A Value Based Society for Our Future Essay

Present day society has seen its share of the erosion of values ever since the dawn of technology. It is as if these values were being thrown aside for technology to take its place. And technology like a dark mist shrouding the values of a person making what we know today as materialism. This obviously puts forth proof of how flawed society can be without values being the base of it. The vision of how our future society is intended to be is undoubtedly a utopia where peace and harmony is above all else. Currently our world and society faces violence, on a general scope of this issue would be the occurrence of war, Wars in the past have been fueled by a difference of values. Now what are values you might ask, as defined by the oxford’s advanced learner’s English dictionary, values are beliefs about what is right and wrong and what is important in life. Since values are a belief on what is important in life, it is necessary that the right belief is instilled within an individual of a society, so as not to create any forms of false society norms. The topic which I intend to highlight today would be the examples of values that communities in the society should practice and apply. As well as reasons to support my points of view. From my perspective on the topic, I feel that it is important to have the values of Change, Tolerance, Teamwork and Honesty First and foremost, Change, a value portraying the will of an individual to undergo a course of development for the better. Before dwelling on what type of values should be instilled in an individual or how do we apply these values, We have to first realise the importance of possessing this will for a better change, because without this most important criteria, the instilling of new values to improve our society is impossible. Allow me to give you an analogy, what is the use of knowing what is a value which benefits society when you have no will to act so? This depicts how actions speak louder than words, and in this case the will to act is indeed very important. Secondly the value which I would like to highlight on is Tolerance. Tolerance is the willingness to accept somebody/something, especially opinions or behaviour that you may not agree with. This value plays a key role in creating an environment of peace and harmony, Because tolerance is the solution for the difference of values of which people possess, and definitely the first step to achieving peace between individuals of different values would be the acceptance of one another. To apply this in a real-life situation, when someone sees things in a different perspective, don’t discriminate or brand him weird, instead try and see things from that person’s perspectives to understand him. And if both or more parties understand and can tolerate each other, misunderstandings will be reduced and harmony on the other hand will be promoted. Moving on, I would like to emphasize on the value of teamwork. Teamwork is cooperative or coordinated effort of a group in the interests of a common cause which is usually effective. And if a value based society is the goal to reach, then it would suggest that those who are a part of the society should chip in their efforts in order to make the goal a reality instead of continuing to encase it in dreamland. Teamwork is definitely a very dear value if a better future is the main focus of the goal in the future. Teamwork can be easily applied in everyday life, for instance, when you and another person are made in-charge of something. Do not do that ‘something’ alone, because this would lead to poor results due to miscommunication. With teamwork, everything would be set just right because the resources to accomplish something are multiplied. Lastly I would like to bring forth the value of Honesty. Honesty is the quality of never hiding the truth of something. And in a value based society for the future, honesty plays a big role as well. Because through honesty, will trust be promoted. To explain this, honesty means that everyone is truthful with one another, this can break down the cautious barrier between people which has been inhibiting them from understanding and trusting each other well for a long time. And without trust let me remind everyone here, a good society is impossible to be achieved because people of both sides spend their time and effort on the precautions about one another. As a conclusion, Society in the future will have no improvement if values such as change, tolerance, teamwork as well as honesty are not what the society is based on. And society will continue to fall if these values continue to be seen as negligible in the eyes of the modern society.

A Case Study on “Managing Like a Man at Silkqueen?”

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This is the case study on â€Å"Managing like a man at SilkQueen? † by Kate Hutchings of Queensland University of Technology. Here we are given a character named Sally Dawson who works for SilkQueen, which is an Australian company. She is a well skilled manager who has a huge experience for working successfully in Asia. However, working in this company as a manager, she facing some problems, which lead her to take a decision whether she leaves the company or try to make some smart changes. For this case study, we are using four questions. We answer all the four questions one by one respectively. In those, we try to figure out the problems faced by the employees and Sally, attitudes of the organization towards Sally, ways open for Sally. We also discuss about cross-cultural problems here. We also include a bibliography at the end. Company Profile SilkQueen is an Australian Company. Its’ main product is fabrics. It produces high quality fabrics and sell those throughout the world. SilkQueens’ manufacturing plants are situated in Sydney as well as in several locations throughout Asia. This company started its’ business as a family-owned company in 1910 and it started its’ international operations in 1979. The workforce of SilkQueen always female-dominated but maximum times management has been male-dominated. Sally Dawson has been working for SilkQueen for many years and most of the time she was expending her times working in Asia. It should be noted that she is quite successful in her career. Recently she has been posted to Australia and she is facing some problems with her employees. Although, the productivity is increased but the management is not quite satisfied with her work because the workers are neglected there. In this case study, we have to find out the problems faced by the employees and Sally and the probable solutions for those problems. For this purpose, we are using four questions. They are as follows: 1)From the perspective of the employees, what problems they are facing? 2)What are the problems faced by Sally and what could the organization have done to address her problems? 3)What could Sally do to improve her leadership style? )Why Sally’s leadership style is questioned in Australia and accepted in Asia? Now we are discussing the above questions with a view to analyzing the case study. Because of globalization and workforce diversity, the nature of management in an organization has considerably changed over the years. Nowadays, management is not only about exercising reasonable power using directive leadership but also about building relat ionships with employees, adapting leadership styles depending on situations, and working together with people from various cultural backgrounds. To understand the management terrain in the various areas of organizational behavior mentioned above, the objective of this paper is to analyses the case study, ‘Managing like a man at SilkQueen? ’ and provide insights on the problems encountered by Sally Dawson, the employees and the organization at SilkQueen. The paper will first focus on perception stereotyping and dominance effect to explain how the employees perceive the situation and Sally’s leadership. The problems faced by Sally will be next looked into to understand how the organization could have helped in various areas. Theories on improving leadership styles will be used to explain why Sally’s leadership approach is accepted in Asia but not in Australia. Question One: From the perspective of the employees, what problems they are facing? To recognize the problems met by the employees of SilkQueen, an analysis of their perception of the former line manager Mr. Wong will be compulsory. This is because the assessment of Sally by employees is partly based on comparison with Wong. According to the employees’ perception, Wong is an effective leader who is consultative, caring and concerned about their well-being. He is seen as valuing employees’ opinion as he always asked what the employees think before he does anything. Unlike Wong, Sally does not walk around the factory floor or show concerns for her employees. She does not ask what the employees think before she implements anything. The employees therefore perceive Sally to be a poor manager who does not care about employees’ work condition and who buries herself ‘behind a high desk with her back to the door in an office two levels above’. These perceptions however may not be true. According to organizational behavior scholars, ‘women are evaluated negatively when they adopt a stereotypically male leadership style and occupy traditionally male-dominated positions’. The employees in the case assume that Sally being a woman should be ‘nurturing and †¦ care about their workers’ suggesting preconceived notions of how women should behave. This notion of stereotyping can result in misinterpretation of information because not all people are the same, and many in the same social category may demonstrate inconsistencies with the stereotype. Question Two: What are the problems faced by Sally and what could the organization have done to address her problems? The first action by Sally in making a decision to change the work hours without consultation with the employees formed a lasting impression of her leadership, known as the primary effect the primary effect relates to a perceptual distortion which states that ‘first impressions are lasting impressions’ and once an inaccurate first impression is established, it is difficult for the perception to change even when new information contradicts the first impression. The consequence of Sally’s non-consultative management style spells the beginning of a problematic relationship with her workers. Within three months after she took over line management, Sally is faced with considerable indifference and hostility from her subordinates. In addition to his pressure, Sally also has to ‘change the focus of her work’ when she took up the role of line management in the manufacturing operations-an area which she is unfamiliar with. Because of this, she has to work long hours with very little time for social life, resulting in increased stress. Sally’s problems and stress could have been substantially reduced if the organization has played a supportive role. A good organization should first assess its manager’s strengths and weaknesses before assigning new roles. This may be done through a structured interview process or through research and information gathering with the objective to understand two areas of managerial competencies- past behavior to predict future behavior, and recent behavior to predict distant past behavior. By understanding Sally’s former experiences and roles, the organization can then decide whether to assign her to another area of to send her to a leadership development program such as the leadership grid to train her in evaluating task-oriented and people oriented leadership to work out a style best suited for her new role. Question Three: What could Sally do to improve her leadership style? Notwithstanding this fact, however, Sally should cultivate her emotional intelligence to monitor her own and others’ feeling and emotions to guide her thinking and action. According to behavioral theories by Ohio state studies and University of Michigan studies, there are primarily two categories of leadership: people oriented, and task-oriented. The behavioral studies propose a managerial grid based on a manager’s ‘concern for people’ and ‘concern for production’, which ideal grid position rates the manager as performing best when the style of leadership is high on people and task dimensions. In the case of SilkQueen, Sally could improve her leadership style by adapting a more people-oriented behavioral approach. To influence her subordinates, she could consider using contingency leadership ‘based on the idea that the most appropriate leadership style depends on the situation’. Theories of contingency leadership that Sally could use include Hersey-Blanchard situational theory, house’s path-goal theory, and Vroom-Jago leadership participation theory. The Hersey-Blanchard situational theory proposes that effective leadership is dependent on the followers. This means that regardless of what the leader does, it is the actions or acceptation of the followers that decide the effectiveness of the leader. This theory suggests that the leader should change his or her leadership style according to the maturity of the followers and the situation. Situational theory combines task and relationship behaviors and identifies four specific leadership styles: telling, selling, participating and delegating. Based on the maturity of the followers, each of the relevant four styles is used by the leader to respond to the employees by gradually declining control over activities and relationship behavior. For example, when an employee is new to the organization, the leader should use the style of telling the follower what to do, giving clear and specific directions. Depending on the maturity stage of the follower, alternative styles such as selling the leader’s ideas, participating in decision-making, or delegating responsibilities to the follower may next be used. In the case of SilkQueen, using the situational theory approach would have helped Sally understand that leadership is dependent on the followers and the way to lead followers is dependent on situations and levels of maturity. Instead of telling the employees, Sally could use the method of selling and participating in implementing the change of work hours. The path-goal theory developed by Robert House is another contingency theory model that Sally could employ in improving her leadership style. The theory suggests that an effective leader is one who can influence employee satisfaction and performance by making their need satisfaction contingent with the overall objectives of the group or organization. Four styles of effective leadership are indentified in this model: directive, supportive, participative, and achievement-oriented. A directive leader lets subordinates know what is expected, giving directions on what to do and how, while a supportive leadership shows concern for the needs of subordinates. A participative leader consults with subordinates and involves them in decision making, while an achievement-oriented leader sets the goals and expects subordinates to perform at their highest level. Using the path-goal theory, Sally could effectively change the perception of her subordinates by building a people oriented behavioral approach through the use of a more supportive and participative leadership style instead of an achievement-oriented leadership. The third model of contingency theory that could be used by Sally is the Vroom-Jago leader participation theory. This theory developed by Victor Vroom and Alfred Jago takes a contingency approach to determine the optimal level of employee involvement depending on the situation. It proposes choosing the best decision making method for any problem situation through alternatives such as individual or authority decision, consultative decision, group or consensus decision. The model considers five levels of employee participation based on a decision tree ranging from autocratic at the top to team consensus at the bottom. Following the leader-participation theory model, Sally could evaluate the level of participation required by her in choosing the optimal level of employee involvement. Instead of using the top two levels of the decision tree, that proposes autocratic decision-making. Sally could use the bottom three levels of consultative and group decision in her approach. Question Four: Why Sally’s leadership style is questioned in Australia and accepted in Asia? As can be seen in the theories discussed above, one of the traits required of an effective leader is adaptability of leadership styles in varied situations. Adapting styles to situations however is not an easy task especially in organizations today where employees are made up of people from different cultures across national and regional boundaries. In the case of SilkQueen, it is apparent that Sally’s leadership is seen as questionable in Australia, but appropriate in Asia because of cross-cultural perspectives. This underlying cultural value may be translated as power distance, uncertainty, avoidance, individualism versus collectivism, achievement versus nurturing orientation, and long-term versus short-term orientation according to Hofstede’s dimensions of national culture. Using Hofstede’s framework as the guideline to cross-cultural comparison in SilkQueen’s case study, employees in Australia may be seen as high in individualism, high on social obligations and traditions, but moderately low in power distance. This rating vastly differs from countries in Asia such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and China. In Indonesia, individual goals are seen as less important than collective goals. In Malaysia, power distance ranks high while in China the future is emphasized more than tradition or social obligations. Based on the ranking described above, it is easy to understand why Sally’s task oriented leadership style is questioned in Australia but accepted in Asia. According to Hofstede’s framework, Australia is more inclined to meeting individual goals than group goals and expects relatively equal power sharing. In Asia, power distance is generally high, which means that receiving commands from superiors are commonly accepted. Conclusion Throughout the discussion in this paper, the studies of organizational behavior have been primarily focused in four areas: perception, leadership styles, leadership assessment, and cross-cultural behaviors. The perception of leadership based on stereotype and primacy effect can present inaccuracies and incorrect information of a situation or a person. A manager who wants to be effective must cultivate emotional intelligence and be flexible to adapt different leadership styles depending on the situation. A good organization must first assess its leaders to understand past behavior to predict future behaviors and bridge the gap of its leaders through leadership grid training. To manage a global organization, the leader must understand the differences in cross-cultural values across different parts of the world. Bibliography: Robbins, P. Stephen, Judge, A. Timothy. Organizational Behavior Luthans, Fred. Organizational Behavior

Succubus on Top CHAPTER 2

â€Å"Bastien,† I breathed, still disbelieving. â€Å"Bastien!† I threw my arms around him, and he lifted me up like I weighed nothing, twirling me around. When he gently set me back on my feet, he looked down at me fondly, his handsome face cracking into a grin. Until I saw it, I hadn't realized how much I'd missed that smile. â€Å"You look exactly the same,† I noted, taking in the curling black hair that touched his shoulders, the eyes so dark a chocolate brown they almost looked black as well. Unlike me, he liked to wear the shape he'd been born with, the body from his mortal days. His skin was the color of the mochas I consumed regularly, smooth and lovely. His nose had been broken when he was human, but he never bothered to shape-shift the signs away. It didn't detract from his looks any; in fact, it sort of gave him a dashing scoundrel persona. â€Å"And you, as usual, look completely different. What are you calling yourself these days?† His voice carried a faint British accent leftover from many years spent in London after leaving the slave plantations of Haiti. He kept that accent and the French expressions of his childhood only for effect; when he chose to, he could speak American English as flawlessly as I could. â€Å"Georgina.† â€Å"Georgina? Not Josephine or Hiroko?† â€Å"Georgina,† I reiterated. â€Å"Very well then, Georgina. Let me see you. Turn around.† I spun around, like a model, letting him get the full effect of this body. When I faced him again, he nodded with approval. â€Å"Exquisite – not that I'd expect any less from you. Short, just like every other one, but the curves are in all the right spots, and the coloring is very nice.† He leaned closer to me, studying my face with a professional eye. â€Å"The eyes I especially like. Catlike. How long have you been wearing this one?† â€Å"Fifteen years.† â€Å"Barely broken in.† â€Å"Well,† observed Hugh dryly, â€Å"it sort of depends on how you define ‘broken in.'† Bastien and I both turned, remembering we had an audience. The other immortals watched with bemusement, the poker game momentarily forgotten. Bastien turned on a high-beam smile and crossed the room in a few quick strides. â€Å"Bastien Moreau.† He extended a polite hand to Hugh, every inch of him polished and deferential. Incubi, after all, have just as good a sense of customer service and public relations as succubi. â€Å"It's a pleasure to meet you.† He made equally polite introductions with the rest of the group, pausing momentarily when he reached Carter. A brief flicker of surprise in Bastien's dark eyes was the only other indication that he found an angel in our midst odd. Otherwise, his surface charm remained perfect as he smiled and shook Carter's hand. Although clearly surprised at Bastien's presence, Peter stood up dutifully. â€Å"Have a seat. You want a drink?† â€Å"Thank you. You're too kind. Bourbon on ice, please. And thank you for allowing me to show up so unexpectedly. You have a stunning home.† The vampire nodded, mollified at someone finally appreciating his hospitality. I, however, had other concerns and wondered what had caused the incubus to â€Å"show up so unexpectedly.† I suddenly remembered Jerome's taunting surprise. â€Å"Jerome knows you're here, doesn't he?† â€Å"Of course. Long since arranged.† Our kind could not cross into another's territory without making arrangements with the local supervisor. For a group that had allegedly rebelled against the system, we had a staggering amount of rules, regulations, and paperwork. We made the 1RS look juvenile. â€Å"He told me where to find you tonight.† â€Å"And you're here because†¦?† He flung a playful arm around me. â€Å"You're pushy. No â€Å"Hello, how are you†? Can't I just stop by to see an old friend?† â€Å"Not in this business.† â€Å"How long have you known Georgina?† asked Hugh, shifting his solidly built body into a more comfortable sitting position. Bastien turned thoughtful. â€Å"I don't know. How long has it been? Ages?† â€Å"You have to be a little more specific than that,† I reminded him, my mind slipping back to a London of long ago, recalling rough-hewn streets redolent with the scent of horses and unwashed humans. â€Å"Early seventeenth century?† He nodded, and I let my tone turn teasing. â€Å"Mostly I just remember how green you were.† â€Å"I have no idea what you're talking about.† â€Å"Whatever. I taught you everything you know. â€Å" â€Å"Ah, older women.† Bastien glanced around at the others, shrugging his shoulders with feigned haplessness. â€Å"Always so sure of themselves.† â€Å"So, explain how this works,† Cody urged eagerly, young eyes on Bastien. â€Å"You're like the male equivalent of Georgina, right? You shape-shift and everything?† Having been an immortal for less than ten years, Cody was always learning something new about us. I realized he'd probably never even met an incubus before. â€Å"Well, there's really no equivalent for Fleur , but yes, something like that.† I think he preferred calling me Fleur because it was easier than trying to remember the names I kept acquiring over the years. â€Å"So you seduce women?† pushed Cody. â€Å"Exactly.† â€Å"Wow. That must actually be hard.† â€Å"It's not so – wait a minute,† I said. â€Å"What are you implying over there? What's this â€Å"actually† business?† â€Å"Well, he's got a point,† insisted Peter, handing Bastien the drink. â€Å"It's not like your job's all that difficult, Georgina. By comparison, I mean.† â€Å"My job's very difficult!† â€Å"What, getting men to have sex with a beautiful woman?† Hugh shook his head. â€Å"That's not hard. That's not even remedial.† I looked at them incredulously. â€Å"It's not like I can just jump into bed with anyone. I have to get quality guys.† â€Å"Yeah, as of a month ago maybe.† Bastien shot me a sharp look at that remark, but I was too annoyed to acknowledge it. â€Å"Hey, I just won an award, you know. Got the certificate and everything. And anyway, contrary to your pathetic love lives, not all guys will immediately give in to sex. It takes work.† â€Å"What, like horns and a whip?† suggested Peter slyly, referring to a particularly embarrassing incident from my past. â€Å"That's different. He wanted it.† â€Å"They all want it. That's the point.† Hugh turned to Bastien reverentially. â€Å"How do you do it? Got any pointers you can share with the rest of us?† â€Å"Several lifetimes' worth,† chuckled Bastien, still watching me. â€Å"Those are trade secrets, I'm afraid. Although, really, in Fleur ‘s defense, the techniques are the same for both of us. You should have been paying more attention to her. â€Å" â€Å"Low-cut necklines aren't exactly a trade secret.† â€Å"Much more to it than that, my friend. Especially with Georgina. She's one of the best.† Hugh and the vampires looked at me as though they'd never noticed me before, apparently attempting to figure out if what Bastien said was true. â€Å"No need to start that up,† I pointed out hastily. â€Å"Come on, weren't you just bragging about how you taught me everything I know? You and I used to run some good rackets back in the day.† â€Å"What kind of rackets?† asked Peter. When I wouldn't answer, Bastien merely shrugged. â€Å"Oh, you know. The kind that require a partner. â€Å" Cody's eyes widened. â€Å"Like†¦group sex?† â€Å"No!† I protested, unable to stay silent at that. Not that it wasn't in my curriculum vitae. â€Å"Partnerships to suck somebody in. Play husband and wife. Or brother and sister. Or†¦or†¦whatever it takes to nail your mark.† Bastien nodded along with me. â€Å"Men really like the thrill of winning over someone's beautiful young wife. Women too, for that matter. The forbidden always has a certain allure to it.† â€Å"Wow.† Cody and the others pondered this new development and tried probing us a bit more for details. Bastien, sensing my reluctance to elaborate about the past, gave vague answers, and conversation soon drifted to other topics – as well as to Peter's amazing dinner. It wasn't Met good, but maybe the company had biased me. â€Å"Are you going to tell me what's going on?† I murmured to the incubus later, as our group finally rose from the table and began making motions to leave. I was dying to know what could have drawn him here and earned Jerome's approval. Hell's denizens could take vacations, but this smacked of business. Bastien patted me on the back, giving me his trademark grin. â€Å"In good time, my sweet. Is there somewhere we can talk?† â€Å"Sure. I'll take you back to my place. You can meet my cat.† When Bastien left me to once again thank Peter for dinner, Carter strolled over. â€Å"Are you seeing Seth soon?† â€Å"Later tonight.† Seeing his amused expression, I scowled. â€Å"Just get it over with, okay?† â€Å"Get what over with?† â€Å"The part where you tell me how stupid it is to try to have a serious relationship with a mortal.† The mirth faded from his face. â€Å"I don't think it's stupid.† I studied him, waiting for the punch line. â€Å"Everyone else does.† â€Å"Does Seth? Do you?† I looked away, thinking about Seth. That funny, distracted look on his face when inspiration seized him. His goofy T-shirt collection. The exquisite way he could capture the world on paper. How warm his hand was when it slid into mine. The way I just couldn't stay away from him, despite the million reasons that said I should. Suddenly, caught in Carter's penetrating eyes, something inside of me let loose. I hated how the angel could do this to me. â€Å"Sometimes I do. Sometimes I look at him†¦and I remember how it was when I kissed him and felt that love. It makes me want that back. I want to feel it again. I want to return it. Other times, though†¦other times, I'm so scared. I listen to these guys†¦and to Jerome†¦and then the doubts gnaw at me. I can't get them out of my head. We've been sleeping together, you know. Literally. It hasn't been a problem so far, but sometimes I lie awake watching him, thinking this can't last. The longer it does†¦I feel like†¦like I'm standing on a high wire, with Seth at one end and me at the other. We're trying to reach each other, but one misstep, one breeze, one side-glance, and I'll fall over the edge. And keep falling and falling.† I took in a shaking breath when I finished. Carter leaned toward me and brushed the hair away from the side of my face. â€Å"Don't look down then,† he whispered. Bastien had returned, catching the end of my soliloquy. â€Å"Who's Seth?† he wanted to know later, once we were back at my apartment. â€Å"Long story.† Yet I found myself spilling it anyway. Of course, telling Bastien about Seth meant telling him about a lot of other things too. Like a recent encounter with Jerome's half-human, half-angel son – a stunningly beautiful man with a twisted sense of social justice who had been on a semipsychotic mission to make other immortals pay for the shoddy treatment of him and his kind. The fact that he had been a good dancer and a phenomenal lover had not really been enough to make up for his wanton killing of lesser immortals and subsequent attempt on Carter. That, of course, led me to next explain how Seth had witnessed the inevitable showdown and had been injured when I kissed him to get an emergency fix of energy. Jerome had wanted to erase Seth's memory of the whole event, as well as the writer's love for me. I had begged the demon not to, finally getting him to agree when I offered to devote all of my efforts back to seducing and corrupting decent men like a good little succubus should. Horatio's visit had been the ultimate testimony to my â€Å"new and improved† self. Bastien, sprawling on my sofa, listened thoughtfully and frowned when I finished. â€Å"What do you mean? Why weren't you going after decent ones already?† â€Å"I got tired of it. Didn't like hurting them.† â€Å"So what? You were going after bad ones?† I nodded. He shook his head, knowing as well as I did how little life energy an ignoble mortal yielded compared to a good one. â€Å"Poor Fleur . What a miserable existence that must have been.† I gave him a bittersweet smile. â€Å"I think you're the first person that's ever sounded more sympathetic than incredulous. Most people think I'm idiotic for getting by like that.† â€Å"It's a pain, yes,† Bastien agreed, â€Å"and requires more frequent fixes, but hardly idiotic. You don't think I have days when I feel the same way? When I just want to throw my hands up and leave decent women alone?† â€Å"Why don't you?† â€Å"Not our lot. You and I are glorified prostitutes – courtesans, if you want to be more genteel, but it's all the same thing. Switching to bad ones won't change our fates. Won't even do anything in the long run, really, except relieve our guilt a bit, and even that relief doesn't last forever. â€Å" â€Å"Christ. You aren't really making me feel better.† â€Å"Sorry.† â€Å"No, no, it's okay. Whatever. I mean, it's nice to have someone to talk to about this. No one else – none of the other immortals – really get it. â€Å" He snorted. â€Å"Of course they don't. How could they?† My silence agreed for me, and Bastien gave me a kindly look. â€Å"Not that your friends weren't nice. Are there other immortals in the city you can talk to? Any succubi or incubi?† â€Å"A few more vampires and minor demons, but that's it. They're less social than the ones I run with. I have some good mortal friends too. Still. They're not the same either.† I smiled gently. â€Å"They're not you. I've missed you.† Bastien tousled my hair, earning a critical glance from my cat Aubrey. â€Å"I've missed you too.† â€Å"So will you tell me what's going on now?† His serious mien turned jovial. â€Å"Not sure what you're going to think about it, now that I've heard all of this.† â€Å"Try me.† Sliding off the couch, Bastien settled next to me so we could speak face-to-face. â€Å"You ever heard of Dana Dailey?† â€Å"I live on this planet, don't I? She's always my first choice when I'm driving in my car and feel like listening to some highly commercial, conservative rhetoric.† I didn't make any attempt to hide my disdain. In addition to touting worn-out family values, radio host Dana Dailey also enjoyed working thinly veiled racist, homophobic, and even sexist insinuations into her talk show. I couldn't stand her. â€Å"I imagine that mood strikes you quite a bit. Did you know she's Seattle based?† â€Å"Of course. It's a wonder she hasn't dragged down the property value. â€Å" â€Å"Funny you should mention that. A house in her neighborhood just came up for sale.† â€Å"So?† â€Å"So, our employers have purchased it.† â€Å"What?† Grinning, knowing he had me hooked, Bastien leaned in eagerly. â€Å"Pay attention, Fleur , because here's the good part. We got wind of some rumors concerning Mrs. Dailey's ex-pool boy in San Diego. He claims to have been ‘romantically involved' with her.† I racked my brain, recalling a promotional picture I'd seen of her and her politician husband on a billboard. â€Å"Have you seen Mr. Dailey? I'd opt for a pool boy too. What became of the rumors?† â€Å"Oh, you know. The same thing that always happens to rumors with no proof. They faded away; nothing happened.† I waited expectantly. â€Å"Okay, and the house fits in how?† â€Å"Well, like you said, her husband's no prize. Of course, she isn't going to get divorced or anything, not when it could potentially tarnish his political future and her whole prissy, on-air family-values campaign. But†¦the naughty streak is still there. If she's strayed once, I bet she could be lured into doing it again.† I groaned as the pieces fell together. â€Å"Like with a handsome, debonair neighbor?† â€Å"Debonair? Really, you're too kind.† â€Å"So what happens after that?† â€Å"Then we just let the evidence do its work.† â€Å"Evidence?† â€Å"Well, yeah. We're not going to go the way of the pool boy. When I manage to lure the illustrious Mrs. Dailey into physical pleasures surpassing her wildest dreams, there'll be a camera rolling. We're going to record this for posterity, then go to the press. Full exposure, full takedown. No more radio empire preaching to the masses to return to pure, decent ways. Even her husband's political campaign will be marred, thus opening the door for some liberal upstart to take his place and help get this area back into the corrupt rut it so desperately longs for. â€Å" â€Å"Gee, it's all so neat.† He eyed me. â€Å"You doubt the plan's brilliance?† â€Å"I don't know. I appreciate the ballsy factor here, but I think this is kind of out-there, even for you. I can't imagine Dana Dailey,ll go down so easily.† â€Å"Leave the going down to me.† â€Å"Your ego's out of control.† He laughed and pulled me to him. His arms felt good around me. Familiar. Reassuring. â€Å"Admit it. That's why you love me. â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, you're like the brother I never had. One that doesn't set my hair on fire. â€Å" His eyes sparkled wickedly. â€Å"And once again, you've jumped ahead of me. I want you to see me in action on this – not to mention keep me company while I'm in town. You've got to come visit – as Mitch's sister.† â€Å"Who?† Bastien suddenly stood up and shape-shifted. The familiar features morphed, leaving no trace of the rakish incubus I knew. Six-two and broad-shouldered, he now had dark blond hair and sky blue eyes, his face only just losing its pretty boy aspect and giving way to the sizzling promise of an experienced, confident man in his early thirties. When he smiled, those perfect teeth lit up a room. He winked at me. â€Å"Mitch Hunter,† he explained in a suave, movie-star voice. No accent now. â€Å"You got an equally cheesy title to go with that? ‘Mitch Hunter, MD' or ‘Mitch Hunter, Private Investigator?' Seems appropriate.† â€Å"Nah. I'm a consultant, of course. Everyone's favorite nondescript yet well-paid white-collar job.† â€Å"You look like you need a golf club in one hand and a burger flipper in the other.† â€Å"Tease all you want, but Dana won't be able to resist this. Now† – he gestured for me to stand up – â€Å"let's see what you can do.† â€Å"Are you joking?† â€Å"Do I look like I'm joking? If you're going to come visit me, you've got to put on some family resemblance.† I rolled my eyes and stood up. After a moment's study of his features, I shape-shifted my petite body into a taller, more athletic one with long blond hair. He scrutinized me, then shook his head. â€Å"Too pretty.† â€Å"What? This is perfect.† â€Å"That body's unreal. No one looks that good. My God woman, that ass.† â€Å"Oh, come on. You don't think Special Agent Mitch Hunter's sister isn't the type to spend two hours a day on a stair-climber?† Bastien grunted. â€Å"You've got a point there. At least lose some of the hair. These suburban types go for boring and practical.† â€Å"Yeah, but I'm not suburban. I'm your hipper, more stylish – â€Å" Someone knocked at my door. He glanced at me questioningly. â€Å"Oh! It's Seth.† I changed back to my normal body, and Bastien did the same. I opened the door. Seth Mortensen, best-selling author and professional introvert, stood outside my apartment. Clad in a Frogger T-shirt and corduroy jacket, he seemed to have forgotten to brush his hair again. It was messy and brown with a faint coppery cast, mirrored in the perpetual five o'clock shadow across his lower face. His lips turned up in a smile upon seeing me, and I couldn't help but briefly ponder how soft and kissable they looked. â€Å"Hey,† I said. â€Å"Hey.† Despite whatever attraction burned between us, the engine of our conversation always took a little while to turn over. I led him inside, and his expression faltered a bit when he saw Bastien. â€Å"Oh. Hi.† â€Å"Hello,† boomed Bastien, extending his hand. â€Å"Bastien Moreau.† â€Å"Seth Mortensen.† â€Å"A pleasure. I've heard all about you. Your books are fabulous. I mean, I've never read any of them – just don't have the time for that anymore – but I'm sure they're magnifique.† â€Å"Um, thanks.† â€Å"Bastien is an old friend,† I explained. â€Å"He's going to be in town for a while on†¦business.† Seth nodded, and silence dropped in between all of us like a fourth companion. Finally, Bastien cleared his throat. I could see from his face that he was already losing interest, dismissing Seth as too quiet and unexciting. The incubus craved action. â€Å"Well, I should take off. I don't want to interrupt your plans.† â€Å"What are you going to do?† I asked. â€Å"You can't have any plans of your own yet. â€Å" He winked. â€Å"I'll improvise.† I gave him a knowing look. Ruffling my hair again, he embraced me and kissed each of my cheeks. â€Å"I'll be in touch, Fleur . Make sure you keep an eye on the news.† â€Å"I'll never leave my television.† Bastien gave Seth a friendly nod. â€Å"Nice meeting you.† When the incubus was gone, Seth asked, â€Å"When you say ‘old friend,' are we talking, like†¦since the Ice Age?† â€Å"No. Of course not.† â€Å"Oh.† â€Å"It's only been about four hundred years.† â€Å"Ah. Yes. Only four hundred.† A wry expression spread over his face. â€Å"Being with you is a continual experiment in perspective. Among other things.† He considered. â€Å"So what is he? Werewolf? Demigod?† â€Å"Nothing so exciting. He's an incubus. You must have heard of those.† Seth nodded, frowning. â€Å"Sure. Like a succubus only†¦he has to go after women to survive?† I nodded. â€Å"Wow. For all eternity. Wow.† His eyebrows shot up as true wonder played over his face. â€Å"That's got to be†¦wow. That's really rough.† My eyes narrowed. â€Å"Don't even start down that road.† Bastien had said he didn't want to interrupt our plans, but we didn't really have any, short of spending the evening together. I suppose most couples, running out of options, could have resorted to sex or at least making out, but the nature of our relationship required a full itinerary. We mustered some ideas. â€Å"You want to rent a movie?† I offered. â€Å"I've got some coupons.† We ended up renting Gladiator, at which time I discovered Horatio's free rental coupons had expired long ago. â€Å"That son of a bitch!† â€Å"Who?† asked Seth. But of course I couldn't explain. Fucking demons. Back home, Seth and I snuggled on my couch as we watched, warm and close yet still safe from any detrimental succubus effects. He listened with bemusement as I pointed out historical inaccuracies, most of which involved how much dirtier and smellier the Roman Empire had been. 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How many guys in this age of instant messaging even knew Shakespeare anymore? His amused little half-smile played over his face. â€Å"Clever and beautiful. How could any man settle for a mortal woman?† â€Å"Easily,† I returned. My friends' misgivings suddenly loomed up in me. â€Å"You could, you know.† He blinked, and his rapt look faded, giving way to exasperation. â€Å"Oh. Not this discussion again.† â€Å"I'm serious – â€Å" â€Å"And so am I. I don't want to be with anyone else right now. I've told you that a hundred times. Why do we keep talking about this?† â€Å"Because you know we can't – â€Å" â€Å"Nobuts.Give me some credit for being able to control myself. Besides, I'm not with you for sex. You know that. I'm with you to be with you.† â€Å"How can that be enough?† It never had been for any other man I'd known. â€Å"Because†¦because†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He tipped my chin up with his hand, the emotion in those eyes making my insides melt. â€Å"Because being with you feels so right†¦like it's always been meant to be. You make me believe in a higher power for once in my life.† I closed my eyes and put my head on his chest. I could hear his heart beating. He wrapped me to him, his embrace warm and solid, and I felt like I couldn't get close enough to him. Probably I should have let the discussion go then, but one more thing was still on my mind tonight. After all, I had a gold-embossed certificate sitting on my counter. â€Å"Even if you can control yourself†¦even if you can stay celibate, you know I won't be.† The words hurt coming out, but my mouth's control switch didn't always function so well. Besides, I didn't want anything standing between us. â€Å"I don't care.† But I felt his hold on me stiffen a little. â€Å"Seth, you will – â€Å" â€Å"Thetis, I don't care. It doesn't matter. Nothing matters except what happens between you and me.† The fierceness in his voice – a contrast to his normal placidity – thrilled me, but it was not that that made me give up the argument. It was the word â€Å"Thetis.† Thetis. Thetis the shape-shifting goddess. The shape-shifter wooed and won by a steadfast mortal. Seth had coined the name for me when he learned I was a succubus, when he'd first insinuated that my infernal standing was not a deterrent. I pulled him closer. Don't look down. We went to bed shortly thereafter, Aubrey snuggling up at our feet. The feel of Seth's body curled by mine under the covers was tantalizing, a cruel whisper of the restrictions around us. I sighed and tried to think of something other than how nice he felt or how great it would be if he slid his hand up my shirt. I grinned as a most unsexual sentiment came to mind. â€Å"I want pancakes.† â€Å"What? Right now?† â€Å"No. For breakfast.† â€Å"Oh.† He yawned. â€Å"You'd better get up early then.† â€Å"Me? I'm not going to make them.† â€Å"Yeah?† His sleepy voice carried mock sympathy. â€Å"Who's going to make them for you then?† â€Å"You are.† It was a well-known fact – at least to Seth and me – that he made the best pancakes known to mankind. They always came out perfect, light and fluffy. Through some kitchen magic, he even managed to put smiley faces on them when he made them for me. Once he'd even puta Gon one. I'd assumed it was for my name, but later, he'd sworn it stood for â€Å"goddess.† â€Å"Am I?† His lips brushed my earlobe; his breath was warm against my skin. â€Å"You think I'm going to make you pancakes? Is that how you think it's going to be?† â€Å"You're so good at,† I whined. â€Å"Besides, if you do, I'll sit on the counter in a short robe while you cook.† Oops. Maybe pancakes could become sexual after all. His soft laughter segued into another yawn. â€Å"Oh. Well then.† He kissed my ear again. â€Å"Maybe I'll make you pancakes. â€Å" His breathing grew slow and regular, the tension in his body easing. Soon he slept, not troubled or tempted in the least by having me in his arms. I sighed again. He was right; he did have self-control. If he could do this, surely I could too. I closed my eyes and waited for exhaustion to take over. Fortunately, it didn't waste any time; staying up late will do that to you. Maybe that was the real key to sleeping chastely. I woke up in his arms hours later, hearing the ever-so-faint sounds of bad seventies music drifting through the wall. One of my neighbors felt the need to do aerobics to the Bee Gees every day around lunchtime. Certifiable insanity. Wait. Lunchtime? I sat bolt upright, panic jolting me into full consciousness as I assessed the situation. My bed. Seth sprawled beside me. The full roar of traffic outside. Clear, winter sunlight pouring through the window – a lot of sunlight. Fearing the worst, I looked at the nearest clock. It was 12:03. Groaning silently, I groped on the floor for my cell phone, wondering why no one had yet called me in to work. Looking at the phone's display, I realized I'd turned the ringer off during the movie. Seven new voice mail messages, the phone read. So much for pancakes. Tossing the phone back down, I looked over at Seth, the cuteness of him in a T-shirt and flannel boxers momentarily allaying my frustration. I shook him, wishing I could just crawl back under the covers with him. â€Å"Wake up. I've got to go.† He blinked up at me drowsily, further increasing his appeal. Aubrey wore a similar look. â€Å"Huh? Too†¦early.† â€Å"Not that early. I'm late for work.† He stared at me blankly for a few seconds and then sat up nearly as rapidly as I had. â€Å"Oh. Oh man.† â€Å"It's all right. Let's go.† He disappeared into the bathroom, and I shape-shifted my appearance once more, turning the pajamas into a red sweater and black skirt, my loose hair into a neat bun. I hated doing this so often, much preferring to rifle through my own closet. Shape-shifting also burned through my energy stash that much more quickly, requiring more frequent victims. Unfortunately, time-crunches call for certain sacrifices. When Seth returned, he did a double take at my appearance and shook his head. â€Å"Still can't get used to that.† I expected him to go home and sleep, but he went with me to the bookstore. Its coffee shop was his favorite place to write. As we walked into Emerald City Books andCafe,I breathed a sigh of relief that neither my manager Paige nor Warren, the store owner, appeared to be around. Still, business had already opened for the day without me, and my chipper, morning-people coworkers made it impossible to sneak in without notice. â€Å"Hey, Georgina! Hi Seth!† â€Å"Georgina and Seth are here!† â€Å"Good morning, Georgina! Good morning, Seth!† Seth left to take up his writing station upstairs, and I made my way to the back offices. All of them were dark, which I found odd. No managers at all. Someone should have opened before me. I flipped on the light in my own office. I was so fixated on figuring out what was going on that the demon took me completely by surprise. Red-skinned and multihorned, he leapt out at me, waving his arms and making unintelligible grunting sounds. I yelped and dropped the things I'd been carrying, recoiling. A moment later, my senses returned, and I walked over and smacked him on the side of the head as hard as I could.

Trends That Influence the Design of Effective Instruction Research Paper

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Annotated Bibliography Example As the writer has been the director of a Center that provides training and technical assistance to professionals, he has succeeded to pen such a genuine work that enhances the awareness of common people. For instance, according to Armagh (2), parents’ awareness and active involvement is the most effective protection against child victimization. He also reminds that â€Å"if parents are to protect their children against cyber predators, they must understand the rational and methodology in using the internet to approach potential victims† (Armagh, 2). Finally, the author puts forward an array of protective measures which parents can implement to ensure the safety of their children from the threat of sexual predators. The article tends to discuss the concept of internet safety in educational environment assessing the risky situations that children often confront with on the internet. It also illustrates certain safety measures like â€Å"avoidance techniques, de-escalation skills, and protection strategies† (370) that would avert problematic situations. The writers insist on the necessity of developing appropriate use policies and procedures that ensure the safety of children. The writers’ perception on internet safety is based on building children’s defense which involves â€Å"gradual and periodic interaction and discussions of their web experiences† (369). Regardless of the relevance of the issue, the article flaws as it does not dig deeper into the subject to provide the readers with dependable advice on cyberspace pornography and violence. The article explores the alarming societal issues associated with the use of internet as the technology has opened up new business opportunities for sexual predators and obsessional harassers. According to the writers McGrath and Casey, these two groups have chosen internet as the best vehicle for attaining their business objectives. The major focus of the article is to make the forensic

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Welcome Letter - Essay Example The most interesting part is the business proposal; you will ultimately have 3 topics to choose. My advice would be to pick the one you are interested in the most and work hard towards a finished product. Trust me, you will learn a lot in the business report. After spring break, our class started to work on the proposal. Accordingly, each week we were assigned to write a part of the report. Don’t be upset if you have a bad grade after professor graded your first submission. You have a chance here to revise and the professor will leave useful feedback in I learned. Please follow the comments to redo your work and you could drastically improve your grade. For example, I did very poorly in my first submission, so I rewrote my approach following the feedback I had received; as such, the revision was much better than the first one and it gave me great encouragement. Also, checking your grammar and proofreading your work will make a huge difference. When working on your own proposal you should first carefully read the prompts and make sure you understand the instructions before starting to write. Second, always ask yourself if the sources you are using are the right ones and whether or not there is any alternative way to view the issues at hand. Lastly, check the grammar and proofread your work carefully. Although some of my work got a high grade, I often time needed to improve my grammar and proofreading; so there was still a lot of work. From the writing portion of this course, I think I have learned a lot.

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Global Warming - Essay Example Scientific reports claim that the very origin of global warming was somewhere in mid-20th century. They argue that that during and around 1970s, environmental degradation was on the rise. The rise in degradation resulted in huge concentration of carbon in the atmosphere which eventually rose into a universal issue. With different agencies and organizations such as United Nations Environmental Program and Intergovernmental for Climate Change all scrambling for the publicity brought about by global warming, the issue soon scaled to an international problem. Skeptical science, however, disagrees with this claim, arguing that environmental degradation and global warming are natural and can only be stopped through natural practices.Scientific reports claim that the very origin of global warming was somewhere in mid-20th century. They argue that that during and around 1970s, environmental degradation was on the rise. The rise in degradation resulted in huge concentration of carbon in the a tmosphere which eventually rose into a universal issue. With different agencies and organizations such as United Nations Environmental Program and Intergovernmental for Climate Change all scrambling for the publicity brought about by global warming, the issue soon scaled to an international problem. Skeptical science, however, disagrees with this claim, arguing that environmental degradation and global warming are natural and can only be stopped through natural practices.   Media, organizations and agencies use conflicting ideas. The conflicting ideas merge into one to create a problem. Giving different data about the same information all from reputable sources, for instance stirs restlessness. People tend to look for more information in this case. In the midst of the confusion of looking for a new idea, people easily believe whatever is talked more about and that has direct effects on them. For instance, as the IPCC report 2013 claim that global warming reduced amicably, skeptica l science argues that the decade between 2000 to2009 was the hottest. People believed IPCC since the arguments from skeptical science did not directly affect their health.Global warming can just be an avenue through which the whole environmentalists strive to keep standard environmental conditions.  

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This website is a combine and improve version of these existing websites as there are many improvements are needed for it. Besides, it will include social function like allowing user to post comment or sharing status by using Facebook account at the sales event area so that others can read and up to date anytime instead of go to the location personally to check out the event as not people now spend most of the time working and rest at home after that. Other than that, user can check out the mall map as well so they could able to know whether the store they looking for exist in the mall. The details of the store include the location of the store in the mall, store’s telephone number and brief explanation of the store. The picture of the store entrance and the shop sign will be provided too. In conclusion, this website will act as a shopping and event guide that allow shoppers to shop smart and save on time. 3.0 Project Background I got this idea to create the website while I am looking for promotion online. There are many similar websites but the information are not complete. One of the example is user cannot post comment for the particular event which I always wanted to know what is going on the event or how is the  atmosphere there. I always hope that there is a photo sharing function under the event post. This proposed system is created for user to shop easily and hunt for sales event easily. Many people do not know when the sales will be but once they browse this website, they could easily get the information they want. As well as they have some inquiry about products or others, they may just give them a call by searching the phone number from the website. This proposed website basically act as a shopping guide for user by showing all the related information. There are some difficulties while deciding the structure of the proposed website. My idea was providing information but I was told that my course is Web Media Technology. Hence, I should include multimedia or social network. Then, I have change my idea from only information to posting up event poster, flash banner etc. User can as well as connect with Facebook and post comment at certain area. 4.0 Problem Statement The common problems that faced by shoppers are where is the location, what is the operating hours, how is the atmosphere there, what promotion is going on etc. They will spend some time to search for the information and reconsider whether it is worth to go. 4.1 Problem Description This proposed website will include information that is needed by shoppers. For instance, shopper might take some time to walk around the mall when they are not familiar with it. With this website, it could become a guide for them so they do not need to waste time walking around the mall and might end up with nothing. Besides, the information like telephone number is useful too. Shoppers do not need to worry when they face any problems about the stuffs they bought. They can just call to the store for inquiry just by only browsing this website. 5.0 Project Aim To provide users every useful information in malls. 6.0 Objective To allow users to look for the information in each mall within Malaysia. To help users to save time on shopping and shop smartly. To give more information on the events which will hold in the mall. To share the tips about the event which is going on. To provide the floor plan to user and assist them to shop. 7.0 Research Question 1. How social networks are useful for website? 2. What kind of information will be show in website? 3. What are the guidelines to help shoppers to shop easily? 4. Can the store’s telephone number be found on other websites? 5. Which methodology is suitable for this proposed project? 6. How long will it takes to develop this website? 7. Which software tools are needed to develop this website? 8. What are the functions of the software? 8.0 Project Development Plan 8.1 Domain Design The major information of my project is about shopping malls in Malaysia while the minor area is allowing social network user to post comment for the event, which will be showed if there is. My targeted domains for this project are local residents, travellers and shopaholics. One of the similar website is One Stop Malaysia. This website contains most of the information of Malaysia which are like foods, education, travel guide etc. For instance, their travel guide blog post allows visitor to post comment. The comment area is embedded with Blogspot while for my project, I will allow Facebook user to connect for posting comment so that they do not need to create account or fill in their particular details just to post a comment. To sum up this, my project contains most of the shopping information such  as malls location, sales event, performance event and so on. Visitors can post comment for the sales event. Therefore, the others can take the comment as reference. Comment like â€Å"left only big sizes† might help those who are petites, so they do not need to waste time and petrol to head over the sales event location after their working hours. This feature is specially made for visitor to share their experience or status about their shopping trip. Visitors can also share the useful tips at the comment area. Other than that, visitors also can have other information from the website such as the malls information. For example, visitor can look for the particular store location from the website. It will show the exact floor and the store telephone number as these information cannot be easily search. 8.2 Technical Design Now days, there are a lot of software development methodology such as SDLC (system development life cycle), Rapid Application Development (RAD), Agile Methodology and others. I will choose Prototyping Methodology for this project as Prototyping has more benefits for a web-based system as it is more suitable for system develop by website. Prototyping methodology is usually used for system that tends to be modified during the development of the system. By using this type of methodology, the development of it will definitely get a higher user satisfaction results because the errors are fixed when it is found during the development process. This action can actually lower down the percentage risk of failure. This methodology required to collect feedbacks from user. This could exposes developers to potential future system enhancements because they know and gained the problems feedbacks as well as bad comment. Next, the tools that I will be using for development of this project are Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Flash and Adobe Photoshop. All this software functions are taught by my lecturers. Therefore, I am familiar with the functions and feature from the software. I will be coding and designing the layout of the project by using Adobe Dreamweaver. It is a website development tools which has most of the features. While Adobe Photoshop is an editing software for photos and pictures. I will be using it for Posters  editing. Last but not least, Adobe Flash is for creating the banners for advertisement or greetings. I will be using it to make my project more interesting. 9.0 Data Collection Plan 9.1 Primary Data Collection Focus group would be good for carrying out the primary data collection for user requirement of the website. This technique requires a group of people that met the requirement and fulfill the criteria which is related to shopping in order to carry out a good research. These participants are required to spend some time for a short survey. This is to find out what real consumers think and what they feel according to the questions asked. After that, participants will gather around the table and start discussing some topics and provide a range or views. Participants should express their own emotions and feelings honestly and openly as the answers are all private and kept confidential. Next, the questionnaire is also an ideal technique to perform quantitative and qualitative research. This is an inexpensive way as it does not cost too much and it saves a lot of time. The questionnaires can be distribute at shopping malls and collect from shoppers after they are done for it. By showing the appreciation, a small gift like discount vouchers could be given to the shoppers and it is also a way to attract shoppers to do the questionnaire. Focus Group Discussion 1. What function do you need in malls guide and promotion website? Explain why do you need that? 2. If this website is build, how often will you browse it? 3. What kind of information do you wish to see in this website? 4. Which is your ideal similar website now? Explain why? 9.2 Secondary Data Collection There are few sources for secondary data like books, journals, website, newspaper etc. People now do more reading on internet as most of the  information can search through there. Researcher can actually read or reference the work in website to get some inspiration there. Example websites are offerstation.com, midvalley.com.my and etc. 10.0 Personal Reflection Limitations and challenges are the problems that researcher will meet during the development. Researcher has not much knowledge on building a functional website. Thus, this will be affecting process. Researcher has to look and understand the coding from websites or other projects that are done by expertise, as the information could be helpful. Studying the code and understanding them has become a challenge for me in order to complete the proposed system because I have not done any website which is linked to social networks like Facebook and Twitter. This feature requires special coding to embed them to the website. I will have to reference the other websites that has similar function. Lastly, different browsers like Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome, Opera and others have their own technical issues and structures when browsing websites. This will take some time to test the proposed website in each browser and check the problems occur. As mentioned, there are many different browsers but Google Chrome is the most common browser in market. Thus, I have choose Google Chrome for the ideal choice to build this proposed website. 11.0 Conclusion In conclusion, this proposed website is proposed to help users on shopping. There are few similar website but they have not much information. I have jotted down all the useful information which gather from other websites and will apply them to this proposed system as an enhancement. 12.0 References 1. BEH, Y. H. 2013. Thousands of undelivered mail dumped in leafy Ukay Heights ravine. [online] 21st of July. Available at: http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2013/07/21/Postmans-service-goes-downhi

Impact of Digital Technologies on the Creative Industries

Impact of Digital Technologies on the Creative Industries Anna Bonello Discuss the impact of digital technologies on the creative industries, with special focus on one sector. Give at least two example The worldwide blast of digital technologies has had an impact on creativity, innovation and business models found in the creative industries. On the contrary of the 20th century which was known for mass-consumption, the 21st century is highly likely to represent mass-innovation through the introduction of digital tools. In figure 1 below, we can see a representation portraying the effect that digital technologies left on the creative industries. Furthermore we can also analyse the evolving relationship that exists between the producers/ designers and consumers/ user. In this representation we can also see a list of sectors which form part of the creative industries. From this list I am going to focus on filmography and analyse how Digital Technology had an impact upon the Filmmaking Process. (Pinder, 2015) Digital Technology with regards to filmography did not evolve the production process as a whole but rather it evolved in different segments.Therefore in this essay the production process will be refer to as the pre-production, production, post-production, distribution and exhibition of film. Although some might argue that some sectors of the movie industry are dying one should keep in mind that the industry is shifting and moving towards two pillars: higher-quality visual and sensorial experiences in the theatre. (Lhooq, 2012) Pre-Production Before a film is even made, in the pre-production phase, software and packages that help in writing the script of the production, like Final Draft and Movie Magic, prove that digital is also being exploited at such an early stage. Such software are software used to write and format a production so as to be able to reach the level set by the film industry. Such packages has been on the market long before the notion of digital filmmaking came about. Production Digitalcamerasare much like Polaroid cameras in the sense theygive thefacilityto capture images and see themstraightaway. Furthermore, digital technology is also helpful toother departments in filmography such asmake-up and wardrobe. These departments have the ability to capture hundreds of images for later review without the need to rely on expensive and unpredictable Polaroid still. Digital cameras bring about a lot of economic and environmental advantages this is because throughout the whole production of a film the reduction of unused photos is significant. In addition there are other advantages that arise from digital technology over tradition film such as video playback. It is for a fact that digital technology gives filmmakers more flexibility and control over their work.Robert Rodriguez in the article by Corliss states that writers and directors, shoots and cuts their production while managing special effects from their own home. He also admits that he shot his Sin City actors in front a green screen, then, he edited the backgrounds using digital technology. (Corliss, 2006, 38) It is not only the large production houses who are taking advantage of digitaltechnologybut ‘guerrilla filmmakers’ are also making huge advancements in the production of their films. These filmmakers are using to the utmost digital technology so as to produce production similar to the ones of the huge production houses. An example of a guerrilla filmmaker is Perry Ogden, who is the director ‘PaveeLackeen: The Traveller Girl’ (2005). The camera he used was a Sony PD150 camera and made use of digital technology in many ways including the following: Most of his shots were improvised upon 130 hours of MiniDV. He shot his film in continuous long takes. This technique would not have been possible with traditional magazines of film. The film was shot over a period of nine monthsdiscontinuously. Production houses would want to hire crew for a fixed period of time and thus the film would have to be shot continuously over a small period of time. Ogden claims that it was not accidental the image lacked resolution but that he was inspired by AnthonyDodMantle’s work.(Fair, 2006) Another novelty that is emerging is the documentary genre. Many documentaries are taking greater advantage of DV than drama. The box office successes such as ‘Iraq In Fragments’ illustrate the true ability of shooting quickly in difficult locations. Another major advancement in filmography thanks to digital technologies was made when there was the birth of drones. These flying robot cameras represent a huge saving for productions that are seeking images from high in the sky, with a cost as low as one third of the cost of traditional transport like helicopters. (Fair, 2006) Post- Production In the post-production section of filmography digital non-linear editing gave a new aspect to video editing, in much the same way you can edit a word document. This is why post-production was one of the main areas which embraced digital technology. Surely it has impacted the creative control in such a way that a scene can be cut and re-cut continuously without making any damage to the film stock and also without major expenses. Non-linear editing is not the only part that was established but one of the greatest improvements is Computer Generated Image (CGI) effects and animation. In the article by Corliss, Stephan Spielberg is quoted stating that one of the advantages of CGI is that now directors have the ability to follow their imagination. It is because of speed and the economic impact that digital cameras are preferred over traditional cameras. DigitalDistribution New technologies are effecting the distribution of films in a way that nowadays people can view films on portable devices anywhere in the world. Films can be uploaded and watched at the user’s discretion. The user can pay for films and download them off the internet although this advance is also giving the ability for users to download films illegally, free of cost. But although all these improvements in how one can see a film are taking place, the most popular way to view a new film is still the cinema. This might be because of the new equipment that cinemas are investing in so as to give the viewer a true experience.(Anthony, 2012). DigitalProjection As oppose to celluloid prints which are damaged every time they are used for projection and are often ruined after a couple of uses, digital film is transported to the cinema on a hard drivewhich is then uploaded onto the digital projector an could stay there for several weeks. Digital prints have made it possible that new films can be projected at the cinemas around the world mostly at same time because digital prints are cheaper to duplicate than celluloid prints. Another advantage of digital projection is that it can be used for more than one form of entertainment, that is, it can also be used to display sporting events, opera, musical shows and much more. Such showings change the whole meaning of cinema because it could bring different costumers to the cinema.Around 60% of all cinema screens worldwide in 2012 were converted to digital projection from the tradition film. More than half of these cinemas offer 3D projections and by the end of 2015 almost every cinema screen will be digital. Regarding 3D projections there are multiple instances where this sector is still evolving thanks to innovation. An example is the abolishment of the 3D chunky glasses. Thanks toâ€Å"lenticular lens technology†that is, bumpy screens that redirect light to each eye, allows us to process two different images at the same time (the way we do in real life), which gives the perception of depth. A second solution is theâ€Å"parallax barrier†.This technique uses a device which is set right in front aliquid crystal display, to allow it to show astereoscopic imagewithout the need for the viewer to wear3D glasses. Two main companies, Toshiba and Sony has already started working on these 2 technologies and in 2009, Fujifilm released theFujifilm FinePix Real 3D W1digital camera, which features a built-in auto stereoscopic LCD display measuring 2.8 diagonal.(Anon, 2015) Although 4D-cinema is already something in the years it is expected to continue developing. Seats in 4D venues may move during the screening according to the scene being shown. Physical effects such as rain, water, wind and even smell might be simulated in 4D and this is even backed with a special sound system allowing the audience to reach maximum immersion in what is happening on the screen. Whilst in our rapidly changing world we have doubts about what is here to stay, it would be reasonable to say that digital technology is the present and is likely to be present as well in the future. We cannot say how it will evolve, but evolving technologies will without any hesitation continue to make an effect upon the creative industries especially on filmography. References Pinder, M., 2010. How will developments within digital technologies affect the Creative Industries?. [Online] Available at: http://www.mikepinder.co.uk/research/phd-research/195-how-will-developments-within-digital-technologies-affect-the-creative-industries.html [Accessed 28 April 2015]. Lhooq, M., 2012. 9 Mind-Blowing Technologies Changing The Film Industrys Future. [Online] Available at: http://thecreatorsproject.vice.com/en_au/blog/9-mind-blowing-technologies-changing-the-film-industry’s-future2 [Accessed 28 April 2015]. Corliss, R., 2006. Can This Man Save The Movies? (Again?). [Online] Available at: http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1172229,00.html [Accessed 28 April 2015]. Fair, J., 2006. The Impact of Digital Technology upon the Filmmaking Production Process. [Online] Available at: https://the72project.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/thesis.pdf?session-id=6b8246ad01cd6bba198fa4b51f508a5f [Accessed 28 April 2015]. Anthony, S., 2012. How digital technology is reinventing cinema. [Online] Available at: http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/128963-how-digital-technology-is-reinventing-cinema [Accessed 28 April 2015]. Anon, 2011. Digital Cinema, Distribution and Exhibition. [Online] Available at: http://www.mediastudentsbook.com/content/digital-cinema-distribution-and-exhibition [Accessed 4 April 2015].

Economic And Social Impacts Of The Water Crisis Geography Essay

Economic And Social Impacts Of The Water Crisis Geography Essay 884 million of people worldwide do not have sufficient access to drinking-water and more than 2.6 million do not have access to simple sanitations. Each year about 2 million people die from the effects of unclean water, most of them are children. The 28th July was the day when the United Nations declared the access to clean water as a human right. This anchoring in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has a strong symbolic meaning and therefore a wide influence on politics of various countries. Water resources in the region of the Middle East are scarce by nature. Competition over consumption of shared resources is thus predictable. This essay will show that accessibility and safety of clean water are major concerns all over the world and especially in the region of the Middle East. The first section deals with some geographic aspects as the environmental and climatic conditions. It shows how geographic aspects influence the availability of water and gives an overview about the allocation of water resources as the most limited natural resource in the West Asian region. Secondly, the essay describes the economic and social impacts of the water crisis. It will describe how health risks may arise from consumption of unclean water with toxic elements. Water shortages also constrain the agricultural and industrial productions and therefore the water supply has effects on the economic sectors of the concerned countries as well. The last part deals with options to manage the water problem. Possible solutions will be discussed and evaluated. It shows the forecast of water supply in some years and gives reasons why governments need to act quickly to avoid a deep crisis in already some years. Geographic aspects of the region 2.1 Climatic conditions The Middle East comprises two sub-regions: the Arabian Peninsula (Bahrain, Kuwait Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen) and the Mashriq (Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, and West Bank and Gaza). It is surrounded by four marine water bodies: the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf). The Middle East is dominated by arid and semiarid areas, with major regions of extreme aridity. Those climes are characterized by definition as areas of high water shortages, whereat in arid regions high evaporation rates are common. A steppe climate predominates in the northern part of the region, with hot summers and cold winters. The southern and central parts are characterized through extreme dryness with very hot summers and mild temperatures during winter. The Arabian Peninsula belongs to this part. In the whole region of the Middle East water is a very scarce resource. In most countries of the region desertification, water stress and droughts are common. Summer temperatures do not vary significantly across the Middle East. Generally the temperature rises to around 30Â °C, but in the deserts (e.g. Saudi Desert) it can get even warmer with about 45Â °C. In most parts of the region rainfall is very little and is depending on the season. Usually most of the precipitation occurs during winter in the Middle East. The southern part of the Arabian Peninsula constitutes an exception with summer rains. Regular annual rainfall varies from 0mm to 200mm. Just in the northwestern parts on the Mediterranean Sea the rates surpass 500mm and more. 2.2 Surface water resources Surface water is exceptionally restricted in the Middle East due to high evaporation and generally low rainfall. But almost all of the accessible surface water is used and supplies together with springs around 35% of total water use in the region. Most of Middle Eastern surface water stems from its three main surface sources: the Nil, Tigris-Euphrates and Jordan River systems. The countries of the Arabian Peninsula are potentially poorer in surface water resources than the Mashriq area. This region has a number of seasonal rivers and two shared rivers (the Tigris and Euphrates). In contrast to the Mashriq countries the Arabian Peninsula has only some irregular seasonal flow of wadis and only a limited number of springs. In most of the regions surface water drains to the Red, Dead or Mediterranean Seas. The Jordan River presents the most important dewatering system in the region. It has it source in the Lebanon Mountains and flows into the Lake Tiberias. In very dry years an overexploitation of the water resources was observed with the cause that the sea water table reaches already a critical value. Fortunately wet year can adjust the balance. The available surface water in the Jordan Valley is almost emptied so that just small amounts of water arrive at the Dead Sea. This is another reason for damage by lowering the Dead Sea level which has fallen down more than 20m in the last twenty years. 2.3 Groundwater resources The apparently most important source of water in the Middle East is wells and springs. More than 50 percent of water supply is provided by them for total water consumption. Groundwater is contained in water-bearing permeable rocks called aquifers from which water can be extracted via wells or springs. Through seasonal rainfall in semiarid areas aquifers are on and off recharged. The recharge quantities depend on relief and the climatic conditions. Naturally ten to thirty percent of the rainfall in the Middle East contributes to the recharge of groundwater. In the Libyan Desert or the Arabian Peninsula as examples for some arid areas fossil groundwater resources provide important additional amounts of water. Groundwater resources in West Asia in general and on the Arabian Peninsula in particular are in a critical condition because the volumes withdrawn far exceed natural recharge rates. Groundwater is being extracted much faster than its renewal rate, as a result water levels in the shallow aquifers are continually declining. Socio Economic Impact of the Water Crisis 3.1 Importance of Fresh Water Supplies The availability of water as a natural resource has always been a challenge to the civilization of the Middle East. Climatic conditions have influenced politics and activities in the region. The lack of water even restricts the economy, the development of the society and its wellbeing and also endangers political stability within the states of the areas and between neighbors. In other words: Easy access to water is not an end to itself, for any society, but a means to other ends: health, industrial and agricultural production. The situation in the Middle East has exacerbated with the increasing demand for freshwater as a consequence of increasing population. The greatest consumer of water supply in the region is agriculture. Nevertheless, each human being needs about two to five liters of fresh water per day, only for pure surviving. And the personal demand on water has increased with the development of modern civilization. The smallest fraction constitutes the need of drinking water, much more is necessary for the personal hygiene, the cleaning of household and other application for privacy issues. 3.2 Water Quality and its Effects on Health Poor water quality is not only a matter of taste it has serious effects on human health. Water quality problems emerge from the discharge of industrial and human wastewater. Due to inappropriate agricultural practices aquifers are polluted by irrigation backflows. The lack of adequate sewage infrastructure is a difficulty which causes water pollution and health problems. Sewage is often discharged into open pools where water can easily reach groundwater and aquifer systems. Consequently, water supplied to households contains bacterial elements and therefore has to be chlorinated. Chlorination in that extent already exceeds the recommended limits and becomes another health issue. The salinity of water is another problem facing the region. 3.3 Impacts on Agriculture and Industry About 85 percent of the regions water is used by the agricultural sector. Through non- water policies such as agricultural price supports that keep crops profitable or energy subsidies that make pumping water from aquifers cheap the regions water problems rest unchanged. Valuable water is still wasted by inadequate irrigation techniques or the growing of plants with high water demand as crops for example. The lack of water is a factor that blocks the basic economic development and affects the entire social and economic situation in the countries of the Middle East. Water scarcity has also high influence on industrial development. Virtual water is necessary to produce the things we use each day. Although industrial water consumption varies one can say that for instance around 20 000 liters of water is used to produce one kilogram of coffee and about ten liter to produce one piece of paper. But In areas where the resources are not enough to cover the necessary food production only a limited amount of water will be available for industrial production. Lack of water is a major concern for industrial companies especially during summer. Energy systems are depending on water and decreased water quality aggravates the problems. Water Management Options 4.1 Water management and Water Diplomacy Water availability is a major concern in most countries of the region. Some countries (e.g. Syria, Iraq, Lebanon) have reliable sources of surface water; the majority, however, depend either on groundwater or on desalination for their water supply, both of which enable them to use water in amounts far exceeding the estimated renewable fresh water in the country. The World Bank estimates that the amount of water available per person in the arid region will halve by 2050. The report of the institution mainly blames the increasing population and climate change as reason for the situation. But how can governments tackle this issue? Two approaches can be applied to the management of the water crisis in the Middle East. On the one hand the technical approach which refers to water management. Water management has been defined as the skill to bring water supply into line with demand at the lowest possible economic and ecological cost. On the other hand the political approach that views the water conflict as a question of shared resources distribution. A reliable water management plan hast to rely on both approaches to find a way out the crisis. 4.2 Supply and Demand Side Management Options Water scarcity is a function of supply and demand. Demand is increasing at an alarming rate in some regions, through population growth and increasing per capita use. In many water-scarce countries, such as Jordan and Israel, there is no obvious and inexpensive way to increase water supply, and tensions among different water users are likely to result. In other countries improvements in water efficiencies offer reasonable solutions. Managing supply on water is one option to deal with the existing water problem. Unused rivers or groundwater are hardly to find in the region of the Middle East. Therefore developing existing resources is kind of impractical in this situation of water scarcity. Nevertheless there are possibilities as for example the catchments of winter flood water which can also add some amount to the water resources. Another technique adding water resources is water harvesting. Using this approach house cisterns collect rainfall from the roofs and store it for domestic use. In earlier times these cistern were highly appreciated but has fallen into disuse nowadays because households were connected to the piped water network. Reintroducing cistern by law could increase quantities of available water for domestic use. Wastewater recycling can be another source of gaining water. The advantage of this technique is that it is the least expensive source of water for agriculture. But the big drawback is that it requires a high investment. Plans for expanding the use of this resource as a strategic alternative to meet future demands exist in many countries. Due to high salinity sea water has to be desalinated before using as potable water. Gaining potable water through desalination is already a great source of water supply for many countries as Saudi Arabia but it is constraint by its high cost. In the 1980ies another idea emerged by a Saudi Arabian prince who had the idea to import an iceberg of Antarctica to cover the water needs of its country. Although this concept sounds promising it has not been implemented yet. Demand on water is also important to manage. Decreasing demand can be obtained by establishing special incentives or tariffs that enforce water saving measures. Higher charges on water could enable the countries to modernize their water distribution systems and thus reduce high water losses. As already mentioned the increasing population represents another problem. Handling the demographic changes governments should think about dealing with immigration control and family planning as a measure to manage demand. All in all the natural water resources are already exhausted in a great extent, so that a carefully organized water management is absolutely essential. Conclusion In the Middle East water is considered as a strategic resource and tensions between countries in the region over it are high. There it has become a major political issue and the various peace agreements that have been proposed or signed in recent years all include water. The author of this quote reveals the critical situation in the Middle East where water is a scarce resource. His statement clearly leads to one question: Is there likely to be a conflict over water? Historical experiences suggest that this is unlikely to occur. But there is no doubt that water scarcity will definitely be a problem in some areas in the future. Global warming is tending to aggravate the crisis because rainfall decreases while evaporation increases. In addition the growing population rates, industrialization and abuse of agrochemicals cause the urgent need for long-term plans to meet future water demands. The greatest improvements can be made in the agricultural sector, where most of the water resources are spend for irrigation purposes. In future times the use of desalination technology will also be greater and importing water will become normal. Yet water scarcity will be at the forefront of the international agenda for decades to come. In some cases, water may even be a contributing factor in international conflict. Knowing this issue the UN declared the access to potable water as a human right. This declaration may also have raised public awareness of the subject and people in the Middle East may treat water as more valuable. Avoiding future conflicts alternative management strategies are required. These have to be well designed with detailed plans but especially in the Mashriq countries the settlement of potential conflicts over shared water resources remains a fundamental and pressing issue.