Create a Plan for Positive Influence Paper Essay Example

Create a Plan for Positive Influence Paper Essay Example Create a Plan for Positive Influence Paper Essay Create a Plan for Positive Influence Paper Essay Create a Plan for Positive Influence Paper Kevin Sanderson LDR/531 October 18, 2010 Lawrence Hibbard Create a Plan for Positive Influence Paper Working in a team environment requires that each team member be motivated to complete the tasks at hand in an efficient and effective manner. Member performance is normally proportionate to satisfaction. Bases for this winning combination can be derived from self assessments such as The Platinum Rule Behavioral Style Assessment and team collaborations. The outcome of such assessments and collaborations are instrumental in the positive influence of teamwork both in school and workplace environments. Often teams are assigned large projects to work on and the attitudes, values, emotions, and personalities of the members are direct attributes of the projects success or failure. A plan to promote a positive environment is the first step of ensuring team success. The Platinum Rule Behavioral Style Assessment identifies four styles of behavior: dominance (the need to control and the need to achieve), interactive (thrive on the admiration, acknowledgment, and compliments), steadiness (warm, supportive, and nurturing individuals), and cautious (analytical, persistent, and systematic problem solvers) (Alessandra, 2010). Each style includes four sub-styles: Dominance-director, adventurer, producer, pioneer Interactive-socializer, helper, impresser, enthusiast Steadiness-relater, specialist, go-getter, harmonizer Cautious-thinker, master-minder, assessor and perfecter Each sub-style has its own motivators, which will be addressed later. When each team member has identified his or her individual style and sub-style, the team can collaborate to see who is best for what role and find the right dynamics for the team. It is found that for some, the assessment is a perfect description, whereas others believe the results are off the mark. The differences in perceptions of individuals self is good during team collaborations because individuals can discover behaviors and personalities that they were not aware they possessed. Also it helps each member identify with whom he or she can work with the best. Different people have different values indicative of their behaviors and personalities that must be identified as well when working as a group and large projects. For example, A person looking to hurry and get-by would not go well on a team that is dedicated and looking to deliver a quality product or service. However, this type of individual’s energy could be used to handle any manual labor that may be needed and can be controlled and monitored. Once the identification phase has taken place, it is important to find ways to increase motivation, satisfaction, and performance. Increase in Motivation As mentioned earlier each behavior style has a sub-style with unique motivators. For example the Interactive Enthusiast (Id) is motivated by influencing others. This means this type of individual experiences higher levels of satisfaction by stimulating other team members in some positive form or fashion. The realization of this influence then causes the individual to perform at peak levels. The more Interactive Enthusiasts can influence people, the more motivated and satisfied him or she will be and individual performances will increase (Alessandra, 2010). Another example is a Dominance Pioneer (Dc). This type individual is motivated by functioning in a position to direct and redirect task accomplishments. These futuristic focused individuals are quick on their feet and work well in contingency situations. Assigning new tasks in unchartered territories will increase the motivation, satisfaction, and performance of these individuals (Alessandra, 2010). Job satisfaction may also be increased when a person is doing work that is liked. Other job-satisfaction facets included pay, advancement opportunities, supervision, and coworkers; however, if a person is doing what is of interest to them he or she will tend to experience satisfaction long-term (Robbins Judge, 2007). Performance levels also can be increased when specific goals are set. A person, striving to do the best he or she can, may not reach optimal performance. The goal-setting theory suggests that specific goals act as internal stimuli and increase individual performance (Robbins Judge, 2007). Therefore, if team members have definite objectives and timelines the team has a better chance at effectiveness and efficiency. Behavior Influences It is evident that a person’s behavior has an effect on the dynamics and productivity of a team. Many factors play a part in individual behavior. Behavior can be influenced by attitudes, personalities, values, and emotions. Attitudes are said to be casually related to behavior meaning that a person’s attitude will dictate his or her behavior. Importance is one of the most powerful moderators of attitudes-behavioral relationship. According to Robbins Judge (2007) â€Å"Important attitudes are ones that reflect fundamental values, self-interest, or identification with individuals or groups that a person values† (p. 78). These types of attitudes demonstrate a strong relationship to behavior. A person’s personality, in a sense, dictates how individuals interact with the masses. Two extremes of personalities opposite of each other have a great deal of influence on behavior; Type A and Type B personalities. Type A people are aggressive, always moving, multi-taskers obsessed with numbers, and measure in volume and mass. This type of personality is best used when an organization taking off or going through a transition; may be harmful during the maturity period of the business life cycle. Type B people are rarely hurried, patient, reserved, and can put their mind at ease. This type of personality is best used when an organization is trying to focus on the mission and objectives as well as the big picture; can be a spontaneous thought detriment (Robbins Judge, 2007). Values are individual perceptions of reality itself and the way the individual chooses to deal with it. Because values are based on individual perception, he or she can obstruct objectivity and rationality. This can have a negative impact on a team if an individual values cause the team to deviate from its goals and objectives by deciding to place self want over team need (Robbins Judge, 2007). The direction of intense feelings toward someone or something is called emotions. In an organizational setting it is hard for a person to function if he or she experiences the emotion of anger, for example. This oment of emotion can alter the mood from pleasant to unpleasant. This in turn can affect one’s creativity. People in good moods tend to be more open-minded, think fast, and come up with many ideas, while those in bad moods can be pessimistic, abrupt, and have their mind wonder (Robbins Judge, 2007). Differences Many differences exist in referencing attitudes, personalities, va lues, and emotions. Just as one of the aforementioned can have a positive effect on a team, it can have an equivalent negative effect as well. A team may be diverse and contain many personality traits that may play part on one’s emotions. These emotions can dictate the individual attitude, which has a direct affect on the individual value system. Of course, the sequence of cause and effect can be rearranged yielding a different outcome of the same elements. Knowing and understanding the individual and collective differences of attitudes, personalities, values, and emotions can help a team organize its committees, plan its strategies with strategic personnel, make timelines more conducive to team member preference, and develop trust among members. Conclusion When a team assembles the members must figure each other out to work together. Different motivating, satisfying, and performance-driven feelings exist in everybody. Mix the feelings with the attitudes, emotions, values, and personalities that each member possesses, and the outcome is unpredictable. If provisions are made for positive influence, the benefits to the team can be unlimited. References Alessandra, T. (2010, October). The Platinum Rule Behavioral Style Assessment. Retrieved from https://uop. blanchardassessments. com/reportcontents. asp? id=174030 Robbins, S. P. , Judge, T. A. (2007). Organizational Behavior (12th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Iceland education. Learning in Scandinavia

Iceland education. Learning in Scandinavia Art disciplines in Iceland There are a few institutions in Iceland that provide a classical art education, which is ideal for degree seekers, music fans and theater lovers alike. Here is the list of the most popular establishments, focused on art and art disciplines, which will allow you to receive an international diploma. Iceland Academy of the Arts. To apply to Iceland Academy of the Arts, you have to be a top student with excellent grades. After you finish secondary school, you can write a motivation letter to the application center and see if your ranking is enough to pass. Later, they allow you to enroll with the equivalent of the same program. You can study music, architecture, dance, design and theater, and engage in music lessons, as Iceland Academy is known for its variety of creative classes. They are all shaped to fit your busy schedule, and you can combine studying modern dance with architectural styles. Akureyri School of Visual Arts. Those who seek to get a diploma in fine arts in Akureyri, must first complete the 180 units of training. Then, you proceed to the next stage of the program, where you are given a choice to pick a course in free arts. The diversity of the subjects will make your jaw drop: you can be a photographer, a designer, an oil painter, a graphic modeler or a scientist, engaged in professional writing, depending on your majors. You will receive a diploma after three years of studying, and the list of subjects that have to be included in the examination program is moderate. For all we know, Akureyri School of Visual Arts is famous for its flexible schedule and elective courses, which are not compulsory, in contrast with other universities of the same range. The Reykjavik School of Visual Arts. This is not a typical school you expect to encounter when you apply for a course. It provides art education for adults, students and children, who wish to learn the basics of design. The school offers a course in three main subjects. These are shaping, sketching and drawing. Everyone who wants additional classes, can apply for another program, which includes all three disciplines combined. If you don’t have the opportunity to study full-time, Reykjavik School of Visual Arts can help you with that, tailoring a schedule that is personal, and assisting you with exam preparation. Part-time employees can also attend group meetings to discuss the course subjects, and make changes to the semester program, if necessary. These meetings have a cognitive purpose, too, as students explore the variety of the school’s community and unite with the class. Interestingly, Reykjavik School of Visual Arts learned how to combine national traditions with European values, providing students with a spectrum of activities that keep them motivated and enthusiastic about the upcoming semester. This is done in order to maintain Iceland culture and develop new ways of communication between learners, who didn’t have an opportunity to explore Reykjavik before. As a student, you can choose the ceramic artist study program, adding subjects of your liking to the schedule and earning grades. The Agricultural University of Iceland. This university is a Mecca for future designers in agriculture, as it offers a course in Landscape Planning and Architecture. More importantly, if you don’t know Scandinavian languages well enough to immerse in the educational process, you can take the program in English, and receive a diploma after three years of study. More than 100 credits are given to the learners at the university, and it is a full-time program, which requires a certain knowledge of graphic design and agriculture.

Cross-cultural Issues in International Management Essay

Cross-cultural Issues in International Management - Essay Example Other cultural factors do not seem to pose in major challenges. Leadership styles are quite similar as is apparent from the GLOBE study. English is commonly used there and hence communication will not be a major issue. With regard to style, Malaysians tend to be more indirect and hence our managers need to be patient while dealing with their Malaysian counterparts. The global economic slump and the US downturn will have some effect on the JV. But this need not cause any delays or postponements in the whole process. On the whole, if the steps recommended in this report are implemented, the joint venture will have a smooth cultural integration and all possible problems can be minimized. Employee management is a crucial function of management which calls for extensive knowledge and expertise in the field of management and behavioral sciences like psychology, sociology etc. The knowledge in these areas was sufficient enough to manage a firm which operates within the boundaries of a country. But, as the corporate world has gone international with globalization and liberalization policies enunciated in almost all countries, the role of human resource manager became so complicated than ever before. In the present global market, managers of multi national firms/joint ventures can no longer effectively manage their employees with their knowledge in the culture of their home country alone. Rather, they must possess multi-cultural knowledge which equips themselves with the techniques to manage employees who hail from different countries. The necessity of possessing these techniques is seriously felt in the present scenario simply because going global is the order of the day . The present report is meant to inform and make alert all concerned to face the challenges in the management of multi-nationals/joint ventures. The broad objectives for which the present report is prepared are: 1. To identify and analyze the cultural differences between United States of America and Malaysia. 2. To study the impact of cultural differences on the management, because of :- a. The differences in Leadership style b. Communication style and language c. Organization Structure 3. To analyze the impact of cultural differences on the employee performance 4. To study the issues and challenges before the management in managing the employees from both the countries. The present paper is purely qualitative and analytical in nature. The paper relies solely on secondary sources for data collection. Data sources such as Books and periodicals, electronic sources are extensively used. The data gathered are used for writing the report from an analytical perspective, but no analytical tool is used. The report is prepared in such a way that every one in the organization associated with the problem is able to comprehend the real issues and challenges of cross-cultural management. Literature Review: Cultural Differences between United States of America and Malaysia: Culture is a country specific term. Every country has a unique and distinct culture of its own which has a bearing on the life and life style of the people in that country. The culture and history are closely related in the sense that culture is formed and developed over years from the history of a country. The

Ethics Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethics - Coursework Example This may cause unhealthy conflict among the team members who may not be comfortable with the scrutiny and strictness that results from this kind of thinking. Understanding ones preferences as a leader are important in helping establish healthy leader-subjects relationship. It is a part of the self-awareness that is known to create a bridge between people with different personalities. Diversity being an expected aspect of teams and organization, understanding and being able to control ones thinking preferences makes one an engaging and respecting the leader (Marcic & Daft, 2013). When, for instance, a leader knows that he or she prefers imaginative thinking, they will be able to control it in such a way that it does not affect their focus on reality. In emotional intelligence, a leader can focus attention on the most important aspect of leader-subject relationship this is the emotional congruence and relationship. Any leadership process involves interacting with people at various levels. These interactions create emotions on the side of the leader as well as on the side of the subjects. According to Hughes et al. (2011), emotional intelligence does not only entail knowing or learning about the emotions of other peoples but self-awareness is an important principle. With self-awareness, the leader is able to focus on the personal emotions and feelings and hence align directly with the expectations of the subjects while still maintaining a cordial but professional relationship (Hughes et al., 2011). With self-regulation, an attribute of emotional intelligence, the leaders can successfully identify their personal values and those of their subjects. This develops within the relationship the notion of being accountable and knowing the limits of one another. The importance of this is that there is self-restraint from within the leadership structure and between the

Floods in India Essay Example for Free

Floods in India Essay Floods are caused by weather phenomena and events that deliver more precipitation to a drainage basin than can be readily absorbed or stored within the basin. Acre-foot. Volume of water required to cover 1 acre of land (43,560 square feet) to a depth of 1 foot; equivalent to 325,851 gallons. Cubic feet per second (ft? /s). A unit of measurement expressing rates of  discharge. One cubic foot per second is equal to thedischarge  of a stream of rectangular cross section, 1 foot wide and 1 foot deep, flowing water an average velocity of 1 foot per second. Equivalent to 448. 8 gallons per minute. Discharge. Rate of flowa volume of fluid passing a point per unit time, commonly expressed in  cubic feet per second, million gallons per day, or gallons per minute. Drainage basin. A part of the surface of the Earth that is occupied by a drainage system, which consists of a surface stream or a body of impounded  surface water  together with all tributary surface streams and bodies of impounded  surface water. Land area drained by a stream or river. Flash flood. The result of heavy or excessive amounts of rainfall within a short period of time, usually less than 6 hours, causing water to rise and fall quite rapidly. Flood. An overflow or inundation that comes from a river or other body of water and causes or threatens damage. Any relatively high  streamflow  overtopping the natural or artificial banks in any reach of a stream. Flood frequency. Refers to a flood level that has a specified percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. For example, a 100-year flood occurs  on average  once every 100 years and thus has a 1-percent chance of occurring in a given year. Flood plain. A strip of relatively flat-lying land that borders a stream and is underlain by sediment carried by the stream and dropped in the slack water beyond the influence of the swiftest current. Flood stage. The  stage  at which overflow of the natural  streambanks  begins to cause damage in the reach in which the elevation is measured. Flood stages for each USGS gaging station are usually provided by the National Weather Service. Gage datum. An arbitrary datum plane that is established for a particular gaging station to which water-surface elevations can be compared. Gage height. See  Stage. Gaging station. A site on a stream, canal, lake, or reservoir where systematic observations of gage height or waterdischarge  are obtained by a gage, recorder, or similar equipment. Peak stage. The maximum height of a water surface above an established datum. Same as peak gage height. Precipitation. Rain, snow, hail, or sleet. Real-time data. Data collected by automated instrumentation and telemetered and analyzed quickly enough to influence a decision that affects the monitoring system. Recurrence interval. The average interval of time within which the magnitude of a given event, such as a flood, will be equaled or exceeded one time. Stage. The height of a water surface above an established datum. Used interchangeably with gage height. Streambank. The margins of a stream channel. Banks are called right and left as viewed facing the direction of flow. Streamflow. The discharge or flow that occurs in a natural channel. Although the term discharge can be applied to the flow of a canal, the word streamflow uniquely describes the discharge in a surface stream course. Surface runoff. That part of the runoff that travels over the soil surface to the nearest stream channel. It also is defined as that part of the runoff of a drainage basin that has not passed beneath the surface following precipitation. Surface water. Water on the surface of the Earth. Water year. The water year deals with the surface-water supply for a 12-month period, October 1 through September 30. The water year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends and which includes 9 out of the 12 months. Thus, the year ending September 30, 1999, is called the 1999 water year. NOTE:  Some definitions were excerpted from other sources. Terms 1. Current and historic stream water levels are reported as stage above a gage datum or as water-surface elevation above sea level. which is the addition of the stage to the gage datum.

Indecision, Hesitation and Delay in Shakespeares Hamlet - Needless Delay? :: The Tragedy of Hamlet Essays

Hamlet's Delay The question of why Hamlet delays in taking revenge on Claudius for so long has puzzled readers and audience members alike. Immediately following Hamlet's conversation with the Ghost, he seems determined to fulfill the Ghost's wishes and swears his companions to secrecy about what has occurred. The next appearance of Hamlet in the play reveals that he has not yet revenged his father's murder. In Scene two, act two, Hamlet gives a possible reason for his hesitation. "The spirit that I have seen / May be a devil, and the devil hath power / T' assume a pleasing shape" (2.2.627-629). With this doubt clouding his mind, Hamlet seems completely unable to act. This indecision is somewhat resolved in the form of the play. Hamlet comes up with the idea of the play that is similar to the events recounted by the ghost about his murder to prove Claudius guilty or innocent. Due to the king's reaction to the play, Hamlet attains the belief that the Ghost was telling the truth the night of the appar ition. In Hamlets mind, it is now his duty to avenge his father's murder. This is where the real problem of inaction enters the play. Later that night, Hamlet has a perfect opportunity to kill Claudius, when he sees the King kneeling in prayer. He wonders if this is the time to kill him and get it over with, but decides not to. He claims that he does not want Claudius to go to heaven, so he would rather kill him when he is committing a sin. If this is the case, then why doesn't he simply wait till Claudius has completed his prayer, accuse him of the murder and kill him in his sin of denial. Instead, Hamlet goes to the chamber of his mother and passes up his best opportunity at revenge. The argument can be made, however, that it is not a fear of killing that causes this inaction. He does not display an inability to end someone's life when killing Polonius. He neither hesitates nor capitulates in sending Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their executions. Why then would the prince of Denmark he sitate to kill the one man he most justly could? Many literary believe that his inaction is the result of a vicarious Oedipus complex. Those who concur with this theory say that Hamlet, in his subconscious mind, has a desire to do exactly what his uncle has done; that is, get rid of the king so that he can have Gertrude for himself.

Reparations: African Americans Justice Essay

The United States authorities should pay reparations to African Americans as a agency of acknowledging their wrong-doing and doing damagess. The amendss African Americans have sustained from White America’s policy of bondage have been agonising and inhumane. Therefore. I am in favour of reparations for African Americans. The consequence of bondage has been an digesting issue within the African American community. Many of us are aware of the injury racism brought to the African American race. conveyed through bondage. racial segregation and favoritism. African Americans suffered many atrociousnesss. but the greatest harm done to them was the devastation of they’re original individuality. African Americans no longer hold a native linguistic communication or any African imposts to link them to Africa. Today. African Americans are connected together because they all portion a common foundation-the awful experience of slavery-and the great attempt to suppress its lingering consequence. ( World Wide Web. AcedemicLibrary. com ) Americans should recognize the magnitude of slavery’s effects on African Americans as a whole. Blacks were brainwashed and stripped of self-esteem and taught to be ashamed of dark colour of their tegument. Many African Americans have effortlessly tried to recommend â€Å"Black Pride† . seeking to re-instill self-worth and being proud of our distinguishable facial and organic structure characteristics. and darker skin colors. African Americans had zilch to get down with after the abolition of bondage in 1865. Slaves were promised a â€Å"mule/ and 40 acres† and they didn’t unrecorded to have it nor did coevalss to follow ; because the American authorities has yet to populate up to its word. The fruit of the slaves’ labour was stolen from the â€Å"land of the free† . The victims of the White people’s African slave trade ne'er experienced such freedom. This race deserves compensation for the mistreatment Pongee Bryant it has suffered and continues to digest. Paying reparations to the posterities of African American slaves would convey about a enormous betterment for the promotion of Black America. ( Douglass. Fredrick. 1845. Narrative of the life of Fredrick Douglass ) . White Americans have profited from instruction. life experiences. wealths that were handed down by their ascendants. As good. African Americans have been handed down the adversity of race-related issues. poorness. and the unknown history of their yesteryear. African Americans have invariably been inflicted with the societal position of their low-income degree in contrast with that of White Americans. America should be ashamed for their mistreatment of a race that did non inquire or even want to shack in this state. Yet. they still wear their ugly face of racism. and favoritism. and merely seek to segregate African Americans. as if they were at mistake. Americans may reason Blacks shouldn’t be kicking. whining. and to draw themselves up by their boot straps. Well. Martin Luther King one time said â€Å"White America wants us to draw ourselves up from our boot straps. but we don’t have any boots† . ( Shuttlesworth. Fred. 1999. A Fire You Can’t Put Out ) . The U. S. authorities has a moral duty to this race of people to counterbalance. African American’s because they were denied their heritage. faith. household. and civilization. America alleges it is a religious-based state and their religion resides in God. The bible says: â€Å"If a adult male bargain an ox. or a sheep. and kill it. or sell it ; he shall reconstruct five cattle for an ox. and four sheep for a sheep. † This state systematically contradicts itself in the manner it wants to be perceived. If America has any belief in God. they should experience an duty to counterbalance the African American posterities of slave ascendants. ( Exodus 22. Bible ) . Pongee Bryant White Americans may reason that the state did plenty when it passed the Civil Rights Act in 1960. They may besides province America has adequate resources and equal chance for each person of every race to win. However. there is a immense wealth spread in societal position among inkinesss and Whites largely because of subjugation. favoritism and racism toward the modern twenty-four hours modern-day black. Whether anybody wants to acknowledge it. there is still a glass ceiling ( i. e. . a position barrier ) against African Americans. Reparations would convey African Americans justness and economic power in this state. There are legion black reparation organisations which could have the money and administer it equally among African Americans. to integrate black-owned concerns. place ownership. and better instruction selective for immature and old inkinesss. These reparation organisations could besides put money into smaller black-owned concerns. and other industries that would foster the African American race. and guarantee a rapid growing of African American middle-class and beyond. ( Robert J. Brym/ John Lie. Sociology ) The development of African Americans in this state took on many signifiers through decennaries. The centuries of bondage in this state laid the foundation of our current relationship to America. From cotton Fieldss to constructing America’s most important edifices African Americans have helped construct the wealth in this state. Yet. the African American race has endured the most terrorist act from the Ku Klux Klan. lynchings. plantation gaols. constabulary anguish and slaying. and poorness. Slavery was a offense against humanity ; and it still is in being in many other ways and signifiers. America has created a system with. elector favoritism. drugs. and drug sentences to maintain the African Pongee Bryant American adult male enslaved. The authorities should counterbalance the African American race and put an terminal to a ceaseless subjugation rhythm. The authorities of the United States of America was instrumental in holding pressured the German and Nipponese authoritiess into the payments of reparations to the people who suffered and survived the offenses and bequest of bondage endured during World War II. The authorities of the United States has besides already paid reparations to the Japanese-Americans who were detained in concentration cantonments during World War II. America calls herself a just state: a civilised state which respects civil and human rights. encourages chance for and wellbeing of all her people. and can be trusted by other states as a county whom honors her word. Well. America promised African Americans 40 estates and a mule and didn’t live up to her promise. America’s attitude and silence on reparations malodors of lip service. ( X. Malcolm. Biography of Malcolm X ) . America should besides pay reparations to African Americans because they systematically want us to labour for their work and take all the recognition. For case America is at mistake for African American dead and injured work forces who served and were drafted in the Vietnam War. America put immature black work forces on the front-line of a war they had nil to make with nor helped lend to. America wanted a race that was non yet â€Å"capable† of voting but was competent plenty to contend in a war. A race that did non hold the option of imbibing from any fountain. sitting anyplace on a coach. utilizing any bathroom. nevertheless we were fit for contending. The point is America invariably benefits from African Americans. but refuses to counterbalance African Americans for their parts to this state. ( World Wide Web. AcedemicLibrary. com ) .

Busy Busy Barcelona

It is said that Barcelona is one of the most exciting cities in the world. On first arrival there were only hints of this, but as the coach further into the city its true colours were shining gloriously. I couldn't be sure if it was the fast street entertainment or the immense amount of shoppers and traffic, but either way my pulse was pumping because of this electrifying city. My excuse for being in this exhilarating environment is a day trip to the big city everyone talks about. My accommodation was situated in a coastal town named Salou, roughly one hours drive from Barcelona. My hotel was called hotel â€Å"Cleopatra†, a nice but relatively insignificant next to this manic metropolis. As my accommodation was over an hour away I was anticipating a good day out and so far things looked set to be going that way. Approaching the city centre now, I notice two extremes of Barcelona's busy life. The first are apparent to be the wealthy, designer labelled snobs who frown upon and grace no pity towards the other forgotten race that that are the remorseful tramps. It seemed that the rest of the city was moving forward so blindingly fast that that these endless vagabonds are left in a sea of no hope. However, in an action so hypocritical to whom I just accused, we deliberately admire a crumbling sculpture to move on swiftly past the swarm of homeless Spaniards. Our first objective of the trip is to get a topless bus around the city. We vaguely made out the attempt at English from the operator, which did seem to be a recurrence throughout the day, demanding of us, â€Å"four people, 68 Euros!† You've got to be joking!! However at this point we didn't really have much choice as this was the only real way we could ever get a good old gander at the sites of the city. So despite the outrage, me, my Girlfriend, her Mum and her Dad decide to give it a go. The bus was certainly filled with most British, yet the navigator on the microphone never thought to attempt a spot of English, no, strictly Spanish. Nevertheless we could still view the sites and scenery, if of course we hadn't of taken poor advice in which we asked for the route which takes us past the illustrious Barcelona Cathedral, but never did we actually see the magnificent building. At least, not from closer than half a mile away viewed on a hilltop. The one truly satisfying thing about this exhilarating experience was that from inside the topless bus the sun came beaming down on us in which I believe I turned about 5 different shades from white to brown within a matter of two and half hours. On departure of our trip that proved a somewhat anti climax situation, I felt a large overpowering sigh of relief come across me, and a look around made an impact and my original feelings of the day that was the anticipation of the new city ahead of me. Fresh air? No block buildings? No traffic and insane amounts of shoppers We had reached a completely different part of Barcelona which we had looped around the city to get to it in the bus, but we had ended up perhaps ten minutes from the city centre. We couldn't even feel that it was Barcelona, it felt like Spain, which seemed like so much different. This was certainly more the family side of the city as it had many more family shops and attractions, and not to mention families. Yes, this part of the city was giving me the holiday feeling that the closed up, claustrophobic busy mainstream of the city wasn't. This new side of Barcelona creates a new feeling of ease and I finally find why this so highly rated city gets the praise that it does, and is so renowned worldwide as a hotspot for any age or type. It was almost as if there were two separate cities mixed in together to make the ultimate holiday destination, with a family attraction to the city being just a 10 minute drive from a busy and unpredictable centre, its bound to be that. Such a huge variation in tourist attraction is no doubt how this city rakes in millions upon millions of pounds through the tourism industry, making it Barcelona's key and its largest impact on the cities economy. My favourite attraction from the whole experience was stumbled upon at about mid afternoon and was a stones throw away from where we departed with the bus. I stared at first, mesmerised at the colossal once used Olympic Stadium. From the outside I witnessed it to be a enormous display of architectural genius used subtlety to emphasise the home of the flame once held within. As I leave the magnificent Stadium in which we were not allowed to enter, I felt like I could spend all afternoon with the satisfaction that I am butterflied with at the moment. No sooner said than done we ended up in that very place where we started off originally, but somehow I managed to appreciate it a lot more than I did as a first impression. It now occurs to me that these two parts of the cities are maybe simply complimenting the other to combine creating a worldwide holiday destination. However there are many reasons I would tell a holiday maker contemplating where to go to not travel to this big city, but there are so many reasons more why I would tell them to book it for Barcelona. After a hectic day we made it back to Salou at around nine thirty when I came to my conclusion on my day. I felt that as busy and difficult as Barcelona was, it was worth every minute and is not a day to miss out on, whoever you are.

The Dangers of an Imperfect Invulnerability

The Dangers of an Imperfect Invulnerability The common phrase Achilles heel refers to a surprising weakness or vulnerability in an otherwise strong or powerful person, a vulnerability that eventually leads to a downfall. What has become a cliche in the English language is one of several modern-day phrases that are left to us from ancient Greek mythology. Achilles was said to be a heroic warrior, whose struggles over whether to fight in the Trojan War or not are described in detail in several books of Homers poem ​The Iliad. The overall myth of Achilles includes the attempt by his mother, the nymph Thetis, to make her son immortal. There are various versions of this story in the ancient Greek literature, including her putting him in fire or water or anointing him, but the one version that has struck the popular imagination is the one with the River Styx and the Achilles Heel. Statius Achilleid The most popular version of Thetis attempt to immortalize her son survives in its earliest written form in Statius Achilleid 1.133-34, written in the first century AD. The nymph holds her son Achilles by his left ankle while she dips him in the River Styx, and the waters confer immortality on Achilles, but only on those surfaces that contact the water. Unfortunately, since Thetis dipped only once and she had to hold onto the baby, that spot, Achilles heel, remains mortal. At the end of his life, when the arrow of Paris (possibly guided by Apollo) pierces Achilles ankle, Achilles is mortally wounded. Imperfect invulnerability is a common theme in world folklore. For example, there is Siegfried, the Germanic hero in the Nibelungenlied who was vulnerable only between his shoulder blades; the Ossetian warrior Soslan or Sosruko from the Nart Saga who is dipped by a blacksmith into alternating water and fire to turn him into metal but missed his legs; and the Celtic hero Diarmuid, who in the Irish Fenian Cycle was pierced by a venomous boar bristle through a wound to his unprotected sole. Other Achilles Versions: Thetiss Intent Scholars have identified many different versions of the Achilles Heel story, as is true for most ancient history myths. One element with lots of variety is what Thetis had in mind when she dipped her son in whatever she dipped him in. She wanted to find out if her son was mortal.She wanted to make her son immortal.She wanted to make her son invulnerable. In the Aigimios (also spelled Aegimius, only a fragment of which still exists), Thetisa nymph but the wife of a mortalhad many children, but she wanted to keep only the immortal ones, so she tested each of them by putting them in a pot of boiling water. They each died, but as she began to carry out the experiment on Achilles his father Peleus angrily intervened. Other versions of this differently crazy Thetis involve her unintentionally killing her children while attempting to make them immortal by burning off their mortal nature  or simply deliberately killing her children because they are mortal and unworthy of her. These versions always have Achilles saved by his father at the last minute. Another variant has Thetis trying to make Achilles immortal, not just invulnerable, and she plans to do that with a magical combination of fire and ambrosia. This is said to be one of her skills, but Peleus interrupts her and the interrupted magical procedure only changes his nature partially, making Achilles skin invulnerable but himself mortal.   Thetiss Method She put him in a pot of boiling water.She put him in a fire.She put him in a combination of fire and ambrosia.She put him in the River Styx. The earliest version of Styx-dipping (and youll need to blame or credit Burgess 1998 for this expression that will not leave my mind soon) is not found in the Greek literature until Statius version in the first century CE. Burgess suggests it was a Hellenistic period addition to the Thetis story. Other scholars think the idea may have come from the Near East, recent religious ideas at the time having included baptism. Burgess points out that dipping a child in the Styx to make it immortal or invulnerable echoes the earlier versions of Thetis dipping her children into boiling water or fire in an attempt to make them immortal. Styx dipping, which today sounds less painful than the other methods, was still dangerous: the Styx was the river of death, separating the lands of the living from the dead. How the Vulnerability was Severed Achilles was in battle at Troy, and Paris shot him through the ankle then stabbed him in the chest.Achilles was in battle at Troy, and Paris shot him in the lower leg or thigh, then stabbed him in the chest.Achilles was in battle at Troy and Paris shot him in the ankle with a poisoned spear.Achilles was at the Temple of Apollo, and Paris, guided by Apollo, shot Achilles in the ankle which kills him. There is considerable variation in the Greek literature about where Achilles skin was perforated. A number of Greek and Etruscan ceramic pots show Achilles being stuck with an arrow in his thigh, lower leg, heel, ankle or foot; and in one, he reaches calmly down to pull the arrow out. Some say that Achilles wasnt actually killed by a shot to the ankle but rather was distracted by the injury and thus vulnerable to a second wound. Chasing the Deeper Myth It is possible, say some scholars, that in the original myth, Achilles was not imperfectly vulnerable because of being dipped in the Styx, but rather because he wore armorperhaps the invulnerable armor that Patroclus borrowed before his deathand received an injury to his lower leg or foot that was not covered by the armor. Certainly, a wound cutting or damaging what is now known as the Achilles tendon would hinder any hero. In that manner, Achilles greatest advantagehis swiftness and agility in the heat of battle- would have been taken away from him. Later variations attempt to account for the super-human levels of heroic invulnerability in Achilles (or other mythic figures) and how they were brought down by something ignominious or trivial: a compelling story even today. Sources Avery HC. 1998. Achilles Third Father. Hermes 126(4):389-397.Burgess J. 1995. Achilles Heel: The Death of Achilles in Ancient Myth. Classical Antiquity 14(2):217-244.Nickel R. 2002. Euphorbus and the Death of Achilles. Phoenix 56(3/4):215-233.Sale W. 1963. Achilles and Heroic Values. Arion: A Journal of Humanities and the Classics 2(3):86-100.Scodel R. 1989. The Word of Achilles. Classical Philology 84(2):91-99.

5 Action Verbs That Will Energize Your Resume

5 Action Verbs That Will Energize Your Resume For a long time, conventional wisdom held that resumes should be super-templated, super-formal affairs, complete with stiff language that no one would use in actual conversation:  I was responsible weekly for the procurement of sales figures and expenditure reports. These days, things have gotten less formal in general, and with so many distractions, people look for attention-grabbing words and concepts. Resumes are no different in that respect. The easiest way to make your resume more exciting and engaging is to redo the verbs. Specifically, using strong action verbs is the way to go.Your resume probably already has plenty of verbs like â€Å"managed,† â€Å"was responsible for,† â€Å"innovated,† or â€Å"communicated.† All of these are totally legitimate verbs- they’re also totally overused in the job sphere. Anyone who reviews resumes sees these same words over and over, every day. If you want to stand out from the pile of other communicating innovative managers, you can start by choosing other verbs that convey the same concepts, but in a more interesting way. These verbs are known as â€Å"action verbs,† and when placed strategically, they can re-energize your whole resume.1. Managing verbsIf you’re looking to show your leadership skills, consider using words like, â€Å"orchestrated,† â€Å"spear-headed,† â€Å"headed,† or â€Å"developed.†2. Problem-solving verbsSkip verbs like â€Å"saved† or â€Å"improved.† Show, don’t tell, with words like, â€Å"resolved,† â€Å"negotiated,† â€Å"strengthened,† â€Å"revamped,† or â€Å"enhanced.†3. Serving verbsIf you’re trying to convey your client skills, avoid â€Å"supported† or â€Å"dealt with.† Instead, use â€Å"facilitated,† â€Å"enabled,† â€Å"mediated,† â€Å"bridged,† or, if you’re feeling fancy, â€Å"liaised with.†4. Communicating verbsHere, the basics like â€Å"wrote,† â€Å"spoke,† or â€Å"communicated† are old hat. Try varieties like â€Å"corresponded,† â€Å"lobbied,† â€Å"publicized,† or â€Å"synthesized.†5. Innovating verbsEveryone’s an innovator these days, so try to find a different way to approach â€Å"organized† or â€Å"streamlined.† Instead, you could say â€Å"integrated,† â€Å"modified,† â€Å"updated,† â€Å"revamped,† â€Å"transformed,† or â€Å"remodeled.†You don’t need to go through and replace all the verbs in your resume, just for the sake of doing it. Rather, review what you already have, and at each verb you come to, ask if there’s a clearer or more exciting way to frame that bullet point. You want to show movement in your history (accomplishment! Action! Romance! Maybe not the last one). Find the words to show how you’r e a do-er extraordinaire, and that may vault your doc to the top of the list.

Reflections on reading Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reflections on reading - Essay Example Main hero, Zach is a complicated, not an ordinary person, who is put by author in not a casual kind of circumstances. Maybe this novel is even metaphorical: for example, Zach’s roommate in rehab has a name Raphael, what calls up a parallel with name Raphael like the angel’s name. (Koenig, L.) â€Å"Hairstyles of the Damned† by Joe Meno I loved most. It’s entertaining and helpful for young people, and a little bit philosophical – all at ones. This novel gives reader an opportunity to feel like you are (or were) not alone with your teenage problems, and believe, that if everyone is going through it, you also will. First love and sex, complexes about the way you are and way you look, problems with friends, parents and at school – it’s all common teenage problems. To my mind, such books should be written for a different ages, because in every age there are specifical problems and fears, and in every age it’s important to feel you’re not alone. I also loved the main hero for his mistakes and his honesty to himself. It’s often we can not explain all our emotions to other people, even to family and friends, but it’s important to confess your feelings to yourself and be not ashamed of what you desire. So after the end of my literature class, that force me to read, I think I still be reading sometimes for all three reasons: to know briefly something new, to think about high important things together with the intellectual author and to feel I’m not alone with something that bothers me right