Professional Communication - 1467 Words

Contents Page * Introduction 1 * Basic Communication 1 * Classification of Communication 1 * Objectives and purposes of Communications 1 * Scope of Communication in any functional Organization 2 * Different mediums of Communication 2 * Modes of Communication 2 * Barriers to Communication 3 * Principles of Effective Communication 3 * Business Correspondence Letters 3 * Enquiries, Quotations, Complaints and Redressal 3 * Sales Promotion Letters 3 * Report Writing and Research Reports 4 * Conclusion 5 * References 6 1) Introduction Communication brings about unity and purpose, interests†¦show more content†¦If ideas between managers and workers are shared often I strongly believe the entire atmosphere would be more understanding. Managers need good communication skills mainly because they are the example setters. If you bring good motivation it will show when employees carry out their duties ensuring effective information across the organization. To me a manager needs to make decisions fairly, act rationally also gaining relevant information to overcome any obstacles. Shortcomings and problems should be solved using a strong feedback system. Managers need to be able to maintain proper relationships with internal and external parts of the organization. 2.4) Different mediums of Communication Television, Radio, Newspapers, Magazines, Notice Boards, Bill Boards, Film, Internet and pamphlets are types of electronic and written mediums of communication. Any medium we use to communicate should be affordable, not time consuming but effective by making sure it’s understandable and straight to the point. The mediums have to be accurate with reliable information. Vertically, horizontally and diagonally are very effective forms of communication. Every medium influence the receiver’s perceptions of the sender’s intention. 2.5) Modes of Communication To me all modes are unlimited and are quite reliable. For my organization I would use the fastest most efficient and effective modes to get the done. For packagesShow MoreRelatedProfessional Communication Techniques773 Words   |  4 Pages. Professional Communication Techniques Erika Mohr ITT Technical Institute I define professional communication as the way people interact and communicate with each other using professional mannerisms. There are three settings in which we should apply professional communication and at different levels. Academically, we should use professional communication by listening and being respectful to our mentors. We should address our teachers in a polite manner and take them seriously so that weRead MoreProfessional Roles And Communication : Why Is Healthcare Provided By A Team Of Different Professionals973 Words   |  4 PagesProfessional Roles and Communication: Why is healthcare provided by a team of different professionals? How do we achieve this? Healthcare environments are becoming more complex and demanding, therefore an initiative of a team of different health professionals approach is being undertaken to provide healthcare. A team is defined as â€Å"a small group of interdependent people who collectively have the expertise, knowledge and skills needed for a task or ongoing work.†(Keller, Eggenberger, Belkowitz, SarsekeyevaRead MoreProfessional Leadership And Communications For Healthcare Essay818 Words   |  4 Pages Evolution of Me Professional leadership and communications for healthcare has been an eye-opening course. My learning report used many words that caused bio-reactions that were unexpected. As we followed through the conversation meter and the laws of communication I become more in tune that I lack high value communications. This class has brought forward an awareness of my shortcomings, but has given me the skills to improve. During the working style assessment. I was found to be effortlessRead MoreAbsolute Importance Of Professional Communication1039 Words   |  5 PagesThe Absolute Importance of Professional Communication Have you ever wondered why your English teachers constantly drilled the seemingly unimportant skills of grammar into your head day after day? The answer is much simpler than you may think: they are trying to prepare you for future success in life. Proper writing is an absolute necessity for securing a job. In today’s world, comprehensive writing and language are skills students need to understand. Jeffery Selingo, author of There is Life AfterRead MoreCommunication Is Important For A Health Care Professionals1502 Words   |  7 Pageseffective communication is very important for a health care professional and service user to interaction with each other successful and also between the health care professionals. according to Weiss Tappen (2014),P98 Communication is considered to be a core competency in promoting inter-professional collaborative practice. This assignment will identify and discuss the differences within the inter-professional and collaborative working strategies, which can help health care professionals overcomeRead MoreEssay on Personal and Professional Healthcare Communication1456 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ Personal and Professional Health Care Communication Dorcas Gray HCS/350 October 14, 2013 Tracy D. Andrews Personal and Professional Health Care Communication Communication is a skill learned and developed overtime and is used to convey various information, express emotions, and desires. In the health field, it not only important to have a continual line of communication but also one that is effective. According to Brashers and Babrow (1996) â€Å"Communication in health and illness constitutesRead MoreCommunication in Professional Nursing Essay1873 Words   |  8 PagesCommunication and interpersonal skills are closely related in the nurse-to-client professional relationship. There are several different types of communication in professional nursing. They are written communication, verbal communication and nonverbal communication. (Craven Hirnle, 2009). In this essay I will recall and describe my experience in a health care environment and reflect on communication in that interaction. I will look into interpersonal and communication skills used by the healthRead MoreEssay on Professional Communication For Nurses3586 Words   |  15 PagesIntroduction. Communication involves the exchange of messages and is a process which all individuals participate in. Whether it is through spoken word, written word, non-verbal means or even silence, messages are constantly being exchanged between individuals or groups of people (Bach Grant 2009). All behaviour has a message and communication is a process which individuals cannot avoid being involved with (Ellis et al 1995). In nursing practice, communication is essential, and good communication skillsRead MoreCommunication And Professional Relationships With Children2816 Words   |  12 PagesCommunication and professional relationships with children, young people and adults Why effective communication is important in building positive relationships Good communication is central to working with children. It is key to establishing and maintaining relationships, and is an active process that involves listening, questioning, understanding and responding. All communication should be age appropriate, matching the stage of development, personal circumstances, and the needs of the person beingRead MoreNonverbal Communication And Professional And Personal Environment1612 Words   |  7 PagesCommunication is a procedure in which individuals verbally or non-verbally share data and thoughts. Nonverbal communication can be best characterised as a quiet type of speaking with a man without utilising any type of discourse to get a crowd of people. Nonverbal communication is regularly used to make a statement of a however and make your message additionally engaging and intriguing to whom you are identifying with. There are numerous sorts of nonverbal communication utilised as a part of expert

Assignment on Motivation and Appreach to Learning Free Essays

string(93) " which explains that the learning comes to the maximum level when the senses are stimulated\."   In this essay I would like to discuss the factors that motivated me to do my masters in marketing and also why I choose Bangor University. Since childhood, various aspects of the business world intrigued me but the most intriguing of them all is marketing. Here, the primary reason for which I wanted to pursue MBA in marketing from Bangor University; I firmly believe that I will be benefiting in my professional as well as my personal life. We will write a custom essay sample on Assignment on Motivation and Appreach to Learning or any similar topic only for you Order Now I am keenly interested in enhancing my knowledge further beyond my home country, thus I found Bangor Business School is an excellent place to hone my professional skills and thereby have a bright future.I firmly believe in motivation and Maslow’s Hierarchy Theory motivated me a lot to take my masters. My approach to learning is same as that of the Sensor Stimulation Theory (Laird, 1985). Larid suggested that majority of the learning is done by observing, which is almost 75% and I agree with him. The issues that anticipate in a group work can be of many reasons; I personally faced many group work problems for the last two years when I was working at Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), India.The problems which I faced while working at BPCL in group work are lack of discussion about the project work and personal ego problems with the team members. Rectification could be done when all the group members meet often and discuss their respective problems or a strong decision from the management side will also works for the problems faced in groups. What motivated me to study my Master’s degree at Bangor According to Meahr amp; Mwyer (1997) â€Å"Motivation is a theoretical construct used to explain the initiation, direction, intensity, persistence, and quality of behaviour, especially goal-directed behaviour†.The theory that motivated me to study my masters is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory (Abraham Maslow, 1943). The theory is basically a classical definition about the human motivation. Maslow Theory is explained on the basis of five needs of a human being. The basic five needs are as follows, 1. Physiological needs. 2. Safety needs. 3. Social needs. 4. Esteem needs. 5. Self-actualization needs. Physiological needs can be defined as the basic needs such as air, food, water, clothing and shelter or it can be defined as the basic requirements of a human being, without the basic needs none can survive in the universe.Emotional, physical and environmental safety comes under the safety needs. In detail the safety needs can be of security from jobs, family, health etc. Being a mortal soul the support from the life partner, parents, peers etc. is pertinent and this known as social need for a human being. It may also include the care and affection also. One can achieve his/her goals in life only with the support from family and friends. Internal and external esteem needs are the principal needs for any human being. Internal esteem needs means the need that is developed inside the person, which could be self-respect, confidence, freedom etc.Some people are highly confident about the path where they are traveling and they will be certainly achieving their goals without any obstacles. External esteem needs comprises of power, status etc. People in the society are highly conscious about the status and the power that they are holding in the society and this motivates them to achieve their goals. Finally comes the self-actualization needs, self-actualization can be defined as the desire for self-fulfilment. Self-actualization means the strong desire to achieve our goals by measuring our capabilities. It also helps to gain more knowledge and make the life more creative. When we grow psychologically the opportunities also grow continuously. The last factor of Maslow’s theory that is self-actualization influenced me a lot, from my school level itself I was very much interested in the business sector and I came to this field. After reading this theory during my graduation days my intention to take the masters increased. I can hopefully say that this theory motivated me a lot to take my masters. After my graduation in Mechanical Engineering I had been working in Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, India.At that time my mind always thinking about the masters and I started checking for good universities and I found Bangor would be the best choice for me to take the masters and to achieve my goal. When I was going through the university website many things attracted and it found to be interesting as well. The main thing is it is one of the oldest and famous institutions in UK. It had an overall experience of more than 120 years in teaching with the international students and when I looked the ranking chart I found Bangor University is having a good rank. Many of my friends told me Bangor Business School is the best choice to take your masters.The other important thing about this place is the cost of living; it is very low when we are comparing with other universities and cities. The university is having a wide range of library and IT resources. Bangor is also having a strong research wing and I like to do my research in marketing sector here itself. Bangor is also having a good job zone which will help the students to get their part time job easily. Many career workshops are conducted by the university, by this we will be getting assistance in making a curriculum vitae, how to attend an aptitude test and competency about interviews.More over Bangor is having a beautiful geographical structure and the city is quiet and free from the noise pollution. All these factors made me to take my masters in marketing from Bangor. MY APPROACH TO LEARNING. Learning can be defined as the permanent change in one’s behaviour or potential from a direct or indirect experience. My approach to learning is almost like the Traditional sensory stimulation theory (Larid, 1985) which explains that the learning comes to the maximum level when the senses are stimulated. You read "Assignment on Motivation and Appreach to Learning" in category "Papers" Larid’s theory mainly focus on the five basic sensory motion of a human being, which tells us that in majority of the adults which is about 75% learning is through seeing. Hearing comes next with only 13%, and the rest three senses such as touch smell and taste comprises only 12%. If a person is having a good multiple senses, he can be a good learner. According to Burn’s â€Å"The concepts of individuals have different needs and concerns at different times, and that they have subjective interpretations in different contexts†. From my personal experience I can site out that Larid’s theory is a very good approach to learning.I had done my graduation in mechanical engineering and at that time we had to study a lot about the working of big machineries like lathe, grinding machine, universal testing machine etc. At the time of lecture in class about the working principle of machines I was not fully digested about the working, but when I go to the lab and see th e working of these machines I was fully convinced about the working. This is the same case when we are studying about the working principle of automobile engines. From my childhood I prefer to see objects rather than hearing about it.I had some other approaches also towards my learning which is known as approach for accelerated learning. It consists of four main objectives, they are 1. Target 2. Plan. 3. Track progress. 4. Do it for life. (Source: – accelerated learning et. al) The first thing that should be in one’s mind when he/she starts their learning is goal and objectives which can be called as target. Making the target is the first step towards our goal, from this moment one can set their direction towards their goal. Target can be divided into three factors. The first factor is one should find and analyse the reason why he/she set this goal.The second element is one had to explore their goal, which means one must have a good idea about the goal and also about the life after achieving the goal. The third factor is one must have clear cut knowledge about the objectives which he/she had to complete on the way to goal. Planning has a great importance in learning. After setting the goal one must prepare a course map, in this they had to plan their study time, time for doing their assignment, reading articles also time for entertainment. If there is no entertainment a person can be narrow minded. For all this a good planning must be there. Usually from my childhood itself I had a good planning about my studies and this helped me a lot to reach my goal and that helped me more when I was working in construction field. In construction field planning has a great value and there we had to plan the work for the coming two or three weeks in advance. If one’s planning fails company had to suffer a lot. After planning about the studies he/she should fall in line with the studies. During this procedure one can pause occasionally and check whether they are moving in right track or not. If he/she is going in the wrong direction of their target they had to recheck heir planning and the correct it. I usually follow this way on my studies because by this I can calculate how far my target is and how much distance I had cover on my way to the target. The final factor is ‘Do it for life’, means after reaching the goal one must make some time to enjoy what they had achieved. So when one is using their knowledge, then they can reinforce their self-image which will give them a great sense of satisfaction. ISSUES IN A GROUP WORK. While working with an individual or a group of people, one’s attitudes and behaviour changes which is termed as social influence.When we are working in a group many problems can come into play. It will affect the smooth working of an organisation. So when we are starting a group work we must be aware of the issues that can arise in a group and we must be ready to solve the issues. The issues in a group work can be as follows 1. Problems due to poor planning. 2. Less control on the process. 3. No new ideas or information on discussion. 4. Lack of discussion about the ideas. 5. Unable to complete the task on time. 6. Poor participation by the group members. 7. Frustration between the members in the group. 8. Playing a domination role by a team member. 9.Being of the target. 10. Communication problem. (Source: – Berk and Lintem et. al) Planning plays a pivotal role in a group work while doing a project. If one is not having a proper planning then he/she will not able to run the project smoothly. When I was working in a mechanical firm we gave more importance to planning department because there we are using heavy cranes for the erection of equipment for a high fare and if the planning fails everything is gone. So when we are starting anything we must plan it very well. Not at all for job, when one is doing a group assignment during their studies also a good planning must be there.When one is doing a group assignment a person must be there to principal the team and lead the group members in the right direction. Otherwise every group members will be in confusion about the proceedings and this may cause many problems. If the group members are having no new ideas or information about the work they are doing, then they will not be able to complete the task in time in a good manner. One should be well aware about the topic that he/she is doing. The important factor in a group work is the discussion. The team leader must call a group meeting and discuss about present position of the work, how they can proceed, new ideas etc.If there is no discussion going on about the strategies, then the team members will be performing accordingly to their wish and later it becomes very difficult to complete the task in a good fashion. Only from a balanced discussion new ideas will be emerged. Time management is one of the critical factors in a group work. There must be a time table and the group should monitor it. If there is no prioritized time schedule for a task and at the last moment the group had to scramble to finish the task and eventually fails to meet the expectations.In some cases some of the group members did not participate in discussion and they will remain quiet and just hear the discussion only. As a result the other the team members had to work a lot to compensate for this and it effects the smooth functioning of the group. Frustration among team members is a quite normal problem occurring in a group work. In a group, if he/she thinks that their ideas are not giving any importance or preference by the other group members and as a result they will be getting frustrated and because of this a lot of problems may arise.At the time of discussion when one or two dominates the session other team members may think that their ideas are not giving any priority and it may affect the team outcomes. Being of the task means, after getting the task the team members will not take it seriously and they waste time on playing or gossiping. At the last moment only they will be aware about the task and fails to finish it before the deadline. This is usually seen in many of the group works. Proper communication among group members is a very important factor in a group work. If there is no communication between the team members they can’t produce a good output.This is one of the main problems that I had faced when I was working in BPCL, India. How one can overcome the above sited problems in a group is discussed below. STRATEGIES FOR SOLVING GROUP PROBLEMS. For solving the problems in a group work there are many approaches, it mainly depends on the problems nature and the person who had involved in that problem. Usually rational approach is use to solve the problems. Rational approach means analyse the problem, check for alternatives, evaluate every alternative, select one, apply it and check whether the problem is rectified or not.Enough time must be given to the group members to introduce themselves such as their name, identity etc. A brainstorming section should be conducted to develop an idea about the group project. In that section select one person as a team leader and decide the date and time for the next meeting and start to work on the task. This will help to complete the task in a better manner. This will help to rectify the problem which causes due to slow start and poor planning. In the brainstorming section every team members must be there and each one had to contribute their own ideas.After generating the few ideas evaluate it and try for further. If these approaches are not working they can approach the tutor for guidance. List out the ideas which are proposed in the discussion and they must be sure that all the ideas had been tested. Encourage the team members to get some offensive suggestions sometimes it may help to create new ideas. For resolving the problems related to the time management, timelines must be established in which all the group members must agree on that. For every meeting the team member must come with a progress report on what they had been doing after the last meeting.The team members must help each other for the completion of task, for example a person is not able to do his work due to some illness or some other reason. One of the other problems in a group will be lack of participation by members. For this the team had to found out why he /she is quiet and not active. Make a chat with that person in the presence of a non-participating member to recognize the reason for the absence of involvement and the one who had talked must try to solve it. I had a similar experience when I was working in BPCL, India. We handled the situation in the same manner and the reason for that guy was some family problem.Next we can check out how one can solve the frustration between members. Every member must respect the ideas of others and this doesn’t mean that one had support the other people’s idea blindly. They can evaluate and provide productive comments about the idea. When one had to disagree with one’s idea do it graciously and the team members must bear in mind that they had to go for negotiation and comprise while working in a group. In some group work issues may anticipate when one or two members dominate in the discussion and to resolve this, team leader must take care of it. Every team member must be given chance to explicate their ideas. So when a person is exceeding the time limit one can tell politely that your time limit is over and let us now hear what others had had to say and it will be useful for you also. For solving the communication problem first of all one had find out what are the issues that effect a group work because of poor communication. Then check out for which task it is mainly effecting. For example, if there is a misunderstanding between the team members one had to take steps to solve this by giving a clear idea about the task and clarify their doubts. CONCLUSION. No can survive in today’s world without learning.I can hopefully say that self-actualization need in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory motivated me a lot to take my masters in marketing. Why I choose Bangor University for my masters is that Bangor is maintaining a good rank in the top universities rank list in UK and the cost of living is also very cheap when compared with other cities in United Kingdom. My approach to learning is almost comparable to Larid’s Traditional sensory stimulation theory and the four factors that bear on mind while studying is target, plan, track progress and do it for life. Group work will help an individual to hone their capabilities. How to cite Assignment on Motivation and Appreach to Learning, Papers

Conflict Resolution In Organization Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Conflict Resolution In Organization. Answer: The different conflict resolution in the different organizations helps in the understanding and the mitigation of the different issues that present themselves in the different organizations of New Zealand. The unitarist and the pluralist framework are the two frameworks of the organizational structure in the different companies in New Zealand (Johnstone Wilkinson, 2017). The different perspectives of the various legislations in New Zealand focusing on the different perspectives of the employee relation conflict in the country. The different aspect of the employee conflicts in the organization relating to the work life scenario of New Zealand. The different scenarios affecting the workplace conflicts in the county is due to the different scenarios faced by the different employees in the organization. The employment act of 1991 takes the focus away from the collective system of representation in the organizations in the different contexts of the bargaining power of the different employees of in the different unions of the country (Kelsey, J. 2015). One of the major issues seen in the different organization is the acceptance of the pluralist services in the different aspects of the society. The different pluralist theories take into account the different aspects of the organizational and the employee relation between the different groups and the organization should be kept a tab on making it difficult for the organization to make sure that the different employees in the organization will have an opinion and s ay in the matters of their choice making the communication easy between the different groups and the organization (Lamare, et al., 2015). Basically this legislation gave some power to the organization to have a power of opinion among the different employees in the organization. The different aspects of the pluralistic perspective is mitigated by the legislation giving the different organizations a say in the matters of their importance. In the employment contract act of 1991 the unitary framework or the framework which treated employee as the individual entity in the work related scenario in the country was encourages. The labor unions existed but the different contracts in the organization were forged between the employers and the employee leaving the different labor unions with little power to be exercised over the different decision making procedures and the contractual terms between the employers and the employees. The 1991 Employment contract act greatly affected the different aspects of the contract agreement between the two parties (Freedland, et al., 2016). The law based on the pluralist frame work gave much importance to the individual and the contractual benefit during the terms were greatly affected by pluralistic perspectives. The situations were taken to the court in case they cannot be solved by the people of the different cases in the society. In 2000, after the election of the new government, the Employment Relations Act (ERA) indeed elevated intervention to determine modern question. Under the ERA, a business and worker or association must manage each other in accordance with some basic honesty and not successfully delude each other. The Act set up free intervention administrations for businesses and workers. On the off chance that no understanding could be come to, or in the event that one side declined to go to a hearing, the Employment Relations Authority which took over the control from the Employment Tribunal could help in settling the case. Given the chance that either side disagreed with the courts decision, they could go to the Employment Court, which will hear the case and give a number of different opinions before coming to an official conclusion. Union enrollment stayed intentional, so singular specialists could in any case arrange their own particular terms of business. Nonetheless, aggregate bartering by ass ociations was supported. An aggregate understanding is an agreement between a business and an association. An individual association part could put in their own terms in the agreement before the final agreement is made between the employer and employee (Morris, 2015). Under the ERA laborers could legitimately go on a strike while their association would arrange an understanding of the employee satisfaction or the threats and risk they face at work. Workers in public administrations services, like the supply of power, fuel and water, or crisis administrations, are required to inform their manager beforehand about an arranged strike. Therefore, it is seen that the different scenarios thus presented in the essay show that the New Zealand Government gave unitarist perspective more value in time that the pluralist perspective. The different legislation in time can be shown to prove the fact that it was become increasingly easy for the law to solve problems presented in groups. References Freedland, M., Bogg, A., Cabrelli, D., Collins, H., Countouris, N., Davies, A. C. L., ... Prassl, J. (Eds.). (2016).The contract of employment. Oxford University Press. Johnstone, S., Wilkinson, A. (2017). The Potential of Labour Management Partnership: A Longitudinal Case Analysis.British Journal of Management. Kelsey, J. (2015).The New Zealand experiment: A world model for structural adjustment?. Bridget Williams Books. Lamare, J. R., Lamm, F., McDonnell, N., White, H. (2015). Independent, dependent, and employee: contractors and New Zealands Pike River Coal Mine disaster.Journal of industrial relations,57(1), 72-93. Morris, G. (2015). Eclecticism versus Purity: Mediation Styles Used in New Zealand Employment Disputes. Conflict Resolution Quarterly, 33(2), 203-227.

Women During the Franco Era

Introduction Spain emerged from the Civil War with many economic difficulties and problems. The Civil unrest wiped out foreign exchanges and gold reserves thus affecting the economy. The agricultural and industrial sectors had also become ineffective towards economic growth and sustainability.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Women During the Franco Era specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The war also led to global shortages of raw materials, industrial products, and foodstuffs. The Franco regime after 1939 wanted to apply a dictatorial approach to bring new economic policies to promote self-sufficiency and economic empowerment. In the 1940s, the economic growth of the country retarded but took time to recover. By the 1950s, the GDP was at 40 per cent and soon the economy began to grow due to increased black markets, tripling prices, and increased foreign trade. Women also played a huge role to transform the eco nomic system of Spain. Women during the Franco Era After the Second World War ended, Franco controlled Spain through continued implementation of economic policies and austere approaches to monitor the economic growth. Although the country lacked democracy, Spain achieved a lot in its economic structure. The regime professed that women should continue acting according to the contemporary roles of gender in the society (Twomey, 2000, p. 32). Through the social order and organization, the regime considered women services relevant to improve the conditions in the society. The end of the Civil War in the country resulted in the voluntary society service. During the era, history shows that women played the role of military vanguards. The women in the society were compelled to complete a set of social duties in the society thereby promoting the growth and success of the society. For example, women were helping in shops, working as teachers, and administering medical responsibilities in the country. This was a compulsory service taking the women six months to complete. The service was mandatory if a person wanted to get a driver’s license, a passport, or even a university degree (Twomey, 2000, p. 48). After finishing the service, it was a major requirement that women received training from physicians and priests. The regime considered this social service in the country relevant to prepare women to a greater course in the country’s economy.Advertising Looking for assessment on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to the regime, the social service was an important vehicle to promote the ideology without necessarily applying any oppressive means. At the same time, women learned how to complete household chores and take care of their own children. This was the best idea to improve the contribution of women to the Hispanic society. Another important observation during the Franco era was th at women were more empowered because of the social service. During the time, women were actively involved in sports and other forms of physical education. However, majority of the men in the society were against the idea (Sanchez, 2009, p. 12). During the period, majority of the women changed to become modern. The society fought for their training thereby giving them a better chance of becoming nurses and becoming income earners in the society. During the same era, there were increased rights of the women therefore giving them liberty to own a family (Sanchez, 2009, p. 16). They also had the liberty to get married and had children. Some women were homemakers during the Franco era. History also shows that some women were tortured during the era especially those who seemed to support the new regime. Their children were stolen and trafficked thereby oppressing them. This was to oppress them and make sure they supported the rebels. This situation continued to affect the welfare of women in the society thus making their lives unbearable in the society (Ellwood, 2007, p. 63). During the time, women who combined their religious understanding and justice to promote their ideologies and become powerful members of the society formed the Seccion Femenina. The group made it possible for state their positions in the society and the need for continued empowerment. The other thing is that, during the era, women had different views and opinions about Dictator Franco. For instance, some women believed that he was a great leader because it was because of the regime that they became educated, became empowered, and gained much attention from the government. However, some women considered the regime inadequate and oppressive because they did not achieve much in the society (Miller, 2008, p. 46). The most important thing to consider here is that women gained much attention during the period and were able to pursue their personal goals. They became educated and got a chance to pract ice their own careers. The period saw an increasing number of female practitioners, nurses, teachers, and civil servants.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Women During the Franco Era specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is notable that the authoritarian Franco regime imposed explicit policies and ideologies on the country’s citizens. Although the regime imposed these ideologies in an indirect manner, it became a unique source of foundation towards the establishment of the country future history. Despite the explicit ideologies such as the social service imposed by the government, it is agreeable that women in the society became powerful and were in a position to achieve their personal goals and fulfillment. Although majority of the women were empowered during the Franco era, it is still acknowledgeable that majority of the women were supposed to act under their husbands (Ellwood, 2007, p. 63). They wer e also supposed to stick to the gender roles, take care of their children, and support their husbands in every little thing. The idea is that the familial hierarchy was significant in the society during Franco’s era. With this kind of order, it was possible to achieve economic improvements based on the strong family foundation and increased participation in nation building activities (Miller, 2008, p. 49). Despite the familial order, the women were also encouraged to perform in the society and undertake economic activities to empower themselves and achieve their goals. The empowerment of the Spanish woman was one of the greatest achievements that led to the continued economic growth in the country. Conclusion Between 1939 and 1975, Spain was under Francisco Franco, a dictator who tried to apply a specific kind of ideology through a social approach. The regime put in place the social service program to improve the social status and conditions in the country. Although this was considered a dictatorial idea, it played a huge role in empowering women and ensuring their realized their personal goals and potential in the society. They became free and obtained different employment opportunities in the society. At the same time, the regime professed the traditional roles of females in the society. This made it possible to have powerful families and helped promote economic growth. Reference List Ellwood, S 2007. Spanish fascism in the Franco era, Oxford Press, Madrid.Advertising Looking for assessment on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Miller, K 2008. Women in Hispanic Literature: Icons and Fallen Idols, Wiley and Sons, New York. Sanchez, A 2009. Fear and Progress: Ordinary Lives in Franco’s Spain, 1939-1975, McGraw, New York. Twomey, L 2000. Women in contemporary culture: Roles and identities in France and Spain, Longman, Madrid. This assessment on Women During the Franco Era was written and submitted by user MotherAskani to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

A Handy Guide to Words Starting with Mani-

A Handy Guide to Words Starting with Mani- A Handy Guide to Words Starting with Mani- A Handy Guide to Words Starting with Mani- By Mark Nichol Several English words are derived from the Latin term manus (the basis of manual), meaning â€Å"hand,† but many others are unrelated. Here’s a breakdown of which words starting with mani- have been handed down from Latin and which have differing etymologies. Manipulation is the act of handling something, although the word also has the weighted sense of controlling someone or something for one’s own purposes. The word, ultimately from Latin manipulus, stems from manipuler, a French term meaning â€Å"handle chemical apparatus.† The verb form is manipulate, the adjectival form is manipulative, and objects that can be manipulated (especially those used to teach counting and other math skills) are sometimes called manipulatives. Manifest is likely but not with certainty derived in part from manus. The original form in Latin, manifestus, referred to something flagrant or obvious but in English manifest retains only the second sense: something easy to recognize or understand or clearly shown or visible. That is the connotation of the historical term â€Å"Manifest Destiny,† referring to the principle that it was obvious that the United States was entitled to all the territory of North America extending to the Pacific coast from the nation’s then-current frontier. The verb form, also manifest, means â€Å"show clearly,† and manifest as a noun refers to an indication or to a list of passengers or an invoice of cargo. A related term is manifesto, an Italian word with a sense of denunciation, which came to be applied to policy statements and declarations of beliefs; the best known of these is Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels’s Communist Manifesto. In the military organization of the Roman Empire, a maniple, numbering 60 or 120 men, was the unit equivalent to a company in a modern army. The word, from the Latin term manipulus, meaning â€Å"handful,† perhaps alluded to the relatively small size of the unit compared to the empire’s basic tactical force, the legion, which consisted of thousands of men. (A similar unit is the century- centuria in Latin- based on the word denoting one hundred of something, hence our use of the term to refer to that many years; centurion was the word for an officer in command of such a unit.) Maniple also referred to a strip (literally a handful) of silk formerly worn by certain clerics during a Catholic mass. Manicure, meaning â€Å"treatment of the hand and fingernails,† is from Latin by way of French, as is the equivalent pedicure, based on the Latin root ped- (the basis of pedal, pedestrian, and many other words pertaining to feet). Manicotti, the word for a tube-shaped pasta and the dish made from it, is from the plural for the Italian word for muff, from Latin manica, meaning â€Å"sleeve,† which derives from manus. But mania, referring to a symptom of mental illness and by extension to excitement in general, though it came to us from Latin, is originally Greek in derivation, from menos, meaning â€Å"spirit.† And manifold, meaning â€Å"many† or â€Å"various,† is from Old English, and the first half of the word is simply an alteration of the older form of many. Other words not related to the Latin root include manikin, also spelled mannikin but usually styled in the French form mannequin, referring to a life-size model of a human body used for displaying clothing; the term is from the Dutch word for â€Å"little man,† and the first two spellings can also pertain to a dwarf or other small person. Another non-Latin word beginning with mani- is manioc, another name for cassava, a tropical plant whose root is the source of tapioca. (That word, and manioc, are derived from the language of a people indigenous to Brazil; cassava is based on a word of the Taino, native to the Caribbean region.) Yet another word that stems from a Native American language is manitou, referring to a supernatural force, from the Ojibwa (also called the Chippewa), who were based around the Great Lakes. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Words for Facial ExpressionsGrammar Quiz #21: Restrictive and Nonrestrictive ClausesDozen: Singular or Plural?

A Study On Gatt And WTO Economics Essay

A Study On Gatt And WTO Economics Essay In this section I will discuss what was GATT. GATT stands for General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. Countries first signed this document in 1947. This agreement was designed to encourage free trade between member states. It encouraged free trade by regulating and reducing tariffs the countries imposed on tradable goods. It also provided an international forum to settle trade disputes. 110 countries have now signed on to GATT. GATT was in existence until 1995, when a new international governing body on international trade was created to replace it. This new organisation is the WTO. WTO In this section I will describe what the WTO is. The WTO stands for the World Trade Organisation. The WTO was created to replace the GATT. The Bretton Woods agreement of 1944 was created to help with the financial consequences of rebuilding Europe after World War Two. It would also try to ensure that major world depressions would not occur. The IMF and World Bank were created to help achieve this. Ho wever, an organisation to regulate trade between countries was also required. The GATT was initially set up, but the WTO was created in 1995 to succeed this. As it states on their own website (www.wto.org), ‘ the World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only international organization dealing with the global rules of trade between nations. Its main function is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible.’ The WTO has nearly 150 members. Trade between these members accounts for 97% of the worldwide trade. How does the WTO work? In this section I will describe how the WTO operates and who the members are. The main point to note about the WTO is that it does not set rules on its own. This makes it different from the other two organisations set up by the Bretton Woods agreement. The WTO is more of an international forum where trade negotiations are discussed. It then ensures that outcome of the negotiations are undertaken. The WTO has many member states. Each state has a representative that sits on the council. Each representative has only one vote when it comes to decisions. This is different to the IMF as on the IMF the more powerful, developed countries have greater power. The one vote to one member policy that the WTO has is designed to ensure greater fairness with regards to trade negotiations. However, in the past, Europe, USA and Japan have dominated. This domination is to be upset with the introduction of China into the WTO. This will now mean that the developing world has a major voice at trade negotiations. The process of decision-making is undertaken by all member states. All members vote on specific decisions and the outcome of negotiations are usually by consensus. A majority vote can also be used, but this is extremely rare. Below this level are numerous specialised committees, working groups and working parties that deal with individual agreements and various other areas concerned with environment, developm ent, membership applications and regional trade agreements. What does the WTO do?

Reform Program to Reduce Obesity in the United States Essay

Reform Program to Reduce Obesity in the United States - Essay Example But in the United States, the problem is getting worse. Obesity is not just people going fat – it is a disease that causes maladies like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer and strokes. Old and young members of society are susceptible to obesity. Adults suffer economic harm as they become more inactive when their body mass grows. People with a weight control problem have a real and identifiable physiological and medical condition, and obese people have shorter lives than non-obese people. Preventing and addressing obesity has cost billions of dollars for the government, estimated at $110 billion a year, equivalent to 1 percent of the U.S. Gross domestic Product. (Burd-Sharps et al. 2008, p. 64) The Problem Statistics revealed that one American dies every ninety seconds from obesity-related problems (Burd-Shaprs et al. 2008, p. 64). In the late 1990s, 280,000 Americans died of obesity-related problems every year (Allison et al. 1999). The proportion of Americans who are over weight and obese has increased dramatically within the past two decades, and increases in overweight and obesity cuts across all ages, racial and ethnic groups (Bailey, 2006, p. 24). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that for the first time in history, there are more overweight and obese people in the nation than people of normal weight. An estimated 61 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese (Cooke & Wardle 2007, p. 238). Researchers stipulated that if the prevalence of obesity continues to rise especially at younger ages, the negative effect on health and longevity in the coming decades could be much worse. (Bailey 2006) Americans continue their way of life. Modern lifestyles characterized by inactivity are risk factors that will lead to diabetes and high-mortality diseases – insulin resistance, lipid disorders, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Food is cheaper, particularly high-fat foods. Changes in work habits and time pressure s in daily living have led to people gaining more weight. Lifestyles throughout the world have changed. This includes reductions in physical activity, increases in dietary intake, and the aging of the population. There is also the westernization of diet and of other aspects of lifestyles in developing countries. All these contribute to the dramatic increase in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes (Shaw & Sicree, 2008). Risk factors linked with the modern lifestyle, including inactivity and obesity, are associated with insulin resistance, lipid disorders, hypertension, and vascular disease (Blaum, 2007). Moreover, concern has been growing over the increasing incidence of type 2 diabetes in childhood and among teenagers, attributed to inactivity and increasing obesity levels in childhood. Early appearance of type 2 diabetes appears to be a growing problem, particularly among minority groups in the United States, including Hispanic Americans, African Americans, and Native Americans (Blaum 2007). Survey studies conducted among patients and physicians have demonstrated that physicians are failing to adequately identify the overweight and mildly obese patients, although there is greater recognition for the moderately to severely obese patients, particularly when accompanied by co-morbid conditions (Cooke & Wardle 2007, p. 238). In diabetes, there is energy imbalance – more energy intake with less energy expenditure. Therefore, early assessment of energy imbalance should be taken to

Financial Appraisal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Financial Appraisal - Essay Example These three financial aspects must be that, in order to run or execute them, it necessitates substantial inputs in terms of costs and they must entail a wide range of benefits upon their execution (Kirkpatrick & Weiss 2006). As such, the costs and the subsequent benefits must be subjugated in terms of money or they should be such that, their worth can be estimated considering the monetary terms. Further, it can be said as a systematic process by which alternative utilization of wide variety of resources are examined with a great focus on assessment of factors, which are likely to influence a decision (Gupta 2011). They include; benefits, affordability, goals, risks, costs, funding, needs and options among others. In some cases, it is used to mean the same thing as economic appraisal. It entails methodologies, which are put in place in an effort to assist in establishing and defining problems and thereby finding ways to solve them. As such, these solutions should be those that aim at offering the best value for money (Carroll 2006). This is ideal when it comes to matters concerning public expenditure. In this context, it is mostly used as a catalyst for planning as well as public investment approval relating to the three notions of financial aspects. This paper aims at establishing a good financial appraisal that best gives a good value for money taking into account, projects, policies as well as programs (Lock 2007). Financial appraisal tools and methodologies A good financial appraisal is the one that incorporates the use of various financial appraisals tools. As such, these tools are used in different stages involved in the process of development and by differentiated individuals who have a stake in the business (Lefley & Ryan 2011). For instance, there are situations where, a financial appraisal tools developer or applicant tends to appraise the site using such approach as residual land. In such a case, the costs, value, as well as returns maybe used to esta blish the potential value of the land, which they are ready to give out in exchange with the land but must be subjected to a negotiation. In this example, there are assumptions made and as such, before they are applied, it must be ensured that they are tested. This test is usually done against a framework associated with planning as well as the extant policy (Dayananda 2009). The developer, in most cases, is likely to have come up with appraisal tools that are more of an in-house nature. This is important as the in-house appraisal tools, aided by commercial accounting software, they do reflect the processes related to accounting and of which are internal (Nagarajan 2004). Moreover, there exist other financial appraisal models used in the public sector. These models are exclusively designed to suit a particular use usually in the process of planning. As such, they are used primarily in situations in which the impact of finance involving the affordable housing aimed at assessing the c ontribution of grant as well as additionality, if any, that affordable housing may achieve, are to be considered (Tosh & Rayburn 2003). Both the Affordable Housing Development Control Toolkit as well as Development appraisal tools are spreadsheet based financial appraisal models and as such, they are effective if utilized to see these functions through. Again, the HCA is also efficient as it produces an appraisal model commonly known as Area Wide Viability. This kind of an appraisal model has the capability to test the viability of alternative sites that differ in terms of their characteristics (Morden 2007). There are other projects that involve expenditure considering the public sector. Considering these projects and expenditures, there is a great deal of likelihood that there will be

Bilingual Education Essay Example for Free

Bilingual Education Essay Now, it seems to be universally accepted that increased education is a good thing. Thousands of colleges and millions of students spend vast amounts of time and money chasing pieces of paper. But what is the value of these qualifications? This essay will discuss whether education has been devalued. Supporters of education (usually teachers or educators, or those who have an interest in stopping people thinking for themselves) say that increased levels of education will open doors for students. Certificates, diplomas, and degrees are held up as a status symbol, a passport to a private club of money and power. However, the truly powerful are not those who have taken degrees, but people who have stood back and looked at what is really important in life. They have seen opportunity and followed dreams. These people are found in every part of society. Like many brilliant people, Einstein was a weak student at math. Like many successful businessmen, Bill Gates never completed college. Like many inventive and creative people, Edison never went to school. The greatest religious teachers do not have letters after their name, but have looked into their hearts for meaning. Similarly, the worlds political leaders do not have masters degrees or doctorates. These are the people who shaped our century, and they are too busy with real life to spend time in the paper chase. Students in college are being sold an illusion. They are made to believe that self-understanding and society approval will come with the acquisition of a piece of paper. Instead of thinking for themselves, and finding their own personality and strengths, they are fitted like square pegs into round holes. The role of education is to prepare masses of people to operate at low levels of ability in a very limited and restricted range of activities. Some of these activities are more challenging than perhaps the assembly lines of the past, but still the ultimate purpose is equally uninteresting. More worryingly, despite the increased level of education, people are still not genuinely expected to think for themselves. In fact, the longer years of schooling make the job of brainwashing even easier. There is still a role for study, research, and education. However, we need to examine our emphasis on education for the sake of a piece of paper, and to learn the real meaning and revolutionary challenge of knowledge. mean by education from the outset. That might make it easier for you to sharpen your arguments against it. You need to better deal with the opposing arguments. It is true of course that some people become millionaires by dropping out of school to become entrepreneurs. But, if one looks at the average income of dropouts compared to the average income of people who graduate high school, and then compare those rates to the average income of people who graduate from university, we see quite clearly that better education leads, on average, to greater career success (you could even do research and cite sources, using empirical evidence to back up your points! ) Also, education, especially liberal arts (or even liberal science) tends to improve people, giving them a capacity for critical thought that makes them more interesting and worth listening to. You even seem to acknowledge, in your conclusion, that people who do well without formal education may yet be considered self-educated. So, perhaps you should define what you mean by education from the outset. That might make it easier for you to sharpen your arguments against it. I am not sure that I am following your argument here. Education is devalued because it is akin to brainwashing and drains people of the ability to think for themselves. Truly powerful people have never been to college. The role of education is to transform people into automatons performing a limited range of activities. As an argumentative essay, youll need to back up those opinions. Your examples can help, but Einstein did attend university and had a doctorate degree from the school of mathematics and natural sciences at Zurich University. I dont think you can make the claim that Einstein had difficulty with math he was studying calculus at the age of twelve but he did have trouble with speech. Edison did not attend university, but at that time a mere 1% of the population attended college so the example loses impact. Bill Gates attended Harvard. He didnt graduate, but he still considers his Harvard experience valuable (it is where he learned that there are people smarter than he is and met business partner Steve Ballmer). Besides, Harvard gave Gates an Honorary Degree in 2007. Gates also blows the theory that brilliant people struggle with math he scored near perfect on the SAT. Steve Jobs quite college after a semester (I know that you didnt use him as an example, but I thought it was interesting Michael Dell is another computer guru who never finished college). Who are the worlds religious teachers and political leaders that you are referring to?. Heres an article that I found interesting: http://www. msnbc. msn. com/id/29445201/ It talks about different things than your essay, but I can see where everyone getting a college degree would devalue those degrees . . . forty is the new thirty and a college degree is the new high diploma, blah, blah, blah. With 68% of high school graduates in the US enrolling in collage (2008), do we have a future with an over-educated, under-employed workforce? I could also see the argument that not everyone is suited for college life and we, as a society, need auto mechanics, plumbers, and grocery store clerks.

Destruction of the American Dream Essay examples -- Knowledge Dreams S

Destruction of the American Dream I’ve talked about it in the past, the destruction of the American Dream. Always, there have been papers, writings, and thoughts that quantify a particular section of its ultimate demise, be it due to money, education, or sexuality. Maybe the destruction cannot be viewed as a singular event or cause. Perhaps instead it must be examined as a whole process, the decay and ultimate elimination of a dream. Self destruction, if you will†¦ Mr. Self Destruct In all of us, there is a duality of existence which allows for the American Dream to be within our minds. Part of the mind believes in the dream, is swallowed up by its fantasy and perfection, while the other part is the screaming voice of reality that tries to expose it for the lie that it is. Most of the time, such a voice as the second is pushed away, hidden, and ignored, but it is always there, sitting in the back of the mind, driving its owner mad. Our lies cover so many spectrums and so many facets of life, focusing around the pleasures that keep the dream real in our minds. The pleasure turns to control us, because without it we would see the reality of our twisted world. It takes us where we want to go, and gives us what we want to know. A machine that feeds on desire, sex, drugs, money, and so many other things, and that produces a fake sort of happiness so efficiently that it not only hides its own existence, but makes us want for it to be there and fight to protect it. Ignorance is bliss, and knowledge is destruction. Piggy One of the primary fuels of the machine of illusions is materialism and money. They are the most easily projected images of success and power and as such, become th... ...oms of two broken states of mind. One of them would like to sit back and do nothing, while the other would like to end it all. What we need, is to develop a way of thought that excludes the other two. A way of honor that leads down a path less traveled, a path that leads to true happiness and true success. The way is hard, the path is long, and nothing is ever easy, but perseverance will bring about a life that is true. With hope, go forward into the world and make the best of yourself. Don’t allow the world to tell you how to do it. Find the way for yourself. Works Cited Anyon, Jean. â€Å"From Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work† in Rereading America, Gary Columbo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle, eds. Gatto, John Taylor. â€Å"The Seven-Lesson Schoolteacher† in Rereading America, Gary Columbo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle, eds.

Daily School Routine Essay

Life is an interesting adventure worth living. I enjoy every bit of my life and enjoy things around me such as, beautiful landscape, budding flowers, green scenery, wonders of science seen in different forms, marvels of city life, the leisure of free time,. Though much of my daily school is routine-based, yet the variety and diversity of daily existence make my daily school routine an exciting adventure. Every person on the planet has his own life and obligations. A lot of people have different daily school routines. Some of them have long day and others an easy day. But that depends on how many classes they have. The biggest problem is the Time management which is the act or process of planning and exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities. But there are ways to manage your life routine. My daily school routine starts at home. First, I get up from bed early in the morning. I do my morning duties. I wash my face and brush my teeth. Then I take a little physical exercise . Next I dress myself to go to school. I am never late in attending school. I take different subjects and I always try to listen to my teachers in the class. My daily routine is packed with school stuff these days. My days at school are Tuesday and Thursdays. The first class starts at 9:30 which is an ESL class with Mr. Dave Bruno that finishes at 10:45. Then I have my psychology class it’s my favorite it. It starts at 11:00 to 12:15 with Mr. Mike Colbert. After that I have a break for 3 hours, so I go to have lunch with my friends’ . then my last classes is math with a funny teacher . We call him General. School routine can be hard sometimes especially during exams. Throughout the course of my ESL classes, English tests always proved to be difficult for me. I had trouble remembering terms and vocabulary, despite the fact that my memorization skills were quite capable. Indeed I had a teacher that sometimes surprise us with little quizzes. And no preparation the odds of passing the unannounced test were not slanted in my favor. Time management is a phrase that I have lived by throughout parts of grade school, high school, and now college. I have been introduced to this because of the numerous activities and amounts of work that I have accumulated over the years. In high school, I had to balance my time from going to school, to practice, and then to homework. I would try to balance out the work, but sometimes there was not enough time in the day to finish all of it. I quickly learned that working ahead of time was key to my success. I learned a lot about the common myths of time management and where I fall in the classification of effective time management. Time cannot be managed; it can only be controlled by each individual person and the way time is directed. Scheduling is extremely important when it comes to managing the use of time. It is important to manage time wisely. When time is managed and organized wisely; it can make the difference between a productive day and a very hectic day. Using time management during an ordinary day can help reduce stress and simplifies life. Without have a plan on how to manage time, it can create stress in life and also forgetting important dates and deadlines. By not having some type of organization in life it will create chaos and will seem as if there is not enough time in one day to complete daily tasks. Time management may be aided by a range of skills, tools, and techniques used to manage time when accomplishing specific tasks, projects and goals complying with a due date. When I learn and maintain good time management skills, I find freedom from deadline pressure and from stress in general. I am more productive, procrastinate less, and I have more time to relax, which helps further decrease stress and anxiety. Making a list, Set deadlines and Stopping multi-tasking are things I do to manage my time in school. I set reminders on my phone and computer. One of the most important things is I make sure I list feel attainable. No one wants a 30-item to-do list and have to, at the end of the day, I look at the 20 items that I didn’t get done. Prioritize my and others’ needs and plan accordingly. I might even want to make three lists — personal, home and school. Setting deadline. Again, there is no point in setting deadlines if I make executive decisions to always push them back. Setting a deadline and trying my best to stick to it. This allows for the possibility that other things will get in the way, but also allow for me still to get the task done. Also stopping multi-tasking. Multitasks often seem to think they get more accomplished, but it’s not always the most productive or efficient route. my mind work better when I am truly able to focus and concentrate on one thing. Daily school routine makes the five dharma’s work for the body. Actually, man’s lifespan can be 150 – 170 years or even more. Since we are violating hese dharmas, it has been reduced to 60-80 years. This routine is not suggested to make you live for 100 years for certain, but to live a healthy life. This Natural Life Style is a part of Naturopath. Once you started time management schedule your body is in good condition and is ready for the dharma of fast. Until you have been following this routine for months. The natural lifestyle suits anyone and everyone – man or woman, young or old, chronic patient or ordinary person. It requires only a strong desire and inspiration to have a sound body. That’s more than enough.

The Golden Lily Chapter 1

MOST PEOPLE WOULD FIND being led into an underground bunker on a stormy night scary. Not me. Things I could explain away and define with data didn't frighten me. That was why I kept silently reciting facts to myself as I descended deeper and deeper below street level. The bunker was a relic of the Cold War, built as protection in a time when people thought nuclear missiles were around every corner. On the surface, the building claimed to house an optical supply store. That was a front. Not scary at all. And the storm? Simply a natural phenomenon of atmospheric fronts clashing. And really, if you were going to worry about getting hurt in a storm, then going underground was actually pretty smart. So, no. This seemingly ominous journey didn't frighten me in the least. Everything was built on reasonable facts and logic. I could deal with that. It was the rest of my job I had a problem with. And really, maybe that was why stormy underground trips didn't faze me. When you spent most of your days living among vampires and half vampires, ferrying them to get blood, and keeping their existence secret from the rest of the world†¦ well, it kind of gave you a unique perspective on life. I'd witnessed bloody vampire battles and seen magical feats that defied every law of physics I knew. My life was a constant struggle to hold back my terror of the unexplainable and try desperately to find a way to explain it. â€Å"Watch your step,† my guide told me as we went down yet another flight of concrete stairs. Everything I'd seen so far was concrete – the walls, floor, and ceiling. The gray, rough surface absorbed the fluorescent light that attempted to illuminate our way. It was dreary and cold, eerie in its stillness. The guide seemed to guess my thoughts. â€Å"We've made modifications and expansions since this was originally built. You'll see once we reach the main section.† Sure enough. The stairs finally opened up to a corridor with several closed doors lining the sides. The decor was still concrete, but all the doors were modern, with electronic locks displaying either red or green lights. He led me to the second door on the right, one with a green light, and I found myself entering a perfectly normal lounge, like the kind of break room you'd find in any modern office. Green carpet covered the floor, like some wistful attempt at grass, and the walls were a tan that gave the illusion of warmth. A puffy couch and two chairs sat on the opposite side of the room, along wit h a table scattered with magazines. Best of all, the room had a counter with a sink – and a coffee maker. â€Å"Make yourself at home,† my guide told me. I was guessing he was close to my age, eighteen, but his patchy attempts at growing a beard made him seem younger. â€Å"They'll come for you shortly.† My eyes had never left the coffee maker. â€Å"Can I make some coffee?† â€Å"Sure,† he said. â€Å"Whatever you like.† He left, and I practically ran to the counter. The coffee was pre-ground and looked as though it might very well have been here since the Cold War as well. As long as it was caffeinated, I didn't care. I'd taken a red-eye flight from California, and even with part of the day to recover, I still felt sleepy and bleary-eyed. I set the coffee maker going and then paced the room. The magazines were in haphazard piles, so I straightened them into neat stacks. I couldn't stand disorder. I sat on the couch and waited for the coffee, wondering yet again what this meeting could be about. I'd spent a good part of my afternoon here in Virginia reporting to a couple of Alchemist officials about the status of my current assignment. I was living in Palm Springs, pretending to be a senior at a private boarding school in order to keep an eye on Jill Mastrano Dragomir, a vampire princess forced into hiding. Keeping her alive meant keeping her people out of civil war – something that would definitely tip humans off to the supernatural world that lurked beneath the surface of modern life. It was a vital mission for the Alchemists, so I wasn't entirely surprised they'd want an update. What surprised me was that they couldn't have just done it over the phone. I couldn't figure out what other reason would bring me to this facility. The coffee maker finished. I'd only set it to make three cups, which would probably be enough to get me through the evening. I'd just filled my Styrofoam cup when the door opened. A man entered, and I nearly dropped the coffee. â€Å"Mr. Darnell,† I said, setting the pot back on the burner. My hands trembled. â€Å"It – it's nice to see you again, sir.† â€Å"You too, Sydney,† he said, forcing a stiff smile. â€Å"You've certainly grown up.† â€Å"Thank you, sir,† I said, unsure if that was a compliment. Tom Darnell was my father's age and had brown hair laced with silver. There were more lines in his face since the last time I'd seen him, and his blue eyes had an uneasy look that I didn't usually associate with him. Tom Darnell was a high-ranking official among the Alchemists and had earned his position through decisive action and a fierce work ethic. He'd always seemed larger than life when I was younger, fiercely confident and aweinspiring. Now, he seemed to be afraid of me, which made no sense. Wasn't he angry? After all, I was the one responsible for his son being arrested and locked away by the Alchemists. â€Å"I appreciate you coming all the way out here,† he added, once a few moments of awkward silence had passed. â€Å"I know it's a long round-trip, especially on a weekend.† â€Å"It's no problem at all, sir,† I said, hoping I sounded confident. â€Å"I'm happy to help with†¦ whatever you need.† I still wondered what exactly that could be. He studied me for a few seconds and gave a curt nod. â€Å"You're very dedicated,† he said. â€Å"Just like your father.† I made no response. I knew that comment had been intended as a compliment, but I didn't really take it that way. Tom cleared his throat. â€Å"Well, then. Let's get this out of the way. I really don't want to inconvenience you any more than is necessary.† Again, I got that nervous, deferential vibe. Why would he be so conscientious of my feelings? After what I'd done to his son, Keith, I would've expected rage or accusations. Tom opened the door for me and gestured me through. â€Å"Can I bring my coffee, sir?† â€Å"Of course.† He took me back into the concrete corridor, toward more of the closed doors. I clutched my coffee like a security blanket, far more frightened than I'd been when first entering this place. Tom came to a stop a few doors down, in front of one with a red light, but hesitated before opening it. â€Å"I want you to know†¦ that what you did was incredibly brave,† he said, not meeting my eyes. â€Å"I know you and Keith were – are – friends, and it couldn't have been easy to turn him in. It shows just how committed you are to our work – something that's not always easy when personal feelings are involved.† Keith and I weren't friends now or then, but I supposed I could understand Tom's mistake. Keith had lived with my family for a summer, and later, he and I had worked together in Palm Springs. Turning him in for his crimes hadn't been difficult for me at all. I'd actually enjoyed it. Seeing the stricken look on Tom's face, though, I knew I couldn't say anything like that. I swallowed. â€Å"Well. Our work is important, sir.† He gave me a sad smile. â€Å"Yes. It certainly is.† The door had a security keypad. Tom punched in a series of about ten digits, and the lock clicked in acceptance. He pushed the door open, and I followed him inside. The stark room was dimly lit and had three other people in it, so I didn't initially notice what else the room contained. I knew immediately that the others were Alchemists. There was no other reason they'd be in this place otherwise. And, of course, they possessed the telltale signs that would have identified them to me even on a busy street. Business attire in nondescript colors. Golden lily tattoos shining on their left cheeks. It was part of the uniformity we all shared. We were a secret army, lurking in the shadows of our fellow humans. The three of them were all holding clipboards and staring at one of the walls. That was when I noticed what this room's purpose was. A window in the wall looked through to another room, one much more brightly lit than this one. And Keith Darnell was in that room. He darted up to the glass separating us and began beating on it. My heart raced, and I took a few frightened steps back, certain he was coming after me. It took me a moment to realize he couldn't actually see me. I relaxed slightly. Very slightly. The window was a oneway mirror. He pressed his hands to the glass, glancing frantically back and forth at the faces he knew were there but couldn't see. â€Å"Please, please,† he cried. â€Å"Let me out. Please let me out of here.† Keith looked a little scragglier than the last time I'd seen him. His hair was unkempt and appeared as though it hadn't been cut in our month apart. He wore a plain gray jumpsuit, the kind you saw on prisoners or mental patients, that reminded me of the concrete in the hall. Most noticeable of all was the desperate, terrified look in his eyes – or rather, eye. Keith had lost one of his eyes in a vampire attack that I had secretly helped orchestrate. None of the Alchemists knew about it, just as none of them knew about how Keith had raped my older sister Carly. I doubted Tom Darnell would've praised me for my â€Å"dedication† if he'd known about my sideline revenge act. Seeing the state Keith was in now, I felt a little bad for him – and especially bad for Tom, whose face was filled with raw pain. I still didn't feel bad about what I'd done to Keith, however. Not the arrest or the eye. Put simply, Keith Darnell was a bad person. â€Å"I'm sure you recognize Keith,† said one of the Alchemists with a clipboard. Her gray hair was wound into a tight, neat bun. â€Å"Yes, ma'am,† I said. I was saved from any other response when Keith beat at the glass with renewed fury. â€Å"Please! I'm serious! Whatever you want. I'll do anything. I'll say anything. I'll believe anything. Just please don't send me back there!† Both Tom and I flinched, but the other Alchemists watched with clinical detachment and scrawled a few notes on their clipboards. The bun woman glanced back up at me as though there'd been no interruption. â€Å"Young Mr. Darnell has been spending some time in one of our Re-education Centers. An unfortunate action – but a necessary one. His trafficking in illicit goods was certainly bad, but his collaboration with vampires is unforgiveable. Although he claims to have no attachment to them†¦ well, we really can't be certain. Even if he is telling the truth, there's also the possibility that this transgression might expand into something more – not just a collaboration with the Moroi, but also the Strigoi. Doing what we've done keeps him from that slippery slope.† â€Å"It's really for his own good,† said the third clipboard-wielding Alchemist. â€Å"We're doing him a favor.† A sense of horror swept over me. The whole point of the Alchemists was to keep the existence of vampires secret from humans. We believed vampires were unnatural creatures who should have nothing to do with humans like us. What was a particular concern were the Strigoi – evil, killer vampires – who could lure humans into servitude with promises of immortality. Even the peaceful Moroi and their half human counterparts, the dhampirs, were regarded with suspicion. We worked with those latter two groups a lot, and even though we'd been taught to regard them with disdain, it was an inevitable fact that some Alchemists not only grew close to Moroi and dhampirs†¦ but actually started to like them. The crazy thing was – despite his crime of selling vampire blood – Keith was one of the last people I'd think of when it came to getting too friendly with vampires. He'd made his dislike of them perfectly obvious to me a number of times. Really, if anyone deserved to be accused of attachment to vampires†¦ †¦ well, it would be me. One of the other Alchemists, a man with mirrored sunglasses hanging artfully off his collar, took up the lecture. â€Å"You, Miss Sage, have been a remarkable example of someone able to work extensively with them and keep your objectivity. Your dedication has not gone unnoticed by those above us.† â€Å"Thank you, sir,† I said uneasily, wondering how many times I'd hear â€Å"dedication† brought up tonight. This was a far cry from a few months ago, when I'd gotten in trouble for helping a dhampir fugitive escape. She'd later been proven innocent, and my involvement had been written off as â€Å"career ambition.† â€Å"And,† continued Sunglasses, â€Å"considering your experience with Mr. Darnell, we thought you would be an excellent person to give us a statement.† I turned my attention back at Keith. He'd been pounding and shouting pretty much nonstop this whole time. The others had managed to ignore him, so I tried as well. â€Å"A statement on what, sir?† â€Å"We're considering whether or not to return him to Re-education,† explained Gray Bun. â€Å"He's made excellent progress there, but some feel it's best to be safe and make sure any chance of vampire attachment is eradicated.† If Keith's current behavior was â€Å"excellent progress,† I couldn't imagine what poor progress looked like. Sunglasses readied his pen over his clipboard. â€Å"Based on what you witnessed in Palm Springs, Miss Sage, what is your opinion of Mr. Darnell's state of mind when it comes to vampires? Was the bonding you witnessed severe enough to warrant further precautionary measures?† Presumably, â€Å"further precautionary measures† meant more Re-education. While Keith continued to bang away, all eyes in my room were on me. The clipboard Alchemists looked thoughtful and curious. Tom Darnell was visibly sweating, watching me with fear and anticipation. I supposed it was understandable. I held his son's fate in my hands. Conflicting emotions warred within me as I regarded Keith. I didn't just dislike him – I hated him. And I didn't hate many people. I couldn't forget what he'd done to Carly. Likewise, the memories of what he'd done to others and me in Palm Springs were still fresh in my mind. He'd slandered me and made my life miserable in an effort to cover up his blood scam. He'd also horribly treated the vampires and dhampirs we were in charge of looking after. It made me question who the real monsters were. I didn't know exactly what happened at Re-education Centers. Judging from Keith's reaction, it was probably pretty bad. There was a part of me that would have loved to tell the Alchemists to send him back there for years and never let him see the light of day. His crimes deserved severe punishment – and yet, I wasn't sure they deserved this particular punishment. â€Å"I think†¦ I think Keith Darnell is corrupt,† I said at last. â€Å"He's selfish and immoral. He has no concern for others and hurts people to further his own ends. He's willing to lie, cheat, and steal to get what he wants.† I hesitated before continuing. â€Å"But†¦ I don't think he's been blinded to what vampires are. I don't think he's too close to them or in danger of falling in with them in the future. That being said, I also don't think he should be allowed to do Alchemist work for the foreseeable future. Whether that would mean locking him up or just putting him on probation is up to you. His past actions show he doesn't take our missions seriously, but that's because of selfishness. Not because of an unnatural attachment to them. He†¦ well, to be blunt, is just a bad person.† Silence met me, save for the frantic scrawling of pens as the clipboard Alchemists made their notes. I dared a glance at Tom, afraid of what I'd see after completely trashing his son. To my astonishment, Tom looked†¦ relieved. And grateful. In fact, he seemed on the verge of tears. Catching my eye, he mouthed, Thank you. Amazing. I had just proclaimed Keith to be a horrible human being in every way possible. But none of that mattered to his father, so long as I didn't accuse Keith of being in league with vampires. I could've called Keith a murderer, and Tom would have probably still been grateful if it meant Keith wasn't chummy with the enemy. It bothered me and again made me wonder who the real monsters were in all of this. The group I'd left back in Palm Springs was a hundred times more moral than Keith. â€Å"Thank you, Miss Sage,† said Gray Bun, finishing up her notes. â€Å"You've been extremely helpful, and we'll take this into consideration as we make our decision. You may go now. If you step into the hall, you'll find Zeke waiting to take you out.† It was an abrupt dismissal, but that was typical of Alchemists. Efficient. To the point. I gave a polite nod of farewell and one last glance at Keith before opening the door. As soon as it shut behind me, I found the hallway mercifully silent. I could no longer hear Keith. Zeke, as it turned out, was the Alchemist who had originally led me in. â€Å"All set?† he asked. â€Å"So it seems,† I said, still a bit stunned over what had just taken place. I knew now that my earlier debriefing on the Palm Springs situation had simply been a convenience for the Alchemists. I'd been in the area, so why not have an in-person meeting? It hadn't been essential. This – seeing Keith – had been the real purpose of my cross-country trip. As we walked back down the hallway, something caught my attention that I hadn't noticed before. One of the doors had a fair amount of security on it – more so than the room I'd just been in. Along with the lights and keypad, there was also a card reader. At the top of the door was a deadbolt that locked from outside. Nothing fancy, but it was clearly meant to keep whatever was behind the door inside. I stopped in spite of myself and studied the door for a few moments. Then, I kept walking, knowing better than to say anything. Good Alchemists didn't ask questions. Zeke, seeing my gaze, came to a halt. He glanced at me, then the door, and then back at me. â€Å"Do you want†¦ do you want to see what's in there?† His eyes darted quickly to the door we'd emerged from. He was low-ranking, I knew, and clearly feared getting in trouble with the others. At the same time, there was an eagerness that suggested he was excited about the secrets he kept, secrets he couldn't share with others. I was a safe outlet. â€Å"I guess it depends on what's in there,† I said. â€Å"It's the reason for what we do,† he said mysteriously. â€Å"Take a look, and you'll understand why our goals are so important.† Deciding to risk it, he flashed a card over the reader and then punched in another long code. A light on the door turned green, and he slid open the deadbolt. I'd half-expected another dim room, but the light was so bright inside, it almost hurt my eyes. I put a hand up to my forehead to shield myself. â€Å"It's a type of light therapy,† Zeke explained apologetically. â€Å"You know how people in cloudy regions have sun lamps? Same kind of rays. The hope is that it'll make people like him a little more human again – or at least discourage them from thinking they're Strigoi.† At first, I was too dazzled to figure out what he meant. Then, across the empty room, I saw a jail cell. Large metal bars covered the entrance, which was locked with another card reader and keypad. It seemed like overkill when I caught sight of the man inside. He was older than me, mid-twenties if I had to guess, and had a disheveled appearance that made Keith look neat and tidy. The man was gaunt and curled up in a corner, arms draped over his eyes against the light. He wore handcuffs and feet cuffs and clearly wasn't going anywhere. At our entrance, he dared a peek at us and then uncovered more of his face. A chill ran through me. The man was human, but his expression was as cold and evil as any Strigoi I'd ever seen. His gray eyes were predatory. Emotionless, like the kinds of murderers who had no sense of empathy for other people. â€Å"Have you brought me dinner?† he asked in a raspy voice that had to be faked. â€Å"A nice young girl, I see. Skinnier than I'd like, but I'm sure her blood is still succulent.† â€Å"Liam,† said Zeke with a weary patience. â€Å"You know where your dinner is.† He pointed to an untouched tray of food in the cell that looked like it had gone cold long ago. Chicken nuggets, green beans, and a sugar cookie. â€Å"He almost never eats anything,† Zeke explained to me. â€Å"It's why he's so thin. Keeps insisting on blood.† â€Å"What†¦ what is he?† I asked, unable to take my eyes off of Liam. It was a silly question, of course. Liam was clearly human, and yet†¦ there was something about him that wasn't right. â€Å"A corrupt soul who wants to be Strigoi,† said Zeke. â€Å"Some guardians found him serving those monsters and delivered him to us. We've tried to rehabilitate him but with no luck. He keeps going on and on about how great the Strigoi are and how he'll get back to them one day and make us pay. In the meantime, he does his best to pretend he's one of them.† â€Å"Oh,† said Liam, with a sly smile, â€Å"I will be one of them. They will reward my loyalty and suffering. They will awaken me, and I will become powerful beyond your miniscule mortal dreams. I will live forever and come for you – all of you. I will feast on your blood and savor every drop. You Alchemists pull your strings and think you control everything. You delude yourselves. You control nothing. You are nothing.† â€Å"See?† said Zeke, shaking his head. â€Å"Pathetic. And yet, this is what could happen if we didn't do the job we did. Other humans could become like him – selling their souls for the hollow promise of immortality.† He made the Alchemist sign against evil, a small cross on his shoulder, and I found myself echoing it. â€Å"I don't like being in here, but sometimes†¦ sometimes it's a good reminder of why we have to keep the Moroi and the others in the shadows. Of why we can't let ourselves be taken in by them.† I knew in the back of my mind that there was a huge difference in the way Moroi and Strigoi interacted with humans. Still, I couldn't formulate any arguments while in front of Liam. He had me too dumbstruck – and afraid. It was easy to believe every word the Alchemists said. This was what we were fighting against. This was the nightmare we couldn't allow to happen. I didn't know what to say, but Zeke didn't seem to expect much. â€Å"Come on. Let's go.† To Liam, he added, â€Å"And you'd better eat that food because you aren't getting any more until morning. I don't care how cold and hard it is.† Liam's eyes narrowed. â€Å"What do I care about human food when soon I'll be drinking the nectar of the gods? Your blood will be warm on my lips, yours and your pretty girl's.† He began to laugh then, a sound far more disturbing than any of Keith's screams. That laughter continued as Zeke led me out of the room. The door shut behind us, and I found myself standing in the hall, numbed. Zeke regarded me with concern. â€Å"I'm sorry†¦ I probably shouldn't have shown you that.† I shook my head slowly. â€Å"No†¦ you were right. It's good for us to see. To understand what we're doing. I always knew†¦ but I didn't expect anything like that.† I tried to shift my thoughts back to everyday things and wipe that horror from my mind. I looked down at my coffee. It was untouched and had grown lukewarm. I grimaced. â€Å"Can I get more coffee before we go?† I needed something normal. Something human. â€Å"Sure.† Zeke led me back to the lounge. The pot I'd made was still hot. I dumped out my old coffee and poured some new. As I did, the door burst open, and a distraught Tom Darnell came in. He seemed surprised to see anyone here and pushed past us, sitting on the couch and burying his face in his hands. Zeke and I exchanged uncertain looks. â€Å"Mr. Darnell,† I began. â€Å"Are you okay?† He didn't answer me right away. He kept his face covered, his body shaking with silent sobs. I was about to leave when he looked up at me, though I got the feeling he wasn't actually seeing me. â€Å"They decided,† he said. â€Å"They decided about Keith.† â€Å"Already?† I asked, startled. Zeke and I had only spent about five minutes with Liam. Tom nodded morosely. â€Å"They're sending him back†¦ back to Re-education.† I couldn't believe it. â€Å"But I†¦ but I told them! I told them he's not in league with vampires. He believes what†¦ the rest of us believe. It was his choices that were bad.† â€Å"I know. But they said we can't take the risk. Even if Keith seems like he doesn't care about them – even if believes he doesn't – the fact remains he still set up a deal with one. They're worried that willingness to go into that kind of partnership might subconsciously influence him. Best to take care of things now. They're†¦ they're probably right. This is for the best.† That image of Keith pounding on the glass and begging not to go back flashed through my mind. â€Å"I'm sorry, Mr. Darnell.† Tom's distraught gaze focused on me a little bit more. â€Å"Don't apologize, Sydney. You've done so much†¦ so much for Keith. Because of what you told them, they're going to reduce his time in Re-education. That means so much to me. Thank you.† My stomach twisted. Because of me, Keith had lost an eye. Because of me, Keith had gone to Re-education in the first place. Again, the sentiment came to me: he deserved to suffer in some way, but he didn't deserve this. â€Å"They were right about you,† Tom added. He was trying to smile but failing. â€Å"What a stellar example you are. So dedicated. Your father must be so proud. I don't know how you live with those creatures every day and still keep your head about you. Other Alchemists could learn a lot from you. You understand what responsibility and duty are.† Since I'd flown out of Palm Springs yesterday, I'd actually been thinking a lot about the group I'd left behind – when the Alchemists weren't distracting me with prisoners, of course. Jill, Adrian, Eddie, and even Angeline†¦ frustrating at times, but in the end, they were people I'd grown to know and care about. Despite all the running around they made me do, I'd missed that motley group almost the instant I left California. Something inside me seemed empty when they weren't around. Now, feeling that way confused me. Was I blurring the lines between friendship and duty? If Keith had gotten in trouble for one small association with a vampire, how much worse was I? And how close were any of us to becoming like Liam? Zeke's words rang inside my head: We can't let ourselves be taken in by them. And what Tom had just said: You understand what responsibility and duty are. He was watching me expectantly, and I managed a smile as I pushed down all my fears. â€Å"Thank you, sir,† I said. â€Å"I do what I can.†

Italy Essays - Italy, Republics, Pula, Free Essays, Term Papers

Italy Essays - Italy, Republics, Pula, Free Essays, Term Papers Italy Location and Population Italy, is a boot shaped country in south-south eastern Europe. Italy, also known as the Italian Republic, is one of the seven most industrialized countries in the world. This lineup includes: United States, Russia, Germany, England, Japan, China and Italy. Italy is about the size of North Carolina and it has a population of around thirty-seven million people as of 1991. An interesting fact about the population of Italy is that it is neither growing nor shrinking. During the last decade, Italy's population hasn't exceeded a .9% increase or decrease in population. Of the 37 million inhabitants of Italy, many work as farmers, and factory workers. Climate The climate of Italy is mild. Along the coastal areas, there is a long hot summer, with a short mild, and windy winter. Italy much of the time is cold and wet especially in the winter. The yearly average temperature is 40 degrees. Main Industries/

The Global Village Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Global Village - Essay Example Perhaps, even the feelings of sadness would visit me as I make my travel papers ready. Of course, I will also wonder about the new country that I’ll be living in. I certainly would be excited if it were a nation in Europe, or an Asian country, like Japan or China. However, I would have serious reservations if it were Central Africa, or a highly conservative Muslim nation. I prefer working in a country that is not wracked by wars or insurgencies for practical reasons. Also, I want to be safe and secure from needless danger. I do not mind having a foreign roommate as long he or she is friendly and maintains good hygiene. I have no problems getting along with people of different nationalities, setting issues of language aside. I have no problems meeting new people and making new friends while being abroad. It will be a meaningful experience and would also be of much help as my stay in a foreign country goes by. Appreciation for other people is always a good thing, and it will also give me a chance to learn their own culture and