George Orwell – “Shooting an Elephant” (1936)

â€Å"Shooting an Elephant†, by George Orwell, is a highly effective piece of non-fiction. Although written about an event many years ago, in a society that no longer exists as it did then, the essay still holds relevance in the ideas it contains. It is how Orwell puts across his views on colonialism and human nature that I intend to investigate. The essay revolves around Orwell recounting an incident which he experienced as a policeman in colonial Burma, in the 1920's. Orwell was called to act when a tame elephant went ‘must' and started ravaging a bazaar, killing one of the indigenous Indians. However, by the time he had located the elephant, the attack seemed to have passed, so there was no need to destroy it. Yet such was the pressure from the local populace, and Orwell's fear of being mocked, that he shot the elephant. When he first introduces himself to the reader, Orwell seems to be a fairly level-headed person, with his self- depreciating tone showing that he doesn't take himself too seriously in the ‘great scheme' of things; drawing the reader to sympathise with him. This sympathy is extended further when the reader is made privy to the ambivalence of Orwell's feelings towards his position in Burma. In direct contrast to the majority of Westerners in the East at that time, Orwell was very conscious of the hypocrisy of his position and conflicting opinions, and found it all â€Å"perplexing and upsetting†. â€Å"Perplexing† because he felt sympathetic towards the Burmese, and was against the Western domination of the colonial territories, and sided with the â€Å"evil thing† that was imperialism. Yet at the same time the Burmese took great delight in treating him like dirt, in petty revenge for their situation – making his job and life hell. These conflicting feelings are echoed in the register and style of Orwell's writing; the high-flowing language of â€Å"Imperialism was an evil thing† contrasts with the slang of â€Å"The sooner I chucked my job†¦the better†, to bring out Orwell's intense dislike of his duties, doing the â€Å"dirty work† of the â€Å"Empire†. Yet despite the highly emotive language used to describe his job, the â€Å"wretched prisoners† and â€Å"intolerable† sense of guilt, Orwell still found himself hating the Burmese. The sheer pettiness of the â€Å"evil spirited little beasts†, their cumulative bitterness making it impossible for him to help them, led to a feeling that it â€Å"would be the greatest joy in the world† to â€Å"drive a bayonet into a Buddhist Priest's guts†. Even the word choice and sentence structure indicate the extent to which Orwell was in two minds about the Burmese; the contrast between the â€Å"British Raj as an unbreakable tyranny†¦ in soecula soeculorum† – lapsing into Latin, formal language – with the informality of â€Å"drive a bayonet into a Buddhist Priest's guts†. In addition, the sentence structure adds to this idea of being pulled in two directions; the differing statements are separated by a semi-colon, balancing the one against the other, neither dominant. Once the extent of his feelings towards the job and the Burmese have been established, Orwell starts to recount the incident involving the elephant. Originally Orwell introduces it as a â€Å"tiny thing† in itself, using understatement and irony to begin the narrative. He first refers to it as something which â€Å"in a roundabout way† was â€Å"enlightening†. Yet at the same time, ‘it' was an insight for him into the â€Å"real motives for which despotic governments act†. Human nature and the reasons for our society's structure – not important? However, after this hidden intensity, Orwell then continues in a fairly congenial manner, of how he was informed – through polite, unstressed telephone call – that there was an elephant gone ‘must' and escaped, and â€Å"would I please come and do something about it?† At which point Orwell does go out â€Å"to see what was happening† – but out of curiosity, not duty. When a list of things that the elephant has done is presented, some of them fairly serious, they are ordered in such a way as to make them seem irrelevant, through anti-climax. Rather than working his way through progressively more serious offences, Orwell begins the list with destroying someone's house, killing a cow†¦ then working ‘down' to stealing some fruit – and finally, overturning the rubbish bin van and â€Å"inflicted violences† on it. The hyperbole of â€Å"inflicted violences†, the exaggerated anti-climax, leads to a light-hearted, unstressed mood. However, at this point Orwell constructs the first of several pivotal points in the narrative, bringing about an abrupt contrast in mood. At the beginning of this paragraph, Orwell is unsuccessfully searching for the elephant, and even beginning to doubt its existence, starting with â€Å"questioning†¦ failed to get any definite information†¦ vaguer†¦Ã¢â‚¬  until the existence of any elephant was denied. Yet then this carefully constructed conclusion is shattered by the painful death of a Coringhee native Indian, ground into the mud by the elephant. To add to the effect of this sudden seriousness and shock, Orwell uses extremely emotive imagery and word choice to detail the obvious pain of man's death. With the description of â€Å"arms crucified† there is the connotations of one of the most excruciating deaths; being crucified. Also, this idea would have been imaginable to a primarily Christian Britain of 1936, when Orwell wrote the essay. A British readership would also have been able to conceive what the man's back looked like, as Orwell describes the friction from the elephant's foot as having â€Å"stripped the skin from his back as neatly as one skins a rabbit†. Most Britons of the time would have prepared, or seen prepared, a rabbit skinned and cooked, so this imagery brought a potentially unimaginable event to an understandable level. It is at this point that Orwell goes on to work through the implications and factors behind shooting the elephant, and upon discovering the creature, apparently calm and past it's attack of ‘must', he decides not to shoot it. Elephants were expensive to buy, keep and train, and as such, worth a lot of money alive – dead, they were worth only the value of their tusks. In addition to the financial complications, the elephant no longer seemed to be a danger; away from people, â€Å"peacefully eating† in a field – there was no need to shoot it. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, Orwell himself did not want to shoot the elephant; a moral choice, that he felt it was ‘wrong'. However, throughout this decision making process, Orwell was becoming increasingly conscious of the growing crowd of Burmese at is heels; and this became another pivotal point in the passage. Initially Orwell mentioned feeling â€Å"vaguely uneasy† about the growing size of the crowd, intensifying to â€Å"looking and feeling like a fool†. He describes the crowd as looking at him as a â€Å"conjuror about to perform a trick†. The ‘magician', the centre of attention, if not the object of respect, at a show, usually with an audience half hoping he will fail; clear parallels to Orwell, surrounded by the mocking Burmese. Perhaps the comparison is also apt because many people – especially in the time when Orwell was writing – view those who work in the ‘occult' as not having a proper job, aren't really important at all, despite the glitter and attention. Mere amusement for others – an echo of British colonialism? Orwell's growing feeling of helplessness is summed up in the theatrical language and imagery which he uses in this point in the passage. He refers to himself as â€Å"seemingly the leading actor of the piece†¦ in reality, I was only an absurd puppet†. Puppets have no control over the actions they act out – inanimate, passive, subjected to the will of the puppeteer. Who's actions, in turn, are dictated by the audience – else how could the puppeteer survive, without a livelihood? Similarly, it was the will of the crowd that was beginning to control Orwell's actions – a puppet. This image is then furthered by Orwell drawing parallels to a â€Å"Hollow, posing dummy†, holding many of the same connotations, posed into the positions that its owner or dresser dictate. No choice, subjugated to the will of others completely. This position which Orwell find himself in is summed up in his chilling conclusion; â€Å"I perceived at this moment that when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom he destroys†. Seemingly paradoxical, for a â€Å"tyrant†, by definition, sacrifices others freedom for personal gain – so why should they lose freedom as a result? Yet in the context of Orwell, and Britain's situation at this time, the concept begins to make sense. Once people expect a given set of actions or set behaviour, the ‘peer pressure' can compress those it is aimed at into the mould; so British citizens in the colonies, including Orwell, ended up losing their freedom as individuals, in order to conform to stereotypes they otherwise might not have followed. In Orwell's case, having sent for the rifle, the Burmese expect him to use it, else seem weak and indecisive – and â€Å"my whole life, every white man's life in the East, was one long struggle not to be laughed at†. The ultimate sign of derision – laughter. The only other option for Orwell was to walk up to within 25-odd yards of the elephant, and see if it charged him; if not, then he had proved the attack of ‘must' had passed, and would be justified in the eyes of the Burmese in not shooting the creature. However, if still in ‘must' then the elephant would charge Orwell – and at that distance, he would only get one chance to shoot before being trampled into the earth in the same painful death the Coringhee Indian had experience. Yet it is not the pain that Orwell was so anxious to avoid, but the fact that such a death would be incredibly humiliating – and â€Å"if that happened it was quite probable that some of them would laugh. Tha t would never do.† It is this that led Orwell to conclude â€Å"There was only one alternative. I shoved the cartridges into the magazine and lay down on the road to get a better aim.† This paragraph is clearly another pivotal section; previously Orwell had thought he was the one in control of the situation, and could therefore follow a logical train of reasoning to decide not to shoot the elephant; yet is here that he realises he does not control his own actions. All Orwell cares about at this point is saving face in front of the ‘natives' – realises this obsession, and doesn't care, so deeply is he concerned with the idea of being laughed at. This leads to the true climax of the narrative – the shooting of the elephant. By this point the author skilfully manipulates the word choice and language to convey how, when the bullet hits, a â€Å"mysterious, terrible change came over the elephant.† Previously the creature had been tall and strong, full of life and power; now he seemed â€Å"stricken, shrunken, immensely old†¦paralysed† – the impression of life seeping away with such speed that the elephant was left reeling in shock at the alteration, not ‘merely' the pain of the bullets. The sheer force of language shows the intense pain of the elephant's drawn out death; from the â€Å"frightful impact of the bullet†¦ agony†¦ jolt his whole body† until the creature finally â€Å"collapsed†, to lie with â€Å"tortured breathing†¦gasps†. The implications behind â€Å"tortured† are clear, yet there is also the angle of the guilt Orwell felt coming through here; â€Å"tortured† implies a deliberate act inflicted on the undeserving, as Orwell had inflicted his fears on the elephant. Yet despite – or perhaps because of – this guilt, Orwell still seems to convey a strange sort of dignity to the elephant's death; as it lay there, â€Å"Powerless to move and yet powerless to die†. He was dying, yes, an excruciatingly drawn out death, yet he seemed to be â€Å"in some world remote from here† – there is a surreal quality to Orwell's description of the death and dignity of the beast, removed in some way from this world. The elephant is in direct and superior contrast to Orwell's frantic efforts to kill it and end its suffering, and the Burmese as they swarmed around the body, stripping the flesh and hide even before it was dead, while it lay there, passively accepting the pain and death. Orwell also highlights his reaction to this change, first of his frantic activity, then, in the face of his inability to help the creature he had fatally wounded, his intense guilt. He writes of how â€Å"In the end I could not stand it any longer and went away†; the overwhelming guilt at having caused such pain merely to avoid being laughed at, and then his underlying guilt at ‘running away'. Looking back on the events of this incident, which occurred ten years previous to Orwell writing the passage, it is clear that Orwell's own opinion of his actions is not a positive one. This feeling of self-discrimination and regret is brought out in his extended description of the elephant's death, portraying it as possessing a quiet dignity; while portraying his younger self as ‘unworthy' and weak, uncertain in himself as to who he really is, or what he believes in. It is this disgust that Orwell tries to instil in his readers, towards his actions. After the death of the elephant, he writes how â€Å"I was very glad that the Coolie had been killed; it put me legally in the right and gave me a sufficient pretext for shooting the elephant.† Seemingly uncaring as to the death of the ‘Coolie' – through this shock tactic, attempting to persuade others to condemn him as Orwell condemns himself. Orwell even goes so far as to make several racist comments – even though the author of 1936 was not racist, and his younger self only conforming to the accepted mould of his times, in order to survive – to prompt the reader to judge him harshly. With his extended, detailed description of the elephant's death, Orwell condemns his own actions, in a tone of bitterly ironic self-derision. Orwell might seem to be being racist in the last paragraph, but in fact, this racism is dramatised to show just how integral to the colonial system it was. Orwell is not excusing, or even denying the fact that he was racist while in Burma. The point is that, in his descriptions of his younger self as â€Å"young and ill-educated† – ironic, as he attended Eton – he was forced to â€Å"think out (his) problems in the utter silence that is imposed upon every Englishman in the East†. Expensive education had failed to prepare him for real life, so Orwell resorted to the customs and conventions of his peer grouping, or risk complete isolation from society. In the final paragraph, Orwell puts forward two arguments concerning his reasons for shooting the elephant. When he talks about being â€Å"legally in the right† in shooting a creature that could be mad and a danger, it seems as if Orwell is going to use a deontological reasoning. He was following the law, and his actions were required by virtue of his position, so he morally did the ‘right' thing. The other approach to an argument for a set of actions, rather than the backwards looking deontological reasoning, is the forward looking consequentialist approach, of the ends justifying the means. However, it is in the last sentence that Orwell shatters all charade of having been following a deontological reasoning; â€Å"I often wondered whether any of the others grasped that I had done it solely to avoid looking a fool†. When Orwell states that he was â€Å"very glad† that the man had been killed by the elephant, in that through it he could ‘justify' his preservation of ‘dignity', it might seem callous to some. Yet this desperation, this willingness to sacrifice anything also elicits a sort of sympathy in the reader, at how pathetic the situation has become – perhaps reflective of the mixed feelings of contempt and pity that the Orwell of 1936 seems to feel towards his younger self. There are several possible themes to this essay; the condemnation of the colonial system – perhaps seemingly without significance in today's post-colonial world. Yet there are possible parallels to modern day ‘superpowers' and dictatorships, conforming to stereotypes, unwilling to back down from, say, war, for fear of changing perceptions. People still discriminate, still conform to other's standards against their will. There is also the idea that if you hate an enemy viciously enough, you demean yourself to the same level as them. Even if originally ‘justifiably angry', following reasonable logic, in hatred, you degenerate into conforming to the same behavioural patterns as your enemies; hatred contaminates. Orwell himself is an example of this; he seemed reasonably level headed, yet as his hatred for the Burmese grew, he gradually degenerated to similar levels of cruelty. Perhaps because he was formed by their perceptions, and the Burmese seemed to have had a cru el streak in them – which coloured their expectations? Either way, it is clear that while world situations have changed radically, there are still many relevant issues that are demonstrated in Orwell's â€Å"Shooting an Elephant†. Perhaps it would be fair to say that it is not so much Orwell's views on Colonialism that are shown in this essay, but his uncannily accurate observations of human nature.

The Role of Information Technology in Education Essay

The Role of Information Technology in Education explores the potential for technology to redefine the terms of teaching and learning. Can the tools of technology break through the barriers to educational progress? What inhibits the effective use of technology? What are the perceived and the real limits of these tools? Thirteen grantees are helping to answer these questions. In 1998, we noticed that computers in classrooms, frequently donated by well-intentioned companies, too often sat idle, or if used, amounted to little more than enhanced typewriters. Making computers available in schools was not sufficient to realizing technology’s potential. The Role of Information Technology in Education initiative explores factors necessary to help technology reach its potential for learning. From the public school to the university setting, from local communities to nonprofit organizations, these grantees each offer a unique perspective on the role of technology in education. To learn h ow technology is one of the many tools that can educate and train employees, visit: Pioneer Employers. Early Assumptions The Hitachi Foundation issued the Tech Ed Letter based on these ideas: 1. A vast majority of schools have the equipment. Schools, districts, and states seem to have found money for hardware, but have invested only meagerly, if at all, in training teachers to use the technology. 2. The education sector has no systemic approach to upgrading the skills of its professionals in both pre-collegiate and higher education. If done at all, in-service technology training for teachers has been limited in number served and scope, traditional in its delivery (typically one-time sessions), or left primarily to individual teacher initiative. Training typically has not helped teachers understand how to integrate technology into the curriculum. 3. There are pockets of innovation. Individual teachers, students, and communities are delivering specific advances at every educational level. Advances can be grouped into 5 categories: pedagogy: enhanced capacity for tailoring instruction for individual students and monitoring student performance to assess instruction efficacy. constructing local content: through collaboration made possible by technology, students or professors in  several locations, drawing on local content can transform classroom practices. professional development: information technology makes possible high-quality professional development at times convenient for the teacher. Technology can overcome school scheduling problems by delivering training during off-hours or as the teacher works with students and colleagues in the classroom. collaboration: teachers and students can collaborate outside the classroom in synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous (delayed response) fora, which brings far more resources, perspectives, and analysis to classroom assignments. economic efficiency: schools and universities are finding ways to use technology creatively to save money or expand productivity. 4. Technology is a tool — a means rather than an end. 5. Using technology effectively in the classroom means transforming the classroom, teaching, and learning. Productive use of technology does not mean using it solely to help slow students catch up, to occupy quick achievers, to reward good behavior, or to baby-sit. Where technology is yielding results, the classrooms are student-centered, with teachers as coaches and guides. Outside resources come to class and students go outside the classroom. Technology allows engagement, review, and especially assessment in broader, deeper ways. Portfolio Goals In addition to each project’s individual goals, we had these broad goals for the portfolio: Illustrate how technology is being used to make possible new methods, outcomes, and advancements in teaching and learning. Illustrate specifically how information technologies can improve or advance teaching or learning, and for whom. Identify unused or unexplored opportunities to strengthen teaching and learning through the use of information technology. Advance the practice of collaboration. Document and disseminate program models. Grantees California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA This project is creating interactive Web Site teaching applications for K-12 teachers in the Banning/Carson Cluster (Los Angeles Unified School District). Teachers will be able to tailor self-paced and class-wide  instruction, develop and revise the applications, monitor and evaluate their approaches and student performance on specific subjects and problems, provide students with individual problem sets, and collaborate with other teachers. Catholic University of America, Washington, DC International Virtual Department for Historical Studies of Mathematics The Catholic University of America, in partnership with the Mathematical Association of America and numerous scholars at universities worldwide (including Oxford, Russian Academy of Sciences, Princeton, and Kyoto), is implementing, evaluating, and disseminating an International Virtual Department for Historical Studies of Mathematics. The Children’s Museum, Boston, MA – Teacher-to-Teacher On-Line @ The Children’s Museum The Children’s Museum’s Teacher Center is creating Teacher-to-Teacher On-Line @ The Children’s Museum, a training and discussion forum for elementary teachers to exchange activities, ideas, and curriculum as the state institutes new curriculum frameworks. Delaware Education Research and Development Center, University of Delaware, Newark, DE First-State Instructional Resource System for Teachers (FIRST) This project is establishing, testing, and refining the First-State Instructional Resource System for Teachers. FIRST is an Internet-based professional development system linked to Delaware’s state education reform movement. The site will include professional development units that illustrate effective teaching of curriculum concepts, curriculum units linked to state standards, teacher discussion and collaboration forums, teacher comments on curriculum units, related commercial curriculum resources, and assessment techniques. Eagle Rock Junior/Senior High School, Los Angeles, CA The Eagle Rock Junior/Senior High School started The Talons 2000 Academy – a four-year, college preparatory program with a focus on business and technology. The Academy, within the walls of ERJ/SHS, is developing a student-led business to build, refurbish, and support computers throughout ERJ/SHS, the LA Unified School District, and the community. Information and Referral/Volunteer Connection, Coeur d’Alene, ID Community Science Online uses information technology to teach science by integrating scientific content with local and regional history and discussions of contemporary events in an interactive Multi-Object-Oriented environment. Leadership,  Education, and Athletics in Partnership, New Haven, CT – LEAP Computer Learning Centers Leadership, Education, and Athletics in Partnership, in conjunction with the Hartford and New Haven Housing Authorities, Yale University, and Connecticut College is creating parent and student outreach programs in LEAP Computer Lea rning Centers in three CT cities. LEAP is evaluating the impact of the centers’ programs on child development and technology skill building and increasing the breadth of technology training for LEAP parents and schools. New York Institute of Technology, Central Islip, NY – Educational Enterprise Zone The New York Institute of Technology, in partnership with the Nassau and Dutchess County Board of Cooperative Educational Services and seven museums is creating an Educational Enterprise Zone. Linked by low bandwidth videoconferencing and a host of other technological tools, museums, libraries, teacher centers, and others will beam their knowledge into schools. Northwest Arctic Borough School District, Kotzebue, AK – The Virtual Village Northwest Arctic Borough is creating The Virtual Village project to train student technology leaders to be mentors to teachers, students, and staff in order to help teachers incorporate modern technology so students can preserve and spread traditional cultural knowledge. The project addresses challenges and opportunities that include a transient teaching pool, isolated villages accessible only by air, and curriculum material that is not linked to village re alities or traditional knowledge and ways. Scott Lane Elementary School, Santa Clara, CA – 1000 Days to Success in Reading Scott Lane Elementary School is adding technology as it starts the second year of its 1000 Days to Success in Reading project – a warranty program that guarantees all children who entered kindergarten in September 1997 will be reading at or above grade level by the end of second grade. The project is training teachers to use technology and integrate it into the curriculum, establish a cyber-space library, allow broader interactions among teachers to expand their resources and support services, and engage parents, community volunteers, and the larger school population in the educational process. Tucson Unified School District, Tucson, AZ – Community Learning Project The Tucson Unified School District, in collaboration with The University of Arizona, is implementing the Community Learning Project at two elementary schools. The project will coordinate three existing pilot programs to  provide a comprehensive, experiential, interdisciplinary education experience for children and their university mentors. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA – Facilitating the Community as a Learning Community The Facilitating the Community as a Learning Community project expands and improves the Blacksburg Electronic Village community netw ork and its links to K-12 education and community interaction with a new Web-based multi-user domain. The project will develop, implement, and investigate educational activities that involve real-time collaboration with community members and activities that engage citizens on matters of community interest. World Game Institute, Philadelphia, PA – NetWorld Game Learning Project The World Game Institute (WGI) and four collaborating museums are supporting the NetWorld Game Learning Project -a comprehensive Internet-based education program for high school teachers and students. The NetWorld Game Learning Project creates an Internet-based simulation of real world situations that complements high school curricula in four U.S. cities. University of Oklahoma Colleges of Engineering and Education, in partnership with the State Department of Education, Norman, OK The Colleges of Engineering and Education, in partnership with the Oklahoma State Department of Education, is creating an Internet-based training program to instruct teachers how to incorporate electronic media into their classrooms. Teachers learn how to develop and use graphics, animation, simulation, distance learning, network-based collaboration, online courseware, and streaming video to both amplify their teaching style and immerse students into the constantly changing world of technology.

The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 14. DECLARATION

â€Å"YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS,† I SAID WEDNESDAY AFTERnoon. â€Å"You've completely lost your mind!† â€Å"Say whatever you like about me,† Alice answered. â€Å"The party is still on.† I stared at her, my eyes so wide with disbelief it felt like they might fall out and land on my lunch tray. â€Å"Oh, calm down, Bella! There's no reason not to go through with it. Besides, the invitations are already sent.† â€Å"But . . . the . . . you . . . I . . . insane!† I spluttered. â€Å"You've already bought my present,† she reminded me. â€Å"You don't have to do anything but show up.† I made an effort to calm myself. â€Å"With everything that is going on right now, a party is hardly appropriate.† â€Å"Graduation is what's going on right now, and a party is so appropriate it's almost pass.† â€Å"Alice!† She sighed, and tried to be serious. â€Å"There are a few things we need to get in order now, and that's going to take a little time. As long as we're sitting here waiting, we might as well commemorate the good stuff. You're only going to graduate from high school – for the first time – once. You don't get to be human again, Bella. This is a once-in-a-lifetime shot.† Edward, silent through our little argument, flashed her a warning look. She stuck out her tongue at him. She was right – her soft voice would never carry over the babble of the cafeteria. And no one would understand the meaning behind her words in any case. â€Å"What few things do we need to get in order?† I asked, refusing to be sidetracked. Edward answered in a low voice. â€Å"Jasper thinks we could use some help. Tanya's family isn't the only choice we have. Carlisle's trying to track down a few old friends, and Jasper is looking up Peter and Charlotte. He's considering talking to Maria . . . but no one really wants to involve the southerners.† Alice shuddered delicately. â€Å"It shouldn't be too hard to convince them to help,† he continued. â€Å"Nobody wants a visit from Italy.† â€Å"But these friends – they're not going to be . . . vegetarians, right?† I protested, using the Cullens' tongue-in-cheek nickname for themselves. â€Å"No,† Edward answered, suddenly expressionless. â€Å"Here? In Forks?† â€Å"They're friends,† Alice reassured me. â€Å"Everything's going to be fine. Don't worry. And then, Jasper has to teach us a few courses on newborn elimination. . . .† Edward's eyes brightened at that, and a brief smile flashed across his face. My stomach suddenly felt like it was full of sharp little splinters of ice. â€Å"When are you going?† I asked in a hollow voice. I couldn't stand this – the idea that someone might not come back. What if it was Emmett, so brave and thoughtless that he was never the least bit cautious? Or Esme, so sweet and motherly that I couldn't even imagine her in a fight? Or Alice, so tiny, so fragile-looking? Or . . . but I couldn't even think the name, consider the possibility. â€Å"A week,† Edward said casually. â€Å"That ought to give us enough time.† The icy splinters twisted uncomfortably in my stomach. I was suddenly nauseated. â€Å"You look kind of green, Bella,† Alice commented. Edward put his arm around me and pulled me tightly against his side. â€Å"It's going to be fine, Bella. Trust me.† Sure, I thought to myself. Trust him. He wasn't the one who was going to have to sit behind and wonder whether or not the core of his existence was going to come home. And then it occurred to me. Maybe I didn't need to sit behind. A week was more than enough time. â€Å"You're looking for help,† I said slowly. â€Å"Yes.† Alice's head cocked to the side as she processed the change in my tone. I looked only at her as I answered. My voice was just slightly louder than a whisper. â€Å"I could help.† Edward's body was suddenly rigid, his arm too tight around me. He exhaled, and the sound was a hiss. But it was Alice, still calm, who answered. â€Å"That really wouldn't be helpful.† â€Å"Why not?† I argued; I could hear the desperation in my voice. â€Å"Eight is better than seven. There's more than enough time.† â€Å"There's not enough time to make you helpful, Bella,† she disagreed coolly. â€Å"Do you remember how Jasper described the young ones? You'd be no good in a fight. You wouldn't be able to control your instincts, and that would make you an easy target. And then Edward would get hurt trying to protect you.† She folded her arms across her chest, pleased with her unassailable logic. And I knew she was right, when she put it like that. I slumped in my seat, my sudden hope defeated. Beside me, Edward relaxed. He whispered the reminder in my ear. â€Å"Not because you're afraid.† â€Å"Oh,† Alice said, and a blank look crossed her face. Then her expression became surly. â€Å"I hate last- minute cancellations. So that puts the party attendance list down to sixty-five. . . .† â€Å"Sixty-five!† My eyes bulged again. I didn't have that many friends. Did I even know that many people? â€Å"Who canceled?† Edward wondered, ignoring me. â€Å"Rene.† â€Å"What?† I gasped. â€Å"She was going to surprise you for your graduation, but something went wrong. You'll have a message when you get home.† For a moment, I just let myself enjoy the relief. Whatever it was that went wrong for my mother, I was eternally grateful to it. If she had come to Forks now . . . I didn't want to think about it. My head would explode. The message light was flashing when I got home. My feeling of relief flared again as I listened to my mother describe Phil's accident on the ball field – while demonstrating a slide, he'd tangled up with the catcher and broken his thigh bone; he was entirely dependent on her, and there was no way she could leave him. My mom was still apologizing when the message cut off. â€Å"Well, that's one,† I sighed. â€Å"One what?† Edward asked. â€Å"One person I don't have to worry about getting killed this week.† He rolled his eyes. â€Å"Why won't you and Alice take this seriously?† I demanded. â€Å"This is serious.† He smiled. â€Å"Confidence.† â€Å"Wonderful,† I grumbled. I picked up the phone and dialed Rene's number. I knew it would be a long conversation, but I also knew that I wouldn't have to contribute much. I just listened, and reassured her every time I could get a word in: I wasn't disappointed, I wasn't mad, I wasn't hurt. She should concentrate on helping Phil get better. I passed on my â€Å"get well soon† to Phil, and promised to call her with every single detail from Forks High's generic graduation. Finally, I had to use my desperate need to study for finals to get off the phone. Edward's patience was endless. He waited politely through the whole conversation, just playing with my hair and smiling whenever I looked up. It was probably superficial to notice such things while I had so many more important things to think about, but his smile still knocked the breath out of me. He was so beautiful that it made it hard sometimes to think about anything else, hard to concentrate on Phil's troubles or Rene's apologies or hostile vampire armies. I was only human. As soon as I hung up, I stretched onto my tiptoes to kiss him. He put his hands around my waist and lifted me onto the kitchen counter, so I wouldn't have to reach as far. That worked for me. I locked my arms around his neck and melted against his cold chest. Too soon, as usual, he pulled away. I felt my face slip into a pout. He laughed at my expression as he extricated himself from my arms and legs. He leaned against the counter next to me and put one arm lightly around my shoulders. â€Å"I know you think that I have some kind of perfect, unyielding self-control, but that's not actually the case.† â€Å"I wish,† I sighed. And he sighed, too. â€Å"After school tomorrow,† he said, changing the subject, â€Å"I'm going hunting with Carlisle, Esme, and Rosalie. Just for a few hours – we'll stay close. Alice, Jasper, and Emmett should be able to keep you safe.† â€Å"Ugh,† I grumbled. Tomorrow was the first day of finals, and it was only a half-day. I had Calculus and History – the only two challenges in my line-up – so I'd have almost the whole day without him, and nothing to do but worry. â€Å"I hate being babysat.† â€Å"It's temporary,† he promised. â€Å"Jasper will be bored. Emmett will make fun of me.† â€Å"They'll be on their best behavior.† â€Å"Right,† I grumbled. And then it occurred to me that I did have one option besides babysitters. â€Å"You know . . . I haven't been to La Push since the bonfire.† I watched his face carefully for any change in expression. His eyes tightened the tiniest bit. â€Å"I'd be safe enough there,† I reminded him. He thought about it for a few seconds. â€Å"You're probably right.† His face was calm, but just a little too smooth. I almost asked if he'd rather I stayed here, but then I thought of the ribbing Emmett would no doubt dish out, and I changed the subject. â€Å"Are you thirsty already?† I asked, reaching up to stroke the light shadow beneath his eye. His irises were still a deep gold. â€Å"Not really.† He seemed reluctant to answer, and that surprised me. I waited for an explanation. â€Å"We want to be as strong as possible,† he explained, still reluctant. â€Å"We'll probably hunt again on the way, looking for big game.† â€Å"That makes you stronger?† He searched my face for something, but there was nothing to find but curiosity. â€Å"Yes,† he finally said. â€Å"Human blood makes us the strongest, though only fractionally. Jasper's been thinking about cheating – adverse as he is to the idea, he's nothing if not practical – but he won't suggest it. He knows what Carlisle will say.† â€Å"Would that help?† I asked quietly. â€Å"It doesn't matter. We aren't going to change who we are.† I frowned. If something helped even the odds . . . and then I shuddered, realizing I was willing to have a stranger die to protect him. I was horrified at myself, but not entirely able to deny it, either. He changed the subject again. â€Å"That's why they're so strong, of course. The newborns are full of human blood – their own blood, reacting to the change. It lingers in the tissues and strengthens them. Their bodies use it up slowly, like Jasper said, the strength starting to wane after about a year.† â€Å"How strong will I be?† He grinned. â€Å"Stronger than I am.† â€Å"Stronger than Emmett?† The grin got bigger. â€Å"Yes. Do me a favor and challenge him to an arm-wrestling match. It would be a good experience for him.† I laughed. It sounded so ridiculous. Then I sighed and hopped down from the counter, because I really couldn't put it off any longer. I had to cram, and cram hard. Luckily I had Edward's help, and Edward was an excellent tutor – since he knew absolutely everything. I figured my biggest problem would be just focusing on the tests. If I didn't watch myself, I might end up writing my History essay on the vampire wars of the South. I took a break to call Jacob, and Edward seemed just as comfortable as he had when I was on the phone with Rene. He played with my hair again. Though it was the middle of the afternoon, my call woke Jacob up, and he was grouchy at first. He cheered right up when I asked if I could visit the next day. The Quileute school was already out for the summer, so he told me to come over as early as I could. I was pleased to have an option besides being babysat. There was a tiny bit more dignity in spending the day with Jacob. Some of that dignity was lost when Edward insisted again on delivering me to the border line like a child being exchanged by custodial guardians. â€Å"So how do you feel you did on your exams?† Edward asked on the way, making small talk. â€Å"History was easy, but I don't know about the Calculus. It seemed like it was making sense, so that probably means I failed.† He laughed. â€Å"I'm sure you did fine. Or, if you're really worried, I could bribe Mr. Varner to give you an A.† â€Å"Er, thanks, but no thanks.† He laughed again, but suddenly stopped when we turned the last bend and saw the red car waiting. He frowned in concentration, and then, as he parked the car, he sighed. â€Å"What's wrong?† I asked, my hand on the door. He shook his head. â€Å"Nothing.† His eyes were narrowed as he stared through the windshield toward the other car. I'd seen that look before. â€Å"You're not listening to Jacob, are you?† I accused. â€Å"It's not easy to ignore someone when he's shouting.† â€Å"Oh.† I thought about that for a second. â€Å"What's he shouting?† I whispered. â€Å"I'm absolutely certain he'll mention it himself,† Edward said in a wry tone. I would have pressed the issue, but then Jacob honked his horn – two quick impatient honks. â€Å"That's impolite,† Edward growled. â€Å"That's Jacob,† I sighed, and I hurried out before Jacob did something to really set Edward's teeth on edge. I waved to Edward before I got into the Rabbit and, from that distance, it looked like he was truly upset about the honking thing . . . or whatever Jacob was thinking about. But my eyes were weak and made mistakes all the time. I wanted Edward to come to me. I wanted to make both of them get out of their cars and shake hands and be friends – be Edward and Jacob rather than vampire and werewolf. It was as if I had those two stubborn magnets in my hands again, and I was holding them together, trying to force nature to reverse herself. . . . I sighed, and climbed in Jacob's car. â€Å"Hey, Bells.† Jake's tone was cheerful, but his voice dragged. I examined his face as he started down the road, driving a little faster than I did, but slower than Edward, on his way back to La Push. Jacob looked different, maybe even sick. His eyelids drooped and his face was drawn. His shaggy hair stuck out in random directions; it was almost to his chin in some places. â€Å"Are you all right, Jake?† â€Å"Just tired,† he managed to get out before he was overcome by a massive yawn. When he finished, he asked, â€Å"What do you want to do today?† I eyed him for a moment. â€Å"Let's just hang out at your place for now,† I suggested. He didn't look like he was up for much more than that. â€Å"We can ride our bikes later.† â€Å"Sure, sure,† he said, yawning again. Jacob's house was vacant, and that felt strange. I realized I thought of Billy as a nearly permanent fixture there. â€Å"Where's your dad?† â€Å"Over at the Clearwaters'. He's been hanging out there a lot since Harry died. Sue gets lonely.† Jacob sat down on the old couch that was no bigger than a loveseat and squished himself to the side to make room for me. â€Å"Oh. That's nice. Poor Sue.† â€Å"Yeah . . . she's having some trouble. . . .† He hesitated. â€Å"With her kids.† â€Å"Sure, it's got to be hard on Seth and Leah, losing their dad. . . .† â€Å"Uh-huh,† he agreed, lost in thought. He picked up the remote and flipped on the TV without seeming to think about it. He yawned. â€Å"What's with you, Jake? You're like a zombie.† â€Å"I got about two hours of sleep last night, and four the night before,† he told me. He stretched his long arms slowly, and I could hear the joints crack as he flexed. He settled his left arm along the back of the sofa behind me, and slumped back to rest his head against the wall. â€Å"I'm exhausted.† â€Å"Why aren't you sleeping?† I asked. He made a face. â€Å"Sam's being difficult. He doesn't trust your bloodsuckers. I've been running double shifts for two weeks and nobody's touched me yet, but he still doesn't buy it. So I'm on my own for now.† â€Å"Double shifts? Is this because you're trying to watch out for me? Jake, that's wrong! You need to sleep. I'll be fine.† â€Å"It's no big deal.† His eyes were abruptly more alert. â€Å"Hey, did you ever find out who was in your room? Is there anything new?† I ignored the second question. â€Å"No, we didn't find anything out about my, um, visitor.† â€Å"Then I'll be around,† he said as his eyes slid closed. â€Å"Jake . . . ,† I started to whine. â€Å"Hey, it's the least I can do – I offered eternal servitude, remember. I'm your slave for life.† â€Å"I don't want a slave!† His eyes didn't open. â€Å"What do you want, Bella?† â€Å"I want my friend Jacob – and I don't want him half-dead, hurting himself in some misguided attempt -â€Å" He cut me off. â€Å"Look at it this way – I'm hoping I can track down a vampire I'm allowed to kill, okay?† I didn't answer. He looked at me then, peeking at my reaction. â€Å"Kidding, Bella.† I stared at the TV. â€Å"So, any special plans next week? You're graduating. Wow. That's big.† His voice turned flat, and his face, already drawn, looked downright haggard as his eyes closed again – not in exhaustion this time, but in denial. I realized that graduation still had a horrible significance for him, though my intentions were now disrupted. â€Å"No special plans,† I said carefully, hoping he would hear the reassurance in my words without a more detailed explanation. I didn't want to get into it now. For one thing, he didn't look up for any difficult conversations. For another, I knew he would read too much into my qualms. â€Å"Well, I do have to go to a graduation party. Mine.† I made a disgusted sound. â€Å"Alice loves parties, and she's invited the whole town to her place the night of. It's going to be horrible.† His eyes opened as I spoke, and a relieved smile made his face look less worn. â€Å"I didn't get an invitation. I'm hurt,† he teased. â€Å"Consider yourself invited. It's supposedly my party, so I should be able to ask who I want.† â€Å"Thanks,† he said sarcastically, his eyes slipping closed once more. â€Å"I wish you would come,† I said without any hope. â€Å"It would be more fun. For me, I mean.† â€Å"Sure, sure,† he mumbled. â€Å"That would be very . . . wise . . .† His voice trailed off. A few seconds later, he was snoring. Poor Jacob. I studied his dreaming face, and liked what I saw. While he slept, every trace of defensiveness and bitterness disappeared and suddenly he was the boy who had been my very best friend before all the werewolf nonsense had gotten in the way. He looked so much younger. He looked like my Jacob. I nestled into the couch to wait out his nap, hoping he would sleep for a while and make up some of what he'd lost. I flipped through channels, but there wasn't much on. I settled for a cooking show, knowing, as I watched, that I'd never put that much effort into Charlie's dinner. Jacob continued to snore, getting louder. I turned up the TV. I was strangely relaxed, almost sleepy, too. This house felt safer than my own, probably because no one had ever come looking for me here. I curled up on the sofa and thought about taking a nap myself. Maybe I would have, but Jacob's snoring was impossible to tune out. So, instead of sleeping, I let my mind wander. Finals were done, and most of them had been a cakewalk. Calculus, the one exception, was behind me, pass or fail. My high school education was over. And I didn't really know how I felt about that. I couldn't look at it objectively, tied up as it was with my human life being over. I wondered how long Edward planned to use this â€Å"not because you're scared† excuse. I was going to have to put my foot down sometime. If I were thinking practically, I knew it made more sense to ask Carlisle to change me the second I made it through the graduation line. Forks was becoming nearly as dangerous as a war zone. No, Forks was a war zone. Not to mention . . . it would be a good excuse to miss the graduation party. I smiled to myself as I thought of that most trivial of reasons for changing. Silly . . . yet still compelling. But Edward was right – I wasn't quite ready yet. And I didn't want to be practical. I wanted Edward to be the one. It wasn't a rational desire. I was sure that – about two seconds after someone actually bit me and the venom started burning through my veins – I really wouldn't care anymore who had done it. So it shouldn't make a difference. It was hard to define, even to myself, why it mattered. There was just something about him being the one to make the choice – to want to keep me enough that he wouldn't just allow me to be changed, he would act to keep me. It was childish, but I liked the idea that his lips would be the last good thing I would feel. Even more embarrassingly, something I would never say aloud, I wanted his venom to poison my system. It would make me belong to him in a tangible, quantifiable way. But I knew he was going to stick to his marriage scheme like glue – because a delay was what he was clearly after and it was working so far. I tried to imagine telling my parents that I was getting married this summer. Telling Angela and Ben and Mike. I couldn't. I couldn't think of the words to say. It would be easier to tell them I was becoming a vampire. And I was sure that at least my mother – were I to tell her every detail of the truth – would be more strenuously opposed to me getting married than to me a becoming vampire. I grimaced to myself as I imagined her horrified expression. Then, for just a second, I saw that same odd vision of Edward and me on a porch swing, wearing clothes from another kind of world. A world where it would surprise no one if I wore his ring on my finger. A simpler place, where love was defined in simpler ways. One plus one equals two. . . . Jacob snorted and rolled to his side. His arm swung off the back of the couch and pinned me against his body. Holy crow, but he was heavy! And hot. It was sweltering after just a few seconds. I tried to slide out from under his arm without waking him, but I had to shove a little bit, and when his arm fell off me, his eyes snapped open. He jumped to his feet, looking around anxiously. â€Å"What? What?† he asked, disoriented. â€Å"It's just me, Jake. Sorry I woke you.† He turned to look at me, blinking and confused. â€Å"Bella?† â€Å"Hey, sleepy.† â€Å"Oh, man! Did I fall asleep? I'm sorry! How long was I out?† â€Å"A few Emerils. I lost count.† He flopped back on the couch next to me. â€Å"Wow. Sorry about that, really.† I patted his hair, trying to smooth the wild disarray. â€Å"Don't feel bad. I'm glad you got some sleep.† He yawned and stretched. â€Å"I'm useless these days. No wonder Billy's always gone. I'm so boring.† â€Å"You're fine,† I assured him. â€Å"Ugh, let's go outside. I need to walk around or I'll pass out again.† â€Å"Jake, go back to sleep. I'm good. I'll call Edward to come pick me up.† I patted my pockets as I spoke, and realized they were empty. â€Å"Shoot, I'll have to borrow your phone. I think I must have left his in the car.† I started to unfold myself. â€Å"No!† Jacob insisted, grabbing my hand. â€Å"No, stay. You hardly ever make it down. I can't believe I wasted all this time.† He pulled me off the couch as he spoke, and then led the way outside, ducking his head as he passed under the doorframe. It had gotten much cooler while Jacob slept; the air was unseasonably cold – there must be a storm on the way. It felt like February, not May. The wintry air seemed to make Jacob more alert. He paced back and forth in front of the house for a minute, dragging me along with him. â€Å"I'm an idiot,† he muttered to himself. â€Å"What's the matter, Jake? So you fell asleep.† I shrugged. â€Å"I wanted to talk to you. I can't believe this.† â€Å"Talk to me now,† I said. Jacob met my eyes for a second, and then looked away quickly toward the trees. It almost looked like he was blushing, but it was hard to tell with his dark skin. I suddenly remembered what Edward had said when he dropped me off – that Jacob would tell me whatever he was shouting in his head. I started gnawing on my lip. â€Å"Look,† Jacob said. â€Å"I was planning to do this a little bit differently.† He laughed, and it sounded like he was laughing at himself. â€Å"Smoother,† he added. â€Å"I was going to work up to it, but† – and he looked at the clouds, dimmer as the afternoon progressed – â€Å"I'm out of time to work.† He laughed again, nervous. We were still pacing slowly. â€Å"What are you talking about?† I demanded. He took a deep breath. â€Å"I want to tell you something. And you already know it . . . but I think I should say it out loud anyway. Just so there's never any confusion on the subject.† I planted my feet, and he came to a stop. I took my hand away and folded my arms across my chest. I was suddenly sure that I didn't want to know what he was building up to. Jacob's eyebrows pulled down, throwing his deep-set eyes into shadow. They were pitch black as they bored into mine. â€Å"I'm in love with you, Bella,† Jacob said in a strong, sure voice. â€Å"Bella, I love you. And I want you to pick me instead of him. I know you don't feel that way, but I need the truth out there so that you know your options. I wouldn't want a miscommunication to stand in our way.†

DreamWorks Animation SKG and Business Structure Assignment - 1

DreamWorks Animation SKG and Business Structure - Assignment Example The decision of conducting management analysis of this specific incorporation was undertaken after reviewing its market performance during the past few years (generated revenue of $650 million in 2008). The objective of this paper is to evaluate the managerial decision-making traits of the company and find the loopholes if any so that recommendations can be provided for the betterment of its performance (Shreshtha, 2010). The process of analyzing the management decision process of the company will be inclusive of clear and concise evaluation of the structure of the company which will be evaluated with the help of certain relevant theoretical models such as Mintzberg’s model of the internal system and Porter’s generic model. The business structure of the company is widespread and concrete operable in two dimensions namely films and non-feature films business. The company produces and develops featured films all over the world market with a huge prospect of growth both in the short term as well as long-term. The company follows well managed and structured business prospect for the future in this segment and expects to remain popular in the future too as it is now. The structure of its business is also organized in the segment of non-feature films as well. This segment is specialized in producing objects for family entertainment and is inclusive of series of television (generally half an hour), live performances and online virtual segment. Apart from the widespread business scope of the company, it also concentrates heavily upon the process of producing top quality films and distributing the productions. The following structure depicts the entire process stages of the company for producing a comprehensive featured film which is the essential trait of its decision making. This is because, on the basis of evaluation results of each of the following stages, management decisions are undertaken.  The stages are composed of four basic elements: development, pre-production, production and post-production.  

Art Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Art Questions - Assignment Example She further says that her method of translation is mainly that of weaving, particularly basket weaving. This provides a simple but highly effective grid, which she uses to interpret information in a three-dimensional space. When asked about how she weaves numbers into sculpture, she says that by staying true to the figures, the woven pieces stride an edgy split, performing both as sculptures in space and instruments used in the real environment from which she obtains the data. Most of what Miebach does to perfect her art is extremely interesting. However, the most fascinating fact is when she utilizes vertical and horizontal elements of baskets and carefully constructing three-dimensional frameworks of weather basing on real-life weather patterns. It is also interesting that the natural phenomenon called storms can be transformed into musical compositions and sculptures. From Nathalie’s work, I can define art as an innovation and development of basic principles of nature into gorgeous forms suitable for human use. It resides in the quality of doing, a process that needs creativity and understanding of different `occurrences around

National Security, Energy Resource Scarcity and Climate Change in the Essay - 1

National Security, Energy Resource Scarcity and Climate Change in the upcoming decades - Essay Example Now, when we come to national security and foreign policy we must have an idea as to what it is. By national security we mean the integrity of a state and securing of its boundaries without hindrance from the other states. Foreign policy is the basic guideline upon a country will interact with other states and maintain relationship with them. Various analysts see the changing climatic conditions as possible threat to the future peace of the world. This is because with increased famines and limited food there will be fights within a state as a result the police will come into action. In adverse cases we may even need the army to control the situation which would create a civil war condition. It will basically be a fight for survival and of course as we know might is power the person or the state in general with more power would emerge victor. All of it will definitely spoil the peaceful environment of the planet earth and the countries with greater influence will even try to establish themselves by taking the weaker nations under them and exploiting them. In short, we may say that in the near future keeping view the changing climate and decreasing quantity of fossil fuels a war like situation where the person with force will be the winners and enjoy while the majorities will suffer from the scarcity of almost every basic necessity. The two countries on which we will be focusing on is the US and China. This is because both of them are the current super powers one in the West and other in the East. They are the biggest emitter of the green house gases a major cause for the drastic change in the climate with its devastating impact on earth. All of it which has complicated the national security concerns and the foreign policy for both these super powers. Both of these nations are trying to increase their influence on the African nations and

Contract for difference(CFDs) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 12500 words

Contract for difference(CFDs) - Essay Example Following this the next chapter will deal with the pricing of the CFDs. Also the trading of the CFDs will be discussed in detail within this chapter. This will provide for a better understanding of the working of the CFDs and will also detail the risks that face the investors who invest in the CFDs. The chapter will also provide for details of how the CFDs can be hedged. This chapter will form the body of the research and will discuss the details like the trading methods that can be used for these financial instruments. Also the pros and contras, and sample computation of CFD will be discussed in detail within this research. Also sample pricing will be discussed within the research, which will help provide a better understanding of how the pricing is done in the real time. The last chapter of the literature review will involve a comparison of the contract of differences with futures, options and spread betting. This will help gain an insight of how the contracts for difference are different from the more commonly used derivatives. This will also help understand in brief the futures, options, spread betting and will provide for an understanding of how they work. Since the objectives of this research are very basic and are mainly to understand the global financial instrument – CFD better, hence secondary research will be used in this research. This will involve a through research of the contract for differences. The research will mainly be carried out mainly using books, research papers, etc. This research is very different from the primary method. This is also referred to as the Tertiary research. The research involves using information that has already been presented by other authors, in previous researches. The main sources of the data are from books, journals, newspapers, online sources, etc. In short the secondary research refers to information published by others and which is already available1. It is also data collected by other people

THE LABOR MARKET Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

THE LABOR MARKET - Essay Example No individual firm can influence the wages of labor, and neither can labor unions, whose primary role is to fight for better work conditions and better pay for its members. In the short-run, the curve for labor demand is not flexible and is steep because, in a short time, firms do not get the adequate opportunity to respond to rapid changes in the market (Flinn, 2010). But in the long-run, this curve is flexible and flat since firms can adjust their schedules and processes to meet market changes. In a competitive market, a company will only hire some workers whose marginal benefit in productivity is the same as the marginal cost of labor. The company will only employ the number of employees it will be able to afford at the wage rate set by the market. When a firm uses cheaper substitutes of labor, like machines, the demand for labor will decrease. If these tools are readily available, more efficient than manual labor, and the cost of employing labor substitutes is less than the marginal cost of labor, firms will demand less of labor. Availability of labor alternatives is being enhanced by rapid changes in technology, which produces equipment and machinery that can easily replace human labor. Another factor that would lead to a decrease in the demand for labor is a change in the number of firms in a particular industry. When there are numerous barriers to entry into an industry, the firms there will be few, and demand for labor will not increase when all other factors are held constant. Where there are few or no barriers to entry, an industry becomes very competitive so that firms can easily enter and trade. An increase in firms increases the demand for labor since human capital is needed to run these new companies. If the market price of the product or service a company produces increases, the demand for labor will increase in the short-run and reduce in the long-run. When the prices rise, sales will yield

Article critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Article critique - Essay Example Paragraphs are used to structure the arguments and to give a sequence to each point made. The language is quite concise and simple to understand. Not all important terms have been clearly defined. There is some assumption on the part of the author that the reader of the text is already familiar with the subject of Islamic tradition and culture to some extent. For example, terms such as ‘Sharia law’ and Gallup poll’ are not clearly explained but are used within the text. These terms are quite specific and require elaboration for those unfamiliar with such terminology. There is sufficient evidence for the arguments. Each point is very well backed up by reference to existing laws, literature, examples, quotations and arguments for powerful individuals in the field and supporting evidence of all kinds. Yes the arguments support the main point as they are highly relevant to the subject matter. By arguing and highlighting various differences in Muslim men’s and women’s rights under Islamic law and offering examples, this supports the overall claim that there is an injustice in this area which needs to be addressed. The text is appropriate for the intended audience for the most part. It offers a basic summary of the issue with some background and historical and political context and it is explained in a clear and structured way. However, there is room for improvement in that some terms should be more clearly explained. To an extent, the text helps me to understand the subject. It gives a background and societal context to the argument which is very helpful and it offers case studies and examples to highlight the points. In this way, it is quite simple to comprehend. One particular sentence evoked a strong response from me; â€Å"In the United States, many Muslim girls and women choose to wear hijab†. I found this sentence to be very surprising. The author states this sentence in the first paragraph immediately after

Crime and Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Crime and Theory - Essay Example Policy bureaucrats and advocates have paid a lot of concentration and allocated the most funds to the domestic violence form of couple violence. But there is beginning to be some interest amongst the public bureaucrats and community leaders in sustaining approaches that deal with couple conflict in most of the cases. These include couples and marriage education programs that teach engaged and married couples a way of communication and conflict declaration skills in order to reinforce their relationship, evade unhelpful forms of conflict that may lead to divorce and support less unfriendly co-parenting after divorce. There are various types of domestic violence, few of them are mentioned below. (Richard L. Davis., 1998). Sexual abuse is distinct as the forcing of undesired sexual acts by one person to another. There are different kinds of sexual abuse which involves non-consensual, forced physical sexual deeds such as rape or sexual attack, psychological types of abuse such as oral sexual behavior, the use of a position of trust for sexual reasons and incest, when it is derived by force or emotional treatment; the euphemism is at times used to illustrate such abuse. Psychological Abuse Psychological abuse or emotional abuse is a type of abuse that is characterized by a person subjecting or revealing another to behavior that is psychologically dangerous. Psychological abuse is the obstinate infliction of mental or emotional suffering by threat, shame or other verbal or nonverbal behavior. It is frequently linked with circumstances of power inequity, such maybe as the conditions of abusive relationships and child abuse. However, it can also take place on larger ranges, for example, Group psychological abuse, racial domination and prejudice. A more gentle case might be that of place of work abuse. Workplace abuse is a large cause of workplace interrelated strain, which consecutively is a tough cause of illness, both physical and mental. When a child is emotionally abused, some may not even identify it and make it seem like daily behavior. In fact, it can have severe long term effects on the child at hand. There need not be an activist for psychological abuse to take place; one can experience self-abuse, as in the case of someone who is a depressive, or self-mutilation. In any circumstances in which the frequent and severe impact of a situation influences a person's emotional and rational thinking, in such a way that can adversely affect their lives later on. Stalking Stalking means repeating physical harassment to a person over an extended period. Laws vary between jurisdictions but may include such acts as repeated physical following, unwanted contact, observing a person's actions closely for an extended period of time, make a contact with family members, friends, or associates inappropriately and cyber stalking. Stalking can also consist of seeking and getting hold of the person's personal information in order to contact them, for example, searching for their details on computers, electoral rolls, personal files and other stuff with the person's

Archstone-Smith Trust Risk Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Archstone-Smith Trust Risk Assessment - Essay Example Archstone-Smith Trust. Since 1970, Archstone-Smith has increased market viability, customer base, and stock prices. Market value of the Archstone-Smith Trust in 2002 was around $10 billion dollars and now it's around $19 billion dollars. This report will try to find and analyze its S.W.O.T. (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threat) and provide recommendations the company's future. This includes an analysis of the major competitor, Equity Residential, and a critical review of the base theories and the manner in which Archstone-Smith functions. Archstone-Smith Trust began as a Texas REIT (Real-Estate Investment Trust) named El Paso Real-Estate Investment Trust. In 1960 Congress established REIT, which opened the window of opportunity to the small investors invests in real estate in a manner similar to mutual funds. Investors could take REIT public and be able to trade their share in the same mannerism as corporations traded stocks. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as normal stock exchanges monitored these REIT public trades. In 1970 the company decided to change its name from El Paso Real Estate Trust to Property Trust of America. Property Trust of America started investing in a wide range of real estate with its new name. In 1980 the company's portfolio reached from shopping malls to a Holiday inn in San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf. The evaluation was difficult because REIT's assets were so diversified into various sectors. William D. Sanders, the real estate mogul joined Property Trust America and focused on the apartment market in the Southwest. In 1989, Sizeler Property Investment Inc. decided to take over the Property Trust America, but in the middle of negotiation Sizeler gave up and sold their share to SWRT. SWRT was a company that was specially established by Sanders to buy back the shares from Sizeler Property Investment Inc. Soon after Sanders retired he established a new form of business venture that invests in real estate, investment banking, consulting, and research with help from some institutional investors. The name of the company was Security Capital Group and its first investment was Property Trust America. When REIT hired Southwest Realty Advisors to consult Property Trust America they recommend Property Trust America to focus on Apartments. In 1991, Property Trust America went public to expend fund. Property Trust America focused its business in apartment buildings during the 90's. Brand Creation The brand name Archstone was named by Lippincott &Margulies, one of the best branding firms in the U.S., to create the first national brand in apartments. Illustration 1.0: Archstone-Smith Brand Image In May 2001, Archstone acquired Charles E. Smith Residential Realty Inc. who was in

Linguistic Anthropology Essay Example for Free

Linguistic Anthropology Essay Ever since I was seven years old, I’ve wanted to be a writer; more specifically, a poet. I think for my chosen profession, linguistic anthropology would benefit me better than any other field of anthropology. According to the Department of Anthropology of California State University, â€Å"Linguistic anthropologists are interested in how many languages there are, how those languages are distributed across the world, and their contemporary and historical relationships. We are also interested in language variation, why variations exist, how the variations are used (i. e. , do you say ‘tomAto’ or ‘tomahto’?! ), and what they mean when they are used in various contexts. † (University, C. S, 2013). In order to be a truly great writer, I believe that one must travel the world and see different locations in order to see how people communicate differently from myself. Meaning, how people form their verbs, etc. on a daily basis. The more I know about a culture and a language, the easier it will be for me to come up with a setting and/or to develop a character’s personality based on a type of dialect. (i. e.  whether I would want a character to speak in slang or very proper) A good example of this is my interest and love for the French language. I took three years of it in high school. Laura K. Lawless explains the differences between French and English languages. â€Å"French and English are related languages in a sense, because French is a Latin language with German and English influence, while English is a Germanic language with Latin and French influence. Thus there are some similarities between them, most notably the same alphabet and a number of true cognates. † (Lawless, 2013). Here are some examples of how the two languages differ: When it comes to stressed and unstressed syllables, the French stress at end of each rhythmic group, while the English tend to stress syllables in each word, plus stress on important word. The French language also uses certain verbs that require prepositions, while the English language uses many verbs without prepositions. (Lawless, 2013). A cultural lens would be helpful in my chosen profession because, as writer Layng Wong so eloquently puts it: â€Å"As writers we can weigh in on the  discussion. Walking in someone else’s shoes and seeing the world through their eyes cultivates humanity. Historical and cultural details add emotional intensity and further deepen your characters. Awareness builds understanding. † (Wong,2013). I agree with Wong whole-heartedly on this point in order to get a true feeling of what subject one’s writing about, the author, even a poet must study and immerse themselves into a culture in every way possible. Bibliography Lawless, L. K. (2013). Differences between french and english . Retrieved from http://french. about. com/od/lessons/a/differences. htm University, C. S. (2013. ). Linguistic anthropology. Retrieved from http://www. csulb. edu/colleges/cla/departments/anthropology/linguistic-anthropology/ Wong, L. (2013, March 16). Looking through the cultural lens. Retrieved from http://laynewong. com/looking-through-the-cultural-lens/

Appropriateness Of Tesco Enterprises Information Systems Information Technology Essay

Appropriateness Of Tesco Enterprises Information Systems Information Technology Essay The world is fast becoming a global village. The systems used to collect informations yesterday are different from those used today. More advanced and competitive information system are being produce everyday. Every business no matter how small, like a small retailer store, depends on high technology to store data. To them now it is a living tool and the still keep their doors open to welcome new form of change in information systems. Information system has now become the bread of life in every organizational operation. This paper is going to expatiate more on how information system operates to enhance business in our world today. Tesco enterprise will be use as the yard stick to better understand the development of Information systems. Findings 2.1 Information Systems. Definition. According to Kenneth and Jane Laudon, Information systems can be defined technically as a set of interrelated components that collect to retrieve process, stores, distributes information to support decision making and control on an organization. Information systems are the systems of persons, data records and activities that process the data of information in a given organization, either through manual processes or automated processes. This system is consist of people, procedures, softwares, hardwares and data that helps in effective decision making. Philip Kotler says A marketing information system consist of people, equipments and procedures to gather, sort and analyze, evaluate and distribute needed, timely and accurate information to marketing decision makers. According to Erik BOHLIN, Stranford L. LEVIN, Nakil SUNG, Chang-HO YOON (2004), the effect of information technology systems on globalization, innovation, growth and productivity are immense. Information technology system has contributed immensely to the globalization of production and capital markets by reducing cost of information and communication. They stated that technology has made it easier for multinationals and other companies to spread production facilities all over the world, to coordinate international marketing campaigns and to ease collaboration in projects taking place in different continents. There are various types of information systems such as Office Information system, database management system, Decision supporting system and transaction processing system. Information systems are normally created to perform task for which the human brain can not handle well enough some of these task are controlling many business processes simultaneously, performing complex calculations and storing large amount of information. Many businesses invest huge amounts of money in information systems for the following reasons; For rapid production of goods and services To develop excellent and effective communication skills. Improve decision making Have operational excellence For competitives advantages For survival Customer and supplier intimacy. It saves time and money and makes life easy and comfortable. Levels of management. There are three hierarchical levels of management on an organization; the senior level management, the middle level management and the operational level of management. Senior Level Management. This is the highest level of management. They are concern with making good and effective decisions for the development of the enterprise. They supply answers to questions about the long term plans of the company such as what kind of products will the company be producing in the next five years or what method will they apply to improve their business. There are many kinds of information systems that managers at this level can use in order to ease the work and quickly too, some of the systems are seen as follows: Executive Support System. (ESS) It is a reporting software which helps senior managers transform data into useful summarize reports. It allows them quick assess to reports coming from different levels and different departments in the company such as staffing, billing, cost allocation, scheduling and many others. ESS is most useful to senior managers like Chief Executive Officers in order to enable the make decision easily. ESS forecast the future. ESS relies highly on information MIS and DSS database for decision making. It can not work in isolation less the company becomes dysfunctional. Middle Management. The main duty of the managers at this level is to monitor the activities of the subordinates, collect information from junior management and reassemble them and give the feedbacks or report to those at the senior management team. Their reports help in strategic planning thus leading to effective decision making to achieve their objectives. They are responsible for implementing the senior managers policies and plans to the workers. They also need to ensure that employees are well motivated and should act responsibly in maintaining company values. Management Information System (MIS) This system is meant to serve mostly middle managers. It helps them regulate the various operations in an organization. It helps in the internal control procedures. MIS are distinct from regular information systems in that they are used to analyze other information systems applied in operation activities in the organization. OBrien, J (1999). MIS as a system : It is a system that makes available the right information to the right person (senior managers) at the right time, place, form and at the right cost. It monitors daily sales, profit and lost accounts. It gathers feedbacks and current reports. It also answers all day to day questions about the company. Inputs of MIS: Customer Relationship Management (CRM), this a process created to handle the companys relationship or contact with its customers. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). This is a system that helps managers coordinate all the resources information and functions of a business. Transaction Process Management (TPS). It records all daily routines in a company. Recommended softwares for MIS: Database retrieve application Service control manager- a component of Microsoft Windows operating System. Software Configuration Management (SCM) used to track down and control changes in softwares. Decision Support System (DSS). It a group of information systems that support businesses and organizations in decision making activities. It helps most the middle class managers to make quick and effective decisions. It helps middle managers compile important information from a combination of business models, raw data, personal knowledge or documents to solve problems and then take decisions. Functions of DSS. It helps to solve unpredicted problems such as non-routine issues. Deducts external information like price change, government change in tax. It gathers and inventory of current information assets including legacy, dataware house and data marts. It produces comparative sales figures different periods. Finally it presents revenue figures base on new products sales assumptions. Fundamental Components. Knowledge base User interface The model ( decision content and user criteria). Holsapple and Whinston (1996) classify DSS in to six frame works Text-oriented DSS Database-oriented DSS Spreadsheet-oriented DSS Solver-oriented DSS Rule-oriented DSS Compound-oriented DSS DSS support base system can be divided into three categories; Personal support Group support Organization support First line managers as operational managers. They control the day to day services in an organization. They focus on manageing the processes to produce and distribute products and services to customers. Transaction Process System. This system serves the operational level managers. It helps them trace the daily routine in the company for example sales entry and delivery. It also helps the managers to monitor status of operations in relation to external environment. 3. Appropriateness of TESCO Enterprise Information Systems. TESCO plc is Britains largest retailer enterprise. Tesco provides grocery homeshopping services, consumer goods, telecommunication and financial services online. Online shopping is a highly use information system in Tesco. This information system is the direct buying of goods and services over the internet or other computer networks. Through this system, many businesses have developed due to online competition services. There are other websites besides Tesco that offer hosting services for online stores and small retailers these are Yahoo, Amazon.com and eBay. A collection of online stores are known as Virtual Shopping Malls. Become.com helps online shoppers make the ideal decision on shopping online. That is their mission. Security Measures Definition These are steps taken to protect information and information systems from unauthorized users, access, disclosure disruption, modification and destruction. Security measures are meant to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information. Tesco has securing tags on its products. This is due to the rise of shoplifting caused by the economic crisis in the country. This was decided by the management team. Many UK businesses whether big or small, depend greatly on American District Telegraph (ADT) or simply ADT, Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) and Digital Video Recorders (DVR) as a source of integrated electronic security system. Tesco is one of those convenience supermarkets that depend highly on the services provided by the above security systems. These security systems provide fast alarm responses to burglary, fire attacks, violence and unnecessary disturbances in Tesco. These security systems reduce a safe and convenient environment for Tesco customers. They help reduce crime wave, protect people and property. Tesco also applies the use of security codes in their online services. This is to ensure that the online customer placing the order is actually in possession of a credit/ Debit card and that the amount of money in the card is legitimate. All these procedures is to prevent Credit/ Debit card fraud Also to trace and track down thieves who are in possessions of other peoples cards through well advance information technology. BMT Micro security software makes sures no database after online transaction is stored during online payment so hackers will not find their way easily into peoples accounts. That is why codes are needed so is will be hard for them to trace. Card Security Code (CSC) or Card Verification Value is another security feature for credit/debit transaction online providing online security against fraudulent cards. Recommended information security. Unified Threat Management (UTM), this is to prevent intruders and softwares from affecting Tesco delicate networks less the loose their data informations. Antivirus is also needed to check Tesco computers for the presence of virus that may crash the computers and loss database information that have not yet been processed. These antivirus needs constant updates. . Cloud Computing Cloud computing is the latest internet base computer system whereby shared resources such as softwares and information are provided to computers. It describes a new suppliement, consumption and delivery Information Technology model services based on the internet. It helps provides easy access to remote computing site provide by the internet. It is a less expensive form of computing. It avoids capital expenditures on hardwares, softwares and services because the pay only provider for they use. Consumption is billed on subscription basis with no upfront cost. Benefits: Low barrier to entry. Share infrastructure and cost Low management overheads Immediate access to a broad range of applications. The contract can be terminated at any time. According to Nicholas Carr, the strategic importance of information technology is diminishing as it has become standardized and less expensive. Issues against Cloud Computing. Although cloud computing is a less expensive system of computing, enterprises may pay more on operating expenses. Cloud computing has been highly criticized for its lack of privacy between users and their hosting companies. They hosting companies may monitor at will the communication and data stored in their systems. For example the National Security Agency (NSA) that works with American Telephone and Telgraph (AT T) and Verizon Communications, monitors all their phones which make people insecure for lack of privacy. There is no security in cloud computing but the Cloud Computing Alliance has been form to promote security assurances. Tesco is not using cloud computing services. But they can subscribe for it so as to spend less on information technology system. Conclusion. From the above information, we have seen how important information systems are in the development of an organization as it is being applied at every managerial level in a business. So it is recommended that business owners should continue searching for more advance information systems that will help ease their supply and distribution chain. Recommendations. Information system is the only way for businesses to survive the pressure and competition that they are facing. If there is a any business that has not yet be highly connected to advance information systems, then that business should make a strategic plan about implementing cloud computing for a start because it is less expensive and will help the business save for future unforeseen circumstances. References OBrien, J (1999) Management Information Systems- Manageing Information Systems in the Internet work Enterprise. Boston. Irwin MC Graw-Hill. ISBN 0071123733. Kenneth and Jane Laudon, Managing the Digital Firm, 8th Ed. Kotler, Philip, Keller, Kevin Lane (2006), Marketing Management, 12th edition. Pearson Education. Erik BOHLIN, Stranford L. Levin, Nakil SUNG, Chang-HO YOON (2004) Global Economy and Digital Society. Elsevier , Amsterdam. Nichlas Carr, (2008) Clouds and Storms.

Cultural And Crop Related Festivals

Cultural And Crop Related Festivals Agriculture is the prime and predominant occupation of tribals and the culture of the tribal communities is reflected in their agricultural practices. Their main entertaining modes or ways are the celebrations of different festivals in different seasons that relate to and depend on agriculture produce. The study was made in Seethammapeta Mandal tribal areas on their socio- cultural traits influenced by the crops and forest mining produce that they acquire. This paper details the analysis of how influential the crops and F.M.P. are on the tribals socio-cultural activities in Seethammapeta Mandal and understanding the thematic perception of each festival that the tribes celebrate in different seasons as well as to analyze the concept of cultivation based much on spiritual confidence rather than logical process of production. The encouragement and support from the government legislation for the progress of tribal music and dance have inculcated a new sense of pride in their music and so cial ethos play an important role. KEY WORDS: Crops F.M.P., Primitive tribal groups, Spiritual confidence, Time cycle, Tribal culture. INTRODUCTION The tribes generally have a group of families living together and these groups have pre-historic economy, with several rituals and customs. Certain tribal languages have no script except speech. They live in interior forest areas far away from the civilized world. They have slash burn cultivation and hunting of the wild animals as the way of life. They have a common religion, common customs and live as a community. In general tribes are of peculiar type of people living all over the world. Agriculture is the prime and predominant occupation of tribals and the culture of the tribal communities is reflected in their agricultural practices. The agro-climatic conditions and the resource potentialities differ from one tribal area to another. This is due to the nature of soil, fertility, availability of water etc. Due to prevalence of unemployment and underemployment, agriculture alone cannot sustain them throughout the year. So the tribals must rely on labour works and the forest produce which occupies and play an important role in their daily life. Hence the tribal economy may rightly be called as agro forest based economy. The isolated location of the tribes from the main stream of life is hindering their economic activities. The illiteracy among the tribals and the rich forest produce tempted the money lenders and small traders to exploit the tribals. India ranks the second in having the tribal concentration in the world next only to Africa. India holds unique position in the concentration of tribal communities. Andhra Pradesh is one of the States where the tribals with different cultures especially in Seethammapeta Mandal of Srikakulam District, the important tribes are Savara (Hill and plain) and Jatapu. Savara are one of the important Mundari speaking tribes of India, on linguistic and ethnological grounds. Savara can be considered as pre-Aryan and pre-Dravidian. Though, there were so many sub-divisions among Savara, broadly they are treated as Konda Savara (Malia Savara) and Kapu Savara. Savaras are divided into a number of endogamous tribes. It has been noted that among sub-tribes the Konda Savara tribe have restricted themselves to the tracts of hill and jungle covered valleys. But as the plains are approached, traces of amalgamation become apparent, resulting in a hybrid race, whose apperance and manners differ but little from those of the ordinary citizens. The culture of the hill Savara is very ancient and they are considered by government as primitive tribal groups (PTG) and the Sa varas in plains are not considered as PTG in the Srikakulam district. The researcher has observed considerable differences between Konda Savaras and plain Savaras and also they are equally numbered in tribal population of the district. The other important tribes residing in Seethammapeta mandal are Jatapu, who are socially, economically and culturally advanced tribe in the Seethammapeta mandal. Actually, the other tribes residing in Seethammpeta mandal are insignificant in number. Konda Savara, plain Savara (hereafter mentioned as Savara) and Jatapu are in equal proportion and they consist of nearly 92 per cent of the total tribal population of the Seethammapeta Mandal. Their main entertaining modes or ways are the celebrations of different festivals in different seasons that relate to and depend on agriculture produce. Objectives To analyze how influential the crops and F.M.P. are on the tribals socio-cultural activities in Seethammapeta Mandal To understand the thematic perception of each festival that the tribes celebrate in different seasons. To analyze the concept of cultivation based much on spiritual confidence rather than logical process of production. Present Study The study was made in Seethammapeta Mandal tribal areas on their socio- cultural traits influenced by the crops and forest mining produce that they acquire. Tribal celebrate most of the festivals with respect to the crop grown at particular seasons and throughout the year. In the survey throughout the year, it is revealed that in all the 12 months, they celebrate different festivals by which they worship their traditional gods and godesses in association with agricultural and forest mining produce. This paper deals with wholesome information about how different cultural traits, traditional festivals are influenced by the crops (Agricultural F.M. Produce) in Seetampeta Mandal, Srikakulam District. TIME CYCLE REPRESENTING CULTURAL AND CROP RELATED FESTIVALS January: January is an important month for all Hindus of Andhra Pradesh for the most auspicious festival Sankranthi is celebrated in a grand way, similarly tribals also celebrate it, but the way and process of celebration is somewhat different .They accompany the crop red grass with Sankrathi, conventionally called as Redgram week festival. They have the custom of tasting newly cultivated redgram only after this celebration refers that it should be presented to the god first. Sankranthi in this month is also celebrated in a distinguished way that the entire tribals worship village Godesses regionally called as GRAMA DEVETAS by sacrificing crows and continue the procession of the Godess with all relatives. Another festival in this month called Tiger Festival which they call as PULI PANDAGA in which a goat is sacrificed to the Yojjos in the name of the persons who got expired in the family. They enjoy by taking part in dances like Dhinsa, ancient orchestra and tribal games in this fest ival. Dancing in the villages provides them opportunity for collective rejoining as well as inculcates in them a sense of cultural solidarity. February: Siva Ratri is pretty famous in this month even for tribals and their customary practice is to celebrate the flowers festival (POOLA PANDAGA in their language) in such a way that all the tribals gather flowers from all corners of the forest to worship the Godess and then onwards flowers are used for other personal and commercial purposes. This month is famous for marriages which are generally arranged under the direction of villege Jannad in a formal and traditional way. There is a celibration of cereal week where no cereal produced is tasted till the celebration is held. Another festival in this month is Toku festival in which they construct a small hut in the middle of the villege for their traditional priest called Yojjodu as a representative of the God, is decorated with the feathers of peacock proceeded with a grand procession afterwards. There is another festival called Solapur festival celebrated for the productive growth of cultivation by getting away from the evils, envious deeds and harmful thoughts from others. March: New amavasya is pretty famous and tribals celebrate by being articulated as bear with appropriate make-up and Jannod the formal priest store seeds in a swing. Later all taste the newly cropped mongo .Then follows other festivals in this month called New Jaggary, Jakaramma Temple and tamarind festival are also celebrated. April: There is a festival called Ujjamma Godess festival for the welfare of the villege in which they make a cart and fill it with a kind of fruits called Palli and worship with chik sacrifice and represent the same at the outscirts of the villege. They also celebrate Perantal celebrations for the welfare of the earth, forest and water which give better existence of them. May: Tribals are very busy with agriculture in this month where Seeds Festival is celebrated. All the tribals gather and clean all the agri-utencils and tools and worship them with water melted with rice powder .They also gather sample seeds from every family for puja (worship) with an animal sacrifice and then distribute seeds to all farmers assuming that the permission granted from the God to continue the process of cultivation. June : In this month there are two festivals called Tenka festival and Corner festival (Mula Panduga) in which all tribals taste seeds firstly and celebrate with riped mango by digging them at the corner of every house .This is one of the important festivals for them as the crop of mangos from the forest give them good return. July: There is a festival called Mokkalu Fest in which all tribals take out the unwanted plants in their fields to prevent deceases and increase the productivity of the crop. In this festival a cow is sacrificed to the God. August : The major and important tool they use for the preliminary process of cultivation is ploughing and tribals celebrate PLOUGH WEEK where the plough is neatly cleaned with turmeric powder, decorated with bangles and worship with again a cocks sacrifise so as they start cultivation ploughing with a new instrument. September: ANKUDA Leaves festival is celebrated is this month to get away from the dangerous mosquitos and bees which cost their health. In this Connection they gather every different flower from the forest and worship their God. October: DURGA FESTIVAL traditionally called DASARA is also celebrated by them just as every one of us does. They decorate all the tools, weapons, utensils and furniture with turmeric powder in order to worship the God. Another festival called NANDAMMA Godess Festival is also held at the time of the corp has been handed over from the fields. They celebrate this festival with articulations and roleplays by making up like their traditional Gods. They also worship JAKARI with potatoes and then the corp is taken back to home. November: There is a different festival in the way of games called KANDI GAMES in which they play with their skills of playing withaxes and dancing DHINSA and the tiger festival as refered before also celebrated in this month. December: CHUKKALA Festival is celebrated exclusively by the person who married second time after the dimise of first wife .In order to the former wife should be satisfied in the heaven and assuming that there will be a problem if it is not celebrated , they present four animals sacrifice to the God. There is another festival called AGAMA festival for preventing unnecessary demises is the family. At the end of the month KANDA festival starts and new red gram is tasted by all and will be continued to Redgram week in the month of January. Findings and conclusions: In most of the festivals there is a common practice of presenting animals like cock, cow and goat to the God or Goddess whom they worship. The basic source of their lively hook is either agriculture or acquiring Forest Mining Produce, so they worship the God or Goddess with newly originated produce or endowrsed to the God and afterwards they enjoy by eating and selling them. Most of their practice of enjoying every festival with non-vegetarian, liquor, Dinsa dance articulations. They celebrate festival for the most consumed crop or produce that is directly helpful and gainful to their livelihood such as redgram, cereals, tamannad custard apple and etc. They also give much importance to the utensils, tools and weapons in some festivals as their process of cultivation or FMP starts with them only. There are many superstitions they believe in and very proud to follow the traditional practices in every festival. They respect the mythological master called YOJJODU and JANNADS whom are believed as the representatives of the God or Goddess. They do not generally allow other castes to join their festivals as they look into them as almost their utmost responsibility much associated with community. They believe much in nature and in every festival they worship pancha bhutaas (Five Survivors i.e. air, earth, water, sky, and fire) for their survival is depended on them. The participation in every festival is found from every small village, every house and every person in the family. There is nothing like one exclusive festival is for one separate segment. Fishing hunt is one of the livelihoods for them exclusively for the tribals who reside at the bank of any river. It is found almost all the tools used by them for cultivation, hunting, and gathering produce from the forest are manufactured by them only. Step irrigation is the main system that they proceed with for cultivation. There are famous Gods and Goddess named Gramadevata, Durgadevi, Nandemma Goddess, Goddalama Goddess, Vijjamma Goddesses and etc. Traditional music and dance is slowly becoming less popular among the literate sections of the tribal society. The encouragement and support from the government legislation for the progress of tribal music and dance have inculcated a new sense of pride in their music and social ethos play an important role and significance of socio-cultural factors cannot be ignored in formulation of schemes for their all-round sustainable development. The degree of change with respect to traditional practices and celebrations of festivals is more in Jatapu and Kapu Savaras who are residing in the surroundings of Seethammapeta and in roadside villages. However, the degree of change for the same among these tribes is limited in the interior villages which are not having any transport or communication facilities.