Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Lessons in Life and Marketing Yourself (a.k.a. What I Learned at the River Food Pantry)

Exercises in Life and Marketing Yourself (a.k.a. What I Learned at the River Food Pantry) Last Friday evening I chipped in at the River Food Pantry, the busiest food storeroom in my region. The storeroom disperses 30 thousand pounds of food to 600 families for each week-I contemplate 1000 pounds of it, as I was responsible for giving out cabbages. These were not simply standard cabbages like the ones you find in the supermarket. Some of them were greater than my head and effortlessly gauged 7 pounds. My cabbage volunteer experience showed me numerous exercises about existence and even continues. Here’s some of what I realized: I *do* have time in my life for chipping in, and it feels better. Everything necessary is placing it in my schedule. This time it helped that a gathering of companions all chose to chip in around the same time. Chipping in is significantly progressively fun as a network and when you can go out with companions a while later! (Possibly you are dawdling something that would complete on the off chance that you put it in your schedule and additionally made a gathering experience out of it?) When there are little cabbages and huge cabbages, the vast majority don't need the huge cabbages. Be that as it may, when there are just enormous cabbages, individuals take the huge ones. Obviously a few people basically don’t like cabbage. Be that as it may, if you’re inspired by cabbage, the attractive quality of some random one is all in your point of view. (You must make yourself or your item look attractive when contrasted with the various decisions around it.) When told, â€Å"You can have one of everything on this table,† (a table loaded up with berries, pumpkins and potatoes notwithstanding heads of cabbage) individuals regularly skirt the cabbage. In any case, when asked, â€Å"Would you like a cabbage?† a great many people will take a cabbage. Also, when further offered, â€Å"A huge one?† the vast majority will take a major one. This marvel helped me to remember how straightforward our brains are. Put anything you desire individuals to see before their noses; cause them to notice it and they will likely nibble. We people are so suggestible. (This technique takes a shot at resumes as well!) Individuals like assortment. On a truck to my in that spot were packs of cut watermelon. Nobody was taking them. Yet, when they were set on a table close to packs of blackberries and individuals were told they could pick two things, they picked assortment: one watermelon and one blackberry rather than 2 blackberries. The watermelon, already undesirable, took off the racks. (Working environments and universities search for assortment as well. You may be the correct fit since you are unique!) Individuals like things that look beautiful. About an hour into my work day, I chose to fire tidying up the cabbages, removing the external leaves, before offering them to clients. The quantity of cabbage takers expanded fundamentally. (Would you be able to see a ramifications for your pursuit of employment and advertising reports here?) I like to complete what I began. Significantly after my companions had finished their errands, I thought that it was difficult to leave with them until I had given out cabbages to the last benefactor. I’m sure another person could have stripped cabbage leaves similarly just as I did, however for reasons unknown I believed I expected to oversee my business as far as possible. Thus I did. Do you have a convention of chipping in at occasion time? I’d love to hear what it is! Furthermore, maybe this year you can utilize the event as an approach to gain proficiency with some life exercises just as spread seasonal happiness.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Control projects, capital management, risk management and evaluation Essay

Control ventures, capital administration, hazard the board and assessment - Essay Example inciple of utilizing this strategy idea was utilized as a device towards activities of normalization and affirmation of OHSM frameworks that consented to the Australian and International principles. In Australia, fit word related wellbeing and security in all States was presented with the Act and Regulations coming into power in 2012. Under the Act, a business has a commitment to guarantee the wellbeing and security of each of the employer’s laborers at work and of other people who might be antagonistically influenced by the work being attempted, including the workplace, frameworks of work, plant, and substances. The business must give data, guidance, preparing and management. Likewise a business needs to screen the wellbeing and security of representatives, oversee data, and records identifying with business related wounds. There are likewise arrangements identifying with counsel with laborers, as indicated by Hopkins (2005) working environment security expects bosses to keep up a protected working environment, so far as sensibly practicable in the language to diminish dangers to a level that is as low as sensibly practicable. This methodology as per Hopkins (2005) was suggested in the Robens report in 1972, with the Robens guess being received in numerous wards. This paper has tended to the necessities of WBL 8020 (2) units. Starting with a presentation of the advancements of the standard 1 Boral OHSM regarding the usage of the idea of an applied system that diagrams and presents a favored technique in classifying hazard deliberately and equitably in business exercises. The center components of the framework have been presented in the (Appendix power point), with the idea of the framework being talked about. This paper has tended to a portion of the preconditions for effective... The reason for this paper is to inspect courses of activities and usage in a calculated structure that blueprints and presents a favored methodology in sorting hazard deliberately and impartially in our authoritative undertaking exercises. This paper will wander in building an intelligent cognizance of the current hazard estimates taken when creating and executions of the technique procedure of underwriting our organization moving to a solitary Health and Safety System that will give a normalized strong HSE framework that can be inserted at all National BCM Boral operational destinations and workplaces. The venture was to create one wellbeing the board framework all through the Company broadly. The system guided 5 distinct locales consolidating the BCM specialty units of the Company (Asphalt, Quarries, Concrete and Logistics) in New South Wales joining all specialty units of BCM Boral tasks of the organization, deciding how security is overseen all through the business. Criticism was required from faculty from these destinations to roll out important improvements to the framework. The execution of a National security the executives framework was embraced in four stages that was utilized as a diagram for assessing the viability of task usage. †¢ Phase one (1) included arranging of OHS National Safety the board framework. †¢ Phase two (2) concentrated on receptive security the executives forms. †¢ Phase three (3) concentrated on prescient and proactive security the executives forms. †¢ Phase four (4) concentrated on operational wellbeing confirmation.

Wednesday, August 5, 2020

16 Finance Industry Myths Debunked

16 Finance Industry Myths Debunked Those who have an IRA or 401K have somewhat of an idea of how money should be invested. However, investment at large is unpredictable due to having so many unknown possibilities that could result from it. It is no wonder there are so many myths surrounding it.As a result, many people fall victim to these myths and even end up confusing or discouraging potential investors in the process.That’s why we’ve jumped ahead to prepare this article as a means to warn you about the most common investments swirling around before you get tangled up in them.MYTH #1: TOO YOUNG TO NEED A FINANCIAL PLAN Young people have usually turned away from investing due to their relatively smaller salaries and fewer assets.Therefore, they feel as if there is no need for them to have a financial plan.But that doesn’t mean they can’t start planning early as it can help them develop great financial habits that will give them a solid foundation to build upon.What’s more is that younger people have time on their hands the money that they have will have a longer time to grow and also reduces the amount that they need later on.In short, the sooner you start making smart financial decisions, the better your chances of achieving your financial goals will be.MYTH #2: FINANCIAL PLANNING IS ONLY FOR THE RICH Thinking that you need to be wealthy in order to have a financial plan is one of the most common investment mistakes people tend to make.What they fail to grasp is that unless they come up with a riveting financial plan as mentioned in the first point, they won’t be able to efficiently use their assets to build their wealth over time.As a matter of fact, research has revealed that financial planning can benefit not just the lower-level-income folk but those in the top 1% as well.To put it simply, financial planning can help you achieve both short- and long-term financial goals, including saving up for retirement, putting your child through college or buying a home or a car. And you d on’t have to be wealthy to have these common goals at the back of your mind.MYTH #3: IF I MAKE GOOD FINANCIAL DECISIONS, I DONT NEED A FORMAL FINANCIAL PLAN Even if you are capable of making good financial decisions, any decision made without a well-thought-out plan does not make for good financial planning.That’s because it’s almost impossible to balance planning, retirement, tax considerations, cash flow, investing, insurance needs and estate planning without a blueprint.Some people may also assume that as long as their family has a good amount of life insurance, for example, they would automatically be covered for should anything happen to them. However, life insurance is only one part of estate planning and is more than often used along with other tools to provide for the needs of your family.Many people assume that financial planning is all about buying a product such as insurance like can magically fix all of their money-related problems.In truth, however, financial plan ning is quite a hectic process and simply making a smart financial decision when the time calls for it isn’t enough to get you over. Sooner or later, that decision of yours is going to wear out eventually and that’s why you need a well-constructed plan.MYTH #4: FINANCIAL PLANNING IS LIKE RETIREMENT PLANNING Retirement is only part of the many goals that you should include a solid financial plan. Most people assume that the IRA or a 401(k) plan is all the financial plan they need, but what they fail to consider is balancing their retirement savings with other savings needs.If you only save up for retirement, you may find yourself in a serious pinch when a crisis finally hits.You might even have to dig up your entire retirement savings as you didn’t make other savings plans. It is only when you determine and prioritize your financial goals can you properly allocate your money.MYTH #5: FINANCIAL PLANNING IS SIMPLY INVESTINGAlthough not technically correct, the word investment is commonly substituted with financial planning in the minds of many.When you discuss rebalancing your portfolio or asset allocation, you should consider how your overall strategy changes based on your cash flow or how your investments factor into your child’s college fund saving goals.Like any other aspect of financial planning, investing will certainly affect other parts of your financial plan, but that doesn’t mean that the only thing you get out of a plan is market advice.MYTH #6: THERES NO NEED FOR A PLAN UNTIL….A lot of people don’t think they need a financial plan until they need to make a huge purchase, or worse, get hit by a financial crisis.The very idea of a financial plan is that you need to prepare yourself in advance for events like these.Having a financial plan is more than just getting yourself out of big bad situations; it’s about having a plan for your day-to-day life as well. It is how you will be able to save for that big purchase that you want to make or get through a potential financial crisis by building an emergency fund.Let’s say if your spouse is about to turn 50 and you wanted to throw a party in their honor. You can’t obviously expect the cake, guests, and streamers to show up on their own on the same day you decide to throw it now, would you? Of course not! You would have to plan it out for weeks or months beforehand to ensure that you send out invitations, buy your spouse their cake and the streamers.Let’s face it; planning requires a lot of work and you may be tempted to put it off for later. But just as you don’t want your spouse to show up at a party with no guests and streamers, you also don’t want to be caught off-guard without sufficient funds.MYTH #7: FINANCIAL PLANNING IS A ONE-TIME THINGOn the contrary! A financial plan is subject to change as the years go depending on the circumstances that follow for years to come.For instance, as you start earning more money and are starting to reach retirement, you wi ll have to put more money into your retirement account.When you get closer to retirement and your risk tolerance decreases, you will likely adopt a more conservative investing style.Just as you can’t wear the same pants you wore in your 20s when you’re 70, you also can’t expect the first retirement plan you drew up to last you all the way to your retirement.MYTH #8: FINANCIAL PLANNING IS THE SAME FOR EVERYONEJust as there are people who reduce financial planning to only “investing” or “retirement,” there are those who believe financial planning could be reduced to a set formula for success.They have it set out in their heads that as long as they have a 401(k), purchase x amount of life insurance or maintain a 30/60/10 asset allocation with them, they can rest easy. But that’s where the flaw exists since no two financial situations are the same.That’s exactly why having a financial plan is so important. It’s usually tailored to the individual so they get to decide on the best decisions based on their lifestyle and no one else.MYTH #9: YOU PUT YOUR MONEY AT RISK TO MAKE A DECENT RETURNMany IRAs and 401Ks get invested in the stock market, but the truth is that it is the riskiest place to put your hard-earned money in. In spite of the fact you hear “market experts” encouraging you to invest in the stock market and that it gives you an average of 10% return annually, this is merely an assumption that was brought out in the 1800s and no longer applies. These days, the annual return is close to only 5%.Similarly, you may have also heard about “Our economists are forecasting…” But you have to confirm this from your broker first before you take any action that you may likely end up regretting.Renowned business magnate Warren Buffett once said, “the only value of stock forecasters is to make fortune-tellers look good.” If you wish to get higher returns, most of the brokers will tell you that you have to take more risk. This may actually surprise to Mr. Buffet, who prefers to invest in boring Blue Chip industries.In actuality, however, you shouldn’t put your money at risk. There are ways in which you can earn with safer investments, like fixed index annuities that are considered to be a savings account with an insurance company.  In fact, there wasn’t even a single person with a fixed index annuity during the Great Depression who lost any money. Not only are they safe, but they also have liquidity and they provide better rates than most other products.MYTH #10: YOUR BROKER WILL MAKE MONEY WHEN YOU DO While it would be nice to think that your broker cares about you and your financial obligations in your life, that is one entirely true. Though it seems they want the best for you, your broker actually buys shares of stocks and mutual funds.The brokers earn by managing your money, which really means that when the market goes either up, down or remains stagnant, they’re the ones who walk away winning. The clients on the other hand, only win in any one of those directions.When your brokers are making money by managing your investment (like buying and selling shares of stocks as well as moving your money from fund-to-fund), why would they encourage you to invest in the fixed index annuity? Products that are less-risky only offer brokers a one-time commission and nothing more. And every time your broker either buys or sells stocks for you, they will not only charge you a fee but also receive a commission for it.MYTH #11: MAINTAINING A STOCK PORTFOLIO IS CHEAPPutting your investment in a retirement account on a regular basis might not be the best idea since the hidden fees will slowly drain your account.The disclosed fees, which are located in the prospectus of the expense ratio, are quite easy to find. The fees are usually referred to as “management fees.” But besides that, there are the administration fees, which are much harder to find.At first, you might think that a small fee in one pla ce and a nominal fee in the other are no big deal. But according to the website of the U.S. Labor Department 400K fee;“ Let’s say you are working in an organization who has a $20,000 current 400K account balance and there are 30 years left until you’re retired officially.Now if the returns on investments in your account over the next 30 years average about 7 percent and the fees and expenses reduce your average returns by 0.5 percent, your account balance will grow to $227,000 at retirement, even if there are no further contributions to your account.However, if fees and expenses are 1.5 percent, your account balance will grow to only $163,000. The 1 percent difference in the expenses and fees would reduce your account balance at retirement by 28 percent.”That is quite the large fee that is accumulated.So if you want to stay on the bright side of things, you’ll need to confirm the following with your broker:Investment feesPlan administration feesIndividual service feesMYTH #12: CASH-BACK CREDITS PUT MORE MONEY IN YOUR POCKETThis only works if you pay off your balance every month, especially for rewards cards usually have higher interest rates than other cards.Even though building credit is a smart strategy as it helps you apply for a car loan or a mortgage, you’d actually be better off a credit card of lower interest or paying with cash if you don’t think you can pay off the card every month.MYTH #13: ITS BETTER TO OWN A HOME THAN TO HAVING TO RENT IT We hate to break it to you, but owning a home is actually more expensive than renting. Owning a home comes with more risks than you know.There is no guarantee that your home will appreciate and it may even be completely illiquid. And if you do decide to own a house, you are solely responsible for its maintenance.Renters, on the other hand, can ask the landlords or building management to take care of chipped paint or a leaky faucet.Still, if you decide to own a home, then that’s on you and how it de pends on your goals. It is especially a bold step for you if you are older, earning a good sum and starting a family of your own.But if you’re just starting out on your career or are living a short life, then renting is perhaps your best option.MYTH #14: YOU NEED AT LEAST THREE TO SIX MONTHS OF EXPENSES FOR YOUR EMERGENCY RESERVEIn the case of dual-income households, your emergency reserve should be at least six months of expenses.As for single-income households, at least nine months of income is recommended. And while this may be general advice, you may have to dip into the emergency reserve between jobs.What this means is that you should save enough to cover expenses over the time period it takes you to find a new job. So we would advise you to save extra and adjust your emergency reserve based on the hiring environment and the position you’re looking for.MYTH #15: PLAN ON SPENDING 4% OF YOUR NEST EGG ANNUALLY IN RETIREMENTEven though this is a general guideline to save you fr om outliving your savings, you’re getting your hopes up way too high. The financial environment that we thrive in today is much different than the one from years past.These days, the interest rates are lower than they’ve been before, and the market is quite steep in prices as well. So we would suggest you spend 3-3.5% annually in retirement.MYTH #16: I WILL HAVE A LOWER TAX BRACKET AFTER RETIRINGThis is a widely accepted assumption of financial planning that isn’t always true. It’s usually the basis for the recommendation that many advisors give to their clients, which is deferring as much income and tax earnings as possible. But clients don’t want to decrease their standards of living by the time they reach their retirement.Over time, tax laws change and a few things get more politically charged than others. Unline different parties that are voted for in each election cycle, taxation aspects such as income, capital gains, estate, etc, are usually up for debate.For instanc e, it is completely possible that the money you invested in your 401(k) plan at a 28% tax bracket deduction could get taxed at 40% when you spend it in your retirement based only on tax law changes.Though it may also work to your advantage, we still have no idea where the tax climate will be in 4 years from now, never mind 10 or 20 years.So instead, you should opt for diversification. As in, diversifying your accounts based on tax treatments rather than investment mix.Though it’s important to find the right balance between traditional tax-deferred retirement plan assets like IRA and 401K, as well as after-tax investment accounts.

Saturday, May 23, 2020

Assisted Suicide and Culture - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 822 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2019/06/12 Category Law Essay Level High school Topics: Assisted Suicide Essay Did you like this example? Assisted Suicide is a topic that a lot of people try to avoid. However, it has been a topic that you see a lot in the news and in newspapers, articles in magazines and on some radio stations. The big debate is whether Assisted Suicide should be legal or banned. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Assisted Suicide and Culture" essay for you Create order Some people view Assisted Suicide as a gentle and humane way to end someoners life that is suffering from a terminal illness while other people view it as murder. There are several ways to assist someone with assisted suicide but first the person requesting to die must go through a process. The process is extremely hard and it is a long process to get through(Oregon Right to Life, 2018). The person requesting to die must first be diagnosed with an illness that is not going to improve, with a diagnosis of 6 months or less to live. The person then has to make sure that they get a second opinion from a separate physician. If they dont get two doctors to agree then they cannot go through with the process of ending their life through assisted suicide(Oregon Right to Life, 2018). After getting the two doctors to agree that the end is at least 6 months or less for the person to live then the patient has to ask their physician twice for the drugs to end their life. This request must be in written form, not verbally(Oregon Right to Life, 2018). The written request also has to be verified by two other people who then have to sign the request before the doctor will release the medication to the person(Oregon Right to Life, 2018). At no time does the doctor administer the medication, this has to be done by the person requesting the dosage(Oregon Right to Life, 2018). There is one definition that is used interchangeably with Assisted Suicide and that is Euthanasia(Nordqvist, 2017). Although Euthanasia or Mercy Killing is used interchangeably there is a difference between the two. The main difference is that with Assisted Suicide the act of ending oners life is always done by the patient where in Euthanasia or Mercy Killing it might be done by the patient or it could be done by someone else who is assisting them to end their life(Drexel University, 2018). Depending upon the religious beliefs of people, it determines whether or not they believe in Ass isted Suicide. Various religions throughout the world have different beliefs in how they think about Assisted Suicide. Some of those beliefs vary greatly while some share the common belief that Assisted Suicide should be a personal choice and not one decided by someone other than the terminally ill patient. In the Catholic faith they believe that a person should pray and spend time with family and friends and spend time in church if they have an illness that is terminal. They do not believe that ending your life with Assisted Suicide should be done and that it is a sin to end your own life(Donovan, 1997). Judaism believes that not under any circumstances should someone be allowed to take their own life or have someone do it for them(Steinberg, 1988). In the Unitarian Universalism religion believes in the personrs right to choose how they are to die when they are terminally ill. They believe that people in their congregation can choose to end their life if there are no options left for them to choose from(The Right to Die With Dignity, 1988). Mormonism is totally against Assisted Suicide but look upon a life as precious and if death is inevitable then one should not use outside means to prolong their life(Euthanasia and Prolonging Life, 2018). Assemblies of God Churches are totally again st Assisted Suicide and believe that the only one who can decide when someone dies is God himself, no one else has that right to decide when they are to die(Pew Research Center, 2013). The Evangelical Lutheran Church In America believes that a persons life is very valuable and that they should not end their life by using Assisted Suicide, however they also believe that the persons life who is terminal should not be prolonged either(ELCA Message, 1992). The Episcopal Church believes that no one has the right to take a life, under any circumstances but they also like the Evangelical Lutheran Church do not believe in prolonging life if there is no cure in sight(Episcopal Church Resolution, 1991). Hinduism does not necessarily believe in Assisted Suicide but they do believe that if there is no hope for a dying person that there life should be ended, but most do not believe in this point of view in the Hinduism world(Nimbalkar, 2009). Islam believes that every life is sacred and therefore should not be taken by Assisted Suicide(Aramesh, 2007). The Southern Baptist Convention is also against Assisted Suicide and does not believe that a person should end their life due to a terminal illness(Southern Baptist Convention, 2017).

Monday, May 11, 2020

How Bill Gates Is The Man Who Well Known And Wealthiest

Bill Gates is the man who well known and wealthiest in the world. He is a success business man, hut the way to reach the success it not easy for him. He had failed in his business buy sold his idea, but the product not even worked. However, the failure is not stop him to find the new way to succeed, and the he became the succeed business man by created the Microsoft. According to â€Å"Why we are the way we are†, researcher describe 2 types of person that might involve to successful or failure. These 2 types are different such as behavior and physiological makeup. Once type of person is introvert. This type describes person quiet, introspective, deep thought, careful, control, and fond of books than people. Another is extravert describe person who like to going out, but does not like to reading or studying by themselves, and impulsive. Since people are impulsive, and does not like to studying or reading might lead to failure in doing business. Not only those things make people failure in business, but many factors cause failure in business such as wrong location, wrong time, lack of experiences, lack of understanding customers, do business alone, and not suitable planning. Many people may give up on their way and put their dream away, or even they fear of failure from these things and not interesting or believing in do business to succeed. Fortunately, there are several ways to solves this problem include: choosing good location, improving experience, and making a plan. OneShow MoreRelatedEssay about informative speech Bill Gates1577 Words   |  7 Pagesgrade, during every break I had. We all, including myself, procrastinate. We can all thank Bill Gates for making our times of procrastination slightly more bearable by creating the Microsoft software that is accessible, easy to use and constantly evolving to meet consumer needs.    B. 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Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Destruction Of The First Nations Culture By Indian Residential Schools Free Essays

string(44) " take away the felicity associated with it\." The Indian Residential Schools non merely were the cause of much agony to the First Nations people during the 18 and 19 100s, but they have besides extended this agony to all coevalss that have followed. These schools have played a big function in the loss of traditions, linguistic communication, and beliefs that First Nations people held in such high respect through humiliation, force, and isolation. Anglican and Catholic churches managed the Indian Residential Schools from the 1870 ‘s to the early 1980 ‘s by following the legislative authorization that they were given by the Canadian Government ( Meseyton, 2005 ) . We will write a custom essay sample on Destruction Of The First Nations Culture By Indian Residential Schools or any similar topic only for you Order Now Kipling and Stout ( 2003 ) say that â€Å" by 1930, 75 per cent of First Nations kids between the ages of 7 and 15 old ages were enrolled in one of 80 such schools across the state and in the 1940s, attending was expanded to include Inuit kids every bit good † ( p.29 ) . There were about 150, 000 Frist Nations, Inuit, and Metis kids taken from their places and put in Indian Residential Schools ( CBC New, 2009 ) . In Nova Scotia, there was one Residential School for First Nations people, which resided in Shubenacadie. The Shubenacadie Residential School opened in 1930 and it closed its doors in June of 1967 ( Knockwood, 1992, Paul, 2006 ) . The object of the Indian Residential Schools were used as a portion of colonialism to absorb the First Nations people by destructing their civilization, linguistic communication, individuality, history, and spiritualty ( Longboat, 1987 ; Meseyton, 2005 ) . Taking away the First Nations heritage was seen to alter whom they were and do them intermix in to Canadian Society. Battiste ( 1986 ) explains that the Indian Residential Schools were evaluated based on their â€Å" ability to transform the Indian † ( p. 35 ) . This transmutation came with barbarous force and no respect to the kids ‘s self-pride because they were portrayed as barbarians, pagans, heathens and wild Indians ( Knockwood, 1992 ) . The Shubenacadie Residential School followed the Nova Scotia course of study with a few alterations in the faith class and they were besides taught to be ashamed of who they were ( Paul, 2006 ) . Paul ( 2006 ) besides says that the â€Å" kids were taught about all the advantages of Caucasic life and all the immoralities of First Nations ‘ isolation, linguistic communication and civilization † ( p. 283 ) . First Nations kids traveling into the residential schools were non allowed to talk their ain linguistic communication. Knockwood ( 1992 ) says, â€Å" Talking Mi’Kmaw was non permitted in the school because it held kids back in the schoolroom in reading, articulating and composing English † ( p. 26 ) . Taking the kids from their households and coercing them non to talk their linguistic communication was the first stairss in taking away their individuality. Even though the churches and Government made the First Nations people believe that they had a pick to direct their kids to school, this was non the instance. Harmonizing to Daniel Paul ( 2006 ) , because of how the Indian Act was written, the kids were considered wards of the Crown and did non hold Torahs to protect them so households could make nil. Families filled out signifiers to let their kids to go to these schools, but Paul ( 2006 ) says that it did non affair because these signifiers were merely â€Å" window dressings † and the Indian Agents did non necessitate the parents ‘ permission and could make whatever they wanted with the kids. Maltreatment of the First Nations kids was normally used in the Indian Residential Schools for control and assimilation. The kids were forced to give up their individualities through whippings, menaces, and isolation. Isabelle Knockwood ( 1992 ) conducted an interview with Peter Julian, former pupil at the Shubenacadie Residential School, that said by the clip he left the school he was ashamed to talk his ain linguistic communication for the small spot that he could retrieve. Talking the Mi’Kmaw linguistic communication was non the lone thing that brought on maltreatment. Isabelle Knockwood was besides a former pupil of the Shubenacadie Residential School. She can retrieve watching a nun shingle a small miss while shouting, â€Å" Look at me † because the nun did non recognize that direct oculus contact between a kid and an grownup was considered chesty in the native civilization ( Knockwood, 1992, p. 50 ) . The maltreatment made the kids forget about their civilization though fright. Knockwood ( 1992 ) says we â€Å" were forcibly disconnected from everything our parents and seniors had taught us, and everything new was learned in an ambiance of fright † ( p. 50 ) . At times physical and sexual maltreatment was used together. The kids were being sexual abused by the nuns and priest and if they did non follow with it, they would be all in ( Knockwood, 1992 ) . Physical and sexual maltreatment was non the lone signifiers of penalty used in the Indian Residential Schools. As stated earlier, isolation from households were besides used to absorb the First Nations kids. Children were non allowed to see their households frequently and for some they did non acquire to see their households at all because of the going distance to the school. During the Christmas interruption, the kids were forced to remain at the school alternatively of being place with their households ( Knockwood, 1992 ; Paul, 2006 ) . Even though the kids could non travel place for Christmas, they remember lovingly being able to pass it with their siblings that were at the school besides. Knockwood ( 1992 ) remembers this as the merely good thing about Christmas and says, â€Å" we ‘d acquire our nowadayss from place and acquire to sit with our brothers and sisters † ( p. 38 ) . However, Doug Knockwood remembers one Christmas were his male parent travelled to the sc hool to convey Christmas gifts and the nuns refused to let the kids to hold them and made him take the gifts back place ( Knockwood, 1992 ) . Christmas is one of the major vacations where households are near. This was a manner to unplug the bonds between the kids and the parents and take away the felicity associated with it. You read "Destruction Of The First Nations Culture By Indian Residential Schools" in category "Essay examples" The kids ‘s gifts were the lone thing left that made them experience like kids. Harmonizing to Knockwood ( 1992 ) , the kids were merely allowed to play with their gifts until January 6 and so they were packed up and ne’er seen once more. Taking these gifts from the kids would be like taking them from their households once more because these gifts were the lone thing every twelvemonth that connected them to and reminded them of their households. Many of the parents besides had trouble accepting that their kids could non come place for Christmas. These parents would compose letters or hire attorneies to acquire their kids place, but all they would have was ill-mannered letters from the school denying them ( Paul, 2006 ) . Other households stuck together as a community to seek to acquire their kids place. Paul ( 2006 ) explains briefly that the Cambridge Reserve hired a adult male to travel to the school to pick their kids up but the Principal would non allow them travel. These are illustrations of how determined the churches and Canadian Government were in absorbing the First Nations people. The Indian Residential Schools did non supply the instruction that other Nova Scotia schools provided. The pupils were taught really basic instruction and the remainder was manual labor ( Knockwood, 1992 ) . Learning merely the basic instruction was so First States people could acquire by life in society by understanding English, but non have excessively much instruction so they obtain callings such as attorney, instructors and physicians. Making them make manual labor was in some manner ‘killing two birds with one rock ‘ . The Government could absorb them into Western Society and non hold to pay anyone to make the manual work at the school. The kids that attended these schools were non trained to make the work and most clip they were in the place to make manual work that was insecure. Knockwood ( 1992 ) describes that many of the kids got physically hurt because they were excessively little or untrained to run the machinery. There was really small clip to make anything merriment at the school. Knockwood ( 1992 ) remembers being able to play baseball and traveling skating. For the kids that attended these schools, keeping on to the memories of these times is what helped them do it through each twenty-four hours. This was one of the times, other than Christmas, that the kids that had brothers or sisters at the school would acquire to see them even for merely a few proceedingss ( Knockwood, 1992 ) . These tactics were ways that the churches and Government thought would insulate the kids and cut bonds with other household members. This was non the lone manner that the Indian Residential Schools managed to deprive First Nations kids of their individuality. The kids did non hold the chance to turn up and see what a normal household life would look like because they were at school for 10 months a twelvemonth with no parental contact other than letters, which were no usage, because they were written in English so the parents could non read them ( CBC News, 2009 ) . This farther goes to demo how isolation was used to take the bonds within the households so they could suit into Canadian society more expeditiously. There were besides residential twenty-four hours schools and some kids were sent away to schools in other states so they would larn to â€Å" reject their traditional cultural ways in favor of the life of the person in the dominant Canadian society † ( Battiste, 1986, p. 36 ) . No affair where the First Nations kids were sent for instruction, the chief result the Canadian Government desired was assimilation of the ‘Indian ‘ . Daniel Paul attended an Indian Day School on the Indian Brook Reserve where assimilation was still in advancement ( Paul, 2006 ) Paul ( 2006 ) recalls his clip in this school and says he â€Å" can non remember any attempt being made – except for a brief mention to basket weaving and other traditional trades – to learn us about heritage and civilization † ( p. 291 ) . The deficiency of instruction of the First Nations heritage and civilization in the Indian twenty-four hours schools was merely another effort of the Canadia n Government to absorb the First Nations people. Assimilation of the First Nations people did non travel like the Canadian Government planned. There are still First Nations people widely spread all across Canada. Did the Indian Residential Schools affect the First Nations civilization and their individuality? Harmonizing to Kipling and Stout ( 2003 ) , the parents that grew up in Indian Residential Schools create what they call â€Å" intergenerational † Survivors by go throughing the injury they experienced down to their kids ( p. 51 ) . The effects of the schools non merely affected the First Nations people in them at the clip but for coevals to come. Kipling and Stout ( 2003 ) explains this to be â€Å" like a pebble dropped in a pool, traumatic effects tend to ruffle outward signifier victims to touch all those who surround them, including kids and grandchildren † ( p. 51 ) . The subsisters of the Indian Residential Schools ne’er had a opportunity to go near with their households and larn what healthy relationships were. Kipling and Stout ( 2003 ) suggest that the force that the subsisters encountered at the schools was used towards their ain kids subsequently in their lives because they did non cognize how to show fondness. This is what causes a rhythm of maltreatment. Unless this rhythm is stopped, every coevals will endure the same sort of force from their parents. The maltreatment can besides stem from defeat. When kids were old plenty they returned place to their parents where they felt like they did non belong because they did non hold the accomplishments to assist their parents out and ended up going ashamed of who they were ( CBC News, 2009 ) . Not everyone experienced the same things in the Indian Residential Schools. Some First Nations people believe they learned valuable accomplishments such as talking English, how to maintain their places in good form, stitching, cookery and praying, while others thought it was the most atrocious topographic point to be ( Knockwood, 1992 ) . Knockwood ( 1992 ) besides explains that some of the pupils thought the whippings were deserved, while some thought it was a safety from place because their parents abused them, and some pupils were the priests and nuns front-runners so they did non endure the penalties. Even though there were some First States people that seen the schools as a good topographic point to be while they were at that place, this did non halt the agony of the First Nations civilization and individuality. The First Nations civilization and linguistic communication are threatened because â€Å" several coevalss of kids holding grown up in a scene where any manifestation of Aboriginality was disparaged and devalued † ( Kipling A ; Stout, 2003, p. 34 ) . Kipling and Stout ( 2003 ) besides suggest that many subsisters are seeking to get by with both the maltreatment they suffered at the Indian Residential Schools along with the loss of their civilization. First Nations communities need to lodge together to mend if they want to convey back the civilization and linguistic communication of their ascendants. Without the instruction of traditions and linguistic communication, the First Nations individuality will be wholly gone. Randolph Bowers considers himself a Mi’kmaq adult male that is seeking to detect his ain individuality while seeking to assist others understand themselves better by bring outing their ain individuality ( Bowers, 2008 ) . The Indian Residential School did non affect Arbors straight but he states how it affected his household indirectly by stating: My household was non impacted by the residential school epoch straight. We were influenced indirectly. My grandma Honora Elizabeth Richard-Bowers lived during an epoch when the residential schools were enforced in Nova Scotia. For Metis households I suspect there was a changeless fright of authorities functionaries. Foster places, wards of the province, and residential schools were non far distant worlds for comparatively hapless Acadian households. Hiding their Aboriginal lineage was most likely really necessary during the late 1800s and early 1900s ( Arbors, 2008, p.37 ) . This shows that the Frist Nations people did non hold to be forced into an Indian Residential School to be stripped of their civilization and linguistic communication. Some of the households felt giving up their individuality was better than the alternate. Arbors ( 2008 ) goes on to state, â€Å" My experience is of being a non-status Indian turning up in a household that had about lost our connexions to Aboriginal heritage and civilization. There was ever a nothingness in my bosom, a immense portion of me that was losing † ( p. 29 ) . Arbors shows us that cognizing your heritage is of import in cognizing who you are. The grounds proves that the Indian Residential Schools took something from the First Nations people that was really of import to their individuality. It is of import for anyone to cognize who they are and where they came from, but for the First Nations people it is highly of import because happening their individuality though their traditions and linguistic communication aid mend the agony brought on by the Indian Residential Schools. Healing is an of import measure in recovering the civilization and linguistic communication of the First Nations people. Knockwood ( 1992 ) explains that it is of import that the subsisters of the Indian Residential Schools talk with other subsisters to assist with the healing procedure. Moayeri and Smith ( 2010 ) conducted interviews with two First States female parents that were former pupils at the Indian Residential Schools. These adult females have lost their individuality because of the maltreatment they suffered and the isolation they endured. In these interviews, the adult females explained that they were seeking to recover their individuality back by taking some power over their lives ( Moayeri A ; Smith, 2010 ) . Many pupils are still seeking to mend themselves in one manner or another and with the support of their First Nations communities, the procedure of mending would profit the subsister every bit good as coevalss to come. In decision, the Indian Residential Schools along with other efforts of assimilation of the First Nations heritage, civilization, linguistic communication, and individuality have affected the First Nations people. Arbors ( 2008 ) says, â€Å" We are Canadians, but if we do non cognize where we come from and who we are, we are nil † ( p. 38 ) . Reconnecting with the First Nations communities and larning about their lost heritage will assist mend the agony for the future coevalss of First Nations kids. Reclaiming their individualities will do the First Nations communities stronger to contend any other signifiers of assimilation that may happen in the hereafter. How to cite Destruction Of The First Nations Culture By Indian Residential Schools, Essay examples

Friday, May 1, 2020

Okay free essay sample

With the war revealing many immigrants to still have tentative sympathies for their other county, the US hoped to keep out dangerous radicals and communists who might poison the minds Of millions Of Europeans already in North America by restricting limitations. Soon enough, life for foreign born immigrants was not an easy one as hostilities rose and many Americans were deeply resentful towards anything foreign.After 1 918, many Americans began to look upon the whole conflict of the war and regretted that their country had become involved, this lead isolationism playing a key counterpart in a determination to curb immigration and preserve old American stock ethically as seen by the refusal of The Senate to ratify the Treaty of Versailles which consequently, lead to the refusal to make the USA a member of the league of nations even though America had been the key stone towards this.The hostility shown towards many immigrants was due to many reasons such as; The Red Scare, Social Fears, Religious Fears, World War One, Anti- immigrant feeling and Immigration Laws. The American Dream. This was something that vast numbers of immigrants were seeking when they abandoned their motherlands and headed across the Atlantic to reach the land of opportunity. Americans began to gain hostility toward new immigrants coming in from Southern and Eastern Europe, escaping poverty and persecution with very little money and few skills seeking work in growing industries in the cities during and after the war in 1918.Hostilities rose further as as the immigrants were shown to be prepared to work in appalling conditions, of which average Americans would not, and for very little pay. As many Americans were sent off to fight in the war, employers took this advantage of hiring cheap immigrant labor to take their jobs. After 191 8, hen many US soldiers had returned from the war, they came back to find a saturated labor market, with employers preferring the cheap work that the immigrants provided.As a result, Trade Unions backed the Dialing Commissions idea of a literacy test for immigrants in the hope that it would limit the entrance of unskilled workers in the USA. It did not, however, decrease the resentment that many Americans felt towards immigrant s after being replaced in work with them, and soon enough many limitations and assumptions were made such as canceling German languages in schools and alleges, having German Americans beaten, tarred and feathered.F-implies with German sounding surnames changing them, Sauerkraut became known as Liberty cabbage, many Irish immigrants were suspected of being dangerously anti-British and potentially, anti-American if they were Catholic, and many Eastern Europeans were suspected of being Communists or Anarchists. To Americans, the unfamiliarity of the immigrants with the ways of democracy and their general mistrust of Government loomed as a threat to the constitution of US republican Government.One of the most important reasons that Americans developed a hostile feeling towards immigrants after WWW was the fear of revolution, in particular a communist revolution, commonly named the Red Scare. Many Americans were concerned that immigrants coming to America from Eastern Europe and Russia might share the same values that radical communist of the Bolsheviks did and Americans commonly perceived immigrants as people with radical political views. This was found to typically be untrue with only a small minority sharing these radical political views.Many Russians were suspected f being associated with communism and were jailed or deported, some people who were merely though to be Russian were also jailed. In January 1920, J Edgar Hoover of the General Intelligence Division within the Department of Ju stice, organized Communist raids in 33 cities, arresting 6,000 foreign radicals and put them in jail without trial. Many were held in filthy conditions and beaten until they would sign confessions. Although, due to lack of evidence, many were released although 600 were deported.Local police departments and the Federal Justice Department continued to harass hose who supported Socialist of Communist ideas. The specter of the Russian Revolution , coupled with the economic recession, set off the Red Scare Period. Us government and organizations purporting to defend Americanism responded to any activity that was perceived to be radical. US atoners, Mitchell Palmer gave an order to break the back of radicalism by purging America of Southern and Eastern Europeans immigrants, who he believed were foreign born subversives and agitators. The scare was escalated when a seemingly random spree of mail bombs were used by a antic fringe to spread fear. The Red Scare, along with similar scares was however all but gone with very few people still fearing them after 1920. The Red Scare increased hostility towards immigrants, however it was very short lived and the majority of those persecuted for being associated with it were in no way associated with communist or anarchist views.Like the Red Scare, Social fears were a big factor as to why the USA adopted hostility towards immigrants after WWW; also like the Red Scare most Of the claims made are untrue or hyperbolic in nature. Immigrants lived in erroneous conditions, many in poor ghettos, typically congregating in big industrial cities. The immigrants wanted a sense of family and shared culture when they moved to America which resulted in them moving into a particular area or street with other families of immigrants, any existing residents refused to live in the same area as them and left, taking any political prestige the area had won with it.These areas were typically run down and overcrowded. Crime was a constant fixture within these ghettos and although most of the claims were exaggerated they s till had major problems with ambling, vagrancy, petty theft and prostitution. Any social disorder that arose was deemed the fault of an immigrant by Americans, with statistics in crime rates soaring high in neighborhoods with high concentrations of immigrants despite the only crime that was particularly noticeable was that of petty theft, vagrancy and drunkenness. Many Americans were appalled by the fact that a vast majority of immigrants refused to conform to American traditions and society, continuing to still practice their Mother lands traditional culture, speaking in their native language and wearing their rotational clothes. Another social fear is that of Immigrants stealing jobs from Americans, they believed that since immigrants would work for less pay and do more hours so that they undermined anything trade unions could do to improve working standards.It was also believed that with the increase in immigrants they would lead to a shortage of houses and cause costs to rise, this was however untrue as immigrants usually lived in ghettos in terrible conditions in high rise houses. Although settlements workers were more realistic in acknowledging that abominable living conditions, sickness, fear ND loneliness were the real causes of crime. Social workers argued that the thieves who stole small amounts of food, clothing or money were desper ately attempting to cope with poverty and hopelessness, rather than responding to an innate criminality.Yet the myth of immigrant criminality persisted and the majority Of Americans continued to blame the immigrants for the majority Of social disorders. Americans were scared that the newly found immigrants who came into America after the war would cause America to become UN-American. Immigrants brought new religions into America, such as Catholicism by Italians, Greeks and Poles or Judaism from Eastern Europe; this increased many hostilities as the traditional American religion was predominantly Protestant.After WWW, Protestant Americans sought to reaffirm orthodox Protestant Christianity, resulting in the birth of the fundamentalist movement. Forces of modernity gathered momentum following WWW , this seem to be eroding away the fabric of the traditional beliefs of White Anglo Saxon Protestant, aka WASP communities. Many Protestant Fundamentalists aimed to defend traditional religion by emphasizing a literal interpretation Of he bible and targeted Darnings theory of evolution as a symbol for what was wrong in modern society.The trial of The State of Tennessee v. S John Thomas Scopes, informally known as the Scopes Trial was a landmark American legal case in 1 92 against High School teacher, John Scopes, violating Tennessee Butler Act in 1925, which was an act p rohibiting public school teachers from denying the Biblical account of mans origin. The trial saw modernists, who said religion was consistent with evolution, against fundamentalists who said the word of God as revealed in the Bible took rarity over all human knowledge. This trial resulted in the teaching of evolution expanding despite many Americans protests. The rising increase of fears about religion and traditional American moral values soon lead to an increase in hostilities and change in attitude towards immigrants as Americans feared Catholics would continue to pay allegiance to the Pope rather than their new country, as well as Jewish and Russian immigrants facing similar hostility. Anti-immigrant feeling was widespread and many Americans of longer standing began to feel like traditional American values Were under threat room new immigrants.Persecution was not unfamiliar to Americans and had been around, and practiced, for many years prior to 1918. A large percentage of this anti-immigrant feeling was directed towards Chinese and Japanese immigrants with laws put it place to stop them working in labor intensive jobs, such as the gold rush and rail road work and in 1 924 there was a ban put on Japanese immigration. Nativities believed that th e immigrants were a danger to society and the American way of life and this feeling began to be widespread. Most serious was the hostility generated by ordinary people who led Natives views. They believed that immigrants threatened their economic and social position as they distrusted foreigners as they did not uphold the American lifestyle and only provided competition for jobs. A Natives political party was established in the asses, known as the American Party, it wanted immigrants to be allowed to enter the USA but meaning they had to wait 21 years after arrival for full citizens rights. Nativity was a way of Americans to be united under the preservation of the United States, it caused hostility as it imagined to make immigrants second class citizens and not have full rights.Immigration laws were perhaps an outcome of some natives groups and campaigns, but mostly due to the increased hostility that had been left behind after the war. These new laws were aimed primarily at new immigrants. The main pieces of legislation against immigration were the Emergency Quota Act of 1 921 and the National Origins Act of 1924. The Emergency Quota Act permitted 357,000 immigrants ent ering America per year, although many anti-immigrant Americans believed that this was not restrictive enough. Henceforth, through the coalition of eugenicists and some big-business interests, the National Origins Act was put in place to replace the Emergency Quota Act. It was to limit the number of new immigrants but also try to ensure the ethnic makeup of America. E number allowed in to the States was dropped to 2% and it was designed to limit competition on jobs. As a results these acts show the increased hostility towards immigrants as they were restricted from entering America and the old open door policy, was now closed to many.The government did not believe that the new immigrants enriched the life and culture of the USA. This resulted in there being more fear of immigrants, xenophobia and racial persecution. There was clearly an increase in hostility towards immigrants and immigration after 191 8, with WWW playing a key role as a catalyst towards this. The aftermath of WWW is apparent in the actions taken against German immigrants, the new immigration laws being placed, the closing of the open- door policy, the uprising of new social and economic fears as well as the isolationism that America placed itself in.

Saturday, March 21, 2020

presidential term essays

presidential term essays Although the debate over term limits dates back to the birth of our nation, the problems still exist. Term limitation is not strictly a modern topic. The presidential term limit also aroused debates amongst the founding fathers of the United States (Milkis 36). The president of the United States is elected by the entire nation, therefore government is kept near to the people. The people have the right to choose and judge who they will and will not elect into office. The presidential term limit should be bolished because it prevents and deprives society of experienced servants. Term limitations reduce the incentives for political accountability. Our founding fathers believed that imposing term limits would create enhanced participation in government and greater representation of the people. Arguments between our founding fathers were common especially when they were creating the presidency. Our fore fathers had many ideas about term limitations, some for the limitation and some for no limit, in 1797 the convention voted to have only one term (Milkis 36). Many delegates saw that the advantages of reeligibility were powerful, but the issue remained. Reeligibility will not only give the nation a way to keep a good president in office, it also gave the executive who is running for office a good motive to good behavior and to do everything to the best of his ability once in office. Reeligibility would also give an executive with ambition and avarice a good motive to be reelected. The issue still remained alive. According to Noah Webter the president of the United States of America is elective (McCormick 41). If the president of the Unites States of America is able to lead the nation into prosperity and progress there is no reason why he should be restricted to a two four years term. There have been great presidents in the United States that could have served for more then two ...

Thursday, March 5, 2020

May Day Activities for Grades 1-3

May Day Activities for Grades 1-3 Each May, schools across the globe celebrate spring on May Day (May 1). This holiday has been celebrated for thousands of years, and traditions include giving flowers, singing, and dancing around a Maypole. Celebrate the arrival of spring by providing your students with a few of these festive May Day activities. Maypole May Day is often celebrated with a Maypole dance. This popular custom includes weaving ribbons around a pole. To create your own Maypole have students take turns wrapping ribbon (or crepe paper) around a pole. Have two students walk around the pole in opposite directions weaving the ribbon in and out. Once students get the hang of it, play some music and allow them to skip, or dance around the pole as they weave the ribbon. To unwind the ribbon have students reverse their direction. Continue this process until all of the students have had a turn. For additional fun, decorate the top of the Maypole with flowers and have students sing the Maypole song. Maypole Song Here we go around the pole,Round the pole,Round the pole,Here we go around the poleOn the first day of May.(Students name) goes around the pole,Round the pole,Round the pole,(Students name) goes around the poleOn the first day of May. May Baskets Another popular May Day custom is to create a May Day basket. These baskets are filled with candy and flowers and left on the doorstep of a friends home. Back in the day, children would make a basket and leave it on the front porch or the doorknob of a friends home, then they would ring the doorbell and quickly leave without being seen. To renew this fun custom with your students have each child create a basket for a classmate. Materials: Coffee filtersWatercolor markersWater (spray bottle with water)TapeScissorsTissue paper Steps: Have students decorate the coffee filter with the markers, then spray the filter with water so the color bleeds. Set aside to dry.Alternate different color tissue paper (about 3-6) and fold in half twice, then trim the edge, rounding the corners so it almost looks like a triangle.Poke a hole into the point of the tissue paper and secure a pipe cleaner. Then start unfolding the paper to create a petal.Once the basket is dry and the flowers are made, place each flower into the basket. May Day Hoops On May Day young girls would often decorate a wooden hoop with spring flowers and compete in a contest to see who had the best-looking hoop. To re-create this May Day custom, have students partner up and decorate a hula-hoop. Provide students with art supplies, such as ribbon, flowers, crepe paper, yarn, feathers, felt, and markers. Have students decorate the hoop as they wish. Be sure to encourage students to be creative and use their imaginations. May Day Writing Prompts Here are a few May Day writing prompts to encourage your students to think about May Day traditions and customs. What is your favorite May Day tradition or custom?What would you put in your May Day basket?What kinds of games would you play on May Day?How would you decorate a Maypole, give details?Who would you like to leave you a basket, and why? May Day Stories Explore May Day even further by reading a few of these stories to your students on May Day. On the Morn of Mayfest written by Erica SilvermanLittle Grey Rabbits May Day written by Allison UttleyThe Rainbow Tulip  written by Pat MoraQueen of the May   written by Steven Kroll

Monday, February 17, 2020

Do Merit-Based Scholarships Make Sense Research Paper

Do Merit-Based Scholarships Make Sense - Research Paper Example This essay discusses why merit-based scholarships do not actually make sense and why they are unfavorable and unfair for financially needy students. Because of their vested interests, university and college managements seek to attract meritorious students through merit-based scholarships to enhance the public image and fame of their institutions. Merit-based scholarships are provided irrespective of the beneficiary’s financial status, often resulting in the provision of scholarships to those who can already afford their education, and may also result in the disproportionate distribution of financial aid at the expense of need-based scholarships. These scholarships are usually based on admission tests that are not designed for this purpose, and therefore, they are unfair and damage the educational system. In fact, it appears that merit-based scholarships are designed to satiate the interests of college managements and often violate the rights of those actually in need of financ ial aid. These scholarships do not really make sense because financial assistance is provided to the student irrespective of whether he/she needs it or not. As will be discussed further on, merit-based scholarships do more harm than good to the education system. ... A look at Lewis & Clark College scholarships shows that meritorious students in fields such as music and forensics, and those with leadership qualities and other such traits are more favored. Peter Schmidt (2007), in his article, â€Å"At the elite colleges - dim white kids†, argues that the admission policies of most colleges are not usually fair and that more preference is often given to whites from affluent families or those with connections. According to him, students with â€Å"connections† or are from wealthy families obtain entry into colleges and universities selectively through recommendations from wealthy alumni and donors who grant endowments to those educational institutions. Schmidt further argues that the endowments received by educational institutions are also disproportionately distributed. According to him, only 40% of the money from financial aid is being distributed to students having financial need. The remaining is being used for merit-based scholar ships to â€Å"potential recruits who can enhance a college's reputation, or appear likely to cover the rest of their tuition tab and to donate down the road†. As Grossman puts it, â€Å"colleges are like any business for whom â€Å"quality† customers enhance the reputation of the product and attract other customers† (1995). Educational institutions must move on from being mere â€Å"businesses† with vested interests to being cradles of quality education with equal educational opportunities for all. It is seen that merit based scholarships are provided irrespective of the beneficiary’s financial status. Even if a student is wealthy enough to afford his fee, he avails merit-based scholarships based on his exceptional achievements. Other needy students who cannot afford their education

Monday, February 3, 2020

What best explains peoples willingness to work hard Essay

What best explains peoples willingness to work hard - Essay Example Motivation is something abstract and the difficulties arise when one tries to explain its meaning and application. A wide variety of assumptions have been made on motivation by observing the resultant behaviour of motivation. Based on these assumptions and research findings, motivation has been defined in a number of ways. Vroom defines motivation as a process, which governs choices made by persons or lower organisms among alternative forms of voluntary activity. (Vroom, 1964 as cited in Putti) Motivations are the act of inducing an individual to follow a desired course of action. The desired course of action may be for the good of the individual or for the one who is inducing the individual towards a desired course of action or both. Zedeck and blood contend that motivation is a predisposition to act in a specific goal-directed way. (Sedeck & Blood, 1974 as cited in Putti) Atchison further defines Motivation as the immediate influence on the direction, vigor, and persistence of beha viour. (Atchison, 1964 as cited in Putti) on the other hand Gellerman defines motivation as steering one’s actions towards certain goals and committing a certain part of one’s energies to reach them. (Gellerman, 1963 as cited in Putti) In the view of Shartle, motivation is â€Å"a reported urge or tension to move in a given direction or to achieve a certain goal. (Shartle, 1956 as cited in Putti) Hence, Motivation can make the employees get all the targets settled by the Organisations. There are several ways by which employees can be motivated the most important is to address the needs of the employees. Just as the definition of basic human needs is a highly complex task, it naturally follows that there are no easy assumptions concerning what employees really want from the organisation. In various surveys, the following are some of the more typically specified wants. The first and the

Sunday, January 26, 2020

Yuan as a Dominant Currency

Yuan as a Dominant Currency This essay expresses my humble opinion on the idea of the displacement of the U.S. dollar by the Chinese currency, Yuan as the dominant currency in the global financial system, the possibilities of it occurring, reasons of why Yuan should displace the U.S dollar which include the benefits of internationalisation of Yuan to the Chinese onshore and offshore companies, foreign companies, global importers, investors, China, and of course to the rest of the world. Although it remains uncertain and questionable, I believe that China could displace the U.S. as the worlds strongest economy, and that the Yuan, Chinese currency may become the world’s global currency, or even replace the U.S. dollar as the dominant currency. It could even happen in our lifetimes. But, it will be a slow and long process that may result in a U.S. dollar decline, not a collapse. Also, I do believe that the Yuan should replace the U.S. dollar as the dominant currency in the global financial system, as the internationalisation of Yuan can bring numerous benefits not only to individuals, but corporations and governments worldwide as well. In the aftermath of the GFC (global financial crisis), the status of the U.S. dollar as the worlds reserve currency has gradually come into question. Heady money printing practices by the Fed of the United States has weakened the value of the U.S. dollar as many countries have considered in diversifying their assets into other currencies in order to diversify their currency risk, causing the reliability of the U.S. dollar to be questionable. The question then remains in which other currency is strong enough to substitute the U.S. dollar as the dominant currency in the global financial system. In spite of the crippling debt and undermine fundamentals in the United States, one of the main reasons why the U.S. dollar still continues to dominate is due to the fact that other countries have their own share of issues as well. And thus, the dollars strength is more relative. But recently, there have been â€Å"rumours† and talks that the Yuan/ Renminbi, the Chinese currency has the ability to supersede U.S. dollar as dominant currency in the global financial system and being the top reserve currency around the globe.   China is currently the world’s biggest manufacturer and exporter as well as its second largest economy according to ChinaDailyhttp://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2014-03/02/content_17315230.htm. Yet its currency, Yuan, which is still cautiously managed by the Chinese government, only has a small percentage of market shares which is substantially behind the U.S. dollar, and is hardly being traded on foreign exchange markets. However, the trading volumes are gradually increasing. During the last quarter of year 2013, the Yuan overtook the euro and became the second most used currency in the global trade finance after the U.S. dollar, based on the Society of Worldwide Inter-bank Financial Telecommunication. Since then, it became the 9th most traded international currency around the globe, according to a financial report created by the Bank of International Settlements. Some economists and analysts forecast that the Chinese currency will continue to rise in the next few decades. Al l the signs mentioned above indicate that the Yuan is gaining greater stature to be a more stable and suitable dominant currency. One of the great reasons why the Yuan should replace U.S. dollar as the dominant currency is the stability of Yuan. The steady economy growth of China for the past few years has almost proven its currency, Yuan a steady and safe currency to invest in. People may argue that the euro, yen, British pound could serve as a strong currency that can be the dominant currency as well; however, most of these economies have not been doing great since 2008. This is especially clear in Europe, where a sovereign debt crisis is brewing, and Japan, where a robust recovery from the last two decades has been put on hold by a combination of several incidents like nuclear power disasters, the spill over from the weak European economies and the 2007 U.S. financial crisis. The internationalisation of Yuan will occur before Yuan becomes the dominant currency. Therefore, the benefits of globalised Yuan can be solid arguments in why should Yuan replace the U.S dollar as dominant currency. There are many benefits when Yuan is internationalized. China has started to loosen its control for its financial markets recently and slowly opening up access to the onshore markets. In the year of 2007, the Chinese government started to issue RMB-denominated bonds, notes, and funds, which are named as â€Å"dim-sum bonds† in Hong Kong. Since year 2009, companies located in Mainland China have been able to perform cross-border trade in Yuan. This enables any onshore companies in China to reduce their transaction costs, speed up payments, and ensure for a better management of foreign exchange risks. â€Å"In the longer term, this will and can obtain wider benefits.† says Professor Yeh, associate professor of the Department of Finance at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. For instance, this will enable the companies to lower down the price of their products or services, and pass on the cost savings to the customers. On the other hand, the use of Yuan undoubtedly benefits foreign companies including the U.S. companies as well. Many U.S. companies such as McDonald’s, have taken advantage to issue RMB-denominated bonds in China and Hong Kong to save companies a fortune in terms of interest and transaction costs. Moreover, issuing RMB-denominated bonds is a great way to hedge currency risks as well. Given the slow economy growth in the western countries, holding a RMB-bond can diversify the currency risk imposed by the U.S dollar and euro. RMB- denominated bonds are a good financial instrument for companies to conduct business in China in protecting them from any fluctuations in currency values in the future. More advantage in using Yuan in conducting business with the Chinese is the discounts that Chinese business leaders may provide if a business transaction is deal in Yuan. According to the HSBC’s research, 56 per cent of Chinese business leaders would offer discounts to their trading partners for transactions performed in Yuan for up to three to five per cent. U.S. multinationals with business operations in China can also benefit when they perform transactions in Yuan, as it enables them to centralize their management of foreign exchange. Instead of managing their foreign exchange exposure in China, they could centrally manage it in a regional or global centre in New York, Singapore or even Hong Kong, for instance. Next, China is a top import and export market for many countries around the world including the U.S., according to ChinaDaily USA http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2014-05/08/content_17493372.htm. It was also the biggest recipient of foreign direct investment in the first six months of year 2012, based on HSBC research. According to http://www.cfr.org/china/uneasy-us-chinese-trade-relationship/p10482, the trade between China and the U.S. is healthy. As a matter of fact, 77 per cent of U.S. business leaders claimed that they do import from China and 49 per cent claimed that they have export partners in China, according to a survey performed by HSBC. Since the U.S. has the largest percentage of international trading activities with China, the U.S. could benefit from the use of Yuan in conducting their trading business with China. For the benefits of importers, performing trade activities with the Chinese trading partners in Yuan relates to pricing. When U.S. dollar is accepted as payment in trading transactions, the Chinese companies usually factor in the foreign exchange risk by adjusting their price. By completing the payment in Yuan, the importers stand a better chance to negotiate for a lower price or even obtaining better trade terms. Moreover, invoicing in Yuan helps to increase the supplier base in China importers too, as the Chinese companies appreciate this practice a lot. With a bigger supplier base from which to choose, the importers obtain a bigger bargaining power in negotiating price and terms. On the same hand, a globalised Yuan brings several advantages to international investors as well. International investors could diversify their investment and currency risk by investing into other currency like Yuan, rather than just the U.S. dollar or euro. The modern portfolio theory states that the more unrelated assets you have, the less impact of currency risk will be encountered through diversification (http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/assetallocation.htm). Just like any democracy, at least two parties are needed to achieve balance. The same goes to international currencies, with an extra option to invest in, investors could enjoy the diversification advantage. Today, U.S. dollar is the dominant currency; therefore, U.S. domestic fiscal and monetary policy has significant effect outside and inside the United States. If there is more international currency, then there would be more choices and investors will be less susceptible to U.S. policy decisions. While the impact caused by the 2007 global economic crisis did not affect a huge number of Chinese investors, but the fallout has been serious, as values of the savings around the world have plummeted. The 2007 financial crisis has a great impact on the mind-set of international investors, especially, about the safeness of the dollar. National banks, China’s included, have experienced the fall of the value of their foreign currency reserves significantly, as the dollar and euro weakened during the crisis period. Therefore, more choices of international reserve currencies can provide better checks and balances, which are very essential to monetary policy makers around the world, showing the benefits of Yuan being internationalised and as a dominant currency. Furthermore, if Yuan ever became the dominant currency, it would allow China, which holds substantial amount of money reserves, to be less dependent on foreign currency reserves, and therefore less affected by the currency fluctuations. Moreover, a globalised Yuan could bring direct financial benefits to China in the form of seigniorage as well. Seigniorage is the profit made by a government by issuing their currency with the difference between the fair value of the money and the cost of producing it, explained by (investopedia) http://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/seigniorage.asp. So if the fair value of the money is greater than the cost of producing it, the money, then China will enjoy a financial gain. Some economists even estimate this could amount up to USD of 2.5 billion a year. Other than seigniorage, if Yuan became the dominant currency, China could also enjoys further benefits, including prestige, lower borrowing costs for the government, corporations, and households, and a much lower if not zero probability of a debt and financial crisis. The dominance of Yuan would bring obvious benefits to China, which includes a lower risk of capital loss triggered by a depreciation of the U.S. dollar or euro. What about the effects to the Europe, United States, and other countries? Firstly, since the Western economy is not performing well recently, if the benefits from the dominance of the Yuan helps to convince the Chinese to buy more of their debt, it could aid to hold down their borrowing cost, indirectly billing them out from the poor economy. Secondly, with a greater Yuan flexibility, China will worry less about the capital loss on its foreign exchange holdings. As such, China would be more willing to hold on to their fixed exchange rate regime. This could benefits not only to China, but to all the countries that perform trading activities with China as well. During the 2008 GFC, China decided to change back to a fixed exchange rate regime after implementing a semi-floated currency regime for a short couple of years http://www.investopedia.com/articles/forex/08/pegged-vs-floating-currencies.asp. This decision aided the Chinese economy to emerge 2 years later relatively well. Since then, China has been trying to control its economy from growing too fast. If afloating exchange rate regime is used by China, American demand for Chinese goods would definitely force up the exchange rate and inflate the price of the Chinese goods, causing the Chinese goods less desirable eventually http://www.netplaces.com/economics/foreign-exch ange-and-the-balance-of-payments/to-fix-or-float-that-is-the-question.htm. This is undoubtedly important to the Western governments. Thus this should be considered worth facilitating. However, some might believe that the United States would never tolerate the humiliation with its government debt denominated in a foreign currency. But if the U.S. does, it certainly would not be the first country to do so. Most countries denominated their debt in foreign currency whenever they need to make borrowings from the international capital market. Furthermore, history reveals that the U.S. is very pragmatic. History also shows that the U.S. has denominated part of its government debt in foreign currency before, mostly the deutsche mark, a German currency before the adoption of euro, in the 1970s. In any case, everyone has to weigh the benefits and the costs for doing everything. In my opinion, the benefits outweigh the costs in this case. To a certain extent, an international role for the Yuan seems inevitable. How often and widely a currency is used and traded around the globe is generally a function of how significant and important its home country is to the world economy. In the 19th century, while the British Empire reigned supreme, the British currency, Pound was recognised as the top international currency. Ever since World War II, the role of Pound has been substituted by the U.S. dollar, as the U.S. is currently the worlds largest economy. Now that China is catching up rapidly with a stable economy growth that placed itself second after the U.S., the potential of its currency may progress to a point where it substitutes U.S. dollar as a global currency. If the growth continues at its current pace, it is possible that China’s economy could surpass the United States within the next two decades. Therefore, there is a strong reason to believe that Yuan could replace the U.S. dollar and dash into the big lea gue of international currencies. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-16/china-economy-passes-japan-s-in-second-quarter-capping-three-decade-rise.html However, the Yuan is still currently far from that league. As a matter of fact, it can hardly be found in the world currency markets. The chief reason is cause by the Chinese policy. The Chinese Government restrictions restrain the Yuan from being traded freely around the globe or being fully convertible into other currencies in almost all financial transactions. The Chinese currency value is pegged to a basket full of currencies which are most probably dominated by the U.S. dollar and is only permitted to adjust each day within an allowed and narrow band. With such limitations, the potential of Yuan cannot progress very far. http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1911671,00.html Nevertheless, it is believed that the Yuan could be one of the world’s top currencies and may be able to fully convertible sometime in the future. Therefore, I believe that the Yuan could serve as a potential hedge against the U.S. dollar as the dominant currency to the world. In conclusion there are numerous advantages as for Yuan to be the dominant currency, including the stability of Yuan compared to the U.S. dollar, benefits of globalisation of Yuan to the Chinese companies, foreign companies, international importers, investors, China, Europe, United State and other country around the world. Thus, I do believe that the Yuan should replace the U.S. dollar as the dominant currency in the global financial system.

Saturday, January 18, 2020

The Indigo Spell Chapter Eight

I THINK ADRIAN WOULD'VE gone hunting Ms. Terwilliger's sister with me then and there. Amberwood's curfew wouldn't allow it, and besides, it was something I wanted to do in daylight. To his credit, he did heal Marcus without them getting into a fistfight, so that was progress. Marcus lost a little of his animosity and tried to engage Adrian in conversation about what spirit could do. Adrian gave wary responses and looked relieved when Sabrina showed up to take Marcus away. He gave me a mysterious farewell, simply saying he'd text me soon about the â€Å"next stage.† I was too tired to ask for more details and headed back to my dorm to sleep off what had been a pretty crazy day. I was awakened at the crack of dawn by heavy pounding at my door. I squinted at the clock, grimacing when I saw that it was an hour earlier than I usually got up. I stayed in bed, hoping whoever it was would go away. If there was something really urgent happening, someone would've called me on my cell phone. The display showed no missed calls, however. Unfortunately, the knocking didn't stop. With a feeling of dread, I finally dragged myself up, half-afraid of what I'd find outside my door. It was Angeline. â€Å"Finally,† she said, inviting herself into my room. â€Å"I thought you'd never answer.† â€Å"Sorry,† I said, shutting the door behind her. â€Å"I was busy sleeping.† She walked right up to my bed and sat down like she owned it. I really didn't know her schedule, but she always struck me as a late riser. Apparently not today. She was dressed in a school uniform, with her brilliant red hair pulled back in what was, for her, a rather tidy ponytail. â€Å"I have a problem,† she said. My feeling of dread grew. I turned on my coffeemaker, which I always had ready with fresh grounds and water. Something told me I was going to need a cup to get through this. â€Å"What's going on?† I asked, settling into my desk chair. I made no attempt at even guessing. When it came to Angeline, her problems could range from throwing a desk in rage or accidentally spilling hydrochloric acid on another student. Both had happened recently. â€Å"I'm failing math,† she said. This was unwelcome but not unexpected news. Angeline's mountain community, while still educating its children, didn't quite match the standards of Amberwood's elite curriculum. She struggled in a number of her classes but had managed to scrape by so far. â€Å"I'm already in trouble in my Spanish class,† she added. â€Å"But that pinata I made got me some extra credit, so I'm hanging in there okay for now.† I'd heard about the pinata. It had been for her class's cultural day, and she'd been so thorough with her papier-mache that none of her classmates had been able to open it through normal means. Angeline had ended up beating it against a wall and had to be stopped by her teacher when she'd produced a lighter. â€Å"But if I slip there and in math, I could get expelled.† That dragged me away from the flammable pinata and back to the present. â€Å"Ugh,† I said, having no better way to articulate my thoughts. The problem with a school that had high standards was . . . well, it had high standards. Trouble in one class might be tolerated, but not two. And if Angeline got kicked out, we'd be down one level of security for Jill – not to mention the fact that I'd probably get blamed for it all. â€Å"Ms. Hayward told me I need to get a tutor. She says I either need to get better or at least show I'm trying.† That was promising, I supposed. Even if a tutor couldn't help, hopefully the school would be lenient with her good faith effort. â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"We'll get you a tutor.† She frowned. â€Å"Why can't you do it? You're smart. You're good at math.† Why couldn't I? Well, first I had to stop an evil sorceress from sucking the youth and power from innocent girls. Then I had to crack the secrets and lies that the organization I'd been born into was telling me. Instead I said, â€Å"I'm busy.† â€Å"You have to do it. It'd be easy for you,† she protested. â€Å"Really busy,† I said. â€Å"I'm surprised Eddie can't do it.† His name brought a smile to her face. â€Å"He offered, but his grades are just average. I need someone really good.† â€Å"Then I'll get you someone really good. I just can't do it myself right now.† Angeline didn't like that answer, but at least she didn't flip over my desk. â€Å"Okay. Fine. Just hurry up.† â€Å"Yes, your majesty,† I muttered, watching her strut out of my room in a huff. At least Angeline's academic problems were something a little easier to deal with than the other supernatural intrigues occupying my time. Since I was already awake and had coffee, I decided there was no point in going back to sleep. I showered and dressed, then caught up on some extra homework while I waited for breakfast. When the serving time started in our cafeteria, I headed downstairs and lingered near the entrance. It only took about five minutes before my friend Kristin Sawyer came by. She always went running before class started and was usually one of the first in line for breakfast afterward. She was also in AP calculus with me. â€Å"Hey,† I said, falling in step with her. â€Å"Good run?† â€Å"Great run,† she said. There was still a little sweat on her dark skin. â€Å"A lot nicer now that the weather's cooler.† She eyed me curiously. â€Å"I don't usually see you here this early. I don't usually see you eat breakfast.† â€Å"It's the most important meal of the day, right?† I selected oatmeal and an apple. â€Å"Besides, I have a favor to ask you.† Kristin nearly dropped the plate of scrambled eggs one of the servers handed to her. Her brown eyes widened. â€Å"You have a favor to ask me?† While I wasn't responsible for my human friends in the same way I was the Moroi and dhampirs, I still had a tendency to look after them. I'd helped Kristin a number of times. â€Å"Yeah . . . my cousin Angeline needs a math tutor.† There was an expectant look on Kristin's face, like she was waiting for me to finish my story. Then understanding hit. â€Å"Who, me? No. No way.† â€Å"Oh, come on. It'd be easy.† I followed her to a table, having to hurry to catch up. I think she thought that if she walked quickly enough, she might be able to escape my request. â€Å"She's in remedial math. You could tutor her in your sleep.† Kristin sat down and gave me a long, level look. â€Å"Sydney, I saw your cousin punch a grown man and throw a speaker at someone. Do you really think I'm going to sign on for a job that makes her do work she doesn't want to do? What if she gets frustrated at what I'm telling her? How do I know she won't stab me with a compass?† â€Å"You don't,† I admitted. â€Å"But I think it's unlikely. Probably. She really wants to improve her grade. Otherwise, she could get kicked out.† â€Å"Sorry.† Kristin actually did look legitimately apologetic. â€Å"You know I'd do almost anything for you – but not this. You're going to have to find someone who's not afraid of her.† I thought about her words over and over as I headed off to history class. She was right. But the only people completely at ease around her were Eddie and Jill, and they were off the list as tutors. I wondered if maybe I should offer up money to someone when I went to calculus later. â€Å"Miss Melbourne.† Ms. Terwilliger was back in her classroom, no doubt to the relief of yesterday's sub. She waved me up to her messy desk and handed me a single sheet of paper. â€Å"Here's the list we discussed.† I scanned it. It contained the names of six girls as well as their addresses. These must be the ones she'd mentioned, girls with known magical aptitude but no coven or teacher to look out for them. All the addresses were in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. â€Å"I trust Mrs. Santos got you the other information you needed for your project?† â€Å"Yes.† Mrs. Santos had emailed me the historical neighborhoods she knew about, and I'd narrowed them down to a couple likely candidates. â€Å"I'll start working on the, uh, project this weekend.† Ms. Terwilliger arched an eyebrow. â€Å"Why are you putting it off? I've never known you to procrastinate on an assignment.† I was a little startled. â€Å"Well . . . normally I don't, ma'am. But this is going to take some extra time – travel time – and I don't have enough of it on school days.† â€Å"Ah,† she said, realization hitting her. â€Å"Well, then, you may use your independent study for it. That'll give you extra time. And I'll tell Mrs. Weathers you may be coming in after curfew. I'll make sure that she's accommodating. This project is of the utmost importance.† There was no protest I could make. â€Å"I'll start today, then.† As I was walking back to my desk, a voice said, â€Å"Jeez, Melbourne. Just when I thought that independent study you had with her couldn't get any easier . . . now you don't even have to show up for class?† I paused to give Trey a smile. He was Ms. Terwilliger's assistant during this class period, meaning he did a lot of filing and photocopying. â€Å"It's a very important assignment,† I said. â€Å"I guess. What is it?† â€Å"It'd bore you.† I did a double take as I looked him over. I didn't even have to grope for a change in conversation. â€Å"What happened to you?† His eyes were bloodshot, and the unkempt state of his black hair suggested he hadn't had a shower this morning. There was a sallow, almost sickly hue to his normally tan skin. He gave me a weak smile and lowered his voice. â€Å"Craig Lo's brother scored us some beer last night. It was from some microbrewery I guess that's good.† I groaned. â€Å"Trey, I thought you were better than that.† Trey managed as much of an indignant look as he could in his hungover state. â€Å"Hey, some of us like to have a little fun now and then. You should give it a shot sometime. I already tried to help you with Brayden, but you messed that up.† â€Å"I didn't mess anything up!† Brayden was a barista who worked with Trey, one who rivaled me when it came to a love of academia and random knowledge. Our brief relationship had been full of facts and low on passion. â€Å"He broke up with me.† â€Å"You wouldn't guess it. Did you know he writes all this lovesick poetry about you on his breaks?† I was taken aback. â€Å"He . . . he does?† The reason Brayden had broken up with me was because my various duties to my vampire family had constantly interfered with the two of us, forcing me to neglect him and cancel a lot. â€Å"I feel kind of bad he took it that hard. I'm surprised he'd have such a, I don't know, outburst of passion.† Trey snorted. â€Å"I don't know that it's that passionate. He's more concerned about form and sits around with books detailing iambic pentameter and sonnet analysis.† â€Å"Okay, that sounds more like him.† The bell was about to ring, so I had started to return to my seat when I noticed something on Trey's desk. â€Å"You're not done with that?† It was a big homework assignment we had for our chemistry class, involving a number of complicated acid and base problems. It was due in our next period, and it seemed unlikely Trey would finish in time since all he had on the paper so far was his name. â€Å"Yeah . . . I was going to finish it last night, but . . .† â€Å"Right. The beer. Having fun.† I didn't even bother to hide my disapproval. â€Å"That's a huge part of our grade.† â€Å"I know, I know.† He looked down at the papers with a sigh. â€Å"I'll finish as much as I can before then. Partial credit's better than no credit.† I studied him for a moment and then made a decision that went against many of my basic principles. I reached into my messenger bag and handed him my completed homework. â€Å"Here,† I said. He took the pages with a frown. â€Å"Here what?† â€Å"It's the assignment. Use my answers.† â€Å"I. . . .† His jaw dropped. â€Å"Do you know what you're doing?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"I don't think you do. You're giving me your homework.† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"And telling me to pass it off as my homework.† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"But I didn't actually do the work.† â€Å"Do you want them or not?† I asked in frustration. I started to take the papers back, but he pulled them close. â€Å"Oh, I want them,† he said. â€Å"I just want to know what you want in return. Because this doesn't really make up for getting me ostracized from my family and friends.† He kept his tone light, but I heard the edge of bitterness. There it was. No matter how friendly he and I were, our respective allegiances to the Warriors and the Alchemists would always be between us. Maybe it was a joke now . . . but someday it wouldn't be. â€Å"I need a favor,† I explained. â€Å"A small one, really. Has nothing to do with any of that . . . stuff.† Trey looked understandably wary. â€Å"Which is?† The bell rang, so I spoke quickly. â€Å"Angeline needs a math tutor or else she'll fail. And if she fails, she'll get kicked out of school. It wouldn't be hard for you at all. And it'd look good on your college applications.† â€Å"Your cousin's a little unstable,† he said. But he didn't say no, so I thought that was a good sign. â€Å"You used to think she was hot,† I reminded him. â€Å"Yeah, that was before. . . .† He didn't finish, but I knew. Before he found out she was a dhampir. The Warriors had the same taboos the Alchemists did about relationships between the races. â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"I understand. I'll just take my homework and go.† I held out my hand, but he didn't give the papers back. â€Å"Wait, I'll do it. But if she injures me, I hope you'll feel really bad. Basketball season just started, and the team will fall apart if I'm sidelined because of her.† I grinned. â€Å"I'll be devastated.† Angeline was not so thrilled when I told her at lunch. She flushed with rage and looked like she was about ready to throw her tray across the cafeteria. â€Å"You expect me to work with that . . . that . . . vampire hunter?† she demanded. I wondered if she'd had another name in mind but had held back in some remarkable show of restraint. â€Å"Especially after what they tried to do to Sonya?† â€Å"Trey's not like the rest of them,† I said defensively. â€Å"He refused to kill her and even went through the trouble of getting me in to help her – which ended up severely messing up his life, I might add.† Eddie looked amused, despite the grim subject. â€Å"You should also add that he wants very, very badly to get back to that old life.† I pointed at Eddie with my fork. â€Å"Don't tell me you think Trey's a bad choice too.† â€Å"For tutoring?† He shook his head. â€Å"Nah, he's fine. I'm just saying you shouldn't be so quick to assume everything's happy and bright with him. It seems pretty likely his group's working against us.† â€Å"He's my friend,† I said, hoping my firm tone would put an end to the discussion. After a few more assurances, Eddie convinced Angeline to work with Trey, reminding her she needed to keep her grades up. Still, Eddie's words haunted me. I believed absolutely that Trey was my friend but again wondered when that rift between us would rear its ugly head. When Eddie and Angeline left to go to their afternoon classes, I asked Jill to hang back at the table for a minute. â€Å"What's Adrian doing right now?† â€Å"He's in his painting class,† she said promptly. â€Å"The bond must be running strong today, huh?† I asked. Sometimes her view of his mind and experiences was clearer than others. She shrugged. â€Å"No, but it's eleven on Tuesday.† â€Å"Right,† I said, feeling foolish. I knew everyone's schedules; it was necessary for my job. â€Å"I should've realized that. Do you think he'd be able to meet up with me after school?† â€Å"To go on that witch hunt? Yeah, he'd probably leave right now.† Jill knew what Adrian knew, so she'd also been briefed about my search for Veronica. While I'd learned to accept Jill's knowledge as part of confiding in Adrian, it was still a little shocking for me to hear these forbidden topics discussed openly. Seeing my stunned reaction, Jill smiled a little. â€Å"Don't worry,† she said. â€Å"I keep Adrian's secrets. And yours.† The bitterness in her voice also caught me off guard. â€Å"Are you mad at me?† I asked, puzzled. â€Å"You're not . . . you're not still upset about what happened between Adrian and me, are you? I thought you'd eased up on that.† Although Adrian's proclamation of loving me against the odds had been unsettling, his more relaxed attitude had come through in her until now. â€Å"Adrian has,† she said. â€Å"He doesn't see the danger of you running around with another guy.† I was lost. â€Å"Another guy? You don't mean . . . Marcus? That's crazy.† â€Å"Is it?† asked Jill. The bond was so strange at times. Jill was jealous on Adrian's behalf. â€Å"He's human, you're human. You've both got this rebel Alchemist thing going on. And I saw him. He's pretty cute. There's no telling what could happen.† â€Å"Well, I know what could happen: nothing,† I said. Even through a psychic bond, Marcus could win over girls. â€Å"I just met him. I don't even know if I can entirely trust him, and I certainly don't have any feelings for him. Look, I get that you want to help Adrian, but you can't be mad at me about what happened. You know why I turned him down – especially after Micah.† Micah was Eddie's human roommate, and even though she knew human-vampire relationships couldn't get serious, she'd still been surprised at just how complex and difficult the situation had been. â€Å"Yeah. . . .† She frowned, no doubt conflicted over Adrian's feelings and what she knew was true. â€Å"But maybe with Adrian, I don't know. Maybe things could be different. Or maybe there's at least a way to make them less painful for him.† I looked away, unable to meet her eyes. I didn't like to think of Adrian in pain, but what else could I do? What did either of them expect me to do? We all knew the rules. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said, picking up my tray and standing. â€Å"I never asked for any of this. Adrian will get over me.† â€Å"Do you really want him to get over you?† she asked. â€Å"What? Why would you even ask something like that?† She didn't answer and instead made a great show of stirring around her mashed potatoes. When I realized she wasn't going to elaborate, I shook my head and walked off toward the exit. All the while, I could feel her watching me as that question echoed in my mind: Do you really want him to get over you?