Oil Drilling Essay examples - 1403 Words

Crude oil is black gold that has been even sought out even in the ancient times. The Chinese in the fourth century drilled 800 feet deep oil wells to burn the oil to produce salt. Oil has a long history. America’s has massive oil demands and off-shore drilling has become a temporary solution and scientist are trying to find alternative sources of energy that can last us a very long time. There are many disadvantages and hazards when it comes to offshore drilling. Theses disadvantages can affect the wildlife, animal population, marine environments, pollution and much more. With there being so many disadvantages for offshore drilling, why continue drilling? Oil that is spilled in the ocean water can kill. When oil is spilled, oil floats†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"The focus on preening overrides all other natural behaviors; including feeding and evading predators, making the bird vulnerable to secondary health problems such as severe weight loss, anemia and dehydration.† (IBRRC) The only ones that survive are the one that are rescued by rescue workers. Oil suffocates fishes. If directly exposed to the oil, a mucous like film covers the body and gills. Crude oil has a toxic compound that is easily dissolved in fish tissue. One of the toxic compounds is Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH). Oil can cause abnormal development and deformities in fish larvae if they come in contact and can affect fish population. â€Å"Spills in rivers and streams disperse the oil by agitation and are similarly more toxic to fish.† (ehow) Oil rigs use drilling mud or drilling fluid, which is a toxic lubricant that is used in the process of drilling deep boreholes that will be drilled for oil and gas extraction. â€Å"Historically, contaminated and dirty mud was dumped in open pits, allowing the natural environment to become polluted.† (Smith, 2010) One drilling platform normally drills between seventy and one hundred wells and discharges more than 90,000 metric tons of drilling fluids and metal cuttings into the ocean.† (Oceana) Chemicals are poisonous to organisms. Plankton is the smallest organisms, that consist of bacteria, animals, Achaea, and plants and is a vital part in the food chain. These chemicals can affect theShow MoreRelatedOil Drilling and Pollution870 Words   |  3 Pages One way that drilling for oil destroys animals homes is that fossil fuels create carbon dioxide, and then that burned carbon dioxide goes into the atmosphere and then Global Warming is starting to melt the ice caps that animals live on. Also, drilling the new wells that we have to drill to get the oil, that makes the amount of land for the animals to make homes go down, and when the land amount goes down so does the length of the animals, like the polar bear, go down. The average length of the polarRead MoreAlaska Oil Drilling1301 Words   |  6 Pagesdegradation. An example that sheds light on the conflict between human interests and environmental responsibility is the controversial approval of the oil drilling in the Northern Slope region of Alaska and the drilling that has already began, in the Tar Sands of Alberta. In this paper I will firstly explain the situation regarding why the drilling for oil is up for debate to take place. Secondly I will assess the benefits and the irreparable damage that could possibly bring forth devastating effectsRead MoreArctic Oil Drilling1508 Words   |  7 Pagesevery month or so as a result of the scarcity of oil. Some people just shrug the price increas e off and cope with it, but the economic effect is far greater than it first appears. As the price of oil increases, so does the price of all other products that are transported. There is, however, an opportunity for the United States to increase the supply of available crude oil by drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The idea of drilling in the Arctic has been controversial and to the presentRead MoreThe Disadvantages Of Oil Drilling Offshore2181 Words   |  9 Pages The Disadvantages of Oil Drilling In Environmentally Sensitive Areas In The United States Oil drilling in environmentally sensitive areas in the United States had been an ongoing controversial problem for a very long time. There are so many opinions along with outlooks on the present topic. Many people are against oil drilling offshore because of the issues that it creates. However, there are many critics that agree with drilling in environmentally sensitive areas because they do not worry aboutRead MoreOffshore Oil Drilling2928 Words   |  12 Pageslife? Some people do, and when people are offshore drilling they can cause a lot of problems if something goes wrong. The biggest concern by environmentalist is not a spill, but the pollution of the air and water, damage to the ocean bottom and debris that washes ashore from day-to-day operations of oil and gas rigs. Oil Drilling can lead to jobs being endangered, animals dying, and damaging the eco system. So many animals are dying because of the oil in the water. Proofread to- Government wildlifeRead MoreThe Deepwater Hor izon Is An Oil Drilling Rig1661 Words   |  7 PagesThe Deepwater Horizon is an oil drilling rig that was built in South Korea by Hyundai Heavy Industries in 2001. The rig was a massive mobile drill as it was measured to be â€Å"396 by 256 feet† (Report). Additionally, it was considered to be an exploratory rig, not an actual excavator rig. The rig was commissioned to Transocean which later leased it to British Petroleum, an oil and gas company. The oil rig was once well known as â€Å"it set the world record for the deepest oil and gas well †¦ 35,055 feet†Read MoreFshore Oil Drilling Job1229 Words   |  5 Pagesconveys ideas and information through communication using four of its major functions such as â€Å"control, motivation, emotional expression and information† (p. 299). The offshore oil-drilling job is complex and needs engineering expertise. BP had undertaken deep-water oil drilling at the Macondo well using the Transocean offshore oil rig. It is expected that BP and its partner, Halliburton, Transocean needed detailed collaborative communication plan across between all the parties. Let us examine some ofRead MoreOffshore Oil Drilling On The Environment1474 Words   |  6 PagesOffshore Oil Drilling â€Å"If we do nothing, it doesn t matter how we feel. And that’s exactly what oil companies are banking on: out of sight, out of mind† (Hart, 24). Petroleum is a naturally occurring oil found under deep layers of rock (â€Å"oil drilling†). Oil drilling is when a pipe penetrates through these several layers of rock in order to reach the petroleum oil underneath. This oil can then be purified or turned into gasoline for energy use. Offshore oil drilling, like its’ name describes, isRead MoreThe Global Spread Of Oil Drilling2565 Words   |  11 Pages2016 Oil Drilling The global spread of oil drilling is connected to the reasons why oil was first exploited in the first place; it was plentiful, it had the highest energy density per weight, it was not already being exploited. Chief to the purpose of this paper on oil drilling lies in the words was and had. The fact that those words are in the past, and the idea that things superior to oil have come along, is something that needs to be brought up more often. The fact is that oil, as a resourceRead MoreThe Arctic Oil Drilling Industry2148 Words   |  9 PagesArctic oil drilling industry can be seen as one of the most driven economic gains and a step ahead for the country to become energy independence. Nonetheless, the price that comes with this gold liquor has shifted the country’s mission to harvest and provide a clean, eco-friendly energy. The continuous drilling processes come with negative impacts towards the areas involved: in this case, The Chukchi Sea, The Beaufort Sea and The Arctic N ational Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). In order to sustain the oil drilling

Essay on Reaching for a Dream in Literature - 1381 Words

Selfish Dream Everyone has their dreams and whoever puts all his or her efforts and determination in pursuing that goal is the one who will succeed. However, there are dreamers who have misconceptions about the art of dreaming. In three pieces of literature I have encountered: â€Å"The Achievement of Desire† by Richard Rodriguez, â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† by Lorraine Hansberry and â€Å"Fences† by August Wilson, its characters fight for their dreams regardless obstacles in their life. Nevertheless, they expose their sense of self-absorbance while seeking their dreams. Dreaming and aspiration are human senses, but when one considers his or her dream more important than the others, dreaming becomes another aspect of selfishness. In general, to fulfill†¦show more content†¦Blindingly pursuit his ideal life, most importantly, the man has lost his social skills which he assumes himself a â€Å"bad boy†. Even though the man has enough intellectual knowledge to get aware of his temporary problems, he does not make any changes. His selfishness dynamically expresses later on in adulthood. He admits that he is always unconfident, sad and anxious. Moreover, he develops a sense of disrespect to his parents. He makes fun at correct their grammar mistakes; He get sick of their constant encouragement; He is disgraceful parent because they can help him with his homework. The character obviously does nothing to compensate for his parent sacrifice. He is an outstanding student, but in the human sense, he fails to be an educated person. He once admits: â€Å"He cannot afford to admit his parents (How could he still and pursuit such a contrary life?). He permits himself embarrassment at their lack of educatio n† (Rodriquez 3). He may think that now with an excellent education, he is in a higher level than others including his parents. Therefore, he feels ashamed of them. Getting rejected from the society and suffering a state of loneliness are a pricey cost of success that Richard Rodriquez’s character decides to take. People expose the selfishness when they dismiss others’ aspiration base on their perspective. August Wilson’sShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1278 Words   |  6 Pageswhen it was first released it has made up for lost time and is now one of the greatest classics in American literature and being read in classrooms all across the United States. What actually denotes a book as a classic or great, though? In my opinion, a lot of it has to do with what a person needs at the time. According to James L. W. West III, leading Fitzgerald scholar and English literature professor at Pennsylvania State University, â€Å"[Gatsby] never seems to lose its modernity; it has that kindRead MoreEssay about Symbols of a Worn Path679 Words   |  3 PagesSymbols of A Worn Path Mitchell Davis Freshmen Comp Critical Literature-Based Essay Friday, March 12, 2009 Symbols of A Worn Path Phoenix Jackson; an old negro woman that partakes on a journey to take medicine to her sick nephew that is off in another town. Phoenix is old and through the story there are many accounts that I think are symbolic to being of age. Being one with nature Phoenix Jackson is determined to travel through the forest to tend to her sick nephew. The story itselfRead MoreSymbols in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Essay1143 Words   |  5 PagesThe Great Gatsby is one of the most read pieces of literature throughout the current modern Western world. High school kids all across the globe must learn and read it as part of their curriculum. One of the aspects that makes this novel so notable is that Fitzgerald, at no point in the story, needs to convey to his audience the theme of his novel directly. The main points of his novel are brought out by the powerful symbols he infuses in the book. Not only does he use them to convey his themeRead MoreThe Great Gatsby And Harlem By Langston Hughes1089 Words   |  5 Pagesroaring 20’s was an astounding time in the history of the United States of America. Many authors published novels, poems, and other works of literature to show their readers what it would be like to experience this time frame. Some examples of these works include The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzg erald and â€Å"Harlem† by Langston Hughes. Both of these pieces of literature include literary elements to appeal to the reader’s senses and imagination. A prevalent theme that has been found in works of the roaringRead MoreAnalysis Of The Jungle And Good Enough By Upton Sinclair1567 Words   |  7 PagesIn today’s modern era, worldwide immigration has increased at historic rates, leading to the inevitable evolution of the challenges immigrants face after arriving to a new country. The analyzation of immigration literature gives readers valuable insight into the lives of immigrants and the hardships they face. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair follows the lives of a Lithuanian immigrant family in the early 20th century as they strive to attain success by working in the meatpacking industry of PackingtownRead MoreMen in The Sun, A Review Essay736 Words   |  3 PagesGhassan Kanafani is one of the famous Arab writers who represent resistance literature. His writin g was mainly devoted to depict the struggle of his people and ignite new resistance acts against Israeli forces of occupation. The writer affirmed the strong determination of the Palestinian people to liberate their occupied lands whatever the cost would be. Kanafani was a writer and journalist from Acre, the editor of al-Hadaf. A member of the Political Bureau of PFLP and its spokesperson, he publishedRead MoreNegative Capability within Kubla Khan Essay1029 Words   |  5 PagesThere are a myriad of critical theory lenses that can be applied and utilized to closely observe pieces of literature. One of these theories is John Keats’s Negative Capability theory which consists of an idea of â€Å"†¦when man is capable of being in uncertainties, Mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact reason†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Keats 968). Ultimately, this signifies that in poetry the emphasis be placed on the significance of inquisitiveness and the asking of questions o f the life and sceneryRead MoreApplication For Admission At Kent State University1077 Words   |  5 Pagesearning my Master’s Degree in English and Comparative Literature from Tours University in France, I worked for nine years as an English and English as a second language instructor in higher and secondary education institutions in France, the Middle East and in the state of Ohio. Now I have decided to take my professional career to another level by undertaking a doctoral program that will prepare and capacitate me to teach English language and literature in higher education institutions. The decisionRead MoreOne Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest Critical Analysis1479 Words   |  6 Pagessees them not only while he is awake, but also in his slumber. Bromden alerts the reader of a dream that he had, in which a death of a patient occurs, the dream becomes a reality later on when the same patient is found dead. The hallucinations and dreams can help to better understand Chief Bromden’s character from looking at Sigmund Freud’s â€Å"Interpretation of Dreams†. By looking at the content of one’s dreams it can be a good indication of an individual s mental stability. Bromden’s thoughts and motivationsRead MoreAmerican Literature in the Period between 1914-1945887 Words   |  4 Pagesdance, and music, and also literature. The American literary of the 1914’s-1945 modern era became a reflection of a nation attempting to come to terms of what it really meant to be of modernity. First, there was a time period when America was prosperous with the growing new innovations that shaped America to today’s foundation. America has also faced the tremendous downfalls such as the Great Depression, greatly impacted Americans’ outlook on â€Å"reaching† the American dream. Gregory Rodriguez stated

Accounting Practices

Question: Write a report on the accounting practices related to the determination of the compensation packages and audit. Answer: Introduction This report is on the discussion regarding the accounting practices related to the determination of the compensation packages and audit. The report is divided in to two parts. In the first part, the report focuses on the compensation package and relates the discussion with the case study of Strong Built Construction Company. On the other side, the second part of the report focuses mainly on two previous research papers and makes the discussion based on finding of those two research papers. At the end of the study, an overall conclusion is given. Elements of compensation packages A package of compensation in an organization includes some key elements. In case of the organization that is Strong Built Construction Company, the key elements of the compensation packages of the employees are as under: Basic Salary: It is the most important element of a compensation package within a company. It is the compensation, which Strong Built Construction Company provides its employees for their daily efforts. This portion of the compensation package depends on the ability, experience and skills of the employees (Taylor, 2016). Incentives: Another key element of the compensation package of the employees of Strong Built is incentive. The company generally pays the incentive for long-term basis. This element of the compensation package plays a vital role in motivating the employees. Employee benefits: This element of compensation package includes different insurance plans for the employees like, health insurance, disability insurance or life insurance and at the same time, it also includes the catastrophic expenses. Along with these, different types of pension and savings plans are also included (Tornikoski, Suutari Festing, 2014). Annual bonus: This element of compensation package is given by the company on the basis of the annual profit or income earned by the company. This is another motivational factor for the employees. Assumptions of traditional agency theory and its influences on compensation As per the traditional agency theory, there are mainly two key assumptions based on which the traditional agency theory has been built. These two key assumptions are as under: The interests of the principals are morally acceptable for all the time In order to fulfill the own interests, the managers of the organizations must act unethically These above-mentioned two key assumptions of traditional agency theory have great influence on the approaches to the compensation of the company. The assumptions of the traditional agency theory clearly indicate that there is a conflict between the interests of the principal or the shareholders and the agents or the managers or employees (Foss Stea, 2014). These assumptions actually influence both the parties (shareholders and managers) in increasing the level of compensation. In case of Strong Built Construction Company, the managers want to build such a compensation approach in which their annual bonus will be higher, when the company is earning good amount of profit (Pepper Gore, 2015). However, on the other side, the shareholders or principals or owners of the company wants to pay less annual bonus so that their portion of profit becomes high. Difference and relationship between extrinsic and intrinsic motivations The main difference between the extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation is that in case of extrinsic motivation, individuals are motivated by the external factors like, medal, grades, money or trophy (Taylor, 2016). There is no guarantee that the extrinsic motivation gives actual fun or enjoyment to the individuals. Sometimes, the individuals are motivated by extrinsic motivational factors just to achieve an outcome that is considered as higher achievement by the society. On the other side, in case of the intrinsic motivation, the individuals are motivated by the internal factors like, interests and will of self-development. This type of motivation provides the actual enjoyment or fun to the individuals (Tornikoski, Suutari Festing, 2014). However, the relationship between these two motivations is that in both types of motivations, the individuals achieve something that helps in improvements of the individuals. Both of the motivations help to achieve something at a higher level. Therefore, if an individual tries to achieve something by focusing on both the extrinsic and intrinsic motivational factors, then he or she can achieve the goal properly and happily. Influence of employees attitude to risks on the desire of compensation package The attitude of the employee towards the risk actually has a great influence on his or her compensation package. In an organization like Strong Built Construction Company, there may be some employees are, those can take risk, some are risk aviator and some can take the risk to a moderate level. Therefore, in case of the risk taker employees, the compensation package is generally high because these employees take challenges and responsibilities (Bolton, Mehran and Shapiro, 2015). There are some activities, on which the future of the company depends but these are risky. Now, in case of risky decision, the company pays more benefits or extra payments to the employees because by taking more risk, the company can gain more profits or income, which increases the compensation package. On the other side, if the employees do not take risk, then there is no question of getting higher payment or extra benefits. Influence of time of receiving the financial benefits on the employees desire for benefits The time of receiving the financial benefits also influences the employees desire for getting the benefits (Hermanson et al. 2012). For example, if the Strong Built Construction Company pays the incentives to the managers or employees in long-term basis, then the employees will desire to get higher amount of money at a time. On the other side, if the company pays the incentives on year-to-year basis, then the employees will desire to get more compensation in each year due to the addition of incentive. However, in that case the total amount of incentive will be less. Role of fairness consideration in determination of compensation The consideration of fairness plays a vital role at the time of determining the compensation for the employees. In case of Strong Built Construction Company, the company must keep in mind that at the time of determining the compensation of the employees, it must be fair to each of the employees. The employees belong from same organizational position, must have same basic pay level. However, the company must consider the experience of the employee (Taylor, 2016). If an employee is more experienced than the others are, then that employee must get higher compensation than others must. At the same time, determination of the compensation also depends on the fairness of the employees towards the company. If the company identifies any unfair attitude of the employee, then it can deduct the money from the employees compensation (O'Reilly et al. 2014). Reason of providing benefits at the time of compensation determination An executive compensation committee is the authority, which acts on behalf of the boards responsibilities of providing or designing the compensation package for the employees (Tornikoski, Suutari Festing, 2014). However, this particular committee may provide the benefits to the employees of the organization at the time of determining the compensation for the employees. The executive compensation committee generally does this in order to motivate the employees to improve their level of performance. At the same time, if the committee identifies the performance of any employee above the standard level, then also the committee may provide benefits at the time of determining the compensation package. Structure of executive compensation committee for best outcomes As per the rules and guidelines provided by NYSE, all the companies those are listed on the stock exchange are required to form an executive compensation committee (Hermanson et al. 2012). However, in order to structure the executive compensation committee, at first, the company needs to consider the board of directors. The executive compensation committee includes the Chief Executive Director of the company along with the other executive officers. At the time of structuring the executive compensation committee, it must be kept in mind that no non-executive director should be included within the committee (Ims, Pedersen Zsolnai, 2014). This is because, the non-executive directors have their personal interests within the company. Conclusion and Recommendations From the above discussion, it can be said that there are mainly four key elements of a compensation package of a company. These elements are basic pay, annual bonus, long-term incentives and employee benefits. There is a conflict between the interests of the shareholders and managers of the company. On the other side, there are two types of motivations like, intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation and these two differ from each other. However, both of these two motivations help to improve the performance of the individuals. In case of the compensation package of the employee, the time, fairness and employees attitude towards risk have vital influence. On the other side, the executive compensation committee decides the compensation package of the employees. Therefore, from these, it can be identified how the Strong Built Construction Company can determine the compensation of its employees for increasing the satisfaction and work motivation of the employees. The recommendations for Strong Built Compensation Committee are as under: The company must focus on the extrinsic and intrinsic motivation of the employees. However, these two motivational factors may change based on the nature of the employee. The company may include more elements to the compensation package of the employees. This will increase the value of the compensation package. Hence the job satisfaction and work motivation will come. The company must fix the time for paying the financial benefits to the employees. Either the company may provide the financial benefits in each month or in long-term basis, but it must be fixed. Reference List: Bolton, P., Mehran, H. and Shapiro, J., (2015). Executive compensation and risk taking.Review of Finance, 49 Foss, N Stea, D. (2014). Putting a realistic theory of mind into agency theory: implications for reward design and management in principalà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ agent relations', European Management Review, 101-16. Hermanson, DR, Tompkins, JG, Veliyath, R Ye, ZS. (2012). The compensation committee process, Contemporary Accounting Research, 666-709. Ims, KJ, Pedersen, LJT Zsolnai, L. (2014). How economic incentives may destroy social, ecological and existential values: the case of executive compensation, Journal of Business Ethics, 353-60. O'Reilly, CA, Doerr, B, Caldwell, DF Chatman, JA. (2014). Narcissistic CEOs and executive compensation, The Leadership Quarterly, 218-31. Pepper, A Gore, J. (2015). Behavioral agency theory new foundations for theorizing about executive compensation, Journal of Management, 1045-68. Taylor, S. (2016). 9. Compensation policy and employee turnover.Research Handbook on Employee Turnover, 166. Tornikoski, C., Suutari, V., Festing, M. (2014). Compensation package of international assignees.The Routledge Companion to International Human Resource Management, 289.

Japanese Hrm free essay sample

International Journal of Human Resource Management, Human Resource Management Journal, Organizational Dynamics and Asian Business and Management. In 2005 he co-edited a book entitled â€Å"Japanese Management: The Search for a New Balance between Continuity and Change† with Palgrave. Anne-Wil Harzing is Professor in International Management at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Her research interests include international HRM, expatriate management, HQsubsidiary relationships, cross-cultural management and the role of language in international business. She has published about these topics in journals such as Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Organizational Behaviour, Strategic Management Journal, Human Resource Management, and Organization Studies. Her books include Managing the Multinationals (Edward Elgar, 1999) and International Human Resource Management (Sage, 2010). Since 1999 she also maintains an extensive website (www. harzing. com) with resources for international and cross-cultural management as well as academic publishing and bibliometrics. Abstract The objective of this chapter is to develop suggestions as to how Japanese multinational corporations (MNCs) might best make use of foreign, here specifically American and German, HRM practices in order to reform their own HRM model. We will write a custom essay sample on Japanese Hrm or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page These suggestions are based on a large scale empirical study, encompassing responses from more than 800 HR managers. The learning possibilities for Japanese companies from abroad are analyzed on two different levels: at headquarters and at subsidiary level. One obvious difficulty we are presented with if we wish to answer the question what Japan can learn from ‘the West’ is the selection of countries that are representative of ‘the West’. In this study we limit our empirical research to the inspirations Japan might receive from the USA and Germany. This selection has some merit, in representing the largest and the third 2 3 largest developed economies in the world (with Japan being the second largest economy), and the economically dominant nations of North America and Europe (with Japan being the leading economy in Asia). In addition, the USA and Germany each embody the prime example of two of the three main varieties of market economies: the USA representing the free market economy of Anglo-Saxon countries and Germany the social market economy of continental Europe (with Japan embodying the third main variety of market economies, the government-induced market economy of East-Asia). Furthermore, according to Smith Meiksins (1995: 243) the USA, Japan and Germany are most frequently referred to as role models, â€Å"as they provide ‘best practice’ ideals from which other societies can borrow and learn. Consequently, these country models have been subject to numerous comparative analysis (Thurow, 1992; Garten, 1993; Yamamura and Streeck, 2003; Pascha, 2004; Jacoby, 2005). As economic performance and growth paths vary over time the role of a ‘dominant’ economy also rotates among countries. In the 1950s, 1960s and most of the 1970s the American management style clearly was domin ant and a common expectation was that it would spread around the world, gaining application in many foreign countries. From the late 1970s to the early 1990s, this argument increasingly was applied to Japan (Mueller, 1994), and to a lesser extent and limited to the European context, to Germany (Albert, 1991; Thurow, 1992). Since the implosion of the Japanese economy, the stagnation of the German economy, and with the advent of globalization, the conventional wisdom over the last one and a half decades up to the current economic crisis has been that the American management model is particularly well suited to provide the necessary flexibility to cope with rapidly evolving economic and technological conditions. Consequently, the USA became again the dominant role model (Edwards et al. , 2005). This study employs a very carefully matched design in which we investigate the same three countries (Japan, the USA and Germany) as home and host countries. We not only study HRM practices at headquarters (HQ) in each of these three countries, but also the practices of the subsidiaries of MNCs from each of the three countries in the two other respective countries. As a result, we re able to compare the HRM practices of nine different groups of companies: HQ in Japan, the USA and Germany, subsidiaries of Japanese and German MNCs in the USA, subsidiaries of Japanese and American MNCs in Germany and subsidiaries of American and German MNCs in Japan. This design will enable us to disentangle the inspirations companies seek from abroad to a far greater extent than has been possible in other studies. 3 4 The structure of our analysis is separated into two main sections. The first main section describes empi rical results from HQ and the second main section depicts the situation at subsidiary level. For each of the two main sections, first the context of existing research is summarized. Subsequently, the methodology of the empirical research is described. Findings are then presented and subsequently discussed. Finally, suggestions are made as to how the Japanese might best make use of foreign HRM policies to reform their own HRM practices and ultimately improve competitiveness. Research context As mentioned above, the Japanese HRM model has often been recognized as a key factor to the rise of the Japanese economy, particularly during the 1980s (see for example Inohara, 1990). However, the same Japanese HRM which until recently has been much celebrated in the West, and presented as a role-model to be learned from (see for example Vogel, 1979; Ouchi, 1981; Peters and Waterman, 1982; Bleicher, 1982; Hilb, 1985), is now increasingly viewed as outmoded, and necessitating substantial reform (Frenkel, 1994; Smith, 1997; Yoshimura and Anderson, 1997; Crawford, 1998; Horiuchi, 1998; Ornatowski, 1998; El Kahal, 2001; Pudelko, 2005, 2007). Others, however, continue to stress its inherent strengths and warn against significant change (Kono and Clegg, 2001; Ballon, 2002; Ballon, 2006). On the other hand, American understanding of HRM has traditionally been viewed by Japanese managers with skepticism. It is regarded as contradicting in many ways the broad concept of ‘respect for people’ (Kono and Clegg, 2001) and the aim of ‘human resource development’ (Ballon, 2002) that is ingrained into the Japanese management philosophy. In particular, the idea of defining the employees of a company as ‘resources’ (instead of members of the company ‘family’) that need to be managed (instead of ‘developed’) runs contrary to the key concepts of traditional Japanese HRM. However, in response to the deep crisis of the Japanese economy and management model, which has lasted for more than a decade now, it is clear that some shift toward Western management principles is taking place 4 5 (Frenkel, 1994; Ornatowski, 1998; El Kahal, 2001; Matanle, 2003). Thus, mirroring the economic growth patterns, adoption of Japanese HRM principles seems in the USA to be largely an issue of the past, whereas the question of adoption of American HRM policies is more current in Japan than ever. The key issue in Japan seems to be to find a new balance between the continuation of traditional (human resource) management principles and changes inspired largely by Western or more specifically American strategies. Regarding finally the specific German understanding of (human resource) management, it has to be concluded that this is a subject of no significant importance in Japanese business research, if it is considered at all (Pudelko, 2000a). Methodology Data collection and sample It may be noted from this brief review that existing literature in this field is in some respects inconclusive or somewhat contradictory. Nor has it generally been informed by empirical examination of HR managers’ own views on cross-national adoption processes. As this group might be expected to constitute the chief change agent, empirical insight appears in this context all the more important. Accordingly, this chapter provides data on the perceptions of HR managers from three different countries on the possibility of learning from each other. In this task, a quantitative approach seemed to be the most appropriate. The analysis is therefore based on empirical data which have been drawn together from an extensive survey (Pudelko, 2000a-c). The heads of HR departments from the 500 largest corporations of Japan – and for comparative reasons – the USA and Germany were selected as units of investigation. It was assumed that the heads of HR departments would have the highest degree of experience, knowledge and vision with regard to the issues being investigated, due to their senior positions within corporate hierarchies.

Final Shorter Version free essay sample

The kindness of God versus the love of God 10 Conclusion 1 1 Bibliography 12 Introduction Clive Staples Lewis was born November 29th, 1898 in Belfast, Ireland and died in Oxford, England on November 12th, 1963. Commonly known as C. S. Lewis, he is remembered mostly by his fictional and nonfunctional writings. Sews was deeply bothered by the prevalence of pain in the world because it did not reflect a loving God. This issue has raised questions challenging the belief and existence of a loving God that would allow this dilemma to exist. Lewis used his accounts with pain and argued the quandary defending the existence of God.C. S. Lewis wrote the book The Problem of Pain in 1940 in an effort to understand and explain how a good and loving God could allow pain and suffering to be endured by His creation. Lewis states: If God were good, He would wish to make His creatures perfectly happy, and if God were almighty He would be able to do what He wished. We will write a custom essay sample on Final Shorter Version or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page But the creatures are not happy. Therefore God lacks either goodness, or power, or both. This is the problem of pain in its simplest form. L The main purpose of this paper is to explain why a good and loving God allows pain and suffering to exist in the lives of Christians.Additionally, this paper will also discuss how people use pain as an objection to creation by a loving and all-powerful God. Next, this paper will explain why pain and suffering are beneficial in the lives Of Christians. Finally, if God is good, why does He not free Christians from suffering when they ask Him to? Pain as an objection to creation Pain and suffering are unavoidable and have tormented the world since the fall of man. The desire to avoid pain is a natural reaction of humans because it will cause hurt either physically or emotionally. People wonder why a good ND all powerful God allows Creation to suffer and not free them from it.They also argue that if God is omnipotent, He can liberate this world from pain. C. S Lewis wrote, If the universe is so bad, or even half so bad, how on earth did human beings ever come to attribute it to the activity of a wise and good The Bible says that in the beginning God created everything good. In fact, Genesis 1:31 confirms that . God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! 3 People may not agree with the concept of creation, but they can all agree that everything created in Genesis does exist and are good as the Bible says they are. Light, the ocean, trees and plants are good, coordinated, and interdependent, not corrupt and evil. God also created man and woman with the innate ability of free will, to choose to obey God or not. In order to use this ability, God gave them one rule, not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve disobeyed God and were banished from the Garden of Eden. The curse of sin entered the world through this wrongful use of freewill. All sin will carry with it pain and suffering. God said to Eve that He would sharpen her childbearing main and to Adam that he would have to struggle and sweat in order to eat. Suffering and pain emanate from the wrong choices that humanity makes. Choosing to disobey God is to choose sin and evil over the love and righteousness of our creator. Pain as a result of freewill God gave Adam and Eve freewill, to choose to obey or disobey God. Lewis wrote, God created things which had free will. That means creatures which can go either wrong or right Why, then, did God give them free will? Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having.Humans, spend their lives making decisions that impact others in some way or form, whether positively or negatively. Icon explains that Lewis felt that the majority of our pain comes from the people around us; thus, it is important to understand the reason of eye treat each other so badly. 6 Christianity agrees that the root of suffering comes from choosing to disobey God. Neither freewill nor God are to blame for the suffering in the world. The love for worldly things, the selfish desire of the flesh and the lies of the devil are ever so present in the lives of humans, tempting them to disobey God.Still, the question as to why an all-powerful God does not remove suffering is unanswered. In order for suffering not to exist, He would need to remove freewill. Lewis explains, Try to exclude the possibility of suffering which the order of nature and the existence of freewill involve, and you find that you have excluded life itself. 7 God cannot remove freewill, because in doing so, He would eliminate mans capability to choose right or wrong love or hate, or choosing God or evil. Also, as Lewis states, removing freewill, in turn, will remove the existence of humanity. Gods omnipotenceNothing demonstrates Gods omnipotence as evidently as His actions in creation. Genesis 1 describes how God orchestrated the creation of the world by speaking it into existence. Job recognized His omnipotence when he said, l know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. 8 God created the universe and everything in it out of nothing; therefore, He is greater than creation, thus making Him all powerful. In the chapter, Divine Omnipotence, Lewis explains that omnipotence does not mean the power to do nonsense. 9 In other words, God cannot create a rock too big for Him to lift or a problem too hard to solve.He cannot love and hate humans at the same time. For Him to attempt to create or perform, something that goes against His nature is fundamentally impossible. Harmon explains this using the law of non-contradiction, which means that God cannot grant freewill and not grant freewill at the same time. 10 Though God is omnipotent, His inability to contradict Himself is His choice. Lewis also explains the freedom God has to choose His actions are driven by Himself and no external obstacle can impede them. 11 No external factors that can persuade Gods actions due to His perfect ways.God is also omniscient which allows Him to know how His actions will affect the lives of Christians. Knowing that there is a purpose and meaning behind every decision He makes will provide a better understanding as to why He allows pain and suffering. Hence, pain and suffering are useful for God to achieve His purpose. Pain is necessary in the lives of Christians Humanity instinctively avoids pain and suffering. All humans suffer pain, including Christians. The book of Job demonstrates how an upright man who follows Gods commands, lost all material possessions, family, and his health. Joking at the example of Job, it is clear that following God and His amendments cannot deliver Christians from trials and painful situations. It is hard to accept that there is a good side to pain, but Christianity looks at pain and suffering differently. Lewis explains that God whispers to His followers when everything is going well in life, but He shouts through pain: it is His megaphone to get our attention. 12 Christians would agree that pain is not their preferred method of communication, but in a hectic world with so many distractions, the all-knowing God uses pain as a last resort.The arrival of pain in our lives guides our attention back to God. Christians find peppiness in pleasing and engaging God, but when the demands of the flesh become their focus, then their joy becomes pleasing themselves. However, pain not only brings the attention of Believers back to Him, it also allows Him to reveal His power, love and glory. In 1 Peter 4:13, Peter encourages Chrisms followers to rejoice in their trials and sufferings for they will bring joy when His glory is revealed to the world. 13 Job remained faithful to God while enduring his sufferings.The same God, who allowed Job to suffer, is the same one who blessed him with a double portion of what he had. He was always there, but Gods infinite wisdom allowed all the sufferings Job endured for His reasons and His purpose. Pain promotes spiritual growth As discussed earlier, God can use pain to redirect the attention of believers back to Him when they loose focus of Him. Another way God uses pain is to promote spiritual growth by testing their faith and love for Him. In Christianity, spiritual growth is not an option; it becomes a part of life.Lewis wrote, That is why we must not be surprised if we are in for a rough time. 14 He continues to explain that when trouble comes, either in the form of illness, uncial struggles, or temptations that go against God, it is because God is moving them to a higher level to develop more patience, more love, or more faith in Him. 1 Peter says: These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold-?though your faith is far more precious than mere gold.So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 15 Through trials and tribulations God will shape and mold the lives of Christians o grow closer to Him and become perfect in the Fathers eyes. Another way to view spiritual growth resulting from pain is to view it like growing pains in children. Followers of Christ will endure spiritual growing pains that will stretch their love and faith in Christ. Therefore, pain and suffering will be present in their lives until God finishes the work He intended for their lives.Lewis explains this further by saying that the moment Christians place themselves in Gods hands, He will make them perfect and whatever the suffering may cost, He will not rest until the work is done. 16 CSS Lewis experiences with pain Lewis endured pain and sorrow throughout most of his life. His first encounter with suffering was the death of his mother when he was only nine years old. Later that same year, his grandfather died. He also dealt with anguish during the war and then suffered the agonizing death of his wife Joy.In his book A Grief Observed, which was written after his wife passed away, Lewis discusses how he began to question the love of God, including Gods ability to listen to prayers. He shares in chapter one how he felt God was not present during his time of mourning for his wife. He wrote, But go to Him hen your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside. After that, silence1 7 Lewis describes in detail his loneliness and compares it to the loneliness felt by Jesus on the cross when He asked God why He forsook Him.Even though pain challenged Lewis belief in God, he never lost his faith in Him. He wrote, The conclusion I dread is not So theres no God after all, but So this is what God is really like. Deceive yourself no longer. 18 Experiences of mourning and suffering like the ones Lewis endured can challenge a Christians foundation of faith in God. The will of God Followers of Christ believe in the perfect will of God, because, due to His omniscience He knows what to take to achieve His plans in the lives of Christians.Lewis states, Gods will is determined by His wisdom which always perceives, and His goodness which always embraces, the intrinsically good. 1 9 Gods will cannot be explained in the human context, but His actions are always for the good, even if it causes pain. God allowed Josephs brothers to turn on him in order to bring his family to Egypt, which blessed and formed onto a great nation. God also allowed Paul to endure great sufferings throughout his life, which led him to preach the Gospel to non-Jewish people. Gods permissive will allows for events to occur in the lives of Christians to accomplish His perfect will for His purposes.Saving the spirit of humans is Gods ultimate concern due to His love for them, hence the reason Jesus died on the cross. The Bible states, So we dont look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 20 Christians believe and recognize that their sufferings are temporary; therefore they understand the promise of spending eternity in heaven with God. God desires for the world to know Him and give Him the glory that He alone deserves.Hence the reason why followers of Christ focus on spreading the Gospel around the world, even if it is painful. Jesus endured sufferings by spreading the true Word of God. Consequently, Christians, like missionaries, endure pain and suffering willingly, to spread the Good News around the world, without regard of the cost to their lives. Pain felt when God does not answer prayers As discussed earlier, God is all powerful and all knowing. Christians bring forth their petitions to God due to their belief that only He can answer their requests.Since God is all knowing, He understands how the answer to such prayers will impact the live of the petitioner. Therefore, when God does not answer the petitions of Christians, there is unhappiness and at times pain. Icon states that after Lewis the experiences of his mothers and grandfathers death, . . Combined with his fathers changed manner, caused the boy to experience pessimism and depression; he was also bitter about he unanswered prayers for his mothers recovery. 21 Lewis unanswered prayer brought pain and suffering. Christians experience the same pain when prayers for the recovery of a loved one are unanswered.Gods will and purpose for the life of His followers is beyond any pain felt in their lives. Unanswered prayers can also challenge the faith and belief in prayer. Christians can pray for specific requests believing God will grant what they request, which they believe is good for their lives. Lewis writes, If the thing he prays for doesnt happen, then that is one more proof that petitioners racers dont work; if it does happen, he will, of course, be able to see some physical causes which led up to it, therefore it would have happened anyway, and thus a granted prayer becomes just as good a proof as a denied one that prayers are ineffective. 2 An unanswered prayer can test a believer to think that prayers are ineffective. Although, Christians find assurance in the Bible where it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is Gods will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 23 Believers recognize that an unanswered prayer can hurt, but they know that it s Gods will and they should rejoice in all situations. Paul said, Thats why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when am weak, then am strong. 24 Paul understands that during his weakness, he is strong because God provides him the strength to endure sufferings. The kindness of God versus the love of God The Bible establishes God is love. Humanity believes that God is kind and good; therefore, they cant understand why there is suffering in the world. There is a misconception between Gods kindness or goodness and Gods eve. Lewis explains this when he wrote, By goodness of God we mean nowadays almost exclusively His lovingness; and in this we may be right.And by Love, in this context, most of us mean kindness the desire to see others than the self happy; not happy in this way or in that, but just happy. 25 Christianity looks at God as a kind and loving God, both views are correct, but there is a difference between the two. For example, parents love their children and are good to them, but when the child wants something the parent does not believe they should have, for his well being, the child is no longer happy. Gods love is no different. He listens to the petitions of the heart, but He decides what to grant for the well being of the spirit.Harmon writes, Lewis insists that the idea God has for goodness is different from ours, in that it is far better and greater, but not too different. 26 Kindness and love are both very similar. The difference is that kindness temporarily pleases without regards to the future and love demands correction to build a solid foundation for the future. Lewis says love is more stern and splendid than mere kindness. 27 Understanding this misconception between Gods undines and Gods love is important to better understand some of the reasons why God allows pain.His love for humanity goes beyond suffering and pain. Jesus said, it is better to enter heaven missing a body part, than for the entire body to spend eternity in heehaw Conclusion Pain and suffering are evident in the lives of Christians and non-Christians alike. God cannot remove pain from this world, because in doing so He would have to remove human kind. That is not to say that human kind is pain, but that their actions, due to freewill, can inflict pain and suffering on those around them. Although pain exists, it cannot disprove Gods ability to love and be all-powerful. Pain itself is not evil. It was discussed that God uses pain and suffering to redirect the attention of humanity in His direction. His omniscience allows Him to use pain to mold His followers into vessels for His use, thus reflecting His love and glory. Self-surrender to Gods perfect will is painful due to the selfish nature of humans, however, this is necessary to enjoy the comfort and love God provides during painful situations. Pain as a result of self-surrender to God allows for spiritual growth in the Father, ringing His creation closer to Him, which is ultimately His purpose.

Outkast essays

Outkast essays Stankonia vs. The Love Below/Speakerboxx Dalton Higgins, from the Amazon.com, wrote an article on the rap group Oukasts differing styles between two of their albums. Outkast is one of the biggest and most influential hip-hop groups of todays era. The group feature two members: Andre and Big Boi. Their first album titled southernplayalisticadillacmuzik came out in 1994 and they have not looked back. Since that time Outkast has produced 4 more albums: Atliens, Aquemini, Stankonia, and their most recent and most popular The Love Below/Speakerboxx. In 2000, when they came out with Stankonia, Outkast had a sound full of clever rap beats and smooth melodic lyrics that could not be matched. However in this year, 2004, Outkast decided to experiment. Both Andre and Big Boi decided to create their own CDs and put them together in one package. Andres CD was called The Love Below and Andres CD was called Speakerboxx. While both CDs were quite different in style, they came together to make one of the best selling CDs of all time. The style differences between Stankonia and The Love Below/Speakerboxx are very hard to ignore. When Outkast came out with Stankonia they produced an album that was strictly rap and hip-hop. It was a record that was full of hard-hitting gangster beats and rhythms. The lyrics, while beautiful, were not meant to connect with mainstream America. Stankonia fit the genre of being just another rap album, yet something was different; it seemed to rise above all other rap albums to create a special sound. After 2000, it became obvious that Outkast would not fall in to the bottomless pit that is pop music. In 2004, Outkast did a complete 180 and created The Love Below/Speakerboxx. Never has one rap group d ...

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 86

Summary - Essay Example Therefore, President John Tyler who supported seizure was defeated by congressional northern and some member of the south (Kubiaks 1). The other obstacle to seizure was Mexico insistence that Texas was part of its territory. Upon nomination of James K. Polk, there was the restoration of the annexation call. He asserted all the Oren territory belonged to the American people. He convinced the northern that annexation would be beneficial to them all. After the election, the boundary that existed between Washington state and British Columbia was recognized (Kubiaks 1). This was done without war, and hence the northerners were convinced that this policy cared more about southern expansion at the expense of north (Kubiaks 1). However, Polk did not surrender to Mexican demand. This led to war, and he ended up winning all the territory he had offered to purchase from the Mexican. During the war, he sent troops into the disputed area of Rio Grande (Kubiaks 1). The Mexican at the same time sen t troops that led to skirmishes of 1846. America suffered a numbered of causalities, and this forced congress declaration of war. The war was fought from three different fronts. This led to Mexico losing Texas, California, New Mexico, and some parts of Northern Mexico (Kubiaks 1). The Mexican government was ineffective, and the command was divided while American had better arms with complete command. After this war, there was signing of the treaty of Hildago in 1848 (Kubiaks 1). In this treaty, Texas was ceded, California, and New Mexico to United States (Kubiaks 1). The united stats agreed to pay $15 million. The present day Texas was born. The joining of Texas had a noticeable impact on the southwest development. There was a steady increase in the number of migrants. There was also an influx of educated artisans and businesspersons. With such influx, there was established

Fireworks combine art and science. Discuss the chemistry behind Essay - 1

Fireworks combine art and science. Discuss the chemistry behind firework colors, including the mechanisms of color production - Essay Example 111). The production of basic firework entails one to have four chemical agents essential in the formation of the entire complex reaction. These reagents or requirements include reducing agents, oxidizers, binders, coloring agents and regulators whereby the latter undertakes the role of controlling heat (Ochiai, 2011). Binders in the production of fireworks ensure each reagent is in its place for various chemical reactions to take place as necessitated, hence produce the required color displays. Oxidizers in this reaction serve the purpose of availing the required oxygen essential for the combustion process (Ochiai, 2011). These oxidizing agents include nitrates, chlorates and perchlorates (Ochiai, 2011). However, their extent of releasing respective oxygen atoms varies greatly during the entire and complex reaction process. Key oxidation reactions resulting from these processes include, Upon the release of O2 in the atmosphere, it encounters with S and C, which act as reducing agents producing their respective gaseous oxides as well as heat. Produced heat in this case increases explosive power of the entire combustion process. Color production during fireworks comprises of two mechanisms, which are Incandescence and Luminescence (Helmenstine, n.d). In the initial mechanism, it refers to a light produced by heat changing into varied colors based on different temperatures that increase with heating. Successive colors produced by this light include infrared, red, orange, yellow and finally white though under effective regulation one can attain his or her distinct color (Helmenstine, n.d). In addition, one can utilize selected metal elements to increase the brightness of a firework, for instance AL, Ti and Mg commonly known to burn brightly at high temperatures (Helmenstine, n.d). Conversely, Luminescence refers to a light produced by external sources mostly

Analyze the causes of the obesity epidemic affecting Americans Essay

Analyze the causes of the obesity epidemic affecting Americans children - Essay Example Obesity affects not only adults, but also children and youth. It has become a serious health problem and has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. More than this, it is threatening to become a global epidemic. There are four main factors that can cause obesity: the environment, a person’s eating habits, physical activity, and genetics. First of all, the environment plays the most important role in obesity. In the current environment of the United States, American children have access to unhealthy foods throughout schools and society in general. American children spend most of their time at school. Because they are there for so long, they need to have meals, drinks, and snacks there. However, most schools in the United States provide a great deal of unhealthy foods such as fried foods, hamburgers, and sugary drinks through vending machines, the school cafeteria, at fundraising events, and at sporting events. In contrast, there is a lack of healthy food choices such as vegetables and fresh fruit. Children who are always eating unhealthy food may gain body fat more easily, and this increases calories, which leads to obesity. Moreover, in society, fast food restaurants exist almost everywhere. The typical boulevard has at least four fast food restaurants such as McDonalds, KFC, Burger King, and Jack in the Box. Among these fast food restaurants, McDonald is the most popular. The documentary Super Size Me states that â€Å"McDonald’s represents around 43 percent of the American fast food market.† In addition, there are many fast food restaurants that are located close to high schools and colleges. The reason is that it is convenient for students to have their lunch nearby their place of study. Furthermore, advertising is also an environmental factor that may lead to greater obesity. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation released a study in 2007 stating that, â€Å"many food companies

Creativity And Imagination In Arts

Creativity And Imagination In Arts Three Little Pigs was chosen because children are familiar with the classic story. It is engaging for both girls and boys and allows a strong context for a range of arts activities in drama, puppetry, musical movement as well as a small world play of a series of arts activities. Activities are planned for five-year-old children as children by age 5 would have attained the basic developmental milestones of language development (Conti-Ramsden Durkin, 2011). The story of Three Little Pigs has patterns of structure. The first little pig met a man carrying straw and built his house with straw. The second little pig met a man carrying sticks and built his house with sticks. The third little pig met a man with bricks and built his house with bricks. A wolf came and said the line Little pig, little pig, let me in three times. The wolf huffed and puffed three times. The story carries repetitive catchy phrases, Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin! Ill huff and Ill puff and Ill blow your house down! So the wolf huffed and puffed and blew the house down! The moral of the story teaches children not to open door to strangers and let strangers in. The Three Little Pigs is told through dramatization and role-play using finger puppets, props and tone of voice. This paper highlights the aims and values of the activities and explains how learning is being structured and the skills that can be developed in drama. Creativity and Imagination in Arts Education We live in a culture where children are raised with passive life experiences. Their toys are highly functional and commercially constructed. But children are by nature imaginative and curious. Their imagination and creation are not nurtured and developed. Childrens play is losing significance to paper and pencil type of education that adults have come to view as important (Hendy Toon, 2001). Society needs people who are creative and imaginative to enable problem solving and make connections. Society then has to start with its youngest members to encourage their creativity and imagination. Children should be motivated and given opportunities to express their creativity. Society needs to nurture children to think creatively, play with ideas and materials, deal with changes and the unexpected, respond to such changes, take risks, learn empathy and be sociable. Creativity and imagination make us human (Duffy, 1998). Adult attitude is important in promoting creativity and imagination. Such attitudes create the right emotional environment. Equally important are physical settings and time set aside to allow opportunities for creativity and imagination (Duffy, 1998). Arts and the curriculum The arts have long been associated with a private experience of feeling good, living in a dream world, and an escape from reality. Swanwick (1988) argues that we become more conscious through the arts. Teaching the arts well promotes development in other learning areas. In drama there is physical education and language development. Music has its own vocabulary as in tempo, pulse and dynamics. Drawing is about line, texture and shape. If the arts can become part of the curriculum children have learning opportunities for personal and social-emotional development (Arts in Schools Project, 1990). According to Swanwick (1988) the arts are naturally playful and playfulness is an important part of being human. Children play. Play is what children do. In play, there are elements which promote learning through the arts. Children gain mastery of skills, enhanced their imitation and are engaged in imaginative play. Drama When young children engage in dramatic play, they take on a different identity and manipulate the character. They develop their ability to understand and make sense of the world around them by making connections (Hendy Toon, 2001). Games are adapted to the Three Little Pigs. Children listen to the name called for straw, stick, brick and house. They are told rules of the games. Children play and learn to play by the rules. When children are invited to make images from the story with their body and facial expression they step into the role of the character. They imitate the teacher in role and friends or stretch their creativity and imagination with their own body movement and facial expression. The other children in the circle make sound effects with their vocals. The simple act of dramatization allows children to master the skills of speaking to sound like another self. They learn to take turns and respect the others voice and body movement. Together and being together children make dramatic meaning (Swanwick, 1998). The teacher uses another approach of dramatization by getting children to make music and use instruments for making sound effects. Music is incorporated in the drama play. With the teachers guidance children experiment with the musical instruments until they get the sound that makes one think of the wolf blowing down the houses. For a different outcome, the teacher in role selects the instruments and guides children to listen to the tempo and act out the mood of the scene of the wolf puffing, huffing and blowing down the houses. Blowing down the house of straw is easy for the wolf so the mood is soft. The easy and soft mood changes with the house of straw and becomes heavy, angry and even dangerous when the wolf tries to blow down the house of brick. This activity is a learning point for children to take instructions, keep a consistent rhythm and work with others. It encourages children to enjoy making music and listening to music. Children are exposed to music and can develop musica l ability through their active engagement. Children delight in sound and rhythm (Sanwick, 1988). Drama should not be boring (Duffy, 1998). To add a sense of excitement the teacher tells an imaginative story that Mother Pig receives a letter from one of the little pigs. She has lost her reading glasses. Children are invited to read out the letter for her through role-play as the little pig. They decide for themselves and create their own story. Childrens imagination is further stretched when they discuss the character of the wolf. They compare the wolf to other wolves in Red Riding Hood and The Boy Who Cried Wolf. This activity promotes language and cognitive thinking as children learn to identify the animated characteristics of the wolf and compare one to the other and another. The original version of the story is told through a drama play. The teacher in role becomes the wolf who is brought to trial for blowing down the houses and eating the little pigs. Children field questions and demand explanations from the wolf to account for his crimes. Teacher and children work together to make a new story. This activity brings about a sense of tension and excitement. The teacher creates space for children to make their own small world play area. A number of skills can be developed in this play area. Children learn to make a finger puppet. They choose and pick materials to make their own puppets. They compare, contrast and experiment with colour, texture, lines and shapes. They acquire the skill by trial and error or copy the teachers puppets. Such mastery of judgement gives children a sense of achievement. When children play with finger puppet, the puppet becomes alive. They talk to the puppet and say what they feel. In imaginative play they experiment with the different cries the wolf make to blow down the three different houses. They become the little pigs and experiment with the different emotions the pig experience when the wolf calls. Children learn to be sociable as they listen to each other and take turns. They learn about cooperation and accepting ideas and wishes of another. Emotions are released in a healthy way as children use finger puppets to express their feelings and concerns. Language development is enhanced as they experiment with different voices and characters. We live in a time where learning is measured and tested in paper and pencil with emphasis in basic literacy and numeracy skills. We should bear in mind the importance of creativity and imagination in its own right and the positive impact of creativity and imagination on other learning areas. A curriculum that is enriched with creativity and imagination opens up avenues for children to develop skills, knowledge, attitudes and aptitudes in the present and for the future (Duffy, 1998). Children become the adults we want them to be resourceful, innovative and confident. As cited by Duffy (1998) quoting Oscar Wilde, we are raising a generation who know the price of everything and the value of nothing (p.14). (1469 words)

Film and Television Criticisms: Similarities and Differences of Male Characters Essay

Male portrayals on televisions have greatly evolved from the standard hero stereotypical illustration of primary male characters. During the entry of 21st century, masculinity among male roles have expanded and included variety of multicultural forms. In fact, the current illustration of masculinity has adapted to the liberal trends of society and even considered various facets of sexual considerations than the common romanticized absolute hero-portrayal of males. In addition, the male sexual domination against feminism is now becoming less frequent compared to the males roles of the 20th to early 21st century. Background of the Problem During the entrance of 21st century, various cultural modifications in various countries worldwide have occurred due to globalization, western influences and the decline of the concept on gender discrimination. Due to the vast liberalization on gender and influences of globalize and liberalized environment, communities, especially in United States, are now evolving the gender portrayals from conventional to a more equalized stature. As for these socio-cultural modifications, gender roles in media and entertainment are also being influenced by the shifting of idealism. In terms of male roles in entertainment, the common hero stereotypic roles implicating absolute masculinity have already diverted in accordance to the prevailing trends of the society. Since the public is now open to different variations of sexualities, male behavioral patterns and the society’s awareness on multi-gender variations, roles portrayed by males in variety of television programs have been modified to more multi-faceted and diverse forms. In an effort to illustrate these conditions, three movies with different genre and cultural implications have been selected are analyzed based on the similarities and differences of male roles in the television programs of the 21st century. Discussion The Male Characters of Prison Break Prison Break (2005) is an action, thriller and drama- based television series created by Paul Scheuring with the primary characters, Michael Scofield (portrayed by Wentworth Miller) and Lincoln Burrows (portrayed by Dominic Purcell). The two main protagonists play the role of brothers who aimed at escaping the prison penalty before Lincoln faces his trial of execution penalty due to the false accusation of murdering the vice-president, Terence Steadman. The two characters are hindered by the antagonist group called, The Company; although, despite of the trials and obstacles beneath the prison walls of Fox River State Penitentiary, the brothers are able to save themselves from the grasps of the covert agents of the said group. Prison Break is one of the best male role portrayals in the television series as of 21st century. From the given overview, the brothers are confronted by the issues of their past and the accusations made against Scofield’s brother, Lincoln. Three of the most notable strengths of the brothers are (1) brotherly bond to each other, (2) Scofield’s expertise in construction engineering and Lincoln’s genius skills, and (3) their comrades who are also escapees of the prison. Meanwhile, most weaknesses observed among the brothers are sometimes (1) their immediate concern to their comrades ending to self-risks, and (2) frequent conflicting plans and misunderstandings. Despite of these strengths and weaknesses, the brothers are motivated to escape the prison and live the free status that they are supposed to possess. Schofield already considers the little or zero possibility of uplifting the verdict to his brother; hence, both of them hope to escape the grasps of their chasers and live out of the claws of their enemies. The roles of the two characters are portrayed in a masculine sense where the sensitive attachments as brothers are very much evident. From the physical features and role portrayed by the brothers, each role manifests a sense of interdependency with each other. The Male Characters of Dante’s Cove Dante’s Cove (2005) is another film oriented to a horror and LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) genres created by Michael Costanza with gay couple, Gregory Michael and Charlie David, as the primary characters of the series. The television program is another face of the male role portrayals that are liberally being introduced to the public in the 21st century. The gay sexual orientation of males is one of the considerations to the vastly evolving male culturalism in the film industry, which essentially provide a different course depiction of male portrayal. In the story, Kevin (portrayed by Gregory Michael) is a formerly discreet bisexual who happened to fall in love with his seasonal buddy, Toby (Charlie David) who actually works as a bartender in a haunted hotel at Dante’s Cove. During the middle section of the first season, Kevin is able to realize what he wants and decides to leave his prosperous life with his mother and discriminating father-in-law to live in with Toby at Dante’s Cove. Upon Kevin’s arrival to the area, he is confronted by various premonitions from the warlock antagonists, Ambrosius Vallin (portrayed by William Gregory Lee). In the story, Kevin has accidentally freed the warlock by a simple kiss from the prison-enchantments of another antagonizing character, Grace Neville (portrayed by Tracy Scoggins) – the witch of Dante’s cove. By freeing Ambrosius from his prison, he sets out to hunt his so-called destined lover in the persona of Kevin. Meanwhile, being the former lover of Ambrosius, Grace hunts the love of Ambrosius (Kevin) in order to avenge herself from the warlock’s betrayal of her love 50 years ago. The couple is now confronted by the immense witchcraft of the two members of high-orders. The task of the Kevin and Toby is to maintain their emotions to each other despite of the efforts of the two antagonists in breaking their relationship apart. From the given overview, the strengths of the primary characters present in the film are the (1) emotional bonds to each other despite of gender issues and (2) the aid coming from their comrades from the cove. However, certain weaknesses observed in their male portrayal are (1) their fragility against lies, (2) gays’ stereotypes of polygamous nature, and (3) the emotional set backs that occur between the two. Meanwhile, some of the observed motivational behaviors present in the two primary characters are their attachments to one another and the supporting atmosphere they obtain from their bisexual and lesbian friends. Throughout the film, Toby and Kevin hope to finally obtain peace with their ideal form of gay relationship; however, the greatest fear confronting the two is their separation from one another. Despite of their gender similarities and the moral-culturally considered taboo, the couple has evidently established their ideal perspective of gay relationship while maintaining the external nature of their masculine behaviors. The Male Characters of Heroes Heroes (September 25, 2006) is a drama, science fiction television series created by Tim Kring with his primary character, Peter Petrelli (portrayed by Milo Ventimiglia). The story revolves in the discreet existence of evolved human beings capable of using unnatural powers inherent within their genetic structures. Each evolved superhuman possess either destructive or supportive form of unique abilities. The main antagonist, Sylar (portrayed by Zachary Quinto), is an evolved form capable of absorbing the powers of other superhumans by actually devouring their brains. Sylar moves with his intent of capturing the key to his immortality with the power of the Cheerleader, Claire Bennet (portrayed by Hayden Panettiere). Unlike Sylar, Peter Petrelli possesses the unique ability of absorbing one’s power by simply getting near towards these people. Unfortunately, he enters in without recognition in his skill and unable to manipulate the absorbed powers at his will. Peter is confronted by the complex task of saving his kind from the deadly virus released by a group of individuals who wants their kind annihilated. The science fiction film revolves in the lives of various complicating lives of different characters of the film; however, the concentration of tasks and the primary role as the hero is vested in the character of Peter Petrelli. In terms of his strengths as the male role of the film, he possesses (1) distinct and non-replicable skill of obtaining one’s ability in the simplest way, and (2) comrades that are also equipped with unique abilities. Meanwhile, despite of the heroic character of Peter, his identity in the film is surrounded by critical weaknesses that serve as his primary obstacles prior to achieving his goal of defeating his antagonists. Some of these identified weaknesses are (1) his incapacity to control his powers and abilities at his will, (2) his fragile emotions when it comes to his brother Nathan Petrelli and his loved ones, (3) unable to recognize his own potential, and (4) his fear towards his own abilities. Meanwhile, despite of the weaknesses of his character, Peter is motivated by lost of his brother, Nathan, the death of his loved ones, and the abduction of his girl during his travel in the future. Out of these obstacles and discouragements, Peter still hopes to rescue his girl and his brother from their circumstances; however, he is still confronted by the fear of the destruction he can cause and fear of loosing his love ones in his own hands. Conclusion: Analysis of the Three Chosen T. V Programs In analysis of the male character portrayals from the three chosen television programs, particularly Prison Break, Dante’s Cove and Heroes, there are certain similarities and differences observed among the characters of the said programs. In consideration of similarities, Prison Break’s brothers – Michael Scofield and Lincoln Burrows – depict the anti-heroic roles in terms of the storyline’s plot. The masculine sides of the brothers are further exemplified by their complex relationships involving a different sense of heroic act compared to the conventional heroic roles of male portrayals in the past. Meanwhile, Dante’s cove similarities in Prison Break is its ironic male roles of anti-masculine portrayal in terms of sexual orientations in the film wherein Kevin and Toby are confronted by the issues of saving their queer relationship being confronted by the horrifying witchcraft of the antagonists. Lastly, Peter Petrelli of Heroes is more similar to Prison Break’s brotherly linkage as with his brother, Nathan Petrelli, who is very much emphasized in the plot of Peter’s journey. In terms of the character similarities, the primary male roles of the said three television programs have already diverted to a different heroic stereotype common in the 20th century film plots. Meanwhile, in terms of the differences showed by the three primary male roles, each possesses differences in relation to the use of multi-culturalism components, gender portrayals, and defining characters of masculinity. As for Prison Break, the brothers are confronted by the emerging complexities of brotherly conditions. In a cultural sense, Prison Break illustrates the conventional role of brotherly affection; however, gender concerns might suggest the questionable bonds of brothers. In addition to cultural components, the nature of their role as prison breakers even distort the 20th century heroic male roles, such as the romanticism influenced-heroes. In Dante’s Cove, the male roles of Kevin and Toby are confronted by issues of cultural liberalization in terms of their illustration of free manly affection, which is actually considered non-manly by cultural norms. However, as for the film and the definition of masculinity, Dante’s Cove is able to raise the concept of manliness in a more behavioral sense than with sexual choices or preferences. Obviously different from the two male portrayals of Prison Break’s brothers and Heroes Peter Petrelli, Dante’s Cove couples have altered the components off masculinity by portraying it outside the common stereotypes of male film roles. Lastly, the character of Peter Petrelli in his diverse heroic role in Heroes has actually portrayed a fragile heroic role. Initially with his low self-compliance and belief in his capacities, his masculinity is confronted by a weaker illustration of identity, which is another diversion from the usual romanticism heroic view. In conclusion, as of 21st century, male roles in television programs have indeed evolved to more complex and diverse heroic portrayals.

Persuasion Essay

Jane Austin explores the character Anne Elliot, a 27- year-old unappreciated and self-sacrificing woman dealing with the emotional consequences of a returned love that she had been persuaded to reject in marriage seven years earlier. Austin exposes Anne as a timid and self-sacrificing character, her emotions and thoughts internalized and her presence dismissed by those around her.As the heroine of the novel Student's values are conveyed through Anne, displaying her distaste to aristocracy and preference to meritocracy, the challenge of enders and the convenience and social rules In acceptance to marriage, the rejection of these conventions displayed through Student's use of Irony and satire throughout the novel.The film ‘Persuasion' by Adrian Sherwood (2007) however sees a storyline that falls to grasp these concepts displaying a storyline that Is exaggerated and dramatic, focusing almost solely on the love story, often resulting In a film adaptation of Anne Elliot who wanders slantingly from the novels original character who displays little to no character development.The Anne of the novel Is often isolated, particularly in regard to her emotional state, contrasting greatly to Shareholders film adaptation where Anne is seen to be sharing her upset and feeling more openly. In the novel, Wentworth return is not accompanied by a debrief with Lady Russell where Anne expresses her distress and panic, rather, Austin displays her emotion through isolation and lack of communication with others, conveyed to the reader through narration rather than dialogue.Anne is adapted to a film audience to clearly display her state of mind and current emotion as to ensure that ere reactions to certain situations are obvious, for example, the various scenes where Anne looks directly into the camera, connecting directly with the audience to show the devastation she is experiencing, pushing the emotion to solidify the facts of her distress that may have been previously missed.Th is results in an Anne that is much more dramatic and has heightened emotion in great comparison to the submissive and overly polite nature of Anne in the novel, who shies away from expressing herself to such an extent that when Anne can't contain her emotion from Wentworth letter ND is seen to impact on her appearance, she is only thought to be sick.Sherwood abandons the social conventions of the 19th century setting to produce a film that is unrealistic and untrue to the situations Anne experiences In the novel. Jane Student's Anne Elliot undergoes character development throughout the novel and experiences transformation, symbolizes by her change In appearance toward the end of the novel as she begins to ‘bloom' once again, her nature becoming more assertive and confident.Student's end result In Anne Is one that Is not seen wealth the film as there Is no growth or development Incorporated, her appearance only seen hanged as she arrives at Excellency with Captain Wentworth, he r hair styled differently and her dress a brighter color, suggesting that she Is happier and changed only as a result of Wentworth love, supporting the sole focus of the film to be the romantic plotting.Persuasion Essay By manhole's genders and the convenience and social rules in acceptance to marriage, the rejection of these conventions displayed through Student's use of irony and satire storyline that fails to grasp these concepts displaying a storyline that is exaggerated and dramatic, focusing almost solely on the love story, often resulting in a film adaptation of Anne Elliot who wanders significantly from the novel's original character who displays little to no character development.The Anne of the novel is film that is unrealistic and untrue to the situations Anne experiences in the novel. And experiences transformation, symbolizes by her change in appearance toward assertive and confident. Student's end result in Anne is one that is not seen within the film as there is no gr owth or development incorporated, her appearance only seen differently and her dress a brighter color, suggesting that she is happier and

Mansa Musa Essay Example

Mansa Musa Essay Example Mansa Musa Essay Mansa Musa Essay Because of IM, we stayed strong for almost two hundred years. Mans MUSM always wanted the best for his kingdom, and had to make sacrifices along the way to get It where It Is today. Mans MUSM filled the criteria of a leader perfectly, If not better than prior leaders such as Sundials. When Sundials died, Mans MUSM, a skilled military leader, took over and expanded Mall greatly. He appointed governors to rule the provinces that he had taken over. These governors ruled fairly and efficiently under Mans Musss rule. This shows how Mans MUSM deeply cared about the lives of his clansman, and made sure all areas of his kingdom were fairly ruled over. He built mosques in Timeout, an important trading city, which attracted numerous Muslims that helped the kingdom of Mali prosper. It attracted judges, doctors, religious leaders, and scholars. This just goes to show you how skillful he was, and how he skillfully attracted important people to his kingdom. When Mans MUSM decided to go on his hajj to Mecca, he had it all planned out. He wanted this trip to be unforgettable, and to give others around the world a reason to come to Mali. He brought sixty thousand people with him, 500 being slaves. He also brought 100 camels, and in total, 192,000 ounces of gold. In no way was he shy about his surplus of gold, for showing off his riches was the point of the trip. One of his most famous stops along the way was when he went to Cairo and gave away so much gold, Cairo suffered a horrible inflation period where their money was basically worthless, and didnt get their money system back to normal for about ten years. By showing off the gold, and handing showering the lands he passed with it, it made others want more, and made them want to come to Mali, instead of him having to cross the Sahara to get to them. Even though he took gold from his people, it was used for the better. Because of this trip counterclaiming Mali and its surplus of gold, mapmakers started showing Mali on their maps, and more traders started braving the cruel weather of the Sahara to go to Mali. Also we got a more efficient trade route. Along with this, Muslim schools and architecture started to be built In Mall, bringing a more concrete education and religion to the kingdom. Overall, Mans MUSM gambled his position as ruler over Mali by making the trip across the Sahara to Mecca. By doing this, he lost followers, but also gained more respect from his even more devoted citizens. He united his kingdom, attracted Europeans and other provinces to Mall for trade, and In the long run, saved money and the lives of those who would have had to do that trip numerous times Just to trade. He made the smart decision to spend lots of money to take one trip, then a good amount of money numerous times Just to trade every so often with neighboring kingdoms. Mans MUSM made history by taking this pilgrimage, and got his kingdom on several maps seen my thousands of people. For some, teen may De Electroplates Tanat Mans MUSM Detracted teen, Duty Tort ten rest of us, we thank him for his bold move, and talent in advertising for making Mali not just one of several kingdoms of Africa, but a well recognized, and prosperous kingdom of Africa.

roman empire essays

roman empire essays The Romans have had almost every type of government there is. They've had a kingdom, a republic, a dictatorship, and an empire. Their democracy would be the basis for most modern democracies. The people have always been involved with and loved their government, no matter what kind it was. They loved being involved in the government, and making decisions concerning everyone. In general, the Romans were very power-hungry. This might be explained by the myth that they are descended from Romulus, who's father was Mars, the god of war. Their government loving tendencies have caused many, many civil wars. After type of government, the change has been made with a civil war. There have also been many civil wars between rulers. But it all boils down to wanting to be involved in government. When the Greeks finally entered Troy after ten long years of siege, a man named Aeneas escaped the city with his father, Anchises, and his son, Ascanius. They went to Mt. Ida, where they were to meet Aeneas' wife, Creusa, but she never showed up. Saddened, Aeneas acquired a boat and sailed around the Mediterranean. He bounced around from Asia Minor to Greece to Crete looking for a place to found a new Troy, but he couldn't find a satisfactory place. As told by Homer in the Aeneid, Aeneas was cared for by the gods. Venus, in particular, was very worried about him. She asked Jupiter, king of the gods about him, and he said this: "Since you are so consumed with anxiety for Aeneas, I shall turn forward far The hidden pages of fate and speak of the future. He shall conduct a great campaign for you. And conquer all Italy and its haughty peoples. He shall impose laws on his own people. And build walled cities for them; the third summer Shall see him rule in Latium, the third winter Of warfare see the Rutulians [an Italian tribe] subdued. But his son Ascanius... It is he who shall consolidate your power-For thirty years with all their turning months; Then...

Impact of technology on Business Communication Essay

Impact of technology on Business Communication - Essay Example In fact, prospective clients or customers will be better impressed knowing they are dealing with businesses that have good business technology tools rather than one with out-dated resources. Business communication also involves internal contact and technology has also greatly improved this aspect in many organizations. With this, messages can be sent electronically instead of raising internal memos, which has a possibility of being missed when staffs are not informed. Managers travelling frequently can also keep in touch with the employees regularly and thus, obtain updates or resolve issues in an instant. Indeed, technology has allowed for a faster and more efficient way of business dealing. The creation of company websites and the availability of search engines mean businesses are at the advantage of reaching out to far more audiences, both internal and external parties, with the necessary information about the company, as well as its products and services. Of course, the benefits of technology are only apparent when users are ethical. Otherwise, it can do more harm than good.

DEEP Blue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

DEEP Blue - Essay Example Until the 1870s numerous African-American immigrant workers as well as wanderers, who were mostly male, crossed the South. The unidentified bluesman that Handy portrayed most probably travelled from one plantation to the next across the Delta, with a guitar in search of work. This allegation of mobility widened the American scenery and extended the African-American practice; consequently, â€Å"setting the arena for the development of the country blues.† A lot can be learnt concerning the association between migration and formation of identity by evaluating the purpose of the blues, particularly Muddy Waters’ recordings. It took place in the turbulent period of changeover in the history of African-American. For the bluesman, Waters assembled the society, invoked up secure spaces between the strange urban landscapes, and helped those who accompanied him from the Delta in reorganizing their home, their past, and their personality (Palmer 72). His lyrics brightly dealt with the matters that tackled both the pre-migrant as well as post-migrant mind. According to Houston A. Baker, the blues â€Å"comprise a mixture that seems forever to have been in movement in America- for all time becoming, transforming, shaping, and dislocating the strange incidents of Africans in the fresh World.† Baker’s exclusive explanation entails then, that the blues tune that enclosed the Delta in the twentieth century indicated the African-American country experience even as the blues that cheered up Chicago’s South area after the migration indicated the African-American city experience. Jones backs this thought, asserting, â€Å"The most significant Negro music of any period will be a precise manifestation of who the Negro is. It will be a portrayal of the American Negro at that a given time.† A number of historians query the legality of the blues that drifted to the urban North.

The Clearling Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Clearling - Assignment Example She dragged her basket over to the spring, then knelt and scooped up some of the clear cool water to drink. Refreshed, she lay back on the grass and closed her eyes, not caring about the further stains her clothes would suffer. She had been hunting in the forest all afternoon for berries, so that her mother could make her famous berry pie for their â€Å"special† guest, who was coming to dinner tonight. Kallan did not want to think of that â€Å"special† guest, her stomach tightened every time she did. Her parents had been looking for an eligible suitor ever since she had turned 16 last spring and Mr. Goodwyn was the result. He was rich, owned a manor house on ten acres of land and he was well connected at court. â€Å"The perfect husband!† Her mother had labelled him. â€Å"A proper gentleman.† Her father had announced happily. But, Kallan did not like him, never mind love him! And aren’t you supposed to love the person you are to wed? She thought to herself miserably. Lately, she had found herself spending more and more time in the forest, trying to avoid Mr. Goodwyn’s frequent visits. But, there was no avoiding him tonight; for, it was tonight that he was to make his formal proposal to her father, asking him for her hand in marriage. A silent tear rolled down her cheek and she made no attempt to wipe it away, instead she listened to the singing of the birds around her. Then, faintly she heard something else, sweet distant music accompanied by the tinkling of bells. As she listened, it came closer until it was all round her. Blinking she sat up and gasped in amazement. The sun had set and faint stars were beginning to shine, and in the faint light she saw that in the once empty clearing, now stood at least a dozen silvery white horses, their brightly coloured harnesses jingling with tiny gold bells. But, what was more astonishing were the people, if people they were, who were now dismounting from the beautiful horses. They were tall and slender, and moved so gracefully that they seemed to flow over the ground. One of the figures was playing a harp, the source of the sweet music she had heard. Stooping the figure set the harp on the ground and turned to Kallan. â€Å"Now, child, do not stare so. Have you never heard of The Fair Folk?† The speaker was the loveliest female Kallan had ever seen, she was tall and willowy with a fountain of coppery curls falling in waves down her back and around her angular ageless face. â€Å"W-well, yes†¦but,† Kallan stammered in a half whisper. She had heard tales of The Fair Folk, but she had thought that that is all they were, tales. The woman smiled gently down at her. â€Å"Come join us my dear, we are stopping for our evening meal.† She held out her hand and Kallan scrambled to her feet and took it â€Å"I am Taylliana, Elf Queen of Fernin.† Kallan gasped and tried to curtsy but the queen stopped her saying, â€Å"None of that child, it is not necessary. What is your name?† â€Å"Kallan My Lady.† â€Å"Well met Kallan.† the queen said â€Å"Now come join us.† She led Kallan to where a brightly coloured silk covering had been placed on the grass. Kallan sat down dazedly and politely accepted a glass of what smelt like berry juice from the queen. She could not believe what she was experiencing, it all seemed so unreal. â€Å"This is Kallan.† The queen announced to the rest of the elves as they sat down and began passing bowls of fresh