The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Forty-One

It seemed like he and Bonnie had been waiting forever in the tiny back office of the library, Matt thought. They had strained to catch a sound, to try and learn anything at al about what was happening down there. Bonnie paced, wringing her hands and biting her lips, and he leaned against the wal , head lowered, and kept a good grip on Samantha's stave. Just in case. He knew about al the doors and passages and tunnels down there, many of which he had no idea where they led, but he didn't realize the soundproofing was so good. They hadn't heard a thing. Then suddenly the trapdoor was pushing up, and Matt tensed, raising the stave, until he saw Elena's face. Meredith, Elena, Stefan, and Damon climbed out, covered in blood, but basical y fine, if the eager way Elena and Meredith were tel ing Bonnie what happened, their words tumbling over each other, was any indication. â€Å"Ethan's dead,† Stefan told Matt. â€Å"There were some other Vitales down there in the fight, but none of the pledges. He'd sent them out to hunt.† Matt felt sick and weirdly happy at the same time. He'd pictured them dead at Damon and Stefan's hands, Chloe, al his friends from pledging. But they weren't. Not dead, not real y. But transformed, vampires now. â€Å"You're going to hunt them,† he said, aiming his words at Stefan and Damon, and at Meredith, too. She nodded, her face resolved, and Damon looked away. â€Å"We have to,† Stefan told him. â€Å"You know that.† Matt stared hard at his shoes. â€Å"Yeah,† he said, â€Å"I know. But, if you get a chance, maybe talk to some of them? If you can, if they're reasonable and no one's in danger? Maybe they could learn to live without kil ing people. If you showed them how, Stefan.† He rubbed at the back of his neck. â€Å"Chloe was †¦ special. And the other pledges, they were good people. They didn't know what they were getting into. They deserve a chance.† Everyone was silent, and, after a moment, Matt looked up to find Stefan regarding him, his eyes dark green with sympathy, his mouth pul ed taut in lines of pain. â€Å"I'l do my best,† he said kindly. â€Å"I can promise you that. But new vampires – vampires in general, real y – can be unpredictable. We might not be able to save any of them, and our priority has to be the innocent. We will try, though.† Matt nodded. His mouth tasted sour and his eyes burned. He was beginning to realize just how tired he was. â€Å"That's about the best I can expect,† he said roughly. â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"So there's a whole room ful of dead vampires down there?† Bonnie asked, wrinkling her nose in disgust. â€Å"Pretty much,† said Elena. â€Å"We chained the doors closed again, but I wish we could close the chamber off more permanently. Someone's going to go down there eventual y, and the last thing this campus needs is another murder investigation, or another gruesome legend.† â€Å"Ta-da!† Bonnie said, grinning brightly and pul ing a little bag out of her pocket. â€Å"Final y something I can do.† She held the bag up. â€Å"Remember al the hours Mrs. Flowers made me spend studying herbs? Well, I know spel s for locking and warding, and I've got the herbs to use right here. I thought they might come in handy, as soon as Matt told us we were going to a secret underground chamber.† She looked so pleased with herself that Matt had to smile a little despite the heaviness inside him at the thought of Chloe and the others somewhere out in the night. â€Å"They might not work for more than a day or two,† she added modestly, â€Å"but they'l definitely discourage people from investigating the trapdoor for that long.† â€Å"You're a wonder, Bonnie,† Elena said, and spontaneously hugged her. Stefan nodded. â€Å"We can get rid of the bodies tomorrow,† he said. â€Å"It's too close to dawn to do it now.† Bonnie got right to work, sprinkling dried plants across the trapdoor. â€Å"Hyssop, Solomon's seal, and damiana leaves,† she said when she saw Matt watching her. â€Å"They're for strengthening of locks, protection from evil, and general protection. Mrs. Flowers dril ed me on this stuff so much I final y got them al down. It's too bad I didn't have her helping me with my homework in high school. Maybe I would have learned some of those French verbs.† Damon was watching them, his eyes half hooded. â€Å"We should look for the new vampires, too,† he said. â€Å"You know vampires aren't pack animals. They won't hunt together for long. Once they split up, we can pick them off,† he told Stefan. â€Å"I'm coming, too,† Meredith said. She looked at Damon chal engingly. â€Å"I'l just walk Matt home and then meet up with you both.† Damon smiled, a peculiarly warm smile that Matt had never seen him direct at Meredith before. â€Å"I was talking to you, too, hunter,† he said. â€Å"You've gotten better.† After a second, she smiled back, a humorous twist of her lips, and Matt thought he saw something that might be the beginnings of friendship flickering between them. â€Å"So the Vitales were definitely behind al the murders and disappearances?† Matt asked Stefan, feeling sick. How could he have spent so much time with Ethan and not suspected that he was a murderer? Bonnie's face went so white that her few freckles showed like little dark dots on plain paper. And then her color came flooding back, her cheeks and ears turning a bright pink. She climbed unsteadily to her feet. â€Å"I should go see Zander,† she said. â€Å"Hey,† Matt said, alarmed, and moved to block the door. â€Å"There's stil a whole bunch of vampires outside, Bonnie. Wait for somebody to walk you over.† â€Å"Not to mention that you have other commitments,† Damon said dryly, looking meaningful y at the herbs scattered across the trapdoor. â€Å"After you work your witchy mojo, then you can go see your pet.† â€Å"We're sorry, Bonnie,† Meredith said, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to another. â€Å"We should have trusted you to know a good guy when you saw one.† â€Å"Right! Al is forgiven,† Bonnie said brightly, and plopped down in front of the trapdoor again. â€Å"I just need to say the spel .† She ran her hands through the herbs. â€Å"Existo signum,† she muttered. â€Å"Servo quis est intus.† As she scooped some of the herbs back into her bag, Bonnie kept smiling, and stopping, and staring into space, and then bouncing a little. Matt smiled at her tiredly. Good for Bonnie. Someone ought to have a happy ending. He felt a strong, thin hand take his and turned to see Meredith beside him. She smiled sympathetical y at him. Nearby, Elena laid her hand tentatively on Stefan's arm, and they both had their eyes on Bonnie. Damon stood stil , watching them al with an almost fond expression. Matt leaned against Meredith, comforted. No matter what happened, at least they were together. His true friends were with him; he had come home to them at last. The sun was low in the east when Bonnie climbed up the fire escape, her feet clanging on each step. As she came over the side of the building, she saw Zander sitting with his back against the rough concrete wal at the edge of the roof. He turned to stare at her as she came toward him. â€Å"Hi,† she said. She'd been so excited to see him on her way over here, enough so that Elena and Meredith got over their guilt and started to laugh at her, but now she felt weird and uncomfortable, like her head was too big. It was, she realized, total y possible that he wouldn't want to talk to her. After al , she'd accused him of being a murderer, which was a pretty big mistake for a girlfriend to make. â€Å"Hi,† he said slowly. There was a long pause, and then he patted the concrete next to him. â€Å"Want to sit down?† he asked. â€Å"I'm just watching the sky.† He hesitated. â€Å"Ful moon in a couple of days.† Mentioning the ful moon felt like a chal enge, and Bonnie settled next to him, then squeezed her hands together and jumped right in. â€Å"I'm sorry I cal ed you a kil er,† she said. â€Å"I know now that I was wrong to accuse you of being responsible for the deaths on campus. I should have trusted you more. Please accept my apology,† she finished in a little rush. â€Å"Because I miss you.† â€Å"I miss you, too,† Zander said. â€Å"And I understand it was a shock.† â€Å"Seriously, though, Zander,† Bonnie said, and shoved him a little with her hip. â€Å"You just tel me you're a werewolf? Did you get bitten when you were a kid or something? Because I know getting bitten is the only way to become a werewolf without kil ing someone. And, okay, I know you're not the kil er now, but Meredith saw you with a girl who'd just been attacked. And †¦ and you had bruises, real y bad bruises everywhere. I think I had every right to think something was hinky with you.† â€Å"Hinky?† Zander laughed a little, but there was an edge of sadness to it, Bonnie thought. â€Å"I guess it's kind of hinky, if you want to put it that way.† â€Å"Can you explain?† Bonnie asked. â€Å"Okay, I'l try,† Zander said thoughtful y. He reached down and took her hand, turning it over in his and playing with her fingers, pul ing them lightly. â€Å"As you apparently know, most werewolves are created either by being bitten, or by having the werewolf virus in their family and activating it by kil ing someone in a special ritual. So, either a terrible attack, which usual y screws the victim up, or a deliberate act of evil to grab the power of the wolf.† He grimaced. â€Å"It kind of explains why werewolves have such a bad reputation. But there's another kind of werewolf.† He glanced at Bonnie with a sort of shy pride. â€Å"I come from the Original pack of werewolves.† Original. Bonnie's mind raced. Immortal, she thought, and remembered Klaus, who had never been a human. â€Å"So†¦ you're real y old, then?† she asked hesitantly. It was fine, she guessed, for Elena to date guys who had seen centuries go by. Romantic, even. Sort of. Despite the crush she'd had on Damon, though, Bonnie always pictured dating someone close to her own age. Even Meredith's cute, smart Alaric seemed kind of old to her, and he was only in his twenties. Zander snorted with sudden laughter and squeezed her hand tight. â€Å"No!† he said. â€Å"I just turned twenty last month! Werewolves aren't like that – we're alive. We live, we die. We're like everybody else, we just†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Turn into superstrong, superfast wolves,† Bonnie said tartly. â€Å"Yeah, fine,† Zander said. â€Å"Point taken. Anyway, the Original pack is like, the original family of werewolves. Most werewolves are infected by some kind of mystical virus. It can be passed down, but it's dormant. The Original pack is descended from the very first werewolves, the ones that were cavemen except during the ful moon. It's in our genes. We're different from regular werewolves. We can stop ourselves from changing if we need to. We can learn to change when the moon's not ful , too, although it's difficult.† â€Å"If you can stop yourself from changing, do some of you stop being werewolves?† Bonnie asked. Zander pul ed her closer. â€Å"We would never stop being werewolves, even if we never changed at al . It's who we are. And it hurts to not change when the moon is ful . It's like it sings to us, and the song gets louder and clearer the closer it gets to being ful . We're aching to change by the time it happens.† â€Å"Wow,† said Bonnie. Then her eyes widened. â€Å"So, al your friends are members of the Original pack, too? Like, you're al related?† â€Å"Um,† Zander said. â€Å"I guess. But the relationship can go back pretty far – it's not like we're al first cousins or anything.† â€Å"Weird,† Bonnie said. â€Å"Okay, Original pack, got it.† She snuggled her head comfortably against Zander's shoulder. â€Å"Tel me the rest.† â€Å"Okay,† Zander said again. He pushed his hair out of his eyes and wrapped one arm around Bonnie. It was getting a little cold sitting on the concrete, and she nestled grateful y against the warmth of his side. â€Å"So, Dalcrest is on what's sort of a hot spot for paranormal activity. There's these things cal ed ley lines, see†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Already know it,† Bonnie said briskly. â€Å"Go on with your part.† Zander stared at her. â€Å"O †¦ kay,† he said slowly. â€Å"Anyway, the High Wolf Council sends some of us to Dalcrest every year as students. So that we can monitor any dangers. We're kind of like watchdogs, I guess. The original watchdogs.† Bonnie snorted. â€Å"The High Wolf Council.† Zander poked her in the ribs. â€Å"Shut up, it's not funny,† he said. â€Å"They're very important.† Bonnie giggled again, and he elbowed her gently. â€Å"So, with al the disappearances and attacks, things have been bad on campus this year,† he continued, sobering. â€Å"Much worse than they usual y are. We've been investigating. A pack of vampires in a secret society on campus is behind it, and we've been fighting them off and protecting people when we can. But we're not as strong as they are, except at the ful moon, even if we change. And so the bruises. And your friend seeing me guarding a girl who'd just been attacked.† â€Å"Don't worry. We took care of the Vitale Society tonight,† Bonnie said smugly. â€Å"Well, the leader at least, and some of the others,† she amended. â€Å"There's stil a bunch of vampires on campus, but we'l get rid of them.† Zander turned and stared at her for a long moment before he spoke. â€Å"I think,† he said at last in a careful y neutral voice, â€Å"that it's your turn to explain.† Bonnie wasn't actual y that great at properly organized, logical explanations, but she did her best, going back and forth in time, adding side notes and remembering things as she went along. She told him about Stefan and Damon, and how everything had changed when the vampire brothers came to Fel ‘s Church last year and Elena fel in love with them. She told him about Meredith's sacred duty as a vampire hunter, and she told him about her own psychic visions and her training as a witch. She left a lot of stuff out – everything about the Dark Dimension, and Elena's bargain with the Guardians, for instance, because that was real y confusing, and maybe she should tel him about it later so he didn't just overload – but the tel ing stil took a long time. â€Å"Huh,† Zander said when she was finished, and then he laughed. â€Å"What?† Bonnie asked. â€Å"You're a weird girl,† Zander said. â€Å"Pretty heroic, though.† Bonnie pushed her face into his neck, happily breathing in the essential Zander smel of him: fabric softener, worn cotton, and clean guy. â€Å"You're weird,† she said, and then, admiringly, â€Å"and the real hero. You've been fighting off vampire attacks for weeks and weeks, to protect everybody.† â€Å"We're quite a pair,† Zander said. â€Å"Yeah,† Bonnie said. She sat up and faced him, then reached out and ran her hand through his soft pale hair, pul ing his head closer to her. â€Å"Stil ,† she said, just before their lips touched, â€Å"normal is overrated.†

International Marketing Research Challenges Essay

INTRODUCTION Due to global financial issues in the recent months, consumer confidence is low in the more developed markets such as Japan, the US and Europe (AFP, 2012). Therefore developing markets, such as the Australian market, are looking towards emerging markets where the markets have remained dynamic and rich in growth opportunities. This is because emerging markets â€Å"have reached a minimum level of GDP and are in the growth phase of the development cycle† (Pearson Education, 2012), however due to this growth phase these markets are still vulnerable to both internal and external forces. With many companies world-wide seeking global growth opportunities, it has never been more important for international marketing research to be conducted in order to fully understand the consumers of these markets (Greenland, 2011). This growth of emerging markets has presented a number of challenges for international marketing researchers including differences in research costs and also environmen tal differences such as differences in culture and even difficulties in communication and technology. CHALLENGE 1 – RESEARCH COST VARIATIONS Conducting research in a different country, especially one that is classified as an emerging market, can create many issues for international market researchers. For example, Greenland (2011) talked about how the expense of conducting research in emerging markets, such as Africa, is usually much higher than when compared to projects conducted in developed countries. Even though some of these issues may be catered for at the planning stage, many of these issues are unpredictable and can occur at any stage throughout the research project, creating a high chance of the project going over budget. Many factors including travel costs, currency fluctuation and availability of technology can affect the price of market research. However due to the fact that creative research approaches are needed in emerging markets, these higher prices may not be able to be overcome without a lot of research and understanding of the cultural and economic norms of the emerging market country (Craig and Dougla s 2005). As well as culture and economics being a factor in the high cost variations associated with research on emerging markets, the fact that infrastructure and technology is significantly limited also creating many issues to market researchers. This is because limited technology significantly limits the number of options the international market researchers have access to in order to conduct their research. No or limited technology means that most market research will need to be conducted face-to-face. Having to conduct research face-to-face in emerging markets can introduce extra expenses in the form of travel and extra staff when compared to virtual interactions such as online surveys. This is because in many of these emerging markets, for example Africa, â€Å"poor road networks, lack of direct flights, and the vast distances involved† (Greenland 2011) make it extremely difficult to reach these rural areas. As well as being time consuming, this is also a costly process with both transportation and accommodation needed to be taken into account. With these face-to-face interactions comes the problem of being able to communicate with participants who are likely to speak a different language. On suggestion to overcoming this problem is to train local people within the emerging market to conduct the research on behalf of the international market researchers. However, this approach is only a viable option if there are no time constraints due to the fact that it is likely to take a lot of time to train these new people and make them understand what the researcher is trying to find out. International market research can cost a lot more than when conducting research in a developed market, however businesses that are wanting to invest in emerging markets must plan for these extra costs if they want their new venture to succeed. CHALLENGE 2 – CULTURAL DIFFERENCES Every country has their own distinct cultural rules which can cause great confusion and problems when trying to conduct market research in a country that differs so greatly to your own country. For example, in Middle Eastern societies where women have very different roles to those women living in more western societies. This is why â€Å"the marketing research process should be modified so that it does not conflict with the cultural values† (Malhotra 2010) of the country in question. In countries such as the Middle East, women are more likely to experience lower education and literacy rates than their western society counterparts. For this reason and many others, face-to-face interviewing seems to be the most viable option for conducting marketing research in these countries (Greenland, 2011). However, even with face-to-face interviews this illiteracy can lead to the respondents not able to formulate their own opinions and all information gained could be biased or non-existent (Malhotra 2010). Furthermore, the cultural differences in these countries can extend further than just lower education rates, with many other factors affecting the way research must be conducted in these emerging countries to be effective. For example, many Arab cultures prohibit their women to have contact with non-family males, which can cause problems with allowing male researchers to conduct face-to-face interviews (Greenland 2011). A solution to this problem could be training female researchers to conduct the research when female interviewees are needed. However as well as this being possibly dangerous and deadly to the female, in many developing countries females are the bottom class and are seen to only do household duties, therefore a job would be against cultural beliefs. The extent of the products currently available in the emerging markets is another cultural issue that researchers must face when wanting to introduce a product. Malhotra (2010) suggests researchers need to look at the public’s attitude towards advertising, the government’s control of the media and the behaviour of consumers when conducting research. All of the previous factors change within different cultures which furthers heightens the need for specific research methods and ideas for different emerging markets. CHALLENGE 3 – COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES Communication challenges in emerging markets not only relate to language barriers but also differences in technology and cultures. Market researchers may find it very difficult to communicate the more complex ideas of their business to research participants in emerging markets where the language barrier is high. There has been a lot of research been into trying to find a way to overcome this problem. Greenland (2009), looked into using visual cues, such as photographs, to aid the research participants in obtaining a greater understanding of what the researcher was trying to convey. Craig and Douglas (2001), suggest the idea of videotaping people and analysing the behaviour observed to try and identify consumer buying habits. This however can pose many issues from whether it is legal or ethical to tape people without their knowledge and even whether cultural differences change what we would think a particular behaviour conveys. Greenland (2009), also talks about the language barrier when it comes to translating information from English to Swahili in the form of a questionnaire. The Swahili version of the questionnaire was notably longer than that of the English version which impacts the time taken to conduct the research. While Malhotra (2010) talks about translation from English to German and how the particular meaning of questions were altered when translated, which confused the final results. This is a problem that the researchers tried and failed to overcome at the time of the research being conducted. Also tying into communication issues is the challenge of conducting research without the technology that developed markets rely so heavily on. According to Malhotra (2010) the lives of everyday citizens, particularly those in rural areas, of countries such as India, South Korea and many Latin American countries, are yet to be impacted by advances in science and technology.† This, therefore, has an impact on how information is collected and stored and can also have an impact on the type of information a market researcher can collect. These non-existent advances in science and technology not only eliminate internet surveys or discussions but in many countries also eliminate the ability to conduct telephone interviews, with researchers unable to find complete telephone directories if the households have access to the telephone at all (Malhotra 2010). With the amount of challenges facing researchers regarding technology, it is often much more efficient to conduct face-to-face interviews. CONCLUSION â€Å"With the accelerating pace of market globalisation† (Craig and Douglas 2005), emerging markets are gradually becoming of greater interest to larger businesses all around the world. To efficiently sell products in these emerging markets a lot of research needs to be done to fully understand the consumers in these emerging markets in order to effectively market and sell their product. There are many factors that make emerging markets different to sell products in when compared to developed markets including, political differences and even variations in currency. This is why it is so important to understand how to efficiently conduct research in these countries prior to selling goods. However, there are many challenges that face researchers in these emerging markets, including the different costs of research, cultural differences and communication difficulties. These challenges can cause the research to take a lot longer and cost a lot more money than researchers would be used to. However, much research is being done to come up with solutions to combat these challenges which will hopefully make it increasingly easier for businesses to invest in emerging markets in the future. REFERENCES AFP 2012, Nestle sweet on emerging markets, The West Australian, viewed on 22nd June 2012, Craig, C. S. and Douglas, S. P 2005, Future Directions in International Marketing Research, Chapter 15 in International Marketing Research, 3rd Edition, John Wiley & Sons, viewed 22nd June Craig, CS and Douglas, SP 2001, Conducting international marketing research in the twenty-first century, International Marketing Review, Vol. 18 Iss: 1, pp.80 – 90 Greenland, S. J 2011, Challenges of researching consumers in emerging markets. Marketing in the age of consumerism: Jekyll or Hyde?, Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy Greenland, SJ 2009, Visual Research for Segmenting Emerging Markets, Proceedings of ‘Sustainable Management and Marketing’, Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy Conference (ANZMAC), Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 30 November – 02 December 2009, viewed 19th June 2012

Compare and contrast the uk educational system to the educational Essay

Compare and contrast the uk educational system to the educational system in nigeria - Essay Example In UK the academic year is split into autumn, spring and summer and schooling is compulsory to all children between the ages of 5 - 16 years. The framework of education in UK does not have a curriculum for schooling at early ages, but it sets out sensible standards and aims of learning. Discipline is highly tolerated and students are usually effective and efficient in their studies. Education in Nigeria starts at an early age of pre-school and at the age of six years, pupils are allowed to join primary schools in which they graduate after another six years. Education is compulsory at this level and government of Nigeria usually aid in funding it with parents taking responsibility of purchasing school uniforms. After completion of primary education, pupils are awarded primary school leaving certificates and the best candidates are allowed to advance on with secondary education for six years. Secondary schools in Nigeria are not mixed and are either boy’s secondary school or girl’s school. This essay will encompass the various differences, similarities and conclusions to the education system between Nigeria and United Kingdom (UK) and will feature out the need for a transformed schooling system. Both systems of schooling are strictly and highly governed by formal British English where students and pupils are taught at an early age on how to communicate with the language and be conversant with it. British English is usually used by facilitators, instructors, teachers and Lecturers to communicate to their students and pupils during class activities, extra curriculum activities and all interactions within school and among its suburbs (Adeolu 2013). In both UK and Nigeria, school phases have similar names and all the stages of education between the two countries possess similarities in their structure. In both countries, there is a national syllabus to outline all what is supposed to be covered by students in order

Secret reserve accounting is likely to create conflict between Essay

Secret reserve accounting is likely to create conflict between management, shareholders and employees - Essay Example It would represent the surplus of available assets over the capital and liabilities. It is not apparent in the ledger too. Creating secret reserves is likely to strengthen the financial situation of the organisation concerned. The actual financial position and the financial position observed through the balance sheet would be different – the financial position of the company would be stronger than its apparent situation on records. As a result, conflicting inferences are likely to be obtained when it comes to secret reserve accounting. Creating secret reserves will definitely involve the management, some of the employees and the shareholders are likely to remain in dark. Secret reserve accounting will not show even under the suspense account and affect the capital flow in a concealed fashion. Undervaluation of available assets, omitting the rise in asset values, providing extra depreciation on the assets that are fixed, etc. are the methods of secret reserve accounting. In thi s context, the question is in the form of the following statement: Secret reserve accounting is likely to create conflict between management, shareholders and employees. – Critically discuss. ... After that, the various conflict scenarios between the management, shareholders and employees will be critically discussed. Last, the conclusion will be drawn with the final opinion about the research statement. Literature Review The academic literature in the context of secret reserves reveals interesting opinions and scholastic approaches. First, a view on the nature and scope of secret reserve as an accounting term should be considered. â€Å"Secret reserves – this accounting term has been made to cover a multitude of sins: whenever objection is taken to pessimistic writing off of invested values, or disproportionate charges of depreciation, or again to charges to operations or revenue, for capital expenditures which should have been applied to the increase of assets, the answer is, secret reserves.† (Esquerre, 1978) So if the owner of a corporation is creating secret reserve and implementing related accounting practices, his/her capital assets have likely been knock ed down into the pit of secret reserves and that their book value, as it stood at the time, was likely preposterous. Hence the questions in issue would be: Does the owner want to deceive the shareholders, the government, the public or his own self? Does he wish to submit to the directors, the shareholders, the banks and the public, financial statements with a mental footnote to the effect that things are not in truth what they would show on their face? And if it is well to hide the owner’s wealth from some people (in his perspective), can it be believed that anyone capable of reading balance sheets is not in a position to follow accounting facts from year to year, and to point out fluctuations in wealth not supported by the statement of income submitted, and thus unearth secret

How have women progressed over the past forty years in The Bahamas Essay

How have women progressed over the past forty years in The Bahamas - Essay Example This paper focuses on how women in the Bahamas acquired the rights to vote, progression of women in leadership especially in politics, education, and legal affairs, as well as issues of poverty and level of income among women. One of the significant progressions of women in the Bahamas is the acquisition of the right to vote. Recently, the Bahamas celebrated the 51st centenary of the Women’s Suffrage Movement. In the past, women and other individuals who did not own property were no allowed to vote in the Bahamas. This movement took place in the 1950’s and it was aimed at fighting for the rights of women to vote like the male population (Hannas-Ewers 70). According to Komolafe, women all over the world were involved in a lot of struggles that saw the world start advocating for the rights of women and issues of equality. It is important to posit that the Bahamas was colonized by the United Kingdom with the earliest English settlers occupying their land as early as the se venteenth century. They gained their independence on July 10, 1973. During the colonial era, only men owning assets were allowed to vote. The reason behind this was the notion that men owning assets laid more significance on the having an efficient leadership (A4). To understand the progression of women in the Bahamas over the last forty years in terms equality in voting, it is important to elucidate the fact that the advancement of shared and collective situations as well as the initiative of impartiality started as early as the nineteenth century. This period saw a lot of women advancing in education and hence many women were involved in development and transformation agendas. This laid the foundation of the Women’s Suffrage Movement. During the periods of the struggle, both women and men were opposed and demanded a rectification of cultural, opinionated, and financial disparities. In 1960, steps and strategies were put into place that would allow women to vote. Consequentl y, women in the Bahamas participated in their initial voting exercise in 1962. The Bahamian constitution is heralded as a preeminent document but some parts form the basis for the discrimination against women. This is supported by West who posits that â€Å"The Women’s Suffrage Movement founded by Mary Ingraham, Georgina Symonette, and Eugenia Lockhart in the early to mid 1950’s aimed to attain the vote for women. With the help of Dr. Doris Johnson, the first Bahamian woman to obtain a doctorate, who mobilized the organization, women succeeded in obtaining the vote in 1961. They voted for the first time in 1962† (22). The United Nations implemented plans of actions that necessitated all nations to bring to an end disparity against women in 1979. This plan of action is known as the International Bill of Rights for Women. This was approved and endorsed by the Bahamas government in 1993. This move significantly ended prejudice and unfairness against women (West 22) . However, according to the constitution, women are given equivalent liberties and privileges based on whether their children are citizens of the Bahamas or whether they are citizens in another country. Currently, women in the Bahamas have made a lot of progression in politics. West points out that â€Å"Dr. Doris Johnson was the first woman to be a cabinet minister (1968) and the first to

Research proposal in CSR Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Proposal in CSR - Research Paper Example Literature Review Summary 15 III. Research Objectives and Questions 15 IV. Research Design and Methodology 17 A. Secondary Data Collection 17 B. Scope and Limitation 18 V. Proposed Time Table 18 References 19 I. Introduction The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a haven of economic and political strength in a region that is ravaged by political disorder and wars. This strength, alongside other factors, has helped the Kingdom establish its place as one of the major business hubs in the world, with giant multinational corporations basing their operations in the country. These multinational corporations, such as the banking sector, will continue to proliferate and dominate if present trends in the country continue (Shoult 2006). With local and global companies manoeuvring simultaneously in a fast moving economy, one of the major business concerns in Saudi Arabia in the recent decade is corporate social responsibility (CSR) as well as its function and direction in the business environment of th e Kingdom. The opposite is true for the United Kingdom. The introduction of corporate social responsibility in the UK’s banking industry does not present entirely good opportunities. There are constraints in the voluntary programmes to deal with the unfavourable environmental and social effects produced by the banking industry in developing and developed nations (Solomon 2007). The political system of the UK have failed to challenge the influence of the banking sector beyond advocating gradual voluntary attempts to advance CSR, all of which have fell short of resolving successfully the major problems of sustainable development, poverty, climate change, and human rights (Ward & Smith 2006). Despite of the vast evidence, the programme of ‘Investing in the Future: a European conference on CSR and the finance sector, (ibid, p. 93)’ disproves the fact that the UK banking sector has yet failed to progress outside mainly unsuccessful efforts at self-regulation. The bank ing industry has a corporate social responsibility to adequately cater to the intricate groups of customers; a bank operates to maximize shareholders’ profit. It should sustain the most favourable liquidity to satisfy the demands of depositors. It is mandated to meet the official ‘deficit sector demand for credits’ (The National Commercial Bank 2009, p. 3). The banking sector should satisfy the provisions established by supervisory bodies to continue operations. Most of all, for the bank to be viewed as a responsible corporate entity, it has to provide substantial input to the economy’s highest development and meet the demands of its immediate vicinity (The National Commercial Bank 2009). Hence, the aim of this study is to comparatively study the challenges of CSR that the banking sector in Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom confront nowadays. Two major banks for each country are studied and compared, namely Aljazeera and the National Commercial Bank in S audi Arabia, and HSBC Bank and Barclays Bank in the UK. II. Literature Review A. Definition of CSR There appears to be countless definitions of corporate social responsibility, running the gamut of the basic to the complex, and an array of related concepts and assumptions, such as ‘corporate sustainability, corporate citizenship, corporate social investment, the triple bottom line, socially responsible investment, business sustainability and corporate governance’ (Thomas 2006, 3). Singh and colleagues (2009) defines CSR as â€Å"

Saudi arabia culture and customs Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Saudi arabia culture and customs - Assignment Example There are various shapes and kinds of clothes which usually vary from one region to another and also from a particular environment to another one within the same region. Due to the social and cultural harmony amongst the Kingdom’s regions, the clothing techniques and accessories blueprints have grown to be similar to one another in most of the regions. Some kinds of Saudi foods have grown to become dominant throughout the region despite the various economic and social segments of the region. Different beverages and cuisines do exist and have got several nutritional benefits together with high calories that provide the body with the energy to work. Folklore- Saudi Arabia’s folklore is on the basis of such themes as groups and unity. It is composed of songs and games that are enthusiastic, expressing Arab traditions and customs. Folklore is considered by citizens as a source of pride inherited from one age group to the next. Customs and traditions-There are several customs in Saudi and one of the most striking is Al-Janadriyah.It is usually a heritage village constructed near Riyadh to mirror the real representation of Saudi’s heritage. It is done yearly when weather conditions are mild within the starting months of the year of Gregorian. It stays for 2 weeks and comprises of heritage activities that restore the Kingdom’s heritage via handicraft events, traditional buildings and contemporary audio-visual expertise utilized mostly in displaying various activities and so on. In addition, the village also comprises of performance halls, theater together with model buildings representing the constructed heritage of all cities within the Saudi

Analysys of the Story Tolstoy The Death of Ivan Ilyich Term Paper

Analysys of the Story Tolstoy The Death of Ivan Ilyich - Term Paper Example The story begins with the death of Ivan that is announced to a group of judges in a private meeting over a case. Ivan’s close ally, Peter announces the death to the group that immediately thinks of the induced opportunities for transfers and promotions. Peter develops similar perception though he is a little more touched by the death. On arrival at Ivan’s house, Peter finds Schwartz, who is equally unaffected by the death, and Schwartz proposes a game later in the day. Peter is however emotionally touched and he notices an expression of fulfillment and a sense of warning, to those who are still alive, on Ivan’s face. Ivan’s wife, through her interaction with peter is equally concerned about money than her husband’s death (Tolstoy, p. 1- 8). Chapter 2 Ivan is presented as an introvert who keeps more to himself. He joins law school where he allows external forces to manipulate his ideologies. He however identifies particular characters whom he emulates as he grows up and he is more specific to allow influence from higher social classes. Upon graduation, Ivan is employed in the civil service in which his career develops through a series of promotions. He meets Fedorovna whom he later marries out of convenience due to his peer’s opinions. The marriage however fails to work out and Ivan resorts to spend more time in his work. His inability to take control of his life and that of his family is depicted, as he is not able to make personal decisions. His conflict resolution ability is also weak as he fails to identify and solve the problem with his wife during her pregnancy and later in life. This consequently escalates to ruin stability in their marriage. Ivan therefore represents a section of the society that is controlled by ex ternal forces and is not able to make decisions over their own lives. His middle ground however depicts him as a moderator between two extremes of life (Tolstoy, p. 10-14). Chapter 3 Selfishness and greed becomes a major theme as Ivan distances himself from the society around him. His selfish attitude is noted when he loses his temper for failing to secure promotion in his career. Unable to cope with frustration at the work place that had created a rift between Ivan and his colleagues, he resorts to quit his job and only changes his mind after his friend is promoted in the ministry and secures him a better position. The culture of nepotism and favoritism is therefore depicted in the scene. This can be understood from two perspectives. Either the former administration discriminated against Ivan and promoted other persons against merit, or the newly appointed friend of Ivan offered him a position against merit. Similarly, social stratification is exhibited in the story through Ivanâ⠂¬â„¢s behavior after his new appointment. He tries to make his new house to a standard that he has wished to live in. Though the standard is beyond his means, he goes beyond this to be in the particular class of house. Ivan also hosts people of a particular social class, an indication of a stratified society. The concept of social instability continues to run through Ivan’s family, as he is not able to manage his family life and appropriately combine it with his work (Tolstoy, p. 16- 22). Chapter 4 Death and detachment from life is also eminent in the literature. This covers both real death and symbolic death. Ivan’s diagnosis that worsens his attitude signifies his death to the world around him. He loses touch with his family who thinks that he is intolerable. Similarly, the treatment that Ivan receives from his doctor and his colleagues signifies a symbolized death. The society has therefore lost interest in him and is waiting for his physical death that does not ev entually take them by surprise. Ivan’s isolation from the society can however partly be explained by his poor relationship with people (Tolstoy, p. 22- 27). Chapter 5 Ivan’s condition worsens and brings his attention to the fact that he is facing death. He realizes that

The Meaning of Lives Essay Example for Free

The Meaning of Lives Essay In her article The Meaning of Lives, Susan Wolf, a moral philosopher and philosopher of action, investigates whether meaning can exist in lives without postulating the existance of God. Wolf establishes her position on this philosophical question from an agnostic perspective and rationally argues that such a question can in fact â€Å"fit within a negative or agnostic view about the meaning of life† (Wolf 63). With this paper, I will first summarize the prominent points of Wolf’s article then highlight and expound upon areas of her argument that contradict her line of reason. Lastly, I will introduce the theistic perspective on meaningful lives along with presenting Wolf’s reason and argument as supporting evidence for the theistic view. In the Meaning of Lives, Susan Wolf opens briefly with an evaluation of the philosophically ambiguous question, â€Å"What is the meaning of life? † She argues this particular question is impossible to rationalize because it dependents upon a postulation for the existence of God. Wolf claims it is necessary to postulate the existence of God in order to argue this original question because if God does exist, then He â€Å"may have created us for a reason, with a plan in mind†(Wolf 63). Thus, if God exists then there would be purpose and meaning to human existence dependent upon the creator God. Wolf does not deny the existence of God; she simply suggests that a divine existence is improvable. Therefore the question of a grand purpose and meaning in life is an unnecessary and an improvable argument to find an answer to, due to the improvable nature of God. However, she does believe that meaning in lives is not contingent upon the existence of God stating, â€Å"Meaningfulness is an intelligible feature to be sought in life† and that â€Å"a positive view about the possibility of meaning in lives can fit with a negative or agnostic view about the meaning of life†(Wolf 63). She expounds on this argument in three distinct sections. The first part of Wolf’s argument observes three different examples of meaningless lifestyle. Wolf articulates that learning from three paradigms of meaningless lives, one can construct an understanding for meaningfulness. She begins with a lifestyle she labeled the Blob. The Blob is defined by a lifestyle that â€Å"is lived in hazy passivity†¦ unconnected to anyone or anything, going nowhere, achieving nothing† (Wolf 64). Wolf deduces from the Blobs meaningless lifestyle, that in order to attain a meaningful life one must be engaged in a project, which can include relationships. The second meaningless lifestyle, in contrast to the Blob’s lifestyle of passivity, is regarded as the Useless life; â€Å"a life whose dominant activities seem pointless, useless or empty† (Wolf 65). After reviewing the lifestyle of the Useless life, a life void of worth, to achieve meaning â€Å"one must be engaged in a project or projects that have some positive value† (Wolf 65). The final category of a meaningless life would be the lifestyle of the Bankrupt, â€Å"someone who is engaged or even dedicated, to a project that is ultimately revealed as bankrupt, not because the person’s values are shallow or misguided, but because the project fails†(Wolf 65). Ultimately, Wolf concludes that in order to achieve meaningfulness one must not only be engaged in a project of positive value but that project must be in some way successful. After providing a working definition for a meaningful life, Wolf raises the question as to what constitutes â€Å"positive value† and who has the right to objectively determine value. Similarly to Wolf’s construction of meaningfulness, she argues reasons for why an individual is incapable of objectively determining positive value. This incapability for determining objective value is due to the individual’s subjectivity and â€Å"interest in living a life that feels or seems meaningful†(Wolf 66). Therefore, because an individual is incapable of distinguishing objective positive value from interest, it is unlikely that the individual can distinguish what is required for a meaningful life. She argues that objective value is determined and achieved through observing value in other people’s lives. Wolf clarifies that the objective good she is referring to is not compared to moral goodness, â€Å"benefiting or honoring humanity† (Wolf 67). Wolf claims that meaningfulness is not contingent upon moral value. Instead, Wolf suggests that while there are examples of lives exhibiting great moral value, such as Mother Teresa and Gandhi, that are full of meaning; there are also examples of other lives, such as â€Å"artists, scholars, musicians and athletes†, that possess great meaning, not based upon their moral value. These lives are considered valuable and meaningful due to their ability to â€Å"develop our skills and our understanding of the world† which â€Å"give meaning to our lives- but they do not give moral value to them †(Wolf 67). A greater understanding of our own worth and the Universe is what Wolf constitutes for lives to have meaning. The final stage in Wolf’s argument poses the question â€Å"what is the good, after all, of living a meaningful life†(Wolf 67)? Wolf does not wish to define goodness, but rather discusses the advantages for living a life full of meaning. Wolf makes the final stand, that in order to grasp meaningfulness and understand how one can achieve it in their life; an individual must become enlightened to their status in the world as â€Å"a tiny speck in a vast universe† (Wolf 69). This description of where an individual lies in relation to the vastness of the Universe, provides the reality that meaning in lives cannot logically be contingent upon the desires and benefits for the individual, due to humanities insignificance. It seems illogical to Wolf, that a person who seeks to find meaning in their life could conclude that is dependent upon their independent happiness claiming, â€Å"to devote oneself wholly to one’s own satisfaction seems to me to fly in the face of truth, to act as if one is the only thing that matters, or perhaps, more, that one’s own psychology is the only source of (determining) what matters† (Wolf 70). The truth, to which Wolf refers, is the reality that individuals have very little significance in relation to the value of the vast Universe. It is because of this truth that a self-center and egocentric life goes against of logic after such a truth is realized. Wolf argues that instead of egocentric priorities to achieve meaning, an individual should alternatively be focused on the needs of the Universe and others. She understands that â€Å"you are just one person among others, equally real- is the source of practical reason-in this case, it gives you reason to take the pains of others to constitute reasons for action†¦reason to care about the pain of others that is grounded, not in our own psychologies, but a fact about the world†(Wolf 70). In this section, I will address three areas of Wolf’s reasoning I find to be inconsistent with her argument as a whole. A concern that I have regarding Wolf’s argument is her use of the word â€Å"meaning†, in regards to the meaning of lives. A very different connotation of the word â€Å"meaning† suggested by the philosophical question, â€Å"What is the meaning of life? † Wolf states that the question, â€Å"What is the meaning of life? † requires an individual to postulate the existence of God because it implies their ultimate aim â€Å"to find a purpose or a point to human existence†(Wolf 63). However, Wolf also argues, â€Å"whether or not God exists, the fact remains that some objects, activities and ideas are better than others. Whether or not God exists some ways of living are more worthwhile than others†(Wolf 72). At the beginning of Wolf’s argument about the meaning of lives, suggests that she neither denies nor rejects the existence of God. She argues this as true because she believes the question behind the meaning in lives can be answered as â€Å"an intelligible feature to be sought in life and that it is at least sometimes attainable but not everywhere assured†(Wolf 63). Wolf reduces the meaning of lives to that which can be determined by human reasoning a finite measurement of this transitory world. Thus Wolf, who has neither denied nor rejected the existence of God has unreasonably eliminated the question of origin of lives, as irrelevant to meaning in lives. She focuses how certain types of lives merit significance in existence and consequently refers to the word â€Å"meaning† as synonymous with value. Finally, Wolf argues that there is value in human lives that â€Å"can fit with a negative or agnostic view about the meaning of life†(Wolf 66). This statement is far less controversial than her attempts to argue that meaning in lives is achievable without the postulation of God. Logically, to explore meaning in lives, one must consider the beginning of life, which must have been constructed either by accident or by a creator. Meaning cannot be cited as more or less significant at a particular point in an individual’s life. Thus, the point that one comes into existence must be regarded for defining meaning within an individual’s life. The second problem in Wolf’s argument comes in her evaluation of what is considered a project of positive value. An individual who is engaged in a project of positive value is central to Wolf’s definition of a meaningful life. Although, projects of positive value can add to meaning in an individual’s life, Wolf’s reasoning as to â€Å"who is to decide which projects have positive value† is vague and inconsistent with her earlier positions (Wolf 66). Wolf concludes that individuals are incapable of objectively deciding what has positive value, due to subjective interests, which skew their understanding of objective value. Wolf deduces that in order for an individual to understand projects of positive value, which will eventually adds meaning to heir lives, they must experience an â€Å"epiphany†¦ to the recognition that our life to date has been meaningless† (Wolf 66). This comment is completely inconsistent with Wolf’s fundamental goal to acquire an understanding of meaning in lives from an intelligible process of reason. The understanding for projects of positive value through an epiphany is inconsistent with her pervious arguments because it depends she suggests that understanding meaning comes from an unintelligible source of knowledge. Who is to say that that epiphany is not guided by a supreme higher being? The irony of Wolf’s conclusion about the necessary epiphany, is that her statement â€Å"It is the sort of experience that one might describe in terms of scales falling from ones eyes†, compares closely to the allusion found in Acts 9:18 (Wolf 66). The verse reads â€Å"And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized† (NIV 1000). The language of scales falling from the eyes in order to gain true understanding is regarded in both versions as an act depended upon a supernatural entity enabling the change. This very interesting comment by Wolf, suggests that understanding how an individual recognizes truth through epiphany is beyond the capabilities of human control and intellect. Her attempted arguments about how a meaningful life is realized are sound up until the point about epiphany. Lastly, Wolf’s argument for meaning in lives lacks any discussion of immortality as a necessary property for meaning. Wolf reasons that there are certain lifestyles that are more meaningful than others. This argument for certain lifestyle having greater meaning has limited relevance because as she rationalizes, lives are finite and temporary as are the lives of others whom we must focus in our acknowledgement of the truth that we are just a â€Å"speck in the vast Universe†(Wolf 69). Wolf does a fine job at articulating the insignificance and temporary state of human life. However, she fails to recognize that in her attempts to construct a logical framework for meaning in finite lives she disregards the possibility for immortality to give further meaning to lives. Thus, she reduces the idea of meaning as an avoidance of an egocentric lifestyle and recognizes insignificance and meaning within an individuals’ life alone. Wolf’s claim that meaning is attainable through certain actions only satisfies temporary lives for a finite amount of time. This argument surrounding meaning as dependent upon an inward realization of insignificance manifesting into outward actions, is simply a cycle of meaningless people helping other meaningless people, and causes only a temporary impact. In an argument for the importance of immortality to meaning in lives, Gianluca Di Muzio states, â€Å"If a human being dies and her actions have no lasting effect, because the world itself perished, then her life was meaningless. If, in the end, all comes to nothing, then it does not matter in the first place whether a particular person existed or not† (Di Muzio 2). In order for actions and lives to be meaningful, they must have a lasting impact or something to gain, and provide for others in a way that is not reducible to the finite and temporary world. Thus, achievable immortality must exist for meaning to be possible. Although she attempts to determine the meaning in lives for an agnostic world, I would argue that Wolf’s argument actually supports many theistic views regarding the meaning of lives. Though many of Wolf’s arguments do not adequately provide understanding for meaning in lives from an agnostic perspective, many of her points parallel to the theistic view of â€Å"purpose theory. † Before I expound on these similarities, an understanding of the theistic view regarding the meaning of must be addressed. According to Borchert, the theistic view argues that, â€Å"life is meaningful insofar as one fulfills a purpose that God has assigned† (Borchert 295). In â€Å"Confession†, Leo Tolstoy discusses meaning in life from the theistic perspective and claims â€Å"now I see clearly that my faith-my only real faith-that which apart from my animal instincts gave impulse to my life- was a belief in perfecting myself† (Klemke 2). Tolstoy sought such perfection in artistic achievements and loving his family. In trying to find meaning in family and people, Tolstoy ultimately realizes that â€Å"My family — wife and children — are also human. They are placed just as I am: they must either live in a lie or see the terrible truth† (Klemke 10). In other words, Tolstoy realizes that if meaning resides in the finite and temporary nature of humanity, meaning too will die along with the life. Tolstoy further suggests that meaning cannot reside within artistic modes when he writes Art, poetry? Under the influence of success and the praise of men, I had long assured myself that this was a thing one could do though death was drawing near — death which destroys all things, including my work and its remembrance; but soon I saw that that too was a fraud† (Klemke 10). This declaration further supports Tolstoy’s theistic belief that everything of and in this world cannot be the ultimate source of meaning in lives. Although, the substance of this world may increase value within life, it cannot supply ultimate, enduring meaning. Tolstoy finally declares, â€Å"To know God and to live is one and the same thing. God is life- Live seeking God, and then you will not live without God† (Klemke 11). This passage concludes with his theistic assertion that without a â€Å"divine plan for the world, then all efforts come to nothing, because everything comes to nothing. Hence our lives are meaningless without God† (Metz 293). Though Wolf attempts to support an agnostic view for the question, â€Å"is there meaning in lives? † her central points mirror those of the theistic view and supports many of its claims. This final section will concentrate on central points within Wolf’s argument that support a theistic view for understanding meaning in lives. To begin, she claims that a life has meaning insofar as it is â€Å"engaged in a project or projects that have some positive value† (Wolf 65). Although this statements seems logical, Wolf fails to provide an intelligible source for acquiring knowledge about whether or not a project has positive value and which projects do not. She betrays the agnostic attempt to provide an understanding of meaning in lives through reason, by suggesting that realization of projects with positive value relies upon an epiphany. The concept of an epiphany for realization is inconsistent with her attempts to rationalize. However, when Wolf’s definition is placed against the theistic view, it is logically consistent with theological beliefs. Theists believe that an individual must be actively engaged in positively affecting peoples lives with in the world, while ultimately contributing to God’s divine plan in order for their lives to have meaning. This concept is articulated beautifully in Gianluca Di Muzio’s argument: Theism and the Meaning of Life, in which he states, â€Å"In order to have meaning, our lives must make a difference to a higher scheme. And theism sees human action as doing a sort of double duty. On one hand, they affect other people and events in this world, on the other, they further or hinder God’s ultimate plan† (Di Muzio 2). This statement suggests that humanities actions in projects have the ability to have two different forms of significance, both relative and ultimate. Relative significance refers to the theistic perspective that, â€Å"actions and events have relative significance when they only influence other actions and events†(Di Muzio 3). Ultimate significance is when our actions and events â€Å"contribute to God’s plan† (Di Muzio 3). Both of these forms contribute to theistic view, however Wolf’s argument focuses solely on relative significance. The theistic understanding of relative significance is paralleled to Wolf’s understanding of meaning in lives. She believes that when individuals realize their insignificance and begin to seek beyond themselves for meaning by actively engaging in projects of positive value, they can acquire meaning. Though this insignificance is transient, it supports the theistic belief that, â€Å"human beings have access to value† without having to postulate the existence of God, because â€Å"existence affords the opportunity to attain the kinds of goods that make a human life worthwhile and fulfilling† (Di Muzio 5-6). Wolf’s profound point that human life is just a â€Å"speck in a vast universe† lays the foundation for the theistic belief in ultimate significance (Wolf 71). Theists believe that there is A fundamental disproportion between aspirations and reality is a powerful source of the idea that our lives are absurd and meaningless. We think we matter, and yet we don’t. The world is not intoned with our hope, desires and projects. The possibility of out destruction looms everywhere; and human suffering, however enormous, seems to be nothing but a passing accident, a byproduct of the presence of sentient creatures in a world that merely tolerates them for a short time. (Di Muzio 9) This understanding of human insignificance plays a vital role in the theistic belief that despite human fragility, purpose and significance are achievable within the most tragic circumstances. Wolf’s recognition of our insignificance implies our need to look beyond our own lives for meaning. If a life of meaning depends upon recognizing the truth about our insignificance and continuing to be â€Å"actively engaged in a project of positive value†, and one cannot perform these projects due to tragic circumstances, then within Wolf’s reasoning their life can not have meaning. Wolf’s understanding of meaning depends upon individual human performance. In trying times of suffering, whether great or small, this concept of looking outside of ones own circumstances is hard to accomplish and in some circumstances impossible, thus in such cases meaning cannot be unachieved. The theistic view of ultimate significance provides a hope that a life of suffering can have meaning and purpose too in that, â€Å"the idea of God and hope for immortality can help us look again at the world and our fragile lives as meaningful†(Di Muzio 9). The project of participating in God’s divine plan is the only project that has lasting and unwavering value for meaning in lives. Wolf’s central argument concerning meaning in lives provides many logically convincing and sound points. However, Wolf’s definition of a life of meaning is both disconnected from her original argument and lacks a consistent, authoritative source and process for achieving meaning. She attempts to suggest that meaning is an â€Å"intelligible feature to be sought in life†, then provides the solution for achieving this insight of through the unintelligible source of epiphany. Secondly, Wolf’s argument for the realization of insignificance as the truth, unlocks the need for an individual to look beyond serving his or her own self-centered desires for meaning. However, though her point about insignificance seems valid, Wolf fails to provide examples or an understanding of how an individual can objectively determine how to look outside of themselves. In total, Wolf produces an understanding of meaning that depends upon an individuals abilities to undergo an epiphany and properly manifest their understanding of the need to look outside one’s self and recognize Universal needs. The problem with this stance is that focusing on the Universe provides no lasting impact, or meaning to a particular life because the things of this Universe are finite and temporary. The individual’s life will eventually end along with the actions and events they affected. Though existence can provide an opportunity for value, as understood in Wolf’s argument and the theistic view, meaning is dependent upon a infinite being whose performance can not be temporary. An individual must not be reliant on their personal performances and finite experiences to obtain meaning, but rather is actively engaged in an eternal project of positive value, determined by an infinite and constant authority, God. Works Cited Borchert, Donald M. Theism. Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2nd ed. 10. Detroit: Gale, 2006. Web. 25 Apr 2012. Di Muzio, Gianluca. Theism and the Meaning of Life life’s meaning? Ars Disputandi . 6. (2006): 1-12. Print. Klemke, E. D. â€Å"The Meaning of Life†. 2nd. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. Print. Metz, Thaddeus. â€Å"Could God’s purpose be the source of life’s meaning? † Cambridge Journals. (2000): 293-311. Print. Wolf, Susan. The Meaning Of Lives. 62-73. Print.

Skills and Applications Task Essay Example for Free

Skills and Applications Task Essay Purpose This task provides the opportunity for you to demonstrate your ability to: investigate and critically analyse the purpose, design concepts, processes, and production techniques of existing products investigate and analyse the differing characteristics and properties of materials or components. apply appropriate knowledge and understanding of skills, processes, procedures, and techniques to a range of technological activities. Description of assessment Investigate and analyse the properties of two or more materials or components that may be suitable for use in the creation of your major product. 1. Begin by considering the critical properties required of materials used in your final product (e.g. hardness, durability, malleability, rigidibility, machinability, or others). 2. Devise methods in which you test materials to determine their suitability (e.g. research, tests, experiments). 3. Investigate a number of possible options for your choice of materials. Identify their properties. Select two that you think may be most suitable for your product. 4. Investigate these two materials to a greater depth using the methods you identified in Step 2 and include an analysis of the impact of the materials on individuals, society, and/or the environment. 5. Summarise and evaluate the results of your experimentation with a recommendation for use in your major product. Assessment conditions You should negotiate the method of presentation before starting. You have one week of lesson time in which to complete the testing component of the task and 2 weeks for completion of the report. The presentation of the results of your investigation and analysis should be a maximum of 800 words  if written or a maximum of 5 minutes if presented as recorded multimedia material. Learning Requirements Assessment Design Criteria 1. investigate and critically analyse the purpose, design concepts, processes, and production techniques of existing products or systems 2. create, test, validate, modify, and communicate design ideas for an identified need, problem, or challenge 3. investigate, analyse, and use the differing characteristics and properties of materials, components, processes, and equipment to create products or systems safely 4. use the design process to select materials, components, processes, techniques, and equipment, to develop and implement solutions and ideas for products or systems 5. apply appropriate knowledge and understanding of skills, processes, procedures, and techniques to a range of technological activities 6. evaluate product or system development and outcome, and reflect on technological ideas and procedures used, with reference to the design brief 7. analyse the impact of technological practices, products, or systems on individuals, society, and/or the environment. Investigating The specific features are as follows: 1. Identification of a need, problem, or challenge. 2. Creation and validation of an initial design brief based on needs analysis and task identification. 3.Investigation and critical analysis of the characteristics of existing products, processes, systems, and/or production techniques. 4. Investigation of product material options and analysis for product use. 5. Investigation into the impact of products or systems on individuals, society, and/or the environment. Planning The specific features are as follows: 1. Analysis of information to develop solutions to an identified design brief. 2.Communication of product design ideas using relevant technical language. 3. Testing, modification, and validation of ideas or procedures. Producing The specific features are as follows: 1. Application of skills, processes, procedures, and techniques to create a product or system to a chosen standard and specification. 2. Use of resources, equipment, and materials to create a product or system safely and accurately. 3. Development of solutions to technical problems that may arise during product or system realisation. Evaluating The specific features are as follows: 1.  Evaluation of product success against design brief requirements. 2. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the product or system realisation process. 3. Reflection on materials, ideas, or procedures, with recommendations. 4. Analysis of the impact of the product or system on individuals, society, and/or the environment.

Management By Objectives MBO Commerce Essay

Management By Objectives MBO Commerce Essay According to George Odiome, MBO is a process whereby superior and subordinate managers of an Organization jointly define its common goals, define each individuals major areas of responsibility in terms of results expected of him and use these measures as guides for operating the unit and assessing the contribution of each of its members. Management by objectives was first popularized by Peter Drucker in 1954 book The Practice of Management. Drucker drafted MBOs as an approach to get the management and employees to jointly set goals to achieve known as objectives. The main purpose for setting objectives was to give both the managers and employees a clear understanding of what they were expected to do in the organization in order to achieve the objectives set. The objectives were set during certain time periods which at the end of the period two evaluative performances are carried out to determine the extent to which the set objectives had been achieved. An example of an objective includes attaining a sales or profit target by the end of a financial year. In the modern world of business where gaining competitive over competitors has became one of the main goals by organization, Management by Objective has become one of the most widely accepted philosophy of management as stated by Gaurav Akrani 2010. One of the factors that has made MBO the most acceptable management approach is its demanding and rewarding styles of management. MBO further received recognition when it becomes an integral part of The HP way. Hewlett-Packard incorporated this management technique at every level within the company; managers had to develop objectives and integrate them with those of other mangers and of the company as a whole. (The Economist, 2009) This approach focuses attention on the achievement of objectives through involvement of the concerned parties. For example trough building strong team spirit as MBO is mainly based on the assumption that people achieve more when they know what is expected of them and can relate their personal goals to organizat ional objectives. Other features of MBO include good subordinate participation, joint goal setting, support and encouragement from top level manager to subordinates. MBO is a democratic style of management approach where every subordinate is involved and encouraged to participate towards achieving organizational objectives. MBO is an approach to planning that aims to overcome barriers that might stop an organization from achieving its objectives. It involves the setting up of goals by managers and their subordinate working together by specifying responsibilities and assigning authority for achieving the goals. The final step involves constant monitoring of performance so as to initiate continuous improvement. Features of Management of Objectives The following are the prominent characteristics of MBO All activities are goal oriented. The first important feature of the MBO is that under it all the activities happen to be goal-oriented (Dr.R.Singla 2010-11). This means that MBO concentrates on the determination of unit and individual goals in with organizational goals. These goals set state responsibilities of different parts of the organization and help to coordinate the organization with its parts and its environment. Integration among Organizational, Departmental and Objectives: the basis of the MBO is setting of Objectives jointly by the supervisors and subordinates and their effective realization (Dr.R.Singla 2010-11) With the MBO approach the objectives are decide in the following order Figure 1 Organizational Objectives Department Objectives Personal Objectives The above figure shows that first of all the objectives of the organization are set. Then the departmental objectives are decided which must be in line with the objective of the organization. The third sub step is personal objectives which involves individual objectives being determined first before departmental objectives can be achieved. To sum it up this process is followed to minimize clashes or oppositions at any level regarding the determined objectives. MBO views organization as Dynamic Entity: this feature considers the organization as a dynamic entity. This means that every organization is affected by various external and internal factors therefore the organization is considered to be a dynamic unit. The dynamic nature affects the objectives which as a result make it possible that the objectives set today may not be realized. In such an event the organization might be forced act swiftly to change its objectives MBO is a Participative Attempt: the MBO process is characterized by high level of participation of the concerned people in goal setting and performance appraisal (Kuldeep 2010). Increased participation provides the opportunity to influence decisions and make clear job relationship with managers and their subordinates. MBO Matches the Objectives and Resources: The objectives set when the MBO approach is adopted by organization are based on the resources available so as to avoid having incomplete tasks or activities because of the lack of resources. Dr.R.Singla. (2010-11). MBO is a Philosophy and not a Technique: MBO is not a technique of management but its a philosophy, because a technique can only be applied or used in a one department and its effects will only be felt on the particular department. For example an inventory technique can only be used in relation to stock control and it cannot be used in another department like HRM. MBO gives more emphasis to Review and Performance Appraisal: regular appraisal of the work performance of employees form one the important characteristics of MBO. This Philosophy helps observe whether all the employees are performing at the expected level and also identify if there is any impediments in their work performance. MBO provides more freedom to Subordinates: with MBO Philosophy the subordinates are not only associated with the task of coming up with the objectives but they also get complete freedom in the performance of their work. This philosophy gives them the right to make decisions related to their designation and as a result this increases their importance which improves their interest and job satisfaction. MBO gives more emphasis to results and not to work: with the MBO philosophy more focus is given to results. The subordinates have the freedom to choose which technique to adopt to achieve the final result. This means that the subordinates are expected to give the best possible results regardless of the technique used. Steps in Management by Objectives Planning Peter Drucker identified fives steps for MBO as shown in figure 1 http://www.mindtools.com/media/MBO.jpg Source (http://www.mindtools.com) The five steps explained Set of organizational Objectives: this is the first step which involves setting of the organizational objectives. Objective setting begins with the conducting of an internal and external analysis to determine the level of efficiency, threats and opportunities. Cascading Objective Down to Employees: This second stages involves communicating of the set goals and objectives from the top level management to subordinates till they reach everyone. Drucker used the SMART acronym to make as a tool to make the make MBO objective setting more effective so as to set goals that were attainable and to which workers felt accountable to For example the founder of Microsoft corporation Bill Gates adopted a MBO approach to keep every employee informed the about the companys objectives by following the guidelines below Eliminate politics, by giving everybody the same message. Keep a flat organization in which all issues are discussed openly. Insist on clear and direct communication Prevent competing Missions or objectives Eliminate rivalry between different parts of the organization Empower teams to do their own things Source (www.1000advices.com) Encourage Participation in Goal Setting: step three aims to get everyone to understand how their personal goals fit in with the objective of the organization. This is done when goals and objectives at all levels are shared and discussed so as to get everyone understand how things are conducted and then sets their own goals that are in line with the organization objectives. Monitor: this stage involves developing actions plans after setting objectives, it is important to establish a proper monitoring system which keeps track of the progress made towards achieving the set goals, the monitoring system helps the organization identify deviations or barriers that could slow down the organization from achieving its goals. If any barriers are identified then the corrective actions are taken to set the organization on the right course Evaluate and Reward Performance. This last step involves rewarding the desired performance. MBOs main focus is to improve performance at all levels so as to achieve higher efficiency. In order to ensure this happen a good evaluation system has to be put in place to evaluate employees performance and in turn motivate employees as they strive to achieve the set objectives. Advantages of Management by Objectives Over the years since Peter Drucker popularized this philosophy it has become one of the widely adopted by organizations because of the various advantages One of the advantages of MBO is that it improves resource and activity management (Rahman 2009). This leads to better utilization of available of resources and this can be beneficial to the organization in many ways. One is the increase in efficiency which reduces wastage and improves productivity which as a result would lead to increased profits for the organization. The second advantage is that MBO keeps every employee informed. Since all the employees in the organizations are encouraged to participate in setting the objectives, all of them know their responsibilities. This guides employees to work better as their responsibilities are clearly outlined and reduce the possibility of them going off track The third advantage is that MBO improves employees motivation. Involving all employees in decision making make employees feel valued by the organization and due to this employee commitment is improved. This can good for the organization because a motivated and committed workforce will strive to do their best and in turn help the organization achieve its desired results. The forth advantage of MBO is that it facilitates effective control. Due to the continuous monitoring approach employed by MBO this can be useful in guiding the organization to achieve better results. The Monitoring system can be used to by the organization to gauge the performance against the laid down standard and undesired deviations are corrected in time. The fifth advantage of MBO is that it encourages innovations. (Drucker, P. (1986). The MBO philosophy puts more focus on the results in order to achieve the objectives rather than procedure to achieve the objectives. This gives subordinates freedom on how, which method to employ in order to achieve the required results. This can be beneficial to the organization as innovation help an organization gain competitive advantage trough new ideas and products. Disadvantages of Management by Objectives However as much Management by Objective may be beneficial to organizations there some limitations or disadvantages worth being mentioned. The first disadvantage is that MBO put employees under pressure. MBO being a result focused philosophy pressure is exerted on all the levels of the organization so as to attain the objectives. This might a bad thing for the organization as pressured employees might be stressed out due to the emphasis put on results within the organization and this could lead to high labour turnover. This could cost the organization a fortune as the organization could be forced to recruit and train new employees. The second disadvantage is that MBO is time consuming. In order for MBO to be successful regular meetings and exchange of reports have to be conducted. This means managers have to speed a lot time in attending and preparing reports for the meetings while they could be focusing in performing important tasks that are over looked. These over looked could create a hindrance of in attaining the objectives laid down. The third disadvantage is that MBO puts more importance to short term objectives. In order for an organization to achieve it ultimate goals and success the long term and short term goals should be given equal importance. However the MBO philosophy tends to give more attentions to the short term objectives and due to this employees are more concerned by the short term objectives. This creates a situation where they want to be successful at any cost within the shortest time possible and such a situation could be costly to the organization in the long run. CONCLUSION Management by Objectives might be seen as an outdated management philosophy by modern managers today but I believe it still has a place in modern management.If carefully aligned with the culture of the organization MBO can be quite beneficial to the any organization as from this report the advantages out weight the disadvantages. Also For example Intel has been successive due to the use of MBO However as stated by Drucker MBO is just another tool. It is not the great cure for management inefficiency à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Management by objectives works if you know the objectives: 90% of the time you dont. In order for MBO to be successful in Modern management managers and subordinates must closely work together to constantly update their short term and long term objectives from time to time due to the ever change business environment. Also an effective communication structure has to be place to as to allow managers and subordinates to easily set and communicate objectives to all concerned e mployees.

Les Miserables :: essays papers

Les Miserables "Les Miserables" is about a man, Jean Valjean, who has just been released from the galleys after 19 years of imprisonment. He is in search of food and shelter, but all the taverns and inns in D----- have rejected him, because he is a former convict. He then meets a woman in front of the church who tells him to go to the house where the bishop lives. Although the bishop knows Valjean is a convict, he takes him in, and gives him food and shelter. However, Valjean is still tempted to steal from the bishop. He takes his silverware, and flees. Valjean is caught by the police, and forced to return to the bishop's house. The bishop gives Valjean a second chance, by telling the police that the silverware was a gift, and giving him the silver candlesticks in addition. Valjean is instructed to start a new life as an honest man. In M---- sur M----, Valjean invents a new manufacturing process, and earns a great fortune. He has his own factory, and has been elected Mayor Madeline, a new name, to begin a new life. In his factory, works a woman, Fantine, who has given up her child so that she could work to begin a new life, as well. Her daughter, Cosette, was left with the Thenardiers. She was treated terribly, and was forced to eat under the table, with the dog. Meanwhile, Javert, an officer in the galleys where Valjean served, denounces Valjean, because he claims he recognizes him as a former convict. However, he later changes his point of view, claiming that he has found the real Valjean, who is being charged with stealing a branch off an apple tree. Valjean could not live knowing that someone else may be charged more harshly because of the crimes he had committed in the past. Valjean announced his true identity to save the man. He returned to his factory to collect all his money, and then to escape from the police. Javert eventually caught Valjean. At this time, Fantine, who was deathly sick, thought that Valjean had brought Cosette to her. When Javert arrested Valjean, Fantine died. Valjean was sent to the galleys again, but escaped, by faking his death.

China Between The Fall Of The Kmt And Mao Tse-tungs Death :: essays research papers

China Between The Fall Of The KMT and Mao Tse-Tung's Death The time from 1949-1976 was a time of transition for China. Many social and economic changes occurred through this period. When the Kuomintang government collapsed and Mao Tse-Tung assumed control, this marked the beginning of massive reformation for what would become the People's Republic. With Mao Tse-Tung's rule came governmental reform which led to social betterment. His first years of rule included careful development and reorganization backed by Soviet support. The landlord class was wiped out with the nationwide land reform and the land was divided among the peasantry. Equality prevailed for women and attacks where made on official corruption. Efforts were made to improve sanitation and literacy among the people. These changes generated patriotism during China's involvement in the Korean War. While social reforms proved to be beneficial to China, attempts for industrial and agricultural growth were not as successful. From 1953-57 industrial production was expanded and agriculture was collectivized. But disappointing agricultural production led to the frenzied Great Leap Forward of 1958-60. This program, initiated by Mao, was designed to step up industrial production to a level with Britain and create a truly communal society without Russia's aid; all in the course of 15 years. The project was a failure and Liu Shao-Ch'i temporarily took over Mao's position as head of state. When differences between party leaders arose, and Mao Tse-Tung began feeling that the revolution was exhausted, he launched the Cultural Revolution of 1966-69. This was intended to stir up the conservative government/military and add more revolutionary elements, ridding the nation of the 'four olds': old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits. These revolutions often turned into violent acts. When stability was restored, foreign relations was

The Cooper Union College

Morphosis is an architectural firm in California which was founded in 1972 by Thom Mayne. Morphosis has to its credit worldwide projects which include educational, residential, commercial and huge urban projects. Morphosis is the result of a combined effort of more than 40 professionals, with each of them working simultaneously to give state of the art designs, which are not only unique but also innovative. They are not only specialists in designing buildings but also experts in designing unique furniture and various accessories and other functional objects. The firm has more than 50 awards to its credit and received many other honors. The founder of this firm Thom Mayne did his Bachelors in Architecture from the University of South California and a Masters from the Harvard University, the Southern California Institute of Architecture was founded by him. Thom Mayne also won the Pritzker Architecture Prize for the year 2005, which is the topmost award in the field of architecture. Some of the other well known projects that the firm has worked on are the International Elementary School in Long Beach, California, the Diamond Ranch High School in Pomona, California, the Hypo Alpe-Adria Center in Klagenfurt, Austria and the Graduate House at the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada. The latest project that the firm is currently working on is the new academic building for the Cooper Union Colleges, in New York, which is going to house the Albert Nerken School of Engineering, and which is expected to be completed by 2008. All eyes are on this project, as the transparent faà §ade of the building is already attracting a lot of people, and this is also supposed to be the first green academic building in New York. The whole project will be coming up in a site area of 18,000 sq ft., and the project size was estimated to be around 180,000 sq ft. The building would include various facilities which include approximately 15,000 sq.ft of classrooms, 40,000 sq.ft of laboratories, 15,000 sq.ft of administrative and faculty offices, 4,000 sq.ft of centralized computer center other than a 200-seater auditorium, an exhibition gallery, lounge and multi purpose space, Art Teaching Studios and workspaces and student activity spaces. The new building is visualized as a vertical element which has a semi-transparent faà §ade that speaks clearly of the classrooms, laboratory and art studio spaces. The whole building is planned around a centrally located atrium, which goes all the way up to the height of the building. The whole building is connected with sky bridges and has many corridors with a clear view of the Foundation Building to the left. The whole building is designed for energy efficiency, sustainability and environment friendly. The technology used to build the building will not only conserve energy but also increase its effectiveness. The semi-transparent screen used on the outside of the building, helps keep the interiors cool in summer and warm in winter. The whole building is equipped with carbon dioxide detectors which can detect if the room is occupied or not, and will automatically dim the lights in those rooms which are not occupied, thus saving energy and electricity costs. The roof is also filled with greenery which does not require much maintenance, therefore keeping the building cool. The entire building is filled with lots of natural ventilation, which keeps the building airy and pleasant. This building is a perfect example of modern contemporary architecture with all modern amenities including the label of the first green building in New York. This project is a good example of the excellent design methodology and creative thinking of the whole design team of Morphosis. All the above features of the Cooper Union building is evidence enough of the aesthetic and creative sense of Morphosis. The fact that the firm has received so many awards shows the respect people have towards good design and architecture. Works Cited New Academic Building, Cooper Union,   Architecture-Page, 12 December 2007. Green Features, The Cooper Union Builds, 12 December 2007, < http://www.cooper.edu/cubuilds/green.html>. American Institute of Architects Announces Two Firm of the Year Recipients;   RATCLIFF and Morphosis Architectural Firms Take Top Honors, Find Articles, 12 December 2007, .                                 

Discuss the importance of children making choices Essay

Issues that could be considered might be that the children are young and can’t make up their mind enough, even though it’s good to let children make choices the adults are to support the child helping and reassuring the child. Some children are more confident playing in a set activity; any child who is not as confident has to be helped and giving motivation to help their development. â€Å"Children like to feel the same as others; living with a medical condition may make a child feel different† Tassoni p, (2007) childcare and education 3rd edition page 60. When giving children the opportunities to make choices you make them feel in control and help to build up their self-esteem, children need to make choices to develop their understanding of the world and know how to handle their self, not encouraging them to make choices might lead them to misbehave or rebel. Choices enhance their imagination; play can consist of amusing or imaginative activity for independent play or with others. The rites of play are evident throughout nature; it helps in their social development. In a classroom it’s important for the children to choose what activities they would like to do, according to Piaget’s constructivist principles if they can make their own decision they will be self-motivated and they will not feel the need to break rules behind the teachers back. â€Å"Play often entertains props, tools, animals, or toys in the context of learning and recreation. Some play has clearly defined goals and when structured with rules is called a game. Whereas, some play exhibits no such goals, nor rules and is considered to be â€Å"unstructured† in the literature. † http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Play_(activity) A1 – Describe how practitioners can encourage children to direct their own play. â€Å"For play to be empowering children must be allowed to take control of their own play rather than follow what adults want them to do† Tassoni p, (2007) childcare and education 3rd edition pg. 318 Practitioners would have to provide activities that would encourage children to play independently, letting the children choose what activates and equipment they want to use can help. When the children are playing on equipment a practitioner could ask the child â€Å"how are you supposed to use it† this will make the child show you, it’s good for a quieter child, encouraging them to take part in the play. When laying out activities or equipment it’s important that you are aware of spaces around, the children will not be encourage to play when an activity is not appealing to them. Make sure that there is enough room for the children to play around it. When choosing the equipment get the children involved let them choose what they would like to play. A practitioner should intervene when the children are choosing numerous activities let one child at a time get a say then the practitioner can make the final decision making sure you explain to other children why they could not have done that activity then. Creative play D1 – describe the activity You will need; 2 medium sized containers 2 different coloured paints Paint brushes (different sizes) Pasta (different shapes) Different colour sting Scissors Coloured paper Beads Glue Pour the pasta into the separate containers. Allow the children to paint the pasta. Use the different colour paint for each container. When they have finished painting, leave the pasta to dry. When they have dried the children can choose whether to make jewellery or use the pasta to decorate their drawings. D2 – what is the purpose or aim of the activity? Include the age of the children. This activity is for children aged 3 or 4. It will help to develop their hand and eye co – ordination skills, whilst making their jewellery, threading the string through the pasta. It helps develop their fine motor skills. It helps with their social development because they are working with other children and learning how to take turns. â€Å"Children need to feel secure, valued and loved without this emotional support; they find it hard to show co – operative behaviour. Attention seeking behaviour can be assign that a child needs more support† Tassoni p, (2007) childcare education 3rd edition page 44 This activity will also support their language and communication skills because they are talking to other children, telling each other what they’re making and who they’re doing it for. D3 – describe how the activity is set up to promote the children the children’s interest. Get the children’s attention firstly and tell them to come and help you set up the activity. When you’re choosing the paint ask the children what colours they want to use. Choose a child to pour the pasta into the containers, give all the children paint brushes to paint the pasta, supervise them to make sure they are all playing together and encourage all the children to take part in the activity. Once all the pasta has been painted take the trays and put them away to dry, explaining to them the next step of the activity. When the pasta has dried put them onto a table, (still in the containers) get out any beads that may be around and ask the children† who wants to make a necklace or bracelet†. You give the children the choice of what they want to make, while they are doing so interact with them, ask them questions about what they are making, keeping an eye out for the children that are struggling. â€Å"Play may also serve as a pretext, allowing people to explore reactions of others by engaging in playful interaction. † http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Play_(activity) D4 – health and safety considerations Consider any skin allergies of the children. They may not be able to use the paint. Make sure the children are supervised at all times when making the jewellery because the small beads are choking hazards. D5 – the adult’s role in stimulating play in this activity. During this activity the practitioner will play the role of the facilitator. The practitioner will be talking to the children asking them questions; â€Å"what are you making†, â€Å"who are you making it for† and helping the children if they need it. He/she will try and encourage the children who are having trouble and motivating them giving each child praise and acknowledging their efforts. D6 – explain how this activity provided for children’s choices This activity allows the children to make choices and be independent with their play when they’re making their jewellery they can choose whether to make a necklace or a bracelet and they will be able to choose what colour string they would like to use. They can also choose what shape pasta there are. C1 – description of a resource that supports spontaneity and choice The beads support the children’s element of choice because there are different beads of shapes and size a colour; it supports their spontaneity because each child’s jewellery will be different and unique. D7 – how does this activity meet the individual needs of the children? This activity can be for all children. Children with allergies may not be able to do the painting part of the activity. Children with learning needs can take part with the help and supervision of an adult because they might not fully understand what to do so the adult can support and encourage them. B1 – explain how the activity can be extended to meet individual play needs. To extend this activity you could use the pasta for different things. Getting a box and gluing the pasta onto it. Making pictures with the pasta. The children could use the left over pasta as food in a food tray. This activity is suitable for a child with learning needs because it’s supervised by an adult, the child will get help.