Social Networking And Knowledge Management Media Essay

Social Networking And Knowledge Management Media Essay Social networking, also referred to as social media, is an online network where a group of people get connected by bonds of friendship, professional relationship or some kind of common interest and passion. It comprises many internet based tools that let people to communicate, interact, engage and collaborate with each other in real-time, hence a place for exchanging information. With the emergence of web 2.0 technology, the social media and networking sites became very popular. Some of the examples are blogs; microblogs like twitter; social networking sites like facebook, myspace; professional networks like linkedin; wikis, video sharing sites like youtube; social bookmarking sites like delicious; photosharing sites like flickr; presentation sharing sites like slideshare; podcasts, forums, virtual world like second life. Earlier, social networking was developed as a tool for connecting family and friends, now it has evolved into an effective knowledge management tool exclusively used by business houses, companies and organisations for communicating their interests, for promoting and marketing their business products, and for increasing their visibility to global audience. The power of social media and networking lies in their versatility everyone in a network can express in any language, in any matter anytime. The advantage over the conventional media such as newspapers, radios, television is that people get the first hand information in real-time and they can further communicate and share the news, events or received information to their other networks instantly to reach the wider audience. The ease with which people can connect themselves and express their opinion, and the pace with which the information spread has made the social media and networking even more dynamic and popular. The world news agencies like CNN and BBC, research organisations like National Geography, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Intel and several global companies and organisations are taking advantage of the social media in reaching their messages to the wider audience. The social networking can also be used for uplifting the society and community. Example is BraveHeart Women network (http://www.braveheartwomen.com/). It is a womens social networking site joined by women who feel confident about being themselves and who follow their own hearts and instinct for life. The site is created by Dr. Ellie Drake, who envisioned bringing women together from all parts of the world to support each others cause in creating a purposeful life with passion and prosperity. The site regularly features interviews with women who have a purpose in life encouraging many others to come forward and make their life meaningful. The other social network for a cause is Changents (http://changents.com/). Changents is a privately owned and operated storytelling and social networking platform, launched in June 2008 by Alex Hofmann and Deron Triff. The network features multimedia profiles of individuals, called Change Agents, who are working to create positive changes in the area s of global warming, corporate responsibility, disaster relief, education, energy, environment, health, homelessness, human rights, hunger, politics, terrorism, tolerance, violence and war conflict. These Change Agents share their ongoing, personal stories through videos, photos, blogs, twitter, and other media. The Changents community is made up of Change Agents and Backers a term used to describe supporters from around the world who associate with and help Change Agents on the site. Backers are able to create personal profiles and interact with Change Agents and other Backers via commenting, action requests (engagement/support opportunities), and Changents messaging feature. Above mentioned are two examples of specific kind of social networking sites. The features of the social media vary depending on their purpose. There are sites of general interest and sites where you are able to develop more professional contact and have focused discussion. In order to take utmost advantage of social media, one may need to have account with different sites. For example, a facebook account can be used for global networking, a twitter for micro blogging, a youtube for sharing video, slideshare for presentation sharing and so on. Updating multiple social sites is not an easy task. However, with the advancement of computer technology, different social media can be integrated an update in one is automated in others. For example, if you update your status or share information on your facebook, you can also have them updated onto your twitter account without actually getting into the twitter site that means you are updating or sharing your information with all the friends in different networking. Imagine if you had to do this for each site separately! The Internet in combination with social media created a dynamic and indispensible communication platform and infrastructure for 21st century. With the use of the devices like smart phones and iPads, people can connect to their social networking anytime from anywhere provided the devices are equipped with the Internet connectivity. Most of such devices these days come with widgets of various social media which provide an excellent and easy way for people to stay connected and communicate with their network as and when they require. This is a big advantage in terms of knowledge management as people no more need to have access to computer or any other media for sharing information, they can share through their hand-held devices as they experience or encounter any event during travel, in work or anywhere. What if this feature of social networking is transformed into community support during emergencies for providing on-the-ground information in disaster areas? Twitter became the source of information and news for many. The application like Yoono (http://www.yoono.com/) helps to bring most of the social networking in a single window so that you dont need to logged in into different accounts to get updates which saves enormous amount of time to track all your networks desktop version of Yoono as well as FireFox and Chrome add-ons are available for free. ICIMOD has facebook (http://www.facebook.com/icimod) and twitter (http://www.twitter.com/icimod) for sharing news, events and other information; and youtube (http://www.youtube.com/icimod) for sharing short videos. These tools will help people interested in/about ICIMOD, to keep themselves updated on the activities of ICIMOD in an efficient way, and at the same time they can share the ICIMOD updates further with their networks. Security threats to IT system, time spent by staff and individuals in social networking are considered as major drawbacks of the social media whereas rapid sharing of information is considered as the advantage. Despite the drawbacks, social media is gaining more and more popularity among companies, organisations and individuals for sharing information so dont be surprised if you see the social networking ID in the business card you receive from your business client or your friend, people are already using one in their websites.

Strategies and Definitions of 3D Animation

Strategies and Definitions of 3D Animation 2.1 Definition of Animation 2.1.1 A Technical Definition of Animation Various definitions of animation exist that cover technical, physiological, through to philosophical aspects. In a technical sense, Myers (1999, [Online]) describes animation, the form that we have become familiar with, as a series of drawings that are linked together and photographed. The drawings have been slightly changed between individualized frames so when they are played back in rapid succession there appears to be seamless movement within the drawings'(Myers 1999, [Online]). Jonsson (1978, p. 2) also describes animation in a technical sense: A strip of movie film consists of still pictures called frames each one slightly different from the one preceding it. When the film is projected and run continuously these still pictures give an illusion of movement (Jonsson 1978, p. 2). Morrison (1994, p. 5) simply defines, animation as the illusion of movement: This illusion of movement can be achieved by quickly displaying a series of images that show slight incremental changes in one of the depicted objects. If you play back these images fast enough, the eye will perceive movement (Morrison 1994, p. 5). It is safe for one to conclude that animation and motion picture in general, when viewed by a human is an illusion, the rapid succession of ordered singular frames tricking the viewers eye into perceiving there is an apparent seamless movement. This technical definition of animation is closely linked to the history and evolution of motion picture, also to human physiology and how the eye and the brain perceive movement. 2.1.2 The Beginnings of the Motion Picture Animation cannot be achieved without first understanding a fundamental principle of the human eye: the persistence of vision'(James 2002, [Online]). Animation literature shows that the appreciation of this principle is not only linked with the history of animation and motion picture but much earlier, beginning long ago in our past. Since the beginnings of time, human beings have tried to capture a sense of motion in their art'(James 2002, [Online]). Williams (2001) points out several examples; a 35,000 year old pre-historic cave painting of a boar in Northern Spain displaying four pairs of legs to show motion'(Williams 2001, p. 11). Egyptian temple paintings of figures that progressively changed position'(Williams 2001, p. 12). Ancient Greek decorated pots with figures in successive stages of action. Spinning the pot would create a sense of motion'(Williams 2001, p. 12). Other examples are cave and wall paintings, medieval tapestries, scrolls, and paintings which all tell continuous storiesand some of which attempt to illustrate repetitive motions'(James 2002, [Online]). Theories that were born in the ancient world by classical scholars were to prove very important in the genesis of animation, as The Private Lessons Channel (2002, [Online]) points out. It identifies historical figures such as the Greek Aristotle (384-322 BC), who observed light and motion after effects, dating back to 340 BC (The Private Lessons Channel 2002, [Online]). The Private Lessons Channel (2002, [Online]) then points out that later, in 130 AD, Greek astronomer and geographer Ptolemy (100-178 AD) discovered the aforementioned persistence of vision. In elaborating a point made by Thomas (1964, p. 8), one can see how these ancient scholars came to such discoveries; Imagine a torch lighted with fire, being whisked around in a circular motion in the darkness, the eye seeing a continuous unbroken circle of light. This type of phenomenon must have been known to the ancients'(Thomas 1964, p. 8). 2.1.3 A Physiological Definition of Animation The Persistence of Vision While there is evidence of a fascination with the visual documentation of movement and narrative in prehistoric and classical periods, it was not until these notions were later revisited by 19th century inventors, that modern animation principles emerged. One of these inventors was the Frenchman Peter Mark Roget, also the author of the famous Rogets Thesaurus, who in the 1820s rediscovered the vital principle, the persistence of vision'(Williams 2001, p. 13). Williams (2001, p. 13) explains the persistence of vision on the following way: This principle rests on the fact that that our eyes temporarily retain the image of anything theyve just seen. If this wasnt so, we would never get the illusion of an unbroken connection in a series of images, and neither movies nor animation would be possible. Many people dont realise the movies dont actually move, and that they are still images that appear to move when they are projected in a series (Williams 2001, p. 13). Jonsson (1978, p. 2) gives a more physiologically oriented explanation: What makes this possible is a quality of our brain called persistence of vision that is; although the frame we are viewing at any given moment is in fact still, the image burns itself onto our retina, so that it remains with us for a small fraction of time while we view the next one and if the difference seems to be a reasonable follow-on, an illusion is created (Jonsson 1978, p. 2). Concluding that technical and physiological aspects work hand-in-hand in motion picture, Jonsson (1978, p. 2) explains that for the eye to record an apparent continuous seamless movement, a certain frequency of frames per second needs to be displayed. Morrison (1994, p. 5) states that human visual acuity is low enough that only 12-15 different pictures (or frames) need to be displayed per second to produce the illusion of movement. The Private Lessons Channel (2002, [Online]) states that the number of frames per second, or fps, directly correlates to how smooth the movement appears. If the frame rate is too slow, the motion will look awkward and jerky. If the frame rate is too high the motion will blur'(The Private Lessons Channel 2002, [Online]). For the eye to record a normal, continuous movement that is not too fast, and not too slow there needs to be a frequency of around 24 to 30 fps displayed by a projector. Jonsson (1978, p. 2), states that this is the sole principle by which both live-action and animated films work. 24 fps is used in cinema, 25 fps is used for PAL television (Europe and Australia), and 30 fps is used for NTSC television (America and Japan). In relation to the illusion of movement and persistence of vision, both Wells (1998 p. 10) and Furniss (1998 p. 5) portrays the view of well-known Scottish-born animation identity Norman McClaren: Animation is not the art of drawings that move, but rather the art of movements that are drawn. What happens between each frame is more important than what happens on each frame; Animation is therefore the art of manipulating the invisible interstices that lie between the frames (McClaren qtd. in Furniss 1998 p. 5). James (2002, [Online]) states that Roget demonstrated the persistence of vision principle in his invention, the thaumatrope. James (2002, [Online]) and Williams (2001, p. 13), describe it as a disc held between two pieces of string, which was attached to both of the disc edges. Each flat side of the disc had different images; one a bird, the other an empty birdcage. Twirling of the disc with the pulling of the string results in the bird appearing to be in the cage. This proved that the eye retains images when it is exposed to a series of pictures, one at a time'(James 2002, [Online]). The Private Lessons Channel (2002, [Online]) notes that two other inventors are credited with this invention, the Frenchman Dr. John Ayrton, and Englishman Dr. Fitton, depending on the source. 2.1.4 The Early Evolution of the Motion Picture Crucial to the evolution of Animation and indeed Motion Picture were other related inventions. James (2002, [Online]) describes other optical devices of a similar nature to the thaumatrope, such as the phenakistoscopeinvented in 1826 by Joseph Plateau, and the zoetropeinvented in 1860 by Pierre Desvignes. Williams (2001, p. 14) mentions another similar invention, the praxinoscope, invented by the Frenchman Emile Reynaud in 1877. Clark (1979, p. 8) states that these contraptions relied for their effect on either an endless paper band or a cardboard disc bearing series of pictures drawn in progressive stages of an action. Viewed intermittently through slots or reflected in mirrors the drawings came to life and appeared to move'(Clark 1979, p. 8). Another invention included the flipbook, or kineograph pad, first appearing in 1868. Another important invention relevant to Motion Picture was photography. The first photographs were taken in the late 1820s by a Frenchman, Nicà ©phore Nià ©pce'(Thomas 1964, p. 6). In the 1870s Sir Charles Wheatstones moving picture stereoviewerwas created to view a series of actual photographs in ordered succession (Thomas 1964, p. 16). Thomas (1964, p. 18) points out that the first to capture and record a sequence of images, was the English/American Eadweard J. Muybridge, where he famously captured a horse and carriage trotting. He then played the captured images back in a viewing device, known as the zoopraxiscope. Another important revolution in the evolution of the Motion Picture was that of nitrate celluloid film invented by H.W. Goodwin in 1887. Nitrate celluloid film was a chemical combination of gun cotton and gum camphor'(McLaughlin 2001, [Online]). Thomas (1964, p. 29) acknowledges the birth of Cinema to the famous American inventor Thomas A. Edison, and the Scot William Kennedy Laurie Dickson. In 1892 Edison and Dickson succeeded in building a camera capable of taking moving pictures at a rate of forty-six per second on Eastman celluloid film'(Thomas 1964, p. 29). Edisons and Dicksons viewing device, influenced by Austrian Ottomar Anschà ¼tz, was named the kinetoscope. Thomas (1964, p. 29) describes it as a viewing cabinet by means of which only one person could view a film at a time. As the images were not projected, the viewer had to use a small eyepiece to look into the cabinet in order to see the moving images. Instigated and influenced by the work Edison and Dickson, other inventors set about evolving the kinetoscoperesulting in viewing devices with the ability to project images. The most well-known of these inventors were the Lumià ¨re brothers, who in 1895 designed a camera and projector which they call the cinà ©matographe'(Thomas 1964, p. 30). The Lumià ¨re brothers became the first to give a public exhibition of moving pictures'(Thomas 1964, p. 30), which they held on the 28th of December 1895, at the Grand Cafà © in Paris. It is interesting to note that Estonian animator Priit Pà ¤rn in his surrealist-inspired short film 1895, pays tribute to the Lumià ¨re brothers, and invention of the cinà ©matographe. Thomas (1964, p. 31), concludes that the interest shown by the public in these first cinema shows gave rise to a rapid growth in a new industry. In time, with the advent and advancement of various technologies and techniques, the first true animated films were born. 2.1.5 A Philosophical Definition and Discussion of Animation Animation is the art of bringing something to life. How its brought to life can be done any number of different ways, simply states Ludwin (1998, [Online]). Bringing something to life is indeed a very important theme in animation. To better understand the definition of animation, it is useful to find out the original term from which the word animation derives. Wells (1998, p. 10) notes that animation derives from the latin word animare, which means to give life to, and that the animated film largely means the artificial creation of the illusion of movement in inanimate lines and forms. The famous Zagreb School of Croatia relates the definition of to animate back to this original meaning. They suggest, that to animate is to give life and soul to a design, not through the copying but through the transformation of reality(Wells 1998, p. 10). When youre animating and moving an object, youre instilling life in something'(Lubin 2003). This leads us onto animators philosophies, ideologies and animation aesthetics. There are many differences in philosophy among animators and opinion of what the essence of animation actually is. One interesting example illustrating the philosophical differences of opinion is with respect to the extent of which animation should reflect real-life. For instance, the copying of real-life movements using motion capture techniques, are not favoured by all animators. Stefan Marjoram of the Aardman studio notes that motion capture is alright in sports games, but it doesnt necessarily make you a good animator. Animations not about copying real life, after all a lot of people use motion capture for that. For me animation is about exaggerating real life'(Ricketts 2002, p. 51). Lubin (2003) agrees: Thats absolutely right. I mean if youre doing a game and you want to get Tiger Woodsswing, fine. But Motion Capture which is only about animating humanoid animation, why bother? Just get real actors (Lubin 2003). When asked the question on what the public perception of Animation is, Tom Lubin in an interview on 1 April 2003 stated that it depends on who you askand it depends on the show. Some animation would be dismissed as stuff for something to baby-sitlittle kids with, whilst other animation has a broader market encompassing all age groups. I think the public has a very broad view of it depending on their interests'(Lubin 2003). Lubin (2003) also pointed out that animation has been successful for a really long time, and he stated that it was telling that the Academy Awards now, in the last few years, actually gives an Oscar for the best feature in animation. This has to do with the publics perception of animation as a viable stand alone'(Lubin 2003). Animation at its most creative, is a truly beautiful artform'(White 1988, p. 9). The term art and its related words feature heavily in many animation definitions and philosophies originating from the birth of modern animation. Winsor McCay the first American animator of the early 1900s, who many have dubbed the father of the animated cartoon, once stated: Animation should be an artwhat you fellows have done with it is making it into a tradenot an art, but a tradebad luck (Crandol 1999, [Online]). Crandol (1999, [Online]) points out that McCays warning and prediction inevitably became true. Indeed a studio production system with a streamlined, assembly-line processwas formed out of the necessity to satisfy time, expense and demand factors (Crandol 1999, [Online]). Wells (1998) also mentions several times that the domination and the proliferation of mass-produced cel animation'(p. 35), such as that produced in America and Japan, has led to animation being understood in a limited wayby society (p. 24). Wells (1998, p. 35) elaborates stating that: The amount of cheaply produced, highly industrialised cel animation made in the USA and Japan had colonised television schedules, and perhaps, more importantly, the imaginations of viewers (Wells 1998, p. 35). Crandol (1999, [Online]) also points out that the collective nature of the studio may prevent the artists from receiving the amount of praise an artist working solo garners. Wells (1998, p. 7) makes the point that this type of animation has somewhat diminished animation in the eyes of society as a legitimate artform: Animation has been trivialised and ignored despite its radical tendencies and self-evident artistic achievements at the technical and aesthetic level. Ironically, the dominance of the cartoon(i.e. traditional celanimation in the style of Disney or Warner Brothers, which is predicated on painting forms and figures directly onto sheets of celluloid which are then photographed) has unfortunately misrepresented and the animated film because it art seems invisible or, more precisely, is taken for granted by its viewers. The cartoon seems part of an easily dismissed popular culture; animation, as a term, at least carries with it an aspiration for recognition as an art and, indeed the popular evaluation of other animated forms (Wells 1998, p. 7). Although there appears to be a domination of the of American and Japanese style of animation and its entertainment premise as suggested, affecting the common perception of animation, large difference in styles and approaches have occurred and do exist. In an interview with an animation Domain Expert on 1 May 2003, he made the point that European animation, due to the many various nations and peoples, have contributed a large number of diverse artistic visual styles, contrasting to the American or Japanese styles. He also stated that many animated works are not always of the purely entertainment premise. One example he stated was in the communist period of Eastern Europe where animation was state controlled, focusing on allegorical social comment, the animators slipping in their own secret messages in the films past the censors. Even with the domination of industrialised mass-produced animation, and the influences it has on the audience, Crandol (1999, [Online]) remarks that there have been many animators careful not to let business logistics overwhelm the artistic potential of the medium. Crandol (1999, [Online]) concludes that as long as are creative people working, animation will continue to be the best of both worlds: a trade and an art. Tom Lubin, Head of Training at FTI (Film Television Institute), in an interview on 1 April 2003, in response to the question of animation being an art responded I think it is. Well you need art skills to do it. But actually that not as important to me as storytelling. What animation is, is storytelling. Storytelling and its importance to Animation will be specifically discussed and investigated in Chapter 3: The Principles of Storytelling. To give life towas a major inspirational theme in the animation process I went through, so to was the art of animation, as I have personally and purposefully embraced it when conducting the creative animation process. This will be touched upon in part 2 of the dissertation; The Self-Reflective Case Study. 2.2 The Animation Process The Angus Robertson Dictionary and Thesaurus (1992, p. 788) defines the word process as a series of actions which produce a change or development, and a method of doing or producing something. From these meanings the animation process can be described as what I am researching and undertaking in my Honours project; the pattern of methods an animator undertakes from start to finish in the creation of an animated work, or animation. Animation and the animation process, like many other disciplines, have undergone a paradigm shift due to technological advancements. Indeed technology has been the catalyst for many paradigm shifts as Utz (1993, p. 16) points out. Due to the ever-increasing accessibility and affordability of various technologies, an animators methods, actions and options have changed when implementing the animation process. See Appendix 2: Paradigm Shift in the Animation Process, for a more detailed discussion of this subject. Referring to these changes in the animation process, animator George Griffin believes the role of the animator in an artistic sense has changed very little: Despite the enormous upheavals in technology, the independent animators artistic role remains essentially the same: to draw time, to construct a model of ideas and emotions, using any means available (Griffin qtd. in Laybourne 1998, p. xi). 2.3 Types of Animation For a description of the various types of animation such as traditional 2D animation, stop-motion animation and computer generated 3D animation, please refer to Appendix 2: Paradigm Shift in the Animation Process. 2.4 Conclusion Through investigating the various definitions of animation it can be seen that they cover and include many different aspects. The technical definition of animation is closely linked to the history and evolution of motion picture, and this is turn is linked to the understanding of human physiology and how the eye and the brain perceive movement. The different philosophical definitions and viewpoints animators hold also cover many different aspects, varying immensely. This chapter directly relates to the practical component of the Honours project, as described in part 2 of the dissertation; The Self-Reflective Case Study. This is due to the fact that when creating the 3D animated pilot and series concept, I related to and strongly agreed with various animation philosophies that were discussed in this chapter e.g. to give life to, as mentioned beforehand. On some occasions these philosophies affected and influenced the way that I would conduct my own practical animation process. A brief investigation on societys perception of animation subject matter was also relevant for the target audience of the series concept.

gossip girl :: essays research papers

From this review: "Nothing I say in this review can bring justice to master storyteller Cecily Von Ziegesar, whose research comes from her own life as an upper eastside, New York City teen. She has a reality-based knack for bringing cigarette-and-pot smoking rich kids into three-dimensional color. As naughty as these characters seem on every page, they are revealed to be real kids wanting to fit into accepted, meaningful lives as much as sleek clothes..† Rich girl Blair Waldorf is about to discover what it’s like to not get her way. Almost seventeen, she has careful plans: to lose her virginity to steady beau Nate and get into Yale. But life has alternate designs. Her mom is marrying a bald-headed dweeb and his dreadlocked son and slobbery dog are moving in. While her mom plans her wedding on the day of Blair’s birthday, Nate starts dodging her instant messages. Blair’s worse fears are coming true : Nate is losing interest. Then she has a total breakdown at her Yale interview, resorting to tears and cheek-kissing – humiliating herself and blowing any chance of getting in. In the meantime, Blair’s ex best friend, perfect-girl Serena is mixing with artsy West-siders, competing with Blair and others in their all-girl school for a prestigious film award. But Serena has her own problems. She is casually dating a West-sider named Dan, who is becoming obsessed. Can his sulky love poems win her heart? Nothing I say in this review can bring justice to master storyteller Cecily Von Ziegesar, whose research comes from her own life as an upper eastside, New York City teen. She has a reality-based knack for bringing cigarette-and-pot smoking rich kids into three-dimensional color. As naughty as these characters seem on every page, they are revealed to be real kids wanting to fit into accepted, meaningful lives as much as sleek clothes. This second GOSSIP GIRL book in the New York Times Bestselling GOSSIP GIRL series is an edgy page-turner. *Fun Notes: In the book, Gossip Girl is an anonymous online character who reports on the latest events in the lives of New York City’s richest teens at her site www.

Chose in Leadership Books :: essays research papers

So, you want to be a leader but don't know where to start? Well, after camping out in the self-help section at my local bookseller, I've got good news and bad news. The good news is that you've got lots of help to choose from. The bad news is that you've got lots of help to choose from. In my brief reconnaissance, I discovered a legion of writers who are just itching to let you in on their secrets. Don't believe it? Well, I'll save you a trip. I brought back proof. Don't expect a definitive list though. The cottage industry that's grown up around the subject of leadership easily keeps an army of loggers working overtime. So I just jotted down a representative sample -- enough I think to convince even the most skeptical that there's something for almost everyone. So, FOLLOW ME and read on. As you might have guessed, leadership books are all over the map. If you want your leadership hard-edged and bloody-minded, you can cuddle up with Attila the Hun or Niccolo Machiavelli (Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun, by Wess Roberts; Machiavelli on Modern Leadership by Michael Ledeen). If you worry that Attila might be too old school, don't despair. There are ample contemporary choices. How about a couple of political celebrities like Rudy Giuliani (Leadership) and Colin Powell (Oren Harari, The Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell)? Sorry, Colin, but I'm guessing that they're not so secret any more. Finally, for the truly avant garde, there's Leadership for the Twenty-first Century, by Joseph C. Rost. Not to digress, but Colin got me thinking. I've read The Da Vinci Code and I've heard about conspiracies to keep the rest of us in the dark. I wonder if there's a cabal of leaders trying to hide their secrets from the hoi polloi. Well, maybe. Colin's not the only one who's decided to fess up. GE's former boss, Jack Welch is another insider who's finally talking (Robert Slater, 29 Leadership Secrets From Jack Welch). Even Santa Claus has decided to come clean (Eric Harvey, The Leadership Secrets of Santa Claus). Who knew that the teamsters kept secrets? There's also a heated debate over whether leadership is art or science. Max Depree says Leadership is an Art. And, he's got lots of company including retired General Barry McCaffrey, (Leadership: The Warrior's Art) and Ken Blanchard (Heart of a Leader: Insights on the Art of Influence).

Food Dyes

Purpose of food coloring People associate certain colors with certain flavors, and the color of food can influence the perceived flavor in anything from candy to wine. [2] Sometimes the aim is to simulate a color that is perceived by the consumer as natural, such as adding red coloring to glace cherries (which would otherwise be beige), but sometimes it is for effect, like the green ketchup that Heinz launched in 1999.Color additives are used in foods for many reasons including:[3] offset color loss due to exposure to light, air, temperature extremes, moisture and storage conditions correct natural variations in color enhance colors that occur naturally provide color to colorless and â€Å"fun† foods Color additives are recognized as an important part of many foods we eat. [4] [edit]Regulation Food colorings are tested for safety by various bodies around the world and sometimes different bodies have different views on food color safety.In the United States, FD&C numbers (which indicate that the FDA has approved the colorant for use in foods, drugs and cosmetics) are given to approved synthetic food dyes that do not exist in nature, while in the European Union, E numbers are used for all additives, both synthetic and natural, that are approved in food applications. The food colors are known by E numbers that begin with a 1, such as E100 (turmeric) or E161b (lutein). [5] Most other countries have their own regulations and list of food colors which can be used in various applications, including maximum daily intake limits.Natural colors are not required to be certified by a number of regulatory bodies throughout the world, including the United States FDA. The FDA lists â€Å"color additives exempt from certification† for food in subpart A of the Code of Federal Regulations – Title 21 Part 73. However, this list contains substances which may have synthetic origins. FDA's permitted colors are classified as subject to certification or exempt from certification, both of which are subject to rigorous safety standards prior to their approval and listing for use in foods. Certified colors are ynthetically produced and are used widely because they impart an intense, uniform color, are less expensive, and blend more easily to create a variety of hues. There are nine certified color additives approved for use in the United States. Certified food colors generally do not add undesirable flavors to foods. Colors that are exempt from certification include pigments derived from natural sources such as vegetables, minerals or animals. Nature derived color additives are typically more expensive than certified colors and may add unintended flavors to foods.Examples of exempt colors include annatto, beet extract, caramel, beta-carotene and grape skin extract. [edit]Natural food dyes Natural food colors can make a variety of different hues A growing number of natural food dyes are being commercially produced, partly due to consumer concerns surrounding synthetic dyes. Some examples include: Caramel coloring (E150), made from caramelized sugar Annatto (E160b), a reddish-orange dye made from the seed of the achiote. Chlorophyllin (E140), a green dye made from chlorella algae Cochineal (E120), a red dye derived from the cochineal insect, Dactylopius coccus Betanin (E162) extracted from beetsTurmeric (curcuminoids, E100) Saffron (carotenoids, E160a) Paprika (E160c) Lycopene (E160d) Elderberry juice Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius), a green food coloring Butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea), a blue food dye To ensure reproducibility, the colored components of these substances are often provided in highly purified form, and for increased stability and convenience, they can be formulated in suitable carrier materials (solid and liquids). Hexane, acetone and other solvents break down cell walls in the fruit and vegetables and allow for maximum extraction of the coloring.Residues of these often remain in the finished product, but they do not need to be declared on the product; this is because they are part of a group of substances known as carry-over ingredients. Natural food colors, due to their organic nature, can sometimes cause allergic reactions and anaphylactic shock in sensitive individuals. Coloring agents known to be potential hazards include annatto, cochineal and carmine. [citation needed] [edit]Artificial coloring [edit]In the United States Seven dyes were initially approved under the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, but several have been delisted and replacements have been found. 6] Some of the food colorings have the abbreviation â€Å"FCF† in their names. This stands for â€Å"For Coloring Food† (US)[7] or â€Å"For Colouring of Food† (UK). [8][9] [edit]Current seven In the US, the following seven artificial colorings are permitted in food (the most common in bold) as of 2007: FD Blue No. 1 – Brilliant Blue FCF, E133 (blue shade) FD Blue No. 2 – Indigotine, E 132 (indigo shade) FD Green No. 3 – Fast Green FCF, E143 (turquoise shade) FD Red No. 40 – Allura Red AC, E129 (red shade) FD Red No. 3 – Erythrosine, E127 (pink shade, commonly used in glace cherries)[10] FD Yellow No. 5 – Tartrazine, E102 (yellow shade)FD Yellow No. 6 – Sunset Yellow FCF, E110 (orange shade) [edit]Limited use The following dyes are only allowed by the FDA for specific limited applications: Orange B (red shade) – allowed only for use in hot dog and sausage casings. Citrus Red 2 (orange shade) – allowed only for use to color orange peels. [edit]Delisted and banned FD Red No. 2 – Amaranth FD Red No. 4[11][12] FD Red No. 32 was used to color Florida oranges. [6][11] FD Orange Number 1 was one of the first water soluble dyes to be commercialized, and one of seven original food dyes allowed under the Pure Food and Drug Act of June 30, 1906. 6][11] FD Orange No. 2 was used to color Florida oranges. [6] FD Yellow No. 1, 2, 3, and 4[11] FD Violet No. 1[11] [edit]Other Locations As stated above, most other countries have their own regulations and list of food colors which can be used in various applications, including maximum daily intake limits. In the EU, E numbers 102-143 cover the range of artificial colors. For an overview of currently allowed additives see here. Some artificial dyes approved for food use in the EU include: Quinoline Yellow: E104 Carmoisine: E122 Ponceau 4R: E124 Patent Blue V: E131 Green S: E142 [edit]Dyes and lakesColor additives are available for use in food as either â€Å"dyes† or lake pigments (commonly known as â€Å"lakes†). Dyes dissolve in water, but are not soluble in oil. Dyes are manufactured as powders, granules, liquids or other special purpose forms. They can be used in beverages, dry mixes, baked goods, confections, dairy products, pet foods, and a variety of other products. Dyes also have side effects which lakes do not, including the fact tha t large amounts of dyes ingested can color stools. Lakes are made by combining dyes with salts to make insoluble compounds. Lakes tint by dispersion.Lakes are not oil soluble, but are oil dispersible. Lakes are more stable than dyes and are ideal for coloring products containing fats and oils or items lacking sufficient moisture to dissolve dyes. Typical uses include coated tablets, cake and doughnut mixes, hard candies and chewing gums, lipsticks, soaps, shampoos, talc, etc. [edit]Other uses Because food dyes are generally safer to use than normal artists' dyes and pigments, some artists have used food coloring as a means of making pictures, especially in forms such as body-painting. Red food dye is often used in theatrical blood.Most artificial food colorings are a type of acid dye, and can be used to dye protein fibers and nylon with the addition of an acid. They are all washfast and most are also lightfast. They will not permanently bond to plant fibers and other synthetics. [13 ] [edit]Criticism and health implications Though past research showed no correlation between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and food dyes,[14][15] new studies now point to synthetic preservatives and artificial coloring agents as aggravating ADD and ADHD symptoms, both in those affected by these disorders and in the general population. 16][17] Older studies were inconclusive, quite possibly due to inadequate clinical methods of measuring offending behavior. Parental reports were more accurate indicators of the presence of additives than clinical tests. [18] Several major studies show academic performance increased and disciplinary problems decreased in large non-ADD student populations when artificial ingredients, including artificial colors, were eliminated from school food programs. [19][20] Norway banned all products containing coal tar and coal tar derivatives in 1978. New legislation lifted this ban in 2001 after EU regulations.Tartrazine causes hives in less t han 0. 01% of those exposed to it. [21] Erythrosine is linked to thyroid tumors in rats. [22] Cochineal, also known as carmine, is derived from insects and therefore is not vegan, vegetarian or kosher. This criticism originated during the 1950s. In effect, many foods that used dye (such as red velvet cake) became less popular. [citation needed] Brilliant Blue (BBG) food coloring was cited in a recent study in which rats that had suffered a spinal injury were given an injection of the dye immediately after the injury, and were able to regain or retain motor control.BBG helps protect spine from ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which the body sends to the area after a spinal injury, which further damages the spine by killing motor neurons at the site of the injury. [23] Research by King Feisal University points that the use of synthetic color in various foods has adverse effects on some of biochemical analysis, specifically at high concentration and administration for along periods of tim e. Changes in liver and kidney histopathological structure and increases in white blood cell count indicated that inflammation is specific to certain colorants. [24]

Chapter Reviewing the Facts

Of course, It Isnt eer pleasant to hear active comments almost what we are doing. abouttimes our feelings get hurt, our swelled head Is wounded, or the feedback strikes us as, well, stupid. That said lets go out a shift In our perspective. Feedback Is a form of coaching. When we work with a coach, he or she Is constantly giving us negative feedback-?and we appreciate It. A golf coach, for example, will correct the way you tolerate or swing the club and youre successful to get the negative feedback. In fact, you wages for all these find faultts. Dissatisfaction happens.What we choose to do nigh it can make all the remainder in reading node and employee loyalty. To do something about dissatisfaction, we channelize to know when it is happening-?we need to get the silently dissatisfied client to speak up by creating founder communication channels. (Customer Service Career achiever through node Loyalty) Chapter 9-Reviewing the Facts 2. What are the collar important ste ps needed to be cured _or_ healed the potentially lost guest? The offshoot step consists of both apology and accountability. Say, Im sorry, and take ownership of a mistake, even if its because of provider or other problems.Next, work with the customer to determine an appropriate remedy. This involves the customer in the resolution and sometimes uncovers less expensive solutions. Resolution should not only holler a customers direct loss however to a fault compensate pain and suffering. Some refer to such compensation as at iodinement. Manage expectations with resolution schedules. In one Citibank experiment, specifying time frames for next steps change magnitude customer satisfaction by 40%. Finally, follow-up. Determine whether the customer has received the promised treatment, and, to a greater extent important, how they feel about it.One study indicated that a follow-up call to a once-unhappy customer can boost satisfaction by 5%-7%, and intentions to repurchase by 8%-12%. The second level is building compound customer retrieval capabilities In the by-line four areas Companies must do much to upgrade the skills, training and pay of customer work representatives, especially since they handle an estimated 65% of all boots. Other employees must also understand the Importance of customer retention. cut across trains new hires In such recuperation skills as Interpersonal communications.Others regularly boot out employees Into customer service to underscore the clash of departmental processes on customers. How much chest of drawers do employees have to recover customers? Employees at Marriott International, for example, can spend up to $2,500 without federal agency to compensate customers. What are the timetables for resolution? Brothels Airways seek showed that of customers defected if it took the comp all longer than five years to respond want level AT complaints trigger corrective Acton? Can any employee handle recovery, or should you depen d on special representatives trained for customer recovery?Customers should be easily able to complain via email, letter or even well-publicized savoury lines. Systems should streamline complaint acceptance, and generate complaint-based reports. policy giant USA scans every complaint letter into its database. Causes for the complaint are analyzed, and processes examined to keep down similar complaints in the future. To institutionalize improvements, systems should be developed to hold other departments responsible for their actions. Complaint data should also be used to determine investment priorities and service improvements. (Small Business Resources How to Recover Lost Customers)

Practical Demonkeeping Chapter 14-15

14 dinnerTravis parked the Chevy on the street in mien of jenny asss augury. He turned step up the locomotive and turned to perk up.You stay hither, you at a lower placestand. Ill be patronage in a brusque while to check on you.Thanks, Dad.Dont play the radio and dont beep the horn. Just wait.I promise. Ill be good. The demon attempted an innocent smile and failed.Keep an eye on that. Travis pointed to an aluminum cup of tea on the backs play come in.Enjoy your d view as. The car will be fine.Whats wrong with you?Nothing, stumble grinned.Why are you world so nice?Its good to see you acquire out.Youre lying.Travis, Im crushed.That would be nice, Travis said. Now, dont eat anybody.I n incessantlytheless ate last dark. I dont even feel hungry. Ill just sit here and meditate.Travis r from some(prenominal)ly unmatcheded into the inside pocket of his version coat and pulled out a comic book. I got this for you. He held it out to the demon. You can look at it while you wait.The demon fumbled the comic book outside from Travis and spread it out on the bum. Cookie junkie My favorite Thanks, Travis.See you subsequent.Travis got out of the car and slammed the door. Catch watched him walk across the yard. I already looked at this one, ass quite a little, he hissed to himself. When I fixate a forward-looking master, I will tear your arms off and eat them while you watch.Travis looked back oer his shoulder. Catch waved him on with his best effort at a smile.The doorbell rang precisely at seven. jennets reactions went handle this dont dish out it, change clothes, answer it and feign sickness, clean the kinsfolk, redecorate, inscription plastic surgery, change bull color, take a handful of Valium, appeal to the Goddess for divine intervention, stand here and explore the possibilities of paralyzing panic.She cap subject the door and smiled. Hi.Travis stood there in jeans and a gray herringbone tweed jacket. He was transfixed.Travis? jenny said .Youre beautiful, he said finally.They stood in the doorway, jennet blushing, Travis staring. jennet had decided to stick with the black dress. on the face of it it had been the right choice. A full minute passed without a word between them.Would you like to come in?No.Okay. She shut the door in his face. Well, that hadnt been so bad. Now she could mark on slightly sweatpants, encumbrance the refrigerator onto a tray, and settle shovel in for a night in front of the television.thither was a timid knock on the door. jenny undefended it again. Sorry, Im a little nervous, she said.Its all right, Travis said. Shall we go?Sure. Ill bump my purse. She closed(a) the door in his face. in that respect was an uneasy silence between them while they drove chisel to the restaurant. Typically, this would be the fourth dimension for trading vivification stories, save Jenny had resolved non to talk approximately her marriage, which closed about of her adult life to conver sit cut down(p)ion, and Travis had resolved non to talk about the demon, which eliminated most of the twentieth century.So, Jenny said, do you like Italian food?Yep, Travis said. They drove in silence the rest of the way to the restaurant.It was a warm night and the Toyota had no air conditioning. Jenny didnt dare roll down the window and venture blowing her hair. She had spent an hour styling and pinning it back so that it fell in long curls to the middle of her back. When she began to perspire, she immortaliseed that she quiet had dickens wads of locoweed paper close in down the stairs her arms to stop the bleeding from splinter cuts. For the contiguous a few(prenominal) minutes all she could destine of was getting to a restroom where she could remove the spotted wads. She decided not to mention it.The restaurant, the Old Italian Pasta Factory, was set upd in an old creamery building, a residuum of the time when languish Coves economy was based on livestock rather than to urism. The concrete appals remained intact, as did the corrugated steel roof. The owners had taken care to preserve the solecism of the structure, while adding the warmth of a fireplace, soft lighting, and the handed-down red-and-white tablecloths of an Italian restaurant. The tables were small but comfortably spaced, and s everally was decorated with fresh flowers and a candle. The Pasta Factory, it was agreed, was the most romantic restaurant in the area.As presently as the hostess seated them, Jenny pardon herself to the restroom.Order whatever wine you want, she said, Im not picky.I dont drink, but if you want mostNo, thats fine. Itll be a nice change.As soon as Jenny left, the waitress an efficient-looking muliebrity in her thirties came to the table. near(a) level, sir. What can I bring you to drink this evening? She pulled her order pad out of her pocket in a quick, liquid movement, like a bomber drawing a six-shooter. A career waitress, Travis scene.I scen e Id wait for the lady to return, he said.Oh, Jenny. Shell take a leak an herb tea tea. And you want, lets see She looked him up and down, crossed-referenced him, pigeonholed him, and announced, Youll have some sort of imported beer, right?I dont drink, soI should have known. The waitress slapped her forehead as if shed just caught herself in the middle of a recruit error, like serving the salad with plutonium instead of creamy Italian. Her husband is a drunk its only intrinsic that shed go out with a nondrinker on the rebound. Can I bring you a mineral water?That would be fine, Travis said.The waitresss pen scratched, but she did not look at the order pad or lose her we aim to please smile. And would you like some ail scrape while youre waiting?Sure, Travis said. He watched the waitress walk by. She took small, quick, mechanical travel, and was gone to the kitchen in an instant. Travis wondered why some people seemed to be able to walk fastinger than he could run. Theyre pr ofessionals, he belief.Jenny took five minutes to get all the toilet paper unstuck from her underarms, and there had been an embarrassing number when an opposite cleaning woman came into the restroom and found her to begin with the mirror with her elbow in the air. When she returned to the table, Travis was staring everywhere a basketball hoop of garlic bread.She saw the herbal tea on the table and said, How did you know?Psychic, I guess, he said. I ordered garlic bread.Yes, she said, lay herself.They stared at the garlic bread as if it were a bubbling caldron of hemlock.You like garlic bread? she asked.Love it. And you? One of my favorites, she said.He picked up the basket and offered it to her. Have some?Not right now. You go ahead.No thanks, Im not in the mood. He put the basket down.The garlic bread lay there between them, steaming with implications. They, of course, must both eat it or neither could. Garlic bread meant garlic breath. There might be a coddle later, maybe more. There was just too accurse much intimacy in garlic bread.They sit in silence, reading the menu she looking for the cheapest entree, which she had no intention of eating and he, looking for the item that would be the least embarrassing to eat in front of someone.What are you going to have? she asked.Not spaghetti, he snapped.Okay. Jenny had forgotten what dating was like. Although she couldnt remember for confident(predicate), she thought that she might have gotten unite to avoid ever having to go through this kind of discomfort again. It was like driving with the emergency brake set. She decided to squeeze out the brake.Im starved. Pass the garlic bread.Travis smiled. Sure. He passed it to her, and then took a piece for himself. They paused in midbite and eyed all(prenominal) other across the table like two poker game players on the bluff. Jenny laughed, spraying crumbs all oer the table. The evening was on.So, Travis, what do you do?Date married women, evidently.How d id you know?The waitress told me.Were separated.Good, he said, and they both laughed.They ordered, and as dinner progressed they found common ground in the awkwardness of the situation. Jenny told Travis about her marriage and her job. Travis make up a history of working as a traveling insurance salesman with no certain ties to home or family.In a uncivil exchange of truth for lies, they found they liked each other were, in fact, quite taken with one another.They left the restaurant arm in arm, laughing.15RACHELRachel Henderson lived alone in a small house that lay amid a grove of eucalyptus trees at the asperity of the Beer Bar cattle paste. The house was possess by Jim Beer, a lanky, forty-five-year-old cowboy who lived with his wife and two children in a fourteen-room house his grand naughtyher had strengthened on the far side of the ranch. Rachel had lived on the ranch for five geezerhood. She had never paid any rent.Rachel had met Jim Beer in the Head of the Slug Sal oon when she first arrived in Pine Cove. Jim had been intoxication all mean solar day and was aroma the w 8 of his rugged cowboy charisma when Rachel sat down on the bar stool next to him and put a newspaper on the bar.Well, darlin, Im cursedly if youre not a fresh wind on a stale pasture. Can I get you a drink? The banjo twang in Jims accent was pure Oklahoma, picked up from the hands that had worked the Beer Bar when Jim was a boy. Jim was the third generation of Beers to work the ranch and would belike be the last. His teenage son, Zane Grey Beer, had decided former(a) on that he would rather ride a surfboard than a horse. That was part of the reason that Jim was drinking away the subsequentlynoon at the Slug. That, and the fact that his wife had just purchased a new Mercedes turbo-diesel wagon that exist the annual net income of the Beer Bar Ranch.Rachel unfolded the classified subsection of the Pine Cove Gazette on the bar. Just an orangeness juice, thanks. Im house hunting today. She curled one point under herself on the bar stool. You dont know anybody that has a house for rent, do you?Jim Beer would look back on that day many times in the eld to come, but he could never quite remember what had happened next. What he did remember was driving his pickup down the back road into the ranch with Rachel following fanny in an old Volkswagen van. From there his memory was a montage of images Rachel naked on the small bunk, his turquoise belt buckle hitting the wooden floor with a thud, silk scarves tied nearly his wrists, Rachel bouncing to a higher place him riding him like a bronco acclivity back into his pickup after sundown, sore and sweaty, disputation his forehead on the wheel of the truck and thought about his wife and kids.In the five years since, Jim Beer had never gone near the little house on the far side of the ranch. Every calendar month he penciled the rent collected into a ledger, then deposited cash from his poker fund in the business checking account to cover it.A few of his friends had seen him reserve the Head of the Slug with Rachel that afternoon. When they saw him again, they rib him, do crude jokes, and asked pointed questions. Jim answered the jibes by pushing his pass Stetson back on his head and state Boys, all I got to say is that male menopause is a rough trail to ride. Hank Williams couldnt have birdsong it any sadder.After Jim left that evening Rachel picked several gray hairs from the bunks pillow. Around the hairs she carefully tied a single red thread, which she knotted twice. Two knots were large for the bond she wanted over Jim Beer. She placed the circumstantial nap in a babyfood jar, labeled it with a marking pen, and stored it away in a cupboard over the kitchen sink.Now the cupboard was full of jars, each one containing a similar bundle, each bundle tied with a red thread. The number of knots in the thread varied. Three of the bundles were tied with four knots. The se contained the hair of men Rachel had loved. Those men were long gone.The rest of Rachels house was decorated with objects of power eagle feathers, crystals, pentagrams, and tapestries embroidered with magic symbols. There was no evidence of a past in Rachels house. Any photos she had of herself had been taken after she arrived in Pine Cove.People who knew Rachel had no clue as to where she had lived or who she had been before she came to town. They knew her as a beautiful, mysterious woman who taught aerobics for a living. Or they knew her as a witch. Her past was an enigma, which was just the way she wanted it.No one knew that Rachel had grown up in Bakersfield, the girl of an illiterate oil-field worker. They didnt know that she had been a fat, ugly little girl who spent most of her life doing corrupting things for disgusting men so that she might set out some sort of acceptance. stillterflies do not ascend nostalgic about the time they spent as caterpillars.Rachel had mar ried a growth-duster pilot who was twenty years her senior. She was eighteen at the time.It happened in the front seat of a pickup truck in the pose lot of a roadhouse outside of Visalia, California. The pilot, whose name was ousel Henderson, was still breathing hard and Rachel was washing the cheating(a) taste out of her mouth with a warm Budweiser. If you do that again, Ill marry you, merle gasped.An hour later they were fleeting over the Mojave desert, heading for Las Vegas in merls Cessna 152. Merle came at ten thousand feet. They were married under a neon arch in a ramshackle, concrete-block chapel just off the Vegas strip. They had known each other exactly six hours.Rachel regarded the next eight years of her life as her term on the wheel of cry out. Merle Henderson deposited her in his house lick by the landing strip and kept her there. He allowed her to visit town once a workweek to go to the laundromat and the grocery store. The rest of her time was spent waiting on or waiting for Merle and helping him work on his planes. for each one morning Merle took off in the crop duster, taking with him the keys to the pickup. Rachel spent the days cleaning up the prevue, eating, and watching television. She grew fatter and Merle began to refer to her as his fat little mama. What little self-esteem she had drained away and was absorbed by Merles overpowering male ego.Merle had flown helicopter gunships in Vietnam and he still talked about it as the happiest time in his life. When he opened the tanks of insecticide over a field of lettuce, he imagined he was releasing air-to-ground missiles into a Vietnamese village. The Army had sensed a destructive edge in Merle, Vietnam had honed it to razor sharpness, and it had not dulled when he came home. Until he married Rachel, he released his pent-up madness by starting fights in proscribe and flying with dangerous abandon. With Rachel waiting for him at home, he went to bars less often and released his agg ression on her in the form of constant criticism, verbal abuse, and finally, shells.Rachel bore the abuse as if it were a penance sent down by God for the sin of being a woman. Her mother had endured the alike sort of abuse from her father, with the same resignation. It was just the way things worked. consequently, one day, while Rachel was waiting at the laundromat for Merles shirts to dry, a woman approached her. It was the day after a particularly vicious beating and Rachels face was bruised and swollen.Its none of my business, the woman said. She was tall and majestic and in her mid-forties. She had a way about her that scare Rachel, a presence, but her voice was soft and strong. But when you get some time, you might read this. She held out a pamphlet to Rachel and Rachel took it. The title was The Wheel of Abuse.There are some numbers in the back that you can call. Everything will be okay, the woman said.Rachel thought it a strange thing to say. Everything was okay. But the woman had impressed her, so she read the pamphlet.It talked about valet rights and dignity and personal power. It spoke to Rachel about her life in a way that she had never thought possible. The Wheel of Abuse was her life story. How did they know? broadly it talked about courage to change. She kept the pamphlet and hid it away in a box of tampons under the fundament sink. It stayed there for two weeks. Until the morning she ran out of coffee.She could catch out the sound of Merles plane disappearing in the outmatch as she stared into the mirror at the bloody hole where her front teeth used to be. She dug out the pamphlet and called one of the numbers on the back. inwardly a one-half hour two women arrived at the trailer. They packed Rachels belongings and drove her to the security. Rachel wanted to leave a note for Merle, but the two women insisted that it was not a good idea.For the next three weeks Rachel lived at the shelter. The women at the shelter cared for her. They ga ve her food and understanding and affection, and in return they asked only that she acknowledge her own dignity. When she made the call to Merle to tell him where she was, they all stood by her.Merle promised that it would all change. He missed her. He needed her.She returned to the trailer.For a month Merle did not hit her. He did not touch her at all. He didnt even speak to her.The women at the shelter had warned her about this type of abuse the withdrawal of affection. When she brought it up to Merle one evening while he was eating, he threw a plate in her face. Then he proceeded to give her the worst beating of her life. afterwards he locked her outside the trailer for the night.The trailer was fifteen miles from the nearest neighbor, so Rachel was forced to cower under the front steps to escape the cold. She was not sure she could walk fifteen miles.In the middle of the night Merle opened the door and yelled, By the way, I ripped the phone out, so dont waste your time thinkin g about it. He slammed and locked the door.When the sun broke in the east, Merle reappeared. Rachel had crawled under the trailer, where he could not seduce her. He lifted the plastic skirting and shouted to her, Listen, bitch, youd better be here when I get home or youll get worse.Rachel waited in the apparition under the trailer until she heard the biplane roar down the strip. She climbed out and watched the plane climb gradually into the distance. Although it yen her face, and the cuts on her mouth split open, she couldnt help smiling. She had find her personal power. It lay hidden under the trailer in a five-gallon asphalt can, now half full of aviation grade motor oil.A policeman came to the trailer that afternoon. His jaw was set with the stoical resolve of a man who knows he has an god-awful task to perform and is determined to do it, but when he saw Rachel sitting on the steps of the trailer, the color drained from his face and he ran to her. ar you all right?Rachel c ould not speak. Garbled sounds bubbled from her depressed mouth. The policeman drove her to the hospital in his cruiser. Later, after she had been cleaned up and bandaged, the policeman came to her room and told her about the crash.It seemed that Merles biplane muzzy power after a pass over a field. He was unable to climb fast enough to avoid a high-tension loom and flaming bits of Merle were scattered across a field of budding strawberries. Later, at the funeral, Rachel would comment, It was how he would have wanted to go.A few weeks later a man from the Federal Aviation Administration came around the trailer asking questions. Rachel told him that Merle had beat her, then had stormed out to the plane and taken off. The F.A.A. concluded that Merle, in his anger, had forgotten to check out his plane exhaustively before taking off. No one ever suspected Rachel of draining the oil out of the plane.