Bonds,Bonds Rating, and Types of Bonds Example

Essays on Bonds,Bonds Rating, and Types of Bonds Essay Bonds and their Ratings Bonds and their Ratings A bond can be defined as a financial instrument that indicates indebtedness of the issuer to the bond holder, the former being obliged to repay the principal plus accumulated interest over a certain period (Maeda, 2009). A bond is therefore a type of debt security. Bonds are usually issued by corporate bodies or the government to investors. Often, they are used by the government to obtain finances for various activities or projects. The bond issuer is required to define the terms or repayment and the interest rates to be paid to the bond holders. A maturity date is also identified which is basically the principal sum ought to be repaid. Prior to issuance of the bonds, rating has to be carried out and a rating awarded. Bond rating is necessary as it enables the holder to know the ability of the issuer to pay the coupons and principal in a timely manner or as agreed. At the time of issuance, coupon rates (interest rates) as well as other obligations such as maturity date have to be defined and agreed upon by the issuer and the holder. Bonds ratings are carried out majorly by three agencies; Standard Poor’s (S P), Fitch Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service (Maeda, 2009). By analyzing various statistical aspects, letters which indicate ratings are assigned on the bonds. For instance, S P, Moody’s and Fitch designate bonds as follows. FITCH MOODY’S S P RATING DESCRIPTION AAA Aaa AAA Extremely strong in making repayments AA+, AA AA- Aa1, Aa2 Aa3 AA+, AA AA- Very strong A+, A A- A1, A2 A3 A+, A A- Strong BBB+, BBB BBB- Baa1, Baa2 Baa3 BBB+, BBB BBB- Adequate BB+, BB BB- Ba1, Ba2 Ba3 BB+, BB BB- Less vulnerable B+, B B- B1, B2 B3 B+, B B- More vulnerable CCC Caa CCC Currently vulnerable CC Ca CC Currently highly-vulnerable C C Currently highly-vulnerable D C D Evidence of failing to pay Above: A table showing various ratings and their descriptions. There are a variety of bonds available to holders, each with differing term agreements, coupon rates and other characteristics. The following are the various categories of bonds. Treasury bonds These bonds are also known as government bonds. This is because they are bonds issued by the federal government. Treasury bonds are categorized as risk free bonds. They are not exposed to any risks such as call risk and credit risk. Their returns, although minimal compared to other bonds is guaranteed by the federal government (Maeda, 2009). Municipal bonds These bonds are issued by the local government, state, a city or their respective agencies. A distinguishing characteristic of these bonds is that their returns are tax exempt from the federal government. In addition, they may also be exempted from taxation by the local governments (Maeda, 2009). Zero-coupon bonds A major characteristic of these bonds is that they do not pay interest on a regular basis like other bonds. However, holders are usually given a huge discount par value. The holder therefore receives a huge bonus at maturity which includes the interest. Convertible bonds These are bonds that can be exchanged for other securities such as shares of stock. This can only be done at the option of the bondholder provided that the shares of stock are issued by the bond issuer. This is an extra feature added by corporations to make debenture bonds less risky in nature. These bonds usually exhibit a stipulated conversion bonds (Maeda, 2009). High-yield bonds These are also known as junk bonds. These bonds pay a high level of interest although they are categorized as high risk. The rating of these bonds falls below the investment grade. Fixed rate bonds These types of bonds pay a fixed rate of interest throughout the period and before their maturity period. Fixed rate bonds may lose value in case of high inflation rates. Collable bonds These types of bonds can be bought back before maturity date by the issuer, a scenario common some of preferred stocks. Companies are allowed to exercise this right in situations where current interest rates obligations are higher compared to a scenario where it would issue new bonds at a lower interest (Maeda, 2009). Mortgage bonds The issuer of these bonds pledges property as a guarantee to the bondholder that all payments will be paid. Failure to make the payments, the bondholder has the legal right to acquire the property under the pledge. Subordinate bonds These are bonds that are given lower priority by the issuer in making payments compared to other bonds during liquidation. For example, in case the issuer is declared bankruptcy, some creditors holding senior bonds are paid first (Maeda, 2009). Exchangeable bonds These are a type of bonds that give the bondholder a right to exchange them for stock of another company under certain terms. In most cases, the issuer may have a stake in the other company or it may be a subsidiary (Maeda, 2009). Reference Maeda, M. (2009). The complete guide to investing in bonds and bond funds: How to earn high rates of return--safely. Ocala, Fla: Atlantic Pub. Group.

Amazon Free Essays

The Advantages of Hilling an External Advertising Agency Many companies such as Dint Moore have attempted to market and advertise using in-house personnel. Using In-house associates to market a product can be successful f they are familiar with the product and the customer base. Often time, companies select to stay in-house due to budget restraints. We will write a custom essay sample on Amazon or any similar topic only for you Order Now Budget, skill set and product knowledge are a few contributing factors used In determining if It is feasible to use In-house associates or hire an external agency. If the campaign is a† make it† or† break it† campaign for the company, it may be necessary to hire a reputable racketing company to spearhead the project. Otherwise the risk of failure is too high and costly to keep In-house. There are multiple reasons why Luis should hire an external advertising agency for the Dint Moore campaign. It could be because they do not have sufficient skill and talent in house to research and create a campaign or there is not enough time to product a quality advertisement. It could also be that they need professionals because the competition is growing and Dint Moore is losing customer base and revenue. It could also be that Dint Moore wishes to attract new customer and trenched the loyalty between the company and the existing customer base. Listed below are three good reasons Luis should hire an external advertising agency to promote and market for Dint Moore: (1) they are the professionals. (2) they can add quality and enhance the brand name and (3) they bring experience and new ideas. As professionals, they are abreast of any new trends or advertisement strategies. The bring experience to the table which allows them to make decisions based on past history. They were trained specifically for this type of Job and know the ins and outs of advertisement. The external agency will be able to do a market analysis of who will buy the product, who likes or dislikes the product and why. This Information, will allow the agency to make the right changes so that the advertisement will reach loyal customers and potential new customers. They will also be able to access the company’s brand to see how It will stand up to competitors that sell the same or similar products. They will be thorough and concise because they will want repeat work and this is how they make their living. An external advertising agency will bring new ideas to the table. The will be able o create new ads and enhance the older ads to meet the needs of the company and the consumer. New ideas and strategies can give the company new life. Something as simple as changing the color or font on the packing can be catchy and attract potential new customers. In-house personnel may become complacent with the packaging and have the notation we have always done It this way, or If it Is not broken don’t fix it. This type of behavior will lead to the wear -out effects. This is when an ad becomes old and boring and the consumer tend to ignore the advertisement or tune it out (Slow Aback, 2010). However, the external advertisement agency will come in with new ideas and find the right method to present the company’s product so that loyal customers or potential new customers will have a positive attitude regarding purchasing the product. The agency will be tofu able to adjectively promote the benefits and values to the product by studying the trends in the consumer buying environment. The external agency will also be able to position the product in such a manner that the consumer will view the product brand and company in the same manner. I f they are successful with the immunization market analysis, they will be able to accomplish multiple communication objectives such as; develop brand awareness, increase category demand and change customer beliefs or attitudes (Slow et al. , 2010). They will be able to enhance brand awareness and the brand’s image by effectively creating an advertisement that is viewed everywhere, billboards, internet, television commercials and radio. This is known as cognitive mapping and creative in the agency use this strategy to strengthen linkages that already (Slow et al. , 2010). Three Relevant Experiences of an External Agency Three relevant experiences of an external agency that would be helpful to Luis and the Dint Moor brand are; knowledge of the advertisement world, experience in marketing domestic and internationally and the ability to handle the entire marketing campaign from cradle to the grave. It would be the responsibility of the external agency to assist the company in attaining success by implementing the integrated advertising, promoting, and marketing communications approach as stipulated in our textbook. They will be accountable for putting out fires and damage control. With he experience, they will be able to come up with tactics to beat out the competition. The knowledge they bring will help with budget constraints and ensuring the product is launched at the right time. The agency can also create campaigns that will become global based on market and communication analysis results. They will be able to network and use the resources to get the right media source to use and time and make sure Luis get value for the bucks. Three Types of Advertising Planning and Research The three types of advertising planning and research that should be conducted to identify Dint Moor’s most loyal customers and potential new customers are general preprinting input, product-specific research and qualitative research. The general preprinting input is used by the agency to learn everything about the client by reading trade publications, research reports and viewing the company’s website (Slow et al. , 2010). Members of the agency may also interview employees, members of the community and other business partners to get to better understand the concept and the needs of the client. During the product-specific research step, the agency will identify who uses this product and how it is used. The most important piece is to understand who the user is and to target that group with the ad campaign. From this research the major selling point will be identified and the brand/product was market using the deprivation approach. Last, the qualitative research is conducted. This is more formal and a focus group is used to discuss the product. This discussion is used to learn who likes the product. Collection can come via anthropology, sociology and psychology. The end results from this research will suggest ideas so that the campaign can begin. Selection of an Advertising Agency for Dint Moore Campaign After reading information on six advertising agencies, I selected BAD Worldwide to continue to promote and advertise for Dint Moor’s Stew. For many years BAD Worldwide NAS been cutlets in maintaining a g relationship WI TN the account and has demonstrated the ability to reach the mass market and brand the company’s product. Although BAD Worldwide is a large company with offices all over the world, the Dint Moore campaign will be of importance to the agency and will not get lost in the shuffle. A smaller ad agency maybe overwhelmed and intimidated by the account. Also BAD has a wealth of knowledge and they are familiar with advertising food products. They have a very good success rate for ad campaigns and they are global which meaner there is opportunity for Dint Moore Stew campaign to go global. BAD is known for creative pitches that are catchy and memorable. The have references from established companies and have won numerous advertising awards domestically and internationally. Based on the research, BAD Worldwide would continue to be a good match for the Dint Moore Stew campaign. How to cite Amazon, Papers

Asian Literature Essay Example For Students

Asian Literature Essay It is true that all people are created different, and thus no two cultures will ever be the same. Throughout Asian American literature there seems to be a struggle between the Asian culture and American culture. More specifically, there is a struggle between Asian women and their Asian American daughters, and what it means to be feminine, and how a woman should act. The main struggle is between how the American woman should act and how the Asian woman should act. However, the behavior of the Asian woman seems to be dominant through out the story because although the daughters and the mothers may not get along all of the time, the mothers to receive a lot of respect from their daughters. Therefore, the mothers opinion on how they should act, which is behaving like the Asian woman, is most evident. This is the case in The Joy Luck Club, written by Amy Tan and also in the short story Waiting for Mr. Kim, written by Carol Roh-Spaulding. These two stories have very different meanings, however they are similar in the aspect that they are all Asian women with Asian American daughters trying to get their daughters to keep and use their Asian heritage. There are certain behaviors that Asian women are expected to have, and the mothers feel that their daughters should use these behaviors. In The Joy Luck Club, the novel traces the fate of the four mothers-Suyuan Woo, An-mei Hsu, Lindo Jong, and Ying-ying St. Clair-and their four daughters-June Woo, Rose Hsu Jordan, Waverly Jong, and Lena St. Clair. Through the experiences that these characters go through, they become women. The mothers all fled China in the 1940s and they all retain much of their heritage. Their heritage focuses on what is means to be a female, but more importantly what it means to be an Asian female. In the short story Waiting for Mr. Kim, the main female character Gracie understands what it means to be an Asian female, but she does question the meaning because of her sisters. Her sisters ran away from home before their marriage could be arranged and eloped. This is totally against Asian culture, and it causes Gracie to question her heritage and her Asian femininity. In both of these stories there are certain characteristics of females that are the same, they are inner strength, obedience, honor and respect, the good of the whole is better than the good of the individual, and finding things out for yourself. In the chapter Scar the characteristic of honor and respect is first noticed. In this chapter An-mei finds out how her mother basically deserted her, her mother did leave for a good reason, which was to maintain the honor of her family, but either way her mother left her. Her grandmother had to raise her, and she learned much about the Asian woman from her. An-mei was showing some disrespect towards on of her aunts, and her aunt told her that she was being disrespectful. Her grandmother then interjected and said, When you lose your face, An-mei it is like dropping your necklace down a well. The only way you can get it back is to fall in after it. She was talking about A-meis mother, and how she left because she had disrespected the family and she was dishonorable to the family name. The only way for her mother to regain respect and honor was to leave and do it on her own, which is a characteristic of an Asian woman. Another feminine characteristic that comes from that scene is being able to do things on your own. However, this is an American influence. This characteristic comes from the chapter Rules of the Game. This is a peculiar chapter in the book because it is a chapter where the woman is not seen as inferior to the man. Waverlys brother, Vincent, received a chess set for Christmas. However, Waverly is the one who took full use of the chess set. She was a natural, she would beat her brothers in chess, which would normally be looked down upon in Asian culture, but she was encouraged. .u29363c71714597d45cccdb37db522c9b , .u29363c71714597d45cccdb37db522c9b .postImageUrl , .u29363c71714597d45cccdb37db522c9b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u29363c71714597d45cccdb37db522c9b , .u29363c71714597d45cccdb37db522c9b:hover , .u29363c71714597d45cccdb37db522c9b:visited , .u29363c71714597d45cccdb37db522c9b:active { border:0!important; } .u29363c71714597d45cccdb37db522c9b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u29363c71714597d45cccdb37db522c9b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u29363c71714597d45cccdb37db522c9b:active , .u29363c71714597d45cccdb37db522c9b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u29363c71714597d45cccdb37db522c9b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u29363c71714597d45cccdb37db522c9b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u29363c71714597d45cccdb37db522c9b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u29363c71714597d45cccdb37db522c9b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u29363c71714597d45cccdb37db522c9b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u29363c71714597d45cccdb37db522c9b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u29363c71714597d45cccdb37db522c9b .u29363c71714597d45cccdb37db522c9b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u29363c71714597d45cccdb37db522c9b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Of Dispatch EssayShe was even given lessons in chess, and she was a national champion. Unlike An-meis mother, Waverly was bringing honor to the family name. When Waverly is encouraged to excel in chess she learns something from her mother. Her mother said in her broken English, This American rules Every time people come out from a foreign country, must know rules. You not know, judge say, Too bad, go back. They not telling you why so you can use their way to go forward. They say, Dont know why, you find out yourself. This is an American custom, more than an Asian one. She is explaining that in order to succeed as an Asian female in the United States, then there are certain things that you will have to find out on your own. Also in this chapter was the theme/characteristic of inner strength. Waverly says she six when her mother taught her the art of invisible strength. Waverly was walking by the candy store when she was a young child, and she was begging her mother to take her inside. Her mother refused to take her inside, which angered Waverly. Then her mother went on to explain, Wise guy, he not go against wind. In Chinese we say, Come from South blow with wind-poom! -North will follow. Strongest wind cannot be seen. This means that the strongest way to win an argument is to keep to yourself, which Waverly used in her chess matches. Waverly goes on to say, A little knowledge withheld is a great advantage one should store for future use. Another example of invisible strength, inner strength, is the The Moon Lady. Ying-yings mother was telling her how a woman should act when she said, A boy can run and chase dragonflies But a girl should stand still. The girl would have a better chance catching the dragonfly than the boy, she would catch the dragonfly with inner strength, rather than muscle like the boy. The chapter, The Moon Lady, has another characteristic of what it is to be female, which is the good of the whole is more important than the good of the individual. They were all on their way to see the Moon Lady, and if you see the Moon Lady, you receive one wish from her. Ying-ying asked what a secret wish was, and the answer was that is was on that you cannot ask. Ying-ying was young as this point, so she asked why. Amahs response to Ying-ying was, This is because because if you ask it it is no longer a wish but a selfish desire Havent I taught you-that it is wrong to think of our own needs? A girl can never ask, only listen. Here she is telling that by making a wish for herself she is being selfish and forgetting that she is not the important one, but the good of the whole is the important one. Amah is also hinting at obedience when she tells her daughter that she is not to ask questions, but just listen to the men and go along with it. Arranged marriages are a very tough thing to go through. Marrying someone because one has to has to be hard because one is not marrying out of love. This is exactly the case in Waiting for Mr. Kim. Gracie two twin sisters have already run away from to and eloped with two men. Their marriages were not arranged because they left before their father could arrange them. Now, with her sisters gone, Gracie is the only remaining daughter, and she is somewhat frowned upon because she was the third daughter. She did not really like the two men that her father was thinking of arranging the marriage with, but it did not matter. It did not matter because as her mother told her, Girls dont choose. The girls just sit there and look pretty while their fathers choose for them, they have to comply with their fathers decision. They are obedient, and at the same time respectful of the decision that is made. .uf812392f5d0e2a457deb01d6676f946d , .uf812392f5d0e2a457deb01d6676f946d .postImageUrl , .uf812392f5d0e2a457deb01d6676f946d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf812392f5d0e2a457deb01d6676f946d , .uf812392f5d0e2a457deb01d6676f946d:hover , .uf812392f5d0e2a457deb01d6676f946d:visited , .uf812392f5d0e2a457deb01d6676f946d:active { border:0!important; } .uf812392f5d0e2a457deb01d6676f946d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf812392f5d0e2a457deb01d6676f946d { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf812392f5d0e2a457deb01d6676f946d:active , .uf812392f5d0e2a457deb01d6676f946d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf812392f5d0e2a457deb01d6676f946d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf812392f5d0e2a457deb01d6676f946d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf812392f5d0e2a457deb01d6676f946d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf812392f5d0e2a457deb01d6676f946d .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf812392f5d0e2a457deb01d6676f946d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf812392f5d0e2a457deb01d6676f946d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf812392f5d0e2a457deb01d6676f946d .uf812392f5d0e2a457deb01d6676f946d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf812392f5d0e2a457deb01d6676f946d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Explore the ways Dickens uses places and atmosphere in 'Great Expectations' EssayAnother characteristic that appears in this story is that women made to think that they are second class compared to men. When her Mr. Kang, Gracies father, would walk, he would sometimes reach back to hold Mrs. Kangs hand, but she would pull away. Not only would she pull away, but she would stay behind as she cleaned her purse or took forever with her coat, just to have it the way she had learned it, her husband a few places ahead, women behind. Her mother not only believes that this is how women should act and it is a part of their femininity, but she is passing this way of thinking onto he r daughter. Her mother is relaying the message to her daughter that no matter what you need to show your husband respect and let him know that he is in charge. Both of these stories have displayed that there are certain characteristics of females and they are inner strength, the good of the whole is better than the good of the individual, find things out for oneself, honor and respect, and obedience. All of these characteristics have displayed not only what it means to be feminine, but also what it means to be female. It is not so much an Asian female, but it is because that is how their mothers were raised and that is how their mothers will raise them. There are really no American females for the daughters, or mothers, to see and mimic. The only way of life that the mothers know is the Asian way of life, therefore that is the only way that can be passed down onto their daughters. Sometimes that is hard for the daughters to understand because the daughters have grown up in American culture, and they know what it is like to be an American woman. No matter how one views this situation, these stories focus on what it means to an Asian female, but more generally what the mothers know best on how to teach their daughters on how to be female.

To kill a mocking bird. Admirable qualities of Atticus Finch Essay Example

To kill a mocking bird. Admirable qualities of Atticus Finch Paper This story has all the qualities of a great fiction novel. That is why the novel is so famous fifty four years later. When I read this story, I got lost in the intricate plot, and remained entertained through Gem, Dill, and Scouts adventures, all the way to the heart wrenching ending. Like many books, this novel contains a unique cast of admirable characters who demonstrate a variety of likable qualities. Tactics Finch, one of the mall characters, exhibits many honorable traits that any reader would appreciate. In Harper Lees To Kill a Mocking Bird Tactics illustrates the qualities of being humble, intelligent, and ultimately courageous. Firstly, Tactics is a very humble man. He doesnt let pride get the best of him, and he always pushes to do the right thing. An example of his humbleness is when he allows Walter Cunningham, a little boy who is a poor farm child, into his home for dinner one evening. The thought of having a poor farm boy Into a wealthy, successful lawyers home In todays world Just doesnt happen. But Tactics TLD care about how much money someone had or the type of clothes they had on their back: anyone was welcome into his home. Scout, Tactics daughter didnt think the same. She said, He into company, Tactics, hes Just a Cunningham. California, Tactics house maid, knew that Tactics allowed anyone into their home and replied, Hush your mouth! Dont matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house you company and dont let me catch you remarking on their ways like you was so high and mighty (Lee 33). We will write a custom essay sample on To kill a mocking bird. Admirable qualities of Atticus Finch specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on To kill a mocking bird. Admirable qualities of Atticus Finch specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on To kill a mocking bird. Admirable qualities of Atticus Finch specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It Is evident that Tactics had his home pen to anyone and you can tell that he teaches his children the same. And doesnt want them to think they are better than anyone else. When necessary his house maid, California, has to remind them every so often of their fathers rules Another example is that, Tactics is highly intelligent. Not only is he book smart, but he is very street smart, too. Tactics is a lawyer, so he knows the law, and being a lawyer takes a lot of knowledge. In the book it says, Tactics Finch went to Montgomery to read law. (Lee 5) So he knew all the rules and regulations federally and In state. Also, being a lifelong citizen, everyone knew Tactics and he knew everyone, he knew his neighbors and how they felt about certain situations. For example, when Tom Robinson was at the Jail house, Tactics suspected that something fishy might go down. So Tactics spent that night at watch, protecting Tom Robinson. And Just as he suspected, all the towns men came late that night to try and hurt Tom Robinson, but Tactics was there to stop him. This makes It safe to say Tactics Intelligence and gut feeling saved Tom Robinsons life, Lastly, Tactics Is a very courageous man. One example is he is a single parent raising two children, has a steady job, and keep up his household. Another example, which is the main subject in the story is that, Tactics defended Tom Robinson, a young black man accused of a sexually heinous crime; raping a white woman. During that time, if a black person was accused of something, they were automatically guilty. But Tactics believed that Tom was wanted a fair case. He didnt care about what anyone said, or how they felt about him. He knew it was his Job and duty to do the right thing, even if it had uniqueness. For that reason, Tactics is found to be very courageous for wanting to do the right thing even when the outcome may have been inevitable. In conclusion, there are many reasons why Tactics Finch is a likeable character in To Kill a Mocking Bird. Ultimately, him being humble, intelligent, and courageous makes him admirable. In particular these traits teach people important values that all mankind should exhibit and strive to live life with. Lees novel is definitely a novel whose admirable characters leave a lasting impression on all of its readers.

How to Find the Best Firewood for Burning

How to Find the Best Firewood for Burning Finding Firewood If you are looking for firewood to cut, you need a wood source that is relatively close to your storage area and easily accessible by your vehicle. If you have a place to store and season the cut wood, inexpensive wood can be found nearly anywhere trees are being removed because of storms, right-of-way clearing, or logging. Places to look for wood include sawmill yards, national forests, logging and arboricultural operations and even your own property. The old saying, the best firewood is free firewood has some merit if you have the desire and equipment to process it and a place to store it. Many urban firewood users purchase processed wood because of its convenience, availability, and deliverability. It takes a lot less room to store the wood and is usually processed to fit the fireplace or stove. Processed firewood comes at a premium cost associated with its preparation, handling, and transportation. You should acquaint yourself with the value of firewood in your area and pay a fair price. You can find plenty of great dealers online and in the phone book. The Easiest Wood to Split Various woods have different splitting characteristics which are important to consider. Some woods split with little effort while others can be tough, stringy, and difficult to split. Splitting enables the wood to dry out faster and reduces the size of the sticks to stove or fireplace size. Some wood has to be split to use in a stove. Tree species to avoid because of splitting difficulties are elm, sycamore, and gum. Tree species especially easy to split are most conifers, oaks, ash and hard maple. Woods with interlocking grain like elm, gum or sycamore are to be avoided and are difficult to split even with a mechanical log splitter. A couple  rules of thumb should also be remembered: green wood will split more easily than dry wood and softwoods will generally split more easily than hardwoods. How Wood Burns Every species of wood provides different quantities (BTUs) of usable heat when burnedwe will discuss this, further in the next section. Heating efficiency of firewood depends on how that wood progresses through the three stages of burning.   In the first stage, wood is heated to the point where moisture within the wood cells is driven off and the cells are drying out. As the wood is losing moisture, it is chemically changing into charcoal, which is famous for its volatile gasses and liquids. Stopping the process at this point is where the charcoal industry packages their products. In the second stage, actual flames burn off the volatile gasses and  liquids to the point at which the charcoal has lost most of these volatile fuels. Much of the woods fuel energy is lost during this stage and premium wood burning systems can improve their efficiency. The third and final stage occurs when the charcoal burns and produce visible, glowing embers. This is called coaling. At this point, heat is radiated from the burning bed of coals. Different species of wood burn and expend energy differently throughout these three stages. Good firewood species should be dry, should burn through the second stage without sparks with a minimum of smoke production, and should spend a long time burning in the third coaling phase. Wood That Burns Best The heating potential of wood depends upon the increased density of that wood. A woods density is genetically determined by the tree species. Dense or heavy wood contains higher heating values, in British thermal units per unit volume, than lighter wood. A British thermal unit (BTU) measures the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. Most of us dont realize that air dried wood will produce about 7,000 BTU’s per pound. Regardless of the species, all wood burns with the same value. The complication here is in the density variation between different species, which can be significant. As an example, one unit of heavy oak wood will produce roughly as much heat as two units of cottonwood when measuring BTU output. Therefore,  lighter woods like cottonwood and willow will produce the same heat per pound as the heavier oak and hickory woods. This means that a greater volume of cottonwood is needed than oak to produce the same amount of heat. Also consider that some species of wood start easier than others but give off more smoke and more sparks than others. Easy starting wood is not necessarily the best wood to use for heating. Remember that different species of wood will last longer and have better coaling qualities than others. It is important to consider these factors when selecting firewood. The Needle and the Leaf Debate Then comes the  issue of burning needled conifers and softer wood species. Harder wood species that are very dense, and typically called hardwoods, are the firewood of choice in North America. However, not everyone has access to wood from the Eastern hardwood forest. Conifers and softwoods have served well in those regions with limited hardwoods but the limitations are overcome with proper preparation and appropriate wood burning systems. On the positive side, conifers are easier to ignite because they are resinous. Still, these softwoods tend to burn rapidly with a high, hot flame and burn out quickly, requiring frequent attention. Finding a wood heating unit that can store this quick heat and distribute it through time is critical. Red cedar and other trees with high-resin will often hold moisture pockets which can be both irritating and dangerous without the proper burning hardware. When heated these trapped gasses will pop and cause sparks. This can present a significant fire risk, especially when burned in open fireplaces without screens. Hardwoods will burn longer but less vigorously when compared to softwoods. The wood is harder to start and conifers are often used to kindle the wood burning process. Hardwoods make the best fuel because they tend to produce more coals, a process called coaling, that lasts longer than softwoods. A well-seasoned oak makes an excellent fuel because it produces a uniformly short flame and provides heat preserving coals.

Bacon Roger

Bacon Roger Roger Bacon is an academic philosopher and scientist in the UK, one of the most influential teachers of the 13th century. He was born in 1214 at Irchester in Somerset State. Roger Bacon was educated at the University of Oxford and the University of Paris. After studying, he stayed in Paris and taught at the university in Paris for a while. When he returned to England around 1251, he entered the Franciscan religious order and lived in Oxford. He did active research and experimental work in the field of alchemy, optics, astronomy. Philosopher and theologian B Bacon, Roger (1214 - 1294) Roger Bacon was born in 1214 as a wealthy parent of Il Chester, Somerset State, England. He received education at Oxford University and then traveled to Paris. Bacon is familiar with arithmetic, astronomy, classics, geometry and music. After receiving the master of his art, he lectured at Aristotle. From 1247 to 1257 he studied alchemy and mathematics in detail. He does not believe the idea m ade by his generation of the same generation, and he does not like to do scientific experiments. He strongly opposed his beliefs. Some people think that they built the foundation of modern science in the 3 rd century. Bacon gave hints on making gunpowder. His experiment on the nature of light is remarkable. He observed the solar eclipse through a design that projects the image through a pinhole. During the school days, Bacon was strongly influenced by the Franciscan society and received a Franciscan Decree in 1255. The medieval British philosopher Roger Bacon insisted on the importance of so - called empirical science. In this respect, he is often considered a pioneer of modern science. Little is known about the details of Roger Bacon's lifetime and the chronology and inspiration of his major work. Bacon seems to have been born in Il Chester, Somerset State, England. He is not a big family, but he was born to a nobleman. When he was young, he studied works of ancient Greeks, mathema tics, geometry, astronomy and music. At the age of thirteen he entered Oxford University where he spent eight years. He eventually won a high degree in art.

Learning Effective Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Learning Effective - Essay Example Teaching and learning information and knowledge is an anachronism, secondly a wider choice of the population procedure and produce knowledge. Knowledge is not the ownership of a small number of â€Å"experts†, thirdly, prospects for employment link more to the skill to improve and convey learning. The collection of a qualification is not sufficient and lastly the land of knowledge is a great deal richer and wider, involving numerous sources, forms and contexts. â€Å"Learning is no longer the province of special institutions: it is a way of being. In such a context the goals of learning need to focus less on knowledge acquisition by individuals, and more on knowledge-generation with others.† ( Institute of Education) Effective students have achieved knowledge of the social and individual procedure essential to become successful learners. This is not simply attainment of specific tactics, but the supervising and evaluation of knowledge to observe whether approaches are effectual. This has been explained as "metalearning" and "teaching how to learn†. Effective learning comprises this extra critical element which dynamically engages the learner in meta-cognitive procedure of setting up, supervising and reflecting. As a result we can deduce that learning is an endeavor of construction, dealt with others and driven by the agency of learners. Effective learning is every one of these properties at their best, as well as the review and monitoring of whether tactics and approaches are proving helpful for the specific context and goals. An effective student is resourceful and is able to actively make use of various approaches and strategies for different purposes and contexts, for instance, gaining knowledge from books even as alone, generating knowledge with different people during a project, actively paying attention to an explanation, constructing conversation with

Illegal trade, smuggling and forgery of luxury goods Essay

Illegal trade, smuggling and forgery of luxury goods - Essay Example There have been increases in smuggling activities, which have been aided by advances in technology and the emergence of new economies like China. Forgery of luxury has also been on the increase due to increased demand for these items making it a lucrative venture for many individuals. This paper seeks to discuss illegal trade, smuggling and forgery of luxury goods in the world. Forgery is term used to describe the imitation of and adaptation of items, objects and even identity of persons in an effort to pass them as the originals. The practice of producing forgeries is referred to as forging, and the forging of money or currencies is referred to as counterfeiting. Documents are also forged as when bank checks are forged or important personal documents like birth and death certificates, passports, drivers’ licenses and other important documentation. The forgery of art is another lucrative practice that sees the imitation of master paintings by Picasso, Da Vinci and Van Gogh. Ar t forgery is a thriving industry that involves the creation and sale of art works that are falsely credited to famous artists like Da Vinci and Van Gogh instead of their actual painters or creators (Keats 112). The increased demand for works of art by famous creators like Benini and Da Vinci makes forgery of these works of art a lucrative business. The value of forged art is determined by the name of the purported creator or artist (Keats 73). The forging of the Picasso painting by my second cousin involved a careful process that was characterized by getting the right paints and other materials like the painting medium. He chose the right scene or object in a painting to paint in order to capture all the elements that are identifiable with the original or master’s aspects (Keats 76). Forging masters requires that the imitations resemble the originals, which are usually aged and have the telltale signs of age. These signs include cracks filled up with dirt and faded colors. To age the painting in order to make it resemble the original, my cousin applied bleach to the back of the painting to make it feel old and brittle (Keats 96). The frame and the front of the painting was aged using a concoction of brown paint and thinner to age the wood frame, while the front was aged by a 70/30 blend of brown paint and thinner. Every painting by a master possesses an identifying signature or marker that confirms the identity of the true creator or artist. My cousin who is skilled enough in both of these processes did this or they can be done another individual who is skilled in the art of forging signatures and other identifying marks. I was able to easily forge ownership documentation for the painting, and acquire an authentication certificate showing that my fake Picasso was indeed an original. I was able to achieve this fete by bribing corrupt officials in the department of arts at a renowned local museum. The convention on the international trade in endangered sp ecies (CITES) is an international agreement between nations and states to ban the trade in animal and plant specimens that endangers their survival (Becker & Wehinger 28). Through CITES initiative and related organizations, a number of policies have been formulated and implemented to limit or completely ban the use, sale and trade of various goods associated with negative externalities

Homeland Security Essay Example for Free

Homeland Security Essay The challenge to traditional policing issued in the 1970s has created a new concept of policing and that is the role of policing in homeland security. In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, the federal government has shifted to a policy of homeland security, and part of that has incorporated local firefighters and local police agencies (Oliver Hilgenberg, 2004). But the creation has a lot of inadequacies. First, so much confusion still abounds in terms of what homeland security means: is it simply being more watchful for suspicious activities, is it intelligence gathering on the part of patrol officers, or is it standing guard at possible terrorist targets in their jurisdictions? Another inadequacy is not so much determining if local police are going to play a role in this new public policy but rather what role they can play. And, beyond determining what role the police will play in homeland security, the natural extension of this is to ask who will pay. Moreover, as the public policy of homeland security is clearly a national policy issue, it would seem that the policy will be an intergovernmental one driven by the presidential administration. While there have been some intergovernmental grant programs implemented, many of these have been slow to reach the local level, raising further questions as to what role state and local police can play without the necessary resources. While it is too soon to determine how this new policy will play out in terms of policing in America, there is little doubt that this will be an active part of the public policy process in policing for years to come. As America responded quickly to the attacks by educating themselves on terrorism and demanding action from government, the president and the U. S. Congress quickly began a process of restructuring government to focus on antiterrorism (prevention techniques) and counterterrorism (how to actively respond to terrorists) measures in order to meet these new demands. The creation of the Office of Homeland Security and its subsequent passage as a cabinet-level department is an inclination that the national government is moving in this direction. In addition, many of the grants for local agencies are now centered on homeland security, and perhaps most telling is the fact that the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services had its budget slashed by the Bush administration, but the Department of Homeland Security has seen its budget allocations increase substantially. Although only time will tell if American law enforcement has entered into a new era of policing, there is little doubt that homeland security has become an overriding policy of the current administration and that, it will continue to be at least until January 2009 (Office of Homeland Security , 2002). Hence, a coordinated response to Homeland Security was good for interagency operations. That is why President George W. Bush signed the Homeland Security Act into law on November 25, 2002 (National Public Radio, 2002). It has been touted to be the greatest reorganization of the federal government since the beginning of the Cold War. Several departments have been assigned to the new Secretary for Homeland Security. Some of the agencies transferred to the Homeland Security (DHS) include the United States Secret Service, National Infrastructure Protection Center, Energy Assurance Office, National Communications System, United States Coast Guard, Customs Service, Transportation Security Administration, Federal Protective Service, Functions of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Office of Domestic Preparedness, Selected functions of the Department of Agriculture, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, National Bio-Weapons Defense Analysis Center, Nuclear threat assessment programs, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Domestic Emergency Support Team, Metropolitan Medical Response System, National Disaster Medical System, Strategic National Stockpile of the Department of Public Health, Nuclear Incident Response Team, A new Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. Further, this new department is arranged under five Under Secretaries for: (1) Information Analysis and Infrastructure, (2) Science and Technology, (3) Border and Transportation Security, (4) Emergency Preparedness and Response, and (5) Management Services (Oliver, 341-342). The purpose of this massive reorganization of course is to centralize government planning and response. The DHS has been charged to cooperate and coordinate with state and local governments. The CIA and FBI remain separate agencies. In the homeland security, the government is calling for full participation by state and local agencies. Hence, it is good as it seeks to develop cooperative relationships with existing police agencies and homeland defense managers need to negotiate power sharing arrangements with state and local police.

Spatial Cognition and Navigation :: Philosophy Philosophical Papers

Spatial Cognition and Navigation In the complex dissection of the human brain evolving in our course, great strides have been made on the path to comprehension of thought and action. Evidence concerning the true relationship of mind, body, and behavior has been elucidated through discoveries of the neural pathways enabling active translation of input to output. We have suggested the origins of action, discussed stimuli both internal and external, as well as concepts of self, agency, and personality interwoven with a more accessible comprehension of physical functionality. However, I remain unable to superimpose upon the current construct of brain and behavior a compatible notion of awareness of self. What are the cognitive and neural mechanisms involved in understanding the spatial relationships between oneself and other objects in the world? How do we even become aware of space and the environment in which we live? What element of the nervous system governs those processes, which enable human beings to navigat e through space? The term "spatial cognition" is used to describe those processes controlling behavior that must be directed at particular location, as well as those responses that depend on location or spatial arrangement of stimuli (1). Navigation refers to the process of strategic route planning and way finding, where way finding is defined as a dynamic step-by-step decision-making process required to negotiate a path to a destination (2). As a spatial behavior, negotiation demands a spatial representation; a neural code that distinguishes one place or spatial arrangement of stimuli from another (1). What, though, serves as such a representation in navigation and from where are these representations derived? The processes occurring within the hippocampus provide such representations. The hippocampal mode of processing is concerned primarily with large distances and long spaces of time. These processes demand a very specific form of spatial representation, which relate locations to one another as well as to landmarks in an environment, rather than simply to the agent of action. Spatial attention and action, which result from encoded sensory information, are controlled by the parietal neocortex (1). Information relating to the location and stimuli derived from that location is encoded in sensory cortices. Informed by this egocentric information, allocentric representations provide a basis from which one's current location and orientation can be computed from one's relationship to sensory cues in the environment. This particular set of locations is referred to as a cognitive map.

The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle Chapter Eight

â€Å"What?† said Elena dully. â€Å"Well, the way she ended up, in her slip. She looked just like she did when we found her on the road, only then she was all scratched up, too.† â€Å"Cat scratches, we thought,† said Meredith, finishing the last bite of her cake. She seemed to be in one of her quiet, thoughtful moods; right now she was watching Elena closely. â€Å"But that doesn't seem very likely.† Elena looked straight back at her. â€Å"Maybe she fell in some brambles,† she said. â€Å"Now, if you guys are finished eating, do you want to see that first note?† They left their dishes in the sink and climbed the stairs to Elena's room. Elena felt herself flush as the other girls read the note. Bonnie and Meredith were her best friends, maybe her only friends now. She'd read them passages from her diary before. But this was different. It was the most humiliating feeling she'd ever had. â€Å"Well?† she said to Meredith. â€Å"The person who wrote this is five feet eleven inches tall, walks with a slight limp, and wears a false mustache,† Meredith intoned. â€Å"Sorry,† she added, seeing Elena's face. â€Å"Not funny. Actually, there's not much to go on, is there? The writing looks like a guy's, but the paper looks feminine.† â€Å"And the whole thing has sort of a feminine touch,† put in Bonnie, bouncing slightly on Elena's bed. â€Å"Well, it does,† she said defensively. â€Å"Quoting bits of your diary back at you is the kind of thing a woman would think of. Men don't care about diaries.† â€Å"You just don't want it to be Damon,† said Meredith. â€Å"I would think you'd be more worried about him being a psycho killer than a diary thief.† â€Å"I don't know; killers are sort of romantic. Imagine your dying with his hands around your throat. He'd strangle the life out of you, and the last thing you'd see would be his face.† Putting her own hands to her throat, Bonnie gasped and expired tragically, ending up draped across the bed. â€Å"He can have me anytime,† she said, eyes still closed. It was on Elena's lips to say, â€Å"Don't you understand, this isserious ,† but instead she hissed in a breath. â€Å"Oh,God ,† she said, and ran to the window. The day was humid and stifling, and the window had been opened. Outside on the skeletal branches of the quince tree was a crow. Elena threw the sash down so hard that the glass rattled and tinkled. The crow gazed at her through the trembling panes with eyes like obsidian. Rainbows glimmered in its sleek black plumage. â€Å"Why did yousay that?† she said, turning to Bonnie. â€Å"Hey, there's nobody out there,† said Meredith gently. â€Å"Unless you count the birds.† Elena turned away from them. The tree was empty now. â€Å"I'm sorry,† said Bonnie in a small voice, after a moment. â€Å"It's just that it all doesn't seem real sometimes, even Mr. Tanner's being dead doesn't seem real. And Damon did look†¦ well, exciting. But dangerous. I â€Å"And besides, he wouldn't squeeze your throat; he'd cut it,† Meredith said. â€Å"Or at least that was what he did to Tanner. But the old man under the bridge had his throat ripped open, as if some animal had done it.† Meredith looked to Elena for clarification. â€Å"Damon doesn't have an animal, does he?† â€Å"No. I don't know.† Suddenly, Elena felt very tired. She was worried about Bonnie, about the consequences of those foolish words. â€Å"I can do anything to you, to you and the ones you love,† she remembered. What might Damon do now? She didn't understand him. He was different every time they met. In the gym he'd been taunting, laughing at her. But the next time she would swear that he'd been serious, quoting poetry to her, trying to get her to come away with him. Last week, with the icy graveyard wind lashing around him, he'd been menacing, cruel. And underneath his mocking words last night, she'd felt the same menace. She couldn't predict what he'd do next. But, whatever happened, she had to protect Bonnie and Meredith from him. Especially since she couldn't warn them properly. And what was Stefan up to? She needed him right now, more than anything. Wherewas he? It started that morning. â€Å"Let me get this straight,† Matt said, leaning against the scarred body of his ancient Ford sedan when Stefan approached him before school. â€Å"You want to borrow my car.† â€Å"Yes,† Stefan said. â€Å"And the reason you want to borrow it is flowers. You want to get some flowers for Elena.† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"And these particular flowers, these flowers you've just got to get, don't grow around here.† â€Å"They might. But their blooming season is over this far north. And the frost would have finished them off anyway.† â€Å"So you want to go down south – how far south you don't know – to find some of these flowers that you've just got to give to Elena.† â€Å"Or at least some of the plants,† Stefan said. â€Å"I'd rather have the actual flowers though.† â€Å"And since the police still have your car, you want to borrow mine, for however long it takes you to go down south and find these flowers that you've just got to give to Elena.† â€Å"I figure driving is the least conspicuous way to leave town,† Stefan explained. â€Å"I don't want the police to follow me.† â€Å"Uh huh. And that's why you want my car.† â€Å"Am I going to give my car to the guy who stole my girlfriend and now wants to take a jaunt down south to get her some kind of special flowers she's just got to have? Are you crazy?† Matt, who had been staring out over the roofs of the frame houses across the street, turned at last to look at Stefan. His blue eyes, usually cheerful and straightforward, were full of utter disbelief, and surmounted by twisted, puckered brows. Stefan looked away. He should have known better. After everything Matt had already done for him, to expect more was ridiculous. Especially these days, when people flinched from the sound of his step and avoided his eyes when he came near. To expect Matt, who had the best of reasons to resent him, to do him such a favor with no explanation, on the basis of faith alone, reallywas insane. â€Å"No, I'm not crazy,† he said quietly, and turned to go. â€Å"Neither am I,† Matt had said. â€Å"And I'd have to be crazy to turn my car over to you. Hell, no. I'm going with you.† By the time Stefan had turned back around, Matt was looking at the car instead of him, lower lip thrust forward in a wary, judicious pout. â€Å"After all,† he'd said, rubbing at the flaking vinyl of the roof, â€Å"you might scratch the paint or something.† Elena put the phone back on the hook.Somebody was at the boarding house, because somebody kept picking up the phone when it rang, but after that there was only silence and then the click of disconnection. She suspected it was Mrs. Flowers, but that didn't tell her anything about where Stefan was. Instinctively, she wanted to go to him. But it was dark outside, and Stefan had warned her specifically not to go out in the dark, especially not anywhere near the cemetery or the woods. The boarding house was near both. â€Å"No answer?† said Meredith as Elena came back and sat down on the bed. â€Å"She keeps hanging up on me,† Elena said, and muttered something under her breath. â€Å"Did you say she was a witch?† â€Å"No, but it rhymes with that,† said Elena. â€Å"Look,† said Bonnie, sitting up. â€Å"If Stefan's going to call, he'll call here. There's no reason for you to come and stay the night with me.† Therewas a reason, although Elena couldn't quite explain it even to herself. After all, Damon had kissed Bonnie at Alaric Saltzman's party. It was Elena's fault that Bonnie was in danger in the first place. Somehow she felt that if she were at least on the scene, she might be able to protect Bonnie. â€Å"My mom and dad and Mary are all home,† Bonnie persisted. â€Å"And we lock all our doors and windows and everything since Mr. Tanner was murdered. This weekend Dad even put on extra locks. I don't see whatyou can do.† She left a message for Stefan with Aunt Judith, telling him where she was. There was still a lingering constraint between her and her aunt. And there would be, Elena thought, until Aunt Judith changed her mind about Stefan. At Bonnie's house, she was given a room that had belonged to one of Bonnie's sisters who was now in college. The first thing she did was check the window. It was closed and locked, and there was nothing outside that someone could climb, like a drainpipe or tree. As inconspicuously as possible, she also checked Bonnie's room and any others she could get into. Bonnie was right; they were all sealed up tight from the inside. Nothing from the outside could get in. She lay in bed a long time that night, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. She kept remembering Vickie dreamily doing a striptease in the cafeteria. What was wrong with the girl? She would remember to ask Stefan that next time she saw him. Thoughts of Stefan were pleasant, even with all the terrible things that had happened recently. Elena smiled in the darkness, letting her mind wander. Someday all this harassment would be over, and she and Stefan could plan a life together. Of course, he hadn't actually said anything about that, but Elena herself was sure. She was going to marry Stefan, or no one. And Stefan was going to marry no one but her†¦ The transition into dreaming was so smooth and gradual that she scarcely noticed it. But she knew, somehow, that shewas dreaming. It was as if a little part of her was standing aside and watching the dream like a play. She was sitting in a long hallway, which was covered with mirrors on one side and windows on the other. She was waiting for something. Then she saw a flicker of movement, and Stefan was standing outside the window. His face was pale and his eyes were hurt and angry. She went over to the window, but she couldn't hear what he was saying because of the glass. In one hand, he was holding a book with a blue velvet cover, and he kept gesturing to it and asking her something. Then he dropped the book and turned away. â€Å"Stefan, don't go! Don't leave me!† she cried. Her fingers flattened whitely on the glass. Then she noticed that there was a latch on one side of the window and she opened it, calling to him. But he had disappeared and outside she saw only swirling white mist. Disconsolately, she turned away from the window and began walking down the hall. Her own image glimmered in mirror after mirror as she went by them. Then something about one of the reflections caught her eye. The eyes were her eyes, but there was a new look in them, a predatory, sly look. Vickie's eyes had looked that way when she was undressing. And there was something disturbing and hungry about her smile. As she watched, standing still, the image suddenly whirled around and around, as if dancing. Horror swept over Elena. She began to run down the hall, but now all the reflections had a life of their own, dancing, beckoning to her, laughing at her. Just when she thought her heart and lungs would burst with terror, she reached the end of the corridor and flung open a door. She was standing in a large and beautiful room. The lofty ceiling was intricately carved and inlaid with gold; the doorways were faced with white marble. Classical statues stood in niches along the walls. Elena had never seen a room of such splendor, but she knew where she was. In Renaissance Italy, when Stefan She looked down at herself and saw she was wearing a dress like the one she'd had made for Halloween, the ice blue Renaissance ball gown. But this dress was a deep ruby red, and around her waist she wore a thin chain set with brilliant red stones. The same stones were in her hair. When she moved, the silk shimmered like flames in the light of hundreds of torches. At the far end of the room, two huge doors swung inward. A figure appeared between them. It walked toward her, and she saw that it was a young man dressed in Renaissance clothing, doublet and hose and fur-trimmed jerkin. Stefan! She started toward him eagerly, feeling the weight of her dress swing from the waist. But when she got closer she stopped, drawing in a sharp breath. It was Damon. He kept on walking toward her, confident, casual. He was smiling, a smile of challenge. Reaching her, he put one hand over his heart and bowed. Then he held out the hand to her as if daring her to take it. â€Å"Do you like dancing?† he said. Except that his lips didn't move. The voice was in her mind. Her fear drained away, and she laughed. What was wrong with her, to have ever been afraid of him? They understood each other very well. But instead of taking his hand, she turned away, the silk of the dress turning after her. She moved lightly toward one of the statues along the wall, not glancing back to see if he was following her. She knew he would. She pretended to be absorbed in the statue, moving away again just as he reached her, biting her lip to hold in the laughter. She felt wonderful right now, so alive, so beautiful. Dangerous? Of course, this game was dangerous. But she had always enjoyed danger. The next time he drew near her, she glanced at him teasingly as she turned. He reached out, but caught only the jeweled chain at her waist. He let go quickly, and, looking back, she saw that the pronged setting on one of the gems had cut him. The drop of blood on his finger was just the color of her dress. His eyes flashed at her sideways, and his lips curved in a taunting smile as he held the wounded finger up. You wouldn't dare, those eyes said. Oh, wouldn't I? Elena told him with her own eyes. Boldly, she took his hand and held it a moment, teasing him. Then she brought the finger to her lips. After a few moments, she released it and looked up at him. â€Å"Ido like dancing,† she said, and found that, like him, she could speak with her mind. It was a thrilling sensation. She moved to the center of the room and waited. He followed her, graceful as a stalking beast. His fingers were warm and hard when they clasped hers. There was music, although it faded in and out and sounded far away. Damon placed his other hand on her waist. She could feel the warmth of his fingers there, the pressure. She picked up her skirts, and they began dancing. It was lovely, like flying, and her body knew every move to make. They danced around and around that empty room, in perfect timing, together. He was laughing down at her, his dark eyes glittering with enjoyment. She felt so beautiful; so poised and alert and ready for anything. She couldn't remember when she'd had this much fun. The room around her was blurring. She could see only his eyes, and they were making her feel more and more sleepy. She allowed her own eyes to half close, her head to fall back. She sighed. She couldfeel his gaze now, on her lips, on her throat. She smiled to herself and let her eyes close completely. He was supporting her weight now, keeping her from falling down. She felt his lips on the skin of her neck, burning hot as if he had a fever. Then she felt the sting, like the jabs of two needles. It was over quickly, though, and she relaxed to the pleasure of having her blood drawn out. She remembered this feeling, the feeling of floating on a bed of golden light. A delicious languor stole through all her limbs. She felt drowsy, as if it were too much trouble to move. She didn't want to move anyway; she felt too good. Her fingers were resting on his hair, clasping his head to her. Idly, she threaded them through the soft dark strands. His hair was like silk, warm and alive under her fingers. When she opened her eyes a slit, she saw that it reflected rainbows in the candlelight. Red and blue and purple, just like – just like the feathers†¦ And then everything shattered. There was pain at her throat suddenly, as if her soul was being torn out of her. She was pushing at Damon, clawing at him, trying to force him away. Screams rang in her ears. Damon was fighting her, but it wasn't Damon; it was a crow. Huge wings beat against her, thrashing in the air. Her eyes were open. She was awake and screaming. The ballroom was gone, and she was in a darkened bedroom. But the nightmare had followed her. Even as she reached for the light, it came at her again, wings thrashing in her face, sharp beak diving for her. Elena struck out at it, one hand flung up to protect her eyes. She was still screaming. She couldn't get away from it, those terrible wings kept flailing frantically, with a sound like a thousand decks of cards being shuffled at once. The door burst open, and she heard shouts. The warm, heavy body of the crow struck her and her screams went higher. Then someone was pulling her off the bed, and she was standing protected behind Bonnie's father. He had a broom and he was beating at the bird with it. Bonnie was standing in the doorway. Elena ran into her arms. Bonnie's father was shouting, and then came the slam of a window. â€Å"It's out,† Mr. McCullough said, breathing hard. Mary and Mrs. McCullough were just outside in the hallway, clad in bathrobes. â€Å"You're hurt,† Mrs. McCullough said to Elena in amazement. â€Å"The nasty thing's pecked you.† â€Å"I'm okay,† Elena said, brushing at a spot of blood on her face. She was so shaken that her knees were â€Å"How did it getin?† said Bonnie. Mr. McCullough was inspecting the window. â€Å"You shouldn't have left this open,† he said. â€Å"And what did you want to take the locks off for?† â€Å"I didn't,† Elena cried. â€Å"It was unlocked and open when I heard you screaming and came in,† Bonnie's father said. â€Å"I don't know who else could have opened it but you.† Elena choked back her protests. Hesitantly, cautiously, she moved to the window. He was right; the locks had been unscrewed. And it could have been done only from the inside. â€Å"Maybe you were sleepwalking,† said Bonnie, leading Elena away from the window as Mr. McCullough began putting the locks back on. â€Å"We'd better get you cleaned up.† Sleepwalking. Suddenly the entire dream flooded back to Elena. The hall of mirrors, and the ballroom, and Damon. Dancing with Damon. She pulled out of Bonnie's grasp. â€Å"I'll do it myself,† she said, hearing her own voice quaver on the edge of hysteria. â€Å"No – really – I want to.† She escaped into the bathroom and stood with her back to the locked door, trying to breathe. The last thing she wanted to do was look in a mirror. But at last, slowly, she approached the one over the sink, trembling as she saw the edge of her reflection, moving inch by inch until she was framed in the silvery surface. Her image stared back, ghastly pale, with eyes that looked bruised and frightened. There were deep shadows under them and smears of blood on her face. Slowly, she turned her head slightly and lifted up her hair. She almost cried out loud when she saw what was underneath. Two little wounds, fresh and open on the skin of her neck.

My Roles as a Teacher Essay

My role as a ICT tutor, sometimes requires me to be mentor or even an absent friend to support my learners emotionally through their learning. All of this provides me the means to enable learning to the best of my ability. I have a responsibility to ensure that students gain the knowledge and skills they require to become effective learners. Also the responsibility to meet the high standards of professional and ethical behavior required by the learner, and my profession itself. The responsibilities listed below provide guidance for me as a teacher. * To demonstrate the highest standards of professional behaviour, exercise professional judgement and act in a considerate and sensitive manner when interacting with students, or caregivers, staff and the public. * To be conscious of the need for equitable treatment of all students, including those with disabilities or other special needs; to meet the individual learning needs of students and assist each student to maximize his or her learning outcomes. To be familiar with the provisions of legislation relevant to my official responsibilities. * To perform my duties efficiently and effectively and with honesty, integrity and fairness at all times * To ensure that decisions are made fairly and conveyed promptly both within the Department and to those students and members of the public who have a right to know. * To use information gained in the course of employment only for proper and appropriate purpose. To use public resources economically * I must not, under any circumstances, have sexual relationships with students. It is irrelevant whether the relationship is homosexual or heterosexual, consensual or non-consensual . The age of the students or staff member involved is also irrelevant. * I must not, under any circumstances, engage in conduct of a sexual nature with a student. Improper conduct of a sexual nature by me against a student includes sexual intercourse and any other form of child sexual abuse (which must be notified) as well as but not limited to: inappropriate conversations of a sexual nature; obscene language of a sexual nature; suggestive remarks or actions; jokes of a sexual nature; obscene gestures; unwarranted and inappropriate touching; sexual exhibitionism; personal correspondence with students in respect of my sexual feelings for the student; and deliberate exposure of students to sexual behavior of others. Prescribed medications and non-prescribed medications (such as analgesics) should only be administered in accordance with departmental guidelines. You must not give students alcohol or other drugs, or encourage or condone the use of alcohol or other drugs by students. * I must not, under any circumstances, use any form of discipline that includes any threat of physical violence or harm, corporal punishment or engage in any form of behaviour which could cause physical, emotional or psychological harm of any kind to students. Several examples of good or acceptable behaviour Teacher-student relationships †¢ Participate in social contact with a student only after obtaining informed consent of the student (and principal where appropriate); such contact includes meetings, sporting events, phone calls or electronic communications, e. g. , emails and text messages; †¢ When acting as a student’s mentor, develop a relationship with clear professional boundaries that cannot be misinterpreted as a personal, rather than a professional, interest in the student. If a student develops a ‘crush’ on you, inform a supervisor, so independent, sensitive advice and support are available; †¢ Praise and recognise all students when appropriate, so they all feel fairly treated. †¢ Physically contact students in a way that makes them comfortable, e. g. , shaking hands, a congratulatory pat on the back. †¢ To be alert to cues from students about how comfortable they are in your proximit y and respect individual needs for personal space. †¢ Be aware of cultural norms that may influence interpretation of your behaviour towards students.

Newspaper Headlines Lesson for Students of English

Newspaper Headlines Lesson for Students of English Take a look at any newspaper or magazine headline and you are likely to find incomplete sentences full of action-packed verbs. Headlines live in a linguistic bubble all by themselves because they ignore grammar conventions such as the use of helping verbs and so on. Of course, this means that newspaper headlines can be confusing to English language students. This is because newspaper headlines are often incomplete. For example: Difficult Times AheadUnder Pressure from BossMustang Referral Customer Complaint This lesson focuses on helping make sense of the strange forms used in newspaper headlines. You may want to review some of the most common grammar exceptions found in newspaper headlines before you take this lesson into class. Lesson Breakdown and Outline Aim: Understanding newspaper headlinesActivity: Translating newspaper headlines into more understandable EnglishLevel: Intermediate to higher levels Outline: Find some headlines in old newspapers or on the internet and cut them out. There should be at least two headlines per student.Pass out one of the headlines to each student. Give them a few minutes to think about the meaning of each headline.Ask students to read their headlines aloud and give an explanation of what they think the article in question concerns.As a class, brainstorm on possible structural meanings behind the strange grammar found in headlines (refer to grammar exceptions found in newspaper headlines).Ask students to fit the following headlines into the correct categories on the worksheet. You may want to have students pair up to do this.Correct the exercise as a class.Pass out the headlines you have left to the students. Ask each student to translate each headline into proper English and give an explanation of what they think the article in question concerns.As a homework option, you may want to ask students to find some headlines on their own and repeat this exercise. A further challenge might be to ask students to find headlines, read the articles, and then ask other students to interpret their headlines in small groups. Newspaper Headlines Exercises for Students of English 1. Match these newspaper headlines with the following categories (some headlines fit two categories): Newspaper Headlines Difficult Times AheadForgotten Brother AppearsJames Wood to Visit PortlandLandscaping Company Disturbance RegulationsMan Killed in AccidentMayor to Open Shopping MallMustang Referral Customer ComplaintOverwhelming Response of VotersPasserby Sees Woman JumpPresident Declares CelebrationProfessors Protest Pay CutsTommy the Dog Named HeroUnder Pressure from BossUnexpected VisitWidow Pension Pay Committee Categories Noun PhrasesNoun StringsSimple Tenses instead of Continuous or PerfectAuxiliary Verbs Dropped in Passive FormArticles DroppedInfinitive to Indicate Future 2. Try to translate the meaning of each of the headlines.

Cross-cultural Communication Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Cross-cultural Communication - Research Paper Example .......................................3 2.0 Literature Review ..........................................................................................5 2.1 Cross cultural communication and conflicts............................................ 6 2.2 Types of communication styles................................................................ 7 2.2.1. Direct v indirect communication style............................................. 7 2.2.2 Attached v detached communication style ........................................7 2.2.3 Concrete v abstract communication style......................................... 8 2.3 Other aspects of communication................................................................ 8 2.4. Conflicts in the workplaces .......................................................................8 3.0 Research methodology ......................................................................................11 4.0 Research findings and discussions....................... .............................................. 12 5.0 Recommendations and conclusion..................................................................... 14 References ................................................................................................................15 1.0 Introduction Cross-cultural communication is a relatively new phrase that has gained global attention because of increased interaction of people from different cultural backgrounds. In the recent past globalization has produced better and faster methods of transportation that have improved movement of people across different regions in the world. In addition, fast and more efficient methods of communication through electronic and information technology has opened wider avenues for interaction between people of different cultures without the need of physical movement. Currently, most workplaces are multicultural, and this has created the need for establishing a favourable environment to promote good wo rking relations between the employees. In this respect, cross-cultural communication is important in order to develop, nurture, and improve relationships between employees from diverse cultural backgrounds (Tung, 1993: 357). However, Adler (1997: 31) notes that all communication is cultural irrespective of the background of the communicators. Cultural diversity in any organization could be both beneficial and detrimental to its performance. One of the major benefits of diversity in workplaces is that it provides an organization with a wide range of skills and human resources; however, it could cause conflicts that jeopardize the spirit of teamwork in an organization. This research paper investigated conflict and violence among employees in Ovine Medical centre, medium multicultural and imaginary healthcare facility in Singapore. 1.1 Objectives of the study The objective of this paper was to investigate i. Conflict and violence between employees at Ovine medical centre ii. Determine the effects of conflicts and violence on their performance and productivity iii. Establish the effect of cross-cultural communication on the customer satisfaction and retention in the medical facility. 1.2 Research questions i. Is cultural diversity responsible for conflict and violence in the facility? ii. Does conflict affect performance at the medical facility? iii. Is declining client satisfaction and retention caused by the conflict between the employees? 1.3 Organization background Ovine Medical Centre was started by a British Neurologist, Dr Gordon Cook

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

WORLDVIEW - Essay Example The book of Timothy says God was pleased with His work. The question of identity is concerned with â€Å"Who am I?† The book of Genesis says that we are created by God in his own image and likeness (Weider & Guiterrez, 2011). God also calls Himself Almighty in the book of Genesis 17. As such we are His subjects are dignified since we are created in God’s image though all of us have sinned and fallen short of glory. Why do we exist? People often ask themselves this question at various stages of their lives especially when faced with difficulties. The main purpose of our creation is to glorify God (Sire, 2004). In the book of Genesis after man had sinned against God, He instructed man to till the land, multiply and fill the earth and worship Him. Morality entails what is right or wrong. Christians believe that there is an objective moral law based on the nature of God. The bible teaches that Jesus is the only way, the truth and the life and no one goes to the Father except through Him hence we must obey him. He has also given men moral conscience to discern right and wrong. The biblical worldview of destiny is that there is life after death (Weider & Guiterrez, 2011). Death is certain and the only way to have eternal life is through Jesus Christ who died on the cross and resurrected. Whoever believes in Him shall have eternal life. Judgment awaits us after death for things done in this life. It influences the way we think about, treat, and speak to others on a daily basis in the belief that our actions after death will be judged based on things we do in this life. We are also all equal before God since we are created in His image hence we treat each other with respect. It also affects how we treat the environment and non-human creations. Everything was created by God and man was put in charge of the rest of the creation hence should look after it. We were also given a moral conscience to decide what is right or wrong unlike other

Sex and the Sickbed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sex and the Sickbed - Essay Example Death is one such feeling that is not easily dealt by individuals under differential circumstances. The story ‘Sex and the Sickbed’ also mentions the same ideology of a partner losing out to another’s sexual needs and thus dying prematurely. This is a very unfortunate act which has happened for all the wrong reasons, as far as the story is concerned. The story is therefore a depiction of how a person meets the most significant challenges of his life. This has been stated within the story itself where Jennifer had to undergo pain because Neil had died and thus she had lost her as a partner. What Jennifer missed about Neil the most was that they would not be able to enjoy their sex life in the future which was a source of happiness for both of them. However, this will not suffice in the coming times as death has prevailed for the couple and they have parted ways through natural means. The case with human life is no different. One of the most disadvantageous aspects of human life is that it has to come to an end unexpectedly. This has been proven with the advent of time as people die every now and then, and hence their lives finish with others having dear hopes from them. There is a dire need to find out how these challenges can be addressed with the changing times (Rosenthal, 2009, 61). This is because the challenges change and hence the requirements alter as well. However, death is one significant mark that leaves a lot to be desired of as far as the human disposition is concerned. One must fathom the true meaning of death before commenting on it, and more so within the story of â€Å"Sex and the Sickbed†. The story gives a very true picture of how Jennifer would have to deal with Neil’s untimely death and what the consequences would be in the long range scheme of things. Neil left an indelible mark on the mind of Jennifer who is unable to deal with it and thinks of the sex life that they shared. With this, one easily understand s how complicated it is to make-do with life’s varied complexes and challenges that come about every now and then. Prioritizing them as the most important amongst the several ones is an arduous task, and more so when the discussion is centered on the story â€Å"Sex and the Sickbed†. This is because for Jennifer, Neil’s death is something that comes out as a serious and grave problem which shall remain with her entirety until the time she is alive. Not only is she missing Neil, she would have to miss the sex life that they shared as well. These are distressing times for Jennifer and she must come to terms with the same, the sooner the better for her own self (Author Unknown, 2007). The challenges keep on becoming bigger as the responsibility increases upon one’s own self. However, there are different implications for the people under varied circumstances as has been proven true in the story â€Å"Sex and the Sickbed† itself. Thus what is required n ow is a perceptual change in understanding that things need to be comprehended well before they are seen as being difficult or complex in entirety. This will solve a number of issues and concerns which have been coming on to the horizon, and more so within the lives of the people in the times much like today. In the end, it would be sound to state that the story hits the nail on the head. This is because people feel that the most complex problems could be ascertained if only the gravity of the quagmire is found out. This takes place through an understanding about the features which hurt the most and which shall create uproar for all the wrong reasons. The story is also judgmental as far as comprehending how the problems could be tackled, if and only if there is a collective understanding to bring about resolutions for the sake of sanctity in this world. All

Alan Mulally, CEO, Ford Motor Company Case Study

Alan Mulally, CEO, Ford Motor Company - Case Study Example The study also contains the leadership style of Alan Mulally. Alan Mulally has also applied his own strategies and made certain changes in the company due to which the company has been able to recover and has shown the potential of growth in future. The evidence based management has been applied in this study to identify whether the style of management of Alan Mulally comes under this aspect. It has observed that under Alan Mulally, there is transparency in the company, as every aspect is communicated to everyone in the company. Personality of Alan Mulally The personality can be judge on the basis of five fundamental elements which is known as the Big Five Dimensions of personality. The researcher of personality has projected the fundamental feature for evaluation of a personality (Coon, 2009). This theory is growing since the last 50 years. The big five is a broad class of personality traits which reflects a personality or behavior of an individual. The five categories are discussed as follows: Extraversion: It includes character of an individual as, sociability, assertiveness, talkativeness, and excitability and high level of ‘emotional expressiveness’. Agreeableness: It includes aspect such as, altruism, trust, affection, kindness and prosaically behaviors. Conscientiousness: It includes thoughtfulness, impulse as well as goal-focused behaviors. Neuroticism: It includes individual having emotional insecurity, irritability, nervousness, and unhappiness. Openness: It includes features of individuals such as imagination as well as insight and dept of life (Coon, 2009). According to the Big Five Dimension of Personality, Alan Mulally is a leader who especially focuses on the goals or objectives. He has high desires to achieve the objectives, thus it can be said that he is an individual having conscientiousness personality. He is involved in making the company more focused in its core business as the company was unsuccessful and had incurred loss of about $12.6 billion in 2006. It can be observed that, Alan Mulally visits the operation unit every week to assess the performance level of each unit (Coon, 2009). It can also be said that he has characteristics of openness as his thoughts and expectations for the company is really quite high. He had thought of manufacturing electrical car in 2010 and to be ahead from his competitors such as GM as well as Chrysler/Fiat. This characteristic has made him more challenging and thus enhancing his leadership quality. His behavior such as respect, discipline and listening to others as well as appreciation of others views shows that he has characteristics of extroversion and agreeableness. He is open to everyone, as he shares all the strategies with his executives. He had been an initiator as he developed a new strategy for operational unit of the company (Coon, 2009). Leadership Style Leadership is an act of making others to do the work with different techniques so as to achieve a common go al. Alan Mulally’s style of leadership is to approach employees to attain the company’s objectives is participative style. This style engages Alan Mulally along with other executives while taking the decision related to the company. The process of decision making helps to determine executives to do their work in an appropriate way to achieve the common goals. However, Alan Mulally has given an authority to their executives to contribute in the process of deci

Relationship Between China and Costa Rica

Relationship Between China and Costa Rica Foreign policy in Costa Rica: The international community was shocked in 2007 when Costa Rica, recognized as the Switzerland of Central America for its promotion of democracy and pacifism,[1] decided to establish relations a country of opposite values such as human rights suppression and communism, China. In responses, Taiwan cut its ties with Costa Rica. With its unarmed identity, Costa Rica has always looking to broaden international alliances. This time, however, there were many critics both domestically and internationally. President Arias (2006-2010) responded to the public critics, questing if democracies like the United States found no contradiction in establishing relations with China, then why should Costa Rica?[2] After all, Costa Rica’s move towards engaging China was not unpredictable. Only three months into his first term (1986-1990) in presidency, Arias made a bold decision to move the Costa Rican embassy from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv. According to Arias, the embassy’s location in Jerusalem kept Costa Rica isolated from the Arab world, and it was time to correct a historical mistake. Plus, he believed that having the Costa Rican embassy in Jerusalem limited Costa Rica’s relations with the Arab world.[3] The switch of diplomatic relations with Taiwan On June 6, 2007, [4]president Arias has announced the decision of the government to switch its relations from Taiwan to China after 67 years of stable foreign relations. In the 2007 agreement, China is going to give Costa Rica an additional $130 million in direct economic aid, as well as a two-stage bond purchase. [5] In this agreement, Costa Rica not only has the recognition of China, but also the support from China to knock on the door of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and Security Council of the United Nations. Arias, the former Nobel Prize winner,[6] claimed that the decision was neither for the short-term economic benefits nor the changes of ideology, but rather a rational foreign policy decision of realism. President Arias also stated that the recognition of new relations with china coincided with the principle and purpose in the UN Charter.[7] Costa Rica has been able to earn a good reputation and image that has allowed it to use its advantages in the international community by providing effective suggestions ranging from its contribution to disarmament to its role as an environmental sanctuary. Since taking office, President Arias has led the country to taking a more active role in the international arena. As a country without an army, Costa Rica has a higher value of security of the international level. The Costa Rican government believes that ties with China will not only boost the economic development domestically, but more specifically provide a powerful force to eliminate underdevelopment in some rural areas. On an international scale, Costa Rican government has envisioned the deeper integration in the world economywith the mutual communication with Beijing. For example, President Arias wants to get the Chinese support for Costa Rica’s bid for a seat on the UN Security Council.[8] By 2009, China stood second in terms of trade volume with the Costa Rica, and it stood rank 30 in 2000. (see Table 1.) While Costa Rica now admittedly views China as more beneficial than Taiwan, Costa Rica’s bilateral trade with the East Asian giant began a decade before establishment of formal relations. The exports from Costa Rica to China heavily dominated by computer parts, electronic chips, which allowed the country to achieve a small trade surplus in its relationship with the emerging super power in Asia. This was the only the beginning of the China’s economic benefits for Costa Rica, and the profits stood in stark contrast to what Taiwan could provide. China is recognized as a potential global power, and will be the second super power in the United Nations.That is why Costa Rica also values the embassy in Beijing after the one in Washington. With regards to Taiwan, the country is now concerned that the Costa Rican move will cause a chain reaction in the future of its region. Table 1. Costa Rican Relations with Taiwan Arias had said, â€Å"I was always critical of the Taiwanese, and I can say now that I always told them: If you want to have friends in the world, you should be more generous.†[9] In the late 1960s, Taiwan had relations with almost 70 countries. But China joined the United Nations after Taiwan was expelled from it,[10]and the country lost many allies. As of 2014, Central America and the Caribbean region host 12 of the 22 countries globally which retain ties with Taiwan.[11]Therefore, the loss of a Central American partner was a particularly painful blow for Taiwans foreign relations development, and led to the immediate resignation of the Foreign Minister, James Huang. The Taiwanese government has routinely contributeddevelopment aid routinely to create the strong association withCosta Rica over 67 years.[12]Nevertheless, the Costa Rican government began publicly cooling its relations with Taiwan in May of 2007 when the country abstained on Taiwan’s accession in the World Health Organization (WHO). The Costa Rican government’s attempt at rethinking its relations with Taiwan began to receive criticism from the media as a betrayal of democratic pri nciples. One of the reasons for the longevity of Costa Rica and Taiwan’s relationship was the development assistance the small Asian country provided. The country received $341 million in assistance from Taiwan from2000 to 2005,[13]which wasenough to make it Costa Rica’s second largest source of bilateral cooperation. The majority of resources from Taiwan came in the type of loans, and was allocated intopublic infrastructure. For example, it was Taiwan’s assistance that rebuilt an entire wing of public hospitals in San Josà ©, which was destroyed in an arson fire in 2004.[14]In addition, Taiwan built a long bridge in order to assist the transportation development from rural to urban areas. However, even with Taiwan’s prosperous economy, it still cannot compete with the huge investments of China. This explains President Arias’s claims about Taiwan losing the game of â€Å"dollar diplomacy†; Taiwan’s funds could not compete with those of China. Chinese-Costa Rican relations On March 2011, there was a celebration of the new state stadium in San Josà ©. It was constructed on the previous smaller stadium; the new 35,000-person stadium represents the result of national development. The shape of its roof resembles the appearance of coffee bean, the commodity of which Costa Rica is proudest, demonstrated in modern iconic style. In order to reminisce the â€Å"Bird’s nest† Olympic stadium in Beijing, the nick name of the stadium is â€Å"Nido Tico† or â€Å"Costa Rican’s nest.†[15]The stadium was a symbol of recognition of new relations with China in 2007. In addition, the $100 million stadium, China bought $300 million in Costa Rica bonds, assisted renewal of a Caribbean-bound highway, and facilitated the construction of a major oil refinery. Furthermore, Costa Rica ratified a new free trade agreement with China allowing over 90% of its goods tariff-free entry into the Chinese market in 2011. Chinese diplomats were very eager to proceed with the negotiation. This was a long awaited opportunity for China, as it turns Costa Rica into a regional case that shows other Central American countries in similar positions the benefits they can get from forming relations with China. The evidence showed that the bilateral trade with China, which has provided more broad economic chance with Costa Rica, has been in effect since 2000. In 2008, they began the China-Costa Rica free trade negotiations during the visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao Costa Rica.[16]The China-Costa Rica FTA features a high degree of the open market. Over 90 percent of goods trade between China and Costa Rica will enjoy zero tariff on a stage-by-stage basis.[17]From that point, China was considered as an important trade partner. The trade links, however, had grown rapidly in the past years even without the official diplomatic relations. The cooperation and exchange of agricultural technology is promising for China is agricultural development within its huge territory. For Costa Rica, it has the advantage of biodiversity and flourishing plants bred through the weather. Therefore, the research institutions of Costa Rica and China have an agreementto promote cooperation in agricultural science in 2013.[18] Under the mutual agreement, both sides will facilitate the exchange programs forresearchers, increase the scholarships for agriculture students, and enhancefrequency of information exchange on agricultural science and technology. Also, the institutions in both countries will also cooperate to work on research on animals, plant genetics,environmental preservation,pest and disease control,agricultural economy and rural development. This is an ideal opportunity for Costa Rica to maximize agricultural and environmental advantages through the financial support from China. Costa Rican has also learned a lesson from China after the stadium has finished. Local media reports admired the incredible high-tech stadium, which was finished 3 months ahead before the schedule. The efficiency and industriousness of the Chinese workers has surprised the Costa Ricans. Due to the different geographical areas, Costa Rican was not familiar with Chinese culture. By this chance, they saw how China rises to power with its proactive and diligent attitude, but also they felt how the authoritarianism of China affects the policy. For example: there were only Chinese laborers could enter the construction areas. Conclusion Costa Rica has been benefited by both Taiwan and China. Taiwan has offered considerable resources for the development of Costa Rica, and helped them to step on their foothold on the ladder of development for over the past six decades. As one of the few nation states lacking an army, it has carefully protected itself by relying on the support from international community, and also they take advantage of the soft power with its dynamic diplomatic relations. There are also the new perspective of China which were transmitted by the positive work ethic and efficiency of Chinese laborers who constructed the new stadium. It offered a distinctive picture to modify the previous negative perceptions of China in Costa Rica. In the future, there will be probably more potential international market development besides coffee and electronics (see Table 2.) for Costa Rica though it is not clear those sectors in Costa Rica might have better chance favored by the huge Chinese market, but it hopes to attack foreign direct investment in the region. Table 2. 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