Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Evaluation Of The Imf s Surveillance And Lending Work

The IMF helps its members to design economic policies and manage their financial personal matters more effectively by strengthening their homo and institutional capacity through technical help and training. Technical foul assistance helps countries develop more effective institutions, legal framework, and policies to promote economic stableness and inclusive growth. Training through practical policy-oriented courses, hands-on workshops, and seminars strengthens functionary’ capacity to analyze economic developments and formulate and implement effective policies Technical assistance and breeding which together the IMF calls capacity development are important benefits of IMF membership. Construction human being and institutional capacity within a country helps the government implement more effective insurance, leading to better economic outcomes. The IMF’s surveillance and lending work often helps identify expanse in which technical assistance and training can have the biggest shock. The IMF provides technical assistance in its areas of core expertise: macroeconomic insurance policy , tax policy and revenue administration, expenditure management, monetary policy, the commutation rate system , financial sector stability, legislative frameworks, and macroeconomic and financial Synonyms. The IMF relies on independent external and internal evaluations to assess the effectiveness of its technical assistance and training. MF surveillance is IMF oversees the International monetaryShow MoreRelatedCredit Risk Management and Profitability of Commercial Banks in Kenya14066 Words   |  57 Pagesdefined. 3.5 Relationship Between Profits, Amount of Credit and Nonperforming Loans ................2Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.6 The Regression M odel .......................................................... 2Error! Bookmark not defined. 4.0 S UMMARY OF FINDINGS AND CONCLUS IONS ............ Error! Bookmark not defined. REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................27 ii 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 BackgroundRead MoreCamel Rating in Banking12128 Words   |  49 PagesThe paper further discusses the current financial crisis and the banking supervisory tool in Europe by an indepth interview with a banker. Keywords: Number of pages: Language: Date of acceptance: banking supervision, on-site examination, off-site surveillance, the CAMEL rating system, AIA Vietnam 43 pages English Table of Contents FOREWORD .................................................................................................................. 7 1 INTRODUCTION ........................Read MoreAnti-Money Laundering Mantas Solutions7570 Words   |  31 Pagesmid-1990s, the Mantas team began work as a business unit of SRA International, Inc. Focusing from the start on meeting the needs of the global financial services industry the first Mantas products addressed trading compliance and best execution for the National Association of Securities Dealers(NASD) and Merrill Lynch. Today, both systems remain in operation with the NASD Advanced Detection System monitoring every trade that goes through the NASDAQ and Merrill Lynch s BEAMS helping that firm lead theRead MoreDiscuss the Importance of Non Verbal Communication to Education24125 Words   |  97 Pagespeople to overcome poverty * Rural Poverty Portal * Contact us * Employment scam * Site map * Copyright * Subscribe * What s new * Accessibility ------------------------------------------------- Top of Form Search Bottom of Form * Home * About * Operations * Development effectiveness * Evaluation * From the field * Partners * Topics * Newsroom * Events * Documents amp; publications * Photos * Videos * Jobs Read MoreFactors Affect Profitability26818 Words   |  108 Pagesforward my sincere thanks and appreciation to my advisor Wollela Abehodie Yesegat (PhD) for her heartfelt exertion, fruitful support, encouragement and guidance in bringing the thesis work to reality. Then my heartfelt gratitude goes to Addis Ababa University for the financial support provided to me during my thesis work through the Department of Accounting and Finance. Moreover, I am thankful to my employer Haramaya University for the sponsorship and financial supports. My special appreciation

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Is racism still in football Free Essays

string(65) " what it is leading to as it did me the first time I watched it\." A lot of people would argue that racism is still around, no matter how much we try to kick it out and especially in Football. Kick it out is a campaign designated purely to stamp out racism in Football. It works throughout the football, educational and community sectors to challenge discrimination and encourage inclusive practices and work for positive change. We will write a custom essay sample on Is racism still in football? or any similar topic only for you Order Now However after recent events going back a few years racism is still a main part of the football world although most people try to hide the fact that this is happening a lot of others are disappointed and frustrated that this still goes on. â€Å"To any governing body that turns a blind eye, I want to tell you that your attitude only magnifies the fact you are out of touch with the modern game† a strong statement made by Sepp Blatter president of FIFA (The International Federation of Association Football) to suggest that people must speak up, otherwise this problem may never be solved. On speaking about recent events that have caught eye of the public audience’s I’m going to speak on two talented footballers who are generally known around the world; Luis Suarez Captain of Uruguay and an extremely talented footballer who wears the number 7 jersey for Liverpool FC and John Terry, previous England captain and captain for Chelsea FC, both have been in the limelight regarding racial allegations. After being found guilty for misconduct regarding using insulting and potentially racist words towards Patrice Evra of Manchester United, Luis Suarez was banned for eight games and fined ?40,000. The allegations on October 15th during a fixture between Liverpool and Manchester United, during which Evra claimed that Suarez racially abused him â€Å"more than 10 times† (Guardian, 2011) Recently, incidents of racism have been blown out of proportion. Main man for Chelsea and England leader John Terry has been in the public eye following an occurrence that took place December of 2011 between himself and Anton Ferdinand, brother of England’s Rio Ferdinand. John Terry has been accused of racial abuse and has been found guilty on the 27th of July 2012. â€Å"The verdict released by the FA said: â€Å"The Football Association charged Mr Terry on Friday 27 July 2012 with using abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour towards Queens Park Rangers’ Anton Ferdinand and which included a reference to colour and/or race contrary to FA Rule E3 [2] in relation to the Queens Park Rangers FC versus Chelsea FC fixture at Loftus Road on 23 October 2011. (BBC Sport, September, 2012) Sky Sports are one of the most sports oriented television channels in the UK and I will be assigning my media interest about how they reflect on the racism in the football world, more so in the United Kingdom. For my second week I had to identify, justify and develop an answerable research question Because I decided to focus my media interest on how sky sports deal with the issue that has affected a lot of people in football, this issue being racism, itâ€⠄¢s no surprise that my research question will be of the same topic. To begin with I had to do some research to see if the question I’m asking would be suitable and answered by the right audience. However before I reached that stage I needed to find the correct people I’m aiming this question to. So I went and rushed to the nearest shopping centre and asked a lot of local men, there ages ranging 18-24. 17 out of 20 young males identified themselves as regular Football viewers and also check Sky Sports to catch up on the latest. Research Question: How do Sky Sports report racism in Football? Object of Study: In this subject I will be discussing how exactly Sky Sports report the racism that has been going on in recent events going back a few months to the Euro Cup where football players stated ‘if someone throws a banana at me I will go to jail, because I will kill them’ (Mario Balotelli, Sky Sports news) Sky Sports, like any other News Industry contain a lot of facts and gossip. In order to get information from my ‘object of study’ I have decided that I would visit Birmingham City Football club and speak to two young men who play for the clubs reserve squad, I asked them How Sky Sports reports racism and how the audience may respond to them? 8 year old Nathan told me that he had gone through some racial abuse early on in his career ‘I would never get picked for teams, players would never pass me the ball and most likely hear some racial abuse from fans but I believe it made me a better player now’ and 19 year old Jermain told me ‘whether Sky S ports sponge the racism issue these days to get more viewers or not, at least there putting the issue out there more so everybody can see what goes on. However I still needed to ground my question and make it more local, I could only come to a conclusion and make it based more in the UK, ‘How do Sky Sports report football racism in the UK?. Sky Sports covers most of England NI and Wales this could already suggest that all there reports covers only the United Kingdom. In my third week, for my third assignment I’ve had to amend my question and look at something that in my eyes had all the possible attributes to fit that week’s task. I have decided to use the new Guinness advert to show how rhetorical and also semiological analysis are both being used. Directed by Peter Thwaites from Gorgeous, the film was shot on location in South Africa in both Johannesburg and along the Durban coastline. The advert conveys the metaphor amazing things can happen when we challenge ourselves. (Creative report, 2012) The advert in the viewer’s judgments if never seen before can leave them guessing what it is leading to as it did me the first time I watched it. You read "Is racism still in football?" in category "Papers" However, I looked back at it a few times and came across a number of key factors that actually do make sense and can relate to the pint of Guinness they are so discreetly advertising. ‘A cloud came from the sea’ the idea here, this could suggest, is that the cloud represents the typical Guinness drinker – someone who has broken away from the masses to find their own path. In a way using a cloud to represent liquid refreshment is very clever and in its own way. â€Å"The cloud came from the sea. He was not like other clouds. The wind could not come on him. The more he saw, the more he did. And the more he did, the more he became. You see he wasn’t just a cloud. He was a cloud made of more† the dialogue is very intriguing and it’s what draws us closer to the advertisement. As the film progresses, the cloud engages with people, places and objects below, seeing itself reflected in a mirrored skyscraper, darkening as it approaches the scene of a fierce industrial fire before the dramatic climax. The cloud then gently drifts back, ocean-bound, and gradually merges into a swirling pint of Guinness, before resolving with the new pint; Guinness. Made of More. Speaking more about the fire scene, in actual essence the cloud does represent a lot more. I believe that the fire represents a man’s rage and the cloud puts out the fire suggesting that if you have a pint of Guinness you’ll be relaxed and cooler. After reviewing this advert I’ve come to a conclusion, it’s just a major metaphor to show the amazing things that can happen when we challenge ourselves to make the most of who we are. Do we settle for the way things are or do we take the bold choice to step up and be made of more? Do we settle for an ordinary drink or do we choose one that is made of more? † Now for my fourth week I decided to focus my task on a new topic, purely because I needed a diverse audience there’s not much diversity in Football between Male and Females. How do audiences get entertainment from watching music videos on YouTube? YouTube provides a venue for sharing videos among friends and family as well as a showcase for new and experienced videographers. Featuring videos it considers entertaining, YouTube has become a destination for ambitious videographers, as well as amateurs who fancy making a statement of some kind. In addition, YouTube emerged as a major venue for excerpts from political speeches (PC Magazine) To find out a suitable answer for my question I had to obviously ask some people and see what their response on the subject is. The 3 people I decided to interview were: 21 year old musician Jamal, 23 year old Producer Michael and 19 year old dancer Emma. All of these people where happy for me to ask them anything as long as it suited the subject. Jamal told me he watched YouTube at least three times a day just too see if he can find inspiration and sometimes check out the competition. ‘YouTube is a massive platform for everybody to show off their skills, I have to see what everyone is bringing to the table to know what kind of stuff I want to bring out, and sometimes find some inspiration’. Michael however wasn’t so bitter and loves watching other musicians and producers on YouTube. ‘I love YouTube, I love everything about it. It’s like travelling the world to see what talents others have but you can do it all in your room if you know what I mean. I watch YouTube every night, sometimes because I’m bored but most of the time for entertainments, it’s like how can anybody get bored of YouTube’. I asked him if he’s ever uploaded anything on YouTube and how that’s affected him ‘Yes, I upload my beats and samples and most of the times I get people messaging me and asking me to make them an instrumental, so it does take most of my time’. To conclude my interview I went over to speak to 19 year old dancer Emma, she told me that if it had not been for YouTube maybe she would have been a nurse. I was studying health and social care in secondary school till I got all obsessed with dancing, so literally every night after school id rush home to watch some magnificent dancers on YouTube. It was like a form of relaxation, I loved it, there were some nights I wouldn’t sleep id just be up all night watching amazing dancers. This was the main factor which made me change my mind in becoming a dancer. As far as entertainment goes, I believe YouTube is the main entertainment site to date for anyone. McQuail – ‘duality of audiences’ is largely used when I was interviewing each one of these people because it gave them sense of equality the way they so passionately spoke about the subject. By reading Stuarts Halls encoding and decoding essay ive come to realise that The terms encoding and decoding are often used in reference to the processes of analog-to-digital conversion and digital-to-analog conversion. In this sense, these terms can apply to any form of data, including text, images, audio, video, multimedia, computer programs, or signals in sensors, telemetry, and control systems. Encoding should not be confused with encryption, a process in which data is deliberately altered so as to conceal its content. Encryption can be done without changing the particular code that the content is in, and encoding can be done without deliberately concealing the content. (Search network, encoding decoding, Stuart Hall) Hall himself referred to several ‘linked but distinctive moments – production, circulation, distribution/consumption, reproduction’ (Hall 1980, 128) How to cite Is racism still in football?, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Exergonic Essay Example For Students

Exergonic Essay ReactionsExplain what is meant by coupled reactions and describe how exergonicreactions can be used to push or pull endergonic reactions in order to get themto proceed. Glycolysis is the breakdown of glucose to pyruvic acid, and thereare nine intermeddaite products formed, and each one catalyzed by anenzyme.Glycolysis has two key functions: It generate some ATP from the freeenergy available from the rearrangement of the atoms in monosacharides(particularly glucose). It also partially breaks down glucose and provides astarting point for the complete oxidation of glucose by another pathway tocarbon dioxide and water with the generation of much ATP. Glycolysis is aperfect example of a coupled reaction, involving exergonic and energonicreactions.Exergonic reactions release energy?the bond energy of the product orproducts is lower than that of the reactants. Endergonic reactions requireenergy input?the energy of the products is higher than that of the reactants. An exergonic reaction can drive endergonic ( for food breakdowns and movement) this is how they perfrom coupled reactions. ndergonic is when chemical reactionswith a negative standard free energy change. These reactions dont proceedspontaneously in the direction concentartions of all reactants and products. Since the sign of a standrad free-energy change is negative, the conversion ofglucose 1-phosphate to glucose 6-phosphate is an exergonic process. An initialreaction for glycolysis ( a molecule of ATP donates its phosphate group to theglucose): Coupled reaction occurs in glycolysis when it tries to convert ( forexample) glucose-6-phosphate into a nearly identical compoundfructose-6-phosphate: The positive G shows that it is an uphill,endergonic reaction, one that couldnt have happend spontaneously.This wasbecause the coupled reaction ( they shared a common intermeddiate molecule),glucose-6-phsphate, the product of step 1 and the reactant of step 2 canproceed as a single reaction. The -4.0 kcal/mole broken down in step 1 iscombined with the +0.4 kcal/mole taken in by step 2 to yield a net percentchange of -3.6 kcal/mole. These two together, are strongly exergonic so thereaction proceeds. The glycolytic pathway is an arrangement of these kinds ofcoupled reactions, where exergonic step s push or pull endergonic steps, with thefavorable net free energy change of the steps taken together, allowing theseries of reactions to go on.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Your Name Essays - Literature, Poetry, Metaphysical Poetry, The Flea

Your Name Instructor Name Course Number Date Title: Subtitle "The Flea", a witty poem of seduction and conceit, taken from JohnDonne's "Songs and Sonets" is the poem that I have chosen to compareto "Song", another poem of John Donne's where he is passionatelypleading with his wife not to be disheartened about his departureabroad.Both poems which belong to " Songs and Sonets", written around thetime of the 16th century, show that their title suggests they are bothshort poems, following the traditional form of a sonnet, consisting offourteen lines. However, they are not "songs" in the conventionalsense we think of and none of them are written as a sonnet. In fact,Donne's poems were intended for circulation around his local pub,"Lincoln's Inn", where he could impress his male friends with hisbawdy poetic nature." The Flea", emphatically rejects the Petrarchan tradition of lovepoetry, where the woman is seen as a goddess, an object of desireworth worshipping by a man. Instead, Donne wrote poems that saw theearthy reality of sexual relations betwee n a man and woman. The poem,whose historical convention probably started with Ovid, shows that itwas common in Elizabethan times to envy a flea for its access to thefemale body. Donne throughout the poem makes references to the flea,presenting a conceit produced of wit, integrity and persuasion.The title, which presents the conceit, is in fact the structure of thepoem, the entire poem depends on this conceit. At first, this is apuzzling image to the reader, it seems bizarre and inappropriate.However, as the poem continues, Donne's argument does also, and we seehow reality is conveyed by the vivid imagery of the flea. Donne usesa three-part syllogism in this poem which he delivers in a matter-of-fact- tone:" It sucked me first, and now sucks theeAnd in this flea, our two bloods mingled be"Here Donne shows manipulation towards the woman. He reveals anattitude that is persuasive, but manipulative by saying that sincethey are one in the flea, they should make love anyway, seeing as they are already joined. I question whether this is love, or lust?Donne presses on with his argument, he develops a series ofpersuasions to attempt his mistress into bed with him:" How little that thou deny'st me is."Here, Donne is again being manipulative; he is scornful and isappealing to her to see how desperate he is for her to agree. Byusing a triple structure, he is appealing to her knowledge and isshowing emphasis:" Thou know'st that this cannot be saidA sinne, nor shame, nor loss of maiden head"Here Donne has asked his mistress not to kill the flea, cleverlyrevealing that it would be suicide since both her and Donne are joinedas one in this flea. He uses a hyperbole, the deliberate exaggerationof saying this would be a murder, thus creates effect. He usesemotional blackmail and accusatory towards his mistress. However, theargument is turned around, when she retorts that neither of them areworse off in this act, to which he proceeds a mock concession,pretending to give into her po int. The final few lines of the finalstanza show a reversal. Donne agrees with his mistress' argument, hecan see how she would be right when she claims that killing a flea isso unimportant. However, there is a clever finish to Donne'sargument, and one that reveals a lot about his attitude to love andwomen. He shows impudence and confidence when he says that no harmhas been done, equally there would there be no harm done if they wereto make love. This shows how he thinks the act of love is so little,he is comparing it to the killing of a flea, a creature so small.Donne reveals his attitude to women throughout this whole poem. Isthis a poem of love, seduction or lust? It is indeed genuinelypersuasive and a poem that certainly carries an intellectual argumentthroughout, but is the poem a compliment to the women, or a means ofsatisfying the male desire resulting in it being highly offensive tofeminists. It is certain that Donne seems to be enjoying himself ashe puts forwards his argumen t, there is no doubt it is full of cleverpersuasions, making him appear witty. But does this show that he ismore interested in this clever, witty and persuasive argument, or inhis mistress? As readers, his ingenuity has to be admired, it iscertainly a

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Announcing the Winner of the 2018 ServiceScape Short Story Award

Announcing the Winner of the 2018 ServiceScape Short Story Award ServiceScape is pleased to announce the winner of the 2018 Short Story Award: Connor Sassmannshausen. Connor is an American author based in Australia. She writes everything from drama to sci-fi and fantasy. Along with short stories and novels, she also writes screenplays and works on film sets.Connor Sassmannshausen is the winner of the 2018 ServiceScape Short Story Award.You can find her winning submission below. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did and we look forward to reading more of your short stories for our 2019 Short Story Award.Of Damsels and MobstersBy Connor SassmannshausenOrion sat at the bar in his favorite club, waiting for his girl to take the stage. Well, his was a bit of a stretch, or a lot of a stretch. Ruby was one of the many performers in The Grimm, the hottest jazz club on this side of town. And she had no idea he existed. Didnt stop him from dreaming, though.She wasnt like the other girls. She kept her sleeves long, but her skirt was just as short as the res t. And her voice was like an angel, and god, there she was. Her blood-red hair was all done up in finger waves, he thought they were called, with a headband that may as well have been a halo. Her dress sparkled in the stage lights, as she began to sing.He ordered another drink but quickly returned his gaze to his girl.As the night wore on, he drank a number of drinks, waiting for Ruby to finish her set. Finally, she stepped down from the stage and cut through the crowd to the bar. Orion threw back what remained of his whiskey and made his way over to her.He stopped beside her, as she took the drink the bartender gave her. He made himself lean against the bar, trying to be suave. His hand missed the bar, and he stumbled, catching both himself and her gaze. He could feel his cheeks flame with embarrassment, and she laughed at his expense.Well, now that Ive made a complete fool of myself, he said, straightening his jacket, I guess I cant do any worse.I bet you still could. Ruby smiled into her drink. But you have my attention, so, I guess thats what you were going for.He rubbed the back of his neck. Im Orion, and I†¦um†¦I really liked you singing.Most people who vie for my attention like my singing, or my voice, or my hair, or my eyes, or my legs.Your legs?You would be surprised what men say when theyve had too much to drink. Especially when they think they deserve my attention, or that my attention means Ill fall into bed with them. So, what do you want from me?Orion opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He willed words to flow.Well?I†¦um†¦I hadnt thought this far. Honestly didnt think youd give me the time of day.Her laugh rang in his ears, a more beautiful sound than hed ever heard. He expected her to walk away, but she slid onto the stool beside him, keeping her eyes on him. I guess you might be worth a bit of my time.He laughed, nervously, and he knew he sounded ridiculous. How was she going to take him seriously unless he pulled himsel f together? He flagged down the bartender and ordered another whiskey. He drank half before turning back to Ruby and her amused smile.I have to say, youre a first for me. She finished off her own drink and set the glass aside. And the nerves are adorable.He bristled at her words. He wasnt adorable. What kind of man wanted a woman to think hes adorable? He should be strong, confident, sure of himself†¦ but, hadnt she said others had been like that, and shed never given them a glance. He looked her over, realizing hed been standing there, silent for longer than he should have, and his cheeks burned once again. Ill just go. He turned away, only to stop when her hand grasped his arm.Arent you even going to ask a girl to dance? She picked up his whiskey, throwing it back. God, that was beautiful.She slid her hand down his arm to take his hand. The world seemed to fall away, as she led him onto the dance floor. He tried to steady his shaking hands as he pulled her against him. She ei ther didnt notice or pitied him enough to keep quiet.A new song began, a much slower melody floating through the air. Ruby led more than he did, but he couldnt bring himself to care. The woman of his dreams danced in his arms when countless other fellas had tried and failed.Are you going to ask me on a date? Ruby asked him, lifting her gaze to meet his.Huh? was his intelligent response, and again, he felt his cheeks flush.She laughed, stepping closer. Alright, then, Ill take the lead, again. So, she had noticed. Take me out to dinner. Monday night Im free. Pick me up outside the club. Ill wear something nice.No sooner had he nodded, then she disappeared into the crowd.Well, that hadnt gone as planned.Orion walked through the streets early the next morning, off to visit his mama for Saturday breakfast. The memory of last night was clouded by the many drinks hed consumed, but he still remembered her.Ruby had spoken to him, to him, had danced with him, had demanded a date when hed been too shocked to get the words out. God, he hoped it wasnt the drink messing with him.He saw a couple of men walking toward him, side by side, decked out in long coats and trilbies atop their heads. Normally, they wouldnt have caught his attention, but something about them set him on edge. He paused as they didnt shift to the side, but separated to allow him to move between them. He hurried his steps to pass between them, but hands like iron grasped his arms and pulled him down the alley. He stumbled over the garbage and uneven ground until his back hit brick.I dont know what you want, fellas, he said, straightening his jacket, but you got the wrong guy.One of the thugs pointed a finger in his face. Youre the one taking Ruby Blakesley out on Monday. How could they possibly know that? Then again, there had been dozens of people at The Grimm last night. Someone had to have overheard.And if I am? He tried to sound confident when really he was terrified. The Wolf requires your services.H is blood ran cold. The Wolf was the biggest, baddest mob boss in the city. No one who ever saw the man made it out alive, save those in his service. He was ruthless, bloodthirsty, and no one crossed him. His men were always around and appeared when they were needed, while he remained shrouded in mystery. Despite the horrible reputation, women and children were known to garner his good will, and abusers were likely to meet a poetic end.So, what had Ruby done to anger The Wolf?I just want to take a girl on a date, Orion told them. I dont want trouble.You stepped into trouble the moment you laid eyes on her. The gangster shoved a gun into his face, a Colt if his very limited view of the barrel was correct. You can take her on your little date, you take her to Grannys Diner on Fifth. After, you tell her to wait outside, while you take a leak. Well take it from there.What did a sweet girl like her do?The two gangsters laughed, and the second spoke for the first time. Sweet? How do you th ink a girl like her ends up singing at the hottest club in the city? Shes got debts she aint paid up. And she aint easy to find outside of being on that stage. Wed take her there, but the owners in good with the boss. Cant hurt his business. Sides, the news of a singer going missing will be all the buzz, which means more business.Well make this choice easy for you. The first gangster waved his gun in Orions face. You either hand her over and well let you live, or we kill you, then, get her anyway. Well give you a couple days to think it over. But if she aint outside Grannys on Monday, well have our answer.And they left him there. What was he going to do?He stayed in the alley for a few minutes, calming down, trying to figure out what to do. Best he could think of at the moment was getting to his mamas for breakfast, else she send half the neighborhood searching.Before he knew it, his feet had taken him along the well-traversed path to his childhood home, without realizing hed taken a single step. His mama barreled out the front door, with a shrill cry of joy. He forced a smile onto his face, as she kissed his cheeks. It had only been a week since they last saw one another, yet she always acted like hed been gone for years.Mama tugged him inside forcing him into a chair in the sitting room with Gran and Poppy. Orion sighed, tipping his head back and closing his eyes. Gran chuckled, and Orion looked over at her.I know that look, she said.What look? Orion asked.Youve got a look of a man in love. She dazed him with a smile. Your Poppy had that same look with me. What sort of trouble is your girl in?Orions back stiffened. What makes you think shes in trouble?Poppy let out a sharp bark of laughter. No young man looks so troubled and in love if the gal aint in trouble, boy. Your gran, she was always in trouble, attracting the wrong sort of fellas. I got myself punched a few times standing up for her, but she was always the one I wanted. They shared a glance that held so much love and affection, Orion looked away.Orion stood outside The Grimm Monday night, waiting on Ruby to make an appearance. When she stepped around the corner, he couldnt take his eyes off her. She was in a dress far different than any shed worn before. The pale yellow made her hair seem all the brighter as it framed her face. Gone were the jazz star, the sparkles, and the finger waves. Shed always seemed so worldly inside the club, but out here, dressed like that, she was the picture of innocence. Had he not already made his decision regarding The Wolf, she would have done it for him.She sent him a dazing smile, one he couldnt help but return, despite his nerves. Where are we headed? she asked, taking his arm.Its a surprise.Alright, lead on.They walked down the street, and she told him all about the area, most of which he already knew, but he humored her. He led her away from Grannys Diner, away from the danger, to a place called The Woods. Upon seeing it, her face lit up wit h a smile. Ive always wanted to come here.He opened the front door for her, letting her step inside first.Dinner went well, in Orions opinion. Ruby never stopped smiling, and he didnt make a complete fool of himself. They walked down the street, taking in the bustling evening. Even on a Monday, the jazz bars were abuzz with patrons, and music floated through the air.Ruby stopped on the sidewalk, taking his hands as she smiled up at him. I had fun, tonight. Would you want to do this again?He was about to answer when gunfire erupted. A car drove by, with two gunmen firing out the open windows. At them. Orion all but threw Ruby down behind a parked car, covering her as best he could.Once everything was once again quiet, he peeked out, seeing no sign of the gangsters. He pulled Ruby to her feet, ignoring her terrified babble, as he dragged her through the streets. They made it to his apartment, which would get any number of rumors spread about them, but he didnt care so much as wanting her safe.He pushed her gently into a chair, wracking his brain to recall what to do for someone in shock. He wrapped her in a blanket, before telling her he was going to the kitchen, but it fell on deaf ears. He dug through his cabinets, hoping for some tea, but he knew he never bought any, and hed run out of coffee the other day. Hot water would have to do.He returned with a cup of hot water for Ruby, forcing it into her hands. I need you to drink this.After a few sips of water, she blinked up at him. What was that?Why is The Wolf after you?She gulped another mouthful of hot water. I dont know. Her gaze followed the mug.The two thugs that approached me seemed to think you owe him something. When she didnt answer, he continued. For getting you the job at The Grimm. Again, no answer. And they seemed pretty intent on having you, or killing you.Her wide eyes lifted to his. How do you know that?They tried to get me to hand you over tonight.She set the mug on the table and put her head i n her hands. When my father died, they told me I inherited his debt. And in order to pay it off, they got me the job at The Grimm. I never gave them anything. You know the stories, The Wolf never harms women and children. I thought Id be alright, theyd just let it go.What kind of debt?I dont know. I never asked.Orion stood, extending his hand. Let me get you something to change into. He dug through his drawers, pulling out the most comfortable sleepwear he owned. Ill let you get changed. He turned to leave but stopped when she took his wrist.She stepped toward him, kissing him hard. Hed dreamt of this more times than was decent, but he pushed her back gently. This isnt a good idea.She pulled away, a look of hurt on her face. Do you want me now?He smiled, tugging her closer again. Im still here, arent I? I just dont think its smart to kiss you when youre not thinking straight. Youre in shock. I dont want to take advantage of that. He kissed her forehead. Get some sleep. Ill be on the couch if you need anything.The next morning Orion woke to a crash in the kitchen. He hurried in to find Ruby picking up a pan lid from the floor. When she saw him, she jumped.I didnt mean to startle you, he said.She laughed. I didnt wake you, did I? I was trying to make breakfast before you got up.He looked her over. She was still dressed for bed, but her hair looked as flawless as ever. Her giggle brought him out of his thoughts.You should do something with your hair.He felt his face burn, and he hurried to the bathroom. Sure enough, one side was sticking out at all angles. He hurriedly tamed it and went through his morning routine.When he made his way back into the kitchen, Ruby had scrambled eggs, fried potatoes and toast waiting for him. He sat down across from her.So, what are we going to do about last night?Which part, the kiss or being shot at by The Wolfs men?Both, really.She reached over and took his hand. Thank you for stopping. Not many men would have. But I hope a secon d date is coming, despite all this.His heart leaped. Id like that. But there were more pressing matters.As for The Wolf? She picked up her fork, starting on breakfast.I dont know. He followed her lead, starting on the food she prepared. You could go to the police.She gave a humorless laugh. Everyone knows half the citys police are in The Wolfs pocket. Ill either have to deal with The Wolf or get out of town.Orion stepped into Rubys apartment, looking around for any sign of intruders. She pushed past him. I need to change and pack.He sat on the couch, as she busied herself in her room. When she came out again, she was dressed in strange fashion, but not a hair out of place. She wore a black pantsuit, with a red belt around her waist and a white jacket. She sat her bag on the floor and tore through the kitchen, looking for something. She tugged out a ragged-looking book, with a smile. As she turned back to her bag, she knocked a glass off the counter, and it shattered on the floor.Ori on stood quickly. Ill clean it up. You finish packing.He found a hand broom, sweeping the shards of glass into the dustpan. He was about to stand when the sound of a gun being cocked right behind him froze him in place.Get up slowly. The voice belonged to a man.Orion stood, keeping his hands out to the side. When he turned around, he found four gangsters in the apartment. One had an arm around Rubys stomach, pinning her arms, while he covered her mouth with his other hand, keeping her quiet.Were gonna go for a little ride, said the man with the gun pointed at Orion. No funny business, or well shoot you.Orion did as he was told and was loaded into the back seat of a car, trapped between his captors, while Ruby was taken to another car. It was a long ride, but he knew the streets. They doubled back a couple times, likely to confuse them. Why, he didnt know. Everyone knew where to find The Wolf. Soon enough, they pulled through the gate of The Wolfs manor, with its sprawling yard and g ardens. His escorts ordered him from the car, and they hustled him inside, where Ruby was shoved into his arms.They were led through the giant house, and, in any other situation, Orion would have marveled at it. But his attention was locked on the woman he held against his side. They stepped into a study of sorts, with a desk of dark wood and an extravagant chair. The doors slammed shut, leaving them with a number of guards.The door opened again, and another man entered. Well, well, Miss Blakesley, its wonderful that you decided to accept our invitation.Orion tightened his grip on the woman beside him. It wasnt so much an invitation as a kidnapping.The man, The Wolf, settled his gaze on him. Yes, the enamored suitor, who dont know whats good for him. You shoulda just handed her over to us, and you coulda gone on with your life. What will your mama think when you disappear? Or your precious Gran and Poppy?Orion bristled. Leave them out of this.The Wolf shook his head. They aint a par t of this, but you are. Ill give you one last chance, kid. You can leave, now. I got no quarrel with you. You walk away and leave little Ruby to pay her debt to us.Orion tugged Ruby farther behind him. The Wolf pulled out a gun and pointed it at his head. Orion gulped, taking a shaky breath. The Wolf pulled the trigger, and the gun clicked on an empty chamber. The Wolf grinned and put the gun down on the desk. He poured two glasses of what looked to be whiskey before he turned back to them.He took a sip out of one. I think he passed.Ruby stepped around Orion, taking the glass The Wolf held out. Better than I expected. She rounded the desk, straightening the papers. She glanced up at Orions look of confusion. She shrugged off the jacket, to reveal her whole arms to him for the first time. Over her left shoulder and upper arm lay a tattoo of a wolf. She sat in the chair, leaning back. Men like women with a pretty face. I needed someone who would stay when whats beneath isnt so pretty. Orion finally found his voice. So, everything was fake? It was all a show? A test?And you passed beautifully. Blood-red lips pulled back into a smile with a flash of teeth, so different from the flirty ones hed become accustomed to at The Grimm. The smile of The Wolf. So, about that second date?

Friday, November 22, 2019

Capability Development

With the growth of competition, organizations are always trying to find innovation strategies so that they can sustain the brand value and reputation in the industry (Rockart and Dutt 2015). Often most of the organizations fail to evaluate the core organizational capabilities and therefore they fail to ensure balance between stakeholders’ expectation. One such reason is effective data analytics and market research. This has resulted in raising the requirement bar of capability development from executive consultant. This report will develop the executive consultant requirement for capability development and will also highlight the interrelationship between the two factors for organizational value creation. The aim of this report is to identify the effect on capability development through discipline of consultancy. Following are the report objectives Capability development places extreme importance on employees and their capacities. It focuses on the capabilities of the employees to perform at high level adjust with the rapidly changing work context and environment. Developing knowledge co-creation and skills of the employees is one of the important aspects of the capability development. According to Brandon-Jones, Knoppen and Van Raaij (2014), creation of capability is all about shifting from segmented actions to holistic action, which is more purposeful and meaningful. Being capable of applying differentiated skills, the employees can bring innovation in organization. On the other hand, Rahmandad (2012) opined that capability development focuses on development of team and individuals through strategic activities. The intension behind capability development is to meet business challenge, business goals and creating capacities for adjusting with organizational change. Competency defines acquisition of skills, attributes and knowl edge, whereas capability defines the ability of the employees to apply those skills, attributes and knowledge in the organizational context. Moreover, professional development aspect of capability development centers at formal learning activities towards enhancing employees skills.   One of the most important models of capability development is Holistic Model.   According to Lupton and Beamish (2016), holistic model supports the work team towards responding quickly, innovatively and effectively to the changing business environment and consumer needs. The life based learning philosophy defines the skills, attributes and knowledge of the employees cannot only be acquired in the workplace. These factors are also highly dependent on external work environment in which they reside. Outside environment of employees may define the potential activities, which they may do at their work. On the other hand, McGrath and O'Toole (2014) opined that shared commitment and understanding in the work culture outlines organizational values towards framing capability level of the employees. While the organization will have supportive mentor for employees, they will be able to demonstrate their innovative approach and confidence in their work areas. Jiang, Malik and Guo (2015) opined that organization must have effective guiding principles for framing the capability development strategy. Therefore, an effective leader is highly required for identifying business issues and requirements. Based on those business requirements, the leaders would guide the employees for enhancing their capabilities. Moreover, organizational should adopt range of learning strategies in terms of on the job and off the job training towards skill development of the employees. Figure 1: Holistic Model of Capability Development It is quite common assumption that consultant service is only needed for larger organizations. However, Business consultancy firm can improve the business performance of organizations of all sizes. The experts of business consultancy provides high quality and well informed advice on the business topics like commerce and empowering employees towards achieving maximum potential. According to (Onal Vural, Dahlander and George 2013), some catalyst like emerging IT innovation, declining market share, tightening environmental policies dramatically change the commercial landscape. In such situation, business consultancy provides effective advice on the matters of organizational Governance. They mostly provide suggestions regarding acquiring new tools and overseeing work force development. On the other hand, Schweitzer (2014) opined that opined that true success of organization could not come only through instinct, gut reaction and luck. Organization success is highly reliant on realistic ap proach in the context of external business environment. In such situation, business consultancy offers realistic analysis, careful calculations and practical strategic development in the context of external business environment. Therefore, organizations can take most realistic approach towards confronting business challenge and gain long-term success in every business aspect. According to Hansen and Alewell (2013), the diagnostics of business consultancy act as professional leaders for overall organizational success. They analyze the specific organizational issues and business gaps whether it is related to development of human capital or proper allocation of financial resources. The HR diagnostics of the consulting firm identify the lack of skill level in the work group. After identifying gaps, the HR diagnostics provide effective training to the employees for enhancing their skills levels. Therefore, the employees become quite able to adjust with dynamic business environment and follow innovative ideas towards contributing in organizational success. On the other hand, Robert Mitchell and Shepherd (2012) opined that the role model of business consultancy offers deep insight on the business culture by identifying the behavior and emotional intelligence of the employees. They business consultants can create system of reward behavior towards aligning with ch anging organizational culture. The consults also offer effective succession planning for the employees towards initiating an inspiring work culture for the employees. It helps in enhancing productivity level of the employees towards effective organizational success. According to McGrath and O’Toole (2016), the coaches of business consulting firms offer diverse group of experiences towards organizational growth. They align the learning needs of the employees with the requirement of business. The firms identify the gaps in the learning process of the employees and develop a concrete procedure for future progress. While considering the view of Apsc.gov.au. (2016), it can be found that capability building is the centralized part of organizational performance, which requires systematic learning and development approach guided by consulting firms for value enhancement. On the other hand, Australian Institute of Management (2016) proved that leadership and management framework are building blocks that make an organization capable enough to contribute in forming its benchmarking for effective performance. Furthermore, Joshi (2016) highlighted that capability development through business consultancy helps in encompassing various job roles and outc ome through critical thinking and thereby ensuring organizational sustainability. From the above discussion, it can be said that discipline of consultancy helps in developing organizational knowledge and a positive sense of stakeholder management. It is quite clear that with the growth of competition, an organization may not have the capability to ensure effective market data analysis but with the assistance from business consultants they can ensure innovation and mitigate challenge. Forstner, Kamprath and Rà ¶glinger (2014) pointed out that business consultancy acts as the trusted advisor for an organization so that professionalism can be enhanced to ensure positive outcome in future. Finally, it must be said that organization development can be only achieved by effective leadership who will guide the flow of operation in reaching future goals. In such case, executive consultancy proves to be the mentor in forming desired leadership approach and how the managers must act while controlling massive human resource. Therefore, from the discussion it is clear that as sistance about both innovation and internal operation, discipline of consultancy acts as the supporting arm for leading a business towards success. Figure 2: Relevance of Capability Development with Discipline of Business Consultancy While considering the view of Robert Mitchell and Shepherd (2012), it can be said that value of an organization is only achieved when the purpose to fulfill stakeholder’s expectation is achieved. Consulting agencies while acting as the mentor or trusted advisor has only one motive, this is to ensure capability development for its client. Value of an organization is dependent on its performance but often the core competencies remain unknown, which is highlighted by business consultancies. With the expense of time and due to organization expansion, most of the organizations fail to keep a balance between its core values and stakeholder management. Such scenarios are quite common in most of the small scale enterprises of Australia. In order to gain revenue, organizations fail to ensure effective balance between employee expectation and client satisfaction resulting to deteriorate value. Such imbalances result in losing organizational reputation. Executive consultancy helps in enhancing the organizational value by setting up strategies through balance scorecard, through which core stakeholder’s expectation and satisfaction is met. For manufacturing organizations, executive consultancy helps in analyzing the gap between organization’s production and market demand and based on that future scope of productivity development is proposed. By following such advices, organizations are able to increase the productivity and thereby ensure balance between its stakeholders, which helps in restoring organizational value. Some of the most important advices that executive consultancies provide for developing capability are provided below: The number of consultancy firms in Australia is increasing but the most common points are listed above. From the above points, it can be found that consultancy agencies always try to create customized reports for their client organizations so that the competitiveness does not get hampered.   Some of the service oriented organizations in Australia are value oriented rather than hardcore profit earning but for them the consultancy firms try to ensure best quality without the expense of capital endorsement. With whatever be the procedure, consultancy firms try to ensure best quality service and client satisfaction through which organizational value is restored, which further helps in ensuring professionalism. The whole paper has highlighted capability development by discipline of consultancy but some of the negative aspects of such service are pertaining to the degree of customization. The FMCG and IT industry of Australia is rapidly growing at present but against such sectors the target market is extremely common. This has somehow resulted in poor customized business progress report as product diversification and changing government regulation has made limited scope of customization. Most of the consultants are almost providing the same solutions to their clients and therefore competitive advantage is becoming negligible. While concluding it can be said that organizations in Australia are extremely competitive but they often fail to gather market information through data analytics and thereby cannot ensure best strategy for sustainable business. In such a scenario, executive consultants help the organizations in setting up the most customized strategic business approach for future. It has been also found that most of the organizations in Australia are successful enough but they need to be ahead of rising competition and for that they need to innovate. Executive consultants help such organizations to gather relevant market statistics and evaluate those against client firm’s capability. Thus, it can be said that firm’s capability development can be best decided by professional executive consultants so that value is restored. Apsc.gov.au. 2016.  Building capability: A framework for managing learning and development in the APS - APSC. [online] Available at: https://www.apsc.gov.au/publications-and-media/current-publications/building-capability [Accessed 15 Dec. 2016]. Australian Institute of Management. 2016.  Organisational Capability Benchmarking. [online] Available at: https://www.aim.com.au/organisational-capability-benchmarking [Accessed 15 Dec. 2016]. Brandon-Jones, A., Knoppen, D. and Van Raaij, E., 2014, January. Strategic purchasing in dynamic capability development and deployment: A contingency perspective. In  Academy of Management Proceedings  (Vol. 2014, No. 1, p. 15165). Academy of Management. Forstner, E., Kamprath, N. and Rà ¶glinger, M., 2014. Capability development with process maturity models–Decision framework and economic analysis.  Journal of Decision Systems,  23(2), pp.127-150. Hansen, N.K. and Alewell, D., 2013. Employment systems as governance mechanisms of human capital and capability development.  The International Journal of Human Resource Management,  24(11), pp.2131-2153. Hu, T.S., Lin, C.Y. and Chang, S.L., 2013. Knowledge intensive business services and client innovation.  The Service Industries Journal,  33(15-16), pp.1435-1455. Jiang, C.X., Malik, O.R. and Guo, C., 2015, January. What affects lean capability development of emerging market firms? An empirical investigation. In  Academy of Management Proceedings  (Vol. 2015, No. 1, p. 17330). Academy of Management. Joshi, J. 2016.  Managing Capability - New Avatar of L&D/HR ? Are we doing it right? - LearningCafe. [online] LearningCafe. Available at: https://learningcafe.com.au/managing-capability-are-we-doing-it-right/ [Accessed 15 Dec. 2016]. Lupton, N.C. and Beamish, P.W., 2016. The mutual construction of knowledge transfer and shared context in capability development within the networked MNC.  Knowledge Management Research & Practice,  14(1), pp.150-157. McGrath, H. and O’Toole, T., 2016. Using action research and action learning for entrepreneurial network capability development.  Action Learning: Research and Practice,  13(2), pp.118-138. McGrath, H. and O'Toole, T., 2014. A cross-cultural comparison of the network capability development of entrepreneurial firms.  Industrial Marketing Management,  43(6), pp.897-910. Onal Vural, M., Dahlander, L. and George, G., 2013. Collaborative benefits and coordination costs: Learning and capability development in science.  Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal,  7(2), pp.122-137. Rahmandad, H., 2012. Impact of growth opportunities and competition on firm-level capability development trade-offs.  Organization science,  23(1), pp.138-154. Robert Mitchell, J. and Shepherd, D.A., 2012. Capability development and decision incongruence in strategic opportunity pursuit.  Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal,  6(4), pp.355-381. Rockart, S.F. and Dutt, N., 2015. The rate and potential of capability development trajectories.  Strategic Management Journal,  36(1), pp.53-75. Schweitzer, J., 2014. Leadership and innovation capability development in strategic alliances.  Leadership & Organization Development Journal,  35(5), pp.442-469.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Comparison of Barack Obama's and John Mccain's Policies on Poverty and Essay

Comparison of Barack Obama's and John Mccain's Policies on Poverty and Welfare in the US - Essay Example Though there are a number of policies on which both the sides have differing views, an effort has been made in this paper to compare the policies of both candidates on 'poverty and welfare in the US'. McCain's stand: John McCain has expressed his support for direct federal poverty aid through religious, community-based or other non-profit organizations. He says1, "Welfare and anti-poverty assistance is a shared responsibility among federal, state and local government; the private sector; community and faith-based organizations. Welfare policy must provide a strong safety net, while promoting work, responsibility, self sufficiency and dignity." In addition McCain has come out maintained the following principled position on some of the issues concerning poverty and welfare2: Even when a parent works full-time earning minimum wage and EITC and food stamps are factored into their income, families are still $1,550 below the federal poverty line because of the flat-lined minimum wage. Obama and Biden also realize that ex-offenders are a very critical community, which needs to be taken care of well, in order not to let them feel isolated. For this category they plan to work to ensure that ex-offenders have access to job training, substance abuse and mental health counseling, and employment opportunities. It is worthwhile here to ment... The team of Barak Obama has come out with a detailed plan of action to take care of the poverty and welfare issues. Salient features of their plan include; Helping Americans in Grabbing and Holding on in order to Climb the Job Ladder Creating a Green Jobs Corps in order to strengthen the energy efficiency programs and strengthen the communities. Bring out improvement in Transportation Access to Jobs Obama and Biden also realize that ex-offenders are a very critical community, which needs to be taken care of well, in order not to let them feel isolated. For this category they plan to work to ensure that ex-offenders have access to job training, substance abuse and mental health counseling, and employment opportunities. Raising the Minimum Wage to $9.50 an Hour by 2011 Providing all low and middle-income workers a tax relief of about $500 to offset the payroll tax being paid by those low paid workers. Expanding the Nurse-Family Partnership to all 570,000 low-income, first-time mothers each year. Increasing the number of sick days for low-paid workers Increasing the Supply of Affordable Housing for the poor sections of the society. Increase the levels of investments in rural areas Creating secure borders and strengthening the immigration policies. 2. For each policy, evaluate how it might impact the state of poverty in the U.S. It is worthwhile here to mention that on the one hand John McCain is supposed to tread a cautious line while spelling out the agenda points for bringing out a 'change', because he has to maintain that the legacy is not disturbed too much. On the other hand, Barak Obama is not bound any such legacy. So, on the one hand he criticizes the existing policies of Bush

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Homosexuality Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Homosexuality - Term Paper Example Does homosexuality cross cultural boundaries with any consistencies? A study of 375 homosexual men in Brazil, Guatemala, Peru, the Philippines, Thailand and the United States consistently found that 25 percent of homosexual men display highly gender atypical behavior, while 50 percent showed marked gender atypical behavior as young children (Whitam, Mathy, 1986). Choice, convoluted or not, or chance, nature or nurture, the controversial topic will be discussed using persuasive arguments from both sides of the issue. There is a great deal of controversy as to whether homosexuality is genetic or environmental in origin. Homosexuals are very much looking for any scientific confirmation that would verify that they were born as homosexuals. But the vested interest that homosexuals have often prevent them from taking a broad view. Many environmental factors can occur early in the development of a child that can lead individuals to believe that they must have been born that way. But even if one has a predisposition towards homosexuality, they are not necessarily homosexual. A predisposition must be added to other factors to produce a homosexual. â€Å"This formula can be illustrated in this way; a predisposition toward homosexuality plus that first homosexual experience multiplied by pleasurable and positive homosexual thoughts to which is added more homosexual experiences multiplied by more pleasurable thoughts equals a homosexual† (Copeland, 2001). When one has a previous predisposition towards homosexuality, is then exposed to homosexual experiences and can pleasurably reflect upon them, a powerful attraction a created that is hard to conquer. So powerful can these experiences and reflections be that one does not need to have developed a predisposition to be drawn into this sort of behavior (Copeland, 2001). There seems to have been a restoration of homosexuality as a psychosis over the past several years within psychiatric and psychological circles. With th e recent conservative swing of society these professionals now seem to feel anger regarding the issue and want to vent their inflexible views on homosexuality. â€Å"Charles Socarides, a clinical professor of psychiatry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine has written many books and articles over the past 25 years reiterating his belief that homosexuality is a disorder. In August 1997, The Washington Post quoted him as saying, ‘Homosexuality is a psychological and psychiatric disorder. It is a purple menace that is threatening the proper design of gender distinctions in society† (Eidenberg, 1998). In a letter to The Wall Street Journal, members of the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality, a coalition of therapists who argue that they can cure homosexuality, stated that â€Å"many of the young men who have died of AIDS have sought treatment for their homosexuality and were denied knowledge and hope. Many of them would be alive today if they h ad only been told where to find the help they sought† (Eidenberg, 1998). What they are saying, in effect, is that gay activists are killing their friends and lovers by insisting on acceptance rather than treatment. Yet these sentiments are not shared by everyone. â€Å"Human beings can not choose to be either gay or straight† (Answers, 2003). Sexual orientation materializes for most people in early teenage years without any previous sexual experience. People may choose whether or not to act on their feelings but

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Expensive nature Essay Example for Free

Expensive nature Essay We can see that the maiden was not happy with the way in which her life changed when she uses the rhetorical question why did a great Lord find me out, To fill my heart with care? She is basically asking, Why did her life have to change when she was so happy and why did the lord have to fill her heart with care and worry whereas before she was blissful unaware of any problems surrounding her. She feels shame in the fact that she enjoyed her relationship with the lord woes me for joy thereof as in her time what she was engaging in would have been considered disgraceful. She feels used by the Lord and describes how if her hadnt come into her life she wouldnt be an unclean thing or if they had got married she could have been a dove and enjoyed a good life with him. The poet then starts to write of the cottage maidens feelings towards her cousin Kate. She describes the way the Lord grew tired of the cottage maiden and then decided to start a relationship with Kate and we get the inclination that the cottage maiden has feeling of jealousy but also anger towards this. She feels the Lord wanted Kate because she was good and pure she was a virgin and the fact that she wouldnt give in to the Lord made him want her even more. This makes the cottage maiden angry with herself for giving in to him and she goes on to describe how he bound Kate with his Ring and the neighbours just called her an outcast thing. This implies that she believes if she hadnt had sex with The lord maybe he would have married her instead of Kate. Now the cottage maiden is stuck in her old life, and is unhappy because now she has had a taste for higher things she is not contented with what she had before anymore. She sits and howls in dust while Kate is now enjoying what the cottage maiden used to have but to a higher extent You sit in gold and sing. In the next few stanzas the cottage becomes bitter towards her cousin and implies that She really loved him whereas her cousin Kate was bought by the lord, she says that if their situations had been switched she wouldnt have taken the Lord if he had been with her. The Maiden seems angrier with her cousin than she is with Lord but she feels betrayed by both of them. Although in the last stanza the maidens tone changes she begins to gloat. She realises that she has the one thing that her cousin Kate would like but cannot have, a baby. She knows her cousin worries about this but seems unsympathetic as she goes on to say how she will not being giving her son up and she is protective over him cling closer, closer yet. She knows that the lord would give lands for one but she seems to be saying tough to both of them and maybe thinks Kate is getting the punishment she deserves from god, seens as in those days a baby was seen as a gift from god. The cottage maiden loves her son more than anything else in her life and shows this by saying my shame, my pride she thinks she should be ashamed of him but she is not she still loves him dearly. In the seduction and Cousin Kate the male characters are portrayed very negatively.  Eileen McAuley describes a youth that met the young girl at the party. After the party he takes her to the docks in Liverpool, which have relevance to the way in which he perceives the young girl. The docks are typically associated with prostitutes, which suggests he doesnt think anymore of her than a cheap prostitute. This also comes to our attention when in the last line of the second stanza he muttered little slag. This lets us no without a doubt that he had no respect for her or had no intention of becoming involved in any kind of relationship with her past that night. He comes across as quite cheap from the way the author writes, leather jacket creaking madly Expensive leather is extremely quiet and soft, the fact that his jacket was creaking implies it was not of an expensive nature. He also spits in the river, trying to impress her but really just showing his vulgarity. He had obviously planned the night, which makes him seem quite seedy and perverted, he seems to be in control of the night, he sat down, he led her, and hed bought her more drinks. He seems to be the source of intoxicated state as he had been buying her drinks all night and he handed her the vodka at the river. The fact that he thinks he need to get her drunk before she will have any contact with him shows that maybe he doesnt really think that highly of himself anyway. The conversation between the couple is very one dimensional and shows the boy to be quite selfish as he only talks about subjects which concern or interest him and shows no interest in any subject relating or relevant to the young girl. The way the author describes how he spends his free time also gives us an insight into what type of boy the young girl is involved with. He says he spends most afternoons down by the river whilst he should be in school so the fact that hes a truant makes him seem less academic and clever and more juvenile. He also explains how he goes there alone so we get the inclination that maybe he doesnt have that many friends either or he could be antisocial. He says blatantly in from of the girl that he goes there with his dads magazines making him sound seedy and sweet paint thinner indicating that he abuses solvents. All in all he doesnt make himself sound to attractive to this young intelligent girl who is looking for the perfect partner to lose her virginit y to. He is very unromantic when it comes to seducing the young girl; in fact he is anything but seducing her hes just trying to grope her. The author writes about how he contrived to kiss her which again goes back to the way he had planned the night in advance but also shows us that he didnt have any interest in the girl he just wanted to use her for sex.  In Cousin Kate we do not find out about the Lord in such great detail but we get the inclination that he used his position and his money to trick the cottage maiden into a relationship when the author uses the phrase he lured me to his palace home. The word lured implying seediness and trickery. The author creates the Lord as a very fickle man who treats his women like clothing, wore them as eye candy until they were dirty and boring only to throw them away and change them for a better model. He became bored with the cottage maiden after she had had sex with him and decided to pursue her cousin Kate. He comes across as quite persistent to get his own way as he does not give up on Kate and he ends up marrying her, so he can finally get his own way which shows that he will go to extremes to get what he wants. He obviously feels that love is based upon possessions and not emotions as he tries to buy Kate with his lands and money not with his personality, this make him seem shallow. The setting for both poems is important, the seduction being set in the city and cousin Kate in the country has great relevance.  I touched upon the setting for the seduction earlier; the docks being associated with prostitution implies that the boy felt the girl was of that standard. Also the setting is not glamorous it is quite seedy and putrid. The way the author says towards the frightening scum on the water reflects on the dangerous situation that she has got herself involved in but also the word scum actually mirrors the boys character. The author also goes on to describe the Mersey, green as a septic wound and I think this simile on the setting also reflects in the situation as a whole, infectious and unrewarding. Also the setting for the second part of the poem is a bedroom, isolated from the rest of the world, showing the young girls emotions, her longing to be cut of from the rest of her surroundings. The setting is a contrast from the first part of the poem, whereas the city is bustling, busy and noisy, her room is secluded, quiet and lonely. The change in scenery reflects the change of tone and emotion. The choice of setting for Cousin Kate is quite straightforward; the countryside is perceived as a quite place full of nature and animals, unlike a city. A city is a more typical setting for a situation like the cottage maidens so the fact that it takes place in the countryside is even more ludicrous. Both authors use the settings to create effect but the effect they have on us is the complete opposite of each other. In the seduction the reader is supposed to relate the situation to the setting but in Cousin Kate it is used for shock effect and to make the situation seem more extreme as the countryside isnt the typical place youd expect her relations to be taking place.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Divisive, but Effectual: Reinstating the Draft Essay -- U.S. Military

Ever since World War II, the last war that garnered full American support, the percentage of American citizens enrolling in the U.S. Army has diminished significantly. The U.S. is a major military power in the present world; American soldiers are engaged in many multi-theater positions, consequently dispersing troops over various regions worldwide. As only one in ten citizens has served in the US Army, American knowledge of military conditions is rapidly lessening along with the national harmony that complements such knowledge. Therefore, the comprehension that American security is closely associated with a formidable military never resonated within the greater part of modern American citizens. Although antiwar activists may decry compulsory conscription as unconstitutional, it needs to be reinstated in order to solidify the meaning of being an American citizen, boost the economy by providing jobs, and unify the American people with enhanced homeland security. Generally, reinstating the Constitutional draft would solidify the meaning of being an American citizen. Often, wealthier and more privileged people are able to ask for exemption from serving, so representation of soldiers in combat is composed of less-privileged citizens. With compulsory conscription, all American citizens, men or women, ages 18-26 are subject to be recruited for the armed forces. In fact, only 4 members of the 107th Congress who voted in favor of the Iraq war had children serving there. Politicians would know how it feels to have loved ones in a war, instead of freely speaking about wartime without experiencing it in any way. 1 (206) Americans feel that public support for war in foreign countries is not strong because the soldiers fighting are poorly rep... ..." CQ Researcher Outline, January 11, 1991. http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre1991011100 (accessed March 19, 2012). "Binding the Nation: National Service in America." U.S. Army War College, 2008. http://www.carlisle.army.mil/usawc/parameters/Articles/08winter/grigsby.pdf (accessed March 12, 2012). â€Å"Learn about National Service." Americans for a National Service Act, . nationalserviceact.org (accessed March 19, 2012). Greenblatt, Alan. "Upward Mobility." CQ Researcher, April 29, 2005. http://www.cqpress.com/product/Researcher-Upward-Mobility-v15-16.html (accessed March 14, 2012). Farrell, Brenda S. "Military Personnel: Evaluation Methods Linked to Anticipated Outcomes Needed to Inform Decisions on Army Recruitment Incentives." U.S. Government Accountability Office, September 19, 2008. http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-08-1037R (accessed March 19, 2012).

Monday, November 11, 2019

Into the wild Essay

Fool or Hero? Into the Wild is a book about a young man named Christopher Johnson McCandless, who had a very bright future but threw it all away by hiking into Alaska unprepared and alone. Chris McCandless can be labeled a hero, somebody to be admired or a fool. He can be called a hero because he showed people through his own actions how to live free and not be controlled. He can be called a fool because he had a good education and a bright future but he chose to go unprepared into the wilderness and risk his life and eventually die. In April of 1992 Chris who grew up in a well to do family, decided that he wanted to hitchhike to Alaska and walk alone in the wilderness of Mt. Mckinley. Before Chris decided to do this he had a nice future ahead him. He graduated with honors from Emory University in the summer of 1990. Chris was smart and he was an elite athlete. Right after he graduated he disappeared. â€Å"What no one knew- was that he would shortly donate all the money in his college fund to Oxfam America, a charity dedicated to fighting hunger† (Into the Wild: Pg. 20). He also burned all of his cash, abandoned his car and basically started his life from scratch. Chris also told the strangers he encountered that his name was Alex. Because of this his family couldn’t trace him and find him. Although Chris foolishly did go out into the wild without any experience or any method to survive he can be considered a hero/someone to be looked up to. By trying to hike in Alaska he showed people that they can live their lives however they want to, be independent and make their own decisions. Through his actions he is truly showing what independence means. No matter how many people tried to stop him from trekking in the wilds he would never give in. Chris tells Ron, a retired army veteran who he meets in his travels, â€Å" Look Mr. Franz, you don’t need to worry about me I am not destitute, I am living like this by choice† (Into the Wild, Pg. 51). He was always motivated to be independent and didn’t let anyone make decisions for him. Chris also tells Ron, â€Å"you should make a radical change in your  lifestyle and begin to boldly do things which you may previously never have thought of doing, or been too hesitant to attempt† (John Krakauer, Into the Wild). By saying that he is telling Ron to explore the world, not to listen to anyone else and go wherever his heart takes him. Chris can be looked up to if they get his real message. Chris wasn’t necessarily saying people should hike to Alaska but he was saying that everyone could control their own lives. There are many reasons why Chris McCandless is a fool for both ruining his life and getting himself killed. He was a good student in school and could have had a very bright professional future, but he rejected graduate school. He was a well-known athlete so he could have had friends but he didn’t want any. He had a savings of 25,000 dollars and he just gave it away. He could have used the money to live a regular life. Instead of living life like a normal person he decided to disappear without telling his family and hike to Alaska. Even the way he travelled was foolish. When he started his hike alone his odds for surviving were already low because it’s almost impossible to hike through Alaska alone. He was even more foolish because of the lack of supplies and food. He only brought a bag of rice to eat. The gun that he brought wasn’t powerful enough to take down a grizzly bear or any bear if he saw one, so he was not able to protect himself. So Chris can be known a s a fool because he underestimated the value of education, family and didn’t prepare properly for surviving in the wilderness of Alaska. In some peoples eyes Chris is a hero and in others Chris is a fool. He got himself killed by hiking to Alaska but at the same time he was sending a positive message out to everyone. Chris is saying that â€Å"It is easy, when you are young, to believe that what you desire is no less than what you deserve, to assume that if you want something badly enough, it is your God-given right to have it† (Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild). Although the way Chris tried to prove his point made him look foolish he was only doing it for good reasons. People never understood why Chris threw away his life, but that’s because Chris only did what he wanted to and he showed us by example how to be in control of our lives.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

A tragicomedy is a comedy with serious elements or overtones*. To what extent can the History boys be classed a tragicomedy?

The play is comic and shows clear features of comedies throughout, such as slapstick humour and farce. This is combined with ‘serious elements’ (often used for humour) such as Hector fiddling the boys, which fits in with the genre of tragicomedy. The debate rises where the serious elements seem not to fit into a comedy, such as the protagonist dying, potentially preventing a happy ending. Some argue there are too many elements that do not fit into the genre of comedies, for ‘The History Boys’ to even be classed a tragicomedy. Serious elements are used for humour in the play, which fits into the definition of a comedy with serious ‘overtones’. The obvious example for this is Hector fiddling with the boys. When Dakin asks Scripps ‘What happened with Hector? On the bike? ’ he replies with comic dialogue, saying ‘I think he thought he’d got me going. In fact it was Tudor Economics Documents, Volume Two’ (pg21). This line always gets a laugh from the audience, and the humour fits into the genre of comedies. As the boys do not take the paedophilia seriously (the audience is aware Scripps is not affected, as he cracks a joke and acts normal), the audience do not either. This distancing effect of comedy allows the ‘serious elements’ to be viewed in a comic, light-hearted way, which fits in to the definition of a tragicomedy. Another example is when Hector hits the boys for using ‘foul, festering, grubby-minded’ language. This is slapstick humour, commonly found in comedies, originating out of a serious ‘element’ of a teacher hitting their students. However, some would argue the play couldn’t be classed as a comedy at all, as it does not have a happy ending, which is vital for comedies. The protagonist, Hector, ‘came off’ his motorbike in a crash. Scripps makes what happened to Hector clear when he says ‘someone dies at school and you remember it all your life’(pg 106). Normally in a tragicomedy the ending will have a sense of catharsis, but there is arguably not one in the play, as it ends on what seems to be his funeral, where (according to stage directions) there are ‘photographs of Hector as a young man’(pg106). The reflection on Hector’s life is melancholy and the tragic effect of Hector’s death negatively affects the boys, as Scripps ‘remember(s)’ it all his life. Despite this, it is possible to argue the ending is cathartic and does fit in to a genre of comedy and tragicomedy. In response to Hector’s death, the audience could see it as an optimistic release for Hector from a life of discontent: his marriage is passionate- his wife married him for ‘lukewarm attentions’ (pg92), his career is over as ‘boys have become work’(pg95), his future is ‘buying a van, filling it with books and taking it round country markets’(pg94). Read also History Quizzes Also, there is the ‘splenid news’ of all the boys getting into Oxbridge- even Rudge (the ‘dumb’ character, often a feature of comedies). This is particularly cathartic, as it structurally mirrors how Dakin explains to Hector (and consequently the audience) that they are ‘all going in for Oxford and Cambridge’ in the third scene. This was the purpose of the boys being at the school for this period, and was commonplace in society at the time, when there was (and still is) huge competition to get into Oxbridge (the top two universities of Britain*). For the audience to watch them work for it and achieve their aspirations, a sense of catharsis is created, resulting in a happy ending, especially as the boys are mainly successful in their future lives, becoming ‘solicitors’ and ‘chartered accountants’(pg107). As the ending is happy, it can fit into the genre of tragicomedy. Some would argue that the character of Posner prevents the play being a comedy. He is outcast and isolated throughout. Posner perfectly demonstrates his problems in a list, saying ‘I’m a Jew. I’m small. I’m homosexual. And I live in Sheffield. I’m fucked. ’ He is even viewed as an outcast by Hector, who dismisses him, saying ‘never mind’ when Posner volunteers for a lift when Hector asks if he ‘can give someone a lift’(pg17). Normally in a comedy, an outcast will find redemption and improve his/her life, resulting in a happy ending. This is not the case. Posner drops out of university and is the only boy who leads a terrible life. This is shown in a structural shift where Mrs. Lintott describes the boys’ future. Posner ‘lives alone†¦ has periodic breakdowns’ and only has friends ‘on the Internet’(Pg108). This tragedy is heightened by the fact that Posner was the cleverest boys- ironic for the audience, as they would be aware of this wasted potential. Bennett also based Posner on himself, as when he was a teenager he was under-developed, which made his ‘school days unhappy’. Posner seems to represent the stereotypical outcast. A character like this, some argue, is so tragic it (along with a couple of other factors, such as the ending debatably not being happy) prevents the play from being a comedy and therefore a tragicomedy. This argument can be countered by the view that serious messages are often at the heart of tragicomedies. As Ustinov said, ‘comedy is simply a funny way of being serious’. This dates back to Shakespearean time, where the dangers of irrational love are portrayed in a humorous forest scene in A Midsummers Night Dream. Bennett could be raising the serious issue of teaching methods, as Posner was the only one that failed, but the ‘only one who truly took everything to heart’(Pg108) from Hector. This suggests Irwin’s methods are better, which rings true in Bennett’s personal life, who claimed he used Irwin’s methods to get in to Oxford. Furthermore, Posner contributes to the genre of comedy by creating humour. Verbal humour is used when he lists his problems and concludes that he is ‘fucked’, one of play’s famous lines. There are other serious messages throughout the play that also create humour, such as Hector’s message of ‘pass the parcel’ with literature. For example, Hector making the boys recite poems and being appalled by Irwin’s suggestion to use quotations he had taught to be ‘trotted out to make a point’(Pg48) is a form of absurd behaviour, common in comedies. A teacher’s job is to help make students make points and do well in exams- Hector does not see this. These ‘serious elements’ have important messages, but also create humour, which fits in to the genre of tragicomedy. Erma Bombeck once said â€Å"there is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humour and hurt†.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Dont Begin at the Beginning

Dont Begin at the Beginning Dont Begin at the Beginning Dont Begin at the Beginning By Simon Kewin If youre a fiction writer, youll be aware of the need to grab a readers attention as early as possible; to hook them, preferably, on your very first page. One key technique for doing this is to start your story in medias res.   The Latin expression in medias res means into the midst of things. Used as a literary term, it refers to starting a story by jumping straight into the middle of the conflict or action. Its often a temptation for writers to start by providing all the background information for their story, all the character and location detail theyve laboriously worked out. But this exposition or infodump can be very boring.   A better approach is to skip the exposition, at least temporarily, and dramatize your works central conflict from the beginning. As well as immediately involving the reader, this helps set up narrative tension : the reader wants to know why the described conflict is happening. Explaining too much up front can deflate this intrigue. Over time you can slowly reveal the explanation in what will, hopefully, be a satisfying and engrossing process for the reader.   Filling in the back-story can be achieved in several ways : via flashback, for example, or by having your characters recall prior events. The skill is in providing the reader with just the information they need, without either overwhelming them or leaving them bemused. The best approach is to reveal your back-story in dribs and drabs so that a lot of the time, your readers aren’t even aware they are being informed.    Of course, theres nothing wrong with writing long sections of factual information for your own use, as you work out the details of your setting. In many ways, this is a good thing. Just dont expect your readers to wade through all that before they reach your actual story. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 English Grammar Rules You Should KnowStory Writing 101Starting a Business Letter with Dear Mr.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Evaluate the organizations innovation strategy Essay

Evaluate the organizations innovation strategy - Essay Example The retailer knows the danger of clogging up drains with grease and that is why it adopted bio-diesel made from waste brown cooking grease in its stores. The company saves an enormous portion of cash from green produce grown in United States. The production is made possible by Wal-Mart’s interaction with local suppliers and growers that fill its grocery stores with products on the prompt basis. The company’s innovation technology features other eco-friendly products such as organic cotton for making clothes. The strategy has enabled the company to save on cash and create a safe environment for its customers (Hurst, 2012). The innovation strategy has also led to high productivity, competitive positioning, and quality. Wal-Mart retains its market share in the retail industry and as the leading retailer in United States. The goal of the Wal-Mart is to change the world through eco-friendly innovations, and it has sustained the company in the market for the last

Saturday, November 2, 2019

LEGAL ENVIRONMENT 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

LEGAL ENVIRONMENT 4 - Essay Example to get the contract approved by the Niger president. The bribes were accepted by the Niger officials and the contract to supply arms went through. Analysis : According to the provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act it is unlawful for any U.S. citizen / company, to bribe or to make a corrupt payment to a foreign official of any govt. or company for the sole purpose of obtaining or retaining business in order to beat the competition. According to the Anti- Bribery provisions of the FCPA it applies to any individual, firm, officer, director, employee, or agent of a firm and any stockholder acting on behalf of a firm. Also the person who makes or authorizes of making the payment should have a corrupt intention, and the payment must be directed to induce the recipient to misuse his official position to direct business wrongfully to the payer or to any other person. -- The FCPA completely prohibits payments, making a offer of bribe, or making a promise to pay (or authorizing a third party or intermediary to pay or offer) money or anything of value. The prohibition applies to any foreign public official irrespective of his ra nk or position, it also extends of making corrupt payments to a foreign political party or party official, or any candidate for foreign political office. According to FCPA the prohibition applies to payments made in order to assist the firm / company in obtaining or retaining business for or with, or directing business to, any person. ( S 78dd-2. Prohibited foreign trade practices by domestic concerns).Now if we analyze the facts of the Niger case in light of the provisions of the FCPA the case is crystal clear. In the Niger case the Vice President of NAPCO Richard H. Liebo was directly involved in first promising to pay one Captain Ali Tiemogo, chief of maintenance for the Niger Air Force in return for getting the contract of supply of arms by NAPCO to be approved by the president. Even later, Liebo was directly involved as a representative of NAPCO in paying bribes to Captain Ali Tiemogo and his cousin Tahirou Barke who incidentally was also the first consular for the Niger Embass y in Washington,DC. NAPCO issued commission checks to three "agents" identified as Amadou Mailele, Captain Tiemogo's brother-in-law; Fatouma Boube, Captain Tiemogo's sister-in-law; and Miss E. Dave, Mr. Barke's girlfriend. It is immaterial that Neither Mr. Mailele, Ms. Boube, nor Ms Dave, however, received the commission checks or acted as NAPCO's agent and these individuals were merely intermediaries through whom NAPCO made payments to Captain Tiemogo and Mr. Barke as according to FCPA even payments made to or through intermediaries is liable to prosecution. Even the fact that neither NAPCO's corporate president, Henri Jacob, nor another superior of Mr. Liebo's approved the payment of these "commission payments." is immaterial and NAPCO is liable for prosecution as per the penal provisions of FCPA. This position is also supported by the judicial decisions in United States of America, Appellee, vs. Robert Richard KING, Appellant.( 2003 WL 22938694 (8th Cir.(Mo) and USA versus David Kay(Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas(No. Crim.A.H-01-914)