Paragraphs on State of Consciousness and Religion Essay

1. Briefly describe shifts in states of consciousness. The states of consciousness are about the experience and about feeling the world. It is about your own deep feeling and therefore we need to bring them in its true light that is not rational but sensitive. Religion, in whatever form they may be is a reflection of a certain level of the consciousness. When a persons awareness is changing and expanding, also individual’s vision of the religion can change. 2. Briefly discuss how human capacity for development and change through life interacts with religion. I think that any person in their childhood were more pure and they believed more in God. In every stage of our life we gain and we lose something. In the course of this changes†¦show more content†¦The peak experience paly in important role in each person life and is a self- actualization. The peak experience is a place where one can feel pure happiness and elation. If one can reach the peak experience will feel everything that surrounds him and will lose the track of time or space. The liminality stage is a process where one is between to different worlds, and is more connect to gods and with consciousness. Is a transition from the ordinary life to a stage of self-awareness or self-cognition? An example of liminal person we can say that monks are the most closes to this stage because they life in in different life where they don’t obey the rules of society. They shows us a different ways of life and climates of consciousness. 5. Summarize the position of major psychological interpreters of religion. The major psychological interpreters of religion are Sigmund Freud and Carl G. Jung. If we take a look of what Freud sad about the psychological interpreters of religion, we can see that he though religion was a sign of an imperfect or compulsive progress with a character. Sigmund Freud argues that these impulses have their origin in childhood helplessness and survive into adulthood through the image of the god-father. He thought that religion is a collective psychosis, a mass anxiety and ultimately an illusion. However Carl G. Jung believed that religion is a search of individuation. That is, for uniting the several elements of one’s mind into a melodiousShow MoreRelatedA Brief Note On Classical Social And Organizational Theory Essay1744 Words   |  7 Pagesrefugees in the United States right at the moment and/or strategize how to help combat this apparent resistance. 1. Use either Durkheim or Martineau to deepen your understanding of the problem. Begin with a short transition that may be a sentence or two or a short paragraph in length. Next, write a paragraph which broadly introduces the theory (this might be a new paragraph or, If you wrote a transition sentence or two, the same paragraph). 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America s Rising Tide Of Consumerism - 1877 Words

Perhaps one of the most controversial, creative and courageous times in American history; the decade after the first world war would take America as a nation to the front of the world stage. It is best summed up in a reflective editorial from the small newspaper, The Atlanta Constitution, â€Å"The people of every age think theirs is the â€Å"golden age† of the world—and they think aright. The age we live in is the alivest and best that mankind has ever known† (Howell 8). And although there were aspects of the 1920s that seem to support the argument that the decade was reactionary, when seen alongside the loud, roaring culture and society, these events simply fade into background noise. The 1920s were an incredibly prosperous and booming period for the American economy; the largest inciting factor of the rapid growth of the U.S. and also the largest factor in its downfall. This can be specifically seen in America’s rising tide of consumerism. For the first time by 1929, America’s advertisement budget exceeded one billion dollars and the average person, including women and children, received $173 more annually than 10 years before (Shannon 216). Stock values went crazy, and, helped along by the end of the Progressive Era, corporate profits boomed. This kind of rapid and positive growth built the foundation for all that was to happen in the decade. People had an excess of money and an excess of time, creating a need for new ways to spend all of it. It may be that money does not buyShow MoreRelatedProcter and Gamble Environmental Analysis10421 Words   |  42 Pagesmost valuable contribution comes from the company‘s people. PG‘s employees are deeply committed to their purpose, values and principles. [Are these statements factual or someone‟s stated opinion? They are not the sort of statements that would typically be made by an outside observer. 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Food Security amidst Climate Change India - MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Food Security amidst Climate Change India. Answer: Future picture of climate change in India; where it may lead to if the causes of climate change continues The problem of climate change started when the average temperature of the earth increase and it is now 15C (BBC News 2018). It is also stated by experts that if climate change continues, summers in India could last for about 8 months due to prolonged heat-wave conditions. The environmental condition of India will be a combination of heat and humidity and this combination is known as "wet-bulb temperature". This temperature never crossed above 32C but scientists portrays that the temperature currently touch 31C and if climate change continues, it will exceed 35C (BBC News 2018). This weather is dangerous for workers mainly doing outdoor jobs as their cardiovascular and respiratory conditions will get adversely impacted. Experts also says that India will be one of the most affected countries due to the increase in population that will estimated to be 1.7 billion by 2050 according to a risk index released at COP23 (Nasir 2018). In addition to that, the monsoon problem in India will incr ease in the next 25 years as published in Hindustan Times (Hindustan Times 2018). The data represents that 25% and 40% of districts faced heavy rainfall and drought in 2017 (Hindustan Times 2018). Taken for instance, Bangaluru City faced 30% of its annual rain in a single day. So, it can be stated that the continuation of climate change will cause water crisis, more droughts and rainfalls, cloudburst and challenge to food security. Comparison between India and other country suffering from climate change In South America, the agriculture is already impacted and in India also this effect will be soon witnessed and the effect will also be on the 48.8% of the Indias working population currently employed for agricultural purpose (Hindustan Times 2018). Kumar et al. (2014) stated that in northeast, Agartala that in the last 5 years had received more than 11 times of daily monsoon rain and in India rising sea surface temperatures resulted in heavy monsoon rainfall in the area Bihar, Odisha, and Jharkhand, West Bengal, Gujarat, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. In Latin America, the decrease in soil water results in replacement of tropical forest that leads to desertification and salinisation of agricultural land; the same adversity occur in Himalayas, northern and Western Ghats according to the vulnerability index (Pacifici et al. 2015). India is liable for 4.4% carbon emission due to livestock and if the problem of climate change increases, these livestock will face animal h ealth problems (De Lavergne et al. 2014). Reference List BBC News., 2018. What is climate change?. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-24021772 [Accessed 14 Jan. 2018]. De Lavergne, C., Palter, J.B., Galbraith, E.D., Bernardello, R. and Marinov, I., 2014. Cessation of deep convection in the open Southern Ocean under anthropogenic climate change. Nature Climate Change, 4(4), pp.278-282. Hindustan Times., 2018. In next 25 years river floods to impact six times more Indians. [online] Available at: https://www.hindustantimes.com/environment/in-next-25-years-river-floods-to-impact-six-times-more-indians/story-ikZF6evA6mWJiSFo4nQxKM.html [Accessed 14 Jan. 2018]. Kumar, S.N., Aggarwal, P.K., Rani, D.S., Saxena, R., Chauhan, N. and Jain, S., 2014. Vulnerability of wheat production to climate change in India. Climate Research, 59(3), pp.173-187. Nasir, N, 2018. Water Crisis, Food Security Amidst Climate Change In India. [online] BW Businessworld. Available at: https://businessworld.in/article/Water-Crisis-Food-Security-Amidst-Climate-Change-In-India/05-01-2018-136534/ [Accessed 14 Jan. 2018]. News.bbc.co.uk., 2018. BBC News - Climate change around the world. [online] Available at: https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/629/629/6528979.stm#arctic [Accessed 14 Jan. 2018]. Pacifici, M., Foden, W.B., Visconti, P., Watson, J.E., Butchart, S.H., Kovacs, K.M., Scheffers, B.R., Hole, D.G., Martin, T.G., Akakaya, H.R. and Corlett, R.T., 2015. Assessing species vulnerability to climate change.Nature Climate Change,5(3), pp.215-224.

Internet Regulations Essays - Television Technology, Video Formats

Internet Regulations What is a V-chip This term has become a buzz word for any discussion evolving telecommunications regulation and television ratings, but not too many reports define the new technology in its fullest form. A basic definition of the V-chip; is a microprocessor that can decipher information sent in the vertical blanking of the NTSC signal, purposefully for the control of violent or controversial subject matter. Yet, the span of the new chip is much greater than any working definition can encompass. A discussion of the V-chip must include a consideration of the technical and ethical issues, in addition to examining the constitutionally of any law that might concern standards set by the US government. Yet in the space provided for this essay, the focus will be the technical aspects and costs of the new chip. It is impossible to generally assume that the V-chip will solve the violence problem of broadcast television or that adding this little device to every set will be a first amendment infringement. We can, however, find clues through examining the cold facts of broadcast television and the impact of a mandatory regulation on that free broadcast. Utilizing the EIA's Recommended Practice for Line 21 Data Service(EIA-608) specification, these chips decode EDS (Extended Data Services)program ratings, compare these ratings to viewer standards, and can be programmed to take a variety of actions, including complete blanking of programs. Is one definition of the V-chip from Al Marquis of Zilog Technology. The FCC or Capitol Hill has not set any standards for V-chip technology; this has allowed many different companies to construct chips that are similar yet not exact or possibly not compatible. Each chip has advantages and disadvantages for the rating's system, soon to be developed. For example, some units use onscreen programming such as VCR's and the Zilog product do, while others are considering set top options. Also, different companies are using different methods of parental control over the chip. Another problem that these new devices may incur when included in every television is a space. The NTSC signal includes extra information space known as the subcarrier and Vertical blanking interval. As explained in the quotation from Mr. Marquis, the V-chips will use a certain section of this space to send simple rating numbers and points that will be compared to the personality settings in the chip. Many new technologies are being developed for smart-TV or data broadcast on this part of the NTSC signal. Basically the V-chip will severely limit the bandwidth for high performance transmission of data on the NTSC signal. There is also to be cost to this new technology, which will be passed to consumers. Estimates are that each chip will cost six dollars wholesale and must be designed into the television's logic. The V-chip could easily push the price of televisions up by twenty five or more dollars during the first years of production. The much simpler solution of set top boxes allows control for those who need it and allow those consumers who don't to save money and use new data technology. Another cost will most definitely be levied to television advertisers for the upgrade of the transmitting equipment. Weather the V-chip encoding signal is added upstream of the transmitter or directly into uplink units and other equipment intended for broadcast; this cost will have to compensated for in advertising sales and prices. The V-chip regulation may also require another staff employee at most stations to effectively rate locally aired programs and events. All three of these questions have been addressed in minute detail. Most debate has focused upon the new rating system and its implementation. Though equally important, this doesn't deal with the ground floor concerns for the television producing and broadcasting industries. Now as members of the industry we must hold our breath until either the fed knocks the wind from free broadcast with mandatory ratings' devices, or allows the natural regulation to continue. Technology Essays

A Report On Mansarovar Yatra Tourism Essays

A Report On Mansarovar Yatra Tourism Essays A Report On Mansarovar Yatra Tourism Essay A Report On Mansarovar Yatra Tourism Essay Mansarovar Yatra Mansarovar gets its name from a lake of the same name, the universe s highest fresh H2O lake. Mansarovar attracts 1000s of pilgrims every twelvemonth and is a spiritual finish for four great faiths ; Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and the comparatively lesser known pre-buddhist faith Bonpo. Lake Mansarovar is situated in saddle horse Kailash and holds an elevated spiritual significance in the Hindu faith. Mansarovar is the beginning of the Sutlej river and is located near to the beginning of the Brahmaputra river, the Indus river and the Karnali river. Significance Mansarovar is a extremely august lake and per Hindu mythology, it is believed that a dip in this lake will cleanse one of all wickednesss and lead to heaven. Popular belief says that one who touches the Earth of Manasa Sarovar will travel to the Eden of Lord Brahma and one who partakes the H2O of this residence of pureness will happen a topographic point in Shiva s Eden. Attractions Mansarovar Lake: The lake is the lone attractive force for pilgrims and tourers likewise. Believed to be the umbilicus of the universe by the Tibetans, Mansarovar is revered in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. Per Hindu divinity, the psyche of a individual will happen a topographic point in Eden in the after life if one has visited the sanctum Mansarovar. Harmonizing to Hindu mythology, the lake was foremost created in the head of Lord Brahma and therefore the name ( manas = head A ; sarovar = lake ) . Further, it is besides believed that Gods descend from celestial spheres during Brahma Muhurta to bathe in the sanctum and pure Waterss of lake Mansarovar. The lake besides is of spiritual importance to Jains who believe that their first prophesier achieved enlightenment here. Buddhists believe that it is here that Queen Maya conceived Buddha. Mount Kailash: Considered to be the tallest mountain with the tip of the mountain making celestial spheres is besides, as per Hindu spiritual Bibles, the residence of Lord Shiva and is by far the holiest mountain that finds a reference in about all Hindu texts and scriptures refering to faith. For Hindus, a Yatra to mount Kailash is considered a must to be able to free them of their wickednesss. How to Reach Like Kedarnath, making Mansarovar poses a spot of a trouble but this is barely a hindrance for devouts and adventuresome tourers, 1000s of whom flock to Mansarovar every twelvemonth for a dip in the holy Waterss of the lake. The nearest airdrome to Mansarovar is

Definition and Purpose of a Heterogeneous Class

Definition and Purpose of a Heterogeneous Class Heterogeneous groups  in educational settings include students from a wide range of instructional levels. The practice of assigning mixed groups of students to shared classrooms stems from the education precept that positive interdependence develops when students of varying achievement work together and help each other reach educational goals. Heterogeneous groups contrast  directly with homogeneous groups, in which all students perform at roughly the same instructional level. Examples of Heterogeneous Groups A teacher may deliberately pair low-, medium-, and high-level readers (as measured by reading assessments) together in a heterogeneous group to read and analyze a given text together. This type of cooperative group can improve outcomes for all of the students as the advanced readers can tutor their lower-performing peers. Rather than putting gifted students, average students, and special-needs students in separate classrooms, school administrators may divide students into classes with a relatively even distribution of abilities and needs. Teachers may then further divide the group during instructional periods using either the heterogeneous or homogeneous model. Advantages For students of lesser ability, being included in a heterogeneous group rather than pigeonholed into a homogeneous group reduces their risk of being stigmatized. And labels that classify academic skill can become self-fulfilling prophecies as teachers may lower expectations for students in special-needs classrooms. They may not challenge those students to perform well and may rely on limited curriculum that restricts exposure to concepts some students could, in fact, learn. A heterogeneous group gives advanced students a chance to mentor their peers. All members of the group may interact more to help each other understand the concepts being taught. Disadvantages Students, parents, and teachers may prefer to work in a homogeneous group or be part of a homogeneous classroom. They may see an educational advantage or just feel more comfortable working with peers of similar ability. Advanced students in a heterogeneous group may at times feel forced into a leadership role they do not want. Rather than learning new concepts at their own speed, they must slow down to assist other students or curtail their own study to proceed at the rate of the whole class. In a heterogeneous grouping, advanced students may take the role of co-teacher, rather than advancing their own skills. Students of lesser abilities may fall behind in a heterogeneous group and may be criticized for slowing the rate of the whole class or group. In a study or work group, unmotivated or academically challenged students may be ignored rather than assisted by their peers. Management of a Heterogeneous Classroom Teachers need to remain aware and recognize when a heterogeneous grouping does not function properly for a student at any level. Teachers should support advanced students by supplying additional academic challenges and help students who fall behind receive the assistance they need to catch up. And students in the middle of a heterogeneous group face the risk of getting lost in the shuffle as the teacher concentrates on the special needs of students at either end of the spectrum.

Historical leaders in quality improvement Research Paper

Historical leaders in quality improvement - Research Paper Example services, affecting the manners on which risks are perceived, care is organized, and healthcare providers are supported (McLaughlin and Kaluzny, 2006). By recognizing and applying the organizational and production principles in the manufacturing sector, healthcare professionals can improve the delivery of healthcare services suited to the needs of the patient or organization. As such, fitting the curative environment to an individual’s or organization’s needs is important in beating the production goals. This approach can also be employed in the delivery of healthcare services to a single patient or population through a definite disease management program (McLaughlin and Kaluzny, 2006). Thus, reflecting on the lives of healthcare quality leaders is insightful. Florence Nightingale is known as a hospital reformer and a pioneer of nursing. She strived for innovations not only in nursing care, but in hospital administration as well. In 1854, along with well-trained women, Nightingale served the British military hospital during the Crimean War. She documented her observations on the victims and casualties of war by means of statistical applications, treatment, and analysis of mortality and injury cases. She used line diagrams to show the comparison of mortality cases between civilian and military personnel and presented such to government authorities through polar-area diagrams. From 1854 to 1856, in a British military hospital in Turkey, Nightingale led nursing efforts where she prioritized clothing and bedding supplies for the casualties of war and emphasized the need for a more sanitary clinical environment (Knudsen and Debon, 2003). She used to visit wards, even late at night, looking after the conditions of ill soldiers. This exemplary p erseverance, dedication, and patience made her to earn the title â€Å"The Lady with the Lamp.† After six months, the mortality rate in the military camp fell from 60% to 2% (Knudsen and Debon, 2003). Through her efforts,

Internet Marketing and an Impact on Buying Behaviour of Teenagers Personal Statement

Internet Marketing and an Impact on Buying Behaviour of Teenagers - Personal Statement Example Page, K., & Uncles, M (2004) define Internet marketing as a marketing strategy adopted by many entrepreneurs to reach out their customers through the Internet with an organized plan and a smart marketing campaign. The author argues that the online market is growing at a rapid pace compared to the retail market so that anyone with the need to make money select Internet as his first choice. As per the statistics available, in the fourth quarter of 2005, US retail e-commerce sales totaled $26.5 billion with an increase of 27.5% just from the third quarter of 2005. At the same time, millions of people are exploring opportunities on the Internet that made the competition stiff in online marketing. The author put forward two things; an effective plan and aggressive marketing for success in Internet marketing. He has pointed out that a website without planning and the identification of the target market will definitely end in failure whereas in-depth planning will increase the chances of su ccess more. The author also argued that even amidst the stiff competition, the future of Internet marketing is bright (Hartman, J. B., Gehrt, K., & Watchravesringkan, K., 2004). Mick, D.G., & Fournier, S (1998) defines In... strategies he has pointed out other methods such as site optimization, linking, and indexing, implementing online marketing partnerships with high-profile online businesses, paid keyword advertising, etc. as the successful strategies for Internet marketing. Buying behaviors of the teenage community Lenhart, A., Rainie, L., & Lewis, O (2001) reflects on buying behaviors of the teenage community in terms of their attitude toward appearance. They argued that the marketers should make advertisements to target "jockettes" (young women who have active lifestyles) and "young metrosexuals"(young men focussed on their outward appearances) in order to convince the teen community. Gender and brands can influence the buying habits of teens according to the author. Park, C., & Jun, J.K (2003) summarizes buying behaviors of teenagers with respect to the cool looking technology and customizations of products are essential for attracting teen customers. Personalization, style, and functionality are the major features of a product which influence the teen community. Impact of Internet marketing on buying behavior of teenagers The online purchasing behavior of teens for goods like books, apparels, dining, music, practices is around half of the teenage consumers that has risen significantly from the 31 percent of statistical from the result December 2000 (Park, C., & Jun, J.K., 2003). Teens are the major segment of Internet visitors. This is not easy to convince the teen community with conventional methods of marketing. A business plan and marketing strategies are essential for canvassing the teen community through Internet marketing.  

The last supper by leonardo da vinci Essay Example for Free

The last supper by leonardo da vinci Essay In human history, it is hard to find another so gifted person, as Leonardo da Vinci was. He serves as a symbol of Renaissance person, an ideal of harmoniously developed human. His heritage consists of works of art, sculptures, works on mechanics, physics and natural science. Leonardo da Vinci is, undoubtedly, the most prominent representative of Renaissance art period of Italy. This paper is to examine only one of his outstanding masterpieces – The Last Supper. This work of art is made in a form of a huge fresco, performed by order of Louis Moro for refectory of the church Santa Maria della Grazie in Milan in 1495-1497. It began to acquire its unique reputation immediately after it was finished in 1498 and its prestige has never diminished. Despite the many changes in tastes, artistic styles, and rapid physical deterioration of the painting itself, the paintings status as an extraordinary creation has never been questioned nor doubted. It’s fortune is dramatic. The paints started chalking already during Leonardo’s life. In XVII century a door was made in the wall of refectory, which partially ruined the composition, and in XVIII century the room was turned into grain warehouse. Later the fresco was damaged by poor reconstructions. In 1908 certain jobs on cleaning and consolidation of the painting were made. During WWII the ceiling and southern wall of the refectory were ruined by a bomb. Restoration in 1945 saved the fresco from further destruction, however, now we can see only the general shapes of Leonardo’s masterpiece. Much of the detail can be learned from a copy, made with oil and canvas by unknown artist of the XVI century . A huge fresco, which is about 15 feet high and 29 feet long, covers the entire back wall of the refectory. The perfection of this work lies not only in the artistic merits of the painting, but also in Leonardos expressive mastery. Leonardos Last Supper is an ideal pictorial representation of the most important event in the Christian doctrine of salvation the institution of the Eucharist . Leonardo painted The Last Supper on a dry wall rather than on wet plaster, so it is not a true fresco. Because a fresco cannot be modified as the artist works, Leonardo instead chose to seal the stone wall with a layer of pitch, gesso and mastic, then paint onto the sealing layer with tempera. Because of the method used, the piece has not withstood time very well – within several years of completion it already began showing signs of deterioration . Master’s idea was to create an illusion, that the room, where the Last Supper takes place is a part of the refectory itself, and thus to turn a spectator into a participant of one of the most important events in the history of Christianity. Leonardo depicted the dramatic culmination of the Supper, the very moment that Jesus has said to his disciples: â€Å"Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve. And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. Matthew 26† Jesus words inspire a number of feelings in His adepts: anger, fear, despair, some of them stand up from their places and gesticulate. In order not to create an impression of a clutter, Leonardo united the characters into four groups with three persons in each of them, symmetrically placed around the Savior. The first group consists of Bartholomew, James the Lesser and Andrew, all of them appearing surprised. Andrew holds both of his hand up in front of him in a frightened gesture. The second group: Judah Iscariot, Simon Peter and John. Judah is holding a bag of silver in his right hand, while reaching for a piece of bread with his left. Simon Peter is leaning over the shoulder of John, a knife held in his right hand, symbolizing his zealous defence of Jesus. John appears to be swooning. In contrast to traditional depiction of Judah opposite to Christ, Leonardo placed him near God the Son, however, the traitor can be easily recognized with his pulled back figure, convulsive gesture of his hand, fastening a purse and dark profile. Da Vinci presented a realistic explanation of Christs prophetic words that the first man to share bread with him would also be the betrayer: Jesus and Judas are shown reaching for the same piece of bread, although everybodys attention is riveted elsewhere. The third group is made of Thomas, James the Great and Phillip. These three appear in different degrees of shock; Thomas, with his hand raised, and Phillip seem to be requesting some sort of explanation, while James the Great, between them, appears to be recoiling from Jesus in horror. The last group of three is formed by Matthew, Jude Thaddeus and Simon the Zealot and theyappear to be discussing the matter with each other, in a rendition of Luke 22:23: They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this. The figure of Christ is not only spacial, but also a spiritual centre of the painting. He is alone in his wise eupathy and acceptance of fate. His figure seems to be the only stable element of the painting, symbolizing the sanctity of faith and imminence of His mission. References 1. Pietro C. Marani. â€Å"Leonardo Da Vinci: The Complete Paintings†, Harry N. Abrams, 2000 2. David A. Brown â€Å"Leonardo da Vinci: Origins of a Genius†. Yale University Press, 1998 3. Roderick C. Morris â€Å"Shock Waves of Leonardos Last Supper†, International Herald Tribune, May 26, 2001.

Venezuela :: essays research papers

Since the 1970s, Venezuela has gone from being South America’s richest nation into a nouveau-poor society in search of an identity. Once known as the Saudis of the West, Venezuelans have seen their economic fortunes decline in exact proportion to the general fall in world oil prices. Even so, Venezuela’s many problems were hidden from view until relatively recently, when severity measures heralded the sort of economic crises so painfully familiar to other Latin American countries. Runaway inflation, currency devaluations and even food riots have marked this new phase in Venezuelan history, to which the country is still trying to adjust.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The projected population for 2010 is estimated at approximately 28,809 million, with a birth rate of 29.9 per thousand and a low mortality rate of 4.7 per thousand. Today the estimated population is 23,542,649 with a growth rate of 1.6%. Caracas, the capital, and the state of Miranda, which are the areas with the greatest commercial and financial activity, have a population of 7.7 million people. The industrial and agricultural centers, which are the states of Aragua, Carabobo, and Lara, have a population total of about 5 million people. The state of Zulia, which is the major cattle rising and oil producing state, has a population of over 3 million people. Guyana, which is in the state of Bolivar, has the most important mineral reserves, has a population of 1,300,000. The mortality rate is at 26.17 per thousand and a birth rate of 21.09 per thousand. In spite of its growth, there is still a low population density. With only nine inhabitants per square kilometer, V enezuela is one of the least densely populated countries in the Western Hemisphere. The Venezuelan population is very young. About 70% is under the age of 40. 33% of the population is between the ages of 0-14. Followed by 63% being between the ages of 15-64 and only 4% of the population is 65 years and over. There is a male domination over female with a total population ratio 1.02 male(s)/female. Venezuela has a total area of 912,050 square kilometers, 882,050 square kilometers being land and 30,000 square kilometers water. It is slightly more than twice the size of California. Venezuela is the most urbanized country in Latin America. The urban population is about 87% of the total, but is unevenly distributed throughout the country. The migration ratio as of July of 2000 was -0.

Indian Education Essay

A strong education system is the cornerstone of any country’s growth and prosperity. Over the last decade, India has made great strides in strengthening its primary education system. The District Information System for Education (DISE) reported in 2012 that 95% of India’s rural populations are within one kilometer of primary schools. The 2011 Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), which tracks trends in rural education, indicated that enrollment rates among primary-school-aged children were about 93%, with little difference by gender. However, behind the veil of such promising statistics, the learning outcomes of India’s children show little progress. The country ranked 63 out of 64 in the latest Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) study, with some of its best schools ranked about average among those surveyed. The 2011 ASER stated that only 48. 2% of students in the fifth grade can read at the second grade level. The number of students completing their primary education with inadequate numeracy and literacy skills is startling. To see this manifest in an economic sense, one may attribute India’s productivity growth — lagging behind that of East Asian economies — to a lack of progress in the foundational elements of countrywide, high-quality education. India’s private-schooled, English-speaking urban elite may attract global attention, but they are in the minority. The vast majority of Indian children attend government-run primary schools in rural areas. In 2008-2009, rural India accounted for more than 88% of India’s primary-school students, of whom over 87% were enrolled in government-run schools. This is where we see some of the nation’s toughest challenges. A Diverse Set of Problems India’s education system has not achieved strong learning outcomes for reasons that are as diverse and nuanced as the country itself. Key among these reasons is poor teaching quality, which results from a multitude of factors. Inadequate Teacher Qualification and Support: Teachers working in primary schools across rural India have a difficult job. Dhir Jhingran, a senior civil servant in the Indian Administrative Service, with more than two decades of experience in rural primary education, explained the multiple challenges they face: â€Å"Teachers have to teach multiple grades, textbooks are pitched far above the comprehension level of students, and each classroom has children with different levels of learning achievements. † Anurag Behar, CEO of the Azim Premji Foundation, an education non-profit, noted that â€Å"the average school teacher in India does not get adequate pre-service or in-service education, nor does she get the support to overcome these problems. † Compounding this is the relatively low educational qualifications of many teachers themselves. In 2008-2009, on average, 45% of these teachers had not studied beyond the 12th grade. Low Teacher Motivation and High Absenteeism: A key factor affecting the quality of primary education appears to be low levels of teacher motivation. In 2002-2003, 25% of primary-school teachers in rural India were absent on any given day. The impact of absenteeism is exacerbated by the fact that the average primary school in India has a workforce of no more than three teachers. At a school for girls in rural Rajasthan, we observed this problem first hand: Of the eight teachers assigned, only five were present. The three who were actually teaching were juggling eight different grades. The obvious reason — remuneration — does not appear to be a driver. In fact, both education experts and ordinary citizens argue that government-employed school teachers are paid relatively well. UNESCO surveys from as early as 2004 indicated that the annual statutory salary of primary school teachers in India with 15 years’ experience was more than $14,000, adjusted for purchasing power. This was significantly higher than the then-statutory salaries of $3,000 in China and Indonesia, and the Indian GDP per capita in 2004, which was $3,100. Indian primary-school teachers may not be underpaid, but some argue that they may be overworked. For Vivekanand Upadhyay, a seasoned educator and language professor at a leading national University, one reason for the lack of motivation is that â€Å"primary school teachers employed by the government, particularly in rural India, are required to perform a wide range of duties completely unrelated to imparting education. † These duties — including administering government programs such as immunization clinics, assisting with data-collection for the national census, and staffing polling stations during elections — in addition to their teaching responsibilities, place significant demands on teachers’ time. Another disheartening factor has been a highly bureaucratic administrative system that discourages bold decision making and makes implementation difficult. For example, as Jhingran observed, â€Å"it is difficult to test new practices on a small scale before rolling them out: If a new program has been developed, the philosophy is that every school must have it. † Such indiscriminate application often means that teachers are implementing programs without understanding their key principles and ultimate goals. Flawed Teaching Methodology: In India, rote learning has been institutionalized as a teaching methodology. â€Å"Primary school teachers in rural India often try to educate students by making them repeat sections of text over and over again,† said Jhingran. Often they do not explain the meaning of the text, which results in stunted reading comprehension skills over the course of the children’s education. For example, many students in grades two and three in one particular school struggle to read individual words, but can neatly copy entire paragraphs from their textbooks into their notebooks as though they were drawing pictures. Linguistic Diversity: Finally, India’s linguistic diversity creates unique challenges for the nation’s education system. The country’s 22 official languages and hundreds of spoken dialects often differ considerably from the official language of the state or region. Jhingran commented that â€Å"the teacher not only has to account for varying learning abilities within the classroom, but also dialectic nuances which affect students’ comprehension of the subject matter. † Government-school-educated children from rural India struggle to speak even basic sentences in English. â€Å"Students with rural primary schooling are at a significant disadvantage as they transition to higher education, because India’s best universities teach exclusively in English,† said Upadhyay. Part of the problem is that there is no one to teach them. As Chandrakanta Khatwar, an experienced middle school teacher in a rural government-run school in Rajasthan, asked: â€Å"When teachers themselves know little English, especially spoken English, how will students learn? † A Parallel, Non-governmental Education Universe Since the late 1980s, government efforts to augment rural primary education have been supplemented by the emergence of an intervention-based non-governmental system that spans multiple institutional types. While private schools have emerged as a parallel system over the last two decades, their impact is limited because they serve less than 13% of India’s rural primary-school children. However, do private schools really make a difference? Some studies have found a small, but statistically significant, â€Å"private school advantage† in rural India. Behar was skeptical about the superiority of private rural schools over their government-run counterparts, noting, â€Å"Once we control for a child’s socioeconomic background, private schools add little-to-no value. In many ways, private schools are in much worse shape. † However, according to Khatwar, â€Å"more and more parents in small towns are choosing to send their children to private schools if they can afford it† — perhaps with good reason, because, on average, the number of students in each classroom in private schools is often smaller and school heads exert greater control over teachers. Some organizations are attempting to innovate with new formats and systems of education. Avasara Academy, a new school for girls, is a private institution whose mission is to mold leaders from among the best and brightest girls in India, regardless of their background. While admission is merit-based, the school intends to draw half its students from disadvantaged rural and urban backgrounds, awarding them full scholarships. In addition, it is developing a special curriculum that encourages excellence beyond academics. â€Å"Avasara seeks to identify high potential young women and guide them along a powerful journey of leadership development. We expect that our graduates will form a network of leaders who will collaborate to drive positive change across the country,† explained Mangala Nanda, humanities department chair for Avasara. While still in the early stages of its development, Avasara’s successful implementation would provide a viable model for high-quality, accessible education and integration across socioeconomic boundaries. Governmental Efforts The Indian government at every level recognizes the need for educational reform and has made a conscientious effort to achieve it. The midday-meal plan, for example, is a highly publicized nationwide program through which government school children across India are provided with a midday meal every day of the school week. The program is largely considered a success. A study in 2011 by Rajshri Jayaraman and Dora Simroth found that grade one enrollment increased by 20. 8% simply if a midday meal was offered. According to Behar, â€Å"The Indian government has worked very hard to provide rural schools with adequate infrastructure, something that was critically lacking a few decades ago. † For instance, DISE reported in 2012 that more than 91% of primary schools have drinking-water facilities and 86% of schools built in the last 10 years have a school building. However, there is still a long way to go: Only 52% of primary schools have a girls’ toilet, and just 32% are connected to the electricity grid. In 2012, the Central Government enacted the Right to Education (RTE) Act, under which every child between the ages of six and 14 receives a free and compulsory education. In addition to regulating access to education, the act contains certain provisions that could positively impact the quality of education. According to Jhingran, one of its major achievements has been â€Å"the dramatic reduction of non-teaching duties assigned to government school teachers, freeing up valuable time and lowering absenteeism. † Partnering with the Government Over the past few decades, many organizations have begun working with government schools and teachers to improve learning outcomes. Pratham, a joint venture between UNICEF and the Municipal Corporation of Mumbai, runs multiple programs to supplement school education, such as learning support classes, libraries and additional learning resources. A hallmark of these initiatives is that Pratham engages volunteers from local communities and trains them to run these programs. Another important initiative that has resulted from Pratham is the annual ASER, an assessment that measures reading and arithmetic abilities by surveying more than 600,000 children across 16,000 villages in India. This remarkable exercise in data-gathering constitutes the foundation for informed decision-making and benchmarking. Other initiatives address teaching quality by placing specially trained teachers in government schools. Teach for India, modeled after the Teach for America program, was introduced in 2006. Young, motivated Indian college graduates and professionals apply for two-year fellowships to teach at government-run and low-income private schools that lack sufficient resources. An important distinction of Teach for India is that instruction is, by design, always in English. As Mohit Arora, fellowship recruitment manager for Teach for India, noted, the organization’s philosophy on this point is that â€Å"learning English is essential to future success, as English in today’s world is more than just a language. It is a skill set. † Students who do not speak English may have some difficulty initially, but the organization has made learning at these schools experiential and therefore engaging. The dynamics of one particular grade 3 Teach for India classroom were in stark contrast to other classrooms at the same school — students were listening intently, contributing in class, answering questions beyond the textbook and demonstrating a strong command over English. The challenge is scaling this model to rural India. Still other organizations focus on capacity development of teachers in government schools, such as the Azim Premji Foundation. As CEO, Behar is categorical in his view that the foundation â€Å"works in partnership with the government,† and that it â€Å"does not believe in supplanting the government school system. † The foundation has established scores of institutes at the district level that provide in-service education and also empower teachers to learn from each other. For example, Behar described a voluntary teacher forum in a district of Rajasthan, initially organized by the Azim Premji Foundation, but now being run increasingly independently by teachers in the district. The Future of Primary Education in India Education in India has improved dramatically over the last three decades. Schools are accessible to most children, both student enrollment and attendance are at their highest level, and teachers are adequately remunerated. The RTE Act guarantees a quality education to a wider range of students than ever before. However, challenges in implementing and monitoring high standards in teaching and learning outcomes across regional, cultural and socioeconomic subsets prevent India from fully achieving this goal. In addition, teacher support and scalability of high-performing teaching professionals in disparate areas, funding allocation for schools in remote districts and limited use of technology in the classroom remain barriers to reforming primary education. India’s growth story remains one of the most anticipated global economic trends, and its fulfillment relies on a well-educated and skilled workforce. Improving education is a critical area of investment and focus if the country wants to sustain economic growth and harness its young workforce. A weak foundation in primary education can derail the lives, careers and productivity of tens of millions of its citizens. Already, a significant proportion of the adult workforce in India is severely under-equipped to perform skilled and semi-skilled jobs. As Rajesh Sawhney, former president of Reliance Entertainment and founder of GSF Superangels, noted, â€Å"No one is unemployed in India; there are just a lot of people who are unemployable. † Furthermore, in order to develop India as a consumer market of global standards, it is imperative that all of its children reap the full benefits of a high-quality education. Otherwise, large segments of the population in rural India will continue to have low purchasing power, find themselves in highly leveraged scenarios and, more often than not, continue to make a living through agricultural means. While some of this can be attributed to deficiencies in secondary and tertiary education, the root of these issues lies in low-quality primary education.

Succubus Heat CHAPTER 18

When it was over, I rested my cheek against his chest while still staying mostly on my side. His heart beat heavy beneath my hands, and the smell of his skin and sweat nearly overpowered me. I lay there, perfectly still, scarcely daring to breathe. I was afraid that if I moved too much, I'd break this spell, this dream that I'd somehow stumbled into. Slowly, carefully, Seth ran his fingers through my hair, idly twining the strands into loops. He let his hand drop and shifted slightly, just enough to press a kiss to my forehead. I exhaled and snuggled closer, realizing that I really wasn't going to wake from this dream. At least, that's what I thought until his cell phone rang. The ring was â€Å"Where the Streets Have No Name† by U2, not a particularly hard or jarring song but one that made me flinch anyway. For a moment, we each held our breath, both of us frozen. I wanted the phone to disappear off the face of the earth, to get smote the way I kept fearing some demon would smite me. I needed it to go away because if it kept ringing, it meant none of this was real. That we were going to have to face reality. But it was already too late. The spell was broken. The phone was reality. â€Å"You should answer that,† I said. He hesitated for the space of two heartbeats, sighed, and then slowly disentangled himself from me, still careful of my back. Sitting on the side of the bed, he reached down and pulled the cell phone from his jeans pocket. I shifted over, staying propped up on one elbow, admiring the shape of his body, even as a strange, bittersweet feeling began spilling through my heart. I knew, without knowing how I knew, that it was Maddie. â€Å"Hey. Yeah†¦I got caught up with†¦um†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Seth paused, and I sensed something monumental about to take place. â€Å"I got an idea for this latest chapter.† I closed my eyes. In all the time I'd known him, I'd never heard Seth outright lie. â€Å"Right. Yeah. Okay. Um, if I leave now, I can probably make it in†¦oh, twenty minutes. Mmm-hmm. You want me to pick you up, or†¦? Okay. See you there.† He disconnected and continued sitting with his back to me, clasping the phone in his hands. Although he sat up straight, he had the air of someone hunched over, weary with defeat. â€Å"You have to go?† I asked. He looked back at me, anguish on his face. â€Å"Georgina†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I managed a weak smile. â€Å"It's okay. I wasn't tricked here. I understand the situation.† â€Å"I know, but I want you to realize that it wasn't†¦that I didn't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He didn't need to finish. One of the things I'd always loved about Seth was his open, honest nature. Occasionally he'd been able to hide his feelings from me, but more often than not, they shone through on his features. This was one of those times. With a single look, I saw what was in his heart, that he hadn't had sex with me because I was easy or available. He'd done it because of how he felt about me, because he loved-still loved-me. It made all of this that much worse. â€Å"I know,† I said softly. After one more kiss to my forehead, he put on his clothes. I watched each move hungrily, uncertain if I'd ever see anything like it again. When he was dressed and ready to go, he sat beside me on the bed, playing with my hair again. Again, those golden brown eyes spilled over with emotion. He was overcome and confused. I was too, but for his sake, I tried to appear strong and articulate. â€Å"It's okay,† I said. â€Å"It was great. Amazing†¦but I understand that we shouldn't have and that we can't ever†¦Ã¢â‚¬  So much for articulation. â€Å"Yeah,† he agreed. â€Å"It was just this once. And it was perfect.† â€Å"Just this once,† he repeated. I couldn't read his voice, but something told me he wasn't entirely happy about that. Neither was I, but honestly, what could we do? We'd succumbed to passion, and now he had to go back to his girlfriend. End of story. He tipped my head back, and our lips met in a soft, warm kiss. It was brief, only a few moments, but I felt that same, soul-deep connection that had consumed me during sex. He stood up and studied me for a few moments more, as though he might not ever see me again. I felt a little silly lying there naked, but his expression told me he thought I was beautiful. He left after that, and I stayed in bed, drunk on my own feelings. Aubrey joined me, curling up against my leg. â€Å"Was that how it was supposed to be, Aubrey?† I couldn't decide. Certainly the sex had been everything I'd ever imagined with Seth. But this afterglow? It was a bit lacking. Nothing about the situation was normal. I had no prior experience to fall back on. After almost a half hour of staring at nothing and reaching no conclusions, I got out of bed. I was still reeling from what had happened, and my body burned with what Seth and I had done. I usually liked to shower after sex, but not today. I could smell Seth on me, his sweat and even a faint trace of the leather-and-apple cologne he used sometimes. I couldn't stand to wash him off yet, so I put the old cotton robe back on. Ratty or not, its fabric was soft against my bruised skin. As I was about to leave my room, I noticed the photo of the medallion on the floor. I picked it up, intending to set it on my nightstand, and froze. There was writing on it. Inked with a black Sharpie, neat handwriting read: Smoky quartz indicates earth or a oneness with the earth . The symbols on the medallion were circled, with lines drawn out from each one, leading to brief notes: this indicates an affinity for water, a harmonious, blending state; this is similar to the water one, except it's for the earth; this is a masking symbol, meant to shield the object it protects and keep the seal strong; this one's strange, indicates blankness or whiteness-maybe white sand or stones?; this is the symbol for tears-combined with the water sign, probably indicates salt water . I reread the notes three times. Where had they come from? When had this happened? I retraced my steps, trying to figure out when I'd abandoned the picture. There'd been no writing when I showed it to Dante. The most likely time would have been while I was out for food. Someone could have also theoretically broken into my home and done it while I was with Carter in the living room, but sneaking past the angel seemed pretty out there. Unless†¦was it possible Carter had helped me after all? He kept saying he couldn't; he'd even directly denied involvement with my assorted rescues. But the timing here was awfully coincidental. I kept staring at the symbols, at the notes, and the pictures of the seal. Whoever had written this was irrelevant for now. If their notes were correct, then I needed to use them to find Jerome. Carter had said the seal served two purposes. One was to infuse the vessel with power. The other was to serve as a â€Å"lock† that could open the vessel and release Jerome. The parts of the seal itself were with the demon and the summoner, but the symbols should give some clues to the vessel's location. Supposedly, these symbols would have been used in hiding Jerome, infusing the vessel with a type of energy specific to the location that would help blend and mask Jerome's presence. An affinity with the earth, as well as markings for water-salt water, specifically. A lot of places that were infused with power tended to be wild, natural places, though some had become centers of civilization and activity. Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle, for example, was one such ancient place of power that had been completely built upon by humanity. But these†¦what did they indicate? Some place near salt water, apparently. The vessel was probably close enough to the water that the symbols would resonate and camouflage its location. And the earth location? Buried in the dirt maybe? Was Jerome buried on some beach near the ocean? Jerome's kidnappers wouldn't want to keep him too far away from them, but nonetheless, the Pacific flanked the entire western half of Washington. That was a lot of beach, and I knew there were a lot of places of power along there. I didn't know of any white sand beaches anywhere in the area; only further investigation could say for sure. Groaning, I lay back on my bed, still holding the picture. The notes had only narrowed down the locations, but that was still a lot of area to cover. Yet what could I do? I had to find the vessel, sooner rather than later, or else Seattle was going to have a new archdemon. Studying the photo further, I willed it to give me some more info. Nothing. Just the medallion, the mystery notes, and Mary's cataloging info at the top which told me little- I frowned, rereading her header. It was brief, just the materials, name, and date the medallion had been created and then picked up. But the date it had been finished†¦the date stuck in my head. Why? It was from a week ago. Something about that date was important, but I couldn't figure out why. It felt likes years had passed in this last week, but I nonetheless counted backward, reassessing my recent activities. There. The seal had been made the day after I'd first gone to Vancouver†¦the day the vampire turf war had gone down. Would the seal's creation have triggered anyone's immortal radar? I didn't know, but if it had, Jerome, Grace, and Mei would have all been busy sorting out the ensuing vampire mess. Misdirection. From there, other things began to arrange themselves in my head. I thought back to the Army of Darkness, wondering what events their activities might line up against. The event in Queen Elizabeth Park matched the date the seal had been picked up. And the Army's impromptu visit to Seattle†¦? That had preceded Jerome's summoning, though no one would have wanted to direct attention to that, would they? The answer was here. I just couldn't quite make the pieces fit yet. The Army had staged their show. Jerome, Grace, and Mei had given it their full attention. Jerome had been summoned. Where had this game's other players been? I left the bed and its aching, alluring memories. Finding my cell phone, I dialed Kristin's number. â€Å"Hi, Georgina,† she said, pleasant but busy like always. â€Å"Hey,† I said. â€Å"How's it going?† â€Å"Crazy.† I could imagine the grimace on her face. â€Å"Cedric's stressed to hell-no pun intended-with all these demons in the area. At least that†¦that succubus is distracting him.† â€Å"Tawny?† â€Å"Whatever her name is. Cedric's actually out with her right now.† Bitterness and the tiniest hint of jealousy came through in Kristin's voice. I remembered her perpetual devotion to him-and the look on her face when he'd asked Tawny out. I felt for her but had too many romantic hijinks of my own to deal with. â€Å"Huh.† I didn't really know what else to say. â€Å"Look, I have a question for you. Do you know, did Cedric come to see Jerome the day the Army was down here?† â€Å"Yeah. Cedric came down after you left the message. I thought you knew.† â€Å"No†¦I only heard about it after the fact, and then, the whole summoning kind of took precedence.† â€Å"Why do you want to know?† I hesitated. I liked Kristin, but she was clearly loyal to Cedric. I didn't think it'd be wise to share my theories with her, like that the Army being in Seattle had provided a convenient reason for Jerome and Cedric to be together when Jerome got summoned. It occurred to me that I might very well owe Hugh an apology for my adamant denial of Cedric's involvement. Something else also occurred to me. â€Å"Um, it's a long story,† I said hastily. â€Å"Do you know if he's been hanging out with Nanette a lot?† â€Å"Why?† Her tone was quickly turning suspicious. She didn't like me interrogating her about her boss. â€Å"Well†¦I told him the other day that I thought Nanette might be involved with Jerome's disappearance. He didn't think so, but he told her†¦and she got really pissed off. She, um†¦. well, let's just say she got physical, and I have the scars to prove it.† My immortal friends had pointed out that Nanette's attack made her look guilty. If Cedric had done enough goading to make her angry when he told her, it could have very well sent her to me in a rage-and successfully shifted attention from him. Fuck. I didn't want another suspect in all of this. I didn't want it to be Cedric. Nanette had hitherto been a convenient explanation. Kristin was silent for several seconds. â€Å"I didn't know that,† she said quietly. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"Mostly. Mei healed the worst of it, but I'm still a little sore.† â€Å"I can't imagine†¦Cedric would never have told her if he thought that was going to happen. He likes you. He wouldn't condone that. He couldn't have known. I'm sorry.† She was sincerely contrite, hurt at the thought that her boss-even if he was a demon and a servant of evil-could have been involved with something that had turned out so terrible. â€Å"It's okay,† I said. â€Å"I've gotta run, but thanks for the info. Things are kind of crazy here too, as you can imagine.† We said our good-byes and disconnected. I flipped the cell phone around in my hand, feeling overwhelmed. Nanette wasn't off the table yet, but Cedric was right alongside her now as a culprit-maybe more so. If I had enough evidence, I could possibly take it to Grace and Mei†¦but I didn't have that yet. Besides, knowing who the culprit was wouldn't solve the immediate issue: finding Jerome. I glanced back at the photo, resting on my nightstand. Sore back or no, it looked like I had to do a little beachcombing. I nearly knocked Dante over when he came home that night. â€Å"Succubus,† he said, letting me wrap my arms around him. He was careful only to rest his hands on my hips. â€Å"Happy to see you too.† My eagerness was twofold. I was excited to see him because I wanted to pick his brain about the medallion and places of power. But also†¦well, while hanging around today, I'd had a lot of time to think about Seth and what had happened between us. The memory of his body still made mine burn, and I grew breathless recalling that amazing connection and sense of rightness between us. And yet†¦whatever rightness had been between us, it had still been wrong. He was with Maddie-my friend. I'd been upset when she and Seth had first slept together. I was no different. In fact, I'd knowingly done it, which made it worse. Now there was Dante to consider. Dante, who despite that dark, scowling nature really did love me and wanted to win my regard as more than just someone I had sex with. This was where my future lay, not with Seth. I kissed Dante on the lips, lingering several seconds. â€Å"I missed you.† His smile turned wry. â€Å"Don't look at me like that, or I'm going to have a hard time remembering that you're injured and that I should keep my hands off you.† Those words triggered a pang of guilt. My injuries certainly hadn't been enough to keep Seth off me. I could have told Dante that I was better, that it didn't matter, yet for whatever reason†¦I didn't. We broke apart, and I found the medallion picture for him. He stared incredulously as I showed him the phantom notes and explained my story. â€Å"What, you have no idea how they got there or who did it?† â€Å"Nope, but at this point, I'm not going to question it.† He shook his head, face still shocked. â€Å"Well. I wish I'd known this before I left. Would have been a lot easier to just wait and have invisible helpers come leave clues.† I recalled how he'd gone out to see what he could find about the medallion. â€Å"What'd you turn up?† He gestured at the picture. â€Å"Same thing.† I rested my hand over his. â€Å"Sorry. I really appreciate your help. And if your research found the same thing, it means I can probably trust this.† â€Å"Maybe,† he said, still not sounding happy about the wasted time. â€Å"What are you going to do? Something crazy?† â€Å"Look for saltwater beaches, I guess.† Dante let out a low whistle. â€Å"There are a lot of those around here. Not to mention you have no way of identifying this vessel anyway.† â€Å"I know. But I've got to start somewhere. Can you help me make a list?† We got an atlas of the Pacific Northwest area from my car and laid it flat on the kitchen table. Scrutinizing every detail, we each marked as many places as we knew. Dante knew a lot more than me, which didn't particularly surprise me. I'd once noted to Erik Lancaster that those who study religion tend to know more about it than those who practice it. Sometimes, I felt the same way about immortal affairs. We found twelve in all that were easy day trips-and many more beyond that. â€Å"Looks like you've got your work cut out for you,† Dante mused. â€Å"When are you going to look? Too dark now.† I stared at the map with dismay. â€Å"Tomorrow, I guess. Can you go with me?† A psychic like him might able to sense something, as Carter had pointed out. He grimaced. â€Å"Not tomorrow. I've actually got a few appointments people have scheduled. Crazy, huh? I probably can go the next day or the day after, if you can wait. I'd feel better if you didn't go alone.† I was glad for his business but sad at the delay. â€Å"I don't think I can wait. Don't worry, though. I'll find somebody.† â€Å"On the bright side,† he said, trying to cheer me. â€Å"I'll have money tomorrow. We can go out somewhere nice.† I mustered a smile. â€Å"Yeah, that'll be-oh, shit. I can't.† â€Å"What's going on?† â€Å"Fuck. I promised the people at the store I'd teach salsa after work.† â€Å"Cancel,† he said dismissively. My dance lessons didn't hold much importance, as far as he was concerned. â€Å"Tell them you're sick.† That wouldn't entirely be a lie†¦and yet, I hated to go back on my word. Furthermore, I could still see Maddie's radiant face, so excited and happy when I'd agreed. How could I deny her that after what I'd done to her today? â€Å"No†¦I've got to do it. Let's go eat out now. My treat.† He drove us over to Belltown for some of Seattle's best seafood. Wine and conversation flowed, and I discovered I was healing by leaps and bounds. When we got back to my place later and went to bed, Dante snuggled up to me and kissed my neck. â€Å"Looks like you're on the mend,† he noted, moving his lips up to my earlobe. â€Å"We could do it†¦I could be careful†¦Ã¢â‚¬  All around us were the sheets and blankets where Seth and I had made love earlier. The thought nearly smothered me. God. I really should have washed the bedding. I swallowed and shifted position so that I didn't meet Dante's eyes. â€Å"Maybe†¦but I'd rather wait, so we can not be careful.† I hoped there was enough of a seductive growl in my voice to make it believable. Dante sighed, fortunately unwilling to push me. â€Å"Fair enough.† He rolled over and left me to sleep, but it was a long time in coming.

Conjugating German Verbs (A-Z)

Conjugating German Verbs (A-Z) This alphabetical index lists over 500 common German verbs, some with a complete conjugation in all tenses. SYMBOL KEY:  D  Ã‚  Dative verb,  M  Ã‚  Modal verb, .s sich  Reflexive verb,  S  Ã‚  Strong verb  (irregular verb),  C  Ã‚  Stem-changing verb  (in pres. tense),  an|fangen  Ã‚  Verb with separable prefix German Verbs A-K A-D E-G H-K Aachten to pay attention to, respectan|erkennen S to recognize, acknowledgean|fangen C/S to begin See Verb prefixes (an-, aus- )angeln to fish, anglean|kommen S to arrivendern to change, alteran|greifen S to attackan|haben S to have on, wearan|nehmen S to accept; assumean|rufen S to call up (tel)antworten D to answers. an|ziehen S to get dressedarbeiten to workrgern to annoy, irritateatmen to breatheauf|fallen S to stand out, attract attentionaus|kommen S to come out, have enough of, make do, get along withaus|machen - 10 meanings!aus|stellen to exhibits. aus|ziehen to undressBbacken S to bakebaden to bathe, swimbauen to buildbeben to quake, tremblebedeuten to means. bedienen to serve oneselfbefehlen S to commands. befinden S to be, find oneselfbefreien to set freebegegnen D to meetbeginnen S to beginbegleiten to accompanybehalten S to keepbeissen S to bitebekommen S to get, receivebeleben to enliven, cheerbeleidigen to insultbellen to barkbelohnen to rewardbergen S to recover, salva geberichten to reportbersten S to burstbesitzen S to ownbestellen to orderbesuchen to visitbeten to praybetrgen S to deceive, cheatbewegen to movebezahlen to paybiegen S to bendbieten to offer, bidbinden S to tiebitten S to request, ask forblasen C/S to blowbleiben S to stayblicken to look, glanceblitzen to flashblhen to bloombluten to bleedbraten C/S to fry, roastbrauchen to needbrauen to brewbrausen to shower; roarbrechen C/S to breakbrennen S to burnbringen S to bringbrllen to roar, shoutbrsten to brushDdarf See drfendmmen to dam, check, curbdmmern to dawn, fall (dusk); dozedampfen to steamdmpfen to muffle, dampdanken D to thankdar|stellen to show, portraydmmen to dam, check, curbdauern to last, enduredecken to cover, set (table)dehnen to stretchdemonstrieren to demonstratedenken S to thinkdeuten to point, indicatedichten to caulk; write poetrydienen to servedringen S to urge, piercedrucken to printdrcken to push, press; oppressducken to stoop, duck; humbledrfen to be permitted, allowdrsten to thirst, be thirsty Eehren to honorein|atmen to breathe inein|bauen to install, put ins. ein|bilden to imagine, get the ideaempfangen C/S to receiveempfehlen C/S to recommendempfinden to feel, senseentbehren to do without; lack, miss See Verb prefixes (emp-, ent- )entdecken to discoverentfernen to removeentfhren to abduct, kidnapentgegenen to reply, retortenthalten C/S to containentkommen to escape, get awayentschuldigen to excuse, apologizeerfinden to inventerhalten C/S to obtain, receive, preserves. erinnern to remembers. erklten to catch a colderklren to explain, declareerlschen to be extinguished, dimerrichten to erect, establisherschpfen to exhaust, drainerschrecken S to be frightenedersticken to choke, smothererwgen to consider, pondererwhnen to mentionerzhlen to tell, recount, relate S to eat Ffahren S to travel, drivefallen S to fallfllen to cut downfalten to foldfangen S to catch, capturefassen to grasp, seize, conceivefechten to fence, fightfeststellen to ascertain, establishfinden S to findfl icken to patch, repairfliegen S to flyfliehen S to flee, avoidflieen S to flow, runfluchen to curse, swearfluten to flood, overflowfolgen D to followfragen to askfressen C/S to eat, feed, devours. freuen to be glad, rejoicefrieren S to freeze, feel coldfrhstcken to eat breakfastfhlen to feel, perceivefhren to leadfllen to fillfrchten to fearGghnen to yawngren to fermentgebren to give birth togeben C/S to givegebrauchen to usegedeihen S to thrive, prospergefallen C/S to be pleasing, likegehen S to gogelingen S to succeedgelten S to be validgenesen to recover, convalesces. genieren to feel embarrassed/awkwardgenieen S to enjoygeraten to get into, fall intogeschehen C/S to happengewinnen S to win, gains. gewhnen to get used to, accustomed togieen S to pour, castglnzen to glitter, shineglauben to believegleichen S to be like, resemblegleiten to glideglotzen to gape, stareglhen to glowgraben S to diggreifen S to grasp, grab, seizegrollen to be angry, grumblegren to greetgucken to look, p eep Hhaben S to havehalten C/S to hold, stop, keephmmern to hammer, poundhandeln to act, trade, dealhngen to hanghassen to hatehauen to hit, hewheben S to lift, raiseheiraten to marryheien S to be namedheilen to healheizen to heathelfen C/S to helpheraus|bekommen S to get out; find out, figure outheraus|fordern to challengehetzen to rush about, inciteheulen to howl, bawlhindern to hamper, impedehoffen to hopehren to hearhpfen to hop, jumphusten to coughIidentifizieren to identifyimmatrikulieren to register (univ)impfen to vaccinate, inoculateimponieren to impress, make an impressionimportieren to importinformieren to informs. interessieren to be interested (in)irren to wander, stray; be mistakenirritieren to confuse; irritateisolieren to insulate; isolateJjagen to hunt; chase, drivejammern to wail, moan, yammerjauchzen to rejoice, cheerjaulen to howljobben to work, have a jobjodeln to yodeljoggen to jogjucken to itchjustieren to adjust, justify (typeKkmmen to combkmpfen to fight, struggl ekauen to chewkaufen to buykehren to turn; sweepkennen S to know, be familiar withkennenlernen to get to know, become acquainted withklagen to lament, complainkleben to paste, stickklingen S to ring, soundklopfen to knock, beatkneifen S to pinch, squeeze, crimpknpfen to tie, knot, fastenkochen to cook, boil, seethekommen S to comeknnen M to be able, cankosten to costkotzen to vomit, pukekrchzen to caw, croakkratzen to scratch, scrape, clawkriechen S to crawl, creepkriegen to get, obtainkhlen to cool, refreshkrzen to shorten, abbreviate Conjugating German Verbs (L-Z) L-R S-T U-Z Llcheln to smilelachen to laughladen C / S to loadlassen C / S to let, leave, allowlaufen C / S to run, walklauschen to eavesdrop, listenleben to livelecken to lick; leaklegen to lay, put, place See liegenlehren to teachleiden S to sufferleihen S to lend, borrow, hirelernen to learn, studylesen C / S to readleuchten to light up, shine, gleamlichten to thin out, lightenlieben to loveliegen S to lie, recline, be situatedloben to praiselocken to lure, attract, enticelohnen to reward, recompenses. lohnen to be worth (doing)lsen to solve, dissolve; loosenlgen to lie (not tell the truth)lutschen to suck (on)Mmachen to make, domahlen to mill, grindmalen to paint, drawmanagen to managemeiden S to avoid, shunmeinen to mean, be of the opinion, thinkmerken to notice, mark, perceivemessen C / S to measuremieten to rent, hiremgen M to like (to)mssen M to have to, mustNnagen to gnaw, nibblenhren to nourish; sucklenaschen to snack, nibble, noshnecken to teasenehmen C / S to takenennen S to name, ca llnicken to nod, dozentzen to use; be usefulOffnen to openoperieren to operate (med.)opfern to sacrificeordnen to organize, put in order Ppachten to lease, rentpacken to pack; grabpassen to fit, be suitablepassieren to happenpfeifen S to whistlepflanzen to plantplagen to plague, annoypreisen to praise, commendputzen to clean, groomQqulen to torture, tormentqualmen to give off smokequellen S to gush, spring fromquetschen to squeeze, crushquietschen to squeak, squealRrchen to avengeRad fahren to ride a bike (VP)raten to advise, guessrauchen to smokerumen to clear away, evacuaterauschen to rustle, murmurrechnen to calculate, reckonreien S to tear, ripreiten S to ride (horse)rennen S to runreichen to reach; passreisen to travel, journeyreinigen to clean, refinereizen to excite, charmrichten to set right, adjustriechen S to smellringen to struggle, wrestlerollen to rollrsten to roastrcken to move, bring nearerrufen S to callruhen to restrhren to stir, touchrsten to arm Ssagen to say, tellsaufen S to drink to excesssaugen to suck, absorb Staub saugen to vacuum (VP)schaden to damage, hurtschaffen S to createschaffen to do, make, accomplishschalten to switch, shift (gears)schtzen to value, estimateschauen to see, lookscheiden S to separate, divides. scheiden lassen S to divorcescheinen S to shine, seemscherzen to joke, kidschicken to sendschieben S to push, shoveschieen S to shootschlachten to slaughter, butcherschlafen C / S to sleepschlagen S to hit, beatschleichen S to sneak, creepschleifen S to grind, polishschlieen to close; concludeschmecken to tasteschmeien S to throw, tossschmelzen S to meltschmerzen to hurt, smartschmieren to grease; bribeschneiden S to cut, sliceschneien to snowschreiben S to writeschreien S to scream, yellschreiten S to step, strideschweben to soar, hover, floatschweigen S to be silentschwimmen S to swimschwitzen to sweatschwren to swearsegnen to blesssehen C / S to seesein S to besenden to send, broadcasts. setzen to sit d ownseufzen to sighsieden to boil, simmersiegen to conquer, triumphsingen S to singsinken S to sinksitzen S to sitsollen M should, ought to, supposed tospalten to split, dividesparen to savespazieren to stroll, walkspielen to playspinnen to spin; be nutssprechen S to speak, talkspringen S to jumpspritzen to spray, squirtsprhen to spray; sparklespucken to spitsplen to rinse, flushspren to feel, detectstatt|finden S to take place, happenStaub saugen to vacuum (VP)staunen to be amazedstechen C / S to stab, sting, prickstecken to set, be locatedstehen to standstehlen to stealsteigen to climb, risestinken to stinksthnen to groan, moanstopfen to stuff, cramstren to disturb, upsetstoen to push, bumpstrahlen to beam, radiatestreben to strivestrecken to stretch, extendstreichen to strike, cancel; paintstreiten to quarrel, arguestricken to knitstudieren to study (univ)strzen to plunge, fall, crashsuchen to look for, seekTtanken to get gas/petrol, refueltanzen to dancetaugen to be of use/valuet oben to storm, ravetten to killtragen C/S to wear, carrytrauen to trust, believe in; marrytrumen to dreamtreffen C / S to meet, hittreiben S to drive, propeltreten C / S to step, walktrinken S to drinktrocknen to drytropfen to drip, droptun S to do, make, put Uben to exercise, practiceberraschen to surpriseberwinden S to overcomeumstellen to change over, shiftunterbrechen S to interrupts. unterhalten S to converse, entertain oneselfVverachten to despiseverderben S to ruin, spoilverdienen to earn, deservevereinigen to uniteverfhren to seducevergessen S to forgetvergewaltigen to rapes. verhalten S to behave, actverhandeln to negotiateverkaufen to sellverkehren to trade, traffic; frequentverklagen to complain, sueverkommen S to decay, go bads. verlieben to fall in loveverlieren S to losevermehren to increasevernichten to annihilate, exterminateverraten S to betrayversagen to failverschlafen C / S to oversleepverstehen S to understandversuchen to attempt, tryvertreten to represent, stand in forverwalten to administer, manageverwechseln to confuse, mix upverweigern to refuseverweilen to linger, while awayverzeihen S to pardon, forgivevor|kommen S to occur, happenvor|stellen to introduce, presents. vor|stellen to imagineWwachen to be awake; kee p watchwachsen C / S to growwagen to darewhlen to choose, votewhren to last, hold outwlzen to rollwandern to hike, wanderwaschen C / S to washwechseln to change, exchangewecken to wake, rousewehren to restrain; prevents. wehren to defend oneselfweichen to yieldweihen to consecrate, devoteweinen to cry, weepwenden to turnwerben to recruit, court, woo, advertisewerden S to becomewerfen C / S to throwwetzen to sharpen, grindwidmen to dedicate, devotewiederholen to repeatwiegen S to weighwissen S to knowwohnen to reside, livewollen M to want (to)wnschen to wish, desirewrzen to season, spiceZzahlen to payzhlen to countzhmen to tamezapfen to tap (beer)zaubern to do magic, enchantzeichnen to draw, signzeigen to show, indicatezelten to campzerschlagen C/S to shatter, smashzerstren to destroyziehen S to pull, drawzielen to aim, targetzitieren to cite, quotezittern to shake, tremblezgern to hesitatezchten to breed, culivateznden to ignitezurck|nehmen C/S to take backzwingen S to force, compel

How Jay Z Overcame Failure and Achieved Success

How Jay Z Overcame Failure and Achieved Success When we think about people who have clawed their way up to the greatest heights of success and fame from the very lowest places, we should probably put Jay Z on that list. Born Shawn Carter, in 1969, in the projects of Brooklyn, the man we now know as Jay Z was raised by a single mother with his three older siblings after being abandoned by their father. His neighborhood wasn’t the best. Crime was rampant. Jay Z himself dropped out of high school, despite showing a great deal of potential, to sell crack to make money. He even shot his brother in the shoulder once during an argument. Luckily, Jay Z was able to turn some of this depravity into art. An incredibly talented lyricist, he would compete and win freestyle competitions, making a reputation for himself. He’d even read the dictionary cover to cover on multiple occasions, scouring for better rhymes. He was able to start telling his story through his music.After being shot at on a few occasions, and tiring of the dru g life, Jay Z partnered with a fellow rapper on a single called â€Å"The Originators,† which earned him a feature on MTV. He kept working with DJs to try and get more tracks recorded, but had little to no success securing a record deal. Every major label in the country turned him down. It became clear that he would never make a living as a hip-hop performer.Rather than let that news get him down, and turn him back to his old life and all the crime, Jay Z tried it from another angle. He became a producer himself and started his own label- aspirationally titled Roc-A-Fella- with two friends. It was a rocky road. Almost all of their artists left the label before making an album. By 1997, only Jay Z had managed to release one. But they persisted. They worked with Notorious B.I.G., and when he died, Jay Z was asked to collaborate on the posthumous album Life After Death, allowing Roc-A-Fella to get a little press.The following year, in 1998, Jay Z released Vol. 2 and the song â⠂¬Å"Hard Knock Life† and, well, the rest is history. Roc-A-Fella shot up and became quite successful, and was later sold to Def Jam Records for millions of dollars. As for Jay Z, he became the President and CEO and took the whole merged label by storm. He is now worth roughly $520 million, and was ranked the 6th most powerful celebrity of 2014 by Forbes. He has sold over 75 million records, won 19 Grammies, owns a record company, designs clothes, owns or part-owns real estate, hotels, businesses, even an NBA team, among other claims to fame.In his book Decoded, he says this about his song â€Å"This Can’t Be Life† and about failure:â€Å"It was a verse about fear of failure, which is something that everyone goes through, but no one, particularly where I’m from, wants to really talk about. But it’s a song that a lot of people connect to: The thought that â€Å"this can’t be life† is one that all of us have felt at some point or another , when bad decisions and bad luck and bad situations feel like too much to bear, those times when we think that this, this, can’t be my story. But facing up that kind of feeling can be a powerful motivation to change. It was for me.†So the next time you start to feel down on yourself, thinking of all the ways in which the deck was stacked against you: bad parents, bad poverty, bad everything, just remember a man named Shawn Carter turned everything around for himself and became a household name. He even got to marry Beyoncà ©. How’s that for failure being a productive force for success?

Scheduling -312 Forum 3 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Scheduling -312 Forum 3 - Assignment Example The board of professionals must also keep in touch with the classification societies of the shipping industry to keep up with the laws and rules. An advanced planning and scheduling system has now become necessary in the shipping industry. The advanced system would also ensure the quality, efficiency, teamwork, time management, safety of the crew, and machinery. Once a centralized digital system is used, most of the things will be handled (Oz, 2008). There may be many challenges faced when it is about implementing a digital software system for the maintenance and handling of the operations. The software would require skilled experts to handle and operate it for different tasks (Richard, 2009). There will be more skilled labor needed on the software to incorporate each activity such as maintenance, safety, and quality control. The data networks are complex which are usually challenging for the board of

CASE STUDY-CHIQUITA'S GLOBAL TURNAROUND Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

-CHIQUITA'S GLOBAL TURNAROUND - Case Study Example After experiencing huge losses through socially irresponsible practices and unfavorable tariffs, the company re-evaluated itself and decided to incorporate its corporate governance and corporate social responsibility initiatives globally. Chiquita further recognized the significance of being socially responsible as a means of gaining competitive edge in the market along with its pricing strategy. Therefore, it took on the Better Banana Project which allowed it to be environmentally responsible. In regards to labor practices, Chiquita accepting the importance of the support of its employees and its impact on the company’s image adopted the SA8000, the widely accepted international labor rights standards, in its code of conduct. The company also ensured the health and safety of workers by promising to fulfill the ILO conventions. Even though, Chiquita could have advertised its attempts at being socially responsible, it employed long-term marketing strategies such as viral marketing and third party testimonials to promote its products and efforts. Thus, all the above-mentioned efforts along with cutting costs and streamlining the local and worldwide operations have facilitated Chiquita in improving not only its financial performance, but its efficiency and the corporate image as well. Even though, the company has improved dramatically over the years, it still has to go a long way to accomplish a healthy and socially responsible corporate

The argument for the institution of a world currency Essay

The argument for the institution of a world currency - Essay Example The people who developed the theory believe barter trade being replaced by money exchange is not sufficient to determine a good monetary economy. However, barter trade is considered to be slow and cumbersome, features that are ease by money exchange system. Furthermore, the money system has changed the general functioning economic system; it has also changed the economy parties’ responsibilities. Money system has also enabled easy and fast financial analysis to certain whether the business is in a profit or loss trend. The monetary theory is known to have emerged from critics of the high class businesses evaluation, the reason being that the neo-classical interpretation mode did not consider the small business owners also called the macro-groups. The distribution theory is not well appreciated and instead a theory which recognizes banks as they provide the best payment means as well as the firms’ power since it determines the best locations of important resources. Franc e has got two major groups namely: Dijon school, headed by Bernard Schmitt together with Alvaro cencini. The main problem associated with this group is re –examination of Keynesian based economy as well as international payment analysis. The other group is headed by Alain Parguez Paris based and Francois Poulon heads the Bordeaux branch. This group faces analysis difficulties related to its levels of activities, unemployment as well policies stabilizations. The general equilibrium theory is rejected by the author of this article as its more of the barter trade theory which is considered to be technical means of exchange. The current macro-economics is also rejected due to the exogenous nature of the money stock. Origin and money nature is not well specified in the theory. The theory does not portray the banks and firms relationships instead rely on the unconvincing income distribution notion. The authors reveal further the difficulty in assessing the relationships between the circuit and the Post-Keynesian School. The limitations is associated with government deficits, the stock of money is either increased or reduced due to the transactions between the Central bank as well as Commercial banks. The circuit theory is more of the Wicksellian theory considered to be credit economy based. Circuit theory tends to replace the monetory economy due the latter inconsistency in money commodity. Money commodity can be generally defined as the kind of money which can be created by any producer for himself. Commodity money resembles the slow and cumbersome barter trade hence token money informs of paper currency has gained preference. However it is worth noting that paper currency itself is not enough to define or determine monetary based economy. For instance delivering goods to a customer who would pay later makes the buyer the debtor and you as the seller the creditor, such transaction is not monetary based but credit economy. There are three major vital conditio ns required for money based economy to exist. Money should be in token currency to limit chances of barter trade. Money should also be accepted by all parties i.e. the sellers and the buyer as a means of payment, this limits credit transactions. Agents making payments; the buyers should not be given privilege of seignorage when making payments in other words they should not lengthen their promises to pay for the goods they had earlier received. The above named conditions can only be met if payments are made as promises of an extra party apart from the buyer and seller. Banks is the third party in the modern world. For