Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 44~45 Free Essays

string(68) " He heard the guard shout, and he was sure he’d been spotted\." 44 Revealed: The Perfect Couple Back at his bungalow, an argument went on in the still-sober brain of Tucker Case. I am scum. I should have told them to shove it. We will write a custom essay sample on Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 44~45 or any similar topic only for you Order Now But they might have killed you. Yeah, but I would have at least had my integrity. Your what? Get real. But I’m scum. Big deal. You’ve been scum before. You’ve never owned a Learjet before. You actually think they’ll give me the jet? It could happen. Stranger things have happened. But I should do something about this. Why? You’ve never done anything before. Well, maybe it’s time. No way. Take the jet. I’m scum. Well, yes, you are. But you’re rich scum. I can live with that. The dog tags and Jefferson Pardee’s notebook lay on the coffee table, threatening to set off another fusillade of doubt and condemnation. Tuck lay back on the rattan couch and turned on the television to escape the noise in his mind. Skinny Asian guys were beating the snot out of each other in a kickboxing match from the Philippines. The Malaysian channel was showing how to fillet a schnauzer. The cooking show reminded him of surgery, and surgery reminded him that there was a beautiful island girl lying in the clinic, recovering from an unnecessary major surgery that he could have prevented. Definitely kickboxing. He was just getting into the rhythm of the violence when the bat came through the window and made an awkward swinging landing on one of the bungalow’s open rafters. Tuck lost his breath for a minute, thinking there might just be a wild animal in his house. Then he saw the sunglasses. Roberto steadied himself into a slightly swinging upside-down hang. Tuck sighed. â€Å"Please just be a bat in sunglasses tonight. Please.† Thankfully, the bat said nothing. The sunglasses were sliding off his nose. â€Å"How do you fly in those things?† Tuck said, thinking out loud. â€Å"They’re aviators.† â€Å"Of course,† Tuck said. The bat had indeed changed from rhinestone glasses to aviators, but once you accept a talking bat, the leap to a talking bat with an eyewear wardrobe is a short one. Roberto dropped from the rafter and took wing just before he hit the floor. Two beats of his wings and he was on the coffee table, as awkward in his spiderlike crawl as he was graceful in the air. With his wing claw, he raked at Jefferson Pardee’s notebook until it was open to the middle, then he launched himself and flew out the window. Tuck picked up the notebook and read what Pardee had written. Tuck had missed this page when he had looked at the notebook before. This page had been stuck to the one before it; the bat’s clawing had revealed it. It was a list of leads that Pardee had made for the story he had been working on. The second item read: â€Å"What happened to the first pilot, James Sommers? Call immigration in Yap and Guam.† Tuck flipped through the notebook to see if he had missed something else. Had Pardee found out? Of course he had. He’d found out and he’d followed Sommers to the last place anyone had seen him. But where was Pardee? His notebook hadn’t come to the island without him. Tuck went through the notebook three more times. There were some foreign names and phone numbers. Something that looked like a packing list for a trip. Some notes on the background of Sebastian Curtis. Notes to check up on Japanese with guns. The word â€Å"Learjet† underlined three times. And nothing else. There didn’t seem to be any organizational form to the notes. Just random facts, names, places, and dates. Dates? Tuck went through it once more. On the third page in, all by itself, was printed: â€Å"Alualu, Sept. 9.† Tuck ran to the nightstand drawer, where the Curtises had left him a calendar. He counted back the days to the ninth and tried to put events to days. The ship had arrived on the ninth, and the morning of the tenth he had made his first flight. Jefferson Pardee could be lying in the clinic right now, wondering where in the hell his kidney was. If he was, Tuck needed to see him. Tuck looked in the closet for something dark to wear. This was going to be different than sneaking out to the village. There were no buildings between the guards’ quarters and the clinic, no trees, nothing but seventy-five yards of open compound. Darkness would be his only cover. It was a tropical-weight wet suit – two-mil neoprene – and it was two sizes two big, but it was the only thing in the closet that wasn’t khaki or white. In the 80-degree heat and 90-percent humidity, Tuck was reeling from the heat before he got the hood on. He stepped into the shower and soaked himself with cold water, then peeled the hood over his head and made his escape through the shower floor, dropping onto the wet gravel below. In the movies the spies – the Navy SEALS, the Special Forces, the demolition experts – always sneak through the night in their wet suits. Why, Tuck wondered, don’t they squish and slosh and make squeaking raspberry noises when they creep? Must be special training. You never hear James Bond say, â€Å"Frankly, Q, I’ll trade the laser-guided cufflink missiles for a wet suit that doesn’t make me feel like a bloody bag of catsick.† Which is how Tuck felt as he sloshed around the side of the clinic and peeked across the compound at the guard on duty, who seemed to be looking right at him. Tuck pulled back around the corner. He needed a diversion if he was going to make it to the clinic door unseen. The moon was bright, the sky clear, and the compound of white coral gravel reflected enough light to read by. He heard the guard shout, and he was sure he’d been spotted. He flattened against the wall and held his breath. Then there were more Japa-nese from across the compound, but no footsteps. He ventured a peek. The guard was gesturing toward the sky and brushing his head. Two other guards had joined him and were laughing at the guard on duty. He seemed to get angrier, cursing at the sky and wiping his hand on his uniform. The other guards led him inside to calm him down and clean him up. Tuck heard a bark from the sky and looked up to see the silhouette of a huge bat against the moon. Roberto had delivered a guano air strike. Tuck had his diversion. He slipped around the front of the building, grabbed the doorknob, and turned. It was unlocked. Given Beth Curtis’s irritation at being buzzed and the amount of wine she’d consumed, Tuck had guessed that she’d get tired locking and unlocking the door. What did Mary Jean always say? â€Å"Ladies, if you do your job and assume that everyone else is incompetent, you will seldom be disappointed.† Amen, Tuck thought. He squished into the outer room of the clinic, which was dark except for the red-eyed stare of a half-dozen machines and the dancing glow of a computer screen running a screen saver. He’d try to get into that later, but now he was interested in what, or who, lay in the small hospital ward, two rooms back. He sloshed into the examination/operating room by the light of more LED eyes and pushed through the curtain to the four-bed ward. Only one bed held a patient – or what looked like a patient. The only light was a green glow from a heart monitor that blipped away silently, the sound turned off. Whoever was in the bed was certainly large enough to be Jeffer-son Pardee. There were a couple of IVs hanging above the patient. Probably painkillers after such major surgery, Tuck thought. He moved closer and ventured a whisper. â€Å"Pst, Pardee.† The lump under the covers moved and moaned in a distinctly unmasculine voice. â€Å"Pardee, it’s Tucker Case. Remember?† The sheet was thrown back and Tuck saw a thin male face in the green glow. â€Å"Kimi?† â€Å"Hi, Tucker.† Kimi looked down at the other person under the covers. â€Å"You remember Tucker? He all better now.† The pretty island girl said, â€Å"I take care of you when you sick. You stink very much.† Tuck backed off a step. â€Å"Kimi, what are you doing here?† â€Å"Well, she like pretty thing, and I like pretty thing. She tired of having many means and so am I. We have a lot in common.† â€Å"He the best,† Sepie added with an adoring smile at Kimi. Kimi handed the smile off to Tuck. â€Å"Once you be a woman, you know how to make a woman happy.† Tuck was getting over the initial surprise and began to smell the smoke of his beautiful island girl fantasy as it caught fire and burned to ash. He hadn’t realized how much time he’d spent thinking about this girl. She, after all, was the one who had revived his manhood. Sort of. â€Å"You right,† Kimi said. â€Å"Women are better. I am lesbian now.† â€Å"You shouldn’t be doing this. This girl just had major surgery.† â€Å"Oh, we not doing nothing but kissing. She very hurt. But this make it better.† Kimi held his arm up, displaying an IV line. â€Å"You want to try? Put in you arm and push button. It make you feel very very nice.† â€Å"That’s for her, Kimi. You shouldn’t be using it.† â€Å"We share,† Sepie said. â€Å"Yes, we share,† Kimi said. â€Å"I’m very happy for you. How in the hell did you get in here?† â€Å"Like you get out. I swim around mimes and come here to see Sepie. No problem.† â€Å"You don’t want to let them catch you. You’ve got to go. Now.† â€Å"One more push.† Sepie held the button, ready to administer another dose of morphine to Kimi. Tuck grabbed it from her hand. â€Å"No. Go now. How did you know about the mines?† â€Å"I have other friend. Sarapul. I teach him how to be a navigator. He know a lot of things too. He a cannibal.† â€Å"You’re a cannibal lesbian?† â€Å"Just learning. How come you have rubber suit? You kinky?† â€Å"Sneaky. Look, Kimi, have you seen a fat white guy, an American?† â€Å"No, but Sarapul see him. He see the guards take him from the beach. He not here?† â€Å"No. I found his notebook. I met him on Truk.† â€Å"Sarapul say he see the guards bring him to the Sorcerer. He say it very funny, the white man wear pigs with wings.† Tuck felt his face go numb. All that was left of Pardee was a pelvic bone wedged in the reef, stripped of flesh and wrapped in flying piggy shorts. Oh, there might be the odd kidney left alive in someone in Japan, a kidney that he had delivered. Had the fat man died on the operating table during the operation, the surgery too much for his heart? Or was he put under and never meant to wake up? Tuck suddenly felt that getting into the doctor’s computer was more important than ever. He grabbed Kimi’s arm and pulled the IV needle out of his vein. The navigator didn’t resist, and he didn’t seem to feel it. â€Å"Kimi, see if you can get that back in Sepie’s arm and come with me.† â€Å"Okay boss.† Tuck looked down at the girl, who had evidently picked up on the panic in his voice. Her eyes were wide, despite the morphine glaze. â€Å"Don’t buzz the doctor until after we’re gone. This button will let you have only so much morphine, and Kimi’s used some of yours. But if it hurts, you still have to wait, okay?† She nodded. Kimi crawled out of the bed and nearly fell. Tuck caught him by the arm and steadied him. â€Å"I am chosen,† Sepie said. â€Å"When Vincent comes, he will give me many pretty things.† Tuck brushed back her hair with his fingers. â€Å"Yes, he will. You sleep now. And thank you for taking care of me when I was sick.† Kimi kissed the girl and after a minute Tuck pulled him away and led him through the operating room to the office section of the clinic. In the glow of the computer screen, Tuck said, â€Å"Kimi, the doctor and his wife are killing people.† â€Å"No, they not. They sent by Vincent. Sepie say Vincent come from Heaven to bring people many good things. They very poor.† â€Å"No, Kimi, they are bad people. Like Malcolme. They are taking advantage of Sepie’s people. They are just pretending to be working for a god.† â€Å"How you know? You no believe in God.† Tuck took the boy by the shoulders. He was no longer angry or even irritated, he was afraid, and for the first time ever, not just for himself. â€Å"Kimi, can you swim back around the mines?† â€Å"I think.† â€Å"You’ve got to go to the other side of the island and you can’t come back. If the guards find you I’m pretty sure you’ll be killed.† â€Å"You just want Sepie for yourself. She tell me you follow her.† â€Å"I’ll check on her and I’ll meet you at the drinking circle tomorrow night – tell you how she’s doing. I won’t touch her, I promise. Okay?† â€Å"Okay.† Kimi leaned against the wall by the door. Tuck studied him for a moment to try and determine just how fucked up he was. It wasn’t a difficult swim. Tuck had done it stone drunk, but he’d been wearing fins and a mask and snorkel. â€Å"You’re sure you can swim?† Kimi nodded and Tuck cracked the door. The moon had moved across the sky throwing the front of the clinic in shadow. The guard across the compound was reading a magazine by flashlight. â€Å"When you get outside, go left and get behind the building.† The navigator stepped out, slid down the side of the building and around the corner. Tuck heard him trip and fall and swear softly in Filipino. â€Å"Shit,† Tuck said to himself. He glanced at the computer. It would have to wait. He slid out the door, palming it shut behind him, then followed the navigator around the building. He heard the guard shout from across the compound, and for once in his life, Tuck made a definitive decision. He grabbed the navigator under the arms and ran. 45 Confessions Over Tee Tucker Case dreamed of machine-gun fire and jerked as the bullets ripped into his back. He tossed forward into the dirt, mouth filling with sand, smothering him as the life drained out of a thousand ragged wounds, and still the guns kept firing, the rhythmic reports pounding like a violet storm of timpanis, like a persistent fist on a rickety door. â€Å"Just let me die!† Tuck screamed, most of the sound caught by his pillow. It was a persistent fist on a rickety door. â€Å"Mr. Case, rise and shine,† said a cheery Sebastian Curtis. â€Å"Ten minutes to tee time.† Tuck rolled into the mosquito netting, became entangled, and ripped it from the ceiling. He was still wearing his wet suit and the fragile netting clung to it like cobwebs. He arrived at the door looking like a tattered ghost fresh out of Davy Jones’s locker. â€Å"What? I can’t fly. I can’t even fucking walk. Go away.† Tuck was not a morning person. Sebastian Curtis stood in the doorway beaming. â€Å"It’s Wednesday,† he said. â€Å"I thought you might want to play a few holes.† Tuck looked at the doctor through bloodshot eyes and several layers of torn mosquito netting. Behind Curtis stood one of the guards, sans machine gun, with a golf bag slung over his shoulder. â€Å"Golf?† Tuck said. â€Å"You want to play golf?† â€Å"It’s a different game here on Alualu, Mr. Case. Quite challenging. But then, you’ve been practicing, haven’t you?† â€Å"Look, Doc, I didn’t sleep well last night†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Could be the wet suit, if you don’t mind my saying. Here in the tropics, you want fabrics that breathe. Cotton is best.† Tuck was beginning to come around, and as he did, he found he was focusing an intense hatred on the doctor. â€Å"I guess we know who got laid last night.† Curtis looked down and smiled coyly. He was actually embarrassed. Tuck couldn’t quite put it together. The doc didn’t seem to have any problem with killing people or taking their organs – or both – but he was blushing at the mention of sex with his wife. Tuck glared at him. Curtis said, â€Å"You’d better change. The first tee is out in front of the hangar. I’ll go down and practice a few drives while you get dressed.† â€Å"You do that,† Tuck said. He slammed the door. Twenty minutes later Tuck, his hair still wet from the shower, joined Curtis and the guard in front of the hangar. He was feeling the weight of three nights with almost no sleep, and his back ached from dragging Kimi across the compound, then towing him in the water to the far side of the minefield. The guard had never caught up to them, but he had come to the edge of the water and shouted, waving his machine gun until Tuck and Kimi were out of sight. â€Å"We’ll have to share a set of clubs,† Curtis said. â€Å"But perhaps now that you’ve decided to stay, we can order you a set.† â€Å"Swell,† Tuck said. He couldn’t be sure, but he thought the guard might be the same one that had chased them to the beach. Tuck sneered at him and he looked away. Yep, he was the one. â€Å"This is Mato. He’ll be caddying for us today.† The guard bowed slightly. Tuck saluted him with a middle finger. If the doctor saw the gesture, he didn’t comment. He was lining the ball up on a small square of Astro Turf with a rubberized pad on the bottom. â€Å"We have to hit off of this. At least until someone invents a gravel wedge.† He laughed at his own joke. Tuck forced a smile. â€Å"The Shark People covered this entire island with gravel hundreds of years ago. Keeps the topsoil from being washed away in typhoons. This first hole is a dogleg to the left. The pin is behind the staff’s quarters about a hundred yards.† â€Å"Doc, now that we’ve come clean, why don’t we call them the guards?† â€Å"Very well, Mr. Case. Would you like honors?† â€Å"Call me Tuck. No, you go ahead.† Curtis hit a long bad hook that arced around the guards’ quar ters and landed out of sight in a stand of palm trees behind the building. â€Å"I have to admit that I may have a bit of an advantage. I’ve laid out the course to accommodate my stroke. Most of the holes are doglegs to the left.† Tuck nodded as if he understood what Curtis was talking about, then took the driver from the doctor and hit his own shot, a grounder that skipped across the gravel to stop fifty yards in front of them. â€Å"Oh, bad luck. Would you like to take a McGuffin?† â€Å"Blow me, Doc,† Tuck said as he walked away toward his ball. â€Å"I guess not, then.† The pins were bamboo shafts driven into the compound, the holes were lined with old Coke cans with the tops cut off. The best part about it was that Tuck was able to deliver several vicious high-velocity putts into the shins of Mato, who was tending the pins. The worst part was that now that Curtis considered Tuck a confidant, he decided to open up. â€Å"Beth is quite a woman, isn’t she? Did I tell you how we met?† â€Å"Yeah.† â€Å"I was at a transplant symposium in San Francisco. Beth is quite the nurse, the best I’ve ever seen in an operating room, but she wasn’t working as a nurse when I met her.† â€Å"Oh, good,† Tuck said. Curtis seemed to be waiting for Tucker to ask. Tucker was waiting for the guard to rat him out for sneaking out of the compound last night. â€Å"She was a dancer in North Beach. An exotic dancer.† â€Å"No shit.† Tuck said. â€Å"Are you shocked?† Curtis obviously wanted him to be shocked. â€Å"No.† â€Å"She was incredible. The most incredible woman I had ever seen. She still is.† â€Å"But then, you’ve been a missionary on a remote island for twenty-eight years,† Tuck said. Curtis picked his club for the next shot: the seven iron. â€Å"What’s this?† â€Å"Looks like blood and feathers,† Tuck said. Curtis handed the club to Mato for him to clean it. â€Å"Beth did a dance with surgical tubing and a stethoscope that took my breath away.† â€Å"Pretty common,† Tuck said. â€Å"Choke you with the surgical tubing and use the stethoscope to make sure you haven’t done the twitching fish.† â€Å"Really?† Curtis said. â€Å"You’ve seen a woman do that?† Tuck put on his earnest young man face. â€Å"Seen? You didn’t notice the ligature marks on my neck when you examined me?† â€Å"Oh, I see,† Curtis said. â€Å"Still, I, at least, had never seen anything like it. She†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Curtis couldn’t seem to return to his story. â€Å"The wet suit this morning. Was that a sexual thing? I mean, most people would find it uncomfortable.† â€Å"No, I’m just trying to lose a little weight.† Curtis looked serious now. â€Å"I don’t know if that’s such a good idea. You’re still very thin from your ordeal in getting here.† â€Å"I’d like to get down to about eight pounds,† Tuck said. â€Å"There’s a big Gandhi revival thing going on back in the States. Guys who look like they’re starving have to beat the babes off with a stick. Started with female fashion models, but now it’s moved to the men.† Curtis look embarrassed. â€Å"I guess I’m a bit out of touch. Beth tries to keep up with what’s going on in the States, but it, well, seems irrelevant out here. I guess I’ll be glad when this is all over and we can leave the island.† â€Å"Then why don’t you just leave? You’re a physician. You could open up a practice in the States and pull down a fortune without all this.† Curtis glanced at the guard, then looked back to Tuck. â€Å"A fortune maybe, but not a fortune like we’re accumulating now. I’m too old to start over at the bottom.† â€Å"You’ve got twenty-eight years’ experience. You said yourself that the people you take care of are the healthiest in the Pacific. You wouldn’t be starting over.† â€Å"Yes, I would. Mr. Case – Tuck – I’m a doctor, but I’m not a very good one.† Tuck had met a number of doctors in his life, but he had never met one who could bear to admit that he was incompetent at anything. It was a running joke among flight instructors that doctors made the worst students. â€Å"They think they’re gods. It’s our job to teach them that they’re mortal. Only pilots are gods.† This guy seemed so pathetic that Tuck had to remind himself that the good doctor was at least a double murderer. He watched Curtis hit a nice hundred-yard bloodstained seven iron to within ten feet of the pin, which was set up on a small patch of grass near the beach. Tuck chased down his own skidding thwack of a nine iron that had landed between the roots of a walking tree, an arboreal oddity that sat atop a three-foot teepee of tangled roots and gave the impression that it might move off on its own power at any moment. Tuck was hoping that it would. The caddie followed Tuck, and when they were out of earshot of the doctor, he turned to face the stoic Japanese. â€Å"You can’t tell him, can you?† The guard pretended not to understand, but Tuck saw that he was getting it, even if only by inflection. â€Å"You can’t tell him and you can’t fucking shoot me, can you? You killed the last pilot and that got you in a world of trouble, didn’t it? That’s why you guys follow me like a bunch of baby ducks, isn’t it?† Tuck was guessing, but it was the only logical explanation. Mato glanced toward the doctor. â€Å"No,† Tuck said. â€Å"He doesn’t know that I know. And we’re not going to tell him, are we? Just shake your head if you’re getting this.† The guard shook his head. â€Å"Okay, then, here’s the deal. I’ll let you guys look like you’re doing your job, but when I wave you off, you’re gone. You hear me? I want you guys off my ass. You tell your buddies, okay?† The guard nodded. â€Å"Can you speak any English at all?† â€Å"Hai. A rittle.† â€Å"You guys killed the pilot, didn’t you?† â€Å"He tly to take prane.† Mato looked as if the words were painful for him to form. Tuck nodded, feeling heat rise in his face. He wanted to smash the guard’s face, knock him to the ground, and kick him into a glob of goo. â€Å"And you killed Pardee, the fat American man.† Mato shook his head. â€Å"No. We don’t.† â€Å"Bullshit!† â€Å"No, we†¦we†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He was searching for the English word. â€Å"What?† â€Å"We take him, but not shoot.† â€Å"Take him where? To the clinic?† The guard shook his head violently. Not saying no, but trying to say that he couldn’t say. â€Å"What happened to the fat man?† â€Å"He die. Hospital. We put him water.† â€Å"You took his body to the edge of the reef, where the sharks would find it?† The guard nodded. â€Å"And the pilot? You put him in the same place?† Again the nod. â€Å"What’s going on. Are you going to hit or not?† Tuck and the guard looked up like two boys caught trading curses in the schoolyard. Curtis had come back down the fairway to within fifty feet of them. Tuck pointed to his ball. â€Å"Kato here won’t let me move that out for a shot. I’ll take the penalty stroke, Doc. But hell, we don’t have mutant trees like that in Texas. It’s unnatural.† Curtis looked sideways at Tuck’s ball, then at Mato. â€Å"He can move it. No penalty. You’re a guest here, Mr. Case. We can let you bend a few rules.† Curtis did not smile. Suddenly he seemed very serious about his golf. â€Å"We’re partners now, Doc,† Tuck said. â€Å"Call me Tuck.† How to cite Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 44~45, Essay examples

Othello - A Racist Play Essays - Othello, Iago, Michael Cassio

Othello - A Racist Play? Although there are lots of things to suggest this is a racist play I don't think that racism actually dominates the play, even though it has a racist theme. There is a romantic union between black and white which gets destroyed because most people think the relationship is wrong. At the time the play was written, 1604, even the Queen of England was racist so there must have been a strong hatred of blacks around that time. Most racist comments in the play are said by people that are angry or upset. For example, when Emilia found out that Othello had killed Desdemona she was extremely mad and she called Othello a "Blacker devil", this was the only time in the play that she had said anything racist about Othello. The main characters that have racist attitudes are Iago, Brabantio, Roderigo and Emilia, with the hatred of Othello as the basis for their racist actions and comments towards him. Iago is the most racist character in the book as he has it in for Othello right from the start. What sparks off Iago's hate towards him is the fact that when Othello chose his lieutenant , it was Cassio who was chosen instead of Iago. What made Iago angry was the fact that Cassio had no experience in war when he did and Cassio was chosen instead of him. Iago does not say anything racist to Othello's face but he has a lot to say against him behind his back. He schemes to destroy Othello and anything in his way including Cassio and Desdemona. The first time we hear one of his racist comments is when he's talking to Brabantio about Othello and Desdemona, "Even now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe". Iago says this to try and turn Brabantio against Othello. Iago uses racist comments all the way through the play, as he tries to turn people against Othello, for example calling him a "Barbary Horse". He never says anything racist to Othello's face because in his plot he had to be his best friend, so as not to make him suspicious that Iago was causing all the trouble for him. Iago is jealous of Othello for many reasons, one being that Othello has higher ranking in the army than him, and also he has a good marriage with Desdemona which Iago does not have himself with Emilia. These are the main causes of his hatred for Othello and the reason he adopts such a racist attitude. Roderigo is another one of the racist characters in the play, being so right from the start. He is Iago's accomplice and will do anything that Iago wants him to. I think he does this because of the way Iago can twist a situation to make it sound as if Roderigo would get something good from it but in the end he doesn't. One of the racist names he calls Othello behind his back is "Thick-lips" . He hates Othello because he's jealous of him as he also loves Desdemona but cannot have her. I don't think he views Othello in a very bad, racist way but uses the racism against Othello because he's jealous of him. Neither Roderigo or Iago would say anything racist to Othello's face as he is the general of the army. Brabantio is also a racist character, and is enraged when he finds out that his daughter, Desdemona, has been seeing "the moor" behind his back. Brabantio is so mad he sends out his guards to catch Othello and put him in prison. Brabantio views Othello as a foul and dirty no good black, I think this racist view of his is because he's angry when he finds out that his daughter has been seeing this "moor". Unlike Iago and Roderigo, Brabantio will openly make racist comments about Othello to his face such as, "lascivious moor", "Wheeling stranger". Brabantio can do this because he is the Senator of Venice and is higher in rank than Othello. The other character who is racist towards Othello is Emilia, the lady in waiting to Desdemona. Emilia is disgusted with Othello when she finds out that Othello had killed Desdemona

Typical Course of Study - Kindergarten

Typical Course of Study - Kindergarten The elementary years lay the foundation for learning throughout a students educational career (and beyond). Childrens abilities undergo dramatic changes from kindergarten through 5th grade.   While public and private schools set the standards for their students,  homeschooling parents  may be unsure what to teach at each grade level. Thats where a typical course of study comes in handy.   A typical course of study provides a general framework for introducing appropriate skills and concepts for each subject at each grade level. Parents may notice that some skills and topics are repeated in multiple grade levels. This repetition is normal because the complexity of skills and depth of topics increases as a students ability and maturity increases. Kindergarten Kindergarten is a highly-anticipated time of transition for most children. Learning through play starts to give way to more formal lessons. (Though play remains an essential part of education through the elementary years.) For most young children, this first foray into formal learning will include pre-reading and early math activities. It is also a time for children to begin understanding their role and the roles of others in the community.   Language Arts A typical course of study for kindergarten language arts includes pre-reading activities such as learning to recognize upper- and lower-case letters of the alphabet and the sounds of each. Children enjoy looking at picture books and pretending to read. Its crucial to read to kindergarten students on a regular basis. Not only does reading aloud help children make connections between written and spoken words, but it also helps them acquire new vocabulary skills. Students should practice writing the letters of the alphabet and learn to write their name. Children may use drawings or invented spelling to tell stories.   Science Science helps kindergarten students begin to understand the world around them. It is essential to provide opportunities for them to explore science-related topics through observation and investigation. Ask students questions such as how, why, what if, and what do you think. Use nature study to help young students explore earth science and physical science. Common topics for kindergarten science include insects, animals, plants, weather, soil, and rocks.   Social Studies In kindergarten, social studies focus on exploring the world through the local community. Provide opportunities for children to  learn about themselves and their role in their family and community. Teach them about community helpers such as police officers and firefighters.   Introduce them to basic facts about their country, such as its president, its capital city, and some of its national holidays. Help them explore basic geography with simple maps of their home, city, state, and country. Math A typical course of study for kindergarten math includes topics such as counting, number recognition, one-to-one correspondence, sorting and categorizing, learning basic shapes, and pattern recognition. Children will learn to recognize numbers 1 through 100 and count by ones to 20. They will learn to describe the position of an object such as in, beside, behind, and between.   They will learn to recognize simple patterns such as A-B (red/blue/red/blue), complete a pattern that has been started for them, and create their own simple patterns. First Grade Children in first grade are starting to acquire more abstract thinking skills. Some begin to move toward reading fluency. They can understand more abstract math concepts and can complete simple addition and subtraction problems. They are becoming more independent and self-sufficient. Language Arts A typical course of study for first-grade language arts introduces students to age-appropriate grammar, spelling, and writing. Children learn to capitalize and punctuate sentences correctly. They are expected to spell grade level words correctly and capitalize common nouns. Most first grade students will learn to read one-syllable words that follow general spelling rules and use phonics skills to decipher unknown words.  Ã‚   Some common skills for first graders include using and understanding compound words; inferring a words meaning from context; understanding figurative language;  and writing short compositions. Science First-grade students will build on the concepts they learned in kindergarten. They will continue asking questions and predicting outcomes and will learn to find patterns in the natural world. Common science topics for first grade include plants; animals; states of matter (solid, liquid, gas); sound; energy; seasons; water; and weather. Social Studies First-grade students can understand the past, present, and future, though most dont have a solid grasp of time intervals (for example, 10 years ago vs.  50 years ago). They understand the world around them from the context of the familiar, such as their school and community.   Common first-grade social studies topics include basic economics (needs vs. wants), beginning  map skills (cardinal directions and locating state and country on a map), continents, cultures, and national symbols. Math First-grade math concepts reflect this age groups improved ability to think abstractly. Skills and concepts typically taught include addition and subtraction;  telling time to the half-hour; recognizing and counting money; skip counting (counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s); measuring;  ordinal numbers (first, second, third); and naming and drawing two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes. Second Grade Second-grade students are becoming better at processing information and can understand more abstract concepts. They understand jokes, riddles, and sarcasm and like to try them on others.   Most students who did not master reading fluency in first grade will do so in second. Most second graders have also established foundational writing skills. Language Arts A typical course of study for second-grade children focuses on reading fluency. Children will begin reading grade-level text without stopping to sound out most words. They will learn to read orally at a conversational speaking rate and use  voice inflection for expression. Second-grade students will learn  more complex phonics concepts and vocabulary. They will begin to learn prefixes, suffixes, antonyms, homonyms, and synonyms. They may start learning cursive handwriting.  Ã‚   Common skills for second-grade writing include using reference tools (such as a dictionary); writing opinion and how-to compositions; using planning tools such as brainstorming and graphic organizers; and learning to self-edit. Science In second grade, children begin using what they know to make predictions (hypothesis) and look for patterns in nature. Common second-grade life science topics include life cycles, food chains, and habitats (or biomes).   Earth science  topics include the Earth and how it changes over time; the factors affecting those changes such as wind, water, and ice; and the physical properties and classification of rocks.   Students are also introduced to force and motion concepts such as push, pull, and  magnetism. Social Studies Second graders are ready to begin moving beyond their local community and using what they know to compare their region with other areas and cultures.   Common topics include Native Americans, key historical figures (such as George Washington or Abraham Lincoln), creating timelines, the United States Constitution, and the election process. Second graders will also learn more advanced map skills, such as locating the United States and individual states; finding and labeling oceans, continents, the North and South Poles, and the equator. Math In second grade, students will begin to learn more complex math skills and attain fluency in math vocabulary.   A second-grade math course of study usually includes place value (ones, tens, hundreds); odd and even numbers; adding and subtracting two-digit numbers; introduction of multiplication tables; telling time from the quarter hour  to the  minute; and fractions. Third Grade In third grade, students begin to make the shift from guided learning to more independent exploration. Because most third-graders are fluent readers, they can read directions themselves and take more responsibility for their work. Language Arts In language arts, the focus on reading shifts from learning to read to reading to learn. There is an emphasis on reading comprehension. Students will learn to identify the main idea or moral of a story and be able to describe the plot and how the actions of the main characters affect the plot. Third graders will begin using more complex graphic organizers as part of the pre-writing process. They will learn  to write book reports, poems, and personal narratives. Topics for third-grade grammar include parts of speech; conjunctions; comparative and superlatives; more complex capitalization and punctuation skills (such as capitalizing book titles and punctuating dialogue); and sentence types (declarative, interrogative, and exclamatory).   Students also learn about writing genres such as fairy tales, myths, fiction, and biographies.   Science Third graders start to tackle more complex science topics. Students learn about the scientific process,  simple machines  and  the moon and its phases. Other topics include living organisms (vertebrate and invertebrates); properties of matter; physical changes; light and sound; astronomy; and inherited traits. Social Studies Third-grade social studies topics help students continue to expand their view of the world around them. They learn about cultures and how the environment and physical features affect the people of a given region. Students learn about topics such as transportation, communication, and the exploration and colonization of North American. Geography topics include latitude, longitude, map scale, and geographic terms. Math Third-grade mathematical concepts continue to increase in complexity.   Topics include multiplication and division; estimation; fractions and decimals; commutative and associative properties; congruent shapes, area and perimeter; charts and graphs; and probability.   Fourth Grade Most fourth-grade students are ready to tackle more complex work independently. They start learning basic time management and planning techniques for long-term projects. Fourth-graders are also starting to discover their academic strengths, weaknesses, and preferences. They may be asynchronous learners who dive into topics that interest them while struggling in areas that dont.   Language Arts Most fourth-grade students are competent, fluent readers. It is an excellent time to introduce books series since many children at this age are captivated by them.   A typical course of study includes grammar, composition, spelling, vocabulary-building, and literature. Grammar focuses on topics such as similes and metaphors; prepositional phrases; and run-on sentences.   Composition topics include creative, expository, and persuasive writing; research (using sources such as the internet, books, magazines, and news reports); understanding fact vs. opinion; point of view; and editing and publishing. Students will read and respond to a variety of literature. They will explore genres such as folklore, poetry, and tales from a variety of cultures.   Science Fourth-grade students continue to deepen their understanding of the scientific process through practice. They may try conducting age-appropriate experiments and document them by writing lab reports.  Ã‚   Earth science topics in fourth grade include natural disasters (such as earthquakes and volcanoes); the solar system; and natural resources. Physical science topics include electricity and electrical currents; physical and chemical changes in states of matter (freezing, melting, evaporation, and condensation); and the water cycle. Life science topics typically cover how plants and animals interact with and support one another (food chains and food webs), how plants produce food, and how humans impact the environment. Social Studies The history of the United States and the students home state are common topics for social studies in fourth grade. Students will research facts about their home states such as its native population, who settled the land, its path to statehood, and significant people and events from state history.   U.S. history topics include the Revolutionary War and westward expansion (the explorations of Lewis and Clark and the lives of American pioneers) Math Most fourth-grade students should be comfortable adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing quickly and accurately. They will apply these skills to large whole numbers and learn to add and subtract fractions and decimals.   Other fourth-grade math skills and concepts include prime numbers; multiples; conversions; adding and subtracting with variables; units of metric measurements; finding the area and perimeter of a solid; and figuring the volume of a solid. New concepts in geometry include lines, line segments, rays, parallel lines, angles, and triangles.   Fifth Grade Fifth grade is the last year as an elementary student for most students since middle school is generally considered grades 6-8. While these young tweens may consider themselves mature and responsible, they often need continued guidance as they prepare to transition fully to independent learners.   Language Arts A typical course of study for fifth-grade language arts will include components that become standard through the high school years: grammar, composition, literature, spelling, and vocabulary-building.   The literature component includes reading a variety of books and genres; analyzing plot, character, and setting; and identifying the authors purpose for writing and how his point of view influences his writing. Grammar and composition focus on using correct age-appropriate grammar to write more complex compositions such as letters, research papers, persuasive essays, and stories; honing pre-writing techniques such as brainstorming and using graphic organizers; and building on the students understanding of parts of speech and how each is used in a sentence (examples include prepositions, interjections, and conjunctions). Science Fifth graders have a strong basic understanding of science and the scientific process. Theyll put those skills to work as they delve into a more complex understanding of the world around them. Science topics usually covered in fifth grade include the solar system; the universe; Earths atmosphere; healthy habits (proper nutrition and personal hygiene); atoms, molecules, and cells; matter; the Periodic Table; and taxonomy and the classification system. Social Studies In fifth grade, students continue their exploration of American history, studying events such as the War of 1812; the American Civil War; inventors and technological advances of the 19th century (such as Samuel B. Morse, the Wright Brothers, Thomas Edison, and Alexander Graham Bell); and basic economics (the law of supply and demand; the primary resources, industries, and products of the United States and other countries). Math A typical course of study for fifth-grade math  include dividing two- and three-digit whole numbers with and without remainders; multiplying and dividing fractions; mixed numbers; improper fractions; simplifying fractions; using equivalent fractions; formulas for area, perimeter, and volume; graphing; Roman numerals; and powers of ten. This typical course of study for elementary school is intended as a general guide. The introduction of topics and acquisition  of skills can vary widely based on the studentss maturity and ability level, a familys preferred homeschooling style, and the type of homeschool curriculum used.

Advertise Smarter

Advertise Smarter Successful independent authors advertise. Its as simple as that. You cant publish a book and expect the world to notice. You must get the word out. However, not all types of advertising produce the same results, and its easy to waste an awful lot of money without seeing substantial return. Trust me, Ive wasted plenty, and I want to help you avoid some of the same mistakes. I only advertise books that are on sale, or free, and I look for sites with a substantial mailing list. I avoid sites that boast huge Twitter followings as their claim to fame, because its easy to artificially inflate social media stats. I also avoid doing banner advertisements on sites, because the click-through rate on those are a Bookbub Lets address the behemoth first. I havent encountered a site thats more consistently worth the investment than Bookbub. At first glance, its expensive, but an ad with them is worth every penny. On average, for a free book in the horror genre, I see around 8,000–20,000 downloads on the day my ad hits, and the effect continues for several days until gradually coming back down to average. Bookbub can be awfully picky about which titles they advertise, which might be discouraging if they decline your novel. Dont be disheartened. Acquire more reviews on your book (which is part of their selection criteria), and give them another try in a month. For tips on finding more reviews, see my article in last weeks FundsforWriters newsletter: How to Get Reviews – Without Cheating! Freebooksy/Bargainbooksy This is another pricey option thats had consistent, positive results, although with nowhere near the same success as Bookbub. Their prices run between $40 and $200 depending on the genre of your book, and I usually see an uptick of about 1,000 downloads (for a free horror novel). Advertising with Bargainbooksy is considerably cheaper, but Ive never seen an impressive result from them. In my opinion, you should only use this site when your book is being offered for free. Kindle Nation Daily / Bookgorilla Its daunting to look at the pricing structure of this sites advertisement packages. Ive participated in several different options (including some of the frighteningly expensive ones) and surprisingly discovered that the best one is also the cheapest. If youre offering a free book, then its worth your time to invest in the $29.99 Free Book Highlighter option. OHFB Another free book advertising opportunity. This one competes closely with Freebooksy in terms of price and results, although I only utilize it when Im putting a slew of ads out all at once. Bookbasset Heres one thats still relatively cheap (get them while you can), but still manages to drum up impressive downloads. One of its options makes you the featured author for the day and can be used to advertise all of your books. This one runs $21.99 and is a good option if youre hoping to advertise books that arent available for free. If youre marketing a free book, then theres an option that runs a meager $7.99, but will usually land you a few hundred downloads. Good luck advertising your book! If you find a different site thats worth advertising with, please reply with   a comment.

Religion, Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Religion, Literature - Essay Example However, after Nietzsche had developed an independent mind, their difference grew, as they perceived humanity and life through different perspectives. This paper delves into Nietzsche’s disappointment with Wagner and how his religious views diverged from Nietzsche’s views. Nietzsche describes Wagner as a musician who is the master than anyone he knows in the discovery of tones that are peculiar to tormented, oppressed, and suffering souls (Darby 56). Wagner could even give a speech to dumb misery. He could be master of everything that was small, but he refused to be this according to Nietzsche. Several other factors made Nietzsche disappointed in Wagner. The work begins by showing that he and Wagner were opposites (Darby 60). He goes on to state that the book was for psychologists and that all Germans were excluded from those he intended to read his books. This was most likely in reference to Wagner and his roots. Nietzsche then goes on to express his admiration for Wagner and his ability to express both his misery and suffering in his creations of short music. After this, he goes on to take a critical stand on Wagner’s attempt at large work production (Nikos 65). Nietzsche was also critically disappointed at the physical aspect of Wagner’s music (Nikos 65). He even went on to try to expose Wagner as more of an actor than of a composer. According to him, Wagner’s feet, lungs, heart, throat and intestines were affected uncomfortably. Nietzsche also says he was disappointed to discover that in Wagner’s music existed no pleasing melody or rhythm. Rather, Nietzsche contends, Wagner’s music was merely a way of enhancing gesturing and posing theatrically. Nietzsche also reveals that he wanted and desired profound, wanton, cheerful, roguish, graceful, and tender music. He reserves praise for Chopin, Peter Gast, Liszt and Rossini, and all Venetian music. He, in fact, ends the Intermezzo with his poem, Venice. He found the discussed qualities

Human resources contributes at SYSCO Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human resources contributes at SYSCO - Case Study Example For a company to run its operations in a given setting it requires to comply with some rules and procedures set by the existing government authority. These regulations require professional persons to administer it. For SYSCO to receive the Optimas award for general HR excellence from workforce magazine shows that the company have complied with most of the existing regulations and that it is being administered well. Reducing workers compensation calls for strong health and safety regulations and adherence to the same. SYSCO HR team must have dealt seriously with previous injuries and accidents that had occurred in the company. They must have identified the root causes of the injuries and accidents to forge ahead in reducing the same. In addition, HR efforts have seen a reduction in employee’s turnover especially to the team that works at night. Employees and operating managers input in the survey data has helped in making decisions that retain employees. For instance, employees who work at night can receive extra pay for working at night, receive special treatments like supper, or change shifts every week with those who work during the day. Customer satisfaction is another area that SYSCO HR has worked hard to see grow. They have done this through selecting employees with customer oriented skills and trained them on how to value customers as the biggest assets of the company. Getting fee dback form customers might be another means SYSCO HR have used to capture advanced customer needs in their

MIS implementation at AC Ltd | Analysis

MIS implementation at AC Ltd | Analysis A PROJECT REPORT On Management Information System of AC Ltd. TABLE OF CONTENTS S. NO. PARTICULARS PAGE NO. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 1 INTRODUCTION – DEFINITION OF MIS 5 2 COMPANY PROFILE 6 3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY 7 4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY 7 5 TYPES OF MIS AND USES 8 7 ROLES OF MIS 8 8 DESCRIPTION NATURE OF INFORMATION SYSTEM 12 9 Description and Analysis use of Information Systems MIS STUDY AT AC LIMITED 9.1 General Information 9.2 Need For Integrated MIS 9.3 MIS Functions Provided by Current MIS 9.4 Architecture of MIS at AC Limited 9.5 Inventory Management Module Of Current MIS 12-24 11 ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT USE OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS, identification of problems 24 12 RECOMMENDATION for future developments in use of IS 25 13 GANTT CHART 28 14 REFERENCES 29 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Making decisions is an integral part in the functioning of any organization. To facilitate Decision making in this ever-competitive world it is imperative that managers have the right information at the right time to bridge the gap between need and expectation. For better flow of information an adequate Management Information Systems (MIS) is the need of this age. Thus it is important to have an understanding of the MIS followed in an organization by all levels of management in order to take effective and appropriate decisions. A management information system collects and processes data (information) and provides it to managers at all levels who use it for decision making, planning, program implementation, and control. The MIS has many roles to perform like the decision support role, the performance monitoring role and the functional support role. To get a realistic view of the MIS, I’ve gone through the MIS of AC Limited. For the purpose of getting in depth understanding of particular functions of the company, I focused the needs, uses and benefits of MIS with respect to the Material Department of the company. For the preparation of this report, Inventory Management has primarily been focused. AC Limited is one of the first Pakistani companies to realize the potential and importance of information technology and to adopt automation and IT infrastructure. The preliminary computerization took place in 1986. The organization has traveled a long way from the days in 1986 when it was using simple keypunching machines. Significant improvements were made in the application systems and infrastructure. From Batch processing to on-line systems, from IBM1401 to the latest UNIX and Windows XP and 2003 based machines organization has made timely transitions determined by the available technologies. Throughout this evolution the MIS remained synchronized to the information flow in the organization and the management felt that it has played a role in the overall growth and increased performance of the organization. INTRODUCTION DEFINITION OF MIS Management Information Systems (MIS) is a system consisting of people, machines, procedures, data bases and data models, as its components. The system gathers data from Internal and External sources of an organization; processes it and supplies Management Information to assist managers in the process in decision making. Thus it is safe to conclude that an information system is a system consisting of the network of all communication channels used within an organization. There are many potential benefits of MIS investments Investing in information systems can pay off for a company in many ways. It can support a core competency. Enhance distribution channel management. Builds brand equity. IT investment can boost production processes Information systems allow company flexibility in its output level. An information system comprises of all the components that collect, manipulate, and deliver data or information. It usually includes hardware, software, people, communications systems such as telephone lines, and the data itself. The activities involved include inputting data, processing of data into information, storage of data and information, and the production of outputs such as management reports. COMPANY PROFILE – THE ACC LIMITED AC (AC Limited) is Pakistans foremost manufacturer of cement and concrete. ACs operations are spread throughout the country with 14 modern cement factories, 13 Ready mix concrete plants, 19 sales offices, and several zonal offices. It has a workforce of about 9000 persons and a countrywide distribution network of over 9,000 dealers. ACs research and development facility has a unique track record of innovative research, product development and specialized consultancy services. Since its inception in 1936, the company has been a trendsetter and important benchmark for the cement industry in respect of its production, marketing and personnel management processes. Its commitment to environment-friendliness, its high ethical standards in business dealings and its on-going efforts in community welfare programs have won it acclaim as a responsible corporate citizen. AC has made significant contributions to the nation building process by way of quality products, services and sharing its expe rtise. In the 70 years of its existence, AC has been a pioneer in the manufacture of cement and concrete and a trendsetter in many areas of cement and concrete technology including improvements in raw material utilization, process improvement, energy conservation and development of high performance concretes. AC’s brand name is synonymous with cement and enjoys a high level of equity in the Indian market. It is the only cement company that figures in the list of Consumer Super Brands of India. The companys various businesses are supported by a powerful, in-house research and technology backup facility the only one of its kind in the Indian cement industry. This ensures not just consistency in product quality but also continuous improvements in products, processes, and application areas. AC has rich experience in mining, being the largest user of limestone, and it is also one of the principal users of coal. As the largest cement producer in India, it is one of the biggest customers of the Indian Railways, and the foremost user of the road transport network services for inward and outward movement of materials and products. ACC has also extended its services overseas to the Middle East, Africa, and South America, where it has provided technical and managerial consultancy to a variety of consumers, and also helps in the operation and maintenance of cement plants abroad. ACC demonstrates the practices of being a good corporate citizen undertaking a wide range of activities to improve the living conditions of the under-privileged classes living near its factories. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY The objective of this report is to study the MIS implementation at AC Ltd. and with the help of this domain, to get an insight into the needs of MIS in business setups on a big scale, various functions performed by the MIS, benefits derived out of such a system and the risks involved. I intend to aim my study at analyzing the business needs of the organization, key challenges or desired functional requirements of the MIS, the IT solution that is currently implemented and the outcome of such a system. AC Ltd. requires MIS to map internal processes and interaction with the external environment to the technology and ensure the solution delivers real benefits to the business. SCOPE OF THE STUDY The scope of this study is to understand the reasons behind the need of MIS in AC Ltd. This study leads to the MIS support to the Company as a whole with special emphasis on Inventory Management practiced in the Material Stores Department of the company. Through the interaction with the executives of AC Limited, we get an insight about the effectiveness of the MIS in place at the organization. TYPES OF MIS AND USES MIS CLASSIFICATION MIS is a concept, which is a matter of degree rather than an absolute one. In management there are perhaps few other areas other than MIS which gas created so much controversy. We would make an attempt to try to look into different types of MIS as they have evolved during the course of time. Transaction Processing System Management Information System Decision Support System Executive Support System Office Automation System Business Expert System FUNCTIONAL USES AND ROLES OF MIS THE PERFORMANCE MONITORING ROLE MIS are not just statistics and data analysis. They have to be used as an MBO (Management by Objectives) tool. They help: to establish relevant and measurable objectives to monitor results and performances (reach ratios) to send alerts, in some cases daily, to managers at each level of the organization, on all deviations between results and pre-established objectives and budgets. THE FUNCTIONAL SUPPORT ROLE Business processes and operations support function is the most basic. It involves collecting, recording, storing, and basic processing of data. Information systems support business processes and operations by: recording, storing and processing sales data, purchase data, investment data, payroll data and other accounting records recording, storing and processing inventory data, work in process data, equipment repair and maintenance data, supply chain data, and other production/operations records recording, storing and processing personnel data, salary data, employment histories, and other human resources records recording, storing and processing market data, customer profiles, customer purchase histories, marketing research data, advertising data, and other marketing records recording, storing an processing business intelligence data, competitor analysis data, industry data, corporate objectives, and other strategic management records use of all the above to implement, control, and monitor plans, strategies, tactics, new products, new business models or new business ventures. THE DECISION SUPPORT ROLE The business decision making support function goes one step further. It is an integral part of making decisions. It allows users to ask What if†¦? questions: What if we increase the price by 5%? What if we increase price by 10%? What if we decrease price by 5%? What if we increase price by 10% now, then decrease it by 5% in three months? It also allows users to deal with contingencies: If inflation increases by 5% (instead of 2% as we are assuming), then what do we do? What do we do if we are faced with a strike or a new competitive threat? ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE ACC LTD. Description and Nature of Information System INVENTORY MANAGEMENT A product that is in excessive demand is usually extremely difficult to manage. Supplying the right amount of products implies that an accurate demand forecast is essential. This holds the impact on the entire supply chain to facilitate efficient consumer response based on consumer demands it becomes imperative that such companies consider inventory management seriously. Making accurate demand and supply predictions is an ideal situation that anyone in the supply chain management arena could dream off. By providing timely accurate information pertaining to inventory location, movement and valuation, receipt of goods, sale and return of goods and profits you can make sure that your inventory is visible throughout a network. With inventory management you can set your product catalog to hide products that are not in stock, or change prices based on the amount of products available in the warehouse. The quantity available can be displayed to the shopper and this can prevent unnecessary confusion when the shopper adds items not available to a shopping cart. The store buyer can be automatically notified about low inventory levels. IT (Information Technology) is a key enabler in the transformation of purchasing into a strategic business function. The challenge is to find a way to put these technologies to use and create value and competitive advantage. The Main Objectives in Inventory Management are: Improved customer service Reduced inventory investment Increased productivity Benefits of inventory management applications Complete control of inventory. Complete information about the value of the inventory Complete visibility on Quantities on hand, Quantities committed and Quantities sold Response time to demand changes reduced Increased sales Knowledge of the exact size of merchandizing inventory Taxes and insurance premiums paid on excess merchandize inventory avoided. DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS AC is one of the first Indian companies to realize the potential and importance of information technology and adopt automation and IT. The organization started computerizing its systems as early as 1986. The organization has traveled a long way from the days in 1986 when it was using simple keypunching machines. Significant improvements have been made in the application systems and infrastructure. From Batch processing to on-line systems, from IBM1401 to the latest UNIX and Windows 2003 based machines it has made timely transitions determined by available technologies and business requirements. AC has made a quantum jump from in-house developed systems using Oracle 9i and Developer 6i to an ERP based solution. This decision was solely based on its strategic objectives and the business benefits that are expected to follow. With this move people, business processes and technologies across the country are aligned. The implementation of ERP solution for process control is shown in the figure below. Fig.1 The ERP implementation for process control at AC Ltd. IT department is still continuously working on improving the functionality and removing the errors of the system. As a result system is becoming better day-by-day, thus improving the productivity of the company. NEED FOR AN INTEGRATED MIS The benefits associated with an integrated MIS are Better processing of the large volume of data in an organization. Reducing the Redundancy of Data that occurs in case of separate packages. Availability of all the required information about any department through a common system. Making the system capable of supporting the managers in making decisions. Facilitate the communication between the various regional offices of the company and the corporate office along with the main plant. Use of online data to speed up the information flow of the organization and facilitate decision-making FUNCTIONS PROVIDED BY CURRENT MIS Plant (Manufacturing Maintenance) Production Break down and Plant performance Module MIS Reports and stoppage Module, Stock position Raw Materials Management System Integration with Weigh Bridge and Security Gate Daily stock, issue position and bill passing Transport Freight Payment Systems Weigh Bridge Integrated with Security Gate Stopped one mechanical weigh bridge 500 trucks can weigh for gross and tare in single day 5002 = 1000 Time Management Reports, Truck Movement reports Weighment is integrated with invoice cum challan freight Payment Truck position inside and outside the plant. Computerized Preventive Maintenance Software Both plant are using this module Preventive Maintenance and Break down Module Shutdown module and integrated with inventory Forecasting of spares and skills usage module Inward Outward Materials Security Control on returnable goods Work Order and analysis Work Order will be prepared by authorized person Provided to all departments. Integrated with Rate Master And budget. Labour Deployment and accounting System Daily supply of Contractor Labour deployment Against regular, adhoc and shutdown requirements Daily/monthly/yearly analysis reports Contractor labour Bill passing system Commercial Applications Marketing Accounting and analysis System Excise module and Sales Tax Module Transport Bill passing module Order Confirmations and Dispatch Instruction Free Market Requirements, Railway Receipt Commercial Invoice, Debit Note, Credit Notes. Stores Inventory Non Inventory On Line indent, Issue and Receipt Materials Delivery Schedule Controlling the inventory Controlling the increased inventory Stores Ledger, consumption Summary MIS reports, Budget V/s Actual Consumption. Integrated with financial Package Repair maintenance inventory, Department Wise Expenses. Purchase Management System Purchase Order integration with indent On line enquiry, Party wise information Pending list of purchase order MIS reports, Purchase / Indent Register Payment Advice System (Advance, regular) Financial Accounting System All types of voucher feeding Purchase and freight bill passing Other Expenses bill passing and TDS Module General Ledger, Sub Ledger and Trial balance of two Financial years Auto payment advice, Bank forwarding letters, payment System, Overhead Analysis reports. Integrated with inventory and Payroll module MIS Reports Cash Budget, Vehicle Movement Controlling on Taxi, Car etc On line General information System Information provided to Users about On line Leave status I.e. opening, availed and closing status Electricity Deduction Employee wise, Quarter wise Over time Status department wise Welfare rules and Regulations, Telephone list, accidental etc Actual Consumption against budget, Welfare information Human Resource Development Topic Courses, General Awareness Programme, TNA of Workmen, TNA of LCW, Individual record of ext/int Training, Pending Training etc. Payroll PIS Module Payslips of Staff, Worker, School, Badli Casual Worker PF, VPF, Bonus, Gratuity Module LIC, CTD, Thrift Society, Co-operative advances Module. Recovery Deduction, PIS and Income Tax Employee wise Integrated with Financial Package Over Time, C-off Module Payroll of Marketing Department (Transferred from HO) Sales Accounting Systems Sales Accounting Systems, Rent Payment System Data loading, Expenses Payment System, Freight Payment, MIS, Transferring in FAS Gate Pass System (Returnable Non-returnable goods) All goods send through Computerized Gate Pass Integrated with Gate System. Pending repair items information Architecture of MIS at AC Limited Current MIS of the company is basically a In-house developed system, also comprising of few specialized readymade software packages bought from outside developers. It comprises of 11 main modules covering all the main functions of the company. Inventory Management Module is one of the most important parts of the system. It is highly integrated with the other modules and capable of functionalities like Auto Alarming when inventory is low. It is capable of generating more than 200 different types of reports to help managers in different required ways. Its main parts include Inventory issue, purchase, bill passing, other OER passing, freight passing, stock updation etc. DFDs and Data processing diagrams: Inventory Package Context Level Diagram (CFD): Inventory Package Issue DFD: Inventory Purchase DFD: Data Processing (Full Inventory Module) Application used for Work order Preparation at The ACC Ltd. 1. ITEM CODE CREATION There are 9 types of item group in Non Catalogue Item Medicines 806 Stationary 807 Repair Order 808 Transportation Order 809 Raw materials 810 Capital Orders 811 Job Orders 812 Laboratory Items 813 Direct book orders 814 2. Indent Posting 3. Indent Sanctioning 4. Indent Type Updation[image] 5. Order Preparation 6. Order Printing[image] ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT USE OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS IDENTIFICATION OF PROBLEMS After analyzing the system properly, we came to a basic conclusion that system is working fine at an overall level and consisting of very minimal problems. These problems can’t be stated as such problems and instead can be stated as future path. Still we tried to jot down the few of them, which are as follows: Still lack of system integration after a level. Though inventory management module is integrated well with all the other modules like financial system, thus reducing the redundancy. But still there is need of paper work and manual intervention when reordering is required. System cannot be configured to reorder automatically, even for the fast moving raw material. Lack of Web Integration. AC hasn’t still employed the concept of taking orders or ordering through web and have no integration of its system to its website. Legacy Network Support. Backbone network used by AC is still the same, which they used in 1993. They haven’t upgraded the network support from then, which has started creating problems for them already. As MIS of the company is improving day-by-day including more and more functionalities, the network has already become very slow. Lack of training to managers to effectively use the decision support functionalities of system. This is another problem that we felt at the company. IT department is basically making the improvements in the system continuously with new added functionalities, but there is lack of training to managers to effectively use these functions in way that can support them to make better decisions. For example, on an average, a manager uses only 10-15 types of reports out of more than 200 types of reports available. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT Considering the given problems, their analysis and research on comparative MIS systems used in the similar kind of industries, our group is presenting following recommendations for the company. IT department of the company should now work towards integrating the system on a higher level and making the company Paper-Less Office. This should be done by integrating the system in a way that the manual intervention be minimized in the day-to-day process. The company should also start Web-Based ordering and selling, so that to be able to catch up with the growing industry. As more improvements in MIS would be done, and Web-support to be also incorporated, it is more than sure that current Network available is going to crash. To cop this, company needs to upgrade its network. For this purpose, we suggest the tie-up of company with some outside contractors like IBM or CISCO to continuously upgrade and maintain their network. With each up gradation, we suggest training to the managers of the company about effectively using the added functionalities and use of them in a better way. This can be also done by providing a handbook along with each up gradation. REFERENCES Officials Contacted from: Mr. Sam Joseph (Deputy Manager, IT Department), AC Limited. Secondary Sources Management Information Systems – A Managerial Perspective, D.P. Goyal www.tcs.com www.sap.com