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.