Human Embryonic Stem (hES)

Human embryonic stem (hES) cell has a remarkable ability of differentiating into all cell types, which leads to the development of the whole organism. As the righteousness of ES cells is crucial for the developing embryo, these cells have likely evolved a appliance that will detect and respond to adverse stimuli.Indeed, hES cell has been shown to be exceedingly sensitive to deoxyribonucleic acid damage, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this rapid conclusion remain unclear. Caspases are critical mediators of apoptosis in the cells of mammals, and is considered a call protein that is responsible for controlling their activation is Bax, a Bcl-2 family proapoptotic member.While the main components of the apoptotic passageway have been known and identified, exactly how this pathway is functioning and regulated in various primary cells is still unclear. The study examined the apoptotic pathway in the hES cells and as well reported a unique mechanism of hES cells that can he lp them to allow apoptosis in response to the genotoxic damage.To visualize GFP-tagged Bax, the 3-day colonies of hES cells were transfected with 2 mg of hBaxC3-EGFP from Add agent with FuGENE HD transfection reagent from Roche. Transfection is the help of by which nucleic acids is introduce to the eukaryotic cells by methods that are nonviral. With the help of most various methods such(prenominal) as chemical, forcible, lipid methods, this technology of gene transmit technology is a very powerful tool to investigate the gene function and the expression of protein of a cell.Assay-based reporter technology, and with the availability of transfection reagents will real give and provides the foundation necessary to study sequences of mammalian promoter and enhancer, the trans-acting proteins such as transcription factors, processing of mRNA, the interactions of different proteins, recombination, and translation events.In general, transfection is a method or protocol used to neutr alize or extinguish the issue of introducing the negatively charged molecules such as phosphate moxie of DNA and RNA into the negatively charged membrane of the cells. In addition, chemicals such as calcium phosphate and cationic lipid-based reagents that coat the DNA, neutralize or even creates an overall positive charge to the molecule is in any case used.This makes it easier for the DNA to transfection reagent complex to cross the said membrane, especially for lipids which has a fusogenic component that pull ahead enhances the fusion with the different lipid bilayer. Other methods such as physical methods like microinjection or electroporation have also been used that is simply lagger through the membrane and will introduce DNA directly into the cytoplasm.In this study, they describe the striking feature of the healthy undifferentiated hES cells, which maintain Bax in its preactivated state at the Golgi that is in contrast to other cell types. The results also highlight the fact that the apoptotic machinery undergoes a dynamic change even if its an archaeozoic stages of differentiation.

It is not only Hamlet who is ‘transformed’ Essay

Something have you heard of Hamlets teddy It is not single Hamlet who is transformed the concepts of transformation and decay are at the spunk of the play both for Shakespeares earreach and for modern theatregoers. Discuss. The opening gibe of Hamlet is one filled with nervousness and emotional tension. Shakespeare shows this through the expression of his characters.Barnardos first line of Whos in that location followed by Franciscos reply of Nay, answer me. reveals to the listening the agitation of the sentinels. This unstable atmosphere continues passim the perspective and the listening find out that there is a nemesis from Fortinbras to attack Denmark and the old major power has died. Certainty dissolves into rumour showing there is also dislocation in Denmarks society At least the whisper goes so as the people are uncertain somewhat what is going to happen.The play speaks of a strange eruption to the distinguish and so it could be argued that Denmark has gone thro ugh a transformation of political supply and the state itself has changed. This is because Marcellus speaks of the old Denmark and how hallowd and so gracious is that quantify when the nights were wholesome. The new Denmark, on the other hand, is a place where the at peace(predicate) are restless and the future of the country is uncertain. The theme of political mental unsoundness was a significant factor for a 17th century audience who had experienced similar traumas.England had struggled to raise a navy to meet the Spanish Armada in 1588. Shakespeares Denmark is in a state in jeopardy- fitting as England was after the death of Elizabeth as the public awaited to take up who would succeed the throne. Shakespeares first audience could see a scene of their own recent history- and an unsettling reminder of their uncertain future. Like the sentinels, an audience in the 1600s would feel uneasy and sense the dislocation of Denmark.A modern audience understands the instability in the opening scene, however, they would not necessarily be fully aware of its intenseness, as there are different attitudes towards kings and the transmission of proponent of one regime to the next today. Nevertheless, the opening scene has a spectacular impact on both audiences and although an audience in 1600 would relate to the transformation of the state more than an audience in 2003, both audiences understand that Something is crappy in the state of Denmark. The instability of the natural world affects the different audiences in different ways.The entrance of the Ghost had particular significance to Shakespeares audience religion and the state were intertwined ghosts walked the earth and their return signified unfinished business, a threat to the state or buried treasure. In this case, the ghost is seen corrosion armour showing that evil must have occurred which harmed the former king My fathers spirit in arms All is not well. I doubt some foul play. The arrival of the Ghos t establishes the fall through surrounded by this world and the next, the natural and the transmundane.This adds to the idea of transformation of Denmark that has gone from a place of natural stability into a state of constant ruckus where the marvelous and natural are combined. There is a greater dramatic impact on Shakespeares audience when the Ghost arrives because they believed in the supernatural world and therefore would understand this unstableness in the state. Modern audiences, however, would not be fully aware of how significant the arrival of the Ghost is in the play. More people today do not believe in such things as ghosts and the supernatural realm.However, modern audiences would sense that there has been a transformation in the natural order of Denmark, the reasons for this change such as political and moral instability would affect the audience more than the supernatural aspect of the play. Moral issues in Hamlet add to the idea that the state has been transform ed. Both audiences would have been shocked to discover the wedding between Claudius and Gertrude having found out that Claudius is the dead kings brother. Shakespeare shows us freak through the language of his characters.Hamlets line of O more or less wicked speed To post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets has boo sibilants that truly show the disgust of the prince and therefore the audience. Shakespeare also emphasises Hamlets repulsion repeatedly with vivid sexual imageries, In the rank eliminate of an enseamed bed furthermore increasing our disgust of incest between the Bloat queen mole rat and his queen. Some among Hamlets first audience would recognise this marriage as a parallel to English history. Claudius kills a king and assumes his throne. hydrogen VII killed King Richard III at Bosworth and founded a Tudor dynasty on a flawed pedigree. Claudius marries Gertrude his late brothers wife as Henry VIII married his brothers widow, Katharine of Aragon. Shakespeare s audience knew how England had suffered because of the immoral involvement between the royals, such as incest and murder, so they could betoken that Denmark will suffer because of its king as England did. By relating his play to move of recent history, Shakespeare relies on his audience to supply the details of what is to come.

Psychology Cae Studies Essay

1) newsprint Advertisement -self selecting persons who had an interest in pick uping the study become successful. If you voluntary to become a part of a study clearly you gain an interest and feel a sense of responsibility towards the experiment.2) Subjects were predominately clean-living and lay class. This implies that the subjects ar from equivalent backgrounds, and so sh be similar experiences. In much(prenominal) cases we call them a homogeneous group.A homogeneous group because of their similar experiences ar not likely to be representative of the wider population. Consequently results are likely to reflective of them, not the general population. In this instance we whitethorn however go through learn how a prison population with predominately white males from a middle class background is likely to behave. Remember the mapping of much of research is to generalise to the wider population.3) Thumbs up for the use of questionnaires and an interview, which were used to natural covering the subjects.Thumbs down what constituted healthy? How did they come to this judgement? Normal What is natural?4) The experiment was conducted at the prestigious Stanford University. ThePrestige of the University will have force upon the subjects. Oh my god we are here at Stanford. If Stanford is doing this then it must be good and worthwhile. They wouldnt have me doing something thats not good for me. No matter what I feel I must behave as a dutiful subject. Its not hard to imagine the subjects view in this manner.5) The direct involvement of the chief researcher as a participant in theExperiment could in any case impact upon the subjects. Hey hes involved, if he isnt having a problem neither should I. I hire to follow his lead. This is a really valuable piece of research.Key callDe-Individuation -This is a loss of your exclusive identity. The guards bewildered their identity to the group collective. We are guards. The (uniform), inclusive of baton, refl ecting sunglasses and apparel (what they had on) contributed to this. We are the authority What we say goes The prisoners disoriented their identity when they were given prison garb and prison numbers. To be referred to wholly by a number robs you of your name. How vital is a name to an individual(a)? Mr, Miss, Mrs, name only. It comes to define you the individual. Without it who are you?De-humanisation This means that you have muzzy your mankind and are not treated with the basic dignity to which human beingnesss are entitled. The prisons were de-humanised. Remember they were stripped and made to stand naked in the motor hotel -yard. This is not a dignified way to treat persons. Further attest of their dehumanisation is the prison guards referring to their rights as privileges. This implied that they were not entitled to rights. Loss of retard over what we as humans have come to expect, when we eat, when we sleep, and when use the bathroom. They lost the power to do all t hese things.Learned helplessness They became dependent upon the guards for everything. They lost the desire and the know how to do things for themselves. This was not the situation before since they acquired it in prison, then it is learned helplessness.Remember power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. graphic symbol Confusion This occurs when the individual cannot separate roles that he has been given-which am I unfeignedly? This is linked to role consumption, This occurs when one particular role comes to define an individual take for example an athlete or politician who refuses to retire commodious after they have passed their prime. Both the guards and the prisoners suffered from this problem.The guards like the prisoners suffered de-individuation. They too lost their identities to the roles they were asked to perform. The frightening power they were given, the uniform-inclusive of whistle, baton and reflecting sunglasses all contributed to them losing their id entity. They began to see themselves as guards only and begun acting accordingly. Most naturally this meant that the guards internalised the prison. By Internalisation we mean that they pass judgment the prison as being real, and conformed to its expectations, routines and guidelines. Did the guards truly internalise the prison? Lets assist at the endorse of this-The guards attempted to hide the prisons in the broom wardrobe because they felt the experimenters were being too soft-This is evidence of incorporation because it shows that the guards had removed themselves from the termination/boundaries of the experiment and had now started to think as the collective group-prison guards-This moment should have marked the end of the experiment as its integrity had been compromised-it was an ethical entrancement to continue-Zimbardo being a part of the experiment(Prison Warder-head guard) became totally subjective and could not see that anything was wrong-this again was unethical b ut only because his objectivity was compromised.Further evidence of this is calling the prisoners rights privileges, and delaying the prisoner roll call to hours.For the prisoners the arresting process, which began when they were arrested and ended when they were feel printed and photographed, contributed to the prisoners internalising the prison. This occurred because of the shock value it signified a break from the prison (subjects) day-by-day reality they were arrested-they were now prisoners. The initiation process, which is everything, which happened to the prison subjects up until they were designate to their cells, also contributed to their internalising the prison. This included being given prison uniforms, being stripped and deloused, being made to stand naked in the prison yard, being assigned numbers, learning the prison rules -which they had to recite and being assigned cells. Evidence of the internalisation of the prison by the prisoners is them referring to themselv es by number, asking for a lawyer, bail and word of honor board, and returning to their cells when they could have just left.

Frankenstien essay Essay

How does Mary Shelley pass Frankensteins deuce and what is her message to readers? In this essay I shall be answering the question on how Mary Shelley present Frankensteins monster and what is her message to readers? I will besides explore the irrational fears that existed, almost the progress of science and scientific technology, in the 1800s and how they are addressed in the novel. I will conclude with a personal comment on Shelleys portrayal of the creature and scientific progress. Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus was indite by Mary Shelley in the early 19th century.At that clock it was truly unusual for women to write and even more so because she was l iodinesome(prenominal) 19 years of age. At this magazine there were many challenging scientists. These new scientists were eager to research things they had not researched before. She first published the make anonymously in 1818 when critics hailed it as the work of a genius and were very much surprised when they fou nd start that a woman had scripted it. This was also how initially reacted. Many scientific advances alikek place in the eighteenth and 19th centuries such as the invention of the featherbrainedning conductor, and the creation of the first trope electric battery.In some ways, the creation of the creature by Frankenstein shows the dangers of domain trying to overreach their potential with scientific research and knowledge. Victor Frankenstein, an driven Swiss university student, dedicates his entire demeanor to trying to create brio. Nonetheless, when he succeeds, the sin and repulsiveness of the creature forces Frankenstein to reject it. The creature faces a life of privacy and loneliness and golf-club rejects him even when it tries to help.This leads to the death of Frankensteins brother, William, whom the creature kills, and the servant, Justine, is hung after(prenominal) world found guilty of the crime. Frankenstein then incurs the wrath of the creature by making a m ate for it and then destroying it. This leads to the death of Henry Clerval, his shell friend, and Elizabeth, his wife. In the end both the creature and Frankenstein die. The death of so many people cigarette be a way of showing that scientific advance is not always the best way to go and that it plenty be dangerous at times.Themes which are, explored in Frankenstein are madness, dreams and nightmares. During Shelleys time there was a fear of new technology because of the dread that machines would set back tender-hearteds as workers this would leave many of the peasants, and working class is out of a job. This led to riots and revolutions such as the Luddite riots of 1811, which saw machines smashed in violent reaction. This can be linked to riots and demonstrations today against abortion and test-tube babies that one sees in the media everyday. The novel begins with the expedition of an explorer named Walton.Walton is well-nigh to fulfill his aspiration and go on his expediti on to the newton Pole. He wants to go to the North Pole because he wants to be remembered by discovering a place where no man has ever gone. Walton writes a letter to his sister from St. Petersburg. In his letter Walton says that he knows that ordinary people are worried about his ambitions. He says his sister regards it as an evil forbidding. Walton prepares for the expedition by being hard and very tough on himself as if he enjoys torturing himself. He states in the letter that heEndured cold, famine, thirst, and want of relaxation Victor Frankenstein wants to push back the boundaries of science. He wants to create life so that people would live longer. The reason he desires to bring back life is that no one else had accomplished this before. He is also a scientist and wants to be remembered like all scientists. Victor Frankenstein is also very excited because he not only thinks he can bring back life but he also thinks he could create life. He says A new species would bless me as its creator and sourceHe thinks hes going to be thanked and thought of like a divinity fudge by the new species he is about to create. Frankenstein prepares for this by attending lectures, reading books, not sleeping and putting himself wholly into his work Stars often disappeared into the light of the morning whilst I was yet engaged in my laboratory, importation that Frankenstein spent so much time in the laboratory the nights passed quickly. This also shows the devotion to his work. His work appears to be dangerous because he went to places like charnel houses and vaults, which are considered to be very creepy.He spent days indoors these places to collect raw materials, that is, body parts for his creation. This indicates that he is prepared to do anything to accomplish his ambition, to bring back life. When the creature is in the process of being created, Frankenstein is portrayed as a fanatic and maniac about what he is doing. He neglected his health due to his commitmen t to his work. I can discern this because he says My cheek had grown pale with study, and my person had set about emaciated with confinement. This tells me that he has become very ill because of his steadfastness on his mission to create artificial life. This can mean that he is too committed to reaching an objective that is out of any humans reach. In a way Mary Shelley also shows how Frankenstein is breaking societys taboos by collecting bones from charnel houses and disturbing, with profane fingers, the tremendous secrets of the human frame. This is shown as going against nature and as evil. He also describes his catch as filthy, with the use of the words my workshop of filthy creation

Psychosocial Stage Essay

Psychological victimisation is generally accepted as product of the interaction among fond and psychic forces which directly affect and shape the reputation of all(prenominal) individual (Erikson, 2000). This whitethorn also encompass changes in ego-control, and prosociable behavior. In relation to this, Erik Erikson established a unifying theory on the social and psychological aspects of human maturation by means ofout spirit span. In his octet phylogenyal stages, each(prenominal) individual should, from infancy to senescence, accomplish psychological tasks in line with his or her social beds.In addition, his theory, often called as the stages of man, is to begin with grounded on the notion that every individual develops self-images through differents perceptions and his or her induce perceptions (Erikson, 2000). Erikson described the development of character and the process by which an individual acquires societal voice and shapes his or her identity. In contrar y to Freuds psychosexual emphasis, Erickson accentuated the development of ones attitudes, skills, and the awareness of responsibility.Further, Erikson argued that individuals undergo the different developmental stages, each with crisis or dilemma, and expected to resolve specific contravention in every stage. Unresolved conflicts in the previous stage will pass on the succeeding stages which impart negative traits in ones person-to-personity (Erikson, 2000). On the other(a) hand, as an individual successfully confronted every developmental crisis, he or she achieves positive traits or psychological attrisolelyes. Generativity versus Stagnation Erikson viewed development as a continuous process of facing the complexities of vivification (Santrock, 2002).A young master copy, for example, to ensure success and intimate relations, he or she moldiness perceive and accomplish the task of creating and affectionateness his or her flavor routine or style. Ericksons 7th stage of psy chosocial development, generativity versus stagnation, coincides with the snapper matureness outcome of humans. As defined by Erikson, generativity is the desire to take an active role in establishing the companionship and nurturing the youth to ensure the continuity of human multiplication (Lerner, 2002).In this stage, individuals should develop concern for the coterminous generation in tack to prevent ad hominem stagnation (Santrock, 2002). While some individuals accomplish this through active community involvement and participation, some contribute for the welfare of the society through responsible parenthood. In any means, the dynamic that moldiness(prenominal) be attained is the outward shifting from the well-being of ones self to the consideration and care for the humanity. As such, the strength of care is achieved through creating, parenting, volunteering, and mentoring.For instance, by means of genuine care and concern, the generative religious teachers indoctrinate conventional religious view on development. Generative adults, on the other hand, whitethorn take responsibility on the cycle of vitality by tip and guiding their children in the first five stages of psychosocial development (Santrock, 2002). Mean plot, a report element of generativity versus stagnation is the continuity of stages and cumulative implications of various experiences in life (Santrock, 2002). The adults sense of generativity is stimu advancedd by encouraging and behaveing the future of the next generation.However, individuals who fail to bestow the continuity to the next generation whitethorn mayhap become engorge with his or her personal needs, disregard the needs of other individuals, and eventually become stagnated. Influences on my Personality The psychosocial development constructs of Erickson encompasses every experience of an individual that processes and shapes his or her personality, generativity, and perceptions. These processes are deemed universal that is, although individuals experience family, social, and cultural life differently, the variations are minor.The minor variations account for other individual variables such as socioeconomic status, age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion, education, and culture (Lerner, 2002). Hence, the psychosocial processes in the spirit due date show variations on themes but of similar dynamic of change. Erikson outlined these changes in every developmental stage through specific conflicts or tasks that one needs to expect to or resolve. As such in snapper adulthood, generativity versus stagnation is the conflict that needs to be resolved.However, as the resolution of conflicts in the early adulthood influences this stage, the outcome in this stage will directly affect the late adulthood period (Lerner, 2002). As well, as individuals are expected to show inspiration, care, and guidance for the youth, they are also challenged to acquire productive roles for the societal development and cont inuity. Generativity then should not yet be confined in parenting but should stretch out to community involvements through projects, leadership, and commitment.It must be deemed with watch over to the manner by which an individual handle his or her relations with his or her family, societal institutions, friends, relatives, and with other individuals. Whereas every social behavior is determined by myriad of factors, the commitment and concern for the welfare of the next generation must be the primary motivation in all those aforementioned social responsibilities and activities (Lerner, 2002). As I learned the meat adulthood psychosocial stage of Erikson, active 35-40 years of ages, I examined the present state of my personality in equipment casualty of generativity and stagnation.That is, I assessed my self if I am productive in my airfield of endeavor and geared towards inspiring and guiding my children and other youngsters and young adults. I became concern with the achievem ent of generativity for Erikson argued that it is crucial for a positive outlook during midlife. As such, I formulated my developmental goals of preparing my self for my senescence period and caring for and guiding the youngsters for adulthood. However, life experiences in this stage of life are not identical among individuals some are still single adult while others are happily married or divorced during this period.Generally, the middle adulthood has developmental discontinuity and continuity. In particular, psychological attributes like cognitive functioning may rapidly change while the others such as intelligence and personality may attain stability during midlife (Lachman, 2001). I realized then that in defining lifes success, experiences in midlife pick up signifi undersidet roles. During middle adulthood, every individual compensates for and copes with lifes losses which tend to be apparent as senescence life approaches.As revealed by psychological researches, life satisfac tion is at its peak in midlife this is the period of life where subjective happiness and well-being are rated best as compared to other stages of life (Lachman, 2001). Thus, midlife is known as the prime of ones life, where more or slight middle adults are at the summit of their family and professional careers, and income generation. In addition, middle adults experience a very satisfactory psychological well-being they have positive outlook in life, autonomy, and aim for both personal and professional growth (Lachman, 2001).They perceived midlife as the period where one should function best. Thus, my brain on my work performance, multiple-role playing, and parenting styles were awakened. Nevertheless, at the other extreme of middle adulthood are the midlife crises. Based on psychological reports, middle adulthood is knock about by worries in life such as the feelings of individuals of life losses and failures, non-achievement and underachievement, and trivial and non-essential goals (Lachman, 2001).Yet, amidst these crises and as compared to other stages of life, middle adulthood is the period of less depression and higher well-being. In this period, most individuals attained their professional and personal goals. Those who are susceptible to environmental factors, limited resources, and poverty, are at take chances to psychological and physical distress (Lachman, 2001). It was then clarified in my object that during midlife, individuals may either enjoy the fruition of their respective labors or assemble the cumulative deficits of their life due to unresolved conflicts in previous stages.Therefore, middle adulthood, as generativity versus stagnation implies, is not wholly a period of fulfillment and accomplishment but also a transition period for the prehistorical and present events of life basically influence the later lifes transition. Midlife is the stage of life when individuals, more frequently, have already decided for a lifestyle and other s ocial context like vocation, routine, neighborhood, and support interlocking. Thus, I postulated that personality molds the life of an individual, rather than life experiences shapes the personality of an individual.In particular, only specific aspect of personality is altered by dramatic life events during middle adulthood. For example, career or marriage failure, affliction due to mental or physical disorder, and death of a loved one may alter the behavioral trait of an individual which in turn only causes minor shifts in personality but do not polish in the holistic personality structure. Moreover, the concept of midlife crisis, perceived as inevitable in middle adulthood, was found to be false (Lerner, 2002).Even though midlife is a stage of reflection, increased anxiety, midcourse correction, and unpredictable transformation, researches revealed that during middle adulthood, individuals still seek the shifting of life perspective from birth until to their last years to exp erience (Lerner, 2002). The nature of an individuals response to midlife challenges is largely affected by personality attributes and less by the individuals present developmental stage or chronological age.As proposed, the enduring nature of midlife crisis is perchance related to the capability of an individual to cope with the tragic life events and in the end still considers his or her self as fairly fortunate. In sum, Erikson suggested the importance of finding oneself in another during midlife developmental stage. By except serving oneself or own family, an individual becomes engorge with his or her personal needs, disregard the needs of other individuals, and eventually ends as stagnated.Hence, I must not confine my self in looking at and workings only for the welfare of my family. Bringing up my children into the best that they can be is inadequate contribution for the welfare of the society. I need to acquire the sense of altruism in order to contribute whatever resources I have, actively involve myself to community projects, and to extend whatever support I can give for the welfare of the next generation.In addition, since midlife crisis is inevitable in middle adulthood, I realized that in order to face every travail, empathy and support to others are crucial so as to establish a network support where I can lean on as I resolve any form of midlife crisis. References Erikson, E. H. (2000). The Erik Erikson Reader. Coles, R. Ed. bare-ass York Norton. Santrock, J. W. (2002). Life-span development. New York McGraw-Hill. Lachman, M. E. (2001). Handbook of Midlife Development. New York John Wiley. Lerner, R. M. (2002). Concepts and Theories of Human Development, 3rd ed. Mahwah, NJ Erlbaum.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Oppositional Defiant Disorder Case Study and interrogation Samaritan L. Carlo Suffolk County Community College SYS 213, Exceptional Child Able Keller is an communicative and physically level-headed four- course of instruction-old boy. He lives with his develop and ogdoadeen-year-old sis, and attends pre rail during the week. Babels mother works seven days a week and he is supervised on the weekends by a she-goat. His sure nanny began working for the family fairly recently the two nannies prior to her twain worked for less than two months out front quitting.Babels p bents shit been divorced for two years. His mother is his primary c be-giver and is father sees him infrequently. Lately, Babels mother and preschool t apieceer have been unable to get out with his disruptive and distressing behaviors. Babels t for severally oneer estimates that his disruptive behaviors began at the beginning of the school year, which was approximately eight months ago his mother says that th e behaviors began roughly one year ago and have been increasing in severity and frequency since past.Babels infant has also voiced concerns regarding her brothers spiteful actions towards her due to the strain his recent behaviors have put on their relationship (PAP, 2013). Babels mother reports that Able cannot go more than than two days without becoming extremely harassed with necessary passing(a) tasks. Once, Babels mother requested that he go wash his hands before dinner. Able became irrationally frustrated, blatantly refused to wash his hands, and began lashing out in a manner which she describes as one of his tantrums. Babels mother also describes an compositors fiber in which their last nanny was on the receiving end of Babels disruptive behavior. The nanny took away Babels toy at his refusal to brush his teeth and get get up for bed, and later found her toothbrush in the toilet boil. After bring forward acts of blatant defiance by Able, the nanny resigned and Babels mother was forced to take on a new nanny. Able exhibited a similar behavior towards his sister when she asked him if he could grab her a pencil for her homework. Able was instantly irritated at this request and yelled Dont tell me what to do He then proceeded to rip up her homework and run to his room. According to his mother, destruction of retention in such(prenominal) an aggressive manner has been very infrequent in Babels behavior. However, his malevolency resulted in the loss of a nanny and his sisters increasing emotional sisters that her sweet baby brother has taken on such a resentful attitude towards her (PAP, 2013). Babels preschool teacher told his mother that his behavior will no longer be tolerated and recommended that he be assessed. His teacher explains his behaviors in level as noncompliant and disruptive. Al just about daily, he actively ignores class rules, such as not talking during reading time, and manufactures even more defiant when his violations are addressed by the teacher. His teacher has paused class multiple time to closure him from distracting either the whole class or individual students. She ports that the most troublesome aspects of Babels behavior are the frequency of the disruptions and his responses to cosmos reprimanded. Once, when a schoolmate went to the teacher after Able ignored her plea that he stop thrusting her arm, Able became outwardly more motivated to continue poking her relentlessly.When his teacher explained why his behavior is unacceptable, Able accused the classmate that he had been poking of initiating the incident and provoking him by being annoying. Babels teacher reports that he has yet to accept blame or responsibility for any of his misdoings and that he is often ostracizes by his peers. Classmates have called him annoying and a tattle-tale. Teachers discourage this tantalise behavior, but the discrimination has led to gain emotional distress inwardly Able which has been exhibited by more frequent moods of frustration and pique at home (PAP, 2013).Babels behavior has been extremely distressing at home and in school over a duration of at least eight months, but has not presented a problem elsewhere thus far. His teacher has felt stress due to her inability to get him to obey rules, a lack of time to address his disruptions, and phone calls from parents whose children claim to have en harassed in some way by Able. His sister has become distraught over his behavior and his mother has been put under ample pressure to maintain a trustworthy and reliable nanny.Due to the duration of his irritable, defiant, and at times unforgiving behaviors, which have occurred at home and at school, have had minus consequences in his academic, social, and emotional functioning, and have caused distress for several people in his life, Able has been diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder of a moderate severity. Babels defiant, argumentative, ND vindictive emblems put him at risk for growth Conduct Disorder, and his increasing emotional distress due to peer issues at school increases his risk of developing an emotional disorder (PAP, 2013).Recent explore of oppositional defiant disorder ( risible) is characterized by the way out of two themes developmental precursors to the disorder and the prop of irritability. The study of precursors to nonpareil are discussed by Tinfoil and Malta (2013) in their investigate study which examines the relations amongst interpretative understanding, good emotional attribution, and sympathy with the ability to predict singular signals.Burke, Babylon, Rowe, Duke, Steep, Hippies, and Walden (2014) discuss vary proportionalityality stupefys of crotchety, the identification of irritability by certain symptoms, and the implications of the results for further inquiry on fantastic. Tinfoil and Malta (2013) suggest that the limited success of reliable ODD treatments may be attributed to the lack of empirical res earch on the disorders developmental antecedents. Their research responds to this insufficiency by assessing supposed key components in the genesis of antisocial behaviors social-cognitive development and moral emotions (Tinfoil & Malt, 2013).The study analyzes a judge of 128 four- and eight-year-old children with ODD and investigates the links between the symptoms of ODD and interpretative understanding, or supposition of mind skills, in children (Tinfoil & Malt, 2013). The research of Tinfoil and Malta (2013) also analyzes ODD symptoms in relation to sympathy and moral emotion attribution (MEA), and examines the mediating role that each of these may have on each others development. The participants of the study include 128 English-speaking children and one caregiver each parent assessments (Tinfoil & Malta, 2013).The only exclusion amount is a hill with autism spectrum disorder, and the ethnicities of the participants vary (Tinfoil & Malt, 2013). Symptoms of ODD in the children are rated by caregivers utilize ADSM-oriented scales, instructive understanding ratings are obtained by professionals using the get and Chandlers puppet activity, sympathy is measured by caregiver and child self-reports, and MEA is evaluated using each childs negative or positive responses to the presentation of hypothetical vignettes of varying lapses in morality (Tinfoil & Malt, 2013).The procedure of the research study involved each child and their caregiver attending one session at the research ABA, the parent providing written consent and the child providing oral agreement, and the child being interviewed for a duration of approximately forty- five minutes by psychological science undergraduate students (Tinfoil & Malta, 2013). The caregiver for each child filled out the symptom questionnaires outside of the interview room during the process (Tinfoil & Malta, 2013). Tinfoil and Malta (2013) find that interpretive understanding, sympathy, and MEA all influence ODD symptoms.R atings of child sympathy by the caregivers run for a mediating role on the effect of interpretive understanding on ODD symptoms, and MEA strength significantly influences interpretative understanding in the mankind of rule violation (Tinfoil & Malt, 2013). The research of Tinfoil and Malta (2013) indicates the necessity of further research on social-cognitive and affective-moral fixingss that could potentially precede ODD and help with early prediction, and highlights a possible origin of the rule-violating behavior so prevalent in Babels case as a deficit in MEA.Recent research on ODD also focuses on the importance of irritability and on reaching a consensus regarding which symptoms best identify irritability (Burke et al. , 2014). Burke et al. (2014) introduces the study by explaining how subsisting data purports that symptoms of ODD represent a unidirectional assembly and are distinct from those of other disorders. Recently, studies have found conflicting licence regarding t he dimensions ODD symptoms are categorized by, which questions the reliability of assessment using the existing ODD model (Burke et al. 2014). Also, inconsistencies exist concerning which symptoms of ODD comprise which dimensions (Burke et al. , 2014). Burke et al. (2014) suggests that a factor model of the disorder may help solve these conflicts surrounding the concept of diagnostic irritability. The study tests single and multi- dimensional models of ODD including factor and competing models, analyzes various elements of measurement deep down symptoms, and aims to identify the extent to which specific dimensions relate to each other and customary ODD symptoms (Burke et al. 2014). The study also attempts to determine if thither is a distinguishing dimension of irritability within ODD, if one model of ODD is superior to all other models, and if there is an additional general dimension of ODD (Burke et al. , 2014). ODD symptom data of five community samples of five- to eighteen-y ear-old boys and arils is evaluated by Burke et. Al (2014) using assorted measurement scales and care- giver reports.Methods of assessing symptom presence, frequency, and severity are the Revised diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children, arouse Version, Child Symptom Inventory-4, Child and Adolescent Psychopathology Scale, Developmental and welfare Assessment, and Emory Diagnostic Rating Scale (Burke et al. , 2014). The data is analyzed using five models of ODD dimensionality and two models of irritability, which identify irritability as either touchy, angry, and spiteful, or touchy, angry, and frequent loss of temper (Burke et al. 2014). Burke el al. (2014) concludes that the best model for symptoms of ODD is a general factor model in which irritability and oppositional behavior factors exist alongside a general ODD factor, and in which irritability and oppositional behaviors significantly correlate with each other (Burke et al. , 2014). This model is systematically better c rossways multiple samples and is made up of eight general ODD items, each correlated with either an irritability or an oppositional behavioural dimension (Burke et. Al, 2014).The irritability mission includes temper, touchiness, and anger the oppositional behavior dimension includes argumentativeness, defiance, annoyance, balefulness, and spitefulness (Burke et. Al, 2014). Burke et. Al (2014) also finds that irritability is most accurately characterized by touchiness, anger, and temper loss. The implications of the results are the emergence of strong evidence for a multidimensionality within ODD, and support for an identification of irritability characterized by loss of temper, touchiness, and anger (Burke et al. , 2014).Although the research is unable to answer attention questions regarding the existence of a third dimension, the sign questions are addressed concerning the underlying structure of symptom dimensions and provide evidence for a superior set of characteristics of irri tability (Burke et al. , 2014). Lastly, Burke et al. (2014) addresses that possible limitations in the study were due to the variability of the questionnaires, the variability of the scaling systems, and the different research structure for boys and girls in the samples. References American Psychiatric Association. (2013).Section II Disruptive, impulse-control, and induct disorders. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th De. ). New York PAP Press. Burke, J. D. , Babylon, K. , Rowe, R. , Duke, E. , Steep, S. D. , Hippies, A. E. , & Walden, l. D. (2014). Identifying the irritability dimension of ODD Application of a modified factor model across five large community samples of children. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1-11. Tinfoil, M. & Malt, T. (2013). Interpretive understanding, sympathy, and moral emotion attribution in oppositional defiant disorder symptomatically. Child psychological medicine & Human Development, 44, 633-645.

Psychological Mindsets in the Black Cat, My Last Duchess

The reality of life is that at roughly point it will all(a) come to an end. End, nonpargonil referencing it to when single is articulate dead. Since demolition is unavoidable, we must take into account death because it is the cultivation(a)ization of our lives pass on this earth as nearly as an account of the behavior we left this world. There are numerous ways that matchless slew leave this world, some blend peace panopticy while others may die by force.The following will reveal the psychological wits concerning death as depicted in Poes The lightlessness goofball, Br take inings My Last Duchess, and Dickinsons Because I could non Stop for Death, and the ramifi roveions of perverseness, egotism-importance-com federal agencyncy, and timelessness In The bootleg Cat, Poe uses perverseness to explain the storytellers pastime to murder underworld, the black shed, and ultimately his married woman. The narrator had once loved animals, save alcoholism contri alonee d to his change of temperament and irritableness, which led to the abuse of his pets and his wife.His reasoning for gouging Plutos eyes out, and and then murdering the animal was because it loved him as he rejected it. The narrator had a perceive of self-loathing and self-hatred that do him indispensability to continue doing abuse to Pluto, which we identify to be This smell of perverseness, I say, came to my final overthrow. It was this unfathomable longing of the soul to vex itself-to offer violence to its own nature- to do wrong for the wrongssake just now- that urged me to continue finally to consummate the damage I had inflicted upon the unoffending brute (Poe 138).After the death of Pluto, another cat who resembles Pluto, scarce with an added splotch of white fur becomes the narrators new pet, which fills the void of the narrators loss of Pluto. The new cat begins to disgust the narrator By tedious degrees these feelings of disgust and annoyance rose into the bittern ess of hatredI came to sprightliness upon it with unutterable loathing, and to flee silently from its odious presence, as from the breath of a pestilence(Poe 140). The narrator doesnt inflict harm on the cat for a while because it reminds him of Pluto and his evil deed.Although, the narrator feels shame and transgression he is not remorseful of his actions due to his perverse spirit because really Evil thoughts became my sole inmates-the darkest and most evil thoughts. The moodiness of my usual temper change magnitude to hatred of all things and all of mankind (Poe 141). The narrators soul, which is full of madness and hatred, led him one day while his wife came with him to take place some errands into the cellar, to attack the cat in rage. The cat had somehow made the narrator trip as he followed them into the cellar and this ignited rage from the narrators soul.His wife baulkped his attempt to hit the cat with an axe and because of his wifes actions, his madness shifted Goad ed by the encumbrance into a rage more than demoniacal, I withdrew my arm from her grasp and interred the axe in her brain (Poe 141). Poe uses the principle of perverseness in galore(postnominal) of his other works as well as The Black Cat to portray To an ambiguous balancing of forces of attraction and repulsion (the seductive draw towards self destruction) (Ketterer 28).This is the reason why the narrators perverse spirit caused him to murder with not much of a thought of remorse, but that he had committed a deadly sin, in which he found sympathiser in because what he was doing was leading him to his own self-destruction. as well, the narrator can be depicted as a victim to his mind, which led him to murder because when one reads Poes stories there tends to be an account where the imaging, then verbal structure create the fiend that overtakes the narrators reason. ccording to the storys analysis of the souls faculties, the human imagination creates a tangible, readily perce ptible organism (Bieganowski 176-177). The narrator can be considered a victim, because the reader can empathize that he is helpless and sick to the perverse spirit that becomes his nature. The narrator incessantly in his mind goes through the continuous tugging between right and wrong and good and evil, till he finally wants it all to parry and in his mind, anything is distorted to do evil, in order to cease the tugging.In My Last Duchess, toasting uses the motive of preen to provide the Duke of Ferras reasoning for why he has his wife killed. In the beginning of the rime, the Duke of Ferra is addressing an ambassador, when he brings up a paint on the wall of his last Duchess. As his last Duchess is depicted, the Duke describes her as conclusion pleasure in the little things and not of the things he gave her. Furthermore she did not value his name nor admire him.By the start of the poem, the Duke of Ferra has bear witnessn his own insecurities about his last Duchess becau se he couldnt control her and therefore the picture of her on the wall is now his dominance over her. As the duke talks of his Duchess, her actions in someways displeased him as she did a number of things wrong A heart-how shall I say? -too soon made glad, too easily impressedsomehow-I perk up it away not how-as if she ranked my gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name(Browning 513). The Duke of Ferra is possessive, as well as arrogant and proud in nature.Due to his character and mania the Duke took everything his Duchess did as an offence because he wasnt in control and so his felicitate led him to believe Even had you skill in speech-which I view not-to make yourwill quite clear to such an one, and say you disgust me hereyou miss, or there you exceed the mark-and if she let herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set her marbles to yours, forsooth, and made excuse-even then would be some stooping and I take aim never to stoop (Browning 513).The Duke of Ferra fairifies killing his w ife before even mentioning that he has had her killed because in the Dukes mind he sees the Duchess smiles as incriminating. He thinks this because she didnt scarce smile for him, but others as well, which is one of the jealousies that consumes him. The Dukes jealous and possessive nature arouses his mania to be in complete control of a beingness, in this case his last Duchess. With all the Dukes frustrations and concerns about his last Duchess off his chest and because of his own sense of pride for her to be what he wanted her to be I gave commands then all smiles stopped together.There she stands as if alive (Browning 513). The Duke refers to his last Duchess as stand there as if she was alive as a means to show his vain character. When the narrator looks at his last Duchess, he doesnt just see in the painting the picture of her, but the painting is just another valued object, in which he is proud to possess. As pride is depicted for why the narrator went so far as to comport his last Duchess murdered, the narrators actions can be self-evaluated to constitute the sensation of pride that overcame his judgment.With emotions there is more than the substantial basis to how one feels They are adaptive patterns of behavior arising from a persons appraised relation to current events beginning with appraisals of notable changes in an individuals goals, motives, or concerns (Tangey and Fischer 65-66). From this description of emotions, the narrator adapted his sense of pride from his careful watch of his wife as more and more things that she did offended him. The narrator took into consideration every action his wife did from her smiles to her otal unawareness of the narrators notable name. Also from the explanation of emotions one can understand why the narrator didnt simply just have his wife murdered swiftly when he was displeased with her the first time. The narrator came to a gradual decision to have his wife murdered because of his emotions of pride and the sense of mania that grew from the displeasure of the on-going events of his last Duchess, which lead him to believe what he couldnt control, was a problem.Therefore, the narrator murders his wife due to the emotion of pride, which is defined On the basis of a growing literature, we suggest that pride is generated by appraisals that one is responsible for a socially valued outcome or for being a socially valued person. Pride comprises action tendencies to present ones befitting self or action to others such as a immense smile, beaming face, erect posture, celebratory gestures or comments, and comments that call attention to the selfs accomplishment. Internal reac-tions include increased heart rate and spit out conductance as well as an erratic respiration.The subjective experience of pride involves an experience of ones body or self as taller, stronger or bigger (Tangey and Fischer 66). In Because I could not stop for Death, Dickinson uses death to depict a seducing trip to e ternity. From the first lines of the poem they predict the civil and smooth passage from death to a place of eternity Because I could not stop for Death- He kindly stopped for me- the Carriage held but just ourselveles- And Immortality (Dickinson 541). The Carriage driver is then depicted as being civil and gracious to the narrator.As the rigging driver is taking her at hand(predicate) and closer to death, the narrator passes childhood like memories till eventually they stop at her grave We passed the school, where Children strove at recess-in the Ringwe passed the Setting Sun- or rather-He passed Us( Dickinson 541). then the narrator describes what she is wearing, which is a gossamer, a tippet, and a tulle that shows she is under dressed because she begins to tremble and expresses the sudden chilliness. Then the carriage driver stops. One can work out its a stop at the grave for we can settle that the scenario is now darker and colder.The narrator uses the description of the house to depict the grave. The whole stop is the actual death of the narrator. The last stanza talks about the horses head that is pointed to eternity. This last part is in recognition that the narrator is guess shes headed towards eternity. We can infer that this whole experience for the narrator was a natural natural event. We can alike infer that since the carriage driver was courteous and civil, and created the whole attraction to death, that the narrator is going towards eternity.Furthermore since death for the narrator was a positive experience we can conclude that she will reach eternity. The occurrence of death in this story is linked to eternity. When one thinks of eternity it is a positive thought to what happens after our death. Therefore the whole experience of the carriage driver taking the narrator to her death had to symbolize the positive place that she would go next. This poem uses the seductive and attractive nature of the carriage driver to lure the narrato r to her death, to the point where she doesnt realize that she is dying because it came so naturally.The carriage driver is the male persona in this poem, because he creates a gentleman like approach to the narrator. To Dickinson death was an important part of many a(prenominal) of her works. Emily Dickinson had an obsession for what happens after this life. This is one of the main inspirations for why most of Dickinson poems and stories flap around death. This poem specifically Because I could not stop for Death, uses her political orientation For Dickinson, thought does not stop just because death cannot or does not appear.Thus the thought-poem proceeds to figure death out in at to the lowest degree two ways, both of which rely on narratively precise imagery one facing deathtwo the poet enacts through imagery the leap into the secret of death (Deppman 3). In Because I could not stop for Death Dickinson also uses This category of personification carries two implications first , that death becomes positive, becomes a thing or person and not an ab- sence or cessation, and second, that there is a relation of self to another beyond death (Death, the gentleman).All of the above maybe interpreted as strategies for a creative death-into-life approach (Nesteruk 28-29). Death was used in the stories of The Black Cat, My Last Duchess, and Because I could not stop for Death. The psychological mindset of death depicted in each story or poem explained why the narrator or the protagonist acted the way they did. In The Black Cat, Poe created a narrator whose perverse spirit led him to not only murder his cat, but his wife as well, in this mind debilitate circumstance where the narrator is leading a life towards self-destruction.In My Last Duchess, the Dukes pride drove him to murder his last Duchess and possess her as a painting that he is proud to own. In Because I could not stop for Death, Dickinson uses a carriage drive to seduce the narrator towards her death, the n eventually eternity. Works Cited Page * DiYanni, Robert. Literature Approaches to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. new-made York McGraw-Hill, 2008. Print. * Ketterer, David. Edgar Allan Poe Life,Work, and Criticism. Canada York Press, 1989. Print. * Tangey, June P. , and Fischer, Kurt W. Self-Conscious EmotionsThe Psychology of Shame, Guilt. Embarrassment, and Pride. New York 1995.Print. * Bieganowski, Ronald. The Self-Consuming Narrator In Poes Ligeia And Usher. American Literature 60. 2 (1988) 175. Academic expect Premier. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. * Nesteruk, Peter. The Many Deaths of Emily Dickinson. Emily Dickinson Journal 6. 1 (1997) 25-43. Project Muse. Spring 1997. Web. 28 Nov 2012. * Deppman, Jed. Dickinson, Death, and the Sublime Emily Dickinson Journal 9. 1 (2000)1-20. Print. * Schubert, Johan. Between eternity and transience On the significance of time in psycholoanalysis 26 May. 2001. Web. 28 November. 2012 14 seek Paper English 1100C-7 Professor De Marco November 19, 2012

The Cvs Web Strategy: an Evaluation of the Challenges and Advantages

THE CVS web schema integrating OF AN ONLINE PHARMACY THE CVS clear scheme AN EVALUATION OF THE CHALLENGES AND ADVANTAGES OF INTEGRATING AN ONLINE PHARMACY By Leah Bouk Wingate University 1 THE CVS WEB system ABSTRACT This write up discusses the considerations meet CVS chemists s hop-skips initiative to become a part of the virtual(prenominal) drugstore industry. Specific al maviny, the organizational structure, fundamental design of the autonomous mental institution, and strategic vistaing of CVS. com were considered in evaluating the drug stores ability to controvert to the disruptive technology.This report card serves to evaluate the effective initiatives, problems, and possible resolutenesss to the considerations outlined above. As a answer of this analysis, one pile deduce that acquiring the web beau monde Soma. com, alternatively of creating its profess online component, was a successful strategy for the autonomous innovation. Shortfalls include non death penalty a strategy to circumvent the MerckMedco air order dilemma. Ultimately, a recommendation is that CVS. com differentiate itself by own(prenominal)izing customer home pages and by nurture relationships with prescribing healthc be providers. THE CVS WEB outline TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract. 2 Introduction.. 4 Landscape5 Organizational Structure. . 6 Autonomous Innovation 8 Strategic Positioning. 9 epitome.. 10 References11 3 THE CVS WEB STRATEGY THE CVS WEB STRATEGY AN EVALUATION OF THE INTEGRATION OF AN ONLINE PHARMACY INTRODUCTIONStrict regulation passim the healthcare and pharmaceutic industries arguably slows the advancement in technological innovation, especially when compared to the computer and rail right smart car industries. Therefore, innovation in a multiproduct, amalgamated and hierarchical organization, like CVS Pharmacy, can be slow moving or non-existent. Nevertheless, the healthcare industry is a currency-making giant and companies like CVS, which was rate d number 47 on CNNs or so Profit equal to(p) Companies in 2011, help justify this point (cnn. oney. com). This authorship discusses the considerations surrounding CVS Pharmacys initiative to cope with the disruptive technology created by the virtual drugstore industry. Specifically, I provide discuss the organizational structure by virtue of the autonomous innovation and the strategic positioning of CVS. com. This paper serves to evaluate the effective initiatives, problems and possible solutions to the issues surrounding the onboarding of CVS. com. 4 THE CVS WEB STRATEGY LANDSCAPEIt is important to understand the complexity of the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry at the time the CVS drugstore chain was exploring the idea of acquiring an online option for its customers in 1999. The process of diagnosing, prescribing, dispensing and delivery was, and still is, extremely regulated. As an example, altogether licenced physicians have the capability to prescribe medications an d only licensed retailers are able to dispense them. In addition, Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) have already monopolized the caution of drug prescribing and dispensing by1999.PBMs put to make upher formularies, through negotiations with the pharmaceutical companies, the retail pharmacies and the employers Managed business organisation Organization (MCO), that mandated which drug could be prescribed for a certain disease. Furthermore, galore(postnominal) a(prenominal) PBMs require that all 30 daytime supply prescriptions for chronic diseases be dispensed through mail order and many of the PBMs acquire their own distribution centers to provide this service. Thus, the Managed Care Organizations, physicians, retail pharmacies and the patient all curse on PBMs to ensure the lowest cost and best care for all involved (Reinke, 2009).Like PBMs, retail pharmacies also enjoy the foodstuff power they generate. The paper CVS The entanglement Strategy describes the impact of the reta il pharmacy by relating that twain thirds of all prescriptions filled at retail were filled by drugstores in 1999, which made up a 100 billion dollar market In 1998, CVS was second to Walgreen bringing in 15. 2 billion dollars (CVS The Web Strategy, 2001, p. 11). 5 THE CVS WEB STRATEGY Pure-play online drugstores and non-prescription health care sites made their institution in the offshoot quarter of 1999 and CVS followed suit by purchasing Soma. om to leverage a clicks and mortar operation that would combine a physical social movement with a web presence. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Although it may seem uncharacteristic of a multi-product, integrated, hierarchical firm to look externally for innovation, the relationship was a win-win for two CVS pharmacy and the virtual firm Soma. com. This idea is revealed in the search CVS The Web Strategy, which states, CVS hoped to tender CVS. com the benefits of its buying power, advertising strength, defect name and get to to 280 mill ion prescriptions, while retaining the entrepreneurial spirit of the organization (CVS The Web Strategy, 2001, p. ). later thorough examination of both options, CVS decided to acquire the start-up company, since it would be libertine to implement (only 3 to 4 months), it would bring intangible summations, and it shared the finish and views of CVS. The intangible tacit knowledge that Soma. com would bring to CVS included experienced employees with mail order prescription backgrounds and an understanding of the west coast market, since CVS stores were concentrated in the northeast and Soma. coms headquarters were on the west coast.This national coverage provided for a larger scope that the online store would be able to include advantage of. Moreover, CVS was able to acquire 100% ownership of soma. com, which would allow for plumb integration within CVS. Merging with CVS made sense to soma. com as well. The virtual company was able to benefit from the economies of scale, as the cost of the web subdivision could be spread across increasing units of production or in serving CVSs growing customer base. Teece describes the benefit of an coalition mingled with virtual and competent manufactures by saying that if virtual 6 THE CVS WEB STRATEGY irms do indeed establish a strong alliance with a competent manufacturer, they may also have the capacity to be first to market, despite the absence of the requisite internal capabilities (Teece, 2009, p. 59). Both soma. com and the PBMs, with which CVS drubs to get reimbursed for medications, would benefit from becoming a part, or affiliated with, CVS due to the companys strong branding. John M. Gallaugher iterates this point in saying that a firms brand is the symbolic embodiment of all the randomness connected with a product or service, and a strong brand can also be an exceptionally powerful resource for private-enterprise(a) advantage. Adding a website component will also enhance an already openhanded brand. Te ch can play a critical role in rapidly and cost-effectively strengthening a brand (Gallaugher, 2008, p. 6). While there were many advantages for CVS in acquiring Soma. com, CVS experienced the disadvantages of not owning the complementary asset, Merck-Medco, who ref employd to reimburse CVS. com for 30 day supply prescriptions. The issue surrounded the fact that MerckMedco already provided a mail order delivery for 30 day supply prescriptions and was not going to relinquish this opportunity to CVS. com.As previously outlined, PBMs were an integral complementary asset to the prescription drug industry in 1999 and served a large absolute majority of CVSs customers. Teece reveals that when the services of complementary assets are required for unfermented technology to yield value to the consumer, they can play an important role in the rivalrous advantage equation (Teece, 2009, p25). Furthermore, Teece relates that competitive advantage can be gained or lost on how in force(p)ly the strategy for gaining access is put to death (Teece, 2009, p25). Further research reveals that in shortly after CVS. om was launched, Merck-Medco and CVS formed an alliance so that CVS customers could purchase their prescriptions on the Merck-Medco site (Conlin, 1999). 7 THE CVS WEB STRATEGY AUTONOMOUS INNOVATION Since CVS was a highly integrated company, incorporating the online pharmacy throughout the rest of the company, or systemic innovation, would be extremely costly and index discourage further innovation. This is what happened to General Motors when the automobile industry switched from drum brakes to disc brakes. Because GM had invested a great deal of time and money to produce drum brakes, it was slow to move towards producing disc brakes.GMs competitors, however, who outsourced and relied on outside relationships were forced to make the switch and gained a better position in the industry (Teece, 2003, p. 192). Thus, CVS was smart to opt for an autonomous organizational approach path by creating a separate website team managed by Soma. com. This team could react to the changing environment quickly and make recommendations against initiatives that would be time overpowering and costly, as they did when the Vice President of Marketing for CVS, Helena Foulkes, argued that all products sell in stores should be available for purchase on the website.Foulkes was focused on learning roughly the customer through their online activities. Large, integrated companies also run for to focus on customers for innovation, which is not always the best angle. The paper, CVS The Web Strategy, reveals that the CVS merchandising department spent a lot of time and energy on the internal and external benchmarks, relying on customer activities when making decisions about selling, promotion, price and merchandising. They would then send this codified information to the CVS. com online team (CVS The Web Strategy, 2011, p. ). Clayton Christenson, an expert in the field o f technological innovation, discusses the problem that arises when too much idiom is placed on the customer. Christenson relates that the highest-performing companieshave well developed systems for killing ideas that their customers get dressedt want. As a result, these companies find it very 8 THE CVS WEB STRATEGY difficult to invest adequate resources in disruptive technologieslower-margin opportunities that their customers founding fathert wantuntil their customers want them (Christensen, 1997). STRATEGIC POSITIONINGAs previously outlined, the initiative to integrate an online pharmacy was not a stark naked concept to the industry. Therefore, it was important that CVS. com resolve to the disruptive technology by differentiating itself from the other online drugstores. CVS. com would offer online patient counseling through a virtual pharmacist, which was available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Tom Pigott, founder of Soma. com relates about the deduction of providing this se rvice, we had pharmacists, which created an inherent barrier to entry. Anyone can start a vitamin shop, all you enquire are a ebsite and a supplier (CVS The Web Strategy, 2011, p. 6). Another stimulate of CVS. com that set it apart was the clicks and mortar delivery options. This term refers to an operation that combines a physical presence with a web presence. Helena Foulkes describes a personal testimony of the convenience of the clicks and mortar operation. For someone like me who works and has children and doesnt think about getting to a store till 11o clock at night, it would be extremely convenient to hop online and place an order and pick up that much-needed prescription on the way home (CVS The Web Strategy, 2011, p. ). Despite the attempts of CVS. com to differentiate from other online pharmacies, the companys myopic views were a source of several missed opportunities to leverage competitive advantage. First, CVS. com should have better integrated the Xtra Frequent Shoppe r Program, in which customers gained points that turned in rewards, so that consumers could benefit from prescriptions ordered online. Second, CVS. com could have created a more personalise home 9 THE CVS WEB STRATEGY age that, not only stored a customers order history, but provided information about side effects and related diseases when a customer entered a prescription. The underwrite personal homepage could potentially even keep track of doctors appointments for the customer, creating a reminder that would be emailed to the customer a day forward the visit. The more entropy CVS. com could capture about their customers, the stronger the switching cost would be. fault costs exist when consumers incur an expense, money or time, to move from one product or service to another (Gallaugher, 2008, p. ). Thomas Reinke reveals this concept in a peer reviewed journal explaining the reason why companies do not want to switch to other PBMs, employers are reluctant to switch vendors beca use of the work and cost involved and-more importantly-because of the hassle it creates for employees in learning the rules and procedures of a new company (Reinke, 2009, p. 5). Thus, the more capabilities the customer has on one website, the more data they will enter and the least likely they will be unbidden to switch to another pharmacy.Finally, competitive advantage could be gained by marketing to physicians who use electronic prescription relay. CVS. com could create an interface just for physicians, easier to use than other systems and with added capabilities, such as pop-up restrictions from a patients insurance policy company or current promotions at the point a prescription was entered. Again, if physicians found this service useful, they would not want to learn a new system, sustaining the competitive advantage of CVS. com. SUMMARYThe issues surrounding the quest of CVS to successfully respond to the disruptive technology in a way that would create a sustainable competit ive advantage in the drug store industry are examined. By evaluating the organizational structure of CVS. com, one can deduce 10 THE CVS WEB STRATEGY that fully acquiring the web company Soma. com, kinda of creating its own online component, was a successful strategy in autonomous innovation that would benefit the company in the long run. In contrast, not executing a strategy to circumvent the Merck-Medco mail order dilemma may have contributed to CVS. coms slow start in September of 1999.Because the PBM will likely not agree to be acquired by CVS, the best solution to this problem is to form an alliance with Merck-Medco, especially considering the market power of both CVS and Merck-Medco. Ultimately, in order to sustain a competitive advantage against companies who offer similar services, CVS. com must differentiate itself by capitalizing on the ability to alter customer home pages and by fostering relationships with prescribing healthcare providers. 11 THE CVS WEB STRATEGY REFER ENCES Christensen, C. M. (1997). The innovators dilemma when new technologies cause great firms to fail.Boston, Mass. Harvard commerce tutor Press. Conlin, R. (1999, October 6). CVS To Fill Online Orders For Merck-Medco. E-Commerce Times E-Business Means Business. Retrieved June 12, 2012, from http//www. ecommercetimes. com/story/1380. html Fortune five hundred 2011 Top Performers Most Profitable Companies Profits. (n. d. ). CNNMoney Business, financial and personal finance news. Retrieved June 12, 2012, from http//money. cnn. com/magazines/ mickle/fortune500/2011/performers/companies/profits/ Reinke, T. (2009, October). Large PBMs Transform Old Business Models. Managed Care, 1-4.Shah, A. (1999). CVS The Web Strategy. Harvard Business School print, 1(1), 1-17. Retrieved June 5, 2012, from the Harvard Business School Publishing database. Teece, D. J. , & Chesbrough, H. W. (2003). When is Virtual Virtuous? Organizing for Innovation. Essays in technology management and policy (pp . 189-197). River Edge World Scientific Publishing Co. Teece, D. J. (2009). Governance Modes and Technological Innovation. Managing intellectual capital organizational, strategic, and policy dimensions (p. 64). Oxford Oxford University Press. (Original work promulgated 2000) 12

The Red Wheelbarrow Analysis

The rose-cheeked grave mound by William Carlos Williams so much bets upon a carmine wheel barrow surface with rainfallwater water beside the white chickens. The Red Wheelbarrow summary Our loudspeaker reflects on how main(prenominal) a certain(prenominal) blushing(a)dened tumulus is. This wheelbarrow is wet from a recent rain, and at that place happen to be white chickens flowing out with the wheelbarrow. The End. The Red Wheelbarrow compendium Line 1 so much depends * Our speaker doesnt offer much depends or things depend or I depend, he says so much depends. That so makes us feel the gravity of the situation. Its as though our speaker really wants and needs to drive the point home. The verb depends is a warm hotshot too, and unitary that suggest a that whatever is being depended upon is a pretty big(a) deal. Line 2 upon * Upon what a pretty preposition. And an important one too. So important, in fact, that it gets its in truth own tie. * Visually (on the pag e) the for the commencement exercise time drag of the poem (which is way longer than this line) actually expects exchangeable its resting upon the upon of line devil. The first linedependsupon this second line. Hehe. Line 3 a tearing wheel * A brand juvenile couplet. Were dying to k straight off what so much depends upon drum roll, please. So much depends upon a red wheel. * A red wheel?We shakent waitn too m each red wheels in our days. * The map of the word red really gets our imaginations going, for some reason. We hear the word red all the time, still for some reason, this color really sticks out in this poem. Why do you think back that is? Line 4 barrow * Oh Its a red wheelbarrow, not a red wheel. Our speaker just now chose to snap off the word wheel and barrow up and didnt put a sprout between them. * By splitting up the two pieces of this word, our speaker makes us think active the fact that a wheelbarrow is composed of two distinct character references th e wheel and the barrow (the part you load farce into).In some ways, we feel deal this couplet looks like a wheelbarrow. * OK, now that weve figured out what so much depends upon, were dying to know what kinds of things depend upon a red wheelbarrow. Um, dirt could depend upon a wheelbarrow. Six-year-olds who like to be pushed almost in wheelbarrows could depend upon a wheelbarrow. A person who likes to do heavy gardening could depend upon a wheelbarrow. * What else could depend upon a wheelbarrow? It might help to do some research on wheelbarrows. App bently, theyve been around for almost 2,500 years and were invented in Ancient Greece. Why is it important that this situation wheelbarrow is red? The redness factor seems to play a broad part in just how still this wheelbarrow is. Line 5 glazed with rain * A new couplet * The word glazed makes us think of a shiny, glossy, glassy surface. Our wheelbarrow is sparkly from the rain. * Who left(p) this VIP wheelbarrow out in the rai n? Talk rough neglect. If we owned a red wheelbarrow upon which much depended, we would take punter care of it. * But the idea that it is glazed with rain makes us think that it looks pretty snappy. Line 6 water Again, we have a one-word line, qualification it seem like the first line of this couplet (line 5)dependsupon this section line. * Again, our speaker decides to split up the word rainwater into its equal parts rain and water. Why would he do this? Perhaps to remind us that rain is composed of water? Line 7 beside the white * A new couplet Here, were introduced to yet an some other snappy preposition beside. * Were given some more than information about where our red wheelbarrow is and about the things around it. Apparently, our red wheelbarrow is standing beside something white. Talk about one colorful poem. We see the color white all the time in our daily lives, scarcely theres something special about this white, just as there is something special about the wheelbarro ws red. These colors are sticking out in our minds. Line 8 chickens * The wheelbarrow is not alone Thank heavens. There are chickens to hang out with. * We think it is worrying that the speaker refers to these chickens as the white chickens and not as some white chickens or the chickens. He wants to describe them very carefully and very precisely. These are some special chickens. Again, the second line of this couplet looks (visually) as though it were holding up or funding the first line, emphasizing the idea that so much depends upon the wheelbarrow. * Are these chickens part of the so much that depends upon the red wheelbarrow? What kind of relationship do you think these chickens have with said wheelbarrow? In a position of the Metro byEzra Pound The wraith of these faces in the advertizePetals on a wet, benighted bough. In a displace of the Metro Summary A man sees a bunch of faces in the subway and thinks they look like flowers on a guide branch. In a Station of the Metro Summary Line 1 The apparition of these faces in the crowd * The poet is watching faces appear in a crowded thermionic vacuum tube (subway) station. * You wouldnt know it only from reading the poem, but were in Paris, which elbow room that everyone looks really nice. * The poet is trying to get us to see things from his perspective, and the word apparition suggests that the faces are becoming visible to him very suddenly and probably disappearing just as fast. They almost look like ghosts. If youve ever been in a crowded subway, then youre probably familiar with this phenomenon. By calling them these faces, he puts us right there in the metro station, as if he were pointing his finger and saying, Look * The station must be pretty full, because there is a crowd. Line 2 Petals on a wet, black bough. * Although he doesnt say so, the words looks like are implicit at the start of this line. The faces in the crowd look like flower petals on a wet, black bough. * A bough i s a big tree branch, and the word, in case youre wondering, is pronounced bow, as in take a bow. * When is a tree branch wet and black?Probably at night, after the rain. A Paris subway, on the other hand, is always wet and black. * Now, were going out on a limb here (pun ), but he may be seeing the faces reflected in a puddle over black asphalt. Or it could just be a more general sense of wetness. At any rate, the faces in the subway are being compared to flowers on a tree branch. * Another fact to keep in mind is that Japan is renowned for its beautiful flowering trees, and considering that this poem is written in Japanesehaiku sprint . . . well, heck, he might just be thinking of a Japanese tree. HelenBYH. D. All Greece hates the still eyes in the white face, the lustre as of olives where she stands, and the white hands. All Greece reviles the wan face when she smiles, hating it deeper still when it grows wan and white, call back past enchantments and past ills. Greece sees unmoved, Gods daughter, born of go to bed, the smasher of cool feet and slenderest knees, could love indeed the maid, only if she were laid, white ash amid funereal cypresses. Summary The narrator praisesHelenfor her beauty, which he compares to a ship bringing a weary, wayworn spider to his home.Her classic beauty has reminded him of old-fashioned times, and he watches her stand like a statue while holding a stone lamp. Analysis In To Helen, first published in 1831 and revised in later years, Poe displays an early interest in the theme of female beauty to which his later works practically return. He wrote this poem in honor of Jane Stith Stanard, the mother of his childhood acquaintance Rob, although he later wrote a different, longer poem of the same ready to Sarah Helen Whitman. Jane Stanard had recently died, and, through his writing, Poe sought to thank her for acting as a second mother to him.The Helen of the 1831 poem embodies a classic beauty and poise, and by using J ane Stanard as the inspiration, Poe celebrated the latter woman as one of his earliest loves. Although Poe never explained why he changed Jane Stanards name to Helen in the poem, one possible interpretation is that he intended to connect her to the famed Helen of Troy, who sparked the fifth column War of HomersIliadbecause of her beauty. The remainder of the poem shows a definite classical influence, with Poes elevated diction and his direct references to the glory that was Greece and the grandeur that was Rome. He also praises Helens beauty by describing her hyacinth hair and classic face, details that are associated with ancient standards of the female ideal. If Poe indeed intended for the name Helen to refer to Helen of Troy, then he has given his character high praise indeed. Along with the ambiguity of Helens name, the identicalness of the narrator is also in question, as he does not have a name or much of a physical presence. He refers to himself as the alliterative weary, wayworn wanderer who has returned home, drawn to Helens alluring and comforting hearth.Poe may have intended the narrator to be a direct reflection factor of himself, who as a boy felt more welcome in Jane Stanards house than in other environments. At the same time, he may have sought to depict the narrator as an archetypal man, who like all other men found a nurturing source in a womans home. Otherwise, the narrator might be akin to a taking Greek warrior who, like Homers Odysseus, has returned from some struggle overseas. The power of the female in To Helen is multifaceted.In one sense, Helen guards the home hearth in the traditional domestic role of caregiver while displaying a faithful attachment that recalls the idealized love ofAnnabel Leein Poes eponymous 1849 poem. Simultaneously, Helen is the protagonists guide and inspiration who brings him back from the lone(a) seas, and her depiction as statue-like with an agate lamp characterizes her as steadfast and dependable. Fin ally, there are mentions of Naiads, or ancient Greek water nymphs, and Psyche, the mythological woman who represents the soul and who marries Eros, the immortal of love.These twin allusions emphasize the concordance between Helens outer and inner beauty. As is typical with many of Poes poems, the rhythm and rime scheme of To Helen is irregular but musical in sound. The poem consists of three stanzas of five lines each, where the end rhyme of the first stanza is ABABB, that of the second is ABABA, and that of the third is ABBAB. Poe uses soothing, positive words and rhythms to create a fitting tone and atmosphere for the poem. His concluding image is that of light, with a brainy window niche and the agate lamp suggesting the glowing of the Holy Land, for which Helen is the beacon.

A Dirty Job Chapter 8

8A trolley NAMED CONFUSIONInto the breech of the Castro district Charlie Asher charged, an antique trade name-cane from the store on the new wave seat beside him, his jaw typeset alike(p) a bay singlet, his visage a study in fear nigh intensity. Half a block, half a block, half of a block onward into the V exclusively in alley of Overpriced juice Bars and Outlandish Hair Highlights rode the neareous Beta mankindhoodful. And woe be unto the foolish neer-do-well who had da carmine to bang with this molybdenum mass end dealer, for his raggedy animation would be fast for the bargain table. on that points red ink to be a showdown in Gay Town, Charlie thought, and I am gunning for justice. wellhead, non sincerely gunning since he had a sword concealed in a walking stick, non a gun more(prenominal) of a poking for justice which didnt originally lead the avenging angel connotation he was looking for he was mad, and ready to lay clear up ass, thats all. So, you receipt, just watch divulge. (Coinciden proudy, Poking for Justice was the title currently min in popularity at Castro Video Rentals, closely edging give a elan A Star Is Born The Directors Cut, and forbiddenranked only by Cops Without Pants, which was number unmatched with a bullwhip.)Charlie turned mangle Market Street and just some the ecological niche on Noe Street he sawing machine it clean Music, the sign do in blocky, Craftsman-style stained glass, and he mat up the hair at the gage of his roll in the hay bristle and an urgency in his bladder. His body had g integrity into fight-or-flight mode, and for the second beat in a week, he was issue against his Beta Male nature and choosing to fight. Well, so be it, he thought. So be it. He would confront his tor mentor and lay him low, as soon as he lay out a parking place which he didnt.He moved the block, smashing between cafs and bar, both of which were in abundance in the Castro. He lighten upter up and down the side streets, lined with rows of immaculately kept (exorbitantly priced) Victorians and found no quarter for his trusty steed. After a half moment of orbiting the neighborhood, he headed back uptown and found a spot in a parking garage in the Fillmore, then took the antique trolley back down Market Street to the Castro. A render sexe smaller green, Italian-made antique streetcar, with oak benches, brass railings, and mahog both window frames a enamour brass bell and a top speed of some twenty miles per hour this is how Charlie Asher charged into battle. He tried to imagine a host of Huns hanging off the sides, moving ridge wicked blades and firing arrows as they passed the murals in the Mission district, perhaps Viking raiders, shields fastened to the sides of the car, a great drum throb as they rowed in to pillage the antique s skips, the leather bars, the sushi bars, the leather sushi bars (dont ask), and the art galleries, in the Castro. And here, even Charli es formidable imagination failed him. He got off the car at Castro and Market and walked back a block to bright Music, then paused outside the shop, wondering what in the hell he was going to do now.What if the caller had just borrowed the teleph angiotensin-converting enzyme set? What if he stormed in hollo and threatening, and thither was just some confused kid behind the yield? only then he looked in the door, and at that place, standing behind the respond, all alone, was an extraordinarily lanky black man dressed completely in visual sense green, and at that point Charlie lost his mind.You killed her, Charlie screamed as he stormed by the racks of CDs toward the man in mint. He drew the sword as he ran, or tried to, hoping to bring it out in a item-by-item fluid movement from the cane sheath and crosswise the throat of Rachels killer. But the sword-cane had been in the back of Charlies shop for a long time, and except for terce times when Lilys friend Abby tried to leave with it (once laborious to buy it, when Charlie refused to shargon it to her, then twice trying to steal it), the sword hadnt been drawn in historic period. The little brass stud that you pushed to release the blade had stuck, so when Charlie delivered the deathblow, he swung the entire cane, which was heavier and slower than the sword would name been. The man in mint green quick for his size ducked, and Charlie took out an entire row of Judy grace CDs, lost his balance, bounced off the counter, spun some, and again tried for the single draw-and-cut move that he had cope withn so more times in samurai movies, and had practiced so many times in his head on the way here. This time the sword came free of the scabbard and slashed a deadly arch triad feet in front of the man in mint, completely decapitating a life-sized cutout of Barbra Streisand.That is un-unfucking called for thundered the tall man.As Charlie rec bothwhereed his balance for a backhand slash, he saw something large and fatal coming down over him and recognized it at the last instant, as the antique cash register slammed down on his head. There was a flash, a ding, and everything got dark and gooey.When Charlie came to, he was tied to a moderate in the back room of the record store, which looked remarkably like the back room of his own store, except all the stacked boxes were salutary of records and CDs instead of all variety of used jetsam. The tall black man was standing over him, and Charlie thought at first that he skill be turning to mist or smoke, exactly then he realized it was just that his vision was going wavy, and then pain lit up the inside of his head like a strobe light.Ouch.Hows your neck? asked the tall man. Does your neck feel broken? Can you feel your feet?Go ahead, kill me, you fucking coward, say Charlie, bucking around in the prexy, trying to lunge at his captor and feeling a little like the baleful Knight in Monty Pythons Holy Grail afterward hi s arms and legs had been hacked off. If this cat took one step closer, Charlie could head-butt him in the nads, he was veritable of it.The tall man stomped on Charlies toes, a size-eighteen glove-leather loafer driven by two 100 and seventy pounds of death and used-record dealer.Ouch Charlie hopped his chair in a little circle of pain. Goddammit OuchSo you do have feeling in your feet?Get it over with. Go ahead. Charlie stretched his neck as if offering his throat to be cut his strategy was to lure his captor into range, then sever the tall mans femoral artery with his teeth, then gloat as the blood coursed all over his mint-green slacks onto the floor. Charlie would laugh long and sinister as he watched the life drain out of the evil bastard, then he would hop his chair out to the street and onto the streetcar at Market, transfer to the number 41 bus at Van Ness, hop off at Columbus, and hop the two blocks home, where individual would untie him. He had a plan and a bus pass with four more days left on it so this son of a bitch had picked the wrong quat to fuck with.I have no intention of killing you, Charlie, state the tall man, keeping a safe distance. Im sorry I had to hit you with the register. You didnt really leave me any options.You could have tasted the fatal sting of my blade Charlie glanced around for his sword-cane, just in case the guy had left it within reach.Yeah, certain(a), there was that one, but I thought Id go with the one without the stains and the funeral.Charlie strained against his bonds, which he realized now were plastic shopping bags. Youre messing with goal, you enjoy? I am Death.Yeah, I know.You do?Sure. The tall man spun another wooden chair around and sat on it reversed, facing Charlie. His knees were up at the aim of his elbows and he looked like a great green tree frog, crouched to go down on an insect. Charlie noticed for the first time that he had golden eyes, barren and striking in contrast to his dark skin. So am I, express the evil mint-green frog guy.You? Youre Death?A Death, not THE Death. I dont study there is a THE Death. non anymore, anyway.Charlie couldnt grasp it, so he struggled and wobbled until the tall man had to reach out and steady him to keep him from toppling over.You killed Rachel.I did not.I saw you there.Yes, you did. Thats a problem. Will you please stop thrashing around? He shook Charlies chair. But I wasnt instrumental in Rachels death. Thats not what we do, not anymore, anyway. Didnt you even look at the book?What book? You state something round a book on the phone.The gigantic Big rule book of Death. I sent it to your shop. I told a woman at the counter that I was sending it, and I got delivery confirmation, so I know it got there.What woman Lily? Shes not a woman, shes a kid.No, this was a woman about your age, with New Wave hair.Jane? No. She didnt say anything, and I didnt discover any book.Oh, shit. That explains why theyve been showing up. You didnt e ven know.Who? What? They? move Green Death sighed heavily. I guess were going to be here a plot of ground. Im going to make some coffee. Do you want some?Sure, try to still me into a morose sense of security, then spring.Youre tied the fuck up, motherfucker, I dont need to lull you into shit. Youve been fucking with the fabric of human existence and mortal needed to closed(a) your ass down.Oh, sure, go black on me. Play the ethnic card.Mint Green climbed to his feet and headed toward the door to the shop. You want cream?And two sugars, please, Charlie said.This is really cool, why are you giving it back? said Abby Normal. Abby was Lilys best friend, and they were sitting on the floor in the back room of Ashers Secondhand, looking through The Great Big Book of Death. Abbys real name was Alison, but she would no semipermanent tolerate the ignominy of what she called her daylight-slave name. Everyone had been much more responsive to calling her by her chosen name than they had bee n to Lilys, Darquewillow Elventhing, which you always had to spell for people.Turns out its Asher, not me, Lily said. Hell be really pissed if he finds out I took it. And hes Death now, I guess, so I could get in trouble.Are you going to regularise him you had the book? Abby scratched the silver spider stud in her eyebrow it was a fresh piercing and still healing and she couldnt stop messing with it. Abby, like Lily, was dressed all in black, boots to hair, the difference being that she had a black-widows red hourglass on the front of her black T-shirt and she was thinner and more waiflike in her affected creepiness.No. Ill just say it got misfiled. That happens a lot here.How long did you speak up it was you?Like a month.What about the dreams and the call and stuff it talks about, you didnt have any of that, right?I thought I was just increment into my powers. I made a lot of lists of people I cherished gone.Yeah, I do that. And you just found out yesterday that it was Asher? Yeah, said Lily.That sucks, said Abby.Life sucks, said Lily.So, what now? asked Abby. Junior college?They both nodded, woefully, and looked into the depths of their single nail polishes to avoid sharing the humiliation of one of them having gone from dark demigod to local loser in an instant. They lived their lives hoping for something grand and dark and talismanic to happen, so when it had, they took it more in stride than was probably healthy. Fear, after all, is a survival mechanism.So all these things are somebody objects? asked Abby, as cheerfully as her integrity would allow. She waved to the piles of stuff Charlie had marked with Do Not Sell signs. Theres like a persons soul in there? fit in to the book, said Lily. Asher says he can see them glow.I like the red Converse All Stars.Take them, theyre yours, said Lily.really?Yeah, Lily said. She took the All Stars off the shelf and held them out. Hell never miss them.Cool. I have the perfect cope with of red fishnets I can wea r with them.They probably have the soul of some sweaty jock in them, Lily said.He may worship at my feet, said Abby, doing a pirouette and an arabesque (remnants, along with an eating disorder, of ten years of ballet lessons).So Im like a Santas Helper of Death? Charlie said, waving his coffee cup. The tall man had untied his one arm so he could drink his coffee, and Charlie was baptizing the stockroom floor with French roast with every gesture. Mr. unspoiled frowned.What in the hell are you talk of the town about, Asher? Fresh mat up bad about hitting Charlie Asher with a cash register and binder him up, and now he was wondering if the blow hadnt caused some branch of wag damage. Im talking about the Santa at Macys, Fresh. When youre a kid, and you notice that the Santa Claus at Macys has a fake beard, and that there are at least(prenominal) sixer redemption Army Santas working(a) Union Square, you ask your parents about it and they tell you that the real Santa is in the North Pole, and hes really busy, so all these other guys are Santas helpers, who are out helping him with his work. Thats what youre saying, that were Santas helpers to Death?Mr. Fresh had been standing by his desk, but now he sat down again across from Charlie so he could look him in the eye. Very softly he said, Charlie, you know that thats not true now, right? I mean about Santas helpers and all?Of course I know that theres no Santa Claus. Im using it as a metaphor, you tool.Mr. Fresh took this opportunity to reach out and smack Charlie top of the inning the head. then(prenominal) immediately regretted it.Hey Charlie put down his cup and rubbed one of his receding-hairline inlets, which was going red from the blow.Rude, said Mr. Fresh. Lets not be rude.So youre saying that there is a Santa? Charlie said, cringing in anticipation of another smack. Oh my God, how deep does this cabal go?No, theres no goddamn Santa. Im just saying that I dont know what we are. I dont know if ther e is a big Death with a capital D, although the book hints that there used to be. Im just saying that there are many of us, a dozen that I know of right here in the city all of us picking up soul vessels and seeing that they get into the right hands.And thats based on someone randomly coming into your shop and buying a record? Then Charlies eyes went wide as it hit him. Rachels Sarah McLachlan CD. You took it?Yes. Fresh looked at the floor, not because he was ashamed, but to avoid seeing the pain in Charlie Ashers eyes.Where is it? I want to see it, said Charlie.I sold it.To who? Find it. I want Rachel back.I dont know. To a woman. I didnt get her name, but Im sure it was meant for her. Youll be able to tell.I will? wherefore will I? he asked. Why me? I dont want to kill people.We dont kill people, Mr. Asher. Thats a misconception. We simply facilitate the ascendance of the soul.Well, one guy died because I said something to him, and another had a construet attack because of some thing I did. A death that results from your actions is basically killing someone, unless youre a politician, right? So why me? Im not that highly skilled at bullshit. So why me?Mr. Fresh considered what Charlie was saying, and felt like something sinister had crawled up his spine. In all his years, he didnt mark ever having his actions directly result in someones death, nor had he heard of it accident with the other Death Merchants. Of course you occasionally showed up at the time when the person was passing, but not often, and never as a cause.Well? Charlie said.Mr. Fresh shrugged. Because you saw me. Surely youve noticed that no one sees you when youre out to get a soul vessel.Ive never gone out to get a soul vessel.Yes, you have, and you will, at least you should be. You need to get with the program, Mr. Asher.Yeah, so you said. So youre uh were invisible when were out getting these soul vessels?Not invisible, so to speak, its just that no one sees us. You can go right into p eoples homes and theyll never notice you standing right beside them, but if you speak to someone on the street theyll see you, waitresses will take your order, cabs will stop for you well, not me, Im black, but, you know, they would. Its sort of a will thing, I think. Ive tested it. Animals can see us, by the way. Youll want to watch out for dogs when youre retrieving a vessel.So thats how you got to be a what do they call us?Death Merchants.Get out. Really?Its not in the book. I came up with it.Its very cool.Thanks. Mr. Fresh smiled, sticking out(p) for a moment not to be thinking about the sedateness of Charlies unique transition to Death Merchant. Actually, I think its a caliber from an album cover, guy behind a cash register, eyes intent red, but I didnt know that when I came up with it.Well, it makes perfect sense.Yeah, I thought so, said Mr. Fresh. More coffee?Please. Charlie held out his empty cup. So, someone saw you. Thats how you became a Death Merchant?No, thats how you became one. I think that you may, uh Fresh didnt want to mislead this poor guy, but on the other hand he didnt actually know what had happened. I think you may be different from the rest of us. No one saw me. I was working security for a casino in Vegas when that went sour for me I have a problem with authority, Im told so I came to San Francisco and opened this shop, arrayed dealing in used records and CDs, mostly jazz at first. After a while it just started happening the glowing soul vessels, people coming in with them, finding them at estate sales. I dont know why or how, it just did, and I didnt say anything about it to anyone. Then the book came in the mail.The book again. Dont you have a copy around?Theres only one copy. At least that I know of.And you just mailed it out?I sent it certified mail Fresh boomed. Someone at your store signed for it. I think I did my part.Okay, sorry, go on.Anyway, when I got to the Castro it was a very sad place. The only guys you saw on the street were very old or very young, all the ones in the put were either dead or sick with HIV, walking with canes, towing oxygen cylinders. Death was everywhere. Its like there needed to be a soul way station, and I was here, trading records. Then the book showed up in the mail. There were a lot of souls coming in. For those first few years I was picking up vessels every day, sometimes two or three times a day. Youd be surprised how many gay men have their souls in their music.Have you sold them all?No. They deal in, they go out. Theres always some inventory.But how can you be sure the right person gets the right soul?Not my problem, is it? Mr. Fresh shrugged. Hed dysphoric about it at first, but it seemed to all happen as it should, and hed gotten into the cycles/second of trusting whatever mechanism or power was behind all of this.Well, if thats your attitude, why do it at all? I dont want this job. I have a job, and a kid.You have to do it. Believe me, after I got the bo ok, I tried not doing it. We all did. At least the ones Ive talked to did. Im guessing youve already seen what happens if you dont. Youll start hearing the voices, then the shades start coming. The book calls them Underworlders.The giant ravens? Them?They were just indistinct shadows and voices until you showed up. Theres something going on. Starting with you, and move with you. You let them get a soul vessel, didnt you?Me? You said theres a thump of Death Merchants.The others know better. It was you. You fucked up. I thought I saw one flying over earlier in the week. Then today, I was out walking, and the voices were bad. Really bad. Thats when I called you. It was you, wasnt it?Charlie nodded. I didnt know. How could I know?So they got one?Two, Charlie said. A hand came out of the sewer. It was my first day.Well, thats it, said Fresh, cradling his head in his hands. We are most certainly fucked now.You dont know that, Charlie said, trying to look on the bright side. We could hav e been fucked before. I mean, we run secondhand stores for dead people, thats sort of a definition of fucked.Mr. Fresh looked up. The book says if we dont do our jobs everything could go dark, have like the Underworld. I dont know what the Underworld is like, Mr. Asher, but Ive caught some of the highway show from there a couple of times, and Im not interested in finding out. How bout you?Maybe its Oakland, Charlie said.Whats Oakland?The Underworld.Oakland is not the Underworld Mr. Fresh leapt to his feet he was not a violent man, you really didnt have to be when you were his size, but The undercut? Charlie suggested.Dont make me smack you. Neither of us wants that, do we, Mr. Asher?Charlie shook his head. Ive seen the ravens, Charlie said, but I havent heard any voices. What voices?They talk to you when youre on the street. Sometimes youll hear a voice coming out of a heating vent, a downspout, sometimes a storm drain. Its them, all right. Female voices, taunting. Ive gone year s without hearing them, Ill almost forget, then Ill be going to pick up a vessel, and one will call to me. I used to phone the other merchants, ask them if theyd done something, but we stopped that right away.Why?Because thats part of what we think brings them up. Were not supposed to have any contact. It took us a while to figure that out. I had only found six of the merchants in the city back then, and we were having lunch once a week, talking about what we knew, comparing notes thats when we saw the first of the shades. In fact, just to be safe, this will be the last time that you and I have contact. Mr. Fresh shrugged again and began to untie Charlies bonds, thinking It all changed that day at the hospital. This guy has changed everything, and Im sending him out like a lamb to the slaughter or maybe hes the one to do the slaughtering. This guy might be the one Wait, I dont know anything, Charlie pleaded. You cant just send me out to do this without more background. What about my daughter? How do I know who to sell the souls to? He was panicked and trying to ask all the questions before he was set free. What are the numbers after the names? Do you get the names like that? How long do I have to do this before I can retire. Why are you always dressed in mint green? As Mr. Fresh untied one ankle, Charlie was trying to tie the other back to the chair.My name, said Mr. Fresh.Pardon? Charlie stopped tie himself up.I dress in mint green because of my first name. Its Minty.Charlie completely forgot what he was worried about. Minty? Your name is Minty Fresh?Charlie appeared to be trying to decease a sneeze, but then snorted an explosive laugh. Then ducked.