The Importance Of The Holy And Biblical Dogmas Essay

The Importance Of The Holy And Biblical Dogmas - Essay Example Man is so made that he is not himself, he cannot find happiness, unless he accepts God as his Lord and lives in obedience to the divine will. But, like Paul, man has not yielded this acceptance and obedience. A mortal man is a sinner. His need roots in this fact. And this need is universal. This is not merely the fault of a few, nor is it the defect only of those outside the reach of the Law. Paul states: â€Å"But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth† (Colossians 3:8). Paul is often accused of blaming the entire problem of sin on a mortal man. He builds upon his own observation that human sin, and he confirms that picture by the repeated testimony of Scripture. It is true that Paul gave a place to original sin and its effects. This appears in two passages which contrast the damaging effects of sin with the redemptive and renewing results of the work of Christ, who thus begins a new humanity. Paul emphasizes the present need, which he plainly sees in the life around him. Moreover, he sees this sin not merely in individual wicked acts, but in the permeation of man's whole life and outlook. The attitudes, desires, strivings, and thoughts of men are corrupted by his evil choices. The whole man is degraded by sin; the whole man needs redemption; the remedy must reach the roots and every branch of human life. â€Å"Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave† (Colossians 3:11). It is important to recognize that in these lines Paul does teach this universal sinfulness and need of men. This is not an original invention of Paul. From the beginning, the Christian message was an answer to many spiritual and moral failure. They must forgive others; the people they meet will be sinful; the disciples must forgive them all.

STUDENT RESPONSE 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

STUDENT RESPONSE 2 - Assignment Example All the strategies needed to be applied, and mostly the locals need to be involved in the strategy plan. Often, people do not see a difference between plan and planning. In my opinion, plan reflects rigidity and planning reflects adaptability and flexibility. This means that planning involves actively discussing the objectives, goals, tasks and strategies needed to accomplish a mission while plan are mere documentations of these discussions. Plans need to be updated on a regular basis because situations change regularly. However, planning is a continued process that assists in achieving goals and keeping on track. Plans are like blue prints to help in success, however planning does not guarantee success yet it is totally necessary to institute the various plans (Canton, 2007). The most common disaster in the United States is flooding. Flooding ranks the highest in property damage. Even though the government does not use potential disasters as a breeding ground for capitalization, disasters are a great opportunity for fraud and corruption both in the private and government sectors. There is urgency in need for service provision during disaster or even the planning. This urgent demand to return the life of a city leads to disregard in quality controls. It might seem unfair for the government to install a flood insurance strategy for non participating communities, but sometimes flooding may occur in unusual locations too, for example the flooding in Colorado in 2013. I agree with the Director of Emergency Management on â€Å"a quick response being a well planned response† (Canton, 2007, p. 262).This is because some of the destructions that occur in a disaster maybe unexpected and the plans may not have catered for them. The aim of disaster management is to restore life first. A quick response therefore reestablishes security, safety, and critical services, which could take longer if a thought out

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Case Study Example Realty can convey its decision in any manner within the validity period and it chose to initially accept the offer by a postal communication. This is a valid acceptance and is binding on Realty. The act of revocation (within the validity period) took place before the postal acceptance reached Jettison. Acceptance once made is irrevocable and binds both parties. However, under the English Law this rule is confined in its operation only to a postal acceptance. In other cases, according to Anson,†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦an acceptance can be revoked at any time before acceptance is complete, provided of course, that the revocation itself is communicated before the acceptance arrives† (Law of Contract, pp.50-51, as quoted in Law of Contracts, Bajaj & Bajaj, 2005. p.28). Thus, Realty’s acceptance is legal and binding on itself. The issues involved in this case relate to a valid contract for service, genuine mistake of fact and revision of contract terms. JetKlean commenced its service in good faith according to the terms of the contract but realized that its earlier understanding of the condition of the jetskis was incorrect which led to under-valuation of the service needed. According to the law, ‘Where both parties to an agreement are under a mistake as to matter of fact essential to the agreement, the agreement is void’. This is a case of mistake of fact and JetKlean is entitled to renegotiate the service charges, which may be accepted or rejected by Jettison. With regard to the jetskis which were already serviced by JetKlean, they are entitled to proportionate payment according to the terms of the original contract. Jettison’s decision to accept the increased price is correct in the given circumstances. Glory Pieces offered to supply Hungarian made hand-blown crystal goblets at a price of $50 each. Offer was mailed on 1st April with a validity of 15 days. Since there was no specific date of validity,

Levi Strauss Essay Example for Free

Levi Strauss Essay As one attempts to assess the business ethics of Levi Strauss and Nike in this writing assignment, we are again compelled to revisit the critical distinction of conduct that is legal, yet still unethical. In both instances, Levi Strauss and Nike behaved with the parameters of legal conduct, yet few would argue that profiting from exploitive work conditions is an ethical behavior of any socially responsible organization (broad view social responsibility). Obviously, it’s very tempting to just condense this argument to the point of â€Å"bad companies boosting profits from lower labor costs via exploiting foreign workers in sweatshops†. I am going to take a much broader approach here in my assessment, as complete fairness to the two corporations here requires a bit of an indictment of the legal, regulatory, political, and socioeconomic environment that they operate in. So, let’s start there †¦ how is it that both of these large corporations are permitted (and driven) to outsource (with relative impunity) labor to countries with poor labor laws? In order to fairly assess their conduct, one must first examine the system under which they operate. How has corporate America gone down this path? Why do so many large U. S. corporations outsource labor en masse, which costs the U. S. economy so many jobs domestically? Let’s start by looking in the mirror and by that I mean you and I †¦ the U. S. consumer. Our thirst for cheap merchandise made overseas knows no limits. Do any of us look at the country of origin for goods, and if it’s non-U. S. do we even pause for a second to consider boycotting said goods due to loss of American jobs? Or boycott due to the nation of origin’s reputation for worker abuse? Of course we don’t. We want that Japanese high definition television from Wal-Mart that costs $100 less. We want the clothing from China or Indonesia that is 30% cheaper than similar brands made here. So, my first premise in this entire argument is that American consumers are NOT socially responsible in their purchasing habits. This lack of social responsibility on the demand side is a catalyst for Levi Strauss and Nike to seek cheaper labor overseas – for if they do not, their competitors assuredly will and they will be at a competitive disadvantage. Now, let’s assess the legal and regulatory environment under which both entities operate in the United States. Has Congress made it illegal to outsource labor to countries that they know are abusing their labor forces? In general, of course not. Congress maintains a blind eye to the problem, debating it over the years here and there in a politically motivated, half-hearted effort to occasionally placate certain voting segments (labor unions; displaced workers). Do they tougher their stance? Do they for one minute say to themselves, â€Å"this is really wrong, and socially irresponsible†? By inaction Congress is tacitly approving this practice, which of course is what powerful corporate lobbyists want. The profit motive has large U. S. corporations addicted to cheap labor now; Pandora’s Box has been opened and no one has the political will to attempt to close it. So let’s recap so far: we’ve indicted the U. S. consumer and our lawmakers in the legislative branch of the U. S. government (Congress) as major cultivators of the pro-outsourcing environment for which Levi Strauss and Nike must successfully operate under. Next on our list of socially irresponsible contributing parties – the judicial branch of the U.S. government. When the U. S. Supreme Court found in 2010 that the formation of so called â€Å"Super PACs† for campaign donations was legal, this gave corporations new powers under the law to, in effect, buy our government via opulent and obscene campaign spend funneled to candidates. The end result of this ruling is that corporations that profit greatly from outsourced labor are now able to pay for the elections of our Congressmen – and gee, wonder how this economic â€Å"favor† will be repaid when attempts to rein in outsourcing come up in Congress? Let’s move on to our two protagonists in this debate: Levi Strauss and Nike. Now that we’ve got the backdrop well in hand, and a reasonable person would agree that a massive systemic failure in the U. S. has allowed and promoted unchecked outsourcing of jobs, it’s time to discuss these two corporate giants and their respective behaviors here. Do these two corporations have a responsibility to monitor the conduct of the companies they do business within particular, their contractors and suppliers? As a personal believer in the broader view of corporate social  responsibility, I believe that they do. Notwithstanding the fact that all of this outsourcing is legal, and despite the mitigating factors that I’ve argued above that do alleviate these two companies of all of the blame – I still believe that they need to take the higher moral ground. Levi Strauss overall has conducted itself with far greater corporate social responsibility than Nike has, in my judgment. Strauss for many years withdrew from China due to their notoriety as a non-democratic country with abusive labor conditions. Regrettably, it had to re-enter China eventually to keep pace with competitors. Also, witness the way that Strauss treated its displaced U. S. workers as it (with some remorse) eventually had to close all its U. S. plants due to competition from outsourcers. Strauss gave generous severance and retraining dollars to the affected workers. In my estimation, Strauss has had to compromise its socially responsible corporate culture due to pressures from the warped competitive environment that was designed around them. It became a matter of survival for their corporation; their management had to adapt or risk failure and loss of the shareholders’ investments in the company. That is why I authored the overview above – I think it’s highly relevant to assessing Strauss’s conduct here. The system failed Levi Strauss – they wanted to behave under the broad definition of corporate social responsibility, but the demand for cheaper outsourced goods by consumers and the legality of outsourcing jobs (Congressional oversight failure) forced an adaptive change against their moral grain. Nike, however, is no apologist when it comes to their outsourcing. In fact, they are proud of it – even boasting that they pay outsourced workers higher than average wages for their region. To me, this is tantamount to bragging that â€Å"we don’t abuse those workers as badly as others do†. Frankly, that attitude offends my sensibilities and my personal set of ethical standards. I also deem it to be in direct conflict with the broader definition of corporate social responsibility. Lastly, I think that corporations have the obligation to take the ethical high ground and behave in a socially responsible manner (broad definition). That said, however, I do not believe that it’s a fair expectation to demand that high standard if adhering to same places the company’s very existence at risk due to systemic failures beyond their control. Levi Strauss attempted to â€Å"do the right thing†, but poor rules and oversight make competing in a broad ethical manner quite dangerous to its ultimate survival. Strauss’s example should serve as a wakeup call to U. S. consumers and our Congress: systemic change is needed, and it’s needed NOW.

Patient Transition into Hospice Care Essay -- Analysis of Care Transit

I. Introduction The patient presented in this paper is Ms. H an 83 year old African American woman that appears younger than stated age with a history of Multiple Myeloma. The patient chart was reviewed and an interview conducted. Interestingly the patient had retained every note, lab, hospital H&P and discharge summary in a file folder in her possession. Ms. H was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in April of 2008 when she was being worked up at her dentist for a toothache. X-rays performed revealed she had bone lesions in her zygomatic process and in her skull above her right eye. She was referred to Oncology Hematology Care for further work-up. A bone marrow biopsy revealed she had Multiple Myeloma. During the course of treatment the patient received Thalidomide, Revlimid, Velcade, Aredia, Zometa, and Decadron. Remission was achieved and the patient underwent stem cell transplant in February of 2009. The transplant was successful and the patient was cancer free until August of 2012 when she receiv ed news that her cancer had recurred. Current meds are Lisinopril 20 mg PO daily for HTN, Omeprazole 40 mg PO for GERD, Topamax 25 mg BID for headaches, Calcium 500 mg PO TID for osteoporosis, Zofran 4 mg every 6 hrs/prn for nausea, Vicodin 5/325mg every 4 hours/prn for pain control. Ms. H has 3 adult children and 4 grandchildren that are in their early 20’s. During the initial treatment phase Ms. H was employed part time at J.C. Penney. Once she was sent to Jewish for bone marrow transplant, she retired. She is on traditional Medicare with Medicaid due to reaching the cap on her secondary Humana plan. Ms. H is divorced but has a supportive friend Mr. P that has been at her side throughout her diagnosis and treatment. He... ... benefit. V. Analysis of Transition Admission Forms Admission forms include Consent, HIPPA Acknowledgement Form, Patient and Family Rights Statement Receipt, Permission to Bill Medicare. Forms required for hospice admission are few and concisely written to reflect the Medicare Hospice Benefit. Patients who are compromised enough to sign their own forms are usually ill enough that the number of forms needed are appreciated. Ms. H and family were amazed and happy with the need for fewer signatures to admit. References (1.)Blood. 2008 March 15; 111(6): 2962–2972. doi: 10.1182/blood-2007-10-078022 PMCID: PMC2265446 (2)ASH 50th Anniversary Review Article on Multiple Myeloma†¦(look up) (3)Publication Date: 2008-03-18Medicare Benefit Policy Manual Chapter 9 - Coverage of Hospice (4) JOURNAL OF PALLIATIVE MEDICINE Volume 9, Number 6, 2006

Revlon Ida

CORPORATE PROFILE ? ? ? ? Revlon is a worldwide cosmetics, hair color, beauty tools, fragrances, skincare, anti-per spirants/deodorants and beauty care products company. Revlon is a global color cosmetics, hair color, beauty tools, fragrances, skincare, anti-per spirant / deodorants and beauty care products company Websites featuring current product and promotional information can be reached at www. revlon. com, www. almay. com and www. mitchumman. com. The Company's brands, which are sold worldwide, include Revlon ®, Almay ®, ColorSilk ®, Mitchum ®, Charlie ®, Gatineau ® and Ultima II ®.CORPORATE PROFILE CONT†¦ Type: Public Traded as NYSE: REV Industry: Cosmetics, skin care, fragrance, personal care Founded: 1932 Founder(s): Joseph & Charles Revson, Charles Lachman Headquarters: New York City, New York, United States Key people: Alan T. Ennis, President and CEO CORPORATE PROFILE CONT†¦ Revenue: US$1. 3 billion (2009) Operating income: US$170. 8 million (2009) Net income: US$821. 20 million (2009) Total assets: US$794. 20 million (2009) Employees: 6,800 Parent: MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings: 60% (74% of votes) FMR Corp. : 20% Website: http//www. evlon. com/(US) VISION & MISSION Revlon Inc. Vision is Glamour, Excitement and innovation through High-quality Products at Affordable Prices. ? Revlon Inc. Mission is â€Å"to emerge as the leader in cosmetic and personal care throughout the world. Revlon takes pride in manufacturing the top skin care and strives to please young and older woman alike†. ? HISTORY ? ? ? ? Revlon was founded in the midst of the Great Depression, 1932, by Charles Revson and his brother Joseph, along with a chemist, Charles Lachman, who contributed the â€Å"L† in the Revlon name.Starting with a single product — a new type of nail enamel — the three founders pooled their resources and developed a unique manufacturing process. Using pigments instead of dyes, Revlon developed a variety of new shades of opaque nail enamel. In 1937, Revlon started selling the polishes in department stores and drug stores. HISTORY CONT†¦ In six years, the company became a multimillion dollar organization. ? By 1940, Revlon offered an entire manicure line, and added lipstick to the collection. ? During World War II, Revlon created makeup and related products for the U.S. Army, which was honored in 1944 with the Army-Navy â€Å"E† Award for Excellence. ? By the end of the war, Revlon was listed as one of America's top five cosmetic houses. ? REVLON IN INDIA ? Revlon was the first International Color Cosmetics brand to be launched in India (1995). ? It all began in the year 1994, with formation of Modi-Revlon Pvt. Ltd. , a collaboration between Modi-Mundipharma Pvt. Ltd. (a joint venture between the Umesh K. Modi Group of India and Mundipharma Group of Switzerland) and Revlon of USA.REVLON IN INDIA CONT†¦ ? Today, Revlon is a name to reckon with in the beauty industry in India . It has added glamour and color to the lives of many a women to make them look and feel beautiful and confident. ? ? Revlon has brought to the modern Indian women the excitement and fun of experimenting with trend setting colors and innovative products. The company offers an extensive range of high quality products in different categories namely, color cosmetics, skincare, fragrances, hair care and hair colors. ? REVLON IN INDIA CONT†¦ ?Revlon in India enjoys immense consumer franchise with its world famous brands like Super Lustrousâ„ ¢, Revlon ® Nail Enamel, Colorstay ®, Street Wear ®, Revlon Absolute Câ„ ¢, Flex ®, Charlie ® , Fire & Ice ®, Colorsilk ® and many more. Modi-Revlon ceaselessly continues to introduce new products and color trends keeping in view the preferences of the Indian consumer. It draws expertise from Revlon’s state-of-the-art Research Center in Edison, New Jersey (USA) and complies with its stringent product quality standards. ? ? FAMOUS BRANDS FAMOUS BRANDS FAMOUS BRANDSTOP COMPETITORS FOR REVLON, INC. Avon Products, Inc. ? The Procter & Gamble Company ? L'Oreal SA ? SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTH ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Revlon is the major player in cosmetics, skin care, fragrance and personal care products. It has long history of 75 years. Famous brand especially among the women’s. Despite of heavy debt and net losses from last few years. Product development is the main focus area for Revlon. Strong research and development. Revlon products are sold in more than 100 countries. Revlon 43 percent sales are from United States market.It has been supporting several health programs for Women. Advertising is one of the key areas for Revlon. Revlon aims to provide quality products. Distribution channels are well managed that the reason Revlon products are used in more than 100 countries of the world. SWOT ANALYSIS Weaknesses †¢ Weak financial position due to net losses and heavy debts. †¢ Cutting down number of jobs reduce employee trust on the Company. †¢ Continuous changes in the Organizational Structure may impact the performance for employees. †¢ Besides advertising other marketing areas are he weak. SWOT ANALYSIS Opportunities †¢ Revlon is currently facing financial problems so joint ventures or partnership with other players in the industry may open the doors of new opportunities. †¢ Utilize all marketing methods to promote its products; it will help to boost the sales of the company. †¢ Develop products for male segment. SWOT ANALYSIS Threats †¢ Intense competition with major players of the industry including Procter & Gamble, Unilever, L’Oreal, †¢ Rapid changes in fashion may require heavy budgets for product development & marketing.Revlon has to find some financial assistance to support its operation to sustain its position in the industry. †¢ Revlon selling its products through websites but it haven’t made efforts to develop relations with the customers through online channels. †¢ Government instability and variation in exchange rate in few countries †¢ Focused towards woman segment PRODUCTS Eye Products ? Face Products ? Lip Products ? Nail Products ? Skin Care Products ? EYE PRODUCTS FACE PRODUCTS LIP PRODUCTS NAIL PRODUCTS SKIN CARE PRODUCTS BORROWED STRATEGYIn the 1960s, Revson â€Å"Segmented Revlon Inc into different divisions, each focusing on a different market†. ? He borrowed this strategy from General Motors. ? Each division had its own target customer: ? a. b. c. d. e. f. Revlon, the largest and most popular-priced brand Princess Marcella Borghese, upscale/international Ultima II, premium Natural Wonder, juniors Moon Drops, dry skin Etherea, hypo-allergenic SALES STRATEGY Revlon's entrance into the Japanese market was typical of its international sales strategy. ? Instead of adapting its ads and using Japanese models, Revlon chose to use its basic U.S. advertising an d models. ? Japanese women loved the American look, and the sales for 1962 came to almost $164 million. ? STRATEGIC GOAL ? Strategic Goal is to profitably grow their business. 2011 was a year of many notable achievements, as they continued to execute their business strategy despite continued uncertain global economic conditions. ? From a financial perspective, they grew net sales for the second year in a row, sustained competitive operating margins, achieved their fourth consecutive year of positive free cash flow and improved their capital structure. From a marketplace perspective, they introduced innovative, high-quality, consumer-preferred products across their entire portfolio, they acquired the SinfulColors brand, and they signed two of Hollywood’s most sought-after actresses, Emma Stone and Olivia Wilde, as Global Brand Ambassadors for their Revlon brand. ? ELEMENTS OF BUSINESS STRATEGY They are focused on the five elements of their business strategy, specifically, to ? (i) build their strong brands; ? (ii) develop their organizational capability; ? (iii) drive their company to act globally; ? (iv) increase their operating profit and cash flow; and ? v) improve our capital structure. DEBT LIMITS FLEXIBILITY ? But, here's our concern†¦ Revlon's balance sheet is heavily loaded with debt, so much so that in 2007, the interest payments due exceeded its operating profit (as measured by EBIT) for that year. Even in 2009, the interest payments exceeded 60% of EBIT, making the earnings highly volatile and vulnerable to market fluctuations and interest ratesy. ? DEBT LIMITS FLEXIBILITY ? As a result, Revlon's R spending at 1. 7% of sales amounting to $24 million is dwarfed by L'Oreal's 3. 7% at $666 million. Also, given Revlon's sales at close to $1. billion compared to $24 billion for L'Oreal and $7. 9 billion for Estee Lauder leaves it with much less money to spend on marketing, a crucial factor for success in cosmetics industr ? CORPORATE CSR Overv iew of Revlon's Corporate Social Responsibility Framework ? Please find in the link below Revlon's Corporate Social Responsibility Framework (the â€Å"Revlon CSR†) which is disseminated to all of our employees worldwide. ? The Revlon CSR is monitored and overseen by two of our most senior executives – our Chief Science Officer and our Chief Administrative Officer. The Revlon CSR includes the Purpose, Standards and Measurements in each of the key areas of Safety, Social, Ethical, Regulatory and Environmental. ? CORPORATE CSR The stated purposes are as follows: ? Safety: Provide our consumers with highquality, safe and efficacious products and our valued employees with a safe workplace. ? Social: Enhance women's lives through our products and philanthropic efforts. ? Ethical: Conduct business in an ethical manner. ? Regulatory: Ensure that our products and operating facilities meet or exceed all applicable standards, globally. Environmental: Reduce the environmental imp act of our operations. ? WHAT IF REVLON FOCUSED ON COLOR COSMETICS AND PHASED OUT SKIN CARE AND/OR FRAGRANCES? Revlon is most well known for color cosmetics and commands a significant market share of over 20% in US, which itself constitutes over 18% of the global market for color cosmetics. ? Given, the company average EBITDA margin(Earnings before depreciation, impairment and amortization) for color cosmetics and moderate growth rates in excess of 3%, it would be reasonable to focus on this product segment and to further strengthen Revlon’s market share in the same. We estimate that color cosmetics constitute over 60% of Trefis price estimate of Revlon’s stock. ? CONCLUSION ? In the current scenario, there is forecast Revlon to lose share in the future across all product segments due to its inability to match the competition in marketing and R&D. ? Hence, focusing the limited funds available on a few preferred product categories presents a more viable option for the f uture

Emotional Description Of Beethovens Ninth Symphony Essays - Symphony

Emotional Description Of Beethovens Ninth Symphony Essays - Symphony Emotional Description of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony It has been called the greatest audio entity one could ever listen to; a song which can pierce the soul of even the most dedicated music-hater: Beethoven?s Ninth Symphony. Not only has it been designated thus; also, as one of the few truly divinely inspired works, one which most men can only marvel at, as they wallow in their appropriate humility. These creations, however, are definitely not the only aspects of entities beyond the scopes of men; there are far more examples, which are seen every day, but often overlooked. I was walking outside, with this song echoing in the recesses of my mind, on a dismal, overcast day in the Autumnal quarter, a day when where the streets blended with the atmosphere, when one could hardly look up without feeling the singe of the wind against one?s face. To me, these days have always conjured up images of some distant, looming storm, some silent tempest which, if not otherwise distracted will soon wreak mayhem and disaster on my environs. This day had an intense air about it, as do others of its ilk. This is most likely the fault of the storm under which it is shadowed, as though it and its inhabitants are uneasy and harrowed about the imminent predator waiting overhead to pounce. As the sky overhead swam with deeper and deeper shades of gray and hopeless black, the song in my mind was reaching some vocal crescendo in the fourth movement, a better foreteller of the gale I could not imagine. While the winds bullied and tormented the defenseless neighborhood, I started for my house. Unexpectedly, as the crescendo was losing speed, a quiet, pacific violin entered the musical fray in my brain, and the entire mood of the symphony mellowed, the winds themselves pacified, seemingly under Ludwig?s fickle dominion. Thinking the storm had passed, I continued blissfully onward to the meadows which were my destination. Again I was assaulted, this time by a different part of the symphony; not too long after the first chorale. This was the startling and almost fearful, but still uplifting, part in which the female and male vocals collided like two huge tidal waves with the power to splinter a fleet of ships with the German Alle Menschen repeated several times. Upon this onslaught of euphony, I turned from whatever I might have been thinking before, and looked at some violently twisting and rising leaves and other debris, and gazed at the playful heavens, again ominous. Annoyed with Beethoven and the cruel elements, I stood there, unmoving; indecisive, not knowing whether to turn around or pursue my present course, I felt the excited chorale still striking some unknown and inexplicable fear within me, as though some divine creature were about to strike me down in some vehemence which lies well beyond the realms of verbal description. So, as the chorus continued repeating its faithful mantra, the winds again rose up stronger than before, as twigs began to snap and fall about me; I was still, yet deeply moved. Perplexed at the whimsy antics of nature, I was about to retreat to my home, when, in the remarkable symphony, a single male vocal broke through the complicated entanglement of godly voices, and I, despite the protests of my superego, decided to continue on with some alien, renewed vigor against the gusty weather, as though I were the bearer of news about the winner of a war or some other momentous aftermath. At this, as though impressed with my display of singular determination, the wind made itself placid, laying down before me. Violins were heard, along with the driving, male voice. Suddenly, completely without warning and all at once, what seemed like throngs of angelic, female voices sang as though sent on an appeal to God on the eve of apocalypse. They continued, soon joined by male voices, and other instruments, in the most spiritual and epiphytic reverberation I?ve ever had the pleasure of witnessing, and, seemingly, all in my favor, against cruel and remorseless nature, pleading to let me pass. I, however, felt like only a petty bystander in this competition between the symphony and the elements, completely unable to comprehend, let alone justify either