The Leadership Styles Of Social Work - 2290 Words

Social work is one of the most diverse fields in that there are so many distinct areas that social workers can specialize in such as family, children and school social work; community social work; health and medical social work; mental health and psychiatric social work; substance abuse social work; hospice social work; military social work; as well as positions in policy, administration and research. Because the field is so varied, there is no one size fits all leadership style. Each of these distinct subdivisions of the social work field calls for different leadership styles. Also dependent on the most effective leadership style in any given work environment is the employees themselves, as some may need a more transactional approach where as other may work better with a non-transactional laissez-faire style of leadership. Taking this information into consideration, it would seem that full-range leadership would be the best approach when discussing the broad field of social work. Th e leader would need to be knowledgeable about the many different styles of leadership so that they would be able to apply the right leadership style to the appropriate situation or to fit the employee’s personality or level of expertise. The full-range leadership model is composed of both transactional and transformational styles of leadership, with the knowledgeable leader applying the appropriate style to match the situation and or employee. Bass et al. posits that the leaders that are mostShow MoreRelatedLeadership Styles And How They Influence Social Work1364 Words   |  6 PagesLeadership Styles and How They Influence Social Work Curtis E. Mitchell Colombia College Hums 345: Working with Communities Organizations Abstract Acquiring positions of authority comes with the added responsibility of making sure you are correctly and competently communicating the ideals set forth by your agency. 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Open Medical Marijuana Delivery Service Full Free Essays

string(60) " a website with absolutely no programming skills necessary\." County Guidelines |Page Chapter 1: Obtaining a Doctor’s Recommendation A doctor’s recommendation will allow you to take the next critical step of obtaining a Medical Marijuana Card through California’s MMP Program. No official registration is required to obtain a doctor’s recommendation. Marijuana can be recommended by a doctor for ANY serious condition for which it provides relief; over 250 uses have been reported. We will write a custom essay sample on Open Medical Marijuana Delivery Service Full or any similar topic only for you Order Now Resource: To see a sample Doctor’s Recommendation go to: http://www. canorml. org/prop/MDRecForm. jpg WARNING: Beware bogus clinics! Some unethical doctors are charging clients extra for socalled â€Å"cultivation licenses† supposedly entitling them to grow more than the normal number of plants. There is no such thing as a â€Å"cultivation license† under California law. Any patient with a California physician’s recommendation may legally cultivate or possess as much marijuana as they need for their own personal medical use, and no more. No physician can authorize them to cultivate more (they can only testify in court that a certain amount of marijuana is consistent with the individual patient’s needs, and they do not have professional competence to prescribe plant numbers). Resource:To find a California Physician you can go to: http://listings. canorml. org/physicians/listings. lasso 3|Page Chapter 2: Obtaining a California Medical Marijuana Identification Card The next step to starting a Legal Medical Marijuana Delivery Service is to obtain a Medical Marijuana Identification Card through the California Medical Marijuana Program (MMP). This identification card will allow you to legally carry a given amount of Medical Marijuana as outlined in your counties bylaws, and to be recognized as a caregiver for your patients. In other words each county has their own guidelines as to how much marijuana each caregiver can carry legally for each of their patients. Establishing yourself as aMedical Marijuana Caregiver will allow you to legally serve your patients. Resource:To apply simply fill out the form located at: www. cdph. ca. gov/pubsforms/forms/CtrldForms/cdph9042. pdf After you have completed this form it is best to apply in person at your local County Department of Public Health for expediency purposes. You can do it online or via fax, but this can take months to complete. Resource:You can ind your local County Department of Public Health by going to: http://www. cdph. ca. gov/services/Pages/MMPCounties. aspx When you apply you will need to bring the necessary documentation which includes: a) b) c) d) Your Application Form Your Physician’s License Number Your Doctor’s Recommendation Form You will also need to supply personal information to prove residency such as a driver’s lice nse, utility bill, or government issued photo ID. 4|Page You will need to pay the application fees and be photographed. The application fees vary by county and are usually $66. 00 + administrative fees. To ensure the application process goes smoothly and to give yourself the best chance of not having any unforeseen obstacles it is always a good idea to take an individual who has signed documentation stating they are a patient in your care. We will talk more about the necessary patient care documentation later. It is important to understand that to be a register primary caregiver for more than one patient you must live in the same county as all of your patients. It is strictly forbidden and illegal to operate a delivery business across county lines. 5|Page Chapter 3: Starting The Business / Nonprofit Step 1 – Your Delivery Business / Nonprofit Name The first step in creating your new medical marijuana delivery business is to think of a name for your new business. Most medical marijuana collectives and coops use the terms collective, caregiver, or something of that of that nature in their name. You’ll also need to make sure that your physical address resides in the city and county that your delivery business will be operating in an. It is also important to note that this physical address cannot be a P. O. Box. Resource: Make sure to check the availability of your nonprofit name by going to: http://www. sos. ca. gov/business/corp/corp_naav. tm Step 2 – Start a Nonprofit Organization Next we will need to create a Non-Profit because nonprofits are the only types of organizations that are allowed to operate as medical marijuana patient care givers. This is also the quickest and easiest way to get into the medical marijuana industry. The best way to set this up is to place yourself in the role of president of the Non-Profit. This enables you to recuse yourself of responsibility for the actions of other members. Your membership agreement will outline the rules for membership and no one can join or become a patient unless they have agreed to the membership guidelines. The process of starting a nonprofit organization generally involves: 1. Drafting Bylaw 2. Submitting Articles of Incorporation to the State of California Drafting Bylaws Drafting Bylaws sets forth the structure of the organization and creates a governing board with final authority for the organization Resource: For an example of Nonprofit Bylaws go to:Link 6|Page Completing and Submitting Articles of Organization To incorporate as a nonprofit in the state of California you will need to complete articles of organization and submit them. There is generally a $30. 0 filing fee for these forms. Resource: Articles of Organization Forms www. sos. ca. gov/business/corp/pdf/articles/corp_artsnp. pdf To submit this form you will need to go to one of the 2 regional offices located at either: Sacramento Main Office 1500 11th Street Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 657-5448 Or Los Angeles Regional Office 300 South Spring Street, Room 12513 Los Angeles, CA 90013 (213) 897-3062 Step 3 – Creating a Website The next step is to create a website. If you do not have any experience creating websites do not be frightened. You can register a domain name (URL) at one of the many registration services found online. You can then use one of the many web site builders also found online that allow you to do simple drag and drop web design that enables even a novice to create a website with absolutely no programming skills necessary. You read "Open Medical Marijuana Delivery Service Full" in category "Papers" Please note that it is also a good idea to utilize this URL for your e-mail account. Many of the registration services allow you to do this and it looks much more professional than having a generic e-mail address like Gmail. All told you can expect to spend between $30. 00 and $50. 0 getting your website up and running and this can be achieved in as little as a couple of hours. 7|Page Step 4 – Financials In the next step we will be establishing the necessary financial aspects for our Non-Profit. The first of which is a bank account and a FEIN Number. To set up a bank account simply go to your loca l branch and tell them you would like to set up a business account. You’ll need to provide them with the necessary documentation including the documentation for your Non-Profit. To obtain a seller’s permit, which we will talk about later, you will need to obtain your FEIN Number. Resource: For a simple form that you can give your bank which includes the legal name and structure of your medical marijuana delivery business as well as your physical mailing address go to: http://www. irs. gov/pub/irs-pdf/fss4. pdf Resource: To get your FEIN Number go to: http://www. irs. gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=102767,00. html Step 5 – Obtaining a Sellers Permit Now it is time to get your Sellers Permit. The sellers permit is one of the most important aspects in keeping your medical marijuana delivery business legal. A sellers permit allows you to pay taxes on your business. Even though you are operating a nonprofit, you are liable for taxes. We have devoted an entire chapter to taxes found later in this book. You’ll need to get your Sellers permit from the California State board of equalization. All you will need to do is bring all the documentation we’ve outlined in the previous sections and go to the local office of the board of equalization and make an estimated down payment based on your estimated quarterly income. This down payment will be very small if you currently only have one patient, which will generally be the case. Resource: For a California Sellers Permit Application Form, as well processing instructions go to: http://boe. ca. gov/pdf/boe400spa. pdf 8|Page Step 6 – Obtaining a Business License Now it is time to get a Business license. To do this we will need to fill out the necessary form depending upon what town or county you live in. The easiest way is to simply Google â€Å"business license† + your town or county. Next you will need to go to your county specific business license branch, with your documentation, and simply tell them you will be operating at a †Home Healthcare delivery surface†. Resource: For county by county business license application instructions go to: http://www. cityapplications. com/business-licenses/CA-California/biz-California. html 9|Page Chapter 4: Operating The Business Now it is time to discuss the operations and management of your medical marijuana delivery service in regards to staying compliant with California Law. Membership The lifeblood of your business will be membership because if you do not have anyone to deliver to you will not be making any money. To join your Non-Profit and become a patient each member will have to agree to your membership terms. Legal Application Requirements To legally operate in the state of California you must perform certain steps when taking on new members or patients. Step 1 – Verification You must verify each member’s status as legally able to be a patient under your care. The way that you do this is by verifying their medical marijuana identification card number. Resource: To verify a potential patient’s medical marijuana card go to: http://www. calmmp. ca. gov/ Step 2 – Primary Caregiver Form Next you will need each person to sign a form designating you as their primary caregiver. Resource: You can find a sample form by going to: http://www. peaceinmedicine. org/PDFs/PrimaryCareGiver. pdf 10 | P a g e Step 3 – Membership Form For you to legally distribute Medical Marijuana to your patients they must be members of you Nonprofit. To become members they need to simply fill out a membership form. Resource: For a sample membership for go to: http://www. greendotguy. com/Membership-Agreement. pdf 11 | P a g e Chapter 5: Products / Medical Marijuana If you have not already you’ll need to acquire the products or medical marijuana you will be providing to your patients. This is an important step because you must make sure that you acquire your products lawfully. As per California law collectives and cooperatives can only acquire medical marijuana from their own members. This means you can only acquire medical marijuana grown by fellow members of your collective. In other words before you can purchase medical marijuana from a grower they must first be a member of your collective. This is very simple to do. Simply have the grower or growers sign a membership agreement before you obtain the medical marijuana you will be delivering to your patience from them. This allows your operations to consist of acquiring medical marijuana from one of your nonprofit members and distribute it to your non-profit patients. This is what we call a closed cycle. Resource: For a sample membership for go to: http://www. greendotguy. com/Membership-Agreement. pdf 12 | P a g e Chapter 6: Revenue Members of your non-profit may reimburse you for medical marijuana that has been allocated to them in the amount necessary to cover overhead and operating expenses as well as services provided. This means that members can reimburse you for your delivery service through reasonably calculated compensation. This is the way in which you want to record accrued revenue in addition to the overhead costs. 13 | P a g e Chapter 7: Possession, Delivery, and the Law As per California law a primary caregivers may poses a certain amount of medical marijuana for each patient under their care. If you are operating your delivery business and you have more than the personal legal limit of medical marijuana you should have supporting records readily available showing that you have under the legal limit allowed for the number of patients you have under your care. This is especially important when you’re transporting medical marijuana for delivery. Primary Caregiver To be classified as a primary caregiver the Supreme Court has set forth certain requirements: a) A primary caregiver is an individual who consistently provides caregiving; independent of any assistance in taking medical marijuana at or before the time he or she assumed responsibility for assisting with medical marijuana. † People v. Mentch(2008) 45 Cal. 4th 274, 283 (85 Cal. Rptr. 3d 480, 195 P. d 1061) b) The person must show â€Å"a caretaking relationship directed at the core survival needs of a seriously ill patient, not just one single pharmaceutical need. † Id. at p. 286. To be classified as a primary care giver it is important to operate within these guidelines. SB 420 allows caregivers to be compensated for their services but it does not authorize the sale of marijuana itself for profit. Therefore, to run a successful medical marijuana delivery business it is recommended that you 14 | P a g e tipulate your compensation is being accrued from the service of medical marijuana delivered in the form of donations. California State Law It is important to note California State law and how it pertains to a medical marijuana delivery services. 1. Patients and caregivers with a state-issued ID card are immune from arrest and allowed to possess whatever amount the law allows them. 2. Patients and caregivers without a state-issued ID card, even with a physician’s statement or county entitlement, are subject to case by case scrutiny that can lead to arrest. As per California State law, possession and cultivation of marijuana grants immunity to patients and caregivers who possess or cultivate marijuana for personal medical use based on the recommendation of a Physician and within county guidelines of residence. 15 | P a g e Chapter 8: Taxes In October 2005, after meeting with taxpayers, businesses, and advocacy groups, the Board directed staff to issue seller’s permits regardless of the fact that the property being sold may be illegal, or because the applicant for the permit did not indicate what products it sold. This new policy was effective immediately. BOE policy regarding the issuance of a seller’s permit was amended to provide that a seller’s permit shall be issued to anyone requesting a permit to sell tangible personal property, the sale of which would be subject to sales tax if sold at retail. Previously, the Board would not issue a seller’s permit when sales consisted only of medical marijuana. Anyone selling tangible personal property in California, the sale of which would be subject to sales tax if sold at retail, is required to hold a seller’s permit and report and pay the taxes due on their sales. The sale of tangible personal property in California is generally subject to tax unless the sale qualifies for a specific exemption or exclusion. Sales and Use Tax Regulation 1591, Medicines and Medical Devices, explains when the sale or use of property meeting the definition of â€Å"medicine† qualifies for exemption from tax. Generally, for an item’s sale or use to qualify for an exemption from tax under Regulation 1591, the item must qualify as a medicine and the sale or use of the item must meet specific conditions. Regulation 1591 defines a medicine, in part, as any substance or preparation intended for use by external or internal application to the human body in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease and which is commonly recognized as a substance or preparation intended for that use. A medicine is also defined as any drug or any biologic, when such are approved by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent any disease, illness, or medical condition regardless of ultimate use. In order to be exempt, a medicine must qualify under the definition, and it must be either (1) prescribed for treatment by medical professional authorized to prescribe medicines and dispensed by a pharmacy; (2) furnished by a physician to his or her own patients; or (3) furnished by a licensed health facility on a physician’s order. (There are some other specific circumstances not addressed here such as being furnished by a state-run medical facility or a pharmaceutical company without charge for medical research. ) 16 | P a g e Generally, all of these requirements must be fulfilled in accordance with state and federal law. Regulation 1591 exempts the sale or use of medicines furnished by qualifying health care facilities. (See response to Question 5, above, regarding the requirements to qualify as an exempt medicine. ) State law defines a qualifying â€Å"health facility† as either a facility licensed under state law to provide 24-hour inpatient care or a state-licensed clinic. Not making a profit does not relieve a seller of his or her sales tax liability. However, whether or not you make a profit, like other retailers making taxable sales, you can ask your customers to reimburse you for the sales taxes due on your sales, if you fulfill the requirements explained in Regulation 1700, Reimbursement for Sales Tax. As discussed in the response to Question 10, the Board may enter into a payment plan with a seller when the seller has difficulty meeting its tax liabilities. The Board has an Offers in Compromise Program that provides a payment alternative for individuals and businesses who have closed out their accounts. The Board will issue a seller’s permit to an applicant who does not indicate the products being sold. The applicant, however, will be asked to sign a waiver acknowledging that his or her application is incomplete, which may result in the applicant not being provided with complete information regarding obligations as a holder of a seller’s permit, or notified of future requirements by the Board related to the products sold. Applicants who do not wish to indicate the type of products they are selling should leave the line, â€Å"What items do you sell? blank and discuss the issue with a Board representative regarding the incomplete application. As with any other seller who has operated without a permit, or who has failed to timely file and pay the taxes due, back taxes are owed on any taxable sales made, but not reported and paid. Generally, penalty and interest will also be due. When you apply for a seller’s permit and your application is processed, Board staff w ill provide sales and use tax returns from prior periods for you to report your sales of medical marijuana and any other products you may have sold, but did not report. You will need to use these returns to self-report all your sales beginning with the month you first started selling taxable 17 | P a g e products. Once you have filed all your back returns, you will receive a current return for each reporting period in which you make sales. You will continue to receive a return until such time as you stop making sales and have notified the Board of the discontinuance of your business. The Board, however, may grant relief from penalty charges if it is determined that a person’s failure to file a timely return or payment was due to reasonable cause and circumstances beyond the person’s control. If a seller wishes to file for such relief, he or she must file a statement with the Board stating, under penalty of perjury, the facts that apply. Sellers may use form BOE-735, Request for Relief from Penalty, available on the Board’s website. A seller who cannot pay a liability in full may be eligible for an installment payment agreement. Sellers in need of this type of plan should contact their local Board office, as eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis. All California sellers of tangible personal property the sale of which would be subject to tax if sold at retail are required to hold seller’s permits. A seller’s permit should be obtained prior to making sales of tangible personal property. If you are currently making sales of medical marijuana and you do not hold a seller’s permit, you should obtain one as soon as possible. Sellers have a continuing obligation to hold a seller’s permit until such time they stop making sales of products that are subject to tax when sold at retail. Sales tax provides revenues to the state’s General Fund as well as to cities, counties, and other local jurisdictions where the sale was made. The tax from the sales of medical marijuana is treated the same as the tax received from the sale of all tangible personal property. Registering for a seller’s permit brings sellers into compliance with the Sales and Use Tax Law, but holding a seller’s permit does not allow sales that are otherwise unlawful by state or federal law. The Compassionate Use Act of 1996 decriminalized the cultivation and use of marijuana by certain persons on the recommendation of a physician. California’s Medical Marijuana Program Act also exempted qualifying patients and primary caregivers from criminal sanctions for certain other activities involving marijuana. Apart from any provisions of state law, the sale of marijuana remains illegal under federal law. 18 | P a g e 19 | P a g e Chapter 9: The Medical Marijuana Program The medical marijuana program (MMP) has been established to provide a voluntary marijuana identification card issuance and registry program for individuals who qualify as patients as well as their caregivers. A web-based registry has been created which allows law enforcement and the public to verify patient or caregiver cards which give authorization to possess, grow, transport, and for the use of medical marijuana in California. In 2003, Senate Bill (SB) 420 (Chapter 875, Statutes of 2003) was passed as an extension and clarification of Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act of 1996. The Medical Marijuana Program, within CDPH, is administered through a patient’s county of residence. Upon obtaining a recommendation from their physician for use of medicinal marijuana, patients and their primary caregivers may apply for and be issued; a Medical Marijuana Identification Card. Senate Bill 420 also required that the MMP be fully supported through the card application processing fees. Both the state and the counties have authority to cover the costs for the program through these application fees. 20 | P a g e Chapter 10: County Guidelines County guidelines have been established to outline legal amounts of medical marijuana possession in regards two personal use, patient care givers, and an growing operations. At the writing of this document, 9-7-2011, they are as follows: Alameda: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Alpine: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Amador: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Butte: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; one pound of processed (formerly 6 plants at any stage) Calaveras: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Colusa: No firm policy; case-by-case review, though â€Å"tentative guidelines† of 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud or 1. lb. processed (formerly 2 plants outdoors or 4 plants indoors) Contra Costa: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Del Norte: Current status remains cloudy, so fol-low the state minimum guidelines for maximum safety: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud. El Dorado: Outdoors: 20 plants from March 1 through July 31; 10 plants through October (or end of season); 2 lbs. f bud from Se ptember 1 through February 28; and 1 lb from March 1 to August 31. Indoors: 10 vegetative plants, 1 mother plant, 10 flowering plants and1 lb of bud per patient (formerly 6 plants and/or 2 pounds processed). NB: Caregivers can take care of household plus three outside patients. Also see El Dorado County DA Policy. Fresno: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Glenn: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud 21 | P a g e Humboldt: 3 lbs of bud or equivalent; 100 square feet of garden canopy, no limit on plant numbers or lamp wattage. Caregiver amounts calculated per patient served. [Original DA policy: Up to 99 plants with up to 100 square feet of canopy and up to lb. of bud. Indoor gardens limited to 1500 watts total illumination. ] Imperial: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Inyo: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Kern: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud. King: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Lake: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Lassen: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Los Angeles: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Madera: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Marin: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud, county ID cards now honored by all law enforcement. Mariposa: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Mendocino: 99 plants (from 25) with permit—[This County’s guidelines are covered in Hemp Publication’s Monograph No. : Grows] Merced: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Modoc: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Mono: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Monterey: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Napa: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud 22 | P a g e Nevada: 6 mature p lants or 12 immature plants any size; or, in the alternative, 75 square feet of total canopy area ; up to 2 lb. of bud. Collectives must keep copies of all patients’ recommenda-tions available for inspection. Orange: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Placer: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Plumas: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Riverside: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Sacramento: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud San Benito: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud San Bernardino: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud San Diego: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud San Francisco: Patient and caregiver ID cards is-sued by county Health Department; no patient guidelines. Case by case policy is based on police claims of indicia of illegal sales or diversion to non-medical market. San Joaquin: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud San Luis Obispo: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud San Mateo: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Santa Barbara: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Santa Clara: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Santa Cruz: 3 pounds of bud or equivalent, plus 100 square feet of garden canopy, no limit on plant numbers or lamp wattage Shasta: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud or 1. 33 lb. processed 23 | P a g e Sierra: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud or any quantity approved by phy-sician Siskiyou: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Solano: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Sonoma: County policy: Up to 30 plants with up to 100 square feet of garden canopy and up to 3 lb. of bud. Stanislaus: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants and 8 ounces of bud Sutter: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Tehama: 12 seedlings or 6 flowering or mature plants, and 8 ounces dried marijuana. Indoor Cultivation: 12 seedlings or 6 flowering or mature plants, and 8 ounces dried marijuana. Trinity: Board of Supervisors voted to step back-ward and revert to the state minimum threshold of 6 mature plants or 12 immature plant ; 8 ounces of bud. Tulare: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Tuolumne: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud. Ventura: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud or 1 lb. ry bud or conversion. Yolo: 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants ; 8 ounces of bud Yuba: Informal policy: 6 mature plants or 12 im-mature plants ; 8 ounces of bud or 1. 5 lb. of processed marijuana. 24 | P a g e Disclaimer This document has been written for and is meant for educational purposes only. It is not in any way legally binding, or in other words, it cannot be used in a court of law as justification for any actions taken by its readers. It should be noted that while California does not prosecute Medical Marijuana Patients within the guidelines of SB 420, marijuana is still illegal under federal law and individuals can still be prosecuted as such. The writers of this document have provided this document for educational purposes only. We in no way advocate or take responsibility for any actions taken by its readers. 25 | P a g e How to cite Open Medical Marijuana Delivery Service Full, Papers

Impact of Lifestyle on Consumer Behavior

Question: Discuss about theImpact of Lifestyle on Consumer Behavior. Answer: Introduction This essay is basically discussed about the importance of consumer behavior in the marketing and the impact of lifestyles of the consumers on consumer behavior. Consumer behavior is an important factor of the marketing process. Whole marketing process depends upon the consumers perception and consumers buying behavior (Laamanen Skal_en, 2014). Consumer behavior is important parts which must be take care by the organization while developing marketing strategies. Consumer behavior basically describes the perception or attitude of the consumers towards a particular product and service. For analyzing the behavior of the consumers, market researchers have given many models and theories such as Hierarchy of effect model, consumer information processing model etc. the decision making process of the consumers is affected by many factors such as demographic, geographic, personality, lifestyle, psychographic etc. In the research, it has been evaluated that lifestyle of the consumer affected t he decision making process and buying behavior of the consumer towards a product and service. Lifestyle of the consumers changes because of some factors such as education, age, income, social class and some other factors. These factors of lifestyle play a major role in the buying behavior of the consumers. This essay would be helpful to know the factors of lifestyle responsible for the change of consumer behavior (Helm, Moulard Richins, 2015) Lifestyle of the Consumer The lifestyle of an individual includes all the activities, values, opinion, perception, and interest towards a particular product and services. The lifestyle of an individual affects his buying behavior and decision making process to buy a particular product. Basically, lifestyle refers to the way how a person to live in the society and how he or she reacts towards a particular product or society (Richins Marsha 2004). For example, if a family prefers healthy food and diet then they will go to the organic food store and buy organic and healthy product. Lifestyle of the consumers has always been a point to focus for marketers. Lifestyle is an important concept for segmenting the market and understanding the target market. Many researchers have done research on the lifestyle of the consumers to get more information about them. Lifestyle segmentation is very useful concept for the marketers and advertisement makers. It can be determined by the activities, views interests, opinion etc. it is important for the firms and organizations to understand the buyers and their lifestyles then should make marketing strategies according to that. There is an inter-connection among product, lifestyle and person (Reedy, 2014) Figure 1: Connection with Lifestyles (Source: Reedy, 2014) Lifestyle of the consumer can be described by some points. These points are as follows: Lifestyle as a group phenomenon: the lifestyle of an individual is affected by many factors such as involvement in the social groups, relationship with others etc. Every individual maintains his lifestyle differently and every person has different lifestyle from another person. For example, a college student has different lifestyle from a construction worker. The differences can be in the income level also. These all show the differences between the lifestyles of every person (Soule, 2012) Lifestyles impacts behavior: Every person has different behavior towards the products and services. One can be satisfied with a particular product or service and on the other hand, another cannot be satisfied. It is based on the behavior and attitude of the consumer. Lifestyle of a person affects the behavior of the consumer. By knowing the lifestyle of the consumers, marketers would be able to know how the consumer will react in a particular area of product or service (Baumann, Engman, Johnston, 2015). Lifestyle as central life interest: lifestyle is also based on the interest of the consumers. When the interest of the consumers influences others, then their lifestyle will be identified. Central interest of the person may include family, work, religion, and leisure. The upper and middle class lifestyle of a person may be education or career oriented (Della, Porta Diani, 2006). Lifestyle based on sociology: Lifestyle of an individual may be based on the age, gender, ethnicity, social class, religion, and many more factors. Social changes are also one of the factors that affect the lifestyles of a person (Dubuisson-Quellier, 2013). Lifestyle and Purchase Behavior Lifestyle has become an important factor for taking the decision related to marketing strategies. Each service and product needs different target market and firm has to target the customers based on their requirements. Thus, it is very important to differentiate the market into parts for analyzing the mindset of the customers. Basically, lifestyle shoes a persons values, attitudes, or vies towards any product and services. Every person lives a different lifestyle because of money and attitude. Personal values and lifestyle of consumers impacts the decision making process of products and services (Forno Graziano, 2014). Lifestyle mainly includes personal values and money attitude which impact the decision making process of the consumers. Word is changing and with the changing world, lifestyle of human being is also changing. Thus, their consumption behavior is changing for products and services. Personal values: Personal values can be defined as the values which are preferred by the individual and society towards something. It can be different for any product and services. Personal values are based on the values which are selected by the social values which indicate a persons normal behavior and his choice. Values have some characteristics such as values are acquired, values show behavior, values are permanent, and they are dynamic and are widely accepted in the society. Consumers prefer the services and products which meet the requirements of the values and are acceptable by the whole society. Consumer always needs to make choices according to their values and marketers need to understand their values and choices. Consumers decision making is always influenced by many factors such as price level, brand, promotion, values, attitude, social norm and ethics, degrees of cleanness, convenience and comfort and their past experiences. The decision making process of the consumer ha ve a great impact on the marketers strategies of marketing. Researchers differentiate the values into different catagories i.e. economic, political, religious, social, aesthetic, and theoretical. Every consumer follows the values in these groups and adopts the buying decisions according to these groups (Haenfler, Johnson, Jones, 2012) Money attitude: Money attitude basically includes the income level of a particular person. Money attitude has an important impact on the buying behavior of the consumer. Sometimes people divide the society in to the groups based on the money but it is considered the most important and essential part of marketing strategies. In the society, there are different types of customers and they have different income level. Consumers consume the products and services based on their income and earnings. Based on the income and money, they have different views, perceptions and attitudes towards the products and services available in the market. Along with this, money has also important attributes such as achievement and recognition, status, respect, freedom, control and power in the society. Money is an important factor which can influence the views and values of the consumers. Along with this, money and income level has the ability to change the perception of the consumers and their buying beh avior and buying decision process. Money has both positive as well negative impacts on the society. Positive impact is that the person makes some values and ethics and follows them. On the other hand, negative impact is that people make budget according to the income level and purchase products based on that (Hwang Kim, 2015) There is a conceptual framework given by the researchers to show the connection between the income level, personal values and purchase decisions. Figure 2: Framework of Lifestyle (Source: Balsiger, 2010) There are many ways by that consumer does purchasing such as online shopping, visit directly to the store etc. for those consumers who live a high standard lifestyle, they have positive impact on purchasing decision process. Some researchers focused on the purchase decision by analyzing personality characteristics and lifestyle to understand the consumer behavior. Impact of money attitude can be easily seen on teenagers and their purchasing power. Differences in money attitude can also impact on the family, behavior, and on the environment. Different background also have different perception about the money and according to their perception, they have different buying or purchasing behavior (Balsiger, 2010). Lifestyle of the consumer is as a blueprint of his living standard. This shows the different behavior and different attitude towards particular brand and services. Lifestyle is persons values and personal characteristics and money attitude is also impacted by the family, peers and environment. People with different lifestyles have different money attitudes and those differences in the lifestyle and money attitudes affect the purchasing behavior and purchase decision making process of the consumers. It is also found that the personal values of the consumers also impact the buying behavior of the consumers. Personal values have a positive role and impact on both the lifestyle such as activities, interest and opinions on purchasing decision process (Yates, 2011). Conclusion From the above discussion, it has been analyzed that understanding consumer behavior is very important for the firms to operate the business in the competitive market. Consumer behavior is an important factor of the marketing process. It is affected by many aspects such as lifestyle, peers, personality, perception, attitude and behavior of the consumer. In the market, consumer chose a product or service which match his lifestyle and values. So, a person can make a choice for particular brand and product according to his lifestyle. Lifestyle of the consumers changes because of some factors such as education, age, income, social class and some other factors. The lifestyle of an individual affects his buying behavior and decision making process to buy a particular product and every individual maintains his lifestyle differently and every person has different lifestyle from another person (Dobernig Stagl, 2015). It also has been observed that there are two factors in the lifestyle that are very important to influence the buying behavior of the consumers. Those two factors are money attitude and personal values of the consumers. Each service and product needs different target market and firm has to target the customers based on their requirements. Every person lives a different lifestyle having money and attitude and personal values. Values have some characteristics such as values are acquired, values show behavior, values are permanent, and they are dynamic and are widely accepted in the society. Consumer always needs to make choices according to their values and marketers need to understand their values and choices. So, the marketers need to identify and understand the personal values of the consumers and should provide the products and services according to that. On the other hand, money attitude also has an important impact on the buying behavior of the consumer. Consumers consume the pro ducts and services based on their income and earnings. So, it can be clearly seen that lifestyle of consumers has great impact on the buying behavior of the consumers (Zhang, 2015). References Alexander, A., (2004), Decision-Sharing Couples Willing to Pay for Quality,Drug Store News, 26(8), 14554. Balsiger, P. (2010), Making political consumers: the tactical action repertoire of a campaign for clean clothes. Social Movement Studies, 9,311329 Baumann, S., Engman, A. Johnston, J. (2015), Shopping for change?: political consumption, conventional politics, and high cultural capital, International Journal of Consumer Studies, 39, 413421. Della Porta, D. Diani, M., (2006) , Social Movements, (2nd), UK: Chichester. Dobernig, K. Stagl, S. (2015) Growing a lifestyle movement? Exploring identity-work and lifestyle politics in urban food cultivation. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 39, 452458. Dubuisson-Quellier, S. (2013) Ethical Consumption. Canada: Fernwood Publishing, Black Point, NS, Forno, F., Graziano, P.R., (2014), Sustainable community movement organisations. Journal of Consumer Culture, 14, 139157. Haenfler, R., Johnson, B., Jones, E., (2012) Lifestyle movements: exploring the intersection of lifestyle and social movements. Social Movement Studies, 11, 120. Helm, A.E., Moulard, J.G., Richins, M., (2015), Consumer cynicism: Developing a scale to measure underlying attitudes influencing marketplace shaping and withdrawal behaviors: International Journal of Consumer Studies, 39, 515524. Hwang, H., Kim, K.-O., (2015), Social media as a tool for social movements: the effect of social media use and social capital on intention to participate in social movements: International Journal of Consumer Studies, 39, 478488. Laamanen, M., Skal_en, P., (2014), Collectiveconflictual value co-creation: a strategic action field approach: Marketing Theory. Epub ahead of print. Reedy, P. (2014). Impossible organisations: anarchism and organizational praxis. Ephemera: Theory Politics in Organization, 14,639658. Rick, Scott I., Cynthia E. Cryder, and George L., (2008). Tightwads and Spendthrifts. Journal of Consumer Research, 34 (6): 767782. Soule, S.A., (2012) Social movements and markets, industries, and firms: Organization Studies, 33, 17151733. Yates, L. (2011) Critical consumption - boycotting and buycotting in Europe. European Societies, 13, 191217 Zhang, X., (2015) Voting with dollars: a cross-polity and multilevel analysis of political consumerism. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 39, 422436.

The Artic Essays (816 words) - Biology, Artic, Nature, Pollution

The Artic The Artic Introduction. The Artic is a region at the upper most tip of the Northern Hemisphere. The Artic includes the area around Greenland, USSR, Canada and Alaska. Much of the Artic circle is permanently frozen ice. The Artic is a pristine environment, clean and void of human interference. However as humans move into these areas and begin to extract what ever they can be balance can be tipped, resulting in pollution and destruction of the environment. Climate. The Artic winters much longer than the Summer. In the winter the sun never rises and in the summer it never sets. The average temperature for the Artic is zero degrees of less. Industry and the Artic. There was once a time when the land of the Artic Circle was considered useless and only hospitable to those native to it. However once vast quantities of oil and fish had been found there was a rush of interest in the land. Fishing in the Artic has occurred for thousands of years but in recent years man has been fishing the Artic; in greater numbers and taking more fish. Professional fishermen are taking all kinds of fish as well as whales and seals. In some areas fishermen have become so efficient at their job that quotas have needed to be put on to limit or stop the capture of certain animals. There are many mineral deposits within the Artic Circle. In Russia: nickel, iron ore, apatite, diamonds, gold, tin, coal, mica, and tungsten. In Sweden: iron ore. In Greenland: lead, zinc, molybdenum and cryolite. Spitsbergen: coal. Canada: uranium, copper, nickel, lead, zinc, tungsten and iron ore. The digging out of minerals would inevitably disturb the natural habitat as well as the environment there would be a great cost to maintain the site. Industry that is designed to process various minerals have waste products that would be most unwelcome in the Artic. A good example of this is the pollution that has arisen as a result of the smelting of metals in the Artic. It is for this reason that there is very little industry in the Artic. However Russia, Canada, Greenland and Iceland have several small scale manufacturing plants. The largest industry in the Artic is oil. The rush began in 1968 when a large oil field was discovered, there was a great deal of protest but the development went ahead. Oil extracted from the felid makes its way to Port Valdez via a 1300 kilometre pipeline. Although steps were taken to limit the pipelines affect on the environment it still disrupts the migration of caribou. In 1989 the unthinkable happened and the super tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground spilling millions of gallons of crude oil into the Prince William Sound. The effects of the slick were devastating. Within a week workers counted 24000 dead sea birds and 1000 sea otters. The effects of the slick were felt throughout the food chain from photoplankton to bears. The Exxon company funded the clean up but there was no compensation for the hundreds of people that lost their job as a result of the slick. Pollution of the Artic A large threat to the Artic is transboundry pollution and bioaccumulation. These are both complex subjects but are easily explained. Transboundry pollution is the pollution of the Artic from other countries. The ocean currents and wind conditions result in large amounts of pollution being deposited in the Artic. In winter when the sun is low thick blankets of haze can be seen over the Artic. Bioaccumulation is the process where pollutants build up in the Artic because they cannot be broken down due to the extreme cold. Once harsh chemicals find their way into the food chain they stay there forever, trapped in the animals and sediments. A result of increased pollutants in the atmosphere is the occurrence of acid rain. Sulphur and Nitrogen dioxides drift from developed countries and when they mix with water in the atmosphere they can produce acid rain as strong as lemon juice. The acid snow melts in summer and spring producing an acid shock that can kill animals and plants alike. In 1986 the nuclear reactor in Chernoybl exploded sending a nuclear cloud into the atmosphere that among other places contaminated plants and animals in the Artic region. Particularly affected were lichens, lichens are a plant that makes up the majority of a reindeers' diet. When the reindeers ate the lichens they became radioactive and many thousands had to be shot. Tourism vs conservation. In the battle between tourism and conservation, tourism seems to always win. However in the Artic tourism has so far had little effect (compared to other human activity) on the environment. The scenery and wild life of the Artic are seen as so special that people pay thousands of dollars for a small glimpse of the Artic. It is believed by many that Artic tourism will spread a general concern for the environment. There is no denying that if tourism is not controlled people will destroy what they have come to

Free Essays on The Tale Of A Student’s Life

In The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood shows the fact that men are given way too much power and have way too much credit given to them. I think that she is trying to get across that men are the weaker gender and women have power over men. It may not seem like it on the surface, but I think that is the point she does try to get across. She wrote The Handmaid’s Tale shortly after the elections of Ronald Reagan in the United States and Margaret Thatcher in Great Britain, during a period of conservative revival in the West partly fueled by a strong, well-organized movement of religious conservatives who criticized what they perceived as the excesses of the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s. The growing power of the religious right heightened feminist fears of a reversal of the gains women had made in previous decades. She shows a society without female rights and dominated by males could not function properly. I think that women do have a lot of power, but more is deserved, and they should be treated with the same respect as males. I definitely think that men are physically stronger, and it has been debated who is the smarter gender, I personally think males are, but when it comes to trying to find a girl, and when you do, you’ll drop everything on a dime to do whatever they want you to because we can be manipulated with sex. And I think that it is shown in The Handmaid’s Tale that the women are in control. At first in The Handmaid’s Tale it seems that males are dominant. There is no argument there. The men run society and are perfectly in control over everything and if anyone breaks the rules they’ll be punished. But when Nick and Offred meet in the living room, that fateful night, everything changed. You don’t get to read the story from Nick’s perspective, but you do read that he doesn’t hesitate to kiss her even though he is risking so much. â€Å"He puts his hand on my arm, pulls me against him, hi... Free Essays on The Tale Of A Student’s Life Free Essays on The Tale Of A Student’s Life In The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood shows the fact that men are given way too much power and have way too much credit given to them. I think that she is trying to get across that men are the weaker gender and women have power over men. It may not seem like it on the surface, but I think that is the point she does try to get across. She wrote The Handmaid’s Tale shortly after the elections of Ronald Reagan in the United States and Margaret Thatcher in Great Britain, during a period of conservative revival in the West partly fueled by a strong, well-organized movement of religious conservatives who criticized what they perceived as the excesses of the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s. The growing power of the religious right heightened feminist fears of a reversal of the gains women had made in previous decades. She shows a society without female rights and dominated by males could not function properly. I think that women do have a lot of power, but more is deserved, and they should be treated with the same respect as males. I definitely think that men are physically stronger, and it has been debated who is the smarter gender, I personally think males are, but when it comes to trying to find a girl, and when you do, you’ll drop everything on a dime to do whatever they want you to because we can be manipulated with sex. And I think that it is shown in The Handmaid’s Tale that the women are in control. At first in The Handmaid’s Tale it seems that males are dominant. There is no argument there. The men run society and are perfectly in control over everything and if anyone breaks the rules they’ll be punished. But when Nick and Offred meet in the living room, that fateful night, everything changed. You don’t get to read the story from Nick’s perspective, but you do read that he doesn’t hesitate to kiss her even though he is risking so much. â€Å"He puts his hand on my arm, pulls me against him, hi...

How to Apply for a US Passport

How to Apply for a US Passport Applying for a US passport can be simple or it can be ​a  crash course in bureaucracy. You want simple. Best advice? Learn the rules, assemble everything you need before you apply for your US passport and apply at least 6 weeks before your trip. US Passport  - Do You Need One? All US citizens traveling anywhere outside the United States will need a passport. All children regardless of age, including newborns and infants, must have their own passport. There are special requirements for all minors ages 16 17. A U.S Passport is not required for direct travel within the 50 States (including Hawaii, Alaska, and District of Columbia) and U.S Territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Swains Island). However, if you are traveling to a U.S. State or Territory through another country (for example, traveling through Canada to go to Alaska, or, traveling through Japan to go to Guam), a passport may be required. Also be sure to read the following information on requirements for travel to Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean. Important: Travel to Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) of 2009, most U.S. Citizens returning to the United States from Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean at sea or land ports of entry must have a passport, passport card, Enhanced Driver’s License, Trusted Traveler Program card or other travel document approved by the Department of Homeland Security. It is advised that you refer to the U.S. State Departments Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative information website when planning travel to Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean. US Passport - Applying in Person You must apply for a US passport in person if: You are applying for your first U.S. passport orYou are under age 16 orYour previous U.S. passport was issued when you were under age 16 orYour previous U.S. passport was lost, stolen, or damaged orYour previous U.S. passport was issued more than 15 years ago orYour name has changed since your US passport was issued and you are unable to legally document your name change Also note that there are special rules for all minors under age 16 and all minors age 16 and 17. Proof of US Citizenship Required When applying for a U.S. passport in person, you will need to provide proof of US citizenship. The following documents will be accepted as proof of US citizenship: Previously issued, undamaged US passportCertified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state of birthConsular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of BirthNaturalization CertificateCertificate of Citizenship If you do not have primary evidence of U.S. citizenship or your birth certificate does not meet the requirements, you can submit an acceptable form of Secondary Evidence of US Citizenship. NOTE: Effective April 1, 2011, the U.S. Department of State began requiring the full names of the applicants parent(s) to be listed on all certified birth certificates to be considered as primary evidence of U.S. citizenship for all passport applicants, regardless of age. Certified birth certificates missing this information are no longer acceptable as evidence of citizenship. This did not affect applications already in-process that had been submitted or accepted before April 1, 2011. See: 22 CFR 51.42(a) US Passport Application Form You will also need to fill out, but not sign, Form DS-11: Application for a U.S. Passport. This form must be signed in the presence of the Passport Agent. The DS-11 form may also be filled out online. US Passport Photographs You will need to provide two (2) identical, passport-quality photographs with you application for a US passport. Your US Passport Photographs Must Be: Identical and in color2 x 2 inches in sizeTaken within the past 6 months, showing current appearanceFull face, front view with a plain white or off-white backgroundBetween 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches from the bottom of the chin to the top of the headTaken in normal street attireUniforms should not be worn in photographs except religious attire that is worn dailyDo not wear a hat or headgear that obscures the hair or hairlineIf you normally wear prescription glasses, a hearing device, wig or similar articles, they should be worn for your pictureDark glasses or nonprescription glasses with tinted lenses are not acceptable unless you need them for medical reasons (a medical certificate may be required)Vending machine photos are not generally acceptable Proof of Identification Required When you apply for a US passport in person, you will need to present at least one acceptable form of identification, including: Previously issued, undamaged US passportValid Drivers LicenseNaturalization CertificateCurrent government ID (city, state or federal)Current Military ID (military and dependents) Where to Apply in Person for a US Passport: You can apply in person for a US passport at any Passport Acceptance Facility (usually a Post Office). Processing Fees for a US Passport When you apply for a US passport, you will need to pay the current US passport processing fee. You can also request expedited US passport processing for an additional $60.00 fee. Need Your US Passport Fast?   If you need expedited processing of your application for a US passport, the State Department strongly suggests you schedule an appointment. How Long Will it Take? Current processing times for US passport applications can be found on the State Departments Applications Processing Times web page. Once you have applied for a US passport, you can check the status of your application online. US Passport - Renew by Mail You can apply to renew your US passport by mail if your current US passport: is undamaged and can be submitted with your applicationWas issued when you were age 16 or olderWas issued within the last 15 yearsWas issued in your current name or you can legally document your name change If all of the above are true, you can renew your US passport by mail. Otherwise, you must apply in person. Requirements for Passport Applicants with Puerto Rican Birth Certificates As of October 30, 2010, the Department of State no longer accepts Puerto Rican birth certificates issued prior to July 1, 2010, as primary proof of U.S. citizenship for a U.S. passport book or passport card. Only Puerto Rican birth certificates issued on or after July 1, 2010, will be accepted as primary evidence of U.S. citizenship. The requirement does not affect Puerto Ricans who already hold a valid U.S. passport. The Government of Puerto Rico recently passed a law invalidating all Puerto Rican birth certificates issued prior to July 1, 2010, and replacing them with enhanced security birth certificates with features to combat passport fraud and identity theft.

Expanding Your Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Expanding Your Business - Essay Example Further, the company, The Coffee Shop, pricing for breakfast, lunch, and diner dish is pegged at an average of  £10 per meal, including coffee. Coffee and other beverage prices include  £ 2.60 for Espresso,  £ 2.20 for Americano,  £2.20 for Macciato,  £2.20 for Cortado,  £2.65 for Flat White,  £ 2.65 for Latte,  £ 2.60 for Cappuccino,  £ 2.90 for Mocha,  £ 290 for Hot Chocolate,  £ 2.90 for Iced tea, and  £ 2.90 for Iced Chocolate. The English breakfast prices include  £ 7 bacon sandwich,  £ 3.70 poached egg,  £ 8 for has browns,  £ 11 full breakfast,  £ 7 Scottish smoked salmon and scrambled egg, and  £ 10 Omelette meal. The breakfast menu includes  £ 3 porridge,  £ 4 strawberries and pears,  £4 fruit mix breakfast,  £ 2.50 grapefruit, and  £ toasted bread  £ 1.70. The customers can also savor the  £ 12 hamburger or the stomach filling Longhorn Beef hamburger for  £ 19. Furthermore, the average cost of each menu choice is only 30 percent of the total menu price. The remaining 70 percent represents the amount allocated to paying for the expenses of running the business. The expenses include amount paid for electricity, water, and telephone expenses. The expenses also include the amount paid for the salaries of the coffee shop crew of five persons (Warren, 2009). The company is expected to borrow funds to realize the dream of setting up a residential coffee shop. The amount of loan is twenty percent of the total business capital. With a total business investment of  £ 60,000 pounds, the amount to be loaned is only  £ 20,000. Consequently, the company will pay  £ 1,000 interest per year for the use of the loan amount. The amount  £ 60,000 will be used to prepare the residential unit for the coffee business. The total investment is composed of  £ 40,000 investment by the sole proprietor and  £ 20,000 loan amount (Noreen, 2008). The balance sheet shows that the company uses the loan and the owner’s

Utilization research for congestive heart failure education program Proposal

Utilization for congestive heart failure education program - Research Proposal Example Different intervention strategies have been identified that can help in management and treatment of the CHF. Although different interventional strategies exist, there seems to be increase in readmission, and numbers of CHF continue to go up. This calls for identification and innovation of more suitable intervention strategies that give appropriate results. In this perspective, educational interventional strategies have been identified as the primary strategies that can be used to reduce prevalence of CHF. With education, patients, together with stakeholders involved, are likely to acquire knowledge, skills, tools, and experiences that in long-term are likely to be beneficial in promoting awareness of CHF, hence contributing to management. This research proposal provides for educational interventional strategy and explores the effectiveness of the strategy. In addition, planning, implementation, evaluation, and decision-making processes are evaluated and analyzed, hence their efficacy in contributing to success of educational programs. On overall, for educational programs to promote awareness about CHF, the research proposes for adoption of integrated educational interventional strategy that also facilitates consultation and participation. These aspects make educational interventional strategy appear as the most efficient way of addressing the rising cases of CHF. Utilization Research for Congestive Heart Failure Education Program Background Cases of the heart failing to perform effectively have become more prevalent and pronounced in the modern world. As a result, a medical condition known as heart failure, which is believed to affect many people in USA, has emerged (Heart Failure Society of America, 2011). Heart failure (HF) is today viewed to be an important public health issue that faces the health care system. Heart failure, popularly known as the congestive heart failure (CHF), can be described as a condition where the sufferer is unable to experience sufficient blood flow in the heart, which in turn makes it difficult to meet the physiological needs of the body (Chen and Zieve, 2011). Causes of heart failure are myriad but can be connected to issues of lifestyle and dietary, as well as medications. Although the prevalence of heart failure problems are today more pronounced in the society, it has been observed that majority of people wh o have been affected by the disease are still unaware of the condition (Heart Failure Society of America, 2011). This has largely been associated with lack of knowledge many sufferers have, where symptoms associated with the disease are mistaken for normal signs of advancing in the age (Heart Failure Society of America, 2011). For instance, HF is associated with signs like feeling tired and experiencing frequent short breath, which majority of older patients may think constitutes signs of their advancing age. Therefore, this calls for effective diagnosis, which will help in determining the disease in an individual and subsequently being able to determine the course of treatment and management of the disease. The prevalence of the disease is more pronounced in the modern world, and this has led to accelerated efforts aimed at identifying the best methods that can be used to treat and manage the medical condition. Problem Identification By the

The Character of Achilles Essay Example for Free

The Character of Achilles Essay Achilles is the main character in Homer’s The Iliad translated by Robert Fagles. The Iliad is the story of the battle of Troy, in which Greek heroes fight and die, with much interference from the various gods and goddesses. The story ends when Achilles gives Hector’s body back to King Priam and Hector is buried. Homer uses a number of different literary devices to illustrate Achilles’ character development, such as his actions, what other characters say about him, and his appearance. Throughout this epic poem, Achilles must deal with his conflict of free will versus fate. Achilles’ first encounter with his ongoing conflict occurs in Book 1 when he is deciding whether or not to kill Agamemnon for insulting him (84). Athena almost immediately arrives and says, â€Å"Down from the skies I come to check your rage if only you will yield,† thus implying that Achilles has a choice (84). He can either obey Athena’s orders and earn more treasures in the end or he can go against her orders and suffer the consequences. In the end, Achilles determines that it’s not a smart idea to go against godly orders and submits. Other characters do not have choices like Achilles does. In Book 3, Aphrodite rescues Paris from Menelaus and puts him in the bedroom. Then she goes to Helen and orders her to go to bed with Paris. When Helen protests, Aphrodite becomes irritated and threatens her. This shows that Helen doesn’t have a choice, nor do the other characters, with the exception of Achilles. Also, in Book 20, Zeus says, â€Å"If Achilles fights the Trojans—unopposed by us—not for a moment will they hold his breakneck force. Even before now they’d shake to see him coming. Now, with his rage inflamed for his friend’s death, I fear he’ll raze the walls against the will of fate.† (504). Zeus’ statement shows that Achilles is, in some ways, above fate and will destroy the Greek concept of fate unless someone interferes with his plans. Unfortunately, although Achilles is able to have free will in some aspects, fate still triumphs over him in others. In Book 9, Achilles tells Odysseus, Phoenix, and Ajax what his mother has told him his fate will be. According to Thetis, Achilles can either choose to go home without glory and live to a ripe old age or he can stay to conquer Troy and earn everlasting glory, but he will not leave Troy alive (265). Consequently, Achilles is presented with two fates; however, unlike others, he is able to choose whichever fate he wants. At this point in the story, Achilles is actually considering going home; thus he is choosing to die old, but without undying glory. This completely changes in Book 18 when Achilles learns that Patroclus has been killed by Hector. Now, Achilles will stop at nothing to get his revenge on Hector; therefore he is now choosing the fate in which he will never return home, but he gets eternal glory. Achilles’ new choice of fate is emphasized in Book 19 when Hera gives his horse the ability to speak. Roan Beauty says, â€Å"Yes! We will save your life—this time too—master, mighty Achilles! But the day of death already hovers near, and we are not to blame but a great god is and the strong force of fate†¦ Our team could race with the rush of the West Wind, the strongest, swiftest blast on earth, men say—still you are doomed to die by force, Achilles, cut down by a deathless god and mortal man!† (501-502). Yet another way in which Achilles is bound by fate appears in Book 22 when he is chasing Hector around Troy. Homer writes, â€Å"But once they reached the springs for the fourth time, then Father Zeus held out his sacred golden scales: in them he placed the two fates of death that lays men low—one for Achilles, one for Hector breaker of horses—and gripping the beam mid-haft the Father raised it high and down went Hector’s day of doom, dragging him down to the strong House of Death—and the god Apollo left him.† (548). Zeus’ decision sets in stone that Achilles must be the one to kill Hector before his own death. Before Book 22, other characters had only alluded to Hector’s fate of death at the hands of Achilles.   One of the main characteristics Achilles exhibits is pride. In Book 1, Achilles is insulted by Agamemnon. Achilles replies, â€Å"Staggering drunk, with your dog’s eyes, your fawn’s heart! Never once did you arm with the troops and go to battle or risk an ambush packed with Achaea’s picked men—you lack the courage, you can see death coming. Safer, by far, you find, to foray all through camp, commandeering the prize of any man who speaks against you. King who devours his people! Worthless husks, the men you rule—if not, Atrides, this outrage would have been your last.† (85). This passage shows that Achilles is proud to battle and finds it shameful when men who claim to be the agathos, or the best, do not prove themselves in battle. In Achilles’ culture, being â€Å"good†, or arà ªte, means that you are good at fighting. Achilles is concluding that since Agamemnon is too scared to fight like his inferiors, he must not be arà ªte. Instead, Achilles believes that he is the agathos rather than Agamemnon, since he has proven his arà ªte and Agamemnon has not. However, Achilles’ pride is his downfall up until the point when he learns that his brother-in-arms, Patroclus, has been killed by Hector. The reason Achilles’ pride was his downfall is because Agamemnon would not give him the respect he deserves; therefore he refused to fight due to his pride and anger. When Patroclus is murdered, Achilles wants his revenge on Hector. Before, in Book 9, Odysseus, Ajax, and Phoenix are sent by Agamemnon to beg Achilles to save the Achaeans from the Trojans and Hector’s rampages. Achilles refuses to budge because his pride will not allow him to take orders from Agamemnon. He also believes that there is no hope for the Achaeans since Zeus is protecting and urging the Trojans on to victory (259-266). Achilles could have been honorable and chose to help the Achaeans out, but his pride and anger against Agamemnon over Briseis won’t allow him to do the right thing. In fact, his pride and anger cause him to make minimal appearances throughout the middle books of The Iliad. Achilles’ pride directly relates to his ultimate conflict of fate vs. free will. His pride and lust for glory play a large part in his decisions, predominately during his choice of a long life with no glory vs. a short life with everlasting glory. Throughout The Iliad, Homer and the other characters describe Achilles as being â€Å"god-like†. The gods in Greek culture are all powerful and immortal, but also extremely selfish like egocentric children. They typically do not care about others; they act only to protect their self-interests, such as their favorite cities and their demigod children. Achilles is selfish like the gods and goddesses. When Achilles failed to cease his anger against Agamemnon, he was protecting his own self-interests and not caring about the deaths and struggles of his Achaean allies; thus him being selfish like the gods is a weakness. Also, part of the reason why Achilles is so selfish is because he is trying to act in a way that will prevent anyone from tarnishing his honor. Likewise, Achilles is trying to prove that he has a legitimate reason to be called the aristos more than anyone else, especially Agamemnon, who Achilles views as a disgrace for a man. On the other hand, in Book 1, Agamemnon says, â€Å"Not so quickly, brave as you are, godlike Achilles—trying to cheat me.† (81). Agamemnon is taking note of the fact that Achilles is brave like the deathless gods and goddesses who know no fear. Achilles’ bravery is also shown by the fact that he doesn’t back down from a fight, not even if it’s against a god, like when he battles the river god Scamander in Book 21. Achilles’ bravery certainly benefits him during the Trojan War, and probably earlier wars too, because he was the only mortal man who wasn’t afraid to stand up to Hector, or anyone else for that matter. Another way in which Achilles is godlike is his appearance and strength. In Book 21, Achilles is talking to King Priam’s son, Lycaon, just before he kills him. He says, â€Å"Even Patroclus died, a far, far better man than you. And look, you see how handsome and powerful I am? The son of a great man, the mother who gave me life a deathless goddess. But even for me, I tell you, death and the strong force of fate are waiting.† (523). Here, Achilles is noting that he is as attractive as a god. The fact that Achilles isn’t like other mortals because he can do certain things that only gods and goddesses can do is yet another way in which Achilles can be described as being godlike. Agenor says in Book 21 that â€Å"Achilles is far too strong for any man on earth.† (538). In Book 16, Homer says, â€Å"And Achilles’ only weapon Patroclus did not take was the great man’s spear, weighted, heavy, tough. No other Achaean fighter could heft that shaft, only Achilles had the skill to wield it well: Pelian ash it was, a gift to his father Peleus presented by Chiron once, hewn on Pelion’s crest to be the death of heroes.† (417). Homer’s words emphasize the fact that Achilles has the strength of the immortal gods. Furthermore, in Book 10, Odysseus and Diomedes have just captured the Trojan spy Dolon and are talking with him. Odysseus says, â€Å"By god, what heroic gifts you set your heart on—the great Achilles’ team! They’re hard for mortal men to curb or drive, for all but Achilles—his mother is immortal.†, again showing that Achilles has strength greater than that of any mortal man (290). One of Achilles’ most obvious characters traits is his defiance and opposition to orders. In Book 1, Achilles says to Agamemnon, â€Å"What a worthless, burnt-out coward I’d be called if I would submit to you and all your orders, whatever you blurt out. Fling them at others, don’t give me commands! Never again, I trust, will Achilles yield to you.† (87). Achilles’ dialogue is a classic example of the fact that the most important thing to Achilles is his honor and thus he strives to prove that he, above all other men, is the agathos. Although Achilles has a few character flaws that ultimately influence his fate, he can still be called honorable in a sense. In Book 1, the seer Calchas tells Achilles that if he reveals Apollo’s prophecy, he will anger a very powerful Achaean. Achilles reassures him, â€Å"Courage! Out with it now, Calchas. Reveal the will of god, whatever you may know. And I swear by Apollo, dear to Zeus, the power you pray to, Calchas, when you reveal the god’s will to the Argives—no one, not while I’m alive and see the light on earth, no one will lay his heavy hands on you by the hollow ships. None among all the armies. Not even if you mean Agamemnon here who now claims to be, by far, the best of the Achaeans.† (80). Achilles has now sworn to protect Calchas from anyone who may try to harm him as a result of Apollo’s prophecy; thus Achilles is demonstrating honor. Even when Agamemnon becomes angry with Calchas for the prophecy, Achilles defends Calchas to the end, which in turn creates the extensive conflict between him and Agamemnon. Achilles’ actions prove that he is a man who keeps his word; therefore he is honorable by modern-day standards. Achilles’ trait of honor is a strength that works to his advantage and certainly influences his outcome of his definitive battle of fate versus free will. Achilles’ battle of free will versus fate is the central conflict of The Iliad. The many character traits that Homer makes apparent throughout the narrative ultimately influence Achilles’ actions and choices. Homer just doesn’t base Achilles’ personality traits on his actions. Rather, what other characters say about him gives the reader a clear understanding of who Achilles is and what his motivations are all the way through. Furthermore, Homer has proven that Achilles truly is the agathos. Works Cited Homer. The Iliad. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin Group Inc., 1998. Print.

Psychoanalitic Approach to The Minister’s Black Veil Essays -- Ministe

  Ã‚   "All within hearing immediately turned about, and beheld the semblance of Mr. Hooper, pacing slowly his meditative way towards the meeting-house. With one accord they started, expressing more wonder than if some strange minister were coming to dust the cushions of Mr. Hooper’s pulpit ·" Working in the realm of the Gothic, Nathaniel Hawthorne hits upon psychological points that few of his readers are willing to explore. Of course, one may not be able to relate to an example involving such an "eccentric" display as Mr. Hooper’s. There is a sudden hush throughout the audience, followed by a rush of low whispering. He walks past them, oblivious to the goings-on and proceeds to the front. Something has changed, and everyone is aware. It is painfully obvious that he wanted everyone to know, for the wounds of the change were self-inflicted · Putting the scenario this way helps to give an anonymous and general view to the former example. This method is used to show how realistic, even common, this somewhat absurd event may actually be. In a psychological analysis, this is a necessary element in both de-personalizing a situation and giving it potential for universal application. In Hawthorne’s "The Minister’s Black Veil," many interpretations by way of psychological analysis are possible, and, once exposed, quite apparent. Once revealed, there are many routes for understanding the story in a psychoanalytical context. The main approaches this essay will take involve a "Jungian" analysis, that is, one involving the use of some of the theories and conclusions of German psychoanalyst and pioneer, Carl Gustav Jung, a former student and friend of Sigmund Freud, in interpreting the actions of the characters in the story. Jung’s discord with Fr... ...Jung, whose assertions not only help in the clinical aspect, but in the search for the common message in all of human literary (this includes oral) tradition. Hawthorne’s Gothic shows, whether conscious or not, the underlying conflict that lies within the people of his time as well as the time in which each of his stories take place. It is with this that the key to understanding the self lies within the commonly untapped recesses of the unconscious, an uncomfortable and unnerving concept for everyone, particularly those that have many things to hide. Works Cited Jung, Carl Gustav. Abstracts of the Collected Works of Carl G. Jung. Rockville, Maryland. 1976. Jung, Carl G. The Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche. Tr. R. F. C. Hull. New York, NY. 1960 Lauter, Paul, et al. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. New York, NY; Boston, Mass. 1998   

Last but not the least

Is the sickness of Kelly Bates' derived from the contaminated water that Alumina Inc emitted? Although it has been corrected and the company was found compliant to the EPA regulations, the aftermath to the environment may come delayed. Evidence can be use against Alumina by pulling the EPA violation five years ago. It could be contributory but not sufficient enough to establish wrongful conduct from the violator. There was a breach of duty when the company failed to protect the environment and people from getting harmed.To prove that it was the proximate legal cause of the disease, they have to present a medical valuation report and have to establish the truth or validity that the symptoms can be traced back close to the account of when Alumina had the violation. If proven GU lilt of negligence, the acts of the management should be held liable for the tort committed. Based on this serious accusation and company threat, Alumina should maintain a proactive approach to litigation and it would be beneficial for the company to look at establishing a stringent Enterprise Risk Management procedures.The company must understand the organization as a whole, be able to identify the strategic goals. The management must commit to implement the ERM process. There is a need Of ongoing cycle of identification, assessment, monitoring and reporting of possible risks to the management to make a well-informed decision to mitigate the risk. Communication is mostly concentrated in the management but essential to be disseminated to the proper channels translated to the lower levels of the organization.A well-communicated, consistent, efficient risk management process becomes more essential to have a favorable outcome in having an effective ERM. A review and implementation of the policies and procedures is also detrimental to the health of the company to keep as a guideline for the organization. Last but not the least, training and education is a principal aspect to keep employees con current with their skills, knowledge, and abilities.

Expectation as a Malaysia Living in a Multi-Cultured Society Essay

Malaysia with a population of 28.3 millions (Department of Statistics Malaysia, 2010) is pluralistic and multicultural. The three main ethnic groups constituting the Malays and Bumiputera (67.4%), Chinese (24.6%), Indians (7.3%) have their own unique culture and heritage, such as language, belief system, tradition and religion. The lifestyle patterns of the different groups have direct links to the differences in their values and expectations(Syed Serajul Islam, 2008). Since achieving independence fifty-five years ago, Malaysia has undergone economic transformation in terms of diversification of its agriculturein the 1960s to manufacturing in the 1970s-1980s, and then to technology-based development since the 1990s. These achievements came as a result of the ability of Malaysians, diverse in their culture, to tolerate, and to live and work together in realising the country’s overall goals of growth and prosperity. But then as pointed out by Musa Hitam (2007), nation-building is not just about providing highways, byways and hospitals. It is also about weaving together national values for the citizenry to live by and devising greater missions to galvanize their camaraderie and spirit. Such a vision of weaving together national values is still far from the set goal. For Malaysia up to the present day, except for the 1969 race riot between the Malays and the Chinese, and the 2001 clashes between the Malays and the Indians, race relations have been peaceful unlike what had been experienced in countries with mixed populations such as Nigeria, Rwanda, Bosnia, Thailand, Sudan, and India (Zaid, 2007).The basis for conflict between the ethnic groups stems from identity contestation in the form of language and culture (Shamsul, 2006). In the 1970s, the Malays advocated that the core of the national culture should be that of the Malay. This assimilative approach was unkindly viewed by the Chinese and the Indians. Relationships between the ethnic groups are rather complex, intricate and sensitive, especially when dealing with matters of religion, culture and language. These features are important in identity contestation, a phenomenon created by the British in the context of colonial knowledge and its investigative modalities (Shamsul, 2006). According to Shamsul, it is through the colonial practice of codifying, documenting and representing the social, cultural, economic  and political state in history that modern identities in Malaysia like Malay/Malayness, Chinese/Chineseness and Indian/Indianess have emerged, consolidated and fortified. Realizing the danger of creating distrust among the ethnic groups the government had rescinded the assimilation strategy and sought the policy based on the multicultural model. My expectation as a Malaysian living in the multi-cultured society is every Malaysia residents respect, unite and tolerance with each other although we are different ethnic and having a different cultural background. To push Malaysia and Malaysians to success, we must collaborate in every aspect like education, economic , politics and others. This can be a great advantage for development of Malaysia in global competition as we have different ethnic with different cultural background that we collaborate and creating a better way to work, hence improving our efficiency and productivity compared to other nation that only dominated by single race. In education, my expectation is to have Multicultural Education in every level of school, which mean we have Multicultural Education from kinder garden to university. The crux of having Multicultural Education is achieve its purposes for students, teachers, parents, and administrators of the school system : a) a learning environment that support positive interracial contact; b) a multicultural curriculum; c) positive teacher expectations; d) administrative support; and, e) teacher training workshops (Bennett, 1995). If one of the features is absent, frustration and heightened resentment may occur as backlash behaviors multiply. Besides that, a multicultural curriculum should be considered for several reasons: a) provides alternative points of view relative to information already taught in most educational systems; b) provides ethnic minorities with a sense of being inclusive in history, science etc.; and, c) decreases stereotypes, prejudice, bigotry, and racism in Malaysia and the wo rld. Educational institutions have been dictated too long by attitudes, values, beliefs, and value systems of one race and class of people. The future of our universe is demanding a positive change for all. In Politics, race plays a large role in Malaysian politics, and many Malaysian political parties are ethnically based. The Government’s New Economic Policy (NEP) and the National Development  Policy(NDP) which superseded it, were implemented to advance the standing of Bumiputera Malaysians. The policies provide preferential treatment to Malays over non-Malays in employment, education, scholarships, business, and access to cheaper housing and assisted savings. While improving in the economic position of Malays, it is a source of resentment amongst non-Malays. Prime Minister Dato Sri Mohd Najib Tun Razak has claimed to attempt to close racial divides through the 1Malaysia initiative. The origin of race based politics can be traced back to independence of Malaysia from United Kin gdom, who wanted all citizens of Malaysia to be equal upon independence, instead of dominance by Malays. This caused the political parties of the three major races at the time, the UMNO (representing Malays), the MCA (representing Chinese), and the MIC (representing Indians), to join and form the Alliance Party. My expectation for politics is that we should not dividing ourselves into parts based on our race. We should unite as one to make a better Malaysia and provide everyone a fair chance and right to fight for a higher achievement for our country without any discrimination or preferential treatment. For multi-cultured society in economic sector, the economic consequences of ethnic heterogeneity and ethnic diversity have been topics discussed world widely. The relationship between ethnicity and economic development seems to be one of the key topics to an ideal sustainable developing nation. According to Easterly and Levine (1997), high ethnic diversity has a direct negative effect on economic growth. Furthermore, increase of ethnic diversity associated with more corruption(Mauro, 1995), reduces contribution to local public goods(Alesina et al., 1999), diminishing participation in groups and association (Alesina and La Ferraa, 2000) and higher propensity to from jurisdictions to sort into homogenous groups (Alesina et al., 2004). Moreover, greater ethnic heterogeneity decreases both the probability and the amount an individual contributes to a charitable organization (Okten and Osili, 2005). Although these studies showed the bad effect of ethnic diversity in economic sectors, i still expecting for a successful achievement in Malaysia Economy by uniting the three major races, Malay, Chinese and Indian through collaboration, respecting each other and tolerance. Therefore, a leader and a good plan is necessary for us to unite as one to create a better multi-cultured Malaysia! Reference -Abu Bakar Nordin , Norlidah Alias & Saedah Sira (January 2013). The Malaysia Online Journal of Educational Science. National Integration in Multicultural School Setting In Malaysia, volume 1, issue 1. Retrieved April 20th 2013, from http://moj-es.net/volume01-i01.php -Politics of Malaysia. Participation. Retrieved 23rd April 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Malaysia -Albert, C. (February 2011). The Impact of Ethnicity on the Regional Economic Development in Malaysia. Retrieved 23rd April 2013, from http://www.academia.edu/745998/The_Impact_of_Ethnicity_on_Regional_Economic_Development_in_Malaysia Photos that showing the results of multi-cultural society in Malaysia

A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings Essays

A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings Essays A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings Paper A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings Paper Essay Topic: A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings Themes Doubt and Ambiguity One of this story’s difficult aspects is the sense of uncertainty it creates by leaving important facts unresolved and seeming to offer several possible interpretations for its events. The reader is never allowed to doubt that the old man and his strange wings are as â€Å"real† as anything else in the story; yet the reader can never be sure just what he is - a heavenly angel, a sad human who happens to have wings, or perhaps some other, unexplained possibility. This deliberate uncertainty can leave readers feeling a bit cheated - particularly in what seems to be a fairy tale. Stories are expected to have clear-cut meanings, and the author is expected to reveal them to the reader; if not, there is a tendency to feel he has failed in his storytelling, or that his audience has failed as readers. But in works of realism (and many other forms), ambiguity is often used as an intentional effect, to make a story seem less â€Å"storylike,† and more like life itself. It reflects the understanding that real life is far more uncertain than the stories in books, and often forces readers to choose among several, equally possible explanations of events. As characters in daily life, readers seldom know â€Å"the whole story† - but it is traditional to expect writers to tie all tales neatly together for our understanding. While it complicates the task of the reader, the skillful, suggestive use of ambiguity is often admired by critics, and is usually considered to be one of the most appealing features of â€Å"magic realism. Even in stories dealing with magic or the supernatural, there are rules a writer is expected to follow - for example, that there must always be a clear distinction between magical events and â€Å"normal† ones, and that the nature and significance of all characters is eventually made known to the reader. But as a magic realist, Garcia Marquez insists on breaking these rules as well. Without its fantastic elements, there is no story; yet the reader is never sure just how to take them, and how far to trust the narrator. Sometimes, he makes it obvious that the villagers† magical beliefs are in fact ridiculous delusions; but at other times, the reader seems expected to take logically impossible events at face value. The changing of a human into a giant spider, a man who can’t sleep because â€Å"the noise of the stars† disturbs him - are these things that â€Å"really happened? † Can they be dismissed as mere hallucinations? Are they poetic images, meant to be interpreted on some level beyond their literal meaning? Like the old man with his miracles, Garcia Marquez may be suspected of having a kind of â€Å"mocking fun† with the reader, suggesting all sorts of miraculous possibilities, then stubbornly contradicting all the expectations he creates. In appreciating such a story, it may be necessary to limit one’s reliance on clear meanings and moral lessons, and to be prepared to enjoy the sheer wealth of possibility and comic misunderstanding that is presented. The Problem of Interpretation One effect of ambiguity is to focus attention on the uncertain nature of all efforts to assign meaning to events. The troublesome nature of interpretation has been a matter of intense interest for literary critics in the years since this story was written - which may be one reason Garcia Marquez remains a popular subject of scholarly attention. Many theorists stress that all â€Å"readings† (whether of texts, or of life itself) are strongly influenced by their context, and by the specific interests and point of view of the person making the judgment. While one may detect such influence in the opinions of others, it usually operates unconsciously in the self; the assumptions behind one’s own thinking are so familiar that one tends not to even recognize them as assumptions. Some critics go so far as to suggest that all explanations are actually inventions, and that â€Å"true meanings† can never be reliably determined. While one may not choose to embrace so extreme a position, the speculation serves as a reminder that confident pronouncements about the world are seldom, if ever, as rational or disinterested as one believes them to be. The villagers† quirky thought-patterns may be seen as a parody of this universal human tendency. They â€Å"talk themselves into† all kinds of wild speculations, clinging to irrational notions (such as the â€Å"fact† that mothballs are the proper food for angels) and leaping to impossible conclusions (for example, that the old man should be named â€Å"mayor of the world. †) It seems that, once they get an idea into their heads, they willfully convince themselves of its truth and ignore any evidence to the contrary - unless a more appealing version of the truth comes along. Their folly is a kind of exaggerated ignorance, which Garcia Marquez uses consistently for comic effect; but in their unquestioning application of â€Å"conventional wisdom,† and their stubborn faith in their own ideas, they reflect habits of mind that can be recognized in all cultures. On another level, the author may be seen as placing the reader in much the same position - forcing the reader to accept interpretations that seem absurd, or to give up any hope of understanding events. In this sense, it might be said that the story’s meaning lies in the manner it denies any clear meanings, complicating the reader’s efforts to understand, and showing usual means of determining the truth in a strange, uncertain light. The context of literature may tempt one to â€Å"read into† these odd characters, looking for symbolic meanings and creatively-coded messages from the author. Nothing prevents the reader from doing so, but there are few clues or hints to help and no obvious way to confirm or deny any interpretation one may construct. The reader can’t be sure if he is finding the story’s meaning or making one up; he may even wonder if the story has a meaning at all. Garcia Marquez presents a rich mystery, which engages the reader’s thinking and seems to â€Å"make sense† in the manner of fairy tales; then he leaves the reader to decide its meaning for himself. However one goes about the job, he is never allowed to escape the suspicion that he may, in his own way, wind up being as foolish and gullible as the villagers. Characters Bird-Man See Very old man with enormous wings Elisenda In her marriage to Pelayo, Elisenda takes an active part in decision-making. Her husband runs to get her as soon as he discovers the old man, and they try to make sense of him together, apparently sharing the same reactions. It is she who first conceives of charging the villagers admission to see the â€Å"angel,† an idea which makes the couple wealthy. At the end of the story, she is the mistress of an impressive mansion, dressed in the finest fashions. Yet the old man seems to be a constant annoyance to her, a feeling that only intensifies over time. He is useless and infuriating to her, â€Å"dragging himself about here and there like a stray dying man†; she seems to be constantly shooing him out of her way. She eventually grows so â€Å"exasperated and unhinged† that she screams that she is living in a â€Å"hell full of angels. † Elisenda is also the only witness to the old man’s departure, watching silently from the kitchen window as he tries out his newly regrown wings. Her reaction as he disappears over the horizon shows a measure of sympathy for the â€Å"senile vulture,† as well as her hope that her own life will return to normal: she lets out a sigh of relief â€Å"for herself, and for him. Father Gonzaga A former woodcutter, Father Gonzaga is the village priest whose religious training and standing in the community make him a moral and intellectual authority. Of all the characters, he seems uniquely qualified to pass judgment on the strange visitor and to determine whether he is really one of God’s angels or â€Å"just a Norwegian with wings. † However, his understanding of church doctrine leads him to no solid conclusions. He counsels the villagers to withhold their own judgment until he can receive a definitive answer from scholars in the Vatican. Father Gonzaga is never able to provide an explanation, and he loses sleep over the mystery until his parishioners eventually lose interest in the old man entirely. Examining the angel-like creature, Father Gonzaga immediately suspects that he is â€Å"an impostor. † The old man’s unbearable odor, his derelict condition, and his undignified appearance all make him seem â€Å"much too human† to accept as a perfect immortal or member of a divine race. But rather than make a judgment from the evidence of his senses (and knowing that the devil likes to trick people with appearances), he applies a series of tests to the old man, presumably based on church teachings about the nature of angels. First, he greets the old man in Latin; the lack of a response is yet another suspicious sign, for it shows that the â€Å"angel† doesn’t â€Å"understand the language of God or know how to greet His ministers. † A series of letters from higher church authorities results in further â€Å"tests† of divinity (Does the old man have a belly-button? Does his language seem related to the biblical dialect of Aramaic? ) but fail to lead him to any final judgment. Unable to provide the answer that they seek from him, the Father can only warn his flock not to jump to any conclusions - a warning which they ignore with enthusiasm. As a comic authority figure Father Gonzaga is open to a variety of interpretations. He is clearly ineffective in his role as a spiritual authority and as a source of wisdom and enlightenment. His superiors in the church hierarchy prove no more helpful and seem to be obsessed with obscure heological abstractions, such as how many angels can fit on the head of a pin. Such factors suggest at least a mildly satirical view of the Catholic Church and perhaps of organized religion in general. To some critics, Father Gonzaga’s means of inquiry are also a parody of the scientific method, while his fruitless correspondence with church scholars reflects the useless-ness of bureaucracies everywhere. And other critics even see a reflection of themselves - the figure of the cultural authority, whose profession makes him unwilling to admit the obvious limits of his understanding. Old Man See Very old man with enormous wings Pelayo It is Pelayo, the town bailiff, who discovers the old man with wings struggling face down in the courtyard of his home after a storm. As the strange visitor begins to attract crowds, Pelayo and his wife, Elisenda, exhibit him as a carnival attraction. Though the old man proves to be only a temporary sensation, he creates a highly profitable windfall for the young couple. In â€Å"less than a week they had crammed their rooms with money† from paid admissions; they quickly earn enough to rebuild their house as a mansion and to live in luxury by village standards. Pelayo quits his job and sets up a rabbit warren on the edge of town, trading a minor administrative position for the leisurely life of a gamekeeping squire. While Pelayo’s discovery of the winged being brings him great fortune, it also brings confusion and complication into his life. It is not the sort of luck he hopes to see repeated. When he and Elisenda design their new home, they are careful to include â€Å"iron bars on the windows so that angels wouldn’t get in. † Spider-Woman The centerpiece of a traveling carnival, the â€Å"woman who had been changed into a spider for disobeying her parents† proves to be a more popular attraction than the old man, causing the villagers to lose interest in him and putting an end to Pelayo and Elisenda’s profitable courtyard business. As a young girl, she had once gone dancing all night against her parents’ wishes; later, while walking home, she was allegedly struck by lightning and transformed into â€Å"a frightful tarantula the size of a ram. . . with the head of a sad maiden. † Compared to the baffling old man, the spider-woman provides a far more satisfying spectacle. While she is at least as grotesque and fantastic as the â€Å"bird-man,† she charges a lower admission price; more importantly, she is willing to communicate freely with her visitors, recounting her sad experience and inspiring sympathy for her fate. The â€Å"meaning† of her story is easy to grasp and teaches a clear moral lesson - one that confirms the villagers’ conventional beliefs. In contrast, the old man makes no attempt to explain himself and seems to contradict all religious and folk beliefs about the nature of angels. His very existence raises disturbing questions, but he offers no reassuring answers. Very Old Man with Enormous Wings The old man is the story’s central character and its central mystery. He is given no name but is precisely described in the title, which includes everything that can be said about him with any assurance: he is an extremely old man, in failing health, with all the frailties and limitations of human old age, and he has a huge pair of bird’s wings growing from his back. We follow the other characters in their comic efforts to explain him, to assign some â€Å"meaning† to his sudden appearance, and finally to just put up with his annoying presence, but when he flies away at the story’s end, the mystery remains. The very idea of a â€Å"winged humanoid† evokes the image of angels, and most of the â€Å"wise† villagers quickly assume that he is an angel. But everything about him seems to contradict traditional stereotypes of heavenly power and immortal perfection. When Pelayo first finds him in the courtyard, apparently blown out of the sky by a strong rainstorm, his condition is pathetic: he lies â€Å"face down in the mud,† â€Å"dressed like a ragpicker,† and tangled in his half-plucked, bug-infested wings. The narrator tells us directly that this â€Å"pitiful condition of a drenched great-grandfather had taken away any sense of grandeur he might have had,† and Father Gonzaga underscores the point later, when he observes that â€Å"nothing about him measured up to the proud dignity of angels. † Nor do the villagers allow him any dignity or respect; throughout the story, they treat him â€Å"without the slightest reverence. † He is displayed like a circus animal or sideshow freak; poked, plucked, and prodded; branded with a hot iron; pelted with stones and garbage; and held prisoner for years in a filthy, battered chicken coop, exposed to the elements. Though he is the source of the family’s great fortune, Elisenda comes to find him an intolerable annoyance, becoming â€Å"exasperated and unhinged† by his presence. He is understandably â€Å"standoffish† toward people, tolerating only the company of the couple’s young child, and the villagers come to think of him as â€Å"a haughty angel who scarcely deigned to look at mortals. † Given his cruel captivity, the reader can only agree when the narrator observes that his â€Å"only supernatural virtue seemed to be patience. Even this virtue is later deprived of any otherworldly greatness; it becomes merely â€Å"the patience of a dog who had no illusions. † The old man is described in imagery of earthly poverty and human weakness, contradicting traditional heavenly stereotypes. Even the birds with which he is compared to are ignoble ones (â€Å"buzzard wings,† â€Å"a huge decrepit hen,† â€Å"a senile vulture†). Yet there is clearly something of the magical about him beyond his unexplained wings and mysterious origin. He does, after all, perform miracles - but they, too, fail to satisfy expectations. The blind man’s sight isn’t restored, but he suddenly grows three new teeth; the leper’s sores aren’t cured, but sunflowers begin growing from them. These are â€Å"consolation miracles,† which show â€Å"a certain mental disorder,† as if senility had caused his magic powers to misfire. Alternately, they could be practical jokes, a form of â€Å"mocking fun† to avenge his abuse by the crowd. Their sick child recovers when Pelayo and Elisenda take in the old man, but this could be coincidence, or perhaps another case of failed magic (if, as the neighbor woman believes, he is an angel of death sent to take the baby). And, despite his obvious infirmities, he is possessed of a surprising inner strength. His health seems to be in irreversible decline throughout; a doctor’s examination finds it â€Å"impossible for him to be alive,† and very late in the story his death appears imminent. Yet with the coming of spring, after years of uselessness, his wings grow new feathers and regain their strength, allowing him to escape the village forever. Although his wings make him a creature of the sky and he is clearly not at home on land, the old man also has some association with the sea. He comes from the sea (or at least from over it), washed up with a tide of crabs by a three-day storm; his first attempts to fly away are accompanied by â€Å"a wind that seemed to come from the high seas. † Pelayo and Elisenda first take him for a foreign sailor (perhaps because they detect â€Å"a strong sailor’s voice† in his incomprehensible speech), and an early plan called for him to be set out to sea on a raft with provisions. As his wings begin to regenerate, he sings â€Å"sea chanteys† under the stars. Critics disagree in their interpretations of this connection and in their judgments on its significance. But in Garcia Marquez’s other works, they often find the sea to be an important theme or symbol, both as a natural force of great power (equally capable of bringing rich gifts or terrible destruction), and as a force associated with the supernatural. Several of his stories include episodes where unusual strangers from the â€Å"outside world† appear in a small town and have a strong effect on its people. Very often, these remarkable visitors arrive by sea. The old man is also connected in some way with Pelayo and Elisenda’s child. The newborn is ill when he first appears, but quickly recovers when the â€Å"angel† takes up residence. The â€Å"wise neighbor woman† believes that he was sent to takes the child’s life. Both the child and the old man come down with chicken pox at the same time, and the old man uncharacteristically allows the child to play with and around him, tolerating â€Å"ingenious infamies† with patience. But beyond these details, the connection or bond between the two is not developed. Because the old man is a misunderstood outsider subjected to cruel mistreatment, he becomes primarily a figure of pity - a strange emotion for an â€Å"angel† to inspire. He has enough magical qualities to let the reader see him, at least potentially, as a figure of wonder, but his very human vulnerability keeps this from being much more than a suggestion. Finally, there is at least an equal suggestion of a potential â€Å"dark side. † Pelayo’s first impression is that of having seen a â€Å"nightmare,† and the â€Å"mental disorder† of the old man’s miracles suggests that his â€Å"magic powers† are uncontrollable, making him dangerous. When burned with a branding iron, his startled wing-flapping creates â€Å"a whirlwind of chicken dung and lunar dust,† â€Å"a gale of panic that did not seem to be of this world. † It is almost a moment of terror; when he calms down, the villagers regard him with renewed caution and fear: â€Å"his passivity was not that of a hero taking his ease, but that of a cataclysm in repose. † And though his visit brings truly miraculous results for Pelayo and Elisenda by making them fabulously wealthy, it also seems to be a frightful and unnerving experience for them. Elisenda comes to feel that she lives in â€Å"a hell full of angels,† and when they design their dream home, the couple make sure to â€Å"angel-proof † it with iron bars. Media Adaptations  ·Ã¢â‚¬Å"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings† was adapted, with some modifications, as a film with the same title in 1988, in a Spanish production directed by Fernando Birri. Starring Daisy Granados, Asdrubal Melendez, and Luis Alberto Ramiriz, the film is available with English subtitles on Fox/Lorber Home Video, Facets Multimedia, Inc. or from Ingram International Films. Plot Summary While Garcia Marquez makes no divisions in the text, this discussion will consider the plot in four separate stages. The story begins with the â€Å"old man’s† arrival and ends with his departure. The intervening period, which covers several years, may be divided into two stages: the brief sensation caused by his appearance and a long period of declining interest in which the strange visitor is all but forgotten. Arrival The setting is an unnamed coastal village, at an unspecified time in the past. A long rainstorm has washed crabs up from the beach into Pelayo’s house, creating an odor he thinks may be affecting his sick newborn child. Disposing of their carcasses, he sees a figure groaning on the ground in his courtyard; as he moves closer, he discovers it to be â€Å"an old man, a very old man, lying face down in the mud, who, in spite of his tremendous efforts, couldn’t get up, impeded by his enormous wings. † Staring at this pitiful â€Å"bird-man,† Pelayo and his wife Elisenda begin to overcome their amazement, and even find him familiar, despite those mysterious wings. While they can’t understand his language, he seems to have â€Å"a strong sailor’s voice,† and at first they decide he is a shipwrecked foreign sailor, somehow managing to overlook the need to explain his wings. But a neighbor soon â€Å"corrects† them, stating confidently that he is an angel. Assuming he is nothing but trouble, she advises them to kill him. Not having the heart for it, Pelayo instead locks the old man in his chicken coop, still planning to dispose of him, only now by setting him to sea on a raft. He and Elisenda wake the next morning to find a crowd of neighbors in the courtyard and a far more complicated situation on their hands; suddenly, â€Å"everyone knew that a flesh-and-blood angel was held captive in Pelayo’s house. † Sensation The villagers treat the old man like a â€Å"circus animal†; they toss him food and speculate about what should be done with him. Some think he should be made â€Å"mayor of the world,† others want him to be a â€Å"five-star general in order to win all wars,† and still others hope he will father a super-race of â€Å"winged wise men who could take charge of the universe. The village priest arrives to inspect the captive, and presumably to make a more reasoned judgment on his nature. Father Gonzaga suspects â€Å"an impostor† at once and finds the old man’s pathetic appearance to be strongly at odds with the church’s traditional image of heavenly messengers. Finding the old man smelly and decrepit, his battered wings infested with insects, and showing no knowledge of church etiquette, the priest concludes that â€Å"nothing about him measured up to the proud dignity of angels. Despite his skepticism, he refuses to give a definitive ruling on the old man, choosing instead to write letters to his church superiors and wait for a written verdict from scholars in the Vatican. In the meantime, he warns the villagers against reaching any rash conclusions. But word of the â€Å"angel† has already traveled too far, drawing fantastic crowds and creating a carnival atmosphere; events unfold quickly, described in language that suggests the exaggerated, dreamlike world of fairy-tales. Surrounded by all this hectic activity, the old man takes â€Å"no part in his own act,† keeping to himself and tolerating the abuses and indignities of his treatment with a patience that seems to be â€Å"[h]is only supernatural virtue. † Drawn by the crowds, traveling circuses and carnivals arrive in town - including one that provides formidable competition for the puzzling attraction of â€Å"a haughty angel who scarcely deigned to look at mortals. † Decline The new sensation is â€Å"the spider-woman,† whose fantastic nature includes none of the majesty we associate with angels; she represents a kind of â€Å"magic† familiar from fairy-tales and folk legends. When still a girl, she once disobeyed her parents by going dancing; later, on the way home, she was struck by lightning and changed into a giant tarantula, retaining her human head. As a spectacle, she appeals to the crowd in ways the old man cannot, and even charges a lower admission price. Significantly, she speaks to her visitors, explaining the meaning of her monstrous appearance; her sad story is easy to understand, and points to a clear moral (children should obey their parents), one her audience already believes to be true. In contrast, the old man does nothing to explain himself, teaches nothing, and doesn’t even entertain people; rather than confirming their beliefs, his mysterious nature challenges all the expectations it creates. He does perform some miracles, but they are equally puzzling, seeming to be either practical jokes or the result of some â€Å"mental disorder. † These disappointing miracles â€Å"had already ruined the angel’s reputation, when the woman who had been changed into a spider finally crushed him completely. The crowds disappear from Pelayo and Elisenda’s courtyard as suddenly as they had come, and the unexplained mystery of the â€Å"bird-man† is quickly forgotten. Still, thanks to the now-departed paying customers, Pelayo and Elisenda are now wealthy. They rebuild their home as â€Å"a two-story mansion with balconies and gardens and high netting so that crabs wouldn’t get in during the winter, and with iron bars on the windows so t hat angels wouldn’t get in,† and settle into a life of luxury. But the ruined chicken coop and its ancient captive remain; as the years pass, the couple’s growing child plays in the courtyard with the old man, who stubbornly survives despite his infirmities and neglect. When a doctor comes to examine him, he is amazed that the old man is still alive, and also by â€Å"the logic of his wings,† which seem so natural that the doctor wonders why everyone doesn’t have them. Even the bird-man’s mystery and wonder grow so familiar that he eventually becomes a simple nuisance: a disagreeable old man, â€Å"dragging himself about here and there,† always underfoot. Elisenda seems to find him everywhere in the house, as if he were duplicating himself just to annoy her; at one point she grows so â€Å"exasperated and unhinged† she screams that she is living in a â€Å"hell full of angels. † Finally the old man’s health deteriorates even further, and he seems to be near death. Departure As winter gives way to the sunny days of spring, the old man’s condition begins to improve. He seems to sense a change taking place in himself, and to know what it means. He tries to stay out of the family’s sight, sitting motionless for days in the corner of the courtyard; at night, he quietly sings sailor’s songs to himself. Stiff new feathers begin to grow from his wings, and one morning Elisenda sees him trying them out in the courtyard. His first efforts to fly are clumsy, consisting of â€Å"ungainly flapping that slipped on the light and couldn’t get a grip on the air,† but he finally manages to take off. Elisenda sighs with relief, â€Å"for herself and for him,† as she watches him disappear, â€Å"no longer an annoyance in her life but an imaginary dot on the horizon of the sea. † Style Imagery In establishing the character of the old man, Garcia Marquez plays against traditional stereotypes of angels. Angels are supernatural creatures and are expected them to be presented in images that convey grandeur, perfection, wisdom, and grace. By definition, angels are contrasted with humans; though they resemble humans physically, they are super-human in every conceivable way. But like Father Gonzaga, the reader’s first response to the old man is likely to be that he is â€Å"much too human. † Instead of presenting a majestic, awe-inspiring figure, Garcia Marquez describes a creature with mortal weaknesses and senility (â€Å"a drenched great-grandfather†), in circumstances without any trace of reverence or dignity. While his feathered wings invite comparisons with birds, even this imagery is common and debased; he is â€Å"a senile vulture† or a â€Å"decrepit hen,† not a soaring eagle or an elegant swan. While the villagers face the problem of understanding an apparent â€Å"angel† who fits none of their expectations for the type, the reader finds himself placed by the author in the same position. Also unusual is the way Garcia Marquez combines different types of imagery. The opening line reveals that it is â€Å"the third day of rain,† and a few lines later this information is repeated in another form: â€Å"The world had been sad since Tuesday. † One is a direct statement of fact, which might appear in a weather report; the other is a poetic image, projecting human emotions onto the weather and individual feelings onto the entire world. Expressed in other terms, the reader accepts the first version as â€Å"real,† while the second version (if taken at face value) is â€Å"magical,† involving a logically-impossible connection between human feelings and the weather. Both attitudes are familiar to readers, who know to read a factual account in a rational, literal frame of mind, and to suspend disbelief in a more imaginative story, where descriptions are expected to be used for their creative, suggestive effects. But Garcia Marquez never allows the reader to settle comfortably into one attitude or the other; throughout the story, realistic and magical details are combined, seeming to suggest that both attitudes are valid, and that neither one is sufficient by itself. Narration The ambiguity within the story is reinforced by inconsistencies in the narrative voice. The narrator is, after all, the â€Å"person† presenting all this odd imagery to the reader, and readers habitually look to the narrator for clues to help find a proper interpretation. For example, when the narrator states that Father Gonzaga’s letters to his church superiors â€Å"might have come and gone until the end of time† without reaching a conclusion, he confirms the reader’s suspicion that the priest’s approach is futile, despite his confident assurances to the crowd. Narrators don’t just present facts; they also give direction as to â€Å"how to take† the information we receive This narrator, however, seems to direct the reader all over the map and to be inconsistent in his own attitude to events. The villagers† wild ideas about the old man are often presented as obvious delusions, characterized as â€Å"frivolous† or â€Å"simple† by the narrator. But at other times, he seems no more skeptical than the villagers. For example, the story of the spider-woman seems far more fantastic than that of an old man with wings, but the narrator gives no suggestion that her transformation is particularly unusual and seems to expect the reader to accept this frankly â€Å"magical† event as if it presented no mystery at all. Though they are wise in ways the villagers are not, and see through the various fanciful interpretations of the visitor, readers come to feel that the narrator may not fully understand the old man himself. Such an unreliable storyteller makes a mystery even more mysterious, complicating efforts to fix a definite meaning to the tale.