Traditional Skills Are Disappearing

In earlier times, people willingly learned skills such as repairing their household items or making clothes. And they used to practice it to their benefit. Some would even proudly talk about it in their friends and family get togethers. such were the part time activities in those past years of human race. Though all these skills had their advantages but it also required some free time. Also, there were very less opportunities to pass leisure hours. But in this modern age, an average person is busy enough that taking some time our for even learning such skills is not possible.From childhood to adulthood and later, day-to-day routine tasks take so much efforts and time that these extra skills are nearly abandoned. Besides one reason being non-availability of free time, interest in these activities has lost its wya. there used to be a charm in designing own clothes, mending household items or even repairing furniture. But modern inventions, career building, social activities etc has pla yed its part in this downfall. In my country, except a few towns and villages, people are reluctant to pursue these past practices.Fast paced life style, interest in other curricular activities, less learning opportunities for these dying skills, and no encouragement for it is dominant around here. I think no matter how busy our life is, benefits from these skills are plentiful and one should try to practice it atleast to keep it alive. If we gain the insight into the history, it is not difficult to discover that when a country develops its technology, the traditional skills and ways of life always die out.Weather it is pointless to keep them alive is increasing becoming the focus of governments and citizen concern around the globe. In this essay I will try to analyse this issue to some cases and give my answer. Many people in my country believe it is a wise decision to keep them alive since the tradition is the heritage we inherit from our ancestors; therefore, we have the obligati on to preserve and keep them moving along in the future. Moreover, traditions now have a much pivotal role to play. For instance, Chinese conventional Spring Festival has become a crucial pportunity for Chinese families, probably live apart from each other for career and study, to strengthen their family bonds. Obviously, this kind of household party can absolutely contribute to the wellbeing and advancement of our society. It is, however, not an easy job to prove that view totally true. Some individuals firmly argue that to keep the traditional skills and ways of life alive makes nonsense. To be more specifically, the conventional ways of life, something we used to be proud of, have turned out to be the obstacle and barrier of the implementation of new technology.For example, people who live in rural area still persist in using wood and log for heating, because of the low price, which had better be replaced by solar energy, while this method costs more. Even though there will be so me resistance created by our traditional skills and ways of life when we are marching for the industrialisation. I do agree to keep them there, because it is our tradition that gives us the superiority to other creatures on this planet, that is why I prefer this view.

Breastfeeding vs. Formula Feeding

Breastfeeding vs. Formula Feeding Lacey Payson BCOM/275 March 18, 2013 Allen Sutton Breastfeeding vs. Formula Feeding In today’s society, many mothers face making the decision to breastfeed or to formula feed. After 36 – 42 weeks of carrying a child, some mothers want their body back. Other mothers want to save money and give their child a nutritious diet. Breast milk is known to be healthier, in conjunction with an amazing way to bond with her child. There are two mottos that have been heard. One saying is â€Å"breast is best† and the second is â€Å"formula or breast, mother knows best. Kathryn Blundell, deputy editor for Mother and Baby magazine states â€Å"I formula fed. So What? I wanted my body back. (And some wine)†¦I also wanted to give my boobs at least a chance to stay on my chest rather than dangling around my stomach† (Rock, 2010). Society would understand where she is coming from by wanting her body back but her body will never be the same after carrying a child and going through labor. Many mothers feel they have to fully give up drinking. It has been determined that a mother can have one 4 ounce glass of wine, except that she will need to wait a minimum of 2 hours after to nurse her baby.A mother can pump before she has a glass of wine and give the baby that milk. Breastfeeding has been known to help mothers lose weight. Kathryn Blundell also states, â€Å"†¦You’ll hear tales of agonizing three-hour feeding sessions and – the drama! – bloody nipples† (Rock, 2010). Breastfeeding can be rough because the sore nipples, late night feedings and needing to pump if she is a working mom. Jobs may let her take a break to go pump to help keep the production of milk going. Regardless of the choice between breastfeeding and formula feeding, there will be late night feedings. â€Å"They’re part of my sexuality, too – not just breast, but fun bags.And when you have that attitud e (and I admit I made no attempt to change it), seeing your teeny, tiny, innocent baby latching on where only a lover has been before feels, well a little creepy† (Rock, 2010). Breasts are for feeding babies. When pregnant woman’s body adjusts to bearing a child, it knows to produce milk. Some women will lactate as early as 23 weeks. Before the 1800s, women had no choice but to breast feed. Saying that the breasts are only for a sexual purpose is like saying a woman would rather have a cesarean delivery, so the baby will not touch her vagina. Breasts are only sexual because people make them out to be.An example of this is Victoria's secret models advertising lingerie. Women’s bodies are made to carry and nurture babies. Mother and baby deputy editor states â€Å"there are studies that show [breastfeeding] reduces the risk of breast cancer for you, and your stomach upsets and allergies for your baby. But even the convenience and supposed health benefits of breast milk couldn’t induce me to stick my nipple into a bawling baby’s mouth† (Rock, 2010). She is correct about breast milk being healthy for both mommy and baby however, a mother that feels the way she does may be interpreted as being selfish.Breast milk is the perfect food for an infant with many advantages over formula. Research has shown that it may help prevent SIDS, also known as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Breast milk contains the ideal proportion of nutrients including the following; protein, carbohydrates, fat, and calcium. Breast milk is easily digested compared to formula, free and available when needed. Breast milk includes active infection-fighting white blood cells that helps protect against impurities during the first few months.It may contain fatty acids, which may assist with brain development. The best reason to breastfeed is the bond a woman will have with her child. In summary, breastfeeding can be hard because of late night feedings. However in the end it is better for the baby and less expensive. A mother does not have to surrender drinking completely. She should do what she feels, breastfeeding can be a hassle, but it is healthier. â€Å"Formula or breast, mother knows best. † Bibliography Rock, L. (2010, June 2010). Breastfeeding is ‘creepy', says parenting magazine. The Observer.

Discuss the presentation of Curleys Wife Essay

      The dog comes to represent Candy’s precarious situation as an elderly and increasingly unwanted part of society. He sees the dog as foreshadowing of his eventual fate when he grows too old to work. He is afraid of being cast out as a nuisance, unworthy of life or protection and despised by the younger generation. His proposal of giving all his money in exchange for a place on George and Lennie’s planned farm is a marker of his desperate situation. The prospective of leaving the farm briefly endows Candy with the confidence to stand up to Curley’s wife after she threatens Crooks. This suggestion of bravery and friendship is indicative of the type of man Candy would be if not for his loneliness, which has crippled his self-belief and has left him near destitute and subservient. The above characters demonstrate the pitfalls of loneliness, and the dangers it poses to people and their well-being. In contrast to this George and Lennie, through a mutually beneficial relationship, are able to deflect the negative attributes of their solitary professions by travelling together (â€Å"I got you.. and you got me†). Most people have needs that require social interaction with people, something which George and Lennie are able to achieve through their mutual friendship, in spit of their hard living conditions. This enables them to function in a more stable and happier way. Their stability stems from a mutual dream of their own farm (â€Å"We got a future†); a dream that sustains them throughout their journeying, and as a result they’re not aimless like so many of the other workers in their situation who squander their monthly pay packets on alcohol, gambling and female company. This is in contrast to other itinerant workers, whose lives do not depend upon anyone, and so nobody depends on them. The memory of a former occupant of the bunkhouse, who â€Å"upped and quit, the way a guy will† represents those who are resigned to their situation, and demonstrates the desultory manner in which they lead their lives. Lennie and George enjoy a symbiotic relationship in which each is able to obtain something from the other. From Lennie, George acquires an emotional baseline which enables him to better assert himself, as well as a responsibility and duty towards others. George is aware of a meanness in himself (â€Å"a real smart guy†¦ ain’t hardly ever a nice fella'†), but through looking after Lennie he pacifies his character (â€Å"well, I ain’t done nothing like that no more†). From George, Lennie acquires a carer and sense of purpose through their shared dream of buying a farm. The stability George is afforded from Lennie gives him the ability to stand up for people without fear of reproductions, because he has protection in the form of Lennie, and even if he were to be sent away he wouldn’t be alone. His behaviour was calm but unwavering when he confronted Curley and Curley’s wife. His compassionate nature is shown when he tries to change the subject in the bunkhouse when his cohabitants are pressuring Candy to kill his dog (â€Å"I seen a guy in Weed that had an Airedale could heard sheep†), but Carlson recognises this attempt and was â€Å"was not to be put off†. Candy recognises this moral integrity in George and so decides to trust him with his money and enter into a partnership with him and Lennie and buy a farm. Because of the proposed partnership with Candy they do, briefly, have a chance of realising their dream. Steinbeck here demonstrates that trust in people is required in order to achieve your dreams. After George kills Lennie he chooses not to buy and live on his own farm with Candy as a form of self-punishment, (â€Å"I’ll work my month†¦ an’ I’ll stay all night in some lousy cat house†). George now accepts that without Lennie his dream of owning a farm is dead, so chooses to face a life of cruel loneliness as a normal itinerant worker with no goals or aspirations other than to numb the pain of existence. In conclusion Steinbeck continually uses characters that, in the context of their society, live with prior afflictions (such as skin colour, infirmity, mental ability, and even gender) which hinder them from functioning in society as isolated individuals, so must form alliances and partnerships to enable them to survive. This element of symbiosis stems from the environment in which they exist, where a man is only as powerful as his ability to work. He attacks the capitalist system in which people are regarded as labour and not given the rights or freedoms to enable them to put down roots and start families. His criticism of the American Dream of hard work promising prosperity and success, and a compassionate look at its victims, are core themes throughout the book. The lack of social security and level of expectation upon the individual to support themselves, or else face starvation, forces people like Lennie into work to survive, even if they’re danger to themselves or others. The inevitable tragedy was Lennie’s slowness being kept secret from Lennie’s wife, who unknowingly set the tragedy in motion. Steinbeck tells us the only way to improve things is to enable trust and openness in the workforce, and that this depends on workers rights and freedoms being protected. Though the enabling of trust and openness in the workplace, people would be empowered to work from a position of strength rather than need, vulnerability and defensiveness; and with loneliness reduced as a consequence life would improve for everyone. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE John Steinbeck section.

Blooms Taxonomy of Education and its use in Nursing Education Essay

Blooms Taxonomy of Education and its use in Nursing Education - Essay Example It is apparent that chronic illness is naturally incurable. The indications of these chronic disease factors are constant and unremitting; thus, as regards cognition, the emphasis of nursing should be on care, supportive, and preventative procedures when a patient undergoes unavoidable disease deterioration. The nurses and other health care providers have to learn how to manage chronic diseases in order for them to be able to help chronically ill patients attain independence. An appropriate self-management plan for chronic disease is one of the major cognitive challenges to nurses (Larkin & Burton, 2008). In order to successfully accomplish this, health care professionals should be able to recall information about the patient (knowledge), understand the issues confronted by the patient (comprehension), apply the knowledge gained from interacting with the patient and the other medical staffs (application), differentiate assumptions from facts (analysis), develop a comprehensive care plan (synthesis), and evaluate the value and quality of the care plan (evaluation). On the other hand, the ‘affective domain’ focuses on feelings, core intentions, and attitudes, and thus is strongly applicable to the caring profession of nurses (Emerson, 2007). It is vital that chronically ill patients are empowered and inspired to help themselves. Therefore, nurses should learn to listen attentively and sincerely to their patients (receiving), to show eagerness to respond (responding), to express commitment and develop individualized treatment plan (valuing), to embrace professional ethical codes as regards management of chronic illness (organization), and to work in a team (internalizing values). The third domain—the ‘psychomotor’—involves exercise of motor skills, coordination, and physical aspects (Quinn, 2000). Within this domain, the nurse should learn to observe and compare the behavior of a chronically ill patient to another patient (imitation). In this way,

Freedom of speech should have a limitation or not Essay

Freedom of speech should have a limitation or not - Essay Example In modern age of great communication, when the power of information increases from day to day, a government should have no control upon such a global historical process. To provide a limitation on freedom of speech in modern conditions would be both despotic and unnatural decision. Freedom of speech takes its origin from human nature. Humans are social beings and used to share information since time out of mind. Was it a warring call about a danger, or a process of expression own thoughts and feelings, but humankind learned to speak, invented languages, arts and signs, - all with the same goal, to convey information to others. There was and is, and will be a human desire and need to speak freely to other humans. Humankind already has spent millenniums developing a wider system of communication, from sending a messenger to sending a digital message in any part of the world, and when taking a look on a global modern trend, the sphere of communication only increases its development. Apparently, knowing this human natural need of communication and to prevent the injustice of previous years, in 1948 the right of a free speech was recognized on a law level within Article 19 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaimed by General Assembly of United Nations. â€Å"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers† (The Universal Declaration of Human Rights). The Declaration proclaims universal laws and rights for every human being, despite a race, religious and other differences, and nowadays it serves as a basic for every constitution of United Nations country members. Therefore, despite a particular state may specify own laws and rights on freedom of speech, they should correspond to ones

Report to a potential investor, comparing and analyzing two companies' Essay

Report to a potential investor, comparing and analyzing two companies' current and previous years group figures in the annual report for the year ended 2012 - Essay Example It is the parent company of Sainsbury Supermarkets Ltd involved in the retailing business in UK and other parts of the world. With a market share of over 16.5%, it is one of the leading chains in the market catering to the various needs of the customers. Tesco Ltd is the market leader in the retailing industry in UK with major share in the market. It is also the third largest retailer in the world in terms of revenue and has its operations outside United Kingdom also. Over the period of time, Tesco has served the diversified needs of its customers in UK as well as other global markets. As compared to 2011, there has been a positive growth in the revenue of Sainsbury of 5.3%. Revenue for the year 2011 was  £21,102(M) whereas for 2012, it was  £22,294(M). As compared to Sainsbury, Tesco’s revenue however grew by 6.8% indicating that Tesco has been better at improving its turnover for the year. There could be different factors resulting into this higher growth of Tesco because it is a global firm with presence in more international markets as compared to Sainsbury. Tesco is present in countries like India and China thus offering it much needed leverage against the difficult economic situations prevailing in UK and other developed world. In order to effectively shield itself against market movements, Sainsbury therefore needs to diversify its market presence to generate more value for its shareholders. Gross Profit margin for Sainsbury has declined from 5.5% to 5.4% however this reduction may not be large. Tesco’s gross profit margin has declined too from 8.5% to 8.2% showing a relatively larger reduction in the gross profit margin as compared to Sainsbury. It may therefore be a result of higher level of inflation prevailing in United Kingdom and other global markets. Profit margin of Sainsbury has declined from 3.0% to 2.7% whereas the

Mars and Wrigley Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mars and Wrigley - Essay Example Barr, A. (n.d.) â€Å"Buffett gets closer to Mars through Wrigley deal† Available at (Accessed: June 9, 2010). 5 Thelwell, E. (April 28, 2008) â€Å"Mars snaps up Wrigley for $23bn with help from Buffett†. Available at (Accessed: June 9, 2010). 5 Mars and Wrigley had individually been playing in the food sector of United States until the former acquired the latter during the second half of 2008 in lieu of US$23 million. Since then, the merged company had been enjoying a significant part in the food market of USA, with an increased support from the investors. This favor has been reflected in the form of an appreciated P/E ratio of 27.8 for the company, compared to that of the market which is floating at 15. The relevance of this statistic is that investors are ready to pay 27.8 times the amount they expect to earn from Mars-Wrigley shares. In contrast, the average market statistic is 15 times the amount that investors are willing to pay for earning 1 unit. Clearly, the shares of the merged company have been selling at a market premium, which could easily be concluded as a consequence of a positive anticipation from the mass. There might be a few reasons behind such an optimistic approach though. Firstly, after acquisition, the position of the merged company rose to those of peers of high-end players like Cadbury and Nestle. In other words, Mars-Wrigley since 2008, started to be known as competitors for the two giants. Secondly, the merged company has expanded its productive capabilities and range of goods which it produces, since 2008. Previously, Cadbury had been the only player in the US food sector which had

Quantitative Finance 203 Speech or Presentation

Quantitative Finance 203 - Speech or Presentation Example urtosis is given as 4.496>3, this implies that we have a Leptokurtic distribution, sharper than a normal distribution, with values concentrated around the mean and thicker tails. This means high probability for extreme values. In the case of Return on AUD per USD, the kurtosis is given as 8.277>3, this implies that we have a Leptokurtic distribution, sharper than a normal distribution, with values concentrated around the mean and thicker tails. This means high probability for extreme values. In the case of Rateturn onTB Rate, the kurtosis is given as 156.85>3, this implies that we have a Leptokurtic distribution, sharper than a normal distribution, with values concentrated around the mean and thicker tails. This means high probability for extreme values. 5. Under the assumption that the returns of each asset are drawn from an independently and identically distributed normal distribution, are the expected returns statistically different from zero for each asset? State clearly the null and alternative hypothesis in each case. Based on the correlation matrix table given in question 6 above, we can conclude that the assumption of independence is not realistic. There is a positive relationship between Return on AUD per Yen and Return on AUD per UKP; Return on AUD per Yen and Return on AUD per USD and Return on AUD per UKP and Return on AUD per

Waste Control of Medical Supplies in the Health Care Industry Research Paper

Waste Control of Medical Supplies in the Health Care Industry - Research Paper Example Various legal and clinical standards have been set forth in order to manage the disposal of hospital wastes. To some extent, these policies and standards have been relatively effective in managing hospital wastes. Improvements to these standards are still needed in order to ensure that hospital wastes are effectively managed and that risks to the general population in relation to such wastes are minimized. This paper shall discuss the current waste control of medical supplies in the health care industry. It shall also discuss the impact of ineffective waste management on hospitals and on disease management. It shall also consider the different possible improvements which can be made in the waste control and management of healthcare wastes. This paper is being conducted in the hope of establishing an academic and scholarly approach and answer to the topic on healthcare waste control. Discussion Most of the wastes from healthcare facilities can be considered regular solid municipal was te. However, some of these wastes need special attention – these are sharps (needles, razors, scalpels), pathological wastes, infectious wastes, pharmaceutical wastes, biological wastes, and hazardous chemical wastes (Johannessen, et.al., 2000). All in all, these wastes are referred to as special health care wastes. Wastes from isolation wards and microbiological laboratories also require special attention. The rest of the waste from healthcare facilities include packaging, reusable medical equipment, and secondary wastes created by disposal technologies (Johannessen, et.al., 2000). Inappropriate and inadequate management of these products exposes people and the environment to health risks. Various healthcare workers, patients, waste handlers, and the general public are exposed to various health risks from these infectious wastes (most especially, the sharps), chemicals, and other hospital wastes (Johannessen, et.al., 2000). And the exposure to these wastes is often seen with the improper handling by health workers. The WHO (1999) has successfully classified the different types of healthcare wastes and these include: communal waste and special wastes (infectious, anatomic, pharmaceutical, genotoxic, chemical, heavy metals, pressurized containers, and radioactive materials). Communal wastes are all solid wastes which are not infectious, chemical or radioactive. These can specifically include packaging materials and office supplies. These wastes can generally be disposed of in communal landfills or similar arrangements (WHO, 1999). Segregation and recycling applies to these wastes. Special wastes on the other hand are classified into various categories and are not in any way classified for communal landfills. Infectious wastes are wastes from humans or animals which can potentially transmit infectious diseases to humans (WHO, 1999). These wastes include those which are discarded from equipment during diagnosis, treatment, and prevention stage of the disea ses or the assessment of the patient during which contact with blood, tissues, saliva and other patient derivatives may have been seen. Such wastes include: cultures and stocks, tissues, dressings, swabs, items soaked in blood, syringe needles, scalpels, diapers, blood bags, and similar items (WHO, 1999). All sharps regardless of usage by infected patient or not, is considered under infectious wastes. Other

American Civil War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

American Civil War - Essay Example Certain reasons fueling the rebellion charges by the confederate stood out in the Civil War. Among the most conspicuous charges chanted by the rebellion was the continuation of slavery among the Confederate States of America. Whereas the United States indicated its intentions to abolish slavery through well calculated moves and policies, the Confederates held the opinion that abolition would be a socioeconomic disaster for the country. Many abolitionists hailed from the north, and secession from the south was taken as an insult to the integrity of the American dream of equality for all Americans (Davis et al. 23). Slavery was concentrated in the south, and its expansion into the north was seen as a looming socioeconomic danger to the Union and compelling the abolitionists to declaration war. The call to secede was also a move against the election of Abraham Lincoln as president in 1960. Apparently, Lincoln was instrumental in antislavery campaigns and the Confederate States knew that his administration would not support their opinion on a slave labor-driven economy. As an illustration, among the 996 electoral counties from which secession was demanded, Lincoln only managed to win two counties. Secession was fueled by the fear that Lincoln would impose his position on slave labor, thereby endangering the economy of the Confederate States as well that of the United States. By the establishment of controls in respect of slavery and its eventual abolition in 1820 across the world, the United States pledged its support for a free world, and, therefore, had to act to eliminate slavery across all member states. In addition, nearly all of the southern states had common ways of getting slaves; through purchase or conquest. In view of the diversity of the southern states in terms of their heterogeneity with the rest of the states, conflicts always cropped up. Among the most prevalent conflicts was the territorial uncertainty by the subjects. Despite the fact that the iss ue of economic reliance on slave labor characterized the tension, certain acquisition techniques did not resolve identity crises for certain groups of people. Common slaveholding characteristics of the southern nations posed a major threat to entry into the Union. New entrants into the Union had to reorganize and adapt to the northern cultural and political environment, or find a way out, leading to the confusion (Garraty 56). Lincoln’s insistence on strength for all border states and oneness in the Union throughout the campaign provided enough support for the Union’s victory. The initial intention of the confederation rebellion was to spread its slavery ideologies to back the economy, but the resistance at the border front effectively facilitated defeat for the Confederate States. Whereas the crashing of the nucleus of the secessionist movement was key in the deliberation of the relationship between the two blocs, Lincoln knew that its neutralization at the neighborin g countries was vital to the realization of success. The war broke between the two States’ blocs, and despite the huge population advantage as well as industrial resources held by the north compared to the south, it was a difficult battle to win. Abraham Lincoln led the Union to war, and the initial onus was the mobilization of the military into the war. However, it appeared to be a difficult war. Despite the numerical disadvantage held by the south in the war, the

Impact of customer loyalty programme on customer perception and Research Proposal

Impact of customer loyalty programme on customer perception and attitude towards hospitality brands - Research Proposal Example This study all about the positive aspects of the loyalty programs in today’s hospitality industry. The legendary question in the history of the business management is how to satisfy the customers. It is very obvious to understand that customer is the king in any business as the customers are the vital factor in the business that generates the revenue for the company. There are many kinds of customers for various kinds of industry but, for any industry it is very important to satisfy the customers mainly for the hospitality industry where the customer speaks the ultimate words. It is very important for the hospitality industry to think from the customers prospective. The customer’s perception and attitude towards the services provided by the hospitality industry are the vital factors. The customer loyalty programs are very much vital for this industry mainly for the hotels, in most of the hotels the loyalty programs run as these hotels want their customer to be happy and the lingering effect of the loyalty programs will get back the customers in the hotel in the near future . Through out the history of the customer relationship management it has been seen that, the business people have applied many ways to satisfy their customer. The customer loyalty programs have proven to be the most successful methods of satisfying the customers. The needs and wants of the customers are always changing as the time passing by. The main aim of the loyalty programs are to retain and win back the customers. The retention of a customer saves lots of money cost. There are several costs which can be saved and profits can be generated and they are 1: Acquisition cost: the cost of acquiring new customer, 2: Base profit: that is the difference between the price the customer pays and the company’s cost. 3: Revenue growth: a long term loyal customer gives long term revenue for the company. 4: Cost saving: A matured

Equal Pay and the Glass Ceiling - Key Issues for Women Essay Example for Free

Equal Pay and the Glass Ceiling Key Issues for Women Essay Glass ceiling can be described as an economic term that refers to a scenario where the promotion of a qualified individual to a higher rank within an organization is overlooked so he or she is stuck at lower ranks mainly because of factors driven by discrimination, especially gender and racism (Arnwine, 2010). However, other factors considered as barriers to advancement at work place may include disabilities and aging. A good example are barriers women face when aspiring or attempting to attain higher position which is senior as well as to have higher salary levels in workplaces such as government offices, education, nonprofit organizations and business organizations. Indeed, glass ceiling is a term that was first used to refer to factors that barred women from promotion in the work place in the US yet they possessed the necessary qualifications (Hakim, 2004). Women are vital for contribution of work force around the globe and thus they should be regarded as equally potential like men. Despite their potential, women have been marginalized in various fields and especially in their work place since they are not much considered for advancement in their job groups even if they have the same qualification for promotion as their men counterpart employees. This is critical issue that should be addressed by the human resource management to ensure that job opportunities and promotions are granted on merit but not by any discrimination of whichever form. There is need for human resource management to combat glass ceiling, expand leadership roles of women and also advancement of women in their work places in both domestic and global fronts (International labor Office, 2004). Human resource managers and professionals can have a great impact in an organization because their role in recruitment and promotion of employees (Crampton, Hodge, Mishra, 1997). In other words, they ensure the well-being of all employees, especially with effect to job satisfaction to so that employees carry out their roles effectively. In that effect they should be concerned and have knowledge on how the phenomenon of glass ceiling may be impacting the organization reputation either indirectly or directly. They should also have to understand how this phenomenon is impacting the customer loyalty, growth potential, skill set diversity, and even the organization’s bottom line. Often, the chief executive officer or the organization’s president should invite the professionals of human resource in a meeting and discuss on the possible organization’s changes that could be made in order to reduce glass ceiling which has been in existence. This would maximize the organization’s reputation and performance. The human resource managers should also have knowledge of the organization’s employment laws, practices and programs. This is because the law can protect certain groups such as the women viewed as minority in labor markets. These professionals should also have the knowledge on the potential impacts that barriers caused by glass ceiling may have on the performance of the concerned employee. In some countries such as the United States, work place discrimination, especially sexual discrimination is illegal as stipulated in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, even though it exists in various forms. For instance, women may be discriminated in forms such as low salary increments and generally lower pay as compared to their male counterparts (International labor Office, 2004). This discrimination may also be manifested in the practices of hiring, promotional opportunities, development and training activities are disproportionate in favor of the men. Human resource professionals have the potential of impacting barriers of glass-ceiling either negatively or positively due to the changes in workplace which they implement or facilitate such as employee recruitment, development and trainings, transfers, succession planning, promotions and terminations. In many organizations, affirmative action plans (AAF) should be conducted to utilize analysis that compares number of minorities and women who are available in labor markets with the ones employed in their organization (Hakim, 2004). Another requirement of compliance is the review of corporate management, which is sometimes known as glass-ceiling audits and is usually conducted when the organization is conducting the audit of affirmative action plan and focus primarily on the process of decision making of CEO and senior executives. For non-compliance of affirmative action plans for a company, it can be fined severely and also companies who do not comply with employment laws may also have unfavorable publicity. The glass ceiling evidence can be described as invisible, overt or covert (Arnwine, 2010). Glass ceiling has spread its roots to the gender based barriers which run gamut from the stereotypes of gender to leadership styles that are preferred up to the ranks of high management. The glass ceiling effect sign is the gender-biased compensation where by anecdotal reports and studies have shown big discrepancies on salary favoring men even for similar job levels in the same organizations. Discrepancies favoring men exists in many organizations which are of different sizes. In these organizations women who do not have opportunities of gaining other competences are not likely to get any chance of adding their skills unlike their counterpart men working at the same organization (Crampton, Hodge, Mishra, 1997). Women mostly do not get chances of training in various management fields in most organization and this is a vice that need to be sort out since the world is changing and women are breaking the glass ceiling and are now in senior position in many large organizations including high ranking government offices. Another indicator which shows glass ceiling in an organization is when advancement of women is hampered by corporate cultures that are well-ingrained. Corporate practices and policies for example may maintain status quo in a manner that men are kept in the corporate power positions (International labor Office, 2004). Mostly the board directors in many organizations comprise men as the majority and they may also perpetuate the men status quo by choosing chief executive officers who are like them so as to plant the vice of glass ceiling in the organization. Other barriers that can be said to be gender based are communication and behavioral styles that vastly differ from norms of company and the lack of women opportunity of gaining line experience and also the general management. Human resource professionals should iron out the norms and policies, which can be a barrier to advancement of any group of individuals in the organization and ensure that employees are all motivated without discrimination. Human resource professionals should understand that challenges of work and personal life balance can have impact on women advancement and failure of dealing with them can result to the phenomenon of glass ceiling. They should have the assumption that women are care givers of the family and especially for the elderly and children and thus they may not meet all their work responsibilities due to family responsibilities. Furthermore, there are organizations which cannot give some programs that will involve outside commitment to women especially for the positions which are at senior levels. Therefore a lot of women are disadvantaged to take aspiration steps of advancing in the organization. In addition, promotion opportunities are often given in favor of men mainly due to their developmental prospects which include networks and mentoring (Hakim, 2004). Women are limited to access of the informal networks that men use in developing relationship networks in the organization or company. These networks tend to eliminate women because of nature of their work or sometimes the promotion or advancement may be perceived as male activities and thus this contribute to work place gender barriers. The human resource professionals should ensure that all organization activities are conducted in the organization but should not be discussed outside especially on the matter of promotion or job advancement in the organization. They should also see the need of balancing the personnel who are in the management and leadership line to include women so long as they are competent for such posts. Human resource personnel should avoid glass ceiling by avoiding perception of seeing women as being incompetent in various fields like management and stop stereotyping them. They should do away with the barriers that prevent women from advancing in the organization such as societal barriers and governmental barriers. In recruiting new employees in the organization they should not consider the potential candidates with any discrimination under whatever grounds. The recruitment personnel should not stereotype people and consider other people such as men being more suitable thus leaving women out and may be they could be more competent than the men selected. The government officials who are responsible for recruiting new employees should not be biased on a certain group of people since this is one thing that contributes to glass ceiling placing women on the losing end. Another point of view is that the human resource personnel should wipe out business and structural barriers such as recruitment and out reach practices which can make the minorities and women not to be considered in recruitments. They should also be conscious about the corporate climate which isolate and alienate women from receiving promotions and job advancement in the organization they are working in so as to break the glass ceiling. Another area of adjustment is the training where many organization personnel responsible for training employees have pipeline barriers making women in the organization to receive poor training, which make them unable to have carrier growth in their organization (Crampton, Hodge, Mishra, 1997). They should also eliminate inadequate mentoring in the organization to make women able to be considered for such promotional posts in the organization rather than mentoring men only. Rating and testing systems should not be biased in the organization but should be fair and job advancement should be granted on the merit of performance and competence so as to avoid imbalance of the people in leadership positions in the organization. Internal communication networks in the organization should not be limited to some people but the networks should be among all the employees working together because this is one barrier which makes women to lag behind at the times of job advancements and promotions. To reduce or eliminate glass ceiling in the organization, women employees should not be limited when it comes to job rotation and assignments because limitation of such nature may lead to executive suite. The institutions should not be too much rigid to deny women employees the balance between work and family. With no access of training, developmental assignment, mentoring and other activities of job enhancement, too many women who are qualified are cut short before they reach their aspirations. Corporate leaders should realize that there is need of input and talent of minorities and women at the senior levels in their organization to meet the need of the changing environment in the market (International labor Office, 2004). The demographic and competition internationally is changing and requires all types of gender so as to improve the today’s global world economy. Breaking glass ceiling should be addressed as economic imperative and is the bottom line critical issue in every business internationally and also a pocketbook issue to the working women together with their families. The chief executive officers should focus on job diversity so as to influence the organization culture and create atmosphere which utilizes fully capabilities and talents of the diverse workforce. Setting timetables and goals for diversity of the work force is a business extension practice that can enable it to weigh their growth and progress. Line manager should be held responsible to break the glass ceiling and thus they should have systems of rewarding and compensating in accordance to the diversity objectives accomplishment. Organizations should have affirmative actions to ensure that all employees have access to opportunities equally and they should be based on merit and ability. Opportunities of advancement should be promoted to people who can effectively contribute to the performance of the organization. This means that the rich talent should be used so as to improve the economic stability and also to break the glass ceiling. Another way of breaking glass ceiling is for the organizations to make expansion of their traditional recruitment networks to use a method that seek candidates with experience and backgrounds of non-customary. All in all, the human resource professionals should be concerned on how they can break glass ceiling in their organizations because the world has changed and also glass ceiling is one of the issue that is much of concern in the today life. There is need of selecting and promoting employees in an organization on the grounds of merit so as to improve performance of the organization and have competent employees who know how to tackle changes as they come. References Arnwine, B. (2010). Breaking the Glass Ceiling. Retrieved July 19, 2010, from http://www. newdeal20. org/2010/03/29/breaking-the-glass-ceiling-9240/ Crampton, S. , Hodge, J. , Mishra, J. (1997). The Equal Pay Act: The first 30 Years. Public Personnel Management, 26, 12-21. Hakim, C. (2004). Key Issues in Women’s Work: Female Diversity and the Polarization of Women’s. Oregon: Routledge Cavendish. International labor Office. (2004). Breaking Through the Glass Ceiling: Women in Management. Retrieved July 19, 2010, from http://www. ilo. org/dyn/gender/docs/RES/292/f267981337

Micro And Macro Environmental Factors Marketing Essay

Micro And Macro Environmental Factors Marketing Essay Marketing has often been defined in terms of satisfying customers needs and wants. Critics however maintain that marketing goes beyond that and creates needs and wants that did not exist before, According to these critics, marketers encourage consumers to spend more money than they should on goods and services they really do not need. Aim To prepare a report for the Management of Aldi supermarket on its marketing policy and to propose a new position for its fresh fruits and vegetables. In relation to the above scenario. Terms of reference. To prepare this report the author r has considered the various marketing process, evaluated the benefits and cost of marketing orientation, evaluated the macro and micro factors that influence marketing decision masking he author has also considered different market segmentation for different products of .Aldi. The author considered market targeting strategy for the organisation fresh fruits and vegetables . and evaluated buying behaviour of people for the range these products. The author has and recommended a new market position for this product. Introduction The first foundation stone was laid in 1913 with the opening of a small food store in the German town of Essen. During the 40s, an expansion program was created and more ALDI stores were opened. In 1954, a celebration was held for the opening of the 50th store in Germany. By 1960 ALDI had grown to a network of over 300 stores between the Ruhr Valley and Aachen. The prosperous family business was then divided into two independent companies: ALDI SÃ ¼d to service the South, and ALDI Nord for the North. Self-service was still a relatively new retail structure in the 60s and ALDI became the first company in Germany to adopt this new retail concept. While customers were still able to take advantage of the same high quality products as before, they could now purchase them at much more competitive prices. In 1983, ALDI SÃ ¼d started chilled distribution depots and sold fresh products such as cheese, yoghurt and sausages. Frozen products came in 1998 and were closely followed by fresh meat. ALDI, to this day, continues to keep up with the ever-evolving taste of the modern consumer. Today, Aldi 7,000 stores and serves millions of people across three continents. (Aldi.com.au) 4. Marketing process MARKETING PROCESS The marketing process is the process of analyzing market opportunities, selecting target markets, developing the marketing mix, and managing the marketing effort. Target customers stand at the center of the marketing process. There are following steps in Marketing Process: A. Analyzing marketing opportunities B. Selecting target markets C. Developing the marketing Mix D. Managing the marketing effort A . Analysing marketing opportunities This involves carrying out market research to find out the opportunities, the threat and the organisation strength and weakness. Hence the need for a reliable market research approach. With market research the organisation will find out about market constrains, it will find out it competitors about demand for the product it will also be able to profile the age group, of likely consumers of the firms product.the company finds about legislation and other environmental factors that re likely to affect the profitability of the company. With useful information rom the market research the organisation will know customers requirement and able to plan for it. B. Selecting the target Market Todays market is very competitive and to be a viable organisation the organisation as to be customer focused. It is import to analyse and profile consumer. Each company has to segment the market and concentrate on the market where it believe it has the edge over others (Target Market). C. Market segmentation This is dividing the market into separate groups by consumers and their needs traits, behaviour. Target marketing is the evaluation of each market segment and selecting one or more segment where the company can generate more customer value and sustain it over a period of time. D. Market positioning The company need to identify how its products be placed in a distinctive and desirable position to other competing products in the. To define a market position the organisation has to identify possible competitive advantage. The company will need to develop a marketing strategy that will support the market positioning of the product. This will provide consumer with more than those offered by competitors. c. Developing the Marketing Mix Having develop its market positioning and competitive strategy the it will have to decide what its marketing mix will consist of The marketing mix is the set of controllable marketing variables that the firm blends to produce the response it wants in the target market. The marketing mix consists of everything that the firm can do to influence the demand for its product. These variables are often referred to as the four Ps. . Product, Place, Promotion and price. d. Managing the Marketing Effort To manage the marketing the firm will need to carry out four marketing functions of analysing, planning, implementation, and control Marketing orientation Marketing Orientation is defined as as a corporate state of mind that insists on the integration and coordination of all the marketing functions which, in turn, are melded with all other corporate functions, for the basic purpose of producing maximum long-range corporate profits. (business.highbeam.com) The characteristics of market orientation are inter-functional coordination,customer orientation, understanding customers and organisational culture. . . The benefits and cost of marketing orientation Benefits of marketing orientation Growth in profitability Improved corporate image High customer satisfaction, loyalty and retention Increase sales and market share Enhanced competitive advantage Cost of marketing orientation Technology requirement for customer contact and improved ways of doing business Complex customer growing needs and power Increasing customer expectations Staff training and development needs Increase resource demand to providing customer specific marketing ukessays.co/essays/marketing/marketing-report-of-tesco.phpg 6 . Micro and Macro environmental factors that affect marketing 6.1 Micro Environmental factors These are factors within the control of the organisation and their implied actions can affect the organisation. There are six main factors that can be classified as micro environmental factors Marketing channel: This includes the distribution channel, the outlets, sales representatives and market research companies. The consumer, producer,reseller, government, and international markets. Organisations internal environment these includes management, Employees and Directors and franchisee. The competitors Publics: These are group of people or body that have interest in the organisation that have an actual or potential interest in or impact on the organizations ability to achieve its objectives:financial, media, government, citizen action, and local, general, Financial intermediaries: This includes the external auditors, the banks and credit rating agencies. Whatever actions taking by the people will be as a result of the organisation activities and practice. Hence the conclusion that the organisation invariably has control over them.. Macro Environmental Factors This are external factors outside the control of the organisation and ability to envisage them allows the company to be prepared and adopt strategies to overcome them. Demographic Environment This is to do with the population of a particular location and the following understated factors are are likely to affect its outcome which invariably will affect the planing of of the organisation Population Growth Where there is a population explosion or high population the organisation is likely to do well and increase profitability through increased sales. Also migration will have an equal effect Population Mix The population mix will have effect on the types of goods that will be demanded for example in China there will be more pensioners and old age in the next few years and the working population may not be able to sustain the pensioners. Furthermore the demand for adult drapers in such market will increase whilst that of children will greatly reduce. Household pattern The household consumption pattern will also change where there are no babies in the house the parents will not buy baby food or medication. Geographical Shift The emigration or immigration will affect the population of a location and management needs to take this into account when deciding and planing the marketing strategy for example there is migration to the UK and emigration fn Republic of Ireland and this will affect consumption pattern . Economic Environment The economy of a country or the economic prospect will affect the consumption pattern in that country for example the Euro zone are going through and economic depression. Each family are concerned about how they spend their dis[posable income. The same applies in UK and it reflects on peoples shopping habit less people go to shop in Waitrose and more people are turning to Aldi. Social cultural Environment This will equally affect the decision of management for example it will impossible to sell non halal food in a predominantly Islamic country and also with we not make economic decision not to sell alcohol in the Republic of Ireland. Natural Environment Where there resources like raw materials and reduced labour cost it will make economic sense to locate there also where is natural disaster the firm can plan suitable good s for that region. Technology Environment The advent of I pads, smart phones. online shopping has changed shopping habits and also advertising patterns significantly the next generation of technology is on its way. Corporations to be conversant with changing technology so as plan ahead. Political and Legal Environment Governments continue to change all over the world, different governments come up with different policies and laws. Some may be to the advantage of the company some may be threat and some may be opportunities. In conclusion The micro and macro factors are used for SWOT analysis in analysis in an organisation. Buying Behaviour Stages of the Consumer Buying Process Problem or need recognition Information search Evaluation options Purchase Decision Post Purchase Positioning of fresh Fruits and Vegetables at Aldi .Product positioning is the ability of a firm to come with unique product and customer perception of brilliance and likable product. Product s positioning are based class attitudes, benefits,quality and are target at a particular people known as the market segment..( Berry T.and Wilson D , 2000) The target market for fresh fruits and vegetables in Aldi should be children to reduce obesity in the country, to increase healthy awareness and promote healthy eating. Conclusion Marketers go out of their way to find and develop a Niche market and product and tto look for ways on enticing consumers and be a profitable organisation to this end they carry out market research. analyse the market and come up a with valuable product that will be demanded. The also create awareness through different campaign strategy, they spend considerable amount of money to ensure the product is attractive,the packing is attractive and they promote the usefulness of the product Recommendation .Product positioning involves creating a unique, consistent, and recognized customer perception about a firms offering and image. A product or service may be positioned on the basis of an attitude or benefit, use or application, user, class, price, or level of quality. It targets a product for specific market segments and product needs at specific prices. Referencing http://www.aldi.com.au/au/html/company/3777.htm http://www.zainbooks.com/books/marketing/principles-of-marketing_10_marketing-process.html http://business.highbeam.com/138375/article-1G1-8366780/market-orientation-construct-research-propositions http://www.ukessays.co/essays/marketing/marketing-report-of-tesco.php#ixzz2NAfKDrTg ON TARGET: THE BOOK ONMARKETING PLANS How to develop and implement a successful marketing plan. By:Tim Berry and Doug Wilson Palo Alto Software, Inc., First Edition, October, 2000

Netflix Business Strategy Analysis

Netflix Business Strategy Analysis Introduction Netflix, a multi-billion dollar subscription service company, was founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in California, USA. It is said that Reed Hastings was charged a $40 late fine after renting the film Apollo 13 from Blockbusters and that this inspired him to set up Netflix as a DVD-by-mail service. It quickly expanded by introducing steaming media online and is now accessible in over 190 countries worldwide. In 2013 Netflix diversified into the content production industry and this foresight gave them the edge which paved the way to becoming the leader in the Streaming market, more popular than Amazon Price and Hulu. Following on from the success of its first series it is now estimated to have released in excess of 126 original series or films, more than any other network or cable channel. Currently, Netflix are believed to have approx 117 million subscribers worldwide and the company was recently estimated to be worth in excess of $100 billion(2). Market Structure Generally you can divide industries into categories according to the degree of competition that exists between the firms within that particular industry; Perfect Competition, Monopoly, Monopolistic Competition and Oligopoly. Perfect competition is where there are many firms competing within the industry and each firm has a very small market share which in turn means none of them have the power to influence the price. Monopoly is where there is just one firm in a given industry so there is no competition which allows the firm to charge what they want. Monopolistic Competition falls in the middle, there is a significant amount of competition and there is the opportunity for new firms to enter and exit the industry quite freely. Finally, Oligopoly is where only a few firms in the industry exist and it can be very difficult for new businesses to break into. This fits the market structure of Netflix Inc. The reason it falls under this market structure is because there are very few companies that provide the same service e.g. Amazon and Hulu. Although the core principle of services provided by three companies may seem the same, they differ slightly in terms of the content they provide. Netflix has moved towards original content created and produced by Netflix themselves while Hulu is aimed more at current TV Shows and films from Hollywood. Another reason why Netflix can be classified as an Oligopoly is that there is a significant barrier to enter this market; capital investment. In order to provide relevant, popular content that will attract customers to subscribe, a huge level of investment in needed to acquire the licence to stream these TV shows and movies. For example in 2011 Netflix successfully secured exclusive streaming rights to The Walking Dead and it is said to have cost the company $1.35 million per episode making the deal worth $25 million at the time (based on the episodes available at the time) [1] Product Range Although Netflix’s product range itself may appear to be very small; TV Shows and Movies, they offer a huge variety of genres and use analytics to make the best recommendations for their users. They have created over 75,000 micro-genres in an attempt to understand how people look for movies. They took the genre description, broke them down to their key words, employed people to watch content and tag every aspect of it from director/actor/genre all the way to how it ends and the personality of the main character and categorized each quanta and documented it. This allows them to offer their customers an extremely personalized recommendation service to make their entertainment experience as seamless as possible. It also allows them to attract a hugely diverse customer base because they cover almost all genres. [2] Pricing Strategy [4] In an oligopolistic market the organizations have a shared control in the price of the product/service they offer. The largest firm in the industry has the power to set the pricing standard across the market. All other firms within the market will go along with this standard e.g. when Netflix increased their prices by $1 last October, Hulu followed suit by introducing a more expensive ‘ad-free’ subscription package which was more similar to Netflix’s offerings. They did however decrease their standard package price (with adverts) in an attempt to become a stronger competitor in the market. Because of the oligopolistic nature of Netflix Inc.’s, their price elasticity can be said to be relatively inelastic. This has been proven over the years from incremental price increases and the introduction of tiered pricing for additional features. It also allows users to add concurrent streaming on multiple devices.   Netflix Inc.’s current pricing strategy was first implemented in 2011 when they introduced a standalone streaming subscription (No physical DVDs included). They have three tiers of prices. It starts with their â‚ ¬7.99/month Basic Plan which allows you stream TV shows and movies on one device at a time in standard definition. It also allows you download titles to mobile devices. The next step up is the â‚ ¬10.99 Standard plan, allowing concurrent streaming on two devices in HD (also includes option to download). Finally the â‚ ¬13.99 Premium plan lets you stream on 4 devices at the same time in HD and UltaHD included in the download option. As you can see, each tier offers more features which gives the impression of value for money. On the Basic Plan you’re paying almost â‚ ¬8 for only 1 screen whereas you are offered Ultra HD and 3 additional screens for an additional â‚ ¬6 per month, this leads the customer to choose the higher priced package as it is better value.   Market With up to 118 million subscribers globally, Netflix has a huge volume of customer globally. Of these, over 54.75 million are United States customers but as this streaming giant drives forward and increases in size and popularity, their international subscription base is growing. This was evident in April 2017 when Netflix confirmed a licensing deal made in Mainland China for original Netflix content with iQiYi which is a Chinese video streaming platform owned by Baidu [13] Profitability According to CNBC, Netflix exceeded expectations by the addition of 8.33 million subscribers globally in the fourth quarter of 2017 which brings the grand total subscribers up to 118 million. The market capitalization of Netflix is now passed the $100 Billion for the first time Monday the 22nd of January after the release of their Q4 earnings. The EPS was announced as 41 cent which was in line with expectations done by a Thomson Reuter consensus estimate and the revenue reached an impressive $3.29 Billion. These figures have changed dramatically since the Q4 report in 2016; EPS was 15cent and revenue of $2.48 Billion. Although the revenue increase is welcomed, it will be reinjected into future investments on new content for 2018. Netflix says they expect this to cause a negative free cash flow of $3-4 Billion and will continue to â€Å"raise capital in high yield market†. [12] Core Philosophy [6] Netflix have reinvented the wheel when it comes to Rules of Corporate Culture. They value people over process and believe that their workforce is made up of great people working together as a dream team. This is all to create an environment which is flexible, fun, stimulating, and creative and allows employees to work to the best of their ability. They value integrity, excellence, respect, and collaboration and base their culture around 5 core principles: Encourage independent decision-making by employeesShare information openly, broadly and deliberatelyAre extraordinarily candid with each otherKeep only our highly effective peopleAvoid rules They also have a unique policy when it comes to parental leave and holidays. They recognize that having a child is one of the most special events in an individual’s life which is why they encourage new parents to take as much time as they need to readjust to their new life as parents. Their policy us: â€Å"Take care of your baby and yourself†. This shows that Netflix truly care about the wellbeing of their employees and want their vital team players to be at their best mentally and physically throughout the full course of their career at Netflix. The same rules apply for Holiday leave. They allow employees to take whatever holiday time they feel they need to work to the best of their ability throughout the year, be it one week or four week. The decision is in the hands of the individual employee. Along with this unique attitude towards creating their employee culture, Netflix recognize that they have the ability to impact the world through their work. â€Å"IT TAKES DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT, CULTURE, BACKGROUND, AND PERSPECTIVE TO CREATE A TRULY GLOBAL INTERNET TV NETWORK†. They pride themselves on their belief that we have to work from the inside out to create a space where all employees and voices are heard and appreciated. With almost a 50:50 gender balance and an ethnically diverse work force, Netflix are helping pave the way for equality for all in the workforce. [5] Advertising/Promotional Strategy of Netflix [14] Netflix use a very clever technique to determine what their customers want to see, they monitor illegal downloading sites such as BitTorrent and ÃŽ ¼Torrent for the most popular downloads and use this information to decide which content they should be bringing to their streaming platform. This content joined with ‘Netflix Originals’ are what attract customers to their site instead of the likes of Hulu and Amazon Prime. Amazon’s CEO Reed Hastings said in an interview that they strive to â€Å"make the big titles bigger†. TV shows such as Stranger Things or 13 Reasons Why are hot topics of conversation within many friend groups and discussion boards. This pulls in the people who haven’t joined yet because they want to join the discussion. Hasting says that â€Å"All their friends are talking about the shows, which is the dominant accelerator†. Together with this, according to theconversation.com, Netflix Inc. has adopted a ‘conglomerated niche’ strategy; they produce content catering to many different target audiences, for example, action series â€Å"Daredevil, horror series â€Å"Hemlock Grove† and exclusive films starring popular actors. By doing this, Netflix is able to service different audiences simultaneously and separately [14]. While these techniques are used to initially attracted subscribers to the platform, their unique recommendation algorithm is used to keep their subscribers happy and entertained. Their algorithm also knows what image they should use when making suggestions for example if you have previously watched more comedies than romantics, when suggesting a romantic comedy they will emphasis the comedy aspect through the actors or a snapshot of a funny scene instead of the romantic side of the firm. Their theory is that on a subconscious level you will be more attracted to the imag e and more likely to select the title. Share Price Movement Week 1(11th September): Netflix begins with a share price of $181.74 according to NASDAQ which is the starting point for this analysis period. It is a slight increase from a weekly high of $179 by the previous week end. This was following a pattern of stead increases over the previous two weeks, increasing by almost 14% by the 21st of September. Week 2(18th September): Following on from week 1, week 2 saw the same pattern of slight increases and decreases in the share price but ultimately increasing overall.   Week 3(25th September) [7]: On the 25th of September there was a sharp dip in price, loosing $9.50 worth of value over the course of the weekend. This was most likely caused by the announcement that 21st Century Fox was adding more content to their own streaming service. A similar reaction among investors happen earlier in the year when Disney announced it would be removing all their content from Netflix in the lead up to the launch of their own streaming serving which would cater to their own target audience. Week 4(2nd October): After seeing another slight decrease over the course of the week due to the Century Fox announcement, Netflix made a comeback by announcing that they would increase the subscription price for customers causing a significant hike in their share price. The statement made on 5th October resulted in a share price increase of 5% ($10) in a matter of hours, and by the end of the week (Oct 6th) it has risen to $198. This was an all-time high, according to Variety. This indicated that investors momentary wobble in confident has subsided and were fulling trusting that the hike in price would not impact the amount of subscribers but would instead increase revenue, benefiting them. Week 5(9th October): Following the previous week’s announcement, Netflix’s value remained relatively flat line with the exception of a few minor increases and decreases throughout the week. This absence of change was short lived as the momentum began to build again towards the end of the week. Week 6(16th October) [8]: This week sees a record high for the stock price. Reaching $202.68 on Monday the 16th. This comes alongside the news that Netflix are planning to spend up to $8 Billion on programming in 2018. According to CNN Tech, this came at a time when tech leaders such as Apple and Amazon were using their huge availability for resources to find original content to compete with the likes of Netflix Original successes such as Orange is the New Black or Stranger Things. Each of these has brought a huge volume of customers to the site due to its exclusivity and cult following of these shows. Week 7(23rd October): This record spike in the share value was short-lived. By the 23rd of October the share price had dropped below the $200 mark again after it transpired that Netflix were expecting to raise $1.6 Billion in debt to cover the cost of the original content they had planned for 2018. This was cause for concern among the shareholders but luckily it didn’t impact too heavily on the share value which only decreased by 5% or $10. Week 9(6th November) [9]: Although Netflix had gained 64% in value over the past year, the shocks lost more than 5% this week after sexual assault allegations were made against Netflix Original Series actor Kevin Spacey. The lead actor in Netflix own House of Cards came under fire which in turn prompted the firm to decide not to continue production of their hit show as the reputation and ethics of the company may come into question if actions weren’t taken. Week 10 – 16: There is very little significant increase or decrease to report over this period. Although there was slight movement up and down, for the most part the share price remained between $184.04 and $199.18. No major announcements or significant articles were published during this time frame that would have been disruptive to the share price which is why it remained so stable for such a time period. Week 17(2nd January): The firm begin to pick up some motion upwards again after a period of relative stability in price of their stock. This could be as a result of the buzz caused by an influx of articles listing the best of what’s to come in 2018. For example â€Å"the top 20 new and returning shows to Netflix† according to TV Time Week 18(8th January) [10]: Continuing along the pattern of steadily increasing in value day by day, by January 8th, shares have reached a new high of $212.52. This pattern in causing technical analysts to predict even further increases in the share value. According to CNBC TradingAnalysis.com’s Todd Gordon says â€Å"the streaming platform’s run is hardly done†. Gordon predicts, based on the Elliott Wave theory, that Netflix shares are set for another wave up causing their value to soar even higher. This prediction is ahead of January 22nd, the date on which Netflix are set to report their Q4 earnings which have a massive impact on the share value. Final Week: The final week in this analysis period is week prior to the release of the Q4 earnings. This week traders are expecting a â€Å"big move† according to CNBS. Up to this point in 2018 alone, shares have increased by up to 9.5% going from $201 on January 2nd all the way up to $220.46 on Friday January 19th. The release comes on Monday 22nd of January and, although is not included in the requested analysis period, it would be unjust not to report the impact it had on the value of the Netflix share price. Between market close on Monday and market close on Tuesday, shares leaped a massive 10% (rounded up) which amounts to an increased value of $22.71, but this impressive jump didn’t end here. Over the next seven days the share price increased to a staggering $284.59 by market close on Monday 29th. This amounts to a surge of almost $83 and is equal to a 41.5% leap in value. The Q4 report says that Netflix added 1.98 million U.S. and 6.36 million overseas subscriber s which was much higher predicted [11]. This along with fourth-quarter revenue of $3.29 Billion is the likely cause for the surge. Investor confidence has strengthened as a result of exceeding expectations and predictions. Conclusion It is evident that Netflix are a very successful streaming platform who have a great team of people behind them to drive the company forward to do bigger and better things. They have expanded and diversified enormously since being founded in 1997. Going from a DVD by mail and online streaming platform to having 118 million users worldwide and producing their own highly successful content. It is clear that this multi-billion dollar company is a game changer in the entertainment industry. Bibliography [1] Matthew Byrd, November 2017, 15 TV Shows That Cost Netflix A Ton of Money, screenrant.com https://screenrant.com/netflix-tv-shows-most-expensive-cost/ [2] Alexis C. Madrigal, January 2014, How Netflix Reverse Engineered Hollywood, theatlantic.com http://linkis.com/www.theatlantic.com/Sa5NA [3] Blog, fusebill.com https://blog.fusebill.com/pricing-strategy-tiered-volume-pricing [4] Netflix Streaming Plans, Help Center, Netflix.com https://help.netflix.com/en/node/24926 [5] Inclusion and Diversity, Netflix Jobs, Netflix.com https://jobs.netflix.com/diversity [6] Culture, Netflix Jobs, Netflix.com https://jobs.netflix.com/culture [7] Michael Sheetz, September 2017, Netflix heads for the worst day since November after Fox spooks investors, cnbc.com https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/25/netflix-heads-for-worst-day-since-nov-2016-after-fox-spooks-investors.html [8] Seth Fiegerman, October 2017, Netflix to spend up to $8 Billion on programming next year, cnn.com http://money.cnn.com/2017/10/16/technology/business/netflix-earnings/index.html [9] Sara Salinas, November 2017, Netflix dropped 5% this week, after rallying all year, cnbc.com https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/10/netflix-drops-five-percent-this-week.html [10] Annie Pei, January 2018, Netflix could surge another 20 percent, says technical analyst, cnbc.com https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/05/netflix-could-surge-another-20-percent-says-technical-analyst.html [11] Todd Spangler, January 2018, Netflix Blasts Past Q4 Subscribers-Growth expectations, shares soar to all-time high, varierty.com http://variety.com/2018/digital/news/netflix-q4-2017-earnings-stock-1202672341/ [12] Anita Balakrishanna, January 2018, Netflix jumps more than 8% after adding more subscribers than expected, cnbc.com https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/22/netflix-earnings-q4-2017.html [13] International Expansion, Netflix, Wikipedia.com https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netflix#International_expansion [14] Amanda Lotz, April 2017, The unique strategy Netflix deployed to reach over 90 million worldwide subscribers, theconversation.com http://theconversation.com/the-unique-strategy-netflix-deployed-to-reach-90-million-worldwide-subscribers-74885 [15] Netflix, wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netflix [16] John Lynch, October 2017, Netflix stock hits all-time high after price hike for US subscribers, businessinsider.com http://uk.businessinsider.com/netflix-stock-hits-all-time-high-after-price-hike-2017-10?r=US&IR=T

Relationship between Prospero, Caliban and Ariel in The Tempest Essay

Relationship between Prospero, Caliban and Ariel in The Tempest   Ã‚   Shakespeare’s play, The Tempest is set on a mysterious island surrounded by the ocean. Here the magician Prospero is ruler of the isle with his two servants Caliban and Ariel.   Caliban is the abrasive, foul-mouthed son of the evil witch Sycorax. When Prospero was shipwrecked on the island Prospero treated him kindly but their relationship changed when Caliban tried to rape Prospero's daughter, Miranda. Caliban then became Prospero's unwilling servant. Caliban serves his master out of fear Prospero's wrath. Prospero's other servant Ariel is a graceful spirit who has courtesy and charm. Ariel has put her services at Prospero's disposal out of gratitude for his kind actions towards her. Prospero saved Ariel from the confinement of Sycorax who held her prisoner. Prospero treats his two servants in very different ways as their behavior and attitudes towards him are contrasting. From this, the question arises why he treats his equally hard-working servants in different ways and if he is wise in his actions. Prospero treats Caliban in a very strict, even ruthless manner insulting him, 'Thou poisonous slave, got by the devil himself' 1/2/319 and threatening him with harsh punishments that he can inflict by his powerful magic, '...tonight thou shalt have cramps... Thou shalt be pinched... each pinch more stinging Than bees made 'em. ' 1/2/325 Prospero appears to be a ruthless tyrant that strikes fear into Caliban to make him work but further on in the text we learn that this is not the case. Caliban's foul-mouthed insults, '...blister you all over.' 1/2/324 portray his degraded, brutish nature. In Act 1 Scene 2 Caliban complains of how Prospero used h... ...te therefore becoming impractical and lacking in common sense. Shakespeare tries to show in the form of the wise Prospero, the balance of the two sides, the baser and the nobler. If you let one side dominate your personality you lose sight of your own individual person and you lose the balance.    Woks Cited and Consulted Cahn, Victor L. Shakespeare, The Playwright Praeger Publishers. Westport CT. 1996 Charney, Maurice. "Bad" Shakespeare Associated Univeristy Press. London, England. 1996 Howe, James. A Buddhist's Shakespeare Associated University Press. Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. 1994 Hylton, Jeremy. Complete Works of WilliamShakespeare, Oct 4, 1999. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Kathman, Dave. Dating The Tempest Personal site http://www.clark.net/pub/tross/ws/tempest.html   

In What Ways Does Brownings use of the First Person Narrative in his :: English Literature

In What Ways Does Browning's use of the First Person Narrative in his Dramatic Monologues Help to Reveal the Thoughts and Feelings of his Characters? Robert Browning was a highly respected Victorian poet. He lived from 1812-1889. Browning eloped with and married the daughter of a family Tyrant, Elizabeth Barrett. They loved each other until death parted them and both poets wrote moving love poetry, having experienced the happiness of true love for themselves. The two poems I shall study in this essay give a whole different side to Browning's poetry and a whole different view of love. Both of them have little to do with love as most of us would understand it, yet both give very interesting studies of two contrasting characters. Browning uses the first person in his poetry to reveal the thoughts and feelings of his characters, and does this very effectively. The poem "My Last Duchess" gives us a complete character study of a Renaissance nobleman. Although he never talks directly about himself in his narrative, the Duke reveals a lot about his personality: it is made quite obvious that he is a very proud, arrogant and self-centred person. The poem is written as a monologue given by the Duke to a servant of a prospective new wife of his. He drops subtle hints to say that his prospective wife will have to behave in a way he sees fit, casually saying: "That's my last Duchess painted on the wall, Looking as if she were alive" He also twice mentions how the painting is by Frà   Pandolf. This name-dropping reveals that he is arrogant. He obviously wants the servant to offer some sort of praise about the painting as he asks him, "Will't please you sit and look at her?" He obviously likes to be in control seen as he keeps a picture one presumes he would like everyone to see behind a curtain, so that men that he doesn't wish to look at her can't. He went to the sitting for the painting because he was so jealous. He makes this clear by saying: "Sir, 'twas not Her Husband's presence only, called that spot Of joy into the Duchess' cheek" He disliked the way she took pleasure from all things. He considered that this meant she saw him to be as important as her white mule or a beautiful sunset. One wonders if he was possibly quite an insecure man, seen as he could not believe, "She thanked men." I think one would think this of any man who was jealous of a sunset! He seems to think it a disgrace that he didn't think she appreciated the title he

Undaunted Courage Outline

Chapter 1 Youth 1774 – 1792 Summary and Analysis Meriwether Lewis's ancestry, birth, and early life are considered. Lewis is born August 1774 in Virginia to William Lewis and Lucy Lewis nye Meriwether, cousins. Lewis is born on the eve of the American Revolutionary War and his ancestry includes numerous military accomplishments in both lines. Lewis has an older sister, Jane, and a younger brother, Reuben. William Lewis dies of pneumonia in 1779; thereafter Nicholas Lewis, William's older brother, becomes family guardian pending Lewis' attainment of legal age.Lucy Lewis remarries in 1980 to John Marks, and has two additional children—John Hastings and Mary Garland. One significant family friend is Thomas Jefferson, future president of the United States of America and a nearby plantation owner. As a young boy, Meriwether spends a considerable amount of time out of doors, including accompanying a frontier pioneer group to a new settlement. He is considered to be curious, i nquisitive, coolheaded, and courageous†¦ Chapter 2 Planter 1792 – 1794 Summary and Analysis Also read: Why Nations Fail Chapter 5 SummaryDuring his youth, Lewis develops excellent skills in riding, hiking, and outdoor skills as well as a penchant for what he refers to as ‘rambling'; that is, adventure and wilderness travel. He develops a scrupulous honesty and is widely considered trustworthy. He assumes plantation management with minor misgiving over having given up his formal education. Nevertheless, he is a capable administrator, constantly increasing the size of his land holdings. Like most other plantation owners, he is land rich and cash poor. Slaves work his plantation and, like most men of the era, Lewis is not troubled by the moral quandary slavery presents.He esteems Native Americans as the archetypical noble savage and believes that one day they will accept European civilization and become productive and co-equal citizens; he simultaneously considers African Americans somewhat sub-human and incapable of the degree of energy and self-direction necessary for independent success in a free-enterprise†¦ Chapter 3 Soldier 1794 – 1800 Summary and Analysis During the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794, many young men, once children of the American Revolution, enlist in the military as a show of patriotic fervor.Among the new inductees is Meriwether Lewis who enlists as a private. Although only a private his considerable wealth, substantial education, and notable breeding ensure that, he spends most evenings in the company of officers. He finds life in the service enjoyable and fulfilling. Within a few months, he is commissioned an ensign in the Virginia Militia. After the rebellion is quelled the army ranks are rapidly thinned through cutbacks, but Lewis retains his position even with little experience—a fact which speaks well for his capability as a junior officer.He is eventually assigned to be army paymaster and spends many months traveling extensively through the western frontier areas of the growing nation. He meets most army o fficers personally and gets to know their opinions†¦ Chapter 4 Thomas Jefferson's America 1801 Summary and Analysis When Thomas Jefferson becomes President of the United States of America, the nation numbers slightly less than five and one-half million people. That includes approximately one million slaves. Geographically, the nation is a vast open country, nearly limitless in potential, and nearly completely unknown.Overland travel is slow and difficult, seldom averaging more than a score of miles in a day—even over a rarely encountered roadway. Rivers form the dominant highways and are the only way to transport substantial bulk materials. The relative positions of the Eastern seaboard states are known, as is the position of the distant Oregon country. Roughly, three thousand miles of terra incognita lay in between. Jefferson incorrectly speculates that a water route along major rivers probably exists which could link the two population centers.Meanwhile, many European nations, including Spain, France, England, and Russia, are vying for control of the interior of North America. Such†¦ Chapter 5 The President's Secretary 1801 – 1802 Summary and Analysis Meriwether Lewis is serving as army paymaster, when Thomas Jefferson offers him the highly sought after job as personal secretary to the president. Lewis immediately accepts the job. Though he leaves active service, he retains his commission and right to promotion. Jefferson selects Lewis largely because he is a staunch Republican and, importantly, because he knows nearly all of the officers in the army on a personal basis.One of the first tasks Lewis completes is an encyclopedic rating of all commissioned officers, placing them into one of several categories, which largely established their capability as officers and their political beliefs. Many officers are dismissed from the service, chiefly those who are incompetent but also many who are politically hostile to the new administration . Lewis performs many duties as secretary, including constant visits with congress and interaction with significant political persons. In fact, Lewis delivers Jefferson's first ‘state of the†¦Chapter 6 The Origins of the Expedition 1750 – 1802 Summary and Analysis From the earliest days of colonization, the national interest had been captivated by the vast interior space. Many voyages of interior exploration were planned but virtually none had come to fruition. Jefferson had personally championed several attempts. On the most promising attempt, the noted adventurer Andry Michaux was selected. Jefferson raised funds through private subscription and Michaux commenced his voyage of exploration.Before getting far, however, Jefferson discovered Michaux was actually an agent of the French government, causing the entire exertion to be canceled. Because of these many unsuccessful experiences, Jefferson comes to believe that a voyage of national exploration would require th e financial backing of the Federal Government. In 1787, a British explorer reports crossing northern Alberta and reaching the Pacific coast near Columbia. Coupled with the recent retrocession of the Louisiana territory from Spain to France the news galvanizes Jefferson; he determines immediately to act to preserve the†¦Chapter 7 Preparing for the Expedition January – June 1803 Summary and Analysis Jefferson personally attends to Lewis' requisite education. As well, Jefferson contacts experts in significant fields and enlists their open-ended assistance as educators, peers, and advisors for Lewis. Lewis thus has unrestricted access to the brightest minds in the nation while preparing for his voyage of discovery. Meanwhile, the various details of planning and organization are covered throughout the chapter. Jefferson develops an extensive document containing instruction, advice, and orders.Lewis makes up lists of supplies and costs, and estimates how many men might be requ ired to successfully complete the voyage. Lewis also spends a great deal of time learning how to perform geographic observations to fix latitude and longitude. Toward the end of the period discussed in the chapter Lewis begins to accumulate the vast stores of impedimenta required for such a long journey; he in particular spends time at Harpers Ferry securing firearms and overseeing the construction of an†¦ Chapter 8 Washington to Pittsburgh June – August 1803 Summary and Analysis Lewis returns to Washington and spends several critical weeks with Jefferson.Copies of the voyage orders document are circulated among Jefferson's intimate circle and various revisions are proposed and accepted. Lewis meanwhile continues to gather maps and fragmentary knowledge of the deep interior of the continent. Jefferson writes and signs a carte blanche order allowing Lewis to draw any funds or equipment from any branch or station of the United States Government; it also requests private en terprises to assist Lewis so far as practicable and orders military installations to cooperate with Lewis in any circumstance.The author notes the document is the most unlimited letter of credit ever issued by an American president. During this time, a second officer was considered indispensable to the voyage's success; Lewis immediately extends the offer, by post, to his old friend William Clark. Clark of course accepts the invitation, forming the most-famous partnership in†¦ Chapter 9 Down the Ohio September – November 1803 Summary and Analysis Lewis begins the trip by boarding the newly constructed keelboat and proceeding down the Ohio River.The extreme lateness of the season (Lewis had hoped to be leaving months previously) insured that the Ohio's waters were very low. Thus, the initial stages of the trip were very slow and the keelboat made only ten or so miles each day. Lewis begins recording in his journal on August 31, the day he left. The text then considers the nature of the journals; Lewis never recorded whether the journals were written during or after the expedition. Further, there are frequent large gaps in the journals where nothing is recorded—for example, May 14, 1804 to April 7, 1805.Modern histories do not know if these journals are lost or if Lewis simply did not record his observations for these prolonged periods. At any event, Lewis continues on his voyage. The snail's pace gradually†¦ Chapter 10 Up the Mississippi to Winter Camp November 1803 – March 1804 Summary and Analysis The mighty Mississippi River quickly convinces Lewis and Clark that they will need still more men to be successful. Over the next several weeks, the men worked the keelboat and pirogues against the current, difficult hard work claiming only a few miles of progress each day.The party continued on, stopping at trading posts and forts to obtain supplies and review potential recruits. The party eventually reaches St. Louis and a brief peri od of political intrigue follows wherein the local Spanish political commander refuses to allow entry to the Americans until the official land transfer of the upper Louisiana territories occurs. While in St. Louis Lewis sends and receives mail, notably from Jefferson. Additional men and supplies previously sent overland, rendezvous with the river party.With the season and political situation over, the party subsequently winters at Camp Wood near St. Louis. Finally, in mid-March, the political handover is accomplished†¦. Chapter 11 Ready to Depart April – May 21, 1804 Summary and Analysis In the spring, Lewis and Clark purchase more provisions and ready to leave. Clark's commission finally arrives; startlingly it is for a lieutenant's commission and not a captain's commission as Lewis had promised. Nevertheless, Clark accepts the commission, though obviously disappointed.Lewis suggests and Clark agrees that they two alone will know the true situation—to everyone el se on the entire voyage, and for years afterward, Clark is known as Captain William Clark and viewed as Lewis' co-commander on the voyage. Lewis appoints an authorized agent in St. Louis, sends of final communiquys, and readies his personal gear for departure. Many of the men attend a final mass service. In the afternoon, the party departs amidst rain, thunder, lightning, and the cheering of assembled crowds.For the next two or more years the party knows there will be no letters, no communication and no supplies from their homes. They are isolated†¦ Chapter 12 Up the Missouri May – July 1804 Summary and Analysis By dint of nearly superhuman endurance and raw physical strength, the party forces the heavy keelboat against the current of the mighty Missouri River, making up to twenty miles progress some days. The party reaches the Osage River, the Kansas River, and then the Platte River, passing tiny outposts of advance settlers and trappers. One settlement of note is Boone 's Settlement in Kentucky—founded by Daniel Boone.History does not record whether Lewis and Clark meet Boone. Strangely, throughout much of this period Lewis keeps no daily journal. Instead, he apparently spends his time walking ashore and collection plants, animals, and soils specimens while Clark, the better river-man, manages the progress of the keelboat. Lewis does issue a comprehensive Detachment Order, which allows modern historians to partially reconstruct the daily routine of the adventuring party. One of Lewis' primary directives was the posting of an active watch to secure the voyage†¦Chapter 13 Entering Indian Country August 1804 Summary and Analysis Lewis begins to realize the unprecedented possibilities offered to an astute botanist; he collects many specimens previously unknown to science and writes lengthy monographs using precise and technical terminology. The same paradigm presents with animal life—for example, on August 12, 1804, Lewis and Clark become the first Americans to see a coyote, which they called a ‘prairie wolf'. Near the end of August, the party shoots and eats the first bison taken by American hunters. The Garden of Eden qualities of the land are not lost on Lewis.Also during August, the party makes their first contact with Indians, meeting Otos and Missouris. Jefferson's orders instruct Lewis to attempt to peacefully integrate the Indians into the growing American commercial system; Jefferson wants to replace British fur traders with Americans and hopes most or all of the various Indian nations can be integrated with the United States of America. Lewis will†¦ Chapter 14 Encounter with the Sioux September 1804 Summary and Analysis The Sioux tribes are widely regarded as well organized, militant, and aggressive.Jefferson's instructions to Lewis specifically indicate that the Sioux should be courted especially vigorously as their cooperation would be extremely useful to future American expansion in the area. In early September, the party continues upriver and fortuitously encounters the lost private—he had assumed the boats were upriver from him and thus has been proceeding ahead of the party for a few weeks. Lewis finds the area of present-day South Dakota almost unbelievably opulent in animal life and he discovers several species—once, two in a single day—that are entirely new to science.Lewis and Clark commend with wonder at the hundreds and even thousands of bison that make up vast herds and on the plentiful bounty of the land. Ambrose once again notes that Lewis' journals are silent for a prolonged period beginning roughly when the party meets the†¦ Chapter 15 To the Mandans Fall 1804 Summary and Analysis Throughout September, the voyage continues upriver through panoplies of natural wonder. Huge herds of migrating mammals are seen daily and enormous flights of migrating birds pass overhead. The weather temporizes and frosts kill off the clouds of m osquitoes, as the trip becomes one of entire enjoyment.The party encounters their first grizzly bear; they refer to it as a white bear. They also pass through the deserted outer lands of the once-mighty Arikara tribe; empty villages and lands a mute testimony to the mass deaths recently caused by smallpox and other diseases. Eventually they arrive at the Arikara heartland and discover a tribe about three thousands strong. The meeting proceeds well and the Indians are friendly. One chief accompanies Lewis and Clark upriver to the next great tribal area of the Mandans, ostensibly to negotiate peace between the tribes. Many outlying Mandan villages are also deserted due to smallpox, but†¦Chapter 16 Winter at Fort Mandan December 21, 1804 – March 21, 1805 Summary and Analysis The winter proves exceptionally cold and difficult. Lewis and Clark and their men must rely upon the Mandan Indians for supplies and food. The expedition builds a sturdy fort complete with a palisade wa ll and substantive interior shelters. On one occasion, a lazy soldier scales the wall rather than issuing a password and waiting for the gate; he is observed by an Indian who subsequently scales the wall in imitation. Lewis and Clark are concerned now that the Indians realize the wall is more show than defense—in the event, however, nothing untoward occurs.The winter months are spent hunting, preparing for the coming season, and mingling with the local Indians. York, Lewis's African American slave, proves interesting to the Indians who think at first that he must be colored with paint. Frequent minor political intrigues occur and are documented, as are some of the Indians' sensationalistic practices. For example, the†¦ Chapter 17 Report from Fort Mandan March 22 – April 6, 1805 Summary and Analysis In the spring, the keelboat is packed and readied for its return trip to St. Louis—too large to navigate the upper Missouri, it is replaced by small canoes.The k eelboat is loaded with specimens, journals, observations, maps, compiled Indian vocabularies, and many long letters. These form the final link between the party and the United States of America until the party's return after many months of exploration. Lewis also sends an accounting of the expenses of the expedition to this point, including a list of all the various letters of credit he has issued on the journey. The expedition hopes to reach the Pacific Ocean and then return as far as the Mandan villages for the winter of 1805-6, and then return and report to Jefferson as early as September 1806.These predictions illustrate that even at this late date Lewis is underestimating the difficulty of crossing the Rocky Mountains†¦ Chapter 18 From Fort Mandan to Marias River April 7 – June 2, 1805 Summary and Analysis The expedition departs in early spring. Lewis refuses several last-minute offers of sexual adventure for the officers and men, even declining to take along severa l squaws for routine camp company. For many days, Clark guides the river teams of pirogues and canoes while Lewis with a few picked men hikes along the shore, hunting, recording observations, and collecting specimens.Because of the large number of the party—around thirty-five souls—a prodigious amount of meat is needed every day. Lewis constantly notes in his journals that game of all kinds is wonderfully abundant and, unalarmed by humans, easy to secure. For most of the upriver trek Lewis and Clark find the voyage exactly as the Hidatsas had described. Major rivers are found where their rudimentary maps indicate they should be, and the terrain and river conditions are as anticipated. Nevertheless, the journey is covering ground never before explored by modern Americans. Going†¦Chapter 19 From Marias River to the Great Falls June 3 – June 20, 1805 Summary and Analysis For several days, Lewis and Clark try to determine which river—the Missouri or the Marias—is the true Missouri river. Because of the turbidity and temperature, all of the men conclude erroneously that the Marias is the true Missouri. Lewis and Clark, however, in complete isolation determine that the true course of the Missouri lies to the southern fork. Only much later would historians realize that the Hidatsa, traveling overland, would have entirely missed this fork of the river as it occurs in a great northern bend of the Missouri River.Lewis and Clark spend several days scouting a goodly distance up each river and making numerous observations. They finally conclude that the party must take the south fork. While Clark leads the water party, Lewis and a few picked men rapidly proceed ahead on land to discover if they have selected the wrong branch of the river. They make good†¦ Chapter 20 The Great Portage June 16 – July 14, 1805 Summary and Analysis The boat group soon arrives at the base of the falls. Sacagawea falls ill and is nursed by Lewi s while the men cut timber and manufacture wheels and crude wagons with which they will haul the canoes and pirogues.The portage proceeds under fair weather but the work is grueling and accomplished only after many days of toil. At the head of the falls, Lewis assembled the iron frame of his experimental boat and has it covered with elk hide. This project is fascinating to Lewis but, apparently, Clark concludes at the outset that it is unpractical. In the end, Clark's opinion proves correct—the hide covering of the craft cannot be effectively sealed and the constant and rapid leaking through the seams of the skins makes the boat perpetually swamp. After only a few hours of experimenting ith the completed boat, Lewis must conclude that his experimental craft—hand built at†¦ Chapter 21 Looking for the Shoshones July 15 – August 12, 1805 Summary and Analysis With overloaded canoes, the voyage proceeds up the Missouri River through difficult terrain. The Rocky Mountains enclose the river so closely that Lewis names the initial entrance ‘Gates of the Rocky Mountains'. The voyagers proceed upriver searching for Shoshone Indians from whom they hope to procure horses. They pass what will eventually become the famous Last Chance Gulch, a location rich in gold.Lewis and Clark are not interested in mineral wealth, however—it is not easily portable and at such a distance from civilization would prove essentially worthless. First Clark and then Lewis take turns scouting ahead or ranging afar in an attempt to find the Shoshone. Clark's feet become damaged and infected by Prickly Pears, but he still presses on. By the end of July, the men are becoming despondent because of the difficult river work. They are heartened when Sacagawea begins to recognize landmarks and informs them that†¦Chapter 22 Over the Continental Divide August 13 – August 31, 1805 Summary and Analysis The next day the small group encounters an old Shoshone woman with a baby and engages her in very limited discussion, giving her some gifts. She leads Lewis and his few companions to the Shoshone village. A tense meeting follows where Lewis tries to make himself understood but is apparently mistaken for a trickster from a hostile Indian tribe, even though a white man. A period of tense negotiation follows but Lewis manages to befriend Cameahwait, the principle chief.He convinces the Indians to accompany him downstream to meet Clark. The Indians suspect a trap and thus warily accompany him. Lewis is dumbfounded to reach the location only to discover that Clark is not yet present. He uses several stratagems to calm the worried Indians until the following day when Clark does arrive. Finally, with Sacagawea's language skills, the Indians' fears are largely reduced and a series of agreements are†¦ Chapter 23 Over the Bitterroots September 1 – October 6, 1805 Summary and Analysis Led by Old Toby the party proceeds through the Rock y Mountains, covering incredibly difficult terrain.They meet a group of Salish Indians, purchase a few more horses and continue on. During the next week the weather breaks and snow begins to fall. The journey becomes very difficult and game is scarce, forcing the killing of three horses to feed the company. Fatigued, hungry, and depressed, the party makes little progress—perhaps ten miles per day—and reaches a critical breaking point. Faced with starvation Clark takes a few picked hunters and proceeds ahead at a rapid pace with the intent of hunting what game is available and leaving it along the trail for the larger party, led by Lewis.Lewis' group suffers several accidents with horses and frequently loses horses during the night but continues doggedly though dysentery and venereal disease weaken the men. Finally, after 160 miles of difficult terrain and†¦ Chapter 24 Down the Columbia October 8 – December 7, 1805 Summary and Analysis The men recover their strength and make rapid progress down the river. Even with the cumbersome dugout canoes the party sticks to the water and runs through numerous long and dangerous rapids.Old Toby becomes so afraid of the rapids that he sneaks off one evening and is not seen again. In early October, the expedition reaches the Snake River. They meet the Nez Percy Indians and establish friendly relations. Although the expedition does not stay in one place very long, Lewis manages to compile some language vocabularies and makes some ethnographic observations, including noting that the Indians possess items obviously acquired by trading with European sailors and are, unfortunately, fond of stealing anything they can.By mid-October, they reach the junction of the Snake and Columbia Rivers. Toward the end of October, the expedition encounters a prolonged series of savage rapids. Rather than a lengthy portage, Lewis and Clark†¦ Chapter 25 Fort Clatsop December 8, 1805 – March 23, 1806 Summary an d Analysis Amidst violent rain and windstorms, the expedition establishes Fort Clatsop, a small structure with two facing buildings joined by palisade walls to form a small interior parade ground. Lewis issues garrison orders and the long winter months of boredom begin.The men amuse themselves with sexual escapades among the receptive Indians, trading trinkets for partners and contracting venereal disease. Hunting parties wander ever farther afield and food remains very scarce. Lewis establishes a salt-making camp on the coast a few miles from the main fort—the men there boil seawater to collect salt. Throughout the winter, many groups of Chinook and Clatsop Indians visit—some are extremely friendly, others cause minor tensions. Most of the men of the expedition suffer from injury and illness at some point during the winter.Clark repetitively records in his journal that the area brings extreme boredom, monotony, and hunger. On one occasion a small group sets†¦ Cha pter 26 Jefferson and the West 1804 – 1806 Summary and Analysis This chapter contains a brief analysis of Thomas Jefferson's vision of the west. In brief, he subscribed to a vision of the United States stretching from coast to coast and considered that the Louisiana territory and the Pacific northwest were both rightfully components of his nation. A strident anti-British politician, he greatly desired to force the British fur traders out of American territory.Jefferson's views on the proper treatment of Indians are starkly at odds with his historic presentation as a great libertarian and proponent of human rights—the Indians must either join with the United States of America or remove themselves; there would be no recognition of sovereign rights. Jefferson stated that commerce with the Indians was preferable to military solutions because commerce was more profitable. The chapter also includes a discussion of the reception in St. Louis and Washington of dozens of Indian s who accepted Lewis' invitation to visit†¦Chapter 27 Return to the Nez Percy March 23 – June 9, 1806 Summary and Analysis The expedition sets out with a dread of the pending Rocky Mountain traverse. Food is scare and the men have taken to purchasing and eating Indian dogs. Lewis spends several days making jerky from what game is available. At the campsites through April many starving Indians visit, begging food and stealing trinkets. Tempers in camp flare as the thievery becomes more brazen and minor scuffles are common. On several occasions violent is averted only at the last moment.Rather than fight upriver against rapids and current Lewis determines to return along the Columbia route overland. The expedition has little left which is not necessary and when horses must be purchased, they must sacrifice part of their cooking kit to obtain them. At the end of April, the expedition meets and stays with Wallawalla and Yakima Indians; they are fed and receive more horses an d are given information about trail conditions†¦ Chapter 28 The Lolo Trail June 10 – July 2, 1806 Summary and Analysis The party proceeds into the mountains and encounters snow so deep there is no forage for the horses and the trail cannot be located.After a brief discussion, they turn back. Several days later, they acquire Indian guides who lead them quickly and surely through the mountains. On the far side of the Bitterroot Mountains their confidence swells out of proportion to common sense and the party determines to split up and conduct separate investigations of alternative routes. In all, the Corps of Discovery will divide into five small groups and execute a reckless and complicated series of investigatory travels. Various points of rendezvous are established and the plan is delivered to the men.Chapter 29 The Marias Exploration July 3 – July 28, 1806 Summary and Analysis The text covers only Lewis' expedition to locate the northern headwaters of the Marias River; the book does not cover in detail the exploration conducted by any of the other groups, though their experiences are mentioned in passing. This chapter thus deals only with Meriwether Lewis and the few men that accompany him. In early July they set off to discover whether the headwaters of the Marias River—and thus of the Missouri River drainage basin—extend beyond 49 degrees north latitude.If they do, then the United States of America can lay legal claim to more territory due to the terms of the Louisiana Purchase. The small group proceeds down the Big Blackfoot River as far as White Bear Island without major incident. They are happy to once again be on the plains where game is plentiful but they also once again find the mosquitoes nearly unbearable. They recover their cache†¦ Chapter 30 The Last Leg July 29 – September 22, 1806 Summary and Analysis Lewis' group proceeds by water to the junction of the Yellowstone River, the site of planned rendezv ous with Clark.Clark has left a note and moved ahead. Lewis pursues through a land of abundant game and abundant mosquitoes, making excellent progress without incident until mid-August. At that time, Lewis and a nearsighted one-eyed private are hunting elk when Lewis is shot in the buttocks. He calls out for the private who does not respond—Lewis hobbles back to the canoes and rouses the alarm of an Indian attack. The men go on the offensive but shortly return with the missing private and state no Indians are in the area.Later Lewis recovers another letter from Clark informing him that one of the smaller expeditions, having completely failed in its mission, has rejoined with Clark. Lewis thus spends a terrible night; too sore to be moved from the pirogue he passes the†¦ Chapter 31 Reporting to the President September 23 – December 31, 1806 Summary and Analysis In St. Louis, Lewis immediately writes a brief letter to Jefferson and also writes personal commendations for each of his men, noting with satisfaction that all members of the party have returned in good health.Lewis also once again appealed directly to Jefferson on Clark's behalf, noting the successful prosecution of the adventure was due equally to both men. The group then spends a month in St. Louis settling financial affairs and playing the role of heroes, enjoying fame and being entertained. In early November the party proceeds to Louisville and then to Frankfort where it splits into various smaller groups that proceed to their various destinations. Clark goes to Fincastle, Virginia, to visit with friends, while Lewis continues on to Charlottesville with Big White, the Indian chief.Late in December, after a lengthy trip of many public appearances, Lewis arrives in Washington. No account of the initial meetings between†¦ Chapter 32 Washington January – March 1807 Summary and Analysis In Washington Lewis once again lives with Jefferson and spends weeks and months prepari ng reports and revising his journal. The men of the expedition are all rewarded with substantial but not extravagant land warrants and pay—for example, Lewis' total amounts to some $7,262. Lewis and Clark both receive promotions, Lewis civilly as the Governor of the Louisiana Territory and Clark within the military.The book notes that Lewis is singularly unprepared to act as Territorial Governor and the appointment is one of Thomas Jefferson's great mistakes. Clark soon departs for St. Louis but Lewis remains in Washington, ostensibly to see to the private publication of the journals of the expedition. Lewis, faced with competing publication of other expedition members' journals, becomes uncharacteristically sarcastic about the relative merit of his subordinates' journals. Meanwhile, Clark becomes engaged, and Jefferson begins to distribute seeds collected by Lewis to his eminent botanist friends.Much†¦ Chapter 33 Philadelphia April – July 1807 Summary and Analysi s In the spring of 1807, Lewis leaves Washington for Philadelphia where he arranges for the publication of the journals, promised in three volumes costing $31 for the set. Lewis contacts several acquaintances for assistance in preparing the various volumes of the journals. Lewis' biological and botanical samples are catalogued and then delivered, with Jefferson's approval, to Charles Willson Peale's Museum in Independence Hall. Lewis, recently admitted as a member, also lectures at the American Philosophical Society.He also commissions artists to render relevant plates for inclusion in the journals, and Peale renders Lewis' portrait, as does C. B. J. Fyvret de Saint-Mymin. Lewis hires mathematicians to convert his copious observations into corrected latitude and longitude measurements. Finally, Lewis and Clark purchase one other journal written by a sergeant on the voyage, presumably to forestall its publication and subsequent competition. Strangely, amidst all this preparation for publication, Lewis overlooks the single†¦Chapter 34 Virginia August 1806 – March 1807 Summary and Analysis In late July, Lewis travels from Philadelphia to Washington and settles his receipts with the war department. He then tours through several cities and acquaints himself with several young women who fail to meet his expectations, and a few more who for unknown reasons do not find him suitable. For eight months, Lewis' whereabouts are unknown and through that time he accomplishes little more than nothing. Although he receives letters and correspondence from Jefferson and his family, he does not reply.Ambrose speculates that depression, alcohol, and malaria may explain his lack of production. At any rate, he appears in St. Louis in late winter of 1808 and produces a complex report on the situation of the Louisiana Territory. The consideration of the relative merits of the report consumes most of the brief chapter. Lewis suggests excluding the British from Louisiana Ter ritory, greatly increasing the military presence in the area,†¦ Chapter 35 St. Louis March – December 1808 Summary and Analysis In 1808 St. Louis is a vibrant and multi-cultural city and the dominant western city in the United States of America.Ambrose describes the city's unique flavor and brief history in some detail. Tensions between the old Spanish and French established business families and the new American businessmen are tense. Lewis' predecessor, General Wilkinson, had administered the territory with one eye on his own pocketbook and thus the political and economic situations are complicated and uncertain. Administering such a complex and vast territory would be a challenge for an accomplished and professional politician—it was simply beyond the ability of the young Lewis. Lewis arrives in St.Louis devoid of the melancholic depression that has apparently afflicted him for the past several months. He rents a house and engages in the social life of the city , drinking hard and spending many hours in dissipation. He does attempt to manage the rabble†¦ Chapter 36 St. Louis January – August 1809 Summary and Analysis Lewis continues to work as the governor of the territory, making some good decisions and many bad ones. He begins to take regular doses of opium and morphine, ostensibly to treat his malaria—soon, however, he is strongly addicted and frequently addled.Moreover, he continues to routinely become drunk in the company of less-notable political hangers-on; by today's standards, he would be considered an alcoholic. His personal finances are in complete disarray and his public expenditures are alarming. He arranges a merging of personal and public interests, which draws wide criticism—he helps to establish a fur trapping and trading company, grants the company a monopoly on trade, and funds the company's initial expedition with public funds. All this, he justifies by charging the company with the task of ret urning Big White to the Mandan villages.Although not hugely aberrant in concept for the day and place, the scale of the questionable†¦ Chapter 37 Last Voyage September 3 – October 11, 1809 Summary and Analysis In early September, Lewis sets out for Washington. He brings along the journals of the Lewis and Clark expedition, a few personal belongings, and a huge dossier of receipts, notes, and requests for public expenditure. He hopes to arrange his documentation and present his case to the government so they will honor his many public debts. He travels initially by river but finds the heat and humidity intolerable.In addition he drinks heavily, takes frequent snuff, many pills, and opium. His behavior is wild and outlandish and he then attempts suicide on two occasions. He is put ashore in charge of an army captain who places him under suicide watch. Lewis writes some garbled letters explaining his delay to distant officials. After about a week Lewis' derangement lifts an d he determines to proceed overland to Washington. For several days, Lewis and several attendants travel overland. Lewis' mood is dark and†¦ Chapter 38 Aftermath Summary and AnalysisMany years after Lewis' death, some researchers have proposed that he might have been murdered. Ambrose considers the evidence and dispenses entirely with the theory by noting that Clark and Jefferson both accepted Lewis' suicide at face value. Lewis was malarial, depressed, and highly stressed. He was an alcoholic and a drug addict, an inveterate user of snuff, a habitual smoker, and frequently greatly over-medicated himself with curatives of the period, which often contained mercury. Any one of these factors alone could have motivated him to suicide; taken as a group they are a more than convincing rationale.Coupling all this with his widely reported erratic and despondent behavior, the argument against suicide appears insubstantial. Lewis' estate is bequeathed to his mother and liquidated by his half-brother. The signal failure of his latter years remained packed into trunks—his unpublished journals. Clark obtains the expedition journals and travels to Monticello to†¦ Big Whitee Big White was a Mandan chief. He agreed to accompany the expedition on its return voyage and visit President Jefferson in Washington. He, his family, and a party of soldiers were attacked and repelled by a group of Arikaras on their return trip. gt;/p; Cameahwait Cameahwait was a Shonshoni chief who aided the Lewis and Clark expedition. Cameahwait's people provided horses and Old Toby to guide the expedition through the Bitterroot Mountains. Cameahwait also turned out to be Sacagawea's brother. Toussaint Charbonneau Charbonneau was a French Canadian. At the time he met the Lewis and Clark company, he was living among the Hidatsas as an independent trader. Sacagawea was one of his wives. Lewis and Clark eagerly signed him on as an interpreter, thus gaining the service of Sacagawea. Lewis was disappointed with Charbonneau, however, calling him â€Å"a man of no particular merit. Pierre Chouteau houteau, along with his half-brother Auguste, co-founded St†¦. Undaunted Courage | Summary Lewisaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ Early Life The first five chapters of Undaunted Courage detail Lewisaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ life before undertaking the expedition. Lewis was born to a distinguished Virginia plantation family in 1774. As a boy, Lewis spent several years living in a Georgia frontier colony. After his return from Georgia at the age of thirteen, he was given several years of formal education so that he would be prepared to manage the estate he had inherited from his father.However, he only spent a few years on the Virginia plantation; instead, he volunteered for the Virginia militia in 1794. He spent the next six years in the military, and his service required him to travel throughout much of the American frontier. However, in 1801, President Jeffersonaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬ a longtime acquaintan ce of the Lewis familyaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬ asked Lewis to serve as his personal secretary and aide. Captain Lewis quickly gave up his military commission and moved to the presidentaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s residence in Washington. Planning the Expedition Jefferson had long been interested in sending an expedition to explore the west.When Jefferson learned that the British were planning to engage in the fur trade in the Pacific Northwest, he was galvanized into action. In 1802, Jefferson chose Lewis to command an expedition to the Pacific. Lewis had three main goals: find an all-water route to the Pacific Ocean; tell the Indians they had a new leader and bring them into the American trading network; and explore the northern tributaries of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers, which would determine the northern extent of the boundary of the Louisiana Purchase.Jefferson was also keenly interested in scientific inquiry. In preparation for the journey, Lewis studied geography, botany, mineralogy, as tronomy, and ethnology with leading American scientists. He also made decisions on what and how many supplies to bring, what presents to give the Indians, and how many men to employ in the company. He oversaw the construction of a boat that would take the company up the Mississippi River. Lewis also decided he needed a co-commander, and he chose Clark, whom he had met in the military.Although Clarkaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s official rank was never promoted beyond that of lieutenant, which dismayed Lewis greatly, the two men shared command. While preparations were being made, the Louisiana Purchase was also completed, giving the United States ownership of much of the land over which the men would travel. Up the Missouri On August 31, 1803, Lewis set forth down the Ohio River. He met with Clark in Clarksville, Indian Territory, where they enlisted men in their Corps of Discovery. The party then sailed upriver to Wood River, where they set up winter camp.Clark oversaw the preparations for the tr ip while Lewis took charge of purchasing supplies in St. Louis. On May 22, 1804, the Corps of Discovery, made up of almost fifty men, was finally on its way. It consisted of a large keelboat and two smaller boats. The boats traveled more than 640 miles upriver before encountering a single Indian. On August 2, a party of Oto arrived at the expeditionaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s camp. Lewis told them about Jefferson, their new Great Father, and gave them gifts. On August 20, the expedition suffered its only fatality when Sgt. Charles Floyd died of a ruptured appendix.In September, the Corps met a large party of Sioux and visited the Sioux village. In October, the group approached the Mandan villages in present-day North Dakota. The friendly Mandans were at the center of Northern Plainsaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ trade. The men built Fort Mandan, where they spent the winter. They also met a French-Canadian trader, Charbonneau, and his wife, Sacagawea, who joined the Corps as translators. A small group of men sailed back down the Missouri to bring back information about the expedition thus far. Westward Bound On April 7, 1805, the expedition was ready to move west.Eight days later, the expedition passed the farthest point upstream on the Missouri known by Lewis to have been reached by white men. The men hunted buffalo and had their first grizzly bear sighting. In June, the party crossed the Missouri and discovered that two large rivers met. They had to decide which river was the Missouri. They chose the south fork and followed the river to the Great Falls. At this point, the men had to carry their canoes overland. They had reached the foot of the Rocky Mountains and wanted to meet the Shoshoni. After several days, the men came across a Shoshoni party.Their leader was Cameahwait, who was Sacagaweaaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s brother. They traded for horses with the Shoshoni and hired an Indian guide, Old Toby, to take them across the mountains. Once across the mountains, the men traveled down the Col umbia toward the Pacific. They discovered that rapids and falls broke up the Columbia for almost a fifty-mile stretch. The men shot the rapids while the important supplies were carried by hand. They continued onward to the Pacific. The party built Fort Clatsop as their winter camp. By this time, the party had very little goods left to trade.When the Clatsops would not sell them a canoe that they needed, Lewis told his men to steal it. In March 1806, the men turned eastward on their way home. Heading Home The men headed east up the Columbia, which was hard going. They decided to go overland instead and purchased horses from the Nez PercA ©. Lewis also hoped to persuade them to send some guides and diplomats with them back east. The Nez PercA ©, however, said it was too early to cross the mountains, but the Corps was determined to do so. They headed out but soon discovered it was impossible to keep to the trail, which was hidden under feet of snow.They realized the difficulty of t heir undertaking but luckily came across two young Indians crossing the mountains and quickly engaged them as guides. Thus they reached the other side of the Continental Divide safely. Lewis and Clark parted company briefly in July. Lewis wanted to explore the northern river that had met the Missouri, the Maria. He hoped that it would extend far northward, giving the United States more land. He took a small party of men. After several days out, they got into a fight with some Blackfeet Indians and shot two. However, Lewis and his men escaped unharmed.They met up with Clark at the Point of Reunion in present-day North Dakota, and the entire party continued on to Fort Mandan. Then they headed down the Missouri. They met trading boats, which gave them the first news of the country they had heard since their departure. They arrived in St. Louis on September 22, 1806. Lewis immediately sat down to write a report to Jefferson telling him of their discoveries. After the Expedition Lewis we nt to Washington in January and after that on to Philadelphia. He made plans to publish his journals. Jefferson also appointed him the governor of the Louisiana Territory.Lewis, however, did little work, either on the journals or as the governor. He did not arrive in St. Louis until March 1808, at which point he was already experiencing bouts of depression and drinking heavily. In St. Louis, he attempted to set up a fur trade business with his friends and invested money in land speculation. He also spent money outfitting an expedition to return a Mandan chief to his homeland; however, the government decided not to reimburse him for these expenses. Lewis undertook a journey to Washington but died, apparently a suicide, on October 11, 1809.