Software development practice Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Software development practice - Research Paper Example An estimate of timeline completion of the project XII. Significant risks that may impact the project XIII. Conclusion and justification of the project XIV. References I. Introduction Computer forensics deals with the identification of any legal evidence using the computers, as well as other forms of digital storage devices. After collecting, the evidences are put through a thorough forensics examination to obtain and recover the information the investigators need. The computer forensic investigation chiefly involves the investigation of the computer crimes, the cyber crimes, and also during a court hearing. Subsequently, there is utilization of the later function of computer forensic investigation by the courts of the United States and also of the European Union as evidence of digital crime cases (Volonino & Anzaldua, 2009). II. The Proposed Project of Computer Forensics The proposed project is based on a software program that can easily retrieve any specific data from the hard disk drive of any computer. This is because the hard disk acts as a form of storage device for the computer. Thus, there is storage of most data and also files in this hardware device. Moreover, for any forensic investigator to obtain any sort of digital evidence, they must first look for the details from the computer hard disk. Therefore, the hard disk is one of the chief vital components of the computer because it contains most of the computers’ files, data and also important documents. Consequently, there is a great significant in the development of a software program for easy and quick retrieval of data contained in the hard disk. Moreover this project of computer forensic works in conjunction with the software of data recovery program. The data recovery program works by recovering any form of lost data by the computer (Volonino & Anzaldua, 2009). III. The Objectives and what the Project Intends to Deliver The main reason for the development of this computer forensic project i s to assist in the quick and effective investigation procedures required during a forensic investigation. For instance, the main part of the computer forensic is chiefly the utilization of the computer hard disk to access any information. This is because hard disks are capable of storing large amount of information about anything. Therefore, because the computer hard disk is capable of storing millions of data on anything, it becomes very tedious for the forensic investigator to search for the exact data that is needed for the investigation (Volonino & Anzaldua, 2009). Moreover, this action needs a lot of time and thus consumes time. Therefore, for the investigator to be competent and to easily access all the details from the hard disk, the forensic investigator needs to implement this computer forensic project. Thus, the chief reason for the development of this computer forensic project is to assist the investigators in easing the procedures of the investigation. Therefore, the com puter project is about how the forensic investigator is capable of obtaining and easily retrieves data from any hard disk of a computer system to be utilized in the investigation procedures. The investigator will find this project extremely helpful to him and also to the court when handling any form of forensic cases. Thus the project focuses majorly o the improvement of the hard disk devices. Additionally, this project will focus on the fundamental process of retrieving information from a given hard disk

Analysis data by SPSS software Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Analysis data by SPSS software - Essay Example Planning in work area based on fulfilling the needs of your customers, monitoring on an ongoing basis the needs of your customer and your success in meeting them, developing customer loyalty and advocacy rather than just keeping customers satisfied and having a clear understanding of how to keep your customers satisfied are other attributes which need to be factored in the company planning. In addition, being able to make or influence changes you believe to be to the benefit of staff work area, recognizing and rewarding staff excellence and initiative, being fully involved in the development of objectives and plans that relate to different jobs and actively encouraging and rewarding innovation in different work areas. The research paper was based on a manufacturing company which was dealing with kitchen and bathroom cabinetry. The company had the interest in determining staff satisfaction levels across its functional areas. The main purpose of the research findings on customer satisfaction was to enable the company position itself in the industry and to retain quality staff (in a field with few professional) for greater competitive advantage. Further, the survey had been occasioned by high staff turnovers leading to huge company losses. The mean, minimum response, maximum response and the standard deviation of the staff responses were determined (see table 2 above). Further, value 3 was considered as the average response and all values greater that 3 were admitted as above average performance while values lower than 3 were admitted as poor performance. Statements with a value less than 3 were to be considered as problematic areas which needed total consideration if the company is to do better. In terms of communication and feedback, it is evident that the mean difference of the responses; you receive regular feedback on the progress of your work area and you receive

The Background Of The Social Stratification Sociology Essay

The Background Of The Social Stratification Sociology Essay All societies place their members according to superiority, inferiority and equality. The vertical scale of evaluation, this categorization of people in layers is called stratification. Social stratification is a natural and controlled division according to race, religion, social and economic status. In sociology, social stratification is the hierarchical arrangement of social classes, castes and strata within a society. Anthony Giddens has defined social stratification as the existence of structured inequalities between groups in society, in terms of their access to material or symbolic rewards. According to Peter Saunders, in modern Western societies, stratification depends on social and economic classes consisting of three main layers: Upper class, Middle class and Lower class. Every class is further divided into smaller classes according to occupation. 1.1 BACKGROUND: The notion of stratification came into existence in 1940s. Social stratification is the basic cause of inequalities. The basis for social stratification are earnings, privileges, ethnicity, disability,    education, access to benefits, sex, caste, wealth, religion, power, age, gender, occupation, race, region, language, party and politics. Stratification is a trait of society and not just individual differences. Indeed it is the outcome of the social arrangement and it has a great impact on everyone. Stratification is universal, but tremendously changeable in form. Stratification persists over generations. It is still prevailing in our society. Four fundamental forms of stratification are class, caste, estate and slavery. Stratification is common in the animal kingdom on the basis of power and gender and some form of stratification has most likely always existed among humans. With the progress of food and other surpluses resulting from hi-tech advances in agriculture and manufactur ing, some people began to mount up more wealth than others. There could be many other things influencing social stratification. For the larger part of history, the on hand stratification arrangement was regarded as an undeniable feature of society and the implicit purpose of commentators was to clarify or rationalize that arrangement in terms of religious doctrines. 1.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION: Social stratification is social, universal, diverse in structure, very old and consequential. It is a trait of society, not merely a reflection of individual differences. Those at the top of the ladder the higher class has more advantages in life than those at the bottom of the ladder the lower class. The upper classes have more opportunities to thrive in life; chances include such things as conditions of work, healthiness and accommodation. People at the top of the ladder may choose the area that they live in which will tend to have less crime, better schools and better living than those in the lower class. Social stratification moves from generation to generation. Each human being born into the world is involuntarily allocated to social strata. Their place is usually their parents place at that time. We are born with nothing so consequently we inherit what our parents have. Children are influenced by their family members. Every family within the social order and within each social stratum has different ambitions, determinations and goals to be successful in life. A child will gain knowledge of these through the accomplishments of his own parents.    Even though social stratification is universal, it is also variable which means that all different countries have different forms of stratification but its characteristics vary in every country. In the United Kingdom it is very much a class system, whereas in some Asian countries the stratification is on the basis of the religion. Social stratification involves inequality and beliefs. Everybody within society has to believe that stratification is fair otherwise there is going to be unrest in the society. Social Stratification can be seen in all places around us from our schools to government agencies to even our homes. It is a definite part of our social system that represents the discrimination of opportunities that we experience and observe in our everyday lives. The idea of pecking order emerged in the 17th and 18th century by sociologist Hobbes and Locke and it was through these sociologists that people realized that inequality existed in the society. On one hand, inequalities based on individual qualities (charisma, economic or social skills, etc.) do not add up to stratification, since they arent defined by membership in a particular category. So, if in a hunting band the best hunter or the spiritualist/sage is held in high regard and has privileged access to some resources, this isnt social stratification. Symbolic Interactionists reveal that symbols help to describe the meaning of all social actions, and a persons self is developed socially through social interaction. Legitimating thoughts, expressed symbolically in the form of language give reasons for inequality, for strata, for the ways people are positioned in the strata and for changes in the stratification system. These sustaining ideas also strongly manipulate how people assess themselves within the system, influencing them to agree to their position in the structure as good and right. 1.3 MAJOR FORMS OF STRATIFICATION: Primal collectivism characterized by an elevated level of sharing and negligible social inequality, Slavery involving enormous social inequality and the ownership of some persons by others, Caste in which a person is permanently assigned to a status based on his or her parents status, Estate in which peasants are required by law to work on land owned by the noble class in exchange for food and protection from outside attacks. There are different forms of social stratification that are present in our societies i.e. Class society: In this society persons status is ascribed to them by the accomplishments they have achieved. In the United States, the social stratification that divides the most is the class system, whereas in areas of Africa not only are there class differences to divide people but women are in a class by themselves. The class system is defined by the possessions of wealth or material possessions (Henslin, 2010, p.189). Even though we like to think of ourselves as a very progressive nation, we still look down on people that are below us in class.    1.4 REASONS OF EXISTENCE OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION: Natural predictability suggests that discrimination exists because of natural differences in peoples abilities and is a just system. Structural -functionalists states that stratification is helpful to society because it enhances strength and induces members of the society to endeavor. Conflict suggests that stratification occurs through conflict amid different classes, with the upper classes using greater power to take a bigger share of the social resources. Evolutionary states that people will share sufficient resources to guarantee the survival of the group until an excess exists at which point power determines how the surplus is distributed. Symbolic Interactionists calls attention to the significance of symbolic displays of wealth and power that influence ones definition of self and the importance of ideas in defining social situations. Inequality may originate from natural differences in peoples abilities. Structural-functionalists believe that societies have a tendency to be stable and are held as one through agreement. Stratification provides an important function to society by aiding this process because it lessens conflict and provides structure. Conflict theorists believe that society tends towards conflict and change and that stratification system compel the lower classes to benefit the upper classes. 1.5 ORIGINS OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION: In early societies, people shared a common societal position. As societies evolved and became more intricate, they began to elevate  some members. To understand stratification, we must first understand its origins. Though there is a lot that we dont know about origins of stratification, it is apparent that it is a fairly recent development, as exposed through study of grave goods, and historical record of state expansion and conquest of more democratic societies. Once they come up, stratified systems lean to expand at expense of egalitarian systems, but this cannot explain origins of first stratified systems i.e. cases of pristine state formation. It is not simply survival mode, since some foragers are less democratic than many agricultural and most pastoralist societies Attempts to elucidate cultural advancement of social stratification in ecological terms by and large rely on one or another of  two basic approaches: 1. Stratification = solution to an ecological problem 2. Stratification = system by which one class extracts resources from another These two approaches often termed  functional  and  conflict  theories, respectively. Functional theories focus on benefits to all parties; in contrast, Conflict theories argue that elites benefit at expense of commoners. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION: The book by Macionis, J and Plummer, K., 2007, called Sociology: A Global Introduction defines   Social stratification as a system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy and that one group has access to a disproportionate amount of money, power and prestige and stratification can be used as a lens to focus on social inequality. The books by Haralmbos, M., Holborn, M. and Heald, R., 2008, called Sociology themes and perspectives  defines, social stratification to the presence of distinct social groups which are ranked one above the other in terms of factors such as prestige and wealth. The five societal pyramids explain how societies work.   This pyramid arrangement focused on how people were ranked by their financial positions, their power and their prestige. The way society effort with social division depends upon wealth and power, not on hereditary position. The open system based on personal accomplishment, where people have control over position between upper and lower class in society can lead to discrimination amongst each other. The stratification systems focused on other social divisions such as: Gender stratification Ethnic stratification Age stratification Health and disability In the 19th and 20th century the structural functional paradigm argued that stratification systems are functional for society. The Davis-Moore Thesis argues that industrialized societies for the most part are prolific under a system of meritocracy. Under this kind of inequality, the stratification system rewards good performers with high salaries and punishes poor performers with fewer salaries. Davis-Moore argued that several jobs have to to pay more than others; they are important jobs, so their high salary will magnetize the most excellent performers. These top performers will be more inventive and this is functional for society. Functionalists also argue that stratification promotes in-group harmony. Marx and Weber, who were Conflict theorists, alleged that the finest way to study social stratification was by using Conflict theory. On the whole, the main aim was to scrutinize and elucidate social inequality in society. Marx thought that there were two classes in the social order, owners and the workers. He wanted the workforce to become aware of this theory to ultimately bring down the owners. Weber, in contrast, considered more about Marx theory and thought that there must be another class involved which is the middle class. Middle class inhabitants are ones with skills required for jobs but do not have ownership; this set them at a distance from blue-collars, because they had skills for certain jobs which gave them a sense of power. Mills and Domhoff thought that there are little structured groups of people who stay out of political affairs so they are not estranged. This gives them a key to power in society.   Ã‚   Social Stratification allows people who have proficient varying competence and riches to function in ways that are appropriate for them. This is a functionalist perspective supported by Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore. They started by pointing out that no society is classless or unstratified. 4. CONCLUSION/SUGGESTIONS: From the above mentioned things we can conclude that the basic factor that causes social stratification is poverty. Steps should be taken for its eradication which will bring change in the society.   In order to eradicate social stratification, we should try to eradicate things that are causing it including unequal education, facilities, opportunities, wealth, poverty etc. if all the citizens of every country will get everything in equal quantity and quality, only then change will happen. This is the basic right of every citizen and it should be given to them. More fortunate people should help the less fortunate ones. They should try to be empathetic towards poor only then they can help them. They should be motivated and interested in keeping everybody equal and everyone should try, on individual level, to see the needy around them. Other than this the only best solution to solve this vicious circle is to apply a Sharia law on national scale, which stipulates that each person should set aside 2.5% of the income each person earns monthly to help eradicate poverty and the money gathered can be used to purchase things needed for those who are in need as capital, like sewing mach ines or seeds etc.   Theres no way for the government to be able to reduce or let alone eradicate poverty as long as it tightly clings on to capitalism and those 99% Americans are the living proofs, who say capitalism cant eradicate poverty.

What is Courage? Essay -- Definition Courage Corageous Essays

What is Courage? What is courage? Is it the ability to prove yourself in war? Or the strength it takes to decide you will not fight? Is courage being yourself when you’re different from everyone else? Is it doing something that even your own father thinks you can’t do? Is courage synonymous with honor? Is it speaking up, even if doing so puts you in danger? Risking death for the person most precious to you? Or risking death for strangers? Is courage facing your fears, no matter how big or small they might be? Is it forging forward into a new life when you still miss the old one? Is courage all of these things? None of them? The following text set is designed to help ninth grade students create and examine their own definitions of courage. In addition to asking, â€Å"What is courage?† it also lends itself to the question, â€Å"Where do our conceptions of courage come from?† Courage is the focus of this text set because it is a theme that is prevalent in American society. To be courageous is considered a positive quality, but the examples of courage most often seen in the news and in history books are often narrowly defined. Students need to think more deeply about what courage really is, and to get inside the minds of so-called â€Å"courageous† people and learn about their motivations and their fears. Students will be asked to consider a wide variety of characters and situations, all of them potentially courageous, but more in depth focus will be placed on three specific categories. The first is courage during war or revolution, beyond the stereotypical portrayal of th e one-dimensional â€Å"war hero.† The second is the courage to be different from your peers or to voice your opinion even if it’s not a popular one. T... ...are designed to help them with this difficult task. By reading and thinking about a variety of possibilities of what courage is, students can both expand and come to a better understanding of their own beliefs on the subject. Through class discussions and writing activities, they can also share these beliefs with others. Works Cited Brozo, William G. and Ronald V. Schmelzer. â€Å"Wildmen, warriors, and lovers: Reaching boys through archetypal literature.† Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy 41 (1997): 4-12). Feinberg, Barbara. â€Å"Reflections on the ‘Problem Novel.’† American Educator Winter 2004-2005. 13 Apr. 2005. . Wolf, Shelby A. Interpreting Literature with Children. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers: 2004.

Financial Statement Analysis of Amazon.Com

Financial Statement Analysis of Amazon. com, Inc. Introduction The purpose of this essay is to perform financial statement analysis on Amazon. com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN ). We start with an introduction of Amazon and its industry. We then evaluate the company’s financial position, liquidity, operating capability and financial flexibility using different ratios. To evaluate the financial performance of Amazon. com, Inc we disclose recurring NICO and do full ROE disaggregation. Amazon. com’s stock price increased from $44. 29 per share at the end of fiscal year 2004 to $134. 2 per share at the end of fiscal year 2009. Earnings per share increased from $0. 63 to $2. 06. The stock closed at $118. 87 on 02/01/2010. Recommendation Amazon. com is a fast growing E-Commerce company. Although facing the recent U. S. and global economic down turn and intense competitions from various industries, its sales increased 28% in 2009, diluted earnings per share increased 31%. Based on our a nalysis, we project the company to continue maintain the high growth rate. We project the two year target price range of Amazon’s stock to be $193 to $209. The stock is currently undervalued. Consequently, our recommendation of Amazon. com is BUY. Industry Analysis Amazon. com, Inc. is an American-based multinational electronic commerce company. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Amazon was founded in 1994. As one of the largest online retailers in the world, Amazon claims to offer â€Å"Earth’s Biggest Selection†. In addition to online retailing, Amazon also offers programs that enables seller to sell their products on Amazon. com and to fulfill orders through Amazon. It earns fixed fees and revenue share fees etc. hough those transactions. Amazon turned its first profit in the fourth quarter of 2001 and maintained high growth rate since then. We believe that the below are the key factors important to the future success of Amazon. com: * Successful in efforts to expand into international market segments – Amazon needs to further expand internationally to maintain its sustainable growth. * Successful in optimizin g fulfillment process and operating its fulfillment centers – Amazon needs to continue to expand and optimize the operation of its fulfillment centers. Successful in finding new revenue streams – Amazon needs to seek new ways to diversify revenue generation and drive its overall growth. * Manage growth effectively – Amazon’s global expansion increases the complexity of the business. Financial position, liquidity, operating capability and financial flexibility Financing structure of Amazon. com Table 1 summarizes how Amazon. com was financed as of each of the last 6 fiscal year ends. As of December 31:(in millions) | | | | | | | 2009| 2008| 2007| 2006| 2005| 2004| Operating liabilities| $ 8,447 | $ 5,233 | $4,006 | $ 2,685 | $1,929 | $ 1,620 | Financing liabilities| 109 | 409 | 1,282 | 1,247 | 1,521 | 1,855 | Equity| 5,257 | 2,672 | 1,197 | 431 | 246 | (227)| Total Assets| $13,813 | $ 8,314 | $6,485 | $ 4,363 | $3,696 | $ 3,248 | | | | Table 1| | | | Amazon’s fixed assets additions steadily increased between fiscal year 2004 and 2009. Its possession of marketable securities increased each year other than 2007, which was due to the anticipation of an acquisition in 2008. At the same time, Amazon. om has been aggressively paying off its long term debt. Its debt continues to decrease between 2004 and 2009. The debt to total assets ratio dropped from 57% in 2004 to only 1% in 2009. Between 2006 and 2008, Amazon repurchased total 17 million shares of common stocks. Overall, Amazon. com shows good financing structure and operating capability over the past five years. Buy decreasing its debt level, Amazon’s management team shows well ou t looking of the company. Liquidity Three liquidity ratios of Amazon in the past 5 years are presented in table 2. The liquidity ratios of Amazon’s competitor, Ebay, are also presented for 2008 and 2009. The three liquidity ratios show Amazon has very good liquidity, which means it could easily satisfy current liabilities with current assets. Comparing to Amazon, Ebay is even more liquid as it could satisfy its short term liabilities purely by cash and cash equivalents. | | Amazon. com| |   | eBay| | | 2009| 2008| 2007| 2006| 2005| 2004| 2009| 2008| Current Ratio (to one)| 1. 33| 1. 30| 1. 39| 1. 33| 1. 52| 1. 57| 2. 32| 1. 70| Quick Ratio (to one)| 1. 04| 1. 00| 1. 07| 0. 99| 1. 22| 1. 27| 2. 32| 1. 70| Cash Ratio (Acid Ratio) (to one)| 0. 86| 0. 79| 0. 84| 0. 80| 1. 04| 1. 10| 1. 10| 0. 86| | | Table 2| | | | | | Financial Flexibility Financial flexibility (Solvency and leverage) is a company’s ability to adapt to unforeseen events and opportunities. Leverage means using debt (or other third party funds) to increase earnings for the owners. Table 3 presents some financial flexibility and leverage ratios of Amazon. com from 2005 to 2009 and for Ebay from 2008 to 2009. Amazon. com is a fast growing company and in the fiscal year ended 2004, they had a negative total equity, which could skew the ratios. Therefore, we did not present the ratios in 2004. From table 3 we can see that at the end of fiscal year 2009, both Amazon. om and eBay have high financial flexibility due to low or even zero long-term debt. Their usages of leverages are both low. Although a company should try to use leverage to increase earnings for the owner, in the current economical environment, have low or zero long-term debt is actually an advantage, which means they don’t need to rely on creditors to maintain their high growth rate. Overall, Amazon. com has good operating capability, high liquidity and high financial flexibility. One thing to note is that in the current economy environment, while a lot of companies are seeking for credit yet they could not find it, Amazon. om is using cash to paying off its debt. This shows that the company’s operation is healthy and the management team is confident about the future growth of the company. | | Amazon. com|   | | eBay| | 2009| 2008| 2007| 2006| 2005| 2009| 2008| Financial Leverage| 2. 8| 3. 8| 6. 7| 11. 9| 365. 5| 1. 4| | Debt to Assets| 1%| 5%| 20%| 29%| 41%| 0%| 0%| Debt to Equity| 2%| 15%| 107%| 289%| 618%| 0%| 0%| Debt to Capital| 2%| 13%| 52%| 74%| 86%| 0%| 0%| Liabilities to Equity| 1. 63| 2. 11| 4. 42| 9. 12| 14. 02| 0. 34| 0. 41| Liabilities to Assets| 62%| 68%| 82%| 90%| 93%| 25%| 29%| | | | Table 3| | | | Operations and Profitability As shown in Table 4, we reconciled Amazon’s NICO as reported to â€Å"recurring NICO† for 2004 – 2009. The diluted net earnings per common share – as reported and â€Å"recurring NICO† per common share are included too. We also included similar reconciliation for Ebay’s fiscal year 2009. Table 5 shows the complete disaggregation of profit margin and return on equity. From the ROE disaggregation we can see that between 2004 and 2009, Amazon. com maintained a gross profit margin between 22% and 24% and operating margin between 3. 6% and 6. 4%. Especially, since 2007, its operating margin stabilized at around 4. % with a slight increase in 2009. Its profit margin steadily increased 0. 2% each year from 3. 3% to 3. 7%. Amazon. com’s ROE decreased over the years due to their pay back of most of their debt. Overall, Amazon. com maintained stable operating efficiency in recent years. At the same time, its overall profit efficiency is in a sli ght uptrend. Amazon. com has negative operating cycle, which means Amazon doesn’t pay its suppliers until after it receives the payment of the sales. Therefore, Amazon doesn’t need to hold much inventory while it can hold the money for a longer period of time. This is the advantage of the online retailing. Its operating cycle decreased from -27. 58 days in 2006 days to -37. 16 days in 2009, which shows improved operating efficiency over the years. Amazon. com’s operating margin and profit margin both were pretty stable with a slight increase in 2009. We expect its profitability continue to maintain at the same level or slightly increase. Amazon. com’s operating cycle and Asset Turn Over Rate both continue to drop in the past three years (annual rate around 20% and 5% separately), which shows its improvement in operating efficiency. We expect Amazon. com continue to improve its operating efficiency. Table 4 Table 5 Business and Investment Risks As a result of our analysis, we discovered the following business and investment risks that could result in downgrading of Amazon’s stock. Intense competition – Amazon’s business is intensely competitive. It has many competitors in different industries, including retail, e-commerce services, digital content and digital media devices, and web services. The intense competition has corresponding negative impact on prices, which in turn would hurt profit margins. For example, to compete with Apple, Amazon has to lower the price of its Ebook reader – Kindle. Weakening of the U. S. or global economies — A softening of demand caused by a weakening of the U. S. or global economies may result in decreased revenue or growth. Taxation Risks – Currently, Amazon doesn’t collect sales or other taxes on shipments of most of its goods into most states in the U. S. This situation could change in the future due to regulation changes. This could decrease its ability to compete with traditional retailers. Growth Potential and Recommendation As a fast growing company, Amazon. com has a diluted recurring NICO per common share CAGR of 27% over the past five years. The diluted recurring NICO per common share increased 35% in 2009. The sustainable growth rate in 2009 was 23%. We expect Amazon to continue to maintain its growth rate. Therefore, we project the future growth rates of Amazon to be between 25% and 30%. The two year target diluted recurring NICO per common share would be between $3. 22 and $3. 48. We project Amazon’s P/E ration will be around 60. Therefore, the two year target price range for Amazon would be $193 to $209. The closing price of Amazon. com on 02/01/2010 was $118. 87. As the result of the above analysis, our recommendation of Amazon. com is BUY.

The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 10

Ella I can remember the first time I wanted to kiss Micha as clearly as the day I found my mother dead. Both times were equally as terrifying, but in two different ways. Micha and I had been sitting on the hood of his car at our secret spot tucked away in the trees, staring out at the lake. It was harder than hell to get back to the spot, but the view and serenity made it worth it. It had been quiet between the two of us for a while, which was normal except for the jealousy stirring inside me over Micha's latest hook up, Cassandra. I'd never felt this way before and it puzzled me. It wasn't like the girl was anything special to Micha, but he'd told Ethan that she had the potential to be girlfriend material and it was bugging me. Micha's arms were tucked under his head and his eyes were shut as the sunlight beamed down on him. His shirt had ridden up and I could see his tattoo peeking out. As I stared at it the urge to run my fingers along it drove me crazy. â€Å"I don't like Cassandra,† I abruptly sputtered out, sitting up quickly. Micha's eyebrows knitted as his eyes gradually opened against the sunlight. â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"That Cassandra girl you were talking about the other day,† I said, staring out at the water rippling in the gentle breeze. â€Å"I don't think you should date her.† He rose up on his elbows. â€Å"Because you don't like her?† â€Å"No†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I tucked strands of my auburn hair out of my eyes. â€Å"I just don't want you to date her.† The wind filled the silence. Micha sat up and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. â€Å"Okay, I won't,† he said as if it was as simple as breathing. I pressed back a smile, not fully understanding why the hell I was so happy. Micha lay back down and drew me with him. I rested my head on his chest and listened to his heart beating, steady as a rock, unlike mine which was dancing inside my chest. The longer I stayed in his arms, the more content I became. I felt safe, like nothing could hurt me, but I was in complete denial that I was starting to fall in love with my best friend. *** It's been a week since the car racing incident and I've been hiding out in my bedroom living on mac n' cheese and Diet Dr. Pepper. Dean still hasn't headed home, but Lila did the morning after the race. She wanted to stay, but I didn't want her to and I think her dad wasn't too keen on the idea either. It's been kind of lonely, though. I still haven't listened to Micha's voicemail, and the constant flashing on the screen torments me. I decide to take a break from the house today and do something I've been meaning to do for a while. I want to sketch my mother's grave because I won't always be close enough to visit it. It's been bothering me the entire eight months that I've been gone. I feel guilty because it was me who put her there and then I just left her. I collect my sketch book and pencils from the drawer of my night stand, slip on my shoes and sunglasses, and head out the front door where I'm less likely to run into Micha. It's a warm day and the blue sky glitters with sunshine. I walk up the sidewalk toward Cherry Hill and decide to make a last minute stop at Grady's. I knock on the trailer door and Amy, the nurse, answers it wearing blue scrubs. â€Å"Oh, hi Ella, I don't think Grady's up for any visitors today, sweetie.† â€Å"But he told me to stop by,† I say stupidly. â€Å"I know it's a little later than I told him and I'm sorry.† â€Å"He's not mad at you, Ella,† she says kindly. â€Å"I've just got him hooked up on oxygen and he's got a cough.† I shield my eyes from the sun and stare up at her. â€Å"Is he okay?† She sighs, leaning against the doorframe. â€Å"He's just having a rough day today, but try back in a few days, okay hun.† I nod and back down the steps as she shuts the door. I stare helplessly at the back window which leads to Grady's room. He's sick and there's nothing I can do. I have no control over this. Micha was right. I can't control everything. As horrid images of my mom's death flash through my mind, I run into the field and throw up. *** The town's cemetery is located up on Cherry Hill, which on foot is quite a hike, but I enjoy the break from the reality of life. There is no one up there – there hardly ever is. I push through the gate and situate by a tree right in front of my mom's headstone. It's a small cemetery bordered by trees and the grass is covered with dry leaves. As I sketch the lines of the fence and the vines that coil it, I angle downward and draw the curve of her tombstone. I become lost in the movements, adding wings to the side of it, because she was always so fascinated with flying. A few weeks before her death, my mother begged me to go on a walk with her. I gave in even though I had plans that day. It was sunny and the air smelled like cut grass. It felt like nothing could go wrong. She wanted to go to the bridge so we walked all the way across town to the lake. When we arrived there, she climbed on the railing and spread her hands out to balance as her long auburn hair flapped in the wind. â€Å"Mom, what are you doing?† I said, reaching for the back of her shirt to pull her down. She sidestepped down the railing out of my reach and stared at the water below. â€Å"Ella May, I think I can fly.† â€Å"Mom, stop it and get down,† I said, not taking her very seriously at first. But when she turned her head and looked at me, I could see in her eyes that she wasn't joking. She really believed she could fly. I tried to stay as composed as possible. â€Å"Mom, please get down. You're scaring me.† She shook her head and her legs wobbled a little. â€Å"It's okay honey. I'll be fine. I can feel it in my body that I can fly.† I took a cautious step toward her and my foot bumped the curb of the bridge. The cement rubbed my toe raw and I could feel blood oozing out, but I didn't look down at it. I was too afraid to take my eyes off her. â€Å"Mom, you can't fly. People can't fly.† â€Å"Then maybe I'm a bird,† she said seriously. â€Å"Maybe I have wings and feathers and they can carry me away and I can become one with the wind.† â€Å"You're not a bird!† I shouted and reached for her again, but she hopped onto one of the beams and laughed like it was a game. I tugged my fingers through my hair and steadied onto the railing. It was a far fall, one that would crush our bodies on impact, even in the water. I braced my hands on the beams above my head. â€Å"Mom, if you love me at all, you'll get down.† She shook her head. â€Å"No, I'm going to fly today.† A truck rolled up and stopped on the middle of the bridge as I edged toward her. Ethan jumped out and didn't so much as flinch at the scenario. â€Å"Hey, Mrs. Daniels. How's it going?† I gaped at him and hissed, â€Å"What are you doing?† He ignored me. â€Å"You know it's not really safe out there.† My mom angled her head to the side. â€Å"I think I'll be okay. My wings will carry me away.† I was mortified, but Ethan didn't miss a beat. He rested his arms on the railing. â€Å"As much as that could be true, what if it's not? Then what? I mean is it really worth the risk?† I glanced back at my mom and she looked like she was weighing the options. She stared at the dark water below her feet and then at the bright sky above her head. â€Å"Maybe I should think about it for a little bit.† Ethan nodded. â€Å"I think that's probably a good idea.† She made a path across the beam and planted her feet on the railing. Ethan helped her down and we got her into the backseat of his truck. She fell asleep within minutes and I slumped my head back against the chair. â€Å"How did you do that?† I asked quietly. â€Å"One of my friends was tripping out of their mind one night and I had to talk him out of jumping off the roof,† he explained. â€Å"It was all about making her realize that there was more than one scenario.† I nodded and we stayed quiet for the rest of the drive to my house. Ethan never brought it up to me, nor did he treat me differently and I was grateful for it. After a doctor's visit, it was determined that my mother had started to suffer from ‘Delusions of Grandeur,' which happens sometimes in bipolar patients. I finally pull away from the drawing when it's nearly dark. I gather my sketchpad and pencils and head down the hill. In front of the arch iron entryway is Micha, sitting on the hood of his mom's car, wearing jeans, and a black and red plaid shirt. His head is tipped down and wisps of his blonde hair cover his forehead as he messes around with his phone. I stop a little ways off from him. â€Å"What are you doing here?† His eyes lift from his phone. â€Å"I'm waiting for you.† â€Å"How did you know I was here?† â€Å"I saw you leave with your sketchpad and head this way, so I came up to check on you.† I take a tentative step forward. â€Å"How long have you been sitting here?† He slides off the hood and puts his phone away. â€Å"For a while, but I didn't want to disturb you. You looked too peaceful.† I press my lips together and stare at him, craving to sketch him like I used to. He would sit on my bed and it was like he owned my hand. â€Å"Look, about the other night, I think – â€Å" He strides across the grass toward me, moving so impulsively that there's no time to react as his finger covers my lips. â€Å"Just let it be for a while, okay?† Uncertain of his exact meaning, I nod anyway. He lets his finger fall from my lips, trailing a line down my chest, finally pulling away at the bottom of my stomach. â€Å"You want a ride home?† His voice comes out ragged. I glance at the grey sky and the birds flying across it. â€Å"That would be nice. Thank you.† Micha She's preoccupied during the drive and so am I. I was so pissed off about my father that I got into the car about to do something reckless, however, then I saw Ella wandering down the street, and I followed her. The way she walked was very entertaining, her auburn hair blowing in the wind, and the way she swayed her ass in the short denim shorts she was wearing. It calmed me down watching her sit up on the hill and draw, but I can't stop thinking about the phone conversation. â€Å"We should go somewhere,† I announce when we drive onto the main road. Ella jolts in her seat and turns away from the window. â€Å"I should probably go home.† â€Å"Come on.† I pout, hoping it'll win her over. â€Å"Just come with me somewhere and we can relax.† She's tempted. â€Å"Where exactly?† I turn the volume of the stereo down and let my arm rest on the top of the steering wheel. â€Å"To our spot by the lake.† â€Å"But it takes forever to get there.† Her eyes rise to the dark sky. â€Å"And it's getting late.† â€Å"Since when have you been afraid of the dark?† â€Å"It's not the dark I'm afraid of.† I sigh and downshift. â€Å"Come on, just you and me. We don't even have to talk. We can just sit in silence.† â€Å"Fine,† she surrenders, tossing her sketchpad into the backseat. â€Å"Just as long as you don't ask me questions.† I hold up my hand innocently. â€Å"Scouts honor. I'll keep my questions to myself.† Her eyes narrow. â€Å"I know you've never been in the scouts before.† I laugh, feeling the pressure lift from my chest. â€Å"It doesn't matter. I'll keep my questions to myself, but with everything else, all bets are off.† She pretends to have an itch on her nose, but really it's to obscure her smile and it makes me smile myself. *** Its pitch black by the time we reach our spot on the shore that's secluded by tall trees. The moon reflects against the water and the night air is a little chilly. I get my jacket out of the trunk and offer it to Ella, knowing she's cold because of the goosebumps on her arms and the way her nipples are poking through her shirt. She slips the jacket on and zips it up, covering up her perky nipples. I sigh, hop onto the hood, and open my arms for her to join me. Hesitantly, she climbs onto the hood, but stays at the front, with her feet propped up on the bumper, gazing out at the water. I scoot down by her and keep my knees up, resting my elbows on them. â€Å"What are you thinking about?† Her eyes are huge in the moonlight. â€Å"Death.† â€Å"What about death?† I wonder if we're finally going to go back to that night. â€Å"That Grady's going to die,† she whispers softly. â€Å"And there's nothing I can do about it.† I brush her hair back from her forehead. â€Å"You need to stop worrying about everything that can't be controlled.† She sighs and leans away from my hand. â€Å"That's just it, though. It's all I can think about anymore. It's like this fixation I have no control over which makes no sense because I'm fixated on controlling the uncontrollable.† She's breathing wildly. Shit. I need to calm her down. â€Å"Hey, come here.† I loop my arms around her waist and lie her down on the windshield with me. She rests her head on my chest and I play with her hair, breathing in her vanilla scent. â€Å"Do you remember when you decided that it would be a good idea if you climbed up the scaffolding in the gym?† â€Å"I wanted to prove to Gary Bennitt that I was as tough as the boys.† She buries her face into my shirt, ashamed. â€Å"Why do you remember everything?† â€Å"How could I forget that? You scared the hell out of me when you fell. Yet, somehow you managed to land on the board just below it.† â€Å"I thought I was going to die,† she murmurs. â€Å"I was so stupid.† â€Å"You weren't stupid, you just saw life at a different angle,† I say. â€Å"I've always envied you for it. Like when you used to dance in a room where no one was dancing or how you stuck up for people. But there was always that wall you put up. You would never let anyone completely through.† She's soundless for a while and I expect for her to push me away. But she sits up and hovers over me, her hair veiling our faces. Her breath is ragged, like she's terrified out of her mind. â€Å"I opened up to you once,† she whispers. â€Å"When we were here in this spot doing this same thing.† I can't take my eyes off her lips. â€Å"I'm not sure what you're talking about.† She licks her lips. â€Å"I told you I didn't want you dating Cassandra.† â€Å"Cassandra†¦ Oh, was that what that was about?† I start to laugh. â€Å"What's so funny?† she asks, but I can't stop laughing. She pinches my nipple and I jerk upward, smacking my forehead against hers. â€Å"Ow.† She blinks, rubbing her forehead and a laugh escapes her lips. â€Å"Tell me what's so funny.† She looks beautiful, trying to be pissed, when deep down she's relishing the moment. I'm enjoying myself, which I didn't envisage tonight, but if anyone can cheer me up, it's her. Like when my dad left and she caught me in the garage, clutching onto his tool box crying like a baby. She gave me her Popsicle and then just sat there with me until I ran out of tears. I eye her over and she fusses with her hair self-consciously. With one quick movement, I flip us over so my body is covering hers. â€Å"When I told Ethan about that day when you told me not to see Cassandra, he told me you had a thing for me. He's usually not right about those things.† â€Å"I didn't have a thing for you,† she argues. â€Å"I just didn't want anyone else to have a thing for you.† â€Å"You're adorable when you deny the truth. You always have been.† â€Å"Micha, I used to have studs on every item of clothing I owned and enough black eyeliner to make an entire sketch. That's not adorable.† â€Å"It is on you.† I wink at her. She shakes her head and pokes a finger at my chest. â€Å"Don't try and use your player moves on me.† We remain silent, frozen in the moment, until I finally speak again. â€Å"I have an idea.† Curiosity slowly takes over her face as I shift over her body. My arms are at the side of her head, barely holding my weight up. My face hovers above hers, our lips only an inch apart, and she lies perfectly still. â€Å"I want to kiss you.† She shakes her head promptly. â€Å"I don't think that's a good idea.† I trace one of my fingers over her lips. I've been going about this all wrong. I can't force myself on her. I have to move slow and think of her as a skittish cat that needs to be approached cautiously. â€Å"Just kiss. I swear to God that's all we'll do.† I move my finger away from her lips. â€Å"And kissing's not that scary, right?† â€Å"With you it is,† she says truthfully. â€Å"If you want me not to, just say it.† Taking my time, I leisurely lower my lips toward hers. She stays stationary, her big green eyes targeted on my mouth. Slowly, so she has time to let her thoughts slow down, I caress my lips across hers. A small gasp flees from her lips and I slip my tongue into her mouth. Her hands glide up my back and into my hair. My body conforms to hers as I explore her mouth with my tongue. She bites down on my bottom lip, sucking my lip ring into her mouth before releasing it. Fuck. She's making this hard. I intensify the kiss as my body becomes more impatient, but I keep my promise and only kiss her, even when she fastens her legs around my waist and rubs up against me. Ella He said just kiss and it seemed okay, but now my body has developed a mind of its own. I'm writhing my hips against him enjoying the pleasure erupting inside me. He's hard between my legs as he kisses me so fiercely that my lips are swollen. His fingers tangle in my hair and his tongue plunges deeper and deeper into my mouth the more I rock against him. My head falls back and my eyes open to the stars shining in the sky. It feels like I'm falling or flying†¦ I'm not sure, but whatever it is I can't seem to control it. For a second, I want to capture the moment, put it in a jar, and always have it with me, but panic seizes my mind and I jerk away from his lips. His eyes snap open and his pupils are vast. â€Å"What's wrong?† â€Å"Nothing†¦ It's just†¦ I have to calm down.† I take a deep breath, my skin still tingling in the spots his hands touched. Micha nods, breathless. Carefully, he moves off of me and leans back against the window, securing his hand around mine. We don't speak as we stare up at the sky. He traces his finger along the folds between my fingers and my eyelids drift shut. I feel a wall crumble, leaving behind dust, debris, and pieces that desperately need to be put back together. *** â€Å"Are you okay?† I ask Micha when we pull into my driveway. He's been quiet the whole drive home and I can tell something's bothering him. â€Å"Yeah, I'm fine,† he says with a shrug and then his gaze darts to the back window as headlights shine up behind us. â€Å"Although, you might not be.† My eyebrows furrow. â€Å"Why? What's wrong?† He points a finger at a car parking at the curb in front of my house; a shiny black Mercedes with a familiar blonde-haired driver sitting in it. â€Å"Oh my God, is that Lila's car?† I ask. â€Å"I'm guessing yes, since I doubt anyone around here owns a Mercedes.† Lila climbs out of the car and it's clear that she's been crying. Her eyes are swollen and her cheeks are red. She has her pajama bottoms on and a hoodie pulled over her head. The last time she walked around in an outfit like that she'd just broken up with her boyfriend. â€Å"I think she might have some issues at home,† I tell him, grabbing the door handle. â€Å"She acted like she didn't want to go home.† â€Å"But you didn't ask her about it?† he questions with an arch of his eyebrow. I bite my lip guiltily. â€Å"I wasn't sure I wanted to know the answer.† God, I'm a terrible friend. Lila heads up the driveway and we get out to meet her around the back. Before I can say anything, she hugs me and starts to sob. I tense, not used to being hugged, except by Micha. â€Å"I didn't want to go back there,† she cries. â€Å"I knew this was going to happen.† I look over Lila's head at Micha for help. â€Å"It'll be okay.† He gives me a sympathetic look and mouths, take her inside. I nod and he waves at me, getting back into his car. I guide Lila into the house holding her weight up for her like she's ill. When I get her into my room, she curls up on my bed and hugs a pillow. I wait a minute before I speak. â€Å"Do you want to talk about it?† She shakes her head. â€Å"I just want to go to sleep.† â€Å"Alright.† I turn off the light and collapse onto the trundle. I need to get into my pajamas, but it's been an exhausting day. â€Å"My dad hates me,† Lila whispers through sobs. I freeze and then sit up, squinting at her through the dark. â€Å"I'm sure he doesn't hate you.† â€Å"Yes, he does,† she says. â€Å"He always says so – that he wished he had sons instead of daughters because they're easier to deal with.† â€Å"Are you going to be okay?† I ask, unsure what else to say. â€Å"I will be. It'll just take some time.† Was that the magical cure? Time. I flop back down and fall asleep to the murmur of her sobs.

Hrothgars offer essays

Hrothgars offer essays After Beowulf had saved my people from the treacherous monster, Grendel, I really felt that I owed him a lot more than I had offered him. Although I gave him a crown and many other gifts to reconcile for the things he did for Herot, I felt like I owed him the world. I realized one night that I really wanted to offer Beowulf a position in my court. After long thought I realized that no one would be a better vice-king, than Beowulf. So, when I woke up the next morning, I called Beowulf into the Hall where I sat to eat breakfast. I told him of my need to give him more than he had received in consolation and I offered to him the newly founded position of vice-king. Beowulf was honored by my proposal and thanked me profusely for the offer, however he would not accept my invitation. His words were My heart is in fighting off monsters and saving people such as I did yours. If I take on the responsibility of vice-king, I am afraid I wont be able to fight off the monsters of the world, and t hat is what I am good at, and what I love to do. Although I was a little sadden by the refusal, I knew all along that Beowulf doesnt belong behind the throne, but in the battles. Even though Beowulf did not except my offer, we are still very close friends and he promises to visit Herot often. ...

Federal Efforts to Control Monopoly

Federal Efforts to Control Monopoly Monopolies were among the first business entities the U.S. government attempted to regulate in the public interest. Consolidation of smaller companies into bigger ones enabled some very large corporations to escape market discipline by fixing prices or undercutting competitors. Reformers argued that these practices ultimately saddled consumers with higher prices or restricted choices. The Sherman Antitrust Act, passed in 1890, declared that no person or business could monopolize trade or could combine or conspire with someone else to restrict trade. In the early 1900s, the government used the act to break up John D. Rockefellers Standard Oil Company and several other large firms that it said had abused their economic power. In 1914, Congress passed two more laws designed to bolster the Sherman Antitrust Act: the Clayton Antitrust Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act. The Clayton Antitrust Act defined more clearly what constituted illegal restraint of trade. The act outlawed price discrimination that gave certain buyers an advantage over others; forbade agreements in which manufacturers sell only to dealers who agree not to sell a rival manufacturers products; and prohibited some types of mergers and other acts that could decrease competition. The Federal Trade Commission Act established a government commission aimed at preventing unfair and anti-competitive business practices. Critics believed that even these new anti-monopoly tools were not fully effective. In 1912, the United States Steel Corporation, which controlled more than half of all the steel production in the United States, was accused of being a monopoly. Legal action against the corporation dragged on until 1920 when, in a landmark decision, the Supreme Court ruled that U.S. Steel was not a monopoly because it did not engage in unreasonable restraint of trade. The court drew a careful distinction between bigness and monopoly and suggested that corporate bigness is not necessarily bad.​​ Experts Note: Â  Generally speaking, the federal government in the United States has a number of options at its disposal in order to regulate monopolies. (Remember, regulation of monopolies is economically justified since monopoly is a form of market failure that creates inefficiency- i.e. deadweight loss- for society.) In some cases, monopolies are regulated by breaking up the companies and, by doing so, restoring competition. In other cases, monopolies are identified as natural monopolies- i.e. companies where one big firm can produce at lower cost than a number of smaller firms- in which case they are subjected to price restrictions rather than being broken up. Legislation of either type is far more difficult than it sounds for a number of reasons, including the fact that whether a market is considered a monopoly depends crucially on how broadly or narrowly a market is defined.​

How to plan successful events and meetings -The JobNetwork

How to plan successful events and meetings -The JobNetwork Whether you’re an admin or an engineer, there are some skills that will come in handy no matter what. Being able to organize events and meetings effectively is one of those skills- good organizational skills and tools will help you in virtually any field. If you’re in an administrative role and need to take the lead on planning a meeting or event but don’t know where to start- we’ve got you covered! Let’s look at the basics you’ll need.Pre-organize your meeting or event.Before you get started, make sure you understand everything you’ll need to have in place. Take notes so you remember all the elements. (Nothing fancy- this is for your own reference.)For meetings, that means making sure you know†¦What’s the topic?What’s the goal (desired outcome) of the meeting?Who needs to be there?Is it happening in your office, or somewhere else?Will people outside of your company be attending?Should you arrange for food or drinks to be available (like coffee, breakfast foods, sandwiches)?What kind of tech or tools will the attendees need (like access to presentation software, a projector screen, a white board, etc.)?For events like conferences or parties, that means making sure you know†¦Who should be attending?Do speakers’ schedules need to be coordinated?Is there a tentative schedule for the event, or will you need to figure out the timing?Does a location or facility need to be booked? If so, how many rooms are necessary?Will people be traveling to attend this event?Will attendees need to have any travel arrangements made?Is there a social component (lunch, dinner, drinks)?What are the catering needs?What kind of technology will presenters and attendees need?Does the event require programs, handouts, or anything else that needs to be designed or printed?If you’re being asked to organize the event, make sure you have all of the details from your boss or whomever is requesting the event. D on’t be shy about asking questions- you don’t want to miss something, and have to scramble later.Choose an organizational tool for your event.Ask yourself: how do you best stay organized? Do you function best when you have information physically in front of you? Or do you function best when you have all the information you need at your fingertips on your phone or tablet? The great thing is that you can go as technological as you want here- there are a number of helpful business event planning apps out there, like Sched or Planning Pod.Create specific folders on your computer, so you can store any documents, emails, and notes. If you prefer a more old-school method, try using a binder, which you can divide into relevant sections:Vendor informationSchedulesReceipts and invoicesAttendee informationOrganizational planners with calendars (like the kind you get at your local office supply store) can also be helpful, especially if you have a long lead time and specific deadli nes you need to meet along the way. The most important thing is to pick a method that works best for you and  stick with it.Set a timeline for your event planning.Before you move ahead with inviting people or booking a space for your meeting or event, sit down and plan a timeline.When is the event taking place?What milestones will you need to hit before then?How much time will each of those steps take?Once you know your own planning schedule, set reminders along the way to make sure you’re checking everything off from your to-do list. Again, whatever format works best for you is good. You can build reminders in via your work email platform (like Outlook or Gmail) or set them on your phone or tablet. The most important part is that the reminders aren’t easily missed or ignored.Master your meeting plan.If you’re planning more of an everyday meeting, many of these principles still apply. Being organized is the key; even if it’s a budget summit with five pe ople or a basic sales meeting, you want it to run just as smoothly as if you’re planning a conference. The timeline for meeting setup is likely more condensed; you or your boss may need to set up a meeting in the near future, so your timeline is even more important, even if you have fewer to-dos.Get your meeting on everyone’s calendar.One of the first things you should do for your meeting (after answering the questions outlined earlier) is make sure that everyone who needs to be there is available. Juggling multiple calendars can be tricky, especially if your company doesn’t have a synced calendar system (like Outlook) where you can see if another employee is booked during a particular time, or if you’re including people from outside of your company. One way to get the ball rolling is to send out an email to the necessary attendees, offer them blocks of time for potential meeting slots, and let them weigh in on what works best. For example:Hi all,  Iâ⠂¬â„¢m setting up a one-hour meeting to talk about the year-end results, and wanted to confirm what time works best for the group. Can you please let me know if any of the times below do not work for you?  Monday 12/1, between 2:00 and 4:00Wednesday, 12/3, between 10:00 and 11:30Thursday, 12/4, between 9:30 and 11:30Thanks!Ideally, everyone in the group can make one (or more) of the times you give them. If they can’t, well, then you have to start playing a bit of meeting Jenga, finding a time that works for the most people (while making sure that you’re not excluding someone who absolutely needs to be there). But at least you have a starting point for everyone’s availability.Set your meeting agenda.One of the biggest meeting pet peeves is that the meetings aren’t focused enough or don’t have a set agenda of discussion points, and waste time on things that might not be necessary. The best way to counteract this is to send a detailed agenda ahead o f time, making sure that everyone involved knows what will be discussed. That way, Bill can prepare his notes on the project status and Susan can be ready to talk about her recent trip to corporate headquarters to talk about quarterly earnings. If you’re running the meeting yourself, the agenda gives you a ready outline to keep things moving. And if you’re not the one running the meeting but are organizing on someone else’s behalf, you can ask him or her for the agenda points they’d like to discuss. That not only helps keep you on track for organizing everything well, but also helps your boss prepare as well. It also gives you a ready-made template for notes after the meeting because then you can just add bullet points and next stepsWhen you send out the agenda, be clear about the expectations of the meeting. Is it just an informational meeting? Will there be a presentation? Are participants expected to brainstorm? If everyone knows what’s expected of them, then it will be a more productive meeting (and if someone isn’t prepared after you did all this advance work, that’s not on you as the organizer!).Be ready to follow up on your meeting.This is especially important if you’re running the meeting yourself. Make sure you take notes during the meeting, keeping track of the main points, conclusions, or action items that people will need to do next. Afterward, send out those notes to the group. I find that these notes don’t need to be super-detailed- an outline with bullet points and clearly identified sections is usually welcome. People tend to skim or glaze over large chunks of narrative text and may miss some crucial information. If there are any next steps that are required from any meeting attendees, make sure those are presented clearly so that everyone understands what’s expected of them.If you’re organizing the meeting for a boss or someone else and you won’t be attending t he meeting yourself, be sure to ask if that person wants you to send out any notes or follow-up correspondence to the group. And if a follow-up meeting is necessary, restart this whole process as soon as possible so that it’s still fresh in everyone’s mind.Organizational skills are a resume winner for just about every field. And if you’re going into an administrative job, being able to wrangle every kind of event- from small meetings to big to-dos- will make you extremely valuable. These are skills everyone can develop with a bit of practice, diligence, and help from organizational tools that can save you from your own human forgetfulness. Before long, you’ll be impressing your bosses with how smoothly your events go and earning much deserved credit for getting and keeping everything organized and running well.

Audis pricing strategies in UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Audis pricing strategies in UK - Essay Example In order to understanding of how strategies have been applied by Audi, the section below provides a discussion of each of them. Audi has applied the price discount strategy by offering their vehicles at prices lower than the list prices (Nieuwenhuis, 2003, p. 189). The company also offers quantity discounts for suppliers purchasing vehicles in large quantities. For instance, S6 model may be retailing at a price of  £53,995 but customers buying in large quantities are offered a lower price of around  £53,000. This strategies aims at encouraging customers to buy in large volumes because there is the benefit of getting reduced prices for each unit. Sometimes a customer may make a credit purchase which takes some time to settle. Audi offers discounts for customers paying within a specified time period so as to encourage them to pay without much delay. Audi offers a variety of models that have unique features. Therefore, the company charges different prices for each of the models in order to reflect the benefits that customers can derive from each of them (Nieuwenhuis, 2003, p. 178). For instance, the S6 model will be offered at a price of  £53,995 while Q5 is offered at a lower price of  £31,880. This means that at a higher price of  £53,995, a customer will enjoy the use of a V8 engine that has deactivation technology. Going rate pricing strategy is applied when a company introduces prices similar to its direct competitors. Examples of Audi direct competitors include BMW, Aston Martin, and Chevrolet. The company has priced some of its model within the same range of what the direct competitors are offering. For instance, the Audi R8 is going for  £91,975 while the Aston Martin retails at  £90,995. Audi has a significant competitive advantage in the UK market in form of highly technology. The company is planning on introducing new S models that will have a unique feature of a V8 that

Risk Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Risk Analysis - Essay Example Additionally, risk can be defined as the probability(No author, 2000) of an event multiplied by the cost of the event. The following paragraphs explain the nuances of the different risk management techniques. There are many Risk management techniques. Avoidance is one type of risk management technique. Also, modification is another type of risk management technique(No author, 2000). Further, Retention is a very viable risk management technique. Lastly, Sharing is another popular risk management technique. To complete, risk reduction is very good alternative. Avoidance - Whenever an organization cannot offer a service while ensuring a high degree of safety, it should choose avoidance as a risk management technique(Drucker, 1980). Do not offer programs that pose too great a risk. In some cases avoidance is the most appropriate technique because a nonprofit simply doesn't have the financial resources required to fund adequate training, supervision, equipment, or other safety measures. Avoidance even includes not performing an activity that could produce risk. For example, A person would be discouraged to buying a property or business in order to avoid taking on the liability that comes with it. Another example is that a project manager would be not flying in order to avoid taking the risk that the airplane would be hijacked. Avoidance may seem the answer to all risks, However, avoiding risks also means losing out on the possible gain that accepting (retaining) the risk may have allowed. An organization that does not enter a business to avo id the risk(Strickland, 1999) of loss also avoids the possibility of earning profits. Avoidance is a good risk management technique. Modification - Modification(Wheelen, 1996) is be clearly defined as changing an activity to make it safer for all involved. Many policies and procedures can be made as examples of risk modification. For example, an organization that is very concerned about the risk of using unsafe drivers may include an additional DMV record check to its current screening process. Also, an annual road test for all drivers can now be implemented compulsorily. For clarity, an organization that is also concerned about the lack of male and female chaperones for an overnight camping trip could modify its policies and procedures by modifying the night camp activities into hosting a day-long mountain hike and picnic instead. The night male only shift guards in the company project(Papows, 2002) could be modified to an male and female shift status because there are female night shift employees working the graveyard hours. Modification is good if it improves project performance.Retention - Retention could be done on two areas. The first area is by retention of project design(Campbell, 1998). For example, a project manager may decide that the implementation of a new project process with the new techniques aren't as suitable as the original project process design because the new process will cause

Heritage Tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Heritage Tourism - Essay Example It always includes the enjoyment of cultural resources, historical origins, and the natural resources of a particular region. Heritage tourism normally helps in promoting and preserving the cultural values of a specific region or society. Therefore, it is beneficial to the tourists, as well as to the local people who are visited by the tourists. Novelli (2009) denotes that the major motivation of special interest tourism is to enjoy a specific facility, culture or activity of a particular region. Therefore, the major motivation of special interest tourism is to experience these new products, cultures and facilities. Heritage tourism, as a special interest tourism is able to make tourists experience some cultural values of a particular region or place. Tourists are specifically interested in the cultural values or practices of the region under consideration (Thomas, 2004). An example can include an interest to explore the Italian art, or even an interest to experience the Brazilian music. These are specific cultural activities that a tourist would seek to enjoy. Based on these facts, it is possible to classify heritage tourism as an example of specific interest tourism (Patterson, 2006). Novelli (2009) is a great proponent of classifying culture as an example of special interest tourism. This is because the major intention of tourists is to explore the cultural values and beliefs of a specific region or place that they have visited. Spenceley (2008) provides an example of the grand tour trips that was common in the 16th century in Europe. These were trips made by young rich or noblemen in Europe (Walton, 2005). Their major intention was to explore the various cultural values in Europe, and America. They were specifically interested in classical antiquity, and the renaissance art, that was taking shape in Europe (Walton, 2005). This is an example of heritage tourism, because it aims

Spration of power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Spration of power - Essay Example Congress investigations are not limited to oversight of the judiciary or executive, but other matters of national interest that require future legislation. Some of the matters that Congress has investigated include the activities of Ku Klux Klan, Interstate commerce, Vietnam War, organized crime and Wall Street banking practices (Hames and Ekern 101). Congress investigated President Nixon conduct in Watergate scandal that led to resignation of the President. Generally, the power of Congress to investigate and obtain information is broad and Supreme Court has affirmed that such power is essential to the legislative function. The Congress investigations powers were confirmed in the case of McGrain v Daugherty that arose from Harding Administration scandals. The Senate Committee investigated the failure of the Attorney General to prosecute violations of federal law. Mally S. Daugherty, the Attorney General did not honor Congress summons and applied to US District Court in Ohio for writ of habeas corpus. The District Court restrained the Senate from arresting Daugherty, but the Supreme Court reversed the opinion by outlining that that Congress had power to compel testimony that could be used for legislative purposes (Rosenberg 3). The Supreme Court held that a ‘legislative body cannot legislate wisely or effectively in the absence of information respecting the conditions which the legislation will affect or change’. In the case of Watkins v United States, the court held that the power of inquiry was broad and inherent in the legislative process thus encompasses inquiries related to administrat ion of current statutes and proposed or needed statutes (Rosenberg 3). The Courts also extended the investigative powers from wrongdoing to include corruption, wastage, inefficiency in Federal Government departments thus allowing Congress to inquire and publicize corruption and other malpractices in government agencies (Rosenberg 3). Congress has investigated violations

Personal Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal Responsibility - Essay Example There is a definite connection between attaining success in one’s college studies and taking personal responsibility for one’s study habits. A student cannot achieve academic success as part of a group or by holding another person to be responsible for his or her academic achievements. Excellent grades are not something that any student just stumbles upon. They are achieved after calculated efforts are made by a student to achieve them. The student has to work make great effort to achieve them. In most cases, students have to form study plans that may include holding regular consultations with the teachers of subjects where they are weak. These study plans have to be formed early in their college experience so that they have time to test them and make needed adjustments where necessary. In order for the student to stick to a study plan, he or she has to be able to motivate themselves and practice self discipline. College is a particularly confusing and sometimes exaspering time for students who are accustomed to the strictures of high school and a structured life that is monitored by parents. In college, students are faced with the freedom to choose what they wish to do. This freedom can negatively affect students who were academic achievers in high school, but have no sense of personal discipline. For a student to be able to achieve good grades in college, self-discipline is more than necessary because there will always be distractions. Self discipline, the creation of a study plan, and self motivation is not possible for a student that has not taken personal responsibility for his or her academic achievements. Personal responsibility gives a student the capacity to be able to monitor him or herself and contribute to personal academic success (Gelb, 2006). Most students tend to make study plans that are too idealistic or

Weekly questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Weekly questions - Assignment Example Wilson notes that individuals do what is required of them and are well-mannered and identify incidences where the requirement for confirmation is best for the community. One of the primary attributes of societies that Wilson identifies is society members share collective principles, and it appears as if regulations are a form of the collective principles for the advancement of the society (Wilson 37-40). According to Wilson (42), both law and morals purpose to dictate people’s behavior. While the law involves sanctions for disobedience, morality involves incentives, both positive and negative. Homer’s society has no rationality of wickedness or guilt, and personal internal control is absent. Instead, people in the society are controlled and guided by social rules. However, this may be confusing since an individual may not know what to think of it (Wilson 45). This is because if they are not guided by conscience, but social rules, how did people developed the need to appease other people and collaborate within the society. On the other hand, Plato sees the people as controlled by internal conscience that attempts to achieve harmony within every individual (Wilson 53-5). In Omelas, the child suffered in place of the whole community, and thereafter everyone went on with their business and activities in a paradise with no sin or guilt. All this was done in order to keep the boy in the basement away from the public. Everyone who had interacted with the boy only kicked his food, and he could not apprehend what was going on (Wilson 63-68). Notably, the city is in peace, and everyone is in pleasure simply because the boy is suffering and kept away. To make matters worse, the people know that the boy is there, and they are okay with it. In this case, everyone in the city chooses pleasure over morality. Though it has been decades since his death, Freud set a center stage for continued research. This is because even up to today, some of his theories are

Personal Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal Responsibility - Essay Example There is a definite connection between attaining success in one’s college studies and taking personal responsibility for one’s study habits. A student cannot achieve academic success as part of a group or by holding another person to be responsible for his or her academic achievements. Excellent grades are not something that any student just stumbles upon. They are achieved after calculated efforts are made by a student to achieve them. The student has to work make great effort to achieve them. In most cases, students have to form study plans that may include holding regular consultations with the teachers of subjects where they are weak. These study plans have to be formed early in their college experience so that they have time to test them and make needed adjustments where necessary. In order for the student to stick to a study plan, he or she has to be able to motivate themselves and practice self discipline. College is a particularly confusing and sometimes exaspering time for students who are accustomed to the strictures of high school and a structured life that is monitored by parents. In college, students are faced with the freedom to choose what they wish to do. This freedom can negatively affect students who were academic achievers in high school, but have no sense of personal discipline. For a student to be able to achieve good grades in college, self-discipline is more than necessary because there will always be distractions. Self discipline, the creation of a study plan, and self motivation is not possible for a student that has not taken personal responsibility for his or her academic achievements. Personal responsibility gives a student the capacity to be able to monitor him or herself and contribute to personal academic success (Gelb, 2006). Most students tend to make study plans that are too idealistic or

The most compelling problems facing youth in the 21st Century Essay Example for Free

The most compelling problems facing youth in the 21st Century Essay Preparing Americas children for the 21st century is among our most important national priorities. Todays children face the promise of a new century of unparalleled opportunity in which new technologies, improvements in health, expanding economies, and other advances create the hope that their future will be the brightest of any generation in history. Yet, too many of them face obstacles that obscure that bright future, including poverty, violence, child abuse, limited educational opportunity, and unhealthy behaviors. The devastating economic, social, and human costs of these obstacles are indisputable. Addressing these challenges to their future and investing in opportunities so that all children can reach their full potential. An essential component of this strategy is undertaking research to provide new knowledge of ways to improve their futures and to provide sound guidance for policy makers to assure that efforts to help are likely to succeed. Numerous indicators of the well-being of our children and families paint a mixed picture of successes and shortcomings. Our national infant mortality rate is declining rapidly and is at a record low, but is still higher than that of many other countries. Our childrens test scores in reading and science are improving but still trail those of several other industrialized nations. Our school dropout rate is unacceptably high, costing over $250 billion each year in lost earnings and foregone taxes, as well as lost human potential. Our teenage pregnancy rate is declining slightly, but is still the highest in the developed world. Our national vaccination coverage is the highest ever, but in many communities less than 50 percent of two-year-olds are adequately immunized. A similar picture of gains and unmet goals exists with respect to youth violence, child poverty, smoking, and other substance abuse. Much of the progress achieved in these and other areas is the result of critical research efforts that have advanced our understanding of how children and youths develop into healthy and productive individuals. Research has helped to inform policy decisions and program development, track outcomes, and identify strategies that work and those that do not. The Federal investment in research has clearly paid dividends in terms of improved outcomes for children and a healthier and brighter outlook for the entire Nation. Despite such important achievements, much remains to be done: Significant gaps  persist in our understanding of how children grow up to be healthy, well-educated, and responsible members of society. Given the profoundly changing nature of our communities and Nation, strengthening the Federal research enterprise on child and adolescent development and expanding its role in shaping relevant policy are especially crucial to serving national goals.

Motivation

Motivation Why are there multiple theories of motivation in organisational behaviour? Firstly I believe that we need to understand what motivation is before we can understand why there are lots of motivational theories. ‘Motivation comes from the Latin word movere, meaning ‘to move (kreitner R., kinicki A., Buelens M., 2002, p: 176) which means as fact, need, emotion and organic state which encourages a person to take an action. A persons performance at work is affected by several individual factors (Personality, attitudes and beliefs, motivation, perception) but in particular, by Motivation. The dictionary defines motivation as â€Å"the reason why somebody does something or behaves in a particular way† (Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary of Current English, 2000, p1128). Many theorists over the years starting from the industrial revolution have analysed what makes workers work harder. This essay will illustrate why there are multiple theories of motivation I will be looking at two theories Maslows hierarchy and Hertzbergs two factor theories to try to determine why there is a need to have so many theories of motivation. Many organisations face difficulties when trying to motivate their staff. If the employees are motivated the company is likely to be more successful. To be able to understand motivation and the way it works, we have to understand human nature itself, managers also need to understand the work effort motivation cycle as to not loose there staff to more exciting rewarding and satisfying roles else were.( French, R., et al, 2008, Organizational Behaviour p157) There has to be effective management and leadership to motivate staff. Many companies believe that pay is the prime motivator; however people may want to exceed, receive acknowledgment for there efforts, they may want to feel a part of a group and also want to feel a heightened sense of worth at the workplace. This is where empowerment plays a very important part in a companys progression. ( French, R., et al, 2008, Organizational Behaviour. p 156) â€Å"Empowerment is the process by which managers delegate power to employees to motivate greater responsibility in balancing the achievement of both personal and organisational goals†. (Ref.- Chapter 4: Motivation and Empowerment page 184French, R. ,et al, 2008, Organizational Behaviour. Chichester: Wiley) By empowering employees this will make the staff more satisfied, productive and motivated throughout their working hours. Throughout the years many theorists have tried to explain what motivation is by designing theories describing how managers should stimulate their staff. (French, R. et al.,2008, Organizational Behaviour pp157-159) There are two main types of motivation theories content and process theories, the content theories look at the needs that individuals have, it includes 4 component theories: Maslows hierarchy of needs model, Alderfers modified need hierarchy model, McClellands achievement motivation theory and Herzbergs two-factor theories. The Process Theories are a understanding of the thought process that influence behaviour. The major process theories of motivation include Vrooms expectancy theory, goal-setting theory, and reinforcement theory and Adams equity theory. (French, R et al, 2008 Organizational Behaviour p160) Abraham Maslow has a structure which he has called the hierarchy of needs. There are five basic needs, which people are supposed to uphold. These are physiological, safety, social, esteem and self-actualization. (French, R et al, 2008 Organizational Behaviour p161) Physiological needs are food, drink, shelter and sex, Safety needs are the security and protection from physical and emotional harm. Social needs refer to a need for love. That means a person will strive for good relationships with people and a place within there group. .(Wilson, F M(2004) Organizational Behaviour and work) The needs that Maslow has at the bottom of the pyramid are based on basic needs concerned with survival or lower order needs, and these must be satisfied before a person can go to the next level on the hierarchy of needs until self actualization which Maslow argued that although everybody is able to, not many reach this level. (Wilson, F M (2004) Organizational Behaviour and work) While Maslows theory seems to make sense at first, there is little to show that a strict hierarchy works in every day working life. In fact research contradicts the order of needs because in some cultures they tend to put social needs before any other need. Maslows hierarchy also has trouble explaining cases such as the â€Å"starving artist† where a individual will neglect there physical needs to gain a spiritual need. Maslow also suggests that one need is satisfied at a time where there is no evidence this is true. In all motivation theories there are always advantages and disadvantages, Maslow has been critical of his theory himself, in a statement he said: â€Å"My motivation theory was published 20 years ago and in all that time nobody repeated it, or tested, or really analyzed it or criticised it. They just used it, swallowed it whole with only the minor modification† Ref- Wilson, F.M (2004). Organisational behaviour and work. Oxford University press, page146 (Lowry 1982:6 Clayton Alderfer proposed the ERG theory, which is very similar to Maslows theory, it also describes needs as a hierarchy. The letters ERG stand for three levels of needs: Existence, Relatedness, and Growth. This theory is based on the work of Maslow, so it has a lot which is similar with it but it also differs in some important aspects. He argues that Maslows theory is not flexible and as a result of this people may become frustrated as they are not able to move to the next stage. Alderfer has minimized Maslows 5 level theories into 3 levels; this theory is more flexible as people are able to go up and down the hierarchy if their needs keep changing. (French, R et al, 2008 Organizational Behaviour p160) Fredrick Herzbergs hygiene-motivation theory, Frederick Hertzberg put forward the idea that certain factors in the workplace cause job satisfaction, while others lead to dissatisfaction, he proposed the Two Factor theory of human motivation in the workplace, he believed that man has two sets of needs one as an animal to avoid pain and the second as a human being to grow psychologically. Hertzberg believes that the growth or the motivator factors such as achievement, the work its self, responsibility and advancement are the primary cause of job satisfaction. Hygiene factors the dissatisfiers using the term hygiene are considered maintenance factors that are to avoid dissatisfaction but by themselves do not provide satisfaction company policy, administration, supervision interpersonal relationships, working conditions salary status and security. Hertzberg used two open ended questions ‘tell me about a time when you felt exceptionally good about your job. and ‘tell me about a time when you felt exceptionally bad about your job.Herzberg analysed a diverse range of employees twelve different investigations informed the theory.( Herzberg et al 1959,. Wilson, F M(2004) Organizational Behaviour and work) There have been many criticisms of this theory one being some researchers have used other methods and have not been able to confirm the theory there for the theory is said to be method-bound as only Hertzbergs original method is able to support the theory. Other critics found it to be too convenient that Hertzbergs theory fits so neatly into two boxes, intrinsic contributing to job satisfaction and extrinsic to dissatisfaction. In the study by Ewan (1963) found that sometimes the hygiene factor, dissatisfies acted as satisfiers and satisfiers, motivators caused both satisfaction and dissatisfaction. (Wilson, F M(2004) Organizational Behaviour and work) Looking briefly at the most well known motivational theories David McClelland Need for Achievement Theory proposed that an individuals specific needs are acquired over time and are shaped by a persons life experiences. Most of the needs can be classed as achievement, affiliation, or power. A persons motivation in a certain job is influenced by these three needs. McCelland believed that having the right resources available such as raw materials, time, having the right skills to do the job and also having the necessary support to get the job done like supervisor support, or correct information on the job, McCelland believed that even if two of the three were met that there would still not be positive motivation and all three must be met to achieve positive motivation. (French, R et al, 2008 Organizational Behaviour pp163- 165) The expectancy theory of motivation is by Victor Vroom. Victor Vroom is very different to Maslow and Hertzberg, Vroom focuses on outcomes not on needs. Expectancy is the belief that more effort will lead to better performance. (French, R et al, 2008 Organizational Behaviour pp172- 174) Looking closely at the theories of motivation I believe that there are multiple theories of motivation as there is neither a right or wrong theory all seem to out line the basics of motivation weather it is in a hierarchy or set in two boxes we all have a need for the basics in life plus achievement, recognition and we all would be happier and more motivated to work in better conditions, I believe that a person has each one of these needs at or maybe many at a time so there for many theories are essential to get a wider knowledge of motivation and how to motivate an individual at work.

Stereotypes- Definitional Essa Essay -- essays research papers

'Dumb jocks';, 'Women don't belong in a professional setting, they belong in the kitchen';, 'He must be a Jew, just look at his nose.'; Our society is based solely on face values where we tend to place someone in a category because of his or her actions. Prejudicial notations used to define members of a social or ethnic group are called stereotypes. We stereotype various groups of people, but none like women, different ethnic groups, and athletes. We typically stereotype women on the job. Women normally are associated with jobs such as nurses, secretaries, and tailors. These are jobs in which most people would label as a tender loving care job, which requires a woman's touch. Women are rarely associated with the titles of a Doctor, Lawyer, or CEO of a company. On occasion, when women are given positions of power, they are viewed as being power hungry and male bashers. Male co-workers would be constantly put down by their superior, who in this case would be a woman, because the woman had to struggle through life trying to make it in a man's world, or so the stereotype says. In the home, women have certain household chores, that have been naturally assigned to them: washing dishes, laundry, dusting and cleaning, and taking care of the kids just to name a few. These chores and household duties have been deemed a woman's job since the beginning of time; the man would go out and hunt dinner and it would be the woman's duty to cook and prepare dinner. So, after all these years, i... Stereotypes- Definitional Essa Essay -- essays research papers 'Dumb jocks';, 'Women don't belong in a professional setting, they belong in the kitchen';, 'He must be a Jew, just look at his nose.'; Our society is based solely on face values where we tend to place someone in a category because of his or her actions. Prejudicial notations used to define members of a social or ethnic group are called stereotypes. We stereotype various groups of people, but none like women, different ethnic groups, and athletes. We typically stereotype women on the job. Women normally are associated with jobs such as nurses, secretaries, and tailors. These are jobs in which most people would label as a tender loving care job, which requires a woman's touch. Women are rarely associated with the titles of a Doctor, Lawyer, or CEO of a company. On occasion, when women are given positions of power, they are viewed as being power hungry and male bashers. Male co-workers would be constantly put down by their superior, who in this case would be a woman, because the woman had to struggle through life trying to make it in a man's world, or so the stereotype says. In the home, women have certain household chores, that have been naturally assigned to them: washing dishes, laundry, dusting and cleaning, and taking care of the kids just to name a few. These chores and household duties have been deemed a woman's job since the beginning of time; the man would go out and hunt dinner and it would be the woman's duty to cook and prepare dinner. So, after all these years, i...

Goethe & Vonnegut :: essays research papers

Powerful Emotion (3)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anyone who reads The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe instantly feels the emotional intensity portrayed by Werther, the protagonist. His speculations about life are indeed unique, especially in modern times when life often goes by quickly without notice. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why his immense emotion strikes a chord with readers as coming from someone crazy or dangerous. Werther’s mental state seems incredibly alive at some times while seemingly lifeless at others. This lifeless state of mind is similar to another sorrowful character in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five. In his story of Billy Pilgrim, a similar wonder engulfs the reader, causing us to question the cause of both his mindset and of our own. These books bring a couple of interesting questions to mind†¦ How much emotion is too much? How little is too little? These characters struggle with powerful emotion in many ways, and are therefore judged as mad. The two protagonists engage in totally different journeys, but each of them leads the reader to discover the limits of human emotion. These limits are reached by Werther and Billy, therefore leading to both characters’ demise.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In simple terms, I think that Billy Pilgrim in Slaughterhouse Five demonstrates the extremity of too little emotion, in contrast with Werther in The Sorrows of Young Werther demonstrating the extremity of too much emotion. Both of these characters live their lives in suffering because of this lack/surfeit of emotion. I’d like to start my analysis off with the odd style of Kurt Vonnegut and how he portrays his main character.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Billy Pilgrim has mental problems. Too many to name, in fact. He has difficulty in almost every aspect of life because of these mental problems. Vonnegut has concocted an anti-war novel that blames Billy’s health (or lack thereof) on the trauma of being in a war, but poor Billy has many problems even before the war. He seems to be extremely emotionally detached from all aspects of life. Yes, he gets married and has children, but it seems to be portrayed as somewhat sarcastic and unimportant. This is the danger of being unemotional in life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the strongest points proving Billy’s lack of emotion is when he is at war and essentially tries to set himself up for his enemy to shoot him (Vonnegut 29). The incident seems very ironic considering Vonnegut’s anti-war opinions, because he seems to want Billy to honor the fairness of war.