Love - Language and Memory Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Love - Language and Memory Paper - Essay Example Memory, one of the most intriguing components of the human psyche, have been studied and even subcategorized by countless scholars throughout the decades. Among the most notable theories of its categories is the issue regarding semantic memory and it link to language production. Several questions can be deliberated when looking upon this specific interaction of memory and language. Is memory, more specifically semantic memory, the sole reference with which language is formed and structured? How does semantic memory affect the production of language? More importantly, will language be able to survive without semantic memory? And is it possible that both language and semantic memory dependently coexists in some aspects? This article will try to detail the important facets of language and its relationship with semantic memory. Before we delve into the dynamics of language and semantic memory, let us first define the psychological concept that is memory. Memory can be described as â€Å"the capacity that permits organisms to benefit from their past experiences.†(Tulving, 1985, p.385). Procedural memory enables organisms to retain learned connection between stimuli and responses including those involving complex stimulus patterns and response chains, and to respond adaptively to the environment. Semantic memory is characterized by the additional capability of internally representing states of the world that are not perceptually present... Episodic memory affords the additional capability of acquisition and retention of knowledge about personally experienced events and their temporal relations in subjective time and ability to mentally â€Å"travel back† in time. (p.386). Memory is made up of a number of interrelated systems, organized structures of operating components consisting of neural substances and their behavioural and cognitive correlates. A ternary classificatory scheme of memory is proposed in which procedural, semantic, and episodic memory

PERSONAL STATEMENT Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Personal Statement Example I have done my BA in Police Science from Kuwait Police Academy in 1997 and BSc in Information Technology in 2008 from Arab Open University. Moreover, I have achieved numerous certificates. I have certificate of Implementing ISO 9001 and Cybercrime Forensic from Information Centre Kuwait and Interpol (Damascus) respectively. CMI Forensic Investigation, CMI Malware Investigation CMFS Apple Mac Forensic and CAST Advanced Application Security Testing certificates are a few certificates which I got from 7asfe. In addition to it, from 7asfe, I have certificate of CFIS Advanced Forensic Investigation, CSTP Ethical web Application Hacking, CIIP Implementing ISO 27001, CTSA Ethical Hacking and CWSA Wireless Security. I have two more certificates, one of Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI) v8 from EC- Council and another from Access Data which is of Mobile Device Forensics (Kealey, 2005). I was a system analyst at Information Centre ministry of Interior in 2013. I started my career by working at Ministry of Social Affair and Labor from 1992- 1993. After this job, I continued my studies and completed my BA in Police Science after which I started working as an Immigration Officer at Kuwait International Airport (1997-2006). I became a VIP immigration officer at the same place in 2006 and served this organization till 2009. From 2009- 2013, I worked at Information Centre Ministry of Interior as a Software Developer. I am well versed with skills of programming language. I have high skills in HTML, CSS, XML, JavaScript and Java programming language. I have same level of expertise in C/ C++, PHP, SQL and Python programming language. I am highly proficient in computer skills and can easily operate different operating systems. I can easily operate Mac, Windows, Linux (Debian, Fedora, Read Hat, Ubuntu, Kali and Backtrack 5) and IBM (z/ OS and CICS). I have various Information Security skills which I have learned from my

Impact Of Motivation On Organizational Change Management Essay

Impact Of Motivation On Organizational Change Management Essay This study focuses on a research topic Impact of motivation on organizational change, on the basis of the theories of Research Methodology for Business. The outline of the project will cover: Chapter 1 provides the background of the study underlining main objectives, questions and hypothesis of the study. Chapter 2 focuses on general definitions. Models and theories related to motivation, leadership style influencing motivation at time of change and communication process, methods and models will be reviewed and described. References Chapter 1 1. Introduction 1.1 Background Organizations are marked by constant changes taking place in its orientation, strategies and even structural set up. The workers need to constantly adapt themselves to such changes. This often cause stress on their mindset and affect their work quality. At this juncture it is important to shove away any misconception or doubts and bring back the trust, which is extremely essential for the organizational success. In order to achieve this, internal communication needs to be strong and effective. There is a possibility the motivation in the workforce might be restored through successful communication within the organization. Information Technology provides several options for this. E-mails, intranets and other innovations help in meeting the high demand of communication during such time of alteration within the organization (Wojtecki and Peters, 2000). Face to face communication also might help a lot to sort out the differences. There have been mostly separate studies about leadership and grapevine communication. According to McKenna (2000), leadership is an art that can get the optimum work required for the organization. The leader also communicates the organizations goals to his team members. He does not discuss about the communication that is more important between the leader and the team and the effectiveness when such communication occurs in an informal way that leads to more interaction and hence develops a bond with each employee and all together leads to commitment.   According to Robert E. Hoskisson, Organizational Structure specifies the firms formal reporting relationships, procedures, controls, and authority and decision making processes. (Hoskisson, 2008, p.100) This accrues to the basic framework of assigning roles, allocation of resources and provides a basis for cooperation, coordination and communication among the organizational hierarchy (Hoskisson, 2008). Harris and Hartman discuss the problems of Grapevine. According to them, it is not a dependable source and cannot provide full information and maybe distorted (Harris Hartman, 2002). In the article, Heard it through the grapevine: for communicating during change, facts and tips by Baxter-Southward, an extensive study has been done about grapevine communication- the negatives and the positives, and how to deal with this in organizations. However the right answer can be provided by a proper survey of the opinions of managers and workers. Whether such communication actually restores the faith and motivation and can assist in successful implementation of change will be explored in this research. 1.2 Objectives, research questions and research hypotheses The objective of this study is to deal with the issue relating to organizational behavior and organizational development. This study is to analyze whether the successful communication by the organization to its employees at the time of change will result in the motivated workforce and lead to successful change or not. Additionally, the research will analyze the effectiveness of good leadership and managerial as a means to improve to motivation, productivity, employee job satisfaction and commitment. The core objectives of the study are: To study the components of resistance to organizational change viewed from the workforce. To study the motivational factors to implement change successfully To investigate whether communication is the most critical factor in implementing change Based on objectives identified, the following questions are raised: What are the components of resistance to organizational change? What are the critical motivational factors in implementing change? Is communication the most critical factor in implementing change? Based on objectives, conceptualizing structure for this research has been developed. The main variables are evidently showed through coherent analysis in the structure. Based on this structure, the null and alternative hypotheses are developed as the followings: There is a set of components of resistance to change from the organization development theory. There are critical success factors in motivating workforce to accept change. The communication factor is most critical success factor in implementing change. 1.3 Scope Change is inevitable. Whether an employee is at the higher level of or at the lower level of an organization, one thing the employee can be sure of in the future is that there will be change. In this turbulent environment it is important for the managers to react quickly. Motivation of employees at the time of change via successful communication will lead to successful communication or not will be described. Moreover, it will be analyzed whether communication can or cannot bring a motivated workforce. Further more, the current research will be focused on essence of good leaders in motivating employees and increasing productivity. Chapter 2 2.1 Change and Change Management Success is not just for survival it must be achieved in a world of intense competition, continued globalization, and rapid technology change (Schermerhorn, 1996). Currently change has become the part and parcel of every organization to predict future trends and to forecast the changes that need to be encountered. Change is an ongoing process in every organization and for the organization to be successful and survive in a dynamic environment, it is important to have effective management of human resources(Mullin, 2005). People are the major resource of any organization (MULLINS, 2005). The efficiency of staff, their commitment towards the aims of the organization, and the skills and attitudes they bring to stand on the quality of service offered will undoubtedly affect the overall success of an organization (MULLINS, 2005) So in order to achieve success, it is vital for the organization to develop communication processes, motivation processes and a working environment that will help to ensure that individuals will deliver results in accordance with expectations of management. 2.1.1 Core Principals that revolves around change: According to Bernstein (2003) over 70 % of all organizational change efforts fail to meet expectation and delivered planned results. Before implementing change in an organization it is very important for the leader to understand the difference between the change and the transition process. Additionally, a leader should keep in mind that the success of change implementation process is a key driver of how organization will deal with changes, how changes are directed and administered by the leader. According to Barons Greenberg (1990) there several principals about change: People perception about change Individual barriers to change: Economic insecurity Fear to Unknown Threats to social relationship Habits Failure to recognize need for change Additionally Barons Greenberg (1990) listed the following organization barriers to change: Structural inertia Work group inertia Threat to existing balance of power Previously unsuccessful change efforts According to Bennis, Benne, Chin, R. (1985) there are several key drivers to change: Nature of workforce Competition Technology Economic Shocks Changing social trends World politics 2.1.2Classification of change Table 1-Classification of changes According to Ackerman (1997) there are three types of changes Source: http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/EAD/htmldocs/RMM06299.html 2.1.3 Organization Change Management Model As per the theory proposed by Kurt Lewin there are three stages in change process as illustrated in Table 2. Figure 1-Kurt Lewins Change model Change_modellewin Source: http://ic-pod.typepad.com/design_at_the_edge/organisational_change/ Table 2-Stages in Change Process Source: http://www.change-management-coach.com/kurt_lewin.html The research conducted by Hayes in the year 2002 shows that, most of the change management process models have three phases as illustrated in Figure 2. Figure 2-Change management Process Phases Source: http://www.change-management.com/tutorial-change-process-detailed.htm 2.1.4 Resistance to Change Figure 2-Resistance to Change Resist.JPG Resistance to change consists of any employee behavior designed to discredit, delay or prevent the implementation of work change. According to Kotter (1996) resistance to change is the action taken by individuals and groups when they perceive that a change that is occurring as a threat to them. Most of actions that are taken to manage change fail due to improper planning and implementation (Coriat, 2002).There are three different types of resistance among employees (Newstrom Davis, 1993) as illustrated in Table 3. Table 3-Types of Resistance Source: http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/corpstrtgy/changemmt/chngmgmt.htm According to Kotter Schlesinger (1979) there are four main reasons people in an organization resist change as described in Table 4: Table 4-Reaons for Change Source:http://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/methods_kotter_change_approaches.html Kotter Schlesinger (1979) suggested ways to deal with the changes which have been illustrated in Table 5. Table 5-Reaons for overcoming resistance to change Source:http://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/methods_kotter_change_approaches.html 2.1.5 Successful change vs. Unsuccessful change A study that is done by the Conference Board of Canada found that 66 percent of organizations that completed streamlining initiatives showed no instantaneous enhance in productivity; more than 50 percent realized no short-term profit improvement and only 30 percent actually lowered costs (Thompson McHugh, 2002). These are astounding figures that would be enough to dishearten any organization contemplating major strategic change. These results are common when organizations focus their change efforts and priorities on processes, finances and structures. There is no fool proof way of making all aspects of organizational change run flawlessly. However by valuing, respecting and communicating with people, by devoting as much effort and attention to the needs of employees, any organization is well on the way to managing change effectively (Sisson, 2002). When people are confronted with the need or opportunity to change, especially when its enforced, as they see it, by the organization, they can become emotional. So can the managers who try to manage the change (Nichols, 2000). Diffusing the emotional feelings, taking a step back, encouraging objectivity, is important to enabling sensible and constructive dialogue. To this end, managers and trainers can find it helpful to use analogies to assist themselves and other staff to look at change in a more detached way. Kotter (1996) identified eight key reasons for successful change as described in Table 6. Table 6-Successful Change Steps Description Increase Urgency Leader should set an example for there employees and should be proactive to the situation. So, that the leader can inspire people and can make real and relevant objectives. Building the guiding team Find a devoted team with right expressive dedication and right mix of skill. Get the vision right Find a team which will follow a simple vision and strategy and work on creative aspects. Communicate for Buy in Involve as many people as you can, communicate transparently and respond to people needs proactively. Use technology in favors of you and not against you. Empower action Eliminate obstacles, allow positive feedback and lots of shore up from leaders reward and recognize progress and achievements. Create short term wins Focus on short terms wins. Manage your initiates accordingly and prioritize your tasks. Finish current stages before jumping into new one. Dont Let up Encourage willpower and perseverance. Encourage ongoing process reporting, highlight achieved and future milestone. Make change stick Strengthen the importance of successful change via recruitment, promotion and new change leaders. Merge change into culture. Source: Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading change. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press, 3-15. Additionally Kotter (1996) identified eight reasons of unsuccessful change processes: Allowing too much complacency Failing to build a substantial coalition Not understanding the need for a clear vision Permitting roadblocks against the vision Not planning for short term results and not realizing them Declaring victory too soon Fail to anchor changes in corporate culture 2.2 Role of Communication and Consultation at time of Change One of the common issues faced by the organization while under going change is to find the measures for effective communication with their employees. Leaders communication and consultation is important for every management function. The effective communication and consultation plans results in successful implementation of change. The steps for communication for effective change management have been illustrated in Table 7. Table 7-Steps for Successful Communication Source: http://humanresources.about.com/od/changemanagement/a/change_lessons2.htm 2.2.1Steps in Formal Consultation process Based on Schein (1999) research formal consultation process include following main steps as described in Table 8. Table 8-Steps in formal consultation Source: http://www.goodpracticeparticipate.govt.nz/levels-of-participation/one-off-consultation/steps-in-formal-consultation.html 2.3 Motivation The level of performance of employees relies not only on their actual skills but also on the level of motivation each person exhibits (Burney et al., 2007). Motivation is an inner drive or an external inducement to behave in some particular way, typically a way that will lead to rewards (Dessler, 1978). Over-achieving, talented employees are the driving force of all firms so it is essential that organizations strive to motivate and hold on to the best employees (Harrington, 2003). In a turbulent environment where changes take place very often, therefore it becomes important for managers to analyze the level of motivation of each employee. Every individual have their own set of reasons to get motivated. Some individuals are motivated by financial factors while others are motivated by non financial factors as illustrated in Figure 3. Motivation can be classified as external or internal motivation. Finishing deadline on time is an example of external motivation. The fear of loosing a job in case of uncompleted task is an example of internal motivation. Both the external and internal motivation is equally powerful. Figure 3-Financial and Non Financial Motivators The four most powerful type of motivation that can influence an individual are listed in Table 9. Table 9-Types of Motivation Human beings are complex in nature, and are usually motivated by a combination of four elements. Figure 4 illustrates 4 types of motivation, which come together to produce four key areas for the managers to focus on when trying to motivate their employees. Figure 4-Four key elements of motivation ` Source : http://www.wishfulthinking.co.uk/2009/02/11/motivation-during-a-recession/ 2.3.1 Major Theories of Motivation Motivation is not only in a single direction i.e. downwards. In the present scenario, where the workforce is more informed, more aware, more educated and goal oriented, the role of motivation has left the boundaries of the hierarchy of management. The Figure below shows the major theories of motivation that can be applied in the working environment as well on the employees to see the impact of motivation on the organization as a whole. Figure 5-Theories of Motivation Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Figure 6-Maslows hierarchy of needs By applying Maslows theory of motivation, modern leaders and managers find way of employee motivation for the reason of worker and workforce management. According to Maslow the humans are motivated by unsatisfied needs and the needs which are at low level should be satisfied initially and then the higher order need should be looked upon. As given in Figure 6 there are five general needs of the humans that should be satisfied before the human start behaving unselfishly. Therefore, in a real work time scenario it becomes important for the leader to understand which needs is currently active for an individual employee motivation. Herzbergs Two Factor Theory Figure 7-Hygiene and Motivation factor Source:http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/figures/1472-6920-9-49-1.jpg The psychologist Fredrick Herzberg asked the questions from employees in the year 1950s and 60s for understanding employee satisfaction. The results of its finding revealed that there are some factors of a job which are constantly connected to job satisfaction, while dissimilar factors are linked with job dissatisfaction. The hygiene and motivation factors are illustrated in Figure 7. To apply Herzbergs theory, managers need to take up a two stage process to motivate people. Firstly, managers need eliminate the dissatisfactions the employees are experiencing and, secondly, managers need to help employees to find satisfaction. Equity Theory/ Social Comparison Theory Figure 8-Equity Theory Source: http://www.businessballs.com/adamsequitytheory.htm Equity theory states that employee always tend to compare the situation (Outcomes) they get while working in relation to what they invested (Inputs). Additionally they also willing to compare what are the ratio between what they get from what they put in. Moreover people also attempt to compare their input and outputs with their coworkers as illustrated below. Figure 8-Equity Comparison Source: http://www.businessballs.com/adamsequitytheory.htm 2.4Summary According to the literature the change must be consulted at the same time practices show that change can only be successful with proper consultation and internal communication process. Literature of this study suggests that it is important to implement changes with proper implementation strategy, internal communication and consultation in order to achieve goals and avoid failed change, poor morale and resistance to further change.

Sigmund Freud Essay -- Freud Psychologist Biography Essays

Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud was the first major social scientist to propose a unified theory to understand and explain human behavior. No theory that has followed has been more complete, more complex, or more controversial. Some psychologists treat Freud's writings as a sacred text - if Freud said it, it must be true. On the other hand, many have accused Freud of being unscientific, proposing theories that are too complex ever to be proved true or false. He revolutionized ideas on how the human mind works and the theory that unconscious motives control much behavior. â€Å"He applied himself to a new field of study†¦and struggled with an environment whose rejection of his work endangered his livelihood and that of his family† (Freud 3). His work greatly improved the fields of psychiatry and psychology and helped millions of mentally ill patients. Sigmund Freud was born on May 6, 1856, in Freiberg, Moravia, a region now in the Czech Republic. His father was a wool merchant and was forty when he had Sigmund, the oldest of eight children (Gay 78). When Freud turned four, his family moved to Vienna, Austria. After graduating from the Spree Gymnasium, Freud was inspired by an essay written by Goethe on nature, to make medicine as his career. After graduating from the medical school of the University of Vienna in 1881, Freud decided to specialize in neurology, the study and treatment of disorders of the nervous system (Gay 79). In 1885, Freud went to Paris to study under Jean Martin Charcot, a famous neurologist. Charcot was working with patients who suffered from a mental illness called hysteria. Some of these people appeared to be blind or paralyzed, but they actually had no physical defects. Charcot found that their physical symptoms could be relieved through hypnosis (Garcia 209). Freud returned to Vienna in 1886 and began to work extensively with hysterical patients. While discussing the case history of one patient, Freud said, â€Å"In the study of hysteria, local diagnosis and electrical reactions do not come into picture, while an exhaustive account of mental processes, of the kind we were accustomed to having from imaginative writers, enables me, by the application of a few psychological formulas, to obtain a kind of insight into the origin of a hysteria† (Freud 15). He gradually formed ideas about the origin and treatment of mental illness. He used t... ...ia 119).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since the 1970's, many scholars and mental health professionals have questioned some of Freud's theories. Feminists attacked Freud because he seemed to believe that in some respects women were inferior to men. For example, he thought that women had weaker superegos than men and were driven by envy. He also thought that women had penis envy and were jealous of men. Other people challenged the theory that patients' memories of early sexual abuse reflected fantasies rather than actual experiences.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As a result of such criticism, most scholars and psychoanalysts now take a more balanced approach to Freud's theories. They use the ideas and techniques from Freud that they find most useful without strictly following all of his teachings. No one, however, disputes Freud's enormous influence. Works Cited Clark, David. What Freud Really Said. Scholden, N.Y: 1995. Freud, Sigmund. The Origin & Development of Psychoanalysis. Henry Regnay, Indiana Press, N.Y: 1965. Garcia, Emanuel. Understanding Freud. NYU Press, N.Y: 1992. Gay, Peter. Freud, A Life Of Our Time. W.W. Norton, N.Y: 1988. Macionis, John. Society: The Basics. Prentice-Hall, N.J: 2000.

How Is the Continual Battle of Nature vs Human Technology Represented Essay

Explain how Bradbury uses this story to question human’s reliance on technology The house was created for the sole purpose of serving mankind. The house cannot save the family, or humans, from the viciousness of a nuclear bomb. By the time the reader is exposed to the house, the owners have been eradicated, â€Å"their images burned on wood in one titanic instant†. The house continues to make breakfast, have little robotic mice that clean the house, and even read poetry for, essentially, no one. When the story begins, it appears that machinery has triumphed over humans. Humankind might have fallen beneath the powerful nuclear bomb, but technology has not. Furthermore, while the family relied on the house to take care of them, the house does not require them to survive. However, as the story proceeds, the reader watches as the house is attacked by a fire. As the house scrambles to save itself, there is a sense of panic. â€Å"Doors sprang tightly shut† and â€Å"blind robot faces peered down with faucet mouths gushing green chemical†. In the end, the house succumbs to the blaze and crumbles. The only bit of technology remaining is the dying voice of the house, proclaiming the current day to be â€Å"August 5, 2026†. While technology has ultimately lost the battle of survival, humans lost the war long ago. Bradbury uses this story as a warning of just how little technology and nature care for the endurance of humanity. â€Å"Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree, if mankind perished utterly. And Spring herself, when she woke at dawn. Would scarcely know that we were gone. † This is seen throughout the story, as the house continues to function without the aid of the family that owns it. Humans developed this technology to help them, but the technology does not care if humans are around to use its services. Ultimately, Bradbury warns not about the advancement of technology but rather the complete dependence on it. The conveniences that the house provides appear to be beneficial, but in the end are completely useless. Bradbury also points out the lack of â€Å"humanity† within the machinery of the house. Instead of a family having to cook and clean, the house does it for them. There is no love within the house. While it would require more work, perhaps it would be more meaningful for a family to work together to keep their house running properly. Instead of being a mere house, it would become a home. Techniques Bradbury uses throughout the story? 1)Personification 2)Foreshadowing 3)Suspense 1)The most often used literary technique to describe the house is personification, where you give inanimate objects human-like characteristics. The stove is given human actions, â€Å"In the kitchen the breakfast stove gave a hissing sigh and ejected from its warm interior†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . This passage shows that Bradbury has given a breakfast stove the ability to hiss a sigh. Stoves are not physically able to sigh. Rain is personified, â€Å"And the rain tapped on the empty house, echoing†. The rain did not literally tap on the house, it means that the rain was making noise as it fell and came into contact with the house. 2)Bradbury uses is foreshadowing, hinting clues that suggest events that will later happen. The voice-clock sang, worriedly, â€Å"†¦ Ticktock, seven o’ clock, time to get up, time to get up, seven o’ clock! As if it were afraid that nobody would†. This shows that the house was sensing something was going to be different today. It foreshadows that something bad may happen. There is a fire in the house, â€Å"Smoke and silence. A great quantity of smoke. â€Å". The silence is foreshadowing that the house has given up and died. Foreshadowing is used by Bradbury to hint later events. 3)Bradbury uses suspense to create an effective story. The dog is injured from the nuclear bomb. â€Å"†¦once huge and fleshy, but now gone to bone and covered with sores†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . This creates suspense because it makes the reader wonder if the dog is going to survive. When a fire is ablaze in the house. â€Å"The fire burst the house and het it slam flat down, puffing out skirts of spark and smoke†. It makes the reader wonder what will happen next and how the house is going to result. Suspense is used to build up the excitement of the reader making them want to read on to find out. In conclusion, personification, fore shadowing and suspense are used to create â€Å"There Will Come Soft Rains†. Bradbury uses literary elements to make a successful short story.

Evidence On Global Warming Essay

Svante Arrhenius was really an erudite as he was the pioneer in discovering the concept as early as 1886 in the absence of many modern technical instruments and super computers. During December 1995, United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC] , an international network of more than 2,550 scientists have confirmed that there existed many evidence of global warming and such phenomenon could not be denied ,though it is difficult to quantify. With the help of precise satellites measuring equipments and with the assistance of super computers, scientists have irrevocably proved that there are firm ground for the existence of global warming on the basis of process of large quantity of weather data’s. The other evidences of global warming are as follows: ? Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro legendary snows have melted down about 81% since 1912 and it would completely disappear by the year 2020. ? Bermuda’s coastal mangrove forest is annihilated by rising sea levels. ? Over the past forty years, world ocean temperature has increased by a net 0. 12 degrees Fahrenheit. ? Glaziers at Himalayas in India are withdrawing at a record speed and it is predicted by scientists that all eastern and central Himalayan glaziers will vanish by 2025. ? Pakistan witnessed the longest drought from 1999 to 2001 which had affected about 2. 3 million people and about 16. 1 million livestock. ? As compared to 20 to 40 years before , the ice volume in Arctic ocean has decreased by 40% ? In Washington D. C, Cherry trees have advanced their blooming season. ? Europe has witnessed an extreme heat wave in 2003 and more than 25,100 people were died. ? During May 2002, southeastern parts of India witnessed heat wave which exceeded more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit and more than 1210 people died.

Analysis of Hargreaves Services Plc Short Term Liquidity Efficiency Ratios The WritePass Journal

Analysis of Hargreaves Services Plc Short Term Liquidity Efficiency Ratios Introduction Analysis of Hargreaves Services Plc Short Term Liquidity Efficiency Ratios IntroductionRecommendationRelated Introduction Liquidity ratios are used to determine a companys ability to pay off its short-terms debts obligations. Using Hargreaves Services Plc financial data from 2006 to 2010.I have the analysis for the companies’ current ratio, acid test, total asset turnover and fixed asset turn over below. The Current ratio tells us about the relationship between current assets and current Liabilities and how quickly an asset can be turned into cash. Hargreaves Services Plc had a current ratio of 1.09 in 2006 which was poor but significantly increased in 2007 to 1.31, it then fell in 2008 to 1.15, a further decrease in 2009 to 1.06 and has had a significant increase to 1.66 in 2010. I would say Hargreaves had a poor current ratio in 2006 and 2009 but currently has a good ratio at 1.66 indicating that for every  £1.66 of Current Assets the firm owns, it owes  £1.00 of Current Liabilities. Looking at this ratio we can see that if all the creditors of the business demanded their money, the business would have enough resources in the form of Current Assets to meet these demands. We can say then that as indicated by the Current Ratio the liquidity of the firm is good, it is managing its working capital effectively. I hence would recommend investors to buy shares. The Acid Test tells us how Hargreaves Services Plc can meet its short term demand for cash. Hargreaves Services Plc currently has a reasonable acid test at 0.82 and I would recommend its shares to investors, however the acid test was poor in 2009 and 2008, reasonable in 2007 and was good in 2006. Hargreaves Services Plc total asset turnover ratio compares its sales with the assets that the business has used to generate its sales. In 2010 Hargreaves Services Plc had sales of  £ 459,779,000 generating a ratio of 1.63 the sales in 2010 were lower than the previous year. Hargreaves Services Plc has made major investments in its assets and is   yet to generate their previous level of total turn over. The fixed asset turnover ratio of Hargreaves Services Plc measures Hargreaves effectiveness in generating sales from its investments in property, plant and equipment. The firm has gradually increased its property, plant and equipment from  £ 21,146.000 in 2006 to  £ 85,605,000 in 2010. Recommendation I recommend Hargreaves Services Plc to investors because it has invested in property, plant and equipment, even if it sales slightly fell this year .I strongly believe it has the potential to achieve positive returns in the years to come.

Things Fall Apart Study Guide and Discussion Questions

'Things Fall Apart' Study Guide and Discussion Questions Things Fall Apart is a famous novel by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. Its considered an important work in world literature, albeit a controversial one. The book has been banned in some places for its negative portrayal  of European colonialism. The book is split into three parts showing the reader the negative effects of colonization on the main characters tribe. It also shows how Christian missionaries work to convert the African population helped to forever alter their culture. The book was written in 1958 and became one of the first books from Africa to become world renowned. It is seen as an archetype for the modern African novel. This is a recommended book to read in a book club because of the depth of the work. Plot Summary Protagonist Okonkwo becomes a successful farmer and earns titles and respect in his community, even though his father, Unoka, was seen as lazy, making him a disrespected laughingstock. His father is a source of shame for Okonkwo, whos strived to be everything his father has not. Hes domineering over his family as a result, and his overarching desire to always seem manly leads to his downfall. He takes in a ward, given to him to care for as a peace offering to avoid war with the neighboring Mbaino community. An oracle says the boy must be killed, but Okonkwo is advised not to do it. He does it anyway. But its after the accidental killing of a leader in his community that he and his family are exiled for seven years. When they return, they find that much has changed in their community because of white missionaries coming to town. Theyve set up a prison, a European-style court of law, a church, school, and hospital. Okonkwo doesnt understand why the people havent revolted against these oppressors. Then, the benevolent Mr. Brown is replaced by a strict reverend who isnt interested in the peoples existing culture. Violence eventually ensues, and the local leaders are eventually taken down by the colonizers. Okonkwo cannot cope and ends his own life. Main Characters These are the main characters in the novel: Okonkwo: protagonist whose fatal flaw is his inability to adapt to change and his reverence for needing to appear tough and manlyIkemefuna: clever, resourceful boy, ward of Okonkwo, whom he kills to not appear weak; given to Okonkwo to avoid warNwoye: son of Okonkwo, who becomes a Christian, a sensitive boyEzinma: daughter of Okonkwo, bold, her fathers favorite; the only surviving child of EkwefiEkwefi: Okonkwos second wifeUnoka: Okonkwos father, whom Okonkwo strives to be the opposite of; Unoka is lazy and enjoys music and conversation; is gentle, cowardly, and not ambitious; thus, he doesnt have the respect of the townsfolk.Obierika: best friend of OkonkwoOgbuefi Ezeudu: the elder of UmuofiaMr. Brown: missionary to Umuofia and Mbanta; patient, kind, respectful, open-minded person who builds a school and hospital in Umofia and encourages people to become literate to keep up with the rest of the world; represents colonizationthe Rev. James Smith: missionary who contrasts with Mr. Bro wn in that Smith is strict and doesnt compromise; has no interest in the native peoples culture; also represents colonization Major Themes In addition to the themes of the effect of colonization on African society and how cultures clash, there are personal themes as well. Readers can also examine how peoples character leads to their outcomes, such as in the case of how adaptable they are to change or inflexible (character is destiny). An examination of the book can look at human emotions and find commonalities and universals (people are people). The destiny theme can also be examined on a societal level. Achebe illustrates the complexity of the Igbo society and how it functions- unlike the authoritarian encroachers- without a strong central government. Is it destiny for the people to have been conquered, then? You can also examine how the community and people interact to find balance and function as a society. Historical Impact Things Fall Apart has become one of the most important books in African literature, as it was among the first major works to bring the African perspective to a worldwide audience and launched the continents modern literature. It even made Western anthropologists realize theyd been getting the story wrong and led them to a reexamine their methods and scholarship on Africas history and peoples. Though controversial to write a novel in the colonizers language, the book was able to reach more people that way, and Achebe was able to work untranslatable Ibo words into the telling so that people would be able to understand them through context as they read, rather than have a translator not achieve adequate subtleties of meaning. The book awakened pride in history and community for people in Africa and led them to realize that they could tell their own stories and that they were valid. Discussion Questions What is important about the title: Things Fall Apart? Is there a reference in the novel that explains the title?What are the conflicts in Things Fall Apart? What types of conflict (physical, moral, intellectual, or emotional) are present?How does Chinua Achebe reveal character in Things Fall Apart?How do the storys themes relate to the plot and characters?What are some symbols in Things Fall Apart? How do they relate to the plot and characters?Are the characters consistent in their actions? Are they fully developed characters? Are some characters more fully developed than others? How? Why?Do you find the characters likable? Are the characters persons you would want to meet?What is the central/primary purpose of the story? Is the purpose important or meaningful?  Do you think the novel is meant to be political? What point was the author trying to make? Did he succeed?Why is the novel so controversial? Do you think the book should be censored or banned? Should it be taught in schools ? How essential is the setting to the story? Could the story have taken place anywhere else?What is the role of family and community in this novel? How does it change with the arrival of Europeans? How does it change when the missionaries arrive?Does the story end the way you expected? How? Why? What point do you think the author was making with the conclusion of the novel? Does your perspective change knowing there is a sequel?Would you recommend this novel to a friend?How is religion portrayed in this novel? Do you think the Christian missionaries had a positive or negative impact on the characters?Whats important about the time period the novel is set in?Why do you think the authors decision to write the novel in English  rather than his native language caused controversy?What point is the author trying to make about the African identity? What problems  does the author outline? Does he offer solutions?

Japanese-American Internment at Manzanar During WWII

Japanese-American Internment at Manzanar During WWII Japanese-Americans were sent to internment camps during World War II. This internment occurred even if they had been long time US citizens and posed not threat. How could the internment of Japanese-Americans have occurred in the land of the free and the home of the brave? Read on to learn more. In 1942, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed Executive Order No. 9066 into law which eventually forced close to 120,000 Japanese-Americans in the western part of the United States to leave their homes and move to one of ten relocation centers or to other facilities across the nation. This order came about as a result of great prejudice and wartime hysteria after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Even before the Japanese-Americans were relocated, their livelihood was seriously threatened when all accounts in American branches of Japanese banks were frozen. Then, religious and political leaders were arrested and often put into holding facilities or relocation camps without letting their families know what had happened to them. The order to have all Japanese-Americans relocated had serious consequences for the Japanese-American community. Even children adopted by caucasian parents were removed from their homes to be relocated. Sadly, most of those relocated were American citizens by birth. Many families wound up spending three years in facilities. Most lost or had to sell their homes at a great loss and close down numerous businesses. The War Relocation Authority (WRA) The War Relocation Authority (WRA) was created to set up relocation facilities. They were located in desolate, isolated places. The first camp to open was Manzanar in California. Over 10,000 people lived there at its height. The relocation centers were to be self-sufficient with their own hospitals, post offices, schools, etc. And everything was surrounded by barbed wire. Guard towers dotted the scene. The guards lived separately from the Japanese-Americans. In Manzanar, apartments were small and ranged from 16 x 20 feet to 24 x 20 feet. Obviously, smaller families received smaller apartments. They were often built of subpar materials and with shoddy workmanship so many of the inhabitants spent some time making their new homes livable. Further, because of its location, the camp was subject to dust storms and extreme temperatures. Manzanar is also the best preserved of all Japanese-American internment camps not only in terms of site preservation but also in terms of a pictorial representation of life in the camp in 1943. This was the year that Ansel Adams visited Manzanar and took stirring photographs capturing the daily life and surroundings of the camp. His pictures allow us to step back into the time of innocent people who were imprisoned for no other reason than they were of Japanese descent. When the relocation centers were closed at the end of World War II, the WRA provided inhabitants who had less than $500 a small sum of money ($25), train fare, and meals on the way home. Many inhabitants, however, had nowhere to go. In the end, some had to be evicted because they had not left the camps. The Aftermath In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act that provided redress for Japanese-Americans. Each living survivor was paid $20,000 for the forced incarceration. In 1989, President Bush issued a formal apology. It is impossible to pay for the sins of the past, but it is important to learn from our errors and not make the same mistakes again, especially in our post-September 11th world. Lumping all people of a specific ethnic origin together as happened with the forced relocation of Japanese-Americans is the antithesis of the freedoms upon which our country was founded.

Public Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Public Relations - Essay Example ORGANIZATIONAL FUNCTIONS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS The focus of organizational functions of public relations is in protecting the company’s reputation and making sure that it maintains a cordial relation with its stakeholders. Following are some of the functions of Public Relations department in an organization: INTERNAL RELATIONS This is one of the most important and crucial aspects of public relations. Establishing a bond of trust between the employees and the employers can be a difficult job; however, it is very important. This directly affects the productivity of the organization while at the same creating valuable and irreplaceable assets for the employers (Lordan, 2003). Analysis has indicated that internal relations managers are responsible for internal communication in an organization that particularly focuses on avoidance of any conflicts, as well as resolution as well to ensure good reputation of the organization. Secondly, another imperative function of the internal relat ions managers is to ensure distribution of information to all members of the organization through company’s newsletter and e-platforms. It has been an observation that such managers also are responsible to arrange and organize different events and activities that work as motivation for the employees. RELATIONS WITH STAKEHOLDERS/INVESTORS It is the prime responsibility of a public relations manager to maintain a healthy relationship between organization and its investors. They make sure that all the relevant data required in maintaining this relationship reaches their investors at time. In addition to that, the manager is also responsible for analysing propositions and decisions for the benefit of the organization as well as stakeholders. The idea of gaining profit maintains stakeholders’ interest in the organization. Other responsibilities of the manager include arranging shareholders meetings, compiling an annual report, making sure that all the deals are legal, and e nsuring financial credibility of investors and stakeholders. COMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH Communication research managers are responsible for quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the advertising campaigns. For this purpose, they conduct surveys, content analysis, and interviews with the clients to find out the most efficient means to communicate with the masses. These reports form the basis of the organization’s marketing strategy (Jacquie & Pieczka, 2006). SOCIETAL FUNCTIONS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS Societal functions concentrate on actions that can benefit the society. Every organization has a moral responsiility towards the society; public relation managers are the face of that organization that fulfills these responsibilities on their behalf. There is no denying the fact that the activities of corporate organizations have a signifcant impact on the public as they are the trendsetters and their products inspire people to look up to them (Lamme & Land, 2008). Public relations h ave two basic societal functions: COMMUNITY RELATIONS It involves evaluating the main community of your target market and making assessments on the basis on their lifestyles, identity, and attitude. Based on these assessmenst programs are developed and executed to gain the trust and acceptance of the community. In short, a business or organiztion cannot fully develop unless it is acknowleged by the community. Public relations make sure

Starbucks Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Starbucks Corporation - Essay Example Schultz’s II Giomale bought Starbucks and transformed it to what it is today, â€Å"the premier roaster, marketer and retailer of specialty coffee in the world, operating in more than 50countries† (Starbucks Corporation 2). In 1998, Starbucks acquired Tazo, a tea company based in Portland, Ore. and in 2003, it acquired Seattle Coffee Company, which includes Seattle’s Best Coffee and Torrefazione Italia coffee brands (Starbucks Coffee Company 2). Starbucks Corporation is based in Seattle, Washington, USA. In the US, Starbucks operates 4,084 licensed stores and 6,705 company-operated stores; and in Canada, the U.K., China, Germany, Thailand and in other countries 3,890 licensed stores and 2,326 company-operated (Finance.yahoo.com 1). Starbucks’ mission is â€Å"to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time† (Starbucks Corporation 1). Organizational Structure On top of the organizational chart of St arbucks is its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Howard Schultz. The units directly under the CEO are Marketing, Finance and Administration, Legal and Compliance, Supply Chain Operations, Partner Resources (HR), Public Affairs, Americas, Global Development, Channel Development, Seattle, China and Asia Pacific, EMEA (Europe/Middle East/Africa), Competitive Intelligence and Strategy (The Official Board.com 1). Under the Americas are the licensed stores and the regions of Northeast/Atlantic and Western/Pacific. Global Development includes Development and Greater China, International Development and Support and US Development (The Official Board.com 1). Starbucks has three reportable operating segments which includes the US, International and Global Consumer Products Group (CPG). Another operating segment is the Seattle’s Best Coffee. Products Offered The products offered by Starbucks include more than 30 blends and single-origin premium Arabica coffees, handcrafted beverages compos ed of freshly-brewed coffee, hot and iced espresso beverages, Frappuccino coffee and noncoffee blended beverages, smoothies and Tazo teas (Starbucks Corporation 2). Aside from beverages, Starbucks also offers fresh food which includes baked pastries, sandwiches, salads, oatmeal, yogurt parfaits and fruit cups. Their stores sells merchandise such as coffee and tea brewing equipment, mugs and accessories, packaged goods, music, books and other gift items (Starbucks Corporation 2). Other countries such as Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Norway, UK and U.S. offer consumer products such as coffee and tea, both whole bean and ground (Starbucks and Seattle’s Best Coffee brands), Starbucks VIA ® ReadyBrew, Starbucks ® K?Cups ® portion packs, Tazo ® tea filterbags and tea latte concentrates (Starbucks Corporation 2). Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Starbucks ® bottled Frappuccino ® coffee drinks, Starbucks Discoveries ® chilled cup coffees, Starbucks Doubleshot ® espresso drinks, Starbucks Doubleshot ® Energy+Coffee drinks and Seattle’s BestCoffee ® Iced Lattes, Tazo ® bottled iced and juiced teas are sold at Starbucks’ stores (Starbucks Corporation 2). Some outlets also sell Starbucks ® Ice Cream: Super?premium coffee and coffee?free flavors. The product mix of a Starbucks store varies depending on the location and the size of the store

Insular Insurance Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Insular Insurance Company - Essay Example The analysis that is presented in this essay reveals that managers of the Insular Insurance Company act as a constant guidance and director for employees in their work activities. It is suggested that this could act as a major hurdle for them as they would not be allowed to work independently at their will. These conditions could create pressure on employees causing organizational stress. It is also seen that Insular Insurance Company has a convention of treating all its employees on the same platform and considering them as members belonging to the same family. The researcher states that it is important for successful manager to reduce stress levels of the work community by allowing employees to work independently towards work objectives and strive towards creating a competitive culture and environment in which employees are recognized as per their merits and performance at the workplace. The essay also analyzes the role of work teams and the importance of distribution the work acti vities among work teams by manager. Manager in here plays the role of motivator, mentor and constant support for members of the team. The researcher then recommends for the Insular Insurance Company that according to the best practices of leadership, it is recommended that the leaders must be chosen from amongst the team members, rather than placed from the top position. To conclude, these recommendations will keep employees motivated and faithful towards the organization and eliminate interpersonal conflicts out of issues.

Write a paper that explains where I am so far in school and what I Essay

Write a paper that explains where I am so far in school and what I have accomplished - Essay Example Thereafter, I learnt the business mathematics that includes average, mixtures, and computation of interest. In addition, as a part of mathematics, I learnt how to handle discounting of bills, how to calculate percentages, ratios and proportions. Thereafter, there was elementary statistics that included geographical presentation of statistical data, measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion etc. Thereafter, there was introduction to computer that taught how computer is used in the business world, and the purpose of various software. In addition, this gave me an idea on how various programs are effectively used in various business needs. As a part of this, I got a chance to learn more about the practical use of internet and email. Thereafter, there was practical training on typing and keyboarding that helped me gain proficiency in the same. The last part was business office practices and procedures. This part gave an insight into the various common procedures in the business offices, and the ethics one should adhere to in such situations. Now, the remaining parts are business English, business operations essentials, email applications and programs, data processing and spreadsheet skills, presentation application skills, and business office procedures and practices. Business English means the English language used in international business. According to Guffey, it is important to learn this because it enhances ones ability to interact with people from various countries (xv). In addition, the rapid growth in technology made businesses global with business operations around the world. So, it is very important to have good knowledge of business English for effective negotiations. The next part to be covered is business operations skills that will provide more knowledge about different components of an office workstation, various purchasing systems, different ways of charting

Technology how it impacts us Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Technology how it impacts us - Essay Example Internet has proven to be fruit full in every walk of life, whether it is education, politics or economics, all fields have benefited from internet. In this writing, the focus will be on the positive and the negative impacts of technology on society. Technology has positively and negatively impacted the way human beings used to communicate, it has altered the meaning and limitations of socialization and technology has become a major part in every individual’s circumference. Body Since the advent of mobile phones, people have experienced a complete change in the way they used to communicate with each other. A major part of using a mobile phone is text messaging or in slang it is recognized as texting. Texting is text messaging is a term used to refer to the act of sending small messages from one mobile phone to another. On the core, texting may seem to be of great advantage as it has assisted people in sending tiny and timely information from one end to another within a matter of seconds. But texting has negatively impacted the way people use language and has damage the real essence of English language. When teenagers text, they use abbreviations for several words just to make sure that they can send as much information as possible in a very limited amount of space. Examples of abbreviations used includes: (u for you), (k for okay) and (brb for be right back). On the surface, these abbreviation may seem trendy and cool but in reality these abbreviations are destroying how people used to converse. These abbreviations are even negatively impacting an individual’s learning of English language. Technological advancements have made communication and transactions faster and easier than they used to be. For example: the spread of social media networks, where millions of people come together and communicate and conduct transactions with each other within a very small period of time. Such technologies have assisted individuals in connecting with people acro ss the boundary of their regions, this has further assisted people in knowing and learning about other cultures and what is happening around the world. Similarly, computers which happen to be a part of almost every household and every business have evolved from being slow to being thousand times faster. These fast paced computers have increased productivity of businesses as no longer people need to manually maintain records and keep them safe. Now people no longer have to waste time to go to an outlet and purchase goods and services for themselves, introduction of online shopping facilities have allowed people to buy and sell goods while sitting and relaxing at their homes. Although technology has sped up the transaction and the communication process and has made these processes easier and simpler, but these technologies are ruining the society and especially negatively impacting the youth which happens to be the base of any nation’s success. Teenagers have started becoming a ddicts of technology; they experience similar issues that are experienced by drug abusers if they fail to abuse drugs. They feel that a major part of their life is lost and they believe that without technology such as mobile phones they cannot live at all. Now people spend hours and hours sitting at home talking to their friends over the cell phone instead of going out and meeting up with friends for a simple chat or for the sake of having breakfast.

Talk about Electrical Engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Talk about Electrical Engineering - Essay Example For example, advances in electronics engineering, a subfield of electrical engineering has led to  the development of more advanced communication devices such as mobile phones and automated machines used in the industries. The work revolves around research, development, installation and monitoring of various electrical engineering devices and equipment. In the recent past, technological breakthrough in material science field has led leading to the establishment of solid-state transistors, thus propelling the field into greater heights. Additionally, radio and laser technology, which has found numerous applications, have led to significant development in the production of various electrical devices and equipment (Markoff, 2012). Electrical engineering degree courses usually run for five years in many universities across the globe. The same principles are taught in the various subfield with emphasis on specific concepts bringing forth the difference. Once graduated, individual are registered under certified unions, which usually air their views and assist them in fighting for their right, s in case they are violated. On the other hand, registered professionals are bound to abide to the codes of ethics, failure to which, they may be expelled or suspended which would consequently affect their jobs and work environment. Markoff, J. (Feb 20, 2012). Engineers Take Aim at a Barrier in LED Technology. The New York Times. Retrieved on Nov 27, 2012 from

Technology how it impacts us Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Technology how it impacts us - Essay Example Internet has proven to be fruit full in every walk of life, whether it is education, politics or economics, all fields have benefited from internet. In this writing, the focus will be on the positive and the negative impacts of technology on society. Technology has positively and negatively impacted the way human beings used to communicate, it has altered the meaning and limitations of socialization and technology has become a major part in every individual’s circumference. Body Since the advent of mobile phones, people have experienced a complete change in the way they used to communicate with each other. A major part of using a mobile phone is text messaging or in slang it is recognized as texting. Texting is text messaging is a term used to refer to the act of sending small messages from one mobile phone to another. On the core, texting may seem to be of great advantage as it has assisted people in sending tiny and timely information from one end to another within a matter of seconds. But texting has negatively impacted the way people use language and has damage the real essence of English language. When teenagers text, they use abbreviations for several words just to make sure that they can send as much information as possible in a very limited amount of space. Examples of abbreviations used includes: (u for you), (k for okay) and (brb for be right back). On the surface, these abbreviation may seem trendy and cool but in reality these abbreviations are destroying how people used to converse. These abbreviations are even negatively impacting an individual’s learning of English language. Technological advancements have made communication and transactions faster and easier than they used to be. For example: the spread of social media networks, where millions of people come together and communicate and conduct transactions with each other within a very small period of time. Such technologies have assisted individuals in connecting with people acro ss the boundary of their regions, this has further assisted people in knowing and learning about other cultures and what is happening around the world. Similarly, computers which happen to be a part of almost every household and every business have evolved from being slow to being thousand times faster. These fast paced computers have increased productivity of businesses as no longer people need to manually maintain records and keep them safe. Now people no longer have to waste time to go to an outlet and purchase goods and services for themselves, introduction of online shopping facilities have allowed people to buy and sell goods while sitting and relaxing at their homes. Although technology has sped up the transaction and the communication process and has made these processes easier and simpler, but these technologies are ruining the society and especially negatively impacting the youth which happens to be the base of any nation’s success. Teenagers have started becoming a ddicts of technology; they experience similar issues that are experienced by drug abusers if they fail to abuse drugs. They feel that a major part of their life is lost and they believe that without technology such as mobile phones they cannot live at all. Now people spend hours and hours sitting at home talking to their friends over the cell phone instead of going out and meeting up with friends for a simple chat or for the sake of having breakfast.

Islamic Finance & Critical Success Factors Essay Example for Free

Islamic Finance Critical Success Factors Essay I Would like to take this opportunity to thank all those people who contributed their time and effort and provided their insight in enabling the compilation of this report, it is with much regret that all of their names cannot be mentioned individually here, however special mention needs to be made of certain individuals, without whose input this report would have not been possible. Mr Baratha Devanarayana course coordinator and project supervisor of the Advanced Diploma in Business Management programme at the National Institute of Business Management (NIBM) for the support and advice given in content structuring and format design of the report. Would also like to mention Mrs Zeti Akhtar Aziz, Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia and Mrs Shamshed Akhtar, Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan whose knowledge and valuable insight on the Islamic finance industry as leading professionals in the field have provided the basis on which the compilation of this report has been made possible. Executive Summary Islamic finance is a financial system based on Shariah law or Islamic law which mandates the prohibition of charging or payment of interest encourages risk and profit sharing between all parties to a contract and emphasizes the need of ethical investment which contributes to the greater good of society as a whole. Islamic finance is now one of the fastest growing financial segments in the international financial system today with an estimated annual growth rate of 15 to 20%. Industry assets worldwide are currently estimated to be between $1. 3 trillion and its industry assets and overseas portfolios are estimated to reach 4 trillion in the medium term. Diverse financial products and services, progress in developing regulatory frameworks and enhanced international linkages are driving industry growth. The critical success factors for Islamic finance to foster the growth of the industry, the application of these critical success factors and there potential applicability in the Sri Lankan context will be analysed, a comparison between Islamic finance and the conventional system on some basic indicators for competitiveness, social development and development finance will be made and the Sri Lankan and regional potential of Islamic finance will be analysed as the research undertaking of this study. The progress that has been made on certain aspects of the Islamic financial system both locally and globally, the importance of Sri Lanka fostering the growth of the Islamic finance industry are some of the issues discussed in this study. As a prelude to the research part of this study the recent developments of Islamic finance both globally and locally and the historical development of Islamic finance will be looked at to facilitate an understanding on how the system has evolved from a single institution a few decades ago to a global industry with a global presence spreading from the Middle East to Asia and the West.

Lingerie A Fashion Statement Fashion Essay

Lingerie A Fashion Statement Fashion Essay Many women today are looking for good deals on lace lingerie. This type of sexy undergarment is a fabulous idea to spice things up, or simply to feel somewhat glamorous. In the past, in order to get high quality lace, you would have to spend a lot of money and time searching for a store that would be selling it without the high mark up that these things get. The great vast majority of people that are searching for lace is finding that there is so much more online than ever before. If you look at the commerce world in terms of history, you will know that there is a large growing position of people that are looking for great products online from the comfort of their office chair or computer. Seriously, isnt that great, modern technology has come up to the levels that consumers really want. Its not just women that are finding these stores fascinating, there is a large portion of people that are discovering that they can order a lot of products from their home and have them delivered. You can get these items delivered to your house with the greatest of ease. It is an incredible thing to enjoy lace lingerie, and people should really understand how great things are now that there is more information out there to enjoy. If information in a sense is power, you have the power of a great consumer to go out there and get the best deals on adult lingerie and undergarments for personal or recreational usages. Sure, not everyone in the world is really looking for lace lingerie. However, there is a great amount of people and homes that receive catalogs. If you are looking to spice up your own life, or the life of your partner, you can do so with wearing a nice lace product. Lace is very nice and soft, creating a nice cognitive view for your spouse or partner. Looking for good stuff online is easy. The internet has given us a major amount of power in regards to consumer shopping. You can really look into comparison shopping with the touch of a button. You have to put this into perspective. If you were to want to buy lace lingerie back in the days before the internet boom, you were looking forward to a lot of time spent going store to store. If you make it to a store that sells these items, you would then have to try each one on, and most likely not find the size you need. The problem here is that stores do not always carry the sizes of all women, moreover they simply order what is popular in their area, not what the potential consumer might want. However, if you go online to search for a good store that has lace, you will notice that they carry all sizes and many different colors because th In an age where professional lifestyle seduces ones instincts clothing takes a centre stage.Dont be put down by monotonous traits of lingerie and custom wears. Making each day and night a piece to remember is the most sought after arena of human expectations. Make your loved one feel exquisite by presenting her a fine line of exotic lingerie. Whether it is a Valentines night a sexy chemise may flirt with your soul, carry your sleek attitudes with a camisole, or surprise your partner with a push-up bra which surely would hypnotize his instincts. Make her feel special with a all new range of lingerie making her look like a Hollywood star. The shop for lingerie never satisfies your soul until you try a few brands. Theme parties or Halloween evenings or that special anniversary you have been waiting for long, buy a sexy lingerie that would make your partner feel special.Buy a sexy lingerie from a range of party themes available all the year round. The feeling of being sexy is not only pr omoted by your outlook but by your inner beauty, thats why a sexy bra or panty enhances your innerself by catapulting your curves and physical being. Silk in that sense makes one more attractive and is the most preferred brand globally. A flirty baby doll enhances your social presence but a sleepwear with ultra texture quality creates an impression on your loved ones. Try different brands and style each day to make your partner looking for innovation and create a long standing impression on his thinking genre. A bustier enhances not only your curves but a color variety worn with sleek tops and jeans bring out sexiness in you. Let your femina speak for itself when going for lingerie. Let your close pals feel jealous with your all new corset. Lingerie shopping is a vanity when explored in totality, let the wilderness in you speak up, go buy a sexy lingerie, make yourself feel special with your all new outlook, make your life at large-kingsize.There are various brands like Solera,Victo rias secret,Olimpia,Elita,Cosabella,Portura,Chinchira.Though expensive brands may be harsh on your pocket but there are many brands like American dream,Bali,Aubade which are both attractive and costworthy.Check out the texture and size and basic linings before buying your lingerie.One thing to remember is the fine point quality mark which seldom people forget while buying a new lingerie. So what are you waiting for? Go shoot out to your nearest dealer outlet to get hold of your inner dreams and buy sexy lingerie.

Da Evil Deer :: essays research papers

It all started on the opening day of deer season. The beautiful day was just cold enough to want a jacket but, but hot enough to where if one was worn you’d sweat to death! It seemed like a typical opening day. It wasn’t though, it turned out to be quite different.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I walked out to my favorite tree belt with my trusty gun at my side and waited for the buck I had been eyeing for months. I needed a nice buck this year. See I bet Buddy that my deer would be twice as big as his. Twenty bucks was up for grabs and I needed to buy a new paintball gun.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As I thought about what kind of gun I wanted, the biggest buck I had ever seen showed up about 100 yards away from where I sat. That was my ticket to twenty dollars. I raised up my gun, put the deer in my crosshairs, and sat there for a second to admire it’s beauty. That‘s not all I noticed though. The deer had red eyes, and below the red eyes, on the ground, set an AK-47 with a weird scope.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I thought sweet! Not only will I get twenty dollars, I’ll also get a new assault rifle that someone left lying around! Then it occurred to me that I was the prey. I got up and ran! Lead flung by me as I made my way to the Jeep. All of a sudden blood started squirting out of my leg! I thought cool, that didn’t even hurt! But my leg gave out and I fell to the ground.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As I was lying there, I devised a new plan. I layed their acting dead and waited for the deer to pick me up. He threw me over his shoulder, and I slowly pulled out my hunting knife. A quick slice and the psychotic, evil deer was laying on the ground out cold. The twenty bucks was mine! Then, as I was cutting the deer open, a button buck jumped out of the evil deer, and my monster buck disappeared! As the deer hopped away I noticed two things.

A Quantitative and Qualitative Look at Southwest Airlines and British Airways :: Airlines Marketplace Aviation Benchmarking

A Quantitative and Qualitative Look at Southwest Airlines and British Airways In today's competitive marketplace, all firms are seeking ways to improve their overall performance. One such method of improvement, recently adopted by many firms, is benchmarking. Benchmarking is a technique used to evaluate internal business processes. "In this analysis, managers determine the firm's critical processes and outputs, baseline those processes, then compare the performance of each process against a standard outside the industry" (Bounds, Yorks, Adams, & Ranney 1994). To effectively improve a business process to world-class quality, managers must find a firm that is recognized as a global leader, not just the industry standard. Successful benchmarking requires tailor-made solutions, not just blind copying of another organization. Measurement and interpretation of data collected is the key to creating business process solutions. "Benchmarking's real role has to be seen in the context of the organization that is continuously implementing improvement" (Bendell, Boulter, & Goodstadt 1998). Organizations implementing the benchmarking process are continuously looking to improve, and planning improvement. Improvements can be made by looking at the firm both internally and externally. Internal improvements are implemented by analyzing processes and setting targets for performance. However, output performance measures are not able to help management understand why a practice is effective. This understanding is a result of personal interpretation of the process. Organizations must look to other firms for ideas to borrow from global leaders, regardless of the scope of the necessary improvement. Equally important as data collection is the actual implementation of the newly acquired business practice. The most important aspect of benchmarking is to enable companies to employ the best business practices. This fundamental theory cannot be overstated. Global competition is growing due to the technological boom. The expansion of the Internet and digital communication has forced once domestic firms to consider foreign competitors. To remain ahead, companies are realizing they must match or exceed the business practices of the best in the world. "The only way that we can drive our organizations to excellence is to ensure that we keep our eyes on our competitors and world best practice in all aspects of business" (Bendell, Boulter, & Goodstadt 1998). Benchmarking should not be considered simply a tool of management, but rather an integral part of the business strategy of a firm. When implementing benchmarking, management must consider the overall issues of performance and process re-engineering. A Quantitative and Qualitative Look at Southwest Airlines and British Airways :: Airlines Marketplace Aviation Benchmarking A Quantitative and Qualitative Look at Southwest Airlines and British Airways In today's competitive marketplace, all firms are seeking ways to improve their overall performance. One such method of improvement, recently adopted by many firms, is benchmarking. Benchmarking is a technique used to evaluate internal business processes. "In this analysis, managers determine the firm's critical processes and outputs, baseline those processes, then compare the performance of each process against a standard outside the industry" (Bounds, Yorks, Adams, & Ranney 1994). To effectively improve a business process to world-class quality, managers must find a firm that is recognized as a global leader, not just the industry standard. Successful benchmarking requires tailor-made solutions, not just blind copying of another organization. Measurement and interpretation of data collected is the key to creating business process solutions. "Benchmarking's real role has to be seen in the context of the organization that is continuously implementing improvement" (Bendell, Boulter, & Goodstadt 1998). Organizations implementing the benchmarking process are continuously looking to improve, and planning improvement. Improvements can be made by looking at the firm both internally and externally. Internal improvements are implemented by analyzing processes and setting targets for performance. However, output performance measures are not able to help management understand why a practice is effective. This understanding is a result of personal interpretation of the process. Organizations must look to other firms for ideas to borrow from global leaders, regardless of the scope of the necessary improvement. Equally important as data collection is the actual implementation of the newly acquired business practice. The most important aspect of benchmarking is to enable companies to employ the best business practices. This fundamental theory cannot be overstated. Global competition is growing due to the technological boom. The expansion of the Internet and digital communication has forced once domestic firms to consider foreign competitors. To remain ahead, companies are realizing they must match or exceed the business practices of the best in the world. "The only way that we can drive our organizations to excellence is to ensure that we keep our eyes on our competitors and world best practice in all aspects of business" (Bendell, Boulter, & Goodstadt 1998). Benchmarking should not be considered simply a tool of management, but rather an integral part of the business strategy of a firm. When implementing benchmarking, management must consider the overall issues of performance and process re-engineering.

What are the qualities of an effective employee? Essay

In recent times, companies have to very competitive. Many companies want to improve their productivity. When it comes to productivity, employee and management effectiveness is of the utmost importance so companies can make more profit and compete better against other companies. Therefore, this essay will explain the qualities of an effective employee and outline the way bosses can increase the employees’ effectiveness. There are several factors that can make employees more efficient. The first factor is welcoming criticism. This is something that a lot of people hate. Conversely, good workers like it more than hate it. For instance, excellent employees will think criticism from others can lead to solving problems (Simmons 2008-2010). In addition, Simmons (2008-2010) reports that good workers actively pursue other people’s opinion rather than avoiding them. The author goes on to say that good workers will listen to criticism from everyone even when they know the other worker dislikes and disagrees with them. The second factor is increasing self discipline. It can help workers to work more consistently and seriously. An example to illustrate this point is that effective workers should have high spirits anytime, even when they are not feeling stimulated and energetic (Simmons 2008-2010). In addition, they must work diligently even though they are in a bad mood (Simmons 2008-2010). Furthermore, Simmons (2008-2010) explains that they need to give the boss one hundred percent support all the time. The final factor is in tackling opportunities. Successful employees will not miss any opportunities because it is a good chance to show their ability. According to Simmons (2008-2010), excellent employees look at the weak points in their organization as an opportunity to demonstrate their ability and leadership with better results. In addition, opportunities can be anywhere in the workplace, so they need to keep thinking intelligently and creatively (Simmons 2008-2010). In short, a lot of things can make workers more effective, such as welcoming criticism, increasing self discipline and tackling opportunities. Therefore, employees choose to study certain subjects to improve their qualities and make them more effective. On the other hand, bosses can improve employees’ efficiency in certain ways. Firstly, bosses need to understand staff needs. For example, bosses need to have more connection with workers to make workers feel more valuable and feel that the company is like a good family (Smith 2006-2010). Moreover, Smith (2006-2010) reports that bosses can assign different type of tasks and make one day a week as casual dress day for workers because they need variety. Bosses can commend workers that have good qualities and award good workers because they need to feel appreciated in their job (Smith 2006-2010). Secondly, bosses need to know it is important to have a balanced lifestyle for workers. According to Smith (2006-2010), workers can overwork and neglect to look after their health. Thus, bosses should care about work timetables to make sure workers have adequate free time for leisure to relieve their stress (Smith 2006-2010). Furthermore, Smith (2006-2010) explains that bosses can encourage staff to seek their hobbies. Finally, bosses can be positive and enthusiastic around workers. An example to demonstrate this point is that bosses instill hope around workers because it is a positive guide for workers in the future (Smith 2006-2010). When sales are down, bosses can instill enthusiasm to raise sales so employees become more productive and effective (Smith 2006-2010). In addition, hope can push workers to pursue their goals, such as a higher position. In brief, managers need to know about staff needs, understand significance in balanced lifestyle and instill hope to improve employee’ efficiency. In conclusion, better workmanship can be affected by the qualities of employees and bosses using different ways to improve staff efficiency. These include listening to all opinions, improving self discipline and tackling all opportunities. On the management side the result can include recognizing workers needs, understanding the importance of a balance between work time and free time for staff and giving hope to workers. The business world is a highly competitive world. If workers are more effective, it can improve company competitiveness and survival strength. References Simmons, K 2008-2010, Seven habits of highly effective employees, The Black Collegian Career Center, viewed 2 February 2010, . Smith, LH 2006-2010, Three tips for improving employee effectiveness, Personal Best Consulting, viewed 15 April 2011, .

The Return: Midnight Chapter 34

â€Å"You've been fed and taken care of as best as we can manage,†Meredith said, looking at allthe taut, frightened young faces turned toward her in the basement. â€Å"And now there's just one thing I want to ask of you in return.†She made an effort and steadied her voice. â€Å"I want to know if anybody knows of a mobile phone that connects to the Internet, or a computer that is Stillworking. Please, please – if you even think you know where one might be, tel me.† The tension was like a thick rubber cord, dragging Meredith toward each of the pale, strained faces, dragging them to her. It was just as well that Meredith was essential y well – balanced. About twelve hands went up immediately, and their lone five-year-old whispered, â€Å"My mommy has one. And my daddy.† There was a pause before Meredith could say, â€Å"Does anybody know this kid?†and an older girl spoke up before she could. â€Å"She just means they had them before the Burning Man.† â€Å"Is the Burning Man cal ed Shinichi?†Meredith asked. â€Å"‘Course. Sometimes he would make the red parts of his hair burn up way over his head.† Meredith filed that little fact away under Things I do not want to see, honest, cross my heart, ever. Then she shook herself free from the image. â€Å"You guys and girls, please, please think. I only need one, one mobile phone with Internet access that Stillhas power right now. One laptop or computer that is Stillworking now, maybe because of a generator Stillmaking electricity. Just one family with a home generator Stillworking. Anybody?† The hands were down now. A boy she thought she recognized as being one of the Loring siblings, maybe age ten or eleven, said, â€Å"The Burning Man told us that mobile phones and computers were bad. That was why my brother got in a fistfight with my dad. He threw al the mobiles at home in the toilet.† â€Å"Okay. Okay, thanks. But anybody who's seen a working mobile or computer? Or a home generator – â€Å" â€Å"Why, yes, my dear, I've got one.†The voice came from the top of the stairs. Mrs. Flowers was standing there, dressed in a fresh sweat suit. Strangely, she had her voluminous purse in her hand. â€Å"You had – have a generator?†Meredith asked, her heart sinking. What a waste! And if disaster came al because she, Meredith, hadn't finished reading over her own research! The minutes were ticking away, and if everyone in Fel ‘s Church died, it would be her fault. Her fault. She didn't think she could live with that. Meredith had tried, al her life, to reach the state of calm, concentration, and balance that was the other side of the coin from the fighting skil s her various disciplines had taught her. And she had become good at it, a good observer, a good daughter, even a good student for al that she was in Elena's fast-paced, high-flying clique. The four of them: Elena, Meredith, Caroline, and Bonnie had fit together like four pieces of a puzzle, and Meredith Stillsometimes missed the old days and their daring, dominating pseudo-sophisticated capers that never real y hurt anyone – except the sil y boys who had mil ed around them like ants at a picnic. But now, looking at herself, she was puzzled. Who was she? A Hispanic girl named for her mother's Welsh best friend in col ege. A hunter-slayer of vampires who had kitten canines, a vampire twin, and whose group of friends included Stefan, a vampire; Elena, an ex-vampire – and possibly another vampire, although she was extremely hesitant to cal Damon a â€Å"friend.† What did that alladd up to? A girl trying to do her best to keep her balance and concentration, in a world that had gone insane. A girl Stillreeling from what she'd learned about her own family, and now tottering from the need to confirm a dreadful suspicion. Stop thinking. Stop! You have to tel Mrs. Flowers that her boardinghouse has been destroyed. â€Å"Mrs. Flowers – about the boardinghouse – I have to talk to you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Why don't you use my BlackBerry first?†Mrs. Flowers came down the basement stairs careful y, watching her feet, and then the children parted before her like waves on the Red Sea. â€Å"Your†¦?†Meredith stared, choked up. Mrs. Flowers had opened her enormous purse and was now proffering a rather thick al -black object to her. â€Å"It Stillhas power,†the old lady explained as Meredith took the thing in two shaking hands, as if receiving a holy object. â€Å"I just turned it on and it was working. And now I'm on the Internet!† – proudly. Meredith's world had been swal owed up by the smal , grayish, antiquated screen. She was so amazed and excited at seeing this that she almost forgot why she needed it. But her body knew. Her fingers clutched; her thumbs danced over the mini-keyboard. She went to her favorite search page and entered the word â€Å"Orime.†She got pages of hits – most in Japanese. Then feeling a trembling in her knees, she typed in â€Å"Inari.† 6,530,298 results. She went to the very first hit and saw a web page with a definition. Key words seemed to rush out at her like vultures. Inari is the Japanese Shinto deity of rice†¦and†¦foxes. At the entrance to an Inari shrine are†¦statues of two kitsune†¦one male and one female†¦each with a key or jewel carried in mouth or paw†¦These fox-spirits are the servants and messengers of Inari. They carry out Inari's orders†¦. There was also a picture of a pair of kitsune statues, in their fox forms. Each had a front paw resting on a star bal . Three years ago, Meredith had fractured her leg when she was on a skiing trip with her cousins in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She had run straight into a smal tree. No martial arts skil s could save her at the last minute; she knew she was skiing off the groomed areas, where she could run into anything: powder, crud, or iced-over ruts. And, of course, trees. Lots of trees. She was an advanced skier, but she had been going too fast, looking in the wrong direction, and the next thing she knew, she was skiing into the tree instead of around it. Now she had the same sensation of waking up after a head-on into wood. The shock, the dizziness and nausea that were, initial y, worse than the pain. Meredith could take pain. But the pounding in her head, the sickening awareness that she had made a big mistake and that she was going to have to pay for it were unbearable. Plus there was a curious horror about the knowledge that her own legs wouldn't hold her up. Even the same useless questions ran through her subconscious, like: How could I be so stupid? Is this possibly a dream? and, Please, God, can I hit the Undo button? Meredith suddenly realized that she was being supported on either side by Mrs. Flowers and their sixteen-year-old, Ava Wakefield. The mobile was on the cement floor of the basement. She must have actual y started to black out. Several of the younger kids were screaming Matt's name. â€Å"No – I – I can stand up alone†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Al she wanted in the world was to go into the darkness and get away from this horror. She wanted to let her legs go slack and her mind go blank, to flee†¦ But she couldn't run away. She had taken the stave; she had taken the Duty from her grandfather. Anything supernatural that was out to harm Fel ‘s Church on her watch was her problem. And the problem was that her watch never ended. Matt came clattering down the stairs, carrying their seven-year-old, Hailey, who continual y shook with petit mal seizures. â€Å"Meredith!†She could hear the incredulity in his voice. â€Å"What is it? What did you find, for God's sake?† â€Å"Come†¦look.†Meredith was remembering detail after detail that should have set off warning bel s in her mind. Matt was somehow already beside her, even as she remembered Bonnie's very first description of Isobel Saitou. â€Å"The quiet type. Hard to get to know. Shy. And†¦nice.† And that first visit to the Saitou house. The horror that quiet, shy, nice Isobel Saitou had become: the Goddess of Piercing, blood and pus oozing from every hole. And when they had tried to carry dinner to her old, old grandmother, Meredith had noticed absently that Isobel's room was right under the dol -like old lady's. After seeing Isobel pierced and clearly unbalanced, Meredith had assumed that any evil influence must be trying to travel up, and had worried in the back of her mind about the poor, old, dol -sized grandmother. But the evil could just as easily have traveled down. Maybe Jim Bryce hadn't given Isobel the malach madness after al . Maybe she had given it to him, and he had given it to Caroline and to his sister. And that children's game! The cruel, cruel song that Obaasan – that Inari-Obaasan had crooned. â€Å"Fox and turtle had a race†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And her words: â€Å"There's a kitsune involved in this somewhere.† She'd been laughing at them, amusing herself! Come to that, it was from Inari-Obaasan that Meredith had first heard the word â€Å"kitsune.† And one more additional cruelty, that Meredith had only been able to excuse before by assuming Obaasan had very poor sight. That night, Meredith had had her back to the door and so had Bonnie – they had both been concentrating on â€Å"poor decrepit old Grandma.†But Obaasan had been facing the door, and she was the only one who could have seen – must have seen – Isobel sneaking up behind Bonnie. And then, just as the cruel game song told Bonnie to look behind her†¦ Isobel had been crouching there, ready to lick Bonnie's forehead with a forked pink tongue†¦ â€Å"Why?†Meredith could hear her own voice saying. â€Å"Why was I so stupid? How could I not have seen from the beginning?† Matt had retrieved the BlackBerry and read the web page. Then he just stood, fixed, his blue eyes wide. â€Å"You were right,†he said, after a long moment. â€Å"I want so much to be wrong†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Meredith – Shinichi and Misao are Inari's servants†¦If that old lady is Inari we've been running around like crazy after the wrong people, the hired muscle†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"The damn note cards,†Meredith choked out. â€Å"The ones done by Obaasan. They're useless, flawed. Al those bul ets she blessed should have been no good – but maybe she did bless them – as a game. Isobel even came to me and changed al the characters the old lady had done for the jars to hold Shinichi and Misao. She said that Obaasan was almost blind. She left a tear on my car seat. I couldn't understand why she should be crying.† â€Å"I Stillcan't. She's the granddaughter – probably the third generation of a monster!†Matt exploded. â€Å"Why should she cry? And why do the Post-it Notes work?† â€Å"Because they're done by Isobel's mother,†Mrs. Flowers said quietly. â€Å"Dear Matt, I truly doubt that the old woman is related to the Saitous at all. As a deity – or even a powerful magic-user named after a deity – and undoubtedly a kitsune herself, she surely just moved in with them and used them. Isobel's mother and Isobel had no choice but to carry on the charade for fear of what she'd do to them if they didn't.† â€Å"But Mrs. Flowers, when Tyrone and I pul ed that leg bone out of the thicket, didn't you say that the Saitou women made such excel ent amulets? And didn't you say that we could get the Saitou women to help translate the words on the clay jars when Alaric sent the pictures of them from that Japanese Island?† As for my belief in the Saitou women, Well, I'l have to quibble a little here,†Mrs. Flowers said. â€Å"I couldn't know that this Obaasan was evil, and there are Stilltwo of them who are gentle and good, and who have helped us tremendously – and at great risk to themselves.† Meredith could taste the bitterness of bile in her mouth. â€Å"Isobel could have saved us. She could have said ‘My fake grandmother is real y a demon.'† â€Å"Oh, my dear Meredith, the young are so unforgiving. This Inari was probably instal ed in her house when she was a child. Al she knows at first is that the old woman is a tyrant, with a god's name. Then perhaps some demonstration of power – what happened to Orime's husband, I wonder, to make him go back to Japan – if indeed he went there? He may well be dead. And then Isobel is growing up: shy, quiet, introverted – frightened. This is not Japan; there are no other priestesses here to confide in. And you saw the consequences when Isobel reached out to someone outside of the family – to her boyfriend, Jim Bryce.† â€Å"And to us – Well, to you and Bonnie,†Matt said to Meredith. â€Å"She sicced Caroline on you.† Scarcely knowing what they were doing, they were talking faster and faster. â€Å"We have to go there right now,†said Meredith. â€Å"Shinichi and Misao may be the ones bringing on the Last Midnight, but it's Inari who gives the orders. And who knows? She may dole out the punishments as well. We don't know how big her star bal is.† â€Å"Or where,†said the old woman. â€Å"Mrs. Flowers,†Matt said hastily, â€Å"you'd better stay here with the kids. Ava, here, is reliable, and where's Jacob Lagherty?† â€Å"Here,†said a boy who looked older than fifteen. He was as tal as Matt was, but gangly. â€Å"Okay. Ava, Jake, you're in charge under Mrs. Flowers. We'l leave Saber with you too.†The dog was a big hit among the kids, on his best behavior, even when the younger ones chewed his tail. â€Å"You two just listen to Mrs. Flowers, and – â€Å" â€Å"Matt, dear, I won't be here. But the animals wil surely help to protect them.† Matt stared at her. Meredith knew what he was thinking. Was Mrs. Flowers, so reliable up until now, going somewhere to hide alone? Was she abandoning them? â€Å"And I'l need one of you to drive me to the Saitou house – quickly! – but the other can stay and protect the children as well.† Meredith was both relieved and worried, and clearly Matt was too. â€Å"Mrs. Flowers, this is going to be a battle. You could get hurt or be taken hostage so easily – â€Å" â€Å"Dear Matt, this is my battle. My family has lived in Fel ‘s Church for generations, al the way back to the pioneering times. I believe this is the battle for which I was born. Certainly the last of my old age.† Meredith stared. In the dim light of the basement, Mrs. Flowers seemed suddenly different somehow. Her voice was changing. Even her smal body seemed to be changing, steadying, standing tal . â€Å"But how wil you fight?†Matt asked, sounding dazed. â€Å"With this. That nice young man, Sage, left it for me with a note apologizing for using Misao's star bal . I used to be quite good with these when I was young.†From her capacious purse, Mrs. Flowers pul ed out something pale and long and thin as it unwound and Mrs. Flowers whirled it and snapped it with a loud crack at the empty half of the basement. It hit a Ping-Pong bal , curled around it, and brought it back to Mrs. Flowers's open hand. A bul whip. Made of some silvery material. Undoubtedly magical. Even Matt looked scared of it. â€Å"Why don't Ava and Jake teach the children to play Ping-Pong while we're gone – and we real y must go, my dears. There's not a minute to waste. A terrible tragedy is coming, Ma ma says.† Meredith had been watching – feeling as dazed as Matt looked. But now she said, â€Å"I have a weapon too.†She picked up the stave and said, â€Å"I'm fighting, Matt. Ava, the children are yours to care for.† â€Å"And mine,†Jacob said, and immediately proved his usefulness by adding, â€Å"Isn't that an axe hanging back there near the furnace?† Matt ran and snatched it up. Meredith could see from his expression what he was thinking: Yes! One heavy axe, a tiny bit rusty, but Stillplenty sharp enough. Now if the kitsune sent plants or wood against them, he was armed. Mrs. Flowers was already going up the basement stairs. Meredith and Matt exchanged one quick glance and then they were running to catch up with her. â€Å"You drive your mom's SUV. I'l sit in back. I'm Stilla little bit†¦Well, dizzy, I guess.†Meredith didn't like to admit to a personal weakness, but better that than crashing the vehicle. Matt nodded and was good enough not to comment on why she felt so dizzy. She Stillcouldn't believe her own stupidity. Mrs. Flowers said only one thing. â€Å"Matt, dear, break traffic laws.†