and quickly taught my client how to empty and clean the appliance. Unfortunately since the nurse was very busy she did not have the time practice with her. My client told me she was unsure and nervous about performing the task. Since I had taken the extra time to do the research the night before, I was able to take the client into  the bathroom and walk her through the steps. I had the knowledge necessary to put my client at ease and make her feel more comfortable with this new situation. My client went home that day while I was still on shift. Before she left she thanked me and told me she wouldn`t have felt ready to leave if I had not been able to teach her about the appliance. She even made sure I met her husband and he thanked me as well. I felt very proud to be a student nurse that day. I believe I had a positive impact on that client. I took the time to care for the client and attend to her post-operative needs. As the former president of the CNO, Sandra Ireland said, â€Å"Nursing is not like any other job — it is a profession that allows us to influence lives in ways that we know and ways that we cannot imagine. Clients and families carry with them the words of comfort, caring and encouragement you say during difficult times and throughout the rest of their lives.â€Å" (Ireland, 1998) My client had a big adjustment to make and I was there to offer the support she needed. By taking the time to care about my client, not only as a client but as a person I was able to make her stay at the hospital a better experience for her and her family. She felt comfortable and well cared for and her husband was more at ease knowing people were there to care when he couldn`t be. I was able to anticipate the client`s needs and prepare myself to assist with those needs as they arose. The Sault College Practical Nursing Program beliefs on caring are outlined in the student success guide. It states, â€Å"Caring is the essence of nursing practice. When caring is the foundation for helping relationships, each person is a partner in growth towards optimal health. The interpersonal connection between caregiver and client transcends time, gender and technology. It is our view that caring, as an interpersonal interaction can be learned. A caring nurse strives for competence and excellence in the professional practice. Caring can be modeled, acquired, practiced, perfected and evaluated.† (Sault College of Applied Arts & Technology School of Health & Community Services, 2008) Based on this principle of caring I feel I did a good job of caring for my client post-operative needs. I was able to form a  caring relationship with her. I was competent in the skills I performed with her and she left me healthier than when we first met. My care was lacking a holistic approach. Looking back I did an excellent job at caring for this woman and her new ostomy but I forgot about just the woman. Lois White explains, nursing the whole person: physical, emotional, intellectual, psychological, spiritual and sociocultural, is essential to ensure the health and well-being of a client in the healthcare system. By ignoring the other areas I did not provide the best care I’m capable of. She may have had some self-esteem issues related to having this appliance or concerns about how others will react, especially her family and friends. An ostomy is a huge adjustment to make and as the nurse I could have offered some support. The more time I get to practice caring and working on interpersonal connections with clients the better I will be at caring. I believe caring is an art and a skill and they only way to perfect it is to do it. I will try spending more time thinking and planning how I am going care for my clients. I will reflect on how my work with clients affected them and gauge this with their reactions. The client themselves are in the best position to evaluate my skills as a caregiver. This week when I return to the clinical setting I will put my new approach into action. After data collecting I will think about more about the holistic person than just treatments involved with their current surgery or illness. I will do my best to identify any issues fears the client is facing and offer support for these. I will speak to my client about their mental and social wellness and do my best to assess their status within my scope. If nothing more I may be able to offer brochures or phone numbers for support groups in the area. While working with the nurses, I will observe their interactions with the clients and the care they provide. I will attempt to use the good I see and learn from the bad. If I find someone with a style of caring I truly admire I will find time to discuss it with them and take in any jewels of wisdom  they have to offer me. At the end of the day or when I find a quiet moment I will reflect on the care I provided that day. I will think about my clients, and how I made them feel. My goal is receive positive feedback from all the clients I interact with each clinical day, whether it is verbal or a simple smile. I will leave my clients knowing that I provided them with the best, holistic care I could. I would also like to take some time either on a break or after clinical ends and really talk to my classmates about how they feel they are doing. We could discuss not just the new skills we learned and may have preformed, as per usual, but their progress with caring. Through this reflection I expanded my definition of care. I have always provided good care for my client’s ailments but I never took the time to really think about everything they may need to feel well again. Secondly I realized in order to be a truly caring nurse you need to take the time to think about your actions and interactions with clients. Reflecting back on the day, whether it is formal and written as in this journal or with classmates on the way home, will help me learn, grow and develop as a nurse. References: Ireland, S. (March 2004). President`s message. The Standard, 29 (1), 4. Sault College of Applied Arts & Technology School of Health & Community Services. (2008). Practical nursing program student success guide 2008-2009. Sault Ste Marie, ON. White, Lois. (2000). Foundations of Nursing: Caring for the Whole Person. Albany,NY: Cengage Learning

Jonathan Edwards Essay

Jonathan Edwards uses an effective method called the â€Å"fire and brimstone† approach, which basically used scare tactics to keep people from straying away from the church. Jonathan Edwards was a master at using literary devices, which horrified but intrigued his audience. He (Edwards) wrote in second person to make each individual feel responsible for their own sins, this strategy allowed Edwards to speak to large groups. Edwards also used extended metaphors to help his audience realize the full extent of their sins. An example of this imagery is, â€Å" The wrath of God is like great waters that are dammed for the present; they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher till an outlet is given; and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and mighty the course, when once it is let loose.† (Sinners 1). This metaphor shows the extent that Edwards goes to show parishioners of what God is capable of doing to the Human race if they do not seek salvation. Edwards uses bandwagon appeal to keep people from leaving the church. He believed that if he could convince enough people that the church is the only way to receive the â€Å"grace of god† that it would lead to a mass movement; if enough people went that the rest would follow in their footsteps. Edwards tries to persuade people to return to church by stating that those who attend are happy, â€Å"To see so many others feasting, while you are pinning and perishing! To see so many rejoicing and singing for joy of heart, while you have cause to mourn for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit!† (Sinners 1). This method proved to be effective because people returned to the church, they feared for the outcome of their life and sought forgiveness just as their neighbors did. Jonathan Edwards’s beliefs and ideas began to affect people’s everyday lives and restore the church to its former glory. Jonathan Edwards believes that it is man’s duty to serve God in all aspects. He expresses his view that every man has the will to decide what is right from wrong, good from evil and what God would expect from a devout believer in his book Freedom of the Will. This book essentially breaks down what man desires and the choices man can make, he exposes how all these actions are relevant to the after life. Edwards tries to show that earthly matters will not a provide eternal happiness and that a man’s life on Earth is a time to prove his worthiness for judgment day by proclaiming â€Å"†¦but look at other things, as the good state of your bodily constitution, your care of your own life, and the means you use for your own preservation. But indeed these things are nothing† (sinners 1). Jonathan Edwards is known for his vivid depictions of what God’s wrath would be like. This dark imagery gave the public an idea of what their eternal punishment would be like if they did not conform to the holy life of the church. The imagery horrified people because it made people believe that God could damn each and every person to Hell for their sins. An example of the dark imagery is â€Å"The bow of God’s wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood†. (Sinners 1). By saying this Edwards strikes fear into the listener. Edwards often uses repetition to emphasize his condemnation on society for their lack of faith in the church. For example â€Å"You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder; and you have no interest in any Mediator, and nothing to lay hold of to save yourself, nothing to keep off the flames of wrath, nothing of your own, nothing that you ever have done, nothing that you can do, to induce God to spare you one moment† (sinners 1). He stresses the word â€Å"nothing† to show that all are helpless and to further belittle each individual. Edwards also repeats the word â€Å" you† to make each person feel responsible for their actions and to single out each individual. Edwards also ensures that each line in his sermons are threatening to create a sense of an ultimatum; conform to the church or burn in Hell for all eternity. â€Å"Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with great weight and pressure towards hell; and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf, and your healthy constitution, and your own care and prudence, and best contrivance, and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider’s web would have to stop a falling rock† (sinners 1). This quote shows how Edwards creates a sense of hope for the parishioners but when further analyzed it has a very negative and damning connotation. Edwards tries to portray his belief that God only lets you live because it pleasures him. This provides false hope but in reality he is saying that there is no way for anyone to be saved.

Caring Is the Fundamental of Nursing

Discuss About the Caring Is the Fundamental of Nursing? In the provision of healthcare services, nursing care involves the passionate and esteemed caring for patients by the registered nurses or other caregivers. The nursing care may be patient-centered care or the centered family care. The nursing profession gets purely focused on the therapeutic interactions between the patient and the nurses. The nursing care acts as a cornerstone practice in the hastening of the patient healing and provision of holistic care. In simpler terms, caring is the central concept amongst the different nursing concepts in the nursing practice  (Edvardsson, Watt, & Pearce, 2017). Caring as a nursing fundamental seems to be inherent to the nursing practice and emerges from the respect and mutual concern for the patient. Caring implies to the intentional actions, and positive attitudes and the inner feelings which help to shape the professional interactions which got founded between the nurse and patient. The Nursing and Midwifery Professional Practice support s the caring fundamental of nursing in the better service provision for patients. In this essay, I shall discuss the three characteristics of the therapeutic nursing and give a brief description of how such skills may get implemented to improve the therapeutic value of nursing care. Such therapeutic components include empathy, warmth and trust, and the self-awareness. Although in the process of building the therapeutic relations between the patient and nurse, the Ethics Code of Conduct dictates the nurses not to be too close emotionally to the patients and should learn to uphold the virtue of detachment. Empathy is an important and crucial nursing attribute in the therapeutic nurse-client relationship in which the patient suffers from a given condition such as dementia or due to old age. Empathy as a concept has got different definitions, but the one that gets commonly used is the one which defines empathy as a conducive environment created by a nurse. The environment makes the patient feel that his/her grievances are understood and accepted for consideration  (Maruca, Diaz, Kuhnly, & Jeffries, 2015). The nurse shows empathy to the patient through demonstrating the virtue of kindness and warmth. Furthermore, empathy encompasses the spirit of sharing and the creation of an internal vacuum to accept a person. Thus, a person feels cared for, not left lonely and feels his/her problems are well understood and gets care. Empathy concept applies in collaboration with compassion for a patient. Hence, the compassionate care is a product of showing humane concern for a patient and reciprocat ing appropriately to his/her needs with humanity in totality, pain relieving and stress management. In most instances, compassion refers to the act of not only understanding one’s problems but also responding and trying to resolve the issues so as to relieve his/her suffering. Nurses should show empathy and compassion to their patients but should try as much as [possible to retain a greater degree of detachment  (Knowles, Hearne, & Smith, 2015). This would facilitate the nurse’s concern on the patients she/he is caring for to become evident while maintaining the emotional separateness. Through the observance of the detachment policy, the nurse would get protected from losing his/her goals for care and tamper with the possibility of burnout. In most cases, caring which occurs empathetically renders a nurse to appear emotionally vulnerable, and result in the consequences of benefiting the patient at a high cost. Therefore, for effective care, nurses should try to balance between the engagement and the detachment. The skill of empathy may get offered through offering p ieces of training and workshops for the registered nurses  (Bridges, et al., 2013). During the training, nurses get taught the importance of empathy in the nursing care practice. Also, nursing students should get taught on empathy skill in one of their semesters while studying for nursing. Nursing practice usually encompasses the deep interpersonal relationships between the nurses and the patients. In most cases, the patients are optimistic that nurses should be more tender and kind in the provision of the nursing care services. Besides, the patients have higher expectations on the expression of warmth by their nurses. Patients feel warmth most when the nurses do it in a nonverbal behavior. Most of the patients prefer the nonverbal behavior of expressing warmth for them  (Yang, Hargreaves, & Bostrom, 2014). Nurses should show affection to the patients they are caring. The warmth would influence the patient’s outcome. The love shown by nurses would make the patients feel cared for, have companionships to counter loneliness and find someone to share their problems with and by default the nurse. Furthermore, the nurses should work hard to develop trust with their clients. Nurses should follow the Australian Registered Nurses Standards of Practice to acquire patie nt’s information and keep it privately and confidentially  (Arnold & Boggs, 2015). When the patients learn their information is not leaked or shared amongst other patients or the nursing staff, they will develop and build trust on their nurse on duty. With trustworthy, the patients would feel free to share their problems with the nurse on duty with expectations of assistance on the way of solving them. Moreover, patients share even their secrets without fear since they have created trustworthy enough amongst the nurses providing nursing care services. Through, the act of believing and being trustworthy, nurses would just acquire adequate information from the patients  (Mirhaghi, Sharafi, Bazzi, & Hasanzadeh, 2017). Using the obtained information, nurses would analyze and make informed decisions regarding the treatment of the patients. Informed decisions would result in better treatment, and health care services provision since the nurses and specialists would be relying their interventions on the first hand and accurate information got from the admitted client. The warmth and trust skills may get implemented for the betterment of the therapeutic relationships through introducing as a core subject for the nursing students while at school and in nursing placements and also when they get registered as nurses would have practiced it a lot  (Dinc & Gastmans, 2013). The nursing stude nts should get informed of the essential attributes warmth and trust skills have towards a better nursing care. This is a process with an objective for self-examination and is quite crucial and critical in developing the nurse-patient therapeutic relationship. The relationship between the nurse and patient out of self-awareness is essential in the therapeutic healing of patients. Understanding oneself is a vital therapeutic tool for both communication and interpersonal relationship between the nursing care provider and the client  (Van der Riet, Rossiter, Kirby, Dluzewska, & Harmon, 2015). The process of understanding oneself or knowing yourself better is quite a difficult task which is time-consuming and stressful. The process does commence with the conscious awareness and the struggle to bring change via the continuous efforts. Self-awareness is a progressive act and requires more conscious efforts. This therapeutic skill requires the nurses to know more about themselves, and by doing, they would be in a good position to build a better therapeutic environment for the provision of nursing c are services and healing. Self-awareness is important in molding the professional life of a nurse and assist him/her to develop deep critical thinking and in-depth analysis skills.   Lastly, self-awareness creates a viable ground for the nurse either registered, enrolled or student to understand his/her strengths and weakness. It is evident that the much the nurse is self-aware the greater a conducive therapeutic environment for the nursing care get promoted. In nursing practice, the nurses on duty do spend most of the time together with their clients than other fellow health professionals  (Raab, 2014). Thus, self-awareness gets perceived as an essential tool for developing a therapeutic relationship. In accordance to Hildegard Peplau, â€Å"the central task of the most basic professional school of nursing is viewed as the fullest development of the nurse as a person who is aware of how she functions in a situation† (p. 606). The statement of Hildegard Peplau stresses on the necessity for self-awareness in the nursing education and also, in the provision of better nursing care. Therefore, it is quite recommendable that the nursing curricula be reviewed to include some of the aspects of the development of self-awareness  (Leslie, Lonneman, Joa, Testad, & Severinsson, 2015). Moreover, the registe red professional nurses should get an opportunity to get guidance and learn more about self. This should get done in a gradual learning process. Caring is indeed fundamental in the nursing practice, and it gets developed out of the therapeutic nursing. Therapeutic nursing leads to the creation of nurse-client relationship which got termed as a therapeutic relationship. This relationship is important in improving the patient-centered care since it has the basis of mutual trust and respect. Furthermore, it will result out of patient’s faith and hope, the self-sensitivity and feeling for others. In the essay, it is clear that empathy, warmth and trust, and self-awareness are amongst the major therapeutic nursing characteristics necessary for better patient outcome. Compassion encompasses the tender feeling a nurse has toward the suffering of the patient and the response he/she offers. While warmth and trust, show the nurse's closeness with the patient to fight loneliness and developing the patient’s belief and credence. Through trust, a patient would freely share her/his private and confidential with the nurse, thu s, facilitating informed decision making and better treatment. Finally, self-awareness is all about oneself understanding and the nurse’s more knowledge about the patient she/he offers nursing care. Self-awareness is an essential tool in developing the therapeutic relationship. All the three therapeutic nursing characteristics get implemented through either introducing them in the nursing curricula for nursing students or creating opportunities for the registered nurses to attend for training since the therapeutic relationship is a continuous learning process. Arnold, E. C., & Boggs, K. U. (2015).  Interpersonal relationships: Professional communication skills for nurses. Elsevier Health Sciences. Bridges, J., Nicholson, C., Maben, J., Pope, C., Flatley, M., Wilkinson, C., ... & Tziggili, M. (2013). Capacity for care: meta?ethnography of acute care nurses' experiences of the nurse?patient relationship.  Journal of Advanced Nursing,  69(4), 760-772. Dinà §, L., & Gastmans, C. (2013). Trust in nurse–patient relationships: A literature review.  Nursing ethics,  20(5), 501-516. Edvardsson, D., Watt, E., & Pearce, F. (2017). Patient experiences of caring and person?centredness are associated with perceived nursing care quality.  Journal of Advanced Nursing,  73(1), 217-227. Knowles, S. F., Hearne, J., & Smith, I. (2015). Physical restraint and the therapeutic relationship.  The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology,  26(4), 461-475. Leslie, J. L., & Lonneman, W. (2016). Promoting Trust in the Registered Nurse-Patient Relationship.  Home healthcare now,  34(1), 38-42. Maruca, A. T., Dà ­az, D. A., Kuhnly, J. E., & Jeffries, P. R. (2015). Enhancing empathy in undergraduate nursing students: an experiential ostomate simulation.  Nursing education perspectives,  36(6), 367-371. Mirhaghi, A., Sharafi, S., Bazzi, A., & Hasanzadeh, F. (2017). Therapeutic relationship: Is it still heart of nursing?.  Nursing Reports,  7(1). Raab, K. (2014). Mindfulness, self-compassion, and empathy among health care professionals: a review of the literature.  Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy,  20(3), 95-108. Rortveit, K., Hansen, B., Leiknes, I., Joa, I., Testad, I., & Severinsson, I. E. (2015). Patients' experiences of trust in the patient-nurse relationship-a systematic review of qualitative studies. van der Riet, P., Rossiter, R., Kirby, D., Dluzewska, T., & Harmon, C. (2015). Piloting a stress management and mindfulness program for undergraduate nursing students: Student feedback and lessons learned.  Nurse education today,  35(1), 44-49. Yang, C. P. P., Hargreaves, W. A., & Bostrom, A. (2014). Association of empathy of nursing staff with reduction of seclusion and restraint in psychiatric inpatient care.  Psychiatric Services,  65(2), 251-254.

Quality Tools in Decision Making Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Quality Tools in Decision Making - Research Paper Example The affinity process is mostly applied to group ideas, which have been engendered, through the procedure of brainstorming. The process of affinity is performed by a cluster or team. Its chief aim is to meld the opinions, perceptions and insights of a group of people that are knowledgeable or well acquainted with the topic or issue concerned. This process has been found to work excellently in situations where the participants taking part are not more than six. An affinity program is critical when a person has workloads of data that they are overwhelmed on what to do with it. This process enables people to arrange such plentiful information from various sources, to assist them in their decision-making. People can apply the affinity program by first examining the issue concerned in broad terms such as applying an open-end question or statement. As a group, they can the generate ideas and opinions and record them maybe on a wall, larger sheet of paper, haphazardly. However, this has to b e in a place where all those present can see and access them. From, here they can arrange the notes or ideas according to their correlation or similarity in groupings. After grouping related ideas together, they can then select a phrase or word that covers the intent of every faction, and situate it at the summit of the category, as a heading or title. This can be done repeatedly, until the broadest title is reached at, forming a hierarchical structure that highlights the correlation of the data (Parnell, 2011). Strengths Affinity diagrams are critical in solving complicated or difficult problems that people discover to be hard to grasp. It is applied to arrange output that results from a brainstorming session. Additionally it is applied when a person is facing a challenging task but by engaging with other fellow professionals, experts or people with relevant information in the field they manage to solve problems or issues that are complex to understand (Heldman, 2011). An affinity program is integral in decision making, as it enables those with the responsibility of delivering a decision, to gather large amounts of information from a faction, within a limited or short amount of time. Through brainstorming, people offer their opinions and ideas within a group in a short while; thus enabling them to collect relevant and crucial information, within a short time (Ward and Worrel, 2006). This process is also significant in team building as it offers each member in group a chance to contribute and give input to the challenge or problem that they are facing. Every member is provided with an opportunity to air his or her ideas and opinions regarding the issue (Parnell, 2011). Furthermore, this process allows information to be organized into categories that makes it easier for such data to be used with other tools. The information collected, will be applied with other tools to attain the desired decisions or results, more so in business, which might be beneficial to t he business, in the contemporary, competitive business world (Hoerl and Snee, 2012). Weakness As highlighted, the affinity diagram is critical when there is the existence of piles and numerous amounts of data. However, this tool is not applicable in a situation where there is less than 15 items of information have been discovered. In such a case, using this tool is unnecessary, as one can elucidate and coalesce the ideas, and

Barco Projection Systems Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Barco Projection Systems - Case Study Example The BPS division entered into other market segments like data and graphic providing variety of choices to the companies with varying scan rate from the receiver. It is important to note that all the products i.e. three lines of products were built around 7† tube. BPS line of products, however, differentiated from other products on this basis of its performance, which was mainly measured across scan rate. The product line strategy BPS was to continuously develop its product range by research and development which resulted in other products with varied scan rate and price structure. It is however important to reiterate that every product which came out from the BPS division was superior version to the earlier product in terms of visibility, quality, clarity and scan rate. The strategy of Barco Projection Systems is further clarified by Frans Claerbout, General Manager, who remarked that â€Å"BPS product line was driven by three forces like the constant search of the best possib le image, flexibility towards input and increasing user friendliness†. The strategy is evident from the exhibit given below which shows that since developing a video projection system in 1982, the company has continuously managed to develop its line of product through market creation and segmentation, improving the quality and performance along with cost price. BPS, since 1982, has developed five products in video segment, six in data segment and two in graphic segment thus gradually increasing its line of product justifying the remarks of Claerbout regarding the constant pursuit for best image and customer friendliness. Situation Analysis After the introduction of Sony’s 1270 projection system, Barco felt threatened as the product had everything to compete in the market of projectors. Though Sony’s 1270 shocked the industry, Dejonghe was not at all surprised because Barco already had presumed about such thing to happen but not in such a big way. Barco assumed th at Sony would launch a product which will be a direct competitor for BD600 and therefore prepared themselves to launch their product, a 64 kHz digital machine. This led to a remark by Dejonghe who mentioned that â€Å"all of our projections, however, were based on the assumption that Sony would respect our â€Å"vision† of the marketplace’. In regard to this, it is clarified that Barco was purchasing 7† tubes from Sony which were used to build projection system as these tubes provided superior clarity than other products in the market. Dejonghe once came to known about Sony that their goal was to capture 50% supplier and consumer market but not to beat Barco in project. It was hitherto assumed that Sony respected the vision of Barco in the projection systems market. Competitors respect others vision in the marketplace so as to embrace new way of doing business which is necessary to get beyond the narrow framework of self interest and to realize the potential of marketplace transactions grounded in an intrinsic respect for all stakeholders (Peil, 527). In the words of Dejonghe, Sony was not interested in competing with Barco and other competitors in the market on small scale in graphic segment and therefore aimed to conquer the data and graphics market which was dominated by Barco. It was necessary for Sony to create an image for themselves instead of being a just another manufacturer of projectors. Therefore, 1270 was launched with intense marketing and publicity to garner attention and create a brand image.

Business intelligence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Business intelligence - Essay Example lped shape firms business strategy as cross-functional and global processes that help business activities to be conducted across boundaries of time, distance, and function (El Sawy et al, 2013). The authors argue that digital technologies cannot be separated from businesses because it helps firms operate in distinct forms of dynamic capabilities relevant for difficult environments. In addition, digital technologies are reshaping the structure of social interaction in both the enterprise and consumer space with social sites and social media easing the means of interaction. The author wants to make it clear that digital technologies have introduced new trends in business strategy (El Sawy et al, 2013). They include emergence of huge information, pervasive connection between businesses and customers, enhanced price, growth of cloud computing and international supply chains. The author observes that digital business strategy has led to emergence of new organization shifts such as trans-functional role for information technology, increased knowledge with information technology and limitation of old business models. Furthermore, the emergence of digital business strategy has resulted in digitization of services and products and data or information around them (El Sawy et al, 2013). This incorporates the design of services and products with other related platforms using digital resources. The increase in speed of digital business strategy makes firms to reason about time and distance in significant

Problems and recommendations for Merit Pay system at Konica Minolta Essay

Problems and recommendations for Merit Pay system at Konica Minolta Business Solutions - Essay Example The project provides examples of the compensation structures in other organisations providing the respective pros and cons of the same. Finally, it recommends a suitable compensation structure for Konica Minolta Business Solutions along with its probable impact on the organisation. Compensation structure in Wal-Mart The organisation chosen for the purpose of this research is Wal-Mart. The reason for choosing this company is that it would be a perfect example to show how a poor compensation structure could lead to serious damage for the organisations. It would also be possible to show how restructuring of the pay structure would benefit the employees and the organisation. The organisation is one of the retail giants in the world. However, the compensation structure is seen to be unfavorable for the employees. Research revealed that â€Å"Walmart CEO's hourly wage equals one year salary of new employees† (Brainz, 2010). It demonstrates a great extent of disparity among employees in the organization. It was seen that the CEO of the company earns an amount of $35 every year, which is an hourly earnings of $16,826.92. On the other hand, the newly employed worker earns only $8.75 in an hour. His gross income in a year amounts to $13,650 only. The figure is quite low for a newly recruited employee in comparison to the revenue that the company generates. It also reflects the lack of concern of the employer towards its employees. This is the cause of the high rate of attrition in the organisation. According to the reports published by the company, it was estimated that there were 74,300 workers occupying positions in Florida Wal-Mart in a quarter. The number of workers leaving the organisation in the next quarter amounted to 15,500. 2900 more number of workers was recruited. This represented that the quarterly rate of turnover was as high as 17.3%. It was estimated that if this figure remained unchanged then out of every six recruitment, one would leave the organ isation in every three months (WARN, 2005). Compensation in other organisations- Review of success and failure Proctor and Gamble was one company which was considered to be one of the most favorable companies to work for. The company demonstrates very low rate of attrition because of its favorable pay structure. The voluntary turnover rate in the company is only 2% per year. The popularity of the organisation gets depicted from the fact that it receives more than 125,432 US applicants every year (CNN Money, 2011). The company’s present human resource development structure is highly attractive which makes it one of the most employers of recent times. The average annual pay for the most common salaried job in the organisation is $87,000, while the average hourly payment for the most common hourly paid job is $48,673. For example, a person holding the managerial position in the production department gets an average annual salary of $87,000. On the other hand, a technician whose wage is calculated on an hourly basis gets an average annual payment of $48,673 (CNN Money, 2011). The figures demonstrate that the employees are adequately compensated which can be accounted for

Transition on Nurses' Role Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Transition on Nurses' Role - Essay Example Last and most importantly, it asserts that every single step in the transition process is important to becoming an effective newly qualified nurse. Immediate Life Support and Its Overall Importance Immediate Life Support (ILS) was a program designed in UK to provide the newly qualified nurse the skills to manage cardiac arrest and other medical emergency procedures during his or her transition in a clinical setting (Resuscitation Council, 2011). This particular training is already mandatory for newly qualified nurses as they become hospital staffs (Cole, 2008). This training is also intended to comply with the mandatory levels of life supports, the so-called ‘Chain of Survival,’ which requires them to attend to patients during emergencies (Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Resuscitation Training Department, 2010). Often closely associated with Advanced Life Support (ALS), the ILS equips healthcare professionals with ALS algorithm, defibrillation, a irway management and ventilation, circulation support, and post-resuscitation care. Also, it trains them with the causes and prevention of cardiopulmonary arrest and the use of ABCDE approach. More so, it helps them manage patients in case of cardiopulmonary arrest until resuscitation team arrives, and to be able to provide support as a member of such team (Resuscitation Council, 2010). ... lso show that the knowledge and skills acquired by the students in the course of learning the ILS techniques improved their clinical practice (Gallagher and Traynor, 2011). This goes to show that Immediate Life Support course is indeed very crucial in the transition phase of newly qualified nurses. Transition Phase This phase is one of the most complicated phases in the nursing profession. For one, it causes anxiety, which is said to be caused by â€Å"perceived lack of knowledge and support† evident in one experimental study (Whitehead, 2001, pp. 330-339). In addition, it is also during this phase that the newly qualified nurse is expected to experience â€Å"transition shock.† Nevertheless, it is still a very important stage because it provides an opportunity for skills enhancement and knowledge. Moreover, nurses are also able to enhance their knowledge and reinforcement during this phase (Duchscher, 2008), thus, a very crucial portion of their medical practice. Essen tial Components of Immediate Life Support and Its Importance on the Transition of a Newly Qualified Nurse 1. ALS Algorithm Firstly, algorithm of ALS is conducted to monitor the electrical activity of the heart with the aid of cardiac monitor. After evaluating cardiac arrhythmia, nurses had to decide whether defibrillation is applied or medication administered. Some of the medicines that could be given include adrenaline, calcium, and magnesium, so as with saline or colloids to improve circulation. On the other hand, oxygen is administered and endotracheal intubation in order to secure the airway (Resuscitation Council, 2010). Basically, conducting ALS algorithm, as part of ILS, is essential because it facilitates airway management and the constant monitoring of the heart. In case irregularities arise

Workbook One Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Workbook One - Essay Example Considering marriage and family life in Britain, North Ireland and Scotland have lower rates of marriage due to differing religious and cultural structure (Irwin 1994: 129). By virtue of being in Europe, Britain is also a member of the European Economic Community. Anderson (1991) regards them as imagined communities or group of people bound together by their habitat. Emile Durkheim recognized two types of social solidarity: mechanical and organic solidarity (Somerville 2011). Mechanical solidarity is present for those who live together and are mostly bound together by kinship ties. They develop norms that dictate their behaviour and which bind them together. Deviation from acceptable behaviour or norms is considered a crime against the community and is punishable. However, as the community develops and enlarges, people move different ways and this solidarity is broken (Irwin 1994). For example, in Britain after industrialization most people moved to towns to look for greener pastures (jobs) leading to urbanisation. Business run by family members rarely exist anymore giving rise to large factories and industries. Here in factories, division of labour is complex thus necessitating organic solidarity. People performing different tasks collaborate and depend on each other for the well-being of all. These people are thus held together by other intere sts besides place. They may share same religious beliefs, sexual orientation, occupation or ethnic origin (Crow & Allan 1995). For example, we may have a ‘gay or lesbian’ community or a protestant or catholic community. Although families rarely meet like in the past since they are scattered, they communicate often due to improved communication. There are also changes in family life as in contemporary Britain; the family does not depend on the man as the ‘bread winner’. Women are now engaged in

American dream Essay Example for Free

American dream Essay Exploration of the theme of the American Dream In a country where liberty, freedom and the land of opportunity is a pivotal part of American society the American dream is born. The American dream is fundamentally the notation that no matter your race, religion, sex or social class if you work hard in America you will achieve materialistic wealth. Steinbecks novel, Of Mice and Men sets in the 1930s, the time of the great depression and depicts the flaws of the American Dream. Some of the themes in the novel include friendship, death, jealousy and loneliness. The exploration of this essay shall consist of me focussing on the theme of the American Dream by exploring the characters, George and Lennie, Candy and Crooks. Steinbeck also conveys the theme of the American Dream through the character of Candy- as the name implies Candy is a sweet character, the quote, yeah, nice fella too demonstrates this as Candy is talking fairly about Crooks who is black and looked down upon in society of that time. Candy is an old character, the old man put the yellow can in his pocket and this is illustrated by Steinbeck as one of the flaws of the American Dream which stops them achieve the A. D. and because everyone shall someday become old Steinbeck is implying that sometimes the American Dream is never achievable. Candy owns a dog which he has known for most of his life, Thats a hell of an old dog; Yeah I had im since he was a pup This dog of his is a very close possession and friend and it is implied that Candy has realised that he shall never achieve his American Dream but his dog is the closest he shall get to it so it is a part of his American Dream. However Candys dog was shot by Carlson due to it being old and smelly, I dont know anything that stinks so bad as an old dog hes got no teeth whynt you shoot him Candy? The death of Candys dog symbolises the death of Candys Amercian Dream, however in more depth, the death of his dog illustrates that anyone (animal or human) who is old or smells or has no teeth (basically out of the norm) is not accepted into society and shall not be accepted and death could be a possible out come. Although Candy;s dog had no use to the people around and society, to Candy he meant a lot and the death of his meant a death of part of candy himself. Similarly, Lennie like the dog was not accepted in society due to the deed he had committed and due to his disability however, he meant something to George and they too like Candy an his dog were loyal friends but it was because of society that cause the death of both the dog and Lennie which cause the death of their American Dream. Through the character of Curley, Steinbeck shows the Amercian Dream in a different light. He illustrates that the American Dream is achievable through Curley as he has his own ranch, the trophy wife, the money and power. However, Steinbeck is also showing that only a few people achieve the American Dream as only one of the Characters achieves the American Dream out of 6. Although Curley has achieved the American Dream, Steinbeck clearly shows through the nature of Curley that those who are able and do achieve the American Dream are not always nice people, in fact from Curleys character, the audience feels that they are in fact horrible people. The way in which Curley treats other people makes him perceived as a very horrible person. The way in which Curleys wife describes him, I don like Curley. He aint a nice fella shows how little liked he is. Also, the way in which Curleys wife is used as a possession of his shows the greed of power that Curley has. Also the way that Curley is perceived by George shows already within only a day of knowing Curley he is not liked as George refers to Curley as a son of a bitch vAlso, the way in which Curley treats Lennie is appalling, What the hell you laughin at? Lennie looked blankly at him. Huh? Then Curleys rage exploded. Come on, ya big bastard. Get up on your feet. No big son-of-a-bitch is gonna laugh at me. Ill show ya whos yella. This shows the arrogance of Curley. The theme of the American Dream is finely woven through the entire novel and without a doubt this has been done very effectively . Steinbeck clearly conveys his message about the American Dream in much detail and has done in a very meaning full way.

Risk Factors Schizophrenia

Risk Factors Schizophrenia The Effect of Perinatal Risk Factors on the Incidence of Schizophrenia Background Developing schizophrenia is dependent on different factors. A person who could possibly develop the illness later in life is faintly unusual in terms of cognitive skills, motor functioning, and social behavior as compared to his or her peers. This states that indicators exist as to whether a person will be vulnerable into being a schizophrenic later in life, as dictated by certain abnormalities that can be observed (Mortensen, 1999 and Dean, 2003). Most of the causes being held accountable for the development of schizophrenia can be traced back to genetic or biological factors and environmental exposure that operated early in life of the individual (Dean, 2003, Khasshan, 2008, Mednick, 1970, and Mortenen, 1999). Evidences regarding the effects of obstetric complications, prenatal illness, misuse of drugs, migration and travel, urbanization, and various life experiences on the onset of schizophrenia in later years in life have been noted. These were even incorporated and represented in causation models that encompass psychological, genetic, environmental, and social elements. These evidences can be used as models for clinical and research purposes of determining the risk of schizophrenia, as they cover a wide range of causative agents (Dalman, 1999 and Dean, 2003). It has been a challenge for researchers to understand the cause of schizophrenia, the etiology of which has brought about several hypotheses (Dean, 2003). Different risk factors affect the incidence of the illness, two of which will be given more attention in this paper. A number of epidemiological studies have indicated an increased risk of developing schizophrenia among people who were exposed to maternal infections such as rubella virus and influenza virus in utero (Westergaard, 1999). Other studies have shown that children who were born during inclement weather have an increased risk of developing schizophrenia. These are supported by researches conducted on a population basis (Mortensen, 1999). Purpose As stated by the study conducted by Mortensen and others (1999), the location and the season of birth of an individual might be important in the development of schizophrenia. Aside from family history, these environmental factors can be associated with the onset of the disorder. Prevalence studies of Westergaard and others (1999) also showed that exposure to prenatal infections might be a factor in the development of schizophrenia later in life. There is, however, a poor evidence of a strong association between development of schizophrenia and exposure to influenza viral infection. This lead the group into determining whether or not prenatal exposure to rubella would indeed be a factor for schizophrenia development. This is in accordance with previous researches that rubella viral infection might be a significant cause for the illness. With all these research supports as foundation for a prospective study, this paper aims to give a sound explanation on how certain factors might affec t the possible development of schizophrenia later in life. This study will focus on two possible causative agents as parameters. The main purpose of this study is to determine if being born in severe weather, such as extreme hot or cold temperatures, or being exposed to the rubella virus in utero is linked to developing schizophrenia later in life. Research Hypothesis We hypothesized that there would be an increase in the incidence of early adult onset schizophrenia among those exposed to the rubella virus in utero and those born in winter months. Literature Review Several studies have been conducted on risk factors for schizophrenia. One study examined the outcome in 70 individuals whose mothers had rubella infections during pregnancy. Rubella is known to cause severe developmental problems in exposed fetuses. These individuals risk of having schizophrenia by the time they reached the mean age of 22 years was five times higher than normal It has been proposed that environmental factors may also be important in determining risk for schizophrenia. A study done by Mortensen and others (1999) showed that the place and season of birth account for many more cases of schizophrenia than family history of the disease, and family history has been the best-established risk factor. The groups study found out that the risk for schizophrenia was highest for births in February and March and lowest for births in August and September. Another study conducted by Mortensen and others (1999) concluded that schizophrenia was positively associated with birth in late winter. On the other hand, Hultman and others (1999) emphasized the evidences shown by neuropathological researches that the aberrations caused by pathogen invasion disrupt proper brain development. This in turn contributes to the onset of schizophrenia that might even be developed earlier in life than expected. This proposed hypothesis can be associated with the link between obstetric complications and schizophrenia, as both are dependent on risks brought about by prenatal infections, which in turn are connected with neurodevelopment of an individual. Theoretical Framework The physiological framework of this study is based on the notion that conditions during pregnancy have an effect on the fetus psychological development, specifically, the impact of season of birth and exposure to the rubella virus. The prenatal conditions of an individual have a direct effect on the persons future genetic and phenotypic make-up. The most important contribution of the obstetric development lies on the possible alterations on the genes of the individual. Exposure to such abnormalities has a considerable intervention with the normal functioning of the brain (Khasshan, 2008). This means that exposure to infections such as rubella virus has a meaningful link to schizophrenia development of the individual exposed to the pathogen in its prenatal stage. This is serves as one of the backbones of this study, as it is the foundational basis whether the link between congenital exposure to rubella and schizophrenia onset has reliable evidence. After the study which dwells more on the biological or genetic factors, the study will consider the environmental elements that can also be potential risk factors for the disorder. It has been established that the over-all make-up of an individual lies on genetic and environmental factors. The second part or backbone of the study concerns the environmental exposure effects as dictated by season of birth. This can be of importance since extreme weathers might affect a mother psychologically and physically, thereby creating an impact on the life inside her womb. Being born on extreme hot and cold weather can hence be linked to the development of schizophrenia later in life of an individual (Mortensen and others, 1999). Significance and Need for the Study The proposed study is important due to the health and psychological concerns of schizophrenia. Being a disorder which affects the entire lifestyle of the affected individual, it is of great significance to research about the etiology of the disease (Dean, 2003). Prenatal exposure to rubella viral infection might be a cause of the onset of schizophrenia, as well as the environmental effect of being born on an extreme season. Knowledge on these prenatal risk factors can contribute additional information on how to prevent schizophrenia development in an individual. References: Dean, K., Bramon, E., Murray, R., (2003). The cause of schizophrenia:neurodevelopment and other risk factors. Journal of Psychiatric Practice. 9(6), 442-454. Dalman, C., Allebeck, P., Cullberg, J., Grunewald, C., Koster, M. (1999). Obstretric complications and the risk of schizophrenia: A longitudinal study of a national birth cohort. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 281,p. 2170. Hultman, C.M., et al. (1999). Prenatal and perinatal risk factors for schizophrenia, affective psychosis, and reactive psychosis of early onset: case-control study. British Medical Journal, (318), p 421. Khasshan, A., Abel, K., McNamee, R., Pedersen, M., Webb. Baker, P., et al. (2008). Higher Risk of Offspring Schizophrenia Following Antenatal Maternal Exposure to Severe Adverse Life Events. Archives of General Psychiatry, 66(2), 146-152. Mednick, S. (1970). Breakdown in individual at high risk for schizophrenia: possible predispositional perinatal factors. Mental Hygiene, 54(1), 50-63. Mortensen, P., Pedersen, C., Westergaad, T., Wohlfahrt, J., Ewald, H., et al. (1999). Effects of family history and place and season of birth on the risk of schizophrenia. The Journal of the American Medical Association, (281), p. 1254. Ross, R. G., et al. (1996). Early expression of smooth-pursuit eye movement abnormalities in children of schizophrenic parents. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, (35), p. 941. Sorensen, H., Mortensen, E., Reinisch, J., Mednick, S. (2004). Association between prenatal exposure to analgesic and risk of schizophrenia, British Journal of Psychiatry, 185, 366-371. Westergaard, T., Mortensen, P., Pedersen, C., Wohfahrt, J., Melbye, M. (1999). Exposure to prenatal and childhood infections and the risk of schizophrenia. Archives of General Psychiatry, (56), p. 993-998.

Analysis of Michael Walzers View on Terrorism Essay -- Terrorism Essa

Michael Walzer is an esteemed retired professor from the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. Walzer has written many books, essays, and articles. His essay, Excusing Terror, is one that best relates to the current events happening around the world. In this essay, Walzer talks about different reasons that people would want to resort to terrorism. In this essay I will argue Walzers view on Terrorism is correct in that terrorism is wrong because it is akin to murder, it is random in who it targets, and no one has immunity. I will also offer an objection to Walzer’s theory and explain why it is not a valid one. First to determine if terrorism is in fact right or wrong we must understand what it is. Although there is not a universal definition to describe terrorism I relate closely to Walzers definition which is: â€Å"a random murder of innocent people, intended to frighten a population into demanding that their governments negotiate for their safety.† In Walzer’s article â€Å"Terrorism† (Cahn, 239) he lists the purpose and methods of terrorism as to â€Å"destroy the moral of a nation or a class, to undercut its solidarity; its method is the random murder of innocent people.† Innocent people or noncombatants, as people call them, are described as normal working civilians who do not play a role in the government or have any control of what is happening politically. These innocent people are the ones who are targeted with no regards to political affiliation, the only thing that makes them the target is simply belonging to a certain group. To offer an example in 911 innocent people were killed and were chosen only because they worked in the World Trade Center, they were not chosen for anything they had done politically. Wal... ...agree with. The hardest aspect of determining whether or not terrorism is morally right or wrong is the various definitions that it can have. As mentioned earlier I relate to Walzer’s definition of terrorism and understand it as he does. As discussed I feel that terrorism is wrong because it is akin to murder, it is random in who it targets and when, and no one has immunity. There are objections to this argument which is that conventional war is worse than terrorism therefore if war is justifiable then terrorism can be as well. As argued the difference between war and terrorist is the way of choosing your victims, which in my mind refutes this objection. Terrorism exists and whether it is right or wrong can be argued respectfully. Works Cited Cahn, S.M. (2011). Exploring Ethics: An Introductory Anthology, 2Nd Edition. (pp. 239-253) Oxford University Press

The Aspects of Interview and Interrogation Essay -- Interviewing Inter

The Aspects of Interview and Interrogation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many aspects that make up a successful interview or interrogation. An investigator does not become a skilled interviewer or interrogator over night. Training and experience are vital to becoming skilled at interviewing and interrogation. Experience is the best teacher, conducting interviews and interrogations is the only way to become more skilled. In this paper I will explain all the aspects that make up a successful interview. I will also explain the difference between an interview and an interrogation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The goal of almost any interview is to collect testimonial evidence. Successful interviews just don’t happen. There are many aspects and steps that lead the way to a successful interview. Planning before conducting an interview is the first step, but before planning all interviewers must understand the basic needs of all interviewees. All humans share the same needs. An investigator must understand these basic human needs if they wish to become a successful interviewer. The basic human needs that all humans share are, control, belonging, and intimacy. Control is considered the need for security; everyone wants to be able to control their environment and what is happening around them. Belonging is the need for social recognition and approval. Intimacy is the need for love and affection, everyone wants to be loved or feel important to other people. These human needs must be incorporated in every interview and interrogation. Incorporating these needs is an imp ortant first step or first aspect to be considered by an investigator. Building up these human needs builds up the self-image and esteem on the interviewee. It is essential to build and maintain self worth of the interviewee, no one likes to feel humiliated or excluded. If these needs are understood and met the chances of having a successful interview are much greater. Having a positive attitude about everything you do is important. The same thing can be said for interviewing. Having a positive attitude going into an interview will have a positive effect on the outcome of the interview. A positive attitude is reflected to the interviewee and makes them more comfortable. No one wants to talk to someone who is negative. A positive attitude can impact the interview more that any other factor. Understanding human needs and the importance... ...th those programs. During the interview question selecting is important. Open ended questions are good at establishing rapport and give the subject a chance to explain things in general. Closed ended questions are great at getting specific answers and details. When concluding an interview the investigator should have the subject restate everything that happened and make sure that nothing has been left out. At anytime in an interview or interrogation recognizing signs that a subject is getting closer to admitting something should be capitalized on, if not that information may never be obtained from the subject. Interrogations are slightly different from interviews but should be handled in a similar way. Showing the subject respect and treating them like a human bean is just as important in interrogations as it is in interview. Interview and interrogating is an art. It takes practice and work, but with the right techniques and experience and a positive attitude anyone can become su ccessful at it. Bibliography Homes Warren D. Criminal Interrogation. Springfield: Charles C Tomas, 2002 Yeschke Cahrles L. The Art of Investigative Interviewing. Burlington: Elsever Science, 2003

Africana Womanism: An Historical, Global Prespective for Women of African Descent :: essays research papers

â€Å"Africana Womanism: An Historical, Global Prespective for Women of African Descent† â€Å"Africana Womanism: An Historical, Global Perspective for Women of African Descent† is an essay based on Africana Womanism and how it compares to white feminism. The essay was written by Clenora Hudson-Weems, an African American writer and literary critic. She was born in Oxford, Mississippi and she was raised in Memphis, Tennessee. I will compare Africana Womanism and Feminism and discuss the definition of the two the topics. Also I will discuss the important historical figures that are womanists. I think the issue is important because the common misconception is that a womanist and a feminist are the same thing but they are totally different. A womanist is more family oriented and feminists are dealing with the empowerment of themselves. Clenora Hudson-Weems wrote â€Å"Africana Womanism: An Historical, Global Perspective for Women of African Descent† and it was about womanism. Another word for womanism is feminism, and feminism is defined as the empowerment of woman. In the era of women’s rights, women were not treated as equals, especially black women. Colored women could not get any equality or any empowerment unless they live in a community which they can establish their own racial and cultural integrity. White women and Africana both have the same amount of rights but white women had better accommodations as far as restrooms, water fountains, swimming pools, and everything else that is segregated. I think that Africana women were oppressed more than white women. I believe that black women should be treated just as equally as white women. Africana women are fighting for civil rights and women’s rights. Africana women have been more concerned for the whole Africana community. Their main priori ty is â€Å"†¦race empowerment, with class and gender following†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Weems, 80). Womanism was important in the Africana community because the Africana women was trying empower not just themselves but empower the whole Africana community. For example, Harriet Tubman (Underground Railroad conductor), â€Å"risked her life time and again in freeing Africana men, women, and children in slavery, thereby establishing her commitment to racial parity†(Weems, 80). The crucial role of an Africana woman is that many Africana academicians accepted the idea of female empowerment so that the level of struggle or concerns of Africana women are noticeable. Many people think because a woman is a feminist, that she is oppressed with gender issues, but an Africana woman are traditionally family centered.

‘Of Mice and Men’: the relationship between Curley and Curley’s wife Essay

In the novel ‘Of Mice and Men’, the relationship between Curley and Curley’s wife is very unstable lacking communication, love and respect. Additionally neither one showed attention for one enough, Curley liked to believe his wife was a possession this is shown by the quote ‘’you seen a girl around here? He demanded angrily’’ also ‘’ Go back home’’. These quotes implies that Curley is an extremely restless and always looking for her, furthermore he is an aggressive man, ordering people and getting away with it being the Boss’s son. In the relationship neither one is happy, Curley’s wife is flirtatious by ‘putting her self-out there’ and ‘kicking her legs about’ which shows that she is lonely and lacking the attention needed. But, this must have been expected being the only women on the ranch. She also likes to manipulate and intimidate Curley which drives him crazy, but s he enjoyed it, because it provided her power. Even though Curley’s wife despised Curley she could never leave him. In the 1930’s, the year this novel was set, once married the women became the man’s belonging, and the women’s belongings also became his such as; money, clothes etc. Curley does care about his wife but is shown in an unexpected way, for example when Curley is trying to find her and being restless till he succeeds to do so. Even Whit tells him this by saying ‘’yella-jackets in his drawers’’ this means that Whit’s implying that Curley has ants in his pants. Curley could be seen in either of two perspectives, either him being protective to her and being paranoid and not wanting to lose her to ‘lower’ class with-in the ranch. Alternatively people can see this as being controlling her, wanting to know where she is every second of the day. Curley’s wife married Curley the day they meet, which can be seen as love at first sight or on the other hand a way to escape from her mum. Which was shown for by his wife; she had only married him because she didn’t get a letter from a guy to get her into Hollywood to gain her a step closer to becoming an actress there. She believed her ‘’o’l’lady stole it’’ which made Curley’s wife resentful. Moreover a lot of people from the 1930’s would have gone to see movies in Hollywood as w way to escape the reality of the depression if it could be afforded. And mass entertainment also a multi-million dollar industry additionally huge cinemas were built which could seat more people. Hollywood became a major film-making centre.

Black House Chapter Seven

7 GOD MAY KNOW where Henry Leyden found that astounding suit, but we certainly do not. A costume shop? No, it is too elegant to be a costume; this is the real thing, not an imitation. But what sort of real thing is it? The wide lapels sweep down to an inch below the waist, and the twin flaps of the swallowtail reach nearly to the ankles of the billowing, pleated trousers, which seem, beneath the snowfield expanse of the double-breasted waistcoat, to ride nearly at the level of the sternum. On Henry's feet, white, high-button spats adorn white patent-leather shoes; about his neck, a stiff, high collar turns its pointed peaks over a wide, flowing, white satin bow tie, perfectly knotted. The total effect is of old-fashioned diplomatic finery harmoniously wedded to a zoot suit: the raffishness of the ensemble outweighs its formality, but the dignity of the swallowtail and the waistcoat contribute to the whole a regal quality of a specific kind, the regality often seen in African American e ntertainers and musicians. Escorting Henry to the common room while surly Pete Wexler comes along behind, pushing a handcart loaded with boxes of records, Rebecca Vilas dimly remembers having seen Duke Ellington wearing a white cutaway like this in a clip from some old film . . . or was it Cab Calloway? She recalls an upraised eyebrow, a glittering smile, a seductive face, an upright figure posed before a band, but little more. (If alive, either Mr. Ellington or Mr. Calloway could have informed Rebecca that Henry's outfit, including the â€Å"high-drape† pants with a â€Å"reet pleat,† terms not in her vocabulary, had undoubtedly been handmade by one of four specific tailors located in the black neighborhoods of New York, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, or Los Angeles, masters of their trade during the thirties and forties, underground tailors, men now alas as dead as their celebrated clients. Henry Leyden knows exactly who tailored his outfit, where it came from, and how it fell into his hands, but when it comes to persons such as Rebecca Vilas, Henry imparts no more information than is already likely to be known.) In the corridor leading to the common room, the white cutaway appears to shine from within, an impression only increased by Henry's oversized, daddy-cool dark glasses with bamboo frames, in which what may be tiny sapphires wink at the corners of the bows. Is there maybe some shop that sells Spiffy Clothes of Great 1930s Bandleaders? Does some museum inherit this stuff and auction it off ? Rebecca cannot contain her curiosity a moment longer. â€Å"Mr. Leyden, where did you get that beautiful outfit?† From the rear and taking care to sound as though he is muttering to himself, Pete Wexler opines that obtaining an outfit like that probably requires chasing a person of an ethnicity beginning with the letter n for at least a couple of miles. Henry ignores Pete and smiles. â€Å"It's all a matter of knowing where to look.† â€Å"Guess you never heard of CDs,† Pete says. â€Å"They're like this big new breakthrough.† â€Å"Shut up and tote them bales, me bucko,† says Ms. Vilas. â€Å"We're almost there.† â€Å"Rebecca, my dear, if I may,† Henry says. â€Å"Mr. Wexler has every right to grouse. After all, there's no way he could know that I own about three thousand CDs, is there? And if the man who originally owned these clothes can be called a nigger, I'd be proud to call myself one, too. That would be an incredible honor. I wish I could claim it.† Henry has come to a halt. Each, in a different way, shocked by his use of the forbidden word, Pete and Rebecca have also stopped moving. â€Å"And,† Henry says, â€Å"we owe respect to those who assist us in the performance of our duties. I asked Mr. Wexler to shake out my suit when he hung it up, and he very kindly obliged me.† â€Å"Yeah,† Pete says. â€Å"Plus I also hung up your light and put your turntable and speakers and shit right where you want 'em.† â€Å"Thank you very much, Mr. Wexler,† Henry says. â€Å"I appreciate your efforts in my behalf.† â€Å"Well, shit,† Pete says, â€Å"I was only doing my job, you know? But anything you want after you're done, I'll give you a hand.† Without benefit of a flash of panties or a glimpse of ass, Pete Wexler has been completely disarmed. Rebecca finds this amazing. All in all, sightless or not, Henry Leyden, it comes to her, is far and away the coolest human being she has ever been privileged to encounter in her entire twenty-six years on the face of the earth. Never mind his clothes where did guys like this come from? â€Å"Do you really think some little boy vanished from the sidewalk out in front of here this afternoon?† Henry asks. â€Å"What?† Rebecca asks. â€Å"Seems like it to me,† Pete says. â€Å"What?† Rebecca asks again, this time to Pete Wexler, not Henry. â€Å"What are you saying?† â€Å"Well, he ast me, and I tol' him,† Pete says. â€Å"That's all.† Simmering dangerously, Rebecca takes a stride toward him. â€Å"This happened on our sidewalk? Another kid, in front of our building? And you didn't say anything to me or Mr. Maxton?† â€Å"There wasn't nothin' to say,† Pete offers in self-defense. â€Å"Maybe you could tell us what actually happened,† Henry says. â€Å"Sure. What happened was, I went outside for a smoke, see?† This is less than strictly truthful. Faced with the choice of walking ten yards to the Daisy corridor men's room to flush his cigarette down a toilet or walking ten feet to the entrance and pitching it into the parking lot, Pete had sensibly elected outdoor disposal. â€Å"So I get outside and that's when I saw it. This police car, parked right out there. So I walked up to the hedge, and there's this cop, a young guy, I think his name is Cheetah, or something like that, and he's loadin' this bike, like a kid's bike, into his trunk. And something else, too, only I couldn't see what it was except it was small. And after he did that, he got a piece a chalk outta his glove compartment and he came back and made like X marks on the sidewalk.† â€Å"Did you talk to him?† Rebecca asks. â€Å"Did you ask him what he was doing?† â€Å"Miz Vilas, I don't talk to cops unless it's like you got no other choice, know what I mean? Cheetah, he never even saw me. The guy wouldn't of said nothing anyhow. He had this expression on his face it was like, Jeez, I hope I get to the crapper before I drop a load in my pants, that kind of expression.† â€Å"Then he just drove away?† â€Å"Just like that. Twenty minutes later, two other cops showed up.† Rebecca raises both hands, closes her eyes, and presses her fingertips to her forehead, giving Pete Wexler an excellent opportunity, of which he does not fail to take full advantage, to admire the shape of her breasts underneath her blouse. It may not be as great as the view from the bottom of the ladder, but it'll do, all right, yes it will. As far as Ebbie's dad is concerned, a sight like Rebecca Vilas's Hottentots pushing out against her dress is like a good fire on a cold night. They are bigger than you'd expect on a slender little thing like her, and you know what? When the arms go up, the Hottentots go up, too! Hey, if he had known she was going to put on a show like this, he would have told her about Cheetah and the bicycle as soon as it happened. â€Å"All right, okay,† she says, still flattening the tips of her fingers against her head. She lifts her chin, raising her arms another few inches, and frowns in concentration, for a moment looking like a figure on a plinth. Hoo-ray and hallelujah, Pete thinks. There's a bright side to everything. If another little snotnose gets grabbed off the sidewalk tomorrow morning, it won't be soon enough for me. Rebecca says, â€Å"Okay, okay, okay,† opens her eyes, and lowers her arms. Pete Wexler is staring firmly at a point over her shoulder, his face blank with a false innocence she immediately comprehends. Good God, what a caveman. â€Å"It's not as bad as I thought. In the first place, all you saw was a policeman picking up a bike. Maybe it was stolen. Maybe some other kid borrowed the bike, dumped it, and ran away. The cop could have been looking for it. Or the kid who owned the bike could have been hit by a car or something. And even if the worst did happen, I don't see any way that it could hurt us. Maxton's isn't responsible for whatever goes on outside the grounds.† She turns to Henry, who looks as though he wishes he were a hundred miles away. â€Å"Sorry, I know that sounded awfully cold. I'm as distressed about this Fisherman business as everyone else, what with those two poor kids and the missing girl. We're all so upset we can hardly think straight. But I'd hate to see us dragged into the mess, don't you see?† â€Å"I see perfectly,† Henry says. â€Å"Being one of those blind men George Rathbun is always yelling about.† â€Å"Hah!† Pete Wexler barks. â€Å"And you agree with me, don't you?† â€Å"I'm a gentleman, I agree with everybody,† Henry says. â€Å"I agree with Pete that another child may well have been abducted by our local monster. Officer Cheetah, or whatever his name is, sounded too anxious to be just picking up a lost bicycle. And I agree with you that Maxton's cannot be blamed for anything that happened.† â€Å"Good,† Rebecca says. â€Å"Unless, of course, someone here is involved in the murders of these children.† â€Å"But that's impossible!† Rebecca says. â€Å"Most of our male clients can't even remember their own names.† â€Å"A ten-year-old girl could take most of these feebs,† Pete says. â€Å"Even the ones who don't have old-timer's disease walk around covered in their own . . . you know.† â€Å"You're forgetting about the staff,† Henry says. â€Å"Oh, now,† Rebecca says, momentarily rendered nearly wordless. â€Å"Come on. That's . . . that's a totally irresponsible thing to say.† â€Å"True. It is. But if this goes on, nobody will be above suspicion. That's my point.† Pete Wexler feels a sudden chill if the town clowns start grilling Maxton's residents, his private amusements might come to light, and wouldn't Wendell Green have a field day with that stuff ? A gleaming new idea comes to him, and he brings it forth, hoping to impress Miz Vilas. â€Å"You know what? The cops should talk to that California guy, the big-time detective who nailed that Kinderling asshole two-three years ago. He lives around here somewhere, don't he? Someone like that, he's the guy we need on this. The cops here, they're way outta their depth. That guy, he's like a whaddayacallit, a goddamn resource.† â€Å"Odd you should say that,† Henry says. â€Å"I couldn't agree with you more. It is about time Jack Sawyer did his thing. I'll work on him again.† â€Å"You know him?† Rebecca asks. â€Å"Oh, yes,† Henry says. â€Å"That I do. But isn't it about time for me to do my own thing?† â€Å"Soon. They're all still outside.† Rebecca leads him down the rest of the corridor and into the common room, where all three of them move across to the big platform. Henry's microphone stands beside a table mounted with his speakers and turntable. With unnerving accuracy, Henry says, â€Å"Lot of space in here.† â€Å"You can tell that?† she asks. â€Å"Piece of cake,† Henry says. â€Å"We must be getting close now.† â€Å"It's right in front of you. Do you need any help?† Henry extends one foot and taps the side of the flat. He glides a hand down the edge of the table, locates the mike stand, says, â€Å"Not at the moment, darlin',† and steps neatly up onto the platform. Guided by touch, he moves to the back of the table and locates the turntable. â€Å"All is co-pacetic,† he says. â€Å"Pete, would you please put the record boxes on the table? The one on top goes here, and the other one right next to it.† â€Å"What's he like, your friend Jack?† Rebecca asks. â€Å"An orphan of the storm. A pussycat, but an extremely difficult pussy-cat. I have to say, he can be a real pain in the bunghole.† Crowd noises, a buzz of conversation interlaced with children's voices and songs thumped out on an old upright piano, have been audible through the windows since they entered the room, and when Pete has placed the record boxes on the table, he says, â€Å"I better get out there, ‘cuz Chipper's probly lookin' for me. Gonna be a shitload of cleanup once they come inside.† Pete shambles out, rolling the handcart before him. Rebecca asks if there is anything more Henry would like her to do for him. â€Å"The overhead lights are on, aren't they? Please turn them off, and wait for the first wave to come in. Then switch on the pink spot, and prepare to jitterbug your heart out.† â€Å"You want me to turn off the lights?† â€Å"You'll see.† Rebecca moves back across to the door, turns off the overhead lights, and does see, just as Henry had promised. A soft, dim illumination from the rank of windows hovers in the air, replacing the former brightness and harshness with a vague mellow haze, as if the room lay behind a scrim. That pink spotlight is going to look pretty good in here, Rebecca thinks. Outside on the lawn, the predance wingding is winding down. Lots of old men and women are busily polishing off their strawberry shortcakes and soda pop at the picnic tables, and the piano-playing gent in the straw boater and red sleeve garters comes to the end of â€Å"Heart and Soul,† ba bump ba bump ba ba bump bump bump, no finesse but plenty of volume, closes the lid of the upright, and stands up to a scattering of applause. Grandchildren who had earlier complained about having to come to the great fest dodge through the tables and wheelchairs, evading their parents' glances and hoping to wheedle a last balloon from the balloon lady in the clown suit and frizzy red wig, oh joy unbounded. Alice Weathers applauds the piano player, as well she might: forty years ago, he reluctantly absorbed the rudiments of pianism at her hands just well enough to pick up a few bucks at occasions like this, when not obliged to perform his usual function, that of selling sweatshirts and baseball caps on Chase Street. Charles Burnside, who, having been scrubbed clean by good-hearted Butch Yerxa, decked himself out in an old white shirt and a pair of loose, filthy trousers, stands slightly apart from the throng in the shade of a large oak, not applauding but sneering. The unbuttoned collar of the shirt droops around his ropy neck. Now and then he wipes his mouth or picks his teeth with a ragged thumbnail, but mainly he does not move at all. He looks as though someone plunked him down by the side of a road and drove off. Whenever the careering grandkids swerve near Burny, they instantly veer away, as if repelled by a force field. Between Alice and Burny, three-fourths of the residents of Maxton's belly up to the tables, stump around on their walkers, sit beneath the trees, occupy their wheelchairs, hobble here and there yakking, dozing, chuckling, farting, dabbing at fresh strawberry-colored stains on their clothing, staring at their relatives, staring at their trembling hands, staring at nothing. Half a dozen of the most vacant among them wear conical party hats of hard, flat red and hard, flat blue, the shades of enforced gaiety. The women from the kitchen have begun to circulate through the tables with big black garbage bags, for soon they must retire to their domain to prepare the evening's great feast of potato salad, mashed potatoes, creamed potatoes, baked beans, Jell-O salad, marshmallow salad, and whipped-cream salad, plus of course more mighty strawberry shortcake! The undisputed and hereditary sovereign of this realm, Chipper Max-ton, whose disposition generally resembles that of a skunk trapped in a muddy hole, has spent the previous ninety minutes ambling about smiling and shaking hands, and he has had enough. â€Å"Pete,† he growls, â€Å"what the hell took you so long? Start racking up the folding chairs, okay? And help shift these people into the common room. Let's get a goddamn move on here. Wagons west.† Pete scurries off, and Chipper claps his hands twice, loudly, then raises his outstretched arms. â€Å"Hey, everybody,† he bellows, â€Å"can you truly believe what a gol-durn gorgeous day the good Lord gave us for this beautiful event? Isn't this something?† Half a dozen feeble voices rise in agreement. â€Å"Come on, people, you can do better than that! I want to hear it for this wonderful day, this wonderful time we're all having, and for all the wonderful help and assistance given us by our volunteers and staff!† A slightly more exuberant clamor rewards his efforts. â€Å"All right! Hey, you know what? As George Rathbun would say, even a blind man could see what a great time we're all having. I know I am, and we're not done yet! We got the greatest deejay you ever heard, a fellow called Symphonic Stan, the Big-Band Man, waiting to put on a great, great show in the common room, music and dancing right up to the big Strawberry Fest dinner, and we got him cheap, too but don't tell him I said that! So, friends and family, it's time to say your good-byes and let your loved ones cut a rug to the golden oldies, just like them, ha ha! Golden oldies one and all, that's all of us here at Maxton's. Even I'm not as young as I used to be, ha ha, so I might take a spin across the floor with some lucky lady. â€Å"Seriously, folks, it's time for us to put on our dancing shoes. Please kiss Dad or Mom, Granddad or Grandma good-bye, and on your way out, you may wish to leave a contribution toward our expenses in the basket on top of Ragtime Willie's piano right over here, ten dollars, five dollars, anything you can spare helps us cover the costs of giving your mom, your dad, a bright, bright day. We do it out of love, but half of that love is your love.† And in what may seem to us a surprisingly short amount of time, but does not to Chipper Maxton, who understands that very few people wish to linger in an elder-care facility any longer than they must, the relatives bestow their final hugs and kisses, round up the exhausted kiddies, and file down the paths and over the grass into the parking lot, along the way a good number depositing bills in the basket atop Ragtime Willie's upright piano. No sooner does this exodus begin than Pete Wexler and Chipper Maxton set about persuading, with all the art available to them, the oldsters back into the building. Chipper says things like, â€Å"Now don't you know how much we all want to see you trip the light fantastic, Mrs. Syverson?† while Pete takes the more direct approach of, â€Å"Move along, bud, time to stir your stumps,† but both men employ the techniques of subtle and not-so-subtle nudges, pushes, elbow grasping, and wheelchair rolling to get their doddering charges through the door. At her post, Rebecca Vilas watches the residents enter the hazy common room, some of them traveling at a rate a touch too brisk for their own good. Henry Leyden stands motionless behind his boxes of LPs. His suit shimmers; his head is merely a dark silhouette before the windows. For once too busy to ogle Rebecca's chest, Pete Wexler moves past with one hand on the elbow of Elmer Jesperson, deposits him eight feet inside the room, and whirls around to locate Thorvald Thorvaldson, Elmer's dearest enemy and fellow inhabitant of D12. Alice Weathers wafts in under her own guidance and folds her hands beneath her chin, waiting for the music to begin. Tall, scrawny, hollow-cheeked, at the center of an empty space that is his alone, Charles Burnside slides through the door and quickly moves a good distance off to the side. When his dead eyes indifferently meet hers, Rebecca shivers. The next pair of eyes to meet hers belong to Chipper, who pushes Flora Flostad's wheelchair as if it held a cr ate of oranges and gives her an impatient glare completely at odds with the easy smile on his face. Time is money, you bet, but money is money, too, let's get this show on the road, pronto. The first wave, Henry had told her is that what they have here, the first wave? She glances across the room, wondering how to ask, and sees that the question has already been answered, for as soon as she looks up, Henry flashes her the okay sign. Rebecca flips the switch for the pink spot, and nearly everybody in the room, including a number of old parties who had appeared well beyond response of any kind, utters a soft aaah. His suit, his shirt, his spats blazing in the cone of light, a transformed Henry Leyden glides and dips toward the microphone as a twelve-inch LP, seemingly magicked out of the air, twirls like a top on the palm of his right hand. His teeth shine; his sleek hair gleams; the sapphires wink from the bows of his enchanted sunglasses. Henry seems almost to be dancing himself, with his sweet, clever sidestepping glide . . . only he is no longer Henry Leyden; no way, Renee, as George Rathbun likes to roar. The suit, the spats, the slicked-back hair, the shades, even the wondrously effective pink spot are mere stage dressing. The real magic here is Henry, that uniquely malleable creature. When he is George Rathbun, he is all George. Ditto the Wisconsin Rat; ditto Henry Shake. It has been eighteen months since h e took Symphonic Stan from the closet and fit into him like a hand into a glove to dazzle the crowd at a Madison VFW record hop, but the clothes still fit, oh yes, they fit, and he fits within them, a hipster reborn whole into a past he never saw firsthand. On his extended palm, the spinning LP resembles a solid, unmoving, black beachball. Whenever Symphonic Stan puts on a hop, he always begins with â€Å"In the Mood.† Although he does not detest Glenn Miller as some jazz aficionados do, over the years he has grown tired of this number. But it always does the job. Even if the customers have no choice but to dance with one foot in the grave and the other on the proverbial banana peel, they do dance. Besides, he knows that after Miller was drafted he told the arranger Billy May of his plan to â€Å"come out of this war as some kind of hero,† and, hell, he was as good as his word, wasn't he? Henry reaches the mike and slips the revolving record onto the platter with a negligent gesture of his right hand. The crowd applauds him with an exhaled oooh. â€Å"Welcome, welcome, all you hepcats and hepkitties,† Henry says. The words emerge from the speakers wrapped in the smooth, slightly above-it-all voice of a true broadcaster in 1938 or 1939, one of the men who did live remotes from dance halls and nightclubs located from Boston to Catalina. Honey poured through their throats, these muses of the night, and they never missed a beat. â€Å"Say, tell me this, you gates and gators, can you think of a better way to kick off a swingin' soiree than with Glenn Miller? Come on, brothers and sisters, give me yeahhh.† From the residents of Maxton's some of whom are already out on the floor, others wheelchair-bound on its edges in various postures of confusion or vacuity comes a whispery response, less a party cry than the rustle of an autumn wind through bare branches. Symphonic Stan grins like a shark and holds up his hands as if to still a hopped-up multitude, then twirls and spins like a Savoy Ballroom dancer inspired by Chick Webb. His coattails spread like wings, his sparkling feet fly and land and fly again. The moment evaporates, and two black beachballs appear on the deejay's palms, one of them spinning back into its sleeve, the other down to meet the needle. â€Å"All-reety all-righty all-rooty, you hoppin' hens and boppin' bunnies, here comes the Sentimental Gentleman, Mr. Tommy Dorsey, so get off your money and grab your honey while vocalist Dick Haymes, the pride of Buenos Aires, Argentina, asks the musical question ‘How Am I to Know You?' Frank Sinatra hasn't entered the building yet, brethren and sistren, but life is still fine as mmm-mmm wine.† Rebecca Vilas cannot believe what she is seeing. This guy is getting just about everyone out onto the floor, even some of the wheelchair cases, who are dipping and swirling with the best of them. Dolled up in his exotic, astonishing outfit, Symphonic Stan Henry Leyden, she reminds herself is corny and breathtaking, absurd and convincing, all at once. He's like . . . some kind of time capsule, locked into both his role and what these old people want to hear. He has charmed them back into life, back into whatever youth they had left in them. Unbelievable! No other word will do. People she had written off as shuffling basket cases are blooming right in front of her. As for Symphonic Stan, he's carrying on like an elegant dervish, making her think of words like suave, polished, urbane, unhinged, sexy, graceful, words that do not connect except in him. And that thing he does with the records! How is that possible? She does not realize that she is tapping her foot and swaying in time to the music until Henry puts on Artie Shaw's â€Å"Begin the Beguine,† when she literally begins her own beguine by starting to dance by herself. Henry's hepcat jive-dance, the sight of so many white-haired, blue-haired, and bald-headed people gliding around the floor, Alice Weathers beaming happily in the arms of none other than gloomy Thorvald Thorvaldson, Ada Meyerhoff and â€Å"Tom Tom† Boettcher twirling around each other in their wheelchairs, the sweeping pulse of the music driving everything beneath the molten radiance of Artie Shaw's clarinet, all of these things abruptly, magically coalesce into a vision of earthly beauty that brings tears stinging to her eyes. Smiling, she raises her arms, spins, and finds herself expertly grasped by Tom Tom's twin brother, eighty-six-year-old Hermie Boettcher, the retired geography teacher in A17 formerly considered something of a stick, who without a word fox-trots her right out to the middle of the floor. â€Å"Shame to see a pretty girl dancing all on her lonesome,† Hermie says. â€Å"Hermie, I'd follow you anywhere,† she tells him. â€Å"Let's us get closer to the bandstand,† he says. â€Å"I want a better look at that hotshot in the fancy suit. They say he's blind as a bat, but I don't believe it.† His hand planted firmly at the base of her spine, his hips swerving in time to Artie Shaw, Hermie guides her to within a foot of the platform, where the Symphonic One is already doing his trick with a new record as he waits for the last bar of the present one. Rebecca could swear that Stan/Henry not only senses her presence before him but actually winks at her! But that is truly impossible . . . isn't it? The Symphonic One twirls the Shaw record into its sleeve, the new one onto the platter, and says, â€Å"Can you say ‘Vout'? Can you say ‘Solid'? Now that we're all limbered up, let's get jumpin' and jivin' with Woody Herman and ‘Wild Root.' This tune is dedicated to all you beautiful ladies, especially the lady wearing Calyx.† Rebecca laughs and says, â€Å"Oh, dear.† He could smell her perfume; he recognized it! Undaunted by the steamy tempo of â€Å"Wild Root,† Hermie Boettcher slides into a back step, extends his arm, and spins Rebecca around. On the first beat of the next bar, he catches her in his arms and reverses direction, spinning them both toward the far end of the platform, where Alice Weathers stands next to Mr. Thorvaldson, gazing up at Symphonic Stan. â€Å"The special lady must be you,† Hermie says. â€Å"Because that perfume of yours is worth a dedication.† Rebecca asks, â€Å"Where'd you learn to dance like this?† â€Å"My brother and I, we were town boys. Learned how to dance in front of the jukebox at Alouette's, over by Arden.† Rebecca knows Alouette's, on Arden's Main Street, but what was once a soda fountain is now a lunch counter, and the jukebox disappeared around the time Johnny Mathis dropped off the charts. â€Å"You want a good dancer, you find yourself a town boy. Tom Tom, now he was always the slickest dancer around, and you can plunk him in that chair, but you can't take away his rhythm.† â€Å"Mr. Stan, yoo-hoo, Mr. Stan?† Alice Weathers has tilted her head and cupped her hands around her mouth. â€Å"Do you take requests?† A voice as flat and hard as the sound of two stones grinding together says, â€Å"I was here first, old woman.† This implacable rudeness brings Rebecca to a halt. Hermie's right foot comes gently down atop her left, then swiftly moves off, doing her no more injury than a kiss. Towering over Alice, Charles Burnside glares at Thorvald Thorvaldson. Thorvaldson steps back and tugs at Alice's hand. â€Å"Certainly, my dear,† says Stan, bending down. â€Å"Tell me your name and what you'd like to hear.† â€Å"I am Alice Weathers, and â€Å" â€Å"I was here first,† Burny loudly repeats. Rebecca glances at Hermie, who shakes his head and makes a sour face. Town boy or not, he is as intimidated as Mr. Thorvaldson. † ‘Moonglow,' please. By Benny Goodman.† â€Å"It's my turn, you jackass. I want that Woody Herman number called ‘Lady Magowan's Nightmare.' That one's good.† Hermie leans toward Rebecca's ear. â€Å"Nobody likes that fella, but he gets his own way.† â€Å"Not this time,† Rebecca says. â€Å"Mr. Burnside, I want you to â€Å" Symphonic Stan silences her with a wave of his hand. He turns to face the owner of the remarkably unpleasant voice. â€Å"No can do, mister. The song is called ‘Lady Magowan's Dream,' and I didn't bring that snappy little item with me this afternoon, sorry.† â€Å"Okay, bud, how about ‘I Can't Get Started,' the one Bunny Berigan did?† â€Å"Oh, I love that,† Alice says. â€Å"Yes, play ‘I Can't Get Started.' â€Å" â€Å"Happy to oblige,† Stan says in Henry Leyden's normal voice. Without bothering to jive around or spin the records on his hands, he simply exchanges the LP on the turntable for one from the first box. He seems oddly wilted as he steps to the mike and says, â€Å"I've flown around the world on a plane, I settled revolutions in Spain. Can't get started. Dedicated to the lovely Alice Blue Gown and the One Who Walks by Night.† â€Å"You're no better'n a monkey on a stick,† says Burny. The music begins. Rebecca taps Hermie on the arm and moves up alongside Charles Burnside, for whom she has never felt anything but mild revulsion. Now that she has him in focus, her outrage and disgust cause her to say, â€Å"Mr. Burnside, you are going to apologize to Alice and to our guest here. You're a crude, obnoxious bully, and after you apologize, I want you to get back into your room, where you belong.† Her words have no effect. Burnside's shoulders have slumped. He has a wide, sloppy grin on his face, and he is staring empty-eyed at nothing in particular. He looks too far gone to remember his own name, much less Bunny Berigan's. In any case, Alice Weathers has danced away, and Symphonic Stan, back at the far end of the platform and out of the pink spot, appears to be deep in thought. The elderly couples sway back and forth on the dance floor. Off to the side, Hermie Boettcher pantomimes dancing and quizzes her with a look. â€Å"I'm sorry about that,† she says to Stan/Henry. â€Å"No need to apologize. ‘I Can't Get Started' was my wife's favorite record. I've been thinking about her a lot, the past few days. Sort of took me by surprise.† He runs a hand over his sleek hair and shakes out his arms, visibly getting back into his role. Rebecca decides to leave him alone. In fact, she wants to leave everyone alone for a little while. Signaling regret and the press of duty to Hermie, she makes her way through the crowd and exits the common room. Somehow, old Burny has beaten her to the corridor. He shuffles absently toward Daisy wing, head drooping, feet scuffing the floor. â€Å"Mr. Burnside,† she says, â€Å"your act may fool everyone else, but I want you to know that it doesn't fool me.† Moving by increments, the old man turns around. First one foot shifts, then a knee, the spavined waist, the second foot, finally the cadaverous trunk. The ugly bloom of Burny's head droops on its thin stalk, offering Rebecca a view of his mottled scalp. His long nose protrudes like a warped rudder. With the same dreadful slowness, his head lifts to reveal muddy eyes and a slack mouth. A flash of sheer vindictiveness rises into the dull eyes, and the dead lips writhe. Frightened, Rebecca takes an instinctive step backward. Burny's mouth has moved all the way into a horrible grin. Rebecca wants to escape, but anger at having been humiliated by this miserable jerk lets her hold her ground. â€Å"Lady Magowan had a bad, bad nightmare,† Burny informs her. He sounds drugged, or half asleep. â€Å"And Lady Sophie had a nightmare. Only hers was worse.† He giggles. â€Å"The king was in his countinghouse, counting out his honeys. That's what Sophie saw when she fell asleep.† His giggling rises in pitch, and he says something that might be â€Å"Mr. Munching.† His lips flap, revealing yellow, irregular teeth, and his sunken face undergoes a subtle change. A new kind of intelligence seems to sharpen his features. â€Å"Does you know Mr. Munshun? Mr. Munshun and his li'l friend Gorg? Does you know what happened in Chicago?† â€Å"Stop this right now, Mr. Burnside.† â€Å"Duz you know uff Fridz Haarman, him who wazz zo loff-ly? Dey called him, dey called him, dey called him ‘da Vamp, Vamp, Vamp of Hanover,' yez dey dud, dud, dud. Evveybuddy, evveybuddy, evvey-buddy haz godz nide-marez all da dime, dime, dime, ha ha ho ho.† â€Å"Stop talking like that!† Rebecca shouts.†You're not fooling me!† For a moment, the new intelligence flares within Burny's dim eyes. It almost instantly retreats. He licks his lips and says, â€Å"Way-gup, Burn-Burn.† â€Å"Whatever,† Rebecca says. â€Å"Dinner is downstairs at seven, if you want it. Go take a nap or something, will you?† Burny gives her a peeved, murky look and plops a foot down on the floor, beginning the tedious process that will turn him around again. â€Å"You could write it down. Fritz Haarman. In Hanover.† His mouth twists into a smile of unsettling slyness. â€Å"When the king comes here, maybe we can dance together.† â€Å"No, thanks.† Rebecca turns her back on the old horror and clacks down the hallway on her high heels, uncomfortably aware of his eyes following her. Rebecca's nice little Coach handbag lies flat on her desk in the windowless vestibule to Chipper's office. Before going in, she pauses to rip off a sheet of notepaper, write down Fritz Harmann(?), Hanover(?), and slip the paper into the bag's central compartment. It might be nothing it probably is but who knows? She is furious that she let Burnside frighten her, and if she can find a way to use his nonsense against him, she will do her best to expel him from Maxton's. â€Å"Kiddo, is that you?† Chipper calls out. â€Å"No, it's Lady Magowan and her freakin' nightmare.† She strides into Chipper's office and finds him behind his desk, happily counting out the bills contributed that afternoon by the sons and daughters of his clientele. â€Å"My li'l Becky looks all ticked off,† he says. â€Å"What happened, one of our zombies stomp on your foot?† â€Å"Don't call me Becky.† â€Å"Hey, hey, cheer up. You won't believe how much your silver-tongued boyfriend conned out of the relatives today. A hundred and twenty-six smackers! Free money! Okay, what went wrong, anyhow?† â€Å"Charles Burnside spooked me, that's what. He ought to be in a mental hospital.† â€Å"Are you kidding? That particular zombie is worth his weight in gold. As long as Charles Burnside can draw breath into his body, he will always have a place in my heart.† Grinning, he brandishes a handful of bills. â€Å"And if you have a place in my heart, honey-baby, you'll always have a place at Maxton's.† The memory of Burnside saying, The king was in his countinghouse, counting out his honeys makes her feel unclean. If Chipper were not grinning in that exultant, loose-lipped way, Rebecca supposes, he would not remind her so unpleasantly of his favorite resident. Evveybuddy haz godz nide-marez all da dime, dime, dime that wasn't a bad description of the Fisherman's French Landing. Funny, you wouldn't think Old Burny would take more notice of those murders than Chipper. Rebecca had never heard him mention the Fisherman's crimes, apart from the time he groused that he would not be able to tell anyone he was going fishing until Dale Gilbertson finally got off his big fat butt, and what kind of crappy deal was that?