Cultural knowledge

Cultural knowledge is of great importance for contemporary society, because in the global world it is necessary to set friendly relations and working contacts with all the cultures and countries. A potential classmate for me is Chinese student, because Chinese culture is significantly different from others and I would be able to learn new things, ideas, core beliefs from Chinese student.I know that Chinese culture is one of the oldest in the world and, therefore, it is really worth examining and studying. It would be interesting to know more about Chinese family values and belief, communication peculiarities, about economic and political objectives of the country as well as about their leisure time.Thus, Chinese student would certainly help me in expanding my cultural knowledge. Chinese people are outwardly restrained, because they are influenced by Confucius' philosophical thinking and thus they are more reserved in verbal and nonverbal communication.Emotional gestures and body lang uage is less expressive as compared with Cuba or Brasilia, for example. As for me, I am very communicative person and it is interesting for me get acquainted with completely different behavior.I know that there are peculiar values in Chinese culture and I think we should pay special attention and, maybe, even to adopt them. For example, family is considered the basis of Chinese culture, especially extended families, when several generations are living together in one house.The elder generation is respected for their wisdom and usually they are provided with good pensions compared with that in other countries. It is important to know that Chinese family members tend to work as a team living under one roof as it is mentioned above.The family welfare is contributed by every family member, either young or elder. I understand that we should follow Chinese in certain traditions, customs. Â  So, I would be provided with an opportunity to adopt some Chinese values as well as to share my cu lture and my knowledge with Chinese student. Furthermore, they are considered non-conflict people.ReferencesCountry’s Profile: China. Retrieved January 17, 2007, from http://www.cp-pc.ca/english/china/index.html

First let’s define externality Essay

As an example of the above definition: Pollution from a factory can affect the health of nearby residents – negative The same factory can provide jobs to nearby residents – positive Negative externality is two part: production and consumption. I will be using both these externalities in my following discussion on pollution. Companies pollute on three different platforms: air, water and land. Air pollution is caused by: †¢Factories †¢Power plants †¢Vehicles †¢Solvents †¢Domestic/industrial chemicals †¢Military †¢Natural causes – volcano, wildfires (ref: aboutairpollution.co.za) Water pollution is caused by: †¢Urbanization oLand disturbed from construction oChemical pollution from mines, industries, etc oInadequate sewage and treatment †¢Deforestation †¢Damming of rivers †¢Destruction of wetlands (ref: www.randwater.co.za) Land pollution is caused by: †¢Domestic, nuclear wastes and industrial wastes, †¢deforestation †¢human sewage †¢mining and other factories †¢increased mechanization †¢ Sewage discharged into rivers instead of being treated properly †¢ Sanitary/hazardous landfill seepage †¢ Cemeteries †¢Scrap yards (waste oil and chemical drainage) (ref: www.wikianswers.com) You will note from the above that pollution is a hot topic and one of the most commonly used to define negative externality. The above causes of pollution serve as a grim reminder of the visible and mostly invisible effect on the consumers. And it certainly is not calculated into the economy. The costs and benefits of pollution can be calculated by economists but this will not reduce its impact, merely factor into the cost of production of goods. What will impact on the economy is the demand for pollution free living and the purchasing decision that will allow this. The following few examples come from my own ‘green’ list: †¢Diesel instead of petrol †¢Switching of unnecessary electricity sources †¢Organic foods within my budget †¢No smoking †¢Living in a ‘leafy’ suburb A lot of South Africans (and world) citizens are making conscious buying decisions to reduce the effects of global warming and the depletion of the ozone layer. The costs of living ‘green’ is higher than average and the economy will see the impact of this as consumers demand ‘cleaner’ living conditions. How can governments help reduce or eliminate negative externality? †¢Increase taxes on domestic pollutants such as cigarettes, solvents, etc †¢Pollution tax for industries †¢Pollution limits on emissions †¢Focus on residential and business zoning and the effect on the surrounding environment †¢New commercial/residential buildings must include ‘green’ technology and utilities †¢Providing separate bins for proper product recycling – domestic, commercial and industrial †¢The abolishment of ‘shanty towns’ for proper housing (source Ref: www.factsanddetails.com, www.statssa.gov.za, www.thinkquest.org, Economics: Global and South African Perspectives, Michael Parkin )

Leadership Theories Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leadership Theories - Article Example orting leadership style for employees that are unmotivated but skilled, and observing leadership style for employees that are skilled as well as motivated. Wharton Professor Robert House developed the path-goal theory of leadership (Basu, 2014). According to this leadership theory, leadership style impacts employees’ performance and job satisfaction. Successful leaders establish goals and lay out clear path in front of employees so that they may be able to achieve their goals. Leaders also play a role in clearing obstacles and providing employees with incentives for milestone achievement. Leaders should support employees to improve their confidence, instruct them on ambiguous tasks, and demand from them when they look unmotivated. This requires constant and frequent interaction between the leader and followers so that employees may be included in the decision-making process also. The fundamental concept on which the path-goal theory is based is the way rewards are used by the leaders to motivate the workforce. It is the situation that depicts the type of rewards which would suit. The situational model of leadership is more elaborative in offering suggestions regarding the ways in which leaders should change their style as per the demands of the different situations. In order to be effective as leaders, leaders should first prioritize their tasks, then they should evaluate the motivation and skill of employees, and then the leaders should decide which style of leadership to adopt on the basis of the information collected in the first two steps. Leaders might also need to use different styles in combination to deal with the different organizational personnel. On the other hand, the path-goal theory suggests leaders to identify the skills of employees before assigning them responsibilities, and convince them that they are capable enough to perform the assigned tasks successfully. Successful employees should be rewarded for their good performance. There are

If you could imagine an entirely different life from the one you led, Essay

If you could imagine an entirely different life from the one you led, how would you want it to be - Essay Example Being the leader I had the responsibility of allocating different individuals to a certain block and ensuring that they have done the work as expected. There was no pay and so the morale was low. This position exposed me to various challenges that one can face while working in a team. While working at various levels in various teams, I have come to realise that people respond differently and some can really pose serious challenges to attaining the goals set by the team. The first challenge that I have come across is when people have personal differences with me and they want to use that as a hindrance in the task we are supposed to undertake. I have realized that this is one of the major reasons why many teams do not perform as expected. I have learnt that it is very important to avoid bringing issues of personal differences into the team. I also realised that some people will always try to disregard my ideas and try to come up with better ones which ought to be implemented. Such people are present in any working environment and in any team. It is hard to address them since they are people who often think that they can do much better if they were in the position that one is in. I learnt how to handle them and ensure that they become part of the team instead of condemning them. Sometimes it is good to take their ideas if they are valid and show them there is no personal difference between the two of you. Some people are opposed to change. I found out that dealing with such people can pose to be a daunting challenge. Such people who like to conserve the already set policies as much as possible will always oppose any idea proposing change as much as they can. It is important at times to have dynamic people in your team. Such people are ready to think widely and embrace change when it comes. Conservatives will try to pull you down when you set new policies and they are a major hindrance in the

Personal development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Personal development - Essay Example Learning theories also stress that behaviors are based on conditioning, and without experiences, it is not possible for an individual to shape his or her behavior in a positive way. Learning is a process, which makes a person perfect in all fields of life. We can take an example of a country’s laws, which are made by the government of that country to make the citizens live their lives accordingly. Laws are very important for the whole nation’s progress because they are solutions to all sorts of political and social problems. All citizens are supposed to respect the laws in order to live a peaceful and systematic life. If a person breaks a law, the law-enforcing department of that country punishes that person for breaking that specific law. Now that punishment will act as a process of learning for that person based on his personal experience, as he will never try to break that law again in life. Learning plays its part in all aspects of an individual’s life, such as, education, social interactions, decision-making, and professional life. In education, learning is an ongoing process. A child starts learning from a very early age in school and keeps on learning different behaviors and emotions, which he observes. Learning those behaviors and emotions are very important for a child in order to survive in society in a proper way. Education is another word for learning because it makes us aware of different things, which we do not know. Teachers make us view the life from different angles strengthening our process of learning. We get awareness about different subjects in schools and express the acquired knowledge in different social and professional environments. Learning also improves our social interactions in an effective manner. We learn different behaviors and expressions from the people around us and make use of those behaviors while interacting with other people. Effective social interactions need a good knowledge of all requirements of ef fective communication. When a person has required knowledge of how to communicate effectively with other people, he does not find any kind of difficulty in improving his social interactions. Without having knowledge of effective communication skills, a person can never interact properly with other people. Learning is a process, which improves our social interaction skills by making us acquire required knowledge related to effective communication essentials. Learning also helps us progress in our professional lives. A person interacts with other people, such as, colleagues and managers, and acquires knowledge, which helps that person progress in professional career. Effective workplace communication skills are essential for the success of an employee. Without learning effective communication skills, an employee can never achieve desired success in his professional life. An employee needs to learn how to interact effectively with colleagues and other officials in order to open the cha nces for professional success. Learning also helps us improve our decision-making abilities. Without good and sufficient knowledge, we cannot take correct decisions because decision-making needs knowledge of all aspects of a situation. Learning injects that knowledge in our minds based on our own experiences, which helps us take correct and the most suitable decision regarding any specific matter. Learning is an intangible process. â€Å"Our ability to learn and our intellectual capacity

Glo-bus report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Glo-bus report - Essay Example The performance target forecasting gives the performances of EPS, ROE, credit rating, image rating AND year end stock price that the management of D Crystal Company has set for the next two years. The report also provides the support for the forecast that the management has set. There is detailed analysis for the company’s competitive strategy in entry-level cameras. The report gives account of how the strategy has evolved for the last two years that the current management team has been in place. The report documents on how the different geographical regions influenced the company’s strategy. There is an explanation of how the geographical regions made the company consider different strategies for these regions. The report documents on the results of using these strategies in the regions that were analyzed. The report gives a detailed analysis on the company’s competitive strategy in the multi-featured cameras. There is a vivid explanation of how the strategy has evolved all over the years. The report gives a detailed on the reasons why different strategies used in the different regions compared to the other regions. The report concludes with the vision of the management were they want the company to be in the coming days. The report gives a detailed analysis on the challenges faced by the management. ... These is equal to the dividing the profit with the number of shares of the common stocks outstanding at the end of the year (Inc). this is presented by an EPS graph below for the The individual company EPS value appears under column of each year. The numbers in the numbers in the parenthesis below the yearly column represents the management team targets for EPS that year and the investors expect the same. The companies represented by bold numbers meet the investors expected EPS targets. The final column at the EPS is normally representing the sum of all profits the whole year computed and divided by the sum of common stock for all the year computed. This column gives the summary of the companies EPS for the years presented for a given data. The EPS graph gives the companies count for the stock sales and purchase of common stocks that the company may have made over time. The graph helps in determining the game to date score of the investor expectations and best in industry standards. The analysis. For the last two years, the EPS of the company has been reducing to a level that is below the investors’ expectations. Due to the low market in the Asian, Europe, Latin America and North America region is low. The target that we would set for the next two years will also be low as we have to review our strategies for these regions since the sales are very low. The incentives to use to raise the are more vibrant advertisements. ROE analysis. The return on equity scores is determined by dividing the the net profit by the average of the beginning of the year shareholder equity and end of the year shareholders equity. During the past two years, the company did not meet the investor expectation for the ROE targets. The ROE targets for the last two years are

The importance of cultural awareness and tolerance in EMS Term Paper - 1

The importance of cultural awareness and tolerance in EMS - Term Paper Example Italians perceive Americans as people who are always on the go; always talking about work and business over lunch or drinks. Italians view meal times as a time to keep off business and time to engage in social connotations. Since culture is not conscious, people cannot become fully aware of their cultural dynamics (Fuller; 200). Sometimes, EMS personnel have to step outside their cultural boundaries in order to take care of their patients effectively. Cultural competence enables EMS personnel to provide care to diverse populations. However, there are challenges that EMS personnel face in their quest to deliver competent patient care through cultural awareness. It sometimes becomes difficult for EMS personnel to deliver patient centred services when the beliefs of the patient are not in tandem with medical guidelines. This is one of the challenges that EMS personnel face in their line of duty. Cultural competence gives medical personnel the ability to interact with patients of varied cultures. When EMS personnel respond to a call, they are introduced to the patients’ life and are also forced to consider the patient’s culture. Culture plays a significant part in communication and medical care given to the patient. Regardless of their qualifications, the first people to arrive at a pre hospital d isaster scene are all known as EMS personnel. Therefore, EMS personnel include a whole lot of emergency workers like fire fighters, paramedics and emergency medical technicians. The extended family of EMS personnel includes dispatchers, support services and administrative staff. As much as the entire EMS fraternity is involved in the effective functioning of the emergency system, it is the EMS personnel on the frontline that really need to be culturally competent because they are often in direct contact with the patients. Cultural competency involves the ability to recognize and obtain cultural facts concerning a patients’

Process of Science Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Process of Science - Lab Report Example The small leafhoppers and black color leafhopper survive when there is alteration in global warming, while the bigger sized leafhopper and the brown in color are adversely affected and their population drastically reduces. If global warming continues, then at this rate the middle sized leafhoppers will probably be reduced and finished. Only the small leafhoppers will remain prominent unlike the parental generation where the bigger population was made up by middle sized leafhoppers. 3. What happened to the proportion of each type of leafhopper in subsequent generations under global warming conditions? Suggest a reason why the traits of the 30th generation make this population better adapted to its altered environment. The population of the large sized, medium sized and the brown colored leafhopper drastically reduce. The change in traits helps the leafhopper to adapt well. The leafhoppers becomes smaller in order to survive from other animals and birds which can feed on them. The brown and large did not survive because their color was so noticeable compared to the rest and therefore could be spotted easily by the predators while being small made it so difficult for the predators to spot them. The change of predators from birds to snakes I expect to favor the survival of the leafhoppers. This is because of the kind of locomotion depicted by the two predators. Birds as flying predators could easily spot the leafhopper from a distance and clear their population easily compared to the snakes which are scrawling predators. Having also in mind that leafhoppers are flying insects and cannot easily be spotted by a scrawling predator. The introduction of snakes therefore facilitated the increase in population of leafhopper. 5. Note the differences between the parental, 10th and 20th generations when the predator changed from a bird to a snake. What evidence supports the view that leafhopper size

Is CEO Pay really Inefficient If so, propose a mechanism to improve Essay

Is CEO Pay really Inefficient If so, propose a mechanism to improve efficiency - Essay Example The inefficiency in CEO’s pay arises because it is very difficult to quantify the productivity of the company and its limit with respect to a certain individual. According to Robert (1995) â€Å"Although much of the decision-making power resides with the CEO, the research and background analysis reports are not made by him. Hence a venture that incurs losses upon the company may not have been caused due a bad decision made by the CEO but rather incomplete or inaccurate information provided to him. These are exemplary scenarios that have more theoretical than practical basis. â€Å" (Robert A. G. Monks, Nell Minow 1995) In today’s world where most business ventures are based solely on the situation in the relevant markets, employee wages are no exception. The general pay of a CEO in competitors would play a large part in deciding the payment package of a company’s CEO.The rest of the essay will be divided into four sections the first three will discuss the vario us aspects of payment while the last would be the concluding statement. Section one will view the entire payment package of a CEO and its implications. These have a strong basis in market evaluation and the integration of the CEO’s position in the company. Section two will discuss the Agency theory. This theory outlines the principal-agent relationship existing between the shareholders and the CEO and its impact on efficient pay. This relationship is both contractually binding and ethical in nature where the extent of the Agent’s authority to bind the company in a contract is deduced by the power given to him by the Principal.. Section three will reflect on the opposing theories of Rent-extraction and the efficient market hypothesis, while both valid in nature, reflects two different sides of an employment contract. Section one: Most CEOs are given the title of either president or CEO. This is a very connotation in the text of CEOs. It is widely used world over. It cou ld mean that the title holders also includes the directors which are present on the board of directors. On the other hand it could also mean the chief operating officer. When compared to the CEO, the president’s central focus is daily operations. CEO, on the other hand is more of a visionary. He projects the future of the company and determines the direction that the company takes. Thus at times, the titles of both president and CEO are used interchangeably to emphasize on the roles that both these title holders play. The increase in pay of a CEO has been six times more than the average wages paid to employees in the last thirty years. The payment package may be seen as inefficient and problematic. An internal sensitivity-analysis of firms indicates that the proportion of loss suffered by the manager when the firm suffers a loss is very small. This amount is greater for small or medium-sized firms as the size of the business increases the loss in pay of the manager decreases when the company suffers a setback. For example, it has been estimated that in a large firm a loss of $1000 by the company only passes on a loss of $1 to the manager who in fact

Unit 208 Accident Leaflet Essay Example for Free

Unit 208 Accident Leaflet Essay ACCIDENTSAll accidents and injuries must be reported to reception where an accident form can be filled in and depending on severity of injury reported to HSEWhen an accident occurs report to teacher whom can then get a first aider depending on the injury. A severe injury must be reported to the head after ringing 999. General cuts and abrasions can be cleaned with water. Bumps and knocks to the head can be monitored for concussion. Whatever the situation stay calm so distress is not caused to others. Inform parents or carers or next of kin. | ILLNESSReport illness to the tutor, so relevant people can be informed such as carers or parents. Monitor studentsDo they look pale, flushed, have a rash, are they lethargic, quiet or more irritable than normal. ILLNESS OUT OF COLLEGEStudents are asked to ring in and let college staff know they are ill and not attending lessons, so tutors are aware01924 303332| EMERGENCY RESPONSEWHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY| FIRESKnow your fire drillLeave your classroom and head to nearest fire exit. (These are marked on the floor plan of the college, attached. )Make sure all learners leave quickly and orderly. Leave all personal belongings behind. Check toilets and classrooms for any remaining learners. Go to your designated assembly point and await the register. Make sure everyone is okIn the event of a fire raise the alarm do not attempt to extinguish fireRing the fire bell and ring 999| ABUSEIf abuse is suspected or a discloser reportedACTInform your tutor or designated officerAnne-Marie-Spencer01924 303332OUT OF OFFICE HOURSPlease contact Social Care Direct for advice08458503503(24hr)See attached sheet| MISSING LEARNERIf a student is feared missing, firstly inform the class tutor. Try phoning the studentThen do a search of the building and grounds. If they cannot be found then the police and college coordinators should be informed. Next the parents or carers of the student. SECURITYAll visitors must sign inAt the beginning of each class a register should be taken. If an unknown person is in the building report them immediately to reception staff. Any suspicious bags or packages to be reported to reception. |

Services and Facilities in a Hotel

Services and Facilities in a Hotel Introduction to Services and Facilities in the hotel Nowadays, people choose to stay in the hotel not only for the accommodations, some of the tourists would choose a particular hotel because of its unique services given or special facilities that other hotel might not have or might not provide as good services compared to other competitor hotel. Example of facilities in most hotels that are five stars and above are swimming pool, outdoor games pool, restaurants, lounges, bars, golf clubs, spa and Jacuzzi, parking garage, conference rooms , banquet rooms. TV lobbies, snooker tables, special manicure services, porter services, personal convention centre and etc. Services and Facilities in a Hotel I am going to elaborate and illustrate the services and facilities in a large hotel named Hotel De Paris, Monte Carlo. Hotel De Paris is a luxury hotel that is located in Monaco which is located in a sovereign city on the French Riviera in Western Europe, France. According to Hayes, D. and Ninemeier, J. (2007), 1st ed, Hotel operations management, Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Accommodations Rooms Starting from the accommodations of this amazing luxury hotel, there are a total of 182 rooms in this hotel, this 182 rooms includes the superior room which is facing the courtyard view. These superior rooms are the perfect examples of the â€Å"Belle Époque Era†. â€Å"Belle Époque Era it’s in French language and it means â€Å"Beautiful Era† in English. It was a period of time in French and Belgian which world war one just ended in the beginning of the year 1914. The size of these superior rooms is from 371 to 571 sq. and it is located in the 2nd and 3rd floor of the hotel. The rack rates of this superior rooms cost around 579 Pounds which is 2880 MYR for 1 night stay. Next, is the Exclusive room which is facing city view, all the furniture and decorations is made from white leaded wood and mahogany. The toilets is specially made from pale marble from the 19th century to give guests a warm and welcoming feeling upon arrival. Rooms from this exclusive a re from 377 to 538 sq. and is located on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floor of Hotel De Paris. Rates of rooms are 657 pounds and after converting is 3447 MYR for one night stay. Last but not least of the rooms and that is the Exclusive Room that is facing casino view, all the facilities and decorations are most likely same as the other exclusive room but the only difference is that this room is facing the casino view. ( Hà ´tel de Paris, (2014). Practical Details. [online] Available at: http://www.hoteldeparismontecarlo.com/practical-information/practical-information/ [Accessed 14 Oct. 2014].) Junior Suites Besides the normal exclusive and deluxe rooms, there are a few types of junior suites in Hotel De Paris. There is inner courtyard view which is fully furnished with red velvet carpets to give a feeling of total relaxation to the guests or conduct important meetings. The lounges in these junior suites are well equipped with perfect office tools with exquisite touch of elegance. The rates for this junior suites cost 846 Pounds which is 4422 MYR. Next up it’s the country view junior suite that is specially made for the night view lovers. (Hà ´tel de Paris, (2014). Junior Suite – Inner Courtyard View. [online] Available at: http://www.hoteldeparismontecarlo.com/luxury-rooms-suites/junior-suite/junior-suite-courtyard/ [Accessed 14 Oct. 2014].) Diamond Suites The most expensive room in this hotel is the diamond suites. The diamond suites resemble the sense of luxury in Hotel De Paris. The diamond suite which is named by Charles Garnier normally is used by people who are going to have a wedding or any special family reunions. The diamond suites are located at the 2nd floor of Hotel De Paris and it is around 1890 sq. It has two big bedrooms, with an enormous lounge with a well-established dining area. All the toilets in this suite is made by light grey and white mosaic marbles tiles. The rates of this diamond suite is simply stunning a night in this diamond suite cost around 7400 pounds with is around 38687K MYR. Restaurant and Bars In Monte Carlo, the most famous restaurant bar is named Le Louis XV- Alain Dà ©classà ©. Le Louis XV is especially dedicated to the taste of exquisite and fantasy. It is open around 25 years ago in the Monte Carlo. The unique setting of this restaurant is focusing mainly on elegant cuisine with excellent wine list and outstanding menus. According Alain Dà ©classà ©(2014),to the chef of Le Louis XV that the philosophy of this restaurant is to fill this restaurant with reinterpreting that what is essential, the food they serve can be simple and easy to understand to every guests but it has it’s subtle of balance on the tradition,culture,modernity of the restaurant. There are three main menus in Le Louis XV, The seasonal club lunch which cost about 145 pounds approximately 785MYR, evening menu â€Å"Les Jardins de Provence† which is 230 pounds approximately 1.2k MYR,Menu â€Å"Pour les Gourmets which does not include drinks cost around 310 Pounds approximately to 1.6k MYR. There are mainly three types of cuisine served in Le Louis XV and that is Gastronomic cuisine. Gastronomic is a study of food it can also mean someone who unites the theories and practices on the study of gastronomic. Le Louis XV also serves the French Riviera cuisine. French Riviera cuisine means a nice view of beach amazing cultural amenities or with fabulous sight-seeing views that is the definition of French Riviera. All the food and cuisine is inspired by the French and Italian Riviera’s with has been nominated in the Michelin Guide with three stars. Michelin Guide is one of the series guide books that is published in France by the publisher named Michelin for more than 100 years for now. (According to Services Management [Including Skill Development]. (2014). 1st ed. [ebook] Mumbai, IND: Himalaya Publishing House. Available at: http://library.olympia.edu.my:2051/lib/olympia/docDetail.action?docID=10415572p00=hotel+management [Accessed 14 Oct. 2014]) Le Louis XV is closed everyday but only open on Tuesday and Wednesday. If you want to enter this restaurant you would have to wear a jacket or a tie, it is strictly required for the guest; this is to ensure that the quality of guests is up to the restaurant’s standard. Grills Located at the 8th floor in the Hotel Le Paris, this grill is named by Le Grill. Le Grill is one of the best grills that offer a reinterpretation of the famous Mediterranean gourmet dishes .During the summer season, Le Grill has its grill side that will reveal the beautiful sky and it is one of the most beautiful views on the French Riviera. The type of cuisines that Le Grill offers is mainly focused on Mediterranean-style gourmet cuisine. The menu has a range of different types which the set lunch is around 75 pounds, and for the dinner or a-la-carte is around 130-150 pounds. Special functions and birthday parties can be held in the Le Grill’s Churchill lounge, cocktails and private parties can also can held there too. Outside of the Le Grill is the open-air terrace which has a good view of the sky or sunset when u visit it at the right hour. The lunch hour is normally from 12pm to 2pm and dinner starts from 8pm-11pm. Banquet Rooms Banquet room is purposely for the use of when you are going to hold a meeting or private birthday parties or even personal meetings. The banquet room in Hotel De Paris is named La Salle Empire and terrace, it is listed as a historical sites since the end of 19th century, it symbolize the history that is left during the 19th century back then. La Salle Empire is a magnificent place to hold banqueting services. Normally for banquet orders, there are two different types of menu one of them is in season and another one is summer menu. Live Band In a large hotel, there is normally live band performance maybe on the Saturday night or Sunday night according to the hotel secludes. The purpose of having live band is to entertain the guests when they have their free time or maybe they can be at the lobby to listen to the live band at night while drinking wine or chatting in the lounges. The live band in Hotel De Paris is named Le Bar American. Le Bar American is fully furnished by the low key ambiance of the beautiful wood. The chairs they used in the bar is all 100% leather armchairs, with all red light bulbs soft lighting, all the windows are facing to the sea view. This fabulous live band bar will play all Doctor’s Gab acoustic piano music to let the guests feel relax and homey. All the snacks will be served from 12 noon to 6.30 in the evening, following by a break; they will be back to business at 10pm at night to 1am in the midnight. Live jazz is the main theme in this beautiful bar. Private Beach In our country there might not be this facilities in any of the hotel in Malaysia, but in overseas, there are a few luxury hotel that offers private beaches in their hotel. Private beaches are an absolute delight for guests that like to enjoy the sunlight or like to swim. The setting in this awesome private beach is based on chic striped canvas beach cabins. All the cabins in this hotel are charged in the hotel accommodation and it ensure the entire guest to reach their max level of satisfactions and enjoyment. Guests can enjoy the sun while refined cuisine will be sent to your personal tent by the private beach. The organic pizzas and gourmet wood-oven pizzas is the must try food in the private beach side bar. On the beach, there are around 200 tents surrounding the beach, 120 beach cabins and almost 30 solariums available for rent, but the charges is not included in the accommodations fees.   Sports and Leisure Swimming Pool The swimming pool of Le Hotel Paris has a 25 by 13 meters swimming pool filled with 29 Celsius seawater taken from its depth which is around 37 meters and 400 meters out. Only customers that are staying in Hotel De Paris Monte Carlo and the Hotel Hermitage Monte-Carlo can access to the Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo only. Swimming pool is normally open from 7am to 9pm. Fitness Nowadays people are very health conscious; fitness gym is one of the essential needs of running a hotel. This 5 star gym fitness is facing to the sea, it consists of thread mill, dumbbells, bike machine and so on. There are dozens of coaches everyday there to help guests with what is their routine and what should they do to keep fit. The personal coaches will give advice on weight training, swimming, water aerobics, pool biking, lipo training and so on. They also supervise guests on their heart rates for preventing them to over exercise themselves. There are also special traditional Tai chi classes in Hotel De Paris and also Five Element Tai Chi for the guests who want to experience the Chinese traditional Tai Chi. Tennis and Squash Tennis is also a requirement for a large hotel establishment because most of the business peoples like to talk about business while playing outdoor activities. In the Hotel De Paris, there are around 21 clay courts that are overlooking the sea of the Monte Carlo Beach. In this hotel, there are tournaments against club tennis schools and completions junior versus seniors and all soft of activities. Golf Coast Gold coast is a place of relaxation for the guests where they can enjoy the many services and the facilities founded in regular Golf Courses. Golf Courses provide many great servicing such as Golf Cart services, where they can enjoy the relaxing ride while enjoying the scenery at the Golf Course. Golf court provides services of golfing with the assistance of personnel to aid with the golfing experience. Conclusion and Recommendations Despite the accommodations of the hotel, the facilities in the hotel are the point attraction to attract people to put up a night in the hotel. According to Larkin, E. (2009). How to run a great hotel. 1st ed. Oxford: How To Books. This type of facilities will attract more guests and tourist to stay in the large hotel. With good facilities and services it will gain reputation for the hotel and to keep the guests and tourist to stay with pleasure and will visit us again next time during vacations or business trips. As a conclusion, the Relationship between customer satisfaction and hotel attributes is being focused on the service or facilities, the better the facilities and services the better impact of the preference of someone in choosing a hotel because based on Atkinson (1988); Barsky and Labagh (1992); Choi and Chu (2001) studies, it has been found that the most important attributes a customer seeks are staff service quality and friendliness.

Binding Languages: ‘American’ Identities and Bilingual Education :: Free Essays Online

Binding Languages: ‘American’ Identities and Bilingual Education The turning points in one’s lifetime remain imprinted in a person’s mind like stamps on an envelope. They are always vivid and no matter how long time passes, the smells, noises and emotions felt always remain on our minds. The day I arrived at St. Vincent Ferrer ’s elementary school, I was only nine years old. Three days earlier, I had stepped off a plane at the Cincinnati’s international airport from Italy. My English knowledge was constrained to naming colors and counting up to one hundred. And yet, when I first stepped in my new 4th grade class, I felt welcome. Perhaps this was because I was the novelty in the class and all eyes that day remained on me. Many stood in awe wondering how and if an Italian girl looked, dressed, or talked differently from an American girl. That day, I was assigned to spend the day with Amanda, a girl with blue eyes and brown hair who seemed to have a happy expression on her face. It is still amazing to me today that, despit e completely not understanding each other, Amanda and I got along. This became evident during recess when she taught me how to play tag, a game not common in my native land, by using gestures to explain the rules. However, this use of gestures could not remain as the permanent mode of communication between us. Soon, the inability to interact with others because of a language barrier would impede my social development. This not only meant that I could not grow deep friendships with my peers, but also that I was left completely alone. No one talked to me during lunchtime; no one included me in his or her games; no one wanted to be my partner in any activity. Furthermore it would also slow down my intellectual expansion. Being unable to understand the meaning of words spoken by my teacher, I could not understand what the lesson was about. This made me feel as if I had lost my intelligence and my capability of learning. However, if I had been allowed to speak my own language within the school system while learning English, perhaps much pain and frustration might have been spared. The bewilderment, excitement and sense of fitting in on the first day of classes began and ceased that day. It would take months before I would feel again that I could belong with these people.

Smoking Hazards: Tobacco Cultivation In Colonial America Essay examples

Tobacco was a main crop in colonial America that helped stabilize the economy (Cotton 1). Despite the fact that tobacco took the place of the other crops in Virginia, as well as replacing the hunt for gold with tobacco cultivation. It proved to be a major cash crop, especially in Virginia and Maryland (Weeks 3). Tobacco left many people financially troubled because other occupations were disregarded or not as profitable as tobacco farmers (Randel 128). The unemployment that tobacco brought about made many colonists poor and homeless (128). After the tobacco boom started, many men signed themselves to indentured servitude hoping to be freed and given land along with other promised goods (Tunis 79). Three hundred and fifty thousand African slaves were also imported to labor on large tobacco plantations in the South (Weeks 1). The tobacco industry had a profound effect on colonial America, socially and economically. Tobacco did not just appear in colonial America. The tobacco plant was introduced by John Rolfe to the people of Jamestown (Nobleman 12). John Rolfe also taught the colonists how to farm tobacco (Tunis 77). Though tobacco cultivation seemed to be flourishing, consumers were still getting their tobacco from the Spanish Indies, as the Spanish Indies grew milder tobacco than America (Weeks 1). This motivated John Rolfe to sail to the Spanish Indies and confiscate some of their tobacco seeds ("The Growth of the TobaccoÂ…" 2). The tobacco from the Spanish Indies boosted the economic growth of colonial America (2). However, John Rolfe was not the first person to have tobacco in the new world. The Native Americans were the first people to cultivate and smoke tobacco and taught their trade to the Spanish (1). The ... .... New York: Funk and Wagnall's, 1972. Lorenz, Stacy L. "To do Justice to His Majesty, the Merchant and the Planter." Virginia Magazine of History & Bibliography. 2000. 108. 4, 8 pages. Nobleman, Marc Tyler. The Thirteen Colonies. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Compass Point Books, 2002. Pecquet, Gary M. "British Mercantilism and Crop Controls in the Tobacco Colonies. A Study of Rent-seeking costs." CATO Journal, 2003. 19 pages. Purvis, Thomas L. Colonial America to 1763. New York: Facts on File, 1999. Randel, William Peirce. Mirror of a People. Maplewood, New Jersey: Hammond Incorporated, 1973. "The Growth of the Tobacco Trade." February 24, 2006. 3 pages. November 14, 2006. Tunis, Edwin. Colonial Living. Cleveland, Ohio: The World Publishing Company, 1957. Weeks, Dick. "Southern Tobacco in the Civil War." March 9, 2002. 3 pages. November 16, 2006.

Cultural Diversity in Business :: essays research papers

In their eagerness to avoid the courts and editorial pages, most firms in America, and increasingly in Europe, now pay close attention to the sex and race of the people they recruit and promote, For example, Harvard Business School has just announced that they will go out of its way to include women in its case studies, which are used in business-school classrooms around the world. In other words, schools and businesses, in order to stay out of trouble, are taking the easy way out, quotas. (Kole, MacDonald.1997.1) Although some women and minorities are hired to fill quotas, the majority of them are needed to create a cultural diverse workplace. Cultural Diversity can have a positive effect and be profitable but only for some firms. A well considered strategy must accompany Cultural Diversity if profit is to be made. There are at least two reasons to expect a policy of diversity to yield profits. One difference is communication. Because many people find it easier to understand others of the same sex, or nationality, it helps to have employees from the same cultural background as your customers. It’s not only a matter of language, but understanding the customer’s needs, tastes and the earning of their trust is vital. The recruiting of people from a different cultural background can not only improve communication with outsiders, it may also bring fresh ideas to insiders (Kole, MacDonald. 1997.2). Businesses don’t only need cultural diversity in order to relate to customers, they need women and minorities in management. Smaller banks have traditionally selected their directors from among those who live and work in their communities. Their reasoning is to hire people who cannot only tell the banks what the people want, but also spread the word about their products. However, many banks surveyed by the Business Times have local natives on their boards, few women are represented and almost no minorities can be found-even in areas where there is a large minority population (Kole,MacDonald.1997.2). Many bank CEO’s feel that the lack of minority and female representation needs to be corrected (Cochran.1997). â€Å"Jack Anderson, chairman and Chief Executive of Johnstown-based BT Financial Corp.- the holding company for Laurel Bank, and Johnstown Bank Trust Co. states â€Å"Any right-thinking person understands the need for diversity,† he said â€Å"I think it i s something we need to work toward.†(Neiser.1997.1)† Anderson also recognizes that there hasn’t been a large pool of candidates to choose from.

Iron Crowned Chapter 11

â€Å"Cute,† I said. Kiyo turned to me, giving me the same assessment I'd just given him. â€Å"You okay?† â€Å"A little venom and probably some bruising tomorrow.† He nodded, relieved, and then did a double take. â€Å"You're bleeding.† â€Å"Am I?† I asked, almost as surprised as he was. He hurried over to me. â€Å"Your shoulder.† â€Å"Oh, shit,† I said, craning my neck to look back. â€Å"That's the table injury.† â€Å"Take off your shirt. And don't even start with some ridiculous modesty spiel,† he added, seeing me start to protest. I knew he was right and gingerly lifted off the M;tley Cre shirt. He helped me part of the way, saving me from raising my arms too far. Examining the shirt, I saw blood soaked in it. â€Å"Bad?† I asked. â€Å"I'll know once I take the bandages off. Please tell me you have more and that we don't have to reuse these.† â€Å"I've got more. I told you I brought supplies.† Carefully, he peeled off the gash's cloth coverings and tossed them to the ground. In the firelight and dim glow of sunrise, I could see the fabric was completely red with blood. â€Å"You broke some stitches,† he said wearily. â€Å"I don't have the tools to fix it.† I'd once been kind of freaked out that he used his veterinarian skills to patch battle wounds, but now I kind of took it in stride. â€Å"Pain aside, is that going to matter?† I asked. â€Å"You'll bleed more, though I'll wrap it as much as I can. You'll risk a scar too if you don't get it stitched again. Once we finish this craziness up, I can do it for you back in Tucson if you don't want to explain it to your doctor.† â€Å"My regular one's kind of used to this,† I said. He snorted. â€Å"I imagine so.† I fetched my pack, and we both sat on the ground. The light was increasing, making it easier for him to work as he tidied up my back. The old bandages were tossed away, and I winced as he swabbed everything with antiseptic wipes. â€Å"I thought the danger didn't start until we were in the crown's cave,† I muttered. â€Å"As often happens, mistress, you've made an incorrect assumption,† said Volusian. â€Å"The legends say the path to the crown is perilous. We are on the path. Your testing has begun.† â€Å"Fantastic. Ow!† â€Å"I'm saving you from infection,† chastised Kiyo. That seemed to be the last of the sanitizing, thankfully, and from there he began layering gauze and tape. What he did was far from erotic, but it amazed me how gentle and steady his hands could be after seeing him savagely fight and rip things apart. I glanced over at Deanna, who had simply observed the fight. She'd said nothing, but I thought I caught a glimpse of relief on her face. My death would have put a serious hitch in our bargain. â€Å"How long until the entrance? When we lose you guys?† I asked. Annoying or not, Volusian would be missed – especially if these snakes were just the warm-up act. â€Å"A few hours,† said Deanna. I frowned, unsure if I should dread it or not. We'd lose our backup but be that much closer to finishing this anti-vacation. â€Å"I suppose it'd be too much to hope you've brought any painkillers?† asked Kiyo, still layering me up. I felt like I had a quilt on my back. â€Å"Vicodin probably isn't the best asset for impending battle.† â€Å"I was thinking more like aspirin.† â€Å"Nope.† But it did remind me I was due for another antibiotic dose. I'd arrogantly thought I didn't need them but now was glad for my mom's vigilance. Not that I wanted to admit any of this to Kiyo. The thing about dating a doctor was that he'd always been on me about taking better care of myself. I didn't want to hear any I-told-you-so's now. And unsurprisingly, there was more advice to come. He finished the last of the tape and helped me put on the clean shirt I'd packed. â€Å"Eugenie, wrapping this is a nuisance, but any gentry healer could have fixed this up in their sleep. Dorian's got great healers. Why didn't he have one of them take care of this? He should know better.† I shifted around so I faced him. â€Å"How on earth did this suddenly become Dorian's fault? Why is he responsible for everything evil? Of course he offered to get a healer. I refused because I figured other people needed it more.† I'd also totally forgotten to ask Shaya. Kiyo's expression relaxed and actually grew apologetic. He looked away. â€Å"Of course you did. I'm sorry.† â€Å"Sorry for accusing Dorian or for forgetting I'd be foolishly altruistic?† Kiyo turned back, a small smile on his lips. â€Å"What do you think? There's very little I feel apologetic for when it comes to Dorian, especially when I'm still convinced he wants to father Storm King's heir.† I smiled back. â€Å"I'm sure he does too. But it's a moot point. I've still got birth control pills. I still don't want any kids. My life's stressful enough.† Belatedly, I recalled his adoration of Luisa. â€Å"No offense.† â€Å"None taken,† he said, still smiling. â€Å"Really †¦ I should be better about trusting you. I just keep thinking †¦Ã¢â‚¬  The smile dimmed a little. â€Å"Thinking what?† â€Å"I don't know. That one day this will all get to you. And I don't mean about Storm King. I mean just †¦ everything. You'll totally give yourself over to this world. I'll lose the Eugenie I know.† I grabbed his hand without thinking and squeezed it. â€Å"Hey, stop that. You said it yourself: trust me. I'm the same Eugenie. Still split between identities †¦ but nothing can change that.† â€Å"I know.† He continued holding my hand. The touch of his fingers, which had been so objectively medical minutes ago, now took on another feel †¦ something warmer. Something that made my body feel strange, as those dark eyes stayed fixed on me. I found myself falling into them like I used to, into those sexy, smoky depths†¦. I abruptly stood up, breaking that dangerous touch. â€Å"Well,† I said awkwardly, â€Å"seeing as it's already light out and we're up, we might as well get going. Breakfast in the saddle?† Kiyo rose too, looking troubled. â€Å"Sure. The sooner we're moving, the sooner we're past any snake threats.† As we packed up and got back on the horses, I wondered if we were riding toward something much worse than snakes. Don't get me wrong: they'd been bad. But I fought supernatural creatures all the time. There'd been so much hype about the crown. Was it simply going to involve a monster buffet? I kept those thoughts to myself as we traveled, having plenty of other things to preoccupy me. My meager breakfast. Kiyo's presence. The pain in my back. The meaning behind the scattered holes in the terrain. On the road went, just as it would through any part of the Otherworld. I wondered how far it went. To infinity? Or would a traveler simply fall off the edge, like on those maps made back when people believed the world was flat? â€Å"This is it.† Deanna's voice, though soft, seemed harsh in the emptiness around us. We came to a halt, and I glanced around, searching for what she'd found. At last, I spotted a small, dark opening tucked in one of the iron mountains. â€Å"That's it? It seems so †¦ small.† â€Å"Out here it does,† said Kiyo. â€Å"We don't know what's inside †¦ except that it's going to completely enclose us in iron. Remember – that'd kill most gentry. It's a test you're lucky enough to skip. Hopefully.† â€Å"True,† I murmured. I still felt no ostensible effects from this land, but what would happen inside the mountain? â€Å"I can't go inside,† said Deanna. â€Å"I'll just wait here for you to come out.† â€Å"I too shall wait,† said Volusian, â€Å"in the hopes that you meet your death and that it is your spirit that emerges, so that I may torment it for all eternity.† I pushed away the desire to order him away. Even if he couldn't follow us, I'd feel better having him right here for defense when we came out. And we would come out, I decided fiercely. There was no if here. I left my bag and gun outside, seeing as I had no ammunition left. Fucking snakes. Surveying the rest of my arsenal, I left the iron athame in my belt, putting the silver athame in my right hand and the wand in my left. I glanced at Kiyo. â€Å"Ready?† He nodded. â€Å"I'll go first.† It was a very manly thing to do. I let him lead and faintly heard Deanna wishing us luck. The cave we entered was pitch black and cramped. I could just barely get through without ducking and knew Kiyo had to walk slightly hunched. We followed the twists and turns, scraping against the close, rough walls. We spoke occasionally to check location, and I'd sometimes touch his back as well. The deeper we went, the more I could feel the iron around us. Again, I had no indications of weakness †¦ just an awareness. â€Å"Light,† said Kiyo suddenly. I blinked. He was right. I saw no light source, but something farther ahead was casting light down the tunnel. It started as only faint illumination, just giving me a glimpse of his silhouette. Soon, the light increased †¦ as did the heat. A roaring sound came to my ears. â€Å"I have a bad feeling about this,† I said. We rounded a corner, and my jaw nearly dropped. The path ahead was blocked by fire. To be precise, it was blocked by sheets of very neatly contained fire, giving the impression of giant blades – particularly since they swung from the ceiling. Magically flattened into sheets or not, the flames burned intensely, and the heat radiating through the corridor left no doubt that these bastards would incinerate us. â€Å"I think I saw this in a video game,† I muttered. Kiyo's gaze was fixed unwaveringly on the fire blades. There were five of them. His face was blank, but the concentration in his eyes told me what he was doing. He was timing them, studying their patterns. â€Å"They're staggered in a way that would let us get through,† he said. â€Å"We just have to watch the timing.† â€Å"You can get through. I don't know about me.† I wasn't being defeatist; I was just stating the truth. Kiyo possessed reflexes I didn't have. I could sit here for hours and probably not learn their patterns like he could. He frowned. â€Å"Maybe I can just hold your hand. Or put you on my back.† â€Å"What? No. That's ridiculous. It'd affect your speed – throw you off.† I studied the flames, hypnotized by the swinging patterns. There were spaces between each sheet. â€Å"Maybe I can wing it, take them one at a time.† â€Å"Now that's a ridiculous idea.† Frustration lined his brow. â€Å"And to think, I would have given anything for heat last night. We should have camped in here†¦.† My joke trailed off as an idea came to me. â€Å"I'll just walk through.† The look he gave me required no words to convey his opinion. â€Å"Seriously,† I said. I put my weapons away and drew on the magic within me. The iron wasn't affecting me. I toyed with the elements of air and water, testing and weaving them like a scarf. Kiyo could feel the shift in temperature near us. â€Å"What are you thinking?† â€Å"I can protect myself,† I said. â€Å"The cave's damp enough – aside from here – for me to draw water. I'll make a shield for me and use air to blow out against the fire.† â€Å"The air could feed the flames.† â€Å"Not if I do it right.† Our eyes met. He didn't like this idea, not at all. â€Å"This'll work,† I told him. â€Å"I know for a fact it will.† â€Å"For a fact, huh? I still think I should carry you.† â€Å"And I still think that's idiotic. You've gotta trust me, Kiyo. I can do this. I can feel it.† He didn't answer immediately, but I knew I had him. â€Å"If I watch you get burned alive, I'm not going to be happy.† â€Å"Volusian'll be happy,† I said. â€Å"At least someone comes out on top.† â€Å"Eugenie!† â€Å"Sorry.† I gave Kiyo what I hoped was a reassuring smile. â€Å"This'll work. You go first.† He hesitated a few moments more and then transformed into a fox. For fighting, he often chose a powerful, larger than life one. Now, he was small and quick like any ordinary red fox. He turned toward the flames, the human part – and probably animal too – again gauging timing. Then – he sprang forward. I'd piled assurances on him, but it was my own breath that caught while watching him. He ran without stopping, stride smooth and consistent as he flawlessly ran through empty space caused by the flames' swinging to the opposite side of the cave. In seconds, he reached the end, on the other side of the fifth sheet. I exhaled. He transformed back to Kiyo and peered at me through the sporadic gaps, worry all over him. I gave him another confident smile, hoping my earlier argument would hold true. I stared at the flames, not to time them but simply to muster my own courage. Magic welled up within me as I pulled moisture around my body, creating a spinning, almost cyclone-like cocoon – that instantly soaked me. That was the least of my worries. Then, I called on the air, drawing it to me and forcing it to blast away from my body. As I stepped forward, my mind suddenly ran through a hundred other scenarios. Maybe I could have just sucked out the oxygen here and killed the fire. Of course, that'd likely render me unconscious. And would ordinary physics even work against magic fire? That question came to me too late, along with the realization that magic fire might similarly be immune to air and water. Woosh! I lacked Kiyo's timing. The first fiery sheet flew at me – and went around me. My fan-effect blew it away and the scalding heat that would have still reached me was mitigated by the water. I picked up my pace, walking through the second one in a similar way. Lucky timing made me miss the third altogether. The fourth nailed me – or would have – and then I just barely sidestepped the fifth. I reached Kiyo's side and dropped the magic. â€Å"Three out of five ain't bad,† I said cheerfully. To my surprise he hugged me, in spite of my dripping clothes and hair. â€Å"Jesus Christ that was scary, Eug. When I saw you walk through that first wall †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"†¦ you thought it was pretty cool?† He pulled back and shook his head, watching as I wrung water from my shirt. â€Å"You sure are making an awful lot of jokes about some pretty serious stuff.† â€Å"Hey, you're the one who made the Dune reference.† I sighed and let my hands fall to my sides. â€Å"Besides, if I wasn't making jokes, I'd probably come to my senses and be running straight back to the Thorn Land.† I drew air to me, taking along some of the heat, to sort of blow-dry me off. I stopped when I was semi-dry, not wanting to use up the magic. â€Å"I understand,† he said. He gently touched my arm, smiled weakly, and then tilted his head toward the darkness ahead. â€Å"Ready for more?† I nodded, following him once again. We walked farther and farther from the flames, losing the light as we did. A strange flashback came to me, a trip to the Underworld where I'd walked through similar caves and faced tests to bring back Kiyo's soul. How could I have nearly forgotten about that? I'd loved him so much, I'd faced Death herself. How did love like that change? More tunnel crawling followed, and I wondered if perhaps this was a test for claustrophobic gentry. Gradually, though, the tunnel began to expand and expand until it suddenly dead-ended into a large cavernous room. Much like the tunnel, everything here was simply rough rock with occasional glimpses of iron. A few torches lit the chamber, revealing its centerpiece: an elegant marble pedestal with an iron crown sitting on it. â€Å"Seriously?† I said. Kiyo and I hovered near the room's opening, wary of entering. Yet, as I stared at the crown, it wasn't any potential trap that sent a chill down my spine. Another test in my trip to the Underworld replayed in my mind: I'd been forced to wear my father's crown, despite my protests. That crown had been platinum, but it and the one before me both had a similar silvery sheen. Both were adorned with purple jewels. Both had a harsh, martial feel to them. The one in the vision had been a little more delicate, though, with a bit more artistic flair. Designer planning had also clearly gone into this one, with its circle of jeweled spikes alternating in size, but my feel was that it was meant to be impressive, not pretty. â€Å"It's an illusion,† I said to Kiyo. â€Å"We can't have reached it already. We've hardly done anything.† He didn't take his eyes off the crown as he spoke. â€Å"Snakes and walking through fire are nothing?† â€Å"Well, no. But I expected more, considering all the hype.† â€Å"The iron,† Kiyo reminded me. â€Å"You used magic to get through the fire. Most gentry would too – but imagine what it would be like for them in all this iron. If they even got this far. You're †¦ not cheating, exactly, but you're bypassing a lot of the challenges here.† â€Å"If it's meant to be for gentry, then maybe the crown is too. Maybe I'm too human and won't be able to claim it.† Man, that would suck. â€Å"One way to find out.† I stared at the crown, noticing how little light reflected off it. Was this it? Did I really just go up and claim it? Time to find out. I took a few steps forward †¦ and the room abruptly became cold. A dark feeling, a feeling of power and pure evil filled the small space. What does evil feel like? You just know. I hastily returned to Kiyo's side, but it was too late. A male figure materialized before us, clad in beautiful purple velvet robes, embroidered and tailored in a way Dorian might have envied. This guy's hair was nearly as beautiful, a pale white blond that shone in the torchlight and grazed his shoulders. Yes, definitely an impressively attired figure. The only thing that really detracted from it all was that he was a skeleton. â€Å"Oh, fuck,† I said. â€Å"What is it?† asked Kiyo, moving close to me. â€Å"A lich. Like a †¦ I don't know. An undead necromancer or magic user.† My mind was frantically spinning. Liches used magic before their deaths to purposely keep themselves from the Underworld. It made them very hard to banish, according to Roland. I'd only ever heard of them in stories. â€Å"Like a zombie?† â€Å"No. Smarter. And they can also do – duck!† Kiyo, always a hair faster than me, had already dropped down and taken me with him as the lich hurled a ball of blue fire at us. It hit the wall above us, dispersing and blasting us with heat but otherwise doing no harm. More of that fire was already forming in its skeletal hand, and I knew it would aim low. Kiyo transformed to his largest fox form and leapt at the lich, attacking the best way he knew how. His jaws started to close around the lich's robe-encased leg, but a small gesture from the lich sent Kiyo flying. He hit a wall, shook it off, and growled, pacing and planning what to do next in light of this new development. During their split-second encounter, I had just enough time to send my senses out through the wand. I touched the Underworld and attempted to form a connection. The butterfly on my arm burned like the snake's venom, but I couldn't open the way. It was like beating on a heavy locked door. More effort might have helped me break through, but I had no chance to try before another fireball came toward me. I dodged and rolled away. Seeing the lich deflect Kiyo again made me think an athame attack wasn't going to be much help either. The lich seemed to recognize my problems and laughed, a low, guttural sound that echoed unnaturally in the chamber. â€Å"You will not wear the Iron Crown. You do not possess the power to wear the Iron Crown.† I was ready to evade another fireball, but a flick of the lich's hand threw me back against the wall. I didn't even have time to process the agony that caused to my wounds because the unseen force that pinned me there hurt too much. It was like a million invisible needles were piercing my skin, going straight through me, and lodging in the stone to hold me in place. I screamed at the pain, and Kiyo instantly raced toward the lich again. The larger the fox form, the more animal he was, and I had a feeling this was just a gut reaction at seeing me attacked. The lich threw him off again with that invisible force – only harder this time. Kiyo slammed against the wall, slumping down to the cave's floor. Weakly, he tried to stand up on all four legs but was too disoriented and injured. The lich turned back to me, and I saw death in his eyes. Had I really joked about this being easy? The only one this had been easy for was the lich. He'd taken us out with just a few spells, and now I would die. This was why those who wore the Iron Crown were feared. If you could survive this, you could survive anything. â€Å"You will not wear the Iron Crown,† he repeated, lifting his hands for the final spell. â€Å"You are not worthy.† I summoned my magic, despite the pain. A gale force wind blasted into him, making him stagger back. So. He wasn't totally impervious to physical force. Calling the magic was difficult, but when Dorian had first trained me, we'd practiced casting spells in a number of uncomfortable positions. I increased the force of the wind, pushing the lich back a couple more steps. The Iron Crown didn't budge, but the wind had pinned Kiyo up against the wall, almost making him go flat. I nearly hesitated, fearing I'd hurt him. He was still alive from the last hit. Surely he could handle this. And that added force was a good call. It distracted the lich so that when I mentally pushed back against his spell, he couldn't hold it. The invisible pins vanished, and I slid to the floor, landing shakily but upright. I still hurt and already felt worn out but held strong to my magic. It kept the lich away, but it also didn't knock him into the walls the way he could us. His skull-face wore a perpetual grin, making this all that much more annoying. â€Å"You don't have the power,† he said, seeing I couldn't do much more with the wind. â€Å"You are not worthy of the crown.† White light began glowing between his hands. No fireballs this time. It was lightning. It flew from his hands with incredible speed – say, like, the speed of light – but I evaded it, with almost no thought. Lightning was in my skill set. My body was attuned to it, able to anticipate and avoid it even with its speed. Nonetheless, the lightning blasted away half of the cave wall and the thunder that accompanied the bolt nearly left me deaf. Rocks and debris from the shattered stone were swept up in my windstorm, flying around the room like shrapnel. A few of them hit me. One cut my arm. In spite of it all, I laughed, sounding slightly crazy even to myself. â€Å"You're going to fight me with lightning?† I yelled above the raging wind, which I had managed to kick up a notch after all. â€Å"Do you know who I am?† â€Å"I know you will never have the crown,† the lich replied, summoning more lightning. His words dug into me, and not just because my life was on the line here. It was the meaning behind them. You are not worthy. A dismissal of me. Of my power. He really didn't know who he was dealing with, though. He had no idea of the power I could wield, even in this iron dungeon. No one would say it directly, but I was beginning to suspect I was the most powerful magic user since my father. This bastard lich was about to find that out. He'd see my power. I'd destroy him and take his fucking crown. â€Å"You call that lightning?† I yelled, after dodging the next bolt. My magical senses touched the molecules in the room, the positive and negative charges. The scent of ozone was everywhere. â€Å"This is lightning.† I didn't need my hands. I could create lightning from the air. It blasted into the lich and should have disintegrated him. He stayed intact, unfortunately, but the way he wobbled and didn't instantly go for another bolt told me I'd made progress. The magic burned within me, filling every ounce of my being as I held onto the surrounding air. The wind still blew, the ions stayed readied. In the center of it all was the crown, the crown I was going to walk out of here with. I would stop this war and show Katrice and everyone else not to screw with me. But first, I needed to finish this. I considered continually blasting the lich with bolts, but another idea came to mind. It would bring all of this to an end quickly. Scientists have long debated the existence of ball lightning, but I knew it was real. I'd never really used it in a serious way but had experimented. Some of the principles of its formation were like those of â€Å"regular† lightning, but a few quirks were what made it unique – and so hard to study. I knew how to summon it. I knew what it could do in here. Whereas the magically created bolts the lich and I had wielded had been shaped and controlled, ball lightning was huge and radiating. It would fill this cave, incinerating the lich. I wouldn't be surprised if it melted the walls. And the crown? The crown would survive – as would I, being the magic's mistress. The power blasted out of me, lightning forming an orb in the cave that exploded outward, blinding even my eyes. The walls shook, heat washed over me, and a roaring filled my ears. I heard the lich scream, a horrible, raspy sound. I didn't let go of the spell until his cry faded to silence. The ball lightning disappeared instantly, almost startlingly so. My own control of such power surprised me a little. My ears rang in the silence. The crown stood unharmed, as expected. The pile of bones I'd expected was not there, however. Instead, a small, wizened man stood before me, dressed in the same purple robes. I reached out and readied my magic for this new threat. He didn't move, though. To my astonishment, he smiled and gave me a small bow. â€Å"Congratulations,† he said. He gestured to the crown. â€Å"You are worthy – if you can wear it, of course. And something tells me you can, if you've survived this much iron.† I glanced back and forth between him and the crown, unbelieving. â€Å"I did it†¦. I won through. Won the crown. I defeated the lich †¦ er, you †¦ or whatever.† â€Å"Certainly the lich was part of the test. It takes great magic to defeat one. But the test was about more than your power,† said the old man slyly. â€Å"It was about your determination. Your will. Your ruthlessness to get to the crown, no matter the cost.† He stepped aside, waving his hand over at the cave's side. I gasped. Kiyo – in human form – lay against the wall. His dark eyes were open, and I saw no obvious injuries. He was simply watching the interaction. I flew to his side, kneeling down. â€Å"Oh my God. Are you okay?† I asked, helping him sit up. His breathing was even, though he looked a little addled. â€Å"Please †¦ talk to me. Kiyo. Are you okay?† â€Å"Yeah, yeah †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He lightly touched his forehead and winced. â€Å"Hell of a headache.† I could scarcely breathe. I felt numb all over. â€Å"You shouldn't be alive,† I whispered. â€Å"You should have died.† That ball lightning had eradiated the room. That had been my plan, after all. Destroy everything except me and the crown – and everything would have included Kiyo. In the moment, I had forgotten. I had forgotten all about him. I'd been too fixated on the crown, on proving to the lich who the real badass around here was. Kiyo hadn't mattered in that moment, and it had nothing to do with our rocky relationship. I had the horrible, terrifying feeling that it wouldn't have mattered who was in the room. â€Å"Oh, God,† I said again, pulling his head against my chest. Tears stung my eyes. â€Å"Oh God oh God. I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I don't know what †¦ I don't know what I was thinking†¦.† A nasty voice spoke inside my head. Didn't you? â€Å"Hey, Eug, calm down,† said Kiyo, patting the back of my head. â€Å"I'm okay, don't worry. You did it. You defeated it.† He didn't get it. He didn't get what I'd done – or nearly done. Clearly, whatever crazy, powerful magic was involved here had protected him for the sake of the test. But if it hadn't †¦ â€Å"Seriously,† said Kiyo, still not understanding my distress. â€Å"I'm fine. Just got tossed around too much. Now go get the crown. He said it's yours.† I pulled away and looked into Kiyo's eyes, eyes full of fondness and pride. I didn't deserve that look, but we needed the crown, and we needed to get out of here. I rose unsteadily and walked over to the pedestal. The crown sat there ominously, and I glanced at the old man. He nodded encouragingly. If you can wear it. I supposed there was one more test, one I might fail. When my fingers touched the crown, I felt nothing, only cold metal. I lifted it gingerly, almost afraid of what I did. It was heavy – far heavier than my crown of state or fashionable ones. Yet, it fit my head perfectly, which was weird. When I'd first seen it, I'd been overwhelmed by its size. I'd been certain it would fall right off. The old man beamed and bowed again. â€Å"And now it is yours. Its powers are yours. You can make armies tremble. You can rip away lands and subdue them. The world can be yours.† Hoping I'd proven myself, I removed the crown. â€Å"I just hope I can end a war.† Kiyo rose shakily to his feet. He no longer smiled. â€Å"What do you mean she can rip away lands?† The old man spread his hands out wide. â€Å"That is the crown's power.† â€Å"The crown has no power,† I said, frowning. â€Å"It's a prize, a status symbol for enduring all this.† â€Å"A prize?† The old man's eyebrows rose, and he gave a great belly laugh. â€Å"Do you believe all of that was just for a prize? For some bauble?† Kiyo and I exchanged uneasy looks. â€Å"Then what does it do?† I asked. â€Å"The Iron Crown allows you to break the bond between a monarch and his or her kingdom, thus freeing it. If you have the strength, you can then claim it.† The old man shrugged. â€Å"Why, with enough power, you could control half the kingdoms in this world.†

Behavior Therapy

Two hypotheses, stimulus-response and stimulus-stimulus theories, explain the working of classical conditioning. Stimulus-response holds that a link to unconditioned stimuli is created with conditioned stimulus in the brain however, conscious consideration is not involved. Secondly, stimulus-stimulus has to do with mental activity, whereby conditioned stimuli are linked to the unconditioned stimuli notion.Stimulus-response (S-R) theory involves a behavioral psychology hypothetical structure which argues that man plus other creatures may be taught to link a novel stimulus (conditioned stimulus- CS)with some pre-existing stimulus (unconditioned stimulus- US), and may feel, respond, or feel the CS as though it were really the US. It argues that animals may be taught to link some SR, like a bell, to upcoming entrance of foodstuffs, leading to some apparent behavior, like salivating (http://psychology.about. com/od/behavioralpsychology/a/classcond. htm). Stimulus-stimulus (S-S) theory arg ues that some cognitive element is required to comprehend classical conditioning. It argues that animals may salivate after the bell since it is linked to th3e food concept. Operant Conditioning Theory Operant conditioning involves using effects to alter the type and happening of conduct. Operant conditioning differs from classical conditioning in that the former tackles alteration of intentional (operant) conduct.Operant behavior functions within the environment; it is controlled by its effects. On the other hand, classical conditioning tackles the habituation of respondent conducts that are drawn out by precursor situations. Conducts conditioned through classical conditioning process are not controlled by effects. Punishment and reinforcement may be negative (removed after a reaction) or positive (given after a reaction), thus creating 4 basic effects, the fifth being extinction (no consequence alteration after a reaction).Reinforcement consequence increases the frequency of occur rence of behavior. Punishment consequence decreases the frequency of occurrence of behavior. Extinction signifies absence of effects. If behavior proves inconsequential, having neither unfavorable nor favorable effects, it occurrence becomes less frequent. If previously strengthened conduct ceases to be strengthened negatively or positively, the reaction reduces. Positive reinforcement happens when a constructive stimulus follows a conduct, thus increasing the frequency of the conduct.Negative reinforcement happens when the withdrawal of aversive stimuli follows a conduct, thus increasing the frequency of the conduct. Positive punishment (punishment through conditional stimulation) happens when a negative stimulus follows a conduct. Negative punishment (punishment through conditional withdrawal) happens when the withdrawal of a pleasant stimulus follows a reaction or behavior. Social cognitive theory It suggests that parts of a persons knowledge gaining may be directly linked to wat ching other persons through social contact, experiences, plus external media pressures.It remains a knowledge hypothesis that argues that persons learn through observing the activities of others plus that individual though procedures are vital in comprehending personality. Despite the fact that the learned conduct obtained from the surroundings persons grow up in significantly influences development, cognition equally influence ethical development. Persons learn though watching others as mediated by the surroundings, cognition, and behavior. Social cognitive theory stresses a huge disparity between a person’s capacity to exhibit moral competence and performance.Moral competence refers to possession of the capacity to depict ethical behavior. Moral performance refers to adhering to individual moral behavior ideas in particular circumstances. The theory emphasizes learning or knowledge gaining though watching models. Observers do not anticipate punishments or rewards; rather, t hey anticipate similar results to their imitated conduct. Within education, instructors act as models in children’s knowledge acquisition. Learning most probably happens when an observer-model intimate identification occurs and when observers have adequate self-efficacy beliefs.Such beliefs act as vital proximal factors for human effect, action, and motivation, which control action by cognitive, effective, and motivational intervening procedures. Identification permits observers to sense a one-on-one linkage with the model. Observer are thus more probable to attain such replications if they feel they have the capacity to adhere to the imitate actions. Considering many factors (cognitive, social, and environmental) is the simplest way of displaying ethical development. The inter-linkage of such factors offers additional insight regarding morality.Behavior Therapy Techniques Key interventions to behavioral therapy were developed from functional analysis which tackles issues lik e couple relationships’ intimacy, couples’ forgiveness, continual pain, persistent distress, depression, substance misuse, obesity, and anxiety. Even issues commonly encountered by therapists, like client struggle, involuntary clients, and busy clients, have been tackled through functional analysis. Third Generation Behavior Therapy entails a group endorsing radical behaviorism and functional analysis and opposing cognitivisim.It involves: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT); Behavioral Activation (BA); Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP; Functional Analytic Psychotherapy; Dialectical behavior therapy; and Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is founded on Relational Frame Theory. Functional Analytic Psychotherapy is founded upon functional analyses of therapeutic relationships. It focuses on therapeutic contexts and reverts to using in-session reinforcement.Behavioral Activation came from a constituent scrutiny of cognitive behavior therapy. It is founded upon a corresponding reinforcement model. Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy analyses the discrepancies between rule-governed and contingency-shaped behaviors. Such analysis is merged with a comprehensive evaluation of couples’ association. References Wagner, K. V. (2009). Introduction to classical conditioning. Retrieved July 6th 2009 from, http://psychology. about. com/od/behavioralpsychology/a/classcond. htm

Recycled Plastic Bio-Composites in the Consumer Industry

Consumer Industry The adaptation of natural fiber composites in the consumer industry has not had the same explosive growth as with the transportation or even the construction industry. The benefits of cost savings and weight reduction that can be obtained with natural fiber composites played a significant role for the proliferation into those respective industries. But in the consumer market, stemming from the rise of synthetic fibers starting in the 1940’s, glass fiber and carbon fibers have dominated the market for composites due to their superior mechanical properties.From the 1970’s onward, petroleum-based fibers replaced natural fiber so that, worldwide, the cropping of natural fibers entered into steep decline, causing economic stagnation in the producer regions. In addition to the competition with synthetic fibers, innovation in transport facilities also contributed to the decline of natural fibers, particularly the advent of commodity bulk handling facilities i n long distance trade, which eliminated the use of food-grade sacks altogether.Jute has always been the most important natural fiber but it too suffered long decline. In 1990, 2. 1 million hectares were planted in jute, which fell to 1. 6 million in 2000 and is projected to slump to 1. 2 million hectares by 2010, a retraction of about 3% a year. During the same period, production also fell from 3. 3 million tons to 2. 6 million tons and is projected to diminish to 2. 3 million tons by 2010. During this period jute consumed in the developed countries fell by 40% and that consumed in developing countries by 10%. 1) During the past two decades, there has been a renewed interest in development of natural fiber plastic composites for the consumer industry. Two of the most prominent factors that are fueling this resurgence originate from the environmental impact of using these composites and the technological advances that address the disadvantages of fiber composite production and usage. Natural fibers have assumed considerable environmental importance in function of being produced with renewable energy sources, consuming less energy to produce and being biodegradable and recyclable. 2) In the traditional furniture, shoe, and textile manufacturing sectors, natural fibers are increasingly being used as a substitute for fiber glass. Natural fibers have several advantages as compared to conventional plastic, such as being from 10% to 30% cheaper; having lower density, superior thermal properties and low embodied energy; involving lower tool wear in the moulding process; producing better acoustic proprieties and reducing irritation to the skin and respiratory system (3).Ironically, a number of the perceived advantages of natural fibers in composite polymers were cited in the past as disadvantages which led to the substitution of natural fiber by synthetics. Natural fibers were said to be inferior because they were not water resistant, were porous and breathable, were b iodegradable and were not adaptable to automatic sack filling. The water resistance problem has been overcome by surface modification of fibers, creating hydrophobic coatings that allow for a moisture barrier as well as better adhesion with the matrix resin.Breathability is now seen to be an advantage in reducing heat and impregnating odors, particularly in textiles. Similarly, bio-degradability is highly desirable today as well as the characteristic of being recyclable. All of these characteristics now perceived to be desirable have stimulated a good deal of research into finding other industrial applications which could cause fiber production to expand even further. (4) 1. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). 2003. Medium-Term Prospects for Agricultural Commodities: Projections to the Year 2010.Rome. 2. Jan, E. G. 2009. Environmental Benefits of Natural Fibre Production and Use. In Discover Natural Fibres: Proceedings of the Symposium on Natural Fibres, p. 3- 17. Rome: FAO. 3. Suddell, B. C. 2009. Industrial Fibres: Recent and Current Developments. Discover Natural Fibres: Proceedings of the Symposium on Natural Fibres, p. 71-82. Rome: FAO. 4. Bicalho, A. M. 2009. Agricultural-Industrial Integration and New Applications of Natural Fibers: Jute Floodplain Cropping in the Amazon Reborn. Brazil

Jack Davis Essay

Jack Davis’s poems present a passionate voice for the indigenous people; it explores such issues as the identity problems, the wider sense of loss in Aboriginal cultures and the clash of Aboriginal and White law. This can be seen in the poems â€Å"Desolation† and â€Å"The First Born†. Both of the poems clearly emphasises the plight of the Aboriginals in today’s society. Through the first poem â€Å"Desolation†, the title already hints the poor situation they are in, with complete no recognition; they are devastating, isolated and miserable. By using first person in the Aboriginals voice, the poem is full of anger towards the whites who invaded their homes and ruined their balance with the land. â€Å"You have turned our land into a desolate place.† This was the first sentence of the poem, it is directly addressing to the reader suggesting the â€Å"white† people, this emphasises their enmity for losing their â€Å"mother† land which they have been living on for more than 40,000 years. In this piece, Davis also expressed their true conditions, feelings and emotional thoughts due to the whites’ invasion. â€Å"What are we? Where are we?† The voice is confused, helpless; they are not recognized, they are forced to live in a new way, in the white’s way, which is a torment for them to adapt and accept. â€Å"We are tired of the benches, our beds in the park. We welcome the sundown and heralds the dark.† It is suggesting they are homeless, they have not just lost their tribal life, land and rights, they do not even own a shelter for themselves, their way of living and culture have been complete wiped out by the whites, no longer have freedom, so disappointed to the society that they have no hope for tomorrow. Davis wrote this poem in the Aboriginal people’s voice, they are angry for what they are suffering, but they are also standing up for themselves, a better life and their justice, rights and recognition. The second poem â€Å"The First Born† also emphasises the poor situation the Aboriginals are in. Just like the first poem, it is also written in first person, but in a different angle, the â€Å"mother† land’s perspective. It uses lots of emotive language and negative words to present the enmity and hatred towards the whites â€Å"you whom I bore after†, whereas the first poem stated out their situation and true thoughts to emphasis the point. This poem used personification to show the inseparable connection between the Aboriginal people and their land as a mother and her child, â€Å"They were formed of my dust†, the passion towards the land is clearly

My Theory of Literacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

My Theory of Literacy - Essay Example Computer skills are needed in education as well as in the job. What good an individual that can just read and write do in the contemporary organization in which manual work has been replaced with mechanical work? In the past, individuals with an ability to write and read were considered literate because these two skills sufficed to be employed in any organization, but contemporary organizations are way more demanding. The contemporary definition of literacy is incomplete unless the significance of computer skills is acknowledged and set as one of the criteria for judgment of an individual literacy. Charles Bazerman defined literacy in these words, â€Å"Literacy does not require or inexorably lead to any particular development, but it is a powerful tool available for organizing, extending, providing resources for, and transforming all of our social endeavors† (Bazerman cited in Goggin). Writing is conventionally associated with creativity. Every piece of writing has to be orig inal or it would be considered as plagiarized. Thus, writing is essentially a creation and the writer is an inventor, but Bazerman does not consider such a person necessarily literate. His definition of literacy requires a literate person to be able to organize, promote, support and transform his/her social efforts using his/her literary skills. All of these functions are achieved with a computer these days. Computer helps organize the data. Programs like Microsoft Excel help not only organize the data, but also perform different kinds of functions upon it. Programs like Corel Draw transform imagination into reality. An in-depth analysis of the computer skills suggests that use of computer does a lot to improve a person’s social and critical analysis skills. â€Å"Many contemporary perspectives on literacy view scripted text as one component of complex acts and practices of written communication that occur in social contexts† (Goggin). Modern age is characterized by so cial media. Today, writing has evolved so much that it encapsulates a lot of linguistic styles that were unknown to the writers of the past. Old literature is characterized by formality. Modern literature is informal to the maximum limits. In the past, there used to be abbreviations for long words. Nowadays, there are abbreviations for phrases. For example, â€Å"also known as† is written as â€Å"aka†, â€Å"laughing out loud† is written as â€Å"lol†. These are only two of the hundreds of abbreviations that chatting on social media websites has given birth to. Today, an individual who is able to write but does not understand or use these abbreviations in the scripts is as illiterate as anyone in the past who could not write. These abbreviations and such other modifications of literature are a result of the time-based modification in the assumptions and values of people. Robert Scholes had realized the importance of modern and emerging linguistic pattern s in the writing back in 1985. He expressed his realization in these words: What students need from us . . . now is the kind of knowledge and skill that will enable them to make sense of their worlds, to determine their own interests, both individual and collective, to see through the manipulations of all sorts of texts in all sorts of media, and to express their own views in some appropriate manner. (Scholes cited in Schwartz). Of the two texts, Schwartz has presented a more rational analysis of the concept of literacy by emphasizing upon the need to

Building Community as a Leadership Discipline Dissertation

Building Community as a Leadership Discipline - Dissertation Example Such leaders avoid acting in a dictatorial manner. They are usually motivated while working in settings characterized by facts, whereby they can apply theories and their expertise as well as analytical skills. They set achievable goals that are understandable by everyone. These are achieved through the allocation of roles to the employees, and supervising to ensure that the process follows the right track while adhering to organizational policies. They respect the management hierarchy, whereby each level of management is significant in the process.  Due to the fact that an organization has to be faced with dilemmas, the structural leader is usually faced with situations whereby a balance has to be established between the external environment and the organizational practices. Such a leader usually focuses on plain and consistent thinking in order to deal with organizational problems as well as utilization of the available opportunities (Bolman and Deal 2008). This is dependent to a large extent on the environment that the leader works in. A favorable working environment is usually a derivative of the predecessors in the organization’s management. The structural leader ensures that he leaves an enabling environment once he leaves an organization. This facilitates learning in the leaders who come thereafter. On the other hand, he ensures that the present leaders within the organization, especially those working under him have such leadership qualities as him/her. The organizational strategy is usually developed through structural Leaders, who are keen on the working framework, environment, the realization of organizational goals, testing as well the necessary reforms within the organization.

Impact of Television on American Family Life Essay

Impact of Television on American Family Life - Essay Example It has been calculated that, the time spent by each American family in watching TV, for duration of one week, is roughly fifty one hours. (2) Based on the statistical figures stated in the preceding paragraph, there is no hesitation in arriving at a logical conclusion. The quality time spent by family members, by interacting with each other, is being compromised. And that is solely for the purpose of not missing their favorite shows on the television. This trend is steadily leading to a scenario where the bond between family members is slowly getting weakened. The time that was allocated for family members, in the pre-television era, is now being given to TV. Television has been successful in getting the undivided attention of people, and has also managed to take a powerful grip of their lives. Television projects a negative image of family Apart from the disadvantages of TV that have been emphasized upon, earlier, it (TV) is showing its negative impact in another way. There is now n o dearth of television programs, which depict parents in poor light. There are now many shows, in which, parents are shown as lacking the capability to both take proper care of children, and also to be successful in life. Simultaneously, children are being depicted as the people of family who are more knowledgeable and hence having every right to question the parents. In the TV shows, the character of a family elder is projected as being a comedian who is at the receiving end of ugly jokes. All these leave a strong impression on the tender minds of children who, owing to all the stuff being shown on TV, would end up disregarding family values. They would display scant respect towards the... While speaking about the negative effects of TV on American family life, a mention needs to be made of the reality shows, which have gained immense popularity. This essay approves that the real and concrete solution for any stress-causing issue can be arrived at, only when there is a wholesome interaction between members of a family. And it is this very interaction that is consistently becoming less and less, courtesy the over importance being given to TV. Different studies carried out in the avenue of â€Å"Impact of television on American family life† have shown that, families with limited income are getting more addicted to television. There indeed is a highly valid reason for that. When compared with other means of entertainment, a television is the one that fits into the budget of low income households. Especially, it is observed that, if TV sets are present in bedrooms of children, there is every possibility that they could get distanced from other family members. Children would then show no inclination towards attending various family events. This report makes a conclusion the focus of this essay is confined to elaborating upon the adverse impacts of TV, only in relation to family life. There are several other drawbacks of television like increased risk of obesity and people becoming passive, etc, that have not been discussed here. The topic of the essay is an exhaustive one and it is not possible to be covering all the related points in a brief essay such as this one. Yet, a sincere attempt has been made to cover the most of the important aspects.