Recommended strategy for Delta Airline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Suggested system for Delta Airline - Essay Example The present and reexamined goals of the association is to give ‘safe and reliable’ transport via air, give ‘distinctive client service’ just as grasp better expectations of ‘hospitality’ in exchanging tasks (Pratt foundation, 2014). The accomplishment/acknowledgment of the targets as they are is completely reliant on the reception of fitting techniques by the association. Truth be told, the adequacy of forcing the procedures as they are decide the acknowledgment of the targets and in this manner it is certain that legitimate execution of the techniques is the main most achievable method of guaranteeing acknowledgment of the destinations as they may be. The collaboration has certain significant elective procedures as the main thrust for the acknowledgment of the set goals. The systems as they are intended to encourage the acknowledgment of ‘improved client experiences’, great and solid ‘balance sheet’ just as expanded ‘revenue generation’ for the participation. The significant systems that have been brought up have been decrease in fuel costs, diminished item and representative expenses, improve client experience through modernization, focusing on numbers and enhancing rivalry (Moskowitz, 2013). The organization plans and forces business procedures through participate understandings which is powerful in supporting in building corporate intrigue and trust. In decreasing fuel costs, the system has been forced through the acquisition of a petroleum processing plant (coach petroleum treatment facility) which has the limit of helping the collaboration slice on the expenses up to about $300 million o ut of multi year. This system holds a great deal in advantages to be harvested essential of which is on decrease in activity expenses and increment in net revenues for the collaboration. In any case, it has the inadequacy that underlying speculation into the purchasing of the processing plant is extremely high and consequently may destabilize the working monetary record to the organization. In lessening expenses of activity and worker costs, the participation looks

Lilian Fadermans Queer

Lilian Faderman’s principle contention focused on the theory that a few individuals from the gay and lesbian network â€Å"have understood the political force that is characteristic in renaming oneself, and the adequacy of taking a word and diffusing its sting through asserting it as your own† (Faderman, 2004, p.543). She was alluding to the word â€Å"queer† and how it had developed as a disparaging term heaved at gays and lesbians to a term that was acknowledged by the gay and lesbian community.Advertising We will compose a custom exposition test on Lilian Faderman’s Queer explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More The first run through Faderman heard the word strange, she was still in primary school. She didn't have the foggiest idea about its significance. Be that as it may, when she grasped the lesbian way of life, she figured out how to despise the hugeness of this word in her life. The explanation of her inconvenience is connected to the way that â€Å"queer† was a term utilized as an affront. She was additionally irritated on the grounds that the word had nonsexual meanings that exemplified ideas identified with the terms bizarre, unusual and dubious. The gay and lesbian network was not the first to utilize this technique. Faderman recognized the way that it was the African-American people group who originally used this strategy when they received the term â€Å"black† and begat mottos to diffuse the antagonistic effect of the previously mentioned word. A genuine case of the motto was an expression â€Å"Black is beautiful.† Faderman included that by utilizing this trick, the abused party had the option to take the intensity of the insulting term to hurt and change it into an instrument used to mend injured emotions and harmed pride. Faderman additionally called attention to that the lesbian and gay networks were not restricted to the word strange when it went to the need to change the importa nce of a defamatory word. Previously, there were different names that gay and lesbian endeavored to reclassify lastly prevailing to do. Nonetheless, Faderman said that regardless of whether many guaranteed triumph in this topic, it probably been clarified that there were different individuals from the gay and lesbian network who questioned the utilization of the term. The effect of the word made a distress inside them, and they contended that they despite everything thought about the term as an affront to themselves and their personality. Faderman, in any case, made the declaration that for the individuals who grasped the word eccentric, the response could be partitioned into two unique gatherings. The primary gathering responded in a manner that brought about reducing the effect of the disparaging term. The subsequent gathering, then again, utilized the term as a fight cry.Advertising Looking for paper on sociologies? How about we check whether we can support you! Get your first pa per with 15% OFF Learn More concerning the subsequent gathering, they made another network with a promotion. They named their association Queer Nation. It was suggestive of the extreme aggressor strategies of the 1960s. Delegates of the subsequent gathering contended that there was a need to supplant the term gay. Previously, the word gay was utilized as disobedient mark, yet today, its importance and meaning have changed to recommend that the term reject blacks, needy individuals and ladies. Faderman finished the article by saying that the new term turned into a battling word. The planned impact isn't just to alleviate the negative effect of the disparaging word. In certain quarters, the word strange was a rallying call as well as turned into an expression of pride and an admonition to heteros that individuals from the gay and lesbian network won't bargain what they have confidence in. Reference Faderman, L. (2004). Investigating language. Dad: Pennsylvania State University Press. This exposition on Lilian Faderman’s Queer was composed and presented by client Bruno Ward to help you with your own examinations. You are allowed to utilize it for research and reference purposes so as to compose your own paper; be that as it may, you should refer to it in like manner. You can give your paper here.

Closing the Deal 6 Savvy Entrepreneurs Share Their Secrets

Closing the Deal 6 Savvy Entrepreneurs Share Their Secrets Negotiation is a form of art if you ask me. It’s not just exchanging sentences and nodding to approve what you like and shake  your head  if you disagree.There’s much more to this than meets the eyes.  Or ears, in this case.When two people negotiate, they exchange thoughts, ideas,  and energy.The purpose of this process is to have both sides happy and satisfied. It may sound easy, but not everybody is capable of  achieving  that.Why is that?That is because it takes  a lot  of courage and skills to find that perfect balance. People who know how to do it become very successful, and those who don’t… Well,  ones  strive to learn and build  their own  success step by step.The others fail or  give up, decide not to try. No  one is to blame, as many aspects play important role in building the ideal circumstances.Here are some  smart thoughts and tips  from people who managed to stand out in this field.Each of  these people  has  his own  strategy and the vision  of  how the success looks  like.GRANT CARDONE- BE CLEAR CONFIDENT AND POSITIVE WHEN YOU COMMUNICATEBelieving that a way will show up as long as there’s will, Grant  Cardone  points out these three characteristics as essential for closing the deal.  If these three are not present, people won’t trust you.He believes that coming to an agreement is always possible, regardless of what people around  say. One has to have a  â€œbelieving”  mind set  because it significantly speeds up the agreement.Moreover, it is really important to eliminate the negativity from the environment. Simply put, it’s a disease, and unless you cure it, things won’t work well.Cardone  gives a fantastic idea of how to exercise these skills.You can record yourself for a longer period of time and  analyze  if the communication comes across the way you intended it to go.By watching those recordings  of yourself  over and over again you can  easily spot and  mark your disadvantages and correct them,  or  spot your advantages an d grow them. This is the easiest way to follow your personal progress and development.A smile is a powerful weapon    one should open and close all the deals with a smile.  It might not sound complicated…  However, smiling isn’t always so simple, as people don’t always feel like doing it. But the good news is that you can practice it.When you negotiate, argue, agree,  and disagree, whatever you do â€" always remember to  keep on smiling.But, be honest while doing so.The purpose of the smile is to make both sides feel  comfortable while communicating  and  to create a positive and relaxed atmosphere.In this  way,  you overcome all the negativity, and certainly, make room for some positive decisions. Once negativity  succumbs  you, the only outcome can be something negative.  Makes sense,  doesn’t  it? TOP FERRY ON BEING OMNIPRESENTThis outstanding gentleman transformed good businesses into great, closed a huge number of significant deals.Throughout his highly successful caree r, here are the four steps that he finds very important:If, by any chance, you already have some wishes  about  who you  would  like to work with- make a list. Of course, by “who” I mean big players and huge companies, not friends and family members. Get to know  your  weak points and try to work out on the way to solve them the fastest and  in the best  possible  way. Of course, with as  little  cost as possible. The goal is  always  to have the problem solved in a quick and  a  budget-friendly manner. That doesn’t mean to lower the quality  of your work, just mind the costs. The revenue value of a deal is what you should be aware of because that way you reverse engineer your annual costs.You have to work on the opportunities, to nurture them. This means that you  should  become aware  of the fact  that every meeting is an important chance, even if it doesn’t seem so at first sight. Even jobs that are not among top-paid ones are valuable opportunities to learn, grow your ex perience and knowledge. By acting this way, you show that you can understand things from a wider perspective, on multipleOne significant and big thing a year will keep you right at the forefront of your prospect’s minds. While working on that, still keep in mind those big players from your  â€œwish list”,  as it will give you strength and motivation to perform better and surpass yourself.Be a winner! That’s what huge companies like, and they choose winners to work with them. You have to be an authority in the industry. Keep your eyes open for the awards, and do your best to get some of them. No-one expects you to be cream of the crop overnight but work on your business reputation and  recognizability  as soon as possible.To put Tom’s wise tips in a short form- don’t skip meetings, accept jobs that are lesser-paying, be aware of the pain points and let people know your way of creating value.When you have all that- half the battle is yours.That’s the way to make contacts a nd create relationships.THE ART OF THE DEAL BY COM MIRZAYou don’t see big deals so often, but they happen from time to time.And when they do you have to seize the opportunity, grab that moment and get the best of it! Each of these figures has his own strategy, and this is what Com sees as a path to success:Respect yourself, and your priority terms and conditions. If the other side is not willing to meet them, then nothing stops you from walking away. I know, it sounds easy, but in the real things are different. The first time is always the hardest, but once you do that, it becomes a routine in cases where you are not satisfied with the direction where the communication goes on.  After all, how can you expect people to respect you if you are not respecting your own principles?  The goal is to get the deal working for you.When it comes to terms and conditions which are of lower priority- that’s where you can lose things a bit and negotiate. Let’s put things this way- first is to get what you want, the second that the other side gets what they want as well. There you have it- a compromise, a  sort of paradise when making agreements. Sometimes you will get the impression that you are investing lots of energy into something that’s insignificant, or at least seems like that. But the trick with that is to leave the impression that you care and confuse the other side what actually matters to you. That “reverse logic” tactic is a bit  sleeky, but sometimes it works!Don’t sabotage the deal! Those tiny cunning tricks are okay, even a polite persuasion is allowed, but as long as you respect each other. A win-win situation is what works the best for both sides. After all, it’s business we’re talking about, not small children’s silly games.We could express his strategy in a form of a recipe. You have to give and take as ingredients- combine and mix them well.What you get as a final product is compromised.Which is good, as long as the primary principles a re respected, and the overall situation is working for your benefit.TAI LOPEZ TAKES HIS TIME TO NEGOTIATEMaking a deal is not something you can learn at school.You don’t get prepared for that, instead, you have to learn how to swim, like a small child upon entering the swimming pool for the first time.It’s a combination of some knowledge, improvisation, strategy, (in)experience  and your own thoughts and feelings.But, each next situation is better than the previous one, because you have a valuable experience behind yourself.Here’s how Tai Lopez does it:People get upset if the initial offer isn’t accepted. That’s wrong, says Tai. What comes as a conclusion after a quick acceptance of the first offer is- not enough negotiation!Counterbalance is the key! The best deal is not necessarily always the best option! Oh, that sweet, sweet irony! But, what one wants if not the best. Yeah, that is so true, but what he tries to point out is that we should put quality first. He says tha t it’s absolutely reasonable to pay a bit more if you get something of good value, instead of paying less for some junk.And the last, but not the least important-counselors are there so you can make war with them. Many of them, to be precise! If you cannot spot all the things yourself, they hire a lawyer to do so. Never ever sign anything unless you’ve read it carefully. Read it when you are relaxed because that way your mind will work with more productivity.ROBERTO ORCI WALKS AWAY TO MAKE THE DEAL EVEN BIGGERLike we already mentioned, sometimes you must make some moves which seems risky and difficult in order to make space for new opportunities to happen. Sometimes time is more valuable than the money.Particularly because you cannot get it back.We all have a limited amount of it here, so walking away may see just…the most shocking thing one can do!Don’t be afraid to walk away bravely. Don’t let the thought that someone will be offended discourage you from making that huge step. You know, people prefer to hear a firm  â€œNo!”  than a long, dragged out  â€œMaybe”.Have no fear, because walking away saves lots of unnecessary waiting and brings more new opportunities. Have faith and the rest will come.CHRIS PLOUGH TEACH US TO PRIORITIZE RELATIONSHIPSBeing in a situation where he had to negotiate and close some really massive and complex deals almost at the same time, he learned a very important thing.A mutually beneficial agreement was of  vital importance because that’s what strengthens a relationship between business partners.Of all the useful things he learned, here are the most outstanding ones:Negotiating and closing the deal are the smallest parts of the process because it all begins long before that. The secret of signing a contract and making a successful agreement is actually getting what you want before then deal. Both for a personal and business relationship, trust and empathy are important parts. Build a foundation before negotiations a nd get to know people prior to any agreement.Win-win is what great deals are about. Negotiation makes sense only if both sides are aware of what is truly important to the other side. When you give someone something that matters to them, you will get something that is of value to you in return. Asking what matters to the other side is quite a legit thing to do. If you are still not knowledgeable about what matters to you, then go ahead and find out.Even after the contract is signed, you continue working as a team. So, grow that relationship, care about it. That way when the tough times come, it’s easier to go through them. It makes you stronger and more successful. The trick of a truly good deal is working with the right people. That way you will never have to enforce the contract because your relationship will be based on some deep values.If you want his wise thoughts in a shorter form, it would be something like this: Knowing each other needs and wants brings you to a win-win sit uation. And if you want that, let empathy, trust, and communication be your starting points.GET TO KNOW THE 6 MAGNIFICENTWe have described all the important aspects of making a good deal from various points of view.There are some things in common, but some of these gentlemen have a completely different strategy and starting point. What matters is that things work.Who are those wise men? Let’s have a closer look.Being a New York Times best-selling author, Mr.  Cardone  is so far the best sales trainer in the world. Leadership, real estate, investing, social media, finance,  entrepreneurship- you name it! He’s a well-recognized speaker on all those fields.Motivated by the idea that success is our obligations and responsibility, he really did a great job in promoting the essential values for negotiation.Ranked as a No1 real estate educator, Mr. Ferry is a founder and CEO of a company that bears his name. He’s a current leader in estate coaching and training, and there are also so me amazing books he wrote.With countless hours if useful coaching experience, he delivers fresh and up-to-date tips.His goal is to help agents balance between professional and private life. A  strong charisma  is his highlight and a powerful weapon to captivate an audience around the globe.Com  Mirza  started his prosperous career at the age of seven, by establishing a lemonade stand on the corner of the street.Proving that big dreams come when one fulfills some smaller ones,  he’s  done business in many different countries.His companies are involved in various fields such as â€"  cryptocurrencies, luxury rental, real estate, investment and so on. A dream chaser (obviously!) and a philanthropist, he’s a great mentor to learn from.Entrepreneur Magazine voted Mr. Lopez as a No1 Social Media Influencer. He shares his precious pieces of advice with people worldwide, showing  what’s the true importance of love, happiness,  health and wealth,  and how to achieve them.His grandfather taught him that finding the answers from many people is a valuable thing, and one may consider him/herself lucky if manages to do so. He enjoys reading a book a day because he sees it as a simulation of the future. A screenwriter and a super producer, Mr.  Orci  is responsible for many masterpieces we have been enjoying. Those would be Transformers, Sleepy Hollow, The Eagle Eye, The Proposal, and many  many  more.They are all strong proofs that one can make huge successes even if he/she turns down some attractive offers. He is a living example that big things come after making a risk.Knowing that change is constant, Chris Plough makes and remakes the world on daily basis. With the mission to equip epic entrepreneurs for the upcoming world, he unites inspiration and execution.He tries to make the most of every moment, and that’s the passion which fuels both his personal and professional life. His strong and cheerful personality motivates many people around the globe.Becoming an ou tstanding entrepreneur-the secret ingredientsNow that you know more on these fantastic gentlemen, is there a way to make a parallel? What is it that unites all of them? What are the  most important characteristics  that make one stands out in the crowd?Charisma in the first place, as definitely the most recognizable feature all of them have. It is a powerful weapon, something like magic that some people have and know how to use it. It may sound silly, but not everybody has it. And even when they do, they don’t know how to use it. There are people with a good base of knowledge but without charisma, and that means no matter how useful is what they know, they don’t have a way to share it with other people. The good thing is that once you realize you have it, you can work on expressing it and getting the best of it.Mutual respect is another important aspect of successful communication. It is a rule that works both in private and professional life. If you want people to respect you, you have to respect them as well. That way you get that  win-win situation. Sometimes things may not go as smooth as you expect, but remember that making compromises is worth it. Always look further than your nose when you make a deal. But remember that you shouldn’t give up your initial ideas and values. The whole point is that both sides get what they want. When a relationship is built on such an emotionally firm foundation, it is deemed to succeed.Make a good plan, because popping into things just like that, unprepared and unaware of what’s going on is so wrong. Not only will it look unprofessional, but it will bring you nothing but wasted time. And time is precious! A good plan means exploring the details that involve negotiations, getting to know your own terms and conditions and values, as well as the same things with the other side. That way you will be able to react appropriately without unnecessary delays.Educate constantly, as things change way much faster than you can imagine. It’s technology that develops rapidly, and since it is an inevitable part of our lives, we have to catch up with it as quick as possible. And this goes for any other fields, as trends are different from day to day. So, be aware of where you are and how complex is your current knowledge, and find out what it is that you need to educate yourself more on.Have no fear to say no! If a situation requires so, it is absolutely justified to say no to a deal that you find unsatisfactory. Sometimes it is a necessary step that opens the door to some other, even better possibilities. That’s why you need to know that saying “no” is risky but worth it. Of course, provided that you are well informed on the overall situation. Business partners like people who are able to make strong decisions, even if the answer to a possible agreement is negative.Dream big! It all goes along with the abovementioned qualities. Every big step in life is preceded by many small ones, and you need to h ave a clear vision of what is it that you want. Some people manage to make that vision early in the childhood and have some interesting start-ups (that’s right, it’s Mr.  Mirza’s  lemonade stand we’re aiming at!). They are excellent opportunities to get to know various aspects of any business, to see how things work from a smaller to a huger level.FINAL THOUGHTS ON BECOMING A SAVVY ENTRPRENEURThose were all some  truly wise bits of advice  from people who made a huge success in the industry, and they continue to do so. Six gentlemen revealed their secrets and strategies which helped them get the best of any negotiation.They are all examples of prosperous people who know what they want and do their best to get it.Moreover, we have discovered all the main characteristics a successful entrepreneur should have.Your task is to find out which of these you have, and those you don’t…well, wait no more,  see  how to get them!An individual’s personality is of great importance.If one believes that success is possible if one is optimistic and a type of a person that doesn’t give up, it’s more or less the halfway to the success.Such a mindset is something that one should apply both in private and business life.No one says you should drink coffee every day after work with your colleagues, but maintain a friendly and compassionate yet professional attitude.It’s not an easy path to take. No-one ever said that. But knowing what you want and knowing how to achieve it is something that guarantees success. Don’t expect the big things to happen overnight, as it is a childish imagination.Work on yourself and your goals, upgrade your knowledge and skills constantly and you will certainly notice many positive things going on in your business life.  And in private as well.

Jim Crow Laws and Racial Segregation - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 788 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/02/05 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Racism Essay Did you like this example? CRACKS IN THE SYSTEM The Jim Crow laws were the initial starting point that would later cause chain reaction for the creation of the NAACP. The Jim Crow laws began after slavery became abolished, leaving an unsatisfactory outcome for white supremacists after the Civil War. The loss created angry white elites to start terrorist groups, like the KKK, which aimed to make sure reforms could not be possible. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Jim Crow Laws and Racial Segregation" essay for you Create order Although slaves were considered free, the Jim Crow laws were used to maneuver over the newly appointed Amendments of the Constitution. This allowed the start of racial segregation and even more mistreatment towards all African men and women. By 1909, the NAACP was created for the purpose of fighting against segregation in both the North and South. Activists such as A. Phillip Randolph threatened the country with a march against racism. This did not fully mitigate until about World War II, where President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an executive order that would ban racial discrimination during times of war. FROM THE MARGINS TO THE MAINSTREAM An adolescent named Emmett Till was murdered and tortured by white supremacists that brought massive attention. This was caused by a young Emmett unaccustomed to the Jim Crow laws who was killed. This started a movement that sought to end an unjust system due to the accused prevailing. The second event described was the Montgomery bus boycott occurred with the succession of Rosa Parks refusing to give her seat to a white passenger. This led to her arrest and started the Women’s Political Council that would begin the boycotting of all buses for African-Americans. The third even was the beginning of Little Rock Central High School where black students tried to end segregation in the school. White crowds would not allow any black students admission which led President Dwight Eisenhower to issue an executive order helping black students attend to class. Governer Orval Faubus and many other white supremacists were not content with the situation and decided to close the year for all Little Rock schools. CLASHES AND REFORMS Decision Dilemma was a win-win situation in which at lunch sit-ins, white supremacists had to ignore activists which made the Jim Crow laws to be violated. The other option was to actively move them out which would draw media attention that showcased acts of aggression towards protesters. The SNCC model was mutual trust with democracy in the group’s tasks. An organizer, Ella Baker, brought upon ideas of a decentralized structure and consensus decision-making. This made the groups decisions to be unanimously agreed upon which would force activists to reevaluate their ways to address concerns. The liberals wanted the SNCC to focus on voting rights instead of direct action. This would seal the deal more in line with political properties, rather than social, of the civil rights. MOVEMENTS BEGET MOVEMENTS The feminist model refers to the Women’s Liberation movement. Second wave feminism was the cause that allowed the Women’s Movement by groups like the SDS, SNCC and the Black Panthers. Mainstream politics are essentially what is possible to bring about within the current system. Radical politics usually suggest a need for radical or extreme changes to be implemented. When speaking of right or left radical politics, rightwing radical politics can often be brought in by election or coup, and then they dismantle the system and put in place a more repressive one. With leftwing radical politics, revolution is usually in order. REPRESSION COINTELPRO was a program created by Red Squads of police and FBI to protect interests from someone who might be a threat within groups. They used many different techniques such as surveillance and harassments ranging from different punishments. The COINTELPRO group sought to end peace activists, feminists, and many others. One of the ones that stuck out to me the most was the killings, by local police, of Black Panthers and many others who were jailed. The police tried to act as victims, even though they were the ones who terrorized two people’s apartments and later killed them. The second one that came to mind was the wrongful imprisonment of the murder of a teacher. Ji Jaga had a target locked on him due to FBI counterintelligence with goals of getting rid of him. The last one that I thought was terrible was the killing of George Jackson. He had letters published after his death and a month later, inmates demanded minimum wage for prison labor and took prison staff members f or hostage. After this all went down, police came in killing twenty-nine people, including some of the prison staff members. Media accounts claimed that the inmates slit their throats, but it was actually the police who shot and killed them.

Earth Is A 1998 Indian Period Drama Film Directed By Deepa...

EARTH Earth is a 1998 Indian period drama film directed by Deepa Mehta. The story is set in Lahore in the time period directly before and during the partition of India in 1947. The film recounts the holocaust of Partition through the eyes of Lenny, a crippled Parsi girl. Lenny s parents live in Lahore with an army of servants, including the delectable ayah, a beautiful Hindu woman, Shanta. The movie starts with Lenny revisiting her childhood days as a student coloring her drawing, and remembering the downfall of British Empire in India as she states something which indicates the theme of story that it will portray for next 101 minutes and upon which the story will build around. The words she stated accounts as- â€Å"Hindu, Muslim and Sikhs who had lived together as one entity for centuries suddenly started to clamor for pieces of India for themselves. The arbitrary line of division the British would draw to carve up India in August of 1947 would scar the subcontinent forever.† This dialogue clearly states that India was very near to getting its independence from the British Rule and for the final time the nation might have to become a victim to British’s much famous â€Å"DIVIDE RULE† policy which will blow the nation into partition forming 2 separate countries- INDIA PAKISTAN and in the dialogue she clearly predicts the ill effects people will have to face at the time of partition as she says that it would scar the subcontinent forever. Such a line of difference would beShow MoreRelatedEarth Is A 1998 Indian Period Drama Film Directed By Deepa Mehta2713 Words   |  11 PagesEarth is a 1998 Indian period drama film directed by Deepa Mehta. The story is set in Lahore in the time period directly before and during the partition of India in 1947. The film recounts the holocaust of Partition through the eyes of Lenny, a crippled Parsi girl. Lenny s parents live in Lahore with an army of servants, including the delectable ayah, a beautiful Hindu woman, Shanta. The movie starts with Lenny revisiting her childhood days as a student coloring her drawing, and remembering theRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesopening decades of the twentieth century and a major break from the prevailing dynamics of the cold war. In addition to the problems posed for conceptualizing the twentieth century as a discrete era of world history due to overlap with the preceding period and disconcertingly radical shifts in the course of global development in the 1900s, contradictory forces and trends, which perhaps more than any other attribute distinguish this turbulent phase of the human experience, render it impervious to

The Stupidest Angel Chapter 18 Free Essays

string(68) " just to one boy, but I memorized that speech, so I like to use it\." Chapter 18 YOUR PUNY WORM GOD WEAPONS ARE USELESS AGAINST MY SUPERIOR CHRISTMAS KUNG FU Molly slipped out the back door of the cabin and around the outside wall until she could see the tall figure standing before her picture window. The fallen wires had stopped sparking out by the street and the stars and moon barely cut through the darkness at all. Strangely enough, she could clearly see the man by her front window because there was a faint glow shining around him. We will write a custom essay sample on The Stupidest Angel Chapter 18 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Radioactive, Molly thought. He wore the long black duster favored by sand pirates. Why, though, would a desert marauder be out in a rainstorm? She assumed the Hasso No Kamae stance, back straight, the sword held high and tilted back over her right shoulder, the sword guard at mouth level, her left foot forward. She was three steps from delivering a deathblow to the intruder. The sword balanced perfectly in her grip, so perfectly that it seemed to weigh nothing at all. She could feel the wet pine needles under her bare feet and wished that she’d put on shoes before dashing out into the night. The cold rain against her bare skin made her think that maybe a sweater would have been a good idea as well. The glowing man looked toward the opposite corner of the cabin and Molly made her move. Three soft steps and she stood behind him; the edge of her blade lay across the side of his neck. A quick pull and she would cut him to his vertebrae. â€Å"Move and die,† Molly said. â€Å"Nuh-uh,† said the glowing man. The tip of Molly’s sword extended a foot beyond the stranger’s face. He looked at the blade. â€Å"I like your sword. Want to see mine?† â€Å"You move, you die,† Molly said, thinking that it wasn’t the sort of thing you should have to repeat. â€Å"Who are you?† â€Å"I’m Raziel,† said Raziel. â€Å"It’s not the sword of the Lord, or anything. Not for destroying cities, just for fighting one or two enemies at a time, or slicing cold cuts. Do you like salami?† Molly didn’t quite know how to proceed. This glowing sand pirate seemed perfectly unafraid, perfectly unconcerned, in fact, that she was holding a razor-sharp blade against his carotid artery. â€Å"Why are you looking in my window in the middle of the night?† â€Å"Because I can’t see through the wooden part.† Molly snapped her wrists back and smacked Raziel in the side of the head with the flat of her blade. â€Å"Ouch.† â€Å"Who are you and why are you here?† Molly said. She snapped her blade back to threaten another smack, and in that instant Raziel stepped away from her, spun, and drew a sword from the middle of his back. Molly hesitated, just a second, then approached and snapped her blade down, this time in a real attack aimed at his shoulder. Raziel parried the blow and riposted. Molly swept his blade aside and came around with her blade for a cut to the left arm. Raziel got his sword around just in time to deflect her blade down his arm instead of across it. The razor-sharp tashi took a long swath of fabric from his coat, as well as a thin slice of flesh down his forearm. â€Å"Hey,† he said, looking at his now-flapping sleeve. There was no blood. Just a dark stripe where the flesh was gone. He started hacking, his sword describing an infinity pattern in the air before him as he drove Molly back through the pine forest toward the road. She quickstepped back, parrying some blows, dodging others, stepping around trees, kicking up wet pine straw as she moved. She could only see her glowing attacker, his sword shining now as well, the darkness around her so complete that she moved only by memory and feel. As she deflected one of the blows, her heel caught on a root and she lost her balance. She started to go over backward and spun as if to catch herself. Raziel’s momentum carried him forward, his sword swinging for a target that a second before had been two feet higher, and he ran right onto Molly’s blade. She was bent over forward; the blade extended back across her rib cage and through Raziel, extending another two feet out his back. They were frozen there for a moment – him bent over h er back, stuck together with her sword – like two dogs who needed a bucket of water thrown on them. From a crouch, Molly yanked the blade out, then spun, ready to deliver a coup de grace that would cut her enemy from collarbone to hip. â€Å"Ouch,† said Raziel, looking at the hole in his solar plexus. He threw his sword on the ground and prodded the wound with his fingers. â€Å"Ouch,† he said again, looking up at Molly. â€Å"You don’t thrust with that kind of sword. You’re not supposed to thrust with that kind of sword. No fair.† â€Å"You’re supposed to die now,† Molly said. â€Å"Nuh-uh,† said Raziel. â€Å"You can’t say nuh-uh to death. That’s sloppy debating.† â€Å"You poked me with your sword, and cut my coat.† He held up his damaged arm. â€Å"Well, you came creeping around here in the middle of the night looking in my windows, and you pulled a sword on me.† â€Å"I was just showing it to you. I don’t even like it. I want to get web slingers for my next mission.† â€Å"Mission? What mission? Did Nigoth send you? He is no longer my higher power, by the way. This is not the kind of support I need.† â€Å"Fear not,† said Raziel, â€Å"for I am a messenger of the Lord, come to bring a miracle for the Nativity.† â€Å"You’re what?† â€Å"Fear not!† â€Å"I’m not afraid, you nitwit, I just kicked your ass. Are you telling me you’re an angel?† â€Å"Come to bring Christmas joy to the child.† â€Å"You’re a Christmas angel?† â€Å"I bring tidings of great joy, which shall be to all men. Well, not really. This time it’s just to one boy, but I memorized that speech, so I like to use it. You read "The Stupidest Angel Chapter 18" in category "Essay examples"† Molly let her guard down, the tip of her sword pointed at the ground now. â€Å"So the glowing stuff on you?† â€Å"Glory of the Lord,† said the angel. â€Å"Oh piss,† said Molly. She slapped herself in the forehead. â€Å"And I killed you.† â€Å"Nuh-uh.† â€Å"Don’t start with the nuh-uh again. Should I call an ambulance or a priest or something?† â€Å"I’m healing.† He held up his forearm and Molly watched as the faintly glowing skin expanded to cover the wound. â€Å"Why in the hell are you here?† â€Å"I have a mission –  » â€Å"Not here on Earth, here at my house.† â€Å"We’re attracted to lunatics.† Molly’s first instinct was to take his head, but on second thought, she was standing in the middle of a pine forest, in freezing rain and gale-force winds, naked, holding a sword, and talking to an angel, so he wasn’t exactly announcing the Advent. She was a lunatic. â€Å"You want to come inside?† she said. â€Å"Do you have hot chocolate?† â€Å"With minimarshmallows,† said the Warrior Babe. â€Å"Blessed are the minimarshmallows,† the angel said, swooning a little. â€Å"Come on, then,† Molly said as she walked away muttering, â€Å"I can’t believe I killed a Christmas angel.† â€Å"Yep, you screwed the pooch on this one,† said the Narrator. â€Å"Nuh-uh,† said the angel. â€Å"Get that piano against the door!† Theo yelled. The bolts on the front door had completely splintered away, and the Masonite buffet table was flexing under the blows of whatever the undead were using for a battering ram. The entire chapel shook with each impact. Robert and Jenny Masterson, who owned Brine’s Bait, Tackle, and Fine Wines, started rolling the upright piano from its spot by the Christmas tree. Both had been through some harrowing moments in Pine Cove’s history, and they tended to keep their heads in an emergency. â€Å"Anyone know how to lock these casters?† Robert called. â€Å"We’ll need to brace it just the same,† Theo said. He turned to Ben Miller and Nacho Nunez, who seemed to have teamed up for the battle. â€Å"You guys look for more heavy stuff to brace the door.† â€Å"Where did they get a battering ram?† Tucker Case asked. He was examining the big rubber coasters on the piano, trying to figure out how to lock them. â€Å"Half the forest has blown down tonight,† said Lena. â€Å"Monterey pines don’t have a taproot. They probably just found one that they could lift.† â€Å"Turn it on its back,† Tuck said. â€Å"Brace it against the table.† The ram hit the doors and they popped open six inches. The table hooked under the heavy brass handles was bending and beginning to split. Three arms came through the opening, half a face, the eye drooling out of a rotted socket. â€Å"Push!† Tuck screamed. They ran the piano up against the braced table, slamming the doors on the protruding limbs. The battering ram hit again, popping the doors open, driving the men back, and rattling their teeth. The undead arms pulled back from the gap. Tuck and Robert shoved the piano against the door and it shut again. Jenny Masterson threw her back against the piano and looked back at the onlookers, twenty or so people who seemed too stunned or too scared to move. â€Å"Don’t just stand there, you useless fucks! Help us brace this. If they get in, they’re going to eat your brains, too.† Five men pointed flashlights at each other in a â€Å"Me? You? Us?† inspection, then shrugged and ran to help push the piano. â€Å"Nice pep talk,† said Tuck, his sneakers squeaking on the pine floor as he pushed. â€Å"Thanks, I’m good with the public,† Jenny said. â€Å"Waitress for twenty years.† â€Å"Oh yeah, you waited on us at H.P.’s. Lena, it’s our waitress from the other night.† â€Å"Nice to see you again, Jenny,† said Lena, just as the battering ram hit the door again, knocking her to the floor. â€Å"I haven’t seen you at yoga class†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Clear the way, clear the way, clear the way!† called Theo. He and Nacho Nuà ±ez were coming across the floor from the back room carrying an eight-foot-long oak pew. Behind them, Ben Miller was wrestling a pew across the floor by himself. Several of the men who were holding the barricade broke ranks to help him. â€Å"Cantilever these against the piano and nail them to the floor,† Theo said. The heavy benches went up on a diagonal against the back of the piano and Nacho Nuà ±ez toenailed them to the floor. The benches flexed a little with each blow of the battering ram, but they held fast. After a few seconds, the pounding stopped. Again, there was only the noise of the wind and the rain. Everyone played flashlights around the room, waiting for whatever would come next. Then they heard Dale Pearson’s voice at the side of the chapel. â€Å"This way. Bring it this way.† â€Å"Back door,† someone shouted. â€Å"They’re carrying it around to the back door.† â€Å"More pews,† Theo yelled. â€Å"Nail them up in the back. Hurry, that door’s not as heavy as the front, it won’t take two hits like that.† â€Å"Can’t they just come through one of the walls?† asked Val Riordan, who was trying to join in the effort to hold the line, despite the handicap of her five-hundred-dollar shoes. â€Å"I’m hoping that won’t occur to them,† Theo said. Supervising the undead was worse than dealing with a construction crew full of drunks and cokeheads. At least his living crews had all of their limbs and most of their physical coordination. This bunch was pretty floppy. Twenty of the undead were hefting a broken pine-tree trunk a foot thick and as long as a car. â€Å"Move the goddamn tree,† Dale growled. â€Å"What am I paying you for?† â€Å"Is he paying us?† asked Marty in the Morning, who was hefting at midtree, on a jagged, broken branch. â€Å"Are we getting paid?† â€Å"I can’t believe you ate all the brains,† Warren Talbot, the dead painter, said. â€Å"That was supposed to be for everyone.† â€Å"Would you shut the fuck up and get the tree around to the back door,† Dale yelled, waving his snub-nose revolver. â€Å"The gunpowder gave them a nice peppery flavor,† Marty said. â€Å"Don’t rub it in,† said Bess Leander. â€Å"I’m so hungry.† â€Å"There will be enough for everyone once we get inside,† said Arthur Tannbeau, the citrus farmer. Dale could tell this wasn’t going to work. They were too feeble, they couldn’t get enough strength behind the battering ram. The living would be barricading the back door even now. He pulled some of the more decayed undead off the tree and pushed in those who seemed to have much of their normal strength, but they were trying to run up a narrow set of stairs carrying a thousand-pound tree trunk. Even a crew of healthy, living people wouldn’t be able to get purchase in this mud. The tree trunk hit the door with an anemic thud. The door flexed just enough to reveal that the living had reinforced it. â€Å"Forget it. Forget it,† said Dale. â€Å"There are other ways we can get to them. Fan out in the parking lot and start looking for keys in the ignition of people’s cars.† â€Å"Drive-thru snackage?† said Marty in the Morning. â€Å"I like it.† â€Å"Something like that,† Dale said. â€Å"Kid, you with the wax face. You’re a motorhead, can you hot-wire a car?† â€Å"Not with only one arm,† Jimmy Antalvo slurred. â€Å"That dog took my arm.† â€Å"It stopped,† Lena said. She was checking Tuck’s wounds. Blood was seeping through the bandages on his ribs. Theo turned away from the pilot and looked around the room. The emergency lighting was starting to dim already and his flashlight was panning them like he was looking for suspects. â€Å"No one left their keys in their car, did they?† There were murmurs of denial and heads shaking. Val Riordan had a perfectly painted eyebrow raised at him. There was a question there, even if it was unspoken. â€Å"Because that’s what I’d do,† Theo said. â€Å"I’d get a car up to speed and crash it right through the wall.† â€Å"That would be bad,† said Gabe. â€Å"That parking lot had two inches of water and mud the last time I saw it,† Tucker Case said. â€Å"Not every car is going to get up to speed in that.† â€Å"Look, we need to get some help,† Theo said. â€Å"Someone has to go for help.† â€Å"They won’t get ten feet,† Tuck said. â€Å"As soon as you open a door or break a window, they’ll be waiting.† â€Å"What about the roof?† said Josh Barker. â€Å"Shut up, kid,† Tuck said. â€Å"There’s no way up to the roof.† â€Å"Are we going to cut off his head now?† said Josh. â€Å"You have to sever the spinal column or they just keep coming.† â€Å"Look,† Theo said, playing his flashlight across the center of the ceiling. There was a trapdoor up there, painted over and latched, but it was definitely there. â€Å"It leads to the old bell tower,† Gabe Fenton said. â€Å"No bell, but it does open onto the roof.† Theo nodded. â€Å"From the roof someone could tell where they all were before making his move.† â€Å"That hatch is thirty feet up. There’s no way to get to it.† Suddenly the high chirp of a barking bat came from above them. A half-dozen flashlights swung around to spotlight Roberto, who was hanging upside down from the star atop the Christmas tree. â€Å"Molly’s tree,† said Lena. â€Å"It looks sturdy enough,† said Gabe Fenton. â€Å"I’ll go,† said Ben Miller. â€Å"I’m still in pretty good shape. If I have to make a run for it, I can.† â€Å"Right there, that proves it,† said Tuck, an aside to Lena. â€Å"No guy with tiny balls would volunteer for that. See how the dead lie.† â€Å"I’m driving an old Tercel,† Ben said. â€Å"I don’t think you want me trying to make a run for help in that.† â€Å"What we need is a Hummer,† said Gabe. â€Å"Yeah, or even a friendly hand job,† said Tuck. â€Å"But that’s later. For now, we need a four-wheel drive.† â€Å"You really want to try this?† Theo asked Ben. The athlete nodded. â€Å"I’ve got the best chance of getting out. Those I can’t outrun I’ll just go through.† â€Å"Okay, then,† said Theo. â€Å"Let’s get that tree over to the middle of the room.† â€Å"Not so fast,† said Tuck, patting his bandages. â€Å"I don’t care how fast Micro-nads is, Santa still has two bullets in his gun.† How to cite The Stupidest Angel Chapter 18, Essay examples

My Philosophy Of Education Essays - Educational Psychology

My Philosophy of Education My own philosophy of education is rather difficult for me to explain. There are many parts of our educational system that I disagree with. The problem is that I see far too many problems, yet offer few answers. Today's educational systems seem so trendy and political. It almost seems like we should not get comfortable with any one way of doing things because policies and procedures change so often. My own philosophy is one that many people have heard of, ?If it's not broken, then don't fix it!?. This is simple, and so am I. Upon reading some of the different philosophical views towards education, I found many really good ideas. Each philosophy is presented very attractively. And why not? The people who set forth these particular ideas were very passionate about what they believed in. Unfortunately, we could all debate about the different philosophical views of education until we are blue in the face. This still doesn't actually make any one opinion, better than any of the others. We all have opinions, what we need is common ground between them. Hopefully, that is what my educational philosophy stands for. The metaphysics, or nature of reality, of my philosophy starts with the subjects we study in school. Subjects should be functional to today's world. Our educational system is far more diverse today than it has ever been, and our subject matter should reflect that. The reality of the subjects studied in school, should also reflect upon the reality in each student's environment. Reality can change, because environments change. Textbooks and literature become somewhat obsolete after a while because our culture changes so rapidly. That is not to say that classic pieces of literature are not of use in the classroom, but each literary product presented in the classroom should hold some information that is relatively useful for all of the students. When considering metaphysics in the classroom, I believe that religion is something for outside of the classroom. There are far too many religious beliefs in the world to accommodate all of them, so that is an area best left alone. This leaves plenty of time for other areas of development. If it is the wish of a family to have religion addressed in the classroom, then there are certain specialized schools that do just that. I believe it is the responsibility of the church to educate their youth in these areas. Lastly, writing skills are important to the metaphysics of my educational philosophy. Writing is a necessity in order to accurately document events and opinions. Distinguishing the difference between fact and fiction can be quite difficult. But a strong foundation of writing skills make identifying ?reality?, that much easier. The epistemology, or nature of knowledge, in my philosophy is much like that of the pragmatists. I believe that interaction with the environment is a key part of education. Education should extend outside of the classroom. Life is a constant learning process in itself. If we compared how much time we learn in classrooms to the amount we learn out of them, there is no comparison. If an environmental science class is learning how to use a compass in the woods, then that is exactly what they should do, literally. Another part of my epistemology is problem solving. Once again I find myself siding with the pragmatist view. There are many people who are ?book smart?, but not so many of those people can practically apply that knowledge. Today's system praises short term memory. Far too many subjects are taught and then forgotten. If we desire to retain information then it must be useful and interesting to us. Knowledge has definitely taken a back seat to the test score. It is very possible to obtain an ?A?, in a subject but not actually learn anything about it. Today's society values grades, not knowledge. They are two very different things. The axiology, or the nature of values, is also a very sensitive area to touch upon. Moral values, for the most part, should be taught at home. Ethics are an important part of education (plagiarism, dishonesty, etc.). If ethical values are going to be worthwhile, then they must be part of life outside of the classroom as well. If the gap between ethics outside of school differs greatly from that of ethics inside the classroom, the learning process can be greatly hindered. A perfect example, in my mind, is the recent tragedy at Columbine high school in Colorado.