Major Motivational Theories Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Major Motivational Theories - Research Paper Example This is because one needs highly motivated employees to get the work done. Well motivated employees are those who are keen to do excellent jobs because they feel that they have to. Their goal is to do their job, and that’s what managers need. Intrinsic motivation is the type of motivation that is driven by interest. The interest of the person itself is the drive to make the work his goal. The people who are intrinsically motivated jump on the task to improve their skills. The other type of motivation is the extrinsic kind. The interest of the person to complete the goal if he is extrinsically motivated is usually the things he might get after the goal is achieved, like rewards or punishment. For example, grades and winning are extrinsic motivational factors while studying something because one is indeed interested in that particular area is intrinsic There are many motivation theories that are practiced to have motivated employees. Three of them are discussed in this paper. Th ese theories are: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory, and McGregor’s X/Y theory. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is perhaps the most popular and the most basic motivational theory. It was first discussed in Maslow’s 1943 study called A Theory of Human Motivation. It discusses the levels of human needs and how it is important in understanding these needs in order to manipulate the conditions of one’s employees for them to be good employees. It is often represented by a pyramid, with the needs starting from the bottom and ending at the tip with self actualization. The primary needs of a person are at the bottom of the pyramid, and that’s the physiological need. Then it progresses to safety, love, esteem and self-actualization. According to the hierarchy, one cannot achieve self-actualization if he did not fulfill the previous rung of the pyramid. This means that one should fulfill the physiological need, then the safe ty need, then the love need and then the esteem need in order to achieve self-actualization. Criticism of the theory is largely based on the postulate that the ranking of the â€Å"needs† aren’t really that accurate. Critics argue that food, shelter and other â€Å"physiological† needs are naturally instinctual and should not be included in the pyramid theory. They also say that the needs of a person referred to in this pyramid are largely for the American man. However, this information on motivation is quite important to managers as they would know what their people need, especially in an intercultural atmosphere. Since values and traditions differ, their needs as humans would definitely put a common thread on them, making them easier to motivate based on those commonalities. And even if the criticisms say something common on them, they are not as powerful. The second theory is the Herzberg’s two factor theory. According to this theory, there are two kin ds of motivations: the one that causes satisfaction and the one the causes dissatisfaction. It is also called-hygiene motivation. It is also called content theory motivation. He interviewed 200 accountants and engineers for this who were then asked to recall when they felt good or bad at their offices. From this, he concluded that the motivation of the employees lies on the hygiene factors and motivation factors. Hygiene factors are those things which are needed by

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Essay Example for Free

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Essay A strong, healthy relationship between a father and son allows for a happy family and lifetime. In The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini illustrates the fragile relationship between Baba and Amir and how easily a third party could affect the relationship. Amir can now transcend his relationship with his father by confronting his past, locating his courage and portraying his redemption. Amir confronting his past allows him to transcend his relationship with his father. Amir first attempts to confront his past by travelling to Afghanistan. Amir must confront his memories of the horrible things that he created. Amir forced Ali and Hassan out of his house and more importantly, out of his life. This is a desperate attempt to become closer to Baba. To confront his past, Amir must remember Hassan and remember what they used to share. Amir referred to the letter Hassan wrote for him, and remembered â€Å"Hassan had said in his letter that the pomegranate tree hadn’t borne fruit in years. Looking at the wilted, leafless tree, I doubted it ever would again. I stood under it, remembered all the times we’d climbed it, straddled its branches, our legs swinging, doppled sunlight flickering through the leaves and casting on our faces as a mosaic of light and shadow. The tangy taste of pomegranate crept into my mouth.† (Hosseini 276-277). The pomegranate tree represents Hassan and Amir’s friendship. When Hassan and Amir were good, happy and caring friends, the tree produced delicious fruit. Now that Hassan and Amir have not been friends for many years, the tree is wilted and all life from the leaves have disappeared. The tree will no longer produce any fruit and Amir and Hassan will not have anymore chances to become friends again, but Amir can repay Hassan. Another reason that Amir went back to Afghanistan was to rescue Sohrab; Hassan’s son. This was Rahim Khan’s dying wish. Amir is confronting his past by fighting for his friend’s loved one. Amir is confronting the fact that even though he cannot face Hassan, he will face his son. This is the way Amir will be good again. Rahim Khan knows how Amir can fix his problems, Rahim also knows that â€Å"There is a way to be good again† (Hosseini 202). Rahim Khan’s way to be good again for Amir is to rescue Sohrab. Rahim knows this act will be very beneficial for Amir’s future. In Amir’s childhood, he also had to deal with bullies and in that regard, Assef was the major antagonist. Even when Assef is older, he is still a problem in Amir’s life. Assef is part of the Taliban, terrorizing many people. Amir was face to face with his bully and when he discovered that Assef was abusing Sohrab, Amir spoke his mind and confronted Assef on how horrible he has become. Amir was furious, he had to confront Assef and stand up for what he believes is right, because he knows â€Å"’Stoning adulters? [.] Raping children? [.] Flogging women for wearing high heels? [.] Massacring Hazaras? [.]’† (Hosseini 297-298). These things should not be allowed to continue without any punishment to the person causing them, in this case, Assef. Amir has confronted his past and is now able to move onto his other problems, problems he has with his father. Aamir has to locate his courage so he can face all of his other problems with confidence. While Amir was in Afghanistan, trying to find Sohrab, he tried looking in a local orphanage since Sohrab’s parents had been murdered. When Amir arrived at the orphanage, he asks for Sohrab. The man who runs the orphanage (Zaman) claims to not know of Sohrab. Amir pushes and pushes for Zaman to tell him where Sohrab is. Finally, it is revealed that Zaman sells children to the Taliban. Amir had to locate his courage to tell this man what he was doing wrong. Amir sees this act as greed in order to receive money. Zaman told Amir that â€Å"’[t]here is a Talib official,† he muttered. â€Å"He visits once every month or two. He brings cash with him†¦.† â€Å" Usually he’ll take a girl. But not always.† â€Å"And you allow this?’† (Hosseini 268). Amir confronts Zaman because he found the courage to speak what was on his mind and what he belie ves in. Amir has never been in a fight because he always had Hassan to protect him. Now that Amir did not have Hassan anymore, Amir was challenged to fight Assef to save Sohrab. Amir found the courage he needed because he knew he was finally going to get what he deserved. Sohrab was worth fighting for. Assef has a principle he follows, nothing was free, he demonstrates that Amir have Sohrab for free because everything comes with a price. As Amir tries to take Sohrab, Assef challenges ‘â€Å"I didn’t say you could take him for free.’ I turned. ‘What do you want?’ â€Å"You have to earn him.’† (Hosseini 300). Amir fought Assef to prove a point and so he could finally stand up for what he believes in and that took courage. Baba always stands up for what he believes in, Amir admired that. When Amir stands up for what he believes in, he is transcending his relationship with Baba. Amir wants to adopt Sohrab, but when Amir arrives at the American Embassy, he soon finds out that it will be tough to adopt him. Amir finds out he will need a good immigration lawyer to be able to adopt Sohrab. Amir learns of this difficulty that will come with the adoption, but he needs clarification, he asks the worker â€Å"’You mean to pursue this?’ †¦..’Then I advise you to get a good immigration lawyer.’† (Hosseini 348). Amir was given a warning about his challenging future endeavor. He needs to adopt Sohrab. Going through this process to get Sohrab requires courage, Amir is ready to take on these responsibilities. At last, Amir is â€Å"good again.† (Hosseini 202). Amir portrays many emotions, feelings and states of mind when he returns back to America: happiness, cheer, compassion and most importantly, redemption. Without even knowing it, Amir becomes a role model. Amir models how to fix mistakes and also how to treat one another. This is how Amir portrays his redemption. Amir teaches equality, these are his new beliefs. Amir stands up for his beliefs because Amir is a new man. Amir taught this lesson to General Taheri: ‘â€Å"And one more thing, General Sahib,’ I said. ‘You will never again refer to him [Sohrab] as a ‘Hazara boy’ in my presence. He has a name and it’s Sohrab.’† (Hosseini 380). This passage from the novel contributes to Amir’s ability and process of transcending his relationship with Baba. Amir is not himself anymore, he is acting and portraying someone else he knew who has a better relationship with Baba. Amir is portraying Hassan’s way of life: forgiveness, loyalty, affection, empathy, and more. The most dominant expression that Amir is portraying, is redemption. Amir portrays his redemption by being loyal. Loyalty was a principle in Hassan’s life. Amir showed his new found loyalty to Sohrab by stating the same words Hassan spoke to Amir to show his loyalty towards Amir, ‘†For you, a thousand times over’† (Hosseini 391). Amir grew a new, deeper connection than being friends with Hassan; Hassan’s loyalty lives on through Amir. This allows Amir to leave Baba and his relationship because he is now a new man. Amir remembers that he has been redeemed because he has a life changing event, he is thankful for this. Amir now knows what it takes to redeem himself and this way, he is more forgiving of others. Since Baba lied to Amir and hid the truth about Hassan and Amir being half brothers, he could see past that because he has transcended his relationship with Baba. Amir remembers his redemption by remembering the person who allowed him to redeem himself, Hassan. Sohrab would always be told about what his father and Amir had shared, this is how Amir connected to Sohrab. Sohrab was told about Hassan and Amir’s kite fighting experiences; ‘†Watch, Sohrab. I’m going to show you one of your father’s favorite tricks, the old lift-and-dive.’† (Hosseini 389). As this plan helps remind to remind Amir of his journey, it also makes Sohrab feel more comfortable around Amir because Sohrab now knows that his father shared something special with Amir. Amir also helps Sohrab remember his father in this same way. By Amir portraying Hassan, he is portraying his redemption and transcends his relationship with Baba. Throughout The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini demonstrates the fragile relationship between Baba and Amir and how easily a third party could affect the relationship. Amir is now able to transcend his relationship with his father by confronting his past, locating his courage and portraying his redemption. This process of Amir transcending his relationship with Baba allows Amir to withhold a new relationship between an uncle and nephew. Also illustrated in this novel is a strong, growing relationship between an uncle nephew can last a lifetime if happiness, loyalty, affection and compassion are present in the relationship. This theory holds true to life and does not just live in a novel. Works Cited and Works Consulted Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. N.p.: Anchor Canada, 2004. Print.

The Impact of African American Roles on Television :: essays research papers

The image of African Americans has been greatly depreciated by the roles they play on television sitcoms. On these shows African Americans are depicted as being maids, clowns, and buffoons. This misrepresentation of African Americans has become common place through out the media. One of the most controversial sitcoms was the Amos ‘n Andy Show. This sitcom included two black comedic men and began the creation of the African American stereotypes that most people have grown accustom to today. The Amos ‘n Andy Show began as a radio show with two white men portraying two black comedic men. When the show transferred to television, it consisted of the two black men portraying the two black comedic dummies. They were still performing the slapstick comedy as they did on the radio show, but to be able to see them visually had a greater effect. The roles that the two black men played are the typical roles that blacks play in television networks. The shows portraying blacks as having low self-esteem became very popular among whites and some blacks. The Amos ‘n Andy Show was taken off air after being protested by blacks including the NAACP (Poussaint 1). The Amos ‘n Andy Show Godfrey 2 had a profound effect on blacks. From that point on, blacks believed that in order to be successful in the television network they had to portray themselves as being idiotic and lazy. Stereotypes such as this have been continuously developing in the television network even today. The modernized images played by blacks are drunks, thugs, thieves, gangsters, and other characters that are inferior to whites. By creating these images of blacks, it has caused both blacks and whites to see African Americans as being ignorant and believing that is the only way that they should act. Television networks depict whites as the typical families with no problems, and blacks as the single parents with a long list of problems. The impact of those roles had a great effect on how the African American race, young and old conceive their selves. Even today, there are very few African American business people. These racist stereotypes has conformed their minds into thinking that less is best. Young African American children watch these televisions shows that portray blacks as being thugs and uneducated. Those children go through school acting that same way, getting into trouble, and ma king nothing of their selves.

Employee retention strategies Essay

We will focus on different ideas, tips and strategies that can help companies cope up with the up-and-coming problem in the human resources industry. As much as we know that many current employees are getting out of their jobs voluntarily not because that they were fired by their superiors but because they want to meet their expectations and good opportunities with other companies locally or overseas. Despite the fact that the most mentioned reason for leaving is financial, other important aspect is a factor that motivates them to gave up their jobs to look for other jobs elsewhere (IOMA, 2005). According to Paul J.Sarvadi (Sarvadi, 2005), the reality behind why employees gave up their jobs lies not only to monetary issues but goes deeper into the human consciousness that their actions and characters concerning work will be appreciated and makes them feel secured and successful. He suggested that sound retention strategies should be focused to four key elements – performance, communication, loyalty and competitive advantage. Let us start on the first key element which is performance, most companies undergo evaluations and performance metrics that will likely sum up their overall accomplishment either annually, quarterly or monthly. It is important that it must not rely solely on quantitative evaluation or assessment but most of all the qualitative measurement should also be considered. The intense craving for an attention to speak their opinions and make it a part of the company’s objectives is a very significant factor that is fulfilling to human beings, when they felt that their actions, talents and capabilities are brought into play that makes a difference to the company or organization, a sense of belonging and the feeling of they are at home is beginning to develop. The subconscious of human beings is attached to the emotions that they feel that’s why they are happy when they are in the process of achieving a goal and making valuable contributions (Sarvadi, 2005). He added that communication process with employees is an essential part of developing a relationship with them. Not just a simple communication that involves deadlines, submissions and technical aspects but they must use a two-way transmission of ideas and opinions. It is better to hold regular meetings to properly channel all comments and suggestions, give feedbacks and share what the company has been going through the years, and listen to what they aspire and suggestions. Surveys are good indicators of assessing the performance of the company though not dependable, it can contribute insights from the employees on what is giving them motivation and morale. On the other hand, loyalty is a great tool in winning employee retention strategy, it is measured in terms of how committed and loyal the employee is, it is not an imposed requirement but an earned reaction to the trust, respect and commitment shown to the individuals in a company (Sarvadi, 2005). The success of an employee – growth and development, and their contributions to the company’s wellness is an essential part of commitment and loyalty and both should work together. The last element of Sarvadi’s strategy is competitive advantage, people in the workplace is expecting excitement, new adventures, and competitions. Winning and losing are the key words for competitive advantage, employees wanted to know unique competitive products in the marketplace and they wanted to be part of these exciting race. Everyone wants to be a champion, it is healthy to inform your employees about the competitive advantage of your company so as to keep them motivated to join the winning team. To attract and retain top performers, employers should focus on recognizing and rewarding employees frequently and taking them for granted is not an answer to a successful relationship, and most importantly, know what the enemy does according to Cheryl Cran, a human resources consultant, an art of war, a strategy to win the best performers, know and discover what the enemy offer and ensure that you can target and extend beyond the limits of the expectations of the employees (Cran). To save expenses from the personnel turnover and increase output and productivity as well, another top retention tips to retain key personnel are the following (Mason): 1. Deal fairly with employees like you deal with your most valuable clients. 2. Let your employees adore and care for your company. 3. Powerful retention strategies turn into powerful recruiting advantages. 4. Preservation and maintenance is much more successful when you put the right person into the right job. 5. Monetary reason is important but it is not the sole basis of people who stay with an organization. 6. Creation of committees for the employees can help expand retention strategies as well as developing an effective strategy. 7. Leadership must extremely devote in retention. 8. Different forms of expressing recognition and appreciation is a strong and powerful retention strategy. 9. Always keep in mind that the â€Å"Fun Factor† is very significant to many employees. 10. Be familiar with the drifts and developments in benefit packages. Give the best to tender the ones your employees want (Mason). In addition to the strategies above, in Ghana a capacity project has been carried out to health sectors that could also be beneficial to other employees. Five key stakeholders were interviewed for this topic. Other keys are additional duty hours allowance, car and housing loans, post graduate training opportunities, relaxed criteria for promotion, and flexible contracts, public-private partnership. To understand the strategies, the table below indicates the key retention strategies: Table 1. Key retention strategies (Perry, 2006) Incentive type Brief description Financial Incentive Initiate added duty allowance particularly for doctors (Perry, 2006). Non financial incentive Proposal for a car and housing loan under negotiation for professionals who are assigned in the rural community. (Perry, 2006). Career advancement opportunities Initiate and suggest schemes for more prospects for two year post graduate training program (Perry, 2006). Rest and recreation eligibility criteria for advancement (Perry, 2006). Creative contracting arrangements Give way to pharmacists in the public sector to perform duties for the private sector (Perry, 2006). Conclusion: The best and the brightest in a company as well as entry level employees should be carefully kept, managed and trained. The ultimate strategy that should be considered for employees is to consider the needs, wants, and personal aspirations like career development, recognition and reward and the objectives they want for the organizations. Rewards should be helpful to them like educational opportunities, car and housing incentives, health plan for the employee and their family and good bonuses. Emergency funds if necessary when problems like illness arise in one of the members of the family, and more vacation and/or sick leaves are also a rewarding remuneration to employees. Managers and supervisors who are good listeners to their employees are good signs of good relationship, it is like a father/mother – daughter/son relationship that is always there to listen, understand, and suggest what is best and what is worst, even the most personal things of the employee should also be taken in consideration. Manager’s role is a crucial aspect of retaining best employees because they will serve as a mentor that will guide the employees towards a positive direction. Availability, fair treatment, flexibility and open communication during tough times is a positive message and strong response to employees who are in dire need to seek help, as a result, a healthy environment and workplace is being developed and cultivated. After all, empowerment, sustainability, goal-oriented and development are the most important key words for the success of organizations and individuals. Reference: CRAN, C.Employee Retention Strategy: How to Attract and Retain Top Performers. HEATHFIELD, S. (2007) Keep Your Best: Retention Tips. IOMA (2005) Employee Retention Strategies Best Practices to Reduce Turnover and Cut Costs. LOSYK, B. Immigrant & Ethnic Workers – How to Recruit, Hire & Retain the Best LOSYK, B. Rotating Turnover: Ways of keeping the best and the brightest. MASON, L. J. Maintaining Key Personnel and Top Ten Retention Tips. MEYERS Employee retention: value and strategy. PERRY, S. (2006) An Introduction to Retention Strategy Review in Ghana SARVADI, P. J. (2005) Key Elements of a Winning Employee Retention Strategy.

Storm Born Chapter Seventeen

To his credit, he didn't really manhandle me too badly that night. At dinner, he kept a hand on mine or an arm around my shoulder but little more than that. As he pointed out to me in a quiet moment, anyone could make a brazen display of fleshiness. What really indicated intimacy was how two people interacted with each other, what their body language said. So I worked on looking comfortable and happy in his presence, and from the shocked expressions on people's faces, we must have done a pretty convincing job. He took me to his bedroom after that, looking smug and presumptuous to those watching. But when we got there, he actually gave me my first lesson. Honestly, it was a bit disappointing. I'd been ready for fireworks. What I got was a lot of practice on quiet meditation and focus. He claimed if I couldn't control my own mind, I couldn't control the power. So I spent the next couple hours with him working on this and found my most difficult challenge was in not slipping into trance or astral travel. Those behaviors came so automatically to me in still moments that I kept lapsing. The kind of meditation he wanted me to do involved turning my senses outward rather than inward, which seemed strange to me since I had thought magic came from within. We finally ended the lesson with him giving me a heavy gold ring that he'd put part of his essence into. It was an anchor. Now if he left the Otherworld through a thin spot, he could transition to mine without appearing in a corresponding thin spot. He would simply travel to wherever the ring was. It would save both of us extraneous travel time. What it also meant was that he planned on coming to my world for some of the lessons. I had mixed feelings on this. Certainly it would be more convenient for me. But the fact that he could even jump with an anchor like that indicated how powerful he was. That realization was just a teensy bit unsettling, as was the thought of him in the human world at all. And yet, by being there, his powers would diminish. He would be safer – or rather, humanity would be safer. Back home, the following couple of days were more of the same: fights, fights, and more fights. Yet, as Dorian had predicted, some of the traffic dried up. I liked to think this was because my reputation was scaring would-be suitors away. More likely, my new connection to the Oak King made my assailants think twice about incurring political fallout. As it turned out, I had to deal with my own share of fallout over this alliance – from Kiyo. â€Å"Are you sleeping with Dorian?† He stood in my doorway, his dark hair backlit by the late afternoon sun. He wore a white lab coat with KIYOTAKA MARQUEZ, DVM on the pocket. He must have driven here straight from work. â€Å"Good news travels fast,† I said. â€Å"Come on in.† I offered him a drink and a seat at my kitchen table, but he just kept pacing around restlessly. He reminded me of a wolf or a guard dog. I didn't really know anything about fox behavior. â€Å"Well?† he asked. I poured myself a cup of coffee and gave him a sharp look. â€Å"Don't take that tone with me. You have no claims to what I do.† He stopped pacing, and his expression softened. â€Å"You're right. I don't.† It wasn't exactly an apology, but it was close. I sat down in a chair, folding my legs up underneath me. â€Å"All right, then. No. I'm not sleeping with him.† His face stayed the same, but I saw visible relief flash in his eyes. It was petty, I realized, but knowing he'd been jealous made something warm flutter up inside of me. Grabbing a chair, he turned it around and sat down so that his chin rested on its back. â€Å"Then what's up with the stories?† I told him. When I'd finished, he closed his eyes and exhaled. A moment later, he opened them. â€Å"I don't know what bothers me more. You turning to magic or you turning to Dorian.† I beckoned behind me. â€Å"Have you seen my living room? I am not going to be responsible for inflicting Hurricane Eugenie on Tucson.† That made him smile. â€Å"Tucson already deals with Hurricane Eugenie on a regular basis. But yeah, I get your point. What worries me†¦I don't know. I don't really use magic, but I've spent half my life around people who do. I've seen how it affects them. How it can control them.† â€Å"Are you questioning my self-control? Or my strength?† â€Å"No,† he replied in all seriousness. â€Å"You're one of the strongest people I know. But Storm King†¦I saw him once when I was little. He was†¦well, let's put it this way. Dorian and Aeson and Maiwenn are strong. Compared to other gentry, they're like torches beside candles. But your father†¦he was more like a bonfire. You can't use that kind of power and walk away unscathed.† â€Å"I appreciate the warning, Gandalf, but I don't know that I have a choice.† â€Å"I guess not. I just don't want to see you changed, that's all. I like you the way you are.† A smile flickered across his lips and then faded. â€Å"And as for working with Dorian†¦well, that just makes the situation worse.† â€Å"You sound jealous.† â€Å"Of course.† He answered without hesitation, not really ashamed to fess up to his feelings. â€Å"But he's power-hungry too. And he wants to see the Storm King conquest happen. Somehow I doubt he'll be content to have you be his pretend-lover for long.† â€Å"Well, hey, remember I've got a choice in there too. Besides, contraceptive technology is a wonderful thing, right?† â€Å"Absolutely. But Maiwenn says – â€Å" â€Å"I know, I know. All sorts of wise and compelling things.† Kiyo eyed me warily. â€Å"What's that supposed to mean?† â€Å"Nothing. Just that I think it's funny for you to talk to me about Dorian when – â€Å" â€Å"When what?† I set down my cup of coffee and looked him in the eye. â€Å"Honesty again?† He returned my stare unblinkingly. â€Å"Always.† â€Å"You two seemed†¦more than chummy. Is there anything going on between you? Romantically, I mean?† â€Å"No.† The answer came swift and certain. I reconsidered. â€Å"Was there anything going on?† This got a hesitation. â€Å"Not anymore,† he said after a moment. â€Å"I see.† I looked away and felt my own wave of jealousy run through me as my cruel mind pictured him and that beautiful woman together. â€Å"It's over, Eugenie. Has been for a while. We're just friends now, that's it.† I glanced up. â€Å"Like you and I are friends?† His lips turned up wickedly, and I saw the temperature in his eyes dial up a few degrees. â€Å"You can call it whatever you want, but I think we both know we aren't ‘just friends.'† No, I supposed not. And suddenly, after so much time with him and the fact that I'd made out with a full-fledged gentry, Kiyo being a kitsune wasn't really a problem anymore. The lines that organized my life had all blurred. That scared me because I wanted Kiyo, and suddenly I had no excuses standing in my way. And honestly, I realized, it was a lot easier having excuses. Excuses meant you didn't have to work or open yourself to someone else and be vulnerable. If I really wanted to be near and with Kiyo now, I was going to have to look beyond sex. Sex was easy – especially with him. What was going to be hard was remembering how to get close to someone and trust him. I looked away, not wanting him to see the fear on my face, but he already had. I don't know what it was about him, but sometimes he seemed to know me better than I knew myself. He stood up and moved behind me, his hands kneading the kinks in my neck and shoulders. â€Å"Eugenie,† was all he said, voice warm. I relaxed into him and closed my eyes. â€Å"I don't know how to do this.† I referred to him and me, but considering the rest of my life, that statement could have applied to any number of things. â€Å"Well, we stop fighting, for one. Let's drop this other stuff and go out.† â€Å"Now? Like on a date?† â€Å"Sure.† â€Å"Just like that? Is it that easy?† â€Å"For now. And really, it's only as easy or hard as we choose to make it.† We took Kiyo's car, a pretty sweet 1969 Spider, to one of my favorite restaurants: Indian Cuisine of India. The name sounded redundant, but the latter part of it had been a necessary addition. Considering all the local restaurants that served Southwest and American Indian cuisine, a lot of tourists had come in expecting to find Navajo fry bread, not curry and naan. The tension melted between us – the hostile kind, at least – though he did have one pensive moment in which he asked, â€Å"All right, I have to know. Is it true you kissed him?† I smiled enigmatically. â€Å"This is as easy or hard as we choose to make it.† He sighed. After dinner, he drove us out of town but wouldn't say where we were going. Almost forty minutes later, we were driving up and around a large hill. Kiyo found an area with other cars but saw there were no spots left, forcing him to drive back down and park a considerable distance away. Twilight was giving way to full night, and it was hard to find the path up the hill with no lighting. He slipped his hand in mine, guiding me. His fingers were warm, his grip tight and secure. It took us almost a half hour, walking until the path finally crested to a small clearing. I hid my astonishment. It was filled with people, most of whom were setting up telescopes and peering up at the clear, star-thickened sky. â€Å"I saw this advertised in the paper,† Kiyo explained. â€Å"It's the amateur astronomy group. They let the public come out and hang with them.† Sure enough, everyone there was more than happy to let us come and look through their telescopes. They pointed out sights of particular interest and told stories about constellations. I'd heard a lot of them before but enjoyed hearing them again. The weather was perfect for this kind of thing. Warm enough to not need jackets (though I still wore one to hide weapons) and so perfectly clear that you could forget pollution existed. The Flandrau Observatory, over at the university, had fantastic shows, but I loved the casual nature of this one. While listening to an older man talk about the Andromeda galaxy, I thought about just how vast our existence really was. There was so much of it we didn't know about. The outer world, the universe, spread on forever. For all I knew, the inner world of spirits continued on just as far. I only knew about three worlds: the world we lived in, the world the dead lived in, and the Otherworld, which caught everything in between. A lot of shamans believed the divine world was beyond all of this, a world of God or gods we couldn't even imagine. Looking up at that snowstorm of stars, I suddenly felt very small in the greater scheme of things, prophecy or no. Kiyo shifted beside me, and I felt his arm brush mine. My body kept an exact record of where we touched, like some sort of military tracking system. He caught my eye, and we smiled at each other. I felt at peace, almost deliriously happy. For this moment, all was right in the world between us. Maybe I'd never fully understand what pulled two people together. Maybe it was like trying to comprehend the universe. You couldn't measure any of it. It just was, and you made your way through it as best you could. â€Å"Thank you,† I told him later, as we walked back down the hill toward the car. â€Å"That was really great.† â€Å"I saw the telescope at your house – er, what was left of it anyway.† â€Å"Oh. Yeah.† Being up here had sort of taken me away from reality. I'd forgotten that my home was in a state of disaster. â€Å"Mine couldn't really compare to any of these. Maybe I'll have to upgrade now.† We passed the other cars and finally finished the long trek back out to his car. The temperature had cooled down a little, but it was still nice out. Kiyo wrinkled his nose as we walked. â€Å"Smells like†¦dead fish out here.† I inhaled deeply. â€Å"I don't smell anything.† â€Å"Consider yourself lucky. You probably couldn't smell how many people hadn't showered back there either.† I laughed. â€Å"I remember how you smelled my perfume back in the bar that night. I thought it was crazy. So super-smell is another kitsune perk?† He shook his head. â€Å"Depends on what you're smelling.† We got into the car. He started to put the keys in the ignition, then decided he wanted his coat. â€Å"Can you reach it? It's behind my seat.† I unfastened my belt and shifted around, practically hanging through the seats to reach his coat. It was crumpled and lying on the floor. â€Å"Jesus,† I heard him say. â€Å"Are you staring at my ass?† â€Å"It's practically in my face.† I snagged the troublesome coat and leaned back, but his arm caught me and pulled me onto his lap. It twisted me in an awkward position, and I squirmed to straighten out my legs. I finally ended up sort of straddling him. â€Å"I can't believe you lectured me earlier about the dangers of losing control,† I chastised. His hands had slid down to the ass he so admired. â€Å"What was I supposed to do?† â€Å"Hey, I'm not complaining. Just surprised, that's all.† â€Å"I think it's the fox in me.† â€Å"Never heard that excuse before.† â€Å"No, it's true. You'd be amazed how simple the instincts are – and how strong. Sometimes I have to fight to not jump every woman I see. And then I always want to eat. Like I have this paranoid fear if I don't stock up now, I could be starving later when winter comes. It's really weird.† It was compelling too, but wrapped up against him, I realized this conversation was wasting perfectly good make-out time. I unfastened his seat belt and then put my hands palm down on his chest. Leaning forward, I kissed him, pushing myself harder into his lap. His grip on me tightened. â€Å"I thought you didn't want to get involved with a kitsune.† â€Å"Well†¦I happen to think foxes are cute.† I wriggled out of my coat and then pulled off the tank top underneath, neither of which was easy to do with the steering wheel behind me. I rose up on my knees a little, putting my breasts near his face. His mouth showered my cleavage with kisses while his hands tried to undo the bra. Meanwhile, my own hands unfastened the button on his pants. I reached down and slid my hand into his boxers. â€Å"Eugenie†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he breathed. He managed to combine a cautionary tone with an utterly turned-on one. â€Å"We don't have condoms.† I moved my hand farther, suddenly very turned on myself by the thought of having nothing between us. â€Å"The pill, remember? Besides, contraceptive technology is a – â€Å" The car suddenly lurched dangerously onto the side we weren't sitting on. My back jammed into the steering wheel, and we half-tumbled onto the other side. Kiyo's arms went around me, pulling me toward him in an effort to shelter me with his body and keep me from falling. Guess I shouldn't have undone his seat belt earlier. Fortunately, the car didn't flip all the way over, and a moment later, it slammed back down on the side we were sitting on with a jaw-rattling crash. â€Å"What the – † I began. In the dark, I could just barely discern Kiyo's wide eyes staring beyond me, through the windshield. â€Å"I think we should get out of the car,† he said quietly, just as something heavy and solid slammed down on the hood behind me. I heard headlights smash. The entire car shook. I didn't need to be told twice. We kicked open the driver's side door, and I scrambled out. A smell like rotting fish slammed into me. Kiyo started to follow me out, and then the car was lifted up from its front end and slammed back down to the ground. Glass and metal crunched as the motion tossed Kiyo back in the car. The windshield cracked like a spider's web. Fear for him shot through me, but then I finally saw the culprit, and fear for me shot through me. It looked like one of the fuaths, I thought. A fachan, possibly. If so, he was far from home since they were native to Ireland and Scotland. Still, the Otherworld had become as global as the human world, and you never really knew what could pop up where. He looked like something you might get if Bigfoot had sex with a cyclops and then their offspring moved to the Deep South and interbred for another century or so. He was almost eight feet tall and every part of his grossly muscled body was covered with hair – matted and smelly hair that needed a thorough washing. One giant eye, its color indeterminable in the starlight, peered out at me. One extra hand extended weirdly from the right side of its chest, and an extra leg hung off of its hip. The leg didn't seem to help him walk; I wondered if it and the extra arm did anything at all or were just used for effect. Seeing me, he left the car alone and started lumbering forward. Hopefully Kiyo would be able to get out now. I reached for my gun and discovered it was gone. Son of a bitch. It had slipped its holster either from grappling with Kiyo or when the car had tipped. â€Å"Get my gun out!† I yelled back toward the car. Meanwhile, I took a few cautious steps back, assessing how to handle the fachan. Fachans, despite inhabiting the earth, originated in the Otherworld. They could therefore be banished back there. They also crossed to this world in a physical form, which meant they could be killed. I had both athames in my belt. Silver would be more effective, but iron would probably do some damage too. Okay. I just had to manage one of those while keeping it from getting too fresh with me. No problem. He swung one of his long, almost awkward-looking arms at me, and I intercepted it, stabbing him in the hand with the silver athame. I pushed as hard as I could, shoving through tendons and bones. The creature shrieked and jerked his hand back. My hand was on the hilt, but he moved too quickly, too strongly. He took the athame with him. Shit. â€Å"Kiyo!† I yelled. I took out the iron athame and darted over to his right side, opposite the car. The fachan was bigger, but I was smaller and therefore faster†¦right? My blade snaked out, digging deep into the soft flesh of his stomach. This time I made sure to bring the athame back with me before he moved and took this one too. Blood, looking black in the dim lighting, gleamed where I'd cut. I put some distance between us. I just needed to slow him so I could snag a few moments for the banishing. But he wasn't slowing. He hadn't seemed happy about the injuries, but he still kept coming for me. I kept the distance between us, wanting to injure him without getting within his range. It was kind of hard when it felt like his arms were as long as my body. He swung out his uninjured fist, and I ducked it, using the opportunity to draw blood again. As I did, something occurred to me. His blow, had it landed, would have done some serious damage. Very serious. It had had no purpose, save to inflict as much brute pain as possible. I could understand the tactical advantage of rendering me unconscious before sex, but being in a coma – or dead – might complicate the prophecy a bit. My blade bit into him again, and I followed with a sharp kick to his side, dodging at the last minute. We soon developed a little dance. His large, muscled arms would swing out at me, and I would sidestep and get in my slash or kick. Considering my fight with the mud elemental had been two days ago and I wasn't entirely in peak condition yet, I felt my performance here wasn't too shabby. At least until I moved too slowly, and he caught me with the edge of his hand – his extra hand. Apparently it wasn't useless after all. It was a glancing blow, but I flew backward, into the car, up onto the roof, and into the windshield. The glass – already cracked and fractured – shattered upon impact, and sharp, excruciating pain burned through the side of my stomach as I hit. The skin there was still bare and uncovered from where I'd stripped in the car. My head felt like a cartoon character had just dropped an anvil on it, and for a few seconds, I couldn't get my body to do the things I wanted it to do. The fachan lurched toward me, his limbs and their bulging muscles swinging, and I didn't have anywhere to go. He grabbed me by my shoulders and lifted me up high. I knew in those slow-motion seconds that he was going to slam me down and that I would be dead. As it was, the jerking, lifting motion alone made my addled brain scream. Suddenly, the fachan's head tipped back, and a look of agony crossed his face. His hold on me released, and I dropped back to the hood. It was much less painful than what he'd been about to do, but it still hurt. I frantically tried to sit up and see what had happened, but everything spun. Some wolf was attacking the fachan. No, no wolf. The colors and shape weren't quite right. The ears were more defined, the tail haughty and white-tipped. It was a fox. It was Kiyo. But he was bigger than I'd ever seen him, which was why I'd mistaken him for a wolf. He was huge, muscled and powerful, and his teeth were tearing into the fachan's back. The fachan turned and swatted him away. Kiyo took it with grace: hitting, rolling, and then getting right back up. I wished I could do that. I still felt like crap, but my vision had righted itself. Peering into the car, I could see where my gun had rolled across the passenger seat and lodged between it and the door. Beyond me, I heard blows and yips as Kiyo and the fachan continued their fight. Gingerly, I started crawling back into the car on all fours, careful to avoid the shards of glass ringing the gaping remains of the windshield. I didn't do a very good job and brushed sharp points in a few places. They stung my skin. Worse, I could do little to protect my hands when forced to creep over the broken shards covering the dashboard. At last I made it inside and retrieved the gun. Grabbing it, I worked my way back to the driver's side seat and took aim at the fachan still grappling with Kiyo. Only, my hand could barely hold the gun up. That was no good. I shifted and held the Glock two-handed. My arms still shook, but I was steadier now. I watched them pace and attack each other, moving fast. Too fast, I worried. I was likely to shoot Kiyo in the process. But I had to try. Nothing was hurting this thing. It was unstoppable. I didn't want to try to banish it at full strength, particularly since I'd never get close enough to put the death symbol on him and speed his passage. I therefore needed him wounded and easy to send over. Taking aim, I waited for a window of opportunity, for a broad target on the fachan. There. The bullet bit into his back, and he jerked in surprise. It slowed him just enough. I fired again. I kept firing until I'd unloaded the entire clip into him. He made horrible noises and staggered slightly. I half-expected him to keep coming, but then Kiyo the Giant Fox leaped at his chest and knocked him to the ground, teeth tearing into what appeared to be the fachan's throat. Ew. My wand was in the car. I swapped it with the gun, and called upon Hecate, focusing on the snake wound around my arm. My mind slipped this world, opening the gates, and I aimed for the fachan's spirit. My will, pouring through the wand, seized him and ripped a hole between the Otherworld and my world. It was harder than usual. â€Å"Mind over matter† might be the adage, but the mind was reluctant to obey when the body was so weakened and had had its head slammed into a windshield. My path to the Otherworld was clear. But then, seeing him start to get up, despite Kiyo's mauling, I decided I didn't want him potentially coming back. So I pushed my mind past the Otherworld, brushing the gates of the world of death instead. I felt Persephone's butterfly flare on my arm as I connected with her domain. The fachan roared as it recognized the tug. He resisted me, his body and spirit presenting a formidable match for my own. I focused harder, pushing every ounce of me into forcing him through the black gates. I called on – no, I begged – Persephone to take him. At last he went through, his physical body disintegrating as the Underworld sucked his spirit through. Only it was pulling more than him through. I'd pushed so hard that my spirit had touched more of the world of death than I normally allowed. In my weakened state, my focus wasn't as sharp about keeping me out. My mind felt like it was being sucked in by a whirlwind, and I had the impression of ghostly, skeletal hands pulling at me. â€Å"No, no, no, no!† Whether the words were in my head or on my lips, I didn't know. I struggled against the hands, trying to gain a grip on the human world. I would have even settled for the Otherworld. There I could survive, but from the world of death, there was no return. Half of me prayed to Hecate to pull me back through the gates while the other half of me prayed to Persephone to block me out. At last I fell back with a snap, my spirit returning firmly to my physical body. My physical and mental senses burned. Almost immediately, I slumped forward, unable to support myself. Only my hand on the edge of the steering wheel caught me from falling out of the car. I felt nauseated and dizzy, with too many parts of me hurting to count. Kiyo, still as that giant fox, stood by me, gleaming eyes watching me with all seriousness. â€Å"Hey,† I said, reaching out a tentative hand. His fur was as soft as silk. I stroked it carefully, my motor control still not all it could be. Those fine hairs touched my skin like the lightest of kisses. â€Å"That was some trick. How'd you do it?† He neither answered nor changed shape, merely nuzzling my hand with his nose. I smiled but then felt too tired to keep holding my arm up. I dropped the hand to my side, feeling something wet and sticky. Pulling my arm up, I saw blood covering my fingers, dark and glistening. â€Å"Oh, man,† I muttered. The world had started spinning again; black spots danced in front of me. â€Å"We need to†¦go†¦somewhere. Do something. Change back; I can't drive.† He kept watching me, eyes solemn and intent. â€Å"I mean it. Why aren't you changing? Are you hurt?† He rested his chin on my knees, and I petted him again, even though I got blood on that gleaming fur. I didn't get why he wasn't changing. Could he not hear me in this form? No, he'd always understood before. Well, if he wasn't going to help, I needed someone who could. I had a cell phone in the car somewhere. I could call Roland or Tim. But where was the phone? I couldn't climb in the backseat, not in this shape. Could foxes fetch? Maybe I could summon a spirit for help. Not Volusian, not like this. But maybe Finn? What were the words? How did I call him? It was suddenly too hard to think. â€Å"Help me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I whispered to Kiyo. â€Å"Why won't you help me?† White spots now danced with the black ones. I closed my eyes, and it felt better. â€Å"I'm going to lie down,† I told him, stretching back. â€Å"Just for a minute, okay?† I rested my head on the passenger seat, lying perpendicular to the seats. I heard a soft, almost doglike whine. He must have stood on his hind legs, because I next felt paws and a head resting near my knee. â€Å"Why won't you help me?† I asked again, feeling tears spill out of my eyes. â€Å"I need you.† I heard the whine again, mournful and contrite. My hand reached out, grasping for soft fur. I clutched the strands as though they alone could keep me alive. Then, my fingers lost their grip and slipped away as my hand dropped.

10 Fascinating Animal Facts

10 Fascinating Animal Facts Our world is full of animals that are wondrous and amazing! These fascinating creatures have certain adaptations that may seem strange to us, but are necessary for the animal to survive. These adaptations may be defense mechanisms that help the animal to avoid predators or they may aid the animal in obtaining food for themselves. Below are ten fascinating facts about animals that may surprise you. Fascinating Animal Facts 10. Frogs have ear drums on the outside of their heads. While frogs dont have an external ear as humans do, they have an inner ear, middle ear, and an outer ear drum or tympanum. 9. Sea otters always float on their backs when they eat. These marine mammals dine on animals including mussels, sea urchins, clams, and snails, all while floating on their backs. Their extremely dense fur protects them from the cold waters as they eat. 8. Polar bears look white, but they actually have black skin. Unlike other bears, their fur is transparent and reflects visible light. This allows polar bears, which live in the arctic tundra, to blend in with their snow covered environment. 7. Snakes always keep their eyes open, even when they are asleep. Snakes cant close their eyes because they do not have eyelids. They do have eye scales which cover their eyes and shed when the snake sheds its skin. 6. Crickets have ears on their front legs. Located just below the knees, their ears are among the smallest in the animal kingdom. In addition to crickets, grasshoppers and locusts also have ears on their legs. 5. Aardvarks can hear and smell termites and ants. An aardvark uses its long tongue to reach deep into termite and ant mounds. These animals can eat tens of thousands of insects in a single night. 4. Cobras are able to kill with a bite as soon as they are born. Baby cobra venom is just as potent as an adult cobras venom. Their bite is dangerous because cobras can inject large amounts of venom in a single bite. Cobra venom contains a neurotoxin that affects the central nervous system and can lead to paralysis, respiratory system failure, and death. 3. Flamingos have knees that can bend backward. Well actually, what looks like knees are really its ankles and heels. A flamingos knees are located closer to its body and hidden under its feathers. 2. The pistol shrimp catches its prey by surprising it with a loud banging noise made with its claws. The sound is so loud that it stuns or even kills their prey. The sound made by pistol shrimp claws can be as loud as 210 decibels, which is louder than a gunshot. 1. Some species of Australian Flower Spiders eat their mother when food becomes limited. The mother spider sacrifices herself by encouraging her young babies to attack her, dissolve her insides, and feed on her body. Cannibalism is also seen in other spider species and most often observed in relation to sexual encounters. More Fascinating Animal Facts Common Animal Questions and AnswersWhy do zebras have stripes? Why do some tigers have white coats? Find answers to these and other commonly asked questions about animals. Why Some Animals Play DeadWhen faced with danger, some animals go into a catatonic state. They appear to be dead to the world. Discover why some animals play dead. 10 Amazing Bioluminescent OrganismsSome organisms have the ability to glow. The light emitted is due to a chemical reaction. Discover 10 amazing bioluminescent organisms. 7 Animals That Mimic LeavesSome animals camouflage themselves as leaves to avoid predators or catch prey. The next time you pick up a leaf, make sure it is not a leaf impostor. Amazing Animal SensesDiscover some amazing facts about animal senses.

A Review of A Midsummer Nights Dream essays

A Review of A Midsummer Nights Dream essays A Midsummer Nights Dream is an excellent, humorous play written by Shakespeare. It is highly characteristic of Shakespeare, bringing several subplots into one masterful story. I have seen this play presented in a classical format and I found it thoroughly entertaining. Directed by Robin McKee, UNLs March 27th performance of Shakespeares comedy was most definitely entertaining, but not because it was well done. I found the drama laughable, though the comedy did not come from Shakespeares clever writings. In fact, the presentation of this play seemed to ignore much of the scripts original wit and focused completely on a ludicrous setting. By setting the classical piece in the sixties, the audiences attention was diverted from the quality of the dramas phrasing. On top of these atrocities, the theme was inconsistent. Numerous drugs were consumed onstage, illustrating a sixties motif, but characters seemed to be dressed in either fifties drag with poodle skirts or they portrayed the discoing seventies in polyester suits. The idea of presenting this play in a setting more familiar to our generation was clever and introduced several new interpretations. For example, when the band of stoned actors are chased by beasts of the woods, their plight is intensified by the knowledge that they are extremely prone to paranoia due to the drugs they have been stoking all day. When one of the actors is turned into a donkey, there seems to be a fine line between reality and fantasy, a common problem accompanying drug use. These added touches do supply ample humor, though I noticed that the viewer who laughed in these instances seemed to identify a little to well. Finally, I felt that the acting in this play was marginal at best. While I enjoyed some of the characters, the strained verse of others became wearing. It is acceptable to change the environment of a play in o...

How to Move Up Retail Career Ladder Without College

How to Move Up Retail Career Ladder Without College Huge numbers of young people at all levels of education currently work in the retail industry- tons of Millennials between the ages of 19 and 30 work in retail sales positions,  often starting at a low hourly wage right out of high school. If you find yourself on the bottom rung of a retail career and would like to advance, here are a few strategies to get yourself to the next level. 1. Know where you’re going.You can’t make real progress without a target in mind. Have an idea for where you want to end up. What’s your career goal? Then start taking steps to get there. Direction is a good and grounding thing. Observe the people you work with and learn from them: what are they doing that you like? Can you ask them to help you get to where they are? Find a mentor and follow his or her advice.2. Find the right company.Find a place to work where you can reasonably expect to achieve your goals. Take extra care to pick a company you genuinely like, whose business prac tices mesh with your ideals. It’s much easier to demonstrate your passion for work if you can muster up some genuine enthusiasm for where you work.3. Consider a degree.Most stores don’t require a degree for an entry-level sales position, but you might need some postsecondary training (at least) to advance beyond sales and get anywhere else you want to go in your field. Consider an associate’s degree in retail management, with courses in accounting, conflict resolution, or business communication. You might even consider a bachelor’s degree in Economics, if that’s viable for you.4. Think management.Research jobs in retail management and devote yourself to acquiring the skills you’d need to be considered for those positions. Start tweaking your resume to emphasize your leadership expertise and strengths. Look around for companies that are looking to expand and are likely to have management openings for a hungry striver such as yourself.5. Impre ss your boss.If you constantly prove yourself to be an asset to your supervisors, and you constantly make her look good with your performance, then you’re well on your way up. Put in the extra work to impress who you need to be impressing. Be open to feedback and constructive criticism. Ask for advice on what might be holding you back and how you can improve and grow. Go above and beyond.6. Know your value.What do you bring to the table that your co-workers or competitors don’t? How can you show yourself to be an asset to a company- either where you are now, or where you’d like to be? Figure that out and then figure out how to communicate it in a job interview or annual review.7. Keep at it.If you know where you want to go, and what you need to do to get there, then the battle is half won already. Persist in your pursuit. Keep learning and pushing yourself. Keep paying attention to what others are and aren’t doing. Your level of commitment will determine how fast you advance.

Race Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Race - Essay Example The physical features of race are the first differentiating factor any race. The mixing of races blurs this difference. The melding of the Angles and Saxons many centuries ago to make up the Anglo-Saxons makes for clear understanding of this. The Anglo-Saxons can be said to be made up of any distinct set of physical features, as there is varied nature of the physical features among the Anglo-Saxons. Yet genetically they are the same, even though physically there are many differences. Steve Olson uses Hawaii as the example of mixing of races to portend the future of a race of human race devoid of ethnicity, because of the mixing of different races that have occurred in the country. It is this very mixing of races that gives us insight into the retention of ethnic divides, when biology has ceased to be of relevance. Hawaii is a mix of people that can trace their roots to Japan, China, New England, Portugal, the Philippines and the native Polynesians. Social class in the land is based o n this tracing of ancestral ties. Those with ancestral ties to Japan, China, and New England occupy the higher classes of society, while those with ancestral ties to the Philippines and Portugal occupy the next bracket of social class. The native Polynesians find themselves right at the bottom of the social class system, which is reflected in their resolve for an independent nation, much like the aspirations of the Native American Indians. This ethnical divide persists even though there has been much biological mixing through interracial marriages. This experience of Hawaii provides support for the argument that with mixing of races, new sets of races are created socially that do not have biological relevance and lead to the persistence of racial divides of society. Olson provides a clear example of the fading of the biological basis of racial divide on Hawaii through the example of a man with ancestors, whose roots

Metamorphosis Franz Kafka Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Metamorphosis Franz Kafka - Essay Example ver, the much she takes care of her brother by providing him with food, making his room cozier to adapt in his transformed body as well as trying to keep his shreds of human left in him alive, shows that she is indeed of a caring character. However, her stage in life, as a young adult, demands that she engage in responsibilities such as getting her family and consequently sustaining it. By so doing, she endeavors to generate income to provide for her family. As much of these happen in Grete’s life, she slowly gives up caring for Gregor, with the excuse that she has income generating activities as her priority in order to meet the needs of her family. Dehumanization emerges when she gives up caring for her brother to chase worldly things such as money. This is the chief cause of Gregor’s death as he dies out of starvation. Gregor’s transformation is what creates conflict in the text. It elicits varied responses from those people in his life. There is alienation in the form of the distance that is created between him and them after the transformation. He feels as if in he is caged in a prison of his new body while, on the other hand, his family and friends struggle with feelings of sympathy and revulsion towards Gregor. Gregor’s death resolves the conflict caused by his transformation. The setting plays an important role in the reinforcement of the theme and characterization. Gregor’s bedroom in which he wakes up from a dream and finds himself transformed forms the boundaries of Gregor’s activities. One learns of Gregor’s character through his interaction with much of what is found in this room. Also important in the development of characterization is the entire building that houses the members of Gregor’s family. In communicating the theme of dehumanization, the author employs various literary devices that include symbolism, metaphors, foreshadowing among others. For instance, the picture of the woman in furs which Gregor clings to when things are

How the Field of Business Has Been Impacted by Social Networking Research Paper

How the Field of Business Has Been Impacted by Social Networking - Research Paper Example The research focuses on the companies’ increasing their market segment presence by sending messages that will encourage members of the social networking sites to buy the company’s products and services. The field of business has been impacted by social networking. The research focuses on riding the bandwagon by offering the company’s products on the social networking sites. The company communicates with current and prospective clients to persuade them to buy the company’s products and services by joining the innovative social networking groups. The field of business has been innovatively and creatively impacted by social networking in the area of increasing the company’s advertising exposure to generate more prospective customers. Innovation is very important. Innovation ensures the company’s presence and even leadership in the same market segment. Innovation can creatively persuade the current and prospective clients to prioritize the compan y’s products and services over the competitors’ product lines. Innovation creates demand for the company’s products and services. In terms of changing the field, social networking is the new innovative development in terms of communication tool. People spend more time visiting social networking sites to buy their needs and wants to compare to visiting physical stores. Many companies advertise their products on the social networking sites to generate more clients (global in nature). The use of online selling has innovatively changed the faces of buying and selling in our current market environment. The field of business has been strongly impacted by the change in lifestyle and society to have more focus on social networking. The social networking sites allow advertising at minimal cost. Small businesses can have a better playing field in terms of marketing their products and services.  

Does the suppression of unions and workers groups, and collective Essay

Does the suppression of unions and workers groups, and collective action undermine democracy - Essay Example It is always clear that unions and collective action allow employees to achieve steady increase in their fields of compensation, working conditions and their economic standards. Consequently, unions also play a greater role in facilitating the levels of democracy, inclusion and participation is the general society. This result is experienced both within the place of work and widely in social and democratic activities. Therefore, these unions exert this positive influence directly through their own internal processes and functions but also indirectly through their impact on the level of inclusion, participation, and protection to the society fully (Silverman). Internal evidence proves that societies with stronger unions and collective bargaining system will always demonstrate greater levels of equality and inclusion and stronger democratic participation. Below is a brief review of the various dimensions of unions’ positive influence on the effective and quality democracy. The employees always have two major basic mechanisms for expressing that they are not satisfied with their situation in the place of work. The first concept involves the classic market mechanism of exit and entry, in this case, the individuals practice their freedom of choice to either accept a situation or reject it (Silverman). This can relate with the fact that if a consumer is not satisfied by a product or service he or she can change their respective providers, and this applies to workers who are not satisfied with the kind of job they do to reject the job and move to an offer that is more desirable. In the labor market, exit is synonymous with quitting and entry with new companies hire. Great organizations such as public agencies, governments, and large corporations can facilitate the exit entry idea by providing the possibility of transferring from one department to another instead of leaving the firm or organization completely. The second

Sentences in BTN Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Sentences in BTN - Essay Example A Chinese firm is used for analysis to determine if the exchange rates affect trade flows in a systematic manner. It is beyond the analysis of this paper to compare the responses of the foreign country policies to the domestic policies that existed initially China maintained a fixed exchange rate from 1994 to 2005 and during this period the USA experienced continued and increasing deficits in trade against China. Domestic Chinese firms obtained raw materials from the foreign trading partner freely without making payments. The firm would then sell the product to the same foreign trading partner and charges the trading partner only the assemblage fee. Ordinary exports and imports formed the main basis of the analysis as they accounted for the majority of the exports and the imports. The share of each of the processing firm is used as a determinant of the level of processing trade engagement of the given firm during the analysis The effects of the firm level dynamics on the aggregate ch ina-us trade balance is examined using beard formula of decomposing the annual changes in exports and imports between the two countries. Percentage changes in the GDP of China and USA are used to control the effects on the demands on firm exports and imports. Firm fixed effects are used in the control of any unique feature that may affect the exports or imports at the firm level hence errors are standardized at the firm level

The Role Of The Lend-Lease Program In Allied Victory During WWII Essay

The Role Of The Lend-Lease Program In Allied Victory During WWII - Essay Example That fiction of neutrality became threatened by a long string of Nazi victories in Europe. The administration of President Franklin Roosevelt soon began to look for options give aid to Britain while remaining out of the war in a strictly military sense. 'If your neighbor's house is on fire, should you not help to extinguish it?' Britain's house was ablaze, and it is doubtful the total collapse of Britain and democratic states in Western Europe would not have posed a threat to the United States at a future date. (Hickman, 2012) Still, any attempt to lend direct aid to the Allies would be met with political opposition; Congress as well as many ordinary Americans heeded the warnings of the Nation's first President against entanglements in European Wars. The First World War did little to disabuse the public of this notion. As World War II became inevitable there were few indications that the United States would become a colossal industrial powerhouse that would prove the primary source of military assistance. Although American sympathies were definitely aligned with the nations who opposed Nazi-ism and Fascism, prior to late 1939 (September) the government espoused a policy of strict neutrality, thus little to no effort was made to place the economy on a war footing. The fear of a new European war was real, and compelling.Such fears prompted Congress to pass the Neutrality Act of 1935 and subsequent supporting amendments in 1936 and 1937. The totality of these measures made it illegal to grant loans or export warfare implements to belligerent countries. In addition, the Johnson Act of 1934 prohibited purchases on credit to any nation in default of payments to the United States. Great Britain and France placed large orders for munitions, but were required to pay for their items on a strict "cash and carry" basis. The situation in Europe worsened on September 1, 1939 when Nazi Germany invaded Poland. Two days following the attack, both France and British declared war on Germany; sparking a conflict that was soon to stretch from China, to Ethiopia, and Civil War in Spain. The market for American Munitions was to become global. (Martel, 2007 p.7, p.165) The Neutrality Act placed the federal government in a bind, whereby they needed to freeze pending orders by law at the commencement of open hostilities. Yet the President was sensitive to the undercurrent of sympathy from the American public in support of democratic governments fighting Nazi aggression. The President was also very aware of t he desperate need of Britain and France for American munitions and supplies. Thus, President Franklin Roosevelt called a special session of Congress in order to propose a means to secure legislative relief. On November 4, 1939 Congress passed the Pittman Act, which served to lift the embargo. Supplying French and British orders for munitions aided American industry in the conversion from commercial to the military production that would soon be needed. It also helped the chronic unemployment rates of the Great Depression. To facilitate the transition it was necessary to distribute the orders with equanimity. Rather than devise a special new bureaucracy, the government employed the existing Clearance Committee of the Army and Navy Munitions Board for the purpose of organizing the supply/munitions purchase-leases. Another obstacle to America's effort to equip foreign belligerents was that it was still unlawful to purchase government-owned munitions. To evade this constraint the War Dep artment sold guns and ammunition to the United States Steel Export Company, which served as an intermediary to the

Sentences in BTN Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Sentences in BTN - Essay Example A Chinese firm is used for analysis to determine if the exchange rates affect trade flows in a systematic manner. It is beyond the analysis of this paper to compare the responses of the foreign country policies to the domestic policies that existed initially China maintained a fixed exchange rate from 1994 to 2005 and during this period the USA experienced continued and increasing deficits in trade against China. Domestic Chinese firms obtained raw materials from the foreign trading partner freely without making payments. The firm would then sell the product to the same foreign trading partner and charges the trading partner only the assemblage fee. Ordinary exports and imports formed the main basis of the analysis as they accounted for the majority of the exports and the imports. The share of each of the processing firm is used as a determinant of the level of processing trade engagement of the given firm during the analysis The effects of the firm level dynamics on the aggregate ch ina-us trade balance is examined using beard formula of decomposing the annual changes in exports and imports between the two countries. Percentage changes in the GDP of China and USA are used to control the effects on the demands on firm exports and imports. Firm fixed effects are used in the control of any unique feature that may affect the exports or imports at the firm level hence errors are standardized at the firm level

Employee training at B&Q Plc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Employee training at B&Q Plc - Essay Example There has been a various change in the employment policy at B&Q Plc. over the past decade. About a decade ago, many business analysts criticized B&Q Plc. For having a policy that encouraged to employ and retaining much older employees. At that time younger job seekers were less advantaged when they were seeking jobs at the company. The company has always considered quality of their products and services to be their first priority. Therefore, employing older employees was seen as a way through which the company could be able to get experience and skills in a single package (Saks, Haccoun& Belcourt 2010, p. 101. At that time this really worked for them especially because they were able to build a reputation that was rooted on quality. There is always some uncertainty regarding employing younger employees. Younger employees might be skilled by the obvious reason as to why employing them might not be a good idea is the fact that it might take a while before they attain the experience that the older employees have. However, the good thing is that this is a problem that can be properly solved by having a good training program. As for the case of B&Q Plc. mentoring was chosen as the most appropriate way of making sure that the company will be able to accommodate both the young and energetic employees and the old and experienced employees (Becker 1993, p. 123). This method can be said to have worked well for the company.

English Is Declining Essay Example for Free

English Is Declining Essay From Indo-European to Germanic, from Anglo-Saxon to the English of Chaucer, from Shakespeare to Henry James, English language is rich and extremely malleable that has survived barbarian invasions. â€Å"Language is the most important and the most powerful weapon in the hands of a state that has decided to transform human beings† (qtd. in p. 79 John Rodden). I have noticed that the languages being used in old time movies sound more articulate and powerful than the languages we use today. George Orwell described many of the â€Å"bad habits† in English writings in â€Å"Politics and the English Language†. Some other people argue that the information age, for various technological and cultural reasons, has launched English into a new creative state. In his essay â€Å"Politics and the English Language†, George Orwell pointed out two qualities of the five specimens of the English language have in common (473). The first is staleness of imagery; the other is lack of precision. He also said that â€Å"if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought. It is important to write in honest and clear language and vague writing can be used as a powerful tool of political manipulation. † â€Å"Things like the continuance of British rule in India, the Russian purges and deportations, the dropping of the atom bombs on Japan, can indeed be defended, but only by arguments which are too brutal for most people to face, and which do not square with the professed aims of political parties. † (478) On the contrary, younger generations living in the new technology world think that a language lives, and will be subject to change. Jack G. Ganssle, a lecturer and consultant on embedded development issues, wrote that â€Å"Technology is leading to the total breakdown in the use of English. † He complains that â€Å"writing itself is degenerating as it mirrors the every-changing argot of the common person, as if there is some gold standard that statically defines a language for all time. Most of us accept the evolution of language over time. † He also used his favorite movie â€Å"The Mikado† as an example to justify his thoughts. In the movie, Gilbert’s cantankerous father scoffs at his son’s use of the newly-invented telephone, sniffing that â€Å"it will only lead to the further erosion of the English language. † And clearly the grumpy old man was wrong. I agree that the invention of the telephone is the most remarkable innovation in the history of mankind. Jack G. Ganssle used it as an example to imply that time would prove he is right on technology changes the way English is used. People like George Orwell and his supporters are not open minded to accept the change and development of new concepts in the world and still stick to the old rules. What Ganssle did not realize is that the invention of the telephone is not just a pure new technology, it enhanced the way how people communicate each other. Before the invention, people had to meet and talk, or rely on mailmen to deliver letters to each other. After the use of telephone, it made communication much easier and faster. People do talk and communicate much more than before. New technology might provide more channels people communicate each other, but it can’t replace the role of English language plays in people’s life. It is not the media that matters; it is the English language people use that matters. Interestingly, referring back to Orwell’s viewpoint on political writing I would like to ask Jack G. Ganssle and his supporters a question, â€Å"What would you do to deal with the fact that North Korea conducted asecond test of a nuclear weapon on May 26, 2009? † Text messaging â€Å"OMG! Stop it! †? That’s about the best method I can think of by your theory. Evidence shows that English is declining worldwide. The Philippines have been known for having the highest standard of English in Asia. According to Jonny in Manila, â€Å"English as a subject has suffered from lack of money, along with public education as a whole. † â€Å"The government-approved textbooks they will study illustrate the problem. A passage in one for 8-year-olds reads: â€Å"The dog rolled on the floor so fast and fell on the ground. There he laid yelling louder than ever. The dog yelled on top of his voice. † A book for 11-year-olds advises, mysteriously, â€Å"Just remember this acronym—DOCSiShQACNMN—to make it easy for you to remember the order of adjectives in a series. † I heard about a mother who sent her kid to school with the swine flu since she couldn’t afford to pay a babysitter to look after her sick child and she couldnt afford to stay home from work. If people dont even care enough to make tough decisions about the safety of their children, and other peoples children, how can proper education be made a priority? People are more money oriented and materialistic than they were before. Statistics also shows that by comparison, people nowadays study for future careers instead of self-interests developing. This also resulted in the declining of English. William M. Chace wrote, â€Å"The stability of these ideas in the postwar years, from the late 1940s until the early 1970s, permitted the spectacular growth in English departments. The number of English majors spurted up from 17,000 to 64,000 and the number of graduate students from 230 to 1,591. But by 1985/86, the number of undergraduate English majors had fallen back to 34,000, despite a hefty increase in total nationwide undergraduate enrollment. In the foreign languages, philosophy, and history, the story was the same: impressive growth followed by swift decline. The history of enrollments reveals, then, that the study of English and American literature enjoyed only a momentary glamour. † He also pointed out â€Å"Finding pleasure in such reading, and indeed in majoring in English, was a declaration at the time that education was not at all about getting a job or securing one’s future. In comparison with the pre-professional ambitions that dominate the lives of American undergraduates today, the psychological condition of students of the time was defined by self-reflection, innocence, and a casual irresponsibility about what was coming next. † Yes the new technologies have brought the whole world into a new era. There are much more temptations out there for people to own. When I was a kid, a plastic gun was good enough for me to enjoy my whole childhood. We played with dirt, with sand and water, with whatever the nature could offer. Parents and neighbors got together with kids reading stories. Let’s take a look at what kids grow up with today. Video games, cell phones, computers and internet. I am thrilled for the change and I also enjoy it. It seems like if all things around us start talking and listening meaningfully and we have enough bandwidth, there will be no need for reading or writing skills for most people. Road signs will be replaced by talking GPS. It sounds like a fantastic world. We have so many crutches to assist us in our daily life. People no longer need to memorize anything on their own. All you have to do is to make enough money in order to be able to afford them. I do enjoy the convenience and efficiency the advanced technology brings to us. Yet I pray every day there better be no power outage. We had a couple power outages in the server room at work these days. Guess what, I couldn’t do anything but wait for the power coming back since all my stuff are stored in company’s intranet and I can’t get connected to the server to extract the information to work on. Can you imagine what the world would be like if one day our crutches are not working properly? Would it be too late to find out we cannot even communicate properly on our own? I am in favor of George Orwell’s viewpoint. We ought to be able to speak and write English properly and precisely. New technologies can’t replace the power of English language. Works Cited Rodden, John. Scenes from an afterlife: the legacy of George Orwell. Wilmington, DE: ISI Books, 2003 Orwell, George. â€Å"Politics and the English Language. † Acting on Words: An integrated Rhetoric, Reader and Handbook. 2nd ed. Ed. David Brundage and Michael Lahey. Toronto: Pearson, 2009 471-81 Chace, William M. â€Å"The Decline of the English Department: How it happened and what could be done to reverse it† Autumn 2009 http://www. theamericanscholar. org/the-decline-of-the-english- department/ Ganssle, Jack. â€Å"The further decline of English. Technology is leading to the total breakdown in the use of English. Or something. † Nov. 2, 2005 http://www. embedded-systems. com/columns/embeddedpulse/173402052 Jonny. â€Å"Philippines: The Declining Standard of English† June 17, 2009 http://jonnynz. blogspot. com/2009/06/philippines-declining-standard-of. html

Cuban Missile Crisis Essay -- essays research papers

A Geopolitical View on the Cuban Missile Crisis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over the course of the twentieth century, the United States has made some crucial decisions in regard to foreign policy. When the President of the United States looks to his advisors and policymakers to decide what course of action to take, he must weigh all of the different variables. One of the most important variables that influence foreign policy decision making is the geopolitical view. A geopolitical variable takes into account a country's geography and physical terrain and how that relates to certain foreign policymaking decisions. In the early 1960's, President Kennedy's decision to institute a naval blockade around Cuba was carefully made with full knowledge of the geopolitical variables. Throughout the Cuban Missile Crisis, the geopolitical variables greatly influenced President Kennedy's decision to institute the naval blockade which eventually ended the Crisis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Cold War was one of the most difficult times for foreign policymakers in the United States. In September of 1962, the Soviet Union began deploying medium-range nuclear missiles to Cuba. The strategic plan of the Nikita Khrushchev was to have Soviet nuclear missile sites ninety miles off the coast of the United States to serve as military threat. When a United States U-2 spy plane brought back photographs of these missile sites in Cuba on October 15, 1962, U.S. military leaders acted immediately....

Tiny Robots in Your Bloodstream: The Future of Medicine

The thought of microscopic robots traveling through your body may seem like a science fiction novel from the 1960’s but, in the next decade or so, it may become science fact. Imagine clogged arteries being swept clean, cancer cells detected and destroyed and kidney stones being dissolved, all done by minute robots, eliminating the need for costly and invasive surgery. These are just some of the possible applications of nanotechnology in medicine, also known as nanomedicine. Nanomedicine can dramatically improve medicine and healthcare beyond our imagination. Nanotechnology was first mentioned in 1959 in a talk given by physicist Richard Feynman. Although he did not use the term, he described a process by which a pair of normal sized robot arms would build a copy of itself that was one tenth its size. That pair of arms would continue the process and so on until the arms reached the size of a molecule. (Patel 63) This would be the level of nanotechnology. Nano comes from the Greek word meaning â€Å"dwarf†. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter and when we speak of nanotechnology we are speaking of devices in the 1 to 100 nanometer scale. To help visualize how small that is, a germ is about 1000 nm wide, a human hair is about 100,000 nm wide. (Marchant, G. E. 231) The scanning tunneling microscope, invented in 1981 by Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer, allowed humans to see individual atoms. Binnig and Rohrer both worked as physicists for the computer company IBM. The atomic force microscope was invented a few years later which allowed the user to actually move atoms by using a feeler with an extremely small, sharp needle on the end which allows it to see and move the atoms by f... ... and we will be able to create our own virtual realities that will integrate all our senses, expanding our intelligence in ways we cannot imagine. Nanomedicine will give rise to AI by giving humans extremely detailed scans and diagrams of the human brain and how it functions. Eventually, AI will be able to think and have emotional responses thanks to the info gathered by Nanobots. The two technologies will feed off one another resulting in a world that may be more wild than any science fiction novel ever written. (Kurzweil 40-46) It is clear that nanotechnology has the potential to revolutionize health care and even transport humanity into the next evolutionary leap, but great care must be taken in order make sure we get there safely. Once technology becomes smarter than humanity, we may not be able to control our destiny any longer.

Research Paper on Teen Pregnancy

Teenage Pregnancy: Who's To Blame? Over the past 10 years, teenage pregnancy has escalated about 10%. As the years pass, more blames for teen pregnancy come up. The first few years that teen pregnancy became a problem, the people blamed the girl that became pregnant. Then as it progressed worse and worse, the blame pointed to the father of the unborn child. When the movie â€Å"June' came out in around 2009 that became blame. Then came â€Å"16 and pregnant† and â€Å"Teen Mom†.Hollywood started clamoring teen pregnancy pretty much saying its okay to be a teen mom because you can become ammos. This made the girls of the U. S think â€Å"Maybe since these girls are becoming famous for being a teen mom maybe I can too†. Then there's the no sex education in the schools. Schools these days think that all teens know about sex so why teach it? Teenage pregnancies are 100% preventable. Teenagers should make the right decision and choose abstinence. If they choose to ha ve premarital sex then they should take the right precautions to prevent pregnancies.Media and society plays a huge role in teen pregnancy. â€Å"16 and pregnant† is a show that publicizes pregnant teenage girls. It shows their struggles in life as a pregnant teen, how they try to deal with the Judgment of their peers, trying to go through school, having the baby, and trying to be a teenager. Another blame for teen pregnancy is peer pressure. Friends getting pregnant and boyfriends are the main peer pressure girls get. When a friend gets pregnant some girls get Jealous of the attention their friend is getting so they go and get pregnant so they can have the attention too.Then there's the boyfriend factor; most teenage boys are sexually active and continue that way with all the girls he boy comes in contact with. Most guys think â€Å"Oh well since all these girls she hangs around with are doing it I'll push her into doing it with me†, or they'll pull the â€Å"if you love me† card. As a teenage girl there are many things going through your mind when a boy likes you and wants to have relations with you. You think about if he really loves you, if he'll leave you if you don't do it, etc. Cost teenage girls that become pregnant will tell you miss, I became pregnant to maintain a stable relationship with my boyfriend†. There are also many schools that don't offer sex education. Most schools already have a high number of teenage pregnancies so they don't think they need it because most of the kids there are already sexually active. The other half of schools that do offer sex education, don't have any kids that sign up for the class. In 2009-12 there are more teenagers out there that are sexually active then there ever has before.Sex education is the place where kids learn about sex and how to take the right precautions to maintain health. A living environment is also to blame. If a teenage girl lives in a not so good part of town and her m other was also a teen mom, that girl might become a teen mother. Yes, a girl may not become a teen mom in those living environments, but they also can come in contact other bad influences. Most girls that are pregnant, and or have had sex stated that they were either intoxicated or under the influence of illegal drugs.Parent's are also a blame for teenage pregnancies. When parent doesn't have tell the child about sex or having babies, it hurts the child in the long run because when contraceptives. Also, when a parent drills into their kids' heads â€Å"don't have sex or lull be tramp† â€Å"don't get pregnant or I'll kick you out and you'll be homeless†, and try to restrict the kid from dating, talking to, hanging out with, or any type of contact with the opposite sex will cause the child to rebel against their parent's thus having sex and getting pregnant.In 2009, 1 of 11 year olds have had sex, 2. 4% of 12 year olds, even though pregnancy at these ages is very rare, sexual activity is more likely to be in the teens. 5. 4% of 13 year olds, 11% of 14 year olds, 20% of 15 year olds, 33% of 16 year olds, more than half of the teens 17 to 19 said that they were sexually active UT 25% said they have not until the age of 20 (Gale, 2007). The average age of a teen having premarital sex is 16. 4 years in Caucasians and 15. 5 years in African Americans (Talk of the Nation, 2008).It is estimated that 19% of teenage girls who get pregnant opt for abortion, with about 52% of women younger than 25 years old getting abortions. Of the girls who give birth, most decide to keep their babies. Between 1982 and 1988, only 3% of Caucasian girls gave up tier babies for adoption, compared to the 19% between 1965 and 1972. That figure is even smaller for African American arils. These figures still hold generally the truth now days (World of health, 2007). Not only does premarital sex without contraceptives lead to pregnancy it also leads to Studs that can lead to perma nent sickness and even death.Teenage mothers are at more risk of health problems than adult mothers. They are more open to dieses such as tootsie, anemia, and upperclassman. The number one contraceptive used by teenagers is birth control. It is 100% effective if taken the right way. The pro side of teen pregnancy is that you get to have a baby and that's about it. The con side of teen regency is that you are a child your self and you are in your teens you are suppose to have fun and live life.Teen pregnancy is becoming an epidemic and it needs to stop because the abortion rate is sky rocketing, babies are being left out in the rain with no parental guidance. Yes, there are some teens out there that are great parent's but they are very slim. When it comes to having children, teenagers are not able to raise them because they are children themselves. If teenagers think they are mature enough to have premarital sex then they should make the mature decision to prevent pregnancies.

Popul Vuh

There are many stories that talk about the creation of the earth and have been passed from generation to generation. However, each culture and each region has its own stories about the creation. They are unique in some way but still share the same themes that are universal to many civilizations. Almost all the themes talk about how we and everything on earth were created or how the universe and humanity developed. Two of the most popular creation stories are the Book of Genesis and the Popol Vuh.While the Genesis and Popol Vuh are different in the way God created iving things and their explanation of creation, their similarities are important because they tell us how everything come from and the people's belief in Gods. First of all, the Genesis creation myth is known as one part of the Hebrew Bible that explains how God created human and living things. Therefore, their entire traditional stories seem as the views of a monotheistic world, praising one, all-perfect deity.Genesis focus es mainly on the relationship between God and humans beings in the earth. While the Popol Vuh is one of the Maya creation stories and also showed the perspectives of a polytheistic culture, believing and living under various Gods. In this story, the Gods tried to create something that would praise them and thanks to them. In Genesis myth, God created man and woman to live and love each other. However, one strict rule that Gods did not want them to violate was not to eat an apple from the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden. Of every tree in the garden thou mayest freely eat: but one of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou halt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. † (Genesis 67). Meanwhile, in the Popol Vuh, Gods did not create human at first. Instead, they created animals first and then they created mud people and wood people secondly. Gods finally created humans who made from the corn and have the shape exactly like wha t human nowadays beings. Unfortunately, in both stories, the creation did not satisfy their creators. They did mistake and fail to meet the Gods' expectations.For the Genesis, Adam and Eve were nticed by a serpent and ate the fruit anyway even though they were warned before by the God. Feeling angry from their mistake, God forced them out of the Garden and began to be multiplied and full-filled in the earth. From another part of the Genesis, God was unhappy from what he created because the humans at that time were very greedy and did not follow God's expectations. Therefore, he created a great flood on the earth, destroying everything and killing everyone from this flood. â€Å"l will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth,†¦ or it repenteth me that I have made them. (Genesis 70). In contrast, in the Popol Vuh, when animals, mud people and wood people could not reach Gods ‘expectations because they did not praise the creators as they wanted them to do . Therefore, Gods made a flood to kill all the mud and wood people. â€Å"The manikins, woodcarvings were killed when the Heart of Sky devised a flood for them. † (Popol Vuh 82). While God in Genesis gave humans a second chance to live by saving life for Noah's family after destroying everything, Gods in Popol Vuh began to create the corn people after a flood to serve for their desire because they could praise the Gods and did everything that they wanted. as created and how it was ended. Gods in both stories created humans on the earth, gave them food and shelters but also destroyed humans by a great flood as a symbol of their anger when they failed to their expectations. One more similarity between two stories that all Gods were selfish and being scared when people gain too much knowledge. For example, in the Genesis, God did not want Adam and Eve at the forbidden fruit because they will know everything about the nature as the Gods were doing.While in the Popol Vuh, when the Gods saw the corn people were very intelligent and perfect after created, so they felt threatened by the corn people as they would be more powerful than them. miet they'll become as great as gods, unless they procreate, proliferate at the sowing, the dawning, unless they increase. † (Popol Vuh 85). In order to solve this problem, Gods took away some In conclusion, even though the Book of Genesis and the Popol Vuh were written by wo different cultures, they also have some similarities in general such as the creation of the flood and human's knowledge.However, their myths were also different in some way. For the Genesis, God Just wanted people to live happily and healthily on the earth while the Gods in the Popol Vuh stories want people to praise for their merit and keep their day together. Therefore, as we can see that the differences between two stories are very important because they showed us how different cultures and regions affect human's life and thinking about their cr eation.