Essay About Multitasking

Multitasking – â€Å"the ability to do several different things at once† Nowadays, people prefer to divide people in two groups; people who masters to multitask, and those who can’t. Almost everyone place themselves in the former group, thereafter they put the rest of the people in the latter. But of course most people are lying. I personally take advantage of multitasking daily to a certain extent, yes, practically all the time – in a certain level. And my perception of multitasking is the same as http://www. google. no/ ‘s perception on what multitasking is; it’s simply to have the ability to do several different things at once.But something that should be mentioned here is that no one can really multitask. It's when we think we're multitasking; we're only jumping from one thing to another. This way of doing things is addictive and can of course eventually cause us difficulties among our ability to concentrate. With other word; it is physica lly impossible for a human to do two things at the same time. Then, I don’t mean that it is completely impossible to do two things at the same time; such as talking while walking, or smiling while dancing.No, I mean that it is impossible to multitask – to do two things at the same time – as long as the two things that should be done at the same time, requires a lot of concentration and attention to be done correct. I guess you yourself are able to distinguish between which tasks that requires a lot of concentration, and which requires less. Whether you're driving a car while talking on the phone, or if you write e-mails during meetings, it is not true that you do both at once – it's impossible. Unlike the other examples I’ve already mentioned.What you actually do when you’re doing the concentration demanding-tasks is to focus on the first one and then the other, a so-called â€Å"switch-tasking†. Because if you’re doing two con centration demanding things at once , of course your concentration is divided between to tasks at the same time – therefore the result of your actions won’t be as good as they could’ve been – if the tasks were done separately and thoroughly. It's been proven time after time over the last years: multitasking is something only computers can do.What we humans do, when we think that we’re â€Å"multitasking†, is to jump from doing one thing to another, as mentioned earlier. But let us not forget that there's one more group; those who need to multitask. I'd most probably put myself in that group – the group of people who can't concentrate and focus on one specific thing unless she or he is doing at least one more thing at the exact same time. Now, you may call it ADHD, while I would rather call it being efficient.Of course there’s possible to listen to music while you’re doing your homework – to exclude the other actio ns around you, and to increase your concentration, like I personally do. But also here, the perceptions are different. Some people find hearing music while doing homework as disturbing. I think that the perception and the results of multitasking are different from person to person, depending on whom the person concerned is and what tasks there is to be done. A day should absolutely have more hours so all tasks on the to-do-list could’ve been done!But that isn’t something we can change†¦ so I think that the only thing we can do is to make the best out of it and remember to relax now and then. Sources: http://m. theglobeandmail. com/report-on-business/careers/careers-leadership/the-lunch/eileen-mercier-its-all-about-multitasking/article2021801/? service=mobile http://www. klikk. no/kvinneguiden/helse/article761396. ece http://www. universityessays. com/example-essays/business/the-ethics-of-multitasking. php http://www. webopedia. com/TERM/M/multitasking. html http:/ /www. tinbergen. nl/discussionpapers/11044. pdf

Module Ten: Text Questions Essay

Review Questions 1. What is a questioned document? Describe at least one example of something that might be a questioned document. A questioned document is a document in which the script or type used in its composition causes suspicion. 2. What is an exemplar? What are the best types of exemplars? Exemplars are authorized examples of how a text should look as a reference. The best types of exemplars are the ones of similar content and/or in the same format. 3. What are natural variations? Describe how these may happen. Natural variations are subtle changes in handwriting that occur normally. This usually happen with time. 4. How are stamped signatures different from written signatures? Stamped signatures are literal stamps that leave a print of a signature instead of a hand signing. 5. What are some of the typescript machines that document examiners may have to investigate? Choose one of these machines and describe what document examiners may look for when comparing the machine to a questioned document. Some of the typescript machines that document examiners have to investigate are typewriters, photocopiers, and fax machines. With photocopiers, for example, investigators may closely look for discrepancies between copies, as there are little flaws common in every copy. Critical Thinking Questions 1. Why are questioned documents important in forensic science? What is one example of a situation where a questioned document might be an important part of a criminal case? Questioned documents are important in forensic science because the verification of a document could sway a course one way or another. For example, a forged suicide note could suggest foul play. 2. What are some of the ways that a document examiner might try to match a questioned document to a specific typewriter? What aspects might they look at? A document examiner might try to match a questioned document to a specific typewriter by noting possible variations over time that could account for any discrepancies. 3. Imagine that you have been asked to determine whether a signature on a check is authentic or a forgery. What steps would you take in doing this? What aspects would you examine? If I were to determine whether a signature is genuine of a forgery I would closely examine the strokes and curves of the handwrit ing. 4. Imagine that  you have been asked to determine whether a will written fifty years ago is authentic or a modern-day forgery. How would you go about doing this? What aspects would you examine to help you make your determination? To determine whether the will was a forgery or an authentic document I would collect exemplars to compare with the original document. I would closely compare the two and look for suspicious similarities or differences. 5. A law enforcement agent is in charge of getting a writing sample from an uncooperative suspect. The agent puts the suspect in a comfortable room and has the person choose from a bunch of pencils and ink pens. The agent takes the questioned document and dictates the information to the suspect, having the suspect write down what she says as she reads from the questioned document. After several paragraphs, the agent stops and has the suspect rewrite the material two more times. What did the agent do wrong in this situation? What did the agent do right? The agent should not have given the suspect the free range of writing materials but was correct in the material that they had the suspect write down.

The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 27

The next morning was another hot one. The air was so thick and humid that just walking down the street felt unpleasantly like getting slapped with a warm, damp washcloth. Even inside the car with the air-conditioning on, Elena could feel her usual y sleek hair frizzing from the humidity. Stefan had turned up at her house just after breakfast, this time with a list of herbs and magical supplies Mrs. Flowers wanted them to find in town for new protection spel s. As they drove, Elena gazed out the window at the neat white houses and trim green lawns of residential Fel ‘s Church as they gradual y gave way to the brick buildings and tasteful store windows of the shopping district at the center of town. Stefan parked on the main street, outside a cute little cafe where they had sipped cappuccinos together last fal , shortly after she'd learned what he was. Sitting at one of the tiny tables, Stefan had told her how to make a traditional Italian cappuccino, and that had led to his reminiscing about the great feasts of his youth during the Renaissance: aromatic soups sprinkled with pomegranate seeds; rich roasts basted with rosewater; pastries with elder flowers and chestnuts. Course after course of sweet, rich, heavily spiced foods that a modern Italian would never recognize as part of his country's cuisine. It had awed Elena when she realized how different the world had been the last time Stefan had eaten human food. He had mentioned in passing that forks had just been coming into fashion when he was young, and that his father had derided them as a foppish fad. Until Katherine had brought a more fashionable and ladylike influence into their home, they had eaten with only spoons and sharp knives for cutting. â€Å"It was elegant, though,† he'd said, laughing at the expression on her face. â€Å"We al had excel ent table manners. You'd hardly have noticed.† At the time, she'd thought his differences from the boys she'd known – the scope of al the history he'd witnessed – was romantic. Now†¦ wel , now she didn't know what she thought. â€Å"It's down here, I think,† said Stefan, taking her hand and returning her to the present. â€Å"Mrs. Flowers said a New Age store has opened up and that they should have most of the things we need.† The shop was cal ed Spirit and Soul, and it was tiny but vibrant, cluttered with crystals and unicorn figurines, tarot cards and dream catchers. Everything was painted in shades of purple and silver, and silky wal hangings blew in the breeze from a little windowsil air conditioner. The air conditioner wasn't strong enough to put much of a dent in the stickiness of today's heat, though, and the birdlike little woman with long curling hair and clattering necklaces who emerged from the back of the shop looked tired and sweaty. â€Å"How can I help you?† she said in a low, musical voice that Elena suspected she adopted to fit in with the atmosphere of the store. Stefan pul ed out the scrap of paper covered in Mrs. Flowers's tangled handwriting and squinted at it. Vampire vision or not, deciphering Mrs. Flowers's writing could be a chal enge. Oh, Stefan. He was earnest, and sweet, and noble. His poet's soul shone through those gorgeous green eyes. She couldn't regret loving Stefan. But sometimes she secretly wished that she had found Stefan in a less complicated form, that the soul and the intel igence, the love and the passion, the sophistication and the gentleness had somehow been possible in the form of a real eighteenyear-old boy; that he had been what he had pretended to be when she first met him: mysterious, foreign, but human. â€Å"Do you have anything made of hematite?† he asked now. â€Å"Jewelry, or maybe knickknacks? And incense with†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He frowned at the paper. â€Å"Althea in it? Does althea sound right?† â€Å"Of course!† said the shopkeeper enthusiastical y. â€Å"Althea's good for protection and security. And it smel s great. The different kinds of incense are over here.† Stefan fol owed her deeper into the shop, but Elena lingered near the door. She felt exhausted, even though the day had barely begun. There was a rack of clothing by the front window, and she fiddled distractedly with it, pushing hangers back and forth. There was a wispy pink tunic studded with tiny mirrors, a little hippieish but cute. Bonnie might like this, Elena thought automatical y, and then flinched. Through the window, she glimpsed a face she knew, and turned, the top hanging forgotten in her hand. She searched her mind for the name. Tom Parker, that was it. She'd gone out on a few dates with him junior year, before she and Matt had gotten together. It felt like a lot more than a year and a half ago. Tom had been pleasant enough and handsome enough, a perfectly satisfactory date, but she hadn't felt a spark between them and, as Meredith had said, â€Å"practiced catch and release† with him, â€Å"freeing him to swim back into the waters of dating.† He had been crazy about her, though. Even after she set him loose, he'd hung around, looking at her with puppy-dog eyes, pleading with her to take him back. If things had been different, if she had felt anything for Tom, wouldn't her life be simpler now? She watched Tom. He was strol ing down the street, smiling, hand in hand with Marissa Peterson, the girl he had started dating near the end of last year. Tom was tal , and he bent his shaggy dark head down to hear what Marissa was saying. They grinned at each other, and he lifted his free hand to gently, teasingly tug on her long hair. They looked happy together. Wel , good for them. Easy to be happy when they were uncomplicatedly in love, when there was nothing more difficult in their lives than a summer spent with their friends before heading off to col ege. Easy to be happy when they couldn't even remember the chaos their town had been in before Elena had saved them. They weren't even grateful. They were too lucky: They knew nothing of the darkness that lurked on the edges of their safe, sunlit lives. Elena's stomach twisted. Vampires, demons, phantoms, star-crossed love. Why did she have to be the one to deal with it al ? She listened for a moment. Stefan was stil consulting with the shopkeeper, and she heard him say worriedly, â€Å"Wil rowan twigs have the same effect, though?† and the woman's reassuring murmur. He would be busy for a while longer, then. He was only about a third of the way down the list Mrs. Flowers had given them. Elena put the shirt back in its place on the rack and walked out of the store. Careful not to be noticed by the couple across the street, she fol owed them at a distance, taking a good long look at Marissa. She was skinny, with freckles and a little blob of a nose. Pretty enough, Elena supposed, with long, straight dark hair and a wide mouth, but not especial y eyecatching. She'd been nobody much at school, either. Vol eybal team, maybe. Yearbook. Passable, but not stel ar grades. Friends, but not popular. An occasional date, but not a girl who boys noticed. A part-time job in a store, or maybe the library. Ordinary. Nothing special. So why did ordinary, nothing-special Marissa get to have this uncomplicated, sunlit life, while Elena had been through hel – literal y – to get what Marissa seemed to have with Tom and yet she still didn't get to have it? A cold breeze touched Elena's skin, and she shivered despite the morning's heat. She looked up. Dark, cool tendrils of fog were drifting around her, yet the rest of the street was just as sunny as it had been a few minutes before. Elena's heart began to pound hard before her brain even caught up and realized what was happening. Run! something inside her howled, but it was too late. Her limbs were suddenly heavy as lead. A cool, dry voice spoke close behind her, a voice that sounded eerily like the observational one inside her own head, the one that told her the uncomfortable truths she didn't want to acknowledge. â€Å"Why is it,† the voice said, â€Å"that you can only love monsters?† Elena couldn't bring herself to turn around. â€Å"Or is it that only monsters can truly love you, Elena?† the voice went on, taking on a softly triumphant tone. â€Å"Al those boys in high school, they only wanted you as a trophy. They saw your golden hair and your blue eyes and your perfect face and they thought how fine they would look with you on their arm.† Steeling herself, Elena slowly turned around. There was no one there, but the fog was growing thicker. A woman pushing a strol er brushed past her with a placid glance. Couldn't she see Elena was being wrapped in her own private fog? Elena opened her mouth to cry out, but the words stuck in her throat. The fog was colder now, and it felt almost solid, like it was holding Elena back. With a great effort of wil , she forced herself forward, but could stagger only as far as the bench in front of a nearby store. The voice spoke again, whispering in her ear, gloating. â€Å"They never saw you, those boys. Girls like Marissa, like Meredith, can find love and be happy. Only the monsters bother to find the real Elena. Poor, poor Elena, you'l never be normal, wil you? Not like other girls.† It laughed softly, viciously. The fog pressed thicker around her. Now Elena couldn't see the rest of the street, or anything beyond the darkness. She tried to get to her feet, to move forward a few steps, to shake off the fog. But she couldn't move. The fog was like a heavy blanket holding her down, but she couldn't touch it, couldn't fight it. Elena panicked, tried once more to surge to her feet, opened her mouth to cal , Stefan! But the fog swirled into her, through her, soaking into her every pore. Unable to fight back or cal out, she col apsed. It was stil freezing cold. â€Å"At least I have clothes on this time,† Damon muttered, kicking at a piece of charred wood as he trudged across the barren surface of the Dark Moon. The place was beginning to get to him, he had to admit. He had been wandering this desolate landscape for what felt like days, although the unchanging darkness here made it impossible for him to know for sure how much time had passed. When he had awakened, Damon had assumed he would find the little redbird next to him, eager for his company and protection. But he'd awoken alone, lying on the ground. No phantom, no grateful girl. He frowned and poked one tentative foot into a heap of ash that might conceal a body, but was unsurprised to find nothing but mud beneath the ash, smearing more filth onto his once-polished black boots. After he'd arrived here and started searching for Bonnie, he'd expected that at any moment, he might stumble across her unconscious body. He'd had a powerful image of what she would look like, pale and silent in the darkness, long red curls caked with ash. But now he was becoming convinced that, wherever the phantom had taken Bonnie, she wasn't here. He'd come here to be a hero: defeat the phantom, save the girl, and ultimately save his girl. What an idiot, he thought, curling his lip at his own foolishness. The phantom hadn't brought him to wherever it was keeping Bonnie. Alone on this ash heap of the moon, he felt oddly rejected. Didn't it want him? A sudden powerful wind pushed against him, and Damon staggered backward a few steps before regaining his balance. The wind brought a sound with it: Was that a moan? He altered his course, hunching his shoulders and heading for where he thought the sound had come from. Then the sound came again, a sad, sobbing moan echoing behind him. He turned back, but his footsteps were closer together and less confident than usual. What if he was wrong and the little witch was hurt and alone somewhere on this godforsaken moon? He was terribly hungry. He pushed his tongue against his aching canines, and they grew knife-sharp. His mouth was so dry; he imagined the flow of sweet, rich blood, life itself pulsing against his lips. The moaning came once more, from his left this time, and again he swerved toward it. The wind blew against his face, cold and wet with mist. This was al Elena's fault. He was a monster. He was supposed to be a monster, to take blood unflinchingly, to kil without a second thought or care. But Elena had changed al that. She had made him want to protect her. Then he had started looking out for her friends, and final y even saving her provincial little town, when any self-respecting vampire would have either been long gone when the kitsune came, or enjoyed the devastation with warm blood on his lips. He'd done al that – he'd changed for her – and she stil didn't love him. Not enough, anyway. When he'd kissed her throat and stroked her hair the other night, who had she been thinking of? That weakling Stefan. â€Å"It's always Stefan, isn't it?† a clear, cool voice said behind him. Damon froze, the hairs on the back of his neck rising. â€Å"Whatever you tried to take from him,† the voice continued, â€Å"you were just fighting to even the scales, because the fact is that he got everything, and you had nothing at al . You just wanted things to be fair.† Damon shuddered, not turning around. No one had ever understood that. He just wanted things to be fair. â€Å"Your father cared for him much more than he did for you. You've always known that,† the voice went on. â€Å"You were the oldest, the heir, but Stefan was the one your father loved. And, in romance, you have always been two steps behind Stefan. Katherine already loved him by the time you met her; then the same sad story happened al over again with Elena. They say they love you, these girls of yours, but they have never loved you best, or most, or only, not even when you give them your whole heart.† Damon shuddered again. He felt a tear run down his cheek and, infuriated, wiped it away. â€Å"And you know why that is, don't you, Damon?† the creature went on smoothly. â€Å"Stefan. Stefan's always taken everything you've ever wanted. He's gotten the things you wanted before you even saw them, and left nothing for you. Elena doesn't love you. She never has and she never wil .† Something broke inside Damon at the creature's words, and instantly he snapped back to himself. How dare the phantom make him question Elena's love? It was the only true thing he knew. A cold breeze fluttered Damon's clothing. He couldn't hear the moaning now. And then everything went stil . â€Å"I know what you're doing,† Damon snarled. â€Å"You think you can trick me? Do you suppose you can turn me against Elena?† A soft, wet footstep in the mud sounded behind him. â€Å"Oh, little vampire,† the voice said mockingly. â€Å"Oh, little phantom,† Damon said back, matching the creature's tone. â€Å"You have no idea the mistake you just made.† Steeling himself to leap, he whirled around, fangs ful y extended. But before he could pounce, cold strong hands seized him by the throat and pul ed him into the air. â€Å"I'd also recommend burying pieces of iron around whatever you're trying to protect,† the shopkeeper suggested. â€Å"Horseshoes are traditional, but anything made of iron, especial y anything round or curved, wil do.† She'd passed through various stages of disbelief as Stefan had tried to buy up what seemed like every single object, herb, or charm related to protection in the shop, and now had become manical y helpful. â€Å"I think I've got everything I need for now,† Stefan said politely. â€Å"Thank you so much for your help.† Her dimples shone as she rang up his purchases on the shop's old-fashioned metal cash register, and he smiled back. He thought he had managed to decipher every item on Mrs. Flowers's list correctly, and was feeling fairly proud of himself. Someone opened the door to come in, and a cold breeze whooshed into the shop, setting the magical items and wal hangings flapping. â€Å"Do you feel that?† the shopkeeper asked. â€Å"I think a storm's coming.† Her hair, caught by the wind, fanned out in the air. Stefan, about to make a pleasant rejoinder, stared in horror. Her long locks, suspended for a moment, twisted their tendrils into one curling strand that spel ed out, clearly and chil ingly: matt But if the phantom had found a new target, that meant Elena – Stefan whipped around, looking frantical y toward the front of the shop. Elena wasn't there. â€Å"Are you al right?† the shopkeeper asked as Stefan stared wildly around. Ignoring her, he hurried back toward the door of the shop, looking down every aisle, in every nook. Stefan let his Power spread out, reaching for a trace of Elena's distinctive presence. Nothing. She wasn't in the shop. How could he not have noticed her leaving? He pressed his fists into his eyes until little stars burst beneath his lids. This was his fault. He hadn't been feeding on human blood, and his powers were sorely diminished. Why had he let himself get so weak? If he had been at ful strength, he would have realized immediately that she had gone. It was self-indulgent to give in to his conscience when he had people to protect. â€Å"Are you al right?† the woman asked again. She'd fol owed him down the aisles of the store, holding out his bag, and was looking at him anxiously. Stefan took hold of the bag. â€Å"The girl I came in with,† he said urgently. â€Å"Did you see where she went?† â€Å"Oh,† she replied, frowning. â€Å"She went back outside when we were heading off to look through the incense section.† That long ago. Even the shopkeeper had noticed Elena leaving. Stefan gave a jerky nod of thanks before striding out into the dazzling sunlight. He looked frantical y up and down Main Street. He felt a wave of relief when he spotted her sitting on a bench outside the drugstore a few doors down. But then he took note of her slumped posture, her beautiful blond head resting limply on one of her shoulders. Stefan was at her side in a flash, grateful to find her breathing shal ow yet steady, her pulse strong. But she was unconscious. â€Å"Elena,† he said, gently stroking her cheek. â€Å"Elena, wake up. Come back to me.† She didn't move. He shook her arm a bit harder. â€Å"Elena!† Her body flopped on the bench, but neither her breathing nor the steady beat of her heart changed at al . Just like Bonnie. The phantom had gotten Elena, and Stefan felt something inside him tear in two. He had failed to protect her, to protect either of them. Stefan gently slid a hand under Elena's body, cupping her head protectively with his other hand, and pul ed her into his arms. He cradled her against him and, channeling what little Power he had left into speed, began to run. Meredith checked her watch for what felt like the hundredth time, wondering why Stefan and Elena weren't back yet. â€Å"I can't read this word at al ,† Matt complained. â€Å"I swear, I thought my handwriting was bad. It looks like Caleb wrote this with his eyes closed.† He had been running his hands through his hair in frustration and it stood up in messy little spikes, and there were faint blue shadows under his eyes. Meredith took a swig of coffee and held out her hand. Matt passed her the notebook he'd been examining. They'd discovered that she was the best at reading Caleb's tiny, angular handwriting. â€Å"That's an O, I think,† she said. â€Å"Is deosil a word?† â€Å"Yes,† said Alaric, sitting up a little straighter. â€Å"It means clockwise. It represents moving spiritual energy into physical forms. Might be something there. Can I see?† Meredith handed him the notebook. Her eyes were sore and her muscles stiff from sitting al morning and going through Caleb's notebooks, clippings, and pictures. She rol ed her shoulders forward and back, stretching. â€Å"No,† said Alaric after a few minutes of reading. â€Å"No good. This is just about casting a magic circle.† Meredith was about to speak when Stefan appeared in the doorway, pale and wild-eyed. Elena lay unconscious in his arms. Meredith dropped her coffee cup. â€Å"Stefan!† she cried, staring in horror. â€Å"What happened?† â€Å"The phantom's trapped her,† Stefan said, his voice catching. â€Å"I don't know how.† Meredith felt like she was fal ing. â€Å"Oh no, oh no,† she heard herself say in a tiny, shocked voice. â€Å"Not Elena, too.† Matt stood up, glowering. â€Å"Why didn't you stop it?† he asked accusingly. â€Å"We don't have time for this,† Stefan said coldly, and strode past them to the stairs, clutching Elena protectively. In silent accord, Matt, Meredith, and Alaric fol owed him up to the room where Bonnie lay sleeping. Mrs. Flowers was knitting by her bedside, and her mouth opened into an O of dismay when she saw who Stefan carried. Stefan gently placed Elena on the other side of the double bed by Bonnie's pale and tiny form. â€Å"I'm sorry,† Matt said slowly. â€Å"I shouldn't have blamed you. But†¦ what happened?† Stefan just shrugged, looking stricken. Meredith's heart squeezed in her chest at the sight of her two best friends laid out like rag dol s. They were so stil . Even in sleep, Elena had always been more mobile, more expressive than this. Over the course of a thousand sleepovers, ever since they were little, Meredith had seen sleeping Elena smile, rol herself more tightly in the blankets, snuggle her face into the pil ows. Now the pinkand-gold-and-cream-colored warmth of Elena seemed faded and cold. And Bonnie, Bonnie who was so vibrant and quickmoving, she'd hardly ever kept stil for more than a moment or two in her whole life. Now she was motionless, frozen, almost colorless except for the dark dots of her freckles against her pale cheeks and the bright expanse of red hair on her pil ow. If it weren't for the slight rise and fal of their chests, both girls could have been mannequins. â€Å"I don't know,† Stefan said again, the words sounding more panicked this time, and looked up to meet Meredith's eyes. â€Å"I don't know what to do.† Meredith cleared her throat. â€Å"We cal ed the hospital to check on Caleb while you were gone,† she said careful y, knowing what effect her words would have. â€Å"He's been released.† Stefan's eyes flashed murderously. â€Å"I think,† he said, his voice like a knife, â€Å"that we should pay Caleb a visit.† Elena was suspended in darkness. She wasn't alarmed, though. It was like floating slowly under warm water, gently bobbing in the current, and a part of her wondered distantly and without fear whether it was possible that she had never come up out of the waterfal basin at Hot Springs. Had she been drifting and dreaming al this time? Then suddenly she was speeding, bursting upward, and she opened her eyes on dazzling daylight and gulped a long, shaky breath. Soulful, worried dark brown eyes gazed down into hers from a pale face hovering above her. â€Å"Bonnie?† Elena gasped. â€Å"Elena! Thank God,† Bonnie cried, grabbing her by the arms in a viselike grip. â€Å"I've been here al by myself for days and days, or what feels like days and days anyway, because the light never changes, so I can't tel by the sun. And there's nothing to do here. I can't figure out how to get out, and there's nothing to eat, although I'm weirdly not hungry, so I guess it doesn't matter. I tried to sleep to pass the time, but I wasn't getting tired, either. And suddenly you were here, and I was so happy to see you, but you wouldn't wake up, and I was getting real y worried. What's going on?† â€Å"I don't know,† Elena said groggily. â€Å"The last thing I remember is being on a bench. I think I got caught by some kind of mystical fog.† â€Å"Me too!† Bonnie exclaimed. â€Å"Not the bench part, but the fog part. I was in my room at the boardinghouse, and this weird fog trapped me.† She shivered theatrical y. â€Å"I couldn't move at al . And I was so cold.† Suddenly her eyes widened with guilt. â€Å"I was doing a spel when it happened, and something came up behind me and said stuff. Nasty things.† Elena shuddered. â€Å"I heard a voice, too.† â€Å"Do you think I†¦ set something loose? When I was doing the spel ? I've been worrying that maybe I might have done so accidental y.† Bonnie's face was white. â€Å"It wasn't your fault,† Elena reassured her. â€Å"We think it's the phantom – the thing that's been causing the accidents – that it stole your spirit so it could use your power for itself. And now it's taken me, I guess.† She quickly told Bonnie about the phantom, then pushed up on her elbows and real y looked around for the first time. â€Å"I can't believe we're here again.† â€Å"Where?† asked Bonnie anxiously. â€Å"Where are we?† It was midday and a sunlit blue sky stretched brightly overhead. Elena was pretty sure it was always midday here: It certainly had been the last time she'd been here. They were in a wide, long field that seemed to go on forever. As far as Elena could see, there were tal bushes growing – rosebushes with perfect velvety black blooms. Midnight roses. Richly magical roses grown for holding spel s only the kitsune could coat onto them. A kitsune had sent Stefan one of these roses once, with a spel to make him human, but Damon had accidental y intercepted it, much to both brothers' dismay. â€Å"We're in the kitsunes' magic rose field, the one that the Gatehouse of the Seven Treasures opens into,† she told Bonnie. â€Å"Oh,† Bonnie said. She thought for a moment and then asked helplessly, â€Å"What are we doing here? Is the phantom a kitsune?† â€Å"I don't think so,† Elena answered. â€Å"Maybe it's just a convenient place to stash us.† Elena took a deep breath. Bonnie was a good person to be with in a crisis. Not good in the way that Meredith was – Meredith's way was the planning-and-getting-things-done way – but good in that Bonnie looked up at Elena trustingly with big, innocent eyes and asked questions, confident that Elena would know the answers. And Elena would immediately feel competent and protective, as if she could deal with whatever situation they were embroiled in. Like right now. With Bonnie depending on her, Elena's mind was working more clearly than it had for days. Any moment now, she'd come up with a plan to get them out of here. Any moment now, she was sure. Bonnie's cold, smal fingers worked their way into Elena's hand. â€Å"Elena, are we dead?† she asked in a tiny, quavering voice. Were they dead? Elena wondered. She didn't think so. Bonnie had been alive after the phantom took her, but unwakeable. It was more likely their spirits had traveled here on the astral plane and their bodies were back in Fel ‘s Church. â€Å"Elena?† Bonnie repeated anxiously. â€Å"Do you think we're dead?† Elena opened her mouth to respond when a crackling, stomping noise interrupted her. The rosebushes nearby began to thrash wildly, and there was a great rushing sound that seemed to come from every direction at once. The snapping of branches was deafening, as if something huge was shoving its way through the bracken. Al around them, thorny rosebush branches whipped back and forth, although there was no wind. She yelped as one of the waving branches smacked her across the arm, gashing her skin open. Bonnie let out a wail, and Elena's heart beat double time in her chest. She whirled around, pushing Bonnie behind her. She bal ed her hands into fists and crouched, trying to remember what Meredith had taught her about fighting an attacker. But as she looked around, al she could see for miles were roses. Black, perfect roses. Bonnie gave a smal whimper and pressed closer to Elena's back. Suddenly Elena felt a sharp, aching tug rip through her, as if something were being pul ed slowly but firmly out of her torso. She gasped and stumbled, clutching her hands to her stomach. This is it, she thought numbly, feeling as though every bone in her body were being ground to a pulp. I am going to die.

Maria Montessori's Theory of Education Dissertation

Maria Montessori's Theory of Education - Dissertation Example He does not learn or study merely to be promoted to a higher class or in expectation of some rewards. Montessori is a special way of education where the children learn through experience. Every aspect of their experience is planned to help them grow into creative, capable, confident, and balanced individuals. Every child is assisted to nurture and stimulate his potential through various activities like music, art, and drama (Montessori Children’s Room, 2005). The classrooms are called ‘environments’ where the children experience the joy of learning. Dr. Montessori placed special emphasis on the learning materials; she introduced the child-size tables and chairs too. She believed that the learning environment was as important as the learning itself. Learning in the right environment the child experiences an inner sense of satisfaction and develops a positive attitude in life. Teachers are called ‘directress’ which reminds them not to be authoritative b ut to direct and motivate the child to develop himself. This leads to mutual respect and affection, which aids the child to become self-confident. A unique feature in the Montessori system is that two and three-year-olds remain within the same environment. A myth surrounds such a philosophy that the older children would take up the time and attention of the directress but it works in a positive direction for the age groups. The younger ones receive stimulus from the older ones, while the older children get to play as the role model for the younger ones, which boosts their confidence. The older children serve as teachers for the younger ones and in this way they learn faster. Since this philosophy is based that each individual is unique, this environment allows them the freedom to learn at their pace and not on the directress’s schedule of lessons (Seldin T & Epstein P, 2005). The children stay in the same environment for three years which inculcates a community feeling and st ability in them. The culture tends to remain the same. Dr. Montessori believed that directress should focus on the child as a person. The child should be encouraged to ask questions, think, explore, investigate, and discover for himself. Daily lesson plans are not important; the children have to given the freedom to learn independently while retaining their creativity.

Implementing a Differentiated Lesson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Implementing a Differentiated Lesson - Essay Example This was also tested through exposing the students to paraphrasing of what was taught. Further, the construction of the plan ensured that there was no any other distraction. In its entirety, there was a considerable revelation that most of the students were supportive to each other and cooperative to each other throughout the lessons. The students became more organized in class and were no longer disruptive, which was a good indicator that the plan perfectly supported their objectives. Classroom rules and objectives were adhered to consistently among the students. This was perfectly because the manner in which the plan was organized reinforced acceptable behavior and did not give room to disorganization among the students. The learning goals were well achieved throughout the process of administration of the lessons in line with the lesson plan. A number of issues were gathered in the process that had a bearing with the success of the plan. For the first time, it was evident that the students knew their roles in the class. The students were able to give responses that were relevant to the question that was asked. Though this was not a proof that their answers were right, it provided indicators that they understood the concepts that were taught. Examples that they gave resonated with the lesson plan. There are a few changes that would be important if observed. The first thing that I believe should be rectified is the selective use of software in the lesson plan administration. There is a need to integrate software in almost the entire spectrum of learning. Secondly, considering that the plan focuses on the students with special need, there is a need to incorporate psychological approaches in the process. This would be able to systematically assist the children without getting to the risk of engaging additional resources. The incorporation of technology in the plan was to take care of the emergence of technological

Homeland Defense Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Homeland Defense - Essay Example This is always important when operations in the foreland regions approach the homeland. These partners and allies provide logistical and information support (Doctrine for the Armed Forces of the United States, 2007). The Interagency coordination is a vital element since it enables the department of defense to engage the USA agencies for the purpose of achieving an objective. It forges a mutual relationship between other constitutional entities and the national power. This is done through sharing of awareness, planning together, incorporated training education and ground operations. The understanding of non military capability is what makes it successful. On the other hand, protection is considered during planning for homeland and civil mission in four primary aspects namely: 3. Emergency management and response: involve reducing the loss of personnel’s and capabilities due to accidents. It goes further to include use of forces, systems and civil infrastructure of other nations. The public affairs involvement in the operations of the homeland come in handy and includes supported the joint force commander, through giving of truthful and unclassified information on the activities of the defense forces in the United State. The role of public affairs in homeland operation simply narrows to ensure that all federal agencies provide factual consistent and speak in one voice to the public. Therefore, it must be included in all planning and coordination of the homeland security. Since the Armed forces of the United States are required to work under harsh conditions, which could be considered dangerous for human contact. For example, due to toxic gas release, naturally occurred pandemics commanders must therefore train plan and exercise with their inter-agency counterparts in preparedness of working in the homeland defense operations. Other regional

The power of Sovereignty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The power of Sovereignty - Research Paper Example Inequalities in the exercise of power and disregard to justice are even more evidenced in the political scene in various regions around the world today. Such always stem from the need to advance once own course by ignoring and disregarding other people who they consider rather inadequate. Stigall, Blacksley and Jenks argue that an interesting scene is always created where people especially the government authorities always insist on maintaining their rights while at the same time violating and stepping on the rights of their own subjects. (Stigall, Blacksley and Jenks, 2009). This is a common occurrence experienced with most of the sovereignties around the globe today. The aspect of exercising single handed rule on the subject population is mostly experienced in dictatorial countries such as Syria, Egypt, Iraq, alongside other Arab countries famous for dictatorial cases. This is contrary to what Hobbes refers to in his social contract theory, leaving the state of nature and looking a t the advancement of one’s own course at the expense of the others in the territory (subjects). According to the social contract theory, it is those in higher social ranks who seem to deserve their rights while those of the lower social ranking are often considered incapable of demanding for any form of rights. As a result of this, their rights are always abused in a bid to preserve those of the power in the society. This paper will look at the effects of electing a sovereign with regard to the protection of state rights and the protection of the people under this rule with reference to the Arab countries and democracy in these regions. Hobbes proposes in his theory that the election of a sovereign in any state always results in the creation of the state of nature in the regions under the control of the sovereign (Saul, 2008). This theory, I think does not hold enough water in as much as I know and believe given the many atrocities which have been experienced in many of the A rab countries such as Syria and Egypt in the recent past. Having the sovereigns in these states has done nothing much other than inflicting a lot of troubles and augmenting the rise in cases of inequalities in these states. These happen as the sovereigns strive to uphold their own rights at the expense of the other citizens. Many people have succumbed to death in these countries as they try to protest to regain their rights. The question in this case therefore is whether this is what Hobbes refers to as the creation of a state of nature. The state of nature according to my understanding with regard to the social and political contexts is when the ruling authority strikes a balance with the citizens under her rule to allow the participation and full regard of the subjects in state affairs. It is far from having the central government designing and deciding on every aspect of leadership. The contrary is however the truth in most of the sovereign ruling systems as in the cases of Syria and Egypt we have mentioned above. Brown and Hamzawy note that â€Å"The tragic developments in Lebanon and Palestine- all with weak or failed state institutions- have enable Arab democracy pessimists dismiss easily any talk about positive political reforms as the fantasy of the western well- intentioned humanists- or misguided ideologues- who do not understand the real

The Afterlife and Great Leaders of Great Civilizations Essay

The Afterlife and Great Leaders of Great Civilizations - Essay Example Ancient Egyptians believed that their dead go to an Afterlife, and that the latter could continue to affect the living’s fortunes. For example, in â€Å"Above the Entrance† it says that those who pass by his tomb and say â€Å"a thousand loaves and beer jugs / For the owners of this tomb† will get a loyal guard for life in form of Harkhuf’s spirit, while those who â€Å"[enter] the tomb unclean† would be seized â€Å"by the neck like a bird† and â€Å"be judged for it by the great God.†   The text suggests that respect for people in authority does not end with their death. It shows that the ancient Egyptians believed in the power of the dead in affecting their lives, so they found it essential to show proper respect to their tombs. In addition, ancient Egyptians appeared to believe that good deeds in real life resulted to good rewards in the Afterlife. The â€Å"Above the Entrance† talks about the good works of Harkhuf. In par ticular, it says that he gave â€Å"bread to the hungry,† â€Å"clothing to the naked,† and â€Å"brought the boatless to the land.†   In other words, he was a kind and helpful public servant. He was generous to all. His charity could be connected to him being an â€Å"excellent equipped spirit,†   because his goodness could be rewarded well in the Underworld. The text indicates that life after death reflects the goodness of one’s lived life. Moreover, the ancient Egyptians had a complex religious system.

Duties and responsibilities of a US sailor Essay

Duties and responsibilities of a US sailor - Essay Example No other branch of the forces can beat the fury of these sailors’ binge drinking. However, their hard work and commitment to achieve their goals is well established. Responsibilities are given to a US sailor as early as in a boot camp. He is expected to learn to stand guard watch, and be responsible of any event that occurs within his area. There are Eleven General Orders that are Sentry-shaped to give an understanding of what being a U.S sailor means, responsible for equipment worth millions of dollars and many lives. The General Orders are the guiding principles of the responsibilities of a sailor, whether he is in boot camp, on the very first sail or finishing a 30-year career (Cutler, 2005). A U.S navy sailor must be always ready to come forward and take leadership roles, as an efficient concept of accomplishing his or her most basic responsibility of defending the State. When a certain task is given to a sailor, it is upon him to see that the task is accomplished precisely, rather than assuming that some other sailor will do it. In addition, a sailor should not drift through his time while in the navy. Each one of them must pay attention to all details no matter how small the matter may be. According to their guiding principles, attention to any detail may signify the difference between failure or success of a given task, and between life and death. A sailor is not expected to play favorites or put into effect the rules without considering honesty and neutrality. Permitting some sailors to ignore other rules will bring challenges in the field. Integrity in the Navy also requires that a sailor hold on to his or her responsibility no matter what comes on his or her way. This is the reason why their regulations provide that no sailor should quit in simple tasks. With this in mind, a sailor can never give up, even when he sees a likelihood of death, while carrying on his duties. In the Navy, a team is much greater than any individual sailor is. Given

Behavior Factors in the Criminal Justice Workplace Essay - 1

Behavior Factors in the Criminal Justice Workplace - Essay Example When the upper management makes good decisions they ensure that the community has an effective justice system and also the lower managements are able to imitate their business behaviors, but a corrupt upper management system will negatively affect the lower management and the community. Culture may also be one of the biggest factors that affect the criminal justice system in the police department whereby diversity in the department reveals that there is less likelihood of disagreements between both the officers and the suspect or victims when there is a language barrier. Diversity in the police department has an advantage since individuals who may be witnesses or victims may feel more obliged to give information to the police officer. Law goes hand in hand with the criminal justice work place since the officers are expected to uphold the law at all times. However, there are officers who think that since they are the law enforcers they are above the law which is an issue, but in accor dance to the law when the officer commits an offence he or she should be treated in the same way as an individual who broke the law and was not an enforcement agent of the law. Stakeholders play an important role too as they determine how the internal and external relations of the system function. The influence of this factor in the criminal justice workplace mainly leadership creates a working pattern which ensures the accomplishment of the departments goals and objectives. (Stojkovic, Kalinich & Klofas, 2007).  

John Steinbeck Essay Example for Free

John Steinbeck Essay John Steinbeck is simply one of Americas finest storytellers. He is an accomplished author and a Nobel Laureate in Literature. However, his road to success was not easy. His earlier novels failed to attract attention, and it took many years before he got the recognition he deserved. Like most writers, his experiences and his hometown were crucial in the creation of his stories. Thus, Steinbecks works were greatly influenced by his life and the environment in which he lived. John Ernst Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902, in Salinas, California (National Steinbeck Center [NSC], n. d. ). His parents were John Steinbeck, Sr., and Olive Hamilton Steinbeck. His father was a County Treasurer and his mother was a school teacher (NSC, n. d. ). It was his mother who was responsible for his love of reading and writing (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). His favorite books included Le Morte d Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory, Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky and Paradise Lost by John Milton (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). He usually spent his summer vacations working on ranches and farms (NSC, n. d. ). It is from this experience where he derived his knowledge of the countryside and its people, which he later used in his stories (NSC, n.d. ). Steinbeck graduated from Salinas High School in 1919 (NSC, n. d. ), and proceeded to study marine biology in Stanford University (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). To pay for his education, he took many jobs, which led him to miss several quarters of school (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). He was already a writer in college, with several poems and short stories included in university publications as proof (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). In 1925, Steinbeck left Stanford University and proceeded to New York to start his writing career (NSC, n. d. ). He began his writing career in New York as a reporter for American (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). Despite this brief writing stint, Steinbeck was still unsuccessful in terms of fiction. He failed to publish any of his written works, forcing him to return to California (NSC, n. d. ). He was still a writer, but he also had other jobs as well. His jobs included fruit picking, painting, surveying, being an estate caretaker and a house watchman (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). In 1929, Cup of Gold was written when Steinbeck was a house watchman (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). It failed to return the publishers investment (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). His next two novels, The Pastures of Heaven and To a God Unknown, were also unsuccessful (NSC, n. d. ). In 1930, Steinbeck married his first wife Carol Henning. The 30s also marked an improvement in his writing career, as his first literary success Tortilla Flat was published in 1935 (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). Tortilla Flat was later adapted into a movie. Steinbecks success continued, with the release Of Mice and Men in 1937, and The Grapes of Wrath in 1939. Soon after, he won a Pulitzer Prize for The Grapes of Wrath. During the Second World War, he went back to his journalistic roots, as a correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune (NSC, n. d. ). In 1942, Steinbecks relationship with Henning ended (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). He then married Gwyndolyn Conger, but the marriage did not last (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). In 1950, he married again, this time to Elaine Scott (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). It was also in the 50s when he published another great book of his, East of Eden in 1952 (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). In 1962, Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature (NSC, n. d. ). Four years after, he passed away, in the 20th of December (NSC, n.d. ). Steinbecks literary pieces are filled with references to his own life. The most prominent reference was the setting. Most of his stories, if not all, feature his hometown of Salinas. This is only proof that his hometown was very significant for him, that he refused to exclude it in his works. The Pastures of Heaven is a great example. There is a valley in California, which is located between Salinas and Monterey (Paik, 2006). The name of the valley is Corral de Tierra, but Steinbeck referred to this valley as â€Å"pastures of heaven,† hence the title of his book (Paik, 2006). Moreover, it was also found that since The Pastures of Heaven consists of short stories, Steinbecks intention to unify them may bear a similarity to Miltons Paradise Lost (Meyer, 2007). This is no surprise, since it was one of his favorite books. Tortilla Flat is another Steinbeck novel which referenced his hometown. Tortilla Flat is another town in California, near Monterey. The theme of the story was based on King Arthur and the Round Table (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). Steinbeck might have derived this idea from another favorite book of his, Le Morte d Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory. In addition, he included the plight of farmers within the story (Pollock, 2006), the inspiration of which was probably taken from his summers as a farmhand. The Log from the Sea of Cortez is another Steinbeck text that, despite having no connection with California, was still a result of his life experiences. When Steinbeck was married to Carol, they lived in Pacific Grove (NSC, n. d. ). It was in Pacific Grove were he met Edward Ricketts, a marine biologist (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). They quickly became friends, probably because they shared the same interest in biology, which Steinbeck took in college. In 1940, Ricketts and Steinbeck boarded The Western Flyer, a fishing boat they hired for the expedition (Weiss, 1999). Both men explored the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez (Weiss, 1999). Steinbeck published the book Sea of Cortez, which was re-released as The Log from the Sea of Cortez (Weiss, 1999). Steinbecks maturity as a writer is difficult to trace, simply because he started out as a journalist and later became a fiction writer. News writing and fiction writing are two different fields, both of which are essential parts of Steinbecks career. Nonetheless, regardless of genre, Steinbecks talent is undeniable. Only he could write with a balance of â€Å"realistic naturalism† and â€Å"moral optimism† within his stories (Phillips, 2006). Consequently, Steinbecks writing strength lies on his social commentary, the focus of which was the economic struggles of laborers in the rural areas (Nobel Foundation 1962). His love for the California landscape is also another Steinbeck trademark, which is not always compatible with his straightforward sociological kind of writing (Nobel Foundation, 1962). Despite this, John Steinbeck remains a remarkable author whose legacy will stay for generations. He was one of the many who created literary masterpieces that was extremely influenced by his own life and the surroundings in which he lived. References John Steinbeck (1902-1968). Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www. kirjasto. sci. fi/johnstei. htm Meyer, M. J. (2007). The Pastures of Heaven. The Literary Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www. litencyc. com/php/sworks. php? rec=trueUID=7353 National Steinbeck Center (n. d. ). Biography. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www. steinbeck. org/Bio. html Nobel Foundation (1962). Biography. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1962/steinbeck-bio. html Paik, F. (2006). Pastures of heaven. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www. forbes. com/2001/11/09/1109how. html Phillips, B. (2006). SparkNote on East of Eden. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www. sparknotes. com/lit/eastofeden/context. html Pollock, F. J. (2006). SparkNote on Tortilla Flat. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www. sparknotes. com/lit/tortillaflat/context. html Weiss, D. (1999). The log of the sea of Cortez. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www. ecotopia. org/about/cortez. html.

Pharmacy Personal Statement Essay Example for Free

Pharmacy Personal Statement Essay I selected pharmacy as a career because I believe that it is caring, it is an art, a science, client centered, holistic, adaptive, concerned with health promotion, health maintenance, and health restoration and most of all I firmly agree that pharmacology is a helping profession. It is the pharmacist’s responsibilities to take care of the client who are in need of health attention. We should be able to help the client relieve his feelings of pain or in other words to alleviate the sufferings of the client. Moreover, the PharmD also further my learning in pharmacy that will make me more competitive and equip so I can serve my clients efficiently and effectively. On the other hand, I am an extremely goal – oriented person. I am a kind of an individual too who finds education very significant to man’s life. I set goals for myself in order to be successful in everything I do. I am not afraid to venture on new things as long as I know it is for my growth and development. If I am failure of something that I do, I do not pout in the corner and easily discourage. But instead, I try again and always think positive. I constantly remind myself that everything happens to me has a purpose and I should take things easily. I am not critical on things that are not on my side and even not critical with the people around. I would say that I am a hard- working, persistence, and patient individual. These characteristics have helped me to do my best to pursue my career goal no matter what difficulties have existed on my way. In addition, I make my baby girl as my inspiration to pursue my dream a pharmacist someday and later a pharmD. She is 10 months old now and I am hoping that before she starts schooling, I already obtain my desired degree because her future depends on it. Yes, I have a husband who supports our needs however he does not make much money and on top of that he likes to gamble on. So with these, I am more encouraged and determined to strive hard so I can help my family and my future clients/patients.

The Vision And Mission Of ITC

The Vision And Mission Of ITC ITC is one of Indias foremost private sector companies with a market capitalisation of over US $ 30 billion and a turnover of US $ 6 billion. ITC is rated among the Worlds Best Big Companies, Asias Fab 50 and the Worlds Most Reputable Companies by Forbes magazine, among Indias Most Respected Companies by Business World and among Indias Most Valuable Companies by Business Today. ITC ranks among Indias `10 Most Valuable (Company) Brands, in a study conducted by Brand Finance and published by the Economic Times. ITC also ranks among Asias 50 best performing companies compiled by Business Week. ITC has a diversified presence in Cigarettes, Hotels, Paperboards Specialty Papers, Packaging, Agri-Business, Packaged Foods Confectionery, Information Technology, Branded Apparel, Personal Care, Stationery, Safety Matches and other FMCG products. As one of Indias most valuable and respected corporations, ITC is widely perceived to be dedicatedly nation-oriented. Chairman Y C Deveshwar calls this source of inspiration a commitment beyond the market. ITC practices this philosophy by not only driving each of its businesses towards international competitiveness but by also consciously contributing to enhancing the competitiveness of the larger value chain of which it is a part. ITC employs over 26,000 people at more than 60 locations across India. The Company continuously endeavours to enhance its wealth generating capabilities in a globalising environment to consistently reward more than 4,05,000 shareholders, fulfil the aspirations of its stakeholders and meet societal expectations. (assis, 2003) The ITC Vision Mission Sustain ITCs position as one of  Indias most valuable corporations through world class performance, creating growing value for the Indian  economy and the companys stakeholders. THE ITC MISSION To enhance the wealth generating capability of the enterprise in a globalising environment, delivering superior and sustainable stakeholder value. The ITC Way ITC is a board-managed professional company, committed to creating enduring value for the shareholder and for the nation. It has a rich organisational culture rooted in its core values of respect for people and belief in empowerment. Its philosophy of all-round value creation is backed by strong corporate governance policies and systems. ITCs CORPORATE STRATEGIES are : Create multiple drivers of growth by developing a portfolio of world class businesses that best matches organisational capability with opportunities in domestic and export markets. Continue to focus on the chosen portfolio of FMCG, Hotels, Paper, Paperboards Packaging, Agri Business and Information Technology. Benchmark the health of each business comprehensively across the criteria of Market Standing, Profitability and Internal Vitality. Create distributed leadership within the organisation by nurturing talented and focused top management teams for each of the businesses. Continuously strengthen and refine Corporate Governance processes and systems to catalyse the entrepreneurial energies of management by striking the golden balance between executive freedom and the need for effective control and accountability. CORE VALUES ITCs Core Values are aimed at developing a customer-focused, high-performance organisation which creates value for all its stakeholders: Trusteeship As professional managers, we are conscious that ITC has been given to us in trust by all our stakeholders. We will actualise stakeholder value and interest on a long term sustainable basis. Customer Focus We are always customer focused and will deliver what the customer needs in terms of value, quality and satisfaction. Respect for People We acknowledge that every individual brings different perspectives and capabilities to the team and that a strong team is founded on a variety of perspectives. We want individuals to dream, value differences, create and experiment in pursuit of opportunities and achieve leadership through teamwork. Excellence We do what is right, do it well and win. We will strive for excellence in whatever we do. Innovation We will constantly pursue newer and better processes, products, services and management practices. Nation Orientation We are aware of our responsibility to generate economic value for the Nation. In pursuit of our goals, we will make no compromise in complying with applicable laws and regulations at all levels. GLOBALISATION: ITCs mission is to sustain and enhance the wealth-generating capacity of its portfolio of businesses in a progressively globalising environment. As one of Indias premier corporations employing a vast quantum of societal resources, ITC seeks to fulfil a larger role by enlarging its contribution to the society of which it is a part. The trusteeship role related to social and environmental resources, aligned to the pursuit of economic objectives, is the cornerstone of ITCs Environment, Health and Safety philosophy. In the multi-business context of ITC, Corporate Strategies are designed to create enduring value for the nation and the shareholder, through leadership in each business and the attainment of world-class competitive capabilities across the value chain. To contribute to sustainable development through the establishment and implementation of environment standards are scientifically tested and meet the requirement of relevant laws, regulations and codes of practice. To take account of environment, occupational health and safety in planning and decision-making. To provide and maintain facilities, equipment, operations and working conditions which are safe for employees, visitors and contractors at the Companys premises. To institute and implement a system of regular EHS audit in order to assure compliance with laid down policy, benchmarked standards, and requirements of laws, regulations and applicable codes of practice. SWOT ANALYSIS: STRENGTHS MANAGEMENT experienced broad base of interests and knowledge PRODUCT LINE unique, tastes good, competitive price, and convincement. MARKETING diverse and global awareness. PERSONNEL international, diverse positions, high sakes revenue, high sale growth, large capital base. MANUFACTURING low costs an liabilities due to outsourcing of bottling. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT continuous efforts to research trends an reinforce creativity. CONSUMER/SOCIAL huge market in the healthy products and growing market for specialized foods for ethic groups. COMPETITIVE distinctive name, product and packaging in with regards to its markets. TECHNOLOGICAL internet promotion such as banner ads and keywords can increase their sales and more computerized manufacturing their efficiency. ECONOMIC consumer income is high, more tend to eat out, convenience is important to us. WEAKNESS : MANAGEMENT large size may lead to conflicting interests. PRODUCT LINE new one calorie product have no existing customer base generic have brands can make similar product. MARKETING may lose focus, may not be segmented enough. PERSONAL possible conflicts due to so many people, possible trouble staying focused. FINANCE high expenses may have trouble balancing cash-flow of such a large operation. RESEARSH DEVELOPMENT may concentrate too much on existing product, inter apreneuralship may not be welcomed. CONSUMER/SOCIAL more expensive products, such a high price may limit lower income family from buying on ITC product. COMPETITIVE not entrails patentable, constant reliability by competitors. TECHNOLOGICAL computer break downs, viruses and hackers can reduce efficiency and must constantly update products or other competitors will be more advanced. ECONOMIC very elastic demand, almost pure competition. OPPORTUNITIES: Expected 30% CAGR in organized market to result in better footfall and conversion rates. Entry into Tier 2 Tier 3 cities. Collaboration with foreign player because of a national brand. An opportunity to diversify its operations in e-relating. As big company of India can go globally. THREATS; Employee shortage and attrition due to rapid growth in the whole market. Impact of slowdown in consumer spends to be felt in FMCG market. Opening up of economy for free entry of foreign players. (Anon., n.d.) PEST ANALYSIS: POLTICAL Congress Dominance Politically active unions Govt. took over sick companies. MNCs urged to liquidate equity with a cap of 40% Multiparty coalitions causing political uncertainty Rural job program launched in 2006 Reduced economic control opened economy to imports Govt. Approved 51% FDI provided company engaged in single branding. ECONOMIC Favoured capital goods, increased black market Low competition in domestic market Not competent enough for international level Lower purchasing power of consumer Foreign investment discouraged Indias rapid GDP growth led to increase in spending power Increase income 56% demand for FMCG product from rural sector. SOCIAL Abundance of low wage sector 88 % of rural population below poverty line Rural access hampered by poor road ,rail telecommunication links NGOs to assist smaller level cooperatives Combination of low wage relatively high skilled labour TECHNICAL IT sector grew rapidly Internet usage access to rural sector Increased mediums to information available ITC provided web portal Limited mediums avaible to promote brand building. Corporate Governance: Preamble Over the years, ITC has evolved from a single product company to a multi-business corporation. Its businesses are spread over a wide spectrum, ranging from cigarettes and tobacco to hotels, packaging, paper and paperboards and international commodities trading. Each of these businesses is vastly different from the others in its type, the state of its evolution and the basic nature of its activity, all of which influence the choice of the form of governance. Globalisation will not only significantly heighten business risks, but will also compel Indian companies to adopt international norms of transparency and good governance. ITCs governance policy recognises the challenge of this new business reality in India. Corporate Governance emerge the cornerstones of ITCs governance philosophy, namely trusteeship, transparency, empowerment and accountability, control and ethical corporate citizenship. Core Principles ITCs Corporate Governance initiative is based on two core principles. These are Management must have the executive freedom to drive the enterprise forward without undue restraints; and This freedom of management should be exercised within a framework of effective accountability. ITC believes that any meaningful policy on Corporate Governance must provide empowerment to the executive management of the Company, and simultaneously create a mechanism of checks and balances which ensures that the decision making powers vested in the executive management is not only not misused, but is used with care and responsibility to meet stakeholder aspirations and societal expectations. Trusteeship: ITC believes that large corporations like itself have both a social and economic purpose. They represent a coalition of interests, namely those of the shareholders, other providers of capital, business associates and employees. This belief therefore casts a responsibility of trusteeship on the Companys Board of Directors. They are to act as trustees to protect and enhance shareholder value, as well as to ensure that the Company fulfils its obligations and responsibilities to its other stakeholders. Transparency: ITC believes that transparency means explaining Companys policies and actions to those to whom it has responsibilities. Therefore transparency must lead to maximum appropriate disclosures without jeopardising the Companys strategic interests. Internally, transparency means openness in Companys relationship with its employees, as well as the conduct of its business in a manner that will bear scrutiny. Empowerment and Accountability: Empowerment is an essential concomitant of ITCs first core principle of governance that management must have the freedom to drive the enterprise forward. ITC believes that the Board of Directors are accountable to the shareholders, and the management is accountable to the Board of Directors. Control: Control is a necessary concomitant of its second core principle of governance that the freedom of management should be exercised within a framework of appropriate checks and balances. Control should prevent misuse of power, facilitate timely management response to change, and ensure that business risks are pre-emptively and effectively managed. Ethical Corporate Citizenship: ITC believes that corporations like itself have a responsibility to set exemplary standards of ethical behaviour, both internally within the organisation, as well as in their external relationships. We believe that unethical behaviour corrupts organisational culture and undermines stakeholder value. The Governance Structure Flowing from the philosophy and core principles, Corporate Governance in ITC shall take place at three interlinked levels, namely Strategic supervision by the Board of Directors Strategic management by the Corporate Management Committee Executive management by the Divisional Chief Executive assisted by the Divisional Management Committee The 3-tier governance structure thus ensures that: Strategic supervision being free from involvement in the task of strategic management of the company, can be conducted by the Board with objectivity, thereby sharpening accountability of management. Strategic management of the Company, uncluttered by the day-to-day tasks of executive management, remains focused and energised; and Executive management of the divisional business, free from collective strategic responsibilities for ITC as a whole, gets focused on enhancing the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of its business. CODE OF CONDUCT Preamble ITCs Code of Conduct was circulated to the employees more than five years back and is posted on the Companys corporate website. This Code has now been re-drafted for better presentation. This Code is derived from three interlinked fundamental principles, viz. good corporate governance, good corporate citizenship and exemplary personal conduct. Philosophy ITC is a professionally managed organisation and the core value underlying our corporate philosophy is trusteeship. We believe this organisation has been handed to us by the various stakeholders in trust and we as professionals are the trustees of these stakeholders. It is therefore our responsibility to ensure that the organisation is managed in a manner that protects and furthers the interests of our stakeholders. Corporate Governance Policy The Corporate Governance Policy is the apex level instrument guiding conduct of the affairs of the Company and clearly delineates the roles, responsibilities and authorities of the key entities in the governance structure of the Company. This Code forms an integral part of the Companys Governance Policy. Good Corporate Citizenship In the conduct of the Companys business, the practice of good corporate citizenship is a prerequisite and embraces the following Relationships with Suppliers and Customers All directors, senior management and employees shall ensure that in their dealings with suppliers and customers, the Companys interests are never compromised. Accepting gifts and presents of more than a nominal value, gratuity payments and other payments from suppliers or customers will be viewed as serious breach of discipline as this could lead to compromising the Companys interests. Legal Compliance It is the Companys policy to comply fully with all applicable laws and regulations. Ensuring legal and regulatory compliance is the responsibility of the Chief Executives of the Businesses and the Divisional Management Committees. Divisional Management Committees must satisfy themselves that sound and adequate arrangements exist to ensure that they comply with the legal and regulatory requirements impacting each business and identify and respond to developments in the regulatory environment in which they operate. Health and Safety The Company attaches great importance to a healthy and safe work environment. ITC is committed to provide good physical working conditions and encourages high standards of hygiene and housekeeping. Particular attention should be paid to training of employees to increase safety awareness and adoption of safe working methods, particularly designed to prevent serious or fatal accidents. Environment Policies The Company believes that commitment to sustainable development is a key component of responsible corporate citizenship and therefore deserves to be accorded the highest priority. In addition to complying with applicable laws and regulations, Businesses must establish procedures for assessing the environmental effects of their present and future activities. Personal Conduct All directors, senior management and employees have the obligation to conduct themselves in an honest and ethical manner and act in the best interest of the Company at all times. They are expected to demonstrate exemplary personal conduct through adherence to the following: Avoidance of Conflict of Interest All directors, senior management and employees must avoid situations in which their personal interest could conflict with the interest of the Company. This is an area in which it is impossible to provide comprehensive guidance but the guiding principle is that conflict, if any, or potential conflict must be disclosed to higher management for guidance and action as appropriate. Transparency and Audit-ability All directors, senior management and employees shall ensure that their actions in the conduct of business are totally transparent except where the needs of business security dictate otherwise. It shall be necessary to voluntarily ensure that areas of operation are open to audit and the conduct of activities is totally auditable. Protection of Confidential Information No director, senior management and employee shall disclose or use any confidential information gained in the course of employment/ association with the Company for personal gain or for the advantage of any other person. No information either formally or informally shall be provided to the press, other publicity media or any other external agency except within approved policies. Company Facilities No director, senior management and employee shall misuse Company facilities. In the use of Company facilities, care shall be exercised to ensure that costs are reasonable and there is no wastage. (Deveshwar.Y.C, 2002) CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES: CSR activities: ENVIRONMENT  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ITC has been Carbon Positive three years in a row (sequestering/storing twice the amount of CO2 than the company emits).  Ã‚    ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Water Positive six years in a row (creating three times more rain water harvesting potential than ITCs net consumption).    ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Close to 100 % solid waste recycling    ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All Environment, Health and Safety Management Systems in ITC conform to the best international standards. SOCIAL  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ITCs businesses generate livelihoods for over 5 million people  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ITCs globally recognised e-Choupal initiative is  the worlds largest rural digital infrastructure benefiting over 4 million farming families.    ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ITCs Social and Farm Forestry initiative has greened over 80,000 hectares creating an estimated 35 million person days of employment among the disadvantaged.    ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ITCs Watershed Development Initiative brings precious water to nearly 35,000 hectares of dry lands and moisture-stressed areas.    ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ITCs Sustainable Community Development initiatives include women empowerment, supplementary education, integrated animal husbandry programmes.   Ã‚  PRESERVING NATIONAL HERITAGE As a socially responsible corporate citizen, ITC endeavours to create value for the Indian society in multiple ways, one of them being preservation of  Indias rich cultural heritage. ITC has made significant contribution to the promotion of Indian classical music, theatre, art and cuisine. ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL PERFORMANCE In the past, I have shared with you the abiding vision that inspires us to create sustainable stakeholder wealth and enlarge our contribution to the Indian society. This commitment goes far beyond the market to create simultaneously financial, environmental and social capital for the nation. This year, ITC joined the United Nations Global Compact, the worlds largest global corporate citizenship initiative. (Anon., n.d.) REFLECTION: Renounced company always follows all the issues and regulation to reach at the top most point that is appraise by the organization, follower and peoples one of the company that follow all issues and have a brand image in all areas and all people internally and externally apologize this company and ITC is one of that company that have many follower and as a customer I also follows ITC as a source of inspirations .It have done many CSR activities to communicate with the people of different region to capture a wide market area that in turn increase their market share. Corporate governance of ITC is very strong and cover and takes all from stakeholder to shareholder governing body to make its company successful in every aspect to achieve it target point. So, this is the main reason why i am very much influenced from ITC company enjoy to follow it point to implement in my organization to make it successful. REFERENCE: Anon., n.d. www.echoupal.com. [Online]. Anon., n.d. www.itcportal.com. [Online]. assis, c.g., 2003. ITCS RURAL SYMPHONY. BUSINESS WORLD. Deveshwar.Y.C, 2002. THE INDIAN TABACOO COMPANY. CONCLUSION: ITC ltd. is a leading FMCG Company in India and from last three consecutive years has shown accelerated growth in FMCG portfolio. Customer in India also spending more in FMCG as their standard of living is growing. ITC has placed itself successfully in the position of market leader in FMCG product, though there was some downfall in sales and profit of company in beginning of this decade but after that ITC has shown considerable rise in both sales and profit. ITC promoting their brands through advertisement campaign as well as door to door promotion. The demand of their product in very low, because people dont know about their brands very well. ITC knows their strength and weakness in the personal care market, so they are applying new concept to overcome their weaknesses. ITC now offering more margin, exiting offers and long credit period to retailers and wholesalers. The future of the company is looking bright as FMCG market in India is still expanding and so we can safely conclude that ITC will be able to secure it No. 1 position in FMCG product. POLITICAL DATE TOPICS COVERED KEY ISSUE COVERED RELATION OF KEY ISSUES WITH THE CASE 28MARCH GLOBALIZATION Introduction of Globalization Social and Economic Implications. 31MARCH SWOT ANALYSIS INTERNAL ANALYSIS-STRENGTHS,WEAKNESS EXTERNAL ANALYSIS-OPPORTUNITIES,THREATS 5APRIL PESTEL ANALYSIS PEST ANALYSIS POLITICAL ECONOMICAL SOCIOCULTURAL TECHNOLOGICAL 9APRIL 12APRIL CORPORATE GOVERNANCE CSR(corporate social responsibility) CORE PRINCIPAL, THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE BOARD OF DIRECTORS CORPORATE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE CODE OF CONDUCT CITIZENSHIP PERSONAL CONDUCT CORPORATE GOVERNANCE POLICY GOOD CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP IMPROVED CULTURE REPUTATION ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY Environmental Preservation Resettlement of War Victims Welfare of the neighbouring communities. Environmental Preservation

Young Goodman Brown :: Free Essay Writer

"Young Goodman Brown" by Nathaniel Hawthorne tells the story of a man that is tempted by evil. He discovers that sometimes evil triumphs over good, and this makes a dramatic impact on his future. Brown lets his excessive pride in himself interfere with his relations with his family and community after he meets with the devil, which causes him to live the life of an exile in his own community. "Young Goodman Brown" begins in the street at Salem village where Goodman Brown will soon leave to begin his journey. Faith, Brown's wife, does not want him to go on this journey as she says to him, â€Å" ‘prithee put off your journey until sunrise and sleep in your own bed tonight’ † (Hawthorne 310-311). Goodman Brown replies, â€Å" ‘of all nights in the year, this one night must I tarry away from thee’ † (311). The couple part and Goodman Brown sets forth on his journey. He is venturing into the woods to meet with the devil. This makes him feel guilty and he tries to justify the reason for his journey and lessen his guilt by saying, â€Å" ‘After this one night I‘ll cling to her skirts and follow her to heaven’ † (311). Goodman Brown heads down a â€Å"dreary road...† (311). He is then approached by his fellow traveler, who happens to be the devil. The devil had with him â€Å"a staff that bore the likeness of a great black snake" (312). The devil tries to convince Goodman Brown to continue down the path with him, but Goodman Brown declares that he kept his meeting with the devil and no longer wishes to continue on. He says, â€Å" ‘My father never went into the woods on such an errand, nor his father before him. We have been a race of honest men and good Christians’ † (312). The devil is quick to point out, however, that it was he that was with Brown’s father and grandfather when they â€Å"set fire to an Indian village† and â€Å"lashed the Quaker women† (312). These acts show that he does not come from a family of "good Christians" (312). When Goodman Brown's first excuse not to carry on with the errand proves to be unconvincing, he says he can't go because of his wife, " ‘Faith. It would break her little heart; and I’d rather break my own’ † (313). At this point the devil agrees with him and tells him to turn back and then points to a figure of a woman on the path.

Emperor Penguin :: essays research papers

http://www.gdargaud.net//Antartica/Penguins.html#Emperor How did you find/choose this site? -I simply did some browsing, which led me to this exceptional site. 1. Summarize what you found at this site and how the info relates? -This site included two types of penguins. The Adelie and the Emperor Penguins. The Emperor which, is mentioned in our book, can weigh as much as 20 to 45 kg. These animals are graceful swimmers and show great agility under the water. They are found in the Southern Hemisphere. Their diets consist of squid and fish. (below is a picture of an Emperor adult, and its young).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2. List 3 specific things. -Biology- Arrival: April Egg Laying: May Hatching: July 62-66 days of incubation Departure of chicks: December and January Food: squid and fish http://www.gdargaud.net//Antartica/Penguins.html#Emperor   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   -Below is a picture of 2 Emperor Penguins submerged under water. -As I mentioned before, penguins are very graceful swimmers. Another added advantage to this is that they can submerge below water for certain amounts of time. Penguins can swim at an average speed of 60km/h and their average duration under water can be anywhere from 5 to 6 minutes.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3. Based on what you have learned in this course, how accurate is this information? -I believe it is very reliable. I compared it to what was said in our text and it stood up very well, granted this site goes more in depth upon this subject than our text. But it still manages to speak about the Emperor Penguin which are book informs us on. 4. Consider the authors of this website their qualifications to write about this subject. How reliable is this source? -Very reliable. These men and women spend their whole life studying and analyzing different marine animals, etc. One also must realize, that they are only human. So something overlooked by one team of explorers, could easily be spotted by another person or team. But overall, it is exceptional, especially for those who have no-type of knowledge about the Emperor Penguin. http://www.gdargaud.net//Antartica/Penguins.html 5(part1) Overall, how useful was this site in helping you learn about Oceanography? What was most useful? -Overall, not too much at all.

A Deconstructive Glance at Edgar Allan Poes The City in the Sea Essay

A Deconstructive Glance at Edgar Allan Poe's The City in the Sea Always mesmerizing, Edgar Allan Poe's poems range from deep and depressing to dark and grotesque. Certainly this is true of his poem â€Å"The City in the Sea,† which is dark in tone and ambiguous meaning. What does it mean, and where did Poe come up with his concept? There are many possible answers to this question, and interpretations include the phallic and yonic symbols of Freudian theory and the idea of biblical cities as source material exist. Therefore, it seems that critics cannot agree on a definite explication for the poem. Alice Claudel posits that there are mystic symbols in the poem and states that: â€Å"One can piece bits together and form the general narrative from II Chronicles, II Kings, and Daniel, among others† (56). The idea that Poe took his ideas from the bible is well founded, but he was too complex a poet to make his poetry that easy or that obvious. Another writer, Dwayne Thorpe, suggests Poe had Christian doctrine in mind when he wrote the poem, contending that Poe's sources were biblical in nature (395). He continues: â€Å"identification of it [biblical source] casts some infernal illumination on his use of a Christian work to create a nihilistic vision† (395). This goes back to Claudel's biblical association, but Thorpe ascribes the city a darker, more sinister meaning. While many critics look at â€Å"The City in the Sea† through a Freudian or biblical lens, a deconstructive approach reveals the image of Death's inverted Necropolis. Deconstruction is the art of ambiguity. The theory posits infinite interpretations to literary works, with most of them just as creative as the work itself. With so many interpretations, no one ... ...ing only becomes more deeply hidden. The complex maze of twisting, turning, and doubling back of Poe's work, specifically â€Å"The City in the Sea,† makes the task of completely deconstructing it almost impossible. Works Cited Bressler, Charles E. Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice, 2003. Claudel, Alice M. â€Å"Mystic Symbols in Poe's ‘The City in the Sea.'† Papers on Poe: Essays in Honor of John Ward Ostrom. Ed. Richard P. Veler and Richard Beale Davis. Springfield, OH: Chantry Music Press at Wittenburg U, 1972. 54-61. Garrison, Joseph M. Jr. â€Å"Poe's ‘The City in the Sea.'† Explicator 48.3 (1990): 185-88. Leonard, Douglas N. â€Å"Poe's ‘The City in the Sea.'† Explicator 43.1 (1984): 30-33. Thorpe, Dwayne. â€Å"Poe's ‘The City in the Sea': Source and Interpretation.†American Literature 51 (1979): 394-99.

Brownie: White American and Octavia Essay

The short story â€Å"Brownies† written by Z. Z. Packer is told in first person by a young introverted African American girl named Laurel, known as â€Å"Snot† to her friends from school. The story reflects back during a summer camp outing at Camp Crescendo that involves a small group of young African American fourth grade girls from the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. In this story the author provides countless details of how the effects of social segregation and racism can have a negative impact on our children and our entire society. Arnetta, the leader of the Brownie pack disliked sharing the summer camp with the young girls of Troop 909 from day one because they were white. Referring to them as â€Å"Invaders†, because in the suburbs of Atlanta they were rarely seen or even thought about(358). While riding in their bus on their way to the cabin and after they had already passed the Troop 909 girls at the front gate, Arnetta asked, â€Å"Did you smell that? † Trying to make fun of the girls she threw her head up and with her nose pointed to the sky she said they smell like â€Å"wet Chihuahuas†. By the end of the day and with a plan to entice her Brownie troops to start a fight with the Troop 909 girls, Arnetta stated that she heard one of them call Daphne a nigger and that they couldn’t let them get away with that. When asked to confirm that one of the white girls said it, Daphne was hesitant to answer until Arnetta gave her an elbow followed with a mean stair down. Daphne was not the type of girl that would stand up for oneself and was too scared to speak up. Even at their Woodrow Wilson Elementary school, if someone doesn’t fit into their little group or doesn’t land a perfect ten after jumping off the swing at the playground, Arnetta and Octavia would reply using the word â€Å"Caucasian†. This was just another way in belittling other people and displaying that Caucasian race was below that of the African Americans. Octavia was considered to be Arnetta’s right hand woman. Octavia was quick to tell anybody to shut up and readily made fun of even her Brownie troop friends. Janice, the muscle of the group and maybe not the sharpest tool in the shed had a country accent that came along with an bubbly personality was even referred to as â€Å"Miss Caucasian† when she wouldn’t leave Arnetta and Octavia alone. One day during lunch time while Janice was standing alongside the water’s edge, Octavia had the temptation but not necessarily the courage to push her into the water. Octavia even disliked Daphne for beating her out in the school poem contest and even referred to Mrs. Margolin, the Brownie troop chaperone as â€Å"Big Fat Momma†. Once they decided that the bathroom would be where the fight takes place, all they needed was to hope they could catch them their alone without their troop leader. As they walked through the woods on their way to the bathroom Janice spoke out, â€Å"this smells like my mother’s air freshener†, than one of the other girls stated the trees in the woods are Pine trees. Janice was shocked to hear that they could get the smell of trees onto an air freshener. As they approached the bathroom they could hear the Troop 909 girls talking. Arnetta suggested that Octavia, Janice and herself would go in first while the rest of them wait outside. After minutes of waiting outside Elise, Drema, Dephne, and Laurel went inside to see what was happening. Octavia looked over at Elise and said, â€Å"I think they’re retarded†. One of the white girls replied, â€Å"We ARE NOT retarded(366-367)! † Once Arnetta and Octavia came to the realization that these girls were mentally challenged, they felt remorseful from their actions and wished to leave without being caught teasing the white girls. Octavia tried to scare the girls by mentioning to them, that if they told on them they would be considered tattletales. As one of the white girls replied, I like tattletale, the Troop 909 leader walked in. Minutes later both Mrs. Margolin and Mrs. Hayes were at the center of the debate. The lady that ran Troop 909 never got mad or raised her voice and always kept a smile on her face as she talked. She said she wasn’t going to blame anybody for their actions or their behavior and cited that maybe what caused this incident actually could of happened. The troop leader clarified that her girls were not retarded but considered slow learners. That they might not have the best of parents and could of possibly heard a bad word or two from their parents. Even after the situation was over and things had calmed down, Arnetta pointed to a small girl and insisted that she heard her say the word. After the white troop leader made the statement that it was impossible because she doesn’t speak, Arnetta made another acquisition that it then came from the girl wearing the complete Brownie uniform. At that point nobody was believing in Arnetta’s story. On the bus ride home Elisa and Arnetta still felt it necessary to continue to make fun of the white girls from Troop 909. When Daphne gave Laurel her prized journal, Daphne could not think of anything to write in it. Than Laurel remembered a time when she and her father were at the mall and they came across some Mennonites who her father insisted that they would do anything you asked of them. Nobody on the bus besides Daphne believed in her story even after she told them that they had actually painted there front porch. until she told them that they sat on the bus and as they return home on the bus, Laurel tells them of an incident in her family involving a white Mennonite family. As she tells the story, she comes to an unsettling realization about racism and the nature of human life.

Individual Fundamentals of Macroeconomics Paper

Part 1 ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gross domestic product (GDP) – GDP is the total market value of all final services and goods produced in a given year in a given country. ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Real GDP – Real GDP is the result of the production activity within a given country at a specific years prices. If one compares two or more periods of time using the same year’s prices for goods and services then the result is a purchasing power comparison as seen over time. This happens because the inflation effects have been mitigated by using constant prices.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nominal GDP – Nominal GDP is simply GDP that has not been adjusted for inflation. Nominal GDP does not reflect purchasing power but does show how an economy has expanded and contracted in dollars. ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Unemployment rate – The most basic definition of an unemployment rate is those people who are unemployed but are actively seeking work and willing to work. It is typically expressed in the form of a percentage. ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Inflation rate – inflation is usually expressed in an annual percentage and is the price increase for goods and services.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Interest rate – An interest rate is the percentage of the principal funds that is charged and paid for the use of money. It is expressed as an annual percentage rate (APR) for loans and annual percentage yield (APY) for interest earned. Whether one is experiencing a decrease in their taxes, is part of a massive layoff of employees, or is simply purchasing groceries, there is a resource flow from one entity to another and back again. Those entities cover government, businesses, and households.How those resources ebb and flow will differ with each situation and have an impact in a â€Å"trickle-down† effect from the government to businesses and finally to households. Decrease in Taxes When the Government decides to reduce taxes, the tax typically assumed to see the reduction is the income tax. â€Å"According to the  Internal Revenue Service (IRS), approximately 43% of tax revenues are generated through this tax. Personal income taxes are levied against income, interest, dividends and capital gains, with higher earners generally paying higher tax rates. (Investopedia, 2012) When a tax reduction occurs, the government will collect less taxes which reduces the amount of monies available for entitlement programs. Households can be affected in a couple of different ways. If a household is a higher wage earning household then less taxes can result in more discretionary income to spend at businesses who offer services the household members wish to utilize. If the household is lower income the decrease in taxes will increase their income but will adversely affect any entitlement programs in which they may be enrolled.For businesses, the reduction in income tax will affect their businesses per the consumer impact. If there is more discretionary income then more money is available to spend on their goods or services. If there is less discretionary income, then of course, the opposite would be true. Massive Layoff of Employees From a government standpoint and governmental employees, when there is a massive layoff of governmental employees, historically, there has not been more than a ripple in the unemployment rate overall.A 1995 survey and a subsequent 1999 follow up to municipalities in Illinois found that the average amount of people still unemployed after a governmental layoff was only 3. 8%. (Reason Foundation, 2012) From a governmental employee standpoint, there is not a large scale economic impact which means that the majority of affected governmental workers will still have income to spend at businesses and for their household needs. When private sector businesses have a massive layoff occur, they are required by Federal law to notify the affec ted employees 60 days in advance.The employees have an opportunity to look for other jobs in that timeframe, however, resources will begin to be held back by the households in the case of long term unemployment which will in turn cause business who offer the good and services to the affected families to experience a decrease in sales. Purchasing of Groceries Groceries are an inelastic product. People will purchase food regardless of the price because they need to eat.When a household purchases groceries, and pays a higher price for them in one grocery store versus another, the business which earned the opportunity for the sale will benefit. The government does not benefit from a tax standpoint on non-processed foods. Processed foods, however, are taxable; which is a benefit to the government. The Government may also pay a producer not to produce a food so as to stabilize the market. A couple of examples of this situation are in the commodities of rice and wheat.Producers are paid no t to plant as much so the market price of the end product is stabilized. In fact, those producers are paid not to produce so there is no loss of income to those households. Conclusion Whether one is experiencing a decrease in their income taxes, is part of a massive layoff of employees or is simply purchasing groceries, there is a resource flow from government, businesses, and households. Resource flow also has an ebb phase. The entire cycle is driven by an almost an amazing number of determinants.These determinants all have an effect on the final outcome as to where and how the Government, businesses, and households use their finite resources. References Richard Coultier, Do Tax Cuts Stimulate the Economy? (June 23, 2010) Retrieved on January 23, 2012 from http://www. investopedia. com/articles/07/tax_cuts. asp#axzz1kIPnIgcg The Reason Foundation, Privatization and Layoffs (March 1, 2001) Retrieved on January 23, 2012 from http://reason. org/news/show/privatization-and-layoffs