Part Six Chapter I

Shortcomings of Voluntary Bodies 22.23 †¦ The principle shortcomings of such bodies are that they are difficult to dispatch, subject to break down †¦ Charles Arnold-Baker Neighborhood Council Administration, Seventh Edition I Many, ordinarily had Colin Wall envisioned the police going to his entryway. They showed up, finally, at nightfall on Sunday evening: a lady and a man, not to capture Colin, however to search for his child. A lethal mishap and ‘Stuart, is it?' was an observer. ‘Is he at home?' ‘No,' said Tessa, ‘oh, dear God †¦ Robbie Weedon †¦ however he lives in the Fields †¦ what was he doing here?' The cop clarified, generous, what they accepted to have occurred. ‘The youngsters took their eye off him' was the expression she utilized. Tessa figured she may swoon. ‘You don't have a clue where Stuart is?' asked the police officer. ‘No,' said Colin, skinny and shadow-looked at. ‘Where would he say he was most recently seen?' ‘When our partner pulled up, Stuart appears to have, ah, flee.' ‘Oh, dear God,' said Tessa once more. ‘He's not replying,' said Colin tranquilly; he had just dialed Fats on his portable. ‘We'll need to proceed to search for him.' Colin had practiced for disaster for his entire life. He was prepared. He brought down his jacket. ‘I'll attempt Arf,' said Tessa, racing to the phone. Secluded over the little town, no updates on the catastrophes had at this point arrived at Hilltop House. Andrew's versatile rang in the kitchen. †Lo,' he stated, his mouth loaded with toast. ‘Andy, it's Tessa Wall. Is Stu with you?' ‘No,' he said. ‘Sorry.' However, he was not in the least grieved that Fats was not with him. ‘Something's occurred, Andy. Stu was down at the stream with Krystal Weedon, and she had her younger sibling with her, and the kid's suffocated. Stu's run †run off some place. Would you be able to figure where he may be?' ‘No,' said Andrew consequently, on the grounds that that was his and Fats' code. Never tell the guardians. However, the loathsomeness of what she had quite recently let him know crawled through the telephone like a damp haze. Everything was out of nowhere less clear, less certain. She was going to hang up. ‘Wait, Mrs Wall,' he said. ‘I may know †¦ there's a spot somewhere near the waterway †¦' ‘I don't think he'd go close to the waterway presently,' said Tessa. Seconds flicked by, and Andrew was increasingly more persuaded that Fats was in the Cubby Hole. ‘It's the main spot I can consider,' he said. ‘Tell me where †‘ ‘I'd need to show you.' ‘I'll be there in a short time,' she yelled. Colin was at that point watching the boulevards of Pagford by walking. Tessa drove the Nissan up the winding slope street, and discovered Andrew hanging tight for her on the corner, where he as a rule got the transport. He guided her down through the town. The road lights were weak by dusk. They stopped by the trees where Andrew for the most part tossed down Simon's dashing bicycle. Tessa escaped the vehicle and followed Andrew to the edge of the water, perplexed and terrified. ‘He's not here,' she said. ‘It's along there,' said Andrew, pointing at the sheer dull face of Pargetter Hill, getting straight down to the waterway with scarcely a lip of bank before the surging water. ‘What do you mean?' asked Tessa, frightened. Andrew had known from the main that she would not have the option to accompany him, short and dumpy as she might have been. ‘I'll take a quick trip and see,' he said. ‘If you hold up here.' ‘But it's excessively hazardous!' she cried over the thunder of the ground-breaking waterway. Overlooking her, he went after the recognizable hand and dependable balance. As he crept away along the little edge, a similar idea came to them two; that Fats may have fallen, or bounced, into the waterway roaring so near Andrew's feet. Tessa stayed at the water's edge until she was unable to make Andrew out any more, at that point dismissed, doing whatever it takes not to cry on the off chance that Stuart was there, and she expected to converse with him serenely. Just because, she pondered where Krystal was. The police had not stated, and her dread for Fats had decimated each other concern †¦ Please God, let me discover Stuart, she supplicated. Let me discover Stuart, if it's not too much trouble God. At that point she pulled her portable from her cardigan pocket and called Kay Bawden. ‘I don't realize whether you've heard,' she yelled, over the surging water, and she disclosed to Kay the story. ‘But I'm not her social specialist any more,' said Kay. Twenty feet away, Andrew had arrived at the Cubby Hole. It was completely dark; he had never been here this late. He swung himself inside. ‘Fats?' He heard something move at the rear of the opening. ‘Fats? You there?' ‘Got a light, Arf?' said an unrecognizable voice. ‘I dropped my bleeding matches.' Andrew thought of yelling out to Tessa, however she didn't have the foggiest idea to what extent it took to arrive at the Cubby Hole. She could hold up a couple of more minutes. He disregarded his lighter. By its gleaming fire, Andrew saw that his companion's appearance was nearly as changed as his voice. Fats' eyes were swollen; his entire face looked puffy. The fire went out. Fats' cigarette tip shined brilliant in the obscurity. ‘Is he dead? Her sibling?' Andrew had not understood that Fats didn't have a clue. ‘Yeah,' he stated, and afterward he included, ‘I think so. That is the thing that I †what I heard.' There was a quietness, and afterward a delicate, piglet-like screech contacted him through the dimness. ‘Mrs Wall,' hollered Andrew, staying his head out of the gap the extent that it would go, with the goal that he was unable to hear Fats' wails over the sound of the stream. ‘Mrs Wall, he's here!'

Richard Iii Summary Essay Example

Richard Iii Summary Essay Richard III Shakespeare effectively depicts (his motivation corresponding to the qualities and desires for the Elizabethan setting) through stage play strategies, for example, utilization of monologue, emotional incongruity, and cleverness. He additionally utilizes language strategies, for example, visual symbolism and sound symbolism all through his play to investigate the detestable job and character of Richard which prompts the advancement of the key topics in his play, Richard III. The main talk educates the crowd regarding Richard’s internal considerations while additionally building up his character, dull thought processes, and his goal in the play. The initial proclamation, â€Å"Now is the winter of our discontent†, alludes to Richard’s despondency because of the war finishing and the harmony that replaces the sentiment of villainy. This quickly educates the crowd regarding Richard’s dull character and the villainy inside him. His villainy and evilness is fortified in â€Å"Our harsh alarums changed to joyful gatherings, Our loathsome walks to brilliant measures†, accentuating that he doesn't need harmony or to share cheerful occasions, however rather flourishes with disorder and brutality. We likewise learn of Richard’s emotions towards his appearance in his first speech, the descriptors utilized by Shakespeare depict Richard’s physical deformities, â€Å"Deformed, incomplete, sent before my time†. This announcement uncovers his feeling of self ugliness which is strengthened in â€Å"That hounds bark at me as I end by them, indicating that his appearance can even alarm creatures. His abhorrent and manipulative conduct is demonstrated again when he intends to set his siblings Clarence and King Edward against one another. This advises the crowd regarding his elevated level of vainglory and that he will consistently put himself in front of his family to get the crown, this is likewise demonstrated as he is intending to end the lives of Edwards beneficiaries in penance for the crown to himself. We will compose a custom paper test on Richard Iii Summary explicitly for you for just $16.38 $13.9/page Request now We will compose a custom exposition test on Richard Iii Summary explicitly for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Recruit Writer We will compose a custom article test on Richard Iii Summary explicitly for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Recruit Writer

Sunsets

Sunsets The sun always seems to hover near eye level. It gets a bit depressing if you always think of it as the sun is setting. Last week was Week 5 of Michaelmas term at Cambridge. Week 5 at MIT means Fifth week flags for Freshmen, Add date deadline, and the end of the first wave of tests. Week 5 at Cambridge, however, means the term is more than halfway over, youve gotten more work than you know what to do with, and a general feeling of panic. I, myself, only got about 5-6 hours of sleep each day last week. This is non-trivial because I like to, and usually do, get about 8-9 hours of sleep every night, even at MIT. But youre probably wondering why I have so much work when there are no tests until April/May and none of what Im doing right now counts? Well, for engineering students (and most science students, I think), we have labs and practicals where we have to 1) participate and 2) write up a lab report. Each lab usually takes around 4 hours and a couple of hours to write up. Depending on your subject and which year youre in, you can have anywhere from no labs to 1-2 labs every week. I believe humanities majors have readings and essays that are equally time consuming. Besides labs, you also get 3-4 example papers per class that are like problem sets. Youre expected to work through them and then discuss them with your supervisor. At Cambridge, you get a supervisor for every class. You usually share this person with 1-2 other students and he/she is usually a grad student or professor who is your point of contact for anything that you dont understand in that class. For 3rd year engineering students, there are only 3-4 supervisions for each class. So during the 5th week, you wouldve already tried to do Example Paper #1 and went over questions with your supervisor and scheduled supervision #2 for some day in week 5. However you realize, the day before your supervision, that not only have you not started on Example Paper #2, you still have questions on Example Paper #1. This is very sad so you end up staying up really late to struggle through the problems because the last thing you want to do is to waste a supervision. The good thing about weekly psets at MIT is that theres an end to the madness. Okay, you finish one and then have to pick up another one. But at least once you finish, you dont have to look at it again until you study for finals. At Cambridge, your example paper sheet just floats around the whole time and you get sick just looking at it. It really is an entirely different education system. I never know what to answer when people ask, How does this compare to MIT? Apples and oranges

Analysis of the Wood Pile - 1335 Words

THE WOOD-PILE: A COMMUNION WITH NATURE Robert Frost s poem, The Wood-Pile, focuses on a man who adventures himself in a frozen swamp. Away from home, he fears the environment surrounding him. Until a small bird, flies ahead of him and draws his attention on a decayed woodpile. This marks a turning point in the poem. The man, hypnotized by the wood pile, feels more comfortable because he knows humans were here before him. He enters in some sort of communion with nature. In his line by line analysis of Frosts poem On the Woodpile, J.Donald Crowley states that home is a place where one feel s comfortable and lives peacefully with his self. Through his poem, Frost explains home is an abstraction lost and gained through several stage†¦show more content†¦This comes at a point where gently mocks the bird for being too self-centered, for thinking that the whole world would be interested in its feathers (Frost, line 14). The bird seeks comfort by hiding behind the woodpile, likely to hide from the speaker. But unexpected ly the man s attention is drawn by the pile of wood. We can convey the speaker is a person who has the leisure and the curiosity to follow whatever path his imagination leads him too. Going into details my analysis approaches Frost s poem differently, but doesn t disagree with Crowley s. But we indeed both said the bird opened the speaker s eyes on his situation, recognizing his homelessness in this environment. Unquestionably, the title of the poem The Wood-Pile, clearly announces it will be the main focus of the poem. The wood pile and the speaker enter in some sort of communion. It facilitates the establishment of harmonic relation between the speaker and nature. He will learn about his self by exploring the nature (It is a recurrent aspect in Frost s poetry). The accumulation of and (Frost, 23-25) gives an acute description of the pile of wood four by four by eight (Frost, 24). The wood pile comforts him. It s the proof of human presence in this area. He describes the woodpile as old. Flowers are growing around it. So the woodpile is sort of a life nest. It s a symbol of rebirth. Even if it is dead, the wood still has aShow MoreRelatedThe Death Of The Hired Man By Robert Frost1500 Words   |  6 Pages No, but he hurt my heart the way he lay And rolled his old head on that sharp-edged chair-back (Frost 8). Frost used the right word, sharp-edged, to give accuracy to the picture. Bess Cooper Hopkins conducted a critical analysis, A Study of â€Å"The Death of the Hired Man, in The English Journal. Hopkins concluded that, â€Å"In all the lines the diction is simple, precise, economical. The words of the narrator are somewhat elementary and are homely. This simplicity persists throughoutRead MoreA Dirge and A Bridal Song by Percy Bysshe Shelley760 Words   |  3 Pagesalways be there for the one person you love. No matter how bad the situation might be. The poem also is saying to be as loyal as you can be because that is what true love is. This is on of his famous poems and it reflects love, hope and loyalty. Analysis of the theme of love. â€Å"Fairies, sprites, and angels, keep her, Holy stars, permit no wrong† (Constantakis 2). That is saying that he is comparing women to those things. â€Å"The golden gates of Sleep unbar, where Strength and Beauty, met together† (ConstantakisRead MoreSafety Assessment : A Work For A Timber Logging Company Essay1750 Words   |  7 Pagesthe local timber logging company. Daniel’s job description involves lifting a stack of timber wood weighing 60lbs into trucks. The trucks are then driven by a company driver to the wood mill. The timber is at the ground level and based on its weight, the lifting will be performed at zero inches near the feet of the worker. Daniel’s shift duration is 8 hours, with 4 hours of his shift spent lifting wood into the trucks. He performs one lift every 4-5 minutes because he gets a bonus incentive if heRead MoreArchitecture Of The Temple Of Artemis At Ephesus1424 Words   |  6 Pagesimpossible and try to analyze the remains of the architecture of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus (320-650 BCE). Analyzing the remains in term of Art History is nearly impossible because there is nothing left outside but some foundations that consist of piles of rocks. These are most likely the bases of the temples columns. The site only has one actual column that is still intact. Although, it looks as though it has been pieced together with scrap. A number of artists have created their interpretationsRead MoreWhat The Unconscious Contains And How Those Contents Can Enter Into Consciousness1250 Words   |  5 Pagesstar in the way she talks and handles herself. †¢ Sublimation= redirecting bad or wrong urges into acceptable social reactions. Ex. A man has a lot of pent up anger so he goes out and chops wood he ends up with no one hurt and a pile of wood. 9. Identify and discuss two interesting concepts related to dream analysis. Wish fulfillment and interpreting of dreams were two interesting concepts for me. I found it interesting that anxiety one can feel about an upcoming task will cause dreams about failingRead MoreLiterary Analysis - the Law of Life Essay1113 Words   |  5 PagesRunning head: LITERARY ANALYSIS Literary Analysis Sergio Scott Grand Canyon University ENG-353 American Literature II Susan Crannell September 28, 2011 Sergio Scott Susan Crannell ENG 353 September 29, 2011 Literary Analysis Naturalism was a literary movement that took place from the 1880s until the 1940s. It used realism as a mechanism to suggest that social conditions, heredity, and environment had a monumental impact in changing or defining human character. Naturalism exposesRead MoreRepton-Barrow Stratigraphy Essay975 Words   |  4 Pagesorder to determine the time periods of the different strata and the processes to which they relate, I will give a description of the artifacts found and where they were found, as well as the describing the different layers of strata. Throughout this analysis, I will refer to the stratigraphic profiles of each excavation site. They are attached to the end of this report and labeled Figure 3.2, which I will refer to as â€Å"East†, and Figure 3.3, which I will refer to as â€Å"West†. We begin by first notingRead MoreGirl Scout Murders1629 Words   |  7 Pagesbut in 4 other units of the camp. Approximately 3AM a girl in the Cherokee section across the woods heard a scream come from the direction of Kiowa about 2 city blocks away. A girl in Quapaw also heard a scream. The scream seemed to be momma. momma. The girl thought it may have been the voice of Lori Farmer Approximately 6AM Carla found sleeping bags under a tree near the intersection in a pile. The Bodies Doris Milner was found nude from the waist down, her PJ top was pulled upRead MoreThe Formation Of The Barrow1794 Words   |  8 Pagesfigure 3.2, in the eastern portion and layer 4, figure 3.3, in the western portion. These layers share a common buried soil layer that covered the chalk base, I recommend that samples of layers 6, figure 3.2, and layer 4, figure 3.3, soil be sent for analysis to determine if there can be any faunal evidence of the area before the construction of the barrow. This is the existing ground layer that served as the base on which the barrow was built in the Neolithic period. Layer 5, figure 3.2, of the easternRead MoreEssay about The Life of Robert Frost1404 Words   |  6 PagesROBERT FROST â€Å"Two roads diverged in a wood and I- I took the road less traveled† How did Robert Frost take the road less traveled in his life? Frost was a poet who lived a hard life. With 6 kids and a wife, he had a lot of people to provide for. He was a man who wore many hats, being a dad, husband, poet, and farmer. Robert was an incredibly gifted man who wrote many famous poems. Robert Frost, a great American poet lived a humble life and changed the world with his profound writing ability

Is the American Federation of Teachers Right for You

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) was formed on April 15, 1916, with the purpose of being a labor union. It was built to protect the labor rights of teachers, paraprofessionals, school-related personnel, local, state, and federal employees, higher education faculty and staff, as well as nurses and other healthcare-related professionals. AFT was formed after many previous attempts at forming a national labor union for teachers had failed. It was formed after three local unions from Chicago and one from Indiana met to organize. They were supported by teachers from Oklahoma, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C. The founding members decided to seek out a charter from the American Federation of Labor which they also received in 1916. The AFT struggled in the early years with membership and grew slowly. The idea of collective bargaining in education was discouraged, thus many teachers did not want to join, due to the local political pressure they received. Local school boards led campaigns against the AFT which led many teachers to leave the union. Membership declined significantly during this time. The American Federation of Teachers did include African Americans in their membership. This was a bold move as they were the first union to offer full membership to minorities. The AFT fought hard for the rights of their African American members including equal pay, rights to be elected to a school board, and the right for all African American students to attend school. It also filed an amicus brief in the historic Supreme Court case over desegregation, Brown v Board of Education in 1954. By the 1940s, membership had begun to gain momentum. With that momentum came controversial union tactics including a strike by the St. Paul chapter in 1946 which eventually led to collective bargaining as an official policy by the American Federation of Teachers. Over the next several decades, the AFT left its mark on many educational policies and on the political realm in general as it grew into a powerful union for teacher rights. Membership The AFT started began with eight local chapters. Today they have 43 state affiliates and over 3000 local affiliates and have grown into the second-largest educational labor union in the United States. The AFT has focused on the inclusion of organizing workers outside the PK-12 education field. Today they boast 1.5 million members and include PK-12th-grade school educators, higher education faculty and professional staff, nurses and other healthcare-related employees, state public employees, educational paraprofessionals, and other school support members, and retirees. The AFT headquarters are located in Washington D.C. The AFT’s current annual budget is over $170 million dollars. Mission The mission of the American Federation of Teachers is, â€Å"to improve the lives of our members and their families; to give voice to their legitimate professional, economic and social aspirations; to strengthen the institutions in which we work; to improve the quality of the services we provide; to bring together all members to assist and support one another, and to promote democracy, human rights and freedom in our union, in our nation and throughout the world.† Important Issues The American Federation of Teachers’ motto is, â€Å"A Union of Professionals†. With their diverse membership, they do not focus just on the labor rights of one set of professionals. The AFT encompasses a broad focus for improvements across each of their members’ individual divisions. There are several key components that the AFT’s teacher division focuses on including embracing innovation and ensuring quality in education through broad reform approaches. Those include: Supporting teachers through the comprehensive teacher development and evaluation templateGuidance in National Board certification and professional development through the Educational Research and Development ProgramEfforts in school improvement include designing high schools for student success, supporting disadvantaged students through community schools, and assisting reforms in persistently low-achieving schoolsUrging for adequate school funding to prevent devastating teacher layoffsCollaborating in the development and implementation of the Common Core StandardsProviding input on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization

School will Improve Education in America Free Essays

School choice will improve education in America. Public schools are grossly inefficient, and are not educating many of America’s youths adequately. Schools that are run independent from local government bureaucracy provide better education at lower cost. We will write a custom essay sample on School will Improve Education in America or any similar topic only for you Order Now School choice would allow more students to attend better schools. School choice is a potent educational reform that is far more effective than increased spending. The fears of opponents of school choice are factually unfounded. School choice is necessary to improve American education. Through allowing more parental choice in education, school choice forces education into a free market environment. As it is now, parents send children to the nearest school, assigned to them by the school district. If a family is wealthy enough and chooses to do so, parents can send children to private schools. However, this family then pays twice for one education. They still pay their taxes, and they pay the tuition for the private school. Under a school choice plan, any parent who decides to send their child to a private school will receive a scholarship from the government, redeemable for tuition at scholarship accepting private schools. The scholarship dollar amount is far below that of the average cost per student per year at public schools, but would allow millions of parents who cannot presently afford private tuition to do so. If a school performed poorly, parents would choose to remove their children, and then send to them to better schools. If a school began losing all its students, and therefore all its funding, the school would desire to improve. Under the current system, government schools get your money whether they are doing a good job or not. Milton Friedman was one of the first people to propose a school choice plan. Since he did so over a quarter century ago, support has expanded rapidly. However, few plans for school choice have actually been enacted. The city of Milwaukee enacted a program designed by future choice icon Polly Williams. She asked the simple yet brilliant question, â€Å"Why not allow tax dollars to go to the schools that are working? † (Harmer, 162) The plan does not allow religious schools to participate, and allows only low-income children to take part. Schools that participate can have no more than 49% of their students are scholarship receiving students. The extremely limited scale demonstration has had little effect on Milwaukee public schools, but has enabled many students to attend better schools. The number of students in the choice program has grown every year, in 1990 there were 341, in 1994 there were 846. (McGroarty, 36) In California in 1993, the Parental Choice in Education Initiative was placed on the ballot. The initiative was defeated by more than 2 to 1. However, proponents were outspent by a factor of 4 to 1. Unions such as the AFL-CIO, Nation Education Association, and California Teachers association raised over $17 million. Proponents raised only $4. 1 million, and were left with only $2. 5 million once they got the initiative on the ballot. (Harmer, 147) Demonstrators attempted to physically prevent people from signing the petitions to get the initiative on the ballot. People deliberately signed the petition multiple times to hamper school choice efforts. One person signed 23 times. Principles and teachers sent home anti-school choice information with children. School boards, such as that of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), illegally used public funds and forums to send an anti-choice message. From the standpoint of well to do Washington, D. C. suburbs, a school choice plan may seem unnecessary. Choice plans are not designed to help the upper-middle or upper class children. David Harmer wrote, â€Å"In my travels as president of the Excellence through Choice in Education League (ExCEL), I rarely met rich white suburban Republicans who were desperate for alternative schools. † (Harmer, 114) They already get a good education from government schools. However, rural poor and inner-city children do not have that luxury. For example, in the city of Milwaukee, only 40% of freshman will eventually graduate from high school, and the average GPA for students is a D+. (McGroarty, 30) School choice plans would help these students the most. The people most involved in the education system are the ones who most easily realize the problems of government schools. The Wall Street Journal wrote that, â€Å"The California State Census Data Center, after analyzing the 1990 Census, found that about 18. 2% of the state’s public school teachers send their children to private schools. That’s nearly twice the statewide average for all households, which is 9. 7%† (Harmer, 28) College entrance exam scores have been dropping across the board, and the US often ranks dead last in international comparisons among industrialized nations. From 1960 to 1992, the average SAT score dropped 76 points. If one were to include the reenterings of the SAT test, scores would drop even further. (Harmer, 19) The landmark study by the National Commission on Excellence in Education, A Nation at Risk, claimed, â€Å"Each generation of Americans has outstripped its parents in education, in literacy, and in economic attainment. For the first time in the history of our country, the educational skills of one generation will not surpass, will not equal, will not even approach, those of their parents. † (Harmer, 25) In addition academic failure, public schools are failing to produce good citizens. According to a Tulane study, 20% of suburban high schooler’s condoned shooting someone who had stolen something of theirs. (Harmer, 29) The answer, contrary to what many education reformers claim, is not to throw more money into schools. Only one nation in the entire world spends more money per student, per year than the US, Switzerland. Japan, whose schools consistently outperform those of the US, spends only half as much money per student. Accounting for inflation, per student expenditure has increased 40 percent since 1982, and has tripled since 1960. (Harmer, 38) The image of the â€Å"criminally-underfunded† public school is false. Class size has also failed to improve education. The pupil teacher ratio declined from 25. 8:1 in 1960 to 17. 3:1 in 1991. Even in urban public schools, the ratio is as low as 17. 9:1. (McGroarty, 16) The image of the over crowded inner city school is also false. There is no relationship between spending and educational achievement in grade schools. A recent comparison of per student expenditure and scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress tests by Forbes and Right Data Associates found the correlation coefficient for a linear relationship between spending and test scores to be 0. 12. (This value could range from -1 to 1, the closer the absolute value of the correlation coefficient is to 1, the stronger the relationship. ) (Brimelow, 52) Where does all the money go? In the LAUSD only 36 % of school funding is spent on teacher salaries, textbooks, and supplies. Thirty-one people are paid over $100,000 a year, only one of which is a teacher. Statewide in California, only 44 percent of the people employed by the school system are teachers. In the independent schools in California, 86 percent of school employees are teachers. (Harmer, 41-43) The situation is the same nationwide. Researcher Michael Fisher found that only 25. 7% of funds reach the classroom in Milwaukee schools. (McGroarty, 21) It is plain to see that throwing more money at schools and calling it reform won’t help the situation. Leaders of the National Education Association and its statewide affiliates have done much of the campaigning against proposed school choice plans. They represent the only people who are set to lose because of school choice: the education bureaucrats. Their jobs will no longer be guaranteed by a government monopoly. Many people fear that schools supported by the new choice movements would be fly-by-night institutions that are out to make a profit, teach racial and religious discrimination, and condone violent behavior. However, legislative school choice efforts have placed regulations on independent schools. The Parental Choice in Education initiative in California contained the following items: (1) No school, which discriminates on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, or national origin, may redeem scholarships. (2) To the extent permitted by this Constitution and the Constitution of the United States. The State shall prevent from redeeming scholarships any school which advocates unlawful behavior; teaches hatred of any person or group on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, or gender; or deliberately provides false or misleading information respecting the school. 3) No school with fewer than 25 students may redeem scholarships, unless the Legislature provides otherwise. These measures would prevent fraud and discrimination. School choice does not condone discrimination. Government already regulates private schools to some degree, and this would definitely not decrease with the use of vouchers. Too many people are under the opinion that private schools are all elite academies or preppy boarding schools, both of which charge admission the price of a college education. However, 95 percent of Catholic schools, and 88 percent of Protestant schools charge tuition under $2,500 a year. Robert Genetski said, â€Å"Average cost data for public and private education indicate that in 1990 the operating cost per student for kindergarten through grade 12 in public schools was $4,841, compared with private school costs of $1,902. † (Harmer, 76) The truth is that even the poorest of parents would be able to afford a private education with a school choice plan. In legislative efforts for choice in California, parents would receive a voucher for half the cost of public schools, which would completely cover the costs of many adequate private schools. It is true that the government would lose money by giving scholarships to students already attending private schools. However, the government gains money by losing new students to private schools, since only half of a students tax money follows the student. The students that leave after school choice is enacted would provide a pool of money that would more than cover current private school attendees. Furthermore, David Harmer, author of the Parental Choice in Education initiative and School Choice: Why You Need It, How You Get It, said that if he had to rewrite the initiative, he would include a measure that would phase in school choice. Each year one new grade would be allowed to participate, starting at Kindergarten, and ending with grade 12. No students currently in private schools would benefit from school choice. (Harmer, 178) Opponents of school choice fear that children with special needs would be left out in the cold, since private schools would deny them admission. However, special education is already dealt with by a voucher type system. Public schools cannot meet the needs of many children, so the government sends these children with special needs to private contractors, such as the local School for Contemporary Education. Children who have special needs are guaranteed an equivalent education by many state laws, and this would not change under a school choice plan. Edd Doerr wrote that, â€Å"Despite repeated and misleading claims to the contrary, vouchers are merely the latest in a long line of attempts by sectarian special interests to channel public money to church-related education institutions. (Doerr, et al, 37) He conjures up images of â€Å"government funded religious schools† that, horror of horrors, teach religion. However, the GI Bill is constitutional! If a student decides to spend money from the government on a religious education, it does not mean that the wall between church and state has come tumbling down. Today students use money from the GI Bill and Pell Grants at religious colleges without any problem. Voucher plans are the exact same thing, except with younger kids. George Bush even called his school choice plan the â€Å"GI Bill for Kids. To say that vouchers fund religious schools is to say that food stamps are government funding of supermarkets. As to cultural balkanization, school choice would not effect this at all. Religious or racial discrimination is not allowed. The claim that society is held together by a â€Å"common school experience† is a faulty argument. Schools exist to teach, not for the sake of existing. Americans respect diversity and freedom of opinion, but somehow a diversity of ideas in education seems anathema. Private schools send a higher percentage of students to college than do public schools. Their students perform better on standardized tests. They operate more cost efficiently. They are directly responsible to the parents of their students, while public schools pay more attention to school boards and administrators. Government schools have had a monopoly on children for far too long. Thanks to their efforts, one third of American seventeen-year-olds cannot locate France on a map of the world. Only one in ten can write a reasonable paragraph or do pre-college mathematics. Every citizen in America deserves a decent education. School choice can make it happen. How to cite School will Improve Education in America, Papers

Accounting Theory Business Revolutions

Question: Discuss about the Accounting Theory for Business Revolutions. Answer: Introduction The biggest of all automotive scandals so far is the scandal of Volkswagen emission testing by defeat device. This device is defined by US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) as an apparatus that reduces effectiveness of control systems on emission testing under conditions what vehicle experiences actually and reasonably. This software on detection of emission test would reduce nitrogen oxide emissions and torque, which is different when normal condition, prevails. A stakeholder as defined by Freeman and Reed in 1983 is a distinct body that not only can influence accomplishment of organizational objectives but can also be itself influenced by such organizational accomplishments. The stakeholders of Volkswagens can readily indentified by the following figure. Source: Sustainability Report, 2014. Major stakeholders The four major stakeholders of the mighty Volkswagen group essentially include their partners, customers, the capital market, the society. The direct effects of the Volkswagen scandal can be easily witnessed when the shares of the company plunged by nearly one third. It therefore was a major setback for Volkswagen shareholders investors, who put their high hopes, trust, and hard-earned money in the shares of the company .Hence, the investor sentiments, confidence was lost largely. The concerns of the Volkswagen partners i.e. employees, suppliers, business strategic partners etc. essentially revolve round sustainability, customer satisfaction, health, earnings, unbiased opportunities etc. (Barn, 2016).The scandal has fuelled so much insecurity uncertainty regarding the companys future among the partners that they have been found to part with the company. The society as a stakeholder of company generally includes the lawmakers, the municipal authorities, social working groups etc. The concerns of the society and the customers i.e. dealers consumers, of Volkswagens have been found to coincide in terms of safety of the vehicles, climate environmental protection issues. However, the recent emission scandal has put the concerns of the customers the society at stake (Zhang, et al, 2016). Volkswagen case Defeat device applied by Volkswagen on 400000 Volkswagen diesels run on roads of US.EPA imposed $37500 per vehicle for non-compliance of regulations, a fine of maximum about $18bn. Stock of Volkswagen dropped by 20% .CEO resigned, and U.S justice department (Zhou, 2016) has initiated investigation. In September 2015, EPA accused Volkswagen of cheating US emissions tests. Volkswagen has provisioned 6.7bn (4.8bn) to replenish costs required for recalling cars with cheat device in millions (8.5 million in Europe, including 2.4 million in Germany and 1.2 million in the UK, and 500,000 in the US) worldwide. As a direct consequence, the company faced 2.5bn loss in quarter late October15 for the first occasion in 15years. Code of ethics, which US companies required to be implemented regarding regulatory compliance and applicable in working environment, was allegedly violated by Volkswagen (Fracarolli Lee, 2016). Action plans Volkswagen management actions can be explained by different financial accounting theory. In Legitimacy, theory organisation should ensure that they operate following the norms and bounds of societies they belong. There is a notion of social contract. Legitimacy proves organisations value system goes with society and this is established through the process of legitimation. Presently, organisation should operate as per explicit and implicit expectation of the society as well as public expectation (Sustainability reporting, 2012). Organisation has to address human, social, and environmental issues. Companys operation should conform to social legitimacy. Here comes the role of public disclosure by examining social and environmental reporting maintaining legitimacy(Nelson, 2016). There is also stakeholder theory, ethical managerial branch. The company keeping in mind their interest should treat all stakeholders fairly and for their benefits. Ethical branch says that stakeholders have right to the information if there is conflict of interest. When defeat device installed as functioning devise it was totally unethical as well as illegal. The institutional theory of isomorphism and decoupling is required to be cited here. In isomorphism, mainly coercive where institutional practices are changed by the organisation due to pressure of powerful stakeholders. Here decoupling also established where management adopt practices which vary from practices which are publicly pronounced adhering to environmental and social responsibility (Das, 2013). Volkswagens responsibility Volkswagens management should accept accountability because of the scandal for which it is held responsible. It should act and account for those actions considering them as right to information. Reporting is companys responsibility even if not demanded. Managerial branch of stakeholder theory explains how management should attend stakeholders expectations maintaining strategic organisational objectives and by continually following disclosure policy of organisational operations. Here information of financial accounting and information of social performance should be provided to stakeholders (Janssen, 2013). As mentioned above here Legitimacy Theory, Stakeholder Theory and Institutional Theory such as isomorphism and decoupling are applicable in this scandal case of VOLKSWAGEN. Legitimacy theory establishes relationship between disclosures of company and expectation of community. Management should follow both ethical issues and its performance. It is by the virtue of which company gains legitimacy and capabilities to survive (Zhang, 2016). Stakeholder theory comes into play where management plays a major role of meeting demands of stakeholders by continual adaptation of disclosure strategies. Institutional theory of isomorphism and decoupling to be highlighted which relates to both coercive stakeholder pressure and image of organisation with disclosure of policies on its environmental and social responsibility (Nzuve, 2011). Here all the above theories considered jointly for better understanding of this cheating case on emission testing in the perspective of ethical lesson (Klinger, 2016). Theory should accomplish practices otherwise new theories need to be developed. Accounting theory is the principles in the form of guidelines that give references on how accounting practices will be carried out, developed, and evaluated. Good business lies upon trust. People who are driving cars if cannot trust that their vehicles will safely run under all conditions, then company is guilty by its practices and non-compliance is charged with respect to accounting theory of stakeholder (ethical branch) and legitimacy. Volkswagen violated principles of ethics which company itself approved that each of their employees will abide by the rules and regulations, laws, group values, code of conduct applicable to their working environment (Volkswagen, 2015). Violation of the above will attract appropriate consequences as per pr evalent law and it will also result in termination of employer-employee relationship and damages will be claimed (Elson, et al, 2015). Conclusion The present research based study has been a great learning experience in terms of the valuable insight it has provided on various concepts, theories, practices of accounting. The evaluation and analysis of their relevance in the light of the Volkswagen emission scandal has also been rewarding. Further, the study has also served as a revelation as regards investigating a never before scandal of this magnitude that has been effected by the most robust automobile giant of all times. Moreover, it has also been highly instrumental in displaying major environmental issues theirs concerns related to toxic nitrogen oxide carbon emissions. Finally, the present study will also help the readers in gaining knowledge about the various stakeholders, Volkswagen management their practices, Volkswagen accounting practices the company as a whole (Balbir, 2016). References Balbir, S 2016, Do You Own a Volkswagen? Values as Non-Functional Requirements. In Human-Centered and Error-Resilient Systems Development, Springer. Barn, B.S 2016, Do you own a Volkswagen? Values as non-functional requirements. In International Conference on Human-Centred Software Engineering, Springer International Publishing. Das, S 2013, Cultural Due-diligence for Global Operation: Basic Steps, Vilakshan, The XIMB Journal of Management,vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 12-20. Elson, C.M., Ferrere, C.K. Goossen, N.J 2015, The bug at Volkswagen: Lessons in co determination, ownership, and board structure, Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, vo. 27, no. 4, pp.36-43. Fracarolli N,M. Lee P, C 2016, Caught red-handed: The cost of the Volkswagen Dieselgate, Journal of Global Responsibility, vo. 12, no. 2, pp. 22-38 Janssen, C.I., 2013, Corporate historical responsibility (CHR): Addressing a corporate past of forced labor at Volkswagen, Journal of Applied Communication Research, vol. 41, no. 1, pp.64-83. Klinger, A 2016, On the Dynamics of IdentityThe Interplay between Volkswagen's Organizational and Consumer Identities in Light of the 2015 Emissions Scandal. Springer International Publishing. Nelson, J.S., 2016. The Criminal Bug: Volkswagen's Middle Management. Available at SSRN 2767255. Nzuve S, 2011, Some Thoughts of How to Allocate Indirect Costs in a Corporate Environment, School of Business, University of Nairobi. Sustainability reporting 2012, Using sustainability to drive business innovation and growth 2012, viewed 18 September 2016, https://www.deloitte.com/view/en_IN/in/index.htm. Volkswagen 2015, Volkswagen: Annual report and accounts 2014, viewed 18 September 2016, https://www.volkswagenag.com/content/vwcorp/content/en/misc/pdf dummies.bin.html/downloadfilelist/downloadfile/downloadfile_30/file/Y_2014_e.pdf. Zhang, B., Veijalainen, J. Kotkov, D 2016, Volkswagen Emission Crisis: Managing Stakeholder Relations on the Web. InWEBIST 2016: Proceedings of the 12th International conference on web information systems and technologies. Zhou, A., 2016. Analysis of the Volkswagen Scandal Possible Solutions for Recovery.

One Essays - Dune Novels, , Term Papers, Research Papers

One character in the play is Bene*censored* and he is expressed in an interesting way. Bene*censored* is a character that not only deceives other characters in the play, but most of all he deceives himself. Bene*censored*'s deceiving ways derive him to be a hypocritical character; this phenomenon makes his role compellingly intriguing in the play "Much Ado About Nothing". Bene*censored* has a unique view toward love, he wants no part in giving or receiving love. He has a simple way to live, "I will live a bachelor" (Shakespeare I .i.176), he first chooses not to get involved in the love scheme. Bene*censored* has strong hold on that feeling and what's to keep it that way. Encounters with a character known as Beatrice prove this to be true. Everytime these characters see one another arguments are endless, and put downs are fired back and forth. In fact Bene*censored* tells her "...I would I could find in my heart that had not a hard heart, for truly I love none" (I.i.92), his one way view is expressed to confirm his stubborn ways of love. The bickering between these two make it obvious that there is a hidden-love, which has potential. All the while Bene*censored* is making clear that he will not fall to love and nothing will change his view. The deception will come from his view that is extremely well grounded. Another instance where Bene*censored*'s deceiving way are used is later in the play. This time Bene*censored* is the deceived instead of the deceiver. This is where Bene*censored* becomes a hypocrite. Deception still is taking place, just in different ways. Close friends of Bene*censored* known that Bene*censored* is listening to their conversation, and they say how Beatrice and is in love with him and he should go for this. Playing with his mind they say "Shall we go seek Bene*censored*, and tell him of her love?" (III.i.154), they known that Bene*censored* is listening so they don't have to tell him. Bene*censored* starts to believe that this is true and his feelings suddenly change. Thus making him a hypocrite to all those people that he told his original view of love. Bene*censored*'s deceiving ways counter against him in this case. The hidden love between the two is now present. Bene*censored* with the change of view towards love is now ready to do anything for Beatrice. Being once a man that would remain a bachelor forever and now he is at the foot of a women telling her he will do anything because he loves her so much. Bene*censored* is truly a hypocrite. Beatrice asks Bene*censored* to kill another man just because that man didn't marry her friend. Bene*censored* is willing to do it but he doesn't have to do1. Bene*censored* has a definite change of feelings and it is all from his deceiving ways. Bene*censored* becomes a hypocrite by the end of the play, through his deceiving ways. Bene*censored* stresses that he is "anit-love" and doesn't ever what to be one of those guys who falls in love. Bene*censored* just as every man has a reputation to uphold of being strong and needless of affection. In the beginning of the play when Bene*censored* first is introduced., he has these attitude where he is high on himself. We can see this when Bene*censored* has his first chat with Beatrice. Bene*censored* hasThe character Ben*censored* relates a lot to real life, especially in the twenty-century. This kind of thing happens all the time. People change feelings all the time. People also have deceiving ways in the twenty-century, although these ways can be a little more dangerous with people today. The human nature is exactly like what would be in real life.Likewise to Bene*censored* people end up saying something and then totally doing the opposite. It happens to everyone. In conclusion, Bene*censored* used deception for him and used it against him. In conclusion, his deceiving ways lead him to become a hypocrite. He was once the man who would not dare to adventure into love, but now has gone in full force. The significant meaning that is produced here is one that will never be forgotten. Bene*censored* should of probably not have said anything in the first place. He didn't know what was going to happen. The art of deception took over. the deceiving ways of Bene*censored* add up and in the end make him a hypocrite. Bene*censored* is hypocrite because he says one thing and totally goes against it by doing the opposite. He is no longer

Failure in Business

Failure in Business Most of the times, businesses fail to achieve the set objectives. Such a scenario comes about perhaps because the business does not implement the right strategies or offers customers a product that is not in demand. In addition, a business may fail because it is not located in a suitable environment.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Failure in Business specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, no matter what the causes of business failure are, many people tend to embrace different ideas on how failure is good for a business. This has been adopted by many people such that even organizations are adopting strategies that advocate for failure in business with the belief that failure is a step to the achievement of any set goals and objectives. This paper looks at the concept of business failure and examines any possible steps that upon implementation within a given time can prevent unwanted failure. In addition, the paper will look at steps that a business, organization and companies can adopt to better learn from failure. The assertion that failure and fast failure is a good thing has received different opinions. Several people argue that failure in a business is a good thing while others are for the belief that failure is bad and should not be advocated. Usually, failure is not as good as some people would think. Numerous people, especially those in management hold the belief that failure in business is bad but they share a common tradition that any business that has failed can effectively learn from mistakes committed during a past project. The reason why many people believe that failure in business is good is that there is often room to reflect on a past project and help the business set up strategies aimed at avoiding similar mistakes. In addition, the view of failure as a good thing is backed by the fact that a business can set up a team to investigate the factors that were responsible for the failure and offer recommendations to avoid future failure. Evidently, failure in business should not be considered as a bad thing, even though in the concept of an organization’s life, failure can be at times bad and inevitable. It is believed that businesses can detect, as well as analyze failures in an attempt to set up measures of avoiding future failures, however, research has showed that not all businesses have what it takes in terms of activities and attitudes. As such, there is lack of appreciation especially when it concerns strategies for learning that are context-specific.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For this reason, businesses should come up with strategies aimed at achieving the set goals as opposed to repeating past mistakes. In addition, there is a need for new methods of going past superficial lessons learnt from business failure. In this case then, it would involve avoiding stereotypes and old-fashioned cultures of success along with commitment to embrace lessons from failure. Evidently, business failure is good if the right strategies are adopted in learning from such failure. Steps to Prevent Unwanted Failure Unwanted failure refers to failure that is uncalled for. Even though some business embrace failure, it is important to set up measures that are aimed at avoiding unwanted failure for any given business. The following are three steps that a business can implement within a period of six months to prevent unwanted failure in the future. Plan for the future and avoid predicting it The future of any business is very significant, and for this reason, planning for the future is an important step that any business should take. Even though many businesses have often predicted the future, and the possibility of achieving the set goals it turns out that predicting a business future can be quite hard. The only option av ailable thus is for businesses to come up with decisions that are focused on a future plan. Having a plan helps any given business to work towards maximizing its resources with the aim of achieving set objectives. Cary out Market Research Market research allows a business to explore the opportunities available for its services and products. As such, a thorough research into the condition of the market is all a business requires to determine the potential of the business especially when it comes to measures necessary in achieving any set goals. Emphasize on the principles of the business as opposed to industrial principles A business is run through the interplay of numerous principles. In addition, different aspects define any given business such as personnel, finance, as well as legal issues and many more. The understanding of how all the aspects of a business relate to one another gives the business a chance to grow and implement the necessary strategies to achieve the goals and ob jectives of the business. However, many businesses fail to achieve their objectives because they focus entirely on the principles of the industry the business operates. This tends to divert the available resources.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Failure in Business specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More From the foregoing, it is evident that every business should have a plan for the future, market itself thoroughly and focus on ensuring that its business aspects relate as expected if the business is to avoid unwanted failure. Steps to Better Learn From Failure Research has showed that many people and businesses make use of their past failure as a stepping stone towards the achievement of the business’s goals and objectives. Many scholars though, believe that in order to make use of the failure, the business should consider a number of factors and effective strategies in harnessing failure in the best way possible. As such, the application of systematic steps in the management of any given business, organization and company can be a suitable ground to make use of past failure to improve on their mistakes and weaknesses. This can be a best way of creating excellent deliverables with impacts that are far-reaching and long lasting. Outlined below are three steps that a business, an organization or a company can adopt for a given period to make sure that they learn better from past failure. Launching the project Any project that a business embarks on has several tasks to be completed, deadlines to be met, as well as objectives to achieve. Such activities are vital and all the team members concerned with the project should make sure that they work towards achieving the set objectives. Launching any project is the initial step that determines the success of the project and achievement of any set goals. For this reason, the business requires a lot of effort, resources and commitment in this step. Ho wever, in order to make sure that the process of launching any project is successful, the concerned team can consider looking at past projects that failed perhaps as a result of poor launching strategies. Such a strategy provides the business with ideas on what to include in the implementation, as well as what to avoid during the initial step. It is thus, evident that past failure especially in the initial step is necessary since it makes the business to adequately prepare the necessary strategies and resources to set off the given project.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Building and refining the project by use of iteration The launching step of any project sets out the goals and objectives to be achieved once the project is implemented. As such, there is a need to reflect on the project in order to be sure of what resources are necessary to achieve the set goals. However, in the event that a business is not aware of where to start or what resources to include, past projects can be a suitable point of start. This is attributable to the fact that past failure offers an opportunity for the concerned business to explore the available opportunities and determine the challenges that caused the past project’s failure. This helps the business to build, as well as refine its current projects through iteration, and subsequently achieve its goals and objectives. Past failure thus will help the business to avoid the thought of the particular project as a type of monolithic effort that is aimed at achieving the set goals. As such, the business ought to c onsider the project as a ground to experiment, as well as learn. This would help the business have a platform whereby it can plan its project well, as well as carry out an assessment of the current project and compare it with past project to ascertain chances of success or failure. Research has established that such an approach to a project helps the business to see its plans through a past failure. In such a case, the business does not necessarily focus on perfecting its plan but putting a consideration of any available options, scenarios and the calculation of all details beforehand. Embed the learning The launching and planning of a project is an important process that requires much commitment from the parties involved. However, the fact that a project has been started and led to conclusion does not necessarily mark the end of the project. The last step involves the embedment of lessons learnt during the entire process. This is important since it gives the business an opportunity to share any lessons that the business might have learnt during the launching and implementation of the project on a larger scale. With such options the business can have the opportunity of applying the learnt lessons to future projects and efforts. Most projects have failed because the last part of the project is not given the necessary attention. For this reason, there is a need to learn from failures in the past whereby the main cause of the failure was a case where the concerned business did not embed the learning. Research is necessary in this case since it gives the business an opportunity to explore the options available. This gives the business a chance to put the necessary efforts into work thereby achieving the set goals and objectives.

Economics of Construction is the class... i need a 3 page paper on Essay

Economics of Construction is the class... i need a 3 page paper on Describe the federal reserve system and the various ways it effects the market economy - Essay Example The V and Q are fixed so that any change in M causes a proportionate change in P. To control P, it is therefore necessary that M be brought under control. Any policy with respect to this is known as monetary policy. Amongst various instruments available with central bank are interest rates, reserve requirements, interventions in the credit market and so on. These instruments are used to influence the demand for liquidity and, thus, M could be controlled. In fact, Federal Reserve uses several policy instruments to reduce the adverse effects of fluctuations in income. An important instrument used to influence money supply is interest rate, which is signaled by Federal Rate. In the transaction motive for money, there is an inverse relationship between opportunity cost of money that is interest rate and demand for liquidity. As such, if Federal targets inflation, it would have to increase interest rate so that liquidity is removed from the system. Any increase in interest rate would induce people to part away liquidity and thereby bring about stability in the price level. Second mechanism operates through credit market. It is assumed that borrowing from credit market finances entire investment spending. Credit expansion is an important mechanism for money creation; thus, if credit expansion is controlled, money supply can be controlled and so price could be controlled. Federal could use interest rate directly to influence credit creation. A necessary and sufficient condition for investment to take place is that marginal efficiency of capital, measured by rate of return, should be at least or equal to cost of capital, given by interest rate. With every increase in Federal rate, the Federal Reserve indirectly increases cost of capital such that the basic condition for investment spending gets violated. This reduces incentives for private investment resulting is lack demand for credit. Similarly, if the economy has slowed down, they could reduce

Teaching English in primary school why I chose this age and what is Research Paper

Teaching English in primary school why I chose this age and what is the benefit - Research Paper Example What a teacher who teaches in primary school can give a child is the best towards his language acquisition. The selection of this level is the apt one mainly because acquisition process is quick in this period and there will not be any interruption in it. It is necessary to go through the significant points related to the selection f the age of a primary school child for teaching English. A child who is always listening to his mother happens to hear the words she repeats. A misunderstanding that children acquire language through imitation exists. But in fact the process here is recurrence. Linguists too had the same belief until 1957. Noam Chomsky, a then relatively unknown man Noam Chomsky propounded the theory that the capacity to acquire language is in fact innate. This particular theory propounded by Noam Chomsky revolutionized the study of language acquisition, and after a brief period of controversy upon the publication of his work, Aspects of the Theory of Syntax, in 1964, his theories are now generally acknowledged widely. Chomsky says, â€Å"Indeed language is not a skill such as many others, like learning to drive or perform mathematical operations-it cannot be taught as such in early stages.†,Chomsky. [Anandan, 57]. It is so clear that language cannot be learned but acquired through listening. Every human being has got an area called Language Acquisition Device in their brain. This area helps him to acquire a language when an exposure to it is given. But another fact is there. All the aspects of the language are not innate. Chomsky has claimed that all of us are born with what he terms a Universal Grammar, an inherent sensitivity to linguistic structure and patterns applicable to every human language. When the child gets exposure to the language, he begins to reproduce the particular language specific sounds that gradually lead to the acquisition of that language. These sounds are eventually produced by him when he acquires the lexis

Contributions of Women in the Sultanate of Oman

Contributions of Women in the Sultanate of Oman After the accession of His majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said in 1970 Oman transformed from a rudimentary single economy that lacked all sorts of public amenities and modern infrastructure to a modern and diversified economy aided by the wise leadership of his Majesty. The availability of oil revenues and the importance given to education in the post 1970 period accelerated the development process. For women in Oman, the new era started when His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said began the process of Renaissance. The result seen today is because of his firm belief in the future of Oman and its men and women. Women are encouraged to work shoulder to shoulder with their male counter parts. Omani women today are seen in different professions such as, medical doctors, lawyers, engineers, business leaders, and teachers. Omani women are found in the army and police, private and public sectors, and most importantly, in senior government positions. While there are no official figures available, it is said that Oman has the highest number of working women among the AGCC states. (Source: Oman Tribune, 30 September 2007) Purpose of the study This conceptual paper addresses the following issues factors that encourage women to pursue various careers role and contributions of Omani women in the Sultanate obstacles hindering womens progress Recommendations Factors that encourage women to pursue various careers: Factors which encourage women to work and achieve economic independence and leave a significant mark on the society are mainly: support of women from the Islam religion and the Holy Quran, the wise leadership of his majesty under which thrust has been given to education and Omanization, setting up of Womens Association and favorable labour laws. Rights of women as stated in Islam Islam accords equals rights to men and women. Female education in the Islamic world was inspired by Prophet MuhammadHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammads_wivesHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammads_wivess ( PBUH) wives: Khadijah, a successful businesswoman, and Aisha, a renowned hadith scholar and military leader. According to a Hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), he praised the women of Medina because of their desire for religious knowledge:[18] An indicator of the attitude of the Quran to women in the workplace is indicated by the quotes used to justify women working. Khadijah (Prophet Muhammads(PBUH) wife), who was an eminent business woman.Sitna Khadijah is called up as a role model for women. Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) encouraged Muslims, men and women alike, to seek and pursue knowledge. The Holy Quranic verses and Hadiths can be cited to demonstrate this fundamental right to knowledge. Say: My Lord, increase my knowledge (Holy Koran xx: 1,14). God will exalt to high ranks those who believe among you, and those who have knowledge (Holy Koranlv11: 11). Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave (Hadith).The search for knowledge is a duty of every Muslim, male and female(Hadith). Role of His Majesty His Majesty in His speech: The education of girls is never absent from our mind, since women form half of our society. Rapid strides in educational development were taken after Sultan Qaboos assumed power in 1970. In the year 1970 there were only three schools and no colleges or universities. By the year 1985 the number increased to 588 schools and by 2006 07, there were 1053 schools enrolling a total of 5,63,602 students and employing a teaching staff of 44,514. To support the role of women, the Omani government has set a number of programs such as a network of modern health services and social services throughout the country aimed at improving the advancement of women. Undoubtedly, Omani women have been liberated and accorded their respect as equal partners in Omani society under the leadership of His Majesty, Sultan Qaboos. Omanization Omanization Policy was introduced in 1988 as a long-term process of committed vision and mission. This is a key development policy influencing the employment scenario of the country. Omanization plan is seen as a national objective in order to stop the continuation of the countrys dependence on the expatriate manpower by substituting Omani nationals for foreign labor. To this effect, legislation concerning employment contained in the Omani Labor Law states that preference should be given to Omani nationals. This mandate is enforced by the Governments Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor by specifying the ratio of Omanization to be achieved in the private sector taking into account the number of Omani graduates graduating annually from the various educational institutes Education Education in Oman is a fundamental right for each and every Omani citizen. The importance of educating and developing the countrys national human resources has been one of the main aims and policies of His Majestys government .In accordance with His Majestys directives, a network of modern primary and secondary education establishments for girls and boys has been extended across the whole country, catering to even remote villages. Educational progress has been phenomenal. Women have an equal access to educational opportunities. For the academic year 2008 2009 275,229 males and 265,103 females are enrolled in Government schools for general education. For the academic year 2008 2009 7,298 and 4,033 female students are enrolled in Sultan Qaboos University and Colleges of Applied Sciences respectively which is very close to the number of enrollments of the opposite gender. Role of Support Services The aims of the Directorate is to set up programs for the care of mothers and children, the eradication of illiteracy, education, the development of traditional and modern handicraft skills, the promotion of healthy and hygienic environment, the teaching of survival skills, and the cultivation of womens minds and roles as citizens of a modern developing society. Omani Womens Association, the first of its kind in the country was founded in 1971 and is managed as a not for-profit organization. The Omani Womens Association acts in collaboration with the efforts and support of the government to carry out a great number of activities such as literacy classes, provision of handicrafts skills and family care programmes.. It is envisaged that the Womens Association could be instrumental in providing a network for Omani women in management, and to offer the much needed support for their development in the workplace. These programmes enhance the role of Omani women in Sultanate. Womens Leadership 41.9% women (Omanis and Expatriates) are employed in civil services out which the major share is of the Omani women. One and two Omani women are employed in the Special and Ambassador grade respectively with no expatriate females in this grade. Omani (16,389) and expatriate (1,749) women are primarily employed in Grade 6 of Civil Services in 2008 . Economic growth and diversification The availability of oil revenues has made it possible for Oman to develop its economy, educate its people and offer a relatively comfortable standard of living. This however, has not rendered a total reliance and dependence on oil revenues, rather the government of Oman has been pursuing economic diversification and privatization programs as a measure of maintaining available and sustainable economy for its people. Labor Laws pertaining women Labor laws are favorable Omani women .They ensures equality in the workplace and employment in Oman does not discriminate on gender and exercises a sound policy of equal employment opportunity and equal pay act. An entire section in the Oman Labor Law is dedicated to the employment of women. For example, Articles 80 to 82 in the Oman Labor Law clearly safe guard the rights and working conditions of Omani women (Oman Labor Law). Women can avail special leaves such as maternity leave and leave upon death of husband, and a special provision that allows working women to request leave of absence (up to four years) without pay to accompany a spouse who is posted abroad. Working mothers who return to work while continuing to breast feed are allowed to leave work an hour early each day for six months to feed their babies. The working hours in the government (public) sector are conducive to working women. Government employees work from 7:30 a.m. 2:30 p.m. Saturday through Wednesday, and Thursday and Friday are days off from work. Such working hours allow parents, particularly working mothers, to spend time with their children. With all the above factors Omani women have occupied different professions and have contributed to the progress of society. . Role and contributions of Omani women in the Sultanate Today Omani women are in key positions starting at the Ministerial posts. Dr Rawiyah bint Saud Al Busaidiyah, Minister of Higher Education, Dr Rajiha Bint Abdulamir bin Ali Minster of Tourism, Dr Shariffa bint Khalfan Al Yahya Minister of Social development, Sheikha Aisha bint Khalfan Al Siyabiya, Chairperson of Public Authority for Craft Industry, all hold crucial portfolios. At all levels women are found to hold responsible positions today. Health, Education, banks are the leading sectors. Omani women are active voters as well as candidates who have served terms in the Majlis Ashura. The Majlis Ashuras members represent the Sultanates wilayats. Omani women exercising their voting rights prove their equal status.Omani womens membership of the Majlis AShura dates from 1994. Omani women are also represented at Diplomatic circle as His Majesty appointed the first woman ambassador by appointing her as ambassador to the Netherlands in September 1999. In the Legal area also a growing presence of women is seen. In April 2009 First Omani women was appointed as Director of public prosecution Directorate in the Wilayat of Barkha. Women have served in the ROP for over 35 years and their contribution is growing with new development and experience. Women Police traffic patrols are introduced which is in its first phase now that is limited to the Governorate of Muscat. In the field of fine arts Omani women have been reaching out to international audience. Works of Omani female artists, artisans, sculptress, photographers have been around to other countries for exhibitions. Omani actresses have won accolades for their performance on stage and screen. The Royale Oman Symphony Orchestra has harnessed the talent of some wonderful female musicians. During 2007-2008 the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra and Syrias Mari orchestra with Maestro Raad Khalaf performed a joint concert featuring 50 female musicians the first time an event of this kind has been staged in the Gulf. Dr Mariam Al Waili is a Senior Specialist in Nutritional Medicine. She feels that Health sector is a suitable place for women to play their essential role in society. There are more opportunities available than even before and a high demand for qualified and skilled practitioners. Due to the dramatic rise of several diets related chronic diseases, she dreams to see specialized Nutritional Medicine and education centers in the country that can provide adequate treatment and cost effective supplements. Her Highness Sayyida Zeyana Ali Al said is an Air Traffic Controller for the last 14 years. She was selected to study in UK and underwent all the 4 stages of training in Air Traffic Control. According to her the 2 qualities in an ATC would require is Multi tasking and quick thinking.She needed to work in shift, needed a lot of focus to talk to pilots at the same time, keep abreast of information of all aircrafts and work harder to make Air raffic less congested.She thanks His Majest Sultan Qaboos to have given women a chance to prove their capabilities in all of these careers. Barka Al Barky studied Social Science and after her Post graduation moved to Oman in 1976. She took up employment with UN Development Programme and worked till 1993. She helped in development and coordinating UN Agencies contribution to Omani development efforts in all fields of economy from fisheries, agriculture, tourism and industrial planning, civil aviation and meteorology systems. She was the Director of Administration and Personnel at Al Shatti Hospital. In the last 3 years she is mainly supporting the blind community across Oman. Ahlam Al Jahdhami is an Engineer who is today Sales and Client support Manager At Falcon Oilfield Services (National Wireline Logging Company). She provides hi-tech exploration and production services to oil companies in the region. After a degree in Biomedical Engineering she wanted a career as a real engineer. Opportunities in the region were limited. There was a lack of other female engineers from the AGCC and she was one of the first Omani women to survive in this environment. The sharp end of the oil industry is never described as woman friendly or even just friendly. It is still a very male dominated and conservative business. She was working and sometimes living in remote camps or on offshore rigs kilometers away from the comforts of home. The work was very physical and set in some of the harshest environments on earth. However she wants to continue to share her passion for science and engineering and encourage more young women to get involved and contribute in a real and practical way. Dr. Wafaa Al Harasy is a consultant and director of the ROP Forensic Laboratory. She did her Bsc in Egypt and completed her MSc and Phd in United Kingdom. Practically Forensic work is mostly a mans world. There are times when the Forensic team is required to attend crime scenes at unsocial hours of the day and at isolated locations. But she enjoys her job because of these daily challenges and considers herself lucky not only to be part of this specialized skilled team but also one of the founders of this profession in Oman. She wants to be able to contribute to Oman and have a State of art Forensic laboratory and achieve an international recognition for its services. Maliha Al Kharoussi is an E business entrepreneur and CEO of Arabian booking.net a new resource for business, leisure and family travelers.She wishes to add value to the core industries that all use i.e. hospitality, travel and tourism. By bringing these 3 major sectors in one easy to access and use website she will help those who want value for money in quickest possible way. She wishes to help and strengthen Oman as leading tourism destination in areas of regular tourism, medical tourism, cultural tourism and adventure tourism. Ghada Al Harthy is the proprietor of cafà © G Patisserie Cafà © G Catering.From aviation to catering she wanted a career not just a job. She strongly feels that business has no gender. As long as the business is legal and ethical there is nothing to stop us from achieving the goals. She believes that under the wise leadership of His Majesty whohas a strong advocate for women in business, we are amongst the most fortunate in the Gulf as far as equal opportunities are concerned. The opportunities are endless. But there is more to be achieved and that is why His Majesty has initiated yet another step toward the advancement of women in Oman. There are various factors that have hindered the progress of Omani women. Obstacles hindering womens progress Traditional Mind set of Arab men The Arab traditional attitude asserts that women are inferior to men and incapable of pursuing a professional career. Such conservative attitudes negate the concept of professional working women in traditional Arab societies, the idea of women working is degrading and a disgrace to some Arab men who consider that it is their responsibility to provide for their wives and family. The above attitude tends to have a spillover effect at work, whereby male employers regard women as being less capable then men and unfit for responsible positions, claiming that their family obligations take priority; and hence, subjects them to lower productivity and absenteeism (Beck, 1994;Hammoud, 1993). This negative attitude and traditional stereotype towards women in Arab/Islamic societies has been, and still is, a major resisting force to progress for professional working women. Portrayed Self-image of Women The inferior self-image of women becomes difficult to overcome considering that it is ingrained and conditioned in their upbringing and social development(Hunsaker Hunsaker, 1991; Hennig Jardim, 1977). In traditional Arab-Islamic patriarchal societies, the feminine gender is subordinate, while the masculine is superior and dominant (Magharabi et.al., 1994; Bech,1994; Hammoud, 1993; Allaghi Almana, 1984; Gerner, 1984; Al-Hatimy1983). Generally, men are held responsible for providing the necessities of life, thus to work outside the home. On the other hand, women are expected to serve their husbands and children at home, especially since women are not required by the Islamic law (Sharia) to financially support the family. In this subordinate position, women become victims of their own gender (Mernissi,1985, Rassam, 1984). Hammouds (1993) dynamic study on the role of women in higher education management in the Arab region confers that the most fatal obstacle which prevents women from realizing their utmost professional achievement is the self-image of a woman portrayed as inferior to men, incapable of being socially and financially independent, and hence depends on them an to care for and protect them. Human Resource Policies and Strategies The lack of proper human resource policies and strategies addressing women workers has proven to be a major obstacle to womens progress and development. The majority of these workers are concentrated in the lower echelons of the organizational hierarchy with a small percentage in decision making positions12,072 out of 51,229 Omani employees in the wage group of 120 Rials were Omani women, followed by the 200 300 bracket in which 3349 Omani women are employed out of a total of 15,665 local workers in that bracket. Only 25 Omani Women fall in the wage group of 2000 + in the private sector out of a total of 589. . In Oman, the absence of human resource policies and strategies to promote the recruitment and development of female managers at work is a deterrent to gender diversity. The work environment and culture are not conducive to promoting women in management. This acts as a glass ceiling preventing womens accessibility to top management positions. For example, there are no programs to facilitate the advancement of women as role models, absence of mentoring programs, lack of management training programs, and shunning of affirmative action. Lack of Professional a Womens Network The lack of a professional womens network in Oman creates a major void for women aspiring to professional managerial positions. The absence of female mentor-protà ©gà © relationship makes it difficult for women to develop the requisite attitude, skills and abilities for leadership and management positions. This results in a disparate situation and a state of confusion; because after all, women are entering a male dominated domain coupled with a traditional value system and a culture that tends to shun women from pursuing management careers. Work Family Conflict There is an interdependence of work and family life which is especially problematic for women as a result of their greater family responsibilities. Traditionally, women have had the primary responsibility for housekeeping and childcare which do not diminish when they are employed outside the home. Furthermore, the responsibilities they carry are simultaneous while mens are more typically sequential. i.e. a woman may be called in at work regarding a sick child whereas typically a father may fulfill role obligations after work hours. Recommendations The hindrances should be tackled efficiently from all angles like Government, organization and the individual. In Oman the availability and accessibility to all levels of education along with equal opportunities in the job market is more so in the urban area. In the rural interiors the importance given to education takes a back seat and therefore the opportunities in the job market is relatively less? Thus it is important to ensure that rural areas should be focused for literacy campaigns. It is urged that educational opportunities to Omani women should never be compromised, but rather be improved. Meanwhile, special measures should be undertaken to encourage and promote womens access to scientific, managerial, technical, and vocational disciplines in order to develop the requisite skills and extend their opportunities for employment in non-traditional occupations. . It is necessary to institute awareness programs of employment opportunities and benefits to Omani women in all the different regions of Oman so that their participation in work force will further increase. This can be achieved through the utilization of the local and international media as a means for promoting the role of working women in the workplace and the values of Arab women in changing society and their integration in the development process. Other measures include setting up quota systems to ensure the employment and representation of women in the workforce. Since the Omani society is based on strong family ties the centrality of the family accompanied by close relationship makes it the responsibility for parents and parents in law of working women to help with child care. However it is recommended that the Organizations and Government also take the responsibility of family support and Child care services and special attention is directed to the provision of a social infrastructure that will enable women to work, such as professional day care centers onsite, kindergartens, and adequate maternity leave. The availability of such support services is a tangible expression of organizational recognition of the needs of professional women. Consequently, it undoubtedly can make a great difference to the capacity of women to manage multiple roles It is very important that Omani women should think positive about them first and convince others that they are empowered and deserve to be trust worthy. Ghada Al Harthy proprietor of cafà © G Patisserie and Cafà © G Catering says I hope to one day fund and support my own training facilities for younger generation of Omanis so that they may also have a brighter future ahead of them. I also want to start new business ventures that will allow me to create career opportunities for the blind and disabled members of our society. We can all make a positive change starting with our thoughts which lead to our actions. His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has always emphasized the importance of the womans role in the countrys growth: Many years ago, I said that if the energy, capability and enthusiasm of women were excluded from a countrys active life, then that country would be depriving itself of 50 per cent of its genius. I have taken very good care that this should not happen to Oman, and I look forward to the further progress of women in my country with the greatest pleasure and confidence.

Letting Go of Old Friends…

Village of Schaumburg Sex, Age, and Employment Demographics The village of Schaumburg is a large village located in  Cook County in Northeastern Illinois. The village is a northwestern suburb of Chicago and is part of the Golden Corridor. Schaumburg has the reputation of being the model community of Cook County. Schaumburg is located roughly 28 miles (45  km) northwest of the Chicago Loop  and approximately 10 miles (16  km) northwest of O’Hare International Airport. As of the 2011 community survey the Village of Schaumburg had a total population of 49. 0% of males and 50. 10% of females. It can be determined by the chart below that the populations of females in the village of Schaumburg make up approximately 37,160 while males come in at 37,038. These estimates were based on a total population of 74,198 people. For this paper the focus will remain on the population of males and females in two separate subgroups of 18years of age and over and 65 years of age and over. I will also discuss the emphasis that is associated with these age factors and the employment rate in Schaumburg.According to the 2011 American Community Survey for the village of Schaumburg, the total provisional population of males and females 18 years and over stood at 59,489. The percentage break down of the population of males 18 years and over has a percentage of 48. 10%, while the percentage for females 18 years and over consist of 51. 90%. In contrast, the percentage of males ages 65 years and over is 39. 20% while females 65 years and over maintains a percentage of 60. 80%.Based on the information provided it can be determined that the village of Schaumburg has an increased population of males and females over the ages of 18. My theory is that the Village of Schaumburg is heavily populated with younger adults due to the opportunity of jobs the village has to offer. Major corporations like Motorola, IBM, and Comcast hold company headquarters in the Village of Schaumburg. Wor king class adults are more willing to live in communities that are abundant with job opportunities.According to the economic characteristics for the Village of Schaumburg the overall employment status stood at 61,311. The breakdown of the populace in the work force outweighs the total number of unemployment citizens in the village. The percentage of employed citizens is right around 66. 30%, while the unemployed come in at a low 4. 90%. It is evident that the Village of Schaumburg maintains a steady employment rate due to the numerous employment options available in the area. I found the low 2011 unemployment rate in Schaumburg surprising, considering that the overall economies unemployment rate was at 8. %. Based on the information provided it can be determined that the Village of Schaumburg is a community that has a population that is heavily populated by young adults. The influx of adults can be contributed to the accessibility and variation of jobs in the area. Also, the notable changes that were brought about in the year 2000 with attractions such as Streets of Wood field, Game Works, and the Convention Center attributed to the increase of young adults and the working class citizens in the Village of Schaumburg.

The Vampire Diaries: The Fury Chapter Five

Dr. Feinberg, Elena thought wildly, trying to twist around to look and simultaneously press herself into the shadows. But it wasn't the small, hawk-nosed visage of the doctor that met her eyes. It was a face with features as fine as those on a Roman coin or medallion, and haunted green eyes. Time caught for a moment, and then Elena was in his arms. â€Å"Oh, Stefan. Stefan†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She felt his body go still with shock. He was holding her mechanically, lightly, as if she were a stranger who'd mistaken him for someone else. â€Å"Stefan,† she said desperately, burrowing her face into his shoulder, trying to get some response. She couldn't bear it if he rejected her; if he hated her now she would die†¦ With a moan, she tried to get even closer to him, wanting to merge with him completely, to disappear inside him. Oh, please, she thought, oh, please, oh, please †¦ â€Å"Elena. Elena, it's all right; I've got you.† He went on talking to her, repeating silly nonsense meant to soothe, stroking her hair. And she could feel the change as his arms tightened around her. He knew who he was holding now. For the first time since she'd awakened that day, she felt safe. Still, it was a long while before she could relax her grip on him even slightly. She wasn't crying; she was gasping in panic. At last she felt the world start to settle into place around her. She didn't let go, though, not yet. She simply stood for endless minutes with her head on his shoulder, drinking in the comfort and security of his nearness. Then she raised her head to look into his eyes. When she'd thought of Stefan earlier that day, she'd thought of how he might help her. She'd meant to ask him, to beg him, to save her from this nightmare, to make her the way she had been before. But now, as she looked at him, she felt a strange despairing resignation flow through her. â€Å"There's nothing to be done about it, is there?† she said very softly. He didn't pretend to misunderstand. â€Å"No,† he said, equally soft. Elena felt as if she had taken some final step over an invisible line and that there was no returning. When she could speak again, she said, â€Å"I'm sorry for the way I acted toward you in the woods. I don't know why I did those things. I remember doing them, but I can't remember why.† â€Å"You're sorry?† His voice shook. â€Å"Elena, after all I've done to you, all that's happened to you because of me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He couldn't finish, and they clung to each other. â€Å"Very touching,† said a voice from the stairway. â€Å"Do you want me to imitate a violin?† â€Å"How did you get here?† said Stefan. â€Å"The same way you did, I presume. Attracted by the blazing beacon of the fair Elena's distress.† Damon was really angry; Elena could tell. Not just annoyed or discommoded but in a white heat of rage and hostility. But he'd been decent to her when she'd been confused and irrational. He'd taken her to shelter; he'd kept her safe. And he hadn't kissed her while she'd been in that horrifyingly vulnerable state. He'd been†¦ kind to her. â€Å"Incidentally, there's something going on down there,† Damon said. â€Å"I know; it's Bonnie again,† said Elena, releasing Stefan and moving back. â€Å"That's not what I meant. This is outside.† Startled, Elena followed him down to the first bend in the stairs, where there was a window overlooking the parking lot. She felt Stefan behind her as she looked down at the scene below. A crowd of people had come out of the church, but they were standing in a solid phalanx at the edge of the lot, not going any farther. Opposite them, in the parking lot itself, was an equally large assembly of dogs. It looked like two armies facing each other. What was eerie, though, was that both groups were absolutely motionless. The people seemed to be paralyzed by uneasiness, and the dogs seemed to be waiting for something. Elena saw the dogs first as different breeds. There were small dogs like sharp-faced corgis and brown-and-black silky terriers and a Lhasa apso with long golden hair. There were medium-sized dogs like springer spaniels and Airedales and one beautiful snow white Samoyed. And there were the big dogs: a barrel-chested rottweiler with a cropped tail, a panting gray wolfhound, and a giant schnauzer, pure black. Then Elena began to recognize individuals. â€Å"That's Mr. Grunbaum's boxer and the Sullivans' German shepherd. But what's going on with them?† The people, originally uneasy, now looked frightened. They stood shoulder to shoulder, no one wanting to break out of the front line and move any closer to the animals. And yet the dogs weren't doing anything, just sitting or standing, some with their tongues lolling gently out. Strange, though, how still they were, Elena thought. Every tiny motion, such as the slightest twitch of tail or ears, seemed vastly exaggerated. And there were no wagging tails, no signs of friendliness. Just†¦ waiting. Robert was toward the back of the crowd. Elena was surprised at seeing him, but for a moment she couldn't think of why. Then she realized it was because he hadn't been in the church. As she watched, he drew farther apart from the group, disappearing under the overhang below Elena. Someone had moved out of the front line at last. It was Douglas Carson, Elena realized, Sue Carson's married older brother. He'd stepped into the no-man's-land between the dogs and the people, one hand slightly extended. A springer spaniel with long ears like brown satin turned her head. Her white stump of a tail quivered slightly, questioningly, and her brown-and-white muzzle lifted. But she didn't come to the young man. Doug Carson took another step. â€Å"Chelsea†¦ good girl. Come here, Chelsea. Come!† He snapped his fingers. â€Å"What do you sense from those dogs down there?† Damon murmured. Stefan shook his head without looking away from the window. â€Å"Nothing,† he said shortly. â€Å"Neither do I.† Damon's eyes were narrowed, his head tilted back appraisingly, but his slightly bared teeth reminded Elena of the wolfhound. â€Å"But we should be able to, you know. They ought to have some emotions we can pick up on. Instead, every time I try to probe them it's like running into a blank white wall.† Elena wished she knew what they were talking about. â€Å"What do you mean ‘probe them'?† she said. â€Å"They're animals.† â€Å"Appearances can be deceiving,† Damon said ironically, and Elena thought about the rainbow lights in the feathers of the crow that had followed her since the first day of school. If she looked closely, she could see those same rainbow lights in Damon's silky hair. â€Å"But animals have emotions, in any case. If your Powers are strong enough, you can examine their minds.† And my Powers aren't, thought Elena. She was startled by the twinge of envy that went through her. Just a few minutes ago she'd been clinging to Stefan, frantic to get rid of any Powers she had, to change herself back. And now, she wished she were stronger. Damon always had an odd effect on her. â€Å"I may not be able to probe Chelsea, but I don't think Doug should go any closer,† she said aloud. Stefan had been staring fixedly out the window, his eyebrows drawn together. Now he nodded fractionally, but with a sudden sense of urgency. â€Å"I don't either,† he said. â€Å"C'mon, Chelsea, be a good girl. Come here.† Doug Carson had almost reached the first row of dogs. All eyes, human and canine, were fixed on him, and even such tiny movements as twitches had stopped. If Elena hadn't seen the sides of one or two dogs hollow and fill with their breathing, she might have thought the whole group was some giant museum display. Doug had come to a halt. Chelsea was watching him from behind the corgi and the Samoyed. Doug clucked his tongue. He stretched out his hand, hesitated, and then stretched it out farther. â€Å"Yes.† She could see his gaze unfocus with concentration; then, he shook his head, exhaling like a person who's tried to lift some-thing too heavy. â€Å"It's no good; I'm burnt out. I can't do it from here.† Below, Chelsea's lips skinned back from her teeth. The red-gold Airedale rose to her feet in one beautifully smooth movement, as if pulled by strings. The hindquarters of the rottweiler bunched. And then they sprang. Elena couldn't see which of the dogs was the first; they seemed to move together like a great wave. Half a dozen hit Doug Carson with enough force to knock him backward, and he disappeared under their massed bodies. The air was full of hellish noise, from a metallic baying that set the church rafters ringing and gave Elena an instant headache, to a deep-throated continuous growl that she felt rather than heard. Dogs were tearing at clothing, snarling, lunging, while the crowd scattered and screamed. Elena caught sight of Alaric Saltzman at the edge of the parking lot, the only one who wasn't running. He was standing stiffly, and she thought she could see his lips moving, and his hands. Everywhere else was pandemonium. Someone had gotten a hose and was turning it into the thick of the pack, but it was having no effect. The dogs seemed to have gone mad. When Chelsea raised her brown-and-white muzzle from her master's body, it was tinged with red. Elena's heart was pounding so that she could barely breathe. â€Å"They need help!† she said, just as Stefan broke away from the window and went down the stairs, taking them two and three at a time. Elena was halfway down the stairs herself when she realized two things: Damon wasn't following her, and she couldn't let herself be seen. She couldn't. The hysteria it would cause, the questions, the fear and hatred once the questions were answered. Something that ran deeper than compassion or sympathy or the need to help wrenched her back, flattening her against the wall. In the dim, cool interior of the church, she glimpsed a boiling pocket of activity. People were dashing back and forth, shouting. Dr. Feinberg, Mr. McCullough, Reverend Bethea. The still point of the circle was Bonnie lying on a pew with Meredith and Aunt Judith and Mrs. McCullough bent over her. â€Å"Something evil,† she was moaning, and then Aunt Judith's head came up, turning in Elena's direction. Elena scuttled up the stairs as quickly as she could, praying Aunt Judith hadn't seen her. Damon was at the window. â€Å"I can't go down there. They think I'm dead!† â€Å"Oh, you've remembered that. Good for you.† â€Å"He'll think you're an interesting specimen, all right.† â€Å"Then I can't go. But you can. Why don't you do something?† Damon continued to look out the window, eyebrows hiking up. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Why?† Elena's alarm and overexcitement reached flash point and she almost slapped him. â€Å"Because they need help! Because you can help. Don't you care about anything besides yourself?† Damon was wearing his most impenetrable mask, the expression of polite inquiry he'd worn when he invited himself to her house for dinner. But she knew that beneath it he was angry, angry at finding her and Stefan together. He was baiting her on purpose and with savage enjoyment. And she couldn't help her reaction, her frustrated, impotent rage. She started for him, and he caught her wrists and held her off, his eyes boring into hers. She was startled to hear the sound that came from her lips then; it was a hiss that sounded more feline than human. She realized her fingers were hooked into claws. What am I doing? Attacking him because he won't defend people against the dogs that are attacking them? What kind of sense does that make? Breathing hard, she relaxed her hands and wet her lips. She stepped back and he let her. There was a long moment while they stared at each other. â€Å"I'm going down,† Elena said quietly and turned. â€Å"No.† â€Å"They need help.† â€Å"All right, then, damn you.† She'd never heard Damon's voice so low, or so furious. â€Å"I'll-† he broke off and Elena, turning back quickly, saw him slam a fist into the window-sill, rattling the glass. But his attention was outside and his voice perfectly composed again when he said dryly, â€Å"Help has arrived.† It was the fire department. Their hoses were much more powerful than the garden hose, and the jet streams of water drove the lunging dogs off with sheer force. Elena saw a sheriff with a gun and bit the inside of her cheek as he aimed and sighted. There was a crack, and the giant schnauzer went down. The sheriff aimed again. It ended quickly after that. Several dogs were already running from the barrage of water, and with the second crack of the pistol more broke from the pack and headed for the edges of the parking lot. It was as if the purpose that had driven them had released them all at once. Elena felt a rush of relief as she saw Stefan standing unharmed in the middle of the rout, shoving a dazed-looking golden retriever away from Doug Carson's form. Chelsea took a skulking step toward her master and looked into his face, head and tail drooping. â€Å"It's all over,† Damon said. He sounded only mildly interested, but Elena glanced at him sharply. All right then, damn you, I'll what? she thought. What had he been about to say? He wasn't in any mood to tell her, but she was in a mood to push. â€Å"It's all over,† Damon said. He sounded only mildly interested, but Elena glanced at him sharply. All right then, damn you, I'll what? she thought. What had he been about to say? He wasn't in any mood to tell her, but she was in a mood to push. He stiffened, then turned. â€Å"Well?† For a second they stood looking at each other, and then there was a step on the stair. Stefan had returned. â€Å"Stefan†¦ you're hurt,† she said, blinking, suddenly disoriented. â€Å"I'm all right.† He wiped blood off his cheek with a tattered sleeve. â€Å"What about Doug?† Elena asked, swallowing. â€Å"I don't know. He is hurt. A lot of people are. That was the strangest thing I've ever seen.† Elena moved away from Damon, up the stairs into the choir loft. She felt that she had to think, but her head was pounding. The strangest thing Stefan had ever seen†¦ that was saying a lot. Something strange in Fell's Church. She reached the wall behind the last row of seats and put a hand against it, sliding down to sit on the floor. Things seemed at once confused and frighteningly clear. Something strange in Fell's Church. The day of the founders' celebration she would have sworn she didn't care anything about Fell's Church or the people in it. But now she knew differently. Looking down on the memorial service, she had begun to think perhaps she did care. And then, when the dogs had attacked outside, she'd known it. She felt somehow responsible for the town, in a way she had never felt before. Her earlier sense of desolation and loneliness had been pushed aside for the moment. There was something more important than her own problems now. And she clung to that something, because the truth was that she really couldn't deal with her own situation, no, she really, really couldn't†¦ She heard the gasping half sob she gave then and looked up to see both Stefan and Damon in the choir loft, looking at her. She shook her head slightly, putting a hand to it, feeling as if she were coming out of a dream. â€Å"Elena†¦ ?† It was Stefan who spoke, but Elena addressed herself to the other one. â€Å"Damon,† she said shakily, â€Å"if I ask you something, will you tell me the truth? I know you didn't chase me off Wickery Bridge. I could feel whatever it was, and it was different. But I want to ask you this: was it you who dumped Stefan in the old Francher well a month ago?† â€Å"In a well?† Damon leaned back against the opposite wall, arms crossed over his chest. He looked politely incredulous. â€Å"On Halloween night, the night Mr. Tanner was killed. After you showed yourself for the first time to Stefan in the woods. He told me he left you in the clearing and started to walk to his car but that someone attacked him before he reached it. When he woke up, he was trapped in the well, and he would have died there if Bonnie hadn't led us to him. I always assumed you were the one who attacked him. He always assumed you were the one. But were you?† â€Å"As a matter of fact, no,† he said. Elena let out her breath. â€Å"You can't believe that!† Stefan exploded. â€Å"You can't believe anything he says.† â€Å"Why should I lie?† Damon returned, clearly enjoying Stefan's loss of control. â€Å"I admit freely to killing Tanner. I drank his blood until he shriveled like a prune. And I wouldn't mind doing the same thing to you, brother. But a well? It's hardly my style.† â€Å"I believe you,† Elena said. Her mind was rushing ahead. She turned to Stefan. â€Å"Don't you feel it? There's something else here in Fell's Church, something that may not even be human-may never have been human, I mean. Something that chased me, forced my car off the bridge. Something that made those dogs attack people. Some terrible force that's here, something evil†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her voice trailed off, and she looked over toward the interior of the church where she had seen Bonnie lying. â€Å"Something evil†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she repeated softly. A cold wind seemed to blow inside her, and she huddled into herself, feeling vulnerable and alone. â€Å"If you're looking for evil,† Stefan said harshly, â€Å"you don't have to look far.† â€Å"Don't be any more stupid than you can help,† said Damon. â€Å"I told you four days ago that someone else had killed Elena. And I said that I was going to find that someone and deal with him. And I am.† He uncrossed his arms and straightened up. â€Å"You two can continue that private conversation you were having when I interrupted.† â€Å"Damon, wait.† Elena hadn't been able to help the shudder that tore through her when he said killed. I can't have been killed; I'm still here, she thought wildly, feeling panic swell up in her again. But now she pushed the panic aside to speak to Damon. â€Å"Whatever this thing is, it's strong,† she said. â€Å"I felt it when it was after me, and it seemed to fill the whole sky. I don't think any of us would stand a chance against it alone.† â€Å"So?† â€Å"So†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Elena hadn't had time to gather her thoughts this far. She was running purely on instinct, on intuition. And intuition told her not to let Damon go. â€Å"So†¦ I think we three ought to stick together. I think we have a much better chance of finding it and dealing with it together than separately. And maybe we can stop it before it hurts or-or kills-anyone else.† Elena stared at him. Of course it wasn't her choice, if he meant romantically. She was wearing the ring Stefan had given her; she and Stefan belonged together. But then she remembered something else, just a flash: looking up at Damon's face in the woods and feeling such-such excitement, such affinity with him. As if he understood the flame that burned inside her as nobody else ever could. As if together they could do anything they liked, conquer the world or destroy it; as if they were better than anyone else who had ever lived. I was out of my mind, irrational, she told herself, but that little flash of memory wouldn't go away. And then she remembered something else: how Damon had acted later that night, how he'd kept her safe, even been gentle with her. Stefan was looking at her, and his expression had changed from belligerence to bitter anger and fear. Part of her wanted to reassure him completely, to throw her arms around him and tell him that she was his and always would be and that nothing else mattered. Not the town, not Damon, not anything. But she wasn't doing it. Because another part of her was saying that the town did matter. And because still another part was just terribly, terribly confused. So confused†¦ She felt a trembling begin deep inside her, and then she found she couldn't make it stop. Emotional overload, she thought, and put her head in her hands.