What this country (US),state or school needs more than anything else Essay

What this country (US),state or school needs more than anything else - Essay Example The gravest threat our country is facing lies to the turning point of extremism and technology. Our rivals have candidly acknowledged that they are in a quest for weapons of mass demolition, and evidence shows that they are doing so with fortitude. The United States will not let these efforts be successful. We will assemble our defenses in opposition to ballistic missiles and other ways of delivery. We will work together with other nations to refute, contain, and restrain our enemies’ hard work to acquire treacherous technologies. We will also augment our self-defense; our country will act using all ways against all forms of intimidation in time before they are wholly formed. We should be ready to crush all our enemies’ plans; we will use the best astuteness and proceed with consideration. If we will not do our best, history will criticize those who saw this approaching danger but failed to take action. In the new globe we inhabit, the only course to peace and defense i s the path prompt action. The unfolding upheaval over the Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear aspirations, and the subsequent steps presented to the United States in dealing with this dispute is a debate that has taken a long period of time to conclude. With the exception of Iraq, no other disaster today so bedevils American policy makers, for a long period this case has provided the international community with irrefutable proof that the Iranian regime is pursuing a massive, multi-faceted endeavor, and in spite of United Nations censure (Kerr 37). In and of itself, the possibility of the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism acquiring the world’s most dangerous technology will be deeply troubling. These weapons, if manufactured can lead to both the mass destruction of property and loss of lives. Among the solutions to this issue are; military action that is deeply problematic. The use of force on Iran’s nuclear

Life Before the Internet and After the Internet Essay Example for Free

Life Before the Internet and After the Internet Essay Life was very different before the advent of the Internet. Communication methods were limited, stores were the only place to buy goods and services, and physical libraries were the only place to find information and research. The three biggest changes caused by the Internet are in communication, sales, and access to information. The Internet has changed the way people communicate. It allows for instant and reliable communication between people across the street or across the globe. In the past, the only ways to send documents were via fax and postal mail. Faxes were limited because messages could only include two-dimensional text and graphics. The postal mail faced these same issues, as well as the problem with the time it took to send a document through the mail. With the Internet, documents with text, graphics, audio files, video files, and interactive objects can now be transmitted quickly to anyone with a simple click of a button. This has changed the way business is done and has made it easier for companies to expand into new markets. On a smaller level, the Internet has allowed people to reconnect with old friends or make new ones. Chat rooms and social networks such as MySpace. com are becoming increasingly popular as people enjoy the sense of anonymity. The second way that the Internet has changed the world is in the buying and selling of goods and services. With the ability to purchase products online, the business world has changed drastically. Online stores are competing for business, while established brick-and-mortar stores have set up web-based stores as well. Customers can now purchase nearly everything they need from the comfort of their own homes. The Internet has also allowed for quick and easy comparisons of the prices and quality of products and services. The final and most important impact of the Internet is in the access of information. In the past, if you needed to find information on the history of Latin America, you had to go to your local library. Then, you were limited by which books and resources the library carried. With limited budgets, libraries cannot be expected to carry the best sources for every topic. Today, you can access information on any topic from the Internet through academic journals, online encyclopedias, book reviews, and more. In addition, you can find information on every television and radio program, historical events, current events, health issues, scientific discoveries, sporting events, and theories on everything from biomedicine to parenting. Finally, being able to access information online has led to colleges and universities offering degrees where it is not necessary for students to ever step into a classroom. Lectures, PowerPoint slides, notes, and required readings are available on the Internet. In conclusion, the Internet has significantly changed the world in the way people communicate, do business, and learn. The rapidity with which these changes took place suggests that more drastic and exciting changes are still to come. New and innovative uses for technology are developed every day, and the Internet is a major focus of these developments.

electric cars speech -- essays research papers

Just about everyone wants a car but no one Wants to pay for gas well now thanks to technology we don’t have to yes thanks to the discovery of the electronic car people can travel solely on the power of electricity but most people say that Unless some new type of battery is invented these electronic Car are nothing more than a dream but these are far more than a dream and very much so a part of reality But what does the future hold for these cars Well electricity is already a large part of our lives so to start using electricity powered cars would not be so much of a change from our normal routine as people may seem to think And they’re already many people using these electrical cars one man mentioned That he uses The Corbin Sparrow (a single person electric vehicle) As his primary commute vehicle he has a 50mi. Total commute To and from work mostly freeway so not that much stop and go traffic but once he gets to work his batteries drained about 50 percent but because the car does not require a special charging stations he can plug it into any standard three prong outlet So he pluges his car and at work and returns home on a 100 percent charge Saving gas and money every day allowing his car to pay for itself but Basically, here's what the Sparrow offers: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Seats 1 person, and ample space for laptop, papers and small grocery run. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  13 lead acid batteries, different in detail from conventional automotive batteries, but not fundamentally so. The batteries provide for a very low center of gravity. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fiberglass body for keeping the weight down while increasing the energy efficiency considerably. I'm averaging .16KwH/mile or thereabouts for my typical commute. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  110v charging that takes about 8 hours. However, in my typical usage, I get to 80+% in less than 2 hours, and recharging stations are nearly *everywhere* however an extension cord can be helpful †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  and a top speed of about 80mph now this may be good for the average driver or maybe-trips back and forth to and from work but what would you do for a long drive with no time in between to recharge this car This car would definitely not be the car for the job of but thats where our next car, comes in 25 February 2000 -- DaimlerChrysler's engineers might have mis... ...he same period. I found the RAV4-EV a thoroughly enjoyable driving experience the brief time I was behind the wheel. It handles well, accelerating as briskly as a 4 cylinder IC-engine version. It's quiet inside, though the low rolling-resistance tires are a bit noisy. It certainly brakes well as I learned when an inattentive driver tried to pull out in front us during our test drive around Disney World. The RAV4-EV will make an ideal intra-city commuter for many motorists. Since the average American workplace commute is under 50 miles round trip, the RAV4-EV can get you there and back again with style and comfort. Toyota's Armstock made an interesting comment near the end of our test drive. When asked when we can expect to see the RAV4-EV go on sale to consumers, he remarked that the technology is advancing so rapidly that he expects the current model to be as obsolete in thee years as a pesonal computer with an Intel 286 micro-processor is today. That's an exciting prospect, considering how well integrated the RAV4-EV is even now. Regardless of the pace of technological change, this is one nicely done SUV, one that makes a lot of sense right now, especially now. END STORY

The Effects of Cultural Assimilation: Conformity vs. Unorthodoxdy

The Effects of Cultural Assimilation: Conformity vs. Unorthodoxdy â€Å"Cultural assimilation is a complex and multifaceted process that first involves immigrants learning the language, cultural norms, and role expectations of the absorbing society, and further changes in attitudes†, or so it is explained by Dejun Su, Chad Richardson, and Guang-zhen Wang, in their article, â€Å"Assessing Cultural Assimilation of Mexican Americans: How Rapidly Do Their Gender-Role Attitudes Converge to the U. S. Mainstream? † (764).Throughout history and also present day society, cultural assimilation is easy to be identified, thanks to the â€Å"melting pot† quality of North America. Also, cultural assimilation is questioned about the effects it has on various groups of immigrants. Effects, such as the loss of one's identity, the struggle to attain success in the new country, the loss of one's heritage and unique background, conflict between family and friends and stereotypical discrimination in society, are demonstrated in varying degrees by the past and present generations of immigrants from the countries of Mexico, Japan and the Middle East.Throughout history, Mexican immigrants have continuously crossed the boarder into America for the chance of a new life. However, coming to a new country inevitably has it's consequences, and the pressures of assimilation are always present. During a time of great immigration of European citizens into the United States, Mexican immigrants were not so much of a concern throughout the whole country.Katherine Benton-Cohen supports this idea in her article â€Å"Other Immigrants: Mexicans and the Dillingham Commission of 1907-1911†, by explaining that, â€Å"Unlike Japanese immigration in California—which had set international diplomatic maneuvers in motion, in this period ‘American officials generally viewed Mexican immigration as a local labor issue,' not a national or international policy questionà ¢â‚¬  (39). As a result, the Mexican immigrants were not so quick as to forget their culture, but as long as they were willing to work for small wages, this resistance did not bother American's.Benton-Cohen also points out that â€Å"While the Mexicans are not easily assimilated, this is not of very great importance as long as most of them return to their native land after a short time†(Benton-Cohen, 38). This resulted in the effects that the Mexican immigrants were unable to attain higher wages, or to gain success in America. However, new effects came into account as time went on, and more Mexicans continuously moved to America. Compared to past Mexican immigrant challenges, present day effects have drastically changed.As the population of Mexican immigrants has grown overtime, so has the attention and concern towards their living and adaptation to a new country. It is believed that in the article â€Å"The Kids are (Mostly) Alright: Second-Generation Assimilation† w ritten by Richard Alba, Philip Kasinitz and Mary C. Waters, that â€Å"In general, the second generation is doing much better than its parents in educational attainment and is less concentrated in immigrant jobs† (763). However, this does not justify the fact that the pressures of cultural assimilation are much more developed in today's society than in the past.Alba then goes on to point out that â€Å"The overwhelming majority of the second generation is completely fluent in English†¦ Yet most of its members have not reached parity with native whites, and many experience racial discrimination† (Alba, 763). This statement goes to show that the newer society of Mexican Immigrants find that resisting cultural assimilation, is a greater risk than when the older generations came to find meager jobs. Another example of the effects the newer generation must face, would be the struggle to be successful in school.In the article, â€Å"Immigrant Families and Children (Re) Develop Identities in a New Context†, the author, Mariana Souto-Manning, talk about a young Hispanic boy she had in class, and the effects of his mother's attempt for cultural assimilation had on him. When Souto-Manning meets to discusses the boy, his mother confesses, â€Å"I decided to give him an American name†¦ so that no one would know he is Mexican. So that he would have a better chance to be successful in school than his brothers† (402).Based on experience, she thought that by changing the boys name from Idelbrando to the American name Tommy, she could save him from the â€Å"cultural stereotypes that might hinder his schooling experience† (Souto-Manning, 402). However, she also left him vulnerable to the effects of cultural assimilation that are the loss of one's identity, and the loss of one's heritage and unique background. Idelbrando is not the only Mexican immigrant who has been effected in this way. In fact, it is common for many Mexican immigra nts to change their name, but it doesn't stop there.If the belief that cultural assimilation makes it easier for Mexican immigrants to become successful, then the immigrants would need to change much more than their name's; going as far as to cast their own culture to the side and fully assimilate to the American culture. Another example of complete cultural assimilation and it's consequences, would be in Joy Kogawa's Novel Obasan. In this novel, the main character, Naomi, and her Japanese family are faced with the discrimination and cruel treatment of Japanese-Canadians that was practiced in Canada at the time of World Was II.Still, throughout all the hardship and pressures of conformity she was faced to go through, Naomi managed to keep much of her Japanese roots that were apart of her since birth. At one point in the novel, Naomi points out the differences in her and her brother's lunches and describes,â€Å"My lunch that Obasan made is two moist and sticky rice balls with a sal ty red plum in the center of each, a boiled egg to the side with a tight square of lightly boiled greens† (182). In this description, it is evident that Naomi remains accustomed to her Japanese upbringing.On the other hand, Naomi explains that â€Å"Stephen has peanut-butter sandwiches, an apple, and a thermos of soup† (Kogawa, 182). Therefore emphasizing that, unlike Naomi, her brother Stephen does not hold strong to his Japanese culture, and falls to the pressures of cultural assimilation. Naomi then goes on to explain how â€Å"She [Obasan] mends and re-mends his [Stephen] old socks and shirt which he never wears and sets the table with food, which he often does not eat. Sometimes he leaps up in the middle of nothing at all and goes off†¦ â€Å" (Kogawa, 259).Sadly, Naomi's explanation suggests that Stephen has gone as far as to shun anything to do with his Japanese Culture. Another example of Stephen's reluctance, is when Naomi asks Stephen what there Aunt Em ily is like, and he replies, â€Å"She's not like them† while â€Å"jerking his thumb at Uncle and Obasan† ( Kogawa, 259). Additionally, this behavior is an example of how cultural assimilation can effect the bonds of family and friends, and cause conflict between them. While the percentage of Japanese immigrants traveling to North America is ot as prominent as in the past, the Japanese culture is still ever present throughout society. As well, after World War II, Japanese immigrants seemed less of a threat, and their cultural differences slowly became more acceptable among society. However, the pressures of cultural assimilation are not completely eliminated for this culture. People of Japanese heritage living in North America, today, still feel the pressures of cultural assimilation, but mostly in the effect of stereotyping.For instance, in the article â€Å"Japanese International Female Students' Experience of Discrimination, Prejudice, and Stereotypes† by au thors Claude Bonazzo and Y. Joel Wong, it is acknowledged that â€Å"Portrayals of Japanese culture and the Japanese in recent Hollywood movies such as The Last Samurai, Lost in Translation, and Memoirs of a Geisha might play a role in shaping Americans' perceptions and stereotypes of Japanese international students† (paragraph 5).In otherwords, they believe that Americans may get the wrong impression of the Japanese culture, which create false myths and unrealistic stereotypes for people of Japanese culture. Bonazzo then goes to explain how â€Å"Another common stereotype that Asians living in the United States encounter is the racialization of their ethnicity†¦ Americans have the tendency to lump Asians of different ethnic groups into one homogenous racial category by downplaying ethnic differences† (Bonazzo, paragraph 16).Thus proving, that although the pressure to assimilate to the North American culture is not as strong, Japanese immigrants are now pressured with living up to false stereotypes that the consequences of over-assuming can create. Before September 11th, conflict between the cultures of Americans and Middle Eastern immigrants, mostly were the result of their clashing religious practices. While America is a country of religious freedom, the most common religion here was, and is Christianity. Likewise, the common religion practiced in the Middle East is Islam.However, although it is legally acceptable for Muslim immigrants to practice their religion in America, there was still controversy as to the acceptability among Christian Americans. For instance, in the article â€Å"Islam in America†, written by authors Ghosh, Abel, Lieblich, Scherer, Newton-Small, Dias, Steinmetz and Ford, a Christian preacher, Reverend Wayne Devrou, claims that â€Å"The political objective of Islam is to dominate the world with its teachings†¦ and to have domination of all other religions militarily† (paragraph 4).This idea, howeve r, is not true, because it is often the case that Americans misunderstand the religion of Islam, and in some cases, it is the Christian extremists who try to push their religion onto the Middle Eastern immigrants. Gosh then goes on to explain how, â€Å"To be a Muslim in America now is to endure slings and arrows against your faith–not just in the schoolyard and the office but also outside your place of worship and in the public square, where some of the country's most powerful mainstream religious and political leaders unthinkingly (or worse, deliberately) conflate Islam with terrorism and savagery† (Ghosh, paragraph 12).This explanation illustrates the effects of Middle Eastern immigrants not assimilating, and the conflict is causes between the two cultures. Then on September 11th, 2001, the cause of conflict between Middle Eastern immigrants and Americans drastically changed. When a group of terrorist of Middle Eastern ethnicity, were responsible for the death of th ousands and the devastation of the whole country of the United States, an idea called Islamophobia settled into the minds of many American's.In his article, â€Å"Confronting Islamophobia in the United States: framing civil rights activism among Middle Eastern Americans†, Erik Love states that â€Å"Islamophobia’ is a problematic neologism, and the one that is currently the most common term used to refer to bigotry, discrimination, policies and practices directed towards Islam and a racialized group of people that includes Muslims†, which verifies that after 9/11 the discrimination of Islam is not the main focus of terrified Americans (402).Americans instead focus on the distinction of appearance that is particular to the Middle East race. Love also argues that, â€Å"Islamophobia, in short, affects a racialized group of people- Middle Eastern Americans- /that, like any racialized group, is in fact comprised of an irreducibly diverse collection of individuals w ho identify with many different ethnicities, nationalities and religions† which in other words means that not all Middle Eastern immigrants are a terrorist or a threat in anyway to the United States (Love, 402).In fact, when first noticing the presence of a person of a Middle Eastern race, for some Americans, the word Muslim no longer automatically comes to mind. Terrorist is the word that is now associated with this race, and because it all is based on the appearance of the race, no amount of cultural assimilation can extinguish this effect of stereotypical discrimination still present today.Furthermore, because the effects of cultural assimilation depend on the circumstance, the time period, the culture and the person, each output is different as to whether keeping a strong hold on to one's unique culture when pressured by a new environment is the right thing to do. Also, as time progresses, so does the idea that complete cultural assimilation is not necessary for immigrants to survive in a new country; and more people are becoming proud of their cultural background.In fact, on the website, Thinkexist. com a quote by Donna Taylor can be found to support the idea that our country is â€Å"†¦ no longer a melting pot where assimilation is the goal, but a great mosaic where each culture adds its uniqueness to make the whole better† (Donna Taylor Quotes). Finally, although Cultural Assimilation is still present today, there is less pressure to conform to one's surrounding, and overall, there is a more open-minded feeling towards the blends and coincidence of different cultures.

Human Resource Is the Most Important Assets in an Organization Essay

Assets can be defined as â€Å"tangible and intangible resources of a firm which can be drawn upon by a the firm when required to achieve its objective(s)† (Ray and Ramakrishnan, 2006). Tangible assets include financial and physical assets such as machineries and manufacturing plants while examples of intangible assets are branding, company reputation, technological know-how and human resource (Noe et al., 2012). Human resource is the most important asset of an organisation. Using studies which showed that effective use of human resources contributed to better corporate performance and/or productivity, this essay attempts to show that this intangible asset is a key driver in the survival and competitiveness of an organisation. For organisations to be successful, they need to survive and obtain an advantage over their competitors. There are many ways to attain a competitive advantage, including patented product and process technologies, protection and regulation of domestic markets and access to financial resources (Pfeffer, 1994). However, the aforementioned contributors of success are deemed to be less relevant in today’s societies because technologies can be imitated, markets are increasingly globalised and global capital markets ever more opened for worldwide movement of financial resources (Pfeffer, 1994). Instead, in today’s organisations, it is widely accepted that employees are key strategic resources for companies because their knowledge, expertise, ideas and services drive innovations, steer product developments and build relationships with clients. This in turn increase companies performances through multiple means such as driving profits, increasing productivity and building large customer bases. For example, Sears, a multinational US company, attributed its transformational success through its believe in the 3†³Cs† of â€Å"Compelling Place to Work†, â€Å"Compelling Place to Shop† and followed by â€Å"Compelling Place to Invest† (Yeung and Berman, 1997). The senior management at Sears believed that by optimising its human resources (through shaping of employee’s attitudes, increasing motivation and skills), it will become an attractive venue for customers to shop with high level of satisfaction. Consequently, it will be a good investment option due to strong financial results (through increase in customer expenditure) and productivity (through optimisation of human resources) (Yeung and Berman, 1997). Strategically valuable resources may give companies a competitive edge. Bartlett and Ghoshal (2002) argued that there is an evolving corporate strategy from one that competes for markets and products, to one that compete for resources and competencies, to the current strategy of competing for talents and dreams. Resources are deemed to be valuable when they cannot be easily imitated, their value depreciate slowly, they cannot be easily substituted and they are relatively better than competitors with similar resources (Collis and Montgomery, 2008). While these resources may be tangible or acquired capabilities, it is the view of this author that it is people that best fit the described characteristics of valuable resources. Creativity and expertise of an employee may not be easily duplicated. It takes time to groom talents, and their experiences and competencies cannot be easily replaced. Thus, to gain a competitive edge, companies need to invest in the hearts and minds of the key success factor – human resource. Many studies have shown that effective HRM (such as investments in training and strategic HRM) had led to increase in company performances, through proxy indicators such as increased profits return, labour productivity, and service quality. In the employee-customer-profit chain model devised by senior management at Sears, they predicted that a 5 unit increase in employee attitude will drive 1.3 unit increase in customer impression that will in turn increase revenue growth by 0.5% (Rucci et al, 1998). When put into context, in 1998, a 4% rise in employee and customer satisfaction translated to an increase in more than $200 million of revenues over a 12-month period (Rucci et al, 1998). Other than the example on Sears, Choudhury (2010) showed that there is a positive relationship between investment in human capital and company performance in India’s information technology sector. Similar positive correlation can also be observed from studies analysing quality of human capital an d sales revenue per employee in Romanian software companies (Camelia, 2012) and perceived effectiveness of rewards on corporate performance in Nigerian Banks (Ojo, 2011). As an important asset of the organisation, human resources need to be managed properly. HRM encompasses a multitude of responsibilities including recruitment, training and development, benefits, health and services (Noe et al., 2012). There are many case studies that have demonstrated that a highly-skilled workforce and appropriate training of employees play a key role in increased company performances. A survey done on 62 retail stores showed that percentage of personnel trained in their designed training programme correlated with the stores’ performances (Russell et al., 1985). Another study done in 15 manufacturing sectors of seven European Union countries suggested that intermediate- and highly-skilled workers increases labour productivity, which is a proxy for companies performances (Corvers, 1997). It is envisioned that with training, employees will be equipped with job-related skill sets and competencies. A company with cutting edge technology needs employees with the know-how to operate the machineries. A retail shop may distinguishes itself from another shop that sells similar merchandise through quality services that helps build a brand name and large clientele. Employees may learn how to serve customers through training programmes. A study of 2003-2006 Training Top 100 survey report published by the Training Magazine showed that there is a positive correlation between training expenditure and operating performances (Liao et al., 2011). This supports the general perception that training is an important HRM tool for companies to survive in the increa singly competitive market. Human resource is a key contributor to the success of organisations today. Examples used in this essay reinforced the argument that human resource is likely to the most important corporate asset as it is a unique resource that drives companies performance. In order to effectively tap on this valuable resource, companies need to train employees so that their potential can be harnessed.

Thomas Jeffersons Conflict with the Handling of Slavery essays

Thomas Jefferson's Conflict with the Handling of Slavery essays Early in his life, former United States President Thomas Jefferson wrote on his gravestone: "Here was buried, Thomas Jefferson, Author of the Declaration of Independence of the Statue of Virginia for religious freedom, Father of the University of Virginia." He wrote these texts at the beginning of his political career, but wanted them to be placed on his gravestone. This request implies that he still believed in the moral Rumors have been circulating for years that, despite Thomas Jefferson's reputed disdain for interracial relationships, he actually had sexual intercourse with a female slave that he owned and fathered several of her children (Truth Establishment, 2004). DNA testing and historical records reveal that it is very possible that Jefferson fathered all of the six According to historians, it is unlikely that Hemings would have engaged in relations with another after being connected with her master in such a way (Truth Establishment, 2004). Few male slaves would be willing to risk engaging in a sexual relationship with Sally Hemings after it was known that Jefferson took such a special liking to her. After all, this is a time in history when slaves were killed for simply looking at white men or women, and for making advances at the object of their master's affection. Regarding the controversial issue, Robert Bianco of the USA Today, asked the following thought provoking question: "But were they in love' Is love even possible when one person is unable to say no' (Truth Establishment, Back then, black women were in no position to refuse (Truth Establishment, 2004). Slaves were denied free will, and they especially were not in a position to turn down advances from their masters. The slave masters frequently engaged in domination and sexual harassment. In Jefferson's own book, "Notes on the State of Virginia" his feelings of contempt for blacks, Indians and race mixing are well-...

How to Ask Your Boss for a Raise

How to Ask Your Boss for a Raise You’re sitting at your desk, working hard as always, when your boss walks up, smiling. â€Å"Congratulations,† she beams. â€Å"I’ve decided to give you a 25 percent raise!† Wow, you think, as you mentally run through the list of people you want to thank: your agent, your deity, your long-suffering spouse. Suddenly you snap back to reality, and realize it didn’t actually happen. No one walked up and handed you one of those oversized prop checks, just for being you. (Darn it!) But part of your fantasy could come true- with a bit of research, a little work, and a lot of confidence. Asking for a raise is something you shouldn’t take lightly. In this economic climate and the chronic outbreak of corporate belt-tightening, it’s easier than ever for bosses and executives to shrug their shoulders and say â€Å"I would if I could, but†¦.† That means it’s on you to show how you’ve gone above and beyond, or how your prod uctivity has been an asset to the company in your time there. According to PayScale.com, 75% of people who ask for a raise get one. Be one of the 75%!Before you start the process, ask yourself a few questions about where things stand at work right now. Have your responsibilities changed recently? Are you taking more initiative than ever? [via PayScale]If you don’t feel like you’re quite at that point yet, that doesn’t mean you won’t be soon. Be more proactive at work, taking the lead on projects that involve other people, and start reaching beyond the limits of your job description. If you are ready to start advocating for that raise, then here are some steps you can follow.Step 1:  Do Your HomeworkStep 2:  Settle on a Goal AmountStep 3:  Pick Your TimingStep 4:  Ask for a Meeting With Your Boss.Step 5:  Gather All of Your InformationStep 6: AskStep 7: Have a Plan BStep 1: Do Your HomeworkThe best tool at your disposal here is information œinformation about you, information about your industry, information about what other people make doing the same things you do. The great thing about this is that we have so much of this info right at our fingertips these days. There are entire websites out there devoted to how much people make in different industries, and what they can expect to make over the course of a career. It would be nice to think that we’re all priceless professionals, who don’t have a dollar figure. Yet in this cynical world, we all have a (professional) worth†¦and it’s absolutely essential to know yours. Let’s look at a few of the sites that can help you find out.The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics: Sure, it looks like dry government data- and, well, it is. But it’s also a wealth of information about your industry: median salaries, career outlooks over the next ten years, and basic career requirements.PayScale.com: On the front page, it says in big letters, â€Å"What am I worth?† That’s a sign that you’re on the right track in your research. You can search by industry or job title, and download free reports that give you salary data about your field.Glassdoor.com: This site has industry and salary data too, but it also has company data- including anonymous reviews from people who’ve worked there. So you get hard data about what people similar to you are making, but it can also give you insight into how your own company works behind the scenes. And if the raise request process doesn’t work out, it has some great resources for a job hunt.Step 2: Settle on a Goal AmountOnce you have a ballpark figure in mind thanks to your extensive research online, it’s time to start refining that a bit. You should have a specific goal in mind for your salary negotiations. You may or may not reach that in the end, but you need a figure for your manager to work with. If you let the other person set the number, y ou risk low-balling yourself. And you really don’t want to find out later that your boss actually would have gone higher, but didn’t because you seemed satisfied with the lower amount. Moral of the story: you set the narrative here.Here are 3 tips to keep in mind as you figure out your amount.1. Be realistic.Remember your research, and stay within shouting distance of what people in your role make at other companies, or what people have historically made in your role at your own company. Unless you’re about to sign a major professional baseball contract, asking for crazy amounts of cash (and a shiny new BMW convertible) will get you laughed out of your negotiation meeting.2. Be specific.Remember, you’re setting the conversation here. If you throw out a specific number or percentage of the raise, you open up a dialogue with your manager.3. Be firm.Once you’ve settled on an amount (or at least a narrow range), commit to it. The last thing you want is to be winging it once you have your boss’s attention.Okay, so you’ve figured out what you’re asking for. Let’s move on to step 3.Step 3: Pick Your TimingIf your company just released a disastrous earnings report, then now might not be the best time to ask for a raise. If you or your boss is overwhelmed in the middle of a giant project, now might not be the best time to ask for a raise. You want to pick a time when the powers that be might be more receptive to giving you more cash. This is not to say that you can’t ask for a raise if things are shaky with the company. As with everything else, there may not be a â€Å"perfect† time where all the planets align for your request, and you shouldn’t put it off indefinitely. But if you’re conscious about what’s going on in general, you can find a time when people aren’t just going to dismiss your request right off because things are terrible. It’s a matter of shif ting your opportunity window. Also, knowing what’s going on can help you frame your request: â€Å"I know things are a little rough right now with our industry, but I’d like to talk about a merit-based raise.†With many companies, raises and bonuses are tied pretty closely to the annual review process. Again, there’s nothing stopping you from taking this outside of the regular channels, but if you align your ask with a time of year where your company might be more amenable to adjusting your pay, it could increase your chances.Step 4: Ask for a Meeting With Your BossNo carrier pigeon necessary: just an invite that blocks out time for you and your boss to talk about this without distractions. There’s no need for cloak-and-dagger secrecy. A simple â€Å"meeting to discuss salary† subject works fine.Step 5: Gather All of Your InformationRemember when you did all that research on salaries? Time to bring that back, and keep it in mind for the discu ssion with your boss. You should also:Update your resume. It’s probably changed since you started, and the manager in charge of your raise may not have ever read your resume in the first place. So it’s time to rebuild or refine your resume, tailored to the points you want to emphasize in your raise request (skills you’ve picked up, tasks you’ve taken on, accomplishments you’ve accumulated). Bring a copy to the meeting with your boss.Make a list of all of the talking points you want to hit in your discussion.Practice what you want to say. It can feel silly to talk to yourself in the bathroom mirror, but asking for a raise can be a stressful situation. And in stressful situations, we don’t always remember to say what we needed or wanted to say. So if you practice ahead of time, it’ll be easier to stick to your points when you’re asking your boss.Step 6: AskArmed with your accomplishments and your raise-worthy activities on the jo b, gather up your confidence and walk into the meeting with your manager. There are some do’s and don’ts as you take this step:Don’t be aggressive or defensive. Keep the tone civil and professional at all times.Don’t make it about you as a person- make it about you as an employee.Don’t try to make it about what you want/need. If you are having personal financial issues, or want to finance Mr. Fluffington’s cat botox regimen, none of that matters. Focus on your worthiness as a professional.Do take it seriously. Even if you’re buddies with your boss, you want to treat this with the utmost seriousness. This is your salary we’re talking about! You want your boss to take this request seriously, so you need to set that tone.Don’t be afraid to talk yourself up. It’s not bragging to list your accomplishments and explain why you deserve a raise. You should be a confident advocate for yourself.Step 7: Have a Plan BSometimes the answer will be â€Å"no,† or the amount will come in way under that you were hoping to get. If that’s the case, you have some follow-up decisions to make. If you feel like your company doesn’t value you, and now you have a dollar figure against that, it’s time to ask yourself if you’d like to stay, or try your luck elsewhere.If the answer is no and you have no interest in jumping ship, don’t take it personally. This is a business discussion with business reasons behind it. It’s not a rejection of you (even thought it can certainly feel that way). Before you even walk into the meeting with your boss, know what your plan is for each potential outcome. Don’t lose heart- you can try this again in the future. Ideally, your boss explained why the answer was a no. And keep this open as a dialogue: you can ask whether there’s anything you can do to set yourself up for a better raise on the next go-round.The most important t hing with asking for a raise is that you go into it with every possible reason and justification at your disposal. The raise request is a not-so-distant cousin to the new job salary negotiation, in that you don’t get what you don’t ask for and you don’t want to have any regrets later on. Good luck seizing your opportunity!

Qué es USCIS, qué hace y cómo contactar con una oficina

Quà © es USCIS, quà © hace y cà ³mo contactar con una oficina El Servicio de Inmigracià ³n y Ciudadanà ­a de los Estados Unidos (USCIS, por sus siglas en inglà ©s) es la agencia federal encargada de gestionar todos los trmites relacionados con la inmigracià ³n legal. Todos los migrantes legales deben hacer trmites con el USCIS, al igual que los ciudadanos americanos que desean pedir los papeles para un familiar. Por esta razà ³n, es importante conocer cules son los trmites de los que se ocupa USCIS, dà ³nde estn ubicadas sus oficinas,  cà ³mo contactar para obtener informacià ³n y, finalmente, en quà © consiste la verificacià ³n de antecedentes penales (background check, en inglà ©s) que realiza esta agencia y cà ³mo saber lo que esta agencia sabe de cada migrante. Qu hace USCIS y cules son los tiempos de espera en sus trmites USCIS se ocupa de asuntos muy variados. Por ejemplo, es el organismo que estudia y aprueba o deniega las solicitudes de tarjeta de residencia permanente, conocida  como green card, por peticià ³n de un familiar o de una empresa. USCIS gestiona las solicitudes de adquisicià ³n de la ciudadanà ­a estadounidense por naturalizacià ³n o la aprobacià ³n de visas temporales de trabajo. Tambià ©n se encuentra dentro de las competencias de USCIS aprobar permisos de trabajo (EAD, por sus siglas en inglà ©s), programas especiales de proteccià ³n a migrantes como, por ejemplo, VAWA para và ­ctimas de violencia domà ©stica, TPS, para ciudadanos de paà ­ses en situacià ³n de catstrofe humanitaria, o DACA, para jà ³venes indocumentados que llegaron a Estados Unidos siendo nià ±os. Asimismo, USCIS gestiona el programa e-verify para determinar que una persona est autorizada para trabajar legalmente en Estados Unidos. Por à ºltimo, entre otros trmites  frecuentes tambià ©n destacan la gestià ³n de los casos de asilo afirmativo, los de adopcià ³n internacional y  las solicitudes de advance parole, para permitir salir de Estados Unidos y su regreso sin problemas. En cuanto al tiempo de demora para que USCIS apruebe o deniegue un trmite hay que decir claramente que no hay una respuesta à ºnica, ya que depende del tipo de trmite. En su pgina oficial se pueden verificar tiempos aproximados, una vez que se sabe el centro que gestiona el trmite y el nombre del documento del tipo de peticià ³n o solicitud. Por ejemplo, I-130 para el caso de peticiones de un familiar, N-600 para la naturalizacià ³n, etc. En todo caso es necesario destacar que si se trata de una peticià ³n de familia donde hay un là ­mite  de solicitudes que pueden ser aprobadas por aà ±o fiscal, como es el caso de todas las peticiones de residentes o en las peticiones de ciudadanos para hijos mayores de 21 aà ±os o casados o para sus hermanos hay que esperar ms. Es decir, hay que esperar a que exista cupo para lo cual es ms indicativo verificar las fechas que publica el Departamento de Estado cada mes en el Boletà ­n de Visas. En relacià ³n a los trmites que se realizan con USCIS, se debe  recordar que todos los formularios oficiales son gratis y pueden descargarse de su pgina oficial, incluso admitià ©ndose casos de e-file. Adems, en ciertos casos es posible solicitar una exencià ³n para no pagar la tarifa que requiere el caso. Asimismo, se debe  insistir que todos los documentos que se presentan en espaà ±ol, como por ejemplo, las partidas de nacimiento o matrimonio, deben ir acompaà ±ados de una traduccià ³n al inglà ©s, que debe ser certificada. Por à ºltimo, tener en cuenta que cuando el USCIS deniega una peticià ³n es posible apelarla en algunos casos. Oficinas de USCIS y cmo obtener informacin En la actualidad, USCIS cuenta con ms de 19.000 empleados repartidos en aproximadamente 200 oficinas, algunas de las cuales se encuentran ubicadas fuera de los Estados Unidos. Desde el punto de vista orgnico, el USCIS pertenece al Departamento de Seguridad Interna, conocido en inglà ©s por sus siglas de DHS. Lo importante es enviar los formularios y la documentacià ³n de apoyo a la direccià ³n correcta, que va a depender de dos factores: el tipo de solicitud y el lugar en el que se reside habitualmente. Todos los formularios especifican claramente este punto, y tambià ©n se establece una distincià ³n segà ºn el tipo de envà ­o: ordinario o urgente. Tambià ©n es posible solicitar informacià ³n del USCIS. Si es de carcter general, se puede acudir a una de sus oficinas locales con servicio de atencià ³n al pà ºblico, aunque es recomendable que se abstengan de esto los migrantes indocumentados. Otra opcià ³n para no esperar es realizar una cita previa mediante el sistema de INFOPASS. Si la pregunta que se desea realizar es sobre un caso concreto se puede marcar  a USCIS al 1-800-375-5283 para lo cual es necesario tener a mano el nà ºmero de caso, que se puede encontrar en la carta en la que USCIS notifica que ha recibido los papeles para una peticià ³n o solicitud. Asimismo, con esa informacià ³n es posible obtener informacià ³n và ­a Internet. En qu consiste la verificacin de antecedentes penales que realiza USCIS Para realizar los trmites, USCIS pide frecuentemente datos biomà ©tricos, como foto y huellas dactilares de la persona para quien se solicita un beneficio migratorio. Esos datos le sirven para verificar los posibles antecedentes penales de una persona. Es lo que se conoce en inglà ©s como background check. Esto consiste en cotejar las huellas digitales con las bases de datos de otras agencias federales y tambià ©n enviarlas al FBI para determinar si la persona que solicita el beneficio migratorio ha sido arrestada o detenida en el pasado y, en caso afirmativo, la causa. Adems, se envà ­a informacià ³n biogrfica a otro departamento del FBI para que lleve a cabo la verificacià ³n del nombre para determinar si la persona es un delincuente, se tiene sospechas sobre ella o se le considera un riesgo para la seguridad de Estados Unidos. Todas las personas con un expediente presente o pasado en USCIS que desean saber cul es su contenido pueden solicitar dicha informacià ³n mediante lo que se conoce como FOIA. El formulario a llenar es el G-639. La direccià ³n a la que se debe enviar es: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration ServicesNational Records Center, FOIA/PA OfficeP.O. Box 648010Lees Summit, MO 64064-8010 Cmo evitar problemas con USCIS y fraudes En asuntos migratorios es fundamental llenar bien los formularios de peticià ³n y enviar a tiempo la documentacià ³n de apoyo. No es necesario usar los servicios de un abogado pero es recomendable, particularmente en los casos que no estn claros y pueden dar lugar a interpretacià ³n.   Datos sobre buenos abogados de inmigracià ³n pueden obtenerse en la base de datos de AILA. Tambià ©n se recomienda verificar la reputacià ³n de un abogado en el BAR (colegio de abogados) del estado. Finalmente, tambià ©n se puede obtener informacià ³n para buenas referencias o letrados pro bono en asociaciones de defensa de los intereses legales de los migrantes. Debe desconfiarse de los llamados notarios, que no pueden ejercer como abogados en Estados Unidos y de todas las personas que prometen resultados porque supuestamente conocen a alguien dentro de USCIS. Esos casos son fraudes. Finalmente, USCIS no se dedica a juzgar casos migratorios ya que eso es competencia de las cortes y del Board de Apelaciones (BIA, por sus siglas en inglà ©s). Tampoco se ocupa de arrestos ni de ejecutar deportaciones ni de guardar la frontera, que es competencia de ICE y la CBP. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

Self reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Self reflection paper - Essay Example Situations in both life and case study issues become ethical when they involve matters within our control that might either disrespect or respect us as human beings (DuBois, 2010). Based on my personal insights and views, I believe that good discussions on ethics are due to situations that challenge our abilities to determine the right thing to do (DuBois, 2010). Besides, in all situations we should carry out effective ethical action, or lay out an effective strategy for avoiding ethical obstacles in the future (DuBois, 2010). As human beings, we have code of conducts that guide our relations with fellow human beings and our approach to various critical life issues. I believe that we should adhere to these laid down code of conducts to help us coexist as necessitated with fellow human beings in a peaceful and cordial manner (DuBois, 2010). Learning ethical issues have proved to be helpful to me as a learner. These appear in three distinctive ways, which are volitional, cognitive and social (DuBois, 2010). Repeatedly, we always know the right thing but usually a dilemma arises in some instances, which is volitional (DuBois, 2010). The latter usually occurs when individuals have competing interest other than doing what is right (DuBois, 2010). In addition, an ethical matter is cognitive especially when the concerned does not to know what to do. They always find that the decisions they are about to take might affect others in different degrees (DuBois, 2010). At some times, the issues appear easy and we are certain on the decisions we make. These matters only appear socially problematic as the stake holders do not agree on the decision unanimously (DuBois, 2010). In the class discussion, I learned that case studies are standard methods of teaching philosophy, law and a little of social sciences (DuBois, 2010). These cases usually appear accompanied by ethical issues that become a big dilemma for the participants. A big lesson that I learned in my participation in the class is that these ethical issues are there to help us acquire critical thinking as skill, which usually requires practice, learning and experience. This is evident especially in the Automobile Workers v. Johnson Controls Inc case study where I cited various ethical issues that were dilemma especially to the involved participants (Rehnquist, Kennedy & Scalia, 2003). For example, suppose a company is applying the necessary professional work ethics and fair gender opportunities stated by law due to its policy mean to bar women from working in lead related departments (Rehnquist, Kennedy & Scalia, 2003). Besides being just an ethical matter, the issue became a big dilemma for the company or whether to uphold the issue and save workers’ health or get rid of it and put women of childbearing capacity at risk (Rehnquist, Kennedy & Scalia, 2003). This leads to divisions among the work whereby one side deem the corporation purposely implements strategies with an intention of segr egating them. Hence, it does not hold to the international policies that bar corporations from engaging in any form of gender-based marginalization. This is despite corporations availing workers with adequate information regarding reasons why they are against women especially those who have the child bearing capacity working in situations that may be risky to their health. From this we learn, many case studies come

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

Company Law - Essay Example Further, company law largely interprets business law to the affected parties. Business just like any other discipline, which involves interaction between two or more parties, cannot be wholly exonerated from instances of conflicts (Emerson, 2009). Business law attempts to address diverse issues in a business. It enables swift and efficient enforcement of contracts. In addition, it ensures adequate legal protection to both private and personal property; it ensures clear framework and mechanisms for transferring and registering property. Furthermore, it also sees to it that intellectual property get due protection and enforcement. Business law ensures stability and the existence of a framework able to accommodate the management, operations, and establishment of companies. Company law puts in place a legal framework on how companies operate. It handles issues such as company formation, regulations in terms of limiting liability of members and general company’s functions and perfo rmance. Company law protects both investors and the public in their daily business transactions. Investment law offers grant to some businesses irrespective of their legal form. It also contains regulations in respect to transfer of shares in the Capital market. The company law foresees functions and the capacity of an individual since this is very essential during company formation (Kenneth & Clarkson, 2010). Corporate personality implies that as far as the company law is concerned, the personality of a company exist differently from its owners. Therefore, the state recognizes that certain business or firms contain legal personality. As a result, the company has the legal right to sue an individual or be sued in its property, name or be held accountable for its debts. It is this idea that allows limited liability for company shareholders to take place because the debt does not belong to them but to the company. Limited liability is the rational aftermath of the existence of separat e or dual personality. However, just like people in some cases can have limits placed on their legal personality, so as a firm or an organization can have legal personality with no restricted liability if that is the way it is granted by the law. Therefore, it is vital to note that a firm can be formed with no restrictions or in absence of limited liability. The rationale of the ideas of corporate personality and limited liability were well presented in the case of Salomon v Salomon & Co. Ltd in the year 1897. In this case, Salomon conducted his business as leather trader. In the year 1892, he formed his firm or company which he called Salomon& Co. Ltd. Salomon, his five children and wife each had one share in the newly formed company (Hannigan, 2009). Therefore, the family members were forced to hold shares on behalf of Salomon because the policy at that time required that for any company to be registered there must be at least seven shareholders. The Company bought the sole operat ion of leather business, which was valued at E 39,000.00. This showed Salomon determination for success in the leather business. Salomon paid E 10,000.00 in form of debentures for the assets of the company. He decided to pay in debentures so that he could be a secured creditor. Salomon offered a charge over the assets of the company at E 20,000.00 in E 1 per share and E 9,000 in cash.

Profesional portfolio Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Profesional portfolio - Assignment Example Developing an effective global workplace is a challenging tasks but necessary for multinational companies because it ensures employees in their companies create a culture of shared values that maintain cohesive and ethical cultures across countries that are difficult to create in a domestic environment. In light of this new definition of global workplace, to me global workplace is considered a workplace with intercultural teams that come together from across different countries to accomplish a business objective for a company using technology and communication, while observing certain ethical and professional behavior for the purpose of minimizing cost. In the same assignment, another change or rather an addition that has been made is the experience of intercultural communication, specifically using Coca-Cola in India as an example. Let us look at the change of intercultural communication. Intercultural communication relates to how people should work in a global workplace because it looks at how individuals from different background of culture attempt to communicate verbally and non-verbally, manage, approach deadlines, work together, meet, build relationships, negotiate and much more (Varner & Beamer, 2011). Individuals and companies that look into doing business within the global workplace usually are unsuccessful in addressing such areas before venturing into business abroad. This has the effect of leading to poor performance and lost business deals. More understanding of differences intercultural in protocol, communication and etiquette in addition to informed planning surely leads to a huge probability of attaining business go als and objectives. Code of conduct is one aspect of intercultural communication that relates to how people work in a global workplace. In a global workplace, a uniform code of conduct is used to address how workers of a company are supposed to behave professionally. For instance,

Economics for Business Decisions Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Economics for Business Decisions - Term Paper Example If Always Round Tire doubles the size of its production facility – increasing L from 250 to 500 and K from 25 to 50 – what happens to the cost of production, even though we do not know the wages of labor or the price of capital?   This production exhibits increasing returns to scale. Doubling the scale of production will more than double the quantity of output. Costs per unit will decline because the firm takes advantage of the economies of scale. Why do economies of scale and learning curve effects look similar when they are graphed? What different concepts do they represent?   A graph of economies of scale shows that average costs per unit of output fall when the quantity of output increases. However, this decrease in the average cost per unit of output occurs at a decreasing rate. Economies of scale show the cost advantages larger firms have in some industries, like basic metals, where costs per unit fall with the cumulative volume of output. A graph of a learnin g curve shows that average costs per unit of output fall when the cumulative quantity of output produced since inception increases. This decrease in the average cost per unit of output occurs at a decreasing rate. Learning curves show the cost advantages firms that have cumulatively produced greater amounts of output have in some industries, like semiconductors. For many corporations, a major portion of the cost of production is fixed in the short run. ... In the long-run all costs are variable costs and there are no long-run fixed costs.    Wanda Weeks is tired of running her small machine tool company. She wishes to sell it in order use her time and money elsewhere. She is currently earning a salary of $85,000 per year and a 10% return on her capital investment. She wants to take a job in a bank and invest her capital in a mutual fund. What issues should she look at before making the decision to change careers?   She should look at the opportunity cost of her time and capital. The total opportunity cost running her machine tool business is the value of both her time and her capital. She should compare how much she could earn from both labor income and selling her capital investment in the machine tool business to her current labor income and capital return as the owner of this business. The Springfield Bank received 1500 inquires following its latest advertisement describing its "establish a Certificate of Deposit (CD)-get a free CD (compact disk)" promotion in the Springfield Shopper, a local newspaper. The most recent similar ad in a similar advertising campaign in the Brockman Business Newsletter, a local business publication generated 500 inquires. Each ad in the Springfield Shopper costs $500. Each ad in the Brockman Business Newsletter costs $125. Inquires from both publications have the same success rate in turning inquires into sales. (a.) Assuming that additional ads will generate similar response rates, is Springfield Bank running an optimal mix of ads in the Springfield Shopper and the Brockman Business Newsletter? Why or why not? (b.) If you claim that the Springfield Bank is currently running an optimal mix of ads clearly explain why they are using an optimal mix of ads. If you claim that the Springfield

Philosophy Of Aesthetics Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Philosophy Of Aesthetics - Article Example To some, aesthetics is thought to be a study of critical language, or criticism of works of art. In critiquing works of art, it is suggested that a better question than 'Is it Art' would be 'Is it important' or 'Does it matter' (Burke, et al. 1993). According to An Encyclopedia of Philosophy, "criticism, and aesthetics, involve a sort of arduous thinking that isn't usually asked of people, and is produced normally only by artists . . .". The values irrevocably linked to works of art, as well as the choices that have to be made (Burke, et al. 1993) help us to understand how works of art travel through time to reach our eyes and ears. Understanding the values creates more understanding about the choices that have been made in the art's history. A painting by Rembrandt may be set aside or even discarded if it doesn't measure up to the values of the artist's body of work, or the times in which they are shown. Once that choice is made, the history of the artwork changes completely. Values are also about the 'norms', implied or not, of the art world. As in any part of human endeavor, trying to achieve the norm, the standard, often becomes only successful in achieving mediocrity. Values are the guidelines that great works of art must step outside to achieve greatness. ... History has watched art that has found great popularity and success become invisible when it becomes the 'norm' or is standardized. It becomes wallpaper. So what makes art last Is it beauty What is beauty In Webster's dictionary, aesthetic is defined as an appreciation of beauty. It is the only definition of aesthetic. In philosophy, aesthetic has no definition, only description., many descriptions. As for beauty, it is, of course, in the eye of the beholder. But this does not stop critics from deciding what is beautiful and what is not, which helps some to feel the security of those boundaries, while infuriating others who are imprisoned by them. For who hasn't stood at a window on a gray, rainy day and appreciated the dim, dreary landscape as beautiful in its way Yet there are many who will look out the window and simply say, "I don't like rain." Interpretation of art is different from evaluation, critique and judgements. Interpretation involves explanations of things that are not obvious to the viewer, or listener. Evaluation is more objective and might be thought of as having more to do with the actual piece of art and its explicit components. Critique and judgements are the defining remarks that are based on many factors, which include interpretation, evaluation, personal taste, historical reference, and many others. A tertiary conversation within the realm of aesthetic philosophy is the question 'Is Art Dead', Rosenstein (2002) puts forward the idea that not art but art theory is dead. The pallbearer has been brought to the art scene many times before and been disappointed to find it still breathing. Art is not dead but there are eras that are so lacking in originality that they

Media Relations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 8

Media Relations - Assignment Example There are several significant values that are attached to the Ramadan festivities in the Islam calendar, and being the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims are mostly expected to fast from dawn till sunset for about 29 or 30 days. Given that the Islamic calendar is determined by the lunar cycle including the Ramadan that comes after the ninth month, with the glimpsing of the new moon (Murray, 2012). Taken from the Arabic word ar-ramad implying dryness or scotching heat, Ramadan signifies a mandatory fasting season for the adult Muslims in which in the entire ‘blessed month’ they are required to abstain from foods, drinks and other physical needs. Ramadan is intended to be a time for cleansing the soul, focusing attention on God and enthusiastic self-sacrifice. Eating begins after sunset, taking into consideration the aspect of cleansing the soul for God. Hence, Ramadan can be perceived as a period when Muslims are educated on matters of spirituality, patience and humility (Murray, 2012). Persons are required not to engage in defiling activities that may hinder their purity. In other aspects Muslims are required to restrain their bodies, particularly the tongue from aspects of gossip and backbiting. Immediately after Ramadan, follows the celebrations for the holiday of Eid-ul-Fitr. Non-Muslims should perceive this month as a highlighting of the Muslim brotherhood customs, and brings a special feeling of closeness (Murray, 2012). â€Å"The philosophy of fasting calls upon us to know ourselves, to master ourselves, and to discipline ourselves the better to free ourselves. To fast is to identify our dependencies, and free ourselves from them.†- Tariq

Philosophy Of Aesthetics Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Philosophy Of Aesthetics - Article Example To some, aesthetics is thought to be a study of critical language, or criticism of works of art. In critiquing works of art, it is suggested that a better question than 'Is it Art' would be 'Is it important' or 'Does it matter' (Burke, et al. 1993). According to An Encyclopedia of Philosophy, "criticism, and aesthetics, involve a sort of arduous thinking that isn't usually asked of people, and is produced normally only by artists . . .". The values irrevocably linked to works of art, as well as the choices that have to be made (Burke, et al. 1993) help us to understand how works of art travel through time to reach our eyes and ears. Understanding the values creates more understanding about the choices that have been made in the art's history. A painting by Rembrandt may be set aside or even discarded if it doesn't measure up to the values of the artist's body of work, or the times in which they are shown. Once that choice is made, the history of the artwork changes completely. Values are also about the 'norms', implied or not, of the art world. As in any part of human endeavor, trying to achieve the norm, the standard, often becomes only successful in achieving mediocrity. Values are the guidelines that great works of art must step outside to achieve greatness. ... History has watched art that has found great popularity and success become invisible when it becomes the 'norm' or is standardized. It becomes wallpaper. So what makes art last Is it beauty What is beauty In Webster's dictionary, aesthetic is defined as an appreciation of beauty. It is the only definition of aesthetic. In philosophy, aesthetic has no definition, only description., many descriptions. As for beauty, it is, of course, in the eye of the beholder. But this does not stop critics from deciding what is beautiful and what is not, which helps some to feel the security of those boundaries, while infuriating others who are imprisoned by them. For who hasn't stood at a window on a gray, rainy day and appreciated the dim, dreary landscape as beautiful in its way Yet there are many who will look out the window and simply say, "I don't like rain." Interpretation of art is different from evaluation, critique and judgements. Interpretation involves explanations of things that are not obvious to the viewer, or listener. Evaluation is more objective and might be thought of as having more to do with the actual piece of art and its explicit components. Critique and judgements are the defining remarks that are based on many factors, which include interpretation, evaluation, personal taste, historical reference, and many others. A tertiary conversation within the realm of aesthetic philosophy is the question 'Is Art Dead', Rosenstein (2002) puts forward the idea that not art but art theory is dead. The pallbearer has been brought to the art scene many times before and been disappointed to find it still breathing. Art is not dead but there are eras that are so lacking in originality that they

Prostitution - Analysis of Positivism and Classicism within Assignment

Prostitution - Analysis of Positivism and Classicism within Criminology via the Lens of Article - Assignment Example A discussion and analysis of the principle tenets of both positivism and classicism with regards to criminology will be engaged with.   Although it is not the purpose of this analysis to state that one approach is better than the other, the underlying goal is merely to state which one is the most effective in helping the reader to come to an appreciation of the causal and motivating factors that might have driven the individual to commit crime the first place. As a means of briefly describing the article to the reader prior seeking to define in terms of either positivism or classicism, the following serve as something of a brief summary. The article details the results of the plea bargain that was entered into by Ms Alexis Wright. Rather than facing a jury trial with over the charges, Ms Wright instead opted for a plea bargain that would see her serve 10 months in jail and pay a fine of just less than $60,000. Investigators case, the article reveals, had been gathering information upon Miss Wright as well as others involved, including client, for the space of nearly 2  ½ years. As with most high profile prostitution stings, Ms Wright’s enterprise made headline news in one of the nation’s most prominent newspapers due to two main factors (Seelye 1). The first of these is with regards to the high profile nature of her client list; referenced in the article is merely mayors, ministers, and high school coaches. The second deter minant that makes this high profile news is the fact that the actual place of prostitution served as both a Zumba studio and was located a mere stone’s throw from the vacation home of former Pres. George Bush. One of the hallmarks of the positivist’s school of thought with relation to criminology is the underlying belief that the individual/criminal is not always spurred on crime based solely upon free will. Rather, precipitating factors such as economic hardship, developmental impairment, or an otherwise incomplete worldview and/or understanding can just as easily lead an individual to commit a crime as can free will.  

The Color Purple Monologue Essay Example for Free

The Color Purple Monologue Essay Youre nothing but a piece oh shit on the bottom of my shoe, thats whats wrong. Im leaving with Shug and getting away from you. Youre a dirty rat and your dead body is just the welcome I need to leave you. You might have been a half way decent man if your father raised you right. You know that Nettie was all I had and the only one that loved me and you took her away from me. Youre nothing but trash for doing that to me. Youre cruel but it dont matter no more. My sister is taking care of my children in Africa. My children Olivia and Adam are learning different languages and are coming back home soon. And when they get here we are all gona whoop your ass for doing that to me. And we will do it with no regret for the things you done to me. Beating a woman doesnt do shit and Im gona laugh when everything you wish for crumbles down. My children are gona turn out way better then these blockheads you never made the time to raise. If your son Harpo hadnt tried to beat Sofia into submission then the white people would have never gotten to her. She wouldnt have gotten sent to jail either. You had rotten kids. They made my life hell, they did. But of course you aint nothing but some horse shit. You thought beating me would make me submit to your will? Well, boy you sure are wrong. No one ever is gona treat me that way no more. With you I felt that I wanted to go somewhere but I couldnt. I almost got my spirit beaten outa me and I just wanted to rot somewhere. And I never even asked you for a God damn thing!!! I never asked you for nothing at all!!! Not even your hand in marriage. I never asked you for nothing, but your sorry ass asked everything from me. Wash the dishes, clean the house, feed the kids, shave my beard. And I never got nothing in return!! But I never complained bout that cause I know you would just beat the shit outa me!! And until you do me right then everything you touch is gona crumble down on your sorry ass. You may think that I will come back but so help me God I would rather die then to live in this house with you. When you do your business on top of me I would always just pretend I wasnt there. I may not have talent and spunk like Shug but I got me some will now. I aint ever gona back down from anyone no more. I almost killed you when I was shaving you. If Shug wasnt there to save you I would have killed you. I should have done it for all the wrong you did to me. Until you treat me right everything you try to succeed at is just gona fail. Its gona be a rude awakening you realize that you cant live without me. You cant even cook breakfast without burning the damn thing. Everything you done to me I have already done to you. You just dont know it. And even if I havent done all that you have done to me its gona happen to you. Its gona come back and bite you in the ass for what you done to me. You will live in misery and you wont be able to live with yourself. You will probably drive yourself crazy and Ima have my head kept high. I dont need you. You think I need you but, its the other way around. You say Im nothing but an ugly black poor woman but listen here. I am black. I am poor. And I may be ugly but Im away from you and thats all I need.

Stereotypes of Native Americans in Modern Films Essay -- Movie Film Es

Stereotypes of Native Americans in Modern Films There are many stereotypes about Native Americans which are promoted in today's films. Since the beginnings of the westward settlement people have been saying things about the Native Americans that are not necessarily true. They were depicted as savages and thieves. Like all peoples this is true about some, but not for all. In fact, it was the Native Americans which helped the pilgrims settle in this country in the first place. This never stopped whites from stereotyping the way we have. Early films and TV shows gave Native Americans a bad image. Old western films are a good example of this. In these the cowboys were always the good guys and the Native Americans were the bad guys. More recent films and TV shows give a different picture of the Native American. Since the start of television the Americans view of the culture of the Native American has slowly changed from being a ruthless savage to an honored race of people. Stereotypes of Native Americans were first taught to us by our parents. Almost all of us can remember playing cowboys and Indians when we were little kids. The cowboy would always be the good guy and he would chase the Indian and shoot him with his gun. When we are taught this as little children it is hard to give this idea up as adults. People still commonly call Native Americans Indians which is wrong since that name was given to them by Columbus when he thought he was in India. It also makes for exciting action in films to have the cowboy chasing the Native American around and shooting him. This could be a major reason why so many cowboy and Indian movies were made. Television also promotes many stereotypes about Native Americans. Television has such ... ... good guys. In the film Kostner begins with the picture that all Native Americans are bad and they would eventually attack him. But as the film goes on he learn that they are not bad people and adopts their ways. Then the white people are made out as the bad guys in the end of the film when they capture Kostner and treat him bad. Why is it that many films have taken on the drastic change of making the Native Americans go from bad guys to good guys? Probably one of the biggest reasons is that people are better educated about the history of Native Americans now then they were before. People are now realizing that we treated Native Americans poorly. This gives people a sense of guilt about how their ancestors treated Native Americans. Works Cited AAP Commitee on Communications. "Television Issues." http://www.cybergate.com/~simonian/tv.html (23 April. 1997).

Antigone :: essays research papers

Greek Tragedy: Sophocles’ Antigone   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The struggle between right and wrong, the demands between family and that of the government, and the ultimate struggle between divine law and those made by man is the center of Sophocles’ Antigone. Through this expression of Greek drama, a sense of what life must have been like in the time of Sophocles comes across. In his world, women are subjugated and supposed to be silent spectators to the world around them as men’s search for power leads to incredible acts against both human and divine law. Antigone is a woman who firmly believed in these divine laws and whose actions changed the course of Thebian history.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story of Antigone begins much sooner than the famous play makes known. It is filled with tragedy. Antigone is the daughter of the late king of Thebes, Oedipus. A seer told Oedipus’ own father, at the birth of his son that the king would be slain by this only son. He would then seize the throne of Thebes. He therefore banished Oedipus in order to maintain power. Years later the omen would come true. Oedipus would seize the Thebian throne, kill the king, and take Jocasta, the late king’s wife as his own. Unbeknownst to Oedipus that the man he had slain was his father and that his new wife was in fact his mother. When he learned of the truth, Oedipus blinded himself and Jocasta committed suicide.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Together, Oedipus and Jocasta were to have four children. Their two sons were named Polynices and Eteocles while the two daughters were named Ismene and Antigone. In the palace, Oedipus stayed with his children. It was agreed upon that Polynices and Eteocles would govern the city of Thebes in alternate years, but when their quarrels and disobedience were too much to bear with, their father placed a curse upon them. Under the omen, Oedipus said that the siblings would destroy one another. The first year of rule fell upon Eteocles. When it seemed that he would not give up power, Polynices went to Argos and prepared an invasion with the ruler of the land. As a result of the invasion, the two brothers would be dead, each by the other’s hand. Power over Thebes would then fall on the brother of the late Jocasta, Creon.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Being a man who was loyal to Thebes, Creon’s first order of business was to banish any traitors and forbid the burial of Polynices for invading the city with â€Å"foreigners. Antigone :: essays research papers Greek Tragedy: Sophocles’ Antigone   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The struggle between right and wrong, the demands between family and that of the government, and the ultimate struggle between divine law and those made by man is the center of Sophocles’ Antigone. Through this expression of Greek drama, a sense of what life must have been like in the time of Sophocles comes across. In his world, women are subjugated and supposed to be silent spectators to the world around them as men’s search for power leads to incredible acts against both human and divine law. Antigone is a woman who firmly believed in these divine laws and whose actions changed the course of Thebian history.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story of Antigone begins much sooner than the famous play makes known. It is filled with tragedy. Antigone is the daughter of the late king of Thebes, Oedipus. A seer told Oedipus’ own father, at the birth of his son that the king would be slain by this only son. He would then seize the throne of Thebes. He therefore banished Oedipus in order to maintain power. Years later the omen would come true. Oedipus would seize the Thebian throne, kill the king, and take Jocasta, the late king’s wife as his own. Unbeknownst to Oedipus that the man he had slain was his father and that his new wife was in fact his mother. When he learned of the truth, Oedipus blinded himself and Jocasta committed suicide.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Together, Oedipus and Jocasta were to have four children. Their two sons were named Polynices and Eteocles while the two daughters were named Ismene and Antigone. In the palace, Oedipus stayed with his children. It was agreed upon that Polynices and Eteocles would govern the city of Thebes in alternate years, but when their quarrels and disobedience were too much to bear with, their father placed a curse upon them. Under the omen, Oedipus said that the siblings would destroy one another. The first year of rule fell upon Eteocles. When it seemed that he would not give up power, Polynices went to Argos and prepared an invasion with the ruler of the land. As a result of the invasion, the two brothers would be dead, each by the other’s hand. Power over Thebes would then fall on the brother of the late Jocasta, Creon.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Being a man who was loyal to Thebes, Creon’s first order of business was to banish any traitors and forbid the burial of Polynices for invading the city with â€Å"foreigners.

Little thing Essay

Of the five poems I have selected beforehand, I happen to choose the poem â€Å"The Pebble†. It took me awhile to choose which poem to talk about but somehow, I keep coming back in reading this poem. I favour this poem compared to the other four because of the simplicity it implies. It starts off with the title which gives out a plain imagery of the thing that will be talked about. The poem struck me in the way that it talked about a very little thing. A thing that is often taken for granted. Nobody would actually pay much attention to a pebble. Usually, the pebble is just an add-on to an aquarium or a little thing to beautify a garden. Even so, be it in an aquarium or a garden, the object of concentration is not the pebble. But in this poem, the pebble holds the main attraction. My attention was taken away by the description given to a pebble. And as to how the poem unfolds, the comparison and contrast of a pebble and that to a person was stated plainly, but not directly though. Often times we think of a use for a certain thing and eventually we talk about it or write about it. In any case, we share that what is important. So, in the case of this poem, a pebble never seemed to be something important. Most of the time, people don’t seem to bother about anything regarding a pebble. A poem expresses the emotions of a writer and usually in the state of turmoil. What is captivating about this poem is that there isn’t much of a turmoil expressed in words for this. It describes what a pebble is, how a pebble could be and compared it as to how a person could feel. I feel a certain depth in this poem, though I doubt if I could eventually express that depth. I somehow could feel that this poem has something more than what it is giving. The problem is just that I’m still trying to measure up the feeling conveyed by this poem. Somehow, I have a strange idea of being able to fathom what the poem holds, but because of its vividness, I’m having a hard time grasping the concept it implies. Such ironic feelings are extracted from my mind but I’m trying though to put it into words. The poem has an intrinsic impact on me. I don’t have much of an idea of the author but as I read the poem over and over again, and internalize it somehow, I gain knowledge to the truth it may imply. With how I describe it, the poem may seem to be a prayer, but actually, it’s not. It’s not everyday that we read a poem which is presented so simply. I just have a feeling that the writer wrote this according to how he perceives the truth of the pebble. A pebble which is a little stone that eventually could last longer than any other thing. Part four The Pebble is a very interesting poem. From the title itself, it projects a literary piece about simplicity. As we have seen pebbles and grasp a meaning of this thing, it is an object that is pretty much of little value. But this thing has been often times used as an instrument for symbolism. It doesn’t actually become the symbol, but yet, it is used as a contributor for the statement of the symbol. Like the ripples on the water, to make the ripples, the pebble is used as the object that is thrown to create the ripples. But in this situation, the impact was made by the pebble but the symbol was the ripple. Interpretation of the Poem At the start of the poem, the pebble is described as a perfect creature. It is here that we can see that the object has been given the traits as that of a person. Attributing the perfection that the writer is talking about for the pebble would be on its physical aspect. The physical description of pebbles which are often perfectly oval in shape with a smooth surface, having no cracks or lumps, would suit the description of excellence or perfection. In comparison to a person, a perfect creature would then be one without cracks or perhaps loopholes and one who doesn’t have any lumps. Perfection in our own view would be that of someone who doesn’t possess any frailties, errors and does all things without mistakes and stands as clean as ever. But as the writer proceeds with the poem, it mentioned that it could only be equalled to itself and is aware of its limits. A perfect thing that cannot be compared by anything except itself and has limits, were the descriptions emphasized by the poet. Still, this has been compared to that of a person. Perfection does not imply that the person has no limits. With this description then, we could imply that in perfection, it is being and doing something flawlessly but in the range of one’s limits. Often, when we talk about perfection, it is in comparison already to supreme beings or gods. But the poet has stated that what could be compared to one creature would not be anyone else, but only with it. Indeed, the concept of uniqueness has been unfolded. As the poem proceeds, it has been defined by the author that the meaning this object holds, is the meaning it holds from the time it has been made. â€Å"A pebbly meaning† would mean the identity that this object holds and whatever that is, that is the true meaning of the thing. Same goes if related again to a person, that the definition or meaning of who we are is the self. It is not somebody else that hold the meaning of our life, but it is our self, the one with us from the beginning, that defines what we are. Another idea of the â€Å"pebbly meaning† would be the concept of a pebble which is not of great significance but just possesses the simplicity that it is as an object. It is not a big rock that could smash something smaller or a stone which may be small but definitely holds weight. It is not a mountain that shows greatness just by looking at it. It is emphasizing a pebble, small, perhaps insignificant, and does not hold much weight. But as we ponder on the purpose as to why it exists, it holds more than what it is actually letting us see. The poem describes further that the pebble is one thing that doesn’t have a specific characteristic that would be intimidating and though it is unique and different, it stands with its uniqueness without any other factor that might entice anybody. As all other things or people would need more than what they have, like they would go for enhancing the appearance or develop any form of attractive facilities for others to see or witness, the pebble sticks with what it has. Despite the simplicity or plainness it holds, it still has its dignity and pride. It is contradicting to the idea that without pride is simplicity. Being simple does not mean that one does not hold any value of himself. It doesn’t also mean that there is no regard for the self. Instead, inside that simplicity, an aura of pride and dignity emanates. It’s just that people don’t get to see it because they are more aware of the obvious things. As the poem proceeds, the writer was somehow humbled down to the value of the pebble that in the changing world, struggling all the time for attention and importance, the pebble or anyone that could be related to a pebble, simply sits quietly and wait. In the end, all the others vanish, and it’s just the pebble that remains. Those who do not live such complicated lives could eventually see all that is happening and live longer than most of the people. Conclusion The poem is written as a realization in life. Often times people would prefer to have the symbol of a mountain, or something powerful and bigger. This is so because of how we see our life, we prefer to have the control especially when we are not in control in reality. We want to be in power when in reality we are weak and helpless. Our symbols tell what we really are and it’s has always been the opposite of what we are. In this poem, the concept of simplicity and the awakening of humility are emphasized. Simplicity is held in the object of the pebble. The object of no complications and the writer is in the point of using this imagery to a person’s life. The awakening of the humility is expressed in the last two stanzas of the poem where the writer has gone to see the impact of a pebble and how it absorbs everything there is without complaining. This is a contradiction to people where complaining has been made a hobby and dissatisfaction always a companion. Before going to the point of appreciating, people tend to complain, grumble and then when the worse has come, perhaps, mellow down and bear with the idea of appreciating something. The poet has created a very good concept of life. The poem written is also expressed the same way as that of the idea it intends to convey. Simplicity indeed is beauty and only few have seen it.

A Game of Thrones Chapter Forty-five

Eddard Pain is a gift from the gods, Lord Eddard,† Grand Maester Pycelle told him. â€Å"It means the bone is knitting, the flesh healing itself. Be thankful.† â€Å"I will be thankful when my leg stops throbbing.† Pycelle set a stoppered flask on the table by the bed. â€Å"The milk of the poppy, for when the pain grows too onerous.† â€Å"I sleep too much already.† â€Å"Sleep is the great healer.† â€Å"I had hoped that was you.† Pycelle smiled wanly. â€Å"It is good to see you in such a fierce humor, my lord.† He leaned close and lowered his voice. â€Å"There was a raven this morning, a letter for the queen from her lord father. I thought you had best know.† â€Å"Dark wings, dark words,† Ned said grimly. â€Å"What of it?† â€Å"Lord Tywin is greatly wroth about the men you sent after Ser Gregor Clegane,† the maester confided. â€Å"I feared he would be. You will recall, I said as much in council.† â€Å"Let him be wroth,† Ned said. Every time his leg throbbed, he remembered Jaime Lannister's smile, and Jory dead in his arms. â€Å"Let him write all the letters to the queen he likes. Lord Beric rides beneath the king's own banner. If Lord Tywin attempts to interfere with the king's justice, he will have Robert to answer to. The only thing His Grace enjoys more than hunting is making war on lords who defy him.† Pycelle pulled back, his maester's chain jangling. â€Å"As you say. I shall visit again on the morrow.† The old man hurriedly gathered up his things and took his leave. Ned had little doubt that he was bound straight for the royal apartments, to whisper at the queen. I thought you had best know, indeed . . . as if Cersei had not instructed him to pass along her father's threats. He hoped his response rattled those perfect teeth of hers. Ned was not near as confident of Robert as he pretended, but there was no reason Cersei need know that. When Pycelle was gone, Ned called for a cup of honeyed wine. That clouded the mind as well, yet not as badly. He needed to be able to think. A thousand times, he asked himself what Jon Arryn might have done, had he lived long enough to act on what he'd learned. Or perhaps he had acted, and died for it. It was queer how sometimes a child's innocent eyes can see things that grown men are blind to. Someday, when Sansa was grown, he would have to tell her how she had made it all come clear for him. He's not the least bit like that old drunken king, she had declared, angry and unknowing, and the simple truth of it had twisted inside him, cold as death. This was the sword that killed Jon Arryn, Ned thought then, and it will kill Robert as well, a slower death but full as certain. Shattered legs may heal in time, but some betrayals fester and poison the soul. Littlefinger came calling an hour after the Grand Maester had left, clad in a plum-colored doublet with a mockingbird embroidered on the breast in black thread, and a striped cloak of black and white. â€Å"I cannot visit long, my lord,† he announced. â€Å"Lady Tanda expects me to lunch with her. No doubt she will roast me a fatted calf. If it's near as fatted as her daughter, I'm like to rupture and die. And how is your leg?† â€Å"Inflamed and painful, with an itch that is driving me mad.† Littlefinger lifted an eyebrow. â€Å"In future, try not to let any horses fall on it. I would urge you to heal quickly. The realm grows restive. Varys has heard ominous whispers from the west. Freeriders and sellswords have been flocking to Casterly Rock, and not for the thin pleasure of Lord Tywin's conversation.† â€Å"Is there word of the king?† Ned demanded. â€Å"Just how long does Robert intend to hunt?† â€Å"Given his preferences, I believe he'd stay in the forest until you and the queen both die of old age,† Lord Petyr replied with a faint smile. â€Å"Lacking that, I imagine he'll return as soon as he's killed something. They found the white hart, it seems . . . or rather, what remained of it. Some wolves found it first, and left His Grace scarcely more than a hoof and a horn. Robert was in a fury, until he heard talk of some monstrous boar deeper in the forest. Then nothing would do but he must have it. Prince Joffrey returned this morning, with the Royces, Ser Balon Swann, and some twenty others of the party. The rest are still with the king.† â€Å"The Hound?† Ned asked, frowning. Of all the Lannister party, Sandor Clegane was the one who concerned him the most, now that Ser Jaime had fled the city to join his father. â€Å"Oh, returned with Joffrey, and went straight to the queen.† Littlefinger smiled. â€Å"I would have given a hundred silver stags to have been a roach in the rushes when he learned that Lord Beric was off to behead his brother.† â€Å"Even a blind man could see the Hound loathed his brother.† â€Å"Ah, but Gregor was his to loathe, not yours to kill. Once Dondarrion lops the summit off our Mountain, the Clegane lands and incomes will pass to Sandor, but I wouldn't hold my water waiting for his thanks, not that one. And now you must forgive me. Lady Tanda awaits with her fatted calves.† On the way to the door, Lord Petyr spied Grand Maester Malleon's massive tome on the table and paused to idly flip open the cover. â€Å"The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms, With Descriptions of Many High Lords and Noble Ladies and Their Children,† he read. â€Å"Now there is tedious reading if ever I saw it. A sleeping potion, my lord?† For a brief moment Ned considered telling him all of it, but there was something in Littlefinger's japes that irked him. The man was too clever by half, a mocking smile never far from his lips. â€Å"Jon Arryn was studying this volume when he was taken sick,† Ned said in a careful tone, to see how he might respond. And he responded as he always did: with a quip. â€Å"In that case,† he said, â€Å"death must have come as a blessed relief.† Lord Petyr Baelish bowed and took his leave. Eddard Stark allowed himself a curse. Aside from his own retainers, there was scarcely a man in this city he trusted. Littlefinger had concealed Catelyn and helped Ned in his inquiries, yet his haste to save his own skin when Jaime and his swords had come out of the rain still rankled. Varys was worse. For all his protestations of loyalty, the eunuch knew too much and did too little. Grand Maester Pycelle seemed more Cersei's creature with every passing day, and Ser Barristan was an old man, and rigid. He would tell Ned to do his duty. Time was perilously short. The king would return from his hunt soon, and honor would require Ned to go to him with all he had learned. Vayon Poole had arranged for Sansa and Arya to sail on the Wind Witch out of Braavos, three days hence. They would be back at Winterfell before the harvest. Ned could no longer use his concern for their safety to excuse his delay. Yet last night he had dreamt of Rhaegar's children. Lord Tywin had laid the bodies beneath the Iron Throne, wrapped in the crimson cloaks of his house guard. That was clever of him; the blood did not show so badly against the red cloth. The little princess had been barefoot, still dressed in her bed gown, and the boy . . . the boy . . . Ned could not let that happen again. The realm could not withstand a second mad king, another dance of blood and vengeance. He must find some way to save the children. Robert could be merciful. Ser Barristan was scarcely the only man he had pardoned. Grand Maester Pycelle, Varys the Spider, Lord Balon Greyjoy; each had been counted an enemy to Robert once, and each had been welcomed into friendship and allowed to retain honors and office for a pledge of fealty. So long as a man was brave and honest, Robert would treat him with all the honor and respect due a valiant enemy. This was something else: poison in the dark, a knife thrust to the soul. This he could never forgive, no more than he had forgiven Rhaegar. He will kill them all, Ned realized. And yet, he knew he could not keep silent. He had a duty to Robert, to the realm, to the shade of Jon Arryn . . . and to Bran, who surely must have stumbled on some part of the truth. Why else would they have tried to slay him? Late that afternoon he summoned Tomard, the portly guardsman with the ginger-colored whiskers his children called Fat Tom. With Jory dead and Alyn gone, Fat Tom had command of his household guard. The thought filled Ned with vague disquiet. Tomard was a solid man; affable, loyal, tireless, capable in a limited way, but he was near fifty, and even in his youth he had never been energetic. Perhaps Ned should not have been so quick to send off half his guard, and all his best swords among them. â€Å"I shall require your help,† Ned said when Tomard appeared, looking faintly apprehensive, as he always did when called before his lord. â€Å"Take me to the godswood.† â€Å"Is that wise, Lord Eddard? With your leg and all?† â€Å"Perhaps not. But necessary.† Tomard summoned Varly. With one arm around each man's shoulders, Ned managed to descend the steep tower steps and hobble across the bailey. â€Å"I want the guard doubled,† he told Fat Tom. â€Å"No one enters or leaves the Tower of the Hand without my leave.† Tom blinked. â€Å"M'lord, with Alyn and the others away, we are hard-pressed already—† â€Å"It will only be a short while. Lengthen the watches.† â€Å"As you say, m'lord,† Tom answered. â€Å"Might I ask why—† â€Å"Best not,† Ned answered crisply. The godswood was empty, as it always was here in this citadel of the southron gods. Ned's leg was screaming as they lowered him to the grass beside the heart tree. â€Å"Thank you.† He drew a paper from his sleeve, sealed with the sigil of his House. â€Å"Kindly deliver this at once.† Tomard looked at the name Ned had written on the paper and licked his lips anxiously. â€Å"My lord . . . â€Å" â€Å"Do as I bid you, Tom,† Ned said. How long he waited in the quiet of the godswood, he could not say. It was peaceful here. The thick walls shut out the clamor of the castle, and he could hear birds singing, the murmur of crickets, leaves rustling in a gentle wind. The heart tree was an oak, brown and faceless, yet Ned Stark still felt the presence of his gods. His leg did not seem to hurt so much. She came to him at sunset, as the clouds reddened above the walls and towers. She came alone, as he had bid her. For once she was dressed simply, in leather boots and hunting greens. When she drew back the hood of her brown cloak, he saw the bruise where the king had struck her. The angry plum color had faded to yellow, and the swelling was down, but there was no mistaking it for anything but what it was. â€Å"Why here?† Cersei Lannister asked as she stood over him. â€Å"So the gods can see.† She sat beside him on the grass. Her every move was graceful. Her curling blond hair moved in the wind, and her eyes were green as the leaves of summer. It had been a long time since Ned Stark had seen her beauty, but he saw it now. â€Å"I know the truth Jon Arryn died for,† he told her. â€Å"Do you?† The queen watched his face, wary as a cat. â€Å"Is that why you called me here, Lord Stark? To pose me riddles? Or is it your intent to seize me, as your wife seized my brother?† â€Å"If you truly believed that, you would never have come.† Ned touched her cheek gently. â€Å"Has he done this before?† â€Å"Once or twice.† She shied away from his hand. â€Å"Never on the face before. Jaime would have killed him, even if it meant his own life.† Cersei looked at him defiantly. â€Å"My brother is worth a hundred of your friend.† â€Å"Your brother?† Ned said. â€Å"Or your lover?† â€Å"Both.† She did not flinch from the truth. â€Å"Since we were children together. And why not? The Targaryens wed brother to sister for three hundred years, to keep the bloodlines pure. And Jaime and I are more than brother and sister. We are one person in two bodies. We shared a womb together. He came into this world holding my foot, our old maester said. When he is in me, I feel . . . whole.† The ghost of a smile flitted over her lips. â€Å"My son Bran . . . â€Å" To her credit, Cersei did not look away. â€Å"He saw us. You love your children, do you not?† Robert had asked him the very same question, the morning of the melee. He gave her the same answer. â€Å"With all my heart.† â€Å"No less do I love mine.† Ned thought, If it came to that, the life of some child I did not know, against Robb and Sansa and Arya and Bran and Rickon, what would I do? Even more so, what would Catelyn do, if it were Jon's life, against the children of her body? He did not know. He prayed he never would. â€Å"All three are Jaime's,† he said. It was not a question. â€Å"Thank the gods.† The seed is strong, Jon Arryn had cried on his deathbed, and so it was. All those bastards, all with hair as black as night. Grand Maester Malleon recorded the last mating between stag and lion, some ninety years ago, when Tya Lannister wed Gowen Baratheon, third son of the reigning lord. Their only issue, an unnamed boy described in Malleon's tome as a large and lusty lad born with a full head of black hair, died in infancy. Thirty years before that a male Lannister had taken a Baratheon maid to wife. She had given him three daughters and a son, each black-haired. No matter how far back Ned searched in the brittle yellowed pages, always he found the gold yielding before the coal. â€Å"A dozen years,† Ned said. â€Å"How is it that you have had no children by the king?† She lifted her head, defiant. â€Å"Your Robert got me with child once,† she said, her voice thick with contempt. â€Å"My brother found a woman to cleanse me. He never knew. If truth be told, I can scarcely bear for him to touch me, and I have not let him inside me for years. I know other ways to pleasure him, when he leaves his whores long enough to stagger up to my bedchamber. Whatever we do, the king is usually so drunk that he's forgotten it all by the next morning.† How could they have all been so blind? The truth was there in front of them all the time, written on the children's faces. Ned felt sick. â€Å"I remember Robert as he was the day he took the throne, every inch a king,† he said quietly. â€Å"A thousand other women might have loved him with all their hearts. What did he do to make you hate him so?† Her eyes burned, green fire in the dusk, like the lioness that was her sigil. â€Å"The night of our wedding feast, the first time we shared a bed, he called me by your sister's name. He was on top of me, in me, stinking of wine, and he whispered Lyanna.† Ned Stark thought of pale blue roses, and for a moment he wanted to weep. â€Å"I do not know which of you I pity most.† The queen seemed amused by that. â€Å"Save your pity for yourself, Lord Stark. I want none of it.† â€Å"You know what I must do.† â€Å"Must?† She put her hand on his good leg, just above the knee. â€Å"A true man does what he will, not what he must.† Her fingers brushed lightly against his thigh, the gentlest of promises. â€Å"The realm needs a strong Hand. Joff will not come of age for years. No one wants war again, least of all me.† Her hand touched his face, his hair. â€Å"If friends can turn to enemies, enemies can become friends. Your wife is a thousand leagues away, and my brother has fled. Be kind to me, Ned. I swear to you, you shall never regret it.† â€Å"Did you make the same offer to Jon Arryn?† She slapped him. â€Å"I shall wear that as a badge of honor,† Ned said dryly. â€Å"Honor,† she spat. â€Å"How dare you play the noble lord with me! What do you take me for? You've a bastard of your own, I've seen him. Who was the mother, I wonder? Some Dornish peasant you raped while her holdfast burned? A whore? Or was it the grieving sister, the Lady Ashara? She threw herself into the sea, I'm told. Why was that? For the brother you slew, or the child you stole? Tell me, my honorable Lord Eddard, how are you any different from Robert, or me, or Jaime?† â€Å"For a start,† said Ned, â€Å"I do not kill children. You would do well to listen, my lady. I shall say this only once. When the king returns from his hunt, I intend to lay the truth before him. You must be gone by then. You and your children, all three, and not to Casterly Rock. If I were you, I should take ship for the Free Cities, or even farther, to the Summer Isles or the Port of Ibben. As far as the winds blow.† â€Å"Exile,† she said. â€Å"A bitter cup to drink from.† â€Å"A sweeter cup than your father served Rhaegar's children,† Ned said, â€Å"and kinder than you deserve. Your father and your brothers would do well to go with you. Lord Tywin's gold will buy you comfort and hire swords to keep you safe. You shall need them. I promise you, no matter where you flee, Robert's wrath will follow you, to the back of beyond if need be.† The queen stood. â€Å"And what of my wrath, Lord Stark?† she asked softly. Her eyes searched his face. â€Å"You should have taken the realm for yourself. It was there for the taking. Jaime told me how you found him on the Iron Throne the day King's Landing fell, and made him yield it up. That was your moment. All you needed to do was climb those steps, and sit. Such a sad mistake.† â€Å"I have made more mistakes than you can possibly imagine,† Ned said, â€Å"but that was not one of them.† â€Å"Oh, but it was, my lord,† Cersei insisted. â€Å"When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground.† She turned up her hood to hide her swollen face and left him there in the dark beneath the oak, amidst the quiet of the godswood, under a blue-black sky. The stars were coming out.