Team Dynamics - Conflict Resolution Strategies Essay example

Team Dynamics - Conflict Resolution Strategies People work in groups or teams everyday whether in their career, education, political organization, church, or any other social setting. Conflict while working in teams or groups is inevitable. When taking people of different backgrounds, personalities, moral, and ethical beliefs and putting them together in a group, conflict will arise. The key to achieving your team goals is to construct and conquer your goals with keeping the greater good of the team in mind. Conflict as it arises should be combated and abated through swift and thorough resolution techniques. When dealt with properly conflict resolution can give rise to a cohesive and productive team. What Is Conflict?†¦show more content†¦Conflict arises from various sources in the team setting (Capozzoli, 1995). The most common causes of conflict are values, attitudes, needs, expectations, perceptions, resources, and personalities. As we are all raised with different values, morals come into play when the team issue deals directly or indirectly with ones values, morals, or ethics. Conflicting attitudes can bring about problems as two or more team members prove to have differing goals in mind. Individual needs can cause rifts within a team when they are not satisfied. The expectations of team members are not the same on how the goal will be met. We all have different perceptions of life situation and interpret them differently. The lack of resources needed to complete a task can cause conflict. Differing personalities play a major role in team conflict. Types of Conflict There are many types of conflict; some are beneficial while others are detrimental. All types of conflict fall into three major categories (Engleberg, Wynn, and Schuttler, 2003; Stewart, Manz, and Sims, 1999). Relationship-oriented conflict, also known as affective conflict, is brought about when team members experience interpersonal incompatibilities. Relationship conflict is usually detrimental as team members have different perceptions of communication and social skills. Whereas Task-oriented conflict, also referred to as cognitive conflict or procedural conflict, occurs when team members disagree aboutShow MoreRelatedTeam Dynamics and Conflict Resolution Strategies1089 Words   |  5 PagesTeam Dynamics and Conflict Resolution Strategies University of Phoenix â€Æ' Success in many areas of our lives, be it family, education, business, or leisure, is dependent on successful teamwork. Teams are â€Å"a number of persons associated together in work or activity†¦a group on one side†(Merriam-Webster, 2008). There are many types of teams, work teams, school teams, sports teams, families etc. â€Å"The fact remains that teams, because they are made up of imperfect human beings, are inherently dysfunctional†(Read MoreTeam Cohesion1509 Words   |  7 PagesRunning head: TEAM CONFLICT AND COHESION Team Conflict and Cohesion Mak Turno University of Phoenix July 9, 2007 Team Conflict and Cohesion The dynamics of a team relies heavily on the interaction of team members during times of conflict not just during times of agreement. Often groups seek to achieve a cohesive relationship in an effort to unite the team towards its goals. Group members can make the mistake of subverting conflict in an attempt to maintain this team unity. Conflict serves aRead MoreTeamwork in the Workplace Essay1561 Words   |  7 Pagesof teamwork and what can be accomplished when people put the strengths together. These teams consist of people from different cultures with different personalities. Conflict is inevitable when it comes to group dynamics. Conflict resolution is necessary to keep the group functioning efficiently. This paper will analyze group dynamics and focus on conflict resolution by way of communication. Teams consist of personnel with varied backgrounds, experience, education, and intellectual abilityRead MoreConflict Resolution Strategies1530 Words   |  7 PagesRunning header: CONFLICT RESOLUTION STRATEGIES Conflict Resolution Strategies Wendy L. Decker University of Phoenix Conflict Resolution Strategies In this writing, we will explore and explain strategies of conflict resolution and, encourage teams, individuals and society as a whole to use some of these ideas for their own resolution purposes. â€Å"In many cases, effective conflict resolution skills can make the difference between positive and negativeRead MoreThe Story Behind a Teams Success738 Words   |  3 Pagesinherently, there is likely to be some level of conflict within the group, especially given that there are competing ideas. We also agreed, however, that while conflict can be positive, it can also be destructive and we felt that if we were oriented towards working as a team and pushing towards solutions, this approach would defray conflict and deliver better results (Joseph, 2013). Another thing we addressed from the outset as we tried to establish a team culture was the issue of power perceptions.Read MoreThe Dynamic World Of Nursing855 Words   |  4 PagesDynamic World of Nursing Introduction The nursing world is made up of complex systems with its numerous moving parts consisting of nurses, interdisciplinary members, supporting staff, technologies, and structures. When there are interactions between two or more individuals and systems, conflicts arise (Grossman Velia, 2012).With emerging conflicts, theses systems can go into a state of disequilibrium. Change, good or bad is bound to occur. Change forces development of leadership in which nursesRead MoreDiversity and Avoiding Conflict in Project Team1415 Words   |  6 PagesDiversity and Avoiding Conflict PM/582 Executive Summary Understanding the organizations diversity, and successfully identify and handle conflict within a team environment is necessary to the success of all projects. The project leader must have the appropriate skill set to successfully understand how to lead diverse teams and identify, lead conflict in a positive manner and communicate appropriately to our customers. We want to ensure that our customers are receiving whatRead MoreAnalysis Of Franklin Equipment, Ltd.1622 Words   |  7 Pagesproject is named Project Abu Dhabi. This assessment will discuss the process that FEL utilizes in creating its’ project teams, the efficiencies and problems related to the creation of the team, as well as identify the importance of team dynamics as FEL breaks into the international marketplace. This assessment is based on the activities surrounding the Project Abu Dhabi project team. Project Abu Dhabi is important in establishing FEL in the international market. Due to political concerns, companiesRead MoreCommunication, Conflict, And Conflict1453 Words   |  6 Pages Communication and Conflict Margarita Vela COM325: Communication Conflict Instructor: Kenneth Newton March 10, 2015 Communication and Conflict Conflict is a contest or struggle between individuals with opposing values, beliefs, needs, goals, and ideas. On teams, conflict is inevitable; on the other hand, the conflict’s outcomes are not predetermined. Conflict may escalate and result in nonproductive outcomes, or it may be beneficially resolved and lead to quality outcomes (Cahn AbigailRead More Motivation and Conflict Management Essay1023 Words   |  5 Pagesand Conflict Management Organizations strive for creative ways to enhance employee motivation and resolve conflicts with the desire to have employees perform better within the workplace. To motivate one has to be motivated. Motivation within the workplace has to be constant and requiring a goal. Motivation, if not repeated will not last. Therefore, learning to determine how different organizations apply motivation theories to motivate employees, analyzing conflict management strategies and what

Policing Function Free Essays

Policing Function University of Phoenix CJ/394 – Criminal Organizations SC11BCJ06 February 13th, 2013 Policing Law enforcement in the United States is a very unique component of the criminal justice system. Police Officers are thought to be the guardians of the gate; however, there are different levels of law enforcement that police cities, counties, and states. Law enforcement is broken down into different agencies. We will write a custom essay sample on Policing Function or any similar topic only for you Order Now According to Grant and Terry (2008, p. 3-15) four levels of law enforcement exist in the United States; Most cities and counties have their own municipal and county law enforcement agencies which include city police and sheriff departments such as the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. Each state has its level of law enforcement as well; example of state law enforcement agencies include the California Highway Patrol and the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Warden. On the federal level agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are accountable for all federal jurisdiction. Briefly, this report will outline the various perspectives of policing as they apply to the various agencies of law enforcement in the United States. Since the inception of the United States common laws, rules, and regulations have been enacted to preserve society; this report will identify and outline possible changes in current laws. In addition, the impact of possible changes as they apply to policing will be underlined. Levels of Policing Municipal and County As mentioned earlier, law enforcement in the United States is broken up to different levels and categories. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (2013), United States local law enforcement makes up two-thirds of 18,000 law enforcement agencies. The first level of policing consist of the municipal and county law enforcement agencies. The aforementioned level of law enforcement is the majority of policing in the United States. Local and county law enforcement officials are by far the most depended on agency in society throughout the United States. Municipal law enforcement agencies are often seen patrolling neighborhoods, responding to calls for service or enforcing traffic laws. According to Grant and Terry (2008, p. 13), â€Å"Large local law enforcement agencies often are responsible for investigating serious violent and property crimes in their jurisdictions, compared to half of state agencies (Bureau of Justice Statistics 2000). In addition to the many duties that are bestowed on to the police, local law enforcement is called upon for non-emergency and non-essential law enforcement needs. An example of the aforementioned is a call for service because a cat is stuck in a tree; again the call is non-emergency, however it is a call for service that officers respond to daily. County level policing usually consists of the Sheriff’s Department; however, Grant and Terry (2008, p. 13) suggest some cou nties do have a larger police force that would account for the jurisdiction of a county. Grant and Terry (2008, p. 13) state, â€Å"in some jurisdictions this office is dissolved into a county police force that functions much the same as municipal police. † Typically the Sheriff’s Office assumes jurisdiction in larger unincorporated areas; the scope of their duties revolve around enforcing court orders, court summons, or working the county jails. In some counties, the Sheriff’s Department’s functioning purpose is to provide police services much like a regular police agency, Grant and Terry (2008, p. 13-14). Grant and Terry (2008, p. 14) states, â€Å"In some jurisdictions, the sheriff’s office is entirely law enforcement focused, with no other responsibilities. † State In addition to the local and county police, each state has its own category of law enforcement. In the state of California the following agencies serve as a component in law enforcement: the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the Department of Fish and Game (Warden), California Lottery Security and Law Enforcement. State Law enforcement agencies are capable of arresting and xecuting search warrants, Grant and Terry (2008, p. 14). Other functions of state level policing include state investigations, collaboration with local and county law enforcement agencies, highway traffic enforcement and investigations, and enforcing state laws. Essentially, law enforcement on the state level may conduct basic law enforcement duties; however, most state police agencies are specific such as the CHP or the California Lottery Security and Law Enforcement. Federal Federal law enforcement includes agencies such as the FBI, DEA, and the ATF. In general federal law enforcement agencies can only enforce federal laws, where as local and state law enforcement agencies have jurisdiction over local and states matters, per Tenth Amendment of the United States Constitution, Grant and Terry (2008, p. 15). In 2002, the Homeland Security Act was enacted; said act recognized multiple federal law enforcement agencies as part of the new Department of Homeland Security. Prior to the aforementioned act two major federal agencies were prevalent in law enforcement: the Department of Justice and the Department of Treasury, Grant and Terry (2008, p. 15). Some federal policing duties include the following: investigations, inspections, federal court, security, and protection. Changes Among the many changing laws in the United States, there are a few that could prove to be an immense impact on society, more so on policing. The recent proposal for tougher gun laws and the use of advanced technology to police society seem to be on the horizon for today’s society. On December 14th, 2012, Adam Lanza, the shooter in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting murdered twenty children and six adults; Lanza used an â€Å"assault rifle† and some other weapons to carry out the aforementioned crime. Since the Sandy Hook incident the push for tougher gun laws has been proposed, thus causing a split in society. Currently the proposal is for a ban on â€Å"assault rifles† and ammunition sales. Some of the issues revolve around identifying certain weapons as assault weapons and limiting the amount of bullets allowed in a magazine. The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution states, â€Å"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed† Cornell University Law School (n. d. ). Historically, it has been proven that criminals don’t abide by the rules set forth in society. Should a tougher gun law or an assault weapons ban be imposed, the Second Amendment will be infringed on. Currently, society is split on wanting tougher gun laws; however, the other half are supportive of their right to bear arms and weapons ownership. One may wonder how this may pose as a challenge in the future of policing. The fact of the matter is law enforcement is meeting that challenge in today’s society; they are being asked to comply with a movement of recovering weapons from the streets and from responsible owners. The positive outcome from the aforementioned action revolves around recovering unwanted and potentially dangerous weapons; however, contrary to making society a safer place, the aforementioned action also promotes an opportunity for criminals to capitalize on. One should consider the negative result of not being able to have more than eight bullets, much less not owning a gun for protection. Criminals do not abide by the rules and regulations that have been enacted, thus there lack of concern for others. Considering the aforementioned point, the rise is crime, specifically violent crimes such as robbery, assault with deadly weapons, murder, and home invasions are all very possible. It is possible for the police to be understaffed while trying to combat the forecasted spike in crime. In addition, lots of innocent people could potentially be harmed or killed. Technology The recent proposal for using unmanned drones to assist police officers in the field is being met with mixed emotions as well. Many citizens feel as if their Constitutional rights are being violated; particularly the Fourth Amendment in the United States Constitution. Unmanned Drones also known as Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAV) would assist the police departments in field operations as they fly around and provide vital real time information giving law enforcement the edge on crime fighting. The issue that arises centers around the government violating the Fourth Amendment; having the UAV fly around in a large city such as Los Angeles makes many citizens wonder if the police are using this for actual police work as opposed to randomly checking on them for non-policing monitoring. The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution suggests United States citizens should be secure in heir own person and home; in addition that Amendment also include their personal papers and effects shall be free of unreasonable search or seizure from the government, and no warrant issued without probable cause. With a UAV flying around the city it is safe to assume many citizens will feel violated. In the future this will most definitely be an asset to law enforcem ent; however, it will come at the cost of freedom, privacy, and trust in law enforcement. Conclusion In this report the author briefly outlined the different levels of law enforcement in the United States. Each level of policing has certain function within society, from the local and county level to the federal level. Though every level has different functions throughout law enforcement, they still seem to provide basic services in regards to policing; in addition, all levels collaborate amongst themselves to help combat crime and provide solutions to preserve peace and a sense of security in society. Furthermore, two examples of current laws have been expanded on, giving a forecast of how they will change and impact law enforcement in the future. References Cornell University Law Shcool: Second Amendment. (n. d. ). Retrieved fromhttp://www. law. cornell. edu/constitution/second_amendment Cornell University Law Shcool: Fourth Amendment. (n. d. ). Retrieved fromhttp://www. law. cornell. edu/constitution/fourth_amendment Grant, H. B. , Terry, K. J. (2008). Law Enforcement in the 21st Century (2nd ed. ). Retrievedfrom The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Bureau of Justice Statistics: Local Police. (2013). Retrieved fromhttp://bjs. ojp. usdoj. gov/index. cfm? ty=tptid=71 How to cite Policing Function, Papers

The Presidential Election Of 2000 Essay Research free essay sample

The Presidential Election Of 2000 Essay, Research Paper The Presidential election of 2000 was one of the most controversial and dissentious political events in recent history, absolutely exemplifying the split between the two political parties and the about uncannily equality of these groups. However, this election besides showed the state that although many issues maintain these two parties in two distinguishable cantonments, an equal figure of issues drew really similar responses from the Republican campaigner, George W. Bush, and the Democratic campaigner, Al Gore. Truly, the past few old ages have seen a gravity on the parts of both parties towards a in-between land that has frustrated utmost conservativists and progressives ; two minor campaigners, Ralph Nader and Pat Buchannan, illustrated this conformance by their commands in this election on, severally, more broad and more conservative platforms. Nader # 8217 ; s claims of two indistinguishable major party campaigners were exagerrated: the two work forces did hold greatly changin g point of views on such issues as wellness attention, abortion, revenue enhancement reform, instruction, and the environment. However, other issues, such as run finance reform, gun control, the war on drugs, and foreign policy, have drawn unusually similar stances from the two work forces. The issue of revenue enhancements became cardinal to the 2000 election when Republican campaigner George W. Bush promised to utilize a tierce of the current excess to ordain a significant revenue enhancement cut. This $ 1.6 trillion dollar amount would let a revenue enhancement cut in each income bracket, an addition in child revenue enhancement credits and credits for married twosomes, and a abrogation of the estate revenue enhancement. Gore wanted to cut down this $ 1.6 trillion dollar amount to $ 480 million and restrict the revenue enhancement cuts to those he feels need them most, the revenue enhancement remunerators in the lower brackets. He besides wanted to make credits for college tuition, preschool, attention for an aged parent, the purchase of a fuel-efficient auto, and retirement-savings histories, all credits designed to give revenue enhancement interruptions to those who need them ( Frank 72 ) . The differences in the two campaigners # 8217 ; positions on abortion will chiefly act upon the assignment of new supreme tribunal justnesss. Several justnesss are looking towards retirement within the following four old ages. Bush would name justnesss such as Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia, while Gore would name justnesss such as Stephen Breyer and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. These justnesss would besides hold an consequence on verifiers for spiritual schools and affirmatory action. Bush would back up censoring partial abortions, but, while Gore claims he does non back up these abortions, he would oppose censoring them. Another important difference refering abortion concerns the abortion pill known as RU-486. This pill is taken orally after construct and kills the foetus as in a physician assisted abortion. Bush opposes legalising this pill, while Gore supports it ( Frank 72 ) . Bush and Gore differ refering wellness attention in their methods of guaranting that all households are medically insured. Bush wants to give a $ 2,000 revenue enhancement recognition to uninsured households in order to promote the purchase of insurance. Gore would wish to trust on the Children # 8217 ; s Health Insurance Program to let low- and middle-income kids # 8217 ; s parents to purchase subsidised insurance. Both campaigners would wish to give patients the right to action HMOs, but Bush would wish this right to be much more restricted than Gore would. Gore wants to continue Medicare by forcing $ 435 billion dollars into the # 8220 ; lockbox # 8221 ; , while Bush would turn Medicare into more of an insurance based operation than societal security based, leting the money to be used for insurance and prescription drugs ( Frank 72 ) . Another major bone of contention between the two campaigners involves environmental concerns. Bush and Gore disagree on where the demands of the state outweigh the demands of the Earth. A focal point of these environmental concerns has been the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Bush would wish to bore in this modesty in order to increase the United States # 8217 ; crude oil militias and cut down the monetary values of gasolene. However, Gore would wish to maintain this modesty pure as it contains several endangered species and is a alone preserved natural environment. Bush is besides an opposition of the Clean Air and Water Acts, favored undertakings of Gore, because he feels they limit the autonomous powers of single provinces ( Globe A28 ) . These issues illustrate that there are surely differences between the parties. However, there are many issues that, when presented to the campaigners, made clear the fact that both campaigners were scrambling towards a in-between land that would be appealing to more electors. Campaign finance reform is a sore topic for many in Washington, particularly those who feel that the state is run by particular involvement groups who donate important amoun T of money to presidential campaigners, anticipating political favours in return. Both Bush and Gore are no alien to hefty contributions, and have been known to do determinations while believing towards their parties’ piggy Bankss. Neither campaigner is really likely to be a innovator in the restriction of contributions. Both want to censor soft money, both are loath to wholly fade out the concatenation of money that keeps their parties’ political runs traveling in the involvement of just drama ( Presidential Argument ) . This similarity in the two campaigners was amplified by the presence of Senator John McCain in the Republican primaries. McCain’s steadfast lobbying for stricter regulations for run contributions stressed that the two major party campaigners are all excessively unwilling to give up support. Gun control is another issue that traditionally was the beginning of fierce contention between Republicans and Democrats, but this twelvemonth found itself centralized by the demand for swing ballots. Both want to concentrate on leting huntsmans and sportswomans to maintain their guns, but want to maintain these arms out of the incorrect custodies. Both besides want to censor automatic arms and high-capacity ammo cartridge holders. There are elusive differences in the two work forces? s policies. Bush wants to protect gun makers from cases, while Gore does non. The similarities and disparities between the two work forces? s policies can be seen in these replies during the October 17, 2000, argument in St. Louis. Q: Do you back up the Brady Bill? Shrubs: Law-abiding citizens ought to be allowed to protect their households. We ought to maintain guns out of the custodies of people who shouldn? Ts have them. That? s why I? m for instant background cheques at gun shows. I? m for trigger locks. I think we ought to raise the age at which juveniles can hold a gun. I besides believe that the best manner to do certain that we maintain our society safe is to keep people accountable for interrupting the jurisprudence. If we catch person illicitly selling a gun, there needs to be a effect. The federal authorities can assist. Gore: All my proposals are focused on that job: gun safety. None of my proposals would hold any consequence on huntsmans or sportswomans or people who use rifles. They? rhenium aimed at the existent job. Let? s have a three-day waiting period, A chilling off, so we can hold a background cheque to do certain that felons and people who truly shouldn? Ts have guns Dons? T acquire them. Both work forces besides have a similar place on the war on drugs. Predictably, they differ on the success of the Clinton-Gore war on drugs: Gore says that every bit long as disbursement was maintained, the drug war was successful ; Bush says that their policy was inconsistent and therefore doomed to neglect. Both feel that stronger Torahs are the reply, experiencing that their preventative attack is working. Both campaigners are similar in the interventionist action they are willing to take. In the presidential argument at Wake Forest on October 11, 2000, both work forces were unusually similar in their support of some of the interventionist actions of the past 20 old ages. They merely differed on two counts: Bush felt that action in Lebanon was necessary, and Gore did non, while the contrary was true for action in Haiti. Refering Grenada, Panama, the Persian Gulf, Bosnia, and Kosovo, both felt that military intercession was necessary. Merely when speech production of intercession in Somalia did both campaigners feel that military adjutant was unneeded and even harmful. This understanding of the two campaigners is non much of a surprise, since in 1990 and 1991, Gore was one of the few senators to openly support Desert Shield and Desert Storm. This has led to defeat among electors who favor a more isolationist point of view. These similarities in the two campaigners led to an interesting election twelvemonth full of recounts and contention. In the primaries, two strong rivals in the signifiers of John McCain and Bill Bradley made a much stronger demoing than smugglers up frequently do in these primaries. Two 3rd party campaigners, Ralph Nader and Pat Buchanan, picked up electors that were disillusioned by this gravity towards the center. However, claims that this was basically a one party race were slightly overdone. The campaigners took differing point of views on several cardinal issues. That kept them from looking, as Ralph Nader put it, like? Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum. ? All of these factors contributed to one of the most politically interesting elections in the history of the United States. Frank, Mitch, and Andrew Goldstein. ? The Four Big Differences. ? Time. Nov. 6, 2000: 72. Presidential Debate, Boston MA October 3, 2000. Presidential Debate, Winston-Salem NC October 11, 2000. Presidential Argument, St. Louis MO October 17, 2000. ? The Issues. ? The Boston Globe. Nov. 3, 2000: A28.

Lucille Ball Essay Research Paper Lucille Ball free essay sample

Lucille Ball Essay, Research Paper Lucille Ball was the most loved telecasting comedienne of her clip. She was an American icon and is considered the first lady of telecasting. With her strong work moral principle and her finding, Lucille non merely changed the face of telecasting, she besides paved the manner for a batch of other female actresses. In 1940, Lucille Balled married her Cuban Born hubby Desi Arnaz. Together they developed the I Love Lucy show, which became one of the most popular situation comedies of all clip. Although Lucille and Desi were set on making the plan, they had to get the better of a few obstructions foremost. For case, a adult female had neer had the starring function in a telecasting situation comedy and the webs were non certain that Lucille could transport the show. The major obstruction, nevertheless, was her matrimony to a Cuban. This would be the first clip on a web telecasting that a twosome would be inter-racial. We will write a custom essay sample on Lucille Ball Essay Research Paper Lucille Ball or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The webs were positive that no 1 would believe that Lucy was married to a alien. Lucille and Desi had to travel on circuit the summer before the show started to turn out that the American populace would have them. Contrary to the webs belief, the populace did accept them and the show began in 1951. The I Love Lucy show besides had a twosome of other # 8220 ; number ones # 8221 ; in web scheduling. Lucy and Desi decided to movie the series alternatively of making it in forepart of a unrecorded audience. Because each episode was on movie, they could reshow any episode at any clip. They fundamentally invented the term # 8220 ; rebroadcast # 8221 ; . When the series ended, they sold the show to independent Stationss and made 1000000s. This set the form for all of telecasting. Besides, for the first clip of all time on little screen, the lead character became pregnant. This worried the web superiors a batch. They were once more a fraid of the reaction of the American populace. They felt that people would non desire to see a pregnant adult female on telecasting. After confer withing with censors and several reverends, the web decided to travel in front with the show. The lone affect it had was to convey in an even larger audience. It was a national event, on January 19, 1953 when Lucy Ricardo gave birth to Little Ricky on telecasting and Lucille Ball gave birth to her 2nd boy on the same dark. The success of the show was unparallel. On the darks I Love Lucy aired, the majority of Americans stayed place in forepart of their telecasting sets. The show was neer ranked lower than 3rd in the evaluations. The I Love Lucy Show ended in 1957, but because of the rerun system that Lucille Ball and Desi created, it has neer been off the air since. 2 In 1960, Lucille and Desi divorced. She went on to star in several movies and besides in two more telecasting series, The Lucy Show and Here # 8217 ; s Lucy. Although both shows were really successful, they neer rather reached the popularity of I Love Lucy. Lucille Ball besides made a difference in the concern universe when she became one of the first female caputs of a production company. She headed Desilu Studios from 1962-1967 and Lucille Ball Productions organize 1967-1989. Even when she did non hold a current series on T.V. , Lucille was still good loved. Lucille Ball died on April 26, 1989 and the universe lost an extremely complete actress. Lucille # 8217 ; s ardent work ethic and passionate fortitude to win took her very far through life and she paved the manner for many adult females in the playing industry today. Throughout her life she had used her endowment to do 1000000s laugh and even after her decease she still maintains the regard that she warranted while she was populating.

Cultural change essays

Cultural change essays For nations to form, the people living in them had to become unified. This was difficult to accomplish as long as large groups of people lived virtually isolated from the cities of their country. Peasants in Western countries lived a life of bare subsistence at the beginning of the 19th century, often with a simple shelter, no furniture, and no change of clothes. Every stick of wood and stone placed around a fire was a precious commodity, and they could not survive except looking at issues in a very concrete and practical way. It did not matter what a government official in a city many miles away the peasant would never see thought the peasant should be doing. The peasant had to do what was most likely to keep him and his family alive. They were self-sufficient, and any suggestion that implied living in some other way must have seemed reckless For the entire country to pull together with a sense of nationalism required that they have a sense that they were all part of the same thing. This perception gradually grew during the last third of the 19th century in France as improved transportation brought urban concepts to previously isolated people. Until then, France was a country divided by regions in a very basic sense. France's unity was a governmental one, not a cultural Poverty as experienced by peasants was relative. If a person didn't know he "should" have a bed, he didn't feel impoverished by his pile of leaves. As the perceptions of what one needed spread from the French cities and towns to the wild countryside, perceptions about need changed. As economics improved for the French peasants, they began to acquire thing that used to be available only to the urban middle class, such s furniture and changes of clothes. The desire for these items demonstrated an increased shared culture among all the citizens. Cultural traditions and perceived needs are more im...

Blood Promise Chapter TwentyFive

I’d had to finally accept my Dimitri’s death. This one was a Strigoi. There was no future with him. I would not join him. That still didn’t make some part of me want to stop and lie down beside him, though, or at the very least see what happened next. After that initial surprise, his features and breathing had gone still, giving the illusion of death. That’s all it was, however-an illusion. I’d seen it before. I probably had five minutes at most before he healed up and shook this off. I had no time to mourn for what was and what might have been. I had to act now. No hesitation. I ran my hands over him, searching his clothes for anything that might be of use. I found a set of keys and some cash. I pocketed the keys and started to leave the cash but realized I might actually need it on the off chance I escaped this place. My own money had been taken when I arrived. I also swept up some of the jewelry on the table. Finding buyers for that kind of thing in big Russian cities wasn’t too difficult. If I made it to said city. I stood up off the bed and gave Dimitri one last pained look. A few of the tears I’d hidden from him earlier now ran down my face. That was all I could allow myself. If I had a later, I’d mourn then. Before leaving, my gaze lingered on the stake. I wanted to take it with me; it was my only weapon. Pulling it out would mean he’d wake up in about a minute. I needed the extra time. With a sigh, I turned my back on him, hoping I’d find a weapon elsewhere. I sprinted over to the suite’s door and punched in the code again. It unlocked, and I stepped into the corridor. Before going to the next door, I examined the one I’d just stepped through. To get into the suite, there was another keypad. Entry also required a code. Backing up a little, I struck and kicked the keypad as hard as I could. I did it twice more, until the tiny red light on it went out. I didn’t know if that would affect the lock on the inside of the suite, but in the movies, damaging electronic locks always seemed to work. Turning my attention to the next lock, I tried to remember the numbers Inna had told me. They weren’t etched as strongly in my head as the first. I punched in seven numbers. The little light stayed red. â€Å"Damn.† It was possible she’d lied about this set, but somehow, I suspected my memory was the culprit here. I tried again, knowing the clock was ticking on how long I had until Dimitri came after me. The red light flashed again. What were those numbers? I tried to visualize them in my head and finally decided I wasn’t entirely sure about the last two. I reversed their order the next time I put in the code. The light flashed green, and the door unlocked. Of course, there was a security system of a different sort outside. A Strigoi. And not just any Strigoi: It was Marlen. The one I’d tortured in the alley. The one who hated me because I’d disgraced him in front of Galina. He was clearly on guard duty and looked as though he’d expected a boring night. Me coming out the door was a shock. That gave me, oh, about a millisecond of surprise. My first thought was to just run at him with as much brute strength as I could. I knew he would do the same to me. In fact†¦ that was exactly what he’d do. I stayed where I was, standing so that I could keep the door propped open. He came at me to stop my escape, and I stepped aside, pulling the door open wider. Now, I was neither skilled enough nor was he inept enough to simply get lured in. He stopped in the doorway, trying to get hold of me. This gave me the difficult task of trying to both fend him off and drag him into the corridor behind the door. I stepped back into the doorway, hoping he’d follow. All the while, I had to keep the door open. It was all complicated, and I would have no time to punch in the code again. We fought in the confined space. The biggest thing I had going for me was that Marlen appeared to be a young Strigoi, which made sense. Galina would want to keep around henchmen she could control. Of course, Strigoi strength and speed compensated for a lack of experience. The fact that he had been a Moroi once also meant he probably had very little training. That also was a bonus for me. Dimitri was a badass Strigoi because he’d trained as a fighter before being turned. This guy had not. So, Marlen got a couple punches in on me, one coming dangerously close to my eye. The other caught me in the stomach, knocking the air out of me for half a second. But most of the time, I was able to dodge him pretty well. This seemed to infuriate him. Getting beat up by a teenage girl didn’t really score you cool points when you were a Strigoi. At one point, I even faked him out in one direction and came at him with a surprise kick -easier to do than I’d expected in that damned dress-that knocked him back a few steps. I just barely managed to keep my hand in the door when I did it, but that was all I needed. His stumble gave me a few seconds to slip out the door and into the main hall. Unfortunately, when I tried to close it, he was already trying to come through. With my hands, I tried to pull the door shut while kicking him back inside. We struggled this way for a while, and thanks to whatever luck I had left, I got the door closed enough so that only his arm was sti cking through. Bracing myself, I pulled the door toward me in one huge, forceful movement. It slammed into Marlen’s wrist. I half expected to see his hand detach and pop into the hall, but he’d jerked it back. Even Strigoi had certain instincts to avoid pain. Gasping-my physical strength still wasn’t all it could be-I backed up. If he knew the code, this had been for nothing. A moment later, the door’s handle shook but didn’t open. I heard a scream of rage, and then his fists beat on the door. Score one for me. No, score one for luck. If he’d known the code, I would have been Thud. Marlen was still beating on the door, and I saw the tiniest dent appear on the metallic surface. â€Å"Oh, crap,† I said. I didn’t stick around to see how many hits it’d take him to break it down. I also realized that even if I’d disabled the first lock, Dimitri would just be able to break that one down too. Dimitri†¦ No. I absolutely couldn’t think of him now. As I ran down the hall, heading toward the stairs Dimitri and I traveled before, an unexpected memory suddenly popped into my head. When Dimitri had last threatened Nathan, he’d mentioned getting my stake out of a vault. What vault was that exactly? Was it here on the premises? If so, I certainly didn’t have time to look. When weighing the option to search a four-story house full of vampires or run off into the countryside before they found you†¦ well, the choice was clear. And it was in the midst of that thought process that I ran into a human at the top of the stairs. He was older than Inna and carrying a stack of linens that he dropped when we collided. With almost no pause, I grabbed hold of him and swung him against the wall. I had no weapon to threaten him with and wondered how I’d assert my will now. Yet as soon as I had him pinned, he threw up his hands in a defensive gesture and began whimpering in Russian. There’d be no attacks on me here. Of course, now I had the problem of communicating what I needed. Marlen was still beating on the door, and Dimitri would be up in a couple of minutes. I glared at the human, hoping I looked terrifying. From his expression, I did. I attempted the caveman talk I had with Inna†¦ only this time the message was a little harder. â€Å"Stick,† I said in Russian. I had no clue what the word for stake was. I pointed at the silver ring I wore and made a slashing motion. â€Å"Stick. Where?† He stared at me in utter confusion and then asked, in perfect English, â€Å"Why are you talking like that?† â€Å"Oh for God’s sake,† I exclaimed. â€Å"Where is the vault?† â€Å"Vault?† â€Å"A place they keep weapons?† He continued staring. â€Å"I’m looking for a silver stake.† â€Å"Oh,† he said. â€Å"That.† Uneasily, he cast his eyes in the direction of the pounding. I pushed him harder against the wall. My heart felt like it would burst out of my chest, but I tried to hide it. I wanted this guy to think I was invincible. â€Å"Ignore him. Take me to the vault. Now!† With a frightened yelp, he nodded eagerly and beckoned me down the stairs. We descended to the second floor and made a sharp turn. The halls here were as twisty as the hedge maze Dimitri had shown me, all decorated in that gold and chandelier style, and I wondered if I’d even be able to get out of the house. Attempting this detour was a risk, but I wasn’t sure if I could get outside without being followed. If I was, there’d be a confrontation. I’d need to defend myself. The human led me down another hall and yet another. Finally, we reached a door that looked like any other. He stopped and peered at me expectantly. â€Å"Open it,† I said. He shook his head. â€Å"I don’t have the key.† â€Å"Well, I certainly don’t-wait.† I reached into my pocket and pulled out the keys I’d lifted from Dimitri. There were five keys on the ring. I tried them one at a time, and on the third one, I got a hit. The door opened. Meanwhile, my guide was casting hasty glances behind him and looked ready to bolt. â€Å"Don’t even think about it,† I warned. He blanched and stayed put. The room before us wasn’t very big, and while its plush white carpet and silver framed paintings made it look elegant, the room was†¦ well, basically, it looked like a junkyard. Boxes and weird objects-a lot of personal items like watches and rings in particular-lay around in no order. â€Å"What is this?† â€Å"Magic,† he said, still obviously scared out of his mind. â€Å"Magic items kept here to fade or be destroyed.† Magic†¦ ah. These were items charmed by Moroi magic. Charms always had some kind of effect on Strigoi-usually unpleasant-with stakes being the worst, since they used all four physical elements. It made sense that Strigoi would want to isolate harmful objects and get rid of â€Å"My stake!† I ran forward and picked it up, nearly dropping it because my hands were so sweaty. The stake was lying on top of a box with a length of cloth and some weird stones. Studying it, I realized it wasn’t actually my stake-not that it made a difference for killing Strigoi. This stake was almost identical, save for a small geometric pattern running around its base. It was something guardians did from time to time if they felt particularly attached to their stake: have a design or initials etched into it. Holding this stake, I felt a momentary pang of sadness. This had belonged to someone who’d wielded it proudly once, someone who was now most likely dead. God only knew how many other dozens of stakes were in here, seized from other unfortunate prisoners, but I had no time to search or mourn those who had died. â€Å"Okay, now I want you to take me to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I hesitated. Even with a stake, it’d be a lot better for me if I didn’t face any more Strigoi. I had to assume there’d still be a guard at the front door. â€Å"†¦ Some room on this floor with a window that actually opens. And is far from the stairs.† The guy thought for a moment and then gave a quick nod. â€Å"This way.† I followed him through another maze of twisting corridors. â€Å"What’s your name?† â€Å"Oleg.† â€Å"You know,† I said. â€Å"I’m getting out of here†¦ if you want†¦ if you want, I could take you with me.† Having someone else-a human, particularly -would definitely slow me down. Yet, my conscience wouldn’t let me leave anyone behind in this place. He gave me an incredulous glance. â€Å"Why would I want to do that?† Sydney had definitely been right about humans making great sacrifices for immortality. Oleg and Inna were living proof. We rounded a corner and came face-to-face with an elaborate set of French doors. Through the etched glass, I could see book-lined shelves, stretching all the way up the walls. A library-a huge one that extended on and on, out of my sight. Better yet, I saw a large bay window opposite me, framed in heavy satin curtains the color of blood. â€Å"Perfect,† I said, pushing open the doors. That was when the nausea hit me. We weren’t alone in the room. Galina sprang up from a chair near the fireplace on the far side of the room. A book dropped from her lap. I had no time to dwell on the oddity of a Strigoi having a fireside read, because she was coming right toward me. I almost might have thought Oleg had set me up, but he was cowering in a corner, his face mirroring the shock I felt. Despite the library’s enormous size, she reached me in seconds. I dodged her initial attack-or tried to, at least. She was fast. Aside from Dimitri, the other Strigoi in this house were clearly the B-team, and I had forgotten just how badass a truly skilled Strigoi was. She caught me by my arm and swung me toward her, mouth open and fangs going straight for my neck. I had the stake in my hand and tried awkwardly to at least scratch her with it, but she was holding me too tightly. At last, I managed to duck a little and move my throat out of her range, but all this did was give her the opportunity to grab hold of my hair. She jerked me upright, and I screamed in pain. How she managed to hold onto my hair without ripping it right out was remarkable. Still gripping it, she shoved me into a wall. When I’d first fought with Dimitri upon my arrival, he’d been rough but hadn’t wanted to kill me. Galina did. She’d taken it on faith from Dimitri that I’d be an asset, but it was obvious now that I was a real pain in the ass. Her amnesty had ended, and she was intent on killing me. I at least had the comfort of knowing she probably wouldn’t turn me into a Strigoi. I’d be lunch. A shout suddenly drew my attention to the door. Dimitri stood there, face blazing with anger. Whatever illusions I’d harbored about him being his former self disappeared. That fury radiated around him, his eyes narrowed and fangs showing. The pale skin and red eyes contrasted sharply against each other. He was like a demon sent straight from hell to destroy me. He strode toward us, and the immediate thought in my head was: Well, at least this’ll end things that much faster. Except†¦ it wasn’t me he attacked. It was Galina. I’m not sure which of us was more surprised, but in that moment, I was totally forgotten. The Strigoi raced toward each other, and I froze, stunned at the terrible beauty of their fight. There was almost a gracefulness to the way they moved, the way they struck out and skillfully dodged each other. I stared a bit longer and then mentally slapped myself into action. This was my chance to get out of here. I couldn’t get distracted. I turned to the bay window, searching frantically for a means to open it. There was none. â€Å"Son of a bitch!† Maybe Oleg had set me up after all. Or maybe there was just some mechanism that wasn’t apparent to me. Regardless, I felt pretty confident there was one way to get it open. I ran to the side of the room where Galina had sat and grabbed an ornate wooden chair. It was obvious this window wasn’t made of the hard-core glass that had been in my room. This stuff was similar to the library’s French doors, delicate and engraved with fanciful designs, even though darkly tinted. It couldn’t require that much force to break. After all that fruitless beating in my room, I took a kind of smug satisfaction in slamming the chair into it with as much force as possible. The impact made a huge hole in one side of the window, glass spraying everywhere. A few shards hit my face, but it was nothing to concern me now. Behind me, the sounds of battle raged on. There were grunts and muffled cries as they fought, as well as the occasional sound of some piece of broken furniture. I yearned to turn around and see what was going on, but I couldn’t. I took the chair and swung again, breaking the other half of the window. There was now a huge hole, perfect for me to get out of. â€Å"Rose!† Dimitri’s voice triggered some instinctive response in me. I glanced back and saw him still grappling with Galina. They were both exhausted, but it was clear he was getting the worst of it. But in their fighting, he kept trying to restrain her in a way that exposed her chest to me. His eyes met mine. Back when he’d been a dhampir, we’d rarely needed words to convey our thoughts. This was one of those times. I knew what he wanted me to do. He wanted me to stake her. I knew I shouldn’t. I needed to hop out that window right now. I needed to let them keep fighting, even though it seemed obvious Galina was about to win. And yet†¦ despite my misgivings, some force drew me across the room, stake poised and ready. Maybe it was because I would never fully lose my pull to Dimitri, no matter what kind of monster he’d become. Maybe it was an unconscious sense of duty, since I knew he’d just saved my life. Or maybe it was because I knew one Strigoi was going to die tonight, and she was the more dangerous. But she wasn’t easy to get hold of. She was fast and strong, and he was having a hard time with her. She kept wriggling around, trying to renew her attack. All she’d need to do was incapacitate him as I had; then it’d just require decapitation or burning to finish him off. I had no doubt she could arrange either. He managed to turn her slightly, giving me the best view of her chest I’d had. I moved forward-and then Dimitri slammed into me. I was addled for a moment, wondering why he’d attack me after saving me, until I realized he’d been pushed-by Nathan. Nathan had just entered the library, along with Marlen. It distracted Dimitri but not me. I still had the opening he’d given me on Galina, and I plunged my stake into her chest. It didn’t go in as deeply as I would have liked, and she still managed to fight me, bucking hard. I grimaced and pushed forward, knowing the silver had to be affecting her. A moment later, I saw the pain twist her face. She faltered, and I pushed my advantage, shoving the stake in all the way. It took several seconds, but she eventually stopped moving, her body crumpling to the ground. If the other Strigoi noticed her death, they didn’t pay attention. Nathan and Marlen were fixated on Dimitri. Another Strigoi-a female I didn’t recognize-soon joined the face-off. I jerked my stake out of Galina and slowly began backing toward the window, hoping I wouldn’t attract too much attention. My heart went out to Dimitri. He was outnumbered. I could possibly lend my strength and help him fight†¦ Of course, my strength was fading. I was still suffering from days of vampire bites and blood loss. I’d fought two Strigoi tonight and killed a powerful one. That had been my good deed, removing her from the world. The next best thing I could do would be to leave and let these Strigoi finish off Dimitri. The surviving ones would be leaderless and less of a threat. Dimitri would be free of this evil state, his soul finally able to move on to better places. And I would live (hopefully), having helped the world by killing more Strigoi. I bumped against the windowsill and looked out. Nighttime-not good. The sheer side of the manor was not ideal for climbing, either. It could be done, but it would be time consuming. I didn’t have any more time. Directly below the window was a thickly leafed bush of some sort. I couldn’t see it clearly and only hoped it wasn’t a rosebush or something equally sharp. A second floor drop wouldn’t kill me, though. Probably wouldn’t even hurt-much. I climbed over the ledge, briefly meeting Dimitri’s gaze as the other Strigoi moved in on him. The words came to me again: Don’t hesitate. Dimitri’s important lesson. But it hadn’t been his first one. His first had been about what to do if I was outnumbered and out of options: Run. Time for me to run. I leapt out the window. Blood Promise Chapter TwentyFive I’d had to finally accept my Dimitri’s death. This one was a Strigoi. There was no future with him. I would not join him. That still didn’t make some part of me want to stop and lie down beside him, though, or at the very least see what happened next. After that initial surprise, his features and breathing had gone still, giving the illusion of death. That’s all it was, however-an illusion. I’d seen it before. I probably had five minutes at most before he healed up and shook this off. I had no time to mourn for what was and what might have been. I had to act now. No hesitation. I ran my hands over him, searching his clothes for anything that might be of use. I found a set of keys and some cash. I pocketed the keys and started to leave the cash but realized I might actually need it on the off chance I escaped this place. My own money had been taken when I arrived. I also swept up some of the jewelry on the table. Finding buyers for that kind of thing in big Russian cities wasn’t too difficult. If I made it to said city. I stood up off the bed and gave Dimitri one last pained look. A few of the tears I’d hidden from him earlier now ran down my face. That was all I could allow myself. If I had a later, I’d mourn then. Before leaving, my gaze lingered on the stake. I wanted to take it with me; it was my only weapon. Pulling it out would mean he’d wake up in about a minute. I needed the extra time. With a sigh, I turned my back on him, hoping I’d find a weapon elsewhere. I sprinted over to the suite’s door and punched in the code again. It unlocked, and I stepped into the corridor. Before going to the next door, I examined the one I’d just stepped through. To get into the suite, there was another keypad. Entry also required a code. Backing up a little, I struck and kicked the keypad as hard as I could. I did it twice more, until the tiny red light on it went out. I didn’t know if that would affect the lock on the inside of the suite, but in the movies, damaging electronic locks always seemed to work. Turning my attention to the next lock, I tried to remember the numbers Inna had told me. They weren’t etched as strongly in my head as the first. I punched in seven numbers. The little light stayed red. â€Å"Damn.† It was possible she’d lied about this set, but somehow, I suspected my memory was the culprit here. I tried again, knowing the clock was ticking on how long I had until Dimitri came after me. The red light flashed again. What were those numbers? I tried to visualize them in my head and finally decided I wasn’t entirely sure about the last two. I reversed their order the next time I put in the code. The light flashed green, and the door unlocked. Of course, there was a security system of a different sort outside. A Strigoi. And not just any Strigoi: It was Marlen. The one I’d tortured in the alley. The one who hated me because I’d disgraced him in front of Galina. He was clearly on guard duty and looked as though he’d expected a boring night. Me coming out the door was a shock. That gave me, oh, about a millisecond of surprise. My first thought was to just run at him with as much brute strength as I could. I knew he would do the same to me. In fact†¦ that was exactly what he’d do. I stayed where I was, standing so that I could keep the door propped open. He came at me to stop my escape, and I stepped aside, pulling the door open wider. Now, I was neither skilled enough nor was he inept enough to simply get lured in. He stopped in the doorway, trying to get hold of me. This gave me the difficult task of trying to both fend him off and drag him into the corridor behind the door. I stepped back into the doorway, hoping he’d follow. All the while, I had to keep the door open. It was all complicated, and I would have no time to punch in the code again. We fought in the confined space. The biggest thing I had going for me was that Marlen appeared to be a young Strigoi, which made sense. Galina would want to keep around henchmen she could control. Of course, Strigoi strength and speed compensated for a lack of experience. The fact that he had been a Moroi once also meant he probably had very little training. That also was a bonus for me. Dimitri was a badass Strigoi because he’d trained as a fighter before being turned. This guy had not. So, Marlen got a couple punches in on me, one coming dangerously close to my eye. The other caught me in the stomach, knocking the air out of me for half a second. But most of the time, I was able to dodge him pretty well. This seemed to infuriate him. Getting beat up by a teenage girl didn’t really score you cool points when you were a Strigoi. At one point, I even faked him out in one direction and came at him with a surprise kick -easier to do than I’d expected in that damned dress-that knocked him back a few steps. I just barely managed to keep my hand in the door when I did it, but that was all I needed. His stumble gave me a few seconds to slip out the door and into the main hall. Unfortunately, when I tried to close it, he was already trying to come through. With my hands, I tried to pull the door shut while kicking him back inside. We struggled this way for a while, and thanks to whatever luck I had left, I got the door closed enough so that only his arm was sti cking through. Bracing myself, I pulled the door toward me in one huge, forceful movement. It slammed into Marlen’s wrist. I half expected to see his hand detach and pop into the hall, but he’d jerked it back. Even Strigoi had certain instincts to avoid pain. Gasping-my physical strength still wasn’t all it could be-I backed up. If he knew the code, this had been for nothing. A moment later, the door’s handle shook but didn’t open. I heard a scream of rage, and then his fists beat on the door. Score one for me. No, score one for luck. If he’d known the code, I would have been Thud. Marlen was still beating on the door, and I saw the tiniest dent appear on the metallic surface. â€Å"Oh, crap,† I said. I didn’t stick around to see how many hits it’d take him to break it down. I also realized that even if I’d disabled the first lock, Dimitri would just be able to break that one down too. Dimitri†¦ No. I absolutely couldn’t think of him now. As I ran down the hall, heading toward the stairs Dimitri and I traveled before, an unexpected memory suddenly popped into my head. When Dimitri had last threatened Nathan, he’d mentioned getting my stake out of a vault. What vault was that exactly? Was it here on the premises? If so, I certainly didn’t have time to look. When weighing the option to search a four-story house full of vampires or run off into the countryside before they found you†¦ well, the choice was clear. And it was in the midst of that thought process that I ran into a human at the top of the stairs. He was older than Inna and carrying a stack of linens that he dropped when we collided. With almost no pause, I grabbed hold of him and swung him against the wall. I had no weapon to threaten him with and wondered how I’d assert my will now. Yet as soon as I had him pinned, he threw up his hands in a defensive gesture and began whimpering in Russian. There’d be no attacks on me here. Of course, now I had the problem of communicating what I needed. Marlen was still beating on the door, and Dimitri would be up in a couple of minutes. I glared at the human, hoping I looked terrifying. From his expression, I did. I attempted the caveman talk I had with Inna†¦ only this time the message was a little harder. â€Å"Stick,† I said in Russian. I had no clue what the word for stake was. I pointed at the silver ring I wore and made a slashing motion. â€Å"Stick. Where?† He stared at me in utter confusion and then asked, in perfect English, â€Å"Why are you talking like that?† â€Å"Oh for God’s sake,† I exclaimed. â€Å"Where is the vault?† â€Å"Vault?† â€Å"A place they keep weapons?† He continued staring. â€Å"I’m looking for a silver stake.† â€Å"Oh,† he said. â€Å"That.† Uneasily, he cast his eyes in the direction of the pounding. I pushed him harder against the wall. My heart felt like it would burst out of my chest, but I tried to hide it. I wanted this guy to think I was invincible. â€Å"Ignore him. Take me to the vault. Now!† With a frightened yelp, he nodded eagerly and beckoned me down the stairs. We descended to the second floor and made a sharp turn. The halls here were as twisty as the hedge maze Dimitri had shown me, all decorated in that gold and chandelier style, and I wondered if I’d even be able to get out of the house. Attempting this detour was a risk, but I wasn’t sure if I could get outside without being followed. If I was, there’d be a confrontation. I’d need to defend myself. The human led me down another hall and yet another. Finally, we reached a door that looked like any other. He stopped and peered at me expectantly. â€Å"Open it,† I said. He shook his head. â€Å"I don’t have the key.† â€Å"Well, I certainly don’t-wait.† I reached into my pocket and pulled out the keys I’d lifted from Dimitri. There were five keys on the ring. I tried them one at a time, and on the third one, I got a hit. The door opened. Meanwhile, my guide was casting hasty glances behind him and looked ready to bolt. â€Å"Don’t even think about it,† I warned. He blanched and stayed put. The room before us wasn’t very big, and while its plush white carpet and silver framed paintings made it look elegant, the room was†¦ well, basically, it looked like a junkyard. Boxes and weird objects-a lot of personal items like watches and rings in particular-lay around in no order. â€Å"What is this?† â€Å"Magic,† he said, still obviously scared out of his mind. â€Å"Magic items kept here to fade or be destroyed.† Magic†¦ ah. These were items charmed by Moroi magic. Charms always had some kind of effect on Strigoi-usually unpleasant-with stakes being the worst, since they used all four physical elements. It made sense that Strigoi would want to isolate harmful objects and get rid of â€Å"My stake!† I ran forward and picked it up, nearly dropping it because my hands were so sweaty. The stake was lying on top of a box with a length of cloth and some weird stones. Studying it, I realized it wasn’t actually my stake-not that it made a difference for killing Strigoi. This stake was almost identical, save for a small geometric pattern running around its base. It was something guardians did from time to time if they felt particularly attached to their stake: have a design or initials etched into it. Holding this stake, I felt a momentary pang of sadness. This had belonged to someone who’d wielded it proudly once, someone who was now most likely dead. God only knew how many other dozens of stakes were in here, seized from other unfortunate prisoners, but I had no time to search or mourn those who had died. â€Å"Okay, now I want you to take me to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I hesitated. Even with a stake, it’d be a lot better for me if I didn’t face any more Strigoi. I had to assume there’d still be a guard at the front door. â€Å"†¦ Some room on this floor with a window that actually opens. And is far from the stairs.† The guy thought for a moment and then gave a quick nod. â€Å"This way.† I followed him through another maze of twisting corridors. â€Å"What’s your name?† â€Å"Oleg.† â€Å"You know,† I said. â€Å"I’m getting out of here†¦ if you want†¦ if you want, I could take you with me.† Having someone else-a human, particularly -would definitely slow me down. Yet, my conscience wouldn’t let me leave anyone behind in this place. He gave me an incredulous glance. â€Å"Why would I want to do that?† Sydney had definitely been right about humans making great sacrifices for immortality. Oleg and Inna were living proof. We rounded a corner and came face-to-face with an elaborate set of French doors. Through the etched glass, I could see book-lined shelves, stretching all the way up the walls. A library-a huge one that extended on and on, out of my sight. Better yet, I saw a large bay window opposite me, framed in heavy satin curtains the color of blood. â€Å"Perfect,† I said, pushing open the doors. That was when the nausea hit me. We weren’t alone in the room. Galina sprang up from a chair near the fireplace on the far side of the room. A book dropped from her lap. I had no time to dwell on the oddity of a Strigoi having a fireside read, because she was coming right toward me. I almost might have thought Oleg had set me up, but he was cowering in a corner, his face mirroring the shock I felt. Despite the library’s enormous size, she reached me in seconds. I dodged her initial attack-or tried to, at least. She was fast. Aside from Dimitri, the other Strigoi in this house were clearly the B-team, and I had forgotten just how badass a truly skilled Strigoi was. She caught me by my arm and swung me toward her, mouth open and fangs going straight for my neck. I had the stake in my hand and tried awkwardly to at least scratch her with it, but she was holding me too tightly. At last, I managed to duck a little and move my throat out of her range, but all this did was give her the opportunity to grab hold of my hair. She jerked me upright, and I screamed in pain. How she managed to hold onto my hair without ripping it right out was remarkable. Still gripping it, she shoved me into a wall. When I’d first fought with Dimitri upon my arrival, he’d been rough but hadn’t wanted to kill me. Galina did. She’d taken it on faith from Dimitri that I’d be an asset, but it was obvious now that I was a real pain in the ass. Her amnesty had ended, and she was intent on killing me. I at least had the comfort of knowing she probably wouldn’t turn me into a Strigoi. I’d be lunch. A shout suddenly drew my attention to the door. Dimitri stood there, face blazing with anger. Whatever illusions I’d harbored about him being his former self disappeared. That fury radiated around him, his eyes narrowed and fangs showing. The pale skin and red eyes contrasted sharply against each other. He was like a demon sent straight from hell to destroy me. He strode toward us, and the immediate thought in my head was: Well, at least this’ll end things that much faster. Except†¦ it wasn’t me he attacked. It was Galina. I’m not sure which of us was more surprised, but in that moment, I was totally forgotten. The Strigoi raced toward each other, and I froze, stunned at the terrible beauty of their fight. There was almost a gracefulness to the way they moved, the way they struck out and skillfully dodged each other. I stared a bit longer and then mentally slapped myself into action. This was my chance to get out of here. I couldn’t get distracted. I turned to the bay window, searching frantically for a means to open it. There was none. â€Å"Son of a bitch!† Maybe Oleg had set me up after all. Or maybe there was just some mechanism that wasn’t apparent to me. Regardless, I felt pretty confident there was one way to get it open. I ran to the side of the room where Galina had sat and grabbed an ornate wooden chair. It was obvious this window wasn’t made of the hard-core glass that had been in my room. This stuff was similar to the library’s French doors, delicate and engraved with fanciful designs, even though darkly tinted. It couldn’t require that much force to break. After all that fruitless beating in my room, I took a kind of smug satisfaction in slamming the chair into it with as much force as possible. The impact made a huge hole in one side of the window, glass spraying everywhere. A few shards hit my face, but it was nothing to concern me now. Behind me, the sounds of battle raged on. There were grunts and muffled cries as they fought, as well as the occasional sound of some piece of broken furniture. I yearned to turn around and see what was going on, but I couldn’t. I took the chair and swung again, breaking the other half of the window. There was now a huge hole, perfect for me to get out of. â€Å"Rose!† Dimitri’s voice triggered some instinctive response in me. I glanced back and saw him still grappling with Galina. They were both exhausted, but it was clear he was getting the worst of it. But in their fighting, he kept trying to restrain her in a way that exposed her chest to me. His eyes met mine. Back when he’d been a dhampir, we’d rarely needed words to convey our thoughts. This was one of those times. I knew what he wanted me to do. He wanted me to stake her. I knew I shouldn’t. I needed to hop out that window right now. I needed to let them keep fighting, even though it seemed obvious Galina was about to win. And yet†¦ despite my misgivings, some force drew me across the room, stake poised and ready. Maybe it was because I would never fully lose my pull to Dimitri, no matter what kind of monster he’d become. Maybe it was an unconscious sense of duty, since I knew he’d just saved my life. Or maybe it was because I knew one Strigoi was going to die tonight, and she was the more dangerous. But she wasn’t easy to get hold of. She was fast and strong, and he was having a hard time with her. She kept wriggling around, trying to renew her attack. All she’d need to do was incapacitate him as I had; then it’d just require decapitation or burning to finish him off. I had no doubt she could arrange either. He managed to turn her slightly, giving me the best view of her chest I’d had. I moved forward-and then Dimitri slammed into me. I was addled for a moment, wondering why he’d attack me after saving me, until I realized he’d been pushed-by Nathan. Nathan had just entered the library, along with Marlen. It distracted Dimitri but not me. I still had the opening he’d given me on Galina, and I plunged my stake into her chest. It didn’t go in as deeply as I would have liked, and she still managed to fight me, bucking hard. I grimaced and pushed forward, knowing the silver had to be affecting her. A moment later, I saw the pain twist her face. She faltered, and I pushed my advantage, shoving the stake in all the way. It took several seconds, but she eventually stopped moving, her body crumpling to the ground. If the other Strigoi noticed her death, they didn’t pay attention. Nathan and Marlen were fixated on Dimitri. Another Strigoi-a female I didn’t recognize-soon joined the face-off. I jerked my stake out of Galina and slowly began backing toward the window, hoping I wouldn’t attract too much attention. My heart went out to Dimitri. He was outnumbered. I could possibly lend my strength and help him fight†¦ Of course, my strength was fading. I was still suffering from days of vampire bites and blood loss. I’d fought two Strigoi tonight and killed a powerful one. That had been my good deed, removing her from the world. The next best thing I could do would be to leave and let these Strigoi finish off Dimitri. The surviving ones would be leaderless and less of a threat. Dimitri would be free of this evil state, his soul finally able to move on to better places. And I would live (hopefully), having helped the world by killing more Strigoi. I bumped against the windowsill and looked out. Nighttime-not good. The sheer side of the manor was not ideal for climbing, either. It could be done, but it would be time consuming. I didn’t have any more time. Directly below the window was a thickly leafed bush of some sort. I couldn’t see it clearly and only hoped it wasn’t a rosebush or something equally sharp. A second floor drop wouldn’t kill me, though. Probably wouldn’t even hurt-much. I climbed over the ledge, briefly meeting Dimitri’s gaze as the other Strigoi moved in on him. The words came to me again: Don’t hesitate. Dimitri’s important lesson. But it hadn’t been his first one. His first had been about what to do if I was outnumbered and out of options: Run. Time for me to run. I leapt out the window.

Monolingual and bilingual approach in language classrooms Essay

Monolingual and bilingual approach in language classrooms - Essay Example As our world has become smaller, more countries have recognized the importance of English becoming an international language. They have seen the importance of upgrading their language teaching skills. Government policies across the world such as ‘Teaching English through English’ (TETE) had begun in Korea (Nunan, 2003; Kang, 2008). As learning English has become more popular in many countries, teachers have asked whether it is better to teach English through a monolingual approach or a bilingual approach. "Monolingual approach is teaching English by only using English; and the bilingual approach is teach the target language which in this case is English (L2) using both the mother tongue (L2) and the target language.(L2)" (Atkinson, 1993; Edstrome, 2006). Learning English by using the mother tongue has been considered a less efficient method in some countries. Parents and governments have the tendency to favour only an English language teaching syllabus but there are teac hing professionals who advocate that teaching using only L2 may not be the most efficient and profitable way of teaching. The importance lies in deciding what is the best teaching method; and whether or not L1 should be used in teaching. The teaching approach depends on the teachers and the parents. All circumstances need to be taken under consideration to determine what is best for learners (Atkinson, 1993).A brief historical background of both approaches will be presented including the pros and the cons of L1 bilingual approach and the L2 approach.... A brief historical background of both approaches will be presented including the pros and the cons of L1 bilingual approach and the L2 approach. Emphasis will be made showing that L1 helps target language learning. To conclude a format will be introduced showing strategies of when and how to use students' native language and strategies how to limit the use of L1 use in order to maximize the use of L2. 2. Historical view of L1 and L2 use in language classroom When teaching L2 (English)as a second language began several hundred years ago, using the target language was well accepted (Auerbach, 1993). This phenomenon was due to emphasizing writing competence rather than speaking competence. From the 19th century, there was a reversed phenomenon and speaking became more important that writing. The monolingual approach took precedence in language learning. (Baron, 1990; Crawford, 1991; Auerbach, 1993).Each wave of immigration considered speaking English part of the process of assimilation. The U.S government attempted to Americanize immigrants considering speaking good English as patriotic (Baron, 1990, p. 155) The earlier form of teaching in colonial times stressed monolingual teaching in order homogenize the language (Phillipson, 1992; Hawks, 2001). It was possibly a major influence that the L1 varied depending on the immigrants' nationality. Using both languages was seen as non efficient and abnormal way of teaching the language so that L2 was their only tool to teach the target language (Pennycook, 1994). The Makere report, presented at Makere University in Uganda at a conference in 1961, gives an excellent example in how much the monolingual approach was favoured. There are five main tenets: 1. English is best taught in a monolingual

System Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

System Analysis - Essay Example The problem underlying here is that an online system is required for the company through which it can sell/rent its products as part of usual business. Apart from the usual business, TWE can also provide various offers which will bring customers to use its services. Therefore, an online system should be developed to cater to these needs. Once the basic requirements are accomplished, we can even work towards getting more out of the online system. The details of what all the system can do will be explained later in the text. Specify Preferences - people who wish to purchase will be given user account. They can then login through their account and can create their wish lists according to their desired preferences. Here, we will also enable the user to purchase or use rental services from TWE. Rental Services - an option will be given to the customers where they can rent any video or music item even without specifying a due date. This will enable the customers to enjoy the benefits for a longer period without being subjected to late fees. TWE first started in 1977 as a music sales store. Sales were steady and profit kept on increasing. Thus TWE soon became a chain of stores. In 1981, a new product was added - video games. Slowly TWE became a joint music and video store. Through the later 1980s, TWE had many outlets nationwide. Hence it was decided to take it international. Since then, TWE has grown tremendously in national as well as international market. The current status is that TWE now employs 2340 employees and has world revenues of 1.7 million as of January 2008. The sales of TWE has ever increased but currently we will focus on capturing the market online as well. An online system further increases the sales of any company as it is available to a wider audience. Feasibility Study With the introduction of the online process, we need to take care of the feasibility. Operational feasibility - in operations point of view, there seems to be no constraints as TWE has a fine team of IT professionals comprising of developers, designers, programmers, analysts etc. Technical feasibility - the website will need to be developed using HTML as front end, and Oracle database as the backend. For the middleware, we can use any of JSP, ASP, ASP.NET etc. it depends on the programmers and developers how they want to design their website. Economic feasibility - initially website needs to be registered with the suggested name of the site. Depending upon the availability, the suggested name can be used for the website. This registration would involve

Middle School and Happiness Essay Example for Free

Middle School and Happiness Essay Happiness comes in all shapes and sizes. What makes you happy may not make someone else happy. The idea of happiness may not be the same for any two people, or maybe not for anyone you come across with. Happiness is an emotion causes by thousands of things. It is an abstract idea that cannot be fully described. What makes you happy changes as you get older, you do not like the same things your whole life so it is normal that your interests start to change. Like mentioned before not everyone has the same interests and cannot feel happiness from the same things. From firsthand experience I can say that I am the perfect example of finding different happiness. They have changed from my years in elementary school, middle school, and high school. Let’s start with elementary school. When I was in elementary school what brought me happiness was having time to spend at my friend’s house after school. Because I lived far away from the school that I attended I didn’t really know anyone in my neighborhood. There were days though that my parents would let me go to a friend’s house and stay there for a few hours while they got out of work. I didn’t have to be at my grandma’s house bored so that made me really happy, and I had a lot of fun while I was there so that made it even better. Another thing that made me feel happiness was being able to go two days out of the week to band practice. I liked being able to play my instrument and making beautiful sound come out of something so little. Playing with the band was my thing I could not stop smiling and feeling all this joy inside as I played. When the director put his arms up and signaled us to start playing was so thrilling knowing that we were about to make beautiful music all together. I think back and see how simple things made me really happy as a child. Now let’s talk about middle school. While I was in middle school I was still in band and yes it still brought me happiness. The main thing that brought me happiness while I was in middle school was being a little more free from home and my parents. If I remember correctly it was seventh grade that I went to my first dance, you can imagine my excitement. When I was at the dance my friends and I were having a great time, we were laughing and  dancing the whole time. Because it was my first dance it was a very fun time, and it brought so much happiness to be able to share that experience with my friends. When I was in high school all of my interests changed and even now I have the same interests. I found my passion for singing so I auditioned to join the school choir and I made it. Being in choir class was the best thing that I did when I was in high school. The happiness that I felt when I walked into that class every day I have no words to describe it. To top it all off when I started to sing and hear the chords we would all make together gave me the chills. There was not a single day that passed where hearing myself and others around me sing was not magical. When I would have a bad day I waited for third period to talk into class grab my folder from my cubic and start to sing and just forget about everything. Music was my escape from being upset, it was the way for me to forget about what was going on in my life. The happiness I felt was so great, even now I turn to music for help and comfort. In conclusion, happiness is an abstract emotion that cannot be easily defined. Not everyone feels happiness in the exact same way or from the same things. But no matter where our happiness comes from we all feel it. We feel it as kids, as teenagers, and as adults. Even though what causes us happiness may change the characteristics of it do not. The smile, the giggle, and the butterflies in your stomach do not disappear. From firsthand experience I know that we all go through phases, but not matter how old we get, we are always going to be happy.

Physics of Sailing :: physics sail boat sailing boating

A boat floating can be greatly appreciated, especially if you are in the boat at the time. But what keeps a boat from sinking? Physics can explain these concepts. There are many forces that act on a sailing ship to put it in motion, but the buoyant force is what is required to keep the boat from sinking. A buoyant force is the normal force that pushes up on the boat supporting its weight in a fluid. The buoyant force "equals the weight of the fluid displaced by the object."(pg.427, Serway and Jewett) This concept is Archimede's Principle. The pressure on an object in a fluid varies with the depth of that part of the object in the fluid. B=(P b – P t)A = (Ï  fluidgh)A = Ï  fluidgV B=Buoyant force P b=pressure at bottom P t=pressure at top A=area of bottom face Ï  fluid=fluid density g=gravity h= height V=volume of fluid displaced by object (formula from pg. 428, Serway and Jewett) "The fraction of the volume of a floating object that is below the fluid surface is equal to the ratio of the density of the object to that of the fluid."(p.429, Serway and Jewett) V fluid/Vobj = Ï  obj/Ï  fluid Vobj=volume of the object Ï  obj=density of the object Buoyancy of the craft is created by the shape of the hull, but also with buoyant materials in specific places. Air tanks, buoyancy bags, and polystyrene blocks are all used to add buoyancy to a boat. The figure below shows how the buoyant material should be distributed and the effects if it is not. figure from The Handbook of Sailing The distrubution of buoyancy is key to having the boat float properly. Bernoulli's principle is that the air moving past a foil, an object that has one curved side and one flat side, will take longer to move past the curved side than the flat side of the foil. This will cause the flat side to have higher air pressure and to exert a force on the object. The force cause a planes wing to lift and a sail to push a boat. "With the wind pushing on one side of the sails and the water pushing on the other side of the centerboard, the boat moves forward." (p. 35, Dellenbaugh) The angle at which sailing is important. A 45 degree angle to the wind is the most effective angle. Wind is what propels a sailing ship so weather has a large impact on the craft. Certain weather conditions are not suitable for sailing or specific crafts.

The Forest – Creative Writing

Descriptive Writing – The forest. [pic] A crisp winter morning and there was a frosty chill in the air. A sweet surrendering scent of the moist morning dew that cascades all around the sublime forest. The mixed cool autumn leaves from the tall trees lay scattered on the forest floor; they were in the motion of turning a brittle brown. There was the sound of shattered glass that emphasised the leaves being crunched, as if you were to step on them, pushing their papery remains deep into the brilliant white snow, which lined the ground like a fresh white cotton sheet. The passive and daunting forest has the appeal of a forgotten land, which has been lost in time. The isolated forest remained in a capsule, untouched by the destructive essence of man. The dark shadows of the voluminous trees and puzzled bushes had become the structure of the forest. The trees stood proud and tall as protectors of the exigent grounds, as the impregnated bushes that had consumed the hard regions of the forest, concealed the land from beneath the vibrant portals of the open sky. The isolated forest has the appearance of winter romance which blossomed, alluring your mind deeper and deeper into the enchanted land. As the wintery sun rose in a timely hurry, as if trying to make up for setting so early the evening before, the sun bloomed into the sky with a warm mellow glow. Sending what was left of the dull moon packing until his next stint overlooking the night. The dusky sky, was a brilliantly bright baby blue, and perched picturesquely on the autumn branches of the trees in the forest below. As the morning developed the sounds of young birds began to fulfil the air with a delicious spritz. They chirped, tweeted and warbled incessantly. The lake had been hardened by the sharp cold blitz of an icy frost. The translucent water was bound as a smooth solid and the particles of the water reflected a sheer shine of gleam and glitz, that could only be disrupted by the sharp razor blades that ice skates posses. Whispers of the remaining snowflakes were on top of the tranquil ice; these blew in the breeze over into the depths of the forest. As the mellow winter sun rises over the hard reflective lake the water shows parts of itself melting into a liquid, which is so cold that it could freeze in an absolute instance. The sheen of reflection on the arctic water from the glowing sun sparkles in the tranquil air, with the light reflecting, unique combinations of blue hues and pearlescent purples. The land is isolate and derelict from the prospects of busy city life. Tranquillity and idealistic bliss are forth seen in the deep depths of the forest as well as the environments sublime intake of the wintry season. The tall trees posses a sweet serenity that keeps all safe in the forest from delinquent harm and stark human demoralisation. Sheets of thick white cloudy snow preserve the gritty grounds beneath as well as the silky sheets of ice that protect fresh organic water.

Solar Panel

The local council of Greenville recently made a proposal for all houses and businesses to install solar hot-water systems by 2010. Houses and businesses that who have not installed solar hot-water systems by then would be charged a â€Å"greenhouse levy†. However some residents have expressed anger over the proposal. â€Å"Solar Sellout† published in a local newspaper, an opinion piece and its accompanying cartoon written Bob Walsh, contends that the proposal which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is not appropriate for the small suburb of Greenville.Walsh uses a sarcastic and angry tone which is quite personal, and aims to clearly outline why the proposal by the government is a bad idea. Walsh manipulates the reader by using a series of techniques to convey his point of view. The first technique which stands out is the headline, and the use of a graphic. The headline ‘solar sellout’ is conveying the meaning that the proposal will be exactly that, a â€Å"sellout†. The cartoon stands out instantly due to its size and placement on the page. The image portrays the character of the Mayor.He’s depicted to be a person of obvious wealth, shown by the ‘bling’ worn around his neck and his incredible size. The size of the Mayor also gives the impression that he’s a force to be reckoned with and that the population of the town don’t have a chance of standing up to him. The image shows the two classes of wealth present in the town, one, being the rich, represented by the large, well-kept houses both with solar panels on the roof, yet also clearly the minority. Then the working class which is represented by the collection of smaller houses that aren’t able to afford the panels.The reader then sees the families living in the less attractive houses being forced to pay the Mayor their well-earned money. Wash uses a series of techniques to emphasise his point of view. He commences with emotive la nguage like â€Å"†¦ become a captive of the radical environmentalists† who have made the council their â€Å"captive†. By describing environmentalists as â€Å"radical†, Mr Walsh evokes a sense of fear in the audience, questioning whether environmentalists can be trusted and if they are safe to be consulted with.This leads the reader to question the honesty of the council and their ability to fend off environmental lobby groups who have their own agenda in the scheme. The word â€Å"captive† forces the reader to question the credibility of the council in its ability to make logical decisions on the community’s behalf. Such an implication is likely to leave readers questioning the real motivations behind the council’s decision. The use of the loaded term â€Å"incredibly† coerces the reader to consider the proposal as ridiculous and out of line.Furthermore, it belittles those who are supporters of the proposal and leads the reade r to consider supporters of the proposal as absurd. The author continues with loaded language saying that â€Å"this is a blatant abuse of residents’ rights†¦ † in an attempt to appeal to the audiences self interest and desire for freedom. By describing the citizens as â€Å"innocent† Mr Walsh creates a divide between the council and the residents of Greenville.This intends to imply to the reader that the residents are the victims of the proposal and the council is set to take advantage of the residents. In a bid to add credibility to his argument, Walsh utilises statistics such as â€Å"The cost? $200 per house, and $500 per business! † Wash also uses rhetorical question and then answering it himself. By doing so, Walsh ridicules the suggestion of the cost to the consumer. This appeals to the readers sense of financial security and makes the suggestion seem ridiculous.He also states that even if every Australian household installed hot water systems , â€Å"greenhouse gases would only be reduced by†¦ just 5. 1%†. The use of these statistics is employed not only to add credibility to his own argument but to discredit the council’s claim that its proposal would significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The council claim is further made illogically when the author says â€Å"Greenville only represents a tiny fraction of that 5. 1%† so â€Å"how can one suburb’s actions affect the whole world? The author’s sarcastic use of this rhetorical question aims to embarrass the council and its proposal, thus convincing the reader to believe the council’s argument has been discredited and that Mr Walsh’s is the most valid. Finally,Mr Walsh proposes his own solution to this proposal and challenges the mayor to â€Å"lobby governments for more nuclear power plants, rather than squander public money on frivolous solar panels†. The emotive term â€Å"frivolous† intends to ridicule the proposal and coerces the reader to feel hat there are far more effective alternatives than the council’s current proposal. Furthermore, contrasting the current proposal with his own proposal, allows Walsh to appear to be well-informed on the issue, thus he knows what he is writing about. By appealing on the readers sense of self-interest, financial insecurity and suspicion of authority, Walsh persuades the reader to consider that the councils proposal would be ineffective and would suppress individual freedoms and rights; inappropriate for Greenville and the greater good.

Fdi in China Essay Example

Fdi in China Essay Example Fdi in China Essay Fdi in China Essay FDI in China Telecommunication Industry (Nokia in China) FDI are crucial part for developing and expanding the infrastructure in order to gain capital and new technology. Foreign direct investment can spark growth and create national wealth, but competition among companies, local and multinational alike, diffuses the benefits. Government policies designed to protect incumbents, high tariffs and joint-venture and local content requirements. China is success to attract investors to make FDI in Mainland China while other countries are facing a number of challenges and downturns. In 2003 China received US$53. 5 billion out of a global total of US$560 billion and in 2002 received US$52. 7 billion out of US$580 billion beating United States as the first place recipient. China performance is anomalous but may also be instructive in gauging the determinant of FDI in emerging markets. There are two keys in Chinas success, first is their tightly-knit political system, involving closely-knit business government networks of influence which is close to the optimal conditions of property rights provision. Second, is although the overall size of FDI is quite high but China does not yet allow FDI into basic telecommunication service provision, this condition is totally different with others developing countries. The credible commitments are also made China can expand networks and increased the FDI. China makes reasonably strong commitments even though it only has a weak domestic liberalization program. China acceded to the WTO on December 11, 2001 and made commitments in goods and services including telecommunications. : Prior to the accession, China allowed joint ventures with foreign company in equipment manufacturing and infrastructure building, and invited portfolio investments in mobile telephony and Internet-related arms. The accession agreement allows joint ventures for Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Beijing in value-added services upto 30%, and up to 25% for basic (terrestrial and wireless) voice and data services. The geographical restrictions are removed and foreign equity caps raised to 49% or 50% for value-added services within two years of accession, within three years for mobile and data services, and within six years for domestic and international services. This event also triggered a huge investment of monetary and human R;D capital. Many foreign investors came to China announced to have establishment or expansion in China R;D center. The increasing total amount of FDI to China can be seen as the following table (Summarized from People’s Daily, International Trade Daily, and China Daily). Company| Date of Announcement| Size of the new R;D center| Nokia| November, 2001| 500 researchers, it is the second Nokia’s R;D center in China| Motorola| November, 2001| It is the Motorola’s 19th R;D center in China. In the next 5 years inChina, Motorola will increase its researchers up to 5000 and invest1. 3 billion dollars in R;D activities. | Microsoft| January, 2002| 100 full-time researchers and several hundreds visiting researchersand engineering students. | Honda| January, 2002| $17 million investment| GE| February, 2002| 400 researchersIt is the third largest R;D center of GE. | Honeywell| March, 2002| 30 researchers| NEC| March, 2002| 50 researchers (up to 500 researchers by 2005)The size of this telecommunication R;D center is only behind itscounterpart in NEC’s headquarters. | Oracle| March, 2002| 100 staff membersIt will become Oracle’s strongest R;D base outside the UnitedStates within five years. | Japan Koito Manufacturing| April, 2002| $12 million investment| Sun Microsystem| April, 2002| Sun will shift 10 per cent of its R;D work to this Chinese center. Hewlett-Packard| May, 2002| 200 researchers (up to 2000 researchers in 5 years)| Ericsson| May, 2002| It is Ericsson’s 7th R;D center in China| Dell| July, 2002| 270 researchers initially, growing to 1,000 in the next few years. | As we can see at the table above, the investment is mostly come from telecommunication industry like Nokia, Motorola, Ericsson, and Hewlett-Packard. Telecommunications indust ry developed at a high speed in China. The development was triggered by the large amount of foreign investors came to China. This situation stimulates the Chinese government to keep developing a telecommunication infrastructures and technologies in a great pace. Telecommunication companies like Nokia, Motorola, and Ericsson used this opportunities to expand their companies. The development for opening networks in telecommunication industry was started from 1990s. Number of telecommunications lines rose from 12 million in 1990s to 170 million in 2000. In the early 1990s when analogue cell phone held sway, the Chinese market was monopolized by a single transnational corporation, Motorola, and at that time Chinese consumers were paying high prices to use brick-like mobile phones produced by that company. After a digital mobile telecommunications network was established in China in 1994, Nokia Ericsson, and some others quickly expanded their production in China, and the monopoly of Motorola began to shake. In 1996, Ericsson become the largest cell phone producer in China with a 37% share of the Chinese market, but two years later it was replaced by Nokia whose market share reached 36%. Nokia in China Nokia opened its first office in Beijing in 1985. The reasons for NMP to enter the Chinese market for mobile phones as late as 1995 had to do with the size of the market. The main reason being that the mobile phone subscriber base was slow to develop. The number of users in 1992 was less than 50. 000 (Collins et al. , 1999, p. 10). Subscriptions had a quick and rapid take off after the economy opened for FDI and trade in China since mid-1990s. Between 1992-1995 the number of subscriptions grew by 400%. The rapid growth of a new middle class is also a sign for mobile phone manufacturers. China’s rate of telephone coverage was in the early 1990s the lowest in the world. This had also to do with the lack of proper and functioning mobile phone networks. The Ministry of Posts and telecommunication (MPT) announced instead of developing landlines to develop wireless solutions, which boosted the market for both networks and later on mobile phone sales China currently the second largest market for Nokia after United States. Nokia has currently two units in China producing mobile phones. One unit is located in Beijing and the other in Dongguan. In 1986 it sold the first NMT450 analogue cellphone system in China, which was a landmark for the beginning a long lasting success. Nokia began to sell GSM in China in 1991. By the end of 2001, Nokia has invested a total of 2. 3 billion Euro (nearly $2 billion) in China and established itself as a strong contender in the mobile phone market. The company has twenty-two local offices, eight joint ventures and a research centre, total employees amount to 5. 500. Nokia is the second largest mobile phone supplier in China after Motorola, with a market share of 30% (situation at end of 2001). Nokias winning strategy in China lies in unique product design, combined with functionality and ease of use. The company offers a broad range of mobile phones to accommodate different needs and tastes. In addition, the company has developed an extensive reseller network with 900 outlets throughout China. Nokia is also a pioneer in new generation mobile technologies including GPRS (General Packet Radio Service). Nokia has invested heavily in China, and one new manufacturing facility located in the Beijing area has brought about 15,000 jobs (Li, 2002). Foreignowned, export-oriented enterprises have sharply increased income and benefit levels since foreign firms usually pay more and offer more comprehensive benefit packages than local Chinese-owned firms (Angresano and Zhang, 2000). In 2001 Nokia opened a Xing Wang (StarNet) International Industrial Park with a Chinese partner. The 10 billion Yuan ($1. 2 billion) park will be used to manufacture Nokia handsets and other products by attracting part suppliers and other companies in the world. Nokia has also seven joint ventures and two product development units in China. This situation prevailed at the end of 2001. The Nokia networks division has 6 joint ventures in China (of which 3 production units). Nokia Ventures Organization has one joint venture in China for the production of multi-media terminals. Nokia’s two production units in China and one located in South Korea primarily produce units for the Asian markets. In February 2002 there existed around 145 million mobile phone users in China. It has been estimated that the number of users will increase with up to 55 million new subscribers during 2002. China is the largest market for mobile phones in the world. In the end of April 2002 the number of users had reached 167 million. China has become the key growth-market for mobile phone makers and telecom-network providers (HO 2001). The opening of the Chinese market and China’s membership in the WTO in 2001 together with the economic growth have been boosting this development. Nokia announces that it expects over 20% growth in sold mobile phone units in China during 2002 compared to the previous year. If this is the case Nokia will expand much more than its competitors. The estimated growth of the Chinese mobile phone market is 10-15%. This is an impressive estimate especially if we consider the size of the market. Until 2010 Nokia still held the market share in China with 31%. The company sold 70. 7 million mobile phones and China has become Nokia’s largest consumption market in the world. Nokia also made a joint-venture with Siemens established Nokia Siemens Networks that providing infrastructure and telecommunication equipment. This company has many competitive advantages, advanced technology which telecommunication industry needs it to developing the networks and technology like building infrastructure for 3G or 4G technology. Nokia Siemens Networks was doing a great business in China. Nokia Siemens Networks latest financial report shows that during the forth quarter of 2010, its net sales in the Greater China region reached EUR506 million, a year-on-year increase of 20% and an increase of 63% compared with the previous quarter. According to the report, the companys total net sales in the reporting period was EUR3. 961 billion, an increase of 9% compared with the same period in 2009. In addition, its annual worldwide sales reached EUR12. billion. Due to the strong business growth and the improvement of consumer confidence in the Chinese mobile communication industry, Nokia Siemens Networks net sales in the Greater China region reached EUR1. 451 billion during the entire year of 2010, a year-on-year increase of 3. 9%. In April 2010, Nokia Siemens Networks signed agreements with China Mobile and China Unicom, respectively, selling EUR750 million 2G and 3G mobile network equipment and solutions to the two Chi nese telecom operators. In China Mobiles IMS platform bidding, Nokia Siemens Networks became the provider for China Mobiles Beijing, Xinjiang, Jiangxi, and Yunnan branches. By 2010, Nokia Siemens Networks had completed the distribution of its TD-LTE industry chain, covering research and development, manufacturing, procurement, sales, services, and tests. Conclusions and Recommendation Mobile phone production and marketing is presently undergoing a repositioning phase globally. The first rapid growth of mobile phone markets in the core economies of the world has come to a halt. New growth possibilities can be found in emerging economies and in transition economies, notably so in China. Asia is currently the world’s largest single market area for mobile phones. The East-Asian region has also become the largest single market area for FDI for mobile phone manufacturers. In this development there was a take-off stage in the mid-1990s, which increased during the latter part of the century. China opened up its telecommunication equipment market almost two decades ago (Ho, 2001). It has opened up even more since it has joined the WTO in 2001, which probably will boost investments and trade further. Many joint ventures have been established and the Chinese are keen to learn and develop their own industries, as well as their own position as a service provider as well. The telecom and mobile industry is one key industry in developing the country. China has also jumped over the building phase of wired telecommunications to direct mobile communication. Recommendations for the future include the following(Zhang, 1998): 1. Continue to keep China’s open door policy to FDI and MNCs in the long run; 2. MNCs should receive similar treatment to locally owned businesses and special treatment should be restricted in thelong run; 3. Using the positive effects of FDI to adjust the economicstructure; and 4. Using FDI as a weapon to promote domestic reform and aid locally owned businesses. In conclusion, due to the positive effects of FDI investment on Chinese economy, Chinese government should continue to keep its open door policy to FDI and MNCs in the future. However, feasible measures should be taken to limit the disadvantages on domestic businesses. The foreign investment policy should be considered as a supplemental part of the domestic development policy. The opening to FDI andMNC investment should be carried out simultaneously. Special treatment should not be given to MNCs. Rather, the local firms should be given the same treatment and the administrative constraints on the domestic stateowned- enterprises should be gradually eliminated. Reference Collins, D, T. , T. Hogberg-Petersen, C. Stuart ; R. Wetstone (1999), â€Å"Nokia Mobile Phones: Connecting Countries. A Lesson in International Strategy†. May 13, 1999, Yale School of Management. Available http:www. yale. edu/nordic/reading_room/nokia. htm. Ho, S-C (2001), â€Å"The Prospects of Foreign Investment in China’s Mobile Services Market in the Post-WTO Era†, (Dept. of Information Management, Shun-Te University. Available econs. ecel. uwa. edu. au/economics/Links/papers/aces_ho_sc. pdf. Xiaojuan, Jiang (2004). FDI in China Contributions to Growth, Restructuring, and Competitiveness. Zhang, Fan. August, 1998). The Impact of Multinational Enterprises on Economic Structure and Efficiency in China. China Center for Economic Research, Peking University. The Washington Center for China Studies (WCCS). www. goliath. ecnext. com/ /product-compint-0001142564-page. html www. chinatechnews. com/ /13058-nokia-siemens-networks-sales-in-china-up-20-in-q4-2010 investing. businessweek. com/research/stocks/ /snapshot. a sp?. FDI in China Telecommunication Industry (Nokia in China) By: Jo Hansen Subject: Chinese Foreign Trade and FDI Lecturer: Huang, Xiao Ling