50 Essays Discussion Questions - 2127 Words

1. â€Å"Why Don’t We Complain† Question 2 Employing simple anecdotes, William F. Buckley argues in his essay â€Å"Why Don’t We Complain†, that as people continue to ignore rudimentary issues, their passivity is transferring into political indifference. Buckley begins with a simple story of how â€Å"train temperatures in the dead of the winter†¦ climb up to 85 degrees without complaint† and how â€Å"For generations, Americans who were too hot, or too cold, got up and did something about it†. Although there were many passengers on the train, all visibly uncomfortable, no one said a word to the conductor about the issue. Buckley implies that the recent disinclination of Americans to speak up about a problem with a simple solution is only the beginning of a†¦show more content†¦Her descriptions of people’s content being the same through images of junk in old bags allows her to drive home the point that people aren’t all the different, no matter the appearance. The small detail of Hurston claiming she has no race allows her to plunge into the powerful bag metaphor, effectively portraying her conception of race. Hurston’s simple details followed by powerful yet perceptible images powerfully portray her thoughts and points on racial conflict. 4. â€Å"No Name Woman† Question 2 In â€Å"No Name Woman†, Maxine Kingston’s ancestral line serves as a life lesson, whereas in â€Å"In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens†, Alice Walker inherits culture and hope. Kingston recounts the first time hearing of her aunt â€Å"who killed herself† due to the fact that she was pregnant, and â€Å"could not have been pregnant†¦ because her husband had been gone for years†; the mom adds a reminder: â€Å"Don’t humiliate us. You wouldn’t like to be forgotten as if you were never born†. Kingston’s aunt disrespected the honor of her family and her village by her lack of faith to her husband, and creating another person dependent on the village for food, which is always scarce. Her ancestry and aunt serve as a lesson to always respect family and their well being, or risk being forgottenShow MoreRelatedSdffdgdfgfdg1230 Words   |  5 Pages |1 paper @ 50 points | |Assignments (8) |8 assignments @10 points=80 points | | | | | |8 Discussion Boards @5 points each=40 | |Discussion Boards (8) Read MoreBa3300752 Words   |  4 Pagesviolations of the Universal Intellectual Standards and Logical Fallacies in the essay, â€Å"Sweatshirts from Sweatshops† on pages 406-408 of your textbook. On pages 387-402 of your textbook, you will meet Tanya, Kevin, Elise and Dalton, Tanya encounters a series of discussions—the first with Kevin and the second with Elise and Dalton. The textbook describes how to critically assess the arguments in these discussions (Kevin and Elise and Dalton). Use these ONLY as examples for how to use criticalRead MoreLegacy: Critical Thinking and Business Cornerstone Note Essay768 Words   |  4 Pagesviolations of the Universal Intellectual Standards and Logical Fallacies in the essay, â€Å"Sweatshirts from Sweatshops† on pages 406-408 of your textbook. On pages 387-402 of your textbook, you will meet Tanya, Kevin, Elise and Dalton, Tanya encounters a series of discussions—the first with Kevin and the second with Elise and Dalton. The textbook describes how to critically assess the arguments in these discussions (Kevin and Elise and Dalton). Use these ONLY as examples for how to use criticalRead MoreLop of Lop805 Words   |  4 PagesIodine test and ... Discussion: ... Why You Add Hydrochloric Acid in Hydrolysis of Starch. Ingestion of saliva during carbohydrate feeding by ... - SciELO www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S0074-02762006000100016script... by RR Cavalcante - ‎2006 - ‎Cited by 5 - ‎Related articles Saliva ingestion by phlebotomine during the carbohydrate ingestion phase is ... The presence of saliva in each type of solution or substrate offered, as well as ... 0.2 ml of apyrase assay buffer pH 8 (50 mM Tris/HCl bufferRead MorePeer Review825 Words   |  4 PagesENGL112 Peer Review Worksheet INSTRUCTIONS: Peer Reviews will be conducted in class discussion forums during Week 7. Be sure to review the Lecture and the Discussion area for additional details and guidance. Please complete the following steps below, returning a separate peer review worksheet for each of the two classmates whose papers you review. This assignment is worth 50 points. * You will receive 10 points for submitting your draft by the required deadline. * You will receive 20 pointsRead MoreGraduation Speech : College Success882 Words   |  4 Pages As a group we decided to include a â€Å"College Success† course for freshman within out First Year Experience. Instead of making the course required, we would prefer to make the class optional and offered for 2 credits. The class would be for 50 minutes per day and either Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday and available both spring and fall semesters for first-year students at High Point University. The course would be recommended to all freshman for the fall semester in order to assist inRead MoreParents Responsibility1022 Words   |  5 PagesThis WebQuest is a follow-up lesson to consolidate what you have learnt about writing an argumentative essay. There are 2 components to this assignment: the Essay component and the Reflection component. Essay Component First, you are to research online on what an argumentative essay is all about, the grammatical features of an argumentative essay and how you should structure your argumentative essays. Secondly, you are to read the articles provided in this WebQuest and you are to figure out howRead MoreHp Value Chain Analysis1389 Words   |  6 Pages02:00pm – * Other hours: By appointment Course Expectations X Multiple-Choice Exams X Essay Tests X Written Homework X Written Papers/Cases X Internet Assignments X Library Assignments X Oral Presentations X Class Discussion X Make-Up Policy Students with Disabilities Students with Disabilities: Students who have a disability that may require assistance or accommodation, or students who have questions related to any accommodations for testing, note takers, readers, etc., please speak withRead Moreapollo 500851 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Course Syllabus APOL 500 Introduction to Apologetics Course Description This course surveys the approaches, questions, and methodologies of Christian Apologetics. The student will be exposed to the major worldviews and belief systems that they will encounter in today’s culture. Upon completion, the student will have a basic understanding of world religions, as well as the knowledge to effectively communicate the gospel with people of other faiths. Rationale Scripture tells us, â€Å"ButRead MoreReading Skill : Reading Skills770 Words   |  4 Pageswithout any details and giving questions to answer them on the read passage (Mikulecky, B., 2008). Table (3): Activities of Reading Skill Percentage % Total SVU El Menia Helwan University Activity No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes 16.77 83.22 26 129 6 44 5 50 15 35 Variety of reading texts 13.54 86.45 21 134 6 44 10 45 5 45 Discussion about the text Pre-Reading Activities 70.96 29.03 110 45 50 - 55 - 5 45 Predicting text content

Immanuel Kant Free Essays

This paper is meant to explore the legitimacy in disregarding ethics in the name of faith through an exploration of Immanuel Kant’s view on morality and religion and Soren Kierkegaard’s theory of distinction between ethics and faith and by comparing and contrasting both. It is further argued in this paper that non-rational leaps of faith can’t be subject to whether they are ethical or not as religion is higher than the ethical and as a dedicated Christian, I trust that true religion lies beyond what is rational. For that reason, this paper then chooses to uphold Kierkegaard’s theory. We will write a custom essay sample on Immanuel Kant or any similar topic only for you Order Now A Look into Kant’s Hypothetical and Categorical Imperatives   Kant holds that â€Å"Whoever wills the end, so far as reason has decisive influence on his action, wills also the indispensably necessary means to it that lie in his power† (Kant, 1785). Kant distinguishes hypothetical and categorical imperatives on the role of desire in guiding actions. If I do some action, that is a means to an ends, because of some desire on my part, then my action is based on a hypothetical imperative. Meanwhile, the reasons for following a â€Å"categorical imperative† are not merely that doing so will promote the ends that one happens to have, such as becoming rich or (more generally) being happy. Following categorical imperatives may often promote our personal ends, but it may not always do so. Making us happy and helping us get what we want is not what makes moral principles categorical imperatives; they are rational to follow, even if doing so does not make us happy or promote our personal ends. They express the idea that it is good and rational to act as they prescribe, but, unlike hypothetical imperatives, they do not simply say what is good to do as a means to getting or achieving what we want. To further explain, Kant’s categorical imperative requires that the principles of our actions command categorically and absolutely even though the results of these actions might be unknowable. It is a command that derives its significance not from the outcome of an action but from the necessity of the imperative. This is not to say, though, that morality should be viewed as something dictatorial, not intrinsically appealing or personally fulfilling or that categorical imperatives are like demands that we must obey with the attitude of a dutiful soldier following orders, respecting the authority of law without regard to anything else. Unlike commands from parents, military superiors, and legal authorities, they are conceived as expressing â€Å"objective principles†, that is principles that anyone in the context would follow if sufficiently guided by reason. They are supposed to tell us what is good in itself to do, not what someone demands that we do. In fact, he further upholds that basic moral requirements are laws we legislate to ourselves as rational persons with autonomy. We are not morally bound by any assumed requirement unless it is backed by principles that we can recognize as what we ourselves, as rational, self-governing individuals, want for ourselves and others. Kant holds that one â€Å"Categorical Imperative† (in the strict sense) that he formulated (in several ways) is an unconditional and unqualified requirement of reason, applicable in all human conditions and implicitly acknowledged in common moral judgments. Unlike the principle behind instrumental reasons, which we call â€Å"The Hypothetical Imperative,† it does not simply prescribe taking the necessary means to desired ends. That said, Kant’s categorical imperative then commands universally. The Teleological Suspension of the Ethical   Would it be possible to put the ethical on hold or â€Å"suspension† purposefully for the sake of something else such as faith? Most of you are probably familiar with the story in Genesis 22, but let me reiterate the first few lines to refresh your memory: â€Å"And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him: ‘Abraham.’ And he said: ‘Behold, here I am.’ And [God] said, ‘Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.’† Abraham is an individual asked by God to sacrifice his son Isaac as an expression of faith. Never mind that Abraham did not in the end go through with the act of killing his son. But is it intelligible to praise the father’s faith? Ethically he seems to be in the wrong, but can there be a teleological suspension of the ethical? Can a command of God suspend our obligation to act morally? That is the question with which Kierkegaard confronts us through the story of Abraham and Isaac.   What does it mean, first of all, to ask about a teleological suspension of the ethical? Kierkegaard explains, â€Å"[t]he ethical as such is the universal, and as the universal it applies to everyone, which from another angle means that it applies at all times.† For Kant, practical reason identifies the categorical imperative, which is defined precisely as that maxim which â€Å"could always hold†¦ as a principle establishing universal law†. All people in all places and times are obligated to act according to such a maxim whatever the particulars of their own experience or circumstances. We could say that Kierkegaard agrees with Kant’s categorical imperative in that both of them hold that the ethical is universal. But can there ever be a demand upon us that properly requires a suspension of the categorical imperative?   Kierkegaard wrote Fear and Trembling using the pseudonym â€Å"Johannes de Silentio.†Ã‚   He used the Biblical story of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac, not to eradicate ethics out of the picture, but to illustrate the distinction between ethics and faith: ethics has to do with universal morality, it’s based on reason; whereas faith, for him, is particular and paradoxical – it could seem absurd in a sense, but never irrational, totally separate from and even higher than rationality. In Kierkegaard’s terms, an ethical man is good, but the man of faith is best, and Abraham is the quintessential man of faith.   For Kant, the universal demand of ethics is the highest claim upon us. He ropes in Christian faith within a philosophical scheme or, as he himself put it, to construct â€Å"religion within the limits of reason alone†. In Kierkegaard’s view, that is a curtailment of Christian faith; it is a trimming of the gospel in order to make it look just like the ideas of the â€Å"good† life that we have come up with ourselves. In Kant’s case, of course, the good life to which all religion is directed is simply the consistent application of the categorical imperative, that product of practical reason through which is defined what is right and what is wrong. While, according to Kant, God is supposed to approve this scheme and act as the remote guarantor of its coherence, this does not allow to God the prerogative of disclosing his own view on what might constitute the life well lived. Such an intervention in the affairs of human beings – traditionally called revelation – would constitute, in Kant’s view, an intolerable violation of human autonomy. Faith on this account, â€Å"pure religious faith† as Kant calls it, in contrast with the historical or empirical faith of the church, must be purely rational and does not differ from the principle of a good course of life. Conclusion The conclusion arrived at is that while no ethical defence is possible, this is not sufficient reason for Abraham to be condemned. Kierekgaard is prepared to assume that Abraham has reasons that reason cannot tell. Abraham himself seems to know that he has passed beyond the limits of an intelligible defence of his actions. What this may suggest is that even Abraham himself cannot be sure that he is acting correctly. His conviction that he is acting in obedience to the command of God cannot be supported rationally and nor can it be easily supported by precedent, for this word of God seems to be in conflict with every other word that he has so far heard, most especially of course, the word that Isaac is the child of promise, the one through whom all nations will be blessed. Will God now take away that promise or has Abraham himself misunderstood? When Kierkegaard says that Abraham believes by virtue of the absurd, he has this in mind; that Abraham trusts God in two apparently contradictory directions, first, that Isaac is the first of many generations who will be blessed because of Abraham, and second, that Isaac is to be sacrificed on an altar before the Lord. Trusting God in both these things, â€Å"Abraham cannot speak, because he cannot say that which would explain everything.† Nevertheless, Abraham resists the temptation of the ethical and makes the â€Å"leap of faith.†   My view on this is that religion is separate from the ethical and the rational. To provide a justification of Abraham’s action would be to bring him back within the limits of reason alone, to measure him against a universal standard. Those standards, as proffered by Kant, cannot condone but only condemn Abraham. I venture the suggestion that there will be times in the life of faith when the individual must proceed without all reasonable objections having been resolved. Faith proceeds even though doubt has not been absolutely refuted. That is risky. To journey out beyond ethics and beyond common sense is to find oneself alone — perhaps even without God, perhaps just alone. People of faith are capable of, and often do get it wrong. But faith means trusting in God with the hope that one’s action is justified, not in the end by our own reason, but by God. References Kant, I. (1998). Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. (M. Gregor, Trans.). New York: Cambridge University Press. (Original work published 1785). Kierkegaard, S. (1985). Fear and Trembling. (A. Hannay, Trans.) Harmondsworth: Penguin. (Original work published 1843). How to cite Immanuel Kant, Essay examples

Artificial Life Essay Example For Students

Artificial Life Essay Artificial life (commonly called a-life) is the term applied collectively to attempts being made to develop mathematical models and computer simulations of the ways in which living organisms develop, grow, and evolve. Researchers in this burgeoning field hope to gain deeper insights into the nature of organic life as well as into the further possibilities of COMPUTER science and robotics (see ROBOT). A-life techniques are also being used to explore the origins and chemical processes of metabolism. Some investigators have even proposed that some digital life in computers might already be considered a real life form.BackgroundThe term artificial life was coined in the 1980s by Christopher Langdon, a computer scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Santa Fe Institute. Langdon organized the first experimental workshop on the subject at Santa Fe in 1987. Since then other a-life conferences have taken place, drawing increasingly wider attention and a growing number of participa nts.Theoretical studies of a-life, however, had been in progress long before the 1980s. Most notably, the Hungarian-born U.S. mathematician John VON NEUMANN, one of the pioneers of computer science, had begun to explore the nature of very basic a-life formats called cellular automata (see AUTOMATA, THEORY OF) in the 1950s. Cellular automata are imaginary mathematical cells-analogous to checkerboard squares-that can be made to simulate physical processes by subjecting them to certain simple rules called algorithms (see ALGORITHM). Before his death, von Neumann had developed a set of algorithms by which a cellular automaton-a box shape with a very long tail-could reproduce itself.Another important predecessor of a-life research was Dutch biologist Aristid Lindenmeyer. Interested in the mathematics of plant growth, Lindenmeyer found in the 1960s that through the use of a few basic algorithms-now called Lindenmeyer systems, or L-systems-he could model biochemical processes as well as tr acing the development of complex biological forms such as flowers. Computer-graphics programs now make use of L-systems to yield realistic three-dimensional images of plants.The significance of Lindenmeyers contribution is evident in the fact that so-called genetic algorithms are now basic to research into a-life as well as many other areas of interest. Genetic algorithms, first described by computer scientist John Holland of the University of Michigan in the 1970s, are comparable to L-systems. A computer worker trying to answer some question about a-life sets up a system-an algorithm-by which the computer itself rapidly grades the multiple possible answers that it has produced to the question. The most successful of the solutions are then used to develop new software that yields further solutions, and the cycle is repeated through several generations of answers.Evolutionary ModelingLangdon himself picked up on the work of von Neumann by attempting to design an a-life form on a comp uter screen. In 1979 he finally succeeded in developing loop-shaped objects that actually reproduced themselves, over and over again. As new generations spread outward from the initial organisms they left dead generations inside the expanding parameter. Langdon noted that the behavior of these a-life forms genuinely mimicked real-life processes of mutation and evolution. He eventually proposed that a-life studies could provide keys to understanding the logical form of any living systems, known or unknown.One of the most striking a-life simulations of evolutionary processes has been the work of Thomas Ray of the University of Delaware, who in 1990 set in motion a world of computer programs that he called Tierra. The world started out with a single ancestor, a program containing 80 instructions. A-life evolution proceeded as mutations rapidly appeared. The new forms included parasites that interacted with the original host forms, producing further mutations of hosts and parasites that learned to deal with one another anew in each succeeding generation.Bibliography:Braitenberg, Valentino, ;a href=http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=pcZ8g7DjAzAofferid=6424type=2subid=0url=http%253A//search.borders.com/fcgi-bin/db2www/search/search.d2w/Details%253F%2526mediaType%253DBook%2526prodID%253D2464171 ;Vehicles: Experiments in Synthetic Psychology;IMG border=0 alt=icon width=1 height=1 src=http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=pcZ8g7DjAzAbids=6424type=2subid=0 ; (1984)Langdon, Christopher, ed., Artificial Life (1988)Levy, Steven, ;a href=http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=pcZ8g7DjAzAofferid=6424type=2subid=0url=http%253A//search.borders.com/fcgi-bin/db2www/search/search.d2w/Details%253F%2526mediaType%253DBook%2526prodID%253D3045895 ;Artificial Life;IMG border=0 alt=icon width=1 height=1 src=http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=pcZ8g7DjAzAbids=6424type=2subid=0 ; (1992)Pagels, H. R., The Dreams of Reason (1988)Prata, Stephen, ;a href=http://click.lin ksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=pcZ8g7DjAzAofferid=6424type=2subid=0url=http%253A//search.borders.com/fcgi-bin/db2www/search/search.d2w/Details%253F%2526mediaType%253DBook%2526prodID%253D4440873 ;Artificial Life;IMG border=0 alt=icon width=1 height=1 src=http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=pcZ8g7DjAzAbids=6424type=2subid=0 ; (1993) .u7e529aa00b257572d361fb41ddc41df0 , .u7e529aa00b257572d361fb41ddc41df0 .postImageUrl , .u7e529aa00b257572d361fb41ddc41df0 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u7e529aa00b257572d361fb41ddc41df0 , .u7e529aa00b257572d361fb41ddc41df0:hover , .u7e529aa00b257572d361fb41ddc41df0:visited , .u7e529aa00b257572d361fb41ddc41df0:active { border:0!important; } .u7e529aa00b257572d361fb41ddc41df0 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u7e529aa00b257572d361fb41ddc41df0 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u7e529aa00b257572d361fb41ddc41df0:active , .u7e529aa00b257572d361fb41ddc41df0:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u7e529aa00b257572d361fb41ddc41df0 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u7e529aa00b257572d361fb41ddc41df0 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u7e529aa00b257572d361fb41ddc41df0 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u7e529aa00b257572d361fb41ddc41df0 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u7e529aa00b257572d361fb41ddc41df0:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u7e529aa00b257572d361fb41ddc41df0 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u7e529aa00b257572d361fb41ddc41df0 .u7e529aa00b257572d361fb41ddc41df0-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u7e529aa00b257572d361fb41ddc41df0:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Technetium Essay

POETRY John Donne Flashcard

POETRY John Donne

Leísmo and the Use of Le in Spanish

Leà ­smo and the Use of 'Le' in Spanish Do you always follow the rules of proper English in your speaking and writing? Probably not. So it probably would be too much to ask native Spanish speakers to do the same. And thats especially true when it comes to using pronouns such as le and lo. When it comes to breaking the rules of Spanish - or at least of varying from standard Spanish - there are probably no rules that are broken more often than those involving third-person object pronouns. The rules are broken so often that there are three common names for variations from whats considered normal, and the Spanish Royal Academy (the official arbiter of what is proper Spanish) accepts the most common variation from the norm but not others. As a Spanish student, youre normally best off learning, knowing and using standard Spanish; but you should be aware of variations so they dont confuse you and, ultimately, so you know when its OK to deviate from what you learn in class. Standard Spanish and Objective Pronouns The chart below shows the third-person objective pronouns that are recommended by the Academy and are understood by Spanish speakers everywhere. Number and gender Direct object Indirect oject singular masculine ("him" or "it") lo (Lo veo. I see him or I see it.) le (Le escribo la carta. I am writing him the letter.) singular feminine ("her" or "it") la (La veo. I see her or I see it.) le (Le escribo la carta. I am writing her the letter.) plural masculine ("them") los (Los veo. I see them.) les (Les escribo la carta. I am writing them the letter.) plural feminine ("them") las (Las veo. I see them.) les (Les escribo la carta. I am writing them the letter.) In addition, the Academy allows the use of le as a singular direct object when referring to a male person (but not a thing). Thus I see him could correctly be translated as either lo veo or le veo. Substituting le for lo is known as leà ­smo, and this recognized substitution is extremely common and even preferred in parts of Spain. Other Types of Leà ­smo While the Academy recognizes le as a singular direct object when referring to a male person, that isnt the only type of leà ­smo you may hear. While the use of les as a direct object when referring to multiple persons is less common, it also is frequently used and is listed as a regional variation in some grammar texts despite what the Academy may say. Thus you may hear les veo (I see them) when referring to males (or a mixed male/female group) even though the Academy would recognize only los veo. Although less common than either of the above variations, in some regions le also can be used as a direct object instead of la to refer to females. Thus, le veo might be said for either I see him or I see her. But in many other areas, such a construction might be misunderstood or create ambiguity, and you should probably avoid using it if youre learning Spanish. In some areas, le may be used to denote respect when used as a direct object, especially when speaking to the person le refers to. Thus, one might say quiero verle a usted (I want to see you) but quiero verlo a Roberto (I want to see Robert), although -lo would technically be correct in both instances. In areas where le can substitute for lo (or even la), it frequently sounds more personal than the alternative. Finally, in some literature and older texts, you may see le used to refer to an object, thus le veo for I see it. Today, however, this usage is considered substandard. Loà ­smo and Laà ­smo In some areas, parts of Central America and Colombia in particular, you may hear lo and la used as indirect objects instead of le. However, this usage is frowned on elsewhere and is probably best not imitated by people learning Spanish. More About on Objects The distinction between direct and indirect objects isnt quite the same in Spanish as it is in English, and thus the pronouns that represent them are sometimes called accusative and dative pronouns, respectively. Although a full listing of the differences between English and Spanish objects is beyond the scope of this article, it should be noted that some verbs use dative (indirect object) pronouns where the English would use a direct object. One common such verb is gustar (to please). Thus we correctly say le gusta el carro (the car pleases him), even though the English translation uses a direct object. Such usage of le is not a violation of the formal rules of Spanish or a true example of leà ­smo, but rather shows a different understanding of how some verbs function.

Ten Yiddish Expressions You Should Know

Ten Yiddish Expressions You Should Know Ten Yiddish Expressions You Should Know Ten Yiddish Expressions You Should Know By Michael For a language originally spoken only by Eastern European Jews, Yiddish has certainly found its way into common English. My wife was raised in a farming region in the American Midwest and never knew any Jewish people as a child, so she was surprised when I informed her that she uses Yiddish words all the time. Most Yiddish words comes from German, as well as Hebrew and the Slavic languages, but theyve entered the popular English language through the entertainment industry and East Coast American society. I like the sound of Yiddish words that begin with the letter S, especially sh, and here are some of my favorites. 1. shlep To drag, traditionally something you dont really need; to carry unwillingly. When people shlep around, they are dragging themselves, perhaps slouchingly. On vacation, when Im the one who ends up carrying the heavy suitcase I begged my wife to leave at home, I shlep it. 2. shlemiel A clumsy, inept person, similar to a klutz (also a Yiddish word). The kind of person who always spills his soup. 3. shlimazel Someone with constant bad luck. When the shlemiel spills his soup, he probably spills it on the shlimazel. Fans of the TV sitcom Laverne and Shirley remember these two words from the Yiddish-American hopscotch chant that opened each show. 4. shmooze Chat, make small talk, converse about nothing in particular. But at Hollywood parties, guests often schmooze with people they want to impress. 5. shmaltzy Excessively sentimental, gushing, flattering, over-the-top, corny. This word describes some of Hollywoods most famous films. From shmaltz, which means chicken fat or grease. 6. schlock Cheap, shoddy, or inferior, as in, I dont know why I bought this schlocky souvenir. 7. spiel A long, involved sales pitch, as in, I had to listen to his whole spiel before I found out what he really wanted. From the German word for play. 8. schmuck Often used as an insulting word for a self-made fool, but you shouldnt use it in polite company at all, since it refers to male anatomy. 9. shalom It means deep peace, and isnt that a more meaningful greeting than Hi, how are ya? 10. shtik Something youre known for doing, an entertainers routine, an actors bit, stage business; a gimmick often done to draw attention to yourself. Update: We published a new post with 40 Yiddish words that you should check out! Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Dialogue Dos and Don'tsList of 50 Great Word Games for Kids and AdultsPredicate Complements

Homework for Eco Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Homework for Eco - Essay Example It is only through capital investment and not capital consumption that growth can be experienced in the economy (Callum). In the Chinese and Middle East context, Faber notes that the Chinese economy is a growing economy due to its investment and increased production rather than consumption. Additionally, China exports to the developing and emerging economies totally by passing the old world order. However, its overdependence on the raw materials such as oils from the Middle East could be an undoing in the future. Middle East is known for its instability and therefore the overdependence on their oil for production could greatly affect the economy (Callum). The approach reduces the moral hazard by ensuring that the creditors do not experience losses. This is due to the fact that losses on the creditors’ side have more detrimental effect on the institution than the loss of Equity by the institution. Creditors impact more on the company than the equity holders. The Creditors can easily cause more losses in case they themselves incur losses. It is ideal than a rescue that protects both creditors and equity holders (Mark). This approach eliminates the problem completely due to the fact the owner who has all the liberty to invest on behalf of the creditor and who has access to more information acts responsibly. This is due to the fact the owner incurs charges and possible losses in case of poor investment options. Senator Lincoln proposed that the commercial banks be forbidden to trade derivative securities in 2010. This is with the intent of preventing the banks from using the cheap deposits to subsidize risky derivative businesses. The proposal also prevents banks from using emergency banking facilities. This proposal encourages financial intermediaries to divest their derivatives by forbidding the government from giving these banks assistants such as tax breaks (Yves). Despite the fact the

Wireless technology Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Wireless technology - Coursework Example Compared to the positive impacts, negative impacts of wireless technology on the environment are dependent on prolonged exposure linked to long-term use in moving people and goods, offering public services, powering the future, and nourishing people. In addition, wireless technology has made way into home, workplaces, and schools increasing concerns over the impacts on the environment in all these areas. This section focuses on both the negative and positive impacts that wireless technology has on the environment. The areas of study include hazards to humans, resources depletion, inventions’ discovery, and impact on wildlife, pollution of air and water, and short-lived and long-lived waste disposal impacts. Other areas of study include endangering of species, spotted owl and deforestation, and positive impacts like the case of Alaskan pipeline. In terms of public health, mobile phones and other wireless telecommunication devices involve information transmission using radio waves. Radio frequency waves are non-ionizing and this implies that they are not as strong to affect the atomic structures that they contact (U.S environmental Protection Agency, 2014). This is to say that RF waves neither break any chemical bond within human body nor cause any human atom to charge negatively or positively. Radio frequency waves linked to wireless technology arise from fixed network of antennas or base stations, industrial sources like cell towers, personal and domestic appliances, commercial surveillance systems, WLAN, WiFi, and WiMAX networks. According to Sage & Carpenter (2009), RF waves form the main element of wireless communications and have the capacity to increase the information volume transferred with time. As a result, multiple frequency bands are in use for wireless communication. However, RF is electromagnetic fields and

Need for the study Essay Example for Free

Need for the study Essay Empirical studies about the impact of globalization on Belize are rare. This paper studies the economic development of Belize in the light of globalization, privatization and economic liberalization. It studies how beneficial the economy has been to the people after the opening of the economy. It perceives and looks at the performance of BTL and its role in contributing to the development of the country. Research Questions The following research questions are asked in this paper: 1. How has globalization affected the economic development of Belize? 2. How has globalization affected the welfare of its people? 3. How has globalization affected the success of the dominant telecommunications company BTL? Purpose of the Study The research methodology is the set of processes used to collect and analyze data. Research methodology is defined as a structured set of guidelines or activities to assist in generating valid and reliable research results. This part describes the research methods and procedures used to obtain and analyze data in this study. Research design reflects the structure of the research project and provides the means of collecting suitable data to answer the research questions. This paper seeks to identify the social, political, economic and cultural issues and outcomes which have emerged from globalization in Belize. It reviews the telecommunication sector of the country by looking at the reports of BTL. It studies the performance of the BTL. It highlights the achievements and failures of the company. It researches and examines the company’s services in the light of the government’s telecommunication industry. A detailed analysis is conducted about the success and failure of globalization in Belize by using studies which provide analysis on the economic performance of the country. Finally the study uses research material to examine the globalization success or failure in Belize as compared with its neighbors. The impact of telecommunications industry in the light of globalization is studied and researched extensively in the paper. Literature Review Belize is a Central American state which became independent in the early 1980s. The country has a multicultural society with various ethnic and racial groups. The country has pursued an economic policy which is dependant on free trade and foreign investment. Agriculture exports comprise the majority of the country’s exports. An estimated one hundred and eighty five American companies have invested in the country’s infrastructure and telecommunications sector. With a population of three hundred thousand people, the government continues to invest in developing the infrastructure of the country (Neuman 26, 2003). The country enjoys decent standards of living with relatively stable electrical, telephone, and water infrastructure. However major roads of the country are hampered by lack of development. Belize City and Dangriga are the important sea ports which handle shipping arriving from the United States of America. All major international airlines provide regular flights to the country. Belize has embarked upon a program of economic liberalization which includes a fifteen million dollar electricity program (Neuman 27, 2003). Estimated twenty million dollars funds have also been received from the Inter American Development Bank. This money will be used to invest in social sectors and services. Another two million dollars have been collected to invest in poverty reduction programs. Another major investment project is the Agricultural Health Project which seeks to modernize the agricultural production and distribution sector. Brazil has provided assistance for the development of soybean in the country. The aim of the government has been to diversify its agricultural exports and decrease reliance on the export of sugar cane.

For Whom The Bell Tolls Essay -- Literary Analysis, Ernest Hemingway

The novel For Whom the Bell Tolls, written by Ernest Hemingway, is a story of passionate love throughout the brutality of the Spanish Civil War. Hemingway uses his personal experiences to portray the true meaning and feeling of this book. Ernest Miller Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899 in Oak Park, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois. The neighborhood he grew up in was straight-laced and rigidly Protestant. Hemingway started his literary career publishing his work in his school magazine. Later on in life, he signed up to join the military in World War II, but was rejected due to his defective left eye from birth. Instead, he enlisted in the Missouri National Guard and remained on the lookout for opportunities to progress to the front. In 1918, he sailed to Europe to become an ambulance driver in Northern Italy. There, Hemingway was seriously injured and while in the hospital fell in love with his nurse, Agnes Hannah Von Kurowsky. She was the model that Hemingway used as Catherin e Barkley in A Farewell To Arms. In 1919, he returned to Oak Park and earned a medal for his valor in Italy. He and his wife had their first son, John, in October 1923. Three years later, in 1926, Hemingway published his first novel, The Sun Also Rises. Sadly, on December 6, 1928, he learned that his father had committed suicide. Years later, during his divorce with his second wife, he wrote For Whom the Bell Tolls and it was published in October of 1940. The next month, Hemingway married his third wife, Martha Gellhorn. In 1944, he traveled to London and not only fell in love with Mary Welsh, but was involved in a serious car accident and was thought to be dead. In 1945, his third marriage failed and later that year was in yet another severe c... ... brutality of the Spanish Civil War. Hemingway’s simplistic language style, war imagery, mountainous setting, and theme of a heroic protagonist all contribute to his personal experiences in life and at war. Much of his style resembles the personal experiences he had in life with family, love, and war. The imagery that is applied in this piece of literature mirrors what Hemingway had seen and imagined during his service in Italy and his experiences during the relationships which he partook. The setting represents the area in which Hemingway had seen and envisioned Spain. The various themes of this story describe Hemingway’s political views on war and outlook on the morals of life. In conclusion, the qualities that Ernest Hemingway possesses in his writing skills are truly remarkable and they are evidently depicted in this amazing piece of classic literature.

Immoral Greed †War and Morality

I am writing to you today because I want to express to you my ideas on morality and war. Morality is an ideal that can be defined as doing what is right, from a philosophical perspective, regardless of the potential consequences of taking action. Although morality is simple to define, what is moral to one person may be immoral to another, making morality entirely subjective when it comes to real problems. Political, societal, and religious influences are just a few inputs that can affect whether a person sees a particular situation as either moral or immoral. Morality is entirely relative, and can change based on the situation. One of the most controversial issues, as morality is concerned, is that of war. While war is a necessary evil, political influences and the need for power make war a potential immoral action when it is not done for the betterment of a nation or society. The motives of a nation that goes to war are one of the most controversial when it comes to the issues of morality. A nation can become involved in a violent interaction for many reasons, and the morality of the war can be based on these reasons. Some wars are fueled by power hungry politicians, while others are waged on religious or societal beliefs and impressions. The issue of morality and war is covered in Jimmy Carter’s, â€Å"Just War – or a Just War?† and Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail†. First, I believe that in order for a war to be a moral war, all non-violent options must be exercised. In Jimmy Carter’s op-ed piece, entitled â€Å"Just War – or a Just War?†, Mr. Carter makes the observation that â€Å"†¦ war can be waged only as a last resort† (Carter 260). Before a war is waged, a nation’s leaders should exhaust any diplomatic means of resolving the differences they have with their foes. In some governments, hunger for power, rather than acting on a threat, causes war to be waged at the drop of a hat. In the current war in Iraq, there is much controversy over whether the United States declared war on Iraq because it was a last resort, or because the U.S. was hungry for power, and wanted to exert its influence over the Iraqi people. This element of war is further corroborated in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s , â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail†. At the height of racial tension in the South, King writes, â€Å"†¦ the city’s white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative† (King, Jr. 164). This reflects that not only can war be waged between nations, it can also be waged in a different sense, among a nation. Mr. King also outlines four steps in resolving conflicts in a non-violent manner, â€Å"†¦ collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self-purification; and direct action† (King, Jr. 164). It is important to note that the final step in this outline is direct action. In the same way that problems between nations must be resolved, tensions among a nation must also be resolved, and these attempts at a resolution must be made in a diplomatic way if possible before war is waged. Secondly, I believe that a moral war must consist of actions that are equivalent to those actions taken against the nation. Although the consequences of war, such as death and destruction, are inevitable, Carter also notes that, â€Å"Its violence must be proportional to the injury we have suffered† (Carter 260). To lash out at a weaker nation simply because of differing ideals is not an acceptable cause for war. However, to react to a threat or aggressive acts, is an acceptable cause to wage a war. Many times, governments are hungry for power and will go to war for any reason, simply to exert their power and influence over other countries, thus extending their influence across the nations. For example, the war that the United States has waged against Iraq is a questionable one when it comes to this element. Carter notes that the â€Å"†¦ efforts to tie Iraq to the 9/11 terrorist attacks have been unconvincing† (Carter 260). Although Saddam Hussein’s rule over his people may have been cruel and murderous, the United States did not have the evidence they should have had linking Iraq to the Twin Towers incident in order to justify declaring war. In this sense, the current war may not be moral, as the United States acted out of proportion to any actions Iraq took against us. The idea of any retaliation against or among a nation being based only on injuries suffered, is furthered in Mr. King’s observations. In Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail†, he notes that â€Å"we have not made a single gain in civil rights without determined legal and nonviolent pressure† (King, Jr. 166). Because the injuries suffered by the African American public in the South were not of a physical nature, but rather a political nature, Mr. King reiterates that with consistent pressure from the African American community in a non-violent manner, they have been able to make progress in obtaining civil rights. It is important to note Mr. King’s emphasis on the necessity of determination in bringing about any amount of change to the African American community. To resolve the conflict in the South between races, it took many years of protesting and non-violent measures, and if the African American population had not been determined to bringing about a non-violent end to their struggle, the changes that took place may have never occurred. Finally, I believe that a war can only be considered to be moral if the outcome of the war is a significant improvement over the nation that existed prior to the conflict. Carter notes that in order for a war to be just, â€Å"The peace it establishes must be a clear improvement over what exists† (Carter 260). In essence, the aftermath of the war must create a sense of peace that is much improved over what had previously existed within the nation – if it does not, the war was ultimately in vain. These elements are apparent in the current war that the United States is waging in Iraq. The United States has gone to war with Iraq, perhaps with the best of intentions for the Iraqi people, but only chaos and destruction have ensued. The peace of the nation of Iraq has not been much improved over what was previously in place. Martin Luther King, Jr. touches on the idea of acceptable moral reasons for demanding changes, as well. Mr. King writes, â€Å"Thus it is that I can urge men to obey the 1954 decision of the Supreme Court, for it is morally right; and I can urge them to disobey segregation ordinances, for they are morally wrong† (King, Jr. 168). In both Carter and King’s writing, it is well noted that peace is the ultimate goal of any conflict, whether it be between nations or among one nation. In conclusion, morality is a subjective ideal that is a contributor to conflicts both between nations and among one nation. War is necessary, but can be based on political, religious, or societal pressures of a nation. War can be perpetuated by political greed, or religious and societal reasons. It is important for a nation to make a valiant attempt to diplomatically resolve their conflicts with other nations or among their own nation before waging war. The morality of waging war is one of the most controversial issues nations face, whether it be with other nations or in dealing with conflicts among their own nation. Works Cited Carter, Jimmy. â€Å"Just War – or a Just War?† The Presence of Others: voices and images that call for response. Andrea Lunsford and John Ruszkiewicz. Boston: Bedford, 2004. 259-261. King, Jr., Martin L. â€Å"Letter From Birmingham Jail†. The Presence of Others: voices and images that call for response. Andrea Lunsford and John Ruszkiewicz. Boston: Bedford, 2004. 163-176.

Meli Marine Case Study Essay

†¢ Global commerce trade is primarly dependent on trans-ocean shipping; roughly 90% of general cargo is shipped via container Based on the container shipping value chain, there are several segments to expand and integrate the business and enter the market. This would provide benefit of business diversification hence decreasing risks According to the volume of growth of shipping lanes (Exhibit 6), every lane has steadily increased during the last years and is expected to grow further in the future Meli Marine’s Strategy to Compete in The Industry 1) Greater flexibility in the cost structure by selling older vessels, adding smaller more efficient vessels and reducing the total fleet owned (consolidation) 2) Shifting the focus from feeder to line services (intra-Asia). This brought the advantage to also cover spoke-to-spoke lanes and not only hub-to-spoke 3) Priorization: a narrower set of costumers and shipping products (commodities and perishable products). Hence, investment in specialized containers such as insulated, refrigereted, etc†¦ to back-up the business (core competence) 4) Meli Marine built out its own freight forwarder arm: seamless door-to-door service using an integrated chain service with other transportation systems, achieving a more complete service to the costumers 5) The previous strategies, in particular from 2 to 4, allowed Meli Marine to create its own industry standard that became an added value. In fact, costumers did not switch eventhough the competitors offered the same services to a cheaper price Meli Marine Performance Compared to Key Competitors †¢ Meli Marine is the smallest player in the market in terms of revenues and capital, mainly due to concentration on the intra-Asia lanes. Indeed, constant revenue growth (67%) indicates that there is less opportunities for expansion and growth in Revenues the intra-Asia†¦

Mask in society essays

Mask in society essays "Masks have served humankind for centuries as artistic instruments, educational tools and have often reflected and magnified human nature while revealing the inner desires and fears of the human heart. However, as we stand in the 90's we have little or no need for masks. Theatre has developed and moved swiftly, parents and schools educate children and humankind no longer feels the need to see their true feelings interpreted and portrayed by performers. Masks and mask work must take their place in the relics cupboard as quaint antiquities. They simply cannot withstand the break neck speed of the 90's- they have lost their appeal and relevancy." As society dives head first into the 21st century one cannot deny that there are a number of apparently frivolous concepts which are being sacrificed in the name of technology. Peripheral ideals and out-dated innovations such as LP's, tie dying and the ozone layer are being rightfully pushed aside as the world makes ready for bigger and better things. But the question arises, should masks be included within this list of irrelevant notions? To fully comprehend and reply to this one must have a detailed knowledge of mask throughout history, its educational, theatrical and entertainment value, and most importantly, its current appeal and relevancy in the eyes of today's society. To completely understand and appreciate the entirety of mask and the impact it has made one must first know something of its origins and history. It is not surprising that the birth of mask is most apparent in the same country that is credited with the parentage of drama itself, Greece. Ancient Greek theatre is most renown for its Tragedy and Comedy, including works such as Oedipus Rex and The Wasps. Playwrights such as Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes were capable of 'enthralling their audiences and moving them to strong emotions- apprehension, compassion, sorrow' and joy (EXTENDED STUDY: MASK). But...

Cellular Respiration and Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants, some bacteria, and some protistans use the energy from sunlight to produce sugar, which cellular respiration converts into ATP, the fuel used by all living things. The conversion of unusable sunlight energy into usable chemical energy, is associated with the actions of the green pigment chlorophyll. Most of the time, the photosynthetic process uses water and releases the oxygen. Cellular respiration allows organisms to use (release) in the chemical bonds of glucose(C6H12O6). The energy in glucose is used to produce ATP. Cells use ATP to supply their energy needs. Cellular respiration is therefore a process in which the energy in glucose is transferred to ATP. In respiration, glucose is transferred to ATP. Oxidized and thus releases energy. Oxygen is reduced to form water. In Photosynthesis, plants use the suns energy as light to transform carbon dioxide and water into glucose. In cellular respiration, glucose is ultimately broken down to yield carbon dioxide and water, and the energy from this process is stored as ATP molecules. The equation for photosynthesis is: 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy 6O2 + C6H12O6 and cellular respiration is: 6O2 + C6H12O6 6H2O + 6CO2 + energy The reactants in the photosynthesis process stay on the left, they are 6 molecules of water (H2O) and 6 molecules of carbon dioxide. The products are 6 molecules of Oxygen and glucose. In the cellular respiration the reactants are 6 molecules of Oxygen and glucose, and the products are 6 molecules of water + 6 molecules of carbon dioxide. As we can see the cellular respiration is the opposite equation of the photosynthesis. All life depends on these reactions because we need oxygen, and this oxygen comes from the plants that releases it from photosynthesis. And we all need energy to function. We get this energy from the foods we eat. The most efficient way for cells to harvest energy stored in food is through cellular respiration.

Obsession Compulsive Disorder Research Proposal

Obsession Compulsive Disorder - Research Proposal Example "Researches have found that one-third to one-half of OCD cases identified in adults began during childhood" (Hyman and Pedrick 16). Most of the causes of OCD are biological. "About half of all the people with OCD experience the symptoms in childhood. Among children, twice as many boys than girls demonstrate characteristics of OCD. For others, the disorder begins in adolescence or early adulthood. Interestingly, by adulthood, the male female ratio is almost fifty-fifty." (Boyles and Contadino 233). Obsessive Compulsive Disorder has a variety of symptoms like contamination symptoms, symptoms related to performing tasks and intrusive fears and thoughts. Along with this symptoms can be of violent or aggressive thoughts, and inappropriate sexual thoughts. "Although people appear to be distinct dimensions in OCD, it should be noted that most patients report multiple symptoms that cut across dimensions" (Swinson 7). With obsessions, "there are three common themes: unwanted thoughts of aggression/harm, unwanted sexual thoughts, and blasphemous thoughts" (De Silva and Rachman 4). In layman's language the symptoms include, some patients fear the presence of body secretions like sweat and saliva. Some symptoms related to performing actions repeatedly can be specific counting patterns or repeatedly washing the hands or clearing the throat. Some people suffer with repeatedly getting unpleasant and involuntary thoughts and images, usually a result of depression. Some people suffer with repeatedly violent thoughts like jumping off a bride or a train or even hurting a child. Sometimes people suffer from inappropriate sexual thoughts like kissing, fondling, oral sex intercourse or anal sex with parents, strangers, friends or even children. This usually happens when the sufferer doubts his or her sexual ability. Scientists believe that the causes of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder are both biological and psychological. Biologically it is believed that there is some abnormality with the neurotransmitter serotonin of the patient that causes OCD. Psychologists believe that OCD is caused by anxiety provoking intrusive thoughts. Some studies have proved that OCD can also be caused due to nutrition deficiencies. There is no complete cure for OCD, however, there are some treatments to help people suffering with OCD. In the past, people suffering from OCD did not have any medical or psychological help, they had to fight their symptoms on their own, which caused most patients to live in pain. Today treatment is available and a person suffering from OCD to seek early treatment. The early treatment is started the less are the chances of a person developing complications from the illness. However, "most writers simply discount the possibility that the outcome can be influenced by treatment" (Mavissakalian, Tuner and Michelson 29). The first line treatments for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder are cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy and medication. One of the most effective methods of treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder if Psychotherapy. Psychotherapy is done on a one to one basis or within a group setting assisted by a trained specialist. It is usually the first step of treatment for OCD patients, especially children. The only proven form of psychotherapy for OCD is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT. Cognitive Behavior

Importance on maintaining Academic Honesty Essay

Importance on maintaining Academic Honesty - Essay Example This paper discusses the importance of academic integrity and honesty. Maintaining academic integrity in our institutions is extremely crucial. First, academic integrity in our institutions is a predictor of workplace honesty. It is widely said, â€Å"Practice, practice makes perfect.† This means that it hard to stop an action once hooked into it. A study carried out reveal that at least 90% of the students participate in some form of cheating either directly or indirectly in their school time. Technology and Wikis allow this where students collaborate without authority to complete their assignments. Rosati concurs with this in her study and reports a higher number of plagiarism issues due to students increasing use of World Wide Web as a research space (Rosati, 2002) The high numbers of cheating among the students means that more corrupt men and women join the workforce every year. A person who can cheat in an exam through copying or using unauthorized materials during an academic exercise is a person without objectivity. Such persons have a conditional memory and cannot make appropriate decisions when given certain authorities in a company. To remain at a competitive edge with other companies, companies need leaders who can original and innovative in the market. Academic honesty shapes a student and prepares them for their careers in future in that they learn to work with an independent mind. Secondly, maintaining academic honesty develop core values and cornerstones of educational institutions. It is the responsibility of every faculty, and educational organization to establish guidelines that every of their students should understand. Of all these guidelines, none of them is as essential as maintaining academic integrity guidelines. The code outlines the expectations of the university to the students and requires them to act with integrity and

Self-confidence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Self-confidence - Essay Example Self-feelings may be either active or passive. On the one hand, one may have a feeling or attitude of self-assertion, of confidence, of being in control of the situation, of directing oneself forward in a purposeful activity. On the other hand, one may have the feeling of being the victim of circumstances, of being helpless and dependent, and of having things happen to one's self over which one does not have much control. Normal living is a combination of these dual feelings of self-direction and helplessness. For this student who is transferred from a self contained class for emotionally disturbed children needs some time to get settled in a class of normal students. This change in the beginning would effect his self confidence as in the new class there would be good interaction between students. Secondly these students would be sharper and sometimes more intelligent from the students in the previous class. The methods I will use are the Self Esteem Therapies in which I will try to find out how the student's self-esteem was destroyed and what were the factors present which refrained him to develop his socialization process. After getting this integral information I will try to curb down all these factors affecting his self-confidence building.

Analysing leadership and determinants of Leadership Effectiveness

Analysing leadership and determinants of Leadership Effectiveness Leadership is the behavior of an individual when he/she is giving directions and activities to a group moving towards a common purpose. A leader is seen as someone who sets the paths in an effort to influence people to adhere to those paths. Leadership is an action and not just a position. It can be shown via different people in various situations. A person may not born to be a leader but can be cultured through the upbringing and environment. But there are people who have innate capabilities to become leaders even though they are not exposed. These innate characteristics need to be polished in order for the person to let his or her leadership skills and capabilities shine through. Such leaders also need to be further equipped with certain competencies so that they can pick up qualities that they should demonstrate to become even greater leaders. A leaders personal characteristics are also vital for the developments and motivations of the organizations. True leaders such as the teachers who illustrated that leadership is an action (teaching and leading the students) and not a position. Personal characteristics can also determine what type of leadership approach a person will demonstrate and how effective his or her leadership capabilities are in different situations. Touching the lives and affecting the outcome of many different expectations, a teacher is the epitome of a leader. A leader has his or her own style of motivating the people in the organizations. A leader must find the best skills in order to provide directions, motivations and purposes. Effective leaders are flexible. Organizational Leadership Model The effective leadership influence is not the same for everyone. It depends on their ranks in the organization and abilities which are required in leaders. The three basic leadership roles identified: initiation, speech, and management. 1. Initiation Initiation refers to planned decision making on policy formulation or structural change. These vital decisions are the determinants of the organizations culture and mission. 2. Speech Strategic decisions and methods designed for implementation within the establishment. It includes adjusting or adding on to the present structure towards new policy demands. 3. Management Management is putting into practice the policies and measures that are available to maintain the operations of the organization efficiently. These three kinds of Leadership are naturally executed at diverse ranks in the company with different abilities and skills. The top level management would initiate new policies that involve a change in the businesss structure or understanding the companys mission. An understanding of the entire organization, culture, mission, vision and how it correlates with the external parties is mandatory for these top level individuals. They represent the organization and what the business stands for. Understanding the policy decisions and practicing them to the existing organization via utterance or speech is usually made by the intermediate-level managers. They must uphold a two-way point of reference by taking orders from the above management and adapting them for the lower groups of people in the organization. Type of Leadership Process Typical Organizational Level Cognitive (Knowledge) Affective (Emotion) Initiation: Change, creation and elimination of structure Top echelons System perspective Charisma Speech: supplementing and piecing out of structure Intermediate levels: pivotal roles Subsystem perspective: two-way orientation Integration of primary and secondary relations: human relation skills Management: use of existing structure Lower levels Technical knowledge and understanding of system of rules Concern with equity in use of rewards and sanctions EXHIBIT 16.1 The three Leadership Models. The Position in the Organization. The Skill Requirements A companys policies and procedures will be administered by the Lower-level supervisors. These personnel must possess both the technical knowledge and a clear perception of the organizations rules in order to be successful. They have to continually deal with issues such as equity, rewards and punishments in leading others. Therefore, leadership plays a crucial role in an organization because it has direct impact on the effectiveness of the organizations. Leadership is when a person manipulates others to perform a task at their own will which they would not normally do. Leadership is a vital process to an organization and it can be deliberated on three different stages; i.e. the individual, group and organization. Analysis at the individual stage: the leadership studies have paid attention on the successful leader personalities. Behaviors of both formal and informal leaders are focused at the group level. The effectiveness of an organization is decided by the relations between the leader, follower and circumstances. The studies have caused an emergence of different theories of leadership, namely situational and contingency. In Search for Leadership The requirements in selecting and training efficient leaders were emphasized during the World War I and the quarter century between World War l and World War II; numerous studies were made to examine the personal characteristics of good leaders. These studies are usually referred as characteristic studies since the primary goal was to classify the traits and personal characteristics of successful leaders. The diverse methods used to study these leadership traits could possibly be the reason in the irregularities of the results. The manner of studies was not consistent in identifying the leaders. A majority of the studies was in comparing efficient with inefficient leaders or leaders with non-leaders. Some were identified by external observers, others selected by the group by way of recommendation or voting, nominated by observers such as teachers while some were chosen because they are already in leadership positions. The studies conducted were in conflict as to the way they deliberated on the traits. Some traits were measured by mental tests; others relied on viewers to spot the traits they have seen while some depended on the persons to report their own personality traits. The trait studies were quite unsatisfactory as a whole especially since they had hoped to develop an accurate measure of leadership effectiveness. The spotlight on the leadership research moved because of the flimsy results, to contingency studies which investigated more than just traits of a leader. Numerous traits formed an important divergence in leadership effectiveness and they interrelated with other conditional variables to stimulate the effectiveness of the leader. Physical Behaviors Physical attributes including height, weight, health and appearance are also examined in the studies. It was concluded that there is a relationship between the above features and leadership. Apparently leaders have the tendency to be taller, heavier, better fitness, greater physique, higher energy output and more attractive in appearance. However, these types of results were not always reliable and consistent. The results neither are too weak in general and not consistent to be effective in selecting leaders nor are they helpful for training functions since not much can be made to alter most of these physical traits. Intellect It was generally agreed that leaders are more intellectual than non-leaders and the relationship was shown in the various studies. The relationship could probably begin from the reality that leadership functions depend mostly on success in problem solving. Leadership roles such as initiation, speech and management necessitate great mental ability. In general, it is safe to assume that leaders seem to be more intelligent than non-leaders but the relationships are small. Many other variables other than intellect inspire leadership effectiveness. It was also suggested that leaders should not be too intelligent than the group because associates who are notably brilliant than others are rarely chosen as leaders since the other members tend to snub them. Individuals with high IQs are inclined to have different sets of vocabulary, networks and aspirations that would create communication and inter-relations problems. Leaders do extremely well generally at school/college/university and score better grades. It is important for effective leadership to know how to do things. Thus general and practical knowledge are essential for leaders to make better decisions. Characteristic Traits Only a partial of the characteristic traits seem to be related to leadership and most are not especially convincing. It was suggested that the average leader is more social, has greater initiative, is more persistent, smart in getting things done, highly self-confident, cooperative, and adaptable to situations and possesses excellent communication skills. Leaders were found to be more emotionally mature than non-leaders in the personality integration or emotional adjustment. It can be concluded that personal characteristics are related to leadership. Effective leadership does not depend on a mixture of personality traits only because situational variables are also important since they always decide whether a character was associated with effective leadership either positively or negatively. Therefore, it can be deduced that effective leadership depends on the leaders characteristics, his subordinates and the nature of the task at hand. Many leadership styles were based on studies of leaders behaviors. The finest researches on the styles of leadership are made together at the same time; i.e. The State University in Ohio and the Michigan University. Researchers acknowledged two leader behaviors that were similar although the investigations were conducted separately. As a result, a two dimensional aspects of leadership have been to used to form the Managerial Grid. Authoritarian, Democratic, and Laissez-faire Leadership Due to the diverse political systems in the US and Germany before World War II, studies of leadership have been inspired which evaluated the three leadership styles: the authoritarian, the democratic and the laissez faire. In the democratic leadership style, decisions were made by vote of majority; equal participation encouraged; criticism and punishment minimal. In the autocratic leader, the leader made all the decisions and others must follow the set procedures strictly. In the laissez-faire leader, there was minimal actual leadership and others were permitted to work and play as usual without proper directives. Initiating Structure and Consideration The two leadership factors were initiating structure and consideration which include leadership behaviors in organizing and defining the tasks to be performed and goal achievements. A leader who assigns people to do specific jobs, expected workers to follow set routines and meet deadlines. The consideration factor is friendliness, showing trust, exhibiting warmth and concern for followers. Production-Centered and Employee-Centered Leader Behaviors Production centered behaviors were akin to initiating structure in which leaders would establish targets, gave directives, checked on operations and planned the group Employees work. Centered behaviors were similar to the considerations dimension in which the leader would develop a caring personal relationship with the subordinates and encouraged a two-way communication with them. The associations between the production-centered and employee-centered behaviors are found to be independent scopes of leadership. A leader with strong production orientation does not mean that he is disinterested in the employees. Managerial Grid Robert Blake and Jane Mouton had created a framework which relates task accomplishment to concern for people called the Managerial Grid. They both assumed that concern for production and concern for people would produce the most effective leadership style. There are leaders primarily more concerned with accomplishing the production and task not concerned about people. This person wants the job done and schedule followed at all costs. There is also individual who is not concerned whether the group produces anything but concerned more about the personal needs and interests of the team members. Ideally, leaders should be concerned about meeting schedules in order to get the work done and simultaneously are concerned about the team members interest and feelings too. The Managerial Grid is popular among managers. It is extensively used by organisations as part of their training program to assess leadership style. However, the effectiveness of the Managerial Grid is not consistently supported. The factors which are considered in determining leadership styles interact in complicated ways which resulted in various leadership styles. SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP In assessing leadership effectiveness, there are many factors that must be combined. A situational leadership model developed by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard considers three variables: (1) the guidance and the direction provided by the leaders (task behavior) (2) the emotional support given by the leader (relationship behavior) (3) the maturity level exhibited in performing the task As a result, four potential leadership styles have been created using a combination of the above factors: S1: Telling Give instructions and supervise performance closely. Suited for followers who are unwilling but of low maturity. S2: Selling Decide and provide opportunity for explanation. Appropriate for followers who are not able but willing. S3: Participating Sharing ideas in making decisions. Suited for followers who are able but not willing. S4: Delegating Responsibility handed over for decisions and performance. Appropriate for groups who are able and willing. Contingency Theory of Leadership Fiedler studied the interaction of leadership style and situation. He identified and developed ways to measure leadership orientation of the leader and situational factors which influence leadership. Leader Orientation Two types of leaders were identified, i.e. relationship-oriented or task-oriented. Leaders who are relationship-oriented tend to look at others as coworkers and look upon interpersonal relations as a requirement towards accomplishing the task. However, for task-oriented leaders, they react strongly against people whom they could not get along with in performing a task. Situational favorableness (1) relationships between leader and member can be good or bad; (2) the task is relatively well planned or not; and (3) the leaders authority is relatively strong or weak. The task structure becomes the second most important situational variable based on evaluation of four aspects of the task structure. Clarity: whether requirements of the tasks are stated clearly, Multiplicity: which the problems encounter can be solved. Verifiability: which the correctness of the decisions can be ascertained. Specificity: which there are generally more solutions involved in performing the task. Group effectiveness Relationship-oriented leaders perform excellently well in situations where concern for the team members is apparently necessary in order to motivate them to perform well. People naturally prefer leaders who care about them and their welfare. However, task-oriented leaders are clearly more effective in impossible situations. Path-Goal Model Directive leadership: subordinates are told what to be expected. Specific guide, standards and work schedules are provided to ensure that task are performed as expected. Supportive leadership: subordinates are treated equally and show concern for their needs and well-being; develop pleasant interpersonal relationships among the group members. Achievement-oriented leadership: challenging goals are set and subordinates are expected to perform at their highest level, improvement in performance always. Participative leadership: subordinates are consulted on suggestions and ideas in making decisions. Situational Aspects The distinctive personalities of those who follow and the environmental factors which affect the leadership style are called situational aspects or features of the situation. Significant characteristics of the followers which have been identified as determinants of leadership style are: (1). Followers with internal locus of control believe that they are rewarded for their own effort. Meanwhile, followers with external locus of control believe that external forces have a control on their rewards. (2). Authoritarianism: an individuals willingness to accept the influence of others. (3). Abilities: The followers ability and experience influence a leader whether they are able to work with an achievement oriented leader or a supportive leader who are patient enough to provide encouragement and instruction. The path-goal model recognizes three environmental factors which effect leadership styles: the nature of the task to be performed, the existing organizations authority system the organizational norms and dynamics The above factors may influence the effectiveness of various styles of leadership in a many ways. NORMATIVE DECISION-MAKING MODEL OF LEADERSHIP Based on the contingency theory of leadership, this leadership model does not assume any leadership style as appropriate for all situations. Leaders must develop a range of leadership styles and take on the most appropriate style depending on the situation. Leaders are required to know in which circumstances they need to consult others and vice versa. Even though the leader may be the chairman of the group, he/she is just one of the group members and does not have or even try to influence the other group members to adopt or follow a particular solution. The principle in selecting a leadership approach. The two measures/principles used for assessing the efficiency of a leadership style are excellence and approval. The quality of the decisions made refers to the accurateness of the actions taken and the extent which some objectives are achieved. The quality of decisions depends on accurate and relevant information Conferring with other group members often provides additional information. Diagnostic decision rules. In order to save time and minimize costs, some managers choose the lead autocratically. If the aim was to further the subordinates personal development, the participative style is selected. In some strategies, the manager decides alone. At times, the manager decides on his own after earlier consultations with his subordinates. Comparing the leadership models. All situational leadership models emphasize on the effect of external factors on a particular leadership style. Different leadership styles suggest styles that are determined by various situational factors. The models focus on different methods, which are situational factors and criteria for selecting the best style: task-oriented versus relationship-oriented. The normative decision-making model ascertains three leadership styles, namely autocratic, consultative, and participative. In each model, situational factors which influence the effectiveness of leadership are somewhat different. A significant reason which contributes to this is that normative decision- making model likens leadership to decision making and considers only this aspect of the leadership function. The model also uses different criteria for evaluating leadership effectiveness. DETERMINANTS OF LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS Although identifying what makes an effective leader seems like a simple task, however, individuals who are in leadership positions are often faced with a dilemma on deciding which leadership pattern to practice. Choosing a Leadership Style Choosing the most appropriate leadership style to adopt depends largely on the context of the organization. A successful leader must be capable of assessing the situational forces in the organization and respond accordingly to the needs. The forces include the organization culture, business goals as well as the organizations strategic plans. Effective leaders must understand themselves, the group, company and social environment. Strategies for Improving Leadership One of the main variables to improve leadership relates largely to the organizations reward system. Leaders should not overlook his capacity to reward his followers accordingly since followers will respond otherwise. For instance, the managers of high- performing groups generally are compensated according to their achievements. Considerate leaders manage to create satisfaction among their performing subordinates while at the same time; changes in the behavior of the leaders could be caused by the performance of the subordinates. Constraints on leader behavior. Leaders have limited opportunities to influence others. Leadership effectiveness is inhibited by a variety of factors. For example, the managerial decisions are planned ahead due to factors such as organizational structure, state and federal law, technological specifications and innovations as well as the absence of other alternatives. Many other organisational factors can impose limitations on the leaders capability to communicate with subordinates or reinforce their behavior towards achieving the organisational purpose. For example, organisational policies, nature of task, skills and abilities of available resources and other external factors may impede the capacities of organisational leaders. External factors. In terms of external factors, leaders are constrained by factors that they have no control on such as state and federal laws. Other external factors include the world economy and global issues. Irrespective of their leadership style, leaders with unskilled resources will face great challenges in leading. The availability of skilled followers is subjected to the external labor market. Organizational policies. The organization may limit a leaders effectiveness by hampering the amount of communication between leaders and followers. The existing company policies may also pose restrictions on the ability of leaders to reward or punish followers. Group factors. Leaders may find it hard to penetrate or influence group members who are highly unified. This will create difficulty for leaders to demonstrate his true capabilities in performing tasks for the organisation. Individual proficiencies and competencies. The leaders own talents and aptitudes may become their constraints because leaders can only possess limited expertise, energy, and power. Some situations may need greater amount of skills, experience and capabilities compared to what the leader may possibly have. Substitutes for leadership. Leadership is an extremely important function. It has an enormous influence on the value of organizations, especially in a business environment. However, in complex situations, we may not know exactly which leadership behaviour will be the most effective to adopt. In addition, certain situations warrant that leadership may be unnecessary subordinates. SUMMARY 1. Leadership is the increasing influence which occurs when an individual manipulates others to do task voluntarily which they would not do otherwise. The basic leadership roles include initiation of policy and structure, speech, and management. Leadership is required within organizations to provide direction to employees towards a common organisational objective. 2. The studies of leadership were mainly studies on traits that tried to identify the characteristics of effective leaders. The studies focused mainly on physical traits, intellect and characteristic. The results were usually weak and inconsistent although some personal characteristics were always related to leadership. Most studies concluded that apart from behaviour characteristics and traits of the leader, the nature of subordinates and the type of task to be performed were as equally important to determine success. 3. Another approach to studying leadership set on leader behaviors; i.e. how leaders actually behave. One of the studies compared the three leadership methods i.e. the authoritarian type, the democratic style and the laissez-faire mode. A democratic leadership produced the greatest satisfaction among subordinates while autocratic leadership style encouraged high level of productivity in the organisation. 4. A research conducted at the same time at two different universities identified two groups of similar behaviors of leadership. At The State University in Ohio, the researchers identified these two leader behaviors as initiating constitution and thought whereas at the Michigan University, the two parallel features were called the production-centered which focus more on the production and the employee-centered with the workers as the focal point. These two leader behaviors seem to relate leadership functions which are essential to the effectiveness of a group. A matrix named Managerial Grid had been formed based on these two factors. The Managerial Grid correlates the concern for production and the concern for people in identifying leadership effectives. 5. As a result of unsuccessful researches conducted to identify superior leadership behaviors, four situational theories of leadership were developed instead. Theories have suggested that the effective of leadership style depends largely upon situational factors, especially nature of the group and the task to be performed. 6. A situational leadership model that matches various amalgamations of chore and relationship manners with maturity of the subordinates. As the number of followers increases, the appropriate leadership style that should be employed would be telling, selling, participating and delegating. 7. Three situational variables are used to assess the most appropriate leadership style. The variables are the connection between the leader and the members (either good or bad), the task (structured or unstructured) and the strength of the leaders power. Based on findings, the most effective leadership style when these three variables formed an extremely favorable or unfavorable circumstance is task-oriented leadership. Nevertheless, a leader with high concerns for interpersonal associations is most effective when there were intermediate levels of favorableness. 8. The path goal model theory is derived from expectancy theory. It suggests that effective leaders must clarify the paths to attract followers. Based on this theory, the command, the sympathetic, the accomplishment-oriented and the contributive leadership styles emerged. The most appropriate leadership style is dependent on two types of situational factors: characteristics of followers as well as the internal/external environment. Three significant characteristics of follower are the locus of control (internal or external), authoritarianism and personal capabilities. The three environmental attributes are nature of the task to be performed, the existing organisational authority system and norms and dynamics of members. 9. The three leadership styles identified are autocratic, consultative and group decision making. Determining which style is most appropriate depends largely on several factors such as considerations whether adequate information is made available to the leader when making decision alone, whether the goals of the organisation are acceptable by the subordinates, or whether the followers accept decisions made without their involvement. 10. Members of the group also have a reciprocal influence on the leader. Group member can induce heir leaders behavior by reacting to the specific leaders behaviors selectively. The power and influence of a leader can also be limited due to certain external factors such as policies of the organisation, norms of the group members as well as the skills and abilities of followers. POSITIONING ON LEADERSHIP CRISIS Many leadership theories have been in existence as more people try to determine the most effective leadership style available. In addition, various leadership models and approaches have been used to produce identified types of leaders. Arthur G. Jago (1982) had projected a structure that organizes leadership theories that are based on each theorys focal point and approach. However, effective leadership also depends on specific situations, among other factors. The result of exposure to different experiences in life throughout the learning process also have the potential to produce mature leaders with high capabilities to lead organisations. Coupled with certain identified competencies which can be acquired, these leaders can demonstrate high skills and capabilities in their capacities as organisational leaders. There are various kinds of behavior that leaders can display to its followers. The two leadership behaviors that have been consistently identified are called the production-centered and the consideration-centered activities. A person can change his or her behaviour without being forced to based on the amount of influence exerted by another individual. Influence is also a contributing factor in shaping the behavior or personality of people. I concur with A. Ange on the presence of leadership crisis but I also foresee the resolutions taken and are still being taken to resolve the problem. Many organizations are spending money in sending their employees to be groomed and trained for future growth of the company whereby they are exposed to different methods of management and how to be great leaders. Leaders are born to leaders but in some circumstances, situations and environments also play a huge role in creating a leader. Leaders with innate capabilities also need to be exposed to certain conditions in order to build their characters and polish their leadership capabilities. Some can be shaped through exposure to various lifelong knowledge and skills training available today. With all kinds of methods and approaches easily accessible, average leaders can become even greater leaders with enough exposure and experience. Leaders come and go and new ones are always on the threshold to take over the empty space. The qualities of the leaders and their leadership styles vary but they are vital in the development and motivation processes of the organizations. There is a crisis in good leadership but it is not at a critical point. Big organizations would have everything in place for the future growth of the company and would have in line the replacements for all aspects of the management. Even small to medium sized organizations have planned their management line-ups for the future. The ongoing programs and trainings that are conducted by organizations to produce capable leaders and gr

Bluest Eye :: essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye reveals the trauma of an eleven-year-old African-American girl named Pecola Breedlove. This story takes place in the town of Lorain, Ohio during the 1940’s. It is told from the perspective of a young girl named Claudia MacTeer. She and her sister, Frieda, become witness to the terrible path that Pecola is forced to endure because she is not considered beautiful by society. Pecola chooses to hide from life behind her clouded dream of having the bluest of eyes so that those around her will view her as beautiful as the light skinned, blond haired, blue eyed girls that got so much favoritism. The Breedlove’s constant bickering and ever growing poverty contributes to the emotional downfall of this little girl. Pecola’s misery and insecurity is caused by her father’s hand and the community’s struggle with racial separation, anger, and ignorance. â€Å"Characters in the black community accept thei r status as the Other, which has been imposed upon them by the white community. In turn, blacks assign the status of Other to individuals like Pecola within the black community (Toni Morrison).† Her innocence is harshly ripped from her grasp as her father rapes her. The community’s anger with it’s own insecurities is taken out on this poor, ugly, black, non-ideal young girl. She shields herself from this sorrow behind her obsessive plea for blue eyes. Her eyes do not replace the pain of carrying her fleeing father’s baby, nor do they protect her from the sideways glances of her neighbors. Though this book discuses negative and disturbing situations, it teaches a very positive lesson about the importance of self respect and positive thinking.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Bluest Eye explores how outside influences affect one’s own sense of beauty and how it is harmful to consider yourself ugly. This theme seems to follow the conclusion of Brown v. Board of Education, that when a society presents the idea of beauty in certain way, those who do not fit into that image are â€Å"susceptible to low self esteem, hatred of their own racial lineage, and preferences towards whites (Tushnet).† Toni Morrison shows this through each of her characters in this novel. For example, when Claudia, Frieda, Pecola, and Maureen Peal, a white snob, are walking home from school the girls begin to bicker. Their conversation ends with Maureen stomping away and establishing the fact that she is indeed â€Å"cute,† implying that they most definitely are not.

Night World : Spellbinder Chapter 11

I don't understand,† Eric said pitifully as Thea towed him toward the bleachers. â€Å"Well, that's reasonable.† â€Å"Blaise wants to talk to me alone and you want me to do it.† â€Å"That's right.† Thea hadn't realized it was possible to sound bright and bleak at the same time. â€Å"I told you she'd probably go after you-â€Å" â€Å"And you told me to be careful of her. You made the point very strongly.† â€Å"I know. It's just†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Thea searched for an explanation that wouldn't be too much of a lie and clutched her bottle of Evian water. She didn't need to ask him if he had the protective charm with him- she could smell New Hampshire pine needles. â€Å"It's just that I think it's better to get things settled,† she said finally. â€Å"One way or the other. So maybe if you talk to her face-to-face†¦ well, you can decide what you want, and we can get this over with.† â€Å"Thea†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Eric stopped, forcing Thea to stop, too. He looked completely bewildered. â€Å"Thea-I don't know what you're thinking, but I don't need to talk to Blaise to know what I want.† He put his hands gently on her upper arms. â€Å"Nothing she can say could make any difference.† Thea looked at him, at his clean, good features and his expressive eyes. He thought things were so simple. â€Å"Then you can just tell her that,† she said, trying to sound optimistic. â€Å"And the whole thing will be resolved.† Eric shook his head, but allowed her to guide him onward. Blaise was leaning against a concrete dugout by the baseball diamond. When they were about ten feet away, Thea stopped and nodded at Eric to keep going. He walked to Blaise, who slowly straightened with the leisurely grace of a snake uncoiling. Thea put her thumb into the Evian bottle and jiggled it gently. â€Å"Thea said you wanted to talk to me.† Eric's voice was polite, but not encouraging. He looked back at Thea after he said it. â€Å"I did,† Blaise said in her liquid, persuasive voice. But to Thea's surprise, she addressed the ground, as if she felt awkward. â€Å"But now†¦ well, I feel so embarrassed. I know what you probably think of me-trying to say something like this while your girlfriend is standing there.† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Eric glanced back at Thea again. â€Å"It's okay,† he added, his voice softer. â€Å"I mean, it's better to say whatever it is in front of her than behind her back.† â€Å"Yes. Yes, that's true.† Blaise took a deep breath as if steeling herself and then lifted her head to meet Eric's eyes. What on earth is she doing? Thea stared at her cousin. Where did this scene come from? â€Å"Eric†¦ I don't know how to say this, but†¦ I care about you. I know how that sounds. You're thinking that I have dozens of guys, and the way I treat them I can't possibly care about any of them. And I don't blame you if you just want to walk away right now, without even listening to any more.† Blaise fiddled with the zipper at her throat. â€Å"Oh, look, I'm not going to walk away. I wouldn't do that to you,† Eric said, and his voice was even more gentle. â€Å"Thank you. You're being so nice-much nicer than I deserve.† Absently, as if it were the most casual of gestures, Blaise reached for the zipper at her throat and pulled it down. The necklace was revealed. Don't look directly at it, Thea told herself. She stared instead at the back of Eric's sandy head-which suddenly went very still. â€Å"And you know, this is going to sound strange, but most of those boys don't really like me.† Blaise's voice was soft now-seductive but vulnerable. â€Å"They just-want me. They look at the surface, and never even try to see any deeper. And that makes me feel†¦ so lonely sometimes.† In Thea's peripheral vision, gold stars and moons were shifting and flowing. Yemonja root and other delicious scents wafted toward her. She hadn't even noticed that the first time; she'd been too deep in the necklace's spell to analyze it. And a faint, high resonance hung in the air-two or three notes that seemed to shimmer almost above the threshold of hearing. Singing crystals. Of course. Blaise was assaulting every sense, weaving an inescapable golden web†¦ and the whole thing was tuned to Eric's blood. â€Å"All I've ever wanted is a guy who cares enough about me to look deeper than the surface.† Blaise's voice had a slight catch now. â€Å"And-well, before I knew Thea liked you, I guess I thought you might be that guy. Eric, please tell me-is that completely impossible? Should I just totally give up hope? Because if you say so, I will.† Eric was standing oddly now, as if he were crippled. Thea could see his breath coming faster. She didn't want to see his face-she knew what it would be like. Like Luke's. Blank wonder changing into slow adulation for Blaise. â€Å"Just tell me,† Blaise said, raising one hand in a gesture full of pathos. â€Å"And if you say no, I'll go away forever. But if†¦ if you think you could care about me†¦ even just a little†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She gazed at him with luminous, yearning eyes. â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Eric's voice was thick and hesitant. â€Å"I†¦ Blaise†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He couldn't seem to get started on a sentence. And no wonder. He's lost already. Certainty hit Thea, and she stopped shaking her plastic bottle. Her little Elixir of Abhorrence didn't stand a chance against Blaise's magic. Eric was hooked and Blaise was reeling him in. And it wasn't his fault. Nobody could be expected to hold out against the kind of enchantment Blaise was using. Enchantment and psychology so beautifully mixed that even Thea found herself half believing Blaise's story. But she had to try anyway. She couldn't let Eric go without a fight. With one final, violent shake, Thea took her thumb out of the bottle neck. Colorless liquid skyrocketed, spraying up and then raining down on Eric. A geyser of loathing. Only one thing went wrong. As soon as the mysterious downpour hit Eric, he turned to see where it was coming from. Instead of looking at Blaise when the elixir soaked into his skin, he was looking at Thea. She stared back into his gray-flecked eyes with a kind of horror. Twice. He'd been twice enchanted now, once to love Blaise and once to hate her. Oh, Eileithyia, it's over†¦. It was a crisis, and Thea responded instinctively. She reached for Eric, to save him, to be saved herself. She flung out a thought the way she'd fling out a hand to someone going over a cliff. Eric. A connection†¦ Like dosing a circuit-and that was all it took. Thea felt a wave of†¦ something, something hot and sweet, more magical than Blaise's magic. Distilled lightning, maybe. The air between her and Eric was so charged that she felt as though her skin was being brushed with velvet. It was like being at the intersection of cosmic force lines. And it was all okay. Eric's face was his ordinary face. Alive, alert, full of warmth-for her. Not zombie worship for Blaise. Thea. It can't be this simple. But it was. She and Eric were staring at each other in the quivering air and the universe was just one big singing crystal. We're right together. A yell shattered the silent communion. Thea looked toward the dugout and saw that Blaise the vulnerable had disappeared. â€Å"I'm wet,† Blaise shrieked. â€Å"Are you crazy? Do you have any idea what water drops do to silk?† Thea opened her mouth, then shut it again. She felt giddy with the sweetness of relief. She had no idea if Blaise really thought the elixir was only water-but one thing was clear. However strong Blaise's spell had been, it was broken now. And Blaise knew it. Blaise jerked the zipper up and stalked off. â€Å"She's mad,† Eric said. â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Thea was still dizzy. â€Å"I told you she likes getting mad.† She took Eric's arm, very gently, and partly to steady herself. â€Å"Let's go.† They'd only gone a few steps when Eric said, â€Å"Thank God you hit me with that water.† â€Å"Yes.† Even if the elixir hadn't worked it had somehow broken Eric's concentration or distracted Blaise or something. She'd have to see if she could figure out what had happened to disrupt a spell as potent as the one Blaise had created†¦. â€Å"Yeah, because, you know, it was getting really awkward,† Eric went on. â€Å"I kept trying to think of a polite way to tell her there wasn't a chance, but I couldn't. And just when I realized I was going to have to say it and hurt her feelings-well, you soaked us.† Thea stopped dead. She stared at him. He was serious. â€Å"I mean-I know I hurt her feelings anyway. Or she wouldn't have gone away mad. Uh, are you mad now? Thea?† She started walking again. â€Å"Are you saying you didn't even want to be with her? Not even just a little?† He stopped. â€Å"How could I want to be with her when I want to be with you? I told you that before this whole thing started.† Maybe it's because we're soulmates. Maybe it's because he's so stubborn. But, whatever, I'd better never tell Blaise. She'll have a whole new reason for killing him if she finds out her spell bounced off like water off a duck. â€Å"Well, anyway, it's resolved now,† she murmured-and at that moment she really believed it. She was too happy to think about anything dreadful. â€Å"Is it? Does that mean that we can finally go out? Like on a date?† He sounded so wistful that Thea laughed. She felt light and free and full of energy. â€Å"Yeah. We could go right now. Or†¦ we could go in. Your house, I mean. I'd like to see your sister and Madame Curie again.† Eric made an â€Å"ouch† face. â€Å"Well, Madame Curie would probably like that. But Roz lost her case- the court ruled that the Boy Trekkers are a private organization. And she is not-pardon the pun-a happy camper.† â€Å"All the more reason we should go see her. Poor kid.† Eric looked at her quizzically. â€Å"You're serious? You have a choice of anywhere in Las Vegas and you'd like to go to my house?† â€Å"Why not?† Thea didn't mention that a human house was more exotic to her than anywhere else in Vegas. She was happy. It turned out to be a modest frame house, shaded by a couple of honest-to-goodness trees, not palms. Thea felt a twinge of shyness as they went inside. â€Å"Mom's still at work. And†-Eric checked his watch-â€Å"Roz is supposed to be in her room until five. Home detention. This morning she microwaved her Barbie dolls.† â€Å"That doesn't sound good for the microwave.† Rosamund's door was plastered with homemade Signs. DO NOT ENTER. KEEP OUT AND THIS MEANS ERIC. FEMINISM IS THE RADICAL NOTION THAT WOMEN ARE PEOPLE. When Eric opened the door a piggy bank shaped like a skunk came flying toward him. He ducked. It hit the wall and, amazingly, didn't break. â€Å"Roz-â€Å" â€Å"I hate everybody! And everybody hates me!† A hardback book came soaring. Eric shut the door fast. Bang. â€Å"Everybody doesn't hate you!† he yelled. â€Å"Well, I hate them! Go away!† Bang. Bang. Crash. â€Å"I think maybe we'd better leave her alone,† Eric said. â€Å"She gets a little moody sometimes. Want to see my room?† His room was nice, Thea decided. Lots of books, some smelling of mildew-â€Å"I get them at the used book stores.† Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy. Development and Structure of the Fetal Pig. The Red Pony. Most of them were about animals in some form or other. And lots of trophies. Baseball trophies, basketball trophies, a few tennis trophies. â€Å"I have to switch between baseball and tennis different years.† Sports equipment was scattered carelessly around, mixed with the books and some dirty socks. Not so different from a teenager's room in the Night World. Just a person's room. There was a picture of a man on the desk, a man with sandy hair and a glorious, lightning-bolt smile like Eric's. â€Å"Who is it?† â€Å"My dad. He died when Roz was little-a plane crash. He was a pilot.† Eric said it simply, but his eyes went dark. Thea said softly, â€Å"My parents died when I was little, too. What's sad is that I don't really remember them.† Eric looked at the picture again. â€Å"You know, I never thought about it, but I'm glad I do remember. At least we had him that long.† They smiled at each other. By the bed was a tank that gave off a pleasant percolating sound. Thea sat next to it and watched iridescent blue fish dart around. She turned off the bedside lamp to see the lighted tank better. â€Å"You like it?† â€Å"I like everything,† Thea said. She looked at him. â€Å"Everything.† Eric blinked. He eyed the bed Thea was sitting on, then slowly sat at the desk. He stuck out a casual elbow to lean on and papers showered to the floor. â€Å"Oops.† Thea stifled a laugh. â€Å"Is that the U.C. Davis application?† He looked up hopefully from gathering them. â€Å"It sure is. Want to see it?† Thea almost said yes. She was in such a cheerful mood, ready to agree to anything, be open to anything. But a moment of thought changed her mind. Some things were just going too far. â€Å"Not right now, thanks.† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬ He put the papers back. â€Å"You know, you still might think about transferring to the zoology class at school. Ms. Gasparro is a great teacher. And you'd really like what we're studying.† Maybe I could, Thea thought. What would it hurt? â€Å"And if you were ever interested. Dr. Salinger is always looking for extra help. It doesn't pay much, but it's good experience.† And†¦ what would that hurt? It's not as if I would be breaking any laws. I wouldn't have to use any powers, either, I could just be close to the animals. â€Å"I'll think about it,† she said. She could hear the suppressed excitement in her own voice. She looked at Eric, who was sitting with his elbows on his knees, leaning forward, watching her earnestly. â€Å"And- thanks,† she said softly. â€Å"For what?† â€Å"For†¦ wanting the best for me. For caring.† The light from the fish tank threw wavering blue patterns on the walls and ceiling. It made the bedroom seem like its own little underwater world. It danced over Thea's skin. Eric stared at her. Then he swallowed and shut his eyes. With his eyes still shut, he said in a muted voice, â€Å"I don't think you know how much I care.† Then he looked at her. That connection again. It seemed to be drawing them together-an almost physical feeling of attraction. It was exciting, but scary. Eric got up very slowly and crossed the room. He sat by Thea. Neither of them looked away. And then things just seemed to happen by themselves. Their fingers were intertwined. Thea was looking up and he was looking down. They were so close that their breath mingled. Thea shivered with the electricity. Everything seemed wrapped in a golden haze. Crash. Something hit the other side of the wall. â€Å"Ignore it; it's poltergeists,† Eric murmured. His lips were an inch from hers. â€Å"It's Rosamund,† Thea murmured back. â€Å"She feels bad-and it's not really fair. We should try and make her feel better.† She was so happy that she wanted everyone else to be happy, too. Eric groaned. â€Å"Thea†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Let me just go see if I can cheer her up. I'll come back.† Eric shut his eyes, opened them, and turned on the lamp. He gave her a pained smile. â€Å"Okay. I have to water Mom's outside plants and feed the rabbits and stuff, anyway. Let me know when she's cheered up enough. I'll be waiting.† Thea knocked and ducked as she entered Rosamund's room. â€Å"Roz? Can I just talk to you for a minute?† â€Å"Don't call me that. I want you to call me Fred.† â€Å"Uh, how come Fred?† Thea sat cautiously on the edge of the bed-or not the bed, actually, the box springs. The mattress was across the room, standing on its side in a corner. The entire room looked as if it had been hit simultaneously by a hurricane and an earthquake, and it smelled strongly of guinea pig. Slowly, part of a sandy head appeared above the mattress. One green eye regarded Thea directly. â€Å"Because,† Rosamund said with terrible maturity, â€Å"I'm not a girl anymore. Things have always been this way for girls and they will always be this way and they are never going to change. And don't give me any of that B.S. about how females hear better and do better in submarines and have better fine motor skills, because I don't care. I'm going to be a boy now.† â€Å"You're a smart kid,† Thea said. She was surprised at how smart Roz was, and at how much she wanted to comfort her. â€Å"But you need to study your history. Things haven't always been this way. There were times when women and men were equals.† Rosamund just said, â€Å"When?† â€Å"Well-in ancient Crete, for one thing. They were all children of Eileithyia, the Great Goddess, and boys and girls both did dangerous stuff, like acrobatics on wild bulls. Of course†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Thea paused, struck by a thought. â€Å"The Greeks did come and conquer them.† â€Å"Uh-huh.† â€Å"But, um†-Thea wracked her brain for human history-â€Å"Well, the ancient Celts were okay-until the Romans came and conquered them. And†¦ and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Human history was a problem. â€Å"I told you,† Rosamund said bitterly. â€Å"It always turns out the same. Now go away.† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Thea hesitated. It was the excitement that did it. The giddy feeling of everything being right with the world. It made her overconfident, made her feel as if Night World law were a little thing that could be dispensed with if necessary. Don't, a part of her mind whispered. Don't or you'll be sorry. But Rosamund was so miserable. And the golden glow was still around Thea, making her feel protected. Invulnerable. â€Å"Look,† she said. â€Å"This may not help much, but I'll tell you a story, a story that always made me feel better when I was a little girl. Only you have to keep it a secret.† There was a flicker of interest in Rosamund's green eyes. â€Å"A true story?† â€Å"Well-I can't really say it's true.† And that's true-I can't. â€Å"But it's a good story, and it's about a time when women were leaders. About a girl called Hellewise.†