Sears New Release :: essays research papers

Sears Updates Segment Reporting; Adopts New Accounting Standard Resulting In One-Time Non-Cash Charge Of $520 Million In Second Quarter HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., April 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Sears, Roebuck and Co. (NYSE: S) announced total domestic store revenues for the five weeks ending April 7, 2001 were $2.56 billion. Comparable domestic store revenues decreased 5.3 percent. Total domestic store revenues decreased 5.1 percent compared with $2.7 billion for the five weeks ending April 8, 2000. "March retail sales fell below expectations, with the slowing economy and colder than anticipated weather having an impact on both our hardlines and softlines businesses," said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Alan J. Lacy. "Weather-related seasonal apparel and lawn and garden merchandise accounted for over one-third of the comparable store sales decline. Among the better performing businesses was Home Appliances, which continues to gain market share. The Great Indoors format and sporting goods businesses also performed well." Sears, Roebuck and Co. 5 Weeks 9 Weeks 2001 Domestic Store Revenues $2,563,400,000 4,530,800,000 2000 Domestic Store Revenues 2,701,000,000 4,697,600,000 Percent Change (5.1)% (3.6)% Comparable Domestic Stores Percent Change (5.3)% (3.9)% Preliminary Earnings Announcement The company anticipates that earnings per share for the first fiscal quarter of 2001, ended March 31, will be approximately $0.53, versus $0.65 in the first quarter of last year. In the first quarter, the credit business performed in line with expectations, reflecting continued strong portfolio quality. However, operating income from the credit business for the first quarter will be slightly below last year, mainly due to lower revenues. The domestic retail business did not meet the company's expectations in the first quarter due to sales and margin shortfalls resulting from the slowing economy and cooler than expected spring weather in much of the country. Sears Revises Segment Reporting FASB Statement No. 131 prescribes accounting guidance for segment reporting and requires that a company's externally reported segments be consistent with its internal management structure. Consequently, effective for the first quarter of 2001, Sears is modifying its externally reported segments to reflect the company's integrated retail and related services strategy and to align externally reported business segments with changes that have occurred in the company's internal structure over the past several months. The company's four new segments are as follows: - Retail and Related Services -- This segment consists of merchandise sales and related services, including service contracts, delivery and product installation and repair services. It covers all Sears selling channels, including specialty and full-line stores as well as direct-to- customer operations which includes online, catalogs and clubs and services. - Credit and Financial Products -- This segment includes Sears domestic credit business and the company's related financial product offerings. - Sears Canada -- Formerly named the International segment, this segment

Critical Analysis: Martial Stability and Premarital Cohabitation Essay

The union of marriage has held a specific ideal in the minds of people since it was first instituted hundreds of years ago. However, over the decades, new ideas about the union have become changed, and the cohabitation of two people has become almost acceptable in the walk toward marital bliss. Most Western countries do not have issues with people living together as a couple without being married, and this has led to the concept becoming main stream for future generations (Budinski & Trovato, 2005). However, there is a dark side to co-habitation. Ronald Budinski and Frank Trovato conducted a study in 2005 on the assumption that premarital cohabitation would more likely end up in the dissolution of the marriage than those who did not cohabitate prior to marriage. They published their findings in the article, â€Å"The Effects of Premarital Cohabitation on Marital Stability over the Duration of Marriage. † It can be found in the 32nd volume, issue 1 of the Canadian Studies in Population journal. The results and findings create a new way of considering the stability of marriage in relation to cohabitation and non-cohabitation. The legitimization of cohabitation and the redefining of the term to be a â€Å"substitute for marriage† (Budinski & Trovato, 2005, pg 70) is seen in many Western countries and is the basis for a new brand of research into this new type of union on the fundamental union of marriage. The purpose of the study conducted by Budinski and Trovato (2005) was to find out if the â€Å"marital duration-dependent† existed in relation to cohabitation (pg 70). Their focus was on two main factors: the explanations for any fluctuation of the duration-dependent affect, and to find other factors that would influence the duration-dependency between those who cohabitate and those who do not cohabitate (Budinski & Trovato, 2005). The two researchers decided on two questions they needed to answer that took the main factors into consideration. The first part of the hypothesis is the belief that premarital cohabitation is more likely produce the dissolution of the marital union. The second phase of the hypothesis tests the theory that the risk of marital dissolution is reduced between the two groups the longer the couple is married. They noted five separate outcomes that could occur in regard to the stability of the marriage and cohabitation, but their real focus was on the event and causes of marital dissolution (Budinski & Trovato, 2005). Many believe that cohabitation is a short-term commitment. Researchers have created two theories in which to explain the phenomena of cohabitation. The first is the â€Å"selective thesis† (Budinski & Trovato, 2005, pg 72) which defines those people who prefer cohabitation as individuals that have a problem with staying or dealing with a stable relationship. The second theory is the â€Å"experience theory† (Budinski & Trovato, 2005, pg 72) that cohabitation can create negative views of marriage and positive views of divorce. Most of the previous research conducted supported one or both of these theories. However, in more recent studies, the convergence of equality in marital dissolution seems to be more of the norm than in previous years. This area is still quite new and still being scrutinized by researchers unable to acknowledge without proof that cohabitation is not a major factor in marital dissolution (Budinski & Trovato, 2005). Budinski& Trovato (2005) used a previously compile source of data in the 1995 Canadian General Social Survey: Cycle 10: The Family (GSS-95). The sample included all people ages fifteen and up in 10 Canadian provinces, excluding the Yukon and Northwestern territories. The response rate was 81% or 10,749 individuals. Once those respondents that did not have the necessary data were removed the total number of subjects included in the study numbered 7, 187 individuals that had the required data to conduct the study on premarital cohabitation and marital dissolution (Budinski & Trovato, 2005, pg 75). The study used a multivariate model analysis founded on the Proportional Hazards (PH) Model (Budinski & Trovato, 2005, pg 75). The first aspect of this model was the hazard function that valued the probability of the dissolution of the marital union in relation to time and other controlled variables. They used this function as the baseline to estimate the durations of time prior to marital dissolution. In essence, the dependent variable was the length of time a couple stayed married prior to separation or divorce, with covariates including age, religiousness, education, contraceptive use, region, as well as several other variables. It was assumed that each working in the equation to correlate with cohabitation and marital dissolution since each of the covariates had been previously associated with instability in the marriage union (Budinski & Trovato, 2005). The overall result of this study by Budinski & Trovato (2005) was the fact that there was not a significant difference in the dissolution of the marital union in relation to those how did not cohabitate and those who cohabitated prior to marriage. Because of this result, they focused on the covariates to see which created a significant relation between dissolution of marriage and cohabitation. The covariant of age has a definite relation to cohabitation and the dissolution of the marital union. In fact, women who were 5 years or older than their spouse were more likely to have a marriage end in divorce. This correlation tended to be 4 and ? times greater a risk than couples who were the same age. Education or lack of education was a predictor of dissolution as well. Eighty percent of men that had only a small amount of post-secondary education were likely to have a marriage end in divorce whether they cohabitated or not. Religion also proved to be a factor with 83-100% of those individuals that did not attend religious services on a weekly basis were likely to have a marriage end. The only time that cohabitation proved to correlate to the dissolution of a marriage was when the age and contraceptive use were excluded from the analysis. Only then was there a small but relatively significant relation (Budinski & Trovato, 2005). This study showed that there were only basic correlations between the concept of cohabitation and the dissolution of marriage. The fact that to gain any significant relevance requires the exclusion of two main covariates says much about how cohabitation and divorce or separation related to one another. There were five covariates that did show some relation. These include one or both of the individuals having experienced parental marital dissolution, living within certain territories, religion, spouse being in a cohabitational relationship prior to current relationship, and the use of contraceptive. However, cohabitation alone did not significantly influence the divorce and separation rates in Canada’s 10 territories that were part of this study (Budinski & Trovato, 2005). One factor that was discovered and not added to this or any study was the concept of â€Å"serial cohabitation† (Budinski & Trovato, 2005, pg 87) which is when an individual has more than one cohabitating relationship during adult life. This is a relatively new type of relationship and future studies will have to take this type of cohabitating relationship into account when looking at the union of marriage in relation to cohabitation and non-cohabitation (Budinski & Trovato, 2005). As the world changes and the societal values change, the old institutions of marriage and family will change as well. Life and society are not static, but they are predictable in some fashion. The emergence of cohabitation as a viable step in marriage started in force in the 1970’s. Today this concept is accepted and acknowledged as a legitimate union even prior to marriage. Not all cohabitational relationships will end in marriage, but many will and the chances of their remaining married in relation to those individuals who did not cohabitate is changing as well. The fact is that marriage and cohabitation are not really separate or relational. There are other factors that are more influential on the dissolution of the marriage and it are these variables that need to be considered in closer examination to have a better understanding of the factors of cohabitation, marriage, and the dissolution of a relationship. Bibliography Budinski, R. A. , & Trovato, F. (2005). The effects of premarital cohabitation on marital stability of the duration of marriage. [Electronic version]. Canadian Studies in Population , 32, 69-95.

The Definition of a Solid in Chemistry and Science

A  solid is a  state of matter characterized by particles arranged such that their shape and volume are relatively stable. The constituents of a solid tend to be packed together much closer than the particles in a gas or liquid. The reason a solid has a rigid shape is that the atoms or molecules are tightly connected via chemical bonds. The bonding may produce either a regular lattice (as seen in ice, metals, and crystals) or an amorphous shape (as seen in glass or amorphous carbon).  A solid is one of the four fundamental states of matter, along with liquids, gases, and plasma. Solid state physics and solid state chemistry are two branches of science dedicated to studying the properties and synthesis of solids. Examples of Solids The matter with a defined shape and volume is solid. There are many examples: A brickA pennyA piece of woodA chunk of aluminum metal (or any metal at room temperature except mercury)Diamond (and most other crystals) Examples of things that are not solids include liquid water, air, liquid crystals, hydrogen gas, and smoke. Classes of Solids The different types of chemical bonds that join the particles in solids exert characteristic forces that can be used to classify solids. Ionic bonds (e.g. in table salt or NaCl) are strong bonds that often result in crystalline structures that may dissociate to form ions in water. Covalent bonds (e.g., in sugar or sucrose) involve the sharing of valence electrons. Electrons in metals seem to flow because of metallic bonding. Organic compounds often contain covalent bonds and interactions between separate portions of the molecule due to van der Waals forces. Major classes of solids include: Minerals:  Minerals are natural solids formed by geological processes. A mineral has a uniform structure. Examples include diamond, salts, and mica.Metals:  Solid metals include elements (e.g., silver) and alloys (e.g., steel). Metals are typically hard, ductile, malleable, and excellent conductors of heat and electricity.Ceramics:  Ceramics are solids consisting of inorganic compounds, usually oxides. Ceramics tend to be hard, brittle, and corrosion-resistant.Organic Solids:  Organic solids include polymers, wax, plastics, and wood. Most of these solids are thermal and electrical insulators. They typically have lower melting and boiling points than metals or ceramics.Composite Materials:  Composite materials are those which contain two or more phases. An example would be a plastic containing carbon fibers. These materials yield properties not seen in the source components.Semiconductors:  Semiconducting solids have electrical properties intermediate between those of cond uctors and insulators. The solids may be either pure elements, compounds, or doped materials. Examples include silicon and gallium arsenide.Nanomaterials:  Nanomaterials are tiny solid particles at the nanometer size. These solids may display very different physical and chemical properties from large-scale versions of the same materials. or example, gold nanoparticles are red and melt at a lower temperature than gold metal.Biomaterials:  These are natural materials, such as collagen and bone, that are often capable of self-assembly.

The Story of Jia Sheng Coming to America - 693 Words

From the early year of his life as a undergraduate student in China, Jia Sheng dreamed of going to America for his advanced education. When he graduated from Liaoning University, he was accepted by Brown University as a graduate student. He thought this was a great oppotunity for his life. Journey from China to America Jia Sheng had a long journey from his hometown Shenyang in Northeast China to Providence Rhode Island in the United States in the fall of 1983. It took him over 14 hours by train from Shenyang to Beijing. When he said goodbye to his father, mother, and his brother in the train station, he felt very sad because this was the first time he left home for such long journey. He did not know when he was able to see them again. When he was on board of an ariplane in the Beijing airport on August 23, he was very excited because this was his first time to take airplane in his life. Beijng airport then was not very big. There were only a few airplanes there. There was no direct flight from Beijing to JFK in New York city 30 years ago. The airplane had to stop at least three times for gasline and check ups. The first stop was Shanghai airport for two hours. More passages were on board. When the plane took out again, there were tears in Jia’s eye because he knew this time he had to said goodbye to China. After over 10 hours flight, the airplane landed again at Anchorage airport in Alaska. It was very dark outside. He did not have a chance to see much about

Similarities Between The Kite Runner And The Kite Runner

There is a raging theme between both works that has to deal with a father/son relationship. With Amir just wanting his own fathers approval, and Oedipus murdering his father (and sleeping with his mother, but that’s not really â€Å"important† right now†). Starting with Oedipus Rex, he was not aware that he was doing anything wrong. It was â€Å"his duty† to do so. For it was in the oracle of laius that if her were to have a son, that he would be murdered by said child. â€Å"The oracle tells Laius that if he does have a son, his son will kill him†. He wanted to carry on his legacy so he still had a child, but sent him off. Of course he comes back to find out that he did murder his own father and ends up blinding himself, but that doesnt happen in†¦show more content†¦He will be hated wherever he goes.† Oedipus Rex, pg. 34. This shows that Oedipus is stuck between a rock and a hard place, or as another saying goes, the apple doesnt fall far from the tree. What this means is that, such as Laius, Oedipus must either die or leave where he stands. Laius decides he would have a son anyways knowing that he would still probably die. â€Å"I ran. A grown man running with a swarm of screaming children. But I didnt care. I ran with the wind blowing in my face, and a smile as wide as the Valley of Panjsher on my lips. I ran.† The Kite Runner, pg. 371. Here we see that amid has finally gotten what he wanted. Whether it was the preferred objective or not, he was happy. He was in peace, and thats all that matters. Just like in the end of Oedipus, he found out who murdered his father. He may not have been happy with the result, but he still got what he wanted. That is the biggest theme/question between both stories (at least in my opinion). Is getting what you want really worth it? Amir moved to the states, yes, he was happy with sohrab, and is happy with his father. While oedipus ended up blinding himself for the rest of his life with his wife/mother dead. Having to live with the constant pain knowing that you may not be â€Å"whole† ever again. Amir is fulfilled knowing that him and his father are better now, and oedipus is blind. Seems kind of like polar opposites, but they still have a connection. Oedipus finally figured outShow MoreRelatedSimilarities Between The Alchemist And The Kite Runner1163 Words   |  5 PagesAlchemist, a plot-driven narrative, by Paulo Coelho, as well as The Kite Runner, a plot-driven allegory, written by Khaled Hosseini. The journey of The Alchemist is written as the principal character, Santiago, is beginning to flourish and comprehend that â€Å"when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it†, as well as partaking a breathtaking, suspenseful voyage around the world (24). Although the Kite Runner takes place much further ahead on the timeline, it still followsRead MoreSimilarities Between Oedipus Rex And The Kite Runner941 Words   |  4 PagesWhat similarities could current fiction novels possibly have with old Greek drama? Greek dramas and current day novels have more in common than anyone realizes. For example, there are many similarities between Sophocles’ play Oedipus Rex and Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner. These similarities show how writing and entertainment have not completely changed despite how long it has been. One of the most important similarities is the theme. This essay will explore these two works by looking into theRead MoreSimilarities And Differences Between The Castle And The Kite Runner725 Words   |  3 Pagesthe government to move out of their house and their persistence to stay, against all odds. 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Oedipus Rex focuses more so on the concept of fate whereas The Kite Runner emphasizesRead MoreAchieve a Level Four Performance in an Oral Exam Through the Formal Speech/the Oral Essay1002 Words   |  5 Pagesare connected or related. You need to draw them together to show how they are similar and/or different. While â€Å"comparing† is widely accepted as including both similarities and differences, â€Å"contrasting,† however, means concentrat ing only on differences. To write a good compare-and-contrast essay, you must take your raw data—the similarities and differences you have observed—and make them cohere into a meaningful argument. Here are the four techniques required to write an effective comparative-analysisRead MoreEast of Eden vs the Kite Runner1261 Words   |  6 PagesThe desire for love and the need for acceptance can create more than a feeling of rejection. In East of Eden and The Kite Runner, many characters find the task of love daunting and insufficient to their expectations. Love presents itself in every aspect of both novels and therefore is a major theme. Whether it was love from family or lovers, both novels explore the idea of unrequited love and its consequences on the characters lifelong journeys. The theme of love is a major underlying causeRead MoreSymbolism In The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini992 Words   |  4 Pages In the novel the Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini, the author, often uses symbolism throughout the book. There are many, many items or things that signifies something, or means something different than what is shown. For example, things like the kite, the pomegranate tree, Amir’s scar, the slingshot, the reference of the lamb, and Hassan’s cleft lip. Analyzing symbolism in this book could go far, there are many things to be said about the symbolism in this novel. The reason for using symbolism is becauseRead MoreComparative Essay: the Crucible and the Kite Runner1369 Words   |  6 PagesThe Kite Runner, written by Khaled Hosseini, and The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, share many similar themes, characters, and ideas. One particular theme that is present throughout both of these written pieces is love. Defined by the Oxford Dictionary, love is a strong positive emotion of regard and affection. It can be found in moments of one’s life, through relationships, a nd through people. In The Kite Runner and The Crucible, one can see the similarities of love through friendship, paternalRead MoreThe Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini1367 Words   |  6 Pagesshare the same characteristics. Akin to siblings, the best-selling novel, The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini in the early twenty-first century parallels â€Å"Roman Fever†, a short story written by Edith Wharton in 1934. Despite their gap of publication, only a year shy of seventy years, these two novels are more related than one might originally consider. For those who have not had the pleasure of reading The Kite Runner, Hosseini marched to the top of New York Times’ Best-Sellers list for a reasonRead MoreAnalysis Of The Kite Runner And Oedipus Rex 1309 Words   |  6 PagesEven as literature has multiple genres, themes can still parallel each other regardless that they will appear in two altogether varying works conceived and written by very different authors and in distinctly separate timeframes. Even as The Kite Runner is written as a work of historical fiction and Oedipus Rex develops a well known and praised Greek tragedy, a theme of betrayal places itself throughout both. Literature demonstrates that morals can genuinely be learned through any method. In both

Character Analysis for Maus by Art Speigleman Free Essays

string(89) " registering at a table manned by his cousin, Mordecai, Vladek’s father is spared\." Character List- round or flat Art Spiegelman- r * Art Spiegelman is the author and narrator of Maus, and also one of the story’s main characters. * Born in Stockholm after the Holocaust, he is the only surviving child of Vladek and Anja Spiegelman. * He is married to Francoise, a French woman who converted to Judaism upon their engagement. We will write a custom essay sample on Character Analysis for Maus by Art Speigleman or any similar topic only for you Order Now * Maus centers around two primary narratives: Vladek’s experiences as a Jew in World War II Poland, and Art’s relationship with his aging father. * When the story opens, Art lives in New York and does not see his father very often, though he lives only a short distance away in Queens. But as Art begins to draw this story about Vladek’s Holocaust experiences, he begins to visit his father more and more frequently. * Their relationship is strained, as Vladek’s gruff demeanor and unwillingness to spend money routinely infuriate his son. * Art is filled with complex feelings towards his father ranging from admiration for his survival in Auschwitz, to frustration towards his aggravating tendencies, and guilt for his own neglect of a father who has lived through so many difficult times. * Art also has complex emotions towards the Holocaust. Though he did not live through it personally, he feels that he is constantly affected by it. * His father’s personality was largely formed from his experiences in Auschwitz, and this personality in turn directly affected the way in which Art was raised. Vladek Spiegelman- r * Vladek is Art Spiegelman’s father. * He grew up in pre-war Poland, and much of Maus traces his experiences in the Holocaust, as told in his own words to his son. * As the story opens in 1978, he is married to his second wife, Mala. The couple does not get along * Vladek’s personality is largely dominated by his Holocaust experiences. During the Holocaust, he exhibited a spectacular resourcefulness, work ethic, and presence of mind that often enabled him to secure food, shelter, and safety for himself and his family. * He was a shrewd businessman, and in the most troubling times he saved everything of use. In 1978, he still saves everything and tries to exchange those things that he no longer needs. * Once so resourceful and competent, he is still constantly working on small projects, some of which he is incapable of completing. Anja Spiegelman- r * Anja is Art’s mother and Vladek’s first wife. The couple meets in Poland while Vladek is in a long-term relationship with another woman, Lucia Greenberg. * Always an anxious woman, she suffers an acute depression shortly after the birth of her son and spends three months recovering in a sanitarium. * She survives the Holocaust with her husband, and they immigrate to the United States a few years after the war. * Anja commits suicide in 1968, leaving both Art and Vladek in emotional turmoil. * Art’s last memory of his mother is recorded in a comic called â€Å"Prisoner on the Hell Planet,† in which she enters Art’s room and asks him if he still loves her. His response, a terse and dismissive â€Å"sure,† haunts him for years. Lolek- f * Vladek’s nephew and Uncle Herman’s son. * Lolek lives with Anja’s family for much of the initial German occupation, first at Anja’s father’s house and then in the Srodula ghetto. * When the situation deteriorates and Vladek makes preparations to hide in a shelter until the Nazis have evacuated the town, * Lolek tells his uncle that he is tired of hiding, and he is soon transported to Auschwitz. He survives the camps and eventually becomes a college professor. Richieu Spiegelman- f Richieu is Vladek and Anja’s first child, born in Poland in 1937. * In 1943, Vladek and Anja send him to live under the protection of Uncle Persis, where they think he will be safer. * Richieu travels with Anja’s sister, Tosha; * But soon after, Zawiercie is liquidated by the Nazis. Rather than be taken to the gas chamber, Tosha poisons herself and the children under her care, including Richieu. * After his death, Vladek and Anja keep a photograph of their first child hanging on the wall of their bedroom. Mala Spiegelman- f * Mala is Vladek’s second wife, and a friend of his family from before the war. The couple does not get along. * Mala is consumed with frustration towards Vladek’s inability to part with money, while Vladek views his wife with considerable distrust and accuses her of trying to steal his money. Francoise- f * Art’s wife. * She is French and converted to Judaism in preparation for their marriage to please Vladek. * She is intelligent, kind, and opinionated, and their relationship is strong. * She plays a relatively minor role in the story, serving mostly as a means for Art to discuss his relationship with his father and the Holocaust. Mr. Zylberberg- f Anja’s father. * Before the war, he is a wealthy manufacturer who owns a factory. * When Vladek and Anja are married, he provides Vladek with a factory o f his own. * He survives with his family in German-occupied Poland, until the family is captured and sent to await transport to Auschwitz. * By bribing his cousin, Haskel, Vladek is able to arrange for the release of himself and Anja. Orbach- f * A friend of Vladek’s family in Poland. * When Vladek is a prisoner of war, Orbach claims him as a cousin, so that Vladek is released into his custody and eventually returns home to Sosnowiec. Vladek’s father- f * Vladek’s father is a tough and deeply religious man. * His wife dies of cancer before the worst of the Holocaust. * Before the war, Vladek’s father intentionally starves his son so that he will be declared unfit for the army. * Later, the Nazi grip tightens, and all Jews are made to register in a nearby stadium. Those who are fit to work are sent to one side, while the elderly and women with many children are sent to their deaths at the concentration camps. By registering at a table manned by his cousin, Mordecai, Vladek’s father is spared. You read "Character Analysis for Maus by Art Speigleman" in category "Essay examples" Before he leaves the tadium, however, he sees his daughter, Fela (Vladek’s sister) and her four small children standing with those destined for Auschwitz. He crosses over to be with her, and all die in the camps. Uncle Herman- f * Anja’s brother. * Along with his wife, Hela, he is visiting the New Yor k World’s Fair when the war begins, and they remain in the United States to escape the horrors abroad. Tosha- f * Tosha is Anja’s older sister. * At the beginning of the German occupation of Poland, she lives with Anja’s family in her father’s house, along with her husband, Wolfe, and their small daughter, Bibbi. As the situation deteriorates Uncle Persis offers to keep her safely in nearby Zawiercie ghetto, where he is a prominent member of the Jewish Council. * She agrees, and leaves with Wolfe, Bibbi, and Vladek’s son Richieu. Soon, though, the Germans slaughter the Jewish Council and begin to evacuate the Jews of Zawiercie to the camps. Rather than be sent to the gas chambers, Tosha poisons herself, her daughter, Herman’s daughter Lonia, and Vladek’s son Richieu. Mr. Ilzecki- f * A former customer of Vladek’s from before the war. The two meet again after the German occupation and begin conducting business on the Sosnowiec b lack market * Mr. Ilzecki has a son about the same age as Vladek’s, and he offers to send Richieu along with his own son to a Polish friend to hide until things get better. Nahum Cohn- f * A friend and business partner of Vladek’s during his black market days in Sosnowiec. * Nahum is arrested along with his son for selling goods without coupons. * The Nazis decide to make an example of them and they are hanged in a well-know black market center and left there for a full week. Anja’s Grandparents- f During the initial period of the German occupation, they live in Anja’s father’s house with the rest of the family. * Later, they are told to relocate to a â€Å"community better prepared to take care of the elderly. † * The family hides them for over a month, until the authorities arrest Anja’s father and threaten to arrest more of his family if the grandparents are not given over to the Germans. * Anja’s grandparents are taken away to Auschwitz, where they are killed. Haskel Spiegelman- f * Haskel is Vladek’s cousin, and chief of the Jewish Police in the Srodula ghetto. He is the brother of Miloch and Pesach. He is what Vladek calls a kombinacya, or â€Å"schemer. † * While he is a rather unsavory character, he is a good person to know in the ghetto. * When Vladek’s family is discovered in the â€Å"chandelier† bunker and sent to a compound to wait for transport to Auschwitz, Haskel arranges for Vladek, Anja, and Lolek to be released in exchange for valuables. Miloch Spiegelman- f * Miloch is Vladek’s cousin, and brother to Haskel and Pesach. * He is Vladek’s supervisor at the shoe repair shop in the Srodula ghetto, and an honorable man compared to the scheming Haskel. When the Germans make plans to eliminate all Jews in the ghetto, he prepares a hidden shelter behind a pile of shoes at the shop, where Vladek, Anja, and 15 other people hide for days. Pesach Spiegelman - f * Pesach is Vladek’s cousin, and brother to Miloch and Haskel. * Like Haskel, he is a schemer and a rather unsavory character. * His most significant involvement centers on a scheme to sell cake to the inhabitants of the ghetto. * He makes a fortune, but everyone who eats it becomes sick – the cake was accidentally made with laundry soap in addition to flour. Mr. Lukowski- f The janitor at Anja’s father’s house. * When Vladek and Anja escape from the Srodula ghetto, they knock on his door and he allows them to stay in a shed behind his house. Mrs. Kawka- f * Mrs. Kawka is the owner of a small farm on the outskirts of Sosnowiec, and for a price she allows Vladek and Anja to hide in her barn. * Mrs. Kawka is the person who tells Vladek about the smugglers who can take him to Hungary. Mrs. Motonowa- f * Vladek befriends Mrs. Motonowa at the Sosnowiec black market after the liquidation of Srodula, and she offers to hide him and Anja at her farm, with her seven-year-old son. She is a kind woman, and the house is comfortable, except for a ten-day period in which Mrs. Motonowa’s husband returns home from Germany on vacation, and they are forced to stay in the basement. * After Vladek and Anja attempt to escape to Hungary, she shelters Miloch and his family for the remainder of the war. Mandelbaum- f * Before the war, Mandelbaum owned a pastry store in Sosnowiec where Vladek and Anja often shopped. Abraham- f * Abraham is Mandelbaum’s cousin. * He agrees to accompany the smugglers, and promises to write Mandelbaum and Vladek if he arrives safely in Hungary. He is betrayed, however, and forced at gunpoint to write the letter anyway. The Karps- f * The Karps are Vladek’s neighbors at his Catskills bungalow. * When Art visits his father there, they take him aside and tell him that Vladek cannot possibly take care of himself. Vladek’s Kapo- f * A â€Å"kapo† is a Polish supervisor at a concentration camp. * Soon after Vladek arrives at Auschwitz, Vladek’s kapo asks the Jews in the barracks if anyone there can speak English. Pavel- f * Pavel is Art’s psychiatrist. * Like Art’s father, Pavel is a survivor of the Holocaust. Art sees him once a week, and the sessions always seem to make him feel better. Mancie- f * Mancie is a female Hungarian Jew at Birkenau with Anja, * has higher status as a result of an affair with S. S. guard. * She acts as a go-between for Vladek and his wife, carrying notes and food. The Frenchman- f * After Vladek is transferred from Auschwitz to Dachau, he befriends a Frenchman with whom he converses in English. * Because he is not Jewish, the Frenchman is able to receive packages of food through the Red Cross, which he shares with Vladek, probably saving his life. http://www. gradesaver. com/maus/study-guide/character-list/ How to cite Character Analysis for Maus by Art Speigleman, Essay examples

Policy Process free essay sample

Policy making can be a complex process depending on the policy and how the people this policy will affect feel about it. Health policy is a subset of public policy. These policies include issues that related to health and illness. There are three interconnected phases that complete the policy making process. The processes are formulation, Legislative and finally the implementation phase. I will attempt to show how these processes come together to form policies as we know them today.The policy making process includes many different models but one of the oldest and most common approaches to the study of policy-making derives from the early work of H. Lasswell (1951). This American political scientist was the first to have taken into account and analyzed policy as a process, which is, as a set of phenomena organized in time and led by a number of specific and self-induced mechanisms. The model that he helped build is usually known as the stages model of policy, since it separates policy-making into its component steps, or stages, and analyses each in turn. We will write a custom essay sample on Policy Process or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The original version of the model included seven stages, though more recent versions have reduced the process to fewer steps, varying between four and six. The beginning stages of a policy include the identification of issues, through public demands for action (Porter Hicks, 1995). It is then up to the appropriate person or committee to decide whether the problem is recognized by society as a whole or is limited to a certain interest group. Sometimes in the beginning stages of a policy the policy makers realize a problem exists but they must be willing to address them all.Many times public figures cannot address the problem because they do not possess the necessary instruments to carry out a policy response. For example public figures cannot bring effective change to certain environmental problems. A time scale must be in place, Policy makers attempt short term mandates depending on how pressing the problem is, the need to correctly identify the problem. Once the problem is identified the policy makers must be in agreement the issue the can be addressed by a policy. For example healthcare reform there was a public outcry for reform, the issues was identified policy makers agreed there was a problem and this issue can be addressed by a policy. As with any policy health care reform is seen differently by different groups for one reason or another with many opinions thus bring about the formulation of policy proposals, their initiation and development, by policy-planning organizations, interest groups, and the executive or legislative branches of government.Formulation stage A policy should be formulated for example a national health research policy should be formulated based on the national health policy, basically policy formulation is the crafting of alternatives or options for dealing with a problem. Due to time constraints and resources policy makers must choose which problems to act on. Sometimes determining what’s on the agenda can be difficult, but once the agenda is set the proposals of the policy can be set. Formulation of the pol icy includes the development of pertinent and acceptable proposed courses of action for dealing with public problems.The people involved in this process are the president and his advisors who are the leading source of policy initiatives. Next are the government agencies, the presidential organizations such as specific tasks forces and or commissions next are the legislators and finally the interest groups. All of these individuals are key figures in the policy making process. This leads into the next phase of policy making which is the legislative stage. Legislative stage The next stage of the policy making is the legislative stage.This stage incorporates activities associated with rule making and policy operation; mobilization of human and financial resources to comply with the policy (Longest, 2002). Each legislature develops a series of steps through legislation proceeds to the floor of the legislature, which is then subject to an up or down vote. The policy outcome in that period is the proposed policy if it receives the support of a â€Å"decisive† coalition of legislators, once a bill is voted on and becomes law it is given a public law number and becomes United States code, this process continues ad in finitum.