Getting a Chinese Foot Massage

The Chinese foot massage has been practiced for centuries and is a popular pastime in China. The process consists of a foot bath followed by an intense massage on various pressure points in the feet, ankles, and legs. For many Westerners, a traditional Chinese massage can be painful the first time.   In China, people get a foot massage for a variety of reasons, ranging from getting pampered, to socializing with friends  or treating an injury or sickness. Read on to see if a Chinese foot massage interests you and where to sign up for one! Historical Background The ancient Chinese medical text,  Huangdi Neijing (é »Æ'Ã¥ ¸ Ã¥â€¦ §Ã§ ¶â€œ), has been consulted for more than two millennia. It was written by the Yellow Emperor (é »Æ'Ã¥ ¸ , Huà ¡ngdà ¬). In the text, the Emperor recommends massage for healing and health. Since then, massages have been incorporated into treatment for medical ailments. They are widely performed in hospitals and massage parlors today. What To Expect During A Chinese Foot Massage While the quality of a traditional Chinese foot massage may vary, it typically begins with being seated on a footstool while soaking the feet in hot water infused with tea and herbs. While the feet are soaking, the masseur massages and kneads a person’s shoulders, upper back, and neck for five to 15 minutes. After, the person is transferred to a comfy lounge chair. Next, the feet are removed from the water and dried off with a towel and then propped up on a footstool. Then, the massage therapist wraps one foot in a towel and then begins to work on the other foot. The massage therapist applies cream or lotion to the foot and then rubs, kneads, pushes, and massages pressure points on the bottom, top, and sides of the foot. The massage is often painful, particularly for first-timers, because it is believed that each part of the foot is connected to a part of the body. If soreness is felt in a particular part of the foot, the theory is that the corresponding part of the body has a problem. After both feet are massaged, hot towels are wrapped around the feet. After the massage therapist rubs the swaddled feet, they are dried. Then, the lower legs and thighs are massaged using kneading, stroking, and pounding motions.   A cup of tea is often served before, during or after the massage. Snacks such as dried plums, nuts, or tomatoes may also be served. Where Can I Get A Chinese Foot Massage? Traditional Chinese foot massages are available in cities large and small throughout China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Getting a traditional Chinese foot massage is routine and serves as either time for rest and relaxation or as a time to catch up with friends and family. Follow these spa etiquette tips for getting a massage in China. Price A 30 minute, hour-long, and 90-minute foot massage cost about $5-$15 in the East. In the West, traditional Chinese foot massages can be found in Chinatowns and some spas. Expect to pay $20 or more for an hour-long massage and dont forget to tip.

The Education Soldier Tour Of Duty - 946 Words

The Education Soldier Tour of Duty – Lesson Plan 1 1. Student Outcomes: The student(s) will determine why society/classrooms have rules then define and compose a working classroom definition of the term â€Å"education soldier† and apply said definition to classroom rules. 2. Standards: a. ACOS Social Studies 2. 1.) Relate principles of American democracy to the founding of the nation. †¢ Utilizing school and classroom rules to reinforce democratic values b. CCSS Language Arts 2.1) Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups. 3. Materials/Media/Technology: Vintage photo, anchor chart, journals, audio clip of bugle reveille and writing†¦show more content†¦Students will be presented with an â€Å"education soldier† rubric. This rubric will serve as the rules/laws which will be used as a tool to develop autonomous thinking/behaviors. Additionally, students will be introduced to the rules of behavior expected of soldiers, i.e., our military. The teacher may ask the following: What does it mean to be an education soldier? How does one become an education? c. Active Engagement- The teacher will play the army bugle reveille to gather students to the meeting area. He will then present a vintage photo of newly recruited military enlistees exercising at a boot camp. The students will investigate the photo as to what they believe is happening in the photo and why. The teacher will facilitate questions asked by the students and guide them to making the connection to the reasons of personal choice making. d. Link to Ongoing Work – The teacher will remind students to the goal is be mindful of how our actions impact others and how laws are often created due to the poor actions of a few. The students will be reminded to use the rubric as a way of helping them to make better choices which impact themselves and others. In addition, the students will be reminded that when they hear the reveille bugle, it is time to return to the meeting area of the room. 5. Independent Work Time with Instruction: a. Whole-Group Instruction- The teacher will use the active engagement portion to open a

Dominos free essay sample

During my years at college, my goal is to learn to be a domino. Before I knew how to play the game of dominos, I used to line up my dominos one by one in a perfectly straight line. When I finished, I would knock over the first domino and watch as the whole line fell one by one. I was only a kid with a toy, but the domino effect is one I still support. One choice has the power to affect a life, or several lives, just as one domino can affect the whole line. My first domino was placed in the during my middle school life. April twenty sixth 2007, my cousin Kelly died from Cystic Fibrosis. She was like an older sister to me so the hit was hard. To honor her, I started the Kelly Klub to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis. At this age, I was unsure of religion. We will write a custom essay sample on Dominos or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page While death may cause people to question their faith, my cousin’s death led me to God. And so this domino fell. After I made my confirmation, I wanted to be more engaged with the Church. Consequently, I became a religion teacher at ***** ****’s CCD Religious Education Program, where I still teach a third-grade class. Next, I considered attending a Catholic high school to continue my learning. Leaving the public school I had been a member of since kindergarten was a major change in my life. It was the kind of change that made me nervous the stomach knotting insomnia-provoking kind of nervous. I decided to leave my comfort zone and enroll at, St. ****’s, knocking over my second domino. My third domino fell a short time later as I started high school. The students around me already knew each other while I was nervous and alone. However, I met some of my best friends that day. I would eventually go on to be president of the Chess Club and take part in the school production of Bye Bye Birdie. The following day, I made a great friend who gave me the support to reach my next domino. With my friend’s recommendation, I joined Inkpop, a website for young writers. With the site, I finished two novels and am working on a third. Through Inkpop, I found TeenInk Magazine and was one of thirty-two girls to be accepted into the TeenInk Intensive Summer Writing Program for my writing ability. I studied there for two weeks to improve my writing skills, which are now stronger than ever. I hope that my college years will help me achieve my goal of being a domino that will knock other ones in the right direction. I want to use my skills to help other people through my teaching (the major I hope to follow at your school). Playing dominos as a kid, I had no idea how that childhood game would become an experience that would change my view on life and inspire me, but I hope you’re your college’s community will help me to grow as a future educator, a human, and finally, as a domino.

To Kill A Mockingbird Essays (1173 words) - Literature, Fiction

To Kill A Mockingbird To Kill A Mockingbird is a perfect example of an unsubstantiated judgment or an opinion about an individual. The prime message in the novel is that of racism, how the actions of a community, not just a parent, can affect a child. Born, Nelle Harper Lee in 1926, Monroeville, Alabama. She attended school at three different colleges where she studied law, Huntington College from 1944-1945, University of Alabama from 1945- 1949, and studied one year at Oxford University. The study of law and its principles helped her develop the way she was brought up. Her upbringing gave her raw material to write her only book. She was the youngest of four kids. When she started off in the real world she worked as a reservation clerk with Eastern Airlines and BOAC in New York City. To concentrate on her writing she quit working as an airline clerk. In 1957 she submitted the manuscript of her book to the J. B. Lippincott Company. She was told that her novel consisted of a series of short stories strung together. She was urged to rewrite it. For the next two and a half-year she reworked the manuscript with the help of her editor, Tay Hohoff, and in 1960 To Kill A Mockingbird was published. Harper Lee only wrote one book so far, and critics are waiting for her next book. There have not been as much published on the doings of Lee since 1966. Prejudice, strictly defined, a preformed and unsubstantiated judgment or opinion about an individual or a group, either favorable or unfavorable in nature. In modern usage, however, the term most often denotes an unfavorable or hostile attitude toward other people based on their membership in another social or ethnic group. The distinguishing characteristic of a prejudice is that it relies on stereotypes (oversimplified generalizations) about the group against which the prejudice is directed. Examples of prejudice abound in history. In most cases, a prejudiced attitude held by a dominant ethnic group against a minority or disadvantaged group within the same society. The most elaborate kind of discrimination is segregation?the isolation of ethnic groups enforced by law or custom or both. Examples of segregation include the strict confinement of Jews to the ghettos of medieval European cities and the rigid race-separation laws of modern-day South Africa, but segregation can also apply to the exclusion of a member of a minority group from social clubs or from access to particular jobs or educational opportunities. The mixing of ethnic groups might be expected to lead to the rapid disappearance of prejudice, on the theory that prolonged contact between people should destroy stereotypes. In practice, however, prejudiced attitudes often have proved extremely difficult to eradicate, even when law enforces integration. Racism today is not as strong as it was 20 years ago. There was a time where African Americans could not even drink out of the same drinking fountain as the "white" people. It is true the today racism is not as bad of an issue, but no matter who denies racism, it is still a major part of the society. Not long ago in Daytona Beach Florida, there was a trial of prejudice. The major hotel chain, The Adam's Mark was charged with prejudice towards African Americans. The Adam's Mark charged double for room service, made the black guests of the hotel where wrist bands, would not allow their cars in parking garages, and most important treated them as animals. This is only one situation of prejudice that goes on this day is age, everyday someone or something is hurt with prejudice. Not only is prejudice in hotels, but it is on the street, in the schools, and in the homes of many people today. Still today there are racial fights that break out. In the schools, there are very few black children that attend public schools. In the homes of many Americans, the issue of African Americans is a daily situation. In the book "To Kill A Mockingbird", prejudice is an overall issue. Prejudice runs wild in Maycomb County. The town has prejudice against blacks. This is seen in the case against Tom Robinson. Robinson is wrongly accused, and loses his life due to racism in the community. Even though it is obvious, to every person in the jury, that Robinson could not have committed the crime, and that he is an upright and religious churchgoing man, he is still accused of rape and jailed. It is obvious that he is innocent through evidence presented by Atticus,

Free Essays on Bad Tendency Or Clear And Present Danger

have a tendency to undermine the authority of government to corrupt the morals of some members of society, the writer or speaker can be punished.† (Holsinger & Dilts – 49). Under this precedent there was almost always a conviction since only a propensity towards harm can prove guilt. Through several World War I sedition cases, the â€Å"bad tendency† test was used in trials for Socialists, and draft dodgers. This precedent would not be changed until 1919 with another Socialist case which involved a man named Charles Schenck. At this point in defense, counsel finally decided to argue that â€Å"bad tendency† meddled with the First Amendment’s right to free speech. In Schenck v. U.S. , Charles Schenck the secretary of the Socialist party printed brochures urging citizens to oppose the draft during World War I. He was charged with violating the Espionage Act, found guilty, and then sentenced to jail. The case was brought to the Supreme Court under strict scrutiny. With this ... Free Essays on Bad Tendency Or Clear And Present Danger Free Essays on Bad Tendency Or Clear And Present Danger The progression of Supreme Court cases starting 1919 began a debate about the extent of the First Amendment’s protection of sedition and also how it would be defined. The first explanation was called â€Å"bad tendency,† and it was way too vague and subjective to be relied on. Next, through Schenck v. U.S. the famous â€Å"fire in a movie theater† example was given to describe the â€Å"Clear and Present Danger† idea. Through each case the precedent was becoming more and more refined to create a more detailed law in prosecuting sedition. An old existing explanation called â€Å"bad tendency† was the only precedent for prosecuting cases, which compromised the given freedoms of speech and press. This idea of â€Å"bad tendency† came from English common law that even justified American ideas like the Sedition Act if 1798. No definite injury needs to be shown to prove this theory. The actual â€Å"bad tendency† terms are as follows: â€Å"If words have a tendency to undermine the authority of government to corrupt the morals of some members of society, the writer or speaker can be punished.† (Holsinger & Dilts – 49). Under this precedent there was almost always a conviction since only a propensity towards harm can prove guilt. Through several World War I sedition cases, the â€Å"bad tendency† test was used in trials for Socialists, and draft dodgers. This precedent would not be changed until 1919 with another Socialist case which involved a man named Charles Schenck. At this point in defense, counsel finally decided to argue that â€Å"bad tendency† meddled with the First Amendment’s right to free speech. In Schenck v. U.S. , Charles Schenck the secretary of the Socialist party printed brochures urging citizens to oppose the draft during World War I. He was charged with violating the Espionage Act, found guilty, and then sentenced to jail. The case was brought to the Supreme Court under strict scrutiny. With this ...

Understanding Antonomasia

Understanding Antonomasia Antonomasia is a rhetorical term for the substitution of a title, epithet, or descriptive phrase for a proper name (or of a personal name for a common name) to designate a member of a group or class. It is a type of synecdoche. Roger Hornberry characterizes the figure as basically a nickname with knobs on (Sounds Good on Paper, 2010). Etymology From the Greek, instead of plus name (to name differently). Examples and Observations The character of James Sawyer Ford in the ABC television program Lost (2004-1010) regularly used antonomasia to annoy his companions. His nicknames for Hurley included Lardo, Kong, Pork Pie, Stay Puft, Rerun, Barbar, Pillsbury, Muttonchops, Mongo, Jabba, Deep Dish, Hoss, Jethro, Jumbotron, and International House of Pancakes.Calling a lover Casanova, an office worker Dilbert, Elvis Presley the King, Bill Clinton the Comeback Kid, or Horace Rumpoles wife She Who Must Be ObeyedWhen I eventually met Mr. Right I had no idea that his first name was Always.(Rita Rudner)If the waiter has a mortal enemy, it is the Primper. I hate the Primper. HATE THE PRIMPER! If theres a horrifying sound a waiter never wants to hear, its the THUMP of a purse on the counter. Then the digging sound of the Primpers claws trying to find makeup, hairbrushes, and perfume.(Laurie Notaro, The Idiot Girls Action-Adventure Club, 2002)Jerry: The guy who runs the place is a little temperamental, especially about the or dering procedure. Hes secretly referred to as the Soup Nazi.Elaine: Why? What happens if you dont order right?Jerry: He yells and you dont get your soup.(The Soup Nazi, Seinfeld, November 1995) I told you we could count on Mr. Old-Time Rock and Roll!(Murray referring to Arthur in Velvet Goldmine)Im a myth. Im Beowulf. Im Grendel.(Karl Rove) Metonymy This trope is of the same nature as metonymy, although it can not be said to exhibit the idea more vividly. It consists in putting in place of a proper name, another notion which may be either in apposition to it or predicated of it. Its principal use is to avoid the repetition of the same name, and the too frequent use of the pronoun. The most frequent forms of it are, naming a person from his parentage or country; as, Achilles is called Pelides; Napoleon Bonaparte, the Corsican: or naming him from some of his deeds; as, instead of Scipio, the destroyer of Carthage; instead of Wellington, the hero of Waterloo. In making use of this trope such designations should be selected as are well known, or can be easily understood from the connection, and free from ambiguitythat is, are not equally applicable to other well-known persons.(Andrew D. Hepburn, Manual of English Rhetoric, 1875)

Evaluation of Two New Assessment Methods for Selecting Telephone Case Study - 1

Evaluation of Two New Assessment Methods for Selecting Telephone Customer Service Representatives - Case Study Example Other statistics were also close except r-value with work sample (C), and this could be treated as an outlier. A significant level of consistency is also evident in statistics for results for work sample (T) and results for work sample (C). In all the three results, consistency exists in significant r-values and the use of quantitative approach in analyzing the data further establishes reliability because of freedom from barriers such as effects of emotions. The study’s sample size is also large enough to establish internal consistency and its value that is greater than 30, suitable for normal approximations and relatively large for the population size, explains this. Data collection also included a second rater throughout the process, a factor that eliminated bias. In addition, the replication was done within a short period and therefore eliminated maturation confound. The use of predetermined evaluation criteria for the work sample tests also eliminated possible examiner bia s or uninformed and arbitrary evaluations. These features therefore establishes internal reliability of the evaluations and means that the analysis results are suitable for informing decisions on the organization’s recruitment and staffing decisions (Grinnell & Unrau 124). Similarly, key measures of validity inform its evaluation. Measurement validity is the degree to which a measure meets its intended objectives and analysis of used measures identifies validity. Speed, accuracy, and interpersonal skills are accurate measure of customer-service-relation competence because of identifiable relationship with deliverables. Speed indicates ability to meet demand for phone bookings that is growing, accuracy indicates the ability to satisfy customer my making correct deliveries at the right times, while interpersonal skills identifies ability to develop relationships between customers and the organization for

Recruiting, Selection, and Training Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Recruiting, Selection, and Training - Assignment Example The numerous efforts which have been undertaken by the organisation have provided a good organisational culture which can attract individuals into working for the organisation. Recruitment can be defined as the process of continuously attracting individuals with essential skills, qualifications and desire to make applications for jobs within an organisation. Recruitment process remains one of the fundamental human resource services which seek to ensure the organisation gets the required human capital for performing various functions which the organisations deems essential. Effective recruitment process remains a significant determinant of the quality and skills which employees within the organisation have. During the recruitment process, the organisation must seek to match the organisational requirements. The aspects of recruitment is necessitated by the increasing change in the requirement of human capital within organisations. Before organisations can engage in the recruitment process, a careful analysis of the labour needs, within the organisation remains essential. This enables the stakeholders to estimate the labour needs of the organisation and adopt effective recruitment procedures. Within the organisational structure of Sheraton, the recruitment process is undertaken based on the human capital requirements established by the organisation. The elements which are considered include the skills and experience of the individuals required, in order to undertake the responsibilities effective. Consideration of these factors result in the adoption of a recruitment process, which could either be internal or external recruitment. Internal recruitment refers to the recruitment of an individual from within the organisations. This is commonly undertaken for many of the managerial posts which become vacant. The top management

Total Quality Management Essay Example for Free

Total Quality Management Essay Concept of Leadership Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal. Though there is no universal definition of leadership and indeed many books have been devoted to the topic of leadership, Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal. James Mac Gregor Burns describes a leader as one who instills purposes, not one who controls by brute force. A leader strengthens and inspires the followers to accomplish shared goals. So leadership requires an intuitive understanding of human nature- the basic needs, wants, and abilities of people. It helps leaders direct them on the right track. So leadership should be based on the following concepts: 1) People, paradoxically, need security and independence at the same time. 2) People are sensitive to external rewards and punishments and yet are also strongly self-motivated. 3) People like to hear a kind word of praise. Catch people doing something right. 4) People can process only a few facts at a time, thus, a leader needs to keep things simple. 5) People trust their gut reaction more than statistical data. 6) They distrust the leader’s rhetoric if the words are inconsistent with the leader’s actions. Characteristics of Quality Leaders There are 12 behaviors or characteristics that successful quality leaders demonstrate: 1) They give priority attention to external and internal customers and their needs. Leaders place themselves into the customers’ shoes and service their needs from that perspective. They continually evaluate the customers’ changing requirements. 2) They empower, rather than control, their subordinates. Leaders have trust and confidence in the performance of their subordinates. They provide the resources, training and work environment to help subordinates do their jobs. However, the decision to accept responsibility lies with the individual. 3) They emphasize improvement rather than maintenance. Leaders use the phrase â€Å"If it isn’t perfect, improve it† rather than â€Å"If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.† There is always room for improvement, even if the improvement is small. Major breakthroughs happen but it’s the little ones that keep the continuous process improvement on a positive track. 4) They emphasize prevention; â€Å"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure† is certainly true. It is also true that perfection can be the enemy of creativity. We can’t always wait until we have created the perfect product. There must be a balance between preventing problems and developing better but not the perfect one. 5) They encourage collaboration rather than competition. When functional areas, departments or work groups are in competition, they may find subtle ways of working against each other or withholding information. Instead, there must be collaboration among and within units. 6) They train and coach rather than direct and supervise. Leaders know that the development of the human resource is a necessity. As coaches, they help their subordinates learn to do a better job. 7) They learn from problems. When a problem exists, it is treated as an opportunity rather than something to be minimized or covered up. â€Å"What caused it?† and â€Å"How can we prevent it in future?† are the questions quality leaders ask. 8) They continually try to improve communications. Leaders continually disseminate information about the TQM effort. They make sure that TQM is not just a slogan. Communication is two way- ideas will be generated by people when leaders encourage them and act upon them. 9) They continually demonstrate their commitment to quality, that is; they just do what they have committed to do. They walk their talk- their actions, rather than their words. They let the quality statements be their decision making guide. 10) They choose the suppliers on the basis of quality, not price. Suppliers are encouraged to participate on project teams and become involved. Leaders know that quality begins with quality materials and the true measure is the life cycle cost. 11) They establish organizational systems to support the quality effort. At the senior level, a quality council is provided, and at the first-line level, work groups and project teams are organized to improve the process. 12) They encourage and reorganize team effort. They encourage, provide recognition and reward individuals and teams. Leaders know that people like to hear that their contributions are appreciated and important. This action is one of the leader’s most powerful tools. The Seven Habits of highly effective people: Habit is an intersection of knowledge, skill and desire. Knowledge is what to do and the why; skill is the how to do; and desire is the motivation or want to do. In order for something to become a habit one must have all the three. Stephen R. Covey introduced â€Å"The Seven Habits†- a highly integrated approach that moves from dependency (you take care of me) to independence (I take care of myself) to interdependence (we can so something better together). The first three habits deal with independence- the essence of character growth. Habit 4, 5 and 6 deal with interdependence- teamwork, cooperation, and communication. Habit 7 is the habit of renewal. That’s why, these habits are necessary for leaders to be effective. Habit 1: Be Proactive Being proactive means taking responsibility for your life- the ability to choose the response to a situation. Proactive behavior is a product of conscious choice based of values, rather than reactive behavior, which is based on feelings. Reactive people let circumstances tell them how to respond. On the other hand, proactive people let carefully thought-about, selected and internalized values tell them how to respond. It’s not what not what happens to us but our response that differentiates the two behaviors. No one can make you miserable unless you choose to let them. The language we use is a real indicator of our behavior. Comparisons are given in the table below: Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind The most fundamental application of this habit is to begin each day with an image, picture or paradigm of the end of life as the leader’s frame of reference. All things are created twice- there’s a mental or first creation and a physical or second creation all things. To build a house we first create a blueprint and then construct the actual house. If we want to have a successful organization, we begin with a plan that will produce the appropriate end; thus leadership is the first creation and management is the second. Leadership is doing the right thing and management is doing things right. In order to begin with the end in mind, leader should develop a personal philosophy like:- * Never compromise with honesty * Maintain a positive attitude * Exercise daily * Do not fear mistakes * Read a leadership book daily By centering our lives on correct principles, we create a solid foundation for a the development of the life supporting factors of security, guidance, wisdom and power. Principles are the fundamental truths. They are tightly interwoven threads running with exactness, consistency and strength through the fabric of life.

moralant Free Antigone Essays: Do the Right Thing :: Antigone essays

Antigone: Do the Right Thing Antigone did the right thing by defileing Creon's strict orders on burying Polynices because the unalterable laws of the gods and our morals are higher than the blasphemous laws of man. Creon gave strict orders not to bury Polynices because he lead a rebellion, which turned to rout, in Thebes against Creon, their omnipotent king. Antigone could not bare to watch her brother become consumed by vultures' talons and dogs. Creon finds out that somebody buried Polynices' body and sent people out to get the person who preformed the burial. Antigone is guilty and although she is to be wed to Creon's son, Haemon. He sentences her to be put in a cave with food and water and let the gods decide what to do with her. He was warned by a blind profit not to do this, but he chooses to anyway, leaving him with a dead son, a dead wife, and self-imposed exile. Antigone had good reasons for her actions. She did obey the rules of her gods, which were that any dead body must be given a proper burial, with libatations. This would prevent the soul from being lost between worlds forever, along with wine as an offering to the gods (page 518- side note). Nor could Antigone let Creon's edicts go against her morals (lines 392-394). She chooses to share her love, not her hate (line 443). She couldn't bare to see one family member be chosen over the other because of what a king had decided was right, which she contravened. Why condemn somebody who stood up for what they believed in and is now dead for it anyway? Bringing homage to the family was very important to Antigone (line 422-423). The gods' laws come before mortal laws in Antigone's point-of-view, which is how I believe also. In death, you will answer to your god and no man will have control of your fate in the world that lies hereafter. Therefore by obeying the gods, hopefully, will result in a happy afterlife, which are what most people strive for in ancient times and now. If man does not honor you for noble efforts, your gods' will. Antigone's act was honorable. She stood up to the highest of powers so she could honor her brother, knowing the consequence would be death. Most likely she figured there is only a certain amount man can do to you, so she might as well stand up for not only her family and beliefs, but her gods as well (lines 377-389).

Brand Positioning of Maruti Suzuki

MARUTI SUZUKI – BRAND POSITIONING By: Shweta Amin [ Market Research Analyst ] on  February 13, 2011 1 Comment What comes to your mind first when u come across the term ‘MARUTI SUZUKI’, it always absolutely has to be Maruti 800, best known as ‘The Middle class car of India’. BRAND IMAGE:- MARUTI from as a brand itself is seldom looked at, as a luxury brand. Maruti as a brand is more linked with the SEC B rather than A. And over past many years Maruti Has maintained and up till certain extent restricted its Target Market to same SEC’s.VARIOUS MODELS OF MARUTI SUZUKI IN MARKET:- Hatchback: – Maruti 800, Wragon R, Alto, Swift, Estilo, Ritz, A-star Sedan: – SX4 & Dzire. SUV:- Grand Vitara, Maruti Gypsy, EECO This is quite evident that Maruti Suzuki is leading in its variety of ‘Hatchback’ cars. These for all this while were targeting the group of people who are middle incomed, but Maruti Suzuki has slowly entered and is steadily growing into the category of ‘Sedan’ Vehicles. REMARKABLE GROWTH:-If we observe Maruti as a brand over the years we can note a remarkable phenomena or strategy from their growth in past years. * It first became popular n still is with its launch of Maruti 800 many years back. They targeted middle income groups, who were first time car buyers, looking for low ownership cost with basic need of a family vehicle and the price was approx 2lacs. * After this they never looked back. Then came the other various hatchback models of Maruti like Zen, Wragon, and Alto etc.These Cars again targeted the middle income groups, but this time the positioning was not as the basic need, it was comfort at comparatively lower price, of 4 – 5 lacs. * Then putting Yet another Step forward, they came into Sedan’s with a price of 8-9 lacs these Sedans targeted SEC A as well as B(up till a certain extent) MARUTI KIZASHI The most recent development from Maruti Suzuki is the Launch of ‘Maruti Kizashi’. It has been positioned as the sports sedan; it is fairly high on cost with a Price of approx 17 to 19 Lacs.This Sedan is targeted towards the SEC A with a luxury touch to it. By this way, Maruti Suzuki is now able to target and provide a solution to various types of car buyers, who basically are the different targeted groups according to its Database. Maruti Suzuki seems to have efficiently planned and structured to connect its brand to masses as not only an ‘Economic Brand’ but also a ‘Luxury Brand’ turning it into an all-rounder. It will be interesting to see the consumers’ reaction to this change in the Brand Image of their one of most trusted brands

Analysis of 2 commercial brands Essay

Topic : Analysis of 2 commercial brands of bleaching solution & a determination of the best buy Introduction : Sodium chlorate(I) forms the basis of most commercial bleaches. The amount present in bleaching solution can be determined by a volumetric technique. In this experiment, sodium chlorate(I) reacts with excess potassium iodide in the presence of acid to liberate. The iodine is titrated against standard sodium thiosulphate solution. Chemicals : Bleach solution , 0.1 M Na2S2O3 ,1 M H2SO4 , KI , Starch indicator  Procedures : 1. Determine the total volume of bleach in the commercial bottles provided. Note the brand name, volume & price of each sample. 2. Pipette 25 cm3 bleach solution into a 250 cm3 volumetric flask. Make up to the mark & mix well. 3. Pipette 25 cm3 of this solution into a conical flask. Add 10 cm3 KI solution & 10 cm3 1 M sulphuric acid. 4. Titrate this mixture against the standard sodium thiosulphate solution provided. Add starch indicator when the solution become pale yellow. 5. Record your results and calculate the molarity of the orginal bleach solution. 6. Determine which bleach has the lowest price per mole of actual bleach. Results : Brand A = ___________KAO_____________ Brand B = _________Best Buy____________ Volume = ___________1.5L______________ Volume = ____________2L_______________ Price = _______$12.9 / Bottle____________ Price = ________$10.9 / Bottle____________ Mole = _________0.753 Mol_____________ Mole = ___________1.152 Mol ___________ $/mole = _______$17.13 / Mol ___________ $/mole = __________$9.46 / Mol__________ Best buy is ________ Best Buy___________ Titration of Brand A against the standard sodium thiosulphate solution Titration 1 2 3 4 Final Burette Reading (ml) 31.70 35.70 27.80 32.20 Initial Burette Reading (ml) 2.90 9.80 4.40 8.30 Volume of titrant (ml) 28.80 25.90 25.40 23.50 Mean volume of titrant (ml) = __(25.90+25.40+23.50)à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½3 = 25.1 ml__ Calculation: The Result Of Brand A Sodium chlorate(I) reacts with excess potassium iodide in the Bleaching solution, which is a acid medium. Iodine solution produced. Following equation: 2H+-(aq) + OCl–(aq) + 2I–(aq) –> Cl–(aq) + I2-(aq) + H2O-(l) Secondly, the iodine solution is titrated with sodium thiosulphate solution Following equation: I2(aq) + 2 S2O32- (aq) –> S4O62- (aq) + 2 I-(aq) The Molarity of Na2S2O3 : = 0.1M Number of mole of S2O3- reacted with I2: : = Molarity X Volume = 0.1 X (25.1à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1000) = 0.00251 mol The Mole ratio of Na2S2O3:: I2= 2:1 Number of moles of I2 reacted with S2O3- = (1à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2) X 0.00251 mol = 0.001255 mol The Mole ratio of NaOCl: I2= 1:1 Number of moles of NaOCl used in the titration = I2 = 0.001255 mol Number of moles of NaOCl in the 250ml volumetic flask = 0.001255 mol X 10 = 0.01255 mol Number of moles in 1.5L bleach solution = 0.01255 mol à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 25 X 1500 = 0.753 mol Price of OCl- per mole in brand A = $12.9 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 0.753mol = $17.13 / mol Results : Titration of Brand B against the standard sodium thiosulphate solution Titration 1 2 3 4 Final Burette Reading (ml) 30.90 32.8 31.90 35.20 Initial Burette Reading (ml) 2.10 3.90 3.30 6.90 Volume of titrant (ml) 28.8 28.90 28.60 28.90 Mean volume of titrant (ml) = __(28.90+28.60+28.90)à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½3 = 28.8 ml__ Calculation: The Result Of Brand B Sodium chlorate(I) reacts with excess potassium iodide in the Bleaching solution, which is a acid medium. Iodine solution produced. Following ionic equation: 2H+-(aq) + OCl–(aq) + 2I–(aq) –> Cl–(aq) + I2-(aq) + H2O-(l) Secondly, the iodine solution is titrated with sodium thiosulphate solution Following ionic equation: I2(aq) + 2 S2O32- (aq) –> S4O62- (aq) + 2 I-(aq) The Molarity of Na2S2O3 : = 0.1M Number of mole of S2O3- reacted with I2: : = Molarity X Volume = 0.1 X (28.8à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1000)= 0.00288 mol The Mole ratio of Na2S2O3:: I2= 2:1 Number of moles of I2 reacted with S2O3- = (1à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2) X 0.00288 mol = 0.00144 mol The Mole ratio of NaOCl: I2= 1:1 Number of moles of NaOCl used in the titration = I2 = 0.00144 mol Number of moles of NaOCl in the 250ml volumetic flask = 0.00144 mol X 10 = 0.0144 mol Number of moles in 2L bleach solution = 0.0144 mol à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 25 X 2000 = 1.152 mol Price of OCl- per mole in brand B = $10.9 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1.152 mol = $9.46 / mol Questions : 1. Why must the KI be present in excess ? If less than the specified quantity of KI is added, what effect will this have on the results ? The bleach solution contain sodium chlorate(I),which have ions OCl-.We can prepare the iodine solution by adding the sodium chlorate(I) to potassium iodide in a acidic medium. At first, the sodium chlorate(I) Is the limiting agent. When we add the excess potassium iodide into the bleach solution. Not only it will not effect the result, but also the calculation can be more accurate. All the ions OCl- can be completely reacted. In addition, Iodine solution is only slightly soluble in water but it is very soluble in the solution, which contain I- ions. 2. What is the function of the sulphuric acid ? The function of sulphuric acid is provide a acidic medium containing excess iodide to ionizes the iodine solution to triiodide ions. We must know that the Brown colour of iodine solution is cause for the triiodide ions(I3-).This colour in observation of titration is very important. 3. Bleaching solutions may deteriorate for 2 reasons : (a) react with CO2 in the air according to the equation : 2 OCl- + CO2 –> CO32-+ H2 + Cl2 (b) what is the other reason ? It must be effected by light. It is because the The hypochlorite ions OCl-( will be decompose quickly under light Following equation:2NaOCl –>2NaCl + O2, .While losing some OCl- ions, the result in calculation will not be accurate 4. What should the starch indicator not be added too early ? The starch solution turns the iodine to blue black because of the formation of starch-iodine complex. Also, the complex is not reversible when the concentration of iodine is high. If we add the starch solution early, the attraction of starch molecules and iodine molecules will attract so strongly. Although we have add standard sodium thiosulphate solution, but we can not do completely finish the real result of titration and effecting the calculation. The above-mentioned tell us that the starch solution should be added when only a few of iodine solution left, near the end point of the titration. Conclusion: The bleach solution of brand B is the best buy.

Book Editor How to Work with an Editor For the Best Result

Book Editor How to Work with an Editor For the Best Result Book Editor: How to Work with an Editor For the Best Result Choosing the right book editor means the difference between tons of book sales and 5-star reviewsand a book that flops.I dont care who you are even if youre an editor yourself you need to get your book edited. This is a non-negotiable when it comes to self-publishing.If this is your first time writing and self-publishing a book, then working with a book editor may be novel ground. (Pun intended. Hardy-har-har.)Let’s get one thing out of the way: we encourage all self-published authors to hire a book editor. Nothing will tank a book faster than a whole bunch of reviews complaining about typos.A good book editor can help turn your bookfrom a ho-hum draft into a polished manuscript. To give your book the best chance of success that you can, and get a pro to get your manuscript into tiptop shape before publication.A lot of first-time authors make the mistake of editing their book to death, never progressing far enough to finish their book and getting to the publishing phase.Othe rs think they can toss a messy draft at an editor and expect them to fix everything. There’s a happy medium between making your draft good enough for an editor- and trusting when it’s time for your editor to step in and take over.With that in mind, in this article, we help you navigate the process of getting your book edited- both by you and your editor- so you can get published faster.NOTE: We cover everything in this blog post and much more about the writing, marketing, and publishing process in our VIP Self-Publishing Program. Learn more about it hereBefore we get into our seven tips for getting your book through the editing phase, lets take a look at what an editor does and why its crucial you have one.What exactly does a book editor do?A book editor is someone who reads through your book several times, correcting for grammar, punctuation, structure, content, and more, depending on the type of editor you hire.Essentially, a book editor is there to help your book become the finalized version with the outcome being what you intended.Because lets face it, no matter how hard we try, we cant always get the book right by ourselves. We know all of the content, the message, the theme, and were far too close to the work to understand how an outsider will perceive it.An editor works as that outsider as well as someone who views it with a critical eye. They can help you alter the book so your intended purpose is fulfilled by its end.What type of edit does your book need?Not everyone will need the same type of edit because everyone has varying levels of skill.For example, someone who has a great mind for structure but lacks in the technical skills of writing will benefit more from a line edit versus a developmental edit.That being said, here at Self-Publishing School, we highly recommend all writers of all skill levels get a full edit, which often includes copy, line editing, and developmental edits.Heres a table detailing each type of edit and what th ey entail.Type of EditWhat it MeansCopy EditingIn this type of edit, the editor will correct sentence structure, inconsistencies, tense, spelling and grammar, as well as some content feedback.ProofreadingThis is what most people think of when they think "editor." This type is when your punctuation, word choice, dialogue structure, and more is corrected.Structural EditThis is where the editor organizes the structure, moves pieces around, and suggests changes based on how the information comes across in its order.Developmental EditThis type of edit is when the editor pays close attention to how each chapter builds on the previous, as well as comments and feedback on the content itself.#1 Edit Quickly If you make the mistake of editing extensively, especially while you’re still actively writing, you potentially set yourself up for a major headache, which can delay publishing your book.Look at the example of Scott Allan. Before he joined Self-Publishing School, he spent two year s working on a voluminous self-help tome.His first draft clocked in at an impressive 90,000 words. He spent months perfecting each word. In the blink of an eye, six more months had elapsed, and he had not only sucked himself into the drain of editing, he hadn’t written anything new since he became stuck in self-edit mode.For one year, he wrote (and rewrote!) the book three times. Why, you might wonder? In his words, â€Å"I suppose I didn’t know any better, first of all. That was before I learned the expression ‘Done is better than perfect.’I was under the impression that it wasn’t done until it was perfect.† Months later, he found an expensive editor to take on his book, but the author couldn’t stop tweaking the material.Tweaking lead to rewriting†¦and the book which had been so carefully drafted, then rewritten, then tweaked, never saw the light of day. The book was never actually published.Allan says, â€Å"Painful lesson lear ned: Unpublished books don’t make money!† Eventually, the author went on to write Pathways to Mastery and publish it on Amazon. Using the lessons learned during his first failed self-publishing attempt, the author spent just eight months writing and only two months editing this time.Since writing Pathways to Mastery, Allan has gone on to write and publish three more books, with a significant reduction in writing and editing time for each successive book.His latest book was in the editing phase for only three weeks.Key Takeaway: An unpublished draft won’t earn any money or build your author name. Keep it simple: Draft first, then edit quickly.#2 Accept Imperfections Letting go of perfectionism is one of the hardest things to do. It sounds doable in theory, but in practice? It’s a challenge.Many writers strive for perfection- the perfect grammar, spelling, and choice of words. Especiallywhen the story we’re putting out there is our first book, or abo ut an intensely personal topic, it ups the ante significantly. We’ve been there, and we get it.Here’s what you need to remember: Nothing in life is perfect. No person, book, nor writer.You can spend forever and your book still won’t be 100% â€Å"perfect.† The editing phase can be rough because of the personal investment and attachment we have to our books.Key Takeaway: Instead of striving for the mythical unicorn of book perfection, strive for a reality-based â€Å"as good as this book can be.†#3 Do a Quick First RevisionBefore you give your book to your editor, you want to do a read-through to catch any glaring errors.Say this with me: rip off the Band-Aid. Make your first revision fast. Here’s the best way to make that change of phase from writing to editing: when you’re done with your first draft, circle back and do a quick-and-dirty first revision.This involves a rapid read of the book, just to get a feel of what you’ve w ritten. Brace yourself. This phase might just be the most painful part of the editorial process. This is because it’s the first time you’re looking at your book with a critical eye and reviewing the results of your first draft.You need to make sure your book makes sense and that it doesn’t miss any words that would confuse a reader to the point that they don’t understand what you’re trying to say.This will reduce the back-and-forth hand-offs between you and your editor and will shorten to overall editing phase.If you notice any major problems, like plot holes or missing information, make a note of them but save these bigger edits for the next round of revisions.Your mental game needs to be strong here. You’re going to think, â€Å"I really suck. I hate writing, I hate my book, and I’d rather watch Netflix than ever look at this crap again.†The Buddha once said: â€Å"All things must pass.† Namaste, my friend. You’ ll get through this phase and eventually love yourself (and your writing!) again.Key Takeaway: Give your book the chance it deserves. Right now, it’s just you alone with your book. Make this first revision quick.#4 Read Your First Pass Out LoudDuring your first pass, it’s necessary to read your book out loud to yourself. Your ear processes words in a way that your eyes may not so this gives you sense of pacing, chapter structure, and tone.While you’re reading out loud, try to read through the eyes of a reader. Imagine what your ideal reader looks like and how they’d feel reading this. Visualize their experience with your book.During this read-through, don’t stop to make large corrections. Just use a red pen or highlighter to take notes of the obvious mistakes. Simply mark or circle these errors to come back to later.Put yourself on the clock when you do this. Time yourself for ten-twenty minutes per chapter and keep reading the whole draft through to completion.Key Takeaway: Reading out loud during your first pass can help with tone and pacing. Do this quickly, with a timer.#5 Delve Deeper With a Second PassYour next step is to go back to the beginning of the book and do a second pass. Your second revision should delve deeper. As you read, stay alert to passages that have â€Å"holes† or sections of the book which need to be filled out more.Think of the analogy of building a home: First the frame goes up, then you build the walls. Keep adding to your book until your story and message is clear. Some of us have a tendency to change our voice from one paragraph to the next.Tone shift is something that a strong editor will pick up on, but to the extent you can make things consistent, you should. As this point, your book should be more polished.This is also the stage in which you should focus on making your book stronger by getting rid of weak verbs and replacing them with stronger verbs, like in this video of a live-edit below: Your book still isn’t perfect (remember we cautioned against perfect!) but at this stage, you should have a working manuscript which should be close to publishable. Key Takeaway: Your second pass should fill in the gaps in your story or chapters, and keep tone consistent.#6 Hand Over the Reins to an EditorOne of the hardest parts of the editorial relationship is handing over your passion project to a complete stranger.You may be thinking, â€Å"What? I’m giving it to a complete stranger who doesn’t know me- and doesn’t understand the blood, sweat, and tears that went into this- just so they can mark it up and tell me about all the things I did wrong?!†There’s a reason the editor-writer relationship can feel fraught. It’s because while your book is deeply personal to you, whereas for the editor, it’s just another day at the office. Your editor’s job is to care about the flow of the book, the grammar, spelling, an d in some cases, content.They will take your draft and elevate it to a readable manuscript. Try not to take it personally or push back at their criticism. Your editor will shape your draft into a â€Å"good† book to publish. Notice the deliberate choice of words- we didn’t say perfect!A â€Å"good† book is enjoyable, useful, readable and publishable.Key Takeaway:Dont take your editors constructive criticism personally. You have the same end goal: a good book!#7 Impersonate a Certain Disney PrincessTime to just Let it Go. Send your draft off to your editor and celebrate. Put up your feet and queue up your Netflix binge.You’ve certainly earned it! By the time you’re done with your own revisions and have added and subtracted material, your editorial return time shouldn’t take more than a week- or two, max.Key Takeaway: Just get your draft into the hands of your editor! Let them worry now. You’ve done the heavy lifting. It’s easy to get bogged down in perfection, and its temptingto hold on tightly to your work.It can be a natural reaction to pouring your heart and soul into your dreams. But the quicker you can move your first draft through to the editing phase, the sooner you’ll achieve your dream of a published book.Your Next StepsWhether youre just getting ready to write or, even scarier, to edit, were here for you.Take a look at your FREE training that will give you an overview of just what you need to do to get started.

Changing the Language Settings in Microsoft Word

Changing the Language Settings in Microsoft Word Changing the Language Settings in Microsoft Word The automatic spellchecker  in Microsoft Word is far from perfect, but it can be useful for spotting mistakes in your written work. First, though, you’ll need to know how to change the language settings. This is vital because even regional variations of English can differ in spelling, which means the automatic spellchecker will miss mistakes if the wrong settings are used. Luckily, changing the language in Microsoft Word is a quick and simple process. Changing Language Settings There are two main ways to set the language of a new document in Microsoft Word. The first is to use the â€Å"Review† tab on the main ribbon: Go to the â€Å"Review† tab and find the â€Å"Language† section Click on â€Å"Language† and select â€Å"Set Proofing Language†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Choose the language required in your document from the new window and click â€Å"OK† The second option is possibly even simpler: Click on the language section of the blue bar at the bottom of your document (this will display the current language settings by default) In the new window, select your chosen language and click â€Å"OK† Either approach will ensure the spellchecker looks for spellings specific to your region. For American English, the correct option is â€Å"English (United States).† If you click â€Å"Set as Default,† the same settings will be applied to all new documents. Applying a New Language to Existing Text If you’re applying new language settings to an existing document rather than starting from scratch, you’ll need to select the text you want to modify first. You can do this by selecting the passages you want to check and using the steps outlined above to pick a new proofing language. This also allows you to use different language settings in different parts of the same document, if required. Alternatively, you can quickly select all of the text in a document using â€Å"Ctrl + A† (or â€Å"Cmd + A† on Mac computers), then apply a new language as described above. Comments, Headers and Footnotes For reasons beyond the comprehension of mortal minds, Microsoft treats the language options for comments, headers and footnotes as separate from the main text in your document. The last thing you need is sneaky British spellings in your footnotes! If you’re using any of these features, you’ll need to check that the language settings are consistent with the rest of your document. You can do this either by selecting the relevant text and using the process described above, or by following these steps: Go to â€Å"Styles† and right click the style you want to update (e.g., â€Å"Header†) In the dropdown menu, click â€Å"Modify†¦Ã¢â‚¬  to open a new window In this menu, click â€Å"Format† in the bottom left and select â€Å"Language† Pick the language required and click â€Å"OK† This will ensure consistency between different parts of the document in question, which is especially important if your paper includes extensive footnotes.

HRM Assignment 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

HRM Assignment 1 - Essay Example Hence, all aspects of human resource tend to yield divergent approach. The paper will reveal such divergence in a detailed manner. Human resource is considered to be one of the most important assets for an organization and hence human resource management is a crucial aspect for all organizations operating in the competitive business framework. The function of human resource management is designed in such a way that it leads to maximize the performance of employees and concentrates on minimizing the issues arises out of organizational context regarding decision making, performance appraisal and reward system, communications, wage rate and many more. In 1989, John Storey had identified two distinct forms of human resource management such that Hard and Soft HRM. Hard HRM may be defined as an employee management system that considers workers as a resource that requires be controlling and closely supervising in order to maximise employee performance, ascertain profitability and achieve competitive advantage. In contrast, Storey defined soft human resource management as a system that considers human resource as an im portant factor for achieving organizational effectiveness and hence strives for skill enrichment of existing employees (Storey, 2007). In this paper, the dissimilation between hard and soft HRM will be critically analysed on the basis of employer attitude towards the workers, value of the employees in the organization, level of communication, extent of delegation of authorities and decision making power, transparency in payment and performance appraisal system and above all, organizational structure and leadership style. Though there is no single connotation regarding the appropriateness of hard or soft HRM in an organizational framework, comparative analysis can be drawn for each attributes of human resource

Chinas increasing presence in sub-Saharan Africa Literature review

Chinas increasing presence in sub-Saharan Africa - Literature review Example Kaplinsky, McCormick, and Morris (2007, p.3) note that China is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. The speedy development has particularly been experienced over the last few decades. The growth has been attributed to the economic restricting coupled with improved efficiency (Adisu, Sharkey, and Okoroafo 2010). Data shows that China was the third largest economy in the world in 2004, but at the same time ranked 129th in terms of per capita because it is the most populous country in the world with over a billion people according to the World Development Indicators (Bloomberg 2010). The Central bank of China projected that the economy of the country was to grow by 9.2% in 2006 (Trofimov 2007). However, as at the second quarter of 2006, the Chinese economy had grown by 11.3%, which was the highest in the world in 2006 according to De Lorenzo (2007). The growth in Chinese economy is also attributed to its active role in the global economy, particularly in Sub-Saharan countries where China has invested heavily over the last few decades. As at 2006, the Chinese economy was projected to overtake the U.K. and become the fourth largest in the world. China obtains more than 28% of its gas and oil from sub-Saharan Africa, which among the highest inn the world according to Ajakaiye (2006, p.11-13). Sautman and Hairong (2007, p.16-18) note that the growth of trade between China and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has improved significantly over the last few decades. In this regard, the data available shows that in 2003, the transaction between China and SAA was valued at $18.5 billion, which was a significant improvement in comparison to the 2002, which registered $12.39 billion. (Swartz and Hall 2010). Presently China ranks among the top trading partners with SSA with Gabon being the second largest client after the U.S. Some of the SSA where Chinese investments are highly noticeable includes Kenya, Benin, Nigeria, Angola, South Africa, and Tanzania, Algeria and South Africa just to name but a few (Taylor 2006, P. 937-939). The Chinese companies, particularly the Building and Public Works (BPW) are competing actively against other companies in Africa (Muekalia 2004). This is evident from the Chinese increase in infrastructural projects, a field that many experts say China has high expe rtise as noted by Zafar (2007). China’s motives for its presence in Africa Oil deposits are arguably one of the reasons why China has had a lot of interest in investing in SSA. Kaplinsky, McCormick and Morris (2007, p.14) reveal that the government of China has all a long been very anxious regarding the country’s energy dependency. For instance, Kaplinsky, McCormick and Morris (2007) note that China was the eighth leading oil importer in 2000 and rose to fourth in 2006. China’s oil import was projected to increase to the extent that it was likely to overtake countries like Japan and Japan by 2010 (Fine, and Jomo 2005, p.76). ORAM (2005) cites that the dependency on oil imports present a major challenge to the international duty china intends to undertake. A report shows that Indonesia, Iran, and Oman, for a long time, have been the principle suppliers of oil to China (Anshan 2007, P.70). However, some of the oil producing countries that China has depended on is undergoing depletion such as the Indonesian oil reserves. Further, the U.S. has been able to consolidate its control over Middle East Oil except Iran since its intervention in Iraq (Wang and Bio-Tchane 2008). In addition, the oil deposits in

Machiavelli and Marx Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Machiavelli and Marx - Essay Example The realistic approach to the knowledge of past and contemporary political life and the principle of unity of theory and practice were defended by the younger contemporary of Leonardo da Vinci, a prominent historian and reformer of Science of the State Niccolo Machiavelli. He offered his own philosophy of history, or rather political history, by rejecting a theological providentialism. At the time when Italy was politically impotent, fragmented and lost its independence, Machiavelli suggested a new type of strong personality, self-confident, ideal leader. According to Machiavelli, it is a purposeful, violent man, with unbending will, possessing talent, intelligence, cunning and even treachery. All of the states (Machiavelli was the first to introduce the concept of the state. By this term he understood both the form of government and a territory) were divided into republics (the best forms of government), and the licenses (the worst type.) Machiavelli clearly revealed his republican beliefs in his last major work "The History of Florence†, which brought him fame of outstanding historian. Machiavelli's views on the historical process were inherent in the idea of cyclic recurrence, regular change of government forms. In his opinion, not abstract theoretical calculations, but the real historical experience reveals certain rules and principles of alternation of these forms. The monarchy, as he shows by many examples, is replaced by an oligarchy, oligarchy - by a republic, which, in turn, gives way to a one-man rule; â€Å"this is the series of state evolution† (Baron, 1961). The society struggle of contradictions, interests, conflicts of small and large groups is at the heart of this cyclic recurrence. Karl Marx is one of the founders of the materialist conception of history. His philosophical conception of society has much in common with that of Machiavelli. But, nonetheless, the period, separating these two ideologies, is impressive. So, The Marxist doctrine of the state includes both philosophical and sociological views. He believed that any state should eventually die off. This process is considered as absolutely unavoidable. The state is the result of division of society into antagonistic classes. â€Å"Classes are large groups of people with different interests, which differ in their relation to the means of production. With the emergence of the state a constant class struggle in society appears. The state is a product and manifestation of the intransigence of class antagonisms. The state arises where and when class antagonisms objectively can not be reconciled. In turn, the class struggle necessarily leads to the dictatorship of the proletariat† (Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy, 2010). Machiavelli’s realism also had class character. But it expressed the sequence of requirements of the rising class, the revolutionary aspirations of the bourgeoisie. His ideal ruler is the most uncompromising and strong new alternative of the bourgeois system to the public and political feudalism. Machiavelli never assumed the existence of classless society (1998). Machiavelli was the first philosopher, who began talking about the economy of the state as a part of its prosperity. According to Marx, economic dominates the state. A confrontation within the state is led by two classes of the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The bourgeoisie is the ruling class,

The Theory Of Mcdonaldization Commerce Essay

The Theory Of Mcdonaldization Commerce Essay McDonaldization is the process by which the principles of the fast food industry have come to dominate an increasing number of organizations in modern society. This concept is the central thesis of The McDonaldization of Society 5, a book by George Ritzer. George Ritzer is a highly revered sociologist famous for his works exploring the effect of McDonalization on society. While the effects of McDonaldization can be seen all around us, people disagree on whether they are good or bad. Although McDonaldization has pros and cons, I believe that the positive effects that it has had on society outweigh the negative effects. The theory of Mcdonaldization identifies four primary principles which govern the actions of McDonaldized organizations; efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control. Efficiency refers to an organizations ability to perform its various functions as quickly, and for the lowest cost, as possible. Some examples of organizations attempts to increase efficiency include ATMs, self-checkout stands at the grocery store, and fast food drive-thru windows. Although efficiency is often advertised as a benefit to the consumer, and sometimes is, it can lead to several drawbacks. ATMs and self-checkout stands can take longer than traditional systems and force customers to perform work that was originally performed for them. Calculability refers to the element of McDonaldization by which everything in an organization is quantifiable. This often leads to quantity as a replacement for quality. This can be seen in fast food commercials which focus on the large size and small cost of hamburgers instead of the taste. It also has ties to efficiency (it is easier to identify efficient or inefficient processes if they are quantifiable) and predictability. Predictability is the process by which organizations eliminate any unexpected or unwanted outcomes, as well as any surprise or variability at all, in products and services. An example of this is that any mall in a given geographical region generally has the same shops and a similar layout as compared with any other mall in the given region. The final principle of McDonaldized organizations is control. This largely refers to the control of humans through nonhuman technologies. Nonhuman technologies are technologies, such as barcode scanners, computers, or even rules and regulations, which remove human variability from processes and control people. Obviously this has a strong connection to predictability as well (Ritzer, 2008). What different perspectives can we use to analyze McDonaldization? In the book Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and Leadership, the authors, Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. Deal, suggest using frames to analyze the effects of socological phenomenons, such as McDonaldization, on society. Frames are essentially different perspectives which individuals can use to interpret situations, make judgements, analyze organizations, ect. The author suggests four frames: the structutal frame, human resource frame, symbolic frame, and the political frame. I feel that the structural, human resource, and symbolic frame are useful in analyzing McDonaldization. The structural frame is highly goal-oriented and systematic. It focuses on tasks, facts, and logic.This is definitely the most pervasive frame used by leaders such as Ray Kroc and those at other McDonaldized institutions. The four cornerstones of McDonaldization, efficiency, predictability, calculability, and control, are a major result of this almost purely structural perspective of the organization. After all, the primary metaphor for organizations under the structural frame is that of a machine or factory. One could argue that the characteristics valued in machines or factories are the very same characteristics that culminate in the four cornerstones of McDonaldization. Furthermore, the structural perspective is heavily concerned with rules, policies and technology, another striking similarity to McDonaldization which uses stringent rules and procedures and relies on nonhuman technology to achieve its goals of predictability and efficiency (Bolman Deal, 2008). Another characteristic of McDonaldization and leaders in McDonaldized organizations which occurred to me while researching Ritzers theory is their equivalence to systemizers. Systemizers see organizations through a structural frame and rely on numbers and calculations to analyze organizations. They do not focus on the human aspect of organizations (Leavitt, 2007). I feel that McDonaldized organizations share the same perspective as systemizers and encourage the development of systemizers within themselves. Not only are employs treated in a theory X, systemizing manner but so are customers. Customers are herded in, processed, and shipped out like cattle in a slaughter house. At this point I would like to briefly discuss the selection of the term McDonaldization to explain this societal phenomenon. I understand that McDonaldization is just a term used to describe the spread of characteristics valued by many modern organizations, and I will admit it is a creative one, however McDonalds was far from the first organization to implement this very structural system focusing on factors such as efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control. Earlier figures, such as Fredrick Taylor and Henry Ford, implemented these characteristics long before Ray Kroc and McDonalds. Perhaps the title of Ritzers central concept should have been Taylorization or Fordization. The human resource frame suggests that organizations exist to fulfill the human needs of consumers and employees alike. I feel that the human resource frame by far has the weakest representation within McDonaldized organizations and the limited implementation of it which we do see is very superficial. The human resource frame sees organizations as an extended family that is concerned with people, relationships, skills, and empowerment (Bolman Deal, 2008). These elements clash with the principles of efficiency, predictability, control, and calculability so they have been all but eliminated. This is part of the reason that McDonalds tends to higher teenagers or young, uneducated people. These people are easier to control and more willingly accept the mind-numbing, repetitive tasks associated with McDonaldized jobs. If McDonalds truly did care about people we would see them treat their employees differently. There is a strong theory X approach to management in McDonaldized organizations. The principles of McDonaldized organizations lend themselves to this type of approach. I do not think that the problem is with their ultimate goals, which I would argue are efficiency and predictability, I think the problem is with their means to achieving these goals, calculability and control. Because McDonalds treats their employees in a theory X manner they must rely on calculability and control to achieve their goals (Bolman Deal, 2008). I think it is important that McDonaldized organizations reframe in order to bring some humanity back to their workplace. One suggestion I would make to help reframe these organizations is to abandon the theory X approach and move to a theory Y approach of management (Bolman Deal, 2008). By empowering employees, cultivating their skills, and using positive motivational techniques they can reach their goals without relying so heavily on control and calculability. Reductions in the amount of control and calculability would allow for more autonomy within the workplace and increased humanization. The symbolic frame looks at the importance and significance of symbols, practices, rituals, and customs of a particular organization. McDonaldized organizations have begun exploiting the symbolic frame in an attempt to persuade society that they truly are compassionate organizations. Using McDonalds as an example we can see a multitude of cultural transmitters. The Ronald McDonald House charity, Happy Meal toys, the Happy Meals themselves, Playgrounds, the Im loving it slogan, Ronald McDonald (and other characters), the golden arches, etc. can all be seen as cultural transmitters. These transmitters are designed to portray the underlying meaning and values which McDonalds wants the public to believe it embraces (Bolman Deal, 2008). The playgrounds and Ronald McDonald House charity, for instance, are meant to portray McDonalds as a carrying organization which values the wellness of your family and the communities they operate in. I believe that McDonalds exploitation of the symbolic frame goes back to their very weak application of the human resource frame. Because the ideals of the human resource frame clash so greatly with the principle of McDonaldized organizations they must portray an atmosphere of caring and compassion through alternative means. This is why they dedicate so much time to developing cultural transmitters and exploiting the symbolic frame. This poses a very serious ethical dilemma. The practice of organizations portraying values and beliefs that they do not actually hold is deceptive and dishonest. In the end it may do more damage to the organization than it does good (Bolman Deal, 2008). Although I am not going to focus on Bolman and Deals political frame, I feel that it is important to briefly mention here. People have begun realizing that McDonaldized organizations are portraying false images and the organizations have received bad press. In response, they began using political techniques to build coalitions and gain support within society. Also, I feel that McDonaldized organizations view the market place as a jungle and are fighting for their share of the scarce resources or money (Bolman Deal, 2008). Advantages and Disadvantages of McDonaldization Much of the literature on McDonaldization exclusively focuses on the negative aspects of the phenomenon and does not make a strong distinction between employees and consumer in McDonaldized systems. Authors tell the terrors of a McDonaldized death, McDonaldized systems ravaging the environment, the mind-numbing tasks involved with McDonaldized jobs, and the frustrations of attending a McDonaldized educational institution.Admittedly, even I have focused primarily on the negative aspects of McDonaldization up to this point, but what are the advantages of McDonaldization and from whose perspective? In my opinion, Ritzer and others do a very lack luster job of clearly identifying the advantages associated with McDonaldization for consumers. I am not disputing that there are disadvantages associated with McDonaldization or even saying that advantages outweigh disadvantages or vice versa. I simply feel that in order to analyze any situation effectively we must consider the pros and cons fr om all perspectives and through all frames or perspectives. Two primary advantages of McDonaldization are convience and afforadability. Modern US society is an on-the-go, fast paced environment which values convenience. I am no exception to this phenomenon. When I go to Wal-Mart I just want to get my toothpaste, or whatever item I came for, and go. I am not looking to create personal relationships with the people that serve me my food or ring up my groceries. Between my coworkers, peers at school, bosses, professors, family, friends, and my boyfriend I already feel as though I am downing in personal relationships. The ability to conveniently and quickly complete daily tasks affords me more time to do the things I care about. For instance I can even manage my own bank account or check my email in the middle of the night. This would probably not be possible without some degree of McDonaldization. Affordability is another major advantage of McDonaldization. McDonaldization has allowed regular, middle class people to afford luxuries that even the richest men could not have dreamed of many years ago. While sitting in the Coffee Bean not long ago I saw a homeless man surfing the web and playing a DVD on his portable computer. McDonaldized systems have made this possible. Many products which were once very expensive are now accessible to almost everyone in developed nations. The wealth of information offered by the internet, as well as many products and services that were likely made possible by McDonaldization, cannot be over looked or downplayed when analyzing the effects of McDonaldization on society. How can we deal with McDonaldization? Some people have described McDonaldization as a cage. The image of an iron cage represents society as a whole surrounded by a rationalization system (Ritzer, 2003). Perhaps it is because I am a product of a McDonaldized society, but I certainly would not use the metaphor of a cage to describe McDonaldization. Although the cage-like image may fit to a certain degree, it is certainly not an iron cage because escape remains an easy option for most people (Ritzer, 2003). McDonaldization only dominates our lives to the extent which we allow it to dominate our lives. I exploit McDonaldization to obtain the advantages discussed in this paper and in no way does McDonaldization take advantage of me. For this reason, I think describing McDonaldization as a cage is a narrow-minded, deceptive portrayal. That being said, I feel there are several simple steps that those who do not prefer McDonaldized systems can take to deal with McDonaldization. Consumers, especially, have a great deal of freedom with the way they handle McDonaldization. After all, the ultimate choice is theirs. If they have a high level of distain for McDonaldized organizations they can simply desist from patronizing them. In my personal opinion, the most important step is to avoid the invasion of McDonaldization into ones personal life. My own family has done things such as avoiding McDonaldized meals and outings. I think this has helped us to cultivate strong, healthy relationships in our personal lives. Employees of McDonaldized systems, on the other hand, have a very limited amount of freedom when it comes to dealing with McDonaldization. Those in managerial position can subtly resist by doing things such as employing Maslows hierarchy of needs and a theory Y management approach (Bolman Deal, 2008). Of Course this only works to the extent that their bosses allowing it to go on. Im afraid that lower level employees are only afforded one option for dealing with McDonaldization (but it is probably the best option), Education. McDonaldized organizations, and their mind-numbing, mundane jobs, are here to stay. For many the last line of defense is education. I myself am going to school for this specific reason. Unfortunately, those employed in McDonaldized jobs are armed with little more than their creativity and critical thinking skills to survive in the meantime. Conclusion McDonaldization is the processes through which the principles of the fast food industry, efficiency, predictability, calculability, and control, have come to dominate an increasing number of organizations in modern society (Ritzer, 2008). McDonaldization can lead to several disadvantages, such as dehumanized jobs and services, and several advantages, such as convenience and affordability. These advantages and disadvantages are proliferated primarily through a stringent application of Bolman and Deals (2008) structural frame and use of the systemizer perspective (Leavitt, 2007). Although McDonaldized organizations use the symbolic frame to create the perception that they care about their employees, communities, and clientele, it is largely superficial. For example, McDonalds uses symbols such as the Ronald McDonald House charity, playgrounds, and friendly characters (such as Ronald McDonald) to give the illusion that they truly care about people. If they truly did care about people we would see a stronger implementation of the human resource frame within their organization. One possible approach to this problem would be for them to use a theory Y approach to achieve their goals of efficiency and predictability and reduce their dependence on calculability and control (Bolman Deal, 2008). Consumers who do not like McDonaldization can simply avoid patronizing McDonaldized organizations as much as possible. Employees of McDonaldized organizations, on the other hand, will likely have to rely on education to help them obtain better, less McDonalized jobs. Most likely McDonaldized organization will be around for many years to come. McDonaldization has invaded nearly every aspect of society. Even George Ritzers book, The McDonaldization of Society 5, which denounces the evils of McDonaldization is itself McDonaldized. It is highly structured, repetitive, and predictable at times. He even includes a instructors CD ROM with suggested essay questions for educators, thus aiding in McDonaldizing the educational process. People should stop fighting McDonaldization and learn to exploit it. In the end, McDonaldization can only dominate our lives to the extent that we allow it to. As a busy college student, I feel that Mcdonaldization is a great thing, if you use it cautiously. Coll ege students often run short on time especially because they have so many things going on. Online classes, Internet databases, and collaborative websites such as Google Docs, all of which were made possible at least partially due to McDonaldization, make the college experience more accessible and manageable. Instead of letting McDonaldization take advantage of us we must use McDonaldization to our own advantage.

The birds :: essays research papers

In the course of this film we see Melanie develop as a person through confronting the things she fears. Melanie confronts many fears through the course of the film and grows as a person as the film progresses. She goes through a lot in the film and the story implies that she has found herself by the end of the film. The story is of course a thriller but behind the thriller is Melanie’s journey. Melanie’s journey is very quick. She was extremely immature and lost at the beginning of the film and is some what grown up by the end. At the start of the film Melanie was very immature and lost. She is very rich and seems to want to do something with her life. She apparently spends time with charity and other activities of the sort. She is a prankster who apparently went skinny dipping in a fountain at Rome. She also wants to teach a miner bird lewd saying to give to her linguistic aunt. She must be very lost and has no direction in life. Through this film she gains a little more maturity. Melanie gains more maturity through the film. She acts like a lost little rich kid at the beginning and through the film she begins to show a little more maturity and self respect. She begins to see who she really is under all the confidence and pranks. She is needed in the film and she needs that responsibility to become a woman. She gains more responsibility and she becomes a woman, at last. The bird attacks give that catalyst that is needed to start her to become a responsible grown up. She needs the birds to let her become the friend of Cathy, the friend of Lydia and the girlfriend of Mitch. She needs the birds to let her become a protector and a great friend of Annie. She becomes a great person because of the love she shows for the family.

A Farewell to Arms Summary and Critical Analysis Essay

Ernest Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899, in suburban Oak Park, IL, to Dr. Clarence and Grace Hemingway. Ernest was the second of six children to be raised in the quiet suburban town. His father was a physician, and both parents were devout Christians. Hemingway had an aptitude for physical challenge that engaged him through high school, where he both played football and boxed. Because of permanent eye damage contracted from numerous boxing matches, Hemingway was repeatedly rejected from service in World War I. Hemingway also edited his high school newspaper and reported for the Kansas City Star, adding a year to his age after graduating from high school in 1917. After this short stint, Hemingway finally was able to participate in World War I as an ambulance driver for the American Red Cross. He was wounded on July 8, 1918, on the Italian front near Fossalta di Piave. During his convalescence in Milan, he had an affair with a nurse, Agnes von Kurowsky. Hemingway received two decorations from the Italian government, and he joined the Italian infantry. Clarence Hemingway had been suffering from hypertension and diabetes. This painful experience is reflected in the pondering of Robert Jordan in For Whom the Bell Tolls. In addition to personal experiences with war and death, Hemingway’s extensive travel in pursuit of hunting and other sports provided a great deal of material for his novels. Bullfighting inspired Death in the Afternoon, published in 1932. In 1934, Hemingway went on safari in Africa, which gave him new themes and scenes on which to base The Snows of Kilamanjaro and The Green Hills of Africa, published in 1935. In 1950 he published Across the River and Into the Trees, though it was not received with the usual critical acclaim. In 1952, however, Hemingway proved the comment â€Å"Papa is finished† wrong, in that The Old Man and the Sea won the Pulitzer Prize in 1953. In 1954, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature. On July 2, 1961, he died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds. He was buried in Ketchum. â€Å"Papa† was both a legendary celebrity and a sensitive writer, and his influence, as well as some unseen writings, survived his passing. In 1964, A Moveable Feast was published; in 1969, The Fifth Column and Four Stories of the Spanish Civil War; in 1970, Islands in the Stream; in 1972, The Nick Adams Stories; in 1985, The Dangerous Summer; and in 1986, The Garden of Eden. Hemingway’s own life and character are as fascinating as in any of his stories. On one level, Papa was a legendary adventurer who enjoyed his flamboyant lifestyle and celebrity status. However, deep inside lived a disciplined author who worked tirelessly in pursuit of literary perfection. Being married before or after doesn’t effect the child physically or delays its birth. Marriage in this sense is the outward form of their love. Marriage in the physical sense before or after the fact means nothing as with Catherine’s early comment of â€Å"I couldn’t be any more married. † Henry and Catherine surely learned that they were in love no matter married or not. Having a ring on the finger doesn’t make the love any stronger it just a psychical representation of their love. Henry ignores the temptations of the outward forms of religion, love, and symbols as he achieves becoming authentic. The conclusion of â€Å"A Farewell To Arms† with all its death is marked by a rebirth. Henry looses his child and his lover. He finally achieves the status of being authentic in the final scene â€Å"It was like saying good-by to a statue. After a while I went out and left the hospital and walked back to the hotel in the rain. † Henry prior to Catherine death was seeking hope. During Catherine’s final hour Henry prayed to God once more only to go unanswered:Please, please, please, dear God, don’t let her die. Dear God, don’t let her die. Please, please, please, don’t let her die. God please don’t make her die. I’ll do anything you say if you don’t let her die. You took the baby but don’t let her die. That was all right but don’t let her die. Please, please, dear God, don’t let her die. He now knows all the things around him are false. Henry now knows the true forms of religion,patriotism, and love are empty forms of hope. He know knows that any hope must only comefrom within. Henry is now an authentic in that â€Å"He walks quietly back to the hotel in the rain. † andknows that only he can shape his destiny.

Chapter 34 Priori Incantatem

Wormtail approached Harry, who scrambled to find his feet, to support his own weight before the ropes were untied. Wormtail raised his new silver hand, pulled out the wad of material gagging Harry, and then, with one swipe, cut through the bonds tying Harry to the gravestone. There was a split second, perhaps, when Harry might have considered running for it, but his injured leg shook under him as he stood on the overgrown grave, as the Death Eaters closed ranks, forming a tighter circle around him and Voldemort, so that the gaps where the missing Death Eaters should have stood were filled. Wormtail walked out of the circle to the place where Cedric's body lay and returned with Harry's wand, which he thrust roughly into Harry's hand without looking at him. Then Wormtail resumed his place in the circle of watching Death Eaters. â€Å"You have been taught how to duel. Harry Potter?† said Voldemort softly, his red eyes glinting through the darkness. At these words Harry remembered, as though from a former life, the dueling club at Hogwarts he had attended briefly two years ago†¦.All he had learned there was the Disarming Spell, â€Å"Expelliarmus†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦and what use would it be to deprive Voldemort of his wand, even if he could, when he was surrounded by Death Eaters, outnumbered by at least thirty to one? He had never learned anything that could possibly fit him for this. He knew he was facing the thing against which Moody had always warned†¦the unblockable Avada Kedavra curse – and Voldemort was right – his mother was not here to die for him this time†¦.He was quite unprotected†¦. â€Å"We bow to each other. Harry,† said Voldemort, bending a little, but keeping his snakelike face upturned to Harry. â€Å"Come, the niceties must be observed†¦.Dumbledore would like you to show manners†¦.Bow to death, Harry†¦.† The Death Eaters were laughing again. Voldemort's lipless mouth was smiling. Harry did not bow. He was not going to let Voldemort play with him before killing him†¦he was not going to give him that satisfaction†¦. â€Å"I said, bow,† Voldemort said, raising his wand – and Harry felt his spine curve as though a huge, invisible hand were bending him ruthlessly forward, and the Death Eaters laughed harder than ever. â€Å"Very good,† said Voldemort softly, and as he raised his wand the pressure bearing down upon Harry lifted too. â€Å"And now you face me, like a man†¦straight-backed and proud, the way your father died†¦. â€Å"And now – we duel.† Voldemort raised his wand, and before Harry could do anything to defend himself, before he could even move, he had been hit again by the Cruciatus Curse. The pain was so intense, so all-consuming, that he no longer knew where he was†¦.White-hot knives were piercing every inch of his skin, his head was surely going to burst with pain, he was screaming more loudly than he'd ever screamed in his life – And then it stopped. Harry rolled over and scrambled to his feet; he was shaking as uncontrollably as Wormtail had done when his hand had been cut off; he staggered sideways into the wall of watching Death Eaters, and they pushed him away, back toward Voldemort. â€Å"A little break,† said Voldemort, the slit-like nostrils dilating with excitement, â€Å"a little pause†¦That hurt, didn't it. Harry? You don't want me to do that again, do you?† Harry didn't answer. He was going to die like Cedric, those pitiless red eyes were telling him so†¦he was going to die, and there was nothing he could do about it†¦but he wasn't going to play along. He wasn't going to obey Voldemort†¦he wasn't going to beg†¦. â€Å"I asked you whether you want me to do that again,† said Voldemort softly. â€Å"Answer me! Imperio!† And Harry felt, for the third time in his life, the sensation that his mind had been wiped of all thought†¦.Ah, it was bliss, not to think, it was as though he were floating, dreaming†¦just answer no†¦say no†¦just answer no†¦. I will not, said a stronger voice, in the back of his head, I won't answer†¦. Just answer no†¦. I won't do it, I won't say it†¦. Just answer no†¦. â€Å"I WON'T!† And these words burst from Harry's mouth; they echoed through the graveyard, and the dream state was lifted as suddenly as though cold water had been thrown over him – back rushed the aches that the Cruciatus Curse had left all over his body – back rushed the realization of where he was, and what he was facing†¦. â€Å"You won't?† said Voldemort quietly, and the Death Eaters were not laughing now. â€Å"You won't say no? Harry, obedience is a virtue I need to teach you before you die†¦.Perhaps another little dose of pain?† Voldemort raised his wand, but this time Harry was ready; with the reflexes born of his Quidditch training, he flung himself sideways onto the ground; he rolled behind the marble headstone of Voldemort's father, and he heard it crack as the curse missed him. â€Å"We are not playing hide-and-seek, Harry,† said Voldemort's soft, cold voice, drawing nearer, as the Death Eaters laughed. â€Å"You cannot hide from me. Does this mean you are tired of our duel? Does this mean that you would prefer me to finish it now, Harry? Come out, Harry†¦come out and play, then†¦it will be quick†¦it might even be painless†¦I would not know†¦I have never died†¦.† Harry crouched behind the headstone and knew the end had come. There was no hope†¦no help to be had. And as he heard Voldemort draw nearer still, he knew one thing only, and it was beyond fear or reason: He was not going to die crouching here like a child playing hide-and-seek; he was not going to die kneeling at Voldemort's feet†¦he was going to die upright like his father, and he was going to die trying to defend himself, even if no defense was possible†¦. Before Voldemort could stick his snakelike face around the headstone. Harry stood up†¦he gripped his wand tightly in his hand, thrust it out in front of him, and threw himself around the headstone, facing Voldemort. Voldemort was ready. As Harry shouted, â€Å"Expelliarmus!† Voldemort cried, â€Å"Avada Kedavra!† A jet of green light issued from Voldemort's wand just as a jet of red light blasted from Harry's – they met in midair – and suddenly Harry's wand was vibrating as though an electric charge were surging through it; his hand seized up around it; he couldn't have released it if he'd wanted to – and a narrow beam of light connected the two wands, neither red nor green, but bright, deep gold. Harry, following the beam with his astonished gaze, saw that Voldemort's long white fingers too were gripping a wand that was shaking and vibrating. And then – nothing could have prepared Harry for this – he felt his feet lift from the ground. He and Voldemort were both being raised into the air, their wands still connected by that thread of shimmering golden light. They glided away from the tombstone of Voldemort's father and then came to rest on a patch of ground that was clear and free of graves†¦.The Death Eaters were shouting; they were asking Voldemort for instructions; they were closing in, reforming the circle around Harry and Voldemort, the snake slithering at their heels, some of them drawing their wands – The golden thread connecting Harry and Voldemort splintered; though the wands remained connected, a thousand more beams arced high over Harry and Voldemort, crisscrossing all around them, until they were enclosed in a golden, dome-shaped web, a cage of light, beyond which the Death Eaters circled like jackals, their cries strangely muffled now†¦. â€Å"Do nothing!† Voldemort shrieked to the Death Eaters, and Harry saw his red eyes wide with astonishment at what was happening, saw him fighting to break the thread of light still connecting his wand with Harry's; Harry held onto his wand more tightly, with both hands, and the golden thread remained unbroken. â€Å"Do nothing unless I command you!† Voldemort shouted to the Death Eaters. And then an unearthly and beautiful sound filled the air†¦.It was coming from every thread of the light-spun web vibrating around Harry and Voldemort. It was a sound Harry recognized, though he had heard it only once before in his life: phoenix song. It was the sound of hope to Harry†¦the most beautiful and welcome thing he had ever heard in his life†¦.He felt as though the song were inside him instead of just around him†¦.It was the sound he connected with Dumbledore, and it was almost as though a friend were speaking in his ear†¦. Don't break the connection. I know. Harry told the music, I know I mustn't†¦but no sooner had he thought it, than the thing became much harder to do. His wand began to vibrate more powerfully than ever†¦and now the beam between him and Voldemort changed too†¦it was as though large beads of light were sliding up and down the thread connecting the wands – Harry felt his wand give a shudder under his hand as the light beads began to slide slowly and steadily his way†¦.The direction of the beams movement was now toward him, from Voldemort, and he felt his wand shudder angrily†¦. As the closest bead of light moved nearer to Harry's wand tip, the wood beneath his fingers grew so hot he feared it would burst into flame. The closer that bead moved, the harder Harry's wand vibrated; he was sure his wand would not survive contact with it; it felt as though it was about to shatter under his fingers – He concentrated every last particle of his mind upon forcing the bead back toward Voldemort, his ears full of phoenix song, his eyes furious, fixed†¦and slowly, very slowly, the beads quivered to a halt, and then, just as slowly, they began to move the other way†¦and it was Voldemort's wand that was vibrating extra-hard now†¦Voldemort who looked astonished, and almost fearful†¦. One of the beads of light was quivering, inches from the tip of Voldemort's wand. Harry didn't understand why he was doing it, didn't know what it might achieve†¦but he now concentrated as he had never done in his life on forcing that bead of light right back into Voldemort's wand†¦and slowly†¦very slowly†¦it moved along the golden thread†¦it trembled for a moment†¦and then it connected†¦. At once, Voldemort's wand began to emit echoing screams of pain†¦then – Voldemort's red eyes widened with shock – a dense, smoky hand flew out of the tip of it and vanished†¦the ghost of the hand he had made Wormtail†¦more shouts of pain†¦and then something much larger began to blossom from Voldemort's wand tip, a great, grayish something, that looked as though it were made of the solidest, densest smoke†¦.It was a head†¦now a chest and arms†¦the torso of Cedric Diggory. If ever Harry might have released his wand from shock, it would have been then, but instinct kept him clutching his wand tightly, so that the thread of golden light remained unbroken, even though the thick gray ghost of Cedric Diggory (was it a ghost? it looked so solid) emerged in its entirety from the end of Voldemort's wand, as though it were squeezing itself out of a very narrow tunnel†¦and this shade of Cedric stood up, and looked up and down the golden thread of light, and spoke. â€Å"Hold on. Harry,† it said. Its voice was distant and echoing. Harry looked at Voldemort†¦his wide red eyes were still shocked†¦he had no more expected this than Harry had†¦and, very dimly. Harry heard the frightened yells of the Death Eaters, prowling around the edges of the golden dome. More screams of pain from the wand†¦and then something else emerged from its tip†¦the dense shadow of a second head, quickly followed by arms and torso†¦an old man Harry had seen only in a dream was now pushing himself out of the end of the wand just as Cedric had done†¦and his ghost, or his shadow, or whatever it was, fell next to Cedric's, and surveyed Harry and Voldemort, and the golden web, and the connected wands, with mild surprise, leaning on his walking stick†¦. â€Å"He was a real wizard, then?† the old man said, his eyes on Voldemort. â€Å"Killed me, that one did†¦.You fight him, boy†¦.† But already, yet another head was emerging†¦and this head, gray as a smoky statue, was a woman's†¦.Harry, both arms shaking now as he fought to keep his wand still, saw her drop to the ground and straighten up like the others, staring†¦. The shadow of Bertha Jorkins surveyed the battle before her with wide eyes. â€Å"Don't let go, now!† she cried, and her voice echoed like Cedric's as though from very far away. â€Å"Don't let him get you, Harry – don't let go!† She and the other two shadowy figures began to pace around the inner walls of the golden web, while the Death Eaters flitted around the outside of it†¦and Voldemort's dead victims whispered as they circled the duelers, whispered words of encouragement to Harry, and hissed words Harry couldn't hear to Voldemort. And now another head was emerging from the tip of Voldemort's wand†¦and Harry knew when he saw it who it would be†¦he knew, as though he had expected it from the moment when Cedric had appeared from the wand†¦knew, because the man appearing was the one he'd thought of more than any other tonight†¦. The smoky shadow of a tall man with untidy hair fell to the ground as Bertha had done, straightened up, and looked at him†¦and Harry, his arms shaking madly now, looked back into the ghostly face of his father. â€Å"Your mother's coming†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he said quietly. â€Å"She wants to see you†¦it will be all right†¦hold on†¦.† And she came†¦first her head, then her body†¦a young woman with long hair, the smoky, shadowy form of Lily Potter blossomed from the end of Voldemort's wand, fell to the ground, and straightened like her husband. She walked close to Harry, looking down at him, and she spoke in the same distant, echoing voice as the others, but quietly, so that Voldemort, his face now livid with fear as his victims prowled around him, could not hear†¦. â€Å"When the connection is broken, we will linger for only moments†¦but we will give you time†¦you must get to the Portkey, it will return you to Hogwarts†¦do you understand, Harry?† â€Å"Yes,† Harry gasped, fighting now to keep a hold on his wand, which was slipping and sliding beneath his fingers. â€Å"Harry†¦Ã¢â‚¬  whispered the figure of Cedric, â€Å"take my body back, will you? Take my body back to my parents,†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I will,† said Harry, his face screwed up with the effort of holding the wand. â€Å"Do it now,† whispered his father's voice, â€Å"be ready to run†¦do it now†¦.† â€Å"NOW!† Harry yelled; he didn't think he could have held on for another moment anyway – he pulled his wand upward with an almighty wrench, and the golden thread broke; the cage of light vanished, the phoenix song died – but the shadowy figures of Voldemort's victims did not disappear – they were closing in upon Voldemort, shielding Harry from his gaze – And Harry ran as he had never run in his life, knocking two stunned Death Eaters aside as he passed; he zigzagged behind headstones, feeling their curses following him, hearing them hit the headstones – he was dodging curses and graves, pelting toward Cedric's body, no longer aware of the pain in his leg, his whole being concentrated on what he had to do – â€Å"Stun him!† he heard Voldemort scream. Ten feet from Cedric, Harry dived behind a marble angel to avoid the jets of red light and saw the tip of its wing shatter as the spells hit it. Gripping his wand more tightly, he dashed out from behind the angel – â€Å"Impedimenta!† he bellowed, pointing his wand wildly over his shoulder at the Death Eaters running at him. From a muffled yell, he thought he had stopped at least one of them, but there was no time to stop and look; he jumped over the cup and dived as he heard more wand blasts behind him; more jets of light flew over his head as he fell, stretching out his hand to grab Cedric's arm†¦ â€Å"Stand aside! I will kill him! He is mine!† shrieked Voldemort. Harry's hand had closed on Cedric's wrist; one tombstone stood between him and Voldemort, but Cedric was too heavy to carry, and the cup was out of reach – Voldemort's red eyes flamed in the darkness. Harry saw his mouth curl into a smile, saw him raise his wand. â€Å"Accio!† Harry yelled, pointing his wand at the Triwizard Cup. It flew into the air and soared toward him. Harry caught it by the handle – He heard Voldemort's scream of fury at the same moment that he felt the jerk behind his navel that meant the Portkey had worked – it was speeding him away in a whirl of wind and color, and Cedric along with him†¦.They were going back.