The rights and obligations of parties involved in marine salvage under Essay

The rights and obligations of parties involved in marine salvage under the admiralty law - Essay Example The oil ship Rusty Floater was moored alongside Old Bucket in the process of feeding oil to the latter when a gale blew and,though moderate,was enough to break the forward quay moorings of Old Bucket.It came so sudden that there was no time to disconnect the oil supply pipeline. Old Bucket broke free from the oil feeder ship and proceeded to drift into port, threatening to collide with other vessels anchored at the marina. At this, the crew of a tugboat in the area sprung into action. The tugboat master, who is experienced in oil spill control at sea, concentrated on Rusty Floater and helped disconnect its oil pipeline properly, while his crew cast tow ropes at Old Bucket to hold her steady. The operation succeeded such that Old Bucket did not harm other vessels and the oil feeder ship Rusty Floater was prevented from spilling bunker oil into the sea. When the danger was over, the tug towed Old Bucket to another berth, while the master of Rusty Floater signed an LOF 2000 agreement wi th a SCOPIC clause with the tugboat owner.In signing the LOF (Lloyd's Open Forum) 2000 contract with a SCOPIC clause, the owners of Rusty Floater basically signified their agreement to provide an award to the tug for the salvage of their vessel. As a form of salvage contract, LOF 2000 defines the services rendered by the rescuer and the rights and obligations of the parties, such as what proportion of the salved values of the vessel would be awarded. In the instant case, the LOF 2000 contract probably specified the parties' agreement that the salvage operation was a low-value case that nonetheless became critical because of the threat to the environment (Bishop, 2000). The addition of the SCOPIC clause in the contract indicates the parties' agreement to an amount of award appropriate to this "low-value" threat. The SCOPIC clause in the LOF 2000 contract also means that the parties agreed to a two-tier remuneration system: full tariff rates if all the tug's salvage equipment were rea sonably engaged or used at some stage of the operation, but only 50 percent if these equipment were mobilised but not used. In effect, the signing of LOF 2000 with a SCOPIC clause between the masters of Rusty Floater and the tug guarantees a successful salvage claim against the oil feeder ship. There was no mention if the owners of Old Bucket signed the same agreement but if they did, the tug owner is due for two potentially successful salvage claims against both Rusty Floater and Old Bucket. The salvage claim against Old Bucket derives its strength from admiralty law provisions dictating that there is such a claim if a vessel requires assistance as result of an incident to try to minimize the extent of its losses and, in this case, prevent a possible collision with other moored vessels. From the oil carrier Rusty Floater, the tug owner deserves an even higher salvage award because his action served to prevent pollution and damage to the

MARKETING PROFESSIONAL Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

MARKETING PROFESSIONAL Practice - Essay Example At the next level, the people who will work on this plan’s realization need to be identified and appropriately trained. The research for the staff required for the completion of an organizational plan begins within the organization. If specific competencies are involved in the particular project, then individuals with the required skills need to be identified. At this point, there is the following problem: is the organization involved able to respond to the financial needs of such initiative? In current case, the financial status of the particular (non – profit) organization is rather satisfactory – at least for now. However, the organization is not able of hiring staff; for this reason, volunteers will be asked to participate in the particular project – supporting the organization’s permanent staff. The various aspects of the specific scheme – of attracting volunteers – need to be carefully reviewed: a) volunteers will be treated like the permanent staff, b) the tasks allocated to volunteers will be checked – in accordance with the skills and the competencies of each individual, c) the time period of the volunteers’ participation in the project will be strictly defined – each volunteer will be asked to participate in the project for a short period – not more than a month – in order to guarantee the quality of the work provided but also the availability of volunteers, d) the performance of volunteers will be monitored – ensuring that volunteers who highly perform will be rewarded for their efforts; non-financial rewards could be provided to volunteers aiming to enforce their motivation. When the financial and the non-financial resources required for the specific project have been allocated – in the context described above – then the practical implications and challenges of the project should be identified and evaluated. First, the phases of the project need to be presented: a) in terms of location, the project will be

Computer Technology Essay Example for Free

Computer Technology Essay Charles Njogu, the name does not ring a bell does it? That is my name. Why should my name matter to you? It should matter because I am one of the biggest success stories to come out of my native country, Kenya. I come from a third world country and nothing I have ever achieved or have in life came on a silver platter. I worked hard to reach my status in my life now and I am working even harder to make sure that I do not waste any of the opportunities lady luck has thrown my way. Completing my education has always been my personal battle. There were some real times in the past when I thought that I would do better to throw in the towel and just give up. But I have a dream, a dream to help my countrymen realize a better life and for the future generation of Kenyans to have a better chance in life than my generation did. This is why I strive to reach even greater heights in my educational accomplishments. I want to be the example every Kenyan will look up to and realize that there is a brighter future ahead of them. All they have to do is keep moving towards the goal. No matter how impossible it seems. Though life was rough for me back home, I never let anyone derail me from achieving my goals. That character trait of mine was built up over the years of failure and hindrances that I had to overcome. Looking back on my educational achievements in Kenya, I amaze myself because I never believe I could all that and much more. I have always had a fascination with Computer Technology. This is why my earliest educational achievements were in this field. The Computer Training Center in Nairobi awarded me an ACP certificate in Computer programming back in 1993. This was quickly followed by an ACP Advance Diploma in Computer Studies as well as another ACP Diploma in Systems Analysis and Design. My interest in computers helped me understand that Management plays an important role in the way any office works. All the best computers and databases in the world will be rendered useless if efficient office management is not firmly established by the office right from the start. So I toyed with the idea of taking some management courses. After all, it has always been a personal dream of mine to own my own business someday and, hopefully, be able to teach my fellow Kenyans all about business management in order to help their business skills. Three years later, in 1996, graduated with a National Diploma in Business Management with an Advanced Certificate in Business Administration from the Kenya Institute of Management. For most people, that would be enough of an achievement to make them feel accomplished in life, but not me. I knew there was more to learn and that Kenya based educational institutions had probably taught me all that I they had to offer me. So I set my sights higher. This time, I was eyeing further advanced education in the United States of America. It was with great pride and joy that I was accepted into Brandeis University in Massachusetts. I attended the school as a masteral student of International Finance and Economics. My major was in International Finance and International Economics. I completed these studies back in 2003. Now, in 2007, am expecting to complete my Master of Science degree in Management and Systems with a major in Leadership and knowledge from New York University. You might ask yourself, with all these accomplishments, why would I still want to complete a Ph. D. in Management at Rutger University? The answer is really part of a very logical process of educating myself that is deeply rooted in my sense of self-accomplishment. I want to be a results oriented businessman with vast experience in business administration, financial management, information technology, knowledge and organizational management. I believe that in order to properly manage a business, I must be highly skilled in strategic planning, implementation and information systems auditing as well as knowing how to properly increase productivity while keeping a streamlined business operational. It is my intention to complete my Masteral Degree in Management because in the future, I wish to see a challenging career as a Business Systems Analyst, project manager, as well as a network engineer / person. These positions will require me to fully utilize all my extensive skills, analytical and leadership abilities in order to realize my potential for future growth. Why should Rutger University even bother to consider me for a student slot in the system? The answer to this lies in my soon to be published thesis entitled Managing Knowledge Capital: How Organizations Measure Knowledge Capital and How the Make It Grow. It was recently reviewed with much praise by Lydia Rich and should be published in the short-term future. In this thesis, I am reminding everyone that computers do not do the managing of businesses although they are an integral part of the management system. I proposed that what really keeps the business running is a thoroughly new, yet proven to be accurate method of determining the value of businesses today through proper management ideas. Lastly, I am sure you will want to know why I want to attend Rutger University. The answer, simply put is that I believe that your university will provide me with fertile ground where in I can learn even higher levels of academic theory and practice based on one of the most admirable Ph. D. curriculums this nation has to offer.

Benefits of using Cost Volume Profit analysis

Benefits of using Cost Volume Profit analysis Cost Volume Profit Analysis Table of Contents Introduction CVP analysis and decision making Relationship between revenues, costs, profits and volume Fixed vs. variable costs Break even analysis: Margin of safety 1.Non- Linear CVP analysis: 2.Linear CVP analysis: Operating Leverage Income Tax benefits: Future forecasting Preparation of Budgets: Cost Control: Price Determination: Profit Planning: Risk Assessment: Decision Making: Conclusion References Describe the benefits of using cost volume profit analysis for management decision making Introduction Every organization needs to calculate future revenues in order to help the managers carry out their operations effectively. Cost volume is the approach used for this purpose. Cost Volume Profit analysis or CVP analysis helps in identifying the operating activity levels with a purpose to avoid any kind of losses and achieve profits. Moreover, it also helps the companies to plan their future operations and see whether their organizational performance is going on the right track or not (Lewis). While conducting a business, the companies also have to face various risks and in order to counter those risks, CVP analysis is an effective tool. The following project tends to analyze the fundamental concepts regarding cost volume profit analysis along with an illustration of how these concepts can be useful in carrying out organizational operations. CVP analysis and decision making Cost Volume Profit analysis helps organizations to examine their profits, costs and prices with respect to any changed that occur in sales volume. CVP is an effective tool that helps accountants to engage in decision making regarding future operations (Breakeven analysis (CVP analysis)). Moreover, it also helps in making the following decisions for the company: It helps to analyze which products and services are beneficial and how can company use these products and services to generate the maximum amount of revenue. It also explains what sales volume will be needed by the company in order to achieve a fixed level of profits Moreover, it tells how much revenue should the company target so as to make sure that no losses occur It also highlights what would be expected budget of the company It also helps to calculate company’s fixed costs and measure the amount of risk associated with any investment Relationship between revenues, costs, profits and volume CVP analysis helps to find out the relationship between the above mentioned elements in a graphical format. For example: if a company has contribution margin of 300, 400 and 500 units respectively on its income statements, then the CVP graph can be represented as follows: The contribution margin ratio used for this purpose can be calculated as follows: CM ratio = Total CM Total Sales This ratio can be used to calculate unit contribution margin and the total contribution margin (MAAW, 2011). The unit contribution margin helps us to calculate the difference between total revenues and unit costs of the company whereas the total contribution margin is related to the difference between total revenues and the total costs of a company. In other words, the total can be calculated by multiplying the unit cost with the total number of units. So, this shows can CVP is an effective tool for calculating the contribution margin. Fixed vs. variable costs Another benefit that organizations get by using the cost volume profit analysis is the decision making about different types of costs. This is important because while carrying out a business, the company is not concerned with the total amount rather it is concerned with the actual cost behavior. This is so because cost behavior helps us to classify the costs into various categories such as fixed, variable, administrative and so on. For example: Let’s take a company with fixed costs F, variable costs V and the total number of units equal to X, its contribution margin will be equal to (P-V)X and profit can be calculated as follows: Profit = (P-V) X F Break even analysis: Cost volume profit analysis can also help the organizations in calculating the breakeven point which is the point at which the profits become equal to zero. This can be done by finding the break even volume and then using it to make graphical representations. The break even volume can either be expressed in dollars or in units depending upon the nature and type of the organization (Cafferky, 2010). For instance: if the organization makes a large amounts of products, then the company must prefer to calculate the breakeven volume in the form of sales dollars while in case of one product company, the unit method might be a more effective calculation of sales volume. Presented below are the calculation method and the graphical representation in both cases: Break even volume in unit method = Fixed costs Unit contribution margin Break even volume in sales dollar method = Fixed costs Contribution margin ratio This chart illustrated that at the breakeven point, the profits of the company become zero and below this point, the company begins to incur losses. So, it is a beneficial tool for the organizations which help them to analyze what should be the target ad how this target can be achieved by managing the fixed as well as variable costs and also by preparing a plan for the future operations. Margin of safety A new element introduced in this chart is the margin of safety which refers to the amount by which the sales revenues of a company might decrease because it begins to incur any losses. It is also called as the cushion of loss which provides a deeper insight into the company’s profits, losses and revenues. It can be calculated as follows: Margin of Safety = Sales – Breakeven sales Marin of safety ratio = Margin of safety Sales Larger ratios are preferred because they indicate that there is a lower risk that the company would reach breakeven point of even below it. This is the simplest method of calculating the breakeven point. However, it is not the only one. There are two types of methods used by different companies in order to benefit from the CVP approach (Yunkera Yunker, 2003). 1. Non- Linear CVP analysis: This approach is used mostly for the purpose of economics in order to calculate various elements such as productivity and returns in the long run. However, this has not proved to be a really good approach because it has unreliable input parameters. Since it is designed specifically for the long term transactions, therefore; it is not really credible and reliable approach for making short term business calculations. Moreover, it has been found to be more complex as compared to the simple breakeven calculation. 2. Linear CVP analysis: This is more realistic, practical and reliable approach to find the relationship between costs and revenues. It is the breakeven method that presents the things in a rather simple and â€Å"easy to understand† way. However, in order to make this approach a more effective one, the following 5 things need to be followed: Keeping the sale price constant Keeping the variable cost per unit also constant The total fixed costs must also remain the same In case of more than one product lines, the company should try to keep the sales volume constant The number of units sold must be equal to the number of units produced. Operating Leverage Another benefit that companies gain by using the CVP approach is the operating leverage benefit which explains how the cost structure of an organization is made up of fixed cost processes. This is a huge benefit because the cost structure is directly related to the level of growth and profit a company has (Phillips, 1994). Operating leverage can vary greatly from one company to another. In the firms that have a high ratio of fixed costs as compared to the variable costs, the operating leverage is good because it produces a high contribution margin. Similarly, higher fixed sales also mean that the company has a higher breakeven point. A higher breakeven point is directly related to the financial success of the company because at this point, the company can claim high profits at a much higher rate (Raichura, 2007). Income Tax benefits: Similarly, the simple CVP model can be extended to other issues such as the calculation of incorporate taxes of multiple products within a company. This is done by modifying the profit equation of the chart to include taxes as well. This analysis can also be extended to those firms that offer more than one product or service rather than a simple product. This can be calculated as follows: After tax profit = [(P-V) X – F] x (1 – t) Future forecasting By using the above mentioned models, approaches and graphs, managers can analyze the direction in which their company is moving and this analysis might help them to better understand the different operations and activities within the organizations. By getting beforehand knowledge of profits and costs, the company can manage them in a more efficient way to increase productivity. Preparation of Budgets: Since the cost profit volume analysis helps in determining the level of sales and thus helps organizations to achieve their desired targets. This approach would help the managers to prepare their budgets which consist of the costs as well as the revenues at any level of production within the organization. Cost Control: The biggest benefit of CVP analysis is to evaluate the cost volume changes within an organization and the impact of these changes on revenue generation. For instance: there is a dental hospital that wants to purchase a new dental machine so that the patient’s level of satisfaction can be increased by reducing the time required for dental treatment. The purchase of this new machine will tend to increase fixed costs of an organization. So, at such complex situations, the cost volume analysis can be the most effective tool to help in simplifying the company’s decision. If this dental hospital uses CVP analysis, it can manage to decrease its variable costs by maintain the profit at the same desired level. Price Determination: It is another benefit of using this approach. For example: taking the above example again, if any competitor within the dental industry has set the price at AED 50,000 for a single dental operation and the business cannot provide this operation at any cost lower than AED 20,000, then the company can use cost profit volume analysis to compare the competitor’s price with the fixed and variable costs of its own operations and thus it can manage to come up with a price that is in the best interest of the company. Profit Planning: The aim of any business is to create value for the customers and to get profits for the company. However, managing all operations and costs in such a way that can maximize profits is not an easy task. Therefore, organizations have to consider a lot of things in order to engage in proper profit planning techniques. The CVP analysis can help the companies to create the best and most profitable combination of cost, price and sales volume. Thus, it can help managers to calculate and estimate their profit at different levels and for different range of products. Risk Assessment: The business world is changing and due to several internal s well as external threats associated with any industry, businesses have to face too many risks. Although the calculation of risk and return through measuring a constant (beta) is a method in finance but managerial accounting is also concerned with this. Managing risk is too significant for any business because it tends to define all the procedures and practices involved within an organization. Therefore, CVP is a tool which helps to calculate risk particularly in terms of costs and volumes. After analyzing this risk, the companies can come up with efficient solutions to reduce this risk. Decision Making: All the above mentioned benefits re directly or indirectly related to the decision making processes of a company. Any business organization has to make a lot of decisions regarding their price, their costs, and products, fixed and variable unit costs and so on. The CVP approach simplifies this process by providing the companies with a breakeven point and by helping them to engage in better decision making and planning for the future. Conclusion So, the project has presented a detailed analysis of how is CVP calculated and how can it be used to benefit an organization. Out of the two types of CVP approaches, linear approach is the simple one and it provides companies with easy ways to make estimates regarding costs, prices and sales volumes. The calculation of breakeven pint helps in decision making for a company by providing it a better future forecasting, risk assessment,, price estimation and so on. In other word, the cost volume profit approach has a direct impact on improving the organizational performance and productivity. References Breakeven analysis (CVP analysis). (n.d.). Retrieved 4 9, 2014, from http://www.acornlive.com/demos/pdf/P2_PM_Chapter_5.pdf Cafferky, M. (2010). Breakeven Analysis: The Definitive Guide to Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis. Business Expert Press. Lewis, J. (n.d.). Advantages Disadvantages of Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis. Retrieved 4 9, 2014, from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-disadvantages-costvolumeprofit-analysis-35135.html MAAW. (2011). The controversy over contribution margin approach. Phillips, P. A. (1994). Welsh Hotel: Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis and Uncertainty. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 31-36. Raichura, K. (2007). C-V-P Analysis Operating Leverage. Retrieved 4 9, 2014, from http://www.managementparadise.com/forums/financial-management/20603-c-v-p-analysis-operating-leverage.html Yunkera, J. A., Yunker, P. J. (2003). Stochastic CVP analysis as a gateway to decision-making under uncertainty. Journal of accounting Education, 339-365.

Brave New World Essay - Societys Moral Decline :: Brave New World

Brave New World   Society's Moral Decline    Aldous Huxley wrote Brave New World out of fear of society's apparent lack of morals and corrupt behaviour during the roaring twenties. Huxley believed that the future was doomed to a non-individualistic, conformist society, a society void of the family unit, religion and human emotions.   Throughout the novel, Huxley predicts many events for the future, most of which concentrate on a morally corrupt society.   The most important of these predictions include:   greater sexual freedom, over-population, brain-washing/sleep-teaching, and the use of mind altering drugs.   Aldous Huxley's Brave New World warns of a possible future dystopia, based on social attitudes and medical advancements of his time.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Huxley's future dystopia is created largely by perverted sexual freedoms, which in turn cause corrupt individuals, entirely lacking ethics and morals.   Sexual promiscuity appears to be a much more frequent activity now then it was in the Thirties.   Critics blame "...the advent of the pill for declining morality and indiscriminate sexual activity."   Many believe that each time medicine reduces the risk of unwanted diseases and pregnancies, society, on the whole, will increase its sexual activity.   Huxley's prediction of promiscuity is based on his iron law of sexuality:   "As political and economic freedom diminishes, sexual freedom tends compensatingly to increase."   A current example of Huxley's belief is China. China is the last   remaining communist regime, it also suffers from having one fifth of the world's population within its borders.   Needless to say, China's large population is a direct result of a very sexually active society.   Aldous Huxley's fears of the future caused him to write about sexual freedom and the resulting over-population in Brave New World.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Over-population is another problem which is addressed by Huxley, and is the direct result of sexual freedom.   The fear which Huxley addresses concerning population control is:   "Food supplies cannot grow as fast as people can, and population growth in underdeveloped countries will jeopardize the world order."   Simply stated the growing population of earth will consume more than it will be able to produce, unless some form of regulating births can be created.   This is an obvious truth today, as millions of people are starving each day.   The brave new world that Huxley speaks of, is a warning to mankind concerning its destruction of the laws of nature. For example, marriage is forbidden, as well as, pregnancies, and mothers are non-existent because possible children result in abortion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     

Essays --

CONTENT Bil Topic Page 1. Introduction 2 2. The Technology Application 3 3. Data Communication Concept 4 4. Technology Capabilities 5 5. Example 6 6. Advantages and Disadvantages 7 7. Conclusion 8 8. References 9 Introduction Metro E is also know as Metropolitan-area Ethernet, Ethernet MAN or metro Ethernet. It is a network that use in the metropolitan area and it is based on the Ethernet standards. This services is commonly used to connect user or network to a larger service or the internet. The user that own a business can use this system to connect they office to one and another. The user commonly use this system because it is cheaper than SONET/SDH(Synchronous Digital Hierarchy) or PDH (Plesiochronous Digital Hierarchy) that have an interface of the same bandwidth. SONET/SDH is known as a standard protocol that transfer a multiple digital bit streams over optical fibre using a laser or highly coherent light. PDH is a technology use in telecommunication network to transport a large quantity of that also use optical fibre and also microwave radio system. The Technology Application Metro E is commonly use in metropolitan city. It being use for businessman to connect their office to one and another. Many Ethernet services allow the user to network their business in ways that either more complex or impossible with the alternative services. As an example , a single Ethernet service interface can connect multiple enterprise location for their Intranet VPNs , connect business partner or suppliers via Extranet VPNs and provide a high speed Internet connection to an Internet Service Provider. When use this Ethernet subscribe, user will be able to add or change bandwidth using the other access network service within... ... commonly use for the large business. It is use to connect the business people with other branch, connect business people with their customer. It is use widely in overseas for their business. The Metro E that can transmit large data that make it being use for large company. It will transmit large data in a less amount of time. It will less the time for the company to develop and the business will have the benefits as the amount to buy it is less. Metro E is a easy application as it is wireless and can carry everywhere at anytime. It also can be use to use that just connect to each other. References http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/SONET.html http://metroethernetforum.org/ http://www.centurylink.com/business/data/metro-optical-ethernet.html http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/solutions/Enterprise/Data_Center/HA_Clusters/HClusters/HA_ME3_6.pdf

In Broad Daylgith Essay

â€Å"In Broad Daylight† is about Mu Ying, nicknamed Old Whore. She has affairs with different men and is publicly denounced and paraded before the community by the Red Guards who travel from another city and happen to know her bad name. Her dwarf peddler husband Meng Su tries to rescue her from the public humiliation, only to be humiliated himself by the Red Guards, the spectators and his wife as well. Finally, he is found crushed by a train, and Mu Ying lies alone at bus stop, deranged. Written from the point view of a naive boy, nicknamed White Cat, Ha Jin intends to portray through untainted and authentic lens a Chinese woman with a self-awakening feminist consciousness who stands up for her sexuality. Turning point number one in the story is when the questioning of Mu Ying has started and has to confess her crimes of adultery with three other men. She then comes to the point where she explains the feeling of wanting a man holding her with his strong arms very detailed. After Mu Ying describes this feeling of sexual need, a woman who is the mother of Bare Hips speaks from the front of the crowd and says â€Å"You have your own man, who doesn’t lack an arm or a leg. It’s wrong to have others’ men and more wrong to pocket their money† (Jin 156). And on this moment Mu Ying is still recovering from a punch of the Red Guards and still replies with a smirk on her face looking down on her husband â€Å"I have my own man? † (Jin 156). â€Å"My man is nothing. He is no good, I mean in bed. He always comes before I feel anything† (Jin 156). As a central focus of the public denunciation, Mu appeared to be rather calm when she was caught at home. She neither protested nor said a word, but followed the Red Guards quietly. In her eyes, these Red Guards were only a group of children. She did not expect that the join forces of the Red Guards and the revolutionary masses in the town would be tremendous enough to put her in destruction; more importantly, she did not think that her behavior had violated any rule or law. When her husband appealed to the Red Guards, she stared at him without a word, and a faint smile passed the corners of her mouth. In her yes, the behavior of her impotent husband is pedantic and ridiculous. When the Red Guard asked her why she â€Å"seduced men and paralyze heir revolutionary will with your bourgeois poison† (156), she responded rather calmly with a rhetorical question, â€Å"I’ve never invited any man to my home, have I? † (Jin 156). When several women hissed in the crowd, she even tried to persuade them by citing her own experience: â€Å"Sisters,† she spoke aloud. â€Å"All right, it was wrong to sleep with them. But you all know what it feels like when you want a man, don’t you? Don’t you once in a while have that feeling in your bones? Contemptuously, she looked at the few withered middle-aged women standing in the front row, then closed her eyes. â€Å"Oh, you want that real man to have you in his arms and let him touch every part of your body. For that man alone you want to blossom into a woman, a real woman—† (Jin 156). As a group of juveniles, White Cat and his companions know little about the adult life. This limitation makes their participation a journey of discovery. When adults burst out laughing at Mu Ying’s assertion of her husband’s impotence, the teenagers appeared to be puzzled. The dialogue between them shows this point clearly: â€Å"What’s that? What’s so funny? † Big Shrimp asked Bare Hips. â€Å"You didn’t get it? † Bare Hips said impatiently. â€Å"You don’t know anything about what happens between a man and a woman. It means that whenever she doesn’t want him to come close to her he comes. Bad timing. † â€Å"It doesn’t sound like that,† I said (Jin 157). Obviously, Bare Hips does not know any more than Big Shrimp though his impatient tone tries to conceal this ignorance. Ignorant as he is, Bare Hips makes so bold as to cry at Mu Ying, â€Å"Shameless Old Whore! † (Jin 154). Impossible to perceive, the innocent children are acting the role of accomplice in the public denunciation against Mu. Their thoughts and behaviors manifest the influence they have taken from their parents. In this sense, the innocent teenagers have degenerated from lovely angels to dreadful demons. This is a turning point because when the red guards pulled Mu Ying out of her house and started patrolling her through the city streets to get her to the school yard to sentence her, her husband came running from a street corner begging to let Mu Ying go â€Å"Please don’t take her away. It’s my fault. I haven’t disciplined her well. Please give her a change to be a new person. I promise, she won’t do it again† (Jin 155). And even though I have a feeling Mu Ying does not take the Red guard’s judging protocol as a serious punishment at that point, once she has confessed everything it all gets to her. That is when she gets the feeling that she really has humiliated and hurt her husband, because she is looking for him after she got hit with an ink bottle, only to find that he suddenly left the scene. That is the point she says she does not want to be punished after all and promises to better herself. What I saw as turning point number two becomes clear in the last paragraph, which means I did not see that really as the conclusion. It is the scene where Mu Ying is lying alone at the bus stop, saying: â€Å"Take me home. Oh, help me. Who can help me? Where are you? Why don’t you come and carry me home† (Jin 156). It is a perfect example of â€Å"You don’t know what you have until it is gone. † The second train that used its steam horn killed the husband of Mu Ying and made her a widow and truly alone. What I mean with that is that Mu Ying already felt alone because her man was not good enough for her. This feeling of loneliness combined with her husband’s underachieving partly lead to her committing adultery. Now with her husband dead, she finally exactly knows what it actually means to be alone. But moreover the story clearly shows that her husband saved her live once, after she was raped and now he again tries to get her â€Å"off the hook,† by taking the blame. Her grudge against men because of this rape is probably the other part of why she turned to adultery. It is almost shocking to observe that Mu Ying herself is not punished as the â€Å"Old Whore,† where Meng Su did not only try to take the blame, but also gets himself punished like in Old China. While the Red Guards only make her walk down every street saying the words â€Å"I am an evil monster† (Jin 160), instead of burning her alive, Meng Su is beheaded like in the old days. I strongly felt a parallel between the â€Å"blare of horns† announcing the beheading of Mu Ying’s husband. In Ha Jin’s story, the rough death of Meng Su, the husband, constitutes an â€Å"unscheduled event,† which brings White Cat and his companions to the violence of the adult world. The public denunciation of Mu Ying was no longer a thrilling scene, but something that touched them to their souls, evoking their introspection or maybe disillusion about the world. Bare Hips’s vomiting is a strong signal, indicating the shocking effect that the violence may have brought to him. After the shocking experience, they are no longer innocent adolescences, but adults struggling at the verge of understanding. This whole story turned out like a gruesome, tragic circle of misery and unanswered love to me. I think Meng Su loved Mu Ying dearly, but couldn’t take her grudge against men away that she got from the rape by the Russians. Imaginably, as a victim of the gang rape, she must have experienced a hard time of being treated with disdain. Instead of being hit to death by the accident, she has walked out of the shadow of the concept of chastity, and began to enjoy the pleasure of the flesh as well as economic benefits brought about by men, the invader of her virginity. The bitter time she has experienced has actually hardened her heart and paved the way for her further self-liberation, both physically and spiritually. Meng Su couldn’t cope with not saving her from the shame that the Red Guard trial put on her and killed himself, leaving his beloved Mu Ying really alone and helpless at the bus stop.