The History of Money and Banking - 1808 Words

Introduction The etymology of the word history comes from the Greek word historia, which means, â€Å"to inquire or knowing by inquiry.† With this history of Money and Banking, has tried to inquire into its history to grasp a better understanding of how to create a stable currency, about the positives and negatives of central banking, and how the federal government is involved in the economy. Additionally, the research was used to understand the past in order to better understand in the present what policies work and what will cause harm to the economy. Ultimately, the major question of this project is: What has caused booms and busts in the past and can we prevent them, and if so how? Problem Statement Major question: What has caused economic booms and busts in the past and can we prevent them, and if so how? Sub-questions: 1. What is America’s history of money and banking? 2. Is the Federal Reserve and central banking a positive thing? 3. What has proved to be good monetary policy? 4. What role does the federal government play in the boom and bust cycle? Review of Methodology The research was done using a qualitative perspective with an emphasis on historical sub-type to answer the questions. The historical sub-type was used to view situations that pertained to the questions asked and relate them to modern economics .The primary method of obtaining data was through scholarly books. Additionally the Internet was used to obtain e-books and fill any gaps in my knowledgeShow MoreRelatedBopexecutive Summary Banking History the First Banks Were Probably the Religious Temples of the Ancient World, and Were Probably Established in the Third Millennium B.C. 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Franks Explaination of the Main Characterstics in Obamas...

Frank (2009) examines three characteristics in Obama’s inauguration speech- mythic, literary, and rhetoric- to explicates how the president fit these signatures into resurrection of a cosmopolitan expression of American Civil Religion. He surmises Obama sets out to create a multi-religious and racial American culture; this deviates from conventional westernized philosophy, which espouses that propositions cannot be simultaneously true and differences never coincide. Rhetoric, in contrary, deals with soft oppositions and is debatable, offering leeway for identities to reconcile. Myths have explanatory power to highlight values and trigger listeners into action. Furthermore, Frank conceives Obama’s experience in writing books to be helpful†¦show more content†¦contemplative expository function differentiates inaugurals from State of Union address, in which proposals are presented for congressional action† (p. 40). Hence, Frank should have made clear Obamaâ €™s vision that forms the basis of his signatures instead of policies. Furthermore, I suppose there are two critical ideas behind Obama’s encouragement of a cosmopolitan civil religion that Frank should explicate. First, the address’s theme can be succinctly expressed as harnessing strength from America’s common history. Beyond simply an advocacy for unity, Obama has the intention to motivate a collective call-to-action in response to the detrimental 2008 Global Financial Crisis (Allen and Carletti, 2009), and to preserve social stability by mitigating prevailing distrust against Muslims due to September 11 attacks (Mcmorris, 2010). Calling for unity is in fact a springboard to motivate a collective call-to-action. Obama mentions, â€Å"we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task†. Next, bringing citizens toge ther has a role at the inaugural ceremony itself. As Campbell argues, â€Å"Once the audience has been united, it can perform its role in the inaugural ceremony. Inaugural addresses themselves attest to the witnessing

The Blue Sword CHAPTER FIFTEEN Free Essays

Sungold turned and ran up the valley to the Gate, and leaped lightly through the cleft, and Harry was aware of Narknon shooting past her as she slid or fell out of the saddle and into Jack’s arms. Gonturan clattered to the ground. â€Å"Brandy,† said Jack, and put something between her teeth; she drank a mouthful, gagged, and shoved the thing away. We will write a custom essay sample on The Blue Sword CHAPTER FIFTEEN or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"Good for you,† said Jack, but the lightness of his tone was forced, and they both knew it. â€Å"Are you hurt?† Harry shook her head dizzily. â€Å"No. You?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"But – ?† Harry looked around. Narknon was beside her, covered with blood, but little of it seemed to be her own. Her flanks heaved and her green eyes were glassy, but she sat in her usual precise manner and, as Harry watched, slowly, stiffly, began to try to lick herself clean. The archers stood with empty quivers on their backs, cleaning their long daggers. There were fewer of them than there had been when she sent them into the valley’s forested sides less than an hour before; and more than half of their cats were gone. She saw Kentarre, who had a rag wrapped around one forearm, but was on her feet. She saw Senay and Terim. Terim’s horse was bleeding from a tear on its side, and Senay stood at its head, a hand on its crest, whispering to it, and Terim spread some pale ointment on the wound. The only wounds she saw were minor ones; none who were worse hurt had returned to the Gate. â€Å"Is this all of us now?† Jack nodded. â€Å"I’m afraid so.† There was barely half the tally of the defending southerners that had stood at the Madamer Gate in the morning; and there was an ashen cast to the faces that remained, for the northwest wind was not good to breathe. Unwounded limbs were numb and slow, and brains were clouded with a nagging dread that had little to do with the mortal risk of battle. Kentarre said, as she bound up another archer’s arm, â€Å"Thurra is known to love slow bloodshed, and he can afford not to hurry, for nothing can stand against him. But you have done him a blow he did not expect, for you tore down his standard.† â€Å"Thurra?† Harry said in disbelief. Kentarre nodded, and Terim and Senay both stopped what they were doing and looked at her. Kentarre said: â€Å"I recognized him at once. He laughs during battle, and he always rides a white stallion who loves bloodshed as much as he does. â€Å"Why do you think there are so few of us left after so brief a meeting? We are strong fighters, and we fight with the strength of despair besides, for we are terribly outnumbered. But anyone who is struck by the white rider dies on the first blow.† â€Å"Not everybody,† said Terim. â€Å"Not Harimad-sol.† Kentarre nodded solemnly. â€Å"Why do you think we follow her?† Harry said, with her left arm across Sungold’s saddle to help hold herself up, â€Å"I did not die only because he chose not to kill me. I cannot match him, even for one blow.† Sungold turned his head, and Harry reached stiffly out to put her fingers on his soft muzzle. She rested them there for a moment, and a little warmth crept into her nerveless hand. â€Å"And, perhaps, a little because I ride a better horse than his.† There was a commotion then, somewhere behind them, near the mouth of the trail; and then one of Jack’s men laughed, and the commotion subsided. Harry looked inquiringly in the direction of the laugh, and saw a tall slim figure stride forcefully into the clearing, leading a tired horse. â€Å"Dickie!† she said; and blushed uncomfortably, because she knew how he hated the old childhood name. â€Å"Richard – † she began, humbly, but he had reached her by then and threw his arms around her. She hugged him back, although her right arm was still not functioning very well and the left was weaker than it should be. He let her go at last, and her eyes blurred, and she couldn’t tell if the brightness in his eyes was her own tears, or his. He said to Jack, although he was staring at his sister, and his hands were closed on her arms as if she might disappear if he let her go, â€Å"I returned two days after you had left, sir. I had gotten no satisfaction on my mission, as you anticipated.† Jack grunted. â€Å"They told me what had happened, and where you were going – and who was with you – and I took a fresh horse and followed you.† He smiled at last. â€Å"Harry, damn you, we all thought you were dead.† She shook her head. â€Å"I’m not, you see.† She smiled back. â€Å"Not yet, at least.† Richard let his hands drop. The shadowed army lay spread below them, and the north wind, which had quieted a little after Tsornin beat back the wizard’s stallion and Narknon pulled down the red-and-white standard, began to howl around them again, and sting their eyes and throats. â€Å"Took another horse?† said Jack musingly. Richard had dropped his reins when he reached for Harry, and the animal stood, weary and patient, where it had halted. â€Å"This looks like Bill Stubbs’ horse.† Richard turned back to his commander and grinned. â€Å"It is. It always was too good for him; and I needed something fast, to catch up with you before it was all over.† â€Å"You’ve just blighted a spotless career with horse-stealing?† Jack said mildly. Richard sobered. â€Å"If you like. You know that all of us who have come here – thrown in our lot with the old Damarians – are finished as far as Her Majesty’s Government is concerned. You knew that when you decided to come.† Harry stared at Jack, although in the back of her mind she had known this all along. â€Å"Is this true?† Jack shrugged. â€Å"Yes, it’s true. That’s why the two dozen of us who came are all grizzled old veterans – we don’t have much to lose. But Richard, you – â€Å" Richard made an abrupt gesture with one arm. â€Å"I knew what I was doing. Blood calls to blood, I suppose – for all that I’ve resisted it the last few years.† He glanced at his sister. â€Å"It was your coming out here to Daria – Damar – and loving it, loving the desert, even though you knew nothing of it – I could see it. You were as bad as Colonel Dedham – begging your pardon, sir – by the end of the first month. It made me ashamed. I – I couldn’t talk about it †¦ â€Å" Harry realized she was being offered an apology, and nodded. It didn’t matter any more. He was here, and that was what mattered. â€Å"Then, after you disappeared,† Richard went on slowly, â€Å"these last long months, I’ve thought a lot – I even thought that you weren’t dead – and the thought felt like betrayal †¦ You know, I came here, to the Gap, without ever having to think about it. I knew which way to turn, all those mad little trails on the way up here. I always knew.† â€Å"Blood calls to blood,† Harry said. â€Å"Why didn’t you ever tell me there was Hill blood in us?† Richard looked surprised. â€Å"Father told me. I – I assumed he’d told you. I didn’t want to talk about it. There was a lot I didn’t want to talk about.† Harry said, â€Å"I found out a week ago, when Jack told me.† There was a silence, and Richard began to laugh. â€Å"My God. Then becoming a king’s Rider must really have been a shock to you. It was shock enough to me, when Tom Lloyd told me.† He took her right hand and turned it over to look at the palm. â€Å"I was proud of you. That’s when I knew I had to follow you – not only to see my sister again. To – reclaim something. Or admit to owning it all along.† The north wind snapped at their hair and eyelashes, listening to their conversation. Harry wondered idly if it understood Homelander speech. Kentarre had left them; she returned now and said, â€Å"My lady. The North prepares to move against us again.† Richard turned to face his sister; he put his shoulders back as if bracing himself for a blow. â€Å"Command me, sol,† he said awkwardly, in Hill-speech. Then in Homelander he went on: â€Å"As I came late, perhaps you’d like me to commit a daring single-handed raid.† Jack snorted. Harry smiled in spite of herself. â€Å"No; that won’t be necessary. We’ll arrange ourselves across the Gap, here, and on the plateau.† She paused. â€Å"I can’t risk what’s left of us going into the valley again †¦ â€Å" She raised her voice: â€Å"We’re here to slow the Northerners down. We’ll do the best we can. But we’re overmatched – vastly more overmatched than I expected. I don’t expect any of you to fight to the †¦ last. The day is half over; if we can hold them till this evening, they’ll have to wait till morning to try again.† Harry closed her eyes and thought, I hope. Even demons see better by the light of day – or do they? Swimming through the mist behind her eyes then, she saw Corlath and his army; they were beating back a horde of Northerners that outnumbered them by no more than three to one. The black mass that filled the valley below the Madamer Gate was twice the size of the army that sought to pass the Bledfi Gap. Corlath’s stallion ran red from its nose as it leaped and struck; Corlath’s sword was dull with blood. She recognized Fireheart first; it took her a moment to recognize his rider, for Corlathâ€℠¢s sash was the wrong color. She saw Mathin, who grinned fiercely as he fought at Corlath’s heels. â€Å"If we have gained a day, we have gained †¦ something. Tonight, those of you that remain †¦ may scatter. Fade into these Hills; make your way back to Corlath if you can.† Senay said: â€Å"Why do you say those of you, lady? Do you not come with us? Are you so certain of death?† Terim, very low, said, â€Å"Do you seek it?† Harry sighed. â€Å"I can’t leave. This defense, here, was my great idea. I can’t leave. But what’s-his-name, out there, will take care of that, when next we meet.† She tried to speak lightly. â€Å"Very noble of you, my dear,† said Jack, â€Å"but we will, I think, stand with Harimad-sol. We can hold here †¦ perhaps three days, if Thurra is so fond of slow death. Three days might give your Corlath a breathing-space; and it’s always remotely within the realm of possibility that Sir Charles will believe the letter I wrote him, and the Northerners will find the Outlanders a little more troublesome than they expected for a few more days of preparation. We will stay.† The last three words he said in Hill-speech, and Senay and Terim and Kentarre repeated, â€Å"We will stay.† Terim said, with his usual buoyancy, â€Å"Harimad-sol, you cannot ask us to give up so easily, after we have come so far.† Harry blinked. She looked out over the valley; the Northern mass was beginning to shift forward again. â€Å"Very well,† she said gruffly. â€Å"I suggest everyone eat something and take a few minutes’ rest; for Thurra is moving. And †¦ thank you.† She smiled. â€Å"Perhaps we will hold out three days.† â€Å"And think of the songs they’ll sing about us,† said Jack. He handed her a bit of meat in a hard roll, and she began absently to chew it. Her right arm was still nearly useless, but her left hand closed and opened when she told it to, the elbow bent, and the shoulder swung. She squinted up at the mountains around her. The peaks that surrounded the Gate were perhaps four times a man’s height from the shallow plateau where she stood; then beyond them the mountains sloped up again, and a little distance from the stony Gate some small trees covered the steep ground and spilled out toward the valley below them. She looked around, toward the forested arm where the archers had stood. She found she had finished her roll. â€Å"I’ll be back in a moment,† she said. Jack and Richard looked at her questioningly. â€Å"In plenty of time to stand against our friends.† She picked up Gonturan and awkwardly wiped and resheathed her, and began to clamber slowly up the western side of the Gate. She could only use her left hand, and even its grasp was not strong. Jack said sharply, â€Å"Harry, what have you done to your arm?† She waited till she was standing on the low crest to answer: â€Å"Strained a muscle, I think,† she said. â€Å"Don’t worry.† She turned away as Jack opened his mouth; and from where her little band stood, disappeared around a spur of rock. Richard started after her, but Terim moved in front him as Jack said, â€Å"No. If she wants to be left alone, we’ll leave her alone. I don’t like it either, but she – or the thing that’s riding her – still knows a little more about this than the rest of us. Or so I believe.† Richard shrugged, but his eyes stayed on the spot where his sister had disappeared. â€Å"She did promise that we could die together,† Terim said cheerfully. Jack rubbed his face wearily. â€Å"I’m not thinking about dying yet.† He looked out into the valley, and slowly he brought his glass to his eye. More figures, some riding on strangely jointed steeds and some lumbering along on their own heavy feet, were pouring into the valley; there was no end of them. They roiled up the slope toward the Gate, the slope Harimad-sol had so laboriously pushed them down less than an hour before. He could no longer see the lower half of the rocky bowl at his feet for the creatures that walked upon it. He dropped the glass. â€Å"However foolish that may be.† Richard took the glass from Jack’s hand and gazed through it. He saw Thurra’s white stallion near the front; but there was no standard-bearer. Harry stumbled up, and up farther; and then her feet found something like a path or a deer track, and she gratefully followed it. She came above the trees again, and looked down. Below her was the valley, full of tiny crawling things; nearer her, but still far away – I hadn’t realized I’d come so far, she thought, startled – was a small flat space behind a cleft in the rock, where her people waited. She looked down dispassionately; the thought flickered through her mind that she was too far, and should return at once; but there seemed to be something she should do first. Her numb right hand crept its way up the scabbard of Gonturan till it felt over the hilt to rest on the stone at her peak; Harry found that she was panting for breath. â€Å"Lady Aerin,† she murmured; and the scene before her wavered, and she blinked, and suddenly she could see as an eagle sees: she recognized the white stallion that Thurra rode, with the red ribbons in its mane and the red blood dried on its neck and flank, and saw the red- and green- and black-eyed faces of those who followed him, and the queer beasts many rode instead of horses, that had clawed feet and forked tongues. She saw the north wind pluck at her brother’s hair and realized abruptly she felt no wind on her bare mountain top; and with that there was a stab of pain from the base of her neck down her right arm, and her hand grasped the hilt of the sword and drew her. She raised her slowly above her head, point upward, as if to cut the clouds that Thurra had brought, and throw them down on his head in knife-edged fragments. The pain in her neck rose and flooded her brain; â€Å"Corlath, help me,† she said to the air. The small knot of people on the plateau behind the Gate looked up suddenly as a blaze of light fell over them and splattered like water; and they saw Harimad-sol on a peak behind them, where no peak had stood before; and around her head and shoulders was blue- and-white fire. She raised her right arm, and Gonturan sparkled so fiercely they could not look at her; and Harimad-sol stabbed skyward once and again and shouted words that each felt they heard distinctly but could not repeat or understand; but Ken-tarre and Jack recognized the Old Tongue of the Hills, the Language of the Gods. Blue fire began to run down from the stone on the hilt of the sword and splash to the ground, where it seemed to eddy around Harry’s feet, and bits of it flaked off and floated into the air, and the bits spun and glittered like prisms, and tossed tiny rainbows down the sides of the mountains, although the rainbows had more blue in them than most rainbows. In the valley they heard hoarse cries, but the voices did not seem to reach the Blue Sword or the woman who held it, but fell back into the valley like fish who had leaped too high, gasping for their lives. They heard the white stallion scream, and heard an awful voice they knew to be Thurra’s, but no one turned to look; everyone stared upward. Even the horses stood with raised heads and pricked ears, facing as their riders faced; and Narknon, who had not followed Harry although she could have, stood stone still but for her lashing tail; Sungold pranced, looking up the rocks he could not climb. The blue light fell into his eyes and mouth and nostrils till he looked like a ghost horse. The hillside began to move. Pebbles, then larger pebbles, then rocks and boulders began to tumble into the valley. The woman’s clear voice went on, and the incomprehensible words poured over the Hillfolk and the Outlanders with the brilliant blue light; then the noise of the mountains falling grew louder, and many fell to their knees and bellies because they could not keep their feet. They could no longer see with their eyes, though the light burned into their brains, and they no longer heard with their ears, for the roaring of falling earth blocked them, yet they heard in their minds the blue-lit words going on and on. And then it was over. The horses shook themselves; some had to haul themselves, sweating, to their feet. The human beings turned over where they lay, and looked up at the sky, which was blue and cloudless; and shivered, and cautiously stood up. Jack looked up first; there was no sign of Harry. At first he thought it was because his eyes were still blind from the light, but he could pick out the shape of the mountain peaks around him, and he could work out where Harry had been standing; but where Harry had been was there no longer. He was sure he was looking in the right direction. Puzzled, then, he looked around for confirmation; his eyes crossed Richard’s; he was going through the same bewilderment. They turned together to look out over the valley. But there was no valley. There was a smoking rubble of broken stones and uprooted trees; the cliff face beyond the Gate itself had sheared clean away, and the Gate would be a pass through the mountains no more. They stood at the edge, looking down, and then out and across; there was no sign of life anywhere. The only things that moved were clouds of dust. The dust was curiously blue-edged, and twinkled in the sunlight. A little breeze began. It came through a wide breach in the mountain that had not been there before; surprised, it began to investigate the new landscape. The weary anxious people and beasts on the ridge that was once a Gate turned a little to face it. It smelled good, of young green things. â€Å"The north wind is gone,† said Jack. â€Å"Yes,† said Richard. â€Å"This wind blows from the south and east.† They stood for a moment, collecting their thoughts. â€Å"We should look for Harry,† said Richard. â€Å"Shouldn’t we?† He sounded very young. â€Å"Yes,† said Jack. â€Å"That was Harry, wasn’t it?† Harry’s brother said, a little uncertainly. Jack smiled a small smile. â€Å"Yes. Or it was Harry as much as it was anyone. Terim,† he went on in Hill-speech, â€Å"we would like to look for Harimad-sol. She might be too †¦ exhausted to return to us. Will you come?† Terim said, â€Å"Yes,† and Senay joined them, while the rest would wait for word. Sungold followed them to the foot of the rock wall Harry had disappeared beyond, and whinnied anxiously after them, and reared and pawed the rock behind them as they climbed away from him. â€Å"We’ll bring her back,† Jack said to him. â€Å"Be patient.† Narknon came with them. The four of them seemed to move very slowly; or perhaps their feet moved at a reasonable pace, but their minds could not keep up. Narknon, instead of ranging around them as she usually did, trotted at their heels and paused when they paused. Jack felt that he was grinding out thoughts that moved as grudgingly as centuries, and when he shook his head, his brain seemed to turn over uneasily, like a bad swimmer in deep water. His eyes hurt in their sockets, and he still saw Harry with her sword raised and the blue fire around her, although the picture was memory now, and his eyes focused on scrub and dirt and rock and blue dust. They all stopped as they came to a slope with trees growing above them. â€Å"This can’t be right,† said Richard; â€Å"we saw her on bare rock.† Jack peered up at the sun. â€Å"It is right, though; or at least this is the right direction. If the sun hasn’t moved, which I don’t guarantee †¦ perhaps these trees grew while the mountains were falling.† Jack began to climb again as if he were sure he knew the way; Terim and Senay followed, for they were less shocked by Harimad-sol’s performance than Jack or Richard, and did not expect the landscape near such a piece of sorcery and kelar to conform to the usual physical rules. They had looked at the sun too, and knew they were heading in the right direction. Richard was last. He felt old, and his bones creaked, and Narknon made him uncomfortable. He knew of the Damarian hunting-cats, but he had never before met one. There was a tiny path, as if made by small hoofed animals, up the slope, and Jack followed it hopefully; and after only a few minutes they broke through the trees and into a small glade, with fresh green grass in it, the first good grass they had seen since they left Senay’s village. Harry lay crumpled near one edge of the glade, with Gonturan, dull as pewter, the blue stone of her hilt opaque, lying on the grass beside her. Harry lay on her side, curled up, and both her hands touched the sword; the left awkwardly fell over the hilt, the right grasped the blade just below the guard. Jack came into the clearing first, and he was the only one who saw – or thought he saw – a figure in the trees just behind Harry; he thought he saw a glint of red hair. But he blinked, so he could stare again harder, feeling for his saber; and when he looked again, the figure was gone. He was never sure afterward if he had seen anything but an odd fall of leaf shadow, although he knew the Hill legends, and knew who had carried Gonturan before his young friend. â€Å"Harry,† said Richard, and ran forward, and dropped to his knees beside her. The others, who had a little more faith in Hill magic – or who understood a bit better that whatever had happened was finished now, for good or ill – followed more slowly. Jack looked around. There was nothing like the stone knoll where Harry had stood anywhere near them; the trees – real trees, not the grey and stunted things they had seen around the Gate, and in the valley that was no more – stood high overhead, rustling softly in the green breeze from the east; and beyond the little glen there was nothing but more trees, more sweet greenness, for however far the eye could reach, no sunlight-glint of a clear space anywhere. Harry was dreaming something, but Dickie was calling her. Aerin was leaning over her, smiling the wry smile Harry knew well by now; it was a smile of affection, but more of understanding. Aerin spoke to her, for the second time; she had a low rough kind voice. â€Å"This is what one mad Outlander on a Hill horse would have done; rather like something I once did. But it’s not fair that the heroes get all the adventures and all the glory alone; your band will be sung of for centuries to come, and Jack’s great-great-grandchildren, and Richard’s and yours, and Senay’s, and Terim’s will remember the Madamer Gate and how the mountains fell and crushed Thurra’s army. I found out that those at home don’t like having no part in adventures – I didn’t learn very much, but I did learn that; and it’s as well if someone can learn by my mistakes †¦ â€Å" â€Å"Corlath,† said Harry miserably; and Aerin answered her gently: â€Å"Corlath is waiting for you.† Harry wanted to say, That’s what I’m afraid of. But Dickie was calling her. It couldn’t be Dickie, she hadn’t seen him since †¦ She opened her eyes. Her memory of the immediate past was not good, but she knew she had called on Aerin, and asked Corlath for help in whatever Gonturan’s past, master might send her, and that something had happened; and that Aerin had spoken to her about it †¦ and Corlath †¦ Her head hurt. â€Å"Richard,† she said. The other three sat down with a sigh beside her, and there was a silence that no one seemed to know how to break. Narknon put a paw on Harry’s chest and began licking her face; a hunting-cat’s tongue is much harsher than a housecat’s. Harry thought her skin would crumble and peel off, but she didn’t have the strength to push her away. At last Harry said, and her voice sounded low and hollow, â€Å"Not that I feel much like moving just now, but don’t we have some fairly urgent business in the valley? Or have three days gone by while I †¦ and †¦ â€Å" Richard said, â€Å"There is no valley.† Jack said, â€Å"The Northerners are now lying under a very large pile of rock, which used to be a mountain range. You appear to have pulled it down around their ears, and, Harimad-sol, I salute you.† He touched his forehead and flicked the fingers out in the particular curl that is the Hillman’s gesture of respect to his king. Harry smiled weakly. â€Å"That’s blasphemous, you know. I’ll have you court-martialed.† â€Å"By Homelanders or Hillfolk?† Jack inquired blandly. â€Å"Can you stand?† â€Å"I am gathering my courage to find out,† replied Harry. She had flopped over onto her back – Narknon was now nibbling lovingly on her hair – and then hauled herself up on one elbow; now Senay and Richard propped her up on both sides, and she reeled to her feet. Her leather vest seemed as stiff as iron. â€Å"I feel like a potato that’s recently been mashed,† she said. Narknon leaned against her knee and purred madly. â€Å"Shall we carry you?† Terim said, hovering anxiously, torn between respect and caution. â€Å"Not yet, thank you,† said Harry. â€Å"But you could hand me Gonturan. I don’t quite feel like bending over just now.† This was said in Hill-speech, so it is possible that Richard did not understand. But of the other three there was a brief but obvious moment when no one moved, and everyone thought of the blue fire on the mountaintop, and everyone’s palms prickled. Then Jack took a step forward and bent and picked up Harimad-sol’s blade, flat silver now, glinting faintly in the sunlight, and offered the hilt to her. One narrow gleam of white fire ran up the edge of the blue sword, and outlined Jack’s fingers. Jack’s and Harry’s eyes met, for it was only when it was too late to stop her words that she realized what she was – or might be – asking. â€Å"Thank you,† she said. â€Å"I probably should have bent over myself, to find out if I could.† She resheathed the sword. Jack looked at his glowing white hand, and rubbed his palm along his thigh. There was a tingle in that hand that buzzed up his arm and fluttered for a moment in his brain. It was not an unpleasant sensation. As her fingers closed on Gonturan, Harry realized that her body was functioning; that she would be able to walk. She kept her hand on the hilt of Gonturan and took a step forward. â€Å"We’ll stop where we are tonight,† she said. â€Å"Tomorrow we ride back to find Corlath.† She shut her eyes a moment; the world spun, then steadied. â€Å"They’re farther west than they expected to be. Six days, if we hurry. If we can hurry.† She frowned, her eyes still closed. â€Å"They are beating the Northerners back; they are winning.† She opened her eyes again. â€Å"They’re winning,† she repeated, and the color rose in her cheeks, and her three friends smiled at her. Harry concentrated on walking, and by the time they came to the rockface at the Gate she had gotten pretty good at it; she still kept her eyes on her feet, but she slid and scrambled down by herself, while Jack and Richard, who had gone before her, tried very hard not to reach up and help her. When she got to the bottom, and her people were standing around her, and Tsornin was bumping her shoulder angrily, asking her why she had gone anywhere he couldn’t come too, and her Hillfolk were flicking their finger salute at her, Kentarre very deliberately touched her forehead too and flicked the fingers out, and all the archers followed suit. And Jack’s Outlanders stared and bowed and pointed saber hilts at her, and she realized how quiet they were. Too quiet. She turned to look at the valley. She turned white, and then Jack and Richard did put out hands to steady her. â€Å"My God,† she said. â€Å"That was a bit of †¦ something, wasn’t it?† The dust still swirled in clouds over the desert of rubble they looked at, and it hung thickly enough that they could not see beyond it. There were threads of blue woven through and over it, as if there were a webbing holding it in place. The sun burned brightly over the blue-shot fog, and hurt the eyes. The dust got into eyes and noses and throats as they breathed, and mouths as they talked, and their voices grew hoarse with it. â€Å"Kentarre,† said Harry. â€Å"Will a lot of rock simply falling on him stop someone like Thurra?† Kentarre shrugged. â€Å"My sol, I don’t believe it has been tried before.† Harry smiled wanly. â€Å"It will at least have stopped his army,† said Terim; â€Å"few of them have any kelar of their own.† â€Å"They have never needed it,† said Senay, â€Å"for Thurra has always been stronger.† Jack said, â€Å"There’s more than rock out there. There’s something holding the rock down.† He stared out, the flecks of blue teasing the corners of his eyes. Kentarre and Senay and Terim, who knew the legends of the Northern mage, were silent. â€Å"It is possible that he will rest here,† said Kentarre at last. â€Å"But we can say that today is ours.† â€Å"Today is Harimad-sol’s,† said Terim firmly, and Senay’s face lit up, and she cried, â€Å"Harimad-sol!† Kentarre drew her dagger and tapped herself on the chest with the hilt and then shook the point over her head. â€Å"Harimad-sol!† she called, and â€Å"Harimad-sol!† the other archers echoed, drawing their daggers in the same gesture; and Senay’s people picked up the shout next. Jack’s men, shaken out of their half-fearful amazement, began to applaud and stamp, as if they didn’t know what else to do; and it was Richard who yelled, â€Å"Angharad!† whereupon the Outlanders shouted â€Å"Angharad!† too, and a few whistled, as though Harry had just sung an aria at the opera. When at last they stopped, everyone was smiling and easy again, as if individually inspired landslides and earthquakes were quite a normal feat of warfare, or at least of leadership. Then everyone heaved a sigh and settled down, an d supper fires were lit; and Narknon appeared, dragging a brown deer larger than herself, and looking terribly pleased with herself. The sunset that evening over the mountains was violet-blue. How to cite The Blue Sword CHAPTER FIFTEEN, Essay examples

Quiche, Tornadoes, And The Print Media free essay sample

I consider myself lucky, because I hold the solution to a problem that most kids my age still struggle with. Many of my friends are still unsure what they want to do with their lives. Fortunately for me, Ive had my mind made up for a long time. I want to be a writer, a writer for a newspaper or magazine. It wasnt always this cut and dry. When I was six, I thought I had my mind made up too. I wanted to be a television chef with my own cooking show. One of my personal favorites was Yan Can Cook. The flashing knife blades and words like saut fascinated me like a crowd at the fireworks. That was my future, Id be the next Frugal Gourmet! After a few years, I came to the realization that I had no culinary abilities at all (if I remember correctly, flaming cookies were somehow involved). We will write a custom essay sample on Quiche, Tornadoes, And The Print Media or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I was watching TV again, and the weather was on. Why not meteorology? After a chance meeting with the television weatherman, that became my next dream job. I went all out this time. The junior weather set, maps, thermometers all found their way under my Christmas tree. My room became its own little analysis area, but I used to call it the forecast center. For a while, I kept up my studies. I can remember when Hurricane Bob flew through New England, and there I stood with the Weather Channel on (until we lost power) charting the storms progress. I was sure that this was the one, my life would unfold on the six oclock news. Until the seventh grade, I held onto my visions of stormy days and the foretelling of them. This was when everything changed. I had to write a paper for English class the schooltime classic How I Spent my Summer Vacation. I did it, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. However when I handed it in, it got quite a response (and not because golfing a lot was the most interesting topic in the world). The teacher told me it was the best writing he had seen in a long time. I couldnt believe it, was this my hidden talent? I began to read more newspapers and magazines, and noticed a trend. Comments on things I would have written the piece differently had I been the writer began to surface. This kept happening, and I thought maybe it was time I threw my hat in the journalism ring. The rest, I suppose, is history. Now I write for the school newspaper, and I love every minute. The exposure, the expression, and the fun of semicolons are just a part. The way my dry wit could influence those around me leaves me both proud and in awe at the same time. Who knows, maybe one day Ill end up writing about cooking, in bad weather no less.

Sartrean Existentialism Essays - Philosophy, French People

Sartrean Existentialism has traditionally been read as an application of Sartrean existentialism to the problem of women. Critics have claimed a Sartrean origin for Beauvoir's central theses: that under patriarchy woman is the Other, and that 'one is not born a woman, but becomes one.' An analysis of Beauvoir's recently discovered 1927 diary, written while she was a philosophy student at the Sorbonne, two years before her first meeting with Sartre, challenges this interpretation. In this diary, Beauvoir affirms her commitment to doing philosophy, defines the philosophical problem of 'the opposition of self and other,' and explores the links between love and domination. In 1927, she thus lays the foundations of both Sartre's phenomenology of interpersonal relationships and of her own thesis, in The Second Sex, that woman is the Other. Her descriptions of the experience of freedom and choice point to the influence of Bergson, specifically his concepts of 'becoming' and ?lan vital. Tracing Beauvoir's shift fro m her apolitical position of 1927 to the feminist engagement of The Second Sex points to the influence of the African-American writer, Richard Wright, whose description of the lived experience of oppression of blacks Movies and Television

buy custom The Impact of Education in Our Lives essay

buy custom The Impact of Education in Our Lives essay 1.0 Introduction In the recent past education has being considered as a basic necessity in molding both character and professionals in specific fields. Burbules and Torres (2000), note that the value of education has attracted global attention with most states heavily investing in educational facilities to enhance the quality of education. This is because the positive impact of education in peoples lifestyles is evident. Burbules (2000) further notes that the value of education in peoples lifestyles is what sets them apart from animals. The impact of education in peoples lifestyles is evident in from the manner they think, solve problems, and socialize with others and the character they exhibit. Education remains a key player in determining ones future success. These positive impacts of education in ones lifestyle are what interest me, because it gives hope to our future. It transforms both the economic and social status picture into something remarkable with positive results in ones lifestyles (Preece, 2006). Education has facilitated creativity and innovation al with the aim of improving our living conditions. Eaxleee (2008), observes that education is crucial in our lifestyles today. He notes that in addition to the above mentioned importance, education has the following impacts in our lives. It increases our wisdom Helps us adapt change It leads to an enriching life of self fulfillment Fosters change and development Reports in the conversations and literature with most adult students and professionals depict the fact that education is valued and has had great positive impacts on many individuals. Research carried out by Dr. West in 2009 indicate that most professionals attribute their success to their educational backgrounds such as early involvement in leadership, and the ability of education to widen their minds. This paper aims at establishing the positive impacts on education in our lives. The paper will also focus on the manner in which education changes ones way thinking and solving problems with special emphasis on the future impacts of education to our lifestyles. The paper will apply qualitative research method in attaining these objectives because it is easy to understand and cheap to apply. Therefore, the impacts of education in our lives will be appropriately depicted by the qualitative research method. 2.0 Method A qualitative research approach was applied in this study with the phenomenology theoretical perspective which is common in most qualitative research methods (West, 2009). The phenomenological approach was mainly applied in a quest o understand the underlying value of education to individuals as depicted by the societies they live in. In addition, the context proved to be crucial in interpretation of data collected because this method requires that the researcher be focused on the sense of meaning that others give to their own circumstances and not present his personal views. This method was found to be suitable in these circumstances mainly because it affirmed the importance of the interviewees perspectives and the manner in which they view this topic (West, 2009). Although questions as to the reliability and validity of this method have been raised, it still stands out as the methods which can allow a researcher to objectively carry out a study of the subjective a described by Dr. West, R. in 2009. The qualitative research method applied in this study involved a rigorous process of collecting, analyzing, and revising the conceptions and images of interviewees. My orientation in this research remained crcial to the success of this study and it remained a privilege to be an observer. My interviewees were composed of graduates who has just finished colleges were still green in the career fields and professionals with varsity experience in the field of law, medicine and engineering. This is because such people have experienced life and have knowledge on the positive impacts that education is likely to have on their lifestyles. These groups of interviewees are also likely to open up and say exactly what they feel about my research questions because they have gone through enough experiences in life. These interviewees were recruited from departmental offices within an oil company and a national hospital. The data I collected through this method included words, vocal and facial expressions, feelings, attitudes and other sort of behaviors involved. The data was stored inform of field notes from the observations I made and interview transcripts which helped facilitate the success of the rigorous analysis I did on my research question. The process I engaged throughout the study-included collection, analysis and coding of the study as depicted in most qualitative research methods (West, 2009). The blending of these the processes encouraged flexibility which proved to be an essential ingredient all through my study because it enabled me acquire more information and appropriately analyze the data that was relevant to my study. West (2009) asserts that many scholars have acknowledged the importance of qualitative methods in the fields of education and its impacts to our lifestyles. He notes Rubenson (1999) and Mezirow (1975) as some of these scholars. Apparently, there seems to exist a call for descriptive studies as to the importance of education in individual lifestyles. Rubenson (1999) acknowledged the importance of studying depth interviews to the emerging debate on the impact of education in our lifestyles. Mezirow (1975) stressed that qualitative studies capture the richness of living encompassed with the fullness of experience. He encouraged the application of qualitative analysis as a means of testing both theories and assumptions. These crucial perspectives provided by qualitative researchers created the foundation for my personal research methodology. 3.0 Research Procedures and Design Following the observations and assumptions made above, the qualitative study of the lifestyles of graduates and professionals was proposed which applied semi-structured interviews as the basic research approach. The research began with unstructured questions such as How has education changed your lifestyles? Often, there was only a n occasional question from me for the purposes of clarification. I managed to carry out 30 interviews scheduled that were scheduled between January 4th and April, 8th 2011. A total of 5 three interviews were carried each week with the last two weeks being used to analyze the obtained data so as to understand my research findings. All interviews carried out were tape recorded and accompanied by relevant hard copies of the interviews. The interviews were open-ended and followed a conversational style. It approximately took 45 minutes for each interview. I also took down field notes in relevance to the interviews and included the observations I made and my casual encounters with my interviewees. I also prepared memoranda of each particular taped interview. In addition to the interviews, I also acquired some data that include comments made teaching and administrative colleagues, papers and other secondary sources that gave me an ongoing literaature review about this particular topic. Finally, I entered all the taped interviews, field notes, and memoranda into computer files. I applied the Ethnographer, which is a software used in coding files into organized themes and topics to systematically arrange the files for easy future access and references. A scheme of letters and numbers was applied in designating major categories and subcategories to make the data more clear and easy to understand. I also ensured that hard copies were made available. I am optimistic that the data analyzed will continue being of great importance for future references. The script below shows part of the interview that I conducted with the Saudi Aramco Oil company field engineer called Qui Ching. Qtn. Why do you think education is important? Ans. Education shapes character and help model persons into reputable individuals in the society. It is therefore important. Qtn. How did your educational background shape you to who you are today? Ans. My educational background helped me get conversant with my societal norms and it helped mould my character to suit the society in which I live in. It made me conversant with my cultures and religions that are reflected in the moral values I uphold today. Qtn. Do you think education has greatly influenced your lifestyle? Ans. Apparently, it has. Education is what has seen me through my career. It gave me the basic life and professionals skills that I apply in my professional life today. Trough these skills am able to earn a living! Qtn. How has education affected your social life? Ans. The leadership skills I acquired throughout my study life have seen me through the corporate management ladder because they positively influence the manner in which I socialize with colleagues and address problems. 4.0 Results and Discussions After analyzing the field data obtained, it was evident that education has played a crucial role in molding individual characters. As one of the interviewees put it when asked why education is important he explained, Educations plays an important role in shaping character Faure (2003), asserts that education is important in our daily lifestyles because it shapes character by widening ones mind, magnifying our wisdom and changing ones way of thinking and interpreting life problems. It was also seen that education greatly contributes into building successful careers that earn a way of living for many individuals. When an interviewee who was a lawyer was asked the question as to how his education background had shaped him to who he was today, he was quick to note that education equipped him with the necessary skills to make rational judgments and relevant decisions in life and this is reflected by his career as a lawyer. Many scholars have attributed the success of competent professionals to quality educational backgrounds (Preece, 2006). For instance, lawyers from universities such as Harvard are seen as competent enough compared to their colleagues from Brooks law school. From the research, education was also seen as being pivotal to economic development and social restructuring. This was reflected by the answers given by most interviewees when they were asked what they thought was the importance of education to an individuals future success. Most of them were of the pinion that quality education trigger development in a nation. This is also attributed in the works of Preece (20006) that associates quality education with the Americas economic success. Buy custom The Impact of Education in Our Lives essay buy custom The Impact of Education in Our Lives essay 1.0 Introduction In the recent past education has being considered as a basic necessity in molding both character and professionals in specific fields. Burbules and Torres (2000), note that the value of education has attracted global attention with most states heavily investing in educational facilities to enhance the quality of education. This is because the positive impact of education in peoples lifestyles is evident. Burbules (2000) further notes that the value of education in peoples lifestyles is what sets them apart from animals. The impact of education in peoples lifestyles is evident in from the manner they think, solve problems, and socialize with others and the character they exhibit. Education remains a key player in determining ones future success. These positive impacts of education in ones lifestyle are what interest me, because it gives hope to our future. It transforms both the economic and social status picture into something remarkable with positive results in ones lifestyles (Preece, 2006). Education has facilitated creativity and innovation al with the aim of improving our living conditions. Eaxleee (2008), observes that education is crucial in our lifestyles today. He notes that in addition to the above mentioned importance, education has the following impacts in our lives. It increases our wisdom Helps us adapt change It leads to an enriching life of self fulfillment Fosters change and development Reports in the conversations and literature with most adult students and professionals depict the fact that education is valued and has had great positive impacts on many individuals. Research carried out by Dr. West in 2009 indicate that most professionals attribute their success to their educational backgrounds such as early involvement in leadership, and the ability of education to widen their minds. This paper aims at establishing the positive impacts on education in our lives. The paper will also focus on the manner in which education changes ones way thinking and solving problems with special emphasis on the future impacts of education to our lifestyles. The paper will apply qualitative research method in attaining these objectives because it is easy to understand and cheap to apply. Therefore, the impacts of education in our lives will be appropriately depicted by the qualitative research method. 2.0 Method A qualitative research approach was applied in this study with the phenomenology theoretical perspective which is common in most qualitative research methods (West, 2009). The phenomenological approach was mainly applied in a quest o understand the underlying value of education to individuals as depicted by the societies they live in. In addition, the context proved to be crucial in interpretation of data collected because this method requires that the researcher be focused on the sense of meaning that others give to their own circumstances and not present his personal views. This method was found to be suitable in these circumstances mainly because it affirmed the importance of the interviewees perspectives and the manner in which they view this topic (West, 2009). Although questions as to the reliability and validity of this method have been raised, it still stands out as the methods which can allow a researcher to objectively carry out a study of the subjective a described by Dr. West, R. in 2009. The qualitative research method applied in this study involved a rigorous process of collecting, analyzing, and revising the conceptions and images of interviewees. My orientation in thi research remained crucial to the success of this study and it remained a privilege to be an observer. My interviewees were composed of graduates who has just finished colleges were still green in the career fields and professionals with varsity experience in the field of law, medicine and engineering. This is because such people have experienced life and have knowledge on the positive impacts that education is likely to have on their lifestyles. These groups of interviewees are also likely to open up and say exactly what they feel about my research questions because they have gone through enough experiences in life. These interviewees were recruited from departmental offices within an oil company and a national hospital. The data I collected through this method included words, vocal and facial expressions, feelings, attitudes and other sort of behaviors involved. The data was stored inform of field notes from the observations I made and interview transcripts which helped facilitate the success of the rigorous analysis I did on my research question. The process I engaged throughout the study-included collection, analysis and coding of the study as depicted in most qualitative research methods (West, 2009). The blending of these the processes encouraged flexibility which proved to be an essential ingredient all through my study because it enabled me acquire more information and appropriately analyze the data that was relevant to my study. West (2009) asserts that many scholars have acknowledged the importance of qualitative methods in the fields of education and its impacts to our lifestyles. He notes Rubenson (1999) and Mezirow (1975) as some of these scholars. Apparently, there seems to exist a call for descriptive studies as to the importance of education in individual lifestyles. Rubenson (1999) acknowledged the importance of studying depth interviews to the emerging debate on the impact of education in our lifestyles. Mezirow (1975) stressed that qualitative studies capture the richness of living encompassed with the fullness of experience. He encouraged the application of qualitative analysis as a means of testing both theories and assumptions. These crucial perspectives provided by qualitative researchers created the foundation for my personal research methodology. 3.0 Research Procedures and Design Following the observations and assumptions made above, the qualitative study of the lifestyles of graduates and professionals was proposed which applied semi-structured interviews as the basic research approach. The research began with unstructured questions such as How has education changed your lifestyles? Often, there was only a n occasional question from me for the purposes of clarification. I managed to carry out 30 interviews scheduled that were scheduled between January 4th and April, 8th 2011. A total of 5 three interviews were carried each week with the last two weeks being used to analyze the obtained data so as to understand my research findings. All interviews carried out were tape recorded and accompanied by relevant hard copies of the interviews. The interviews were open-ended and followed a conversational style. It approximately took 45 minutes for each interview. I also took down field notes in relevance to the interviews and included the observations I made and my casual encounters with my interviewees. I also prepared memoranda of each particular taped interview. In addition to the interviews, I also acquired some data that include comments made teaching and administrative colleagues, papers and other secondary sources that gave me an ongoing literature review about this particular topic. Finally, I entered all the taped interviews, field notes, and memoranda into computer files. I applied the Ethnographer, which is a software used in coding files into organized themes and topics to systematically arrange the files for easy future access and references. A scheme of letters and numbers was applied in designating major categories and subcategories to make the data more clear and easy to understand. I also ensured that hard copies were made available. I am optimistic that the data analyzed will continue being of great importance for future references. The script below shows part of the interview that I conducted with the Saudi Aramco Oil company field engineer called Qui Ching. Qtn. Why do you think education is important? Ans. Education shapes character and help model persons into reputable individuals in the society. It is therefore important. Qtn. How did your educational background shape you to who you are today? Ans. My educational background helped me get conversant with my societal norms and it helped mould my character to suit the society in which I live in. It made me conversant with my cultures and religions that are reflected in the moral values I uphold today. Qtn. Do you think education has greatly influenced your lifestyle? Ans. Apparently, it has. Education is what has seen me through my career. It gave me the basic life and professionals skills that I apply in my professional life today. Trough these skills am able to earn a living! Qtn. How has education affected your social life? Ans. The leadership skills I acquired throughout my study life have seen me through the corporate management ladder because they positively influence the manner in which I socialize with colleagues and address problems. 4.0 Results and Discussions After analyzing the field data obtained, it was evident that education has played a crucial role in molding individual characters. As one of the interviewees put it when asked why education is important he explained, Educations plays an important role in shaping character Faure (2003), asserts that education is important in our daily lifestyles because it shapes character by widening ones mind, magnifying our wisdom and changing ones way of thinking and interpreting life problems. It was also seen that education greatly contributes into building successful careers that earn a way of living for many individuals. When an interviewee who was a lawyer was asked the question as to how his education background had shaped him to who he was today, he was quick to note that education equipped him with the necessary skills to make rational judgments and relevant decisions in life and this is reflected by his career as a lawyer. Many scholars have attributed the success of competent professionals to quality educational backgrounds (Preece, 2006). For instance, lawyers from universities such as Harvard are seen as competent enough compared to their colleagues from Brooks law school. From the research, education was also seen as being pivotal to economic development and social restructuring. This was reflected by the answers given by most interviewees when they were asked what they thought was the importance of education to an individuals future success. Most of them were of the pinion that quality education trigger development in a nation. This is also attributed in the works of Preece (20006) that associates quality education with the Americas economic success. Buy custom The Impact of Education in Our Lives essay

Composition of the Song of Deborah Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Composition of the Song of Deborah - Essay Example Ackroyd, who mainly comments on the authenticity of the historical facts, starts his essay by pointing out the differences between the prose that narrates the story in logical sequences and the poetry, that picks up only the special, particularly selected scenes, both, according to him, are not unnatural and unprecedented. He mentions Carrington's article that talks about King Alfred who as a fugitive was reprimanded by the farmer for allowing the cakes to burn in his royal preoccupations. He agrees with Carrington's argument that in medieval times there was hardly any demarking line between the fact and fiction and it is difficult to authentically agree if such a situation ever arose during King Alfred's fugitive status. Ackroyd finds the relevance of these points with the Song of Deborah and its study because poetry always picks up important points and leaves the rest. Another reason is that a period of a century lies in between the event and its poetical formation. According to Gerlaman the date is an 'unconfirmed presumption' although the poem sounds rather primitive with its tribal sketches of scenes with Jael, Sisera and Sisera's mother. The eye witness accounts might have been exaggerated or colourised. According to his visualisation of the battle, the stage was Israel in Canaan and the poetic glorification of Yahweh and over the years, accounts must have changed, diminished, improved upon, and hope for factual accounts dwindles. He feels that a more scientific historian might have tried to reconstruct the scene later dropping the unwanted elements out of it giving more coherence to certain dull points. He argues that the song should be viewed as a preserver of traditions instead of trying to make it a historical and well-authenticated document. It is not possible to derive exact history of events from this song because the writer himself was confused between the Sisera of the tradition and the captain of Jabin of Hazer's army. Still, the poem is invaluable as a document that could evidence for the days of the writer, and that means only one century this way of the real event. This view is not accepted by all. According to Globe (1974), Song of Deborah is a literary unity. "The poem has a carefully composed structure employing a significant number of recurring literary forms. No detail of the subject matter is out of place in a victory ode of the late second millennium near East" (511). Answering various contradictions about the literary context, recently Labuschagne said: "Like the poems in Exodus 15 and Deuteronomy 32, the Song of Deborah in Judges 5 is an embedded hymn. It is not an inset hymn, because there is no indication whatsoever that the poem had a previous setting from which it was transferred and inserted into its present context" and mostly the scholars are agreeable with this context now. http://www.labuschagne.nl/3.jud5.pdf The story of this fiery female judge who could prophesy, who is also hailed as the Mother of Israel, told once in prose and then in poetry in the book of judges, also tells that she was not a queen, but was equally respected and moved in the male-dominated world of arguably eighth century BC. In the patriarchal set up, this capable woman rises to tell that Israelites are not forgotten by God and guides them during an acute hour of need. Gerleman also says: "The emotional colouring, the ethos which irradiates the Song of Deborah and gives it an inner uniformity has a two-fold source, viz. the fusion of

Leadership and management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 6

Leadership and management - Essay Example For the purpose of analysis, the leadership and management style of TESCO Plc will be critically reviewed in the light of role of leadership in management, the difference between leadership and management, theories and practices of management related to TESCO Plc. TESCO Plc is a multinational superstore in food retailing industry operating in more than 12 countries across world. Strong leadership and management have driven the company to operate successfully in the UK as well as in Europe, Asia and North American Market since 1919 (TESCO Plc, 2014). The nature and style of leadership pursued by TESCO Plc will be discussed below. As a result of operating since 1919 in the UK market, TESCO Plc has encountered various transformational and structural changes from time to time. Such changes largely affects the organizational framework; therefore effective leadership is defined when the leads become successful in efficiently managing resistance to change among all the employees (Grieves, 2010). With the skill and knowledge gained from long experience of working in corporate environment, leaders always tend to formulate strategies and bring required changes in align with the economic condition and industry position. The leaders also identify the potential barriers which may arise in the time of incorporating change process and take initiatives to address such issues well in advance. Experts have recognized certain traits which are inevitable for a leader to manage and control organizational changes. Those traits are attributed in the tabular format. Role of leadership also changes in the various stages of change process. For instance, logical influence is required to be implemented on employees in the planning stage of change process whereas in the introduction and maintenance phase, supportive leadership style should be exercised for minimizing resistance to

Server Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Server - Essay Example The computer network should also be secured from damages that may result from physical factors and dangers caused by computer virus. Thus, network security is extremely essential in any company; the chief information officer should be aware of how to ensure network security. There are several ways in which unauthorized users can gain access to the peer-to-peer networks in a company. First, they can access the peer networks by using any of the networked computers to type a unique username as well as password. This can be prevented by making sure that the networked computers cannot be accessed physically. To achieve this, the BIOS security should be enabled; this makes sure that the user sets an access name and password for the computers (Maiwald, 2003). Maiwald (2003) asserts that hackers and other unauthorized users can gain access to a company’s sever-based network by using the name and password of another person. In such a case, passwords should be changed on a regular basis, and they should not also be written down. This way, it will be extremely difficult for unauthorized users to access the company’s network. Data encryption can also be used to ensure that the network is secure and not accessible to unauthorized persons. Data should be encrypted before sending it onto the network. This way, the data will become unreadable even by a person who may attempt to tap the cable and read the data when it passes over the network. Upon arrival at the proper computer, the code designed to decipher encrypted data divides it into bits. The code then translates the bits into information that can be understood (Gollmann, 2011). According to Brown (2000), the network infrastructure of a company should also be protected from computer viruses which may infect the operating systems and files. Viruses can be transmitted through direct cable connection, floppy disks or CDs. Other means in which viruses can be transmitted include electronic ways such as through

Mergers and Acquisitions in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Mergers and Acquisitions in the Pharmaceutical Industry Introduction Mergers are done to expand the business and improve profitability by companies with mutual consent. Acquisitions occur when one company takes over another which may be friendly or hostile. Mergers and Acquisitions (MA) are actively taking place in the pharmaceutical and biotech organizations and this trend is expected to prevail for the next one to two years. The bio-pharma industry is dynamic and is currently changing focus from RD to licensing and outsourcing. So before any MA activity a strategy formulation is very essential with emphasis on creating a competitive advantage for the business. Mergers and Acquisitions (MA) are generally done with the following motives: to exploit economy of scale, to eliminate duplicated functions, to share managerial expertise, synergy, taxation, market power because of decreased competition. MA that are done with reduced competition as motive are socially unacceptable and illegal as they lead to monopolistic scenarios. The MA may not be successful in generating returns if the deal was closed with a high price due to impulsive and enthusiastic deals. MA also leads to diversification which has proved to be beneficial in stabilizing the returns. A merger or acquisition is an extremely stressful process for those involved: job losses, restructuring, and the imposition of a new corporate culture and identity can create uncertainty, anxiety and resentment among a companys employees. (Appelbaum 2000) Companies focus on the legal and financial issues involved with the MA and fail to pay attention to the long term effects like corporate identity and communication which greatly influence the employee motivation and productivity. The pharmaceutical industry The Indian Pharmaceutical Sector is currently the largest amongst the developing nations. There is a worldwide structural trend evolving in pharmaceuticals and Indian companies play a key role in this framework, driven by their superior biotech and drug synthesis skills, high quality and vertically integrated manufacturing assets, differentiated business models and significant cost advantages. Companies across the world are reaching out to their counterparts to take mutual advantage of the others core competencies in RD, Manufacturing, Marketing and the niche opportunities offered by the changing global pharmaceutical environment. (Shukla 2006) The pharmaceutical sector offers an array of growth opportunities. This sector has always been dynamic in nature and the pace of change has never been as rapid as it is now. To adapt to these changing trends, the Indian pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies have evolved distinctive business models to take advantage of their inherent strengths and the Borderless nature of this sector. (Shukla 2006) Environmental factors The changing environment in the bio-pharma industry is driving an increased activity of Mergers and acquisitions. In 2008, sales growth of prescribed drugs globally has reached the lowest rate in since 2001. Along with this slowdown, the pharmaceuticals sector is faced with an increasingly challenging environment resulting from increasing patent expirations, growing generic sales, reducing new drug pipelines and stricter regulations. The biotechnology sector also faces increased regulatory challenges as well as shortage of credit. The patents are getting expired and there is increased competition for generic drugs. Patients are becoming more aware and manage their own conditions. The healthcare models are thus changing. With such environmental pressures increasing the companies resort to MA as a tool for corporate growth. MA do not exceed their cost of capital. Still companies go for MA because of some strategies like increased market strength consolidating for cost reduction broadening geographic coverage pipeline stuffing (Coles 2002) Some recent MA The US and European generics companies are scouting for alliances/buyouts at the back end of the chain, which would allow them to offset any manufacturing cost advantage held by companies in the developing markets. The Indian companies are looking at the front-end integration as building a front-end distribution set-up from scratch could take significant time. (Shukla 2006) There are also entry barriers for companies from the developing countries and acquisitions make it easy for these organizations to find a foothold in the developed markets. For instance, there is a cultural and language barrier in Europe and Europe is high on the radar of Indian pharmaceutical companies. The sheer heterogeneity of Europe and the fragmented nature of its pharmaceutical market make acquisitions an easy route for entry into this region and the US being the largest pharmaceutical market in the world will always interest the Indian pharma companies for its sheer size. (Shukla 2006) The acquisitions of RPG Aventis (by Ranbaxy) and Alpharma (by Cadila) in France are clear examples of acquisitions proving to be a drain on the companys profitability and return ratios for several years post acquisition. In several other cases acquisitions by Indian generic companies are small and have been primarily to expand geographical reach while at the same time, shifting production from the acquired units to their cost-effective Indian plants. A few have been to develop a bouquet of products. Other than Wockhardts acquisition of CP Pharma and Esparma, it has taken at least three years for the other global acquisitions to see break-even. Most of the acquiring companies have to pay greater attention to post merger integration as this is a key for success of an acquisition and Indian companies have to wake up to this fact. Also, with the increasing spate of acquisitions, target valuations have substantially increased making it harder for Indian companies to fund. In January 2009, Pfizer entered into a merger agreement with Wyeth valued at US$68 billion. The deal is to be financed through a combination of cash, stock and debt. A consortium of banks will provide US$22.5 billion for the MA. In March 2009, Roche acquired the remaining 44 percent of Genentech shares for an all-cash US$46.8 billion deal. Prior to the deal, Roche raised US$39 billion through bond sales. In March 2009, Merck Co. acquired Schering-Plough in a cash-stock deal worth US$41.1 billion. The cash component includes US$9.8 billion from Mercks cash reserves and US$8.5 billion committed by JP Morgan Chase. (MA: Outlook for pharmaceuticals 2009) If a company was acquired for its RD pipeline and development projects or platform technology, in majority of cases, the acquiring company failed to derive full benefits and most of the projects were later discontinued or terminated. Diversified companies like Roche, JJ, Abbott and Novartis with devices, generics and diagnostic performed better as compared to pure pharmaceutical RD driven company like Pfizer and Merck. Strategies for successful MA The industrys experience shows that megamergers often do not produce the intended synergies, but rather tend to erode shareholder value and create major integration challenges, while not achieving improved new drug pipelines. (Alternatives to mega mergers 2009) Tetenbaum (1999) suggests an alternative set of seven key practices to assist with a successful merger or acquisition: Close involvement of Human Resources managers in the acquisition process; they should have a say in whether or not the deal goes ahead. Building organisational capacity by ensuring that close attention is paid to the retention and recruitment of employees during the acquisition. Ensuring that the integration is focused on achieving the desired effect (for example, cost savings), while at the same time ensuring that the core strengths and competences of the two companies are not damaged by the transition. Carefully managing the integration of the organisations cultures. Completing the acquisition process quickly, since productivity is harmed by the disorganisation and demoralisation that inevitably occur while the change is underway. Communicating effectively with everyone who will be affected by the change. Other authors agree that being truthful, open and forthright during an acquisition is vital in helping employees to cope with the transition. (Appelbaum 2000) Developing a clear, standardised integration plan. Tetenbaum cites the example of Cisco Systems, which, like GE Capital, makes large numbers of acquisitions and has been able to learn from its experiences and build up tried-and-tested processes for carrying them out successfully. (Tetenbaum 1999) Conclusion The companies may be heading towards more megamergers of the scale seen in the recent past or they may move towards smaller strategic acquisitions. Deals in the biotechnology sector could increase further as small and mid-size biotechnology companies become increasingly willing to enter into deals at value prices. Large pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are scouting around for deals at much lower valuations, and the current trend of MA in generics is one to watch for in the future. Although there are many different opinions on precisely what causes so many mergers and acquisitions to fail, and on how these problems can be avoided, there are certain points that most analysts appear to agree on. It is widely accepted, for instance, that the human factor is a major cause of difficulty in making the integration between two companies work successfully. If the transition is carried out without sensitivity towards the employees who may suffer as a result of it, and without awareness of the vast differences that may exist between corporate cultures, the result is a stressed, unhappy and uncooperative workforce and consequently a drop in productivity.

Professional Delimma Essay -- Management

Professional dilemma and value conflicts are challenges that can be apart of just about every professional job. There are sometimes many complicated and tough decisions that need to be made throughout the day that can be very exhausting and stressful. Each new challenge can be seen in one of two ways. They can be seen a barrier which blocks or deters them from a chosen end result or as learning tool that enables them to grow and move forward. I had a professional dilemma which took place about a year ago when I felt that it was pretty apparent that I was holding much of the workload between myself and a co-worker. We were assigned to support the police department's network infrastructure. I was his senior only in knowledge. Our typical day involved fixing computer problems, backups, new installs, server maintenance, and all other administration tasks. Our workload was manageable and our end-users had an acceptable expectation of support and problem resolution. Often, I found myself in a position of authority. However, I did not have the power to get anything done as I would like them to be. Many times, I would just do it myself because it was easier that way and I knew that it would be done correctly. The problem with this concept is that more work and projects were given to me. Also, everyone wanted my opinion before proceeding on any technical task. My opinion had to be given even if my co-worker had already given his. The need for my opinion angered my co-worker and made him even less productive. One day, I decided to think about each of our personality traits and compare them. The most obvious differences were that I was very aggressive in taking on new challenges and he was less aggressive. The more ... ...mous beings and should be treated as an end and not just a mere means. Kant might say that we were both in the wrong because my coworker was not following the ought principle and because I was treating my coworker as a mere means. My coworker was not doing what he ought to do because he felt that voice was not being heard and that he was being disrespected. I was treating my coworker as a mere means in that I didn't take the time needed early on to identify his needs. I was only concerned with getting our work done. I initially felt that I was not his manager and because of that, it was not my responsibility to fix the problem. However, after further investigation into Kant's principles, he also believed in universal laws that apply to everyone in all circumstances. By following this law, I would have sought a resolution to our problem sooner (Dante, 2002).