Staff Employment

What I found in my search is that the staff and employment consist of the readiness of employees inside all areas of the world. The availability of the staff is the chief importance of employers everywhere. All areas of employment are touched by economics and it would also include the number of births in every region, and the level of training each person obtains. Another important fact is what the level of development the work opportunity would be. Since more individuals pass the age of 65 are finding themselves still having to work HR specialists find that they're having to formulate additional resolutions to meet the demands pertaining to our elderly citizens having to continue to work. Which means that HR specialists must be able to understand and implement the required laws to govern and track employee's records. Since employees and job types are continuously changing organizations find that they have variety to maintain a viable balance of employees to reach their goals in the global market. 100 years ago, most jobs were industrial in nature, what I mean is that individuals worked in factories or on an assembly lines. These types of positions weren't very challenging because it was a situation where the worker did the same thing over and over. With the new technology today, the work is more demanding, very competitive and more creative. Women are working in position that once was thought â€Å"only men could be productive in. Organizations must form associations with governments and scholarly foundations with the principle goal of guaranteeing that potential workers have the essential abilities that will set them up for the present and for what's to come. HR must start to think diversely and even perceive that the present workforce can't work for delayed hours like that of 100 years back. The nature of work and that of the laborer has experienced massive moves in the recent years. Also, companies have moved to global level with improved technology and communication. besides more women employees entered the workforce which was not the state 100 years ago where women live tended to arrange around their families. During World War I changed who the workforce would use since the men were either volunteering or being drafted to serve in the military which resulted in there was no one to fill the positions. After showing the factories that the women were capable to carry out the duties that the men could do, but they were paid less for the same job. Since then women have demanded rights for equal pay and treatment While the implications on for today's HR manager, there are new laws and rules that must be followed, which adds more responsibility when it come to harassment and the safety of the workforce. In 1938 the minimum wage laws began, and with this the HR manager have more responsibility. Now they had to determine a fair wage for every job and selected individuals for the positions. Then came the federal law that prohibits discrimination that was based on race, sex, and religion. Which meant that there are a certain number of women, no matter race must be hired. This law ensures that HR manager are properly doing the job making sure qualified individuals are hired and promoted without any prejudice. Today the HR Manager has definitely more work with shifts in types of jobs are additional responsibilities, such as hiring candidates beyond borders, and they must be able to efficiently scrutinize candidates and evaluate them. Plus, they are answerable for the organization benefits for example employee turnover, training and productivity. They face the need to develop new and improved techniques to support the organizations pursuit of its mission and values. Per the text here is a list of human resources talent management that are important as best practices in recruiting and retaining individuals to also achieve the organization objectives:Workforce planning – strategizes to ensure all practices support the long-term goals.Recruiting by examining internal talent and identifying and contacting external talent via social media.Applicant tracking – hiring, screening interviewing and background checks.Performance management – this is designed to motivate employees and determine sections that will need future training.Compensation ensure that each position pay is fair.Workforce development means that training is delivered based on performance and personal objectives.Also, HR managers in modern times needs to spend considerable time and money in training in new domain, technology and keep them constantly updated. The future US workforce groups in 2025 would be mostly aged population over 60 years. There will be rise of sm art machines and systems which will replace human workforce.

Chinese Discrimination in the United States Essay

The Chinese immigrated to the United States in during the 1800s; Official records show that before 1857, 46 Chinese immigrants were in the United States. Over the next 30 years more that 200,000 Chinese had immigrated to the United States. This immigration wave was largely because of the push of the awful conditions in China and the pull of the discovery of gold, and, job opportunities in the west (Immigration and the United States, Schafer, 2006). During the 1860s railroad work was abundant. The two lines, Central Union and Pacific Union, were the largest employer of the Chinese and the Irish. Working the Central Union was dangerous work through rough terrain. The work was dominated by the Chinese. Despite being 90% of the laborers the Chinese were paid less that the Irish who were 10% of the laborers. This dual labor market continues until the completion of the railroads. Regardless of being the majority of the laborers, the Chinese were excluded from the Golden Spike ceremony in Promontory, Utah. After the completion of the completion of the railroad, the Chinese immigrants continued to accept work that others would not do. This caused an industrial dependence on cheap labor to fuel the American economy. The Chinese were welcome as the economy needed them. When the labor was finished, they were no longer welcome. The Chinese welcome was short lived because of stereotypes that were prevalent before immigration. American traders and Protestant missionaries spoke to the American people of the Chinese exotic and sinister manners. These stereotypes caused sinophobia. This sinophobia directly resulted in the â€Å"Yellow Peril†, a threatened expansion of Asian populations as magnified in western immigration (answers. com). Takai, in 1989, noted that the fear of the Yellow Peril shattered any appetite to learn more about the customs of the Chinese, or, themselves as a people. Sinophobia was compounded when the government passed the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. This government action not only outlawed Chinese immigration and naturalization for 10 years, but it led the American people to further discrimination; any thought that the discrimination was unjust and unfounded was alleviated through the governmental act. At the end of the act’s 10 year run, it was continued another 10 years, and, the practice continued into the 20th century. On December 17, 1943, the Magnuson Act repealed the Exclusion Act. Repealing the act allowed growth and assimilation of the Chinese people. â€Å"The Chinese exhibit high affluence combined with a relatively high degree of segregation from Whites in a few metropolitan areas (Lee, C. N. , 2004). Redlining leads to the belief that the manisfestation of suburban ethnic districts may alleviate the need to bodily intergrate with Whites to obtain greater socioeconomic success. Despite the menial jobs the Chinese continued to grow financially, and, the affluent Chinese continued to live next door to their poorer neighborhood, an act of self-segregation; with the self-segregation encouraged forming their own chamber of commerce, public library, and hospitals. â€Å"The true destructive nature of residential segregation reared the discrimination perpetuated by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Homeowners Loan Act, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the real estate industry, banks, and other financial institutions (Massey & Denon, 1993). Chinatown, San Francisco, is not just the largest Chinese Town outside of Asia, but is the largest example of redlining. The 1870 anti-Chinese ordinances passed in San Francisco to curtail housing and employment options. The ordinances passed successfully pushed the Chinese into an unwanted area. Having them in one area made it easier for San Francisco law enforcement of curfews. In the San Francisco bay area the garment industry is made up of 53% Asian workers, mostly women. â€Å"These ‘sweat shops’ are overcrowded, not well ventilated and poorly lit† (urbanhabitat. org). The garment workers are exposed to particles and toxic chemicals. Many women bring their children to work with them, and the particles and chemicals are known to be especially are harmful to children. Many Asian-American associates support reverse discrimination against Asian-Americans as demonstrated by being denied college entrance (asianam. com). Many Chinese are making donations to the very organizations that are anti-Chinese, in exchange for denial of Asian-American’s denial to colleges and universities. Thomas Espenthade and Alexandria Walton Radford examined data on students applying to college in 1997 and discovered what looks to be different standards for different racial groups. They found that Asian-Americans needed to have nearly perfect SAT scores of 1550 to have the same chances as other races which were requiring scores of 1100 to 1410. They also noted that other races were three to 15 times more likely to be accepted to university. Stephen Hsu noted that it appeared that the university’s magically end up with 20% Asian students. One Princeton lecturer asked if that number represents the â€Å"Asian Ceiling†. Is affirmation action working? â€Å"Advocates of affirmation action argue that it is needed because of historical discrimination. Maybe that was true in 1970, but it is no longer true affirmative action is now a part of the minority machine, an indispensable component which is perpetual victimhood† (jonstosselfoxnews. com). Yet another straddle that the Chinese have endured is the Glass Ceiling. Although experienced by both men and women, a double jeopardy has been attached to Chinese women. A Chinese man has a better opportunity to move up the ladder than a Chinese woman. In general, at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 2000 one in 10 is on the professional staff while one in 25 was a manager (Varma, 2004). As a whole, the Chinese are underrepresented as CEOs. Board members, and high level managers. While researching this essay I have discovered that the Chinese-Americans have endured. Upon arrival in the 1800s. I have become more culturally aware of their movement to quash stereotypes and discrimination, and there attempt to mainstream there culture in the United States. 1) asianam. com 2) jonstosselfoxnews. com 3) Lee, C. N. , 2004 4) Massey & Denon, 1993 5) Immigration and the United States, Schaefer, R. D. , 2006 6) urbanhabitat. org 7) Varma, 2004.

Nursing Ethical Values and Definitions Essay

This essay will consider ethics in nursing, discuss values and morals and how dignity and respect in patient care is influenced; considering the importance of reflection and the implications it has on effective practice from the perspective of a student nurse. The scenario â€Å"Call Me Joe† provided by Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2010a) highlights concerning issues and bad practice that are happening in modern day nursing practice, and using the Driscoll and Teh (2001) reflective model: What, Now What and So What, to consider the care that Joe is receiving; considering how the nursing practice affects him directly and the implications of the nature of knowledge in nursing practice. Part of the way in which nursing practice is developed is through evidence based practice. Evidence based practice informs modern practice by using reliable, valid and relevant research and clinical experts to inform and improve nursing practice and patient care, enabling care that improves and makes a positive difference (Malloch & Porter-O’Grady 2010). It is through evidence based practice that pre-registration nurses are informed and trained and how professional development is maintained (Adams 2009). Nurses must use evidence to improve the standards of care to achieve higher standards in the nursing profession; evidence based practice improves the quality of nursing care guiding practice to ensure best practice is attained and is supported by literature and evidence (Brooker & Nicol 2003). It is evidence based practice that healthcare practitioners often draw upon to support clinically based reflections. Reflection is a process which enables healthcare professionals to improve practice through continuous monitoring (Daly et el 2010). Throughout the pre-registration nursing programme, the importance of reflection in practice is taught and is developed throughout, extending into post-registration to become a vital part of a nursing career and portfolio development. Reflection involves breaking down individual processes, considering what was successful, how practice can be enhanced and how this can be achieved; this also includes situations involving patient interaction and communication, enabling a greater understanding and an increase in self-awareness (Lundy & Janes 2009). By evaluating and reflecting, the practitioner is self-educating, improving clinical practice as well as their personal approach to nursing care that they provide; the main outcome of reflection in nursing is to improve and encourage best practice (Bulman & Schutz 2004). The Driscoll and Teh’s (2001) reflective model is made up of three parts, What, Now What and So What, and this model is appropriate to reflect upon the care that Joe is receiving as it enables the scenario to be deconstructed and analysed in detail to recognise and understand: What is wrong? So what are the implications? Now what can be done to resolve the situation? Using the model as an aid, the implications of unsatisfactory care and poor practice in the scenario can be explored and exploited to recognise that although there is a code of conduct produced by the NMC (2010b) that governs nurses, in some instances the care that is delivered fails to meet the expectations of the NMC, the patient and other professionals. WHAT?  From the scenario provided by the NMC (2010a) it is apparent that Joe lives in residential care, he is no longer able to care for himself so the decision for him to reside in the home was made; he is not unhappy about it, and feels lucky to live in there. Joe is a very proud man and until recent years was very able and self-caring. Since moving into the care home; Joe has begun to notice things about his environment, his carers and himself. Initially when Joe moved into the care home, he was mobile with a frame, as time has passed in the home Joe is no longer mobile and unable to get to toilet, reduced mobility can effect personal hygiene and toileting, but also social interactions and daily living (Brooker & Nicol 2003). Joe seems to accept his loss of mobility as part of the normal aging process; however from the scenario it is apparent that Joe now has a catheter, from which the bag does not get emptied regularly as Joe explains that it â€Å"pulls†. Joe does not complain and states â€Å"it’s just the way things are†; Joe has not recognised that he is suffering at the lack of competency of the care provider and that his needs are not being tended to and he is being neglected (Department of Health 2000). Joe then reminisces about his life before the care home; it becomes apparent that since moving into the home, Joe’s life has changed drastically; the things he used to enjoy prior to his admission are no longer considered or even talked about. He explains that when he first moved he filled in a form on which he stated his meal preferences; nevertheless this has not been acknowledged and each day Joe has porridge to eat and â€Å"lukewarm tea† to drink. This is not the only preference of Joe’s that is being overlooked. Joe explains that although his name is Joseph, he prefers to be called Joe; however it appears that the care providers do not recognise this and do not accommodate Joe’s choice, despite him requesting that they call him Joe on numerous occasions. Joe is being disrespected and his choices are not being honoured or considered; nurses should consider each patient as an individual and empathetically deliver the appropriate care (Lipe & Beasley 2004). Joe also remembers how he used to dress in his youth and through his life before entering the home. He implies he was a smart dresser and a well-kept man; even combing his hair. From Joe’s expression whilst sat, unshaven wearing his pyjamas which he implies are unclean and unchanged, it is clear that he does not feel that way anymore, he has accepted his life as it is now. He is unable to dress himself; he spends his time in his pyjamas and explains how the staff are always busy with the other residents. Joe has low self-esteem after losing his mobility and his independence, dignity and self-worth. Social role valorisation is where somebody is perceived by their role in society, a person may be deemed of value or devalue dependant on their role in society and this influences the way in which others behave towards them (Wolfensberger 2000). In social role valorisation Joe is considered to be of a lesser value, as he is elderly and can no longer care for himself, he has a low social status; this is reflected with in the scenario (NMC 2010a), Joes behaviour reflects that of little self-worth or respect, mirroring the way in which he has been treated. Through a lack of communication, it is clear that Joe feels lonely, he does not verbally communicate this but it is apparent that he feels this way: his facial expressions suggest he is unhappy, he frequently loses eye contact and sighs; frowning a lot. He is slumped in chair, his body language suggesting he lacks confidence and self-esteem. Communication is a means for a practitioner to build security and trust with a patient, begin to establish a therapeutic relationship in which important information is shared (Lloyd et al 2009), however the communication process has been ignored, Joe is uncertain of any boundaries devised, and does not want to appear as a nuisance and as a result of this he does not ask for things, voice his opinion or disclose his discomfort. Joe’s individual needs are not considered as he has minimal support in the home from staff and independence is not encouraged. Through the lack of assistance and promotion Joe has minimal mobility and is no longer able to maintain his lifestyle in a manner he deems appropriate. Nonetheless Joe is accepting of his new life; and is oblivious to the bad practice he is subjected to and the neglect he is incurring as a result. SO WHAT Ethics in nursing are centred on individual worth, respect for patients and autonomy. Individual morals impact upon ethics in nursing, considering what is right, wrong, good or bad. Morals are personal, so each individual has their own interpretation of what it right, wrong or acceptable (Rumbold 1999). The care that Joe is receiving is unacceptable, it is clear that the practitioners who provide the care either failed to consider the principles of ethics in nursing, or are influenced by ruthless morals. In nursing practice, what the nurse must and ought to do are defined by morals; the duties of a nurse involve moral and legal dimensions (Young et el 2009). Joe lacks independence, and the practitioners offer little support or opportunity to encourage and enable independence: promoting independence is an essential part of nursing practice (Alexander et el 2006); it enables the patient to feel of use and can build self-esteem, encouraging a patient to be actively involved in a task and enabling them to carry it out or assist the practitioner enables both physical and physiological independence to be achieved (Acello 2005). As a result of a lack of stimulation and social interaction, Joe has low self-esteem and little self-worth. All patients are individual and will have individual care needs. Care needs are patient specific, when providing care respect for the patient’s dignity should be anticipated, providing the patient information can help to relieve anxiety or confusion and honouring patients preferences can assist in delivering comfortable care (Gerdin et el 1997). Joe’s care is not specific to him, the care he is receiving is generalised, it is essential that the care provided is on an individual base: personalised to each patient’s specific needs (Kneedler & Dodge 1994). As a result of reduced mobility, Joe has a catheter in situ. Due to poor catheter care Joe is left in discomfort and at a higher risk of infection, all catheter bags should be emptied regularly to maintain infection control (Royal College of Nursing 2008). Joe is not considered as an individual person and his needs are not being tended to: nursing philosophy advocates patient centred care whereby the nurse establishes a rofessional relationship with the patient, treating them with dignity and respect, involving and empowering the patient allowing them to convey their needs and preferences, actively engaging the patient within their care and the decisions surrounding their care (Falvo 2011). Joe is not actively involved in his own care, he is tolerant of the care as he is lacking in dignity (NMC 2010a). It is apparent that within the home that there are issues of neglect and that Joe is the victim of neglect and possible abuse. The Department of Health (2000) describes abuse as â€Å"a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by any other person or persons†. Joe’s individual needs are being neglected, he is suffering institutional abuse meaning that the care he is receiving is of a poor standard, and the practitioners lack in positive response to his complex needs, in the home there are rigid routines where individual needs are left unconsidered, and the practitioners with in the establishment lack knowledge (Department of Health 2000). NOW WHAT  Joe is a vulnerable adult; he is unable to take care of himself and is unable to protect himself against significant harm or exploitation (Department of Health 2000) and safeguards are necessary. Safeguarding consists of protecting and supporting vulnerable people and adults; the successful prevention of adult abuse and neglect depends on the service providers identifying and approaching the factors which contribute to the issues and result in neglect and abuse occurring, and tackling and dealing with these situations appropriately (The Association of Directors of Social Services 2005). Therefore to begin to tackle the issues raised in the scenario by the NMC (2010a) immediate positive action must be taken to assess the risks and increase the safety for the service users (The Association of Directors of Social Services 2005). Best practice as outlined by the NMC (2007) emphasises the importance of anti-discriminatory practice in promoting parity in patient care acknowledging the difference and the beliefs people have. Implementing this in the home would enable Joe to be treated as an individual and his needs and preferences accommodated. It is suggested that promoting independence in the elderly improves quality of life, and emotional wellbeing (Fisk 1986); if Joe’s independence was supported and encouraged he would become happier stable and able to continue with some level of independence and control over his life. Dignity is a human right protected by international law, all individuals are entitled to the right to life, free from torture and degrading treatment (Human Rights Act 1998) therefore Joe’s human rights, dignity and safety have been compromised. On entering the care home to protect Joe’s dignity, a care plan should have been put into place. A care plan outlines the care an individual needs; it identifies the actions the nurse must implement as per the nursing assessment (Carpetnito-Moyet 2009). Documentation should be clear and up to date (Department of Health 2010). Also a risk assessment should have been carried out to ensure Joe’s safety; recognising his mobility needs and if he is at risks of falls, reviewed and amended as necessary. Joe also needs a catheter care plan to monitor the progress of his catheter to ensure that is maintained correctly, changed regularly and to ensure that Joe is aware of personal hygiene and cleaning his catheter (Royal College of Nursing 2008). Joe’s food and fluid intake should also have been recorded to monitor his input, output and his weight, ensuring he was maintaining a healthy balance (Brooker & Nicol 2003). Having investigated, researched and reflected upon the scenario using the available material, the above should be the minimum requirement; Joe should be treated with respect, honouring his choice whilst maintaining dignity and encouraging independence for a better quality of life; whilst supporting him in establishing friendships and outside interests.

Garmin Analysis - Looking To the Future Research Paper

Garmin Analysis - Looking To the Future - Research Paper Example In order to go forward in the future, there are three scenarios under consideration, which are related to different possible course of strategic actions that the company may follow to address its problems. In this report, these strategic options are evaluated on the basis of various financial models and descriptive analysis of the company’s existing position and outcome of these decisions. Before the analysis is carried out, it would be useful to provide a summary table of the performance of five identified business segments of the company in the last three years. Business Segments 2011 Net Sales % Change in Sales 2011 EBIT % Change in EBIT 2010 Net Sales % Change in Sales 2010 EBIT % Change in EBIT 2009 Net Sales 2009 EBIT Outdoor 363,223 13.82 171,245 13.43 319,119 6.62 150,973 2.01 299,300 147,996 Fitness 298,163 23.99 107,881 24.72 240,473 41.77 86,499 49.02 169,624 58,046 Marine 221,730 11.50 60,092 -3.75 198,860 11.94 62,431 8.71 177,644 57,430 Automobile/Mobile 1,590,59 8 -4.69 171,717 -16.60 1,668,939 -18.75 205,887 -57.86 2,054,127 488,584 Aviation 284,855 8.51 73,226 2.44 262,520 6.83 71,482 26.30 245,745 56,595 The table provided above provides trends in net sales and EBIT of all business segments, which would be referred to in the discussion related to the scenarios presented below. Scenario #1: Assault on the Smartphone Market Under this future scenario, the company may aim to target the Smartphone market which is worth $65 billion and it has been growing at a fast pace of 20% every year. The smart phone market is dynamic as new markets are emerging such as Africa and Asia. However, the competitive forces including companies like Apple, Google, Nokia, Blackberry, Samsung, HTC, and even manufacturers from Far East countries are already playing an important role in this industry having strong positioning and they share a major proportion of the global market. The company will have to invest heavily in developing technologies and acquiring assoc iated businesses as Garmin does not have any prior experience and its current market share is zero. The entry into this market segment the company will require an investment of $3 billion that could be raised from the capital market by offers shares to both institutional and private investors. Move to the Smartphone segment the company will have divest non-operations including aviation, and marine, in the third year and it expects to receive $500 million. In addition, by doing so, the company will have to let go of the profits generated by these segments, which are already observed to be slowing down in the year 2011. The following financial analysis is based on certain assumptions and understanding regarding future of Smartphone industry and the company’s investment decision: 1. The time period for investment appraisal is considered to be 5 years from the completion of the project and inception of sales. 2. The cost of investment is expected to be $3 billion which will be ra ised by issuing additional 75 million shares at a price of $40 per share. 3. The investment is expected to generate results from the year 2013. 4. In 2011, the Smartphone industry has grown by 20% and same growth rate is assumed for the year 2012 onwards as there are no signs of slowdown in both short and medium terms. 2011 ($ mn) 2012 ($ mn) 2013 ($ mn) 2014 ($ mn)

Freedom in Paradise Lost by Milton and Cain by Byron Essay

Freedom in Paradise Lost by Milton and Cain by Byron - Essay Example Both of them develop their argument on the basis of the well-known events from the Bible. Human creatures of God experience their devoted Christian faith, whereas their minds are looking for freedom. There is a common thread between Milton’s and Byron’s creative heritage. Both of these two authors are exploring freedom and constraint as fasteners of a human existence. It is impossible to live without longing for freedom. Lucifer in Byron’s Cain says that â€Å"‘Nothing can / Quench the mind†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 1. Freedom is interpreted as a feature of mind. To think freely means to live without any constraints. To be guided by reason and not by impulses means to be free. From another perspective, Adam and Eve were looking for freedom in their ability to think beyond moral and religious templates. Freedom of choice was their final goal. They were excluded from heaven, but they did not complain that their exclusion was the highest price for their freedom. Cain paid much for being free, but their longing for freedom were ever lasting and worth being strived for. Milton’s opposition: freedom of mind vs freedom of choice At first, Milton depicts Eve and Adam as devoted followers of God. They are driven by his constant power and they are driven into temptation to eat the forbidden fruit by Satan. It is rather paradoxical that such kind of behavior occurs between these two beloved and devoted Christians:   But of this Tree we may not taste nor touch; God so commanded, and left that Command Sole Daughter of his voice; the rest, we live Law to ourselves, our Reason is our Law2.    For Eve reason is not her law. A command of God is beyond reason of Eve and Adam. They blindly believe in God and follow his commandments. Milton questions the limits of God’s command; he tries to find out whether it is unreasonable or whether it is an act of his will only. Freedom of Eve and Adam can be found in their faith and not in their reason. Freed om is not only to accept the laws of God, but to follow those laws as well. There is a hint about the Christian Doctrine and the way the Christians consider God to be â€Å"a beneficent and omnipotent deity who is always to be obeyed and free to believe that he is an envious oppressor, obedience to whom results in  unhappiness and self-debasement.3† These beliefs of Adam and Eve are contrasting with the beliefs of the Christian doctrine. A failure of Adam and Eve can thus be found in their failure of reason. An act of faith and an act of freedom are contrasted in Eve’s considerations about her eating of the forbidden fruit. Her fall is the result of her spontaneous actions and escape from her faith. Moreover, not only Adam and Eve make their decisions tearing about freedom of faith and freedom of reason, but also all other human beings, who are driven into temptation by their seducers. An inner freedom should be exercised independently from reason. At the same time, freedom of mind is freedom of existence. First, free your mind and you will be free. In the book 9, where the fall of Adam and Eve is discussed, Milton claims that: "the crucial matter is what they think of God's words-that is, of how they conceive them-which is finally, of course, a question of how they conceive him"4. There is no doubt that Milton correlates the issue of freedom with the issue of God. These two concepts are inseparable in his epic poem. A free choice of faith is an ability to choose God you want to follow. These words can be read between

Summary Assignment-See Instruction Please Assignment

Summary -See Instruction Please - Assignment Example In my opinion, cultural pluralism has brought more good than bad to all. It creates uniqueness in most areas. Most of the minor cultures, tend to live in the same areas and cities. This way, cities are diversified. Different cities are known for different kinds of things and the environment changes per city due to the difference in cultures of people. Food for example diversifies cultures as different groups eat different kinds of things. The culture to where people belong, for example Hindu, Mexicans, African American, identifies them with the kind of food they prefer eating and their origin. This kind of variety is beneficial to the states. This way, different food places and restaurants serve foods according to culture. Politically, the diversity in culture has enabled the representation of all minorities in the government. Representation of all minorities is vital as it ensures none of the citizens are left out due to their culture or beliefs(Jucan 2010). This is important as the government thus includes the ideas of many into consideration and creates a wide range of options in decision making. In the congress for example, the representation of all cultural groups ensures that all people and their ideas are aired and looked into by the state. This way, the country has peace and harmony as all groups and their cultures are well represented politically. Pluralism has created so many types of representation in arts. The kinds of music found and originating from America are impeccable. Different groups have different kinds of music in a wide range of languages. This is beneficial as it creates a uniqueness in the artistic world of the whole state. This way, artists and musicians can present themselves to the world with respect to their culture. The existence of pluralism is thus important as it creates identity for all, in the artistic world. Religion is a sensitive part of everyone’s lives. It identifies people

Postmodernist Approach to Burial practice Research Paper - 2

Postmodernist Approach to Burial practice - Research Paper Example Notions of the people particular to God, heaven, hell, witches, spirits and souls are also leaded by the same. Conception of the related believes of the individual and society has the consequences on the rituals performed. It is around 10,000 years back that the death ritual is performed among the few earliest rituals of society. Variable practices are followed by the people of diversifying beliefs and one of the main reasons acting behind the burial practice of the people seems to be the one practiced by the ancients of particular group of people [CE11]. From Southern Iberia at Abrigo do Lagar Velho, the human burial of Upper Paleothic was discovered as an evidence of early modern humans in the European society [CD99]. Burial ritual is the found to be the most transformed ritual of the modern society and is very diversified in its nature depending upon a lot of social, cultural and religious factors but some of the anthropologists find the burial ritual as an only ritual which remained the same in practice in respect of the change in human behavior and the growth of the healthy cultural values [JC10]. Two of the postmodernist approach to burial practice includes cremation and embalming [LA04]. Cremation practice is followed almost all around the world. Problem of overcrowded cemeteries in the modern societies is thought to be resolved by the same process. Although cremation practice is relatively low in the American society and is declared as forbidden in the Orthodox Judaism community. Roman Catholic Church recently approved its practice in the Christian community and Hindus are the one who practice cremation strongly as compare all other school of thoughts. Muslim community is also not of the view of burning human and the scattering the ashes in the rivers due to potential health hazards. Cementation practice has involved no rich cultural heritage unless and until

Final Exam essay on Paradise Lost Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Final Exam on Paradise Lost - Essay Example However, this degree of expansion, as one might predict, takes a bit of liberty with the original storyline that is developed within the first few chapters of Genesis. As a means of analyzing this differential, the following analysis will seek to engage the reader with a further explanation and discussion of the ways in which John Milton deviates from an understanding of biblical theology that is represented within Genesis 1. As such, rather than taking the entire point in seeking to categorize and differentiate the ways in which deviation occurs, the following analysis will be concentric upon book 7 lines 387 to 448. In such a way, and analysis and discussion of the fifth day of creation will be leveraged. Firstly, the corresponding Scripture that this particular passage in Milton’s book 7 references is Genesis 1 verses 20 through 22. As might be expected, the level of development and discussion that exists within the few verses is quite sustained and brief. Ultimately, Genes is 1 verses 20-22 merely denote that God created fish, sea life, and all birds, reptiles, and other winged creatures. Yet, with this in mind, an interesting oversight that John Milton evidently made within book 7 is with respect to the assumption that reptiles, at the very least snakes, could somehow be separated from other winged and flying creatures. Although this may seem as an obvious assumption, a further reading and interpretation of the Genesis story, made by many Biblical scholars to include Martin Luther, relates the fact that serpents were originally a creature of intense beauty that were only cursed to crawl on their belly after the deception that Satan perpetrated (Pelham 367). Within such an understanding, John Milton’s book 7 lines 388 through 389 denote something of a different understanding. Says Milton â€Å"reptile with spawn abundant, living soul: and let fowl fly above the earth, with wings† (Milton book VII 388-389). Although he comes short of outr ight saying it, the obvious assertion is that serpents and reptiles were separate from flying creatures and therefore need to be categorized in a different way. Whereas it is obviously true that such a reality existed for Milton within his own lifetime, a full and complete understanding of Genesis reveals a slightly different reality. A further element that is not discussed specifically within the Bible or within Milton’s â€Å"Paradise Lost† is with respect to an understanding and discussion of mutating creation. After the fall of man, within the biblical narrative, God instructed the earth to bring forth vessels and man to struggle with hard labor as a function of the rebellion that he had committed against God. By much the same token, the harmony that the animal kingdom had lived in was changed so that beast preyed upon beast and a type of mutating creation came to be in existence. Once again, Milton’s approach to this was merely to gloss over such a reality and exhibit creation from the perspective of being unchanged since God spake it into existence. Says Milton within lines 408 and 409, â€Å"moist nutriment; or under rocks their food/in jointed armor watch: on smooth the seal† (Milton Book VII 408-409). As such, a clear understanding of the fact that the fifth day of creation saw a time in which God created armor and scales or animals to protect themselves from predators is clearly denoted. However, a further understanding and analysis of the book of

Performance Management System Analysis of Google Essay

Performance Management System Analysis of Google - Essay Example This research aims to understand the performance management system of an organization and evaluate its objectives, policies and procedures, and to identify problems if any. Furthermore, the research would highlight the strengths and the weaknesses of the performance management system and recommend improvements. In this research, the performance management system of the Google office in X, United Kingdom is analyzed in detail. The organization has many different internal teams, but the overall process for performance management has been streamlined across the organization. Rational and Methodology Google is a very performance oriented organization. Being a part of the dynamic internet industry, it is of top priority that the employees and the management perform to their optimal levels and keep on improving towards the mission and goal of the organization. This company was chosen because Google has been an organization that has revolutionized the internet industry; it is considered to be one of the best places to work in and because of its innovation as well as aggression. These reasons give an indication that the organization would have a strong and robust workforce that works collectively towards a common mission. Any strong and robust workforce would also be managed with the help of a performance management system that makes sure that the activities done by the employees align with the goals of their respective teams and with the larger mission of the organizations.... ystem that makes sure that the activities done by the employees align with the goals of their respective teams and with the larger mission of the organizations. The methodology for evaluating the performance management system was carried out through semi-structured interviews with a group of managers, human resource professionals as well as through the employees (total of 35 employees were interviewed). This was chosen as the methodology of research because it would not only provide insights about the system, but it will also give an indication of the different perspectives that employees and management have about the system in place. The semi-structured interview also gives scope for some open ended questions through which further detailed insights and opinions can be found out. According to the research done by Creswell (2007), semi-structured type of interview allows the researcher to lead a very informal discussion and conversation based on predetermined topics. Therefore, a semi -structured methodology of was decided upon. The research was done keeping all the ethical considerations in place and the respondents were chosen through a random selection. Once the information was collected, a subjective evaluation was done of the responses. In this research, quantitative analysis of data was not done because the key aim of the research was to understand and evaluate the performance management system. The information from each individual was collated to find out key facts and information related to the performance management system. Performance Management in the Organization Structure The structure of the Performance Management system in the Google office has multiple layers to it. Many different activities, such as informal chat with the employees to formal system of

Capital punishment and the death penalty Annotated Bibliography

Capital punishment and the death penalty - Annotated Bibliography Example They explain the stand of the church on the matter with supportive information from the bible. The author of this book discusses death penalty, providing an overview of its execution and a critically analysis this form of punishment with the question whether it is a fair solution or a moral failure. At some point, he looks at it as a government/state-sponsored killing and argues that it has a net brutalization effect of killing of more innocents. This book looks into the universal abolition of death penalty and the importance of abolishing it, evaluating it against human life (i.e. death penalty versus human life). It also looks into the families of both the condemned and the homicide victim. The author of this article tries to evaluate the forces that account for the legality of death penalty including social and political sources. By evaluating racial/ethnic threat theories, he explains why death penalty is present in some jurisdictions and absent in others. This article looks into two aspects of the question whether it is okay to implement death penalty: the ethical aspect and the epistemological one. That is, the morality of executions and the necessary burden of proof/the epistemological argument. This book critically evaluates capital punishment, which it presents as a form of punishment that follows the rule: ‘an eye for an eye’. It also offers statistical information on the support that death penalty receives from various regions. This article features the Council of Europe’s view on death penalty. The views are that death is not justice; death penalty is not a deterrent against crime; the justice system can and does make mistakes; human rights apply to everyone; and murderer should not be made into martyrs. The authors of this article attempt to answer the question whether capital punishment is morally required. They do so by narrowing down into the acts,

A Happy University Essay Example for Free

A Happy University Essay A happy university is enjoyable and interesting place to study. Students feel that they belong to a community and are offered supports from the Student Assistance Center of the university. The university is well-designed and there are many good facilities. A happy campus also has many interesting and exciting places for recreation. Students in happy campus have good behavior. Although they come from different background, they are able to respect each other and share ideas. They also help other students to overcome issues about study or life. Especially freshmen who have just started their term at the university, they are taught life skills and get assistances from the Student Assistance Center to be familiar with new life and environment. In addition there are many opportunities for students to take part in community or social events, and do part-time jobs to earn money to buy books or equipment for study. Good facilities is one of the factors that cannot be missing in a happy campus. There are areas for study and a library with internet connection and an enormous amount of books that are always revised. It also has large lecture rooms, laboratories, a medical center. These laboratories are designed specifically base on different specialties. In addition, there is a big smart parking basement that helps students to easily and quickly keep or take their bikes or cars. Moreover, the university has high standard of teaching with modern resources and equipment. Students is easy to move around the campus because the footpaths and connecting bridges are well-organized. After spending long period of time for study or research, students cannot avoid suffering from fatigue or mental illnesses such as tiredness, depression, insomnia. Therefore they need to refresh their soul or stay mentally healthy. So many places for recreation are built up because of that purpose. There are many green fields such as parks, gardens, small hills on the bank of rivers and sporting fields such as football grounds, swimming pools, basketball courts, golf courses, F1 circuits. Students can spend their free time in these areas or in fitness center, spas or yoga. Besides sports or exercises, they can also take part in extracurricular activities depend on their hobbies such as singing, dancing, drawing or writing for the university newspaper. On weekends, they can gather at a nightclub that has performances of famous DJs and singers such as Tiesto, David Guetta, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna. However, the nightclub is only celebrated on special event. Additionally,  students can join groups which organize debates, meetings and holiday trips. Finally, in memory of people who have studied at a happy university that are unforgettable days and experiences. They are also proud of being students of a happy university.

The welcome centre Essay Example for Free

The welcome centre Essay CLM (Christian Life Ministries) is a church based in Coventry City Centre. Being a registered charity, they wanted to look at ways in which they could raise money to help finance its various activities, many of which benefit the local and international community. In 2000, The Welcome Centre was launched, in which a team of people started using the building venue to provide a catering and hospitality service to paying customers, who were looking for somewhere where they could hold conferences and events, hire equipment and to have food served. The customers who pay to use the services of the Welcome Centre are either commercial customers, such as Coventry City Council, local schools or colleges, or other charity-based organisations. Charities would be able to use the facilities at a discounted rate compared to commercial customers. Customers hire the services of The Welcome Centre for many different types of events, from large conferences to training days and small meetings. The Welcome Centre has up to 4 rooms that can be hired (Grace Room, Grace Room 1, The Elegance Suite, The Serenity Suite), and each room has a capacity between 20 and 250 people. As well as hiring a room, customers have the option of hiring additional equipment, such as a data projector, video projector, OHP, PA equipment and Flip Charts. The price for hiring equipment is on a 1/2 day basis. An event may want a variety of catering options too. The Welcome Centre can provide beverages (e. g. tea, coffee, cold drinks), as well as various food options (Finger Buffet, Finger Buffet with Dessert, Hot Buffet with Dessert). Since opening, the success of the organisation has grown rapidly. This is due to the friendliness of the staff, as well as the level of service offered. As a result, the team has grown from 2 to 7 people. They are looking to expand, and with a future building project underway too, they hope to be able to offer even larger facilities for up to 650 people, as well as to grow their existing customer base. PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION As the business is growing, the staff are getting increasingly busier. One of the key problems is that a manual booking system is used. A customer will call or email with a request for a conference. The staff will write down some basic details about the event such as the contacts name, event name and date and time of the conference. They will also ask the customer for the number of delegates, and therefore determine the number and size of rooms required. Catering requirements for food and beverages, as well as the hire of equipment will also be recorded. This information will all be recorded in a central paper-based diary, which can often become messy as customers sometimes phone to cancel or amend their booking, meaning that the handwriting can become unreadable. This could then lead to mistakes being made such as double-bookings, or not getting everyones requirements correct for a conference. Chris Ruck, one of the team, will sometimes word process the quotation onto a basic blank template produced in Word Processing software (MS Word). After creating the quotation, he will then save it onto his computer. He will sometimes do the same for invoices. The problem with this is that the same information is being entered up to three times; once in the diary, secondly on the quotation, and thirdly onto an invoice. Duplicating the information sometimes leads to small typing mistakes appearing on the documents. Also, it wastes Chris valuable time that could be used for other tasks, such as preparing rooms for conferences. Invoicing is a very important task for The Welcome Centre, as it is the way it requests payment from a customer once a conference has taken place. Tony will often to have to create 20 to 30 invoices at a time. Unfortunately, Tony Williams has very limited experience with computers. If Chris is not available and invoices have to be sent out, Tony will have to write out an invoice by hand into a blank template. This is very time consuming for him, and as the General Manager, he has many more important jobs that he could be doing. Also, handwritten invoices do not look very professional, and so these really should be created and printed from a computer to give a better corporate image. Tony sometimes has to handwrite quotations too for the same reasons. Scope The scope for this task is to find a way of entering booking details for conferences, and to create a quotation for that conference. Creating invoices will not be included in this task. Also, to simplify the task, we will focus on commercial customers only and not charity customers, as the prices are all different. DETAILS OF CLIENT, USER(S) AND AUDIENCE (IF APPLICABLE). IDENTIFICATION OF THE CLIENT The client for this project is Tony Williams, who is the General Manager of the Welcome Centre. Tonys role includes creating the rota of when his team are working, taking booking details from customers for future conferences and negotiating prices if applicable. Tony is also involved in creating quotations for a conference booking to inform the customer how much it will cost. He may also create invoices for a conference that has taken place to request payment. He will also need to keep track of payments for conferences by customers, and chase any outstanding payments. He is also very hands-on in his role, and he will support his staff with serving and room set-up when required. The solution for this task will need to meet Tonys requirements. IDENTIFICATION OF THE USER(S) The users of this solution will be the Tony Williams (the client), as well as Anita Fox and Chris Ruck. Anita and Chris are also responsible for entering details of customer bookings into the diary, and producing quotations and invoices for them. Therefore, they will actively use the solution by changing the customer and booking inputs and sending the quotation that is produced (output) to the customer. Anita also takes care of the accounts and organises the monthly payroll for the employees. IDENTIFICATION OF ANY AUDIENCE The Audience is anyone who may look at the outputs, but not change the content of the solution. The majority of this solution will be used by The Welcome Centre staff, and therefore these people will be users and not an audience. However, Quotations will be viewed by Customers as these are the target audience of this document. ASSESSMENT OF SKILLS OF USER(S) Tony will use the solution, but has very limited ICT skills. He is a complete novice at using computers. He will need introductory training that includes: Logging in to the network   File Management (files and folders creating, renaming, moving, copying)   Word Processing (Use of word documents, file management opening/ saving, formatting)   Spreadsheets (Use of spreadsheets, file management opening/ saving, formatting, working with multiple worksheets)   Using the solution that is created Anita will also use the solution and is an intermediate user. She can login, organise files and folders, word process, use basic features of spreadsheet software, use a web browser to surf the internet, and can also use her accounts package. She will need training that includes:   Spreadsheets (Advanced course including the recording, use and management of macros, using formulae and functions)   Using the solution that is created Chris is more of an advanced user, and can do all of the above to a more complex level, as well as use graphics and multi-media packages for design work. He will need training that includes: * Spreadsheets (Advanced course including the recording, use and management of macros, using formulae and functions) * Using the solution that is created CLIENT INTERVIEW. An initial interview was held with Tony Williams, and the following is a summary of what he said: 1. What is The Welcome Centre and can you give me some background information to the organisation? The Welcome Centre was launched in 2000, as a conference centre for commercial and charitable customers, offering them a hospitality service. The service includes room hire, equipment hire as well a catering options. Customers use the services provided by the Welcome Centre for various reasons from large conferences, to small meetings and training days. 2. Who are the staff at the Welcome Centre and what do they do? Tony Williams is the General Manager, whose role includes creating the rota of when his team are working, taking booking details from customers for future conferences and negotiating prices if applicable. Tony is also involved in creating quotations and invoices by hand. He also keeps track of payments for conferences by customers, and chases any outstanding payments. He is also very hands-on in his role, and he will support his staff with serving and room set-up when required. There are several other employees. Chris Ruck is the Assistant Manager of the complex, who takes bookings, sets up for conferences, and also types up quotations and invoices. He looks after the technical requirements of a conference such as IT needs and P. A. equipment. Anita Fax is the Administrator, who has responsibility for accounts and organising the monthly payroll for the employees. There are also 4 other part time staff, including a cleaner as well as conference assistants. 3. What are the problems that ICT could help to solve? One of the key problems is that a manual booking system is used, whereby booking information is recorded in a paper-based diary. The information is therefore not easily sharable and handwriting will become messy as bookings are amended or cancelled. Also, quotations and invoices are either typed into a blank template document or hand-written. This leads to a duplication of the booking information resulting in mistakes, as well as being time consuming. Hand written documents are not very professional. 4. What do you want the ICT solution to do? Tony would like the new solution to provide easy to use data entry forms for entering details about each conference. He would like a quotation to be produced immediately based upon the booking information that is entered. He would also like the quotation and booking information to be stored for future use, so that someone can view the information easily. 5. Who will use the solution and what ICT skills do they have? Tony will use the solution, but has very limited ICT skills. He is a complete novice at using computers. Anita will also use the solution and is an intermediate user. She can login, organise files and folders, word process, use basic features of spreadsheet software, use a web browser to surf the internet, and can also use her accounts package. Chris is more of an advanced user, and can do all of the above to a more complex level, as well as use graphics and multi-media packages for design work. 6. What hardware and software do you have at The Welcome Centre? In terms of hardware, The Welcome Centre has only just installed a network. Chris and Anita have their own PCs with access to the Network for file sharing. Laptops used for conferences are wireless enabled so that they can access the internet from any room if required. Each computer has Windows XP installed as the operating system, as have the Microsoft Office software suite package, that includes word-processing, spreadsheet, database, web browser, presentation and other software. 7. What data needs to be input into the solution? How? Customer Information: (Company name and address, contact details for event organiser) Event Details: (Event name, date, start finishing time, no. of delegates, room requirements, equipment to be hired, and catering requirements for beverages and food. ) General Info. : (Catering items and prices, Equipment items for hire and 1/2 day charges, Room info. -The Unit Room Cost will be based on the Event Type for that room. Calculate and display Total Room Costs for all rooms booked   For each item of equipment required for the booking, search for and display the Unit Equipment Cost. If the event type is a full day, then double the price. Calculate and display the Total Equipment Costs by multiplying the Unit Equipment Cost by the Quantity required.   Calculate and display the Total Cost of all Equipment   If beverages are required for the booking, search for and display the Price per Delegate for Beverages. Calculate Beverage Costs per Delegate by multiplying this price by the No. of Servings. Calculate the Total Beverage Costs as Beverage Costs per Delegate multiplied by No. of Delegates.   If food is required, search for and display the Price per Delegate for the food option. Calculate and display the Total Food Costs by multiplying the Food Costs per Delegate by the No. of Delegates.   Calculate the Net Quotation amount (the total amount of all the items booked, excluding VAT)   Look up the current VAT rate and calculate the VAT Amount for the quotation.   Calculate the Gross Quotation Amount.

Economic Features Of Globalization

Economic Features Of Globalization Compare and contrast the main features of globalization in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Globalisation is the integration of cultures and economies across geographical boarders. Globalisation has made trade and communication possible throughout the world in the shortest possible time. The difference in globalisation in the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries While free trade was imposed on the rest of the world markets in third world countries were opened simply because they were not independent nations. Direct foreign investments increased rapidly during 1870 to 1913. The first half of the nineteenth century saw free trade being practised only by Britain. However, in the twentieth century government debt became tradable in the global market for financial assets. The similarities in globalization in the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries In the nineteenth century international trade was attributed to trade liberalization, direct foreign investment increased rapidly during the nineteenth century. Lending at international bank was also substantial. The late nineteenth and early twentieth century witnessed a significant integration of international markets to provide a channel for portfolio investment flows. The cross-national ownership of securities including government bonds reached very high levels during this period. Also in the twentieth century there was an increase in the degree of openness in most countries, in international trade, investment and finance. While the second half of the twentieth century witnessed a phenomenal expansion in international trade flows. What is deglobalisation? Deglobalisation is the disintegrations of the economies of the world to their individual status where they do not engage in trade, imports and exports with other countries. To what extent has the 2008 crisis and recession brought about deglobalisation? Globalisation brought with it free trade of goods and services between countries and boarders. Many persons left their countries of birth to migrate to other countries in search of a better life, nurses from as far as Trinidad were and still are being employed in England and America. Persons from anywhere in the world can go to America and enjoy a doubles which is a Caribbean (East Indian) delicacy. The debate on globalization continue as people try to make sure that the benefits of global trade outweigh the costs for all countries. However, with the recession of 2008 many developed and developing nations have felt the impact of the recession specifically in Europe and the United States. Recession is caused by inflation, where to much money is chasing to little goods. In Ireland, many home owners took out a second mortgage to purchase second homes. Regretably many of home owners were unable to repay these loan and the banks took control of thes properties. In many instances these homes were sold for less than the homeowner was owing to the financial institution. Many persons who migrated to these countries in search of a better standard of living and employment opportunities are now leaving these countries and returning to their country of birth. This is as a result of an increase of unemployment due to many companies being unable to pay its workforce and meet its overhead expenditures. Though economies of the world are experiencing economic recession, globalisation have to a large extent allowed many countries to survive since countries can still trade their goods and services with other countries with the hope of rebuilding their economies. To what extent do the positive aspects of globalisation outweigh its negative effects? According to Deepak Nayyar globalization is the expansion of economic transactions and the organisation of economic activities across the political boundaries of nation states. Globalisation is associated with increasing economic openness, growing economic independence and deepening economic integration in the world economy. People everywhere, even the poor and the excluded, are exposed to these consumption possibility frontiers because the electronic media has spread the consumerist message far and wide. Negative effects of globalization Nayyar however, stated that those who does not have the incomes cannot buy goods and services in the market which only creates frustration or alienation which can lead to increase in crime, violence and drugs. Some seek refuge in ethnic identities, cultural chauvinism. Globalisation inevitably tends to erode social stabillty. Economic integration with the world outside may accentuate social tensions or provoke social fragmentation within countries. Globalisation have also resulted in a widening in the gap between the rich and the poor in the worlds population, as also between the rich and poor people within countries has widened. Income distribution within countries also worsened with globalization and income inequality increased. The incidence of poverty increased in most countries of Latin America, the Caribbean and Sub-Saharan Africa during the 1980s and the 1990s. Nayyar further went on to state that much of Eastern Europe and Central Asia experiences a sharp rise in poverty during the 1990s. Unemployment in the industrialised countries has increased substantially since the early 1970s and remained at high levels since then. Trade liberalization has led to a growing wage inequality between skilled and unskilled workers, not only in industrialized countries but also in developing countries. As a consequence of privatization and deregulation, capital has gained at the expense of labour, almost everywhere, for profit shares have risen while wage shares have fallen. M. Panic stated in the article negative issues with support what Nayyar also stated in his article the evidence of which are as follows:- Does Europe need neoliberal reforms? the extremely objectionable nature of the unregulated, free market version of the system was demonstrated globally in the 1930s with devastating consequences: its inherent tendency to prolonged and costly crises (the Great Depression, mass unemployment), social deprivation and division (extreme poverty for the many in the mass unemployment), social deprivation and division (extreme poverty for the many in the midst of great wealth for the few) German economic growth and levels of unemployment, for so long among the most impressive in the industrialized world, were only slightly better. Again, empirical evidence in support of the neoliberal claim that unemployment in Germany was caused by over-regulation was found to be extremely weak (Fuchs and Schettkat, 2000, p. 238) Conclusion While, many world trade and export-led growth strategies are collapsing, surplus countries face big obstacles in expanding domestic demand, and many emerging market economies are in deep trouble. World trade is collapsing much faster than expected-and much faster than predicted on the basis of the past example of this can be seen in the United States and Europe specifically Ireland where many homeowners are unable to pay their mortgages. Globalisation have also resulted in the devaluation of the US dollar which is a direct impact of the recession that the country is presently facing. The global imbalances had too important a role to ignore, in contrast to a mainstream view that focuses on mistakes in monetary policy and financial regulation since the negative impact is not only economic but also far reaching social issues. Based on the information listed above I can conclude that the negative effects far outweigh the positive.

Mormons In Utah Essay -- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Mormons in Utah I intend to prove that the Mormon religion, which began to rise in both reputation and numbers in Utah, is a strange mixer of Christianity, American pragmatism, millennialist expectations, economic experimentation, political conservation, evangelical fervor and international activity, but is still a highly followed, rapidly growing, and successful religion. Mormonism is a major modern religion with more than 8 million members, and over 4 million in the United States. Mormonism was founded in 1830 by Joseph Smith who was known as the prophet. This is a young age for such a widely practiced religion, and its numbers grow daily. Mormonism is officially the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Its founding doctrine is based on the assumption that Christianity was too corrupt and ungodly, and that restoring true Christian values was necessary. A revelation like this may only come through God who needs to put the true, pure forms of Christianity in a divine authority. The Mormons, who follow four books including The Bible, The Book of Mormon, Doctrine of Covenants, and Pearl of a Great Price do believe that all religions have some amount of truth to them and do good in one form or another, but it is only their religion that is " the only true and living church upon Earth". In 1820 , Mormonism was f...

Losing Julia :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Jonathan Hull's book Losing Julia the main character, Patrick Delaney, was a complicated man. At the age of 18, while still very much an innocent boy, he was sent to Europe to fight in a bloody and terrible war. This exposure to the worst of humanity changed him in many ways. During the war he made some of the best and closest friends he ever had in his life. He also watched these friends die a gruesome death while he was only a hundred feet away, unable to help or save them. His entire outlook on life changed. Before the war he was hopeful and optimistic. Afterwards, life didn't seem as important. He went home and tried to be normal, but he couldn't. He married, had kids, and returned to an everyday job as an accountant, but something inside him was missing. He left an important part of himself on the battlefield. It wasn't until he met Julia, that he felt alive again. Through her he was able to open his heart and his soul. Her presence helped to heal the wou nds that the war had left behind. There was a lot that happened to Patrick, love, war, loss, and regret, that made him the type of 81 year old man that he was.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  World War I is a pivotal event in Patrick’s life. It was during this event that Patrick learned what it meant to be a man. He was forced to look inside himself and find the courage that was needed to fight. He questioned his morals, values, and faith, and discovered things about himself that he never knew. For the first time in his life he was completely alive and understood how valuable that life was. During this war, he met and became friends with Daniel MacGuire. Dan became like a big brother to him and Pat clung to him for security and used him as a pillar of strength. He was Patrick’s lifeline and when he was killed, Patrick was lost. For the rest of his life Patrick would never be able to get over Dan’s death. He would always feel guilty that he lived and Dan died. This experience left him very cynical, especially about God. He couldn’t understand how someone who was supposed to be all powerful would let something like war happen, and allow a good man, such as Daniel, to die.

Professional Learning Communities Essay -- teacher collaboration and s

INTRODUCTION Traditionally, teacher development typically occurs through trial and error in the isolated confinements of each teacher’s classroom with some periodic whole-group professional development (Goddard & Goddard, 2007). Within the past few decades, many schools and districts, including ours, have considered and experimented with Professional Learning Communities (PLC) as an alternative framework in guiding a more efficient development program for their teachers. PLCs are focused on enhancing student learning through developing teacher practices. The concept of PLC relies on using structured collaborative sessions amongst teachers within the school to build internal capacity. Through PLCs, teachers critically reflect on current practices, brainstorm solutions, and obtain help and advice from others in a supportive growth-oriented environment over an extended period of time (Vescio, Ross, & Adams, 2008; Nelson, 2009; Scher & O'Reilly, 2009; Bolam, McMahon, Stoll, Thomas, & Wallace, 2005). The theory of change guiding PLCs holds that by providing teachers with targeted support from within the school community, as oppose to hiring additional outside experts, professional developments can become for efficient. Implementation of effective PLCs requires intentional effort, school-wide and possibly district-wide restructuring of teacher schedules, and additional resources. For schools considering implementing PLCs, it is important to understand the logic of action and the benefits of PLCs as it relates to teacher improvement and increased student achievement. Analysis of the underlying logic of action and evidence from empirical studies show that developing Professional Learning Communities within schools can lead to increas... ...Nelson, T. H. (2009). Teachers' collaborative inquiry and professional growth: Should we be optimistic? Science Education , 93 (3), 548-580. Phillips, J. (2003). Powerful learning: Creating learning communities in urban school reform. Journal of Curriculum and Supervision , 18 (3), 240-258. Scher, L., & O'Reilly, F. (2009). Professional Development for K–12 Math and Science Teachers: What Do We Really Know? Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness , 2 (3), 209-249. Strahan, D. (2003). Promoting a collaborative professional culture in three elementary schools that have beaten the odds. The Elementary School Journal , 104 (2), 127–146. Vescio, V., Ross, D., & Adams, A. (2008). A review of research on the impact of professional learning communities on teaching practice and student learning. Teaching and Teacher Education , 24 (1), 80-91.

Leadership Challenges Of Today Essay

The role of leaders today has become increasingly easier and yet more challenging at the same time.   With the level of technology that is available today as opposed to what was previously available, a leader is able to communicate much faster with the other members of the team and coordinate the work within large teams more effectively and efficiently (Bennis, 2001).    With the advances in communication technologies and all the new gadgets designed to ease to work load and make people function for efficiently, there are more and more demands of a leader today.   Factor in the fact that there are an increasing number of multi-cultural working environments today and it becomes apparent just how much more different the leadership scene is today from previous years (Bennis, 2001).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the main challenges of a leader today that has been brought about by the development of technology is that a leader is now expected to do more.   A leader is always expected to make the most of whatever resources are available (Covey, 1999).   In previous years, the constraints of communication problems made the expectation much lower than it is today.   With the relative ease in communication and the devices that are currently available, more output is expected from a leader.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another challenge which was not present in the leadership scene in previous years is the existence of a growing number of multi-cultural teams in the work place.   The diverse environments in the work place today demand that a leader be able to cope with the different cultural background and communication skills of his team members (Bennis, 2001).   This creates a more challenging working environment as leaders must try to adjust to the needs of working in a multi-cultural environment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Finally, with the level of competition brought about by globalization, it is becoming increasingly difficult for leaders to cultivate a company culture that promotes job satisfaction and reduces the turnover rate of employees.   The relative ease of finding other jobs in other companies and markets and the level of competition demands that a leader must be able to play a critical role in keeping the team members happy as well as ensuring a certain level of productivity to remain competitive (Covey, 1999).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While it may be argued that these leadership challenges were already present in the workplace before, it must be pointed out that these challenges only existed to a minimal extent and were not a major factor until now.   It is expected that as the world markets expand and the level of competition increases, the role of a leader today will only become more challenging and stressful. References: Bennis, W., Spreitzer, G. and Cummings, T. (2001) The Future of Leadership: Today’s Top Leadership Thinkers Speak to Tomorrow’s Leaders Jossey-Bass Publishing Company Covey, S. (1999) Principle-centered Leadership Simon & Schuster Ltd

President Nixon & Jumpology Essay

One of the other novel contributions was the series of jump pictures where his clients, including the likes of President Nixon, Marilyn Monroe, Duke and Duchess of Winsor jumped for him. Halsman always believed that the jumps revealed more realistically the latent idiosyncrasies of the personality of his clients. (Merryman, 2002) The ideation of this particular pictorial genre had, of course, its offshoot in Halsman’s photography of the animated antics of many of the noted comedians like Sid Caesar, Bob Hope, Groucho Marx who were captured in his film. Halsman could readily realize that, contrasted with their more traditional portraits, the characters came out in full life and vigor when they jumped. To quote Halsman â€Å"When you ask a person to jump, his attention is mostly directed toward the act of jumping and the mask falls so that the real person appears. † (Halsman, 1986) Incidentally his published book [1959] titled â€Å"Philippe Halsman Jump book† is replete with 178 photographs of numerous â€Å"celebrities jumpers†, interwoven with hilarious discussion on jumpology. (Halsman, 1986) [linnilabelled. wordpress. com/2007/10/06/philippe-halsman-the-father-of-jumpology/] [http://astadnik. file. wordpress. com/2008/04/bb2. jpg] Halsman’s jumpology created a genre in photography which moved and inspired a lot of people, professional and otherwise. Philippe Halsman – Fritz Gruber (Writer) and the Crew Jumping on Set profile. myspace. com/index. cfm? fuseaction=user†¦ In 1958, to recognise his contribution Halsman was included in Popular Photography’s â€Å"World’s Ten Greatest Photographers† along with Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, Ansel Adams, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Alfred Eisenstaedt, Ernst Haas, Yousuf Karsh, Gjon Mili, and Eugene Smith. American Society of Magazine Photographers gave him the Life Achievement in Photography Award in 1975. Halsman believed that his career matured and his art came to fruition in his adopted country, America. He thus made America, the subject of his works in myriad ways. One review noted Halsman’s â€Å"unsanctimonious and immensely intense portrayal of American bounce. † When we look back in time at the works and contribution of Philippe Halsman, we see the discovery or even invention of a nation as seen by an artist through the lens of his camera which took into account not only imagination but also the psychology of the country and its people. His images form a vivid portrayal of prosperous American of the mid 20th century. In that respect his adopted country became his creation.

Madeleine L’Engle’s “A Wrinkle in Time”

Madeleine L’Engle’s â€Å"A Wrinkle in Time† ranks with the best known classic children’s stories. Perhaps a â€Å"Lewis Carroll Shelf Award† and a runner-up position in the â€Å"Hans Christian Andersen Award† would prove this claim.However, all the prestigious awards and the wide readership were not enough to put â€Å"A Wrinkle in Time† in the pedestal of being one of the best works classic children literature.L’Engle’s science fantasy had received a barrage of criticisms from literary critics. The aspect of the story that had received much damage is the story’s ending. Before we go on further with this exploration of â€Å"A Wrinkle in Time†, it is essential to reiterate that the story is categorized as a children’s story—it is intended audience were children.The critics of the novel had approached the narrative in an overly critical fashion that is opposed to the book’s nature of be ing a light and fun read. And because of much overly critical approach, many had failed to appreciate that â€Å"A Wrinkle in Time† is packed with valuable insights that are likely to have a positive effect on young readers.The composition of the story seems to aesthetically decent for its intended audience. The plot was rich in exciting adventures and entertaining elements like aliens and inter-space travels—elements that grab the attention of children.The protagonist of the story was a fourteen-year-old school girl by the name of Meg Murry. Having a child as a protagonist makes it easier for young readers to relate more to the book. Moreover, before all the science fantasy elements were introduced, predicaments that are normal to a child were discussed through the character of Meg.She is considered to be an underachiever and short-tempered by the people around her. These kinds of predicaments, more commonly called peer-pressures, are faced by average children worldwi de.In addition to that, Meg is set to have an adventure of a life with her brother and friend to rescue her father. This kind of adventure would sound very interesting and fun for children readers.The effectiveness of the narrative as a story for children owes much to its uncomplicated language. The language that L’Engle had incorporated in the text was uncomplicated enough for easy absorption for children of reading level.But more notably is that although there was science fantasy elements in the story, L’Engle did not presented those elements a scifi-geeky way. The uncomplicated language can be seen when Mrs. Whatsit was explaining the â€Å"tesseract† to a child like Meg (L’Engle 85).The fact that â€Å"A Wrinkle in Time† a wide readership is arguably already enough to prove its effectiveness. The critics of the novel had made an approach that is considerably unnecessary. They had stripped a children’s story off its very essence. This pap er would stand beside the argument that any overly critical approach to this particular text can be considered an over-reading.The novel was not written for critics, it was for the children’s enjoyment. And because of an overly critical approach, many had failed to appreciate the ending of the story. What makes the ending appreciable is it is rich with insights that are likely to have a positive effect on young minds.For us to have a better vantage point in reviewing the ending, let us divide the ending into three significant parts: Meg’s final battle with IT, the reunion of the family, and Mrs. Whatsit’s invitation for further adventures.In Meg’s final battle with IT, the children are given the suggestion that they are capable beings. Meg is just an average child defeating an alien disembodied brain. This aspect could boost a child’s confidence towards facing challenges in life.In Meg’s reunion with her family, children are taught how to ca re for others. Her father and other characters were anxiously waiting for Meg’s safe return. This had taught Meg that she is important as person. Just like the protagonist, children readers could also have the same positive realization.Mrs. Whatsit’s invitation for further adventures suggests that after some challenges in life, may it be being an underachiever or getting lost within the continuum of time, better things and more adventures are waiting for us.The optimism that this could instil in the minds of the children would be very useful to them for this will teach them a positive outlook in life. A positive outlook would help the children through challenges in life, especially when they grow and move to adulthood—where scepticism and pessimism are prevalent.The ending should not be tampered with by the readers as changing the ending would violate the concept of authorship. Revising the ending is plain plagiarism and with simple logic, this is L’Engle ’s story—not the reader’s.Although, it is understandable that the readers and critics to have opinions and interpretations. But they should not tamper with a classic of children’s literature that was enjoyed by generations of young readers. What they could do with their opinions and interpretations is to keep those as writing materials. Who knows? They may end up writing a masterpiece for children just like â€Å"A Wrinkle in Time.†Work CitedL'Engle, Madeleine. A Wrinkle in Time. NY: Dell. 1973

Disney World Essay

Looking out the window of the airplane as we landed in Orlando, Florida, I felt anticipation, excitement, and exhaustion. It was July 2003 and we were on a family vacation to Walt Disney World. The plane had departed from Philadelphia International Airport at 8 a.m. My parents slept soundly and my younger brother and sister were so excited because like me, it was their first trip to Disney World as well, that they couldn’t even sit still on the plane. Soon, we would all be experiencing the thrill of the Magic Kingdom. My siblings could barely contain their enthusiasm as we drove in our rented Ford minivan to the hotel. After freshening up at the hotel, all five of us climbed into the minivan and headed to Walt Disney World. After maneuvering through a maze of on ramps and off ramps, we were finally at the Magic Kingdom. By the time we were actually inside the theme park, it was lunch time so we decided to eat first before going on our adventures. We were told there were some very nice restaurants outside the Magic Kingdom, a boat ride away; but since my siblings and I were so eager to go on the rides, my parents decided to go with fast food within the theme park. The greatest disappointment of the day was the missing rides. Hannah’s favorite ride is Alice in Wonderland; she can and has ridden it ten times in a row at Disneyland. It doesn’t exist at the Magic Kingdom. Megan’s favorite Disneyland ride was also absent, Roger Rabbit’s Cartoon spin. After all the anticipation, to have the two rides which mattered most to the twins missing, was quite a let down. We couldn’t find Indiana Jones or Star Tours, either, so Bill asked an employee about the missing rides. It turns out, you can experience those â€Å"movie type† rides at Disney’s MGM studios, for a separate admission price. We were stunned. Bill and I found our mounting discontent compounded by the physical discomfort we felt standing in lines in 90-degree temperatures with 90% humidity. Disneyland with its California location has dry, comfortable weather most of the year. Disneyland is also blessed with a wonderful sea breeze during the hot summers. The Magic Kingdom is located inland with muggy, hot conditions year round. We felt the Magic Kingdom was a waste of time and money. Disneyland is far superior to the Magic Kingdom. I think it was insulting to the customers to charge more in admission than Disneyland and offer significantly less in the form of entertainment. I felt Disney management was greedy. The kids did enjoy themselves, but we adults left the theme park feeling â€Å"ripped off†. As a general rule we never take the kids to Disneyland more than once a year. But so much was missing from the Magic Kingdom Experience; we took them three months later to Disneyland and had a great time. On the first day in Disney World, my dad and I went on all of the Mountain rides like Splash Mountain, Thunder Mountain, and Space Mountain. My favorite was Space Mountain because the ride is inside, and there are no lights so you cannot see at all. I also won a stuffed dog at a game stand.

Night World : Witchlight Chapter 10

The car coming. Iliana screaming. And the feeling of absolute helplessness- Glass shattered. Keller didn't understand at first. She thought that Iliana was trying to break the window and get Jaime's attention. But the window was safety glass, and what broke was the beaker in Diana's hand. Blood spurted, shockingly red and liquid. And Iliana kept squeezing the broken glass in her hand, making more and more blood run. Her small face was fixed and rigid, her lips slightly parted, her breath held, her whole expression one of complete concentration. She was calling the blue fire. Keller lost her own breath. She's doing it! I'm going to see a Wild Power. Right here, right beside me, it's happening! She wrenched her own gaze back to the car. She was going to see those tons of metal come to a stop just as the BART train on the video had. Or maybe Iliana would just deflect the car in its course, send it into the grassy island in the middle of the driveway. In any case, she can hardly deny that she's the Wild Power now- It was then that Keller realized the car wasn't stopping. It wasn't working. She heard Iliana make a desperate sound beside her. There was no time for anything more. The car was on top of Jaime, swinging up onto the curb. Keller's heart lurched. And something streaked out behind Jaime, hitting her from behind. It knocked her flying toward the grassy island. Out of the path of the car. Keller knew who it was even before her eyes could focus on the dark golden hair and long legs. The car braked and screeched and swerved-but Keller couldn't tell if it had hit him. It went skidding, half on and half off the sidewalk. Then it corrected its course and roared along the driveway, speeding away. Nissa came dashing out of the door below and stood for an instant, taking in the scene. Above, Keller was still frozen. She and Iliana were both as motionless as statues. Then Iliana made a little noise and whirled around. She was off and running before Keller could catch her. She shot past Winnie, leaving a trail of flying red droplets. â€Å"Come on!† Keller yelled. They both went after her. But it was like chasing a sunbeam. Keller had had no idea the little thing could run like that. They were right behind her all the way down the stairs and out the door. It was where Keller wanted to be, anyway. There were two figures lying on the pavement. They were both very still. Keller's heart was beating hard enough to break through her chest. Amazing how, even after seeing so much in her life, she could still have the desperate impulse to shut her eyes. For the first moment, as her gaze raked over Galen's body, she wasn't sure if she could see blood or not. Everything was pulsing with dark spots, and her brain didn't seem able to put any kind of coherent picture together. Then he moved. The stiff, wincing motion of somebody injured, but not injured badly. He lifted his head, pushed himself up on one elbow, and looked around. Keller stared at him wordlessly. Then she made her voice obey her. â€Å"Did it hit you?† â€Å"Just glanced off me.† He got his legs under him. â€Å"I'm fine. But what about-^-â€Å" They both looked at Jaime. â€Å"Goddess!† Galen's voice was filled with horror. He scrambled up and took a limping step before falling to his knees. Even Keller felt shock sweep over her before she realized what was going on. At first glance, it looked like a tragedy. Diana was holding Jaime, cradling her in her arms, and there was blood everywhere. All over the front of Diana's sweater, all over Jaime's white shirt. It just showed up better on Jaime. But it was Diana's blood, still flowing from her cut hand. Jaime was blinking and lifting a hand to her forehead in bewilderment. Her color was good, and her breathing sounded clear if fast. â€Å"That car-those people were crazy. They were going to hit me.† I'm sorry,† Diana said. â€Å"I'm so sorry; I'm so sorry†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She was so beautiful that Keller's heart seemed to stop. Her fine skin seemed almost translucent in the cool afternoon light. That glorious hair was rippling in the wind behind her, every single strand light as air and moving independently. And her expression†¦ She was bending over Jaime so tenderly, tears Ming like diamonds. Her grief-it was complete, Keller thought. As if Jaime were her own dearest sister. She cared in a way that went beyond sympathy and beyond compassion and into something like perfect love. It†¦ transformed her. She wasn't a light-minded child anymore. She was almost†¦ angelic. All at once, Keller understood why everybody at school brought their problems to this girl. It was because of that caring, that love. Diana didn't help them to make herself popular. She helped because her heart was open, without shields, without the normal barriers that separated people from one another. And she was as brave as a little lion. She hadn't even hesitated when she saw Jaime in danger. She was afraid of blood, but she'd cut herself instantly, even recklessly, trying to help. That was courage, Keller thought. Not doing something without being afraid, but doing something even though you were afraid. In that moment, all of Keller's resentment of Diana melted away. All her anger and exasperation and contempt. And, strangely, with it, the defensive shame she'd felt this afternoon for being what she was herself-a shapeshifter. It didn't make sense. There was no connection. But there it was. The flat but strangely pleasant voice of Jaime was going on. â€Å"I'm okay-it was just a shock. Stop crying now. Somebody pushed me out of the way.† Diana looked up at Galen. She was still crying, and her eyes were the color of violet crystal. Galen was kneeling on one knee, looking down worriedly at Jaime. Their eyes met, and they both went still. Except for the wind ruffling Iliana's hair, they might have been a painting. A scene from one of the Old Masters, Keller thought. The boy with dark golden hair and that perfectly sculptured face, looking down with protective concern. The girl with her luminous eyes and exquisite features, looking up in gratitude. It was a sweet and lovely picture. It was also the exact moment that Iliana fell in love with Galen. And Keller knew it. She knew before Iliana knew herself. She saw a sort of plaintive shimmer in Iliana's eyes, like more tears about to fall. And then she saw the change in Iliana's face. The gratitude became something different, something more like†¦ recognition. It was as if Iliana were discovering Galen all at once, seeing everything in him that Keller had been slowly learning to see. They're both†¦ Keller wanted to think idiots, but the word wouldn't come. All she ended up with was the same. Both of them. Idealists. Open-hearted. Trying to rescue everyone. They're perfect for each other. â€Å"You saved her life,† Iliana whispered. â€Å"But you could have been killed yourself.† â€Å"It just happened,† Galen said. â€Å"I moved without thinking. But you-you're really bleeding†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Iliana looked soberly down at her hand. It was the only thing that marred the picture; it was gory and shocking. But Iliana's gaze wasn't frightened. Instead, she looked wise beyond her years and infinitely sad. â€Å"I†¦ couldn't help,† she said. Keller opened her mouth. But before she could say anything, Nissa appeared beside Iliana. â€Å"Here,† she said in her practical way, loosening the carefully knotted scarf at her throat. â€Å"Let me tie it up until we can see if you need stitches.† She glanced up at Keller. â€Å"I got the license plate of the car.† Keller blinked and refocused. Her brain started ticking again. â€Å"Both of you, go get the car,† she said to Nissa and Winnie. â€Å"Ill finish that.† She took Nissa's place by Iliana. â€Å"Are you really all right?† she asked Jaime, careful to face her directly. â€Å"I think we need to take all three of you to the hospital.† Part of her expected to see a flinching as the dark blue eyes under the soft brown bangs met hers. But, of course, there wasn't any. Nissa's memory blanking had been too good. Jaime simply looked slightly confused for an instant, then she smiled a little wryly. â€Å"I'm really okay.† â€Å"Even so,† Keller said. There was a crowd gathering. Students and teachers were running from various corners of the building, coming to see what the noise was about. Keller realized that it had actually been only a couple of minutes since the car had gone roaring and screeching along the sidewalk. A few minutes†¦ but the world had changed. In several ways. â€Å"Come on,† she said, and helped Jaime up. She let Galen help Iliana. And she felt strangely calm and peaceful. Galen turned out to have several pulled muscles and lots of scrapes and bruises. Jaime had bruises and a dizzy headache and double vision, which got her actually admitted to the hospital-hardly surprising, considering how many times she'd been knocked down that day, Keller thought. Iliana needed stitches. She submitted to them quietly, which only seemed to alarm her mother. Mrs. Dominick had been called from home to the hospital. She sat with the baby in her lap and listened to Keller try to explain how Iliana had gotten cut while standing at the chemistry room window. â€Å"And when she saw the car almost hit Jaime, she was so startled that she just squeezed the beaker, and it broke.† Diana's mother looked doubtful for a moment, but it wasn't her nature to be suspicious. She nodded, accepting the story. Jaime's parents had been called to the hospital, too, and both Galen and Jaime had to give statements to the police. Nissa flashed Keller a glance when the policewoman asked if anyone had noticed the car's license plate. Keller nodded. She had already had Nissa call the number in to Circle Daybreak from a pay phone, but there was no reason not to have the police on the case, too. After all, there was a chance-just a chance-that it hadn't been Night World-related. Not much of a chance, though. Circle Daybreak agents would follow Jaime and her family after this, watching from the shadows and ready to act if the Night World showed up again. It was a standard precaution. Both Mr. and Ms. Ashton-Hughes, Jaime's parents, came down from Jaime's floor to speak to Galen in the emergency room. â€Å"You saved our daughter,† her mother said. â€Å"We don't know how to thank you.† Galen shook his head. â€Å"Really, it just happened. I mean, anybody would have done it.† Ms. Ashton-Hughes smiled slightly and shook her head in turn. Then she looked at Iliana. â€Å"Jaime says she hopes your hand heals quickly. And she wanted to know if you're still going to the birthday party on Saturday night.† â€Å"Oh-† For a moment, Iliana looked bewildered, as if she'd forgotten about the party. Then she brightened. â€Å"Yeah, tell her that I am. Is she still going?† â€Å"I think so. The doctor said she can go home tomorrow, as long as she keeps quiet for a few days. And she said she wasn't going to miss it even if her head fell off.† Iliana smiled. It was well into the evening by the time they all got home. Everyone was tired, even the baby-and Iliana was asleep. Mr. Dominick came hurrying out of the house. He was a medium-sized man with dark hair and glasses, and he looked very anxious. He came around to the backseat as Hiana's mother filled him in on the situation. But it was Galen who carried Iliana inside. She didn't wake up. Hardly surprising. The doctor had given her something for the pain, and Keller knew that she hadn't had much sleep the night before. She lay in Galen's arms like a trusting child, her face turned against his shoulder. They looked†¦ very good together, Keller thought. They looked right. Winnie and Nissa hurried upstairs and turned down Diana's sheets. Galen gently lowered her to the bed. He stood looking down at her. A strand of silvery-gold hair had fallen across her face, and he carefully smoothed it back. That single gesture told Keller more than anything else could have. He understands, she thought. It's like that moment when she looked at him and discovered all at once that he's brave and gentle and caring. He understands that she cut herself to try and save Jaime, and that people love her because she loves them so much first. And that she couldn't be petty or spiteful if she tried, and that she's probably never wished another person harm in her life. He sees all that in her now. Mrs. Dominick came in just then to help get Iliana undressed. Galen, of course, went out. Keller gestured for Winnie and Nissa to stay, and followed him. This time, she was the one who said, â€Å"Can I talk with you?† They slipped into the library again, and Keller shut the door. With everything that was going on in the house, she didn't think anyone would notice. Then she faced him. She hadn't bothered to turn on the lights. There was some illumination from the window but not much. It didn't really matter. Shapeshifter eyes were good in the dark, and Keller was just as glad he couldn't study her face. She could see enough of his as he stood by the window. The light picked up the edge of his golden head, and she could see that his expression was troubled and a little uncertain. â€Å"Keller-† he began. Keller held up a hand to cut him off. â€Å"Wait. Galen, first I want to tell you that you don't owe me an explanation.† She took a breath. â€Å"Look, Galen, what happened this morning was a mistake. And I think we both realize that now.† â€Å"Keller†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I shouldn't have gotten so upset at you about it. But that's not the point. The point is that things have worked out.† He looked bleak suddenly. â€Å"Have they?† â€Å"Yes,† Keller said firmly. â€Å"And you don't need to try and pretend otherwise. You care about her. She cares about you. Are you going to try and deny that?† Galen turned toward the window. He looked more than bleak now; he looked terribly depressed. â€Å"I do care about her,† he said slowly. â€Å"I won't deny it. But-â€Å" â€Å"But nothing! It's good, Galen. It's what was meant to be, and it's what we came here for. Right?† He shifted miserably. â€Å"I guess so. But Keller-â€Å" â€Å"And it may just possibly save the world,† Keller said flatly. There was a long silence. Galen's head was down. â€Å"We've got a chance now,† Keller said. ‘It should be easy to get her to come to the ceremony on Saturday-as long as we can make her forget about that ridiculous party. I'm not saying use her feelings against her. I'm just saying go with it. She should want to be promised to you.† Galen didn't say anything. â€Å"And that's all. That's what I wanted to tell you. And also that if you're going to act stupid and guilty because of something that was†¦ a few minutes of silliness, a mistake-well, then, I'm not going to talk to you ever again.† His head came up. â€Å"You think it was a mistake?† â€Å"Yes. Absolutely.† In one motion, he turned around and took her by the shoulders. His fingers tightened, and he stared at her face as if he were trying to see her eyes. â€Å"And that's what you really think?† â€Å"Galen, will you please stop worrying about my feelings?† She shrugged out of his grip, still facing him squarely. Tm fine. Things have worked out just the way they should. And that's all we ever need to say about it.† He let out a long breath and turned toward the window again. Keller couldn't tell if the sigh was relief or something else. â€Å"Just make sure she comes to the ceremony. Not that it should be difficult,† she said. There was another silence. Keller tried to read his emotions through his stance and failed completely. â€Å"Can you do that?† she prompted at last. â€Å"Yes. I can do it. I can try.† And that was all he said. Keller turned to the door. Then she turned back. â€Å"Thank you,† she said softly. But what she really meant was Good-bye, and she knew he knew it. For a long moment, she thought he wouldn't answer. At last, he said, â€Å"Thank you, Keller.† Keller didn't know what for, and she didn't want to think about it right now. She turned and slipped out of the room.