Affordable Health Care for America Act Approved by the House of Representatives on 7 Nov 2009

Table of Contents Introduction A Brief Explanation of the Law Thesis Section Opposing Views Conclusion Works Cited Introduction Law has been an integral component of all societies whether civilized or primitive, big or small, rich or poor, strong or weak, since the very humble beginnings of human civilization. Societies have always had notions of what is permissible or impermissible and what is right or wrong. At a deeper level, law is a manifestation of people’s ideals.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Affordable Health Care for America Act Approved by the House of Representatives on 7 Nov 2009 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is a reflection of a society’s appreciation of its imperfections and the need to achieve order and sustain harmonious interaction between individuals and groups. It is an expression of a society’s desire to guide, direct, and control its destiny in terms of socio -economic and political development and safeguard justice, which underpins societal order. This paper is a discussion of the Affordable Health Care for America Act approved by the House of Representatives on 7 Nov 2009. This legislative instrument has attracted important and at the same time, interesting debates from different individuals and groups of the differing sections of the multifaceted American society. Therefore, this discussion is an addition of pertinent opinions and perspectives regarding the need for the form of healthcare guiding principle provided by this law, which the reader will obviously find worth considering. In short, this paper is an affirmative argument in favor of this critical healthcare legislation. A Brief Explanation of the Law Virtually, every sound member of a given society yearns to have good health for a prolonged period, and where possible, prolonged lifespan. In deed, a healthy population is a requisite for sustainable social, economic, and politi cal development. Consequently, the government, especially in a welfare economy, shoulders the responsibility of providing quality health care services to all citizens irrespective of their race, ethnic background, age, gender, religion, or political affiliation. It also has a duty of ensuring that necessary preventive measures are put in place in order to safeguard the health of its subjects. In fact, within the well-established welfare economies like the United States and the Scandinavian nations in Europe, health care service is more of a basic human right to which all individuals and groups are entitled rather than a commodity that is available for sale in the market. This democratic principle of governance forms the background that has informed the need for this form of law in the American marketplace (House Committee on Energy and Commerce 320). However, it is pertinent to note that, many factors are traceable in the Unites States’ histories, which have influenced its fo rmulation.Advertising Looking for essay on health law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The intent of this law is to make available, an inexpensive health care coverage for all Americans and to put a hold on growth in national health care spending and other practical reasons. This law intends to expand health care coverage to around forty million Americans, who are currently uninsured, by reducing the cost of health care insurance and making the overall American health care system more efficient (OpenCongress Para 1; House Committee on Energy and Commerce 318). The law comprises a new government-run health insurance plan, popularly referred to as a public option, meant to compete with private insurance companies in health care coverage (OpenCongress Para 1). It provides that all Americans should have health insurance and outlaws denying coverage because of a pre-existing health condition of an individual (House Committee on Ene rgy and Commerce 318). It also includes surtax on individuals with an income exceeding $500,000. Broadly speaking, this law seeks to introduce strong insurance market reforms in to U.S healthcare system. Its proponents believe that the system has dire broken aspects that disadvantage millions of the helpless Americans. According to House Committee on Energy and Commerce, to improve the situation, the law has sought to introduce a new national health insurance exchange in order to ensure that â€Å"†¦individuals and small groups can purchase health benefits, with a choice among private insurers and a new public option competing on a level field† (319). Another important intention of the law is the enhancement of a shared duty among government, individuals, and employers in matters of health care coverage. Therefore, under this law, employers, apart from small employers, are expected to provide legally recognizable health benefits or contribute toward the costs of health c are. In addition, individuals are expected to have health insurance.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Affordable Health Care for America Act Approved by the House of Representatives on 7 Nov 2009 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The law is meant to facilitate new insurance changes and supervision by the state and federal governments with a view to create an economy that promotes competition and choice. At the same time, the law seeks to ensure that health coverage is made available for Americans who are less privileged and who need help (House Committee on Energy and Commerce 319; Jacobs and Skocpol 215). Policymaking and implementation, in a democratic culture, is hardly a preserve of the government exclusively. Various relevant stakeholders of a given socio-economic sector have a right to take part in the formulation and implementation process of a policy, especially policies regarded as critical. Therefore, va rious active institutional participants took part in the creation and implementation of the Affordable Health Care Act 2009. Thesis Section This paper is an assenting argument in favor of the Affordable Health Care Act of 2009. As pointed out earlier, the provision of quality and affordable health care services is a core responsibility of the American government. However, it is important to note that private health care sector plays a critical role in the provision of health care services. There are many reasons that support my agreement with this important law. First, from a constitutional and moral point of view, all Americans have, and should enjoy, an inalienable right to quality and affordable health care services. As such, the government has the responsibility of intervening on any health care matter that comes as an obstacle to citizenry access to quality health care services. Health care coverage is certainly a big issue of national concern with respect to any government tha t has due respect for its citizenry’s well being, because it touches on individuals and groups’ ability to access quality health care services when need be. For instance, the available statistics from the U.S Census Bureau approximated that, over 45.7 million Americans were uninsured as of 2007 (House Committee on Energy and Commerce 320). This was equivalent to about one-seventh of the American population. Yet, even though the American government spends hugely on health care, it scores averagely, on quality-of-health care indicators. Therefore, the Obama administration’s success in instituting this legislation was timely and highly welcome. Second, there are sufficient economic reasons that necessitate the need for this legislation. Rising healthcare costs are a critical public policy concern and a major impetus of the requisite to reform the U.S healthcare system.Advertising Looking for essay on health law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For example, in the year 2008, the U.S spent roughly $ 2.4 trillion, or 17 % of GDP, on national health (House Committee on Energy and Commerce 320). Here, it is pertinent to note that the government is always under pressure to ensure fair spending on all socio-economic and political sub-systems that are under its management. Therefore, it is economically practical to reform the healthcare system in order to curb unnecessary and preventable budget strains on government, families, and businesses among other socio-economic sub-systems, which are critical to sustainable development. Moreover, there is an apparent reduction in healthcare coverage and substandard quality in the U.S healthcare system. This legislation is viable because it promises to provide shared responsibility among employers, individuals, state, and federal governments on matters of healthcare service provision and acquisition. While we recognize the benefits of the government’s non-interference in an economy, it is equally significant to appreciate the fact that market forces alone are not sufficient in cushioning the economically less privileged from the rising costs of health care. As a result, the government should intervene and to facilitate competition and choice where possible. This law will ensure that the uninsured and financially less privileged Americans have an affordable public option to turn to for healthcare coverage. The competition and choice introduced by this legislation will cushion millions of Americans from the current health insurance coverage and premiums, which have been growing swiftly (House Committee on Energy and Commerce 320). Furthermore, these laws will relieve employers from exorbitant healthcare coverage for employees and their families. In the past and currently, employers have been encountering an ever-increasing challenge of paying expensive health benefits as costs of health insurance rise, while at the same time trying to cut on labor costs in order to succeed in an increasingly competitive market (House Committee on Energy and Commerce 320). Thirdly, from a moral viewpoint, the Affordable Care Act will assist in reducing the rampant inequalities in access to health care among the Americans. Currently, racial and ethnic minorities, low-income Americans, and underserved populations tend to have higher rates of sickness, reduced access to healthcare, and fewer treatment alternatives (HealthCare.gov Para 1). In addition, these groups are also more likely to lack health insurance in comparison to other groups of the population. The Affordable Care Act will reduce disparities in health care access, by addressing significant health care access and initiating improvements in the health care personnel and public health. It also provides for critical expansion in community health centers to promote access to the required health care services (House Committee on Energy and Commerce 319; HealthCare.gov Para 1). It also intends to improve health care personnel investments by increasing financing of training for basic care doctors, public health professionals, and nurses with unique attention to the labor force diversity and the requirements of the health care shortage departments (House Committee on Energy and Commerce 320; HealthCare.gov Para 1-6). It also seeks to reduce disparities by investing in local public, state, and territorial health infrastructure. Finally, it promises to make improvements in research and embrace policy improvements, in both community and clinical preventive services, and removal of cost sharing on particular preventive services (House Committee on Energy and Commerce 320). Finally, yet importantly, there is an evident close link between access to affordable and quality health care services and health insurance. Unfortunately, there has been a sharp decline in health coverage, which is even projected, by the relevant stakeholders such as the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Acad emies, to continue if the U.S’ healthcare system will remain unreformed. The IOM points out that, health coverage is fundamental to personal health and wellbeing because, for the uninsured people, there is a gap between health care needs and acquisition of health care services regardless of availability of some safety net services (House Committee on Energy and Commerce 322). Moreover, the IOM asserts that high numbers of people without health insurance may undermine health care for people with health insurance (House Committee on Energy and Commerce 322). Concisely, high levels of uninsured, and underinsured, individuals in the U.S present critical challenges to public policy makers. These challenges necessitate the reforms of the health care system and health insurance industry, which play a significant role in facilitating individuals and groups’ to access health care services (House Committee on Energy and Commerce 322; American Association of College of Pharmacy P ara 2). Therefore, the Affordable Care Act is a giant step towards the United States’ efforts to make its healthcare system more efficient. Opposing Views As mentioned earlier, policy creation and implementation is not an exclusive function of the government. Rather, a process that attracts inputs, views, opinions, and ideas of various individuals and groups with stakes. In other words, the making and implementation process of a given policy faces support and opposition almost in equal measure. Unfortunately, various relevant societal groups and stakeholders in the sector view implications of a particular policy as either beneficial or unfair. Therefore, these social and political formations seek to lobby legislators to pass, amend, or even reject a given proposed bill depending on their perceptions of a bill, as well as, their interests in relation to changes provided by a given legislative policy. Perhaps, the Affordable Health Care for America bill encountered the toughest opposition than any other legislative policy proposed by the Obama administration (Vivar 7). The toughest opposition to the Affordable Care Bill came from the Republicans. For Republicans, the Democrats’ idea of the government assuming a leading role in health care insurance market was incompatible with their ideas. Therefore, the Republicans strongly opposed the idea of a public option. Unfortunately, even though this law remains a highly contested issue, the major focus of the arguments is based on partisan issues, instead of an in-depth review of the actual policy. For instance, according to Georgetown Public Policy Review, contrary to claims by government organs such as the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), this law is neither cost effective nor able to facilitate reduction in the amount of money spent on national health care system (Para 1). This opposing camp asserts that, even though the Affordable Care Act is expected to reduce the deficit by about $ 230 billion dur ing the first decade of its implementation, the overall health care reform will cost the government $ 938 billion over ten years (Kahn, Karl, and Wolf cited in Georgetown Public Policy Review Para 2). These opponents argue that, in order for this law to help the government save money, instead of inflicting costs up on the taxpayers, the controversial Medicare cuts must occur and that the estimated costs aught to have been projected correctly; something which, in reality, remains relatively unknown (Georgetown Public Policy Review Para 2). The opposing camp also denounces the prospects of the Affordable Care Act helping employers to save money on health care costs as promised by this law. The dissenting camp holds that as opposed to helping employers reduce save money on health costs, health care costs are projected to increase apart from for three percent of all employers. In turn, because of the current American economic instability, more people will lose their jobs. Therefore, giv en the factor of time, this camp maintains that the United States’ unstable economy should focus on job creation now, as opposed to running the risk of rendering more people jobless. The antagonists further opine that, the need for waivers by employers from the government as a temporary fix meant to help them maneuver around these new health care regulations, is an indication that its legal requirements are not practical (Georgetown Public Policy Review Para 4). Consequently, if companies fail to ask for waivers from the government, they must comply with regulations of the new health care policy, which opponents regard as unrealistic; or be forced to hire more temporary or contracting workers instead of full time employees. Irrespective of the apparent opposition to the Affordable Health care Act, the most important fact is that all groups acknowledge the need to reform the U.S health care system. They only differ on the important question of how then the system should be ref ormed to make it efficient. While we cannot pretend that the Affordable Health care law creation, and its implementation process, will not cost our government substantial amounts of money, the ultimate benefits promised by this law are worth its costs of implementation. It is economically arguable that the more broken the U.S health care system is now, the more it shall cost the government to reform. Therefore, participants should guard against the dangers of being over obsessed with the cost of effecting necessary reforms into our health care system at the expense of the long-term benefits that are bound to accrue from this law. After all, we cannot dissemble that our current healthcare system is perfect, or that another alternative law will be perfect. In other words, even though this law has its own flaws, it is a perfect starting point for establishing sustainable and implementable health care reform. Conclusion It is evident, now and in the past, that the American healthcare sy stem requires sustainable reforms through a legislative policy that is realistic and implementable. This paper supports the Affordable Health Care for America law of 2009 irrespective of the unavoidable flaws, which are usually common in any given policy. Its benefits outweigh its implementation costs and leave a room for any changes that can make it better. In deed, it is now a fact that, this bill will always be the starting point of any proposed health care changes. Above everything else, fear of competition should not be given a room in our quest to establish a health care system that is responsive to our diverse socio-economic privileges and needs. Therefore, a public option is worth considering given the inability of our economic system to cater for the needs of all people uniformly and fairly. Works Cited American Association of College of Pharmacy (AACP). Affordable Care Act Implementation, 2011. Web. Georgetown Public Policy Review. The (Un) Affordable Care  Act. 2011. We b. HealthCare.gov. Health Disparities and the Affordable Care Act, 2011. Web. HealthCare.gov. Understanding the Affordable Care Act: Introduction, 2011. Web. House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Report of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on H.R. 3200. Washington, D.C: Government Printing Office, 2010. Print. Jacobs, Lawrence, and Skocpol, Theda. Health Care Reform and American Politics: What Everyone Needs to Know: What Everyone Needs to Know Series. New York: Oxford University Press, 2010. Print. OpenCongress. H.R.3962 – Affordable Health Care for America Act, 2011. Web. Vivar, Luis. Obama’s Health Care Reform 2010: From Change to Concession?: Health Care Reform as an Example for Structural Resistance of the American Political System to Needed Change. New York: Grin Verlag, 2011. Print. 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Julia Greenbergs Blog Intersex Issues

Julia Greenbergs Blog Intersex Issues The blog Sex matters: legal strategies and alliance building in the intersex community by Julia Greenberg reflects on the issue of intersex and the need for law to protect the rights of intersex groups.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Julia Greenbergs Blog: Intersex Issues specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It indicates that strong societal orientation towards normal sex condition and considerations of other sexualities like intersex as less normal is brought out as wrong and oppressive in the sense that it denies intersex individuals basic human rights requirements and reduces their overall contribution to societal development. Besides, the issue of intersex in many societies has been regarded as strange and has thus been shrouded with secrecy and immense shame witnessed among individuals with this condition who hide for fear of being rejected. However, as Greenberg posits, the conservative nature of a community stron gly conflicts with changes depicted by the modern society (Greenberg par. 1). She indicates that it is critical that a community and its legal system provide a holistic non-discriminatory structure where all members of the community have equal rights irrespective of their sexuality. The blog by Julia Greenberg majors on the problem of intersex which has over the years raised immense concerns related to gender and identity. Indeed, sexual identity has remained a key facet in dictating cultural orientations of most communities. As the blog notes, the condition that intersex individuals are brings about a sexual identity problem which in turn cause many of them in the society today to disclose their sexual status in the community for fear of discrimination and victimization (Greenberg par. 1). It is worth noting that with sexual identity being used as a key identifying factor in terms of determining the actual roles of an individual in a family and a relationship, intersex individuals experience a hard time fitting in the highly fixed social network of friends, workmates and families within a society.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As indicated in the blog, due to the rising awareness of the need to support intersex groups by the international community, more intersex individuals have come out in the open to declare their status in order to overcome current barriers and discrimination in society. Additionally, the blog indicates that discriminating intersex groups in a society provides a major platform towards their direct dependence on the government and/or their relatives for support. Greenberg (Par. 2) is categorical that although the federal government has taken time to enact laws against discrimination, the intervention ultimately narrows down to shouldering the burden of supporting them through a welfare system. The blog seeks to determine a viable solution that will address problems facing individuals with intersex condition. It notes that the need to address all members of a society equally regardless of their sex cannot be effective without support from communities at all levels and through enacting effective laws. Without a doubt, while it is generally agreeable that the government is indeed providing necessary support and seeking to reach out to all, communities should preach the need for harmonious coexistence and condemn stereotypes that depict intersex individuals negatively in the society. Greenberg (par. 5) indicates that following the negative stereotypes, intersex members of a society have been segregated and dissociated by other people. As a result, intersex individuals tend to be set aside and can only freely relate with members with same condition. Under this consideration, they are unable to participate and contribute to the normal activities of the society. This is highly traumatizing and culminates to majority of intersex members hiding their affiliation in the society. Alliances and justice movements are for that reason important in offering support to these individuals. However, the issue of intersex is shrouded with many mistaken beliefs related to homosexuality and whether or not the process of creating laws will protect and advance homosexuality. As such, the blog should clarify what intersex is all about to eliminate misconceptions on whether or not it is part of transgender or GLBT movement and whether the existing laws will protect homosexuals.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Julia Greenbergs Blog: Intersex Issues specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Greenberg, Julia. Sex matters: legal strategies and alliance building in the intersex community. 2012. Web. http://blogs.law.columbia.edu/genderandsexualitylawblog/.

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Alternative Energy - Essay Example They do not believe that alternative energy is the solution to dependence on oil. This essay presents and analyzes both sides of the debate, and critically examines its implication for sustainability. Argument for Alternative Energy Sources Numerous factors have triggered the debate over the capacity of alternative energy sources to solve dependence on oil. Some scholars claim that there is an urgent need to use alternative and renewable energy sources. Most energy scholars have the same opinion that, in the future, the world will completely drain its limited supply of oil. Scholars have the same opinion about the availability of coal in the future; as reported by the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA), supply in the U.S. alone can meet present energy demands for two centuries (Smith & Taylor, 2008, 38). The remaining supply of natural gas and oil are a much more disputed subject. Scholars vary considerably in their estimates of the peak of oil reserves, also refer red to as the ‘topping point’ (Smith & Taylor, 2008, 38-39). Oil’s topping point will occur when the world has used up precisely one-half of the total amount of remaining oil. This implies that the topping point of oil has been reached and that oil reserves will start to dwindle because oil is a nonrenewable energy source (Smith & Taylor, 2008, 39). The supply of natural gas, which is dependent on the availability of oil, is directly connected to this topping point (Podobnik, 2006). The United Nations (UN) made a decision to build the World Commission on Environment and Development in 1983. The name of the commission was eventually replaced with Brundtland Commission (Elliott, 2003, 7). Its objective was to look for sustainable environmental approaches. By raising awareness about the issues with nonrenewable, non-sustainable sources of energy, the Commission fueled and exposed the debate over the limited supply of fossil fuels and other justifications for the nec essity of using alternative and renewable sources of energy. Energy issues have been at the center of economic, political, scientific, and environmental discourses from then on. Those supporting a rapid adoption of alternative and renewable sources of energy believe that the calculated dates for the peak of oil production are mostly immaterial (Elliott, 2003, 18). Environmental issues and the likelihood of tipping points imply that continuous dependence on oil may bring about permanent harm to the natural world. The worst possible damage is a global extermination of species, as well as human beings. Since fossil fuels have to be burned to produce energy, air pollution has been a problem since the advent of the Industrial Revolution. Air pollution has largely been the outcome of burning fossil fuels to produce electricity and supply energy to transportation. Hence, air pollution contains chemicals emitted from burning of fossil fuels (Schmidt, 2007). Air pollution does not only bring about a huge number of untimely deaths annually in developed countries, it also causes environmental destructions. Bodies of water can also be damaged by the use of fossil fuel not merely through acid rain, but through contamination of surface water as well. A case in point is the Exxon Valdez oil leakage. Valdez, the oil

Vinamilk Marketing Analysis

Vinamilk Marketing Analysis This report aims to analyse how the strategic operational process and management contributed to the business vision of Vinamilk ¹ which is becoming the leading milk products manufacturer in Vietnam. First of all, by identifying precisely customers expectations of company products, the operations performance objectives will be determined in order to make the process of producing and delivering products could be processed efficiently. These objectives are aiming for the final purpose of the whole process is providing products in a way that maximise customers satisfaction. Secondly, the performance objectives identified in the previous part will then be translated into significant action which is designing the manufacturing process. Put simply, manufacturing process of the company will be designed appropriate for what the company is trying to achieve. The chosen process design also needs to match with the characteristics of an output resources and it is manifested through lay-out. Finally, some recommendations will be provided in order to overcome the shortcomings that the company has been facing in managing its production and delivery process 1.1 Background of company Vinamilk company established in 1976 as the Southern Coffee-Dairy Company, then renamed to United Enterprises of Milk Coffee Cookies and Candies I in 1978 and finally Vietnam Dairy Company was formally established in 1993. In 2003, follows its IPO to the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange, the company legally changed its name to Vietnam Dairy Products Joint Stock Company (VINAMILK). The company is a state owned enterprise in which the government owns about 50.01 % of the shares and the rest of the shares are currently active trading at the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange.The principal activities of Vinamilk are manufacturing and distributing products derived from milk such as fresh-milk, condensed milk, powdered milk, yogurts, ice-cream, cheese and others drinks such as fruit juice and soya milk. According to Euromonitor, it has been the number dairy player in Vietnam for the three years ending 31 December 2007.From its equitization in November 2003 to now, the sales of Vinamilk have experienced an average growth rate of 21%/year. In 2009, total sales of Vinamilk have reached a record of over VND 10,000 billion and its profit also has got the highest amount ever before.Vinamilks main competitors and Dutch Lady Vietnam, a division of Friesland Foods, Nestlà © Vietnam, Abbott, Mead Johnson, Friso and Nutifood Customer Basically, when any company decides to enter a market, identifying its target markets is the very important thing needed to do. By doing so, a company will define precisely the groups of particular customers it wants to serve and therefore could get right products or services to a right person or company. In order to target the market, a company would firstly segment its market into smaller segments, each segment is a group of purchasers with the same set of needs and buyer behavior Back to Vinamilk, by breaking up its market based on analysing demographic and geographic variables, it can be seen that Vinamilks goal is to satisfy all customers from kids to elder in any occupation. Especially, the group of kids under 14-years-old is considered the target market that Vinamilk wants to come forwards. In the present time, Vinamilks segment in rural areas and small towns has been weak, thus, this segment will also become the target market which Vinamilk want to focus more in the early fu ture. With the products which is directly refers to the health of customers as Vinamilks products, quality always is the issue that the customers care the most. Products need to match with the requirement for hygienic and safety food and the ingredients need to be ensured their orginal resources. Otherwise, different customers will have different taste and different preferences, but generally their preference always change, they could also willing to try a new product, new flavor or even the same products with a new layout design. In addition, one of the most important element when choosing a product is price, a product with good quality and acceptable price in comparison with other products will be regarded as a sucessful product. These three elements mentioned above are the requirements of customers to Vinamilk products. After packaging, products are delivered to consumers through two distribution channels: Traditional channel Distributors à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Outlets à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Consumers Modern trade Supermarkets / Metro à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Consumers The distributors, supermakets and outlets are regarded as the internal customers of the company in the supply chain. Delivering products on time is considered the most important thing in which the company needs to concern. If the delivery process because of some reasons are delayed, it will lead to many problems, in which might directly influence to their businesses. CONSUMERS 3.0 Operations INPUT RESOURCES TRANSFORMATION PROCESS OUTPUT RESOURCES Figure 1.1 Operations through-put process (Source: Slack et al.2009) Transformed Resources Raw materials Main ingredients for products derived from milk: imported milk power, fresh milk from domestic farms. for other products: fruit juice, soya beanà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Others ingredients: sugar, Transforming Resources Facilities Process technology International standard assembly line Modern manufacturing facilities Staff Group of skilled engineers who control mechanical systems Raw materials quality analysis Processing raw materials Final quality testing processing Packaging Finished products Analyze the 4VS High volume Vinamilk products are produced at 9 factories with the high capactiy approximately of 570.406 tonnes per annum and distributed to all provinces of the country. The manufacturing processes are taken systematically from processing raw materials to packaging finished goods. In each process, a team of staff as engineers and workers will directly specialize in tasks related to this process. Their tasks are repeated and systemized in the standard procedures, therefore it is often worth developing specialized technology that gives higher processing efficiencies ( Slack, et al). Low variety The product portfolio of Vinamilk is diversified with over 200 different types of products however except fruit juice and soya milk, all products are derived from the main resource is milk( www.vinamilk.com.vn). Raw materials are gone through the similar processing stages, could have some different preparation in the next stages, but it doesnt impact much on the standardization systems. Low availability (Rowbotham et al) With the stable and predictable demand from customer for dairy products, Vinamilk is always actively the way it produces and distributes products to market through maintaining the stability of milk material sources. Although ice-cream products are products have the seasonal charateristic, with the demand of it in the summer time higher than other season, its changing demand doesnt impact much on the general production situation of the company. Low visibility The way Vinamilk analyses its customerss behaviour basically depends on salespersons who are committed to understand the consumers preferences in their regular contact with customers across different outlets. Performance Objectives The objective of the production management is to produce goods and services of Right Quality and Quantity at the Right time and Right manufacturing cost (Kumar Suresh,2009) Quality Quality means doing things right, trying to satisfy customers by providing goods and services which are fit for their purpose. The quality advantage in manufacturing and service operations can be achieved through a skilled workforce, adequate technology and effective communication of quality standards and job specifications.(Rowbotham,2007) Being the company operating in the food branch, quality is regarded as the first important objective that Vinamilk needs to care for. All Vinamilk products are produced by the modern system machines and closely controlled by the International Quality Control Standards of ISO 9001: 2000 and HACCP certified by the world leading corporations. These productss quality are also ensured to fully announce as stipulated by the Laws under the direct and indirect supervision of competent authorities. With such the control process and strict supervision of competent authorities, released Vinamilk products are qualified with food quality, hygiene and safety standards in accordance with the published standards. Additional, the stability of milk material sources is extremely important as it helps Vinamilk maintains and increases the productivity. As a result, Vinamilk have established stable relationships with suppliers and have committed to purchase high quality fresh milk at the highest price. Th e companys factories, which are located in strategic locations near farms of milk cows, enable the company to maintain and improve these relationships with suppliers. Speed An extensive distribution network located nationwide with 201 distributors and over 141,000 outlets in 64 provinces and continued being expanded over time allows Vinamilk to bring its core products to consumers in a fast and effective way. In addition, Vinamilk has a range of modern factories located along the country that helps to reduce transportation expenses as well as to make a way the companys products are distributed to customers becomes easier and more convenience. Furthermore, the company has two transport enterprises, one is located in suburbs of Hanoi specialised in distributing products for Southern, and one is the main distributor for Northern, which is placed at Ho Chi Minh stuburb. Flexibility Flexibility means being able to change what you do to respond to changes in customer requirements in terms of the products and services design, volume, mix and delivery times. This can be achieved through dependable suppliers, mobility of multi-skilled labour, and versatile equipment, etc. The product portfolio of Vinamilk is so diversified and successfully satisfies the increasing various demands of consumers. The company owns 3 core brands, in which Vinamilk and Dielac are two key brands and Vfresh is a new one but it offers a great potential for development. Vinamilk products are divided into 6 groups and each group also consists of specific brands for specific customers. For instance, group of powered milk: Diealac Alpha for kids. Dielac Pedia for children with poor appetite and malnutrition. Dielac Mama for pregnant and breast feeding woman. Group of liquid milk: For Adults ( 100% Fresh Milk, UHT Milk Flex) For kids ( UHT Milk kid) Vinamilk has continuously introduced to the market its new products to meet the diversified demands of consumers, including Vinamilk Aloe Vera Yogurt Milk with rich source of vitamin A and E, Dielac Diecerna, Vinamilk Slimming Milk, orange smoothies, etc.. Cost With the manufacturing milk products like Vinamilk, milk materials sources being one of the main bought -in items which has a great influence to the price of products. The fluctuations of input resources may be due to many causes, however in general the increase of input resources will lead to the increase of finished products. In order to stabilize the price of products, Vinamilk has established stable relationships with suppliers and till now approximately 60% milk material has been bought from domestic sources. Vinamilks factories are located near farms of milk cows, enable the company to maintain and improve these relationships with suppliers as well as help the company to limit the costs incurred from delivering milk material. Dependability Dependability means the ability of a firm to deliver a product for customers with the exact time promised. Customers might judge the dependability of an operation only after the product and service has been delivered. For instance, one supermarket is the distributor of Vinamilk, the delay of delivering products is shown clearly in the way the supermarkets sheves have been being empty for a long time. This trouble has the huge impact to the business situation of the supermarket while its customers can not find the product they need, and so on. The delay of delivering products to customers may be caused by many reasons in which the most important reason is the quality of manufacturing process. One stage in the process goes wrong, will lead to a whole manufacturing get troubles. If the company does not do well to perform dependability, the delivery is always late, therefore the company itself will lose the goodwill of customers. As a milk company, Vinamilk considers quality is the top target, therefore, its processes have been designed as a error-free process in which some unpredictable errors that may affects the quality of finished products will be minimized. Vinamilk is one of the companies that apply the HACCP approach in manufacturing process. The HACCP approach is a scientific system for food safety assurance (Nguyen et al.,2004). Its main purpose is to provide a system whereby food businesses can control quality and safety throughout the entire food operation.(Applying quality function deployment in food safety manage ment, British Food Journal Vol. 112 No. 6, 2010 pp. 624-639). ( Source: Slack et al.2007) Figure 1.2 Polar diagram for Vinamilk 3.0 Process design The whole point of process design is to make sure that the performance of the process is appropriate for what the operation is trying to achieve(Slack et al,2007). Therefore, it can be said that operations process design is an translation of performance objectives. A question here is What type of process design currently adopted in Vinamilk? Generally, the basic process for all products in Vinamilk is the same. Raw materials are tested, processed, contained, then containers are filled, capped, labelled and packed. Inspections are carried out at appropriate stages.Therefore, an idea to adopt batch process can be given. In a batch environment, the basic machinery is fixed in place, but it is used on different batches of different products( Rowbotham et al,2009). For instance, raw milk and other main raw materials all need to pump into the preventation silo from which the milk will undergo the sterilization process. (http://www.dairyvietnam.org.vn/). In this example, sterilizing machine is fixed machine, it can be used to sterilizing say, a batch of whatever yohurt, freshmilk or powered milk. After sterilizing, raw milk is undergone four more processes such as homogenising, spliting a certain amount of butter from milk, final processing and packaging. Some appropriate adjustment of parameters can be carried out in order to produce different type of products. Like for whole milk products and low fat products, butter will be added until it reaches the level of fat at 3.25 percent and 1 percent, respectively in the processing. Read phonetically However, because of the high volume characteristic of output resources, the production processes have been conducted repetitive, thus, it could be said that the whole manufacturing process of Vinamilk is also a mass process. Basically, flowlines are inflexible because of the design just allows to produce a particular product at a particular rate of output. Therefore, if demand for the product changes, capacity cannot be easily increased and reducing output simply reduces utilization and may result in very little cost saving. An idea of the process design that mixed between batch process and mass process applied in Vinamilk is called group technology will overcome drawbacks of batch and mass process individually. Group Technology (GT) is the analysis and comparisons of items to group them into families with similar characteristics (Kumar Suresh, 2009).Rowbotham et al., 2007 has the explanation of group technology as belows: Group technology can be seen as an attempt to obtain some of the cost benefits of flowlines in a batch environment.A company manufacturing 200 different products will often find that these products fall into families based upon their manufacturing characteristics, and a group of perhaps ten products could require very similar processing in terms of machinery, process sequence and operation times. While the demand for each product individually will not be great enough to justify dedicated plant and labour, the output for the whole group may be great enough to justify setting up dedicated facilities. The group technology organization rarely leads to fully fledged flowlines and is more likely to lead to small manufacturing cells containing the necessary plant and labour for that group of products. Set-up and control are easier and transport is reduced compared with batch operations. Compared with both batch and flow operations, workers can see the context of their work within the overal l scheme since group technology cells are usually small enough so that all process stages are visible from every point. The process design is expressed through layout which is simply understood as the physical arrangement of production facilities used in production. The basic aim of a group technology layout is to identify families of components that require similar of satisfying all the requirements of the machines are grouped into cells. (Kumar Suresh, 2009). Vinamilk could consider a group technology organization based upon the five groups of products identified: Group of powdered milk and infant cereals Group of condensed milk Group of liquid milk Group of yogurt, ice-cream and cheeses Group of fruit juice, soy-bean milk, purified water It means that five cells layout are designed and each of them is capable of satisfying all the requirements of the component family assigned to it. In another word, all the components assigned to a cell are almost processed within that cell itself. Like the cell of powdered milk and infant cereals has the process line which comprises sterilizing, drying, additional micronutrients, mix, containing and packaging process. The cost of transportation and equipments are minimized in group technology layout. Furthermore, group technology is help to reduces production planning time for jobs as well as set-up time. 4.0 Conclusion In conclusion, this report gives an illustration of how important operations management has contributed to the success of Vinamilk in Vietnam market. First, Vinamilk understands what is important for its customers includes: high quality, stable cost, a wide range of products and reliable delivery. Seconds, the way it produces and delievers its products is right for the market. Thereby Vinamilk can indentify the order- winning and qualifying objectives is price and quality, range of products, respectively. The internal performance objectives are also determined as cost, quality and speed. 5.0 Recommendation At the present time, the manufacturing process of Vinamilk is being proceed well which is reflected in the ways Vinamilk have applied the lastest technology in manufacturing and packaging for all factories. Vinamilk is also the only company in Vietnam which possesses the system of machines that uses the eject-deciccation technology by Niro Denmmark, a world leading company in industrial desiccation technology. The company should maintain and promote the results achieved in the future

Mad Cow Disease in the United States :: MCD mad Cow disease US Essays

In March of 1996 the British beef industry was dealt an incredible blow when a European Union commission imposed a worldwide ban on the export of UK beef. The ban was imposed after an outbreak of mad cow disease (MCD) in Britain. MCD is the laymen term for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), a disease that leads to deterioration of the brain tissue in beef and dairy cattle. It is the hypothesized link between MCD and Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease (CJD), the similar condition in humans, which led to the imposition of the export ban on British beef. This ban effectively crippled the UK beef export market in addition to sending a shock throughout Europe concerning beef safety. News of this ban spread throughout the world portraying images of infected cattle stumbling and falling unable to maintain their balance. While the scientific community was, at the time, unsure of the nature of the link between MCD and CJD, if any, the effects of the outbreak may have been much further reaching th an Europe. It is arguable that North America was also impacted to some extent, whether long term or short, by the MCD scares. In the days that followed the ban on UK beef, beef futures in Chicago fluctuated as traders were torn between two economic forces. The first was the expected increase in demand. Markets formerly serviced by UK beef must now be filled with beef from other countries. The second impact deals with the adverse effects the outbreak could have on consumer demand. North American consumers were also exposed to a great deal of media propaganda as most, if not all, North American newspapers and television news broadcasts, national and local, carried stories of the outbreak and the horrific consequences of CJD. If concerns of food safety in the United States and Canada were never of concern there would have been no need for the United States Department of Agriculture and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to issue statements testifying to the safety of each of the countries respective beef. This paper looks at the short-term impact of the MCD media propaganda on consumer demand for beef in the United States. Due to the fact that the supply of beef in the United States is completely risk free, or at very most extreme minimal risk, in terms of MCD and the risk to the beef supply, the scientific side of the story need not be considered.

Storm Born Chapter Eighteen

It was like deja vu. Two fights, two blackouts, and two â€Å"mornings after† back in my own bed. Talk about tedious. Only this time, I wasn't alone in bed. I knew Kiyo was with me even before I opened my eyes. I recognized his smell, the way his arms wrapped around me. They held me with delicacy now, not with the fierceness that usually seized him. â€Å"You don't quit,† I murmured, blinking the sleep out of my eyes. â€Å"Even wounded, you're still trying to get me back in bed.† â€Å"I've already got you here.† He lay on his side, his eyes staring into mine. Smiling, he ran a hand over my hair, smoothing it back. â€Å"I was so worried about you.† I snuggled against him, slowly dredging up memories from last night. â€Å"I was worried about you too. What happened? Why wouldn't you change back?† â€Å"I did†¦eventually.† Well, that was obvious. I waited expectantly, needing more. â€Å"Being a kitsune isn't just about the novelty of turning into a fox. It's more than that. It's like†¦I also can turn into – I don't know – a fox god. No. That's not right. I don't know how to describe it.† â€Å"A superfox?† His soft laughter vibrated against my forehead, and he kissed the skin there. â€Å"That's not quite right either. The foxes of the Otherworld are like the progenitors of mortal foxes in this world. They're stronger, more powerful, wilder. I can change into one of those, but to do so†¦I almost have to give up my humanity. They're too animal, too†¦I don't know, primordial. When I'm a normal red fox, I'm still pretty much the same as I am now unless I've been in that form for a really long time. Then the human part starts to go. But for your ‘superfox,' I'm already gone in one transformation. I can hang on to only a few human instincts – like that I had to fight that thing and that I had to protect you.† I took all this in, frowning. â€Å"But that doesn't explain why you didn't change back.† â€Å"It takes time to go in and out of that form. The change is more than physical. I have to give up my human nature to go in, my fox nature to come out. Both are hard. That's why it took me awhile to even help in the first place. I had to make a quick call, even though it left you undefended. I thought I'd do more damage in the other form.† â€Å"Yeah, you did do a pretty good job. But you sure scared me there.† I fell silent, recalling those terrible moments of uncertainty while I bled all over myself. â€Å"When did you finally change back?† â€Å"Not long after you passed out, I think.† â€Å"That would explain why I'm still alive.† He nodded. â€Å"You lost a lot of blood. You needed ten stitches.† I blinked. â€Å"Did you take me to a doctor?† He grinned. â€Å"You bet I did.† It took me a moment to catch on. I pulled back the covers and lifted the skirt of one of my racier and rarely used nightgowns – how'd I get dressed in that anyway? – and saw black stitches standing out starkly against my skin, off to the side of my stomach. â€Å"You did this?† I exclaimed. â€Å"You stitched me up? Without a doctor?† â€Å"I am a doctor. I do this all the time.† â€Å"Yeah†¦to cats and dogs. Not to people.† â€Å"It's exactly the same. We're animals too.† I eyed the stitches uneasily. The skin around them was red. â€Å"Was everything sanitized?† He made a disparaging sound in his throat. â€Å"Of course it was. The standards are the same. Come on, stop worrying. It was either that or let you bleed to death in the car. I had a kit in the back and used it.† â€Å"How'd you have enough light out there?† â€Å"The overhead lamp still worked.† I couldn't believe he'd stitched me up in a smashed car with a vet's kit. Improvisation at its best. â€Å"Did the car actually start?† â€Å"Sort of†¦I got us back to the freeway before it died. I found your cell phone and called Tim.† â€Å"Poor Tim. When I first told him I was a shaman, I think he thought it was as fake as his own Indian charade.† â€Å"Wait – he's not actually Indian? I've been trying forever to figure out what tribe he's from.† â€Å"He's from the tribe of Tim Warkoski. It's ridiculous, but – â€Å" The air in the room rippled, pressure building. I had to blink a few times to ensure the shimmering around us wasn't in my head. Kiyo propped himself up, alert and wary. The pressure abruptly faded. A rift from the Otherworld opened up in front of us, and suddenly Dorian stood on a small table in the corner. Not unexpectedly, it promptly broke under his weight, making a horrible crashing sound as its pieces and contents fell to the floor. To his credit, he sidestepped the disaster rather gracefully, easily landing both feet on the floor. I winced, seeing the anchor ring lying among the debris. I'd set it on the table, not considering the consequences of Dorian arriving exactly where it lay. â€Å"What the hell – † Kiyo started to climb out of bed, but I was in his way. I laid a restraining hand on his chest. â€Å"No, it's all right. He's here for our next lesson. Jesus†¦I can't believe it's that time already.† I'd lost a lot of time since the car. Dorian wore his usual simple but fine clothes, covered by another elaborate robe. This one was black satin, edged in silver and small seed pearls. If the present circumstances surprised him, he didn't show it. He kept his face typically unimpressed and sardonic. His smile twisted as he regarded us. â€Å"I can come back later if it's more convenient. I do so hate to interrupt.† â€Å"No, no,† I said hastily, sitting up and swinging my legs over the bed's edge. The movement uncomfortably tugged the skin around my stitches. â€Å"We were just, um†¦resting.† Dorian arched an eyebrow. â€Å"You rest in that?† I glanced down, flushing. I'd worn this exactly once when Dean and I had gone to Mexico for a weekend. The nightgown was pale green, its top and bottom hems ornamented with elaborate green leaves and tiny pink flowers. The mid-thigh-length skirt was sheer chiffon. Note to self: Never let Kiyo dress me again, unconsciousness notwithstanding. Tim chose that moment to walk in, summoned by the noise. â€Å"Eug, what†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His mouth dropped – and not just because of me. I looked around at us all: me in my nightgown, Kiyo bare-chested, Dorian in his extravagant robes, and Tim in his Native getup. â€Å"God,† I muttered, standing up, â€Å"we look like the Village People.† I pulled the terry cloth robe over me, wondering how I always seemed to be half-naked lately. Tim continued to stare, wearing the shocked look of one who has just walked in on his parents having sex. â€Å"Everything's fine,† I told him. He still didn't move, and I waved a hand in front of his face. â€Å"Hey, wake up. Think you can make some breakfast?† He blinked. â€Å"It's three in the afternoon.† I gave him a pathetic look. The familiarity of it seemed to snap him back to normal. He could never resist it. That, or he felt he owed me food for the free rent. â€Å"What do you want?† â€Å"Eggs and toast.† â€Å"Healthy or unhealthy toast?† I considered. â€Å"Healthy.† â€Å"Are your, uh, friends eating too?† I glanced at the other two men. â€Å"I'd love to,† replied Dorian with a cordial half-bow. â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"Famished,† said Kiyo, eyes still narrowed on Dorian. â€Å"Thanks, Tim, you're the best.† I practically pushed him out the door. â€Å"Charming man,† remarked Dorian politely. He glanced around. â€Å"And a charming room.† The broken table aside, the room's other contents included: a pile of laundry, the wicker chair, a case of ammunition, a dresser, and a small desk with my laptop and a half-finished puzzle of the Eiffel Tower. The room didn't have a lot of space, so everything had been jammed in. It all seemed so chintzy compared to the opulence of his bedroom. Kiyo also got out of bed, wearing just a pair of jeans. â€Å"You want to tell me again what's going on?† â€Å"I already did.† I opened my dresser and pulled out a pair of jeans and a shirt that said I'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO CRY ABOUT on it. â€Å"We're doing my next lesson.† â€Å"She can't do it today,† Kiyo told Dorian. â€Å"She was in a fight last night.† â€Å"Unless I'm mistaken, she gets in a fight every night.† â€Å"This one was bad. She was injured. Didn't you see the stitches?† â€Å"My humble eyes had better things to occupy themselves with than her stitches.† â€Å"Hey, guys?† I snapped. â€Å"I'm still here, you know. Stop talking about me in the third person.† Kiyo walked over and touched my arm. â€Å"Eugenie, this is crazy. You need to go back to bed.† â€Å"Today's lesson will not require physical exertion,† said Dorian primly. â€Å"There, you see?† I said. â€Å"I've got to keep going with our deal.† Kiyo looked darkly from me to Dorian. â€Å"Your ‘deal' doesn't seem to be doing a lot of good. I thought it was going to keep your would-be rapists away.† I had turned my back to them, opened the robe, and started pulling my jeans on. I froze, considering. â€Å"The fachan wasn't trying to rape me,† I said slowly. â€Å"He wanted to kill me.† â€Å"Are you sure?† â€Å"He tried to throw me through a windshield. That's not very romantic.† â€Å"A fachan?† asked Dorian. I shed the robe and nightgown and pulled the shirt over my head before turning back around to face them. I gave Dorian the short version of what had happened. He stood up from where he'd been leaning against my desk and strolled over to the window, hands clasped behind his back. â€Å"A fachan,† he mused. â€Å"Here. Curious.† â€Å"Not really. Not compared to anything else that's happened to me,† I reminded him. He pointed out the window. â€Å"You live in a desert. Fachans like bodies of water. You have a lot of enemies, my dear, but I doubt any fachan would hate you enough to show up here of his own volition.† â€Å"What are you saying?† asked Kiyo. â€Å"That someone went to considerable trouble to summon him here. Someone with either a lot of raw power or simply an affinity for water creatures.† â€Å"Who could do that?† I asked. â€Å"Any number of people. Maiwenn could.† Kiyo took a few dangerous steps toward him. â€Å"Maiwenn didn't do that.† Dorian smiled, unfazed by Kiyo's intimidating presence. They were the same height, but Dorian's frame was lean and slim, Kiyo's broader and more muscled. â€Å"You're probably right,† Dorian said after several tense moments of silence. â€Å"Particularly since she's been so under the weather lately.† Kiyo's face grew darker. I glanced back and forth uneasily, uncertain as to what I was in the middle of. â€Å"Do you guys know each other?† Dorian extended a hand to Kiyo, cool and collected. â€Å"I know of you, but I don't believe we've been properly introduced. I am Dorian, king of the Oak Land.† Kiyo grudgingly took his hand. â€Å"I know who you are.† â€Å"This is Kiyo,† I said. â€Å"Delightful to meet you. You're a†¦kitsune.† Dorian said the word in an odd tone. It wasn't exactly disrespectful, but it clearly implied they were not equals. I grabbed both their arms and steered them out. â€Å"No pissing contests. Come on. It'll only take Tim about five minutes to whip up the food.† Whatever antagonism existed between Kiyo and Dorian, it took a break as the gentry king entertained himself with the rest of my house. He was like a kid, unable to keep his hands off of everything. Well, everything that wasn't made of plastic or an iron affiliate. My living room was a veritable wonderland, with everything conveniently piled up in junk heaps for him to explore. â€Å"What's the purpose of this?† He held a fluorescent pink Slinky, tossing it from side to side so he didn't have to touch the plastic extensively. My impression was gentry could touch the taboo substances in small doses with minor discomfort; prolonged exposure grew much more uncomfortable. Charge it up with power, and it could kill them. â€Å"It doesn't really have a purpose,† I decided. â€Å"You just sort of†¦play with it when you're bored.† He tossed it back and forth, watching it spring up in arches. â€Å"Let me see it,† I said. I held it, closing my eyes. My focus was back now with the excruciating pain vanquished. I concentrated on the Slinky, putting a small piece of my essence into it. I handed it back. â€Å"Wrap it up and take it with you. It'll be my anchor.† He grinned. With so many other distractions, we eventually had to drag him to the kitchen table when the food was ready. â€Å"Haven't you ever been in the human world before?† I asked, once we all sat down. â€Å"There you go again, assuming we all just traipse over here for no good reason.† â€Å"So you haven't.† â€Å"Well, actually, I've vacationed here a number of times. Not in this desolate place, of course, but several other nice spots.† I rolled my eyes and slapped butter on my toast. It was made of good, hearty bread, chock-full of whole wheat and about a billion other grains. You could use this stuff as sandpaper. I doused my coffee with sugar and cream, gulping it to chase down some ibuprofen. I might not be dying anymore, but myriad aches and stiffness filled my body. I didn't think I could handle regularly getting into high-magnitude fights every other night. When the whole prophecy thing had surfaced, I had joked that I preferred attempts on my life to sexual advances. I didn't really believe that anymore. At least when the bad guys wanted my clothes off, it bought me some time. That fachan, however, had had no intentions short of crushing me. And he'd done a pretty good job of doing that. I had never fought something so massive before. Most of my fights, before this all started, had been with spirits and elementals. I could take them out with barely any effort. The fachan had been in a different league. The spirit army from the other day had also been new. Dorian's words rang back to me. The fachan had been deliberately sent. But by whom? One of the many who had a grudge against Odile? Someone like Maiwenn who wanted the prophecy to fail? Maiwenn herself? This latter thought bothered me. She'd seemed more or less trustworthy, despite her bland personality. If she turned into an enemy, it was going to create some serious friction between Kiyo and me. We finished breakfast, and Dorian declared we had to go outside for our lesson. I took one look at him and the scalding sunshine and saw imminent disaster for that perfect, alabaster skin. Figuring he wouldn't want my prissy, vanilla sunscreen, I dug him out a wide-brimmed cotton hat of Tim's that looked only mildly ridiculous. â€Å"Are you going to be able to do this?† I asked, leading Dorian out to my back patio. Tim had left for drumming practice, but Kiyo followed us, still watchful. â€Å"Your magic's weaker on this side.† Dorian draped his elegant robes over a lawn chair. â€Å"Not me who needs to do the magic. And really, I doubt you will either. Not in the way you're thinking of. Hmm†¦yes, this area may work better than I'd hoped.† He surveyed the patio area and the small grassless yard surrounded by a stucco wall. Dragging up another chair, he set it near the center of the patio, facing the house, and beckoned me to it. I sat down. â€Å"Now what? More meditation?† He shook his head. â€Å"Now we need a bowl of water.† â€Å"Kiyo? Can you grab us one? There's a big ceramic bowl in the back of one of my cupboards.† Kiyo silently complied, looking as though leaving us alone for even one minute would result in Dorian trying something. I found that protectiveness endearing, albeit a bit over the top. And then Dorian did try something. â€Å"What are those?† I exclaimed. â€Å"Think of them as†¦learning aids.† He had produced a handful of silken cords from the deep pockets of his robe, all in different colors. â€Å"What are you – no. You are not serious.† He had moved behind my chair and grasped my hands. I jerked away. â€Å"You're trying to tie me up?† â€Å"Not for sinister purposes, I assure you, although if you'd like to experiment with them later, I'd be happy to show you their various and sundry uses. For now, simply trust me that they'll be useful.† I continued to regard the cords warily. He shook his head, smiling. Moving behind me, he gently ran his hands down my arms. â€Å"You still don't trust me. And yet you do. An interesting mix. You fear me but want to connect with me. Do you remember what I said the night we met?† He knelt down, speaking softly in my ear. â€Å"This is exactly the way it will be when you come to my bed. You'll surrender yourself, and though it'll scare you, you'll exult in it too.† â€Å"I think you're imagining more to our charade than there is. And I don't really see myself feeling exultant over being tied up.† â€Å"Have you ever tried it?† His fingers slowly slid back up to the sleeves of my shirt, like butterflies on my skin. It was†¦nice. I shrugged him off. â€Å"No. And I don't need to. Besides, whatever your kinky intentions are, it doesn't matter. I've got something going with Kiyo.† â€Å"Ah. Of course you do. From what I hear, he's always ‘got something going.'† I stiffened. â€Å"Don't try to cause trouble.† â€Å"I'm attempting nothing of the sort. Just stating a fact. A man with human blood is just as appealing to our women as you are to our men.† â€Å"I already know about Maiwenn.† â€Å"I see. What do you know?† â€Å"The truth. They used to be involved. Now they're not.† â€Å"Ah. And that doesn't bother you? Especially considering it's likely she'll try to kill you someday?† I turned around as much as I could and glared at him. â€Å"I meant it: Don't try to pick a fight. I trust Kiyo, and I like Maiwenn. End of story. Now if you're going to tie me up, just get it over with.† He rose from his crouch, the sensuality gone from his voice as he began the business of binding me. â€Å"I'd never dream of picking a fight. Your pet fox in there will break my neck if I so much as look at you the wrong way.† â€Å"Don't act like you're actually afraid of him. You can supposedly bring down buildings.† I relaxed back in the chair and let him tie my hands together behind me. He took a long time in doing it, like he was weaving or braiding. â€Å"Why, Eugenie, are you saying you'd wager on me in a fight? I'm touched. Very touched. Although, I do hear foxes have very sharp claws. How are those scratches on your back, by the way?† Kiyo walked out just then, carrying the bowl of water. He froze when he saw Dorian tying a cord above my breasts and around my upper arms. â€Å"What's this?† â€Å"An awakening,† said Dorian. â€Å"It's fine,† I said. â€Å"Set the water over there.† Kiyo did so and then stood next to me, arms crossed and eyes on the gentry king. Again, Dorian took his time in tying my upper body. He used multiple cords, and able to see better this time, I realized he had indeed woven them into an intricate pattern. Aesthetic and functional. â€Å"There.† With a last tight knot, he straightened up and regarded his work. â€Å"Not bad. It seems I haven't forgotten how to tie a decent knot after all. One more thing, and we're set.† â€Å"One more thing† turned out to be a blindfold. â€Å"No way,† I said. â€Å"Eugenie, my sweet, your outraged protests are adorable, but they only continue to slow us down. If you want me to help you, then let me. If you don't, then take me to one of those places where human women wear revealing clothing and quickly lose their virtue through alcohol.† I let him blindfold me, feeling uneasy. I trusted Kiyo and sort of trusted Dorian, but the other bindings had already unsettled me. I didn't like being trapped or in someone else's control. The bright world went dark as fabric covered my eyes. â€Å"This is all giving me a bad feeling,† Kiyo said nearby. â€Å"On the contrary,† said Dorian, â€Å"it's giving me a very warm, very pleasant feeling. But I suppose we should return to the lesson at hand, hmm?† â€Å"Is this the part where you explain the bondage getup?† I asked. â€Å"Or where I find out you just did it for fun.† â€Å"No, no. As hilarious as that would be, I do have my reasons. Now. I'm going to pick up this bowl of water that Kato so kindly fetched – â€Å" â€Å"It's Kiyo,† came the irritated response. â€Å"So sorry. Anyway, I'm going to set it somewhere out here in this miniature wasteland, and you will tell me where it is.† â€Å"Oh. I get it. I'm supposed to, like, work on my non-visual senses? Listen to where you set it?† â€Å"You won't use any of your physical senses at all.† I heard him walk away, presumably with the water, but I couldn't tell where he set it. He paced and paced in circles, kicking rocks and scuffing his shoes so I was clueless by the time he returned to me. When he spoke next, his words were right by my ear again. â€Å"Now, given freedom, even with just a blindfold, you'd be inclined to move and want to use something – anything – to find the water. You'd turn around, sniff the air, whatever. Now you have to accept that all of that is gone. You cannot rely on what you usually can. You are trapped and powerless – more or less. Give in to that. Open yourself up to whatever comes. Find the water.† â€Å"How?† â€Å"By reaching out to it. Tap into a sense other than the usual five. Remember the exercises we did last time, about reaching beyond yourself – in this world, not the spirit one.† â€Å"I thought magic was inborn. Isn't that what separates humans and gentry?† â€Å"It is inborn. And your inner magic summons and controls storms. To do that, you must summon and control the appropriate elements. And to do that, you must be able to find them. Hence, you focus outward.† â€Å"How do I do that?† â€Å"Just concentrate. But relax too. Think about the water. How it feels, what it's like. Spread your consciousness out around you, but don't go into a trance and let your spirit slip out. That'd be cheating.† â€Å"How long does it take?† â€Å"As long as you need.† He retreated, and I sat there and waited for some revelation. Okay. Somewhere around me was a bowl of water. And something inside of me was supposed to be able to sense it. I wouldn't have believed any of it if the living room on the other side of the patio door didn't stand as proof of my supernatural powers. But I hadn't had to think to cause the storm. This was different. All I mostly felt at first was my own body. Dorian's binds didn't hurt me, but they were snug. The stitched-up cut stung a little. The back of my head ached. My leg muscles felt stretched and inflamed. I slowly took inventory of every part of me, assessing how each one felt. I could feel the beat of my own heart, the steadiness of my breathing. After that, I started concentrating on the stuff around me. I heard someone, Dorian maybe, slide up a chair and sit down. A plane droned overhead. One of my neighbors kept a bird feeder, and sparrows regularly chirped and squabbled around it. The harsher cries of less melodic birds sounded in the distance. My street had few houses and was removed from real traffic, but a block or so away, a car started and then drove off. I thought about water, its appeal growing as the sun beat down. I had put on my own sunscreen and was grateful for it. Still, I could feel sweat pouring off of me. Water would be cool, refreshing. My mom's house had a pool, and suddenly I wanted nothing more than to dive into that crystal-blue surface. I thought about the bowl of water, thinking of its cool temperature, the wetness on my skin. I tried to feel it, to call to it. â€Å"There,† I said at last. I don't know how much time had passed. Awhile. â€Å"Where?† asked Dorian. â€Å"Four o'clock.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"She means over there,† I heard Kiyo say. Presumably he pointed. â€Å"No,† said Dorian. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Sorry.† â€Å"Was I close?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Not even a little?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Damn it! Get me out of this.† I wriggled against my constraints. â€Å"Hardly.† Dorian's voice held mild surprise. â€Å"We must try again.† â€Å"Oh, dear lord. This might be even more boring than the meditation,† I grumbled. â€Å"Can I at least get something to drink?† He hesitated. â€Å"Actually, I think your odds will increase if you're thirsty.† â€Å"Oh, come on – â€Å" â€Å"Here we go,† said Dorian. I heard him get up and walk around again, and once more, I couldn't tell where the bowl ended up. When he returned to his chair, I tried again. More time passed as I concentrated my little heart out. At one point, I heard someone get up and move toward the door. â€Å"Who is that?† â€Å"Me,† said Dorian. â€Å"I'm bored.† â€Å"What? You're my teacher.† â€Å"The kitsune will call if you need me.† â€Å"I don't believe this,† I said when he was gone. â€Å"Hey, this was your idea,† said Kiyo. I heard him shift in a chair, getting comfortable. I was on the verge of my next guess when Dorian came outside again. â€Å"There. Nine o'clock.† Kiyo must have pointed again. â€Å"No,† said Dorian. He made me do it again, and by then, I was furious. My poor muscles, already put through enough, were locking up from lack of movement. The heat was unbearable. To make matters worse, Kiyo asked if Dorian wanted something to drink and then went inside. He returned, and I heard the sound of a two-liter of pop opening, followed by the filling of two glasses. After that, they started carrying on casual conversation. â€Å"Eugenie will be at my Beltane ball,† Dorian explained, â€Å"as my special guest.† â€Å"Sounds great.† â€Å"Your enthusiasm is palpable.† â€Å"Just not my thing, that's all.† â€Å"Ah, pity. Because if you wanted to come, I'd be happy to extend the invitation.† â€Å"I wouldn't want you to go to any trouble.† â€Å"It's no trouble at all. You could come with Eugenie. I always make special arrangements for dignitaries' entourages and servants.† â€Å"Will you two shut up?† I asked. â€Å"I'm working here.† They fell silent. Water, water. I needed that goddamned water so that Dorian would untie me and I could return to air conditioning. I'd also drink a gallon of water while I was at it. Maybe two or three. In fact, when I found that stupid bowl, I'd dump it over my head. Sweat pooled along the hem of my shirt and where the cords and blindfold pressed against my skin. I'd probably sweated away the sunscreen and would burn. As if my body hadn't been through enough. Where the hell was that water? Why couldn't I find it? I thought again about my mom's pool, vowing I'd pay her a visit tomorrow. God, it was so hot. I just wanted to be cooler. Water, water, water. I felt like Helen Keller. Or maybe one of those people in the Lakota sun dances where excessive heat exposure induced hallucinations. Maybe I could imagine the water. I sighed, and then, somehow, I felt coolness touch me. It was a reprieve from the heat. I straightened up as much as I could. Had I done it? Was this what it felt like to touch the water? The third time was the charm. Yes. There it was again. Like cool, moist air blowing at me from the east. I could taste its dampness, hanging around me like humidity in the sauna. I inclined my head in the direction I'd sensed the cool air. â€Å"I've got it. Three o'clock.† â€Å"No.† â€Å"The hell it isn't!† I heard Dorian get up. He sighed. â€Å"I think we'd better quit for the day.† â€Å"But I swear I had it! I could feel it! I was thinking about water so hard.† â€Å"I know you were.† He undid the blindfold, and I looked up. Billowing clouds, colored like lead, inked out the sky. Wind blew at me from the east – not imagined after all – picking up in strength. Great, heavy drops fell around us, landing with loud splashes. Water at last.