The Golden Lily Chapter 8

GOING OUT AGAIN didn't really happen until the weekend. Brayden and I were both overachieving enough to manage weeknight outings and still finish homework – but neither of us liked to do it if we could avoid it. Besides, my weeknights usually had some other conflict with the gang, be it a feeding or the experiments. Eddie had given his blood this week, and I'd made a point to not be around when it happened, lest Sonya try to pitch to me again. Brayden had wanted to go out Saturday, but that was the day I'd promised to drive Adrian to San Diego. Brayden compromised on breakfast, catching me before I hit the road, and we went out to a restaurant adjacent to one of Palm Springs' many lush golf resorts. Although I had long since offered to pull my share, Brayden continued picking up the bills and doing all the driving. As he pulled up in front of my dorm to drop me off afterward, I saw a surprising and not entirely welcome sight awaiting me: Adrian sitting outside on a bench, looking bored. â€Å"Oh geez,† I said. â€Å"What?† asked Brayden. â€Å"That's my brother.† I knew there was no avoiding this. The inevitable had happened. Adrian would probably cling to Brayden's bumper until he got an introduction. â€Å"Come on, you can meet him.† Brayden left the car idling and stepped out, casting an anxious glance at the NO PARKING sign. Adrian jumped up from his seat, a look of supreme satisfaction on his face. â€Å"Wasn't I supposed to pick you up?† I asked. â€Å"Sonya had some errands to run and offered to drop me here while she was out,† he explained. â€Å"Figured we'd save you some trouble.† Adrian had known what I was doing this morning, so I wasn't entirely sure his motives had been all that selfless. â€Å"This is Brayden,† I told him. â€Å"Brayden, Adrian.† Adrian shook his hand. â€Å"I've heard so much about you.† I didn't doubt that but wondered who exactly he'd heard it from. Brayden gave a friendly smile back. â€Å"I've actually never heard of you. I didn't even know Sydney had another brother.† â€Å"You never mentioned me?† Adrian shot me a look of mock hurt. â€Å"It never came up,† I said. â€Å"You're still in high school, right?† asked Adrian. He nodded toward the Mustang. â€Å"You must have a side job to make those car payments, though. Unless you're one of those slackers who just tries to get money off of their parents.† Brayden looked indignant. â€Å"Of course not. I work almost every day at a coffee shop.† â€Å"A coffee shop,† repeated Adrian, managing to convey a million shades of disapproval in his tone. â€Å"I see.† He glanced over at me. â€Å"I suppose it could be worse.† â€Å"Adrian – â€Å" â€Å"Well, it's not like I'm going to work there forever,† protested Brayden. â€Å"I've already been accepted to USC, Stanford, and Dartmouth.† Adrian nodded thoughtfully. â€Å"I guess that's respectable. Although, I've always thought of Dartmouth as the kind of school people go to when they can't get into Yale or Harv – â€Å" â€Å"We really need to go,† I interrupted, grabbing hold of Adrian's arm. I attempted to tug him toward the student parking lot and failed. â€Å"We don't want to get caught in traffic.† Brayden glanced at his cell phone. â€Å"Traffic patterns should be relatively light going west this time of the day, but being a weekend, you never know how tourists might alter things, especially with the various attractions in San Diego. If you look at traffic models applying the Chaos Theory – â€Å" â€Å"Exactly,† I said. â€Å"Better safe than sorry. I'll text you when I get back, okay? We'll figure out the rest of this week.† For once, I didn't have to stress about handshaking or kissing or anything like that. I was too fixated on dragging Adrian away before he could open his mouth and say something inflammatory. Brayden, while passionate about academic topics and me disagreeing with him, tended to otherwise be pretty mild-mannered. He hadn't exactly been upset just now, but that was certainly the most agitated I'd ever seen him. Leave it to Adrian to work up even the most easygoing people. â€Å"Really?† I asked, once we were safely inside Latte. â€Å"You couldn't have just said ‘nice to meet you,' and let it go?† Adrian pushed back the passenger seat, managing the most lounging position possible while still wearing a seatbelt. â€Å"Just looking out for you, sis. Don't want you ending up with some deadbeat. Believe me, I'm an expert on that kind of thing.† â€Å"Well, I appreciate your insider knowledge, but I'll manage this on my own, thanks just the same.† â€Å"Come on, a barista? Why not some business intern?† â€Å"I like that he's a barista. He always smells like coffee.† Adrian rolled down a window, letting the breeze ruffle his hair. â€Å"I'm surprised you let him drive you around, especially considering the way you freak out if anyone touches the controls in your car.† â€Å"Like the window?† I asked pointedly. â€Å"When the air conditioning's on?† Adrian took the hint and raised the window back up. â€Å"He wants to drive. So I let him. Besides, I like that car.† â€Å"That is a nice car,† Adrian admitted. â€Å"Though I never took you for the type to go for status symbols.† â€Å"I don't. I like it because it's an interesting car with a long history.† â€Å"Translation: status symbol.† â€Å"Adrian.† I sighed. â€Å"This is going to be a long ride.† In actuality, we made pretty good time. Despite Brayden's speculations, traffic moved easily, enough that I felt I deserved a coffee break halfway through. Adrian got a mocha – â€Å"Can you spot me this one time, Sage?† – and maintained his usual breezy conversation style throughout most of the trip. I couldn't help but notice, when we were about thirty minutes out, he grew more withdrawn and thoughtful. His banter dropped off, and he spent a lot of time gazing out the window. I could only assume the reality of his seeing his dad was setting in. It was certainly something I could relate to. I'd be just as anxious if I was about to see mine. I didn't really think Adrian would appreciate a shared psychotherapy session, though, so I groped for a safer topic to draw him out of his blue mood. â€Å"Have you guys learned anything from Eddie and Dimitri's blood?† I asked. Adrian glanced at me in surprise. â€Å"Didn't expect you to bring that up.† â€Å"Hey, I'm curious about the science of it. I just didn't want to participate.† He accepted this. â€Å"Not much to tell so soon. They sent the samples off to a lab – one of your labs, I think – to see if there's anything physically different between the two. Sonya and I did pick up a†¦ oh, I don't know how to describe it. Like, a ‘hum' of spirit in Belikov's blood. Not that him having magic blood should surprise anyone. Most people seem to think everything he does is magic.† â€Å"Oh, come on,† I said. â€Å"That's unfair.† â€Å"Is it? You've seen the way Castile worships him. He wants to be just like Belikov when he grows up. And even though Sonya's usually the spokesperson for our research, she won't breathe without checking with him beforehand. ‘What do you think, Dimitri?' ‘Is this a good idea, Dimitri?' ‘Please give us your blessing so that we can fall down and worship you, Dimitri.'† I shook my head in exasperation. â€Å"Again – unfair. They're research partners. Of course she's going to consult him.† â€Å"She consults him more than me.† Probably because Adrian always looked bored during their research, but I figured it wouldn't help to bring that up. â€Å"They've both been Strigoi. They've kind of got a unique insight to this.† He didn't respond for several moments. â€Å"Okay. I'll give you points for that. But you can't argue that there was any competition between me and him when it came to Rose. You saw them together. I never had a chance. I can't compare.† â€Å"Well, why do you have to?† Part of me also wanted to ask what Rose had to do with this, but Jill had told me numerous times that for Adrian, everything came back to Rose. â€Å"Because I wanted her,† Adrian said. â€Å"Do you still want her?† No answer. Rose was a dangerous topic; one I wished we hadn't weirdly stumbled into. â€Å"Look,† I said. â€Å"You and Dimitri are two different people. You shouldn't compare yourself to him. You shouldn't try to be like him. I mean, I'm not going to sit here and rip him apart or anything. I like Dimitri. He's smart and dedicated, insanely brave and ferocious. Good in a fight. And he's just a nice guy.† Adrian scoffed. â€Å"You left out dreamy and ruggedly handsome.† â€Å"Hey, you're pretty easy on the eyes too,† I teased, quoting something he'd told me a while ago. He didn't smile. â€Å"And don't underestimate yourself. You're smart too, and you can talk yourself out of – and into – anything. You don't even need magical charisma.† â€Å"So far I'm not seeing a lot of difference between me and a carnival con-man.† â€Å"Oh, stop,† I said. He could make me laugh even with the most serious of topics. â€Å"You know what I mean. And you're also one of the most fiercely loyal people I know – and caring, no matter how much you pretend otherwise. I see the way you look after Jill. Not many people would've traveled across the country to help her. And almost no one would have done what you did to save her life.† Again, Adrian took a while to respond. â€Å"But what are loyal and caring really worth?† â€Å"To me? Everything.† There was no hesitation in my answer. I'd seen too much backstabbing and calculation in my life. My own father judged people not by who they were but by what they could do for him. Adrian did care passionately about others underneath all of his bravado and flippancy. I'd seen him risk his life to prove it. Considering I'd had someone's eye cut out to avenge my sister†¦ well. Devotion was definitely something I could appreciate. Adrian didn't say anything else for the rest of the drive, but at least I didn't get the impression he was brooding anymore. Mostly he seemed thoughtful, and that wasn't so concerning. What did make me a little uneasy was that I often caught sight of him studying me in my periphery. I replayed what I'd said over and over in my mind, trying to figure out if there'd been anything to warrant such attention. Adrian's father was staying at a sprawling San Diego hotel with a vibe similar to the resort Brayden and I had eaten breakfast at. Businessmen in suits mingled with pleasure seekers in tropical prints and flip-flops. I'd almost worn jeans to breakfast and was glad now for my choice of a gray skirt and short-sleeved blouse with a muted blue and gray print. It had a tiny ruffled trim, and the skirt had a very, very faint herringbone pattern. Normally, I wouldn't have worn such contrasting textures together, but I'd liked the boldness of the look. I'd pointed it out to Jill before I left the dorm for breakfast. It'd taken her a while to even find the contrasting textures, and when she did, she'd rolled her eyes. â€Å"Yeah, Sydney. You're a real rebel.† Meanwhile, Adrian was in one of his typical summer outfits, jeans and a button-up shirt – though of course the shirt was untucked, with the sleeves rolled up and a few top buttons undone. He wore that look all the time, and despite its casual faà §ade, he often made it appear dressy and fashionable. Not today, however. These were the most worn-out jeans I'd ever seen him wear – the knees were on the verge of having holes. The dark green shirt, while nice quality and a perfect match for his eyes, was wrinkled to inexplicable levels. Sleeping in it or tossing it on the floor wouldn't achieve that state. I was pretty sure someone would have to actually crumple it into a ball and sit on it for it to look that bad. If I'd noticed it back at Amberwood (and hadn't been so distracted getting him away from Brayden), I would've insisted on ironing the shirt before we left. He still looked good, of course. He always looked good, no matter the condition of his clothing and hair. It was one of the more annoying things about him. This rumpled look made him come across as some pensive European model. Studying him as we took the elevator to the second floor lobby, I decided it couldn't be a coincidence that the most disheveled outfit I'd ever seen Adrian in had fallen on the day he had a father-son visit. The question was: why? He'd complained that his dad always found fault with him. Dressing this way seemed like Adrian was just providing one more reason. The elevator opened, and I gasped as we stepped out. The back wall of the lobby was almost entirely covered with windows that offered a dramatic view of the Pacific. Adrian chuckled at my reaction and took out his cell phone. â€Å"Take a closer look while I call the old man.† He didn't have to tell me twice. I walked over to one of the glass walls, admiring the vast, blue-gray expanse. I imagined that on cloudy days, it would be hard to tell where sky ended and ocean began. The weather was gorgeous out today, full of sun and a perfectly clear azure-blue sky. On the lobby's right side, a set of doors opened up onto a Mediterranean style balcony where diners were enjoying lunch out in the sun. Looking down to ground level, I caught sight of a sparkling pool as blue as the sky, surrounded in palm trees and sunbathers. I didn't have the same longing for water that a magic user like Jill possessed, but I had been living in the desert for almost two months. This was amazing. I was so transfixed with the beauty outside that I didn't notice Adrian's return. In fact, I didn't even notice he was standing right beside me until a mother calling for her daughter – also named Sydney – made me glance aside. There, I saw Adrian only inches away, watching me with amusement. I flinched and stepped back a little. â€Å"How about some warning next time?† He smiled. â€Å"I didn't want to interrupt. You looked happy for a change.† â€Å"For a change? I'm happy lots of times.† I knew Adrian well enough to recognize the sign of an incoming snarky comment. At the last second, he changed course, his expression turning serious. â€Å"Does that guy – that Brendan guy – â€Å" â€Å"Brayden.† â€Å"Does that Brayden guy make you happy?† I looked at Adrian in surprise. These kinds of questions were almost always a setup from him, but his neutral face made it hard to guess his motives this time. â€Å"I guess,† I said at last. â€Å"Yeah. I mean, he doesn't make me unhappy.† That brought Adrian's smile back. â€Å"Red-hot answer if ever there was one. What do you like about him? Aside from the car? And that he smells like coffee?† â€Å"I like that he's smart,† I said. â€Å"I like that I don't have to dumb myself down around him.† Now Adrian frowned. â€Å"You do that a lot for people?† I was surprised at the bitterness in my own laugh. â€Å"‘A lot?' Try all the time. Probably the most important thing I've learned at Amberwood is that people don't like to know how much you know. With Brayden, there's no censoring for either of us. I mean, just look at this morning. One minute we were talking Halloween costumes, the next we were discussing the ancient Athenian origins of democracy.† â€Å"I'm not going to claim to be a genius, but how the hell did you make that leap?† â€Å"Oh,† I said. â€Å"Our Halloween costumes. We're dressing Greek. From the Athenian era.† â€Å"Of course,† he said. And this time, I could tell the snark was about to return. â€Å"No sexy cat costumes for you. Only the most dignified, feminist attire will do.† I shook my head. â€Å"Feminist? Oh, no. Not Athenian women. They're about as far from feminist as you can – well, forget it. It's not really important.† Adrian did a double take. â€Å"That's it, isn't it?† He leaned toward me, and I nearly moved back†¦ but something held me where I was, something about the intensity in his eyes. â€Å"What?† I asked. He pointed at me. â€Å"You stopped yourself just now. You just dumbed it down for me.† I hesitated only a moment. â€Å"Yeah, I kind of did.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Because you really don't want to hear about ancient Athens, any more than you wanted to hear Brayden talk about Chaos Theory.† â€Å"That's different,† said Adrian. He hadn't moved away and was still standing so, so close to me. It seemed like that should've bothered me, but it didn't. â€Å"He's boring. You make learning fun. Like a children's book or after school special. Tell me about your†¦ um, Athenian women.† I tried not to smile. I admired his intentions here but knew he really wasn't up for a history lesson. Again, I wondered what game was going on. Why was he pretending to be interested? I tried to compose an answer that would take less than sixty seconds. â€Å"Most Athenian women weren't educated. They mostly stayed inside and were just expected to have kids and take care of the house. The most progressive women were the hetaerae. They were like entertainers and high-class prostitutes. They were educated and a little flashier. Powerful men kept their wives at home to raise children and then hung out with hetaerae for fun.† I paused, unsure if he'd followed any of that. â€Å"Like I said, it's not really important.† â€Å"I don't know,† said Adrian thoughtfully. â€Å"I find prostitutes vastly important.† â€Å"Well. How refreshing to see that things haven't changed,† a new voice cut in. We both flinched and looked up at the scowling man who had just joined us. Adrian's father had arrived.

Effective Negotiation & Conflict Resolution

Tamaris Purvines Assignment Three LDR 404 07/29/2012 Assignment Three Part One There are several different processes, ideas, and efforts that go into the overall practices of effective negotiation and conflict resolution. Yet no productive negotiation could be possible without the valuable use of skills. Two types of skills can help a successful negotiator. The first type is hard skills, which are guidelines, strategic measures, or anything that can be copied down onto paper and taught. The second type is soft skills, which are the skills acquired through practicing negotiation that can’t necessarily be taught.To get a better idea of the definition and examples of each type of skill, it is better to discuss them each individually in more depth. Hard Skills Several authors have written books and articles about what methods are beneficial for successful negotiation. A great example of an author who knows a lot about effective negotiation methods that benefit both sides of the ne gotiation is Bernard Mayer. As an author of several books, a professor at the Werner Institute and Creighton University, and a founding partner of CDR associates, Bernard has a lot of accomplishments in the field of conflict.He also has been working in the field of conflict for over forty years as a mediator, facilitator, researcher, and consultant. In his book Dynamics of Conflict: A Guide to Engagement and Intervention, Bernard discusses in depth unique ideas of looking at negotiation that benefit negotiators. In one section of the book he mentions a way of looking at conflict that helps the negotiator determine the source of the conflict at hand. He uses the Wheel of Conflict to demonstrate various aspects of interaction, personal life, and outside forces that can be the cause of a conflict.The outer layer of the wheel contains personality, data, culture, and power. The second layer of the wheel contains emotions, values, communication, structure, and history. The inner circle, a nd final layer, of the wheel are basic needs broken down into survival needs, interests, and identity needs (Mayer, 10). When in the negotiation process it is beneficial to look at these different layers of the Wheel of Conflict to help determine the source of the conflict at hand. Being able to first acknowledge the root of the problem is a great way to start the process of working through it.Three authors collaborated on the book Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement without Giving In. These authors are Roger Fischer, Bruce Patton, and William Ury. In this book, they describe a method of negotiation that helps keep the discussions on track throughout the entire negotiation process. The method is broken down into four parts that help keep the negotiator and the parties involved focused on resolving the issue. The first part is â€Å"separate the people from the problem† (Fischer, 19). This allows the problem being faced to be the focus of discussions rather than the people a s individuals.The second part is â€Å"focus on interests not positions† (Fischer, 42). Focusing on the position rather than the interests causes the individuals to get stuck in something they may or may not end up wanting in the end. However, if the focus is on the interests of each side, then it is possible to come to a solution that is beneficial to all sides. The third part is â€Å"invent options for mutual gain† (Fischer, 58). Obviously it is in the best interest of both parties to come up with a solution that is mutually beneficial.Finally, the fourth part is â€Å"insist on using objective criteria† (Fischer, 82). The use of objective criteria insures that no side is trying to hoodwink the other. If the information is objective, then it is impossible for one side to claim that it is unfair to their cause. Each part of this method provides a structured negotiation process that is beneficial to all parties involved. Soft Skills While the above-mentioned ha rd skills are highly helpful in aiding a negotiator in their negotiation process, there are some skills that are unable to be broken down into categories or methods.Throughout the process problems arise that are situation specific. Knowing when one party is bluffing or trying to trick the other party are skills that come with learning through experience. The delivery of statements and ideas are definitely situation specific. Discussing an issue with a church group may not be the same type of discussion that may be necessary with a theater group. Individuals respond differently to how phrases are stated. Only through working with similar groups does a negotiator learn how best to phrase their ideas to parties in any given situation.Learning how to best reframe a harsh or inappropriate statement into the truth of the statement is also a soft skill that is highly beneficial to negotiators. The only way to learn how to accomplish this difficult skill is by practicing it. It takes years of practicing and using this skill in negotiation processes to truly learn how to effectively hone it. Being able to determine the best possible solution to the problem for both parties involved in a negotiation is also something that cannot be learned. Each negotiation is going to be different and have different circumstances.Even after years of working with groups in negotiation or mediation situations, it is still difficult to help both sides create a mutually beneficial solution to their problem. This is something that almost comes as a talent to negotiators. It takes a certain gift to be able to achieve positive outcomes for everyone involved every time. Sometimes it may not be possible to come to a full solution. Maybe the situation has progressed, but perhaps the negotiator cannot take the parties any further in their differences.Whatever the case, negotiators have to have the experience to know when the right time is to be finished with the negotiation or when to keep trying . This knowledge can’t be taught or learned in a classroom. It is clear that it takes more than just book knowledge and methods to produce a great negotiator. Part Two Learning how to be an effective negotiator is a long process that requires patience and understanding. It takes time and effort to learn all the different processes, methods, and procedures that can be helpful in the negotiation process.However, no matter how much work and effort you put into learning good methods for negotiation, there will never be a â€Å"perfect† negotiation. To further understand the complications that may arise during negotiations, it is good to look into two fairly common areas that negotiations are often required in. Many challenges arise during this process whether it is in a business situation or a personal situation. Difficulties Faced in Business Many various complications can arise in business negotiations. Often times businesses are working with other businesses to determin e a solution to a problem or are defining a contract.Many of these negotiations take place in multi party discussions. It is often very easy for one party to start feeling attacked by the other party, to feel cheated of something they believe they deserve, or to communicate in a way that the other party may not understand. For example, when two businesses are trying to settle a problem, each side is trying to gain something the company needs. In this effort it is easy to start putting blame on the other party for what has taken place. When this happens it causes a lot of strain in the negotiation because the focus is no longer on the problem at hand.This can create major setbacks in the process, and cause the negotiator to have to start back at the beginning to try to show each side how they can mutually benefit from a solution if they work together. Sometimes the parties may feel as if the problem has caused too much harm to the companies, and may decide to quit the negotiation pro cess altogether. The same results can be said of two businesses attempting to create a contract. Frequently one company or the other will feel as if they are being cheated out of something that can be beneficial to them. It can also be difficult to overcome cultural differences in business.One company may base their business practices on the cultures surrounding them. The other company may do the same in a different region. When this occurs, it becomes difficult for the two to effectively communicate to each other. The negotiator then gains the task of having to interpret the differences, and show both parties how they are similar rather than different. While these are all complications that can come up during negotiations, the negotiator soon learns how best to overcome these issues and work toward mutually beneficial solutions. Difficulties Faced in Personal Life Negotiations can arise within personal situations as well.While it may not be establishing a mutually beneficial contra ct, difficult situations occasionally occur in personal relationships. Relationships such as romances, friendships, and family members can encounter problems or difficult situations that require a solution. When this happens, the individuals involved enter into a negotiation. In all relationships it becomes easy to attack the other person for disagreeing, having opposing needs, or feeling neglected. As this starts to happen both individuals become negotiators for what they determine to be the truth or best solution for the situation.It is very easy for each party to feel hurt, take everything personally, and get angry. What is not easy to do is assess the situation in a calm state, and restate any negative statements into the truth of the situation. All too often individuals start saying things out of anger and hurt, and the negotiation quickly turns into a personal attack or fight. While it is difficult to focus on the needs of both sides, to keep personal feelings at bay, and work at finding a positive solution, a successful negotiator must learn to do this. ConclusionNegotiation is a process that requires lots of learning, hard skill techniques, soft skill techniques, and experience. Quite often complications arise that can deter the process or completely end the negotiation altogether. Successful negotiators learn as much as they can from mentors, education, books, and whatever other sources they may find on conflict resolution and negotiation. They then take that knowledge and apply it to then hone hard skills they can take into negotiations with them. Once they start to experience working as a negotiator, they gain the knowledge of soft skills that work for them.And while all of this takes place they constantly run into complications. However, they overcome these complications and gain knowledge from them. Throughout the process of negotiation, whether as a professional or just in everyday life, negotiators learn how to establish and maintain relationshi ps through effective communication. Works Cited 1. Fischer, Roger, Bruce Patton, and William Ury. Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In. New York City: Penguin Group, 2011. Print. 2. Mayer, Bernard. The Dynamics of Conflict: A Guide to Engagement and Intervention. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2012. Print.

In what ways can an organization’s structure and culture be internal strengths or weaknesses Essay

Every organization has a corporate structure and culture these vary based on several variables. I will discuss the most common which is a divisional structure, which is appropriate for a large corporation as well. According to our text regardless of the size of a company to be strong the basic structure within the company must easily support a strategy under consideration by top management. Management in turn must decide whether the proposed strategy is feasible or if the structure should be changed to reflect the company’s mission. Basically a company must clearly define their mission, objectives, strategies and end goal. To be successful the company must in turn structure management, divisions, and employees in a strategic way in order to gain a successful outcome. Unsuccessful companies that I have been a part of tend to have a strategic structure in place, but the weakness comes in as soon as they quit following the plan or deviate from the structure. From my experience a structure is as successful as the culture within the company. The internal values, beliefs and expectations if clearly shared and followed by all employees will directly affect the success of a company. According to our text in order to be successful a corporate culture will fulfill these functions: 1.Convey a sense of identity for employees.  2.Help generate employee commitment to something greater than themselves. 3.Adds to stability of the organization as a social system. 4.Serves as a frame of reference for employees to use to make sense of organizational activities and to use as a guide for appropriate behavior. When a company does not fulfill these functions you will find weakness as well as unhappy employees, which in my opinion can be one of the greatest weaknesses any company can have. The key to success is to follow the strategies and fulfill a corporation’s mission thus meeting their objectives. I have been a part of very successful company’s as well as some that have been unsuccessful. I have found that the easiest way to weaken a structure is when management does not listen to or value their employees input. Other areas of weakness are when management doesn’t honor their word or the company goals. An achilles heal for any company is a weak inefficient human resources department. When the HR team hires ineffective and unreliable managers they must immediately jump in and begin to train or assist that manager in following the company’s strategic plan, or let go of that manager after a time. Otherwise the employees of that department will negatively affect the culture so fast and it is incredibly difficult and lengthy to rebuild that culture. Not only do you loose valuable employees, but disgruntled employees begin to speak negatively about the company to family, friends, and social media. This causes any company time and money to repair their culture within and outside of the company, hence great weakness arises.

E two Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

E two - Essay Example Who holds the disposable income also matters. When women workforce increased, companies started targeting female consumers (Barringer, 2009). When teenagers were given large sum of pocket money, they helped increase business opportunities to compact disk warehouse, designer clothing, sunglasses and cellphones. Social trends include the family life and their working patterns; workplace diversity; increased attention to health care; friendships; increased use of cell phones and internet, and etcetera. People started buying readymade frozen food which they could microwave at home not because they wanted to eat frozen stuff, but because they were too busy to cook for themselves. This gave rise to business opportunities for companies that prepared frozen food. Example. Internet cafà ©s, also called net cafà ©s, continued to grow in the last decade due to increasing number of people using internet for developing friendships. CoffeNet in USA is one such cyber cafà ©. Technological advances have greatly increased business opportunities over the last decade. This is because whenever a new technology arises, it has to be accompanied by products and equipment that supports it. This directs opening up of new companies because the number of consumers who incorporate technology into their lives increase. However, it is not the technology itself that the consumers love; instead, it is the sophistication, ease and reliability the technology provides that is looked forward to by the consumers. Example. Barnes and Noble is an e-bookseller company that enables people to shop books online that are then shipped to them after online payment. This company evolved when the number of consumers increased who wanted access to books without having to go to the shop and buy because their lives have become busy. Political and regulatory changes have also given rise to many business opportunities. For example, designing of new laws regarding internet fraud brought with it the need of

Changes in US for the Past 27 Years Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Changes in US for the Past 27 Years - Essay Example U.S is one amongst the country’s that have undergone change with time. This paper compares intelligibly how life used to be for an American citizen 27 years ago and how life is today for an American citizen. It also depicts the writer’s own perspective on the changes that have occurred with time. After interviewing Steve Lance, an American citizen now 50 years, he explained how life was 29 years ago when he was still 21 years old. He told me of the difficult situations he had to undergo during his twenties. Life was not a bed of roses and one had to struggle to make ends meet. From his perspective, life used to be hard and required perseverance. Although he experienced hardship, there was nothing to do about it. He often thought of a world without hardships and physiological torture. In comparison to today’s life, it is far much better, with no stress and everything made easier. Due to rapid change in technology, life for a 21-year-old American citizen can be vie wed meaningful. It is in rare cases to find a 21-year-old individual drowned in physiological stress since he/she has positive plans and informed of the daily happening. This is guaranteed by the advancement in technology and the prevailing political stability. According to Steve, he always had an optimistic approach of life. Despite the limitation in accessing education, he did not at any point of his life loose hope for the future. He always had mighty dreams, which he ever looked forward in achieving them. His own perspective was that he was to become a triumphant businessperson after all the perseverance in life. However, how he was to achieve his dream was the greatest fear he had in life. Each passing day, he was worried of how to establish him financially stable since he lived a life of hand to mouth. In relation to today’s life, people also base their hopes in future. They believe in the future due to the diverse changes in technology. Presently, individuals always dr eam of new inventions in technology. They always foresee great things ahead of life. However, it becomes a problem in relation to the skills and knowledge required to accomplish such a task. Steve further explained of the poor technology and infrastructure they experienced during his twenties and the drawbacks in comparison to today’s life. He is astonished by change in internet facilities and communication devices. He goes ahead and views cars and bridges because of revolution since he did not own a car and saw no importance of having one. 29 years ago, everything seemed slow, laborious, and labor intensive. Several people owned bicycles that aided in their transport. Leisure time was emphasized and people spent their time singing and dancing. This used to be a very important period appreciated by every person. Today, cars of different versions have found their way in the country and owning one is not a big issue. Moreover, people have invented better ways of having fun and relaxing which include watching television, browsing the internet, and playing various games like golf. Steve explained to me in depth of difficulties he had to face in his life in order to make ends meet for his family. He was by then married and had two children. Life tor him seemed hard and unfair since he was unemployed. He had a family to feed, which put its entire hopes in him. He viewed the president as someone capable of leading the country to both political and economical success but

Democratization in the Third Wave European Countries Essay

Democratization in the Third Wave European Countries - Essay Example There have been three waves of democratization. The first wave started in the 1820’s, as suffrage widened and more citizens in Europe demanded their rights (Huntington 1991, p.3). It started in the US and then spread across the British dominion (Huntington 1984, p.196). However, in 1922 Mussolini came to power, which marked the return to autocracies. By the end of World War II, only 12 democracies were left, in comparison to 29 beforehand (Huntington 1991, p.3). The second wave was supported, and imposed by the Allied Forces after World War II. In 1962, the zenith was reached with 36 democracies (Huntington 1991, p.3). Many of them were also former colonies (Huntington 1991, p. 31 – 108). After 1962, democracy again experienced a decline (Jaggers & Gurr 1995, 477). In 1974, the third wave started. This wave was marked by the shifts to democracy in Portugal, Greece and Spain (Huntington, 1991, p.4). The Catholic Church became an opponent of autocracies in the 1960’s (Huntington 1991, p.77). The European Union (EU), then known as the European Community (EC), conditioned the benefits of access to their markets on democratization. Greece joined EC in 1981, and Spain and Portugal followed. By 1994, according to Jaggers and Gurr (1995, p.479), there were 50 percent democracies and only 18 percent autocracies in the world. However, they also classified countries into incoherent systems, claiming that 19 percent countries were autocracies and 13 percent democracies (Jaggers & Gurr, 1995, p.479).... 31 – 108). After 1962, democracy again experienced a decline (Jaggers & Gurr 1995, 477). In 1974, the third wave started. This wave was marked by the shifts to democracy in Portugal, Greece and Spain (Huntington, 1991, p.4). The Catholic Church became an opponent of autocracies in the 1960’s (Huntington 1991, p.77). The European Union (EU), then known as the European Community (EC), conditioned the benefits of access to their markets on democratization. Greece joined EC in 1981, and Spain and Portugal followed. By 1994, according to Jaggers and Gurr (1995, p.479), there were 50 percent democracies and only 18 percent autocracies in the world. However, they also classified countries into incoherent systems, claiming that 19 percent countries were autocracies and 13 percent democracies (Jaggers & Gurr, 1995, p.479). These are less stable than coherent systems. Papaioannou and Siourounis (2008, p.384) determined that among 174 countries between 1960 and 2005, there were 63 democratic transitions and 3 reverse transitions from relatively stable democracy to autocracy. In the 1990’s, it was questionable whether young democracies were going to survive. According to Shin (1994, p.137), since governments depend on people or demos, democracy can only survive if people support it. However, at the time, newly democratic countries lacked factors that facilitate democratization such as civic organizations and market economies (Shin 1994, p.137). According to Rose and Shin (2001, p.334), â€Å"[w]hile the third wave has increased by 77 per cent the number of countries holding competitive elections, the number of countries recognizing political and civil liberties has increased by only 40 per cent.† As a result, the third wave in many

Components of Qualitative Approaches Assignment

Components of Qualitative Approaches - Assignment Example The three topics all involve the use of qualitative information. To investigate the political opinions of citizens of country A, a researcher has to set interviews that will convert the qualitative attributes into quantitative measures. For example, the interview may have questions like â€Å"Do the candidates you intend to vote for know your economic challenges?† The responses can be assigned numeric indices to measure their level of strength as shown in the example in the table below: While using interviews to gather information from the people, few challenges were met. Some of them were, only a small number of these interviews could take place because they vary in time (University of Portsmouth, 2010). Comparison of in-depth interviews may be difficult since the results may be unique. Due to the size of the sample, in this case, is small, the results are unlikely to be representative of a particular population. The interview process may be time-consuming, in terms of both data collection and analysis. There were many inconsistencies in the results due to bias amongst the people’s tastes and preferences. The following measures were recommended to be more effective in ways of collecting and interpretation of data especially through interviews. To avoid the inconsistencies, the data should be recorded in the agreed upon ways (Phil Rabinowitz, 2013) e.g. if the agreed upon way is using laptops, then laptops should be used to collect all results. Organization of the data is also a very important process that helps during the analysis. For example, the use of Geographical Information Systems is necessary especially when collecting data for investigating the political opinions of citizens based on different regions in that country.   

Defining Intelligence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Defining Intelligence - Essay Example Dr. Howard Gardner developed the theory of multiple intelligences in 1983. This theory outlines eight different intelligences, including bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, naturalist and spatial. Today, IQ tests are routinely used to rank an individual's intelligence. This test generally only assesses linguistic ("word smart") and logical-mathematical ("number/reasoning smart") intelligences. Many educators believe this is too limiting, and more use should be made of the broader range of intelligences.IQ tests are given to children all over the world, either as a written test or with an examiner. The test is customized for cultural differences, and typically only tests your ability to handle numbers, words and problems. IQ tests can be a good indicator for how well a child will do in school, where the standard teaching method is by reading textbooks and listening to lectures. However, the IQ score can influence how people will treat that person throughout life, "determining her eligibility for certain privileges" (Gardner, Year). If you're not good at reading ("word smart") or you don't understand algebra ("number/reasoning smart"), then you may be considered dumb. A child may be disadvantaged because they are not considered smart by normal standards. But normal is only defined as two out of eight possible intelligences. Is this fair Many think it isn't and believe teaching methods should change. If the other six intelligences are recognized and used in teaching, this will give children and people of all ages more opportunities. As adults with jobs, our intelligence strengths can influence how successful we are. A child who liked to write stories in English class might become a journalist with a newspaper. Another child who loved to play number games might go on to become a computer programmer. These are good matches. But some people might find themselves in jobs they are not suited to because it does not make full use of their individual intelligences. For example, a gifted sportsperson may have a job sitting at a desk typing on a computer all day. A desk job may suit a person who is word and number smart, but may not suit this person who is body smart. They may find their job mundane because they are not active. They would rather be outdoors moving around. Another example is a talented musician ("music smart") who can easily make up beautiful and original music by playing it on an instrument but cannot read or write. Usually people with high IQ scores tend to be in well-paid jobs, while people with low IQ scores do not. But IQ alone cannot predict success. "The vast majority of one's ultimate niche in society is determined by non-IQ factors, ranging from social class to luck" (Goleman, Year). Because a person has a particular strength in one type of intelligence, may not mean they are strong in other intelligences. For example, a student who loves mathematics got a job as an engineer. He was very good at his job, but when asked to speak at a meeting, he felt complete dismay because he didn't want to talk in front of a lot of people. He was "number and reasoning smart", but not "word smart". A sales person may sell lots of cars because he is "people smart", but may fatigue easily when he goes for a walk because he is not "body smart". Another person might be a talented guitar player ("music smart") but causes a calamity and looses his job in the band because he can't control his bad temper. He is not "self smart". To help people make the most of opportunities, school provides an important role in identifying a person's talents. If a school offers a broad range of subjects, then you have more opportunity to find out what you are good at and like doing. For example, if a school didn't offer art classes, a student might miss the opportunity to find out they were good at drawing ("picture smart"). Or if a school didn't

Choose promt in attachment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Choose promt in attachment - Essay Example The latter has seen a lot of improvement in the film industry for women. Also important was the Civil Rights Movement. Mulvey’s theory in which she stipulates that women are just sexual fantasies for males in earlier films supports this argument. Laura Mulvey is renowned for her ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’ where she analyses the production technique of Hollywood films. According to her ‘gaze theory’, most of the films produced have a masculine approach. This implies that the films use women as objects that provide visual pleasure for men (Hemery, 2013). In films today, there still exist forms of objectifying women, even though they are also given major roles involving active participation. Examples of films that portray women as sexual objects include 100 Girls, National Lampoon’s Dorm Daze and I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell. In 100 Girls, there are women who are in the film to fulfill the actor’s sexual desires. In today†™s films, especially those meant for children, the female gender is not represented equally as their male counterparts. However, when they appear in such films, they are either passive or over-attractive. For instance, women in animated films are portrayed as extremely thin, with small waists and hourglass figures. In films such as Pretty Woman, women are portrayed as escorts who are paid for their companionship services. A rich businessperson, Edward, pays Vivian Ward, played by Julia Roberts. Later on, they fall in love. They are also adorned with alluring clothes. Men, on the other hand, are presented as saviors, warriors, breadwinners, and protectors of the world in films. For example, in the film, The Avengers, the pictorial cover portrays five men and one woman. Apart from the unequal representation of women, the picture also portrays her carrying the smallest of the weapons. According to research findings, only 32.8% of speaking characters are female while the remaining 62. 7% of the characters are male. In total, less than 17% of films in the industry are balanced in terms of gender (Smith, 2008). Similarly, in the directing and producing areas for every one female there are approximately five males. This is alarming, especially since almost half of the society is made up of females. Film Industry in the early 1950s was marred with various stereotypes, including the traditional role male and female. In the few instances that women were represented in films, they appeared as homemakers, with a lot of babies and household chores. Films today have however revolutionized women’s role a little bit (Hemery, 2013). This could be attributed to modernity and westernization that has seen women pursue their careers and still play their roles as wives and mothers, like in Strike back. Jodhi May is portrayed as a survivor in the male dominated world of military, and she climbs to the top. Many females are also portrayed as having a great affinity for romant ic relationships. For instance, The Ugly Truth portrays Abby Ritcher as a romantically challenged woman, who lashes out her list of how her dream man ought to be. Most films also show women as weak, and no matter who wrongs the other in film, the woman always forgives and gets back with her male partner. An example here is Project X, a high school themed film. Films like Clueless depict the nature of girls as shallow. The reasons for this is because all they do is shop and enjoy

Culture Wear Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Culture Wear - Essay Example The only misconception that the westerners and probably some of the Muslims are also carrying is that the covering of hair is not related to the culture aspects (Human Rights News, 2005). It is more of a religious obligation that every Muslim woman should follow. This head covering is also prescribed by the law of Christianity for women as well and the nuns follow it too. In the same way, other artifacts which have religious obligation for some of the sects of Islam or any other religion for that matter, are also of religious importance and cannot degrade the assimilation of one individual in a different culture. This misconception is in the minds of the people that following these rituals, behaviors or artifacts can hinder the evolution of an individual in a different culture. The religious values remain the same for those who know the importance of those values; the way of integrating them into their newly adopted culture is the real task for that individual. This kind of behavior usually results in the modification of the new culture in accordance with the rules and regulations of an individual's religion. An example ne

Billy Rose Theatre Division in the New York Public Library-Creative Essay

Billy Rose Theatre Division in the New York Public Library-Creative writing - Essay Example Initiated in 1932, the Billy Rose division has over 10 million collections of theatrical art that document drama, music and film. The division housed numerous traditional books and journals on theatrical arts. It was also meant to contain an array of personal papers. Besides personal papers, the division has a collection of organizational records. It houses an archive on the theatre of film. It has collections legendary artists including Richard Rodgers and Hal Prince. The papers of Betty Comden and Clifford Odets are also housed in the division. Most importantly, it houses the works of William Shakespeare including records of festivals on Shakespeare’s works. At the division, visitors to the library can examine historical performances on Shakespeare, for instance, to years dating back to as early as 1767 (The New York Public Library, 2015). The division serves as an invaluable resource for diverse groups including researchers and scholars. Writers and students also find the d ivision resourceful because of the various documentation that are informative and useful for learning. Artists and other members of the public also find the resources at the division

Blue Highways Essay Example for Free

Blue Highways Essay The beginning to an end, and round again, for Least Heat Moon was when he lost his teaching job. He figured he had two choices – to sleep the matter over or to go crazy. He chose neither. Instead, he decided to take a self-fulfilling journey in search of â€Å"places where change did not mean ruin and where Time and Man and Deeds connected. † Least Heat Moon took a circular route from one end of the United States to another using the back roads or the blue highways because he believed that â€Å"life does not happen along interstates. † He likened Life to a circular route that comes round again, to start over and anew. Least Heat Moon came from the Sioux tribe and like most Native Americans believed that those who embrace the new by discarding the old do not deserve to be honored. His trip gave him the opportunity to meet and talk to people, in the process learning from their experiences. In most cities he visited, people ask about his job. Inasmuch as he had just lost his, Least Heat Moon was vague with his replies and was tempted to answer differently each time. Someone from Grayville, Illinois thought people with nothing to do was common in any part of the country, while someone from Shelbyville, Kentucky distinguished job from work and from occupation in terms of motivation, time and money. He saw people moving and renovating homes in Kentucky. They were log cabins of 1807 and Bob Andriot took pleasure in preserving them for another two hundred years. Bob has something from the past that he is making into something new to pass on to the future. Bob’s kind is so unlike those in Frankfort which was named after their local hero, Stephen Frank. From the old Frank’s Ford it became Frankfurt out of convenience without regard of its historical significance. The entire look of Frankfurt was similarly modernized. Kentucky’s name became associated with Col. Harlan Sanders and his crispy-fried chicken. Least Heat Moon dined in Claudia Sanders Dinner House. Least Heat Moon believed nothing beats the delicious and authentic regional food served in local cafes like they did three decades or so years ago. The Hammonds of Palisades made building a boat their life, a dream made true by their relentless pursuit of it. He lodged and dined at the Shakers’ Trustees Hall, which was built in1839. The Shakers have not outlived their building for their unrealistic views of life and adversity towards progress. On the other hand, Ida, south of Appalachia, was slow to progress because of its isolation. At Gainesboro, Least Heat Moon found that even if he was traveling alone he was to an extent sociable because of the chance that he will meet someone at every stop. At Shepardsville Road, Madison Wheeler refused to part with his old store’s signage despite a tempting offer for the simple reason that he wanted to keep his name. Least Heat Moon was invited to sup at Wheeler’s table, something that Least Heat Moon appreciated noting that those who â€Å"live on little are the ones to ask you to dinner. † In Nameless, Tennessee Least Heat Moon spent an evening with the Watts who showed that him simple pleasures that last and stay in the heart like buttermilk pie, old music, hot bread and a doctor who â€Å"calms like the hand of the Lord. † He made several futile attempts to meet and talk to Native Americans, Hopi or Navajo, for fear of rejection. At Echo Cliffs in Arizona he noticed that White Men in station wagons bought beads from Indians, when it was the White Men in wagons who sold beads to Indians before. When history is repeated, there is a twist in the course of events. In crossing Colorado, the Spanish missionaries of 1776, navigated the Vermillion cliffs in 10 days, ate cactus and 2 horses, made steps to climb and cross 400-ft walls. Least Heat Moon made his in 20 seconds, sitting down. What was terrifying to the Spaniards was magnificent to Least Heat Moon. What was a hurdle to the Spaniards was a breeze for Least Heat Moon. There were 2 observation towers containing reminders of WWII in the southern part of Rehoboth Beach. The young would have no idea at all, but had they been born earlier they would have been among the fallen heroes. Glen Marshall of Smith Island found running a boat a good job because he had no boss to take orders from. , which to him was better than money. Alice Middleton thought that Island Belle brought progress to their island by bringing in provisions, news, medicine, and mails as well as transported the sick and the dying. It was their equivalent to the cars of America. Kendrick Fritz was a Hopi Indian studying Medicine at the Southern Utah State College. Fritz re-acquainted Least Heat Moon on their shared heritage. Fritz said that prejudice against Indians came from seeing them make trouble and that already made them a savage in the eyes of the White Men. The Indians hated the White Way but they enjoy their pleasures as much. Fritz would go back to Tuba, to his people, to practice medicine and money will never be a consideration. To a Hopi, religion is praying for harmony, as well as rain and crops, and a good life. A common symbol among Native Americans is the emergence or the â€Å"road of life. † People go through birth, death, and rebirth. The symbol is also about the journeys we take as well as the â€Å"cosmic patterns that human beings move in. † The Hopi Way teaches that every one is a part of one whole, a greater family. A hunter is forgiven if he hunts and kills for food, for â€Å"only life can feed life. † In the Hopi religion a person is not just one but a part of many things and that if he respects himself then he respects all things too. A person must not set himself above the rest as that would set him apart. The Hopi Way is the Way of the Spirit which is everywhere. Through his encounters with people Least Heat Moon gains insightful knowledge that it serves no purpose to hold on to the past for it will never return, but, it would be regretful if the past is totally forgotten. It is within man to renew the past, not as a repetition but an exciting variation, like the log cabins with beautiful interiors. The present should always connect to the past for there will always be something to learn from and improve on. Without Claudia Sanders kitchen, the world would never know taste of the famous Col. Sanders chicken. The rich cultural heritage of Least Heat Moon seen through the eyes and heard from the lips of Kendrick Fritz replaced his fears with pride and a deeper appreciation of the beautiful journey he had made. It gave him the answers to the questions he sought when he started out and the meaning of the â€Å"wrong turns and blind alleys †¦ fumbling and chance discoveries† he made in his trip. Walt Whitman’s Song of the Open Road from his Leaves of Grass collection was a reinforcement of the enriching lessons that came along to Least Heat Moon in his travels. Whitman’s verses spoke from the past to Least Heat Moon’s present. Despite the distance he had covered Least Heat Moon’s journey is not finished, because he discovered that â€Å"a true journey has no end. † Works Cited Least Heat Moon, W. (1982). A Journey into America. Blue Highways. An Atlantic Monthly Press Book. Little, Brown Company. Boston/Toronto.

Validity and Reliability of Selection Interviews

Validity and Reliability of Selection Interviews When Organisations are recruiting to find a suitable individual for a position they currently hold, it can be difficult to monitor and ensure that all possible steps are being taken to ensuring that each interview carries the same validity and reliability. This is to ensure that each individual who is being interviewed is given the same equal opportunity, alongside the organisation employing an individual who suits the job specification best. Validity and reliability of structured interviews can have a large impact on type of person that is employed and also affect the actual security that the person employed is the best suited from all the applicants. Selection interviews traditionally consist of a candidate interacting with one or more people from the organisation who have assessed the candidate as meeting the criteria which the role requires. The interviews generally last between 15 and 60 minutes and help the organisation decide whether or not an individual should be offered a job. In general, interviews follow one of three structures (Unstructured; Semi-Structured and Structured). The three vary by the amount of prior preparation for the interview in regards to questions to be asked and how the answers should be assed. Often the more specific answers required from an interview will be shown by the more structured approach an interviewer will take in preparation of the questions. Reliability of the interview is argued to often be low, in that interviewers do not follow the same methods of questioning or method of evaluating each individual interview. Additionally, it has been noted that interviewers support the end decisions on different criteras, different standards, and alter in the amount the final decision is based upon the original intended criteria (e.g., Graves, L.M. and Karren, R.J., 1996. The employmentselection interview: A fresh look at an old problem. Human Resource Management 35, pp. 163-180. Full Text via CrossRef | View Record in Scopus | Cited By in Scopus (14)Timothy A. Judge, 2000: 384]). It has also been found that job performance is a lot more reliable and foretelling from structured interviews opposed to unstructured interviews. Research reviews of employment interviewing have concluded that carrying out an interview following a set structure can add to the reliability and validity of interviewer evaluations (e.g., Therese Macan, 1999: 2 09). Natural instinct to cast a first impression on a person is a major factor in trying to ensure an interviewer casts an unbiased decision which follows the original selection criteria. During interviewing it is vital that each applicant is each given a fair and open opportunity and the end decision on whether or not they are offered the place within the organisation is based entirely on how they performed against the role criteria. Ensuring that Gender, Race, Disability and appearance do not hold any restrictions on each individual interview. A study was carried out which looked into how interviewers can cast a bias opinion based on appearance, finding that applicants which were moderately obese (in particular female applicants) were less likely to be considered for employment despite meeting the required criteria of a role including required qualifications (Timothy A. Judge, 2000: 384). Further from this negative information often appears to become more memorable for an interviewer than positive information. Research has outlined that it often requires upto twice as much positive information to change any negative information the interviewer may have initially cast of an individual. . As a result, the unstructured interview has been labelled a â€Å"search for negative evidence (Timothy A. Judge, 2000: 384). This simply highlights the importance of an interview to have the ability to focus on information passed during an interview to ensure that each applicant is assessed following the same criteria to avoid natural instinct having a major impact on each applicants interview. With interviews being generally an unnatural environment applicants generally spend time preparing for the interview, looking into the company history, preparing answers for generic answers that are usually asked for job roles of that criteria. This would inevitably lead to the answers given being unrealistic responses of how an applicant may act in a role within an organisation. This simply highlights the importance of interview containing questions which are going to show a realistic response to show an applicants approach and ethos towards their working life. During the interview this can be achieved by adding unstructured questions which will allow the interviewer to add and expand on answers given to try and get a more realistic and honest response which will further add to the value of the responses given from a candidate. This can also work well within a structured interview situation, as having an opening for several unprepared questions, can give a candidate further chance t o show their true capabilities. Taking into account unavoidable effects (e.g. Anxiety, signs of being Nervous and body language) of environments like Interviews, consideration needs to be taken by the interviewer to account for these. Often anxiety levels can be raised for an applicant during interviews which can an effect on the responses and conduct during the interview which may result in the applicant not showing their full capabilities. A selection of Undergraduates took part in a mock interview model with peers, which shows sustained levels of raised anxiety before and during the interview, followed by a significant decrease directly after. (Therese Macan, 1999: 209). During an interview it has to be taken into consideration that responses given can sometime be not a true reflection of a candidates natural response in any other situation, so allowing time and a chance to develop an answer is crucial to maintaining a high level of validity from the responses given. All of the elements within this essay which highlight possible affects on an interview fall part of what can be seen as a ‘halo effect. With judgements and stereotyping being cast too easily without looking at each interviewee directly on how well they are suited to the role criteria of which their hiring for. Training for any interviewer is crucial, as they need to learn the ways in which they might cast these judgements subconsciously; avoiding these spontaneous biases is one of the most crucial parts of carrying out interviews to ensure that the most suited candidate is chosen. By following more structured interviews situations like the halo effect can be more easily avoided. By offering each candidate the same set of questions and time for their interview then they each will have as open an opportunity as possible to give their best response. In more recent years, human response management specialists have become more involved within the interviewing process as they have to ensure all interviews are following the orangisations equal opportunities policy. Following these latest changes it has opened more opportunities for minority groups which previous may have been of more of a disadvantage to have a fair and equal opportunity when applying for any role, and how they are assess during the selection interview stage. Overall trying to maintain a high level of validity and reliability within an unnatural environment can be difficult and hard to maintain. It is crucial within any interview environment to try and place measures which can both account for these abnormalities and a way to take them into account. If they are not fully considered then an organisation may end up employing an individual for a role which they are not the best suited from all the candidates. One of the most important factors to avoid is an interviewers personal opinion on a candidate as shown from the research in this essay; they often can cast subliminal opinions on candidates because of personal opinion, anxiety and from misinterpreting responses during an interview. The employment of any individual for an organisiation is timely and costly exercise, ensuring all steps are taken to make the right decision on choosing a candidate is important. Make the wrong choice due to errors during the selection interview stage and a n egative impact may be felt by the organisiation afterwards.

US Education Budget Cuts Analysis

US Education Budget Cuts Analysis Introduction/Background Every year in the United States, we have a budget that we must adhere by. This is called the United States Federal Budget, with this title it is the budget that is used to fund and oversee governmental operations in our country over a fiscal year. Another budget process that we must note come from the state and local budget process. Federal budgets and state budgets have similarities but they also have a major difference. The major idea that separates the two is a fiscal deficit, states budgets are required by law to make certain that their budgets are balanced, whereas the federal government is allowed to run a deficit and can also request to borrow money to meet the needs and efforts congress has put forth. No matter what level of government is being discussed, the budget is always an issue that never looses saliency because there is always an area that needs more money, whether it be healthcare, defense, public safety, or education. The federal budget has three areas that seem to aid the most when gaining revenue, these three include income tax, capital gains, and other taxes such as social security or excise taxes. The state and local budget seems to gain revenue in a wider variety of ways, some of these including but not limited to taxes such as sales, fuel, and property along with other fees such as licensing (drivers), and casino gambling. Citizens often question where the money the government is robbing them of is ending up when operations such as medicaid and public assistance seem to be lacking. Speaking in the area of state and local budgeting, an area that raises a large amount of speculation is our K-12 education system. Although we all seem to take primary and secondary education seriously, it often slides through the cracks. We as citizens and taxpayers know how important the education of the young people in our country is, however it is often the first institute to have budget cuts inflicted. It has been recorded that the nation and the state of Alabama specifically have been fighting the battle of saving the budget allocated for primary and secondary public education for years now. Some believe that schools have enough of the budget directed in areas of education while others feel as though the extreme cuts are only hurting our children and the education they are receiving. In Support of Educational Budget Cuts in the United States It is understood that there is a large quantity of money that goes toward education on all levels. Primary and secondary public education specifically are allocated millions of dollars to use to their disposal to better the learning and teaching environment at these schools. There are many factors that go into making the educational system successful. Bill Gates agrees that cutting the budget it does not have to have negative effects or be detrimental to education or students. He actually states that it could have positive outcomes for students and teachers to benefit from these cuts. In an article written by Kevin Freking titled, Bill Gates: Education Budget Cuts Don’t Have to Hurt Learning, Gates states â€Å"that schools can improve the performance of students if they put more emphasis on rewarding excellent teaching and less emphasis on paying teachers based on seniority and graduate degrees† (Freking 2011). Gates also feels that there are definite do’s and d on’t when it comes to attempting to close the $125 billion deficit that we face. On top of the do’s list, Gates feels as though if we were to â€Å"lift caps on class sizes and get more students in front of the very best teachers. Those teachers would get paid more with the savings generated from having fewer personnel overall (Freking 2011). Class size is a variable that always comes up in the discussion of quality K-12 education. This is often the only factor people discuss when in reality, it is also in big part to do with the quality of teachers that we have inside the classroom teaching our students. Another mistake that is often made is paying teachers based on advanced degrees they have achieved or the â€Å"veteran status† they have obtained (meaning years of experience). Instead we need to redirect our focus in the direction of under what teachers have students learned the most knowledge and how well they learned. Other statistics show that 38% of the state tax revenues fund education (25% K-12, 13% higher education). States are obviously one of the main funders of primary and secondary schools available. Inside of these schools, 50 million students are learning and gaining knowledge. Research conducted by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities states that, â€Å"One-fourth of state spending on average, or about $280 billion, goes toward public education. The federal government provides only about 10 percent of public school revenues† (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities 2015). Any citizen can read that number and think there must be a way to cut down on such intense government spending, the key is finding how do enhance the quality of teachers while also continuing to control the teacher to student ratio. Why Educational Budget Cuts Are a Bad Idea In Alabama alone, we have made a per-pupil cut of 17.8% since 2008. Madison Underwood writes in his article titled, Alabama’s cuts to K-12 education since 2008 are second highest in the nation, study finds Underwood claims, â€Å"When it comes to dollars spent per student, Alabama is spending $1,128 less per student in fiscal year 2015 than it was in 2008 thats the largest deficit in per-student spending in the nation, according to CBPP (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)† (Underwood 2014). There have been multiple nonprofit organizations set up to help with the budget cuts because it is becoming an ongoing problem. The Alabama-based Arise Citizens Policy Project, a nonprofit with the goal of helping low income Alabamians that are suffering from the poor decisions of our state policy makers. This group of individuals feels as though the cuts that have been applied to education are not only hurting the schools but also impacting the economy presently and also in th e future. Teach For America is another nonprofit that has the goal of bringing in qualified teachers to low income communities that are in need of assistance. Underwood was able to speak to ACPP executive director, Kimble Forrister to find out that she feels â€Å"underfunding education today will leave our state with fewer highly skilled workers tomorrow. We cant strengthen Alabamas economy by eroding our foundation for economic growth† (Underwood 2014). Most states are facing cuts that are far worse then they were experiencing during the 2008 recession. Since many states did not have time to recuperate from the backlash of the recession, it has only made things much worse. Gabriel Thompson writes a compelling article titles A Thousand Cuts. In this article Thompson explains the challenges that have been brought to Navy Airbase, outside Lemoore, California through the budget cuts that have recently taken place. After reading this article, it goes back to letting students just slip between the cracks. These students have parents that are being deployed to fight for the country they live in but these men and women can’t even be certain that their children will be getting an adequate education because of the cuts the government are initiating at these schools. Thompson met with principle Heiko Sweeney of one of the schools in the district. In their meeting, Thompson asked what he thought would happen if the cuts became even more permanent and his answer was, â€Å" I wouldn’t even want to think what could happen, it would bedevastating. Cutting the teachers at Akers woould also result in a reduction in the number of adults available to help students deal with nonacademic challenges, such as the deployment of their parents. Some of these kids go through a lot of stress. When a parent is deployed, its not uncommon for a student to try to take over to many responsibilities at home to fill in as a missing parent to a younger brother or sister, it can start to be a lot on these children† (Thompson 2013). Michael Leachman and Chris Mai are the authors of Most States Funding Schools Less Than Before the Recession, put out by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. In this article they go into great detail about educational budget cuts prior to the recession and post-recession. The decline in state investment in educational systems has reason to cause a significant concern. While we are a nation focused on producing workers that are applicable to new technologies and skills necessary to do jobs having to do with the global economy, these budget cuts are only going to make it harder for citizens and children to gain the education they need to reach these levels. Restoring the funding made available to these schools should be extremely high on government officials list of priorities. Evaluation of the two sides: These arguments both have valid points and reasoning when defending why we should or should not be in favor of educational budget cuts. Supporting the cuts could force districts to find high quality teachers that aren’t paid based on how much school they have attended or years they have taught but more on how well their students learn and preform under their guidance. Another tactic that teachers are experimenting with is called â€Å"flipping classrooms†. In this practice, teachers flip time spent in the classroom and time for homework. What this means is that students are sent home with lectures from their teachers to learn and grasp a concept at home. When they return to school, they use the time that would have been spent on the lecture doing the homework together. This tightens the gap on the disconnect between the teachers and students that go home and don’t understand their homework, and also makes it easier for teachers to see what students are truly stru ggling and what students understand the concepts being taught.078 However, I do believe that the argument of not supporting the continuous cuts to our education reigns superior. City Schools alone were forced to cut $1.2 million from their budget just last year. This will not allow City Schools to purchase new textbooks for new students, nor will it allow them to replace textbooks that are out of date. The district is growing rapidly with High School projected to be the largest high school in the state of Alabama within the next ten years. With public school districts exploding with new students all over the country it is necessary that they are continued to be allocated with sufficient budgets to cover the public education of these children. Conclusion Having a stance in favor of the K-12 educational budget cuts is only hurting the future of our country. Although there is a large sum of money allocated in the direction of education in our country, it is forgotten just how important it is for the younger generations that will eventually be the young leaders of the free world. Public administrators need to make it their top priority to get these funds back on track. When these cuts happen at the state level, it means that the school districts then have to begin to figure out how they are going to raise more local tax revenue so that they don’t have to back track on the high quality educational services they are providing. Levy’s should be prepared for citizens of cities and towns to vote on these issues in their local elections to ensure that everyone is having a fair say in what money is or is not going into their local education system. The primary and secondary education in this country and considerably important, an d I know that we can all agree on that. References Flipping Classrooms. Phi Delta Kappan 93.4 (2011): 6-7. Web. Freking, Kevin. Bill Gates: Education Budget Cuts Dont Have To Hurt Learning. Huffington Post [Washington] 28 Feb. 2011: n. pag. Print. Hubbell, Annie. Auburn City Schools Cut $1.2 Million in 2014 Budget. Toledo News Now 17 Feb. 2014: n. pag. Print. Leachman, Michael, and Chris Mai. Most States Funding Schools Less Than Before the Recession. Center on Budget and Policy Priority (2014): n. pag. Ebscohost. Web. 19 May 2015. Policy Basics: Where Do Our State Tax Dollars Go. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (2015): n. pag. Ebscohost. Web. Thompson, Gabriel. A Thousand Cuts. The Nation 13 May 2013: 20-24. Print. Underwood, Madison. Alabamas Cuts to K-12 Education since 2008 Are Second Highest in the Nation, Study Finds. Al.com 16 Oct. 2014: n. pag. Print.

Alice in Wonderland Essay example -- Essays Papers

Alice in Wonderland Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, a story about a little girl and her adventures in a dream-like place called wonderland, has been a beloved children’s story for over one hundred years. Though viewed by many as a simple children’s tale, if it is taken into a little more depth one will find that is a brilliant satire on the English system of government. Indeed, Alice in Wonderland is a brilliant novel written by a brilliant author. The main character of this novel is Alice. Throughout the story she has conflicts with many of the characters along with herself. Her main conflict is to return home from Wonderland and to become an adult. While she is in Wonderland she is faced with many other, not so important conflicts. Most of them are choices that may lead her to people or places that she might or might not want to meet or see. Throughout the story there are many supporting characters that both help and hinder Alice during journey through Wonderland. The first character that Alice first comes in contact with is the White Rabbit. As a character he is always in a rush, this is made apparent throughout the story. Alice first sees him while he is on the way to Wonderland. She chooses to follow him, and she falls down a rabbit hole, thus finding the entrance to Wonderland. The only other character that was influential in my opinion was the The Queen of Hearts. The Queen is a very bitter person. She made everyone aro...

Early Childhood Education Field Essay -- Education, teaching, elementa

Introduction Due to an increased demannd for standards and accountability in the early childhood education field, policy makers have increasingly turned to the development of effective professional practice among early childhood educators (ECEs) as the predominant approach in securing better outcomes for children. ECEs have thus found themselves under increased pressure to develop professional practices through professional development which has been demonstrated to have a profound impact on children’s holistic development and their performance prospects in society. This essay will focus on the development of effective professional practice among ECEs. The paper will critically evaluate the importance of developing professional practice among ECEs, how it is developed and the application in ECE’s practice. The essay will highlight how professional practice and core beliefs of ECEs are shaped by factors such as professional and personal identity, beliefs and values and regulatory d ocuments and bodies. Development of Professional Practice The importance attached to the development of effective professional practice among ECEs can be seen in the Professional Support Coordinators Alliance of South Australia (PSCSA’s) definition of professional development. The PSCSA defines professional development as â€Å"continuous learning that enables practitioners to affirm existing understandings as well as acquire new skills and knowledge and thereby remain up-to-date with evolving developments in the field (PSCSA, 2008, p17).† The report also considers the development of professional practice among ECEs as any endeavor to improve service delivery to the families and the children that they are contracted to provide the service for. This def... ...n The development of effective self practice among early childhood educators has become an increasingly important aspect of quality management and improved service delivery in the ECE sector. The significance of professional development for ECEs is that it enhances the acquisition of professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions as well as the application of this knowledge in professional practice. Professional development is mainly through continuous learning and training and is dependent on the educator’s core personal and professional values and beliefs. These beliefs are shaped by publications of regulatory and professional bodies and through constant self reflection and evaluation. This then enables ECEs work on their beliefs that shape their professional practice as regards mode of teaching and also professional relationships with family and community.

The Return: Midnight Chapter 33

Elena was waiting for the fog to disperse. It had come in as always, bit by bit, and now she was wondering if it would ever leave, or if it were actual y another trial itself. Therefore, when she suddenly realized she could see Stefan's shirt in front of her, she felt her heart bound for joy. She hadn't messed anything up lately. â€Å"I can see it!†Stefan said, pul ing her up beside him. And then, â€Å"Voil†¦Ã¢â‚¬  – but in a whisper. â€Å"What, what?†cried Bonnie, bounding forward. And then she stopped too. Damon didn't bound. He strol ed. But Elena was turning toward Bonnie at the time, and she saw his face as he saw it. In front of them was a sort of smal castle, or large gateway with spires that pierced the low clouds that hung above it. There was some kind of writing over the huge cathedral-like black doors in front, but Elena had never seen anything like the squiggles of whatever foreign language it was. On either side of the building, there were black wal s that were nearly as tal as the spires. Elena looked left and right and realized that they disappeared only off at the vanishing point. And without magic, it would be impossible to fly over them. What the boy and girl in the story had discovered only by fol owing the wal s for days, they had simply walked straight into. â€Å"It's the Gatehouse of the Seven Treasures, isn't it, Bonnie? Isn't it? Look!†Elena shouted. Bonnie was already looking, both hands pressed against her heart, and for once without a word to say. As Elena watched, the diminutive girl fel to her knees in the light, powdery snow. But Stefan answered. He picked up Bonnie and Elena at the same time and whirled them both. â€Å"It is!†he said, just as Elena was saying â€Å"It is!† and Bonnie, the expert, gasping, â€Å"Oh, it real y, really is!†with tears freezing on her cheeks. Stefan put his lips to Elena's ear. â€Å"And you know what that means, don't you? If that is the Gatehouse of the Seven Treasures, you know where we are standing now?† Elena tried to ignore the warm, tingling sensation that shot up from the soles of her feet at the feeling of Stefan's breath on her ear. She tried to focus on his question. â€Å"Look up,†Stefan suggested. Elena did – and gasped. Above them, instead of a fog bank or incessant crimson light from a sun that never stopped setting, were three moons. One was enormous, covering perhaps a sixth of the sky, shining in swirls of white and blue, hazy at the edges. Just in front of it was a beautiful silvery moon at least three quarters as big as it was. Last, there was a tiny moon in high orbit, white as a diamond, that seemed to be deliberately keeping its distance from the other two. Al of them were half ful and shone down with gentle, soothing light on the unbroken snow around Elena. â€Å"We're in the Nether World,†Elena said, shaken. â€Å"Oh†¦it's just like in the story,†Bonnie gasped. â€Å"Exactly like. Even the writing! Even the amount of snow!† â€Å"Exactly like the story?†Stefan asked. â€Å"Even to the phase of the moons? How ful they are?† â€Å"Just exactly the same.† Stefan nodded. â€Å"I thought they would be. That story was a precognition, given to you with the purpose of helping us find the largest star bal ever made.† â€Å"Well, let's go inside!†cried Bonnie. â€Å"We're wasting time!† â€Å"Okay – but everyone on your guard. We don't want anything to go wrong now,†Stefan said. They went into the Gatehouse of the Seven Treasures in this order: Bonnie, who found that the great black doors swung open at a touch, but that she could see nothing, coming in from bright sunlight; Stefan and Elena, hand in hand; and Damon, who waited outside for a long time in the hopes, Elena thought, of being deemed â€Å"a different party.† Meanwhile the others were having the most pleasant shock since they'd taken the Master Keys from the kitsune. â€Å"Sage – Sage!†Bonnie shril ed as soon as her eyes adjusted. â€Å"Oh, look, Elena, it's Sage! Sage, how are you? What're you doing here? Oh, it's just so good to see you!† Elena blinked twice, and the dim interior of the octagonal room came into focus. She went around the only piece of furniture in the room, the large desk in the middle. â€Å"Sage, do you know how long it seems? Did you know that Bonnie almost got sold for a slave at a public auction? Did you know about her dream?† Sage looked as he always had to Elena's eyes. The bronzed, terminal y fit body, like a model of a Titan, the bare chest and bare feet, the black Levi's, the long spiraling tangles of bronze hair, and the strange bronze eyes that could cut steel, or be as gentle as a pet lamb. â€Å"Mes deux petits chatons,† Sage was saying. â€Å"My two little kittens, you have astounded me. I have been fol owing your adventures. The Gatekeeper is not provided with much entertainment and is not al owed to leave this fortress, but you were most brave and amusing. Je vous felicite.†He kissed first Elena's hand and then Bonnie's, then embraced Stefan with the Latin two-cheeked kiss. Then he resumed his seat. Bonnie was climbing Sage as if she were a real kitten. â€Å"Did you take Misao's star bal ful of Power?†she demanded, kneeling on his thigh. â€Å"Did you take half of it, I mean? To get back here?† â€Å"Mais oui, I did. But I also left Madame Flowers a little – â€Å" â€Å"Do you know that Damon used the other half to open the Gate again? And that I fel in too, even though he didn't want me? And that because of that I almost got sold as a slave? And that Stefan and Elena had to come after me, to make sure I was okay? And that on the way here Elena almost fel off the bridge, and we're not sure if the thurgs are going to make it? And do you know that in Fel ‘s Church the Last Midnight is coming, and we don't know – â€Å" Stefan and Elena exchanged a long, meaningful glance and then Stefan said, â€Å"Bonnie, we have to ask Sage the most important question.†He looked at Sage. â€Å"Is it possible for us to save Fel ‘s Church? Do we have enough time?† â€Å"Eh bien. As far as I can tel from the chronological vortex, you have enough time and a little to spare. Enough for a glass of Black Magic to see you off. But after that, no dawdling!† Elena felt like a crumpled piece of paper that had been straightened and smoothed. She took a long breath. They could do it. That allowed her to remember civilized behavior. â€Å"Sage, how did you get stuck way out here? Or were you waiting for us?† â€Å"Helas, no – I am assigned here as punishment. I got an Imperial Summons that I could not ignore, mes amis.†He sighed and added, â€Å"I am just Out of Favor again. So now I am the ambassador to the Nether World, as you see.†He waved a languid hand around the room. â€Å"Bienvenue.† Elena had a sense of time ticking away, of precious minutes being lost. But maybe Sage himself would do something for Fel ‘s Church. â€Å"You real y have to stay in here?† â€Å"But assuredly, until mon pre – my father† – Sage said the word savagely and resentful y – â€Å"relents and I am al owed to return to the Infernal Court, or, much better, to go my ways without ever returning. At least until someone takes the pity on me and kil s me.†He looked inquiringly around the group, then sighed, and said, â€Å"Saber and Talon, they are well?† â€Å"They were when we left,†Elena said, itching to get on with their real business here. â€Å"Bien,† Sage said, looking at her kindly, â€Å"but we should have your entire group in here for the viewing, no?† Elena glanced at the doors and then again at Stefan, but Sage was already cal ing – both with voice and telepathy – â€Å"Damon, mon poussinet, do you not want to come in with your comrades?† There was a long pause, and then the doors opened and a very sul en Damon stepped in. He wouldn't reply to Sage's friendly, â€Å"Bienvenue,† instead saying, â€Å"I didn't come here to socialize. I want to see the treasures in time to save Fel ‘s Church. I haven't forgotten about the damned hick town, even if everyone else has.† â€Å"Alors maintenant,† Sage said, looking wounded. â€Å"You have al passed the tests in your way and may look upon the treasures. You may even use magic again, although I am not sure that it wil help you. It al depends upon which treasure you seek. Felicitations! â€Å" Everyone but Damon made some gesture of embarrassment. â€Å"Now,†Sage continued, â€Å"I must show each gate to you before you can pick. I wil try to be quick, but be cautious, s'il vous pla?t. Once you choose a treasure, that is the only door that wil open again for any of you.† Elena found herself clutching at Stefan's hand – which was already reaching for hers – as one by one the doors shone with a faint, silvery light. â€Å"Behind you,†said Sage, â€Å"is the very gate you entered to get into this room, yes? But next to it, ah†¦Ã¢â‚¬ A door brightened to show an impossible cavern. Impossible because of the gems lying on the ground or sticking out of the cave wal s. Rubies, diamonds, emeralds, amethysts†¦each one as big as Elena's fist, lying thick in great piles for the taking. â€Å"It's beautiful, but†¦no, of course!†she said firmly, and reached out to put a hand on Bonnie's shoulder. The next door lit up, brightened, then brightened more so that it seemed to disappear. â€Å"And here,†Sage sighed, â€Å"is the famous kitsune paradise.† Elena could feel her eyes widen. It was a sunny day in the most beautiful park she had ever seen. In the background a little waterfal spil ed into a creek, which ran down a green hil , while directly in front of her was a stone bench, just the size for two, underneath a tree that looked like a cherry in ful bloom. Blossoms were flying in a breeze that rustled other cherry and peach trees nearby – causing a rain of dawn-colored petals. Although Elena had only seen the place for a moment, it already seemed familiar to her. She could just walk into it†¦ â€Å"No, Stefan!†She had to touch his arm. He had been walking right into the garden. â€Å"What?†he said, shaking his head like someone in a dream. â€Å"I don't know what happened. It just seemed as if I were going to an old, old home†¦Ã¢â‚¬ His voice broke off. â€Å"Sage, go on, please!† The next door was already lighting, showing a scene with rack after rack of Clarion Loess Black Magic wine. In the distance, Elena could make out a vineyard with lush grapes hanging heavily, fruit that would never see the light of the sun until it was made into a famous liquid. Everyone was already sipping at their glasses of Black Magic, so it was easy to say â€Å"no†even to the luscious grapes. As the next door brightened Elena heard herself gasp. It was bril iant midday. Growing in a field as far as she could see were tal bushes thick with long-stemmed roses – the blossoms of which were a velvety-looking black. Startled, she saw that everyone was looking at Damon, who had taken a step toward the roses as if involuntarily. Stefan put an arm out, barring his way. â€Å"I didn't look very closely,†Damon said, â€Å"but I think these are the same as the one I†¦destroyed.† Elena turned to Sage. â€Å"They're the same, aren't they?† â€Å"But yes,†Sage said, looking unhappy. â€Å"These are al Midnight roses, noir pur – the sort in the white kitsune's bouquet. But these are al blanks. The kitsune are the only ones who can put spel s on them – like the removal of the curse of a vampire.† There was a general sigh of disappointment among his listeners, but Damon just looked more sul en. Elena was about to speak up, to say that Stefan shouldn't be put through this, when she tuned in to Sage's words and the next gate, and felt a surge of simple, selfish longing herself. â€Å"I suppose you would cal it ‘ La Fontaine of Eternal Youth and Life,'†Sage said. Elena could see an ornate fountain playing, the effervescent spray at the top making a rainbow. Smal butterflies of al colors flew around it, alighting on the leaves of the bower that cradled it in greenery. Meredith, with her cool head and straightforward logic wasn't there, so Elena dug her nails into her palms and cried â€Å"No! Next one!†as quickly and forceful y as she could. Sage was speaking again. She made herself listen. â€Å"The Royal Radhika Flower, which legends say was stolen from the Celestial Court many mil ennia ago. It changes shape.† A simple enough thing to say†¦but actual y to see it†¦ Elena watched in astonishment as a dozen or so thick, twining stems, topped by gorgeous white cal a lily blossoms, trembled slightly. The next instant she was looking at a cluster of violets with velvet leaves and a drop of dew shining on a petal. A moment later, the stems were topped with radiant mauve snapdragons – with the dewdrop Stillin place. Before she could remember not to reach out and touch them, the snapdragons had become deep, ful y open red roses. When the roses became some exotic golden flower that Elena had never seen, she had to turn her back. She found herself bumping into a hard, masculine, bare chest while forcing herself to think realistical y. Midnight was coming – and not in the form of a rose. Fel ‘s Church needed al the help it could get and here she was staring at flowers. Abruptly, Sage swung her off her feet and said, â€Å"What a temptation, especial y for a lover of la beaute like you, belle madame. What a foolish rule to keep you from taking just a bud! But there is something even higher and more pure than beauty, Elena. You, you are named for it. In old Greek, Elena means ‘light'! The darkness is coming fast – the Last, Everlasting Midnight! Beauty wil not hold it back; it is a bagatel e, a trinket, useless in times of disaster. But light, Elena, light wil conquer the darkness! I believe this as I believe in your courage, your honesty, and your gentle, loving heart.† With that, he kissed her on the forehead and set her down. Elena was dazed. Of al the things she knew, she knew best that she could not defeat the darkness that was coming – not alone. â€Å"But you're not alone,†Stefan whispered, and she realized that he was right beside her, and that she must be wide open, projecting her thoughts as clearly as if she were speaking. â€Å"We're al here with you,†Bonnie said in a voice twice her size. â€Å"We're not afraid of the dark.† There was a pause while everyone tried not to look at Damon. At last he said, â€Å"Somehow I got talked into this insanity – I'm Stillwondering how it happened. But I've come this far and I'm not going to turn around now.† Sage turned toward the final door and it brightened. Not by much, however. It looked like the shady underside of a very large tree. What was odd, though, was that there was nothing at allgrowing under it. No ferns or bushes or seedlings, not even the normal y ever-present creepers and weeds. There were a few dead leaves on the ground, but otherwise it was just dirt. Sage said, â€Å"A planet with only one corporeal form of life upon it. The Great Tree that covers an entire world. The crown covers al but the natural freshwater lakes it needs to survive.† Elena looked into the heart of the twilit world. â€Å"We've come so far, and maybe together – maybe we can find the star bal that wil save our town.† â€Å"This is the door you pick?†asked Sage. Elena looked at the rest of the group. They al seemed to be waiting for her confirmation. â€Å"Yes – and right now. We have to hurry.†She made a motion as if to put her cup down and it disappeared. She smiled thanks at Sage. â€Å"Strictly speaking, I shouldn't give you any help,†he said. â€Å"But if you have a compass†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Elena had one. It was always dangling from her backpack because she was always trying to read it. Sage took the compass in his hand and lightly traced a line on it. He gave the compass back to Elena and she found that the needle no longer pointed to the north, but at an angle northeast. â€Å"Fol ow the arrow,†he said. â€Å"It wil take you to the trunk of the Great Tree. If I had to guess at where to find the largest star bal , I would go this way. But be wary! Others have tried this path. Their bodies have nourished the Great Tree – as fertilizer.† Elena scarcely heard the words. She had been terrified at the thought of searching an entire planet for a star bal . Of course, it might be a very smal world, like†¦like†¦ Like the little diamond moon you saw over the Nether World? The voice in Elena's mind was both familiar and not. She glanced at Sage, who smiled. Then she looked around the room. Everyone seemed to be waiting for her to take the first step. She took it.