Computers------Computer Production Essays - American Brands, Compaq

Computers------Computer Production The market for computer products is a multi-billion dollar business where one can find a perfect balance of technology and efficiency. The huge industrial market is lead by such names as IBM, Hewlett Packard, and Compaq. In the world today, computers are used for a variety of tasks and play a crucial role in the areas of academics and business. The steps that are taken to bring the computer from several small components to a desktop product are organization of the manufacturing facility, assembly of hardware, installation of software, and a test process. The production of a high quality product is important to computer buyers. The following discussion demonstrates steps large corporations take to make an efficient computer. Companies such as IBM and Apple computers are well known in the computer industry. These companies have several manufacturing facilities around the world where thousands of computers are built. Manufacturing factories, which typically range between ?75,000 to 200,000 square feet?() in size, produce approximately 14,000 systems weekly. Companies generally use 2 methods of computer assembly. One method involves complete unit assembly by one person, the other being group assembly where several people construct a single computer (the latter method is known as assembly line production). A factory employing the single unit assembly method produces about 40 to 60 computers a day (this number varies base on the complexity of the system being assembled). The assembly line method yields approximately 70 computers a day in the average factory. The assembly line method is the most efficient way to produce computes as individual workers become highly specialized in a specific task. In addition, t he next person down the ?line' can check the pervious person's work to check for errors. ?Additional inspection [, as used on assembly lines] tends to increase the computer's quality?(). The first step in manufacturing a computer is for the designer to consider a balance between economic need (customers price level) with computer power and practicality. Manufacturers try to make the best computer (in a given price range) for the lowest cost. Once a specific model is designed the company orders the high quality parts from their own component manufacturing divisions or outside suppliers. Inventory control is an important part of acquiring components as, to remain efficient, the company tries to avoid overstocking. Manufacturers take note of the consumer demand, on a daily basis to efficiently establish quantities for the production line. Top manufactures such as IBM and Apple buy computer components for their products based on ?availability, quality and priority of the configuration? (). When assembling a computer, there are 8 to 10 major components installed including the processor speed chip, the motherboard, RAM (Random Access Memory), diskette drive, modem or netwo rk card, video card, hard drive, sound card, and CD-ROM. Before the components are placed into the computer, each part undergoes an extensive testing process called ?quality control? (). Quality control ensures that faulty systems are not shipped. As an initial step, prior to the assembly process, an inspection of the outer case to ensure that there are no scratches or defects. The brand name and indicator labels are put onto the computer case at this time. Next the motherboard is installed and prepared for the processor chip. The chip (which is often a Pentium chip) is attached to the motherboard along with the RAM component. Once the chip and RAM are installed, the internal speakers and sound card are placed into the case. The hard drive, disk drive and CD-ROM drive are in snuggly attached to the computer chassis. All these components are then attached to the motherboard with cables so that they may communicate with each other. Power supply is then applied to the computer and other additional components such as the video card, and modem are added near a final stage of assembly. After all these components are installed to create the finished ?PC', the unit is thoroughly inspected to ensures that all the cables connections are in place and all other defects are fixed. Inspectors also ensure that cables are in appropriate places so that they do not touch components. This is important as heat given off components, while operating can cause minor explosions. The CMOS

Free Essays on Giacometti

Giacometti was a perfectionist. He tormented himself with his attention to detail and his desire to make every piece be as realistic and life like as he possibly could. As a result of Giacometti’s determination, out of all of the paintings he has done, he never considered one a finished piece of work. He shows his struggle in all of his paintings by isolating a certain area, that one area he would work on for as long as it took him for him to determine it be perfect. Sometimes he would destroy a painting he was working on for months, to begin over again and let his struggle last for the rest of his life. By doing that it shows his true determination and passion for painting and capturing his pieces to be as true to life as possible. Giacometti’s main concern in the still life â€Å"Apple on a Sideboard†(1937) was seemingly to depict an apple and its surroundings. To get this effect he used highlights to enhance the apple’s isolation and to draw the spectator into that isolation. The isolation of the apple metaphorically reflects how Giacometti always seems to concentrate obsessively on just one aspect of his paintings. One can see in the apple his repeated but failed attempts to reproduce the real, efforts that are usually reserved for drawing the heads of his subjects in his portraiture. The figures in Giacometti’s portraits always seem to be on the verge of dissolving into areas around them, their edges and contour eroded by the artist’s destructive brush strokes. Take for instance his portraits of his wife Annette. By observing the way that Giacometti used crosshatched lines that surround and consume most of the body. The vast amounts of lost space around her head, which makes the observer’s eye travel right to her head and face. The strokes that animate and gestural painting that create the distinctions between Annette and the space she inhabits all are evidence to show Giacometti’s determination to portray ... Free Essays on Giacometti Free Essays on Giacometti Giacometti was a perfectionist. He tormented himself with his attention to detail and his desire to make every piece be as realistic and life like as he possibly could. As a result of Giacometti’s determination, out of all of the paintings he has done, he never considered one a finished piece of work. He shows his struggle in all of his paintings by isolating a certain area, that one area he would work on for as long as it took him for him to determine it be perfect. Sometimes he would destroy a painting he was working on for months, to begin over again and let his struggle last for the rest of his life. By doing that it shows his true determination and passion for painting and capturing his pieces to be as true to life as possible. Giacometti’s main concern in the still life â€Å"Apple on a Sideboard†(1937) was seemingly to depict an apple and its surroundings. To get this effect he used highlights to enhance the apple’s isolation and to draw the spectator into that isolation. The isolation of the apple metaphorically reflects how Giacometti always seems to concentrate obsessively on just one aspect of his paintings. One can see in the apple his repeated but failed attempts to reproduce the real, efforts that are usually reserved for drawing the heads of his subjects in his portraiture. The figures in Giacometti’s portraits always seem to be on the verge of dissolving into areas around them, their edges and contour eroded by the artist’s destructive brush strokes. Take for instance his portraits of his wife Annette. By observing the way that Giacometti used crosshatched lines that surround and consume most of the body. The vast amounts of lost space around her head, which makes the observer’s eye travel right to her head and face. The strokes that animate and gestural painting that create the distinctions between Annette and the space she inhabits all are evidence to show Giacometti’s determination to portray ...

Terrorism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Terrorism - Research Paper Example d political fractions), motivation is based upon global jihad, its goals are based on political and religious supremacy of Islam, threat is related to the rapid spread of religious fundamentalism and terrorism, and anti-terrorism policies can save Somalia from the negative influence of this terrorist organization. First of all, the origin of the jihadist group, named as Al-Shabaab, is indebted to the military aims of political Islam in Somalia. To be specific, Al-Shabaab originated as a military subsidiary of the Islamic Courts Union or ICU. When the ICU lost influence and support during its clash with Transitional Federal Government in Somalia (TFG), Al-Shabaab gained momentum and began to exert its influence in Africa. Besides, this terrorist organization was formed in the year 2006. One can see that the origin of this terrorist group is deeply rooted in the Islamic concept of jihad. For instance, the masterminds behind the origin of this terrorist group served in Afghanistan during late 70s. Hansen (2013) states that, â€Å"A proper exploration of the history of Al-Shabaab should start with the origins of this network, which are amongst the Somalis travelling to Afghanistan in the wake of the Soviet intervention, during the Afghan war of 1979-89† (pp.19-20). To be specific, those wh o (say, Somalis) served during this time returned to Somalia and helped the ICU while fighting against the TFG. The defeat of ICU by the TFG resulted in the fragmentation of ICU into different groups. During this time, Al-Shabaab (say, one among these fragmented groups) declared its aim, i.e., the leadership of jihadists in Africa or the fight against the foes of political Islam. One can see that Al-Shabaab amalgamated the idea of political Islam to the core of religious fundamentalism. To be specific, the leaders of this jihadist group gained the confidence of the mass by proclaiming their ultimate aim, the superiority of religion beyond the government. As pointed out, Al-Shabaab

What were the historical origins of the Second Amendments protection Research Paper

What were the historical origins of the Second Amendments protection to keep and bear arms - Research Paper Example The British with their oppressive activities also reinforced Americans’ belief and support for the right to bear arms. The right to keep and bear arms was strengthened by arguments which argued that it was a necessity for the security of the nation; with arms in the hands of civilians, the nations is protected from oppressive acts of the government, and the nation has an advantage of having soldiers everywhere. Below is a full description of the right’s historical origin. The origin of the right to keep and bear arms is justified by the experiences of the early American people. When the early colonists immigrated to America, they brought guns which they used in their daily lives. They used muskets and short guns to hunt. They also used the guns to fight the Native Americans. When Europeans came to America, they were at first warmly welcomed by the Native Americans who helped them through tough times and shared their food. This relationship did not last long when more Europeans migrated to America. They took away Native American’s land, drove them away, and destroyed their natural way of life. This led to wars between the Native Americans and the colonists therefore, colonists had to carry guns as a safety measure. This conflict and the formation of a larger community led to new developments. The colonists found it necessary to arm every man in the community so that an attack at any time, would find them prepared. The colonies at the time also had slaves and the region was characterised by slave rebellion. Because of this, laws were developed that required Americans to carry guns in case slave rebellion occured. The leaders wanted to make use of everyone who could fight to maintain order in the society. Because of this culture, keeping guns was the right thing to do. People, therefore, had the right to keep and bear arms (Jackson 28). Additionally, during these times, there were no police. Having arms was a way of maintaining security within

Child care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Child care - Essay Example Another weakness of mine is not being very orderly with my things. Sometimes, it doesn’t bother me anymore having cluttered books, pens, etc. around me. Lastly, I think I also need to learn to be more wise in my spending habits. I have the tendency to be an impulsive shopper especially when I find novel materials. One goal is to develop healthy work relationships with my co-workers and the parents of my students. Being surrounded with little children all the time makes me happy, but I also need to relate with other adults who may be able to give me wise advise in developing effective teaching strategies. I would also need their friendship and support as a colleague who understands the same things I go through in my work. As a teacher, I would also need to develop warm and congenial relationships with the parents of my students, as it is one of my beliefs that parents and teachers should work hand-in-hand to help the child reach his full potential. Parents are considered partners in education for a better future. Another goal for me is to pursue excellence in my craft. That includes making more effort to improve on my areas of weaknesses. Being tardy may reflect that I take my work and the people there for granted. Especially with young children, they would need a dependable teacher to be with them when they arrive in school. Being a messy teacher will only impart negative influences in the students, as they can model this behavior themselves and think that is the way things should be. Being an impulsive shopper would also put emphasis on a need to resort to buying new things instead of re-using or recycling old, available, inexpensive materials. It will not foster resourcefulness and self-restraint. To be able to fulfill my goal of developing healthy interpersonal relationships at work would require that I initiate social contacts with people. I would make it a point to give attention to the people at

HIT Governance, Regulations and Policy

HIT Governance, Regulations and Policy Melchor Abejon   The management and leadership of an organization play a significant role in determining the effectiveness of information technology. The use of Health Information Technology (HIT) to improve the healthcare service delivery is constantly increasing, thus it becomes an imperative for every Health Care Organization (HCO) to have an effective Information Technology (IT) governance in place to ensure that the use of HIT aligns with the strategic goals and objectives of the organization, and to effectively prioritized the limited resources. As the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the academic healthcare system, the purpose of this paper is to: Define IT governance and describe the characteristics of a well-developed IT governance mechanism that are desirable for the organization. Create an assessment of the current state of HIT governance in the organization. Create an assessment of the organizations HIT governance capabilities. Definition of IT Governance Gartner (2017) defines IT governance as the processes that ensure the efficient and effective use of IT in enabling an organization to achieve its goals.   It is composed of the processes, relationships in reporting, committees and roles that an organization develops to make decisions about IT resources and activities, and to manage the execution of the decisions. These decisions involve defining project management approaches, setting priorities, determining budgets and addressing IT problems. Characteristics of a well-developed IT Governance Mechanism Wager, Lee and Glaser (2013) has given the following characteristics of a well-developed HIT governance mechanism as enumerated below: Objective and fair. Organizational participants should view governance as objective, fair, well-reasoned, and having integrity. The capability of governance to govern is highly dependent on the willingness of the organizational participants to be governed. Efficient and timely. The governance processes should be efficient and not bureaucratic. It should arrive to decisions quickly. Makes authority clear. A good IT governance enables committees and individuals who have decision authority to have a clear understanding of the scope of their roles and authority. Capability to evolve. A good IT governance mechanism should evolve as the organization, its environment and the use of technology in the organization evolves. Assessment of the Current State of HIT Governance and Capabilities of the Organization Methodology Basing from the described current IT governance structure of the organization in the scenario, and as the CIO of the organization, I believe that a good way to start in establishing a consideration to implement a new health IT governance structure for the organization is to assess the current health IT governance structure. The assessment will include identifying the organizations current maturity by completing a baseline assessment using a qualitative tool which is the Informatics Capability Maturity Model (ICMM) developed by the United Kingdoms National Health Service. The tool will not only assess the current maturity of the organizations health IT governance, but it also determines how capable the organization will be to improve its current health IT governance in order to achieve its strategic objectives. The ICMM also provides an easy quick starting point for organizational level discussions on informatics capabilities and highlighting the most essential areas for consideration . Procedure. Using the ICMM tool, I will evaluate my organizations HIT governance current status and capabilities by assessing five different dimensions. In each of the dimensions are five levels of maturity that ranges from basic (least mature) to innovative (most mature). For each maturity level, I will compare the characteristics and recognize my organizations appropriate position based on the maturity scale. Below are the five dimensions that will serve as my basis for my assessment: Management of information. In this dimension, I would assess the organizations procedures for data collection, data management, and sharing of information across the organization. Assessing this dimension would also enable me to understand the organizations capability in information security, information availability and reliability. A high score in this dimension indicates that the organizational participants or users have access to the right information at the right time. Use of business intelligence. In this dimension, I would assess the organizations approach to analyzing and presenting data to produce the needed information for decision making in the organizations business and clinical area. Assessing this dimension would also enable me to understand the organizations capability to monitor key performance indicators and metrics, ability to communicate essential information and as well as on how the organization invest in its strategic assets such as IT. Use of information technology. In this dimension, I would assess the organizations innovative use of IT. Assessing this dimension would also enable me to understand the organizations transfer of information, methods of information capture, and in sharing and reporting of information. Business and informatics alignment. In this dimension, I would assess how the organization considers and values informatics as a strategic asset in meeting its goals and objectives. Assessing this dimension would also enable me to understand the organizations focus of corporate resources on business activities, strategic plans, organizations activities that are relevant to current strategies and the organizations focus on outcome and results of activities within the organization. Change management. In this dimension, I would assess the organizations approach to realizing the benefits of informatics enabled business change. Assessment of this dimension would also enable me to understand the capability of the organization to realign its strategy and activities through periods of change and as well as capability of the organization to deal with complex changes and readiness for change. After a thorough analysis and determination of my organizations HIT governance status and capabilities based on the ICMMs maturity scale, the result of the assessment will be brought up to the senior leadership of the organization for discussion and identification of areas in the organization that have the potential for informatics capability improvement. A low score across all five dimensions would probably suggest for either a need for improvement or change in the organizations health IT governance structure. After discussing the results with the senior leadership and identifying the need for improvement or change, evidence or evidences will be collected to support the assessment and a proposal for capability development actions has to be created. The last step would be to develop strategies that would reflect the actions agreed upon by all stakeholders in the organization. This could be improving the current health IT governance or identifying a potential health IT governance structure that would be appropriate for the organization. Basing from the described health IT governance of the healthcare system in the scenario, an IT governance structure that enables effective prioritization of competing initiatives is absolutely needed. After improving or implementing a new IT governance structure for an organization, it is imperative that the progress has to be reviewed again through reassessment using the ICMM tool. References IT Governance. (2017). Retrieved February 27, 2017 from http://www.gartner.com/it-glossary/it-governance/ Nelson, R. Staggers, N. (2014). Health Informatics: An Interprofessional Approach. St. Louis, MO.: Elsevier Mosby. United Kingdoms National Health Service (n.d.). Informatics capability maturity model (ICMM) tool. Retrieved February 26, 2017 from http://content.digital.nhs.uk/article/4933/ICMM-tool Wager, K.A., Lee, F.W., Glaser, J.P. (2013). Healthcare information systems: A practical approach for health care management (3rd ed). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass

Essay --

For a business there is many things that is required to keep that business in business. For example, In order to create an product the society must choose upon it’s needs, resources they have and choose based on it’s populations and other available markets.The factors of production is the readiness to work on answer the three questions (What?, How? and For whom?) in order to solve the problems of scarcity. Scarcity is a resources that is limited, a certain number of available resource. Or paying simple bills to stay in a certain location. To sell a certain amount products could affect how a business runs, based off it’s amount of products sold. And then there is the factors of production. Land isn’t about where something is located in a area, Labor is the help to create things, and Capital and Entrepreneurship are necessary to a business. What does factors of production got to do with land? Well Land isn’t all about where a business is located. It’s mostly about the natural resources, which for example are diamonds, wood, water, coal, gold, etc. And this deserves to be ranked first. I think so because with no resources no business won’t be able to run successfully. Aswell most resources have scarcity to create an product with could cause a business owner to look for for an alternative resource. If there wasn’t land in the factor of production, most of the businesses would fail because they won’t be making money by not being able to create products. So overall land should be first since you got to have resources in order to create other new products. How does labor affect the factors of production and what is it’s main purpose? Well according to Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis, they say Labor is, â€Å" Labor is ... ...e they want to be successful without taking such high risks that could take their business down hill if they taken a risk. For sure every entrepreneur knows every risk can be good, but can have a negative effect if taken the wrong way. But to another person they would definitely disagree with my view because not everyone has the same opinion. But also other people have different opinions about how they see the factors of production too. For example some may see Entrepreneurship as being first because of being high of risk. Then they could see Capital second because of money and the equipment for a business. As for Labor they would say third because not much as important than the money and equipment a business would need. And finally Land being last because they might not care where some business is located, but not thinking natural resources out there for land.

The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 25

The Asian Invasion After a relatively short workout and an even shorter – and silent – run with Tiffany, I hop a train to Philadelphia. Following Jake's directions, I walk down Market Street toward the river, turn right on Second Street, and follow the road to his building. When I reach the address, I am surprised to find that Jake lives in a high-rise that overlooks the Delaware River. I have to give my name to the doorman and tell him who I am visiting before he will let me in the building. He's just an old man in a funny costume, who says â€Å"Go Eagles† when he sees my Baskett jersey, but my brother having a doorman is sort of impressive, regardless of the man's uniform. Another old man wears a different sort of funny costume in the elevator – he even has on one of those brimless monkey hats – and this man takes me to the tenth floor after I tell him my brother's name. The elevator doors open, and I walk down a blue hallway on a thick red carpet. When I find number 1021, I knock three times. â€Å"What's up, Baskett?† my brother says after he opens the door. He's in his Jerome Brown memorial jersey because it's game day again. â€Å"Come on in.† There is a huge bay window in the living room, and I can see the Ben Franklin Bridge, the Camden Aquarium, and tiny boats floating on the Delaware. It's a beautiful view. I immediately notice that my brother has a flat-screen television thin enough to hang on the wall like a picture – and it is even bigger than Dad's television. But strangest of all, my brother has a baby grand piano in his living room. â€Å"What's this?† I ask. â€Å"Check it out,† Jake says. He sits down on the piano bench, lifts the cover off the keys, and then actually starts playing. I am amazed that he can play â€Å"Fly, Eagles, Fly.† His version isn't very fancy, just a simple chord progression, but it's definitely the Eagles' fight song. When he begins to sing, I sing along with him. When he finishes, we do the chant and then Jake tells me he has been taking lessons for the past three years. He even plays me another song, which is very unlike â€Å"Fly, Eagles, Fly.† This next song is familiar – surprisingly gentle, like a kitten walking through high grass – and it seems so unlike Jake to create something this beautiful. I actually feel my eyes moistening as my brother plays with his eyes shut, moving his torso back and forth with the sway of the piece, which also looks funny because he is wearing an Eagles jersey. He makes a couple of mistakes, but I don't even care, because he is trying very hard to play the piece correctly for me and that's what counts, right? When he finishes, I clap loudly and then ask him what he was playing. â€Å"Pathetique. Piano Sonata number 8. Beethoven. That was part of the second movement. Adagio cantabile,† Jake says. â€Å"Did you like it?† â€Å"Very much.† Truthfully, I am amazed. â€Å"When did you learn to play?† â€Å"When Caitlin moved in with me, she brought her piano, and she's sort of been teaching me all about music ever since.† I start to feel dizzy because I have never heard mention of this Caitlin, and I think my brother just told me she lives here with him, which would mean my brother is in a serious relationship I know nothing about. This does not seem right. Brothers should know about each other's lovers. Finally I manage to say, â€Å"Caitlin?† My brother takes me into his bedroom, and there's a big wooden poster bed with two matching armoires that look like guards facing each other. He picks up a framed black-and-white photo from the bed stand and hands it to me. In the photo, Jake's cheek is smashed against a beautiful woman's. She has short blond hair, cut almost like a man's, and she is very delicate-looking, but pretty. She is in a white dress; Jake is in a tuxedo. â€Å"That's Caitlin,† Jake says. â€Å"She plays with the Philadelphia Orchestra sometimes and does a lot of recording in New York City too. She's a classical pianist.† â€Å"Why have I not heard about Caitlin before?† Jake takes the portrait from my hands and stands it up on the dresser. We walk back into the living room and sit down on his leather couch. â€Å"I knew you were upset about Nikki, so I didn't want to tell you that I was †¦ well †¦ happily married.† Married? The word hits me like a giant wave, and suddenly I am slick with sweat. â€Å"Mom actually tried to get you out of that place in Baltimore for the Mass, but it was when you were first admitted and they wouldn't let you out. Mom didn't want me to tell you about Caitlin yet, so I didn't at first, but you're my brother, and now that you're home, I wanted you to know about my life, and Caitlin's the best part. I've told her all about you and – if you want – you can meet her today. I had her go out this morning while I broke the news to you. I can call her now, and we can have lunch before we go down to the Linc. So, do you want to meet my wife?† The next thing I know, I'm at a little swanky cafe off South Street, sitting across from a beautiful woman who holds my brother's hand under the table and smiles at me unceasingly. Jake and Caitlin carry the conversation, and it feels a lot like when I am with Veronica and Ronnie. Jake answers most of the questions Caitlin asks me, because I do not say much at all. No mention is made of Nikki or my time at the bad place or just how bizarre it is that Caitlin has been married to my brother for years, yet I had never met her. When the waiter comes, I say I'm not hungry, because I don't have very much money on me – only the ten bucks my mother gave me for the subway, since I already spent five bucks on the PATCO ticket. But my brother orders for all of us and says he is treating, which is nice of him. We eat fancy ham sandwiches with some sort of sun-dried tomato paste, and when I finish, I ask Caitlin if the ceremony was a nice one. â€Å"What ceremony?† she says, and I catch her looking at the little white scar above my right eyebrow. â€Å"Your wedding ceremony.† â€Å"Oh,† she says, and then looks lovingly at my brother. â€Å"Yes. It was really nice. We had the Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City and then a small reception at the New York Palace.† â€Å"How long have you been married?† My brother shoots his wife a look that I do not miss. â€Å"A while now,† she says, which makes me feel crazy because everyone present knows that I do not remember the last couple of years – and because she is a woman, Caitlin knows exactly how long she has been married to Jake. It is obvious she is trying to protect me by being vague. This makes me feel awful, even though I realize Caitlin is trying to be kind. My brother pays the bill, and we walk Caitlin back to their apartment building. Jake kisses his wife by the entrance door, and his love for her is so obvious. But then Caitlin kisses me right on the cheek, and with her face only a few inches from mine, she says, â€Å"I'm glad I finally got to meet you, Pat. I hope we'll become good friends.† I nod because I don't know what else to say, and then Caitlin says, â€Å"Go Baker!† â€Å"It's Baskett, dummy,† Jake says, and Caitlin blushes before they kiss again. Jake hails a taxi and tells the driver, â€Å"City Hall.† In the taxi I tell my brother I don't have any money to pay for the taxi ride, but he says I never have to pay for anything when I am with him, which is a nice thing to say, but his saying it makes me feel sort of strange. Underneath City Hall, we buy subway tokens, spin a turnstile, and then wait for the southbound Orange Line. Even though it is only 1:30 p.m. and kickoff is not for seven hours yet, even though it is a Monday, a day when most people have to work, many men in Eagles jerseys are already waiting on the platform. This makes me realize that Jake is not working today – it makes me realize I do not even know what Jake does for a living, which really starts to freak me out. I think hard and remember that my brother was a business major in college, but I cannot remember where he works, so I ask him. â€Å"I'm an options trader,† he says. â€Å"What's that?† â€Å"I play the stock market.† â€Å"Oh,† I say. â€Å"So who do you work for?† â€Å"Myself.† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"I work for myself and do all my business online. I'm self-employed.† â€Å"Which is why you could take off early to hang out with me.† â€Å"That's the best part about being self-employed.† I am very impressed with Jake's ability to support himself and his wife by playing the stock market, but he doesn't want to talk about his work. He thinks I'm not smart enough to understand what he does; Jake doesn't even try to explain his work to me. â€Å"So what did you think of Caitlin?† he asks me. But the train comes, and we join the herd of boarding Eagles fans before I can answer. â€Å"What did you think of Caitlin?† he asks again after we find seats and the train starts moving. â€Å"She's great,† I say, avoiding eye contact with my brother. â€Å"You're mad at me for not telling you about Caitlin right away.† â€Å"No, I'm not.† I want to tell him all about Tiffany following me when I run; finding the â€Å"Pat† box; how Mom is still on strike and dirty dishes are in the sink and Dad turned his white shirts pink when he did the wash; how my therapist Cliff says I need to stay neutral and not get involved in my parents' marital problems but only focus on improving my own mental health – but how can I do that when Dad and Mom are sleeping in separate rooms and Dad is always telling me to clean the house and Mom is telling me to leave it filthy – and I was having a hard time keeping it together before I found out my brother plays the piano and trades stocks and is living with a beautiful musician and I have missed his gala wedding and therefore will never see my brother marry, which is something I very much wanted to see, because I love my brother. But instead of saying any of this, I say, â€Å"Jake, I'm sort of worried about seeing that Giants fan again.† â€Å"Is that why you've been so quiet today?† my brother asks, as if he has forgotten all about what happened before the last home game. â€Å"I doubt a Giants fan will show up at the Green Bay game, but we're going to set up in a different parking lot anyway, just in case any of the asshole's friends are looking for us. I got your back. Don't worry. The fat guys are setting up the tent in the lot behind the Wachovia Center. No worries at all.† When we arrive at Broad and Pattison, we exit the subway car and climb back up into the afternoon. I follow my brother through the thin crowds of diehards who – like us – have begun tailgating seven hours before kickoff, on a Monday no less. We walk past the Wachovia Center, and when the fat men's green tent comes into view, I can't believe what I see. The fat men are outside of the tent with Scott, and they are yelling at someone hidden by their collective girth. A huge school bus painted green – it's running, and the driver is inching toward our tent. On the hood of the bus is a portrait of Brian Dawkins's bust, and the likeness is incredible. (Dawkins is a regular Pro Bowler who plays free safety for the Birds.) As we get closer, I make out the words the asian invasion along the side of the bus, which is full of brown-faced men. This early in the afternoon, parking spaces are plentiful, so I wonder what the argument is about. Soon I recognize the voice, which argues, â€Å"The Asian Invasion has been parked in this very spot for every home game since the Linc was opened. It's good luck for the Eagles. We are Eagles fans, just like you. Superstition or not, our parking the Asian Invasion bus in this very spot is crucial if you want the Birds to win tonight.† â€Å"We're not moving our tent,† Scott says. â€Å"No fucking way. You should have gotten here earlier.† The fat men reiterate Scott's sentiment, and things are getting heated. I see Cliff before he sees me. â€Å"Move the tent,† I say to our friends. Scott and the fat men turn to face me; they look surprised by my command, almost bewildered, as if I have betrayed them. My brother and Scott exchange a glance, and then Scott asks, â€Å"Hank Baskett – destroyer of Giants fans – says, ‘Move the tent'?† â€Å"Hank Baskett says, ‘Move the tent,'† I say. Scott turns and faces Cliff, who is shocked to see me. Scott says, â€Å"Hank Baskett says, ‘Move the tent.' So we move the tent.† The fat guys groan, but they begin to break down our tailgate party, and soon it is moved three parking spaces over, along with Scott's van, at which time the Asian Invasion bus pulls forward and parks. Fifty or so Indian men exit – each one of them wearing a green number 20 Dawkins jersey. They are like a small army, and soon, several barbecues are going and the smell of curry is all around us. Cliff played it cool and did not say hello to me, which I realize was his way of saying, â€Å"It's your call, Pat.† He simply faded away into the other Dawkins jerseys, so I would not have to explain our relationship, which was kind of him. When we have our tent resituated, when the fat men are inside watching television, Scott says, â€Å"Hey, Baskett. Why did you let the dot heads have our parking spot?† â€Å"None of them have a dot on their head,† I say. â€Å"Did you know that little guy?† Jake asks me. â€Å"Which little guy, me?† We turn around, and Cliff is standing there with a sizzling platter of vegetables and meat cubes skewered on sticks of wood. â€Å"Indian kabobs. Quite delicious. For allowing us to park the Asian Invasion bus in its usual spot.† When Cliff lifts the platter up, we each grab an Indian kabob, and the meat is spicy, but delicious, as are the vegetables. â€Å"And the men in the tent – would they also like one?† â€Å"Hey, fat-asses,† Scott yells. â€Å"Food.† The fat men come out and partake. Soon everyone is nodding and complimenting Cliff on his delicious food. â€Å"Sorry for the trouble,† Cliff says so nicely. He's been so kind – even after hearing Scott call him a dot head – that I can't help claiming Cliff as a friend, so I say, â€Å"Cliff, this is my brother, Jake, my friend Scott, and †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I forget the fat men's names, so I just say, â€Å"Friends of Scott.† â€Å"Shit,† Scott says. â€Å"You should have just told us you were friends with Baskett here and we wouldn't have given you any trouble. You want a beer?† â€Å"Sure,† Cliff says, putting the empty tray down on the concrete. Scott hands everyone a green plastic cup, we all pour bottles of Yuengling Lager, and then I am drinking beers with my therapist. I am afraid Cliff will yell at me for drinking when I am on medications, but he doesn't. â€Å"How do you guys know each other?† one of the fat guys says, and then I realize that by â€Å"you guys,† he means Cliff and me. I am so happy to be drinking beers with Cliff that I say, â€Å"He's my therapist,† before I can remind myself to lie. â€Å"And we are friends too,† Cliff quickly adds, which surprises me but makes me feel pretty good, especially since no one says anything about my needing a therapist. â€Å"What are your boys doing?† Jake asks Cliff. I turn around and see ten or so men rolling out huge sheets of Astroturf. â€Å"They are rolling out the Kubb fields.† â€Å"What?† everyone says. â€Å"Come on, I'll show you.† And this is how we came to play what Cliff calls the Swedish Viking game while tailgating before Monday Night Football. â€Å"Why do a bunch of Indians play a Swedish Viking game?† one of the fat men asks. â€Å"Because it's fun,† Cliff replies, so cool. The Indian men are quick to share their food and are also so knowledgeable regarding Eagles football. They explain Kubb, which is a game where you throw wooden batons to knock down your opponent's kubbs, which are wooden blocks set up on opposite baselines. The knocked-down kubbs get tossed to the opponents' field and set up where they land. To be truthful, I am still not exactly sure how it all works, but I know the game ends when you clean the opponents' field of kubbs and knock down the kubb king, which is the tallest block of wood, set up in the center of the Astroturf. Cliff surprises me by asking if he can be my partner. All afternoon he tells me which blocks to aim for, and we win many games in between bouts of eating Indian kabobs and drinking our Yuengling Lager and the Asian Invasion's India Pale Ale out of green plastic cups. Jake, Scott, and the fat men assimilate into the Asian Invasion tailgate party very nicely – we have Indians in our tent, they have white guys on their Kubb fields – and I think all it really takes for different people to get along is a common rooting interest and a few beers. Every so often one of the Indian men yells â€Å"Ahhhhhhhh!† and when we all do the chant, we are fifty or so men strong, and our â€Å"E!-A!-G!-L!-E!-S! EAGLES!† is deafening. Cliff is deadly with his wooden batons. He mostly carries our team as we play Kubb against various groupings of men, but we end up winning the money tournament, in which I did not even know we were playing until we won. One of Cliff's boys hands me fifty dollars. Cliff explains that Jake paid my entry fee, so I try to give my brother my winnings, but Jake will not let me. Finally, I decide to buy rounds of beer inside the Linc, and I stop arguing with my brother over money. After the sun sets, when it is just about time to go into Lincoln Financial Field, I ask Cliff if I can talk to him alone, and when we walk away from the Asian Invasion, I say, â€Å"Is this okay?† â€Å"This?† he replies, and the glassy look in his eyes suggests he is a little drunk. â€Å"The two of us hanging out like boys. What my friend Danny would call ‘representing.'† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Well, because you are my therapist.† Cliff smiles, holds up a little brown finger, and says, â€Å"What did I tell you? When I am not in the leather recliner †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You're a fellow Eagles fan.† â€Å"Damn right,† he says, and then claps me on the back. After the game I catch a ride back to Jersey on the Asian Invasion bus, and the Indian men and I sing â€Å"Fly, Eagles, Fly† over and over again because the Eagles have beaten the Packers 31 – 9 on national television. When Cliff's friends drop me off in front of my house, it's after midnight, but the funny driver, who is named Ashwini, hits the horn on the Asian Invasion bus – a special recording of all fifty members screaming â€Å"E!-A!-G!-L!-E!-S! EAGLES!† I worry that maybe they have woken up everyone in my neighborhood, but I can't help laughing as the green bus pulls away. My father is still awake, sitting on the family-room couch watching ESPN. When he sees me, he doesn't say hello, but loudly begins to sing, â€Å"Fly, Eagles, fly. On the road to victory †¦Ã¢â‚¬  So I sing the song one more time with my father, and when we finish the chant at the end, my dad continues to hum the fight song as he marches off to bed without so much as asking me a single question about my day, which has been extraordinary to say the least, even if Hank Baskett only had two catches for twenty-seven yards and has yet to find the end zone. I think about cleaning up my father's empty beer bottles, but I remember what my mother told me about keeping the house filthy while she is on strike. Downstairs, I hit the weights and try not to think about missing Jake's wedding, which still has me down some, even if the Birds did win. I need to work off the beer and the Indian kabobs, so I lift for many hours.

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