Achieving Cultural Change Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Achieving Cultural Change - Research Paper Example In a workplace it is necessary to work in harmony and in tandem with the co-workers. The success of any organization depends on the performance of the team. OB helps to provide guidelines for effective team management. The motivation among team actually results in delivery of better work in organization and OB helps to focus on the issue (Mcshane & VonVonGlinow, 2010, p.1) The problems of Bull information can be solved by the help of OB. In the case of Bull information, the new director arriving in the company had to deal with critical problems of the organization. The organization was facing problem in proper human resource management. The most important thing the new director noticed that there was no effective communication among the employees. Most of them were hardly had any commercial awareness regarding the working of the business (Allen and Thatcher, 1995). The top managers were only involved in the decision making process and many crucial decisions were unnecessarily delayed and fudged. The management was extremely task oriented and isolationist and there was the need for development both in the middle and upper level of management. The managers did not deploy any proper risk taking skills and absence of flexibility was evident in the overall working of the business. Proper knowledge of Organizational Behavior is helpful in managing such situations confronted by the company. The field of OB stresses on coordination, collaboration and proper communication between employees for attainment of the objectives specified by the company. The problem with the management team can be dealt by inculcating the ideas and values of leadership. Collective sense of purpose needs to be built among the team leaders, managers and executives to achieve the organizational goals. B. Systematic Research. The importance of systematic research is noteworthy in the process of decision making. The process of systematic research involves framing of research questions and collectio n of data and analyzing the data to reach a conclusive decision. The process of research instigates a confidence in the decision making and provides meaningful results (Mcshane & VonVon Glinow, 2010, p.24). During the change management of Bull information the, stress was provided on building up of an effective team. In order to find out the deficiency of the present working team in the organization and to prescribe the necessary remedial measures, an overall feedback from the rest of the organization was collected in the form of a questionnaire and was followed by a detail probing of the answers through personal interview (Allen and Thatcher, 1995). The general questions which were asked in the feedback included the understanding of the role play of the management team. The transparency in the responsibilities and authorities of the management team were questioned. General idea regarding the functioning of the group as a team was also considered and views of employees relating to th e strength and weakness were also derived from the questionnaire. General recommendation for enhancing the performance of the team was also taken from the employees in the interview process. The result derived from the survey reflected on the fact that there was no presence of unity among the groups and the group members carried on with conflicts against each other. From the result derived it became evident that plans and strategies need to be developed regarding building up relationship within the team and event was organized to inculcate values and setting up basic rules for the team to work in future. C Knowledge management Practice of efficient knowledge management

Habitat for Humanity Essay Example for Free

Habitat for Humanity Essay Habitat for Humanity originated at Koinonia Farm, which is a small Christian farming community located outside of Americus, Georgia. Clarence Jordan brought the idea to Millard Fuller, who is the founder and president of Habitat for Humanity International. They developed the idea of â€Å"partnership housing,† calling for families in need of a home to partner with volunteers to build affordable homes. In 1975 Fuller and his wife Linda established Habitat for Humanity with one clear vision in mind â€Å"a world where everyone has a decent place to live. † Habitats ministry is based on the conviction that to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ we must reflect Christs love in our own lives by loving and caring for one another. Our love must not be words only – it must be true love, which shows itself in action, this is the full forces that lead Fuller and his wife to establish this organization. Habitat provides an opportunity for people to put their faith and love into action, bringing diverse groups of people together to make affordable housing and better communities a reality for everyone. The idea of Habitat for Humanity is to work in partnership with God and people to build decent, affordable, houses in which people can live and grow into all what God has intended. The Fuller’s vision has become a successful reality that has presently helped build over 500,000 homes and helped over 2.5 million people worldwide. Habitat for humanity is operated based on two main sources: donations and mortgage payments of the homeowners. Donations generate from individuals, foundations, and businesses their monies are used to purchase land and materials. The no-interest mortgage payments made by current Habitat homeowners greatly contribute to support the construction of additional Habitat homes. Some organizations such as Ameri-Corp may pay their volunteers with school courses and materials in return for their time. Habitat for Humanity’s crucial point is not just to build a house and help people to be under a roof, but their main goal is to build a clean, decent, and stable house for families: these families can provide stability to their children, the sense of dignity and pride grows for these families; health, physical safety, and security improves, educational and job prospects. My experience at Habitat for Humanity was a powerful and passionate one. Amazingly, one of the most precious gifts we can give one another is – time. A couple of hours or days can translate into a lifetime of hopefulness and commitment to strive and I had the opportunity to experience this reality, throughout my experience at the Habitat. I have learned what the meaning of passion is mainly because I’ve had the genuine sentiment to finish the work I’ve started, along with many other people that shared this experience with me. The other thing that I discovered about passion is how easy it is to be a family with people you have met for the first time if you open your heart to them and let them be part of your life. The other thing I found about passion is the skills that I have that would help to repair the universe. In this experience I found something that has deepened my faith that God created each one of us uniquely with specific skills that not everybody has; therefore, this experience helped me to find skills that I am going to use to help building the world again with passion and also the experience and realize that the simple usage of my hands can a the life of a family. The people that I met at Habitat for Humanity were dedicated to their jobs. As I approached the job site, I noticed several groups of people who were putting their time and organization into this home-building project. They invested hundreds of hours of sweat into building houses to help low income families. Some days, community volunteers spend more than eight hours working on the houses. To complete their jobs, volunteers overcame obstacles such as: lack of supplies, unusable wood, and lack of enough workers. The employees and volunteers I met were motivated to overcome obstacles to help families in need. Though they may not have had the best materials, they used what they had in order to complete the job. Many of these materials come from the Re-Store; this store sells donations mostly given by the community. The funds collected are used for materials and other services that are required. Volunteers must be willing to work in the heat and endure a lot of intense physical labor. Wall-framing, installing dry wall, plumbing and roofing are skills that the organization needs from volunteers. The volunteers I worked with were willing to endure the heat and physical labor in order to help low income families who need a home. If you are looking for a place where you can make a huge impact on society, Habitat for Humanity is the place. People of all backgrounds, races, and religions are invited to build houses for people in our community. Habitat for Humanity is capable of working with each volunteer’s skill level. Don’t be afraid of hard work. No matter what goes on in your life, you will always remember all of the positive things you have done to help out in your community. In conclusion, Habitat for Humanity does such essential work and by that work they recognize the concept of passion and Christianity, and the other thing about them is they recognize that there are needs in the world and these needs should be met with their work. My experience helped me change my idea about service and the real meaning of service, and it let me be familiar with the big three R’s- restoration, reparation, and reconciliation that are the keys for service. The three R’s were spoken among many of the volunteers that I met, indeed the R’s simply describe this experience, the other thing I found is that dedicating myself is another important part of service because without dedicating myself, the work that we need to do to repair the universe would not be as perfect as how it should be.

Vietnam Is One Of The Developing Countries Tourism Essay

Vietnam Is One Of The Developing Countries Tourism Essay MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach is one of only the few large international players which are granted with permission for casino operation in Vietnam recently. In Vietnam, gambling is still a sensitive issue. On October 8 2012, Members of National Assemblys Standing Committee debated a draft decree on electronic gambling for foreigners. Mr. Vuong Dinh Due, Minister of Finance stated that this business was approved 20 years ago to entertain the demand of foreigners and attract more investment to the country. However, there are some current regulations on licensing conditions were not suitable anymore with the upcoming social-economic circumstance and some laws approved recently such as the Investment Law or Enterprise Law. Most members of the Standing Committee supported the new decree, which specify only foreigners and Vietnamese people who hold foreign passports or foreign residency permits are allowed to join the gaming function (VIETNAMNET 2012). Moreover, there was another draft decree on casino management released by Ministry of Finance stipulating that the foreign investors looking for a chance to open new casinos must inject at least US$ 4 billion to the project and they can only receive the casino operation licenses after they finish project development (Tu Giang 2012). Despite all strict rules and regulations from the government on this gaming industry, many projects are still on their way to set up or advance their scale of operations. In October 2012, Donaco Singapore which is controlled by two grandsons of Mr. Lim Goh Tong, the founder of Genting Berhad, has announced the share-sale agreement with Australian company Two Way Ltd. in the running of Lao Cai International Hotel, a premises had been licensed of gambling function and located near to the border with China. The hotel operated successfully which generated US$12.5 million of revenue and net profit after-tax was US$6.2 million in 2011 (Ngoc Linh 2012). Other large players in this sector are Silver Shores Hoang Dat Co. in Danang, Genting VinaCapital Co. in Hoi An, Royal International Co. in Lang Son and Hai Ninh Loi Lai Co. in Quang Ninh. Following a report by the Ministry of Finance, the revenue from prize electronics games has been risen gradually in recent years of around 10-15 per cent per annum and the total turnover in 2011 hit VND5 trillions (approximately US$ 240 millions) (Tran Thuy 2013). Meanwhile, ACDL started to kick off the second part of the MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach Project in October 2012 and Mr. Lloyd Nathan, CEO of ACDL, was confident to say that MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach is the only one integrated resort with a major US brand actually opens in Asia during the next five years (Linh Tu 2012). Together with the potential and economic benefits from the gaming sector, there are some social problems could be solved if the government really open the doors for the Vietnamese citizens to the casinos. In spite of the fact that gambling is illegal in Vietnam, there are many people still take participate in the underground gambling activities throughout the country. On November 29 2012, more than 200 police officers successfully caught over 100 gamblers and seized several billions Vietnamese Dong in the largest-ever gambling den in Northern Vietnam. Local residents believed that this gambling den had operated for decades and attracted gamblers from many provinces in Northern Vietnam (Nhung 2012). Besides, many Vietnamese people have crossed the border to go to Cambodia for gambling. Based on a survey by the Ministry of Public Securitys General Department of Crime Prevention and Control, it was estimated that around 3,600 Vietnamese citizens go to Cambodia on gambling purpose daily, and it could rise up to 5,000 on Saturdays (Tuoi Tre 2012). Naga Corp., the operator of a casino chain in Cambodia stated that 40% of their revenue came from Vietnamese (Tu Hoang 2012). It could be even worse if the gambler ran out of money in Cambodian gambling premises and he/she was kept by the lenders. Some of them committed suicide after that because they had mortgaged their own life for the betting money (Thanh Nien 2012). All of these issues could be dealt if the government carefully considers allowing the Vietnamese nationals come into the casino in domestic, so it is easier to control the gambler and reduce the negative impacts from illegal gambling. The next part will focus on the operation aspect of MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach to see how they are going to make profit from this project as well as the liabilities towards the society and their stakeholders. MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach, located in the Ba Ria Vung Tau province, is the first phase of Ho Tram Strip complex to be managed and branded by MGM Resorts International. It consists of 541 luxury guestrooms and suites in a hotel tower and 13,600 square metres are of gaming space which lays down 90 tables and 500 electronic gaming machines. There are also a 4,000 square metres conference and convention center which features state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment and lighting facilities. In addition, MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach comfort its guests by a full range of nine world-class restaurants which serves various kinds of cuisine such as Vietnamese, Cantonese, Japanese, French and three differently designed bar, lounge and ultra-lounge. All other facilities such as spa, retail shopping areas and beach recreational activities which are expected in any destination resort are also available to entertain all visitors. The second tower of MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach contains 559 guestrooms and suite s will bring the total room complement to 1,100 (ACDL 2012). Compared to other gaming hubs in Asia such as Macau or Singapore, the unique factor of this project is the site itself. It is one of stunning beauty-2.2km of beach. So whereas there are many resorts that are looking to create artificial beaches and artificial wave pools, we actually have the real thing on our doorstep, said Mr. Nathan Lloyd, CEO of ACDL (Jalal 2012). This is the wonderful place appeal to people to take their family vacation. Although the gaming sector is expected to have higher contribution to the revenue of the resort, non-gamers are still the important target. Within around 8 million Vietnamese people visiting Ba Ria Vung Tau province annually and many people go there as a weekend getaway, MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach with excellent non-gaming amenities would be the best choice of destination (ACDL 2012). On the gaming side, premium players are expected to come from places such as Mainland China, Korea, Japa n, Thailand and India as well. There are around 6 million foreign tourists come to Vietnam annually and many expatriates living in Vietnam would be the main source markets for the casino operation. The other source could be about 3.5 million Vietnamese people oversea who hold foreign passports or foreign residency permits and tend to come back to Vietnam at the Lunar New Year (Jalal 2012). Another key factor which could attract both gaming and non-gaming visitors to MGM Grand Ho Tram beach is the well-known MGM tradition of performances and live concerts around the year. These various activities would happen in many different places inside the resort such as ballroom, bar, ultra-lounge and beachside. The Greg Norman designed 18-hole Championship golf course which is expected to be completed in this year could be also the favorite destination of many VIP guests as well as golf players in the Asia region (Van 2012). In the other hand, MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach puts a great concern to its staffs and the local community. ACDL has created around 4,000 construction jobs and hired 2,000 people to work in the first phase of the MGM Grand Ho Tram. Mr. John Shigley, President and COO of MGM Grand Ho Tram, said the training programs would focus on the local market and be ongoing for the management and staff hired. After that, all staffs would receive extensive training in computer skills, language skills, customer service and all technical aspects of their jobs (Van 2012). MGM Resorts International also offered training and curriculum to many young Vietnamese students in a number of colleges and universities in Vietnam to work and make a strong start for their career (Jalal 2012). Beside the career development, MGM has some of the most strict and rigorous regulations and standards to monitor the gambling in casinos. MGM is interested in creating a regulated, secure and safe environment for gamers. There ar e measures would be taken to ensure only persons who could properly game would be allowed to do so. Whether Vietnamese can play or not depends on the laws of Vietnam, but we only allow foreigners, said CEO Nathan Lloyd (Tu Giang 2012). Asian Coast Development Limited, the owner of this Ho Tram Strip project, has shown its social responsibilities by many activities such as donation of 10 houses to Xuyen Moc Commune to improve the life of disadvantaged people in the local community. In October 17 2009, the Company visited and aided the flood victims in Quang Ngai Province with VND360 million in funds directly to the families worst affected by the storm. Also in October 2009, ACDL held a party for Ho Chi Minh Citys Dieu Giac orphanage after funding to provide an entirely new roof to the school and supply new recreational facilities for 126 children in this centre (ACDL 2012).

Male Homosexual Roles Among the Isthmus Zapotec of Southern Mexico Essa

Male Homosexual Roles Amog the Isthmus Zapotec of Southern Mexico Carlos and Javier are two men living in the city of Juchit∠«n, Mexico. They work at a small hotel just off the z-calo, the main town square. Sometimes they converge with other men outside the hotel to watch people as they walk past in the z-calo. As nearly anywhere in Mexico, the men comment and nudge each other when an attractive woman passes, but Carlos and Javier remain silent throughout the exchange. It is not until an attractive young man walks by that they speak up. ÃÆ' £ÃƒÆ'Uy, que guapo!ÃÆ' ¤ Carlos exclaims: ÃÆ' £Ah, how handsome!ÃÆ' ¤ÃƒÆ'Ã…   Carlos and Javier are muxeÃÆ' ¢, the effeminate male homosexuals of Isthmus Zapotec culture. Male homosexuality and transvestism is present in many if not most Native American societies to at least some degree, notably the DinZh, Lakota, Tohono OÃÆ' ¢odham, and so on. In pre-Hispanic Mexico, homosexuals were common and respected in most area cultures. With the advent of the Spaniards, however, homosexuals and transvestites were pushed further and further to the margins of society, branded as deviants and persecuted under the influence of a rampant machismo. Only in a few places did homosexuality survive as a common and respected practice. The Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Oaxaca state at the very south of Mexico, home to the Zapotec people, is one of these places. I was privileged to spend July and August of 2000 living among the Zapotec in the city of Juchit∠«n. I was intrigued by the position of homosexuals in this culture, and following are some of my efforts to understand them. MuxeÃÆ' ¢ is the Zapotec word for effeminate male homosexuals, though the origins of the word remain in debate. Probably the word derives from the Span... ...to peoples like the Zapotec as we try to determine how to respond. North Americans have much to learn from a society that extends to homosexuals an acknowledged and respected role. [1]Bennholdt-Thomsen, p. 280 [2]The word mayate is a Mexican Spanish term for a Coleoptera beetles. [3]Bennholdt-Thomsen, p. 304 [4] CAAN, p. 40 [5]Bennholdt-Thomsen, p. 293-294 References: Bennholdt-Thomsen, et al.Juchit∠«n, la ciudad de las mujeres. Oaxaca, Mexico: Instituto OaxaqueÃÆ' ºo de las Culturas.ÃÆ'Ã…   1997. Canadian Aboriginal Aids Network, Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS, and Health Canada. Hands Across the World: An Indigenous Peoples Forum. Final Report, July 17, 1999 AIDS Impact Conference. Ottawa: Blue Moon Consulting.ÃÆ'Ã…   1999. ChiÃÆ' ºas, Beverly L. The Isthmus Zapotecs: WomenÃÆ' ¢s Roles in Cultural Context. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. 1973.

The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 7

Elena woke to the sound of Damon impatiently rapping on the window of the Prius. She was fully clothed, clutching her diary to her. It was the day after Matt had left them. â€Å"Did you sleep all night like that?† Damon asked, looking her up and down as Elena rubbed her eyes. As usual, he was immaculately dressed: all in black, of course. Heat and humidity had no effect on him. â€Å"I've had my breakfast,† he said shortly, getting in the driver's seat. â€Å"And I brought you this.† This was a styrofoam cup of steaming coffee, which Elena clutched as gratefully as if it were Black Magic wine, and a brown paper bag that proved to contain donuts. Not exactly the most nutritious breakfast, but Elena craved the caffeine and sugar. â€Å"I need a rest stop,† Elena warned as Damon coolly seated himself behind the wheel and started the car. â€Å"To change my clothes and wash my face and things.† They headed directly west, which accorded with what Elena had found by looking at a map on the Internet last night. The small image on her mobile phone matched the Prius's navigation system readout. They had both shown that Sedona, Arizona, lay on an almost perfectly straight horizontal line from the small rural road where Damon had parked overnight in Arkansas. But soon Damon was turning south, taking a roundabout route of his own that might or might not confuse any pursuers. By the time they found a rest stop, Elena's bladder was about to burst. She spent an unashamed half hour in the women's room, doing her best to wash with paper towels and cold water, brushing her hair, and changing into new jeans and a fresh white top that laced up the front like a corset. After all, one of these days she just might have another out of body experience while napping and see Stefan again. What she didn't want to think about was that with Matt's departure, she was left alone with Damon, an untamed vampire, traveling through the middle of the United States toward a destination that was literally out of this world. When Elena finally emerged from the restroom, Damon was cold and expressionless – although she noticed that he took the time to look her over just the same. Oh, damn, Elena thought. I left my diary in the car. She was as certain that he'd read it as if she'd seen him doing it, and she was glad that there was nothing in it about leaving her body and finding Stefan. Although she believed Damon wanted to free Stefan, too – she wouldn't be in this car with him if she didn't – she also felt that it was better that he didn't know she had gotten there first. Damon enjoyed being in charge of things as much as she did. He also enjoyed Influencing each police officer who pulled him over for blasting the speed limit. But today he was short-tempered even by his own standards. Elena knew from firsthand experience that Damon could make himself remarkably good company when he chose, telling outrageous stories and jokes until the most prejudiced and taciturn of passengers would laugh in spite of themselves. But today he wouldn't even reply to Elena's questions, much less laugh at her own jokes. The one time she tried to make physical contact, touching his arm lightly, he jerked away as if her touch might ruin his black leather jacket. Fine, terrific, Elena thought, depressed. She leaned her head against the window and stared at the scenery, which all looked alike. Her mind wandered. Where was Matt now? Ahead of them or behind? Had he gotten any rest last night? Was he driving through Texas now? Was he eating properly? Elena blinked away tears, which welled up whenever she remembered the way he had walked away from her without a backward look. Elena was a manager. She could make almost any situation turn out okay, as long as the people around her were normal, sane beings. And managing boys was her speciality. She'd been handling them – steering them – since junior high. But now, approximately two and a half weeks since she had come back from death, from some spirit world that she didn't remember, she didn't want to steer anyone. That was what she loved about Stefan. Once she'd gotten past his reflexive instinct to keep away from anything he cherished, she didn't need to manage him at all. He was maintenance-free, except for the gentlest of hints that she'd turned herself into an expert on vampires. Not at hunting them or slaying them, but at loving them safely. Elena knew when it was right to bite or be bitten, and when to stop, and how to keep herself human. But apart from those gentle hints, she didn't even want to manage Stefan. She wanted simply to be with him. After that, everything took care of itself. Elena could live without Stefan – she thought. But just as being away from Meredith and Bonnie was like living without her two hands, living without Stefan would be like trying to live without her heart. He was her partner in the Great Dance; her equal and her opposite; her beloved and her lover in the purest sense imaginable. He was the other half of the Sacred Mysteries of Life to her. And after seeing him last night, even if it had been a dream, which she wasn't willing to accept, Elena missed him so much that it was a throbbing pain inside her. A pain so great that she couldn't bear to just sit and dwell on it. If she did she might just go insane and start raving at Damon to drive faster – and Elena might hurt inside, but she wasn't suicidal. They stopped at some nameless town for lunch. Elena had no appetite, but Damon spent the entire break as a bird, which for some reason infuriated her. By the time they were driving again, the tension in the car had built until the old clich was impossible to avoid: you could cut it with a folded napkin, much less a knife, Elena thought. That was when she realized exactly what kind of tension it was. The one thing that was saving Damon was his pride. He knew that Elena had things figured out. She'd stopped trying to touch him or even speak to him. And that was good. He wasn't supposed to be feeling like this. Vampires wanted girls for their pretty white throats, and Damon's sense of esthetics demanded that the rest of the donor be at least up to his standards. But now even Elena's human-sized aura was advertising the unique life-force in her blood. And Damon's response was involuntary. He had not even thought about a girl in this way for approximately five hundred years. Vampires weren't capable of it. But Damon was – very capable – now. And the closer he got to Elena, the stronger her aura was around him, and the weaker was his control. Thank all the little demons in hell, his pride was stronger than the desire he felt. Damon had never asked for anything from anyone in his life. He paid for the blood he took from humans in his own particular coin: of pleasure and fantasy and dreams. But Elena didn't need fantasy; didn't want dreams. Didn't want him. She wanted Stefan. And Damon's pride would never allow him to ask Elena for what he alone desired, and equally it would never allow him to take it without her consent†¦he hoped. Just a few days ago he had been an empty shell, his body a puppet of the kitsune twins, who had made him hurt Elena in ways that now made him cringe inside. Damon hadn't existed then as a personality, but his body had been Shinichi's to play with. And although he scarcely could believe it, the takeover had been so complete that his shell had obeyed Shinichi's every command: he had tormented Elena; he might well have killed her. There was no point in disbelieving it; or saying that it couldn't be true. It was true. It had happened. Shinichi was that much stronger when it came to mind control, and the kitsune had none of the vampires' detachment about pretty girls – below the neck. Besides which, he happened to be a sadist. He liked pain – other people's, that is. Damon couldn't deny the past, couldn't wonder why he hadn't â€Å"awakened† to stop Shinichi from hurting Elena. There had been nothing of him to awaken. And if a solitary part of his mind still wept because of the evil he had done – well, Damon was good at blocking it out. He wouldn't waste time over regrets, but he was intent on controlling the future. It would never happen again – not and leave him still alive. What Damon really couldn't understand was why Elena was pushing him. Acting as if she trusted him. Of all the people in the world, she was the one with the most right to hate him, to point an accusing finger at him. But she had never once done that. She had never even looked at him with anger in her dark blue, gold-spattered eyes. She alone had seemed to understand that someone as completely possessed by the master of the malach, Shinichi, as Damon had been, simply had no choice – wasn't there to make a choice – in what he or she did. Maybe it was because she'd pulled the thing the malach had created out of him. The pulsating, albino, second body that had been inside him. Damon forced himself to repress a shudder. He only knew this because Shinichi had jovially mentioned it, while taking away all Damon's memories of the time since the two of them, kitsune and vampire, had met in the Old Wood. Damon was glad to have had the memories gone. From the moment he had locked gazes with the fox spirit's laughing golden eyes, his life had been poisoned. And now†¦right now he was alone with Elena, in the middle of the wilderness, with towns few and far between. They were utterly, uniquely alone, with Damon helplessly wanting from Elena what every human boy she'd ever encountered had wanted. Worst of all was the fact that charming girls, deceiving girls, was practically Damon's own raison d'tre. It was certainly the only reason he'd been able to keep on living for the past half millennium. And yet he knew that he must not, must not even start the process with this one girl who, to him, was the jewel lying on the dungheap of humanity. To all appearances, he was perfectly in control, icy and precise, distant and disinterested. The truth was that he was going out of his mind. That night, after making sure that Elena had food and water and was safely locked into the Prius, Damon called down a damp fog and began to weave his darkest wards. These were announcements to any sisters or brothers of the night who might come upon the car that the girl inside it was under Damon's protection; and that Damon would hunt down and flay alive anyone who even disturbed the girl's rest†¦and then he'd get around to really punishing the culprit. Damon then flew a few miles south as a crow, found a dive with a pack of werewolves drinking in it and a few charming barmaids serving them, and brawled and bled the night away. But it wasn't enough to distract him – not nearly enough. In the morning, returning early, he saw the wards around the car in tatters. Before he could panic, he realized that Elena had broken them from the inside. There had been no warning to him because of her peaceful intent and innocent heart. And then Elena herself appeared, coming up the bank of a stream, looking clean and refreshed. Damon was stricken speechless by the very sight of her. By her grace, by her beauty, by the unbearable closeness of her. He could smell her freshly washed skin, and couldn't help deliberately breathing in more and more of her unique fragrance. He didn't see how he could put up with another day of this. And then Damon suddenly had an Idea. â€Å"Would you like to learn something that would help you to control that aura of yours?† he asked as she passed him, heading for the car. Elena threw him a sidelong glance. â€Å"So you've decided to talk to me again. Am I supposed to faint with joy?† â€Å"Well – that would always be appreciated – â€Å" â€Å"Would it?† she said sharply, and Damon realized that he had underestimated the storm he had brewed inside this formidable girl. â€Å"No. Now, I'm being serious,† he said, fixing his dark gaze on her. â€Å"I know. You're going to tell me to become a vampire to help control my Power.† â€Å"No, no, no. This has nothing to do with being a vampire.† Damon refused to be drawn into an argument and that must have impressed Elena, because finally she said, â€Å"What is it, then?† â€Å"It's learning how to circulate your Power. Blood circulates, yes? And Power can be circulated, too. Even humans have known that for centuries, whether they call it life-force or chi or ki. As it is, you're simply dissipating your Power into the air. That's an aura. But if you learn to circulate it, you can build it up for some really big release, and you can be more inconspicuous as well.† Elena was clearly fascinated. â€Å"Why didn't you tell me before?† Because I'm stupid, Damon thought. Because to vampires it's as instinctive as breathing is to you. He lied unblushingly. â€Å"It takes a certain level of competence to accomplish.† â€Å"And I can do it now?† â€Å"I think so.† Damon put slight uncertainty in his voice. Naturally, this made Elena even more determined. â€Å"Show me!† she said. â€Å"You mean right now?† He glanced around. â€Å"Someone might drive by – â€Å" â€Å"We're off the road. Oh, please, Damon? Please?† Elena looked at Damon with the huge blue eyes that altogether too many males had found irresistible. She touched his arm, trying once more to make some kind of contact, but when he automatically drew away, she continued, â€Å"I really do want to learn. You can teach me. Just show me once, and I'll practice.† Damon glanced down at his arm, felt his good sense and his will wavering. How does she do that? â€Å"All right.† He sighed. There were at least three or four billion people on this dust mote of a planet that would give anything to be with this warm and eager, yearning Elena Gilbert. The problem was that he happened to be one of them – and that she clearly didn't give a damn for him. Of course not. She had dear Stefan. Well, he would see if his princess was still the same when – if – she managed to free Stefan and get out of their destination alive. Meanwhile, Damon concentrated on keeping his voice, face, and aura all dispassionate. He'd had some practice at that. Only five centuries' worth, but it added up. â€Å"First I have to find the place,† he told her, hearing the lack of warmth in his voice, the tone that was not merely dispassionate but actually cold. Elena's expression didn't flicker. She could be dispassionate, too. Even her deep blue eyes seemed to have taken on a frosty glint. â€Å"All right. Where is it?† â€Å"Near where the heart is, but more to the left. He touched Elena's sternum, and then moved his fingers to the left. Elena fought back both tension and a shiver – he could see it. Damon was probing for the place where the flesh became soft over bone, the place most humans assumed their heart was because it was where they could feel their heart beating. It should be right around†¦here†¦. â€Å"Now, I'll run your Power through one or two circulations, and when you can do it by yourself – that's when you'll be ready to really conceal your aura.† â€Å"But how will I know?† â€Å"You'll know, believe me.† He didn't want her to ask questions, so he simply held up one hand in front of her – not touching her flesh or even her clothing – and brought her life-force in synchronization with his. There. Now, to set the process off. He knew what it would feel like to Elena: an electric shock, starting at the point where he had first touched her and quickly spreading warmth through her body. Then, a rapid montage of sensations as he went through a practice rotation or two with her. Up toward him, to her eyes and ears, where she would suddenly find she could see and hear much better, then down her spine and out to her fingertips, while her heartbeat quickened and she felt something like electricity in her palms. Back up her arm and down the side of her body, at which point a tremor would set in. Finally, the energy would sweep down her magnificent leg all the way to her feet, where she would feel it in her soles, curling her toes, before coming back around to where it had started near her heart. Damon heard Elena gasp faintly when the shock first hit her, and then felt her heartbeat race and her eyelashes flicker as the world suddenly became much lighter to her; her pupils dilating as if she were in love, her body going rigid at the tiny sound of some rodent in the grass – a sound she would never have heard without Power directed to her ears. And so, all around her body, once, and then again, so she could get a feel for the process. Then he let her go. Elena was panting and exhausted; and he'd been the one expending energy. â€Å"I'll never – be able – to do that alone,† she gasped. â€Å"Yes, you will, in time and with practice. And when you can do it, you'll be able to control all your Power.† â€Å"If you†¦say so.† Elena's eyes were shut now, her lashes dark crescents on her cheeks. It was clear that she'd been pushed to her limit. Damon felt the temptation to draw her to him, but suppressed it. Elena had made it clear that she didn't want him embracing her. I wonder just how many boys she didn't push away, Damon thought abruptly, bitterly. That surprised him a little, the bitterness. Why should he care how many boys had handled Elena? When he made her his Princess of Darkness, they would both go hunting for human prey – sometimes together, sometimes alone. He wouldn't be jealous of her then. Why should he care how many romantic encounters she'd had now? But he found that he was bitter, bitter and angry enough that he answered without warmth, â€Å"I do say you will. Just practice doing it alone.† In the car, Damon managed to stay annoyed with Elena. This was difficult, as she was a perfect traveling companion. She didn't chatter, didn't try to hum or – thank fortune – sing along with the radio, didn't chew gum or smoke, didn't backseat drive, didn't need too many rest stops, and never asked â€Å"Are we there yet?† As a matter of fact, it was difficult for anyone, male or female, to stay annoyed at Elena Gilbert for any length of time. You couldn't say she was too exuberant, like Bonnie, or too serene, like Meredith. Elena was just sweet enough to offset her bright, active, ever-scheming mind. She was just compassionate enough to make up for her self-confessed egotism, and just skewed enough to ensure that no one would ever call her normal. She was intensely loyal to her friends and just forgiving enough that she herself considered almost no one an enemy – kitsune and Old Ones of the vampire kind excepted. She was honest and frank and loving, and of course she had a dark streak in her that her friends simply called wild, but that Damon recognized for what it really was. It compensated for the naà ¯ve, soft, ingenuous side of her nature. Damon was very sure that he didn't need any of those qualities in her, especially right now. Oh, yes†¦and Elena Gilbert was just gorgeous enough to make any of her negative characteristics completely irrelevant. But Damon was determined to be annoyed and he was strong-willed enough that he could usually choose his mood and stick to it, appropriate or not. He ignored all of Elena's attempts at conversation, and eventually she gave up trying to make them. He kept his mind pinned to the dozens of boys and men whom the exquisite girl beside him must have bedded. He knew that Elena, Caroline, and Meredith had been the â€Å"senior† members of the quartet when they had all been friends, while little Bonnie had been the youngest and had been considered a bit too naà ¯ve to be fully initiated. So why was he with Elena now? he found himself asking sourly, wondering for just the slightest second if Shinichi was manipulating him as well as taking his memories. Did Stefan ever worry about her past – especially with an old boyfriend – Mutt – still hanging around, willing to give his very life for her? Stefan must not, or he'd have put a stop – no, how could Stefan put a stop to anything Elena wanted to do? Damon had seen the clash of their wills, even when Elena had been a child mentally just after returning from the afterlife. When it came to Stefan and Elena's relationship, Elena was definitely in control. As humans said: She wore the trousers in the family. Well, soon enough she could see how she liked wearing harem trousers, Damon thought, laughing silently, although his mood was darker than ever. The sky over the car darkened further in response, and wind ripped summer leaves from branches before their time. Cat's paws of rain dotted the windshield, and then came the flash of lightning and the echoing sound of thunder. Elena jumped slightly, involuntarily, every time the thunder let loose. Damon watched this with grim satisfaction. He knew she knew that he could control the weather. Neither of them said a single word about it. She won't beg, he thought, feeling that quick savage pride in her again and then feeling annoyance with himself for being so soft. They passed a motel, and Elena followed the blurry electric signs with her eyes, looking over her shoulder until it was lost in darkness. Damon didn't want to stop driving. Didn't dare stop, really. They were headed into a really nasty storm now, and occasionally the Prius hydroplaned, but Damon managed to keep it under control – barely. He enjoyed driving in these conditions. It was only when a sign proclaimed that the next place of shelter was over a hundred miles away that Damon, without consulting Elena, swung into a flooding driveway and stopped the car. The clouds had let loose by then; the rain was coming down in bucketfuls; and the room Damon got was a small outbuilding, separated from the main motel. The solitude suited Damon just fine.

Movie Analysis - Amistad essays

Movie Analysis - Amistad essays Courage, perseverance and hope are clearly seen through the actions of several Africans and their Big Man Cinque, who over-ran the slave ship La Amistad in an attempt to go home. Fifty-three native Africans fate is chosen by a dung scraper, a unknown attorney looking for a case, but that is only skin deep. Not only does this dung scraper know what he is talking about but he is the one who can and will free them from bondage. There are two other men who play a very drastic role in the fate of Cinque and his people; those men are John Quincy Adams and Theodore Joadson. John Quincy Adams is not highly regarded among his colleagues and is seen as a drooling fool who sleeps half of the time during the meetings on Capitol Hill. Others feel that the only reason that he is well known is because of his middle name not true. John Q. Adams was a great man, filled with knowledge and wisdom which many people do not acquire in a lifetime. When it came down to the line John followed through, he triumphed over evil by doing what was right at the right time. One thing that Mr. Adams stated to the United States Supreme Court was "The constant and perpetual will to secure to every one HIS OWN right." Essentially John knew that Cinque wanted and needed freedom, which is what every person on this planet wants and needs. John Quincy Adams fought and won freedom for them. There is one man that did not do the right thing, President Martin Van Buren. Two words sum up his presidency, Bill Clinton. His only want and will to be in office, was to be in office. The only thing he was concerned about was his reputation, and not to be in office when the civil war began. That was the last thing he wanted on his head. So instead of helping 53 native Africans return to their families, homes and friends, he made it all the more difficult for Baldwin, Theodore Joadson and John Adams to win the case in the U.S. Supreme court. ...

Early Explorers of Africa

Early Explorers of Africa Even in the 18th century, much of the interior of Africa was unfamiliar to Europeans. Most of their time in Africa was limited to trade along the coast, first in gold, ivory, spices, and later slaves. In 1788 Joseph Banks, the botanist whod sailed across the Pacific Ocean with Cook, went as far as to found the African Association to promote the exploration of the interior of the continent. Ibn Battuta Ibn Battuta (1304-1377) traveled over 100,000 kilometers from his home in Morocco. According to the book he dictated, he traveled as far as Beijing and the Volga River; scholars say its unlikely he traveled everywhere he claims to have. James Bruce James Bruce (1730-94) was a Scottish explorer who set off from Cairo in 1768 to find the source of the River Nile. He arrived at Lake Tana in 1770, confirming that this lake was the origin of the Blue Nile, one of the tributaries of the Nile. Mungo Park Mungo Park (1771-1806) was hired by the African Association in 1795 to explore the River Niger. When the Scotsman returned to Britain having reached the Niger, he was disappointed by the lack of public recognition of his achievement and that he was not acknowledged as a great explorer. In 1805 he set out to follow the Niger to its source. His canoe was ambushed by tribesmen at the Bussa Falls and he drowned. Renà ©-Auguste Caillià © Renà ©-Auguste Caillià © (1799-1838), a Frenchman, was the first European to visit Timbuktu and survive to tell the tale. Hed disguised himself as an Arab to make the trip. Imagine his disappointment when he discovered that the city wasnt made of gold, as legend said, but of mud. His journey started in West Africa in March 1827, headed towards Timbuktu where he stayed for two weeks. He then crossed the Sahara (the first European to do so) in a caravan of 1,200 animals, then the Atlas Mountains to reach Tangier in 1828, from where he sailed home to France. Heinrich Barth Heinrich Barth (1821-1865) was a German working for the British government. His first expedition (1844-1845)was from Rabat (Morocco) across the coast of North Africa to Alexandria (Egypt). His second expedition (1850-1855) took him from Tripoli (Tunisia) across the Sahara to Lake Chad, the River Benue, and Timbuktu, and back across the Sahara again. Samuel Baker Samuel Baker (1821-1893) was the first European to see the Murchison Falls and Lake Albert, in 1864. He was actually hunting for the source of the Nile. Richard Burton Richard Burton (1821-1890) was not only a great explorer but also a great scholar (he produced the first unabridged translation of The Thousand Nights and a Night). His most famous exploit is probably his dressing as an Arab and visiting the holy city of Mecca (in 1853) which non-Muslims are forbidden to enter. In 1857 he and Speke set off from the east coast of Africa (Tanzania) to find the source of the Nile. At Lake Tanganyika Burton fell seriously ill, leaving Speke to travel on alone. John Hanning Speke John Hanning Speke (1827-1864) spent 10 years with the Indian Army before starting his travels with Burton in Africa. Speke discovered Lake Victoria in August 1858 which he initially believed to be the source of the Nile. Burton didnt believe him and in 1860 Speke set out again, this time with James Grant. In July 1862 he found the source of the Nile, the Ripon Falls north of Lake Victoria. David Livingstone David Livingstone (1813-1873) arrived in Southern Africa as a missionary with the aim of improving the life of Africans through European knowledge and trade. A qualified doctor and minister, he had worked in a cotton mill near Glasgow, Scotland, as a boy. Between 1853 and 1856 he crossed Africa from west to east, from Luanda (in Angola) to Quelimane (in Mozambique), following the Zambezi River to the sea. Between 1858 and 1864 he explored the Shire and Ruvuma river valleys and Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi). In 1865 he set off to find the source of the River Nile. Henry Morton Stanley Henry Morton Stanley (1841-1904) was a journalist sent by the New York Herald to find Livingstone who had been presumed dead for four years as no-one in Europe had heard from him. Stanley found him at Uiji on the edge of Lake Tanganyika in Central Africa on 13 November 1871. Stanleys words Dr. Livingstone, I presume? have gone down in the history as one of the greatest understatements ever. Dr. Livingstone is said to have replied, You have brought me new life. Livingstone had missed the Franco-Prussian War, the opening of the Suez Canal, and the inauguration of the transatlantic telegraph. Livingstone refused to return to Europe with Stanley and continued on his journey to find the source of the Nile. He died in May 1873 in the swamps around Lake Bangweulu. His heart and viscera were buried, then his body was carried to Zanzibar, from where it was shipped to Britain. He was buried at Westminster Abbey in London. Unlike Livingstone, Stanley was motivated by fame and fortune. He traveled in large, well-armed expeditions he had 200 porters on his expedition to find Livingstone, who often traveled with only a few bearers. Stanleys second expedition set off from Zanzibar towards Lake Victoria (which he sailed around in his boat, the Lady Alice), then headed into Central Africa towards Nyangwe and the Congo (Zaire) River, which he followed for some 3,220 kilometers from its tributaries to the sea, reaching Boma in August 1877. He then set off back into Central Africa to find Emin Pasha, a German explorer believed to be in danger from warring cannibals. The German explorer, philosopher, and journalist Carl Peters (1856-1918) played a significant role in the creation of Deutsch-Ostafrika (German East Africa) A leading figure in the Scramble for Africa Peters was ultimately vilified for his cruelty to Africans and removed from office. He was, however, considered a hero by the German emperor Wilhelm II and Adolf Hitler. Mary Kingsley's Mary Kingsleys (1862-1900) father spent most of his life accompanying noblemen around the world, keeping diaries and notes which he hoped to publish. Educated at home, she learned the rudiments of natural history from him and his library. He employed a tutor to teach his daughter German so she could help him translate scientific papers. His comparative study of sacrificial rites around the world was his major passion and it was Marys desire to complete this which took her to West Africa after her parents deaths in 1892 (within six weeks of each other). Her two journeys werent remarkable for their geological exploration, but were remarkable for being undertaken, alone, by a sheltered, middle-class, Victorian spinster in her thirties without any knowledge of African languages or French, or much money (she arrived in West Africa with only  £300). Kingsley did collect specimens for science, including a new fish which was named after her. She died nursing prisoners of war in Simons Town (Cape Town) during the Anglo-Boer War. The article is a revised and expanded version of that first published on 25 June 2001.

Antoni gaudí was a spanish catalan architect who worked during the modernism The WritePass Journal

Antoni gaudà ­ was a spanish catalan architect who worked during the modernism Introduction Antoni gaudà ­ was a spanish catalan architect who worked during the modernism IntroductionBibliographyRelated Introduction Antoni Gaudà ­ (25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Spanish Catalan architect, who worked during the Modernism (Art Nouveau) and became famous for his unique and highly individualistic designs regarded as beyond the scope of Modernism. As in the rest of Spain, each town and region of Catalonia prides itself on its distinctly individual characters or flavour. While there is some conflict as to his birthplace official documents state that he was born in the town of  Reus, whereas others claim he was born in  Riudoms, a small village  Reus  it is certain that he was baptized in Reus a day, after his birth. He attends school in Reus where the secondary institute is now named for him. His penchant for drawing and architectural studies was already illustrated in schoolboy’s projects. I believe that Gaudi’s was modernist and in my opinion, this appears during his youngth; Gaudà ­ was suffering many times from the rheumatic fevers, that were common at the time. This illness caused him to spend much time in isolation and he preferred to stay nature alone. Because of his  rheumatism, the artist observed a strict vegetarian diet, used  homeopathic  drug therapy, underwent  water therapy, and hiked regularly. Long walks, besides suppressing his rheumatism, further allowed him to experience nature. It was this exposure to nature at an early age which is thought to have inspired him to incorporate natural shapes and themes into his later work. Gaudà ­s first works were designed in the style of  gothic architecture and traditional Catalan architectural modes but he developed his own distinct sculptural style soon. As Gaudi says, â€Å"he was so inspired by nature† because: Those who look for the laws of Nature as a support for their new works collaborate with the Creator. Eugene Viollet-le-Duc, a French architect   who promoted an evolved form of gothic architecture, proved a major influence on Gaudi. The student went on to contrive highly original designs – irregularly and fantastically intricate. Some of his greatest jobs, the most notably  is â€Å"La Sagrada Famà ­lia†, that has an almost hallucinatory force. I would like to say about the parabolic arches, the mushroom columns an helical shapes all of these are the best for him†¦ the most important who demonstrates that modernity means a lot in his life as architect as and   his works.   Gaudi, throughout his life, studied natures angles and curves and he incorporated them into his designs and mosaics. Instead of relying on geometric shapes, he mimicked the way men stand upright. The  hyperboloids and  paraboloids that he borrowed from nature, were easily been reinforced by steel rods and allowed his designs to look like elements from the environment. As you  say, and then  many of  the projects  had  elements of modernism  that  seemed  to change  his style  from  the  influences  and  the various  events  in life everyday†¦ everytime. The Spanish art-nouveau developed within the Catalan Renaixenca over the turn of the century. It was stimulated by the art nouveau of Paris where many Catalan intellectuals resided and by the similar Jugendstil movement of Germany. Gaudi had already employed some of the most characteristics Art Nouveau elements such as long curvilinear forms and free-stylized plants in his buildings as early as the mid 1880 well in advance of Art Nouveau where else. We have noticed this in the Palacio Guell and it is particularly vivid in his furniture of this epoch. The Casa Calvet (1898-1904) is the building by Gaudi that best typifies the nascent Modernismo. The faà §ade is a rather conventional Barcelona one, enlivened here and there by the fluid rococo and Art Nouveau details that appeared together at this moment. The latter are most advanced in the iron derricks at the top in the plant motifs of the owner’s oriel window and in tiny fronds amongst the iron balconies. Gaudà ­ scholars agree that this building is the most conventional of his works, partly because it had to be squeezed in between older structures and partly; it was sited in one of the most elegant sections of Barcelona. Its symmetry, balance and orderly rhythm are unusual for Gaudi’s works. However, the curves and double gable at the top, the projecting oriel at the entrance almost baroque in its drama, and isolated witty details are modernista elements. Columns flanking the entrance are in the form of stacked bobbins an allusion to the family business of textil e manufacture. Lluà ­s Permanyer claims that the gallery at ground level is the facades the most outstanding feature, a daring combination of wrought iron and a stone in which decorative historical elements such as a cypress, an olive tree, horns of plenty, and the Catalan coat of arms can be discerned. The Casa Batllo and the Casa Mila demonstrate that Gaudi was pursuing something more universal in Nature than the flowery ornament and whiplash lines of his Modernista compatriots. The Sagrada Familia church and the Colonia Guell chapel, in favor of which in 1910 he withdrew from almost all his other work. His reason still needs to be explored psychologically for the latter action. Taste in Catalonia was veering away from him in a typical classicistic reaction against Modernismo. The  Sagrada Famà ­lia, is a large  Roman Catholic  church in  Barcelona,  Catalonia,  Spain, designed by Catalan architect  Antoni Gaudà ­Ã‚  (1852–1926). Although in complete, the church is a UNESCO  World Heritage Site and in November 2010 it was consecrated and proclaimed a  minor basilica by  Pope Benedict  XVI. Though construction of Sagrada Famà ­lia had begun in  1882; Gaudà ­ became involved in 1883, taking over the project and transforming the project with his architectural and engineering style combining Gothic and curvilinear,  Art Nouveau formswith ambitious structural columns and arches. Gaudà ­ devoted his last years to the project and at the time of his death in 1926, less than a quarter of the project was complete.  Sagrada Famà ­lias construction progressed slowly as it relied on private donations and was interrupted by the  Spanish Civil War only to resume intermittent progress in the 1950s. Construction passed the mid-poi nt in 2010 with some of the projects greatest challenges remainingand an anticipated completion date of 2026 the centennial of Gaudà ­s death. In November 2010 consecrated Sagrada Familia and the interior of the church is open and accessible giving a spectacular view of the expansive forest like interior. The use of external light through the stain glass windows and the Glory of God window in the roof is ever changing and dynamic. The elevators that take you up to the various viewing points in the spires give access to a multitude of viewpoints that provide unique vistas of the Cathedral a Gaudà ­s first jobs that were designed in the style of gothic architecture and traditional Catalan architectural modes, but he soon developed his own distinct sculptural style. In my opinion,  another interested project is the  church  of Colà ²nia  Guell  which  is obvious  that it has passed  the  age  of  modernity.  This is illustrated by  the  details  of the building  like the shapes  that  have given  in every part of it. The Church of Colà ²nia Gà ¼ell, an unfinished work   by Antoni Gaudà ­. The technique that Gaudà ­ used to design the church was to hang little bags of birdshot from chains. Gravity would pull these bags downwards, giving even weight distribution and stretching the chains to form a model structure, thus showing him the shapes and angles his pillars would need to be. By using a mirror placed under the model, then Gaudà ­ could see the model as it should be looked. A replica of his model for the crypt is in the Museum under the Sagrada Famà ­lia in Barcelona. The model looks dated; however this would allow Gaudà ­ to perform designs, it could be done only by the computers, at this time. It put him a good 75 years ahead of the designs of the time. The art of Antonio Gaudi is not easily reduced to the scope of a book or a photograph even in color. Bibliography Frederike Mà ¼ller, Lars Wendt:  The Architect Antoni Gaudà ­. Myth and Reality, wendtfilm Cinà © Canard, Germany 2006. Rainer Zerbst   Antoni Gaudà ­,  Taschen, 2002.. Antonio Gaudi by George R.Collins (masters of world archeticture). Antoni Gaudi (James Johnson Sweeney and Josep Lluis Sert)

High School Journals English 1 for lesson 5 and 6 Essay

High School Journals English 1 for lesson 5 and 6 - Essay Example We are more than satisfied. You taught her things to do, how to behave. She's more manageable, cleaner. Annie Sullivan: Cleaner? Captain Arthur Keller: Well, we say cleanliness is next to godliness. Annie Sullivan: Cleanliness is next to nothing! Give me more time with her. Captain Arthur Keller: Look, what's she spelling? Teaching a dog to spell? The dog doesn't know what she means any more than she knows what you mean, Miss Sullivan. I think you ask too much of her and yourself. God may not have meant Helen to have the eyes you speak of. Annie Sullivan: I mean her to." This section of the play is informative in a number of ways. Firstly, it shows how Captain Arthur Keller feels towards his daughter, describing her as a 'dog'. It illustrates the attitudes of people at the time towards people who are deaf, blind and mute, and allows the achievements of Helen Keller to seem even more amazing than they previously did. Helen Keller survived and accomplished a lot despite this negative a ttitude from her father. The determination of Annie Sullivan is also illustrated well here, as she demands another week with Keller to help improve her spelling and other skills. She demands this time despite the protests of her boss, and is determined that Keller should be able to learn all the skills available to other children. It was the determination of Annie Sullivan against all odds that has allowed the development of Helen Keller into the famous figure she is today. Lesson 5 Journal Entry 3 The theme I have chosen for my interpretive essay on The Miracle Worker is perception. The main role of perception in this play is that it is a contrast between someone without typical perception, Helen Keller, and those around her with normal perception. It is about how the characters in the play assume that Keller cannot learn language because of her deafness, blindness and muteness. The perception of Keller also changes because Annie Sullivan shows that it is possible for someone with these setbacks to possess language and become involved in daily life. Lesson 5 Journal Entry 4 This entry is written from the perspective of Anagnos. Today, I awoke and performed my daily ablutions before walking to the Perkin's Institute for the Blind. I have a meeting with Annie today, someone who I placed into the home of a girl who is not only blind, but deaf and mute; Helen Keller. She's a highly intelligent girl with a lot to give as governess, although she tends to have a high opinion of herself and believe she can work miracles. It is both a blessing and a curse to have someone so dedicated working with the blind, as she gets rather frustrated when she cannot complete the task she has set herself, something which occurs frequently when working with other people, particularly young people. Annie today speaks to me of how Captain Arthur Keller, Helen's father, will not allow her to work with Helen longer, although she feels that she has something more to give to the child. It' s upsetting to see Annie might fail at her job, but I placed her in this household for a reason. She has to do as the Captain wishes, although she does present a good number of reasons why she should stay and be allowed further interaction with the girl. This is an example of the determination that I mentioned earlier. It will be interesting to see how this case progresses. Lesson 5 Journal Entry 5 The following timeline is based on how the perception of the world for Helen Keller has changed

Information System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Information System - Essay Example Essentially, ICT ensures people are freed from restrictions of personification, leading to advanced solution. As a matter of fact, Information and Communications Technology levels the playing field. Nonetheless, the relationship between information technology and access is remarkable. As innovations become smaller, quicker and less expensive, technology becomes simpler to utilize and obtain. Nevertheless, the information and communications technology gap is not about accessing technology, but the deeper hidden implications of access. At the end of the day, the politics of IT is that access to IT is more than a divergence between of "haves" and the poor. For example, despite the fact that Information and Communication Technology is ordinarily associated with access and inclusion, modernization of technology can create isolation of individuals, making particular types of social segregation. Discrimination can happen in subtler ways. ICT, for example, benefits specific ways of living, which are founded in standardizing, societal, communal and monetary practices, further advanced in the structu re, production, showcasing and usage of technology. The internet, specifically, seems to offer the guarantee of free-streaming worlds where character, exemplification, and subjectivity can be designed and refashioned without restraint (Goggin and Newell, 2003). In online connections, the postmodern individual can decide to possess distinctive sexual orientations, racial foundations, and sexualities. Bodily properties, as well, can be deliberately made in online connections – permitting people to gain and, naturally, shed them. The postmodern Internet then gets to be all the more a decision than a fixed reality. Accordingly, information technology guarantees new realities where substantial confinements can be risen above, and new flexibilities discovered mostly for individuals with handicaps, who are viewed as exceptional recipients of technology (Goggin and

Network Security Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Network Security - Research Paper Example In this regard, network security comprises the measures a company can take to protect its computer network, and it is a prime concern for every company that uses computers. On the other hand, if a company does not implement appropriate network security then an attacker or opponent can get access and utilize the important or secret data and information, probably causing data destruction or damage, or even the entire destruction of the computer network. In addition, the revolution of internet has modernized our lives. However these technologies as well have introduced some of the severe safety as well as confidentiality problems. These issues can be tremendously devastating for private information. In this scenario network management systems and procedures are used for the effective management of various aspects regarding network security (Kaminsky and Foster; Armoni; Kaminsky and Foster; Bhattacharya and Ghosh). This paper will present a detailed overview of network security, network security policy, importance of network security policy, its implementation and design considerations for network security. At the moment, network security is a hot topic for the organizations as well as individuals. This research is aimed to highlight technology involved in network security, future trends of network security, companies adopting this issue, regulatory issues in network security and global implications. Network Security Policy The security policy is essentially an arrangement, describing in detail the organization’s decisive resources as well as how well they are organized. Additionally, the basic purpose of building a security policy is to offer the employees with a concise summary of the "satisfactory utilization" of some of the business information and resources. In addition, the intention behind this policy is to proficiently describe the allowable rights of users and consequently employing them in protecting the business sensitive and critical information systems. The security plan behaves like a "must interpret" basis of company information for everybody exploiting in some approach, computer and network resources considered as possible targets. However, a high-quality and superbly established security policy ought to tackle a number of these subsequent fundamentals: (Danchev; Kim, Lee and Han; Bakry) How susceptible business data must be managed How passwords and other credentials have to be upheld effectively How to react to a possible safety event, interruption efforts, etc. How to utilize computers as well as internet technology in a safe way How to suitably exploit the business communication infrastructure On the whole, the prime causes following the formation of a safety policy is to set a business’s sensitive data and information security basics. Another aspect is to clarify to employees how they are liable for the security of business resources and assets, and emphasize the significance of taking benefit from protected business communications when the business activities are being conducted through web based technology (Danchev; Kim, Lee and Han; Bakry). The Need of Network Security Policy Since forming a high-quality security policy offers the basics for the flourishing application of security allied activities in the upcoming period. In this scenario, the initial movement in improving a business’s security is the performance of a specific however

Explain the difference between a change in demand and a change in the Essay

Explain the difference between a change in demand and a change in the quantity demanded. List and discuss at least 5 factors tha - Essay Example Thus the factors that determine demand can broadly be categorized into two categories; price determinants and non-price determinants. Presence of these two distinct determinants of demand gives rise to two different but equally important concepts; change in quantity demanded and change in demand. 1. Change in Quantity Demanded. A change in quantity demanded refers to the variation in consumers’ demand of a commodity due to a change in its price, other factors remaining constant. Thus, the only factor that causes a change in quantity demanded is price. In case of change in quantity demanded there is upward or downward movement along the same demand curve. The change in quantity demanded is depicted in fig 1. As the price falls from p to p1, the quantity demanded increases from q to q1 and there is movement along the same demand curve from A to B. A ‘fall’ or ‘increase’ in quantity demanded due to the change in price is also termed as ‘contraction ’ or ‘extension’ of demand. Fig 1: Change in Quantity Demanded 2. Change in Demand. A change in demand refers to an increase or decrease in demand that is brought about by a change in the other factors, except price. Thus a change in demand is a result of non-price determinants coming into force. ... Unlike, change in quantity demanded, a change in demand entails a shift in the demand curve; either to the left or to the right of the original demand curve. The change in demand is depicted in fig 2. There is an increase in demand when the demand curve shifts from D1 to D2. On the other hand, decrease in demand occurs when the demand curve shifts from D1 to D3. Fig 2: Change in Demand There are numerous non-price determinants of demand that lead to a change in demand. Some of these are discussed below: 2.1 Tastes and Preferences. Tastes and preferences play a pivotal role in shaping the demand for a product or commodity. In fact, the endeavor of any marketer of goods or services is to alter the tastes and preferences of the consumers so that they like the product that is being sold. The tastes and preferences of consumers are affected by numerous factors like advertising, promotions, cultural environment, government reports etc. For example, if the findings of a government funded re search study suggest that ingestion of carbonated drinks like Coke or Pepsi may be harmful to the human body, people may refrain from drinking these products and this may lead to a decrease in demand. 2.2 Prices of related products. There exist products in the market that may be substitutes or complements to the product in question. It is reasonable to expect that the prices of these related products have a bearing on the demand of a particular product. It is worthwhile to mention that if the price of a substitute changes, the demand for the product under consideration moves in the same direction as the change in the substitutes price. For e.g. in case the price of Coke increases, quantity demanded of Pepsi, a

Conflict Management Theory and The Role of Manager Assignment

Conflict Management Theory and The Role of Manager - Assignment Example When people work in teams clashes of opinions are likely to occur and every manager has to deal with the conflicts in a positive way. A qualified manager can intellectually appreciate that conflicts are the necessary ingredient of a free - enterprise system( Abraham, 1965). He also should take appropriate steps to resolve the conflicts and draw meaningful implications from them. The following essay attempts to explore the role played by the manager as a leader and a mediator in resolving conflicts. The major sources of conflict in an organization are personal differences, informational deficiencies, role incompatibility and environmental stress(David and Kim, 2005). According to him, personal differences are a common source of conflicts as individuals come together to play certain defined roles in an organization. The people who form the team for the completion of a specific task come from various cultures, family traditions and extent of socialization, etc. Hence, it is very common that conflicts will arise when they work together to achieve a common objective. They differ in their perceptions about the challenges ahead of them and they also differ in their expectations about the outcomes from specified situations. When there is a mismatch between the perceptions and expectations, the situation can take a personal overtone which may be the major source of organizational conflicts. Secondly, informational deficiencies can also be a major source of conflict. There may be lapses in the information flow between various functional units or individuals. These lapses may be due to technological disabilities or psychological barriers. Technological barriers can be caused by dysfunction of technical equipment used for communication and psychological barriers can be caused by various factors such as lack of knowledge and understanding, presumptions of the person receiving the message. Next, role incompatibility is another major source of conflict. Most often this factor causes more conflicts because when it is combined with the above two factors, it causes more deep conflicts. When the team members operate with different types of people, systems, processes, and procedures and report to various team leaders, the overlapping of the roles played by the personnel can cause conflict. Lastly, environmentally induced stress caused by a change in economic conditions. Family relationships, changes in the organization, etc can be major triggers for conflicts. Especially during the times of economic slowdown as in recent times, it is very stressful for the employees. Stress due to insecurity due to change in environmental conditions can cause deep mistrust on each other and can cause teamwork more difficult. When the employees are subject to uncertainty about their job status it can cause frustration and conflicts are more certain to occur. When these types of factors influence the behavior of employees, it is the duty of the manager to take up the role of mediator and facilitator to establish smooth working relationships and achieve organizational objectives.

Journal Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Journal Report - Essay Example She went to school for her masters in education and while in school, the educator position was vacant so she applied and she was hired. She said she normally starts her day-by-day work in the unit to see how everyone was doing. Then she at times goes to meetings or works on educational projects. Some of the things she does as an educator include attending to quality control meetings, making sure all the staff members in the unit are up to date on their skills, and plans and organizes programs such as yearly competency skill days. She teaches preceptor classes for the hospital staffs, NRP and pere-natal classes. As a nurse educator she works very close with the unit manager and the other educators in the hospital. She also helps provide the OB unit with Researches on best practice to help improve their patient care. My preceptor is modeling the role of MSN or APN which is to influence the practice of the nurses/care providers by disseminating evidence through education and training, to facilitate the clinical nurses to give evidence-based care to their clients and based on my observations; I believe I can see myself transitioning into that role by the end of graduation in my program. At this point I would not know what kind of strength I would need to develop or anything I would like to do differently since I just started my practicum. 2. Placenta Ingestion: Is there Evidence-based on any health benefits of eating a placenta. Is it best practice or safe to give patient their placenta to take home per request and if so what measures should a hospital take before releasing the placenta to

Explain the difference between a change in demand and a change in the Essay

Explain the difference between a change in demand and a change in the quantity demanded. List and discuss at least 5 factors tha - Essay Example Thus the factors that determine demand can broadly be categorized into two categories; price determinants and non-price determinants. Presence of these two distinct determinants of demand gives rise to two different but equally important concepts; change in quantity demanded and change in demand. 1. Change in Quantity Demanded. A change in quantity demanded refers to the variation in consumers’ demand of a commodity due to a change in its price, other factors remaining constant. Thus, the only factor that causes a change in quantity demanded is price. In case of change in quantity demanded there is upward or downward movement along the same demand curve. The change in quantity demanded is depicted in fig 1. As the price falls from p to p1, the quantity demanded increases from q to q1 and there is movement along the same demand curve from A to B. A ‘fall’ or ‘increase’ in quantity demanded due to the change in price is also termed as ‘contraction ’ or ‘extension’ of demand. Fig 1: Change in Quantity Demanded 2. Change in Demand. A change in demand refers to an increase or decrease in demand that is brought about by a change in the other factors, except price. Thus a change in demand is a result of non-price determinants coming into force. ... Unlike, change in quantity demanded, a change in demand entails a shift in the demand curve; either to the left or to the right of the original demand curve. The change in demand is depicted in fig 2. There is an increase in demand when the demand curve shifts from D1 to D2. On the other hand, decrease in demand occurs when the demand curve shifts from D1 to D3. Fig 2: Change in Demand There are numerous non-price determinants of demand that lead to a change in demand. Some of these are discussed below: 2.1 Tastes and Preferences. Tastes and preferences play a pivotal role in shaping the demand for a product or commodity. In fact, the endeavor of any marketer of goods or services is to alter the tastes and preferences of the consumers so that they like the product that is being sold. The tastes and preferences of consumers are affected by numerous factors like advertising, promotions, cultural environment, government reports etc. For example, if the findings of a government funded re search study suggest that ingestion of carbonated drinks like Coke or Pepsi may be harmful to the human body, people may refrain from drinking these products and this may lead to a decrease in demand. 2.2 Prices of related products. There exist products in the market that may be substitutes or complements to the product in question. It is reasonable to expect that the prices of these related products have a bearing on the demand of a particular product. It is worthwhile to mention that if the price of a substitute changes, the demand for the product under consideration moves in the same direction as the change in the substitutes price. For e.g. in case the price of Coke increases, quantity demanded of Pepsi, a

Journal Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Journal Report - Essay Example She went to school for her masters in education and while in school, the educator position was vacant so she applied and she was hired. She said she normally starts her day-by-day work in the unit to see how everyone was doing. Then she at times goes to meetings or works on educational projects. Some of the things she does as an educator include attending to quality control meetings, making sure all the staff members in the unit are up to date on their skills, and plans and organizes programs such as yearly competency skill days. She teaches preceptor classes for the hospital staffs, NRP and pere-natal classes. As a nurse educator she works very close with the unit manager and the other educators in the hospital. She also helps provide the OB unit with Researches on best practice to help improve their patient care. My preceptor is modeling the role of MSN or APN which is to influence the practice of the nurses/care providers by disseminating evidence through education and training, to facilitate the clinical nurses to give evidence-based care to their clients and based on my observations; I believe I can see myself transitioning into that role by the end of graduation in my program. At this point I would not know what kind of strength I would need to develop or anything I would like to do differently since I just started my practicum. 2. Placenta Ingestion: Is there Evidence-based on any health benefits of eating a placenta. Is it best practice or safe to give patient their placenta to take home per request and if so what measures should a hospital take before releasing the placenta to

Tutorial Response Essay Example for Free

Tutorial Response Essay Week 6 Referring to Christopher Pierson discussion of Offe’s work, explain the three â€Å"management crises† of the KWS. Offe (1984) points out that the present Keynesian Welfare System is a form of crisis management however within the system are three management crises; the issue of sustaining the funding for the upkeep of the welfare system, then   the issue of administrative willpower; were it battles between providing humane welfare programs and the issue of accountability. Lastly the issue of popular distrust of the states proclivity to help groups who it wants too rather than helping all citizens in need. 2. Marginson discusses ‘market liberals’ (New Right) views on the failures of the KWS and their proposals for addressing them. Explain their views. The market liberals said that KWS failed because the government had too much control over the economy of the country. They felt that too much spending of the government had distorted the market forces of the economy. The full employment logic is damaging to the market since it distorts the truth about unemployment rates but is harmful to the economic market. They have recommended that the government remove all of its regulation laws limiting the business sector. 3. According to Paul Pierson, why has it been difficult for the New Right in the 1970-80s to achieve their retrenchment goals? Although neo-liberals were gaining ground in that period, the retrenchment goals were not fully achieved because although the costs for keeping the welfare system running was too high, it was not possible for the government to reform its welfare programs as it was met with widespread disapproval. Voters were found to be averse of pay cuts and welfare marginalizing than they were of possible equivalent gains if reforms of welfare program was carried out. Week 7 According to Mishra, ‘globalisation is an economic phenomenon driven by politics and ideology’ (p.1). Explain his meaning. Globalisation is an economic force that is brought about by neo-liberal politics and ideology. This means that the neo-liberals have supported free market liberalization and driven by the ideology of minimum government control over the economy of the nation states; the liberal thinkers envisioned a global market. Globalisation extended the capitalism of major countries and city states to the international market where it is less controlled by any national government. 2. According to Kennet, what are the main defining features of the post-KWS economy? The main defining features of post-KWS economy are the decline in manufacturing and assembly lines, increases in service employment, the concentration of economic control by multinational firms and financial institutions, substantial change in the patterns of state interventions and reorientation of the welfare state, the cutting of pay-outs and stricter welfare qualifications. As well as the obsolescence of full employment and the dismissal of Keynesian policies on the economic market. 3. What does she mean by the ‘hollowing out’ of the nation state in relation to economic globalisation? Hollowing out means that due to economic globalisation the nation state have become less of a major player, it implies that the authority of the nation state to govern economic forces have become lesser in contrast to major cities that have taken on world city functions and become centers of economic, social and cultural developments. Moreover, the nation state’s important economic functions and political power to trade and negotiate in the international arena have been lessened or eased out. 4. According to Brietenfeller, what are some of the arguments in favour of economic globalisation? Economic globalisation has led to the increase of prosperity in much of the world, the exchange of goods and services and international capital have encouraged the growth of the business sector, thereby contributing to the growth of the economy in certain countries. With globalisation is also the widespread exchange of technology that has made it possible for countries to trade and market their services and goods unencumbered by state regulations. What problems doe he see arising from it? The greatest problem with economic globalisation is that it encourages stiff competition among a number of countries in terms of labour and capital, thus a country that offers less costs for labour to multinational companies would naturally get the contract, and if multinational companies do not agree with state regulations they can always take their plants to cheaper countries. The end result is that globalisation results in job losses and income inequality. Week8 Downes is a conservative liberal writing in the 1970s. What does he mean by ‘separating the planning and procurement of public services from their production and delivery’? Downes argued that the government should take the role of separating the planning and procurement of public services from their production and delivery. This means that he believes that the government could work more efficiently if it narrows its focus and concentrate on planning and procuring of public services which it does best and then assign the production and delivery of public services to private entities who can do it better and would be more cost efficient to the state. 2. What does Brennan mean by ‘separating steering from rowing’? By steering, Brennan means making policy decisions while rowing is the direct-service delivery of public services. When he says separating steering from rowing, he means that the government should do the steering because it is better and more effective in doing so. The division of these functions would enable the government to concentrate on what they are better at, looking for and raising revenues and planning for social programs that the citizens would benefit from. 3. McGuire discusses contracting out of public services and service delivery contracts for the public sector. To what kinds of developments is she referring? McGuire asserts that contracting out of public services and service delivery contracts for the public sector will answer the need of the government to transition from post Keynesian systems to neoliberalism. She says that contracting will result to competition that improves the efficiency and effectiveness of public service delivery it also defines what services to be delivered and it facilitates the blurring of traditional boundaries between public and private sectors. In what ways can these developments be understood as ‘steering not rowing’ by the state? Neoliberalism calls for the abolishment of government control over the economy, they believe that true economic prosperity depended on a true and free market. By contracting out public services, the government is basically concerned with policy decisions making – steering such as what services should be contracted out, what performance goals to measure etc, while the same act is rowing because the government awards contracts to private groups to deliver public services. How does Harvey characterise neoliberalism? Harvey defines neoliberalism as a political and economic theory that posits that individuals can only attain progress if the state grants its individual citizens the right to entrepreneurial freedom wherein the state must create laws that protect property rights, establish free markets and free trade. Aside from which, neoliberalism does not approve of state intervention and governance over the business sector as well as the encouraging of welfare dependency.   Week 9 According to Ransome, what distinguishes post-Fordism from Fordism? Post-Fordism is characterized by the belief in the sovereign consumer which has the power to dictate the market forces, what the market provides is based on what the consumer wants and needs. It is also seen as the emergence of personalized life-styles and the withdrawal of individuals into their private worlds. On the capitalist side, owners and means of production begun to implement organizational changes to accommodate the changing consumer profile. According to Ransome, what is the link between the flexible firm, flexible production, and the core-periphery structure of the labour force? Flexible firms are capitalist enterprises that are structured to accommodate organizational changes and production methods around the model of flexible specialization, wherein it can change the size of the workforce, redeployed to different tasks to meet the changes of consumer demands which are accommodated by the retaining of highly skilled workers (core) and transiently employed workers (periphery). Flexible production is the availability of new production methods and the ability to produce specialized goods by flexible firms. 3. According to Walters, what is the significance of neo-liberal notions of the `active society` to labour market policy? The active society seeks to make all individuals workers. It is thought of as a solution to the problem of the welfare state. In the welfare state, those who are on welfare are called inactive and contribute to the shortage of labour. If all individuals capable of getting paid work will be available in the market labour then there will be less need for state policies to protect or serve workers. Active individuals would lead to faster economic opportunity and combat poverty. What concerns does Combet raise in relation to the current Federal Governments ‘workplace agenda’? Combet argues that the workplace agenda is a radical plan that will strip every Australian worker the right to join unions and to collectively bargain with management to improve worker welfare. Then it also removes any protection from unfair dismissal without any right to representation. The plan also proposes to abolish the no disadvantage test and replace it with streamlined conditions that is a disadvantage for every worker. According to Leonard, what is the difference between Fordism and Post-Fordism? Leonard says that Fordism is a period where technological innovation was minimal, organizations were bureaucratic in structure, and workers joined mass unions and wage bargaining was centralized and welfare was standardized for all; as such it was a period wherein everyone thought and was treated alike. Post-Fordism on the other hand is a direct opposite of Fordism although it leaned more to the development of individual choices, specialization and independent thinking. Week 10 1. According to Williams, what is the main features neo-liberal of public sector reform? Neoliberals argue that government spending on welfare programs is too excessive and hence should be regulated. Any reform to the public sector should include cutting public spending and taxes, government should sell its business enterprises to private corporations, contracting out the delivery of services, creating markets out of monopolistic public or private industries and deregulating industries.   This would enable the government to focus more on what it should essentially do. 2. Williams refers to the ‘responsibilisation of individuals as market players’(p.250). What does he mean and why does he consider it a problem? Responsibilisation of individuals as market players to Williams mean that citizens of the state now become individualistic in their pursuit of needs and interests in a state that is structured as a marketplace. The problem with this is it encourages the rich to resort to arrangements beneficial to themselves and to disregard any obligation for the collective good. The poor however have no choice and have to contend to what is available to them. 3. According to Mendes, what are the five main concerns neoliberals hold regarding the welfare state? The main concerns of neoliberals regarding the welfare state is that the welfare state is captured by interest groups for their own purpose, it also deregulates the labour market since it preserves minimum wages and deny disadvantaged workers access to jobs. It also encourages welfare dependency, it also does not make any distinction between the undeserving and deserving poor and it reduced private individual’s ability to contribute to charities of their own choice. Rodger suggests there is a ‘new moral economy of welfare’. What does he mean by this? According to Rodger, the new moral economy of welfare means that individuals rather than society will carry the primary obligation to meet their own welfare needs in the future. He acknowledges that there is a relationship between the complex institutional provisions of health and welfare in contemporary society and the nature of social consciousness. The moral fabric of welfare will then be concentrated on preparing individuals to provide themselves with a comfortable future.   Week 11 Moss argues that the Mutual Obligation Scheme is morally flawed because ‘the unemployed have little choice about their contract’ and ‘there is insufficiently mutuality shown towards the unemployed’, and that the Scheme is accordingly ‘essentially punitive’. 1. According to Moss, what is the Mutual Obligation Scheme and what is new about it? The Mutual Obligation Scheme is based on the premise that those who depend on the community for long periods should give something back to the community that supports them. It is also made up of the Work for the Dole 2000 which refers to the obligations of the unemployed in terms of what they can give back in exchange of the help they were receiving like providing services to the local community. 2. What is the moral basis of Moss’s argument? Moss argues that receiving welfare and being obligated to give something in exchange for it is not morally binding. Those on welfare are there because they cannot find work through no fault of their own. Welfare is supposed to be a service that the state owes it citizens and should not be dealt with as a business and hence it is not obligation binding. The title of Mendes’s article is the phrase: ‘Blaming the Victim: the new assault on welfare state’. 3. What does this phrase mean? The phrase means that the reforms on the welfare state were designed to abolish the services that assist the less fortunate and able because it punishes the victims of poverty and disadvantaged for their own fate and to deprive them of the right to assistance. The welfare state existed because of poor people who are lazy and are blamed for the excessive spending of the state which should have been channeled to more necessary services. What evidence does Mendes provide? Mendes have cited a number of evidences that have led him to believe that the poor is blamed for the welfare state. There is the published critique of the welfare state by the New Right; there is the dob in a dole bludger campaign which in essence denigrates the poor with its reference to dole. Those who are unemployed are also forced to keep a dole diary and a review of the Young Homeless Allowance.   Week 12 Llewellen states that the Third World has been created – it is ‘in no way primal or natural’. What is the basis of his argument? Llewellwn states that the Third World is not a natural occurrence; it is a label developed by the First World to designate underdeveloped countries as such. But this designation is a function more of its place in relation to the First world rather than a natural occurrence. Third world countries are underdeveloped because they do not have the same technological advancements as the First world. Third Worldism evolved out of the military, political and economic expansion of the First worlds. 2. Hoogvelt argues that economic globalisation is another phase of the imperialist exploitation of the Third World by the ‘advanced’ world (western/industrialised nations). Explain the basis of her argument. Hoogvelt says that economic globalisation had allowed the advanced world to manipulate the economy of third worlds by imposing on them measures that are beneficial to the first world, the labour divisions that limited the Third world into providing the raw materials, producing and exporting unprocessed commodities to the first world, the profits that the first world gets out from technological rents and the global expansion of capitalists to third worlds are all imperialistic in nature. 3. Amin argues that most discourses of contemporary (economic) globalisation present this phenomenon as a kind of `natural law, thus marginalising any understanding of the social, political and economic factors which bring it into being’. Briefly outline the major points of Amin`s argument. Globalisation accordingly has been perceived as a natural law thereby it has taken off as a natural occurrence. It is a phenomenon that has been brought about by the interdependence of contemporary societies that allowed the deploying of economic dimensions on a world scale. It is founded on historical social compromises between nations and defined within the framework of political states, those who have greater power and resources control the global market. Brietenfeller argues in favour of ‘global unionism’. What difficulties stand in the way of workers ‘solidarity’ between North (west/industrialised) and South (Third World/developing) unions? Global unionism has been sought by many as an answer to the inequality of the conditions and wages of workers all over the world. But there has been strong opposition against the international worker organizations because states fear that it would lead to trade union imperialism, hence policies and reforms to recognize them have been ignored by the state. Factional differences within the group also exist and limit their collective representation in the world trade. Week 13 1. Referring to Esping-Anderson (2002) and Perkins, Nelms and Smyth (2005): Explain ‘social investment’ in your own words. Social investment is a concept that encompasses the states responsibility to invest in its human resources. It is seen that in order for the state to gain economic progress it has to design and give services that would benefit its human capital. It means that the government provide for the education, training and protection of its citizens that would prepare them to participate in the labour market. Social investment would also necessitate the drawing up of social policies that would prioritize government spending on programs and services that will generate the best outcome for the economy and society; like making sure that roads and facilities that would enable the exchange of goods and trades are well kept and in excellent condition. 2. Esping-Anderson suggests that ‘social justice’ should be an important facet of ‘social investment’. What is the proposed moral basis of ‘social investment’ to which Esping-Anderson refers? Social justice is the moral basis of social investment; it means that any action directed towards developing the state’s human capital should conform to the normative definition of justice of the culture. Hence providing opportunities for education and training to enable its citizen to participate in the labour market should be founded on equal opportunities, wherein anything that is beneficial to some should be beneficial to all. The state should also develop life skills for all kinds of people, basic social services should be rooted on the principle of equality and justice. However, priority should be given to those who are the weakest in the state and their welfare would be safeguarded. Social justice also dictates the rules for making choices and selecting priorities on what form of social investment should be given like a the need for having a healthy and educated workforce would take precedence over the need for developing cultural awareness. References Pearson, C. 1998. Beyond the Welfare State, 2nd, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Pp. 56-81 Marginson, S. 1997. Educating Australia. Government, Economy and Citizen since 1960, Oakleigh, Melbourne: Cambridge University Press. Pp. 73-81 Pierson, P. 1996. Dismantling the Welfare State? Reagan, Thatcher, and the Politics of Retrenchment, Cambridge University Press: Melbourne. Pp. 1-9 Mishra, R. 1999. Globalisation and the Welfare State, Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar. Pp. 1-16 Kennett, P. 2001. Comparative Social Policy, Buckingham: Open University Press. Pp. 26-29. Brietenfeller, A. 1997. ‘Global Unionism: A potential player’. International Labour Review, Winter 136:4. Pp. 533-37 Downes, A. 1998. ‘Separating the planning and procurement of public services from their production and delivery’, in Anthony Downes ed. Political Theory and Public Choice, Cheltenham UK: Edward Elgar. [first published 1976]. [4 pages] Brennan, D. 1998. ‘Government and civil society’, in P. Smyth and B. Cass eds. Contesting the Australian Way, Oakleigh, Melbourne: Cambridge University Press. Pp. 127-137 McGuire, L. 1997. ‘Service delivery contracts; quality for clients, customers and citizens,’ in G. Davis, B. Sullivan and A. Yeatman eds. The New Contractualism, Centre for Public Centre   Management, Griffith University, Queensland. Pp. 102-118. Harvey, D. 2005. A Brief History of Neoliberalism, Melbourne: Oxford University Press. Pp. 1-3, 64-67. Ransome, P. 1999. Sociology and the Future of Work. Contemporary Discourses and Debates, Sydney: Ashgate. Pp. 66-74. Leonard, P. 1997. Postmodern Welfare, London. Sage. Pp. 119-127 Walters, W. 1997. ‘The â€Å"active society†: new designs for social policy’, Policy and Politics, 25(3): 221-34. Pp. 224-31. Combet, G. 2005. ‘Whose Choices? Analysis of the Current Industrial Relations â€Å"Reforms†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. Journal of Australian Political Economy, 56:243-253. Pp. 243-253. Williams, C. 1996. ‘Reinventing’ the welfare state: neo-liberalism and beyond’, in A. McMahon, J. Thomson, and C. Williams eds. Understanding the Australian Welfare State: Key Documents and Themes, Croydon, Victoria: Macmillan. Pp. 248-261. Mendes, P. 2000. Australia’s Welfare Wars: the Players, the Politics and the Ideologies, UNSW Press. Pp. 37-49. Rodger, J. 2000. From a Welfare State to a Welfare Society, London: Macmillan. Pp. 3-10. Moss, J. 2001. ‘The ethics and politics of mutual obligation’, Australian Journal of Social Issues, 36(1): 1-14. Pp. 1-14. Mendes, P. 2001. ‘Blaming the messenger: The media, social workers and child abuse’, Australian Social Work. 54(2):27-36. Pp. 27-36. Mendes, P. 1997. ‘Blaming the victim: the new assault on the welfare state’, Journal of Economic Social Policy, 2(1):41-53. Pp.41-53. Gardner, F. 2006. ‘Current Issues and Prospects’, Chapter One in Working with Human Services Organisations, South Melbourne: Oxford University Press. Pp. 3-13. Lewellen, T.C. 1995. Dependency and Development. An Introduction to the Third World, London: Bergin and Garvey. Pp. 19-25. Hoogvelt, A. 2001. Globalisation and the Postcolonial World. The New Political Economy of Development, 2nd, Hampshire UK: Palgrave. Pp. 29-34, 43-47. Amin, S. 1999. ‘Capitalism, imperialism, globalisation’, in R. M. Chilcoate ed. The Political Economy of Imperialism: Critical Appraisals, London: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Pp. 157-67. Brietenfeller, A. 1997. ‘Global unionism: A potential player’. International Labour Review, 136(4):531-555. 543-44, Pp. 549-51. Esping-Anderson, Gosta 2002. Why we Need a New Welfare State. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. Perkins, Daniel, Lucy Nelms and Paul Smyth. 2005. ‘Beyond neo-liberalism: the social investment state?’ Just Policy, 38:35-40.