The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Thirty-Four

â€Å"I like your place,† Elena told Damon, looking around. She'd been mildly surprised when he invited her to dinner. A conventional date wasn't something she ever associated with Damon, but on her way over she had been tingling with excitement and curiosity. Despite having lived in the same palace as Damon in the Dark Dimension, she had never seen a home he'd made for himself. For al his brashness, she realized, Damon was oddly private. She would have expected his apartment to be gothical y decorated in blacks and reds, like the vampire manors she'd visited in the Dark Dimension. But it wasn't like that at al . Instead, it was minimalist, sleek and elegant in its simplicity, with clean pale wal s, lots of windows, furniture in glass and metal, and soft cool colors. It suited him somehow. If you didn't look too deeply into his dark, ancient eyes, he could have been a handsome young model or architect, clad in fashionable black, firmly rooted in the modern world. But not entirely modern. Elena paused in the living room to admire the view over the town: stars sparkled in the sky above the muted lights of houses and car headlights on the roads. On a glass-and-chrome table below the window, something else sparkled just as brightly. â€Å"What's this?† she asked, picking it up. It looked like a golden bal overlaid with a tracery of diamonds, just the right size to fit comfortably in her palm. â€Å"A treasure,† Damon said, smiling. â€Å"See if you can find the catch on the side.† Elena felt the sphere with careful fingers, final y finding a cleverly concealed catch and pressing it. The bal unfolded in her hands, revealing a smal golden figure. A hummingbird, Elena saw, holding it up to inspect it, the gold chased with rubies, emeralds, and sapphires. â€Å"Wind the key,† Damon said, coming to stand behind her, one cool hand on each of her sides. Elena found the smal key low on the back of the bird and turned it. The bird arched its neck and spread its wings, moving slowly and smoothly, as a delicate tune began to play. â€Å"It's beautiful,† she said. â€Å"Made for a princess,† Damon told her, his eyes fixed on the bird. â€Å"A dainty little toy, from Russia before the revolution. They had craftsmen there in those days. A fun place to be, too, if you weren't a peasant. Palaces, feasts, and riding through the snow in sleighs piled with furs.† â€Å"You were in Russia during the revolution?† Elena asked. Damon laughed, a dry sharp little sound. â€Å"I was there before the revolution, darling. ‘Get out before things go bad,' that's always been my motto. I never cared enough to stay and see things through til the end. Before I met you, anyway.† As the music stopped playing, Elena half turned, wanting to see Damon's face. He smiled at her and reached to take her hand, closing the bird back into its sphere. â€Å"Keep it,† he said. Elena tried to protest – it was surely priceless – but Damon shrugged a little. â€Å"I want you to have it,† he said. â€Å"Besides, I have a lot of treasures. You tend to accumulate things when you live several lifetimes.† He ushered her into the dining room, where the table was set for one. â€Å"Are you hungry, princess?† he asked. â€Å"I had food brought in for you.† He served her an amazing soup – something she didn't recognize that was smooth and velvety on her tongue, with just a hint of spice – fol owed by a tiny roast bird, which Elena dissected careful y with her fork, its smal bones cracking. Damon didn't eat, he never ate, but he sipped a glass of wine and watched Elena, smiling as she told him about her classes, nodding seriously as she told him about the tol that patrol ing every night was taking on Meredith. â€Å"This was wonderful,† she said at last, stil picking at the rich flourless chocolate tart he'd brought out for dessert. â€Å"I think it's the best meal I've ever had.† Damon smiled. â€Å"I want to give you the best of everything,† he said. â€Å"You should have the world at your feet, you know.† Something in Elena stirred. She put her fork down and rose, walking over to the window to gaze out at the stars again. â€Å"You've been everywhere, haven't you, Damon?† she asked. She pressed her palm against the glass. Damon came up close behind her and pul ed her to face him, gently stroking her hair. â€Å"Oh, Elena,† he said. â€Å"I have been everywhere, but the thing about the world is that it keeps changing, so it's always new and exciting. There are so many places I want to show you, to see them through your eyes. There's so much out there, so much life to live.† He kissed her neck, his canines pushing gently against the vein on the side of her throat, then put his hands on her hips, turning her back toward the window, where a spread of stars glowed against the night. â€Å"Most people never even see a tenth of what the human world holds,† he murmured in her ear. â€Å"Be extraordinary with me, Elena.† His breath was warm on her throat. â€Å"Be my dark princess.† Elena leaned against him, trembling. Dear Diary, I don't know who I am anymore. Tonight, with Damon, I could almost picture my life if I took what he offered me, became his â€Å"dark princess.† The two of us, hand in hand, strong and beautiful and free. Everything I wanted without having to lift a finger, from jewels to clothes to wonderful food. A life above the concerns I used to have, somewhere far away. Experiencing and seeing wonders I can't even imagine. It would have to be a world without Stefan, though. He's shut me out, utterly. But seeing me with Damon – not just kissing, but being who Damon wants me to be – would hurt him, I know. And I can't stand to do that anymore. It's like there are two paths in front of me. One goes into the daylight, and it's the ordinary girl I thought I wanted to be: parties and classes and eventually a job and a house and a normal life. Stefan wants to give me that. The other is in the darkness, with Damon, and I'm just starting to realize how much that world has to offer, and how much I want to experience everything it holds. I always thought Stefan would be with me on the daylit path. But now I've lost him, and that path seems so lonely. Maybe the dark path really is my future. Maybe Damon is right, and I belong with him, in the night. â€Å"I can't wait to see my surprise.† Bonnie giggled as she and Zander crossed the lawn of the science building hand in hand. â€Å"You're so romantic. Wait til I tel the guys.† Zander brushed a feather-light kiss across her cheek, his lips warm. â€Å"They already know I've lost al my cool guy points for you. I sang karaoke with you last night.† Bonnie snickered. â€Å"Well, after I introduced you to Dirty Dancing, we had to sing the big duet, right? I can't believe you'd never seen that movie before.† â€Å"It's because I used to be manly,† Zander admitted. â€Å"But now I've seen the error of my ways.† He gave her one of his slow smiles, and Bonnie's knees nearly buckled. â€Å"It was a cute movie.† They reached the bottom of the fire escape, and Zander boosted her up and then climbed after her. When they got to the roof, Zander gestured expansively at the scene before them. â€Å"For our six-week anniversary, Bonnie, a re-creation of our first date.† â€Å"Oh! That's so sweet!† Bonnie looked around. There was the ragged army blanket, covered with the pizza box and sodas. The stars shone overhead, just as they had six weeks ago. It was sweet; it was a romantic idea even if their first date hadn't been al that amazing. Then she corrected herself: it had actual y been a pretty amazing date, even though it had been simple. She took a seat on the blanket, then peeked into the pizza box and involuntarily grinned. Olive, sausage, and mushroom. Her favorite. â€Å"At least one improvement in the re-creation, though, I see.† Zander sat next to her and slipped his arm around her shoulders. â€Å"Of course I know what you like on your pizza now,† he said. â€Å"Got to pay attention to my girl.† Bonnie snuggled up under his arm, and they shared the pizza, gazing at the stars and talking cozily about this and that. When the pizza was al gone, Zander wiped his greasy hands careful y with a napkin, then took both of Bonnie's hands in his. â€Å"I need to talk to you,† he said seriously, his sky-blue eyes intent on hers. â€Å"Okay,† Bonnie said nervously, a flash of panic starting in her stomach. Surely Zander wouldn't have brought her al the way up here and re-created their first date if he was planning to dump her, would he? No, that was a ridiculous idea. But he looked so solemn and worried. â€Å"You're not sick, are you?† she asked, horrified by the idea. The corner of Zander's mouth twitched up into a smile. â€Å"You're so funny, Bonnie,† he said. â€Å"You just say whatever pops into your head. That's one of the reasons why I love you.† Bonnie's heart leaped into her throat, and she felt her cheeks flush. Zander loved her? Zander got serious again. â€Å"I mean it,† he said. â€Å"I know it's real y early, and you don't have to feel like you need to say something back, but I wanted you to know that I'm fal ing in love with you. You're amazing. I've never felt like this before. Never.† Tears of happy surprise sprang into Bonnie's eyes, and she sniffed, squeezing Zander's hands tightly. â€Å"I feel it, too,† she said in a tiny voice. â€Å"These last few weeks have been amazing. I mean, I don't think I've ever had as much fun as I do with you. We get each other, you know?† They kissed, a long, slow, sweet kiss. Bonnie leaned against Zander and sighed contentedly. She'd never been so comfortable. Then Zander pul ed away. Bonnie reached out for him, but Zander took her hands again and gazed into her eyes. â€Å"It's because I'm fal ing in love with you,† he said slowly, â€Å"that I have to tel you something. You have the right to know.† He squeezed his eyes closed tightly for a moment, then opened them again, looking at Bonnie as if he wanted to climb into her head and find out how she was going to react to what he said next. â€Å"I'm a werewolf,† he said flatly. Bonnie sat frozen for a minute, her mind scrambling to understand. Then she shrieked and pul ed her hands away from him, jumping to her feet. â€Å"Oh no,† she gasped. â€Å"Oh my God.† Images were rushing through her mind: Tyler Smal wood's face twisting, grotesquely lengthening into a muzzle, his newly yel ow and slit-pupiled eyes glaring at her with vicious, bloodthirsty hatred. Meredith crumpled on her bed like an abandoned dol , blank-eyed as she told them how Samantha's body had been mauled. The flash of white-blond hair Meredith had seen when she chased a dark-clad figure away from a screaming girl. The black bruises on Zander's side. â€Å"Meredith and Elena were right,† she said, backing away from him. â€Å"No! No, it's not like that, Bonnie, please,† Zander said, scrambling to his feet so that they stood facing each other. His face was white and strained. â€Å"I'm a good werewolf, I swear, I don't †¦ we don't hurt people.† â€Å"Liar!† Bonnie shouted, furious. â€Å"I've known werewolves, Zander. To become one, you have to be a killer!† With that, she was off, scrambling down the fire escape to the relative safety of the ground. Don't look back, don't look back, hammered inside her head. Get away, get away. â€Å"Bonnie!† Zander cal ed from the top of the fire escape, and she heard him clattering down after her. Bonnie jumped the last few feet from the bottom of the fire escape and landed hard, stumbling. She straightened up and started to run immediately. She had to get inside, had to find somewhere she wouldn't be alone. Out of the corner of her eye, she glimpsed movement in the shadows of the building. Jared and Tristan and, oh no, big muscular Marcus. Werewolves, she realized, just like Zander, part of his pack. Bonnie thought she was moving as quickly as she could, but, as they came into the light, she found a fresh spurt of speed. â€Å"Bonnie!† Jared cal ed hoarsely, and they came after her. She was running faster than she ever had, breathless sobs torn from her chest, but it wasn't nearly fast enough. They were close behind her; she could hear their heavy footsteps catching up to her. â€Å"We just want to talk to you, Bonnie,† Tristan cal ed, his voice level and calm. He didn't even sound out of breath. â€Å"Stop,† Marcus said. â€Å"Wait for us,† and oh God, he was coming up beside her now, and Tristan on her other side, cutting her off. They were moving in closer, penning her in. Bonnie stopped, her hands on her knees, panting for breath. Hot tears ran down her face and dripped off her chin. They had caught her. She had run and run, as fast as she could, but she hadn't been able to get away. The three guys were pacing around her, hemming her in, their faces wary. They'd pretended to be her friends, but now they looked like hunters, circling her. They'd lied, al of them. â€Å"Monsters,† she muttered like a curse, and pul ed herself upright, stil panting. They had caught her, but they hadn't defeated her yet. She was a witch, wasn't she? She clenched her hands into fists and began to chant under her breath the charms Mrs. Flowers taught her for protection and defense. She didn't think she could beat three werewolves, not without the time to make a magic circle, without any supplies, but maybe she could hurt them. â€Å"Guys, wait. Stop.† Zander was coming now, running across the col ege lawns toward them. Even through the hot tears clouding her vision, Bonnie could see how beautiful he was, how graceful and natural a runner, his long legs eating up the distance, and her heart ached just a little more. She had loved him so much. She went on chanting, feeling the power building up inside her like the pressure in a shaken can of soda, ready to pop. Zander came to a halt when he reached them, clasping Marcus's shoulder with one hand. The other three looked at him. â€Å"She ran away from us,† Tristan said, and he sounded baffled and resentful. â€Å"Yeah,† Zander said. â€Å"I know.† Tears were running down Zander's face, too, Bonnie realized, and he was making no move to wipe them away. He just looked at her, those beautiful blue eyes wide open, heartbreakingly sad. â€Å"Back off, guys,† he said without looking away from Bonnie. To her, then, he added, â€Å"You do what you have to do.† Bonnie stopped chanting, letting the built-up power drain away. She took a harsh gasp of air, and then, quick as an arrow, her heart pounding as if it would burst out of her chest, she ran.

A career in chemistry

IntroductionCandidate, who chooses chemistry as a career, must have passion to know about science and chemical substances. Chemistry is a branch of the science which explores the composition, properties, and transformation of substances and various elementary forms of matter. All human activities deal with a material world, which consists of chemicals, both natural and manufactured.Chlorophyll, hemoglobin, and insulin are examples of natural chemicals that are essential to life. Chemistry has great significance in understanding the environment, enhancing methods of producing, processing, and packaging food and making automobiles protected and more fuel-efficient.Candidates who complete the chemistry major are knowledgeable in all aspects of modern chemistry. In graduation program, students cover course work in the major sub-disciplines of chemistry, organic, inorganic, physical, biological, and analytical.The syllabus of chemistry allow the student to choose array of career choices w hich include chemistry, medicine, law, business, chemical physics, environmental science, and secondary school teaching. If candidate wants to become chemist, he has to complete undergraduate training to produce new products for the chemical-processing industries, execute tests and evaluations of existing products and the environment, and carry out basic research (http://careers.ns.utexas.edu).Job descriptionChemistry offers number of careers. Chemistry is a major subject of science. Candidates trained in chemistry or the chemical sciences may develop the ability which can be utilized in various fields. For example chemists prepare medicines that treat many diseases (www.science-engineering.net).Candidates who are interested in chemistry subject must possess many skills which include ability to make critical observations and appropriate decisions, ability to operate scientific equipment, ability to organize and maintain accurate records, ability to conduct and clearly explain scient ific research, proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and memorization, sensitivity to the health and safety of others.In chemistry, candidate can also do courses in professional schools such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, occupational health, optometry, MBA programs and policy studies. Job of chemistry teacher is to teach courses for the chemical and physical properties and compositional changes of substances. They teach the methods of qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis. Teachers primarily engaged in teaching and many professionals can involve in teaching as well as research (http://www.careerplanner.com).Basically, chemistry lecturer deliver lectures to undergraduate and/or graduate students on topics such as organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and chemical separation, supervise students' laboratory work, evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory performance, assignments, and papers, compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assig n this work to others, maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records, prepare course materials such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts, maintain regularly scheduled office hours in order to advise and assist students, plan, evaluate, and modify curricula, course content and course materials and methods of instruction.Chemistry Lab teaching assistant is responsible to assist the Professor for conducting laboratory experiments (http://www.bethanylb.edu/). Chemists may involve in applied research projects which develop new products, or they may be engaged in theoretical research exploring new facts that may ultimately lead to new products. Many chemists work as administrators of these research projects or as executives in industry and government.

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Understanding of happiness - Essay Example Daniel Gilbert a professor of psychology at Harvard University is a renowned and influential social psychologist and has contributed immensely in the topic of happiness through vigorous research in happiness and the factors that might be attributed to happiness currently and to the future. Gilbert is much concerned on issues that may guide us to realize our future happiness and identity and how one can utilize these factors to achieve their happiness. According to Gilbert, we learn from others and to achieve our future happiness, the experience of others might prove to be of utmost importance as compared to individual’s experience.Gertner on the other hand is a famous writer having immense contributions in leading dailies such as the New York Times, and is concerned with issues that directly affect populations and the real identity of the human kind in determining what they really want in life in defining their real identity. Largely, the two writers are deeply involved in iss ues are related to how individuals can attain happiness and defining their lives now and in the future through rigorous research and experiments. However, Gilbert proves to be a more senior writer as compared to Gertner, and the latter largely utilizes the ideas and the arguments by the former to extend his argument. Gertner introduces his argument by revisiting the argument by Gilbert and explaining the effectiveness of Gilbert’s arguments in daily lives of individuals.... The two articles by Gertner and Gilbert clearly portray this requirement. Gertner initiates the argument by explaining his side of the argument to the audience and supporting the arguments about happiness as expressed by Gilbert. Gertner goes ahead to present a set of statements that explains his argumentative side such as, â€Å"you are wrong to believe that a job loss will be crushing† and â€Å"you are wrong to believe that a new kitchen will make you happy for as long as you imagine† (Gertner, 397). It is these questions that form lay the basis to form a thesis in Gertner’s argument and explain to the audience his argumentative side, which is a requirement in academic writing as explained by Irvin (9). On the other hand Gilbert initiates his argument by expressing the sentiments expressed by the lyrics of Doris Day, upon which he tries to disapprove the notion that the future can never be foretold and is better if left to happen automatically (Gilbert, 170). It is upon this argument that Gilbert forms his argumentative side and continues to offer immense supporting evidence to prove the fact that the future happiness can really be experienced before hand and we need the experience of others to determine our own future. For example, Gilbert states that ,†accurate beliefs give us power , which makes it easier to understand why they are so readily transmitted from one mind to another†(Gilbert, 172). This proves that fact that we can learn about our future through the experience of others and do not have to rely on our own experiences alone. This is a major requirement of in academic writing. Irvin (9) further explains another aspect of academic writing to be a critical analysis. This implies the use of concepts that enable the writer

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Information Technology - Article Example I request you to provide me with a user account or extend my user account for using some portion of the administrative controls which are required for the usage of internet, configuration of IP address, connecting to internet and access to Microsoft outlook. In specific I need to have access of all the options in the control panel. So kindly assist me. I am responsible for conducting training on communication through email and computer for our employees. The training section does need extra user privilege than that of the normal user. I request you to provide me with a user account or extend my user account for using some portion of the administrative controls which are required for the usage of internet, configuration of IP address, connecting to internet and access to Microsoft outlook. In specific I need to have access of all the options in the control panel. So kindly assist me.

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Reply to Sor Filotea de la Cruz - Essay Example The letter highlights the efforts this lady has taken to gain knowledge in order to alleviate ignorance. It campaigns for equality in opportunities to both men and women by women rising to their feet and grabbing chances of obtaining erudition. Women lack competence because of deficient of education. In the most important parts of the letter, the nun talks about stereotyping. How she fought odds and wished to be treated like a man with respect and being given equal opportunities like them. She however was respectful to orders and instructions so that her religious values cannot be eroded. It was also mandatory for a woman to be reverential and submissive to men and any one of older age. She yearned for education and dreamt of even going to the university as boys did. She abstained from certain foods for fear of being dumb as they claim they made one. She wanted an equal place as the other gender but it clearly was not possible at that time. She had a thirst for knowledge and did what she could in her capacity to learn of the most important things she felt she wanted to know about. In this letter she has claimed that the people in her relation criticized her inclination to knowledge citing that it would make her lose her religious strength and make her weak (Stephanie 45)Â  . Th is was the most difficult time for her because obviously support in any person’s Endeavour is always helpful. She loved their companionship and sometimes thought it deprived her of the chance to study. Jealousy, she learned was bound to happen towards an intelligent person especially if the person is a woman. Women are despised and their place regarded as the home only and it would be struggle if they ventured in territories where they are supposedly not to be. One particular example she has used is that of Peter who gained knowledge and was executed. The crown of thorns she has cited, after it witnessed Christ’s persecution declare that aptitude is scorned.

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U can choose a topic by urself - Essay Example In such cases, SMEs will always find it more affordable to let such processes be handled externally instead of them being handled within the business organisation at a higher cost. This paper aims at discussing the extent to which outsourcing enables entrepreneurs to be flexible. Outsourcing can be used by entrepreneurs in successfully handling various projects. In business management different projects usually require different resources. In any case a business organisation will decide to fully invest in a project independently, they will have to invest in all the resources that are needed for the project to be successful. However, things are different when a business organisation decides to use outsourcing. With outsourcing, they would not have to invest in all the processes that are involved in the project. They can find a third party to carry out some of the process that seems to be so costly that they can be able to reduce the general cost of the project. Therefore, it can be concluded that through outsourcing entrepreneurs can be able to undertake different types of project without having fears of whether or not they have the full capability of handling the project. If they choose to ignore outsourcing then they will have to stick to the projects that they are able to undertake independently. Outsourcing can also enable entrepreneurs to be flexible by reducing the risks involved in their undertaking. In business management the risks that require management include market, technologies, financial conditions, competition, government regulation, and many others. Through outsourcing business organisations are always able to relegate some of their functions to other business organisations with speciality is such areas (Corbett 101). When a business organisation delegates a certain function of their activities to another organisation, they also delegate the risks that are

Wynn Resort Essay Example for Free

Wynn Resort Essay Executive Summary 1.) Purpose To know if what is the overall strategy of Steve Wynn to make Wynn Resorts, Ltd. on the right track and quite a remarkable company. 2.) Statement of the Problem There are three problems which I found out in the case, and these are the three challenges that Wynn will have to face, and the future may throw some curveballs along the way. First is need to secure a way to maintain the competitive advantage as increased competition is introduce both domestically and abroad into the gaming industry. Second, The Macau government reserves the right to take control of the Wynn Casino in 2017; this would be detrimental to the profits for the company, and some solutions will need to be devised to ensure that the survival of the company is not majorly dependent on the revenues generated by Wynn Macau resort and casino. A third concern about future success, but certainly not the final concern, is the loss of Steve Wynn himself. Losing Steve Wynn would mean losing his expertise, passion and governmental ties. In the most likely scenario, a loss of Steve Wynn may result in the sale of the firm to a competing company, such as MGM Inc. 3.) Alternative Courses and Actions Wynn must focus on differentiating the company by concentrating on the atmosphere and design of the resorts. Wynn Rsort must enhance customers service and luxury as full-service provider. 4.) Recommendation Wynn must not only focus to target high-end gaming customers, but he must also offer affordable goods and services to the middle-income clients. This segment includes vacationers and younger people looking for relatively inexpensive place to say with the understanding that most of their budget will go to dining and entertainment. Methods of Analysis 1. SWOT Analysis SWOT ANALYSIS Strengths 1. The greatest operational strength Wynn Resorts, Ltd. has is the founder himself, Steve Wynn. 2. The resort has earned AAA five diamond, Mobil five-star, Forbes five-star, and Michelin five star ratings for hotel, as well as one Michelin star for restaurant Wing Lei, and is considered to be one of the finest hotels in the world. 3. One of Wynn Resorts’ greatest marketing strength is strategic development of its product. The product that Wynn sells is a luxury destination experience that makes customers feel pampered and value through high-quality amenities and customer service. 4. Steve Wynn is widely considered the â€Å"Father of Luxury Gambling†, and he is largely responsible for the image change and societal perspective change of the city of Las Vegas. | Weaknesses 1. The company’s complete dependence of Steve Wynn is a significant weakness. 2. Focusing solely on the high-end market could be a marketing weakness in that Wynn is missing a large customer base of middle-income clients. 3. Wynn Resorts’ biggest disadvantage is its youth. MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment are companies with history and territory. They have the majority of premier legal gambling locations such as Atlantic city under their thumb and they will create difficult barriers to entry for Wynn Resorts.| Opportunities 1. As the boomers retire, they are spending more money on leisure and recreation, and they are piling into the casinos, this growing represents an opportunity for the gaming industry and for Wynn Resorts specifically. 2. The development of a casino in Macau is a strategic opportunity. 3. Wynn Macau provides the opportunity for cross-marketing with Wynn Las Vegas, because the target market segment in both Wynn Las Vegas and Wynn Macau is high income, customers have resources to travel and vacation in other parts of the world, which can make cross-marketing very effective.| Threats 1. Social norms in the United States differ from those practiced in Macau and should not be universally applied. 2. The ability of the government to take control of the casino at any time it deems appropriate is a significant threat to the success of Wynn Resorts because it could lose control of its operation in Macau. 3. Another threat exists in the possibility of Wynn Resorts, Ltd. being unable to collect on its gaming debts. 4. The loss of Steve Wynn, himself.| Bibliography 1. http://www.studymode.com/essays/Swot-Analysis-Wynn-Ltd-946073.html 2. http://www.investingvalue.com/investment-leaders/steve-wynn/index.html

Comparison of UK Building Contracts

Comparison of UK Building Contracts Assessment: Terms of Contract; Critical Evaluation; Question standard practise Samuel Perkins Introduction This assignment aims to compare and contrast the various aspects of both the SBC/Q 2011 Standard Building Contract against the NEC 3 Engineering and Construction Contract: priced with Bill of Quantities 2013. Throughout the assignment I will abbreviate these to SBC/Q 2011 and NEC3. I aim to evaluate the documents involved in the making of the contracts (10%/350 words), the roles of those involved in the performance of the contract (20% / 700 words) , the Contractors responsibility towards the design (20% / 700 words) and finally concentrating on the payment aspect of each contract (50%/1750 words). The contracts will be assessed regarding revisions made in September 2011 to the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996. My word count will be including the above mentioned areas not exceeding the 3500 words as required. Documents Making up the Contracts In the SBC/Q 2011 contract under provisions, the contract documents are defined in clause 1.1. The issue with this is that the contract sum analysis and any schedule of rates are dependent on the respective party and can therefore not be deemed as contract documents under this condition. For the employer this would mean that the main, responsibility for the correct descriptions and quantities would be placed upon them mitigating risks for the contractor. Regarding any discrepancies within the contract documents it is the responsibility of the Contractor to inform the Architect of any differences, however it should be noted that they are under no obligation to freely search for any discrepancies. Yet under condition 2.15 it states that if the contractor becomes aware of any such departure, error, omission or inadequacy as referred to in clause 2.14 that he shall immediately give notice with appropriate details to the Architect/Contract Administrator, who shall issue instructions in th at regard. The discrepancies are related to items found in condition 2.15(1,2,3,4,5) which cover the contract drawings, contract bills, instructions issued by the architect of contract administrator and finally the CDP documents. From the above we can see that SBC/Q 2011 shows a reasonable understanding to identifying contract documents. The main difference between the NEC3 and SBC/Q 2011 is that the NEC3 document doesnt define the term Contract, therefore there is no defining contract documents unlike SBC/Q 2011. It combats this within the guidance notes providing samples concerning a standard form of tender and form of agreement substituting themselves for actual contract documents. In the Core Clauses 12.4 it states that the contract is the entire agreement between the parties therefore combining the previously mentioned procedures involving the project management and contractual duties, liabilities and obligations. As discussed by Eggleston (2006) the term entire agreement has no legally definable definition however the term entire contract which is also known as a sole agreement clause does. Therefore the contract can only be completed to the written terms and conditions, this excluding any implied terms of common law remedies this relating to any legislation created by parliament as noted in (Galbraith, 2014). Like SC/Q 2011, NEC3 makes provisions regarding any discrepancies and contradictions between contract documents in Core Clause 17.1 however is much less distinct and clear cut in its definitions and clarity. The Clause states that The Project Manager or the Contractor notifies the other as soon as either becomes aware of an ambiguity or inconsistency in or between the documents which are part of this contract. The Project Manager gives an instruction resolving the ambiguity or inconsistency. However this does conflict with Core Clauses namely 12.3 and 18.1 which would then suggest that the responsibility to report inconsistencies lies solely with the Project Manager. Roles involved in the performance of the contract The JCT contracts require the Architect to act as the Contract Administrator in regards to performance of the contract on behalf of the employer. Under SBC/Q2011 the role of the architects expressed duties is covered in conditions 2.8 (1.2.3.4), 2.9, 2.11 and 2.12. These range from ensuring documents are supplied to the Contractor in accordance to the release schedule and initial contract documents to discharging the contract. As these are obligations of the architect they are therefore legally accountable for the area of contract administration. Given the Architects professional position and experience it is there duty to ensure the contract is carried out under the implied terms of common law and to the terms and conditions of the contract, it is crucial that the Architect stays unbiased when making decisions. SBC/Q2011 states under condition 2.4 that it is the duty of the Contractor to continue with the work on a regular basis and attentively and have the works finished by the agreed completion date. The work should progress steadily and in accordance to the contract in regards to time as noted in (Chappell 2012). If the Contractor is to make a breach of duty in respect of non-performance (not partial performance) of the contract would result in complete disregard to the contract terms and conditions which would cause total non-performance. Provisions are made to non-performance regarding the employers in conditions 8.4, 8.5 and 8.7 which guarantees the Contractors continual advancement of works in the event of unpredictable circumstances delaying works and the rectification of defect works. Unlike SBC/Q 2011, NEC3 does not mention the Architect under any of its clauses which removes any context of the Architects involvement. Under Core clause 10.1 it stipulates that the legal transitions and agreements and between the Employer and Contractor and subsequently the Project Manager and Supervisor. The provision of NEC3 states that the association of the Employer is to be related regarding their participation within the roles of the contract administration and are therefore a legal entity. The Project Manager exclusively has authority to change the work information, including issues and discharging any works instruction all of which is stated under Core clauses 14.3 and 27.3. Therefore the Project Manager is acting as the Employers Agent , allowing them to have a greater influence in decisions, which contrasts SBCQ/2011 whereby the Architect of Contract Administrator is more independent and acts in sovereignty. It is vital that the appointed Project Manager under NEC3 be it a single person or firm is competent and professional in order to achieve successful completion of the works and the contract due to the wide-ranging duties and obligations they are assigned. The Project manager and Supervisor can delegate works to other staff members in order to carry out their duties. This is noted under Core clause 14.2 however, before this can be done the Contractor must be notified of what actions each member of staff has been assigned. NEC3 also differs variably from SBC/Q2011 in its lack of expressed terms stating the Contractors obligation to continue with the works regularly. Consequently it relies on the provisions of Core clause 20.1 which state the Contractor is to Provide the works as defined in clause 11.2(3) along with disciplinary procedure that corner any delays to key dates, damages and or the payments scheme. It is important to note that NEC3 has no provisions in any of its Clauses that concerns any expressed terms that state the Project Manager should be neutral and equal, as mentioned above they are effectively acting as the Employers Agent. Therefore any concerns regarding the issues of impartial and unbiased contract administration is an implied duty and should therefore be overseen by the implied terms of common law remedies as displayed in Constain Ltd and Others [Corber] v Bechtel Ltd Anor [2005]. The Contractors Responsibility for Design Regarding the responsibility of the design aspect the Contractor should have no involvement, except if it has clearly been requested and defined within the contract documents under the parameter of the Contractors design responsibility Chappell (2012). It is also worth mentioning that the term design should be used broadly and should also encompass not just drawings but also any written documents relating to the Contractors design proportion for example specifications and schedules of work. Lupton and Cornes (2013) The SBC/Q 2011 has previously required an additional supplement which is provided through the Contractors designed proportion part of the contract. With the Contractors design proportion the employer will then prepare their requirements known as the Employers Requirements, which is created from the performance specification that consequently then allows the Contractor to formulate and submit their proposals known as the Contractors Proposals. These are required when creating the contract documents and subsequently the contract sum. Under clause 2.13.2 it states that the Contractor shall not be responsible for the contents of the Employers requirements or for verifying the adequacy of any design contained within them. Furthermore under clause 2.2 titled Contractors Design Proportion, it states what the Contractor should do where the works contain a Contractors Design Proportion. From these clauses it should be made clear the difference between the Contractors Design Proportion and the remainder of the job is to reduce any conflicts or confusion throughout the project. The Contractors liability is noted in clauses 2.1 and 2.19.1 and ensures that they do not exceed the level of works required, due to the Contractors liability being near equal to the Architects the liability is restricted to the Contractors skill and attention to details in their works. The NEC3 differs from SBC/Q 2011 and does not give the Contractor as much flexibility of which the Contractors design can operate. Clause 60.3 of NEC3 states that any inconsistencies with site information are the responsibility of the Employer. It is noted in Eggleston (2006) that due to the fact the Employer should have taken into account the best site conditions as per 60(12) yet logically the Contractor should have allowances and precautionary measures in place, which is contradictive. The Contractors basic obligation is covered in core clauses 20.1 and the obligation for Contractors designed work in clause 21.1 which states what work and designs are required from the Contractor and that the Employer should state the works information, the criteria to which he requires designs to conform. NEC3 is written to take account of common law remedies unlike SBC/Q2011 which uses expressed terms of provisions when discussing the Contractors liability regarding the works being fit for purpose. NEC3 optional clause X15.(1.2) limits the Contractors liability to reasonable skill and care much like SBC/Q2011 clause 2.1. This clause could be interpreted differently regarding fitness for purpose as the Contractor could complete the works with reasonable skill and care however could not be meeting their contractual obligations. Clause 21.2 states that the Contractor is responsible for the design standards, materials and products unless it is stated otherwise in the works information. As common law remedies implied on any warranties unless they are excluded. Payment SBC/Q 2011s provisions states that the parties involved should agree to suitable staged payments or Milestones as they are more commonly known, however if staged payments cannot be agreed upon the contract provisions will default to interim payments as per condition 4.9 (1.2) where a monthly valuation is submitted. It is therefore crucial that all valuations submitted for interim certificates are reasonably accurate and do not need to be perfectly correct, this will allow for any errors from miscalculations created from the difficulty of the matter as revealed in Secretary of State for Transport v Birse-Farr Joint Venture [1993] 62 BLR 36. Interim amounts account for the completed work at Bill of Quantity rates along with a percentage of lump sums, the final amount is due when the whole work has been re-measured in accordance with the Bill of Quantities. Eggleston (2006) Interim valuations should be calculated via gross valuation, which include for the deduction of retention and any previously arranged payments certified as due. Provisions regarding this are found under 4.16 (1.2.3) discussing work executed, site materials and listed items. Yet staged payments should be agreed before the work is commenced and should correlate to relevant milestones and work sections. However this procedure should require periodic re-evaluations due to the administrative nature. Regarding in the event of insolvency as previously mentioned, the site materials in particular any stored off-site can be a difficult to identify whom they belong to, however noted in the provisions of SBC/Q 2011 under Terms of Conditions 4.17 (1-5) these materials become property of the Employer provided they are accounted for in an interim certificate. The Contractor must also provide proof to ensure all offsite materials are insured. Therefore any implied terms of common law remedies regard ing SGA 1979 are in excluded of their respective powers. To act upon the above the retention of title clause must be completed in order to identify the route the transfer of title takes, this is usually done methodically working through the supply chain from the Contractor, Subcontractor and Manufacturer, again checked against interim payments of that Contractor. The principles of payments should be governed by terms of the contract provisions and also by any implied terms of common law remedies like SGA 1979 and SOGSA 1982 as noted in Hughes, Mills, and OBrien (2008). In SOGSA 1982 it establishes that a payment should be made to any provider of work including the provision of any good or services supplied. However if it is expressed in the terms of the contracts provision a right to set off can be put in place to exclude any implied terms of common law remedies as seen in the case of Acsim (Southern) Ltd v Danish Contracting and Development Co Ltd [1992] 47 BLR 59 and Gilbert-Ash Northern v Modern Engineering Bristol) Ltd [1974] AC 689. Any interim certificates under the provisions of the SBC/Q 2011 are to adhere to the dates specified under the contract particulars throughout the contract and its conditions. Condition 4.10 (1.2) under contract provisions the contractor should receive a written notice stating the amount to be paid and the methodology used to calculate the sum, this should be received no less than 5 days after the submission of the interim certificate from the Contractor. It is therefore common practice for a reference to the interim certificate and copy of the valuation to be prepared by the Contract Administer or Quantity Surveyor. It should be noted that in comparison to either the Contract Administrator or Architect they would be held accountable to the parties involved due to the concern of skill and care. Regarding the final payment a few conditions must be mentioned firstly condition 4.12 (1-7) which covers details interim payments final date and amount most importantly that the final date for interim payment shall be no later than 14 days from the original issuing of the interim certificate. It also provides instructions on how to proceed with any pay less notices. Secondly the under the provisions of condition 4.15 (1-9) under title Final certificate and final payment instructs that the final payment will match the final certificate. The final payment should amount to the total of the contract price while taking into account all additional works and omissions, less the staged payments that have been paid throughout the projects work. As discussed by Ramsey (2000)the case of Lubenham V South Pembrokeshire DC [1986] 33 BLR 39 showing how the Contract Administrator should abide to the provisions of expressed terms of the contract while performing their contractual procedure, in which the contractor will have no motive or reason to challenge the certificates issued. NEC3 differs from SBC/Q 2011 in the methods used relating to payment schemes. Firstly it is the Project Managers responsibility to assess the amount of the payments due at the assessment date and consequently they are accountable to ensure the submission of application to confirm payment. The Project Manager is also responsible for determining the first assessment date. This is found under Core Clause 50.1 under title assessing the amount due. Clause 51.1 stating that the latest dates that the Project Manager can certify the payment are fixed throughout the contract relating to each assessment date, this is usually a period of 1 week from the date. NECs secondary option Clause X16 (1.2) is similar to condition 4.20 (1.2.3) of SBCQ/2011 in its replication which defaults the retention percentage to either 3% unless otherwise stipulated under the contract particulars. Regarding the Core clauses that relate to retention there are no expressed terms found in the contract provisions. Core Clause 50.3 is designed to be a powerful motivation to the Contractor and can incur a 25% deduction until the Project Manager confirms a programme submitted by the Contractor, however no provisions are made that make any reference to the final certificate, which consequently means that certificates have no order of precedence and controversially no contractual status. As we are aware it is the Project Managers responsibility under Core Clause 50.1 to access and certify each payment amount at the given assessment dates, along with this under Clause 50.4, it states that the Project Manager should take into account any submissions by the Contractor that however the responsibility remains on the Project Manager the amount due regardless if he has not received a submission from the Contractor. Any assessment that is issued after the defect certificate will be considered as is common practise as the final assessment which will lead to the final certificate, therefore from clause 50.4 it is understood that without the Contractors submission of a final account before the last assessment they will lose any influence they have regarding payment. However this clause may cause disputes between the Contractor and Project Manager regarding the information supplied from the contractors original submitted programme, as this considered to meet the requirements of the contracts agreement. Clause 50.3 is biased in its favouring to the Project Manager, therefore the Contractor may wish to seek adjudication if they believe they have any conflicts throughout the project as the clause provides the opportunity to invoke a penalty clause. NEC Core clause 50.5 is designed to provide motivation to the Contractor to submit a programme which contains information required for the contract, within this clause it is understood that if the amount has been inaccurately assessed is difficult to comprehend. It is implied that the Contractor will not be entitled to any correction of the next payment certificate. Usually it is common practice for inaccurate assessments to be corrected on the later payment certificates without the Project Managers admission. However, if the Project Manager does not correct the assessment in question again the Contractor can seek adjudication by an Adjudicator. If the Project Manager does admit to a mistake following a tribunal or adjudication, under the provisions of core clause 51.3 it is liable to attract interest calculated from the date when the increased amount would have been certified if there had been no dispute. Core Clauses 11.2(21), 11.2(22) and 11.2.(28) relate to Payment in Main Option B Priced Contract with BOQ. The Term bill of quantities is defined in clause 11.2(21) which define its meaning and therefore the how the BOQ relates to other clauses. Clause 11.2(21) is very similar to Core Clause 11.2(20) of the main Option A priced contract with activity schedule. Finally Core Clauses 11.2(28) and 11.2(31) define the completed work ensuring it cannot be misinterpreted regarding payment terms. References Chappell, D. (2012) Understanding JCT standard building contracts. 9th edn. London, United Kingdom: Taylor Francis. Eggleston, B.Ce. (2006) The NEC 3 engineering and construction contract: A commentary. 2nd edn. Oxford, UK: Wiley, John Sons. Galbraith, A., Stockdale, M., Wilson, S., Mitchell, R., Hewitson, R., Spurgeon, S. and Woodley, M. (2014) Galbraiths building and land management law for students. 6th edn. Oxon: Routledge. Hughes, S., Mills, R. and OBrien, P. (2008) Payment in construction: A practical guide. Coventry: RICS Books. Lupton, S. and Cornes, D.L. (2013) Cornes and Luptons design liability in the construction industry. 5th edn. London, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell (an imprint of John Wiley Sons Ltd). Ramsey, Vivian. Construction Law Handbook. 1st ed. London: Thomas Telford, 2000. Print. Cases Acsim (Southern) Ltd v Danish Contracting and Development Co Ltd [1992] 47 BLR 59 and Gilbert-Ash Northern v Modern Engineering Bristol) Ltd [1974] AC 689. Constain Ltd and Others [Corber] v Bechtel Ltd Anor [2005]. Lubenham V South Pembrokeshire DC [1986] 33 BLR 39 Secretary of State for Transport v Birse-Farr Joint Venture [1993] 62 BLR 36.

Children: Tomorrow’s Future Essay -- Education Kids Teaching Papers

Children: Tomorrow’s Future Introduction Let children be children, is not only a popular phrase heard in education, but it is also my motto. Yes, it is true, today’s children are tomorrow’s future; but how we choose to raise our children determines the outcome of our future. Many believe academics should be stressed more in schools, taking away from children’s playtime. I feel that play is what molds a child. Play allows not only a child’s imagination to run freely, but builds and strengthens children’s motor, language, cognitive, and social emotional development skills. I believe that play; along with parental involvement forms a child’s identity. Play is what makes children: tomorrow’s future. Body Motor Development Motor Development is defined as â€Å"the development of skill in the use of the body and its parts† (Charlesworth, 2000.p.12). Motor development can be even further defined by dividing it into two main categories: (1) Gross Motor and (2) Fine Motor skills. Gross motor skills involve many different physical motives and activities. The ability to run, jump, build muscle strength, gain a sense of gravity, and a sense of balance all fall under the gross motor category (Woolfolk, 2001a). Fine motor skills involve all of the little small-muscle movements (Woolfolk, 2001b). Motor development is greatly used and emphasized during the early childhood years because this is the time of a child’s life when their brain is like a sponge absorbing all information they come in contact with, and developing the most in order to form a path to their future. The early childhood years demonstrate many ways in which the motor skills are used and the many means of importance these skills display during these sta... ...uce new ideas and concepts into children's minds. Teachers can play at the children's level of social interaction. All these strategies can be implied in everyday situations to help enhance children‘s play levels. Conclusion In conclusion, as we are traveling through the twenty-first century, we are approaching new technology, scientific research, and current and future world events, but the most important thing to keep in perspective are the children of today’s society. Children are our tomorrow, and our future. As children go through school, and people push for more academics to be taught, it is important to remember that too much is overload. Children can indirectly build on their developmental skills through the use of play. Play is something that should never be buried. Play is what forms a child’s identity; it is what allows a child to be a kid!

Education: Banking or Problem Posing? Essay -- essays research papers

Education: Banking or Problem Posing? Richard Rodriguez and Paolo Freire write of education as the core factor in one’s life. They feel that education itself lends people to either â€Å"achieve† greatness or fall into the majority of â€Å"bankers.† â€Å"The Achievement of Desire† by Rodriguez and â€Å"The Banking Concept of Education† by Freire greatly resemble each other; however, they also differ on some points. Despite their differences, both texts come to the same conclusion – education makes a person who he/she can become. Rodriguez and Freire both state that education is vital for success. Rodriguez writes that he is the way he is because of his education. Rodriguez came from a working class Mexican family. When he was introduced to education, he became ashamed of this and chose to change his path from falling into the same social status. Rodriguez is known as he is today because of his ability to step back; out of the present situation or environment and reflect on it almost immediately. Rodriguez agrees that banking does nothing to better education or society itself. If no new ideas are ever surfaced, then progress will never occur. He was the same as everyone else until he started to analyze texts and paraphrase more than just summarize. This made him the â€Å"scholarship boy† that he was. By learning to use his education wisely and make connections between different texts, he heightened his intelligence. A key element that Rodriguez and Freire both speak of is banking education. Fre...

Suppresion of Individual’s Creativity

Throughout the State of Florida, numerous school boards have been attempting to standardize the clothing that students wear. The school superintendents who are in favor of uniforms will argue that the children who wear them will experience many benefits. I disagree with this position. I feel that the use of uniforms will strip identity, stifle creativity, and unnecessarily burden the families that cannot afford them. The use of uniforms has already been implemented in several long-standing social environments. The penal system uses uniforms to brand those persons who are incarcerated. Likewise, the military also uses them to separate and remove the individualism inside of the soldier. In both cases, individual identity is stripped away and the subject is forced to conform to the same outward appearance as every other subject. Another problem that will surface due to the implementation of school uniforms is the suppression of the individual's creativity and expression. Many students' express who they are through the way they dress. If a teenager wants to show the rest of the world that he loves Jesus, then he or she might wear a T-shirt that states a positive view on the subject. Similarly, a student might want to wear green colored clothing to show his or her support for St. Patrick's day. School uniforms would end both of those examples listed within this paragraph and many, many more. The last issue that needs to be addressed is the unnecessary burden that will be placed upon those families of limited resources. Many low-income families do not have the money available to furnish uniforms to their children. They can barely make ends meet with the help of charities and social programs. In Polk County, Florida, the school board is trying to pass legislation that a child cannot attend school unless they have on the proper uniform. An education is supposed to be available to all children, not just the ones whose parents can afford to buy the government ordered attire. I have listed several reasons why the use of school uniforms should not be implemented in America's public education system. Not only will it melt the individual into the mass, but it will also hinder those that are destitute. If the school boards desire to make the use of uniforms mandatory, then they need to issue all of the required equipment, just like the military and the prison systems do. Suppresion of Individual’s Creativity Throughout the State of Florida, numerous school boards have been attempting to standardize the clothing that students wear. The school superintendents who are in favor of uniforms will argue that the children who wear them will experience many benefits. I disagree with this position. I feel that the use of uniforms will strip identity, stifle creativity, and unnecessarily burden the families that cannot afford them. The use of uniforms has already been implemented in several long-standing social environments. The penal system uses uniforms to brand those persons who are incarcerated. Likewise, the military also uses them to separate and remove the individualism inside of the soldier. In both cases, individual identity is stripped away and the subject is forced to conform to the same outward appearance as every other subject. Another problem that will surface due to the implementation of school uniforms is the suppression of the individual's creativity and expression. Many students' express who they are through the way they dress. If a teenager wants to show the rest of the world that he loves Jesus, then he or she might wear a T-shirt that states a positive view on the subject. Similarly, a student might want to wear green colored clothing to show his or her support for St. Patrick's day. School uniforms would end both of those examples listed within this paragraph and many, many more. The last issue that needs to be addressed is the unnecessary burden that will be placed upon those families of limited resources. Many low-income families do not have the money available to furnish uniforms to their children. They can barely make ends meet with the help of charities and social programs. In Polk County, Florida, the school board is trying to pass legislation that a child cannot attend school unless they have on the proper uniform. An education is supposed to be available to all children, not just the ones whose parents can afford to buy the government ordered attire. I have listed several reasons why the use of school uniforms should not be implemented in America's public education system. Not only will it melt the individual into the mass, but it will also hinder those that are destitute. If the school boards desire to make the use of uniforms mandatory, then they need to issue all of the required equipment, just like the military and the prison systems do.

Hanging Fire Essay

Self-centered Teen or Thought-invoking Speaker : â€Å"Hanging Fire† by Audre Lorde The speaker in Audre Lord’s poem â€Å"Hanging Fire† is extremely self-centered. Does this limit the poem’s ability to say anything of general value? A simple read of â€Å"Hanging Fire† by Audre Lorde might lead one to conclude that there is no real value in this self-centered poem. However, upon critical analysis, one can obtain valuable insights from the poem. The 14-year-old speaker deals with major issues that plague the adolescent generation such as peer acceptance, race and gender inequality, sexuality, death and communication with parents. In the following paragraphs, I will demonstrate the speaker’s feelings on each of these matters. One issue that the speaker addresses is the pressure to fit in with her peers. The poem deals with such topics as dancing and upcoming parties (â€Å"I have to learn to dance/ In time for the next party†), the importance of fashion (â€Å"I have nothing to wear tomorrow†) and physical appearance (â€Å"Why do I have to be/ The one/ Wearing braces†). These are typical topics that cause teenagers to fear failure in terms of social acceptance. The pressure of not fitting into societal norms can oppress these young individuals, both emotionally and socially and the speaker is quite clear in the poem that she is concerned with these issues. Secondly, the issue of racial and gender inequality is evident in the poem. The speaker appears to be an African American girl. The poem begins with â€Å"I am fourteen/ And my skin has betrayed me†. This line could be interpreted in two ways. First, it could indicate that the speaker is dealing with pimples and blemishes, another example of a teenager’s concern about physical appearance. On the other hand, a more interesting interpretation is that the speaker is indicating that she is black. This reference to race indicates the speaker’s awareness that racism has caused and will cause her many frustrations in life. Another line in the poem states that â€Å"I should have been on the math team/ My marks were better than his†. The use of this incident is very creative because it deals with two issues: racial inequality and gender inequality. The speaker feels the unfairness of discrimination because she believes the spot on the math team should have been for her but, instead, was rewarded to the boy due to her gender and the  color of her skin. This line provides the reader with an example of the oppression and hardships the speaker is suffering as a black girl in school. The speaker later states in the poem, â€Å"There is nothing I want to do/ And too much/ That has to be done†. She recognizes that it will be hard to step forward and join the fight to have society accept equality. In fact, at times the speaker feels the task is too hard and that she does not want to try at all. Her adolescent desire to be accepted in society without ridicule further impedes her efforts to overcome the oppression. The third issue in the poem is sexuality. In the third line, the speaker states â€Å"The boy I cannot live without /Still sucks his thumb / In secret†. It is here that she tells the reader that she is not comfortable expressing her different views about her sexuality. The â€Å"boy I cannot live without† refers to the boy inside her and the reader sees that the speaker is aware that her feelings, emotions, and preference to the female sex must remain a secret for fear of scrutiny and non-acceptance. The secret thumb-sucking may refer to her insecurities of being gay. The speaker feels compelled to live a lie to avoid further shunning by her peers and society. The statement in the poem â€Å"Suppose I die before graduation/ They will sing sad melodies/ But finally/ Tell the truth about me† describes the unveiling of the truth of the speaker’s secret life upon her death and so reinforces the fact that she is not ready to publicly acknowledge her sexuality. Another topic in the poem is the communication problem between the speaker and her mother. Each of three stanzas ends with the same two lines: â€Å"And momma’s in the bedroom/ With the door closed.† It is obvious that the speaker feels that her mother is unapproachable. The door between the mother and speaker represents the lack of communication flowing between parent and child. The speaker, as a teenager, wishes to exercise her independence but still requires guidance in order to deal with adolescent issues such as social acceptance, racism, gender, sexuality and death. However, the conflict between the teenager’s growing pains and the mother’s reluctance to acknowledge her child’s independence has caused their communication to become obstructed. The speaker feels alone in the world and believes that she has nowhere to turn. Lastly, the speaker describes her adolescent fascination with death. The speaker refers to death in each of the three stanzas. As a teenager, the speaker is not only feeling overwhelmed by adolescent problems, but is also becoming aware of the future obstacles in life. The speaker sees death as a way of escaping these troubles. Death would allow her communication problems with her mother to disappear, cause her secret about her sexuality to be uncovered and save her from having to fight against societal oppression to accomplish the acceptance of equality. The speaker is seen to contemplate the common, yet unfortunate, adolescent idea of whether death and suicide is a real way to avoid the pressures of life and growing up. Therefore, if the reader of Audre Lorde’s poem â€Å"Hanging Fire† is able to move past the adolescent’s self-pity and into the substance of the poem, the reader is likely to gain an understanding of the serious topics being contemplated by a 14-year-old black girl. In this poem the speaker considers issues such as peer acceptance, racism, gender, sexuality, death and the importance of parental communication. Even the title, in association with the poem, provides value as it communicates to the reader that the speaker wishes to â€Å"hang fire† or delay dealing with the many pressures and obstacles in her life. Thus, even though the speaker in this poem is extremely self-centered, it does not limit the poem’s ability to say something of general value.

Leadership Principles Essay

Abstract This paper explores the definition of leadership, and how applying the principles of leadership can yield more success for teams in the workplace. It also serves to further explore personality self-evaluation and how personality traits help to define an individual’s leadership likely traits and strengths. Reference will be made to personality assessments such as the â€Å"Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator† (MBTI) and the â€Å"Big-Five Approach to Personality Assessment†, and what those assessments imply about an individual. While individuals tend to demonstrate particular trends and traits in relation to the personality assessments, the results are not absolute, and in no way offer definitive information about an individual’s specific characteristics (Scholl 2002). Detailed exploration of particular aspects and principles will yield a more refined working knowledge of leadership and practical applications in the workplace, specifically self-awareness and perso nal recognition of individual characteristics and learning styles. A summary with findings and conclusions will conclude the paper. Leadership Leadership is the ability to get a group to achieve greater accomplishments and achievements than the sum of individuals’ actions. Leadership means taking advantage of opportunities and finding ways to improve upon a situation, whether or not someone else gave you the empowerment to accomplish those goals (Blanchard, Fowler, and Hawkins, 2005, p. 15). Leaders have the innate ability to observe a scenario, realize what needs to happen to realize results, seize the moment and guide others to work together to accomplish a common goal. Ultimately, â€Å"a leader is anyone who can give you the support and direction you need to achieve your goal.† (Blanchard et al, 2005, 133). Self-Evaluation Every person is an individual, and as individuals they naturally have unique personality traits that affect how they interact and interact with others in the world. Personal assessment is a valuable tool that allows an individual to realize their own unique traits and tendencies, allowing them to be aware of precognitive tendencies that they might demonstrate in given situations. For me personally, I was assessed using the MBTI method to be an introvert, who tends to be slightly sensing, somewhat thinking, and strongly judging (https://www.typefocus.com). At first, I took some offence to being categorized in this method, but after researching the general description of my personality, as well as specific definitions of the preference categories, I came to realize that this information would ultimately empower me to become a stronger and more capable leader in the future. A summary of careers suggest that I could become a strong manager that would enjoy a workplace where I could use m y knowledge and organizational skills. I am likely to enjoy occupations that involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. (https://www.typefocus.com). I am able to ascertain that my personality traits suggest I am a person who is capable of teaching others my knowledge and other applicable skills. I am a leader who possesses both information power as well as expert power (Yukl, 2011, p. 193) Another assessment that helped me to understand about my character was the Big-Five Approach to Personality Assessment (Scholl, 2002). The Big-Five assessment provided five factors, along with several more specific traits and facets that help individuals understand and recognize concerning their personality. The five factors, or domains, are neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. My low scoring on the neuroticism portion suggests that I am a confident, optimistic individual who is even tempered and relaxed; able to face stressful situations without becoming upset (Scholl, 2002). I had a low extraversion score, suggesting that I am reserved and interpersonally formal; an independent thinker rather than a follower (Scholl, 2002). In the domain of openness, my score was almost dead center, suggesting that I do not have strong tendencies one way or the other (Scholl, 2002). I believe that this suggests that my reaction depends on the situation and the environment surrounding it. I can be curious and imaginative about certain situations, but cautious and conservative for others. Personal morals and ethics strongly influence my openness, whereas I am open to new ideas and thinking about scenarios, as long as they do not violate my personal ethical standards. For agreeableness, my slightly higher than center score suggests that I am for the most part a generous, trusting person who is sympathetic to others. At the same time, I can be suspicious and impatient with those who have disappointed me in the past. This is one aspect that I need to be aware of my past, and how it influences my present and future. I once had an assistant who I trusted complicity attempt to stage a mutiny to attempt to remove me from my position. Thankfully, my employees had enough ethical standards to make me aware of the decision, so that I could deal with the situation through the proper channels. However, as a result of that situation I have found it much more difficult to trust subordinates, and I tend to be suspicious of actions that could be viewed as disloyal and insubordinate to me as a manager and leader. For the final domain, conscientiousness, my score was again dead center, but the results for this particular section made me think more deeply about myself. I had always thought that I demonstrated the traits associated with someone who scores high for conscientiousness, but I must accept the fact that I may have tendencies that are normally for those scoring low. For me to be successful, I must constantly be aware of these traits, and be able to recognize and adjust my actions when I act in a way that is not conscientious. The guidelines representing how to promote emotional intelligence in the workplace (https://www.eiconsortium.org) suggested twenty-two steps to assess the situation, instigate change, then transfer power and evaluate how everything worked. The company I formerly worked for must have been influenced by these guidelines, as I had been introduced to the process years ago, and was a continual body of work for me as a retail manager. For every employee that was hired, whether full or part time, I had to assess them as an employee, and implement a training program that would yield the best results for the company. Teaching has always been a passion of mine, and I enjoyed showing how every employee had an impact on our store, and their effort and personal pride could have far reaching impact on our daily success, both for sales and customer satisfaction. The process of encouraging transfer and maintenance of  change was mainly designated for the management team, but that was an essential process for our team. I simply could not do it alone: I needed every member of the management to perform to their potential, so that we could function as a team, and each member of management would learn and better their skills for the next advancement opportunity that might come along. It was through this process that I was able to train and advance several members of management, many of whom are now store managers with their own stores to run. Leadership Style My personal leadership style is supportive leadership. I will always try to empower others around me to be aware of their potential, and support them when they need assistance. As Yukl suggests, I use my interpersonal skills to be supportive and compassionate with others as they try to get their work done (Yukl, 2011, p. 64). I attempt to learn more about an individual’s personality, so that I can find a way to best assist them in their own growth and leadership potential. That requires a being a coach who is sometimes there to boost their confidence, and at other times kick them in the rear when they are not putting forth their best effort. At the same time, I realize that it is not possible to provide the motivation for everyone. Every individual has different motivations, and ultimately must take responsibility for creating their own work environment (Blanchard et al, 2005, p.29). I am aware that to be a successful leader, I need to be able to not only empower others, but to show them how to be leaders unto themselves. Every individual needs to be aware of their own strengths and powers before they can lead themselves (Blanchard et al, 2005, p.62), and I plan help others find their way to lead themselves, and ultimately lead others to success. References Blanchard, K., Fowler, S., & Hawkins, L. (2005). Self Leadership and the One Minute Manager: Increasing Effectiveness Through Situational Self Leadership. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishing, Inc. Buckingham, Marcus (2005). The One Thing You Need to Know†¦About Great Managing, Great Leading, and Sustained Individual Success. New York, NY: Free Press. Lencioni, Patrick (2002). The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Scholl, Richard (2002). Dispositions: The Big 5 Personality Assessment. Retrieved from University of Rhode Island, Labor Research Center Web site: http://www.uri.edu/research/lrc/scholl/webnotes/Dispositions_Big_5.htm Yukl, Gary (2011). Leadership In Organizations, Eighth Edition. San Francisco, CA: Pearson Education, Inc.

God of Small Things Essay

In â€Å"God of Small Things†, written by Arundati Roy, Roy talks about many things but one thing that stood out was her negativity of what the colonist had brought over into India. Her argument could be that the colonist brought materialism into their culture making the natives think that they need things that they really do not need. The colonist bring the thought that making money any way possible is acceptable and Roy points out that ritual dances are even being used as a way of profit. Roy is just pointing out what effect colonialism has had on the people of the native country. Like many other text from post-colonial nations â€Å"God of â€Å"Small Things† points out the negative aspect of colonialism. Roy throughout the book talks about the city of Ayemenem and the river that used to flow through it. On one side of this river there was a place called the â€Å"history house†. Roy describes this place as a worn and old abandoned estate in a couple of her chapter but in one chapter she is describing what it looks like now and how different it is from when she was just a child. In chapter five a hotel is described; this is the chapter that I think she criticizes the rich and how they have become rich. Roy is showing her disapproval for the colonist making what was once an abandoned land fill into a tourist attraction that is no longer an eye sore and is now a beautiful estate. In chapter five Rahal returned to the river she used to know as a child. She describes how it used to be compared to how it is now that she has returned. Rahal does not seem to care about progress â€Å"So now they had two harvests a year instead of one. More rice-for the price of a river† (Roy 59). Sure people were making a profit from the rice but there will always be someone that is making a profit from something. The only good thing that Roy sees from the people making barges is that there is one more harvest; there are many rewards from having another harvest and they are not recognized; it is not that she probably does not see them but she is just pointing out the negativity from the colonist. Roy continues on and describes a five-star hotel that had bought what they used to call the â€Å"Heart of Darkness†. She says that the History House no longer could be approached from the river and that the house had turned its back on Ayemenem. Roy described this place as an abandoned haunted estate that nobody ever went to when she was a child but she says that it has turned its back on Ayemenem. Once again progress is looked at in a negative way. The hotel guests were transported to the estate by a speed boat through the backwaters and Roy describes the boats as leaving a film of gasoline. She does say that the hotel does have a beautiful view but says that they try to cover up the slum part of Ayemenem, which is understandable, it is not nature, all the slum was man made and they do not want to look at slummy areas. There was not much that the hotel could do about the smell of the waist. Roy makes many assumptions about the â€Å"hotel people†. First the thoughts are that the people actually care what is going on around them, and they do not care. She calls the estate a â€Å"smelly paradise†; the guest are to get used to the smell as they have become immune to other peoples poverty; with that statement she is claiming that everyone that owns the hotel and stays there is rich and does not know what poverty taste like; everything was a matter of discipline, nothing more to them. Roy then goes on to criticize the way the people are making money; through selling their history. In chapter five Roy not only criticizes and shows the negatives of progress, with hardly any positives, but also criticizes the way the people are making a living and profit. The â€Å"hotel people† advertise their estate as a paradise with history making many sensational claims just to draw the tourist to their paradise. She called many of the buildings that had history for sale â€Å"Toy Histories†. Roy does not like the fact that these people are trying to make a profit off of their own history and culture. The biggest thing of all probably is when the hotel hires dancers to perform dances that are classic ritual dances that have actual meaning and are not just for show; six hour classics are turned in to 20 minuet shows for pleasure. The ancient ritual dances were diluted into nothing more than entertainment where at one time they had meant something to the culture that those people once love so dearly. Here it is easy to see why Roy would criticize so much but one must realize that everyone cannot be pleased and never will be pleased. The colonial effect had some good effects and had bad, but Roy again only seems to point out the negativity that the colonialism has brought to the nation. Roy brings up many problems in her native land; I know that the point of her book is to point out the negativity of post-colonialism on her country but still, point out some more good things that did come out of colonialism. In many texts it is the same way though. In â€Å"God of Small Things† it speaks negatively of people from the native land sending their children to boarding schools in Britain, not directly but you can see that she is making a point that all the negativity is geared at those from the culture who have brought British culture and British economics back to their land. Whereas in Soyinka’s â€Å"Death of the King’s Horseman†, the horseman’s son has gone to Britain to study but comes back. After coming back he sees that his father has gone against customs and he decides to take it upon himself to see that the act is fulfilled in some form or another; in this text you have a native that stayed true to his native land but in Roy’s case the natives that went to Britain did not stay true and keep up their own culture but rather adopted another’s culture. Another example of colonist having an influence on the children of the native land and infiltrating through them is in Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo’s son becomes a Christian and Okonkwo does not like that, it is the beginning of his culture being put to a halt. Roy, I do not think, is pointing out all the people who sent their children to Britain but rather that even though India was â€Å"Independent† it still had Britain’s influence impacting almost everything in daily lives. In conclusion, Roy makes descriptive negative images because it is what she sees and has seen from the start. People that have not grown up in her culture from birth and seen the changes she has seen cannot fathom what she has seen. If someone from a more developed country was to go there they would see progression as a positive aspect because it is what they have grown up with but for people in that culture they can see the negative aspects of some progress; and that is what Roy is pointing out, she does point out some positives but the majority of the description about the way society is looked at is negative. The book becomes a very dreary read and quite depressing at some points because of all the negativity and horrible things that happen. However, all of the description of even the negative parts make you really get a since of what Roy is trying to say and that is that even with all the negativity one can break barriers. At the end of the day it is not the colonist fault for making Roy’s society what is but rather the people that refuse to change what needs to be changed. It does not matter about how much negativity is directed at the colonist, if the native people do not take responsibility they are to blame just as much as the British. The negativity is not geared at the British but rather her own society and own people.

Family and Family Imprints Essay

Family plays an important role in the personal as well as professional development of a human being. Since a person spends nearly 12 hours a day in the company of the family members, each and every family member leaves a strong imprint on the mind of the person. A child learns the good and the bad habits from the parents and the siblings. It is not only the verbal communication that is used as a source of education at home, which creates an imprint on the individual, but also the non-verbal communication adopted by the family members, which influences the mental and physical growth of the individual. Positive attributes like discipline, tolerance, and diligence are often acquired by noticing the father, while the positive traits, such as patience, politeness, and humility are acquired from the mother. Similarly, the siblings help each other in completing various tasks at home and in helping one another to reach full potential. While living with my family members comprising my father, mother, and a 2-year old younger sister, I have imbibed good qualities that have left imprints on my mind. This paper highlights the imprints left on me by each family member who continues to inspire me even today. Discussion According to the National Institutes of Health (2006), the background of the family leaves a strong imprint on the development of a child, which is significantly higher than the development process of a child in a daycare center. Although the daycare centers enable a child to develop social, learning, and communication skills, the imprints left on the child’s psyche are far greater during the growth phase of the child in the company of family members at home. I can vividly recall my childhood when my father and mother would drop me at the daycare center while going to their respective offices. Even though they felt the pain of separation while leaving me at the daycare center, they had no other option as they were both working to sustain the needs of our family. In spite of their duties at work, they compensated for the missing parental love by hugging, kissing, playing, and sharing the jokes with one another. My father has led a disciplined life and motivates me to live a disciplined life as well. He has been a practitioner rather than a preacher because he wakes me up at 5 in the morning and takes me for a brisk morning walk in the park. He has a good physique and is a creative thinker due to his spiritual way of living. We do exercises to stretch the body and prepare it to work throughout the day. Besides, my father also does breathing exercise during special meditation session, but I have been able to learn this advanced technique only partially. However, I must assert that I have been able to live a healthy life due to the regular routine taught to me by my father. My father has been a kind-hearted man as he always tries to help the needy and even volunteers in the hospital on the weekends. Since I am mostly preoccupied with my studies, I participate in the community health camps where I donate blood regularly. As a result of my interaction with my father, I have imbibed good problem solving and time management skills, which continue to help me reach my goals. I have self-esteem and a strong will to achieve the desired goals, and these qualities are due to the imprints of my father. My mother has a good physical and mental health, but she prefers to do the stretching as well as breathing exercises at home only because she has to complete the daily housekeeping jobs also. After completing the housekeeping work and taking shower, she calls all of us for a prayer to the Almighty God. We have a small place in the bedroom where my mother, father, my younger sister, and I worship God through chanting of hymns. It is because of these ten minutes we spend during our prayer in the morning that helps us to work morally and diligently. My mother has always been patient, cool, tolerant, calm, and generous. I can see the glow on her face due to her faith in God and her persistent efforts to live a satisfied life. Although I am ambitious and want to achieve fame in my life, I have never allowed myself to lose my temper when difficulties pose challenges in my career path. The imprints of my mother continue to inspire me to live morally even though temptations may arise every now and then. I am grateful to my mother for helping me live truthfully and according to the ethics of the profession. It is said that child is the father of man, and I also support this statement because I learn good values even from my 2-year old younger sister. She is always smiling and radiates her happiness to all of us. My mother, father, and I try to give all the comforts to her. To retain the smile and happiness of my younger sister, I change her nappies and give baby food to her, which is prepared by my mother. It is the collective responsibility that is demanded by my sister, and I need to confess that we all strive to give the best things of life to her. As an important member of the family, I consider my responsibility to take good care of my sister. I think that I am able to practice my education at school by maintaining hygienic standards of living for my sister in the house. My sister has made me more responsible and attentive. Moreover, I have developed good teamwork skills as my mother, father, and I work together to give good care to my little sister. Conclusion My family is a cohesive unit that comprises me, my father, my mother, and my 2-year old younger sister. We have been working as a united group to help each other accomplish the daily work. The imprints of my father, mother, and sister have enabled me to develop personally and professionally as I have imbibed problem solving, time management, creative thinking, and teamwork skills. Besides, my family has helped me to live morally and with self-esteem. References National Institutes of Health. (2006). Family Characteristics Have More Influence On Child   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Development Than Does Experience In Child Care. Retrieved June 6, 2010, from http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/oct2006/nichd-03.htm