How Does Technology Influence the Google Generation

Nowadays, with the advancement of technology, our current generation, the so-called â€Å"Google generation†, is being influenced in a negative way. So what is the actual meaning of â€Å"Google generation†? One of the common definitions is that â€Å"The â€Å"Google generation† is a popular phrase that refers to a generation of young people, born after 1993, growing up in a world dominated by the Internet† (Rowlands et al. 292). However, that definition is not definitely precise. Jim Ashling says, â€Å"Everyone is members of the Google generation. All age groups exhibit some Google-generation traits† (22). Thus, the Google generation encompasses not only the young, but also the other generations. Which one creates the Google generation? The answer is technology. Since it is inherent in every area of life, the Google generation is impacted by it, which consists of changing their behaviors, affecting their critical thinking, swaying their reading habit, and making the children digital-age. The internet is currently considered an integral part of the society. It provides both advantages and disadvantages. For one thing, the information literacy of young people has not been improved with the widening access to technology (Rowlands et al. 95). Further, Internet research shows that the speed of young people's web searching means that little time is spent in evaluating information, either for relevance, accuracy or authority (Rowlands et al. 295). This will make them more work-shy. In addition, young people have a poor understanding of their information needs and thus find it difficult to develop effective search strategies (Rowlands et al. 295). As a result, they exhibit a strong preference for expressing themselves in natural language rather than analyzing which key words might be more effective (Rowlands et al. 295). Moreover, young people have unsophisticated mental maps of what the internet is, often failing to appreciate that it is a collection of networked resources from different providers (Rowlands et al. 296). Consequently, the search engine, Yahoo or Google, becomes the primary brands that they associate with the internet (Rowlands et al. 296). Therefore, their ability of evaluating and searching information will principally count on the search tools, and their creativity will be restricted. In the other words, it can be considered a type of artificial literacy. When they receive information of a specific topic, they think that they understand it. However, no one recognizes that information is extracted from technology, especially the internet, not from their authentic perceptions. â€Å"Critical thinking as an attitude is embedded in Western culture. There is a belief that argument is the way to finding truth,† observes Adrian West, research director at the Edward de Bono Foundation U. K. , and a former computer science lecturer at the University of Manchester (Greengard 18). Thereby, critical thinking is very crucial in speculating the information. If one loses that ability, he cannot perceive the entity of issues. Unfortunately, currently rapid development of technology causes their thinking process to be passive. They are not able to think the way which was formerly. In contrast, their present thinking process may be called machinery sense. Greengard states about this issue: Although there is little debate that computer technology complements and often enhances the human mind in the quest to store information and process an ever-growing tangle of bits and bytes, there is increasing concern that the same technology is changing the way we approach complex problems and conundrums, and making it more difficult to really think (18). Additionally, the wealth of communications and information can easily overwhelm our reasoning abilities (Greengard 18). Accordingly, Bugeja concludes â€Å"Without critical thinking, we create trivia† (Greengard 19). Seriously, it is time to take a closer and more serious look at technology and understand the subtleties of how it affects the thinking process. What’s more, their reading habit is one of technology’s considerable victims. According to the National Endowment for the Arts, literary reading declined 10 percentage points from 1982 to 2002 and the rate of decline is accelerating (Greengard 18). That is an authentically alarming statistic. Along with a diversity of information on the internet, their reading habit has been lessened drastically. The reason is that previously, people only collected information through books, which are the chief source. They regularly read almost all pages of a book. Notwithstanding, the technology distraction level is accelerating to the point where thinking deeply is difficult (Greengard 18). They are overwhelmed by a constant barrage of devices and tasks, and increasingly suffer from the Google syndrome (Greengard 18). People accept what they read and believe what they see online is fact when it is not (Greengard 18). Nicholas Carr, a journalist, told that it used to be easy to immerse himself in a book or a lengthy article. Nonetheless, the Net distracted his concentration on reading. He has to struggle against his reading habit that used to come naturally. For more than a decade now, he has been spending most of time online, searching, and surfing on the internet. As a result, the Net seems to chip away his capacity for concentration and contemplation. It is not only Nicholas’s problem, but is ours as well. The authors of the study report say: It is clear that users are not reading online in the traditional sense; indeed there are signs that new forms of â€Å"reading† are emerging as users â€Å"power browse† horizontally through titles, contents pages and abstracts going for quick wins. It almost seems that they go online to avoid reading in the traditional sense. (Carr, par. ) Also, he supposes that the Google generation comes to rely on computers to mediate their understanding of the world; it is their own intelligence that flattens into artificial intelligence (Carr, par. 36). At any rate, they are able to absorb the benefits of reading through the internet and keep the traditional habits because reading is learning and entertaining. The most striking example of the Google generation is the â€Å"digital-age† kids (O’Brien, par. 1). Why are they called â€Å"digital-age†? O’Brien has a 15-year-old son whose study is completely distracted by the technology. She had to keep a deep eye on him whenever he took an exam. She says â€Å"Every time I crossed the threshold, the scene was the same: textbooks remained firmly closed in his bag while the laptop was open on his desk. On the screen was some history/ physics/English document, but also his Facebook and iTunes pages. In his ears were the iPod plugs, playing back a podcast. And sometimes, just to fracture his concentration even further, he might have had a half-played video running on YouTube as well† (O’Brien, par. 3 and 4). She was irritated to keep his son on concentrating. From her problem, she concludes â€Å"He’s a digital native; you’re a digital immigrant† (O’Brien, par. 6). Digital natives and digital immigrants are terms named by the American futurist, Marc Prensky, to distinguish between those who have grown up with technology and those who have adapted to it (O’Brien, par. 7). According to researchers, the children are in the midst of a sea change in the way that they read and think (O’Brien, par. 8). They have wonderfully flexible minds. Further, they absorb information quickly, adapt to changes and are adept at culling from multiple sources. But they are also suffering from internet-induced attention deficit disorder (O’Brien, par. 8). Rose Luckin, Professor of Learner- Centred Design at the London Knowledge Lab and a visiting professor at the University of Sussex, is working on a study examining the internet's impact on pupils' critical and meta-cognitive skills. â€Å"The worrying view coming through is that students are lacking in reflective awareness,† she says. â€Å"Technology makes it easy for them to collate information, but not to analyze and understand it† (O’Brien, par. ). In short, it is time the society should do something to improve the digital-age children. Therefore, the role of parents and teachers are constantly respected and highly valued, like Rose Luckin says: Because they have been using digital technology all their lives, our children feel they have authority over it. But technology cannot teach them to reflect upon and evaluate the information they are gathering online. For that, the role of teachers and parents remains fundamentally important. (O’Brien, par. 2) Even though technology brings many various utilities to the civilization of the society, there are some issues on which are scouted out seriously. The Google generation ought to be aware of how to harness it. Do not let it affect the behavior, the ability of thinking critically, reading habit, and â€Å"digital-age† children. At any events, they should utilize the best benefits of technology to improve the life in a proper way. Keep in mind that technology can be a good servant, but it can be also a bad boss.

Distance Education Essay

Similarities and Differences Between Richard Henry Lee and Abraham Lincoln A reserved man, Abraham Lincoln rarely talked about his childhood. He was â€Å"also embarrassed by his crude family background. † (Gienapp, 1) He also knew little about his ancestry, save for what his father Thomas repeatedly narrated about his grandfather being killed by Indians â€Å"while laboring to open a farm. † (Gienapp, 1) He was born in a one-room log cabin, built by his own father. He grew up on a farm, which was at first rented, but eventually was paid for by his father from his painstaking labor as carpenter and cabinetmaker. Although he was barely literate, he performed several official duties and appeared several times in the local records of his community, having a scrupulously honest and moral reputation. On the other hand, Richard Henry Lee was the scion of one of the colony’s first families. The first Richard Lee came from Worcester, England where their family was into the manufacture and trade of cloth. Upon the deaths of his parents, their mother’s brother was awarded guardianship of him and his three brothers. Richard was sent to America to help expand the family business. Twenty-five years since his arrival in Jamestown, Richard Lee had amassed 10,000 acreas, three plantations in Jamestown and established an impressive commercial empire that spanned both sides of the Atlantic. The civil war in England and the Cromwellian interregnum had little affected the Lee businesses. By the restoration, Richard had decided to move his family to England, grooming the eldest, John, for eventually assuming control of the family business in England and America. Upon Richard’s death at forty-five, he had successfully ensured that his three sons would continue the family’s flourishing transatlantic commercial empire. John and Richard II returned to the colony and divided management of the business. The third son, Francis, stayed in London as their father wished, to be the family’s London commercial agent. This second generation of Lees shifted the family business from fur trading to tobacco, showing an adaptability to challenges within the economy and Virginia’s provincial government. When Richard II became the family’s patriarch, he learned the advantage of fostering cordial relations with the provincial government as the surest way of retaining royal patronage. This practice was continued by the third generation of Lees. Thus, despite the disarray in their transatlantic interests following the death of their London sibling, Thomas, the third patriarch tended to political matters in Virginia and shied away from their London affairs. Thomas entered the political arena; with a short-lived first attempt, the second was not only successful in the House of Burgess but advanced further to the Council of State. His marriage produced six children, one of whom was Richard Henry. Richard Henry Lee was ten when the family moved into the comfortable Stratford Hall. His boyhood was spent running â€Å"around the plantation grounds, making friends with the children of the slaves living on the plantation, unfettered by parental supervision†. (McGaughy, 17) In stark contrast, Abraham Lincoln’s life was that of a typical pioneer farm boy: doing chores, such as hauling water and chopping wood, and helping in the fields. The area was heavily wooded, and since he was remarkably strong for his age, the tall youngster was soon set to work clearing land with an axe. He later recalled that from then â€Å"till within his twentythird year, he as almost constantly handling that most useful instrument – less, of course, in plowing and harvesting seasons. † (Gienapp, 3) Thomas Lee devoted a â€Å"tremendous amount of time and energy making sure his sons were prepared to assume their legacy when the time came. (McGaughy, 18) He understood the value of providing his children with formal education. Three different tutors catered to the children’s needs in reading, writing, mathematics, Greek, Latin and religion. In addition the children were introduced to dance, music appreciation and performance lessons seriously. They were later sent to England to continue their studies. This, perhaps, more than anything, else fostered a close bond between him and his children. The sudden deaths of both parents when Richard Henry was in his teens was strongly felt. He isolated himself from the rest of the family and articulated his feelings in a poem that was later inscribed on Thomas’ gravestone. The last verse was concluded with â€Å"what limit can there be to our regret at the loss of so dear a friend† (McGaughy, 32). The other Thomas, Thomas Lincoln, on the other hand, was barely literate and did not put much value on education. Abraham and his sister Sarah attended local schools for short periods only and by the time he was seven, Abraham still could not write. Yet, even as a child, Abraham exhibited a burning desire for knowledge and self improvement. He was described to have no energy for anything except reading. He read and re-read the limited books that his stepmother, though illiterate herself, valued knowledge, brought to their house. His father did not approve of his constant reading. â€Å"Thos Lincoln never showed by his actions that he thought much of his son Abraham when a boy,† one Hanks family member noted, adding, â€Å"He treated him rather unkind than otherwise. † Dennis Hanks admitted that Abraham’s father sometimes â€Å"slash[ed] him for neglecting his work by reading. †(Gienapp,7) This would explain Abraham’s closeness to his stepmother as his friend, rather than his father, unlike the Lees. â€Å"He later said that she had been his best Friend in this world and that no Son could love a Mother more than he loved her. † (Gienapp, 5) He supported himself by manual labor until he reached twenty one and he had moved to New Salem, Illinois where he continued his self-education while working as storekeeper, militia captain and postmaster. He lost in his first bid for the state legislature but won a seat as a Whig 2 years later. He served four terms and gained state-wide popularity for his homespun wit and integrity. This time, Lincoln began his private study of the law, borrowing books from a local attorney, and earned his license to practice in 1836. He settled in Springfield, the new capital, after his marriage to Mary Todd of Kentucky and became one of Illinois’ ablest lawyers. He was elected to the U. S. House of Representatives in 1847 for a single term, during which he gained attention for his opposition to the Mexican War and the institution of Slavery. He switched to the new Republican Party in the next election and ran for the U. S. Senate against Stephen A. Douglas, to whom he lost. The race attracted national attention because of the widely reported debates over the issue of slavery in the territories. Ironically, his winning opponent had unknowingly granted him the break not only to resume his political career, but set him on his path to the White House. This was the Kansas-Nebraska Act which repealed the original prohibition of slavery in the region of the Louisiana Purchase and replaced it with popular sovereignty to decide on the status of slavery. The ensuing â€Å" hell of a storm† (Gienapp, 49) correctly predicted by the proponent, Senator Stephen Douglas, brought together Whigs, Democrats, Free Soilers in indignant protest. Pondering Douglas’ motivations and the significance of this legislation, Lincoln seemed more withdrawn than usual on the circuit. Back home in Springfield he began reading the congressional debates on slavery, taking notes at the State Library for future use. (Gienapp, 49) On February 27, 1869, he delivered his famous Cooper Union speech, where he lambasted the federal government on the slavery issue, to an influential audience. In July, he won the nomination for presidency on the third ballot at the Republican convention. The following November, Lincoln won over 3 other candidates with only 40% of the popular vote. This was unacceptable to Southern politicians; South Carolina, quickly followed by 10 other states conveniently used this pretext to secede from the Union. When he arrived in Washington for his inauguration as the country’s sixteenth president, the Confederate States of America had been formed. In 1747 Thomas Lee had been appointed president of Virginia’s Council of State. Two years later, he assumed the governorship. As a tobacco planter, he was concerned with having access to western lands, target for England’s and France’s rivalry for dominance in North America. With other planters, they directed their efforts toward trade and cultivation of new lands for tobacco production. Thomas established the Ohio Company of Virginia, which had been likened to the Virginia Company established in 1606, from which the Jamestown settlement sprung. His will gave one of his two full shares to his eldest son, Philip. The second full share he divided equally among the younger sons led by Richard Henry. The two oldest sons realized the significance of active association in the Ohio Company and in Virginia politics. In their father’s absence, they could only achieve any gains if they put family above personal interests. Richard Henry decided to fulfil his father’s aspirations. Richard Henry and his cousin Richard â€Å"Squire† won a seat each in the House of Burgesses. They were shortly followed by Thomas Ludwell and Francis, both Richard Henry’s brothers, and another cousin Henry. Within one election cycle, the Lee family once again emerged as a powerful voting bloc in the House of Burgesses, especially when combined with their many friends and allies, (McGaughy 42) Richard Henry became the spokesman of his family and the Northern Neck proprietors in the capital. He served on several important committees that soon put him in a position that challenged Speaker-Treasurer John Robinson’s role as leader in provincial politics since 1738. While the governor and the Speaker-treasurer disputed over provincial leadership, Richard Henry worked actively to continue the war against the French. Among his duties was monitoring the British and colonial forces by regular correspondence with the highest ranking officers in Virginia’s colonial militia. By the time the Board of Trade had authorized the immediate separation of the offices of speaker and treasurer, the governor had announced vacation of his post and returning to England. Richard Henry’s role in the effort to separate the offices of speaker-treasurer helped establish his leadership position in the House. His former tutor Alexander White wrote to congratulate him, though surprised, â€Å"at how quickly Lee had challenged the established leadership in the House so soon after winning his first election. † (McGaughy, 44). Abraham Lincoln entered the presidential office conscious of his lack of administrative experience. But as president and commander in chief, he learned from his mistakes. In his Inaugural address he tried to woo the Secessionists back to the Union, which responded with bombarding Fort Sumter. Lincoln reacted with a firm hand; he declared a blockade of Southern ports, authorized the suspension of Habeas Corpus in areas threatened by pro-secessionists. Lincoln’s conservatism made him accept the fact that only a vigorous war would restore the Union, which was his primary aim. This strengthened his will to win, despite enormous battle casualties and strong political opposition, from his own cabinet members and radical fellow Republicans. He was careful not to alienate his basic constituency, the citizenry of Northern and Western states, while advancing the progress of the war. He carefully worded his Emancipation Proclamation to avoid offending loyal but slave owning states in the Union. Like Lincoln, Richard Henry Lee had a similar affinity for books, which was revealed most when he became a family man and had his own home, Chantilly, away from Stratford Hall. He built an impressive library with almost 100 titles, covering historical topics and biographies, not to mention scientific, theological and philosophical studies, plus various literary works of Shakespeare, Milton, Jonathan Swift and Laurence Sterne. He had conservative views about slavery, himself. †¦ like many of his contemporaries, (Lee) expressed contradictory views toward slavery, expressing their hatred of the institution yet refusing to abolish it because he and other planters needed slave labor to run profitable tobacco plantations. (McGaughy, 63) Richard Henry’s defiance of convention is best exemplified by his reaction to the enactment of the Stamp Act. He launched his own protest separate from his peers; he led a procession to the county courthouse parading effigies of Mercer, the Crown-appointed stamp distributor for Virginia and George Grenville, Britain’s lord of the treasury. Ultimately, Richard Henry’s concerns for his and fellow planters interests overtook the interests of the Crown in Virginia and the colonies. A series of legislations made for the evolution of Richard Henry from loyal British subject with the interests of the Crown at heart (in the footsteps of his father and grandfather) to American revolutionary. Their distinct childhoods and family backgrounds in no way prevented the occurrence of similarities in their personalities, ambitions, careers, and family lives, not to mention their fathers with the same first names. The antislavery borne out of Abraham Lincoln’s parents’ Baptist faith had been internalized in him that he could not not fight for it. His gentle nature was overcome by his fierce resolve to win the war. But, as mentioned above, he also exercised prudence in words to avoid rocking the boat of his constituents who may have been loyal but were still slaveowners. As a revolutionary, Richard Henry Lee evolved. It could be described as almost like a natural evolution, if one traces a person’s loyalty and interests originate from the self, radiating to the family, to the immediate community and the larger community. When it came to a conflict of interests between his own as a planter, a family man, and Representative of his community as opposed to the interests of the Crown, it is easy to deduce whose side he would take. More so, when the interests of the Crown were to the detriment, loss and eventual harm to his family and community. The goals of both Abraham Lincoln and Richard Henry Lee reveal their deep patriotism and mature adherence to what their country (province, as in Lee’s case) had evolved into. Their political careers were run within a framework of what can be now termed â€Å"public service† in their hearts.

Immigration and British Social Policy Dissertation

Immigration and British Social Policy - Dissertation Example Building social capital 43 4.2. Promoting social inclusion 44 4.3. Ensuring social equality 45 5. Conclusions 46 References 49 List of Tables Table 1. Social cohesion: a social capital perspective 43 Table 2. Social cohesion: a social inclusion perspective 44 Table 3. Social cohesion: a social equality perspective 46 List of Figures Figure 1. Total long-term international migration estimates, UK, 2000–2010. 8 Figure 2. Recent trends in migrants’ flows. 25 Figure 3. Inflows of top 10 nationalities into the UK 25 Figure 4. Overseas nationals allocated a NI number, 2002 to 2006. 25 Figure 5. The conceptual framework of the study. 42 Acknowledgement The author would like to thank †¦ 1. Introduction 1.1. Research background A process of migration of humans between countries and continents, either as a result of difficult circumstances in a homeland or in search of better life, has taken place for centuries. But nowadays, in the era of growing globalisation, this phenome non has become especially outstanding, remarkable by its complex and multifaceted nature. Voicu (2009) defines immigration as â€Å"the act of entering a country, other than one’s native country, with the intention of living there permanently† (p.71). ... According to the United Nation Population Division (2006), in 2005 there were about 191 million migrants (foreign-born persons) in the world: 34 per cent of them lived in European Union (EU) countries, 23 per cent in Northern America, and 28 percent in Asia. Although these figures show that only a relatively small proportion of global population migrate (account of migrants was nearly 2.9 per cent of the total 6.5 billions in 2005), but the current trend in migration is remarkable by its scale and rate of growth, as during last two decades â€Å"the stock of world’s migrants almost doubled† (Wickramasekara 2007: p.3). It is also notable that roughly about 170 million of mentioned above 191 million migrants in the world (in 2005) were migrant workers and their families, i.e. people who â€Å"migrates from one country to another with a view to being employed otherwise than on his own account and includes any person regularly admitted as a migrant for employment† (W ickramasekara 2007: p.4). A majority of European countries also experience an increase of inward and outward flows of migrants, which happens during last two decades as a consequence of significant political and social changes. According to Boswell (2005: p.1), in 2001 net immigration in Europe amounted 3 per 1,000 inhabitants, and the region hosted a population of 56.1 million migrants, in comparing to 40.8 million in North America. These figures, taken along with the UNPD data above, indicate clearly that today’s Europe is a desired point of destination for migrants from every corner of the world, and experts predict further increasing of migrants’ population in European high-income countries, because the labour and skills

Compasiosn Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Compasiosn - Essay Example Ruthless style of ruling could be an adequate means through which a person in power remains in power. However, there are other stronger means to keep the same power even without creating fear among the people. Ensuring that one maintains strong allies in leadership can ensure that power remains oriented towards the same person over time. On the other hand, fear instigates and builds up opposition over time, making the situation even worse with time. In fact, gaining the people’s favor can adequately account for power. This is due to creation and development of trust among the involved parties. Machiavelli’s purpose in the text is one-sided. This is due to the fact that the text only highlights the need for a prince to only mind his own concerns in relation to retaining power to himself, as opposed to working for and with the people to gain power. A selfish aspect relating to power and authority is noted in the text. The audience bound to go by the provisions of this text are of dictatorial personality. In other words, the text’s credibility cannot hold in a democratic society that seeks to uphold justice, compassion, rights, and freedoms of the people. Machiavelli’s argument is logical, but unethical to some extent relative to the tone used to present the argument. Aung San Suu Kyi argues that fear to lose power instigates corruption. This text is essentially positioned in the contemporary trends of gaining power and authority. Parties in power go to higher extents in ensuring that they remain in power, and corruption is just but of the realized practices in this line. The thought of losing power serves as the source of myriad evils in leadership. This is due to the fact that leadership roles are accompanied by power and authority. Once power is gained, those in power often get reluctant in giving it up once their term is done. The change of scenario from a party with power to one without power corrupts the minds of many people,

Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Final - Essay Example US commission on Civil rights serves as an overall advisor as well as a watchdog and the country’s civil rights division within the department of justice bears the responsibility of enforcing non-discrimination statutes. Nevertheless, the dispersion of responsibilities in agencies with different agendas affected the process of affirmative action implementation. However, all the agencies were concerned with application of non-discriminating policies to the various segments of the US economy despite the rise of various jurisprudence disputes even within their spheres of action; besides administrative actions were related and affected other spheres. By the turn of the twenty-first century, a small number expressed support for racial discrimination after the civil rights movement progressed from obscurity during the civil war to mid-twentieth century activism to the current accepted wisdom. The non-controversial part is the reactive policy that ensures non-discrimination based on race, religion, color, sex and national origin in social, economic and educational affairs. The non-discrimination laws are designed to make sure that individuals are never judged by color of skin, but rather by the content of their character and incase a violation occurs, such individuals are entitled to remedies (Lee, 1999). Positive and Negative Results of Affirmative Action Legislation Affirmative action seems to have a short history though it is a hands-on policy that makes special efforts about employment decisions, entry into college and other public behavior as a means of compensating for past discrimination. Affirmative action bases on the thought that various groups of people even without being discriminated against currently, any individual belonging to such groups are disadvantaged in the workplace and in campuses as a result of the past discrimination aimed at the group. Therefore, affirmative action attempts to level the playing ground for all categories of citizens th ought it emphasizes on disadvantaged groups as opposed to injured individuals. Affirmative action can refer to a court-ordered, remedial programs designed to correct effects of discrimination documented in court. Proponents of affirmative action hold that affirmative action provides long-term cure for discrimination by offering victims chances to show their skills and worth, which eventually changes prejudicial attitudes. Nevertheless, opponents of this controversial program argue that affirmative action never addresses the cause of inequality and the program can create labor market inefficiencies and result in reverse discrimination. Therefore, both sides suggest that effective affirmative action would cause minority employment to increase however; the sides disagree on whether this raise is efficient and on whether it would be sustainable if affirmative action ended (Lee, 1999). Currently there is small opportunity to measure the impact of eradicating affirmative action programs. As Federal, support for enforcement faded and flowed, the Supreme Court ruling in the past decade chipped away at affirmative action making it difficult to confirm whether concurrent changes in minority outcomes are due to affirmative actio

Economics of Race and Gender Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Economics of Race and Gender - Assignment Example The assignment "Economics of Race and Gender" analyzes several chapters from the book "The Economics of Women, Men, and Work" regarding the issues related to the changing work roles and family formation and current changes in most American families and their consequence to the families. Since the ancient days, the role of women has been limited to household chores. The responsibility of women in the society was considered to revolve around taking care of children, tidying houses and taking care of the house when the husband was away. Women not considered making any meaningful economic contribution. Hence, those who had the potential to be engaged in economic activities were locked out in the rat-race. The role of women has changed as some of them have secured jobs initially dominated by male. Additionally, most are currently being formed due to economic reasons. The GDP of most couples may be higher than income generated by a single person. Furthermore, most couples prefer to be married in affluent families in order to overcome some of the economic challenges. Marriage, divorce, and fertility rates have economic consequences. They contribute either positively or negatively to the economy. Most of the families are currently witnessing changing family structures. The divorce rate in the US has been rising sharply in the current years. Furthermore, a majority of those who are unmarried have started preferring to maintain their single status. The above demographic issues affect the status of an economy.

Manga now changing the way art is enjoyed via phones rather than print Article

Manga now changing the way art is enjoyed via phones rather than print - Article Example Instead, a comic or a manga (in Japanese) would be a good mode of cost effective entertainment for people who can read these comics on their mobiles. In Japan, people of all ages read manga widely.[2]Many contemporary novelists have started their careers as mobile novelists, and once the novels were downloaded and became popular, publishers have approached them for printing the novel in traditional book form. Five of last years top ten best-selling novels started life as mobile phone – or keitai – novels. [1].Manga – comic art – is a major part of the Japanese publishing industry, representing a 481 billion yen (Â £3.4bn) market domestically. And its now migrated to the mobile.[1] Manga stories have up to 1,000 scenes and added sound effects and are easily downloadable. [1] The history and origin of manga has two views: some researchers feel that there is a strong American cultural influence in the Manga comics like the effect of US television, films and cartoons and GIs (especially Disney) while other writers feel that manga upkeeps Japanese cultural and aesthetic traditions. [3][5].Modern Manga is supposed to have originated in 1945 and from 1952 to early 1960s, there was an explosion of artistic creativity in from manga artists such as Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy) and Machiko Hasegawa (Sazae-san) [5]. Other than the comic form of art, street artists in Tokyo are creating designs specifically for mobile phones. Mao Sakaguchi, web project leader of the Shibuya HP France Gallery, says he grew frustrated by the limited art market in Japan, so had the idea of using mobiles to introduce art to a wider audience. [1].He used his fashion store as an art gallery for street artists and after taking pictures of their work, downloaded them into mobiles. Adobe Flash player has helped in creating of art works specifically designed for mobiles. [1]. There is now a whole genre of mobile phone artists. Akhr, 26, an artist,

The Success of ALDI- An Environmental Analysis Essay

The Success of ALDI- An Environmental Analysis - Essay Example This report examines the strategies employed by Aldi that has inevitably contributed to its success to be the leading supermarket of choice in the United Kingdom and whether the external environment has influenced its growth as a ‘budget’ supermarket (Johnson & Scholes, 1999). Currently, Aldi has become the supermarket of choice for most shoppers in the United Kingdom that has immensely contributed to its profits shooting up almost 32 per cent year-on-year and its opening of the 500th store with fifty more set to be opened in the near future (Shooter, 2013). Almost one in three homes visit Aldi at least once a month and of these, one in five consumers belongs to the upper or middle-class showing how this supermarket chain has a competitive advantage as compared to its rivals. This store has put in place strategies to snatch customers from its competitors such as Sainsbury’s by introducing consumer-tailored goods and proclamations that almost half of its goods are produced in Britain by leading brands. However, the major success of Aldi can be put down to one factor which is the cost of its goods which are low achieved through cost-cutting by stocking and branding its own goods which means that they do not have to share profits with the brand manufa cturers. Just like any other business, Aldi is also affected by external influences in the running of its business affairs, which has an effect in its performance (Worthington and Britton, 2006).   As already stated half, the United Kingdom populace shop at Aldi for bargains with the supermarket set to be the sixth biggest supermarket in 2014 according to market research specialist Kantar. This is majorly due to the affordable price on the products Aldi sell as compared to the four leading stores as well as offering products of good quality just as is offered by its competitors making it have a competitive advantage in the market (Hawkes, 2013).

W7Q Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

W7Q - Essay Example 260). In organizational development, managers are more focused on developing unique patterns of behavior and culture that could effectively solve organizational problems within the internal and external business environment. Normally, this can be done with the use of good leadership skills. Since managers are made responsible in aligning organizational culture and behavior in accordance to the business goals and objectives, it is safe to conclude that both managerial efficiency and effectiveness can be accomplished in organizational development. It is possible for manager to be efficient but not effective in terms of achieving the business goal. In general, there is a significant relationship between organizational work environment and musculoskeletal disorders such that a poor working environment like having insufficient lighting or the presence of excessive noise pollution could also lead to stressful working condition (Gershon et al., 2007). In relation to this example, a manager may be efficient in terms of his work attendance or the ability to communicate well with employees but not able to meet the business goal of increasing the production output There are many ways in which a business organization can evaluate the transformation of– and organizational effect which could result from organizational change. Depending on the main purpose of the evaluation, managers can choose between internal and external auditing or by conducting internal survey to obtain feedback directly from employees. One of the best ways is to conduct organizational audits. Basically, the result of organizational auditing can be used as a bench mark when developing and implementing a cultural change plan (Gershon, 2010). Since managers will have a base line in measuring or evaluating the success or failure of a significant organizational

Law enforcement today Essay Example for Free

Law enforcement today Essay Law enforcement officers have a very important role in society. They have a job that involves lots of decision making and using personal judgment. Law officers have many duties while at work. Law officers have to decide whether or not someone is breaking the law and how they will enforce the situation. Law officers are sometimes expected to be perfect. They have to catch all the bad guys and save all the innocent. Unfortunately it doesnt always work that way but officers try to do the best of their ability. All officers are different in that some are more strict and you cant get away with as much, and others are very laid back and you are apt to get a way with more. I believe all officers should be strict when it comes to safety issues, and peoples health is at risk. I also believe officers should try and teach you what is against the law before you are punished, like warnings should be issued when no one is in harms way. Some officers think they are immortal when they put on a badge, sometimes officers forget what theyre there for and go too far. There are many cases when people have been falsely abused by officers for no reason. All people have rights, even when you have committed a crime. You are read your rights when you get arrested and no one can take those rights away from you. If an officer violates those rights, you will probably win you case because of it. I think the laws and rules citizens have to follow are reasonable. To run a country successfully, you need to have laws that cover everything. People also need to educate themselves on what the laws are. In this country, you are innocent until proven guilty. Everyone also has a right to a trial before a jury when you have been accused of a crime. Each case obviously has its own circumstances, and thats why everyone gets a trial. I think the more serious the crime, the less space or freedom you have. Obviously there are different penalties for speeding and murder. They say the crime should fit the punishment. I think the penalties in this country are very fair. I dont think to many people get off too easy or too harshly. I believe the punishment system is pretty accurate in this country. I think a lot of police work is just plain old confidence. Criminals are going to take the state police more seriously than the police in a little town in the middle of nowhere. Law enforcement officers have a bad reputation of being fat, out of shape, eating donuts, sitting at a desk and so on. Some officers you see  are definently out of shape but they might have great knowledge in the field of law enforcement. I think all officers who go on patrol should have to pass a physical test as well as a written test each year to be certified. Im not saying out of shape officers should be fired, but they shouldnt be on patrol. They could be put at a desk or do detective like work. I think officers should be in good shape and look intimidating towards criminals. I think that would cut crime rates down. Criminals would be less apt to rob a bank if they knew a young, in shape, fast cop was chasing them rather than if a three hundred pound, forty six year old cop was. All these things I just mentioned would probably help reduce crime, but they are just opinions. I truly believe law officers today do a good job at what they do and deserve a tremendous amount of respect for it. Being a law officer is not only a risky job but it is kind of heroic in a way. I think it takes a special person to be a law officer and not everyone should able to be one.

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF VODAFONE

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF VODAFONE Vodafone Group Plc (Vodafone) was founded as a subsidiary of Racal Electronics Plc in 1984. It became independent of the company in 1991 then changed its name to Vodafone Group Plc. Today, as a British multinational mobile network operator with headquarters in Newbury, England, it is known as one of the worlds leading telecommunication companies by revenue. It operates across the globe where it offers a range of communication services dealing directly with consumers and offering services for businesses. Its consumer customers are classified into prepaid and contract and its business customers range from small office-home-office (SoHo) and small-medium enterprises (SMEs) to corporate and multinational corporations (MNCs). Its products and services includes messaging, voice, data, devices to help customers in meeting total communication needs and fixed line solutions. In all, its customer base total 341.1 million proportionate customers all over the globe (www.vodafone.com). The companys vision is to become the world leader in communications (www.vodafone.com). In this paper, we look to evaluate the performance of Vodafone for the periods ending 31st March 2009 and 2010. Evaluation will be based on financial and non financial factors including key ratios and SWOT analysis for a more coherent outlook. Recommendations will then be made based on the performance analysis. CALCULATION OF KEY RATIOS (all figures are in  £m) Profitability ratios Gross profit margin: this is calculated by expressing the gross profit made in the year over sales multiplied by 100. 2010 2009 (15,033/ 44,472)*100 = 33.80% (15,175/ 41,017)*100 = 37.00% Operating profit margin: calculated by expressing profit before interest and tax over sales multiplied by 100. 2010 2009 (9,480/44,472)*100 = 21.32% (5,857/41,017)*100 = 14.28% Return on Capital Employed (ROCE): calculated by dividing profit before interest and tax over total asset less current liabilities all multiplied by 100 2010 2009 (10,186/156,985-28,616)*100 = 7.93% (6,608/152,699-27,947)*100 = 5.30% Gearing: calculated by dividing long term debt over equity 2010 2009 (28632/90381)*100 = 31.7% (31749/86162) = 36.8% Liquidity: calculated as current asst over current liabilities and the acid test ratio calculated as current asset less stock over current liabilities 2010 2009 (14,219/28,616) = 0.5 (14,219-433/28,616) = 0.48 (13,029/27,947) = 0.47 (13,029-412/27,947) = 0.45 Price earning (P/E): calculated as average share price for the period over earnings per share (EPS); EPS is calculated as profit for the year over number of issued share 2010 2009 P/E: (132/16.11) = 8.19 (136/17.17) = 7.92 http://www.vodafone.com EVALUATION OF THE RESULTS FINANCIAL Profitability ratio Gross profit margin relates to the trading profit of a firm to its sales. Generally, it should be steady year and year and any wide variation investigated (Cox and Fardon, 2007). In the case of Vodafone, there was a fall in this ratio from 2009 to 2010 from 37% to 33.8%. This fall can be attributed to the increase in cost of sales of 13.92%, nearly twice as high as the increase in sales of 8.42%. Further investigation is need to ascertain the increase in cost of sales. On the contrary operating profit margin nearly doubled from 14.28% in 2009 to 21.32% in 2010. This margin highlights how effectively a firm has managed its cost of operations. It would look like Vodafone has managed cost effectively; however the increase is due to a fall in impairment loss of approximately 64% on goodwill. In 2009 there were a lot of adverse events e.g. economic down turn. Otherwise all cost remained fairly the same only slightly higher in 2010. ROCE increased from 5.3% to 7.93% in 2010. It is good as it reflects that Vodafone has the ability to earn a return on all capital employed increasingly. Investors should be happy in this respect as it means their investment is been put to good use. What will be more helpful is a five year trend and knowing that the 7.93% is at least equal to the return on a bank account (Cox and Fardon, 2007). Gearing ratio This ratio decreased by 13.9% to 31.75% in 2010. Long term borrowing fell 9.8% over the period, mainly due to a sharp fall in other liabilities, while equity increased by 4.9%. Higher gearing means less secure equity capital; partly because repayment and interest make debt costly and partly because strictly speaking it can be recalled at any time. Although there is no clear standard to judge acceptable gearing level, when gearing exceeds 100% it tends to worry investors (Cox and Fardon, 2007). Thus, in this case Vodafone has done well although five years figures will give us a clearer trend. Liquidity/acid test ratio Liquidity is the ability of a firm to pay off current obligation. Both the acid test and current ratio increased from 2009 to 2010. However, both ratios fall short of the rule-of-thumb that current ratio should be 2:1 (0.5 in 2010 and 0.47 in 2009) and acid test 1:1 (0.48 in 2010 and 0.45 in 2009). It shows Vodafone is not liquid. This is not a problem as such because in the telecommunications industry there are relatively few current assets and this contributes to low current ratios (Costea, 2006). For a meaningful conclusion a five year tread and industry average is needed. P/E ratio This ratio represents the markets view of the growth potential of the company, its dividend policy and the degree of risk involved in the investment (Alexander, Britton and Jorissen, 2007). High P/E ratio means investors have good feelings about the factors mentioned, i.e. good growth opportunities, relatively safe earnings etc (Brealey, Myers and Allen, 2008). In the case of Vodafone there has been an increase in the ratio by 3.4% to 8.19 which highlights that investors are confident in the company. Again five years trend and comparison to the industry average will give a more meaningful conclusion. NON FINANCIAL SWOT analysis forms the basis of this section. Analysis of the financial statement and research by datamonitor show that there has been little change in the SWOT of Vodafone between 2009 and 2010 (see appendix 1). Strengths Vodafone has strong international brand recognition. in an age where branding is key element of marketing this is a key strength. In 2009, in Brand finance global ranking, the Vodafone brand came 8th as most valuable brand. In 2010 it moved up to 7th position. It has developed a set of guidelines, to enable the consistent use of the Vodafone brand, in areas such as advertising, retail, online and merchandising and ensured it has a strong customer focus. The company also has extensive global reach and diversified revenue base. It has equity interests in over 30 countries and over 40 partner markets worldwide. It operates in three geographic regions Europe, Africa and Central Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East and also has an investment in the United States. This reduces business risk and provides synergy. Furthermore, it is a leader in its markets meaning it understands its market. Weaknesses The company continues to be a part of legal proceedings which eats into the companys profits. In 2004, Vodafone 2, one of the subsidiaries initiated a legal action to an enquiry by HMRC with regard to the UK tax treatment of its Luxembourg holding company, Vodafone Investments Luxembourg SARL (VIL), under the CFC Regime. The enquiry is ongoing and a provision of  £2.2bn has been and was made in 2010 and 2009 accounts. This event shows Vodafone as an irresponsible company trying to evade taxation. Opportunities Strong growth has been forecast for the mobile advertising market with mobile phones becoming the centre of digital convergence. Indeed, compounded growth forecast for the USA alone is 70% for 2008-2013. This is good news for Vodafone as it has been focusing here in recent times and thus, offers the potential to increase revenue in the future. The penetration of third generation technology (3G) has been increasing in recent times. It allows service providers to provide many services including mobile TV and VoD. The penetration rate of 3G in advanced economies is forecast to increase from nearly 30% to 60% between 2008 and 2013. At present Vodafone is an active leader in this market and thus is taking advantage of this. Threats The telecommunication industry is highly competitive. In addition technology is constantly changing and if one is not careful one can be out of competition. Competition is also very high because markets are becoming saturated and thus marketing is shifting towards customer retention rather than acquisition. This is particularly so in the European market where Vodafone generates considerable revenue. RECOMMENDATION Comparing the companys performance over a 2year period with the ratios can result in a highly inaccurate conclusion. For instance, is the fall in gross profit a one off occurrence within five years or has it been falling only rising in 2009 and falling again in 2010. If this is the case then there is a big problem. This being the case, it is recommended that the company develop the analysis over 5 years for more informative conclusion. This is not to say that the one off occurrence in gross profit margin does not need attention. Also although the company may be doing well it may be below industry standards and thus industry average is needed to ensure this is not so and if it is then the company will know where to work on. This is particularly the case for Vodafones liquidity. The company is not liquid. Is this in line with industry average? Perhaps further liquidity test is needed. It is also recommended that the sharp rise in cost of sales is investigated. A breakdown of the cost is needed to know which element(s) is the culprit to determine what can be done about it. CONCLUSION Overall Vodafone performed better in 2010 than it did in 2009. This should be commended as the economic environment has not been all that favourable. The company was profitable improving in both its operating profit margin and ROCE with the exception of gross profit margin falling. This has been commented on above. Improvement in the ROCE showed Vodafone to have made extensive use of capital employed. It has kept its gearing level under control and according to the price earnings ratio, investors are confident about the future prospect of the company and this is reflected in the increase in current share price of the company as is in appendix one. Once again Vodafone can be commended for maintaining and building on its strength; extending global reach, maintaining its lead and increasing its brand value. This has definite impact on its ability to improve its profitability and do well despite performing in a mature, highly competitive environment with a dire climate. It is rather unfortunate that none of its strength or opportunities can eradicate or minimise its weakness. Vodafone needs to take care when calculating and recognising tax ensuring that it has proper internal controls to ensure all rules and regulations are adhered to as fully as possible. References: Alexander, D., Britton, A. and Jorissen, A. (2007) International Financial Reporting and Analysis, London Thomson Learning. Brealey, R. A., Stewart, C. M. and Allen, F. (2008), Principles of Corporate Finance Singapore: McGraw-Hill. Costae, Adrian The Analysis of the Telecommunication Sector by means of Data Mining Technique, 2006, Journal of Applied Quantitative Methods, pp.144-150 Cox, D. (2007) Accounting: the basics of financial and management accounting. Worcester: Osborne Books Ltd DATAMONITOR (2009) SWOT analysis, April 2009. London; DATAMONITOR http://www.lse.co.uk/SharePrice.asp?shareprice=VODshare=vodafone_grp http://www.vodafone.com/etc/medialib/agm_09.Par.22820.File.dat/VF_Annual%20Report_2009.pdf http://www.vodafone.com/etc/medialib/agm_10.Par.86506.File.dat/vf_ar2010.pdf London Stock Exchange (2010), 3 months Vodafone Share Graph. London Stock Exchange, Accessed 11 August 2010. Vodafone Group Plc. (2009) Annual Report For the year ended 31st March 2009, Vodafone Accessed 10 August 2010. Vodafone Group Plc. (2010) Annual Report For the year ended 31st March 2010, Vodafone Accessed 10 August 2010.

The Great Depression in America Essay -- essays research papers

The Great Depression Irving Fisher, an economist at Yale University in 1929, confidently stated, â€Å"The nation is marching along a permanently high plateau of prosperity.† Less than a week later, the bottom dropped out of the stock market sending the American economy toward its worst downfall in history. The Great Depression was not only responsible for a dramatic change in the structure of American politics, but also for a change in Americans’ expectations about government. The Depression affected all Americans, rich or poor, and was responsible for ushering numerous social problems into the lives of citizens. Herbert Hoover was elected president in 1928. Prior to his election, during his acceptance speech for the Republican nomination, he stated, â€Å"We in America today are nearer to the final triumph over poverty than ever before in the history of any land. The poorhouse is vanishing from among us.† Many Americans shared Hoover’s optimism in the beginning of 1929. On January 1, 1929, The New York Times printed an editorial reading, â€Å"It has been twelve months of unprecedented advance, of wonderful prosperity. If there is any way of judging the future by the past, this new year will be one of felicitation and hopefulness.† Later that year, on Tuesday, October 29, the market crashed. This day is known as â€Å"Black Tuesday† and is considered the single most devastating financial day in the history of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Prices...

Symbolism of the Mississippi River in Huckleberry Finn Essay examples -

Rivers are often associated with freedom and growth as they are vast and constantly moving and progressing. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is no exception as Mark Twain beautifully paints a picture of a boy who grows significantly during his journey down the Mississippi River. In the beginning of the novel, Huckleberry Finn yearns for his freedom from people who hold him down such as the Widow Douglas and Pap. Ironically, he finds freedom in a place nearby: the river. When he first begins to travel down the river, Huck is more or less self-involved with his own personal motives in mind when running away. He complains about boredom and loneliness when what he really wanted in the first place was to be left alone. When he comes upon Jim, he is overjoyed to be with someone finally and being that it is a Negro man running for his freedom, he begins his growth as a character. As he moves down the river, we see his growth in stages and much of it is due to his experiences on the wate r, which ultimately becomes his moving home. Twain uses narrative devices and literary techniques to exemplify Huck’s relaxed yet lonesome attitude toward the Mississippi River. In the beginning, Huck tells us that â€Å"two or three days and nights went by† (135). Usually, two or three days when running away seems like an eternity but, for Huck, â€Å"they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely† (135). He is relaxed on the river and shows this by his ability to lose track of time and watch it slip by. Huck describes his daily routine, which seems more suitable for a vacationer than a runaway, like this: â€Å"Soon as night was most gone, we stopped navigating and tied up-nearly always in the dead water under a tow-head, and then cut young cottonwoods and w... ...hor’s use of description and literary techniques. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, there is much talk of being alone or being cast away from society. This is most understood when Mark Twain describes the vastness of the river. His narrative devices and literary techniques help us feel these characteristics. Loneliness is a reoccurring theme as well and how better to feel the loneliness that Huck is experiencing than to describe the slow-moving life on the large, open Mississippi River. Twain does a beautiful job of this throughout the novel and especially in this passage. What we are left feeling for Huck is hope, Hope that he finds the freedom he is looking for. Hope that he can help Jim to the free states, and hope that he will never be lonely again. Work Cited Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, London: W.W. Norton and Company, 1999.

A Comparison of Moods in Beowulf and Samuel Becketts Waiting for Godot :: comparison compare contrast essays

Moods in Beowulf and Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Reading a work of literature often makes a reader experience certain feelings.   These feeling differ with the content of the work, and are usually needed to perceive the author's ideas in the work.   For example, Samuel Beckett augments a reader's understanding of Waiting For Godot by conveying a mood, (one which the characters in the play experience), to the reader. Similarly, a dominant mood is thrust upon a reader in Beowulf.   These moods which are conveyed aid the author in conveying ideas to a reader.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Waiting for Godot, Beckett uses many pauses, silences, and ellipses (three dots (...) used to create a break in speech) to express a feeling of waiting and unsureness.   There is a twofold purpose behind this technique. For one, it shows that Vladimir and Estragon, the two main characters who are waiting for Godot,   are unsure of why they are waiting for him.   This also foreshadows that they will be waiting a very long time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In some cases in literature, an idea can only be conveyed properly if those on the receiving end of the idea   are able to experience the feelings that a character is experiencing in the work.   For example, in order for a reader to feel how and understand why Vladimir and Estragon feel as though they do while they wait, it is essential for that reader to either understand or experience the same feelings that Vladimir and Estragon are experiencing.   Vladimir and Estragon are waiting;   waiting for Godot, to be exact; and Beckett wants the reader to feel as if he or she were waiting also.   Along with the feeling of waiting that a reader may experience, he or she might also understand how Vladimir and Estragon feel at times: Unsure, not very anxious to move on, and constantly having to wait.   A feeling of timelessness is even evoked, allowing almost anyone from nearly any time to understand Vladimir and Estragon's predicament.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many times people may feel overwhelmed by a higher force unalterable to them.   This force may control something such as their fate.   In the Anglo-Saxon culture, a popular belief was that of fate.   The writers of Beowulf may have known that not all people believe in the power of fate. Therefore, to properly convey such an idea as the inevitability of fate in the epic, the writers included events which, when read, are also "experienced" by the reader.

Not Legal, Not Advisable

Matthew is planning to open a manufacturing facility. He is considering a â€Å"Christian-only† hiring policy whereby he would determine to hire only professing, evangelical Christians to work in the facility. He asks you for your advice on the following questions: 1. Would such a policy be legal? If so, under what terms and what might the restrictions be? 2. From a Great Commission perspective, would this policy be advisable? 3. How would your answers change, if at all, if they planned to open a Christian school rather than a manufacturing facility? Not Legal, Not AdvisableThere are few organizations that are allowed to consider the faith of employees when hiring. Manufacturing facilities is not one of them. Our Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination of religion. As U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (n. d. ) states, the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 â€Å"prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national originâ⠂¬  (para. 1). Organizations such as faith-based schools and some charitable organizations are not able to use government funding to assist in their activities if the result advances religion.Education Law Center (2010) states that the First Amendment to the U. S. Constitution â€Å"prohibits Congress and all levels of state and local government form enacting laws respecting an establishment of religion. † Public funds can only be used to support the non-religious services they provide. Opening a manufacturing facility that discriminates against race is also not advisable from a Great Commission Perspective. Romans 2:11 states that â€Å"God shows no favoritism† (NIV). God has created the governing facilities for us to use as needed. Christians would not want others to discriminate against them.There also should not be laws that prohibited the teaching of religious beliefs, therefore I think allowing certain organizations and schools to teach their religion should con tinue to be allowed. Education Law Center. (2010, June). Integrating Faith-Based Organizations into State-Funded Pre-K Programs. Retrieved from http://www. edlawcenter. org/assets/files/pdfs/publications/IntegratingFaithBasedOrganizations. pdf U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (n. d. ). Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Retrieved November 23, 2012, from http://www. eeoc. gov/laws/statutes/titlevii. cfm

The plight of migrant workers

Introduction:The wise saying goes, ‘The writer sees, what the Sun can not see.’’(Proverb) If that writer happens to be a photojournalist, his products are going to be nearer to the reality. This is the strength of the book of David Bacon. Of the four factors of production, Land, Labor Capital and Organization, it is known that the Labor occupies the first position, because without it, the other three are rendered idle.In the context of globalization of all segments of economic and profit-generating activities, agriculture too occupies the prominent place. The labor requirement in this area is vast, and it needs to be employed at the right time, depending upon the timings of the harvesting and marketing of the crops. How do the migrant workers plough their lives, what are the problems that confront them and what is the solution?The harsh realities of migrant experience†¦The materialistic civilization, industrial and internet revolution have made the concept of globalization a reality, without world leaders formally announcing the same. The economic compulsions are such, something tangible is happening all over the world in the industrial and agricultural sectors, without anyone making efforts for it ‘actually.’ Transnational communities are being formed in the natural course, because of the common economic and survival interests and aspirations of such labor force.This has happened all along the northern road from Guatemala, via Mexico and far into the United States. Douglas Bacon is eminently suited to do the task of writing this book, for he is thrice-blessed—being the journalist, the photographer, and a trade union leader and labor organizer.(Ahn, 2004) With the might of his pen, and the click of the flashgun of the camera, he gives the picture of the real life of the migrant labors working for plenty and prosperity of others to a great extent, and their individual prosperity to some extent.Workers move and become part of the migrant work-force, not because they want to move, but because someone somewhere is willingly and anxiously waiting for them. Undocumented immigrants far outnumber the documented immigrants. (Ahn, 2004)US border policy treats them in an unjust manner, labeling them as an aggregation of individuals.Immigration policy on such block of immigrants demands special attention and policy guidelines, to properly accept them into the mainstream of the society, because they are contributing to the welfare of that society. These great dramas of borderlands create new issues time and again.   Their combined work output is definitely contributing to the movement of giant wheels of agriculture production to fulfill the food requirements of the Nation. The labor movements are both for survival and for further improvement of working conditions to secure stable life, without uncertainties and anxieties.Agriculture:1. The obstacles the migrant workers face, their thoughts about their hom eland, and their plans for building a better life:The number of migrant workers in USA runs into millions. They are available for all types of work related to agriculture, like planting, weeding, harvesting and packing. Their contribution is basic and fundamental, but in return, they don’t get what they deserve. Their income is less than $7,500 an year. (Ahn, 2004)The working conditions are dangerous from the point of view of health, for they have to toil in the hot fields below the hotter sun, they handle  Ã‚   not too safe farm equipments, the ill effects of physical exposure to herbicides, chemical fertilizers and poisonous pesticides do serious damage to their health.â€Å"Often we went into the fields barefoot,† remembers Jorge Giron, from the Mixtec town of Santa Maria Tindu, who now lives in Fresno. His wife, Margarita, recalls that in the labor camp â€Å"the rooms were made of cardboard, and you could see other families through the holes. When you had to re lieve yourself, you went in public because there were no bathrooms. You would go behind a tree or tall grass and squat. People bathed in the river and further down others would wash their clothes and drink. A lot of people came down with diarrhea and vomiting.† The strikes, they say, forced improvements. (Bacon, 2005)2. In what way do the members of these communities face ethnic and racial discrimination?The main problem of the migrant workers is their status. Since they are illegal entrants, the worry of their clandestine stay bothers them during 24 hours in a day. Their number is more than 52% of the total workforce. (Ahn, 2004) They move like caravans, depending upon the requirements in a particular area.This affects their lifestyle adversely, because they live in temporary houses, in congested areas where sanitation facilities are too poor. Some spend their nights in their cars or dusted fields; under temporary structures.   They work even when they are sick, for the med ical facilities are poor, one is afraid to ask for them for the fear of losing wages, or even the job. In case of prolonged illness, the chances of being deported are certain.Long periods of absence from homeland and the denial of the association of near and dear ones, lead to depression in many cases. Since the job is temporary and without any perquisites, they remain engulfed in a sense of insecurity. They live under compulsion, for they have to support their family members in a distant land, who are expecting their remittances month after month. Migrant workers with the family, face another problem of education of their children, as they have to constantly shift from one school to another.The children are brought up in uncertain and poor conditions and they develop a sense of inferiority complex. The racial and ethnic problems though not there legally, yet in the day to day dealings, they show their presence. â€Å"Labor organizing was part of the mix here too. In 1993 FIOB bega n collaboration with the United Farm Workers. â€Å"We recognized the UFW was a strong union representing agricultural workers,† Dominguez explains. â€Å"They recognized us as an organization fighting for the rights for indigenous migrants.†But it was an uneasy relationship. Mixtec activists felt that UFW members often exhibited the same discriminatory attitudes common among Mexicans back home toward indigenous people. Fighting racism in Mexico, however, had prepared them for this. According to Rivera Salgado, â€Å"the experience of racism enforces a search for cultural identity to resist [and] creates the possibility of new forms of organization and action.†(Bacon, 2005)3. What kinds of organizations have they formed to protect themselves?Cezar Chavez founded the United Farm Workers Union and the farm workers stand up for their rights. His pressure tactics made the growers sign the contract, which protected worker’s interests. Laws are being framed one after another, but these have proved to be laws designed for exploitation. For every provision of the law for protecting the interests of the workers, the legal brains of the employers find an escape route. â€Å"Labor shortages caused by World War II resulted in the 1942 U.S./Mexico Bracero Program. Bracero contracts ranged from one to six months, and employers were required to provide food and housing, pay local wage rates, cover medical expenses, and provide transportation between Mexico and the farm.These clauses, however, were rarely enforced and growers routinely exploited Braceros by shorting the hours they worked or changing the rate of pay once the work was completed.†(Ahn, 2004) With strong protests from the labor, the Bracero Program was terminated in 1964.United Farm Workers Union of America (UDW) is credited with securing improvement in the working conditions of California farm workers and now the workers have the legal mandate of access to faucets, toilets and cold drinking water. But the Unions face a peculiar problem. They don’t get the necessary support from the workers. Less than 10 percent of all strawberry workers are unionized.(Ahn, 2004)At the National level, there are several organizations fighting for the rights of the workers. Some of them are the Coalition of Immokalee Workers in Florida, Farm Labor Organizing Committee in North Carolina etc.4. How does their position in American society compare with the civil rights struggles of other groups we have studied?The Civil Rights Struggle is a broad struggle, having national and international repercussions. The problem of migrant worker is a â€Å"struggle within the struggle.†(Own)   Rights for the workers are the consequential action to the Civil Rights struggle. Now that the civil rights issues are settled legally, it is time that the government pays sincere attention to the plight of the migrant workers, so it does not turn out to be an issue like the issue of s lavery in disguise.Conclusion:Unfortunately in USA, democracy and capitalism have joined hands to give a free reign to exploitation and the workers are at the receiving ends. What to talk about those illegal migrant workers. They are like smuggled goods liable to be confiscated by the Government at any time. Some tangible steps need to be taken to reconcile these good ideals. USA has tried combinations and permutations, by placing emphasis on one or the other ideal. The problem of migrant workers is mainly the human problem, apart from the one that of legal and economic.The concept by the workers that the Management is the sworn enemy and they must be a war with it always, is wrong. Similarly, the Management needs to have the humane approach. The thought process both the parties need to change. Then only their action process will also change. So, when the thoughts are changed, the mind is changed; when the mind is changed, the man is changed; when the man is changed, the society is changed.References Cited:Ahn, Christine, Article: Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy | For Land †¦Workers Without Rights in American Agriculture, (2004)†¦Bacon, David (Author), Carlos, Jr. Munoz (Foreword), Douglas Harper (Foreword) Book: Communities without Borders: Images and Voices from the World of MigrationPaperback: 235 pagesPublisher: ILR Press; 1 edition (October 2006)Language: EnglishISBN-10: 0801473071ISBN-13: 978-0801473074Proverb: Source anonymousOwn: This symbol is my own creation.Bacon, David: Article: Communities Without Borders (David Bacon);The Nation: October 2005 issue.

Territory and borders are increasingly irrelevant in todays global economy

The natural way we imagine the concept of territory and borders is through a nation state, since defining one is a bit of a tricky task but for our purposes, a nation state can be defined as one which has a functioning centralised government put in place that possesses the ability to exercise authority over a distinctive territory. Unless you’re over the age sixty you've only ever known a world of nation states. Nationhood and empire have long been the dominant way we’ve organized ourselves economically, politically and socially or at least the way that other people have organized us, the ottomans to former Soviet Union and the United States are great examples, but the global market exceeds that level of influence or with no fixed borders. The shrinking world concept best describes the globalisation process with regional integration, plus increasing transborder flows, put a big question mark on the importance of state sovereignty and territorial borders with more Internationalisation taking place. However in the mitts of this global downturn state sovereignty and territorial borders have taken resurgence in importance so liberalisation that took place in the boom years is now being met with serious criticism. Quote by The Economist ‘The world became as tightly linked, economically, as it had ever been. It makes perfect sense that a downturn anywhere would become a downturn everywhere. Previously Borders were becoming less of significant issue in Europe, since the European Union was established back in 1957 with six original member’s states which now include nineteen more in this economic and political union centralised in Brussels. The ability of free movement of EU citizens between member states plus the easy transfer of goods to trade in 27 economies with lower taxation are obvious incentives to join, however with the decision making coming from one centralised location by imposing polices that have not been produced and approved by individual states means the ability of those individual representatives have a tougher time in truly representing the interest of their people, this would be more challenging for minority members to get a equal say so as more established members. By trying to get rid of these barriers contributed unintentionally to internal divisions, resulting in stronger claim of peripheral borders. Events such as the ones which occurred in the Arab world have contributed to an already tense situation with patrols in the Mediterranean built up now titling Europe Fortress Europe. Only the India- Pakistan, the Senkaku Islands conflict and Cambodia-Thailand probably the most blatant incidences of the frequent significance of borders. The contrast effects globalisation can have on two different nation states, the tiny Mediterranean state of Monaco smallest country in the world after Vatican City to Ethiopia 27th largest country in the are complete polar opposites. Monaco being is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. ‘The principality also is a major banking center and has successfully sought to diversify into services and small, high-value-added, non-polluting industries’. So will argue Ethiopia's economy on the reliant on agricultural employing eighty five percent of its workforce which suffers from poor farming practices and regular occurring droughts which is made worst their borders is being compromised by the participation in transnational agency by the effects of the enhanced green house effect. So the size of territory is insignificant Monaco knowing already that’s it’s at a disadvantage due to size with no recognised natural resources has specialized itself into a service based sectors employing 95% of its workforce which has a better compatibility with today’s globalized world. A viewpoint which you receive might come from someone with a more nationalistic that says that the significant of territory and borders are more important to today than at any other period in time, you may point out the significant GDP and wealth destructions difference between Monaco and Ethiopia as a clear winner in the discussion but Monaco role and the activi ties it plays in the global market place leave it quite vulnerable. ‘The dependence on its service sector in areas such as banking and tourism for its economic growth and stability has left it quite vulnerable to a downturn experienced in neighbouring France and other European economies which are the principality’s main trade partners. In 2009, Monaco’s GDP fell by 11.5% as the euro-zone crisis precipitated a sharp drop in tourism and retail activity and home sales. A modest recovery ensued in 2010 with GDP growth of 2.5%, but Monaco’s economic prospects remain clouded in uncertainty tied to future euro-zone growth. Weak economic growth also has deteriorated public finances as the principality recorded a budget deficit of 1.9% of GDP in 2010. Ethiopia may not have the same ability to generate has a power presence in human history with all three abrahamic faiths origins begin here so more integrated westernized Ethiopia would be a sad lost for mankind so it will come down to what you value. To conclude on the whole, the sovereignty or the ability of nation states to uphold power and influence in its own recognised territory is deteriorating everyday in order to keep their economic stability and a competitive nature since it needs to open their markets due to globalisation. But the idea of the nation state has come under some questioning as of late some have actually questioned the nation state of ever being previously completely economically independent as false. It’s difficult to finger out an answer but I would say globalisation hasn’t weaken the influence of the nation state but condition under which their off power is executed.

The Blue Sword CHAPTER SEVEN

She woke at once when the man of the household pushed the curtains back from her sleeping-place and set a candle on the low bronze-top table beside her pillows. She stood up, stretched, creaked, sighed; and then changed quickly into her riding clothes and gulped the malak set beside the candle. Narknon protested all this activity with a sleepy grumble; then rewove herself into the tousled blankets and went back to sleep. Harry went outside and found Mathin's dark bay and her own Sungold there already. Tsornin turned his head and sighed at her. â€Å"I couldn't agree more,† she whispered to him, and he took the shoulder of her robe gently in his teeth. Mathin appeared out of the darkness and a pack horse followed him. He nodded at her, and they mounted and rode toward the Hills that reared up so close to the camp, although she could not see them now. As the sky paled she found that they had already climbed into the lower undulations of those Hills, and the camp they had left was lost to view. The horses' hooves made a sterner thunk now as they struck the earth of the Hills. She breathed in and smelled trees, and her heart rose up, despite her fears, to greet the adventure she rode into. They rode all that day, pausing only to eat and pull the saddles off the horses for a few minutes and rub their backs dry. Harry had to find a rock to crawl up on before she could get back on her horse, far from the conveniences of brown-clad men who knelt and offered her their cupped hands, and Sungold obviously thought this ritual of his rider calling him over to her as she perched atop some rock pile before she mounted him very curious. Mathin said, â€Å"This is the first thing I will teach you. Watch.† He put a hand at each edge of the saddle, and flung himself up and into it, moving his right hand, on the back of the saddle, gracefully out of his way as soon as he had made the initial spring. â€Å"I can't do that,† said Harry. â€Å"You will,† said Mathin. â€Å"Try.† Harry tried. She tried several times, till Sungold's ears lay flat back and his tail clamped between his hind legs; then Mathin let her find a small rock that raised her only a few inches, and made her try again. Sungold was reluctant to be called to her and put through the whole uncomfortable process again; but he did come, and braced his feet, and Harry did get into the saddle. â€Å"Soon you will be able to do this from the ground,† said Mathin. And this is only the beginning, Harry thought miserably. Her wrists and shoulders ached. Sungold held no grudges, at least; as soon as she was on him again his ears came up and he took a few little dance steps. They rode always uphill, till Harry's legs were sore from holding herself forward in the saddle against the downward pull. Mathin did not speak, except to force her to practice the saddle-vaults at each halt; and she was content with silence. The country they were crossing was full of new things for her, and she looked at them all closely: the red-veined grey rock that thrust up beneath the patches of turf; the colors of the grass, from a pale yellow-green to a dark green that was almost purple, and the shape of the blades: the near-purple grass, if grass it was, had broad roots and narrow rounded tips; but the pack horse snatched at it like grass. The riding-horses were much too well mannered to do anything but eye it, even after so many days of the dry desert fare. Little pink-and-white flowers, like Lady Amelia's pimchie but with more petals, burst out of rocky crevasses; and little stripy brown birds like sparrows chirped and hopped and whisked over the horses' heads. Mathin turned in his saddle occasionally to look at her, and his old heart warmed at the sight of her, looking around her with open pleasure in her new world. He thought that Corlath's kelar had not told him so ill a thing as he had first thought when Corlath told his Riders his plan to go back to the Outlander station to steal a girl. They camped at the high narrow end of a small cup of valley; Mathin, Harry thought, knew the place from before. There was a spring welling from the ground where they set the tents, two tiny ones called tari, so low that Harry went into hers on her hands and knees. At the lower, wider end of the valley the spring flattened out and became a pool. The horses were rubbed down thoroughly and fed some grain, and freed. Mathin said, â€Å"Sometimes it is necessary, away from home and in a small camp, to tether our horses, for horses are more content in a herd; but Sungold is your horse now and will not leave you, and Windrider and I have been together for many years. And Viki, the pack horse, will stay with his friends; for even a small herd is better than solitude.† Mathin made dinner after the horses were tended, but Harry lingered, brushing Sungold's mane and tail long after anything resembling a tangle still existed. For all her weariness, she was glad to care for her horse herself, glad that there was no brown man of the horse to take that pleasure away from her. Perhaps she would even learn to jump into the saddle like Mathin. After a time she left her horse in peace and, having nothing better to do, hesitantly approached Windrider with her brush. The mare raised her head in mild surprise when Harry began on the long mane over her withers, as she didn't need the attention any more than Sungold had, but she did not object. When Mathin held out a loaded plate in her direction, however, Harry dropped the brush and came at once. She ate what Mathin gave her, and was asleep as soon as she lay down. She woke in the night as an unexpected but familiar weight settled on her feet. Narknon raised her head and began her heavy purr when Harry stirred. â€Å"What are you doing here?† said Harry. â€Å"You weren't invited, and there is someone in Corlath's camp who will not be at all pleased at your absence when the hunts ride out.† Narknon, still purring, made her boneless feline way up the length of Harry's leg, and reached out her big hunter's head, opened her mouth so that the gleaming finger-length fangs showed, and bit Harry, very gently, on the chin. The purr, at this distance, made Harry's brain clatter inside her skull, and the delicate prickle of the teeth made her eyes water. Mathin sat up when he heard Harry's voice. Narknon's tail stretched out from the open end of the tent, the tip of it curling up and down tranquilly. Harry, in disbelief, heard Mathin laugh: she hadn't known Mathin could laugh. â€Å"They will guess where she has gone, Harimad-sol. Do not trouble yourself. The nights are cold and will grow colder here; you may be grateful for your bedmate before we leave this place. It is a pity that neither of us has the skill to hunt her; she could be useful. Go to sleep. You will find tomorrow a very long day.† Harry lay down, smiling in the dark, at Mathin's courtesy: â€Å"Neither of us has the skill to hunt her.† The thought of her lessons with this man – particularly now that she knew he could laugh – seemed a trifle less ominous. She fell asleep with a lighter heart; and Narknon, emboldened by the informality of the little campsite and the tiny tent, stretched to her full length beside her preferred person and slept with her head under Harry's chin. Harry woke at dawn, as though it were inevitable that she awake just then. The idea of rolling out so soon did not appeal to her in the least, rationally, but her body was on its feet and her muscles flexing themselves before she could protest. The entire six weeks she spent in that valley were much in that tone: there was something that in some fashion took her over, or seized the part of her she always had thought of as most individually hers. She did not think, she acted; and her arms and legs did things her mind only vaguely understood. It was a very queer experience for her, for she was accustomed to thinking exhaustively about everything. She was fascinated by her own agility; but at the same time it refused to seem quite hers. Lady Aerin was guiding her, perhaps; for Harry wasn't guiding herself. Mathin was also, she found out, spiking their food with something. He had a small packet, full of smaller packets, rolled in with the cooking-gear. Most of these packets were harmless herbs and spices; Harry recognized a few by taste, if not by name. The ones new to her since her first taste of Hill cooking she asked about, as Mathin rubbed them between his fingers before dropping them into the stew, and their odor rose up and filled her eyes and nostrils. She had begun asking as many questions about as many things as she could, as her wariness of Mathin as a forbidding stranger wore off and affection for him as an excellent if occasionally overbearing teacher took its place. And she learned that he was in a more mellow mood when he was cooking than at almost any other time. â€Å"Derth,† he might answer, when she asked about the tiny heap of green powder in his palm; â€Å"it grows on a low bush, and the leaves have four lobes,† or â€Å"Nimbing: it is the crushed dried berries of the plant that gives it its name.† But there was also a grey dust with a heavy indescribable smell; and when she asked about it, Mathin would look his most inscrutable and send her off to clean spotless tack or fetch unneeded water. The fourth or fifth time he did this she said flatly, â€Å"No. What is that stuff? My tack is wearing thin with cleanliness, Sungold and Windrider haven't a hair out of place, the tents are secure against anything but avalanche, and you won't use any more water. What is that stuff?† Mathin wiped his hands carefully and rolled the little packages all together again. â€Å"It is called sorgunal. It †¦ makes one more alert.† Harry considered this. â€Å"You mean it's a – † Her Hill speech deserted her, and she used the Homelander word: â€Å"drug.† â€Å"I do not know drug,† said Mathin calmly. â€Å"It is a stimulant, yes; it is dangerous, yes; but – † here the almost invisible glint of humor Harry had learned to detect in her mentor's square face lit a tiny flame behind his eyes – â€Å"I do know what I am doing. I am your teacher, and I tell you to eat and be still.† Harry accepted her plateful and was not noticeably slower than usual in beginning to work her way through it. â€Å"How long,† she said between mouthfuls, â€Å"can one use this †¦ stimulant?† â€Å"Many weeks,† said Mathin, â€Å"but after the trials you will want much sleep. You will have time for it then.† The fact that neither Harry nor Mathin could hunt Narknon did not distress Narknon at all. Every day when lessons were through, and Harry and Mathin and the horses returned to the campsite, tired and dirty and at least in Harry's case sore, Narknon would be there, stretched out before the fire pit, with the day's offering – a hare, or two or three fleeks which looked like pheasant but tasted like duck, or even a small deer. In return Narknon had Harry's porridge in the mornings. â€Å"I did not bring enough to feed three for six weeks,† Mathin said the third morning when Harry set her two-thirds-full bowl down for Narknon to finish. â€Å"I'd rather eat leftover fleek,† said Harry, and did. Harry learned to handle her sword, and then to carry the light round shield the Hillfolk used; then to be resigned, if not entirely comfortable, in the short chain-stiffened leather vest and leggings Mathin produced for her. As long as there was daylight she was put, or driven, through her steadily – alarmingly – improving paces: it was indeed, she thought, as if something had awakened in her blood; but she no longer thought of it, or told herself she did not think of it, as a disease. But she could not avoid noticing the sensation – not of lessons learned for the first time, but like old skills set aside and now, in need, picked up again. She never learned to love her sword, to cherish it as the heroes of her childhood's novels had cherished theirs; but she learned to understand it. She also learned to vault into the saddle, and Sungold no longer put his ears back when she did it. In the evenings, by firelight, Mathin taught her to sew. He showed her how to adapt the golden saddle till it fit her exactly; how to arrange the hooks and straps so that bundles would ride perfectly, her sword would come easily to her hand, and her helm would not bang against her knee when she was not wearing it. As she grew quicker and cleverer at her lessons, Mathin led her over more of the Hills around their camp in the small valley. She learned to cope, first on foot and then on horseback, with the widest variety of terrain available: flat rock, crumbling shale, and small sliding avalanches of pebbles and sand; grass and scree and even forest, where one had to worry about the indifferent blows of branches as well as the specific blows of one's opponent. She and Mathin descended to the desert again briefly, and dodged about each other there. That was at the end of the fourth week. From the trees and stones and the running stream, she recognized where the king's camp had stood, but its human visitors were long gone. And it was there on the grey sand with Tsornin leaping and swerving under her that an odd thing happened. Mathin always pressed her as hard as she could defend herself; he was so steady and methodical about it that at first she had not realized she was improving. His voice was always calm, loud enough for her to hear easily even when they were bashing at each other, but no louder; and she found herself responding calmly, as if warfare were a new parlor game. She knew he was a fine horseman and swordsman, and that no one was a Rider who was not magnificently skillful at both; and that he was training her. Most of the time, these weeks, she felt confused; when her mind was clearer, she felt honored if rueful; but now, wheeling and parrying and being allowed the occasional thrust or heavy flat blow, she found that she was growing angry. This anger rose in her slowly at first, faintly, and then with a roar; and she was, despite it or around it, as puzzled by it as by everything else that had happened to her since her involuntary departure from the Residency. It felt like anger, red anger, an d it felt dangerous, and it was far worse than anything she was used to. It seemed to have nothing to do with losing her temper, with being specifically upset about anything; she didn't understand its origin or its purpose, and even as her temples hurt with it she felt disassociated from it. But her breath came a little quicker and then her arm was a little quicker; and she felt Tsornin's delight in her speed, and she spared a moment, even with the din in her ears rising to a terrible headache, to observe wryly that Sungold was a first-class horse with a far from first-class rider. Mathin's usual set grin of concentration and, she had thought recently, pride flickered a bit at her flash of attack; and he lifted his eyes briefly to her face, and even as sword met sword he †¦ faltered. Without thinking, for this was what she was training for, she pressed forward; and Windrider stumbled, and Sungold slammed into her, shoulder to shoulder, and her blade hit Mathin's hilt to hilt, and to her own horror, she gave a heave and dumped him out of the saddle. His shield clanged on a rock and flipped front down, so it teetered foolishly like a dropped plate. The horses lurched apart and she gazed down, appalled, at Mathin sitting in a cloud of dust, looking as surprised as she felt. The grin had disappeared for a moment – quite understandably, she thought – but by the time he had gotten to his feet and she had slid down from Sungold's back and anxiously approached him, it had returned. She tried a wavering smile back at him, standing clumsily with her sword twisted behind her as if she'd rather not be reminded of its presence; and Mathin switched his dusty sword from his right hand to his left and came to her and seized her shoulder. He was half a head shorter than she was, and had to look up into her eyes. His grip was so hard that her mail pinched her shoulder, but she did not notice, for Mathin said to her: â€Å"My honor is yours, lady, to do with what you will. I have not been given a fall such as that in ten years, and that was by Corlath himself. I'm proud to have had the teaching of you – and, lady, I am not the least of the Riders.† The anger had left her completely, and she felt dry and cold and empty, but then as her eyes unwillingly met Mathin's she saw a sparkle of friendship there, not merely the objective satisfaction of a teacher with a prize pupil: and this warmed her more kindly than the anger had done. For here in the Hills, she, an Outlander woman, had a friend: and he was not the least of the Riders. Lessons continued after that, but they were faster and more furious, and the light in Mathin's face never faded, but it had changed from the sturdy concentration of a teacher to the eager enthusiasm of a man who has found a challenge. The heat and strength they expended required now that they stop to rest at midday, when the sun was at its height, even though the Hills were much cooler than the central desert had been. Tsornin would never admit to being tired, and watched Harry closely at all times, in case he might miss something. He took her lessons afoot very badly, and would lace back his ears and stamp, and circle her and Mathin till they had to yell at him to go away. But during the last ten days he was content to stand in the shade, head down and one hind leg slack, at noontime, while she stretched out beside him. One day she said, â€Å"Mathin, will you not tell me something of how the horses are trained?† They were having their noon halt, and Sungold was snuffling over her, for she often fed him interesting bits of her lunch. â€Å"My family raises horses,† said Mathin. He was lying on his back, with his hands crossed on his chest, and his eyes were shut. For several breaths he said nothing further, and Harry wanted to shout with impatience, but she had learned that such behavior would shut Mathin up for good, while if she bit her tongue and sat still, hugging her irritability quietly, he would sometimes tell her more. He told her more this time: how his father and three older brothers bred and raised and trained some of Damar's finest riding-horses. â€Å"When I was your age,† he said bleakly, â€Å"the best horses were taught the movements of war for the fineness of control necessary in both horse and rider; not for the likelihood that they should ever see battle. â€Å"My father trained Fireheart. He is very old now, and trains no more horses, but he still carries all our bloodlines in his head, and decides which stallions should be bred to which mares.† He paused, and Harry thought that was all; but he added slowly, â€Å"My daughter trained Sungold.† There was a long silence. Then Harry asked: â€Å"Why did you not stay and train horses too?† Mathin opened his eyes. â€Å"It seemed to me that a father, three brothers and their families, a wife, daughter, and two sons were enough of one family to be doing the same thing. I have trained many horses. I go home †¦ sometimes, so that my wife does not forget my face; but I have always wished to wander. As a Rider, one wanders †¦ It is also possible that I was not quite good enough. None of the rest of my family has ever wished to leave what they do, even for a day. I am the only one of us for generations who has ridden to the laprun trials to win my sword.† Harry said, â€Å"Why is it that you are my teacher? Were you – Did Corlath order you?† Mathin closed his eyes again and smiled. â€Å"No. On the day after you drank Meeldtar and saw the battle in the mountains, I spoke to Corlath, for I knew by your Seeing that you would be trained for battle. It might have been Forloy, who is the only one of us who speaks your Outlander tongue, or Innath, who is the best horseman of us; but I am older, and more patient perhaps – and I trained the young Corlath, once, when I was Rider to his father.† Forloy, thought Harry. Then it was Forloy. â€Å"Mathin – † she began, and her voice was unhappy. She was staring at the ground, plucking bits of purple grass and shredding them, and did not notice that Mathin turned to look at her when he heard the unhappiness. She had not sounded so for weeks now, and he was pleased that this should be so. â€Å"Why – why did Forloy never speak to me, before I – before you began to teach me to speak your tongue? Does he hate Outlanders so much? Why does he know the – my – language at all?† Mathin was silent as he considered what he could tell his new friend without betraying his old. â€Å"Do not judge Forloy – or yourself – too harshly. When he was your age, and before he was a Rider, Forloy fell in love with a woman he met at the spring Fair in Ihistan. She had been born and raised in the south, and gone into service to an Outlander family there; and when they were sent to Ihistan, she went with them. The second year, the next Fair, he returned, and she agreed to go to the Hills with him. She loved Forloy, I think; she tried to love his land for his sake, but she could not. She taught him Outlander speech, that she might remember her life there by saying the words. She would not leave him, for she had pledged herself to live in the Hills with him; but she died after only a few years. Forloy remembers her language for her sake, but it does not make him love it.† He paused, watching her fingers; they relaxed, and the purple stems dropped to the ear th. â€Å"I do not believe he had spoken any words of it for many years; and Corlath would not have asked it of him for any less cause.† Corlath, Harry thought. He knows the story – of the young foreign woman who did not thrive when she was transplanted to Hill soil. And she was Darian born and bred, and went willingly. â€Å"And Corlath? Why does Corlath speak Outlander?† Mathin said thoughtfully, â€Å"Corlath believes in knowing his †¦ rivals. Or enemies. He can speak the Northern tongue as well, and read and write it, and Outlander, as well as our Hill tongue. There are few enough of us who can read and write our own language. I am not one of them. I would not wish to be a king.† There were only a few days left to run till the laprun trials. Mathin, between their more active lessons, taught her more of the Hill-speech; and each word he taught her seemed to awaken five more from where they slept in the back of a mind that was now, she had decided, sharing brain space and nerve endings with her own. She accepted it; it was useful; it permitted her to live in this land that she loved, even if she loved without reason; and she began to think it would enable her in her turn to be useful to this land. And it had won her a friend. She could not take pride in it, for it was not hers; but she was grateful to it, and hoped, if it were kelar or Aerin-sol's touch, that she might be permitted to keep it till she had won her right to stay. With the language lessons Mathin told her of the Hills they were in, and where the City lay from where their little valley sat; and he told her which wood burned best green, and how to find water when there seemed to be none; and how to get the last miles out of a foundered horse. And her lessons of war had strengthened her memory, or her ability to draw upon that other memory, for she remembered what he told her. And to her surprise, he also told her the names of all the wildflowers she saw, and which herbs could be made into teas and jams; and these things he spoke of with the mild expression on his face that she had seen only when he was bending over his cooking-fire; and even these things she learned. He also told her what leaves were best for stopping blood flowing, and three ways of starting a fire in the wilderness. He looked at her sidelong as he spoke about fire-making. â€Å"There's a fourth way, Hari,† he said. â€Å"Corlath may teach it to you someday.† There was some joke here that amused him. â€Å"Myself, I cannot.† Harry looked at him, as patiently as she could. She knew that to question him when he baited her like this would do her no good. Once, a day or two after Mathin's unexpected fall, she had let a bit more of her frustration show than she meant to, and Mathin had said, â€Å"Hari, my friend, there are many things I cannot tell you. Some I will tell you in time; some, others will tell you; some you may never know, or you may be the first to find their answers.† She had looked across their small fire at him, and over Narknon's head. They were both sitting cross-legged while the horses grazed comfortably not far away, so that the sound of their jaws could be heard despite the crackling fire. Mathin was rewiring a loose ring on his chain-encrusted vest. â€Å"Very well. I understand a little, perhaps.† Mathin gave a snort of laughter; she remembered how grim and silent she'd thought him, he in particular of all the king's Riders. â€Å"You understand a great deal, Harimad-sol. I do not envy the others when they see you again. Only Corlath truly expects what I will be bringing out of these Hills.† This conversation had made it a little easier for her when he slyly told her of things, like the fourth way of lighting fires, which he refused to explain. She didn't understand the reasons, but she was a bit more willing to accept that a reason existed. It surprised her how much he told her about himself, for she knew that he did not find it easy to talk of these things to her; but she understood too that it was his way of making up, a little, for what he felt he could not tell her. It also, as he must have intended, made her feel as if the Hillfolk were familiar to her; that her own past was not so very different from theirs; and she began to imagine what it would have been like to have grown up in these Hills, to have always called them home. One of the things Mathin would tell her little of was Aerin Dragon-Killer and the Blue Sword. He would refer to Damar's Golden Age, when Aerin was queen, but he would not tell her when it was, or even what made it golden. She did learn that Aerin had had a husband named Tor who had fought the Northerners, for the Northerners had been Damar's enemies since the beginning of time and the Hills, and every Damarian age had its tale of the conflict between them; and that King Tor was called the Just. â€Å"It sounds very dreary, being Just, when your wife kills dragons,† said Harry, and while Mathin permitted himself a smile, he was not to be drawn. She did pry something else out of him. â€Å"Mathin,† she said. â€Å"The Outlanders believe that the – the – kelar of the Hills can cause, oh, firearms not to fire, and cavalry charges to fall down instead of charging, and – things like that.† Mathin said nothing; he had marinated cut-up bits of Narknon's latest antelope in a sharp spicy sauce and was now frizzling them on two sticks over the low-burning fire. Harry sighed. Mathin looked up from his sticks, though his fingers continued to twist them slowly. â€Å"It is wise of the Outlanders to believe the truth,† he said. He dug one stick, butt-end, into the ground, and thrust his short knife into the first chunk of meat. He nibbled at it delicately, with the concentrated frown of the artist judging his own work. His face relaxed and he handed Harry the stick still in his other hand. But he spoke no more of kelar. Mathin took no more falls, and by the middle of the sixth week Harry felt she had forgotten her first lessons because they were so far in the past. She could not remember a time when the palm of her right hand did not bear stripes of callus from the sword hilt; when the heavy vest felt awkward and unfamiliar; nor a time when she had not ridden Tsornin every day. She did remember that she had been born in a far green country nothing like the kelar-haunted one she now found herself in; and that she had a brother named Richard whom she still called Dickie, to his profound dismay – or would, if he could hear her – and she remembered a Colonel Jack Dedham, who loved the Hills even as she did. A thought swam into her mind: perhaps we shall meet again, and serve Damar together. On the fourth day of the sixth week she said tentatively to Mathin: â€Å"I thought the City was over a day's journey from here.† â€Å"You thought rightly,† Mathin replied; â€Å"but there is no need of your presence on the first day of the trials.† She glanced at him, a little reassured, but rather more worried. â€Å"Do not fear, my friend and keeper of my honor,† said Mathin. â€Å"You will be as a bolt from the heavens, and Tsornin's flanks shall blind your enemies.† She laughed. â€Å"I look forward to it.† â€Å"You should look forward to it,† he said. â€Å"But I, who know what I will see, look forward to it even more.†