Walt Disney s Theory Of Bureaucracy, And Blake And Mouton...

Introduction Walt Disney Company is a mass media and entertainment company headquartered in Burbank, California. The Disney brothers Walt and Roy founded Disney in 1923. Originally, Disney was strictly an animation industry before expanding into television, film, and most notably theme parks. Disney’s theme parks have become world renowned for the experiences and memories they give the people that visit the park. Disney’s parks are also respected for their organizational communication in terms of their employees and their interactions with visitors of the theme park. As mentioned earlier, Disney is a company that applies organizational communication to all facets of their operations especially to their theme parks. This is why we decided to study them so closely for this paper. We will apply Deal and Kennedy’s Strong Culture theory, Weber’s Theory of Bureaucracy, and Blake and Mouton’s Managerial Grid to what we have learned about Disney as an organization to an alyze where they fit into each of these theories and critique their organizational practice and identify any ways they can improve as outlined by these theories. Deal and Kennedy s Strong Cultures When defining culture, one can say that culture means: a particular form or stage of civilization as that of a certain nation or period; development or improvement of the mind by education or training; or the behaviors and beliefs characteristics of a particular social, ethnic, or age group (Culture). All ofShow MoreRelatedOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pages. Organization Theory Challenges and Perspectives John McAuley, Joanne Duberley and Phil Johnson . This book is, to my knowledge, the most comprehensive and reliable guide to organisational theory currently available. What is needed is a text that will give a good idea of the breadth and complexity of this important subject, and this is precisely what McAuley, Duberley and Johnson have provided. They have done some sterling service in bringing together the very diverse strands of work

Cognitive Development Skills Of A 9 Year Old Boy Essay

A Statement of Purpose The purpose of this observation is to study the cognitive development skills of a 9-year old boy. Also, to understand if there are any environmental factors that might affect any area of cognitive development: for example, memory capacity compared to an average child in middle childhood. The specific area that this observation will be concentrating on, is information processing, and to go more in depth, memory and attention. Background Information From early childhood to middle childhood, the child develops in many ways, such as, physical, cognitive, and social. The older the child gets, they can jump higher, they can hold a conversation and understand emotions in complex ways, and they can think more abstractly. Cognitive development in middle childhood starts from six years old to eleven years old. Their information processing improves from early childhood: such as, attention, planning, strategic memory, and self-regulation [berk]. Attention in a middle childhood becomes more selective, flexible, and planful [berk]. First, in selective and flexibility, children improve as they move into middle childhood. Children can focus on tasks that are more complex, such as, paying attention to a direction and being able to complete it without getting confused with another distractor or objective. Tasks at this age can become more challenging [berk]. Second, planning also becomes a complex objective going into elementary school years. They think about theShow MoreRelatedLifespan Development1516 Words   |  7 PagesLifespan Development and Personality Luis Cervantes PSY/103 January 11, 2016 Susanne Nishino Lifespan Development and Personality Developmental psychology is the study of how human beings age and transform throughout the eight major stages of life. This paper will focus on the physical, cognitive, social, moral, and personality development of individuals found in stage two, (early childhood 1-6 year olds). Through exploring, and examining the countless influences that affect their growthRead MorePhysical and Cognitive Development1246 Words   |  5 PagesPhysical and Cognitive Development PSY/ 103 Introduction to Psychology This paper is will focus on the influences of physical and cognitive development in adolescence from 12 to 18 years of age. This part of the developmental stage has many factors that affect the physical development as well as the cognitive development in adolescence. In addition to influences of physical and cognitive development this paper will also focus on the hereditary and environmental influences that makeRead MoreCharacteristics of children in middle childhood Essay1162 Words   |  5 PagesHuman development refers to the processes of change and stability throughout human life. The early stages of development in children are important in their life span. Children in middle childhood are those who are in the age between 6 to 11 years old. Most children in middle childhood start their formal education in primary school. In this stage, they have more opportunities to expose themselves to people and environment they had never known. In general, children in middle childhood are characterizedRead MoreGrowth Rate and Development in Boys and Girls Essay1053 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Over the years boys and girls grow at a constant pace, which is considered to be â€Å"normal.† There are many factors that influence a child’s height, such as their gender, genetics, nutrition, physical activity, present health problems, etc. Evidently, â€Å"Normal† growth does not have an exact approximation by how much a child grows but explains what factors influence a normal growth rate. These factors include healthy eating, exercise and enough sleep. If a child remains active in theseRead MoreDoctors, Teachers, And Parents Observe The Development1540 Words   |  7 Pagesobserve the development of their child or several children. Some professions address one area more than others, but all areas of development effect each other. I will be analyzing Sophia, a 3-year, 7 month old child. Sophia participates in dance class and attends daycare. She has one younger sister, who is 9 months old, and married parents. Sophia began waling at 12 months old. According to the article, â€Å"Baby Milestone: Walking,† by the Baby Center, babies typically begin walking between 9 and 12 monthsRead MoreReport Intellectual Child Development for Children Age 9 to 11 Early Adolescence1685 Words   |  7 PagesReport Intellectual Child development of Children age 9 to 11 Early adolescence or â€Å"Are you smarter than 10 years old?† [pic] Mariela Zlateva Contents 1 Introduction 2 Background 3 Intellectual characteristics of children age 9-11 4. Observation 5. Conclusion 6. References 7. Glossary Read MoreAdult / Teacher Interaction : A Male And His Date Of Birth915 Words   |  4 Pages) Adult/Teacher Interaction: †¢ Kenta is a male and his date of birth is on 4/2/2011 and he is four years old and five months. A teacher engaged in guided participation when she saw Kenta running on the walking ramp of the room and he get into trouble. She approaches him and tells him that she doesn’t want to see him get hurt or hurt his head, he agrees to what she said and she thanks him. I understand this because children learn society’s values and practices by participating in family, school andRead MoreStandardized Assessments Of Intelligence And Development847 Words   |  4 PagesStandardized Assessments of Intelligence and Development The search of information of this study yield the correlation between music education, musical training, and musical experience of children and the ability that music have on the enhancement of children learning ability in the areas of auditory perception, reading related skills, verbal and nonverbal reasoning. The participants in this research are children between the ages of 3 to 10 year old and are all elementary school aged childrenRead MoreChildhood Development : Middle Childhood1269 Words   |  6 PagesMiddle Childhood Development The middle childhood is to leave the play years to start maturing years to start adolescence (Berk, 2010). During the middle childhood, children began to have a lot physical changes. As well as, they begin to discover there identify that they are. For example, secondary sexual organs begin to develop in the boys and girls, they will confuse about identify. The puberty is the cycle when children are out of control because they will transition to leave the children to enterRead MoreThe Early Years Of A Child s Life1628 Words   |  7 PagesThe early years of a child s life are very important for their health and development. Parents, educators, and others can work together as partners to help children grow up to reach their full potential. As children develop from infants to teens to adults they go through a series of developmental stages that are important to all aspects of their person hood including physical, intellectual, emotional and social(Cole, P. , Martin,S., Dennis, T. (200 4)). The proper role of the parent and educators

Cry the Beloved Country, Inherit the Wind, Julius Caesar Free Essays

Eleanor Roosevelt stated that people make their own decisions, and the reasoning behind what happens in their lives is of their own responsibility and consequence. Bert Cates, from Jerome Lawrence’s Inherit the Wind, applies directly to this statement while Stephen Kumalo of Cry the Beloved Country and Caesar of Julius Caesar do not. Stephen Kumalo and Julius Caesar’s lives were drastically influenced by the choices of others, not their own. We will write a custom essay sample on Cry the Beloved Country, Inherit the Wind, Julius Caesar or any similar topic only for you Order Now Bertram Cates, however, made his own decisions and influenced his life individually. In Inherit the Wind, Bert Cates illegally teaches evolution to his biology class. As a citizen of Hillsboro, TN, he must have known that teaching evolution was unlawful as well as the consequences that would follow. Cates, however, is a man who wants to fully educate his students and open them up to different ideas and perspectives. For this reason, he teaches evolution anyway and is prosecuted and fined $100 (Lawrence, . Inherit the Wind. Pg 103) for it. It’s a consequence of his choice to teach such a controversial subject and because of it his life is greatly impacted. In Julius Caesar, Julius’ fate was definitely not of his own choice. Brutus, Cassius, Cinna, Decius, and Casca, a group of people Caesar trusted, murder him. Caesar had done nothing wrong. He’s a bit cocky and self centered at times, perhaps, but he has done nothing harmful to the well-being of others. The lack of trust from Brutus, Cassius, Cinna, Decius, and Casca is why Caesar’s life is brought to an end. They think he’d go mad with power, so they take him out before he even has the chance to prove them right or wrong. In reality, he would have done what is right for his people, and that is apparent in his will. â€Å"To every Roman citizen he gives, to every several man, seventy-five drachmas. †, Marc Antony reads off of Caesar’s will, â€Å"Moreover, he hath left you all his walks, private arbors, and new-planted orchards, on his side Tiber. He hath left them to you and to your heirs forever. † (Shakespeare, Julius Caesar. Pg. 133) Caesar has no control over stopping the situation because he doesn’t even know it’s going to happen. He hasn’t done anything to deserve his murder, it’s not of his own consequence. He was killed out of the mistrust from others. Stephen Kumalo of Cry the Beloved Country is tossed around, put through so much pain, and none of it is of his doing. He may have made the decision to look for his son and sister to protect his family, but isn’t it a man’s instinct to care for the people who are closest to him? Stephen’s son made the decision to take the wrong path, live the life of a thief, and eventually kill another person. Stephen’s sister made the decision to sell alcohol, sleep around, and not care for her son. All of these bad choices were made by other people, yet Stephen was still strongly affected by them. Eleanor Roosevelt says that people are responsible for what happens in their lives, but Stephen couldn’t control Absalom being sentenced to death, Gertrude leaving, or his brother screwing him over. This is because he didn’t have the money, power, and most importantly, the control over their decisions. How to cite Cry the Beloved Country, Inherit the Wind, Julius Caesar, Essay examples

Unit One free essay sample

U. S. Has given rise to new styles of music, such as Regnant and Latin Jazz. This has created a cultural infusion and melting pot within America. 2 The significance of Macho and HIS Afro-Cubans was that this was the first time Africa was acknowledged publicly. The band also defined Afro-Cuban Jazz and its height to popularity. 3 Size Gillespie, a Jazz musician and founder of Bebop, thought the rhythm of Jazz was ring and wanted something new and fresh.He Incorporated Latin music Into his music by getting Chant Bozo to play the conga, a Latin drum, at one of his concerts In 1947 at Carnegie Hall. Dizzy was pleased with the new sound of his band and asked Chant to stay with the band. Chant Introduced to Dizzy, Emanate and this Infusion reinvented Latin Jazz 4 The Palladium, once a dance studio, was a ballroom In Midtown Manhattan, Home of the Mambo. The Palladium attracted people of all grounds, race, and color. We will write a custom essay sample on Unit One or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The one thing that united them was their passion to dance. 5 Television and films allowed for Latin music to reach a broader and newer audience. 6 Latin music influenced rock music through exposure to Latin music and its popularity during the asss. There is Latin influence in the rhythm of rock music. There was a huge Latin influence on rock music because musicians incorporated familiar music of their day-to-day life.

Did God Create Humans Or Did Humans Create God Essays -

Did God Create Humans Or Did Humans Create God? Who Made Who Who made who? Did God create humans or did humans create god? At first thought one would of course say God created humans. Man cannot create god! What fool would dare say such a thing! After all the definition of God says that it is the supreme being and the divine creator, not the divine creation. So of course God created man, right? Or shall we dig a little deeper into this question and examine it from the other side? Is God just a figment of mans elaborate imagination? Could it be that God is a mythological tool used by man to manipulate the mind to give explanations to the unexplainable? If this is true then humans created god. Since the beginning of mankind, gods and goddesses have been attendant in all cultures all over the world. In ancient times such as ancient Egypt man had numerous gods for individual necessities. The Egyptians made sun, moon, rain, and fire gods in which they would worship relentlessly in fear that the Gods would punish them by causing a drout, fire, or other natural disasters. These kind of early primitive form of gods were created by humans in shier ignorance. They couldnt comprehend how the world functioned. All they knew was that there were necessities in the world that were vital to their survival such as the sun. They were oblivious to what the sun was, but they knew it was consequential to their existence so they labeled it as a god. Years past, and as time went by man obtained more and more knowledge about the Houck 2 environment in which they inhabited. With Knowledge came the dawn of a new breed of gods. Gods that would satisfy mans starving imagination and explain their existence. Expanding from the elementary elemental based gods of the Egyptians came more evolved gods. Gods that were more than just dominators over the elements. Gods that expressed a plethora of emotions toward man and became a more personal form of a God. Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Muslim are just a few examples of the contemporary religions that were created between 2500 BCE to 500 CE . Why havent there been any new religions created within the last 1,500 years? The answer is simple. The human race as a whole has become so abundant with knowledge that we arent nearly as nieve and susceptible to manipulation anymore. Therefore no new creationist religions have been originated. Sights that would have served as a miracle 2000 years ago have now boiled down to simple explanations of science. For example, in the Bible, Genesis 9:14-15 it reads ; It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, I shall set my rainbow to be seen in the cloud; And I shall remember My covenant which is between Me and you; The waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.. To translate this into more simple terms it implies that God created the rainbow after the great flood as a reminder to man that God will never flood the Earth again. Present day people now know that a rainbow is nothing more than a reflection and refraction of the suns rays in drops of water that form the colors in the spectrum. There is no miracle in this although a rainbow is an exceptional sight. It is a hard pill to swallow to think that one religion is right and the other is wrong. Particularly when there is such a vast array of religions in this world. Religion is a peculiar and mind boggling part of life. Although religion is contrived by man it is still righteous and inspires Houck 3 love and good will to all. Religion is the transparent glue that holds mankind together. Like all things it has its down sides, but Surely one wouldnt desire a world without religion. Man made or not. Mythology

Edipo Rey, y La Metamorfosis essays

Edipo Rey, y La Metamorfosis essays Las tragedias de Edipo Rey, y La Metamorfosis tienen diferencias en cuanto a las situaciones, el tiempo y muchas cosas tcnicas, pero en general, estas dos historias tienen un tema muy parecido al de cada uno. La Metamorfosis, habla sobre un joven llamado Gregorio Samsa, que es adicto al trabajo, y en una de esas mandole sus oportunidades, y lo convierte en algo insignificante a la sociedad, y finalmente lo distancia de su familia. Gregorio se preocupaba mucho de su familia en muchas maneras pero especialmente econmicamente, el trabajo le era muy importante. La historia de Edipo Rey, cuenta sobre el anticipado destino trgico de una familia. El padre de Edipo, Layo, recurre a un orculo y este le cuenta sobre su futuro. Le dice que su hijo lo iba a matar a el, y se casarà ­a con su madre (Yocasta). Layo trata de deshacerse de su hijo, pero termina crindose en otra familia, que le cuenta sobre su destino. Edipo se escapa de ellos y trata de huir de su futura vida, pero al final lo que dice el orculo se hace realidad. Al final Yocasta se suicida, y Edipo se saca los ojos y se destierra. Gregorio y Edipo son dos protagonistas que tratan de huir su propia existencia trgica e incambiable, al darse por vencidos, sufriendo el castigo mas grande de cada sociedad. Los dos personajes en su forma de ser son muy similares. Gregorio era un muy buen hijo, y soportaba a la familia. Se preocupaba ms que cualquier otro sobre el estado econmico, e iba a trabajar en mayorà ­a por ellos. Edipo tambin mantenà ­a a la familia que lo adopto y era muy bueno con ellos. Son muy dedicados al trabajo y al deber, saben lo que tienen que hacer para mantener una vida estable. Los dos le tienen un temor que esta muy cerca de ellos y que no quieren que pase. Gregorio...

Identify and select a contemporary management issue from current Essay

Identify and select a contemporary management issue from current affairs - Essay Example Body Globalisation There are various perspectives which can be used to explain and define globalisation. These perspectives and explanations span the historical, economic, and socio-cultural realms. For purposes of this discussion, the economic perspective shall be considered. Higgott and Reich (1998, p. 8) discuss that globalisation â€Å"might be characterized functionally as an intrinsically related series of economic phenomena†. Under this perspective, inclusive aspects of globalisation would also embrace liberalisation, the deregulation of trade activities, the reduction of state control functions, expansion of foreign direct investments, and the coordination of capital markets (Higgott and Reich, 1998). A globalised economy also means that the sale, production, and the manufacture of goods can be made on the wider global market. Labour would also be able to include the global citizenry, with a possibility of covering a more diverse, more talented, and an even more skille d labour market. The article by Schifferes (2007) discusses that globalisation seems to have a significant impact on rich and poor countries, â€Å"transforming regions such as Detroit of Bangalore from boom to bust – or vice versa – in a generation†. ... Globalisation has been an acknowledged element in the economic progress seen in the past few decades, and more apparently in recent years; moreover, its benefits seem to be spreading not just to the developed states, but to the developing and emerging economies of Asia. Multinational corporations (MNCs) have also thrived well under this globalized economy as these corporations have built numerous manufacturing plants in various countries in order to take advantage of cheap labour and more accessible natural resources (Schifferes, 2007). MNCs have also found globalisation to be largely advantageous to them due to the difficulties in tracking their progress; in effect, some of them have actually become virtual corporations as they outsource many of their production activities to other countries like Asia (Schifferes, 2007). As the developing nations and emerging economies have been enjoying the fruits of globalisation, developed nations seem to be experiencing some of its pitfalls. It seems that globalisation has become a global equalizer as it is stripping away many of the advantages which the developed nations used to have over the developing countries. Now the economic playing field is on equal ground with the richer countries needing the cheap labour and lower production costs, while the emerging economies are continuing to enjoy major gains in profits and a larger access into the global market. As the developing countries and emerging economies are benefiting well from the globalization activities, the West has become anxious about globalization. In the UK, investors have been worried about outsourcing white collar jobs with the general public protesting about the thousands of jobs being outsourced

International business strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International business strategy - Essay Example In October 31, 1969, the company was incorporated as Walmart stores, Inc. Over time, Walmart stores have grown globally to 8,159 retail stores in 15 different countries (Walmartstores, 2009); and the story of globalization still continues. Cost effectiveness is the core competence of Walmart. They believe to offer best quality products on lowest possible prices and enable their customers to live better by saving money (Walmartstores, 2009). If Walmart wants to enter UK, their primary objective must be to keep up their brand name high; and for this they have to keep the essence of cost effectiveness. To foray in the UK market, Walmart can take several ways. They can go for merger with another company in UK or they can forward their leap by acquiring another retail company in UK. Setting up a new company on its own in UK seems not to be a good choice for Walmart. A new set up will not have any client base, any reputation in the UK market. Moreover Walmart will not be so familiar with the business customs. So setting up a new business and survive in a competitive environment while get accustomed to its people, culture and business customs will be quite a tough way for Walmart to get into UK market. Building a company from scratch seems to be an unnecessary and expensive way to move on. A merger means two companies coming together and forming a new company altogether and in this case the control would be evenly distributed among the owners of both the companies. If Walmart enters in UK market by merger, it needs to share its control of ownership with the other company. Now if Walmart has to hold on its uneven control, it has to go by acquiring a company or companies in UK (DePamphilis, 2008). The current economic state has been tough for the prospective buyers and at the same time has brought source of opportunities for them. During the time of recent downturn, the prices of many

Haier Group Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Haier Group Corporation - Essay Example This report provides answers to the four discussion questions of the case study. The content of the answers includes information about the company’s capabilities, strengths, and weakness, the value chain internal analysis and how the CEO can exploit the company’s resources to reach its goals. 1. The Haier Group Corporation is a Chinese based firm that was able to convert its medium size domestic manufacturing firm into a global giant during the past two decades. The company’s core product is home appliances in which they are 4th in the world, but the firm has not limited itself to single type product which has enabled Hair to have a diversified product offering of over 43 million products in 96 categories. The company has a superior logistics supply chain network that covers 160 countries around the world with over 50,000 sales outlets carrying their products. The size of the company and its established global network are two positive aspects of the operation which can be used by the firm to obtain a competitive advantage. The company diversification strategy and its global branding approach are two aspects that make their operation distinctive. The company is able to offer a wide array of products which makes doing business with Haier an attractive alternative for distributors and retailers worldwide. The business growth of this firm has been limited by a centralized approach. The company has openly favored expanding its manufacturing operations into developed nations in order to show that the firm cares about the community to establish an image of a local firm. Consumers tend to have greater loyalty for domestically produced products because they have a greater impact on the local economy in the form of revenues and job creation. Haier is a local producer in marketplaces such as the United States and Europe. A critical strategy that has allowed the company great acceptance in all the marketplaces they penetrate is the fact that their products are quality items at affordable prices.

Pressure Groups And Stability Of Regime In Pakistan

Pressure Groups And Stability Of Regime In Pakistan The literature review will focus on the issues and the reasons that affect the stability of regime in Pakistan, mainly focusing on the different forms of pressure groups, the role they have played, whether positive or negative in the past and what is the future of Pakistan if these pressure groups continue to be dominating and influential. Also some of the important eras will be highlighted like Zias regime or Musharrafs regime. Most of the articles are basically theory based with no such statistical model applied and basically focus on the prevailing instability in Pakistan and issues related to it. According to the writer the reason behind the instability is basically the lack of a proper political system in Pakistan. No government has survived for long and successfully. The national assembly has been dissolved 10 times and 3 times the reason was military interference. No political parties have worked together in peace. There has been always a conflict of interest or power. At the same time religious parties have created their own brand of Islam and are exploiting the situation. Lack of fair elections and corruption has led to extreme cases like political victimization and political polarisation. Even though democratic political institutions exist they are weak and fragile. Another factor is of the existence of feudal lords, which has caused a structural imbalance between the middle class, and the upper class, which comprises of mostly landlords and industrialists. Majority of the power lies in the hands of the upper class. Another issue that has been highlighted in the article is the ethnic conflict that has been in debate for years. Other issues that are discussed in the article are the role of army, rising power of the religious parties and lack of proper rule of law. To conclude the article discusses that future of Pakistan lies in a more democratic environment where there is less corruption and the role of judiciary would be stronger in maintaining a balance between the arbitrary power and the party in power. Today the masses are more informed about the political system in Pakistan and one way it has contributed to the development of the country as a whole however there are other major factors like increase in the level of suicide attacks, food shortage, water and power shortage which has adversely affected the country. What was a basic ideology for the existence of the country is now more of a pressure group that seeks to gain power by exploiting the constant military intervention and forcing out the secular political parties. The creation of political polarisation amongst civilian and military, among different ethnic groups and provincial groups and among Islamists and secularist has disrupted the regime stability. Also now religious pressure groups have become more powerful, well armed and well financed and influence different branches of government. People have lost trust in the secular parties like Muslim League (Nawaz) and PPP and at the same time most of the military rulers have used Islamist for their own political purpose, be it Zia or be it Musharraf. According to the author the best way to control the growing power of Islamists is through democracy and strengthening the civil society. Also he suggests that U.S intervention in such matter should be taken especially after September 11 attac ks. The biggest limitation of this article is that it focused more on the role of Islamist in the past than their existing role. Also the conclusion is very uncertain and vague as to how should this pressure group be controlled. The condition of Pakistan is deteriorating and if we look at the current scenario the one of the biggest problem the religious groups that has created disruption and fear among the lives of the people. The writer focuses more on the past the past then the future. From 1947-1958 the two most economically powerful pressure groups in West Pakistan were the landlords and the business groups. In East Pakistan the power lied in the hands of the middle class income groups, after the land acquisition act in 1951. Whereas in West Pakistan feudalism was on it peak whereby one-fifth of the cultivable land was owned by one-half of one percent of the owners. Not only were these landowners active in politics by capturing the majority seats in the assembly. In provincial elections in 1951 in the former Punjab about 80 percent of the members elected were landlords. Out of 40 members in the constituent assembly 28 members were landlord groups. The landlords groups have been long engaged in rivalries. As rival groups were more or less in agreement in retaining their landed interests, politics in Pakistan has become a cynical pursuit of sheer power. The domination of feudal lords and family rivalries affected the politics of Pakistan. The influence of business groups was small since at that time there were few industries. It was indirect, whereby they were formally organized and they put effective pressure on the decision-making authorities from outside the governmental institution. The labor class is very weak, but slowly the trade unions are growing strong and influential when it comes to labor issues. Feudal system is still prevalent in the rural areas whereby the decision of the big landlord is considered to be the final verdict. Also the major leaders of political parties have the landowning background be it Asif Ali zardari, Sharif brothers or Altaf hussain. These landowners due to their rivalries have affected the stability in a bad way. Even though this article is very old but is of extreme relevance as discuses the root cause that lead to the emergence of Pressure groups in Pakistan and is can be of importance when comparing the regimes over-time and how the roles have changed. The later impact of this was that when Zias regime ended the position and the jobs that were promised to the religious Ulemas who had no formal education but merely an informal education in the madrasas were rejected. This frustrated the religious militancy, which resulted in an extreme behavior and disruption. Furthermore religious groups can be categorized as the role of Taliban in destruction of Pakistan. The impact of the training of Talibans during the Afghanistan war and providing them with arms and funding them has now become problematic for Pakistan with a huge number of suicide attacks happening and terrorizing the whole country. Zia-ul-haq immense support for the Islamic activists has resulted in the religious polarisation that exists in todays Pakistan. The statistics say that by 1996 there were around 2463 madrasas only in Punjab and 1700 were supported from outside sources that included the Persian Gulf and Middle East. These Islamic teaching centers are more now a centr al place for the political activities. Thus, it can be concluded from this article that the rise of Islamists and constant battle between Sunni and Shia has resulted in instability in Pakistan over the years. However Pakistan which is presided by Musharraf and is in the shackles of economic recession and anarchy needs heavy financing for not only sustaining the Musharrafs regime but also its economic well being. Despite strong U.S alliance it doesnt do a sufficient to save Pakistan from drenching. Religious extremism diverts a lot of attention of the government of Pakistan as the attacks and events leading to deaths and bloodshed have recently increased in the country. People feel insecure and threatened by their own fellows. In the name of religion wrong doers are exploiting the weaker ones. Military has taken over the country, sometimes directly by enforcing Marshal law and sometimes indirectly by influencing the government when making the decisions. Also the prevailing condition as the country is on the verge of Civil war military is more active within the country than on the outskirts to protect it from its neighbors. The four categories of elites are economic, political social and religious. Each of these exerts different levels of influence over the government. According to the author Political elites include, officers, and members of large landowning families. Economic elites include the industrialist class, which can be considered as newly wealthy and newly influential. The conflict between the two elite classes is one of the major reasons for instability. As 4th president has been dismissed since 1988, the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif won the majority of seats however Benazir Bhutto claimed that the elections were unfair and there has been extensive fraud. Although PPP became popular because of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto for giving an ordinary man a political voice but Benazir ruled the party in a completely opposite opinion of her father by supporting privatization over nationalization and viewing US as a major ally rather than a potential threat. From a position of weakness in martial law period the judiciary has began to re-assert its independence. However, the role of judges is still controversial. The emergence of free press was a positive sign but at the same time, Pakistans mismanagement of economies reflects the weakness of the political structure. The political game has taken over a priority in the long-term policy making. Problems such as fiscal deficiency, debt and long-term business interest erosion have always drifted the economi c cursor. The increase in ethnic fragmentation, religious extremism and centralization if political power has created political crisis which needs to be solved as soon as possible otherwise it will result in civil war amongst the ethnic groups, domestic and international terrorism and implementation of marshal law. Not only the government of Pakistan should work on this but also should form allies with the external players like US, Japan and European Union (EU). Furthermore in this article the author talked about the regime of Nawaz Sharif as this article is written during that period of time. Here the writer highlights some of policies adopted by Nawaz Sharif, in which he aims at centralizing the power to the central and creating anarchy. Furthermore the conflicts between the ethnic groups have increased widely whereby Punjab is considered to be the most popular, developed and largely focused on in terms of allocating resources, improving education system. This has resulted in other 3 provinc es becoming more backward and less developed and sense of deprivation. The writer also discusses on how the civil institution have weakened during Nawaz Sharifs era as he is trying to gain popular support of the military. Other problems that were identified in the article were drug trafficking and settling of refugees. In conclusion the writer has basically focused on support from the international players. first is democratization and civil-military relations; and second islamization and Islamisms relation to the state. Both of issues are separate yet interdependent on each other and needs to be analyzed and focused on as the future of the country is at stake. The writer also highlighted Musharrafs era and despite that he was more liberal than Zia but he used the brand of Islam and is exploiting the public.

From the two short stories you have read what do we learn about what :: English Literature

From the two short stories you have read what do we learn about what it was like for American black people to live in Americain the 1950s? From the two short stories; The Gold Cadillac by M.D. Taylor and 1955 by Alice Walker, both set in 1950s America and both written by black female writers we learn about the segregation, racism and poverty of 1950s black America. Both these stories are set in the deep south of America. The gold Cadillac is about a young black girl who knows nothing about racism and discovers it for the first time as she travels with her family into the Deep South in a gold Cadillac. 1955 is written from the point of view of a black woman who has experienced the racism her whole life. America in the 1950s was segregated in the Deep South; it was divided into black ghettos. Even radio stations were divided into stations playing only black music and ones only playing white music. Before Elvis Presley black music would not be played to a white audience so it did not get the recognition it deserved, but Elvis's music was played on all stations and democratised music. Black people did not have the freedom that white people had and were discriminated everywhere they went, black people could not use the same buses and could not eat in the same restaurants as white people and were discriminated by police because the law was nearly completely run by white people, they were turned away at shops and were discriminated against in nearly all other places. In M.D. Taylor's "The Gold Cadillac" the family are driving through the Deep South and the girl sees signs saying "White only coloured not allowed" In Alice walker's "1955" Gracie Mae tells her husband J.T. to put his shirt on because Traynor who is a white man comes to the door, this is because white people had to be treated with more respect because they were seen as more important than black people. The American civil war took place in 1865 and slavery was abolished in the Deep South, but 90 years later there is still resentment from whites towards blacks. The two short stories are all about the prejudice against blacks in the Deep South and how it affects people's lives and freedom. In "The Gold Cadillac" the family is trying to aspire to be rich as they live

Family Medical Group Essay

This case mainly tells us several problems of a company named Family Medical Group. Bill Maron is the president of the company. The original company called Family Medical Distribution which was created by the grandfather of Bill’s wife Helen. After her grandfather was dead suddenly in 1968, Bill was persuaded by his father-in-law and purchased this company. At the beginning of the first few years, it was a tough time to Bill. The organizational structure of the company was very simple that he just had eight employees. He spent countless hours on the road talking to the customers and suppliers. Moreover, the surroundings were also rough. All the departments are in a single office including Bill. But all the tough things cannot stop Bill. Due to the tradition that all the staffs treated the company like their family and the efforts Bill had made, the he became to realize measured success. The company expanded into the rest of Ontario and by 1984, the company had become a nationwide distributor. Hundreds of employees are working in the company now. In addition, Bill is pursuing to invent the new product to change the current situation. Though a few years’ effort, he was successful in the development of auxiliary tool of asthmatic bronchitis. This is a big success that the invention called AeroTube was launched in more than 50 countries and another new division was founded under the name Family Medical Manufacturing. However, with the growth of the profit, the scope of the company is growing as well. Thus, some problems are appeared at this time. For the external aspect, the government made the policy to squeezing the profits out of Family Medical Distribution. The cutbacks of government means the hundreds of hospitals across the country have closed and the others have been forced to reduce their number of beds. For the internal aspect, both companies have made some strategies mistakes which resulted in the loss of some key staff to the competition. Thus, Bill encountered with the dilemma and he want to hire some people as the vice president and the director of the HR department to cope with the problems instead of confronting those by himself. There are several problems that Bill should solve. First, the company has to change because of the pressure that the external atmosphere gives. Second, the person that Bill hired may be not the right people for the company and the staffs. Third, some of the experienced staffs are â€Å"lazy†, they intend to retire from the company. The last but not the least, the supervisors make their decision of promoting staff with injustice. Here are the recommendations. Firstly, Bill should hire some experienced engineers who have the real knowledge on this area and can create the innovative inventions to help Bill to gain more profit and remain competitive in the increasingly smaller market. Secondly, Bill should hire the right person to be the supervisors. For example, Nancy is ready to be the director of HR. Nevertheless, we should pay attention to a detail that when she is working, she closed her door and turned off her phone. This is not proper to a HR director. This post should be more responsible to communicate with people as possible as she can. Thirdly, some staffs want to retire from the company and not make their efforts to the company because they are the grand old man in this company. Bill should motivate them and recall their original enthusiasm. The last but not the least, Bill should consider the position of Mark again. He promised to Barb that she would be the new Office Manager before the opening was posted. It is unfair to Laura who is the Senior Administrator. She is very responsible to the company and contributed a lot. When she knew the truth, she submitted the resignation and wanted to leave the company. Bill should to hire another person who is impartial and optimize the organizational structure.

Get the full guide for commentary writing

Get the full guide for commentary writing Help in Writing a Commentary When you face with new kind of writing, you need a detailed guide to follow. Exactly such an approach helps the writer to make the text exciting, readable, and informative. The same is fair for commentary. What is this, how to write it, using actual requirements – you would get your answers in the following guide. The Definition of Commentary Commentary is a kind of paper that means in-depth analysis of another text. It differs from other similar tasks, such as thesis, essay, etc., so has its own rules in writing. Commentary is useful for different companies which publish short news and articles, such as newspapers. With this kind of paper, you can make a place for discussion of different topics by opposite points of view. As a result, commentary belongs to critical tasks but has a respectful tone of voice at the same time. There are several particularities of the process of commentary writing according to its origin. Proper Style and Tone of Voice So writing commentary means making a critical analysis of the primary source. Your text must contain the description of the current situation and potential consequences in the nearest future. The writer cant use only his fantasy because the document must be fair and relevant. So prefer facts, events, and other pieces of evidence from the original paper. Only such approach allows reaching readable and exciting commentary. Besides, the author should use his knowledge and skills in the exact field to make new paper based on the focal article. As a result, you can start an interesting and constructive discussion for your topic. Note, that you cant change the focus of your commentary. Make sure that your paper is concerned on the main subject of the original text, but not minor facts of the authors personality. Such mistakes are very spread among young writers. Of course, your aim is a critical analysis of someone elses job, but keep it respectable. Use the only constructive tone of voice and writing style to let your readers make conclusions on their own. The Guide for Making Commentary Be sure to highlight all the important points from the original text. According to this material, you can collect, sort, and finish important ideas in one document. Thats why you will make a draft, write an outline, proofread, and finish your commentary. In general, you aim to prepare the main aspects and share them in your text. So you will pass the following steps in your writing. Preparation Stage You must make all the preparations beforehand so there would be no misunderstanding in the future. Read the original text for several times. Such an approach guarantees getting all important facts. You must remember and understand each sentence, not to miss any vital point of view. Make notes with the most important facts and write your ideas while getting acquainted with the text. Such highlights will be a base for your commentary and text outline. Create an Outline An outline is the next part of the preparation stage of your commentary. You can start writing this block of text only after reading a primary text for several times and making highlights. This is like a basic preparation for outline preparation. To make a great outline, you need to review the original article structure. According to its particularities, you can create your bullets. Each one sentence should be relevant to your future text and primary source. Your outline will contain an introduction, several pieces in the body, and small conclusions. This is a simple example of an effective outline that will be great for your commentary. Collect Data for Introduction The introduction cannot be overvalued because this block of the text creates the first impression of your commentary. It would be great if your introduction will be not only interesting and readable but also catching and exciting. Make sure you did your best to make this block. So, first of all, you should identify the most important information. You should read and note the title of the paper, its genre, author, and date of publication. Be attentive to find there anything interesting for your paper. Remember, that commentary essay requires from the writer to add such information at the beginning of the text. Besides, you can use interesting facts connected with your primary source. For instance, explain the whole collection of writing, where your text for the analysis belongs. But you must distinguish interest and unimportant details, such as the authors favorite color. Such a mistake can cost you a lot because no one likes to waste your own time on third rate content. Identify Subject and Target Audience With such elements, you will start your body. It is created to explain all facts, data, events, etc. exactly in this part. You can create a list of questions for yourself and answer them in the body. Such a simple method helps to identify constructive parts in original text and share them in your commentary. Also, you may find the main accents in the primary source, highlight them, and rewrite in your essay. So remember your general aim: to share the main ideas and the focus of your primary source in the body. This section is called to explain the basic information for your readers: the main points of view, the authors purposes, etc. It is okay to share only the main ideas, but not all of them, so keep ranging all highlights according to your taste. Explain the Text This is a place to observe the structure of the writing (for example, poetry, prose, type of essay, etc.). Usually, writers have requirements in the structure, but also they can get a free blueprint. Thats why you can feel free and share your expressions in a commentary in any structure you are comfortable with. The most popular is prose. It is a simple note without any additional requirement. Just use your plan and dont think about special rhythm or text melody. Additional advice: dont push yourself into the unusual structure of the text, if it is not obligated. Yes, sometimes you need to risk gaining the best results. But experience shows that a good job is based on your skills and abilities. So experts in prose shouldnt risk it all and write poems. Choose the Text Presentation Then you need to identify the type of the voice (the first or second person) and the tone (friendly/official). To identify the type of person, you need to check who speaks the text. If you note the words like you and we, then you will describe all characters in the article. If there is only I, then using the first person is obviously. All such particularities must be described in your commentary. Dont think that amount of heroes is not important. It is as vitally important, as the main goals and ideas of the article. Understand the Proper Tone of Voice The tone of voice is a style of expression of the authors points of view. He can do it in any manner he is comfortable. Also, the choice of voice depends on the target audience and tasks which the writer had. For instance, the friendly tone of voice is extremely popular among youth in entertainment and job. They prefer sharing any information with strangers as they are friends. In other situations, you may need a serious tone of voice to highlight the particularities of the issue. Be sure that the tone of voice can change the impression from any situation. Even the choice of exact words can play a great role in the text destiny. The authors mood and experience cause the proper tone of voice, so such characteristics are unique for all types of content. There is also no special requirement for writers, so choose the most proper tone and type of voice for you. Most authors tend to use a neutral tone of voice, which looks like a smart combination of friendly and official language. But on special topics, you cant rely on a neutral impression. For instance, serious historical facts require more logical structure, and the story of the exact piece of art needs an emotional background. Highlight Important Language Tools Language tool is a special element which is used to increase the power of exact meaningful sentence or word communication. You can add metaphor and impress someone with your in-depth understanding of the subject or choose strong quotation to support your own point of view. In any case, such elements are strong tips for your text. All such language tools mean a lot for your commentary. Thats why you should note the literary tools in the text. You may highlight metaphors, conclusions, hyperbolas, alliterations, and so on. It is highly recommended reading special guidelines to identify tools and their meaning literally. Sometimes such elements in the text can mean more than a simple language tool. Besides mentioning these elements, you also must explain the meaning for the writer and his paper. Never make a mistake with the meaning of the language tool. It is worse than to skip this part at all. Add Quotes to Your Commentary Quotations are not obvious parts of your commentary, but they can bring it much more weight. The phrases from the original text will support your ideas and make your readers excited. There is no situation which cannot become better with the relevant quote. For instance, if you discuss the role of religion for the famous scientist in his researches, you should find his point of view with the keyword religion or other thematic words. Use his direct speech in quotation marks to support the exact fact. This would be the best evidence for your commentary. So choose the relevant sentences and take them in quotation marks in your essay. Such a simple tip will bring you great advantages in writing a commentary. Make a Summary The summary is the final conclusion for your commentary. This part is small, but it means a lot for writer, readers, and the text in general. To make a great summary, you should remember all the details of your text and use them as briefly as you can to share the last words. So write the final sentence to conclude the primary source and your job with absolute calm. Make several samples of summary and choose the best one. Try to put yourself in your target audiences shoes and make this paragraph exactly for them. Remember that this part shouldnt present new information, but support all previous facts and ideas in the commentary. Your body is a place for new facts, but not the conclusion. If you place here anything that was not mentioned before you will make a serious crime in the academic writing field, so let your summary be just a summary with your final words and nothing else. Keep Your Text in Presentable Form Presentation is very important for any job. You can create the best content but make weak presentations. Such a situation will cause only issues and will not bring any advantage. Or the writer may hide the weak content under the mask of impressive presentation and get more chances for success. But the best way is to keep both elements awesome. Your text must be excellent, and the presentation should be logic, nice, and pleasant. Prefer traditional writing styles and improve them with modern tips like pictures or scales. The tone of voice, writing manner, and paper quality are also important. Keep the balance of facts, descriptions, humor, information, and other elements in your commentary. Ask for a Feedback The feedback is an opportunity to hear the thoughts of your target audience. If you read your commentary in front of other people, you can get their first impressions and pieces of advice. Besides, you are also able to post your commentary online and get users comments. Their points of view can help you improve your content, its structure, tone of voice, and other particularities. So always give final proofreading to your friends and ask your audience for feedback. Get all advantages from peoples criticism and analysis. It is quite simple to encourage them to share their thoughts, so keep your voice friendly and let people support you. Proofread and Improve Your Paper The proofreading is a key to good commentary. There is no way to finish your material and do not polish it in several days. This is a very important rule among all editors, so always prepare time for such stage. Usually, proofreading requires from several hours to several days. The more time you have, it is better. The best way is to proofread your commentary in several days after you finish writing. The point is the author can be blind for his own text because he spends so many time on it and even can play by memory each sentence. In several days your brain will rest and be able to make independent proofreading. Also, remember the traditional requirements for all kinds of papers. Keep out mistakes and misprints, make the text readable, pleasant, and exciting. Of course, you are not a machine and can miss misprints, but your commentary will be damaged. Try to use the help in proofreading, for instance, special online tools or professional editors. Let`s Start It! Commentary isnt so simple as you can think for the first time. But you have all chances to execute such job on the highest level. Just keep these guidelines and follow all recommendations while making commentary. If you feel you need help, then just ask for professional support right now.

Third Conjugation -isc Suffix Type Italian Verbs

Third Conjugation -isc Suffix Type Italian Verbs Most Italian verbs are regular verbs, meaning they are conjugated following a regular pattern. But there is a special group of third conjugation Italian verbs (verbs ending in –ire) that requires the suffix -isc- to be added to the stem of all three singular (io, tu, lei) and the third-person plural (loro) forms in the present indicative and present subjunctive tenses, as well as the second and third person singular and the third-person plural forms of the present imperative tense. One good example of such verbs is finire (to finish). Present Indicative io finiscotu finisciegli finisceessi finiscono Present Subjunctive che io finiscache tu finiscache egli finiscache essi finiscano Present Imperative finiscifiniscafiniscono Other verbs that need the -isc- suffix and are conjugated similar to finire include capire, preferire, pulire, suggerire, and tradire. Unfortunately, there is no way to know which third conjugation verbs are isc verbs. Your only option is to commit these verbs to memory. Interestingly enough, in some classic grammatical systems, -isc type verbs were considered a fourth conjugation. Optional -isc- Verbs For certain -ire verbs there is a choice as to whether -isc- is inserted or not when conjugating. The most common include: aborrire (to abhor, to loathe)- io aborro / aborriscoapplaudire (to clap, to applaud)- io applaudo / applaudiscoassorbire (to absorb)- io assorbo / assorbiscoeseguire (to carry out)- io eseguo / eseguisco(to swallow (up), gulp (down); engulf)- io inghiotto / inghiottiscolanguire (to languish)- io languo / languisco(to lie)- io mento / mentisco(to nourish, to feed)- io nutro / nutrisco Different Forms, Different Meanings Some -ire verbs not only have both forms (that is, they are conjugated both with and without the suffix -isc) but take on diverse significance. For example, the verb ripartire: io riparto (to leave again)io ripartisco (to divide)

Analysis and Recommendation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analysis and Recommendation - Case Study Example Some of these technological projects include the use of automated sales system, automated payment system and modern social relation management. 1. There should be a centralized information technology system that ensures that individual sales personals and stores do not keep different information. This recommendation would have to start with the networking of the information technology systems that exists in individual stores. 2. In order to increase the trust of customers for the future sustainability of the company, customers need to be brought closer to the company. It is therefore recommended that the company develops an effective customer relationship management plan that will be focused on the use of new media to attract existing and new customers closer to the company. 3. As SUH is about to change its sales trend and pattern from purchase to rentals, it is highly recommended that all staff on the sales support department be taken through a comprehensive in-service training that will bring the staff up to date with the new trend to take off. The absence of such a training process will affect the work output of staff for the new changes in a negative way because they will not be very much abreast with the new system. The technology solution that will be suggested for the improvement of customer relationship management in the company is the use of customer social network. This is a very simple but highly powerful technological tool and system that can be used to improvement the customer relationship that exists between a company and its customers. Sight must not be lost of the fact that customers are the lifeline to every company and that the survival of every company depends largely on customers. For this reason, any programs that put customers first must highly be appreciated. Customer social network makes use of the new

Identifying Characteristics of Gifted Children Essay

Identifying Characteristics of Gifted Children - Essay Example There has been a debate regarding nurturing and dealing with gifted children with normal children, and one can observe mix responses of experts and nonprofessionals. Still, experts believe that it is very imperative that parents identify particular characteristics in their gifted children, as their ignorance or avoidance may result in adverse outcomes, and in other words, it is very important that gifted children should receive proper guidance or path to utilize their skills, an absence of a platform may result in inappropriate usage. Analysis has indicated that gifted children usually have the ability to carry out any creative task like a professional artist, for instance, they can create paintings at the age of eight without any professional training. There have been few instances of gifted children reading professionally at the age of three or four. Particularly, experts believe, â€Å"Gifted children interpret life differently from others† (Distin, pp. 22-23). In this rega rd, it is essential that parents and teachers play a significant role in identifying different perceptions and skills of gifted children, and at the same time, they appreciate their different skills and perspectives (Distin, pp. 22-23). ... l that is very uncommon in gifted children, there is a possibility that the same child will be doing something exceptional at home or somewhere else, and here, one requires efforts of parents and teachers to identify their skills and extraordinary talent. In addition, a majority of studies have recognized higher retaining power of gifted children that is one of the major reasons for their exceptional achievements on academic, as well as non-academic levels. On one hand, gifted children have a higher IQ level; on the other hand, experts and psychologists have always found gifted children to be highly sensitive, and thus, parents and teachers should stay ready to expect adult behavior at one time and a little crying child at the next minute. In this regard, one can go for dealing with gifted children along with normal children; however, once again it will be a tiring experience and will require a huge amount of efforts. Moreover, gifted children’s needs would not be in any diffe rent from that of normal children; however, case studies have identified a few problems and issues with the gifted children. For instance, gifted children will need a higher amount of care and consideration in terms of their emotional development (Distin, pp. 157). In addition, most of the gifted children show impatient characteristics, as they are always full of ideas. However, they expect same abilities from others and when they do not get similar responses; it results in impatience and irresistible behaviors at times that can be troublesome. Another important thing to consider while dealing with gifted children is their resistance against directions.

Strategy implementation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Strategy implementation - Essay Example In Andrews’ definition, there appears to be a clear division between strategy formulation and its implementation. It is at the implementation stage that resource allocation becomes crucial. This is in keeping with the classical or planned model of thinking about strategy. In the more recent, process, or resource-based view (RBV) of strategy, when speaking of the competitive advantage of a firm, scholars stress the importance of ‘resources’ and ‘capabilities’ available to it (Amit and Shoemaker 1993). It is commonsensical to argue that the strategy implementation of an enterprise is predicated on the availability (’command’) of resources and capabilities of the firm. Resources are held to be available business-wide, while capabilities are the skills and abilities developed within and specific to the firm. Resources alone therefore, are not in themselves sufficient to gain a ’sustainable competitive advantage’ for a firm. Cap abilities, often in the form of patents, and expertise developed in-house, and not easily replicated by outsiders, are equally, if not more important. It is too simplistic to separate strategy implementation from strategy formulation, since a strategy has to be adaptive and evolving, while keeping at the forefront the ends and goals that need to be met for the business to remain viable. Barney (1991), supported by a number of other researchers, claimed that a firm’s key resources needed optimally to conform to the following criteria.

Academic freedom Essay Example for Free

Academic freedom Essay The playgrounds of any public school in the United States today abound with children from different races. African-Americans, Asians, Latin Americans and Caucasians all populate the diversity rich public school system of America today. Classrooms are filled with different opinions regarding the different races and beliefs (Faegin O’Brien 203). The lunchrooms are full of children all races rubbing elbows with each other without regard for whatever differences in appearances they may have or for whatever the color of their skin may be. This same diversity parallels the situation in today’s world. With all these differences in race, nationality and beliefs, one will be hard pressed to find people who do not feel strongly for or against these differences. While there are rules against the practice of beliefs or convictions, there is no limitation on the right to believe. In relation to this, Universities must not be allowed to banned hate speech as such is against the Freedom of Speech as enshrined in the United States Constitution. See more: Homelessness as a social problem Essay In order to arrive at a better understanding of the issue, there must be a discussion of the Freedom of Speech, particularly in the academic environment. Freedom of Speech has historically been used as a tool of the people to prevent the suppression of their rights by voicing out their opinions. The United States Constitution, and other constitutions for that matter, holds one’s freedom to information in the highest regard (Holmes 198). One will be hard-pressed to find a constitution that does not guarantee this fundamental right. One must also be remember at this point that with every right comes a corresponding responsibility. There is no right so absolute that it oppresses the right of other individuals as well (Holmes 198). In line with this, it must be remembered that the freedom of speech, as a tool against oppression, must be exercised responsibly because of it may also lead to the suppression of the rights of others. In furthering the Civil Rights movements, the Freedom of Speech has proved to be crucial to its success. Without the Freedom of Speech, it is arguable that most of the social legislation that is in effect today would be present (Holmes 198). The power of the Freedom of Speech, in the context of protecting one’s civil and constitutional rights, is that it allows people to bring the attention of the public to their grievances in an attempt to provide a solution to the problem (Holmes 197). The United States Constitution, and other constitutions for that matter, holds one’s freedom of speech in the highest regard. One will be hard-pressed to find a constitution that does not guarantee these fundamental rights. One must also be remember at this point that with every right comes a corresponding responsibility. There is no right so absolute that it oppresses the right of other individuals as well. There are exceptions to this rule such as the secrecy of military information, national secrets, trade secrets, and certain information offensive to the public. These exceptions constitute the reasonable restraints on one’s freedom and under the last category fall the information that is being suppressed from minors in public libraries. As such, the means employed is not an undue restraint but rather a reasonable means to maintain one’s constitutional liberties. This means that while there exists the right to speech, there is a need for certain limitations to exist as well. In the context of the right of Universities to ban hate speech, it must be remembered that while the United States Constitution also grants Academic Freedom, it must not run contrary to the Freedom of Speech. Hate Speech is one of the expressions of speech that is constitutionally protected. As the United States Supreme Court has held in several cases, there is a public interest that must be protected. Individuals must be allowed and cannot be unduly restricted with regard their right to Free Speech. The important issue here is the fact that while such speech may be regarded as offensive it does not contravene the constitution unless such speech is made with the intent to create an uprising or lead to overt acts of hate. Therefore, Universities cannot ban hate speech arbitrarily since this is contrary to the Constitution and such right is protected under certain circumstances. A very integral part of the education process lies in learning to interact with other races and nationalities, especially in the United States which is considered as a melting pot for all cultures and races all over the world. The sad reality is that most Americans are brought up in relative isolation from other races and cultures and only in college does such exposure occur. This leads to undesirable consequences such as the creation of strong stereotypes and racial biases (Richey 204). A restriction on the right of people to free speech only serves to widen this bridge between races. While it is true that hate speech may be offensive, it also serves to educate and enlighten people. Expression is an integral part of learning and as such it must not be stifled at the cost of depriving students not only the chance to speak their minds but also to deal with the real world and cultural differences on a more mature level. Freedom of Speech is a constitutionally guaranteed right. It protects the right of every person to speak his mind with regard to any issue at all even if it is critical of a certain class or even the government. The only limitation, as previously highlighted, is that it must be exercised within the rights of other people meaning that it is constitutional as long as it does not impair the rights of other people. Everyone, therefore, regardless of creed, color or belief may exercise his or her right to Freedom of Speech (Reeve 206) and no university can be allowed to curtail this constitutionally protected right. References: Amar, A. (2000) The Bill of Rights: Creation and Reconstruction Yale University Press; New Ed edition. 432 pg Amar, A. (1992) The Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment Yale Law Journal The Yale Law Journal Company, Inc Smith, G. (1999) Reconstruction or Reaffirmation? Review of â€Å"The Bill of Rights: Creation and Reconstruction† George Mason University. Virginia Spaeth, H J. and Smith, E. (1991). HarperCollins College Outline: The Constitution of the United States (13th ed. ). New York: HarperCollins. The Federalist with Letters of Brutus, edited by Terence Ball, Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought, pgs 447-453.

Holyrood Project Case Study

Holyrood Project Case Study ABSTRACT: The need to adequately implement a project successfully with the required Project Management indices has ensured that project managers are continuously seeking ways of ensuring that projects meet and satisfies customers cravings. A project is said to be successful if it is implemented with an efficient and effective cost, quality and time management approach thereby meeting customers expectation; it is a failure when it fails to met these set objectives. The Holyrood -Scotland Parliamentary Building project management approach is critically analysed in a post mortem approach in this paper with a view to discussing how each of the stages in the project lifecycle culminated in the failure of the project to meeting certain criteria of an effective project. INTRODUCTION The Holyrood: A project of the Scottish government which was undertaken to provide a magnificent structure for the use of the Scottish Parliament. The advent of the Devolution proposal in 1979 gave rise initially to the project, however, the project became main-stream in 1998. The project became a key issue for the stakeholders due to key project management controls. A successful project is judged to be efficient, cost effective, quality, on time, and meet customers satisfaction. An appraisal of the Holyrood project indicated that some of these indices were not achieved especially in terms of cost and duration, hence the need to evaluate and analyse the entire project life cycle from initiation to closure to ascertain what went wrong and what could have been done. This paper aims to diagnose the indices of a successful project with respect to the Holyrood project, and critically evaluates how the project deviated from the expected project management indices. It identifies the problems of project management associated with each stage of the Holyrood project life cycle using project management theories of the like of P. Gardiner 2005 and J. Westland 2006 to define each stage of project life cycle Initiation Definition; Planning Development; Execution Control and Closure and analyse it to the Holyrood project. The first section reviews the background of the Holyrood Parliament building project. Section two identifies the problems associated with each stage of the project Initiation and definition; Planning and development; Execution and control and Closure. Section three analyses the problems that are most significant to cost increase and schedule slippage using the Auditor General report as well as other authors. Section four will evaluate the problems identified in section 3 and relate it to PM writers (Cimil J.K 1997), (Pinto 1998), (OGC, 2005) to identify why project fails; section five is a summary of findings and conclusion. Chapter 1 1.0 Background of the Holyrood Parliament Building Project The devolution proposals of 1979 may have given room for the incoming labour administration in 1997, to implement the proposal which included the building of the Scottish parliament. The Scottish parliament was and is still an important symbol for Scotland. It is expected that the parliament building should possess the best of quality, durability as well as represent civil importance. The Holyrood project from the initiation process faced enormous challenges starting from the quest for early completion and the high expectation in terms of quality. The major hindrance started with first, the cultural difficulties in the joint venture which did not allow them to work effectively. Secondly, the construction management approach of the project adopted, and the selection criteria for design procurement. Harnessing the ideas of different project team was a major concern for the project, as virtually all teams had different ideas indicating no clear direction, leadership, and project stage c ontrol. This ensued that there were lot of scope creep during the implementation of the project. A major creep was the cost creep: the initial capital cost was estimated at  £40million in 1997, which rose to  £90 million and from then rose to  £195 million. By April 2001 the cost had crept again to  £359 in June 2003 and the  £414.4million by 2004 resulting to a 20month delay. Lord Fraser report and the Auditors Generals report have scrutinized what must have gone wrong with the project. Chapter 2 2.0 Problems with the stages of the Project For a proper evaluation of what went wrong with the Holyrood Project, it is important to understand what really makes up a project life cycle. According to Paul D.Gardner (2005) the project life cycle indicates the phases a project has to go through from beginning to completion in an orderly from ensuring that the successful completion of one stage leads to the beginning of another, till the end of the project. It is imminent to state here that a well structured project phase of a project help in proper controlling and monitoring of the project, and ensure that timely corrective actions are implemented when deviation from plans are observed. 2.1 Initiation and Definition stage This stage kick starts the lifecycle of the project and establishes the ‘sum of the products and services to be provided by the project (PMI 2000). The business justification for the project is firmly established at this stage. The sponsors strategic plan is investigated by conducting a feasibility study which includes the project assessment in terms of its cost and benefits. For the Holyrood project whose objective was to provide a home fit for the Scottish parliament indicated a right step as a business case was made to justify such a proposal. However, the project encountered political problems which included the selection of an appropriate site to house the parliament, the PM drawing a time table to fulfill the political objective of early completion. It is of note mention that given the proposed cost estimate of the project one would have concluded that a poor feasibility study was conducted which drew a budget that can never have been a realistic estimate for anything other than a basic building for the new parliament. It also showed that adequate risk assessment was not carried out as the time frame approach for the completion of the building indicated. Overall impression for the initiation stage indicated that the project scope was not well defined, which would have indicated where the priority should be laid on , either on cost, quality, or early completion of the building . The project did not put into consideration the evolve of the clients need which does not fit into Cimil success criteria. 2.2 Planning and Development stage In this phase of the project three elements are important and they are; the creation of all the required plans to support the project (the scope management plan, the work plan, timeline, risk management plan and quality management plan), the mobilization and organization of all resources required for the project and infrastructure to support the resource as well as ensuring effective communication across the network of project stakeholders. The project lacked a sense of appreciation of plan, which made the project budget under estimated. A key setback for the planning stage was the disparity in choosing the proper design procurement approach. The selection criteria for the chosen procurement approach designer competition showed that the entire process lacked clarity; as a systematic approach was not adopted towards the handling of PQQs. This attributed to the lack of coordination from personnel undertaking visits in verifying the applicants/Competitors informations thereby leading to unfairness in choosing the appropriate candidate. This singular act ensured that all applicants including the joint venture partners presented drawings that extended outside the required size in the brief- a major signal of a possible project scope creep. Secondly in a project of this magnitude the choice of a project sponsor a very vital role to the success of a project should not be guided by political undertone as it appears in the choice of Mrs Doig who lacks expertise in matters of projects and construction. This to a large extent gave room for a lot of poor decisions which is evident in the choice of adopting construction management as the building option. Another problem at this stage in the project was that the project initiator, Mr. Dewar was too attached to the project. This often made him opt for unpopular choices like the choice of opting for a designer competition as against a design competition as specified by the RIAS team. Moreover, the competition process was conducted in an unprofessional manner that lacked finesse and proper coordination. For a project of this nature with very high risk content the lack of a contingency risk plan is inexcusable. The critical path of the project was not mentioned. The project lacked proper communication and coordination at this stage, sight of the terms of the brief was lost 2.3 Execution and Control stage (Westland Jason 2006) described this phase as the longest phase of a project. This is the stage were the deliverables are physically built and presented to the customer for acceptance. (Paul D. Gardiner 2005) described it as the phase where new information from other phases can lead to change, and a good project manger should know that some changes are inevitable, therefore there is need to maintain control over these changes to the project plan. Change Management for this project was out of control as most changes done in execution stage of the Holyrood project was not agreed by the parties involved. This exhibited the lack of good leadership, control and good management associated with the project. The reporting system did not encourage effective communication as well as flow of information between the teams which lead to the resignation of the 1st PM (Mr Armstrong) and subsequent managers. This lack of control saw the cost of the project skyrocketing with a lot of changes done in the design plan. 2.4 Closure stage Closure is the last phase of the project life cycle; it represents the end of a project. Money is no more paid out, all documentation and administration of the project is closed and opportunity for evaluation and performance review. The finished product is transferred to the care, custody and control of the owner (Paul D Gardnier 2005). In the Holyrood project, there were delays in the project handover as conflict between the contracted parties remains unresolved till the end of the project. The project closure and handing over lack some merits as potential risk elements were ignored in the final documentation. Some examples are 45,000 defects were discovered after handover and issues regarding the infrastructure. Chapter 3 3.0 Problems with the most significant cost increase and schedule slippage 3.1 Significant Cost Increases The project from inception has suffered successive increases in its cost forecast, but the most significant is in the construction stage (Execution and Control phase). Increase in construction cost was (caused by) as a result of design development and delay in construction process as the project progressed. The construction cost increases fall into three main areas Design development  £68m Prolongation, disruption and delay  £73m Inflation and Risk certainty  £19m Most of this cost was incurred from the year 2000, though this increase was as a result of poor planning, control and management attributed at the planning and development stage. 3.2 Significant Schedule Slippage The rush for early delivery of such huge project resulted to lot of schedule slippage. The complexities in the design variation as well as the late communication/supply of information during the construction phase were the most significant cause of the 20 months delay of the project. This delay started in 2000 and this still fall under the Execution and control phase. Apart from the complexity and late supply of information, other factors also attributed to the schedule spillage are 19-24 weeks delay in the Foyer roof, Glazing and assembling of the windows 15 Months each for the debating chamber and Canon Gate There was no contingency plan for spillage in the initial timetable. Chapter 4 4.0 Evaluation of the Project Management Problems Corresponding to those Identified in the Literature This section brings us back to the question why do project fail? And the writer is going to relate some of this failure to the problem associated with the Holyrood project. Writers like (OGC, 2005), (Cicmil 1997), (Carlos 2005) theory of why project fail will be used to evaluate the Literature. OGC, 2005 gave eight reasons why project fails and some of the reasons are lack of clear senior management and ministerial ownership and leadership. In the literature it was seen that was no clear direction, control as well as leadership among the different civil servants groups that handled the project. The project manager had no single point of authoritative command and could not use his authority and influence to control the project. In the literature decisions were made without communicating them to the stakeholders, this shows lack of effective engagement with stakeholders. Also there was lack of skills and proven approach to project management and risk management. The project sponsor knew very little about construction and this showed when no further inquiry was done on the construction management choice which has much risk on the client was not appreciated by the sponsor because of her incompetence. Risk was never incorporated in any of her decisions. (Cicmil 1997) also researched on principal sources of project failure where he talked about poor understanding and identification of client need. The joint venture never understood the clients need that was why from the beginning they never adhered to the clients brief, which would have minimised the risk that exists in undertaking a project with tight time frame. (Cicmil 1997) talked about organizational behaviour factors. The organisation of Holyrood project d id not provide the necessary clear direction and leadership and this led to lack of control, communication and poor management that existed in the project. The project was conceptualized as one without any provision for change. Such deficiency highlights the lack of (Cicmil 1997) bounded rationality approach to project management. The literature is rife with instances where proper procedures were not adhered to. Examples include the architects (Snr Miralles) reluctance to fit his designs into the project brief even when he was informed to. (Carlos 2005) talked about why project fails and most of it boils down to what existed in the Holyrood project which was lack of teamwork, cultural differences, communication, politics, control and poor management. This inevitably led to cost increase, and delays seen in the project. 4.1. RECOMMENDATIONS (Gardiner 2005) Valuation should have been applied to all the stages of the Project life cycle by PM The important key positions should not have been handled by Civil Servants Plan for contingency risk should have been made. The implementation of multi perspective framework on projects. In my opinion if this had been used issues like the choice of construction management would not have been made the content context and organisational character would have been analysed and a more suitable method like PFI/PPP would have been selected 5.0 Conclusion The Holyrood Project in the long run became a huge success, however most critics believed that the time and cost slippage would have been avoided if proper project management indices were followed. The author has been able to diagnose this key indices and is of the opinion that the success of every project is dependent on the effectiveness of the project manager , a major problem of the Holyrood Project .It is also worth mentioning that my recent visit to the Parliament Building afforded me the opportunity to have my personal take on the building and it is indeed a magnificent piece and so despite the many problems encountered it met the clients expectations of quality, â€Å"Past Glory of Scotland flowing within the present into the future† PRIMARY SOURCE Lord Fraser, Holyrood Inquiry, Blackwell Bookshop, (2004) Reid G., The Scottish parliament: Holyrood project closure (2007) Books Andersen E.S, Grude K.V, Haug T, Goal directed project management: effective techniques and strategies Kogan Page 3rd edition (2004) Gardiner P.D, Project Management: A strategic planning approach Palgrave Macmillian (2005) Kerzner H. Project Management, a systems approach to planning scheduling and controlling (John Wiley and sons Inc) (2006) page 66 Leech D.J, Turner B.,Project Management for profit, Ellis Horwood publishing (1990) Lockyer K.and Gordon J, Project management and project Network Techniques (6th Edition Pitman Publishing), (1996) Page 3 Lock D, Project Management Gower publishing limited, Pg 6, 12-14 Maylor H, Project Management (Pitman Publishing ) (1996) Page 25 Nickson D Siddons S, Project management disasters: And how to survive them, Kogan Page Limited, (2006) Page 25-74 Westland J., Project Management lifecycle: A complete step by step methodology For initiating, planning, executing and closing the project successfully, Kogan Page (2006) Articles Cicmil S.K , Critical Factors of effective project management the TQM magazine Volume 9 Number 6 1997,390-396 INTERNET SOURCES Architecture week, http://www.architectureweek.com/2005/1019/news_1-3.html ( Last visited on 20th July 2009)   BBC, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4343690.stm ( Last visited on 25th July 2009) Project Management, http://www.pmhut.com/project-phases (Last visited on 20th July 2009) The Scottish Parliament, ,http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/corporate/spcb/publications/docs/Holyrood_closeout_report.pdf http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/audit/or-04/au04-1402.htm (Last visited on 20th July 2009)

Song Analysis of Hands Down by Dashboard Confessional Essay -- Music

â€Å"Hands Down† By: Dashboard Confessional Song Analysis Everyone has that one song they can listen to over and over again. There are various reasons people press the repeat button, whether it be the sound of the singer’s voice, the quality of their musicianship, or their heartfelt lyrics and the story they tell. The song â€Å"Hands Down†, by Dashboard Confessional tells the story of a day-in-the-life of lead singer, Chris Carrabba, in high school. Carrabba has said that this song is about the best day he has ever had, and introduces it as such at concerts. Dashboard Confessional effectively uses paradox, irony, imagery, and repetition, to enable the listener to create a visual and experience emotions felt by the writer. â€Å"Hands Down† is an acoustic and emotional song about a teenage boy who has fallen in love with a girl. The setting that is established is a series of events on a significant and passionate night in their relationship. â€Å"Hands Down†, was written to express the feelings and hopes the boy has for their relationship. The song is speaking to the girl he is in love with, and to anyone and everyone who has felt the way he feels in this stage of a relationship. Dashboard Confessional uses the literary device of paradox multiple times throughout the song. Paradoxes seem to contradict themselves, which makes its use so effective when writing about the feelings of a teenage relationship. â€Å"This night is wild, so calm and dull. These hearts, they race from self-control† This line, from the beginning of the song, relates to the anxious and nervous feelings both the boy and girl were feeling. It is describing the anticipation the couple was experiencing about the events to come. Another example of paradox that... ... The repetition used clearly shows the sincerity and meaningfulness of the girl’s kiss. The boy knew that she was sincere in her actions and wasn’t just doing it because it was expected. On the contrary, the night was very special and meant something to her and she expressed her feelings through a kiss. Here, both the boy and the listener realize that she sincerely loves him. Thus, the story is comes to an end, the boy gets what he sought out from the beginning: a real kiss. In conclusion, â€Å"Hands Down†, explains the expectations of our generation and how we, as teenagers react to them. Dashboard Confessional has exceptional talent when it comes to writing relatable lyrics and engaging their fans. This song is a rare example of a boy who is not focused just on â€Å"getting some†, rather he has his sights set on getting the girls’ heart before he gets into her pants.

Thorn Queen Chapter Twenty-Seven

When I crossed over to the castle in the Thorn Land, I was surprised to find Nia sitting on the floor beside my rabbit paperweight. Her knees were drawn up, and her face-which appeared tear-streaked-rested on her knees. Yet, when she saw me, her face lit up like the sun bursting from behind clouds. â€Å"Your majesty!† she cried, springing up. â€Å"Some of them said†¦they said you wouldn't come back. But I knew. I knew you would.† The devotion in the girl's eyes was startling. Nia had been another servant passed from Dorian, and it had never occurred to me that she would serve me out of such love. â€Å"Of course I came back,† I said softly. â€Å"Why wouldn't I?† She averted her eyes. â€Å"After everything that happened, and†¦well, because of Queen Katrice. There are those who assumed you'd abandon us and stay in the world of the humans.† I didn't bother pointing out that abandoning this land would kill me. I was too shocked by something else. â€Å"They thought†¦they thought I'd just start a war and leave?† â€Å"I knew you wouldn't,† she said fervently. â€Å"I knew you wouldn't.† I gave her a small, comforting smile while a knot twisted in my stomach. â€Å"Take me to Shaya and Rurik.† The two of them were surprised by my arrival, but something told me they hadn't doubted I would return either. I could tell by the compassion on Shaya's face that what Leith had done to me was common knowledge. To my surprise, it was Rurik I took the most comfort from. He didn't question my appearance. He offered no sympathies. He simply jumped straight to business. â€Å"We've gathered as many soldiers as we could while you've been gone,† he said. â€Å"Some are camped outside, and Dorian's said he'll send reinforcements-his military's much larger. The majority of yours is in Highmore. We'll need to determine the best way to distribute them.† For a moment, I felt dizzy as he continued rattling off military strategy. What was going on? What was I doing? I was a girl from Tucson who'd grown up in a middle-class neighborhood. How on earth was I standing here, listening to a fairy soldier explain how to lead a war? I held up a hand. â€Å"Wait†¦before you go any further. Is there†¦is there any way this can be avoided?† Kiyo's words came back to me, and I hated to say what I did next. â€Å"Is there any way to make peace?† Rurik's eyes widened, and shock and anger filled his features. â€Å"Peace? After what-â€Å" Shaya silenced him with a gesture of her own. â€Å"Yes, actually. Katrice sent a rather long letter about it.† â€Å"So†¦we could get her to understand that it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Was an accident? Hardly. â€Å"I mean, could Katrice let all of this go, considering Leith started it?† Shaya cleared her throat uncomfortably, and Rurik looked angry. â€Å"Well,† she began, â€Å"not entirely. For Katrice not to go to war, she demands that we become her subject kingdom and has very specific details on the kinds of tribute and taxes she requires for that. She also†¦she also says that you must marry her nephew in place of her son and tie this kingdom to her through that branch of the family. My impression is she sent a similar list of demands to Dorian-aside from the nephew part-which he refused rather, ah, indelicately.† I stared, my mouth agape. That was not what I had in mind. How could Katrice demand those kinds of things after what Leith had done? How dare she act as though I had done something wrong? Yes, I could imagine her grief for her only son. I wasn't that heartless. Yet†¦what she was suggesting was ludicrous. And if she thought I would ever, ever let another member of her family lay a hand on me†¦ I turned back to Rurik as though the issue of peace with Katrice had never been mentioned. Later, I would ask Shaya to help me compose a formal response to Katrice's letter, something along the lines of I am the Thorn Queen. Fuck off. â€Å"What should I do next?† I asked Rurik. He smiled, a fierce delight in his eyes. â€Å"You should speak to the soldiers gathered here and make an official declaration of war. And then you should go to Highmore and speak to the ones there. They don't even know you as their queen yet, let alone the person sending them to fight. And you should practice up on your magic, both for battle and to show your own people that that Rowan bitch can't touch you.† I shivered at the feelings his words inspired in me. In Tucson, I'd been trying to hide from my magic, but now it was calling to me again. And with this threat from Katrice-no, this insult from Katrice-there was nothing I wanted more than to summon all the forces of nature and rip her apart. â€Å"Dorian is coming here-today, I think,† said Shaya, interrupting my murderous thoughts. â€Å"Follow his lead. He knows what to do.† I wasn't entirely sure what that meant. The only thing I felt certain of was that I wasn't quite ready to go over the maps Rurik had laid out and examine all the troop placements he had in mind. I'd always sucked at Risk and had a feeling this would be similar. Besides, I hadn't returned to the Thorn Land to make war-not right at this second, at least. I'd come because of the dream from last night, the dream where I'd felt at peace. Because at the moment, I felt no peace. A gentry queen wanted to lead armies in and kill my people-and I was supposed to do the same to her. I'd just broken up with my boyfriend, someone I loved dearly, because I-possibly irrationally-held him responsible for not protecting me from an assailant. And as for that assailant†¦well, his face still flashed in my mind, and no matter how much time passed, I couldn't seem to rid myself of that dirty feeling within me or my repulsion at being touched. I swore to Rurik that I'd talk to him later, that I needed some time to myself first, and left them both for one of the castle's enclosed gardens. It was the one I frequently meditated in, where Shaya was still attempting to grow grass and where Kiyo and I had made love. I sat down there cross-legged, taking in the sun on the orange rocks around me and relishing in the faint breeze that stirred the branches of the mesquite and smokethorn trees. A tiny lizard scurried off behind a rock, and I heard what sounded like a hummingbird-or a big-ass bee-in a cluster of nearby flowers. I cleared my mind and tried to communicate with and heal the land like I had before, but for whatever reason, the connection didn't come. Panic seized me. Had the events with Leith broken something within me? Had I lost my ability to revive the kingdom? I sat there sweating, wondering what would happen to the land if I couldn't connect to it. The heat eventually made me sleepy, and I lay down on the grass, my hands digging into the earth. When I woke up, two things immediate became apparent. First, I felt†¦better. I felt strong and refreshed, and all around me, the colors and scents seemed stronger and more vivid. I still wasn't happy about the impending war, but that horrible feeling in me†¦the bitterness Leith had left†¦well, it had lessened. The air hummed around me, and for a disorienting second, I couldn't tell where I ended and the land began. It was then that I realized why my meditation hadn't worked. I had been in no condition to heal the land. It had had to heal me. I was energized now, ready to do anything. Ready to lead a war. The other thing I noticed after waking was that Jasmine was sitting right beside me, gray eyes staring into mine. I bolted upright. â€Å"What the hell are you doing here?† I exclaimed. â€Å"You're not supposed to be loose.† Girard's cuffs were still upon her, and she jerked her head back toward the castle. â€Å"I'm not exactly loose.† I followed her motion and saw a dozen guards, all keeping a respectful distance, but all watching Jasmine closely. When Volusian had disappeared, Rurik had undoubtedly increased her security detail. â€Å"Jasmine,† I said, â€Å"I'm not really in the mood for your banter, okay? Save your whining and insults for a day when I don't have to worry about having caused a war.† Her face was perfectly calm. â€Å"I heard what happened to you.† I braced for smugness. â€Å"Yeah, I'm sure everyone has.† â€Å"I'll fight for you, you know.† â€Å"Look, I'm sure-wait. What did you say?† I stared at her, waiting to see that composure crack. It didn't. She was still serious and actually looked older than her age. â€Å"He had no right. I told you before: no one does that to a daughter of Storm King. Not even to you.† I was speechless for a moment, still waiting for a punch line. â€Å"Jasmine†¦you hate me.† She nodded. â€Å"Yup. But that doesn't change what happened. No one does that to our father either and gets away without punishment. Dorian should stab Katrice too.† I decided not to mention that nothing had been done to our father technically, seeing as he had died years ago. â€Å"What will you do exactly?† â€Å"Same thing you will. Fight. Use my magic. Summon monsters.† â€Å"But†¦I mean, even if you're trying to, um, protect our family honor, you realize you're still helping me in the process, right? I thought you wanted to destroy me and go have Dad's world-conquering grandson.† â€Å"Oh,† she said sweetly, â€Å"I still do. And I will. But we're going to deal with Katrice first. Our father's heir cannot be born from rape. I told you before-only someone worthy. That bastard wasn't, and his mother has to pay for it. Once she's done†¦well, then I'll deal with you. Besides, someone's got to take her kingdom when we kill her. Might as well be me.† Whoa. There were so many parts of Jasmine's logic that were flawed that I didn't even know where to start. I didn't entirely know the story of her own conception, but my mother had been raped. God knew how many other women Storm King had taken advantage of; I found it hypocritical of Jasmine to take such a high moral ground about his heir in light of that. Still, I couldn't deny the fact that she would be useful, and if that was the reasoning it took for her to help me, so be it. It would also be handy to not have her trying to kill me. â€Å"Well, then, thanks,† I said at last. I decided not to mention just then that there was no way in hell I would ever let her rule the Rowan Land. Details, details. Jasmine looked supremely pleased. â€Å"So I can go free then, right?† I scoffed. â€Å"Not a chance.† â€Å"But I'm helping you!† â€Å"Yeah, and in the same breath, you talked about how you want to usurp me. Look†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I glanced back at her guardians. I would have to consult with Rurik about those least likely to try to knock her up, now that Volusian was missing. Some of my soldiers were female. â€Å"You can wander the castle more-under guard, of course. And I'll see about†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I frowned, suddenly recalling my helpers at Art's house. They were close to Jasmine's age, relatively speaking, and for Markelle at least, I had no doubts whatsoever of her loyalty. I wondered if she might have the makings of a bodyguard/friend. â€Å"I'll see about getting someone your own age to hang out with you.† Jasmine scowled. â€Å"That's not what I had in mind.† â€Å"Yeah, well, your cell in the dungeon is still available.† She gave me her trademark sullen glare and then stormed off back inside. Nonetheless, I felt like she really would help me, and frankly, I was going to need everyone I could find to get me out of this mess. Kiyo had implied that Katrice might call in some allies, and if this became about multiple kingdoms squaring off†¦ I stood up, suddenly feeling ill about it all once more. The flames of passion and initiative that had flared in me earlier began to flicker uneasily. I couldn't do this. I couldn't lead an army. I couldn't go to war. What was I thinking? Trying to shake off my building panic attack, I headed back toward the castle, wanting to hide in my room for a while. I passed Rurik along the way. He'd apparently been seeking me, hoping I'd go talk to the gathered soldiers and inspire them-particularly since word had come that Dorian was almost here. I nodded quickly, promising anything, so long as I could get a moment to compose myself and summon my earlier confidence. All of this was overwhelming me. I needed to be alone, lest I start crying. Only, I was apparently still a ways from being left alone. Ysabel was standing outside my bedroom, arms crossed. Apparently, my earlier suspicions had been right. She really did hang out in the hall waiting for me. â€Å"No magic lessons,† I told her. â€Å"Magic lessons?† she exclaimed, straightening up. She was as immaculate as ever, her red hair twisted into myriad braids. â€Å"I'm never teaching you anything again. My lord is sending me away-and all because of you!† The land might have healed me, but there were only so many weird revelations I could handle today. Jasmine becoming my ally currently held the lion's share. â€Å"What are you talking about?† â€Å"My lord is on his way,† she hissed. â€Å"And he sent word that I was to pack up my things and be prepared to leave. He has a small group of guards ready to escort me away.† â€Å"So?† I shrugged, eyeing my door longingly. â€Å"Isn't that what you wanted?† She took a step toward me. â€Å"He's not sending me back to the castle. He's sending me back to my village-back to my children. Don't you understand? He's through with me! He's casting me aside because of you!† The anger and hate on her face made me guess she'd forgotten I could suffocate her. As it was, she was in my personal space so much that I feared she might actually attempt physical blows. I wanted to tell her that Dorian casting her aside had little to do with me. That was just Dorian's way. Shaya had said Ysabel was one in a string of mistresses who resembled me. He'd grown tired of her, just like the rest, but that wasn't my fault. Telling her that wouldn't help, though. â€Å"I'm sorry. But, I mean, won't you be glad to see your kids?† â€Å"Glad?† she cried. â€Å"What do I have to give them? What do I have to show for my time at court? I have nothing. I came to Dorian's court to improve my children's lives-to bring us wealth. Now I have to return empty-handed, tossed aside to our backwoods village.† Ouch. I didn't know what to say, didn't know whether to laud a mother's attempts to improve her kids' lives or look down on someone who'd tried to do it via sleeping with a king. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said wearily. â€Å"I'm sure you'll figure out something.† I started to turn away, and to my astonishment, she grabbed my shoulder and spun me toward her. I think she'd been about to hurl an insult, but I gave her no chance. I still wasn't ready to be touched, and she'd caught me off guard. With no second thoughts, my instincts summoned up magic, the air shoving her away from me and slamming her-hard-into a wall. She stood there, dazed, and I gasped, horrified at what I'd brutally done without even thinking. I really was turning into my father's daughter. â€Å"Are you okay?† I asked, stepping toward her when she didn't move. She jerked away from me, which I hoped meant no concussion. â€Å"This isn't over. I will never forgive you for taking him from me! I'll make you pay. He's mine. Do you understand? Mine.† This was followed by a whole tirade of ranting and insults about how much she hated me and would see me destroyed. She kept her distance, though, so apparently my brief lapse into violence had done some good. After a while, I had no patience for it and simply went into my bedroom, leaving her out there. I locked the door but could still hear her going on and on. Remembering Rurik saying that I should go out and talk to the people who could possibly be dying for me, I tried to distract myself from Ysabel by looking through the room's closet. I figured I should probably wear something gentry, and Nia had kept me well-stocked. The spark was rekindling in me, that need to take revenge against Leith and show Katrice we couldn't be pushed around. I would prove a strong leader for those out there. I was pulling out a silvery blue silk dress that looked suitable when Ysabel's shouting finally stopped. With a sigh of relief, I started to drape the dress over a chair-and caught a glimpse out the small window. There was an army out there. I immediately backed away, trying to block out the sea of faces encamped outside. I dropped the dress, feeling dizzy. The reality of it all hit me, and I again felt helpless and out of my league. A sharp knock sounded on the door, momentarily breaking through my panic. Anger was an easier emotion to deal with, and I hurried over, yanking the door open. â€Å"Look, I told you there's nothing I can do about-â€Å" I stopped. It wasn't Ysabel outside my door. It was Dorian.