ART Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 23

ART - Essay Example The artist has reflected light over the leaves by painting them yellowish green. The distance between one tree and the next has been made prominent by lending a lighter shade of green to the leaves of the nearby trees and a darker shade of green to those in the distance. From the apparent purplish blue sky and the chandeliers hanging along the way, it seems that the time of the day captured in the picture is evening that is soon to transform into the night. While one can see even without the chandeliers for the time being, they would be a must to enhance the vision once the sky turns any darker. This picture makes me feel like being in the middle of a forest. It feels like the beginning of a story. There is a lot to tell depending upon how one interprets the destination that the pathway leads to. The pathway might just end in a steep slope offering no further land to continue the movement, or it might just slide downward as the trees on the side indicate thus leading the audience to an unknown destination. As the audience of this picture, I feel welcomed into the world of endless imagination of the artist. I feel like the artist has provided me with a direction and has left it upon me to choose to what length I go in that direction. It is like the a rtist has handed over the tools to me but at the same time, deters from becoming the controlling force so that I use those tools in whatever way I want. The effect of the picture on me as an audience is empowering. I feel like the artist is questioning me where I would go from there, showing me the picture. It seems to be just the start of a journey in two ways; firstly, the pathway seems to have just started and it is for the audience to decide where it ends, and secondly, the sky is purplish blue indicating evening while the lit candles in the chandeliers indicate the preparations of the night when the sky would be darker. So the moment captured in the

Emotional Intelligence & Its Importance For Leaders Essay Example for Free

Emotional Intelligence Its Importance For Leaders Essay Much has been written about leadership and the qualities that fuel leadership such as intelligence, toughness, determination, credibility, vision, etc. Often left off are the lists softer and more personal qualities, but recent studies have proven that they are equally important. Researchers have proposed a new term called Emotional Intelligence, and it may well help differentiate the outstanding leaders from the merely adequate ones. Emotional Intelligence must somehow combine two of the three states of mind: cognition and affect, or intelligence and emotion. It has been described by many as the ability to understand and perceive emotions and to be able to generate emotions in order to aid the thought process, and to be able to effectively regulate emotions so as to ensure intellectual and emotional growth (â€Å"EI†). Both nature and nurture feed into emotional intelligence, which is what management literature suggests. Emotional intelligence if deployed wisely and compassionately, spurs leaders, the followers, and the entire organization to superior performance; conversely, if naively or maliciously applied, it might paralyze leaders or allow them to manipulate followers for personal gain, which would lead in employee dissatisfaction and lack of commitment. Mayor and Salovey proposed a four step EI model which can assist leaders in integrating emotion and thinking. Identifying Emotions is the first step which is the ability to recognize how you and those around you are feeling (â€Å"EI†). Using emotions to facilitate thought which is the ability to generate an emotion, and then reason with this emotion, (also called Emotional Facilitation of Thought, or Assimilating Emotions) comes second(â€Å"EI†). The last two are Understanding Emotions and managing them. Understanding Emotions not only includes understanding complex human emotions but also emotional chains, i. e. how emotions transition from one stage to another, whereas, Managing Emotions allows you to manage emotions in yourself and in others(â€Å"EI†). However, according to Daniel Goleman, there are five components to emotional intelligence; †¢ Self-awareness †¢ Self-regulation †¢ Motivation †¢ Empathy †¢ Social skill (Goleman, 1998) Self-awareness is the trait where emotional intelligence actually begins, leaders with higher degree of self-awareness are never hesitant to talk about and discuss their weaknesses and it is this attitude that later brings upon a positive change in them as they are able to improve upon their weaknesses with time. This helps a leader in bringing about change as he is someone who knows his limitations and knows when and where he can actually stand-up and deliver for the rest of the workforce and be a motivator for them, i. e. when can he lead by example. Thus he knows which tasks and changes can actually be brought about in an organization and which ones cannot be. The second trait is self-regulation, and that leaders with this trait can control their emotions and impulses better and channel them for good purposes. This brings about an openness to change in their attitude and behavior, and increases their trustworthiness and integrity, and also helps them remain comfortable in ambiguous situations and scenario. It has a trickle down effect, as no one would want to be known as a hot head in an organization where the boss is known for his cool and calm attitude. Motivation is perhaps the most important trait and the most obvious one that a leader is judged upon. It’s the motivation abilities of a leader that gives the sub-ordinates the notion that the leader has a strong drive to achieve. It portrays the optimism of the leader to the followers, such that they know that their leader would still be optimistic when facing failure, so it has to do more with the mind than anything else. It is the positivity of the mind, it emanates from the mind of the leader and leads its way to the minds of the followers. For a leader empathizing does not mean conforming to other people’s emotions. Rather, it is the ability to understand the emotional makeup of other people. Empathy is the trait that enables a leader to be an expert in building and maintaining talent. It enables him to treat people according to their emotional reactions. With the businesses and economies globalizing, leaders have to lead and manage people belonging to different cultures which is the major reason why change management in such a scenario is very difficult, however, if only a leader can empathize with his followers, it makes the job half as difficult as before. Good leaders generally maintain a large circle of acquaintances. They start off with smaller network of acquaintances and build newer acquaintances from the existing circle. Thus they are not only good at building networks but also finding common ground between individuals in difficult situations and scenarios and build rapport with them. This also improves their persuasiveness and the ability to build and lead teams. True emotional intelligence is not about manipulating people. Emotional intelligence means knowing what you and others are feeling and acting ethically, with a social conscience. Leaders with higher EQ seem to have it together; they are a graceful balance of intellect and emotion. Such leaders possess the ability to inspire their followers, and make them feel good about themselves. All of which is achieved while maintaining their own integrity and sense of personal worth. Hence, no one is diminished by being in their presence. Leadership combines courage with emotional intelligence, courage to ask tough questions, challenge people’s assumptions about strategy and operations, eliminate the existence of the bias caused by conforming to other people’s beliefs and hence risk losing their goodwill. All of this demands commitment, commitment to serving others; skills required for diagnostic, strategic, and tactical reasoning, the resilience to get under the surface of tough realities; and the heart to take criticism and grief, and remain optimistic all the way. A leader has to be aware that surviving will be difficult if one gets into the trouble of a dissonance existing between the inside and the outside – something that is referred as a â€Å"disconnect†. If a single theme runs through this issue, it’s the importance of keeping the two aligned. Every leader ought to want a more supple emotional intelligence, and â€Å"Leading by Feel† is a great place to begin (Mayer, 2004). REFERENCES 1. Goleman, Daniel (1998). What makes a Leader? Harvard Business Review 2. EI. Retrieved April 16, 2008, from emotionaliq. org Web site: http://www. emotionaliq. org/EI. htm 3. Mayer, John (2004) Leading by Feel. Harvard Business Review

The Concepts Of Alternative Dispute Resolution Law Essay

The Concepts Of Alternative Dispute Resolution Law Essay The coursework question is relates with the concept of Alternative dispute resolution. This coursework question is also linked with relationship between ADR, CPR 1998 and EU Directive regarding the matter of Mediation. The comment of Lord Rodger of Earlsferry is a significant part of this coursework. In my coursework I will chronologically discuss the History of ADR, its relationship with Civil Procedure Rules(thereafter CPR), Its implementation in the Courts, Judges attitude on various cases and its impact on European Court of Human Rights (thereafter ECHR) especially in the Art-6. Present situation in legal area and possible probabilities in the future. Alternative dispute resolution (thereafter ADR) is a way of trying to melt civil dispute. The concept of ADR arose mainly from a negative cause such as, dissatisfaction with the delays, costs and inadequacies of litigation process. It is the process of resolving disputes in place of litigation. The most common classification is to describe ADR as a structured dispute resolution process with third party intervention which does not impose a legally binding outcome on the parties.  [1]  It is one kind of facilitated settlement, which is confidential and without prejudice. So the materials of the process need not usually be disclosed to a court  [2]  . The simplest forms of ADR to understand are mediation and conciliation. Some important providers of ADR include arbitration within the ambit of ADR since it is an alternative to litigation in the courts. Others would exclude arbitration on the basis that it is a legal process, the outcome of which is binding. Parties to a dispute have always been able to refer their dispute to arbitration which is a far older and more formal means of dispute resolution than either mediation or conciliation.  [3]   In the 1970s the concept of modern development of ADR established in the United States because of high cost and long delays of litigating business disputes. ADR was playing an increasingly useful part in the commercial area to dissolve some disadvantages of highly expensive and strict adversarial system. In late 1990s the civil justice system in England and Wales go through a massive revolution. Especially Lord Woolf creates a significant impact regarding the matter of ADR in his enormous report, Access to Justice. His view implemented in a amazingly short time by the civil procedure rules 1998 and the Access to justice Act 1999. These changes introduce a new dimension in the culture of litigation. There are different types of ADR used in commercial disputes such as, Arbitration, Conciliation, Mediation, Ombudsmen etc. Arbitration, Conciliation and Mediation is the most famous procedure from all of them. Arbitration has the force of law and generally an arbitrators decision called an award which can be enforced in the courts just as a judgment of the court.  [4]  Section 1 of Arbitration Act 1996 introduced some specific rules and regulations regarding this process such as impartial tribunal, un-necessary delay and expenses.  [5]  Conciliation is quite parallel with the concept of mediation. In that process conciliators offer in return not to try the case but this is rarely taken up. The process is mandatory in Switzerland. Mediation is the most famous and accepted method of ADR in England and Wales. It is quick, non-binding, without prejudice and confidential. In that process a mediator acts as a go-between to dissolve the dispute and wants to make a settlement. The mediator must be a neutral party. Mediation is about much more than just assisted without prejudice negotiations but confidentiality and privilege are the very cornerstones of the success of mediation. Parties to mediation need to be sure that what they say in mediation and documents produced for the mediation will not become public knowledge or become evidence in proceedings, whether litigation, arbitration or adjudication.  [6]  There are varieties of reason to choosing mediation over other ways of dispute resolution such as; A less expensive route to follow for dissolves the dispute. It offers a confidential process. It offers multiple and flexible possibilities for resolving a dispute This process consists of a mutual endeavour. It takes place with the aid of a mediator who is a neutral third party. If we analyse the whole process of ADR then we will find that the most significant criteria of this process is the term Confidentiality. This term significantly increase the parties interest regarding the matter of ADR. Confidentiality is integral to the relationship between the mediator and the parties are one of the four fundamental and universal characteristics of mediation. It is the cornerstone of the relationship of trust and that must exist between the mediator and the parties. It is crucial to the voluntariness of participation of the parties and to the impartiality of the mediator. The parties must not feel that they might be disadvantaged by any disclosure that may be used in legal proceedings or in any other way  [7]  In the coursework Question the statement is relates with the matter of mediation. Now i will discuss about mediation and its relationship with CPR 1998, cases and judgement of the courts and the impact of EU Directive. There was no defined overriding objective for civil justice when ADR orders were devised by the commercial court judges. CPR pt 1 has now identified ADR as one of the courts tools of active case management available to achieve that objective.  [8]  Lord Woolf provides significant impact on ADR especially on mediation on his reforms proposal. His aim was given prominent status in the courts new case management powers. Especially in , CPR 1.4 There are some important rules incorporated in the CPR1998 regarding the matter of Mediation or other form of dispute resolution such as, r-1.1(2), 1.3, 1.4, 3.1(2)(m), 26.4(1), 44 etc Rules-1.1(2) provides that mater must be dealing with justly manner if it is practicable. There are some element has to be consider in this part such as, parties must be in equal footing, saving expenses, matters must be dealings proportionately, matter must be deal with expeditiously and fairly.  [9]  Rules-1.3 provides that parties are required to help the court to further the overriding objective. It also provides general duty of the parties.  [10]  Rules-1.4 provides about courts duty towards the parties where stated that court must further the overriding objective by actively managing cases which includes encouraging the parties to co-operate each other, identify the issues in early stage, helping the parties to settle the whole or part of case.  [11]  Rules 3.1(2)(m) stated about general powers of management of the courts where court can take any step to uphold and furthering the overriding objective.  [12]  Rules-26.4(1) stated that parties can request for stay ed. Court can grant their request if they think appropriate.  [13]  Rules-44 provides general rules about the costs of the procedure such as; cost are payable by one party to another, amount of those cost, when to be paid etc. In r-44.3(2)(a)where stated that unsuccessful party will be ordered to pay the costs of the successful party but court can make different order.  [14]   The significant impact of CPR 1998 regarding the matter of dispute resolution could be found in some cases. In the case of Dyson Field exors of Lawrence Twohey deed vs Leeds City Council,  [15]  Ward LJ stated that matter relates with overriding objective of the CPR and courts duty to manage cases according to rule 1.4 of CPR. He also stated court should encourage the parties. In the case of R vs Plymouth City Council  [16]  , where Lord Woolf has given more emphasize on CPR and he also suggested that mediation should get the priority over the litigation. So we can say that modern CPR rules create a significant impact on the matter of dispute resolution. Judges always give emphasize on the matter of ADR in order to save the cost and time. Courts also began to give warnings and issue advice at the conclusion of cases that parties should seriously consider ADR or run the risk of costs penalty. Now i will discuss some relevant cases and judgement which will provide the legal approaches regarding the matter of mediation In the case of Dyson Field vs Leeds city Council  [17]  , Lord Woolf was a member of the CA. The matter was related with mediation where Ward LJ said that court should encourage the parties to use ADR to dissolve their matter and it also should be sooner rather than later. There is another important case which is Cowl vs Plymouth City Council  [18]  , Lord Woolf has given a lead judgement regarding commercial court ADR order. He delivered powerful comment on both parties failure to use an available ADR process and the delay and cost of violently contested of judicial review proceedings. He also stated that if the parties dont go for the mediation then it would be wastage of public money. There are case Hurst vs Leeming  [19]  , where Lightman J. Stated that alternative dispute resolution is at the heart of todays civil justice system although mediation is not in law mandatory but its a significant and attractive aspect of civil justice system. There is another landmark case Dunnett vs Railtrack  [20]  , case regarding the matter of penalty impose for not taking mediation. Mrs Dennett lost her horse because contractors cant padlock the gate. She sued for compensation but lost in the county court because her lawyer wrongly framed the case. She appealed in person and she gets the permission to appeal. Schiemann LJ suggested for mediation but the Realtrack rejected this offer despite the fact that CA offered a free mediation scheme. CA expressed regret about this. They considered whether Realtrack had made Pt 36 offers. Mrs Dennett was unsuccessful. Then Railtrack asked for their costs but CA made a separate judgement on this cost issue. CA held that Railtrack co uldnt recover their cost because they had refused to participate in ADR. So judgement of Railtrack case gets lots of controversy because the party faced adverse cost consequences, even they win the trial. Despite this case mediation is not mandatory or nor it should be because part of the mediation process is that the parties should want to come voluntarily in the process. If mediation becomes mandatory then there is a great chance to lose it significant aspect. In the recent case cost sanction issue raised once again in Halsey v Milton; Steel v Joy (joint Appeal)  [21]  ,in this case the actual fact was if any party ignoring to mediate the dispute which was requested by an inter-party then cost sanctions should be imposed or not. Dyson L.J held the court cannot require a party to proceed to mediation against his will as this would contravene art.6 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The court did however; confirm that costs consequences could follow from unreasonable failures to mediate.  [22]  But it was not clear whether the court take this point because this point was submitted in the last minute. On 21 May 2008, the Directive 2008/52/EC on certain aspects of mediation in civil and commercial matters was adopted. Article 1 state the aim of the directive is to facilitate access to alternative dispute resolution and to promote the amicable settlement of disputes by encouraging the use of mediation and by ensuring a balanced relationship between mediation and judicial proceedings.Article: 3 of the EU directive provide the definition of mediation as a structured process whereby two or more parties to a dispute attempt by themselves, on a voluntary basis, to reach an agreement on the settlement on their dispute with the assistance of a mediator. Article: 5 of the EU directive provide discretionary power to courts to invite the parties to use mediation to settle their dispute. Article: 6 of the EU directive states that a written mediation settlement may be declare enforceable if all the parties agree to the process. Article: 7 of the EU directive provide reasonable support regarding the matter of guaranteeing the Confidentiality of the mediation process. The Directives basically suggested the state parties to make the laws to encourage the parties to do mediation by the court, not by compulsion. The directive states, the directive applies to civil and commercial matters, and is intended to promote mediation, and ensure a sound relationship between mediation and judicial proceedings.  [23]  EU Parliament and council agreed the Directive to encourage the use of mediation because its a quicker procedure to a civil litigation and cost effective for cross-border commercial disputes. According to the coursework question now this essay will justify the statement which is provided by Lord Rodger of Earlsferry regarding the matter of mediation. Obliging parties to engage in some form of mediation whether as a pre-condition to going to court or as a result of compulsion by the court, seems to berather contrary to the spirit of the guarantee in Article 6 of the European convention for the protection human Rights  [24]   In that above statement he has given more emphasize on present situation of mediation and its application on the Art 6 of ECHR. According to that statement present mediation procedure is quite contrary with the concept of Right to a fair trial. ECHR adopted into English Law from 2 October 2000 as a result of the HRA 1998. Art 6 of ECHR is quite interlinking with ADR. Now the main issue is whether the present procedure of mediation is violating the Art 6 of ECHR or not. Tthe statement of Lord Rodger of Earlsferry is not quite relevant with the present situation of mediation. There are present some reason behind this. Mediation is not a mandatory procedure in our legal system but it has got a special significant aspect after the Woolf reforms 1998. Mediation agreement often specifically state that, The referral of the dispute to mediation does not affect any rights that may exist under Art 6 of ECHR. If the dispute is not settled by the mediation, the parties rights to a fair trial remain unaffected. It is true that EU court encourages parties to settle disputes extra-judicially because it will save cost, time, delay etc. In the matter of mediation court can intervene in the process to protect the right to trial such as; if there is any undue pressure upon a party into a non-judicial process. In the case of Deweer v Belgium  [25]  , the matter related with the debate about whether mandating mediation is permissible or not. Deweer could avoid such proceedings by paying a friendly settlement. He chooses settlement but reserved his right to challenge the proceedings. Then he initiated a challenge regarding the matter of Art 6 of ECHR. Deweer held to have waived his right to go to court only by reason of restraint which vitiate d his consent to paying the friendly settlement.  [26]   In process of mediation, no one is restrained to settle. Participation is entirely voluntary; any hidden matter of the parties or procedure cant later be discussed before a trial or elsewhere because of confidentiality. No one ever enters the process on the basis that they must settle or if they dont that then cant seek remedy from public court. Mediation is not like the status as arbitration because it totally depends on the parties will. In McVicar vs UK  [27]  , EU court has held that Art 6 is not infringed by restraint court access to vexatious litigants, bankrupts, mental patients. In CPR1998 there is lots of provision which should be maintained by the parties before going to any public trial. Before proceeding parties must fulfil some pre-action protocols and practice direction then party must pay court fees at several stages. Parties also need to fulfil other procedural requirement such as; allocation questionnaires, statement of case, disclosure and evidence. In R vs Lord Chancellor exparte witham  [28]  . The matter regarded breach of Art 6 because of withdrawal of court fees exemption scheme for those on income support. So if anyone doesnt follow those procedures regarding CPR they will be liable and they may get punishment or imprisonment. So it seems that these CPR requirement doing breaches Art 6 because parties have to maintain some rules and provision against their wish and will. Now if these are not breach of Art 6 then why ordering of mediation would be breach of Art 6. In Golder v UK  [29]  , it was held that ADR approved in CPR Pt1, where stated a mediation is not breach of such requirements. In Deweer  [30]  case also confirmed that this dispute process is not breach of Art 6 rights. Its clear from the Halsey  [31]  case that mediation must always be voluntary under English Law. Court or judge to order mediation would be a possible breach of Art 6(1) of European convention. If we analyse all of the cases then two significant points would be come out. They are, Forced by a judge into ADR Strongly encouraged towards ADR First approach is likely to violate Art 6, as Halsey confirms. But the second approach is not clear, is immune from challenge under the convention as jack J said summarising in Halsey, the fear of costs sanctions may be used to remove unmerited settlements  [32]  . To distinct between Voluntary and Coerced ADR in this background is hard to draw with certainty. Jack J suggested in Carleton v Strutt Parker  [33]   A litigant who is landed with an unfavourable costs order for failing to agree to ADR goes to mediation at the courts suggestion but is afterwards stigmatised as failing to participate in good faith, could reasonably claim that this outcome operates as obstruct or fetter on the right of access to the court, contrary to Art 6, and that their apparent consent to ADR was no waiver of their fundamental rights now directly enforceable in English Law under the HRA 1998  [34]  . The evidence supporting the use of mandatory mediation is mixed. Central London County Court saw a enormous increase in mediations following Dunnett case, but the settlement rate also consistency declined during that period  [35]  . If judges apply too much pressure, the overriding objectives of the CPR may not be achieved its goal to lower the settlement rates with wasted cost and time but some pressure is needed to ensure that parties should consider mediation as an option but this pressure is less needed than it once was because the legal profession involved in construction litigation now knows the benefits of mediation. Although many countries those have strong conscious about human rights and constitutional rights introduce conciliation or settlement conference chaired by judges in their legal system. This can be called Courts mandate mediation. So by this process they want to put mediation within court process which would be more acceptable regarding the matter of conventional rights. In the Halsey case CA held that court cannot proceed a mediation process against the parties will which would be contrary to the Art 6 of ECHR but in the case of Shirayama Shokusan Co. Ltd v Danovo Ltd  [36]  , court issued a mediation order even though one party was unwilling. CPR r. 1.4(2)(e) emphasised to encourage the parties to use alternative dispute resolution. Sir Anthony Clarke  [37]  states that Court has the power to order compulsory mediation and he also said that Halsey decision was a obiter so there was a chance for the judges to make compulsory mediation order. He also suggested that courts have a jurisdiction to order mediation process under the CPR. Sir Gavin Lightman also expressed his view on behalf of the mediation process. Sir Anthony Colman  [38]  states that there is a close relationship between the court and mediation. He also states that mediation process is not mandatory. Lord Philips  [39]  states that in adversarial litigation there are lots of complications such as; solicitor fees, court fees, defendant is faced with a huge bill for the claimants cost and insurance, delay and complex procedure, disproportionate cost etc. According to him ADR is quite reasonable and flexible procedure because it does not have any additional difficulties. He also states that court order to the parties for mediation is not infringe Art 6 of ECHR. Lord Philips, Sir Anthony Colman and Sir Gavin Lightman are the supporter of mediation process because litigation process has lots of disadvantages and mediation process has flexible, time saving, cost saving and confidential process which is reasonable for the parties as well as for the society. Although EU directives contain some provision where state that court must encourage the parties to use mediation process to settle their disputes. Some cases like Cowl, Dunnett and Halsey cases where maximum of the judges held that parties should use mediation voluntarily rather than mandatory and court always encourage the parties to take this procedure. Although in some cases there was some controversy but different judges has given their views regarding this matter and maximum of them supported the procedure of existing mediation procedure. So at last it can be said that the present procedure of mediation is not obliging the parties but encourages them to further overriding objective of t he court.

The Teacher Who Changed My Life Essay -- Descriptive Essay Examples

The truism "To teach is to touch a life forever" is one that all of us have heard, but very few can identify with. Almost every student has had at least one teacher who he or she despises, or one who has left his or her positive impression upon the student. In my case, it was Mrs. Rudra, my sixth-grade homeroom and English teacher. Remember those first days of a new school year? You don't know who your teacher is going to be, or which of your friends you'll get to have in that class? It was just such a day for me. Our school had a new teacher who had transferred from a military school. Her husband had retired from the Army, and they had moved into our town. It was perfect for them. The town I grew up in was known as the Garden City of India, and it also had the sobriquet "Pensioner's Paradise." Since Mrs. Rudra was still a few years from retirement, she filled a vacancy at the best girls' school in town. The school could do with a teacher of her background. Discipline, especially of the military kind, can come in handy when dealing with twelve-year-olds. The buzz about this "Drill Sergeant" wasn't the best. Like a case of Chinese Whispers, the grapevine swung into action. "Do you know she smokes?" said one. "Have you heard she's one for detention?" said another. "I hope I'm not in her class," stated another. As we were all sending our silent prayers to the one above, the class lists were posted. A mad clamor ensued to find out where each one of us was headed. A sense of dread had taken hold of me. I was not particularly lucky w... ...rment. My grades improved remarkably. For my second term, I was elected Class Monitor. Other teachers also commented on how much I had changed-for better or worse, they did not say. When the school year came to an end, I was disappointed. Here I was, totally transformed, all due to the effort of one person. Academically, I was confident of my abilities. Socially, I was self-assured. The following years, whenever she passed me in the hallways, always erect in her posture, and strident in her gait, Mrs. Rudra would flash her nicotine-tainted smile at me. The most I could do was to return what I hope was an ever-grateful look, and then wonder who else's life was going to be touched by this teacher. I do suppose that "To teach is to touch a life forever," so the truism goes.

The Golden Lily Chapter 15

I FELT SO BAD for Brayden the next day that I actually called him, as opposed to our usual texting and e-mailing. â€Å"I'm so sorry,† I said. â€Å"Running out like that†¦ it's not my usual style. Not at all. I wouldn't have left if it wasn't a family emergency.† Maybe that was stretching it. Maybe not. â€Å"It's okay,† he said. Without seeing his face, I couldn't tell if it really was okay. â€Å"I suppose things were winding down anyway.† I wondered what â€Å"things† he meant. Did he mean the dance itself? Or was he talking about us? â€Å"Let me take you out to make up for it,† I said. â€Å"You always do everything. I'll handle it for a change. Dinner will be on me, and I'll even pick you up.† â€Å"In the Subaru?† I ignored the judgment in his tone. â€Å"Are you in or not?† He was in. We made the necessary arrangements, and I hung up feeling better about everything. Brayden wasn't mad. Adrian's visit hadn't ruined my fledgling relationship. Things were back to normal – at least for me. I'd kept to myself the day after the dance, wanting to catch up on work and not stress about social matters. Monday morning started the school week again, back to business as usual. Eddie walked into East's cafeteria when I did, and we waited together in the food line. He wanted to know about Adrian's visit to the dance, and I gave a glossed-over version of the night, simply saying that Adrian had gotten drunk and needed a ride home. I made no mention of my role in getting the queen to act on his behalf or of me being â€Å"the most beautiful creature walking this earth.† I certainly didn't mention the way I'd felt when Adrian had touched me. Eddie and I walked over to a table and found the unusual sight of Angeline trying to cheer up Jill. Normally, I would've chastised Angeline for what she'd done at the dance, but there'd been no damage done†¦ this time. Plus, I was too distracted by Jill. It was impossible for me to see her down without immediately assuming something was wrong with Adrian. Eddie spoke before I could, noticing what I hadn't. â€Å"No Micah?† he asked. â€Å"He was out the door before me. I figured he would've beat me over here.† â€Å"You had to ask, didn't you?† Angeline grimaced. â€Å"They had a fight.† I swear, Eddie looked more upset about this than Jill. â€Å"What? He didn't say anything. What happened? You guys seemed to be having such a great time on Saturday.† Jill nodded morosely but didn't look up from her uneaten food. I could just barely catch sight of tears in her eyes. â€Å"We did. So good that he actually talked to me yesterday and asked†¦ well, he asked if I wanted to have Thanksgiving with his family. They're from Pasadena. He thought he could either get permission from the school or talk to you guys.† â€Å"That doesn't sound so bad,† said Eddie cautiously. â€Å"Thanksgiving with his family is serious! It's one thing for us to hang out together here, but if we start expanding that†¦ becoming a couple outside of school†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She sighed. â€Å"It's going to go too fast. How long would I be able to hide what I am? And even if that wasn't an issue, it's not safe anyway. The whole point of me being here is that it's a safe, controlled environment. I can't just take off to meet strangers.† It was another step of progress to her accepting the difficulties of a â€Å"casual† relationship with Micah. I offered a neutral comment. â€Å"Sounds like you've thought a lot about this.† Jill looked up sharply, almost as if she hadn't even realized I was there. â€Å"Yeah. I guess I have.† She scrutinized me for a few seconds, and weirdly, her distraught expression softened. She smiled. â€Å"You look really pretty today, Sydney. The way the light hits you†¦ it's kind of amazing.† â€Å"Um, thanks,† I said, uncertain as to what had prompted that comment. I was pretty sure there was nothing remarkable about me today. My hair and makeup were the same as ever, and I'd chosen a white shirt and plaid skirt uniform combo today. I had to make up for this weekend's color splurge. â€Å"And the burgundy trim in your skirt really brings out the amber in your eyes,† Jill continued. â€Å"It's not as good as the bright red, but still looks great. Of course, every color looks great on you, even the dull ones.† Eddie was still focused on Micah. â€Å"How'd the fight come about?† Jill dragged her gaze from me, much to my relief. â€Å"Oh. Well. I told him I didn't know if I could do Thanksgiving. Probably if I'd just given him one reason, it would've all been fine. But I started freaking out, thinking about all the problems, and just went off on a ramble, saying we might go back to South Dakota or maybe family would come here or maybe you wouldn't let me†¦ or, well, a bunch of other things. I guess it was pretty obvious I was kind of making it all up, and then he outright asked me if I didn't want to be with him anymore. Then I said I did but that it was complicated. He asked what I meant, but of course I couldn't explain it all, and from there†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She threw up her hands. â€Å"It all just kind of exploded from there.† I'd never thought much about Thanksgiving or meeting one's family as a rite of passage in dating. Brayden's family lived in southern California t oo†¦ would I be expected to meet them someday? â€Å"Micah's not the type to hold a grudge,† said Eddie. â€Å"He's also pretty reasonable. Just tell him the truth.† â€Å"What, that I'm one of the last in a line of vampire royalty and my sister's throne is dependent on me staying in hiding and surviving?† Jill asked incredulously. Amusement flickered in Eddie's eyes, though I could tell he was trying to stay serious for her sake. â€Å"That's one way, I suppose. But no†¦ I meant, just give him the simplified version. You don't want to get too serious. You like him but just want to watch how fast things are going. It's not unreasonable, you know. You're fifteen and have been ‘dating' for barely a month.† She pondered his words. â€Å"You don't think he'd be mad?† â€Å"Not if he really cares about you,† said Eddie vehemently. â€Å"If he really cares, he'll understand and respect your wishes – and be happy at just any chance of spending time with you.† I wondered if Eddie was referring to Micah or himself, but that was a thought best kept quiet. Jill's face lit up. â€Å"Thanks,† she told Eddie. â€Å"I hadn't thought of it that way. You're so right. If he can't accept my feelings, then there's no point to anything.† She glanced over at a wall clock and jumped to her feet. â€Å"I think I'm going to go try to find him now before class.† Like that, she was gone. Good work, Eddie, I thought. You may have just helped get the girl of your dreams back together with her boyfriend. When Eddie caught my eye, the look on his face told me he was thinking the exact same thing. Angeline watched Jill dart out of the cafeteria, her blue eyes narrowed in thought. â€Å"Even if they make up, I don't think it'll last. With their situation†¦ it can't work.† â€Å"I thought you were all about vampire and human relationships,† I said. â€Å"Oh, sure. Back home, no problem. Even out in your world, no problem. But Jill's a special case. She's got to stay out of sight and stay safe if she's going to help her family. Dating him won't do that, and she knows it – no matter how much she wishes it weren't true. She'll do the right thing in the end. This is duty. It's bigger than personal wants. Jill gets that.† Angeline then declared she needed to get back to her room to catch up on homework. Eddie and I were left staring. He shook his head in amazement. â€Å"I don't think I've ever seen Angeline so†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"†¦ subdued?† I suggested. â€Å"I was thinking†¦ coherent.† I laughed. â€Å"Come on, she's coherent plenty of times.† â€Å"You know what I mean,† he argued. â€Å"What she just said? It was totally true. It was†¦ wise. She understands Jill and this situation.† â€Å"I think she understands more than we give her credit for,† I said, recalling how much better-behaved she'd been since the assembly – breaking into dances aside. â€Å"It's just taken her time to adjust, which makes sense, considering what a change this is. If you'd seen where she's from, you'd understand.† â€Å"I may have misjudged her,† Eddie admitted. He seemed astonished by his own words. Part of me had expected to get chastised by Trey today for having skipped out on Brayden at the dance. Instead, I found Trey missing again from our morning classes. I almost worried but then reminded myself that his cousin was still in town, possibly muddling Trey in â€Å"family stuff.† Trey was competent. Whatever was going on, he could handle it. Then why all the bruises? I wondered. When I reached Ms. Terwilliger's independent study, she was waiting expectantly for me, which I took as a bad sign. Usually, she was already hard at work at her own desk and just gave me a nod of acknowledgment when I took out my books. Today, she was standing in front of her desk, arms crossed, watching the door. â€Å"Miss Melbourne. I trust you had an enjoyable weekend? You were certainly the belle of the ball at the Halloween dance.† â€Å"You saw me?† I asked. For a moment, I expected her to say she'd been watching the whole dance through a crystal ball or something. â€Å"Well, certainly. I was there as a chaperone. My post was near the DJ, so I'm not surprised you didn't see me. That, and I hardly stood out the way you did. I must say, that was an exquisite neo-Greco reproduction you were wearing.† â€Å"Thanks.† I was getting compliments left and right today, but hers were much less creepy than Jill's. â€Å"Now then,† said Ms. Terwilliger, all business again. â€Å"I thought it might be useful for us to discuss some of the spells you've been researching for my project. Notating them is one thing. Understanding them is another.† My stomach sank. I'd grown comfortable in my avoidance of her and the repetitive, almost mindless nature of annotating and translating spells. So long as we didn't have to actually delve into them, I felt reassured that I wasn't doing anything real with magic. I dreaded whatever she had in mind, but there was little I could make in the way of protest, so long as this was all couched in the terms of my study and didn't involve harm to myself or others. â€Å"Would you be kind enough to close the door?† she asked. I did, and my feeling of unease increased. â€Å"Now. I wanted to examine that book I gave you further – the one on protective spells.† â€Å"I don't have it with me, ma'am,† I said, relieved. â€Å"But if you want, I'll go get it from my dorm room and bring it back.† If I timed the shuttle bus right – by which I meant, wrong – I could probably use up a huge part of our hour in the round-trip. â€Å"That's all right. I obtained that copy for your personal use.† She lifted a book from her desk. â€Å"I have my own. Let's take a look, shall we?† I couldn't hide my dismay. We sat in adjacent student desks, and she began by simply going over the table of contents with me. The book was divided into three sections: Defense, Planned Attacks, and Instant Attacks. Each of those subsections was divided into levels of difficulty. â€Å"Defense includes a lot of protective charms and evasion spells,† she told me. â€Å"Why do you think those come first in the book?† â€Å"Because the best way to win a fight is to avoid one,† I said immediately. â€Å"Makes the rest superfluous.† She looked startled that I had come up with that. â€Å"Yes†¦ precisely.† â€Å"That's what Wolfe said,† I explained. â€Å"He's the instructor in a self-defense class I'm taking.† â€Å"Well, he's quite right. Most of the spells in this section do exactly that. This one†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She flipped a few pages into the book. â€Å"This one's very basic but extremely useful. It's a concealment spell. Many physical components – which you'd expect from a beginner spell – but well worth it. You create an amulet and keep a separate ingredient – crumbled gypsum – on hand. When you're ready to activate it, add the gypsum, and the amulet comes to life. It makes it nearly impossible for someone to see you. You can leave a room or area in safety, undetected, before the magic wears off.† The wording wasn't lost on me, and in spite of my inner resistance, I couldn't help but ask: â€Å"‘Nearly impossible?'† â€Å"It won't work if they actually know you're there,† she explained. â€Å"You can't just cast it and become invisible – though there are more advanced spells for that. But if someone isn't actively expecting to see you†¦ well, they won't.† She showed me others, many of which were basic and amulet based, requiring a similar means of activation. One that she dubbed intermediate had kind of a reverse activation process. The caster wore an amulet that protected her when she cast the rest of the spell – one that made all people within a certain radius go temporarily blind. Only the caster retained sight. Listening, I still squirmed at the thought of using magic to directly affect someone else. Concealing yourself was one thing. But blinding someone? Making them dizzy? Forcing them to sleep? It crossed that line, using wrong and unnatural means to do things humans had no business doing. And yet†¦ deep inside, some part of me could see the usefulness. The attack had made me reconsider all sorts of things. As much as it pained me to admit it, I could even see how giving blood to Sonya might not be so bad. Might. I wasn't ready to do it yet by any means. I listened patiently as she went through the pages, all the while wondering what her game was here. Finally, when we had five minutes left of class, she told me, â€Å"For next Monday, I'd like you to re-create one of these, just as you did with the fire amulet and write a paper on it.† â€Å"Ms. Terwilliger – † I began. â€Å"Yes, yes,† she said, closing the book and standing up. â€Å"I'm well aware of your arguments and objections, how humans aren't meant to wield such power and all of that nonsense. I respect your right to feel that way. No one's making you use any of this. I just want you to continue getting a feel for the construction.† â€Å"I can't,† I said adamantly. â€Å"I won't.† â€Å"It's no different than dissecting a frog in biology,† she argued. â€Å"Hands-on work to understand the material.† â€Å"I guess†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I relented, glumly. â€Å"Which one do you want me to do, ma'am?† â€Å"Whichever you like.† Something about that bothered me even more. â€Å"I'd rather you choose.† â€Å"Don't be silly,† she said. â€Å"You have freedom in your larger term paper and freedom in this. I don't care what you do, so long as the assignment's complete. Go with what interests you.† And that was the problem. In having me choose, she was making me get invested in the magic. It was easy for me to claim no part in it and point out that everything I did for her was under duress. Even if this assignment was technically dictated by her, that one small choice she'd given me forced me to become proactive. So, I put the decision off – which was almost unheard of for me when it came to homework. Some part of me thought that maybe if I ignored the assignment, it would go away or she'd change her mind. Besides, I had a week. No point in stressing about it yet. Although I knew we had no obligation to Lia for giving us the costumes, I still felt the appropriate thing to do was return them to her – just so there was no doubt of my intentions. Once Ms. Terwilliger released me, I packed up my and Jill's costumes into their garment bags and headed into downtown. Jill was sad to let hers go but conceded that it was the right thing to do. Lia, however, felt otherwise. â€Å"What am I going to do with these?† she asked when I showed up at her shop. Large rhinestone hoop earrings made her dazzling to look at. â€Å"They were custom made for you.† â€Å"I'm sure you can alter them. And I'm sure they're not far off from your sample sizes anyway.† I held the hangers out, and she obstinately crossed her arms. â€Å"Look, they were great. We really appreciate what you did. But we can't keep them.† â€Å"You will keep them,† she stated. â€Å"If you don't take them, I'll just leave them on your counter,† I warned. â€Å"And I'll have them shipped back to your dorm.† I groaned. â€Å"Why is this so important to you? Why can't you take no for an answer? There are plenty of pretty girls in Palm Springs. You don't need Jill.† â€Å"That's exactly it,† said Lia. â€Å"Plenty of pretty girls that all blend into each other. Jill is special. She's a natural and doesn't even know it. She could be great someday.† â€Å"Someday,† I repeated. â€Å"But not right now.† Lia attempted another approach. â€Å"The campaign is for scarves and hats. I can't do masks again, but I can put her in sunglasses – especially if we shoot outside. Tell me if you'd agree to this plan – â€Å" â€Å"Lia, please. Don't bother.† â€Å"Just listen,† she urged. â€Å"We'll go do a photo shoot. Afterward, you can go through all the pictures and throw out any that don't meet your weird religious criteria.† â€Å"No exceptions,† I insisted. â€Å"And I'm leaving the dresses.† I set them on a counter and headed out, ignoring Lia's protests about all the amazing things she could do for Jill. Maybe someday, I thought. Someday when all of Jill's problems are gone. Something told me that day was far away, however. Although my loyalty to Spencer's was steadfast, a small French cafe caught my attention as I walked back to my car. Or rather, the scent of their coffee caught my attention. I had no obligations at school and stopped into the cafe for a cup. I had a book for English class on me and decided to do some reading at one of the cafe's small tables. Half of that time was spent texting back and forth with Brayden. He'd wanted to know what I was reading, and we were swapping our favorite Tennessee Williams quotes. I'd barely been there for ten minutes when shadows fell over me, blocking the late afternoon sun. Two guys stood there, neither of whom I knew. They were a little older than me, one blond haired and blue eyed while the other was dark haired and deeply tanned. Their expressions weren't hostile, but they weren't friendly either. Both were well built, like those who trained regularly. And then, after a double-take, I realized I did recognize one of them. The dark-haired guy was the one who'd approached Sonya and me a while ago, claiming to know her from Kentucky. Immediately, all the panic I'd been trying to suppress this last week came back to me, that sense of being trapped and helpless. It was only the realization that I was in a public place, surrounded by people, which allowed me to regard these two with astonishing calm. â€Å"Yes?† I asked. â€Å"We need to talk to you, Alchemist,† said the blond guy. I didn't twitch a muscle in my face. â€Å"I think you've got me mixed up with someone else.† â€Å"No one else around here has a lily tattoo,† said the other guy. He'd said his name was Jeff, but I wondered if he'd told the truth. â€Å"It'd be great if you could take a walk with us.† My tattoo was covered up today, but something told me these guys had been following me for a while and didn't need to see the lily to know it was there. â€Å"Absolutely not,† I said. I didn't even need Wolfe's reminders to know that was a terrible idea. I was staying here in the safety of the crowd. â€Å"If you want to talk, you'd best take a seat. Otherwise, go away.† I looked back down at my book, like I didn't have a care in the world. Meanwhile, my heart was pounding, and it took every ounce of control I had to keep my hands from shaking. A few moments later, I heard the sounds of metal scraping on concrete, and the two guys sat down opposite me. I looked back up at their impassive faces. â€Å"You've got to go inside if you want coffee,† I remarked. â€Å"They don't have service out here.† â€Å"We're not here to talk about the coffee,† said Jeff. â€Å"We're here to talk about vampires.† â€Å"Why? Are you filming a movie or something?† I asked. â€Å"We know you hang out with them,† said Blond Hair. â€Å"Including that Strigoi, Sonya Karp.† Part of my tattoo's magic was to prevent Alchemists from revealing information about the vampire world to outsiders. We literally couldn't do it. The magic would kick in and prevent it if we tried. Since these guys seemed to already know about vampires, the tattoo wasn't going to censor my words. Instead, I chose to censor myself of my own free will. Something told me ignorance was the best tactic here. â€Å"Vampires aren't real,† I said. â€Å"Look, if this is some kind of a joke – â€Å" â€Å"We know what you do,† continued Blond Hair. â€Å"You don't like them any more than we do. So why are you helping them? How could your group have gotten so muddled and lost sight of our original vision? Centuries ago, we were one united group, determined to see all vampires wiped from the face of the earth in the name of the light. Your brethren betrayed that goal.† I had another protest ready, and then I noticed a glint of gold in Jeff's ear. He was wearing a tiny earring, a small golden sphere with a dark dot in the middle. I couldn't help myself. â€Å"Your earring,† I said. â€Å"It's the sun symbol – the symbol for gold.† And, I realized, it was exactly the same symbol that had been on the hilt of the sword we'd retrieved from the alley. He touched his earring and nodded. â€Å"We haven't forgotten the mission – or our original purpose. We serve the light. Not the darkness that hides vampires.† I still refused to acknowledge anything they said about vampires. â€Å"You're the ones who attacked my friend and me in the alley last week.† Neither one denied it. â€Å"Your ‘friend' is a creature of darkness,† said Blond Hair. â€Å"I don't know how she's managed this current enchantment – making herself look like one of the other vampires – but you can't be fooled. She's evil. She'll kill you and countless others.† â€Å"You guys are crazy,† I said. â€Å"None of this makes any sense.† â€Å"Just tell us where her main lair is,† said Jeff. â€Å"We know it's not that apartment on the other side of downtown. We've been watching it and she hasn't returned since our last attempt to destroy her. If you won't actively help us, that information will be all we need to rid the world of her evil.† We've been watching it. Adrian's apartment. Chills ran through me. How long had they been spying on his place? And to what extent? Had they simply sat outside in a car, stakeout style? Did they have high tech surveillance equipment? Wolfe had warned against being stalked in parking lots, not in homes. The small comfort I had here was that they obviously didn't know about Clarence's. Their surveillance couldn't have been that thorough if no one had followed her yet. But had they followed me? Did they know where I went to school? And with their own words, they were confirming the terrible reality I'd hardly dared speculate about. It was a reality that meant there were forces moving unseen beneath the Alchemists' seemingly all-knowing vision, forces working against our goals. Vampire hunters were real. With that realization came a hundred more terrifying questions. What did this mean for the Moroi? Was Jill in danger? Was Adrian? â€Å"The only thing I'm going to do is call the police,† I said. â€Å"I don't know who you guys are or why you're obsessed with my friend, but neither of us have done anything to you. You're even crazier than I first thought if you think I'm going to tell you where she is so that you can stalk her.† Then, by the sheerest luck, I saw a patrolling police officer walking down the street. The two guys at my table followed my gaze and undoubtedly could guess my thoughts. It would be very easy to call her over. We'd filed no report about the alley attack, but accusing these guys of a recent assault would certainly detain them. In sync, they both rose. â€Å"You're making a terrible mistake,† Jeff said. â€Å"We could have had this problem eradicated ages ago if our groups worked together. First the Strigoi, then the Moroi. Your misguided descent into their corruption has nearly ruined everything. Fortunately, we still walk the true path.† The fact that he'd just named the two groups was particularly alarming. These guys were scary, certainly, but less so if they were just talking about vampires in shadowy, vague terms. Using â€Å"Moroi† and â€Å"Strigoi† indicated extensive knowledge. Blond Hair tossed down a small, homemade pamphlet. â€Å"Read this, and maybe you'll see the light. We'll be in touch.† â€Å"I wouldn't if I were you,† I said. â€Å"Mess with me again, and I'll do a lot more than just have a pleasant chat.† My words came out more fiercely than I'd expected. Maybe Dimitri and Wolfe were rubbing off on me. Jeff laughed as the two of them began walking away. â€Å"Too bad you got so bogged down in books,† he said. â€Å"You've got the spirit of a hunter.†

Abortion

ABORTION SHOULD BE ILLEGAL IN CANADA BECAUSE IN THE CANADIAN CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOM, UNDER LEGAL RIGHTS IT SAYS EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO LIFE, LIBERTY AND SECURITY OF THE PERSON AND THE RIGHT NOT TO BE DEPRIVED THEREOF EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF FUNDAMENTAL JUSTICE. (1) WE DONT HAVE THE RIGHTS TO TAKE AWAY SOMEONES LIFE. IT ISNT A MATTER OF CHOICE. WHEN TWO PEOPLE AGREE TO HAVE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE, THEY SHOULD THINK ABOUT WHAT THE CANADIAN LAW, CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOM, UNDER LEGAL RIGHTS, IS BEING HYPOCRITICAL. ITS BEING HYPOCRITICAL BECAUSE IT SAYS THAT EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO LIVE. SO IF EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO LIVE, THEN WHY HAVE ABORTION? ABORTION IS LIKE KILLING SOMEONE. DOESNT A CHILD HAVE THE RIGHT TO LIVE ON THIS EARTH? THE CANADIAN LAW SHOWS AS IF THEY CARE SO MUCH ABOUT A PERSONS LIFE, ESPECIALLY A CHILDS LIFE, BUT HAVING CHILD BENEFIT, AND ETC. IF THEY REALLY DO CARE ABOUT A CHILDS LIFE SO MUCH, THEN THEY SHOULD MAKE ABORTION ILLEGAL. IF A BORTION IS LEGAL, THEN MURDER AND, SUECIDE SHOULD BE LEGAL, BECAUSE EITHER WAY SOMEONE WILL BE DIEING. THE FETUS MAY NOT HAVE A MOUTH TO TALK WITH, BUT IT DOES HAVE FEELINGS, AND EMOTIONS LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT IT JUST CANT EXPRESS THEIR FEELINGS, BECAUSE THEY ARE TRAPPED IN A CAGE (WOMB), WHERE THEY CANT TELL US HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT GETTING ABORTED. ABORTION SHOULD ONLY BE LEGAL WHEN YOU HAVE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WITH SOMEONE YOU DONT WANT IT WITH (RAPE), OR IF THE MOTHER HAS SOME SORT OF SICKNESS. WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE AWAY SOMEONES LIFE. GOD CREATED HUMANS, SO IT IS GODS JOB TO TAKE THEM AWAY WHENEVER HE WANTS TO. WHAT DID A FETUS EVER DO TO DESERVE THIS KIND OF TREATMENT? I AGREE WITH THE FACT THAT, IF A WOMAN GETS RAPED, AND WAS PREGNANT, THEN IN THAT CASE ABORTION SHOULD BE

Divorce within 10 years and its effects on minor children

Divorce within 10 years and its effects on minor children Introduction Studies carried out on the effects of divorce illustrate that young children in divorced families experience more problems than those in two-parent married homes. These children have adjustment problems in school; they tend to struggle with self esteem issues and tend to develop behavioral deviances.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Divorce within 10 years and its effects on minor children specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Effects Hetherington (1999) found that 10% of all the children in two-parent households develop serious behavioral problems. On the other hand, 34% of female children and 26% of male children in divorced families were problematic. However, one must realize that not all young children from divorced families will experience problems; these studies simply indicate that, as a group, children from divorced homes are more problematic than children in married homes. These problems eman ate from a series of situations that are unique to divorce. Children in these situations experience difficulties because of parental loss. They typically lose contact with the non-custodial parent. Minor children need the practical and emotional support that comes from both parents. When divorce takes place, children loose the skills, knowledge and resources associated with one parent. A study carried out by Kelly and Emery (2003) found that, on average, non custodial parents tended to visit their children once a week. If this parent is male, then children have a 20% chance of never seeing that parent again, two or three years after the divorce. Contact is a crucial factor in the establishment of strong parent to child relationships; this affects a child’s ability to adjust. Analyses illustrate that fathers who make frequent contacts with their children in a non custodial arrangement tend to minimize conflict between the child and them. These children also fare better in thei r social and school lives. They tend to benefit from the warmth, help, and expectation-setting that come from increased contact with the non custodial parent. Young children in divorced families experience more problems than those in married families because of economic losses in the arrangement. When a divorce occurs, children lose the economic resources that both parents would have contributed. As a result, the custodial parent is likely to struggle with provision of certain needs. It is a fact that earning a small income than before can lead to interruptions. Such a caregiver would have to alter schools in order to minimize expenses. He or she may need to switch to a cheaper day care or minimize weekend outings. When the changes are substantial, the child may need to alter his or her relationships, or may have to lose friends. All these alterations may cause problems.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper w ith 15% OFF Learn More The divorce process also leads to intense life stress among children in these situations. As explained above, children in divorced homes must make so many adjustments after the divorce such as school and relationship alterations. These stressors are quite difficult to handle, and may lead to subsequent problems in the future. A study carried out by Crowder and Teachman (2004) revealed that young children who grew up in a single parent home with more stresses, such as frequent relocations, were more likely to become school dropouts or become pregnant in their teens. If the custodial parent goes through multiple divorces, then the child is likely to experience social problems in the future. Increased stress comes from the feeling that the child has less control over his or her life than he had before the divorce. Furthermore, if parents do not talk to their children prior to or during the divorce about the causes of the divorce, then children bec ome more stressed. Some parents may talk to their children about the divorce but may not listen to their opinion. In this regard, children may still feel frustrated about the situation. Painful memories of all the changes that they underwent during the divorce may haunt them. This implies that divorce is indeed a distressful and painful period for young children. Parents also play a significant role with regard to children’s health. The custodial parent’s mental health affects most children tremendously. If a custodial parent has adjustment issues, then this may affect the child’s well-being in a negative way. Furthermore, parental competence issues are a crucial contributor to the level of failure or success in divorced families. Parental practices tend to reduce immediately after a divorce. This usually leads to some problems encountered by children in later life. Besides this, parents in single parent homes tend to expose their children to fewer child rearing skills. Sometimes, the capable parent may lose custody of a child in a divorce, and this may be detrimental to the child’s well being. One of the most profound difficulties that children experience after divorce is the conflict between their parents. Tensions and conflicts are frequent between divorced parents. If these are intense and occur frequently, then children tend to report more complications in the future. Types of problems manifested by children of divorced families Children react differently to divorce depending on: the child’s developmental stage, the parent’s ability to meet the child’s needs, the prevalence and duration of conflict between the parents, and the relationship quality between a child and his parents prior to the divorce. If parents can deal with the above challenges positively, then a child is less likely to exhibit behavioral and developmental challenges later.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Divorce within 10 years and its effects on minor children specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the common reactions among children after divorce is denial. This is likely to occur if the children are slightly younger. Some of them may make up stories in order to cover up the divorce. They might reconcile their tensions with fantasies. For instance, some of them may assert that their parents will take them to Disneyland even when minimal contact exists between the children and their two parents. Conversely, some of them may talk about the non custodial parent’s move next door. All these stories are attempts at resisting this painful separation from both parents. In older children, milder fantasies are likely to occur. For instance, many of them may be preoccupied with reconciliation. They may console themselves that their parents are going to get back together even when this is unlikely to occur (Temke, 2006). Other children develo p a fear of abandonment. After a separation, children start worrying about their future and the person who will care over them. Some of them may think that a divorce can also occur between parents and children and that their parents will also leave them. Such fears tend to increase when the custodial parent badmouths the other parent. For instance, if the custodial parent says ‘Daddy is leaving you and me’, then the child may feel quite vulnerable to abandonment. Children manifest these insecurities through the use of words that demonstrate a need for greater protection. Other children may exhibit excessive anger and hostility. Following the tensions and stresses that stem from the divorce, some children may use hostility to diffuse these stresses. They may react negatively to their parents, schoolmates and siblings, if they have any. Most of the time, children may express anger towards the parent who they think is the source of the divorce. They can even get angrier wh en the custodial parent starts dating again. In divorce scenarios, children may triangulate. The latter term refers to rejection of the non custodial parent.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Alternatively, they may have divided loyalties when they try to satisfy both parents. Besides anger, children may also develop depression. Some of them may experience social withdrawal. Here, they may stop playing sports, going out or interacting with friends. Alternatively, others may start injuring themselves. Issues such as cutting are especially common among female adolescents. One may also detect depression in these children through loss of sleep, poor eating habits such as excessive or minimal feeding, and weariness. In younger children, immaturity or rapid maturity is common. Some children react to divorce by trying to go back to the times when everything was okay. They may wet their beds or engage in baby talk as an attempt to look for security. Conversely, some children may grow up too fast. They may take charge and even presume the role of the other parent who left. This is an attempt to meet the needs of the custodial parent. Guilt and blame are also quite common. Childre n sometimes feel responsible over the divorce. This may occur when parents fight over the children’s custodial arrangements or visiting schedules. Some of them may promise their parents exemplary behavior if they reconcile. Conclusion Children in divorced families report more behavioural and psychological issues. The problems emanate from economical difficulties, poor parental competence, inter parental conflict, minimal parental contact with the non custodial caregiver and life stresses. These issues may result in anger, immaturity or rapid maturity, excessive anger, abandonment and denial. Parents must try to assist their children in dealing with these issues by maintaining high quality relationships with them and minimising conflict between themselves. References Crowder, K. Teachman, J. (2004). Do residential conditions explain the relationship between living arrangements and adolescent behaviour? Marriage and Family Journal, 66(11), 721-738 Hetherington, E. (1993). An o verview of the Virginian longitudinal study of divorce and remarriage with a focus on the early adolescent. Family Psychology Journal, 7(4), 39-56 Kelly, J. Emery, R. (2003). Children’s adjustment following divorce: risk and resiliency perspectives. Family Relations, 52, 352-362 Temke, M. (2006). The effects of divorce on children. University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension Report, May 2006

Learn Whether Cloud Seeding Can Kill Hurricanes

Learn Whether Cloud Seeding Can Kill Hurricanes Efforts at storm modification date back to the 1940s, when Dr. Irwin Langmuir and a team of scientist from General Electric explored the possibility of using ice crystals to weaken storms. This was Project Cirrus. Enthusiasm about this project, combined with devastation from a series of hurricanes that made landfall, prompted the U.S. federal government to appoint a Presidential Commission to investigate storm modification. What Was Project Stormfury? Project Stormfury was a research program for hurricane modification that was active between 1962 and 1983. The Stormfury hypothesis was that seeding the first rain band outside of the eyewall clouds with silver iodide (AgI) would cause supercooled water to turn into ice. This would release heat, which would cause the clouds to grow faster, pulling in air that would otherwise reach the wall of clouds around the eye. The plan was to cut off the air supply feeding the original eyewall, which would cause it to fade away while a second, wider eyewall would grow further from out from the storms center. Because the wall would be wider, air spiraling into the clouds would be slower. The partial conservation of angular momentum was intended to decrease the force of the strongest winds. At the same time the cloud seeding theory was being developed, a group at the Navy Weapons Center in California was developing new seeding generators that could release large amounts of silver iodide crystals i nto storms. Hurricanes That Were Seeded With Silver Iodide In 1961, the eyewall of Hurricane Esther was seeded with silver iodide. The hurricane stopped growing and showed signs of possible weakening. Hurricane Beulah was seeded in 1963, again with some encouraging results. Two hurricanes were then seeded with massive quantities of silver iodide. The first storm (Hurricane Debbie, 1969) weakened temporarily after being seeded five times. No significant effect was detected on the second storm (Hurricane Ginger, 1971). Later analysis of the 1969 storm suggested that the storm would have weakened with or without the seeding, as part of the normal eyewall replacement process.​ Discontinuing the Seeding Program Budget cuts and lack of definitive success led to the discontinuation of the hurricane seeding program. In the end, it was decided that funding would be better spent learning more about how hurricanes work and in finding ways to better prepare for and lessen the damage from natural storms. Even if it turned out cloud seeding or other artificial measures could lessen the intensity of the storms, there was considerable debate about where on their course the storms would be altered and concern over the ecological implications of changing the storms.

The Elderly and Poor Living in the Community Research Paper

The Elderly and Poor Living in the Community - Research Paper Example The research paper "The Elderly and Poor Living in the Community" talks about the community-based health care problem. This paper shows that the identified vulnerable population was the elderly and poor persons residing in the survey area. This extent of poverty could be seen from shrubs, tall trees and uneven bushes surrounding the wood. The identified agency that the elderly and poor community in Grand Prairie in Texas is Arlington Charities Inc. which offers diverse support services to the population. They have a website through which contact was made and a phone call to the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS).Through phone calls to the aging and disability department offered a chance to learn and assess the kind of support they offer to the population under study. Arlington Charities Inc. helps both the young and elderly in various ways. To be specific on the elderly poor population who are also faced with risk of disability, it offers counseling, foodstuff to qualified candidates among other services. Its central mission is to render service to humanity through equal access to resources. It seeks to explore the poor segment of the United States community Grand Prairie in Texas through financial, items and knowledge awareness creation towards improved health and social welfare. Therefore, some of the services this agency offers include adult day care, the assistance of the elderly and poor in personal tasks, housing cleaning, laundry, shopping among others.

An Exploration of Apple's Dominance of the Smartphones Assignment

An Exploration of Apple's Dominance of the Smartphones - Assignment Example In addition to this, the other research questions will be that how the other organisations in the Smartphone industry trying to compete with Apple in UK’s market and what Apple can do to maintain its competitive advantage in the UK’s market. Apple, Inc. is an US based multinational company which was founded in the year 1976. The Smartphone industry in UK has been booming because of the continued increase in demand of Smartphone by the people in UK. Along with Samsung and Nokia, Apple is found to be dominating the UK Smartphone market (The Telegraph, 2012). According to the report of Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, the market share of Apple’s Smartphone increased by around 10% from 21% to 31% during the period of 12 weeks that ended on November 2011 (Virki, 2011).It is mainly attributed towards the release of new model of Smartphone in UK by Apple, named iPhone 4S during October 2011. However it has been argued that Apple is ranked second to the Android platform develo ped by Google in terms of market share in the Smartphone industry of UK (Warman, 2011). ... Research Background The proposed topic in this research study and the analysis of the findings based on the research done on the topic would provide an in-depth knowledge about the Smartphone industry in UK at present and the consumer behaviour patterns related to Smartphone products in UK. Smartphone is only a new concept in the field of mobile technology and is different from other standard mobile phones available in the market. As a result of these facts, the existing literature in this field is limited and not much research studies have been conducted till now. Hence, this research study would add to the existing literature and pave way to further research that can be done in this field. Moreover, Apple is a dominant player in the UK’s market of Smartphone products and has had its market dominance for a significant amount of time till now. It is evident from its market share in the Smartphone industry of UK which was around 31% during November 2011 (Virki, 2011). However, lot of other mobile companies are also introducing their Smartphone products in the UK’s market. This can have an effect on Apple’s market share in UK. According to the recent reports published by Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, Apple has fallen behind Google in terms of market share in the UK Smartphone industry. Android operating system installed in the Google Smartphone is being preferred by the consumers in UK more than Apple Smartphone (Arthur, 2012a). However, Android is divided amongst various brands like Samsung, HTC, Motorola, etc. Hence Apple iPhones which is the single branded Smartphone is the most used brand by the consumers in UK. Moreover, with respect to customer satisfaction, Apple is found to have the highest level of customer

The culture of Zulu Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The culture of Zulu - Research Paper Example This led to the Battle of Isandlwana where the British suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Zulus. They were eventually defeated by the British in the battle of Ulundi in 1979 (Dougherty & Sievert, 2008). During the Apartheid years, Zulus were classified as third class citizens and were forced to suffer discrimination at the hands of the state. Zulus have played an important role in the end of Apartheid and in the development of modern South Africa. The two important political parties of the country – African National Congress and the Inkatha freedom party were both formed by Zulus. They also participated in large numbers in the struggle to end Apartheid in both the parties. In this essay, discussions will be focused on the culture of Zulus especially their Religion, political organization of Zulus before the arrival of British and the Gender relations in Zululand (Dougherty & Sievert, 2008). Mode of Subsistence Farming and cattle rearing were the primary modes of subsistence of the Zulus. Cattle especially the Ox was very important for the Zulus. Cattle were also given great significance and there was also a special place for the cattle in the family .The cattle was reared largely for eating purposes. Although all the cattle and the farms were owned by the head of the family who was a man each of his wives was provided with a set of her own farms and cattle which were used by her in order to feed her immediate family (Dougherty & Sievert, 2008). Zulu Religion The Spirit World Zulus placed a lot of importance on their ancestors and their spirits. These ancestors were supposed by them to be living in Unkulunkulu which was considered as the world of the spirits. The ancestors were the link between the living and the spirits. For this reasons they needed to be remembered by the family members, praised regularly and also appeased by maKing offerings to them. In case a family failed to do so, the spirits are were to visit them in the form of trou bles. These troubles can be solved only if the mistake of the family is rectified and the spirits of the ancestors are pacified by some offerings and by showering praises on them. The Sangoma was the spiritual healer and the priest of the Zulus. In case of a mishap such as failure of crops, death of livestock, draught or any other natural calamity the Sangoma was the one who declared the reasons for the calamity. The calamity could have been caused by the unhappy spirits or by witchcraft. If it was the former, the family was supposed to appease the ancestors but if it was the latter a witch-hunt and the elimination of the witch responsible was carried out (Monteiro-Ferreira, 2005). Another important religious person among the Zulus is the Inyanga. The Inyanga can be said to be the doctor of the Zulu tribe. He mostly used local plants and animals in order to find cure of the common diseases like cuts, bruises. The cure was usually followed by religious rituals in which the spirits we re praised and pacified and asked to restore the health of the person who is sick (Monteiro-Ferreira, 2005). It is not only ancestors whose spirits were worshipped by the Zulus. The spirits were also supposed to exist in animals, forests, mountains and caves. Thus animals should be fed properly and cared for, the forest and the mountains should not be made angry or the spirits living in them will have their vengeance on the people. The Zulus are afraid of the phenomenon of lightning. They believed

A hotel company I can call home Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A hotel company I can call home - Research Paper Example Corporate Offices The company’s headquarters is based in the US, in Atlanta Georgia, on 4445 Willard Avenue, Suite 800Â  Chevy Chase, Md. 20815. The company runs other 80 luxury hotels and restaurants in 26 countries including Austria, Canada, Bahrain, Chile, Egypt, China, Cayman Islands, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Ireland, Korea, Japan, Mexico, Malaysia, Portugal, Oman, Qatar, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Spain, Singapore, The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Turkey, Virgin Islands and the US (The Ritz Carlton Hotel Fact Sheet, 2010). In the US, the company runs two luxurious hotels in New York, one at Central Park on 50 Central Park South, and the other at Battery Park on Two West Street (David Kamp, 216). The Ritz Carlton also has partners across Europe that help the company to offer its services in major cities around the continent. These partners include The Ritz London in the UK, Hotel Ritz Madrid in Spain, the BUKGAR Hotels and Resorts in London, and Milan. Key leader s and managers of the Ritz Carlton Hotel include Herve Humler, the President and Chief Operations Officer; Mr. Leeny K. Oberg, the Chief Financial Officer and Mr. Bob Kharazmi, the Global Officer, in charge of worldwide Operations. Public or Private Company The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company LLC is a private company with its headquarters in the US. ... rights to use the name The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company across the world and thus developed the company to operate in various locations around the world. The company has grown to become one of the best managed hotels in the US and around the world, with its great customer service recognized all over the world (David Kamp, 267). Brief History of the Company A renowned Swiss Hotelier, Cesar Ritz and his wife, started the Ritz Carlton. He ran the Ritz hotel in Paris, France and the Carlton hotel in London, UK. He teamed up with one of his best chefs, Auguste Escoffier to form the Ritz Carlton in 1913. Ritz died later on in 1918 and his wife decided to continue the business, opening up more branches under the same name. In 1926, Edward Wyner, a 29-year-old American, formed the Ritz Carlton Hotel in 1927, in Boston. After his death in 1961, his sons continued with the business and later on decide to sell it after it became difficult to run. The company was later on sold in 1983 to William B . Johnson, who moved the company to Atlanta and formed The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company LLC. The company has since then expanded its services in the US, across Europe and Asia with future plans to move to Africa, the Middle East and South America. The company currently operates independently as a division of the Marriott International (The Ritz Carlton Hotel Fact Sheet, 2010). Reputation The company has grown to become a leader in the hospitality industry and currently has a great reputation around the world as one of the best luxurious hotels. The company’s reputation began to grow under the leadership of COO Horst Schulze who revolutionized operations in the company by concentrating on both data driven and personal service. He coined the current employee Credo that is used to guide the

Images of the Art and Science of Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Images of the Art and Science of Nursing - Essay Example 1). Nursing as a science involves the scientific and theoretical explanation of certain phenomena. It observes, identifies, describes, and experiments on issues affecting the delivery of health. On the other hand, nursing as an art is the humanistic and creative application of the result of science. Basavanthappa (2004) identified that the art of clinical nursing is directed into four main goals: (1) understanding the patient’s condition, situation, or need, (2) enhancement of patient’s capability, (3) improvement of patient’s condition following a medical plan, and (4) prevention of remission and exacerbations which may cause anxiety, disability, or stress (p. 1). Contemporary nursing has evolved to a learned discipline and profession that combines the science and art of caring. Nursing combines scientific body of knowledge derived from primitive beliefs to high technology era and humanistic caring. Nursing focuses on the client’s response to illness, pro motes health, and assists clients to move to a higher level of wellness. Nursing also provide care and assistance during a terminal illness by providing comfort and preserving dignity during the end-phase of life (White, 2005, p. 41). The development of nursing as a science and an art is traced through its rich history, array of visual images, and influence of social factors. Image Selection To further describe the art and science of nursing, six images were selected which depicted the historical and modern concept of the art and science of nursing. Among the images chosen are of Florence Nightingale, patient settings during Crimean War, nurse-patient ratio during early times, contemporary nurse-patient interaction, operating room scenario, and health informatics in nursing. The images are described below: A. Florence Nightingale Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) pioneered the concept of modern nursing. She was also credited for uplifting the standards of nursing and developing nursi ng as a science and an art. Nightingale persistently advocated cleanliness, good nutrition, and fresh air as well as the reform in health care (White, 2005, p. 44). During this time, nurses, care for the wounded around the clock with the oil lamps along them to light their way in the darkness. Similarly, this oil lamp represents Nightingale for she was able to give light to the darkness of caring and implemented scientific and artistic caring. Through Florence Nightingale’s principles, nursing practice and environmental modifications resulted in reduced morbidity and mortality rates during the war. (White, 2005, p. 44) She also worked to gain the public’s approval in producing well-educated nurses and for the concepts that were still used today such as a systematic method of assessing clients, individualized care based on the client’s need and preferences, and confidentiality (White, 2005, p. 45). Nightingale is one of the most outstanding figures that truly ill ustrated the foundation of scientific and artistic nursing. (Image retrieved from http://i.acdn.us/image/A6732/67325/300_67325.jpg) B. The Crimean War The outbreak of war in the Crimea, a peninsula on the north shore of the Black Sea from 1854 to 1856 marked the historical evolution of nursing practice and the birth of scientific and artistic nursing. War casualties outrageously increase and the British government became the consistent subject of national criticism. In light

Asian American History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Asian American History - Essay Example The paper explores Southeast Asian migration to the US in the wake of the Southeast Asian crisis and their subsequent experiences in the alien land and how they coped up in a given situation. Early Migrations Takaki dates Asian migration back to 1835 when a sugar mill owner began his sugar business in Hawaii. Local workers were not efficient enough to carry on his sugar mill operations. When he replaced them with Chinese workers, he found them more efficient. Perhaps, that was the first time when Chinese or Asian workers got its due recognition so much so that during laying of transcontinental railroads in 1834, it was decided to employ Chinese workers. By 1867, there were more than twelve thousand Chinese workers employed at the Central Pacific Railroad Soon stories of Hawaii were reaching to other shores. Between 1903 and 1920, in their bid to escape from the clutches of Japanese, more than eight thousand Koreans migrated to the US. The migration to the U.S. from other Asian countr ies such as Korea, Philippines, and India continued unabated (Takaki 21, 53). The Global Cold War and Hot Wars of Southeast Asia The end of World War II marked a new beginning of Asian migrations in the US. The global cold war between the Soviet Union and the US intensified after the end of World War II and Asia became a battleground in a process to leave an imprint on many underdeveloped and poor Asian countries by the two diametrically opposite economic and political ideologies – namely the USSR and the US. Cambodia which was a French colony until 1953 had a major political upheaval thereafter. Chandler mentions the radical thinking of Pol Pot: â€Å"We all carry vestiges of our old class character, deep-rooted for generations† (44). He believed in destroying these things in order to achieve socialism. The fight between Lon Nol's Khmer Republic supported by the U.S. and the Khmer Rouge supported by communists from North Vietnam brought an extraordinary turmoil within the country. Communism was exported to Cambodia via Vietnam during the time when both were under French rule. The Civil war in 1970-75 took the toll of more than 500,000 people and displaced more than three million people from its place. Khmer Rouge's ideology had several facets. As Chan puts it, "Fearing pollution or contamination, they savagely went about eradicating all those whom they deemed impure" ("Cambodia’s Darkest Hour" 14). Khmer Rouge believed more in the concept of race overthrowing the concept of class. It was neither a peasant revolution nor a revolution meant for working class. That is why Khmer Rouge began evacuating Phnom Penh on the same day after capturing it. In a most pathetic incident, the patients from the largest civilian hospital from the Phnom Penh were evacuated first. In a few days, the city's entire population was asked to move on the plea that Americans might bomb. In a bizarre and well-thought out move, approximately 2.5 million people were as ked to leave their houses and places. Some of the Khmer leaders, such as Hou Yuon who opposed the evacuation, were removed from the scene. The citizens were completely baffled and wandering without shelter and food. Thousands of them died of illness, thirst, and starvation. The former military officers and government officials who were called to take specific instructions never returned.

A hotel company I can call home Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A hotel company I can call home - Research Paper Example Corporate Offices The company’s headquarters is based in the US, in Atlanta Georgia, on 4445 Willard Avenue, Suite 800Â  Chevy Chase, Md. 20815. The company runs other 80 luxury hotels and restaurants in 26 countries including Austria, Canada, Bahrain, Chile, Egypt, China, Cayman Islands, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Ireland, Korea, Japan, Mexico, Malaysia, Portugal, Oman, Qatar, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Spain, Singapore, The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Turkey, Virgin Islands and the US (The Ritz Carlton Hotel Fact Sheet, 2010). In the US, the company runs two luxurious hotels in New York, one at Central Park on 50 Central Park South, and the other at Battery Park on Two West Street (David Kamp, 216). The Ritz Carlton also has partners across Europe that help the company to offer its services in major cities around the continent. These partners include The Ritz London in the UK, Hotel Ritz Madrid in Spain, the BUKGAR Hotels and Resorts in London, and Milan. Key leader s and managers of the Ritz Carlton Hotel include Herve Humler, the President and Chief Operations Officer; Mr. Leeny K. Oberg, the Chief Financial Officer and Mr. Bob Kharazmi, the Global Officer, in charge of worldwide Operations. Public or Private Company The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company LLC is a private company with its headquarters in the US. ... rights to use the name The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company across the world and thus developed the company to operate in various locations around the world. The company has grown to become one of the best managed hotels in the US and around the world, with its great customer service recognized all over the world (David Kamp, 267). Brief History of the Company A renowned Swiss Hotelier, Cesar Ritz and his wife, started the Ritz Carlton. He ran the Ritz hotel in Paris, France and the Carlton hotel in London, UK. He teamed up with one of his best chefs, Auguste Escoffier to form the Ritz Carlton in 1913. Ritz died later on in 1918 and his wife decided to continue the business, opening up more branches under the same name. In 1926, Edward Wyner, a 29-year-old American, formed the Ritz Carlton Hotel in 1927, in Boston. After his death in 1961, his sons continued with the business and later on decide to sell it after it became difficult to run. The company was later on sold in 1983 to William B . Johnson, who moved the company to Atlanta and formed The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company LLC. The company has since then expanded its services in the US, across Europe and Asia with future plans to move to Africa, the Middle East and South America. The company currently operates independently as a division of the Marriott International (The Ritz Carlton Hotel Fact Sheet, 2010). Reputation The company has grown to become a leader in the hospitality industry and currently has a great reputation around the world as one of the best luxurious hotels. The company’s reputation began to grow under the leadership of COO Horst Schulze who revolutionized operations in the company by concentrating on both data driven and personal service. He coined the current employee Credo that is used to guide the

Asian American History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Asian American History - Essay Example The paper explores Southeast Asian migration to the US in the wake of the Southeast Asian crisis and their subsequent experiences in the alien land and how they coped up in a given situation. Early Migrations Takaki dates Asian migration back to 1835 when a sugar mill owner began his sugar business in Hawaii. Local workers were not efficient enough to carry on his sugar mill operations. When he replaced them with Chinese workers, he found them more efficient. Perhaps, that was the first time when Chinese or Asian workers got its due recognition so much so that during laying of transcontinental railroads in 1834, it was decided to employ Chinese workers. By 1867, there were more than twelve thousand Chinese workers employed at the Central Pacific Railroad Soon stories of Hawaii were reaching to other shores. Between 1903 and 1920, in their bid to escape from the clutches of Japanese, more than eight thousand Koreans migrated to the US. The migration to the U.S. from other Asian countr ies such as Korea, Philippines, and India continued unabated (Takaki 21, 53). The Global Cold War and Hot Wars of Southeast Asia The end of World War II marked a new beginning of Asian migrations in the US. The global cold war between the Soviet Union and the US intensified after the end of World War II and Asia became a battleground in a process to leave an imprint on many underdeveloped and poor Asian countries by the two diametrically opposite economic and political ideologies – namely the USSR and the US. Cambodia which was a French colony until 1953 had a major political upheaval thereafter. Chandler mentions the radical thinking of Pol Pot: â€Å"We all carry vestiges of our old class character, deep-rooted for generations† (44). He believed in destroying these things in order to achieve socialism. The fight between Lon Nol's Khmer Republic supported by the U.S. and the Khmer Rouge supported by communists from North Vietnam brought an extraordinary turmoil within the country. Communism was exported to Cambodia via Vietnam during the time when both were under French rule. The Civil war in 1970-75 took the toll of more than 500,000 people and displaced more than three million people from its place. Khmer Rouge's ideology had several facets. As Chan puts it, "Fearing pollution or contamination, they savagely went about eradicating all those whom they deemed impure" ("Cambodia’s Darkest Hour" 14). Khmer Rouge believed more in the concept of race overthrowing the concept of class. It was neither a peasant revolution nor a revolution meant for working class. That is why Khmer Rouge began evacuating Phnom Penh on the same day after capturing it. In a most pathetic incident, the patients from the largest civilian hospital from the Phnom Penh were evacuated first. In a few days, the city's entire population was asked to move on the plea that Americans might bomb. In a bizarre and well-thought out move, approximately 2.5 million people were as ked to leave their houses and places. Some of the Khmer leaders, such as Hou Yuon who opposed the evacuation, were removed from the scene. The citizens were completely baffled and wandering without shelter and food. Thousands of them died of illness, thirst, and starvation. The former military officers and government officials who were called to take specific instructions never returned.

Marks of an Educated Person Essay Example for Free

Marks of an Educated Person Essay Holmes describes a liberal arts education as providing â€Å"an opportunity to steward life more effectively by becoming more fully a human person in the image of God.† (The Idea of a Christian College, Pg. 36.) The liberal arts that include subjects such as language, history, speech, philosophy etc. help in making the student a more complete person. Every student approaches learning with a subjective view based on his or her background, beliefs and opinions. A Christian liberal arts education teaches the Christian how to â€Å"be in this world but not of this world† (II Cor. 10:3) It not only addresses the practical aspects of educating for the purpose of career and employment, but it also offers Biblical concepts that help develop the spirit filled and spirit lead life. This adds depth to the liberal arts student that can be applied to the Christian’s witness to the world. The liberal arts education must encompass a broad range of subject matter regardless of the career field. Holmes offer examples such as the healthcare field. Because wellness involves physical as well as mental and emotional and is influenced by such factors as environment and the human spirit, the physician would, according to Holmes benefit from such studies as psychology, sociology in addition to the medical studies. A student’s depth of understanding is dependent on their concepts of communication and speech. For the student to fully integrate their knowledge base they must have basic communication skills. What does the word mean? The Christian liberal arts college incorporates all of these areas into a comprehensive education plan that not only helps to prepare the student to make positive career choices but it also enables the student to broaden his or her spiritual experience as his life witnesses to the world around him. In a world whose values vacillate with whatever is the popular ideology of the day, a Christian liberal arts program helps the student to build on a foundation anchored by God’s Word. As previously stated, we are able to be in this world but not â€Å"of this world.†