Essay on Effective Communication Skills - 1315 Words

Introduction An important step to becoming an effective leader is to develop effective communication skills. Communication is the transmission of meaning from one person to another or to many people, whether verbally or non-verbally (Barrett, 2006). Effective communication enables leaders to lead. Effective communication occurs only if the receiver understands the exact information or idea that the sender intended to covey. As a leader, studying the communication process is important. Communication skills, including the ability to problem solve, work in teams, and adapt to various audiences, are critical in today’s workplace (Levy Murname, 2004). Since the most successful leaders communicate well, understanding how your†¦show more content†¦The IHC instrument consists of 27 statements. Using a 5-point scale with 1 being strongly agree and 5 being strongly disagree, I rated each of the 27 statements. A score between 109 and 135 indicates an excellent understanding of the communication process. A score between 82 and 108 means there are a few areas that need some work while a score between 54 and 81 suggests there are several areas that need attention. A score between 27and 53 implies across the board improvement is needed. This instrument heightened my underst anding of my role as a sender and a receiver. It highlighted the importance of asking questions and providing feedback in order to promote clarity. It stressed the significance of non-verbal communication so that I not only hear, but also see what is being communicated to me. Finally, I learned the impact of using the appropriate communication channels for maximum effectiveness. Next, I used an updated version of Mok’s (1975) Communication Style, to determine my communication style (see Appendix B). The Mok survey was modified by Hartman and McCambridge (2010) using insights from Alessandra and Hunsaker (1993) and Merrill and Reid (1999). I chose this survey instrument because it has been used in both academia and executive development programs over the last several years. The reason this particular tool is popular in both academia and business is because it highlights theShow MoreRelatedEffective Communication And Communication Skills Essay1146 Words   |  5 Pagestogether as a team to collaborate, delegate and consult. In order for this team effort to be effective, good communication skills must exist between medical professionals. Many times, messages can be altered and interpreted differently; if the conditions for transmission barriers develop. External barriers and internal barriers, such as confusion and mental status can hinder effective co mmunication. Communication can be both verbal and nonverbal, and it is important to understand that different culturesRead MoreCommunication Skills For Effective Communication929 Words   |  4 Pages Based on your examples from each principle of effective communication (General, Interpersonal and Written), describe the potential barriers (problems) to effective communication in the presentation, as well. Remember to state the problem and then how this can affect communication. Introduction I am going to describe how communication skills are used effectively in the presentation. General Communication Skills General communication skills are a way of expression or exchanging ideas and thoughtsRead MoreCommunication Skills : Effective Communication1656 Words   |  7 Pages Communication Skills Effective communication skills The health and social worker must be able to communicate effectively with a wide range of patients or clients. 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Specifically in the field of education, where leaders are faced daily with challenging tasks, commitments, and deadlines, having effective communication skills is detrimental in creating a positive school climate inRead MoreEffective Communication Skills Are Important905 Words   |  4 PagesEffective communication skills are important no matter who an individual is talking to, but they are vital when it comes to talking to someone who has either been a victim or a witness of a crime. A victim is at their most vulnerable state s o they need to be talked to delicately and have support. Often times, witnesses of a crime are overlooked and are not questioned and they may have valuable information that could help a victim recover from the crime and give them justice. Communication in victimologyRead MoreEffective Communication And Interpersonal Skills942 Words   |  4 Pagesleadership skills have â€Å"the ability to influence others, through effective communication and interpersonal skills† (American Sentinel University). Commonly, directors and senior nurse managers are confined to a different schedule than bedside nurses; working outside of clinical practice and patient interaction and focusing primarily on addressing organizational issues, increasing morale and productivity among staff all while increasing the quality of patient care. Effective communication and the abilityRead MoreEssay on Skills for an Effective Communication1261 Words   |  6 Pagesability to connect with others by exchanging ideas and feelings both verbally and non-verbally. Verbal communication can consist of spoken conversations (face to face or phone calls) or written messages (letters, emails newsletters). Non-verbal communication includes facial expressions, body language, eye contact, tone and pauses and is less direct but just as important. Good communication skills are essential for anyone working in the early childhood industry, because being able to communicate effectivelyRead MoreGuidelines For Effective Communication Skills1867 Words   |  8 PagesApply Effective Communication Skills in Nursing Practice ESSAY Name: Maree Bolba D R A F T COMMUNICATION Define â€Å"Communication.† Communication is an interactive process where an individual transmits a message to another individual or a group. ‘Human communication is an ongoing dynamic series of events in which meaning is generated and transmitted.’ (Potter Perry, 2000 pp 271) In saying so there are two main factors when communicating, them being the verbal or non-verbalRead MoreEffective Communication Skills Essay1144 Words   |  5 PagesListening is a vital element of communication and it is very much different from hearing sense of human. A meaningful communication requires both a good listener and a speaker. However, the effect of a listening style may vary depending on the occasions and situations a listener is in. Sometimes, speaker exhibit ineffective style such as defensiveness, ambushing, pseudo-listening, stage hogging and selective listening in their communication tracks. I am a good listener because I pay my wholeRead MoreApply Effective Communication Skills6081 Words   |  25 Pagesat least five factors that could contribute to the success of a team. - Effective communication -Constructive criticism -Focus on the issues/goals -Working within the rules/policies -Active listening 3. Suggest at least five factors that could hinder the development of an effective team. - Unclear Goals - Conflicts between personalities - Interactions between team members (lack of quality) - Poor Communication - Unclear roles within the group dynamics. Activity 2.5 You have been

A Dirty Job Chapter 19 Free Essays

19 We’re OKAY, AS LONG AS THINGS DON’T GET WEIRD ALVIN AND MOHAMMED When Charlie arrived home from his mother’s funeral, he was met at the door by two very large, very enthusiastic canines, who, undistracted by keeping watch over Sophie’s love hostage, were now able to visit the full measure of their affection and joy upon their returning master. It is generally agreed, and in fact stated in the bylaws of the American Kennel Club, that you have not been truly dog-humped until you have been double-dog-humped by a pair of four-hundred-pound hounds from hell (Section 5, paragraph 7: Standards of Humping and Ass-dragging). And despite having used an extra-strength antiperspirant that very morning before leaving Sedona, Charlie found that getting poked repeatedly in the armpits by two damp devil-dog dicks was leaving him feeling less than fresh. We will write a custom essay sample on A Dirty Job Chapter 19 or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"Sophie, call them off. Call them off.† â€Å"The puppies are dancing with Daddy.† Sophie giggled. â€Å"Dance, Daddy!† Mrs. Ling covered Sophie’s eyes to shield her from the abomination of her father’s unwilling journey into bestiality. â€Å"Go wash hands, Sophie. Have lunch while you daddy make nasty with shiksas.† Mrs. Ling couldn’t help but do a quick appraisal of the monetary value of the slippery red dogwoods currently pummeling her landlord’s oxford-cloth shirt like piston-driven leviathan lipsticks. The herbalist in Chinatown would pay a fortune for a powder made from the desiccated members of Alvin and Mohammed. (The men of her homeland would go to any length to enhance their virility, including grinding up endangered species and brewing them in tea, not unlike certain American presidents, who believe there is no stiffy like the one you get from bombing a few thousand foreigners.) Yet it appeared that the desiccated-dog-dick fortune would remain unclaimed. Mrs. Ling had long ago given up on collecting hellhound bits, when after trying to dispatch Alvin with a sharp and ringing blow to the cranium from her cast-iron skillet, he bit the skillet off its handle, crunched it down in a slurry of dog drool and iron filings, and then sat up and begged for seconds. â€Å"Throw some water on them!† Charlie cried. â€Å"Down, doggies. Good doggies. Oh, yuck.† Mrs. Ling was galvanized into action by Charlie’s distress call, and timing her move with the oscillating pyramid of man and dog meat in the doorway, dashed by Charlie, into the hallway, and down the steps. LILY Lily came up the stairs and skidded to a stop on the hallway carpet when she saw the hellhounds pounding away at Charlie. â€Å"Oh, Asher, you sick bastard!† â€Å"Help,† Charlie said. Lily pulled the fire extinguisher off the wall, dragged it to the doorway, pulled the pin, and proceeded to unload on the bouncing trio. Two minutes later Charlie was collapsed in a frosty heap on the threshold and Alvin and Mohammed were locked in Charlie’s bedroom, where they were joyfully chewing away on the expended fire extinguisher. Lily had lured them in there when they had tried to bite the CO2 stream, seeming to enjoy the freezing novelty of it over the welcome-home humping they were giving Charlie. â€Å"You okay?† Lily said. She was wearing one of her chef coats over a red leather skirt and knee-high platform boots. â€Å"It’s been kind of a rough week,† Charlie said. She helped him to his feet, trying to avoid touching the damp spots on his shirt. Charlie did a controlled fall toward the couch. Lily helped him land, ending with one arm pinned awkwardly under his back. â€Å"Thanks,† Charlie said. There was still frost in his hair and eyelashes from the fire extinguisher. â€Å"Asher,† Lily said, trying not to look him in the eye. â€Å"I’m not comfortable with this, but I think, given the situation, that it’s time I said something.† â€Å"Okay, Lily. You want some coffee?† â€Å"No. Please shut up. Thank you.† She paused and took a deep breath, but did not extricate her arm from behind Charlie’s back. â€Å"You have been good to me over the years, and although I would not admit this to anyone else, I probably wouldn’t have finished school or turned out as well as I have if it hadn’t been for your influence.† Charlie was still trying to see, blinking away ice crystals on his eyelids, thinking that maybe his eyeballs were frostbitten. â€Å"It was nothing,† he said. â€Å"Please, please, shut up,† Lily said. Another deep breath. â€Å"You have always been decent to me, despite what I would call some of my bitchier moments, and in spite of the fact that you are some dark death dude, and probably had other things to worry about – sorry about your mom, by the way.† â€Å"Thanks,† Charlie said. â€Å"Well, given what I’ve heard about your night out before your mom died and whatnot, and what I’ve seen here today, I think – that it’s only right – that I do you.† â€Å"Do me?† â€Å"Yes,† she said, â€Å"for the greater good, even though you are a complete tool.† Charlie squirmed away from her on the couch. He looked at her for a second, trying to figure out if she was putting him on, then, deciding that she wasn’t, he said, â€Å"That’s very sweet of you, Lily, and – â€Å" â€Å"Nothing weird, Asher. You need to understand that I’m only doing this out of basic human decency and pity. You can just take it to the hoes on Broadway if you need to get your freak on.† â€Å"Lily, I don’t know what – â€Å" â€Å"And not in the butt,† Lily added. There was a high-pitched little-girl giggle from behind the couch. â€Å"Hi, Daddy,† Sophie said, popping up behind him. â€Å"I missed you.† Charlie swung her up over the back of the couch and gave her a big kiss. â€Å"I missed you, too, sweetie.† Sophie pushed him away. â€Å"How come you have frosting on your hair?† â€Å"Oh, that – Lily had to spray some frost on Alvin and Mohammed to settle them down and it got on me.† â€Å"They missed you, too.† â€Å"I could tell,† Charlie said. â€Å"Honey, could you go play in your room for a bit while I talk to Lily about business?† â€Å"Where are the puppies?† Sophie asked. â€Å"They’re having a T.O. in Daddy’s room. Can you go play and we’ll have some Cheese Newts in a little while?† â€Å"Okay,† Sophie said, sliding to the floor. â€Å"Bye, Lily.† She waved to Lily. â€Å"Bye, Sophie,† Lily said, looking even more pale than usual. Sophie marched away in rhythm to her new chant, â€Å"Not in the butt – not in the butt – not in the butt.† Charlie turned to face Lily. â€Å"Well, that ought to liven up Mrs. Magnussen’s first-grade class.† â€Å"Sure, it’s embarrassing now,† Lily said, without missing a beat, â€Å"but someday she’ll thank me.† Charlie tried to look at his shirt buttons as if he were deep in thought, but instead started to giggle, tried to stop, and ended up snorting a little. â€Å"Jeez, Lily, you’re like a little sister to me, I could never – â€Å" â€Å"Oh, fine. I offer you a gift, out of the goodness of my heart, and you – â€Å" â€Å"Coffee, Lily,† Charlie said with a sigh. â€Å"Could I just get you to make me a cup of coffee instead of doing me – and sit and talk to me while I drink it? You’re the only one who knows what’s going on with Sophie and me, and I need to try to sort things out.† â€Å"Well, that will probably take longer than doing you,† Lily said, looking at her watch. â€Å"Let me call down to the store and tell Ray that I’ll be a while.† â€Å"That would be great,† Charlie said. â€Å"I was only going to do you in exchange for information about your Death Merchant thing, anyway,† Lily said, picking up the phone on the breakfast bar. Charlie sighed again. â€Å"That’s what I need to sort out.† â€Å"Either way,† Lily said, â€Å"I’m unbending on the butt issue.† Charlie tried to nod gravely, but started giggling again. Lily chucked the San Francisco Yellow Pages at him. THE MORRIGAN â€Å"This soul smells like ham,† said Nemain, wrinkling her nose at a lump of meat she had impaled on one long claw. â€Å"I want some,† said Babd. â€Å"Gimme.† She slashed at the carrion with her own talons, snagging a fist-sized hunk of flesh in the process. The three were in a forgotten subbasement beneath Chinatown, lounging on timbers that had been burned black in the great fire of 1906. Macha, who was starting to manifest the pearl headdress she wore in her woman form, studied the skull of a small animal by the light of a candle she’d made from the fat of dead babies. (Macha was ever the artsy-craftsy one, and the other two were jealous of her skills.) â€Å"I don’t understand why the soul is in the meat, but not in a man.† â€Å"Tastes like ham, too, I think,† Nemain said, spitting glowing red bits of soul when she talked. â€Å"Macha, do you remember ham? Do we like it?† Babd ate her bit of meat and wiped her claws on her breast feathers. â€Å"I think ham is new,† she said, â€Å"like cell phones.† â€Å"Ham is not new,† Macha said. â€Å"It’s smoked pork.† â€Å"No,† said Babd, aghast. â€Å"Yes,† said Macha. â€Å"Not human flesh? Then how is there a soul in it?† â€Å"Thank you,† Macha said. â€Å"That’s what I’ve been trying to say.† â€Å"I’ve decided that we like ham,† said Nemain. â€Å"There’s something wrong,† Macha said. â€Å"It shouldn’t be this easy.† â€Å"Easy?† said Babd. â€Å"Easy? It’s taken hundreds – no, thousands of years to get this far. How many thousands of years, Nemain?† Babd looked to the poison sister. â€Å"Many,† said Nemain. â€Å"Many,† said Babd. â€Å"Many thousands of years. That’s not easy.† â€Å"Souls coming to us, without bodies, without the soul stealers, that seems too easy.† â€Å"I like it,† Nemain said. They were quiet for a moment, Nemain nibbled at the glowing soul, Babd preened, and Macha studied the animal skull, turning it over in her talons. â€Å"I think it’s a woodchuck,† Macha said. â€Å"Can you make ham from woodchuck?† Nemain asked. â€Å"Don’t know,† said Macha. â€Å"I don’t remember woodchuck,† Nemain said. Babd sighed heavily. â€Å"Things are going so well. Do you two ever think about when we are Above all the time, and Darkness rules all, about, you know, what then?† â€Å"What do you mean, what then?† Macha asked. â€Å"We will hold dominion over all souls, and visit death as we wish until we consume all the light of humanity.† â€Å"Yeah, I know,† Babd said, â€Å"but then what? I mean, you know, dominion and all that is nice, but will Orcus always have to be around, snorting and growling?† Macha put down her skull and sat up on a blackened beam. â€Å"What’s this about?† Nemain smiled, her teeth perfectly even, the canines just a little too long. â€Å"She’s pining about that skinny soul stealer with the sword.† â€Å"New Meat?† Macha couldn’t believe her ears, which had become visible only a few days ago when the first of the gift souls had wandered into their claws, so they hadn’t been tested in a while. â€Å"You like New Meat?† â€Å"Like is a little strong,† Babd said. â€Å"I just think he’s interesting.† â€Å"Interesting in that you’d like to arrange his entrails in interesting patterns in the dirt?† Macha said. â€Å"Well, no, I’m not talented that way like you.† Macha looked at Nemain, who grinned and shrugged. â€Å"We could probably try to kill Orcus once Darkness rises,† Nemain said. â€Å"I am a little tired of his preaching, and he’ll be impossible if the Luminatus doesn’t appear.† Macha shrugged a surrender. â€Å"Sure, why not.† THE EMPEROR The Emperor of San Francisco was troubled. He sensed that something very wrong was going on in the City, yet he was at a loss as to what to do. He didn’t want to alarm the people unduly, but he did not want them to be unprepared for whatever danger they might face. He believed that a just and benevolent ruler would not use fear to manipulate his people, and until he had some sort of proof that there was an actual threat, it would be criminal to call for any action. â€Å"Sometimes,† he said to Lazarus, the steadfast golden retriever, â€Å"a man must muster all of his courage to simply sit still. How much humanity has been spoiled for the confusion of movement with progress, my friend? How much?† Still, he’d been seeing things, strange things. One late night in Chinatown he’d seen a dragon made of fog snaking through the streets. Then, early one morning, down by the Boudin Bakery at Ghirardelli Square, he saw what looked like a nude woman covered in motor oil crawl out of a storm sewer and grab a tall, half-full latte cup out of the trash, then dive right back in the sewer as a policeman on a bicycle rounded the corner. He knew that he saw these things because he was more sensitive than other people, and because he lived on the streets and could sense the slightest nuance of change there, and largely because he was completely barking-at-the-moon batshit. But none of that relieved him of the responsibility to his people, nor did it ease his mind about the disturbing nature of what he was seeing. The squirrel in the hoop skirt was really bothering the Emperor, but he couldn’t exactly say why. He liked squirrels – often took the men to Golden Gate Park to chase them, in fact – but a squirrel walking upright and digging through the trash behind the Empanada Emporium while wearing a pink ball gown from the eighteenth century – well – it was off-putting. He was sure that Bummer, who was curled up sleeping in the oversized pocket of his coat, would agree. (Bummer, being a rat dog at heart, had a less than enlightened outlook upon coexistence with any rodent, no less one dressed for the court of Louis XVI.) â€Å"Not to be critical,† said the Emperor, â€Å"but shoes would be a welcome complement to the ensemble, don’t you think, Lazarus?† Lazarus, normally tolerant of all noncookie creatures great and small, growled at the squirrel, who appeared to have the feet of a chicken sticking out from under her skirt, which – you know – was weird. With the growl, Bummer squirmed awake and emerged from the woolen bedchamber like Grendel from his lair. He immediately erupted into an apoplectic barking fit, as if to say, You guys, in case you didn’t notice, there’s a squirrel in a ball gown going through the trash over there and you’re just sitting here like a couple of concrete library lions! The message thus barked, off he went, a furry squirrel-seeking missile, bent on single-minded annihilation of all things rodent. â€Å"Bummer,† called the Emperor. â€Å"Wait.† Too late. The squirrel had tried to take off up the side of the brick building, but snagged her skirt on a gutter and fell back to the alley, just as Bummer was hitting full stride. Then the squirrel snatched up a small board from a broken pallet and swung it at his pursuer, who leapt just in time to miss taking a nail in one of his bug eyes. Growling ensued. The Emperor noticed at that point that the squirrel’s hands were reptilian in nature, the fingernails painted a pleasant pink to match her gown. â€Å"You don’t see that every day,† the Emperor said. Lazarus barked in agreement. The squirrel dropped the board and took off toward the street, moving nicely on her chicken feet, her skirt held up in her lizard hands. Bummer had recovered from the initial shock of a weapon-wielding squirrel (something he had encountered before only in doggie nightmares brought on by the late-night gift of chorizo pizza from a charitable Domino’s guy) and took off after the squirrel, followed closely by the Emperor and Lazarus. â€Å"No, Bummer,† the Emperor called. â€Å"She’s not a normal squirrel.† Lazarus, because he did not know how to say â€Å"well, duh,† stopped in his tracks and looked at the Emperor. The squirrel rocketed out of the alley and took a quick turn down the gutter, falling now to all fours as she went. Just as he reached the corner, the Emperor saw the trail of the tiny pink dress disappear down a storm sewer, followed closely by the intrepid Bummer. The Emperor could hear the terrier’s bark echoing out of the grate, fading as Bummer pursued his prey into the darkness. RIVERA Nick Cavuto sat down across from Rivera with a plate of buffalo stew roughly the size of a garbage-can lid. They were having lunch at Tommy’s Joynt, an old-school eatery on Van Ness that served home-style food like meat loaf, roasted turkey and stuffing, and buffalo stew every day of the year, and featured San Francisco sports teams on the TV over the bar whenever anyone was playing. â€Å"What?† said the big cop, when he saw his partner roll his eyes. â€Å"Fucking what?† â€Å"Buffalo almost went extinct once,† Rivera said. â€Å"You have ancestors on the Great Plains?† â€Å"Special law enforcement portions – protecting and serving and stuff requires protein.† â€Å"A whole bison?† â€Å"Do I criticize your hobbies?† Rivera looked at his half a turkey sandwich and cup of bean soup, then at Cavuto’s stew, then at his runt of a sandwich, then at his partner’s colossus of a stew. â€Å"My lunch is embarrassed,† he said. â€Å"Serves you right. Revenge for the Italian suits. I love going to every call with people thinking I’m the victim.† â€Å"You could buy a steamer, or I could have my guy find you some nice clothes.† â€Å"Your guy the serial-killing thrift-store owner? No thanks.† â€Å"He’s not a serial killer. He’s got some weird shit going on, but he’s not a killer.† â€Å"Just what we need, more weird shit. What was he really doing when you had that shots-fired report?† â€Å"Just like it said, I was going by and a guy tried to rob him at gunpoint. I drew my weapon and told the perp to halt, he drew down on me, and I fired.† â€Å"Your ass. You never fired eleven shots in your life you didn’t hit the ten X ring with nine of them. The fuck happened?† Rivera looked down the long table, made sure the three guys sitting down at the other end were engaged in the game showing on the TV over the bar. â€Å"I hit her with every shot.† â€Å"Her? Perp was a woman?† â€Å"I didn’t say that.† Cavuto dropped his spoon. â€Å"Partner? Don’t tell me you shot the redhead? I thought that was over.† â€Å"No. This was a new thing – like – Nick, you know me, I’m not going to fire unless it’s justified.† â€Å"Just say what happened. I got your back.† â€Å"It was like this bird woman or something. All black. I mean fucking black as tar. Had claws that looked like – I don’t know, like three-inch-long silver ice picks or something. My shots took chunks out of her – feathers and black goo and shit everywhere. She took nine in the torso and flew away.† â€Å"Flew?† Rivera sipped his coffee, eyeing his partner’s reaction over the edge of the cup. They had been through some extraordinary things working together, but if the situation had been reversed, he wasn’t sure he’d believe this story either. â€Å"Yeah, flew.† Cavuto nodded. â€Å"Okay, I can see why you wouldn’t put that in the report.† â€Å"Yeah.† â€Å"So this bird woman,† Cavuto said, like that was settled, he totally believed it, now what? â€Å"She was robbing the Asher guy from the thrift shop?† â€Å"Giving him a hand job.† Cavuto nodded, picked up his spoon, and took a huge bite of stew and rice, still nodding as he chewed. He looked as if he were going to say something, then quickly took another bite, as if to stop himself. He appeared to be distracted by the game on television, and finished his lunch without another word. Rivera ate his soup and sandwich in silence as well. As they were leaving, Cavuto grabbed two toothpicks from the dispenser by the register and gave one to Rivera as they walked out into a beautiful San Francisco day. â€Å"So you were following Asher?† â€Å"I’ve been trying to keep an eye on him. Just in case.† â€Å"And you shot her nine times for giving the guy a hand job,† Cavuto finally asked. â€Å"I guess,† Rivera said. â€Å"You know, Alphonse, that right there is why I don’t hang out with you socially. Your values are fucked up.† â€Å"She wasn’t human, Nick.† â€Å"Still. A hand job? Deadly force? I don’t know – â€Å" â€Å"It wasn’t deadly force. I didn’t kill her.† â€Å"Nine to the chest?† â€Å"I saw her – it – last night. On my street. Watching me from a storm sewer.† â€Å"Ever think to ask Asher how he happened to know the flying bulletproof bird woman in the first place?† â€Å"Yeah, I did, but I can’t tell you what he said. It’s too weird.† Cavuto threw his arms in the air. â€Å"Well, sweet Tidy Bowl Jesus skipping on the blue toilet water, we wouldn’t want it to get fucking weird, would we?† LILY They were on their second cup of coffee and Charlie had told Lily about not getting the two soul vessels, about the encounter with the sewer harpy, about the shadow coming out of the mountains in Sedona and the other version of The Great Big Book of Death, and his suspicions that there was a frightening problem with his little girl, the symptoms of which were two giant dogs and an ability to kill with the word kitty. To Charlie’s thinking, Lily was reacting to the wrong story. â€Å"You hooked up with a demon from the Underworld and I’m not good enough for you?† â€Å"It’s not a competition, Lily. Can we not talk about that? I knew I shouldn’t have told you. I’m worried about other stuff.† â€Å"I want details, Asher.† â€Å"Lily, a gentleman doesn’t share the details of his amorous encounters.† Lily crossed her arms and assumed a pose of disgusted incredulity, an eloquent pose, because before she said it, Charlie knew what was coming: â€Å"Bullshit. That cop shot pieces off her, but you’re worried about protecting her honor?† Charlie smiled wistfully. â€Å"You know, we shared a moment – â€Å" â€Å"Oh my God, you complete man-whore!† â€Å"Lily, you can’t possibly be hurt by my – by my response to your generous – and let me say right here – extraordinarily tempting offer. Gee whiz.† â€Å"It’s because I’m too perky, isn’t it? Not dark enough for you? You being Mr. Death and all.† â€Å"Lily, the shadow in Sedona was coming for me. When I left town, it went away. The sewer harpy came for me. The other Death Merchant said that I was different. They never had deaths happen as a result of their presence like I have.† â€Å"Did you just say ‘gee whiz’ to me? What am I, nine? I am a woman – â€Å" â€Å"I think I might be the Luminatus, Lily.† Lily shut up. She raised her eyebrows. As if â€Å"no.† Charlie nodded. As if â€Å"yes.† â€Å"The Big Death?† â€Å"With a capital D,† Charlie said. â€Å"Well, you’re totally not qualified for that,† Lily said. â€Å"Thanks, I feel better now.† MINTY FRESH Being two hundred feet under the sea always made Minty uneasy, especially if he’d been drinking sake and listening to jazz all night, which he had. He was in the last car on the last train out of Oakland, and he had the car to himself, like his own private submarine, cruising under the Bay with the echo of a tenor sax in his ear like sonar, and a half-dozen sake-sodden spicy tuna rolls sitting in his stomach like depth charges. He’d spent his evening at Sato’s on the Embarcadero, Japanese restaurant and jazz club. Sushi and jazz, strange bedfellows, shacked up by opportunity and oppression. It began in the Fillmore district, which had been a Japanese neighborhood before World War II. When the Japanese were shipped off to internment camps, and their homes and belongings sold off, the blacks, who came to the city to work in the shipyards building battleships and destroyers, moved into the vacant buildings. Jazz came close behind. For years, the Fillmore was the center of the San Francisco jazz scene, and Bop City on Post Street the premier jazz club. When the war ended and the Japanese returned, many a late night might find Japanese kids standing under the windows of Bop City, listening to the likes of Billie Holiday, Oscar Peterson, or Charles Mingus, listening to art happen and dissipate into the San Francisco nights. Sato was one of those kids. It wasn’t just historical happenstance – Sato had explained to Minty, late one night after the music had ended and the sake was making him wax eloquent – it was philosophical alignment: jazz was a Zen art, dig? Controlled spontaneity. Like sumi-e ink painting, like haiku, like archery, like kendo fencing – jazz wasn’t something you planned, it was something you did. You practiced, you played your scales, you learned your chops, then you brought all your knowledge, your conditioning, to the moment. â€Å"And in jazz, every moment is a crisis,† Sato quoted Wynton Marsalis, â€Å"and you bring all your skill to bear on that crisis.† Like the swordsman, the archer, the poet, and the painter – it’s all right there – no future, no past, just that moment and how you deal with it. Art happens. And Minty, taken by the need to escape his life as Death, had taken the train to Oakland to find a moment he could hide in, without the regret of the past or the anxiety of the future, just a pure right now resting in the bell of a tenor sax. But the sake, too much future looming ahead, and too much water overhead had brought on the blues, the moment melted, and Minty was uneasy. Things were going badly. He’d been unable to retrieve his last two soul vessels – a first in his career – and he was starting to see, or hear, the effects. Voices out of the storm sewers – louder and more numerous than ever – taunting him. Things moving in the shadows, on the periphery of his vision, shuffling, scuffling dark things that disappeared when you looked right at them. He’d even sold three discs off the soul-vessels rack to the same person, another first. He hadn’t noticed it was the same woman right away, but when things started to go wrong, the faces played back and he realized. She’d been a monk the first time, a Buddhist monk of some kind, wearing gold-and-maroon robes, her hair very short, as if her head had been shaved and was growing out. What he remembered was that her eyes were a crystal blue, unusual in someone with such dark hair and skin. And there was a smile deep in those eyes that made him feel as if a soul had found its rightful place, a good home at a higher level. The next time he’d seen her was six months later and she was in jeans and leather jacket, her hair sort of out of control. She’d taken a CD from the â€Å"One Per Customer† rack, a Sarah McLachlan, which is what he’d have chosen for her if asked, and he barely noticed the crystal-blue eyes other than to think that heâ€⠄¢d seen that smile before. Then, last week, it was her again, with hair down around her shoulders, wearing a long skirt and a belted muslin poet’s shirt – like an escapee from a Renaissance fair, not unusual for the Haight, but not quite common in the Castro – still, he thought nothing of it, until she had paid him and glanced over the top of her sunglasses to count the cash out of her wallet. The blue eyes again, electric and not quite smiling this time. He didn’t know what to do. He had no proof she was the monk, the chick in the leather jacket, but he knew it was her. He brought all his skills to bear on the situation, and essentially, he folded. â€Å"So you like Mozart?† he asked her. â€Å"It’s for a friend† was all she said. He rationalized not confronting her by that simple statement. A soul vessel was supposed to find its rightful owner, right? It didn’t say he had to sell it directly to them. That had been a week ago, and since then the voices, the scuffling noises in the shadows, the general creepiness, had been nearly constant. Minty Fresh had spent most of his adult life alone, but never before had he felt the loneliness so profoundly. A dozen times in the last few weeks he’d been tempted to call one of the other Death Merchants under the pretense of warning them about his screwup, but mainly just to talk to someone who had a clue about what his life was like. He stretched his long legs out over three train seats and into the aisle, then closed his eyes and laid his head back against the window, feeling the rhythm of the rattling train coming through the cool glass against his shaved scalp. Oh no, that wasn’t going to work. Too much sake and something akin to bed spins. He jerked his head forward and opened his eyes, then noticed through the doors that the train had gone dark two cars up. He sat upright and watched as the lights went out in the next car – no, that’s not what happened. Darkness moved through the car like a flowing gas, taking the energy out of the lights as it went. â€Å"Oh, shit,† Minty said to the empty car. He couldn’t even stand up inside the train, but stand up he did, staying slumped a little, his head against the ceiling, but facing the flowing darkness. The door at the end of the car opened and someone stepped through. A woman. Well, not exactly a woman. What looked like the shadow of a woman. â€Å"Hey, lover,† it said. A low voice, smoky. He’d heard this voice before, or a voice like it. The darkness flowed around the two floor lights at the far end of the car, leaving the woman illuminated in outline only, a gunmetal reflection against pure blackness. Since he was first tapped as a Death Merchant, Minty had never remembered feeling afraid, but he was afraid now. â€Å"I’m not your lover,† Minty said, his voice as smooth and steady as a bass sax, not giving up a note of fear. A crisis in every moment, he thought. â€Å"Once you’ve had black, you never go back,† she said, taking a step toward him, her blue-black outline the only thing visible in any direction now. He knew there was a door a few feet behind him that was held shut with powerful hydraulics, and that led to a dark tunnel two hundred feet under the Bay, lined with a deadly electric rail – but for some reason, that sounded like a really friendly place to be right now. â€Å"I’ve had black,† said Minty. â€Å"No, you haven’t, lover. You’ve had shades of brown, dark cocoa and coffee maybe, but I promise you, you’ve never had black. Because once you do, you never ever come back.† He watched as she moved toward him – flowed toward him – and long silver claws sprouted from her fingertips, playing in the dim glow from the safety lights, dripping something that steamed when it hit the floor. There were scurrying sounds on either side of him, things moving in the darkness, low and quick. â€Å"Okay, good point,† Minty said. How to cite A Dirty Job Chapter 19, Essay examples

A Little Commonwealth Essay Example For Students

A Little Commonwealth Essay The modern image of the New England Puritans, as one perceives, is a dark one: the Puritans, religious dissenters who valued propriety and order, are seen as a witch-hunters, suspicious tribe, and their very name carries connotations of grimness and primness. Where as the book A Little Commonwealth reflects the scenario in which the Puritans lived. Most of the houses in the Puritan Colonial time were small, dark, brooding and sparsely furnished. This allowed the Puritans to use every available space in the home. For examples, most of the furnishings and utensils used by the Puritans had more than one usea trunk would be used not only for storage but also for sitting upon or maybe even a table. Moreover because of their lifestyle, they had to carry inventories, which were bulky and were stationed at the corner. In a way to demonstrate his/her standing in the community and to confirm his/her own self-image, the Puritans viewed their wealth by material and tangible acquisitions. Their modest clothing showed just what their standing was in the community. More clothes, books (even if they could not read), linens and such things were viewed as money in the bank, although jewelry, even wedding bands, were not considered tangible wealth in the Puritans. The families were very tight knit. While they lived in such cramped quarters they seemed to be able to live peaceably and by communicate with each other. Rather than squabble amongst themselves the Puritans, by way of displaced anger, would often have arguments with their neighbors instead of disrupting the harmony in their own household. Most of the families, within a given community at a given point in time, exemplified the basic model of husband, wife, and children. While the family unit was close, the Puritans would often had contract help, hopefully by formal apprenticeship, on their children due to lack of household space. Servants lived on quite intimate terms within their new family but not equally. In the case of sickness of the Master, when the Master was well and, no longer felt the need to have a servant, or passed away, the contract was deemed fulfilled. In some cases, the Master, in his will, would make a specific bequeath to the servant in of recognition of his or her friendship and affection to that servant showed, but this was rare. Though uncommon Negros and Indians servants were usually considered part of the dying mans estate and were passed on to his heirs along with others sorts of properties. Unlike todays adolescence, Puritan children knew from a very early age where they belong in the family, what was expected of them and what they would be doing probably for the rest of their lives. The elders believed the children should not know they have a will of their own. From the beginning they were dressed and treated as miniature adults and learned their stations by sharing in the activities of their parents. This helped them mature early and take their respective roles in the society. Given that the Puritans were a religious group of people, still the marriages were performed by Civil Magistrates and were viewed as a civil ceremony and not as a religious one. Being married and on their own a young married couple would still be beholden to their parents most times until middle age for fear of disinheritance of land that was given to them in marriage. On average the age of marriage was much higher than one could image. A male would marry when he would be 25- 27, where as a female would marry by 20- 22. Men needed women to take care of their homes and reproduce and women needed men for financial stability ; security. Women rarely had land of their own, the sons would be given land and the women were given utensils or livestock. The men were viewed as the head of the family. .ucb96bf40d6531301b9d46a966ad5ea7b , .ucb96bf40d6531301b9d46a966ad5ea7b .postImageUrl , .ucb96bf40d6531301b9d46a966ad5ea7b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ucb96bf40d6531301b9d46a966ad5ea7b , .ucb96bf40d6531301b9d46a966ad5ea7b:hover , .ucb96bf40d6531301b9d46a966ad5ea7b:visited , .ucb96bf40d6531301b9d46a966ad5ea7b:active { border:0!important; } .ucb96bf40d6531301b9d46a966ad5ea7b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ucb96bf40d6531301b9d46a966ad5ea7b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ucb96bf40d6531301b9d46a966ad5ea7b:active , .ucb96bf40d6531301b9d46a966ad5ea7b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ucb96bf40d6531301b9d46a966ad5ea7b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ucb96bf40d6531301b9d46a966ad5ea7b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ucb96bf40d6531301b9d46a966ad5ea7b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ucb96bf40d6531301b9d46a966ad5ea7b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ucb96bf40d6531301b9d46a966ad5ea7b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ucb96bf40d6531301b9d46a966ad5ea7b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ucb96bf40d6531301b9d46a966ad5ea7b .ucb96bf40d6531301b9d46a966ad5ea7b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ucb96bf40d6531301b9d46a966ad5ea7b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Case Study: Ocean Carriers EssayIn summary, This book examines the family in the context of the colony founded by the Pilgrims who came over on the Mayflower. The author Basing his work on physical artifacts, wills, estate inventories, and a variety of legal and official enactments, portrays the family as a structure of roles and relationships, emphasizing those of husband and wife, parent and child, and master and servant. In this natural setting for both imposing discipline and encouraging and developing the character of people in the community; the family was responsible for the formal education, vocational training and while the church played a part in the community.

There Are Many Different Life Forms On Earth. New Species And Differen

There are many different life forms on earth. New species and different sub species are evolving every second as others die out. In order to explain the origin of life, people have used the bible story of creation, while others came up with their own theories. Out of all those theories, the theory of evolution by Charles Darwin seems to have the most supporting evidence to back it up. Evidence on earth suggests that single cell creatures are the ancestors of all life. These organisms slowly evolved into air breathing creatures when oxygen was created. Slowly, the as land dried up, these creatures moved away from the water and on to land where they evolved legs and a strong back bone. The theory of evolution by Charles Darwin explained how life evolved from survival of the fittest, it provides a logical explanation of the evolutionary process these creatures took, and how human came to be. Evidence on earth shows that single cell organisms eventually evolved to multicelled organisms and complex beings. If you look at old fossil records, the oldest fossils are all single cell creatures. These simple creatures do not require oxygen to live. It took in energy from the sun and other energy sources. Slowly as oxygen begins to appear on Earth, some of the organisms began to evolve lungs to breathe oxygen because When free oxygen entered the picture. Breathing is more efficient than drawing energy from the fermentation process that earlier microscope life used. (Science: Biology Pg. 36) Other organisms that did not evolve lungs either died out or went down to deeper depths of the ocean; Oxygen was first consider a pollutant by microscopic creatures. (Evolution Pg. 36) Because of the free Oxygen those who did not change were killed. The evolution through natural selection and survival of the fittest shows that Darwin theory is correct. Due to the lack of oxygen within the ocean , fish slowly evolved to the condition of land. Due to the sudden increase in the population of fish and other marine organism. Due to the sudden increase in the population of marines life, the oxygen level within the ocean decreased. Scientist believe that the lung fish evolved because of a lack of oxygen in the sea. The lung fish learned to rise from the sea and breathe in the oxygen necessary for survival. (Evolution evidence Pg. 38) As more land emerges and dry, rain collected and formed fresh water lakes and rivers. Some of the fish became stranded by the receding ocean. Many fish that became stranded died because they were not able to adapt to the new environment; those fish needed salt water to lived died. But some adapted to their environment. (Evolution Pg. 38) The lobe fin fish was another evolutionary path fish toke to avoid the lack of oxygen in the sea. Fossil record shows that lobe finned lung fish took another evolutionary pat h. (Microsoft Encarta Pg. 2) The lobe fin fish was almost capable of leaving the water. It only needed more muscles in the joints to be able to lift it self up, because of this many people believe that the lobe fin fish was the ancestor of early reptilian creatures. The different evolutionary paths the fish have taken shows that life changes in responses to different environmental conditions. Fossil records in South America, reveals that there are many sub species of the human race. The fossil of Neanderthal man was discover shortly after Darwin published his book on evolution.. The Neanderthal man was consider to be an ancestor of mankind because of the size of the skull which suggested that it had a small brain. The sloping forehead is also an indication that it is a ancestor of the human race. Not long after the discovery of the Neanderthal was found in the 1890's. This fossil was called the Java Man, the Java Man was not consider the missing link between humans and apes. (Evolution Pg. 102) The Java Man was too alike a normal human to be the missing link. The missing link is a fossil of a creature that is in a transitional state between it original form and it new form.(I.e. A dinosaurs with

Blue Ocean Strategy Essays - Blue Ocean Strategy, Free Essays

Blue Ocean Strategy Essays - Blue Ocean Strategy, Free Essays Blue Ocean Strategy In 2005 the book Blue Ocean Strategy, by professors W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne, was published. The book is based on the studies over one hundred strategic moves of industries over the years. The publishers argue the successes firms achieve when creating blue oceans. The strategic moves made focus on the increase of the companys value, buyers, as well as achieving new demand and knocking out competitors. Instead of constant competition the blue ocean strategy focuses on building new market segments. With todays continuous advancement in technology and rise in globalization, the blue ocean strategy has become more popular in use. Blue Ocean Strategy in Marketing When developing a new product, there are many steps to take and processes. Most start with the four Ps of marketing, which is product, placement, price, and promotion. There is also the product life cycle to take into consideration, which includes market introduction, market growth, market maturity, and sales decline. What these processes all have in common is the analysis of how to make their product beat the competition. Marketing is full of constant competitiveness; industries never cease to stop competing for every piece of available market share they can get their hands on, but what if it doesnt have to be this way. Blue ocean strategy is trying to eliminate competition altogether. Its goal is to be able to create a marketplace that is a competitive free market. This strategy pushes companies to think outside the box and create an uncontested market space. Creating a new marketplace allows a companies to eliminate competition and break the value/cost trade off. Blue Ocean Move Cirque du Soleil, the Canadian entertainment company, is considered to be one of the largest theatrical performances in the world. Two street performers, known as, Guy Laliberte and Gilles Ste- Croix, founded the show in 1984. Cirque du Soleil is known for its dramatic mash up of circus performing arts and street entertainment. This is a great example of a blue ocean move. Cirque du Soleil is neither in the circus business nor in the Broadway production business. Cirque du Soleil is its characterized in its own marketplace. "Cirque did not make its money by competing within the confines of the existing industry or by stealing customers from Ringling and the others," Kim and Mauborgne explained in the Harvard Business Review magazine. "Instead, it created uncontested market space that made the competition irrelevant. It pulled in a whole new group of customers who were traditionally noncustomers of the industry adults and corporate clients who had turned to theater, opera or ballet and were, therefore, prepared to pay several times more than the price of a conventional circus ticket for an unprecedented entertainment experience." Red Ocean Move Red ocean strategy is simply the opposite strategy of the blue ocean strategy. Red Ocean is where a company produces a product in a crowded marketplace. A red ocean is typical where industries are, in a defined market, competing to be on top. The researchers called this the Red Ocean, analogous to a shark infested ocean where the sharks are fighting each other for the same prey.(Dr. Layton) For Cirque du Soliel to make a red ocean move and create competition does not have any pros to it. Cirque du Soliel is already the worlds largest and most profitable theatrical performances in the world. Creating a defined market would only limit their abilities and give their competitors a fighting chance. Conclusion The blue ocean strategy is becoming more and more popular. Many technological industries are indorsing this strategy to achieve a competitive advantage in the market. Blue ocean strategy focuses on noncustomers by creating uncontested markets, eliminating competition, creating new demand, and with eliminating the value/cost trade off. While Red ocean strategy focuses on current customers by competing in existing markets, destroying competition, exploiting demand, and making the value/cost trade off. The blue ocean move brings newer opportunities for the marketing world, but the Red Ocean move will always be the more popular route for industries. Reference: Chan Kim, W., & Mauborgne, R. (2004, October 1). Blue Ocean Strategy. Retrieved June 29, 2015, from https://hbr.org/2004/10/blue-ocean-strategy/ Dr. Layton, S. (2009, April 21). Red Ocean vs. Blue Ocean. Retrieved June 29, 2015, from corporatestrategy.com/red-ocean-vs-blue-ocean/

Timeline of Josephine Bakers Career

Timeline of Josephine Baker's Career Josephine Baker is best remembered for dancing topless and wearing a banana skirt. Baker’s popularity rose during the 1920s for dancing in Paris. Until her death in 1975, Baker was devoted to fighting against injustice and racism throughout the world. Josephine Baker was born Freda Josephine McDonald on June 3, 1906. Her mother, Carrie McDonald, was a washerwoman and her father, Eddie Carson was a vaudeville drummer. The family lived in St. Louis before Carson left to pursue his dreams as a performer. By the age of eight, Baker was working as a domestic for rich white families. At the age of 13, she ran away and worked as a waitress. Timeline of Baker’s Work as a Performer 1919: Baker begins touring with the Jones Family Band as well as the Dixie Steppers. Baker performed comedic skits and danced. 1923: Baker lands a role in the Broadway musical Shuffle Along. Performing as a member of the chorus, Baker added her comedic persona, making her popular with audiences. Baker also moves to New York City. She is soon performing in Chocolate Dandies. She also performs with Ethel Waters at the Plantation Club. 1925 to 1930: Baker travels to Paris and performs in La Revue Nà ¨gre  at the Thà ©Ãƒ ¢tre des Champs-Elysà ©es. French audiences were impressed with Baker’s performance- especially Danse Sauvage, in which she wore only a feather skirt. 1926: Baker’s career hits its peak. Performing at Folies Bergà ¨re music hall, in a set called La Folie du Jour, Baker danced topless, wearing a skirt made of bananas. The show was successful and Baker became one of the most popular and highest-paid performers in Europe. Writers and artists such as Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, and E. E. Cummings were fans. Baker also was nicknamed â€Å"Black Venus† and â€Å"Black Pearl.† 1930s: Baker begins singing and recording professional. She also plays the lead in several films including Zou-Zou  and  Princesse Tam-Tam. 1936: Baker returned to the United States and performed. She was met with hostility and racism by audiences. She returned to France and sought citizenship. 1973: Baker performs at Carnegie Hall and receives strong reviews from critics. The show marked Baker’s comeback as a performer.   In April 1975, Baker performed at Bobino Theater in Paris. The performance was a celebration of the 50th Anniversary of her debut in Paris. Celebrities such as Sophia Loren and Princess Grace of Monaco were in attendance. The French Resistance 1936: Baker works for the Red Cross during the French Occupation. She entertained troops in Africa and the Middle East. During this time, she smuggled messages for the French Resistance. When World War II ended, Baker earned the Croix de Guerre and the Legion of Honour, France’s highest military honors. Civil Rights Activism During the 1950s, Baker returned to the United States and supported the Civil Rights Movement. In particular, Baker participated in various demonstrations. She boycotted segregated clubs and concert venues, arguing that if African-Americans could not attend her shows, she would not perform. In 1963, Baker participated in the March on Washington. For her efforts as a civil rights activist, the NAACP named May 20th â€Å"Josephine Baker Day.† Bakers Death On April 12, 1975, Baker died of a cerebral hemorrhage. At her funeral, more than 20,000 people came to the streets in Paris to participate in the procession. The French Government honored her with a 21-gun salute. With this honor, Baker became the first American woman to be buried in France with military honors.

Security issues pertaining the Immigration from North Africa to EU Research Paper

Security issues pertaining the Immigration from North Africa to EU countries - Research Paper Example Indeed, Ayuman Zohry asserts that, â€Å"the Mediterranean Sea marks one of the sharpest demographic and economic divides currently to be found on the world map† (Zohry p.3). The observation of the author is that, to the north, occupied by European nations, lies countries who characteristically have low demographic growth and levels or standards of living are actually high (Zohry p.3). Ironically, just down the south which now is heavily occupied by Maghreb nations, things are totally different; demographic growth is one of the highest in the world, their economies small and inefficient as compared to that of north, and life expectancy as compared to the north is low (Zohry p.3). Immigration to Europe by Maghrebians is contributed both by push and pull factors. For example, Europe is experiencing low presence of productive age bracket, as more citizens get old. As a result, most of the countries have reformed their immigration policies to attract immigrants to fill up job positions (Zohry p.4). On the other hand, rising levels of unemployment and poverty among the Maghreb countries is forcing the citizens to take all risks in order to escape to Europe where the prospects of having better lives are high (Zohry p.4). As immigration to the north remain purely an economic understanding, numerous evidences now point out that the presence of Maghreb citizens in Europe can no longer be solely attached to economic needs, but rather, they are becoming a source of increasing insecurity issues in the region. What needs to be remembered is that Maghrebians originating from a dominantly Arabic region where Islam religion and culture dominates that their integration into European world with purely different social and cultural orientation is not always easy. Moreover, economic hopes prior to immigration may not materialize, while survival opportunities may be harsh as a result of the new environment, thus the only option to survive may be to enter

Business Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Planning - Essay Example The recommendations seek to prevent the encroachment of weaknesses in the business plans. Finally, the report will have a section for personal opinions and lessons learned from the business plans. Importance of a Business Plan Business plans are documentations that facilitate planning. An ideal business plan should cover three crucial business aspects, which are financial, marketplace and business concept. A business plan is important because it clarifies a company’s direction (DeThomas & Derammelaere, 2008). A business plan defines a business and its operations. Additionally, the plan outlines the business’s intention. This means that the plan clarifies the directions and purpose of the business. A business plan also outlines a business’s future direction because businesses adapt and evolve over time. The business plan factors the business’s direction and growth plan (Abrams, 2003). Additionally, the plan highlights strategies that the plan will use in ca se of market change and slow growth trends. A business plan attracts financing by showing the company’s potential to make profits. What a Business Plan Should Cover Differences in business environments provide challenges in the formulation of one business plan for all businesses. An ideal business plan should have a business concept, market and financial strategies (DeThomas & Derammelaere, 2008). Besides these three business sections, the business plan should have other sections that provide a comprehensive business description (Finch, 2013). These sections are business design and development, market strategy, financial information, competition analysis and operations and administration. Description of the Business Plans Bluespa Structure of the Company Bluespa is a family based company owned by Ray and Barbara Brunner. The two also double up as the founders of the company. Bluespa has an idea board that comprises of seven members. Mr. Ray Brunner is an additional member of the board. Additionally, the board will have three outside directors and two representatives chosen by Mr. Brunner and the firm’s major investors (Bplans, 2013). Mr. and Mrs. Brunner have a combined experience of 65 years in the retail industry. The two investors have senior management qualifications, and they held various management positions in their previous employment. The two founded the firm, which has its office in Portland, Oregon. From the first year to the fifth year of operations, the firm seeks to grow its head count from 10 to 65 (Bplans, 2013). The majority of this growth in head count is expected to come from store personnel. The rest of the staff will come from support staff. Products Provided Bluespa deals with body and skin care products that are developed by the company’s contact facilities based in California and France. The company also deals with apparel products produced through outsourcing with a sport-related apparel manufacturer. The productio n of accessories is managed by contract with the manufacturer of sports-related accessories such as totes, bags and socks. The company’s product line includes fitness and skin care apparel. Within the skin care line, the firm offers different products such as eye makeup removers, facial scrubs, cleansing creams, body lotions and masks (Bplans, 2013). Within the fitness apparel line, the firm offers Lycra products such as shorts and tights. New Look, Inc Company

Edward Marshall Boehm Essay Example for Free

Edward Marshall Boehm Essay Edward Marshall Boehm is a farmer, veterinarian and nature lover living near New York. He is in the art porcelain business. His product is well-known of its quality and uniqueness. The Boehms wanted to position the company for the long run. Their goals for the company were â€Å"to make the world aware of Mr. Boehm’s artistic talent, to help world wildlife causes by creating appreciation and protection for threatened species, and to build a continuing business that could make them comfortably wealthy, perhaps millionaires. There are two main issues facing by the company. First, the process of making these porcelain products is complicated and required detailed technical skills; the company does not have enough skilled staffs and producing power to meet the demand from the market. Second, the company lacks of enough distribution channels to raise awareness of its brand and the uniqueness of its products. The contribution of the case to strategic management is that Edward Marshall Boehm wants to set a detailed demographic where everyone in the world would be able to see. In order for him to show off his demographic he has to go through special procedures in order to do so. There are levels to managing his creations how he wants to sell them and who how he want to sell them to. In strategic management you must know your target market and area. You must also know that it takes certain levels of skilled workers in order to compete with major competition. Recommendations for solving the problem of the company can be to try to reduce costs by using other materials at a lower cost or developing a faster production process. Due the fact that the most competitive advantage of the company is the uniqueness and high quality of the product, the company should preserve its quality instead of using cheaper materials or faster production time that may violate the value of its products. First, the company should hire more staffs and train them to produce the products in order to increase production of lower priced products. Meanwhile, it should find more distributors to raise awareness of the company with larger markets.

Legalization of Prostitution Essay -- Prostitution Should Be Legal

Prostitution, considered one of the oldest professions in the world, was legal until 1915 when most states passed laws making it illegal. One of the main reasons for the prohibition of prostitution was to keep soldiers out of the brothels so they would stay focused on the war. After WWII, lawmakers left the prohibition laws in place instead of repealing them. Prostitution should be legal, regulated, and taxed. This would increase the quality of police protection, reduce waste in the judicial system, decrease the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, and increase federal tax revenue. By legalizing and regulating the act of prostitution, the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s) will decrease. Opponents of legalization believe that STD’s will increase substantially. However, licensed brothels will be required to enforce testing for STD’s. Implementing weekly sexually transmitted disease testing for all licensed workers will reduce the likeliness of spreading diseases to multiple partners. Also, having laws in place to enforce condom use by stating that anyone (worker or customer) caught not using protection will be arrested, fined, and will lose their license to work, will ensure the reduction of the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Brothels are legal in ten of the seventeen counties in the state of Nevada. Those counties are, Churchill, Esmeralda, Pershing, Storey, Lander, Lyon, Humboldt, Elko, White Pine, Mineral, and Nye Counties., â€Å"In those ten counties combined, there are fewer reported cases of STD’s than the other seven counties in the state† (Nevada State Health Division STD Program 2013). The Nevada State Health Department collects data concerning sexually transmitted diseases from every d... ...port groups, and attending protests, the legalization of prostitution can ensue. Works Cited â€Å"Nevada brothels want to be good neighbor† Associated Press. 10 May 2014. 11 April 2015. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7805733/ â€Å"STD Statistics† Nevada Department of Health and Human Services. 2011. 11 April 2015. http://health.nv.gov/CD_HIV_STDProgram.htm#stats Puzzanchera, C., B. Adams, and W. Kang "Easy Access to FBI Arrest Statistics 1994- 2012" Online (2009). 11 April 2015. http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/ojstatbb/ezaucr/ â€Å"Prostitution Related Arrests† Arlington Police Department, 2014. 11 April 2015. http://www.arlingtonpd.org/Prostitution/ProstitutionArrestsFebruary.pdf Cundiff, Kirby R., â€Å"Prostitution and Sex Crimes† The Independent Institute, 8 April 2014. 11 April 2015. http://www.independent.org/pdf/working_papers/50_prostitution.pdf

Perceptions of The Trayvon Martin Shooting Essay

The Trayvon Martin shooting is a perfect case of intercultural communication involving racial perceptions. In this case Trayvon Martin was shot and killed because of his suspicious behavior and what he was wearing. This made national news and was associated with a hate crime. During the night of February 26, 2012 George Zimmerman was running an errand and while he was doing that Zimmerman spotted a Man walking and having a suspicious behavior by cutting in between houses. From seeing that Zimmerman proceeded to follow him in the meantime Zimmerman was on the phone with the Police the whole time. Zimmerman stopped his vehicle while still in contact with the Police and left his car. After he left his car there was a an altercation between Martin and Zimmerman leaving Trayvon Martin dead. Immediately after this Police arrived on scene taking arresting Zimmerman on the scene. The Sanford, Florida Police report â€Å"The encounter between George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin was ultimately avoidable by Zimmerman, if Zimmerman had remained in his vehicle and awaited the arrival of law enforcement, or conversely, if he had identified himself to Martin as a concerned citizen and initiated dialog in an effort to dispel each party’s concern† (William, USA Today). When this made national news made citizens were outraged about the shooting saying â€Å"â€Å"Trayvon was stopped because of his ethnicity† (NY Daily News). Many people across the country are relating to this shooting saying racial perception is going on every way. The shooting of Trayvon Martin is a prime example of how perception play its role in stereotyping. The reason why people have racial perceptions is because of selection. Selection is a three part process and the one that sticks out here is repetition. Obviously George Zimmerman has had repetitive personal experience’s involving suspicious behavior with African Americans. George Zimmerman was a concerned citizen and wanted to keep his community safe he â€Å"was extremely concerned about burglaries; he called the police several times to report suspicious people walking around Retreat at Twin Lakes, his gated community† (NY Times). If this wasn’t a innocent 17 year old getting gunned down for suspicious behavior then it would have been interpretive way differently. But instead in the eyes of the public this is interpretive as a teenager being shot because of the racial perception of wearing a hooded sweatshirt and being black. George Zimmerman could have approached this way differently then just chasing him down and getting into a violent altercation and leaving a teenager dead. If he would communicated with Trayvon then just assuming he was a thug and a thief just because he looked suspicious. The only reason why Trayvon looked suspicious is because of hooded sweatshirt because people associate it with hip hop culture and have the perceptual context that make people believe that the person is suspicious. The only reason why this happened is because George Zimmerman had such intense repetitive past experiences involving African American having suspicious behaviors so he just assumed. All in all, because George Zimmerman had past perceptions on suspicious behavior he just assumed Trayvon Martin to be a bad person. This will negatively impact racial perceptions for years to come. If George Zimmerman used effective ways of communication this could have ended way differently. References William , W. (May, 2012 18). Police report: Trayvon martin’s shooting was ‘avoidable’. . Retrieved January 30, 2013: http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-05-17/zimmerman-trayvon-shooting-report/55046944/1 Current: This article rates 5 out 5. It was very current and got me up to date on the shooting Relevant: This article rates 5 out 5. it was very relevant in what I needed to find out about else could have happen Authority: The Author rank 5 out 5 for authority because it coming from the US Today which is a credible new source Accurate: I give it a 4 out 5 on accuracy because it didnt tell me exactly what happened but I had good insight on perception. Purpose: The purpose of this article ranks high 5 out 5 because it was related to what information I wanted Trayvon martin case (george zimmerman). (2012, Dec 12). . Retrieved January 30, 2013: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/m/trayvon_martin/index.html Current: This article was very current 5 out 5 because it was exactly what I was looking for Relevant: Very relevant 5 out 5 because It was information I was seeking for Authority: 5 out 5 because it comes from the NY times which is a very credible source Accurate: 5 out 5 because gave me a overview of the case Purpose: The purpose of this article ranks 5 out 5 it was exactly what I was looking for Spiliakos, P. (2012). A reason why the trayvon martin controversy got so big so fast. Retrieved January 30, 2013: http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/postmodernconservative/2012/04/06/a-reason-why-the-trayvon-martin-controversy-got-so-big-so-fast/ Current: 3 out 5 not very current it was more personal experiences Relevant: 3 out 5 not very relevant to what I wanted Authority: 2 out 5 it comes from a blog so it someones opinion Accurate: 2 out 5 Not very accurate made assumptions Purpose: 1 out 5 didn’t use the information at all Boyle, K. (March 25, 2012). Trayvon Martin’s death has put spotlight on perceptions about hoodies. Retrieved January 30, 2013: http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2012-03-25/lifestyle/35447016_1_million-hoodie-march-trayvon-martin-dark-hoodie Current: 5 out 5 very currant had the case but also what the country thought Relevant: 4 out 5 gave me the information on what the public saw Authority: 5 out 5 came from the Washington Post which is a very credible news source Accurate: 5 out 5 very accurate to what I need to find out Purpose: 5 out 5 gave me my evaluation of this case Weichselbaum, S. (March 27, 2012).Brooklyn[->0] In wake of controversial Trayvon Martin shooting death, Big Apple is becoming epicenter of call for justice. Retrieved January 30, 2013:

Free Will and Leo Tolstoy Essay

â€Å"You say: I am not free. But I have raised and lowered my arm. Everyone understands that this illogical answer is an irrefutable proof of freedom.† (Leo Tolstoy, 1998) This is the quotes of Leo Tolstoy, which related to the scene we present to you. This quote means that everyone has their own free will, their actions depend on their own decision and their future evolves. If you apply this quote to scene one, you can see that even when Anderton know his own destiny that he will kill Leo Crown, he will become murderer just like the precogs predetermine, he believe that destiny could not be changed and destiny have been set up so everyone will follow that trail to the end of their life. But in every man there exist a free will in them, it been proved that in the moment Anderton must decides to pull the trigger and murder Leo Crown or not, he overcome his feeling, made his own decision even though he knew his destiny, he chose not to kill Leo and changed his future by himself. It proved that everyone has their free will and their future are in their hand, not in destiny. According to our project, our point of view which we have been refer in our present is every man have their own choices, they create their own future, destiny still a myth to us, it been shown in the movie we presented. Many philosophers believe in free will, one of the most famous philosophers is St.Thomas Aquinas, this is the quote from him: â€Å"Man has free choice, or otherwise counsels, exhortations, commands, prohibitions, rewards and punishments would be in vain.† This quote means that if free will not exist, then everything we do will become meaningless, anything happen in our life is in one order and we are just following the patch, perpetrators would not received punishment.

How to Write an SEO Article †Part 1

How to Write an SEO Article – Part 1 How to Write an SEO Article Part 1 How to Write an SEO Article Part 1 By Colin In a recent article, A Freelance Writers Basic Guide to SEO, we had several requests asking how SEO knowledge can be used in practice, when writing articles. Naturally, we are only too happy to oblige. The methods I am going to talk about in this article have not been learnt in online courses, nor have they been taken from theory manuals you can download for a price on the Internet. Everything I am going to discuss has been gained from hard experience, both as a writer (over 10 years), and as an I.T. consultant (University degree and 18 years in the business). Is Writing an SEO Article Complicated? No. There are no magic formulas or weird science to SEO, and there’s no right or wrong way of doing things. There are guidelines, however, as you will discover in this two-part article. SEO writing is very much a matter of common sense, and the application of some very simple points that are based on the idea of well constructed articles, and well constructed websites. Surprised? Don’t be. Just read on. SEO writing is no more complicated than writing a standard article for a magazine, the only difference being, there are a couple of other factors to consider. But the basics are always the same, which is where I am going to kick this article off. Get The Basics Right Whether the article is for your own website or as part of a freelance writing contract, the most important thing to always remember when writing a Search Engine Optimised article, is to make it a GOOD article. By good article, I mean the article must be useful to the reader. It should provide them with a benefit they can visualise, or offer something of value to them that is applicable and relevant to their lives or businesses. It should be something they can relate to easily. There’s no point in writing a technically good SEO article, for it to be a load of nonsense to the reader. Not only will the website concerned lose a potential customer or lose out on traffic and advertising revenue, but the article will become a non-entity and be a complete waste of everyone’s time. If the article is no good to the reader, don’t expect it to be picked up or linked to by affiliates, link marketers, or any other medium that could have provided valuable promotion or marketing – all of which would have boosted the website’s rankings. Always remember to write for the HUMAN who will read the article at the end of the line, not the search engine algorithm that finds it. Get that right, and you are already half way there! Components of SEO Content An SEO article is made up of two distinct, but very important components: 1) it has to contain relevant and value added content 2) it has to be supported by good website infrastructure (the ‘techy bit’) As I have already mentioned, SEO article content must be topically relevant, and provide value to the reader. And as with a standard article on any conceivable subject that’s possible, it has to have a new angle, a good initial hook, and and it must be important to the reader. Writers of articles for all kinds of publication will tell you this; it’s what you learn on day 1 at freelance article writing school. What they might not tell you until much later, is that in an SEO article content must include certain keywords and keyphrases that are relevant to the topic, and the article context. These keywords and keyphrases must appear seamlessly in the article, and not disrupt the natural flow of the piece; they should ehnance it and be inconspicuous at the same time. I’ll cover the ‘techy bit’ in the part 2 of this article. Keywords and Keyphrases There’s no science to figuring out what keywords to use within the content of your article, so that they show up in search engine results. Forget about AdWords, keyword software, scientific algebrae, and costly training courses. In my opinion these are expensive sledgehammers being wielded to crack a nut,and in my experience, are only designed by people hoping to make a quick buck by taking advantage of what writers don’t know. Here’s what to do. Sit down with a notepad and pen, and write down all the words and phrases that could possibly relate to the subject/business interest you are writing about. Almost all of these will (or should) be getting used in the meta data of the web page, but this will probably not be of your concern anyway (this is also covered in the ‘techy bit’ in part 2). Some of the keywords you write down, can be used within the SEO article. For instance, I recently wrote an article for a website that is in the business of superior tourist accomodation in the Scottish Borders a bed and breakfast. The keywords and phrases I came up with were: â€Å"bed and breakfast†, â€Å"hotel†, â€Å"guest house†, â€Å"Scotland,† â€Å"Borders†, â€Å"tourism†, â€Å"accomodation†, â€Å"Scottish Tourist Industry†, etc. However, in most cases, especially if you have been hired to write an SEO article for a third party, it is more likely you will be given certain keywords to use within an article in advance. This is fine – they’ve done the brain storming for you – but however they came up with the words and phrases, it’s your job to write a quality article that has them embedded in the text. It’s not difficult, as you will see in part 2 of this article next week, when I look at applying the keywords and keyphrases, utilising hypertext links in text, keyword density, and web page optimisation (the ‘techy bit’). Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:45 Synonyms for â€Å"Food†Does "Mr" Take a Period?Supervise vs. Monitor

Text of the 14th Amendment

Text of the 14th Amendment The Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed by Congress on June 13, 1866, during the Reconstruction period after the end of the Civil War. Along with the Thirteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, it is one of the three Reconstruction amendments. Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment modified Article I, section 2 of the Constitution. It has had far-reaching effects on the relationship between states and the federal government. Text of the 14th Amendment Section 1.All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. Section 2.Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age,* and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State. Section 3.No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability. Section 4.The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations, and claims shall be held illegal and void. Section 5.The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article. *Changed by section 1 of the 26th amendment.

Organizational change Part II & III Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Organizational change Part II & III - Essay Example (Program Description, 2008) As drug abuse continues to affect individuals, families, and communities, the need for treatment will remain urgent. At the same time, current federal and state financial trends portend continued and perhaps even increasingly scarce resources. Because of the promise of interorganizational cooperation for improving access, quality, and cost-effectiveness of care (Shortell 2002), understanding what factors lead to such relationships within the drug abuse treatment sector may thus have vital implications for policy makers and managers. Getting lost in the shuffel here is that the ultimate goal of drug addiction treatment is to enable an individual to achieve lasting abstinence, but the immediate goals are to reduce drug abuse, improve the patient's ability to function, and minimize the medical and social complications of drug abuse and addiction. Like people with diabetes or heart disease, people in treatment for drug addiction will need to change behavior to adopt a more healthful lifestyle. Untreated substance abuse and addiction add significant costs to families and communities, including those related to violence and property crimes, prison expenses, court and criminal costs, emergency room visits, healthcare utilization, child abuse and neglect, lost child support, foster care and welfare costs, reduced productivity, and unemployment. (National Sruvey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 200