Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Aristotle Greek Philosopher History Research Paper

Aristotle Greek Philosopher History - Research Paper Example Aristotle was firmly connected with the Macedonians thus he was deprived of his respect at Delphi. He composed a letter to Antipater which said â€Å"As for the respect which was casted a ballot me at Delphi and of which I have now been stripped, I am neither significantly concerned nor extraordinarily unconcerned†. Aristotle spent the most recent year of his life in the homes of his mother’s family on the island of Euboea. His institute Lyceum made due after his demise and Theophrastus turned into the new head. (Barnes, pp.3-6). In the later long periods of his life, Aristotle used to be sharp looking and used to make the most of his days by enjoying the solaces of life. He is portrayed as being uncovered headed. He had slim legs and little eyes. He was a clever individual, talked with a stutter and had a ridiculing nature. After his significant other passed on, he lived till his own demise in an unlawful relationship with his special lady Herpyllis. He had a child wit h her whom he named Nicomachus, after his dad. (Magill and Moose, p.130) Philosopher and Teacher In the early long periods of his life, Aristotle was connected uniquely with doctors and sovereigns. He had no association with scholars. The initial four periods of his life finished at eighteen years old when he went to Athens to take in reasoning from Plato. His vocation was partitioned into three periods. The main time frame comprised of the twenty years that he spent in Athens where he remained till Plato’s passing. The subsequent period comprised of the thirteen years wherein he went as a rationalist and instructor. The third and last time frame comprised of the years spent in Lyceum after his arrival to Athens. Plato’s strategy for educating was in exchange structure and Aristotle was incredibly impacted by this. He started his works in exchanges and made himself the fundamental speaker in those discoursed. It is... This exposition focuses on that there are sure hypotheses in Aristotle’s political way of thinking that pull in reactions. As indicated by Aristotle, the political network is a â€Å"natural element like a creature or a man†. As indicated by pundits, the political network is totally a â€Å"product of art†. Aristotle contrasts a government official and a skilled worker. By doing this he negates his own explanation that â€Å"he who previously confined the political network was a reason for the best goods†. He says that similarly as a shipbuilder assembles a boat out of different things like timber, canvas, nails and so forth., a legislator likewise frames a constitution out of the residents of a city-state. On the off chance that this announcement is valid, at that point a political network can't be a characteristic substance. This shows there is a defect in the very foundation of his political way of thinking. Aristotle accepted that a man has a character istic inclination to get cultivated and structure a humanized society. This has been censured by the seventeenth century English scholar Thomas Hobbes who asserts that â€Å"civil society runs, not with, however contrary to what would be expected of man’s nature†. He said that men are normally hostile to social creatures and have no characteristic inclination to frame a common society. The self-opposing proclamations of Aristotle make his political way of thinking defenseless against criticisms. This paper focuses on that there are sure speculations in Aristotle’s political way of thinking that draw in reactions. As indicated by Aristotle, the political network is a â€Å"natural element like a creature or a man†.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

The Progressive Movement free essay sample

Progressivism infers a way of thinking that invites advancements and changes in the political, financial, and social request. The Progressive development, 1901 to 1917, was at last the triumph of conservatism as opposed to a triumph for radicalism. From a general perspective, the moderate objectives of this period legitimized the Liberal changes ordered by Progressive pioneers. Straying from the customary meaning of conservatism (a protection from change and an attitude of antagonistic vibe toward developments in the political, social, and monetary request), the Progressivism Movement Progressivism infers a way of thinking which invites advancements and changes in the political, monetary, and social request. The Progressive development, 1901 to 1917, was at last the triumph of conservatism Conservatist triumph was as in there was a push to keep up fundamental social and financial relations indispensable to an industrialist society. The Progressive heads basically needed to sustain Liberal change so as to bring upon general conservatism. Development of the government s forces, rivalry and monetary circulation of riches, and the social government assistance of American residents concerned the numerous pioneers of this period. The business effect on legislative issues was very huge of the Progressive Era. Not Progressivism Movement Progressivism infers a way of thinking which invites advancements and changes in the political, monetary, and social request. The Progressive development, 1901 to 1917, was at last the triumph of conservatism rather just did the three driving Progressive political figures, Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson, bring upon new statures to government guideline, yet in addition the extraordinary business pioneers of this period characterized the units of political mediation. With political private enterprise ascending to notoriety, Progressive legislative issues experienced new subjects and territories. The certainty of government guideline strategies, reorganization of social government assistance, protection, and different developments with banking prompted one moderate exertion: the conservation of existing forces and monetary/social relations. The political pioneers of Progressivism ProgressivismThe timeframe between the Spanish-American War and World War I is known as the Progressive Era. It was a period set apart by vision, change, his ear were moderate in that they all had confidence in the essentials of fundamental free enterprise. The different types of hostile to believe enactment introduced by every president made the country one bit nearer to giving a steady, unsurprising, and secure, in this manner, moderate industrialist society. Theodore Roosevelt s statist propensities carried new importance to government guideline. Roosevelt s Anti-Trust strategy of 1902 swore government mediation to separate unlawful restraining infrastructures and direct companies for the open great. Roosevelt felt that awful Progressivism U. S. History Progressivism confides in compromised rivalry and markets. so as to reestablish free rivalry, President Roosevelt requested the Justice division to arraign companies tightening monopolistic practices. Notwithstanding, the Judicial Branch revoked its obligation (right of reason) and now, regardless of whether the effect of the market was not unsafe, activities that limited or hoarded exchange would consequently place a firm infringing upon the Sherman law. In 1902, the United Mine Workers were eager to submit to mediation, yet the coal administrators resolvedly contradicted Progressivism 2 Progressivism The timeframe between the Spanish-American War and World War I is known as the Progressive Era. It was a period set apart by optimism, change, and critical any acknowledgment of the association. Therefore, the patrons chose to strike over wages, security conditions, and association acknowledgment. The Anthracite Coal Strike of 1902 finished with the arrangement by Roosevelt of a mediation commission to govern on the issues. Representatives didn't respect legislative issues (government guideline) as an essential abhorrence, yet as a significant piece of their situation in the public arena. Roosevelt didn't consider huge to be as insidious, yet a perpetual improvement that was important in an advanced Desertion And Decline For Progressivism Desertion and Decline for Progressivism The time of the 1920s debilitated the dynamic development. It was a period that had an unprecedented response against optimism and change. The economy. Roosevelt couldn t depend on the courts to recognize fortunate or unfortunate trusts. The main arrangement was for the official to accept that accountability. Roosevelt s bright square dealings and noble men s understandings controlled numerous organizations. In 1903, another bureau position was made to address the worries of business and work (Department of Commerce and Labor). Inside the division, the Bureau of Corporations was engaged to research and report The Progressive Era 2 THE PROGRESSIVE ERA: ROOSEVELT AND WILSON The dynamic Era started in 1900. It stopped in 1917 because of Americas entrance into World War 1. During this time, on criminal operations of companies. The maltreatment of financial force by railways proposed another issue for Roosevelt. Nonetheless, in 1903, the Elkins Act engaged the ICC (Interstate Commerce Commission, first American government administrative office) to act against unfair refunds. Additionally, in 1906, the Hepburn Act expanded the ICC enrollment from five to seven. The ICC could set its own reasonable cargo rates, had its administrative pwer reached out over pipelines, scaffolds, and express organizations, and was enabled to require a Progressivism: Opposing Viewpoints Progressivism: Opposing Viewpoints At the initiation of the twentieth century, a period alluded to as progressivism moved through America. Decisively, this time in American history started not long after uniform arrangement of bookkeeping by managed transportation organizations. Other than financial relations, Roosevelt included himself in numerous significant traditionalist social relations. The Secretary of treasury made an assessment association to guarantee that cows for trade were liberated from sickness. With baffling outcomes, Germany and other European nations restricted the importation of American implied. Government guideline improved fares to Europe, free rivalry, another traditionalist exertion. In 1906, the Meat Inspection Act accommodated government and clean guidelines and reviews in Progressivism: Opposing Viewpoints Progressivism: Opposing Viewpoints At the initiation of the twentieth century, a period alluded to as progressivism moved through America. Definitely, this period in American history started not long after the Spanish-American implied pressing offices. Likewise, the Pure Food and Drug Act precluded the production, deal, and transportation of contaminated named nourishments and medications as per customer requests. Roosevelt assed numerous protection laws from 1902 to 1908 to make government water system ventures, national stops and woods, create water power, and build up the Nation Conservation Commission to regulate the country s assets. Taft, hand picked by Theodore Roosevelt, had two essential political objectives in 1909. One was the continuation of Roosevelt Progressive Movement Of 1918 The Progressive Movement Progressive Education accept the world changes, and that in a universe that isn't especially worried about capacity to think straight Rychard Fink trust-busting, and the other was the compromise of the old watchman moderates and youthful dynamic reformers in the Republican Party. Taft, being an enemy of statist, was a poor dynamic lawmaker. Rather than the uplifting viewpoint toward large business and rivalry taking after Roosevelt, Taft was a backer of least administrative guideline. In any case, in examining hostile to syndication law authorization, Taft and his Attorney General George Wichersham brought44 prosecutions in against trust suites. Taft was effective in mending the Republican split among traditionalists and progressives Theodore Roosevelt and Progressivism In spite of the analysis of their change endeavors, Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson’s duty to and accomplishment in accomplishing national change made them fruitful dynamic presidents. There hasn’t yet been over such issues as duty change, preservation, and the practically tyrannical pwer held by Republican Speaker of the House, Joseph Cannon. Taft s powerlessness to bring the two wings of the gathering together prompted the solidified division which would achieve a Democratic triumph in the 1912 races. In 1910, Republican progressives got together with Democrats to strip Speaker Cannon of his pwer to designate the Committee on Rules and serve on it himself. Albeit reproachful of Cannon, Taft bombed Progressism Vs. Populism Americans didn't know about the division among populists and progressivists during the late nineteenth and mid twentieth hundreds of years, yet they knew about the division among Democrats and Republicans. to adjust himself to the progressives. Additionally, another occasion pushing the more prominent split in the Republican

Thursday, July 30, 2020

A Simple DIY Short-Term Memory Experiment

A Simple DIY Short-Term Memory Experiment More in Student Resources APA Style and Writing Study Guides and Tips Careers If you are looking for a simple experiment idea that you can try at home, here is a quick short-term memory test. You can try this experiment on your own, but it would also be interesting to try with a small group of volunteer classmates. By seeing how many words you can memorize in a brief period of time, you can learn more about both the capacity and duration of short-term memory. An At-Home Short-Term Memory Experiment In the following demonstration, look at the list of words below for two minutes. Memorize as many words as you can in this amount of time. Next, turn off your computer monitor and get out a sheet of paper. Give yourself two minutes to write down as many words from the list as you can. Nine Swap Cell Ring Lust Plugs Lamp Apple Table Sway Army Bank Fire Hold Worm Clock Horse Color Baby Sword Desk Hold Find Bird Rock Checking Your Results How many words did you get correct? Despite having two minutes to memorize the words, you may find it surprisingly difficult to later recall even a handful of words. This experiment demonstrates some of the limitations of short-term memory. According to researcher George A. Miller, the typical storage capacity for short-term memory is seven plus or minus two items. However, memory rehearsal strategies, such as chunking, can significantly increase memorization and recall. For example, observe the following words: Horse Cat Dog Fish Bird Orange Yellow Blue Green Black Table Chair Desk Bookcase Bed Teacher School Student Homework Class Apple Banana Kiwi Grape Mango Because these items can be easily grouped based on category, you can probably remember far more of these words. Clustering can be a useful memorization strategy that can improve the retention and recall of information. Key Terms Before you begin your experiment, there are some key terms and concepts you should understand. MemoryShort-term memoryChunking Key Questions for Background Research On average, how many words can a person remember?Can other factors such as gender and age have an impact on memory?Do people tend to remember certain words more than others?What strategies might improve memorization? Performing Your Own Word Memorization Experiment There are a number of different approaches you could take in conducting your own word memorization experiment. The following are just a few ideas you might explore: Compare random words versus related words. Create two groups of words: one group that is completely random and another that has groups of related words. Ask participants to first complete one trial with the random words, and then complete another trial with the related words. Compare the results of your two trials.Compare results between male and female participants. Have a group of participants perform the memorization activity, and then compare how many the male participants remembered on average to how many the female participants remembered.Try the experiment with gender-associated terms versus gender-neutral terms. For example, create a list of terms related to objects or concepts commonly associated with women. Then create a list of terms not associated with either gender. Administer both tests to a group of participants and compare the results between the men and women. Did women find it easier to remember the gender-associated terms? Did men find it more difficult? Or were th e results insignificant?Compare results among different age groups. For example, create a group of school-age children, a group of college students, a group of middle-aged adults and a group of older adults. Give the same word memorization test to each participant and then compare the results of each group. Which group performed the best? Which one performed the worst? What do these results have to say about memory and age? When you are exploring  psychology experiment ideas, be sure to understand how to conduct a psychology experiment  to get accurate results and to perform experiments ethically.

Friday, May 22, 2020

Analysis Mutters Schuhe By Nina Roder - 1679 Words

Memories are a powerful force within people’s lives. They encourage, explain and expose the inner depths of an individual and the reason for who they are. Whether remembrances from past occurrences as children or teens or life altering decisions made regarding career and family, memories continue to have an influence on everyday life. They drive a person forward in current judgments and effects relationships with those surrounding. However, as time progresses memories alter. Either details are forgotten or translated differently than their original happening; memories are subjected to distortion. Consequently, the revision in which people remember recollections of their life’s history can influence the interpretation and their retellings. The correspondence between time and memories is often overlooked as parallel, but the interlocking connection contributes sustainably to everyday life, choices, behaviors and personal relationships. In her photographic series, Mutters Schuhe, Nina Rà ¶der explores how â€Å"subjectivity and perspective affect the retelling of memories† (Garrett, 2014) through the suggestion that emotions and time can trigger a rebirth of perspectives concerning memories. Nina Rà ¶der shot the series Mutter Schuhe, (Mother’s Shoes) in 2008 where it was originally displayed in a small gallery in Windsbach Germany. The series originated as a personal project, but gain global recognition in 2014 after claiming a spot as a finalist on the popular photography gallery

Saturday, May 9, 2020

Dirty Facts About Help with Dissertations Revealed

Dirty Facts About Help with Dissertations Revealed If you are in need of a literature review in dissertation that's related to your research, then you are able to trust our Exclusive-paper. Your dissertation supervisor can allow you to locate a research question which. It is possible to hire expert dissertation writers online. Students should focus on their English writing. The Help with Dissertations Trap The purpose of a research is to locate an original perspective on an issue, get a remedy to an issue, or to prove a theory. The theory behind behavior charts is they'll improve compliance and motivation in each and every child or student. Regardless of what problem you're facing in the duration of your dissertation research process we know what it requires to neutralize them and take your research to the heights of succeeding. A dissertation is easily the most important part of your PhD and, consequently, should assume the vast majority of your attention and energy. The Pain of Help with Dissertations Custom writing means a severe company with high standards. You are going to be quite satisfied after receiving your work as we provide the entire work in the shape of the email that is extremely secure. Our site features custom writing help and editing support. You may click the student's name to visit a page listing all the student's pending and prior reports. The Do's and Don'ts of Help with Dissertations Your dissertation sample is simply likely to be like the instructions you've given us. On the flip side, you don't need to fret about how you dissertation paper is going to be written, given our professional dissertation writing helpers are extremely acquainted with writing rules and regulation and as such you can expect to get a suitable paper and one which has met all of the writing requirements. At our essay assistance, essays are always delivered in a brief moment. If you must compose a thesis statement only we'll also assist you. The Help with Dissertations Game Writing quality essays is the principal purpose of our services. A dissertation service may be helpful if you're really stuck. It's hard to pick the dissertation writing service for your requirements. The dissertation is going to be completed at a fair price when you require it. For your benefit our professionals are easily available round the clock, and have the capability to provide you expert excellent support to meet all of your fact research requirements. Dissertation editors look after all zones you might have disregarded or will need to improve. Bio statisticians are employed in health providers, federal government businesses, universities, and even personal businesses. Students very often may truly feel a necessity of qualified dissertation help. The Downside Risk of Help with Dissertations An additional secret is that for us, you're not average. There are a couple points, which can help you to recognize a business to keep away from. A great deal of candidates have little if any knowhow about the discipline. You are likely to be spending a good deal of time working on your project, therefore it's a remarkable chance to immerse yourself in your subject. Whether you're looking for multivariate data analysis or structured equation modeling, we provide the right blend of solutions to finish the data analysis chapter. Our experts at dissertation statistics help can provide professional consultancy and aid in any and all the dissertation areas below Research methodology and design Settling on the sort of research methodology and design to use can end up being strenuous especially if you do not have statistical understanding. Target population and sample size selection Identification of target population and sample size calculations need an expert such as us to avert a big setback and make sure a successful and superior dissertation Statistical tests It's often challenging to produce a desirable and be-fitting sel ection of statistical tests to utilize in your dissertation. Your abstract should be an accurate overview of your research, as it might be held in a different database. The Hidden Gem of Help with Dissertations The most recent trends and statistics to help you locate the top accredited creative writing schools. If you're a doctoral student and you're working on your Dissertation Proposal or Results section, I'm qualified to assist you with the statistical facets of your study and I'm well prepared to work to your schedule. Statistics is the heart of research. Statistics is an essential part of all research work that's undertaken from the other side of the world. It's possible to specify the programme that you want to apply in your undertaking. At times it is not possible to shape the undertaking, as to satisfy different stakeholder. The Accompaniment's help personally been employed in the stage. If you are searching for somewhere to find online custom made essay writing help, Exclusive-paper. By capturing people reaction can permit the project planer to construct the undertaking and set action plan to win people support. If you need assistance with writing your dissertation you should receive it from somebody who already possesses an academic level. If you're on the lookout for assistance with dissertation writing it's natural you desire to be cautious and careful. Moreover, our professional dissertation writing help can be found at reasonable prices. In the majority of cases, doctoral students have a notion of what it is they wish to study, but the student isn't able to narrow that topic down. Our dissertation help is here in order to help save you time and energy. In a situation like this, some dissertation help can be invaluable. One of the main requirements while writing dissertations is to make sure students deliver top quality papers free from plagiarism. Getting help for an assignment like a dissertation is a significant job. Students can pick the spiral writing plan to compose their dissertation. They should have a clear idea about the topic of their dissertation.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Internal Control Requirements for Publicly Traded Companies Free Essays

In a meeting last week, the president of LJB expressed interest of going public in the near future and asked us about the internal control requirements for such action. To become publicly listed, LJB must follow the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX), which requires all US publicly traded companies to maintain an adequate system of internal control. Under SOX Section 404, a company must report on internal controls over financial reporting in its annual report. We will write a custom essay sample on Internal Control Requirements for Publicly Traded Companies or any similar topic only for you Order Now Four key elements must be included in this report (Smith, Ledyard;): 1. Statement of responsibility by the company management (CEO and CFO) for establishing and maintaining an adequate internal control structure and procedure for financial reporting. 2. Statement identifying the framework used by management to evaluate the effectiveness of the company’s internal control over financial reporting. 3. Management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting. 4. Attestation by the company’s external auditor on management’s assessment of the effectiveness of the company’s internal controls and procedures for financial reporting. As the president of LJB, he and other executives and board of directors must ensure that the internal controls are reliable and effective. In addition, he must hire independent outside auditors to attest to the adequacy of the internal control system. LJB’s Proper Internal Controls To beco me publicly listed, LJB must ensure and maintain an adequate and effective internal control system. After evaluating LJB’s current internal controls, I have found several positive acts. First, the accountant of LJB has recently started to use prenumbered invoices, which I believe to be a right decision because all companies, including LJB, should establish proper documentation procedures. LJB should document transactions and events when they occur. The use of prenumbered invoices can help to prevent a transaction from being recorded more than once, or conversely, from not being recorded at all (Kimmel, Weygandt, Kieso, 2011, p. 341). In addition, an effective internal control system should require that all source documents be promptly forwarded to the accounting department for accounting entries; this helps to ensure timely recording of the transactions and contributes directly to the accuracy and reliability of the accounting records (Kimmel, Weygandt, Kieso, 2011, p. 341). So when the accountant has asked for buying an indelible ink machine to print checks, I believe it will be a wise and necessary purchase. Second, the accountant does a good job of moving all checks into a safe in his office during weekends. This is in compliance with physical controls, which relate to the safeguarding of assets and enhance the accuracy and reliability of the accounting records (Kimmel, Weygandt, Kieso, 2011, p. 342). By moving the checks into the safe, they are secured during nonbusiness hours and not accessible to no one, this prevents potential fraud and theft. LJB’s Improper Internal Controls On the other hand, there are several other controls which LJB is not doing properly. First, the accountant is now serving two roles as both treasurer and controller. This is a violation of segregation of duties. Different individuals should be responsible for related activities, however, the accountant is responsible for both supply purchases and payments for these purchases, and this increases the potential for errors and irregularities (Kimmel, Weygandt, Kieso, 2011, p. 339). Since the accountant can make orders of supplies without supervisory approval, he may be tempted to receive kickbacks from suppliers (not saying he will); he may authorize payments for fictitious invoices since he also has payment authorization. Moreover, the accountant should not be responsible for both receiving checks and completing monthly bank reconciliations, because since he is the person who handles record keeping for LJB, he should be neither responsible for physical custody of the received checks (which are basically cash) nor have access to them (Kimmel, Weygandt, Kieso, 2011, p. 340). Both vacancies of segregation of related activities and segregation of record-keeping from physical custody controls leave a great potential of fraud for LJB, not mentioning there is a lack of independent internal verification (Kimmel, Weygandt, Kieso, 2011, p. 343). Second, LJB is missing control over its petty cash. If all employees have access to petty cash, it is a violation of establishment of responsibility (Kimmel, Weygandt, Kieso, 2011, pp. 338-339). In addition, not only no one is responsible for the petty cash, employees who use the money are only asked to leave a note, this violates the documentation procedures controls. Third, the firing incident indicates LJB is doing poorly on three controls: human resource controls (Kimmel, Weygandt, Kieso, 2011, p. 344), physical controls, and establishment of responsibility. LJB did not conduct a thorough background check on the convicted employee. If a thorough background check was performed LJB should had found out that this person was convicted guilty and served time for molesting children. Also, since LJB does not assign individual passwords to employees, it was no surprise that it had difficulty getting the convicted employee’s confession of viewing pornography on company computer. Last, the accountant should not be engaged in interviewing and approving new hires, since he is already responsible for other tasks. Instead, the human resources department should be involved in the hiring process, along with the president. Recommendations for Improvement These poor internal controls indicate LJB’s vulnerability to frauds, which not only serve as threats to LJB but also hinder the company’s capability of going public. Nevertheless, actions can be taken to fix such flaws. First of all, LJB should assign different individuals to handle supply purchase and payment tasks. If the accountant is responsible for making orders of supplies, he should receive approvals for these purchases, and should not be granted payment authorization. If he authorizes payments, he should not be made responsible for purchasing supplies. Also, since he prepares bank reconciliations, he should not have custody of the received checks; a different individual should be assigned for such task. In addition, for enhanced security, LJB can assign another employee who is independent of the personnel responsible for the activities to conduct independent internal verification. He/she can compare the payment checks to invoices; he/she can also compare total receipts to bank deposits on a monthly basis to see if there is reconciliation between the cash balance per books and the cash balance per bank. If there is any discrepancy, he/she can report to the management immediately for corrective action (Kimmel, Weygandt, Kieso, 2011, pp. 343-344). Secondary, LJB needs to set up a petty cash fund (not sure one is existed currently) and appoint a custodian who is responsible for such fund. Size of the petty cash fund should be determined, expenditures from the fund should be limited and certain types of transactions should not be permitted from the fund. The custodian of the und should have authority to make payments from petty cash that conform to these prescribed policies (Kimmel, Weygandt, Kieso, 2011, p. 367). Also, for documentation purpose, instead of a note from users of the petty cash, each payment from the fund must be documented on a prenumbered petty cash receipt, signatures of both the custodian and the individual who receiving payment must be on the receipt. If other supporting documents such as an invoice are available, they should be attached to the receipt (Kimmel, Wey gandt, Kieso, 2011, p. 367). Furthermore, internal control over petty cash fund can be strengthened by (1) having a supervisor make surprise counts of the fund to ascertain whether the paid petty cash receipts and fund cash equal the designated amount, and (2) canceling or mutilating the paid petty cash receipts so they cannot be resubmitted for reimbursement (Kimmel, Weygandt, Kieso, 2011, p. 369). Lastly, from now on, LJB must conduct thorough background checks on all new hires. Two things can be verified to support the checks: (1) Check to see whether job applicants actually graduated from the schools they list. 2) Never use the telephone numbers for previous employers given on the reference sheet; always look them up (Kimmel, Weygandt, Kieso, 2011, p. 344). The human resources department should be held responsible for all background checks. In addition, all employees should be assigned individual passwords for signing into company computers, and these passwords should only be known to the individuals whom they are assigned to. LJB may also consider installing an advanced firewall program on computers which prohibits users from logging in external indecent websites. How to cite Internal Control Requirements for Publicly Traded Companies, Papers

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

The Similarities Between Classical Music free essay sample

Before Duke Elongations Cotton Club performances, Jazz play on the radio was delegated for late night audience only. This sub-culture treatment has led many critics to disregard the Jazz movement as a dance craze, or unsuccessful recreations of Classical pieces. This slandering faze has not only created a false image Of the music, but it has also lead to a full disconnection between the two genres. It is for this reason that I propose in my paper to show the relationship between these two musical categories. My hopes in demonstrating these similarities is to disassemble the schism of ignorance built between the two, and place both Jazz and Classical music on equal footing. Critics of Jazz have always perpetuated this schism by utilizing the reasoning behind Jazz, that of it being a free form interpretation, to question the legitimacy of calling a Jazz leader a composer. For how can one be styled as a proper composer and still remain true to the Traditional Jazz concepts?The classic composer has at their disposal highly skilled musicians who are trained to work within professional bodies, such as a symphony orchestra or string quartet, and who then relies on the efficiency of these professionally rained bodies to interpret his scores as he sees fit. We will write a custom essay sample on The Similarities Between Classical Music or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page On the surface this appears to run contradictory to the Jazz composer whom, Has to write for specific combinations which do not exist until he brings them into being, and to rely on highly individual executable whose personal style must be blended together to give expression to his own ideas their individuality. Yet to interpret this blending of highly individualistic sounds as proof of a schism between this and the rigidly structured Classical composer is a false impression. This fallacy can be attributed to overemphasized the sporadic and improvisational aspects of Jazz and refusing to address the simplistic question of how much room is there for personal interpretation within the context of composed writing?Complete artistic improvisational is only accomplished by the single performer, but Yet the moment a group or a collective improvisational steps in some relatively simple and more or less inflexible convention becomes essential if mere chaos is to be kept at bay. 3 This is why Duke Elongations Orchestra played such an integrate role in his development Of musical scores. It is here that we e the originality of Duke Elongation, for in his tailoring a piece around the performer, he created the impression of pure interpretations within the framework of structure.As Duke once said, Another theory they hold is that there is such thing as a unadulterated improvisation without any preparation or anticipation. It is my firm belief that there has never been anyone who has blown even two bars worth listening to who didnt have some idea what he was going to play, before he started4 This is an important aspect to bear in mind for this argument, for the mistake that Classical critics make is this extortion of the improvisational aspect to such extremes that one would believe that no compositional writing takes place.While obviously some improvisation happens in Jazz assembles, it is not that extreme, and in Elongations case this improvisation of certain musicians was actually written in the piece. Elongation work is centered on the interplay between written and improvised music. 5 As one can see both types of composers utilize their musicians to express theyre given message and while it is through this utilization that subtle differences arise, it is hardly enough to claim this schism.To most people the infusion of African tonality into Duke Elongations music to create Negro art, questions the connection between European music and Jazz. Here Constant Lambert responds to this. If anyone doubts the essential element of European sophistication in Jazz, it is a simple matter for his to compare a typical piece of Jazz, such as Duke Elongation Swampy River, first with a lyric by Grief and then with a record of African music. It must be clear to even the most prejudiced listener that apart from a few rhythmical peculiarities the Elongation piece has far more in common with the music ofGrief6 One must understand that even when Duke infused the two tonalities of music; he still was obligated to work within guidelines of the European Harmonic tradition. 7 Yet by him keeping with this tradition he is not obligated to write music in the form of previous composers such as Stravinsky, Mozart, or Bach, for to do that would delegate Elongations music as a duplicate work. Here is the contradiction, for no Classical composer has ever been chastise for creativity in their sound, and yet how do you explain the criticism of Elongations work?The intentional fusing of African and European tonality is nothing more than a continuation of numerous inventive techniques used by musicians as seen in the changing sounds and techniques of Classical music over time? Thus to criticize Duke for his originality one would also have to condemn original composers such as Debussy, whos use of the whole-tone scale, instead of the traditional scale of Western music, allowed him to achieved a new nuances of mood and expression.Music is a universal aspect in which the inherit purpose of composing is expression. In Don Giovanni Mozart treats the interplay Of social and sexual tensions with men insight into human character that transcends the comic framework, just as Die Jabberer ¶et (1791) transcends, with its elements of ritual and allegory about human harmony and enlightenment, the world of the Viennese popular theatre from which it springs8 As one can see this expression of the artist is relevant to Classical music, but can the sa me be said about Jazz?Some critics explain Jazz is nothing more than entertainment, and yet in this declaration these critics overlook the implication of the music. The purpose of Jazz is to express the conditions of the time, and for a critic to denote that he music cannot do so is not only ridicules but logically incorrect. First of all, who knows more about an artists music than the said artist? We know that Don Giovanni has meaning to it because of the authors intended purpose, thus for Duke Elongations music to have the same type of meaning he must state it, and for which he does. Question is always being asked whether Jazz music will ever be accepted seriously. I think so; and it has to be accepted as serious music because it is the only type which describes this specific serious music is supposed to be descriptive of a period, then Jazz will have to be used o describe this, the Jazz age. Since I think Jazz is serious thing, I must be serious in my choice of song titles. 9 Thus one can see the purpose of Elongations music is to describe the era in which he lives in, very similar to the Classical era composers and the Romantic era composer s.In response to the enjoyably of Elongations music, I admit that Elongations music has melody in which patrons danced to, but the dance-ability of the music is not inherent but rather an interpretation by the targeted audience. As Duke once indicated, No notes represent swing. You ant write swing because swing is the emotional element in the audience. 10 The dance-ability of Jazz cannot be used as a distinguishing character, because one can always point to ballet, the waltz, or other manners of dance perpetuated against the backdrop of classic music.Last, large amount of spectators not only dance to Classical music but attend concert halls to listen to their performer, is this critic also indicating that in hearing Classical music one does not find enjoyment? As one author indicates, Like Mozart he, (referring to Duke Elongation) wrote music specifically designed for dance and encore and, again like Mozart, fudged the distinction between the two by the originality and consistency of his vision. 11 Thus as one can see that both Jazz and Classical music are reflection of their artists ideals and social conditions, while also consisting of an enjoyable element to their audience.In this ongoing analysis betwe en the similarities of Elongation and Classical music, one must bear in mind the fundamental composition of all music. The basic elements found in the composition of all musical sound is melody, harmony, tone color, texture, rhythm, and form. While all music is created through imbibing these elements, the unique sound of a specific musical genre is dependent upon the proportion ratio Of the mixture. 12 As one can see the originality of Jazz rests not in the creation of new elements, but rather with their unique utilization.An example of this can be seen in the accenting of rhythm in Jazz music thus leading some critics to refer it as Dramatic music. In all honesty Jazz is neither more or less rhythmic than any other types of music, it just simply uses rhythm in a different manner. 13 One of the clearest examples between of this link that I have been freeing to can be seen in Elongations relationship with Delis. Yet Before I make the comparison between Elongations Jazz and Delis European impressionism and lyrical romanticism, a note must be made. M in no way inferring that either composer played an integrate part in the development of the others style. Elongations sensitive impressionism shows considerable development before his actual encounter with Delis, and there is little proof that Elongations style would have changed if he had not even encountered Delis work. The real connection between these two is in the way they both utilize the impressionist technique in their music. Delis close adherence to the impressionist view can be seen in his focus on the mood or emotion stimulated by a scene.Elongations focus on reactions to events indicates how both composers place the personality of themselves at the center of their piece. On a more subtle scale, it is well known that Delis was an admirer Of early minstrel shows of the 19th century. 14 These shows were the only theatrical medium in which gifted blacks performers of the period could support themselves and play their music. In them we see the employment of read blues singers such as Ma Rained and Bessie Smith. Yet contrary to their own propaganda, minstrel shows musical repertoire has an only quasi-black influenced, not the full integration that is often portrayed. 5 The connection of this music can also be seen as the embracing of the African slave culture, while the extent of this embracement is arbitrary, the influence is still there. Yet like Gershwin this employment of the African tonality is not as pronounced in Delis, and yet the concept still advocates an unseen bridge between Classical and Elongation. While on the surface it may appear that the influence that ragtime played on Jazz has no relevance in this comparative analysis, the truth is ragtime is very much European.While it is common knowledge that European marching bands had immense influence on the development of ragtime,16 1 have decided to focus on the role of syncopation rhythm. This is made up of two essential elements, first in the placement of stress on a weak beat, and the second is the creation of a strong impulse on a subdivision of a beat, called an in-between beat. Now weak beats and in-between beets are also known electively as off beats, hence the rationale on why syncopated rhythm is referred to as a offbeat rhythm. Yet the important factor to remember is, musicians have always employed this type of rhythm as a stylistic method, with the only differential aspect in regards to rag time is the employment on a large-scale basis. Yet to the regard Of many critics, a full composition cannot be based solely on this rhyme, thus only difference in the ragtime implications and that of Classical music is the extent of the utilization. Now that we have made the connection between ragtime and Classical the question is now asked, does such a relationship exist for Elongation?If one wanted to see the contribution of ragtime on Elongation, all they had to do was look at his first piece ever composed, Soda Fountain Rag. Elongations early life was spent in the company of the great ragtime pianist whose impact on him as a musician is unfounded. As Elongation himself indicated, Those ragtime pianists sounded so good to me, and they looked so good! Particularly when they flashed their left hands. 17 As one can see, while syncopated rhythm is an integral aspect of Jazz, it is in no way limited only to his musical category.

Friday, March 20, 2020

How to Write a Book About Your Life 10 Easy Steps to Tell Your Story

How to Write a Book About Your Life 10 Easy Steps to Tell Your Story How to Write a Book About Your Life: 10 Easy Steps to Tell Your Story Do you have an amazing life story you want to know how to write your life story, whether its just for you or so others can learn from you?Writing your life story is a bit of a different process from writing a novel or even writing about someone else.This is your story; rather than developing characters for a made-up story, it’s your personal life you are sharing with readers.It’s a very vulnerable- and worthwhile- form of writing.If you have an incredible true story to tell about your life but aren’t sure where to start on how to write your life story, we can help.Here are the steps for writing a book about your life:Start by journaling or free-writingOutline and organize your notesPick a nonfiction genre to write inResearch for accuracyIdentify characters and perspectiveAdd speculationDetermine the settingRemember the dialoguePrepare for negative pushbackCommit to finishingNOTE: If youre ready to start writing about your lifeand publish your influential story, c heck out our VIP Self-Publishing Program where weve helped thousands do the same, successfully. Learn more about it hereWhy Write a Story About Your LifeMany people think they need to do something massive or be famous in order to write about their livesThats not true at all.In fact, more people can relate to regular, non-famous people and their struggles than they can those who have been in the limelight.The reason writing about your life is important is because you have a story. You have something worth sharing that can actually change the lives of others through your trials and tribulations.Even if youre not ready to write a memoir, you still have something valuable to share- knowledge gained through the years or maybe you just experienced a short, influential event in your life that you believe can help other.No matter what that story is, you can and you should tell it. How to Write a Book About Your Life in 10 Simple StepsSo youve discovered you have something to share with the worldbut what you dont know is how the heck to make it happen.Here are our top tips for writing your life story.#1 Journaling and Free-writingTake a few minutes to free write or journal each day, focusing on one memory. A good writing prompt for this free-write session is to write about a significant 24 hours in your life. This is just to help you get started. The memories written down from this significant moment in your life will be use later to build upon to create your nonfiction narrative.Even if you don’t ultimately use this particular memory in your overall narrative, getting into the habit of writing down memories will benefit you as a writer and help keep those memories fresh.Still feeling stuck? Explore using a nonfiction writing prompt to help you get started.#2 Outline and organizeAfter you’ve written down a variety of memories- whether they’re a part of an overall narrative or a collection of essays- they now need to be organized into a coherent s tory in order to actually write it.Since you’re writing your life story, technically the plotline is already there; it just has to be written down and organized in a manner that will speak to your audience.However, if you are the more organized type and not a â€Å"pantster† like other writers, outlining what memories you want to include in your life story may help get the writing juices flowing.Not only can an outline help you get clear on the message and order youll write your book, it can also help you form writing goals that will set up a writing habit. These are two keys to actually finishing your book.Other writers struggle with writing unless they have an outline or book template, even if it’s a book outline of their own life. It all depends on you, the writer.We have a great video detailing how to outline a book you can check out right here to find a method that works best for you: #3 Pick your genreâ€Å"Creative nonï ¬ ction has become the most pop ular genre in the literary and publishing communities.† Lee Gutkind, What is Creative Nonfiction?There are several book genres that fall under the nonfiction genre: memoirs, essay collections, autobiographies, motivational books, and more.Since you are writing a book about your life, it might feel like you have to put it in the memoir genre, but thats not always the case.In fact, it might hurt your book sales to mislabel your book as a memoir when its actually more of a self-help in a specific category.An example of this is While We Slept by our own coach here at Self-Publishing School, Marcy Pusey.While this author does label this book as a memoir, it also fits in several other categories. These Amazon categories will help you 1) reach a wider audience and 2) help you tell the story in a way that will speak to those readers.If youre struggling to decide whether your book about your life is a memoir or autobiography, this can help:The main difference between memoirs and autob iographies are their focus. Memoirs focus primarily on one specific time, or â€Å"memory† of one’s life, like a battle with a disease, traveling to a foreign country, or adopting a special pet.Autobiographies, or â€Å"biographies of oneself,† focus primarily on your entire life from start to finish- from when you were born until you die, or at least until the current moment in your life with details about achievements or notable moments.Autobiographies also tend to be a bit more factual than creative, though there have been some very well written autobiographies published.What if neither of these makes sense for my book about my life?Maybe you don’t have a specific period in you want to focus on, but don’t necessarily want to tell your entire life story from start to finish. This is where a collection of personal and/or lyrical essays may be more of your style.Think Mindy Kaling’s Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and Why Not Me? Kaling is still telling her life story, or at least memorable moments in her life story, without necessarily being one complete narrative. Collections of personal essays are like the nonfiction version of a collection of short stories.If you are still uncertain about which nonfiction subgenre to write your life story in, this is a major topic covered in the Self-Publishing School VIP course. They take you through choosing your categories that will help your book sell the most.#4 ResearchRegardless of how you begin writing your life story- with free-writing or outlining- research can help you build on memories to create a fuller story and establish you as a credible writer.Memories are fickle, and we don’t always remember things correctly, especially if you are writing about something that happened many years ago.Researching for a book can seem like a daunting task. In fact, out of all the research you’ll end up doing, only a very small percentage will end up in your story. I n order to find that small percentage, however, you need to do your research.Here are some tips for book research when writing a book about your life:List memories or facts youre not 100% certain aboutAsk family members or others close to you for detailsGet quotes from those people if necessaryWhen writing and you come across something you need to research, simply make a note to research and keep writing so you can write faster#5 Identify characters and perspectiveThe people you have met in your life influenced you in some way, and as such, they will influence how you write your life story as well.Here are some tips to organize these characters for your story:Make a list of people, also known as characters in this case, who you want to include in your storyWrite down their description: physical appearance, age, background,Write down their relationship to you (and if youre close or distant to them)Check out this character bio template from Selfpublishing.com to help flesh these deta ils outThis will assist you in describing them in your narrative through the rule of show dont tell, that way readers can visualize them and understand how they affected your life personally.The only thing you may have to alter is a character’s real name, or names. Changing names can protect a person’s true identity in their story. Unless you have permission to use someone’s true name, change it and include a disclaimer at the beginning of your story. Make a note in your character list of names you change, that way you can keep track of who’s who.Also, just because this is your life story- so technically, it’s told from your point-of-view- doesn’t mean you can’t explore the perspectives of the other characters in your story.Keeping other character’s point-of-view in mind will give your story more dimension, and will help you to avoid a one-sided, train-of-thought narrative.#6 Add speculationUse speculation to fill in gaps in y our life story. Not sure if one of your character’s motivations? Is your memory of the event a bit foggy? Using what you already know, combined with the research you’ve conducted, speculate to the best of your ability.Here is an example of writing speculation:I am not sure why my parents chose to end their marriage after 15 years together. They were always private people, and after their brief announcement to me about their separation, neither of them spoke a word to me about it ever again. Perhaps they were trying to spare me the heartache of the ordeal. I often wonder if my fathers time in the service made him distant from mother; that was the case with me. Maybe my mother, like me, became lonely as a result of that.Words and phrases like perhaps, maybe, and I wonder if show your reader that you, the narrator, are speculating.Try to find creative ways to speculate, as well. You are, in a sense, still telling a true story; youre using what you know to create a hypothe sis about something that is still a mystery to you.If you were to claim this hypothesis were true without facts to back it up, you could get end up in trouble.#7 Determine the settingReaders want to know where your life story took place, or the setting. Like fiction, you need to consider how the setting of this story affected you as a person.Here are some questions to help you discover the setting of your book:Where was this place?What did it look like?Did you enjoy living/visiting there?Do you remember any smells from the area?What was the culture like there?Were you a spectator of that culture or immersed in it?How did the setting contribute to your experience?What mood did that setting elicit?Details like these affected your life tremendously- maybe more than you realize- and therefore must be included in your narrative, just as they would be if this was a fictional story.Not only that, but this helps paint a much clearer picture for your readers and creates a more entertaining experience.#8 Remember the dialogueEven if youre writing a nonfiction book, the dialogue is still crucial.When you forget to write dialoguethe book can end up reading like a very boring textbook.Dialogue is what gives the writing- and the story itself- life.But that leaves the challenge of writing accurate dialogue. Unless you used a tape recorder or video to record a conversation, chances are you’re not going to recall previous conversations word-for-word.Just write down what you remember to the best of your ability, and paraphrase if you must. If you are still on good terms with the person you’re speaking within your memory, try contacting them to be sure that their memory of the conversation is similar to yours. You can even ask them to approve any written dialogue thats in quotes if its not 100% accurate to what was really said.Write dialogue the same way it would be used in a fiction book and remember to use correct dialogue formatting and tags.#9 Prepare for ne gative pushbackNot all of us have sweet stories with cute pets. Sometimes our memories and experiences are on the dark side- for example, The Kiss by Kathryn Harrison.This memoir focuses on the time in the author’s life where she has a sexual (and incestuous) relationship with her father. She received a huge amount of negative reactions to her story.If you are going to write and publish a personal and scandalous true story about your life, steel yourself for these kinds of negative reactions, particularly from those in your life unhappy with you telling the story to begin with.Something this is just a part of becoming an author.Nonfiction writing that isn’t dark in nature is still liable of receiving negative feedback from those who appear in the story, even if their names are changed.Some people may react simply because they were written in the story at all.#10 Commit to finishing your book!Your story can only get out into the world if you commit to not only finishin g your first draft, but publishing your book.If youre ready to commit right now, we have a FREE training to help you through the next (and often most difficult) steps.

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

A Timeline History of Mathematics

A Timeline History of Mathematics Mathematics is the science of numbers. To  be precise, the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines mathematics as: The science of numbers and their operations, interrelations, combinations, generalizations, abstractions and of space configurations and their structure, measurement, transformations  and generalizations. There  are several different branches of mathematical science, which include algebra, geometry and calculus. Mathematics is not an invention. Discoveries and laws of science are not considered inventions since inventions are material things and processes. However, there is a history of mathematics, a relationship between mathematics and inventions  and mathematical instruments themselves are considered inventions. According to  the book Mathematical Thought from Ancient to Modern Times, mathematics as an organized science did not exist until the classical Greek period from 600 to 300 B.C. There were, however, prior civilizations in which the beginnings or rudiments of mathematics were formed. For example, when civilization began to trade, a need to count was created. When humans traded goods, they needed a way to count the goods and to calculate the cost of those goods. The very first device for counting numbers was, of course, the human hand and fingers represented quantities. And to count beyond ten fingers, mankind used natural markers, rocks or shells. From that point, tools such as counting boards and the abacus were invented.   Heres a quick tally of important developments introduced throughout the ages, beginning from A to Z.   Abacus One of the first tools for counting invented, the abacus was invented around 1200 B.C. in China and was used in many ancient civilizations, including Persia and Egypt. Accounting The innovative Italians of the Renaissance (14th  through 16th century) are widely acknowledged to be the fathers of modern accounting. Algebra The first treatise on algebra was written by Diophantus of Alexandria in the 3rd century B.C. Algebra comes from the Arabic word al-jabr, an ancient medical term meaning the reunion of broken parts. Al-Khawarizmi is another early algebra scholar and was the first to teach the formal discipline. Archimedes Archimedes was a mathematician and inventor from ancient Greece  best known for his discovery of the relationship between the surface and volume of a sphere and its circumscribing cylinder for his formulation of a hydrostatic principle (Archimedes principle) and for inventing the Archimedes screw (a device for raising water). Differential Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716) was a German philosopher, mathematician and logician who is probably most well known for having invented differential and integral calculus. He did this independently of Sir Isaac Newton. Graph A graph is a pictorial representation of statistical data or of a functional relationship between variables. William Playfair (1759-1823) is generally viewed as the inventor of most graphical forms used to display data, including line plots, the bar chart, and the pie chart. Math Symbol In 1557, the sign was first used by Robert Record. In 1631, came the    sign. Pythagoreanism Pythagoreanism is a school of philosophy and a religious brotherhood believed to have been founded by Pythagoras of Samos, who settled in Croton in southern Italy about 525 B.C. The group had a profound effect on the development of mathematics. Protractor The simple protractor is an ancient device.  As an instrument used to construct and measure plane angles, the simple protractor looks like a semicircular disk marked with degrees, beginning with 0 º to 180 º. The first complex protractor was created for plotting the position of a boat on navigational charts. Called a three-arm protractor or station pointer, it was invented in 1801 by Joseph Huddart, a U.S. naval captain. The center  arm is fixed, while the outer two are rotatable and capable of being set at any angle relative to the center one. Slide Rulers Circular and rectangular slide rules, an instrument used for mathematical calculations, were both invented by mathematician William Oughtred. Zero Zero was invented by the Hindu mathematicians Aryabhata and Varamihara in India around or shortly after the year 520 A.D.

Sunday, February 16, 2020

Management Concepts - Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Management Concepts - Case Study - Essay Example With the removal of trade barriers and opening up of economies, companies no longer can have a local country-specific strategy. Two very important factors that have resulted in companies going global are: progress in information and communication technologies, the trend of deregulation and increasing competitive pressure (Mucchielli et al, 1998). One of the ways of expanding globally includes investing the returns from one country to acquire other companies (Samson and Daft, 2009). Operating in different countries is based upon various factors such as the political, economic, social, technological, and legislative environments of the country (CIPD, 2010). At the same time, expanding into different countries also calls for the existence of a thorough globalization strategy keeping in mind the above factors. It is imperative that the learnings from expansion in one country to fine-tune its strategy for expansion in other countries as well. It is also important that the HR, Finance and the IT strategy of the organization shall be aligned towards the objective of being a truly global corporation. John needs to take serious action to prevent NAB from collapsing as a business. The first thing that needs to be done is to imbibe an MNC culture amongst the employees of the organization. The bank can create a separate department which will be responsible for finding out the best fit countries to expand into over a period of time. This department can also be responsible to search for companies in those target countries. Those countries where the PESTEL factors are mostly similar to that of Australia shall be targeted first and then the rest shall be

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Problem Definition at Kudler Fine Foods Case Study

Problem Definition at Kudler Fine Foods - Case Study Example With the reasonable success of its first three stores, Kudler desires to expand into other locations in Southern California as well as in San Francisco. It is also planning to expand its products and services offerings with the addition of coffee & tea, a fish counter, and a deli, as well as more aggressively market its catering services. In order to target high-end areas in other cities, Kudler plans to launch an internet website that will eventually have e-commerce capabilities. Several issues have been identified in Kudler's current operations that need to be addressed before it can successfully achieve its future goals. Currently, it deals mainly in perishable goods which require extremely accurate forecasting of inventories so as not to incur losses. Kudler employs some relatively highly paid specialty personnel such as the butcher, the baker and the wine steward, and finding qualified people for a new store or to replace those who leave is difficult, especially so, since Kudler's pay is a bit below average. Kathy Kudler and her small management team may not be able to handle additional stores in farther locations, if their management approach is not adjusted to this situation, which limits their plans for expansion. The Del Mar location is not doing too well and needs to be addressed. Another gourmet shop opening within Kudler's current market areas would definitely pose a threat. And since, Kudler's gourmet products are pricey, an economic decline in i ts geographic area would definitely hurt Kudler. Problem/Opportunity Taking economic decline as the issue in question, this problem can only be solved by preparing for such an eventuality. According to Joseph Ellis (2005), a Goldman Sachs partner, economic cycles or periods of advancing and slowing are the rule and there are 4 stages of economic downturn: the peak, a modest slowing, intensifying worrying, and the advent of recession. Therefore, preparations to help minimize the threat of an economic decline are always worth undertaking so as not to be caught off-guard when it actually happens. Actions to hedge the disadvantageous effects of an economic decline can present opportunities. Kudler needs to carefully choose locations where it will set up additional stores, like identifying high-growth areas where profitable business operations could be better forecasted. These new locations may be in geographically dispersed areas, therefore the need to take a new management approach for managing more widely dispersed operations needs to be considered. Th e introduction and aggressive marketing of new products and services (such as online selling and catering) in its stores not only enhances Kudler's business viability but will also increase customers' patronage of Kudler as it expands into more stores. In the event of an economic decline in a certain geographic location, Kudler would be able to handle its negative effects because of the increased number of profitable stores operating, while actions are being undertaken to relocate a distressed store. End-State Goals The end vision for Kudler consists of several goals that would have

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Dynamics of Negotiations: Failed GE-Honeywell Merger Deal

Dynamics of Negotiations: Failed GE-Honeywell Merger Deal Conceptually, the purpose of every negotiation is to reach an agreement and realize the desired outcome, through efficient and amicable resolutions. The simple principle is to separate the parties from the issue, and focus on their interests rather than positions. But in reality, the process is not always so-especially in multiparty negotiations, which involves multiple parties with varying interests and differences. The objective of this essay therefore, is to critically analyze the complex nature of multiparty negotiations; with specific reference to a failed GE-Honeywell merger deal. The ultimate aim is to highlight the dynamics of the negotiations from standpoint of the parties interests and positions in the overall outcome. Keywords: multiparty negotiations, desired outcome, interests positions, failed merger. 1. Introduction Multiparty negotiation is defined in this context, as interactions involving multiple parties with varying interests and differences. Multiparty negotiation can be a complex and messy process, often with non-obvious outcomes. A number of elements make multiparty interactions significantly more complex and awkward than two-party negotiations. A notable difference is the variety of decision rules that might occur. For instance, in a two-party arrangement, failure of both parties to reach agreement leads to impasse; whereas, in multiparty negotiations, different decision rules could apply. In this article, analysis is focused on interests, differences and positions of all the parties involved in negotiating the (2001-2005), proposed business merger between General Electric Company and Honeywell International Inc. The rationale is to examine the interplay between the parties, in terms of strategies and tactics adopted during negotiations; degree of awareness of the parties BATNA and extent to which they employed competitive or cooperative strategies. The report also attempts to identify framing/anchoring techniques in the negotiations, and equally consider the role of trust, reputation and expertise in the overall decision/outcome of the negotiations. 2. Main Parties Involved The bid by General Electric (GE) to take over Honeywell International Inc. in 2001 was set to become the biggest merger in industrial history, when the European Commission barred it from taking place1. This transatlantic negotiations for a business merger involved strategic parties such as: GE Manufacturing Company, GE Capital Services, United States Department of Justice, the US Military, European Commission and the European Court of First Instance (CFI). Notable among individual personalities who also participated actively and played tactical roles in the negotiations are: European competition commissioner- Mario Monti and the GE Spokesperson-Jonathan Todd. 3. Institutional and Historical Context In 2001, one of the biggest companies in the world, General Electric-American giant manufacturer of aircraft engines; was attracted by Honeywell Internationals aerospace businesses1-avionics technology, which fit in perfectly with GEs business interests; creating remarkable synergies for these two American companies. GE Manufacturing Company was responsible for operational aspect, while all financial obligations for the merger were the responsibility of GE Capital Services-the financial arm of General Electric. The United States Department of Justice as a critical party in the negotiations, had earlier passed the merger, on condition that GE divest itself of Honeywells military helicopter unit, to protect the US military1. However, approval from European Commission was not easy to obtain and the deal fell through. 4. Interests/Positions of the Parties According to GE-Honeywell, their interest in the merger was to capitalize on core business competencies and create synergies. Other expressed reasons included, increasing market power and sharing infrastructure. The US-Department of Justice was happy with the proposed-merger and consented to it. However, it took cognizance of the concerns of US-Military over the security of their military helicopters; whose manufacture/servicing was vested with Honeywell. In view of this, the Department agreed with all other terms of the negotiations, but recommended that GE divest itself of Honeywells military helicopter unit; to protect the US military1. Conversely, the European Commission-EC was unhappy with the deal and prohibited its emergence. Their interest was to protect European markets from perceived monopoly. EC argued that a merger between GE and Honeywell would create too powerful an entity that would adversely affect the competitive position in the aerospace industry1. They maintained that the merger would give the two companies huge combined market share in the common markets in which they operated1. This, they observed would harm competitors as well as customers, by creating a near monopoly situation1. 5. Strategies and Tactics Adopted All the parties involved in this negotiation failed to invent options for mutual gain. While GE-Honeywell was more of contending and unwilling to concede to any of the demands; the EC on their part appeared to have had bottom-line in the negotiations, as they never considered other options outside their interests. They all exhibited clear case of high-concern for self and low-concern for others. For instance, The EC demanded that substantial chunks (amounting to about $ 7 billion) be divested by the two companies, and restrictions be imposed on the operations of the highly profitable GE Capital Services1. The demands GE said were far more than what it was ready to concede. The American companies and the regulatory authorities resorted to threats and slow/low commitment tactics; while the EC stood on take-it-or-leave-it option. 6. Awareness of BATNA and Use of Competitive/Cooperative Strategy It is obvious that the flexibility of Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement-BATNA, which was supposed to show all the parties what alternatives to negotiated agreements would be, and equally serve as standard against which agreements be measured; was neglected in favor of predetermined bottom-line. GE and its allies for example, recognized court litigation as their only BATNA, while EC predetermined a ban without further options. As it were with many multiparty negotiations, the differences in interests/positions of the transatlantic regulatory authorities; gave rise to competitiveness instead of cooperative strategy, which was unfortunately not resolved. Having used much of delay tactics, their inability to cooperate and explore other options to resolve their differences caused the deal fell through. 7. Use of Framing and Anchoring Techniques Anchoring and Framing are two psychological techniques that negotiators use to influence the negotiation process and its final outcome. While frames give alternative descriptions that help negotiators make sense of complex information and focus on the main issue; Anchors as bobby traps are set by negotiators to win their opponents, by defining the mental parameters within which the process operates. These two techniques featured prominently in this negotiation. For example, the EC being fully aware of its predetermined bottom-line set anchors for GE, by making outrageous demand for huge divestment of $ 7 Billion and other heavy sanctions it knew GE will be unwilling to concede. These high claims indeed misled GE. The US Department of Justice also used Framing technique to quickly self-guard US Military, by recommending a divestment from its helicopter arm from the merger. The Department focused on the main issue and disregarded any other feature outside the frame of the main issue. Also, the resorted name-calling by the merging companies and their allies on EC as being dubious and anti-American business; was part of their anchoring to provoke favorable decision and skew the final outcome. 8. Role of Trust/Reputation/Expertise and the Non-obvious Solution It is glaring that reputation/expertise of the merging companies remained the focal issue upon which the negotiating authorities based their arguments-of which many commentators knew would not produce an obvious solution. GE has a reputation of being arguably, the richest and best aircraft engines manufacturer in the world; and Honeywell was rated worlds number one in manufacture of aircraft avionics. The estimated capital worth of their merger was about $42 Billion2, which indeed played an intimidating role in the negotiation. Lack of trust became a critical factor that determined the final outcome of the negotiations. While EC questioned the integrity of the merger, and viewed it as a plot by the American companies to create monopoly and harm competitors/customers; the American companies and their supporters described ECs position as anti- American business attitude2. This undercurrent of tension/distrust ran so deep across the ranks that some called it transatlantic trade war2. With grandstanding positions by the parties from onset, many opined individuals/groups pointed earlier that there was possibility of non-obvious solution, which indeed became the final outcome 9. Lessons Learnt and Conclusions The important lesson learnt here, which is in total agreement with the concept of negotiation, as can be deduced from above examples is that making multi-party negotiations work successfully is a complicated and complex process. As can be inferred from above analysis, the negotiation fell through because of varying interests, parties differences and lack of trust. Strategically, the merger made good business sense, but contrasting positions hindered its realization hence, a failed merger. This special-type multiparty negotiations, marked the first time in negotiation history that transatlantic regulatory authorities differed significantly in their decisions. Conclusively, it is worth noting here that meticulous consultations with effective use of individual BATNAs, Framing and Cooperative strategies during the interactions; would likely have paved the way for successful negotiations that would be of mutual (win-win) benefits.

Friday, January 17, 2020

The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 22

The afternoon after Elena's â€Å"discipline,† Damon took out a room in the same complex where Dr. Meggar lived. Lady Ulma stayed in the doctor's office until between them, Sage, Damon, and Dr. Meggar had healed her completely. She never talked about sad things now. She told them so many stories about her childhood estate that they felt they could walk around it and recognize every room, vast though it was. â€Å"I suppose it's home to rats and mice now,† she said wistfully at the conclusion of one story. â€Å"And spiders and moths.† â€Å"But why?† Bonnie said, failing to see the signals that both Meredith and Elena were giving her not to ask. Lady Ulma tipped her head back to look at the ceiling. â€Å"Because†¦of General Verantz. The middle-aged demon who saw me when I was only fourteen. When he had the army attack my home, they slaughtered every living thing they found inside – except me and my canary. My parents, my grandparents, my aunts and uncles†¦my younger brothers and sisters. Even my cat sleeping on the window seat. General Verantz had me brought in front of him, just as I was, in my nightgown and bare feet, with my hair unbrushed and coming out of its braid, and beside him was my canary with the nighttime cloth off its cage. It was still alive and hopping about as cheerful as ever. And that made everything else that happened seem worse somehow – and yet more like a dream, too. It's difficult to explain. â€Å"Two of the general's men were holding me when they brought me before him. They were really propping me up more than keeping me from running, though. I was so young, you see, and everything kept fading in and out. But I remember exactly what the general said to me. He said, ‘I told this bird to sing and it sang. I told your parents I wanted to give you the honor of being my wife and they refused. Now look over there. Will you be like the canary or your parents, I wonder?' And he pointed to a dim corner of the room – of course it was all torchlight then, and the torches had been put out for the night. But there was enough light for me to see that there was a heap of round objects, with thatch or grass at one side of them. At least that is what I first thought – truly. I was that innocent, and I believe shock had done something to my mind.† â€Å"Please,† Elena said, stroking Lady Ulma's hand gently. â€Å"You don't have to keep on with this. We understand – â€Å" But Lady Ulma didn't seem to hear the words. She said, â€Å"And then one of the general's men held up a sort of coconut with very long thatch at the top, braided. He swung it casually – and all of a sudden I saw it for what it really was. It was my mother's head.† Elena choked involuntarily. Lady Ulma looked around at the three girls with steady, dry eyes. â€Å"I suppose you think me very callous for being able to talk about such things without breaking down.† â€Å"No, no – † Elena began hastily. She herself was shaking, even after tuning down her psychic senses to their least extent. She hoped Bonnie wouldn't faint. Lady Ulma was speaking again. â€Å"War, casual violence, and tyranny are all I have known since my childhood innocence was crushed in that moment. It is kindness now that astounds me, that makes my eyes sting with tears.† â€Å"Oh, don't cry,† begged Bonnie, throwing her arms around the woman impulsively. â€Å"Please don't. We're here for you.† Meanwhile Elena and Meredith were regarding each other with knitted eyebrows and quick shrugs. â€Å"Yes, please don't cry,† Elena put in, feeling faintly guilty, but determined to try Plan A. â€Å"But tell us, why did your family estate end up in such bad condition?† â€Å"It was the fault of the general. He was sent to faraway lands to fight foolish, meaningless wars. When he left he would take most of his retinue with him – including slaves who were in favor at the moment. When he left once, three years after he had attacked our home, I was not in favor, and I was not chosen to be with him. I was lucky. His entire battalion was wiped out; the household members who went with him were taken captive or slaughtered. He had no heir and his property here reverted to the Crown, which had no use for it. It has lain unoccupied for all these many years – looted many times, no doubt, but with its true secret, the secret of the jewels, undiscovered†¦as far as I know.† â€Å"The Secret of the Jewels,† Bonnie whispered, clearly putting it all in capital letters, as if it were a mystery novel. She still had an arm around Lady Ulma. â€Å"What secret of the jewels?† Meredith said more calmly. Elena couldn't speak for the delicious shivers that were running through her. This was like being part of some magical play. â€Å"In my parents' day, it was common to hide your wealth somewhere on your estate – and to keep the knowledge of its hiding place strictly to the owners. Of course, my father, as a designer and trader in jewels, had more to hide than most people knew of. He had a wonderful room that seemed to me something like Aladdin's cave. It was his workshop, where he kept his raw gems as well as finished pieces that had been commissioned or that he designed for my mother or out of his imagination.† â€Å"And no one ever found that?† Meredith said. There was just the slightest tinge of skepticism in her voice. â€Å"If anyone did, I never heard about it. Of course, they could have gotten the knowledge out of my father or mother, in time – but the general was not a meticulous and patient vampire or kitsune, but a rough and impatient demon. He killed my parents as he stormed through the house. It never occurred to him that I, a child of fourteen, might share the knowledge.† â€Å"But you did†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bonnie whispered, fascinated, taking the story where it had to go. â€Å"But I did. And I do now.† Elena gulped. She was still trying to stay calm, to be more like Meredith, to maintain a cool head. But just as she opened her mouth to be coolheaded, Meredith said, â€Å"What are we waiting for?† and jumped to her feet. Lady Ulma seemed to be the most tranquil person there. She also seemed slightly bewildered and almost timid. â€Å"You mean that we should ask our master for an audience?† â€Å"I mean that we should go out there and get those jewels!† Elena exclaimed. â€Å"Although, yes, Damon would be a big asset if there's anything that takes strength to lift. Sage, too.† She couldn't understand why Lady Ulma wasn't more excited. â€Å"Don't you see?† Elena said, her mind racing. â€Å"You can have your household back again! We can do our best to fix it up the way it was when you were a child. I mean, if that's what you want to do with the money. But I'd love, at least, to see the Aladdin's cave!† â€Å"But – well,† Lady Ulma seemed suddenly distressed. â€Å"I had meant to ask Master Damon for another favor – although the money from the jewels might help with that.† â€Å"What is it that you want?† Elena said as gently as she could. â€Å"And you don't need to call him Master Damon. He freed you days ago, remember?† â€Å"But surely that was just a – a celebration of the moment?† Lady Ulma still looked puzzled. â€Å"He didn't make it official at the Servile Offices or anything, did he?† â€Å"If he didn't it's because he didn't know!† Bonnie cried out at the same time as Meredith said, â€Å"We don't really understand the protocol. Is that what you need to do?† Lady Ulma seemed able only to nod her head. Elena felt humble. She guessed that this woman, a slave for more than twenty-two years, must find true freedom difficult to believe in. â€Å"Damon meant it when he said we were all free,† she said, kneeling by Lady Ulma's chair. â€Å"He just didn't know all the things he had to do. If you tell us, we can tell him, and then we can all go to your old estate.† She was about to get up again, when Bonnie said, â€Å"Something's wrong. She isn't as happy as she was before. We have to find out what it is.† By opening her psychic perceptions a bit, Elena could tell that Bonnie was right. She stayed where she was, kneeling by Lady Ulma's chair. â€Å"What is it?† she said, because the woman seemed to bare her soul most when she, Elena, asked the questions. â€Å"I had hoped,† Lady Ulma said slowly, â€Å"that Master Damon might buy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She flushed, but struggled on. â€Å"Might find it in his heart to buy one more slave. The†¦the father of my child.† There was a moment of perfect silence, and then all three girls were talking, all three, Elena guessed, trying frantically to do what she herself was working at, which was not mentioning that she had assumed Old Drohzne was the father. But of course he couldn't be, Elena scolded herself. She's happy about this pregnancy – and who could be happy to have a child by a disgusting monster like Old Drohzne? Besides, he didn't have a clue that she might be pregnant – and didn't care. â€Å"It might be easier said than done,† Lady Ulma said, when the babble of reassurances and questions had died down a little. â€Å"Lucen is a jeweler, a renowned man who creates pieces that†¦that remind me of my father's. He will be expensive.† â€Å"But we've got Aladdin's cave to explore!† Bonnie said gleefully. â€Å"I mean, you'll have enough if you sell off the jewelry, right? Or do you need more?† â€Å"But that is Master Damon's jewelry,† Lady Ulma said, seeming horrified. â€Å"Even if he did not realize it when he inherited all of Old Drohzne's property, he became my owner, and the owner of all my property†¦.† â€Å"Let's go get you freed and then we'll take things one step at a time,† Meredith said in her firmest and most rational voice. Dear Diary, Well, I am writing to you still as a slave. Today we freed Lady Ulma, but decided that Meredith and Bonnie and I should remain â€Å"personal assistants.† This is because Lady Ulma said Damon would seem odd and unfashionable if he didn't have several beautiful girls as courtesans. There is actually an upside to this, which is that as courtesans we need to have beautiful clothes and jewelry all the time. Since I've been wearing the same pair of jeans ever since that b*st*rd Old Drohzne sliced up the pair I wore into this place, you can imagine that I'm excited. But, truly, it's not just because of pretty clothes I'm excited. Everything that happened since we freed Lady Ulma and then went to her old estate has been a wonderful dream. The house was run down, and obviously the home of wild animals who used it as a lavatory as well as a bedroom. We even found the tracks of wolves and other animals upstairs, which led to the question of whether werewolves live in this world. Apparently they do, and some in very high positions under various feudal lords. Maybe Caroline would like to try a vacation here to learn about the real werewolves though – they're said to hate humans so much that they won't even have human or vampire (once human) slaves. But back to Lady Ulma's house. Its foundation is of stone and it's paneled inside with hardwood, so the basic structure is fine. The curtains and tapestries are all hanging in shreds, of course, so it's sort of spooky to go inside with torches and see them dangling above and around you. Not to mention the giant spiderwebs. I hate spiders more than anything. But we went inside, with our torches seeming like smaller versions of that giant crimson sun that always sits on the horizon, staining everything outside the color of blood, and we shut the doors and lit a fire in a giant fireplace in what Lady Ulma calls the Great Hall. (I think it's where you eat or have parties – it has an enormous table on a dais at one side, and a room for minstrels above what must be the dance floor. Lady Ulma said that this is where the servants all sleep at night, too (the Great Hall, not the minstrel gallery). Then we went upstairs, where we saw – I swear – several dozen bedrooms with very large four-poster beds that are going to need new mattresses and sheets and coverlets and hangings, but we didn't stay to look around. There were bats hanging from the ceiling. We headed for Lady Ulma's mother's workroom. It was a very large room where at least forty people could sit and sew the clothes that Lady Ulma's mother designed. But here's the exciting part! Lady Ulma went to one of the wardrobes in the room and moved away all the tattered, moth-eaten clothes that were in it. And she pressed some different places at the back of the cupboard and the whole back of the cupboard slid out! Inside it was a very narrow stairway going straight down! I kept thinking about Honoria Fell's crypt and wondering if some homeless vampire might have taken up residence in the room downstairs, but I knew that was silly because there were spiderwebs just inside the door. Damon still insisted that he go down first because he has the best eyesight in the dark, but I think the truth is that he was just curious to see what was down there. We each followed him one at a time, trying to be careful with the torches, and†¦well, I can't find the right words for what we discovered. For just a few minutes I was disappointed because everything on the big table down there was dusty rather than sparkly, but then Lady Ulma began to gently brush jewels off with a special cloth and Bonnie found sacks and packages and she poured them out – and it was like pouring out a rainbow! Damon found a cabinet where there were drawers and drawers of necklaces, bracelets, rings, armlets, anklets, earrings, nose rings, and hairpins and ornaments, too! I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I poured out a pouch and found that I had a huge handful of glorious white diamonds dripping through my fingers, some of them as big as my thumbnail. I saw white pearls and black pearls, both smaller and perfectly matched, and huge and in marvelous shapes: almost as big as apricots with pink or golden or gray sheens to them. I saw sapphires the size of quarters, with stars you could see almost from across the room. I held handfuls of emeralds and peridots and opals and rubies and tourmalines and amethysts – and a lot of lapis lazuli, for the discriminating vampire, of course. And the jewelry that was already made up was so beautiful it made my throat ache. I know Lady Ulma had a quiet little cry, but I think it was partly from happiness as we all kept complimenting her on her jewels. In days she has gone from being a slave who owned nothing to an incredibly rich woman who owns a house and all the means she would ever need to keep it up in style. We decided that even though she is going to marry her lover, it was best at first for Damon to buy him quietly and free him quietly, but to play â€Å"Head of the Household† for as long as we are here. During that time we will treat Lady Ulma as family, and will put the jeweler Lucen back to work until we leave, when he and Lady Ulma can quietly take Damon's place. The feudal lords around here are not demons anymore, but vampires, and they have less objection to humans owning property. Have I told you about Lucen? He's a wonderful artist with jewels! He has a burning need to create – in his early days as a slave he would create with mud and weeds, imagining that he was making jewelry. Then he got lucky and was apprenticed to a jeweler. He's felt sorry for Lady Ulma for so long, and loved her for so long, that it's like a little miracle that they are truly able to get together – and most importantly, as free citizens. We were afraid that Lucen might not like the idea of us buying him as a slave and not freeing him until we leave, but he never thought he'd be free – because of his talent. He's a slow, gentle, kind man, with a neat little beard and gray eyes that remind me of Meredith's. And he's so amazed at being treated decently and not worked around the clock that he would have accepted anything, just to be allowed to be near Lady Ulma. I guess he was an apprentice when her father was a jeweler, and he fell in love with her all those years ago, but he thought he would never, never ever be able to be with her, because she was a young lady of quality and he was a slave. They're so happy together! Every day Lady Ulma looks more beautiful, and younger. She asked permission from Damon to dye her hair all black, and he told her she could dye it pink if she liked, and now she just looks incredibly beautiful. I can't believe I ever thought of her as an old hag, but that's what agony and fear and hopelessness do to you. Every one of those gray hairs was from being a slave, with no property, no say in her future, no safety, no ability even to keep her children, if she had them. I forgot to tell you the other upside of Meredith, Bonnie, and I being â€Å"personal assistants† for a while. It's that we can employ a lot of poor women who make their living by sewing, and Lady Ulma actually wants to design and show them how to make our finest clothes. We told her that she could just relax, but she says all her life she's fantasized about being a designer like her mother and now she's dying to do it – with three completely different types of girl to dress. I'm dying to see what she'll come up with: she's already started sketching and tomorrow the man who sells fabric will come and she'll pick the materials. Meanwhile Damon has hired about two hundred people (really!) to clean out Lady Ulma's estate, put up new wall hangings and curtains, refurbish the plumbing system, polish up the furniture that has kept nicely, and to get new furniture where things have fallen apart. Oh, and to plant ready-grown flowers and trees in the gardens and put in fountains and all kinds of stuff. With that many people working, we ought to be able to move in in just a matter of days. All this has just one purpose, aside from making Lady Ulma happy. It's so that Damon and his â€Å"personal assistants† will be accepted by high society as the season of parties begins this year. Because I've kept the best for last. Both Lady Ulma and Sage could immediately identify the people in the riddles that Misao gave to us! It just goes to prove what I thought before, that Misao never imagined that we'd actually make it here, or that we could get entrance to the places where they've hidden the two halves of the fox key. But there's a very easy way to get invited into the houses we need to get into. If we're the newest, splashiest nouveau riche (sp?) around, and if we circulate the story that Lady Ulma has been restored to her rightful place, and if everyone wants to know about her – we'll get invited to parties! And that's how we get into the two estates we need to visit to look for the halves of the key that we need to free Stefan! And we're incredibly lucky, because this is the time of year when everyone begins to give parties, and both households we want to visit are having early celebrations: one is a gala, and one is a spring soiree to celebrate the first flowers. I know my writing is shaky now. I'm shaky myself at the thought that we are actually going to look for the two halves of the fox key that will let us break Stefan out of his prison. Oh, diary, it's late – and I can't – I can't write about Stefan. To be here in the same city with him, to know the direction to his prison†¦and yet to not be able to get to see him. My eyes are so blurred I can't see what I'm writing. I wanted to get some sleep to be ready for another day of running around, supervising, and watching Lady Ulma's estate blossom like a rose – but now I'm afraid I'll just have nightmares about Stefan's hand slowly slipping out of mine.