Beowulf Essays (557 words) - Beowulf, Geats, Anglo-Saxon Paganism

Beowulf A hero is a person of distinguished courage who has outstanding qualities and abilities, who is admired for these having these aspects of their character and also admired for brave and noble acts. An Anglo-Saxon hero is a person who has good leadership qualities, is able and willing to provide people with a sense of security, and is willing to go into danger despite possible harm to themselves. These Anglo-Saxon heroes usually were kings or thanes because they distinguished themselves above others by doing a good for the greater of everyone. This person has to be willing to put their own lives on the line for the benefit of others. There are several heroic characteristics, all of which Beowulf possesses. First of these characteristics is honor. Honor is showing a sense of integrity in one's actions. When Beowulf went to the land of the Danes to kill Grendel, he did it not because he wanted money, but because he wanted to help out the Geats. Beowulf felt as if it was the right thing to do since he had been successful in past deeds which he proudly says in lines 321-322, where he says ?They had in remembrance my courage and might. Many had seen me come safe from the conflict,?. Beowulf expected no reward for his action, but rather just being able to ?put another notch in his belt.? Another heroic characteristic, which Beowulf possesses, is bravery. Bravery is being able to go against the odds and possibly risk your life in the process. An example of Beowulf showing bravery is when he goes to slay the dragon even though all his men abandon him. He realizes that the dragon is more powerful than he is, but he will still not back down. In line 1493, he says ?Not one foot's space will I flee from the monster,? thus showing his true bravery by not giving up to the more powerful foe. One more heroic characteristic of Beowulf is his strong sense of duty. This means that he is always devoted to his people, his king, and their security. An example of this is again when he goes to slay the dragon. He has no help, he realizes that the dragon is more powerful, and most importantly, he realizes that he will probably not be returning victorious from this battle. In other words, he will die. In lines 1470-1474, it says ?Sad was his spirit, restless and ready, And the march of Fate immeasurably near; Fate that would strike, seek his soul's treasure, And deal asunder the spirit and flesh. Not long was his life encased in the body!? This basically means that Fate was soon to run its course and he would loose his life in battle. He had to and did go along with this because he was the king and it was his responsibility to provide security for his people. Even though it was his responsibility, he didn't have to do it; he could have run away like others may have. Overall, a hero is a person with distinguished qualities who goes against adversity to commit good deeds despite what could happen to them. A hero is a person who does things out of honor, bravery, and duty, not for rewards. Beowulf encompasses all of these qualities. English Essays

Manhattan Conspiracy1 essays

Manhattan Conspiracy1 essays Thesis: The research for the first Atomic bomb was done in the United States, by a group of the best scientists; this research was given the name of The Manhattan Project. On Monday July 16th, 1945, a countdown for the detonation of the first atomic bomb took place near Los Alamos, New Mexico. This atomic bomb testing would forever change the meaning of war. As the atomic bomb was detonated it sent shock-waves all over the world. There was endless research done on the bomb in the United States. The research was called The Manhattan Engineer District Project but it was more commonly known as "The Manhattan Project."1 The Manhattan Project was brought by fear of Germany and it's atomic research. On account of the fear of Germany the United States took action upon testing their own atomic bomb. Once the bomb was tested, the United States had to decide whether it should be used and if so, where? Then there was the process of dropping the bomb. The Manhattan Project was overall one of t he highest and most significant projects ever done in the United States.2 The United States government was shocked by the news of German scientists discovering nuclear fission. The news came to the United States from Albert Einstein. Einstein found out the nuclear fission information from a German physicist named Leo Szilard. He then told it to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and urged him to start an investment toward atomic research. 3The research would then help construct an atomic weapon of mass destruction. Roosevelt was not especially concerned about investing in atomic weapon research because he didn't plan on getting involved in the War. When Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese, Roosevelt entered the war and sent significant funds to the construction of the atomic weapon. Roosevelt speeded up the process of research by having General Groves setup a committee of the brightest minds from all around the world. Because most...

Jamie Olivers Approach to business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 28

Jamie Olivers Approach to business - Essay Example This paper illustrates that Oliver has been able to create a niche market position in the catering business overcoming the challenges of stressful conditions, high competition, and low payment. The main reason has been his leadership initiatives that thrive on clear vision, effective communication, perseverance, and capacity to inspire others. The researcher would also create the clear and strong vision with long-term objectives and short-term goals that would be shared with the workforce. By working along with his workforce, the researcher would serve as the model that would inspire them for higher achievement. Teamwork has been an integral part of Oliver’s approach to work. Argote believes that motivated teamwork is based on sharing of knowledge, understanding and mutual respect. As a leader, the author would ensure that team learning processes are encouraged for higher productivity. Effective communication amongst the workers not only helps to resolve conflicts but also inc ulcates an understanding of cross-cultural values and helps develop mutual respect. It also encourages the workforce to be committed to the organizational goals and work towards excellence, both in terms of goal delivery as well as personal and professional growth. The constant learning environment is yet another major feature of Oliver’s approach that would be used to provide the opportunity to the workforce to improve their skills and core competencies to meet the challenges of time. In the current environment of global competition, learning environment of organization would help create a group of human capital whose competencies could be exploited to gain competitive advantage within the industry. Judicious planning and work details were important aspects of Oliver’s managerial approach.

B2C to B2b Marketing Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

B2C to B2b Marketing Paper - Essay Example Traditionally, businesses begin as B2C but as they expand and look for new markets develop a B2B operations. However, this model of development has significantly changed because of advances in technology. Though B2C and B2B's characteristics essentially remain the same, they have already exceeded their basic definitions. B2C refers to businesses dealing directly with consumers. The action of purchase is for the purpose of personal consumption. It is not to imply that the customer or consumer has to procure the product or service directly from the manufacture or service provider, B2C can take the form of a person buying a product from a store or person availing of a free spa treatment with a gift certificate or voucher. B2B in contrast refers to businesses engaging the service or procuring products for their own operations and not for consumption. An example of B2B would be a bakery buying flour to produce its breads. The criteria defining whether the interaction is B2B or B2C is consumption (Koetler, 1998). The objective in a B2C model is to promote or market a site is to be able communicate on a personal level. Each consumer will have different motivations and these motivations may vary greatly considering individual perception, socio-cultural background (both demographics and psychographics), and experience. These elements define the customers' needs which initiate the buying process. The following figure is an example of a depiction of what influences consumer behavior: Therefore, sites that wish to appeal to consumers have to focus on the characteristics of customers and to consider the decision process of these customers which characterizes the type of person that consumer is. In contrast, B2B customers' motivations or preferences are generally based on quantitative pre-defined needs or criteria. B2B transactions generally arise from the following: 1. Raw material or industrial supplies or services are needed to produce an end product to be sold in the open market 2. Raw material or industrial supplies or services are needed as components of processing a product 3. Products or services are bought form an original manufacturer for resale 4. Products or services are bought from s non-original manufacturer for the purpose of distribution 5. Products or services are bought as a complete system or "turnkey" operation. Figure 2 illustrates the buying process that characterizes the undertaking of B2Bs. It is not required that all of these stages are passed through in each B2B transaction. At this level, buyers are limited by the people and other factors that affect the company. This then highlights the influence organizational culture plays in the buying process. Therefore, in marketing a site on the B2B model, the marketer must consider not just that direct need but also the main use of the product, its users and even the tendencies or preferences of senior executives and others who have bearing on company policies (Johansson, 2001). Differentiating Approaches in B2C and B2B Table 1 summarizes the differences between B2B marketing and B2C marketing. Marketing

Teeces Model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Teeces Model - Essay Example This study highlights that Eurocopter is one organisation that applies this model to enhance its dynamic capabilities hence this essay seeks to explain the different steps in the model with regards to applicability to the organisation’s operations. From this discussion it is clear that it is imperative that the organisation should first sense the opportunity from the environment in order to develop its dynamic capabilities. Sensing refers to the ability to scan and create an opportunity from the environment and it also refers to the organisation’s ability to learn and interpret those opportunities. The sensing stage is mainly comprised of four elements namely: processes to direct internal R&D and also select the new technology, processes to tap the external development in technology, processes to exploit the innovation from supplier and complementor as well as the processes to target the market segment and managing customer needs and innovations. As far as the processes to direct internal R & D and new technology are concerned, it can be noted that Eurocopter internally perceives the opportunity on the blade business. The blades often require to be repaired as they form a very important aspect in the life of the helicopt er hence Eurocopter finds this as a big opportunity in the blade business if they can increase competency in terms of blade business processes which may include design, manufacturing and maintenance of composite rotor blades, propellers, turbine blades as well as other issues related to repairs. Under the strategic alliance the organisation collaborates with many external partners given that it strongly believes that these parties will help it to improve its innovativeness on the blades. It also has a joint manufacturing project with the other companies such as Kawasaki.

Why personal management is important to firms

Why personal management is important to firms Human Resource Management, in simple, is a way of management that links people-related activities to the strategy of a business or organization, which at the same time satisfies individual needs and wants of employees. Over the years, Human Resource management went through lots of changes in its functions, roles, objectives, etc and, in the present day, it has reached a milestone from being just an administrative and operational management (personal management) to a strategic contributor (SHRM). The purpose of this report is to critically analyze the importance for HR management to transform from being primarily administrative and operational to becoming a more strategic contributor. The objectives of this report are to, Explain What is Personal Management and what is Human Resource Management Identify the factors which influenced the change Explain The importance of shifting from Personal Management to SHRM Present real world examples to prove the importance of the change This report will be focusing on the secondary research materials such as Human resource books, business articles, online journals, professional web pages to provide explanations and real world examples for the reader, to support the argument. Personnel Human Resource Management Traditional HRM or Personnel HRM can be defined as handling, directing, and controlling of individual employees rather than of employee as a group. It deals with individual relationships, including employees problems with management with employees as non-organized groups. It covers the acquisition andà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. (Perfecto S. Sison,2009,p17) Basically personnel HRM is considered as a traditional, routine, maintenance-oriented, administrative function which doesnt involve the higher level managers of the organization, and, maneuver at the operational level of an organization, performing tasks such as dealing with pay sheets, complying with employment law, and handling similar functions, etc. This mainly focuses on the individual person rather than the employees as whole and tries to satisfy the employees using wages, bonuses, compensations, simplified jobs, etc and to ultimately result in achieving organizational success. As mentioned above, the functions of personnel HRM can be broadly classified as employment, development, compensation and employee relations, which involve only the lower level management of an organization, making it a separate function from the main management of the organization. Strategic Human Resource Management Strategic HRM focuses on aligning all the HR functions of an organization with the business strategy that the organization is currently based on. SHRM is generally perceived as a distinctive approach to managing people which seeks to achieve competitive advantage through the strategic development of a highly committed and capable workforce (Appleby Mavin (2000) s555). SHRM is about managing the human capital of an organization in such a way as to achieve some type of competitive edge. Having not only a committed workforce, but also having a workforce that is highly trained for the job that must be performed achieves the competitive edge. Moving in this direction is where human resources become SHRM. The starting point for SHRM, unlike the traditional HRM which starts from the people, starts from the organizations requirements and needs about having a suiatable workforce. Also SHRM involves not only the operational level managers, it involves higher level managers such as HR managers and it directly incorporates with the organizations strategy by formulating, implementing and evaluating companys strategies through human resource activities which may involve recruiting, selecting, rewarding and training company personnel. The Below diagram shows how Human Resource Strategy matches the Organization strategy. Managing human resources: personnel management in transition/   By Stephen Bach/4th edition Blackwell bublishin, 2005 The above diagram suggests that modern HRM is not a separated function as it was in past, and clearly shows that it is interconnected with the strategy, culture, current situation, financial resources of the organization. SHRM is focused on the contributions that the HR strategies could make to enhance organizational effectiveness, and how these strategic contributions are achieved and it involves designing and executing a set of internally constant policies and procedures to ensure that an organizations human capital contributes to the core business objectives and strategies. Contrasting Personnel Management with Strategic HRM Personnel management, from name itself suggests that, it is all about managing and developing the people and the skills employed. On the other hand, SHRM is focused on developing employee knowledge, abilities, talents, aptitudes, creative abilities, etc. Personnel management is a more reactive way of managing HR because it only includes administrative tasks that are both routine and traditional only providing a response to demands and apprehends as they are presented. Where as SHRM is more proactive, involving continuous development of HR functions and policies for the purposes of improving a suitable workforce for the company, in present and for future needs. Personnel management is often regarded as an independent function which typically the sole responsibility of the personnel department of an organization, where as SHRM is an integrated function which often involves all the managers of an organization in some manner to develop the skill sets and abilities of different employees in different departments to achieve a main goal of the entire organization. Personnel Management creates high ambiguity in achieving goals and taking decisions as its a separate function from the core management where as SHRM delivers less ambiguity as it is in line with the organization strategy and integrated with other functions of an organization. Personnel management motivates employees through increased salaries, bonuses, compensations, simplified jobs etc, where as in SHRM, the motivation is gained through work groups, effective strategies for meeting challenges, and job creativity. Transition from Traditional HR to SHRM In the modern business world, the key for a successful business is to integrate all the functions of a business to make sure all departments and functions of the business flows in the same direction. To achieve that competency, the traditional HR managing system had to be transformed into a more integrated, top-management-involved, strategy oriented function, known as SHRM. Competition, Globalization, technological advancement, demographic factors are the most possible factors which influenced the change. Competitive advantage When a firm is implementing a value creating strategy not simultaneously being implemented by any current or potential competitors, then it can be said the firm has a competitive advantage (Managing human resources: personnel management in transition/  By Stephen Bach) SHRM system capabilities can contribute to sustainable competitive advantage because they 1) can help exploit opportunities and neutralize threats in a firms environment, (2) are difficult to develop and therefore rare in the competitive environment, (3) are very difficult to imitate, and (4) cannot be easily displaced by strategically significant substitutes. Delta Air Lines, Southwest Air lines, Walmart are good examples for businesses which climbed to the top of the ladder using the competitive advantage. Changing the Mind Set Businesses have to completely change their mind set in the process of making personnel management into a more strategic partner. Personnel managements strong focus on administrative tasks and the inability to directly measure its impact on the outcome was the major down fall of personnel management, limiting its contribution to the business strategy. Therefore, Strategic HRM needed a completely different mind set, which focuses mainly on transformation using change management instead of focusing on administrative and operational activities. Demographic Influence If the business strategy of the organization is to spread the business in different geographic areas or in different cultural backgrounds, the business should use, not personnel management but SHRM to match the business strategy. Using the personnel management will disregard the fact that the employee should culturally match the job, should be equipped with appropriate language skills, match the required gender and the religion, to suit the area that he has to work, and it will only facilitate to achieve the HR strategies like recruiting cheaper people, having basic qualifications etc. This has a negative impact on the business as it cannot effectively serve their customers, so the business has to use SHRM in order to align the HR strategies with business strategies, to consecutively match the business that they are doing. IBM in Australia and New Zealand is made up of many different people from many different cultures and backgrounds. The common thread between us is our commitment to IBMs success in the marketplace and IBMs long-standing values and belief in inclusion http://www-07.ibm.com/au/diversity/cultural_awareness_and_acceptance.html Impact of Globalization In order to grow and prosper many companies are seeking business opportunities in global market. This has affected the HRM management system as well. So globalization is the main component that would affect to the shift of THRM to SHRM. It is the integration of business activities across the geographical and organizational boundaries. Coca Cola Company has 92,400 associates around the world live and work in the markets we serve more than 86 percent of them outside the U.S. In this geographically diverse environment, employees learn from each market and share those learning quickly. As a result, Coca Cola Company culture is ever more collaborative. From beverage concept and development to merchandising, our associates are sharing ideas across departments and markets in new ways. Consequently, Coca Cola Company associates are increasingly enthusiastic about their work and inspired to turn plans into action. Coke website Technology As the rapid change of technology, the companies have to change their human resource management system into more strategic approach. The strategic HRM along with technology; facilitates employees to improve their work life balance, creativity and productivity. For example Motorola is extending human capabilities by providing integrated wireless communication and embedded electronic solutions for the individual, the work-team, the vehicle, and the home. Motorola is committed to providing technology that will increase employee productivity attract and retain key talent and help employees balance their professional and personal lives. Source; http://www.bc.edu/centers/cwf/research/highlights.html) The recruitment goes high-tech in Vietnam; the service is an extension of the Labor Departments website (www.vieclamhanoi.net), where employees can access job information. It is said to be the Departments solution to ineffective and formulaic job fairs in Vietnam. The new service will make it faster and easier for employers and job seekers to connect. As a start, the new online site has employment details from over 1,000 foreign and local companies in Hanoi, and will soon expand to 1,400. Within the first week of its launch, employers had connected with and hired nearly 1,300 job seekers through the service. Current Role of SHRM The business world today uses the SHRM methods and benefits thorough it very effectively. Some businesses focus on HR strategy more than the business strategy sometimes, and in some occasions the HR strategy becomes the business strategy as well. Microsoft is a good example for the HR strategy to become the core business strategy as well. A lot of what we do with the employee value proposition is just win in the marketplace. People want to know theyre with a winning teamà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. I tell Lisa still that in some senses our No. 1 HR strategy is our business strategy. When were succeeding and winning and doing great stuff, success breeds success. Business week The following diagram indicates how the Australian Governments Department of Education, Science and Training has executed their HR strategies to be align with the key organizational strategies. This resulted a positive outcome of the departments people management strategies in creating a motivated and engaged workforce and, through this, achieved a strong contribution to the delivery of business outcomes. An emphasis on strong leadership is a key strategic element for creating an environment of respect, support and development for all people in the department. In this way, the department has built and maintained a creative and engaged workforce able to deliver the governments growing and diverse education, science and training agenda. http://www.annualreport2007.dest.gov.au/chapter_eight/people_management.htm During the recession back in 2008, Pepsi came up with a business strategy to cut their cost, and the HR strategy matched the business strategy by laying off employees. According to Pepsi Bottling Groups chairman and chief executive officer Eric Foss, Pepsi Bottling Group Inc is planned to slash about 3,150 jobs across US, Canada Europe and Mexico as part of its restructuring plan. This is expected to result in pre-tax savings of up to $160 million. These moves will allow our business to better deal with the challenging macroeconomic conditions that currently exist, http://www.newsweek.com/id/121095 Coca-Cola has proved that tailoring career development to suit high-potential employees can dramatically increase internal promotions and thereby save the company huge recruitment costs which was a major objective of the finance division to reduce the overall cost. Conclusion Personnel HRM is considered as a traditional, routine, administrative function which doesnt involve the strategic level of the organization, and, creates high ambiguity, tends to be more reactive and works as a separate unit apart from the organization. strategic human resource management is a function which is focused on aligning the HR strategy with the overall business strategy to achieve organizational success and, is considered as a more proactive, integrated, and less ambiguous way of managing HR. Factors such as competition, globalization, economy, demographic factors, improving technology caused the human resource management to change from Personnel management to Strategic HRM Microsoft, IBM, Motorola, South West Airlines, Delta Air lines, Toyota are few examples for organizations who achieved business success through implementing SHRM in their organizations. By critically analyzing all the factors in this report, it can be concluded that it was exceptionally important for the businesses to change their way of managing human resources from traditional HRM to Strategic HRM, in order to face the external factors effectively and lead their business into the top of the ladder.

Hiroshima & Nagasaki :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Truman made his decision to drop the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I think it was a bad idea, but in a good way of protecting ourselves from Japan. The reason why I think it was a bad decision was that he didn’t really give them enough time to respond, and send a surrender letter. When we didn’t receive a letter, we figured they didn’t take us seriously. I think the Japanese didn’t get the letter yet, or we didn’t give them enough time to respond to it. The reason why I think it was a good thing we responded when we did, is because in the time of waiting for that surrender letter, we could have given them enough time to come and attack us when we weren’t ready for it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  July 25, 1945, Truman made his final plans to drop the first and only two atomic bombs in existence, at this time, on Japan. A day after his decision, the United States of America warned Japan of their attack, and that they would stop only if Japan surrendered. Japan refused to surrender.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On August 6, 1945, President Truman dropped the first atomic bomb, named â€Å"Little Boy†, on the Japanese center, Hiroshima. Seconds later almost every building collapsed to the ground. Even after the Hiroshima bombing, Japan still refused to surrender. In regards to their â€Å"response†, three days later we dropped the second bomb, named â€Å"Fat Man†, right on top of Nagasaki, Japan. Destroying half of the city, and taking 200,000 people’s lives, due to radiation poisoning and injuries caused by this deadly atomic bomb.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After the second blast, Emperor Hirohito finally realized that his innocent people were getting hurt. He decided very quickly to end this war and surrender to the Americans. He told his leaders to â€Å"draw up the papers, to end the war†.

Deception Point Page 89

Gabrielle knew Sexton was eagerly awaiting her arrival for a complete rundown on the PODS situation. Unfortunately, she also now realized that Sexton had deftly manipulated her tonight. Gabrielle Ashe did not like being managed. The senator had kept things from her tonight. The question was how much. The answers, she knew, lay inside his office-just on the other side of this restroom wall. â€Å"Five minutes,† Gabrielle said aloud, mustering her resolve. Moving toward the bathroom's supply closet, she reached up and ran a hand over the door frame. A key clattered to the floor. The cleaning crews at Philip A. Hart were federal employees and seemed to evaporate every time there was a strike of any sort, leaving this bathroom without toilet paper and tampons for weeks at a time. The women of Sexton's office, tired of being caught with their pants down, had taken matters into their own hands and secured a supply room key for â€Å"emergencies.† Tonight qualifies, she thought. She opened the closet. The interior was cramped, packed with cleansers, mops, and shelves of paper supplies. A month ago, Gabrielle had been searching for paper towels when she'd made an unusual discovery. Unable to reach the paper off the top shelf, she'd used the end of a broom to coax a roll to fall. In the process, she'd knocked out a ceiling tile. When she climbed up to replace the tile, she was surprised to hear Senator Sexton's voice. Crystal clear. From the echo, she realized the senator was talking to himself while in his office's private bathroom, which apparently was separated from this supply closet by nothing more than removable, fiberboard ceiling tiles. Now, back in the closet tonight for far more than toilet paper, Gabrielle kicked off her shoes, climbed up the shelves, popped out the fiberboard ceiling tile, and pulled herself up. So much for national security, she thought, wondering how many state and federal laws she was about to break. Lowering herself through the ceiling of Sexton's private restroom, Gabrielle placed her stockinged feet on his cold, porcelain sink and then dropped to the floor. Holding her breath, she exited into Sexton's private office. His oriental carpets felt soft and warm. 107 Thirty miles away, a black Kiowa gunship chopper tore over the scrub pine treetops of northern Delaware. Delta-One checked the coordinates locked in the auto navigation system. Although Rachel's shipboard transmission device and Pickering's cellphone were encrypted to protect the contents of their communication, intercepting content had not been the goal when the Delta Force pulse-snitched Rachel's call from sea. Intercepting the caller's position had been the goal. Global Positioning Systems and computerized triangulation made pinpointing transmission coordinates a significantly easier task than decrypting the actual content of the call. Delta-One was always amused to think that most cellphone users had no idea that every time they made a call, a government listening post, if so inclined, could detect their position to within ten feet anywhere on earth-a small hitch the cellphone companies failed to advertise. Tonight, once the Delta Force had gained access to the reception frequencies of William Pickering's cellular phone, they could easily trace the coordinates of his incoming calls. Flying now on a direct course toward their target, Delta-One closed to within twenty miles. â€Å"Umbrella primed?† he asked, turning to Delta-Two, who was manning the radar and weapons system. â€Å"Affirmative. Awaiting five-mile range.† Five miles, Delta-One thought. He had to fly this bird well within his target's radar scopes to get within range to use the Kiowa's weapons systems. He had little doubt that someone onboard the Goya was nervously watching the skies, and because the Delta Force's current task was to eliminate the target without giving them a chance to radio for help, Delta-One now had to advance on his prey without alarming them. At fifteen miles out, still safely out of radar range, Delta-One abruptly turned the Kiowa thirty-five degrees off course to the west. He climbed to three thousand feet-small airplane range-and adjusted his speed to 110 knots. On the deck of the Goya, the Coast Guard helicopter's radar scope beeped once as a new contact entered the ten-mile perimeter. The pilot sat up, studying the screen. The contact appeared to be a small cargo plane headed west up the coast. Probably for Newark. Although this plane's current trajectory would bring it within four miles of the Goya, the flight path obviously was a matter of chance. Nonetheless, being vigilant, the Coast Guard pilot watched the blinking dot trace a slow-moving 110-knot line across the right side of his scope. At its closest point, the plane was about four miles west. As expected, the plane kept moving-heading away from them now. 4.1 miles. 4.2 miles. The pilot exhaled, relaxing. And then the strangest thing happened. â€Å"Umbrella now engaged,† Delta-Two called out, giving the thumbs-up from his weapons control seat on the port side of the Kiowa gunship. â€Å"Barrage, modulated noise, and cover pulse are all activated and locked.† Delta-One took his cue and banked hard to the right, putting the craft on a direct course with the Goya. This maneuver would be invisible to the ship's radar. â€Å"Sure beats bales of tinfoil!† Delta-Two called out. Delta-One agreed. Radar jamming had been invented in WWII when a savvy British airman began throwing bales of hay wrapped in tinfoil out of his plane while on bombing runs. The Germans' radar spotted so many reflective contacts they had no idea what to shoot. The techniques had been improved on substantially since then. The Kiowa's onboard â€Å"umbrella† radar-jamming system was one of the military's most deadly electronic combat weapons. By broadcasting an umbrella of background noise into the atmosphere above a given set of surface coordinates, the Kiowa could erase the eyes, ears, and voice of their target. Moments ago, all radar screens aboard the Goya had most certainly gone blank. By the time the crew realized they needed to call for help, they would be unable to transmit. On a ship, all communications were radio-or microwave-based-no solid phone lines. If the Kiowa got close enough, all of the Goya's communications systems would stop functioning, their carrier signals blotted out by the invisible cloud of thermal noise broadcast in front of the Kiowa like a blinding headlight. Perfect isolation, Delta-One thought. They have no defenses. Their targets had made a fortunate and cunning escape from the Milne Ice Shelf, but it would not be repeated. In choosing to leave shore, Rachel Sexton and Michael Tolland had chosen poorly. It would be the last bad decision they ever made. Inside the White House, Zach Herney felt dazed as he sat up in bed holding the telephone receiver. â€Å"Now? Ekstrom wants to speak to me now?† Herney squinted again at the bedside clock. 3:17 A.M. â€Å"Yes, Mr. President,† the communications officer said. â€Å"He says it's an emergency.† 108 While Corky and Xavia huddled over the electron microprobe measuring the zirconium content in the chondrules, Rachel followed Tolland across the lab into an adjoining room. Here Tolland turned on another computer. Apparently the oceanographer had one more thing he wanted to check. As the computer powered up, Tolland turned to Rachel, his mouth poised as if he wanted to say something. He paused. â€Å"What is it?† Rachel asked, surprised how physically drawn to him she felt, even in the midst of all this chaos. She wished she could block it all out and be with him-just for a minute. â€Å"I owe you an apology,† Tolland said, looking remorseful. â€Å"For what?† â€Å"On the deck? The hammerheads? I was excited. Sometimes I forget how frightening the ocean can be to a lot of people.†

Free Essays on How To Become A Green Beret

The two crossed arrows, was worn during World War II by the best soldiers, the Special Service Force. All together they operate in about130 countries, speak about 15 different languages and hold higher-level positions than soldiers of the same rank. And unlike most soldiers, their mission is not as warriors but as teachers to soldiers and civilians in Third-World nations around the world. They are the Green Berets, soldiers who make up the Army's elite special forces. Becoming one of them takes fortitude and guts, said Capt. Todd Wilcox, recruiting detachment commander for the U.S. Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N.C. In order to become a green beret soldiers must be specialists and above, and officers must be First Lieutenants and above, before they can volunteer for the Special Forces. Also, a 23-day exercise in mental and physical endurance and one of several training courses for the Special Forces is required. Before a soldier attends SFAS, (Special Forces Asosiation) he's briefed about what to expect. Recruiters at Fort Bragg, and other select Army installations that recruit Special Forces soldiers explain what they'll do as members of a 12-man Special Forces Operational Detachment, or A-team, if they make it through Special forces association with three grueling phases then they will have a chance to become a Green Beret. The first week includes a variety of psychological and physical evaluations. A psychologist interviews each soldier to see if he's stable and whether he has problems from the past. The soldier must also meet the Army Physical Fitness Test standard for 17- to 21-year-olds, scoring at least 206 points, completing a 50-meter swim in boots and marching about 150 miles carrying a 50-pound backpack and a weapon. Week two includes more walking and marching but adds a 1.5-mile-long obstacle course with vertical obstacles 85 percent of which test upper body strength and a land... Free Essays on How To Become A Green Beret Free Essays on How To Become A Green Beret The two crossed arrows, was worn during World War II by the best soldiers, the Special Service Force. All together they operate in about130 countries, speak about 15 different languages and hold higher-level positions than soldiers of the same rank. And unlike most soldiers, their mission is not as warriors but as teachers to soldiers and civilians in Third-World nations around the world. They are the Green Berets, soldiers who make up the Army's elite special forces. Becoming one of them takes fortitude and guts, said Capt. Todd Wilcox, recruiting detachment commander for the U.S. Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N.C. In order to become a green beret soldiers must be specialists and above, and officers must be First Lieutenants and above, before they can volunteer for the Special Forces. Also, a 23-day exercise in mental and physical endurance and one of several training courses for the Special Forces is required. Before a soldier attends SFAS, (Special Forces Asosiation) he's briefed about what to expect. Recruiters at Fort Bragg, and other select Army installations that recruit Special Forces soldiers explain what they'll do as members of a 12-man Special Forces Operational Detachment, or A-team, if they make it through Special forces association with three grueling phases then they will have a chance to become a Green Beret. The first week includes a variety of psychological and physical evaluations. A psychologist interviews each soldier to see if he's stable and whether he has problems from the past. The soldier must also meet the Army Physical Fitness Test standard for 17- to 21-year-olds, scoring at least 206 points, completing a 50-meter swim in boots and marching about 150 miles carrying a 50-pound backpack and a weapon. Week two includes more walking and marching but adds a 1.5-mile-long obstacle course with vertical obstacles 85 percent of which test upper body strength and a land...

Script Writing Tips and Format Example

Script Writing Tips and Format Example Script Writing Tips and Format Example Script Writing Tips and Format Example By Michael If critics tell you that your stories have too much dialogue, maybe you should consider writing scripts. Its different from writing ordinary prose. For one thing, a script is not the finished work of art. Its the blueprint that the director and actors use to create the work of art. The good news about that: your words dont have to carry all the weight. As a playwright, I like the way a stronger actor can make up for my weaker writing. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true. But though a bad actor can completely misinterpret a perfectly clear line, a good actor can bring out the meaning that you were not quite able to express through words alone. Unlike a novel, there will be no great literature unless a character speaks it. An inarticulate man doesnt change just because you have a big noble speech you want him to make. Enter late, leave early. Every writer needs to remove anything that doesnt advance the story, but thats particularly true for scriptwriters. And sometimes you dont realize that a scene doesnt advance the story until you try removing it and discover that it still works. William Goldman, who wrote The Princess Bride and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid said, â€Å"You always attack a movie scene as late as you possibly can. You always come into the scene at the last possible moment.† In the same way, once youve made your point, dont belabor it. Always leaving them wanting more. Otherwise, they may start wanting less and leaving the theater early. A joke works best when its given no extra emphasis, when all the fat has been trimmed. Alfred Hitchcock told an interviewer in 1960, How does one describe drama? Drama is life with the dull bits cut out. Writing is a balance between saying too much and saying too little. Its a show: show dont tell The visual nature of the screen or stage makes it easier to follow the writers rule of show, dont tell.The rule is harder to follow on radio and podcasts, because they cannot show anything visually. So a scriptwriter must turn to narration, as he might in a book, or to less-than-subtle dialogue: Look out, he has a gun! Early TV hadnt found its sea legs yet as a visual medium, and perhaps depended on narrators more than necessary. But a film or play is more than a book in visual form. In an intriguing novel (nameless here, so I dont ruin it if you havent read it), friendly inhabitants take a mistrustful visitor into their home for the night. As he lies down to sleep, he slowly realizes that maybe his hosts have put on a friendly appearance only to trap him. In the television miniseries adaptation, the exposition depends on the visitor thinking out loud in bed for several minutes as his host listens. It was awkward: What if you plan to spring on me as soon as I realize the danger? Thank you for reminding me. I'll do that now. Maid and butler talk on a do-it-yourself basis, since you dont have to pay a maid or butler. No wonder the novelist found the miniseries just boring. This scene could easily have been adapted more cinematically, showing not telling, based on the novelists own words. INT. HOST'S BEDROOM - NIGHT The CAPTAIN is lying in bed. He glances at his HOST in the other bed. He lifts his head to look again more closely. His host's bedsheet is pulled back, revealing his hand. CLOSE UP - the HOST'S HAND has four fingers, with claws. The Captain carefully rolls back the covers. He slips from bed and walks softly across the room. HOST: (coldly) Where are you going?" CAPTAIN: For a drink of water. HOST: But you're not thirsty. CAPTAIN: Yes, yes, I am. HOST: No, you're not. FOOTSTEPS as the captain tries to run across the room. CAPTAIN (O.S.) He screams twice. SILENCE. The TICKING of an old CLOCK. People dont need to say exactly what they mean. In real life, people dont say, I asked you how you were doing because I wanted you to ask me how I was doing, since I wanted to talk with you so that you would feel comfortable enough with me to say Yes when I asked you out on a date. Real life is more subtle. Behind the text, there is the subtext the thoughts that motivate the character to speak. When a scene has too little subtext or subtlety, people say it is too on the nose. We dont need everything spelled out, and it isnt as much fun. You dont want a mystery writer to spell everything out, do you, except perhaps at the end. We can tell if someone is romantically interested in someone else by the way they say, How are you doing? A script leaves less to the audiences imagination. Many authors make a point not to describe their characters appearance too precisely, to make it easier for diverse readers to relate to the story. But when you see The Hunger Games on the screen, now you know what Katniss Everdeen looks like, and can no longer easily imagine that she looks like you. Unless you happen to look like Jennifer Lawrence. However, the writer can only suggest visual details. He or she cannot mandate that the movie be filmed in New Zealand and co-star Kevin Bacon, much as the writer may visualize the story just that way. Proper format shows professionalism. If you submit your novel to a publisher, and it isnt double-spaced with a one-inch margin (with only one space after a period), you will appear inexperienced and possibly inept, which you dont want to be. But a script has even more complex formatting requirements, with lots of white space, specific indents, and particular capitalization conventions. A script is written in present tense, with no more than two or three lines per paragraph dialogue too. Twist your plot, then twist it again. Sure, publishers would love to get their hands on the Harry Potter of the 2020s but not if its exactly like Harry Potter. They dont want potential readers to say, I already have a book about an Indian boy who spends 227 days in a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger. I dont need another one. You might have come up with that brilliant plot device all on your own, without the inspiration of somebody else, but if it happens to have already been used by somebody else, your chance for a sale just went way down. Ironically, to create a truly original story, you have to become very familiar with other peoples stories, to make sure that yours is sufficiently different from them. Good writing must include the unexpected. So when you come up with one good idea, keep coming up with more. If you dont have enough good ideas, try browsing through the standard plot types. But you can build twists yourself. You could summarize The Silence of the Lambs in a brief logline, as follows: An F.B.I. agent tracks down a serial killer. Other stories have had that same premise. How about adding to it? A young F.B.I. cadet must confide in an incarcerated and manipulative killer to receive his help in catching another serial killer. Now that is getting more interesting. But dont stop yet. A young F.B.I. cadet tracks down an elusive serial killer as she develops his psychological profile, reluctantly confiding in a manipulative psychologist who has been locked up for years after committing a series of similar murders. Instead of an ordinary F.B.I. agent, now there is a particularly vulnerable one, mismatched for the task. Because instead of one murderer, now there are two murderers, both clever, and one is stalking the other from behind bars. Satisfied? With that kind of carefully planning, your script could win an Academy Award, as The Silence of the Lambss script did. The original novel sold 11 million copies. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:36 Adjectives Describing Light50 Types of PropagandaOne Scissor?

King Report on Corporate Governance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

King Report on Corporate Governance - Essay Example This also calls for a more transparent disclosure by business entities of their established governance practices in their annual reports. Such reporting requirements are not limited only to public companies but even the privates companies are also expected to follow recognized governance policies and report thereon. Several initiatives have been taken to integrate and organize different principles of corporate governance and arrive at a set of definite guidelines. These initiatives were undertaken by various orgnisations and committees including the United Nations Conference of Trade and Development. Some of the other organisations and committees whose reports are used to form the guide lines are: Out of the above reports this paper envisages making a critical review of the King Report 2002 and also makes a comparative analysis of the Kings Report with the The OECD principles on Corporate Governance - 1999. This is the central theme on which the King (II) Report is evolved. The King (II) Report published in the year 2002 was prepared by 'task teams' consisted of representatives from institutional and private investors, civil society regulators, and government officials. This way the report aimed to bring in the view points of all kinds of stakeholders in to the report. "The King II Committee itself was composed of 'leading proponents' of corporate governance as well as 'representatives of significant professional, private and public sector institutions'. Local and international consultation was 'extensive', with the Institute of Directors in Southern Africa providing a 'facilitative role' and secretarial support" (Armstrong et al2005). King (II) contains CODE OF Corporate Practices and Conduct ('the code') and the report's recommendations are applicable to all companies listed in Johannesburg Stock Exchange and several other public and private organizations including certain government organisations. King II Report contains recommendations relating the following six areas of corporate governance: The role and responsibilities of the Board and Directors: The report recommends guidelines for fixing the accountability of the board of directors by redefining the responsibilities of the directors towards all the internal and external stakeholders including the shareholders The aspect of Risk Management: In order to achieve the organisational goal of wealth creation and also to sustain the growth of the company it is important for the board to follow recognized principles of risk management. The function of internal audit: The report identifies the critical role of an internal

The Way Incentives Work and Types of Motivation Problems Research Paper

The Way Incentives Work and Types of Motivation Problems - Research Paper Example Every incentive program is based on a formula for enhancing motivation that engages four fundamental variables: effort, performance, outcomes, and satisfaction. The logic behind these programs goes something like this: employees at Property Management Company will put in the accurate quantity of effort to meet performance hopes if these part-time employees at the small privately owned property management company obtain the types of outcomes that include pay raises and promotions which will provide part-time employees satisfaction. (Hanlan Marc, 2004) In simpler words, the property management company should provide its employees what they want, and employees will work hard to get it. Conversely, the problem with most incentive programs like of Property management company is that they center exclusively on the submission of outcomes and overlook the three beliefs that are the key to making the motivation solution work: The first conviction compacts with the relationship between employee effort and performance. The second compacts with the relationship between performance and outcomes. And the third compacts with the relationship between outcomes and satisfaction. These three beliefs form the basis of the belief system of motivation and performance. Accepting that these beliefs are decisive preconditions for motivation helps to explain why incentive programs generally yield such lackluster results like in case of Property Management Company Since employees do not always hold these beliefs to be true, attempts to improve motivation by using incentives cannot make the grade, even when the incentives are highly desirable ones. (Thomas, 2004)