Macbeth - Supernatural Forces Essays - Characters In Macbeth

Macbeth - Supernatural Forces In the play "Macbeth," there were many interesting sectionswhich could be concentrated on due to the suspense and the involvement of the supernatural. The use of the supernatural in the witches, the visions, the ghost, and the apparitions is a key element in making the concept of the play work and in making the play interesting. Looking through each Act and Scene of the play, it is noticed that the supernatural is definitely a major factor on the play's style. The use of the supernatural occurs at the beginning of the play, with three witches predicting the fate of Macbeth. This gives the audience a clue to what the future holds for Macbeth. "When the battles lost and won" (Act I, Scene I, l.4) was said by the second witch. It says that every battle is lost by one side and won by another. Macbeth's fate is that he will win the battle, but will lose his time of victory for the battle of his soul. After the prophecies of the witches' revealed the fate of Macbeth, the plan in which to gain power of the throne is brought up. The only way to gain power of the throne was for Macbeth to work his way to the throne, or to murder King Duncan. Murdering the king was an easier plan since the motivation in his dreams urged him on. Lady Macbeth also relied on the supernatural by her soliloquy of calling upon the evil spirits to give her the power to plot the murder of Duncan without any remorse or conscience (Act I, Scene V, ll.42-57). The three sisters are capable of leading people into danger resulting in death, such as the sailor who never slept (Act I, Scene III, ll.1-37). Lady Macbeth has convinced her husband Macbeth to murder King Duncan. On the night they planned to kill Duncan, Macbeth is waiting for Lady Macbeth to ring the signal bell to go up the stairs to Duncan's chamber. He sees the vision of the floating dagger. The interest of the dagger is that it leads Macbeth towards the chamber by the presence of evil of the dagger being covered with blood. Then the bell rings and Macbeth stealthily proceeds up the staircase to Duncan's chamber. Once the murder has been committed, eventually Banquo has his suspicions about Macbeth killing Duncan to have power of the throne. There is constantly more guilt and fear inside Macbeth and his wife that they decide to have Banquo killed. Macbeth and his wife attend a banquet in which a ghost appears. Once the murderer notified Macbeth that the deed was done, he observed the ghost of Banquo sitting in his regular seat. This caused Macbeth to act in a wild manner, making people suspicious of his actions. (Act II I, Scene VI, ll.31-120). The use of the supernatural has increased the suspense now that Macbeth is constantly relying on the prophecies of the three witches. Hecate, the Queen of witches is angry with the three sisters for not involving her in their encounters with Macbeth. The witches plan to lead Macbeth to his downfall by making him feel over-confident. (Act III, Scene V, ll.1-35). Further on in the play, Macbeth finds his way to the witches' cave and demands to know what lies ahead for him. The three witches predict what he is going to ask and produce the first apparition which is an armed head. "Macbeth!, Macbeth!, Macbeth!, beware of Macduff; beware thane of Fife. Dismiss me: enough." (Act VI, Scene I, ll.77-78). The first apparition tells Macbeth to beware of Macduff. Then the second apparition appears (a bloody child), and says: "Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth." (Act IV, Scene I, ll.85-87). This apparition informs Macbeth tha t no man born from a woman can harm him. finally, the last apparition appears and is a child crowned, with a tree in his hand. The apparition is saying that he will never be defeated until Great Birnam wood shall come against him to High Dunsinane Hill. "Be lion melted, proud, and take no care who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are: Macbeth

Child Labor in Ghana Essays

Child Labor in Ghana Essays Child Labor in Ghana Essay Child Labor in Ghana Essay Project Description and Learning Outcome: According to the statistics of International Labor Organization, there are 250 million children aged 5 to 14 (Todaro Smith, 2009, p. 379) are working in developing countries, and many of them were enslaved or bonded laborers. Of these 250 million child labors, 126. 3 million are doing jobs that are classified as difficult, dangerous and suitable. (Child Labour in Africa, 2006) Africa has the highest rate of child labor in the world, which is 41%. (Todaro Smith, 2009, p. 79) While child labor has been declining in Asia and Latin America, economic decline, war, famine and HIV/AIDS have combined to prevent this in Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa has 49. 3 million children are working and have the greatest incidence of economically active children: 26. 4 percent of children ages 5 to 14 in the region are at work. Also in Africa, an estimated 50,000 children are in prostitution and pornography. Some 120,000 children under the age of 18 are thought to have been coerced into taking up arms as child soldiers, or military porters, messengers, cooks or sex slaves in Africa. Child Labour in Africa, 2006) Children works at earlier age in Ghana and farm labor predominates. According to Bhalotra in a report published by the OECD, â€Å"work on the household farm engages 41% of boys and 44% of girls aged 10-14, while household enterprise work involves 2. 5% of boys and 3. 6% of girls. † (Bhalotra, 2003) This research will discuss the causes of child labor in Ghana and the effect it will have on the child, the family and the economy. The International Labor Organization (ILO) is in forefront in combating child labor worldwide. It has several poverty reduction programs in Africa. This project will be done in 4 phases as follows: Phase1: Introduction We will briefly discuss the general theory of child labor, what are the causes of child labor and general situation of child labor in Ghana and its effects, as well as our objective in this research project. Phase 2: Description of project, and project results In this phase, we will tackle the main issues involving child labor in Ghana, as well as researching the ways on how the government of Ghana is handling the situation, as well as the support coming from international organizations such as ILO. We use extensively research database of the Centennial library, as well as Toronto Public Library. We also researched on books that are available in the library and online reports published by reputable organizations such as the World Bank, ILO, OECD and several academic journals. Phase 3: Analysis We will analyze the problem and causes of child labor in Ghana, as well as the effect it will have on the child, the family and the economy based on the research materials on hand, and arrive at possible solutions on how to help eradicate child labor in Ghana and how these can contribute to the work of ILO. Phase 4: Conclusion We will then have our conclusion based on the possible solutions for child labor in Ghana. Reference Bhalotra, S. (2003). Child Labour in Africa. OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers, No. 4. OECD Publishing. doi: 10. 1787/582055427126 Child Labour in Africa. (2006). Retrieved November 14, 2010, from International Labour Organization: ilo. org/declaration/info/factsheets/langen/docNameWCMS_DECL_FS_38_EN/index. htm Todaro, M. P. , Smith, S. C. (2009). Economic Development (10th ed. ). Boston: Pearson Addison-Wesley.

History of the Sacco and Vanzetti Case

History of the Sacco and Vanzetti Case Two Italian immigrants, Nicola Sacco and Batolomeo Vanzetti, died in the electric chair in 1927, and their case was widely seen as an injustice.  After convictions for murder, followed by a lengthy legal battle to clear their names, their executions were met with mass protests across America and Europe. Some aspects of the Sacco and Vanzetti case would not seem out of place in modern society. The two men were portrayed as dangerous foreigners. They were both members of anarchist groups, and faced trial at a time when political radicals engaged in brutal and dramatic acts of violence, including a 1920 terrorist bombing on Wall Street. Both men had avoided military service in World War I, at one point escaping the draft by going to Mexico. It was later rumored that their time spent in Mexico, in the company of other anarchists, had been spent  learning how to make bombs. Their long legal battle began following a violent and deadly payroll robbery on a Massachusetts street in the spring of 1920. The crime seemed to be a common robbery, not anything to do with radical politics. But when a police investigation led to Sacco and Vanzetti, their radical political history seemed to make them likely suspects. Before their trial  even began in 1921, prominent figures declared that the men were being framed. And donors came forward help them hire competent legal help. Following their conviction, protests against the United States broke out in European cities. A bomb was delivered to the American ambassador to Paris. In the United States, skepticism about the conviction surged. The demand that Sacco and Vanzetti be cleared continued for years as the men sat in prison. Eventually their legal appeals ran out, and they were executed in the electric chair  in the early hours of August 23, 1927. Nine decades after their deaths, the Sacco and Vanzetti case remains a disturbing episode in American history. The Robbery The armed robbery which began the Sacco and Vanzetti case was remarkable for the amount of cash stolen, $15,000 (early reports gave an even higher estimate), and because two gunmen shot two men in broad daylight. One victim died immediately and the other died the next day. It seemed to be the work of a brazen stick-up gang, not a crime that would turn into a prolonged political and social drama. The robbery occurred on April 15, 1920, on a street of a Boston suburb, South Braintree, Massachusetts. The paymaster of a local shoe company carried a box of cash, divided up into pay envelopes to be distributed to workers. The paymaster, along with an accompanying guard, were intercepted by two men who drew guns.   The robbers shot the paymaster and the guard, grabbed the cash box, and quickly jumped into a getaway car driven by an accomplice (and said to be holding other passengers). The robbers managed to drive off and disappear. The getaway car was later found abandoned in a nearby woods. Background of the Accused Sacco and Vanzetti were both born in Italy, and, coincidentally, both arrived in America in 1908. Nicola Sacco, who settled in Massachusetts, got into a training program for shoemakers and became a highly skilled worker with a good job in a shoe factory. He married, and had a young son at the time of his arrest. Bartolomeo Vanzetti, who arrived in New York, had a more difficult time in his new country. He struggled to find work, and had a succession of menial jobs before becoming a fish peddler in the Boston area. The two men met at some point through their interest in radical political causes. Both became exposed to anarchist handbills and newspapers during a time when labor unrest led to very contentious strikes across America. In New England, strikes at factories and mills turned into a radical cause and both men became involved with the anarchist movement. When the United States entered the World War in 1917, the federal government instituted a draft. Both Sacco and Vanzetti, along with other anarchists, traveled to Mexico to avoid serving in the military. In line with anarchist literature of the day, they claimed the war was unjust and was really motivated by business interests. The two men escaped prosecution for avoiding the draft, and after the war  they resumed their previous lives in Massachusetts. But they remained interested in the anarchist cause just as the Red Scare gripped the country.   The Trial Sacco and Vanzetti were not the original suspects in the robbery case. But when police sought to apprehend  someone they suspected, attention fell on Sacco and Vanzetti nearly by chance. The two men happened to be with the suspect when he went to retrieve a car, which the police had linked to the case. On the night of May 5, 1920, the two men were riding a streetcar after visiting a garage with two friends. Police, tracking the men who had been to the garage after receiving a tip, boarded the streetcar and arrested Sacco and Vanzetti on a vague charge of being suspicious characters. Both men were carrying pistols, and they were held in a local jail on a concealed weapons charge. And as the police began to investigate their lives, suspicion fell on them for the armed robbery a few weeks earlier in South Braintree. The links to anarchist groups soon became apparent, and searches of their apartments turned up radical literature. The police theory of the case was that the robbery must have been part of an anarchist plot to fund violent activities. Sacco and Vanzetti were soon charged with murder. Additionally, Vanzetti was charged, and quickly put on trial and convicted, of another armed robbery in which a clerk was killed. By the time the two men were put on trial for the deadly robbery at the shoe company their case was being widely publicized.  The New York Times, on May 30, 1921, published an article describing the defense strategy. Supporters of Sacco and Vanzetti maintained the men were being tried not for robbery and murder but for being foreign radicals. A sub-headline read, Charge Two Radicals Are Victims of Department of Justice Plot. Despite the public support and the enlistment of a talented legal team, the two men were convicted on July 14, 1921, following a trial of several weeks. The police evidence rested on eyewitness testimony, some of which was contradictory, and disputed ballistics evidence that seemed to show a bullet fired in the robbery came from Vanzettis pistol. Campaign  for Justice For the next six years, the two men sat in prison as legal challenges to their original conviction played out. The trial judge, Webster Thayer, steadfastly refused to grant a new trial (as he could have under Massachusetts law). Legal scholars, including Felix Frankfurter, a professor at Harvard Law School and a future justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, argued about the case. Frankfurter published a book expressing his doubts about whether the two defendants had received a fair trial. Around the world, the Sacco and Vanzetti case turned into a popular cause. The United States legal system was criticized in rallies in major European cities. And violent attacks, including bombings, were aimed at American institutions overseas. In October 1921, the American ambassador in Paris had a bomb sent to him in a package marked perfumes. The bomb detonated, slightly wounding the ambassadors valet. The New York Times, in a front-page story about the incident, noted that the bomb seemed to be part of a campaign by Reds outraged about the Sacco and Vanzetti trial. The long legal fight over the case went on for years. During that time, anarchists used the case as an example of how the United States was a fundamentally unjust society.   In the spring of 1927, the two men were finally sentenced to death. As the execution date drew near, more rallies and protests were held in Europe and across the United States.   The two men died in the electric chair in a Boston prison early on the morning of August 23, 1927. The event was major news, and the New York Times of that day carried a large headline about their execution across the entire top of the front page.   Legacy of Sacco and Vanzetti The controversy over Sacco and Vanzetti never entirely faded away. Over the nine decades since their conviction and execution many books have been written on the subject. Investigators have looked at the case and have even examined the evidence using  new technology. But serious doubts still remain about misconduct by the police and prosecutors and whether the two men received a fair trial.   Various  works of fiction and poetry  were inspired by their case. Folksinger  Woody Guthrie  wrote a series of songs about them. In  The Flood and The Storm  Guthrie sang, More millions did march for Sacco and Vanzetti  than did march for the great War Lords.

Assessment of English Language Learners Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Assessment of English Language Learners - Essay Example 11). Analysis of our data, for example, showed that elementary children were instructed during the week for an average of twenty-two and a half hours. Student involved classroom assessment is an alternative tool of assessment based on: "student involvement in the assessment process, student-involved record keeping, and student-involved communication" (Stiggins and Chappuis 2005, p. 12). Student-involved classroom assessment ensures that student's achievements are objectively assessed and analyzed by a teacher. Students can be guided toward a real, active respect for an interest in education, extending from secondary education through college and beyond. Apart from narrow educational norms and emphases, other personal characteristics are important for the growth of such a positive outlook. These include a real feeling of self-discipline, understanding of and respect for art and other intellectual achievements of human society, an interest in physical and mental health, and in sound relationships with others, and a sensible perspective on the value and use of leisure. Student-involved record keeping allows students to monitor their achievements and improve them immediately. This assessment tool motivates students to pay more attention to their educational achievements. "As they chart progress, they gain a sense of control over their own learning." (Stiggins and Chappuis 2005, p. 13). It yields an immense variety of designs, characterized not only by self-adaptiveness and a very sparing use of natural resources in their realization but also by two other most significant factors of flexibility: the acceptance of imperfections and the mass production of individuality. Both of these characteristics need to be viewed not as an involution but as an evolution, indeed a revolution, in ability to design flexibly. Student-involved communication is effective tools of assessment because it allows parents to monitor achievements of their children and communicate with teachers and other parents. This techniques motivates students to have "a positive story" and to be responsible for their achievements. If effective and stern judgments cannot always be made, then let us at least use the accreditation process to improve things where possible--this seems to be the conclusion that many have drawn. But this conclusion does not fulfill the objective of accreditation, and, of equal importance, it does not have accreditation doing what the public thinks it should be doing. If the process is to survive, therefore, and if the rapid advance of government in the process of educational evaluation is to be halted, steps must be taken to restore accreditation to the role it is assumed to have--that of evaluating educational institutions, honestly, rigorously, and openly, so that when a person obtains a degree fro m an accredited institution, reality will match expectation (Kyriacon, 2000). The other alternative assessment tools are concentrated on reductions in score gaps and low achievements. Classroom Assessment to Reduce Achievement Gaps helps educators to concentrate on problems appeared during education programs: " (a) focus on clear purposes, (b) provide accurate reflections of achievement, (c) provide students with continuous access to descriptive feedback on improvement in their work (versus infrequent

Outsourcing Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Outsourcing Management - Essay Example Currently Information Systems (IS) Outsourcing Management it's a familiar concept that all of us have already heard something about. The Big Boom of IS Outsourcing Management started with the "Kodak Effect". Outsourcing Management of Information Systems it is a reality since 1963 when "Ross Perot with his company Electronic Data Systems signed an agreement with Blue Cross of Pennsylvania for the handling of its data processing services". (Dibbern, 6)The cases of IS outsourcing continued thought the years until 1980s when Kodak have made a successful " strategic alliance" with is IS partners led by IBM, DEC and Business Land to outsource its information systems. From this moment on no longer was possible to say that "IS is strategic and hence cannot be turned over to a third party ", because if Kodak a renowned company who considered IS to be a strategic asset and was outsourcing it in a successful way, then others could follow the same steps. This really happened like for example wit h: General Dynamics, JP Morgan, BP, and many others around the world. (Dibbern, 07)The following are a list of the three main types of outsourcing management.Total Outsourcing All operations have been contracted to another provider. This is common in generic, non-strategic businesses like food or janitorial services.Partial Outsourcing  This is when certain activities are kept in house such as customer service while other more specialized activities are sourced out. Plants and telecom offices would typically engage in this type of outsourcing.

Sex Education in Public Schools Essay Example for Free

Sex Education in Public Schools Essay Sex education should be taught in public middle schools because: it decreases the chance of sexual diseases and teenage pregnancies, it is needed in case of a parents’ absence or neglect, and it also provides more knowledge about how sex works while debunking the myths surrounding sexual intercourse, and it makes some want to set goals for relationships. People say sex education encourages youth to engage in sexual activities rather than preventing sex. This is true; however, studies show that when youth are taught about sexual education, they are more likely to make better decisions. Sexual education should be taught in middle school because it is around this time that youth become sexually aware. Teaching them in middle school will better prepare them for the peer pressures and temptations that they will encounter in high school. I mean, how do we say that it is OK for schools to teach our children about math, science, history, and numerous other subjects, yet get high and mighty with righteous indignation when biology is taken a step further to focus on sex? Most students reach puberty around middle school ages, it is important to give them a solid base for them to make smart decisions before they become sexually active. Preparing them to make better decisions will lower STD and teen pregnancy rates. Whether its safe sex practices or even abstinence, all of these issues must be dealt with in an educational setting, because when we look at teen pregnancy rates, sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, it only makes sense to have as much education as possible. This allows them to make more informed choices about engaging in sexual intercourse. The youth do not always consider the consequences of having sex, but with well educated instructors informing them, they can learn the dangers that come with having sex. If someone has no prior information about STD’s and they engage in sexual intercourse, they not only put themselves at risk but their partner is also at risk. The education provided by this program will help students be more aware of life threatening and life changing risks. Some say that the education of sex invokes students to engage in sex. However, stats say otherwise. Research shows that in a survey conducted, only about seventeen percent of the respondents answered that sex education encourages them to do â€Å"it† and the remaining eighty-three percent strongly disagreed. Sex education isn’t encouraging students to have intercourse, but rather it is teaching them how to stay safe. Should kids their age be having sex? No. However, kids are kids. They will do as they please. By teaching them safely to â€Å"do it† they will at least avoid any unnecessary risks involved in making such a grown-up and mature decision. Because many view sex as a taboo outside of marriage, they do not wish for it to be taught at all, especially to youth. However as I have stated before sex education does not encourage people to have sex but make better decisions when the time does come. Regardless of personal beliefs it is important that they understand the risks and benefits of sex. If the parents believe that the child should abstain from sex then this gives them a chance to talk about it with their child and why they believe so. Another important point to consider is the youth who do not have a particular adult to confide and ask about these feelings and urges they are experiencing. Parents do not talk about this subject to their children because either they are too busy with their daily life, don’t know how to talk about it, or they may feel uncomfortable. Therefore, sex education should be taught to them so that they would learn it from an educated and responsible adult instead of learning it from the media or their friends. Students aren’t getting the information that they need from the right places. Talking to friends or learning from social media is not the best way to learn about important topics such as sex. Many students don’t know how to prevent catching an STD because the information is not available in school. There will always be peers who will badly influence others. That is why sex education should be implemented in schools so the youth have a reliable non-biased adult to guide them into their own adulthood and are not just basing it off misconceptions. Myths and misconceptions play a big role in why youth engage in sex without considering the effects it can have. Many believe sex is an all access enjoyment activity because of the influence from outside sources like music, movies, and television. However, I state again, that with proper knowledge from both the pros and cons of engaging in sexual activity better choices can be made that will potentially save lives of many young people today and saving them the embarrassment of contracting an STD. When talking about sex, students are often embarrassed to open up about how they feel about it or what they know about it. Some adults say sex is a personal topic and should only be discussed with close family or close friends, therefore eliminates a class for sex education. Kids nowadays feel that to be a virgin is â€Å"not cool. † If you haven’t had sex by the time you are a sophomore, and if people find out about it, you lose popularity. However, what we need to emphasize is that being safe is more important than being popular. Some say that we should not teach sex education, but we should teach abstinence. Abstinence is such an unreasonable thing to teach kids. It’s just not going to happen. Too many people live in denial about their children having sex. People are crazy if they want to encourage parents to opt out of sex education and making it more about abstinence and nothing else. Why can’t both take place? Abstinence is definitely the safest of all safe sex measures, but there is also a point where we have to accept reality. If you were to talk to teachers and administrators, they will tell you that students as young as middle school are engaging in oral sex. Most say that oral sex isn’t really sex. However, anyone with half a brain knows that to be the case. In conclusion, if sex education was taught in public middle schools, these situations could be prevented. The teen pregnancy rates would be lowered along with the STD rates. Students would be provided with the information they need to prevent getting an STD or getting pregnant at such a young age. They would also learn about many different places they can turn to for information or help with any situation they got themselves into. If sex education was being taught, they could open up to their parents about it and receive information from someone they know and are comfortable talking to. I think the school board should put sex education into public middle schools so the students have the information available to them and to prevent higher pregnancy and STD rates.

Essay --

Is this a quote that you would believe to be some one that would be considered an effective visionary leader â€Å" If you're afraid of the future, then get out of the way, stand aside. The people of this country are ready to move again.†. Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan was one of our nations most effective visionary leader of the twentieth century, evident by his vision of â€Å"beginning a era of national renewal† and his relentless pursuit for world peace and the end of the Cold War. I will begin by first explaining why I believe Reagan was an effective visional leader by his use of the Transformational Leadership style and how it reenergized US government and the American public, and then describe his ability to understand diversity and how it was the key in setting the foundation to end the Cold War and to promote world peace. To view someone as a visionary leader you might want to have a little background on them as a man or woman, lest look at Ronald Reagan as t he man that became our Nations leader. Ronald Wilson Reagan was always in the front of the public eye; Reagan’s first passion was that of an actor. From 1935-1965 Reagan was involved with in radio broadcasting, television shows and was staring in over 50 Hollywood films. Through out his early years Reagan was seen as a leader evident by his selection as the student body President in high school and later on at Eureka (Illinois) College. He enlisted in to the Army Reserve as a Private but was soon promoted to Second Lieutenant in the Officers Reserve Corps of the Cavalry in 1937. He was call to active duty in the Army Air Force and assigned to the 1st Motion Picture Unit in Culver City California where was involved with making over 400 training films from 1942 thru 1945. ... ...large step towards world peace, thus this is way I believe he was an effective visionary leader. I have given you a little background on Ronald W. Reagan the man and a leader. Then I explained to you, two areas that I feel that make Reagan an effective visionary leader. The first area was how he effectively uses of Transformation Leadership style through his vision, thinking, charisma and caring approach inspired a nation to embrace and move forward after a decade of hardship. Seconded area I covered was how he fully embraced Cognitive/Behavioral and Demographic Diversity in accomplishing his vision of promoting world peace and setting the foundation to ending the Cold War. In closing I would like to leave you with this closing remake for Reagan: "What I'd really like to do is go down in history as the President who made Americans believe in themselves again.†

A Moment That Changed My Life Essay

This is my creative essay for the Film Program at NYU. The prompt was: â€Å"Introduce yourself. Describe an unforgettable event in your life and how it changed your perception of yourself or the view of someone close to you. This event can be dramatic and/or comedic. The assignment may be written as a short story in the first person or as an essay. † My one fear is that my essay is hard to understand. So any feedback on how it reads to other people would be a huge help. And also any gramatical errors or anything like that that you find would be a help as well. I’m probably mailing this out today so please, any advice would be much appriciated. Thanks. How did I get here? How did this happen. I sat staring through the open car door as it dangled there in front of my eyes. How had I not seen it before; how had it never caught my eye? It hit me so fast, like a wave that unexpectedly overtakes you as you walk along the beach. â€Å"It’s really happening,† I thought to myself. I am no longer a child. I am terrified. And it’s not fear that troubles me, it’s realization. It’s the realization that my life will simply just keeps moving along and I have no say in the matter. It’s the realization that I no longer have what seems like all the time in the world to figure out what I want to do with that life; what I want to be, what I want to leave behind after I’m gone. It’s finally time for me to stop thinking but rather go out and do the things I’ve dreamed of; the things I’ve only wondered at, baffled at, as I lay alone in my bed at night. It had never felt real until now. I stared at it as it hung there, as it hung unaware of the meaning it gave to me at this moment. Those few seconds stretched for hours, stretched to encompass the span of a lifetime in the flash of a blinking eye. And that’s what it all now felt like; a blink, a moment, a flash. Is that what it will feel like at the end? A flash? When I was a little girl, my father took me to the fair. He bought me a wristband so that I could go on all of the rides without having to fumble with tickets. He told me, â€Å"Darling, you can do anything you want here, just say the word. † To a young child, hearing those words was like being given the keys to the world; being given complete freedom. To me, freedom was a precious thing. I craved it; desired it above all else. But you see, in my eyes, freedom was simply having whatever you want, when you want, and not having to do anything you don’t want to get it. In my eyes, freedom was a perfect world, but only for me. Of course over time I was persuaded from these views by opening my eyes to the hard work and responsibility involved in having â€Å"freedom. † As I grew older I earned more privileges. I worked to make my own money, began driving, found myself a wonderful boy, and even began preparing for college; dreaming of going out on my own and making a name for myself in this wide world. And for a while the illusion was indeed convincing. I allowed myself to believe that over time I would gain more control in my life and that that control would one day become absolute. But it was still just an illusion, a dream; an idea of a perfect world, my perfect world. Eventually I would realize that the one thing which I thought could bring me my absolute freedom is the one thing that will forever hold it back. Time. Time is the one thing which binds everyone. Even the most wealthy, most powerful people in the world will die someday. Do you think they chose that for themselves? Do you think they wouldn’t change it if they could? You could have the whole world in the palm of your hand, but the reality remains; everyone is born, everyone grows older, and everyone will eventually die. Our time is limited. That can’t be changed, just accepted. So staring, I sat as it hung limply outside the open car door. How had I never seen it before? How had it never caught my eye? How had it all happened so fast? The lines, those small cracks, they hung loosely together over the weakened bone below. I sat staring, staring at my father’s aged hand that hung at his side as he stood outside the car conversing with someone who, at the moment, held no importance to me. Never before had I noticed those lines, those cracks, those wrinkles which spread out like ripples on the surface of a pond. Never before had I noticed how thin the skin appeared, how stretched, or even how loosely the veins spread underneath. For the first time I was looking at my father; a man in his fifties, hardened by years of ceaseless working. For the first time in a long time, I was seeing what was actually there and not just what my eyes were telling me to see based off of what they had previously known. For the first time, I realized I was growing up. For the first time, I felt the hold that time has on me. For the first time, I thought â€Å"I am almost eighteen years old. What have I done with that time? † What had I done? I hated the thought. I dreaded the question. That question to which my answer would speak of nothing of importance. At this time, what troubled me most was not the fact that I – and everyone around me – were getting older. At this time, what troubled me most was the fact that- in all that time of growth- the things which I had done served no greater purpose than to merely entertain; to entertain myself or the requests of others, teachers, my parents. I thought, â€Å"Has all this time been wasted? † Time goes by so fast; faster than even I can sometimes realize. The funny thing is, the older I get, as the years I have left steadily decrease, I can’t help feeling time’s steady increase. And this only leads me to further wonder; if these eighteen years have gone by so rapidly, as if they were nothing, will it not feel as though tomorrow I will find myself an old woman? Is it so unlikely? Is it so unlikely that, if the lifestyle I have I keep, I will wake up on that day and again have to question if the time I had been given had been squandered away in futile activity? A sad day it would be to lay in remembrance of your life and realize that the days you have spent held no purpose or meaning beyond to merely serve yourself and your own selfish comforts. A sad day it would be to realize that you have lived your life well and comfortably, yes, but never with purpose. And it was then, for a moment, that I was torn from my thoughts as my father at last settled back into the car and began to drive us home. I looked over at the man who had given me everything; my life, my childhood, and now this much needed revelation. Unbeknown to him, in an instant, he had changed my views of this world and of the life I was leading. In an instant, he had given me what was needed for me to stop waiting around, stop simply thinking of how my life will be, and start living, actually living. In that moment, in that rough weathered hand, I saw my future. I saw the effects that time would one day have on me. I saw the old age that would one day overtake me. I saw myself upon that final hour, laying, awaiting that final breath. But what I did not see was how I would greet that end. Would it be with peaceful acceptance or mournful detest? The real question is; when that final hour comes, when I take that final breathe, will the death that takes me be taking a soul that has truly lived? Will I have truly lived? I sit, looking at my father’s hand as he steers us home. I sit, not hoping for, but planning the things I am going to do, the things which I will do, today and tomorrow and all the days after. The things which will, in purpose, serve greater causes than to just simply allow me to go on drifting along in my life. For from now on I will do nothing but dream and create. I will do nothing but share with others my thoughts, my words, my ideas. I will do nothing but strive with all I have to make a difference in, if even in the smallest way, the life of another, the ways of a people, the turning of the world. From now on I will nothing but truly just live.

Al Ain Municipality as a Case Study of HR Function

The aim of this research paper is to discuss five human resource functions of Al Ain Municipality that is one of the most significant and prominent organization of United Arab Emirates.The basic theme of this paper is the fact that the human resource functions of any organization relates to every department of that particular organization and this is the main reason that without the comprehensive understanding of organization and its functioning, the human resource functions can’t be completely understood.In order to remove the ambiguities in understanding of the basic aim of paper, it is mandatory to completely analyze the basic vision and theme of organization, its organizational strategies and the structure of Al Ain Municipality. After the detailed discussion, the paper accentuates on five of the most significant functions and operation of Al Ain Municipality.The paper follows a procedural methodology; the first step in this regard is the introduction to organization.The i ntroduction accentuates on different facts related to the municipal organization. It also sheds light on the point that Al Ain Municipality is the government body that is established in order to render effective services and extend strong support to the residents and citizens of Al Ain City and the areas adjacent to it.It also discusses the brief history as to when the municipal organization was developed and what the basic need was of forming and establishing this organization of Al Ain Municipality. Then the paper performs the critical analysis of the position of this organization and comparison of its status with other municipal organizations of the United Arab Emirates.Moreover, it also discusses the outstanding characteristics and distinguishing features of this municipal organization that makes Al Ain Municipality stand apart among the other municipal organization of the world. In addition to that it also shed light about the fact that how the organization has perfectly blende d its traditional heritage, culture, history, ethics and values in the aims and objectives of the organization.Moreover, it also describes the results of effects of not forgetting the cultural and ethical identity of the place and making it one of the basic themes of Al Ain Municipality. These practices sure have bore fruits and the paper discusses the evident results of these exercises as well.A brief history of Al Ain Municipality follows the discussion of organization. It sheds light on the establishment of this municipal organization and the development and progress phases to which the organization have undergone at different times in order to enjoy its current position.The history also enlightens about the fact that the organization was not a governmental body until some point of time, and then it emerged as one of the most significant municipal organizations of the world being a governmental body and it still enjoys the position with the same status.The paper then proceeds tow ards the organizational structure. One major point in this regard that Al Ain Municipality has the organizational structure that follows the lead of a general manager; this setup is different from those of organizational structures of municipalities where the leadership is in the hands of different councils or committees. The paper accentuates on the advantages and benefits of having a general manager as the top level of organizational hierarchy over the conventional modes of organizational structure in municipal organizations as that of councils and committees.Then there exists different independent bodies that performs their respective jobs and operations and then directly report to the general manager. The paper does quick review about these bodies and then comes to most significant sectors or areas of Al Ain Municipality. These six departments are the building blocks or backbone of this municipal organization and in order to completely understand the nature of organization and c omprehend its organization structure, the detailed discussion of these six areas is very crucial.The paper develops a procedural method in discussing these departments and also includes the flow chart of flow of control within the organizational structure. The departments, sectors or areas are have different sub-sectors and each of these subsectors is unique with respect to the services it render or support it provides to the clients and customer, which are the citizens or residents of Al Ain City and the areas adjacent to Al Ain City.The paper then move forwards towards the strategic objectives of the organization. This study is very necessary as the functions of human resource shares connection with the strategic objectives of any municipal organization.The paper depicts that the first and foremost objective of Al Ain Municipality is the development, maintenance and sustaining of town or urban planning as the urban areas are more prone to deliver the greater economical advantages as compared to rural areas. The second strategic objective of this municipal organization is the fact that there is no success possible without delivering excellent and highly efficient services to the customers therefore, the second strategic objective is to provide improved services to the clients every time as to maintain and enhance the quality of living standards in Al Ain City and its outskirts.The paper points out that the third strategic objective is to improve the overall performance, efficiency and effectiveness of the system as when the system is highly efficient it would create more opportunities for the employees to give better output to their customers or clients.It also highlights the virtues of sense of responsibility, transparency, and accountability that are the significant part of strategic objectives of the Al Ain Municipality. These virtues roots back to the ethical and cultural heritage of the region and the fact that these virtues when applied on the overall o rganizational system yield remarkable results make it even more significant for Al Ain Municipality.The paper also reflect that it one of the strategic objectives of Al Ain Municipality to promote partnerships, encourage both foreign and local investments   and alleviate other business opportunities as to emerge on the global level as one of the most substantial municipal organization.The paper also describes that another important strategic objective of the case under study is the fact that Al Ain Municipality regards the leadership and abide by its decision as the organization feels proud of the manner it is led. Moreover, it also accentuates on having effective and efficient human resource department as the organization with industrious and effective human resource sector is most likely to succeed even in the worst of situations and scenarios.The paper then discusses and analyzes the major HR Functions in Al Ain Municipality. The basic theme of these human resource functions st ems to the discussion of strategic objectives, values of organization, its structure and mission statement of Al Ain Municipality.This is the reason that the paper has discussed these points in such enormous detail. The Human resource functions discussed are recruitment and selection, employee training and development†¦. The paper closes the discussion with conclusion and presents some recommendations for the with respect to what has already been discussed in this paper.

Free Business Administration Courses Online

Free Business Administration Courses Online Opencourseware is a wonderful way to prepare for business school and gain knowledge at no cost. It also provides companies with the opportunity to give every employee an executive education.The Degree Directory recently posted rankings for business administration ​opencourseware education. Their list includes 10 colleges, universities, and websites that offer free business administration courses online. MITs Sloan School of Management secured the top spot with more than 100 free courses.The list includes a ton of great links and is worth checking out. If you decide to proceed, here are a few tips to make the most of opencourseware education: Find a quality course that is self-learner friendlyTake your time and move at your own paceLook for additional resources and readings that will supplement the courseworkFind a forum that matches the course topic so that you can discuss what you have learned with othersEnjoy yourselfthe best part about a free course is that there is no pressure

Defense Mechanisms Animals Use to Survive

Defense Mechanisms Animals Use to Survive Defense mechanisms are very important to all animal life. Animals in every biome must eat to survive. With predators being high on the food chain and always on the lookout for a meal, prey must constantly avoid being eaten. Adaptations that prey employ adds to the chances of survival for the species. Some of these adaptations include defense mechanisms that can give  prey an advantage against their enemies. There are several ways animals avoid falling prey to a predator. One way is very direct and comes naturally. Imagine you are a rabbit and you have just noticed a fox preparing to attack. What would be your initial response? Right, youd run. Animals can use speed as a very effective means of escaping predators. Remember, you cant eat what you cant catch! Camouflage Another defense mechanism is camouflage or protective coloration. One form, cryptic coloration, allows the animal to blend in with its environment and to mask its identity. Cryptic coloration is important to the survival of many new-born and young animals, as it is often their main defense against being detected by predators. Some animals blend in so well with their environment that it is very difficult to identify them. For example, some insects and other animals can look like leaves; both in their visual appearance and their behavior. It is important to note that predators also use cryptic coloration to avoid detection by unsuspecting prey. Playing Dead When faced with danger, some animals pretend to be dead. This type of adaption is known as thanatosis. Opossums and snakes can even emit a fluid that produces a foul smell, thus adding to the pretense. Such behavior tricks predators into thinking that the animal is dead. Since most predators avoid dead or rotting animals, this type of defense mechanism is often very effective. Trickery Trickery can also be used as a formidable defense. False features that appear to be enormous eyes or appendages can serve to dissuade potential predators. Mimicking an animal that is dangerous to a predator is another effective means of avoiding being eaten. For example, some harmless snakes have bright warning colors that resemble the colors of dangerously venomous snakes. Warning calls can also be used by one animal species to trick another animal species. The African fork-tailed drongo bird has been known to mimic meerkat warning calls when meerkats are eating their prey. The alarm causes the meerkats to flee, leaving their abandoned meal for the drongo to finish. Physical Features Physical anatomical structures can also serve as a type of defense mechanism. Some animals physical features make them very undesirable meals. Porcupines, for example, make a very difficult meal for predators because of their extremely sharp quills. Similarly, predators would have a tough time trying to get to a turtle through its protective shell. Chemical Features Chemical features can be just as effective at deterring predators. We all know the hazards of scaring a skunk! The chemicals released result in a not so pleasant aroma that an attacker will never forget. The dart frog also uses chemicals (poisons secreted from its skin) to deter attackers. Any animals that eat these small frogs are likely to get very sick or die. Warning Calls Some animals sound the alarm when danger approaches. For example, oxpeckers (birds that live in mutualistic relationships with grazing animals) will give a loud warning call when predators get too close. African elephants emit a rumbling alarm call when they hear the sound of African bees. Animals can also give distinctive calls to identify the type of threat. For instance, monkeys have one alarm sound for leopards and a different sound for eagles. Predator-Prey Relationship To sum it all up, the predator-prey relationship is important to maintaining balance among different animal species. Adaptations that are beneficial to prey, such as chemical and physical defenses, ensure that the species will survive. At the same time, predators must undergo certain adaptive changes to make finding and capturing prey less difficult. Without predators, certain species of prey would drive other species to extinction through competition. Without prey, there would be no predators. The animal organisms in such an environment could become endangered or even extinct. The  predator-prey relationship ensures that the cycle of nutrients in biomes continues. Thus, this relationship is vital to the existence of life as we know it.

Cross culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Cross culture - Essay Example The international transfer department is responsible devising policies related to the international assignments. As regarded by LVMH â€Å"international mobility† is the essence of career development which helps the potential candidates to acquire the requisite competencies. This case study delineates the procedure of international mobility. This assignment focuses on some of the key issues of international mobility so as to bring in light the challenges faced by the company and ways to tackle with them. Challenges faced by LMVH: LVMH, being a global company, required the expertise of personnel having international experience. To assure the availability of potential human resource who could operate anywhere in the dominated market, company decided to build in a pool of such asset by moving them internationally as part of their career development process. International mobility is the reality which has become pertinent for almost every global organization to work effectively in a cut throat competition. International assignments are considered as one of the most potent means of developing â€Å"Global leaders† (Stroh & Black, 2005). ... This at times become quite frustrating, time consuming and even more expensive when dealing with the potential subject’s non-technical requirements. The situation grows even more problematic when people try to compare there package with others holding same position in different companies within the group. LVMH follows a â€Å"balance sheet approach† to devise an appropriate salary for the expatriates. This approach is widely used owing to its advantages for an international assignments; it treats all the employees with equity without creating a difference in their salaries owing to the market rate of the host country, this in turn reduces the chances of uncertainty thus encouraging employees to take on the assignment (Stroh & Black, 2005). However, the increase in the firm size surges the administrative burdens and thus the cost. â€Å"Security benefits† is yet one other concern that needs to be dealt with appropriately when laying out the package. Security packa ges generally differ in each country. Devising a package keeping in view the host countries requirement at times is problematic owing to the complexities involved in it. Every country has its own rich culture strongly held by its dwellers. Cultural differences strongly impede the process of adjustment by a foreigner because of differing managerial values (Bigoness &Blakelly, 1996). Thus to ease out the process, LVMH believes in the training its employees. However training process is time consuming and the adjustment is left on the employees to deal with. Moreover devising and then implementing appropriate cost effective policies for managing international assignments and recruiting process pose a significant risk to