Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Stinky Pinky Definition and Examples

Stinky Pinky Definition and Examples A rhyming epithet, such as glad dad for a happy father, or wild child for an uncontrollable youngster, is called a stinky pinky. Made up of an adjective and a rhyming noun, a stinky pinky is a type of rhyming compound that functions as a playful definition. As a word game, stinky pinky goes by various names, including hink pink, hank pank, wordy gurdy, and brain train. Examples and Observations 50 Stinky Pinkies an artificial body of water fake lakea bashful insect shy flya bed on fire hot cota better cafe finer dinera better knife nicer slicera boxer who has lost weight lighter fightera cautious bird wary canarycerebral overwork brain strainthe chief of police top copa chubby kitty fat catcolored lemonade pink drinka dark-colored sled dog dusky huskya deceased Marxist dead reddehydrated soup chowder powdera dismal chorus dire choira ditch in Paris French trencha fast elevator swift liftthe funniest joke best jestan explosion in a hen house gizzard blizzarda fanatical slave zealot helota fat fish - stout trouta fuzzy fruit - hairy berrya greased hen slick chicka group yell team screama grumpy mountaintop cynical pinnaclea happier small dog merrier terriera holiday in Panama isthmus Christmasthe home of a small rodent mouse housean impolite man rude dudean inactive flower lazy daisyan ink-stained little finger inky pinkya large toupee big wigpermission to take so mething away removal approvala rabbit that makes you laugh funny bunnya sensible pupil prudent studenta skinny little horse bony ponya smarter author brighter writera smelly finger stinky pinkya smiling father happy pappya Snickers bar dropped on the beach sandy candya strange looking goatee weird bearda superior pullover better sweatera supervisor in a bad mood cross bossa suspicious looking clergyman sinister ministera tardy spouse late matea temperate youngster mild childa tiny insect wee beea useful rule effective directivea wet puppy soggy doggya young cat in love smitten kitten Shawn Colvin on the Stinky-Pinky Game To play Stinky Pinky, you thought of an adjective and a noun that rhymed, hence the name Stinky Pinky, and described the thing without rhyming in order to challenge the other players to guess your Stinky Pinky. You started out simply; a farm animals sea vessel would naturally be a goat boat, and so forth, although single-syllable answers were called Stink-Pinks, two-syllables Stinky Pinkys, and of course three-syllable rhymes were Stinkity-Pinkitys. One of my fathers favorite words to rhyme was gherkin, as in pickle. Dad thought of a loitering picklea lurkin gherkina saucy picklea smirkin gherkina busy picklea workin gherkin.(Shawn Colvin, Diamond in the Rough: A Memoir. William Morrow, 2012) How to Play Stinky Pinky This game has acquired more elegant names since I first played it as a child, but this is the name I knew . . .. The game requires two or more players. One player thinks up a rhyming pair of words and provides a verbal cluea non-rhyming definition. The other player(s) must discover the rhyming word pair. The example that comes immediately to mind from my childhood games is this one: Player A: obese feline animalPlayer B: fat cat I actually remember, at the age of seven or eight, learning the meaning of the words obese and feline in this context.The game encourages careful listening to the clue and narrowing down the possibilities for an answer, constrained by the syntax of the clue and the need to find rhyming words.(Margie Golick, Playing With Words. Pembroke, 1987) Stinky Pinkies in the 1940s Atlanta subdebs [teenage girls] have a little patois somewhat like old Pig Latin which they call Stinky Pinky. It contains words like Super-Snooper (a G-man), Flyer-Higher (an aviator), Snooty-Beauty (a debutante), Hen-Pen (a girls school), Jug-Mug (a man in jail), and Silly Filly (a young girl). (Subdebs. Life magazine, January 27, 1941) A Double Stinky Pinky A stinky pinky is a rhyming pair of words; one gives a paraphrase and the challenge is to recover the stinky pinky. I believe Paul [Halmos] is responsible for the following excellent double stinky pinky. Give a stinky pinky for an inebriated scoundrel. Answers: a drunk skunk or a plastered bastard. (Irving Kaplansky, Reminiscences. Paul Halmos: Celebrating 50 Years of Mathematics, ed. by John H. Ewing and F.W. Gehring. Springer-Verlag, 1991)

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Historical and Modern Terrorist Groups by Type

Historical and Modern Terrorist Groups by Type While there is no universally agreed-upon or legally binding definition of a terrorist act, the U.S. gives it a good try in Title 22 Chapter 38 U.S. Code  § 2656f, by defining  terrorism as an act of premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents.  Or, in brief, the use of violence or threat of violence in the pursuit of political, religious, ideological, or social objectives. What we do know is that terrorism is nothing new. Even a cursory glance over the centuries reveals a startling list of groups for whom some form of violence is justified to  achieve  social, political, and religious change. Terrorism in Early History Most of us think of terrorism as a modern phenomenon. After all, many of the terrorist groups listed below rely or have relied on the mass media to spread their message through non-stop coverage. However, there are some pre-modern groups who used terror to achieve their ends, and who are often considered precursors to modern terrorists. For instance, the Sicarii, organized in the first century in Judea to protest Roman rule or the Thugee cult of assassins in ancient India who wreaked havoc and destruction in the name of Kali. Socialist/Communist Many groups committed to socialist revolution or the establishment of socialist or communist states arose in the last half of the 20th century, and many are now defunct. The most prominent included: Baader-Meinhof Group  (Germany; renamed Red Army Faction but defunct as of 1998)  Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)Red Brigades (Italy)Revolutionary Struggle (Greece)Shining Path (Peru)Weather Underground Organization (United States) National Liberation National liberation is historically among the most potent reasons that extremist groups turn to violence to achieve their aims. There are many of these groups, but they have included: ETA (Basque)Fatah (PLO) (Palestinian)Irgun (Zionist)IRA (Irish)(Kurdish)Tamil Tigers (Sri Lankan Tamils) Religious-Political There has been a rise in religiosity globally since the 1970s and, with it, a rise in what many analysts call religious terrorism. It would be more accurate to call groups such as Al Qaeda religious-political, or religious-nationalist. We call them religious because they use a religious idiom and shape their mandate in divine terms. Their goals, however, are political: recognition, power, territory, concessions from states, and the like. Historically, such groups have included: Al Qaeda (transnational, Islamist)Aum Shinrikyo (renamed Aleph; Japanese, with various influences, including Hindu and Buddhist)Ku Klux Klan (U.S.,  Christian)Abu Sayyaf  (Philippines,  Islamist)Egyptian Islamic JihadHamas (Palestinian,  Islamist) (Hamas is designated by the U.S. and other governments as a terrorist group, but it is also the elected government of the Palestinian Authority)Hezbollah (Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and other governments, but others argue it should be considered a movement, rather than a terrorist group) State Terrorism Most states and transnational organizations (like the United Nations) define terrorists as non-state actors. This is often a highly contentious issue, and there are long-standing debates in the international sphere over a few states in particular. For instance, Iran and other Islamic states have long accused Israel of supporting terrorist acts in the surrounding settlements, Gaza, and elsewhere. Israel, on the other hand, contends it is fighting for its right to exist free of terror.  There are some states or state actions in history over which theres no dispute, though, such as in Nazi Germany or Stalinist Russia.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Behavioral Aspects of Project Management Paper Essay

Behavioral Aspects of Project Management Paper - Essay Example Establishing mutual norms and assumptions of behavior in organization, culture therefore influences the selection, priorities and ultimate success of projects. Manifested in its key elements, such as ceremonies, rituals, stories and symbols, culture can encourage certain projects, running the project on time and within budget, close team cooperation and commitment to project goals. For example, the company can hold an annual ceremony to recognize and reward the most successful team of the year or the best team that completed the project strictly on schedule and within budget. Such ceremonies then become a part of the organization's culture, which in turn influences the future projects' selection and success. One of the major components of team commitment is organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). "OCBs are acts that promote the organization's interest, but are not formally a part of any person's documented job requirements. They include behaviors such as volunteering for assignments,staying late to finish a task, or voicing opinion on critical organizational issues" (Wagner and Hollenbeck, 2005, p. 144).

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Proliferation of Social Media Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Proliferation of Social Media - Research Paper Example This is understandable since most of the worlds population turn to content from social media, such as friend recommendations, consumer reports, and the like, before making what they consider to be important decisions in their lives. People now have an accurate point of comparison and discussion. Therefore, it now behooves the leaders to tell the truth in all their reports, statements, and recommendations. Leaders have also been given a definite advantage by the social media connection that they can no create with their supporters and followers. They manage to get their message across with only a few keyboard strokes, to an audience far and wide. Social media has become the perfect advertising and promotional tool for the leaders who wish to stay abreast of their competitors, or understand the needs of their employees, business partners, and the like. They are no longer kept in the dark about the reality of their business, political, or social situations and therefore the leaders are able to address the issues appropriately as they come to

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Visual Art education and Graphic Design Essay Example for Free

Visual Art education and Graphic Design Essay Computer technology has added a new aspect to all people desiring to broaden their horizons by furthering their education. Over time the traditional methods of learning have evolved with the advancements in technology. In todays society modern technology makes anything possible, even earning a degree online. This is especially popular for those considering a career path in graphics design. However does this mean that a traditional fine arts education is no longer needed for those who are in pursuit of a degree in graphic design? Typically online colleges advertise visual arts degrees under the idea that graphics design is nothing more than computer knowledge and creativity. As a result, students graduate lacking the necessary skills and knowledge to be successful in the graphics design world. All students looking to earn a degree in graphics design should pursue a traditional art degree. Even though anyone is able to achieve a graphics degree online, completing a traditional arts degree teaches you the skills that help you to achieve the highest level of success. Online education in many instances has too often replaced the core curriculum of art with technology. Many traditional art professors, even in graphics design put technological skills last on the their lecture list. Instead, concepts of how art and design function and how to express creativity in the art studio environment are emphasized as being the key concepts of a graphics designer education. Over time, knowledge is gained through a series of art drawings, paintings, photography classes, critical thinking exercises, peer evaluations and problem solving; resulting in students becoming more aware of the variety of ways to go about turning creative ideas into innovative designs. Unfortunately, students who are taught online are not able to grasp the importance of skill beyond technology. As a result the lack of knowledge to express creativity inevitably becomes a liability instead of an asset to a graphics design company. Design is a combination of skill and finding ways to create a visual message to your target audience. The main role of a designer is to communicate a message in the most effective way. Computer programs cannot create the knowledge of the reason behind the image, only the designer can. You cannot  have technical skills only and expect a program to do the creative work. The computer has revolutionized the design studio, but it will never run it. Traditional art education gives students the opportunity to learn these skills and to execute effective designs through hours of instruction in classes like illustration and typography. Online education simply does not offer students this opportunity and will never be able to substitute these skills with numerous amounts of technology. The last benefit of a traditional arts education is the communication skills you learn and the face-to-face interactions you experience by attending an actual university. Social skills are harder to learn when you do not attend school. There is no curriculum for showing students the importance of social interaction in the career of an artist or designer. Sure you may think that having a discussion board is important but it doesnt compare to face-to-face interactions. In a traditional learning environment you attend classes that create situations where students can and must collaborate with one another. Through these environments, the students witness that original design is rarely done alone. Its great groundwork for the reality of the working graphic designer. In the end, knowledge is the measure of success and the more enriched you are in your career field the better communicator you become. Therefore earning an education through a traditional college or university provides students with a variety of skills and knowledge would only be beneficial to those looking to be successful in the graphics design. This is why students looking to earn a degree in graphics design should receive a traditional arts educationWorks CitedSome of the web sites that I viewed while writing this paper are listed below. Most of my knowledge comes from my educational arts background and my previous job, which involved working at publishing company in the art department assisting the graphic designers. 1. American Art Institute Online http://www.aionline.edu/microsite/programs/?keyword=art%20institute%20onlinepublisherSite=DSYahooDS_KWID=p30168552. AllgraphicsDesign:http://www.allgraphicdesign.com/graphicsblog/2007/05/22/gra

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Rite of Spring Essays -- essays research papers

Almost definitely imitating the act of new life waking in the spring soil, Stravinsky starts the haunting introduction to his world-renown ballet, Rite of Spring, with a high-pitched lone bassoon. The unstable eeriness continues as a horn and pair of clarinets join in the rubato tempo. Just as everything wakes and bursts into life in spring, so does the piece as more and more instruments join in. Each instrument seems to have a different theme, but seems necessary in portraying the thick texture needed to symbolize the inevitable climactic arrival of Spring. After the orchestra has finished its first outburst and almost all instruments have initially come in, a strange harmonic effect is applied to the viola. As the orchestra draws to a climax the sound is cut-off, and the eerie feeling returns as the bassoon takes its initial theme. This time the orchestra does not burst in afterwards. Instead, a string bridge appears and the next movement greets us.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main emphasis of the orchestration in this movement seems to appear in the strings and the Horns. The initial chord is a polychord of Eb 7 and F minor. Heavy strings accompany horns that do not play when expected (polyrhytms). There are accented off beats everywhere (I counted accents on 9, 2, 6, 3, 4, 5 and 3). Thick homophonic strings appear, and are followed by a sudden surge in bassoons and cellos (in different keys- C major and E minor arpeggios all following ...

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Thorn Queen Chapter Ten

I set out to Dorian with a sense of foreboding, made worse by the fact that I wore a skirt with a slit all the way up to my hip. Both Shaya and Nia had wanted me to go see him in a dress, arguing it befitted my station and would endear me to Dorian. I'd argued that I wouldn't be able to ride in a dress, and this slit thing had been their solution. And like always, I had a handful of guards in tow. Their constant presence still continued to make me feel like a child. In this case, a kind of slutty child. In keeping with the Otherworld's bizarre geography, we passed through another village. My visit was brief, just long enough to see how they were doing. Their situation wasn't too different from Westoria's, though they had a woman who was pretty adept at finding water sources. Her technique, the way she wove magic, was more skilled than mine, though she didn't possess my strength. After observing her, I mimicked what she did and managed to find a spot ripe for well-digging. The dress kept me from getting out there and shoveling along with them, but it didn't matter. I left regarded as a savior yet again. Reaching Dorian's took less time than it had taken to get to Maiwenn's. Unlike that journey, much of our trip today passed primarily through my own land, with no respite in one of the more temperate kingdoms. The heat beat down on us, and I sweated profusely into the violet silk of my dress. I would have given anything for a breeze, anything to stir that stagnant air. My own Tucson was often windy; I didn't get why the Otherworldly version wasn't. My father had been able to control all things connected with storms: water, air, charged particles, temperature, et cetera. So far, I only had a hold of water, but every once in a while I could feel the air with the same senses that could touch and control water. Reaching out now, I had that same experience: I could sense the air. It hummed to me. It called. But when I called back, nothing happened. Over and over I tried, attempting the same technique I used with water, urging it to bend and stir and cool me off. Nothing. I finally gave up when Dorian's castle came into sight. It was stone like mine and somehow managed to be both imposing and graceful. Where once I had been greeted with hostility and suspicion, I was now welcomed with respect and a fair amount of groveling. And, yeah, some wariness too. My guards were led away, and Dorian's servants fell all over me, offering me any refreshment I wanted. I declined. I simply wanted to get these negotiations done with. A servant led me to an opulently decorated chamber and announced me, titles and all. Dorian sat there, casual in a long-sleeved, cream-colored shirt, leaning over a chess board. An old man with a beard that went all the way to the floor sat opposite him. Dorian's green-gold eyes lifted at my name, and he broke out into a dazzling smile. Honestly. The man was too good-looking sometimes, and he knew it. A moment later, Dorian turned a disapproving glance toward his chess partner. â€Å"By the gods, Kasper. Have you no manners at all? The Thorn Queen is here. Show some respect before I have you flogged.† I started to protest as the old man rose. The hunched-over posture he'd held in the chair appeared to be permanent, and it took him forever to actually get up. He managed something that passed for a bow-really, it was hard to tell the difference between that and his normal stance-and gave me a grave â€Å"Your majesty.† And as the old man's back was to the board, Dorian leaned over and moved some of the pieces around. I opened my mouth, more in shock than to make any sort of protest. Dorian raised one finger to his lips in a shushing motion. I swallowed my comments and smiled at Kasper. â€Å"Thank you. Please sit down again.† â€Å"And you, my dear,† said Dorian. â€Å"Come join us.† The servant who'd led me in hastily pulled a velvet-cushioned chair over to the chess table. I thanked him and sat down, crossing my legs out of habit. When I saw half the skirt spill over and reveal nearly the whole length of my leg, I hastily uncrossed them. Dorian saw the leg, of course. He always saw everything. Kasper's eyes, underneath his bushy gray brows, were fixed on the board. He made a play, capturing one of Dorian's pieces. Dorian frowned briefly, then put his smile back on as he turned to me. â€Å"You are radiant as always,† he said. â€Å"That dress is particularly lovely. Kasper, look at her. Do you see the way that shade matches her eyes?† Kasper looked like he wanted to study the board, but he turned to me obediently and gave a quick bob of the head. â€Å"Yes, your majesty. Most becoming.† Dorian quickly swapped a few more pieces and then put on a look of deep pondering when Kasper turned back around. With a sigh, Dorian moved his bishop. â€Å"Not my greatest play, but it'll have to do.† He seized one of Kasper's pieces. The move clearly took Kasper by surprise, not all that astonishing considering the pieces weren't where they'd been the last time he looked. He studied the board for almost a minute and then moved a knight, though it didn't yield a capture. â€Å"Eugenie, you look as though you've been stranded in a desert,† mused Dorian. â€Å"But then, I suppose that's the case, isn't it? Such a shame, all those towns suffering and starving, towns like Songwood.† The old man looked up sharply, eyes wide as he stared at me. â€Å"Songwood?† â€Å"Songwood?† I asked in equal confusion. Dorian covertly moved more pieces. â€Å"I was born in Songwood,† said Kasper. â€Å"People are starving there?† â€Å"Oh, wait,† said Dorian. â€Å"Songwood's in the Willow Land, isn't it? Sorry for the scare. I was thinking it had been part of Aeson's kingdom. I'm sure Songwood's perfectly fine.† He studied the board for a moment and then deftly moved his queen. â€Å"Checkmate.† Kasper gaped. â€Å"That's not†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His eyes roved over the board, no doubt looking for any possible way to counter Dorian's move. â€Å"You can't fight against the queen,† said Dorian glibly. â€Å"Once she's decided to take the king, you might as well give in and enjoy it.† I rolled my eyes. Kasper sighed. â€Å"Excellent game, your majesty.† Dorian gave him a comforting pat as the old man stood up. â€Å"Don't take it so hard. You played pretty decently yourself. Sloppy here and there, but who knows? There's always next time.† Kasper gave another wizened bow and then left us alone. I gave Dorian a censuring look. â€Å"You're a bad man. You should be ashamed of yourself.† â€Å"Hardly,† he said. â€Å"That man's the grand chess champion of seven kingdoms. A little humbling will do him good. And speaking of humbling, shall we get on to our business?† He stood up and extended a hand to me. I didn't take it and simply followed as he walked over to the far side of the room. He sank down onto an ivory satin couch while I chose a velvet loveseat the same color as my dress. I felt adrift in a sea of purple. Dorian produced a stack of parchment from a nearby table. â€Å"There you are. Just sign, and we can get this out of the way.† I flipped through the papers, astonished. I didn't understand most of it. It detailed amounts and shipments of assorted goods, listed interest rates, and laid out some sort of schedule. I gave Dorian an incredulous look. â€Å"What happened to negotiating?† He poured two glasses of white wine from a carafe that sat on the table to his other side. â€Å"Oh, come now. You don't want to actually do that. I don't want to do that. So why waste our time? I assure you, the terms are very, very generous. Probably more generous than you deserve, considering the way you toy with my affections. Your people will be getting a lot of goods on faith for copper that has yet to materialize.† â€Å"Then why did you make me come here?† â€Å"Do you have to ask?† â€Å"No,† I grumbled, signing my name with a quill. A quill. Honestly. â€Å"You're a bad man.† â€Å"I try. Wine?† He gestured to the glass he'd poured for me. I shook my head. â€Å"Wouldn't want you to run out. So, I guess me sitting here is part of the price I pay for my kingdom's food. What do you want to do now?† His eyes held mine over the top of his wineglass. â€Å"I could make up a list of things to do longer than that contract.† Yeah. I'd set myself up for that one. â€Å"Okay, then. What would you like to talk about?† â€Å"You,† he said. â€Å"And why you never come see me.† â€Å"You know why. Because you used me and stuck me with that kingdom.† â€Å"You sure do hold a grudge. Is that a human trait?† â€Å"It's a Eugenie trait.† He smiled. â€Å"Of course. You know, Rurik tried to rape you, yet now you welcome him with open arms.† â€Å"That's not exactly how I'd put it.† â€Å"You know what I mean. How can you forgive him and not me?† I looked down at my lap and played with the dress's fabric. I didn't have a good answer for that. Rurik had really been a total asshole when we'd met, yet now I took him as a normal fixture around my household. Why did I hold such animosity for Dorian? Because things hadn't started as hostile between us, I realized. Sure, I hadn't trusted him initially, but he'd never done me any true harm. I had grown to like him-care about him, even-which made what he'd done hurt that much more. Dorian was the one who'd guided me through claiming the Thorn Land after we'd killed Aeson in a pretty horrific battle. I'd simply followed Dorian's direction, having no clue what I was doing until it was too late. Once I realized what I'd been stuck with, I'd felt like every interaction with Dorian had been one big setup. It had seemed like his endgame the whole time had been to oust Aeson and give me that land so that Dorian could eventually control it. That was why I resented him. Are you sure that's it? a sneaky voice inside me wanted to know. No, there might be more. Even I could admit that to myself. The truth was I'd developed physical and emotional attachments to Dorian, and I didn't want them. I didn't want to be bound to someone like him, someone who was full-blooded gentry-and had the annoying tendency to make me lose control. Slamming up walls of animosity between us was a way to protect myself. â€Å"What are you thinking?† Dorian asked, sparing me from his other question. â€Å"I was wondering if I just blindly signed my name to sexual favors in that contract.† â€Å"Damn,† he said. â€Å"I wish I'd considered that.† From the tone of his voice, I think he meant it. â€Å"Oh, well. Perhaps next time since I'm sure this will be the first of many dealings between our kingdoms.† â€Å"I hope not.† For a moment, he almost looked hurt. â€Å"Is it that painful coming here?† I felt bad. â€Å"No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I mean†¦I hope I don't need any more help. I hope things will just work themselves out in the Thorn Land.† His easy smile returned as he finished off his wine. He reached for my untouched glass. â€Å"Well, according to rumor, things are on the mend, thanks to the omnibenevolent Thorn Queen. Why, I heard the other day that you were out digging ditches and feeding orphans. It's a wonder you have the time for that, what with your hypocritical job of battling your own subjects in the human world.† â€Å"My subjects don't cross into the human world,† I said loftily. Of course, the irony was that might not be true, not if the evidence surrounding those girls was any indication. â€Å"And I never did any of that other stuff. I just found water.† He tsked, eyes sparkling with delight. â€Å"Yes, which is a hundred times more than most monarchs do. You're out with your people, maybe not working beside them exactly, but it's close enough. They think you're some kind of messiah. I guess that sets a good precedent for your son, hmm?† I made a face. â€Å"Don't even go down that road. And anyway, I'm not trying to be a messiah. I'm just trying to help.† â€Å"Good gods,† he said, downing the glass in one gulp. â€Å"The frightening thing is that you're actually serious. Were you helping them before you arrived here today?† â€Å"Er, well, a little. We stopped in a village and helped find some water.† â€Å"I can tell. When you use your magic, it wreaths you like some sort of afterglow. It's very†¦becoming.† Something about the way he spoke and looked at me made me want to cross my arms and legs protectively-until I remembered crossing my legs wouldn't do me any favors. Fucking dress. â€Å"I daresay your control of water is becoming very useful,† he added. â€Å"Too bad you didn't continue your lessons with it.† â€Å"I don't need your help anymore. I've practiced on my own-I've gotten a lot stronger.† â€Å"Hmm. I see. And what about the rest of your inherited powers? Have you been practicing with, say, air?† For half a second, I thought he'd been spying on me. No, that wasn't his style. He'd guessed I would attempt air magic because†¦well, he knew me. And because he was Dorian and canny about such things. â€Å"As a matter of fact, I have,† I said loftily. There. Take that. His lips twitched. â€Å"I see. And have you been successful?† I wasn't fast enough with my answer. He laughed and moved to sit beside me. I tried to scoot over, but there wasn't much room. â€Å"Eugenie, Eugenie. When are you going to stop fighting this-stop fighting me? You're only going to create more trouble down the road if you don't learn to fully harness your abilities.† â€Å"Right,† I said, trying not to notice the apple and cinnamon scent that always surrounded him. Why couldn't I shake this attraction when I found him so annoying half the time? â€Å"It's for my benefit, right? Not because of your desire to rule the Otherworld and see the prophecy fulfilled?† â€Å"Of course it's for those reasons,† he scoffed. One thing you had to love about Dorian was his unflinching honesty. â€Å"But that doesn't mean you can't benefit too. You don't think it'd be useful to control air? You don't think that would aid you in helping those poor suffering souls under your control?† â€Å"Damn it. Don't involve them.† â€Å"They're already involved. Learn to control storms, and there'll never be a drought again.† His voice was low, filled with promise and temptation. I thought about the things I'd seen, the fields gone barren and hungry faces. I shook my head. â€Å"I'm not going to let you teach me again.† â€Å"What if I got you another teacher?† â€Å"What?† I shifted so that we could look at each other eye to eye. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"Exactly what I sound like. As hard as it is to believe, I'm not the only one who knows how to use magic around here. True, I'm the most stunningly attractive and dazzlingly intelligent, but if you're dead set against my help, there are others whom you could benefit from.† I turned away and stared off across the room. The water finder I'd worked with today had certainly been useful. She was actually the first gentry I'd met who had any sort of magic compatible enough to mine to teach me anything. Dorian's magic was actually completely different from my own, but he was skilled enough to still transfer the basic principles. But what if I had someone else to tutor me? Someone more in sync with my powers-who wasn't always trying to get me into bed? No. Self-chastisement instantly arose. Magic was dangerous. It made you crave more of it, and the more I used, the more I embraced my gentry side and lost some of my humanity. Kiyo had advised against it over and over, and I didn't even want to think about what Roland would say. And yet†¦ â€Å"You've actually got someone in mind?† I asked, turning back to Dorian. He nodded. â€Å"She's not an exact fit for your powers-honestly, no one is-but she's close and is an excellent instructor.† She. That was promising. No one who'd want to father a child on me. He seized on my hesitation. â€Å"Eugenie, why resist this? It's obvious you want to learn more, no matter how haughty you pretend to be about dirtying your hands in the affairs of the shining ones. Stop your pandering and accept this as a gift.† â€Å"What do I have to do in return for this gift?† I asked warily. â€Å"Nothing except learn. If you take my tutor back with you to the Thorn Land, I just want you to promise me you'll give her a fair chance.† â€Å"That's it?† â€Å"Yes. You already know all my other motivations for doing this, so there's no trick there. The rest is on you.† True. He had been up-front about his larger designs on me and his megalomania. â€Å"Okay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Kiyo was going to freak out. â€Å"I'll give her a chance.† â€Å"You promise?† â€Å"I promise.† Somehow, every time I agreed to something with Dorian, I always felt like I was signing my soul away. â€Å"Excellent,† he said. â€Å"We'll make an all-powerful queen out of you yet.† He reached his hand over and smoothed out where some of my dress's fabric had wrinkled up near the slit. His motion actually covered up more of my leg with the skirt, though it did involve his fingers brushing against my skin. For a brief, dangerous instant, I kind of wished he'd move his fingers underneath the dress. Instead, he simply left his hand on my thigh. â€Å"Dorian,† I said warningly. â€Å"Hmm?† I looked pointedly down. He followed my gaze. â€Å"Oh, look at that. It seemed so natural, I hardly noticed,† he said cheerfully, removing the guilty hand. I almost felt†¦disappointed. â€Å"Let me fetch your new teacher since I'm guessing you won't be lured into staying for dinner.† â€Å"You guessed right. You really are dazzlingly intelligent,† I said wryly. He stood up and flashed me a grin. â€Å"And stunningly attractive?† â€Å"Just go get her.† He left the room, and I watched the way his long, lean build moved and how the sunlight streaming through a window turned his hair every shade of red, orange, and gold. Dorian was trouble. Yes, I suspected I really had made a deal with the devil. Particularly when I saw who his instructor was. â€Å"Her?† I exclaimed. I shot up from my chair. Dorian had just entered the room, and standing beside him was Ysabel-the Eugenie-clone strumpet from the party. Her blue eyes widened when she saw me. Apparently I wasn't the only one who had been caught by surprise. â€Å"What is this?† she demanded. â€Å"You said you wanted me to instruct someone.† â€Å"I do,† he said calmly. â€Å"You're going to pack your things and return with the Thorn Queen. You will teach her to use her magic to the best of her ability.† â€Å"No,† she said icily. â€Å"I will not.† His pleasant demeanor dropped. â€Å"Yes, you will. This isn't a request. You're my subject, ergo you follow my commands. And I am commanding you to go with her. Unless you're openly defying me?† I couldn't help a shiver. I'd occasionally seen this hard side of Dorian, and it always unnerved me. It was such an abrupt change from his usual laconic self, the self who bantered and tried to feel me up†¦and I found the change kind of terrifying. â€Å"Dorian,† I said uneasily. â€Å"Don't make her do anything she doesn't want to do.† She glared at me. â€Å"I don't need your assistance here.† â€Å"What she wants is irrelevant,† said Dorian. I was a bit surprised at how casually he was able to order her about and objectify her. I'd assumed whomever he was sleeping with at any given time would be someone he had feelings for. Who knew? Maybe he cared about her a lot but was still able to treat her as a subject. Or maybe he just cared about me more. â€Å"Yeah, well, I don't want her,† I retorted. â€Å"Also irrelevant,† he replied, eyes still fixed on Ysabel. â€Å"You made a promise to give your teacher a fair chance-unless you're going to be human and go back on your word?† â€Å"This isn't quite what I expected!† â€Å"It doesn't matter. You're either going to keep your promise or you won't. And you,† he said to Ysabel, â€Å"are either going to obey or not.† Ysabel's eyes were ablaze with rage, and her breathing was heavy. I had the feeling she wanted to burst forth with a million expletives, but she bit her lip as though physically forcing them back. At last, she swallowed and took a deep breath. When she spoke, her words were to Dorian, but her gaze was on me. I hadn't seen malevolence like that in quite some time-no, wait. That wasn't entirely true. Her look was a lot like the one Volusian often gave me. â€Å"Of course, I will obey, your majesty. With great pleasure.†

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Business Torts and Product Liability

The scope of product liability usually exposes the manufacturers, sellers, product designers or licensres to the sphre of the legal actions. Here the word ‘product’ is not only indicate the finished or final products but it covers the supplimentary items which is intimately associated to consumer expectations . Moreover, the term produt saftey can be a part of a product, which is related, with any kind of chain of distribution. The manufacturers and other entities involved with market are liable for the products, which are defective in nature . The distributors, dealers, retailers, representatives and employers can also brought in to the action if their products are turned to be defective. The American common law adopted the concept of strict liability under consumer perspectives in early 1960’s. They began to adopt the view that the sellers should bear the cost of injuries or defects in their products as they are in the best position to distinguish the risks associated with their products. The American law institutes call for the various state law departments to recapitulate the developments in strict liability in Section 402A of the Restatement (Second) of Torts in 1977. However, it happens that the defenadnts may undergo harsh facets of the torts and action for their unintentional act or ommission. The courts of modern times also provide the sellers the indisputable liability for their defective products without the negligence or fault on the part of the seller. (1) For such victims the rules and judgements may appear too harsh but the genuine culprits desreves so. ———————————————————————————————————– 1. Restatement (Third) of Torts products liability, 1999 Business Torts and Product Liability 2 Introduction â€Å"He can excuse himself by showing that the escape was owing to plaintiff’s default; but as nothing of this sort exists here, it si unnecessary to inquire to what excuse would be sufficient. † – Blackburn J Generally there are cases that where a defaulter can be held responsible for an injury even where no negligence or evil intent can be shown. The doctrine of strict liability imposes legal responsibility for injuries sustained by or because of an actor's conduct, whether or not the actor used reasonable care and regardless of the actor's state of mind. Strict liability cases are limited to certain narrowly-defined areas of the law, including products liability, ultrahazardous activities, care of animals and certain statutory offenses. However, the question arises whether such liability and the treatment against the alleged wrong doer is too hurtful or not. To analyse this, firstly, we shall discuss the scope of the torts and product liability in buisiness. Buisiness torts and product liability The general principle is that, seller of any defective product which is unreasonably dangerous to the user or consumer, is subject to liability for physical harm thereby caused to the ultimate user or consumer or to his property, if the product is expected to and does reach the user or consumer, without substantial change in the condition in which it is sold. (Restatement (Second) of Torts, 1977)(1). It does not matter that the seller has exercised all possible care in the preparation and sale of his product; and the user or ——————————————————————————————————– 1. Sec. 402A of Restatement (Second) of Torts, 1977 Business Torts and Product Liability 3 consumer has not bought the product from or entered into any contractual relation with the seller. In Rylands Vs Fletcher,(2) the court found that even if the defendant was not negligent or rather, even if the defendant did not intentionally cause the harm or he was careful, he could still be made liable. The defendant may excuse himself by showing that the occurrence was owing to the plaintiff’s default or that was the consequence of vis major or the act of good. The liability arises not because there was ant fault or negligence on the part of persons, but because he kept such defective products and the same was caused some sort of personal damage to another. The liability of the defective products was well explained in the famous case Donogue Vs Stevenson (3) as, a person who is for gain engages in the business of manufacturing articles of food and drink intended for consumption by members of the public in the form he issues them, is under a duty to take care in the manufacture of these articles. That duty must be to whom he intends to consume his products. The law has enumerated a number of rules to provide maximam penalty to the wrongdoer’s for his misconduct regarding the products. .whether this way of gauging the act and ommissions of the wrongdoers for their product liability is justifiable or not? Are they undergoing ruthless treatment than they deserve? Whether the treatment under product liability is harsh or not Recently in the case, Wyeth vs. Levine (4) the Vermont Supreme Court ——————————————————————————————————– 2. Rylands Vs Fletcher (1868) L. R 3 H. L 330 3. Donogue Vs Stevenson [1932] AC 562 (HL) (Sc) 4. Wyeth vs. Levine, Pharmaseutical industry Today, News, 22 Nov 2008 Business Torts and Product Liability 4 confirmed a nearly $6. 8 million product liability claim against Wyeth because the company's FDA-approved warning label on anti-nausea drug Phenergan only cautioned physicians about a quick-injection method. The injection caused the palintiff’s vein nicked and caused gangrene in an arm that eventually led to amputation. Here, it can be accepted that defendant faced the consequences because of his negative conduct to the consumers. Still there is a question arises about the magnitude of the penalty usually provides in such cases. The fact is that such liability causes negative impact on the day-to-day conduct of buisiness also. The product liability always compel the the manufacturers to internalize the cost of the product. When the manufacturer assigned all the liabilities for the injuries caused, he is forced to take account all the harms caused and this may lead the manufacturer unable to profit from producing the product Due to strict imposition of law in various manners, the manufacturer may not produce the socially optimal level of goods. Under such conditions the manufacturer cannot pass on the economic costs to the consumers as insurance as the most of the consumers are highly price sensitive. This may harm the production of the products and complete removal from the market. Apart from this, there is a chance of instituting high-level substantial higher transaction costs due to the high-level apllication and the sucsequent penalty of the product liability. Moreover, this causes lowering the consumer surplus from these transactions. (Miller,Goldberg ,2004)(5) ———————————————————————————————————— 5. Miller, C. J, Goldberg, R. S (September 30, 2004) Product liability, 2 edition Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; ISBN-13: 978-019825678 Business Torts and Product Liability 5 Some times the damage may cause due to the default of the palintiff . The palitiff may misuse the product. Moreover, there is a chance that the product has been altered and modified by the palintiff without the knowledge of the manufacturer. The defects may cause due to the conduct of the third party who is neither defendant’s servant nor does the defendant have any control over him. Or else there is a chance of the product is being manufactured or designed according to the industry custom and standards and government standards related to the manufacture and design. In such cases there is no point in treating the defendant with a extreme penalty. (6)(Salmond, 1996) The cases like Fardon Vs harcourt Rivingston (7) and Glosgow Corp. Vs Muir (8) clearly laid down the priniciple regading the minimising the liability of the wrong doer under such circumstances.. If the possibility of the incident emerging is only a mere possibility which could never occur to the mind of eth reasonable man ,there is no negligence in not having taken extraordinary precautions. People must guard against reasonable probablities but they are not bound to guard against fantastic possibilities. Conclusion Since the product liability is the legal responsibility of manufacturers and sellers to buyers, users and bystanders for damages or injuries suffered, the strict liability of these sections are firmly observed. However, a manufacturer of a product cannot be considered the absolute guarantor of its product’s safety. It can be said that there is a utilitarian ———————————————————————————————————- 6. Salmond, Heuston (1996) , Law of Torts, , p443 publisher: Sweet & Maxwell; 21Rev Ed edition (24 Oct 1996) ISBN-13: 978-0421533509 7. Fardon Vs harcourt Rivingston (1932) 146 L. T 391 8. Glosgow Corp. Vs Muir ((1943) A. C 488 principle revolved under the imposition of such liability. Because the people determined to cling to the responsible persons for their actions even though there is no negligence on their part. Because there are some derivation of benefits likes improved products, safety and accountability, which is generally, prevail over the burden on the defendant in strict liability proceedings. So in such cases in order to fulfill the public policy of minimizing the injury, it is more reasonable to introduce the burden of finding and correcting such dangers upon the manufacturer rather than taking away the defective products from the consumer. ********************************** References 1. Faegre & Benson, 2003 UK Trade and Investment, US product liability law, Nov. 2003 2. Kubasek, Nancy K. ; Browne, Neil M. ; Giampetro-Meyer, Barkacs, Linda, Andrea; Herron, Dan; Dynamic Business law (January 4, 2008) McGraw-Hill ISBN 0073524913 / 9780073524917 3. Miller, C. J, Goldberg, R. S (September 30, 2004) Product liability, 2 edition Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; ISBN-13: 978-0198256786 4. Restatement (second) of Torts products liability, 1977 5. Restatement (Third) of Torts products liability, 1999 6. Salmond, Heuston (1996) , Law of Torts, , p443 publisher: Sweet & Maxwell; 21Rev Ed edition (24 Oct 1996) ISBN-13: 978-0421533509

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The First African-American Church in the U.S.

The First African-American Church in the U.S. The African Methodist Episcopal Church, also called AME Church, was established by the Reverend Richard Allen in 1816. Allen founded the denomination in Philadelphia to unite African-American Methodist churches in the North. These congregations wanted to be free from white Methodists who historically had not allowed African-Americans to worship in desegregated pews.   As founder of the AME Church, Allen was consecrated  as its first bishop. The AME Church is a unique denomination in the Wesleyan traditionit is the only religion in the western hemisphere to develop from the sociological needs of its members. It is also the first African-American denomination in the United States. God our Father, Christ our Redeemer, Man our Brother - David Alexander Payne Organizational Mission Since its establishment in 1816, the AME Church has worked to minister to the needsspiritual, physical, emotional, intellectual and environmentalof people. Using liberation theology, the AME seeks to help those in need by preaching the gospel of Christ, providing food for the hungry, providing homes, encouraging those who have fallen on hard times as well as economic advancement, and providing employment opportunities to those in need. The History of the AME Church In 1787, the AME Church was established out of the Free African Society, an organization developed by Allen and Absalom Jones, who led African-American parishioners of St. Georges Methodist Episcopal Church to leave the congregation because of the racism and discrimination they faced. Together, this group of African-Americans would transform a mutual aid society into a congregation for people of African descent. In 1792, Jones founded the African Church in Philadelphia, an African-American church free from white control. Desiring to become an Episcopal parish, the church opened in 1794 as the African Episcopal Church and became the first black church in Philadelphia. However, Allen wanted to remain Methodist and led a small group to form the Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1793. For the next several years, Allen fought for his congregation to worship free from white Methodist congregations. After winning these cases, other African-American Methodist churches  that were also encountering racism wanted independence. These congregations to Allen for leadership. As a result, these communities came together in 1816 to form a new Wesleyan denomination known as the AME Church. Before the abolition of slavery, most AME congregations could be found in Philadelphia, New York City, Boston, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Washington D.C. By the 1850s, the AME Church had reached San Francisco, Stockton, and Sacramento. Once slavery ended, the AME Churchs membership in the South increased tremendously, reaching 400,000 members by 1880 in states such as South Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Texas. And by 1896, the AME Church could boast membership on two continentsNorth America and Africaas there were churches established in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and South Africa. AME Church Philosophy The AME Church follows the doctrines of the Methodist Church. However, the denomination follows the Episcopal form of church government, having bishops as religious leaders. Also, since the denomination was founded and organized by African-Americans, its theology is based on the needs of people of African descent. Early Notable Bishops Since its inception, the AME Church has cultivated African-American men and women who could synthesize their religious teachings with a fight for social injustice. For example,  Benjamin Arnett addressed the 1893 Worlds Parliament of Religions, arguing that people of African descent have helped develop Christianity.  Additionally,  Benjamin Tucker Tanner wrote, An Apology for African Methodism in 1867 and The Color of Solomon in 1895. AME Colleges and Universities Education has always played an important role in the AME Church. Even before slavery was abolished in 1865, the AME Church began establishing schools to train young African-American men and women. Many of these schools are still active today and include senior colleges Allen University, Wilberforce University, Paul Quinn College, and Edward Waters College; junior college, Shorter College; theological seminaries, Jackson Theological Seminary, Payne Theological Seminary and Turner Theological Seminary. The AME Church Today The AME Church now has membership in thirty-nine countries on five continents. There are currently twenty-one bishops in active leadership and nine general officers who oversee various departments of the AME Church.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Your Guide to the Hottest Jobs in Chicago

Your Guide to the Hottest Jobs in Chicago ah, the windy city†¦home of deep dish pizza and perennially dashed baseball hopes (sorry, cubs fans!). by any measure, chicago is a bustling hub in the heart of the country. and while its thriving cultural and sports scenes are vital to everyday chicagoans, chances are you’ll need a day job in case that improv career with second city doesn’t pan out. if you’re seeking a new job or a new career path, take a look  at some  the hottest jobs in chicago. the tech sectorsure, chicago is considerably colder than silicon valley, but if you’re looking for a job in the tech sector, don’t count out a midwestern move. over the past 6 years, the chicago-based tech world has grown even faster than silicon valley’s. companies like google have offices there, and the city is also home to co-work spaces and business incubators that are steadily putting chicago on the tech map. business incubators are communities-within-the-community that help support talent and entrepreneurs as they develop new products and businesses. and this kind of collaborative community is one of the reasons that chicago is becoming a magnet for young tech innovators and entrepreneurs.hot job: software developerin an increasingly tech-friendly city, software developers are at the very heart of it all, working on software programs and apps. with a bachelor’s degree and the programming skills, software developers command a median salary of $100,000. and the demand keeps growing: the u.s. bureau of labor statistics predicts 17% overall growth by 2024.the service sectorover the past few years, chicago has seen an unprecedented number of visitors to the city. that means soaring demand for people to fill jobs in hotels/hospitality, restaurants, bars, and other service industries. and it’s not just chicago- the united states bureau of labor statistics predicts 6% growth for hospitality-related industries by 2024.hot job: mixologistin chicago as anyw here else, there are plenty of places where you can drop in for a cold beer, no fuss. these days, there are also a lot of places where you can drop in for the plenty-of-fuss version: an artisanal cocktail, crafted with homemade bitters, herbs grown in a community garden, and an instagram-ready look. bartenders and mixologists are taking on the status of chefs these days, and with the fancier cocktails commanding prices in the $10-$15 range, this is not your grandpa’s suds-slinger. the average mixologist in chicago earns $22,000 before tips- and the field is expected to grow by a healthy 10% nationally by 2024, per the bureau of labor statistics.the healthcare sectoras a nation, our health is†¦a growing challenge. as such, healthcare-related industries are booming just about everywhere, especially as the population ages. chicago is no exception, and it’s even being touted as one of the next big hubs for health technology. chicago is a city with world-class medical facilities (90 hospitals, six medical schools, and numerous fictional tv hospitals), as well as headquarters of major medical organizations like the american medical association, the american hospital association, the american alzheimer’s association, and the american heart association. (not to mention the walgreen’s pharmacy mothership just outside the city.)hot job: home health aidei mentioned chicago’s many exciting tv hospitals before, but the reality is that some of the most important healthcare jobs are considerably less flashy. home health and personal care aides fill important roles in this industry, providing daily care to seniors, the disabled, and other home-bound patients. what the job lacks in glamour and riches (the median salary is $22,920 per year, or $10.54 per hour), it makes up in stability and accessibility. you can become a home health aide without a formal degree (and with some on-the-job training). and the bureau of labor statistics predic ts that the field will grow by an astonishing 38% over the next decade. if you’re trying to decide whether the healthcare career path is right for you, this job could be a good way to dip your toe in and find out.the manufacturing/production sectorspeaking of less-glamorous jobs, chicago is a leader in manufacturing. and in fact, manufacturing is chicago’s second-biggest business sector, tied heavily to its strong trade and export industries. and this has a long and storied history with its get-your-hands-dirty jobs: as far back as 1914, poet carl sandburg referred to the city as â€Å"hog butcher for the world / tool maker, stacker of wheat, / player with railroads and the nation’s freight handler.†basically, you name it, chicago has probably processed and handled it. these days, manufacturing isn’t the nationwide industry it once was, but in chicago there are some areas of the industry that continue to thrive, like food processing and production. companies like kraft, heinz, wrigley (of ballpark and chewing gum fame), sara lee, keebler, and quaker oats have maintained major operations in chicago, alongside a growing industry of small-batch food companies that are rising in popularity on the foodie tide.hot job: truck driverall of these foods and products need to make it from point a to point b, and that’s where a fleet of dependable drivers come in. whether local, regional, or long-haul, trucking can be a great career option for someone with a spotless driving record, an ability to find zen in the open road, and the knack for solving problems on the fly and get somewhere on schedule. with a specialized commercial driving license (cdl) and some on-the-job training, drivers make a median salary of $40,260 per year, or $19.36 per hour. according to the bureau of labor statistics, the need for drivers will continue to grow through the next decade.whatever you want your career path to be in chicago, windy city newbie to s easoned chicagoan, you have so many options, in fields that will continue to grow and thrive. happy hunting, and go bulls!

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Macro Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Macro - Essay Example Unemployment rates in transition economies and developing countries have also moved higher, â€Å"in particular in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Central and South-eastern Europe† (Andy Kilmister, 2008). Economic theory: According to Andy Kilmister (2008), in the years leading up to the economic crisis that began in 2008, the global economy showed strong Economic Growth (EG). Over 2001-07, real world gross domestic product (GDP) grew by more than 3 percent a year, exceeding annual growth of 2.7 percent during the 1990s. The large influx of money into the Western financial system enlarged the â€Å"supply of funds available for loans and investment relative to the profitable opportunities available† (p. 67). This consequence, combined with â€Å"insufficient government financial regulation and supervision, resulted in investors and banks making riskier loans, such as for subprime home mortgages and mortgage refinancing in the Unites States† (Andy Kilmister, 2008). Interest on the article: The world financial crisis is a recent world effect, which affected almost all countries in world, Andy Kilmister (2008). It impresses me most because, to come out of the crisis, economic knowledge was needed to salvage the situation. Economic theory played a major role, â€Å"for instance the use of interest rates to regulate the cost of borrowing from financial sectors† (p. 23). Also, the use of fiscal policies, for instance stimulus packages in the financial and non-financial sectors (Andy Kilmister,

Friday, November 1, 2019

Strategic Analysis and Selection of Information Systems Essay - 1

Strategic Analysis and Selection of Information Systems - Essay Example Dichotomies begin to occur when environmental changes do not occur as foreseen or at the rate expected by the strategy makers, as also when the outcomes of IT initiatives are measured independently of the fundamentals in strategy that led to their formulation in the first place. This essay takes up two cases from the May and October 2001 issues of CIO Magazine. It studies the dilemmas, even predicaments faced by pioneers who took far-reaching initiatives in their business and IT strategy and analyzes their success or lack thereof vis--vis their formulation, execution, and goal achievement. In the first instance, (Worthen) Jack Lowry, a much experienced and competent IT professional joined the Goldman Industrial Group of Vermont, a consortium of machine tool manufacturers as VP for IT. It was for him an opportunity to give shape to his dream, "a truly collaborative computing environment", (Worthen) which would integrate all group companies, as also link up with existing and potential buyers and sellers. With the support of Mark Swift, the Group President, Jack and his team burnt two years and four million dollars to put up a well- grounded, state of the art, comprehensively integrated system on an AS/400 platform. The new technology infrastructure connected an abundance of desk PCs and factory workstations with CAD and PDM systems as well as to an ERP system, linked to the Company's e-commerce website. With this investment in effort, time and money, the Company now had the collaborative infrastructure in place for some truly awesome link-ups with partners and customers and, in so doing, cut the manufacturing cycle to a quarter of the original. To everyone's surprise, the collaborations did not happen. While Lowry and Swift, on realizing the predicament, worked hard at getting customers and suppliers to access their brand new system, most of the people reached, though seemingly interested were loath to commit. Reasons for this tepidity in response have ranged from genuine roadblocks in the integrating of disparate ERP systems to the fear of layoffs in mid-level employees, the disinclination to fork out money on expensive software, and the impracticality of expecting a number of companies to collaborate on linked computing at the same level. Lowry and Swift are making steady headway in their mission to reach out to their suppliers and customers but the institutionalization of collaborative computing on a truly grand scale does appear to be some distance hence. The second case (Sawhney) deals with the difficulties faced by B2B trading exchanges and their demise or subsequent re-invention as top end software or process vendors. B2B trading exchanges, which appeared in good number in the late nineties, provided a common electronic platform for buyers and sellers to interact freely and close deals, with a success dependent transaction charge going to the exchange. With time, the exchanges planned to introduce value add-ons like supplier verification, buying credit, settlement and even logistics. The business model did not work. Very few suppliers and buyers came forward to register and with investors backing off, the exchanges, short on cash started exiting the marketplace. Why this Well, Mohanbir Sawhney, McCormick Tribune Professor