How Is Technology Affecting People Psychologically? Essay

In 1922, a doctor’s kit was the most desired toy in the United States. Almost all toys on the website â€Å"Hot Holiday Toys for 2012† were either electronic or electronic related. These toys range from Furbuddy, an electronic pet that talks, to Nintendo and Wii’ games and gaming systems. What impact is technology having on people? Today, with thousands of video games offered; nearly 1 billion users on Facebook; and the average person checking their phone close to 75 times per day, one can only wonder how this affects people psychologically. This can be seen in how the internet offers amazing information and opportunities that have changed the way people communicate. Internet World Stats website cites that the internet users have grown over 566% since 2000. Ease of access to information and communication is, of course, a big reason to use the internet, but is there more to it? Is the ability to control completely the information one reads and the people one interacts with a part of this draw to the internet? The person who holds the mouse is in control when he or she surfs the web. He or she chooses which sites to go to and which people to interact with. In many ways the user feels safe. If something negative online occurs, one can simply exit the site. On Facebook, if someone posts something the user doesn’t like, the user can block the sender or â€Å"unfriend† the offending person. Unfortunately, this negative online interaction is all too frequent. Cyber bullying is the act of bullying using electronic technology. It has become so serious that laws have been passed to outlaw it; going as far as jail time. Cyber bullying occurs with one out of six children. It can be devastating because it can happen 24 hours per day and every day of the week. The worst part about Cyber bullying is that it can even happen when the victim is alone. Cyberbullying Research Center states, â€Å"There have been many high profile and tragic incidents in the media in recent years which have linked adolescent suicides to experiences with cyber bullying.† The technology used in this type of bullying ranges from cell phones, social media sites, to chat rooms. It has become such a problem that many schools have created programs to discuss the harmful effects it causes. Cyber bullying is an example of the disinhibition effect. Psychologists have created this term meaning when people online loosen up, feel more uninhibited, and express themselves more than they ever would in a face to face conversation. It can be threatening and hurtful as in cyber bullying; or it can be what psychologist call benign disinhibition. This is when a person reveals secret emotions, fears and wishes. The user may share too much about themselves, but overall it is not harmful. This sharing of experiences has been seen as a very positive experience when regarding veterans. Many times soldiers come back from war and have feelings about their experiences that they feel civilians do not understand. Sites and chat rooms have been created to fill this need. As John Suler author of The Psychology of Cyberspace states they don’t have to worry about how others look or sound when they â€Å"say† something. Seeing a frown, a shaking head, a sigh, a bored expression, and many other signs of disapproval or indifference can stop what people are willing to express. Not being able to see expressions of a person’s feelings, leads to one expressing themselves more openly. This has created support for not just veterans, but others who reach out to people â€Å"like them† so they can connect and feel understood. Another group who seek to connect with each other are gamers. Video games have exploded in popularity since 1947. Now over 72 percent of the Americans play video games. Video games have been proven to increase decision-making skills which come in handy in a fast-paced world. They have also been proven to improve men and women’s ability to picture 3D objects states U.S Department of Defense researchers. However, as much they may be helping gamers with thinking skills; violent video games are certainly not helping with violent behavior. A study was done with two groups of college students; group one played a violent video game and group two played a nonviolent video game. The researchers measured how the students felt and how they behaved. Social Psychologist Brad Bushman at Ohio State University showed the groups two violent pictures: one of a man shoving a gun down another man’s throat; another of a man holding a knife to a woman’s throat. â€Å"What we found is for people who were exposed to a lot of violent video games; their brains did not respond to the violent images,† Bushman said. â€Å"They were numb, if you will.† People who play violent video games become numb to the violence they see. Knowing this, one may find it disturbing to know that the top three most sold video games in the US, are all listed by Parenting website in â€Å"The 10 most violent video games to avoid.† list. Does playing violent video games increase violence or just make the user numb to it? That is still to be determined. The positive effects of technology are as endless as imagination. The amazing ability to instantly have knowledge at your fingertips any time of the day or night is one benefit it is hard to imagine being without. Being able to connect with a friend continents away is a wonderful gift that keeps people in touch with each other. But like most things; technology has a negative side like cyber bullying; and the violence in video games open to children a keystroke away. Technology has no doubt changed the world, but the question becomes does the positive outweigh the negative and if so, what should be done about the negative aspects?

EBusiness Opportunity for HK Logistics Ltd. Essay

Company Service and Product: Excellence Logistics Ltd (ELL) is a privately owned logistics company specialising in the delivery of Business-to-business items within throughout Europe. The company was founded in 1992 to provide an efficient logistics service specially targeted to manufacturing firms from their network of suppliers. The emphasis for the company at this initial stage was speed and efficient service as a result of regional efficiency. At start up, the company’s headquarters was in Hong Kong with a regional distribution centre in Shanghai, China. Presently the company has 5 major distribution centres all over the world, however our strategy to be a strong player in the Asian market is still core to our operations.. Our warehouses provided storage and logistics support for our clients which at inception were mostly Chinese companies but have extended throughout the world. Our Warehouse services have continued to be a vital aspect of our business as we support clients who do not wish to own their facilities, a trend which had become popular in the late 1980s. This aspect of the business still represents a significant part of ELL’s revenue. Apart from our warehousing services, ELL is involved in contract logistics services, freight management, and logistics consulting. However, the company extended to the offering logistics support for end products and distribution to our clients’ retail and wholesale outlets which increased our freight handling requiring new skills and expertise. Size and Scope of Influence: The Company’s new goal is to be the premier logistics company serving manufacturing companies globally with a strong base in Asia. ELL’s new goal was to take the company from being seen as a logistics company primarily in the Asian region to being a global player leveraging on the use of technology to do this. The company’s employee figures have also increased from 2,300 to over 4000 within the last 2 years due to our efforts in expansion. Revenue, Ambition, Strengths and Weaknesses: HK’s profit last year was $5.7M after tax as the year marked the beginning of huge investments in technology as a result of the need for the company to be more responsive and to implement major e-commerce and parcel tracking initiatives. The company’s strength in Europe offered it huge benefits and market growth in the region despite stiff challenge from global operators. It however became obvious that the company needs to expand globally in order to benefits its corporate clientele most of whose operations required freights to other continents. This need was very important also as we extended our business to the shipment of end products form our clients to various distributors creating a new challenge. Company’s attitude and goals regarding e-commerce: Last year the company transformed its website into a portal as first steps towards new integrated e-commerce initiatives. The company is now fully aware that this is the way to go to ensure that it benefits its growing customers and stay competitive. The major challenge for ELL is to coordinate its operations and ensure the integration of its services throughout the business from collection to delivery stages. To do this, it was essential to provide real-time visibility of our operations and parcel progress to our clients to ensure efficient management. Section 2: Internet Business Scope The e-commerce Project: As previously explained Excellence Logistics Ltd has evolved a new strategy to position it as a global player through the potential opportunities that e-commerce can provide. This is important because we believe that it will also enhance our ability to collaborate effectively with other global players who will wish to tap into the Asian market. In line with this our warehousing solutions have been enhanced with four new distribution centres to give our growing client base flexibility and wider range of locations closer to their manufacturing plants. This is guaranteed to optimise cost savings, lower liabilities, increased speed-to-market and enhanced freighting and shipment services. Our fulfilment services are aimed at providing specialised services including postponement, inspection, returns and salvage to our clients who require these value-adding services. The increasing importance of Asian companies in global manufacturing supply chain has put ELL in a strategic position and we aim to optimise our advantage. Our Present Position: Our use of technology before this project was not spectacular as with most Asian companies. Like every standard company, we maintained a central database of our operations without the ability to track goods in real time. Information was shared with customers on stock levels on a weekly basis and updating of data was done manually from information received from our customers. Standard EDI transactions included advance ship notice and notice of shipment and payments by our customers was done through electronic funds transfer. This was not good enough and it became obvious that we were loosing customers who wanted to know the condition of their shipments in real time which we presently could not do. It was therefore clear that we would be limited in providing good customer service and could loose most of our valued clients. So this e-commerce project was essentially important to move EEL to the next level in terms of our global strategy Goal Setting and Corporate Communication: The importance of the internet project was clear to management as it was important in the growth of the company and new global initiatives for expansion. However, the huge financial commitments required meant that it had to be effectively explained to shareholders for approval. To do this, an internal team headed by the CIO was set up to articulate the goals and cost of the project. They were also given the responsibility for communicating this to all the stakeholders and drawing up an implementation plan. New Opportunities/Necessary Changes: It was clear that to move forward, e-business was crucial to helping us get real time information necessary for our operational efficiency. The implementation of e-business was mainly driven by the growing demands on our business. This process started with the company streamlining its operations with the intention of transforming itself from a traditional bricks and mortar logistics company to a company using e-commerce and technology strategically to enhance service quality and delivery. It also had become necessary to extend beyond Hong Kong to serve companies in Europe and United States and these regions were increasingly sourcing for products from Asia which was our primary market. Secondly, technological development in the logistics sector had advanced with the possibility of clients being able to ascertain real time locations and condition of their shipment. New software applications implementation meant that we had to expand our IT section and employ more staff. It also meant that we had to downsize in some areas of the company that increasingly became irrelevant. In terms of strategy, the e-commerce project aimed at extending our frontiers giving us the ability to compete on a global scale hence our new positioning to be a global player. The project’s twin focus was: Enhanced Value through Channel Integration: We required the integration of our distribution network with our warehousing and transportation management systems to drive overall freight costs down by consolidating orders for multiple customers.   This integration of systems also provides customers with immediate access to information with reduced order cycle times and transit times insuring that materials are in the right place at the right time. Automated Services through Integrated Technology: Our transportation management service was developed to reduce freight costs and increase on time deliveries. Transportation management services include carrier selection, pricing negotiations, real-time shipment status (via website) and automated communication.   Automated communication includes: exceptions performance management and exception reporting claims resolution reporting Section 3: Knowing the Enemy (3) One critical factor for our internet project as already expressed is the need to catch up with global competition and ensure that we offer our customers what they require. It is clear that our biggest inspiration in terms of competition is Exel, a global company originating from the United States. Exel is a global leader in supply chain management with significant interests in the Middle East and China. The company’s reputable has attracted global companies like Sun Microsystems, Ericsson, Motorola, Hitachi, and Nokia as some of the companies that it services. In a way, our service offerings are similar as we target manufacturing companies as our client base which is similar to what Exel does. Just over three years ago, the company faced a similar situation as what Excellent Logistics now faces; there was need to provide an integrated global supply chain management systems as the company had clients in every continent and serviced their clients from delivering components for manufacture to the distribution of end products. In order to achieve this, the company hired the service of Agilisys to design a web-based supply chain integrator system that aimed at offering their corporate clients an integrated view of inventory and delivery status of goods at every point in time. In the project for Exel, the company listed the deliverables expected from Agilisys as follows: Intelligent interface design to enable re-use of purchase order and inventory data Integration of disparate systems for clients and third-party logistics suppliers Ability to track stock through the entire supply chain In-depth methodology to work on the look and feel of the site Multi-tier messaging architecture, extraction and middleware technologies to enable integration with incompatible systems No doubt, the result of this project was that Exel became more able to respond to their challenges of expansion globally. This project no doubt portrayed Exel as a technologically driven company responsive to providing great services to its customers and increased its market share all over the world. We can surely say, its recent partnership with global giants DHL is a statement of the status Exel has gained over the years as a result of its e-business adoption. Our focus has been explained in section 2 is similar to that of Exel while we desire to ensure that we continue to play a strong role in Asia. The figure below shows the critical areas the e-business project was meant to address: Figure 1: E-business project concepts identified as crucial by collaboration team. Excellence Logistics Ltd. is clearly interested in using this as a relevant pattern in our quest to implement our own e-business initiative. We are conscious of this and have extended our scope with our e-business consultants to include the following: Investigation of the use of RFD technology in logistics as we intend to be one of the first companies to implement this. Integration with third party suppliers like DHL and UPS for extended services and direct deliveries to our clients’ customers. This is very essential in the delivery of end products from our warehouses. It is clear that we are essentially a Business-to-Business logistics company with particular interest in manufacturing firms particularly in the technology sector. Our target customers are likely to have the following characteristics: Be Manufacturing Companies usually in the Technology sector. With significant partnerships and interest in Asian market. Companies requiring specialised logistics services including warehouse facilities. We shall be extremely focused to concentrate on our target sector and to be the best in our sector and will look for opportunities to better understand our customers and their needs. The approach is to ensure full empowerment and information sharing with our customers and partners with constant feedback on possible areas of improvement. Section Four: eBusiness Strategy Project Procedure: To achieve our goals as a company, it is essential to articulate clearly our e-business strategy as a company. Initiation Phase: A cross-functional team headed by the Chief Information Officer (CIO) looks at our needs and in conjunction with our consultants, produce a framework for the project. Planning Phase: This involved communication with management and evolution of a time-table with which the project will be guided and also explaining the process to our partners, staff and clients to understand our aims with the project. An extended collaboration team including representatives from operations, finance, IT, customer service, and human resources department was inaugurated at this stage to help with the process to ensure company-wide participation. Execution Phase: This involves the stage by stage implementation of the project including necessary skills training and workshops. Control Phase: The objective during the control phase is to closely monitor the performance measures agreed to by the collaboration team. Any service exceptions or performance measures not met will be reviewed with the CIO who was the head of the project and reported to management on a monthly basis. Process Improvement Phase: This involved the analysis of the project and improvements on initial design based on any shortcomings found. The objective of this phase is to meet the required service levels as originally agreed for the project. These initiatives will enable us to capitalize on past successes and allow us to take our supply chain to the next level of innovation, to effectively monitor operational capabilities, improve performance levels, measure cost accurately, and develop world-class processes. Supply Chain Strategy: Our Supply Chain Management Strategy is to develop and manage a preferred supply base that enhances the success of our customers and their long term competitiveness. It is now clear that efficient supply chain management clearly impacts on the profitability of our clients. We shall therefore employ the following: Just-in-time supply management. Developing and maintaining long-term client relationships. Strong organizational and process integration to leverage on technology. Reduction in cycle times and reduction of total costs. Global Collaboration and outsourcing to reduce overhead costs. Legal Framework: Legal issues with the e-business project include the following Privacy concerns for individual customers who want to ensure that their data, communication and information is secure. Global trade issues and legislations affecting the industry. Intellectual Property protection. Security of payment transactions. Marketing Strategy: We aim to maximise our new e-business strategy and initiative be deploying online promotions, search engine strategies, co-marketing branding with customers and partners, new media advertisements and global brand development. Section Five: Public Image Organisational Goal: Our primary goal is to be a global logistics provider and the premier logistics company providing specialized services to manufacturing firms with a strong base in Asia. We have however clearly defined four essential areas that this project is focused on with supporting performance measures:  §Ã‚   Improve management efficiency  §Ã‚   Virtual meetings and collaborations.  §Ã‚   Reduced logistics cost  §Ã‚   Increased Time Deliveries  §Ã‚   Reports and event management  §Ã‚   Security and trust issues  §Ã‚   Provide secure login for partners, customers and employees.  §Ã‚   Controlling access levels.  §Ã‚   Better Customer Service  §Ã‚   Provide Online Enquiry  §Ã‚   Online viewing and real-time tracking of parcels.  §Ã‚     Provide remote consultation services  §Ã‚   Online registration and bill payment  §Ã‚   Bigger Participation and Future Opportunities  §Ã‚   For other logistics companies and potential Partners.  §Ã‚   Identifying consolidation opportunities or possible global mergers.  §Ã‚   Supports RFID technology. Our foundation as an efficient and reliable logistics provider is built on the hard work and integrity in our operations which we have emphasized from the inception of the company.   We would continue to utilize this while we aim at being responsive to new technology needs in order to improve our efficiency and keep the trust of our clients. With regards to software capability, it was important that it was customized to meet our specific needs with our focus on a paperless system based on flexibility and reduction in freight costs and increased delivery times. Security and Privacy Issues: The following issues form the framework for our policy on security and privacy issues: Data Protection: This is an important law gaining global attention with regional legislations particularly in the US and European commission. Our goal will be to ensure that all private information is obtained by obtained by fair and lawful means; relevant to the purposes for which they are to be used; should be protected with reasonable security measures to prevent unauthorized access, destruction or modification. Financial Transactions: It is essential that all payments and transfer of money is done securely and that is in line with the company’s goal of transparency and fairness. Intellectual Property: Trademark and intellectual property of our customers will be adequately protected. E-mail and communication: We would use secured e-mail communication and create effective firewalls to protect both incoming and outgoing e-mail. It is essential that communication is sent to the right department and our collaboration software ensures this with the encryption of sensitive communication. Risk Assessment: Clearly the major risk issues is Security and Technical faults . Our desire however is to turn this to a strategic marketing tool by ensuring emphasis on secure transactions. To mitigate these risks, we have done the following We have engaged IBM, a global player and foremost e-business consulting company. Ensuring that Technology used is relevant, secure and flexible to support future business changes. We have put offline software capabilities and procedures to deal with possible downtimes and internet failures. We are aware of lose of revenues by companies due to technical faults and will preempt this. Developed efficient service levels and procedures for timely intervention. Communication Strategy: We would effectively communicate and educate our customers, suppliers and partners as to the effective use of our systems for maximum benefit and ensure that responsibility is taken for our technology. We would emphasise the convenience, efficiency and the interactive experience that our e-commerce initiative provides. Section Six: Information Strategy (2) Information Gathering: As important as technology is, information is the basis and information is essential to make the business successful. As part of the initial process, the company has looked at what information is necessary to ensure we operate efficiently and provide the quality of service that we desire. It is therefore essential that information is carefully designed and assess should be monitored to ensure that it is used only for official purposes. Privacy is very important to also protect confidential information as some of our clients are competitors to each other to ensure that we operate ethically. It is also necessary to ensure proper reporting and performance measurement to enhance the future direction of this project. The figure below shows the major enterprise units and some sample information needs. Figure 2: Our Value Chain As a result of our position in the supply chain business, it is important that we ensure efficient use of information between the interacting organisations and units as shown in the figure above. A typical situation is to get an order from our customers’ manufacturing locations to our central warehouse where the order is confirmed based on inventory availability. Inventory is also automatically connected to our supplier chains who supply components once the set reorder level is reached. This same process occurs with the product retailers and individual customers who order our customer products. The essence is to maintain a just-in-time supply chain that maximises the efficiency of the value chain and reduces cost associated with poor forecast. Whenever a product or component is shipped based on an order, an invoice is automatically issued which is settled through online transactions and transfers. On the other hand, the supply chain system links with the company’s relevant departments particularly the accounts and logistics supports units.    Problems with Information Flow Dealing with different companies in the chain presents bottlenecks that hinder communication. Privacy Constraints and Data Protection differences across countries.    Strategy to enhance Information flow efficiency Work with companies, suppliers and partners who understand the value of efficient Technology and accept our strategy. Build a Customer Service Team to handle Information Keep communications from management to front office staff open at all stages of the project and with implementation. Make Excellence Customer Service the basis of our e-business project. Give ownership to everyone so that all employees can be part of improving the project and contributing to future changes. Section Seven: Future Operation and Development RFID Integration: In the long term, our business strategy is to maximize the opportunities that are available for global partnerships with other logistics providers in areas where we are not too strong, while we provide similar support in our primary area. One major benefit of the project is its suitability and implementation of RFID which is gaining global attention particularly for the logistics sector. We are conscious that this is a trend that will be the standard for the future and with this project have positioned ourselves for its implementation in a year’s time. What makes the RFID technology interesting and important?   Whereas barcodes only identify the product, RFID tags can tell what the product is, where it has been, it’s expiry date and any other information required for the product. This makes information retrieval and access automatic and complete on its own. It’ will produce adequate information about when and where merchandise is manufactured, picked, packed and shipped so that data can be stored, transmitted in real-time and shared with warehouse management, inventory management, financial and other enterprise systems. Another benefit of RFIDs is that, unlike barcodes, RFID tags can be read automatically by electronic readers. Imagine a truck carrying a container full of widgets entering a shipping terminal in China. If the container is equipped with an RFID tag, and the terminal has an RFID sensor network, that container’s whereabouts can be automatically sent to Prime Technologies without the truck ever slowing down. It has the potential to add a substantial amount of visibility into the extended supply chain. The only issue in its implementation is the cost and the fact that it will still take a couple of years before it becomes a global standard. This project has increased the potential of possible collaboration through the use of web services through which data is shared and transmitted to enhance communication between companies. Our positioning to enhance our future strategic goals will be in line with the following: Our initial strategy aimed at expanding globally will result in the implementation of our e-business project that is aimed at ensuring that we can track goods in transit and provide our customers with real-time information. The implementation of RFID to help efficient tracking of parcels and increase our efficiency at warehouses. The four major groups that our company has include: Customers that we provide complete logistics solutions for including shipping, transportation to and from factory. Customers that we provide warehousing services alone. Customers that we provide warehousing and shipping of components and materials to their factories but who handle their own distribution. Customers who handle their own warehousing but leave transportation and logistics to us. It is clear that our e-business project is essential to all these groups but will be more critical to the companies that use our operations completely. We are certain that this will enhance our ability to effectively increase our customer base in all these sectors. Strategy to Enhance Future Value While e-business benefits may be difficult to measure, we will keep working on performance measurement of the project to ensure that value is generated and sustained. That we utilise simple technology that will be easily scalable and flexible to enhance future possible changes using open-source technology as much as possible. Sensitive to cultural and language barriers in the use of technology. Employee participation, training and motivation to make everyone involved in project development. The project must continue to improve convenience, efficiency and security for all users and stakeholders. References Kendra Bonnett, An IBM guide to doing business on the internet. Mcgraw Hill. 2000. Charles Trepper, E-commerce Strategies. Microsoft Press. 2000. Charles Trepper (2000) E-Commerce Strategies. Published by Microsoft Press. 10 – 11, http://www.cio.com/research/scm/edit/012202_scm.html#scm_emerging (assessed February 18) http://www.forfas.ie/publications/ebus_ict_leg02/021029_ebusiness_ict_leg_pressrelease_s.pdf (assessed February 21) http://www.usherproject.org.uk/support/scenarios/legal.pdf

Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 10~14

10 Coconut Telegraph Jefferson Pardee dialed the island communications center and asked them to connect him to a friend of his in the governor's office on Yap. While he waited for the connection, he looked down from his office above the Food Store on the Truk public market: women selling bananas, coconuts, and banana leaf bundles of taro out of plywood sheds; children with bandannas on their faces against the rising street dust; drunk men languishing red-eyed in the shade. Across the street lay a stand of coconut palms and the vibrant blue-green water of the lagoon dotted with outboards and floating pieces of Styrofoam coolers. Another day in paradise, Pardee thought. Pardee had been out here for thirty years now. He'd come fresh out of Northwestern School of Journalism full of passion to save the world, to help those less fortunate than himself, and to avoid the draft. After his two years in the Peace Corps were up – his main achievement was teaching the islanders to boil water – he'd stayed. First he worked for the budding island governments, helping to write the charters, the constitutions, and the re-quests for aid from the United States. That work finished, he found himself afraid to go home. He'd gone to fat on breadfruit and beer and become accustomed to dollar whores, fifty-cent taxis, and a two-hour workday. The idea of returning to the States, where he would have to live up to his potential or face being called a failure, terrified him. He wrote and received a grant to start the Truk Star. It was the last significant thing that he'd done for twenty-five years. Covering the news in Truk was akin to taking a penguin census in the Mojave Desert. Still, deep inside, he hoped that something would happen so that he could flex his atrophied journalistic muscles. Something he could get passionate about. Why couldn't the United States nuke a nearby island? The French did it in Polynesia all the time. But no, the United States nukes one little atoll in Micronesia (Bikini) and they go away, saying, â€Å"Well, I guess that ought to do for twenty-five thousand years or so.† Wimps. Then again, maybe there was something going on out on Alualu. Something clandestine and dirty. Jefferson Pardee had lost his ambition, but he still had hope. â€Å"Go ahead,† the operator said. â€Å"Ignatho, how you doing, man?† Ignatho Malongo, governor's assistant for outer island affairs, was not in the mood to chat. It was lunchtime and he was out of cigarettes and betel nut and no one had come to relieve him on the radio so he could leave. His office was in a bright blue corrugated steel shed tucked behind the offices of the governor. It housed a military-style steel desk, a shortwave radio, a new IBM computer, and a wastebasket full of tractor-feed paper stained with red betel nut spit under a sign that emphatically declared NO SPITTING. He was round, brown, and wore only a loincloth, a Casio watch, and a Bic pen on a string around his neck. He was sweating into a puddle that darkened the concrete floor around his desk. â€Å"Pardee, what do you need?† â€Å"I was wondering if you've heard anything going on out on Alualu?† â€Å"Just the same. Occasionally the doctor radios for supplies to be sent out on the Micro Trader. They're not officially in Yap state, so they don't go through my office. Why?† â€Å"You hear any rumors, maybe from the Micro Trader crew?† â€Å"Like what? The Shark People don't have contact with anyone since I can remember. Just that Dr. Curtis.† Pardee didn't want to be in the business of starting rumors. More than once he'd had to track down a story to find out that it had started with a drunken lie he'd told in a bar that had circulated through the islands, changed enough to sound credible, and landed back on his desk. Still, Malongo wasn't giving anything today. â€Å"I hear they have a new aircraft out there. A Learjet.† Malongo laughed. â€Å"Where did you hear that?† â€Å"I've heard it twice now. A couple of months ago from a guy who said he was going out there to fly it for them and just now from another pilot on his way.† â€Å"Maybe they're starting a new airline. Be serious, Jeff. Are you that desperate for a story? I've got some grants you can write if you need the work.† Pardee was a little embarrassed. Still, he had no doubt that Tucker Case had been contacted by Dr. Curtis. Something was up. He said, â€Å"Well, maybe you can ask the guys on the Trader to keep an eye out. Ask around and call me if you hear anything.† Suddenly Pardee had a flash of motivational inspiration. â€Å"If someone's buying jet airplanes, there might be some untapped government money out there that you guys don't know about.† He could almost hear Malongo snap to attention. Malongo was thinking air conditioner, laser printer, a new chair. â€Å"Look, I'll ask out at the airport. If someone's flying a jet off of Alualu, then they have to use the radio, right?† â€Å"I suppose,† Pardee said. â€Å"I'll call you.† Malongo hung up. Pardee sighed. â€Å"And once again,† he said to himself, â€Å"we lead with the ‘Pig Thief Still at Large' story.† A half hour later the phone rang. The phone never rang. Pardee picked it up and could tell by the clicking that he was being connected off-island. Ignatho Malongo came on the line. He sounded like he was in a better mood. Pardee guessed that he was in a state of foreign aid arousal. â€Å"Jeff, the Trader is in the harbor. Some of the crew was having lunch at the marina and I asked them about your Learjet.† Malongo was smoking a Benson & Hedges and chewing a big cud of betel nut. He was in a better mood now. â€Å"And?† â€Å"No one's seen it, but they did see some Japanese on the island the last time they were there.† â€Å"Japanese? Tourists?† â€Å"They were carrying machine guns.† â€Å"No shit.† â€Å"Do you think this means there's some military money coming our way?† Malongo was thinking air-conditioning, a case of Spam, a ticket to Hawaii to go shopping. Pardee scratched his two-day growth of beard. â€Å"Probably the crew off of a tuna boat. They've been threatening to shoot some of the islanders off Ulithi if they keep stealing their net floats. I'll check with the Australian Navy, see if they know about a Japanese boat fishing those waters. Meantime, I owe you a bag of betel nut.† Malongo laughed. â€Å"You owe me about ten bags by now. How you going to pay if you never leave that shithole of an island?† â€Å"You'll see me soon enough.† Pardee hung up. 11 Paging the Goddess The Shark men had been beating drums and marching with bamboo rifles since dawn, while the Shark women prepared the feast for the appearance of the High Priestess. In her bed chamber the High Priestess was doing her nails. The Sorcerer entered through a beaded curtain, moved up behind her, and cupped her naked breasts. Without looking up, she said, â€Å"You know, I used to get a pretty good buzz doing this in my studio apartment. Close the windows and let the fumes build up. Want a whiff?† She held the polish bottle out behind her. He shook his head. He was in his mid-fifties, tall, thin, with short gray hair and ice blue eyes. He wore a green lab coat over Bermuda shorts. â€Å"Missionary Air just radioed. Their Beech is broken. They're waiting for a part from the States and won't have it fixed for a month. Our pilot's stuck on Truk.† The High Priestess fired a glare over her shoulder and he could feel himself going to slime, changing, melting into the lowest form of sea slug. She could do that to him. Her breasts felt like chilled river rocks in his hands. He stepped away. â€Å"It's all right,† he said. â€Å"I've sent him a message to fly to Yap. He can catch the Micro Trader there tomorrow and he'll be here two days later.† She was not impressed. â€Å"Don't you think it might be a good idea for me to meet this one before he gets here? It took long enough to find him.† The Sorcerer had backed all the way to the beaded curtain. â€Å"You were the one that didn't want any more military types.† â€Å"Because it worked so well last time. It's bad enough I have to be surrounded by ninjas. I don't like it.† The Sorcerer couldn't believe anyone could walk that slowly and still express so much; it was positively symphonic. He said, â€Å"They're not ninjas. They're just guards. This will all be over soon and you can live in a palace in France if you want.† He held his arms out to receive her embrace. She turned on a red spiked heel and quickstepped back to the vanity. â€Å"We'll talk about this later. I have to go on in an hour.† Feeling stupid, he dropped his arms and backed through the beaded curtain. In the distance the Shark People began the chant to call forth the Priestess of the Sky. 12 Friendly Advice Tuck was sweating through a slow-motion dream rerun of the crash. The end of the runway was coming up too quickly. Meadow Malackovitch was bouncing off of various consoles in the cockpit. Someone in the copilot seat was screaming at him, calling him a â€Å"fuckin' mook.† He turned to see who it was and was awakened by a knock on the door. â€Å"Mr. Case. Message for you.† â€Å"Just a second.† Tucker scrambled in the darkness until he found his khakis on the floor, shook them to evict any insect visitors, then pulled them on and stumbled to the door. Rindi, the driver-rapper, stood outside holding a slip of paper. â€Å"This just come for you from the telecom center.† He reached past Tuck and clicked the light switch. A bare bulb went on over the desk. Tuck took the note, dug in his pants pocket for a tip, and came up with a dollar, but Rindi had already shuffled off. The note, on waxy fax paper, was covered with greasy fingerprints. Tuck guessed it had probably passed through a dozen hands before getting to him. He unfolded it and read. To: Tucker Case c/o Paradise Hotel From: Dr. Sebastian Curtis Mr. Case, I deeply regret that my wife will not be able to meet you on Truk as planned. We have reserved a seat for you on tomorrow's Air Micronesia flight to Yap, where we have arranged transport aboard the supply ship, Micro Trader, to Alualu. Your plane will arrive at 11:00 A.M. and the Micro Trader is scheduled to sail at noon, so it will be necessary for you to take a taxi to the dock as soon as you clear customs. I apologize for the inconvenience and would ask that you refrain from discussing the purpose of your visit with the crew of the Micro Trader – or with anyone else, for that matter. It would be unfortunate if this research reached the FAA before it had been thoroughly investigated. Rumors travel quickly in these islands. I look forward to discussing the intricacies of the particular strain of sta-phylococci with you. Sincerely, Sebastian Curtis, M.D. Staphylococci? Germs? He wants to discuss germs? Tuck couldn't have been more confused if the message had been in Eskimo. He folded it and looked again at the fingerprints. That was it. He knew that other people would be reading the note. The germ thing was just a red herring to confuse nosy natives. The bit about the FAA obviously referred to Tuck's revoked pilot's license. In a way, it was a threat. Maybe he ought to find out a little more about this doctor before he went running out to this remote island. Maybe the reporter, Pardee, knew something. Tuck dressed quickly and went down to the desk, where Rindi was listening to a transistor radio with a speaker that sounded like it had been fashioned from wax paper. Someone was singing a Garth Brooks song in nasal Trukese accompanied by an accordion. â€Å"It sounds like someone's hurting animals.† Tuck grinned. Rindi did not smile. â€Å"You going out?† Rindi was eager to get into Tuck's room and go through his luggage. â€Å"I need to find that reporter, Jefferson Pardee.† Rindi looked as if he was going to spit. He said, â€Å"He at Yumi Bar all the time. That way.† He pointed up the road toward town. â€Å"You need ride?† â€Å"How far is it?† â€Å"Maybe a mile. How long you be gone?† Rindi wanted to take his time, make sure he didn't miss any of Tuck's valuables. â€Å"I'm not sure. Do you lock the door at midnight or something?† â€Å"No, I come get you if you drunk.† â€Å"I'll be fine. I'll be checking out in the morning. Can I get an eight o'clock wake-up call?† â€Å"No. No phone in room.† â€Å"How about a wake-up knock?† â€Å"No problem.† â€Å"Thanks.† Tucker went out the front door and was nearly thrown back by the thickness of the air. The temperature had dropped to the mid-80s, but it felt as if it had gotten more humid. Everything dripped. The air carried the scent of rotting flowers. Tuck set off down the road and was soaked with sweat by the time he reached a rusted metal Quonset hut with a hand-painted sign that read YUMI BAR. The dirt parking lot was filled with Japanese beaters parked freestyle. A skeletal dog with open running sores, a crossbreed of dingo and sewer rat, cowered in the half-light coming through the door and looked at him as if pleading to be run over. Tuck's stomach lurched. He made a wide path around the dog, who looked down and resumed concen-tration on its suffering. â€Å"Hey, kid, you're not going in there, are you?† Tuck looked up. There was a cigarette glowing in the dark at the corner of the building. Tuck could just make out the form of a man standing there. He wore some kind of uniform – Tuck could see the silhouette of a captain's hat. Anywhere else Tuck might have ignored a voice in the dark, but the accent was American, and out here he was drawn to the familiarity of it. He'd heard it before. He said, â€Å"I thought I'd get a beer. I'm looking for an American named Pardee.† The guy in the dark blew out a long stream of cigarette smoke. â€Å"He's in there. But you don't want to go in there right now. Wait a few minutes.† Tuck was about to ask why when two men came crashing through the door and landed in the dirt at his feet. They were islanders, both screaming incomprehensibly as they punched and gouged at one another. The one on the top held a bush knife, a short machete, which he drew back and slammed into the other man's head, severing an ear. Blood sprayed on the dust. A stream of shouting natives spilled out of the bar, waving beer bottles and kicking at the fighters. Earless leaped to his feet and backed off to get a running attack at Bush Knife, who was rising to his feet. Earless hit him with a flying tackle as Bush Knife hacked at his ribs. A pickup truck full of policemen pulled into the parking lot and the crowd scattered into the dark and back into the bar, leaving the fighters rolling in the dirt. Six policemen stood over the fighters, slamming them with riot batons until they both lay still. The police threw the fighters into the bed of their truck, climbed in after them, and drove off. Tuck stood stunned. He'd never seen violence that sudden and raw in his life. Ten more seconds and he would have been in the middle of it instead of backpedaling across the parking lot. â€Å"Should be okay to go in now,† said the voice from the dark. Tuck looked up, but he couldn't even see the cigarette glowing now. â€Å"Thanks,† he said. â€Å"You sure it's okay?† â€Å"Watch your ass, kid,† said the voice, and this time it seemed to come from above him. Tucker spun around, nearly wrenching his neck, but he couldn't see anyone. He shook off the confusion and headed into the bar. The skeletal dog crawled from under a truck, seized the severed ear from the dust, and slunk into the shadows. â€Å"Good dog,† said the voice out of the dark. The dog growled, ready to protect its prize. A young man, perhaps twenty-four, dark and sharp-featured, dressed in a gray flight suit, stepped out of the shadows and bent to the dog, who lowered its head in submission. The young man reached out as if to pet the dog, then grabbed its head and quickly snapped its neck. â€Å"Now, that's better, ain't it, ya little mook?† The bar was as dingy inside as it was out. Yellow bug bulbs gave off just enough light to navigate around drunken islanders and a beat-up pool table. An old Wurlitzer bounced American country western songs off the metal walls. A khaki-wrapped hulk, Jefferson Pardee, sweated over a Budweiser at the bar. Tucker slid in next to him. Pardee looked up with red-rimmed eyes. â€Å"You just missed all the excitement.† â€Å"No, I saw it. I was outside.† Pardee signaled for two more beers. â€Å"I thought I told you not to go out at night.† â€Å"I'm leaving for Yap in the morning and I need to ask you some questions.† Pardee grinned like a child given a surprise favor. â€Å"I'm at your service, Mr. Tucker.† Tuck weighed his need for information against the ignominy of telling Pardee about the crash. He pulled the crumpled fax paper from his pants pocket and set it on the bar before the reporter. Pardee lit a cigarette as he read. He finished reading and handed the fax back to Tucker. â€Å"It's not unusual to have changes in travel plans out here. But what's this about bacteria? I thought you were a pilot.† Tucker took Pardee though the crash and the mysterious invitation from the doctor, including Jake's theories about drug smuggling. â€Å"I think the bacteria stuff was just to throw off anyone who got hold of the fax.† â€Å"You're right there. But it's not drugs. There aren't any drugs produced in these islands except kava and betel nut, and nobody wants those except the islanders. Oh, they grow a little pot here and there, but it's consumed here by the gangsta wanna-bes.† â€Å"Gangsta wanna-bes?† Tuck asked. â€Å"A few of the islanders have satellite TV. The people who look like them on TV are gangsta rappers. The old rundown buildings they see in the hood look like the buildings here. Except here they're new and run-down. It's a Coke and a smile and baby formula their babies can't digest. It's packaged junk food shipped here without expiration dates.† â€Å"What in the hell are you talking about, Pardee?† â€Å"They buy into the advertising bullshit that Americans have become immune to. It's like the entire Micronesian crescent is one big cargo cult. They buy the worst of American culture.† â€Å"Are you saying I'm the worst America has to offer?† Pardee patted his shoulder and leaned in close. Tuck could smell the sour beer sweat coming off the big man. â€Å"No, that's not what I'm saying. I don't know what's going on out on Alualu, but I'm sure it's no big deal. Evil tends to grow in proportion to the profit potential, and there's just nothing out there that's worth a shit. Go to your island, kid. And get in touch with me when you figure out what's going on. In the meantime, I'll do some checking.† Tuck shook the reporter's hand. â€Å"I will.† He threw some money on the bar and started to leave. Pardee called to him as he reached the door. â€Å"One more thing. I checked around. I heard that there's some armed men on Alualu. And there was another pilot that came through here a few months ago. Nobody's seen him. Be careful, Tucker.† â€Å"And you weren't going to tell me that?† â€Å"I had to be sure that you weren't part of it.† 13 Out of the Frying Pan Tuck's first thought of the new morning was I've got to catch a plane. His second was, My dick's broke. It happens that way. One has a â€Å"private† irritation – hemorrhoids, menstrual cramps, swollen prostate, yeast infection, venereal disease, bladder infection – and no matter how hard the mind tries to escape the gravity of the affliction, it is inexorably pulled back into a doomed orbit of circular thought. Anything that distracts from the irritation is an irritation. Life is an irritation. Inside Tuck's head sounded like this: I have to catch a plane. I'm pissing fire. I need a shower. Check the stitches. No water. It looks infected. Probably lep-rosy. I hate this place. I'm sure it's infected. When does the water come on? It's going to turn black and fall off. Whoever heard of a place with satellite TV but no running water? I'll never fly again. I'm thirty years old and I have no job. And no dick. And who in the hell was that guy in the parking lot last night? I smell like rancid goat meat. Probably the infection. Gangrene. I can't believe there's no running water. I'm going to die. Die, die, die. Not a pleasant place to be: inside Tuck's head. Outside Tuck's head the shower came on; brown, tepid water ran down his body in gutless streams; pipes shuddered and trumpeted as if trying to extrude a vibrating moose. The soap, a brown minibar made from local copra, lathered like slate and smelled of hibiscus flowers and suffering dog. Tuck dried himself on a translucent swath of balding terry cloth and slipped into his clothes, three days saturated with tropical travel funk. He shouldered his pack, noticing that the zippered pockets had been tampered with and not giving a good goddamn, then trudged down to the front desk. Rindi was sleeping on the desk. Tuck woke him, made sure that the room had been paid by the doctor as promised, then stood in the tropical sun and waited as Rindi brought the car around. It seemed like a very long ride to the airport. Rindi ran over a chicken, then got out and fought an old woman who claimed the chicken, each tugging on a leg, testing the tensile strength of poultry to its limit before Rindi busted a kung fu move that secured his dinner and left the old woman sitting in the dust with a sacred chicken foot in her hand. (The old woman was from the island of Tonoas, where magic chickens were once called up by a sorcerer to level a mountain for a temple, the Hall of the Magic Chickens.) At the airport Tuck gave Rindi a dollar for the cab ride, which was twice the going rate, and waved off the bloody handshake the aspiring gangsta offered. â€Å"Keep the peace, home boy,† Tuck said. 14 Espionage and Intrigue Yap was cleaner than Truk and hotter, if that was possible. Here the beat-up taxis actually had radio antennas to identify them. The roads were paved as well. The airport, another tin roof over concrete pylons, was filled with natives: men in loincloths and topless women in hand-woven wraparound skirts. Tuck caught a cab at the airport and told the driver to take him to the dock. The driver spat out the window and said, â€Å"The ship gone.† â€Å"It can't be gone.† What had moments ago been a pleasant drunk from four airline martinis turned instantly to a headache. â€Å"Maybe it was another ship that left.† The driver smiled. His teeth were black, his lips bright red. â€Å"Ship gone. You want to go to town?† â€Å"How much?† Tuck asked, as if he had a choice. â€Å"Fourteen dollar.† â€Å"Fourteen dollars? It's only fifty cents on Truk!† â€Å"Okay, fifty cents,† the driver said. â€Å"That's your counteroffer?† Tuck asked. He was thinking about what Pardee had said about these islanders absorbing the worst of American culture. This was his chance to help, if only in a small way. â€Å"That's the most helpless bargaining I've ever heard. How do you ever expect your country to get out of the Third World with that weak shit?† â€Å"Sorry,† the driver said. â€Å"One dollar.† â€Å"Seventy-five cents,† Tuck said. â€Å"You find another taxi,† the driver said, digging in his fiscal heels. â€Å"That's better,† said Tuck. â€Å"A dollar it is. And there's another one in it for you if you don't run over any chickens.† The driver put the car in gear and started off. They passed though several miles of jungle before breaking into a brightly lit, surprisingly modern-looking town with concrete streets. Occasionally, they passed a tin house with stone wheels leaning against the walls. The stones ranged from the size of a small tire to seven feet in diameter and were covered with varying degrees of green moss. â€Å"What are those millstone-looking things?† Tuck asked the driver. â€Å"Fei,† the driver said. â€Å"Stone money. Very valuable.† â€Å"No shit, money?† Tuck looked at a piece of fei standing in a yard as they passed. It was five feet tall and nearly two feet thick. â€Å"What do your pay phones look like?† Tuck asked with a grin. The driver didn't find it funny. He let Tucker out at the dock, which was suspiciously shipless. Tuck saw a bearded, red-faced white man sitting in the shade of a forklift, smoking a cigarette. â€Å"G'day,† the man said. He was about thirty. In good shape. â€Å"Impela my tribe?† â€Å"Huh?† Tuck said. â€Å"American, then?† Tuck nodded. â€Å"You Australian?† â€Å"Royal Navy,† the man said. He pulled a hat from behind him and tapped on it. â€Å"Join me?† He motioned for Tuck to sit next to him on the concrete. Tuck dragged his pack into the shade, dropped it, and extended his hand to the Australian. â€Å"Tucker Case.† The Australian took his hand and nearly crushed it. â€Å"Commander Brion Frick. Have a seat, mate. Looks like you been on the piss for a fortnight, if you don't mind my saying.† He handed Tucker a business card. It bore the seal of the Royal Australian Navy, Frick's name and rank, and the designation NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. Tuck looked again at the scruffy Australian, then back at the card. â€Å"Naval Intelligence, huh? What do you do?† â€Å"I'm a spy, mate. You know, secret stuff. Very hush-hush.† Tuck wondered just how secret a spy could be who had his status printed on a business card. â€Å"Espionage, huh?† â€Å"Well, right now we're watching the Yapese Navy don't make a move.† â€Å"Yap has a navy?† â€Å"Only one patrol boat, and she's broken right now. Yapese put gas in the diesel engine. But you can't be too careful, lest the little buggers get it in their mind to launch a surprise attack. That's her over there.† He nodded down the wharf. Tuck spotted a rusted boat designed like a Chinese junk with the word YAP stenciled on the side in flaking orange Rust-Oleum. A half-dozen Yapese, thin brown men with high cheekbones and potbellies, were lounging on the deck in loincloths, drinking beer. Tuck said, â€Å"I guess an attack would be a surprise.† â€Å"Ain't as easy a job as it looks. Yapese can lull you into a false sense of security. They might sit there without moving for two, three weeks, then just when you start to relax, wham, they make their move.† â€Å"Right,† Tucker said. The only damage the patrol boat looked capable of inflicting was a case of tetanus for the crew. A mile past the Yapese Navy waves crashed on the reef, just a line of white against the turquoise sea. Cottony clouds rose out of the sea into shining columns. Tuck scanned the horizon for a ship. â€Å"Is the Micro Trader in yet?† â€Å"Been in and gone,† Frick said. â€Å"She'll be back around in six weeks or so.† â€Å"Dammit,† Tuck said. â€Å"I can't fucking believe it. I need to get to Alualu.† â€Å"Why'd you want to go out there?† â€Å"I'm a pilot. I'm supposed to be flying for a missionary out there.† â€Å"Boys and I were out there in the patrol boat last week. Godforsaken place.† Tuck lit up at the mention of the patrol boat. Maybe he could catch a ride. â€Å"You have a patrol boat?† â€Å"Seventy-footer. Some of the boys are out with it now, tuna fishin' with the CIA. Don't mention it, though. Secret, you know.† â€Å"What's the CIA doing down here?† Frick raised a blond eyebrow. â€Å"Keepin' an eye on the Yapese Navy.† â€Å"I thought you were doing that.† â€Å"Well, I am, ain't I? And when they come back, it's my turn to go fishin'. Lovely, us bein' allies and all. Cuts the work in half. Want to suck some piss?† â€Å"Pardon?† Tuck wasn't ready for any kind of bizarre native customs. â€Å"Drink some beers, mate. If you keep an eye on the Yappies, I'll run down to the store and grab some beers.† â€Å"Sounds good.† Tuck was ready to take the edge off his headache. Besides, there was still a chance for a ride out to the island. Frick put his hat on Tuck's head. â€Å"Right then. By the power invested in me by the Australian Royal Navy, et cetera, et cetera, I hearby deputize you as official intelligence officer until I get back. Do you swear?† â€Å"Swear what?† â€Å"Just swear.† â€Å"Sure.† â€Å"There it is.† Frick started walking off. â€Å"What do I do if they make a move?† â€Å"How the bloody hell should I know?† Tuck watched the Yapese Navy for an hour before they all stood up and left the boat. He was pretty sure that this did not constitute a defense emergency, but just in case he decided to walk up the street to see what had happened to Frick. The pack felt even heavier now, and he guessed that it was the responsibility for Australian people that weighed him down. (A woman had once offered Tucker a goldfish in a bowl, and Tuck had graciously declined it on the basis that it was too much responsibility and would probably die anyway. He felt the same way about the Australians.) The concrete streets of Colonia were bleached white and stained with three-foot red strips of betel nut spit on either side and lined with thick jungle vegetation. Off the streets Tuck could see tin hovels, children playing in the mud, women passing the hottest part of the day combing lice from each other's hair in the shade of a tin-roofed porch. The women wore wraparound skirts, black with brightly colored stripes, and went topless. All but the youngest of them were enormously fat by Western standards, and Tuck felt his idealized picture of the beautiful island girls fade to a lice-infested, rotund reality. Still, there was something in their gentle grooming and in the quiet concentration of the children that made him feel sad and a little lonely. If only he could run into a woman he could talk to. A Western woman – she wouldn't have to know he was a eunuch. He broke out of the jungle into the open street of Colonia's main â€Å"business district.† On one side was a marina with a restaurant and bar (or so the sign said), on the other a two-story, stucco minimall of shops and snack bars. Around it, in the shade of the modern portico, stood perhaps a hundred Yapese, mostly women, some young men in bright blue loincloths, all shirtless. The islanders all had bright red lips and teeth from chewing betel nut. Even the little children were chewing the narcotic cud and spitting periodically into the street. Tuck walked in among them, hoping to find someone to ask about Frick's whereabouts, but none made eye contact. The women and girls turned their backs to him. The men just looked away or pretended to pay attention to sprinkling powdered coral on to a split green betel nut before beginning a chew. He went into a surprisingly modern grocery store and was relieved to see that the prices were in American dollars, the signs in English. He picked up a quart of bottled water and took it to the checkout counter, where a woman in a lavalava and a blue polyester smock rang up his purchase and held out her hand for the money. â€Å"Do you know where I can find Commander Brion Frick?† Tuck asked her. She took his money, turned to the cash drawer, and turned back to him with his change without uttering a word. Tuck repeated his question and the woman turned away from him. Finally he left, thinking, She must not speak English. He ran into Frick coming out of the store. The spy had a six-pack tucked under his arm. â€Å"I was looking for you,† Tuck said. â€Å"The Yapese Navy took off.† â€Å"You could have asked inside. They knew where I was.† â€Å"I did. The woman wouldn't talk to me.† â€Å"Not allowed to,† Frick said. â€Å"It's bad manners to make eye contact. Yapese women aren't allowed to talk to a man unless he's a relative. If a woman and a man are seen speaking in public, they're considered married on the spot. Shame too. Ever seen so many bare titties in all your life? Tough grabbin' a snog if you can't talk to them.† Tucker didn't want to talk about it. â€Å"You were supposed to come back to the wharf.† Frick looked affronted. â€Å"I was on my way. Didn't think you'd desert your post. I hope you're a better pilot than you are a spy. Letting them sneak off like that.† â€Å"Look, Frick, I need to get to Alualu right away. Can you take me in your patrol boat?† â€Å"Love to, mate, but we've got a mission as soon as the boys get back from fishin'. We've got to tow the Yapese patrol boat down to Darwin for repairs. Won't be back for a fortnight at least.† â€Å"Doesn't it make more sense to leave it broken? I mean, in the interest of watching them?† The spy raised an eyebrow. â€Å"What threat are they with a broken boat?† â€Å"Exactly,† Tuck said. â€Å"You obviously don't know a wit about maintaining job security. Mis-sionary Air might take you out, but I hear their plane is down for a while. Fishing boats are all Chinese. Buggers wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire. You might charter a dingy, but I doubt that you'll find anyone willing to take you across four hundred kilometers of open sea in an out-board. There's fellows do it off Perth, but the West Coast is full of loonies anyway. Get yourself a room and wait. We'll take you out when we get back.† â€Å"I don't know if I can wait that long.† Tuck stood up. â€Å"Where should I go to charter a boat?† Frick pointed to a large Mobil oil tank at the edge of the harbor. â€Å"Try heading down to the fueling station. Should be able to find someone down there who needs the gas money.† â€Å"Thanks, Frick, I appreciate it.† Tucker shook the spy's hand. â€Å"No worries, mate. You watch yourself out there. I hear that doctor's a bedbug.† â€Å"Good to know.† He waved over his shoulder as he walked down to the edge of the harbor. A group of women chewing betel nut in the shade of a hibiscus tree turned away from him as he passed. He walked along the bank and looked into the cloudy green water at the harbor's edge. Tiny multicolored fish darted in and out of the shallows, feeding on some kind of shrimp. Brown mud skippers, their eyes atop their heads like a frog's, walked on their pectoral fins across a small mudflat that had formed around the roots of a mangrove tree. Tucker stopped and watched them. They were fish, yet they spent most of their time on land. It was as if they had evolved to a certain point, then just couldn't make a decision to leave the water, grow into mammals, and finally invent personal stereos. For sixty million years they had been hanging out on the mudflats, looking at each other with periscope eyes and goofy froggy grins and say-ing: â€Å"What do you want do?† â€Å"I don't know. What do you want to do?† â€Å"I don't know. Want to go up on the land or stay in the water?† â€Å"I don't know. Let's hang out on the mudflat a little longer.† Tuck completely understood. Although if he had been a mud skipper, after a couple of million years of dragging himself around the mudflat, he would have lost his patience and yelled, â€Å"Hey, can I get some feet over here!†, thus moving evolution along. He was enjoying the superiority of the Monday morning quarterback (And in a world created in six days, what day but Monday could it be?), feeling a little smarter, a little more worldly than the mud skippers, when it occurred to him that he had no idea how to proceed. He could find the telecom center, if there was one, and contact the doctor, but then what would he do? Sit for two weeks on Yap until the Australians returned? Maybe they were wrong. Maybe there was a privately owned plane on the island. What about a dingy? How bad could it be. The sea looked calm enough. That's it, take to the sea. Or perhaps he should just stay on Yap and find a sympathetic woman to take his mind off the problem. It had always worked before, not to pos-itive results, but it had worked, dammit. Women made him feel better. He ached for a Mary Jean Cosmetics consultant. A cool, thin, married woman, armored in pantyhose and a bulletproof bouffant. A sweet, shocked, backsliding Born Again on a one-time sin quest to remind her of why re-demption was so so good. Mud skipper thinking. He was reeling with the heat and the lack of possibilities when he saw her, up ahead, walking by the water's edge, her back to him: a thin blonde in a flowered dress with a swing to her walk like a welcome home parade.

Feminism in Much Ado About Nothing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Feminism in Much Ado About Nothing - Essay Example From the feminist perspective, the relationship between the two main characters reflects greatly on the overall feelings of the sexes in general. In the play Much Ado About Nothing, Beatrice and Benedick's opinions regarding love and relationships, and the presentation of the concept of love and relationships in the play, both demonstrate how Elizabethan times mistreated the female role, emphasizing the concept of radical-cultural feminism, and also how the male code of honor can bring a man do collapse and devastation. The Radical-Cultural feminists believe that women should encompass their femininity because it is better than masculinity. Mary Daly advocates finding the "wild female within". This type of radical feminist sees sex and penetration as male dominated. They see a link between sex, female subordination, porn, rape and abuse. These must be eliminated, according to Cultural-Radical feminists. Yet another opposing view is that reproduction is the source of power for women. They believe that men are jealous of women, and that they try to control reproduction through means of technology. In order to set the stage for the initial criticisms of marriage, Shakespeare first introduces his audience to the set of conventional lovers, Claudio and Hero. These two characters undergo a relatively predictable and acceptable type of courtship. However, another important aspect is presented in this relationship, that reflects on the concept of feminism. The progression of Claudio and Hero's relationship demonstrates to the audience how women were very much dominated by men. For instance, Claudio states, "can the world buy such a jewel," when referring to Hero. This metaphor is important because it reflects Claudio, the male's, perceptions of the female, Hero, as an object, and not as an actual living, breathing individual. Even Hero's father refers to her as an object to be owned. For example, Hero's father, Leonato, states: 'If the Prince do solicit you in that kind, you know your answer." This demonstrates the fact that Hero has no control over her own life; even if she does n ot like the Prince, she must agree to a marriage. Hero, however, is the typical dutiful Elizabethan daughter; during this time, and considering her status, she was a mere pawn in this patriarchal society. According to Eleanor Bron: Elizabethan women were expected to bring a dowry to the marriage. A dowry was an amount of money, goods, and property that the bride would bring to the marriage. It was also referred to as her marriage portion. After marriage Elizabethan women were expected to run the households and provide children. Large families were the norm as the mortality rate for children and babies was so high. Many Elizabethan woman made arrangement for the care of their children in case they themselves died during childbirth. Thus, she must do and say as her father says, and then later, as her husband says. She is therefore not allowed to think for herself; she is simply told what to do and expected to do what she is told. This presentation of Hero's character and situation

Islam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Islam - Essay Example The three children dedicate most of their early years to memorize every word of Quran even though they do not understand or speak Arabic the language used in writing the holy book (Koran by Heart n.d). The Quran recitations are practiced throughout the in the Muslim word because they have a special auspicious during the Ramadan. By conducting this event, the Muslims believe that this is holy the month when the Quran was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad (Koran By Heart n.d). The Muslim understands that the each individual recitation is an act of divine revelation. The Muslims believes that this divine revelation is almost similar to the initial revelation by angle Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad (Koran by Heart n.d). Since the religious text is judged on the memory and the intonation, therefore, this is just like singing a song. The concert is attended by young contestants and then their families offer a glimpse into the daily life to the broader Muslim world. Since the kids are young as seven years old, they might not understand the issues about the world that surround them (Koran By Heart

Policemen and Firefighter jobs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Policemen and Firefighter jobs - Essay Example There are many things that these two careers have in common. However, each career includes features that set it apart as unique form the other. There is a very big difference between being a police officer and being a firefighter. When one has to choose between the two they are not called upon to make a very easy choice, although some are predisposed by their opinions to choose one or the other. Each person has their own particular reasons why they prefer the career that they chose. Some of the similarities of these two positions can be found in Table 1. Differences will be listed latter in this paper. There are three main points at which these career paths vary form one another. The careers of police and firefighters differ in purpose, perception, and priority. Table 1: Similarities between Police and Firefighters Police Firefighter Danger on the Job Danger on the Job Working with the public Working with the public Specialty Training required Specialty Training Required Government J ob Government Job Team Work Required Team Work Required Requires Organizational Skills Requires Organizational Skills Requires courage Requires Courage As listed in Table 1, both police and firefighters are exposed to danger when on the job. The danger of being a police officer comes mainly from dealing with criminals. Officers can be shot or otherwise hurt by violence. Many police officers die in the line of duty. It was reported that 56 American police officers were killed feloniously in 2010 (FBI National Press Office 2011).They also face a risk from injury when in purist of a suspect. The high speed car chases that they engage in can end in a horrible car crash. The danger imposed upon firefighters are not caused more often by people, but by natural elements, namely fire. It was reported that 87 firefighters were killed on the job in 2010, a figure that is higher than that of the police (USFA n.d.). Firefighters stand the risk of being burnt alive in an exploding building. Of co urse, one cannot fail to mention the September 11 attach on the world trade center where hundreds of firefighters were killed, although there were some police officers who also lost their lives. Firefighters also can die from smoke inhalation or expose to other chemicals. Many firefighters also serve as EMT’s (Emergency Medical Technicians) and can be placed in danger by being exposed to infectious patients. Both being a police officer and a firefighter are jobs that come with some risk of mortality. The positions of police officer and firefighter both require that the people works with the vernal public. After all, these are service jobs and these officers and firefighters work to grant serve to the genital population. The motto of many police districts contain the notions that the purpose of a police officer is to protect the public and serve them. Police officers do not just go around arresting people they think has committed a crime. They settle disputes among neighbors a nd even refer homeless people to shelters. They also work in monitoring and do odd jobs like directing traffic in the event of an accident or other emergency. Firefighters do a lot of the general public as well. They save people from burring buildings and perform inspections to ensure that homes are safe from the advent of a fire. These two careers are also similar in that they are both government jobs that requires specialized training. In order to become police officer, trainees must spend weeks living at an

Writing assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Writing assignment - Research Paper Example It has often been said that the best way to end up with the worst people in your firm or business is to announce that the firm is laying off people. This ensures that the best people make an exit for the door and as Pfeffer points out, many firms rehire them simply because they cannot afford to lose those people. This is the morale factor. However, there are other factors as well which include the effect on a firm’s profitability (not profits) and its attitude towards its customers (particularly for service sector companies). All these factors make laying off people not that much of an attractive proposition and as Pfeffer points out, there might be other ways to beat the downturn apart from laying off people. Given the fact that the article was written in 2010 (at the peak of the Great Recession), there are some points in the article and Pfeffer’s recommendations that can be implemented by the firms and businesses. However, this is not to say that the entire set of recommendations are realistic when one takes into account the fact that many firms, in order to simply survive in the current economic climate need to cut jobs. The reason for downsizing becoming attractive is that the share of the service sector in the overall economy has gone up drastically in the last few decades. Since the service sector primarily relies on people and the costs of payroll and perks are the major chunk of the overall costs, there is indeed a case to be made for layoffs. Though as Pfeffer says when people are our main assets, why lose them. The point here is that one needs to take a nuanced approach towards Pfeffer’s recommendations and take those among them that make business sense. Without re sorting to emotional factors, Pfeffer has convincingly shown that layoffs do not make business sense as well. Maybe it is time for firms to look at financial optimization

Ancient and Medieval Political Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ancient and Medieval Political Theory - Essay Example es against Socrates were raised from the general prejudices, which surrounded him over the years he taught philosophy which is simply an approach employed by politicians across the generations and time. The rigidity to accept new concepts that could change the society is depicted in the general prejudices against Socrates. In fact, the core issue in the argument is the failure to acknowledge a current leadership. In addition, Socrates is neither considered a physicalist, nor a Sophist by the accusers1. The false image of Socrates arose from misunderstanding the activity of Socrates which is a true reflection in political rivalry and competition. The role of law in the society is reflected on how it is interpreted by the users. In the case of Socrates, he feels that the imprisonment was a result of wrong interpretation of the law. The understanding of the roles of the individuals in society is presented by Socrates to instigate change in the society2. The death sentence of Socrates is presented in two-perspective; for those who voted for his acquittal, and those who voted for his death. In conclusion, the Crito and Apology by Plato presents the truth about his case and interpretation of the

How might theories of economic power prove limited when exploring the Assignment

How might theories of economic power prove limited when exploring the relations between media forms and claims of cultural imperialism - Assignment Example Within the definition of imperialism, a deliberate act is visualized in which one country seeks to extend its power over one other or many other countries. The Roman Empire, the British Empire, and the German Third Reich are perhaps classic examples of imperial power, and it is from such systems that most models of economic power in which one nation asserts control over another have been built. But within the 21st Century world can a deliberate kind of cultural imperialism be identified? Within what might be termed as the hold-overs from the Twentieth Century system of Imperialism there clearly are deliberate attempts at cultural control through the power of the mass media. One example is the â€Å"Voice of America†. Started during the Cold War as an attempt to counter what was perceived as a propaganda machine being created by the USSR, the Voice of America was transmitted into eastern Europe, Cuba and whatever countries were deemed as needing the service. Financed and suppor ted by the US government, VOA claims to be â€Å"a trusted source of news and information† on its internet homepage. The move from pure radio transmissions to the internet shows how while the media may change, its basic nature does not. VOA seeks to present the American view of the world to the populations of countries that might not necessarily hear it otherwise. The move to the internet, with written news available in more than sixty languages, represents the growth of VOA into what is termed â€Å"the information age†.... Like road maps, models or theories of economic phenomena come in various degrees of detail - but all models describing the same set of phenomena are consistent with each other. No map or theory will be perfectly complete in every detail... So ask not, "Is the theory accurate" but rather "Is the theory good enough for our purposes" 2 So, to put it succinctly, are any theories of economic power "good enough" for the purposes of explaining the relationship between media forms and cultural imperialism. What degree of detail is needed in an economic map of media/cultural imperialism Can such complex and ambiguous a relationship be explained by the simplified model of reality that a theory implies This paper will analyze these questions in two parts. First, it will explore what the relationship between 'media forms" and 'cultural imperialism' is, and whether the latter actually exists. Second, an attempt will be made to place this relationship within present theories of economic power. Some initial definitions are in order. Media is defined as "a means of mass communication . . . the communications industry or profession."3 Culture is defined as "the behavior patterns, arts beliefs, institutions, and all other products or human thought at work; especially as expressed in a particular community of period."4 Imperialism is "the policy of extending a nation's authority by economic and political means over other nations."5 'Media' is then, at least superficially, quite easy to define. In the modern age media includes books, newspapers, films, TV programs and, perhaps, the Internet. Yet professional sports6 and education7When looking at the definitions of "culture" and "imperialism ", problems start. Within the definition of imperialism a deliberate act

Blog about Marriott hotel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Blog about Marriott hotel - Essay Example The rooms are well designed and well furnished. These tourist destinations offer numerous services, which make a tourist and client’s stay fascinating and an unforgettable experience. These destinations have indoor pool, spa tubs, fitness facilities and fast wireless internet connectivity accessible anywhere any time of the day to all. In addition, Marriot Hotel in Myrtle Beach provides laundry services and a comfortable lobby with a fireplace and free coffee offer. For ladies and men with long hair, Marriott hotel provides them with a drier to dry their hair after swimming in the pool or showering. In addition, guests are allowed to make free local calls. For business clients, the Hotel has a business centre and miniature meeting halls. In addition, the hotel offers its clients parking services at a friendly charge. Marriot Myrtle Hotel offers a thrilling, unforgettable experience that a guest cannot afford to

Five different sources of risk capital financing Research Paper

Five different sources of risk capital financing - Research Paper Example One of the most common sources of risk capital financing has been the angel investing. Most small companies that are starting have endeavored to in various online platforms with the aim of raising money. Ordinarily, an angel investor which involves equity finance uses their individual disposable finance to make their personal decision about making the investment. Normally shares are taken by the investor into the business in return for providing equity finance. This is with the aim of not only providing business with money to grow, but also bringing their experience and knowledge to help the company achieve success. This is the most significant source of investment in start up and early stage businesses in search of equity to grow the business and other investments. (Anonymous, 2010) Another source includes the venture capital. Normally venture capital aims at adding value in addition to the capital, towards the companies in which they invest. This reveals efforts of these investors to help the business grow and realize a greater return on the venture that has been undertaken. Ordinarily, venture capital is a type of equity financing that addresses the funding needs of entrepreneurs and companies that fails to seek capital from more traditional sources that includes public markets and banks. (SBA, 2012)This could be because of size, assets, and stage of development of the business. As discussed it can be noticed that angel investment differs significantly from venture capital finance that invests in businesses via managed funds that has been raised either through private or public money.Normaly,the venture entrepreneur director will invests the money on behalf of the fund. The capitalist should ensure that the investment is profitable and that it makes returns for the fund’s investors.Normaly,venture capital funds are more risk averse compared with angel investors’ and thus make fewer small investments in start

No Taxation Essay Example for Free

No Taxation Essay The demand of No Taxation without Representation was the primary force in motivating the American revolutionary movement. It was also a symbol for democracy and freedom to the American people. The slogan described how Americans weren’t represented in British Parliament. Americans said that they did not vote for someone to represent them in Parliament and therefore, cannot be taxed. Justice is what the people wanted.In the mid-1700’s, due to the high debt created by the British after the French and Indian War, parliament created a series of new taxes used on only the American colonies to gain revenue. One of the most unpopular taxes, called the Stamp Act, required a stamp to be put on all legal documents for a certain fee. This upset many people in the colonies including the Virginia House of Burgesses, which was the legislature in Williamsburg, Virginia, at the time. The committee there created a resolution to ask the same rights as Britons, who had representatives in Parliament to defend themselves against taxation without representation (Document A). As Daniel Dulany says in Document C, â€Å"A right to impose tax on the colonies, without their consent for the single purpose of revenue, is denied†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Dulany and many others agreed that taxing the colonists for revenue, or to make money, should not be allowed without the colonists agreement. Dulany also says that regulating the trade of the American Colonies is within the rights of the British to do so without American consent. The Americans took this to heart, and by 1765, the phrase of no taxation without representa tion was a common thought supported by Dulany’s idea. The British then came up with Virtual Representation. Virtual Representation is the idea that every member of the British Empire is represented by every Member of Parliament. The colonists disagreed with Virtual Representation, still displaying their anger or unconstitutional taxes through No Taxation without Representation. In Document F, the Second Continental Congress explains why they believe in the idea of independence and the explanation of taxation without representation is the first thing the address. In his pamphlet, Common Sense, Thomas Paine explains the absurdity of an island, England, ruling a continent, America. Common Sense begins to stir thoughts of revolution and independence in the minds of Americans.

Renegotiating Contractual Terms under PPPs

Renegotiating Contractual Terms under PPPs Renegotiating contractual terms under PPPs- Moral Hazard or Practical Solution? Table of Contents (Jump to) Executive Summary 1. Introduction 1.1 Evolution of PPP model in India 2. PPP mechanism in India 3. Current status of PPPs in India 4. PPP model and schemes 5. Why closed approach to contract renegotiation? 5.1 Risk Involved in PPP 5.2 Case Study of Delhi Metro Express Line 6. Moral hazard or Practical solution? Executive Summary The development of the India depends on the extent to which the ongoing and planned projects are successgully executed. In twelfth five year plan 2012-1017 a total of $1 trillion is envisaged to be expensed on infrastrucural development and out of which around 50% will be catered by private sectors. The basic principle of partnering with public entity is profit maximization. Any disputes can adversely effect the project. This delay comes with a cost and loss of revenue for private partners. Thus, the effectiveness of partnership lies in the Dispute Resolution System (DRS) of the country. The practical solutions such as amicable settlement, mediation concilliation, arbitration and expert adjudication by statutory bodies are some of the measure to settle disputes. Other solutions can be mutual concessions and adjustments which can merge the differences between a concessionaire and the contract-granting government entity. Re-negotiation in a transparent and equitable manner can be the key adjustment solution for dispute resolution. This dissertation delves in the fundamentals of public-private partnership (PPP) model in India. It reflects on evolution, mechanism, current status, models and schemes, renegotiation factors. It concludes by giving recommendation on residing to practical solution of renegotiation rather than considering it a moral hazard. 1. Introduction A public-private partnership (PPP) is a joint agreement between government and private sector for the purpose of provisioning of public service or infrastructure. In order to develop a world class infrastructure for huge Indian geography and economy, mammoth investment is needed which posed liabilities to government sector. The partnership with private sector to develop public infrastructure is a possible solution to cater infrastructure bottlenecks. It shares knowledge risk and resources for development. Lack of adequate and improved infrastructure from public transport, housing, ports, education, and healthcare may turn out to be an impediment to growth. The rapid increase of population need and demand creates budgetary constraints in building large projects. Involvement of PPPs into the development framework is a more effective, disciplined, efficient and commercial way of approach. 1.1 Evolution of PPP model in India The evolution of PPP model in India dates back to mid-18th century where railway and tramway services were built on this model. There wasn’t much development in infrastructural development post-independence until the year of liberalization in 1991. Later which the government and private players jointly built large projects. The overall concept and implementation is still nascent in India when compared to developed nations. The policy framework of legal, institutional and regulatory are in evolutionary stage. Today, it is the favored model of project execution involving resource management by private sector. India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL), a government owned body incorporated by Ministry of Finance to provide long term debt finance to infrastructure projects and help central and state government in capacity building. Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC) approves project proposal worth Rs. 100 crore or more. The World Bank, Asian Development Bank, IMF and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) aims to promote aggressive PPP policy in India and help in attaining long term vision of development. 2. PPP mechanism in India The Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance manages the PPP mechanism in India. The process starts from Phase-1 of project identification where various projects are identified through strategic planning and pre-feasibility analysis. A detailed sustainability of the project as PPP is studied and evaluated against alternatives. Other parameters such as value for money, internal clearances and suitability checks are carried out. Value of Money analysis helps in decision making and choosing between PPP procurement and conventional procurement options. It gauges project on the three basis of: Viability- Will the project meet desired expectations? Desirability- Will the project outweigh costs? Achievability- Will the project be completed within stipulated timeframe? The ultimate goal is to maximize the profit of all stakeholders involved which can done by identifying risks and understanding mitigate measures. The partnering party must commit to adhere to the contract legislation and abide by them throughout project lifetime. Phase-2 of full feasibility ensures the commitment of contracting parties. It starts from PPP project development, structuring, contract making, getting project clearances and necessary approvals. The implementing agencies undergoes: Economic assessment- understanding project need, cost-benefit for all stakeholders and impact of micro and macro-economy. Financial analysis- revenue source model, cash flows, net present value (NPV) using discount rate (cost of capital), rate of return and other critical financial ratios. Affordability analysis- land acquisitions, environment and regulatory clearances, rehabilitation resettlement policies, tariffs and user charges etc. A qualitative assessment of value for money is performed to know the systematic risk of project. This risk must be optimally allocated between implementing parties rather than unequally transferring to private party. Phase-3 is related to project procurement and award. In order to imbibe public confidence, these procurements must be unbiased, competitive and non-discriminatory. It must be allocated timely and encourage maximum participation from several parties involving in competitive bidding. All applications must follow PPP rules and procedures as framed by Government. Request for qualifications (RFQ) and Request for proposals (RFP) have to be submitted by parties after expression of interest (EOI). Technical and financial proposals must also be submitted in case of large and complex projects. A prescribed bidding procedure and model documents should be followed by implementing agencies after getting approvals from competent authorities such Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) or Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC). E-tendering and online auction are also conducted to invite participation from large number of agencies. The contract draft containing legal rules, regu lations and standards are provided to prospective parties before bidding. Arrangements are made for speedy implementation of project. Phase-4 of contract management and monitoring is done after project allocation. It actively supervises project as per contract throughout the project life cycle. It is a phase where majority of dispute occurs and is most crucial due to changing business and economic scenarios. A credible and efficient dispute resolution mechanism is set up to deal with any differences. It must be in accordance to contract that has been made during bidding process. Project monitoring Committees are formed to assist parties and resolve issues among implementing agencies. 3. Current status of PPPs in India The sector wise distribution of PPP projects shows that 53% out of 758 projects are in road projects having worth of 46% by total value (Figure) mainly because of small size of projects. Urban development project accounts for 20% of total number of projects. Ports having larger project size accounts for only 8% of total number but 21% by total value. The expansion plans of highways, inadequate berth at Ports, inadequate capacity at airports, saturated routes with low payload to tare ratio in railways and energy shortages are some of the factors that drives the need of infrastructural development in India. The total cost of all the project is INR 3,833 billion. Some states have taken this model to far more extent than others. Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat with 104, 96, 86, 78 and 63 projects are top five states following PPP based development. It can also be seen that states and municipalities have much larger role to play in boosting private investments in healthcare, e-governance and education sectors which seems to be untapped across India. National Highways Authority of India holds maximum of 155 projects and fall under Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) or Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) type of PPP. Government policies in favor of alluring private participation as well as innovation in implementation has rewarded success. Most of the contracts are awarded by domestic or international competitive bidding while remaining are awarded by negotiated MoUs. The valuation graph shows that almost 78% of total project worth 500 or more. 4. PPP model and schemes PPP model was formulated in order to improve public sector infrastructure and services. It includes whole spectrum of partnership between private and public agencies through contract making and revenue sharing. This arrangement includes significant risk due to imbalance in project finance and future uncertainties. Precautions are taken to keep the process flexible and discernible during contract formulation through various models and schemes which are summarized in figure xx. 5. Why closed approach to contract renegotiation? A big question is that why India does not have a defined and established legal and regulatory dispensation to address the issues relating to renegotiation and life-cycle management of PPP infrastructure assets? The struggle for reset of imported coal based projects for Adani Power and Tata Power, the GMR and GVK break up from mega-highway projects, The Gurgaon Expressway case, Delhi Metro Rail Express Line case of arbitration and private telecom operator case for fighting against government bodies poses a very clear demand for policy change. An independent, impartial and credible body should be set up in line with others created in emerging economies such as Infrastructure Concessions Regulatory Commission in Nigeria, the PPP Advisory Unit in Ghana, the PPP Centre in Philippines and the PPP Unit in South Africa. This empowered body should dispense judgment related to disputes in contract renegotiations. An overview of more than 1,000 PPP concessions studied by the World Bank Institut e in Latin America and Caribbean from 1985-2000 throw up these characteristics of PPP renegotiation: Some expert believes that perception among investors that PPP model will never face contract renegotiation related problems is a root cause of dispute. How can a large project having life of more than 20-30 years be expected to be never renegotiated? Several international case studies shows that it is rare to see project without renegotiations. In fact, in changing times, no human ingenuity can predict zero problems over a life cycle of PPP project. 5.1 Risk Involved in PPP Figure below shows some of the risks associated with public and private partnership that can result in conflict. 5.2 Case Study of Delhi Metro Express Line The Reliance Infrastructure and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) partnered subsidiary DAMEPL was the country’s first PPP project in railways. The airport express line project was commissioned in February, 2011. The dispute in this project was not a surprise as it was into controversy from day one on safety clearances and technical glitches. The tussle between parties was on payment of delay penalty. After commissioning of the project, the issue became severe and resulted in operational closure of service for six months. It settled only after payment of fees by Reliance infra who later claimed along with its lost reputation as penalty. Analysis: The fiasco that resulted in withdrawal of Reliance Infrastructure from airport express line of Delhi metro questioned the policy of PPP in India. The major factor for dispute of Express Line PPP was wrong projections of daily passenger traffic by DAMEPL. The actual passenger never exceeded 20,000 per day which was against the expected 40,000 per day. This skewed the financial liabilities towards the Reliance Infrastructure. Some critics suggests the private party to meet the commitment of concession agreement without asking for contract renegotiation. The penalty of Rs. 795 crore slapped by the private partner set the stage for a long drawn legal battle between the two agencies. Had the terms of contract been renegotiated, and financial implications been revisited, the dispute would have never been raised. A practical solution of dispute resolution by an independent government body could have rescued the parties entering into dispute and later penalty payments.