Piaget and Vygotsky: compare and contrast Essay

Everyday life is characterized by conscious purpose. From reaching for food to designing an experiment, our actions are directed at goals. This purpose reveals itself partly in our conscious awareness and partly in the organization of our thoughts and actions. Cognition, as defined as â€Å"†¦ the activity of knowing and the processes through which knowledge is acquired† (Shaffer et al., 2002), is the process involved in thinking and mental activity, such as attention, memory and problem solving. Much past and present theory has emphasized the parallels between the articulated prepositional structure of language and the structure of an internal code or ‘language of thought’. In this paper I will discuss language and cognition and two famous theorists who were both influential in forming a more scientific approach to analyzing the process of cognitive development: Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. Jean Piaget was known for his establishment of the four major perio ds of cognitive development. Lev Vygotsky was the complement to Piaget’s theory with his sociocultural perspective on cognitive development. Both were keenly interested in the relationship of thinking and language learning. Jean Jacques Piaget was born in Neuchà ¢tel, Switzerland on August 9, 1896. His father, Arthur Piaget, was a professor in Medieval Literature. His mother, Rebecca Jackson, was an intelligent woman but Jean found her a little bit  neurotic. When he was in his late youth he had a faith crisis. His mother encouraged him to attend church to only found it foolish. So he had decided to focus less on philosophy and more on psychology (Smith, L.). Piaget attended the University of Neuchà ¢tel. There he studied natural sciences. He then attended the University of Zà ¼rich were he gained an interest in psychoanalysis. In 1919, he went to Paris, France where he met Dr. Simon at the Binet Laboratory. While in Paris, Piaget planned and administered many reading tests to school children and became interested not in their correct answers, but in their incorrect answers. He wanted to explore the reasoning process that children have. By 1921 he began to publish his research findings. He developed a new way of questioning the children; it was a psychiatric method of question and response. It is called the methode clinique or the clinical method. The clinical method is a type of interview in which a participant’s response to each successive question (or problem) determines what the investigator will ask (Shaffer et al., 2002). Piaget was interested in learning the differences between a child’s acquisitions of knowledge compared to an adult’s. He formed the theory that the growth of knowledge is a progressive construction of logically embedded structures superseding one another by a process of inclusion of lower less powerful logical means into higher and more powerful ones up to adulthood. Therefore, children’s logic and modes of thinking are initially entirely different from those of adults† (Smith, L.). By the time Piaget died in Geneva in 1980, he had written over 300 papers, book chapters and introductions as well as thirty boo ks on cognitive development. Piaget’s idea was that children had learned through action. He believed that children are born with and acquire schemas, or concepts for how to act and respond to the world. As children explore their world, they form and reform ideas in their minds. The more actively involved children are, the more knowledge is gained. McGee and Richgels (1996) note, â€Å"Because children construct their own knowledge, this knowledge does not come fully developed and is often quite different from that of an adult† (p.7). Accordingly, the Piagetian perspective of literacy acquisition emphasizes a child’s stages of development and reflects â€Å"concepts of reading and writing as the child has constructed them,† state McGee and Richgels (1996, p. 10). They add,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Children ‘s concepts of reading and writing are shaped more by what they accomplished in preceding developmental stages than by their simply imitating adults’ behavior or following adultsâ€⠄¢ directions† (p. 10). Piaget believed that children are born with the innate tendency to try to organize the way in which they think about their environment, that is, to make sense out of it. He believed that human beings organize the material about the environment in different ways as they mature. These mental changes are related to an interaction between age and environment. Piaget further believed that his theory was universal, that the stages of development he outlined would exist in all societies. He viewed the development of the child’s cognitive ability as a four-stage process. Children would move up through the stages in a fixed order. He assigned estimations of age for each of the four stages, but did not see the process as connected to specific ages. Piaget’s theory identifies four developmental stages and the processes by which children progress through them. The four stages are as follows: Sensorimotor stage (birth – 2 years old)–The child, through physical interaction with his or her environment, builds a set of concepts about reality and how it works. This is the stage where a child does not know that physical objects remain in existence even when out of sight (object permanence). Preoperational stage (ages 2-7)–The child is not yet able to conceptualize abstractly and needs concrete physical situations. Concrete operations (ages 7-11)–As physical experience accumulates, the child starts to conceptualize, creating logical structures that explain his or her physical experiences. Abstract problem solving is also possible at this stage. For example, arithmetic equations can be solved with numbers, not just with objects. Formal operations (beginning at ages 11-15)–By this point, the child’s cognitive structures are like those of an adult and include conceptual reasoning (Shaffer et al., 2002). While Piaget did not conduct cross-cultural research, his research in Switzerland was comprehensive. As the text points out, Piaget’s original observations and hypotheses were based on his observations of his own three children. He then tested his theories by designing experiments for children to perform. These experiments were passed on to teachers being trained at  the institute. Over the years, Piaget and these teachers have conducted an estimated 20,000 of his various experiments. For example, if one child had been taken on trips around the world, spent much time in museums, and read many books, she might be prepared to move up to the next stage at an earlier age than a child who spent his time playing video games and watching TV all day (Driscoll, 1994). Piaget accounted for varying levels of preparedness by explaining that each child possessed a schema, and that a child could not move to the next stage until his or her schema was at a threshold level. Schemata were expanded through what Piaget termed as assimilation (adding to prior knowledge) and accommodation (changing prior knowledge to fit new information). In this manner, children adapt to situations in response to their need for equilibrium (solving dilemmas; mastering skills). A soccer player who wishes to be a scorer, but lacks aiming skills, may practice at shooting at the goal until she assimilates knowledge of which angle to shoot from and how hard to kick the ball. When she adjusts her tactic (via accommodation) and score a goal, she moves from disequilibrium to equilibrium. Physical maturation, activities and socializing with peers to learn from them are all factors that can or do promote growth in schema (Driscoll, 1994). Piaget believed that children who speak aloud in the presence of others will sometimes adapt their speech to take into consideration the hearer(s) but at other times would direct their remarks to no-one in particular and there would be no evidence that the child was attempting to take into account the knowledge or interests of a specific listener. Piaget called this egocentric speech – the inability of the child to separate their own perspective from those of other people. Piaget saw egocentric speech as being the reflection of thought processes of the young child, and he investigated this in detail. He saw egocentric speech as having no apparent function in the child’s behaviour, so it would have no reason to survive, eventually fading away as the child became more aware of the distinctions between themselves and others (Piaget, 1955). Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky was born in the U.S.S.R. in 1896, the same year  Piaget was born. His active career as a psychologist was only around 10 years long. He graduated with a law degree at the Moscow University. After graduation, he started teaching at various institutions. Vygotsky’s first big research project was in 1925 with his Psychology of Art. A few years later, he pursued a career as a psychologist working with Alexander Luria and Alexei Leontiev. Together, they began the Vygotskian approach to psychology. Vygotsky had no formal training in psychology but it showed that he was fascinated by it. After his death of tuberculosis in 1934, his ideas were repudiated by the government; however, his ideas were kept alive by his students. While agreeing with Piaget that the child is an active learner, Vygotsky placed more emphasis on the child’s interaction with the social environment. Whereas Piaget visualizes the young child as a natural scientist, experimenting with the environment, Vygotsky sees the child as needing assistance at a critical point; he refers to the range of skills that a child can exercise with assistance but cannot perform independently as the zone of proximal development. With guidance or assistance from parents, adults, or even older children, the child is able to master a more difficult task or concept. In contrast to Piaget, Vygotsky believed that the child requires more socialization for cognitive development. While recognizing that maturation is important in cognitive development, he placed less emphasis on it. Language and cognition emerge in development at about the same time and are intertwined. Children build new concepts by interacting with others who either provide feedback for their hypotheses or help them accomplish a task (McGee & Richgels, 1996). Vygotsky suggested that learning is a matter of internalizing the language and actions of others. According to McGee and Richgels (1996), â€Å"Vygotsky believed that children need to be able to talk about a new problem or a new concept in order to understand it and use it† (p. 8). As the child discusses a problem or task with an adult, the adult supplies language to assist the child in solving the problem; the child gradually internalizes the language until the task can be completed independently (McGee & Richgels, 1996). The instructional technique in which  the teacher models the desired learning strategy or task and then gradually shifts responsibility to the students is called scaffolding. Vygotsky perceived the process of cognitive development as less segmented and rigid than Piaget had. He believed that children learned from in two ways: from tools and from more capable peers and adults. Tools could be anything in the environment that children use to help them advance intellectually (e.g., the internet, cultural artifacts). He advocated that children be placed in learning contexts which were raised just slightly above their existing ability so that they would step up to reach the next level. For Vygotsky, learning was a social process from the beginning. Children learned only by interacting with adults, not with peers who were at there level of cognition. The adult provides the child with assisted learning and scaffolding until the zone of proximal development has been removed. An example of this might involve a mother teaching her child how to drink from a cup. The mother could model the action for the child; the mother could then hold the cup up to the childâ€℠¢s mouth; following that, the child could attempt to raise the cup to her own mouth; finally, the mother would help the child coordinate the activity until the child she has acquired the skill. A main area Piaget and Vygotsky are both concerned about is the relationship between language and thought. This is the concept in which they show great dissimilarity. As preschoolers go through their daily activities, they frequently talk out loudly to themselves as they play and explore the environment. Piaget called these utterances egocentric speech, a term expressing his belief that they reflect the preoperational child’s inability to imagine the perspectives of others (Piaget, 1955). Piaget believed that egocentric speech reflects an inability to take the perspective of others, and plays no useful role in development. Vygotsky believed that a child’s use of private speech – talking to himself/herself – is not an example of egocentrism but rather is pre-social conversation. Vygotsky placed a high value on private speech because it enables the child not only to practice talking but also to plan activities. Some modern investigators have suggested that private speech is a process of  planning out loud – for example, when you are going to a new place, you verbalize the instructions for getting there aloud to yourself. It is an important developmental phenomenon, which helps children to organise and regulate thinking. As the Western world has more time to assimilate Vygotsky’s ideas, we may discover other contributions that are important in the cognitive development of young children (Vygotsky, 1962). There are two cases of Piaget and Vygotsky’s differences that stand out the most in their world. First, Vygotsky was critical of Piaget’s assumption that developmental growth was independent of experience and based on a universal characteristic. Vygotsky asserted that development is complex and is effected by social and cultural contexts. Biological and cultural development are interrelated and do not develop in isolation. Vygotsky believed that intellectual development was continually evolving without an end point. Second, the other conflict between Vygotsky and Piaget was the latter’s explanation of development as the notion that concepts should not be taught until children are in the appropriate developmental stage. This conflicts with Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development (ZPD) and developmental theories. Vygotsky noted that instruction that is oriented toward development is ineffective concerning the child’s overall development. Both Vygotsky and Piaget were exceptional men with theories that have helped shaped the world of psychology. Piaget believed the universal acquisition of knowledge occurs within a four stage process. The Vygotskian perspective of cognitive development emphasizes social interaction but places less emphasis on stages of behavior. Although both theories had conflicted with one another, it is true to believe that Vygotsky had built his educational theories on the strengths of Piaget’s. References: Driscoll, M. P. (1994). Psychology of learning for instruction. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Evans, R. (1973). Jean Piaget: The Man and His Ideas. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc. Hall, Wayne and Drinnin, Beverly. Instructor’s Resources for Discovering Psychology. New York: Worth Publishers, 2000, p. 254. McGee, L.M., & Richgels, D.J. (1996). Literacy’s beginnings: Supporting young readers and writers (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Moll, Louis C. (1994). Vygotsky and Education: Instructional implications and applications of sociohistorical psychology. New York: Cambridge University Press. Piaget, J. (1955). The language and thought of the child. New York: Meridian Books. Shaffer, D. R., Wood, E., & Willoughby, T. (2002). Developmental Psychology: Childhood and Adolescence, First Canadian Edition. Toronto: Thomson/Nelson. Smith, L. (1997). Jean Piaget. In N. Sheehy, A. Chapman. W.Conroy (eds). Biographical Dictionary of Psychology. London: Routledge. Vygotsky, L. S. (1962). Thought and Language. Cambridge: MIT Press.

Impacts of Total Productive Maintenance Essay

But there are some companies who have failed to gain advantage and some who are skeptic about its implementation. This leads us to know more about how TPM impacts different components of different organizations. This article focuses on some components such as overall effectiveness and cultural impacts of TPM on an organization. It concludes in building and maintaining a supportive culture and how overall effective helps in gaining a competitive edge over a long period of time. Any organization want to chase in world class competition must give customer satisfaction by providing reliable product or service on time at lower prize then others. One of the premises is that good maintenance and plant engineering process gives fundamental success in manufacturing (Hanson, 1995; Madu 2000). So the organization must reduce the unnecessary cost of time and material by reducing maintenance cost. And to reduce the maintenance cost is one of the reason to develop manufacturing technology like TPM (total productive maintenance). TPM is introduced by Seiici Nakajima in late 1970s in Japan, which made major influence over the economic progress of Japanese manufacturers (Willmott, 1994). TPM is basically a program to improve maintenance effectiveness of equipment throughout its life in the organization by the participation and motivation of all workforces from top management to the line employee from all department of an organization (Nakajima, 1988). The main goal of TPM to achieve maximum productivity with only limited investment in maintenance. This goal can be achieve by increase the overall equipment effectiveness(OEE) by reducing the losses, by improving existing maintenance system, by implementing autonomous maintenance and by increase a skill and motivation of operators from individual and group development (Willmott, 1994). And also by proper maintenance of equipment and facilities for best performance in order to reduce their life cycle cost. One of the properties of TPM is that production operators assist to repair the equipments when it is down and thus they share their effort in preventive maintenance and in turns improvement in process (Jostes & Helms. 994) In this term paper we focus on impacts of TPM. Many companies such Steelcase, Tennessee Eastman(Garwood, 1990), Nissan(Suzuki, 1993) adopted TPM are satisfied with the technique and find significant reduction in break down labor rates, lost of production, setup cost and cost per maintenance unit(Koelsch, 1993). TPM helps to planned and controlled the maintenan ce expanse(Adair-Heely, 1989) and reduction in maintenance force. For example a person who pays for preventive works are no more needed after implementing TPM, because TPM terns all activities of PM works to production forces. TPM gives opportunity to all individuals to express idea to improve the process and become a more familiar with tools and techniques to solve the problems and this effect directly to the capability of organization. TPM also helps to maintain consistency in quality of the product as well as reliability of product, the things that expect from the customer which interns helps to satisfy the customer. The basic aims of TPM is to double productivity and eliminate the loses, to create bright, clean and pleasant factory, to empower people and facilities and, through them, the organization itself (Wireman, 1991).

Digital Fortress Chapter 40

Outside Node 3, Chartrukian looked desperate. He was trying to convince Hale that TRANSLTR was in trouble. Susan raced by them with only one thought in mind-to find Strathmore. The panicked Sys-Sec grabbed Susan's arm as she passed. â€Å"Ms. Fletcher! We have a virus! I'm positive! You have to-â€Å" Susan shook herself free and glared ferociously. â€Å"I thought the commander told you to go home.† â€Å"But the Run-Monitor! It's registering eighteen-â€Å" â€Å"Commander Strathmore told you to go home!† â€Å"FUCK STRATHMORE!† Chartrukian screamed, the words resounding throughout the dome. A deep voice boomed from above. â€Å"Mr. Chartrukian?† The three Crypto employees froze. High above them, Strathmore stood at the railing outside his office. For a moment, the only sound inside the dome was the uneven hum of the generators below. Susan tried desperately to catch Strathmore's eye. Commander! Hale is North Dakota! But Strathmore was fixated on the young Sys-Sec. He descended the stairs without so much as a blink, keeping his eyes trained on Chartrukian the whole way down. He made his way across the Crypto floor and stopped six inches in front of the trembling technician. â€Å"What did you say?† â€Å"Sir,† Chartrukian choked, â€Å"TRANSLTR's in trouble.† â€Å"Commander?† Susan interjected. â€Å"If I could-â€Å" Strathmore waved her off. His eyes never left the Sys-Sec. Phil blurted, â€Å"We have an infected file, sir. I'm sure of it!† Strathmore's complexion turned a deep red. â€Å"Mr. Chartrukian, we've been through this. There is no file infecting TRANSLTR!† â€Å"Yes, there is!† he cried. â€Å"And if it makes its way to the main databank-â€Å" â€Å"Where the hell is this infected file?† Strathmore bellowed. â€Å"Show it to me!† Chartrukian hesitated. â€Å"I can't.† â€Å"Of course you can't! It doesn't exist!† Susan said, â€Å"Commander, I must-â€Å" Again Strathmore silenced her with an angry wave. Susan eyed Hale nervously. He seemed smug and detached. It makes perfect sense, she thought. Hale wouldn't be worried about a virus; he knows what's really going on inside TRANSLTR. Chartrukian was insistent. â€Å"The infected file exists, sir. But Gauntlet never picked it up.† â€Å"If Gauntlet never picked it up,† Strathmore fumed, â€Å"then how the hell do you know it exists?† Chartrukian suddenly sounded more confident. â€Å"Mutation strings, sir. I ran a full analysis, and the probe turned up mutation strings!† Susan now understood why the Sys-Sec was so concerned. Mutation strings, she mused. She knew mutation strings were programming sequences that corrupted data in extremely complex ways. They were very common in computer viruses, particularly viruses that altered large blocks of data. Of course, Susan also knew from Tankado's E-mail that the mutation strings Chartrukian had seen were harmless-simply part of Digital Fortress. The Sys-Sec went on. â€Å"When I first saw the strings, sir, I thought Gauntlet's filters had failed. But then I ran some tests and found out†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused, looking suddenly uneasy. â€Å"I found out that somebody manually bypassed Gauntlet.† The statement met with a sudden hush. Strathmore's face turned an even deeper shade of crimson. There was no doubt whom Chartrukian was accusing; Strathmore's terminal was the only one in Crypto with clearance to bypass Gauntlet's filters. When Strathmore spoke, his voice was like ice. â€Å"Mr. Chartrukian, not that it is any concern of yours, but I bypassed Gauntlet.† He went on, his temper hovering near the boiling point. â€Å"As I told you earlier, I'm running a very advanced diagnostic. The mutation strings you see in TRANSLTR are part of that diagnostic; they are there because I put them there. Gauntlet refused to let me load the file, so I bypassed its filters.† Strathmore's eyes narrowed sharply at Chartrukian. â€Å"Now, will there be anything else before you go?† In a flash, it all clicked for Susan. When Strathmore had downloaded the encrypted Digital Fortress algorithm from the Internet and tried to run it through TRANSLTR, the mutation strings had tripped Gauntlet's filters. Desperate to know whether Digital Fortress was breakable, Strathmore decided to bypass the filters. Normally, bypassing Gauntlet was unthinkable. In this situation, however, there was no danger in sending Digital Fortress directly into TRANSLTR; the commander knew exactly what the file was and where it came from. â€Å"With all due respect, sir,† Chartrukian pressed, â€Å"I've never heard of a diagnostic that employs mutation-â€Å" â€Å"Commander,† Susan interjected, not able to wait another moment. â€Å"I really need to-â€Å" This time her words were cut short by the sharp ring of Strathmore's cellular phone. The commander snatched up the receiver. â€Å"What is it!† he barked. Then he fell silent and listened to the caller. Susan forgot about Hale for an instant. She prayed the caller was David. Tell me he's okay, she thought. Tell me he found the ring! But Strathmore caught her eye and he gave her a frown. It was not David. Susan felt her breath grow short. All she wanted to know was that the man she loved was safe. Strathmore, Susan knew, was impatient for other reasons; if David took much longer, the commander would have to send backup-NSA field agents. It was a gamble he had hoped to avoid. â€Å"Commander?† Chartrukian urged. â€Å"I really think we should check-â€Å" â€Å"Hold on,† Strathmore said, apologizing to his caller. He covered his mouthpiece and leveled a fiery stare at his young Sys-Sec. â€Å"Mr. Chartrukian,† he growled, â€Å"this discussion is over. You are to leave Crypto. Now. That's an order.† Chartrukian stood stunned. â€Å"But, sir, mutation str-â€Å" â€Å"NOW!† Strathmore bellowed. Chartrukian stared a moment, speechless. Then he stormed off toward the Sys-Sec lab. Strathmore turned and eyed Hale with a puzzled look. Susan understood the commander's mystification. Hale had been quiet-too quiet. Hale knew very well there was no such thing as a diagnostic that used mutation strings, much less one that could keep TRANSLTR busy eighteen hours. And yet Hale hadn't said a word. He appeared indifferent to the entire commotion. Strathmore was obviously wondering why. Susan had the answer. â€Å"Commander,† she said insistently, â€Å"if I could just speak-â€Å" â€Å"In a minute,† he interjected, still eyeing Hale quizzically. â€Å"I need to take this call.† With that, Strathmore turned on his heel and headed for his office. Susan opened her mouth, but the words stalled on the tip of her tongue. Hale is North Dakota! She stood rigid, unable to breathe. She felt Hale staring at her. Susan turned. Hale stepped aside and swung his arm graciously toward the Node 3 door. â€Å"After you, Sue.†

Adidas Company Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Adidas Company - Assignment Example They possess strong control over their channel of distribution. Their customers have strong competence to promote the company’s development. The brand reputation and recognition are an added advantage that causes competitive nature of the other companies (Borowski, 2013). The strategy of pricing of the Adidas products makes the company more competitive. The Adidas Company is the second largest maker of athletic footwear and sports equipment worldwide. The company has revenues of E10, 381 million, which enable it not to ever run under debts. Its strong brand such as Adidas, Reebok, and Taylor Made are the portfolios (Borowski, 2013). They build the company’s leading market position. Leveraging is done on the brands to establish strong retail availability and get an increase in profits limits through the increment of retail sales as a percentage of sales in total. The company has successfully grown due to its own retail. It is currently operating over 2,200 stores for its brands worldwide. It is also operating its business using the e-commerce, which other companies have not discovered yet. It is successfully expanding the retail stores across the contents, which makes it more successful compared to other

Capital Asset Management and techniques of its evaluation Essay

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Viewing Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Human sexuality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Human sexuality - Essay Example To be in love is a feeling that comes and passes away after a while. To be in love with someone is often related to romance and relationships. Loving someone, on the other hand, is what one can say sustains a relationship after the infatuation fades away. At this point, one is fully aware of the other person’s flaws and the differences between them and still chooses to stay with them. To love someone is unconditional, like how a mother loves her child that makes her always defend the child no matter what or the general feeling we have for our family. You take the person you love for who they are and will always be there for them no matter what. The feeling of love is something that gradually grows as one gets to know the other person and accept them for whom they truly are. To love someone means that the feeling will never go away. Therefore, this implies  that it is possible to be in love with someone and not love him or her. Alternatively, that you can love someone without necessarily saying you are in love with him or her. Like you can love your dog, but you cannot say that you are in love with your dog. I agree with this statement. In unconditionally self-loving one’s self, one can feel like they truly deserve of the love they get in return from their partners, families or friends. If one were to sit and write down a list of things they want in their partner, you get to realize that it is all the characters you want in yourself. People try to be what they are not in order for other people to think that they are first before you can expect someone to fall in love with you (Collins, 2006). Self-love is all about falling in love with one’s self first, before turning to someone else to share that love with instead of only looking for someone to fill the hole we have in our lives out of feeling unworthy and undeserving of love. Awareness and self-acceptance

Enterprise Resource Planning Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Enterprise Resource Planning - Research Paper Example There are some intangible Services associated with Hadeed products such as Out-sourcing, Transportation and Storage of goods, Logistic, etc. SABIC incorporated Shared Services Organization in 2003, to develop complementary services like Centralized Purchasing, Inventory Management, Supply Chain Management, among SABIC and its affiliates like HADEED to assist attain its strategic objectives from side to side augmented competence. It optimizes their Inventory by utilization of inventory management tools viz., MRP Planning, Inventory Optimization through ABC Analysis and Supply-Chain Management. On the contrary, SSWCC starts their operations from one-on-one i.e., consumers requests and keep in touch with customer and supply them best networking, newest technology, modified services and support for their services. SSWCC operates the customer services following doing the sales. The main dissimilarity among Manufacturing and Service provider can be well recognized by comparing the subseque nt Nature and Consumption of Output, consistency of Input and Output, Measurement of output and Labour Requirement (Lincoln, J.; Hanada, M.; 2001, 93-115). In this research with the literature review about the areas of this study for ERP systems. Next, in sections the study continues with the Research Methodology. Finally, in last section the author suggests his own personal viewsto be made in the area of research. 1. Introduction Enterprise resource planning: (noun); An accounting-oriented information system for recognize and preparation the enterprise-wide resources wanted to take, make, ship, and account for client orders. To asses the assignments we have select two large good reputed organizations from Secondary Sector & Tertiary Sector of Industry within Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. From public sector i.e. Manufacturing, the foremost company being HADEED (A SABIC Affiliate) which offer touchable product i.e. Goods & Commodities Steel Products and extra from Tertiary Sector i.e. Service, is Saudi Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SSWCC), which pleased its customers by offer high standard of insubstantial product i.e. Services Water Convention Network. Saudi developmental policies and plans are draw round in a five-year national plan that directs public investments. The eighth five-year growth plan (2005-2009) speak to lots of the challenges declare above. It has, for the first time, a long-term strategic viewpoint on growth based on the Future dream of the Saudi financial system towards 2025. It underscores a national promise to the people by: (a) put together all the MDGs and seeking to endorse the role of women and the childhood in national growth procedure; (b) supporting Government sector asset as the driver of future enlargement and promoting further diversification away from heavy dependence on usual resources, chiefly oil and natural gas, avoiding unenthusiastic impacts on the environment, chiefly water resources; and (c)

Religion and Faith as Instrument of Hope Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Religion and Faith as Instrument of Hope - Essay Example I will make your load easier to carry. Come near me and you shall have rest (The Holy Bible, New International Version, p.539). Truly the heavy load gets lighter, out of the blue, a solution to a problem just appears and help from friends keep on coming. But those are possible only when you have faith. Because the solution that came isn’t the one you’re asking. With faith, you’ll realize that there’s One who knows what’s better for you. This happens not more of a Divine cooperation but usually with God’s intervention answering your prayers. But that holds true only when you pray, because prayer indicates the presence of faith. Faith can grow through constant prayers. We must have faith to keeps us strong. Through faith, we can easily understand and hurdle life’s difficulties. When we cannot anymore comprehend what is going on, there should be something aside from the intellect that will explain. And that’s faith. Where reason ends, faith begins. ... Tolerating Grossbart would be a way of going against the principle of being a defender of faith. Even Jesus Christ became furious when he entered the temple and saw the place becoming a venue for businesses. He upturned the tables being used by the moneychangers and the places of dove sellers and He drove the traders. He claimed "The Scripture says that this temple should be used for praying, but you are using it as "place for thieves"(The Holy Bible, New International Version, p.546). A defender of faith naturally possesses a very strong faith that is acquired and develops through years of practicing the religion. Religion doesn't promise an easy life, a bed of roses so to speak. But no matter how difficult life is, a person with real faith will not be overwhelmed by it. He knows the Lord up there helps him carry the load. He is too much aware that God will not give him a problem that is too difficult that he cannot bear. In every problem that God gives, there is always a corresponding solution. Every problem that is solved greatly contributes to the growth of faith. To be a defender of faith, one can learn many lessons from the Bible. Of course, Bible is a Christians' Book of Life. A Model of Christian Charity People in different countries and places have different status in life. There is a widening gap between the rich and the poor. Some people belong to very influential and well-to-do families while others live an average life and are obedient to the powers that be. What could be the reason for this Perhaps it is God's wisdom that different people live differently. The Model of Christianity has the following reasons: So that beauty can be appreciated more by seeing the opposite and so that man can be grateful to his

JD Power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

JD Power - Essay Example Now, how does one define the specific market segments of JD Power consumers? Basically, the company provides pertinent market research to its clients spanning a myriad of different industries, including automotives, real estate, insurance, and telecommunications. If it is to be broken down, the company has two main target markets – everyday consumers and corporate business entities. Everyday consumers utilize the customer satisfaction ratings and market research studies of the company in order to make better- informed decisions regarding their purchases and transactions, using the culled consumer information data as a reference point. They make use of the service by simply going to the company’s consumer website, where they can look for the specific industry that concerns them at the moment. From there, the market research data and research surveys would be readily available for instant viewing. Consumers in all likelihood use the product every time they are in need of a figure-backed opinion concerning an upcoming purchase. They could compare how the product or service stacked up in the court of public opinion, and could use it as an additional tool towards making an informed and well-researched decision. Corporations and businesses make up the other major market segment of the company. They seek the consumer data culled by JD Power for their own internal use. The companies buy the comprehensive research provided by JD Power and utilize it in accordance with their own business interests.2 This is a process that occurs every time a new product or service is launched; the companies would want to know how it is received in the marketplace. Armed with this information , these client companies would be well-informed as to what their succeeding strategies would be. Now, why did JD Power and Associates choose to concentrate on these two main target markets? Obviously the consumers do not pay anything for the research that is

Culture affects Essay Example for Free

Culture affects Essay This essay will be focussed on comparing two scenes from two different plays, the main characters and their personalities, and how their culture affects them.  The two plays in question are Arthur Millers The Crucible and Blackrock by Nick Enright.  Arthur Miller was an American playwright who was born in 1915. He grew up in New York to a Jewish family. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1938 where he began to distinguish himself as a playwright. His play The Crucible was written in 1953 and later adapted to a film starring Daniel Day Lewis and Winnona Rider in 1996. The Crucible inspired by the Salem Witch Trials. A group of innocent girls are caught dancing and chanting in the forest around a fire. (Puritan England where all forms of dancing and enjoyment would be strictly forbidden) To save themselves from being punished, they cry witchcraft and within days the whole town goes mad searching for the presence of the Devil and his witches. The few honest and true people who do not lie to save themselves from hanging are coldly murdered, including John Proctor the main male role. Nick Enright was born in Maitland in New South Wales. He started his career in the theatre as a teenager and wrote Blackrock in 19 and later on in 1997 was adapted to a film. Blackrock about a teens idyllic surfer lifestyle is shattered when a young girl is brutally murdered after a beach party and the investigation comes close to his circle of friends. The young man Jared, must deal with his conscience and his sense of loyalty to his friends.  Both the plays Blackrock and The Crucible although set in different time periods, both have a main character faced with some sort of personal moral dilemma. The decision between right and wrong, and having the courage to put yourself at risk on behalf of others. Act 4 of The Crucible The scene changes from the Vestry in the Courthouse to Salem jail.  Marshall Herrick enters and wakes up Goody Good and Tituba so that they can be moved to a different cell.  Tituba tells Herrick that they await the Devil, who will fly them to Barbados.  The Reverend Hale arrives and tells the prisoners that they must confess to being witches in order to thwart the ridiculous Court and avoid being hanged. Reverend Parris discovers that Abigail and Mercy Lewis have disappeared after robbing Parris and he suspects they may have boarded a ship. Parris delays telling Danforth this news because he fears that there will be a rebellion in Salem similar to the recent uprising in Andover. There they threw out the Court, as the people were unhappy with the proceedings.  When Danforth learns about the disappearance of Abigail he still considers that the evidence stands and will not postpone the executions for it would be a sign of weakness. Hale pleads with him to reconsider or at least give him time to persuade the prisoners to confess. Reverend Hale is having difficulties in persuading the seven condemned to death to confess, and he pleads again with Danforth for more time. He senses that Proctor is considering confessing, so he asks Elizabeth to talk to her husband stressing the future in store for their children if he is hanged. Elizabeth feels responsible for Proctors situation because she lied in Court. She also feels guilty for being suspicious about her husband after the affair with Abigail. She tells Proctor that she totally forgives him for the affair. Proctor hopes that if he makes an oral confession in Court, that will be sufficient for his Judges, but they require it in writing and it will be posted on the Church door. He cannot face this and, therefore, retracts his confession. He would rather die, and preserve his good name.

War On Iraq And The Bombing Of Pearl Harbor Essay Example for Free

War On Iraq And The Bombing Of Pearl Harbor Essay In July of 1941, Japanese assets were frozen in America, and the consequent cessation of shipment of oil, scrap iron, and other goods from the United States, Japans economy was in most severe straits and her power to wage war directly threatened and her ability to make war was becoming severely threatened by the ongoing embargoes against her. Japanese military planners estimated that reserves of oil, painfully accumulated in the late 1930s when the risk of just such a squeeze became evident, would last at most two years by which time it would be far too late to make a stand, militarily, against the United States in China or elsewhere. Somehow, Japan had found its way to a no good choices scenario, with acquiescence to American demands dooming Japan to a less than coequal status with the worlds dominant powers, or war with the United States sooner than later before supplies dwindled below practical abilities to make war. (Russett, 1997, p. 46). Diplomatic efforts proved useless when The United States, and the British and Dutch, would end the embargoes only as a response to Japanese withdrawal from air and naval bases in Indochina; and at this time the Japanese military began to consider war with the U. S. inevitable. Most of the Japanese elite were opposed to any settlement which would in effect have meant withdrawal from China which would also mean the increase of Western, particularly American influence, in precisely those ares which Japans ruling castes believed were the natural provinces of the Japanese Empire. (Russett, 1997, p. 47). While the Japanese military planned for war, the American government also planned for an escalation of hostilities: By autumn 1941, however, opinion was crystallizing in the highest levels of the American decision-making system this process was leading to war. Roosevelt informally polled his cabinet on the question of whether the country would support war against Japan and the result was that All members responded in the affirmative; with public support behind the war, conflict with Japan seemed immanent. (Russett, 1997, p. 50) By the beginning of December their attack was irrevocably set in motion. The Japanese conviction that war could not be limited to the British and Dutch had to be based wholly on inference. Yet it was a correct analysis and a solid conviction, as shown by the otherwise inexplicable risk they took at Pearl Harbor the attack ensured American popular support for the war in the Pacific, just as the moral argument against Hitler in Europe worked to fuel public support for the American entry into World War Two. (Russett, 1997, p. 51) Although ambiguity persists in the public perception of the contribution of the United States intelligence services to the build up toward the Iraqi War, official statements by high-ranking intelligence officials who served during the time period in question maintain a specific position: that the U. S. possessed credible information that Iraq maintained an arsenal of weapons of mass destruction and these weapons posed a potential threat to America. In point of fact when classified intelligence reports surfaced in 2002 which seemed to indicate that the United States had no reliable evidence before hostilities that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. (Official Rebuts Story of, 2003, p. A03). The question as to whether or not the war can be considered a fall-out of bad intelligence then, would seem to be a non-starter. The simple facts, despite leaked report of 2002, are that the intelligence agencies, including the CIA and the DIA posited and maintained the position through the buildup and afterward that Iraq posed a threat to the U. S. and that Iraq possessed illegal weapons of mass destruction. Since no weapons were found, there was obviously and most tragically a profound failure of intelligence. A failure so profound, in fact, that the blame for a catastrophe involving potentially hundreds of thousands of deaths and untold trillions of dollars should lie squarely on the intelligence gathering agencies who so grossly mishandled their responsibilities and led America into an unnecessary and dearly costly war. Works Cited Decosse, D. E. Authority, Lies, and War: Democracy and the Development of Just War Theory. Theological Studies, 67(2), 378+. (2006). Official Rebuts Story of Iraq Intelligence Shortcomings; Says Leaked Classified Report Was Misread regarding Weapons Program. The Washington Times, p. A03. (2003, June 7). Russett, B. M. No Clear and Present Danger: A Skeptical View of the United States Entry into World War II. Boulder,Colo. : Westview Press. (1997).

The Leadership Of General George Washington

The Leadership Of General George Washington United States of America is the world super power. During golden history of United States of America great leaders paved the way to achieve the present world supremacy. Dedicated service rendered by General George Washington as a war wining General to the great nation of America is significant. General George Washington is considered as the founder father of the United States of America. General George Washington is still in the green memories of the Americans due to his distinguished service as commanding general of the revolutionary army. George Washington played a crucial role during the French and Indian War that lasted for seven years. During 1775 to 1783 George Washington led the American victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary war .Under his leadership America gained independence. General George Washington led the Continental Army towards victory. His great achievements and military operations were exclusive. General Washingtons military career provides a model of l eadership strategic and tactical skills. As the commander in chief of the continental army, his achievements and services to the nation were remarkable. He possessed a great strength of character and a wealth of sound leadership qualities. He was a leader with calm, trustworthy, wise, unselfish, determined sense of patriotic commitment to the nation and leader who treated his citizen solidarity 2. General George Washingtons greatness can be identified by three ways firstly, as commander in chief of the Continental Army, secondly as president of the constitutional convention, and thirdly as the first President of the United States of America. General Washington became the President in 1789, following the end of war with the Great Britain in 1783. His exemplary performances as the first president of the United States of America were commendable. As a political leader and as the first president of the country General George Washington displayed great leadership qualities same as he exhibited in battlefield. General Washington had a vision of a making America as powerful nation using federal power. As President, George Washington played a leading role in drafting the American Constitution in 1789 and extended his contribution by building a strong central government. General Washington first adopted the foreign policy of neutrality. In 1773, he prevented international conflicts and  interruptions  of other countries. He was the prominent figure in establishing essential political conventions to ensure the success of the new republic. General Washington was not a member of any political party. Due to dedicated service rendered and his exceptional contribution to the nation as the farther of the nation he is honoured by every American citizen. People all over the world admire his leadership and reputed character. AIM 3. The aim of this presentation is to acquaint the student officers on military leadership and political leadership of General George Washington. EARLY LIFE 4. General George Washington was born in Virginia on 22 February 1732. Little George learned to read and write during his school time. He attended school from his 7th to his 15th year. His favorite subject in school was mathematics. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and boating on the river a lot. At the age of eleven, his father died. George had to help his mother to run their farmhouse and watch his younger sister and brothers during his early stages. 5. General Washington embarked upon a career as a surveyor in 1748. In 1749 he was appointed to his first public office in Culpeper Company. George was joined the Virginia army when he was twenty one. Soon after his resignation from his commission George Washington married the widow  Martha Dandridge Custis  in 1759. MILITARY CAREER 4. George Washingtons military accomplishments are not popularly appreciated for two reasons: his distinction as first president of the new nation was unique and his enduring achievements in military operations were not based upon a series of conquests or large-scale battles. Nevertheless, General Washingtons military career provides a model of leadership and strategic and tactical expertise. 5. Military career of George Washington  spanned over forty years of service. General Washingtons service can be broken in three periods that is French and Indian War,  American Revolutionary War, and the  Quasi-War  with  France, with service in three different armed forces British provincial militia, the  Continental Army, and the  United States Army. 6. General Washingtons  military experience began in the  French and Indian War  with a commission as a major in the  militia  of the British  Province of Virginia. In 1753 General Washington was sent as an  ambassador  from the  British  crown to the  French  officials and  Indians  as far north as present-day Pennsylvania. The following year he led another expedition to the area to assist in the construction of a fort at present-day  Pittsburgh. Before reaching that point, he and some of his men, accompanied by Indian allies,  ambushed a French scouting party. Its leader was killed, although the exact circumstances of his death were disputed. This peacetime act of aggression is seen as one of the first military steps leading to the global  Seven Years War. The French responded by  attacking fortifications which General Washington erected  following the ambush, forcing his surrender. Released on parole, General Washington and his troops returned to Virginia. 7. General Washington  played a key role  in the outbreak of the  French and Indian war, and then led the defense of Virginia between 1755 and 1758 as colonel of the Virginia Regiment. Although General Washington never received a commission in the British Army, he gained valuable military, political, and leadership skills,  and received significant public exposure in the colonies and abroad.  He closely observed British military tactics, gaining a keen insight into their strengths and weaknesses that proved invaluable during the Revolution. He demonstrated his toughness and courage in the most difficult situations, including disasters and retreats. He developed a command presence, given his size, strength, stamina, and bravery in battle, he appeared to soldiers to be a natural leader and they followed him without question. General Washington learned to organize, train, and drill, and discipline his companies and regiments. From his observations, readings and conversations w ith professional officers, he learned the basics of battlefield tactics, as well as a good understanding of problems of organization and logistics. 8. In 1755 he participated as a volunteer aide in the ill-fated  expedition of General Edward Braddock, where he distinguished himself in the retreat following the climactic Battle of Monongahela. He served from 1755 until 1758 as colonel and commander of the  Virginia Regiment, directing the provincial defenses against French and Indian raids and building the regiment into one of the best-trained provincial militias of the time. He led the regiment as part of the 1758 expedition of General  John Forbes  that successfully  drove the French from Fort Duquesne. 9. General Washington gained valuable military skills during the war, acquiring tactical, strategic, and logistical military experience. His military exploits, although they included some notable failures, made his military reputation in the colonies such that he became a natural selection as the commander in chief of the  Continental Army  following the outbreak of the  American Revolutionary war  in 1775. 10. General Washington played a leading military and political role in the  American Revolution. He appeared before the  Second Continental Congress  in military uniform, signaling that he was prepared for  war. Congress created the Continental Army on June 14, the next day it selected General Washington as commander-in-chief. 11. General Washington appeared before the  Second Continental Congress  in military uniform, signaling that he was prepared for war. Congress created the  Continental Army  on June 14, the next day it selected George Washington as commander-in-chief. There was no serious rival to his experience and confident leadership, let alone his base in the largest colony. 12. George Washington assumed command of the colonial forces in Boston in July 1775, during the ongoing  siege of Boston. George Washington reorganized the army during the long standoff, and forced the British to withdraw by putting artillery on  Dorchester Heights  overlooking the city. The British  evacuated Boston  and George Washington moved his army to  New York City. In August 1776, British General  launched a massive naval and land  campaign to capture New York designed to seize New York City and offer a negotiated settlement. The Americans were committed to independence, but General Washington was unable to hold New York. Defeated at the  Battle of Long Island, his armys subsequent night time retreat across the  East River  without the loss of a single life or  material has been seen by some historians as one of General Washingtons greatest military feats. On the night of December 25, 1776, General Washington staged a  counter attack, leading the Ame rican forces  across the Delaware River to capture nearly 1,000  Hessians  in  Trenton, New Jersey. General Washington followed up the assault with a surprise attack on British forces at  Princeton. These unexpected victories after a series of losses recaptured New Jersey, drove the British back to the New York City area, and gave a dramatic boost to revolutionary morale. 13. General Washingtons army led a massive attack on the British garrison at the  Battle of Germantown  in early October. While unsuccessful, the battle left the British army badly scarred and marked the beginning of several offensively-minded moves by General Washington. 14. French entry into the war changed the dynamics, for the British were no longer sure of command of the seas and had to worry about an invasion of their home islands. The British evacuated Philadelphia in 1778 and returned to New York City, with General Washington attacking them along the way at the  Battle of Monmouth. This was the last major battle in the north. During this time, General Washington remained with his army outside New York, looking for an opportunity to strike a decisive blow while dispatching troops to other operations to the north and south. The long-awaited opportunity finally came in 1781, after a  French naval victory  allowed American and French forces to trap a British army in Virginia. The  surrender at Yorktown on October 17, 1781 marked the end of fighting. The  Treaty of Paris Treaty recognized the independence of the United States. 15. General Washingtons contribution to victory in the American Revolution was not that of a great battlefield tactician. In fact he sometimes planned operations that were too complicated for his amateur soldiers to execute. However, his overall strategy proved to be successful keep control of the population at all times, keep the army intact and avoid decisive battles except to exploit enemy mistakes. 16. On December 23, 1783, General Washington resigned his commission as commander-in-chief to the  Congress of the Confederation. Because of General Washingtons importance in the early history of the United States of America, he was grated a posthumous promotion to General of the armies of the United States, legislatively defined to be the highest possible rank in the United States Army, more than 175 years after his death on 19th January 1976. SUCCESSES AND DRAWBACKS OF MILITARY CAREER 17. Battle of Jumonville. The Battle of Jumonville Glen, also known as the Jumonville affair, fought on May 28 1754 near Uniontown in Fayette Country, Pennsylvania was the opening battle of the French and Indian war. A company of colonial militia from Virginia commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George Washington and no of Mingo warriors led by Tanacharison ambushed a force of 35 Frenchmen commanded by Joseph Coulon Villiers de Jumonville. A larger French force had driven off the small construction crew, and sent Jumonville to warn General Washington about encroaching on French claimed territory. General Washington was alerted to Jumonvilles presence by Tanacharison, and they joined forces to surround the French camp. Some of the Frenchmen were killed in the ambush, and most of the others were captured. Jumonville was among the slain, although the exact circumstances of his death are a subject of historical controversy and on debate. 18. Siege of Boston. Siege began on April 19, when the militia from many Massachusetts communities surrounded Boston and blocked land access to the then peninsular town, limiting British supply to naval operations. In March 1776, using the artillery pieces Dorchester Heights were fortified, overlooking Boston and its harbor and threatening the British naval supply lifeline. The British commander William Howe realizing he could no longer hold the town. He withdrew the British forces, departing on March 17. 19. Battle of Trenton. During the American Revolutionary war the Battle of Trenton took place on 26 December 1776. The hazardous crossing of Delaware River made it possible for General Washington to lead the main body of the Continental Army against Hessian soldiers garrisoned at Trenton. After a brief battle, nearly the entire Hessian force was captured, with negligible losses to the Americans. The battle significantly boosted the Continental Armys flagging morale. Because the river was icy and the weather was severe, the crossing proved the danger. Two detachments were unable to cross the river, leaving General Washington and the 2,400 men under his command alone in the assault. General Washingtons forces caught them off guard and, before the Hessians could resist, they were taken as prisoners. 20. Battle of Princeton. General George Washingtons revolutionary forces defeated British forces near Princeton, in the battle of Princeton on 3 January 1777 New Jersey. On the night of 2 January 1777 George Washington, Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, repulsed a British attack at the Battle of Assunpink Creek in Trenton. That night, he evacuated his position, circled around General Lord Cornwallis army, and went to attack the British garrison at Princeton. Brigadier General Hugh Mercer of the Continental Army clashed with two regiments commanded by Lieutenant colonel Charles Mawhood of the British Army. Mercer and his troops were overrun and General Washington sent some militia under General John Cadwalaader to help him. The militia, on seeing the flight of Mercers men, also began to flee. General Washington rode up with reinforcements and rallied the fleeing militia. He then led the attack on Mawhoods troops, driving them back. Mawhood gave the order to retreat and most of the troops tried to flee to Cornwallis in Trenton. 21. Sieges of York Town. Decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces commanded by General George Washington and French forces commanded by Comte de Rochambeau against British Army commanded by Lieutenant general Lord Cornwallis. It proved to be the last major land battle of the American Revolutionary War in North America, as the surrender of Cornwallis army prompted the British government eventually to negotiate an end to the conflict. 22. Battle of Fort Necessity. The Battle of Fort Necessity or the Battle of the Great Meadows took place on 3 July 1754. The engagement was one of the first battles of the French and Indian war and George Washington was the only military surrender. 23. Battle of Long Island. First major battle in the American Revolutionary War. The Battle of Long Island, also known as the Battle of Brooklyn or the Battle of Brooklyn Heights, fought on 27 August 1776. United States Declaration of Independence the largest battle of the entire conflict, and the first battle in which an army of the United States engaged, having declared itself a nation only the month before. 24. On 22August 1776 the British landed on the western end of Long Island , across the Narrows of from Staten Island from the East River crossings to Manhattan. After five days of waiting, the British attacked American defenses on the Guana Heights Unknown to the Americans., however, Howe had brought his main army around their rear and attacked their flank soon after. The Americans panicked, although a stand by 250 Maryland troops prevented most of the army from being captured. The remainder of the army fled to the main defenses Brooklyn Heights on the night of 29,30 August General Washington evacuated the entire army to Manhattan without the loss of material or a single life. General Washington and the Continental Army driven out of New York several more defeats and forced to retreat through New Jersey and into Pennsylvania. 25. Landing at Kips Bay. During the New York Campaign in the American Revolutionary War the Landing at Kips Bay on 15 September 1776, was a British amphibious landing occurring on the eastern shore of present day Manhattan Heavy advance fire from British naval forces in the East River caused the inexperienced militia guarding the landing area to flee, making it possible for the British to land unopposed at Kips Bay.. The operation was a decisive British success 26. Battle of White Plains. The Battle of White Plains was a battle in the New York and New Jersey Campaign of The American Revolutionary War on 28 October 1776, near White Plains, New York White Plains, Following the retreat of George Washingtons Continental Army northward from New York City. British General William Howe landed troops in Westchester Country, intending to cut off General Washingtons escape route. Alerted to this move, General Washington retreated further, establishing a position in the village of White Plains but failing to establish firm control over local high ground. Howes troops drove General Washingtons troops from a hill near the village; following this loss, General Washington ordered the Americans to move away further north. POLITICAL LIFE 27. Arrival to the Politics. With the support of his best and influential friends, George Washington stepped on to the politics. That is in 1759 in Virginia. Having engaging actively in his politics for ten years General Washington became the leader of Virginias political party. The main ambition of General Washingtons leadership in the politics was opposition to Great Britains colonial policies. At first he hoped to reconciliation with Britain, although some British policies had touched him personally. British land policies and restrictions on western had seriously effect to the public and its expansion after 1763 was seriously hindered to the country. Discriminations by the colonial military officers to the public were not so longer with General Washingtons up rising. General Washington started make influence to British by representing the usual planters dilemma actively. All forms of events leaded to a revolution over Britain. In June 1775 he was Congresss unanimous choice as comm ander in chief of the Continental forces. 28. The American Revolution. During 1775 to 1783 George Washington led the American victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander in chief of the Continental forces. 29. The presidency. After the many dedications following the American Revolution, General Washington was unanimously the first president of the United States of America on April 30 1789, at Federal Hall in New York City. Having colonial governing system the country did not had her own Constitution for longer. General Washington as democratic leader to the public he made the Constitution of his mother land and submitted to the state for ratification and became legally operative. By now being the first of the establishment he generally supported the advocates of strong central government. In his Inaugural address as the president of the United States of America he implements the various forms and rituals of government that have been ever since, such as using a cabinet system. As president he built a strong, well financed national government which he planned to avoid wars. 30. General Washington suppressed rebellion and acceptance among Americans of all types and now he is known as the Father of his Country. The First United States Congress voted to pay General Washington a salary of $ 25,000 a years a larger sum in 1789. But General Washington declined the salary, since he valued his image as a selfless public servant. How ever General Washington accepted the salary by thinking that with out a payment it is hard to serve when it comes to individuals. Reflecting his leadership General Washington proved an able administrator. An excellent delegator and judge of talent and character. He talked regularly with department heads and listened to their advices before making decisions. Inhaling routing tasks, he was systematic, orderly, and energetic. But when taking decisions he considered the future of the country as the first. 31. Establishment of Judiciary. When General Washington assumed office, especially the executive and judicial branches had not yet been developed. Apart from the constitutionally established offices, no other agencies or courts had yet been established, which should have to establish for the governing system. Instead of focusing the executive branch, General Washington wished to open judiciary. BY forecasting the future necessaries General Washington established the judiciary branches within the public community through the judiciary Act of 1789, General Washington established a six member Supreme Court. 32. The court was composed of one chief Justice and five Associated Justices. The Supreme Court was given the exclusive original jurisdiction over all suits and proceedings brought against ambassadors and other diplomatic personal which by that General Washington covered the legal aspects of the nation. 33. Creation of Cabinet. General Washington had himself with a sophisticated team of consultants, supporters and successfully delegated most of the responsibilities for the conduct of their offices to those trusted colleagues, with all these big heads General Washington made steps to the strong future of the country which will always depend on the best foundation. The first executive offices created under the, a. President was the secretary of the state, b. The Secretary of the Treasury, c. The Secretary of War, d. The Post master General and e. The Attorney General. 34. Each office, excluding the Autonomy General would head an executive department. These five officials, along the President and wise president formed the backbone of the United States Cabinet. General Washington signed a bill into law of reauthorizing an executive department of foreign affairs on July 27, 1789. That was headed by a Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Analyzing the future benefits and its necessity General Washington show the important of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, which is by now playing the highest international player as the USA is the world super power at the movement. 35. Department of Foreign Affairs renamed as the United States Department of State and named the Secretary of the State as the head of the Department. General Washington approved this act on Septembe1789. Secretarys main function was to serve as the principle advisor to the President in determination of foreign policy. General Washington established the United States Department of the Treasury and named the head of it as Secretary of the Treasury. The Secretary of the Treasury served as the principle economic adviser to the President and would play a critical role in policy making by bringing an economic and government financial policy. 36. To manage the USA Army, he created the position of Secretary of War to head the United States Department of War. The Secretarys duties were, planning and managing the national military and oversaw the creation of a series of coastal of fortification. By implementing and guiding with all these national establishments and policies General Washington made the future of the USA as well. 37. Retirement and Assessment. By March 2, 1797, when General Washington left the office, the countries financial system was well established. General Washington decided to not run for third terms of his political campaign and he went home to Mount Vernon when General Washington was succeeded by his vise- president. LEADERSHIP QUALITIES 38. General George Washington emerges as the most momentous leader in the United States of America. General Washington lived and worked with brilliant philosophers, thinkers, writers and organizers, such as Benjamin Franklin, Sam Adams, Patrick Henry, Alexander Hamilton and Dickinson. Almost all were far better educated than him and he acquired sound knowledge by associating them. General Washingtons profound morality, unselfish nature and self control coupled with what was obviously a good intellect enabled him surpass all the other contemporize. 39. His personality is extremely inspiring. His presence has always multiplied the efficiency and courage of his followers and contemplators. Leadership qualities of George Washington are extended to a grater magnitude. He is a fine mixture of all those qualities of balance personality, extra ordinary character, strong physical endurance, sound intellectual, grate moral and many others that a successful leader need to inspire with. Moreover, he had the best long and short range ideas and how to maintain coherency between them and he was a really innovative and farsighted leader. 40. Visionary Leadership. As a visionary leader President General Washington continued to be a charismatic leader who kept the loyalty and affection to the people. He nourished this through his tours to all states and through numerous public appearances. However, when principle demanded that he acted in such a way that would engender serious opposition, but he stuck to his principles and in time the people discovering that he had acted wisely, renewed their regard and affection. The two major events causing such situations were his declaration of neutrality during the French Revolution and his signing of the Jay Treaty with Great Britain. 41. Moral Courage and Confidence. General Washington was a person of a highest moral character. His profound moral awareness and moral sensitive principles were brilliant. When compared to British strength, strength of his Revolutionary Forces wear nowhere mach to them, but his moral courage and confidence which he entrusted on his followers were the fact what make the different to defeat the British at last. Because he had morale to rise against even defeat after a defeat and the same morale were inculcated on to his contemporaries and followers to achieve common goal. 42. Integrity and Loyalty. His Presidency was somewhat tough. Because he relied a lot on the fact that throughout his whole life the country first and during the presidency he rule the country based on that. Like any President, he didnt have much control over everything that he would have liked to have. But People trusted him to stand above the politics, stand above the disputes, and keep the interests of the country in mind. He did not admit formation of parties and believed that parties would divide the society or community. His Integrity, honesty and loyalty were remarkable. It is proved with the loyal service he rendered to Britain as a military officer 43. Self Discipline. George Washington was a sound self disciplined character. All his followers trusted him because of that he was very restrained to express any personal or religious views which may lead to unnecessary deviation of the common goal. Instead of going for personal benefits he was even reluctant to accept a wage for the presidency. Moreover he himself set as an example for well discipline character by doing such. 44. Determination and Willpower. General Washington really had a vision for where the US could go and what it could become and he had this idea of moving beyond parties and partial benefits. His every single move was planed against that. Strength of mind that he posses were inherited to his life which enhanced his willpower through out what ever the position that he held. His driving ambition, love of detail, endurance, sense of responsibility and other evident qualities that made him the person with strong determination and willpower. The inborn capabilities and talents enhanced his over role corrector. 45. Ability to communicate. Ability to communicate is one of the most important characteristic of a good leader. This is more common within the military leaders. The decisions of the military leaders are directly related to life or death and success or failure at lower levels and with fate of the nation at highest level. General Washington possessed optimum level of ability to communicate both as a military and political leader. This extraordinary ability were been used by him during his tours to all the states and numerous public appearances to address the heart and mind of the countrymans which motivated them for extreme sacrifices for country. LESSONS LEARNT 46. There is much that can be learned by entrepreneurs from General George Washington, aside from this act of selfless leadership and dedication to his ultimate objective of creating a nation. General Washington was after all, an entrepreneur himself. He had to creatively resource the new and under-resourced Continental Army. As a leader, he had to train, organize, motivate and manage this new and different fighting force. He led his people through very adverse circumstances, always keeping them focused on their higher purpose rather than their current difficult state of affairs. 47. To understand the monumental task that General Washington undertook is to understand the stature he gained upon having achieved it. Achieving victory with the forced expulsion of the British via the Treaty of Paris, gave General Washington nearly unprecedented power and popularity. He was a truly mythic figure. His likeness was everywhere. Nearly all revered him and even his enemies and detractors had deep respect for his achievements. 48. Most people today think of General George Washington as the first President of the United States. Perhaps they may remember that he was also the commanding general of the Continental Army. However, General George Washington had much experience in the military before the Revolutionary War. Because of his experience, he was ideal for the responsibility of leading the new nation to victory over the British. 49. He was selected for strategically important positions because of his physical size and presence, charisma, energy, multi-faceted experiences, charm, courage, character, temperament, being a Virginian, wealth, ambition, his reputation as a stalwart patriot. Especially after the Revolution, the regard, admiration and affection of the populace at all levels of society. The most commonly cited characteristic given for his emergence as the supreme leader is his character. The most infrequently cited, are his intelligence and his decision making ability. 50. The people of America wanted to be free of the rule of England and fought for that freedom. General Washington was always trying to become a better person. He worked to learn how to write neatly so people could read his writing easily. To improve his manners, he copied 110 rules or sayings written by a French priest. One of his favorites was When walking with a great man, dont walk right beside him, but somewhat behind. Stay close enough that he may speak easily to you. It is said of General Washington he

Success in College Essay -- essays research papers

Section One Managing Your TIME   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The frist thing that a new college student must learn how to do is to stay organized and learn to decipher their priorities. By doing so you will make sure you never; miss an appointment, forget to do a homework assignment, and loose sight of time when doing a project or paper. (Waiting to the last minute never allows for your best work to be done) A planner is the best way to keep everything in order and well organized. Withier it be a monthly schedule or weekly or even daily, the use of a planer is huge tool for your success.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now you might ask your self, â€Å"what goes into a planner besides, my homework assignments?’ And good answer would be your daily appointments, a list of all your test and quiz’s, even final dates. With every class there is always syllabus and on the syllabus is a list of project and papers and a number of test. If you read closely you will find the dates of ever paper, project and test. This information is very useful in planning out your week and monthly schedule. If you know that you have a test in your history class on Friday and a religion paper due the same day you can plan out time to prepare for both. The best type of planner to use is one that is well equipped with a small month calendar that you can write on and a large weekly and daily schedule that is easy to write on with lots of space. Another easy way to stay organized to keep a semester calendar in your dorm room over your desk with all the important dates on it such as test dates, due dates for papers and project due dates. The purpose to be organized is to make you life a lot easier, and more efficient, with the planner you can now be prepared for what lies ahead at Calvin College. Section Two Reading Your Textbooks   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When it comes to textbook reading, preparation is just as important as reading the material. It is easy to find yourself just reading the textbook and then looking back at what your read and not remembering anything you just read. Not every class demands a thorough reading of the textbook, so it is very important to ask the professor to see what he/she will be testing on, either notes in class or the readings form the textbook. For example in a psychology class the professor expects his/her student to know the textbook inside and out... ...great programs reaching out to student in need of proof reading paper to getting coaches to help set up daily plans. Do not let your pride or ego get in the way of asking for help.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of he biggest stressor can be a computer that doesn’t work, and one of the things you can do is always save as you work, and know that there are computer labs all over on campus that have printers and internet connection. Any and all technical help can be dealt with in our amazing ITC department. If there is any program that you are unfamiliar with just make an appointment and they will be more then happy to help you. Using the tools on campus will help you to relieve the stress that you feel. Section Seven Taking Care of Your Health   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is easy to forget that a huge part of your success in college is staying healthy, keeping a sharp mind and sound body. It is very important to eat right and to maintain a routine sleeping schedule. Staying active and making sure you get enough sleep so that you can keep yourself healthy. A recent study found that walking once a day increase your memorization, which in turn helps you to do better studying.

The Forge and the Satis House in Great Expectations Essay -- Great Exp

The Forge and the Satis House in Great Expectations   Ã‚  Ã‚   During the Victorian Age in England, individuals revealed their class and prestige by flaunting their money, yet they were only disguising their inner character with the riches. Strong relationships are a key to a fulfilled life; in Dicken's Great Expectations, the contrast of the Forge and the Satis house uncover that happiness is born through relationships with others and not through money.    The Forge's simplicity contributes to a simple existance of those who live in it. To begin Pip's journey through life, he resided in a plain wooden house that was like many of the houses around it. THe house did not contain many posessions, yet the space was filled with the love and bond between Pip and Joe. The family did not need more than the basic necessities of life to get by. Pip's imagination was forced to develop as a result of this simplicity, and he expanded his ideas in the process.    Unlike the Forge, the Satis house was frozen in time and the emotions within the walls were frozen as well. ...

The Glass Menagerie: Existentialist Responsibilities Conveyed Through t

The story of a young Tennessee Williams is poetically portrayed through a 1945 Broadway Play, The Glass Menagerie. The main character, Tom Wingfield, lives in his family’s apartment with his mother, Amanda Wingfield, and sister, Laura Wingfield. Their father left the family, and he remains a silent character appearing as a portrait on the apartment wall. Throughout the seven scenes, the immaturity of each family member is revealed. In search of adventure, Tom has dreams of being a writer and wishes to leave his family and factory job, like his father, to join the Merchant Marines. Laura lets her disability, a braced leg, hinder her finding a job or a husband, while Amanda stays in denial of her children’s failure by living in the past with her â€Å"gentlemen callers.† Tom’s main responsibilities, created by Amanda, are to take care of Laura and the family. Amanda and Tom are constantly fighting about their different views of what they wish the futur e to bring. To cope with his problems, every night Tom ventures off to probably a bar, gets drunk, and then tells his family he was at the movies ("Plot Summary: The Glass Menagerie"). Williams tries to express a personal struggle about trying to leave his family with out feeling guilt (John Lahr) through fictional characters paralleling his family. These struggles are seen as failed responsibilities in the view of an existentialist. The responsibility of being an existentialist is conveyed through Tennessee Williams’ autobiographical character Tom and his failed responsibilities, guilt of the past, and denial of reality in The Glass Menagerie. The play takes place during the Great Depression in the 1930s, but America was in World War II when Williams wrote the play. The ... ...ge. "Sartre's Philosophy through 1945: Phenomenology and Ontology." Jean-Paul Sartre. Boston: Twayne, 1983. 36-38. Print. Clinton, Craig. â€Å"The Glass Menagerie: Tennessee Williams." The Facts on File Companion to American Drama. Ed. Jackson R. Bryer and Mary C. Hartig. New York: Facts on File, 2004. 178. Print. Crowell, Steven. "Existentialism." The Standford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.Winter 2010. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. "Existentialism-A Philosophy." AllAboutPhilosophy.org. AllAboutPhilosophy.org, 2012. Web. 03 May 2012. The Glass Menagerie. Drama for Students. Ed. David Galens and Lynn Spampinato. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale Research, 1998. Print. Lahr, John. "Telling It Like It Isn’t." The New Yorker. 06 May 2010. Web. 2 May 2012. "Plot Summary: The Glass Menagerie." DISCovering Authors. Detroit: Gale, 2003.Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 17 Apr. 2012.

The Host Chapter 13: Sentenced

Are they here?† We choked out the words-they burst from us like the water in our lungs had, expelled. After water, this question was all that mattered. â€Å"Did they make it?† Uncle Jeb's face was impossible to read in the darkness. â€Å"Who?† he asked. â€Å"Jamie, Jared!† Our whisper burned like a shout. â€Å"Jared was with Jamie. Our brother! Are they here? Did they come? Did you find them, too?† There was barely a pause. â€Å"No.† His answer was forceful, and there was no pity in it, no feeling at all. â€Å"No,† we whispered. We were not echoing him, we were protesting against getting our life back. What was the point? We closed our eyes again and listened to the pain in our body. We let that drown out the pain in our mind. â€Å"Look,† Uncle Jeb said after a moment. â€Å"I, uh, have something to take care of. You rest for a bit, and I'll be back for you.† We didn't hear the meaning in his words, just the sounds. Our eyes stayed closed. His footsteps crunched quietly away from us. We couldn't tell which direction he went. We didn't care anyway. They were gone. There was no way to find them, no hope. Jared and Jamie had disappeared, something they knew well how to do, and we would never see them again. The water and the cooler night air were making us lucid, something we did not want. We rolled over, to bury our face against the sand again. We were so tired, past the point of exhaustion and into some deeper, more painful state. Surely we could sleep. All we had to do was not think. We could do that. We did. When we woke, it was still night, but dawn was threatening on the eastern horizon-the mountains were lined with dull red. Our mouth tasted of dust, and at first we were sure that we had dreamed Uncle Jeb's appearance. Of course we had. Our head was clearer this morning, and we noticed quickly the strange shape near our right cheek-something that was not a rock or a cactus. We touched it, and it was hard and smooth. We nudged it, and the delicious sound of sloshing water came from inside. Uncle Jeb was real, and he'd left us a canteen. We sat up carefully, surprised when we didn't break in two like a withered stick. Actually, we felt better. The water must have had time to work its way through some of our body. The pain was dull, and for the first time in a long while, we felt hungry again. Our fingers were stiff and clumsy as we twisted the cap from the top of the canteen. It wasn't all the way full, but there was enough water to stretch the walls of our belly again-it must have shrunk. We drank it all; we were done with rationing. We dropped the metal canteen to the sand, where it made a dull thud in the predawn silence. We felt wide awake now. We sighed, preferring unconsciousness, and let our head fall into our hands. What now? â€Å"Why did you give it water, Jeb?† an angry voice demanded, close behind our back. We whirled, twisting onto our knees. What we saw made our heart falter and our awareness splinter apart. There were eight humans half-circled around where I knelt under the tree. There was no question they were humans, all of them. I'd never seen faces contorted into such expressions-not on my kind. These lips twisted with hatred, pulled back over clenched teeth like wild animals. These brows pulled low over eyes that burned with fury. Six men and two women, some of them very big, most of them bigger than me. I felt the blood drain from my face as I realized why they held their hands so oddly-gripped tightly in front of them, each balancing an object. They held weapons. Some held blades-a few short ones like those I had kept in my kitchen, and some longer, one huge and menacing. This knife had no purpose in a kitchen. Melanie supplied the name: a machete. Others held long bars, some metal, some wooden. Clubs. I recognized Uncle Jeb in their midst. Held loosely in his hands was an object I'd never seen in person, only in Melanie's memories, like the big knife. It was a rifle. I saw horror, but Melanie saw all this with wonder, her mind boggling at their numbers. Eight human survivors. She'd thought Jeb was alone or, in the best case scenario, with only two others. To see so many of her kind alive filled her with joy. You're an idiot, I told her. Look at them. See them. I forced her to see it from my perspective: to see the threatening shapes inside the dirty jeans and light cotton shirts, brown with dust. They might have been human-as she thought of the word-once, but at this moment they were something else. They were barbarians, monsters. They hung over us, slavering for blood. There was a death sentence in every pair of eyes. Melanie saw all this and, though grudgingly, she had to admit that I was right. At this moment, her beloved humans were at their worst-like the newspaper stories we'd seen in the abandoned shack. We were looking at killers. We should have been wiser; we should have died yesterday. Why would Uncle Jeb keep us alive for this? A shiver passed through me at the thought. I'd skimmed through the histories of human atrocities. I'd had no stomach for them. Perhaps I should have concentrated better. I knew there were reasons why humans let their enemies live, for a little while. Things they wanted from their minds or their bodies†¦ Of course it sprang into my head immediately-the one secret they would want from me. The one I could never, never tell them. No matter what they did to me. I would have to kill myself first. I did not let Melanie see the secret I protected. I used her own defenses against her and threw up a wall in my head to hide behind while I thought of the information for the first time since implantation. There had been no reason to think of it before. Melanie was hardly even curious on the other side of the wall; she made no effort to break through it. There were much more immediate concerns than the fact that she had not been the only one keeping information in reserve. Did it matter that I protected my secret from her? I wasn't as strong as Melanie; I had no doubt she could endure torture. How much pain could I stand before I gave them anything they wanted? My stomach heaved. Suicide was a repugnant option-worse because it would be murder, too. Melanie would be part of either torture or death. I would wait for that until I had absolutely no other choice. No, they can't. Uncle Jeb would never let them hurt me. Uncle Jeb doesn't know you're here, I reminded her. Tell him! I focused on the old man's face. The thick white beard kept me from seeing the set of his mouth, but his eyes did not seem to burn like the others'. From the corner of my eye, I could see a few of the men shift their gaze from me to him. They were waiting for him to answer the question that had alerted me to their presence. Uncle Jeb stared at me, ignoring them. I can't tell him, Melanie. He won't believe me. And if they think I'm lying to them, they'll think I'm a Seeker. They must have experience enough to know that only a Seeker would come out here with a lie, a story designed for infiltration. Melanie recognized the truth of my thought at once. The very word Seeker made her recoil with hatred, and she knew these strangers would have the same reaction. It doesn't matter anyway. I'm a soul-that's enough for them. The one with the machete-the biggest man there, black-haired with oddly fair skin and vivid blue eyes-made a sound of disgust and spit on the ground. He took a step forward, slowly raising the long blade. Better fast than slow. Better that it was this brutal hand and not mine that killed us. Better that I didn't die a creature of violence, accountable for Melanie's blood as well as my own. â€Å"Hold it, Kyle.† Jeb's words were unhurried, almost casual, but the big man stopped. He grimaced and turned to face Melanie's uncle. â€Å"Why? You said you made sure. It's one of them.† I recognized the voice-he was the same one who'd asked Jeb why he'd given me water. â€Å"Well, yes, she surely is. But it's a little complicated.† â€Å"How?† A different man asked the question. He stood next to the big, dark-haired Kyle, and they looked so much alike that they had to be brothers. â€Å"See, this here is my niece, too.† â€Å"Not anymore she's not,† Kyle said flatly. He spit again and took another deliberate step in my direction, knife ready. I could see from the way his shoulders leaned into the action that words would not stop him again. I closed my eyes. There were two sharp metallic clicks, and someone gasped. My eyes flew open again. â€Å"I said hold it, Kyle.† Uncle Jeb's voice was still relaxed, but the long rifle was gripped tightly in his hands now, and the barrels were pointed at Kyle's back. Kyle was frozen just steps from me; his machete hung motionless in the air above his shoulder. â€Å"Jeb,† the brother said, horrified, â€Å"what are you doing?† â€Å"Step away from the girl, Kyle.† Kyle turned his back to us, whirling on Jeb in fury. â€Å"It's not a girl, Jeb!† Jeb shrugged; the gun stayed steady in his hands, pointed at Kyle. â€Å"There are things to be discussed.† â€Å"The doctor might be able to learn something from it,† a female voice offered gruffly. I cringed at the words, hearing in them my worst fears. When Jeb had called me his niece just now, I'd foolishly let a spark of hope flame to life-perhaps there would be pity. I'd been stupid to think that, even for a second. Death would be the only pity I could hope for from these creatures. I looked at the woman who'd spoken, surprised to see that she was as old as Jeb, maybe older. Her hair was dark gray rather than white, which is why I hadn't noticed her age before. Her face was a mass of wrinkles, all of them turning down into angry lines. But there was something familiar about the features behind the lines. Melanie made the connection between this ancient face and another, smoother face in her memory. â€Å"Aunt Maggie? You're here? How? Is Sharon -† The words were all Melanie, but they gushed from my mouth, and I was unable to stop them. Sharing for so long in the desert had made her stronger, or me weaker. Or maybe it was just that I was concentrating on which direction the deathblow was going to fall from. I was bracing for our murder, and she was having a family reunion. Melanie got only halfway through her surprised exclamation. The much-aged woman named Maggie lunged forward with a speed that belied her brittle exterior. She didn't raise the hand that held the black crowbar. That was the hand I was watching, so I didn't see her free hand swing out to slap me hard across the face. My head snapped back and then forward. She slapped me again. â€Å"You won't fool us, you parasite. We know how you work. We know how well you can mimic us.† I tasted blood inside my cheek. Don't do that again, I scolded Melanie. I told you what they'd think. Melanie was too shocked to answer. â€Å"Now, Maggie,† Jeb began in a soothing tone. â€Å"Don't you Now, Maggie' me, you old fool! She's probably led a legion of them down on us.† She backed away from me, her eyes measuring my stillness as if I were a coiled snake. She stopped beside her brother. â€Å"I don't see anyone,† Jeb retorted. â€Å"Hey!† he yelled, and I flinched in surprise. I wasn't the only one. Jeb waved his left hand over his head, the gun still clenched in the right. â€Å"Over here!† â€Å"Shut up,† Maggie growled, shoving his chest. Though I had good reason to know she was strong, Jeb didn't wobble. â€Å"She's alone, Mag. She was pretty much dead when I found her-she's not in such great shape now. The centipedes don't sacrifice their own that way. They would have come for her much sooner than I did. Whatever else she is, she's alone.† I saw the image of the long, many-legged insect in my head, but I didn't make the connection. He's talking about you, Melanie translated. She placed the picture of the ugly bug next to my memory of a bright silver soul. I didn't see a resemblance. I wonder how he knows what you look like, Melanie wondered absently. My memories of a soul's true appearance had been new to her in the beginning. I didn't have time to wonder with her. Jeb was walking toward me, and the others were close behind. Kyle's hand hovered at Jeb's shoulder, ready to restrain him or throw him out of the way, I couldn't tell. Jeb put his gun in his left hand and extended the right to me. I eyed it warily, waiting for it to hit me. â€Å"C'mon,† he urged gently. â€Å"If I could carry you that far, I woulda brought you home last night. You're gonna have to walk some more.† â€Å"No!† Kyle grunted. â€Å"I'm takin' her back,† Jeb said, and for the first time there was a harsher tone to his voice. Under his beard, his jaw flexed into a stubborn line. â€Å"Jeb!† Maggie protested. â€Å"‘S my place, Mag. I'll do what I want.† â€Å"Old fool!† she snapped again. Jeb reached down and grabbed my hand from where it lay curled into a fist against my thigh. He yanked me to my feet. It was not cruelty; it was merely as if he was in a hurry. Yet was it not the very worst form of cruelty to prolong my life for the reasons he had? I rocked unsteadily. I couldn't feel my legs very well-just prickles like needle points as the blood flowed down. There was a hiss of disapproval behind him. It came from more than one mouth. â€Å"Okay, whoever you are,† he said to me, his voice still kind. â€Å"Let's get out of here before it heats up.† The one who must have been Kyle's brother put his hand on Jeb's arm. â€Å"You can't just show it where we live, Jeb.† â€Å"I suppose it doesn't matter,† Maggie said harshly. â€Å"It won't get a chance to tell tales.† Jeb sighed and pulled a bandanna-all but hidden by his beard-from around his neck. â€Å"This is silly,† he muttered, but he rolled the dirty fabric, stiff with dry sweat, into a blindfold. I kept perfectly still as he tied it over my eyes, fighting the panic that increased when I couldn't see my enemies. I couldn't see, but I knew it was Jeb who put one hand on my back and guided me; none of the others would have been so gentle. We started forward, toward the north, I thought. No one spoke at first-there was just the sound of sand grinding under many feet. The ground was even, but I stumbled on my numb legs again and again. Jeb was patient; his guiding hand was almost chivalrous. I felt the sun rise as we walked. Some of the footsteps were faster than others. They moved ahead of us until they were hard to hear. It sounded like it was the minority that stayed with Jeb and me. I must not have looked like I needed many guards-I was faint with hunger, and I swayed with every step; my head felt dizzy and hollow. â€Å"You aren't planning to tell him, are you?† It was Maggie's voice; it came from a few feet behind me, and it sounded like an accusation. â€Å"He's got a right to know,† Jeb replied. The stubborn note was back in his voice. â€Å"It's an unkind thing you are doing, Jebediah.† â€Å"Life is unkind, Magnolia.† It was hard to decide who was the more terrifying of the two. Was it Jeb, who seemed so intent on keeping me alive? Or Maggie, who had first suggested the doctor-an appellation that filled me with instinctive, nauseated dread-but who seemed more worried about cruelty than her brother? We walked in silence again for a few hours. When my legs buckled, Jeb lowered me to the ground and held a canteen to my lips as he had in the night. â€Å"Let me know when you're ready,† Jeb told me. His voice sounded kind, though I knew that was a false interpretation. Someone sighed impatiently. â€Å"Why are you doing this, Jeb?† a man asked. I'd heard the voice before; it was one of the brothers. â€Å"For Doc? You could have just told Kyle that. You didn't have to pull a gun on him.† â€Å"Kyle needs a gun pulled on him more often,† Jeb muttered. â€Å"Please tell me this wasn't about sympathy,† the man continued. â€Å"After all you've seen†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"After all I've seen, if I hadn't learned compassion, I wouldn't be worth much. But no, it was not about sympathy. If I had enough sympathy for this poor creature, I would have let her die.† I shivered in the oven-hot air. â€Å"What, then?† Kyle's brother demanded. There was a long silence, and then Jeb's hand touched mine. I grasped it, needing the help to get back on my feet. His other hand pressed against my back, and I started forward again. â€Å"Curiosity,† Jeb said in a low voice. No one replied. As we walked, I considered a few sure facts. One, I was not the first soul they'd captured. There was already a set routine here. This â€Å"Doc† had tried to get his answer from others before me. Two, he had tried unsuccessfully. If any soul had forgone suicide only to crack under the humans' torture, they would not need me now. My death would have been mercifully swift. Oddly, I couldn't bring myself to hope for a quick end, though, or to try to effect that outcome. It would be easy to do, even without doing the deed myself. I would only have to tell them a lie-pretend to be a Seeker, tell them my colleagues were tracking me right now, bluster and threaten. Or tell them the truth-that Melanie lived on inside me, and that she had brought me here. They would see another lie, and one so richly irresistible-the idea that the human could live on after implantation-so tempting to believe from their perspective, so insidious, that they would believe I was a Seeker more surely than if I claimed it. They would assume a trap, get rid of me quickly, and find a new place to hide, far away from here. You're probably right, Melanie agreed. It's what I would do. But I wasn't in pain yet, and so either form of suicide was hard to embrace; my instinct for survival sealed my lips. The memory of my last session with my Comforter-a time so civilized it seemed to belong to a different planet-flashed through my head. Melanie challenging me to have her removed, a seemingly suicidal impulse, but only a bluff. I remembered thinking how hard it was to contemplate death from a comfortable chair. Last night Melanie and I had wished for death, but death had been only inches away at the time. It was different now that I was on my feet again. I don't want to die, either, Melanie whispered. But maybe you're wrong. Maybe that's not why they're keeping us alive. I don't understand why they would†¦ She didn't want to imagine the things they might do to us-I was sure she could come up with worse than I. What answer would they want from you that bad? I'll never tell. Not you, not any human. A bold declaration. But then, I wasn't in pain yet†¦ Another hour had passed-the sun was directly overhead, the heat of it like a crown of fire on my hair-when the sound changed. The grinding steps that I barely heard anymore turned to echoes ahead of me. Jeb's feet still crunched against the sand like mine, but someone in front of us had reached a new terrain. â€Å"Careful, now,† Jeb warned me. â€Å"Watch your head.† I hesitated, not sure what I was watching for, or how to watch with no eyes. His hand left my back and pressed down on my head, telling me to duck. I bent forward. My neck was stiff. He guided me forward again, and I heard our footsteps make the same echoing sound. The ground didn't give like sand, didn't feel loose like rock. It was flat and solid beneath my feet. The sun was gone-I could no longer feel it burn my skin or scorch my hair. I took another step, and a new air touched my face. It was not a breeze. This was stagnant-I moved into it. The dry desert wind was gone. This air was still and cooler. There was the faintest hint of moisture to it, a mustiness that I could both smell and taste. There were so many questions in my mind, and in Melanie's. She wanted to ask hers, but I kept silent. There was nothing either of us could say that would help us now. â€Å"Okay, you can straighten up,† Jeb told me. I raised my head slowly. Even with the blindfold, I could tell that there was no light. It was utterly black around the edges of the bandanna. I could hear the others behind me, shuffling their feet impatiently, waiting for us to move forward. â€Å"This way,† Jeb said, and he was guiding me again. Our footsteps echoed back from close by-the space we were in must have been quite small. I found myself ducking my head instinctively. We went a few steps farther, and then we rounded a sharp curve that seemed to turn us back the way we'd come. The ground started to slant downward. The angle got steeper with every step, and Jeb gave me his rough hand to keep me from falling. I don't know how long I slipped and skidded my way through the darkness. The hike probably felt longer than it was with each minute slowed by my terror. We took another turn, and then the floor started to climb upward. My legs were so numb and wooden that as the path got steeper, Jeb had to half drag me up the incline. The air got mustier and moister the farther we went, but the blackness didn't change. The only sounds were our footsteps and their nearby echoes. The pathway flattened out and began to turn and twist like a serpent. Finally, finally, there was a brightness around the top and bottom of my blindfold. I wished that it would slip, as I was too frightened to pull it off myself. It seemed to me that I wouldn't be so terrified if I could just see where I was and who was with me. With the light came noise. Strange noise, a low murmuring babble. It sounded almost like a waterfall. The babble got louder as we moved forward, and the closer it got, the less it sounded like water. It was too varied, low and high pitches mingling and echoing. If it had not been so discordant, it might have sounded like an uglier version of the constant music I'd heard and sung on the Singing World. The darkness of the blindfold suited that memory, the memory of blindness. Melanie understood the cacophony before I did. I'd never heard the sound because I'd never been with humans before. It's an argument, she realized. It sounds like so many people arguing. She was drawn by the sound. Were there more people here, then? That there were even eight had surprised us both. What was this place? Hands touched the back of my neck, and I shied away from them. â€Å"Easy now,† Jeb said. He pulled the blindfold off my eyes. I blinked slowly, and the shadows around me settled into shapes I could understand: rough, uneven walls; a pocked ceiling; a worn, dusty floor. We were underground somewhere in a natural cave formation. We couldn't be that deep. I thought we'd hiked upward longer than we'd slid downward. The rock walls and ceiling were a dark purpley brown, and they were riddled with shallow holes like Swiss cheese. The edges of the lower holes were worn down, but over my head the circles were more defined, and their rims looked sharp. The light came from a round hole ahead of us, its shape not unlike the holes that peppered the cavern, but larger. This was an entrance, a doorway to a brighter place. Melanie was eager, fascinated by the concept of more humans. I held back, suddenly worried that blindness might be better than sight. Jeb sighed. â€Å"Sorry,† he muttered, so low that I was certainly the only one to hear. I tried to swallow and could not. My head started to spin, but that might have been from hunger. My hands were trembling like leaves in a stiff breeze as Jeb prodded me through the big hole. The tunnel opened into a chamber so vast that at first I couldn't accept what my eyes told me. The ceiling was too bright and too high-it was like an artificial sky. I tried to see what brightened it, but it sent down sharp lances of light that hurt my eyes. I was expecting the babble to get louder, but it was abruptly dead quiet in the huge cavern. The floor was dim compared to the brilliant ceiling so far above. It took a moment for my eyes to make sense of all the shapes. A crowd. There was no other word for it-there was a crowd of humans standing stock-still and silent, all staring at me with the same burning, hate-filled expressions I'd seen at dawn. Melanie was too stunned to do anything more than count. Ten, fifteen, twenty†¦ twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven†¦ I didn't care how many there were. I tried to tell her how little it mattered. It wouldn't take twenty of them to kill me. To kill us. I tried to make her see how precarious our position was, but she was beyond my warnings at the moment, lost in this human world she'd never dreamed was here. One man stepped forward from the crowd, and my eyes darted first to his hands, looking for the weapon they would carry. His hands were clenched in fists but empty of any other threat. My eyes, adjusting to the dazzling light, made out the sun-gilded tint of his skin and then recognized it. Choking on the sudden hope that dizzied me, I lifted my eyes to the man's face.