Basic Marketing Principles of Malaysian Airlines - Free Solution

Question: Portray about Concept and procedure of promoting, Concepts of division, focusing on and situating, and Marketing blend in various settings of Malaysian Airline? Answer: Dynamic This report will contain inside and out expository and graphic data on Malaysian Airline in context of advertising procedures and practices in existing and potential situation that includes division, focusing on and position systems. This report will concentrate on current situation of Malaysian Airline and distinguished disasters occurred with MH17 and MH370. Considering these awful episodes that affected on by and large brand notoriety of Malaysian Airline alongside sway on piece of the overall industry this report will talk about on how the carrier will rethink, plan and build up its new item and administration to make increasingly upper hand in existing and likely market. The report will introduce data on most ideal choice as far as new item and administration improvement and their showcasing techniques to target clients and recapture piece of the overall industry. The whole report will separate in four areas and numerous sub segments that will introduce showcasing methodologies and issue tending to approach/practice of the Malaysian carrier. Becoming weary of Never-Ending Assignments? Recruit an Expert from MyAssignmenthelp and Get the Necessary Assignment Help at a Reasonable Rate. Presentation Malaysian Airline is one of renowned aircraft brand in carrier industry that offers their types of assistance in 80 goals worldwide with larges workforce. Every day around 37,000 travelers travel through Malaysian aircraft. The Malaysian carrier has picked up its market and brand notoriety on account of its greatness administration, cordiality practice, warmth and kind disposition culture. In the underneath segments and subsections secured contrast showcasing process and vital methodologies in context of distinguish and present arrangement in against of existing and potential issue which think about less control air traffic the executives practices and wellbeing concerns. The report will concentrate on showcasing correspondence practices and components of advertising process as far as upgrade the general nearness of Malaysian Airlines. 1. Idea and procedure of promoting 1.1 Concept and component of promoting process American promoting affiliation has characterized idea of showcasing as set of exercises, forms, creation, correspondence, offers and offer qualities for clients, customers, partners and society. Thus, Kotler characterized advertising as set of social and administrative procedures which give esteems as items and administrations that provide food people and gatherings needs and need. Based on above idea of promoting that introduced by AMA and Kotler demonstrate and focal point of clients and markets need and need through various arrangement of social and administrative procedures to cook items and administrations. Concerning above ideas the Malaysian Airlines which is one of biggest carrier and give scope of administration in general 80 goals in around the world. Consistently close around 37,000 travelers are going through Malaysian aircraft. To build up its image worth and market serious nearness the Airline center around warmth and invitingness culture, amazing neighborliness, quality assistance. The best lodge group, one of a kind Malaysian neighborliness, culture assists with imparting its worth based administrations for its objective market. Contrast set of procedures Malaysian Airline has acquainted with characterized its qualities based administrations and impart same to its clients. (Ama.org, 2014) Underneath focuses characterize qualities, shortcomings, openings and dangers of Malaysian Airline in context of showcasing procedure: Qualities Malaysian esteemed and quality neighborliness. Overall nearness and canvassed 80 goals in overall nearness alongside give stage to travel 37,000 travelers every day. Successful and productive showcasing correspondence practices and procedures Backing from Malaysian government Clients driven methodology Shortcoming Undesirable past occasions that includes planes smashed that affected by and large brand picture of Airline and reflect absence of activity control framework. Contingent upon global moving traffic Constrained piece of the overall industry Opportunity More development extension to have or build showcase nearness that sway on piece of the overall industry Center and present increasingly residential and worldwide course to cover more goal Upgrade air terminal office administrations Dangers High measure of costs of fuel and ceaseless increment of fuel cost Quickly change in government rules and guidelines The above recognized key practices and procedures clarified promoting exercises of Malaysian Airline. The cutting edge idea of showcasing centers around clients arranged methodologies and practices. The significant movement of showcasing is to recognize clients, impart them about items and administration by distinguishing their need and need. Correspondingly, Malaysian Airline has distinguished clients' inclination during voyaging that incorporates friendliness administrations, security and wellbeing and more goals. The association is consistently concentrating on every one of these boundaries and attempting to mastermind greatness administration for their objective market. (Sagar, 2014) 1.2. Cost and advantages of market exercises Numerous advertisers bolstered and defended how promoting exercises is basic significant for any brand fabricating and keeping up that brand in existing and likely markets. At the same time, these showcasing exercises characterize and structure in such way that will give bigger consumer loyalty and convey esteem based items and administrations that organization is providing food. If there should arise an occurrence of Malaysian Airline, there was happened some awful occasion/catastrophes with flight MH370 MH17 consecutive in most recent a half year. Anyway this aircraft made great brand picture as far as their administrations practice and in general culture systems. For the most part in such cases plane slammed, carrier incline toward rebranding alternative however here due to consecutive two cases and high measure of misfortune as far as plane cost, certainty of their current and likely clients, by and large volume of deals and all affected severely the Malaysians business. Here, the organization needs to advertise and impart their client about key feature of future methodology and practice of Malaysian carrier to forestall such episodes to recapture piece of the overall industry and clients certainty. The Rebranding procedure is little test as this convey significant expense. Yet, through high measure of advertising techniques the Malaysian aircraft can acc omplish their objectives: Making of new notice message that incorporate forestalling steps and guarantee more wellbeing. Proceed with Warmth and neighborliness culture. Concentrate on friendliness the board and furthermore center around administrations that provide food in air terminal region. 2. Ideas of division, focusing on and situating 2.1. Large scale and miniaturized scale ecological variables that impact advertising choices Malaysian aircrafts frameworks have confronted colossal difficulties because of numerous elements, for example, full-administration transporter carrier organizations in different nations. Smaller scale condition factors: Competitors are the significant issue in high edge of intensity. Watchmen five powers To assess the miniaturized scale condition of Malaysian Airlines frameworks, the Porters strategy would be utilized: Danger of new passage: Malaysian carriers frameworks have not been affected by new dangers for the worldwide stage in light of the fact that the organization has had the option to support for long haul. There could have odds of new participants in the market on the grounds that these mergers may give serious proposals to their clients. Client bartering power: The choice of clients for picking the carriers are best with assortment of contributions and clients have high intensity of haggling to fly at the value they are eager to pay. Providers power: Malaysian Airlines had purchased a couple of airplanes from airbus and Boeing and Airbus has high force towards their clients since they hoard for quite a while and offers great wellbeing measures. Substitutes: Traveling through air is ecological cordial and spares high time. Serious contention: Malaysian Airlines offers alluring advancements and limits to their clients to get by in the serious world. Clients The aircraft business is brimming with administrators from numerous areas and no organization has a restraining infrastructure on flights. In this way, Malaysian Airlines should concentrate on the clients conduct and request. Full scale condition Irritation components would identify with large scale natural examination. Political components: Malaysia has appealing travel spots and government advances and deals with the travel industry advantages for actualize approaches and enactments. Financial variables: Malaysia has been classified as a creating nation and the buying intensity of the individuals has been worried by numerous different contenders. Social elements: Government has actualized significant approaches to help the business in keeping up the engaging quality for incredible friendliness. Mechanical elements: Malaysian Airlines offers online administrations for their clients to book the tickets on the web and to offer bundles, for example, appointments of inns and so forth. Malaysian Airlines has likewise been offering phenomenal and digitalized screen that comprises of films, music and so forth. Segment condition Populace hugy affects the deals of Malaysian Airlines and the expansion in the quantity of populace likewise impacts the deals. Simultaneously, the interest of the item likewise increments. (Thakor Mistri, 2012) 2.2. Division Market focusing on is an advertising idea that encourages advertiser to meet the market objectives into progress. Market fragment is partitioned into various territories known as geographic, psychographic and segment portions. Segment division: According to segment research, the normal period of travelers of Malaysian Airlines is 14.6 years and it ranges from 25 years or more. The greater part of the travelers have high salary to utilize the administrations and representatives

The changing demographics in Texas have transformed electoral politics Essay

How to Tell if a Business Opportunity is Really a Scam

How to Tell if a Business Opportunity is Really a Scam How to Tell if a Business Opportunity is Really a Scam How to Tell if a Business Opportunity is Really a ScamWhen assessing a potential job or business opportunity to see whether its a scam, stick to the Duck Rule. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck Hello, friend! No wait, don’t walk away! We have an intriguing opportunity we think you’ll be interested in. So you know elephants, right?Yeah, those elephants, the ones with trunks and big feet. Well, we’ve been working with an animal scientist who has done research suggesting that “service elephants” would be more effective than service dogs. They can use their trunks to open doors and perform other tasks.Now we know what you’re thinking: How can you get the service elephants onto airplanes?And that’s where you come in. We’re gathering investors for a new business initiative. Our business, Babair, will make planes large enough for the upcoming service elephant boom we know is on the way. So would you like to write a check?Thanks! But…YOU JUST GOT SCAMMED. Fortun ately, this was only a test, but that was one example of a business scam you might face. Which is why it’s important to recognize the signs for when a business opportunity is really just a scam.Know the red flags.There are certain terms that should set off the alarm bells in your head when you’re reading over a job opportunity.The most common types of opportunities that usually end up being some kind of scam, are ones involving working-at-home, investments, and mystery shopper jobs,” warned Stephen Hart, CEO of  Cardswitcher.“Where you spot the initial advert for the opportunity should tell you a lot about its provenance and whether or not you can trust it. Most business opportunity scams are advertised on the internet on general classified advert websites.”Sometimes it’s less about specific aspects of the business offer, and more about what you aren’t being told that should arise your skepticism.“The best way to evaluate whether or not a business opportunity is a sc am is to take a step back,” advised Jonaed Iqbal, founder and CEO of  NoDegree.com. “Often times when we are approached with a business opportunity, we get very excited and think of all the possibilities.However, it is best to evaluate the situation as if you were a 3rd party. How credible is the person who is telling you about the business opportunity? Is it a random person? If you had a great opportunity, would you just offer it to a random person or would you offer it to someone with a specific skill set who can make the most of the opportunity? Wouldn’t you at least evaluate the prospect to make sure they are a good fit?Another thing to look for out is when people are vague. They just throw buzzwords in your face but do not go in detail. They just tell you that it is a great opportunity. If they are willing to give anyone who comes their way a chance at the opportunity, it is best to walk away.”Justin Lavelle, Chief Communications Officer for  BeenVerified.com, offered a similar warning:“Beware of vague answers. Many business scams come under a very thin cover. In fact, many Multi-Level-Marketing businesses (MLMs) will outright tell their employees not to ever say what the opportunity really isâ€"just that you need to hear about a great opportunity. Red flag: If the pitch person can’t be honest about what the opportunity actually is, run!”You can read more about the risks posed by MLMs in this blog post.Use your gut and study up.There isn’t a template you can apply to every business offer, so at some point, you’re going to have to use your common sense and research skills to make a determination.“If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it most likely is,” Lavelle laid out. “Use your gut. If something sounds too good to be true and feels suspicious, it probably is.Many business opportunities, especially the MLM variety like to build lots of hype to get you hooked only to leave you holding the bag full of cleaning products, ma ke-up, jewelry, skincare, or whatever it was that was going to be your ticket to riches.“Do some due diligence. Research the company. Research the people. Research the product. Contact the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General. A little homework can expose a world of wrong!”Other contributors also subscribed to the Duck Rule.When it comes to spotting whether or not an opportunity is legitimate sometimes the old advice is the best,” explained Hart. “If something seems too good to be true, the chances are that it most likely is.An opportunity that seems to present you with the chance to make an awful lot of profit, very quickly, for very little, initial capital outlay should set alarm bells ringing.Take extra care to avoid the REALLY bad ones.Losing money to a business scam is bad. But that’s not all you can lose.“Keep in mind there are ‘business opportunities’ that can immediately be profitable but are almost always illegal,” warned identity theft expert a nd CEO of  Safr.Me Robert Siciliano.“These opportunities usually revolve around shipping products or transferring funds from one account to the other. These ‘opportunities’ mean that the ‘employee’ would be a ‘mule’ for an organized crime syndicate functioning as a web mob.”Regardless of whether you’re worried about losing your money or your freedom, you should consult the proper person before signing on.“Do not ever give out financial information to a prospective business or franchise without proper advice from an attorney, an accountant, or both to be safe,” explained Lavelle.“Many scams will try and convince their prey that they are trustworthy and further questions and verification are unnecessary.”OK, that’s enough negativity for now.The good ones.Now that you know how to spot a bad business opportunity, what are some signs of a good business opportunity?“People with good business opportunities generally target people who have something specific to offer,” Iqbal told us. “For example, is the opportunity present to you because you have a specific background and can offer your expertise? Does it make sense? If you can make sense of how it works, that is a good sign. If it doesn’t make sense to you, walk away.If you have to make an investment, figure out exactly what the money is for. If they tell you that you have to sign up for their program in order to sell, walk away. You shouldn’t have to pay to sell things for someone else.Also make sure that they are comfortable with you taking some time to think about the opportunity. They should be open to criticism and they should understand that you want to do your due diligence. If someone is trying to rush you, that is not a good sign.”Whitney Joy Smith, president of The Smith Investigation Agency and Smith Training Centre, gave her own list of positive signs:They have a legitimate online presence on social media, review sites, BBB, etc.They go through the steps of investm ents or mergers with legal teams and contracts.All financials are disclosed, and both parties feel good about the discussions.You have heard others having positive experiences or read reviews and recommendations about the company or investment.They are not scared to answer questions.”Finally, here are two more good signs courtesy of Dennis Shirshikov, financial analyst at  FitSmallBusiness.com:“Good business opportunities take time. Always ask yourself: ‘Why am I being offered this?’ If you receive some grand promise, consider why the current owner or the person introducing you to the idea isnt doing it themselves. Surely everyone wants to have a business that can double their money. A good business opportunity will likely take time to develop and grow, it wont be handed to you brand new and ready.“Look for past success. Many people prefer going for a business model with proven success. This reduces their risk of failure and the number of things they need to consider. The best example of this is a franchise. Although everyone knows about McDonalds, there are thousands of franchises that require far less capital and cover industries from dry cleaning to bicycle repair.”This advice should give you a good starting point when considering a new business opportunity. Now that we have that out of the way, there’s this great bridge that you can get for cheap right now Keep your money safe.There are lots of things out there that can drain your bank account, from poor investments and scammers to predatory no credit check loans and short-term bad credit loans like payday loans, title loans, and cash advances.And while the solutions to these problems varyâ€"from changing your password to maintaining a well-stocked emergency fund to choosing an affordable installment loanâ€"the principles at hand are the same: Do your research, keep your eyes peeled, and always be prepared for the worst!To learn more about how you can keep your money and your identity safe fr om potential scammers, check out these other posts and articles from OppLoans:5 Steps You Can Take to Prevent Identity TheftNever Trust and Always Verify: How to Avoid Getting Scammed Over Email10 Common Scams: How They Work and How to Avoid ThemDating App Dangers: 7 Tips to Avoid Getting Scammed by a Fake RomanceDo you have a   question about scams youd like us to answer? Let us know! You can find us  on  Facebook  and  Twitter.  |  InstagramContributorsAfter working in the financial industry for several years, Stephen Hart left his role as Chief Financial Officer at WorldPay to launch the UK’s first payment processing comparison site, Cardswitcher. Nowadays, he helps SMEs save money on their payment processing costs.Jonaed Iqbal is a New York native who graduated from Queens College with degrees in applied mathematics and economics. He later attended Columbia University for their master program in actuarial science. Jonaed worked as an actuary for a couple of years. While workin g as an actuary, Jonaed started NoDegree.com. NoDegree is a career resource for those without college degrees. He saw that there were plenty of opportunities for those without college degrees and that the rising cost of tuition made it a challenge for many to afford college. He also saw that college wasn’t for everyone. He continues to work on NoDegree.com and hopes to educate people about opportunities and help those without college degrees.Justin Lavelle  is a Scams Prevention Expert and the Chief Communications Officer of  BeenVerified.com (@BeenVerified). BeenVerified is a leading source of online background checks and contact information. It helps people discover, understand and use public data in their everyday lives and can provide peace of mind by offering a fast, easy and affordable way to do background checks on potential dates. BeenVerified allows individuals to find more information about people, phone numbers, email addresses,  and property records.Dennis Shirshikov i s a Financial Analyst with  FitSmallBusiness.com (@FitSmallBiz). Dennis earned an MS with an emphasis in Financial Risk Modeling and spend most of his career working with startups. When not helping small businesses and teaching Economics to college students at CUNY Queens College.Robert Siciliano  (@RobertSiciliano) is a #1 Best-Selling Author and CEO of  Safr.Me.  Safr.Me is funny  but serious about teaching you and your audience fraud prevention and personal security. Robert is a United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla Staff Officer of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security whose motto is Semper Paratus (Always Ready). His programs are cutting edge, easily digestible and provide best practices to keep you, your clients and employees safe and secure. Your audience will walk away as experts in identity theft prevention, online reputation management, online privacy and data security.With over ten years of experience in the private investigation industry, Whitney Joy Smith has seen it all. Having worked through over 1,700 case files, she understands what it takes to get effective results, and expects only the best from her team of qualified investigators. Whitney not only operates an award-winning company but is also the recipient of the International AI- Influential Business Woman Award for the Best Woman-Owned Private Investigative Agency in eastern Canada and the Most Innovative Woman in Executive Protection.

Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford - Tudor Lady-in-Waiting

Jane Boleyn, Viscountess Rochford, born Jane Parker (circa 1505 - February 13, 1542), was a noblewoman and a courtier at the court of Henry VIII of England. She married into the Boleyn/Howard family and spent the rest of her life embroiled in their intrigues. Early Life Jane was born in Norfolk, though the year is not recorded: record-keeping was imperfect at the time, and a daughters birth was not significant enough. Her parents were Henry Parker, 10th Baron  Morley, and his wife Alice (nee Alice St. John). Like most girls of noble birth, she was likely educated at home; records are scarce. She was sent to court sometime before her fifteenth birthday to join the court of Katherine of Aragon. The first record of Jane being noted at court came in 1520, where she was part of the royal party that traveled to France for the Field of the Cloth of Gold meeting between Henry and Francis I of France. Jane was also recorded as participating in a court masquerade pageant in 1522, which indicates she was likely considered very pretty, although no confirmed portraits of her survive. Joining The Boleyns   Her family arranged her marriage to George Boleyn in 1525. At the time, Georges sister Anne Boleyn was a leader in court society, but had not yet caught the kings eye; her sister Mary had recently been Henrys mistress.  As a respected member of a powerful family, George earned a wedding present from the king: Grimston Manor, a house in Norfolk. By 1526 or 1527, Annes power had increased, and with it the fortunes of all the Boleyns. George Boleyn was given the title Viscount Rochford in 1529 as a mark of royal favor, and Jane became known as Viscountess Rochford (Lady Rochford was the appropriate form of direct address). Despite all these material gains, Janes marriage was probably an unhappy one. George was unfaithful, and historians have debated the exact nature of his debauchery: whether he was promiscuous, gay, violent, or some combination thereof. Nevertheless, the marriage did not result in any children. Boleyn Rise and Fall In 1532, when Henry VIII entertained the French king Francis I at Calais, Anne Boleyn, and Jane Boleyn appeared together. Henry finally divorced Katherine, and Anne married Henry in 1533, at which time Jane was a lady of the bedchamber to Anne. The nature of her relationship with Anne is not recorded. Some speculate that the two were not close and that Jane was jealous of Anne, but Jane did risk temporary exile from court to help Anne banish one of Henrys younger mistresses. Annes marriage to Henry began to fail, however, and Henrys attentions began to turn to other women. Anne miscarried in 1534 and had discovered that Henry was having an affair. Somewhere along the line, Janes loyalties shifted away from the faltering queen. By 1535, Jane had definitely sided against Anne, when Jane was part of a Greenwich demonstration protesting that Mary Tudor, not Annes daughter Elizabeth, was the true heir. This incident led to a stay in the Tower for Jane and for Annes aunt, Lady William Howard. In May 1536, the Boleyns fell. George was arrested and accused of incest and treason, and Anne was accused of witchcraft, adultery, treason, and incest. Some have concluded that the idea that Anne and her brother George were committing incest may have been spread by Jane. While this is unknown, Janes testimony was likely key evidence used in Thomas Cromwells case against Anne.  Another charge against Anne at her trial, though it was not spoken in court, was that Anne had told Jane that the king was impotent - a piece of information Cromwell had obtained from Jane.   George Boleyn was executed on May 17, 1536, and Anne on May 19.  Janes motivations in this betrayal are lost to history: she may have been terrified by Henrys vengeance, but the reputation she gained in history was as a jealous harpy who schemed against her in-laws. Lady To Later Queens After her husbands death, Jane Boleyn retired to the country. She was in serious financial trouble and obtained some help from her father-in-law. Apparently, Thomas Cromwell was also helpful to the woman who had been helpful to him in making the case against Anne, and she was allowed to continue using her aristocratic title. Jane became a lady of the bedchamber to Jane Seymour and was selected to bear the train of the Princess Mary at the queens funeral. She was lady of the bedchamber to the next two queens, as well. When Henry VIII wanted a quick divorce from his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, Jane Boleyn provided evidence, saying that Anne had confided in her in a roundabout way that the marriage had not actually been consummated. This report was included in the divorce proceedings. Now firmly with a reputation for eavesdropping and meddling, Jane became a crucial figure in the household of Henry VIIIs young, new wife, Catherine Howard  - a cousin of Anne Boleyn.  In that role, she was found to have been a go-between arranging visits between Catherine and her love Thomas Culpeper, finding them meeting places and hiding their meetings. She may even have instigated or at least encouraged their affair, for reasons unknown. Downfall and Depictions When Catherine was accused of the affair, which amounted to treason against the king, Jane  first denied knowledge of it. The interrogation of Jane over this matter caused her to lose her sanity, raising questions whether shed be well enough to be executed. A letter to Culpeper was produced in Catherines handwriting, in which was found the sentence, Come when my Lady Rochford is here, for then I shall be at leisure to be at your commandment. Jane Boleyn was charged, tried, and found guilty. Her execution took place on Tower Green on February 3, 1542, after Jane made a prayer for the king and alleged she had falsely testified against her husband. She was buried at the Tower of London, near Catherine, George, and Anne.   After her death, the image of Jane as the jealous accuser and manipulator firmly took hold and was accepted as fact for centuries. Most fictional portrayals of her have depicted a jealous, unstable, vicious woman at worst and an easily manipulated tool of powerful men at best. In recent years, however, biographers and historians have revisited her legacy and questioned whether or not Jane simply did the best she could to survive one of the most dangerous courts in history. Jane Boleyn Fast Facts Full Name:  Jane Boleyn, Viscountess RochfordBorn:  circa 1505 in Norfolk, EnglandDied:  February 13, 1542 on Tower Green, LondonSpouse: George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford (m. 1525 - 1536)Occupation:  English nobility; lady of the bedchamber for four queensKnown for:  Sister-in-law to Anne Boleyn who may have testified in her downfall; lady-in-waiting to five of Henry VIIIs queens Sources Fox, Julia.  Jane Boleyn: The True Story of the Infamous Lady Rochford.  London, Weidenfeld Nicolson, 2007.Weir, Alison. The Six Wives of Henry VIII.  New York, Grove Press, 1991.

Guns, Germs, And Steel Essay - 1174 Words

Guns, Germs, and Steel Essay The historical book Gun, Germs, and Steel written by Jared Diamond explains a variety of different themes as to why the world came to be as it is today. The differences in technology and advances differing between other countries. Why is Eurasia more advanced and innovated than other continents like, the Americas? Why didn’t every country develop to an equal pace in advancement? Diamond’s major theme is that environmental differences influenced the differences in the world’s society’s not different human intellectuals. He illustrates how agriculture, geography, and diseases influenced these changes. The earliest stage of human evolution came to be found in Africa. Human history began about 7 million years ago and came from a descendant of the gorilla line. These early humans known as Homo erectus dispersed to different continents and started colonizations. Since every human being came from the same background it supports diamon d’s theory that different human intellectuals wasn’t the cause of different advancements. As the inhabitants of Africa started to create new tools Europe and Asia began to follow this trend. As of some 400,000 years ago, Cro-Magnons in Europe developed modern skeletons, superior weapons, and other advanced cultural traits, a sign human evolution. Geography motivated human migration to land where the climate was better suited for agriculture and the raising of animals. The Sahara desert blocked the entrance to theShow MoreRelatedGuns, Germs, and Steel Essay2859 Words   |  12 PagesGuns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, by Jared Diamond, attempts to explain why history progressed differently for people from various geographical regions. 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A Dirty Job Chapter 17 Free Essays

string(21) " I could fall apart\." 17 WAS IT GOOD FOR YOU? The next morning, Jane’s girlfriend Cassie heard someone in the hall and opened the door. Charlie stood there, covered in blood, black goo, and smelling of sandalwood and almond oil; he had a cut over his ear, blood crusted in his nose, the front of his pants were in shreds, and there were tiny black feathers stuck to him everywhere. â€Å"Why, Charlie,† she said, somewhat surprised, â€Å"it appears that I underestimated you. We will write a custom essay sample on A Dirty Job Chapter 17 or any similar topic only for you Order Now When you decide to get your freak on, you do not mess around.† â€Å"Shower,† Charlie said. â€Å"Daddy!† Sophie called from her bedroom. She came running out with arms thrown wide, followed by two giant dogs and a lesbian aunt in Brooks Brothers. Halfway across the living room she saw her father, turned, and went squealing out of the room in terror. Jane pulled up by the couch and stared. â€Å"Jesus, Chuck, what’d you do, try to fuck a leopard?† â€Å"Something like that,† Charlie said. He stumbled by her and went through his bedroom to the master bath. Jane looked at Cassandra, who was trying to keep her smile from breaking into laughter. â€Å"You wanted him to get out more.† â€Å"You tell him about Mom?† Jane said. â€Å"Thought that news should come from you,† said Cassandra. Well, guns suck, I can tell you that,† said Babd, the most recent of the three death divas to make an appearance Above. â€Å"Sure, they look great from down here, but up close – noisy, impersonal – give me a battle-ax or a cudgel any day.† â€Å"I like to cudgel,† said Macha, who had her claws up inside Madison McKerny’s severed head and was working the mouth like a hand puppet. â€Å"It’s your own fault,† scolded Nemain. She had one of Madison McKerny’s silicone implants – bits of fuck-puppet gore still clinging to it – and was pressing it to Babd’s wounds to heal them. Even as the black flesh regenerated, the red glow in the implant dimmed. â€Å"We’re wasting the power in these. And after waiting years to get another soul?† Babd sighed. â€Å"I suppose in retrospect the hand job wasn’t such a great idea.† â€Å"I suppose the hand job wasn’t such a great idea,† mocked Macha’s hand puppet. â€Å"I did that on the battlefields of the North, what, ten thousand times?† said Babd. â€Å"A final wank for the dying warrior – just seemed like the least I could do. I’m especially good at it, you know. It takes a powerful touch to keep a soldier hard when his guts are running between his fingers.† â€Å"She is good at it,† said Orcus. â€Å"I’ll vouch for that.† He leaned back on his throne to display three feet of black, bull death-wood to show his enthusiasm. â€Å"Not now, I just did my lipstick,† puppeted Macha with the head, making its eyes bug out with her claws so it appeared that the dead girl was impressed by Orcus’s prodigious unit. They all snickered. She’d had Orcus and her Morrigan sisters giggling all morning with her puppet show, putting the implants on a shelf and working the head above them. â€Å"Of course they’re real, he really paid for them, didn’t he?† They’d been giddy since pulling the soul vessels out of the fuck puppet’s grave, that victory even overshadowing Babd’s failure to kill the Death Merchant. But as the light ebbed out of the implants, their mood darkened. Nemain threw the useless implant against the bulkhead of the ship and it exploded and spattered the room with clear goo. â€Å"What a waste,† she growled. â€Å"We will take the Above, and I will eat his liver while he watches.† â€Å"What is it with you and eating livers?† Babd said. â€Å"I hate liver.† â€Å"Patience, Princesses,† said Orcus as he weighed the remaining implant in his talon. â€Å"We were a thousand years coming to this place, for this battle, a few more to gather our force will but make the victory sweeter.† He snatched the head away from Macha and took a bite out of it as if it were a crisp, ripe plum. â€Å"You really could have passed on the hand job, though,† he said, spraying bits of brain at Babd. I’ve got us on a flight to Phoenix at two,† Jane said. â€Å"We connect there to a commuter and we’re in Sedona by suppertime.† Charlie had just come out of the shower and wore only a pair of fresh jeans. He was drying his hair with a beige towel, leaving red streaks on it from his still-bleeding scalp. He sat down on the bed. â€Å"Wait, wait, wait. How long has she known?† â€Å"They diagnosed her six months ago. It had already spread from her colon to her other organs.† â€Å"And she waited until now to tell us.† â€Å"She didn’t tell us. A guy named Buddy called. Evidently they’ve been living together. He said she didn’t want us to worry. He broke down on the phone.† â€Å"Mom’s living with a guy?† Charlie was staring at the red stripes on the towel. He’d been up all night, trying to explain to Inspector Rivera what had happened in the alley, without actually telling him anything. He was bleeding, battered, exhausted, and his mother was dying. â€Å"I can’t believe her. She flipped when Rachel moved in before we were married.† â€Å"Yeah, well, you can yell at her for being a hypocrite when you see her tonight.† â€Å"I can’t go, Jane. I have the store, and Sophie – she’s too little for something like this.† â€Å"I called Ray and Lily, they’ve got the shop covered. Cassandra will watch Sophie overnight and the Communist-bloc ladies can watch her until Cassie gets home from work.† â€Å"Cassie’s not coming with you?† â€Å"Charlie, Mom still refers to me as her tomboy.† â€Å"Oh yeah, sorry.† Charlie sighed. He was nostalgic for the days when Jane was the freak in the family and he was the normal one. â€Å"You going to try to reconcile that with her?† â€Å"I don’t know. I don’t really have a plan. I don’t even know if she’s lucid. I’ve been on autopilot since I heard. I was waiting for you to get home so I could fall apart. You read "A Dirty Job Chapter 17" in category "Essay examples"† Charlie stood up, went to his sister, and put his arms around her. â€Å"You did great. I’m back, I got it from here. What do you need?† She hugged him back, then pushed back with tears in her eyes. â€Å"I need to go home and pack. I’ll come by at noon with a cab to get you, okay?† â€Å"I’ll be ready.† He shook his head. â€Å"I can’t believe Mom is living with a guy.† â€Å"A guy named Buddy,† Jane said. â€Å"The slut,† Charlie said. Jane laughed, which is all that Charlie wanted right then. Lois Asher was sleeping when Charlie and Jane arrived at her home in Sedona. A potbellied sunburned man wearing Bermuda shorts and a safari shirt let them in: Buddy. He sat at the kitchen table with Charlie and Jane, and professed his love for their mother, told them about his own life as an aircraft mechanic in Illinois before he retired, then recited a play-by-play of what they had done since Lois had been diagnosed. She’d gone through three courses of chemotherapy, then, sick and hairless, she had given in. Charlie and Jane looked at each other, feeling guilty that they hadn’t been there to help. â€Å"She didn’t want to bother you two,† Buddy said. â€Å"She’s been acting like dying was something she could do in her spare time, between hair appointments.† Charlie snapped to attention. That was the kind of thing he’d thought to himself several times when he was retrieving a soul vessel and had seen people who were so far in denial about what was happening to them that they were still buying five-year calendars. â€Å"Women, what are you gonna do with ’em,† Buddy said, winking at Jane. Charlie suddenly felt a great wave of affection for this sunburned little bald guy who his mother was shacked up with. â€Å"We want to thank you for being here for her, Buddy.† â€Å"Yeah.† Jane nodded, still looking a little dazed. â€Å"Well, I’m here for the whole shebang, and then some, if you need me.† â€Å"Thanks,† Charlie said. â€Å"We will.† And they would, because it was immediately evident to Charlie that Buddy was going to hang on himself only as long as he felt he was needed. â€Å"Buddy,† said a soft female voice from behind Charlie. He turned to see a big, thirtyish woman in scrubs: another hospice worker – another of the amazing women that Charlie had seen in the homes of the dying, helping to deliver them into the next world with as much comfort and dignity and even joy as they could gather – benevolent Valkyries, midwives of the final light, they were – and as Charlie watched them at work, he saw that rather than become detached from, or callous to their job, they became involved with every patient and every family. They were present. He’d seen them grieve with a hundred different families, taking part in an intensity of emotion that most people would feel only a few times in their lives. Watching them over the years had made Charlie feel more reverent toward his task of being a Death Merchant. It might be a curse on him, but ultimately, it wasn’t about him, it was about serving, and the transcendence in serv ing, and the hospice workers had taught him that. The woman’s name tag read GRACE. Charlie smiled. â€Å"Buddy,† she said. â€Å"She’s awake and she’s asking for you.† Charlie stood. â€Å"Grace, I’m Charlie, Lois’s son. This is my sister, Jane.† â€Å"Oh, she talks about you two all the time.† â€Å"She does?† said Jane, a tad surprised. â€Å"Oh yes. She tells me you were quite the tomboy,† Grace said. â€Å"And you – † she said to Charlie. â€Å"You used to be nice but then something happened.† â€Å"I learned to talk,† Charlie said. â€Å"That’s when I stopped liking him,† Jane said. Lois Asher was propped in a nest of pillows, wearing a perfectly coiffed gray wig tied back in the style she had always worn her real hair, a silver squash-blossom necklace and matching earrings and rings, a mauve silk nightgown that blended so well with the Southwestern decor of the bedroom that it looked as if Lois might be trying to disappear into her surroundings. And she did, except the space she’d made for herself in the world was a little bigger than she now required. There was a gap between the wig and her scalp, her nightgown hung almost empty, and her rings jangled on her fingers like bangles. It was clear to Charlie that she hadn’t actually been sleeping when they’d arrived, but had sent Buddy out with the excuse to give Grace time to dress and arrange her for presentation to her children. Charlie noticed that the squash-blossom necklace was glowing dull red against Lois’s nightgown and he felt a long, sad sigh rise in his chest. He hugged his mother and could feel the bones in her back and shoulders, as delicate and fragile as a bird’s. Jane tried to fight down a sob as soon as she saw her mother, but managed only to produce what sounded like a painful snort. She fell to her knees at her mother’s bedside. Charlie knew it was perhaps the stupidest question one could ask the dying, yet he asked: â€Å"How are you doing, Mom?† She patted his hand. â€Å"I could use an old-fashioned. Buddy won’t let me have any alcohol, since I can’t keep it down. You met Buddy?† â€Å"He seems like a nice man,† Jane said. â€Å"Oh, he is. He’s been good to me. We’re just friends, you know.† Charlie looked across the bed at Jane, who raised her eyebrows. â€Å"It’s okay, we know you guys are living together,† Charlie said. â€Å"Living together? Me? What do you take me for?† â€Å"Never mind, Mom.† His mother waved off the thought as if she was shooing a fly. â€Å"And how is that little Jewish girl of yours, Charlie?† â€Å"Sophie? She’s doing great, Mom.† â€Å"No, that’s not it.† â€Å"What’s not it?† â€Å"It wasn’t Sophie, it was something else. Pretty girl – too good for you, really.† â€Å"You’re thinking of Rachel, Mom. She passed on five years ago, remember?† â€Å"Well, you can’t blame her, can you? You were such a sweet little boy, then I don’t know what happened to you. Do you remember?† â€Å"Yeah, Mom, I was sweet.† Lois looked at her daughter. â€Å"And what about you, Jane, have you found yourself a nice man? I hate the idea of you being alone.† â€Å"Still looking for Mr. Right,† Jane said, giving Charlie the â€Å"we’ve got to get away and have an emergency meeting† head toss that she had practiced around their mother since she was eight. â€Å"Mom, Jane and I will be right back. We can call Sophie and talk to her then, okay?† â€Å"Who’s Sophie?† Lois asked. â€Å"She’s your granddaughter, Mom. You remember, beautiful little Sophie?† â€Å"Don’t be silly, Charles, I’m not old enough to be a grandmother.† Outside the bedroom Jane fumbled around and in her purse and produced a pack of cigarettes, but couldn’t figure out whether to smoke one or not. â€Å"Holy Motown Jesus with Pips, what the fuck is going on in there?† â€Å"She’s got a lot of morphine in her, Jane. Did you smell that acrid smell? That’s her sweat glands trying to take the poisons out of her body that her kidneys and liver would normally filter. Her organs are starting to shut down, it means that there’s a lot of toxins going to her brain.† â€Å"How do you know that?† â€Å"I’ve read about it. Look, she never lived in reality completely, you know that? She hated the shop and hated Dad’s work, even though it supported her. She hated his collecting, even though she was just as bad. And the thing with Buddy not living here – she’s trying to reconcile who she’s always thought she was with who she really is.† â€Å"Is that why I still want to punch her lights out?† Jane said. â€Å"That’s wrong, isn’t it?† â€Å"Well, I suppose – â€Å" â€Å"I’m a horrible person. My mother is dying of cancer and I want to punch her lights out.† Charlie put his arm around his sister’s shoulder and started walking her toward the front door so she could go outside and smoke. â€Å"Don’t be so hard on yourself,† he said. â€Å"You’re doing the same thing, trying to reconcile all the moms that Mom ever was – the one you wanted, the one she was when you needed her and she was there, the one she was when she didn’t understand. Most of us don’t live our lives with one, integrated self that meets the world, we’re a whole bunch of selves. When someone dies, they all integrate into the soul – the essence of who we are, beyond the different faces we wear throughout our lives. You’re just hating the selves you’ve always hated, and loving the ones you’ve always loved. It’s bound to mess you up.† Jane stopped and stepped back from him. â€Å"Then how come it’s not messing you up?† â€Å"I don’t know. Maybe because of what I went through with Rachel.† â€Å"So you think that when someone dies suddenly like that, that this face-reconciliation thing happens?† â€Å"I don’t know. I don’t think it’s a conscious process. Maybe more for you than for Mom, you know what I mean? You feel like you have to put things right before she’s gone, and it’s frustrating.† â€Å"So what happens if she doesn’t integrate all that before she dies. What happens if I don’t?† â€Å"I think you get another chance.† â€Å"Really? Like reincarnation? What about Jesus and stuff?† â€Å"I think that there’s a lot of stuff that’s not in the book. In any of the books.† â€Å"Where’s this coming from? I never got the impression you were spiritual. You wouldn’t even go to yoga with me.† â€Å"I wouldn’t go to yoga with you because I’m not bendy, not because I’m not spiritual.† They’d gotten to the door, and when Charlie pulled it open it made the same sound a refrigerator door makes. When they stepped out onto the front porch he realized why, as a wave of hundred-and-ten-degree heat hit them. â€Å"Jeez, did you accidentally open the door to hell?† Jane said. â€Å"I don’t need to smoke this badly. Get inside, get inside, get inside.† She shoved him inside and closed the door. â€Å"That’s heinous. Why would someone live in this climate?† â€Å"I’m confused,† Charlie said. â€Å"Did you start smoking again or not?† â€Å"I didn’t really,† Jane said. â€Å"I just have one when I’m really stressed out. It’s like thumbing your nose at Death. Haven’t you ever felt like doing that?† â€Å"You have no idea,† Charlie said. With Charlie and Jane there, they sent the hospice nurse home at night and watched Lois in four-hour shifts. Charlie gave his mother her medication, wiped her mouth, fed her what little she would take in, but by now she was mostly having sips of water or apple juice, and he listened as she lamented losing her looks and her things, as she remembered being a great beauty, the belle of the ball at parties before he was born, an object of desire, which clearly she loved more than being a wife or a mother or any of the dozen other faces she had worn in her life. Sometimes she would actually turn her attention to her son†¦ â€Å"I loved you as a little boy. I would take you to cafs in North Beach and everyone would just dote on you. You were so sweet. Beautiful. Both of us were.† â€Å"I know.† â€Å"Remember when we dumped all of the cereal out of the boxes so you could get the prize out? A little submarine, I think? Do you remember?† â€Å"I remember, Mom.† â€Å"We were close then.† â€Å"Yeah, we were.† Charlie would take her hand then and let her remember great times that they had never really had. The time had long passed for correcting facts and changing impressions. When she exhausted herself he let her sleep, and read by a flashlight sitting in the chair at her bedside. He was there, in the middle of the night, reading a crime novel, when the door opened and a slight man of about fifty crept into the room, stopped by the door, and looked around. He wore sneakers and black jeans, a long-sleeved black T-shirt – but for the oversized wire-frame glasses, he was just short a hand grenade and a survival knife from looking like someone on a commando mission. â€Å"Just be quiet,† Charlie said softly. â€Å"She’s sleeping.† The little man jumped straight up about two feet and came down in a crouch. He was breathing hard and Charlie was afraid he might faint if he didn’t relax. â€Å"It’s okay. It’s in the top drawer of that dresser over there – it’s a squash-blossom necklace. Take it.† The little man ducked behind the door, then peeked around the edge. â€Å"You can see me?† â€Å"Yes.† Charlie put his book down and got up from the chair, and went to the dresser. â€Å"Oh, this is bad. This is really, really bad.† â€Å"It’s not that bad,† Charlie said. The little man shook his head violently. â€Å"No, it’s really bad. Look away. Look over there. I’m not here. I’m not here. You can’t see me.† â€Å"Here it is,† Charlie said. He took the squash-blossom necklace from its velvet case in the drawer and held it up. â€Å"What is?† â€Å"What you’re looking for.† â€Å"How did you know?† â€Å"Because I do what you do. I’m a Death Merchant.† â€Å"A what?† Then Charlie remembered that Minty Fresh said he had coined the term, so maybe only the Death Merchants in San Francisco knew it. â€Å"I collect soul vessels.† â€Å"No, you don’t. You can’t see me. You can’t see me. Sleep. Sleep.† The little man was waving his hands up and down in the air like he was drawing a curtain of deception before him, or possibly clearing spiderwebs out of the room. â€Å"These are not the droids you seek,† Charlie said, grinning. â€Å"What?† â€Å"You don’t have Jedi powers, you git. Just take the necklace.† â€Å"I don’t understand.† â€Å"Come with me,† Charlie said. â€Å"It’s time for my sister to watch her anyway.† He led the little guy out of his mother’s room into the living room. They stood by the front window, looking at the sun coming up and casting shadows of the broken teeth of the red rock mountains around them. â€Å"What’s your name?† â€Å"Vern. Vern Glover.† â€Å"I’m Charlie. Nice to meet you. How long does she have, Vern?† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"How long on your calendar. How many days were left?† â€Å"How do you know about that?† â€Å"I told you. I do what you do. I can see you. I can see that necklace glowing red. I know what you are.† â€Å"But you can’t. The Great Big Book says that horrible Forces of Darkness will rise if I talk to you.† â€Å"See this cut over my ear, Vern?† Vern nodded. â€Å"Forces of Darkness. Fuck ’em. Fuck the Forces of Darkness, Vern. How long does my mother have?† â€Å"It’s your mother? I’m sorry, Charlie. She has two more days.† â€Å"Okay,† Charlie said, nodding. â€Å"Then we’d better go get a doughnut.† â€Å"Pardon?† â€Å"Doughnut! Doughnut! You like doughnuts, don’t you?† â€Å"Yes, but why?† â€Å"Because the continuance of human existence as we know it depends on us having doughnuts together.† â€Å"Really?† Vern’s eyes went wide. â€Å"No, not really. I’m just fucking with you.† Charlie put his arm around Vern’s shoulder. â€Å"But let’s go get one anyway. I’ll wake my sister for her watch.† Charlie called home from his mobile phone to check on Sophie. Then, satisfied she was safe, he returned to the booth at Dunkin’ Donuts, where Vern and a cruller were waiting for him. Vern had taken off his stocking cap and had a wild mop of silver gray hair over large, aviator-frame glasses that made him look like a tan and wiry mad scientist. â€Å"So like she was really hot?† â€Å"Vern, you wouldn’t believe. I’m telling you, body of a goddess. Covered with really fine feathers, soft as down.† Charlie innately recognized another Beta Male like he recognized another Death Merchant, so he nearly stumbled over himself to tell the story of his adventure with the sexy sewer harpy, knowing he had a sympathetic audience. â€Å"But she was going to put her claw through your brain, right?† â€Å"Yeah, she said she was, but you know something, I think there was some chemistry there.† â€Å"You don’t think it was just that she had your crank in her hand at the time, because that can cloud a guy’s judgment.† â€Å"Yeah, there’s that, but still, you have to think, of all the Death Merchants in all of the cities on the planet, she chose me to share the death wank. I think she had a thing for me.† â€Å"Well, you’re in the City of Two Bridges,† said Vern, brushing a little maple glaze from the corner of his mouth. â€Å"That’s where it’s supposed to happen.† â€Å"Where what’s supposed to happen?† Charlie had really enjoyed being the senior Death Merchant, acting as the elder statesman to Vern, who had been called to recruit souls only six months ago. Now he was thrown. â€Å"In The Great Big Book of Death, it says that we can’t talk about what we do, or try to find each other, or the Forces of Darkness will rise up in the City of Two Bridges and there will be a horrible battle and the Underworld will rise and cover the land if we lose. You guys have two bridges in San Francisco, right?† Charlie tried to hide his surprise. Vern had obviously gotten a different version of the Great Big Book than they got in San Francisco. â€Å"Well, two main ones, yes. Sorry, it’s been a long time since I read the book. Remind me why the City of Two Bridges is so important?† Vern gave Charlie the big â€Å"duh† look. â€Å"Because that is where the new Luminatus, the Great Death, will take power.† â€Å"Oh yeah, of course, the Luminatus.† Charlie thumped himself in the side of the head. He had no idea what Vern was talking about. â€Å"You think that they won’t need us anymore, after the Great Death takes power?† Vern asked. â€Å"I mean, will there be layoffs? Because the Big Book makes it sound like the Luminatus rising is a good thing, but I’ve been making a ton of money since I got this gig.† Yeah, that’s going to be our problem, layoffs, Charlie thought. â€Å"I think we’ll be fine. Like the book says, it’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it.† â€Å"Right, right, right. So this cop that shot the sexy-goddess babe, he didn’t do anything?† â€Å"No, not nothing. First he put me in the back of his cop car and tried to get me to tell him what had been going on when he showed up, and what had been going on for these last few years he’s been checking on me.† â€Å"And what did you tell him?† â€Å"I told him that it was as much a mystery to me as it was to him.† â€Å"And he believed that?† â€Å"No. He didn’t. But he did believe it when I told him that if I told him more it would get worse, so we came up with a story that justified his firing his weapon. A guy with a gun taking a shot at me, then at him – descriptions, everything. Then when he was sure we had it straight, he took me to the station and I wrote out my statement.† â€Å"That’s it, he let you go.† â€Å"No, then he told me stories about his career, and the weird stuff he’s encountered, and why because of that, he was going to let me go. The guy is a complete nut job. He believes in vampires and demons and giant owls – he said that he once handled a call for a polar-bear attack in Santa Barbara.† â€Å"Wow,† said Vern. â€Å"You lucked out.† â€Å"I called him before we left the city. He’s going to check on my building until I get home, make sure my daughter is okay.† Charlie hadn’t told Vern about the hellhounds. â€Å"You must be worried sick about her,† Vern said. â€Å"I have a kid, she’s a junior in high school, lives with my ex-wife in Phoenix.† â€Å"Yeah, so you know,† Charlie said. â€Å"So, Vern, you’ve never seen any of these dark creatures? Never heard voices coming out of the storm drains? Nothing like that?† â€Å"Nope. Not like you’re talking about. We don’t have storm drains in Sedona. We have a desert with rivers through it.† â€Å"Right, but have you ever missed getting a soul vessel?† â€Å"Yeah, at first, when I got the Great Big Book, I thought it was a joke. I skipped three or four of them.† â€Å"And nothing happened?† â€Å"Well, I wouldn’t say that. I’d wake up early, and look up at the mountain above my house, and there’d be a shadow there, looked like a big oil slick.† â€Å"So?† â€Å"So, it would be on the wrong side of the mountain. It would be on the same side as the sun. And during the course of the day, it moved down the mountain. Oh, if you didn’t look at it, watch it, you’d look right by it, but it was coming down into the city, hour by hour. I drove out to where I saw it going, and waited for it.† â€Å"And?† â€Å"You could hear crows calling. I waited until it got a half a block from me, moving so slow you could barely see it, but it got louder and louder, like a huge flock of crows. Scared the bejesus out of me. I went home, looked up the name I’d written down during the night, and they lived in the neighborhood I’d been in. The shadow was coming out of the mountain for the soul vessel.† â€Å"Did it get it?† â€Å"I guess. I didn’t.† â€Å"And nothing happened?† â€Å"Oh yeah, something happened. The next time the shadow moved faster, like a cloud blowing over. And I followed it, and sure enough, it was heading right for a woman’s house whose name was on my calendar. That’s when I realized that the Great Big Book wasn’t bullshitting.† â€Å"But the shadow thing, it never came for you?† â€Å"Third time,† Vern said. â€Å"There was a third time?† â€Å"Oh yeah, like you didn’t think this was all a load of crap when it first started happening to you?† â€Å"Okay, good point,† Charlie said. â€Å"Sorry. Go on.† â€Å"So, the third time, the shadow comes down off a mountain on the other side of town, at night, during a full moon, and this time, you can see the crows flying in it. Not like really see them, but like shadows of them. Some people noticed it that time. I got in my car again, took my dog, Scottie, with me. I already knew where the thing was going. I pulled up a couple of doors down from the guy’s house – to warn him, you know. I didn’t realize yet what the book was saying about us not being seen, otherwise I would have just gone for the soul vessel. Anyway, I’m at the door, and the shadow is coming across the street, all the edges shaped like crows, and Scottie starts barking like mad, and runs at it. Brave little guy. Anyway, as soon as the shadow touches him he yelps and drops over dead. Meantime, a woman comes to the door, and I look in and see a statue, like a fake Remington bronze on the table in the foyer behind her, and it’s glowing red, like red-hot. And I blow by her and grab it. And the shadow evaporates. Just like that, it’s gone. That’s the last time I was late getting a soul vessel.† â€Å"Sorry about your dog,† Charlie said. â€Å"What did you tell the woman?† â€Å"That’s the funny thing, I didn’t tell her anything. She was talking to her husband in the next room, and he wasn’t answering her, and she runs back to see what happened to him. Didn’t even look at me. Turns out the guy was having a heart attack. I took the statue, went and picked up Scottie’s body, and left.† â€Å"That had to be tough.† â€Å"I thought I was Death for a while, you know, special. Because the guy croaked with me there, but it was just coincidence.† â€Å"Yeah, that happened to me, too,† Charlie said. But he was still disturbed by the whole â€Å"great battle† revelation. â€Å"Vern, would you mind if I took a look at your Great Big Book?† â€Å"I don’t think so, Charlie. In fact, I think we’d better say goodbye. I mean, if the Great Big Book is right, and I don’t have any reason to believe it’s not, then we shouldn’t even be talking.† â€Å"But it’s a different version than I have.† â€Å"You don’t think there’s a reason for that?† Vern said. His eyes magnified in his big glasses made him look like a madman for a second. â€Å"Okay, then,† Charlie said. â€Å"But e-mail me, okay? That shouldn’t hurt.† Vern looked in his coffee cup like he was thinking, as if by telling the story of the shadow that came down out of the mountains, he’d frightened himself. Finally he looked up and smiled. â€Å"You know, I’d like that. I could use some pointers, and if something weird starts to happen, we’ll stop.† â€Å"Deal,† Charlie said. He drove Vern back to his car, which was parked around the block from his mother’s house, and they said good-bye. Jane met Charlie at the door. â€Å"Where have you been? I need the car to go get her floss.† â€Å"I brought doughnuts,† Charlie said, holding up the box, maybe a little too proud. â€Å"Well, that’s not the same, is it?† â€Å"As floss?† â€Å"Dental floss. Can you believe it? Charlie, if I’m still flossing on my deathbed, you have my permission to garrote me with it. No, I’m leaving you instructions to garrote me with it.† â€Å"Okay,† Charlie said. â€Å"So other than that, she’s okay?† Jane was digging in her purse, had found her cigarettes and was looking for her lighter. â€Å"Like gum disease is the big danger at this point. Goddammit! Did they take my lighter at the airport?† â€Å"You still don’t smoke, Jane,† Charlie said. She looked up. â€Å"So what’s your point?† â€Å"Nothing.† He handed her the keys to the rental car. â€Å"Can you grab me some toothpaste while you’re out?† She gave up searching for the lighter and threw the cigarettes back into her purse. â€Å"What is it with this family and the compulsive dental hygiene?† â€Å"I forgot to bring any.† â€Å"Okay.† Jane braced the keys in her hand, ready to go in the ignition, and tucked her purse under her arm like a football. She dropped into a crouch and pulled down her mirrored, wraparound sunglasses that, with her short platinum blond hair and Charlie’s black pinstripe suit, made her look a little like a cyborg assassin from the future getting ready to dash out into the poisonous atmosphere of planet Duran Duran. â€Å"It’s fucking hot out there, isn’t it?† Charlie nodded and held up the doughnut box again. â€Å"The glazed have suffered.† â€Å"Oh,† Jane said, lifting her glasses again. â€Å"Cassandra called. After you called this morning she noticed your date book on the nightstand. Well actually, she said that Alvin and Mohammed dragged her in there and pushed it at her. She wondered if you needed it.† â€Å"What about Sophie, is she okay?† â€Å"No, she’s been abducted by aliens, but I wanted you to digest the bad news about forgetting your date book first.† â€Å"You know, that right there is why Mom is ashamed of you,† Charlie said. Jane laughed. â€Å"Guess what? She’s not.† â€Å"She’s not?† â€Å"No, this morning. She told me that she always knew who I was, always knew what I was, and that she has always loved me, just the way I am.† â€Å"Did you card her? There’s an impostor in our mom’s bed.† â€Å"Shut up, it was nice. Important.† â€Å"She was probably just saying that because she’s dying.† â€Å"She did say that she wished I wouldn’t wear men’s suits all the time.† â€Å"She’s not alone on that one,† Charlie said. Jane fell back into assault mode. â€Å"I’m off on the floss mission. Call Cassandra.† â€Å"Done,† Charlie said. â€Å"And Buddy needs a doughnut.† Jane threw open the door and ran out into the heat screaming like a berserker charging the enemy. Charlie closed the door behind her so as not to let the air-conditioning out, and watched through the glass as his sister ran across the zero-scaped yard like she was on fire. He looked beyond her to the red rock mesa rising out of the desert. There seemed to be a deep crevasse in it that he hadn’t seen there before. He looked again, and saw that it wasn’t a crevasse at all, just a long, sharp shadow. Then he ran out into the driveway and looked at the position of the sun, then at the shadow. It was on the wrong side of the mesa. There couldn’t be a shadow on this side – the sun was also on this side. He shaded his eyes and watched the shadow until he thought his brains were cooking in the sun. It was moving, slowly, but moving, and not the way a shadow moves. It was moving with purpose, against the sun, toward his mother’s house. â€Å"My date book,† he said to himself. â€Å"Oh, shit.† How to cite A Dirty Job Chapter 17, Essay examples

Pros and Cons of Social Media free essay sample

?When it comes to social networking in the workplace, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The benefits of social networking platforms vary based on platform type, features and the company itself. Social networking platforms may allow organizations to improve communication and productivity by disseminating information among different groups of employees in a more efficient manner. While it is not meant to be all-inclusive, the list below outlines some of the possible advantages and disadvantages of social media use by workplaces. Possible advantages: Facilitates open communication, leading to enhanced information discovery and delivery. Allows employees to discuss ideas, post news, ask questions and share links. Provides an opportunity to widen business contacts. Targets a wide audience, making it a useful and effective recruitment tool. Improves business reputation and client base with minimal use of advertising. Expands market research, implements marketing campaigns, delivers communications and directs interested people to specific web sites. Possible disadvantages: Opens up the possibility for hackers to commit fraud and launch spam and virus attacks. We will write a custom essay sample on Pros and Cons of Social Media or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Increases the risk of people falling prey to online scams that seem genuine, resulting in data or identity theft. Potentially results in negative comments from employees about the company or potential legal consequences if employees use these sites to view objectionable, illicit or offensive material. Potentially results in lost productivity, especially if employees are busy updating profiles, etc. Employers do have the right to simply ban all computer activity that is not work-related, but this approach may not yield optimal results. If employees are to be allowed access to social networking platforms, then a comprehensive and well-defined policy should be established to prevent abuse. A social networking use policy generally: Defines what social networking is particular to your organization, so employees know exactly what is meant by the term. Establishes a clear and defined purpose for the policy. Communicates benefits of social networking and of having a policy. Provides a clear platform for educating employees. Takes into consideration any legal ramifications of not following laws. Refers to confidentiality of employer trade secrets and private or confidential information. Talks about productivity in terms of social networking. Provides guidance regarding social networking outside of company time/property that could be associated with the company, employees or customers. Some employers may prohibit posting of company information on social networking sites without explicit consent. Provides examples of policy violations. Outlines disciplinary measures to be taken for policy violations. What may be the most concerning aspect of social networking platforms is that they encourage people to share personal information. Even the most cautious and well-meaning individuals can give away information they should not; the same applies to what is posted on company-approved social networking platforms. Employees may not be aware of how their actions online may compromise company security. Educate employees as to how a simple click on a received link or a downloaded application can result in a virus infecting their computer and the network. Advise them not to click on suspicious links and to pay careful attention when providing personal information online. Remember that just because employees may have an online profile, it doesn’t necessarily mean they have a high level of security awareness. Employers should also note that social media policies must not interfere with the rights of employees under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to discuss wages and working conditions with co-workers. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) provides some guidance for employers on social media policies in a May 2012 Operations Management Memo. See also: Social Networking Policy, Social Media Acceptable-Use Policy and Social Computing Guidelines. In â€Å"Only Disconnect,† Andrew Reiner, writing for The Chronicle of Higher Education, lamented the state of American youth, particularly their preoccupation with social media. By the end of his article, Reiner advocated for social media Sabbaths, in which students would disconnect from their networks in order to more deeply engage with each other and their academic pursuits. While there are certainly negatives that can be associated with social media overuse, it is also a valuable part of the way our society functions. Here are some of Reiner’s negatives about student social media use, counterbalanced by some potential benefits to help educators take advantage of this valuable resource for student learning. The Negatives of Social Media Use for Students Distraction – In his article, Reiner is talking not about the momentary distraction of an isolated text message, but rather the way in which social media involvement provides an acceptable diversion from intellectual pursuits. Essentially, he is arguing that it is socially safer to stay connected to peers through always-on social media, than it is to put oneself out there by having a legitimate opinion about a serious topic and disconnecting from the social networks long enough to put it out there. Pressure to Conform – Reiner cites examples of students confiding in him that one of the main reasons behind their 24/7 connection is a fear of not keeping up with peers or appearing â€Å"like a loser in public,† as one of his students confided in a class journal. Risk Aversion – Reiner is unclear about whether students’ aversion to taking risks is a symptom of social media use or is directly caused by it, but the point is no less important either way. Social media engagement supports a culture of avoidance which operates in direct opposition to the idea that students need to take risks and fail in their academic endeavors in order to become successful innovators. Shallowness – This is an addition to Reiner’s points, but social media does promote a kind of intellectual and social shallowness that could have long-term negative consequences for learners. Twitter, text messages, and other social media tools focus on brief, quick, â€Å"shallow† interactions that do not encourage either deep social engagement or intellectual exploration. There is, after all, only so much information that can be obtained in 140 characters. While the option to dig deeper may be present through embedded links in Tweets, for example, there may be little reward in pursuing those connections for students. The Positives of Social Media Use for Students While Reiner makes many valid points for negative effects of social media on students, particularly their level of academic risk taking, he fails to acknowledge some very positive effects that might make participation in social media a real benefit for students. While all of these may not be the mainstream ways that students use social media, they are important benefits that can be realized if educators are willing to embrace disruptive technology in their classrooms. Social Constructivism – In the age of Wikipedia, knowledge is increasingly becoming a social construction rather than the domain of an individual expert. Social media provides an easily accessible tool for helping students to work together to create their own meaning in academic subjects, social contexts, or work environments. Social media platforms are regularly used in business to enhance the connections between workers and to allow for seamless collaboration across distances. Supporting the development of this skill for students prepares them for real working experiences. Breadth of Knowledge – While â€Å"shallowness† of knowledge and connections was listed as one of negatives of social media, the flipside of that shallowness is the broadness of the knowledge and connectedness that students can experience through social media use. It is now easier than ever to know (or find out) something about almost anything in the world through connected media. Additionally, students can be connected to a broader base of opinions and world views through instantaneous global connections. Technological Literacy – All social media relies on advanced information and communication technologies that seamlessly work to build and support technological literacy. Simply put, one cannot be engaged in deep and meaningful uses of technology without developing the sorts of rich 21st Century skills such as information evaluation, troubleshooting, mediated communication, and others that will enable connected learners to become valuable contributors to a connected global economy. All three of these aspects of social media use are excellent matches to employer expectations and help to develop the 21st Century skills that students will need to be successful in a globally connected economy. What Can the Skeptical Educator Do? In the post â€Å"Taking Advantage of Disruptive Technology in the Classroom,† I proposed several ways for educators to use the power of social media to their advantage to promote student engagement rather than mandating social media blackouts in higher education. Here are some suggestions: Guided Connectivity – Encourage students to use social media to connect to experts outside of the classroom to conduct first-hand research which they can share with the class. Knowledge on Demand – A wealth of static human knowledge and information is available online. Encourage students to provide support for their arguments or to refute your assertions. Covert E-reading – Student can, by some estimates save up to $600 per year through using e-books on their portable devices. While that’s not specifically social media, it’s on the same device. Encouraging Silent Reflection – Through social media platforms, every student can have the opportunity to express their opinion, share insights, or make counter arguments. This can also spark greater conversation in the classroom or in online forums. Lesson Rewind – Instructors can post recordings of lectures online and circulate them via social media, share links to relevant resources, or answer questions via Twitter or other social mediums. All of these can invite deeper learning and support those who learn at different paces or who require remediation. There is no right or wrong answer about social media in our educational systems. It is an evolving method of communication and one that is only more likely to gain acceptance and prevalence. Rather than rail against it, it makes more sense to embrace it, minimize the negatives and teach students new ways of engaging with social media, their instructors, and each other that will support them in becoming connected learners with the skills to become successful connected workers. †