Flexible Learning Essay

Education is a broadly debated topic, now there is a new concept emerging, ’flexible learning’. This essay will discuss what is understood by this term and how it could affect the way of the future in education. Furthermore it will discuss how flexible learning has engaged technology and how it has made education more accessible and equitable. Next it will demonstrate how individual students have benefited through the use of technology with flexible learning, and how students are able to be the central focus of their own education. Technology brings with it many advantages for the future of education, however not without some setbacks, this essay will also discuss these. This essay will argue that because of the increasing accessibility and improvements in technology, flexible learning should be the way of the future in education. Flexible learning is quickly becoming the way of the future for education, as it engages and implements the use of sophisticated technology. According to George and Luke (cited in Andrews & Ferman 2001) flexible learning is a multi-directional approach to learning using different methods of delivery. On the other hand, Nunan (cited in Andrews & Ferman 2001, p. 2) considers that ‘flexible delivery is often taken to mean the same thing as increasing flexibility in learning’. Summarising Harmes (2010) explains flexible learning engages technology, allowing the use of the internet, e-mail, and other digital interactive technology. It also allows the student to freely access online lectures and study material and more importantly it enables teachers to position the student as the central focus of the learning experience. This can be seen at universities including the relatively new University of Queensland campus at Ipswich who are using technology to promote flexible learning. It was in fact the purpose built with this in mind; and included computer rooms, a self-directed learning centre and even wireless laptops (Andrews&Ferman 2001). Another example of flexible learning is discussed by Huijser, Bedford and Bull (2008) who describe the Tertiary Preparation Program (TPP); this is a course which is accessed online and on-campus. TPP students can engage in online lectures, Wimba classrooms and forums, study material can also be submitted online and feedback returned to student, again online. Using technology students have engaged in flexible learning all over Australia, including international students. Furthermore TPP is currently funded by the government making it free; this allows students to prepare for higher study prior to investment. The outcome of this should be a higher intake of fee paying students, which in turn should lead to increased government funding for universities. Flexible learning through technology has made education more accessible and therefore equitable. Harmes (2010) discusses how the internet has increased the number of students to able to study degrees through online study material and lectures. As a result of technological advances the world has become a â€Å"global village â€Å"and students can participate in a global classroom. Worldwide opportunities using technology and flexible learning should be funded locally (Zhao 2009). Ultimately this will enable there to be proximity through distance, and will allow students to study anytime and anywhere, thus making education more equitable explains Harmes (2010). There are students from as far away as remote Western Australia studying through the University of Southern Queensland (USQ). They are able to access all the lectures and tutorials online, and USQ plans to offer many more academic programs online by 2012 (The Chronicle 2009). ‘Technology is the tool used to provide a facility for a teacher facilitated, learner centred environment’ (Bonanno, 2005). It is only through the many improvements and advances in technology that education has been so accessible and with it flexible learning has been implemented. Flexible learning has made education more accessible because, study is teacher facilitated and enables the student to be positioned as the central focus of education. According to Harmes there are many benefits of flexible learning, students are able to access their study any time they like, and this means that they are able to co-ordinate study around work and family life. The flexibility that technology provides has enabled students to study at their own pace (Andrews Ferman, 2001). Additionally students have a sense of freedom with their study, slotting it in whenever they please. Knowles (cited in Choy and Delahaye 2002) researched how adult learners are more likely to be motivated and experienced in life, and that they are ready to embrace learning with deeper appreciation and understanding. Knowles (1973) continues by discussing how this self-driven learning is assisted through flexible delivery and how students benefit from a mature independent approach to education with the option for teacher help when needed. As a result of this Bonanno suggests that with good self-discipline and time management students are able to have freedom and access to study anytime and place, thus enabling many styles of learning. Technology has increased the flexibility that students have, thus allowing greater access to education. Despite the fact that education has embraced technology, there are still some problems which must be resolved. According to Ralston (1999) it appears that although many have embraced technology for learning, there are still many who are either too afraid to or do not have the skills and confidence to do so. Furthermore he suggests that that those who do not attempt to engage technology will be severely disadvantaged, because the twenty-first century is the age of technology. Andrews and Ferman (2000) noted on their study of the University of Queensland, -Ipswich campus that many students found the course material limited, that there was a lack of structure, and there were also a significant number of technical difficulties. Additionally Bonanno (2005) discusses some of the disadvantages of technology and states that the learner can easily lose motivation partly due to a lack of classroom spirit and teacher facilitated learning. Technology can be out of date or difficult to understand and often it can be confusing and sometimes it can just be that there is no technical support available. Bonanno’s (2005) comments that many problems occurring are learner related and that in order to be successful the learner must be self-motivated and have a reasonable degree of self-competency. She also comments that the facilitator or teacher must be motivated as well and be able to produce engaging study material for the student to work with; they must also be able to direct, listen and support students. Despite some complications, changes in technology help to make sure education is more accessible and equitable. Universities are able to capture larger numbers of students enabling more funding from the government. Students are able to be in control of their own education pathway and are able to be flexible about when and where they choose to study. Students can also choose to study gregariously in online classrooms and even traditional classrooms. Problematic areas will in time be improved as technology upgrades on a daily basis; including faster internet options. With this evolving technology people’s knowledge and experience will increase and in time student numbers and study options will grow. It is realistic that flexible learning will be and indeed should be the way of the future in education and that there will be a worldwide classroom.

Biff Loman’s Role in Death of a Salesman

Biff Loman may not be the â€Å"Salesman† in Arthur Miller’s masterpiece, The Death of a Salesman, but he is the main character of the play. The character known as Biff Loman is at the root of his immediate family’s internal dilemmas and inner conflicts. Biff’s essence is what motivates the men in his family to choose the path that they take in life. For this reason, even when Biff is not present in a particular scene, he is still omnipresent because of his invisible pull on the actions and feelings of his family members whom he had impacted throughout the years. The play finds Biff Loman at age 34, while his younger brother Happy is 32. Growing up, Happy was influenced greatly by his older brother. This is common in most young boys, especially when they are this close in age. Happy was eyewitness to the arrogant and womanizing behaviors of his elder brother, Biff during their youth. Happy saw the way Biff behaved during high school and witnessed the positive feedback that he received from both his peers and his father as a result of his behavior, which was less than exemplary. Happy saw Biff skate through his teenage years living in this manner. Biff got the attention from their father that Happy had yearned for. The stage was set for Happy to attempt to emulate Biff’s womanizing, unscrupulous actions during his own life. Happy became a womanizer on a level which even exceeded Biff’s promiscuous behavior during his youth. Happy often found himself sleeping with his boss’s wives, girlfriends and fiances. He couldn’t even understand why he did it. It was simply an instinct which was engrained in him after spending his impressionable years so close to Biff, even sharing a bedroom with him during this time. Willy Loman, himself, was obsessed with his eldest son. During Biff’s prime of life, Willy found happiness by living vicariously though his son. Poor Happy was hardly noticed by his father who was so wrapped up in Biff. Willy believed that he would find all his dreams that were never realized finally seen through by Biff. He thought Biff would succeed in college and find the successful career that Willy himself was never fortunate enough to have. All of Willy’s hopes and dreams were wrapped up in this one boy and when Biff failed to live up to them, Willy felt that failure just as deeply as he felt the let-down of his own unfulfilled life. To make matters worse, even though Willy did not admit it, he knew that he, himself was to blame for Biff’s downfall. Willy never pushed Biff to do the right thing in life. He chuckled when Biff stole from his football coach and was proud of his son when Biff made his friends clean the family’s basement. Biff said to his father, â€Å"I think I’ll have them sweep out the furnace room† to which Willy replied, â€Å"Good work, Biff. (Miller 1192) Willy’s wife, Linda, had warned him about Biff being rough with the girls and this, too, was shrugged off . Linda said, â€Å"He’s too rough with the girls, Willy. All the mothers are afraid of him. † Willy replied, â€Å"Shut up†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦There’s nothing the matter with him! †¦ . He’s got spirit, personality†¦. † (Miller 1195) Willy felt that Biff already possessed all the qualities needed in order to be successful in life, so there was no need to offer guidance to his son or punish his missteps along the way. This was a parenting strategy that Willy would later live to regret. The paramount of Willy’s guilt was the fact that Biff caught him in a hotel room with a woman with whom he was having an affair. Willy made up ridiculous excuses to cover the fact that this woman was in his hotel room naked. He tells his son, â€Å"Biff, she’s a buyer. They’re painting her room†¦. She lives down the hall – they’re painting. † (Miller 1240) Biff saw through to the truth of the matter, though. He yells at his father, saying â€Å"Don’t touch me, you – liar! (Miller 1241) Biff was so crushed by the realization that his father was not the family man whom he had idolized that he did not even bother to make up the math course that he had to complete that Summer in order to graduate. This one small action threw away his chances at attending college. The immense guilt that Willy felt as a result of his son discovering his infidelity is at the cor e of play’s plot. This guilt and attempted absolution is what ultimately leads to the death of Willy Loman. Willy is attempting suicide in order to finally make things right with Biff. He wants his first born son to collect twenty thousand dollars from a life insurance policy. Willy, who has his own identity so wrapped up in Biff, feels that Biff will become successful with this money and therefore Willy’s legacy will be one of achievement and success in life. Willy is so convinced of this idea being a reality, that he is willing to throw his earthly life away for a chance at an afterlife view of his own dreams being carried through his son, Biff. This makes Biff the lead character in the play. Bibliography; Only the actual play is refererenced in this report.

Cats Cradle Reflection

Society makes something up and pretends it’s something it’s not. For instance, religion says it has all the answer, but when it is examined closer, nothing is really there. † Throughout Vonnegut’s book â€Å"Cat’s Cradle,† Jonah exposes many examples of why he does not believe in Christianity or any other religion besides the one religion he established, Bokononism. I personally see where Jonah is coming from, the fact that there are statements in the old testament that we do not follow even though they may be stated more that once. Although, there are a couple of things that I agree on with Jonah and Bokononism; I concur with Liana Price’s Essay on â€Å"Understanding Religion Through Cat’s Cradle. † As stated in Cat’s Cradle earlier in the book; the old testament states expectations for Christians that are not even being considered and people are living around these â€Å"rules. † Vonnegut himself is a Humanist; he is not sure of God’s existence but values life above all else. Even though he does state in his latest novel Timequake that people need religion as something to turn on for comfort and support. I agree on this statement, I believe that humans need someone to think about, talk to, and to unconsciously ask favors too. Atheists are people who do not believe in the existence of any divine beings. Even though this is supposed to be their actual belief they still swear to God. Which to me personally sounds like they need someone to blame for. There are many reasons why people don’t â€Å"believe† in any divine beings but unconsciously they somehow do. Newt’s father and brother serve as an example in this novel of the scientific views of religion. Which is surprising being that technically Newt’s father did invent the atomic bomb that killed thousands of people and he is referred as â€Å" so innocent he was practically a Jesus. † How in the world is a man who killed thousands referred to as Jesus when in reality Jesus was killed to save thousands? This is oxymoronic; which is one of the reasons on why I disagree with Cat’s Cradle. Julian who calls himself a Bokononist because he agrees that all religions are lies which is what Bokononism is. He fits as a Bokononist because he recognizes that the need for religion is necessary to make someone feel better whether it is scientific, truthful or not. Ice Nine is a method of being able to freeze all bodies of water which are oceans , lakes, rivers, etc. Ice Nine was invented by Felix Hoenikker and his invention also has effect on humans. As soon as it touches human skin or has contact with the inside of the body all blood turns into ice and the person dies instantaneously. Bokonon gets trapped by the people of San Lorenzo and they tell him what God has done and ask what they should do. Bokonon wanting the easy way out, tells the people that God was surely trying to kill them. Bokonon wanted to give them a simple way out so he told them to touch the Ice Nine and their blood froze and they instantaneously died. Although, Bokonon being a genius himself did not take his own advice, because he knew it was worthless. Overall, Vonnegut is a great writer and can express himself in a very unique way that I admire. Although I do disagree with his book Cat’s Cradle. Bokononism is the religion of the belief that all religions are based on lies and people don’t need God. The people of San Lorenzo were targeted to become Bokononists and practice Bokonon’s beliefs. They ended up losing their lives because they believed that God was trying to kill them. I agree with most of the reflection of Liana Price about Bokononism.

Prevention of Social Breakdown in the Elderly Essay

Prevention of Social Breakdown in the Elderly - Essay Example (Wikipedia.com) This theory is both an individual and a societal in its concept. The negative feedback is produced by a person who is already vulnerable to psychological problems; one example is an old adult was hospitalized because of depression should be accompanied by some of his/her friend/s. Once the cycle starts, it strengthens others' perception of incompetence. Older adults may act the way they supposed to act in the society independently. But, they may also act inappropriately; they see themselves as inadequate human being - negative spiral is then set into motion. One good example is when the man loses his wife and having a hard time if he will sell their house or not so his son decided to take care of the decision-making if whether to sell the house or not; he decided that it would be better to sell the house and bring his father to a place where he can be taken care of. If the man agrees, it supports both the father and the son's way of thinking that the father is not autonomous or capa ble. (Macro Theories of Aging) Kuyper and Bengtson emphasized that these factors affect the elderly: (1) children moving away and building their own families (2) death of spouses and friends (3) unclear ideas about what to expect as people grows older (4) disappearance of a reference group (5) and a dramatic drop in public status. All of these factors provide strong negative support to feelings of uselessness and obsolescence in elderly. They argued that for some people, aging can assume a pathological flavour because of the changes in their social environment thus causing individuals to doubt their social competence that may lead to low self-assessment and a continuing decline of formerly employed coping skills. According to the researchers, most elders are faced with a long and weary process of adapting to lessen capacities. Old age people especially when they are lonely tend to self-neglect. Those people who have spouse, family members or even friends who died early and before them has a greater potential to self-neglect. Elders that are self-neglecting are those who habitually experience harmful situations or live in very inadequate condition because there is an increase in physical and/or in mental impairments. One reason why elders fear seeking help is because they do not want to be a load to other people; they are also afraid to lose their privacy and/or independence. Elders who self-neglect may become disoriented because of alcohol abuse; they may misuse or fail to take their prescribed medications especially elders who need to take psychotropic drugs to treat their mental illness; they become unmotivated to take good care of themselves or to worsen immobilized because of too much depression; and lastly, they may become unaware of the resources available or services being offered. Prevention of Social Breakdown in the Elderly During the 1980s, the elements considered to be essential in all interventions include: (1) sensitivity to the elders' self-esteem when it comes to matter of life style and independence (2) awareness of the elders' motivation technique to attain good standards of self-care (3) assessment of the elders' functional capabilities (4) consideration of service options to give the elders choices (5) and respect for the elders' right to decide about using service offerings - whether to

Consumer behaviors in purchasing ethical products Dissertation

Consumer behaviors in purchasing ethical products - Dissertation Example This research will begin with the statement that the current generation of consumers in the United States and in the United Kingdom has come to have plenty of expectations concerning the products that they purchase and it has taken quite an effort by the various companies involved to ensure that these consumers are satisfied. Sales for organic and ethical products in the United States and the United Kingdom are rising, more so than sales for conventional products, and consumer demand for these products is increasing despite the global economic downturn. These consumer behaviours that have developed over the years have made the study of their characteristics and origins most useful. It has become the trend in these two countries for consumers to buy products that are perceived to fulfil environmentally friendly, natural, organic, local, or humane requirements and enhance the corporate responsibility profile of the companies that are involved in the supply of such products. In the Unit ed Kingdom, most of the ethical products that have come to be sought out by most of the population are in the food industry and according to the grocer, Asda, stated that almost half of the mothers in the United Kingdom spent more on organic food than any other and this was despite the strained financial situations in many households. While some of the major retailers in the United States, such as Wal-Mart and Safeway are increasing their aids of organic products, in the United Kingdom, on the other hand, the retailers seem to be reducing their offerings of similar products. Â  Despite this being the case, among the offerings that are directing the way in retail stores are augmented sales of organic breads and grain foodstuffs and "ethical" beverages. Among the banks of the United Kingdom which adhere to a strict ethical policy, is the Co-operative Bank whose main policy has always been that no deal goes to corporations tangled in the arms trade, animal testing, among many other un ethical activities. In this bank, the clients elect every year to determine how their money is used, and because of this, new anxieties are frequently involved, such as genetic modification or climate change. One of the most remarkable achievements of this bank is that it has rejected over nine hundred million pounds value of loan bids since it agreed its ethical policy and current practices in 1992. Because this bank does not invest its customer’s money in the stock exchange, it has been found to be more stable than other banks, and this has contributed immensely to its continued growth during the credit crisis. Because of the growth in the awareness concerning social responsibilities, ING’s clients have continuously agitated for the offering of ‘ethical’ products and services so that they can be sure they are making a contribution to a more sustainable society. In order to satisfy these demands, ING has continuously moved with the times and has started o ffering products and services such as a ‘green’ savings account, a ‘green’ loan or insurance policy, or ‘sustainable’ investment funds and as a result, this company has set for itself the target of introducing a range of new ethical products and services every year. Research Objectives The objective of this line of investigation is to scrutinize the diverse issues concerning ethical consumer behavior in the United States and the United Kingdom. Furthermore, there is the need to determine whether or not ethical consumerism is a trend which is here to stay despite the economic recession in these two countries. In order to help in the realization of the objective of the study, it is necessary to pose the following questions: 1) What information is used by consumers to make choices on buying ethical products? 2) What is the influence of market communication of ethical products purchases in UK and USA? 3) What is the influence of Price Purchasing of Ethical products in USA and UK? 4) What are the in-store advantages of Ethical products in USA and UK? Preliminary Literature Review When people make decisions regarding

Post conflict establishments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Post conflict establishments - Essay Example Historically, there were conquests and wars geared towards constructing territories that were subject to a supreme ruler. A good example is the Roman Empire that used fierce battles to expand its territory, and everyone was subject to the emperor in Rome. With modernity that has been pushed from the time of capitalists such as Karl Marx and other proponents of economic independence, there has been a shift in how nation building has to be approached (Fukuyama, 1991). With revolutions being witnessed in several nations in the world even in the recent years, the challenge of achieving a national unity has been a major headache to the government authorities as well as the international community. The world’s superpowers such as the United States together with other international bodies including the United Nations have been in quest of promoting democracy, but several attempts by such external parties have often made the situations worse. A good example is that of two countries â €“ Somalia and East Timor – where use of brutal force and captivity made the countries even more ungovernable and with the recent developments in East Timor, it has been evident that the approach to be taken in solving issues of nation building should be more inclusive. This paper tries to examine the challenges that the external aggressors, as they are sometimes referred to, have faced in their quest to help nations come out of conflict and develop. It further explores the possible means of eliminating those challenges so that the goal of creating stable and progressive nations is attained. Nation Building and Its Challenges As discussed below, there are various challenges that will have to be resolved to be able to achieve the intent for making nations more united and focused on attaining cultural, ideological and political diversity as proposed by Forman (2002). To begin with, the question of different cultural influence in the post-war nations has taken a great toll i n how the issue of nation building is to be handled. Finding a compromise for often sharply divided tribal groups has not been an easy task as will be discussed in the following section. Socio-Cultural Beliefs and Identity Many of the conflicts in countries have been as a result of conflicts from different groups that may present a religious, ethnic, class or any other social identity. Resolving disputes among a sharply divided people who are historically enemies is a heavy task for external organizations which might not be able to understand the very basic reasons why the people are in constant conflict. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict provides an insight into how religious teachings and ideological differences caused by historical misrepresentations have resulted in a deeply rooted conflict. In some cases such as this conflict, nation building between the two states through conflict resolution and even the constant use of force has not helped in solving the conflicts. However, so me nations did succeed in resolving conflict through arbitration even though it was not easy. A good example is South Africa during and after Apartheid. Whereas Bishop Desmond Tutu and President Nelson Mandela immediately set up the Truth and Reconciliation Commission with a sole purpose of restoring peace and justice, their main objective was to grant amnesty to those perpetrators who committed abuses during the Apartheid era. This however was done under stipulated

Contemporary Issues in Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Contemporary Issues in Management - Essay Example Table of Contents Introduction Organizations’ view of Work Life balance Theories on Quality of life Advantages of Work Life balance Programs Best Practices to Improve Quality of Life Effect of Quality of Life programs on employees Conclusion Contemporary Issues in Management - Quality of Life and Work Life Balance Introduction Recent decades have seen a change in the working style. Not only are more people part of the workforce now, they are also working more hours (Chick, 2004). The stressful work life often becomes overwhelming and it’s easy to lose perspective of what is really important. As a result people end up making bad decisions and often neglect their personal life as shown in a study conducted by the Families and Work Institute (Bond, 2002). Balance is always the key to a healthy living. If a person works too much and sacrifices quality family time, he might be successful professionally, but the achievement and material gain is not proportionate to the price he has to pay for a neglected family. According to Caliguiri and Lazarova (2005, pp.124), â€Å"Work-life balance can be defined as maintaining a happy and healthy personal life while being successful at work, and attaining a broadly defined sense of personal fulfillment†. The phrase â€Å"time poverty† is commonly used now with more and more people complaining they have more work to do in less time. This paper deals with the concept of work-life balance and its importance in organizations by specifically looking at Four Seaons Inc, which is a leading hotel chain that has presence in over 35 countries. Many enterprises have realized the benefits to a workforce which has an improved quality of life, as employee satisfaction has a direct relationship with the success of the organization (Wickham, Parker and Fishwick, 2006). Organizations’ view of Work Life balance There is a growing realization among organizations that quality of life needs to be improved because of the multiple roles being played by an employee. It’s difficult to juggle home and work life and often results in lower productivity (Lockwood, 2003). Four Seasons is an organization that has remained an employer of choice by providing them with not just good salary and perks, but also by facilitating a good work-life balance among the employees. For this reason, it figured as no.55 on the Fortune list of top employers across the world (money.cnn.com, 2011). If the employee at Four Seasons feels in control of his work life and does not have stress, it can lead to higher productivity and less absenteeism. This is because work-life balance has a growth and profit impact, producing a positive return on investment (Quinlan, 2005; Purcell, 2002; Bird, 2006). Better policies towards employees at four seasons help in maintaining a healthier and happier work force also help reduce health care costs at four seasons which often results in greater loyalty and motivation and decreases the turnover rate (Lockwood, 2003; Quinlan, 2005, Landy and Conte, 2010).Employee retention may also be seen as an important benefit(Joshi et al, 2009). In the 70s employers thought of work-life balance as an issue of working mothers alone. During the 80’

Adult learning and development theories applied to military education Assignment

Adult learning and development theories applied to military education - Assignment Example Established educational programs play an important role in influencing learning processes and program components, moderated by learning and developmental theories, empowers learning processes to success. Examples of learning theories are social cognitive orientation theory, transformational learning theory and self-directed learning theory while Piaget’s theory of cognitive development is an example of developmental theories. Class sessions, tutoring, advising, program evaluation, and mandatory assessment are examples of program components and this paper reviews them subject to learning theories and developmental theories. Transformational learning theory and educational learning components Transformational learning theory is core to adult learning program. The theory’s core construct is the learning approach in which adults transform their existing knowledge, opinions, and assumptions and assume a more open minded and comprehensive scope of their experiences. The theor y relies on meditations, based on positive and negative experiences that motivate an individual and those experiences that develop surprises to adult learners, leading to social change that may be evident in reduced poverty level in the society, enhanced knowledge base in the learners, or reduced level of oppression. Transformational learning also relies on learners’ rationale from which new knowledge constructs are developed from experiences (Merriam, Caffarella and Baumgartner, 2012; Westby, 2007). Class session defines the traditional learning process in which a teacher teaches students belonging to a given class. It is a common approach to adult education, especially because of fixed schedules converges learning time, and constrained facilities. The foundation of class session exposure of the learner to new knowledge and this identifies with diversified aspects of the transformational learning theory. Exposure to new knowledge offers a basis for reflection into the learne r’s experience, a process that triggers the transformational learning theory’s aspect of reconstruction of perspectives. Developed knowledge in class sessions also offer a benchmark for determining the motivational aspect of an experience as lower benchmarks would enlist positive attitude while high benchmarks would identify discouragements in a learner’s experience. Interactive class sessions also exhaust learners’ perspectives and rationale to transform approach to knowledge development and to changed held perspectives (King, 2009; Boylan, Bliss and Bonham, 1997). Unlike class sessions, tutoring focuses on small number of students per educators and may sometimes be done on a one-on one basis. Its scope is similar to the scope of class session and therefore identify with transformational learning theory. The tutor, in a facilitator role, exposes learners to constructs that evoke reflection and meditation upon experience to motivate new perspectives. Lear nt knowledge from the program component also establishes standards that motivate learners into reflections and meditations. Consequently, tutoring identifies with the transformational learning theory through its concepts that promote reflection, among learners, of their experience, meditation upon the experiences, and integration of the experiences and learnt concepts for a new perspective. Advisory and counseling initiatives are other major components of educational programs and apply to adult education. The adult learner prefers an active approach to knowl

Price vs Attributes Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Price vs Attributes - Annotated Bibliography Example Moreover, this article highlighted that the business professionals work to develop such strategic approaches and techniques, which are based on the notions of MNCs and that assist policy makers while making decisions concerning FDI and role of multinational organizations aiming to gain competitive advantage for the country. Concepts of MNCs help policy makers to develop attractive approaches for gaining FDIs. Researchers have noticed that positioning mapping techniques help identify and understand the viewpoints and concepts of the map managers belonging to different Southern European Countries including France, Spain, Italy, and Greece. This article insights the predicted ideal mix of these countries and the vital factors that contribute while MNCs examines a country’s position. The authors have also discussed those actions and strategies that should be adopted by a country to maintain its position for favourable FDI flow in the state resulting in a rapid growth of multinational companies. In this article, the author has shed light on the concepts and practices of marketing intelligence and planning. This article analyzes the factors, which should be consider foremost while making plans of pricing of global brands. In the light of author’s opinion, emerging technologies and scientific advancements in the field of business and marketing have created deep impact on structure and functioning of international market. Thus, before setting prices for the international products or services it is highly important to identify competitive forces in the market and other barriers of the international business environment. Surveys, samples, and examples from the industry help professionals to identify the market challenges and fundamental changes required to make during strategy management and implementation. This article argues that in some states

Karl Marx Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Karl Marx - Essay Example His father Heinrich Marx was a lawyer by profession and the descendant of a long line of Rabbis. His mother, Henriette Presburg Marx, had a very similar genealogy as well. Hienrich Marx had to convert to Lutheranianism just before Karl was born because Jews were not allowed to practice law at the time. Karl was also baptized in the same church at the age of six in the year 1824. Karl was also sent to a Lutheran elementary school in his early years. He attended the Friedrich Wilhelm Gymnasium in Trier and graduated in 1835 at the age of 17 having studied for 5 years. In school, Karl excelled in languages and learned to read, write and speak both Latin and French very fluently. His language learning abilities would not abandon him throughout his life as later on he taught himself to read and write various European languages such as English, Scandinavian, Russian, Italian, Dutch and Spanish. After completing school, Marx enrolled in Bonn University in Bonn to study law and fulfill his f ather’s wish. Marx did not want to study law and was more interested in philosophy and literature so he spent most of his time at Bonn drinking a lot and partying. He also piled up a mountain of debt during his time at Bonn University. (Encyclopedia of World Biography) He also got engaged to Jenny von Westphalen in his time at Bonn. Jenny was the daughter of Baron von Westphalen, who was a notable member of the Trier society. Marx became also started reading up on and became interested in Sino-Simonian politics and Romantic literature on the advice of his to-be father-in-law. (Kreis) Karl then moved to Berlin where he joined the University of Berlin. It was here in Berlin that Marx started blossoming into the radical philosopher who would go on to shake the roots of Europe. The University of Berlin was a hot bed of brilliant thinkers who were debating and challenging existing ideas and institutions, including ethics, religion, philosophy etc. Marx joined these philosophers an d studied in Berlin for four years and finally finished with a doctorate in 1841. It was during his time in Berlin that Marx abandoned romanticism for Hegelianism. (Kreis) After completing his studies, Marx started preaching his radical ideas through a newspaper which was soon shut down by the Prussian government and Marx was forced to migrate to France. In France, Marx became active as soon as he reached and soon became a communist. He also met Friedrich Engels in Paris who would later become a lifelong ally. Marx was soon expelled from Paris as well and had to move to Brussels. In Brussels Marx worked further on his concept of Communism and gave the materialist conception of history. He later wrote The Communist Manifesto in 1848 and the industrial revolution broke out in Europe at the same time. Marx witnessed firsthand, the sufferings of workers all around Europe. Marx moved to Paris again in 1848 but was soon forced to move to London. In London Marx wrote his most famous book à ¢â‚¬Å"Das Kapital†. Marx had 7 children, only 3 survived past childhood. Marx passed away quietly in his armchair on 14th March 1883. (Encyclopedia of World Biography) Contribution to Ethical Philosophy The major contribution that Karl Marx made to the study of ethics is his concept of Communism. Marx was a stark critic of the capitalist system and the concept of free trade and free markets. As mentioned above, Marx had witnessed firsthand, the sufferings of the labor class in England and the rest of Europe. Marx believed that the sufferings of the labor class were only symptoms of the extremes of inequality that Capitalism produces. Since the capitalist system offers only two sources of income: sale of one’

Dietary Supplement Essay Example for Free

Dietary Supplement Essay Taking any kind of supplements can also be a type of complementary or alternative medicine. The U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) do not regulate dietary supplements in the same way that it regulates medicine. A dietary supplement can be sold without research on how well it works. The benefit of taking dietary supplements is that they are designed to augment your daily intake of nutrients. Normally, you should be able to get all the nutrients you need from a well balanced diet. However, taking supplements can provide additional nutrients when your diet is lacking or when certain health conditions cause you to develop an insufficiency or deficiency. Multiple-vitamin supplements provide all the basic vitamins and minerals your body needs. These vitamins are generally safe because they only contain small amounts of each nutrient. Individual nutrients can also be sold as a dietary supplement, but in larger amounts than what’s found in a typical multiple-vitamin. These supplements may be used to treat a simple deficiency, such as an iron deficiency, but sometimes they’re used therapeutically to treat specific health conditions or risk factors. For example, large doses of niacin may be used to raise good cholesterol, and folic acid has been used to reduce the risk of a birth defect called spina bifida. The risk of taking dietary supplements is that some contain active ingredients that have strong biological effects in the body. This could make them unsafe in some situations and hurt or even complicate your health. Using dietary supplements could lead to harmful and even life-threatening consequences such as using supplements with medications whether prescription or over the counter and substituting them for prescriptions medicines. Taking too much of some of these supplements, such as vitamin A, vitamin D, and iron. Some supplements can also have unwanted effects before, during, and after surgery. Always inform your health care provider, including your pharmacist about any supplements your taking especially before surgery. The FDA regulates both finished dietary supplement products and dietary ingredients under a different set of regulation than those covering â€Å"conventional† foods and drug products (prescription and Over-the-counter). Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), the dietary supplement or dietary ingredient manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that a dietary supplement or ingredient is safe before it is marketed. FDA is responsible for taking action against any unsafe dietary supplement product after it reaches the market. Manufacturers are required to produce dietary supplements to minimum quality standards and ensure that they do not contain any contaminants or impurities, and are accurately labeled. Generally, manufacturers do not need to register their products with FDA nor get approval before producing or selling dietary supplements. Manufacturers must make sure that product label information is truthful and not misleading. The manufacturers are required to report all serious dietary supplement related adverse events or illnesses to the FDA as of December 2007. The FDA can take dietary supplements off the market if they are found to be unsafe, adulterated, or if the claims on the products are false and misleading. Folic acid is a type of B vitamin that is normally found in foods such as dried beans, peas, lentils, oranges, whole-wheat products, liver, asparagus, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and spinach. Folic acid is used for preventing and treating low blood levels of folic acid as well as its complications, including â€Å"tired blood’ (anemia) and the inability of the bowel to absorb nutrients properly. Folic acid is also used for other conditions commonly associated with folic acid deficiency, including ulcerative colitis, liver disease, alcoholism, and kidney dialysis. Women who are pregnant or might become pregnant take folic acid to prevent miscarriage and birth defects such as spina bifida that occur when the fetus’s spine and back don’t close during development. Folic acid is likely safe for most people. Most adults do not experience an aide effects when consuming the recommended amount each day, which is 400 mcg. High doses of folic acid might cause abdominal cramps, diarrhea, rash, sleep disorders, irritability, confusion, nausea, stomach upset, behaviors changes, skin reactions, seizures, gas, and excitability. There is some concern that taking too much folic acid for a long period of time might cause serious side effects. Some research suggests that taking folic acid in doses of 800-1200 mcg might increase the risk of heart attack in people who have heart problems. Other research suggests that taking these high doses might also increase the risk of cancer such as lung or prostate cancer. For folic acid deficiency: the typical dose is 250-1000 mcg per day. For preventing neural tube defects: at least 400 mcg of folic acid per day from supplements or fortified food should be taken by women capable of becoming pregnant and continued through the first month of pregnancy. Women with a history of previous pregnancy complicated by neural tude defects usually take 4 mg per day beginning one month before and continuing for three months after conception. References: www. nih. gov/medlineplus/dietarysupplements www. wedmd. com/dietarysupplements www. fda. gov/food/dietarysupplements

The History Of Cleopatra VII

The History Of Cleopatra VII Cleopatra VII was the last person to rule Egypt as an Egyptian pharaoh. After her death Egypt became a Roman province. She was a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty (a royal family which ruled Egypt during the Hellinistic Period-323 BC to 146 BC) of Ancient Egypt. She is therefore considered to be a descendant of one of Alexander the Greats generals who had seized control over Egypt after Alexanders death. Cleopatra learned Egyptian unlike other Ptolemies who spoke Greece and refused Egyptian and represented herself as the reincarnation of an Egyptian Goddess. Cleopatra VII ruled originally with her father Ptolemy XII Auletes (commonly name as Auletes and who ruled Egypt from 80 to 58 BC) and later with her brothers, Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV. Later she became a sole ruler. As pharaoh, she kept good relations with Julius Caesar (Roman General who played a critical role in the transformation from Roman Republic to Roman Empire) that solidified her grip on the throne. After Caesars assassination in 44 BC, she aligned with Mark Antony in opposition to Caesars legal heir and she bore the twins Cleopatra Selene II and Alexander Helios, and another son, Ptolemy Philadelphus. Mark Antony was defeated by Octavian (the future emperor Augustus) and hence Egypt became the Roman province of Aegyptus. Though Cleopatra was an Egyptian pharaoh but she basically belonged to the Ptolemaic dynasty which was Hellenistic. Cleopatras mother language was Greek but still was the first ruler of the dynasty to learn Egyptian. She also adopted Egyptian beliefs and deities. Her patron deity was Isis (a Goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs) and thus was considered the re-incarnation and embodiment of the goddess. Her death marked the end of the Ptolemaic Kingdom and Hellenistic period and the beginning of the Roman era in the eastern Mediterranean. The above picture displays the bust of Cleopatra VII who is depicted as a great beauty and her legacy still survives in various works of art and dramas. William Shakespeares Antony and Cleopatra, Jules Massenets opera, Clà ©opà ¢tre are some examples of dramatizations inspired by Cleopatras life. REIGN 51 BC TO 12 August 30 BC SUCCESSOR None (Egypt was annexed by Rome) SPOUSE Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator Ptolemy XIV Julius Caesar (not legally wed) Mark Antony FATHER Ptolemy XII Auletes MOTHER Cleopatra V of Egypt BORN 69 BC DIED 12th August 30 BC (aged 39) BURIAL Burial was done in Alexandria, Egypt Cleopatra in the Roman Civil War In the Roman civil war between the Caesarean party which was led by Mark Antony and Octavian and party led by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus who assassinated Julius Caesar. Cleopatra sided with the Caesarean party because of her past. Brutus and Cassius together and sailed to the East of the Roman Empire and conquered large areas and established their military bases. Now Cassius wanted to invade Egypt to seize the treasures of that country and to take the revenge from the queen as she refused his request to send him supplies punish the queen for her refusal of Cassius request to send him supplies and her support for Dolabella (a Roman General). At that time in Egypt there was famine and an epidemic which became an important reason why Cassius thought that Egypt could easily be conquered. But still he could not execute the invasion of Egypt because at the end of 43 BC Brutus called him back to Smyrna (an ancient city located at a central and strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia now located in Turkey). Cassius tried to blockade Cleopatras way to the Caesareans. Nevertheless Cleopatra sailed with her military from Alexandria to the west along the Libyan coast to join the Caesarean leaders but she was forced to return to Egypt because her ships were damaged by a violent storm and she became ill. Relationship with Julius Caesar Cleopatra became Caesars mistress, and nine months after their first meeting, in 47 BC, Cleopatra gave birth to their son, Ptolemy Caesar, nicknamed Caesorian , which means little Caesar. At this point Caesar cancelled his plans to annex Egypt, instead backing Cleopatras claim to the throne. After a war lasting six months between the party of Ptolemy XIII and the Roman army of Caesar, Ptolemy XIII was drowned in the Nile (longest river of the world situated in Egypt) and Caesar restored Cleopatra to her throne and assigned her younger brother Ptolemy IV as her new co-rule. Although Cleopatra was 21 years old when they met and Caesar was 52, they became lovers during Caesars stay in Egypt between 48 BC and 47 BC. Cleopatra claimed Caesar was the father of her son and wanted his son to be the heir of Julius Caesar but instead of making his son caesorian, his heir, he chose his grandnephew Octavian. But Caesar even erected a golden statue of Cleopatra represented as Isis in the temple of Venus Genetrix (the mythical ancestress of Caesars family), which was situated at the Forum Julium (a forum built by Julius Caesar in Rome). Caesar was assassinated on 15 March, 44 BC. At that time Cleopatra was in Rome along with her outrages. After Caesars assassination Cleopatra returned to Egypt with her relatives. After the death of Ptolemy XIV who was allegedly poisoned by his elder sister, Cleopatra made her son Caesorian, her successor and gave her an epithet (an epithet as a descriptive word or phrase given to someone) Theos Philopator Philometor which means Father and mother loving God. Cleopatra and Mark Antony Coin of Antony and Cleopatra In 41 BC, Mark Antony, one of the triumvirs (name historians give to the official political alliance of Gaius Julius Caesar Octavians, later known as Augustus) who ruled Rome after the assassination of Julius Caesar. Dellius had to summon Cleopatra to Tarsus (a historical city in south eastern Turkey) to meet there Antony and answer questions about her loyalty. During the Roman civil war she allegedly paid much money to Cassius due to which Antony lost his trust on Dellius. Actually it seemed that in reality Antony wanted Cleopatras promise to support his war against the Parthians (citizens of Parthia a region of North eastern Iran). Cleopatra had Antony order the death of her sister Arsinoe to safeguard herself and her son, Caesarion. Arsinoe at that time was living at the temples of Artemis in Ephesus (Artemis is one of the religious Greek deities which is situated in Ephesus which is an ancient Greek city). On 25 December 40 BC, Cleopatra gave birth to twins fathered by Antony, Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene II. Four years later, Antony visited Alexandria again on route to make war with the Parthians. Donations of Alexandria was a religious-political statement by Cleopatra VII and Mark Antony in which they distributed lands of Rome and Parthia amongst Cleopatras children and granted them many titles especially for Caesarian who was the son of Julius Caesar. Donations of Alexandria was announced in late 34 BC, followed by Antonys conquest of Armenia (a client state of roman and Persian Empires stretching from Caspian to Mediterranean sea), Cleopatra and Caesarian were crowned co-rulers of Egypt and Cyprus. Cleopatra Selene II was crowned ruler of Cyrenaica and Libya and Ptolemy Philadelphus was crowned ruler of Phoenicia, Syria, and Cilicia. Donations of Alexandria were also a main reason for The Final war of the Roman Republic. Cleopatra was also given the title of Queen of Kings by Antonio. Her enemies in Rome feared that Cleopatra was planning a war of revenge that was between the whole of East against the Rome and establish herself as empress of the world at Rome and inaugurate a new universal kingdom. Caesarian was given co-regency with Cleopatra and was also given many titles such as god, son of god and king of kings. Egyptians thought Cleopatra to be a reincarnation of goddess Isis, as she called herself (NEA Isis). Relations between Antony and Octavian finally broke down in 33 BC, and Octavian declared a war against Egypt. In 31 BC Antonys forces faced the Romans in a naval action off the coast of Actium. Cleopatra was present with an army of her own. But Octavians invaded Egypt in the Battle of Actium and thus Antony and Cleopatra lost this war and thus the Roman Empire took over the Egypt. As he approached Alexandria, Antonys armies deserted to Octavian on August 1, 30 BC. DEATH This picture above shows the death of Cleopatra which was drawn by Guido Cagnacci in 1658. There have been many stories about the death of Cleopatra VII such as according to the ancient sources; particularly the Roman ones think that Cleopatra killed herself by inducing an Egyptian cobra to bite her. The oldest source is Strabo who was a Greek historian, geographer and a philosopher says that there are two stories: That she applied a toxic ointment OR That she was bitten by an asp. Other authors have questioned these historical accounts, stating that it is possible that Augustus had her killed. In 2010, the German historian Christophe Schaefer challenged all other theories, declaring that the queen had actually been poisoned and died from drinking a mixture of poisons. After studying historic texts and consulting with toxicologists, the historian concluded that the asp could not have caused a slow and pain free death, since the asp (Egyptian cobra) venom paralyses parts of the body, starting with the eyes, before causing death. Schaefer and his toxicologist Dietrich Mebs decided Cleopatra used a mixture of hemlock, wolfsbane and opium. Plutarch, writing about 130 years after the event has also mentioned the asp to be the major reason for Cleopatras death. He reports that Octavian succeeded in capturing Cleopatra in her Mausoleum after the death of Antony. He ordered his freedman Epaphroditus to guard her to prevent her from committing suicide because he allegedly wanted to present her in his triumph. But Cleopatra still was able to suicide by provoking the asp (cobra) to bite her on her arm. Suetonius, writing about the same time as Plutarch, also says Cleopatra died from an asp bite. Shakespeare also gave his own theory on the death of Cleopatra which gives us the image of Cleopatra clutching the snake to her breast. Before him, it was generally agreed that she was bitten on the arm. The site of their Mausoleum (a monument) is uncertain, though it is thought by the Egyptian Antiquities Service, to be in or near the temple of Taposiris Magna south west of Alexandria. Cleopatras son by Caesar, Caesarian, was proclaimed pharaoh by the Egyptians, after Alexandria fell to Octavian. Caesarean was captured and killed by Octavians. CONCLUSION: Why the women in world history were not given due importance? By taking the example of Cleopatra VII, the reasons why women were not given importance are: Cleopatra being the mother was more concerned about her children. She always tried her children to get throne unlike Julius Caesar who chose his grandnephew. Women are more directed towards their own children rather than caring about their kingdom. Cleopatra was not much concerned for her empire or the kingdom and was more aligned towards her family. Donations of Alexandria is the most important example which clearly explains that Cleopatra cared only about her family. She could have given those empires to some more educated or strong and a better person which could have helped her and Antony in the battle against Octavians. Well these were the main reasons why I think women were not given due importance in history.

Significance Of Language In Animal Farm Philosophy Essay

Significance Of Language In Animal Farm Philosophy Essay The end of World War II, the detonation of the atomic bomb, and the start of the Cold War, all took place during 1945. However, what also took place that year was the publishing of George Orwells, Animal Farm. Through the use of animals, the novel mocks certain human traits and characteristics. It depicts mans greed and selfishness as part of human nature and how innocent bystanders are swept under and destroyed by these selfish, heartless people. Orwells transformation of the pigs into humans shocks the reader who eventually realizes the tremendous similarities that humans have with the pigs in the novel. A recurring theme in this novel is how language can be manipulated as an instrument of control. From the inspiring song, Beasts of England to the commandments and the changing of them by Napoleon, the main source of power throughout the novel is language and the use of rhetoric. Without the correct use of language and the power of words in Animal Farm, the rebellion never would hav e taken place and certainly the end result of Napoleons complete takeover would never have happened. Through Napoleons manipulative characteristics, the gullibility of the animals of the farm and the impressive rhetorical and propaganda skills of Squealer, reality is shaped by words. In the beginning of the novel, Napoleon shows no concern in what the animals do and leaves most of the leadership work and inspirational speeches to Snowball. Napoleon is described as, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦not much of a talker, but with a reputation for getting his own way, (Orwell, 25). This foreshadows Napoleons future behaviour because later on in the novel, he takes on more of a Stalin-like role in the farm. Unable to effectively speak in public, he uses Squealer to talk to the animals of the farm and get them under control. However, being unable to speak effectively in public doesnt hold him back from taking control. To maintain power, he uses many different types of propaganda techniques, one of which being, using Snowball as scapegoat. Napoleon blames the farms failures on Snowball who is no where to be found so he cannot deny or confirm any truth of what is said. For instance, when Boxer questions the loyalty of Snowball, Napoleon tells Squealer to announce that Snowball was Joness agent from the very beginning. (Orwell, chpt.6) Boxer, being the loyal and gullible animal he is, admits that if Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right. (Orwell, chpt.6) Not only does Napoleon use Snowball as scapegoat, so that he can secure his position, he alters the seven commandments to legitimize what he does (drink alcohol, sleep in beds, deal with humans). At this point in the history of the farm, the pigs do not quite have enough power to do what they like and Squealer is forced to change the Commandments to fit new circumstances. Meaning, the pigs havent yet fully gained the trust of the animals of the farm and therefore need to alter the commandments secretively. The first alteration to the Commandments comes after the pigs move back into the farmhouse. As the pigs slowly adapted to the ways of humans, they started sleeping on beds. The ban on sleeping in beds was changed in Napoleons favour by the addition of the words with sheets. When Clover questions the sleeping in beds of the pigs, she finds that the fourth commandment says, No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets. (Orwell, chpt.5) Clover doesnt quite remember the with sheets being there and eventually concludes that it must have been there, (Orwell, chpt.5) Due to Clovers faulty memory she wasnt able to recognize this alteration. From drinking alcohol to murder, and everything in between, Napoleon abused the seven commandments of Animalism and was never rebelled against, not once. This was due to all the animals of the farm being very gullible, to such an extent, that they didnt realize what was really going on. The gullibility of the animals played an important role in taking Napoleon to the top. He relies on the gullibility of the strongest animals, like Boxer the horse, and the apathy of the wisest, like Benjamin the donkey. When anyone questions Napoleons version of history, he has a herd of sheep chant loudly over their protests. In Chapter nine, we read of the tragic death of Boxer, the veteran of the Battle of the Cowshed and the Battle of the Windmill. Boxers motto had always been I will work harder, (Orwell, chpt.3) and it is precisely this over exertion in rebuilding the windmill which finally causes his death. One day he collapses and is taken away to the slaughterhouse where his body parts are com mercially exploited. When the animals question this tragic death, they are yet again fooled by Squealer. The animals were relieved to hear [that, he had received] admirable care [and] expensive medicine for which Napoleon had paid without a thought as to the cost, , (Orwell, chpt.8).They are told that Boxer was given the best of the best treatment, however, couldnt survive. The animals, being gullible, calmly agree with him and are told to work even harder since Boxer is not there to help anymore. In chapter 5, when the pigs were found sleeping in beds, Clover thought that there was surely a definite rule against sleeping in beds. Muriel, she said, read me the Fourth Commandment. Does it not say something about never sleeping in a bed? (Orwell, chpt.5) However, Squealer came along to explain that a bed is merely a place to sleep in. A pile of straw in a stall is a bed, properly regarded. The rule was against sheets, which are a human invention. We have removed the sheets from the fa rà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Orwell, chpt.5) Clover eventually agreed as she could not remember and because Squealer was thought as a friend, she accepted what he said and didnt argue any further. All that year the animals worked like slaves. (Orwell, 63) The animals thought that by obeying the pigs, they were preventing the farm from disbanding. Orwell is quite literally suggesting that even if a smart person or leader says something, it cannot be assumed to be true, as demonstrated by politicians. Propaganda only succeeds if people are gullible. Squealer, described as quite the tricky pig, takes advantage of the other animals ignorance and exploits it to an unimaginable level. Squealer has all the characteristics of a successful orator; he is charismatic, intelligent, emotional, persuasive, and even hypnotic. Above all, through the use of correct words and rhetoric, he is able to manipulate language in order to gain the confidence of the animals of the farm. Squealer, being the most powerful weapon which Napoleon possesses, uses his extraordinary skills to bring Napoleon to such a height of success. Squealer constantly puts particular spins on events and conditions and he uses slogans and such to help control the other animals. For instance, when the animals question the pigs getting all the apples and milk, he replies, You do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege? Many of us actually dislike milk and apples. I dislike them myself. Our sole object in taking these things is to preserve our health. Milk and apples (this has been proved by Science, comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig. We pigs are brainworkers. The whole management and organization of this farm depend on us. Day and night we are watching over your welfare. It is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples (Orwell, chpt.3). Squealer often uses comrades to give the animals a title, a position, which really makes them feel important, useful and in place. However, when it comes to them questioning the actions of the pigs, Squealer often threatens the animals that Mr. Jones will come back, Surely, comrades, surely there is no one among you who wants to see Jones come back? (Orwell, chpt.3) It continues to say how the animals certainly do not want Mr. Jones back. The importance of keeping the pigs in good health was all too obvious (Orwell, chpt.3) This comes to show how Squealer has the animals so deeply convinced, that they dont know what is actually happening. Also, Squealer often uses certain slogans that drum ideas into their head, rather than having them think about anything. Slogans such as, Tactics, comrades, tactics (Orwell, chpt.5) are used to get the interest of the animals and have them thinking about what they are doing wrong. This displays Squealers ability to use certain words and slogans to n ot only convince the animals, but have them happily agree with him. Although Squealer is a porker pig, he plays almost the main character in the novel. Without Squealers ability to persuade, Napoleon was to get nowhere. By giving Squealer such a role, Orwell is suggesting that one doesnt have to look intelligent to be intelligent, but, in fact, must know how to use their intelligence correctly, for good or for bad. The main source of power was from the correct use of rhetoric and language. Through Napoleons manipulative characteristics, the gullibility of the animals of the farm and the impressive rhetorical and propaganda skills of Squealer, reality was shaped by words. Animal farm discreetly gives out warning signs on life and what to expect of people. Using animals on a farm, Orwell tells about an unstable fight for power. Hidden warnings found in the book depend on the reader. Orwell mainly pushes the points of education as a necessity of life, there is no peace when striving for power, and words have a very large impact on the minds of others. Many things in life can be used as a warning but it is unfortunate that the warnings arent usually noticed until it is too late. None of the animals knew how much education meant, or how much the greed for power had taken over, or even that they were being lied to through the words of those very convincing pigs. By demonstrating how easily swayed the animals of the farm are by a powerful speech or strong words, Orwell is demonstrating the human vulnerability to carefully chosen words and our unfortunate ability to fall victim to the power of words without understanding the deeper meanings behind them. Work Cited Orwell, George. Animal Farm. New York: Harcourt, Brace Company.1946. Print. Orwell, George. George Orwell Animal Farm. George Orwell Complete Works, biography, Quotes, Essays. Web. 14 Jan. 2011. .

A Methodology to Teaching Writing Essay example -- Education Education

A Methodology to Teaching Writing I believe that achieving success in teaching very different aspects of life may still combine similar processes. My life in high school was very similar to the lives of many other students in that it revolved around two things: sports and school. My sport of choice was tennis and my favorite academic area was English. Unexpectedly, I found many similarities led to a successful performance in both areas. My understanding of the need for a good program to follow and a lot of practice with it led to success in both tennis and my academic performance (especially English). Upon becoming a recognized player in my area, I decided to take the skill that I knew better than any other and utilize it as a job; I was a tennis coach. Success in that field, teaching mainly high school students, has led me to believe I can adopt a similar program for success in the classroom. Just as I had to learn an effective way to teach others the tennis skills that I had learned, I will also have to be a ble to adjust my philosophy inside a classroom. My outline for successful teaching of writing combines what I have put into practice working with high school students in a sports forum with what I am learning is the best way to approach a writing classroom. When a high school student first takes a tennis lesson from me, that student is very often an inexperienced freshman just months away from their first tryout. On that first day I must be very clear and very encouraging in my instructions because of the nervousness of the player. By the first lesson I am aware of what level of ability I am working with, and can make adjustments from there. For student writers, the process can be similar. The writer may ... ...o accomplish. A supportive process is more likely to breed success. Students will have different styles, hidden talents, and unique creative processes. Some will love to write and bring these elements out on their own. Others need special prompting. Ultimately I feel that students will always have something to say. Each person has elements of their lives’ that they enjoy, and those are subjects for writing. Each individual has elements that bring them pain, frustration or sadness, and those are subjects for writing too. Getting kids to want to write is not necessarily outlined in my process, and that will be a challenge that I will have to learn even as I teach. I think the key to successful motivation will be to spark the ideas that motivate a student. Maybe even more important is that if that spark is hard to find, not to give up, but to keep seeking it.

The Waterfall :: Place Essay, Description Essaay

Visiting a waterfall, especially on a hot sultry day, can be a favorite way to spend a day. You get in your car, drive for miles, then get out and walk the remainder of the way to a waterfall. Civilization has cleared and marked a pathway for you and the many thousands like you who have come to enjoy these named landmarks. Rarely do you get to enjoy the natural beauty of one by just stepping out into your own backyard. Behind my house, barely noticeable, is a trail leading through the woods to a waterfall. The trail is narrow but well worn. Any shrubbery that would have grown has been trampled down and all that is left is a very narrow path, overhung with branches from the trees that mark its sides. As I start down the trail, I begin to feel the trees closing around me until the house can no longer be seen. I follow the trail to where it stops at the creek's edge, approaching quietly so as not to disturb any of the wild creatures that has come to enjoy the cool fresh water. I gently cross over the creek using the stones, which show the wear of several previous crossing, so that I can have full view of the creek and the beauty it possesses. I can hear the rush of the water long before I see the falls. As I sit down on the big gray slate rock that has been warmed by the early morning sun, I begin to gulp in the beauty as a starving man would gulp down food. I start my usual ritual of examining the banks of the creek by gazing down the right side of it first. I notice that the wild azaleas are in full bloom and that the trees have regained all their leaves. They stand tall and majestic as if they are soldiers standing guard. My gaze travels up one of the trees to find two squirrels chattering down at me as if to say "Go away and leave us in peace." Further down starts the gentle bend that takes the remainder of the creek from my view. My gaze shifts to the left side of the bank and there lies an old oak tree that has fallen long ago. It still lies partially upon its stump so that it looks like the shape of an "L".

Causes of the Great War :: World War I History

Causes of the Great War The impact of the First World War is still with us. In many respects the events of modern Europe are a direct result of what happened during World War I. Adolph Hitler himself was a product of the First World War. World War I also gave Russian communists opportunity to overthrow the government in Russia and proclaim communism. The events that took place in "No Mans Land" definetly had an impact on the wars to come. The First World War had many causes. The spark of the Great War was the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, soon to be at the throne of Austria-Hungary, and his wife by a Serbian nationalist, while traveling through Sarajevo. The Archduke was chosen as a target because Serbians feared that after he was at the throne, he would continue the persecution of Serbs living within the Austria-Hungary Empire. The Serbian terrorist organization, the Black Hand, had to carry out the assassination. The Arms Race is the second cause. Britain at that time was the largest empire in the world, and it also had the largest navy. The navy was so big and strong because the British needed to protect their empire and maintain the sea routes between the different colonies. Kaiser William of Germany hated and envied Britain for having a stronger navy than his. He increased the German navy and built many warships. Britain responded with building more ships and increasing its navy too. This started a race for building more and better warships and it created tension and competition between those two countries. The system of alliance were another major cause of the War. There was a feud between France and Germany about controlling the colonies, which leads to a greater conflict, the Great War. Europe at that time was divided into two rival alliance systems: Triple Entente that included Great Britain, France, and Russia and the Triple Alliance, which included the Central Powers of Austria- Hungary, Germany, and eventually the Turkish Empire. In order to balance the power, France and Russia signed an alliance. Russia saw itself as the 'protector of Slavs' in the war, and immediately mobilized. When the war began, the German decision that if they were going to have to fight Russia and France, they would strike at France first according to the Schlieffen Plan, and then turn West to Russia.

External or Internal Disaster in Organization

Different Business is affected by internal and external factors. These aspects have significant influences on the way business organisations are operating. One of these is the so-called disasters in an organization.Disasters may be considered as external if the forces happens from the external environment of the organization, like globalization, global financial crisis, technological changes and others while internet disasters are those that happens inside the organization like failure to provide quality service, inability to market the products and service well, inability to handle risks which affects the overall performance of the organization.Primarily, the goal of this paper is to consider an internal disaster from one of the most controversial organizations in the market, i. . the case of Enron. Internal Disaster Aforementioned, one of the most talked-about issues and disasters in the industry is the auditing as well as accounting failure of Enron. It is considered as the larges t bankruptcy and stock collapse (Fox 2003). Before the company faced this issue, Enron has been considered as a major American energy industry. The events or disasters that resulted to the bankruptcy and collapse started long before anyone had suspected fraud and anomalies at the industry.In this disaster, two names have been noted: Arthur Andersen and Enron. One of the disasters that challenged the company is the inability of the management to anticipate the wrongdoings of Arthur Andersen. The disasters are centered in auditing aspects just before Enron filed bankruptcy. For example in 1996, Andersen’s audit report regarding Waste Management finances were discovered to be irrelevant and materially false that results in inflation of Income of the company by over $1 billion in the middle period of the 1990s.On the other hand, in 1997, it has been found out by the SEC that Sunbean has used accounting tricks to create false profits and sales and Andersen’s role in this di saster is that he signed-off these financial reports event after an industry partner flagged them. Herein, the company faced major disaster of partnering or hiring an auditing and consulting industries which is distrustful and irresponsible. Although the company has not been aware, Enron still has some plans to prevent such issue.However, the initiative of the company when it comes to their financial audit has been very weak that it leads to their major bankruptcy. To be able to solve this kind of disaster, Enron management has provided disaster plans by identifying the root f the issue. After knowing the problem about Arthur Andersen, the management immediately seeks third party assistance to clear the issue by making Andersen pay for the scandals and anomalies he has done.On one hand, another disaster faced by the company is in line with the inefficient and strategic decision making approach and also having ambiguous and vague firm economic and practice aims. Although Enron has so me management plan, the company has not been able to execute this plan well. For instance, The CEO of Enron had various product plans which needed major financial support; the organization during that period was also going through major disasters in their international businesses.In addition, it was not until Enron was financially unstable did the company starts to do something. So as to resolve this kind of disaster, the organization implemented different approaches. However, the strategy of the company only went from one major disaster of loss to the other. Because of the failure of the management of the organization to have strategic decision making, this lead to major disaster of investments and partnerships, the organization’s growth slowed down . As a result more of its inabilities and failures had grown more apparent (Zellner et al. 2001).Bankruptcy and various cases against the company had resulted to their bankruptcy. In addition, various employees of the organizatio n had lost their college funds, life savings, and pensions along with the collapse of the company. Herein, it can be said that the management of Enron must be able to have strategic decision making for the future to continuously sustain the strength of the company. In order to solve this disaster, the organization has been able to initiate a proper and strategic decision-making of the company.Herein, the company’s decision should be made made strategically by identifying first the pros and cons of the decision that they made. The management sees to it that everybody should agree to the decision so that further conflict or risks within the company would not arise. Good decision making can be attributed as one of the vital factors that will help the business to achieve its core mission and objective. This alternative is helpful in a way that it can make the company more competitive and survive in the marketing environment. ConclusionThere are many lessons that can be learned fr om the case of Enron and Arthur Andersen. It can be concluded that, based on the case of Enron, it is important that every individual in the business field should know how to manage or to handle disasters, specifically internal disasters in order for the business to achieve success and to be able to managed it effectively. In our case, it is important that the lessons learned from Enron and Arthur Andersen scandal should serve as enlightenment in making an efficient risk management manual

Coyote Blue Chapter 20~21

CHAPTER 20 Nevermore Santa Barbara When Sam walked into his office Gabriella met him with a cup of coffee. â€Å"Mr. Hunter, I'd like to apologize for my behavior yesterday. I don't know what came over me.† â€Å"That's okay. I do.† â€Å"I hope you were able to resolve the difficulties at the Cliffs.† Sam wasn't prepared for civility from Gabriella; it was like encountering a polite scorpion. Life was changing before his eyes. â€Å"Everything's fine. Any calls?† â€Å"Just Mr. Aaron.† She checked her message pad. â€Å"He would like you to stop into his office if it wouldn't be too much trouble.† â€Å"Exact words?† â€Å"Yes, sir.† â€Å"My my, has the Sugarplum Fairy been through here today?† Gabriella checked the pad. â€Å"No message, sir.† Sam smiled and walked away. Down the hall Julia told Sam to go right in. Aaron stood and smiled when Sam entered the office. â€Å"Sammy boy, have a seat. We need to talk.† Sam said, â€Å"Forty cents on the dollar, plus interest. You keep the office. I want out. That's it. You talk.† Aaron dismissed Sam's comment with a wave. â€Å"That's all behind us, buddy. Cochran's lawyer called. There isn't going to be any lawsuit. You and I are square.† â€Å"What happened?† Sam knew he should be elated at the news, but instead he felt dread. For a moment he had relished the idea of giving up all the pretending. Now what? â€Å"No explanation. They just backed off. They apologized for the mistake. You'll get a formal apology in the mail tomorrow. I never doubted you, kid. Not for a minute.† â€Å"Aaron, did you talk to Spagnola today?† â€Å"Just briefly. Just a social call. He was pretty heavily medicated. I'm not sure I trust him, Sam. You want to watch your back around that guy. He's unstable.† Sam felt his ears heat up with anger. Aaron expected him to act like the betrayal had never happened. There was a time when he would have, but not now. â€Å"Forty cents on the dollar, plus interest.† Aaron lost his friendly-guy salesman's smile. â€Å"But that's behind us.† â€Å"I don't think so. You're a shit, Aaron. That doesn't surprise me. But it does surprise me that you went after me when I was down. I thought we were friends.† â€Å"We are, Sammy.† â€Å"Good. Then you won't mind having the papers on my desk by midweek. And you can pay the attorney fees. They're tax deductible, you know. And if you're late, you will need the write-off.† Sam got up and started out of the office. Aaron called after him. â€Å"We don't have to do this now.† Without turning Sam said, â€Å"Yes we do. I do.† Sam nodded to Julia as he passed but he couldn't muster a smile. What have I done? he thought. In his outer office Gabriella was kicked back in her chair with her skirt up around her armpits. She seemed to be hyperventilating and her eyes were rolled back in her head. â€Å"Gabriella! Again?† She pointed to his office door. Sam threw the door open, banging it against the wall and disturbing a raven that was perched in the brass hat rack just inside. Sam stormed over to the bird, barely resisting the urge to grab it and rip its feathers out. â€Å"Goddammit, I told you to stay off my secretary!† Sam shook his fist at the bird. â€Å"And what kind of bullshit did you pull over at Motion Marine to get them to drop the lawsuit? Can't you just leave me alone?† â€Å"Why are you yelling at the bird?† The voice came from behind him. Sam looked around, his fist still threatening the raven. Coyote was standing in the opposite corner of the office by the fax machine. Sam's anger turned to confusion. He looked at the bird, then Coyote, then the bird. â€Å"Who's this?† â€Å"A raven?† Coyote speculated. He turned back to the fax machine. â€Å"Hey, what is this button that says ‘network'?† Sam was still looking at the bird. â€Å"It sends simultaneously to the home offices of all the companies we represent.† Coyote pushed the button. â€Å"Like smoke signals.† â€Å"What?† Sam dropped his fist, ran to the fax machine, and hit the cancel button a second too late. The display showed the transmission had gone out. Sam pulled the paper from the machine and stared at it in disbelief. Coyote had obviously lain on the copy machine to get the image. â€Å"You faxed your penis? That machine prints my name at the top of each transmission.† â€Å"The girls in the home office will think highly of you, then. Of course, they will be disappointed if they ever see you naked.† The raven squawked and Gabriella appeared at the open door. â€Å"Mr. Hunter, a gentleman is here to see you from the police department.† Coyote held the Xerox up to Gabriella. â€Å"A picture of your friend,† he offered. A sharp-featured Hispanic man in a tweed sport jacket pushed his way past Gabriella into the office. â€Å"Mr. Hunter, I'm Detective Alphonse Rivera, Santa Barbara PD, narcotics division. I'd like to ask you a few questions.† He held out a business card embossed with a gold shield, but did not offer to shake hands. â€Å"Narcotics?† Sam looked to Coyote, thinking he would have disappeared, but the trickster had stood his ground by the fax machine. On the hat rack, the raven cawed. â€Å"Nice bird,† Rivera said. â€Å"I understand they can be trained to talk.† Rivera walked to the bird and studied it. â€Å"Pig,† the raven said. â€Å"He's not mine,† Sam said quickly. â€Å"He belongs to-† Sam looked around and Gabriella was gone from the doorway. â€Å"He belongs to this gentleman.† Sam pointed to Coyote. â€Å"And you are?† Rivera eyed Coyote suspiciously. â€Å"Coyote.† Rivera raised an eyebrow and took a notebook from his inside jacket pocket. â€Å"Mr. Hunter, I have a few questions about what went on at Motion Marine a couple of days ago. Would you prefer to talk in private?† â€Å"Yes.† Sam looked at Coyote. â€Å"Go away. Take the bird with you.† â€Å"Nazi scum,† the raven cawed. â€Å"I'll stay,† Coyote said. Sam was on the verge of screaming. Sweat was beading on his forehead. He composed himself and turned to Rivera. â€Å"We can talk in front of Mr. Coyote.† â€Å"Just a few questions,† Rivera said. â€Å"You had an appointment with James Cable at ten. Is that correct?† â€Å"I was there for about an hour.† â€Å"I was there too,† Coyote said. Rivera turned his attention to the trickster. â€Å"Why were you there, Mr. Coyote?† â€Å"I was raising funds for NARC.† â€Å"Narc!† the raven said. â€Å"Narc?† â€Å"Native American Reform Coalition.† Rivera scribbled on a pad. Sam said, â€Å"I don't understand. What does this have to do with narcotics?† â€Å"We think someone put hallucinogens in the coffee over at Motion Marine. Two days ago James Cable claims he was attacked by someone fitting Mr. Coyote's description. He had a heart attack.† â€Å"I just asked him if his company would make a donation,† Coyote said. â€Å"He said no and I went away.† He had taken the Xerox of his penis from the desk and fitted it back into the fax machine. He searched the buttons. â€Å"‘Insurance commissioner, † he read as he pushed the button. â€Å"No!† Sam dove over the desk for the cancel button. Too late. He turned to Rivera. â€Å"That document wasn't signed.† He grinned and tried to move the conversation away from his panic. â€Å"You know, I was thinking – we've got an Indian, a policeman, and an insurance broker. We're only a construction worker away from the Village People.† Rivera ignored the comment. â€Å"Did you have any coffee while you were at Motion Marine, Mr. Hunter?† â€Å"Coffee? No.† â€Å"And you didn't drink from the watercooler?† â€Å"No. I don't understand.† â€Å"Today, three people at Motion Marine, including Frank Cochran, claim that they saw a polar bear in the offices.† Sam looked at Coyote. â€Å"A polar bear?† â€Å"We think that someone slipped them some LSD. We're testing the water and the coffee now. We just wanted to talk to anyone who has been in the building in the last two days. You didn't see anyone strange hanging around while you were in the building?† â€Å"I only saw Cable's secretary and Cable,† Sam said. Rivera flipped the notebook closed. â€Å"Well, thanks for your time. If you have any strange reactions or see anything strange, could you give me a call?† Rivera handed a card to Coyote. â€Å"And you too, if you would.† â€Å"Cabron,† the raven said. â€Å"He speaks Spanish, too,† Rivera said. â€Å"Amazing.† The detective left the office. â€Å"‘Santa Barbara News-Press advertising, † Coyote read as he pushed the button. The fax machine whirred. Sam started to go for the machine, then stopped and sat down in his chair. He sat for a minute rubbing his temples. â€Å"If that cop runs a background check on me, I'm going to jail. You know that, don't you?† â€Å"You wanted your old life back.† â€Å"But a fucking polar bear?† â€Å"Well, you have your old life back, whether you want it or not.† â€Å"I was wrong.† It felt good saying it, the honesty in it. He wanted a new life. â€Å"I just want you to go away.† â€Å"I'm gone,† Coyote said. â€Å"The girl is gone too.† â€Å"What does that mean?† The feathers on Coyote's shirt turned black and his fingers changed to flight feathers. In an instant Coyote was a raven. He flew out the office door followed by the raven from the hat rack. CHAPTER 21 All Happy Families Santa Barbara Calliope stood in the driveway, holding Grubb, waiting for Lonnie to return. Nina had been right: she wasn't very good at worrying, but she was giving it a good effort. She was sure that Lonnie wouldn't hurt her or Grubb, but then again, Lonnie had never acted the way he had the night before. She wished that she could have asked Sam to stay with her and help her with a decision, but it would have been too much to ask so soon. She wished, too, that there were phones at the ashram and that she could call her mother for advice. And she couldn't just jump in the car and drive to see her mother as she always had before. She had her job, her house, and there was Sam now. She was trying to push the dark specter of the unknown to the back of her mind when she heard the Harley approaching. She looked up to see Lonnie rounding the corner a block away, his new girlfriend clinging to him like a leech. Lonnie pulled into the driveway next to her and killed the engine. â€Å"I'm late for work,† Calliope said, wiping a trail of drool from Grubb's face with her finger. The woman behind Lonnie glared at her and Calliope nodded to her and said, â€Å"Hi.† Lonnie reached for Grubb without getting off the bike. Calliope hugged Grubb close. She said, â€Å"I don't want him riding on the bike with you.† Lonnie laughed. â€Å"The way you drive? He's a hell of a lot safer on the bike.† â€Å"Please, Lonnie.† The woman reached out and took Grubb from Calliope. The baby began to cry. â€Å"He'll be fine,† Cheryl hissed. â€Å"Why can't you just stay at home with him?† Calliope asked. â€Å"Places to go, people to meet,† Lonnie said. â€Å"I could get Yiffer to watch him.† Calliope felt her breath coming hard. She didn't like the look of this hard woman holding her Grubb. Lonnie said, â€Å"You tell Yiffer to watch his ass or I'll shoot it off.† â€Å"Lonnie, I have to go. Can't you just stay here? I'm only working the lunch shift today.† Lonnie grinned. â€Å"Aren't you going to stop by the hospital on your way home?† â€Å"Hospital? No. Why?† Lonnie fired up the Harley. â€Å"No reason.† He laughed and coaxed the big bike around in the driveway. As he gunned the engine and pulled into the street Cheryl shouted, â€Å"Don't worry, bitch, we'll put a dollar on black for you.† Over the roar of the Harley, Calliope could hear the woman grunt as Lonnie elbowed her in the ribs. Calliope saw Grubb looking at her as they rounded the corner. Panic tore at her chest as what the woman had said sunk in. She turned and ran back up the steps. -=*=- By late afternoon the contractors had replaced Sam's sliding glass door and patched the bullet holes in the walls. Sam canceled the week's appointments, which gave him time alone with his thoughts. He soon found, however, that his thoughts, like monkeys in church, were bad company. He tried reading to distract himself, but he found that he was simply looking at the pages. He tried napping, but as soon as he closed his eyes, images of Coyote and the police filled his head. When the worry became too much for him he thought of Calliope, which set off a whole new set of worries. What had Coyote meant, â€Å"The girl is gone†? Did it matter? She was trouble. Too young, too goofy, probably too attractive. And the kid – he didn't need a kid in his life either. Trouble. If she had gone somewhere he probably was better off. He didn't need the hassles. That thought still bouncing through his mind, he grabbed the phone and dialed her number. No answer. He called information and got the number for the Tangerine Tree Cafe. She hadn't shown up for work today. Where in the hell is she? Where in the hell is Coyote? The fucker knew where she went and he wouldn't tell. What had started as a niggling irritation turned to dread. Why in the hell does it matter? he thought. Terrifying and black, a word rose in his mind that matched his feeling. He recoiled from it, but it struck him again and again like an angry viper. Love: the sickest of Irony's sick jokes. The place where logic and order go to die. Then again, maybe not. It was only bad if you were hiding, pretending to be something that you were not. Maybe the hiding could end. Sam got up and headed out the door in what he knew was a ridiculous effort to find Calliope. He drove to the cafe and confirmed what they had told him on the phone. Then he drove to Calliope's house and found Yiffer and Nina getting out of the van as he pulled up. Nina said, â€Å"I don't know where she is, Sam. She left a note saying that Lonnie had taken Grubb and she was going after him.† â€Å"Nothing about where she was going?† â€Å"Any note at all is a big step for her. She used to disappear for days at a time with no note at all.† â€Å"Fuck.† Sam started to get back in the car. â€Å"Sam,† Nina called. He paused. â€Å"The note said to tell you she was sorry.† â€Å"For what?† â€Å"That's all it said.† â€Å"Thanks, Nina. Call me if she shows up.† Sam gunned the Mercedes out of the driveway, having no idea where he was going. He needed help. All his machines and access to information wouldn't help. He needed a place to start. Twenty-four hours ago he would have given anything to get rid of Coyote. Now he would welcome the trickster's cryptic, smart-assed answers – at least they were answers. He drove around town, looking for Calliope's Z, feeling hope rise each time he spotted an orange car, and feeling it fall when it turned out not to be Calliope's. After an hour he returned home, where he sat on his sofa, smoking and thinking. Everything had changed and nothing had changed. His life was back to normal, and normal wasn't enough anymore. He wanted real. -=*=- At the Guild's clubhouse Tinker was digging at a flea bite on his leg, trying to pull his grimy jeans up over heavy boots to get at the tiny invader. â€Å"Fucking fleas,† he said. The Guild's president, Bonner Newton, let out a raucous snort. â€Å"You know what they say, bro,† Newton said. â€Å"Lie down with dogs†¦Ã¢â‚¬  A din of harsh laughter rose in the room from the other Guild members. â€Å"Fuck you guys,† Tinker said, feigning anger while enjoying the attention. It wasn't that he liked ugly chicks, but who else would have him? Nineteen of the twenty full members of the Guild were draped over furniture and sprawled on the floor, smoking joints and cigarettes, drinking beers and feeling at the few old ladies present. Outside, two strikers, members who had not earned their full colors, sat on the front porch watching for the law. The house was a ramshackle stucco bungalow that had been built in the 1930s as part of a housing tract, before the term housing tract was part of the language. The walls were stained with blood, beer, and vomit. The carpet was matted with motor oil; the furniture was minimal and distressed. Only Tinker actually lived at the clubhouse. The rest of the club used it for meeting and partying. The Guild had paid a hundred thousand dollars in cash for the house. The deed was registered under Newton's married sister's name, as was the ranch house the Guild owned in the Santa Lucia Mountains above Santa Barbara, which housed the lab that provided their income. Ironically, the ranch's nearest neighbor was a wobbly-headed ex-president who had declared a war on drugs, and who, from time to time, would stand on the veranda of his palatial ranch house sniffing the odor of cooking crank and calling, â€Å"Mommy, there's a funny smell trickling down out here.† The lab produced enough income to support all of the Guild's members and ensure that none of them had to work except to man the counter of the Harley-Davidson shop that Bonner Newton used to launder drug money. Newton held an M.B.A. from Stanford. In an earlier time, before he fell from grace for smuggling cocaine, he had stalked the glass-cube buildings of Silicon Valley, wearing Italian suits and commanding crews of brilliant computer designers who could define the universe in terms of two digits, explain the chaos theory in twenty-five words or less, and build machines that emulated human intelligence – but who thought a vulva was a Swedish automobile. Newton's experience in coddling these genius misfits served him well as president of the Guild, for the members of the Guild were nothing more than nerds without brains: fat, ugly, or awkward men who found no acceptance in the outside world and so escaped into the security and belonging of an outlaw biker club. A Harley-Davidson and blind loyalty were the only requirements for membership. â€Å"Listen up, you fucks,† Newton said, calling the meeting to order. â€Å"Bitches outside.† He paused and lit a cigarette while the women filed out the door, glaring at him over their shoulders. He was not a large or imposing man compared to the other members, but his authority was not to be questioned. â€Å"Lonnie's not here yet,† Tinker said. â€Å"Lonnie's running an errand for us,† Newton said. â€Å"We're going to take an impromptu road trip. A little business and a little pleasure.† â€Å"Fuckin' A,† someone yelled. Newton gestured for quiet. â€Å"Seems like someone forgot to tell me that we were running low on ether up at the facility.† Newton always referred to the crank lab as â€Å"the facility.† Tinker stopped scratching his leg and hung his head. â€Å"Tink, you fucking idiot,† someone said. â€Å"Anyway,† Newton continued, â€Å"I wasn't able to arrange a delivery, so we have to go get it. There's a rally in South Dakota in a couple of days. At Sturgis. The Chicago chapter is going to meet us there with a couple of barrels. I want three fifty-five-gallon drums rigged with false tops so if we get stopped by the law it looks like we're hauling motor oil. Tinker, you'll drive the pickup.† â€Å"Aw, come on, Newt,† Tinker whined. â€Å"Warren,† Newton said. A thin biker with curly red hair looked up. â€Å"You fix one of the barrels for weapons, and make sure no one is packing. I don't want any weapons on anyone while we're riding.† A series of snorts, moans, and â€Å"Oh, fucks† passed around the room. Newton dismissed them with a wave. â€Å"Advice from the Gator,† he said. Gator was short for the litigator, the Guild's attorney, Melvin Gold, who handled all their criminal cases free of charge in exchange for the assurance that he could also handle their personal injury suits. Bikers got run over a lot. â€Å"Look,† Newton insisted, â€Å"half of you are on probation. We don't need some rookie pig looking for glory to fuck us on a concealed-weapons charge. Are we clear?† Newton paused until someone answered, â€Å"We're clear.† â€Å"All right, then. Lonnie's making a run to Vegas with his old lady to get the money to pay for the ether. He'll meet us in South D. We're out of here at nine tomorrow morning, so don't get too fucked up tonight. Bring your camping shit. Let your bitches carry your stash.† Newton dropped his cigarette and ground it out on the carpet. â€Å"That's all,† he said. The room filled with conversations about the trip. A few of the members got up to leave. When they opened the door a single flea hopped out with them. Once past the steps the flea changed into a horsefly and took flight. A block away the horsefly changed into a raven and headed toward the mesa and the Cliffs condominium complex.