The World around Me Essays

The World around Me Essays The World around Me Essay The World around Me Essay Express classif you could do a two page summary of the basic worldview and convictions of Indigenous culture and elision typed to be turned in on TuesdayNOT more than two pagesyou should be able to get the big picture from chapter two and the powering presentation. I will see you on Tuesday. Have a great weekend. Dry. Jacobs Introduction Seventeen years ago, I came bounding into a world of love and laughter. I was the first child, the first grandchild, the first niece, and the primary focus of my entire extended family. Although they were not married, my parents were young and energetic and had every good intention for their new baby girl. I grew up with opportunities for intellectual and spiritual growth, secure in the knowledge that I was loved, free from fear, and confident that my world was close to perfect. And I was the center of a world that had meaning only in terms of its effect on me what I could see from a height of three feet and what I could comprehend with the intellect and emotions of a child. This state of innocence persisted through my early teens, but changed dramatically in the spring of my sophomore year of high school. My beloved father was dying of AIDS. First Body Paragraph Topic/Transition Sentence: From the moment my parents told me, I confronted emotions and issues that many adults have never faced. Development of ideas related to the topic sentence (Signpost question addressed: values and philosophies) Death of a parent, and AIDS specifically, forced my view of the world and my sense of responsibility to take a dramatic turn. I had already accepted my fathers and acceptance related to his sexual preference. However, in this case I did not have the benefit of time to understand my fathers illness since he decided not to tell me until he had developed full-blown AIDS. My role in the relationship was suddenly reversed. End Sentence Where I had once been the only child of my single father, I was now the parent to the debilitated child. Second Body Paragraph Topic/Transition Sentence By the summer of my Junior year, I had rearranged the structure of my life; as my fathers illness progressed and he became increasingly incapacitated, he depended on me a great deal. Evidence of responsibility) Each morning before school I took him to the hospital where he received blood ruminations or chemotherapy to treat the lymphoma that was destroying his body. After school, I raced home to complete my homework so that I could later go to his apartment. There I cooked meals, cleaned up, and administered his oral and intravenous medications. Working with Avis became second nature to me. I found myself famili ar with the names of drugs like Cytokine, used to treat CM, Unpaged, to raise ones white blood cell count, and literally countless others. I came home each night after midnight, yet the fatigue I felt hardly touched me; I was no longer seeing wrought my own eyes, but through my dads. I felt his pain when he was too sick to get out of bed. And I hurt for him when people stared at his bald head, a result of chemotherapy, or the pencil-thin legs that held up his 65 frame. I saw the end he was facing, the gradual debilitation the disease caused, the disappointment he endured when people were cruel and the Joy he experienced when others were kind. End sentence I saw his fear, and it entered my life. Third Body Paragraph Topic/Transition sentence My father died on July 28, 1995. Accomplishment) In the last year of his life, I was given the greatest gift I will ever receive: the gift of deep experience. I am now able to recognize the adversity that accompanies any good in life. My father taught me about loyalty, love and strength. But most importantly, he gave me the opportunity to see through his eyes, triggering a compassion in me and a sense of responsibility to those I love and the world around me that I might not have otherwise discovered. Not a day will ever go by when I wont miss my father, but I am so grateful for the blessing of his life. Conclusion Widen the lens beyond the topic at hand and tie up the essay With this compassion and experience comes an even greater responsibility. Luke 12:48 tell us To whom much is given, of him will much be required. As I move forward in my life, it is my hope that I can begin to see other people from two vantage points: theirs and mine. By doing this, I will begin to understand that with my every position or emotion there may be someone else standing at an equally valid, yet possibly opposite point. And that life, for them, has a different hue.

LOMBARDI Surname Meaning and Family History

LOMBARDI Surname Meaning and Family History Lombardi is a geographical surname for someone who came from Lombardy, a region in northern Italy which got its name from the Lombards, a Germanic tribe who invaded in the 6th century. The name also sometimes was used to denote immigrants from other parts of northern Italy. Even today, the name is most prevalent in the city of Milano in Lombardia, Italy. Alternate Surname Spellings:  LOMBARDO, LOMBARDINI, LOMBARDELLI, LOMBARDY, LOMBARD Surname Origin:  Italian Famous People with the LOMBARDI Surname Vince Lombardi - legendary football coach of the Green Bay Packers; the National Foot Ball Leagues Super Bowl trophy is named in his honorJohnny Lombardi - Canadian pioneer of multicultural broadcastingErnie Lombardi - Major League Baseball player Fun Facts About the LOMBARDI Surname Lombardis, the first pizzeria in the United States, opened in 1905 as the birth place of New York style pizza.   Where is the LOMBARDI Surname Most Common? The Lombardi surname is found most prevalently in Italy, according to surname distribution data from Forebears, where it ranks as the 20th most common last name in the country. It is also somewhat common in Argentina and Brazil. In the United States, Lombardi families are found in greatest numbers in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Surname data from  WorldNames PublicProfiler  also demonstrates the prevalence of the Lombardi surname in Italy. Although the name originated in Lombardia, the numbers are now greatest in the Molise region, followed by Basilicata, Toscana, Campania, Puglia, Lazio and then Lombardia. Lombardi is also a fairly common name in Tessin, Switzerland. Genealogy Resources for the Surname LOMBARDIMeanings of Common Italian Surnames Uncover the meaning of your Italian last name with this free guide to Italian surname meanings and origins for the most common Italian surnames. Lombardi  Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Lombardi family crest or coat of arms for the Lombardi surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. LOMBARDI Family Genealogy ForumThis free message board is focused on descendants of Lombardi ancestors around the world. Search the forum for posts about your Lombardi ancestors, or join the forum and post your own queries.   FamilySearch - LOMBARDI GenealogyExplore over 600,000  results from digitized  historical records and lineage-linked family trees related to the Lombardi surname on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. GeneaNet - Lombardi  RecordsGeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Lombardi surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries. Ancestry.com: Lombardi SurnameExplore over 300,000 digitized records and database entries, including census records, passenger lists, military records, land deeds, probates, wills and other records for the Lombardi surname on the subscription-based website, Ancestry.com. - References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. Back to  Glossary of Surname Meanings Origins

Pension Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Pension - Essay Example e payments to the NIC; however, one can be credited with the NIC if they are getting some formal benefits such as unemployment, sickness and parental benefits (BLAKE, 2003, p.68). The current pension scheme is designed to have a flat-rate first-tier pension plan provided by the state. This pension scheme is referred to as Basic State Pension (BSP).Secondly we have the second tier or supplementary pension schemes which is provided by the state, private financial institutions, banks, insurance firms and employers. The BSP offers a pension scheme that is low compared to averages earnings, but the plan is fully indexed to prices upon retirement of the individual. The second tier pension plan offers relatively high pension that is partially indexed to prices up to a maximum of 5% per year after retirement. One of the disadvantages of the occupational pension schemes is that it is subject to change after change in employer. Lastly, we have the personal pension plans that offer partially indexed pensions but based on unpredictable investment returns and high administrative cost involved (BUCKLE and THOMPSON, 2004, p.126) To get the basic pension one is required to have 30 qualifying years (NIC payments) and at least eleven qualifying years to generate 25% of the max amount. The pension received is taxed by the government but the payments are gross meaning that one is taxed when they start getting their pension. It is apparent that a student who plans to start a pension for future use should know that there different types of pension one can pay and save the money. These types include state pension where an individual receives the money after retirement in regards to the number of years one has contributed or paid to National Insurance Contributions (NICs) (BUCKLE and THOMPSON, 2004, p.130). The individual should know that the eligible number of qualifying years one has to attain is eleven years, which generates twenty- five percent of the saving. For one to receive the

The Benefits of Hands-on Training Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Benefits of Hands-on Training - Essay Example For the purposes of this paper, an OH&S inspection tour of a meat-processing plant has been established (more details of this tour can be found in Appendix A). The discussion of this tour answers four main questions: I outlined the problem at hand: how to design a training tool that would meet the needs of trainees. I made an outline that represented the challenges and requirements, and focused on the key tenets that I wanted trainees to bring away from their time at the meat-processing plant. These key tenets are contained in Appendix A. My prior experience in taking and conducting inspection tours helped me in compiling a list of requirements for participants to follow, educational activities, pre-trip instruction for my trainees, and a list of procedures for the training day itself. This movement from prior memory to existing project was the result of schema activation. The actual task of conducting the inspection, as outlined in Appendix A, shows how I took the problem and broke it down into such parts as the site and time of the inspection, the particular trainees, my goals and objectives, the specific training activities, and ways to evaluate the quality of the training. As fa As far as personal involvement goes, the development of the training procedure originated in my own personal experiences and memories, and the schema formation showed considerable time and reflection. Additionally, the process of choosing specific training activities and eliminating other potential activities demonstrates a level of critical thinking (Bruning, Schraw, Ronning 1999). Another way to describe this process of critical examination, combined with preparation of a specific task, is metacognition, which connects knowledge and regulation of cognition (Schraw, 1998). Task Analysis: Question Two Before entering the training environment, the participants will receive a set of problems to solve while they are engaged in the exercise. Another of Gick's diagrams (1986) can be used to show the mental processes involved: Here, the dotted line represents the mental process used by the participants to move from problem to solution. Because the process of inspecting a meat-processing plant will be new to most, if not all, of the trainees, there will be no schema based on prior experience (Tovey, 1999). Several

Key Attributes of the Transformational Style of Leadership Essay Example for Free

Key Attributes of the Transformational Style of Leadership Essay The key attributes of the transformational style of leadership are as follows: Task versus Relationship Working together in organizations is increasingly the norm, yet the challenges of working effectively are considerable. One challenge is conflict—the process resulting from the tension between team members because of real or perceived differences. Empowerment versus Control The empowerment leadership style calls for delegation and collaboration of the team, while control is about the competitive style of conflict, which is task oriented—taking a firm stand and operating from a position of power. Getting Results versus Building Capacity Getting results and building capacity should work hand in hand but can be at odds as well, depending on strategy and objectives. To gain results, a leader must build capacity of the team; however, building capacity takes time and resources away from getting results. Shared Vision Shared vision is related to the traditional concept of goal-oriented implementation and consensus building in strategy and leadership (related to products, technologies, or markets), and values are developed by strong, charismatic leaders and imbued in the organizations they create. A shared vision is imperative in that it is communicated and developed as the organizational culture. Self versus Team Interests Self versus team interest affects or is highly influenced by the organization’s culture. How does the team or organization achieve its objectives and goals? Does the company promote and incentivize individual effort in lieu of team objectives? With one person excelling and the team suffering, does the entire organization succeed? Many times, individual goals or incentives must be sacrificed for the good of the team. One example of a transformational leader is Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart, who often visited Wal-Mart stores across the country to meet with associates to show his appreciation for what they did for the company. Sam Walton gave â€Å"rules for success† in his autobiography, one of which was to appreciate associates with praise (Walton, 1996). Wal-Mart leaders embrace a philosophy called â€Å"servant-leadership,† which simply means that if you are a leader you need to put the needs of your people first. Said another way, company leaders need to serve their employees (associates). When you boil it all down, the secret to Sam Walton’s leadership philosophies is servant-leadership. His belief was that to truly be an inspirational leader, you must serve those whom you lead. In this regard, Sam was as much an amateur psychologist as he was a merchant (Bergdahl, 2004). There are 4 components to transformational leadership, sometimes referred to as the 4 Is: Idealized Influence (II) the leader serves as an ideal role model for followers; the leader walks the talk, and is admired for this. Inspirational Motivation (IM) Transformational leaders have the ability to inspire and motivate followers. Combined these first two Is are what constitute the transformational eaders charisma. Individualized Consideration (IC) Transformational leaders demonstrate genuine concern for the needs and feelings of followers. This personal attention to each follower is a key element in bringing out their very best efforts. Intellectual Stimulation (IS) the leader challenges followers to be innovative and creative. A common misunderstanding is that transformational  leaders are soft, but the truth is that they constantly challenge followers to higher levels of performance (Riggio, 2009). References Bergdahl, M. (2004). What I Learned From Sam Walton : How to Compete and Thrive in a Wal-Mart World. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley Sons. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/ehost/detail?sid=2a112ec6-1217-47cc-8f02-3e3e27a41db7%40sessionmgr10vid=5bk=1hid=22bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=nlebkAN=119365 Kouzes, J. (2007). The Leadership Challenge (4th ed). Jossey-Bass. Retrieved from http://digitalbookshelf.argosy.edu/books/9780470633397/Root/0 Riggio, R. (2009). Cutting-Edge Leadership. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/200903/are-you-transformational-leader

The Communications Decency Act :: essays research papers fc

The Communications Decency Act The U.S. Government should not attempt to place restrictions on the internet. The Internet does not belong to the United States and it is not our responsibility to save the world, so why are we attempting to regulate something that belongs to the world? The Telecommunications Reform Act has done exactly that, put regulations on the Internet. Edward Cavazos quotes William Gibson says, "As described in Neuromancer, Cyberspace was a consensual hallucination that felt and looked like a physical space but actually was a computer-generated construct representing abstract data." (1) When Gibson coined that phrase he had no idea that it would become the household word that it is today. "Cyberspace now represents a vast array of computer systems accessible from remote physical locations." (Cavazos 2) The Internet has grown explosively over the last few years. "The Internet's growth since its beginnings in 1981. At that time, the number of host systems was 213 machines. At the time of this writing, twelve years later, the number has jumped to 1,313,000 systems connecting directly to the Internet." (Cavazos 10) "Privacy plays a unique role in American law." (Cavazos 13) Privacy is not explicitly provided for in the Constitution, yet most of the Internet users remain anonymous. Cavazos says, "Computers and digital communication technologies present a serious challenge to legislators and judges who try to meet the demands of economic and social change while protecting this most basic and fundamental personal freedom." Networks and the Internet make it easy for anyone with the proper equipment to look at information based around the world instantly and remain anonymous. "The right to conduct at least some forms of speech activity anonymously has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court." (Cavazos 15) In cyberspace it is extremely uncommon for someone to use their given name to conduct themselves, but rather they use pseudonyms or "Handles". (Cavazos 14) Not only is it not illegal to use handles on most systems, but the sysop (System Operator) does not have to allow anyone access to his data files on who is the person behind the handle. Some sysops make the information public, or give the option to the user, or don't collect the information at all. The Internet brings forth many new concerns regarding crime and computers. With movies like Wargames, and more recently Hackers, becoming popular, computer crime is being blown out of proportion. "The word Hacker conjures up a vivid image in the popular media." (Cavazos 105) There are many types of computer crime that fall under the umbrella of "Hacking". Cavazos says, "In 1986 Congress passed a comprehensive federal law outlawing many of the activities

The Return: Midnight Chapter 42

â€Å"It's not a problem,†the fair ruler, Ryannen, said unexpectedly. â€Å"We can make it so that your Mr. Tanner repel ed an apparent vampire attack and the school cal ed in Alaric Saltzman to take his place and investigate. All right, Idola?† – to the redhead, and to the dark one – â€Å"All right, Susurre?† Elena wasn't All right. Despite the example she'd just had of turn-on-a-dime plotting and scheming, she was scarcely listening. Al she knew was that her voice had gone husky and that tears blurred her eyes. â€Å"And†¦for the Master Key – I want – â€Å" Stefan squeezed her hand. Elena suddenly realized that they were al standing, al three of them, beside her. And the look on every face was the same. Dead resolve. â€Å"I want Damon back.†Elena hadn't heard quite this note in her voice since the day she'd been told both her parents had died. If there had been a table, she would have put her clenched fists on it and did her best to loom over the women. As it was, she simply leaned toward them, speaking in a low and grating voice. â€Å"If you do that – bring him back, exactly as he was before he walked into the Gatehouse – then you get the Master Key and the treasures. You say no – and you lose everything. Everything. This is non-negotiable, get it?† She kept staring into Idola's green eyes. She refused to see dark Susurre drop her forehead onto three fingertips and begin to rub it in smal circles. She wouldn't give a glance to blond Ryannen, who was looking at her steadily, having gone into people-management mode. She stared directly into those green eyes under their wil ful eyebrows. Idola gave a little huff and shook her gorgeous head. â€Å"Look, someone clearly has screwed up in preparing you for this interview.†A glance at Susurre. â€Å"The other things you've asked for – al together, it forms a very heavy ransom. Do you understand that? Do you understand that it involves changing the memories of al the people for miles around your town, and changing them for every day of ten months? That it means changing everything in print about Fel ‘s Church – and that there is a lot in print – not to mention other media outlets? It means begging for three human spirits and weaving flesh around them again. I'm not sure we even have the personnel for this – â€Å" Blond Ryannen put a hand on the redhead's arm. â€Å"We have it. Susurre's women have little to do in the Nether World. I can lend you perhaps thirty percent of mine – after al , we're going to have to send up a petition to a higher Court for those spirits – â€Å" Idola the redhead interrupted. â€Å"All right. What I was saying is that we might just be able to manage – if you throw in the Key. However, your vampire companion – we can't give life back to the lifeless. We can't work with vampires. Once they're gone – they're gone.† â€Å"That's what you tell us!†Stefan cried, trying to get in front of Elena. â€Å"But why are we so particularly damned, of al creatures? How do you know it's impossible? Have you ever even tried? â€Å" Red-haired Idola was making a disgusted gesture, when Bonnie interrupted, her voice shaking. â€Å"It's ridiculous! You can rebuild a town, you can kil the person who's real y behind al Shinichi and Misao did, but you can't bring one little vampire back? You brought Elena back!† â€Å"Elena's death as a vampire al owed her to become the Guardian she was original y meant to be. As for the person who gave orders to Shinichi and Misao: It was Inari Saitou – Obaasan Saitou, as you knew her – and she is already dead, thanks to your friends in Fel ‘s Church, who weakened her – and to you, who destroyed her star bal .† â€Å"Inari? You mean Isobel's grandma? You're saying it was her star bal in the Great Tree's trunk? That's impossible!†Bonnie cried. â€Å"No, it's not. It's the truth,†blond Ryannen said simply. â€Å"And she's dead now?† â€Å"After a long battle which nearly kil ed your friends. Yes – but what actual y killed her was having her star bal destroyed.† â€Å"So,†dark Susurre said quietly, â€Å"if you fol ow the curve†¦in a way your Damon did die to save Fel ‘s Church from another massacre like the one on that Japanese island. He kept saying that was what he'd come to the Nether World to do. Do you not think he would be†¦satisfied? At peace?† â€Å"At peace?†Stefan spat bitterly, and Sage growled. â€Å"Woman,†he said, â€Å"you obviously have never met Damon Salvatore before.†The tone in his voice – more resonant, more threatening somehow – made Elena final y break off her staredown with the red-haired Idola. She turned and looked – – and saw the enormous room fil ed with Sage's out-spread wings. They weren't like any of her ephemeral Wings Powers. They were clearly part of Sage. They were velvety and reptilian, and, unfurled like this, they stretched from distant wal to wal , and touched the grand, golden ceiling. They also demonstrated why Sage didn't usual y wear shirts. He was beautiful this way, bronze skin and hair against those giant, leathery soft-looking arches. But Elena, after one look at him, knew that the time had come to play the ace up her sleeve. She turned around to meet Idola's green gaze squarely. â€Å"Al this time we've been bargaining for a Gatehouse ful of treasures,†she said, â€Å"and – one Master Key.† â€Å"A Master Key, stolen by the kitsune ages upon ages ago,†Susurre explained quietly, lifting her dark eyes. â€Å"And you've said that it's not enough for you to bring Damon back.†Elena forced her voice not to waver. â€Å"Not even if it were your only request.†Ryannen tossed a golden lock of hair over her shoulder. â€Å"So you say. But†¦what if I throw into the pot†¦another Master Key?† There was a pause, and Elena's heart began to pound in sick terror. Because it was the wrong kind of pause. There were no shocked gasps. No astonished glances from one Guardian ruler to another. No looks of disbelief. After another moment Idola said smugly, â€Å"If you mean the other stolen key that your friends had on Earth – it was confiscated as soon as they hid it. It was stolen property. It belonged to us.† She's been here too long, in the Dark Dimensions, Elena thought with one part of her mind. She's enjoying herself. Idola leaned toward her, as if to confirm Elena's guess. â€Å"It – simply – is not – possible,†she said emphatical y. â€Å"Real y, it isn't,†the fair Ryannen added briskly. â€Å"We don't know what happens to vampires. But they don't pass through our purview. We never see them after death. The simplest explanation is that they just – go out.†She snapped her fingers. â€Å"I don't believe that!† Elena was aware that her voice had risen in volume. â€Å"I don't believe that for one moment!† Voices, not attached to anyone in particular, burst into a clamor of argument around Elena, forming a sort of poem: Not possible. It's simply not possible! ( But please†¦) No! Damon is gone, and to ask where is like asking where a candle flame goes when it's blown out. ( But shouldn't you try to bring him back, at the least? ) Whatever has happened to gratitude? You four should be grateful that the other things you asked for can be done. ( But in exchange for both Master Keys – ) No Power we can command could bring Damon back! Elena must try to reconcile herself to reality. She has been pampered too much already! ( But what harm can it do to try again? ) All right! If you must know, Susurre has already forced us to try. And nothing came of it! Damon†¦is†¦gone! His spirit was nowhere to be found in the ether! That is what happens to vampires, and everyone knows it! Elena found herself looking down at her own hands, which were very clean but with broken nails and every knuckle bleeding. The outside world had become unreal again. She was inside herself, struggling with her grief, struggling with the knowledge that Idola, the central ruler of Guardians, hadn't even mentioned before that they had looked for Damon's spirit. And that it was†¦gone. Suddenly, the room was pressing in on her. There wasn't enough air. There were only these women: these powerful, magical Guardian women; who Stilldid not have enough power or magic to save Damon – or at least didn't even care enough to try twice. She wasn't sure what was happening to her. Her throat felt puffed out, her chest was both huge and tight. Each heartbeat sounded through her as if trying to shake her to death. To death. In her mind's eye, she saw a hand hold up a glass of Clarion Loess Black Magic. And then, Elena knew that she had to stand a certain way, and hold her arms a certain way, and whisper certain words in her own mind. But the last, the naming of the spel , had only to be said aloud at the end. At the end – when things slowed. When green-eyed Idola – what a perfect name for someone who idolized herself, Elena thought – and fair businesslike Ryannen and nurturing Susurre – al stared at her with open mouths, too shocked to move even a finger as, quietly and calmly, Elena said, â€Å"Wings of Destruction – â€Å" It was a soldier, just an ordinary one of the rank and file, one of the dark women, who stopped it. She leaped up onto the dais, and, with inhuman speed, slapped her hand over Elena's mouth, so that the final syl able was a mumble, and the golden, green, and blue hal did not explode into fragments with hot metal running in rivulets like lava, and the flower-fountain did not vaporize, and the stained-glass windows didn't shatter into atoms. Then there were more arms around Elena, holding her down, scarcely letting her breathe, even when she went limp for lack of air. Elena fought like an animal, with her teeth and nails, to escape. But she eventual y was completely restrained, pinned to the floor. She could hear Sage's deep voice raging and Stefan, in between desperate telepathic bursts to her, pleading and explaining, â€Å"She's Stillnot in reality! She doesn't even know what she's doing!† But louder, she could hear the voices of the Guardians. â€Å"She would have kil ed us al !†Ã¢â‚¬ Those Wings – I've never seen anything so deadly!†Ã¢â‚¬ A human! And with just three words, she could have wiped us out!†Ã¢â‚¬ If Lenea hadn't tackled her – â€Å"†Or if she had been another few feet away – â€Å"†She destroyed a moon, you know! No life on it at allnow, and ashes Stillfal ing from the sky!†Ã¢â‚¬ That isn't the point. The point is that she shouldn't have Wings powers at all. She's got to be clipped of them.†Ã¢â‚¬ That's right – clip her Wings! Do it! â€Å" Elena recognized Ryannen's and Idola's voices at the end there. She was Stilltrying to fight, but they held her so tightly and piled on her so ruthlessly that it had become a fight simply to get air and al she did was exhaust herself. And then they clipped her Wings. It was quick, at least, and Elena felt very little. What hurt most was her heart. Some proud, stubborn streak had been brought out with the fighting, and now she was ashamed to feel each pair cut off. First went Wings of Redemption, those great rainbow-hued arches. Then Wings of Purification, white and iridescent as frosted cobwebs. Wings of the Wind, like honey-colored thistledown. Wings of Remembrance, soft violet and midnight blue. And then Wings of Protection – emerald green and gold, the Wings that had saved her friends from Bloddeuwedd's frenzied attack on them the first time they had entered the Dark Dimensions. And, final y, Wings of Destruction – high, ebony arches with edges as delicate as black lace. Elena tried to keep silent as each power was taken. But after the first one or two had fal en at her sides, in shadows that perhaps only she could see, she heard a smal gasp, and realized that it was her own voice. And with the next cut, an involuntary little cry. For a moment there was silence. And then suddenly there was overwhelming noise. Elena could hear Bonnie keening and Sage roaring, and Stefan, gentle Stefan, shouting blasphemies and curses at the Guardians. Elena guessed from the stifled sound of his voice that he was fighting them, fighting to get to her. He reached her, somehow, just as the deadly, delicate Wings of Destruction were sheared from her shoulders and mind, and fel like tal shadows to the ground. It was good that he did reach her then, because at last, when Elena was the least dangerous she had been since the Powers of Wings had begun awakening in her, suddenly the Guardians seemed afraid. They stepped back from her, these strong and dangerous women, and only Stefan was there to catch her and hold her in his arms. Stunned, dazed, she was an eighteen-year-old girl who was ordinary. Except for her blood. They wanted to rob her of her blood as well†¦to â€Å"purify†it. The three rulers and their attendants had already gathered in a determined, multihued triangle around her and were working their magic when Sage bel owed, â€Å"Stop!† Elena, drooping over Stefan's shoulder, could see him vaguely, his velvety black wings Stillspread from wal to wal , Stilltouching the golden ceiling. Bonnie clung to him like a bit of stray dandelion fluff. â€Å"You have already diminished her aura to almost nothing,†he growled. â€Å"If you ‘purify'the blood of this pauvre petite completely, she wil die – and then she wil awaken. You wil have created un vampire, Mesdames. Is that what you wish?† Susurre reeled back. For the ruler of such a harsh and unyielding realm, she seemed almost too gentle – but not too soft to shear off my Wings, Elena thought, wriggling her shoulders to ease them. Maybe she didn't know how much it would hurt, another part of her mind offered vaguely. Then al her mind came together in an emergency meeting. Something warm and cooling was sliding down the back of her neck, in tiny droplets. Not blood. No, this was infinitely more precious than what the Guardians had taken away. Stefan's tears. She rocked hard, trying to take her own weight on her feet. Somehow, shakily, she managed it. She only realized just how shaky she was when she tried to lift a hand and wipe the tears off Stefan's cheeks with her thumb. Her whole hand wobbled as if she were making a childish joke. Her thumb struck his cheek with enough force to make anyone else wince. She looked at him with dumb apology, too shocked to try to speak. Stefan was speaking. Over and over. â€Å"It doesn't matter,†he was saying. â€Å"It's All right, love. Oh, lovely love, it wil be All right.†He wiped her eyes with a hand that was rock steady, and al the time he was looking only at her, and – she knew – thinking only of her. She knew that because she also knew the moment when it changed. Red hair was in her line of sight, blurred through new tears. Red hair and narrow green eyes, too close to her. That was when Elena felt Stefan remember that there was anything other than Elena in the world. His face changed. He didn't snarl or stick out his chin. The change was an entire alteration, but it centered around his eyes, which became deadly hard while everything else became sharp and fierce. â€Å"If you touch her again, you vicious bitch, I wil rip out your throat,†Stefan said, and each word was like a chip of ice-cold iron dropped onto the floor. Elena's tears stopped with the shock of it. Stefan didn't talk that way to women. Even Damon didn't – hadn't. But the words were Stillechoing in the sudden silence of the cathedral-like room. People were backing away. Idola was backing away too, but her lip was curled. â€Å"Do you think that because we are Guardians that we cannot harm you – ?†she was beginning, when Stefan's voice cut through hers cleanly. â€Å"I think that because you are ‘Guardians'you can kil sanctimoniously and get away with it,†Stefan said, and his lip made a far more compel ing – and frightening – line of scorn than Idola's had. â€Å"You would have kil ed Elena if Sage hadn't stopped you. Damn you,†he added softly, but with such utter conviction that Idola took another step backward. â€Å"Yes, you'd better ral y al your little friends around,†he added. â€Å"I might just decide to kil you anyway. I kil ed my own brother, as I'm sure you realize.† â€Å"But surely – that was only after taking a mortal blow yourself.†Susurre was between the two of them, trying to intercede. Stefan shrugged. He looked at her with the same contempt as he had the other ruler. â€Å"I Stillhad the use of my arm,†he said deliberately. â€Å"I could have decided to drop my sword, or to merely wound him. Instead I chose to put a blade straight through his heart.†He showed his teeth in a distinctly unfriendly smile. â€Å"And now I don't even need a weapon.† â€Å"Stefan,†Elena managed at last to whisper. â€Å"I know. She's weaker than I am and you don't want to see me kil her. That's why she's Stillalive, love. It's the only reason.†As Elena lifted half-frightened eyes to him, Stefan added in a voice only she could hear, Of course, there are some things about me you don't know, Elena. Things I'd hoped you'd never have to see. Knowing you – loving you – made me almost forget about them. Stefan's voice in her head woke something inside Elena. She lifted her head and looked at the blurry mass of Guardians around them. She saw strawberry-blond curls suspended in midair. Bonnie. Bonnie fighting. Doing it weakly, but only because a pair of the fair Guardians and another pair of dark ones were holding her in the air, one to each limb. As Elena stared at her she seemed to regain energy and fought harder. And Elena could hear†¦ something. It was faint and far away, but it almost sounded like†¦her name. Like her name spoken by whispering branches or the whirring of passing bicycle wheels. lay†¦nah†¦eee†¦lay†¦ Elena reached inwardly for the sound. She tried desperately to grasp whatever came after, but nothing happened. She tried a trick she would have found easy yesterday – channeling Power to the center of her telepathy. It didn't work. She tried her telepathy. Bonnie! Can you hear me? There wasn't even the slightest change in the smal er girl's expression. Elena had lost her link to Bonnie. She watched as Bonnie realized the same thing, watched the fight go out of the smal body. Bonnie's face, upturned in blank despair, was indescribably sad, and somehow indescribably pure and beautiful, al at once. That will never happen to us, Stefan's voice in her mind told her fiercely. Never! I give you my – No! Elena thought back, superstitiously terrified of a jinx. If Stefan swore, something might happen – she might have to become a vampire or a spirit – to ensure that he didn't break his word. He stopped, and Elena knew that he had heard her. And somehow this knowledge, that Stefan had heard a single word from her, Stilled her. She knew he wasn't spying. He'd heard because she'd sent the thought to him. She wasn't alone. She might be ordinary again; they might have taken her wings and most of the Power of her blood, but she wasn't alone. She leaned toward him, her forehead against Stefan's chin. â€Å"No one is alone.† She'd told Damon that. Damon Salvatore, a being who no longer existed. But who Stillcal ed forth from her one more word, one final cry. His name. Damon! He'd died four dimensions away. But she could feel Stefan backing her, amplifying her transmission, sending it like one last beacon through the multitude of worlds that separated them from his cold and lifeless body. Damon! There wasn't the slightest glimmer of an answer. Of course not. Elena was making a fool of herself. Suddenly something stronger than grief, stronger than self-pity, even stronger than guilt, took hold of her. Damon wouldn't have wanted her to be carried out of this hal – even by Stefan. Especial y by Stefan. He would have wanted her to show no sign of weakness to these women who'd shorn her and humiliated her. Yes. That was Stefan. Her love, but not her lover, wil ing to love her chastely from now until the end of her days†¦. The end†¦of her days? Elena was suddenly glad that she couldn't project to strangers telepathical y and that Stefan had set shields around them when he'd taken her into his arms. She turned to Ryannen, who was watching†¦warily, but Stillwith business in her eyes. â€Å"I'd like to go now, if you don't mind,†she said, picking up her backpack and slinging it over her shoulder with a gesture as arrogant as she could make it. There was a bolt of agony as the weight of the strap hit the place from which most of her wings had sprung, but she kept her face contemptuous and indifferent. Bonnie, back on the ground since she wasn't fighting any longer, fol owed Elena's lead. Stefan had left his backpack in the Gatehouse, but he gently cupped a hand around Elena's elbow, not guiding her, but showing that he was there for her. Sage's wings folded back into themselves and were gone. â€Å"You understand that for the return of these treasures which are ours by right – but which we were barred from retrieving – you wil be granted your requests with the exception of the imposs – â€Å" â€Å"I understand,†Elena said flatly, just as Stefan said, much more brusquely, â€Å"She understands. Just do it, wil you?† â€Å"It is already being organized.†Ryannen's eyes, dark blue splashed with gold, met Elena's with a look not entirely unsympathetic. â€Å"The best thing,†Sussure added hastily, â€Å"would be for us to put you to sleep and send you to your – your old, new dwellings. By the time you awaken, al wil have been accomplished.† Elena forced her face not to change. â€Å"Send me to Maple Street?†she asked, looking at Ryannen. â€Å"Aunt Judith's house?† â€Å"In your sleep, yes.† â€Å"I don't want to be asleep.†Elena moved even closer to Stefan. â€Å"Don't let them put me to sleep!† â€Å"No one's going to do anything to you that you don't want,†Stefan said, and his voice was like the edge of a razor. Sage rumbled his support, and Bonnie stared at the fair woman hard. Ryannen bowed her head. Elena woke up. It was dark, and she'd been asleep. She couldn't remember exactly how she'd fal en asleep, but she knew she wasn't on the palanquin, and she knew she wasn't in a sleeping bag. Stefan? Bonnie? Damon? she thought automatical y, but there was something odd about her telepathy. It felt almost as if it were confined to her own head. Was she in Stefan's room? It must be pitch-black outside, since she couldn't even see the outline of the trapdoor that led to the widow's walk. â€Å"Stefan?†she whispered, while various bits of information pooled in her mind. There was a smel , at once familiar and unfamiliar. She was lying on a comfortable double bed, not one of Lady Ulma's silken-and-velvet extravaganzas, but not any lumpy featherbed from the boardinghouse, either. Was she in a hotel? As these various thoughts came together in her brain, there was a soft quick rapping. Knuckles on glass. Elena's body took over. She tossed off the bedspread and ran to the window, mysteriously avoiding obstacles without thinking about them at all. Her hands wrenched aside curtains that she somehow knew were there and her skyrocketing heart brought a name to her lips. â€Å"Da – !† And then the world stopped and did its slowest somersault of al . The sight of a face, fierce and concerned and loving and yet strangely frustrated, just on the other side of the second-story window, brought Elena's memories back. Al of them. Fel ‘s Church was saved. And Damon was dead. Her head bent slowly until her forehead touched the cool pane of glass.

Plp- Bings Competitive Advantages

â€Å"Bing† it on Google Introduction Mark Penn is taking a big leap by leaving his firm to work for Microsoft on a mission to fix Bing. The company is faced with becoming a competitive leader in the search engine area. Penn believes he can enter Microsoft with a different strategy. To improve Bing, Penn believes he needs Stack Ranking, which focuses product developers away from getting industry-leading products to market faster than the competition. According to the article, not including the marketing or the billions of dollars put into Bing, Google accounted for 69% of the searches in June alone.They say the key strategy to turn this company around would be to come up with an approach that would make Bing a different kind of search engine compared to Google. Analysis As stated above, Microsoft is trying to take the number one spot for the most used search engine. A competitive advantage can be defined as a firm’s ability to create value in a way that its rivals canno t. Microsoft and Yahoo! introduced Bing in 2009, which allows users to search for information regarding almost anything. While being introduced to everyone in 2009 other search engines were available.Bing’s competitive advantage over the others was that Bing offered subcategories onto the organic search results, allowing the user to quickly see the search results in logical groups. This is an issue for Bing because they are not the only company that offers these types of search engine results and no longer have a competitive advantage in the market on this basis. Another advantage with Bing, you get â€Å"enhanced results† which can also be taken as intelligently organized results that you can receive quickly and efficiently.Because of these enhanced results, many people chose to use the Bing search engine over Google but in recent years, other search engines have put a greater emphasis on their speed and results and are bypassing Bing. If Bing still had any competitiv e advantage, it would be that it offers enhanced results in search engines, however it has been proven for most businesses that use other competitors' search engines their speed and results are sufficient and they prefer them to Bing.This is evident which stated before that 69% of the search engine users chose Google over the 25. 6% for Bing. What hurt the Microsoft Company is that Bing was doing so poorly to the point they offered Penn a position to help â€Å"fix† Bing. This could make or break Bing seeing whether Penn can differentiate this search engine compared to the others. This will be difficult for Penn seeing that he lacks search engine product development expertise.No matter how speedy this search engine is or how well the results are, if Penn does not find a way to improve Bings market share this will be just a fad that the Microsoft has gone through and Google will continue doing well. Conclusions To be successful in any market you need to be able to compete and this is where Bing falls short. In order to make this search engine more successful Microsoft needs to come up with a more sufficient business strategy. They need to figure out where they best fit in and differentiate themselves from other companies.They also need to figure out their goals, and objectives, which will make it easier for them to target their users. If they were to apply their business to the VRINE model, they would quickly notice that their search engine is replaceable and has no ways to set their company’s search engines apart from others. I believe they are taking the right steps by trying to offer different options on their website but I think they will need to do more since they do not offer the same kind of links that Google does such as Gmail or Google Maps.I think that while Mark Penn is focusing on making Bing better in the market share area and the rest of Microsoft management needs to place a strong focus on finding innovators that can help Bing becom e a major competitor once again. Title- Can Mark Penn Fix Microsoft's Bing? Date-7/23/2012 Website-http://www. forbes. com/sites/petercohan/2012/07/23/can-mark-penn-fix-microsofts-bing/2/ Citation-Cohan, Peter. â€Å"Can Mark Penn Fix Microsoft's Bing? † Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 23 July 2012. Web. 09 Nov. 2012. .

Vera Deakin Essays

Vera Deakin Essays Vera Deakin Essay Vera Deakin Essay Vera Deakin had a MASSIVE part in World War 1 as she was the driving force of the wounded and missing Inquiry Bureau. The aim of the bureau was to provide information to the families of Australian soldier’s, to notify them if their sons were missing, wounded or dead. This bureau was SO important as it was the official link between the soldiers and their families. Vera, was the youngest daughter of former Australian Prime Minister Alfred Deakin, she was originally supposed to go into nursing but, went against her father’s wishes to go to Port Said located in Egypt, so she could open this significant bureau.Unfortunately it was forced to move its operations to London as the army didn’t view Deakin’s work in the bureau as favourably to its reputation. As months went on the bureau grew in size and volunteers. Requests for soldier’s information raised to 25,000 a year. For Vera’s efforts in the bureau she was awarded an OBE, which is An Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. Vera’s significance on Australia’s war was mostly back in Australia.With this bureau ANZAC families were notified if their sons had met any harm on the battle field. This bureau also brought closure to soldier’s families informing them of how the son, husband or father died heroically on the battlefield to protect the lives of the Australian people. This bureau revealed that Australia wasn’t successful in their battles, especially at Gallipoli and it exposed to the Australian public the true consequences that war has.According to the Australian War Memorial archives Vera said What we tried to accomplish as a bureau was to relieve as quickly as possible the anxiety of the relatives in Australia, to make the men realise that we were there to help and assist them in every way in our power, and to shield the authorities from unnecessary and duplicated enquiries. This quote shows and reflects the hardworking na ture of Vera and the significance she played to relieve the anxiety and stress soldier’s families.Vera also received a thankyou from Gunner Arthur Marginson expressing his appreciation on her efforts, he wrote Dear miss Deakin â€Å"I have to thank you for the kind and sympathetic letter I have received notifying me of the manner and details of the way in which my dear Brother met his death in action and the system by which you gain your information reflects great credit on your society which is doing so much now to alleviate the suffering of relations of the men who go out The greatest blow is over now† this is just another example that’s hows the significance of Vera Deakin in her effort caring for Anzac families. In conclusion I believe that Vera Deakin had an immensely important part in the 1st world war, through her missing and enquiry bureau which we can see had a great effect through Vera’s awards and appreciation from the Australian people.

Reciprocal Pronoun Definition and Examples

Reciprocal Pronoun Definition and Examples A reciprocal pronoun is a  pronoun that expresses mutual action or relationship. In English the reciprocal pronouns are each other and one another. Some usage guides insist that each other should be used to refer to two people or things, and one another to more than two. As Bryan Garner has observed, Careful writers will doubtless continue to observe the distinction, but no one else will notice (Garners Modern American Usage, 2009). See also: Anaphora (Grammar)Reference Examples ofReciprocal Pronouns Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.(John F. Kennedy, in a speech prepared for delivery on the day of his assassination, November 22, 1963)Men often hate each other because they fear each other; they fear each other because they dont know each other; they dont know each other because they can not communicate; they can not communicate because they are separated.(Martin Luther King, Jr., Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story, 1958)All birds and animals talk to one anotherthey really have to, in order to get along.(E.B. White, The Trumpet and the Swan. Harper Row, 1970)The capacity of human beings to bore one another seems to be vastly greater than that of any other animal.(H. L. Mencken, Notes on Democracy, 1926)There is no such thing as the StateAnd no one exists alone;Hunger allows no choiceTo the citizen or the police;We must love one another or die.(W.H. Auden, September 1, 1939)People whose grandparents were all long-lived and lived with the family, shoo t each other before they are 40.(Robert Benchley, How Long Can You Live? The Benchley Roundup. Harper Row, 1954) [W]ith a gasp of exasperation he rips away a great triangular piece [of the map] and tears the large remnant in half and, more calmly, lays these three pieces on top of each other and tears them in half, and then those six pieces and so on until he has a wad he can squeeze in his hand like a ball.(John Updike, Rabbit, Run. Alfred A. Knopf, 1960)They all come together and Tohero introduces Margaret: Margaret Kosko, Harry Angstrom, my finest athlete, its a pleasure for me to be able to introduce two such wonderful young people to one another.(John Updike, Rabbit, Run. Alfred A. Knopf, 1960) Usage Guide: Each Other or One Another? Each other and one another are known as the reciprocal pronouns. They serve either as determiners (in the possessive case) or as objects, referring to previously named nouns: Each other generally refers to two nouns; one another to three or more.(Martha Kolln and Robert Funk, Understanding English Grammar. Allyn and Bacon, 1998)In modern English, most people normally use each other and one another in the same way. Perhaps one another is preferred (like one) when we are making very general statements, and not talking about particular people.(Michael Swan, Practical English Usage. Oxford Univ. Press, 1995)A Practical Grammar: In Which Words, Phrases, and Sentences Are Classified According to Their Offices, and Their Relation to Each Other(Title of a textbook by Stephen W. Clark, published by A. S. Barnes, 1853)Prescriptive style commentators have tried to insist that each other should be used between two people only, and one another when more than two were concerned. Yet Fowler (1926) spoke firmly against this distinction, arguing it had neither present utility nor a basis in historical usage. His judgment is confirmed in citations recorded in the Oxford Dictionary (1989) and Websters English Usage (1989).(Pam Peters, The Cambridge Guide to English Usage. Cambridge Univ. Press, 2004)

Not sure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Not sure - Essay Example This figure appears as a halo or ring around the head of the sanctified. Moreover, in many religious systems we can find some degree of syncretism. Islam and Confucianism are clearly the hardest to syncretize with each other. Indeed they do have certain similarities between them, but still it is more difficult to syncretize the two as compared to Judaism or Buddhism with Confucianism. Confucianism was brought about by K’ung Fu Tzu (Confucius). He travelled all over China and advised the rulers. He usually preached about morals and ethical values, and how political power should be exercised properly. According to Confucianism it is important for a person to have etiquette; he should be righteous; he should act benevolently with everyone and this, Tzu considered to be the most important virtue; there should be love among family members; and lastly, a person should show his loyalty toward his country. All these features are part and parcel of almost every religion, although in varying importance. Every religion teaches one to be good and treat others well too. However, Confucianism focuses only on this aspect of life. Confucianism is not an actual religion with God to pray to. It is basically more of an ethical system that has clarified certain traditions and rituals to be followed at the important periods of one’s life; for instance, birth, maturity, marriage and death. Islam, on the other hand, is a monotheist religion. This means there is one God that the followers of Islam pray and worship. The Muslims believe that He created the universe and He is omnipotent. Islam is, comparatively, a very young religion. Muslims also believe in the previous prophets, Abraham, David, Moses and Jesus, and consider Muhammad to be the last of the prophets of God. However, they do not consider Jesus to be the son of God as it is their belief that God

Comparing between two companies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Comparing between two companies - Research Paper Example It has various components of a corporate ethics program that include the belief of doing the right thing in making good business, an ethical code of conduct to promote integrity, assurance, and effective management. Indeed, it has a code of conduct that dictates the terms of employment in all associates of Novartis Group companies (â€Å"Novartis AG† Web). In addition, the company condemns direct or indirect engagement to acts of bribery and establishes a global Integrity and Compliance program to ensure conformity to the code of ethics. Moreover, the company seeks to uphold high levels of ethics in addressing challenging issues in its business operations. Notably, Novartis conducts business ethically maintaining a code of conduct and governance. On the other hand, Boeing has various components of a corporate ethics program that include conducting its business in an ethical manner that reflects impartiality and fairness. Indeed, the company adopts a code of ethics and a code o f conduct that complies with all laws and regulations. Most specifically, Boeing adopts the Code of Ethical Business Conduct that complies with the New York Stock Exchange's corporate governance rules (â€Å"Boeing† Web). This commitment guarantees integrity and values in their business operations. ... duct where Boeing adopts the Code of Ethical Business Conduct while Novartis adopts the belief of doing business in the right way that reflects ethical conduct. Additionally, the two companies adopt a code of conduct as the communication mode within the companies. More so, both participate in corporate social responsibility. Compared to Boeing, the ethics program of Novartis is more like an integrity strategy than a compliance strategy. Indeed, Novartis commits itself to good corporate governance that seemingly promotes integrity. Its code of conduct ensures an ethical articulation of business operations that upholds its values of integrity. Notably, Novartis strives for operational excellence to secure human rights for all, which translates to a strategy of integrity. Indeed, the company promotes a culture of integrity (â€Å"Novartis AG† Web) to ensure it does the right thing in business and promotes an ethical conduct. For example, the company states that the management car ries out annual performance reviews of associates to maintain and improve integrity (â€Å"Novartis AG† Web) and compliance. Furthermore, Novartis established a global Integrity and Compliance program that ensures compliance to integrity standards. Indeed, Novartis adopts a policy that condemns direct or indirect engagement in acts of bribery and corruption in its operations (â€Å"Novartis AG† Web). This is a step towards ensuring integrity in business activities involving Novartis and hence the ethics program of Novartis is more like an integrity strategy. Nevertheless, I think that Boeing Company has the better Corporate Ethics Program as compared to Novartis Group companies. The ethics program of Boeing has numerous components of corporate ethics program as compared to Novartis Group companies.