Argument essay against marxist idea Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Argument against marxist idea - Essay Example For example, our environment is degrading at a rapid pace. The quality water in the oceans and rivers, the pollution levels in the air we breathe and the steady destruction of erstwhile pristine ecosystems can all be attributed to lack of private ownership. If only all these resources were privately owned, it is difficult to foresee how they will be allowed to decline as is presently happening. When valuable resources such as these will have private ownership, the owner will ensure that his property is kept in good condition. This fact makes a strong case for promoting private ownership of property and wealth. Let us take the case of prosperity in America. For long, the cherished dream (the so-called American Dream) for every family is to own a comfortable house, decent car and have the money to be able to send children to college. It is fair to claim that hard-working and sincere citizens should be entitled to this basic aspiration. And the institution of private ownership is what ensures that such wishes are fulfilled. To put it in perspective, we only need look at societies that had embraced the communist view of common property and its effectiveness. In the erstwhile communist society of USSR, the standards of living for a large majority of the population were just above levels of sustenance. Moreover, the spirit of individuality was suppressed and in its place a uniform conformist mentality instated in the minds of citizens. This explains why the USSR eventually, but inevitably, collapsed. And a dynamic capitalist economy has taken center stage in Russia presently. The prosperity of countries in Western Europe can also be attributed to their governments’ active encouragement of private ownership of land, business enterprises, consumer goods, etc. In their defense, Marx and Engels would point to the collateral damage that result from capitalism and private

The Importance of Feedback Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Feedback Essay Feedback is a response to an action. It is essentially an expression of the effect of a person’s behavior on other people. As such, it is a form of communication. In a business organization, feedback is a way of telling a worker how his or her action has affected a coworker, the work team where he or she belongs, the organization as a whole, or the clients of the organization. ((Heathfield, 2007) Perceived from the point of view of the initiator of the action, feedback could be an instrument of learning. It enables him or her to find out how his or her behavior has affected other people. It could then serve as a basis for future action. An individual who gracefully accepts a feedback develops a better self-awareness thereby affording him or her with an opportunity for improvement. (Center for Learning and Teaching, 2003) Feedback could either be constructive or destructive. Johns Hopkins Medicine (2002) maintains that when one consciously provides a constructive feedback, he or she gives it hoping to help a coworker but when a destructive feedback is purposely given, it is done so to willfully hurt the feelings of a coworker. However, giving a feedback, whether constructive or destructive, is not always done on purpose. A person providing the feedback could unconsciously give a destructive one if he or she does not know how to properly communicate a feedback. Hence, there is a need to know how to give a feedback objectively. Organizations approach the problem differently and educators teach the method in various ways. However, the general drift appears to be that first, the feedback should be given promptly. People often misunderstand a feedback when given late already. Then the feedback should be concerned with a specific action, not focused on the character of the person who did the action. Third, the person giving the feedback should exhibit an apparent sincerity and honesty to help. Then it has to be consistent. A certain kind of feedback should be given to everybody, not just to a targeted few. (Heathfield, 2007) References Center for Learning and Teaching. (2003). Principles for Constructive Feedback. Retrieved August 25, 2007, from http://www. clt. soton. ac. uk/Events/Workshops/OPS/feedback. htm Heathfield, S. M. (2007). How To Provide Feedback That Has an Impact. Retrieved August 25, 2007, from http://humanresources. about. com/cs/communication/ht/Feedbackimpact. htm Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2002). Lesson 7: Feedback Can Create Positive Changes. Retrieved August 25, 2007, from http://www. hopkinsmedicine. org/service/resources/lesson7. html.

Symbolism in Bernard Malamuds The Natural Essay -- Bernard Malamud Th

Symbolism in Bernard Malamud's The Natural   Ã‚   The role of symbolism in Bernard Malamud's The Natural is important in helping the reader understand the theme and meaning of the novel as well as the time period in which it took place.   Malamud ¡Ã‚ ¦s use of symbolism defines the character of Roy Hobbs and shows how the events occurring around him affected his decisions and, eventually, his career.   Ã‚   Symbolism in The Natural takes the form of characters, such as women who strongly influenced Roy; historical events, such as the infamous 1919 World Series scandal; and even Greek and Roman mythology.   All forms of symbolism used by Malamud are woven into the life and career of Roy Hobbs.   As a first example, women have a tremendous influence on Roy ¡Ã‚ ¦s actions and feelings.   One of the more influential symbols in the book, women tend to control what Roy does.   The first woman Roy falls for is Harriet Bird whom he meets on a train on his way to Chicago to try out for the Chicago Cubs.   Roy is extremely attracted to her, but a major league ballplayer on the train named Whammer Wambold has already caught her eye.   Roy becomes jealous and begins to do things to try to get her attention.   At a stop in the route, the passengers get off for a break and go to a local carnival where Roy and the big leaguer clash in a contest of talent, a David-and-Goliath-type confrontation (Solotaroff 9).   Roy strikes out the batter with three blistering pitches, each of which make Harriet pay more and more attention to him.   As they arrive in Chicago, Harriet stays at the hotel at which Roy has booked a room.   She gives him a call and provocatively invites hi m to her room.   Succumbing to her invitation, and making his way to her room, he enters and se... ...he symbolism in The Natural is deep-seeded and is found by the reader upon reflection on the book. Therefore, understanding Malamud ¡Ã‚ ¦s use of symbolism is critical in understanding The Natural, its background, its times, and its meaning. WORKS CITED Abramson, Edward A.   Bernard Malamud Revisited.   New York:Twayne  Publishers,1993. Grail, Holy, ¡Ã‚ ¨Ã‚   Microsoft „ ¥ Encarta „ ¥ 98 Encyclopedia. „ ¦ 1993-1997 Microsoft  Corporation Helterman, Jeffrey.   Understanding Bernard Malamud.   Columbia:University of South  Carolina Press,1985. Malamud, Bernard.   The Natural.   New York:Avon Books,1952. Solotaroff, Robert.   Bernard Malamud: A Study of the Short Fiction.   Boston:Twayne Publishers,1989. Wasserman, Earl R.   "The Natural: Malamud's World Ceres" in Modern Critical Views: Bernard Malamud. Ed. Harold Bloom.   New York:Chelsea House Publishers. 47-64

Haunukkah

Hanukkah is an eight day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the holy temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean revolt of the second century BCE. This holiday is observed for eight nights and eight days, starting at the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar. Which is around late November or late December according to the Gregorian calendar. This museum exhibit will have paintings, artifacts and accurate information on Hanukkah. I will also include all the Jewish holidays to show where Hanukkah falls in theses major events in history.It is important for me to give credit to all the events that gave way to Hanukkah not only before but after Hanukkah. The second Jewish temple was an important Jewish holy temple which stood on the temple mount in Jerusalem during the second temple period, between 516 BCE and 70 CE. It replaced the first temple which was destroyed in 586 BCE, when the Jewish nation was exiled to Babylon. The destruction of the second temp le and its plunder by the Roman Legions marked the beginning of the Israel’s long exile, which ended the birth of the state of Israel.The Hanukkah menorah is, strictly speaking, a nine-branched candelabrum lit during the eight-day holiday of Hanukkah, as opposed to the seven-branched menorah used in the ancient Temple or as a symbol. The ninth holder, called the Shamash (â€Å"helper† or â€Å"servant†), is for a candle used to light all other candles and/or to be used as an extra light. The menorah is among the most widely produced articles of Jewish ceremonial art. The seven-branched menorah is a traditional symbol of Judaism. The Star of David is a six-pointed star made up of two triangles superimposed over each other.In Judaism it is often called the Magen David, which means the â€Å"shield of David† in Hebrew. It doesn’t have any religious significance in Judaism but it is one of the symbols most commonly associated with the Jewish people. Ma ny Jews wear jewelry with the Star of David as part of the design and the flag of Israel has a blue Star of David in the center. In many ways it has come to be a symbol of unity. Hanukkah food is rooted in tradition and almost all Hanukkah recipes stem from the history associated with it. Traditional Hanukkah foods include ried or baked foods as the festival itself celebrates the miracle of a small amount of olive oil burning for eight long days. Potato pancakes popularly known by its Yiddish name, Latkes are an all-time favorite and these Hanukah foods are prepared by deep frying it in oil preferably olive oil. A dreidel is a four-sided spinning top with a Hebrew letter on each side. It is used during Hanukkah to play a popular children’s game that involves spinning the dreidel and betting on which Hebrew letter will be showing when the dreidel stops spinning.Reference (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Hanukkah (n. d. ). Retrieved from www. templeinstit ute. org/gallery_32. htm (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Menorah_(Hanukkah) Pelaia, A. (n. d. ). Does the Star of David have religious significance in Judaism? Retrieved from http://judaism. about. com/od/judaismbasics/a/starofdavid. htm Pelaia, A. (n. d. ). What is a dreidel? . Retrieved from http://judaism. about. com/od/holidays/a/dreidel. htm

Jewish Feminism

Jewish feminism has had a significant impact on the development and expression of Judaism. They have faced many obstacles and brought about much change in the Jewish tradition. Jewish feminism is a movement that seeks to improve the religious, legal and social role and contribution of women within Judaism. Feminism can be traced back to the early 1970s where women began to question their roles amongst society. For Jewish women, they wanted to focus on the composition of the minyan, the exemption from some mitzvot, exclusion of women as witnesses of Jewish law and the position of women in relation to divorce proceedings. Each variant has responded differently to feminism and the level of impact as differed amongst Reform, Conservative and Orthodox Jews. Judaism is known for being more patriarchal than many other organised religions. This has made it difficult for Jewish feminists to bring about equity and tzedakah. Jewish feminists have one main agenda and that is to challenge and fight sexism within Judaism. They see their work as part of their duty to tikkun olam and believe their actions bring tzedakah to their faith community. Jewish feminism created much controversy as many men thought that it would have a weakening effect on Jewish life, however many would argue that it has been strengthened. The Orthodox Jewish communities found the impact of Jewish feminism to be a significant issue for their interpretation of the halakah and how their religion is to be expressed. They seeked change in a manner that can be defended by Jewish law and always worked within the framework of traditional worship. However, amongst the Reform and Conservative Jews, their attitudes have been much greater. Reform Jews have accepted that a woman can perform any religious ritual that a man does. They were the first group to do away with the mehiztah, that separated men from woman in the synagogue, they felt the customs and practices should be more in keeping with modern society. This had a significant impact as it led to the change in service and synagogue, and the service was rewritten in English from Hebrew. Jewish Feminism called upon all variants of Judaism to reconsider its response to the mitzvot and other elements of the halakah. Jewish feminists challenged Judaism in areas such as the patriarchal interpretation of sacred texts, role of women in rituals, role of women in leadership eg: Rabbi and the general rights of women. In 1972, ten New York Jewish feminists calling themselves Ezrat Nashim presented a document, â€Å"Call For Change†, to the Conservative movements Rabbinical Assembly. This â€Å"Call for Change† demanded that women be considered to perform all mitzvot, allowed full participation in religious observances, be counted in the minyan, have equal rights in marriage and initiate divorce. Judaism was changed by this document in 1977 when Conservative Judaism introduced feminist rituals. Until the 1950s Jewish women traditionally took a back seat in communal worship. The synagogue was divided with a mehitzah as they felt that men could not concentrate and keep their thoughts purely on prayer and their individual connection with God. Jewish feminism's impact on this issue was significant as they changed the physical direction of the mehitzah in the synagogue so women could see the front and yet the men were still separated from them. This change of the direction symbolises the change of views. Jewish feminism had a strong impact on the religious observances, laws and services. The role of women amongst society was changed in 1973 when the first female Rabbi, Sally Priesland, was ordained. There were many objections to the allowance of female Rabbis and numerous questions were raised such as their abilty to raise families and cope with the religious demands and if they were able to interpret the Scriptures correctly. However, non feminists were able to see that these women brought intuitive perspectives that positively questioned the base of the Jewish beliefs. Therefore the extent of change in response to Jewish feminism varies across the differing expressions of Judaism. It has brought new and fresh perspectives to the nature of worship services. Women will continue to demand and receive equality in both the secular and religious worlds. Jewish feminism has brought to each of the variants a closer relationship and a stronger response to the call tikkun olam.

ethiopia case study essays

ethiopia case study essays Nearly half of Sub Saharan Africa's 45 independent countries encounter frequent serious food crises. Ethiopia, one of the world's larger countries, has long been plagues with the torment of poverty, illiteracy, hunger and disease. Famine, a reduction in everyday food supply, is a widespread problem that can strike in any corner of the developing world. Although sometimes unnoticed, this shortage of food slowly leads to hunger and malnutrition. Famine in Ethiopia is not caused by natural disaster, but instead is a direct result of social, political and economic human forces. "Not only are individuals and families dying from starvation there, but whole communities are forces to endure abnormal social and economic activities in order to ensure food". (5) Due to their lack of development planning in combating these hardships. "Ethiopia is characterized as one of the world's least developed nations". (4.65) This case study summarizes the existence of famine in Ethiopia as it rela ted to its causes, both natural and political, resettlement and relief efforts and the issues involved famine in the future. Existence of Famine - When did it begin? People die, governments fail, economies breakdown, poverty widens and futures become dark. Famine, war, and destruction appear to have always been an integral piece of human history, at last since the beginning of substantial human population growth. Its existence in Ethiopia has led to "millions of death, especially in women and children under the age of 5". (3.50) Although many famines have been recorded in human history. Most have occurred in areas of underlying civil conflict. "The famine in the early 1980's was first discovered in the West in 1984, four weeks after the celebrations for the tenth anniversary of the rule of the military committee in Ethiopia". (5) Political in the West had been in dismay when the Dergue announced the formation of the Workers Party of Ethiop...

Biography of Daniel Ellsberg

Biography of Daniel Ellsberg Daniel Ellsberg is a former analyst for the U.S. military and Vietnam War opponent. His name became synonymous with the importance of the press freedoms granted by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution after he leaked a secret report on the Vietnam War  known as the Pentagon Papers  to journalists. Ellsbergs work as a whistleblower helped exposed the failure of the governments war strategies in The New York Times, The Washington Post and more than a dozen other newspapers, and has been dramatized by Hollywood in movies such as The Post, The Pentagon Papers and The Most Dangerous Man in America. Legacy and Impact Ellsbergs leak of the Pentagon Papers helped to solidify the publics opposition to the Vietnam War and turn members of Congress against the conflict. The publication of the documents by The New York Times, The Washington Post and other newspapers helped bring about the most important legal decision in defense of press freedom in American history. When President Richard M. Nixons administration sought to prevent The Times from reporting on the Pentagon Papers, the newspaper fought back. The U.S. Supreme Court later determined that the newspapers were acting in the public interest and restricted the governments use of prior restraint to censor stories before publication. Wrote Supreme Courts majority: â€Å"Only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in government. ...  In revealing the workings of government that led to the Vietnam War, the newspapers nobly did that which the Founders hoped and trusted they would do. Ruling on the governors claim that publication would threaten national security, the court stated: â€Å"The word ‘security’ is a broad, vague generality whose contours should not be invoked to abrogate the fundamental law embodied in the First Amendment.† Journalist and Author Ellsberg is the author of three books, including a 2002 memoir of his work to expose the Pentagon Papers called Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers. He has also written about Americas nuclear program in a 2017 book, The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner,  and published essays about the Vietnam War in the 1971 book Papers on the War. Portrayal in Pop Culture Numerous books and movies have been written and produced about Ellsbergs role in leaking the Pentagon Papers to the press and the legal battle over their publication. Ellsberg was played by Matthew Rhys in the 2017 movie The Post.  The film also featured Meryl Streep as Katherine Graham, the publisher of The Washington Post, and Tom Hanks as newspaper editor Ben Bradlee. Ellsberg was played by James Spader in the 2003 movie The Pentagon Papers. He also appeared in a 2009 documentary, The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers. The Pentagon Papers has also been the subject of numerous books, including New York Times reporter Neil Sheehans The Pentagon Papers: The Secret History of the Vietnam War, published in 2017; and Grahams  The Pentagon Papers: Making History at the Washington Post. Studied Economics at Harvard Ellsberg earned a bachelors degree in economics from Harvard University in 1952 and a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard in 1962. He also studied in the King’s College at  Cambridge University. Career Timeline Ellsberg served in the Marine Corps before working for the RAND Corp., a research and analysis nonprofit based in Arlington, Virginia, and the U.S. Department of Defense, where he helped with the production of a report on how top U.S. officials made decisions on the countrys involvement in the Vietnam Way between 1945 and 1968. The 7,000 page report, which became known as the Pentagon Papers, revealed, among other things, that the administration of President Lyndon Johnson had systematically lied, not only to the public but also to Congress, about a subject of transcendent national interest and significance. Heres a timeline of  Ellbergs military and professional career. 1954 to 1957: Ellsberg serves as a  rifle platoon leader, operations officer, and rifle company commander in the U.S. Marine Corps.1957 to 1959: Ellsberg continues his studies as a junior fellow in the Harvard University Society of Fellows, an elite program designed to allow promising young students a chance to pursue their scholarships.1959: Ellsberg takes a position as a strategic analyst at RAND Corp. He would later write that he accepted the position under the delusion ... that a missile gap favoring the Soviets made the problem of deterring a Soviet surprise attack the overriding challenge to U.S. and world security. He worked as a consultant  to the Commander-in-Chief Pacific, or CINCPAC.1961 to 1964: As a RAND Corp. employee, Ellsberg worked as a consultant to the departments of Defense and State and to the White House. He specialized in nuclear weapons, nuclear war plans, and crisis decision-making.1964: Ellsberg joins the Department of Defense and works for  John T. Mc Naughton, the assistant secretary of Defense for international security affairs. In this role Ellsberg is asked to study decision-making on the Vietnam War. 1964 and 1965:  Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara ordered  McNaughton and Ellsberg to work on secret plans to escalate the Vietnam War.  The plans were carried out in the spring of 1965.1965 to 1967: Ellsberg transfers to the Department of State and serves in Vietnam. He is based at the  embassy in Saigon. He contracted hepatitis and left Vietnam in June 1967.1967: Ellsberg returns to work for RAND Corp. and begins work on U.S. Decision-Making in Vietnam, 1945-68, the  document that would later become known as the Pentagon Papers.1968 and 1969: Ellsberg serves as a consultant to  Henry Kissinger, the national security assistant to President-elect Richard Nixon. He helps draft Nixons  presentation to the National Security Council on the Vietnam War.1969: Ellsberg, frustrated by what he described as a continuous record of governmental deception and fatally unwise decision-making, cloaked by secrecy, under four presidents, learns that Nixon is preparing to escalate the nations involved in the Vietnam War. Wrote Ellsberg years later: The history in the Pentagon Papers offered no promise of changing this pattern from within the bureaucracy. Only a better informed Congress and public might act to avert indefinite prolongation and further escalation of the war. He begins to make photocopies of the secret 7,000 page study. 1971: Ellsberg leaks most of the report to The New York Times because Congress declined to set hearings on the study. When the attorney general and president moved to block the newspapers publication of further reports on the Pentagon Papers, Ellsburg leaks copies to The Washington Post and 19 other newspapers. The Supreme Court later voided the injunction. But later that year, Ellsberg was indicted on 12 criminal charges related to his leak of the top-secret document. The charges included conspiracy, theft of  government property, and violation of espionage statutes.1973: The judge in Ellsbergs trial dismissed all the charges against Ellsberg, citing  improper government conduct shielded so long from public view.  The judge declared a mistrial, stating that the governments action in this case offended a sense of justice.1975:  The Vietnam War ends. Ellsberg begins a career as a lecturer, writer, and activist on what he describes as the dangers of the nuclear era, wrongful U. S. interventions and the urgent need for patriotic whistleblowing. Personal Life Ellsberg was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1931 and was raised in Detroit, Michigan. He is married and lives in Kensington, California. He and his wife have three grown children. Important Quotes â€Å"Then it was as though an ax had split my head, and my heart broke open. But what had really happened was that my life had split in two.† -   Ellsberg on hearing a speech by a Vietnam War resister who was about to be jailed and his decision to leak the top-secret Pentagon Papers.Thats a heavy burden to bear. I share it with a thousand others who had that kind of access.  - Ellsberg on his belief that had he leaked the information sooner, Congress would not have supported an expansion of the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.Had I or one of the scores of other officials who had the same high-level information acted then on our oath of office - which was not an oath to obey the president, nor to keep the secret that he was violating his own sworn obligations, but solely an oath to support and defend the constitution of the United States - that terrible war might well have been averted altogether. But to hope to have that effect, we would have needed to disclose the documents when they were current, before the escalation - not five or seven, or even two, years after the fateful commitments had been made.  - Ellsberg  on his belief that had he leaked the information sooner, Congress would not have supported an expansion of the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Without young men going to prison for nonviolent protests against the draft, men that I met on their way to prison, no Pentagon Papers. It wouldnt have occurred to me simply to do something that would put myself in prison for the rest of my life, as I assumed that would do.  - Ellsberg on his decision to risk going to prison for leaking the Pentagon Papers.A lesson to be drawn from reading the Pentagon Papers, knowing all that followed or has come out in the years since, is this. To those in the Pentagon, state department, the White House, CIA (and their counterparts in Britain and other Nato countries) who have similar access to mine then and foreknowledge of disastrous escalations in our wars in the Middle East, I would say: Dont make my mistake. Dont do what I did. Dont wait until a new war has started in Iran, until more bombs have fallen in Afghanistan, in Pakistan, Libya,  Iraq, or Yemen. Dont wait until thousands more have died, before you go to the press and to Congress to tell the truth  with documents  that reveal lies or crimes or internal projections of costs and dangers. Dont wait 40 years for it to be declassified, or seven years as I did for you or someone else to leak it.  - Ellsberg on the importance of whistleblowers to democracy. The personal risks are great. But a wars worth of lives might be saved.  - Ellsberg on the important of transparency in government.I am a patriot, and that has never changed. - Ellsberg responding to a question from National Public Radio about his patriotism and belief in the strength of the United States. References and Recommended Reading Biography  -   Daniel Ellsberg: Scholar, Anti-War Activist, Government Official, JournalistNational Public Radio  - Daniel Ellsberg Explains Why He Leaked The Pentagon PapersEllsberg.net  - Bio of Daniel Ellsberg  | Extended Bio of Daniel Ellsberg

Role of Kapos in Nazi Concentration Camps

Role of Kapos in Nazi Concentration Camps Kapos, called Funktionshftling by the SS, were prisoners who collaborated with the Nazis to serve in leadership or administrative roles over others interned in the same Nazi concentration camp. How Nazis Used Kapos The vast system of Nazi concentration camps in occupied Europe was under the control of the SS (Schutzstaffel). While there were many SS who staffed the camps, their ranks were supplemented with local auxiliary troops and prisoners. Prisoners that were chosen to be in these higher positions served in the role of Kapos. The origin of the term â€Å"Kapo† is not definitive.  Some historians believe it was directly transferred from the Italian word â€Å"capo† for â€Å"boss,† while others point to more indirect roots in both German and French.  In the Nazi concentration camps, the term Kapo was first used at Dachau from which it spread to the other camps. Regardless of the origin, Kapos played a vital role in the Nazi camp system as a large number of prisoners within the system required constant oversight.  Most Kapos were put in charge of a prisoner work gang, called Kommando. It was the Kapos job to brutally force prisoners to do forced labor, despite the prisoners being sick and starving. Facing prisoner against prisoner served two goals for the SS: it allowed them to meet a labor need while simultaneously furthering tensions between various groups of prisoners. Cruelty Kapos were, in many instances, even crueler than the SS themselves.  Because their tenuous position depended on the satisfaction of the SS, many Kapos took extreme measures against their fellow prisoners to maintain their privileged positions. Pulling most Kapos from the pool of prisoners interned for violent criminal behavior also allowed this cruelty to flourish.  While there were Kapos whose original internment was for asocial, political, or racial purposes (such as Jews), the vast majority of Kapos were criminal internees. Survivor memoirs and recollections relate varying experiences with Kapos.  A select few, such as Primo Levi  and Victor Frankl, credit a certain Kapo with ensuring their survival or helping them get slightly better treatment; while others, such as Elie Wiesel, share a far more common experience of cruelty.   Early in Wiesel’s camp experience at Auschwitz, he encounters, Idek, a cruel Kapo. Wiesel relates in Night: One day when Idek was venting his fury, I happened to cross his path. He threw himself on me like a wild beast, beating me in the chest, on my head, throwing me to the ground and picking me up again, crushing me with ever more violent blows, until I was covered in blood. As I bit my lips in order not to howl with pain, he must have mistaken my silence for defiance and so he continued to hit me harder and harder.  Abruptly, he calmed down and sent me back to work as if nothing had happened. In his book,  Mans Search for Meaning,  Frankl also tells of a Kapo known simply as The Murderous Capo. Kapos Had Privileges The privileges of being a Kapo varied from camp to camp but almost always resulted in better living conditions and a reduction in physical labor.   In the larger camps, such as Auschwitz, Kapos received separate rooms within the communal barracks, which they would often share with a self-selected assistant.   Kapos also received better clothing, better rations, and the ability to supervise labor rather than actively participate in it.  Kapos were sometimes able to use their positions to also procure special items within the camp system such as cigarettes, special foods, and alcohol.   A prisoner’s ability to please the Kapo or establish a rare rapport with him/her could, in many instances, meant the difference between life and death. Levels of Kapos In the larger camps, there were several different levels within the â€Å"Kapo† designation.  Some of the titles deemed as Kapos included: Lagerltester (camp leader): Within the various sections of large camps such as Auschwitz-Birkenau, the Lagerltester oversaw the entire section and served largely in administrative roles.  This was the highest of all prisoner positions and came with the most privileges.Blockltester (block leader): A position that was common in most camps, the Blockltester was responsible for the administration and discipline of an entire barracks.  This position customarily afforded its holder with a private room (or one shared with an assistant) and better rations.Stubenlteste (section leader): Oversaw portions of large barracks such as those in Auschwitz I and reported to the Blockltester about specific needs related to the barrack’s prisoners. At Liberation At the time of liberation, some Kapos were beaten and killed by the fellow prisoners that they had spent months or years tormenting, but in most cases, Kapos moved on with their lives in a similar fashion to other victims of Nazi persecution.   A few found themselves on trial in post-war West Germany as part of the U.S. military trials held there, but this was the exception, not the norm.  In one of the Auschwitz trials of the 1960s, two Kapos were found guilty of murder and cruelty and sentenced to life in prison. Others were tried in East Germany and Poland but without much success.  The only known court-sanctioned executions of Kapos occurred in immediate post-war trials in Poland, where five of seven men convicted for their roles as Kapos had their death sentences carried out. Ultimately, historians and psychiatrists are still exploring the role of Kapos as more information becomes available through recently released archives from the East. Their role as prisoner functionaries within the Nazi concentration camp system was vital to its success but this role, like many in the Third Reich, is not without its complexities.   Kapos are viewed as both opportunists and survivalists, and their complete history may never be known.

Financial Report on Crimson PLC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Report on Crimson PLC - Essay Example The cash flow statement is omitted from the financial statements due to the lack of classification data. The Income Statement does not present comparative information because of the lack of prior period data. Crimson Plc did not prepare a balance sheet or accumulate its accounting records in a general ledger due to the turbulence of the period. The opening balances for the 22 Balance Sheet accounts were compiled from a pro forma Balance Sheet drawn up as of the last day of the financial year 31 December 2005. It is possible that amendments to the Balance Sheet may be called for if and when new information emerges. The 22 financial transactions presented in the Balance Sheet and Income Statement were processed using double entry accounting but without a general ledger system. The following accounting principles have been applied consistently during the period with respect to items that are considered material in relation to Crimson’s financial statements. The financial statements have been prepared under the going concern concept. The going concern concept has been defined as follows: "the enterprise will continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. This means in particular that the income statement and balance sheet assume no intention or necessity to liquidate or curtail significantly the scale of the operation." The financial statements are presented on a fair value basis for financial assets and liabilities falling within the scope of IAS 39, except those for which a reliable measure of fair value is not available. For those assets not falling within the scope of IAS 39, the principal of historical cost is adopted on initial recognition. Adopting IAS 18 clause revenues are recognised when earned and expenses when incurred. Expenses are recognized in the Income statement on the basis of a direct association between the costs incurred and the earnings of specific items of income(matching).However, here the application of the matching concept does not allow

Organization Development Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Organization Development - Research Paper Example Effective solutions can be brought about through proper discussion mechanisms incorporated in such open discussion forums. Such organizational development frameworks must be effectively designed by the organizational managers to help in the development of the organizational people as a whole and not divided by class or groups (Murphy and Willmott, 2010, p.469). Similarly the organizational managers need to identify different stakeholders when issues of organizational diversity are to be discussed in the open forums held in the business organization. Herein the different stakeholders to the issue are to be identified based on diverse groups depending on parameters like race, gender, cultural variances, sexually oriented groups or also suffering from permanent or temporary disability and other old age organizational people. The issues relating to these diverse groups need to be discussed openly to help arrive at potent solutions. Similarly organizations embracing people along different nationalities also need to devise methods to help cover the linguistic barriers so as to help the regional people understand the organizational objectives effectively (Cummings and Worley, 2008, p.280). The paper in this connection endeavors to highlight on such organizational development models that would help address the issues emerging from incorporating diverse individuals or groups in the concern. It would present a thesis on the literatures pertaining to the same and reflect on some practical situations pertaining to business organizations incorporating diverse groups and mode of solving their problems. Literature Review Jones and Brazel (2006) identify a multicultural organization as that which incorporates a large amount of diversity in both its... This essay stresses that the organizations need to work along the social sphere to design several community programs to promote the development of the different regional and other underrepresented people in the concern. Organizational managers need to design several benefit programs focused on such regional and diverse minorities to help in their development and promotion in the concern. The business development managers need to design organizational development models to help the people thrive in an open atmosphere free from coercion and individual or group autonomy. In fact the organization should let the people perform in an environment filled with positive competition and thereby gain promotion based on performance and not undue influence. This paper makes a conclusion that organizations in order to thrive in the new millennium must focus on incorporating diversity both pertaining to the workplace and also in regards to the consumers. Incorporating people from diverse areas tends to reflect that such people can either belong to different racial and ethnic tribes or are disabled or also can be classified based on differences of gender, age and or religious backgrounds. The organizations tending to incorporate such people from diverse groups need to design their policies accordingly to help in the growth of the people both along their professional and personal lifestyles with that of the organization as a whole.

Human Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Rights - Essay Example For better understanding the following explanations relevant to the case under study are noteworthy: 1. Article 11defines assembly as â€Å"a company of persons gathered for some common purpose, for example, a meeting or public demonstration [whereas] freedom of assembly†¦ include[s] organisation of, and participation in marches†¦ processions, ‘static assemblies†¦ sit-ins’ and both public and private events, whether formal†¦ informal (Interights, 2007, p. 7). Based on this definition, Rik’s group and activity qualifies. 2. The right to freedom of peaceful assembly is not an absolute right, but is a qualified right. Meaning, such rights can be interfered with by the Government under specified circumstances. The manner by which Article 11 is constructed clearly manifests this, wherein section 1 defines the rights being upheld, while section 2 defines Government legitimate interferences that may curtail this right. (Ashcroft et al., 1999, p. 22) 3. The general principles as to Government legitimate interferences are set by the European Court of Human Rights following the two cases: Bukta v Hungary [2007] ECHR Application No 25691/04 (17 July 2007) and Makhmudov v Russia [2007] ECHR Application No 35082/04 (26 July 2007), whereby the concerned State parties had been found violating Article 11 (Marauhn, 2007, p. 120). The Court laid the burden of proof on the State, ruling that Government interference against Article 11 is legitimate provided: a. It has legal basis in domestic law. â€Å"In determining the necessity of a restriction, the European Court and Commission have always accorded a certain margin of appreciation to the national authorities† (Rai, Allmond & Negotiate Now [1995]) (Hamilton, 2007, p. 19-20). In Rik’s case the following UK laws apply – for the power of the MP are the Public Order Act (POA) 1986 and the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act (SOCPA) 2005 (Norton 2010); while for the re stricted use of the Parliament Square are the Greater London Authority Act 1999, and the Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square Garden (Amendment No. 1) Byelaws 2002 (Greater London Authority, 2002). b. It is grounded on permissible aims, which in Rik’s case as given by the MP is security. Although such given reason was unconvincing especially so that in the past The Parliament Square has been the common centre for demonstrations and no recent security issue had been heard for the use of the Square. Furthermore, the HOOL as an organisation does not connote any violent intention and does not have any violent history in the past. c. It is indispensable in a democratic society, which in Rik’s case to ensure security is necessary for a democratic society to enjoy its freedom and rights. However, the right being curtailed is in fact one of the cornerstone of democratic society. Meaning, the reason for its infringement must be greater. In Rik’s case, the reason is unc onvincing. d. It should be proportionate to the aim being pursued, which in the case of Rik’s, the police ‘kettling’ – which although favoured by the High Court in Austin v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (UKHL, 2009) – of the protesters for four hours did result to the curtailment of the protesters freedom of movement and even put their health, especially the young children, at

History of Health and Human Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

History of Health and Human Services - Essay Example The development of human services is thus affected by the beliefs and values held by the society over time. Since beliefs and values keep changing, the human services field develops accordingly.3 The current health and human services can thus be viewed as representing the current attitudes, beliefs, and values of the contemporary American society. There are also questions as to which group of people and the types of problems should be helped, to what extent and how. Many people and events have also shaped the development and direction of the field. This paper will try to outline the history of Heath and Human Services field from the start of US history up until the year 1880. It will try to explain the main pioneers of this field among other issues such as the main Acts. However, it will first give a brief history of the era before US independence in order to understand the development of the field better and its foundation. Pre-independence Era The US human services are based on the Elizabethan poor laws of 1601 of England. According to Woodside and McClam this law guided the social welfare practices in England and US for the next 350 years by specifying who was to provide what services to those in need.4 Before inception of this law, the early communities used to believe that diseases were caused by supernatural beings such as demons. The work of medicine men was thus to exorcise the evil spirits. As society progressed, so did their beliefs and development of human services field. The Hippocrates were more civilized began to attribute diseases and disabilities to brain malfunction as opposed to demons. Diseases were thus treatable with use of exercise, vegetable diets and change of lifestyle.5 The renaissance era marked the beginning of formal state intervention in provision of social services. The state established the poor laws which segregated people into three categories. The poor were placed in shelters and some were sent to poorhouse or almshouse. These houses were under poor conditions and lacked essential services; they were congested, food was in short supply not forgetting the stigma associated with such houses. Most people were against helping the poor and saw it as a means of promoting laziness. The situation was worsened by the industrial revolution. There was growth of urban centers due to introduction of the factory system. This led to mass migration of people from rural to urban areas hence an increase in urban poor and prompting the need for public institutions to cater for them.6 The new beliefs during this period were centered on the protestant work ethic. This was the belief that hard work portrays virtuousness and deserves to be rewarded while laziness deserved punishment.7 As such, wealth was considered as the reward for hard work and poverty as punishment from God. This philosophy was neither considerate of the poor in society nor those with disabilities or could not find a job. The poor were not to be helped but to be encouraged to work hard so as to earn a living and improve their well-being. The introduction of the less eligibility concept was geared towards encouraging people to work. It maintained that assistance given was to be lower than the lowest wage paid to any working person.8

Darden's Global Supply Chains Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Darden's Global Supply Chains - Case Study Example Furthermore, the livelihoods of millions of individuals all over the globe are determined by facilitating the provision and production of services and goods bought by the company. Recently, some of Darden’s primary fields of emphasis has been to manage and understand supply chain sustainability well and know how they can impact a positive transformation. Shi and Liao, (2013) state that the company has also recognized prospects for and frequently engages its suppliers on a variety of sustainability problems. From the labour and human rights to seafood and animal welfare sustainability. Their approach is based on building a longstanding, mutually beneficial affiliation with their suppliers and also work with them cooperatively and constructively in order to increase their sustainability enactment when required. By being involved with suppliers to reduce the volume of packaging, the company decreases the fuel amount required to transport goods while decreasing the waste packaging that can be produced downstream. Darden has four different supply chains. To start with, we have Small ware, this is a term in the restaurant industry for things like silverware, kitchenware and tableware, linens and dishes. According to Flint, (2004), the benefit of small ware is that if reduces the price of shipping these minor items this is because all of them do come from a similar region in Orlando, Florida. Additionally, it aids to harmonize all their restaurants in an organized manner. Hence, providing them with small wares of the same quality. By everything being available in a single location, it becomes simple to manage, costs are lowered, and bookkeeping is easy. Therefore, the company can purchase inexpensive unpackaged quantities of products. The second supply chain is frozen and canned food products. The benefit of this supply chain is that it is cheap to operate with the eleven centres of distribution. Also, the distribution centres

History of Health and Human Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

History of Health and Human Services - Essay Example The development of human services is thus affected by the beliefs and values held by the society over time. Since beliefs and values keep changing, the human services field develops accordingly.3 The current health and human services can thus be viewed as representing the current attitudes, beliefs, and values of the contemporary American society. There are also questions as to which group of people and the types of problems should be helped, to what extent and how. Many people and events have also shaped the development and direction of the field. This paper will try to outline the history of Heath and Human Services field from the start of US history up until the year 1880. It will try to explain the main pioneers of this field among other issues such as the main Acts. However, it will first give a brief history of the era before US independence in order to understand the development of the field better and its foundation. Pre-independence Era The US human services are based on the Elizabethan poor laws of 1601 of England. According to Woodside and McClam this law guided the social welfare practices in England and US for the next 350 years by specifying who was to provide what services to those in need.4 Before inception of this law, the early communities used to believe that diseases were caused by supernatural beings such as demons. The work of medicine men was thus to exorcise the evil spirits. As society progressed, so did their beliefs and development of human services field. The Hippocrates were more civilized began to attribute diseases and disabilities to brain malfunction as opposed to demons. Diseases were thus treatable with use of exercise, vegetable diets and change of lifestyle.5 The renaissance era marked the beginning of formal state intervention in provision of social services. The state established the poor laws which segregated people into three categories. The poor were placed in shelters and some were sent to poorhouse or almshouse. These houses were under poor conditions and lacked essential services; they were congested, food was in short supply not forgetting the stigma associated with such houses. Most people were against helping the poor and saw it as a means of promoting laziness. The situation was worsened by the industrial revolution. There was growth of urban centers due to introduction of the factory system. This led to mass migration of people from rural to urban areas hence an increase in urban poor and prompting the need for public institutions to cater for them.6 The new beliefs during this period were centered on the protestant work ethic. This was the belief that hard work portrays virtuousness and deserves to be rewarded while laziness deserved punishment.7 As such, wealth was considered as the reward for hard work and poverty as punishment from God. This philosophy was neither considerate of the poor in society nor those with disabilities or could not find a job. The poor were not to be helped but to be encouraged to work hard so as to earn a living and improve their well-being. The introduction of the less eligibility concept was geared towards encouraging people to work. It maintained that assistance given was to be lower than the lowest wage paid to any working person.8

Case study #3 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

#3 - Case Study Example Age: with the advancement of age, the condition of presbycussis may become more profound having started from early adulthood sometimes from as young as 18 years. It may occur due to prolonged exposure to noise. Noise inducement: in case one gets exposed at a time to very high frequency sounds, then one can become either partially or permanently deaf. It may be due to destruction of sensorineural nerves. The higher the pitch of the sound exposed to may vary the extent of damage to the ear. Very high noise causes a higher degree of damage in much shorter time than low levels of noise. Genetics: sometimes deafness conditions can be hereditary. Where dominant genes exist between parents, the higher are the chances of the offspring acquiring deafness. Modern science identifies non syndrome and recessive types of deafness. Boys Town Hospital is an institute in Nebraska researching genetic and hereditary deafness. Their website reveals genetic fact sheets and information regarding syndromes related to deafness. Moreover, they offer recruitment to people willing to learn about hearing impairment. It is duly registered by the Registry for Research on Hereditary Hearing Impairment. Lastly, New York Rockefeller has also conducted studies investigating non-syndrome impairment. Other Universities and Medical research institutes across the globe have taken steps to ease the diagnosis and possible remedies on the condition. Ferdinand Berthier was an intellectual and an educator in the late 19th century in France. He was born deaf. He was also a political organiser in France politics. He was the founder of the first organisation that took good care of deaf people. He fought for recognition of deaf people in such capacities as political seats, leadership roles in organisations, stating that disability is not inability. The aim of the organization was, â€Å"to bring together all the deaf

A Critique on the Blank Slate Essay Example for Free

A Critique on the Blank Slate Essay There are three doctrines which have attained sacred status in modern intellectual life. The Blank Slate, a loose translation of the medieval Latin term tabula rasa, scraped tablet, commonly attributed to John Locke which delves into the opposing of political status quos and social arrangements, stating mainly that the mind is like a sheet of white paper void of all characters and ideas, furnished with words through experience; it denounced the differences seen among races, including the institution of slavery as slaves could no longer be thought of as innately inferior, ethnic groups, sexes and individuals for the differences come not from the innate constitution but from the differences in the experiences. It is indeed fitting to think of the mind that way as the mind is like a blank sheet of paper filled only through experience. Yet it is safe to say that not only experience that can fill it but also preconceptions and expectations of the society. Another doctrine is The Noble Savage, commonly attributed to philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, inspired by the European colonists’ discovery of the indigenous in the New World; it stated the belief that savages were solitary, without ties of love or loyalty and without any industry or art. It also captures the belief that humans in their natural state are selfless, peaceable and untroubled and that negative emotions such as greed and jealousy are products of civilization, a concept which debased Thomas Hobbes’ belief that man is naturally cruel and requires a regular system of police to be resolved. Looking at it from a personal angle, I would say that I quite agree with Hobbes only on one aspect: man is naturally cruel; if he isn’t, then how is it that our history has been tainted with the blood of millions of people who have died because of a single man who could not rein his malice, i.e. Hitler. Even in our everyday life, we manage to impress upon other peopl e our evil nature, even if in a simple way. But that does not mean that we need to surrender our lives to leviathan control for I believe that we can change our nature, no matter how far back we may seem. As the last doctrine states, we are not merely machines with gears and springs, we are our minds and thus we have the ability to think and choose our own decisions. The last doctrine, attributed to Rene Descartes, is perhaps the most ingenious of all: The Ghost in the Machine. Our mind exists because we know how to think and the very act of doing so proves it. Our bodies’ existence however may be doubted for we may simply be immaterial spirits who merely daydream that we are incarnate. Add to that a moral bonus: the belief that the mind is a different kind of thing from the body. And what makes it truly intriguing is the fact that philosophers argue as to when the ghost enters the body, during the start of the fertilization when the sperm cell fertilizes the egg cell and creates the zygote or when it has become a fetus ready to be borne into the world. Certainly it is an argument comparable to the question, â€Å"Which came first, the chicken or the egg?† Philosophically answering the question would pertain to another question, â€Å"what is meant by ‘came first’?† as all philosophical questions go. These doctrines have so shaped the world that it has left fingerprints, from Walt Disney to the former president of the United States, George W. Bush. And even for a simple student like me who has recently come across the subject, I can say that I have already thought of such concepts even without reading it before, or at least I have thought about the idea of the Noble Savage and the Blank Slate. Yet as I read the concept of the Ghost in the Machine, I was very much in awe for I have never, in my whole sixteen years of existence, thought of such a thing. And what really appeals to me is the fact that Descartes claims that we are our minds and that our body may merely be an image we have formed as immaterial b eings. Even Buddha thought so, stating that â€Å"We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I have long doubted the ideas of ghosts and reading of such a concept, especially in a subject such as this, makes me wonder how the philosopher conceived such an idea. Thinking of it gives me shivers as it implies that we are beings far greater than we imagined. And as good as it may sound, I think it appeals to man’s egotistic nature; we as humans who have done things, good and evil, try to look for a sound explanation to ease our consciences. I cannot say that the idea does not appeal to me yet I cannot also say that I do agree with it; on the other hand, of the three doctrines, I agree the most with the doctrine of The Noble Savage. I do believe that in our true nature, we are savages but that does not mean that we did not know how to control ourselves; indeed it would seem that the Native Americans, the specific race of people that the Europeans based the doctrine of The Noble Savage on, had a better society than we did: they were less barbaric, no employment problems and substance abuse, even crime was nearly nonexistent. And even if there were hard times, life was definitely stable and predictable. And yet that in itself was the reason why man chose to come out of his â€Å"savage† nature; he wanted adventure, twist and turns in his life; he wanted to feel the thrill of living. There is nothing wrong with that but for every choice there is a price to pay and the price we paid was high even if it remains to be seen whether it was worth it or not. However that is not enough reason to turn over our free will to an autonomous control; doing so would merely undermine the choices we have made for our civilization. Besides, our lives are meant to be lived fully and whatever choices we make, we must stand by it and see it to the end. Our mind, no matter how it started or whatever way it really is, is a tool for us to live our lives as we see fit. We must learn to harness our true potential to make sure that whatever choices we make would produce positive ripples that would be felt in the distant future to help the coming generations. As Plutarch said, â€Å"The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.†

Analysis of Psychoanalysis, Behaviorism, and Humanism

Analysis of Psychoanalysis, Behaviorism, and Humanism Psychoanalysis, Behaviorism, Humanism DOROTHY ASHTON Abstract This assignment discusses the historical brass tacks of three most important schools of contemplation within the field of psychology: Psychoanalysis, Behaviorism, and Humanism. I will be using these particular theories and concepts to understand a particular case scenario. It also compares and contrasting the strengths and the limitations of each theory. School of Psychoanalysis Psychoanalysis began as a tool for improving poignant anguish; it’s a therapy technique for education about the psyche, and also a way of appreciative the process of customary on a daily basis mental implementation and the stages of normal expansion from formative years to elderly age. The idea of psychotherapy first started to receive serious attention under Sigmund Freud in Vienna in the 1890s. Freud was a neurologist trying to find an valuable management for patients with neurotic or uproarious symptoms. Freud’s normal mind theory was serene of three elements: the id, the ego and the superego. The id is composed of primordial urges, while the ego is the building block of moral fiber, thought-provoking with dealing with authenticity. The superego is the component of individuality that holds all of the ethics and principles we pick up on from our parents and culture. Freud understood to facilitate the communication of these three elements was what led to all of the mul tifaceted human behaviors. Anna Freud’s contributions to psychology were the field of child psychoanalysis and her work contribute greatly to our understanding of child psychology. The majority of Anna’s education was from her father Sigmund Freud’s friends and associates. Carl Jung determined to learn medication but urbanized a interest in divine phenomena. His attraction with remedy and theology led him into the field of psychiatry that he viewed as a amalgamation of his interests. I know that Jung’s theory created major criticism and his work left extraordinary blow on psychology. One of his concepts was introversion and extraversion contributed to character psychology and also predisposed psychotherapy. He gave recommendation on serene affliction from alcoholism led to the arrangement of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) that helped millions of citizens’ anguish from alcohol reliance. Erikson depleted moment in time learning the edifying life of the South Dakota and in northern California. Erik utilizes the comprehension he earned of edifying, ecological, and societal influences to press forward amplify his psychoanalytic speculation. Freud’s conjecture had paying attention on the psychosexual portions of adulthood, Erikson’s accumulation of other influences helped to become wider and increase psychoanalytic hypothesis. He in addition contributed to our sympathetic of individuality as it is urbanized and wrought in excess of the path of the natural life. Erik’s annotations of offspring also helped set the arena for promote follow a line of exploration. This article by Christopher Spera â€Å"A Review of the Relationship Among Parenting Practices, Parenting Styles, and Adolescent School Achievement,† debates over several studies that have a correlation on parental involvement and monitoring. â€Å"The socialization progression is bidirectional in that parents convey socialization messages to their children, but their children vary in a level of acceptance, receptivity, and internalization of these messages (Grusec et al.,2000) (C Spera, 2005) â€Å"Authoritative parenting styles are often associated with higher levels of student achievement, although these findings are not consistent across culture, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.†) (C. Spera, 2005) the majority of Freud’s own contributions that were highly contentious in his time, is now everyday ideas in our world. Psychoanalytic contributions to the modern experience and culture didn’t end with Freud’s death; in fact I think that it will l ast for centuries to come. School of Behaviorism When it comes to the concept of behaviorism I often think about the most prominent quote by John B. Watson: Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and Ill guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief and, yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors. John Watson, Behaviorism, 1930 The School of Behaviorism was founded by John B. Watson. He believed that a person’s behavior can be measured, trained, and changed. The focus is placed on philosophical/theoretical underpinnings of behavior analysis. Behavior analysis intangible foundation is described as radical behaviorism, which is characterized by the postulation that behavior can be studied using innate science methods. The behaviorist observation of verbal behavior emphasizes the functional nature of language and the continuation of rule ascendancy in human behavior. The major concepts and theories within the school of behaviorism include cognitive psychology, constructivism, social constructivism, experimental learning, multiple intelligence, and situated learning theory. The major thinkers that influenced behaviorism were John B. Watson, Ivan Pavlov, B.F. Skinner, Edward Thorndike, and Clark Hull. Ivan Pavlov wasn’t a psychologist and was said to dislike the field altogether, but his work had a major influence on behaviorism. Pavlov made a breakthrough on reflexes influenced the growing behaviorism movement and was known to be cited in John B. Watson’s writings. The work that I associate with Pavlov’s work is his study of conditioning as a structure of knowledge. B.F. Skinner was a inexhaustible novelist, publishing practically 200 articles and more than 20 books. Skinner’s work of operant conditioning is still considered imperative in the present day. This technique is used by mental health professionals. In his own way Skinner left a remarkable legacy on psychology along with other fields ranging from philosophy to education. Edward Thorndike was strongly associated with functionalism. Thorndike’s contribution to psychology was considered to be the father of modern day educational psychology and published several books on the subject. He is also known for his animal experiments and for the law of effect. Clark Hull contributions to psychology of drive reduction theory served as a general theory of learning for other researchers. His theory was a broader version of social learning and imitation without the motivating stimuli needing to the survival needs of an organism. Hulls theories were a leading influence in American psychology. Parenting involves bidirectional interaction linking groups of two or more generations; can lengthen all the way in the course of all or foremost parts of the particular life spans of those groups; may fit into place all institutions within a way of life, including educational, economic, political, and social ones; and is surrounded in the history of peopleas that history occurs within the ordinary and ingenuous settings within which the assemblage lives. If I wanted to give an example of how the school of behaviorism shape and influence societal thinking I would talk about how students join together classroom environments with their teacher’s caring mannerisms, and through classical conditioning, gain knowledge of to act in response to the school with encouraging emotions. Teachers can also improve student feelings of competency by modeling effort and perseverance, also reinforcing authentic undertakings. Reasonably, then, designed in cooperation adolescents and their caregiv ers, teens is a time of exhilaration and of fretfulness; of contentment and of quandary; of innovation and of incomprehension; and of timeouts with the precedent and up till now of associations with the future. Those individuals who are members of civilizing minorities can also provide as role models. I would have to give an example of Arnold Schwarzenegger idolizing a famous body builder and eventually rose to fame as the world’s top body builder career. School of Humanism Humanism was developed in response to Freud’s psychoanalysis and behaviorism. While near the beginning schools of humanism were for the most part centered on anomalous human behavior, humanistic psychology differed considerably in its emphasis to helping people achieve and fulfill their potential. Humanistic, humanism and humanist are vocabulary in psychology concerning to an approach which studies the whole person, and the distinctiveness of each human being.Fundamentally, this vocabulary refers to the same advance in psychology. Humanism is a psychological approach that emphasizes the study of the entire person. Humanistic psychologists look at human behavior not only through the eyes of the spectator, but through the eyes of the person doing the behaving. Humanism is a philosophical and ethical bearing that emphasizes the importance and society of human beings, in isolation and cooperatively and generally prefers critical thinking and verification (rationalism, empiricism) over time-honored set of guidelines or devotion (fideism). The major theorist of humanism is Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers. Abraham Maslow contributions to psychology focused aspects of human nature that were considered abnormal. His interest in human potential, seeking peak experiences and improving mental health by seeking personal growth had a long lasting influence on psychology. You can say that growing interest was in positive psychology. Maslow even created a pyramid chart listing human hierarchy of needs. 1. Physiological- Human survival- breathing, food, water, sex, sleep, homeostasis, excretion 2. Safety- Security- Morality, Family, Health, Property 3. Love and Belongings- Emotional needs- Friendship, Family, Sexual Intimacy 4. Esteem- Respect- Self- Esteem, confidence, achievement, respect of others, respect by others 5. Self-Actualization- Human Achievement- Morality, Creativity, Spontaneity, Problem Solving, Lack of Prejudice, Acceptance of Facts. Carl Rogers’s contribution to psychology was also in human potential. Rogers had major influence on psychology and education. Carl Rogers is mostly considered as an influential psychologist of the 20th century by other psychologist. The variety of humanistic psychotherapy are concepts from profundity rehabilitation, holistic wellbeing, falter upon groups, empathy training, matrimonial and relatives unit therapy, body labor, the existential psychotherapy. The five basic main beliefs of humanistic psychology are: Human beings, as human, take the place of the sum of their parts. They can’t be condensed to components. Human beings have their survival in a distinctively human context, as well as in a celestial bionetwork. Human beings are alert and are attentive of being aware i.e., they are conscious. Human realization constantly includes an knowledge of oneself in the context of additional people. Human beings have the capability to make choices and for that reason have accountability. Human beings are deliberate, aspire at goals, are responsive that they cause potential events, and inquire about meaning, importance, and vision. Strengths Limitations When it comes to the differences in theories, I find that the behaviorism theory flaw is that it became unpopular and unable to hold up to scrutiny in its historical time period. When I compare the theory to Freud’s psychoanalysis theory I acknowledge that it can’t just be one or the other. You need both nature and nurture in order to be complete. The only thing that I find creditable when it comes to the humanistic approach is its positive affirmations to get students confidence and competence where it’s considered at least to be in the normal range. Case Study In this particular case we have a woman named Judy who is a 29-year-old single woman going to college. Judy has a very challenging personality; she constantly deals with high nervous tension job while she is completing her 2nd year as a medical resident in a large hospital. Judy has always been an over achiever. She has finished with top honors in both college and medical school. She has very high principles that she lives by and becomes her worse self critic when she fails to meet them. Lately, she has been struggling with momentous feelings of unimportance and embarrassment due to her incapability to carry out as sound as she constantly has in the precedent. Its’ my opinion, I will give you three different perspectives of the results from the schools of thought. A psychoanalyst would say that Judy is having issues with one the three elements, id, ego, and superego. Since Judy has extremely high expectation about what she fines acceptable. Freud would probably think that Judy is suffering from some type of hysteria. I would think that a behaviorist would say that Judy is having issues with her behavior. I think that a humanist would say that Judy is having issues with motivation and even though she has high competence in the topic. In Judy’s case the school of psychoanalysis and behaviorism would not be completely useful. Psychoanalysis can help determine what is happening in the unconscious mind but it won’t solve the issue. Behaviorism could possibly observe the issue and even attempt to use conditioning methods to solve the problem. The humanistic approach attempt to help with positive reinforcement. This would be the most useful approach because its used to help students be successful. I think that Humanism would be the right school of thought for Judy’s case. Humanistic psychology is a psychological perspective that emphasizes the study of the whole person. This particular school of thought could be correctly used by a teacher in Judy’s school. The teacher could use a student-centered method to help Judy not just with academic but also the psychological need to get depressed over not getting the grades that she was ultimately expecting but not receiving.(positive emotions) When it comes to behaviorism Judy could be conditioned but it is just covering up the problem. Psychoanalysis could help Judy work through her issues but it wouldn’t do anything to help prevent the incident from happening again. Conclusion In my opinion, the concepts of the different types of schools of thought gave everyone a chance to show their opinions on what is considered important. Freud’s concept of the normal mind was very important to his life research. B.F. Skinners and John Watson’s hypothesis of the person can become anything they desire with hard work and growing up in the right environment wasn’t taken as seriously in the public eye as it should have but B.F. Skinners operant conditioning method had a lasting impact on society. Humanism didn’t gain a huge amount of support in the past but gave us a wonderful starting point to positive psychology. References Christopher Spera in Educational Psychology Review (2005) http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10648-005-3950-1 Richard M. Lerner, E. Ree Noh, and Clancie Wilson. 1998 http://parenthood.library.wisc.edu/Lerner/Lerner-bib.html Burrhus Frederic Skinner. (2014). http://www.biography.com/people/bf-skinner-9485671. An Introduction to Maslows Hierarchy of Needs–Abraham Maslow Benjamin, Jr., L. T. (2014). A brief history of modern psychology (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley and Sons.

Avons Marketing Strategy Essay -- essays research papers

Avon’s mission statement is to be the company that best understands and satisfies the product service and self-fulfillment needs of women globally. They state on their web site that their dedication to supporting women touches not only beauty-but health, fitness, self-empowerment and financial independence. This is a good mission statement for a company selling beauty products to women all over the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Avon started selling beauty products door to door in 1886. For generations women have been purchasing Avon products from small catalogues through a representative calling on consumers in their homes. During the days when most women were at home rather than building their own careers this method of direct selling was appropriate. In 1979 Avon purchased Tiffany & Co Jewelers as well as a chemical maker and health-product company. By the year 1988 Avon was removing themselves from the health care industry. Their debt had reached $1.2 billion and stock prices had bottomed out. During 1989 Avon was the target of two take over attempts. The company was successful in warding off both bids. Avon launched their new web site in 1997. This was a turning point for the company as they were offering products directly to the customers thus cutting out the need for the representatives that they had spent decades relying on. Avon estimated that they had 500,000 sales representativ es in the United States alone. The sales results from this Internet site have not produced the gain the company had hoped for. In 1998 Avon set up mall kiosks around the United States. This was their first attempt at operating retail stores. This was a major departure in the way the company has done business in the past. The intention of the kiosks was to aim sales at younger consumers not already aware of the Avon brand. To help the relationships between Avon and its sales representatives these kiosks are now franchised to the representatives. Andrea Jung was named CEO of Avon in 1999. During the year 2000 Avon relaunched its web site emphasizing the availability of Avon representatives on line to help potential customers with their needs. At the same time Avon created a new product line to be carried by major retailers and sold only in stores.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Avon’s sales have increased but at a rate of only 5% per year during the past ten years ... ... telephone number that commission is earned and this is not a way to gather information for other purposes. Avon will want to make customers aware that they now have the opportunity to shop in the convenience of their own home, and one of the most inexpensive forms of advertising will surely be word-of-mouth. This will certainly be used if sales reps are confident that they will receive the amount of commissions they deserve. As a result, Avon will also want to implement a â€Å"first time user profile† that will allow customer’s who are registering for online purchases to indicate who has referred them to their sites, and provide an incentive such as commission if this person is a sales representative.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Avon will be able to measure its success by monitoring its sales and profit growth. The company will also want to evaluate the market share it owns in the online business in comparison to competitors. Should this online business fail to be profitable in the long run, the company may want to reevaluate its current target market and determine if the most users of their products do have access to computers and feel comfortable using this new method of shopping

Principles of Assessment in Lifelong Learning Essay

1.1 Analyse how types of assessment are used in lifelong learning: â€Å"Assessments should be a regular process; it might not always be formalised, but you should be observing what your students are doing, asking questions and reviewing their progress throughout their time with you†. Gravells A. Page 113. Has the outcome of my teaching been as expected; was there room for improvement? This can be measured through assessment; there are different ways to carry out this out. Initial Assessment It is my responsibility to do this before a lesson or course is delivered. This will help determine how I will plan for the session so it sets and meets expectations for me the teacher and also the students. This will identify any prior knowledge, the stages the students are at and any special or specific requirements that are needed. Types of initial assessments are: * Tutor observations * One-to-one interviews. This will help me learn if the learner is on the right course and what assignments they must do to complete the course. * Competency tests (maths, ICT and literacy). This will help me see if the students are competent in these skills. If there is any weakness I can then pinpoint those to the right people to help with them improve. * Essay writing. This will show me if the student is competent with their literacy skills. There will be a lot of written work throughout the course. Formative Assessment is an on-going process. These will take place during the lesson. This can take the form of * Quizzes and puzzles. With multiple choice answers will help me to see if the students have learned anything from their previous set of lessons. * Verbal question and answers. This will help me see if the students comprehend the topic. * Journals. Also can be used; to help the student record their feelings about the lessons, what went right and what can be improved on. This will enable me to assess whether I am teaching at the correct level or if I need to adjust my plan and methods. * Observations. I can walk around the room and observe the student’s work while taking anecdotal notes. Summative Assessments are carried out at the end of a course to measure how much has been retained and where necessary can be articulated. This is usually through: * End of year formal tests or exams. To see what they have learnt over the year. * Portfolio: This is a collect ion of the students work throughout the course. 1.2 Analyse how assessment methods are used in lifelong learning: * To identify what prior knowledge a student has, I would create a self-assessment questionnaire that requires specific answers, (tick boxes). I would then build this into my session plan. * Diaries or Learning Journals would be used to document on-going learning from each session. Progress can then be measured and any gaps in teaching or learning can be then addressed. * Simulation would be used to see if students are able to understand instructions and how well they are able to reproduce what they have seen or heard, and how they might use them in everyday life. * Assignments would evaluate how well student are able to research particular subjects then put their findings into words. * Discussions or debates are a good vehicle for assessment when other methods may be difficult to manage. * Peer feedback where fellow students give their comments and ask questions for clarity. 1.3 Evaluate strengths of assessments methods to meet individual leaner needs: * Quizzes and puzzles can be used as an informal way to assess if learning is taking place. However if the purpose is to measure individual learning the questions would need to be varied. The most effective way to do this would be to have the assessment computer generated; this is not always possible if the correct software or facility is not available. * Diaries or learning journals, aid to literacy and language skills. The student would also be able to reflect back on what they have learnt; this will also build their confidence to self-assess. In order for this to work, there needs to be clear aims and objectives so the outcome is properly measured. * A portfolio is a formal way to gather evidence that has been produced over a period of time covering all topics taught on a course. This would need to be checked for things such as plagiarism; if the information used was current and properly referenced. * Role play is another assessment method. The students will be given a scenario from their lesson; they will then have the opportunity to act out what they have understood, linking theory to practice. There needs to be clear explanations given as this can be time consuming and not all students may feel comfortable doing role plays. * Examinations can assess what students have retained. By just recalling information they have learnt or by using ‘open book’ method whereby they refer to notes or reference books. The down side of this is that students may have only been taught what is needed to pass the exam and not retain any of the other theories they may need at a later stage. 2.1 Evaluate how to involve learners in the assessment process: As a teacher I will carry out various methods of assessment. To maintain continuous improvement I will involve my students in the process. Giving my students clear guide lines I can get them to do peer to peer assessments, where they will give written or verbal feedback to each other. This will allow more focus on the subject being taught; encourage communication with each other, and where they may discover some common ground. Sometimes comments coming from a peer can be better received than from the teacher. Checking their own work and progress through self-assessment is useful as this gives an opportunity for students to take a step back and reflect on what their objectives and whether they attained them. I will also conduct one to one tutorials, where we can discuss their objectives, progress and development. This will demonstrate positive and individual inclusion. â€Å"Assessment is a term given to checking that learning has occurred. It may happen at any stage during the learner’s progress through their qualification†. Wilson L. (2009). page112. Assessments are also a tool to motivate and boost the confidence of students. 2.2 Analyse the role of peer and self –assessment in the assessment process: Peer assessments are a good means of confirming and sharing ideas. During our micro-teach sessions I was able to describe my observations and justify how I reached that conclusion. My peers would agree or get me to look at what I had expressed in a different way. We would discuss and come to a consensus. We had to think carefully how to put our thoughts down on paper, so they were constructive and encouraging. Looking at the peer assessment on my own performance for the delivery of a micro-teach session. I was pleased with the feedback. It clearly showed what I am confident in; what I need to improve on and what I should consider for future delivery. Their feedback was encouraging and it has confirmed that I have made the correct decision in what I am want to do career-wise. I found putting into practice what I already know with what I have learnt over the past few weeks very useful. There were some challenges I had when creating my own micro-teach session, this is all part of the learning process for me. As the session I delivered came to an end I had already started to do a mental self- assessment. It was useful to be able to put down my own thoughts on paper as they came to me to know what I need to include going forward. 3.1 Explain the need to keep records of assessment learning: Assessments should be documented so there is some form of evidence as to what has been taught, how the learning is evaluated and was any progress made. Records also serve for the purpose of verification, in relation to audits for quality assurance and regulatory bodies, such as Ofsted. The following are some of the following records that may be kept. * Assessment tracking, this can be used to show development and if the students requirements are being met. * Feedback and action records are used to show that a student has had feedback, what the agreed follow up is, and when it is to be carried out. * Learning styles results will aid with inclusiveness when reviewing or creating new session plans. * Appeal records are where a student has submitted in writing their reasons as to why they disagree with a formal decision that has been made. This can be used at a later date as part of that process. * Enrolment forms to confirm the student’s details are correct, point of contact in the case of an emergency; whether they are permitted to study. What the student signed up for, and are they are on correct course. 3.2 Summarise requirements for keeping records in an organisation: As part of my role I am going to make sure I follow the guide lines that are in place for me to keep records for an organisation, as these are regularly audited and reviewed. This will provide an audit trail of my students learning. Confidentiality must be maintained at all times by any organisation holding personal data to stay in line with the regulatory bodies (Data Protection Act). Records that are kept must be accurate, legible and current. There should be specific rules as to when information is considered obsolete. (This is usually about three years). Students have the right to request their records held about them. (Freedom of Information Act) if they are entering into an appeal process. A backup copy of records must be made whether electronically or paper based so if one is lost there is always a duplicate. â€Å"Consistency. You will always ensure that the methods and the timeliness of your assessments are at a level standard, making certain irrespective of how and when your learners are assessed, the outcomes are constant†. Wilson L. page 274. Bibliography Gravells A. (2012) Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector Wilson L. (2009) Practical Teaching A Guide to PTLLS & DTLLS.

Succubus Shadows Chapter 9

â€Å"She couldn't have!† I exclaimed. â€Å"He was with me all night.† â€Å"Not after the concert ended,† pointed out Roman. â€Å"You know, I think that band might really be going somewhere.† Whatever trace of sentiment he'd shown earlier with me had vanished in Carter's presence. â€Å"Simone was hanging out in that twenty-four-hour coffee shop,† Carter said. â€Å"Seth went there to work after – what was it you said? You were at a concert?† â€Å"Yeah,† I said. â€Å"Blue Satin Bra.† The angel gave Roman a nod of agreement. â€Å"Those guys are great.† â€Å"Hey, can we stick to the issue here?† I gave both of them glares. â€Å"What happened with Seth and Simone?† Carter shrugged. â€Å"Same as usual. He came in and noticed her first, though. She had her head in a book – didn't even look up until he walked over.† â€Å"Well played,† I said. â€Å"Forces him into the aggressive role.† â€Å"I don't think Seth's ever really in an aggressive role,† mused Carter. â€Å"It just put him in a position to make the first move, if he wanted to be polite.† During our brief affair, Seth and I had made love so tenderly and so sweetly that poets would have wept at its beauty. Other times, things had been downright dirty, and I think Carter might have reconsidered his comment about Seth being aggressive, had the angel known. â€Å"Then what?† I demanded. â€Å"Like I said, the same. They talked about different things – a lot of topics interesting to Seth, really. I think she might have done some research on him.† â€Å"Fucking lovely.† I collapsed onto the couch, and then I promptly shot back up. â€Å"I'm going over there – â€Å" â€Å"Gone,† interrupted Carter. â€Å"They went separate ways, and then she bagged some guy, and I decided it was time for me to fly away.† â€Å"Lucky bastard,† grumbled Roman. â€Å"You have no idea what kind of shit I had to sit through.† The hint of a smile flickered on Carter's face before he turned back to me. I sighed and sat back down. â€Å"Confronting her's no good anyway. You already did it, and nothing came of it. I'm guessing this would just be a repeat.† Probably a good point. Being in a conflict with a succubus kind of sucked. I could punch Hugh or the vampires, and even with immortal healing, they'd still sport a black eye for a few hours – longer if I was really good. But with a succubus? I could smack her around, and she'd shape-shift the damage. And as for verbal fighting? Well, seeing as I had no real leverage, I'd probably just fuel her further and provide more cat fight entertainment for my friends. â€Å"Well,† I said to Roman. â€Å"I think I'm pissed off enough now that you don't have to go to bed with me.† Carter's eyebrow rose again. â€Å"I mean, he doesn't have to watch me sleep,† I explained. â€Å"I was kind of glum earlier, and we were worried my mystery†¦thing†¦might show up again.† â€Å"Why glum?† asked Carter. He attempted innocence, but I wasn't fooled. Even without being at the concert, he could easily figure out what had me down. â€Å"Long story.† Those silvery gray eyes bored into me, and I shifted and looked away. I hated when he did that. It was like he could see into my soul. That was a place I didn't even want to look at – let alone have others do it. I attempted a change in subject. â€Å"You know, I was thinking about this thing that's going on†¦this force or siren song or whatever. It's not like what happened with Nyx, but there's still a dreamlike quality to it, you know? I mean, it certainly seems like I'm sleepwalking. Do you think she could be back?† â€Å"Nope,† said Carter. â€Å"She's definitely still locked up. I checked myself.† â€Å"Really?† â€Å"Really.† I didn't follow up with the obvious question. Had Carter done it for me? I mean, checking up on Nyx probably wasn't too hard for him. He probably just asked some angel buddy who asked another angel†¦etc. It still made me wonder about Carter's endgame. Why go to such trouble for me? Why look into this? Why track Simone? His expression made me think he guessed my thoughts, something I hated. â€Å"Thanks,† I said. â€Å"But I think I'm heading to bed now.† â€Å"And I,† said Carter, â€Å"am going to get a drink.† â€Å"Done with Simone for good?† asked Roman. Carter made a dismissive gesture. â€Å"At least for tonight. I'll find her in the morning.† â€Å"You're kind of a slacker spy,† I pointed out, though I definitely understood his reasons for avoiding the other succubus' liaisons. His only response was another smile before he vanished. â€Å"Now what?† I wondered aloud. â€Å"Now,† said Roman, â€Å"you get your beauty sleep so that I can have another captivating day of listening to you give recommendations for people who enjoyed The Da Vinci Code.† â€Å"You know you love it,† I said, walking off toward my bedroom. â€Å"Sure you don't want company?† I glanced back at him and studied his face, the lovely lines of it and blue-green eyes like the Mediterranean of my youth. His expression was speculative, wry humor twisting his lips. I couldn't entirely tell if he was joking. Or what his exact meaning was. â€Å"Positive.† My words were a little bolder than I felt, but the night passed uneventfully, again furthering the idea that my blue moods were the target. Consequently, this put me in a good mood when I went to work the next day. I even wore yellow in an attempt at further cheeriness and greeted my coworkers with such enthusiasm that Doug wanted to know what drugs I was taking – and if he could have some. All of that changed when, while headed for the science fiction section, I felt something totally unwelcome: an immortal signature. A succubus immortal signature. And I knew exactly which succubus it belonged to. I did a 180, took a few steps, and tried to pinpoint its direction. Fiction. I headed straight over there, and sure enough, there was Simone – with Seth. She wore that guise I'd heard reports of, the bookish – yet sexy – brunette. They were standing by Seth's section, and she was holding up one of his paperbacks, Idiosyncraso. I knew she could feel my signature as I approached, but her eyes stayed on Seth, her conversation not missing a beat. â€Å"You really wrote this in college?† â€Å"Yup,† he said. â€Å"It wasn't the first I had published, though. I shelved it for years before digging it out and revising it.† â€Å"Cool,† she said, flipping through the pages. â€Å"I can't wait to read it. It'll give me something to do before your next one.† â€Å"Well, don't get your – oh, hey.† Seth had spotted me. I came to a stop beside them, and Simone turned toward me politely. â€Å"How's it going?† I asked, voice harsher than I intended. Seth, always sensitive to me, looked a little surprised at my tone but didn't acknowledge it. â€Å"Fine. Georgina, this is Kelly. Kelly, Georgina. Georgina's the manager here.† â€Å"Hi, Kelly.† I shook her hand with a hardness she matched, and we both continued grinning at each other like Stepford Wives. â€Å"I met Kelly at a coffee shop,† said Seth mildly, not aware he was in succubus crossfire. â€Å"Told her she should see the store sometime.† â€Å"It's great,† said Simone, all adorable innocence. â€Å"I'm a big reader. I love all things books. And meeting one of my favorite authors has given me great insight.† â€Å"Well,† said Seth, a little embarrassed at the attention. â€Å"I don't know how much insight I'm really offering.† Simone laughed. â€Å"Lots. I feel like I'm getting something from you each time I see you.† â€Å"Have you seen each other a lot?† I asked. â€Å"Kelly moved to Queen Anne,† said Seth. â€Å"So we keep running into each other.† â€Å"It's a great area,† I said. â€Å"Where do you live?† Simone faltered. â€Å"Um, on Queen Anne.† â€Å"Street, Avenue, or Drive?† Seth seemed surprised at the interrogative style of the question. Simone turned nervous. â€Å"Eh, Avenue.† Damn. Lucky guess. Queen Anne Street didn't exist. â€Å"Nice place.† Turning my back on her, I looked at Seth. â€Å"I came over because I heard someone say Maddie was looking for you.† That wasn't true at all. Maddie wasn't even in for another hour. I gave Simone a casual glance. â€Å"Maddie's his fianc? ¦e.† â€Å"I didn't think she was in yet,† said Seth. Why, of all days, would his memory be up and running today? â€Å"Maybe I misheard,† I said with a shrug. â€Å"But I figured you'd want to check.† â€Å"I will,† he said, still a little puzzled. â€Å"I need to show Kelly one more book.† She shot me a triumphant look, but I knew she'd accomplished nothing with Seth. He had that expression he got when he was so focused on something – in this case, the history of books – that he was distracted from the world. â€Å"Kelly† was a pleasant coincidence. Simone was too overconfident to notice. Seth turned back to the shelves, and me staying would have seemed awkward. With his attention elsewhere, I shot Simone a warning look. â€Å"Well, I'm sure I'll see you around.† â€Å"Oh,† she said with a serene smile, â€Å"you will.† When I got home later that day, I was ready to break some furniture. â€Å"Did you see – â€Å" â€Å"Yes, yes, I saw,† said Roman, materializing beside me. â€Å"Calm down.† I let out a small cry of frustration, something primal with no real form. â€Å"I can't believe that bitch! Can't believe she'd actually do it right in front of me! She did it on purpose. She did it on purpose to taunt me.† Roman was the picture of tranquility as he leaned against the wall, a far cry from my frazzled, pacing state. â€Å"Of course she did. It's like mobsters who threaten their victims in a crowd – there's absolutely no way you could have fought back, not with that many witnesses.† â€Å"Nice analogy,† I muttered. â€Å"Maybe there'll be a horse head in my bed next.† â€Å"I could leave one in hers, if it would help,† he offered. That almost made me smile. Almost. Except I wasn't entirely sure he was joking. â€Å"The really comical part is that Seth brought it about, you know? He was trying to stay away from me and walked right into this.† â€Å"The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.† I didn't dignify that with an answer. â€Å"Look,† he said in all seriousness, taking a few steps toward me. â€Å"It sucks that she's doing this, and we can definitely rule out coincidence. But if Seth's with Maddie while she's there, you know nothing's going to happen. And Carter will report back to us. No point in getting worked up over it.† â€Å"Easier said than done. Nothing's going to distract me from this.† He moved closer still and rested his hands on my upper arms. â€Å"Oh? When was the last time you went dancing?† I blinked in surprise. The last time I'd been dancing? It had been a salsa lesson at the bookstore earlier this year, after which Seth and I had ripped each other's clothes off in my office. â€Å"A while ago,† I said evasively, thrown off by both the question and his fingertips on my skin. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Let's go out,† he said. â€Å"There are a million places we can go. Any kind of dance you want. If memory serves, you're an okay dancer.† I narrowed my eyes. â€Å"I'm an excellent dancer, and you know it.† He leaned his face closer. â€Å"Then prove it.† â€Å"Irrelevant. I don't feel like going out.† Roman sighed and stepped away. I found I was a little disappointed to have him let go. â€Å"Man,† he said. â€Å"I remember when you used to be fun. I'm glad I left town when I did.† He walked over to my entertainment center and knelt down. â€Å"Well, if Muhammed won't come to the mountain†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Good grief. You're a wealth of religious proverbs tonight, aren't you?† â€Å"Hey, just trying to – Jesus Christ. CDs? You do know the Dark Ages ended a long time ago.† He pointed at my collection with disdain. â€Å"Everyone's gone digital now. You know, those little magical devices that store music? Or do you consider them some kind of witchcraft?† â€Å"Technology changes every year. Jump on a fad, and you're obsolete before you know it.† â€Å"Honestly, it's a wonder you aren't cooking over a fire in the middle of your living room.† â€Å"You forget – I don't cook.† â€Å"I live here. I haven't forgotten.† By then, he'd put one of my â€Å"archaic† CDs in the player. I laughed. â€Å"You're one to talk about ancient history. This is old school.† â€Å"Nah.† He rose and offered me his hands. â€Å"This is classic. Never goes out of style.† â€Å"Yeah,† I said, as the music began playing. â€Å"All the kids are doing foxtrot nowadays. Geez, it's even the slow style.† But I still let him take hold of my hands. â€Å"Hey, you're the one who owns that CD.† We both fell into the steps effortlessly, gliding around the living room and managing to dodge the furniture with some grace. Roman had a long list of flaws, but one of his better traits was that he was almost as good a dancer as me. â€Å"Why do you dance so well?† I asked, stepping over Aubrey. She didn't seem concerned at all about getting squashed and had shown no signs of moving when we began to dance. â€Å"What kind of a question is that? Why do you dance so well?† â€Å"Natural instinct, I guess. That's what I'm wondering. Was it something you were born with? Or is it something you can't help but perfect over the years? I mean, you've been around for a while. I suppose if you put your mind to something that long, you can't help but master it.† He laughed. â€Å"To tell you the truth, I don't know. Maybe it's in the blood.† â€Å"Oh, come on. I cannot picture Jerome out on the dance floor.† â€Å"Not him. My mother. She was a dancer. A slave girl for this king a long, long time ago†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Roman's gaze turned inward. He didn't seem angry, so much as nostalgic. â€Å"Of course, he was pretty pissed off when she got pregnant. That kind of thing tends to ruin the chorus line.† â€Å"What happened to her?† I hadn't been around that long ago, but certain things stayed the same through time. Slaves who angered their masters got beaten or sold to someone else. Or worse. â€Å"I don't know. Jerome took her away, off to some village where she could be a free woman.† I frowned. I still had trouble wrapping my mind around the idea of my boss falling – romantically and divinely – for a mortal. â€Å"Did he stay with her? He would have been a demon by then†¦.† â€Å"He never came back. First time I saw him was last year. My mother didn't hold a grudge, though. She would talk about him all the time†¦said he was beautiful. I don't know if she meant as an angel or a demon, though. Probably he looked the same, seeing as they're the same beings, really.† â€Å"I'm guessing he didn't look like John Cusack though.† â€Å"No.† This made Roman laugh again. â€Å"Probably not. My mother took on mundane jobs whenever we moved villages – washing woman, field worker. But at least she was free. And she still danced sometimes. I saw her once, when I was really young†¦just before she was killed. There was a festival, and I remember her dancing in front of the fire, wearing this red dress.† All mirth disappeared from him. â€Å"That image is burned into my mind. I can see how an angel would have fallen for her.† I didn't ask any questions about how she was killed. In those days, it could have been as simple as a raid or attack. They were commonplace. Or, more likely, she'd been killed in an attempt on Roman and his sister. He'd once mentioned that they were always on the run from angels and demons. â€Å"So maybe you learned to dance as a subconscious tribute to her,† I said, shifting to something lighter. That half-smile returned. â€Å"Or maybe I just inherited my father's attraction to graceful, sensual women.† The song ended, and we stood there, frozen in time with our hands still entwined. Foxtrot was hardly the bumping and grinding seen in modern clubs, but our bodies were close, and I felt like I could sense the heat from his. Whether it was real or imagined, I couldn't say. But I did know there was something very seductive about dancing, about mirroring another's body, and somehow, I wasn't surprised when he leaned down and kissed me. I was a little surprised that I kissed him back. But not for long. Because as our lips met, I realized how much I'd come to regard Roman as a comforting fixture in my life. We'd grown from adversaries to friends to†¦what? I didn't entirely know. I did know that I liked having him around and that I'd never really shaken the attraction that had drawn me to him long ago. I also knew that I was lonely for the touch of someone I liked and that I had an automatic instinct to respond to this sort of thing. His mouth pressed harder against mine, as hot and demanding as I recalled. His hands quickly moved from the formal orientation of foxtrot to something more intimate and eager, sliding down to my hips and somehow managing to push me against the wall while also shoving my shirt up. My own hands were around his neck, my lower body pressing against his as I felt all my nerves set on fire and lust coursing through me. He managed to break away enough to pull my shirt off, and then his hands moved to my breasts, which were wrapped in a white lace bra. He glanced down and made a face as he pulled from our kiss. â€Å"Can't you make it a front hook?† A small bit of shape-shifting made the bra disappear altogether. â€Å"Don't trouble yourself,† I said. He smiled and moved his lips to my neck while his hands cupped the curves of my breasts. It made it impossible for me to take his shirt off, but I slid my hands under it, loving the feel of his warm skin and taut muscles. I tipped my head back, letting him taste me and increase the intensity of his kissing. And through it all, there were no voices in my head. I heard none of his thoughts, sensed none of his feelings. I was alone – alone with my own reactions, simply enjoying the way my body felt with no other interruptions. It was glorious. I at last managed a break that let me pull his shirt off, and then my hands moved to his pants, putting us in a brief deadlock as he tried to move his lips to my nipples. I won and watched his pants fall to the floor. With that concession, he pulled me down as well and continued his efforts to kiss my breasts, almost kneeling before me as he did so. I ran my hands through his hair, gripping his head while his mouth sucked and teased. As he did, his eyes glanced up and met mine. I saw the desire in them and – something more. Something I hadn't expected to see. There was†¦what? Love? Adoration? Affection? I couldn't quite pin it down, but I recognized the general category. It was a slap to the face. I hadn't anticipated it. Lust, I'd expected. A primitive instinct to throw me down and fuck me, in order to relieve his body's need. For so long, I'd operated on the assumption that he kind of liked me and kind of wanted to hate me. Yet, now, I realized those nice moments we'd had recently weren't coincidence. His sharp attitude had been a facade, meant to hide his feelings. Roman still loved me. I identified it for what it was. He wasn't doing this just because he wanted my body. He wanted me. This was more than just fulfilling a physical instinct for him, and suddenly†¦suddenly, I didn't know what to do. Because I realized then, I didn't know why I was doing this. There was a fair amount of lust on my part, and I'd grown closer to him since his return to Seattle. But the rest†¦? I wasn't sure. There was so much going on right now: Maddie, Simone, Seth†¦Always Seth. Seth, who even now made my heart ache while I was wrapped in the arms of another man. My emotions were a tangle of confusion and hurt and desperation. I was with Roman as some sort of reaction, some attempt to fill the hole in my heart and seek false comfort. My feelings didn't match his. I couldn't do this with him. I didn't deserve to do this with him. I pushed him away and jumped to my feet, backing off toward the hallway. â€Å"No†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I said. â€Å"I can't†¦I can't. I'm sorry.† He stared up at me, understandably confused and a little hurt after the ardor I'd displayed seconds ago. â€Å"What are you talking about? What's wrong?† I didn't know how to explain it, didn't know how I could even begin to articulate what I felt inside of me. I just shook my head and continued backing. â€Å"I'm sorry†¦I'm so sorry†¦I'm just not ready.† Roman sprang to his feet in one graceful motion. He took a step toward me. â€Å"Georgina†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But I was already moving away, off to the safety of my bedroom. I slammed the door behind me – not from anger, but from a desperate need to stay away from him. From the hall, I heard him call my name and feared he'd come in anyway, despite my refusal to answer. I had no lock, and even if I did, it wouldn't stop him. He said my name a few more times, and then silence fell. I think he returned to the living room, backing off and giving me my space. I flung myself onto the bed, gripping the sheets tightly and trying not to cry. That horrible despair that plagued me so often filled me now. It was an old friend, one that I would never be able to leave. All my relationships – friends and lovers – were a mess. I was either hurting them, or they were hurting me. There was no peace for me. There never would be, not for this servant of Hell. And then, through that horrible, clenching pain inside me, I felt the lightest of touches. A whisper. A breath of music, of color, of light. I lifted my head up from where I'd buried it in my pillow and stared around. There was nothing tangible, not exactly, but I could sense it all around me: that warm, comforting siren song. It had no words, yet in my despair, I could hear it perfectly. It was telling me I was wrong, that I could have peace. And not just that – I could have comfort and love and so much more. It was like arms beckoning to me, a mother welcoming home a long-lost child. I slowly rose from my bed, moving toward that which had no form. Come, come. Outside my door, I heard Roman shout my name, but the tone was different from before. This wasn't confusion or pleading. It was frantic and concerned. The sound was grating to my ears as I stepped closer to that beautiful warmth. It was home. It was an invitation. All I had to do was accept. â€Å"Georgina!† The door blew apart, and Roman stood there, blazing with power. â€Å"Georgina, stop – â€Å" But it was too late. I had accepted. All that joy and protection wrapped around me, taking me into its arms. The world dissolved.