Torture Essay -- essays research papers

Ronald D. Cretlinsten battles that torturers get the capacity to adapt to the ethical situations of incurring torment upon and killing their kindred people basically through the procedures of â€Å"routinization† and â€Å"dehumanization†, and furthermore through the thought of â€Å"authorization† (191). With, for example, the case, an individual proficient in the specialty of torment would essentially have figured out how to be remorseless, in any case, that contention disregards the very reality that many occupied with such exercises are naturally unreasonable, and in actuality eagerly and joyfully damage to other people. The predominance of torment all through the world can be represented to some extent by the procedure of â€Å"routinization† in which a system, basically, desensitizes an offered torturer to the abominations that he is submitting in its name. In such a procedure â€Å"what is being done to somebody changes into what is being done: data gathering† (191). The undertaking of storing up data and admissions obscures the truth wherein the torturer lives; this is accomplished through friend pressure from individual torturers â€Å"to be a man†, by exceptional physical and enthusiastic preparing, and through the work of publicity guaranteeing that the torturer is satisfying his obligation and making the best choice as his casualties are shameless adversaries of the state (192). So, the torturer gets perplexed and incapable to translate the reality of his reality. This confusion is brought about by reiteration, or â€Å"habituation†, notwithstanding the advancement of the â€Å"task-orie...

Customization Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Customization - Assignment Example From this investigation ity is certain that administration industry possesses a significant situation in the economy of the creating just as the created countries. A few examinations identified with the accommodation business propose that the hole between the client desire and client discernment can be shut by executing new advancement in the nature of administration. The vast majority of the working frameworks accessible in the movement, the travel industry and accommodation division have an immediate and prompt effect on the client. The tasks elements of cordiality area incorporate convenient help, quality items and very great conduct with clients. The administration structure and conveyance of accommodation part is comprehensively ordered into normalization and customization of administrations. In the contemporary time, customization of items and administrations are exceptionally esteemed by clients. So as to upgrade the nature of administration in accommodation division, it is ba sic that client decisions, results, conveyance and client boards are given significance. Legitimate promoting of brand is significant with respect to cordiality division. From this paper obviously the clients like to visit puts that have top notch brand picture just as notoriety in the friendliness advertise. The current client base of cordiality parts expects normalized quality with respect to items and administrations. In any case, the shoppers in the cutting edge and contemporary period expect redid administration structure and administration conveyance process. This exposition will contend for redid administration plan and administration conveyance forms are all the more requesting contrasting with the normalized procedure. As for business accommodation, it is significant that both normalization and customization elements of administration plan and conveyance are upgraded. Travel, the travel industry and friendliness have a few ramifications towards the administration of tasks. For normalizing structure and conveyance of friendliness benefits, the key factor is to convey on the guarantee made to customers.â

Are you ready to apply - UGA Undergraduate Admissions

Are you ready to apply - UGA Undergraduate Admissions Are you ready to apply? Especially if you have an older sibling who’s been through this before or maybe your parent happens to be a school counselor, your first question for August 1 might be, are there any changes to UGA freshman admission this year? Our simple answer is, not really. Your research will show that we have earned the roles of an internationally esteemed flagship state research university, the oldest in the United States. Lots of students want to start college in the exciting warmth of Athens. Over the past two decades we have realized unprecedented increases in the diversity and academic profile of our freshman classes. UGA admission has become remarkably competitive. So applying to UGA isâ€"and you deserveâ€"a relatively complex process that will fairly reveal to us your potential for academic success and for contributions to our campus in comparison with an expected 20,000+ other applicants. One change is that we’re opening our Application for 2014 First-Year students after Labor Day, September 3, instead of late August as in the recent past. The reason is a bit of caution on our part while we are in the midst of a multi-year switch to a massive Banner student information system version called “Connect UGA”. It is replacing a legacy system finally showing its age. Our goal for the change is that you shouldnt notice. Two other 2014 changes are in the essay topics we require for Regular Decision and a prohibition for applying for Summer, 2014 admission. This year, Summer students will have to gain Fall admission first, then in April request a change to Summer. The rest of our process is essentially unchanged. As you’ll see on our First Year Application website, we will still have two routes, Early Action (EA) and Regular Decision (RD). The 2013-14 deadlines for applyingâ€"Oct. 15 for EA and January 15 for RDâ€"are unchanged, as is your responsibility for getting us all necessary test scores and supporting documents by our posted deadlines. All admission decisions will be made before April 1 and accepted students must make their nonrefundable enrollment commitment deposit by May 1. Please understand that because of the necessary complexity of our 2014 admission process and rolling out the new Connect UGA SIS, deadlines really are deadlines. That part of the UGA freshman application processâ€"for better or worse as older siblings, parents and counselors can testifyâ€"has definitely not changed. And finally, check this Blog regularly to hear the latest hints, suggestions, and updates both large and small on what we hope will be a “Connect UGA” year for all of us. Go Dawgs!

Marx s Theory Of Historical Materialism - 1495 Words

Capitalism is an economic system in a society in which private owners control industry and trade within a country, rather than the state. Both Karl Marx and Max Weber, have written theories on how this system develops in countries and creates a nation state that is characterised by production and wealth. Marx’s theory takes more of a top-down approach, suggesting that people have little power in how their society is run. On the other hand, Weber’s bottom-up approach demonstrates how people have the ability to initiate capitalism and change their society. Marx’s theory of historical materialism is based on a 5-stage system inevitable of any society, Weber’s theory of The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism states that it was a much smaller group within a feudal society whose religiosity inadvertently kick-started capitalism. Although both these theories look at how capitalism develops within a society, Marx’s macro-scale theory is more appl icable to every society, unlike Weber’s micro-scale approach that focuses on one group within society and their ‘spirit of capitalism’. Naturally, the theories vary due to the time of writing and the economic or political situation. Marx wrote of historical materialism during a German economic crisis, whereas Weber wrote his theory a generation after, seeing the economy develop and stabilise. This impacted the message they were portraying and influenced two opposing theories. Based on Hegel’s idea of dialectics shaping society andShow MoreRelatedWhy Has Marxism Been Neglected For International Relations?977 Words   |  4 Pagesof the major reasons why Marxism has generally been neglected in International Relations is due to the scarcity of Marxist writing that is specifically focused on this subject. However, it can be argued that due to this paucity of material, Marxist theory has nothing of substantial value to offer with regards to international relations. Non- Marxists argue that the concepts in Marx’s analysis of capitalist production; class, labor, exchange value, surplus value, are not relevant to international relationsRead MoreWhy Marx s Social Theory Place So Much Emphasis On Class Conflict And The Economic Aspects Of Society? Essay1524 Words   |  7 Pagesdoes Marx s social theory place so much emphasis on class conflict and the economic aspects of society? Karl Marx is one of the most influential and revolutionary philosopher, economist and sociologist of the 19th century. His thoughts not only shaped our understandings of the capitalistic world but also created a new system of social organization, communism. His ideology also defined the key political figures of the cold war period such as Stalin, Mao and Castro. Without Marx, theRead MoreWhy Marx s Social Theory Place So Much Emphasis On Class Conflict And The Economic Aspects Of Society?1630 Words   |  7 PagesWhy does Marx’s social theory place so much emphasis on class conflict and the economic aspects of society? Introduction There are many reasons why Marx’s social theory places so much emphasis on class conflict and the economic aspects of society. Marx created his theory during a period of time where there was a large level of social change which led to modifications in the ways in which people worked (Morrison, 2012). This social change impacted his sociological thinking, encouraging him to exploreRead MoreThe Marx And Marx s Views On History And Society, By Robert C. Tucker Essay1368 Words   |  6 PagesThe Marx-Engels Reader By Robert C. Tucker is an anthology containing essential writings of German philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Major writing selections are to understand Marx perspective about history and society, such as The German Ideology. Marx introduces his historical materialism philosophy in the German Ideology: Part 1 of this book, where he proposes communism. Although I agree with a few points Marx gives, I can not accept his overall conclusion that communism is the onlyRead MoreHistorical And Dialectical Materialist Approaches2392 Words   |  10 Pagesmethods of social analysis in the Marxist tradition, how Marxist thinkers after Marx envision the practice of properly analyzing societies and their conceptions of historical and/or dialectical materialism having to do with their visions of the social sciences and humanities. Also, it talks about how their differences of varieties of Marxist materialism make up a given society. Lastly, this paper discusses how historical and dialectical materialist approaches are argued for and justified through theRead MoreThe Bankruptcy Of Marxist Ideology : The Dilution And Variability Essay1720 Words   |  7 PagesTopic 4: The Bankruptcy of Marxist Ideology: The Dilution and Variability of Marxist and Neo-Marxist Theory in the Post-WWI Era Introduction: This economic study will define the dilution and variability of Marxist and Neo-Marxist Theory in the post-WWII era. The slow dissolution of Marxist theory as as a 19th century economic concept defines the rise of capitalism and the neoliberal ideology that has permeated the latter half of the 20th century. The fall of communism in the late 1980s revealsRead MoreSociological Materialism Vs Economic Determinism1775 Words   |  8 Pages(Word Count: 1,779) Perceptions and Reality: Historical Materialism Versus Economic Determinism While Marx’s economic determinism is definitely a component of his theory of historical materialism, the two are by no means interchangeable. Historical materialism does not place value upon the truth of the status of society; all weight is born on how the material base of society is perceived by its inhabitants and how those perceptions lead the people within society to act accordingly in their politicalRead MoreThe As A Science For Emancipation871 Words   |  4 Pagesthe many contributions attributed directly to critical synthesis in order to unravel certain theoretical and conceptual nodes. More than 150 years have elapsed since Marx and Engels laid the groundwork for the materialistic theory as a science for emancipation. The reception granted to this theory was very powerful: Marxist materialism was erected as a State scientific doctrine within the Soviet bloc; it was the theoretical basis for several popular uprisings and revolutionary movements; it was theRead MoreKar l Marx s Theories Of History And The Theory Of Human Nature Essay1714 Words   |  7 PagesKarl Marx was a nineteenth century philosopher, born in Trier, Prussia (Germany) in 1818 to a middle class family and later died in 1883. Karl Marx’s philosophies on society, politics and economics is collectively understood as Marxism. He was a materialist and an atheist who had a profound impact on the world of intellectual thought. This paper will aim to discuss and determine with reference to Marx’s deterministic theory of history and the theory of human nature, if human beings are essentiallyRead MoreKarl Marx s Influence On Society1423 Words   |  6 PagesKarl Marx may be regarded as one of the most influential thinkers and his views on how society functions have shaped the development of socialist and economic theories. Political philosophers have developed a variety of enlightened ideologies depicting how governments and societies are organized over the course of histo ry. Marx’s influence by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel would lead to Marx’s view of history known as historical materialism, â€Å"Life is not determined by consciousness, but consciousness

The Tragic Consequences of the Rebellion on Animal Farm

ANIMAL FARM ESSAY â€Å"The tragic consequences of the rebellion on Animal Farm could have been prevented† What did go wrong on Animal Farm? In George Orwell’s book ‘Animal Farm’, many things went wrong. Many agree that the consequences depicted in the book could have been avoided, but what really caused these tragic happenings? Did these consequences occur solely because of Napoleon’s dictatorship, or did the animals willingness to cooperate also contribute in the downfall of Animal Farm? Napoleon was one of the main instigators of Animal Farm’s downfall. He was portrayed as a heartless and selfish dictator, who terrorized the other animals, and whom was willing to†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Milk and apples contain substance absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig. We pigs are brain works. The whole management and organization of this farm depended on us. Day and night we are watching over our well fare. It is for your sake that we drink the milk and eat these apples. Do you know what happens of we pigs failed in our duty? Jones would come back!† †¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨Napoleon, along with many other crimes, also severely abused his power being the leader of the animals. He never raised a working hand, but instead just stayed inside and gave out instructions. â€Å"The pigs did not actually work, but directed and supervised the others.† (page 35) This is also the case with the other pigs, as they believed themselves to be superior to the other animals. Another example of how he abused his authority is how he changed Snowball’s image from a hero into an enemy: â€Å"Napoleon decreed that there should be a full investigation into Snowball’s activities. With his dogs in attendance he set out and made a careful tour of inspection of the farm buildings the other animals following at a respectful distance† (Page 78). He twisted the truth using his power, so that Snowball was made in to the scapegoat for everything which went wrong on Animal Farm. Napoleon also terrorised the other animals into confessing to crimes that they did notShow MoreRelatedTheme of Fear in George Orwells Novels Essay1560 Words   |  7 PagesFear within the ignorant animals of Animal Farm and defeated humans of 1984 exist to uphold each novel’s totalitarian government. Each of these George Orwell novels delve into the power and manipulation of an absolute dictatorship. Napoleon in Animal Farm and Big Brother in 1984 both claim the newly established system of authority is of superior quality than the preceding regime. Apprehension is due to both fictional and realistic threats, twisted for the government’s power-hungry use. Feelings ofRead MoreThe Cold War And The Soviet Union s Sphere Of Influence1611 Words   |  7 Pagesfoolish belief in the purity of his political institution s ideals. The warning in Animal Farm is clear: regardless of their ideological background, po litical figureheads have the capacity and tendency to abuse their power. The humans in George Orwell s fable practice capitalism. Mr. Jones, the owner of Manor Farm, is described as an abusive drunk, whose inability to remember to feed his animals sparks their rebellion. Jones ineptness as a caregiver and leader result in his eventual overthrow fromRead MoreEssay Power and Corruption in Macbeth by William Shakespeare3354 Words   |  14 Pagesunclear who the real victim is, does power make a human do bad things or does a human do bad things with power? Both are true, many tragic stories begin with a man trying to gain power with good or bad intentions; either way, it goes downhill. Because of its tragic outcomes, power is a very prominent theme in literature, specifically warning people of the consequences of power. Many authors discuss how power influences people. Throughout every time period, there is some mention of the danger and corruptionRead MoreThe Bible Tell Us And The Be ginning Of The World2583 Words   |  11 Pagesuse the definition of God and Adam contained in the Bible, Paradise lost by John Milton, Dante s inferno, by Dante Alighieri and Dr. Faustus, by Christopher Marlowe. As such, God is the ultimate spirit hovering over mankind and the waters, skies, animals and all that is created on earth from the beginning of time, Actually, God is the creator of the universe, and everything within the universe, such as, matter, energy, space, and time, along with the first highest order of the nine-fold celestialRead MorePrejudice Essay : The Last Of The Mohicans 2567 Words   |  11 Pageswritten in 1826, James Fennimore Cooper illustrates events, proving prejudice, of the 1757 French and Indian War. There are various occasions in which parties of diverse races and nationalities are brought together, habitually with undesirable consequences. The white man’s persuasion on the Indians was a terrible one, as shown by Magua’s troubles with the fire-water (alcohol), and Chingachgook’s cry that the Mohican tribe was practically destroyed by alcohol. â€Å"Then his Canada fathers came into theRead More Population: The Growing Problem Essay3830 Words   |  16 Pagesnever, practically or mathematically, keep up with their own numbers. The food, he believed, would eventually run out once a certain critical mass of humans is reached. Malthus predictions and preaching about famine were a bit of foreshadowing of the tragic Irish Famine in the 1840s. When failure of the potato crop occurred for several successive years, this produced a devastating famine. Between 1841 and 1851, Irelands population fell from 8.2 million to 6.6 million through starvation [and] diseaseRead Moretheme of alienation n no where man by kamala markandeya23279 Words   |  94 Pagesshare in Antigone’s guilt and punishment; Creon refuses to punish her as he considers her temporarily insane. Tiresias (or Teiresias) The blind prophet of Thebes, who also appears in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex. He comes to warn Creon that dire consequences will follow if he stands by his decision to leave Polynices’ body unburied. Eurydice The wife of Creon. She appears only once in the play, when she hears the news of her son’s (Haemon’s) The watchman Comes to inform death. She commits suicideRead MoreBible 104 Worldview Essay6535 Words   |  27 Pagesbook records David’s wars of conquest including the capture of Jerusalem and the relocation of the ark of the covenant to the City of David (6:1–19). But the author also records David’s failures: his adultery with Bathsheba (11:1–26), Absalom’s rebellion (15:1–18:30), Sheba’s revolt (20:1–26), and the disastrous census (24:1–25). Like all the prophetic writers, the author presents a portrait of his historical figures from the perspective of their faithfulness to God’s covenant. Key Facts Author:Read MoreSAT Top 30 Essay Evidence18536 Words   |  75 Pagesenvisioned himself taking up the aging Guthrie’s mantle. Dylan was coming of age in the 1960s in America, a time of simmering social unrest and approaching change; race- and gender-based oppression were coming under the microscope and youthful rebellion was on the rise. His reputation at the time was built primary on the relevance of his â€Å"protest† songs P a g e | 12 such as â€Å"Blowin’ in the Wind,† which appealed to white and black listeners alike. Such songs provided a bridge for variousRead MoreIgbo Dictionary129408 Words   |  518 PagesLà ¹Ã¯â‚¬ ¥a á » lÃ… «Ã¯â‚¬ § Do the work: Kà   à  nyá »â€¹ jee Let us go: ... à ² wà ¨e nalue á » ¥nà ²Ã¯â‚¬ ¥ wà ¨e fá » ¥ yÄ  ... and then he got home and found it this this (thing) this person this place, here this way oh! (surprise) answer to a call, e.g. yes; a low murmuring or exclamation over tragic news or surprise Aba: Òbà ¬Ã¯â‚¬ ¬Ãƒ  gà ¨là ¬ bà ¬ n’Àba á »Å'bá »â€¹ageli lives in Aba flatness; lying flat on the back: á »Å' tà ²Ã¯â‚¬ ¥gbà ²Ã¯â‚¬ ¥là ¹Ã¯â‚¬ ¥ à  ba He lay flat lie flat on the back: Òfà ´Ã¯â‚¬ ¨ sà ¬Ã¯â‚¬ ¬ mà ¹ chà  lá » ¥ Ä ba á »Å'fá »  asked me to lie flat on my back sleep on the back Idiomatic greeting and

Polygamy and Children Free Essays

Imagine a young girl of twelve marrying a man of forty whom she has never seen before and being forced to produce children until her body is physically unable to perform a safe pregnancy. Imagine the girl being brainwashed and beaten for contradicting with a belief held by another man and forced to stay in her community for her entire life without knowing anything of the outside world. This scary world exists not just in imagination, but in the form of marriage known as polygamy. We will write a custom essay sample on Polygamy and Children or any similar topic only for you Order Now Found in almost every country, including the United States but prevalently in Islamic socitey, the practice is considered a right to a select few and a bane to the majority of others. Polygamy is a way of life that should not be allowed in society due to the fact that it creates male-dominated marriages, forces women into subordinate roles, and produces unworkable families full of strife, abuse and incest. Polygamy is a form of marriage in which a person has more than one spouse at a time; it most often occurs in the form of polygyny, when a man has multiple wives. Although the practice has been illegal in the United States for over one hundred years, it is estimated that over 30,000 citizens are involved in plural marriages. Although marriage is considered to be the mutual forming of a bond between a couple, in many polygamous marriages women are forced into the role of wife. They have no choice but to become subservient to their husband. From an early age they are taught of male dominance and are brainwashed by their culture and religion to refuse to the polygamy practice. Practice of polygamy in religion Polygamy is a very ancient practice found in many human societies. The Bible did not condemn polygamy. To the contrary, the Old Testament and Rabbinic writings frequently attest to the legality of polygamy. King Solomon is said to have had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Also, king David is said to have had many wives and concubines. The Old Testament does have some injunctions on how to distribute the property of a man among his sons from different wives. The only restriction on polygamy is a prohibit on taking a wife’s sister as a rival wife. Jews continued to practice polygamy until the sixteenth century. Oriental Jews regularly practiced polygamy until they arrived in Israel where it is forbidden under civil law. The Quran, contrary to the Bible, limited the maximum number of wives to four under the strict condition of treating the wives equally and justly. It should not be understood that the Quran is exhorting the believers to practice polygamy, or that polygamy is considered as an ideal. In other words, the Quran has â€Å"tolerated† or â€Å"allowed† polygamy, and no more, but why? Why is polygamy permissible ? The answer is simple: there are places and times in which there are compelling social and moral reasons for polygamy. As Quranic verse indicates, the issue of polygamy in Islam cannot be understood apart from community obligations towards orphans and widows. Islam as a universal religion suitable for all places and all times could not ignore these compelling obligations. Eventhough that is what Quran said most men practices it due to their success demonstration in their economy and social, us we saw it in Xala movie El hajd didn’t marry his third wife because she was widow or orphan. In most human societies, females outnumber males. In the U. S. there are, at least, eight million more women than men. In a country like Guinea there are 122 females for every 100 males. In Tanzania, there are 95. 1 males per 100 females. What should a society do towards such unbalanced sex ratios? There are various solutions, some might suggest celibacy, others would prefer female infanticide (which does happen in some societies in the world today ! ). Others may think the only outlet is that the society should tolerate all manners of sexual permissiveness: prostitution, sex out of wedlock, homosexuality, etc. For other societies , like most African societies today, the most honorable outlet is to allow polygamous marriage as a culturally accepted and socially respected institution. The point that is often misunderstood in the West is that women in other cultures do not necessarily look at polygamy as a sign of women’s degradation. For example, many young African brides , whether Christians or Muslims or otherwise, would prefer to marry a married man who has already proved himself to be a responsible husband. The problem of the unbalanced sex ratios becomes truly problematic at times of war. Native American Indian tribes used to suffer highly unbalanced sex ratios after wartime losses. Women in these tribes, who in fact enjoyed a fairly high status, accepted polygamy as the best protection against indulgence in indecent activities. European settlers, without offering any other alternative, condemned this Indian polygamy as ‘uncivilised’ After the second world war, there were 7,300,000 more women than men in Germany (3. 3 million of them were widows). There were 100 men aged 20 to 30 for every 167 women in that age group. Many of these women needed a man not only as a companion but also as a provider for the household in a time of unprecedented misery and hardship. The soldiers of the victorious Allied Armies exploited these women’s vulnerability. Many young girls and widows had liaisons with members of the occupying forces. Many American and British soldiers paid for their pleasures in cigarettes, chocolate, and bread. Children were overjoyed at the gifts these strangers brought. A 10 year old boy on hearing of such gifts from other children wished from all his heart for an ‘Englishman’ for his mother so that she need not go hungry any longer. We have to ask our own conscience at this point: What is more dignifying to a woman? An accepted and respected second wife as in the native Indians’ approach, or a virtual prostitute as in the ‘civilised’ Allies approach? It is interesting to note that in an international youth conference held in Munich in 1948 the problem of the highly unbalanced sex ratio in Germany was discussed. When it became clear that no solution could be agreed upon, some participants suggested polygamy. The initial reaction of the gathering was a mixture of shock and disgust. However, after a careful study of the proposal, the participants agreed that it was the only possible solution. Consequently, polygamy was included among the conference final recommendations. Polygamy and its impact on mental and emotional health of women and children Children develop self-esteem and a sense of well-being when they are raised in a nurturing and loving environment. If abandoned by either parent, children may feel unwanted or unloved. When attention and praise are withdrawn, or absent, children often respond by becoming anxious and depresses. we heard many real life story of abused women and children coming rom broken families. I was brought up in a society who are 60% practice polygamy and friend with who are abandoned women and children due to polygamy. Brought up with neglected wives’ and children suffering from emotional abuse and misuse of polygamy, I concluded that Children in polygamous household can experience a greater risk of neglect from their parents when father’s love and support is absent, distorted, or divided unequally. Young children are directly affected by their mothers’ emotions and in polygamous families their rate of depression and anxiety is positively correlated with their mothers’ sense of insecurity and depression. A high number of these children exhibit symptoms of severe depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, self destructive behavior with tendency towards violence. It is emotionally devastating for children when their mothers are abandoned in favor of new wives†. Furthermore, preferential treatment of children according to who is their mother causes a sense of lack of worth for children in polygamous households. Children of the first wife often feel abandoned and unwanted when the father neglects them and their mother, in favor of newer wives and their children. Domestic violence is a serious risk in these households as parents may attack one another or the children of less favored wives, or the children from one mother may attack the children from a different mother. Aside from the actual physical harm experienced by young victims of domestic violence, this abusive environment can seriously affect the victims’ mental development and health. This in turn increases the chance that they become perpetrators of acts of violence. The health of the mother, mentally and physically, also has an effect on the development of the child, as early as in the womb. When a mother feels anxious, this anxiety is transmitted to the child and increases the child’s risk for mental illness. When mothers worry about the stability of the household, children become insecure. This may affect their performance in school or how they interact with family members and other children. In one case, three young sisters supported by Ensan charity center all quit school due to lack of motivation and severe depression. Economically, polygamy makes it even more difficult for a father to provide for all of his children because it becomes more likely that he will have many children. Even fathers who wish to be involved in the lives of all of their children find that they must spend most of their time away from their family in order to provide financial security for their children and wives. When fathers fail to do so, the consequences are dire. Children and mothers experience emotional and financial depravation. In an attempt to find a sense of self-worth, belonging or a father figure, these children are more vulnerable to following people who encourage them to engage in violent behavior. Those children who do not behave aggressively towards others may often turn to drugs or alcohol, experience mental and emotional difficulties, or they may exhibit some kind of behavioral problems. The difficulties of being a supportive, loving father are often noticed by the fathers themselves. One illustration of the difficulties may be found in the International Herald Tribune account of the life of Abdu Hemmed Bekit,, who lives in Qatar with his five wives, 65 children and 82 grandchildren. When interviewed about his large family he says that he regrets not having only one wife. In order to prevent wives from competing with one another, he was forced to build their homes far apart, which made it harder for him to spend time with all of his children. Bekit is so opposed to polygamy that he has forbidden his sons to take more than one wife and has taught all of his daughters to refuse to become second wives. His feelings come not out of shame, but a reality check. He now knows that his wives would become jealous of one another and pick on the weakest ones. On several occasions, he has come across children that he did not realize were his. Feeding, clothing and sheltering so many children have also been large financial challenges for Bekit. However, as a successful businessman of his village, Bekit has been able to provide for his family. But this is often not the case. It is quite common for fathers to abandon their families when they cannot provide for them. Frequently, the eldest sons will drop out of school in order to find jobs to support the family. This in turn makes it more unlikely that he will be able to support his own family when it is time for him to marry. These various difficulties illustrate that the practice of polygamy affects everyone in the family. Polygamy can endanger family, the pillar of the society in the most serious way. If the family structure collapses, the wreckage is felt by all. If a man takes more than one wife, he is commanded to treat them all equally. But, who ensures that all the wives and children are treated equally and justly? Are the men able to recognize their unjust behavior ever? Are those who misuse religion guide-line of polygamy ever able to recognize their unjust behavior? We covered the sad story in Her Three Days and Xala movie, where there any wife or children happy about the third or fourth marriage? Weren’t they very sad? A common theme throughout both Xala and Things Fall Apart is the practice of polygamy. Both texts, examine the effects of polygamous life for both the husband and wives. The ideas of masculinity and femininity within marriage and polygamous society are scrutinized within the novels, giving the reader a broader picture of the cultural dimensions of polygamy. The two texts, varying greatly in style and subject, highlight the differences of both rural vs. urban polygamy and traditional vs. modern polygamy. The marriages of Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart represent traditional, rural polygamy, which is an accepted social norm within Ibo society. Okonkwo’s wives live together in what might be called a â€Å"sisterhood† within the family farm. In contrast, El Hadji’s marriages in Xala represent modern, urban polygamy, a practice that is tied to an individual’s religion (Islam) and economic success rather than the society as a whole. Despite the variances of polygamy within the novels, both highlight the effects on the perception of masculinity and femininity within polygamous relationships. Both novels highlight that the number of wives a polygamous man can acquire and support is a direct reflection on his masculinity. With these wives, he is expected to be a caretaker and provider, but constantly assert his dominance, as to not appear weak. Alternatively, the wives of polygamous marriages are encouraged to be passive and complacent, the picture of perfect feminine etiquette. They are supposed to show no jealousy or hatred towards their fellow wives, even as they compete for their husband’s affections. They are to know their status as objects of their husband. To prevent domestic abuse and social disintegrations, each member of the Society must have an interest for the welfare of women and children. The suffering of neglected wives and children should be everyone’s concern. If authorities do not concern themselves with the family welfare, the society becomes weaker, for the status of families has a profound impact on the strength or the weakness of society. Ultimately, when Women and children suffer, society suffers and pays the price as a whole. How to cite Polygamy and Children, Papers

Short Story Discovery Essay Example For Students

Short Story Discovery Essay It was a hot, dry day in the middle of a desert town in Iraq and Steve and his squad was on patrol through the town of Al Miqdadiyah, with his best mate Doug at his side he lead the patrol through the middle of town. â€Å"Hey did you hear that the enemy are making advancements towards us? † Doug asked nervously â€Å"I Don’t think this place will be safe for long† Steve chuckled â€Å"Relax its secure we’ll be fine, they haven’t been spotted within 50 km of this place† as almost as soon as the words left his mouth a bullet zipped past him and hit the Soldier behind him â€Å"OH S**T! , Duck in cover! they all dove for cover as bullets hailed down at them from the buildings ahead â€Å"did anyone count how many bogies!? † Steve screamed at his squad â€Å"No sir they pined us down to fast† a young private named Paul â€Å"ok. we need to get out of the kill zone, half of us give covering fire and the other spread out as far you can† They did as commanded and half of the patrol suppressed the enemy long enough for the rest to spread out and find cover inside adjacent buildings and behind broken walls or in ditches, â€Å"alright now the other give cove † Steve was cut off by Paul â€Å"RPG!! Steve turned to face the missile racing towards the cover they were in â€Å"RUN! † he screamed but it was too late the missile hit and exploded creating a cloud of debris and dust, Steve went to sit up and shoot’s of pain coming from his gut and chest. he was hit by shrapnel and was bleeding out, he looked around to see his squad and saw that all the Soldiers in the radius of the blast were dead, including Doug his best mate since primary school, and Paul a 18 yr old boy who he p romised he’d make sure he’d be going home to his family at the end of this mission. As Steve lay dying with his squad and Best mate a memory entered his mind, the first day he and Doug talked about military service 5 yrs ago when they were both 17. â€Å"Dude The army is going to be so mad† Doug cried out in joy as he and Steve were walking home one day â€Å"I know I’m going to be an officer† Steve replied, â€Å"and maybe I’ll be your COâ€Å"he added mockingly â€Å"HA yeah I wouldn’t trust you to lead me across the road let alone through a battlefield† Doug said with a laugh, then Steve spaced out and thought about that fact.. e was worried that he might not be a good CO and get his men killed, who all trusted him to lead them in and out of danger and through missions, and back home to their families but how could he know that he was going to make the right decision all the time, as this thought passed through his mind he Shuddered and shook off the worried thoughts about the great amount of responsibility he’ll have to face in the future, (he kept this worried thought with him for the rest of his life hich as you know is very short. ) he turned to face Doug and said â€Å"I promise to lead you to safety and victory on the battlefield† jokingly then suddenly It all faded and a beeping was heard Steve had woken up in a hospital.

Anova Hypothesis Testing Paper Essay Example

Anova Hypothesis Testing Paper Essay Example Anova Hypothesis Testing Paper Essay Anova Hypothesis Testing Paper Essay ANOVA Hypothesis Testing Paper RES/342 July 5, 2011 University of Phoenix ANOVA Hypothesis Testing Paper According to Payscale. com an individual with a high school education entering the work force will earn less than an individual with the same level of education who has worked longer in that particular field (Harrison, 2010). Team A has selected data from the Wages and Wage Earners data set and will be using the analysis of variance, also known as ANOVA, to compare the mean of age groups 18 63 which were broken down into four age groups to compare the average salary of each age group and will determine the accuracy of Payscale’s claim. In this paper we discuss our research question and the hypothesis and show how we concluded the selected hypothesis. Research Question and Hypothesis Statement Is there a difference in earned wages for workers with a 12th grade education based on the age of the worker? At a five percent level of significance (? ), the team’s null hypothesis (H0) is that the mean scores are the same for the four groups 18-25, 26-33, 36-44, and 46-53. The alternate hypothesis (H1) is that at least one mean is different. These hypotheses are simply illustrated as: H0: ? roup 1 = ? group 2 = ? group 3 = ? group 4, H1: At least one mean is different. Five Steps Hypothesis Testing and Results of F Test Team A conducted the following steps to test their hypothesis. Step 1 – The null and alternate hypotheses: H0: ? group 1 = ? group 2 = ? group 3 = ? group 4 H1: At least one mean is different Step 2 – Select the level of significance: ? = . 05 Step 3 –Identify test statistic: Use the â€Å"F† distribution because this is an ANOVA test Step 4 – Formulate the decision rule Reject the null hypothesis if F-calculated is greater than 2. 85 (F-critical) Step # 5 – Calculate the test statistic, arrive at a decision, and state a conclusion: Degrees of freedom in the numerator: df= c-1= 4-1= 3 Degrees of freedom in the denominator: df = n-c = 43-4 = 39 Decision is to retain the null hypothesis. Conclusion is that a difference cannot be proven between wages of workers with a 12th grade education based upon age. p-value = 0. 086 Excel Output: Anova: Single Factor | | | | | | |SUMMARY | | | | | | | |Groups |Count |Sum |Average |Variance | | | |Group 1 |9 |165739 |18415. 44 |75696297 | | | |Group 2 |15 |349791 |23319. |75244077 | | | |Group 3 |9 |249868 |27763. 11 |1. 03E+08 | | | |Group 4 |10 |306802 |30680. 2 |2. 28E+08 | | | |ANOVA | | | | | | | |Source of Variation |SS |df |MS |F |P-value |F critical | |Between Groups |8. 4E+08 |3 |2. 75E+08 |2. 358418 |0. 086439 |2. 845068 | |Within Groups |4. 54E+09 |39 |1. 16E+08 | | | | |Total |5. 36E+09 |42 |   |   |   |   | | | | | | | | | Raw Data and Charts Wages and Wage Earners 2005 Data Set Yearly |Group 1 |Group 2 |Group 3 |Group 4 | |Wages | | | | | | |$11,186. 00 |$11,451. 00 |$18,121. 00 |$9,879. 00 | | |$20,852. 00 |$29,191. 00 |$26,614. 00 |$49,898. 0 | | |$14,476. 00 |$41,780. 00 |$33,411. 00 |$20,852. 00 | | |$16,667. 00 |$13,312. 00 |$22,485. 00 |$32,235. 00 | | |$15,234. 00 |$15,957. 00 |$21,994. 00 |$50,171. 00 | | |$39,888. 00 |$25,166. 00 |$28,440. 0 |$31,702. 00 | | |$13,162. 00 |$30,308. 00 |$50,187. 00 |$36,178. 00 | | |$20,793. 00 |$21,716. 00 |$31,799. 00 |$12,285. 00 | | |$13,481. 00 |$28,219. 00 |$16,817. 00 |$45,976. 00 | | | |$31,691. 0 | |$17,626. 00 | | | |$17,690. 00 | | | | | |$16,796. 00 | | | | | |$32,094. 00 | | | | | |$15,193. 0 | | | | | |$19,227. 00 | | | References Harrison, H. (2010). The Average Salary of High School Graduates. Retrieved July 2, 2011, from ehow. com/facts_5232664_average-salary-high-school-graduates. html [pic] Reject H0 Do not reject H0  ± =. 05 F = 2. 85 H0 ? =. 05 F = 2. 85

Free Essays on Audrey Flack

Audrey Flack Audrey Flack is often referred to as one of the leading artists of Photorealism. In the 1960s, Audrey Flack began her career in the realm of Photorealistic art even though her earlier training was in abstract expressionism. She interpreted the photographs but reworked them into more expressive representations. Audrey Flack was born in New York City in 1931. She knew she wanted to be an artist even as a child. Despite her family’s lack of enthusiasm she pursued her art career. â€Å"Flack attended the High School of Music and Art, where she won the St. Gaudens medal† (Sheldon 1.) â€Å"Following graduation from Cooper unions she where she was a top student, she was recruited by Josef Albers to participate in the fine arts program at Yale† (Sheldon 1). Josef Albers is a renowned color abstractionist. This didn’t stop her from painting realistic things and she returned to figurative painting as early as 1952. Flack graduated from Yale University’s School of Art and Architecture in 1952 with a B.F.A. Flack also received her doctorate in 1977 from Cooper Union. After Cooper Union, Flack moved back to New York to study anatomy at the Art Students League. This gave her a chance to respond to her desire to paint realistically. This technique was ignored in her previous art education. â€Å"Flack writes: ‘I always wanted to draw realistically. For me art is a continuous discovery into reality, an exploration of visual data which has been going on for centuries, each artist contributing to the next generation’s advancement. I wanted to go a step further and extend the boundaries. I also believe people have a deep need to understand their world and that art clarifies reality for them† (Sheldon 1.) Flack has long since moved beyond the strict regulations of what photore... Free Essays on Audrey Flack Free Essays on Audrey Flack Audrey Flack Audrey Flack is often referred to as one of the leading artists of Photorealism. In the 1960s, Audrey Flack began her career in the realm of Photorealistic art even though her earlier training was in abstract expressionism. She interpreted the photographs but reworked them into more expressive representations. Audrey Flack was born in New York City in 1931. She knew she wanted to be an artist even as a child. Despite her family’s lack of enthusiasm she pursued her art career. â€Å"Flack attended the High School of Music and Art, where she won the St. Gaudens medal† (Sheldon 1.) â€Å"Following graduation from Cooper unions she where she was a top student, she was recruited by Josef Albers to participate in the fine arts program at Yale† (Sheldon 1). Josef Albers is a renowned color abstractionist. This didn’t stop her from painting realistic things and she returned to figurative painting as early as 1952. Flack graduated from Yale University’s School of Art and Architecture in 1952 with a B.F.A. Flack also received her doctorate in 1977 from Cooper Union. After Cooper Union, Flack moved back to New York to study anatomy at the Art Students League. This gave her a chance to respond to her desire to paint realistically. This technique was ignored in her previous art education. â€Å"Flack writes: ‘I always wanted to draw realistically. For me art is a continuous discovery into reality, an exploration of visual data which has been going on for centuries, each artist contributing to the next generation’s advancement. I wanted to go a step further and extend the boundaries. I also believe people have a deep need to understand their world and that art clarifies reality for them† (Sheldon 1.) Flack has long since moved beyond the strict regulations of what photore...

Abortion and Virtue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Abortion and Virtue - Essay Example The main argument is based on the moral characteristics of those who engage in it. However, the paper claims that individuals have a certain character just because they have indulged in various actions; character hinges on the reasons provided for the said choice. The paper orients itself from the viewpoint of the experience of the moral agent. Abortion and Virtue According to Stewart (2009), ethics of virtue or ethics of character holistically informs the rightness or wrongness of the acts that a moral agent undertakes. It gives insights on what to do when confronted by various moral situations. This approach holds that the moral characteristics of a person are formed and trained by the actions that the person engages in or practices. Virtues define the moral character of persons and their actions such as abortion have a bearing on the character of the agent. Ethics of virtue guides an individual in determining the morality of various actions that confront the individual. The approa ch proposes living humanly flourishing lives grounded on virtues. As La Follette (2002) notes, individuals’ views on abortion differ sharply owing to a host of varying reasons. For instance, prochoice proponents argue that abortion gives the mother a chance reign on her life hence respecting her rights. Nevertheless, many view it as wrong simply because it contradicts their religious views. As illustrated, the debate on abortion is not clear cut as there are those who think that it is utterly wrong. This is irrespective of those who argue that it is a moral choice inspired by warranting circumstances (Harman, 1999). In this debate, virtue theorists dwell on whether abortion is a virtuous action or not, by basing their arguments on whether it can be carried out virtuously (such as with compassion). Similarly, they probe if it promotes eudemonia (happiness). Regardless of the antagonism within the debate, the justification of abortion must be grounded on suitable reasons that a vail the best options to both the mother and the unborn. The take of virtue ethics on abortion puts into account the mother’s character, emotional attachment to the child, desires, thoughts, and the social relationships of all parties. The approach offers flexibility by avoiding being immersed in extremes (Stephen, 2011). The abortion decision and experience can be viewed as both morally permissible as well as morally repugnant; abortion is both a moral action and an immoral one. This issue is controversial to the extent that disagreement on the same is obvious. This in turn, infiltrates bias based on the perspectives that one takes on abortion. Harris & Mills (1985) asserts that the moral character and reasoning that informs abortion decision differs from one person to another. The motive or intention determines the moral status of the act and hence should be solely in pursuit of a real good for many rather than an individualized good. Abortion conflicts with moral virtues t hat many people admire and live for. To a large extent, the reasons that many women give in defence of abortion are not morally acceptable. The choice of abortion is often not estimable because the subjects are not the only ones who suffer but also others who are party to the decision. In most scenarios, abortion thrives in poor relationships and hence unfavourable for raising a child. Thus, the relationships are not designed to be receptive to all responsibilities arising from the union. This in some part hints at irresponsibility and dishonesty on the part of the agents. In other instances, women who have had abortion impose rather than engage their spouses in the decision making process. In some cases, the women who undergo the procedure

Financial Risk Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Financial Risk Management - Essay Example The paper would be reflecting the financial risk rising from various perspectives i.e. personal level, institutional level followed by financial risk from the perspective of Islamic religion. Risk management is an essential activity for controlling and eliminating the financial risks in the aforementioned viewpoints. The paper would be discussing the risk management procedures found effective in each of these perspectives. Table of Contents Abstract 2 Table of Contents 3 Personal Risk Management 4 Financial Risk management in Financial Institutions 6 Financial Risk Management: An Islamic View 9 Is the Financial Risk Management Applied 11 Conclusion 12 References 13 Personal Risk Management Risk management should be the main focus point of the financial plan of the investors. There are some investors who do not focus on this aspect of the investment procedure. There are various risks associated with the investment procedure. The first risk is referred as the performance risk. The inve stors need to have diversified portfolio for reducing the performance risk. The second risk involves the volatility risk. The asset classes such as equity and gold tend to give high return on investment in the context of long term period. But it becomes necessary to reduce the volatility risk in the short term and medium term period. The third risk is associated with risk of inflation. This is one of the biggest risks for any long term investor. The asset allocation should be done in such manner that it would be able to beat the inflation over any period of time. In today’s world, making investment has become one of the most important activities in life for every individual. In such case, it is pertinent that all the investors should possess knowledge to certain extent related to the investment risk management. Financial risk management can be explained as a procedure of dealing with uncertainties arising in the financial markets. While the financial institutes handle very co mplex series of procedures for managing the risk, the individuals are required to have knowledge about risk management as well. The individuals need to: 1) Understand the risk tolerance in both emotional and financial terms. 2) Understand personal level of the risk tolerance. 3) Assess and compare the personal risk capacity with the risk tolerance. 4) Identify an effective asset allocation investment portfolio. The aforementioned framework provides a guideline of the understanding of risks, managing them and making effective investment decisions. Risk capacity and risk tolerance are two important attributes associated highly with the risk factor. Risk tolerance can be described as the psychological or emotional attribute and risk capacity can be defined as the financial attribute of the risk factor. Risk Tolerance The fundamental explanation of the term ‘risk’ is the chance of losing something. In investment decision, there remain chances of losing money as well. With g reater probability of big profits, prospect of the losses to take place remains higher. Thus it becomes important to carefully consider the risk tolerance while planning for an investment strategy. Risk tolerance determines the psychological receptiveness of an individual associated with the risk and level of anxiety experienced in various situations where the risk factor is evident. It

Methods to improve personal and professional skills

Methods to improve personal and professional skills Methods to improve personal and professional skills Successful jobs and promotions seekers recognize their degrees and work experience are not enough to distinguish them from the crowded field of candidates. Though college degrees, professional certificates and experience help you meet the minimum criteria to apply, once you get the chance to interview your demonstrated communication, self management and behavioral skills combined with your presence is what will distinguish you from the competition. Your level of professionalism will relate directly to the degree to which you will RISE ABOVE THE CROWD! We may be a valued employee but if our skills and contributions dont accelerate over the years, especially in tough time like credit crunch, we may find our self out of a job. Its good that the boss likes you, but when are up against serious challenges to the ongoing success of the company, being a liked, known quantity is not enough. The only way we could find successful carrier by Exploring and evaluate methods to improve personal and professional skills and explore methods to improve them. Moreover, company must visualize our talents and contributions as essential to the companys future success. If we are doing a decent job, our reporting employees like and get along with us, and the job is getting done, well likely coast for a little. Change is difficult even when change would be beneficial the organization. Personal skill is something which is the inner responsibility and self esteem. If we take some aspects of personal skill it can be categorized into the followings: Carefulness: This is what we can say think before acting. This helps with reducing the chance for costly errors, as well as keeping a steady workflow going. [1] Cooperation: It is the willingness to cooperate in a working environment with your colleagues or work mates. Creativity: This is the thinking and imagination or you can say different perception in order to bring something positive in the organisation. It is also called as ‘thinking out of box. Discipline: This includes the ability to complete the task with enthusiastic and determined way without being distracted or bored. Drive: Every business needs people with the drive and ‘to do attitude for their growth. Good attitude: This has been shown to predict counter productive work behaviors, job performance and theft. Goodwill: This is a long term record of the person who has got some well-intentioned remarks on his behalf. Influence: This includes the motivational power to influence people in order to maintain a good working team. A strong leader can influence a mass and carry out them in a way to reap gain. Optimism: Productivity is directly proportional to positive attitude which is the optimism. Order: This show the proper placement of thing in order to retrieve them easily when and wherever it is needed. Safe work behavior: Every organisation needs people with knowledge of self protection and safety rules. These include the general fire alarm and first-aid knowledge. Savvy: This is about knowledge about your co-workers behavior and personality and way of dealing with them. It includes a tendency to read other peoples motives from observed behavior and use this information to guide ones thinking and action. Sociability: This is all about socializing while working in the work place. The more you socialize the better less job tensions and more productivity. Stability: This means a tendency to maintain composure and rationality in stressful work situations. The Professional skills are as followings: COMMUNICATION: It is again can be divided into two parts- Verbal and Non Verbal (or Written). [2] Oral- Public speaking, general conversation, seminars, conferences, presentations, workshops and negotiation. Written- Letters, proposals, reports, speeches, manuals, press releases, articles for periodicals and publications PROBLEM SOLVING: It is the skill needed by the employer in order to work efficiently in times when the situation demands and no one there to help. It also can be taking initiative in case of a problem while others find it hard to tackle. It can be classified as followings: [3] Trouble shooting- Problem identification, problem analysis and problem resolution Personnel- Employee morale and satisfaction, productivity and efficiency, work simplification and work flow improvement Customer and Public Relations- Liaison and coordination, improvement in customer service and satisfaction and client support. Personal and Professional development plan Most importantly it is crucial to remember that personal and professional development need to be intentional if they are to result improve individual and organization effectiveness. Plans should connect individual and institution need to meaningful activities. Outcome associated with those activities should be evaluated. Professional development is incomplete without continue professional development (CPD).This normally assists us to orient our self to the subject and in the course of doing so, CPD is a process by which individuals take control of their own learning and development. This progression is empowering and exciting and can inspire people to achieve their goal and move toward their dreams. CPD core concept is the we (as an employee) is in control, CPD is holistic process and can address all aspects of life and balance between them, regular looking forward how we want to be, reflecting on how we are working from our present position towards the future direction, helps in achieving CPD`s purpose and adds hunger and direction to work and learning. CPD works if we have the support and financial backing of our employer and it also works even if the employer is unconcerned or hostile.(Megginson, Whitaker,2003) Value of competence framework in an organisation ïÆ'Ëœ Make companies recruitment process more successful by using competencies to establish the crucial match between job candidates and the demand of the role. ïÆ'Ëœ Manage employees performance more effectively by using competencies to provide performance benchmarks and identify those employees with potential. ïÆ'Ëœ Design a more appropriate training and development programme by using competencies to identify learning needs. ïÆ'Ëœ Improve motivation by using competencies to clarify the link between pay and performance. (Amstrong,2000) Value of competence framework in individuals ïÆ'Ëœ It help to develop and define competencies that are a valuable management tool, providing a common language and framework for understanding organizations performance. ïÆ'Ëœ Explore how to select the competency model that best suits organizations need. ïÆ'Ëœ Helps to understand the fundamental components involved in designing an effective competency framework. ïÆ'Ëœ Effectively implement the competency framework to ensure it contributes organization success. ïÆ'Ëœ Helps to overcome the critical challenges that so often effective implementation ïÆ'Ëœ Improve professional experience through discussions. ( Amstrong,2000) Importance of Planning We tend to use any excuse not to get down to work, and one is uncertainty over where to begin; â€Å"Shall I do this or that?† And the uncertainty becomes an excuse for doing something else and in the end we would be running around like headless chickens not knowing what to do next. So its highly imperative to plan in advance so that there will be clear structure of how to execute the particular task successfully. The simple expedient of writing a list of various things to do and the order in which you are going to do them can save a considerable amount of time. Although it is important not be overly ambitious while planning as you can always do something extra at the end if time permits. When you make a list of everything you have to do the following day, your subconscious mind works on that list all night long and when you wake up next day, you will be able to generate more insights and develop strategies to help accomplish the task in hand. It will also help to use manpower , opportunities and resources you need to achieve your goals and complete the assignment successfully. So planning well in advance is necessary and recommended because it eradicates all the doubts and ambiguity regarding the task and helps an individual to forge ahead and complete the task in the best possible way. [6] Stress management techniques Job stress and its related conditions, job burnout, contribute to poor physical and mental health. Employee stress is a source of discomfort and a major concern to managers and stockholders. According to research, a worker stress cost $300 billion annually due to lot of productivity, increase workers compensation claims, and anxiety in general of dread, fear or worry for no immediate reason, and is a symptom of stress. Behavioral symptoms include nervous habits, such as facial twitching, and sudden decreases in job performance due to forgetfulness and errors in concentration or judgment. The control techniques consist of both actions and mental evaluations that help people take change in stress situation. (a) Get social support- Few people can do it alone when experiencing prolonged stress. Receiving social support encouragement, understanding and friendship- from other people is an important strategy for coping successfully with job stress. (b) Improve your work habit- This technique can be used for improving your personal productivity to reduce stress. People typically experience stress when they feel themselves losing control of their work assignments. Conscientious employees are especially prone to negative stress when they cannot get their work under control. (c) Develop positive self talk- Stress resistant people are basically optimistic and cheerful. This kind of positivism can be learned by switching to positive talk instead of thinking about negative thoughts. (d) Demand less than perfection from yourself- By demanding les than 100% performance than yourself, you will fail less frequently in your own perception. Not measuring up to ones own unrealistically high standards creates a considerable amount stress. Few human can operate with zero defects or ever achieve six-sigma perfection. (e) Strive not to neglect aspects of life outside of work- There is a big difference between a negative type of workaholic and a person who simply works hard and long to achieve constructive goals. A negative workaholic usually becomes anxious when not working. When a person neglects other aspects of life outside of work, such as spending time with family, friends and physical exercise, the person is more likely to suffer from stress symptoms such as irritability and lack of focus. [7] References : 1. www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet?/pdf/(cited 10 July 2009) 2. www.communicationskills.co.in/t (cited 10 July 2009) 3. Robson , Continuous process improvement: simplifying work flow , p37 4. Continuing professional development, by David Megginson, Vivien Whitaker,2003 5. Performance management: key strategies and practical guidelines‎ by Michael Armstrong Limited preview 2000 6. Goals! How to get everything you want- faster than you ever thought possible, ‘Manage your time well by Brian Tracy, PP 165-166 7. Essentials of management by Andrew J DuBrin,, 7th edition, 2005, pp 18-28. Key questions for the Pragmatist Q1 Shall I be learning to do things with obvious practical links to my job? A1 It is easier to learn from experience when you can actually relate your learning to real life experience. When you have actually gone through the experience, you will be able to pick out and isolate the flaws and rectify it. Q2 Will the learning approach includes lots of practical tips and techniques? A2 After going through all the theory, techniques and concepts, it is imperative to have a reality check and test the practicality of the theories and concepts. it is very useful to learn practical tips and techniques along with the theory. Q3 Will there be ample opportunities to practice and experiment using â€Å"live† problems or good simulations? A3 There will be sufficient opportunities to practice and experiment during your learning but the most important thing is to understand the concept. A single practical experiment could able to solve a hundred theory questions. So even if there is no exact practical solution to a particular problem, you can always correlate it to previous experience and could find out the solution. Q4 Will there be coaching and feedback from a credible expert or role model: ie someone who is successful and can do what is being taught themselves? A4. An experienced person has the wealth of knowledge and expertise which he can share to the budding managers. And at the same time his feedback to a particular solution is equally important. Q5 Will there be an immediate real life application which can be included in my action plans? A5 It will be very useful you could include immediate real life application into you action plan because then It become more easier and the Individual will be able to perform the task in the best possible way. Q6 Will it contribute to the immediate performance of myself and my colleagues by addressing current problems? A6. It will not only contribute to the immediate performance but also have a positive impact on the future performance of an individual or a team by addressing current problems. Personal Development Plan A PDP is just a different name for an action plan which refers specifically to your aspirations regarding personal development. Plans are made every day, but are not always written down and for those reasons PDP are drawn which allows you to set your own personal targets and find the best possible way to achieve them. An action plan will help you to envisage what you are doing and keep track of your achievements. To be totally effective, it must be reviewed at regular intervals to ensure that it is always precise, appropriate and pragmatic. [1] Personal development plan is a key component in the future working practice of all professionals. In the future, educational provision should be based on educational needs assessment. This means that the individual and the organisation must find a method to identify their educational needs and then methods to fulfil those needs for the benefit of the company. These plans are designed to structure educational activity of managers and their teams and to accomplish specific areas of development within the practice. They should take into account the individuals learning needs, the developmental needs of the practice as a whole and the priorities of the company. It consists of the following plan: †¢ Specifying how the learning needs are identified. †¢ The educational activity proposed to meet those needs †¢ How the plan will be addressed. Balancing the development needs of the managers to meet the needs of individual team members is sometimes difficult. Through Professional Development Plan individuals can start to understand why some areas of practice activity are given priority over others and how the decision was made. [2] What skills do you need to develop to do the job better? Are these shortcomings in your management capacities that you need to try to address? Are these projects or special assignments that you could get involved in that could strengthen you skills? Are there formal courses or programs that could strengthen your capabilities? It is especially critical that you do this when you are making key career passages. If you are a first time manager, get in the habit early of asking your boss for feedback and help in developing supervisory skills. Your willingness to seek candid feedback on your strength and weakness and, critically, your ability to act on the feedback send a powerful message. The same fundamental principle holds whether you are becoming a manager for the first time, functional leader, a general manager, or CEO. Whenever you are at a point in your career when success demands a different set of skills and attitudes, discipline yourself to be open to learning from others who ha ve gone before you. Dont restrict your focus on hard skills. The higher you rise, the more important the key soft skills of cultural and political diagnosis, negotiation, coalition building, and conflict management will become. Formal training can help, but development assignments- in project teams, in new parts of organisation, in different functions, in different locations- are indispensible in honing these key managerial skills. For example, no matter what type of situation you are entering, it can be useful to put together a 90- day plan and to get buy-in from your boss. Usually you will be able to devise a plan after a couple of weeks in the new job, when you have begun to connect with the organisation and to get the lay of the land. Your 90-day plan should be written, even if it just consists of bullet points. It should specify priorities and goals as well as milestones. Critically, you should share it with your boss and seek buy-in for it. It should serve as a contract betwee n the two of you about how you are going to spend your time, spelling out both what you will do and what you will not do. To begin to develop your plan, divide the 90 day into three blocks of 30-days. At the end of each block, you will have a review meeting with your boss. [3] In development programmes, there is an emphasis on personal development and planned learning from experience. Personal development programme is carried out by individual with guidance, encouragement and help from their managers as required. A personal development plan sets out the actions people prepare to take to learn and develop themselves. They take responsibility for formulating and implementing the plan, but they receive support from the organisation and their managers in doing so.Personal Development Programme consists of following stages 1. Analyse current situation and development needs What am I good at? a. Communication Skills b. Sincerity and Hardworking attitude c. Creativity What do I need to work on? a. Personal Organisation b. Leadership Skills c. Decision Making What could help me along? a. Taking responsibility for the activities of others during work experience. b. Setting priorities and meeting deadlines. c. Organising various activities and events. What could stop me? a. Lack of resources (money/time). b. Lack of concentration and focus. 2. Set Goals- These could include improving performance in the current job, improving or acquiring skills, extending relevant knowledge, developing specified areas of competence and preparing for changes in the current role. The most appropriate way or organising work is to set short term goals, medium term goals and long term goals. 3. Prepare action plan- The action plan sets out what needs to be done and how it will be done under headings such as outcome expected, the development activities, the responsibility for development and timing. Reference 1. www.learning-forces.org.uk//PERSONAL%20DEVELOPMENT%20PLANS2.doc, (cited 22 August 2009. 2. Personal Development and Practice Professional Development Plans in Primary Care Sector, by Derek Gallan, Glyns Buckle, 2001, pp 3-12. 3. The first 90 days: critical success strategies for new leaders at all levels By Michael Watkins, 2003, pp120-143. 4. A handbook of Human Resource Management Practices By Micheal Armstrong, 2001, pp 571-580.

Bloodlines Chapter Four

ABE HAD THE KIND OF APPEARANCE that could leave many people speechless, even if they knew nothing about him. Oblivious to the heat outside, the Moroi man was dressed in a full suit and tie. The suit was white, at least, but it still looked like it would be warm. His shirt and tie were purple, as was the rose tucked into his pocket. Gold glittered in his ears and at his throat. He was originally from Turkey and had more color to him than most Moroi but was still paler than humans like me and Keith. Abe's complexion actually reminded me of a tanned person who'd been sick for a while. â€Å"Hello,† I said stiffly. His smile split into a full grin. â€Å"So nice to see you again.† â€Å"Always a pleasure.† My lie sounded robotic, but hopefully it was better than sounding afraid. â€Å"No, no,† he said. â€Å"The pleasure's all mine.† â€Å"If you say so,† I said. This amused him further. Keith had frozen up again, so I strode over to the old Moroi man and extended my hand so that at least one of us would look like we had manners. â€Å"Are you Mr. Donahue? I'm Sydney Sage.† Clarence smiled and clasped my hand in his wrinkled one. I didn't flinch, even though the urge was there. Unlike most Moroi I'd met, he didn't conceal his fangs when he smiled, which almost made my facade crack. Another reminder that no matter how human they seemed at times, these were still vampires. â€Å"I am so pleased to meet you,† he said. â€Å"I've heard wonderful things about you.† â€Å"Oh?† I asked, arching an eyebrow and wondering who'd been talking about me. Clarence nodded emphatically. â€Å"You are welcome in my home. It's delightful to have so much company.† Introductions were made for everyone else. Eddie and Jill were a little reserved, but both friendly. Keith didn't shake any hands, but he at least stopped acting like a drooling fool. He took a chair when offered and put on an arrogant expression, which was probably supposed to look like confidence. I hoped he wouldn't embarrass us. â€Å"I'm sorry,† said Abe, leaning forward. His dark eyes glittered. â€Å"Did you say your name was Keith Darnell?† â€Å"Yes,† said Keith. He studied Abe curiously, no doubt recalling the Alchemists' conversation back in Salt Lake City. Even through the bravado Keith was attempting to put on, I could see a sliver of unease. Abe had that effect. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"No reason,† said Abe. His eyes flicked to me and then to Keith. â€Å"It just sounds familiar, that's all.† â€Å"My father's a very important man among the Alchemists,† said Keith loftily. He'd relaxed a little, probably thinking the stories about Abe were overrated. Fool. â€Å"You've undoubtedly heard of him.† â€Å"Undoubtedly,† said Abe. â€Å"I'm sure that's what it is.† He spoke so casually that no one would suspect he wasn't telling the truth. Only I knew the real reason Abe knew who Keith was, but I certainly didn't want that revealed. I also didn't want Abe dropping any more hints, which I suspected he was doing just to irk me. I tried to steer the subject away – and get some answers for myself. â€Å"I wasn't aware you were joining us, Mr. Mazur.† The sweetness in my voice matched his. â€Å"Please,† he said. â€Å"You know you can call me Abe. And I won't be staying, unfortunately. I simply came along to make sure this group arrived safely – and to meet Clarence in person.† â€Å"That's very nice of you,† I said dryly, sincerely doubting Abe's motives were as simple as that. If I'd learned anything, it was that things were never simple when Abe Mazur was involved. He was a puppet master of sorts. He not only wanted to observe things, he also wanted to control them. He smiled winningly. â€Å"Well, I always aim to help others in need.† â€Å"Yeah,† a new voice suddenly said. â€Å"That's exactly what comes to mind when I think of you, old man.† I hadn't thought anyone could shock me more than Abe, but I was wrong. â€Å"Rose?† The name came out as a question from my lips, even though there could be no doubt about who this newcomer was. There was only one Rose Hathaway, after all. â€Å"Hey, Sydney,† she said, giving me a small, crooked smile as she entered the room. Her flashing, dark eyes were friendly, but they were also assessing everything in the room, much as Eddie's gaze was. It was a guardian thing. Rose was about my height and dressed very casually in jeans and a red tank top. But, as always, there was something exotic and dangerous about her beauty that made her stand out from everyone else. She was like a tropical flower in this dark, stuffy room. One that could kill you. I'd never seen her mother, but it was easy to tell that some of her looks came from Abe's Turkish influence, like her long, dark brown hair. In the dim lighting, that hair looked nearly black. Her eyes rested on Keith, and she nodded politely. â€Å"Hey, other Alchemist.† Keith stared at her wide-eyed, but whether that was a reaction to us being further outnumbered or simply a response to Rose's extraordinary nature, I couldn't say. â€Å"I-I'm Keith,† he stammered at last. â€Å"Rose Hathaway,† she told him. His eyes bugged even more as he recognized the name. She strode across the room, toward Clarence, and I noted that half of her allure was simply in the way she dominated her surroundings. Her expression softened as she regarded the elderly man. â€Å"I checked the house's perimeter like you asked. It's about as safe as you can make it, though your back door's lock should probably be replaced.† â€Å"Are you sure?† asked Clarence in disbelief. â€Å"It's brand new.† â€Å"Maybe when this house was built,† came yet another new voice. Looking over to the doorway, I realized now that someone else had been with Rose when she arrived, but I'd been too startled by her to notice. Again, that was a Rose thing. She always drew the attention. â€Å"It's been rusted since we moved here.† This newcomer was a Moroi, which set me on edge again. That brought the count up to four Moroi and two dhampirs. I was trying very hard not to adopt Keith's attitude – especially since I already knew some of the people here – but it was hard to shake that overwhelming sense of Us and Them. Moroi aged like humans, and at a guess, I thought this new guy was close to my age, maybe Keith's at most. He had nice features, I supposed, with black curling hair and gray eyes. The smile he offered seemed sincere, though there was a slight sense of uneasiness in the way he stood. His gaze was fixed on Keith and me, intrigued, and I wondered if maybe he didn't spend a lot of time with humans. Most Moroi didn't, though they didn't share the same fears about our race as we did about theirs. But then, ours didn't use theirs as food. â€Å"I'm Lee Donahue,† he said, extending his hand. Once again, Keith didn't take it, but I did and introduced us. Lee looked back and forth between me and Keith, face full of wonder. â€Å"Alchemists, right? I've never met one of you. The tattoos you guys have are beautiful,† he said, eyeing the gold lily on my cheek. â€Å"I've heard about what they can do.† â€Å"Donahue?† asked Keith. He glanced between Lee and Clarence. â€Å"Are you related?† Lee gave Clarence an indulgent look. â€Å"Father and son.† Keith frowned. â€Å"But you don't live here, do you?† I was surprised that this, of all things, would draw him out. Maybe he didn't like the idea that his intel was faulty. He was Palm Springs' Alchemist, after all, and he'd believed Clarence was the only Moroi in the area. â€Å"Not regularly, no,† said Lee. â€Å"I go to college in LA, but my schedule's just part-time this semester. So, I want to try to spend more time with Dad.† Abe glanced at Rose. â€Å"You see that?† he said. â€Å"Now that's devotion.† She rolled her eyes at him. Keith looked like he had more questions about this, but Clarence's mind was still back in the conversation. â€Å"I could've sworn I had that lock replaced.† â€Å"Well, I can replace it soon for you if you want,† said Lee. â€Å"Can't be that hard.† â€Å"I think it's fine.† Clarence rose unsteadily to his feet. â€Å"I'm going to take a look.† Lee hurried to his side and shot us an apologetic look. â€Å"Does it have to be right now?† When it appeared that it did, Lee said, â€Å"I'll go with you.† I got the impression that Clarence frequently followed his whims, and Lee was used to it. I used the Donahues' absence to get some answers I'd been dying to know. I turned to Jill. â€Å"You didn't have any problems getting here, did you? No more, um, incidents?† â€Å"We ran into a couple dissidents before we left Court,† said Rose, a dangerous note in her voice. â€Å"Nothing we couldn't handle. The rest was uneventful.† â€Å"And it's going to stay that way,† said Eddie matter-of-factly. He crossed his arms over his chest. â€Å"At least if I have anything to do with it.† I glanced between them, puzzled. â€Å"I was told there'd be a dhampir along†¦ did they decide to send two?† â€Å"Rose invited herself along,† said Abe. â€Å"Just to make sure the rest of us didn't miss anything. Eddie's the one who will be joining you at Amberwood.† Rose scowled. â€Å"I should be the one staying. I should be Jill's roommate. No offense, Sydney. We need you for the paperwork, but I'm the one who's gotta kick anyone's ass who gives Jill trouble.† I certainly wasn't going to argue against that. â€Å"No,† said Jill, with surprising intensity. She'd been quiet and hesitant the last time I'd seen her, but her eyes grew fierce at the thought of being a burden to Rose. â€Å"You need to stay with Lissa and keep her safe. I've got Eddie, and besides, no one even knows I'm here. Nothing else is going to happen.† The look in Rose's eyes said she was skeptical. I also suspected she didn't truly believe anyone could protect either Vasilisa or Jill as well as she could. That was saying something, considering the young queen was surrounded in bodyguards. But even Rose couldn't be everywhere at once, and she must have had to choose. Her words made me turn my attention back to Jill. â€Å"What did happen?† I asked. â€Å"Were you hurt? We heard stories about an attack but no confirmation.† There was a heavy pause in the room. Everyone except Keith and me seemed distinctly uncomfortable. Well, we were uncomfortable – but for other reasons. â€Å"I'm fine,† said Jill at last, after a sharp look from Rose. â€Å"There was an attack, yeah, but none of us were hurt. I mean, not seriously. We were in the middle of a royal dinner when we were attacked by Moroi – like, Moroi assassins. They made it look like they were going for Lis – for the queen, but instead came for me.† She hesitated and dropped her eyes, letting her long, curly brown hair fall forward. â€Å"I was saved, though, and the guardians rounded them up.† There was a nervous energy to Jill that I remembered from before. It was cute and made her seem very much like the shy teenager she was. â€Å"But we don't think they're all gone, which is why we have to stay away from Court,† explained Eddie. Even as he directed his words to Keith and me, he radiated a protectiveness toward Jill, daring anyone to challenge the girl he was in charge of keeping safe. â€Å"And we don't know where the traitors in our own ranks are. So, until then, here we all are.† â€Å"Hopefully not for long,† said Keith. I gave him a warning look, and he seemed to realize his comment could be perceived as rude. â€Å"I mean, this place can't be all that fun for you guys, with the sun and everything.† â€Å"It's safe,† said Eddie. â€Å"That's what counts.† Clarence and Lee returned, and there was no more mention of Jill's background or the attack. As far as father and son knew, Jill, Eddie, and Adrian had simply fallen out of favor with important royal Moroi and were in exile here. The two Moroi men didn't know who Jill really was and believed that the Alchemists were helping her due to Abe's influence. It was a web of lies but a necessary one. Even if Clarence was in self-imposed exile, we couldn't risk him (or Lee now) accidentally letting outsiders know the queen's sister was holed up here. Eddie glanced over at the older Moroi. â€Å"You said you've never heard of any Strigoi being around here, right?† Clarence's eyes went unfocused for a moment as his thoughts turned inward. â€Å"No†¦ but there are worse things than Strigoi†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Lee groaned. â€Å"Dad, please. Not that.† Rose and Eddie were on their feet in an instant, and it was a wonder they didn't pull out weapons. â€Å"What are you talking about?† demanded Rose. â€Å"What other dangers are there?† asked Eddie, his voice like steel. Lee was actually blushing. â€Å"Nothing†¦ please. It's a delusion of his, that's all.† ‘†Delusion?'† asked Clarence, narrowing his eyes at his son. â€Å"Was your cousin's death a delusion? Is the fact that those high-ups at Court let Tamara go unavenged a delusion?† My mind spun back to a conversation I'd had with Keith in the car. I gave Clarence what I hoped was a reassuring look. â€Å"Tamara was your niece, right? What happened to her, sir?† â€Å"She was killed,† he said. There was a dramatic pause. â€Å"By vampire hunters.† â€Å"I'm sorry, by what?† I asked, certain I'd misheard. â€Å"Vampire hunters,† repeated Clarence. Everyone in the room looked as surprised as I felt, which was a small relief. Even some of Rose and Eddie's fierceness wavered. â€Å"Oh, you won't find that anywhere – not even in your records. We were living in Los Angeles when they got her. I reported it to the guardians, demanded they hunt the culprits down. Do you know what they said?† He peered at each person in turn. â€Å"Do you?† â€Å"No,† said Jill meekly. â€Å"What did they say?† Lee sighed and looked miserable. Clarence snorted. â€Å"They said there was no such thing. That there was no evidence to support my claim. They ruled it a Strigoi killing and said there was nothing anyone could do, that I should be grateful she wasn't turned.† I looked at Keith, who again seemed startled by this story. He apparently didn't know Clarence as well as he'd claimed. Keith had known the old man had a hang-up involving his niece, but not the extent of it. Keith gave me a small shrug that seemed to say, See? What did I tell you? Crazy. â€Å"The guardians are very thorough,† said Eddie. His tone and words were both clearly chosen with care, striving not to offend. He sat back down next to Jill. â€Å"I'm sure they had their reasons.† â€Å"Reasons?† asked Clarence. â€Å"If you consider denial and living a delusional life reasons, then I suppose so. They just don't want to accept that vampire hunters are out there. But tell me this. If my Tamara was killed by Strigoi, why did they cut her throat? It was cut cleanly with a blade.† He made a slashing motion under his chin. Jill flinched and cowered into her chair. Rose, Eddie, and Abe also looked taken aback, which surprised me because I didn't think anything would make that group squeamish. â€Å"Why not use fangs? Makes it easier to drink. I pointed that out to the guardians, and they said that since about half of her blood had been drunk, it was obviously a Strigoi. But I say a vampire hunter did it and made it look like they took her blood. Strigoi would have no reason to use a knife.† Rose started to speak, paused, and then began again. â€Å"It is strange,† she said calmly. I had a feeling she'd probably been about to blurt out how ridiculous this conspiracy theory was, but had thought better of it. â€Å"But I'm sure there's another explanation, Mr. Donahue.† I wondered if mentioning that the Alchemists had no records of vampire hunters – not in several centuries, at least – would be helpful or not. Keith suddenly took the conversation in an unexpected direction. He met Clarence's gaze levelly. â€Å"It might seem strange for Strigoi, but they do all sorts of vicious things for no reason. I know from personal experience.† My stomach sank. Oh no. All eyes turned to Keith. â€Å"Oh?† asked Abe, smoothing his black goatee. â€Å"What happened?† Keith pointed to his glass eye. â€Å"I was attacked by Strigoi earlier this year. They beat me up and ripped out my eye. Then they left me.† Eddie frowned. â€Å"Without drinking or killing? That is really weird. That doesn't sound like normal Strigoi behavior.† â€Å"I'm not sure you can really expect Strigoi to do anything ‘normal,'† pointed out Abe. I gritted my teeth, wishing he wouldn't engage Keith in this. Please don't ask about the eye, I thought. Let it go. That was too much to expect, of course, because Abe's next question was, â€Å"They only took the one eye? They didn't try for both?† â€Å"Excuse me.† I rose before Keith could answer. I couldn't sit through this conversation and listen to Abe bait Keith, simply for the fun of tormenting me. I needed to escape. â€Å"I†¦ I don't feel well. I'm going to get some air.† â€Å"Of course, of course,† said Clarence, looking as though he wanted to rise as well. â€Å"Should I have my housekeeper get you some water? I can ring the bell – â€Å" â€Å"No, no,† I said, moving toward the door. â€Å"I just†¦ I just need a minute.† I hurried out and heard Abe saying, â€Å"Such delicate sensibilities. You'd think she wouldn't be so squeamish, considering her profession. But you, young man, seem like you can handle talking about blood†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Abe's ego-stroking worked, and Keith launched into the one story I most definitely didn't want to hear. I went back down the dark hallway and emerged outside. The fresh air was welcome, even if it was more than twenty degrees warmer than what I'd come from. I took a deep, steadying breath, forcing myself to stay calm. Everything was going to be okay. Abe would be leaving soon. Keith would return to his own apartment. I would go back to Amberwood with Jill and Eddie, who really didn't seem like bad companions, considering who I could have ended up with. With no real destination in mind, I decided to walk around and scope out Clarence's home – more like an estate, really. I picked a side of the house at random and walked around, admiring the detailed sculpting of the house's exterior. Even if it was hopelessly out of place in the southern California landscape, it was still impressive. I had always loved studying architecture – a subject my father thought was pointless – and was impressed by my surroundings. Glancing around, I noted that the grounds didn't match the rest of what we'd driven through to get here. A lot of the land in this region had gone brown from summer and lack of rain, but Clarence had clearly spent a fortune to keep his sprawling yard lush and green. Non-native trees – beautiful and full of flowers – were artfully arranged to make walking paths and courtyards. After several minutes of my nature stroll, I turned around and headed back toward the front of the house. I came to a stop when I heard someone. â€Å"Where are you?† a voice asked. Abe. Great. He was looking for me. â€Å"Over here,† I just barely heard Adrian say. His voice came from the far side of the house, opposite the side I was on. I heard someone walk across the gravel driveway, the footsteps coming to a halt when they reached what I gauged to be the back door where Abe stood. I bit my lip and stayed where I was, concealed by the house. I was almost afraid to breathe. With their hearing, Moroi could pick up the tiniest detail. â€Å"Were you ever coming back?† asked Abe, amused. â€Å"Didn't see the point,† was Adrian's laconic response. â€Å"The point is politeness. You could have made an effort to meet the Alchemists.† â€Å"They don't want to meet me. Especially the guy.† There was concealed laughter in Adrian's voice. â€Å"You should have seen his face when I ran into him at the door. I wish I'd had a cape on. The girl's at least got some nerve.† â€Å"Nevertheless, they play a crucial role in your stay here – and Jill's. You know how important it is that she remain safe.† â€Å"Yeah, I get that. And I get why she's here. What I don't get is why I'm here.† â€Å"Don't you?† asked Abe. â€Å"I'd assume it's obvious to both Jill and you. You have to stay near her.† There was a pause. â€Å"That's what everyone says†¦ but I'm still not sure it's necessary. I don't think she needs me close by, no matter what Rose and Lissa claim.† â€Å"You have something better to do?† â€Å"That's not the point.† Adrian sounded annoyed, and I was glad that I wasn't the only one Abe had that effect on. â€Å"That's exactly the point,† Abe said. â€Å"You were wasting away at Court, drowning in your own self-pity – among other things. Here, you have a chance to be useful.† â€Å"To you.† â€Å"To yourself as well. This is an opportunity for you to make something of your life.† â€Å"Except you won't tell me what it is I'm supposed to do!† said Adrian irritably. â€Å"Aside from Jill, what is this great task you have for me?† â€Å"Listen. Listen and watch.† I could perfectly picture Abe stroking his chin in that mastermind way of his again as he spoke. â€Å"Watch everyone – Clarence, Lee, the Alchemists, Jill and Eddie. Pay attention to every word, every detail, and report it to me later. It may all be useful.† â€Å"I don't know that that really clears things up.† â€Å"You have potential, Adrian. Too much potential to waste. I'm very sorry for what happened with Rose, but you have to move on. Maybe things don't make sense now, but they will later. Trust me.† I almost felt bad for Adrian. Abe had once told me to trust him too, and look how things had turned out. I waited until the two Moroi returned inside and then followed a minute later. In the living room, Keith was still wearing his cocky attitude but looked relieved to have me back. We discussed more details and worked out a schedule for feedings, one I was in charge of maintaining since I'd have to drive Jill (and Eddie, since he didn't want to let her out of his sight) back and forth to Clarence's. â€Å"How are you going to get to feedings?† I asked Adrian. After hearing his conversation with Abe, I was now more curious than ever about his role here. Adrian was standing against the wall, on the opposite side of the room. His arms were crossed defensively, and there was a rigidness to his posture that conflicted with the lazy smile he wore. I couldn't be sure, but it looked as though he was purposely positioning himself as far from Rose as possible. â€Å"By walking down the hall.† Seeing my puzzled look, Clarence explained, â€Å"Adrian will be staying here with me. It will be nice to have someone else in these old walls.† â€Å"Oh,† I said. To myself, I muttered, â€Å"How very Secret Garden.† â€Å"Hmm?† asked Adrian, tilting his head toward me. I flinched. Their hearing was good. â€Å"Nothing. I was just thinking of a book I read.† â€Å"Oh,† said Adrian dismissively, glancing away. The way he said the word seemed to be a condemnation of books everywhere. â€Å"Don't forget me,† said Lee, grinning at his father. â€Å"I told you I'll be around more.† â€Å"Maybe young Adrian here will keep you out of trouble, then,† declared Clarence. No one said anything to that, but I saw Adrian's friends exchange a few amused glances. Keith didn't look nearly as freaked out as he had when we'd arrived, but there was a new air of impatience and irritability in him that I didn't quite understand. â€Å"Well,† he said, after clearing his throat. â€Å"I need to get home and take care of some business. And since you're my ride, Sydney†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He left the words hanging but looked at me meaningfully. From what I'd learned, I was more convinced than ever that Palm Springs was the least active vampire area anywhere. I couldn't honestly figure out what â€Å"business† Keith would have to take care of, but we had to leave here sooner or later. Eddie and Jill went to gather their luggage, and Rose used the opportunity to pull me aside. â€Å"How have you been?† she asked in a low voice. Her smile was genuine. â€Å"I've been worried about you, ever since†¦ well, you know. No one would tell me what happened to you.† The last time I'd seen her, I'd been held prisoner in a hotel by guardians while the Moroi tried to figure out how big my role had been in Rose's escape. â€Å"I was in a little trouble at first,† I said. â€Å"But it's past.† What was a small lie between friends? Rose was so strong that I couldn't stand the thought of looking weak in front of her. I didn't want her to know that I still lived in fear of the Alchemists, forced to do whatever it took to get back in their good graces. â€Å"I'm glad,† she said. â€Å"They told me originally it was your sister that was going to be here.† Those words reminded me again how Zoe could replace me at any moment. â€Å"It was a mix-up.† Rose nodded. â€Å"Well, I feel a little better with you here, but it's still hard†¦ I still feel like I should protect Jill. But I need to protect Lissa too. They think Jill's the easier target, but they're still going after Lissa.† The inner turmoil shone in her dark eyes, and I felt a pang of pity. This was what I'd had trouble explaining to the other Alchemists, how dhampirs and vampires could seem so human at times. â€Å"It's been crazy, you know. Ever since Lissa took the throne? I thought I'd finally get to relax with Dimitri.† Her smile broadened. â€Å"I should've known nothing's ever simple with us. We've spent all our time looking out for Lissa and Jill.† â€Å"Jill will be okay. As long as the dissidents don't know she's here, it should all be easy. Boring, even.† She was still smiling, but her smile had dimmed a little. â€Å"I hope so. If you only knew what had happened†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her expression changed as some memory seized her. I started to insist she tell me what had happened, but she shifted the subject before I could. â€Å"We're working on changing the law – the one that says Lissa needs one family member in order to stay queen. Once that's done, both she and Jill will be out of danger. But that just means those who want to take out Jill are more insane than ever, because they know the clock's ticking.† â€Å"How long?† I asked. â€Å"How long will it take to change the law?† â€Å"I don't know. A few months, maybe? Legal stuff†¦ well, it's not my thing. Not the details of it, at least.† She grimaced briefly and then became battle tough again. She tossed her hair over one shoulder. â€Å"Crazy people who want to hurt my friends? That is my thing, and believe me, I know how to deal with it.† â€Å"I remember,† I said. It was weird. I thought of Rose as one of the strongest people I knew, yet it seemed as though she needed my assurance. â€Å"Look, you go do what you do, and I'll do what I do. I'll make sure Jill blends in. You guys got her out without anyone knowing. She's off the grid now.† â€Å"I hope so,† Rose repeated, voice grim. â€Å"Because if she's not, your little group here doesn't stand a chance against those crazy rebels.†