Process Steam Boiler Conversion Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Process Steam Boiler Conversion Project - Essay Example Failed projects have a colossal negative impact to any business, especially due to the time and resources spent. Ensuring that the project management process continues in a successful manner, tools are available to support and ensure that the aspects of project integration, time, cost, quality, as well as human resources are effectively covered. The project charter for instance is a very important document that is prepared to support a successful project management process (Schwalbe, 2009). This lays the framework for the project management process and remains a strong reference point during the progress of the project. Lack of a project charter reflects negatively on the project and can adversely affect its success. Scheduling under project time management can be demonstrated using scheduling chart tools such as Gantt chart and critical path method (CPM). During project activity documentation, the project manager can use illustrations and diagrams to ensure that communication is wel l effected among the members of a project team and with other stakeholders. Charts are used to ensure that information is accurately passed across to the target audience. Another common tool in use in scheduling is the project evaluation and review technique (PERT) which is an analysis tool that can also be used by the manager to schedule the project’s activities. The most important key to successful and effective project management is through planning. A logically constructed and orderly plan is essential to direct any type of project and to help in preparing a report from conception through completion. The key to good planning is in its turn founded on clearly defined project objectives. For instance, project planning can begin with the identification of the client's needs, the development of a budget and work schedule that fit these needs, and the planning for resources, including staff and materials. The setting up of a clearly defined project proposal plan is therefore v ery useful from the beginning as it can help ensure that matters as a technically capable staff and an adequate budget are part of the process. The understanding of the assumptions is important given how the expectations for the final results of the project are based on the initial suppositions made. Furthermore, changing assumptions throughout the project can bring about lack of satisfaction about the final results among the senior management; a scenario that is rather frequent in the project management field. Therefore, and despite the fact that project length remains a critical factor in the eventual extent of satisfaction exhibited with regard to the final results, assumptions should be documented at project initiation and throughout using the project charter as a possible means. The project manager should from then on continue to challenge and revalidate the assumptions to ensure that the project is either redirected towards a different set of objectives or simply terminated fu lly in the event of changing assumptions. Among the assumptions that need to be considered are related to both enterprise environmental factors as well as organizational process assets. Assumptions related to the external environment, and which can affect any given project and should be therefore taken well into account, include for

Herman Miller and Local Produce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Herman Miller and Local Produce - Essay Example Local produce good for everyone: This is a fact that Herman Miller considers very strongly. For instance Miller and a team of experts have looked beyond their immediate markets to other local but promising markets i. e the Chinese markets. They have noticed that the Chinese do not patronize global goods but are in love with their local produce like many other Asian countries. Thus Miller is creating some designs which are very specific to that marketplace and in other to achieve this; they will have to hire a few local people to guide the company towards achieving a perfect local design/produce that suits the need of the local market. Analysis According to (Google books, 2010) Herman Miller uses outside resources to drive innovations. They outsource their creative work to a network of award winning independent designers. Miller states boldly that when talents are drawn from a variety of sources, innovation thrives faster. This is what walker refers to as â€Å" a fresh perspective o n existing or emerging problems† In expanding into Malaysia, the company will require the flexibility of working alongside other designers in Malaysia and sharing profits with them. This will help them conquer the indigenous Malaysian market.

Microsoft Office Licensing Essay Example for Free

Microsoft Office Licensing Essay The 2007 Microsoft Office Suites can be purchase under different types of licenses according to the requirements of the purchaser. These different types of licensing are Retail or Full Package Product (FPP) licensing, Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) licensing, Volume licensing, and Academic and Academic-Volume licensing terms (Microsoft Office Suites, 2007). When the Office Suite is purchased from a retail outlet or downloaded from the network, it comes with a retail or FPP license. Retail licenses are comparatively expensive and come with shorter period of support from Microsoft. When the software is pre-installed in a newly-purchased computer system, it comes under OEM licensing. The OEM license is bounded with the machine and cannot be used in a different machine. The license loses its validity once the machine is non-functional or stops working. Microsoft volume licensing programs are tailored to meet the requirements of companies of different sizes starting from companies having as few as five desktops (Volume Licensing, 2007). The volume license programs offer increasing savings and other benefits with the increase in number of computer systems. Volume licenses are further classified into Open License, Select License, Enterprise Agreement and Enterprise Subscription Agreement. Microsoft Volume Licensing for educational institutions or Academic Licenses are available to educational institutions having requirements of at least five copies and mores. The academic licenses are offered at discounted prices. There are four types of academic licensing: Campus Agreement for higher educational institutions, School Agreements for K-12 schools and districts and pre-schools, Academic Open for academic institutions of any size and Academic Select for medium to large academic institutions (Education, 2007).

Review Of Brzezinskis The Grand Chessboard Politics Essay

Review Of Brzezinskis The Grand Chessboard Politics Essay The Grand Chessboard was written by Zbigniew Brzezinski, National Security Adviser to President Jimmy Carter, and was published in 1997. It is a progressive book on American foreign policy of the 1990s and after. It looks candidly at reasons for Americas policy of aggression towards Afghanistan and conciliation towards Pakistan. It also spells out the need for Americas policy of toleration towards Saudi Arabia and its carrot and stick attitude towards China. It throws light on the growing problem of religious fundamentalism and the need for America to stay ahead as the only superpower in order to control Eurasian politics. The book is divided into seven chapters and runs into 220 pages. Zbigniew Kazimierz Brzezinski was born March on 28, 1928 in Warsaw, Poland. He is an eminent American political scientist, foreign policy advisor and statesman who was National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1981 and continues to be President Barrack Obamas mentor and foreign policy advisor. He is Professor of American foreign policy at Johns Hopkins Universitys School of Advanced International Studies. He is also a scholar of great repute at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and a valuable member of various governmental and non-governmental boards and councils. Brzezinski belonged to the Polish nobility and his family bore the Traby Coat of Arms insignia. They originally came from the town of Brzezany in Galicia which is said to be the source of his family name. Brzezinskis father was a Polish diplomat who was posted in Germany prior to World War II. Brzezinski spent some of his earliest years witnessing the rise of the Nazis and this may have some bearing on his anti-Semitic and anti-Israel leanings. He went to Harvard University to work on a PhD that focused on the Soviet Union. His research led him to trace the connections between the Russian Revolution, Lenins position in Russian politics and the proceedings during Stalins reign. He received his doctorate degree in 1953 and later collaborated with German-American Professor and political scientist, Carl J. Friedrich to develop the concept of totalitarianism and apply its principles to the Soviet Union of 1956. Brzezinski dedicated the book to his students and in Brzezinskis words it is For my students- to help them shape tomorrows world. Hence all students of politics and international relations will benefit from reading this book. It is also a worthy guideline for political scientists and diplomats who would want to get an in-depth knowledge of American foreign policy and rationale behind the changing strategies to stay ahead and on top of global geo-politics. Brzezinski writes in the introduction to this book, The formulation of a comprehensive and integrated Eurasian geo-strategy is therefore the purpose of this book (Brzezinski 1997). In his book The Grand Chessboard, Brzezinski has discussed his most significant contribution to post-Cold War geo-strategy. He emphasizes the need for America to be the global leader and continue to be the arbiter of Eurasian geopolitics. His theory simply put is for American hegemony to continue and for America to dominate the economic and political arenas by minimizing the risk of other potential super powers from Eurasia to gain ascendency in world politics. He has divided Eurasia into four distinct regions and has discussed ways in which the US should charter its foreign policy towards these regions in order to maintain its global dominance. Brzezinski lays claims to the United States being the only comprehensive superpower after the fall of the Soviet Union: America is now Eurasias arbiter, with no major Eurasian issue soluble without Americas participation or contrary to Americas interests (Brzezinski 194). In The Grand Chessboard Brzezinski gives the audience a complete and candid elucidation of American international strategy since 1992. He explains that what this strategy aims at is absolute global dominance by America. Appreciating Brzezinskis argument requires looking at Americas Cold-War strategy through a new lens. (By Zbigniew K. Brzezinski Basic Books) The geo-strategy takes a close look at world affairs during the last decade of the twentieth century. It attempts to decipher the tectonic shift in world affairs and scrutinizes the role America needs to play as the emergent superpower in a uni-polar world. Brzezinski points out that for the first time in history a non- Eurasian power has surfaced as a major negotiator of Eurasian power dealings and also as the worlds paramount power(Brzezinski xiii). The disintegration and collapse of the Soviet Union gave the United States a key foothold in its rapid ascendance as the actual and exclusive global superpower. The source of Americas growing geopolitical ambitions was provided by the rapid growth of the countrys economy through industrialization. The significant economic development was promoted by a culture and environment that encouraged experimentation and modernization. Americas open and democratic political institutions and free market financial system created unique opportunities for wealthy investors to expand the countrys economy and boost its international reputation. The American way of life was congenial to economic growth and the development of national power. The book deals with some major issues of world politics and spells out Brzezinskis take on the design of US foreign policies in dealing with these issues. The rising threat from Islamic fundamentalism to American primacy is described as a possible issue that might prove challenging. Maintaining control over the unstable west Asian region in the absence of a stable and dominant Islamic state could be part of the Middle Eastern problem. Brzezinski argues that even though the Cold War is over and America has emerged as the single most dominant superpower after the collapse of the Soviet Union, it is still necessary to maintain American hegemony to prevent the emergence of a dangerous multi-polar world of independent great powers scrambling for predominance and political advantage. He describes the three grand imperatives, of Americas strategy, its mechanisms and purposes are to help prevent conspiracy against American interests; to ensure the dependence of the less secure nations and pledge their loyalty by providing them security against fundamentalist forces and to keep the underlings pliant and protected in order to prevent other potential powers from taking over these regions. The manuscript provides insights into the thinking behind the 1992 planning document issued by the Pentagon, which maintained that the United States must continue to control the international system by not allowing other advanced and industrialized nations to challenge American leadership or try to assume a larger regional or global role. Americas leadership role, as Brzezinski advocates, meant that not only should the United States dominate its allies, the wealthy and technologically developed states in Europe and East Asia, but also that it must lead the way in fostering peace and stability by dealing with such irritants as Saddam Hussein of Iraq, Slobodan Milosevic of Serbia, and Kim Jong II of North Korea so that there is no scope for potential super powers like Germany or Japan to acquire the means to resolve regional problems by themselves and gain supremacy in the region. The growth of Islamic fundamentalism could exploit the religious sentiments against the Americans and take advantage of the Arab-Israel conflict to undermine and destabilize the authority of several pro-American Middle Eastern states and jeopardize the regional interests of America in the Persian Gulf region. Brzezinski, however, points out that without political unity and in the absence of a single indisputable influential Islamic state, a challenge from Islamic fundamentalism would lack a geopolitical core and would thus be more likely to express itself through diffuse violence (Brzezinski 53). The book also contains other references to the steadily growing problem of Muslim fundamentalism and its impact on global security. The real thrust of Americas foreign policy since the start of the Cold War, according to Brzezinski, was not to thwart or overcome the Soviet menace, but the successful effort to impose an ambitious vision on a confused and disorganized global scenario. The basic idea was to provide for the security of the Eurasian potential super powers and by engage them in such a manner that their military and foreign policies would encourage them to form alliances that America dominated and keep its erstwhile enemies contained. It also sought to prevent its partners from embarking upon independent foreign and military policies that might jeopardize American interests and supremacy at the global level. This policy would help to stabilized relationships among the states of Western Europe and East Asia, and reassure their neighboring states that these powerful partners would remain appeased and loyal. With America leading from the front the West European and East Asian nations would be free from fea rs and mutual competitions and would be able to cooperate politically and economically. This in turn would create stability and harmony in the world and would enhance prosperity and international order that would aid the advanced industrialized countries to forge ahead and maintain economic growth and development. Brzezinski elucidates his point by citing the example of how encouraging Korea to become a unified democratic entity would not be in Americas interests as this development would endanger Americas global control strategy. A rejuvenated and unified Korea would minimize the apparent need for U.S. troops on the peninsula; and would lead to a U.S. pullback from East Asia. This, in turn, would lead to Japan becoming more self-sufficient and secure militarily; that would show the way for military, political and economic rivalry and bickering amongst the nations in the Far East. Japan would gain dominance and could become a potential threat to American supremacy in that region. Hence, the best solution was to maintain the status quo in Korea, which allowed U.S. forces to be stationed there indefinitely and keep vigilance in the area. The ultimate objective of American foreign policy should be benevolent and farsighted in keeping with American ideals and the fundamental interests of human kind. But in so doing the policy must ensure that no Eurasian power be allowed to emerge as a potential challenger to Americas position as the world leader. It must stay ahead in the race and neutralize through effective alliances and policies any scope for a unified Europe or an individual developed nation capable of dominating Eurasian economy and politics and eliminate potential challenge for America. The book gives us an in-depth insight into policies and policy making but it leave some questions unanswered. It discloses the logic that has motivated the American national security strategy ever since the Cold War but it also highlights the fact that this logic predictably involves a massive project that is necessarily open-ended and long lasting. To maintain status quo in an effort to preserve political, economic and strategic dominance America must continue the policy of maintaining troops in the unstable regions of Islamic fundamentalism. The price of such aggressive posturing can be high in the changing climate of world politics and the new vision of a harmonious and peaceful world. So the question remains, according to Brzezinskis logic, how do you pull out troops from the different regions and encourage self governance and at the same time follow the policy of global leadership where the troops must always remain? Brzezinskis theory of global adult-super vision strategy means that American expenditure on its military and security is nearly as much as, perhaps, the rest of the world combined. However, he argues that in order to maintain its control over the Black Sea oil it must deal with Turkey and Iran carefully. To maintain its hegemony over this region might mean sending more troops to stabilize the region. That American interests were firmly planted in the region is apparent: The momentum of Asias economic development is already generating massive pressures for the exploration and exploitation of new sources of energy and the Central Asian region and the Caspian Sea basin are known to contain reserves of natural gas and oil that dwarf those of Kuwait, the Gulf of Mexico, or the North Sea. (Brzezinski 125). Brzezinski freely admits that executing a policy of global dominance is difficult, absorbing, and costly, and offers a solution which is a bit contradictory. Although in keeping with the short and midterm interests continued U.S. preponderance is an absolute necessity, Brzezinski argues that in the long-term the United States can share leadership with regional powers. Multilateral projects, beginning from international adjudicators to U.N. police procedures, all of these require a strong leader. Brzezinskis main argument relies on the claim that American hegemony remains the indispensable foundation for world cooperation and the integration of advanced countries towards world peace and balance of power. To support his argument Brzezinski outlines the possibility of an eventual trilateral division of leadership among the United States, Europe, and Japan. Even then he makes it quite apparent that Europe and Japan would remain junior partners to a predominant America with a larger share of the expenses with no greater authority and independence. The partner nations have never agreed to this formula and have consistently said that if the United States wanted to lead, it would have to pay the expenses and incur the hazards that accompanied leadership. Thus, to say that America can never let go of its supremacy because of the political, economic, and military ramifications is stretching the point a bit far. Cooperation among the great powers ensures stability and peace and that it can only be garnered under American supervision is somewhat self-defeating. According to Brzezinski, stability in Western Europe and East Asia could be guaranteed by American predominance alone, was the prerequisite for cooperation and stability. There is no reason to believe that, without this guarantor, stability will not be achieved. Americas dominant position should foster stability and create a geopolitical core of peaceful global management and shared responsibility.

Star child evolution in 2001 :: essays research papers

The Evolution of the Star-Child   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Film both reflects and creates social culture. Indeed, a film indicates social trends, presents ideas, and analyzes history for its contemporary time period; thus, by viewing a film it becomes possible to infer and make judgments about a society's culture. The filmmaker's message is embedded within the plot and symbolism, and filmmakers often critique social culture through their movies. It is possible to view the evolution of culture through the progression of films over time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Religious films in the pre-1968 era distinguish themselves as literal interpretations of the Old and New Testaments. America, in this era, held religion as central to everyday life. DeMille's â€Å"King of Kings† and similar movies that follow in form support this inference. Consider the context of DeMille's 1932 movies, â€Å"Sign of the Cross.† Depression and the great dustbowl were commonplace across America. The masses embraced religion and this is evident in the literal bible story films. Additionally, the righteous people in the films represented the working class people of America, and the blasphemers represented the elite minority. They were usually powerful, corrupt, and sometimes Jewish. American culture has evolved as technology has advanced. In 1968, the paradigm of religion in film shifted with the release of Kubrick's â€Å"2001: A Space Odyssey.† Rebellion, social activism, drugs, sex and most importantly, technology, dominated social culture. Kubrick's film challenges all previous religious film movies, yet this epic movie contains powerful symbols that reflect the changes in social thought. Thus far, evolution of movies and culture has been discussed. â€Å"2001: A Space Odyssey† is interesting because Kubrick realizes this concept of cultural evolution. Thus, he created his movie to embody this concept and manifest itself in man as a physical being. The underlying theme of Kubrick's movie is evolution: the progression of monkeys to humans, humans to machines (HAL), machines to the star-child. That â€Å"2001† concedes to evolution validates science and technology, while it detracts from religion. Thus, this slow paced film indicates the inevitable evolution of all things. The star-child, spurred by the monolith, represents the destiny of humans as they evolve with technology. The monkeys loose their innocence and become corrupted when the monolith presents itself. This is because the monolith prompts the monkeys to explore ways in which odds and ends in nature may be utilized; in other words, the monkeys develop tools. The monolith is not a deity in the sense that it is a physical creator.

Als Reflective Thinking Essay

Reflective Thanking Essay I am a good leader. One who takes initiative in getting the tasks completed while keeping the morale tempo up and making it a good experience to all. I’m one who will take criticism and can listen even though I may not like what I’m hearing, but in turn apply those criticisms and make a better me. Simply being said, I like to take charge, inspire those around me, complete the mission and wait for the next challenge.Thank my mother for who I am, she inspired the person I am today. I was raised in a very strict environment where there were expectations. Rules, responsibilities, honesty and involvement were all considered necessities. I was introduced to community service when I was 5 years old when I was a Girl Scout. Then later when my late father and I would participate in an annual cancer awareness marathon it was a beginning point for me.So from then on there the feeling of accomplishment to help others inspired me. I’m one who wants p eople to come to be with their troubles so I can help, I’m the one who wants to reach out and touch others and just inspire. It’s easy for me to say that I’m a participative leader. I want to get involved with my fellow wingmen and know they’re comfortable coming to me with any issue they may have. I’m one who strives towards a positive workplace.I like to work next to my fellow crew chiefs and solve problems. I treat others with mutual respect on the job. I am open-minded to my fellow airmen and respect their thoughts and opinions, but understand that the final decision rest in my hands on any given situation. Based on the decision making process, I feel the type of NCO (non-commissioned officer), I’ll become will be similar to the image I uphold now will make people work for the correct answer or the right thing to do.Though I understand that this technique will not work with all, but it’s a starting point for me to evaluate an indi vidual. One of my strengths is that I’m very smart. I’m very accepting to challenges. Another one of my better traits is that I’m a very good listener. I can influence new views on issues and provide help to a better outcome when the issue is good or even bad. I just put myself is their position and think â€Å"what would Melissa do? †

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 7

Chapter 7 And the angel said, â€Å"What prophet has this written? For in this book is foretold all the events which shall come to pass in the next week in the land of Days of Our Lives and All My Children.† And I said to the angel, â€Å"You fabulously feebleminded bundle of feathers, there's no prophet involved. They know what is going to happen because they write it all down in advance for the actors to perform.† â€Å"So it is written, so it shall be done,† said the angel. I crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed next to Raziel. His gaze never wavered from his Soap Opera Digest. I pushed the magazine down so the angel had to look me in the face. â€Å"Raziel, do you remember the time before mankind, the time when there were only the heavenly host and the Lord?† â€Å"Yes, those were the best of times. Except for the war, of course. But other than that, yes, wonderful times.† â€Å"And you angels were as strong and beautiful as divine imagination, your voices sang praise for the Lord and his glory to the ends of the universe, and yet the Lord saw fit to create us, mankind, weak, twisted, and profane, right?† â€Å"That's when it all started to go downhill, if you ask me,† Raziel said. â€Å"Well, do you know why the Lord decided to create us?† â€Å"No. Ours is not to question the Will.† â€Å"Because you are all dumbfucks, that's why. You're as mindless as the machinery of the stars. Angels are just pretty insects. Days of Our Lives is a show, Raziel, a play. It's not real, get it?† â€Å"No.† And he didn't. I've learned that there's a tradition in this time of telling funny stories about the stupidity of people with yellow hair. Guess where that started. I think that we all expected everything to go back to normal after the killer was found, but it seemed that the Romans were much more concerned with the extermination of the Sicarii then they were with a single resurrection. To be fair, I have to say that resurrections weren't that uncommon in those days. As I mentioned, we Jews were quick to get our dead into the ground, and with speed, there's bound to be errors. Occasionally some poor soul would fall unconscious during a fever and wake to find himself being wrapped in linen and prepared for the grave. But funerals were a nice way to get the family together, and there was always a fine meal afterward, so no one really complained, except perhaps those people who didn't wake before they were buried, and if they complained – well, I'm sure God heard them. (It paid to be a light sleeper, in my time.) So, impressed as they might have been with the walking dead, the next day the Romans began to round up suspected conspirators. The men in Maggie's family were hauled off to Sepphoris at dawn. No miracles would come to bring about the release of the prisoners, but neither were there any crucifixions announced in the days that followed. After two weeks had passed with no word of the fate or condition of the men, Maggie, her mother, her aunts, and her sisters went to the synagogue on the Sabbath and appealed to the Pharisees for help. The next day, the Pharisees from Nazareth, Japhia, and Sepphoris appeared at the Roman garrison to appeal to Justus for the release of the prisoners. I don't know what they said, or what sort of leverage they could possibly have used to move the Romans, but the following day, just after dawn, the men of Maggie's family staggered back into our village, beaten, starving, and covered with filth, but very much alive. There was no feast, no celebration for the return of the prisoners – we Jews walked softly for a few months to allow the Romans to settle down. Maggie seemed distant in the weeks that followed, and Josh and I never saw the smile that could make the breath catch in our throats. She seemed to be avoiding us, rushing out of the square whenever we saw her there, or on the Sabbath, staying so close to the women of her family that we couldn't talk to her. Finally, after a month had passed, with absolutely no regard for custom or common courtesy, Joshua insisted that we skip work and dragged me by the sleeve to Maggie's house. She was kneeling on the ground outside the door, grinding some barley with a millstone. We could see her mother moving around in the house and hear the sound of her father and older brother Simon (who was called Lazarus) working the forge next door. Maggie seemed to be lost in the rhythm of grinding the grain, so she didn't see us approach. Joshua put his hand on her shoulder, and without looking up, she smiled. â€Å"You are supposed to be building a house in Sepphoris,† she said. â€Å"We thought it more important to visit a sick friend.† â€Å"And who would that be?† â€Å"Who do you think?† â€Å"I'm not sick. In fact, I've been healed by the touch of the Messiah.† â€Å"I think not,† said Joshua. She finally looked up at him and her smile evaporated. â€Å"I can't be friends with you two anymore,† she said. â€Å"Things have changed.† â€Å"What, because your uncle was a Sicarii?† I said. â€Å"Don't be silly.† â€Å"No, because my mother made a bargain to get Iban to convince the other Pharisees to go to Sepphoris and plead for the men's lives.† â€Å"What kind of bargain?† Joshua asked. â€Å"I am betrothed.† She looked at the millstone again and a tear dripped into the powdered grain. We were both stunned. Josh took his hand from her shoulder and stepped back, then looked at me as if there was something I could do. I felt as if I would start crying at any second myself. I managed to choke out, â€Å"Who to?† â€Å"To Jakan,† Maggie said with a sob. â€Å"Iban's son? The creep? The bully?† Maggie nodded. Joshua covered his mouth and ran a few steps away, then threw up. I was tempted to join him, but instead I crouched in front of Maggie. â€Å"How long before you're married?† â€Å"I'm to be married a month after the Passover feast. Mother made him wait six months.† â€Å"Six months! Six months! That's forever, Maggie. Why, Jakan could be killed in a thousand heinous ways in six months, and that's just the ones I can think of right now. Why, someone could turn him in to the Romans for being a rebel. I'm not saying who, but someone might. It could happen.† â€Å"I'm sorry, Biff.† â€Å"Don't be sorry for me, why would you be sorry for me?† â€Å"I know how you feel, so I'm sorry.† I was thrown for a second. I glanced at Joshua to see if he could give me a clue, but he was still absorbed in splattering his breakfast in the dirt. â€Å"But it's Joshua who you love?† I finally said. â€Å"Does that make you feel any better?† â€Å"Well, no.† â€Å"Then I'm sorry.† She made as if to reach out to touch my cheek, but her mother called her before she made contact. â€Å"Right now, Mary, in this house!† Maggie nodded toward the barfing Messiah. â€Å"Take care of him.† â€Å"He'll be fine.† â€Å"And take care of yourself.† â€Å"I'll be fine too, Maggie. Don't forget I have an emergency backup wife. Besides, it's six months. A lot can happen in six months. It's not like we won't see you.† I was trying to sound more hopeful than I felt. â€Å"Take Joshua home,† she said. Then she quickly kissed me on the cheek and ran into the house. Joshua was completely against the idea of murdering Jakan, or even praying for harm to come to him. If anything, Joshua seemed more kindly disposed toward Jakan than he had been before, going as far as to seek him out and congratulate him on his betrothal to Maggie, an act that left me feeling angry and betrayed. I confronted Joshua in the olive grove, where he had gone to pray among the twisted tree trunks. â€Å"You coward,† I said, â€Å"you could strike him down if you wanted to.† â€Å"As could you,† he replied. â€Å"Yeah, but you can call the wrath of God down upon him. I'd have to sneak up behind him and brain him with a rock. There's a difference.† â€Å"And you would have me kill Jakan for what, your bad luck?† â€Å"Works for me.† â€Å"Is it so hard for you to give up what you never had?† â€Å"I had hope, Josh. You understand hope, don't you?† Sometimes he could be mightily dense, or so I thought. I didn't realize how much he was hurting inside, or how much he wanted to do something. â€Å"I think I understand hope, I'm just not sure that I am allowed to have any.† â€Å"Oh, don't start with that ‘Everyone gets something but me' speech. You've got plenty.† Josh wheeled on me, his eyes like fire, â€Å"Like what? What do I have?† â€Å"Uh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I wanted to say something about a really sexy mother, but that didn't seem like the sort of thing he wanted to hear. â€Å"Uh, you have God.† â€Å"So do you. So does everyone.† â€Å"Really?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Not the Romans.† â€Å"There are Roman Jews.† â€Å"Well, you've got, uh – that healing-raising-the-dead thing.† â€Å"Oh yeah, and that's working really well.† â€Å"Well, you're the Messiah, what's that? That's something. If you told people you were the Messiah they'd have to do what you say.† â€Å"I can't tell them.† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"I don't know how to be the Messiah.† â€Å"Well, at least do something about Maggie.† â€Å"He can't,† came a voice from behind a tree. A golden glow emanated from either side of the trunk. â€Å"Who's there?† Joshua called. The angel Raziel stepped out from behind the tree. â€Å"Angel of the Lord,† I said under my breath to Josh. â€Å"I know,† he said, in a â€Å"you seen one, you seen 'em all† way. â€Å"He can't do anything,† the angel repeated. â€Å"Why not?† I asked. â€Å"Because he may not know any woman.† â€Å"I may not?† Joshua said, not sounding at all happy. â€Å"He may not in that he should not, or that he cannot?† I asked. The angel scratched his golden head, â€Å"I didn't think to ask.† â€Å"It's kind of important,† I said. â€Å"Well, he can't do anything about Mary Magdalene, I know that. They told me to come and tell him that. That and that it is time for him to go.† â€Å"Go where?† â€Å"I didn't think to ask.† I suppose I should have been frightened, but I seemed to have passed right through frightened to exasperated. I stepped up to the angel and poked him in the chest. â€Å"Are you the same angel that came to us before, to announce the coming of the Savior?† â€Å"It was the Lord's will that I bring that joyful news.† â€Å"I just wondered, in case all of you angels look alike or something. So, after you showed up ten years late, they sent you with another message?† â€Å"I am here to tell the Savior that it is time for him to go.† â€Å"But you don't know where?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"And this golden stuff around you, this light, what is this?† â€Å"The glory of the Lord.† â€Å"You're sure it's not stupidity leaking out of you?† â€Å"Biff, be nice, he is the messenger of the Lord.† â€Å"Well, hell, Josh, he's no help at all. If we're going to get angels from heaven they should at least know what they are doing. Blow down walls or something, destroy cities, oh, I don't know – get the whole message.† â€Å"I'm sorry,† the angel said. â€Å"Would you like me to destroy a city?† â€Å"Go find out where Josh is supposed to go. How 'bout that?† â€Å"I can do that.† â€Å"Then do that.† â€Å"I'll be right back.† â€Å"We'll wait.† â€Å"Godspeed,† Joshua said. In an instant the angel moved behind another tree trunk and the golden glow was gone from the olive grove with a warm breeze. â€Å"You were sort of hard on him,† Joshua said. â€Å"Josh, being nice isn't always going to get the job done.† â€Å"One can try.† â€Å"Was Moses nice to Pharaoh?† Before Joshua could answer me, the warm breeze blew into the olive grove again and the angel stepped out from behind a tree. â€Å"To find your destiny,† he said. â€Å"What?† I said. â€Å"What?† Joshua said. â€Å"You are supposed to go find your destiny.† â€Å"That's it?† Joshua said. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"What about the ‘knowing a woman' thing?† I asked. â€Å"I have to go now.† â€Å"Grab him, Josh. You hold him and I'll hit him.† But the angel was gone with the breeze. â€Å"My destiny?† Joshua looked at his open, empty palms. â€Å"We should have pounded the answer out of him,† I said. â€Å"I don't think that would have worked.† â€Å"Oh, back to the nice strategy. Did Moses – â€Å" â€Å"Moses should have said, ‘Let my people go, please.'† â€Å"That would have made the difference?† â€Å"It could have worked. You don't know.† â€Å"So what do you do about your destiny?† â€Å"I'm going to ask the Holy of Holies when we go to the Temple for the Passover.† And so it came to pass that in the spring all of the Jews from Galilee made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the Passover feast, and Joshua began the search for his destiny. The road was lined with families making their way to the holy city. Camels, carts, and donkeys were loaded high with provisions for the trip, and all along the column of pilgrims you could hear the bleating of the lambs that would be sacrificed for the feast. The road was dry that year, and a red-brown cloud of dust wound its way over the road as far as one could see in either direction. Since we were each the eldest in our families, it fell on Joshua and me to keep track of all our younger brothers and sisters. It seemed that the easiest way to accomplish this was to tie them together, so we strung together, by height, my two brothers and Josh's three brothers and two sisters. I tied the rope loosely around their necks so it would only choke them if they got out of line. â€Å"I can untie this,† said James. â€Å"Me too,† said my brother Shem. â€Å"But you won't. This is the part of the Passover where you reenact Moses leading you out of the Promised Land, you have to stay with the little ones.† â€Å"You're not Moses,† said Shem. â€Å"No – no, I'm not Moses. Smart of you to notice.† I tied the end of the rope to a nearby wagon that was loaded high with jars of wine. â€Å"This wagon is Moses,† I said. â€Å"Follow it.† â€Å"That wagon isn't – â€Å" â€Å"It's symbolic, shut the hell up and follow Moses.† Thus freed of our responsibilities, Joshua and I went looking for Maggie and her family. We knew that Maggie and her clan had left after us, so we fought backward through the pilgrims, braving donkey bites and camel spit until we spotted her royal blue shawl on the hill behind us, perhaps a half-mile back. We had resolved to just sit by the side of the road to wait until she reached us, rather than battle the crowd, when suddenly the column of pilgrims started to leave the road altogether, moving to the sides in a great wave. When we saw the red crest of a centurion's helmet come over the top of the hill we understood. Our people were making way for the Roman army. (There would be nearly a million Jews in Jerusalem for Passover – a million Jews celebrating their liberation from oppression, a very dangerous mix from the Roman point of view. The Roman governor would come from Caesarea with his full legion of six thousand men, and each of the other barracks in Judea, Samaria, and Galilee would send a century or two of soldiers to the holy city.) We used the opportunity to dash back to Maggie, arriving there at the same time as the Roman army. The centurion that led the cavalry kicked at me as he passed, his hobnail boot missing my head by a hair's breadth. I suppose I should be glad he wasn't a standard-bearer or I might have been conked with a Roman eagle. â€Å"How long do I have to wait before you drive them from the land and restore the kingdom to our people, Joshua?† Maggie stood there with her hands on her hips, trying to look stern, but her blue eyes betrayed that she was about to burst into laughter. â€Å"Uh, shalom to you too, Maggie,† Joshua said. â€Å"How about you, Biff, have you learned to be an idiot yet, or are you behind in your studies?† Those laughing eyes, even as the Romans passed by only an arm's length away. God, I miss her. â€Å"I'm learning,† I said. Maggie put down the jar she'd been carrying and threw her arms out to embrace us. It had been months since we'd seen her other than passing in the square. She smelled of lemons and cinnamon that day. We walked with Maggie and her family for a couple of hours, talking and joking and avoiding the subject that we were all thinking about until Maggie finally said, â€Å"Are you two coming to my wedding?† Joshua and I looked at each other as if our tongues had suddenly been struck from our mouths. I saw that Josh was having no luck finding words, and Maggie seemed to be getting angry. â€Å"Well?† â€Å"Uh, Maggie, it's not that we're not overjoyed with your good fortune, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She took the opportunity to backhand me across the mouth. The jar she carried on her head didn't even waver. Amazing grace that girl had. â€Å"Ouch.† â€Å"Good fortune? Are you mad? My husband's a toad. I'm sick at the thought of him. I was just hoping you two would come to help me through the ceremony.† â€Å"I think my lip is bleeding.† Joshua looked at me and his eyes went wide. â€Å"Uh-oh.† He cocked his head, as if listening to the wind. â€Å"What, uh-oh?† Then I heard the commotion coming from ahead. There was a crowd gathered at a small bridge – a lot of shouting and waving. Since the Romans had long since passed, I assumed someone had fallen in the river. â€Å"Uh-oh,† Josh said again, and he began running toward the bridge. â€Å"Sorry.† I shrugged at Maggie, then followed Josh. At the river's edge (no more than a creek, really) we saw a boy about our age, with wild hair and wilder eyes, standing waist-deep in the water. He was holding something under the water and shouting at the top of his lungs. â€Å"You must repent and atone, atone and repent! Your sins have made you unclean. I cleanse you of the evil that you carry like your wallet.† â€Å"That's my cousin, John,† Joshua said. Trailing out of the water on either side of John stood our brothers and sisters, still tied together, but the missing link in the string of siblings was my brother Shem, who had been replaced by a lot of thrashing and bubbling muddy water in front of John. Onlookers were cheering on the Baptist, who was having a little trouble keeping Shem under water. â€Å"I think he's drowning Shem.† â€Å"Baptizing,† Joshua said. â€Å"My mother will be happy that Shem's sins have been cleansed, but I have to think we're going to be in a lot of trouble if he drowns in the process.† â€Å"Good point,† Josh said. He stepped into the water. â€Å"John! Stop that!† John looked at him and seemed a little perplexed. â€Å"Cousin Joshua?† â€Å"Yes. John, let him up.† â€Å"He has sinned,† John said, as if that said it all. â€Å"I'll take care of his sins.† â€Å"You think you're the one, don't you? Well, you're not. My birth was announced by an angel as well. It was prophesied that I would lead. You're not the one.† â€Å"We should talk about this in another place. Let him up, John. He's cleansed.† John let my brother pop out of the water and I ran down and dragged him and all the other kids out of the river. â€Å"Wait, the others haven't been cleansed. They are filthy with sin.† Joshua stepped between his brother James, who would have been the next one dunked, and the Baptist. â€Å"You won't tell Mother about this, will you?† Halfway between terrified and furious, James was tearing at the knots, trying to untie the rope from around his neck. He clearly wanted revenge on his big brother, but at the same time he didn't want to give up his brother's protection from John. â€Å"If we let John baptize you long enough, you won't be able to tell your mother, will you, James?† Me, just trying to help out. â€Å"I won't tell,† James said. He looked back at John, who was still staring as if he'd dash out and grab someone to cleanse any second. â€Å"He's our cousin?† â€Å"Yes,† Joshua said. â€Å"The son of our mother's cousin Elizabeth.† â€Å"When did you meet him before?† â€Å"I haven't.† â€Å"Then how did you know him.† â€Å"I just did.† â€Å"He's a loony,† said James. â€Å"You're both loonies.† â€Å"Yes, a family trait. Maybe when you get older you can be a loony too. You won't tell Mother.† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Good,† Joshua said. â€Å"You and Biff get the kids moving, will you?† I nodded, shooting a glance back to John. â€Å"James is right, Josh. He is a loony.† â€Å"I heard that, sinner!† John shouted. â€Å"Perhaps you need to be cleansed.† John and his parents shared supper with us that evening. I was surprised that John's parents were older than Joseph – older than my grandparents even. Joshua told me that John's birth had been a miracle, announced by the angel. Elizabeth, John's mother, talked about it all through supper, as if it had happened yesterday instead of thirteen years ago. When the old woman paused to take a breath, Joshua's mother started in about the divine announcement of her own son's birth. Occasionally my mother, feeling the need to exhibit some maternal pride that she didn't really feel, would chime in as well. â€Å"You know, Biff wasn't announced by an angel, but locusts ate our garden and Alphaeus had gas for a month around the time he would have been conceived. I think it might have been a sign. That certainly didn't happen with my other boys.† Ah, Mother. Did I mention that she was besought with a demon? After supper, Joshua and I built our own fire, away from the others, hoping that Maggie would seek us out, but it turned out that only John joined us. â€Å"You are not the anointed one,† John said to Joshua. â€Å"Gabriel came to my father. Your angel didn't even have a name.† â€Å"We shouldn't be talking about these things,† Joshua said. â€Å"The angel told my father that his son would prepare the way for the Lord. That's me.† â€Å"Fine, I want nothing more than for you to be the Messiah, John.† â€Å"Really?† John asked. â€Å"But your mother seems so, so†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Josh can raise the dead,† I said. John shifted his insane gaze to me, and I scooted away from him in case he tried to hit me. â€Å"He cannot,† John said. â€Å"Yep, I've seen it twice.† â€Å"Don't, Biff,† Josh said. â€Å"You're lying. Bearing false witness is a sin,† John said. The Baptist started to look more panicked than angry. â€Å"I'm not very good at it,† Joshua said. John's eyes went wide, now with amazement instead of madness. â€Å"You have done this? You have raised the dead?† â€Å"And healed the sick,† I said. John grabbed me by the front of my tunic and pulled me close, staring into my eyes as if he was looking into my head. â€Å"You aren't lying, are you?† He looked at Joshua. â€Å"He's not lying, is he?† Joshua shook his head. â€Å"I don't think so.† John released me, let out a long sigh, then sat back in the dirt. The firelight caught tears sparkling in his eyes as he stared at nothing. â€Å"I am so relieved. I didn't know what I would do. I don't know how to be the Messiah.† â€Å"Neither do I,† said Joshua. â€Å"Well, I hope you really can raise the dead,† John said, â€Å"because this will kill my mother.† We walked with John for the next three days, through Samaria, into Judea, and finally into the holy city. Fortunately, there weren't many rivers or streams along the way, so we were able to keep his baptisms to a minimum. His heart was in the right place, he really did want to cleanse our people of their sins, it was just that no one would believe that God would give that responsibility to a thirteen-year-old. To keep John happy, Josh and I let him baptize our little brothers and sisters at every body of water we passed, at least until Josh's little sister Miriam developed the sniffles and Joshua had to perform an emergency healing on her. â€Å"You really can heal,† John exclaimed. â€Å"Well, the sniffles are easy,† Joshua said. â€Å"A little mucus is nothing against the power of the Lord.† â€Å"Would – would you mind?† John said, lifting up his tunic and showing his bare privates, which were covered with sores and greenish scales. â€Å"Cover, please cover!† I yelled. â€Å"Drop the shirt and step away!† â€Å"That's disgusting,† Joshua said. â€Å"Am I unclean? I've been afraid to ask my father, and I can't go to a Pharisee, not with my father being a priest. I think it's from standing in the water all of the time. Can you heal me?† (I have to say here that I believe that this was the first time Joshua's little sister Miriam ever saw a man's privates. She was only six at the time, but the experience so frightened her that she never married. The last time anyone heard from her, she had cut her hair short, put on men's clothes, and moved to the Greek island of Lesbos. But that was later.) â€Å"Have at it, Josh,† I said. â€Å"Lay your hands upon the affliction and heal it.† Joshua shot me a dirty look, then looked back to his cousin John, with nothing but compassion in his eyes. â€Å"My mother has some salve you can put on it,† he said. â€Å"Let's see if that works first.† â€Å"I've tried salve,† John said. â€Å"I was afraid you had,† said Joshua. â€Å"Have you tried rubbing it with olive oil?† I asked. â€Å"It probably won't cure you, but it might take your mind off of it.† â€Å"Biff, please. John is afflicted.† â€Å"Sorry.† Joshua said, â€Å"Come here, John.† â€Å"Oh, jeez, Joshua,† I said. â€Å"You're not going to touch it, are you? He's unclean. Let him live with the lepers.† Joshua put his hands on John's head and the Baptist's eyes rolled back in his head. I thought he would fall, and he did waver, but remained standing. â€Å"Father, you have sent this one to prepare the way. Let him go forth with his body as clean as his spirit.† Joshua released his cousin and stepped back. John opened his eyes and smiled. â€Å"I am healed!† he yelled. â€Å"I am healed.† John began to raise his shirt and I caught his arm. â€Å"We'll take your word for it.† The Baptist fell to his knees, then prostrated himself before Joshua, shoving his face against Josh's feet. â€Å"You are truly the Messiah. I'm sorry I ever doubted you. I shall declare your holiness throughout the land.† â€Å"Uh, maybe someday, but not now,† Joshua said. John looked up from where he had been grasping Josh's ankles. â€Å"Not now?† â€Å"We're trying to keep it a secret,† I said. Josh patted his cousin's head. â€Å"Yes, it would be best not to tell anyone about the healing, John.† â€Å"But why?† â€Å"We have to find out a couple of things before Joshua starts being the Messiah,† I said. â€Å"Like what?† John seemed as if he would start crying again. â€Å"Well, like where Joshua left his destiny and whether or not he's allowed to, uh, have an abomination with a woman.† â€Å"It's not an abomination if it's with a woman,† Josh added. â€Å"It's not?† â€Å"Nope. Sheep, goats, pretty much any animal – it's an abomination. But with a woman, it's something totally different.† â€Å"What about a woman and a goat, what's that?† asked John. â€Å"That's five shekels in Damascus,† I said. â€Å"Six if you want to help.† Joshua punched me in the shoulder. â€Å"Sorry, old joke.† I grinned. â€Å"Couldn't resist.† John closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, as if he might squeeze some understanding out of his mind if he applied enough pressure. â€Å"So you don't want anyone to know that you have the power to heal because you don't know if you can lie with a woman?† â€Å"Well, that and I have no idea how to go about being the Messiah,† Josh said. â€Å"Yeah, and that,† I said. â€Å"You should ask Hillel,† John said. â€Å"My father says he's the wisest of all of the priests.† â€Å"I'm going to ask the Holy of Holies,† Joshua said. (The Holy of Holies was the Ark of the Covenant – the box containing the tablets handed down from God to Moses. No one I knew had ever seen it, as it was housed in the inner room at the Temple.) â€Å"But it's forbidden. Only a priest may enter the chamber of the Ark.† â€Å"Yes, that's going to be a problem,† I said. The city was like a huge cup that had been filled to its brim with pilgrims, then spilled into a seething pool of humanity around it. When we arrived men were already lined up as far as the Damascus gate, waiting with their lambs to get to the Temple. A greasy black smoke was on the wind, coming from the Temple, where as many as ten thousand priests would be slaughtering the lambs and burning the blood and fatty parts on the altar. Cooking fires were burning all around the city as women prepared the lambs. A haze hung in the air, the steam and funk of a million people and as many animals. Stale breath and sweat and the smell of piss rose in the heat of the day, mixing with the bleating of lambs, the bellowing of camels, the crying of children, the ululations of women, and the low buzz of too many voices, until the air was thick with sounds and smells and God and history. Here Abraham received the word of God that his people would be the Chosen, here were the Hebrews delivered out of Egypt, here Solomon built the first Temple, here walked the prophets and the kings of the Hebrews, and here resided the Ark of the Covenant. Jerusalem. Here did I, the Christ, and John the Baptist come to find out the will of God and, if we were lucky, spot some really delicious girls. (What, you thought it was all religion and philosophy?) Our families made camp outside the northern wall of the city, below the battlements of Antonia, the fortress Herod had built in tribute to his benefactor, Marc Antony. Two cohorts of Roman soldiers, some twelve hundred strong, watched the Temple courtyard from the fortress walls. The women fed and washed the children while Joshua and I carried lambs with our fathers to the Temple. There was something unsettling about carrying an animal to its death. It wasn't that I hadn't seen the sacrifices before, nor even eaten the Passover lamb, but this was the first time I'd actually participated. I could feel the animal's breathing on my neck as I carried it slung over my shoulders, and amid all the noise and the smells and the movement around the Temple, there was, for a moment, silence, just the breath and heartbeat of the lamb. I guess I fell behind the others, because my father turned and said something to me, but I couldn't hear the words. We went through the gates and into the outer courtyard of the Temple where merchants sold birds for the sacrifice and moneychangers traded shekels for a hundred different coins from around the world. As we passed through the enormous courtyard, where thousands of men stood with lambs on their shoulders waiting to get into the inner temple, to the altar, to the slaughter, I could see no man's face. I saw only the faces of the lambs, some calm and oblivious, others with their eyes rolled back, bleating in terror, still others seeming to be stunned. I swung the lamb from my own shoulders and cradled it in my arms like a child as I backed out toward the gate. I know my father and Joseph must have come after me, but I couldn't see their faces, just emptiness where their eyes should have been, just the eyes of the lambs they carried. I couldn't breathe, and I couldn't get out of the Temple fast enough. I didn't know where I was going, but I wasn't going inside to the altar. I turned to run , but a hand caught my shirt and pulled me back. I spun around and looked into Joshua's eyes. â€Å"It's God's will,† he said. He laid his hands on my head and I was able to breathe again. â€Å"It's all right, Biff. God's will.† He smiled. Joshua had put the lamb he'd been carrying on the ground, but it didn't run away. I suppose I should have known right then. I didn't eat any of the lamb for that Passover feast. In fact, I've never eaten lamb since that day.