Monday, August 24, 2020

1993 DBQ Essay

The three G’s: God, Gold and Glory drove numerous travelers surging in to the new world. Among which were New England and Chesapeake, two society of English root. Each created with their own particular perspectives and principals. New England a much restrained, submissive society and Chesapeake much dedicated to gold and brilliance, and both these social orders were immensely affected by topographical, social-political, monetary and strict needs and moves. Which have had caused both these social orders to advance antagonistically through their own methods. Economy was an essential factor in driving New England and Chesapeake to create incongruously.Chesapeake was immensely committed to digging gold and misusing for a superior economy. Thus as indicated by archive c practically all the Chesapeake settlers’ were youthful single men. While New England had a much separated reason in going to the â€Å"New world†. The New England settlers’ sought strict opportu nity and making a model city or society for the remainder of the new comers, as upheld by report an and b; â€Å"we must consider that we will be as a city upon another hill†. In this manner for them to flourish and grow as an excellent society, most the New England pilgrims were joint families.Both New England and Chesapeake settled and extended in various pieces of America. The land and atmospheres in the Chesapeake and New England areas were extraordinary, so the social orders developed harvests which fit their zone, which prompted contrasts in their social structures. The Chesapeake zone was damp and not appropriate for the regular harvests; nonetheless, it was found 5 years after their appearance that tobacco became well indeed, so the economy organized itself around the development of tobacco. It was traded as a money harvest to England, and therefore, they had much better corrects with their mom country.Also because of the development of tobacco, the Chesapeake settlem ent had a requirement for modest work to work in the fields. They built up an arrangement of contracted bondage; in which an individual received free section to America as a byproduct of their work and subjugation till the obligation is paid off. This later prompted subjection as in later time the populace developed additionally requesting and the homesteads along these lines expecting to extend. The New England provinces incorporate Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The way of life of New England’s individuals was enormously affected by the two its topography and climate.New England’s economy relied upon the earth. Its area close to the Atlantic Ocean along the coastlines decided how individuals would get by. Individuals in New England brought in cash through angling, whaling, shipbuilding, exchanging its port urban communities and giving maritime supplies. Individuals in New England couldn't get by from cultivating in light of the fact that the vast majori ty of the land was not fit to cultivating because of the sloping landscape and rough soil. Another factor that made cultivating non-gainful was atmosphere; New England experienced moderate summers and cold long winters.The developing season was essentially too short to even consider making cultivating productive, so most families had little ranches and exchanged inside themselves. Therefore the atmosphere and there topographical areas caused New England and Chesapeake to endeavor in various ways for a much appropriate economy. Both Chesapeake and New England had altogether different reason and purpose of perspectives. New England showed up in America with their arrangements of turning into a â€Å"city upon a hill† (report A). Subsequently as New England needed to develop a solid loyal society; they esteemed solidarity and had a kind of equitable government.New England ways of life were sound, customary, organized and family situated. A lady wedded in her twenties, brought up around eight youngsters, and proceeded to turn into a grandma. Whenever bereft, they were required to remarry. Men were required to turn out to be a piece of a congregation assembly on the off chance that they needed to cast a ballot, become some portion of the pastorate or work in the shipbuilding, angling, or exchanging industry. Youngsters had to be taught, in essential and auxiliary schools, by the legislature, and men set off for college to be prepared in the ministry.The New England pilgrims saw all men equivalent and with thoughtful hood care and friendship. They prepared methods of aiding and satisfying every others necessities and requirements aslong as they stay joined together and together. (reports an and d). Then again Chesapeake ways of life were something contrary to New England ways of life. They were very non-conventional, unfortunate, chaotic, and family wasn’t significant. . Government was made of a self-chosen House of Burgesses and didn’t offer a lot of uniformity or opportunity. There was a lack of ladies, which implied not many families.Few families and the way that individuals were extend far over the district implied that there was next to no solidarity among the couple of men that occupied in the Chesapeake states. Therefore this frail holding among the men in the Chesapeake states frequently lead to miscommunication and numerous social clashes like the Bacon’s disobedience. (archive H) Bacon's Rebellion was well known revolt in provincial Virginia in 1676 which summarized the relationship among the individuals in the Chesapeake locale. The resistance was driven by Nathaniel Bacon.High charges, low costs for tobacco, and hatred against the senator, Sir William Berkley , gave the motivations to the uprising strife, which was compounded by Berkeley's inability to guard the boondocks against assaults by Native Americans. Bacon told two unapproved yet effective endeavors against the clans and was then chosen for the new place of burgesses. Bacon assembled his supporters, walked on Jamestown, and constrained Berkley out of Jamestown and proceeded with his battles against Native Americans.Bacon now controlled the province, yet he kicked the bucket out of nowhere (Oct., 1676), and without his initiative the resistance crumbled. Not at all like New England instruction in the Chesapeake area was pretty much disregarded, which added to uneducated kids and less considering or perusing of the book of scriptures. Ladies regularly outlasted men; in this manner they held more force than in New England. The greater parts of men were associated with the tobacco business and claimed slaves, until they kicked the bucket in their 20’s. Here you can see that the social political existences of these individuals were totally different and in this way this diverse purpose of perspectives and way of life influenced the way both Chesapeake and New England had developed.Last however not the least religion, was a critical factor in the improvement of both these pilgrim social orders. Transients to Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay were displaced people from strict clash in England. Calvinists of different influences, they needed to get away from Anglican abuse or they wished to â€Å"new-model† Christ's congregation for instance for Christians all over the place. In New England the lives of the Puritans were administered by their severe strict convictions. As indicated by report e and earlier information, the puritans accepted that spare time ought to be given to God and that â€Å"fun† exercises like moving would prompt lethargy and discourse.The New Englanders boundlessly seeked to work for god and get by out of working for god, for the all strong would compensate them toward the finish of time. Puritans had an away from of what their houses of worship ought to resemble. Just â€Å"visible saints† and permitted full enrollment in the congregation. In the mid seventeent h century, be that as it may, few were denied enrollment since leaving England was viewed as adequate verification of otherworldly virtue. Puritans drove their lives dependent on a gathering of solid convictions, one of which was predestination.They felt that all occasions are foreknown and fated by God and that God picked who was spared and who was cursed. This strengthened the Puritan conviction that God sent them to purify the way of life of what they viewed as degenerate, evil practices. There was no understanding of individual â€Å"rights† to things, for example, security or opportunity of thought and articulation. Those that rebeled against the says of the congregation were either murdered or suspended. All people were required to fit in with the convictions and practices of the network as characterized by the elders.Because of their dedication to difficult work the New England states prospered. Though Chesapeake then again had no such positive strict perspectives that they seeked for in particular. . Chesapeake basically didn't aggrieve individuals of various religions, concentrating more on their harvests and debates with the Natives. The Chesapeake carried alongside them the Anglican religion or Protestants of England. Along these lines the strict likenesses between the Chesapeake and England made a superior bond among the Chesapeake provinces and its motherland.Maryland was the main state under the Chesapeake society that gave a safe house to all the abused Catholics from England. Accordingly taking in thought the various parts of convictions, which has had made these social orders grow in an unexpected way. As should be obvious there were numerous reasons that had made these social orders grow disjointedly. From that point strict convictions, geological setting, normal practices and political perspectives have all contributed in their diverse improvement process. Considering all these given realities and thinking you can concur or asses why these social orders had developed in an unexpected way.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Fear based oppression - Essay Example This infers psychological warfare has been utilized by left-wing and conservative ideological groups, strict gatherings, nationalistic gatherings, administering governments, progressives, among others (Malisow and French 24). This paper will look to clarify the good and political parts of psychological oppression just as the issues that characterize and conceptualize the fear mongering marvel. There are a few narratives and movies that have been made to elucidate the starting point, just as the issues that rotate around psychological warfare. A portion of these narratives incorporate; The Weather Underground by Sam Green and Bill Siegel, The Power Nightmares by Adam Curtis, among others. These two narratives broadly investigate the idea of fear mongering, how it appeared, its reality and how it is seen by individuals of various frameworks. Most importantly, it is significant that the two narratives agree that fear based oppression appeared as a type of insurgency against issues that were the majority accepted that were against mankind and tranquil conjunction among individuals. In the narrative, The Weather Underground, Sam Green and Bill Siegel have explained the way wherein a gathering of understudies rebelled against a portion of the issues they felt the administration was not tending to. The understudies, under an umbrella body known as Students for Democratic Society, challenged inconsistent privileges of the African American individuals and the Vietnam War (Green and Siegel). Subsequent to understanding that their quiet exhibits were being underestimated, they depended on fear. For example, the crushed windows of government structures and even set blew some with bombs. While blowing the administration structures, they passed word for individuals to abandon the structures to guarantee that nobody was harmed (Green and Siegel). For this situation, they regarded the holiness of life while upsetting for their privileges. This narrative has a basic impact in g iving the historical backdrop of American fear based oppressors. On the hand, The Power Nightmares narrative elucidates the ascent and development of Islamic fear mongering and the apparent war on dread. Much the same as in The Weather Underground, Curtis’s narrative exhibits that disdain and disappointment with the situation prompted the ascent of fear based oppression. In any case, as indicated by Curtis, fear mongering started with the Sayyid Qutb, an Egyptian government worker and the originator of current Islamist way of thinking, hatred of the western society’s ethics and ideals (Curtis). Having remained in America and seen the decay in the western ethics as executed by independence, he restricted Gamal Abdel Nasser’s westernization of Egypt. Thusly, he targets sparing the general public by rebuilding it along Islamic lines. Also, he is persuaded that his desire must be accomplished by making a first class vanguard to encourage a transformation. Thusly, he makes the Muslim Brotherhood of which he turns into the pioneer. He spurs different Islamists, for example, Ayman al-Zawahiri, who later turns into the tutor of Osama container Laden (Curtis). They have a solid idea that westernized pioneers can be slaughtered so as to evacuate their defilement in the general public. Curtis likewise uncovers the ascent of frustrated dissidents, for example, Paul Wolfowitz and Irving Kristol in America. They were fomenting for th

Saturday, July 25, 2020

Does Your Child Have ADHD or Is It Just High Energy

Does Your Child Have ADHD or Is It Just High Energy ADHD Print Does Your Child Have ADHD or Is It Just High Energy? By Keath Low Keath Low, MA, is a therapist and clinical scientist with the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities at the University of North Carolina. She specializes in treatment of ADD/ADHD. Learn about our editorial policy Keath Low Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on June 30, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on August 27, 2019 ADHD Overview Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Living With In Children Curtis Kim / Getty Images While many children with ADHD are, in fact, very energetic, high energy alone is not enough to warrant a diagnosis. In fact, children with some forms of ADHD are not high energy at all. ADD, for example, may manifest itself in low energy combined with inattentiveness and other symptoms. So when might a child with lots of energy be diagnosed with ADHD? In order to qualify for the diagnosis, a child must have a chronic, pervasive problem with his or her ability to regulate activity level, as well as impairment in their ability to inhibit and control impulses. Impairment of functioning or learning is key to differentiating ADHD from normal activity. If a child has high energy but is able to behave and perform well at school, they likely do not have ADHD. How to Tell: Symptoms and Signs of ADHD Hyperactivity and the other primary symptoms, impulsivity, and inattention, are really just the tip of the iceberg for kids who have ADHD. There can be additional impairments that may not be as obvious. For example: Children with ADHD often have difficulty processing information.?? With the hyperactive example, it may be that the individual has trouble slowing down enough to process information accurately. This can create problems in a classroom setting where students are expected to quickly and accurately make sense of and respond to instruction.Children with ADHD become frustrated and overwhelmed very easily and have trouble regulating their emotions.?? These symptoms can interfere with social relationships, leading to a sense of isolation and lowered self-esteem.  Children with ADHD usually struggle with executive function issues like organizing, planning, prioritizing, paying attention and remembering details.?? These issues can become problematic in a range of settings. Even in after-school sports, team members are expected to come prepared, remember what they were taught, and show up on time.Children with ADHD also tend to be less mature developmentally than their same-age peers. Thus, an 11-year-old with ADHD may think and behave more like a young child than like a rising teenager. This means that  even as teens, kids with ADHD may lack the judgment they need to make smart choices about friendships, risk-taking, and potentially harmful activities.?? ADHD Symptoms in Children If your child is energetic and finds it hard to sit still, they may be displaying some of the signs of ADHD. But if they are also able to control their impulses and emotions, pay attention, and respond appropriately in school and at home, they are probably just an energetic individual, and not affected by ADHD. While the core symptoms that define ADHD can include hyperactivity, along with impulsivity and inattention, not all kids (or adults) with ADHD will have these symptoms in the same way or to the same degree. You will certainly see changes in the way the symptoms manifest or present as an individual moves through different stages of life. A Word From Verywell For a child with ADHD, there is much more involved than simply being active and full of energy. Any time you have concerns about your childs development, its always a good idea to check in with your pediatrician. How to Help Kids With ADHD Stop, Listen, and Respond

Friday, May 22, 2020

Research Paper Illiteracy - 9348 Words

Topic: Literacy Statement of the Problem: An investigation into how the level of literacy affects form two pupils’ progress in content literacy at Coryal High School. Background to the Problem This problem began at the primary level where students missed out on basic concepts. These basic concepts were taught at the infant level at primary school. These students operating at the frustration level of reading never understood those concepts. These students proceeded from the infant level to standard five, without having a basic understanding of reading concepts. Since this problem was never resolved at primary level, it is now being transferred to secondary level. Moreover, since the removal of the Post Primary Centres,†¦show more content†¦Think Aloud: An instructional procedure used to aid comprehension by demonstrating the active thinking process of the reader’s mind. Content Literacy: The ability to use reading and writing for the acquisition of new content in a given discipline. Thoughtful Literacy: To ponder deeper meanings, wrapping themselves around the ideas and critiquing the author. Emergent Literacy: a continuum of understandings that lead to a student’s ability to associate letter sounds and meanings to printed words and to read and write successfully. Instructional Level: Teaching Level Frustration level: This level is to be avoided. It is the lowest level of readability. Independent Level: Students read on their own without any difficulty Reciprocal teaching: The investigation of metacognitive and cognitive strategies in the context of dialogue among teachers and students. Delimitation of the Study: The study focuses on students of Coryal High School both boys and girls in form two between the ages of thirteen to sixteen. Basic Assumptions: The researcher assumes that students entering secondary school would be at an independent level of reading and not at instructional level, or even worse frustration level. The student should have attained basic reading, writing, listening and speaking skills at the primary level. This is the solid foundation that students should enter secondary level with. When studentsShow MoreRelatedHow Illiteracy E. Ffects Individual People And Society As A Whole1739 Words   |  7 PagesProfessor Jean Schloeman English 101 15 June 2015 How illiteracy e ffects individual people and society as a whole An Estimated 27 Million Americans are considered illiterate, and another 45 million are considered marginally competent in basic skills. (Women,illiteracy,pov) An illiterate person in our society faces trials every day that are taxing, making life difficult mentally and physically. There is an overwhelming amount of research and studies that indicate that individuals that are functionallyRead MoreCorrelation Between Parental Literacy And Literacy1349 Words   |  6 Pagesliteracy refers to the cycle of low literacy that exists in families. This paper will examine intergenerational illiteracy and programs that increase family literacy while decreasing high school dropout. To answer the question; Does intergenerational illiteracy affect educational achievement and what can be done to decrease intergenerational illiteracy and increase literacy education levels? This paper will analyze research that shows the connection between parental literacy and the lower educationalRead MoreThe Issue and History of Illiteracy Among African Americans1510 Words   |  7 PagesThe Issue And History Of Illiteracy Among African Americans Becca White Writing 123 Instructor Sydney Darby 27 May 2008 Illiteracy is a growing issue in America. The U.S. Department of Education funded the National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS) in 1992 that estimates over 90 million Americans fall well below an eight grade literacy level (Rome, 2004, pp. 84). Nowhere is this tragedy more prevalent than among the impoverished African Americans. 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Claussens paper on, and titled, cognitive dissonance, media illiteracy and public opinion on news media. In this paper you will find, first a brief description of the paper being critiqued, followed by a short summary of the paper. Then you will find a brief description of the contextual position and importance of this paper. Following thatRead MoreCritical Analysis - Cognitive Dissonance, Media Illiteracy and Public Opinion on News Media’1546 Words   |  7 Pages ‘Cognitive Dissonance, Media illiteracy and Public Opinion on News Media’, American Behavioral Scientist, Volume 48, Issue 2, pp. 212-218. Topic – The article ‘Cognitive Dissonance, Media Illiteracy and Public Opinion on News Media’ is examining and discussing public opinion, media illiteracy and cognitive dissonance. The author takes you through a break down on public opinion of newspapers and television news and shows why a lot of the quantitative research taken over the past several decadesRead MoreDoes Illiteracy Affect Crime and Poverty Rates?1757 Words   |  7 PagesDoes Illiteracy Affect Crime and Poverty Rates? Illiteracy is a growing problem in the United States. The amount of juvenile delinquents entering correctional facilities that are considered â€Å"functionally illiterate† is at an astonishing 85%. Being functionally illiterate means that these children lack reading and comprehension skills that are necessary in order to function in everyday situations as well as the ability to work and maintain a job. Complete illiteracy means a person cannot read or

Friday, May 8, 2020

Anorexia Nervosa - Includes Bi Essay - 1310 Words

Anorexia Nervosa nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In America, girls are given the message at a very young age that in order to be happy and successful, they must be thin. Given the value which society places on being thin, it is not surprising that eating disorders are on the increase. Every time you walk into a store, you are surrounded by the images of emaciated models that appear on the covers of fashion magazines. Thousands of teenage girls are starving themselves daily in an effort to attain what the fashion industry considers to be the â€Å"ideal† figure. The average model weighs 23% less than the average woman. Maintaining a weight 20% below your expected body weight fits the criteria for the emotional eating disorder known as anorexia.†¦show more content†¦Website). This happens so the sufferer can continue the exhausting anorexic behaviors. Although 30% of anorexics eventually die from the disorder, approximately one third overcome the disease with psychiatric help. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;While the cause of anorexia is still unknown, a combination of psychological, environmental, and physiological factors is associated with the development of this disorder (Cove, Judy). The most common cause of anorexia in a girl is perception of Lawson 3 her weight. Anorexics feel as if they are heavier than the others around them, and believe the quickest way to lose weight is to simply stop eating. â€Å"I became obsessed with body image. I kept journals and in one pathetic passage I described how I went for sixteen days on water, and only about two glasses a day† says former anorexic Nanett Pearson, Miss Utah 1996. Ironically, when a person stops eating, their body goes into starvation mode losing very small amounts of weight. When the body receives food, it is then stored away until the next time food is obtained. At first, this method may seem to work and the subject loses weight, but as the body soon adjusts to the lack of food it learns to use the energy it is given stingily. Another cause of anorexia is the need to obtain perfection. A perfectionist desires excellence in all aspects of their life. When they cannot achieve perfection inShow MoreRelatedCultural Factors Of Eating Disorders1696 Words   |  7 Pa gesPsychotherapy Bulimia Nervosa treatment led to many debates over which approach is most effective. Psychotherapy can be very helpful in addressing not only disordered eating, but also overall emotional health and happiness. The focus of psychotherapy treatment is to address the underlying emotional and cognitive issues that result in the disordered eating. Erford Richards, (2012), have reported the efficacy of counseling or psychotherapy in the treatment of bulimia nervosa. The study concluded thatRead MoreEssay on Eating Disorders1909 Words   |  8 Pagesthe way some people deal with stress. In today’s society, teenagers are pressured into thinking that bring thin is the same thing as being happy. Chemical balances in the brain that may also result in depression, obsessive compulsive disorders, and bi-polar disorders may also cause some eating disorders. Other causes may be emotional events, illnesses, marital or family problems, manic depression, or ending a relationship. Over eight m illion Americans suffer from eating disorders. Over 80% of girlsRead MoreEssay about Anorexia Nervosa and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder2367 Words   |  10 PagesAnorexia Nervosa and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder It has long been recognized that there are similarities between Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Anorexia Nervosa. These similarities lie in the symptoms of the disorder. Many patients of both diseases report intrusive, fearful thoughts, a compulsive need to perform rituals, and an obsession with maintaining these rituals. In the case of anorexia nervosa these behaviors center on food and thinness whereas in OCD they are of a moreRead MoreThe Case Of Laur Final Case Study Analysis2772 Words   |  12 PagesRoxanne Roybal de Diaz American Public University Abstract Bulimia Nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating with inappropriate compensatory behaviors to prevent weight gain. Cognitive Behavior Therapy and antidepressant drug therapy are treatment modalities that have shown promise with patients diagnosed with eating disorders, more so with Bulimia than with Anorexia, (Comer, 2014). In this case study analysis, a synthesis of researched outcomes-basedRead MoreEating Disorders and Free Essays8687 Words   |  35 PagesThere is no simple explanation, and no one answer that applies everyone. There are several types of eating disorders, but the most prevalent in adolescent and young adult females are anorexia nervosa and bulimia (Larocca, 1986). There are six main areas that potentially explain just why it is that people succumb to anorexia and bulimia. These factors are biological, psychological, family, social, cultural, and media (Siegel, Brisman Weinshel, 2002).... [tags: Eating Disorders Health Ps ychology Essays]Read More Development of Anorexia and Bulimia Essay2665 Words   |  11 PagesDevelopment of Anorexia and Bulimia Anorexia and Bulimia are two very complex conditions that have been around for quite a while, however both anorexia and bulimia amongst other eating disorders are becoming more and more prevalent in today’s society. There has been extensive press and media coverage on conditions related to eating disorders. Anorexia and bulimia are two of the most common eating disorders or two of the most prevalent eating disorders around. ConditionsRead MoreMental Illness And The Mentally Ill1913 Words   |  8 PagesCanadian, black or white, it does not matter. People with a mental illness or disorder are looked at as dysfunctional, violent, unsuccessful, and even foul-smelling individuals. People with extreme cases of mental illness, such as schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder, are often called crazy, insane, and mad when in actuality they are acting in a radical way because of something that these individuals cannot control or express in ways that is understandable to people without these disorders. ThroughoutRead MoreFactors Impacting Decision Making And Indecision2659 Words   |  11 PagesGame Theory, an amendment to EU Theory was introduced to include gambling or loss aversion (Busemeyer 2015). Combining the loss aversion and cognitive models a common principle that â€Å"decisions dynamically evolve from a sequential sampling and accumulation of evidence/preference process that c ontinues until the threshold criterion is reached† (Busemeyer 2015). The later inclusion of the gambling paradigm evolved to prospect theory to include loss aversion. The main components were still weights andRead MoreThe Is The Right One For Me1832 Words   |  8 Pagesgoals, and have no drive in regards to career plans. The Diagnostic criteria for this disorder demand that 5 of 9 criteria are met. Often a person with this disorder will exhibit signs of suicidal tendencies or self-mutilation. Other symptoms may include, but are not limited to reacting in advance to a possibility of abandonment. The mere thought of losing a relationship or a person who is viewed in some way as a caretaker is enough to cause significant changes in their self-image and therefore theirRead MoreHeart Failure : A Clinical Syndrome Characterized By Structural Or Functional Impairment Of Ventricular8006 Words   |  33 Pagescharacterized by structural or functional impairment of ventricular fill ing or ejection of blood resulting in insufficient perfusion to meet metabolic demands; most commonly results from impaired left ventricular myocardial function; cardinal manifestations include edema, dyspnea, and Fatigue4†¢5 CLASSIFICATION †¢ Classification by American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association {based on structure and progression of disease) 4 o StageA - At high risk for heart Failure without structural heart

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Explore How Steinbeck Presents the Relationship Between George and Lennie Free Essays

In traditional fairytales, ogres are man eating beasts. The prince usually rescues the princess and they live happily ever after. 18. We will write a custom essay sample on Explore How Steinbeck Presents the Relationship Between George and Lennie or any similar topic only for you Order Now 10. 10 The main themes in a traditional fairytale are always either based on Romance/Magic Evil. The main elements always are the antagonist (the bad guy), the protagonist (The good guy) and mainly sometimes the helper. In traditional fairytales the antagonist, the protagonist and the helper are often stereotypical, take Cinderella for example the princess is warm hearted, beautiful, nice and kind. The prince is always often handsome, charming, brave and wealthy The film ‘Shrek’ begins in a traditional way by using the most common phrase ‘Once upon a time’ that gives you an idea that the film has used some traditional phrases. Well you can tell by the opening scene that ‘Shrek’ is different to a traditional fairytale on how it shows Shrek doing his own thing. Shrek is very not like a stereotypical prince. Shrek is an Ogre which straight away puts a picture in your mind of like a dirty, scary and ugly and also could be the enemy. The music when we first meet Shrek is a contrapuntal sound. It doesn’t really match the things he was doing. For example, when Shrek is in a mud bath. The music gave you a happy/exciting feeling and quite a good/bad impression; it also sets the mood throughout the scene. Shrek threatens the villagers in the film. On this scene you see Shrek as a dangerous monster, which looks ugly and also very angry; with his loud raw he scares away the villagers. The way Shrek acts, it makes out that he is very violent and aggressive and also the he could harm the villagers. In the scene with the villagers, a close up is used to show the detail of Shrek’s face and how large he looks and what he actually looks like close up. I do think Shrek is a stereotypical ogre at this point because he fits with his personality well on how a scary, evil person he sometimes can be. When Shrek meets Fiona he drags her out by her arm which is not a prince like thing to do. This shows you Shrek does act like an Ogre. Princess Fiona responds in a shocked way, She thought that Shrek would come in and sweep her of her feet instead he done the opposite and just dragged her out and also he didn’t defeat the dragon which is not like a rescue Princess Fiona expected. The music we hear when we first meet Lord Farquard is non digenetic and also parallel. It matches on how we first see Lord Farquard. When we first hear the music it suggests that Lord Farquard is strong and powerful almost like a stereotypical prince. When Lord Farquard threatens the Ginger Bread man it makes us think this is not how a stereotypical prince would act. Stereotypical princes act sweet and caring and Lord Farquard acts evil, nasty and demanding. Lord Farquard acts disgusted when he finds out Princess Fiona is an ogre. You can tell Lord Farquard is shocked and can’t believe his eyes. The impression Lord Farquard gives the audience is that he is not a stereotypical prince and is more like an evil controlling prince which makes us see his true colours. I think Lord Farquard is not a stereotypical prince because he is not handsome, charming or kind and shows he is only after marrying Princess Fiona to becoming king. Shrek’s swomp is what I think of how an ogre’s home would look like. It’s daunting. a ruin, decayed and grubby. Lord Farquard’s castle is what I’d expect a castle to look like it’s appealing, gigantic, impressive and stylish. Shrek is not like a stereo typical ogre at the end of the film because you see the real side of him which is sweet, caring and loving. ‘Shrek’ is not like a traditional fairytale because every character is not like its stereotypical character. You wouldn’t usually find a princess which becomes an ogre or an ogre that marries a princess also Lord Farquard who you would expect to be the protagonist is actually the antagonist. How to cite Explore How Steinbeck Presents the Relationship Between George and Lennie, Papers

Monday, April 27, 2020

Outlook on Work and Vocation an Example by

Outlook on Work and Vocation It all started when a man is fertilized to become man. Of the million sperm cells that fought its way to the awaiting egg ready for fertilization work commenced. Work is the ransom paid for the sake of keeping alive. Man is condemned to labor because he must expiate the original sin. Nevertheless it should not be thought that labor suffices to restore man's lost status or dignity before God. Holy Scripture says that: All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled (Ecclesiastes 6:7).. (The Dictionary of the History of Ideas) But way above the ethical consideration surrounding the principles, value and meaning of work time, man and his life are encapsulated within those four letters. Any menial or grandiose kind labor or work gives meaning to the dignity and entirety of man and his life. It is through labor that he attains his initial respect and thus, reconcile that, part and parcel of his waking up everyday is to stretch his muscles; sweat his brow and dwell on his responsibilities. Need essay sample on "Outlook on Work and Vocation" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Work endows man with all kinds of reward and recognition that every aspect of his being need and deserve: physically, economically, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually. It is the ultimate destination of the contribution of parental breeding; environmental influences and pursuits of formal and informal education: all to prepare man to work. Ancient thought, however, does not lack various expressions of a certain appreciation of human labor, apart from any prejudice that others may have had. In general such assertions are found among authors belonging to the school of Sophists and other minor schools. For example, Antiphon proclaims the harsh necessity of work insofar as life is accepted for what it is. This life is certainly not easy or sweet, but it nevertheless acquires meaning when it is crowned with success (Stobaeus, IV, 22.2.66; a fragment translated in I sofisti, ed. M. T. Cardini, Bari [1923], p. 126; also in Minor Attic Orators, Loeb Library, Vol. I). But Prodicus of Chios, in the circle of the Sophists, states the definitive thesis about work in his apology, Herculesat the Crossroad. Referring to Xenophon's Memorabilia (II, 1, 21-34), Prodicus insists on the virtue of labor which gives dignity to the life of man. (The Dictionary of the History of Ideas) So, time and civilization moved on immersed within the normal calling of work and labor. And man saw with the development of the times; the growth of civilization; the development of discoveries and invention; the challenging and competitive society he himself brought forth that work and labor can redound to newer light, complicated light, cynical light, inspiring light, challenging light, imperative light, robotic light. Now, work is a complex of and a paradox of moral and practical values. The conflict may start within himself. He may for a moment be in a driven position. He is confident of his qualification; the employment he is enjoined; the work objectives he shares. Along the line, he might transpire to be confused, angst ridden, even betrayed, even threatened. Conversely, there is an awakening as to how positive perspective of work can come about. Today we are experiencing a revolution in the workplace. Not only are institutions and huge conglomerates crumbling around us, our traditional ideas about work itself are dissolving. As a society we are undergoing a radical change in the way we think of work. We are starved for meaning and purpose in our lives, and with the breakdown in job security in the corporate world, we are no longer willing to separate our values from our work. There is a yearning to align life purpose with work to make it meaningful. The Buddhists call this Dharma, spiritual work, the vehicle for Spirit to express its blessing. It is both inner work, remembering our true Self, and outer work, the expression of our unique talents and role in the evolution of humanity. Work is meaningful when we add to the quality of life to those around us. Work is a vehicle for our creations to be a blessing to the world. (Naiman 1998) A modern day, celebrated American author, Louis Studs Terkel took into contemplation as to what workers have to say about their calling and their lives. He went and interviewed a great number and wide variety of workers, professionals, employees, career persons. All of the synopsis on their work and the meaning it correlated to their lives were all encapsulated in the book Working.. The subjects of the interview reflected in introspection on the wide spectrum of their daily lives vis--vis their jobs. There were the good and the bad. There were the innocent times and the knowing times. There were the abuse and there were the respect. There were times of job searching that resulted to either being accepted or rejected. And there were the experiences of transition in modernization of work: with the aid of mdoern machines and technology. And work as exemplified in the interiews of Mr. Terkel was for purposes of both achieving their meaning as human beings and ensuring their food on the table everyday. But there are many attributes that came about and around the workplace, the every changing demands and expectations redound to the likewises changes in demands and expectations of the worker from his work and his life. The infusion of different models of work pattern and expectations can create confusion. Work to have transcended for the better firstly went through raw stages, through infantile stages of trial and error. In the past, in the mass-production model, simple, narrowly defined jobs filled by people whor equired neither technical nor educaiton sophistication led to the need for complex, sometimes arcane processes in which employees has no sense of the big picture and the left hand rarely knew what the right was doing; whats more, no one seemd to care. While designed to meet the needes of companies, not customers, and short on overall efficiency, these processes provided control over the workforce, made all but the most basic training unnecessary, and enable the easy and inexpensive replacement of one worker with another. Employer were, in fact, frequently the least critical, least considered element in the process. In the mass-production model and its antecedents forcus was on compliance, not commitment; on doing what youre asked, not what you think; on money and trinkets as motivators rather than the work itself; on the accomplishments of the individual laborer, not the work group; and o n internal competition rather than internal cooperation.and this wont work. Nor will the practices that underlie it. (Heil, Parker, Stephens 182-183) A steelworker interviewed by Terkel said: I am a dying breed. A laborer. Strictly muscle work.pick it up, put it down. (Terkel xxxi). This can lead to reckoning that workers have the impression of being imposed upon, of being forced into responsibilities, of being dragged. But on the other hand, there is light at the end of the tunnel towards mans outlook on work. There is the reality of fast moving modernization of technology. Management principles have evolved into better and better heights. Between issues of economics and purchasing power and inflation and employment rates and growth indicators, man is still capable of viewing his work with a sense of vocation. The modern day worker can still find inspiration somewhere to elevate his sights; aim high; dream on; work hard. Social augmentations in the form of retirement plans; work incentives; recognitions have been put to place. This is apart from instilling in the worker, the professional, that he is the ultimate value in a workplace. The overall result of Terkels interview in Working.. regrettably may seem defeatist. But there is still a focal workforce that can see the better of light. They are now exposed to a more positive attributes of the workplace and the other members of the community of man that augment and are the beneficiaries of their labor. Understanding the nature of creativity and how to develop it at the personal and organizational level will help us create the world we want. . Understanding the cycles of creation will help us thrive in change, rather than to fear it. Developing our imagination, the language of the soul, allows Spirit to work through us as we answer our calling. The industrial revolution spawned the Information Age. With technology as king, it was supposed to save us from the drudgery of work and allow more time for leisure. However, the system itself had not changed. Work was still based on the old model of masculine values: logic, linear time, and linear thinking. Work was about consumption, security, status, domination, and control. Work was based on fear. The problem with the old model of work was that it had no heart, no soul, and no connection with human values. We are now moving from the Information Age into the "age of brainware" or "creation intensification," according to the Nomura Research Institute of Japan. Microsoft is an example of creativity in action. Like many companies born in the Information Age, it is constantly reinventing itself, dissolving old ideas and creating new models and new forms. "Microsoft's only factory asset is the human imagination," declared The New York Times in 1991. (Naiman 1998) One present-day work professional is interviewed to share views on her job and the result is definitive of how work has now evolved. Work can be viewed with positive attributes, wherein commitment is shared. It can thus come to pass that work can be a vocation wherein values that are priceless can be seen and even breed. I believe am aptly rewarded. Management in general values me. (Personal Interview 2007) There is of course the reality that work and vocation are exemplified at an extreme end of the spectrum. The case of the workers in China producing the Barbie Dolls have been put on the center of controversy. The workers described in Barbie's Betrayal saw their jobs as a demised sense of torture. They felt that they were discriminated against and that they had no true enjoyment or satisfaction for the works and toys that they helped to create. Mattel treated their employees as if they were criminals and humiliated them in front of other employees and management. There was no consideration for the rights of the workers or the conditions that they were being made to work in. (WebCT Discussions 2007) Conversely, the undertakings of a group towards to society and mankind truly illustrate the ideals and profound intentions of service. The Catholic Worker Movement focused on people working as a community. Dorothy Day, Founder of The Catholic Worker Movement believed people should help one another as a family. She wanted people to have a sense of belonging. People working together throughout the community would make a better way of life. (WebCT Discussions 2007) Therefore, work can be a vocation and answering a vocation requires work. There are heroes and there are also the deprived that can come about from the workplace and the work principles of modern day. The mystery of such paradox and cynicism can only be managed and handled on the personal level of the worker. Works Cited Page: Work. The Dictionary of the History of Ideas. Naiman, Linda. Creativity and the Meaning of Work Perspectives on Business and Global Change. World Business Academy and Berrett-Koehler. March, 1998, Heil, Gary; Parker, Tom; Stephens, Deborah C. One Size Fits One: Building Relationships One Customer and One Employee at a Time. Van Nostrand Reinhold International Thomson Publishing Inc.1997, p.182-183 Terkel, Louis Studs. Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do. New Press. New Edition. 1997, p, xxxi

Thursday, March 19, 2020

Odd and Even Pricing

Odd and Even Pricing Introduction Firms are established with the goal of maximizing the level of their profitability. However, the attainment of this goal might be subject to diverse macro environmental changes. For example, the intensity of competition may shrink a firm’s profitability potential. Additionally, changes in the economic environment may affect the consumers’ purchasing power.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Odd and Even Pricing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Despite these market dynamics, managers should have an obligation to ensure that their businesses attain an optimal market position, which highlights the significance of adopting effective strategic management practice. One of the aspects that managers should consider in an effort to promote their firms’ competitive advantage relates to pricing. Caplin and Leahy (80) argue that a significant proportion of firms have not incorporated prici ng in their strategic framework. Therefore, the prices of their products are based on naive pricing rules. Price is a critical component that organizational managers should consider in their effort to influence the consumers’ decision-making process. Choi, Kiljae, and Yong-Yeon (603) emphasize that consumers are very sensitive to price. Despite their level of sensitivity, the consumers’ purchasing decision is motivated by the need to maximize their level of utility. This aspect underscores why firms should adopt an optimal pricing format in order to attract and retain customers, hence increasing the profit maximization potential. This paper evaluates the concept of pricing format by focusing on the odd and even pricing formats. Moreover, the relevant theories that support the two pricing formats are also assessed. In this study, it is assumed that the price ending strategy does not communicate the quality of the product. Literature review Analysis Previous studies have led to the development of different theories in an effort to explain consumer behaviors. Some of these theories include the prospect, expected utility, and the cumulative prospect theories.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The expected utility theory This theory postulates that consumers face risky prospects and uncertainties in their purchasing decision-making process. The risky outcomes emanate from the view that they are faced by a wide range bundles of goods and services from which they are required to select. Thus, their decision-making process is undertaken by assessing the expected utility values, which refers to the degree of consumer preference. Consequently, if the utility of product A is greater than that of product B [U (A)U (B)], then the consumer will prefer product A to B. Under conditions of uncertainty, the consumers’ choice is base d on the expected utility, which is a summation of all possible (n) utilities with regard to the various outcomes (Oi).The model below illustrates the formula of the expected utilities. Source: (Caplin and Leahy 65). The prospect theory This theory emphasizes the psychological component of consumer choice. The theory is based on the element of uncertainity in the consumers’ purchasing process. The theory contends that consumers follow two main stages in making decisions involving risky options. The first phase is characterized by editing or simplification of the situation faced by assesing the associated gains and losses. For example, the decision to purchase a car worth $ 20,000 may be simplified into gaining the automobile and losing the $ 20,000. However, the process of simplifying the purchase decision varies from one situation to another. This aspect means that the prospect is influenced by the situational circumstances. Caplin and Leahy (63) assert that the consumersâ €™ purchasing decision is based the edited prospects. Subsquently, the process followed in editing the prospects is fundamental in determining the consumers’ purchasing decision.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Odd and Even Pricing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The second phase entails making a choice on the most effective options available. The choice of the edited options is influenced by the weight and the apparent value of the options. Consumers select the option that has the highest combined value. Therefore, the prospect theory emphasizes the importance of establishing a reference point. According to the prospect theory, the value of a particular product is determined by comparing with that of another. The cumulative prospect theory This theory is an improvement of the expected utility theory. Nielson and Stowe (31) assert that this theory is comprized of three critical components. The f irst component entails the value function, which takes into account the gains associated with selecting a particular product. The second component entails the loss aversion function. Nielson and Stowe assert that the loss aversion function â€Å"tranforms utilities over gains into utilities over corresponding losses† (32). Under this function, consumers are risk seeking over losses and risk averse over gains. The third component entails the weighing function. According to the cumulative prospect theory, consumers are more concerned about losses than gains associated with purchasing a particular product. Furthermore, the cumulative prospective theory asserts that consumers have diverse risk attitude. The following model describes the cumulative prospect theory of a risky outcome, where p= probability, v= the value function, w= weighing function, and F (x) is the cumulative probabilities all values up to x. Source: (Caplin and Leahy 65)Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Pricing formats Marketers are cognizant of the view that effective product pricing plays a fundamental role in maximizing revenue, and hence the level of profitability. Furthermore, marketers have the capacity to influence the consumers’ purchasing decision by adopting effective pricing strategies. One of the marketing strategies that have extensively been utilized by marketers is psychological pricing strategy. The decision to adopt this pricing strategy arises from the need to â€Å"appeal the consumers’ emotions and perceptions in their purchase decisions of odd-end pricing include $3.99 and $3.95, which is just below $4.00. On the other hand, even pricing strategy, refers to a pricing strategy whereby the price point of a product is set at a whole number, for example $4. Even-end pricing strategy is not as attractive amongst retailers as compared to odd-end pricing. This assertion arises from the view that even-end pricing is not effective in enhancing market comm unication, hence its ineffectiveness in influencing the consumers’ purchasing decision (Choi, Li, Priyamvadha, Promothesh, and Surendra 2). Odd-end pricing is one of the most common psychological pricing strategies amongst marketers. Findings of previous studies show that the probability of consumers purchasing products whose prices end with a 9 is higher as compared to products whose prices end with 0, for example $ 99.99 versus $ 100.00 (Choi, Li, Priyamvadha, Promothesh, and Surendra 1). However, the effectiveness of odd-end pricing varies between utilitarian and hedonic produts. Hedonic products mainly incude luxuries while utilitarian products refer to the necesities. Choi, Li, Priyamvadha, Promothesh, and Surendra (1) are of the opinion that odd-ending pricing is more effective in influencing the consumers’ decision to purchase hedonic products as compared to utilitarian products. Consumers consider odd-end pricing as a way of communicating the price discount bei ng offered. Consumers develop the perception that purchasing a product whose price is set using odd-end pricing is equivalent to recieving a price discount of the amount subtracted from the nearest whole number. Thus, odd-end pricing is effective in communicating the unexpected gains associated with purchasing the product. Choi, Li, Priyamvadha, Promothesh, and Surendra assert that odd-end pricing â€Å"is characterized by a high degree of pursuasiveness of gain-framed versus loss-framed messages† (3). Additionally, Choi, Li, Priyamvadha, Promothesh, and Surendra (2) assert that odd-end pricing plays a fundamental role in stimulating the demand for a product. According to Schindler (Relative price level 245), odd-end pricing communicates low price to consumers. Retailers are increasingly exploiting rightmost digits in an effort to indicate the competitiveness of their products to consumers. Schindler (The 99 price ending 74) is of the opinion that odd-end pricing has a positi ve effect on a firm’s revenue. The effectiveness of odd-end pricing arises from the view that this pricing strategy is effective in communicating a positive image regarding the price of the product to consumers. Schindler and Kibarian (95) are of the view that using odd-end pricing is likeliy to minimize price sensitivity amongst consumers. Furthermore, odd-end pricing communicates that consumers are not likely to find the product being sold at another outlet at a price lower than the price being offered. Therefore, the 99 ending pricing strategy is the most effective in communicatig the strongest expectations of recieving a product at a low price. Relationship between price ending and consumer choice theory According to the prospect theory, the consumers’ choice of a product is based on a reference point. This assertion means that consumers are faced by a bundle of goods from which they are required to select the product that will result in utility maximization. Despi te the view that consumers aim at maximizing utility, they are constrained by their budget. Consequently, they tend to select a bundle of goods that results in maximum utility. The use of odd-end pricing such as the 9-ending communicates that the retailer is issuing a discount to the consumer. Therefore, the consumer develops the perception that purchasing a product with odd-end pricing will enhance the likelihood of achieving the expected level of utility. One of the core components of the prospect theory is the value function. Using odd-end pricing as opposed to 0-ending plays a fundamental role in communicating the gains associated with purchasing a given product. The expectation of recieving a gain from purchasing a product ending with 9 improves the consumers’ perception of the product, which is referred to as the percieved-gain effect. However, the gain recieved is disproportionate to the percieved discount (Schindler and Kirby 193). Conclusion Consumers are price-sensi tive in the thier purchasing process. Therefore, price is one of factors that they evaluate before making a purchasing decision. Despite this aspect, retailers have an opportunity to influence the consumers’ purchasing decision-making process. This goal can be achieved by adopting effecitve pricing strategies. Retailers should consider pricing as a critical aspect in thier strategic framework. Psychological pricing is one of the most effective strategies that retailers can adopt in thier quest to influence the consumers’ purchasing decision. The effectiveness of psychological pricing strategy arises from its ability to influence the consumers’ perception on the price point. Odd-end pricing strategy has extensively been used by marketers in an effort to influence the consumers’ purchase decizion. The above analysis shows that odd end pricing is effective in communicating value and expected gains to customers, which underscores the principles of the expecte d utility theory. Through odd-end pricing, consumers develop the perception that the set price has taken into account the discount. Thus, consumers assume that the difference between the price point and the nearest roundoff figure is equal to the price discount offered. Furthermore, odd-end pricing is aligned with the prospect theory, which argues that consumers are required to select the products that will result in utility maximization. However, the consumers’ choice of the bundle of goods is influenced by the price of the product. Therefore, consumers select a particular product based on the price, which acts as the reference point. The analysis above shows that pricing is an important element that retailers should consider in their strategic management practices. The pricing strategy adopted determines the extent to which the firm influences the consumers’ purchasing decision, and hence the likelihood of achieving the profit maximization objective. Caplin, Andrew, and John Leahy. â€Å"Psychological expected utility theory and anticipatory feelings.† The Quarterly Journal of Economics 2.2(2001): 59-80. Print. Choi, Jungsil, Lee Kiljae, and Ji Yong-Yeon. â€Å"What type of framing message is more appropriate with nine-ending pricing.† Mark Lett 23.1 (2013): 603-614. Print. Choi, Jungsil, Yexin Li, Rangan Priyamvadha, Rangan Promothesh, and Singh Surendra. â€Å"The odd-ending price justification effect: the influence of price ending on hedonic and utilitarian consumption.† Journal of the Academic Marketing Science 2.2(2014): 1-13. Print. Chovancova, Asamoah. â€Å"The influence of price endings on consumer behaviour; an application of the psychology of perception.† Acta Universitatis Agriculturae Et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis 59.7(2011): 29-39. Print. Nielson, William, and Jill Stowe. â€Å"A further examination of cummulative prospect theory parameterizations.† The Journal of Risk and Uncertainity 24.1(2002): 31-46. Print. Schindler, Robert. â€Å"Relative price level of 99-ending prices: image versus reality.†Ã‚  Marketing Letters 12.3 (2001): 239-247. Print. . â€Å"The 99 price ending as a signnal of a low price appeal.† Journal of Retailing  82.1 (2006): 71-77. Print. Schindler, Robert, and Patrick Kirby. â€Å"Patterns of rightmost digits used in advertized prices: implications for nine-ending effects.† Journal of Consumer Research 24.2 (2003): 192-202. Print. Schindler, Robert, and Thomas Kibarian. â€Å"Image communicated by the use of 99 ending in advertized.† Journal of Advertizing 30.4(2001): 96-112. Print.

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

What Teachers Should Never Say or Do

What Teachers Should Never Say or Do Teachers are not perfect. We make mistakes and occasionally we exercise poor judgment.  In the end, we are human.  There are times that we are simply overwhelmed. There are times we lose focus. There are times we cannot remember why we choose to stay committed to this profession.  These things are human nature. We will err from time to time. We are not always at the top of our game. With that said, there are several things that teachers should never say or do.  These things are detrimental to our mission, they undermine our authority, and they create barriers that should not exist. As teachers, our words and our actions are powerful.  We have the power to transform, but we also have the power to tear apart.  Our words should always be chosen carefully. Our actions must be professional at all times. Teachers have an awesome responsibility that should never be taken lightly. Saying or doing these ten things will have a negative impact on your ability to teach. 5 Things Teachers Should Never Say â€Å"I don’t care if my students like me.† As a teacher, you had better care whether or not your students like you. Teaching is often more about relationships than it is about teaching itself. If your students do not like you or trust you, you will not be able to maximize the time you have with them.  Teaching is about giving and taking. Failing to understand will lead to failure as a teacher. When students genuinely like a teacher, the teachers job as a whole becomes much simpler, and they are able to accomplish more. Establishing a good rapport with your students ultimately leads to greater success. â€Å"You will never be able to do that.† Teachers should always encourage students, not discourage them. No teachers should crush any student’s dreams.  As educators, we should not be in the business of predicting futures, but of opening doors to the future.  When we tell our students they can’t do something, we place a limiting threshold on what they may try to become. Teachers are great influencers. We want to show students a pathway to achieving success, rather than telling them they will never get there, even when the odds are against them. â€Å"You are just lazy.† When students are repeatedly told that they are lazy, it becomes ingrained in them, and pretty soon it becomes a part of who they are. Many students get mislabeled as â€Å"lazy† when there is often a deeper underlying reason that they are not putting in much effort. Instead, teachers should get to know the student and determine the root cause of the issue. Once this is identified, teachers can help a student by providing them with the tools to overcome the issue. â€Å"That’s a stupid question!† Teachers should always be willing to answer a student’s questions about a lesson or content they are learning in class. Students must always feel comfortable and encouraged to ask questions. When a teacher refuses to answer a student’s question, they are discouraging the entire class to withhold questions. Questions are important because they can extend learning and provide teachers with direct feedback allowing them to assess whether or not students understand the material. â€Å"I’ve already gone over that. You should have been listening.† No two students are the same. They all process things differently.  Our job as teachers  is to make sure that every student understands the content. Some students may require more explanation or instruction than others.  New concepts can be especially difficult for students to grasp and may need to be retaught or revisited for several days.  There is a good chance that multiple students need further explanation even if only one is speaking up. 5 Things Teachers Should Never Do Teachers should never put themselves in a compromising situation with a student. It seems that we see more in the news about inappropriate teacher-student relationships than we do about all other news related to education.  It is frustrating, startling, and sad.  Most teachers never think this can happen to them, but opportunities present themselves more than most people think.  There is always a starting point that could have been stopped immediately or prevented completely. It often starts with an inappropriate comment or text message.  Teachers must proactively ensure that they never allow that starting point to occur because it is difficult to stop once a certain line is crossed. Teachers should never have a discussion about another teacher with a parent, student, or another teacher. We all run our classrooms differently than the other teachers in our building. Teaching differently does not necessarily translate to doing it better.  We are not always going to agree with the other teachers in our building, but we should always respect them. We should never discuss how they run their classroom with another parent or student. Instead, we should encourage them to approach that teacher or the building principal if they have any concerns.  Furthermore, we should never discuss other teachers with other faculty members. This will create division and discord and make it more difficult to work, teach, and learn.   Teachers should never put a student down, yell at them, or call them out in front of their peers. We expect our students to respect us, but respect is a two-way street.  As such, we must respect our students at all times.  Even when they are testing our patience, we should remain calm, cool, and collected.  When a teacher puts a student down, yells at them, or calls them out in front of their peers, they undermine their own authority with every other student in the class. These types of actions occur when a teacher loses control, and teachers must always maintain control of their classroom. Teachers should never ignore the opportunity to listen to parent concerns. Teachers should always welcome any parent who wants to have a conference with them so long as the parent is not irate.  Parents have a right to discuss concerns with their child’s teachers.  Some teachers misinterpret parent concerns as an all-out attack on themselves.  Truthfully, most parents are simply seeking information so that they can hear both sides of the story and rectify the situation.  Teachers would be best served to proactively reach out to parents as soon as a problem begins to develop. Teachers should never become complacent. Complacency will ruin a teacher’s career. We should always strive to improve and become better teachers. We should experiment with our teaching strategies and change them up a little every year. There are multiple factors that warrant some changes each year including new trends, personal growth, and the students themselves. Teachers must challenge themselves with ongoing research, professional development, and by having regular conversations with other educators.

Saturday, February 15, 2020

George W. Bush Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

George W. Bush - Essay Example This made an impact on the life of the young Bush. He also traveled far and wide soliciting donations and help from powerful people. (nurture) As a young boy, he was wise-cracking and strong-willed. This is due to his upbringing. He comes from a clan who is well-regarded in society. His constant companions were boys who belonged to politically-influential families and the elite in society. He was carefree, one time he was caught for painting a mustache in his face while in Music class. But he was a leader, President of his class and involved a lot in extra-curricular activities. Sometimes though, he was a problem to his mother because of some reports from school. As a college senior, Bush became a member of the secretive Skull and Bones, one of the oldest secret student societies in the United States whose past members included prominent personalities. He was described as extremely gregarious, but a notoriously poor dresser, made many friends, bridging the growing divide between the public school graduates who were entering Yale and the "preppies." He became a president of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and enjoyed parties, drinking, watching and playing football, and dating. He was booked on misdemeanor charge for being part of a prank that involved stealing a Christmas wreath for the frat house. Theories of Personality Freud's theory of personality - the Oedipal complex - works in this stage of the case study. The identification to the father is crucial in the development of the boy - the young Bush had incorporated the moral values and ideals of his president father and has identified himself to him, thus he himself struggled and worked hard to become president himself. As opposed to Freud's theory is the social learning theory which originated from the behavioral writings of Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson, and B.F. Skinner. According to this theory, the process of learning is of central importance to personality development. Social learning theorists believe that people are influenced by the situations they are in. Bush was much influenced by the situation he was in. He was a student leader - president of a class - and was involved in activities that would make him a leader and a prominent figure in American politics. This means that his personality was learned from school and the environment. The social learning view of personality is vastly different from that of the psychoanalysis of Freud. Freud's concept of psychoanalysis focused on the unconscious mind, or the developmental states that are of primary importance to psychoanalysis. But social learning theorists focus their study of development in learning. Personality is something that is learned, or, the sum total of all the ways that people learned to act, think and feel. It is called social learning because the process is learned from other people. Personality is no more than learned behavior and that the way to understand personality is simply to understand the processes of learning. To social learning theorists, the key concepts in the study of personality are not the id, ego, and superego, as espoused by Freud, but classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and modeling. The

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Bureaucracy Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Bureaucracy Policy - Essay Example ilization of anti-bureaucratic sentiments and the claim that it is time to say good-bye to bureaucracies and bureaucrats just another round in a perennial debate and ideological struggle over what desirable forms of administration and government are--that is, a contest for control of the size, agenda, organization, competences, moral foundations, staffing, resources, and outcomes of the public sector? If so, how helpful is the literature on "bureaucracy" in analyzing current administrative challenges, compared to the diagnoses and prescriptions presented by reformers over the last twenty-five years? The paper acknowledges that there have been important changes in public administration and, even more so, in the way administration is portrayed. Yet it questions the fashionable ideas that bureaucratic organization is obsolescent and that there has been a paradigmatic shift from (Weberian) bureaucracy to market organization or network organization. (1) In contrast to decades of bureaucracy bashing, the paper argues that contemporary democracies are involved in a struggle over institutional identities and institutional balances. It also argues that for those interested in how contemporary public administration is organized, functions, and changes, it is worthwhile to reconsider and rediscover bureaucracy as an administrative form, an analytical concept, and a set of ideas and observations about public administration and formally organized institutions. The argument is developed in the following way: First, some characteristics of bureaucratic organization are outlined. Second, claims about the undesirability of bureaucracy are discussed in relation to competing criteria of success/failure and assumptions about the performance of bureaucratic organization. Third, aspects of administrative dynamics and the viability of bureaucratic organization are inquired, and fourth, some reasons for rediscovering bureaucracy are recapitulated. "Bureaucracy" is often used as a

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Recruitment and Selection Methods in Tesco

Recruitment and Selection Methods in Tesco Introduction: Recruitment and Selection Process is one of the basic HR Processes. Recruitment and Selection is very sensitive as many managers have a need to hire a new employee and this process is always under a strict monitoring from their side. Recruitment and selection are two most important functions of personnel management. Recruitment process can be done in many ways like internal or external, and it involves with many steps of recruitment policies like job advert, job application process, Evaluations, job description and, legislations and training. The primary purpose of recruitment and selection is to achieve ones desire end, appointing the right person to the right job. Recruitment refers to the process of attracting, screening, and selecting qualified people for a job at an organization or firm. Selection refers to Selection is the process of choosing the most suitable candidates from those who apply for the job. It is a process of offering jobs to desired candidates. This report focuses on recruitment and selection of TESCO plc. The main objective of this report is to critically analyse the recruitment and selection method applied in relation to market environment 1.2 Tescos background: Business of the company Tesco sells daily necessary things like food and also non food items. It carries more than 23,000 items ranging from cloths, stationary, groceries, wine, entertainment digital appliances, finance insurance, books, patrol gas, pharmacy, phone broadband. History of the company Tesco was founded by Jack Cohen, who sold groceries in the markets of the London East End from 1919. The Tesco brand first appeared in 1924. After Jack Cohen bought a large shipment of tea from T.E. Stockwell, he made new labels by using the first three letters of the suppliers name and the first two letters of his surname forming the word TESCO. The Global Oneness Commitment (2009) Business growth of Tesco: The two diagrams shows the growth of Tesco in the last five years Performance over last 5 years ÂÂ   2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Sales 37,070 43,137 46,611 51,773 56,563 Sales in o/s stores 7,559 10,480 11,031 13,824 14,994 No. Of stores 2,365 2,711 3,263 3,989 4811 No. Of o/s stores 586 814 1,275 1,614 2,013 Floor space 51,771 58,720 68,189 75,959 83,459 Floor space-O/S stores 27,580 32,817 40,404 46,410 52,470 Growth rate of the performance ÂÂ   2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Sales 10.47% 16.37% 8.05% 11.07% 12.57% Sales in o/s stores 13.14% 38.64% 5.26% 25.32% 18.42% No. Of stores 2.03% 14.63% 20.36% 14.28% 16.38% No. Of o/s stores 32.88% 38.91% 56.63% 26.59% 36.59% Floor space 14.03% 13.42% 16.13% 11.39% 11.59% Floor space-O/S stores 24.73% 18.99% 23.12% 14.86% 21.66% Source: Tescos Annual report and financial statement 2008 The business locations of the of Tesco Tesco operates in 14 different markets/countries through 4,811 stores all around the world with 468,508 staff work there. In the UK it has 2,282 stores and 286,394stuff work there. The details of UK stores are as follows: Table 1 Tescos store size in UK. UK Extra (average size 71,310 sq feet) 190 (Regular) Tesco (average size 29,984 sq feet) 10 Metro (average size 11,638 sq feet) 181 Express(average size 2,211 sq feet) 1130 Home Plus (average size 40,800 sq feet) 13 One Stop (average size 1,357 sq feet) 513 Table 2: Tescos stores outside the UK are as follows: Country Stores 2 USA 115 3 Czech Republic 113 4 France 1 5 China 79 6 Hungary 7 Japan 144 8 Malaysia 36 9 Poland 319 10 Republic of Ireland 116 11 Slovakia 70 12 South Korea 347 13 Thailand 609 14 Turkey 99 1.3 Objectives 1. To critically evaluate the current recruitment and selection approaches of Tesco plc. 2. To critically examine an alternative recruitment route that other companies are applying. 3. To draw conclusions about the room for improvement in Tesco recruitment and selection approach. 2. Literature review: Recruitment can be defined as a set of activities and practices used for the primary purpose of legally identifying sufficient numbers and quality of people fitting for a given purpose. It is carried out to provide an organisation with a pool of qualified potential individuals from which judicious selection for the most appropriate applicants can be made for filling vacancies in the organisation. A review of the HRM literature indicates that recruitment and selection are regarded as integrated activities and where recruitment stops and selection begins is a questionable point (Beardwell et al., 2004). Nevertheless, for the purpose of this work it is useful to differentiate between the two activities. As defined above, numerous authors (Whitehill, 1991: Roberts, 2008; McCormack and Scholarios, 2009) describe recruitment as a process of building a pool of potentially qualified applicants. Whereas selection is seen as a set of activities concerned with predicting which applicants will make the most appropriate contribution to the organisation in view of the present and future human resource requirements (Beardwell et al., 2004: McCormack and Scholarios, 2009). The recruitment and selection process refers some critical points. These are its very sensible process to change the internal organization of the company and to change on the external job market The recruitment and selection process meet with the some criteria, these are Process should be easy to realize the target people and audience of the recruitment and selection process. This process is not for the HRM organizations staff/employee, This process created only for the organization/companys manager, Manager are the main client for the recruitment and selection process. Despite recruitment and selection being considered as integrated activities unfortunately human resources literature discussions tend to neglect recruitment and place greater emphasis on selection. In view of this (McCormack and Scholarios, 2009) comment that the more effective an organisation is at identifying and attracting a high quality profile of job applicants, the less important the selection stage of hiring becomes. Therefore it can be suggested that an effective and agile recruitment strategy is the most fundamental human resource function and if managed well can have a significant impact on organisational performance and is critical to developing a more agile competitive edge (Pilbeam and Corbridge, 2006: Evans et al, 2007). As the contemporary business environment become increasingly competitive and labour markets continue to grow more diverse, organisations need to be more proactive in their resourcing strategies. Evans et al., (2007) and Richardson, (2008) argue that ineffective recruitment approaches can result in long-term negative effects, among them high training and development costs in efforts to minimise the incidence of poor performance and high turnover which in turn, impact on staff morale, the provision of high quality goods and services and the retention of organisational memory. Richardson, (2008) goes further to argue that at worst, the organisation can fail to achieve its objectives thereby losing its competitive edge and market share. However, it is important to consider that the process of implementing an effective and successful recruitment approach could bring along with it other costs related to the perceptions and attitudes of the people involved in this change. 3.1 Research methodology: 3.1.1. Sources of Information Primary Data: The primary data was collected by questionnaire survey. I prepared a questionnaire and asked the related person to fill it up. Secondary Data: I did browse the companys website to gather information. I also used the internet service to send the questionnaire. This report is the result of the collaboration of the members in the group and both primary and secondary information have been used. 3.1.2. Research Approach The face to face survey of the HR Department of Tesco, Sainsbury etc helped me to collect the data. This survey research approach has helped me to get a better understanding of their situation and problems. A questionnaire was prepared with questions that helped on providing information about their selection and recruitment process. 3.1.3. Research Instrument 3.1.3.1. Questionnaire I prepared a questionnaire with set of 8-10 questions related to the topic and asked the HR Mangers and employees of Tesco Sainsbury etc. Close End and open end: The questionnaire contains the MCQ type questions and also there were some options to write freely. I also used the checklist method of questionnaire (Yes/No). 3.1.3.2. Mechanical Tools Instrument like paper and pen were used for the questionnaire and for noting down notes. Computer, pen-drive, and printer were used for typing and printing the report. Analysis and evaluation: Primary analysis: I have done my primary analysis on 50 Tesco employees using a survey questionnaire (see appendix). From my primary analysis i have found out 60% of the employees think internet and job centre are the medium of advertisement.30 % think internet and store advertisement are the best way of job advertisement. Only 10 % think newspaper and job centre are the most popular medium of advertisement. 80% of the employees are happy about Tesco recruitment and selection process. But 40% of the employees think Sainsburys recruitment and selection process are better than Tescos to some extent. Many of the employees opinion was Sainsburys uses smarter recruitment and selection process than to Tesco. Namely their situation based test, using of video to identify skills and the mathematical test for identify numeric skills. From the survey I have also found out most of the employees think Tesco should make applications form available both online and offline. Those who have access to the internet can apply online and for those who do not, can collect a form from Tescos customer services, complete it and send it off by post or hand it in personally to customer services. This in turn could be given to the department which consists of this job and then be examined. Also Tesco should place more interviewers so that more applicants can be interviewed and so shortlisted applicants can be dealt with in a shorter period of time. Tesco should assess applicants during the interview as it would save time as both can be dealt with straight away/ at the same time. Secondary analysis: I have done my secondary research by reading through books, websites, magazines and newspaper. The findings are discussed below. Recruitment involves attracting the right standard of applicants to apply for vacancies. Tesco advertises jobs in different ways. The process varies depending on the job available. Tesco first looks at its internal Talent Plan to fill a vacancy. This is a process that lists current employees looking for a move, either at the same level or on promotion. If there are no suitable people in this Talent Plan or developing on the internal management development programme, Options, Tesco advertises the post internally on its intranet for two weeks. For external recruitment, Tesco advertises vacancies via the Tesco website www.tesco-careers.com or through vacancy boards in stores. Applications are made online for managerial positions. The chosen applicants have an interview followed by attendance at an assessment centre for the final stage of the selection process. Selection involves choosing the most suitable people from those that apply for a vacancy, whilst keeping to employment laws and regulations. Screening candidates is a very important part of the selection process. This ensures that those selected for interview have the best fit with the job requirements. In the first stages of screening, Tesco selectors will look carefully at each applicants curriculum vitae (CV). The CV summarises the candidates education and job history to date. A well-written and positive CV helps Tesco to assess whether an applicant matches the person specification for the job. The company also provides a job type match tool on its careers web page. People interested in working for Tesco can see where they might fit in before applying. The process Tesco uses to select external management candidates has several stages. A candidate who passes screening attends an assessment centre. The assessment centres take place in store and are run by managers. They help to provide consistency in the selection process. Applicants are given various exercises, including team-working activities or problemsolving exercises. These involve examples of problems they might have to deal with at work. On the other hand, Sainsbury has a bit different recruitment and selection process. After succeeding on online test Sainsbury takes first interview. Here HR manager call the candidates into a room individually to answer a few questions. These are just to make sure that whether the candidates have their passport, are the correct age for the job (as stipulated when they applied) and are being interviewed for the job they actually applied for apparently HR have a habit of messing that bit up. After this, all the interviewees will be sat in a room for the second recruitment test. The second test is split into four sections and given using a video. It usually takes around one hour to complete, and is quite simple. The first sectionÂÂ  is on customer service and is very similar to the other test that the candidates sat online. Again, they are given a situation that is in video format and are asked to identify the best and worst responses out of a selection of four. The second sectio nÂÂ  is on attention to detail. Candidates will be shown video clips, and will be asked to identify two things wrong with these video clips. The third sectionÂÂ  is on mathematics. The final sectionÂÂ  is all about candidates. It is the only part of the test not done by video, and comprises a series of statements with which candidates have to agree or disagree. Finally, 2nd interview comes up where candidates have to sit for face to face interview. Finally I can say that from the research it is clear that in some of cases Sainsbury has better system in recruitment and selection process. Tesco need to apply those systems in compare to other relative supermarket. If they put proper recruitment and selection technique then it will be easier than before. They can apply some techniques like video clips, mathematical terms etc. It will help Tesco to improve their recruitment process. Conclusion: Tesco PLC has an effective Recruitment and Selection however there are advantages and disadvantages which need to be considered. Advertising jobs online has its advantages as its cheaper than having it printed in newspapers for example and can be changed if required. However there are a few disadvantages. Some people may not have access to the Internet making it difficult to view the advertisement for the particular job. Some may have problems in using the Internet or not know how to use it and some may not have a computer in which case they would not even be able to access the Internet.. Tesco should make sure they know what is required of the job before shortlisting is taken place as applicant who may have the requirements may not be part of the applicants who are shortlisted or the opposite. Tesco should place more interviewers so that more applicants can be interviewed and so shortlisted applicants can be dealt with in a shorter period of time. Tesco should assess applicants duri ng the interview as it would save time as both can be dealt with straight away/ at the same time. Thus meaning Tesco should carry. References and bibliography: 1.Richardson, A. M, (2009) Recruitment Strategies: Managing/effecting the recruitment process [Online] available from http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/UN/UNPAN021814.pdf [Accessed 4-0ct- 2010] 2. McCormack, A. and Scholarios, D. (2009) Recruitment, chapter 3 in Redman, T and Wilkinson, A, (2009) Contemporary Human Resource Management 3rd Edition, London: Financial Times Prentice Hall 3. UCL, (2008) Human resources-Recruitment and selection policy [Online] Available from http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/docs/recruitment.php [Accessed 22 Oct- 2010] 4. Pilbeam, S. and M. Corbridge (2006) People Resourcing. Contemporary HRM in Practice, London: Prentice Hall. Volume 17(4), pp.567-582. 5. TESCO-CARRERS, (2009)The application process-Tesco careers [Online] available from : http://www.tesco-careers.com/home/recruitment [Accessed 25-Oct- 2010] 6. SAINSBURYS, (2010) Careers at Sainsbury.[Online] available from http://www2.sainsburys.co.uk/aboutus/recruitment/careers_new.htm[Accessed 25-Oct- 2010]. 7. COURSEWORK, (2010) Tesco PLC has an effective Recruitment and Selection however the are advantages and disadvantages which need to be considered. .[Online] available from http://www.coursework.info/AS_and_A_Level/Media_Studies/Internet/Tesco_PLC_has_an_effective_Recruitment_a_L126195.html[Accessed 30-Oct- 2010] 8. Iles, P.A. and Robertson, I.T. (1997), The impact of personnel selection procedures on candidates, in Anderson, N. and Herriot, P. (Eds), International Handbook of Selection and Assessment, Wiley, Chichester, pp. 543-66 9. Anderson, N., Born, M. and Cunningham-Snell, N. (2001a), Recruitment and selection: applicant perspectives and outcomes, in Anderson, N., Ones, D., Sinangil, H.K. and Viswesvaran, C. (Eds), Handbook of Industrial, Work and Organizational Psychology, Vol. 1, Sage, London and New York, NY, pp. 200-18 10. Beardwell, I. Holden,L. and Claydon (2004) Human resource management; A contemporary approach. 4th Edition. Harlow: Pearson Education 11. Gililand,S.W.(1993) The perceived fairness of selection system: an organisational justice perspective, Academy of management review, 18: 694-734.

Friday, January 17, 2020

The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove Chapter 19~20

Nineteen All You Need to Know About That Intimacies, what happens between two people in private (or one person and a Sea Beast in a pasture), are not the business of anyone but the parties involved. Still, for the sake of the voyeur in us all, a tidbit or two to satisfy curiosity†¦ Molly tried, made a valiant effort in fact, but even for a woman of such fine physical conditioning, the task was too great. She did, however, manage to locate near the shed a gas-powered weed-whacker (which the late drug chefs used to clear flammables from the area) and with firm but gentle application of that rude machine, and a little coaxing, was able to bring Steve to that state the French inscrutably call â€Å"the little death.† And soon after, what at first seemed an insurmountable obstacle, the size difference, was turned to advantage, allowing Molly to join Steve in that place of peace and pleasure. How? Imagine a slow slide down a long, slippery bannister of a tongue, each taste bud a tease and tingle in just the right place, and you can understand how Molly ended up a satisfied puddle snuggled in that spot between his neck and shoulder that women so love. (Except in Steve's case, it didn't make his arm go to sleep.) Yes, there was a bit of the awkwardness that comes with the unfamiliarity and exploration of new lovers, and Theo's Volvo was soundly smashed before Steve realized that rolling around on the ground was an inappropriate way to display his enthusiasm, but a boxy Swedish automobile is a small price to pay for passion in the great scheme of things. And that is all you need to know about that. Twenty Theo Over the years, Theo had learned to forgive himself for having inappropriate thoughts at inappropriate times (imagining the widow naked at the funeral, rooting for a high death toll in Third World earthquakes, wondering whether white slavers provided in-house financing), but it worried him more than somewhat that, while hand-cuffed to a chair, waiting for his executioner, he was thinking about getting laid instead of escaping or making amends with his creator. Sure, he'd tried to get away, managing to do little more than tip the chair over and give himself a bug's-eye view of the dirt floor, but shortly after that, when the voices outside had stopped, he was overtaken with thoughts of women he'd had and women he hadn't, including an erotic mental montage of the erstwhile actress and resident Crazy Lady, Molly Michon. So it was embarrassment as much as relief that he felt when, after the sound of a weed-whacker and the crashing of metal, Molly popped her head into the shed. â€Å"Hi, Theo,† she said. â€Å"Molly, what are you doing here?† â€Å"Out for a walk.† She didn't come in, just craned her head around the corner. â€Å"You've got to get away from here, Molly. There's some very dangerous guys around here.† â€Å"Not a problem. You don't want any help then?† â€Å"Yes, go get help. But get away from here. There's guys with guns.† â€Å"I mean, you don't want me to uncuff you or anything?† â€Å"There's no time.† â€Å"There's plenty of time. Where are the keys?† â€Å"On my key ring. In the ignition of my car.† â€Å"Okay. Be right back.† And she was gone. Theo heard some pounding and what sounded like safety glass being shattered. In a second Molly was back in the doorway. She tossed the keys on the floor near his head. â€Å"Can you get to those?† â€Å"Can you unlock me?† â€Å"Uh, I'd rather not right now. But you'll be able to get to those eventually, won't you?† â€Å"Molly!† â€Å"Yes or no?† â€Å"Sure, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Okay. See ya, Theo. Sorry about your car.† And again she was gone. As he scrambled in the dirt to get to the keys, he was still troubled about the unwarranted wave of horniness that had overtaken him. Could it have been set off by the handcuffs? Maybe he'd been into bondage all these years and never even knew it. Although when he'd been arrested right before Sheriff Burton had blackmailed him into becoming constable, he'd spent almost two hours in handcuffs and he didn't remember it being an espe-cially erotic experience. Maybe it was the death threat. Was he turned on by the thought of being shot? Man, I am a sick individual, he thought. In ten minutes he was free of both the handcuffs and the dogging thoughts of sex and death. Molly, Joseph Leander, and the house trailer were gone, and he stood before the ruins of his Volvo with an entirely new set of questions nagging him. The roof of the station wagon was now mashed down to level with the hood, three of the four tires were blown, and on the ground, all around the car, were the tracks of what had to be a very, very large animal. There were two trails that had matted down the grass leading away from the shed and over the hill. One, obviously, was the track of a person. The other was wider than the dirt road that led into the ranch. Theo dug into the Volvo for his gun and cell phone, having no idea what to do with either of them. There was no one to call – and certainly no one he wanted to shoot. Except maybe Sheriff John Burton. He searched the area, found Joseph Leander's gun, and tucked it into the waistband of his jeans. The keys were still in the red four-wheeler, and after a minute of measuring the ethics of â€Å"borrowing† the truck against having been kid-napped, handcuffed, and almost killed, he climbed into the truck and took off across the pasture, following the double trail. Gabe Gabe and the rancher stood over the pulverized remains of the Holstein, waving flies away from their faces, while Skinner crouched a few yards away, his ears back, growling at the mess. The rancher pushed his Stetson back on his head and shuddered. â€Å"My people have been running dairy and beef cattle on this land for sixty years, and I ain't never heard or seen anything like it, Gabe.† His name was Jim Beer. He was fifty-five, going on seventy, leathery from too much sun and stress, and there was a note of the sad lonely under everything he said. He was tall and thin, but stood with the broken-backed slouch of a beaten man. His wife had left him years ago, driving off in her Mercedes to live in San Francisco and taking with her a note worth half the value of Jim Beer's thousand acres. His only son, who was to have taken the ranch over, was twenty-eight now and was busy getting thrown out of colleges and into rehabs all over the country. He lived alone in a fourteen-room house that rattled with emptiness and seemed to suck up the laughter of the ranch hands, who Jim fed in his enormous kitchen every morning. Jim was the last of his breed, and he would forever trace the beginning of his downfall to an affair he'd had with the witch who once lived in Theo's cabin at the edge of the ranch. Cursed he was, or so he believed. If the witch hadn't run off ten years ago with the owner of the general store, he would have been sure the mutilated cattle was her doing. Gabe shook his head. â€Å"I have no idea, Jim. I can take some samples and have some test run, but I don't even know what we are looking at here.† â€Å"You think it was kids? Vandals?† â€Å"Kids tip cows over, Jim. These look like they've been dropped from thirty thousand feet.† Gabe knew what appeared to have happened, but he wasn't willing to admit it. There wasn't a creature alive that could have done this. There had to be another explanation. â€Å"So you're saying aliens?† â€Å"No, I am definitely not saying aliens. I'm not saying aliens.† â€Å"Something was here. Look at the tracks. Satanic cult?† â€Å"Damn it, Jim, unless you want to be on the cover of Crackpot Weekly, don't talk that way. I can't tell you what did this, but I can tell you what didn't. This was not aliens, or Satanists, or Bigfoot on a binge. I can take some samples and run some tests and then maybe, maybe, I can tell you what did this, but in the meantime, you should call the state ag guys and get them out here.† â€Å"I can't do that, Gabe.† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"I can't have strangers running around on my land. I don't want this gettin' out. That's why I called you.† â€Å"What's that?† Gabe held up a finger to hold his place in the conversation, then looked to the hills: the sound of an engine. In a second a red four-wheel-drive pickup appeared on the hill headed toward them. â€Å"You'd better go,† Jim Beer said. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"You'd just better. Nobody's supposed to be on this side of the ranch but me. You need to go.† â€Å"This is your land?† â€Å"Let's jump in your truck, son. We need to go.† Gabe squinted to get a better look at the truck, then waved. â€Å"That's Theo Crowe,† he said. â€Å"What's he doing in that thing?† â€Å"Oh shit,† Jim Beer said. Theo pulled the truck up next to Gabe's, skidded to a stop, and crawled out. To Gabe, the constable looked pissed off, but he couldn't be sure, having never seen the expression on Theo before. â€Å"Afternoon, Gabe, Jim.† Jim Beer looked at his boots. â€Å"Constable.† Gabe noticed that Theo had two pistols stuck in his jeans and was half-covered with dust. â€Å"Hi, Theo. Nice truck. Jim called me out to take a look†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I know what that is,† Theo said, tossing his head toward the mashed cow. â€Å"At least I think I do.† He strode up to Jim Beer, who seemed to be trying to sink into a hole in his own chest. â€Å"Jim, you got a crank lab back there turning out enough product to hype all of Los Angeles. You wanna tell me about it?† The life seemed to drain out of Jim Beer and he fell to the ground in a splay-legged sit. Gabe caught his arm to keep him from cracking his tailbone. Beer didn't look up. â€Å"My wife took a note for half the ranch when she left. She called it in. Where else was I going to get three million dollars?† Gabe looked from Jim to Theo as if to say, â€Å"What the hell?† â€Å"I'll explain later, Gabe. I have something I have to show you anyway.† Theo pushed Jim Beer's Stetson back so he could see the rancher's face. â€Å"So Burton gave you the money so he could use your land for the lab.† â€Å"Sheriff Burton?† Gabe asked, totally confused now. â€Å"Shut up, Gabe,† Theo snapped. â€Å"Not all of the money. Payments. Hell, what could I do? My grandfather started this ranch. I couldn't sell off half of it.† â€Å"So you went into drug dealing?† â€Å"I ain't never even seen this lab you're talking about. Neither have my hands. That part of the ranch is off-limits. Burton said he had you in the cabin to keep anyone from coming in the back gate. I just run my cattle and mind my own business. I never even asked Burton what he was doing out there.† â€Å"There million dollars! What the hell did you think he was doing? Raising rabbits?† Jim Beer didn't answer, he just stared at the ground between his legs. Gabe held his shoulder to steady him and looked to Theo. â€Å"Maybe finish this later, Theo?† Theo turned and walked in a tight circle, waving his hands in the air as if chasing away annoying spirits. â€Å"You okay?† Gabe asked. â€Å"What the fuck do I do now? What do I do? What am I supposed to do?† â€Å"Calm down?† Gabe ventured. â€Å"Fuck that! I got murders, drug manufacturing, some fucking giant animal of some kind, a whole town that's gone nuts, my car is mashed, and I have a crush on a crazy woman – I don't have the training for this! No one has the fucking training for this!† â€Å"So calming down isn't an option right now?† Gabe said. â€Å"I understand.† Theo interrupted his anxiety Tilt-A-Whirl and wheeled on Gabe. â€Å"And I haven't smoked any pot in a week, Gabe.† â€Å"Congratulations.† â€Å"It's made me insane. It's ruined my life.† â€Å"Come on, Theo, you never had a life.† Gabe immediately realized that perhaps he had chosen the wrong tack in consoling his friend. â€Å"Yeah, there's that.† Theo strode to the red truck and punched the fender. â€Å"Ouch! Goddamn it!† He turned to Gabe again. â€Å"And I think I just broke my hand.† â€Å"Mad cow disease worries me,† Jim Beer said from his stupor of defeat. â€Å"Shut up, Jim,† Gabe said. â€Å"Theo has a gun.† â€Å"Guns!† Theo shouted. â€Å"I stand corrected,† said Gabe. â€Å"You mentioned a giant animal?† Theo massaged his temples as if trying to squeeze out a coherent thought. After a few minutes, he walked to where Jim Beer was sitting and kneeled down in front of him. â€Å"Jim, I need you to pull it together for a second.† The rancher looked at Theo. Tears had traced the creases in his cheeks. â€Å"Jim, this never happened, okay? You haven't seen me and you haven't heard anything from this side of the ranch, okay? If Burton calls you, everything is standard operating procedure. You know nothing, you understand?† â€Å"No, I don't understand. Am I going to jail?† â€Å"I don't know that, Jim, but I do know that Burton finding out about this will only make it worse for every one. I need some time to figure some things out. If you help, I'll do my best to protect you, I promise.† â€Å"Okay.† Beer nodded. â€Å"I'll do what you say.† â€Å"Good, take Gabe's truck home. We'll pick it up in an hour or so.† Skinner watched all this with heightened interest, tentatively wagging his tail between Theo's tirades, hoping in his heart of hearts that he would get a ride in that big red truck. Even dogs harbor secret agendas. â€Å"Theo, these can't be real,† Gabe said, running his hand over a footprint nearly three feet across. â€Å"This is some sort of hoax. Although the depth of the claw impressions and the scuffing would indicate that whoever did this really knows something about how animals move.† Theo was fairly calm now, as if he had settled into the whole unreality of the situation. â€Å"And they know something about crushing a Volvo too. They're real, Gabe. I've seen a track like this before.† â€Å"Where?† â€Å"By the creek, the night the fuel truck blew up. I didn't want to believe it then either.† Gabe looked up from the track. â€Å"That's the night I had the mass exodus with my rats.† â€Å"Yep.† â€Å"There's no way, Theo. That couldn't be what happened. A creature that could leave tracks like this would dwarf a T. Rex. There hasn't been anything this size on the planet for sixty million years.† â€Å"Not anything we know about. Look, Gabe, I followed the trail through the grass to the mutilated cows. I thought that was where they went, but evidently that's where they just came from.† â€Å"They? You think there's more than one?† â€Å"So you accept that this thing is real?† â€Å"No, Theo. I'm just asking what you think.† â€Å"I think that this thing was with Molly Michon.† Gabe laughed. â€Å"Theo, I think the withdrawal has you addled.† â€Å"I'm not joking. Molly was here right after I heard my car getting crunched. She gave me the keys to the handcuffs. When I came out, she was gone, and so were Joseph Leander and whoever he came here to see.† â€Å"So what do you think happened to them?† â€Å"The same thing that happened to those cows. Or something like it. The same thing that I think happened to the Plotznik kid. The last time anyone saw him was at the Fly Rod Trailer Court. That's where Molly lives.† Gabe stood and looked around at the pattern of tracks. â€Å"You haven't been into town today, have you, Theo?† â€Å"No, I've been busy.† â€Å"Les from the hardware store is missing. They found his truck behind the Head of the Slug, but there's no sign of him.† â€Å"We've got to go to Molly's, Gabe.† â€Å"We? Theo, I'm a biologist, not a cop. I say we try and track whatever this is. Skinner's a pretty good tracker. I'd bet we find an explanation that doesn't involve some sort of giant creature.† â€Å"I'm not a cop anymore either. And what if we track this thing and you're wrong, Gabe? Do you want to meet up with whatever did that to my car? Those cows?† â€Å"Well, yes, I do.† â€Å"We can do that later. It shouldn't be too hard. Whatever it is, it's pulling a house trailer.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"There was a trailer here when Leander took me into the shed. When I came out, it was gone.† Gabe checked his watch. â€Å"Have you eaten today? I'm not questioning you, but maybe you're having a hypoglycemic reaction or something. Let's go get some dinner and when your head clears, we can go by Molly Michon's.† â€Å"Right, I'm hallucinating from a bad case of the munchies.† Gabe grabbed his shoulder. â€Å"Theo, please. I have a date.† Theo nodded. â€Å"Molly's first. Then I'll go to dinner.† â€Å"Deal,† Gabe said, still staring at the tracks. â€Å"I want to come back here with some casting materials. Even if this is a hoax, I want a record of it.† Theo started for the truck and pulled up when he heard the sound of a cell phone ringing inside the shed. He walked into the shed, located the cell phone, and looked at the display for the number that was ringing in. It was Burton's private number. He drew his .357 Magnum and blew the phone into a thousand pieces. He walked out of the shed to find Gabe hiding behind the fender of the red truck and Skinner cowering in the bed. â€Å"What in the hell do you mean, you have a date?†