Night World : Witchlight Chapter 5

Everything hung in the balance, and for a moment Keller thought that they had won. Diana's face looked different, older and more clearly defined. For all her flower-petal prettiness, she had a strong little chin. But she didn't say anything, and her eyes were still hazy. â€Å"Toby,† Grandma Harman said abruptly. â€Å"Put in the video.† Her apprentice went to the VCR. Keller stared at the tape in his hand, her heart picking up speed. A video. Could that be what she thought it was? â€Å"What you're about to see is-well, let's just say it's very secret,† Grandma Harman said to Iliana as the apprentice fiddled with the controls. â€Å"So secret that there's only one tape of it, and that stays locked up in Circle Daybreak headquarters at all times. I'm the only person I trust to carry it around. All right, Toby, play it.† Iliana looked at the TV apprehensively. â€Å"What is it?† The old woman smiled at her. â€Å"Something the enemy would really like to see. It's a record of the other Wild Powers-in action.† The first scene on the tape was live news coverage of a fire. A little girl was trapped in a second-story apartment, and the flames were getting closer and closer. Suddenly, the tape went into slow motion, and a blue flash lit the screen. When the flash died away, the fire was out. â€Å"The blue fire,† Grandma Harman said. â€Å"The first Wild Power we found did that, smothered those ordinary flames with a single thought. That's just one example of what it can do.† The next scene was of a dark-haired young man. This one was obviously deliberately filmed; the boy was looking directly into the camera. He took a knife from his belt and very coolly made a cut on his left wrist. Blood welled up in the wound and dripped to the ground. â€Å"The second Wild Power,† Grandma Harman said. â€Å"A vampire prince.† The boy turned and held out the arm that was bleeding. The camera focused on a large boulder about thirty feet away. And then the tape went into slow motion again, and Keller could actually see the blue fire shoot out from his hand. It started as a burst, but what followed was a steady stream. It was so bright that the camera couldn't deal with it; it bleached out the rest of the picture. But when it hit the rock, there was no doubt about what happened. The two-ton boulder exploded into gravel. When the dust settled, there was only a charred crater in the ground. The dark-haired boy looked back at the camera, then shrugged and targeted another boulder. He wasn't even sweating. Keller's breath came out involuntarily. Her heart was pounding, and she knew her eyes were glittering. She saw Galen glance sideways at her but ignored him. Power like that, she thought. I never really imagined it. If I had that power, the things I could do with it†¦ Before she could help herself, she had turned to him. â€Å"Don't you see? That's what you'll bring to our side if you choose to fight with us. That's what's going to give us a chance against them. You have to do it, don't you understand?† It was the wrong thing to say. Diana's reaction to the video had been completely different from Keller's own. She was staring at the TV as if she were watching open-heart surgery. Unsuccessful open-heart surgery. I don't – I can't do anything like that!† â€Å"Diana-â€Å" â€Å"And I don't want to! No. Look.† A veil seemed to have dropped down behind Diana's beautiful eyes. She was facing Keller, but Keller wondered if she actually saw anything. She spoke rapidly, almost frantically. â€Å"You said you had to talk to me, so I listened. I even watched your-your special effects stuff.† She waved a hand at the screen where the boy was blowing up more boulders. â€Å"But now it's over, and I'm going home. This is all-I don't know. It's all too weird for me! I'm telling you, I can't do that kind of thing. You're looking at the wrong person.† â€Å"We looked at all your cousins first,† Grandma Harman said. â€Å"Thea and Blaise. Gillian, who was a lost witch like yourself. Even poor Sylvia, who was seduced over to the enemy side. But it was none of them. Then we found you.† She leaned forward, trying to hold Diana with her eyes. â€Å"You have to accept it, child. It's a great responsibility and a great burden, but no one else can do it for you. Come and take your place with us.† Iliana wasn't listening. It was as simple as that. Keller could almost see the words bouncing off her. And her eyes†¦ Not a veil, Keller thought. A wall had dropped down. It had slammed into place, and Diana was hiding behind it. â€Å"If I don't get home soon, my mother's going to go crazy. I just ran out for a few minutes to get some gold stretchy ribbon-you know, the kind that has like a rubber band inside? It seems like I'm always looking for that. We have some from last year, but it's already tied, and it won't fit on the presents I'm doing.† Keller stared at her, then cast a glance heavenward. She could see the others staring, too. Winnie's mouth was hanging open. Nissa's eyebrows were in her hair. Galen looked dismayed. Grandma Harman said, â€Å"If you won't accept your responsibilities as a Wild Power, will you at least do your duty as the Witch Child? The winter solstice is next Saturday. On that night, there's going to be a meeting of the shapeshifters and the witches. If we can show them a promise ceremony between you and the son of the First House of the shapeshifters, the shapeshifters will join us.† Keller half expected Iliana to explode. And in the deepest recesses of her own heart, she wouldn't really have blamed her. She could understand Iliana losing it and saying, What do you think you're doing, waltzing in and trying to hitch me up to some guy I've never met? Asking me to fight is one thing but ordering me to marry-giving me away like some object-that's another. But Iliana didn't say anything like that. She said, â€Å"And I've still got so many presents to wrap, and I'm not anywhere near done shopping. Plus, this week at school is going to be completely crazy. And Saturday, that's the night Jaime and Brett Ashton-Hughes are having their birthday party. I can't miss that.† Keller lost it. â€Å"What is wrong with you? Are you deaf or just stupid?† Iliana talked right over her. â€Å"They're twins, you know. And I think Brett kind of likes me. Their family is really rich, and they live in this big house, and they only invite a few people to their parties. All the girls have crushes on him. Brett, I mean.† â€Å"No,† Keller answered her own question. â€Å"You're just the most selfish, spoiled little brat I've ever met!† â€Å"Keller,† Nissa said quietly. â€Å"It's no good. The harder you push her, the more she goes into denial.† Keller let out her breath. She knew that it was true, but she had never been more frustrated in her life. Grandma Harman's face suddenly looked very old and very tired. â€Å"Child, we can't force you to do anything. But you have to realize that we're not the only ones who want you. The other side knows about you, too. They won't give up, and they will use force.† â€Å"And they've got a lot of force.† Keller turned to the old woman. â€Å"I need to tell you about that. I didn't want to say it on the phone, but they already tried to get Iliana once today. We had to fight them at the mall.† She took a deep breath. â€Å"And they had a dragon.† Grandma Harman's head jerked up. Those steely lavender-gray eyes fixed on Keller. â€Å"Tell me.† Keller told everything. As she did, Grandma Harman's face seemed to get older and older, sinking into haggard lines of worry and sadness. But all she said at the end was, â€Å"I see. Well have to try to find out how they got him, and what exactly his powers are. I don't think there's anybody alive today who's an expert on-those creatures.† â€Å"They called him Azhdeha.† â€Å"Hmm-sounds Persian.† â€Å"It is,† Galen said. ‘It's one of the old names for the constellation Draco. It means ‘man-eating serpent'† Keller looked at him in surprise. He had been sitting quietly all this time, listening without interrupting. Now he was leaning forward, his gold-green eyes intense. â€Å"The shapeshifters have some old scrolls about dragons. I think you should ask for them. They might give some idea about what powers they have and how to fight them. I saw the scrolls once, but I didn't really study them; I don't think anybody has.† He'd seen the ancient scrolls? Then he was a shapeshifter, after all. But why hadn't she been able to sense an animal form for him? â€Å"Galen-† Keller began, but Grandma Harman was speaking. ‘It's a good idea. When I get them, I'll send copies to you and Keller. He's one of your people, after all, and you may be able to help figure out how to fight him.† Keller wanted to say indignantly that he wasn't any connection to her, but of course it wasn't true. The dragons had ruled the shapeshifters, once. Their blood still ran in the First House, the Drache family that ruled the shapeshifters today. Whatever that monster was, he was one of her people. â€Å"So it's decided. Keller, you and your team will take Iliana home. I'll go back to Circle Daybreak and try to find out more about dragons. Unless†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She looked at Iliana. â€Å"Unless this discussion has changed your mind.† Iliana, unbelievably, was still prattling, having a conversation about presents with nobody in particular. It was clear that her mind hadn't changed. What wasn't clear to Keller was whether she had a mind. But Keller had other things to worry about. Tm sorry-but you're not serious, are you? About taking her home?† â€Å"Perfectly serious,*' Grandma Harman said. â€Å"But we can't† â€Å"We can, and we have to. You three girls will be her bodyguards-and her friends. I'm hoping that you can persuade her to accept her responsibility by Saturday night at midnight, when the shapeshifters and the witches convene. But if not†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Grandma Harman bowed her head slightly, leaning on her cane. She was looking at Iliana. â€Å"If not,† she said in a barely audible voice, â€Å"you'll just have to protect her for as long as you can.† Keller was choking. 1 don't see how we can protect her at all. With all respect, ma'am, it's an insane idea. They have to know where her house is by now. Even if we stick beside her twenty-four hours a day-and I don't see how we can even do that, with her family around-â€Å" The white head came up, and there was even a faint curve to the old woman's lips. ‘Illtake care of that. Ill have a talk with her mother-young Anna, Elspeth's granddaughter.Ill introduce myself and explain that her daughter's long-lost cousins' have come to visit for Christmas.† And undoubtedly do something witchy to Anna's mind, Keller thought Yeah, after that they'd be accepted, although none of them looked a bit like Iliana's cousins. â€Å"And then I will put up wards around that house.† There was a flash like silver lightning in Grandma Harman's eyes as she said it â€Å"Wards that will hold against anything from the outside. As long as nobody inside disturbs them, you'll be safe.† She cocked an eyebrow at Keller. â€Å"Satisfied?† â€Å"I'm sorry-no. It's still too dangerous.† â€Å"Then what would you suggest we do?† â€Å"Kidnap her,† Keller said instantly. She could hear Iliana stop babbling in the background; she wasn't gaining any Brownie points there. She bulldozed on grimly. â€Å"Look, I'm just a grunt; I obey orders. But I think that she's too important for us to just let her run around loose where they might get hold of her. I think we should take her to a Circle Daybreak enclave like the ones where the other Wild Powers are. Where we can protect her from the enemy.† Grandma Harman looked her in the eye. â€Å"If we do that,† she said mildly, â€Å"then we are the enemy.† There was a pause. Keller said, â€Å"With all respect, ma'am-â€Å" â€Å"I don't want your respect. I want your obedience. The leaders of Circle Daybreak made a firm decision when this whole thing started. If we can't convince a Wild Power by reasoning, we will not resort to force. So your orders are to take your team and stay with this child and protect her as long as you can.† â€Å"Excuse me.† It was Galen. The others had been sitting and watching silently. Nissa and Winnie were too smart to get involved in an exchange like this, but Keller could see that they were both unhappy. â€Å"What is it?† Grandma Harman asked. â€Å"If you don't mind, I'd like to go with them. I could be another ‘cousin.' It would make four of us to watch over her-better odds.† Keller thought she might have an apoplexy. She was so mad, she couldn't even get words out While she was choking uselessly, Galen was going on. His face still looked pale and strained, like a young soldier coming back from battle, but his dark gold hair was shining, and his eyes were steady. His whole attitude was one of earnest pleading. Tm not a fighter, but maybe I can learn. After all, that's what we're asking Iliana to do, isn't it? Can we ask anything of her that we're not ready to do ourselves?† Grandma Harman, who had been frowning, now looked him up and down appraisingly. â€Å"You have a fine young mind,† she said. â€Å"Like your father's. He and your mother were both strong warriors, as well.† Galen's eyes darkened. ‘Td hoped I wouldn't have to be one. But it looks like we can't always choose.† Keller didn't know what they were talking about or why the Crone of all the Witches knew the parents of this guy she'd met in a mall. But she'd finally gotten the obstruction out of her throat. â€Å"No way!† she said explosively. She was on her feet now, too, black hair flying as she looked from Grandma Harman to Galen. â€Å"I mean it. There is no way I am taking this boy back with us. And you may be the leader of the witches, ma'am, but, no offense intended, I don't think you have the authority to make me. I'd have to hear it from the leaders of Circle Daybreak themselves, from Thierry Descouedres or Lady Hannah. Or from the First House of the shapeshifters.† Grandma Harman gave an odd snort. Keller ignored it. ‘It's not just that he's not a fighter. He's not involved in this. He doesn't have any part in it.† Grandma Harman looked at Galen, not entirely approvingly. â€Å"It seems you've been keeping secrets. Are you going to tell her, or shall I?† â€Å"I-† Galen turned from her to Keller. â€Å"Listen. I'm sorry-I should have mentioned it before.† His eyes were embarrassed and apologetic. ‘It just-there just didn't seem to be a right time.† He winced. â€Å"I wasn't in that mall today accidentally. I came by to look for Iliana. I wanted to see her, maybe get to know her a little.† Keller stared at him, not breathing. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Because†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He winced again. â€Å"I'm Galen Drache†¦ of the First House of the shapeshifters,† Keller blinked while the room revolved briefly. I should have known. I should have realized. That's why he seemed like a shapeshifter, but I couldn't get any animal sense from him. Children of the First House weren't born connected to any particular animal. They had power over all animals, and they were allowed to choose when they became adults which one they would shift into. It also explained how he'd known which pressure points to use to get her off the dragon. And his telepathy-children of the First House could connect to any animal mind. When the room settled back into place, Keller realized that she was still standing there, and Galen was still looking at her. His eyes were almost beseeching. ‘I should have explained,† he said. â€Å"Well, of course, it was your choice,† Keller said stiffly. There was an unusual amount of blood in her cheeks; she could feel it burning. She went on, â€Å"And, naturally, I'm sorry if anything I've said has given offense.† â€Å"Keller, please don't be formal.† â€Å"Let's see, I haven't greeted you properly, or given you my obedience.† Keller took his hand, which was well made, long-fingered, and cold. She brought it to her forehead. â€Å"Welcome, Drache, son of the First House of the shapeshifters. I'm yours to command, naturally.† There was a silence. Keller dropped Galen's hand. Galen looked miserable. â€Å"You're really mad now, aren't you?† he observed. â€Å"1 wish you every happiness with your new bride,† Keller said through her teeth. She couldn't figure out exactly why she was so mad. Sure, she'd been made a fool of, and now she was going to have to take responsibility for an untrained boy who couldn't even shapeshift into a mouse. But it was more than that. He's going to marry that whiny little flower in the corner, a voice in Keller's head whispered. He has to marry her, or at least go through a promise ceremony that's just as binding as marriage. If he doesn't, the shapeshifters will never join with the witches. They've said so, and they'll never back down. And if they don't join with the witches . .. everything you've ever worked for is finished. And your job is to persuade the flower to do her duty, the voice continued brightly. That means you've got to convince her to marry him. Instead of eating her. Keller's temper flared. I don't want to eat her, she snapped back at the voice. And I don't care who this idiot marries. It's none of my business. She realized that the room was still silent, and everyone was watching Iliana and Galen. Iliana had stopped prattling. She was looking at Galen with huge violet eyes. He was looking back, strained and serious. Then he turned to Keller again. â€Å"I'd still like to help, if you'll let me come.† â€Å"I told you, I'm yours to command,† Keller said shortly. â€Å"It's your decision. I'd like to mention that it just makes things a little harder on my team. Now we're going to have to look out for you as well as her. Because, you see, you're not expendable after all.† â€Å"I don't want you to look out for me,† he said soberly. â€Å"I'm not important.† Keller wanted to say, Don't be an idiot. No you, no promise ceremony, no treaty. It's as simple as that. We've got to protect you. But she'd already said more than enough. Toby was retrieving the tape from the VCR. Grandma Harman was making getting-ready-to-rise motions with her cane. â€Å"I think we've stayed here long enough,† she said to Keller. Keller nodded stiffly. â€Å"Would you like to come in the limo? Or would you rather follow us to her house?† Grandma Harman opened her mouth to answer, but she never got the chance. Keller's ears caught the sound of movement outside just before the living room window shattered.

Philosophy

What do you think philosophy is? I understand philosophy as something which answers questions to humans who seek for wisdom. When you study Philosophy, the negative thing about this Is that you don't get to know all the answers as you go through the process of learning because philosophy talks about life and life unfortunately has handed us a numerous unanswerable questions. Philosophy has also had the negative sense of a subject full of Idle speculation, useless to the practical business of finding things out and consisting mostly In Irrelevant theorizing.I suppose Philosophy Is trying to answer mysteries about life. However, these mysteries are beyond what human mind can perceive. Philosophy makes people think excessively before acting on It. It simply acquaints us with the fact that Philosophy is ‘love for wisdom'. 2. What is your philosophy in life? â€Å"Never settle for anything less† I suppose that there will always be something ahead of where you are now. And if that something has the ability to be ahead of you, why can't you be as well? The only thing that limits us from doing something better from what we're doing now is none other than ourselves.I can't afford to be in a â€Å"less† situation when I know I have all the guts to be â€Å"more†. The point here is not to overpower someone or to be ahead of something on purpose, the point is that to be aware that we can do more than our minds can perceive. It's Just a matter of encouraging yourself and some touch of optimism. One day, we would be surprise of what not-settling-for-less has done to our life. Life has more to offer all we have to do is to search for it. We can't just settle. The worth of life is dependent upon us. The meaning of life is how we give life a meaning. By Magical 1. What do you think philosophy is? r wisdom. When you study Philosophy, the negative thing about this is that you don't get to know all the answers as you go through the process of learning be cause of idle speculation, useless to the practical business of finding things out and consisting mostly in irrelevant theorizing. I suppose Philosophy is trying to answer perceive. Philosophy makes people think excessively before acting on it. It simply that something has the ability to be ahead of you, why can't you be as well? Philosophy What do you think philosophy is? I understand philosophy as something which answers questions to humans who seek for wisdom. When you study Philosophy, the negative thing about this Is that you don't get to know all the answers as you go through the process of learning because philosophy talks about life and life unfortunately has handed us a numerous unanswerable questions. Philosophy has also had the negative sense of a subject full of Idle speculation, useless to the practical business of finding things out and consisting mostly In Irrelevant theorizing.I suppose Philosophy Is trying to answer mysteries about life. However, these mysteries are beyond what human mind can perceive. Philosophy makes people think excessively before acting on It. It simply acquaints us with the fact that Philosophy is ‘love for wisdom'. 2. What is your philosophy in life? â€Å"Never settle for anything less† I suppose that there will always be something ahead of where you are now. And if that something has the ability to be ahead of you, why can't you be as well? The only thing that limits us from doing something better from what we're doing now is none other than ourselves.I can't afford to be in a â€Å"less† situation when I know I have all the guts to be â€Å"more†. The point here is not to overpower someone or to be ahead of something on purpose, the point is that to be aware that we can do more than our minds can perceive. It's Just a matter of encouraging yourself and some touch of optimism. One day, we would be surprise of what not-settling-for-less has done to our life. Life has more to offer all we have to do is to search for it. We can't just settle. The worth of life is dependent upon us. The meaning of life is how we give life a meaning. By Magical 1. What do you think philosophy is? r wisdom. When you study Philosophy, the negative thing about this is that you don't get to know all the answers as you go through the process of learning be cause of idle speculation, useless to the practical business of finding things out and consisting mostly in irrelevant theorizing. I suppose Philosophy is trying to answer perceive. Philosophy makes people think excessively before acting on it. It simply that something has the ability to be ahead of you, why can't you be as well? Philosophy Philosophy of Teaching Philosophy is described as â€Å"one of the various established or traditional way of looking at the world that have been defined and indentified by those who practice the discipline whether in the academy or not. † With any profession there are responsibilities that come with the career, in my chosen career path there are people that I have to make sure that I reach; students, parents, the Physical Education department, and the school systems. The two philosophies that first come to mind when thinking about physical ducation are idealism and realism.The philosophers that created idealism are Socrates, Aristotle, and Plato along with the creators of realism whose founders are John Locke, Herbert Spencer, among others. These philosophers were the founding men of philosophy and have created a theory that other generations behind them could follow and dream with. Idealism's philosophy is about fair play, sportsmanship, obedience to rules, classroom lectures and assignments, which relies on direction and guidance. Realism's philosophy describes more of the focus of anatomy, bodily ovement, statistics, and the technicalities of the body.In taking the VOI Personality Profile, I was able to see that my personal preference for structure, knowledge, classroom lectures and assignments, and direction and guidance closely align with idealism and realism. I have always thought that I was more in line with eclecticism, but once I did the profile I was able to see that is a point of teaching that I need to work on. I believe that I have the personality of one that does not Just conform to one nd is able to adapt to different situations and theories that come with a lot of philosophies.In high school, I was always the athlete that helped the teacher structure the class, introduce new sports, and be an example of what a healthy teenager looks like. Not only was that fun for me, but it showed me that I could be a positive example for others around m e. At the high school that I went to there was a â€Å"student-teaching† class that was offered to Juniors and seniors that allowed us to go into the lementary schools and teach physical education and other subjects that the students needed to be tutored in.It allowed me to go into the school and feel like I was making a difference in the students that I was teachings lives. Knowing that I had students that depended on me for guidance was enough to make up my mind that I wanted a career in teaching. Although most people think that physical education teachers Just roll out the balls and say â€Å"play basketball† that's not what goes on. There is a lot more that goes into he education that the teacher does along with all of the lesson plans and the science and health that the teacher has to teach to their class as well.Teaching physical education does not constrict you to solely teaching physical education but it more so about teaching and being an example of what a hea lthy life is, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Physical educators are more so about the whole body versus Just the content knowledge and end of the year exams. It becomes very evident that most physical education teachers do not get the recognition that they deserve.Most schools are going into more â€Å"chair-based† learning where the child does not have an outlet to get out of the setting of the classroom and into the playground or even into the gym; which poses a problem for physical education teachers. Will there be a Job for physical education teachers when I graduate? I believe that the answer to that question is yes, for the simple fact that medicine, fitness and wellness, and the entire aspect of physical activity cannot and will not be pushed over to the curb.

How the Beatles Changed a Generation

Ali GreerResearch PaperHST 367 How One Band Changed a Generation The 1960’s is a decade remembered for its counterculture, social revolution and an emergence of a new kind of popular culture. If you asked me what my first thoughts were when I hear the decade 1960s, I automatically think about the Beatles. Has a decade ever had such a defining musical group that represents not only a shift to more rebellious music such as Rock n Roll, but an influence so great that they are still talked about to this day?The Beatles not only changed music but they affected culture in ways that had not been challenged by a musical group before. I asked my mom what she remembers about the Beatles. She was only 6 when they performed on the Ed Sullivan Show but she still remembers. She said that, â€Å"The Beatles didn’t define a generation, they created one†. The first way that the Beatles challenged everyday popular culture was that the fact that they were British. Before the Beatle s traveled across â€Å"the pond†, the U. S. had been a tough break for aspiring British pop groups.The Beatles wanted to teach the world that pop music could be intelligent and that British groups could do that just as well as American music groups. Some could argue that the Beatles did not start a phenomenon, they somehow perfected the cultural significance of 1950’s musicians before them like Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley. Before settling with their signature rock sound, The Beatles started in the Skiffle genre, a type of music with jazz, blues and roots influences. By 1960, Lennon wanted to move away from Skiffle to more of a Rock n Roll sound.Lennon and McCartney perfected their writing skills and relied less and less on on outside material. This was a groundbreaking ideal in the music industry and it had a lasting impact on culture. It urged other big name music acts such as the Rolling Stones to start writing their own music. Lennon and McCartney would eventuall y become one of the most famous songwriting partnerships in music history. The Beatles first appeared on American television on February 9, 1964 on The Ed Sullivan Show. 40 % of the country, about 73 million viewers tuned in to see Paul, John, George and Ringo perform for the first time in America.This is still considered one of the most important moments in television history. Now one may ask, how did so many people know about this little band from Britain? The record I Want to Hold Your Hand was leaked in advance to American radio stations. The record label could not prevent DJs from the playing the record therefore the album was officially released on December 26, 1963. 250,000 copies were sold in the first three days of its release. It’s unclear who actually leaked the record beforehand, but this publicity stunt was hugely successful for the Beatles.Mobs of people were waiting for the Beatles when they arrived at JFK airport. When asked how did you find America, Ringo Sta rr jokingly said â€Å"Turn left at Greenland. † The media took to covering this frenzy as best as it could. Newsweek printed an article on February 24 ,1963 reviewing the Beatles’ performance on The Ed Sullivan Show. The last paragraph ended with this, â€Å"the odds are they will fade away, as most adults confidently predict. † No one could predict the upcoming effects that the Beatles would have on American culture. The Beatles had arrived in America during a confusing time.President Kennedy had been assassinated just a few months prior, the threat of a war in Vietnam was eminent and Americans needed something new. And the Beatles were just what they needed. They rejuvenated pop music for Americans. They were seen as modern and sleek. â€Å"Beatlemania was so strong because the times and the youth of America were simpler and more naive. † This simplicity of society would play a big role in the Beatles influence on culture because it would allow them to change their style so freely without doubt from the nation.Society would accept it as popular no matter what. When the Beatles arrived in America, parents of teenagers hated them. They hated their relationship themed lyrics, their sex appeal, etc. The Beatles influenced a generation to not do what their parents told them to and helped Rock n Roll gain its rebellious reputation. Naturally, The Beatles are best known for their music. Not only did they have a large number of hit songs, but their music also evolved very rapidly through the group's brief career, embarking on territory not previously explored by pop music groups.Released in 1967, â€Å"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band† was a huge breakthrough album in pop music with its use of orchestras, harpsichords, circus sounds and other effects that were largely created in the studio. No longer did pop groups just have to be guitars, a bass, drums and vocals — nor were they limited to what could be performed live . The Beatles still influence music years after their breakup. â€Å"Beatlesque† is â€Å"a term used by critics to describe music that has one or more traits or characteristics of the music made by the Beatles. There are also hundreds of Beatles tribute bands out there paying tribute to the Fab 4. â€Å"The Beatles sold a lot of records not because they were the greatest musicians but simply because their music was easy to sell to the masses: it had no difficult content, it had no technical innovations, it had no creative depth. They wrote a bunch of catchy 3-minute ditties and they were photogenic†. The Beatles were immensely popular during the 1960s and they helped feminize a culture. The baby boom began in 1946 and ended in 1964 which meant that ? f the nation’s population was in the teen or pre teen bracket. When the the Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, hundreds of teenage girls were lined up, screaming. An important factor to Beatlemania was the fans. There was something slightly feminine about the Beatles. Their slightly tousled hair, their tailored suits. The Beatles had the perfect mix between masculinity and femininity. The Beatles persistent feature of women and love in their songs left teenage girls swooning and a culture that was more sexually driven than ever.As Steven Stark points out in his book Meet The Beatles, they also â€Å"challenged the definition that existed during their time of what it meant to be a man. †   Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"The Beatles were not only selling records, they were selling trends. † Featured in the Time All Time 100 Fashion Icons, the Beatles were always evolving when it came to style. You could say that it’s normal for musicians to change their appearance to keep up with society and the latest trends. The Beatles were the trend. Whatever they did, society copied. When the Beatles first traveled to America, they wore black collarless suits.They even popularized a haircut called the â€Å"moptop† The moptop was a straight cut, collar length in the back and over the ears on the sides. The public went crazy for this cut. McCartney writes in a letter, â€Å"George explained in a 60s interview that it was John and I having our hair cut in Paris which prompted him to do the same†¦. We were the first to take the plunge. † The Beatles were not afraid of taking risks. They took what they liked from popular culture and took it to a new extreme. Towards the end of Beatlemania, the Beatles embraced more of a psychedelic style, with bright patterns and colors.They even let their signature hairstyles grow out and even experimented with facial hair. John Lennon even established his own trend, wearing tea shade glasses which ended up being called â€Å"Lennon† glasses. The Beatles were not hesitant when it came to change, even when it dealt with changing their own fads and this is important to their success as culture icons. The Beatles di d not merely stay in the music industry. They dabbled in the movie business too. Their film, Yellow Submarine was a colorful trendsetter in the world of animation. Producers used techniques that had never been used before.Although Yellow Submarine was produced on a small budget, the film was met with mostly positive reviews. Talking about the film, Time Magazine stated that it, â€Å"turned into a smash hit, delighting adolescents and esthetes alike†. The aftermath of Yellow Submarine was that animation was being taken as a more serious form of art. Previously, animation had been described as silly or goofy. The Beatles changed this perspective. Josh Weinstein, a former writer for the animated series The Simpsons wrote an article describing how Yellow Submarine affected modern animation today.Weinstein states, â€Å"Without Yellow Submarine there would never have been The Simpsons, no Futurama, no South Park, no Toy Story, no Shrek No animated anything that enables us to lau gh at ourselves while being highly entertained. †   As you can see, The Beatles accomplishments in popular culture are still talked about today. The religious allure of the Beatles was a vital factor in allowing the group to endure. John Lennon was onto something in 1966 when he compared the group’s popularity with that of Jesus Christ.Multitudes flocked to them and even brought sick children to see if the Beatles could somehow heal them. Thus, those who have seen elements of religious ecstasy in Beatlemania are not wrong. â€Å"Religion, it must not be forgotten, has its roots in spiritual bonding. And the Beatles had a powerful appeal to a generation in calling forth a spiritual bonding. It was so intoxicating that it created mass hysteria. In this way, the Beatles—especially with their elevation to a kind of sainthood—have become modern counterparts to the religious figures of the past†.John Lennon once stated that, â€Å"The Beatles are more popular than Jesus† and this remark caused quite the controversy in the United States. It led to fans to protest the band and to burn their albums. This was different than the attitudes of society during Beatlemania. Society was actually challenging something the Beatles did. This was a momentous event because it showed that the Beatles were immune. They made mistakes too. They didn’t have a perfect image. But that lack of perfect image was the catalyst to the Beatles success. Society saw the Beatles as four men trying to change he face of music. The Beatles did not only influence religion, but political views as well. Lennon in an interview to Rolling Stone talks about the song â€Å"Revolution†, â€Å"I had been thinking about it up in the hills in India. I still had this ‘God will save us' feeling about it, that it's going to be all right (even now I'm saying ‘Hold on, John, it's going to be all right,' otherwise, I won't hold on) but that's why I did it, I wanted to talk, I wanted to say my piece about revolution. I wanted to tell you, or whoever listens, to communicate, to say ‘What do you say? This is what I say. † Revolution was the Beatles first overtly public political song. Revolution dealt with the War in Vietnam. New Left publications called the song a â€Å"betrayal†. Besides it blatant political undertones, Revolution went on to become a hit single. The Beatles were and still are so successful because of their infiltration of different media outlets. Music, television, movies, magazines, radio, etc. They knew that they needed not only to sell music but to sell a legacy. The Beatles influenced a whole generation during the 1960s and they are still influencing new generations to this day.This multi decade success is a clear example of their powerful grasp on American culture during the 1960s. Bibliography http://www. guardian. co. uk/film/2012/nov/19/beatles-yellow-submarine-simpsons-shrek http:// www. edsullivan. com/artists/the-beatles/ http://www. beatles-tribute-band-uk. co. uk/history. htm http://www. time. com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2110513_2110627_2110708,00. html http://www. scaruffi. com/vol1/beatles. html#sgt http://beatle. wordpress. com/2008/08/23/history-the-beatles-started-a-revolution-that-changed-us-all-forever/ http://www. thebeatles. com/

Ethics and Governance Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethics and Governance - Case Study Example Also, in monitoring the suppliers' compliance with the codes it has been stated, 'it is the supplier's responsibility to ensure and provide evidence that any subcontractors and outworkers used conform to the criteria outlined in this code'. The obvious weakness is its monitoring procedures, which amount to little more than self-certification by suppliers, with no independent system of checking. Conflicts of cultural tradition occur when business-making processes within western corporations are confronted with well-established norms and behaviors strictly linked to local settings and most of the time unfamiliar to western staff in foreign settings. As a result norms and behaviors result acceptable in one setting, and unacceptable in another. For example, in Pakistan there is no legislation against child labour. Although Next doesn't have a connection with Pakistan, the fact has been mentioned only to show how different right and wrong could be in different countries. The point is that, in developing countries like India, where Next has its sourcing industries, even though there are strict legislations against child labour, the corruption and bribery in those countries may allow children work with those industries. Since the monitoring procedure of Next relies on the suppliers' evidence of conformance to criteria, this becomes a case of an ethical dilemma, since the chances of child labour remain. EVALUATION BASED ON ETHICAL THEORIES In Utilitarianism, John Stuart Mill argues that moral philosophers have left a train of unconvincing and incompatible theories that can be coherently unified by a single standard of beneficence that allows us to decide objectively what is right and wrong. The principle of utility, or the "greatest happiness" principle, he declares the basic foundation of morals: Actions are right in proportion to their promotion of happiness, and wrong as they produce the reverse. This is a straightforward, and potentially very demanding, principle of beneficence: That action or practice is right (when compared with any alternative action or practice) if it leads to the greatest possible balance of beneficial consequences or to the least possible balance of bad consequences. Mill also holds that the concepts of duty, obligation, and right are subordinated to, and determined by, that which maximizes benefits and minimizes harmful outcomes. The principle of utility is presented by Mill as an absolute o r preeminent principle-thus making beneficence the one and only supreme principle of ethics. It justifies all subordinate rules and is not simply one among a number of prima facie principles. The utilitarian method of reasoning could actually be in favour of Child labour. Viewed from the different stakeholders involved, the extra income gained from the child would maximize happiness for the most. The family

Henry V Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Henry V - Essay Example l as an understanding not only of the history of Henry V and how Englishmen generally felt about him but also of the period during which Shakespeare wrote this play reveals that he was entirely sincere in his attempts to honor the man who figures so prominently in the title and the play. The play chronicles the short reign of King Henry V, particularly as it pertains to his campaign in France and victory in Agincourt. This campaign is introduced as a means of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Ely to distract their young king from passing a new bill that would strip the church, and therefore themselves, of a great deal of the riches and lands they’ve been given by noblemen with no sons left to inherit. Henry himself is presented as having completely reformed himself from earlier plays when he used to hang out in low-class bars and is now presented as a towering Christian hero prince. â€Å"Hear him but reason in divinity, / And, all-admiring, with an inward wish, / You would desire the king were made a prelate; / Hear him debate of commonwealth affairs, / You would say it hath been all in his study; / List his discourse of war, and you shall hear / A fearful battle rend’red you in music† (38-44). The bulk of the play takes place as t he King marches his way through France and wins Agincourt as well as his future bride, Catherine of France. One of the claims that Shakespeare was making a parody of King Henry has been based on such speeches as can be found in Act 4, Scene 7 when Fluellen attempts to make a comparison between the King and Alexander the Great, based primarily upon the facts that they were both born in towns that start with the letter M and are both towns that have a river going through it. However, the care that Shakespeare took in writing the play illustrates the importance of the topic to him. â€Å"[Shakespeare] took its serious portions seriously and went beyond the existing theatrical versions of Henry’s career for his

Accounting Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Accounting Assignment - Essay Example Both the Chairman’s Statement (CS) and the Chief Executive’s Review (CER) describe 2009 as a very difficult year. They both emphasized that the company’s loss before tax is a natural consequence of the drastic turnaround in the global economies. They also both affirmed the company’s commitment to do its part in combating climate change even if the prevailing adverse economic situation. They as well mention BA’s long-term goal of becoming a leader in the global arena of the airline industry. The CS tackled specific issues that pertained not just to BA but to the entire airline industry of UK. The CS is written from a point of view that sees BA as a primary industry player with respect to the rest of the industry and the business world at large. It discusses the ongoing battles for government regulations that would be favorable for the industry and for BA, the current status of BA’s talks with other airlines regarding mergers and the general trend of the world’s airline industry. The CS also talks of matters that concern BA’s shareholders such as the decision to declare no dividends and to give no bonuses to senior management for the year. In contrast, the CER covers more of BA’s internal issues. It talks of how BA’s implemented cost-cutting measures to combat ill effects of the economic slowdown and of how BA works on further improving its overall customer service to achieve even higher satisfactory ratings. It also talks of the management’s decision to give no salary increases to employees for the year. The CFO’s Report contains information that a potential investor like Paul should be interested in. One is the basic earnings per share figure that is -32.6 pence; another is the reduction of BA’s other reserves by  £988 million which will significantly reduce the company’s shareholders’ equity. The third is the recommendation of BA’s

Ways How Individuals And Communities Demonstrate Agency In Their Lives Essay

Ways How Individuals And Communities Demonstrate Agency In Their Lives - Essay Example It is vital to note that individual’s demonstration of the agency, later on, forms the building blocks of a community. This is because individuals are community agents since they express their thoughts on cultural matters to other people. Through the agency, people are able to carry out face-to-face conversations with people from other communities. This has an impact on either side of the communities since culture is a negotiated meaning (Gutman 5). Being a negotiated meaning, a cultural forum in which the culture is negotiated and re-negotiated is what makes and remakes the culture and the community. This, therefore, supports the earlier argument that through an agency, individuals are not passive recipients of community outcomes. Through the agency, individuals are able to engage in cultural construction (Gutman 6). Another demonstration of agency is seen in babies. According to studies, babies construct their own personal goals. Children create their own personal worlds for achieving their goals; this is what makes the difference between children and subsequently, adults. If they were to adapt to the conditions that they found in the community i.e. culture and ideologies, then all children in the community could be the same. This could also mean that the adults from the children could also be the same. Children, therefore, exploit the meaning they derive from the pre-existing culture to build their own understanding of the world that later on helps them or destroys them as adults.  

The study of motivation in consumers which stimulates them to purchase Dissertation

The study of motivation in consumers which stimulates them to purchase luxury goods despite the steep and increasing price - Dissertation Example For instance small production volume leads to rarity, along with high level of effort and quality to make it extraordinary, aesthetics and create a good story behind the product, which automatically increases the price. The products that are more than ordinary and necessary are required to be scarce and not possessed by everyone. This paves the pathway for making the product too expensive so that only few can access. The recent recession in the year 2008 has made crafty luxury the new buzz word. It is all about consumption of good that has extraordinary features and are expensive but at the same time it is very in-the-know and discreet. A dramatic shift has been observed in the market of luxury products. The recession has adversely affected the rich people. Now the consumption of luxury products is more due to the increased practicality and higher perceived value. The branded name are still the strong sellers, which shows that increase in price is not a big factor that affects the pu rchasing decision of the consumers. The rising demand of luxury goods in the emerging countries like China, Thailand has aroused the interest among the researchers to indentify the motivating factor behind such an increasing interest. It is also seen that the price of the luxury products are increasing over the time but this is not creating any adverse impact on the demand of the luxury product by decreasing the demand for it. This factor has initiated this study that focuses on the study of motivation in consumers of Thailand towards purchase of luxury goods despite of increase in price. The research was aimed to finds the value that the consumers attaches with the luxury goods, the perception that they have relating to increase in price and the consumers behaviour that they display due to the price change. The study found that consumers of Thailand are more inclined to attach social status with the purchase of luxury product. The consumers are seen to use price as an indicator of product quality, rarity, extraordinariness etc., and the study suggests that the Thai consumers are willing to pay higher price for the products that are dissimilar and not possessed by everyone. The increase in price is seen to enhance this social status and thus, the demand is seen to increase when the price increases. The study reflected that if the price of the luxury product decreases then the Thai consumers are more eager to switch to the brands that are offering same products at a higher price. Table of Contents Abstract 2 1. Introduction 7 3. Methodology 9 4. Findings and analysis 18 5. Discussion 31 6. Conclusion and Recommendation 34 Reference List 37 Appendix 41 1. Introduction 1.1 Overview The world market in luxury goods in recent years has experienced enormous growth. The appeal of the luxury goods in the global market is as a result of the recognizable style, perceived superior quality, reputation and limited accessibility. As per the perception of the consumers who p ossess luxury goods the characteristics signify the symbolic, experimental and emotional value. These characteristics of the luxury help the owner in bridging the gap between the external world and inner satisfaction. For instance for a wealthy customer the possession of a luxury handbag is a mark of economic power and social status symbol to the less wealthy ones. On the other hand for the

Critical appraisal of a Harrogate Stakeholder framework Essay

Critical appraisal of a Harrogate Stakeholder framework - Essay Example The skills required for organizations of such events include a competitive bidding process, incentives and reward schemes and exposure to risks. Knowledge of appropriate marketing tools such as virtual events that allows people to participate in destination events by obtaining materials from the web is vital. As a leading British conference and exhibition town, Harrogate’s poor infrastructure is detrimental to its status as an International event destination. Poor transport links and lack of hotel rooms caused one of the major visitor organizations to change its destination to Manchester. In working with other stakeholders groups, the destination will benefit a lot. This is so because, the government will act as a catalyst in speeding up the destinations promotion, through policy and legislative formulations as well as funding. Since there lacks good service link of the town with other major towns such as London, while traffic congestion is huge during major events, the collaboration of the destination with the government and other relevant authorities will see it benefit in terms of improved transport facilities. Other organizations such as the Puma hotel will enable t provide ample facilities to satisfy its clientele and build a good reputation for more visits from other differen t groups. There are two major aspects that can be applied to ensure that this Event Destination is no longer in a losing end. The application of the Inter-organizational Relationship and Organization theory, coupled with the Gartrell’s destination team model. Harrogate is a popular destination due to its exhibition halls, integrated and sophisticated conference, excellent accommodation, spacious parklands and gardens, hotels, bars and restaurants located in close proximity, its competitiveness is deterred by the transport infrastructure. Compared to the city of Manchester which has convention facilities, range of accommodation and convenient transport infrastructure, the town of Harrogate is not as competitive. The city of Manchester has been ranked one of the world's most successful conference destinations (Danny, 1977 p181). According to the Inter-organizational Relationship and Organization theory, the role of stakeholders in an organization ranges from that of cooperating with the organization to that of threatening the organization. An organization cannot be self sufficient, and as such has to depend on its interaction with other organizations and the stakeholders in order to have its activities as a success. The dependence of the organization on the said organizations or stakeholders is determined by the control that the stakeholder has over the resources, which are vital for the existence and running of the organization in question (Sheehan and Ritchie, 2004 p4). Since stakeholders are referred to as those entities that affect or are affected by the operations and the outcomes of an organization, then there is a need to analyze how the different stakeholders are party to the operations and outcomes of thee organizational and rank them accordingly. The entities with a great effect or who are primarily affected by the organizations activities then becomes the forefront concern. While the primary stakeholders are directly involved and

Conduct an external environment analysis for a company (sainsburys) of Essay

Conduct an external environment analysis for a company (sainsburys) of your choice assessing the impact of the external environm - Essay Example Sainsbury’s is a leading retail chain in the UK with interests in banking and financial services is the third largest in the country. The family owned business had grown to become the largest grocery retailer in the UK and pioneers in self-service supermarkets. The company listed in the London Stock Exchange has a very large family of shareholders, and it is a constituent of FTSE 100. After a brief downfall, the company has reemerged with greater vigor in the new millennium. BBC news (2001) stated â€Å"The figures represented the third quarter in a row of sales growth "significantly better" than in 2000†¦ Sir Peter, credited with revitalizing the Prudential in the mid-1990s, has been working the same trick at Sainsbury's after replacing Dino Adriano as chief executive early last year†. External environment and HR Policies and Practice There are several tools and concepts for the analysis of the external environment in relation to a company. ... with regard to corporate social responsibility (CSR), environmental protection, ethical and demographic factors are increasingly relevant in the macro environmental analysis. Apart from the shareholders, there are number of stakeholders in a company which includes community as well as it provides necessary infrastructure and human capital for an organisation. Moreover, it is important to note that an organisation is also a part of the community. The analysis of Sainsbury’s is made with the theoretical background of PESTLE in this paper. The human resources policies and practice need to take into account the important points with reference to the external environment discussed under PESTLE analysis discussed, for exploiting the opportunities available and to avoid the threats from the external environment. PESTLE Analysis PESTLE analysis covers the macro environmental factors, and an organization's internal environment, strengths or weaknesses are not covered in this analysis. Morris & Jones (1995, p. 73) observed â€Å"To the extent that firms are adjusting their HRM practices to reflect turbulence in the environment, it would seem the HRM function is in fact becoming a more strategic function†. Therefore, the HR policies and practices are not restricted to ‘personnel’, but refer to the strategic role of HRM in the business for its sustainable development. Political   Increase in food prices, partly due to government policy to encourage bio fuels in various countries which has brought down the area under cultivation of food crops, is a cause for concern to the consumers and the industry. The allegation of price fixing is a serious impediment to the growth. Poulter (2008) stated â€Å"Supermarkets and big brands could face fines of more than ?300million after claims

Compare and contrast(difference and similarity)between traditional Research Paper

Compare and contrast(difference and similarity)between traditional Yoruban marriage and traditional Korean marriage - Research Paper Example Of much interest is a deep delve into the understanding by a way of comparison, two cultures (marriage being the common denominator) that reveals elements inherent and unique to a particular community or groups of people. Providing perfect specimens under this study is the Yoruba and the Korean traditional marriages. It will be of interest to learn how communities separated far and wide; living several miles away from each other, with no basis of interaction then, could exhibit similar features in their marriage customs. More so, sharp contrasts in some of the features evident uniquely in either of the two undeniably confirms and gives them their cultural identity as far as marriage processes are concerned. Where everything is equal and normal, records Johnson ,113, a Yoruba traditional marriage involves three stages: an early intimation, a formal betrothal and marriage. In the first stage girls are marked out from childhood with or without their consent as intentioned for marriage to particular young men. No girl would get married without the parents’ consent and such was the basis for the betrothal stage or ‘Isihun’. It was accompanied by a ceremony where the parties involved feasted and offered sacrifices, the ‘Ebo Iyawo’ or the bride sacrifice. The final stage which is marriage could be carried out at any time of the year except during the fasts (Johnson, 114). The Korean traditional marriage on the other hand is a six stage process: Exchange of the letter of four pillars, selection of the wedding day, sending of wedding gifts, the marriage ceremony, the bridal room and the new path (Lee et al, 157) Insight into these stages are illuminated in the p assages below. Unique to the Korean culture is the letter of four pillars (saju) on which the year of birth, month, day and time of the bride or groom were written. Lee et al, 157, notes that the letter symbolized engagement. Arrangements of this nature are clearly absent in the Yoruba

Wine Making Essay Example for Free

Wine Making Essay Winemaking is the production of wine, starting with the selection of grapes and other produce, and ending with putting the delicious wine into bottles! Although wine is usually made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruits! Winemaking can actually be divided into 18 different categories†¦.. Harvesting, destemming, crushing, primary (alcoholic) fermentation, pressing, pigeage, cold stabilization, heat stabilization, second fermentation, bulk aging, Malolactic fermentation, laboratory tests, blending, fining, preservatives, filtration, and last but not least, bottling! Lets now find out how to make wine! Harvesting Harvesting is the picking of the grapes and the first step in wine production. The grapes are either harvested by hand or mechanically, the decision lies on the winemaker. Before harvesting, the winemaker checks the grapes for ripeness, flavor, seed color and taste, and lastly, the sugar level! Mechanical harvesters are large tractors that straddle grapevines, and with a rubber rod, strike the vine to get the grapes. Mechanical harvesters have the advantage of picking grapes in a short amount of time. The disadvantage is all the leaves and stems come with the grapes. Some smart winemakers take off the leaves with another machine before harvesting. Destemming Destemming is the process of removing the stems from the grapes. This process may take place before, or after crushing, depending on the winemaker. If you harvest by hand, you can just skip this step altogether! Crushing Crushing is when gently crushing the grapes and breaking the skin to start getting flavor. In traditional and small wineries the grapes are sometimes crushed by stomping on them. However, in large, more upscale wineries, the grapes are crushed by a large, mechanical, wine crusher. Primary (alcoholic) fermentation Have you ever wondered what the powdery coating around grapes is? So have I! Yeast is what the powder is, which is useful for alcoholic fermentation. Since this can give unpredictable results, cultural yeast is added to the mix. During fermentation, the yeast cells feed on the sugars and multiply, creating carbon dioxide gas and alcohol. The tempeture affects both the taste of the product and the speed that fermentation is over. For red wines, the temperate is typically 72-77 F, and for white wine, the normal tempeture is 59-64 F. For every gram of sugar that is converted, about half a gram of alcohol is produce, so to get a 12% alcohol concentration, the product has to contain 24% of sugar. Pressing Pressing is the act of applying pressure to grapes in order to separate wine from grapes and grape skins. Presses act by positioning the grapes or grape skins between a rigged surface and a movable surface and slowly decreasing the volume between the two surfaces. As the pressure increases, the amount of tannin extracted from the skins into the juice also increases. Pieaege Pieaege is a French winemaking term for the traditional stomping of the grapes in open fermentation tanks. To make different type of wine, grapes are put through a crusher and then poured into open fermentation tanks. Once fermentation begins, the grape skins are pushed to the surface by carbon dioxide gases, released in the fermentation process. The layer of skins at the top is called the cap. The cap needs to mix with the liquid each day for flavor Cold and Heat Stabilization Cold stabilization is a process used in winemaking to reduce tartrate crystals that’s in wine. These crystals look like grains of clear sand, and are formed by acid and potassium. The temeture of the wine is dropped close to freeing for 1-2 weeks. This will cause the crystals to separate from the wine. During heat stabilization, unstable proteins are removed by absorption, preventing them from being in the finished bottle of wine. Second Fermentation. This process takes three to six months, and is very valuable! The wine is kept under airlock, and proteins from the grapes are broken down, and the yeast cells that are still remaining and other particles are able to settle. In this process, the wine goes from being cloudy, to clear! Secondary fermentation usually takes place in large stainless steel vessels or large oak barrels. The oak gives wine a very good finished taste, but if the winemakers decide to put the wine in stainless steel, oak chips are added! Malolatic Fermentation. This process occurs when lactic acid bacteria mixes with malic acids and produces lactic acids and carbon dioxide. Malolatic fermentation can improve the taste of wine that has large amounts of malic acids. Malic acids creates an unpleasant, harsh, and bitter taste sensation. All red wines go through malolatic fermentation to lessen the amount of acid in the wine, and to remove the possibility that malic acids may be in the bottle. On the other hand, many white wines do not go through fermentation, because they don’t have a lot of acid. Laboratory Tests. Whether wine is stored in vessels or barrels, tests are done regularly. These tests are done to test sugar level, alcohol level, pH level, and many other factors. Theses tests are performed throughout the making of the wine, from the first step through the last! Blending and Fining Different wines can sometimes be mixed together to achieve the desired taste. This process is as simple as the tests the wine have, every now and then. Fining is removing the chemicals and particles that make the wine cloudy. Gelatin has actually been used in many wines for centuries, as a traditional method for wine fining! Usually, no gelatin actually remains in the wine, as it mixes with other chemicals. Also many fining agents will use milk, eggs, bone char, bulls blood, an animals bladder, honey, and a skim milk powder. Preservatives The most common preservative in winemaking is sulfur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide has one main reason, and that is that its an anti oxidant. If sulfur dioxide is added before alcoholic fermentation, it may damage the effects of oxygen, and the wine will go bad! Without the use of sulfur dioxide, wines will suffer bacterial spoilage. Some winemakers practice natural winemaking where no preservatives are added. The wine is then put in a freezer with the temperature being 5 C. Filtration Filtration in winemaking is used to accomplish two objectives: clarification and stabilization. In clarification, large particles that effect the visual appearance of the wine are removed. In stabilization, organisms that effect the stability are removed, therefore killing all possibilities of the wine going bad. The wine is then put in the refrigerator at a low temperature. Bottling. Finally, the last step in winemaking! A final does of sulfite is added to help preserve the wine and to prevent unwanted fermentation going on in the bottle. Once the wine bottles are filled,, they are traditionally sealed with a cork. The final step is adding a capsule! The wine is now ready to be shipped off, and then sold to buyers that will greatly enjoy the taste! Many people actually don’t know how much work is put into making the wine! That’s why its so expensive, nowadays! I hoped I helped you to understand the process of†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. WINEMAKING!!!!!

Black Women in the Slave Trade

Black Women in the Slave Trade Throughout the slave trade, black women often were represented and observed through the sexually repressed European perspective that viewed them as immoral and promiscuous. Many viewed black females lack of modesty as a sign of their impaired moral nature and increased sex drive. The view of the African female as a manipulating temptress thus emerged and it was believed that she used it to her advantage to achieve favours and obtain prestige. It wasnt just the men that sexually abused the enslaved women. According to Shepherd, some white working class women who owned enslaved Africans females rented them out as prostitutes. The children born to these enslaved women were then brought up by the slave owner until they were weaned and then were sold off (Gettysburg, Nd). Planters, slave owners and slave masters had absolute right and power sexually over the female slaves. They used them for prostitution for income. The plantation owners used the slave women for breeding. The production for children for sale was finically good for the slave system. Elizabeth Fenwick found no important reason for differentiation morally between urban slave owners who deployed slave women as prostitutes and the plantation owners who used them for breeding purposes (Milwood and Min, 2014). Barracoons and the encouragement of slave women to have children were of great benefit financially for slave owners and planters. In sententious expression, prostitution of slave women was an extension of the slave trade business. Seeing the purpose of slavery was economical. To conclude, that prostitution was prevalent throughout the slave trade system. According to Edward long of the late eighteenth century, Jamaican enslaved women were predisposed with the propensity to activate sexual with profiency and without moral reflections (cited in Milwood and Min, 2014). In the book sex work and sex workers by Dank and Refinetti (1999) suggest that since the 1970s, the Caribbean such as Barbados it has become famous country for female tourist (Dank and Refinetti, 1999, p. 96). Males search the island for single female tourists (Dank and Refinetti,1999, p. 96). This is called sex tourism. To explain what it is, when rich women tourists come to the Caribbean and pay a beach boy for sex. His appearance is based on the females notion of a hyper sexual black male, hair often dreadlocked, to suggest an untamed primitive nature (Kempadoo, 1999, p.46). you know why some of the girls like the knot-up hair? When some girls send photos and stuff up to England, you dont see any clean cut men. They send a picture of a Rasta so when a girl come down here they think a Rasta is a real Caribbean man, so that is why they go for the Rasta. But some of them does get fool them does get an imposter (cited in Kempadoo, 1999, p. 46). The reason why these boys are having sexual relations with female white tourist is the desire of money. However, the women do not see themselves as prostitutes so they define it has holiday romance. Davidson and Taylor (1999) states that among women surveyed, many of them see they are helping these boys out financially by giving them money and other treats (Kempadoo, 1999, p.48). This can relate back to the Atlantic slave trade where black women were used for sex by the white slave owners (Kempadoo, 1999). The historical link to the beach boys and white female tourists relates not only colour hierarchy but also gender. In the slavery 200 ago, when white men had the power to do anything to a black female. Elridge Cleaver in his book Soul on Ice. Cleaver explains that the sexual attraction between the black man and the white woman the Primeval Urge (Miller, 1997, p.26). Franz Fanon argues that by getting with a white woman the black man proves to himself his importance and it allows him to make up for his inferior feelings caused by slavery (Albo, Nd, no pagination). This singularity is also connects with conventional concepts of the hypersexual Caribbean male Cynthia Enloe (feminist) expresses of the relation to the Caribbean sex tourism as the new plantations, she states that it mirrors the old system of the slave trade many years ago; where white males were dominating black women slaves (Albo, Nd, no pagination). Black individuals have been victims of social stigmas which continues to shape society today. Where they have been damaged during slavery trade such as sexual slavery is evidence of the lack of freedom and the consent to prostitution (Butler, 2015, p. 130). Similarly, pornographic videos and mainstream magazines have also promoted the sexual stereotyping of Black men as sex machines with a particularly ravenous desire for sex with White women (cited in Butler, 2015, p. 130). These sexual stereotypes fuel todays demand for sexual tourism with women of colour (cited in Butler. 2015, p. 130).

Ultrasonic Evaluation of Horizontal Defects

Ultrasonic Evaluation of Horizontal Defects A Novel Method for Ultrasonic Evaluation of Horizontal Defects Using Time-of-Flight Diffraction Abstract Time-of-flight Diffraction method (ToFD) is an amplitude-independent sizing method, which is based on the measurement of time-of-flight of defect tip diffracted waves. Although, ToFD can measure through-wall length of defect accurately, this method is not able to measure horizontal defect size. In this paper, a new time of flight diffraction (ToFD) method for evaluating horizontal planar defects is presented. The finite element method, using ABAQUS software package, is employed to simulate the ultrasonic wave behavior in the test blocks and its interaction with the embedded planar defects. The phased array technology is also used to model the ultrasonic inspection system parameters. FEM simulation of the new ToFD method for different crack sizes shows that, compared to the conventional ToFD method, the accuracy of results is within acceptable range to use the novel technique for measuring the horizontal planar defects. Keywords Ultrasonic wave, diffracted wave, horizontal planar defects, ToFD 1. Introduction Non-destructive testing has been increasingly used to assure the quality and reliability in the oil and gas pipeline industries. The ultrasonic pulse-echo technique uses the pulse flight time to locate the flaw and the echo amplitude to measure the defect size. Since the amplitude of the reflected pulses can be influenced by many parameters, such as beam spread, surface roughness and transparency, using amplitude is not always sufficient for accurate defect sizing (Krautkramer, 1990).The basis of the Time-of-Flight Diffraction (TOFD) technique was invented at the National NDT Centre, Harwell, in the 1970s. Time-of-Flight Diffraction was invented mainly by Silk and his co-workers at the Harwell Laboratory. It was developed over a period of about 10 years starting in the early 1970s, from a laboratory curiosity into a sophisticated full-scale inspection method capable of detecting and sizing defects in components accurately (Silk, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1978)[M1][S2]. The ToFD technique is an amplitude-independent sizing method, based on the measurement of time-of-flight of flaw tips diffracted waves. Golan and Sachese suggested a method to calculate crack size from the time delay between the arrival of a surface longitudinal reference beam and a longitudinal or shear beam diffracted from the tips of crack (Golan, 1980). Mak (Mak, 1983) developed a trigonometric method to calculate location, height and angle of defect by a transducer located in different scan positions. The ToFD technique provides the highest possible accuracy in measuring the depth and through-wall length of defects (Charlesworth et al., 2001), (Baby et al., 2003), (Al-Ataby, 2012). In 1986, finite element simulation of ultrasonic wave propagation and its interaction with defects have been conducted by Ludwig and Lord (Ludwig et al., 1986). The numerical analysis of wave propagation for ToFD in an austenitic stainless steel specimen with consideration of the effects of scattering at grain boundaries was carried out by Lin et al. (Lin et al., 2006), and Connolly (Connolly, 2009). They developed an efficient method for modeling the effects of coarse grains in austenitic materials. In 2007, simulation of the ToFD technique, using finite element method, was carried out by Baskaran et al. They used ANSYS finite element package to model the propagation of ultrasonic waves in a thin cracked two dimensional specimen (Baskaran et al., 2006). In 2010, Honarvar and Khorasani used ABAQUS software package to simulate the propagation of ultrasonic waves and diffraction phenomena. They compared simulated results for drilled-hole diffraction with photo elastic snapshots (Honarv ar and Khorasani et al., 2010). Though, ToFD provides better accuracy in locating and sizing defects than other ultrasonic sizing methods and has a high probability of flaw detection (POD), only through-wall length of the defect can be measured and the defect real size cannot be evaluated (Charlesworth et al., 2001). Therefore, ToFD method cannot be used for measuring and sizing horizontal cracks (horizontal planar defects) (ASME, 2010). In this paper, a new time of flight diffraction (ToFD) method is presented for evaluating and measuring horizontal planar defects. The finite element method, using ABAQUS software package, is employed to simulate the ultrasonic wave behavior in the test blocks and its interaction with the embedded planar defects. The finite element results for different crack sizes are used to study and investigate the presence and generation of different wave modes in the test block and the efficiency and efficacy of the new proposed method. 2. Review of conventional time-of-flight diffraction method (ToFD) The ToFD technique uses tip diffraction to identify the top, bottom, and ends of a discontinuity. Silk chose to use an angled compression wave for the ToFD technique rather than a shear wave, for two reasons. First, the tip diffraction signal is stronger than a shear wave diffraction signal, and second, a lateral wave is produced that can be used to measure the horizontal distance between the transmitter and receiver. The tip diffraction signal is generated at the tip of the discontinuity; effectively a â€Å"point† source. According to Huygens (Krautkramer et al., 1990), a point source produces a spherical wave. Figure 1-a shows a typical TOFD transducer set-up on a component with a vertical discontinuity. Figure 1-b shows both the lateral wave and a diffraction beam from the tip of a reflector. There are four sound paths from the transmitter to the receiver. Path â€Å"A† is the lateral wave path traveling just below the surface. Path â€Å"B† is the tip diffraction path from the top of the discontinuity. Path â€Å"C† is the tip diffraction path from the bottom of the discontinuity, and path â€Å"D† is the back wall echo path. Figure 2 shows a typical un-rectified received signal using ToFD. Note that the phase relationships A and C are in opposite phase to B and D. The important difference to note is between B and C; the top and bottom diffraction signals ar e in opposite phase. This phase difference allows the practitioner to identify those points.[M3] Assuming[S4] that the diffracting tip is centered between the two transducers, the depth of crack tips below the inspection surface can be calculated from (1) [M5][S6](2) and therefore, (3) Where a is the defect through-wall size, d1 is depth of top edge from surface, d2 is depth of bottom edge from surface and 2S is probe separation (see Figure 1-b). C is the longitudinal wave velocity inside the material, t2 and t3 are, respectively, the travel times of waves diffracted from the top and bottom of the crack. 3. Finite element modelingof time-of-flight diffractionmethod In this section, the finite element method (FEM) is used to simulate the ultrasonic wave propagation in the time of flight diffraction technique. The FEM modeling consists of two basic steps; defining mesh configuration and problem discretization, modeling of the transmitting and receiving transducers. ABAQUS finite element software package is employed for analysis and a two-dimensional four-node quadrilateral plane strain element, CPE4R, is used in ABAQUS to discretize a carbon steel test block including vertical crack. See Figure (1-b). The mesh size depends on the frequency of the propagated wave in the sample and the corresponding wavelength. The piezoelectric angle wave transducer, transmitter, is simulated by a transient single frequency pulse wave applying on the surface of the sample. The transient excitation is modeled using a cyclic single frequency pressure/force function as (Mardani et al., 2012), (4) where f is the excitation wave frequency and N is the number of cycles. Using linear delay law for phased array transducers, the compressional excitations can be applied on the sequential elements so that ultrasonic wave propagates at a specific angle, ÃŽ ¸S. The delay time between adjacent elements, or nodes, is calculated using hyphen’s principle (Olympus NDT, 2007) as, (5) where d is distance between two adjacent elements, ÃŽ ¸s is steering angle of propagation, C is longitudinal wave speed in the media and Δt is time delay between two adjacent elements. To investigate the convergence of the results and the appropriate element size for a 2 MHz frequency ultrasonic wave, the signal-to-noise ratio, SNR, is obtained for different element sizes. As it can be seen in Figure 3, at f = 2 MHz, the maximum SNR and SNR convergence occurs for the element sizes smaller than 60 ÃŽ ¼m. 4. The proposed method As it was mentioned before, using the conventional ToFD method in Eqs. (1) to (3), the difference between time-of-flight diffractions of upper and lower crack tips gives the defect through-wall size and the actual defect size cannot be measured. This means that the conventional ToFD technique leads to large errors for oblique defects and cannot also be used for horizontal defects. In the proposed method, a novel configuration and the corresponding formula are used so that the ToFD method can be employed to evaluate horizontal planar defects. Figure 4 shows the proposed ToFD configuration on the specimen with a horizontal planar discontinuity. As it can be seen, in this configuration, two transducers including a transmitter/receiver, No. 1 and a receiver, No. 2, are located at the both sides of defect. The ultrasonic wave propagation, in this configuration, is simulated using ABAQUS to study the behavior of ultrasonic wave modes in the test block and their interaction with the defect. In Figure 5, the different incident ultrasonic wave modes are shown. The transmitting transducer, T1, emits a short pulse of ultrasonic wave, longitudinal wave, into the component and energy spreads out as it propagates into the specimen. If the crack face is smooth, there will be a mirror-like reflection of the wave incident on the face. See Figure 6. For any horizontal planar discontinuity, whether smooth or rough-faced, diffraction from the edges of the defect causes some fraction of the incident energy travel towards the receiving transducers R1and R2 in longitudinal and shear modes with different wave velocity. As it can be seen in Figures 6 and 7, the mode conversion behavior due to the interaction of ultrasonic wave with the defect leads to the presence of longitudinal and shear waves from each tips of the defect. Moreover, three different wave modes, including longitudinal lateral, shear lateral and Rayleigh waves travel from the transmitting transducer, T1, to the receiving transducer, R2. See Figure 5. If the crack is large enough, the signals from the two end of defect will be sufficiently separated in time to be recognized as coming from separate sources. Therefore, using this configuration and the related ultrasonic wave propagation simulation, the time difference between the received longitudinal diffracted waves from the left and right defect tips to each receiver, R1 and R2, can be employed to measure the horizontal defect size. It should be noted that the new method can also be used for evaluating the vertical defects. To calculate the horizontal defect size using Pythagoras’ theorem gives, [M7] (6[S8]) and (7) where t1 is the arrival time of the signal diffracted from the left tip of the defect by receiver 1, R1, and t2 is the arrival time of the signal diffracted from the right tip of the defect by receiver 2, R2. CL is the longitudinal wave velocity and 2S is the separation between the transducers. 5. Results and Discussions To investigate the efficiency and efficacy of the proposed method, using finite element modeling, the novel method is carried out on eight carbon steel blocks with different size embedded horizontal cracks. The test blocks have 100 mm lengths and 20à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚ 20 mm2 cross sections and are modeled with ABAQUS finite element software package using CPE4R plane strain elements. The acoustic and elastic properties of carbon steel are given in Table 1[M9][S10]. Each block contains a horizontal planar defect. The defects have 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 mm length and 12 mm depth, see Figure 4. The transmitter is modeled as an 8-element 2 MHz phased array transducer. Each element of the phased array transducer has 0.5 mm length and the gap space between two adjacent elements is 0.1 mm. The first receiving transducer is located on the position of the transmitter and the second is located at 35 mm distance from the transmitter on the inspection surface, 2S = 35 mm. The ABAQUS finite elemen t software package is used to simulate the new ultrasonic ToFD method. The received signals at the first and the second receivers are shown in Figures 8 and 9. In Figure 8, the first echo is related to the transient pulse waves, Eq. (4), generated by the eight elements of the phased array transducer using a specific delay times, Eq. (5), which receives at the first receiver, initial pulse. In this signal, the second echo is related to wave diffraction from the left tip of the defect which is detected by the first receiver, R1. The back-wall reflection from back surface of the block is shown as the third echo in this figure. Figure 9 shows the signal received by the second transducer, R2. In this signal, the first echo is due to the longitudinal mode of the lateral wave which travels from transmitter to the receiver 2, R2, and the second echo is diffracted wave from the right tip of the horizontal defect. Figures 5, 6 and 7 show the corresponding waves propagated in the test block. U sing the signals detected by the receiving transducers, the corresponding times due to diffracted echoes from the defect tips (left and right) are determined, and then the horizontal defect size is measured using Eqs. (6) and (7). The new method is carried out on eight carbon steel blocks with different size embedded horizontal cracks. The measured crack size resulting from FEM simulation of each block is shown in Table 2. Comparing the simulated and the measured crack size results shows that the maximum error is %19.7 which occurs at 2 mm crack size. As it can be seen in Table 2, the measured crack size error is minimized within the crack size range of 8 14 mm and is slightly increased for larger defects. This agrees with the conventional ToFD results which show higher measurement errors at smaller crack sizes (Charlesworth et al., 2001). Considering the simulated results of different crack size shown in Table 2, show that accuracy of the proposed method for horizontal cracks, comparing to the conventional method for vertical cracks, is within acceptable range. 6. Conclusions In this paper, a new time of flight diffraction (ToFD) method to evaluate horizontal planar defects was presented. The finite element method was employed to simulate the ultrasonic wave behavior in the test blocks and its interaction with the embedded planar defects, such as crack. The phased array technology was also used to model the ultrasonic inspection system parameters. Simulation of the new ToFD method for different crack sizes, using ABAQUS finite element package, showed that, comparing to the conventional ToFD method, the result accuracies are within acceptable range to use the novel technique for measuring the horizontal planar defects. [M11]Using[S12] the new method for eight carbon steel blocks with different size horizontal cracks (2–16 mm) showed that the maximum error occurs at 2 mm crack length. Also, it was observed that the measured crack size error is minimized within the range of 8 14 mm and is slightly increased for larger defects. References Al-Ataby, A. A., Automatic detection, Sizing and Characterization of Weld Defects Using Ultrasonic Time-of-Flight Diffraction, PhD Dissertation, Liverpool University, p.95-96, 2012. American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Boiler and Pressure Vessel code, Section V, Non Destructive Examination. Appendix N time of flight diffraction (TOFD) Interpretation, Article 4, 2010. Baby, S., Balasubramanian, T. , Pardikar, R.J., Palaniappan, M. , and Subbaratnam, R. , Time-of-Flight Diffraction (TOFD) Technique for Accurate Sizing of Surface-breaking Cracks, Insight, June, Vol. 45, No. 6, p. 426-430, 2003. Baskaran, G., Balasubramaniam, K., and Lakshmana Rao, C., Shear Wave Time-of-flight Diffraction (S-ToFD) Technique, NDTE International, Vol. 39, p.458-467, 2006. Charlesworth, J. P., and Temple, J. A. G., Engineering Applications of Ultrasonic Time of Flight Diffraction, England, RSP Press , p.20-28,2001. Connolly, G.D., Modeling of the Propagation of Ultrasound through Austenitic Steel Welds, Ph.D.Dissertation, UK Research Centre in NDE (RCNDE) Department of Mechanical Engineering Imperial College London, 2009. Golan, S., Sizing of Cracks with Scattered Ultrasonic Waves, Proceeding of First International Symposium Ultrasonic Characterization, p. 29-36, 1980. Hellier, C. J., Handbook of Nondestructive Evaluation, McGraw Hill, 2003. Honarvar, F., and Khorasani, S., Simulation of Time of Flight Diffraction (ToFD) Technique by Finite Element Method, Online Workshop in www.ndt.net, September, 2010. Krautkramer, J., and krautkramer, H., Ultrasonic Testing of Materials, Berlin, Springer-Verlag, 1990. Lin, S., Futomi, H., and Ogata, T., Analysis of Wave Propagation for the ToFD Method by Finite Eement Method: Optimization of Test Configuration and Proposal of a New ToFD Method, Nondestructive Evaluation, Vol. 25, 2006. Ludwig and, R., and, Lord, W., Developments in the Finite Element Modeling of Ultrasonic NDT Phenomena, Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation, 5A, American Institute of Physics, p.73-81, 1986. Mak, D.K., Ultrasonic Method for Measuring Crack Location, Crack Height and Crack Angle, Ultrasonics, p.259-270, 1983. Mardani, M., Sodagar, S., and Rashed, G. R., Modeling of Ultrasonic Phased Array Method Using Finite Element Method, ISME2012, Shiraz, Iran. Olympus NDT, Advances in Phased Array Ultrasonic Technology Applications, Waltham, 2007. Silk, M.G., Defect detection and sizing in metal using ultrasound, Int. Metall, V.27, pp28-50, 1973. Silk, M.G., Accurate Technique for Defect Sizing in Pressurized Components, London, Institution of Mechanical Engineers, V.3, pp155-162, 1974. Silk, M.G., Defect Sizing Using Ultrasonic Diffraction, British Journal of Nondestructive Test, V.21, p.12-15, 1976. Silk, M.G., The Use of Diffraction-based Ttime-of-flight Measurement to Locate and Size Defects, British journal of Nondestructive Test, Vol. 26, p.208-213, 1978. [M1]please shorten this and delete repeated and unnecessary information. [S2]Done [M3]How do you see these in Figure 2? [S4]It can be explained by: The maximum amplitude at first (A) and third (C) echoes at tL and t2 are dip (negative) and the maximum amplitude at second (B) and fifth (D) are peak (positive). [M5]Show â€Å"S† in figure 1-b. [S6]Done [M7]Show all parameters in the figures. [S8]Done. [M9]Give all units in this table. [S10]Done. [M11]This is more like an abstract than conclusions. It adds nothing to the paper. [S12]Done.

Change Management Essay -- Work Technology Papers

Change Management Change is not something to be taken lightly. "This issue of change is one of the greatest challenges in the workplace today" (Fralix, P., 1998). One of the pitfalls of change within an organization is employees' fear of what change will bring. Will implementing new technologies destroy my job? Will I be able to keep up with the changes in my organization? These are some of the questions that bring about employee apprehension to changes in business. This very apprehension can determine the success or the failure of change within that system. Yet change is inevitable. Much like the Darwinian theory of survival, the company that can adapt with changes in emerging technologies will survive in today's society. So how does a company adapt to changes? The company employs change management strategies in their business. What is Change Management? Why is it important for Instructional Technologists to use change management when introducing new innovations to the organization? In this paper I w ill define change management, discuss some positive strategies to change management. I will also point out why it is important for Instructional Technologists to use positive change management strategies. Change Management Changes, that makes the strain. Changes†¦ David Bowe What is Change Management? In the EBSCO Business Search there were one hundred and eighty three articles on this very topic. Obviously this is a hot topic in Management and Business journals, yet only one article offered a definition of what change management is. In the article, "Global trends in Managing Change" Lisa Kudray and Brian Kleiner offer this definition, Change Management is defined as the continuous process of aligning an organi... ...r) Top-down leadership critical to change issue. Triangle Business Journal, (14) 2, 21. Retrieved October 28, 1999 from EBSCO business search on Galileo: http://www.galileo.gsu.edu Goldwasser, C. & Schneider D. ( 1998, March). Be a model leader of change. Management Review, (87) 3 , 41-46.. Retrieved October 28, 1999 from EBSCO business search on Galileo: http://www.galileo.gsu.edu Hofman, D. & Orlikowski, W. ( 1997, Winter). An improvisational model for change Management: The case of GroupWare technologies. Sloan Management Review,(38) 2 , 11-22. Retrieved October 28, 1999 from EBSCO business search on Galileo: http://www.galileo.gsu.edu Kleiner, B. & Kudray, L (1997, May/June). Global trends in managing change. Industrial Management, (39) 3, 18-21. Retrieved October 28, 1999 from EBSCO business search on Galileo: http://www.galileo.gsu.edu

The Fight for the Ordination of Women in the Roman Catholic Church Ess

It is a well-known fact that women of the Catholic Church have been excluded from holding important leadership roles throughout history. While the more subordinate women of the early Catholic Church once accepted this view, Catholic women around the world are now challenging it. Multiple secular and religious influences over the last few decades have empowered women to find their voice and speak out against this long-standing tradition of discrimination (Henold 15). Despite all of the debate and the shortage of priests, the Catholic Church has not waivered in its belief against the ordination of women into priesthood. To gain a better understanding of this debate, one must examine the history and aspirations of the Catholic feminist movement, as well as the reasoning behind the church’s decision to uphold this long- standing tradition. In the early days of the Catholic Church, strict guidelines were placed on women to ensure that they were pure, domestic, and submissive. They were expected to conform to the model of the â€Å"eternal woman† by giving up any personal desires and surrendering themselves to God (Henold 25). This ideal woman was portrayed in a publication called The Eternal Women, which was written in 1934 by a German historian by the name of Gertrud von Le Fort (Henold 26). Le Fort expressed that women were assigned the duty of sacrifice, and while men had to sacrifice as well, it was not in their nature. It was expected that a woman must surrender to her husband in all aspects of life, including decisions pertaining to child bearing (Henold 27). She used the Virgin Mary as an example of surrender, by explaining that Mary surrendered herself to God when accepting her role as the mother of Jesus (Henold 27). ... ...ntinue fighting for equal rights even when faced with excommunication. The Vatican issued a statement in May of 2008 saying that all women priests and the bishops who ordained them would be excommunicated (â€Å"Roman Catholic†). Despite countless threats to supporters, the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests is gaining support as they continue to ordain women into priesthood and establish congregations around the globe. It is difficult to predict what the future holds for the women of the Catholic Church. Although they have found success in some areas in their fight for equality, the Vatican has remained consistent in its refusal to allow the ordination of women into priesthood even into the present day. It is evident that no matter what decisions are made in the future, this will continue be a topic of constant debate and tension in the Catholic Church.

Mrs Fields Cookies Essay

Mrs. Fields Cookies was founded by Debbi Fields in the late 1970s. She and her husband Randy Fields opened their first store in 1977 in Palo Alto, California, selling homemade-style cookies which quickly grew in popularity. Products Mrs. Fields Cookies came in 14 varieties. All baked products were made on premises in the individual stores and the company especially focused on the fresh cookies. If the cookies are not sold within two hours, they were given away and discarded. Competitors Mrs. Fields competitors included New York’s David’s Cookies, Atlanta’s Original Great American Chocolate Chip Cookie Company, and the Nestle Company’s Original Cookie Co. Challenges 1. Low barriers to entry and mall locations competition In the early 1980s, cookies were cheap to make and the barriers of sweet snack industry to entry were low. There were many cookies producers and many consumers in the market, and no business had total control over the market price. Because some 80% of Mrs. Fields outlets were in shopping malls, so the competition for the most favorable mall locations was fierce. 2. Franchising Financing and performance of exchange market  Mrs. Fields had consistently refused to franchise their stores, because â€Å"she viewed franchising as a loss of control over the end product and loss of touch with the customers†. To find bank financing and additional capital for expansion, Mrs. Fields tried to go public and made initial public offering on the London exchange in 1986, but this experience was not successful, because buyers did not know the company and did not believe that Mrs. Fields’ business could be sustained growth without franchising. The result was that the stock price rose slowly. Business Strategy Organizational strategy Mrs. Fields had a non-hierarchy organization with decentralized decision making. Typically, there was no official organization chart in company which means Mrs. Fields wanted to take advantage of the intelligence and trust the judgment of employee throughout the company, instead of relying on a small set of decision makers. The employees at Mrs. Fields were given much more responsibilities such as local marketing decisions were made by the regional and district managers, because they needed to be able to respond quickly to the demands of target customers. Mrs. Fields also encouraged employees to be wacky and personable, so that customers feel comfortable purchasing cookies. The company placed high value on employees by using â€Å"promote from within† strategy, employees were rewarded for their performance with a bonus system. Information System strategy Information technology played a very important role at Mrs. Fields. MIS enabled Mrs. Fields to have â€Å"network structure† and use centralized information system out of Utah and distribute it to every store as needed. Mrs. Fields’ approach of information technology was consistent with an ad-hoc cost/benefit analysis. All stores were running under implementation of information systems at Mrs. Fields to promote sales and control labor and cookies cost. Mrs. Fields also believed that it was not necessary to expand staff to accommodate business growth, and smaller groups of people at Mrs. Fields could make decision to solve business problems faster and better if people could work very well with the information technology to develop more new and creative applications, because a useful information system in company could save time and labor cost, and make business operations more accurate, effective and efficient. Operations strategy First, Mrs. Fields used very friendly and organized design style for their stores to attract more customers. Customers always were drawn into the store by the openness of the design and by the aroma of hot cookies fresh from the ovens. Second, sophisticated management information system also played a very important role on the business operations. Store management system designed by Randy and the MIS organization was integrated with each business process for day planning, production schedule, time clocks, store accounting, inventory, interview scheduling, skill testing and electronic mail. Controller at headquarter in Utah was also integrated with system collecting sales information received from all stores. The information system helped controller in generating reports for management review. â€Å"Expanded store† strategy/ diversification strategy From 1980s, Mrs. Fields started a series of acquisitions to expand their businesses including a 119-store French Bakery/sandwich chain, La Pette Boulangerie and Famous Chocolate Chip Company. These acquisitions brought a combination of full lines of both cookies and bakery products and presented an opportunity to carve out a niche in a highly fractionalized market, and the size of the operation constituted an investment barrier to competition. But the same time, the acquisition also brought many of overhead functions into the existing organization, including accounting, finance, personnel, human resources, etc.