The Traits of Winston and Julia from Orwell’s 1984

Throughout one’s life, there are people whose similar and contrasting personalities help one to learn more about themselves. In George Orwell’s 1984, Orwell demonstrates a character foil between the protagonist Winston and his love-interest Julia. Although Winston and Julia’s views on life, and the Party are different, they are similar in their hopes to rebel against the Party, leading to their overall downfall and doomed relationship. Throughout 1984, Orwell contrasts Winston and Julia’s views on life. Winston is concerned with the future of Oceania.He analyzes all hope for the future and finds that it lies in the Proles. He begins to see beauty in everything free, for he longs to be free himself. This is shown when he finds beauty in the old Prole woman. â€Å"It had never occurred to him that the body of a woman of fifty [†¦] could be beautiful. † Although her appearance may have not been completely attractive, Winston sees that her beauty w ithin was great. He has an appreciation for her and the freedom that she signifies. Winston saw the true beauty within the woman, as opposed to Julia. Julia could find nothing beautiful about the woman.This is shown when in sight of the woman Julia says, â€Å"She’s a metre across the hips, easily†. Julia only sees things as they appear and cannot find a deeper meaning for the important things in life. As well, Julia is young, as opposed to Winston, therefore she has less experience about how the world works. This is thought of by Winston after a conversation about Winston’s wife, Katharine. â€Å"She was very young, he thought, she still expected something from life, she did not understand that to push an inconvenient person over a cliff solves nothing†.Julia is naive and believes that when there is a problem it is best to be fixed the easiest way possible. Julia and Winston both recognize their different views on life. As the conflict rises in the novel , one sees how Julia and Winston have different levels of intellect and on their thoughts towards the Party. Winston is a very intellectual man and he thinks his decisions over thoroughly. He knows that his actions have consequences. This is shown when he says, â€Å"We are the dead. † He has experienced what happens to those who commit crimes and he knows it is only a matter of time until both Julia and  he are killed.He sees life only as the little time he has left and is constantly living in the past, and regretting the bad things he had done. Julia on the contrary is a carefree woman and can be impulsive at times. She simply lives in the moment. This is shown when she says, â€Å"Don’t you enjoy being alive? Don’t you like the feeling: [†¦] I’m real, I’m solid, and I’m alive! † She is also naive because she does not think about the repercussions of her actions. She doesn’t understand what will happen to her once she is caught by the Thought Police and she focuses on enjoying life while she can.Winston and Julia’s views on the Party became an obvious difference in their relationship. Throughout 1984, one sees how Winston and Julia both demonstrate the possession of a rebellious trait. Although they both make it their goal to rebel against the Party, both characters do it in different ways. Firstly, to other Party members Julia appears to be completely orthodox. She is a member of the Junior Anti-Sex League and appears to love Big Brother, but in reality Julia rebels against the Party by having illegal sexual affairs with other Party members, leading her to Winston.As well she has a great amount of hatred for Big Brother. Her entire character is a contradiction. This is shown when Julia says to Winston, ‘You thought I was a good Party Member. Pure in word and deed [†¦] It’s this bloody thing that does it’ she said, ripping off the scarlet sash of the Anti-Junior Se x League and flinging it onto a bough. † The act of her throwing off the Anti-Sex League sash, demonstrates her ability to rebel and deceive the Party. As Julia allows Winston to see her form of rebellion, Winston begins to believe it is healthy and normal to rebel against Big Brother.Winston rebels by keeping a secret diary in which he writes messages against the Party and his hopes for the future. He eventually devotes his life to the Brotherhood and commits thoughtcrimes against the Party. This is shown when Winston writes, â€Å"DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER†. His thoughtcrime focuses on the downfall of the Party and the end of totalitarianism. One sees that both characters aim to rebel against the Party, while Julia rebels on a personal level, only doing so from the waist down and Winston commits his crimes by hoping to make an impact on the Party and change for the future.In conclusion, Winston and Julia’s relationship is formed through their similar need to rebel against the Party, while their different views on the Party and life strengthens the particular character Orwell portrays them to be. Although both characters chose to rebel, they each do it in a different way. Winston finds beauty and appreciation in freedom , while Julia is blinded by her own needs. As well Julia lives in the moment while Winston is constantly remembering his past. The personality traits of a person can depict their future, including their achievements and downfalls.

Marijuana Paper

Legalization of Marijuana Some people say that marijuana is a helpful medicine in many ways. They say it will relax you, calm you down, and make one feel very good. It is also said that it is not as harmful or dangerous as alcohol and other gateway drugs, and that is some of the reasons why many people want to legalize marijuana. Marijuana should stay illegal in the United States because if it is made legal, more and more people will smoke it, which will cause negative effects on health and families.If marijuana is made legal, people will think smoking marijuana is something that they can do every single day at any given time, which will increase drug use. People will smoke marijuana without getting in trouble or getting arrested. With it being legal, there will also be a lot easier way to buy it, and it will also be a lot cheaper to buy. These same things took place when alcohol was made legal. Drug dealers will be able to grow marijuana without getting in any kind of trouble, and i n return, will be able to make a large profit off of it.It is said in Legalizing Marijuana, â€Å"Van Deventer, a news reporter, described how he and his friends used drugs casually for a while. He felt like he was growing closer to addiction. But buying illegal drugs was not easy. Van Deventer and his friends feared being arrested. They worried about undercover cops posing as drugs dealers, who often sold them fake drugs. † (Legalizing Drugs 67) It is also said in this book that Van Deventer and his friends stopped using drugs when it was illegal, because they did not want to get arrested.If drugs were legal at this time, Van Deventer and his buddies would use drugs casually once again. The increasing drug use will eventually lead to many health effects in the drug users. People who are depressed use marijuana because they think that if they use it, it will calm them down, and in return get them out of the depressed mood they were in. Studies show that this is not true, beca use marijuana is shown to worsen a person’s depression problem. There are also many other negative health effects to marijuana users including: respiratory illness, lung infections, and cancer of the lungs, mouth, throat, and esophagus.It is shown that frequent marijuana users have a higher risk of getting these different types of cancer than smokers are. It is said that after just a minute or two of smoking marijuana, the marijuana user’s heart rate increases and their blood pressure decreases as well. When your blood pressure drops and your heart rate increases, researchers found that the user has a four time higher chance of having a heart attack within the first hour of using marijuana.Smoking marijuana can also, in some cases, make a frequent user of marijuana gain a major amount of weight. Marijuana users have said that they get the â€Å"munchies† while high which makes them want to eat large amounts of food which, in return can make them gain weight. If marijuana is made legal, it would also make a negative effect on the user’s family and home life. If a parent of a young teen uses this marijuana in front of their child, it will make the child want to do the same thing as their parent or parents.Parents around the world are role models to their kids and the kids want to do what their parents do in many ways. If a child sees his or her parent getting high, it will make the child want to do the same thing. Marijuana affects teens and their ability to learn and concentrate in school. It will cause them to make bad choices like skipping school to go out and smoke with all of their buddies. When parents use this drug, it will possibly cause them to neglect or abuse their children. If marijuana stays illegal, these negative effects will lessen.Van Deventer says in Legalizing Drugs, â€Å"The more barriers there are (cops or the hassle or the fear of dying from an overdose) the less likely you are to get addicted. † (Legaliz ing Drugs 68) He is trying to state that if marijuana stays illegal, there will be many more consequences if one smokes or gets caught smoking. If it was legal, than the fear of addiction and getting hassled by the cops for it would not be there. So why would this country want to take a risk of legalizing this drug? It will only give teens and parents bad ideas to teens, parents, and families.Increased drug use, negative health effects, and negative effects on families are all the negative outcomes of legalizing marijuana. So legalizing marijuana will put negative effects on families and it will make many people make man bad choices. Works Cited Goldstein, J Margaret. Legalizing Drugs: Crime Stopper or Social Risk. Twenty First Century Books. Colorado. Outline I. Introduction: Negative effects on family, health, and major increase in drug use II. Increased use in marijuana use III. Negative effects on health related issues IV. Negative effects on family and home life

East Asian Economic Miracle

During 1960 to 1990, East Asia experienced a huge transformation in its economic development which is now widely referred to as the East Asian economic miracle. This was largely a result of the growth of eight economies known as the high-performing Asian economies, hereinafter HPAEs. These comprised Japan, Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, Singapore and Taiwan, and the three newly industrialised economies (NIEs) which were Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Prior to the 1960s, tensions between the regional powers were relatively high, which was evidently the result of several major events including the Sino-Japanese war, the wars between Japan and Russia and Japan and Korea and the invasion and colonisation of certain regions. After 1960, however, a radical adjustment in the interactions between these regional powers developed, arguably as a result of the creation of organisations such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1967. This illustrates a significant relaxation of tensions which effectively promoted economic, social and cultural co-operation between the member states. 1] Nevertheless, the extent to which such tensions have diminished is questionable, especially in light of the effects of both the Cold War and the Korean and Vietnamese wars. In order to develop a valuable analysis which documents the political implications of the East Asian economic miracle, it is first necessary to briefly outline the precedi ng tensions which existed in order to measure the extent to which tensions subsequently relaxed. Prior to 1960, relations between China and Japan were undoubtedly hostile. In 1964, China fought Japan in the Sino-Japanese war over the control of Korea which resulted in the Japanese acquisition of Taiwan and the Liaodong province and the independence of Korea. In 1931 Japan had invaded Manchuria and was in occupation of this area by 1933. During this period atrocities such as the Nanking Massacre took place which exacerbated tensions between Japan and China. In 1905 Japan and Russia were at war, and in 1910 Japan had colonised Korea which significantly contributed to regional tensions in East Asia. Nevertheless, in the post-World War II era, most of the colonised egions in East Asia had become independent which arguably created the conditions for regional cooperation. However, when East Asia became engulfed in the Cold War, further tensions emerged between China and Japan. In addition, this also resulted in the creation of North and South Korea, and the Vietnamese civil war. Thus, these major events resulted in hostile tensions between the East Asian reg ional powers, which are arguably still visible today. During the 1940s, relations between Japan and other East Asian regions appeared to deteriorate, particularly as a result of the Japanese creation of the East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. Arguably, this seemed to enhance relations in East Asia by unifying the region and marking ‘the end of European control. ’[2] However, this was not a universally held opinion as many regarded this as political propaganda which served merely to disguise Japanese aggression and its underlying agenda for imperial domination[3]. It seems that it was not until the 1960s that relations between Japan and the South East Asian regions began to improve. Thus, the period between 1965 and 1975 ‘saw the maturing of Japan’s own economic position and the beginning of Japan’s large scale investment in the region. [4] Arguably, Japan realised the need for co-operation with the South-East Asian regions in order to take advantage of crucial raw materials such as rubber and oil. Consequently, Asia became the largest recipient of Japan’s manufacturing investment which resulted in large economic development in the South-East. Throughout this time of development, Sou th-East Asia introduced many tariffs and inducements in order to encourage domestic industrialisation and enhance relations throughout Asia. This large scale investment not only initiated rapid economic development, but it also highlighted the necessity of shared growth across the East Asian regions. As a result, east Asian leaders formally established the principle of shared growth, declaring that if the economy expanded all groups would benefit[5]. However, in light of the numerous stages involved in implementing such policies, serious coordination problems emerged. For example, it was first necessary for all the leaders to get initial support from economic elites and then to persuade them that it was necessary to share the benefits of his growth with the poor and middle classes. Secondly, it was essential to get the co-operation of the poor and middle classes by demonstrating how they would benefit from this growth. This was seen in Korea and Taiwan where comprehensive land reform was carried out, in Indonesia where rice and fertiliser price policies were used to raise rural incomes, in Malaysia where wealth sharing po licies were introduced, and in Hong Kong and Singapore where huge public housing programs were implemented. [6] Nevertheless, during this establishment of shared growth in East Asia the relations between the South-East regions continued to improve, and in 1967 the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was created. Its founding members were Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia. After 1995, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia also joined. ASEAN’s initial objectives can be summarised as follows: to ‘alleviate intra-ASEAN tensions, to reduce the regional influence of external actors, and to promote the socioeconomic development of its member states as a further hedge against Communist insurgency. [7] It is important to note that its creation had followed recent hostile relations between the South-East Asian powers, partly as a result of Indonesia’s confrontation with the new state of Malaysia, and the Philippines’ claim over the Malaysian state of Sabah. [8] Therefore it was an important step forward in the co-operation of these regional powers in which shared development could be promoted. In 1976, ASEAN adopted the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) which called for ‘signatories to commit to â€Å"non-interference in the internal affairs of one another†, a â€Å"renunciation of the threat or use of force† and the settlement of disputes by â€Å"peaceful means†. ’[9] The signing of the TAC was a major attempt in further uniting the South East Asian regions and establishing an effective agenda for the political development of the ASEAN countries. Thus, it effectively created additional foundations for the cooperation in the economical development of the ASEAN region. In 1977, the Agreement on ASEAN Preferential Trading Arrangements (PTA) was signed in a bid to promote intra- ASEAN trading. Therefore, the PTA prescribed the use of a range of preferential tariffs, export credit support using preferential interest rates and long term quantity contracts. Nevertheless, the extent to which this agreement was effective is questionable. For example, it seems that some of the product groups that received preferential treatment often had little importance as imports. [10] As a result, it was agreed that the â€Å"ASEAN content requirement† should be reduced in order to allow preference margins to be increased. Furthermore, it was thought this would encourage negotiation of the reduction of non-tariff measures between ASEAN countries. [11] This resulted in three agreements[12] in which the primary objective was to boost the industrial cooperation between ASEAN countries. Subsequently, the TAC and other intra-ASEAN trading initiatives seemed to reduce tensions between the South-East regions, although it should be noted that intra-ASEAN trading accounted for only a small percentage of total ASEAN trade as most countries relied heavily on the export of primary goods to Japan and the USA. In addition, as trade became increasingly competitive it appears that trade relations also became more aggressive and hostile. However, it has been suggested that in the early development of the ASEAN, it ‘deliberately deemphasised the goals of political and military collaboration’[13] in order to avoid exacerbating opposition from communist led countries such as China. Consequently, many East Asia regions came to recognise that a market friendly strategy would be an effective way of enhancing the strength of their economies whereby governments would provide adequate investments in people. Furthermore, this would result in a competitive climate for private enterprise, allow the economy to remain open for international trade and maintain a stable macroeconomy. [14] Many of these policies were implemented in east Asian regions in order to promote economic development at a successful rate, combined with selective intervention in order to guide private-sector resource allocation. This created a competitive environment with the benefits of co-operation between the government and private sector. 15] In 1992 ASEAN leaders endorsed the idea of an ASEAN free trade area (AFTA) which would gradually lift the tariffs for manufactured goods produced by these members in order to enhance ASEAN economic cooperation. The AFTA would remove barriers to trade and investment and therefore also present an incentive for foreign investment. However, the AFTA did not fully achieve its objectives due to pre-existing low tariffs, and therefore only very few intra-ASEAN traders took advantage of the reduced tariffs. [16] Consequently, it seems that there were only minor noticeable improvements in relations in the ASEAN. However, in Northeast Asia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China there was a massive economic development during the ‘East Asian Economic Miracle’ period. By the 1960s many regarded Japan as having a relatively mature industrialised economy in comparison with other East Asian countries. [17] During the 1950s and 1960s the idea emerged that Japan should use the flying geese model to support other Asian countries in their development. As a result, other regions would be able to replicate Japan’s developmental experience and adapt it to their own regions. For example, manufacturing with lower skill rates were transferred from Japan and invested into lower performing economies. Thus, by utilising Japan’s economic development experiences, combined with the major Japanese investment in other East Asian regions, the basis for regional economic cooperation was created. Prior to the development experienced by South Korea and Taiwan, both countries had possessed high trade deficits. It was only with the combination of heavy investment from Japan and aid received from the U. S. that they were able to offset these trade deficits and sustain high levels of investment. 18] This was achieved partly as a result of the South Korean and Taiwanese governments engaging in import substitution, which meant that instead of relying on importing nondurable consumer goods, they manufactured these products domestically. This was a highly successful strategy, and in order to further develop their market economies they switched to an export orientated s trategy following Japan’s example. This success has been shared with other export orientated economies which have achieved higher rates of growth in comparison to those countries that have pursued an import substitution strategy. Thus, despite the fact that tensions may have initially increased as a result of competitive economic relationships between Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, arguably the result has been a significant relaxation of regional tensions. In addition, powerful government agencies have also been instrumental in determining the tone of regional relations, as is evident from an analysis of policies implemented by South Korea’s Economic Planning Board, Taiwan’s council for Economic Planning and Development, Taiwan’s and South Korea’s model agency and Japan’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). The MITI have many useful policy tools, including the power to screen foreign investment and regulate foreign exchange. Their main objective was to maintain national independence in industries such as energy, steel, computer and telecommunications, etc. whereby they attempted to guide firms towards what was termed ‘sunrise’ industries which included electronics and information systems. Thus, Japanese firms were encouraged to improve their technological capabilities and relocate industries where national competitiveness was declining, such as in Taiwan and South Korea. These industries tended to have high labour intensity, therefore by transferring these industries Japan was able to avoid increasing labour costs. Throughout this period of development Japan also provided Taiwan and South Korea with some of the necessary machinery and components which was essential for their industrialisation. Consequently, South Korea was recognised as the most successful of the East Asian regions, and in 1996 South Korea was ranked as the twelfth largest economy in the world. 19] Taiwan has also experienced remarkable success in terms of the growth of its economy and has achieved a decrease in inequality of income. The ratio of incomes between the top twenty percent of households to those of the lowest twenty percent was estimated to be 20. 47 in 1953 which subsequently decreased to 5. 33 in 1964 where this figure has remained stable since, and has only risen slightly over time. [20] Both of these economies have experienced successful development in implementing th e same growth strategies seen in Japan. With the effective use of foreign investments, improved technologies, government policies and agencies, South Korea and Taiwan have advanced their economies and become major competitors in the global economy. Thus, as a result of the aid and guidance received from Japan, relations between these regions have undoubtedly improved. Throughout the ‘economic miracle’ many of the East Asian regions received foreign investment from the U. S. and Japan. Western investment was viewed y some as part of a wider effort to build opposition against the communist-led countries within East Asia, such as the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Therefore the PRC sought investment from other countries with similar political ideology, such as the Soviet Union who were able to provide loans, technology and advisors in order for the PRC to improve its communication infrastructure and heavy industrial foundation. [21] Nonetheless, by the late 1970s the PRC had not achieved its initial goa ls and its economy was unstable. In the early 1980s the PRC government changed its strategy in order to achieve economic development by liberalising the economy. Therefore, the government began deemphasising the need for central planning and encouraging local initiatives, and later began to follow the models set by the East Asian regions that had already shown significant development. Consequently, the PRC opened its economy to foreign investment, technology and trade which ultimately strengthened its economic performance. Before the 1980s, relations between the PRC and other East Asian nations had been hostile, particularly as a result of their conflicting political ideologies. It may be argued, however, that after this boost in its economical development, relations between the PRC and other East Asian regions began to relax as a result of the increase in the cooperation of these regions. Nevertheless, some commentators argue that the PRC increased tensions as a result of its economic growth which encouraged competitive relations. Similarly, some security study texts indicate that the strengthening of the PRC resulted in moves to convert its economic power into political-military power. [22] Thus, it is questionable whether the development of the PRC’s economy merely exacerbated tensions with other East Asian regions in light of a perceived military threat. After the East Asian economic miracle, the introduction of ASEAN plus three (APT) has been recognised as significantly increasing regionalism within East Asia. Although not an official organisation, it is a basic framework for East Asian cooperation which has enabled the integration of the East Asian regions whereby the policy of mutual dependence is prioritised. Furthermore, after the Asian financial crisis in 1997, it seems that there have been further calls for the enhancement of East Asian cooperation which subsequently led to recent suggestions for the establishment of an East Asian Free Trade Area (EAFTA). However, it should be stressed that the creation of such an agreement will be difficult to achieve unless further policies can be implemented to support such a move, for example, an increase in sub regional agreements and bilateral FTAs. [23] However, it should also be noted that in 2001 it was announced that ASEAN and China would establish their own FTA before 2010 which suggests that the prospects of an EAFTA being established are not altogether slim. Thus, it is evident that there have been dramatic improvements in East Asian relations as a result of the increased economic cooperation. Nevertheless, as the APT group consists of both advanced market economies and less developed economies many tensions continue to exist which is arguably compounded by the existence of the conflicting political ideologies in countries such as the PRC and Vietnam. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that the East Asian Economic Miracle has transformed East Asia’s economies whereby many East Asian countries have now confirmed their position as major contenders in the global market. Throughout this period the HPAEs have grown at a faster rate than most other developing countries in the world. This has been a result of numerous factors, but in particular it seems that this success is largely attributable to the regionalism that has occurred across East Asia. It seems that relations between the East Asian regions have rapidly developed, especially as ‘those countries that have adopted a â€Å"trading strategy† have tended to outperform others that have given primacy to the ideas of military assertiveness and territorial control. [24] Thus, in order to compete in an increasingly global environment, it has proved to be essential to minimise military conflicts and establish trade relationships that will benefit the region as a whole. Many of the HPAEs have taken note of Japan’s developmental example, and accordingly, each have similar economic characteristics. Arguably, this has been instrumental in enabling organisations such as the ASEAN to emer ge, as well as encouraging the implementation of many major policies which have enhanced intra trade relations. Nonetheless, a deeper level of analysis reveals that major tensions continue to exist within East Asia, such as the North Korean threat, Japanese tensions with its neighbours and disputes between China and South Korea regarding historical legacies. Nevertheless, it seems that the cooperation and shared development which has resulted from the East Asian economic miracle has, at the very least, created the foundations for progressive trade relations in the future.

To what degree did air power contribute to the Allied victory at the Essay

To what degree did air power contribute to the Allied victory at the Second Battle of El Alamein in 1942 - Essay Example The historical context of the onset of this battle is the pre-emptive attempt by Rommel to strike the Allied forces in Africa before they received massive reinforcements, thereby not letting their might swell to threatening proportions. This effort not only failed but backfired and the Panzers were caught in a catch-22 situation created by their misendeavour. The Allies, who managed to capitalise on this situation, kept the Afrika Korps in check for six weeks and then, when they were fully replenished, they launched an all-out offensive, engaging the enemy in a battle that was to change the course of WW2 west of the Suez. This gigantic war effort was implemented on a vast scale. The sheer numbers and the scale of logistics was mind boggling. When the Allies first retaliated against the Afrika Korps in August 1942, its strength was 200,000 men and 10,000 tanks, while that of the Afrika Korps was exactly its half. But logistics apart, Rommel was fighting a losing battle at El Alamein right from the beginning and had inherited several other strategic disadvantages which circumstances only aggravated. Notable amongst the major shortcomings... just to desert warfare tactics and erroneous planning at crucial junctures which cost a heavy body count and massive loss of armour and artillery machinery. The mention of these factors is aimed at providing credence to historian Niall Barr's main contention in his important book on the subject, Pendulum of War: Three Battles of El Alamein that the Allied victory in this battle was as much due to the enemy's shortcomings as it was due to its own strengths. "Rather than attribute British victory to any unique stratagem resulting from Montgomery's august appointment, Barr finds that it was the combination of circumstances and positional realities, along with the Allied ability to modify its tactics-an ability the Germans apparently did not share-that led to decisive victory on November 4" (Pendulum of War: Three Battles at El Alamein). Notably, Barr is also sparing in his praise for Montgomery and instead, gives more credence to the ground forces for the victory. The Battle, which began on August 30, 1942, and ended on November 4 the same year, was conceived by Montgomery in various phases, "Consisting of the break-in - October 23-24, the crumbling - October 24-25, the counter - October 26-28, Operation Supercharge - November 1-2 and the breakout - November 3-7" ("The Second Battle of El Alamein"). At various stages during the battle, the Allied aerial attack was requisitioned to play its role in the battle, either to provide air cover or to attack the ground forces of Afrika Korps. These air attacks are chronicled below. In an attempt to thwart the advance of the Allied army towards its stronghold, the Afrika Korps had planted one of the largest quantities of landmines in WW2, numbering around 500,000. This plantation had earned a dubious name of Devil's Gardens. These

Analysis of Aphids by Giving Reference to Their Living Habits, Food Research Paper

Analysis of Aphids by Giving Reference to Their Living Habits, Food Pattern - Research Paper Example Among the known 4,400 species of 10 families, some species of aphids have asexual reproduction capability. Among the identified species, around 250 are most destructive pest causing threats to agriculture, forestry, and gardening. Aphids generally vary in length from 1 to 10 millimetres. Predatory ladybirds, hoverfly larvae, crab spiders, aphid midge larvae, lacewings, and Entomophthorales are some of the natural enemies of aphids. This paper will deeply analyze about aphids by giving reference to their living habits, food pattern, and special effects in nature and plants. The basic classification about aphids indicates that they include to the Kingdom-Animalia, Phylum-Arthropoda, Class- Insecta, Order-Hemiptera, and Family-Aphididae. Last year, my colleagues and I had a trip to a reserve park in the Sepulveda basin wildlife reserve. The trip was greatly helpful for us to understand more about aphids, their life circulation, and their impacts on nature. Non-native invasive weeds and trees are not allowed in that area (Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve). While examining aphid symbioses, and mutualism and bacterial endosymbiosis are two important phenomena to be considered. It is observed that some farming ant species collect and protect aphid eggs in their nests over the whole winter and bring back the newly hatched aphids back to the plant (Aphid). In turn, the farming ants feed the honeydew released by the aphids due to the terminations of their alimentary canals. A similar relation is seen between daring ants and aphids. In addition, an endosymbiosis with micro-organism is common insects; with almost 10% insects including many aphid species largely depend upon intracellular bacteria for their growth and survival. The most important feature of the living habits of aphids is that they live in large groups and don’t migrate to other regions unless it is absolutely necessary.  

The prograssive way for Halifax Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The prograssive way for Halifax - Essay Example This strategy options are the most promising one, present day situation in veterinary market is marked by two factor - specification, which is to do with the 'design quality' of service, and conformity, which is to do with the 'process' quality which is achieved are of particular importance to customers. On the other hand, Halifax can open its branchers in other city areas. This strategy will help to attract new clients providing veterinaty services near their residence. This strategy will help the clinic to create a strong brand image and increase the number of loyal customers. Service concepts of Halifax should include improvement of communication, and the environment composed of all the individual services. Client retention is important for many businesses because customers create demand in an industry. On the one hand, it helps the company to standardize services and, on the otehr hand, it secures the business from decrease in sales. Client retention is important because it helps to know customers "one by one", and it allows the firm to meet particular needs of the clients and find specific ways to solve their current problems. Also, client retention makes it possible to develop a basic long-term goal and objectives of an enterprise, and adopt courses of action and allocate resources necessary for carrying out these goals. Customer reteention will help to generate profit (McDonald, Christopher, 2003). Customers loyalty can be achieved thro... That is why maximizing each employee's potential as an individual and as a team member will be a key to maximizing the profitability of each hotel. To ensure customer satisfaction the veterinary clinic should implement and develop new strategy based on Web services. It is not a unique and a new form of service, but, unfortunately, this type of service is seldomly used by veterinary services. The idea of the web-enabling veterinary services is to provide the clinic with the tools they need to compete more e effectively and to grow their businesses successfully. To build a loyal group of clients, Halifax should consider time as the important factor of delivering service. Consider first the fee of services, a customer takes into account the delay or wait. This delay or wait will normally be evident as the period of time between placing an order and receiving the service. This is clearly an important dimension of customer service, because veterinary service is depended upon providing services at the exact time Another factors helped to retain a loyal group of clients include location of the clinic (and its subsidiaries), the cost reductions, high service quality and staff communication skills, free of charge web services and call centers. Ultimately they are the two factors which determine the quality levels provided by hotel industry to its customers. These two factors however are themselves determined by other factors. Service concepts are based on understanding the unique environment in which hotels operate. 4. What market segments exist in the market for veterinary services for household pets Market segmentation is the process identifying specific segments of clients with similar demands who exhibit similar responses to a firm's marketing mix. Within

International Business Management Research Paper

International Business Management - Research Paper Example Australia possesses remarkable diversity of life forms which is unique compared to rest of the world, its diverse culture and lifestyle reflects its liberal democratic traditions and migrants. According to Aswathappa (2010) the environment of international business is regarded as the sum total of all the external forces working upon the firm as it goes about its affairs in foreign and domestic markets. Understanding of the Australian business culture can relieve tension in a business transaction and make it beneficial and enjoyable for both business parties (Nolan 1996). Australia enjoys political stability and has a federal system of government with powers generally distributed between the Federal Government and State Governments all of which are governed through elected Parliaments. Australia’s foreign investment policy encourages FDIs which are consistent with community interests and they are required to register and get approval from FIRB in certain categories like proposa l to establish new business, investment in sensitive sectors, acquisition of assets and shares and real estate (Feslers, 2010). According to AMB Country Risk Report (2010) Australia in a Country Risk Tier (CRT) – 1 country with very low levels of economic, political and financial system risk and experienced 18 years of uninterrupted economic expansion. With such rich natural resources and diversity in socioeconomic and political background, Australia is the best place to start a new business as stated by World Bank report and also due to low risk factors. Introduction The globalization process has made it compulsory for the companies to expand their business operations beyond its national boundaries and enter the international market and to operate in global market. As the global economy continues to develop, managers need to learn the process of working and operating business in international arena in the same way as they do in their own backyard (Lane et al, 2005). Successf ul corporations embrace a global perspective and philosophy to survive and prosper in the international environment which is a challenge for the companies to deal with the dynamic environment (Punnett, 2010). International business as a field of study and practice encompasses that public and private business activity affecting the persons or institutions of more than one national state, territory or colony. The effect may be in terms of their economic well being, political status, conviction skills or knowledge, International business differs from the purely domestic because it involves operating effectively within different national sovereignties, under widely disparate conditions, with peoples living with different value systems and institutions, legal systems, etc. In order to make a movement or take a decision for international expansion, it is important and essential to make a strategic approach taking into consideration the domestic environment of the country selected for the expansion, the socio economic environment, the structure of the international economic and political system, and company resources. This paper presents the possibilities and factors to conduct business in Australia and provisions and facilities in form of encouragement like certain exemptions provided the host country to promote foreign investments. Background on the country

Online entertainment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Online entertainment - Research Paper Example Rather, the following analysis will explore, discuss, review, and evaluate some of the major trends, segmentation, business models, business practices, as well as perspective challenges that face the online entertainment segment. Seeking to analyze online entertainment as such would necessarily be a monolithic task which could consume the space of several dissertations. However, for purposes of this analysis, three of the major players within online entertainment will be discussed and analyzed. These players are as follows: Netflix, YouTube, Apple TV, and Blizzard Software’s World of Warcraft. Through such a level of discussion, it is the hope of this author that the reader will be able to come away with a more informed and actionable level of understanding with regards to some of the best practices and constraints that defined the way in which online entertainment is presented to the end consumer. ... As half the years have noted, a dynamic shift has taken place and individuals are no longer as willing to go to the movie theater or to view television shows in their traditional format; through regular broadcast (Graham, 2012). Taking advantage of this industry shipped, Netflix is able to edit the original format; removing a litany of advertisements that had previously helped to pay for the respective entertainment’s production costs, and replace this via standardized monthly subscription fee (Vance, 2013). Although an entire section will be devoted within this analysis to key challenges facing the Netflix level of service provision, it must be noted within this introductory level of approach that Netflix has recently been faced with a series of difficulties negotiating the level of fees with both the primary service providers and the end consumer (with respect to the actual amount of money which they charge for the service). However, due to the name recognition and previous levels of consumer utility that Netflix was able to provide, it appears as if the cost structure difficulties that were faced previously will be weathered by the firm without severe loss of income (LaPorte, 2013). YouTube Overview Since its inception in 2005, YouTube has experienced a meteoric rise to prominence and has become a global leader in online entertainment. Conceived originally as an effective means of storing and sharing media content, YouTube now represents over 10% of global Internet traffic. However, regardless of its overall level of success, YouTube shares a very different business model as compared to Netflix, which has briefly been discussed above (Kelley et al., 2012). Whereas Netflix seeks to reduce and outright removed the many advertising spots and

Major Histocompatibility Complex Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Major Histocompatibility Complex - Essay Example The role of immune responses and polymorphism brings about changes to parasitic responses and individuals master immune responses against pathogenic responses. In this discussion features of the major histocompatibility complex are highlighted and the mechanisms and functions of the immune system are also discussed in terms of pathogenic reactions and the role of the MHC. The importance of genetic diversity, selective pressure and polymorphism would also be discussed to suggest evolutionary changes, genetic diversity in the population and the influence of MHC on social behavior. A description of the MHC or Major Histocompatibility Complex could suggest that MHC is a gene cluster. The MH complex consists of four million base pairs of DNA and contains 128 genes as well as 96 pseudogenes (non-functional gene remnants). The MHC is thus a multigene family, has a large cluster of genes encoding key receptor molecules that aids in the binding of foreign peptides to immune cells and this in turn leads to a successful immune response (Klein, 1986). The vertebrate immune system has the MHC as its core and it is a multigene family encoding receptor molecules that binds and recognizes foreign peptides for immune responses and immune cells. ... ent them to immune cells and trigger a sort of immune response and foreign proteins enter cells by infection, phagocytosis in antigen presenting cells and macrophages. Foreign proteins are comprised of small peptides and presented in MHC molecules and these proteins are transported to the cell surface and T cell population. When the peptide binds the T cells, immune responses are triggered (Klein, 1986). The MHC is the most important genetic cluster within a mammalian immune system and the immune system is described in terms of the Major Histocompatibility Complex. The MHC is composed of cell surface glycoproteins and binds antigens from pathogens to T lymphocytes and this helps in triggering the appropriate immune response to attack of parasites in the body. Some MHC genes may produce a diversity of antigens in a population and individuals posses a unique bunch of genes and the MHC represent the immune system and immune responses quite directly so the genetic effects of population fragmentation are studied. Certain MHC genes evolve in response to selective pressure from pathogens and tend to affect the social behavior of animals as well. Some of the issues that will be discussed here would relate to the nature of MHC, the underlying structural and functional attributes, the early history of MHC, the class I, II, and III and variations or differentiation within manifestation of MHC so that evolutionary processes and mechanisms of parasitic reactions, adaptation and selection could be explained. The MHC has been characterized at the molecular level for many years and the population diversity of MHC molecules is quite large as for some MHC loci, over 100 different alleles have been identified (Parham and Ohta 1996). For polymorphism in MHC, the importance of mutation,

Network Infrastructure Basics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Network Infrastructure Basics - Assignment Example The model is split into seven parts. In the same taken, the presentation layer deals with the production of services that rely on application program such as MSWindows. According to the OSI model, the session layer has been set aside for the tabling of the running of services (Tanenbaum, 2003). This runs the process and leads to the scheduling of tasks that are to be run using the applications. In the transport layer, responsibility vested is for the data being broken to packets for purpose of transfer between hosts on a regular basis to ensure quality of service, on a network(Bush et al, 2012). Normally, network layers interpret the physical name of the computer from the logical network addresses. The data link layer of the OSI model has been assessed to the widely used in networks. The layer is reserved for routers for their highly specific communication. The hardware resources that are used in a network represent the physical layer(Forouzan, 2003); Routable protocols are those protocols that are designed to cross physical networks and enter other networks (Tanenbaum, 2003).The non-routable protocols are not applied to the networks that are outside the physical network a device is connected to at the time. Connection oriented protocols are more reliable than the non-connection oriented ones. This is because they perform a check on their own structures. These protocols resend a message in case the receiver does not receive one (Forouzan, 2003). In this case, they tend to be more networks oriented. The non-connection oriented protocols are not session-based and can thus be end at ant any

Macbeth English Coursework Essay Example for Free

Macbeth English Coursework Essay 1. The scene opens with Lady Macbeth speaking in soliloquy; as a director I would tell the actress to look agitated, maybe wringing her hands and pacing the stage, quite near the back of the stage so it looks as if she is almost trying to hide. In the first soliloquy she seems less powerful compared to when she is with Macbeth. Lady Macbeth begins to imagine noises that represent bad omens, for example, the owl shriekd. She probably didnt hear that noise but an owl shrieking is a symbol of evil and she knows she is doing wrong. She then begins to go over the plans as if she is reassuring herself of what to do and wondering what is going on and how the plan is doing. Lady Macbeth obviously wasnt that confident because she even says that she needed an alcoholic drink to calm her and make her brave again. Then when Macbeth enters, still in soliloquy, she panics that Macbeth hasnt committed the murder, that they woke up and caught him and she expresses her doubts very obviously as shown in this quotation, I am afraid this shows how she lacks confidence and proves that she wasnt bold. Then when Macbeth and Lady Macbeth begin to talk to each other they are both very nervous and jumpy but slowly Lady Macbeth begins to regain control again and she can then comfort and sooth Macbeth who is very shocked and seems almost hysterical. Then Macbeths concerns worry Lady Macbeth but she still remains in control because she starts to command and order Macbeth around. For example, give me the daggers, get on your nightgown; Lady Macbeth regained her calm and Macbeth has become worried. Lady Macbeth gets worked up because of Macbeths doubting and worrying and she is almost shouting in rage at him when she says infirm of purpose and as a director I would definitely say to be bossy and very angry towards Macbeth. She then begins to insult him which shames him as he is supposed to be a brave warrior when she calls him a child so she has definitely regained her control and is bold at the end of the scene. 2. In lines 16-31 Shakespeare creates lots of tension and anxiety by showing Lady Macbeth who is supposed to be very brave and someone who would rather bash her babys brains out than show cowardice being nervous and jumpy. Lady Macbeth says that she couldnt do it herself and doubts that Macbeth has the willpower to do it as well. Following this there is a very jumpy quick exchange between them in lines 22-30. The punctuation in this section is very short like full stops exclamation marks it is very quick answering, they almost finish off each others sentences. This would make the audience think whether they were going to get away with it? Would they be found out? Could they cover it up? Lie about it? So this creates a lot of anxiety as the audience want to know what is going to happen to them. 3. Macbeth is in a state of shock when he returns from Duncans Chamber. He hears sounds which frighten him so he appears very shocked and upset when he enters the scene. He is concerned that they will be found out and in that era the punishment would have been death for high treason. When he talks to Lady Macbeth they have a very quick and nervous exchange. During this exchange he begins to realise the seriousness of what he has just done and Macbeth then begins to feel guilty. He doesnt seem to be able to focus on one thing at a time but the two dominant things he talks about is that he wont be able to get spiritual forgiveness and he wont be able to sleep. He then starts to talk about two lodgers praying and the fact that when they said Amen he couldnt because he had gone against God and broken the Divine Right of Kings. The Divine Right of Kings is an ancient belief system that was the eldest son of the king or queen would become the next ruler of the country. Macbeth had killed the king and taken his place so broken this spiritual belief. So Macbeth knows that he has disobeyed God and cannot get forgiveness. This is shown in lines 37-44. In these lines a very strong metaphor is used to show just how guilty he feels. The metaphor is: Hangmans hands. This is comparing his hand to those of someone who kills frequently so this means that Macbeths guilt is so strong that it feels as though he has killed more than one person. The second dominant topic is that Macbeth sleep has the power to heal and nurture people who are troubled and weary but he has lost the right to sleep and will never sleep again. Lines 47-52 use a lot of good personification which further shows the guilt that Macbeth is feeling. He refers back to the witches in this extract: Glamis hath murderd sleep, and therefore Cawdor Shall sleep no more; Macbeth shall sleep no more. this suggests that the witches are on his mind and how their prophecies have driven him to treachery. He then begins to question why he is jumpy; why his guilt and regret is so great; why he cant go back in the room or even look at his hands. 4. The scene starts off with Macbeth in control because Lady Macbeth couldnt commit the murder but after Macbeth did he couldnt re-enter the room and face what he had done. Their relationship is very interesting because they have a large reliance on each other. Lady Macbeth needs Macbeth to commit the murder and Macbeth needs Lady Macbeth to drive him and push him so he has courage to commit the crime. Macbeth looses all his control in the relationship after he commits the murder because he is so haunted and shocked by what he has done and he then needs Lady Macbeth to calm him and make him feel at ease. You can find this change between lines 20-79. Lady Macbeth is in complete control at the end because she begins to call Macbeth names to make him feel ashamed of his cowardice and uses very commanding vocabulary to make him hide what they know and she is in some ways scared in case he cant pretend that he doesnt know anything. 5. The main themes of the play are nearly all mentioned in this scene. To me the most significant theme is that this story is about a man who potentially could have been great, powerful and strong but has been corrupted by darkness, witches and greed. Witchcraft is the theme that got them to this stage and is what really drives Macbeth to commit the murder. The witches prophecy drives him to killing anybody who got in his way especially Macduffs family in Act IV Scene 2. Macbeth is constantly referring back to the witches and seems to have complete trust in them. An example showing that they are on his mind is in Act II Scene 2 when he is distraught about the murder in lines 55-57. Lady Macbeth also refers to witchcraft when she hears bad omens like the owls scream so witchcraft and darkness is a main concern and theme of this particular scene. The theme of deception is carried on throughout this scene; at a more physical level than the deception of the witches with their contradicting language. In this scene, Act II Scene 2, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are putting the blame of the murder on the Kings guards and appearing to be unaware of the situation. Bloodshed and guilt is another key issue especially with phrases like Hangmans hands and they very graphic visual image in lines 76-79. This theme is referred to throughout the rest of the play and eventually until Lady Macbeths death. The guilt is so strong that it causes her to take her own life and the guilt rules Macbeth into decisions and causes a lack of sleep which is another key theme. His lack of sleep is because he has ruined his own equilibrium. Macbeth knows that he has disrupted the Divine Right of Kings so therefore upset God. So Macbeth finds that he is unable to pray and has lost the right to sleep which is natures healer which is a theme which continues right from the murder to the end of the play. He becomes mentally disturbed. The final topic in this scene is the power shifting in the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. They both rely on each other to be strong.

Informaiton System Essay Example for Free

Informaiton System Essay Assess the advantages and disadvantages of using a Web-based compensation tool versus a client-server based or stand-alone PC-based system and then give your opinion on which system would provide the most value to an organization’s stakeholders. Include three (3) facts to support your opinion. e-Compensation represents a web-enabled approach to an array of compensation tools that enable an organization to gather, store, manipulate, analyze, utilize, and distribute compensation data and information. The advantages of using a Web-based compensation tool versus a client-server based or stand-alone PC-based system include the automated approach that replaces tedious manual processes to make any compensation program easy to manage and virtually error free. Web-based compensation tools do not require installation and updating which saves a lot of administration work and can be access from anywhere with the Internet. The data in Web-based compensation tools is stored remotely and requires little disk space. It also becomes more important that Web-based compensation tools are cross-platform and work on different Operating System. Whereas using a client-server based or stand-alone PC based system would need an administrator to administer, maintain, develop and implement policies and procedures for ensuring the security and integrity of the client/server database, and also resolving any database issues. However, Web-based compensation tools have some serious disadvantages. The most important problem is their poor user experience, because of the performance problems and browser limitations. Another disadvantage of the Web-based compensation tool is that the remote server could be compromised disclosing private information. The fact that the Web-based compensation tool requires Internet connection can also be a limitation. Although Web-based compensation tool seems to have more advantages than a client-server based or stand-alone PC based system, in my opinion, client-server based would provide value to an organization’s stakeholders. Three things initially attract people to web-based over client-server: they are easier to deploy and upgrade, demand less IT support, and require less hardware. While it is true that web-based deployment and upgrades are easier, client-server technology actually delivers far superior benefits and long-term cost savings. Client-server software affords a richer, crisper user interface that outperforms browser- or web-based software in terms of the number of clicks and the ease of use. The client-server based provides set-ups and can be altered without disturbing the clients, while the other two systems require accessing every peer in the network (www.client-serverbased). For example, the client server arrangements aid security requires efforts, because there are fewer servers, limiting the number of persons with access to them and increasing security features of the servers. The two-tiered model enables file sharing between the client and the users. Justify the use of e-Compensation tools in the job-evaluation process from the perspective of HR, management, and the employee. Through e-Compensation tools organizations can adapt to shifting demands for information. e-Compensation tools enhance the practice of designing and administering compensation programs in a dynamic and competitive environment in three key ways. First e-Compensation tools can increase access to critical compensation information without the need for sophisticated or dedicated IT staffs and sophisticated technology infrastructures. They can simply access key information electronically on an as needed basis. Second, e-compensation tools enable round-the-clock availability of meaningful compensation information to senior managers, HR managers, and employees. Third, e-compensation tools can streamline cumbersome bureaucratic tasks through the introduction of workflow functionality and real-time information processing. Job evaluation is the process of methodically establishing a structure or hierarchy of jobs within an organization. This is based on a systematic consideration of job content and requirements. The purpose of the job structure, or hierarchy, is to provide a basis for the development of a wage structure. The job structure, however, is only one of the determinants of the wage structure, with other factors becoming increasingly more important. Job evaluation develops a plan for comparing jobs in terms of those things the organization considers important determinants of job worth. e-Compensation tools enhance the practice of designing and administering compensation programs in a dynamic and competitive environment. HR views the use of e-Compensation tools in the job-evaluation process as a means to streamline their processes and reduce administrative burdens. HR can electronically distribute them to target employees or managers via a corporate intranet. From management perspective e-Compensation can assist in reducing HR administration and compliance costs, help compete more effectively for global talent and provide real-time metric to allow decision-makers to spot trends and manage the workforce more effectively – managers can review a list of proposed merit increases for his or her direct reports. Managers and employees have access to key information to make completing a job analysis or job evaluation project relatively easy. Employees are able to gain access to data which is improved by utilizing e-Compensation to make critical decisions. The use of the e-Compensation tools empower employees with a collaborative employee compensation application that shows their complete compensation package in an intuitive format and provides the tools they need to plan their financial futures. Evaluate three (3) benefits and three (3) drawbacks of a centralized approach to managing merit pay programs compared to a more decentralized approach. Merit pay refers to the process of determining employee compensation (base salary or bonuses), in part, on the basis of how well each employee performs at work. A centralized approach bases an employee’s pay rate on the value of the job/role held, the degree to which the employee has mastered that job/role and how well the employee has performed over time. The most apparent advantages of centralization are an organizations ability to closely control operations, provide a uniform set of policies, practices and procedures throughout the organization, and better use the knowledge of centralized experts. Companies also adopt different approaches to compensation administration responsibilities. Some rely on a centralized approach where the design and administration of compensation programs are performed by a single company department. Some rely on a decentralized organizational structure that allows faster decision-making and better adaptability to local conditions and context. In the decentralized approach managers across the organization forecast the pay increases they expect to recommend in the coming year to retain their key employees and to remain competitive. The decentralized approach can make it difficult to transfer employees from one department to another and may bring about a lack of internal consistency. The drawbacks to the centralized approach are that a compensation program may suit general corporate needs, but not individual department needs, communication between different computers is not easy, resulting in configuration problems, and it does not provide built-in knowledge management capability that would guide or empower managers to make their own decisions. Suggest three (3) types of integrated analytic features that are needed for compensation planning and decision support in e-Compensation systems. Integrated analytics brings together information from a companys ERP, customer relationship management, human resources, financial management, supply chain and e-business systems, and enhances it with advanced analytics, empowering the company to react more quickly to a rapidly changing business environment. Integrated analytics better integrates an organization’s information assets across the value chain, delivers role-based business intelligence to the information consumer in a personalized manner, and includes advanced analytical models focused on decision making. Many human resource information systems, however, do not yet provide integrated analytic features needed for compensation planning and decision support, such as the ability to also see related real-time competitive market salaries. Some integrated analytic features needed for compensation planning and decision making are analytic engines for data enrichment and analysis, analytic applications such as Budgeting, Planning and Balanced Scorecard, and integrated analytic applications that provide process-specific analytics and allow the developers to add more features based on user needs. In order to survive and win in todays market, ERP vendors have recognized that they must have improved information delivery and analytics as core components of their products. The rapid flow of information has increased the need for executives and managers to keep their fingers on the pulse of their companies and to be able to easily access timely, accurate information. It is clear that the market is moving away from the realm of custom and nonintegrated applications and into pre-delivered products that are closely linked to ERP systems. Assess the barriers that prevent organizations from realizing the potential of Web-based internal equity tools and propose three (3) approaches to overcome those barriers. Internal equity refers to establishing the relative worth of jobs inside the organization. It is hard to determine the value of the information before you pay. Organizations can find free web-based services such as HR-Guide’s job evaluation tool. There are several factors that hamper organizations from fully realizing the potential of web-based internal equity tools. First, most of the tools are not generally integrated across software programs in the market that support the design and maintenance of internal equity policies and practices, relatively few are currently both integrated and web-enabled. Second, the challenge facing organizations in implementing these e-compensation tools is that these tools are only as good as the data they access. Third, proper training is required to ensure user acceptance and competent use of the technology. Fourth, some users find data entry tends to be slower and less flexible using web applications than client-server-based software, particularly with nonlinear processes. Finally, while web-based software tools increase access to and distribution of information, the quality and efficiency with which decisions are made still remain ultimately with the manager. There must be organizational commitment to gather, manage, and maintain accurate and relevant data. Organizations need to obtain an integrated web-based compensation software solution that automates and integrates internal equity and external equity software applications and can be used stand-alone, over an intranet, or over the web on an outsourced basis. Lastly, organizations need to implement software and invest in training programs. Recommend three (3) strategies that HR managers can use to evaluate the quality of market data (surveys, benchmark salary studies, etc.) that they receive from outside sources. Paying people fairly is good for business. Underpay, and employees will eventually look for a better offer. Overpay, and the payroll budget and profitability will suffer. That is why companies use market data to research the value of their jobs. HR managers use the latest market data to get accurate data relevant to positions within their organizations expertise. Gathering background information is critical in building a pay structure from scratch to articulate the compensation philosophy, clarify concepts that define the fundamental beliefs about the structure, and design and develop the strategy. To determine the prevailing rate for a job, organizations can benchmark jobs against compensation surveys that are detailed and specific to the organization’s industries and regions. A good compensation survey uses standard, proven methods of data gathering and statistical analysis to determine how much companies pay for a specific job in a specific industry. Commercial and association surveys, Pg 458 Use at least four (4) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources. http://www.humanresources.pro/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=50Itemid=73

Psychological Well-being and Job Performance Relationship

Psychological Well-being and Job Performance Relationship Introduction Psychological conceptions and treatments of well-being are a prominent feature of psychological literature particularly in relation to mental health from a social-psychological point of view. The fundamental questions asked in this area are arguably concerned with the way and means of understanding the psychological reactions of individuals to the stresses and challenges of modern day life activities, (Bradburn, 1969). With work being one of the major activities of life it is reasonable to surmise work will have a significant impact on mental health and that vice versa mental health will have a significant impact on a person’s performance and experience of work. With the diversity of criteria which can be used to judge mental health the psychological aspects to mental health have become increasingly important associated in human resource management literature as well organisational behaviour research because of the suggested strong relationship between an individual’s p sychological condition and job performance. Researchers such as David and Smeeding (1985) and more recently Wright and Cropanzano (2004) argue that psychological well-being in terms of happiness contributes to maximising both personal health as well as job performance in terms of organisational productivity. It is reasonable to believe that such a consideration of mental health has valuable implications in managing human resources. With links to employee motivation and job performance management and from an organisational perspective the theoretical framework offered by mental health provides a useful tool in understanding an organisation’s behaviour through reference to the psychological well-being of individuals within the organisational context. In one way then considering for example staff retention which is a key element of organisational strategies since human resources have been viewed recently as one of the most important resources for any organisation, (Torrington, Hall and Taylor (2002). Furthermore happy employees tend to be more productive and contribute more in creation and innovation activities which are crucial activities for organisations given the competitive realities of the modern business world, (Wright and Cropanzano, 2004). However currently there is no gener al agreement about the best way to measure, assess and/or evaluate people’s psychological states. Terms such as self-esteem, self adjustment in dealing with work stress have critical influences on the level of well-being. Social support at work related to psychological well-being may be said to affect productivity of employees which itself is argued to have positive effects on job control, lower job depression and generate higher productivity. Nevertheless the extent to which social support contributes to better performance remains unclear due to the complexities of psychological reactions and the processes comprising them. Discussion An important perspective on well-being originates from the social-psychological perspective which focuses on viewing well-being in both an individual and social sense. One means of conceptualising well-being is in an individual psychological manner where the subject is linked with economic models in that individuals make rational responses in changing their behaviour due to changing prices and incomes. Another traditional aspect of the subjective activity of well-being focuses on the measurement of well-being for social policy purposes which historically has been concerned with tax return, pensions, use of health care resources and work environment affairs, (David Smeeding, 1985). From this point of view there are vital implications in the sense of the psychological subject in human resource management and studies dealing with organisational behaviour since people as the essential elements performing tasks in these contexts. For example the recent broaden-and-build model has been de signed to provide relevant evidence towards explaining the possible interactive role of physiological well-being (PWB) associated with job satisfaction and job performance which demonstrates significant relationships to employee performance, (Wright and Cropanzano, 2004). This is to say illustrating the strength of the correlation between the happier an employee feeling with the more productive they are in their everyday job performance. Based on this viewpoint then human resource management approaches have aimed at building management models which draw from and benefit from PWB in order to improve an organisation’s performance in terms of quality and quantity. A principal point of consideration in this then is the environment in which people are working in as detrimental work environments pose potential health risks to individuals. Health risks can be seen in terms of the physical harm done to people’s bodies but also as having negative influences in a psychological manner including depression and stress which results in poor job performance and lowered productivity. Thus PWB suggests that a better and healthier working environment will be able to make employee feels more comfortable and happier through health gains in harm avoidance in the work place. In HRM literature environment not only includes physical environments such as machinery, organisational structure but also intangible contexts like orga nisational culture and leadership styles and these are equally as important in terms of employee well-being. Therefore Beardwell, Holden and Claydon (2004) argue that appropriate organisational structures in terms of physical power distance as well as intangible distance such as leadership style are important in contributing to employees job performance. Research suggests that long power distances result in staff at lower levels within an organisation feeling powerless and vulnerable with the consequences being they suffer stress at work since there is a lack of opportunity in expressing themselves within the decision making processes affecting them, (Hersey, Blanchard Johnson, 2001). Additionally the corporate environment in terms of employment contracts themselves a process of socio-economic exchange often in national contexts is particularly crucial as it defines formalised arrangements between employee and the organisation employing, (Clark, 2004). Contracts between employee and employer determine the terms and conditions of employment like security and health issues related to the job and contractual employment rights. Clark (2004) points out that the relationship between employees and management teams not only impacts on corporate performance but also influences how successful and organisation is at retaining its workforce. While Wright and Cropanzano (2004) concentrate on the psychological meaning of well-being in contributing to better job performance David and Smeeding (1985) propose that significant attention be paid to well-being from an economic perspective. Economic elements such as changing prices compared to incomes then are proposed as affecting people’s behaviours and psychological reactions. For instance research has demonstrated that higher income individuals are more likely than lower income individuals to report themselves as enjoying higher levels of happiness, (David and Smeeding, 1985). It hence is unsurprising to note that traditional human resource management approaches view performance management as enhancing individual performance by assessing past performance and rewarding improvements in terms of tangible economic benefits, (Walker, 1992). Jacques (1962) claims that every employee displays strong feeling towards to the level of payment in that such payments correspond to t he perceived values attached to the performance of tasks associated with the job. This economic model closely reflects psychological conceptions in that when employees feel they are underpaid job performance will suffer in terms of productivity and efficiency. Wright and Cropanzano’s model suggests that fair payment contributes to the happiness level of staff however it is vital to mention that the expectation of employee namely the subjectivity of well-being largely indicates different attitudes towards fairness. This is to say the employee who is paid comparably higher than others due to higher levels of education and vocational skill might feel unhappy because the pay level is still lower than the expected level. This is similar with subjective accounts of poverty of the unemployed being more a negative experience than poverty as a student dependent on their ability to adjust the reality of situations with their expectations. This corresponds with David and Smeeding’s (1985) framework on the subjectivity of well-being as a personalised experience. Recent research carried out by Gregg and Wadsworth (1999) illustrated that a good number of employee departures was due to either poorly managed expectations or ineffective induc tions into positions. This is an important point in considering psychological well-being and individual productivity as well as organisational performance illustrating that tangible economic benefits or objective conditions attached to jobs may be perceived in many different ways as a result of individual subjectivity. Wright and Hobfoll’s (2004) work linked with Wright and Cropanzano’s (2004) research in demonstrating that psychological well-being has both positive and negative influences on job performance. One such concept is that of employee burnout which refers to emotional and/or physical exhaustion and reduced personal accomplishment amongst sufferers. Employees tend to feel dissatisfied due to poor task completion and personal achievement in turn. Past experiences of failure in dealing with customers for example is suggested as being one prime means of reducing motivational attitudes towards work. With people being considered as the most important resource in contributing to organisational performance then human resource management has itself been put in a critical position in strategic decision making processes. Aspects of managing human resources have become involved in a wide range of issues such as recruitment and retention related to development, reward and relationship m anagement of employees are arguably the basic HRM functions. The process of retention of workforces lays the foundation for obtaining suitably qualified employees in order to contribute in the most effective manner to achieving corporate goals in a cost-effective manner, (Foot Hook, 1999). The relationship to these HR principles of the thesis of psychological well-being in one ways shows clearly that motivation in the employee retention process as well as better performance is a principal factor determining organisational success in these areas. Also from an individual’s perspective burnout as suggested by research tends to result in ineffectiveness and failure in job performance due to a lack of energy levels in an emotional and physical sense. This leads to stress which in turn can cause ill-health both physical and mental. Similarly from the organisation’s perspective innovation levels tends to decrease which as has been argued is important in maintaining competiti ve position for companies operating in intensively competitive industries, (Maslach Jackson, 1986; Lee Ashforth, 1996). Based on this analysis and discussion of psychological well being it would appear that a useful measure is to examine the various approaches used to improve job performance and productivity at personal and organisational levels. People are motivated by different things dependent on different individual value systems and expectations. As such in order to increase well being levels among employees organisations attempt to create better working environments relying on supportive corporate cultures, effective leadership styles and the provision of accessible communication channels. An awareness that motivation does not necessarily flow from positive salary arrangements alone is necessary as often such is considered as the most effective tool in rewarding and motivating employees. Instead potential career development opportunities for employees, employee friendly working environments and supportive management methods exert strong influences on feelings of well-being among employees. For example positive rewards in a tangible way and intangible confirmations related to good performance should encourage employees to repeat the same activities since the rewarding of successful behaviour contributes to employee’s levels of self esteem. In many ways then it is fair to say that psychological processes and subjective feelings and experiences remain complex phenomena and would seem to be influenced by a range of factors such as national cultures and the effects of reference groups like families and peer groups in for example expected income levels and job status, (Mullins, 2005). The measurement of psychological well-being contributing to better performance is conditionally true yet it must be acknowledged that the methods used in research such as by Wright and Cropanzano’s (2004) exhibit and are limited by the potential problems related to subjective reactions and perceptions of job performance by employees. Conclusion Models and theories of psychological well-being are established topics in Psychology which is held as being closely linked with conceptualisations of mental health and the mental well being of individuals. The variety of psychological reactions of individuals to stress and daily life can all result in feeling of happiness, mental health or illness depending on situational factors which has effects on people’s performance at work. As a result then psychological conceptions of well-being are widely used in considering the relationship between well-being and job performance in an organisational context. Studies have demonstrated the positive effects of employee well-being on their job performance in terms of better productivity yet due to the complex psychological processes which are involved in the condition of well-being there is still a lack of definitive evidence in demonstrating to what extent psychological well-being contributes to better job performance. Such evidence is d ifficult to produce for example bearing in mind complicated human behavioural patterns and experiences in relation to work. Linked to this definitions of happiness remain unclear and is an area which requires further research along with further explorations of the reasons feeling of satisfaction and happiness with work increases productivity. However it is fair to say that better health levels in terms of psychological well being influences people in terms of motivation and attitudes toward work as well as their capacity and ability to work. The reduction of employee sickness whether major or minor due to poor working conditions and the impact this has on organisational performance is one aspect any organisation should seek to reduce and minimise as a strategic goal. References Beardwell, I., Holden, L. Claydon, T. (2004) Human Resource Management: A Contemporary Approach 4th edition, FT Prentice Hall, London UK. Bradburn, N.M. (1969) The Structure of Psychological Well-Being, Aldine Publishing Company, Chicago. David, M. Smeeding T. (1985) Introduction, in David, M. Smeeding, T. (eds) Horizontal Equity, Uncertainty, and Economic Well-Being, National Bureau of Economic Research, Studies in Income and Wealth, Vol. 50. Foot, M. Hook, C. (1999) Introducing Human Resource Management 2nd edition, Pearson Education Limited, UK. Gregg, P. Wadsworth, J. (1999) Job Tenure 1995-98 in Gregg, P. Wadsworth (eds) The State of Working Britain, Manchester University Press, UK. Hersey, P., Blanchard, K.H. Johnson, D. (2001) Management of Organizational Behavior: Leading Human Resources, Prentice Hall, USA. Jacques, C. (1962) Objective Measures for Pay Differentials, Harvard Business Review, January-February. Lee, R.T. Ashforth, B.E. (1996) A Meta-analytic Examination of the Correlates of the Three Dimensions of Job Burnout, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 81. Maslach, C. Jackson, S.E. (1986) Maslach Burnout Inventory 2nd edition, Consulting Psychologists Press, USA. Mullins, L.J. (2005) Management and Organisational Behaviour 7th edition, FT Prentice Hall, Harlow UK. Park, K., Wilson, M.G. Lee, M.S. (2004) Effects of Social Support at Work on Depression and Organisational Productivity, American Journal of Health Behaviour, Vol. 28 Issue 5. Torrington, D., Hall, L. Taylor, S. (2002) Human Resource Management, FT Prentice Hall, Harlow UK Walker, K.W. (1992) Human Resource Strategy, McGraw-Hill, New York USA. Wright, T.A. Cropanzano, R. (2004) The Role of Psychological Well-Being in Job Performance: a Fresh Look at an Age-Old Quest, Organizational Dynamics, Vol.33 Issue 4. Wright, T.A. Hobfoll, S.E. (2004) Commitment, Psychological Well-Being, and Job Performance: An Examination of Conservation of Resources Theory and Job Burnout, Journal of Business and Management, Winter Vol.9 Issue 4.

Victorian Painting :: Art History Essays

Victorian Painting Victorian painting was made up of several schools including the Romantics, the Realists and the Pre-Raphaelites. Recurring topics included fallen women, fairies, family scenes, historical scenes, landscapes and portraits (Sporre 509-511; Victorian Web). Romantic painters focused on escaping the rules of classical composition and opening up painting to imagination and individual drama. It was not meant to be objective. The Romantics also discovered the power and importance of color as opposed to shape and form (Sporre 489-90). Two well-known British Romantic painters whose works fit this ideal were Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775-1851) and John Constable (1776-1837). Turner’s most famous work is The Slave Ship (1840), based on the real event of a sea captain throwing out sick slaves into the sea so that he could collect the insurance money (Turner’s The Slave Ship.2). In this painting, color clearly dominates over form and the sea, sky and sun seem to merge. There are no clear delineations between the elements. (Flynn; Sporre 493; Tansey 950-51). Landscape paintings were also very popular in this era, and Constable was one of the most noted landscape painters. He was interested in color, but tried to reproduce the s cenes he painted scientifically onto the canvas. This focus made his paintings very realistic (Sporre 511; Tansey 952-53). The Realists and the Pre-Raphaelites were the other two important movements in Victorian painting. Both paid extreme attention to details (Sporre 510). John Evrett Millais' (1829-1896) Ophelia (1852) is a good example of Realism (Millais’ Ophelia. 3). Even if his subject is from a play, his attention to detail draws strongly from the Realist techniques (Flynn; Tansey 975-76). Dante Gabriel Rossetti is probably the most well known Pre-Raphaelite painter. His paintings almost always represented women. An acclaimed example of his work can be found his paintings for Goblin Market (1862), a poem written and published by his sister, Christina Rossetti (1830-1894). The Victorian era had numerous painters that produced a multitude of works. Its variety of styles and topics were precursors to the movements of Impressionism and Abstract painting which were to follow (Sporre 511).

Misconceptions About Homelessness Essay -- homeless poverty Essays Pap

Misconceptions About Homelessness ?Over the past year, over two million men, women, and children were homeless? in America. (NLCHP) Homeless people face an intense struggle just to stay alive despite the fact that society turns its head from the problem. The government makes laws that discriminate against homeless people, which make it, illegal for them to survive. The mistreatment of homeless people is an issue that is often ignored in our community. When you see a homeless person on the streets how do you react? Do you turn your head and ignore them? Do you become angry that they are living on the streets? Do you feel frightened and avoid the situation all together? Or do you see these people as human beings and treat them in that way? Homeless people are ?subjected to alienation and discrimination by mainstream society?. (NLCHP) Most alienation and discrimination comes from the lack of education about homeless people. There are numerous untrue myths about homeless people. Many people believe that homeless people ? commit more violent crimes than housed people.? (NLCHP) The reality is that homeless people actually commit less violent crimes than people with homes do. Dr. Pamela Fischer, of John Hopkins University, studied arrest records in Baltimore and discovered that even though homeless people were more likely to commit non-violent and non-destructive crimes, they were less likely to commit violent crimes against people. (NLCHP) The crimes that these people are committing are necessary to keep them alive. These crimes include sleeping, eating, and panhandling. Making it illegal to perform necessary daily activities in public when homeless people have no where else to go makes it impossible for homeless people to avoid violating the law. (NLCHP) Another myth about homeless people is that they do not work and that they get their money from public assistance programs. A study done in Chicago discovered that ?39% of homeless people interviewed had worked for some time during the previous month? . (NLCHP) Many of the people who do not work are actively trying to find jobs, but are discriminated against by the work force. In an interview done at the River Street Homeless Shelter I found many people who have experienced this discrimination. ?People can?t get a job without an address. When they use the shelter?s address they get turned down.? (Mike) Speaking... ...his Website provided me with many facts on civil rights violations dealing with homeless people as well as basic facts on homelessness and poverty in America. Ott, Jeff. My World. Van Nuys: Sub City. 2000. This is a book written by a former homeless man. He has overcome drug addiction as well as sexual abuse as a child. In this book he describes personal feelings as well as facts about homelessness. Rick. Personal Interview. May 8, 2000. Rick is a homeless man who works at the River Street Homeless Shelter. He has worked with many different homeless shelters in northern California. He feels that the Mayor needs to spend a night with the homeless people of Santa Cruz so that he understands what they go through. Rick is fighting the camping ban as well as working towards receiving funding for a year round shelter. United States. Constitution. First Amendment. United States: 1788. The First Amendment states that ?Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.?

Storm & Calm in Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights :: Wuthering Heights Essays

Wuthering Heights:  Ã‚   Storm & Calm  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      The theme of Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte, is a universe of opposing forces-storm and calm.   Wuthering Heights, the land of storm, is a sturdy house that is set up high on the windy moors, belonging to the Earnshaw family.   The house is highly charged with emotion of hatred, cruelty, violence, and savage love.   In comparison, Thrushcross Grange, the land of calm, is settled in the valley and is the residence of the genteel Lintons.   The same differences exists between Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange, as they do in Heathcliff and Edgar.   As Catherine points out, the contrast between the two â€Å"resembled what you see in exchanging a bleak, hilly,   coal country, for a beautiful fertile valley.†Ã‚   (Bronte 72)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Lintons, and the social and material advantages they stand for become Heathcliff’s rivals for Catherine’s love, which leads directly   to the central conflict of the novel.   Heathcliff despises them at first sight for their weakness, but Catherine, being an extremely proud girl, is tempted.   A lovers’ triangle begins   to take definite shape   when the aristocratic Edgar Linton falls in love with Catherine, upsetting the balance between the relationship of Catherine and Heathcliff.   Edgar’s love for Catherine is sincere, but the element of great passion which is strongly characterized does not compare to Heathcliff’s love.   The difference between Catherine’s feeling for Heathcliff and the one she feels for Linton is that Heathcliff is a part of her nature, while Edgar is only a part of   her superficial love.   â€Å"For he (Heathcliff),   like her, is a child of storm; and this makes a bond between them, which interweaves itself with the very nature of their existence.†Ã‚   (Cecil 26)   Emily Bronte makes a point in the novel to mention the fact that Catherine’s affection for Heathcliff remains unchanged in spite of the Lintons’ influence over her. As Catherine confesses to Nelly that Heathcliff and her share the same soul, and also declares â€Å"I am   Heathcliff.† (Bronte 84)   Her pride, yearning for the world of the Lintons, has gotten the better of her natural inclination, and she knows she   has made the wrong decision by   marrying Edgar.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Catherine, naturally a child of storm, is unable to develop at Thrushcross Grange, while she is married to Edgar.   Her mind becomes disturbed, which is the first sign of her degeneration.   The pragmatic reality at the Grange cannot fill the void that she has made for herself in leaving her furious childhood environment.

Succubus Heat CHAPTER 25

To her credit, Grace didn't cower. She stood firm, regaining her composure as she matched Jerome's stare with one of her own. In fact, she regained enough of herself that she remembered to avoid the rain. The drops parted around her, much as the fire had parted around Roman. Her suit and hair were dry again, crisp and perfect. â€Å"You would have done the same thing,† she told Jerome. I couldn't see Jerome's face when he spoke. â€Å"I wouldn't have got caught. You did. You failed.† â€Å"You should be impressed with my ingenuity.† She crossed her arms, almost defiant. â€Å"I'm useful to you.† â€Å"You are meaningless. I could blight you out of existence, and no one would think twice about it.† I wasn't sure about that. Demons smote each other all the time, but that didn't mean Hell liked it. It created paperwork, and if you were caught, you got sent to Hell's equivalent of prison. Grace apparently shared my doubts about how easy it would be for Jerome to kill her. â€Å"I don't think so. As it is, you'll be lucky if you have your job when you get back. You got yourself summoned.† Her eyes flicked to me and Roman, huddled together on the sand. â€Å"Your territory's in chaos. They'll send you off to a desk job-or make you somebody else's subordinate. Quite a fall from an archdemon's position.† â€Å"Not likely,† said Mei, speaking up. â€Å"Not if we spin this right. Jerome's got powerful connections. So do I. And Cedric will advocate for him.† Her willingness to help and assurance about Cedric surprised me, but then, perhaps it was back to the know-thy-enemy philosophy. Grace glared at her former counterpart. â€Å"You're the biggest fool of all here.† â€Å"Enough,† snapped Jerome. â€Å"There's been enough villainous exposition here. The matter's done.† I didn't have to see him to know he was smiling at Grace-only, I suspected it wasn't a very nice smile. â€Å"I will see you in Hell.† He snapped his fingers, and suddenly, what looked like black ice sprang up from the ground and crawled up Grace's body. She hardly had any time to scream because it coated her so quickly and then froze into place, leaving her immobile. She had become a thorny black statue. â€Å"What is that?† I breathed. â€Å"Kind of a demon stasis,† Roman murmured back. â€Å"A prison of sorts. He's ten times more powerful than her-it's an easy thing for him to do.† I wondered then just how powerful Roman really was. He'd seemed matched against Grace, but I still wasn't sure if he'd been holding back or not, for fear of detection. As it was, he now had his signature turned off, appearing as a human for all intents and purposes. He'd done it just before Mei fully materialized. â€Å"You need to get out of here,† I told him. â€Å"Wait,† he responded. Indeed, Roman seemed the least of Jerome's concerns as the archdemon studied Grace's frozen form. Her defeat had been anticlimactic, really. There had been no flashy brawl as everyone else seemed to have had today, but then, I supposed when you wielded the kind of power Jerome did, there was no need. I also had a feeling that Grace had been right about something. Even if he did have connections, Jerome probably couldn't risk doing anything rash to reestablish his control back in Seattle. He probably did want to torture her and blight her from the face of the earth, but binding her and taking her to face hellish justice-such as it was-was going to do him more good. Hell would be more kindly disposed to him if he followed their rules. He turned and faced Mei, who stood off to the side. It was the first time I'd gotten a good glimpse of my boss since his return. His face was blank and cold, but I was pretty sure I could see the fury kindling behind his eyes. Being summoned was pretty much the worst thing that could happen to a demon. â€Å"She was right to a certain extent,† he told Mei. â€Å"It could have been advantageous to turn against me.† â€Å"And be second to her?† Mei shook her head. Like Grace, she had put herself back together. â€Å"No. I won't serve you forever, believe me, but for now, I see what my best course of action is. I'm throwing my lot in with yours.† â€Å"Your loyalty is appreciated.† Mei gave a small nod of acknowledgment. Unlike Kristin and Cedric, where she served him out of love as much as duty, Mei's loyalty was all pragmatism and assessment of what could advance her. Jerome knew this and accepted it. â€Å"And it will be rewarded.† â€Å"I know it will be,† she said evenly. â€Å"And I'll have no co-lieutenant when we return?† â€Å"No. Not if I have anything to do with it.† And for the first time since I had known her, Mei smiled. Her eyes then flicked to the Grace statue. â€Å"Do you need me†¦?† â€Å"No,† said Jerome, seeming to remember us. â€Å"You can go.† Mei wasted no time. She vanished, and Jerome turned around and stared down at Roman and me. His eyes fell on me first. â€Å"So. You're here, Georgie. Why am I not surprised?† â€Å"Because I'm the only one who cared about getting you back and wasn't too lazy to do anything about it?† The ghost of a smile flickered across his lips. â€Å"Fair enough. And you will be rewarded too.† I wanted to tell him that I didn't need a reward, but Jerome had already shifted his attention to Roman. The smile faded. â€Å"You, however, have some balls in coming here.† â€Å"Must run in the family,† said Roman. As beat up as he was, he still managed mockery. â€Å"A suicidal nature does not, however. You know you're seconds away from being destroyed, don't you?† â€Å"Yeah, yeah,† said Roman. â€Å"And I'm sure killing me would help reinforce your badass status. But the truth is, I helped save you. You wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me.† I wasn't entirely sure if he'd done as much work as me in all this, but he had certainly made it easier for me. Nonetheless, even if he had actually single-handedly saved Jerome, it meant nothing. Demons didn't operate by a sense of fairness or feel obligations. Jerome affirmed as much. â€Å"I owe you nothing. If you want to risk your life, that's no concern of mine. I don't care whether you live or die.† Roman struggled to his feet. â€Å"That's not true, or else you would have killed me already. Maybe you don't owe me anything†¦and yet, you're indebted to me, even if you don't believe in paying off debts-and I think you do. You can't stand knowing you owe me.† Jerome narrowed his eyes. â€Å"What is it you want?† â€Å"Amnesty.† â€Å"What?† I squeaked. No one paid any attention to me. As far as they were concerned, they were the only two people in the world, father and son. â€Å"I'm tired of running, tired of hiding. I want a place to stay. A place I can settle down in for a while.† â€Å"You don't need me for that.† â€Å"Don't I?† asked Roman. â€Å"Any place I live, even with my signature masked, I live in fear of being discovered by the greater immortals who control it. I'm always watching my back. I want to be somewhere where I can walk around knowing I have at least some measure of protection.† â€Å"If someone else wants to kill you, I'm not going to stand in their way.† â€Å"I know that. But at least I won't have to worry on a daily basis about you being one of them.† Jerome fell silent, and to my complete and utter astonishment, I realized he was deliberating about this. I never would have thought it possible†¦and yet, as Roman had said, if Jerome's mind had been made up, he would have smote Roman already. Last fall, when we'd learned Jerome had his twin nephilim, we'd also learned that he'd had a wife long ago, a woman he loved so much that he'd fallen from grace to be with her. Did any of that love remain? Had it burned out over these millennia as a damned creature? Did he see any of her when he looked at Roman? When Jerome had helped hunt Roman and his twin, it seemed as though he didn't care. He'd even helped kill Helena. Now, I wondered if Jerome was truly as indifferent as he appeared, and I wondered if Roman had long suspected that. I knew Roman hated Jerome-probably more than he hated me-but was it worth an uneasy alliance with Jerome to have some peace? Had Roman realized playing off this paternal relationship might be the only way to buy him a temporary reprieve? Of course he had. That had been Roman's plan all along. Lingering love for Roman's mother†¦and a bit of obligation thrown in. That was why Roman had helped free Jerome-and why he hadn't wanted me to let anyone else in on what I learned, I realized wryly. Secrecy might have been a true concern, but he would have undoubtedly wanted to minimize others' involvement so that he could play a major role in Jerome's rescue and use that as leverage. â€Å"Mei knows,† said Jerome. â€Å"I can't control what she'll do.† â€Å"She doesn't,† said Roman. â€Å"I knew what Georgina sent Seth off to do, and I had shut down just before Mei arrived. She never saw my face last time, so she didn't recognize me now. She doesn't realize what I am.† â€Å"He's right,† I realized, recalling how Grace had had him in a chokehold. Roman had been gradually letting go of his power and had had very lucky timing. â€Å"Even if that's true,† said Jerome, who seemed to be growing frustrated by the logic, â€Å"I can't control what others'll do. The angels will always be a problem.† â€Å"Well, not that much of a problem.† The new voice was accompanied by the arrival of an all-too-familiar aura, one that felt crystalline and cool. Carter now stood beside us. â€Å"Welcome back.† Jerome glanced over at the angel, and for half a second, he almost looked pleased. The two of them appraised each other, probably communicating telepathically. Or maybe not. Maybe after so many eons of friendship, they no longer needed to. â€Å"I suppose you're going to advocate for him too,† said Jerome. Carter shrugged and glanced over at Roman. â€Å"I don't know.† Angels had as much of an instinct to hunt down nephilim as demons did. I thought of Carter as benevolent, but he too had helped destroy Helena. â€Å"He did help. Maybe he'll stay on good behavior.† It was a sign of how crazy things had become when Jerome and Carter seemed on the verge of letting a nephilim stick around-and that I was the one who protested. â€Å"Are you guys out of your minds?† I exclaimed. â€Å"You know what he's done! He killed those people and hurt others. For all we know, this is a scam. Let him back in Seattle, and he could try to kill others. He could try to kill you. He could try to kill me !† Everyone turned to me, seeming a bit startled by the outburst. â€Å"And here I thought we were partners,† mused Roman. â€Å"Bind him,† said Carter. â€Å"Bind him in a deal.† Jerome and Roman sized each other up, and I held my breath. An immortal deal reached a creature's soul and could not be broken without dire consequences. I'd made a couple in my life. Everything rested on Jerome now, whether he was willing to go against every immortal taboo and knowingly let a nephilim live in his territory. Finally, Jerome spoke. â€Å"I will allow you to live in my domain. During such time, I will not harm you-unless you're discovered by others and I am given no choice. I make no guarantees about other immortals who find you and offer no protection should that occur. You in turn vow not to implicate me in any way for doing this. You promise not to harm me or any other immortals who cross into my territory, unless it's self-defense-or unless I've given my okay. You also promise to harm none of my subordinates†-he glanced at me-â€Å"anywhere in the world.† â€Å"I accept,† said Roman gravely. â€Å"And,† added Jerome, a sharp glint in his eyes, â€Å"you vow to be available should I require your services in a defensive, covert, or-in very rare conditions-offensive way.† There it was. The reason Jerome could go along with something like this. In offering Roman sanctuary, he was bargaining to have a secret nephilim agent, a powerful weapon none of his enemies knew about it. I'd never heard of anything like this. â€Å"I accept with the condition that I won't kill on your command,† Roman said at last. Jerome considered. â€Å"Agreed. The terms of this deal end should you at any time openly renounce my amnesty. Or if I also declare the deal null and void.† â€Å"I want a time frame on that,† said Roman wryly. â€Å"When does my lease expire?† â€Å"A century. Then we'll renegotiate.† â€Å"I accept it all, then.† â€Å"And I agree to the same amnesty terms as Jerome,† piped in Carter. â€Å"Except I don't need you to spy or kill for me.† â€Å"Agreed,† said Roman. It was all so terribly formal, and my presence felt complete superfluous. All three of them shook hands, and as they did, power burned in the air, binding them all to what they'd agreed. â€Å"Well,† said Jerome briskly. â€Å"Now that that's done, I'm going back to clean up the mess that's been made in my absence.† He gave Roman a wry look. â€Å"Considering you aren't technically in my territory yet, I'd advise you-† Jerome suddenly stopped and scanned the beach. â€Å"What about the other summoner? The human one? Was he here?† I looked around as well. The beach was empty. â€Å"It was Dante†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I said slowly. Jerome rolled his eyes. â€Å"Typical. Where is he now?† â€Å"I don't know,† I said honestly. â€Å"Grace beat him up.† I'd worried he was dead, but apparently not. Glancing over to where he'd been lying, I saw what looked like tracks in the sand where he'd been dragged off. I decided to keep that to myself. â€Å"Wonderful,† said Jerome. Turning back toward us, he scrutinized me. â€Å"You will keep this deal to yourself, Georgie. And we'll discuss your reward another day.† He disappeared and with him, the Grace statue. I didn't envy her. Roman, Carter, and I started walking back toward the parking lot. I couldn't speak for them, but my mind was reeling with everything that had happened. â€Å"Did you see what happened to Dante?† I asked Roman. â€Å"Afraid I was kind of busy. What happened to Mortensen after he called Mei?† â€Å"I told him to leave, and I think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I hesitated, not entirely sure how I knew this, unless it was just my understanding of Seth's nature. â€Å"I think Seth may have carried him off in the confusion. Oh man, he actually listened to me.† The parking lot was empty. My car was gone. â€Å"They took my car,† I explained. I honestly hadn't thought Seth would, despite my pleas for him to leave. â€Å"Wow,† said Roman, clearly delighted. â€Å"Your ex-boyfriend helped save your current boyfriend and then stole your car. Or-well, wait-is Mortensen your boyfriend now? Did he technically save your ex?† â€Å"Oh, shut up. It doesn't matter. We don't have a way to get back.† â€Å"Did you tell him to take the car?† asked Carter. â€Å"Yeah. I told him to get far away. I wanted him safe, and I guess he listened.† â€Å"Depends on how you define it,† said Roman. â€Å"Him coming back for the other guy put him in the demon line of fire. Why would he do that for someone he didn't like?† I stared at the empty parking spot. â€Å"Because he's Seth.† Carter seemed as nonchalant about all this as Dante. â€Å"Well, it's a good thing I'm here, huh?† He rested his hands on our shoulders, and I braced myself for immortal teleportation. â€Å"Ready for a ride home?† â€Å"It beats walking,† I said. Carter paused and gave Roman a curious glance. â€Å"What are you going to do for a home?† Roman was thoughtful for a moment. â€Å"Well, I hear Georgina's moving to a bigger place.† He glanced over at me with one of his beautiful grins. â€Å"Need a roommate?†