Assessing Quality of Care in Kinship and Foster Family Care Free Essay Example, 2250 words

The advantage of in-person interviews, as conducted in this study, is its flexibility. The data was collected through the interviews conducted to a random sample of 28 kin and 11 non-kin foster homes. Variables were measured using effect statistics such as correlations, relative frequencies and differences between means. Experimental precautions were taken to ensure that the subjects come to no harm. Thus, none were harmed. Moreover, the selection of the research topic was not a result of a disputed issue in favour of one party. The estimated results are less likely to turn out to be biased because the subjects were randomly assigned and chosen. In line with this, the operationalized concepts used in the data collection or analysis was empirically measurable. Measurable, for we were able to evaluate the ordinal measurements of the age of the children in kin and non-kin homes, the quality of care that they receive from the providers, how they are disciplined and the kind of shelter a nd neighbourhood they live in. The kind of evidence offered for the construct validity of the operationalization is for the social services agencies to develop small discretionary funding sources for social workers to use in case of emergency. We will write a custom essay sample on Assessing Quality of Care in Kinship and Foster Family Care or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page

Myths And The Reason Behind Mythology - 1653 Words

WHAT ARE MYTHS AND THE REASON BEHIND MYTHOLOGY? Mythos, the Greek word for myth means story, appertain to colorful tales that enlightens about the origins of humans and the universe. Myths, as amazing as it sounds, is also a cause for birth of new religions, where and how they originated. Many cultures have myths about how the gods and goddesses came to be, even elucidating the origin of humanity and its traditions. Even ideas about how this world of ours came to existence have many myths, creation myths behind it, disparate in every culture and society, which demonstrates a view on its role in the world. Mythology is simply the study of the myth. There are many psychological theories and meanings that explicate mythology. The most recurrent belief about the psychological value of myth is that myths emblematize contrasting elements of our own psyches or souls. The psychoanalytical frames of reference on myths have indisputably been ineluctable. Myths were and still are progressively seen as expressions of desideratum in the human psyche. But the big question is, what is the beneficence of mythology towards the amelioration of society? If there are myths to decipher or exhibit certain things, character or situations, there also are science and technology, which accommodate every explanation needed to understand each of those things. Many go to science for such interpretation, which conveys the impression of taking care of the signification behind all those natural phenomena,Show MoreRelatedFoundations of Mythology870 Words   |  4 PagesFoundations of Mythology Short Answers Jessica McTavish HUM 105 January 14, 2013 Roxanne Russell Foundations of Mythology Short Answers How is the word myth used popularly? For example, what does the statement, â€Å"It’s a myth† mean? In contrast, how is the word myth used in the academic context? After considering the definition in your textbooks and course materials, write a definition in your own words. The statement â€Å"It’s a myth† to me means that it is not true or not fully true. ThereRead MoreMythology Short Answers Essay680 Words   |  3 Pages1). How is the word myth used popularly? For example, what does the statement, â€Å"It’s a myth† mean? In contrast, how is the word myth used in the academic context? After considering the definition in your textbooks and course materials, write a definition in your own words. The academic definition of a myth† is discovering a way of making meaning that has been part of every human society.† I believe myths are stories that are told from generation to generation. Depending on our culture, religionRead MoreGreek Mythology : Greek And Roman Mythology885 Words   |  4 PagesMyths symbolize human experience and embody the spiritual values of a culture. (Rosenberg) With Greek and Roman Mythology we learn or are introduced to the idea of how the universe is formed, we learn about love and of course we learn about tragedy. Greek and Roman mythology has a strong influence on our culture today. The Greek culture affects our everyday way of life. They created democracy, the alphabet, libraries, the Olympics, math, science, architecture, and even lighthouses. (Unknown) GreekRead MoreMisconception of the God of Lighting Marvels Version1610 Words   |  7 Pagesversion of Norse Mythology is actually different from the actual mythology which results a mi sconception of the myth to the people who watch the movie Thor. People sometime believe that Marvels version of Norse Mythology is the actual myth of Norse Mythology itself, because they believe that Marvel is telling the true tales in their own way. They sometime have forgotten that the movie Thor is an artist interpretation of the mythology. This means the author or artist takes some the mythology elements andRead MoreGreek And Roman Painting And Floor Mosaic Essay1228 Words   |  5 Pagesand Romans. An example of this can be seen in the usage and importance of Greek mythology. Greek Mythology: In the ancient Greek artwork, the term muthos (ÃŽÅ"ÃŽ ¥ÃŽËœÃŽÅ¸ÃŽ £) is often used to describe myth. The primary meaning of a myth is a word, speech, conversation, things said, or fact. Other meanings for the same term, however, include tales, stories, narratives, fiction, and legend. The earliest accounts of the Greek mythology can be seen in the Archaic pre-classical period through any of the nine sisterRead MoreAustralian And Native American History1472 Words   |  6 PagesWhile from two vastly different regions and cultures of the world, Australian and Native American mythologies have more in common than people initially realize. Both span thousands of years of traditional lifestyles, having developed unique folklore in order to preserve their cultures. Australian mythology has a slightly less severe tone, having written their myths in order to record them in the aftermath of colonization, while Native Americans feel a religious reverence for the tales because theyRead MoreGree k Mythology: Then and Now Essays1575 Words   |  7 PagesA myth is a collective term denoting a symbolic narrative in religion, as distinguished from symbolic behavior (cult, ritual) and symbolic places or objects (temples, icons). (The New Encyclopedia Britannica. Vol. 24)Mythology is a collection of myths meant to explain the universe. Mythological stories were told in many different cultures and civilizations. The existence of myths is known in every society. Many different myths were conceived to explain occurrences that happened in nature. Read MoreMythology and How It Affects Society Essay1218 Words   |  5 PagesMythology has been used in a multitude of ways since the beginnings of civilization as it provided mankind explanation for natural occurrences: harvest time and the changing of the seasons, natural disasters: earthquakes and storms, and life events: birth and death, but was also used to simply provide entertainment. Another huge role that mythology played a pa rt in was the explanation of how the earth and all its people were created and why. This formed the structure for many societies as they couldRead MoreLightning Bolts, Dragons, And Sea Gods1094 Words   |  5 Pages Dragons, and Sea Gods Oh My! : The Nature Myth Theory For hundreds and hundreds of years people have been fascinated with all the aspects of the ancient Greek culture and mythology. Because of this avid interest in ancient Greek mythology, people have developed several different theories to explain these ancient myths. These theories range from trying to view myths in a rational way and interpreting them to explain natural occurrences to viewing myths using metaphors and psychology. While no oneRead MoreHum105 Cosimic Creation Myths1037 Words   |  5 PagesCosmic Creation Myths Across Cultures Alexi LaBrenz HUM 105 Professor Jordan â€Å"Chris† April 10, 2016 Cosmic Creation Myths Across Cultures When discussing different cosmic creation myths, something to remember is the style of creation myth it is. There are nine different styles of myths when talking about creation: accretion or conjunction, secretion, sacrifice, division or consummation, earth-diver, emergence, two creators, deus faber, and ex nihillo. For the purpose of discussing the Norse

Streams of Silver 20. End of a Dream Free Essays

When the last tremors of the cave-in had finally died away, the four remaining friends picked their way through the rubble and the veil of dust back to the oval chamber. Heedless of the piles of broken stone and the great cracks in the floor that threatened to swallow them up, Bruenor scrambled into the alcove, the others close on his heels. No blood or any other sign of the two master swordsmen was anywhere to be found, just the mound of rubble covering the hole of the stonework trap. We will write a custom essay sample on Streams of Silver 20. End of a Dream or any similar topic only for you Order Now Bruenor could see the edgings of darkness beneath the pile, and he called out to Drizzt. His reason told him, against his heart and hopes, that the drow could not hear, that the trap had taken Drizzt from him. The tear that rimmed his eye dropped to his cheek when he spotted the lone scimitar, the magical blade that Drizzt had plundered from a dragon’s lair, resting against the ruins of the alcove. Solemnly, he picked it up and slid it into his belt. â€Å"Alas for ye, elf,† he cried into the destruction. â€Å"Ye deserved a better end.† If the others had not been so caught up in their own reflections at that moment, they would have noticed the angry undertone to Bruenor’s mourning. In the face of the loss of his dearest and most trusted friend, and already questioning the wisdom of continuing through the halls before the tragedy, Bruenor found his grief muddled with even stronger feelings of guilt. He could not escape the part he had played in bringing about the dark elf’s fall. He remembered bitterly how he had tricked Drizzt into joining the quest, feigning his own death and promising an adventure the likes of which none of them had ever seen. He stood now, quietly, and accepted his inner torment. Wulfgar’s grief, was equally deep, and uncomplicated by other feelings. The barbarian had lost one of his mentors, the warrior who had transformed him from a savage, brutish warrior to a calculating and cunning fighter. He had lost one of his truest friends. He would have followed Drizzt to the bowels of the Abyss in search of adventure. He firmly believed that the drow would one day get them into a predicament from which they could not escape, but when he was fighting beside Drizzt, or competing against his teacher, the master, he felt alive, existing on the very dangerous edge of his limits. Often Wulfgar had envisioned his own death beside the drow, a glorious finish that the bards would write and sing about long after the enemies who had slain the two friends had turned to dust in unmarked graves. That was an end the young barbarian did not fear. â€Å"Ye’ve found yer peace now, me friend,† Catti-brie said softly, understanding the drow’s tormented existence better than anyone. Catti-brie’s perceptions of the world were more attuned to Drizzt’s sensitive side, the private aspect of his character that his other friends could not see beneath his stoic features. It was the part of Drizzt Do’Urden that had demanded he leave Menzoberranzan and his evil race, and had forced him into a role as an outcast. Catti-brie knew the joy of the drow’s spirit, and the unavoidable pain he had suffered at the snubbings of those who could not see that spirit for the color of his skin. She realized, too, that both the causes of good and evil had lost a champion this day, for in Entreri Catti-brie saw the mirror-image of Drizzt. The world would be better for the loss of the assassin. But the price was too high. Any relief that Regis might have felt at the demise of Entreri was lost in the swirling mire of his anger and sorrow. A part of the halfling had died in that alcove. No longer would he have to run – Pasha Pook would pursue him no more – but for the first time in his entire life Regis had to accept some consequences for his actions. He had joined up with Bruenor’s party knowing that Entreri would be close behind, and understanding the potential danger to his friends. Ever the confident gambler, the thought of losing this challenge had never entered his head. Life was a game that he played hard and to the edge, and never before had he been expected to pay for his risks. If anything in the world could temper the halfling’s obsession with chance, it was this, the loss of one of his few true friends because of a risk he had chosen to take. â€Å"Farewell, my friend,† he whispered into the rubble. Turning to Bruenor, he then said, â€Å"Where do we go? How do we get out of this terrible place?† Regis hadn’t meant the remark as an accusation, but forced into a defensive posture by the mire of his own guilt, Bruenor took it as such and struck back. â€Å"Ye did it yerself!† he snarled at Regis. â€Å"Ye bringed the killer after us!† Bruenor took a threatening step forward, his face contorted by mounting rage and his hands whitened by the intensity of their clench. Wulfgar, confused by this sudden pulse of anger, moved a step closer to Regis. The halfling did not back away, but made no move to defend himself, still not believing that Bruenor’s anger could be so consuming. â€Å"Ye thief!† Bruenor roared. â€Å"Ye go along picking yer way with no concern for what yer leaving behind – and yer friends pay for it!† His anger swelled with each word, again almost a separate entity from the dwarf, gaining its own momentum and strength. His next step would have brought him right up to Regis, and his motion showed them all clearly that he meant to strike, but Wulfgar stepped between the two and halted Bruenor with an unmistakable glare. Broken from his angry trance by the barbarian’s stern posture, Bruenor realized then what he was about to do. More than a little embarrassed, he covered his anger beneath his concern for their immediate survival and turned away to survey the remains of the room. Few, if any, of their supplies had survived the destruction. â€Å"Leave the stuff; no time for wasting!† Bruenor told the others, clearing the choked growls from his throat. â€Å"We’re to be putting this foul place far behind us!† Wulfgar and Catti-brie scanned the rubble, searching for something that could be salvaged and not so ready to agree with Bruenor’s demands that they press on without any supplies. They quickly came to the same conclusion as the dwarf, though, and with a final salute to the ruins of the alcove, they followed Bruenor back into the corridor. â€Å"I’m meaning to make Garumn’s Gorge afore the next rest,† Bruenor exclaimed. â€Å"So ready yerselves for a long walk.† â€Å"And then where?† Wulfgar asked, guessing, but not liking, the answer. â€Å"Out!† Bruenor roared. â€Å"Quick as we can!† He glared at the barbarian, daring him to argue. â€Å"To return with the rest of your kin beside us?† Wulfgar pressed. â€Å"Not to return,† said Bruenor. â€Å"Never to return!† â€Å"Then Drizzt has died in vain!† Wulfgar stated bluntly. â€Å"He sacrificed his life for a vision that will never be fulfilled.† Bruenor paused to steady himself in the face of Wulfgar’s sharp perception. He hadn’t looked at the tragedy in that cynical light, and he didn’t like the implications. â€Å"Not for nothing!† he growled at the barbarian. â€Å"A warning it is to us all to be gone from the place. Evil’s here, thick as orcs on mutton! Don’t ye smell it, boy? Don’t yer eyes and nose tell ye to be gone from here?† â€Å"My eyes tell me of the danger,† Wulfgar replied evenly. â€Å"As often they have before. But I am a warrior and pay little heed to such warnings!† â€Å"Then ye’re sure to be a dead warrior,† Catti-brie put in. Wulfgar glared at her. â€Å"Drizzt came to help take back Mithril Hall, and I shall see the deed done!† â€Å"Ye’ll die trying,† muttered Bruenor, the anger off his voice now. â€Å"We came to find me home, boy, but this is not the place. Me people once lived here, ’tis true, but the darkness that creeped into Mithril Hall has put an end to me claim on it. I’ve no wish to return once I’m clear of the stench of the place, know that in yer stubborn head. It’s for the shadows now, and the gray ones, and may the whole stinkin’ place fall in on their stinkin’ heads!† Bruenor had said enough. He turned abruptly on his heel and stamped off down the corridor, his heavy boots pounding into the stone with uncompromising determination. Regis and Catti-brie followed closely, and Wulfgar, after a moment to consider the dwarf’s resolve, trotted to catch up with them. * * * Sydney and Bok returned to the oval chamber as soon as the mage was certain the companions had left. Like the friends before her, she made her way to the ruined alcove and stood for a moment reflecting on the effect this sudden turn of events would have on her mission. She was amazed at the depth of her sorrow for the loss of Entreri, for though she didn’t fully trust the assassin and suspected that he might actually be searching for the same powerful artifact she and Dendybar sought, she had come to respect him. Could there have been a better ally when the fighting started? Sydney didn’t have a lot of time to mourn for Entreri, for the loss of Drizzt Do’Urden conjured more immediate concerns for her own safety. Dendybar wasn’t likely to take the news lightly, and the mottled wizard’s talent at punishment was widely acknowledged in the Hosttower of the Arcane. Bok waited for a moment, expecting some command from the mage, but when none was forthcoming, the golem stepped into the alcove and began removing the mound of rubble. â€Å"Stop,† Sydney ordered. Bok kept on with its chore, driven by its directive to continue its pursuit of the drow. â€Å"Stop!† Sydney said again, this time with more conviction. â€Å"The drow is dead, you stupid thing!† The blunt statement forced her own acceptance of the fact and set her thoughts into motion. Bok did stop and turn to her, and she waited a moment to sort out the best course of action. â€Å"We will go after the others,† she said offhandedly, as much trying to enlighten her own thoughts with the statement as to redirect the golem. â€Å"Yes, perhaps, if we deliver the dwarf and the other companions to Dendybar he will forgive our stupidity in allowing the drow to die.† She looked to the golem, but of course its expression had not changed to offer any encouragement. â€Å"It should have been you in the alcove,† Sydney muttered, her sarcasm wasted on the thing. â€Å"Entreri could at least offer some suggestions. But no matter, I have decided. We shall follow the others and find the time when we might take them. They will tell us what we need to know about the Crystal Shard!† Bok remained motionless, awaiting her signal. Even with its most basic of thought patterns, the golem understood that Sydney best knew how they could complete their mission. * * * The companions moved through huge caverns, more natural formations than dwarf-carved stone. High ceilings and walls stretched out into the blackness, beyond the glow of the torches, leaving the friends dreadfully aware of their vulnerability. They kept close together as they marched, imagining a host of gray dwarves watching them from the unlit reaches of the caverns, or expecting some horrid creature to swoop down upon them from the darkness above. The ever-present sound of dripping water paced them with its rhythm, its â€Å"plip, plop† echoing through every hall, accentuating the emptiness of the place. Bruenor remembered this section of the complex well, and found himself once again deluged by long-forgotten images of his past. These were the Halls of Gathering, where all of Clan Battlehammer would come together to hear the words of King Garumn, or to meet with important visitors. Battle plans were laid here, and strategies set for commerce with the outside world. Even the youngest dwarves were present at the meetings, and Bruenor recalled fondly the many times he had sat beside his father, Bangor, behind his grandfather, King Garumn, with Bangor pointing out the king’s techniques for capturing the audience, and instructing the young Bruenor in the arts of leadership that he would one day need. The day he became King of Mithril Hall. The solitude of the caverns weighed heavily on the dwarf, who had heard them ring out in the common cheering and chanting of ten-thousand dwarves. Even if he were to return with all of the remaining members of the clan, they would fill only a tiny corner of one chamber. â€Å"Too many gone,† Bruenor said into the emptiness, his soft whisper louder than he had intended in the echoing stillness. Catti-brie and Wulfgar, concerned for the dwarf and scrutinizing his every action, noted the remark and could easily enough guess the memories and emotions that had prompted it. They looked to each other and Catti-brie could see that the edge of Wulfgar’s anger at the dwarf had dissipated in a rush of sympathy. Hall after great hall loomed up with only short corridors connecting them. Turns and side exits broke off every few feet, but Bruenor felt confident that he knew the way to the gorge. He knew, too, that anyone below would have heard the crashing of the stonework trap and would be coming to investigate. This section of the upper level, unlike the areas they had left behind, had many connecting passages to the lower levels. Wulfgar doused the torch and Bruenor led them on under the protective dimness of the gloom. Their caution soon proved prudent, for as they entered yet another immense cavern, Regis grabbed Bruenor by the shoulder, stopping him, and motioned for all of them to be silent. Bruenor almost burst out in rage, but saw at once the sincere look of dread on Regis’s face. His hearing sharpened by years of listening for the click of a lock’s tumblers, the halfling had picked out a sound in the distance other than the dripping of water. A moment later, the others caught it, too, and soon they identified it as the marching steps, of many booted feet. Bruenor took them into a dark recess where they watched and waited. They never saw the passing host clearly enough to count its numbers or identify its members, but they could tell by the number of torches crossing the far end of the cavern that they were outnumbered by at least ten to one, and they could guess the nature of the marchers. â€Å"Gray ones, or me mother’s a friend of orcs,† Bruenor grumbled. He looked at Wulfgar to see if the barbarian had any further complaints about his decision to leave Mithril Hall. Wulfgar accepted the stare with a conceding nod. â€Å"How far to Garumn’s Gorge?† he asked, fast becoming as resigned to leaving as the others. He still felt as though he was deserting Drizzt, but he understood the wisdom of Bruenor’s choice. It grew obvious now that if they remained, Drizzt Do’Urden would not be the only one of them to die in Mithril Hall. â€Å"An hour to the last passage,† Bruenor answered. â€Å"Another hour, no more, from there.† The host of gray dwarves soon cleared the cavern and the companions started off again, using even more caution and dreading each shuffling footfall that thumped the floor harder than intended. His memories coming clearer with each passing step, Bruenor knew exactly where they were, and made for the most direct path to the gorge, meaning to be out of the halls as quickly as possible. After many minutes of walking, though, he came across a side passage that he simply could not pass by. Every delay was a risk, he knew, but the temptation emanating from the room at the end of this short corridor was too great for him to ignore. He had to discover how far the despoilment of Mithril Hall had gone; he had to learn if the most treasured room of the upper level had survived. The friends followed him without question and soon found themselves standing before a tall, ornate metal door inscribed with the hammer of Moradin, the greatest of the dwarven gods, and a series of runes beneath it. Bruenor’s heavy breathing belied his calmness. â€Å"Herein lie the gifts of our friends,† Bruenor read solemnly, â€Å"and the craftings of our kin. Know ye as ye enter this hallowed hall that ye look upon the heritage of Clan Battlehammer. Friends be welcome, thieves beware!† Bruenor turned to his companions, beads of nervous sweat on his brow. â€Å"The Hall of Dumathoin,† he explained. â€Å"Two hundred years of your enemies in the halls,† Wulfgar reasoned. â€Å"Surely it has been pillaged.† â€Å"Not so,† said Bruenor. â€Å"The door is magicked and would not open for enemies of the clan. A hundred traps are inside to take the skin from a gray one who was to get through!† He glared at Regis, his gray eyes narrowed in a stern warning. â€Å"Watch to yer own hands, Rumblebelly. Mighten be that a trap won’t know ye to be a friendly thief!† The advice seemed sound enough for Regis to ignore the dwarf’s biting sarcasm. Unconsciously admitting the truth of Bruenor’s words, the halfling slipped his hands into his pockets. â€Å"Fetch a torch from the wall,† Bruenor told Wulfgar. â€Å"Me thoughts tell me that no lights burn within.† Before Wulfgar even returned to them, Bruenor began opening the huge door. It swung easily under the push of the hands of a friend, swinging wide into a short corridor that ended in a heavy black curtain. A pendulum blade hung ominously in the center of the passage, a pile of bones beneath it. â€Å"Thieving dog,† Bruenor chuckled with grim satisfaction. He stepped by the blade and moved to the curtain, waiting for all of his friends to join him before he entered the chamber. Bruenor paused, mustering the courage to open the last barrier to the hall, sweat glistening on all the friends’ faces now as the dwarf’s anxiety swept through them. With a determined grunt, Bruenor pulled the curtain aside. â€Å"Behold the Hall of Duma – † he began, but the words stuck in his throat as soon as he looked beyond the opening. Of all the destruction they had witnessed in the halls, none was more complete than this. Mounds of stone littered the floor. Pedestals that had once held the finest works of the clan lay broken apart, and others had been trampled into dust. Bruenor stumbled in blindly, his hands shaking and a great scream of outrage lumped in his throat. He knew before he even looked upon the entirety of the chamber that the destruction was complete. â€Å"How?† Bruenor gasped. Even as he asked, though, he saw the huge hole in the wall. Not a tunnel carved, around the blocking door, but a gash in the stone, as though some incredible ram had blasted through. â€Å"What power could have done such a thing?† Wulfgar asked, following the line of the dwarf’s stare to the hole. Bruenor moved over, searching for some clue, Catti-brie and Wulfgar with him. Regis headed the other way, just to see if anything of value remained. Catti-brie caught a rainbowlike glitter on the floor and moved to what she thought was a puddle of some dark liquid. Bending close, though, she realized that it wasn’t liquid at all, but a scale, blacker than the blackest night and nearly the size of a man. Wulfgar and Bruenor rushed to her side at the sound of her gasp. â€Å"Dragon!† Wulfgar blurted, recognizing the distinctive shape. He grasped the thing by its edge and hoisted it upright to better inspect it. Then he and Catti-brie turned to Bruenor to see if he had any knowledge of such a monster. The dwarf’s wide-eyed, terror-stricken stare answered their question before it was asked. â€Å"Blacker than the black,† Bruenor whispered, speaking again the most common words of that fateful day those two hundred years ago. â€Å"Me father told me of the thing,† he explained to Wulfgar and Catti-brie. â€Å"A demon-spawned dragon, he called it, a darkness blacker than the black. ‘Twas not the gray ones that routed us – we would’ve fought them head on to the last. The dragon of darkness took our numbers and drove us from the halls. Not one in ten remained to stand against its foul hordes in the smaller halls at th’ other end.† A hot draft of air from the hole reminded them that it probably connected to the lower halls, and the dragon’s lair. â€Å"Let’s be leaving,† Catti-brie suggested, â€Å"afore the beast gets a notion that we’re here.† Regis then cried out from the other side of the chamber. The friends rushed to him, not knowing if he had stumbled upon treasure or danger. They found him crouched beside a pile of stone, peering into a gap in the blocks. He held up a silver-shafted arrow. â€Å"I found it in there,† he explained. â€Å"And there’s something more – a bow, I think.† Wulfgar moved the torch closer to the gap and they all saw clearly the curving arc that could only be the wood of a longbow, and the silvery shine of a bowstring. Wulfgar grasped the wood and tugged lightly, expecting it to break apart in his hands under the enormous weight of the stone. But it held firmly, even against a pull of all his strength. He looked around at the stones, seeking the best course to free the weapon. Regis, meanwhile, had found something more, a golden plaque wedged in another crack in the pile. He managed to slip it free and brought it into the torchlight to read its carved runes. † ‘Taulmaril the Heartseeker,’ † he read. † ‘Gift of – ‘ â€Å" â€Å"Anariel, Sister of Faerun,† Bruenor finished without even looking at the plaque. He nodded in recognition to Catti-brie’s questioning glance. â€Å"Free the bow, boy,† he told Wulfgar. â€Å"Suren it might be put to a better use than this.† Wulfgar had already discerned the structure of the pile and started lifting away specific blocks at once. Soon Catti-brie was able to wiggle the longbow free, but she saw something else beyond its nook in the pile and asked Wulfgar to keep digging. While the muscled barbarian pushed aside more stones, the others marveled at the beauty of the bow. Its wood hadn’t even been scratched by the stones and the deep finish of its polish returned with a single brush of the hand. Catti-brie strung it easily and held it up, feeling its solid and even draw. â€Å"Test it,† Regis offered, handing her the silver arrow. Catti-brie couldn’t resist. She fitted the arrow to the silvery string and drew it back, meaning only to try its fit and not intending to fire. â€Å"A quiver!† Wulfgar called, lifting the last of the stones. â€Å"And more of the silver arrows.† Bruenor pointed into the blackness and nodded. Catti-brie didn’t hesitate. A streaking tail of silver followed the whistling missile as it soared into the darkness, ending its flight abruptly with a crack. They all rushed after it, sensing something beyond the ordinary. They found the arrow easily, for it was buried halfway to its fletches in the wall! All about its point of entry, the stone had been scorched, and even tugging with all of his might, Wulfgar couldn’t budge the arrow an inch. â€Å"Not to fret,† said Regis, counting the arrows in the quiver that Wulfgar held. â€Å"There are nineteen†¦twenty more!† He backed away, stunned. The others looked at him in confusion. â€Å"Nineteen, there were,† Regis explained. â€Å"My count was true.† Wulfgar, not understanding, quickly counted the arrows. â€Å"Twenty,† he said. â€Å"Twenty now,† Regis answered. â€Å"But nineteen when I first counted.† â€Å"So the quiver holds some magic, too,† Catti-brie surmised. â€Å"A mighty gift, indeed, the Lady Anariel gave to the clan!† â€Å"What more might we find in the ruins of this place?† Regis asked, rubbing his hands together. â€Å"No more,† Bruenor answered gruffly. â€Å"We’re for leaving, and not a word of arguin’ from ye!† Regis knew with a look at the other two that he had no support against the dwarf, so he shrugged helplessly and followed them back through the curtain and into the corridor. â€Å"The gorge!† Bruenor declared, starting them off again. * * * â€Å"Hold, Bok,† Sydney whispered when the companions’ torchlight re-entered the corridor a short distance ahead of them. â€Å"Not yet,† she said, an anticipating smile widening across her dust-streaked face. â€Å"We shall find a better time!† How to cite Streams of Silver 20. End of a Dream, Essay examples

Global Management Concepts and Adaptations †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Global Management Concepts and Adaptations. Answer: Introduction: It is evident that there is an implicit connection in between the organization the people. The organization structure is highly dependent on the people hired while the people, need salaries, career development and work opportunities (Bcker, 2010). The role of the human resource is to develop a good fit in between the organization requirement and of the individual aspirations. The individuals find the advantage of gaining a satisfying work; the organization gets human talent energy. It is imperial for an organization to achieve its objectives which can only be attained with the help of the hired people. The advantages of the team-based organizational structures are; while the management can demonstrate an interest in the individual behaviour to drive productivity, for the individual they derive monetary satisfactions career development. The other advantages are less management, improved relationships along with the balanced approach and increase in productivity. The organization ne eds to support the development of the people. In order to cope up with the rapidly changing market conditions, it is imperative for the organization to reorganize itself into segregated dedicated teams. The team based organizational are structured into groups which can dedicate the set of the team towards a designated tasks. It requires technical qualification while hiring specific individuals that can perform a specific function. As per the global settings of the multi organization, it requires cross cultural hiring which can contribute to the organization requirements at their respective time zones. In managing the cross cultural, it has a significant impact on the business and people. Culture is attributed to the values ethics of individuals. It is a set of guiding principles and actions upon which information is assigned to a group of people. By assembling different cultures under the organization set up, it can better utilize the key resources along with the exchange of views, expertise and technical skill-set. It is an integration of resources, time and effort by involving people from different time zones. The other benefits of the cross cultural set up are increased profits due to the increased business operations. Cross cultural boundaries can work as an advantage towards the industry rankings, along with the coverage of more market share. The challenges to the organization while dealing with the cross cultural people are culture disharmony, barriers in the communication and coordination along with the confusion in the delegation of authorities and responsibilities. For the team based structured organization, the challenges are an implementation of it, as the team based performance is more recognized than the individual based performance. It may result in lack of focus, as participants within the team based set up wou ld look out for other factors related to individual motivational factors. The team based organisation becomes more decentralized than hierarchical. In the Sun Microsystem, the advantages which can be noticed are the global coverage during the breakdown points. The people working within the global dimension framework were able to connect, communicate problems along with the working on the quick resolution. The team based structured organization was able to better connect with each other, over the problems defined such as the breakdown of programming. But, the challenges which can be seen due to the cross cultural team based structured are the lack of coordination barriers in the communication. This resulted in technical defaults lapses. While the company is competing globally, it has utilized expanded its key resources to new business dimensions. But, there was a lack of coordination, time lags miscommunication due to the emails and phones. It resulted in the series of lapses, delays total failure of the setup (Druskat, 2001). The problem can also be found in the lack of assigned responsibilities allocation of the work. In the Sun Microsystems, it is quite evident that the challenge is implementation of the cross cultural, team based structure set up within the global dimension. As the company was trying to sustain itself during the global turbulences by cutting costs, but at th e same time, it invested heavily in the research development, to keep itself abreast with the latest technology sustainability. But due to the high input prices competitors competing with the same market, it resulted in the low profits. It resulted in the outsourcing of the units within the various regions such as Asia, Europe Latin America. Through expanding globally, it was able to connect with the customers was able to maintain a pool of key talents. As it was about to launch a new product of the market, it looked out for support for the talented professionals which could lead the project from the diverse countries. It has divided its pool of talents for the team size of 11 that report to one manager. This resulted in the smooth flow of coordination work in flow, within the department. With the cross cultural team, the Sun Microsystem was able to integrate the technologies, tools, key resources along with the support process that would connect with the global team in a better manner. The other challenges which can be found was the; compensation mismatch' in comparison with the global counterparts such as French team getting lower pay them the American team. While for the American team, they believe their work is more valued. The French people enjoyed job security due to the stricter labor laws (Goleman, 2003). Also the issues such as vacation or time off due to the regulatory laws in the French kept the American staff loaded wit h more work. Due to cross cultural opinions, work was certainly inequitable along with the equal-opportunity disagreements. Due to the global collaborations, the issues dealing with incompetencies as team working as sub group for other countries along with the perceived thoughts of missing deadlines as per the country paces company pace. With the cross cultural team based structural organization, the main issues which the Sun Microsystem was trying to deal were to overcome the issues of time sensitive deadlines execution of the work. Greg James a star performer working as a global account manager at Sun Micro Systems company. As per the SLA, Greg James requires to constantly resolve the customer system outage. In order to handle crises, he approaches the team by meeting them in-person. The team is working within the customer implementation department. The problems identified By Greg James was distribution of work, various interpersonal conflicts and issues pertaining to the management working within the global collaboration. Though, Greg James tries to resolve the problem, by creating team cohesions which as per him, would function in an effective manner. While the company Sun MicrosSytems controlled all the dimensions pertaining to the technology, services and products. Globally the talents are hired by the HR team based on the experience, education and other qualities. The company operates in US, UAE, India, and France and works in different time zones. If I was a consultant to Greg James, I would advise him to pay attention to each every dimension which includes listening to the whistleblowers, applying creative deviants along with managing the conflicts and contradictions within the company framework. Greg James needs to have a protected leadership by listening to the fresh perspectives. He needs to equally guide his hired managers to understand conflicts and avoid divisive. They need to be more supportive of the conflict resolution rather than applying strategies such as scapegoat, being hostile or constantly denying it. Also, Greg needs to spot the emerging issues such as adjusting to the power struggles or staff applying tactics for work avoidance'. As a part of the higher hierarchy, he needs to have an in-depth perspective, in terms of identifying ideal resources which can be used for the work. He also needs to manage the issues related to the superficial conflicts along with the unlocking the polarized and formulate conduciv e strategies which would help in resolving problems, issues, grievances or any other concerned areas. For the Sun MicroSystems, it needs to focus on the various parameters within the global collaboration which includes interpersonal conflicts along with managing management issues. For example, the US team, is termed as favourites of the management. The US has conflicts related to adjusting to the unfair work load during the off time season. For the France, the issues related to compensation mismatches in relation to the US counterparts, the advantage of job security and vacation benefits due to the France Law is perceived as conflicting issues (Goffee, 2001). For the India team, they would like to integrate more issues pertaining to the customer technology, customization along with the inclusion of the innovation than the maintenance and also differences in between the Rahul and Ahmed team due to the cultural background needs to be resolved (Heifetz, 2007). For the UAE country, issues related to being viewed as a sub group of India, feeling disconnected as there is limited face to fa ce communication and has a strong cultural influence are some of the issues which need to be regulated (Kettl, 2006). As a consultant, I would recommend handling conflicts constructively such as issues related to the shortage of staff during the vacation time, one can take steps to call them and let them know their requirement within the business in managing the work load (Lane, 2009). For resolving the cultural differences between the whole group, it can be resolved by creating structures through which group can express their emotions, encouraging a proactive conflict resolution and combining an affirmative environment. The company also needs to attain a cross boundary relationships, identifying and supporting the team's expectations along with appreciating them (Neely, 2008). The HRM requires a radical overhaul, rather than taking necessary actions as instructed. As the company is operating globally and it needs to have a better supervision, co-ordinations and parallel working (O'Brien, 2005). Within the cross boundaries, it needs to strengthen the opportunities for networking and interaction. It also needs to inculcate an affirmative environment, by supporting team goals, individuals aspirations and taking necessary steps during the conflict areas (Pauwels, 2001). The leadership strategies adopted by the various countries are also different, which Greg James needs to be thoughtful while applying it. For the US team, the leadership style applied needs to be delegating style which has an advantage of high motivation and competence (Pies, 2010). For the countries like India and France, the leadership style applied should be the consulting style which has an advantage of high competence but a disadvantage of low motivation. For the UAE the propagated leadership style should be supportive style as the UAE team members are already experiencing low motivation and low competence. Hence Greg James needs to adapt situational based leadership styles (Stevenson, 2007). The other steps, which the Greg James and Sun Microsystem can implement, are the constant seeking and providing feedback and understanding organizational culture and politics. It needs to also build a better platform to amalgamate the employee satisfactions along with providing fair HR practices. It needs to collaborate global offices effectively within the real time business workings (Stephen, 2003). Strategies adopted to satisfy employees within the Asia-Pacific region which includes, open space work environment for the field employees along with the work from options provided for office employees showed better results of coordination and work task accomplishments. Such types of strategies can be adopted globally to bring better results (Woywode, 2002). The structured teams need to be well coordinated as per the tasks assigned rather than dividing on the basis of the locations. It needs to enhance cross boundaries communications and interpersonal relationship by encouraging them more face-to-face interactions (Wu, 2007). All the conflicts should be resolved empathetically to lead a quick resolution. A phase of disagreement or hostility in between the people should be avoided (Zaleznik, 2004). The people need to be more mobilized towards the accomplishment of work assigned along with encouraging an affirmative environment. References Bcker, J., Poutsma, E. (2010). Global management competencies: a theoretical foundation.Journal of Managerial Psychology,25(8), 829-844. Druskat, V. U., Wolff, S. B. (2001). Building the emotional intelligence of groups.Harvard business review,79(3), 80-91. Goleman, D. (2003). What makes a leader.Organizational influence processes, 229-241. Goffee, R., Jones, G. (2001). Why Should Anyone Be Led by You?.IEEE Engineering Management Review,29(1), 94-100. Heifetz, R. A., Laurie, D. L. (2007). The work of leadership.Harvard business review,75, 124-134. Kettl, D. F. (2006).The global public management revolution. Brookings Institution Press. Lane, H. W., Maznevski, M. L., Mendenhall, M. E., McNett, J. (Eds.). (2009).The Blackwell handbook of global management: A guide to managing complexity. John Wiley Sons. Neely, T. DeLong, T.J., 2008, Managing a global team: Greg James at Sun Microsystems, inc. (a),Harvard Business School, O'Brien, J. A., Marakas, G. (2005).Introduction to information systems. McGraw-Hill, Inc. Pauwels, R. A., Buist, A. S., Calverley, P. M., Jenkins, C. R., Hurd, S. S. (2001). Global strategy for the diagnosis, management, and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: NHLBI/WHO Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) Workshop summary.American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine,163(5), 1256-1276. Pies, I., Beckmann, M., Hielscher, S. (2010). Value creation, management competencies, and global corporate citizenship: An ordonomic approach to business ethics in the age of globalization.Journal of Business Ethics,94(2), 265-278. Stevenson, W. J., Hojati, M. (2007).Operations management(Vol. 8). Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Stephen H. Rhinesmith. (2003).A manager's guide to globalization: Six keys to success in a changing world. American Society for Training Development. Woywode, M. (2002). Global management concepts and local adaptations: Working groups in the French and German car manufacturing industry.Organization Studies,23(4), 497-524. Wu, W. W., Lee, Y. T. (2007). Developing global managers competencies using the fuzzy DEMATEL method.Expert systems with applications,32(2), 499-507. Zaleznik, A. (2004). Managers and leaders: are they different?.Clinical leadership management review: the journal of CLMA,18(3), 171-177.

My Posse Dont Do Homework Essays - Critical Pedagogy,

My Posse Don't Do Homework Johnson's My Posse Don't Do Homework is an excellent book in the way that it describes the looked over and ignored kids of schools around the nation. My Posse Don't Do Homework shows us how important it is to nurture and care for students and tell each and everyone of those students how important they are and they, too, can make a difference. When Ms. Johnson had the class on the first day of school, the students were all prepared to "work" their way through yet another substitute or permanent teacher. According to the book My Posse Don't Do Homework, when Ms. Johnson had asked about Miss Shepard, the group of student's former teacher, one girl replied that she "had been ?psyched out'" (19). "Miss Shepard had thrown down her book and rushed out of the classroom in tears the previous Friday. The kids weren't surprised that she hadn't returned. They were obviously proud of their handiwork..." (19). Moments later a dictionary was flung at her head and she then proceeded to leave the classroom. After the dictionary incident she spoke with a colleague, Hal Gray. After a brief discussion with him, she went back to the class where she was inspired by her former drill instructor, Petty Officer Hawk's, presence and confronted the student who threw the dictionary at her. After getting in the boy's face, he gave into her demand of sitting down. After introducing herself and telling them about her Marine and Navy background, she gained the advantage and some of their respect from fear that she could kill them with her bare hands. The book is not suggesting that every teacher that has a difficult group of students should let them think that he or she, meaning the teacher, is going to violent if they do not cooperate in class. However, with this group of kids Ms. Johnson thought that it would be most effective to intimidate her new students. After gaining his or her respect, she started to care about each student. She went above and beyond what is to be expected from the average teacher. She truly cared about each of students and did her best to get to know each of them on a personal basis. She even proves in her book, My Posse Don't Do Homework, that this is an effective way of teaching these students who have been told that they are not important and that they would not achieve to be much. Most of the students in her classes were passing with average and above average grades. The same students were doing below average or failing other classes that were instructed by teachers who did not put much to any effort in showing these students any affection. James A. Banks states in his book An Introduction to Multicultural Education: "I think we have to create a caring community in the classroom. We have to create what psychologists call a superordinate group in the classroom" (93). He goes on later discusses and somewhat defines a super ordinate groups. Banks states, "Allport's theory of group contact suggests ways to create a sense of community. In order to create a sense of community, we first need to create a group within the group not cooperation. Second, we need to create equal-status situations for the groups" (94). It is imperative that we teach our students in a fair and caring way. Teachers have to be sure that he or she is doing everything in their power to help their students achieve their goals. Isn't that the purpose of teaching, to help assist the students and do almost anything within their power to see that their student is learning? One option to helping students better themselves and give more of the much-needed affection is to reduce class size. Johnson states in the introduction to her book, "When classes are small enough to allow individual student-teacher interaction, a minor miracle occurs: Teachers teach and students learn" (2). When teachers gain a positive rapport with their students because of smaller class sizes, fewer students have a chance to fall through the cracks. LouAnne Johnson stated, "The Junior Advanis and Attiba Macks break my heart, but for every student who slips through the cracks, a dozen--or two dozen--step over the cracks and walk out of high school with a diploma in one hand and a dream in another. It's these kids--the ones you don't read about in the newspapers because good news doesn't sell--who keep me coming back every year to

Definition and Examples of Rhetorical Schemes

Definition and Examples of Rhetorical Schemes Scheme is a term in classical rhetoric for any one of the figures of speech: a deviation from conventional word order. Here are examples of scheme in use by famous authors, as well as definitions from other texts: Examples and Observations Schemes include such devices as alliteration and assonance (that purposefully arrange sounds, as in The Leith police dismisseth us) and antithesis, chiasmus, climax, and anticlimax (that arrange words for effect, as in the cross-over phrasing One for all and all for one).(Tom McArthur, The Oxford Companion to the English Language. Oxford Univ. Press, 1992)There is a theory dating back to classical times that rhetorical figures or schemes originated as forms of expression used naturally by people in states of extreme emotion (Brinton 1988:163), that they are, in fact, imitative of emotional states. . . . Thus, rhetorical figures of omission, unusual word order or repetition are held to be imitative of actual disturbances of language in emotional contexts, which, in turn, reflect feelings and emotional states such as anger, grief, indignation or consternation...Now while it is undoubtedly true that such schemes as aposiopesis (breaking off an utterance before it is completed), hyperbat on or repetition are frequently related to emotional states, it must also be realised that the whole reservoir of rhetorical schemes represents a system which provides a multitude of possibilities of expressing meanings, among which emotions form only one variety.  (Wolfgang G. Mà ¼ller, Iconicity and Rhetoric, The Motivated Sign, ed. by Olga Fischer and Max Nnny. John Benjamins, 2001) Functions of Schemes In addition to structuring reality, the schemes help writers organize and orchestrate their relationships with readers. As vehicles for social interaction, they can Signal the level of formality (high, middle, low) as well [as] local shifts across these levels;Control the emotional intensity of prosecranking it up here, ratcheting it down there;Showcase the writers wit and command over his or her medium;Enlist readers into collaborative relationships, inviting them to desire the completion of a pattern once they get its gist (Burke, Rhetoric of Motives 58-59).    (Chris Holcomb and M. Jimmie Killingsworth, Performing Prose: The Study and Practice of Style in Composition. SIU Press, 2010) Tropes and Schemes in The Garden of Eloquence [Henry] Peacham [in The Garden of Eloquence, 1577] divides his treatment of figurative language into tropes and schemes, the difference being that in the Trope there is a chaunge of signifycation, but not in the Scheme (sig. E1v). Tropes are further divided into tropes of words and sentences, and schemes are also divided into grammatical and rhetorical schemes. Grammatical schemes deviate from customs of speaking and writing and are subdivided into orthographical and syntactical schemes. Rhetorical schemes add distinction and doe take away the wearinesse of our common and dayly speach, and doe fashion a pleasant, sharpe, evident and gallant kinde of speaking, giving unto matters great strength, perspecuitie and grace (sig. H4v). Rhetorical schemes apply to words, sentences and amplification. (Grant M. Boswell, Henry Peacham. Encyclopedia of Rhetoric and Composition: Communication From Ancient Times to the Information Age, ed. by Theresa Enos. Routledge, 2010) Etymology From the Greek schema   , form, shape Pronunciation: SKEEM Also Known As: figure

General Motors International Operations Research Paper

General Motors International Operations - Research Paper Example The project aimed at improving its performance hence face the world competition of other related companies like China. Some years later, the company announced it wanted to reduce its investment by seventeen Billion US dollars to pat the pension debts as well as tax debts. The pension process required a special legal grant to free itself from tax penalties. In concluding, this paper proves how the company strategies to maintain its market share. This is evidenced the company has expanded marginally maintaining more than thirty vehicle plants in thirty-one countries. Introduction Automobile industry has grown tremendously within the last few decades as a result of technological advancement (Tuman, 2003). General Motors Corporation, a company based in America whose headquarters are in Michigan is a good example. The company is the world’s largest manufacturer and marketer of vehicles with many new and competitive brands. The company markets its vehicles under brand names like Bui ck, Chevrolet, Opel, Daewoo, and Vauxhall. The company also sells its products under other brand names based in China like Alpheon, Jiefang, and Wuling. Further, the company has absorbed more than 200,000 people across the globe and has business links with almost all the world countries (Crumm, 2010). In addition, the company also provides financing services through its subsidiary financial contracts. America provides the largest market for light vehicles, commercial vehicles, and the long chases. It roughly consumes about a half of the total production of the General Motors. General Motors was desperate to shed some of its own branches mainly in North America to settle government loans. However, the two successive presidents of the United States, George Bush, and Barrack Obama agreed to fund the company to enable it to retain most of its branches in North America. Through this funding, Davis (1999) argues, General Motors introduced Vauxhall Nova â€Å"the smallest and most fuel-ef ficient gasoline-power car ever offered by General Motors† (pg 113). General Motors has gone through a past positive progressive record since its incision despite the few challenges it might have undergone. As the largest world’s automobile industry, the company has recorded high-profit levels for a notable period of time. This success can be attributed to its slogan stated by Crumm (2010) that, â€Å"What is good for General Motors is good for the country† (pg 1). For the last two years, Toyota Company, General Motors’ main competitor has recorded a higher level. To compete effectively in the market, the company is focusing on the current market demands of their high consumers like Brazil, China, and the United States (Davis, 1999). The company has an expansion plan from which it expects to benefit extensively by investing more in new markets to meet the growing market demands. Diversity in General Motors is quite evident. Through this diversification, th e company comprises of almost all the fields of production, which include manufacturers, dealers, retailers, auto engineers, and body repairers. As a result, a swing in material change would occur automatically. General Motors has undergone economic and political surges, and there is little public criticism over the ever-expanding corporate power and control of the General Motors.

Analysis Paper 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analysis Paper 1 - Essay Example THESIS STATEMENT The lines of the poem, ‘Eating Poetry’ by Mark Strand, do not fall into conventional schemes of logical thought process; it is bizarre, yet there are layers of interpretations and intercepts that can be formed from striking metaphors, paradoxical lines and conflicting concepts inherent within the poem. With this concern, this essay intends to analyze the poem, ‘Eating Poetry’ at length and confront the idea of the poet, operating behind the poem at a comprehensive level. EATING POETRY: ANALYSIS The poem, ‘Eating Poetry’ indicates immense love of the poet, for poetry. It is expressed in a bizarre way, but there is a strong sense of desperation inherent within the tone of the poet. Poet wants to express that poetry is not always about the ability to express the meaning inherent within it; far beyond the expression and understanding of meaning of a poem, lays its real essence, the language, choice of words, its symphony and its met er. All these elements get lost and subverted in understanding the real meaning of poetry at times. A poet is able to find extraordinary ideas through looking or gazing at ordinary things. A dog or a piece of log, a bizarre and not so attractive librarian who is very much confused, can also become the subject of his poetry, being the pivot or the central thought of the poem like one in ‘Eating Poetry’ (Slaughter, â€Å"Eating Poetry†). At the outset, the poetry begins with a stark indication that it is consuming the poet entirely or it can indicate that the poet is gobbling poetry like a hungry man and ‘Ink runs from the corners of my mouth’. Next in the poem, comes the bizarre and clumsy portrait of the librarian who has nothing logical to follow through the first paragraph of the poem. It is evident that the librarian is sad and under the hue of dim light with all the oddities around the queue for poetry gets lost and cannot, anymore find a concret e expression (Slaughter, â€Å"Eating Poetry†). The presence of dogs and their coming up from the basement might irritate or make the librarian feel awkward, but then the dogs are also viewed to be the integral part of the poem. Very few poets, like the poet of ‘Eating Poetry’, would be able to include even a dog into the scheme of thought process inherent in the poetry. The description of the dogs and the metaphors used to express them are also remarkable. The blond feet of the dogs seem burning that makes the librarian feel more distressed, stamping her feet and sobbing in depression (Slaughter, â€Å"Eating Poetry†). Next, the poem reaches the height of awkwardness, when the poet starts behaving like a dog, gets down on his knees and starts licking the hands of the librarian who scream in awe and fear. And the poem ends with self evaluation of the poet as a new man who engages himself behind the librarian snarling and licking her hands, which gives him an inner joy and makes him lost himself in the darkness of the books. The transition of the poet into a dog seems quite symbolic. The loyalty and faithfulness, which can be expected from a dog often misses in a man. Therefore, there might be a clear indication from the poet’

Shirley Jackson Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Shirley Jackson - Research Paper Example Simultaneously, the focus Shirley Jackson made on the life theme belongs to that long American tradition of the romance, what Richard Chase refers to as "that freer, more daring, more brilliant fiction that contrasts with the solid moral inclusiveness and massive equability of the English novel" (Chase, viii). It is Chase's conviction that "the history of American novel is not only the history of the rise of realism but also of the repeated rediscovery of the uses of romance, and that this will continue to be so" (Chase, xii). Jackson's illustrations of life have been most amenable to an imagination shaped and inspired by a culture of contradiction, of disharmonies, of what Chase calls "radical disunities." From the critical perspective, it was important to list these qualities of Jackson's literature in order to see that the fiction of Shirley Jackson, specifically her focus on the themes of life and death, belong to that major stream of American literature represented by Poe, Hawth orne, Melville, James, and Faulkner. Traditionally for Shirley Jackson's fiction, her protagonists and audience are immobilized by dread and death. Indeed, author's fiction revolves around dread: what it is and what it feels like. In her work, dread is an emotion, a predicament, an existential condition. What is dreaded is a truth which seems to be the author's. As one reads, one feels the presence of Shirley Jackson in her work. In "The Lottery," something dreadful occurs from the very beginning. Regularly, once-a-year, a villager is ritually stoned to death. But this event inspires no fear. Rather, it is sanctioned by the community. From the readers' perspective, they appreciate the horror of the lottery, but their only reaction is surprise. The sense of horror comes later, after they finish reading. Like the villagers themselves, readers are dissociated emotionally from the feelings, and Jackson manages this through the delay of information. Thus a paradox emerges. Something fearful occurs, but the fearful event is not anticipated by reader or character. Nevertheless, the reader's sense of dread is increased by the story - not in the forward movement of reading, but retrospectively. The point is this that Jackson mystifies the reader in order to take the reader by surprise. In Jackson's work it is the emotion of surprise which finally gets under audience's skin and proves to readers that they have something to worry about. "The Lottery" is the tale of a town ritual, namely, the stoning of one of its citizens, chosen collectively by drawing lots. From the very beginning of the narration, Shirley Jackson displays great ability to suggest and foreshadow through her symbols and descriptions of setting and circumstances. Shirley Jackson masterfully and not accidentally put the most important symbol of her short story in its title. The lottery symbolizes death, meaningless, insensible and evident. Critically speaking, insensibility and meaninglessness are the elements of author's narrational emphasis, and these themes find their place in all Jackson fiction. In this particular short story, the cruelty of the

Study About Pc Troubleshooting And Maintenance Computer Science Essay

Study About Pc Troubleshooting And Maintenance Computer Science Essay Most of the time when we start up our computers, the CPU or Central Processing Unit goes through a series of steps or procedures before the computer operating systems boots from the hard disk. These initial steps are all categorized in a system called CMOS which stands for Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor. This is the where the systems settings such as the system clock, hard disk status, optical drives and other settings like the CPUs clock speed, FSB and so on are all on this setting. On the other hand, the chip that stores the settings is known as the BIOS chip also known as Basic Input Output System. This holds the most basic computer instructions that are required to boot the operating system like Windows XP or Linux based operating systems such as Ubuntu. Many people always get mistaken by calling is a CMOS chip, but since the BIOS and CMOS is so tightly intertwined, they can be both referred to as one (Difference between CMOS and BIOS, Dennis Faas). In other words, the CMOS chip stores the data needed for the BIOS so that the computer may boot us properly. The battery used to store the data is a lithium button battery which is located just near the CMOS chip and the CMOS jumper. This battery hold provides power to the CMOS chip even when the power of the computer is shut off. This is necessary where the chip is volatile, means that it will lose data when there is no power unlike a hard disk which work on magnetism. What is BIOS CMOS BIOS is commonly known as Basic Input/Output System. It is practically the lowest level processor that stands in between the hardware like the chipset and the processor with the operating system that is installed in a hard disk. The BIOS gives full access to the hardware components to allow a creation of high level operating systems such as Windows XP, Windows 7, Macintosh as well as Linux based operating systems. Moreover, the BIOS is also responsible over the behaviour of the hardware, such as the processors clock speed, the Front Side Bus or known as FSB, system clock, and many other vital hardware settings which is required to load or configured before the operating system loads into the Random Access Memory or RAM (System BIOS, Charles M. Kozierok, 2001). For a computer to operate, all the components must be given specific instructions on how and what they are suppose to do. Usually, that is where the BIOS come into play. The BIOS has a special software in which it runs preliminary codes or instructions which is preset into the ROM chip or Read Only Memory chip that is executed to load the operating system from the hard disk into the RAM for the computer to further execute more complicated commands and instructions so that it would be easier for the processor to communicate with the RAM in terms of instruction execution and access (The BIOS Program, Charles M. Kozierok, 2001). One of the most basic operations of the BIOS is the POST (Power On Self Test). This part is done to make sure that all of the components in the computer such as the motherboard, hard disks, optical drives, graphics adapter card and other components are working and they are detected throughout the system. Figure 1: BIOS that uses flash memory CMOS or Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor is low in power consumption and has low heat production rate technology that is used in contemporary microchips and it is commonly known as a small battery powered configuration chip where the BIOS stores the time, date and the system configuration settings (What is CMOS?, 2010). The main composition of this chip is made from silicon and germanium which in a way conducts electricity. These materials are then doped where impurities are added to transform it into a fully scaled transistor, either of extra negative charged (N-type) or positively charged (P-type). CMOS on the other hand uses both kinds of transistors in a complementary way to create a current gate where it makes an electrical control present. They practically use no power at all but this in another way, it makes it heat up fast where this sets a major limit to the speed where a microprocessor can operate (CMOS, 2005). The CMOS has a software which is a setup that is included in the creation of the chip. This setup is very vital for system configuration such as the frequency and voltage control of the components, the system date and time and the POST settings as well as the boot priority settings for the operating system to load. Figure 2: Examples of CMOS setup software interface Types of BIOS CMOS Now we know that BIOS is mainly the system where as the CMOS is the chip that contains a software that runs the BIOS. BIOSes were programmed initially into ROMs or PROMs (Programmable Read Only Memory) CMOS chips, where it only stored a very limited amount of data of the system configuration. Extensibility of the BIOS is limited to the capacity of the CMOS chip hence many years later BIOSes became more better when they introduce a new kind technology known as EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) and EEPROM (Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory). Though EPROMs are eraser in a very different manner where the chip has to be exposed to UV light which passes through a small glass window on the chip, in order to clear all the memory cells. The chip has a small window that allows the intake of UV light upon erasing the data instructions in the CMOS chip (How to erase and program an EPROM, 2003). Figure 3: DIP type ROM CMOS chip Figure 4: PLCC type PROM CMOS chip The CMOS chip on the other hand has 2 commonly used types, categorized by their packages, PLCC and DIP. PLCC stands for Plastic Leaded Chip Carrier which is a four sided chip carrier with a J lead and pin spacings of 1.27mm. The lead count or legs usually range from 20 to 84 (Minges, Merrill L. (1989). Electronic Materials Handbook). DIP stands for Dual Inline Package which consists of two parallel sided electrical connecting pins connected to a rectangular housing. Both types of packages for the CMOS chip is fixed at 32 pins, since the CMOS settings only need to transfer about 32 bits across the board. Like mentioned in the introduction, the BIOS or the CMOS chip is powered by a battery that is used to store the settings and instructions intact even after the power is turned off. Below are the several types of batteries the CMOS chip uses (CMOS Battery, 2010): Figure 5: 3V Lithium Button Cell Battery Figure 6: 4.5V Alkaline Battery Figure 7: 3.6V Nickel-Cadmium Battery (Solder Connectors) Current Technologies and Models for BIOS CMOS In todays market, the current technology used in BIOS and CMOS is the PLCC type, EEPROM CMOS chip and powered by a 3V Lithium Battery Cell. The CMOS setup for the BIOS include two major companies which are American Megatrends and Phoenix BIOS. There are also other types setups which are configured by the computer manufacturer such as Dell, Acer, HP Compaq and many more. The BIOS on the other hand provides extra facilities in terms of the configurability of the onboard devices like the embedded audio, the processors voltage, FSB, Multiplier, RAM voltage, hard disk boot sequence and many more. Below are some examples of the CMOS setup screens in configuration mode for different types of setup: Figure 8: CMOS setup main page for AWARD Software. Figure 9: CPU Configuration settings Figure 10: Boot Sequence settings BIOS CMOS Failures and Solutions Like the RAMs and hard disks, the BIOS and CMOS chip can also have error and failures. There are three types of virus invasion that can affect the BIOS system: CIH Black Hat 2006 Persistent BIOS Infection CIH was the first virus that was able to erase the content on a Flash ROM BIOS. It was also given the nickname as Chernobyl Virus The extent of the virus lead to the ejection of the CMOS chip from the motherboard and sent for reprogramming for it has also distorted its basic functionality. Black Hat 2006 is a virus that is capable to elevate privileges and read physical memory, using malicious procedures that replaced normal ACPI functions stored in flash memory. Persistent BIOS Infection work as an insertion of malicious code into the decompression routines in the BIOS, allowing for nearly full control of the PC at every start-up, even before the operating system is booted. The proof of the concept does not exploit a flaw in the BIOS implementation, but only involves the normal BIOS flashing procedures. Thus, it requires physical access to the machine or for the user on the operating system to be root (Researchers unveil persistent BIOS attack methods, 2009). Solutions to overcome these kinds of virus usually required either reprogramming of the CMOS chip or just an upgrade of the CMOS firmware. To reset all the data in the BIOS via the CMOS chip are usually done as follows: Turn off all power and disconnect all wires from the PC Open the CPU casing to reveal the motherboard Find the jumper pins that is used to clear the CMOS settings or a small button near the CMOS chip Short the jumper pins by moving the connector from 1-2 to 2-3 position to clear the settings and remove the system battery. Else, press the button for 8 seconds. After this is done, move the jumper connector back to its original position 1-2 and then place the system battery back in its place. Place the cover back and connect all the wires and turn on the power Once the computer loads and pass the POST test, the BIOS will prompt to enter CMOS settings to set it back again. After the settings are set, save the settings and exit the menu so the computer can restart and load the operating system. Conclusion In conclusion, the BIOS is the most system for a computer to boot and load settings for the all the hardware components. The CMOS chip is a requirement for it is the component that stores the instructions of the BIOS into the setup. Without this, the computer would not know how to load the operating system or identify the existence of any hardware components.

Experiencing Cyberspace :: web internet

Experiencing Cyberspace 1.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If a survey were being done on how people experience cyberspace, one would immediately notice that no two answers would be the same. Experiencing cyberspace is something that is different for every individual. I myself experience cyberspace psychologically, I experience it in my mind. There have been many attempts at trying to define the abstruse term, but up to date, no one has pinned the tail on the donkey. There cannot be one solid definition for a word that possesses so many meanings. I personally associate the word cyberspace with the idea of being able to travel to distant places without ever leaving my chair. Obviously, I know that there is no possible way of visiting different places or countries via my home computer, but in my mind, when I see the location that I am connected to, it feel as though a part of me is there. The best part is that I can switch from scenario to scenario without having to travel any ground. I do not feel a sense of distance or location, except when it takes a prolonged amount of time to connect to a host. When I travel from place to place (site to site), I do not cover any known physical distances, but instead I cover visual distance. Just as many people do, I refer to the places that I visit as virtual worlds. I like calling them this because I never actually get to see the reality of the "world". I only get to see it electronically and digitally. The feeling that I experience while in cyberspace is knowing that I possess the power to visit any where I want. When I click one of the buttons on the mouse, or what I refer to as a transporter, I feel as though all the power in the world rests at the end of my fingertips. I am in my own sort of fantasy land. Once I land in a desired location, or website, I have the opportunity to click on pictures and words that take me to new worlds. These pictures and words have the power to make my virtual tour even more pleasing by introducing me to new and exciting things. People have referred to experiences in cyberspace, experiences such as mine, as a basic extension of the mind. I definitely agree with this statement. I believe that it takes imagination and creativity to experience all of the things that cyberspace has to offer. With all the colors, strange text and mind-boggling graphics, cyberspace is something that everyone must experience on their own.