Outline for a mass communication written task Essay

In 2008 an attack ad, titled ‘Vote Different’ appeared on YouTube, persuading voters to vote for Barack Obama instead of Hillary Clinton in the primary elections. Without a doubt this ad influenced the way many voters voted. By making use of allusion and by borrowing from other texts, it successfully made voters vote differently. As a result Hillary Clinton lost in the primary elections to Barack Obama. The attack ad ‘vote different’ depicts a large group of prisoners, sitting in neat rows, watching a large screen. On the screen one sees Hillary Clinton talking about how she would like to listen to her audience and engage in a dialogue with them. Her words are very ironic, since the audience is not able to participate in the discussion. This is the first indication that we are meant to be critical of her words. Secondly, the camera switches to another woman, an athlete who has broken past the prison guards to enter the theatre where the prisoners sit. She is running with a sledgehammer. While all of the images are dark and grey, she seems to bear the only sign of color with her red shorts. On her shirt is the campaign logo of Barack Obama. She hurls the hammer towards the screen, resulting in a burst of light that seems to awaken the prisoners. Then a text reads, â€Å"On January 14th the Democratic primary will begin. And you’ll see why 2008 won’t be like ‘1984’.† Then the letter ‘O’ appears in the colors of Apple Macintosh’s old logo, along with the web address, BarackObama.com. What does this text mean, and how does it rely on  other texts to construct meaning? There are three layers to this text. The first layer can be understood in the context of 2008 and the primary elections. The text traveled as a viral, meaning it was a commercial that spread like a virus through social networks on the Internet. People who posted this video to their Facebook wall or sent it as a link in an e-mail to friends, all knew who Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were. Her face and his logo needed no introduction. The irony of her words, the dark images of the prisoners and the symbol of the sledgehammer all indicated a sharp criticism of Clinton. One did not have to understand the final text to sense that this was a strong attack ad. It accused Clinton of not listening to her audience, and it praised Obama for helping them see ‘the light’. The second layer of this text can best be understood in the context of the Apple Macintosh ad that ran only once during the Super Bowl in 1984. The attack ad is in fact a ‘mash-up’ of the Macintosh ad, meaning that it is almost identical to the original ad, frame for frame, with a the exception of several manipulated images. Where the Apple logo once appeared on the shirt of the athletic woman, there is the logo of Organizing for America, Obama’s grassroots campaign team. Where a man’s face once appeared on the large screen, there is Hilary’s face. The text at the end of the Macintosh ad originally read, â€Å"On January 24th Apple Computer will introduce Macintosh. And you’ll see why 1984 won’t seem like ‘1984’.† Even if viewers of the Obama ad do not know about the significance of ‘1984’, they might know these references to the Macintosh ad. Since the ad only ran once, it created a great hype and sense of mystery. It promised to change the face of personal computing by literally and figuratively enlightening the masses. Comparing Obama’s campaign to the Apple brand, has an interesting effect on the reader in 2008. It is almost as if Obama is the new iPod: slick, stylish, personal and unique. He breaks with the establishment, Hillary Clinton, who could be compared to Microsoft or IBM, in the context of 1984. The third layer of context is perhaps the most important one to understanding the ads. Both ads allude to a scene from Nineteen Eighty-four, a novel by George Orwell. His novel is commonly understood as a criticism of autocratic government. The autocratic government in Orwell’s novel, Oceana, is ruled by a man whose face appears regularly on a large ‘telescreen’. His name is Big Brother. The Obama ad replaces Big Brother’s image from the Apple ad with Hillary  Clinton’s face, making a comparison and strong suggestion that she stands for autocratic rule, establishment and war. The effects of this on the audience in 2008 are quite persuasive and bold, influencing the way they vote in the primary election. At the time the attack ad ran in January of 2008, Hillary Clinton was ahead in the polls. Almost a week later, thanks to this ad and other influences, she began to lose points to Barack Obama (Pollster.com, 2008). While it is impossible to measure the exact effects of this ad in weakening her position, the ad’s implications are strong and persuasive. This viral video shows the power of mash ups and how the persuasive power of borrowing from other texts. Works cited Apple Computers. â€Å"YouTube – 1984 Apple’s Macintosh Commercial.† YouTube – Broadcast Yourself. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. ParkRidge47. â€Å"YouTube – Vote Different.† YouTube – Broadcast Yourself. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. . â€Å"Pollster.com – Political Surveys and Election Polls, Trends, Charts and Analysis.† Pollster. Web. 22 Feb. 2011.

How to Create a Smash Book Essay

How to create a smash book, not a scrapbook. A smash book is a place where you can place the little things in life’ ticket stubs, magazine clips, recipes, snapshots, love letters, design ideas, pictures, and notes to self. It is faster than scrap booking and is portable too. A smash book can be made from a ringed binder or a note book or you can buy a book from k and company at a craft store or online. They are personal on each page with picture design on each that makes it unique. Before creating your smash book, know the different styles of smash books. There are twelve: simple orange, cutesy, pretty pink, retro, and smart, couture, tasty, nostalgia, doodle red, mod, 360 folio, and eco green. The simple orange smash book pages are not like the others, there a lot more plain, and simple. You can do a lot more with the pages. You can chose your â€Å"theme† easier because of the graphic pages chosen for this book in particular. The Cutesy is as described, very cute looking pages. Each page is filled with cute simple little girly things. Such as flowers or pinks and innocent looking pictures. The pretty pink is very floral and girly almost like the cutesy but different in a way because it has a lot more flower prints in it. The retro blue is designed for a retro look. If you like typography you will love this one. If you can’t help to tap your foot to the beat you will love this one because that is what this smash book is all about. It has a sense of humor to it, and it is my personal favorite. The smart smash book is covered with school inspired images and graphics. In comes in a studious style. It is great for school related things. However, the couture smash book is fun, shiny and very fashion like, with lots of color. It is a lot of girl’s favorites. The Tasty smash book is covered with food inspired pages. Original illustrations and hand lettering design, you can make this in a snap. The nostalgia style is also filled with school filled original illustrations and hand lettering designs. However not as a clean slate of a look as the smart smash book. The Doodle red smash book is filled with an artsy enthusiasm. Mod smash book is a hip style. This smash book is covered with clean lines and patterns. The 360 folio is filled with pages for everyday of the year. Lastly, the Eco green smash book is filled with easy breezy graphics, and nature loving images. Nonetheless you can’t forget when you buy your book, you need to get things/accessories to decorate it. Next, you’ll need to have simple things to decorate your smash book, such as: decorative tape, chipboard pieces, letters, stickers, souvenirs, ribbon, sequins, pockets, envelopes, brads, scissors, glue, scrapbook paper, color pencils, and pens. None the less you will want to use 3d embellishments, alphabet stickers, glitter, stickers maybe by big ideas, paper studio, and k and company. Gemstone are great to use. Border punch, ink pad by color box, distressed ink, and stamp by stampabilities, and patterned paper. After you get the smash book accessories, decorate the cover- it is the best way to decorate the cover by putting your favorite saying on the front using chipboard pieces. You could put what your smash book â€Å"theme† is about if you have one. Or you can just decorate the front cover by doodling on it, if you desire just to do that instead. If you made your own smash book out of a three ring binder, add scrapbook paper to your book on every page. Make it creative. You don’t need to just have one color or design per page. Mix it up and use different sizes and different colors. Don’t worry about this if you bought your smash book though. Meanwhile, you will want to sort out all your stuff into desired categories. You might want to sort them out into categories such as: concerts, journals, notes, travel, friends, family, school, ideas, pictures, clips, whatever it may be, categorizing them will help you when smashing them in your book. Add photos to your page. Use decorative tape and then add your souvenirs. Pockets and envelopes are great for holding big things. Next you want to decorate the page. Don’t over decorate too much. Then it will look overwhelming. But if you under decorate it will look very boring. Very un-creative. Since smash products are the best thing when decorating your smash book; sometimes it’s all you need. Smash captions are ready to stick, all you have to do is write your caption in. Smash flag clips, clips to attach photos, notes and more. Smash pads allow you to voice your opinion or jot something down, then smash it in. Smash date stamp, is exactly what it says a date stamp but with sayings like â€Å"I’m a hot mess†, or â€Å"today is†, â€Å"I love this†! With the date next to it. Smash tape is tape with a design on it, so you can be creative. Smash tape can hold your photos in place or even a feather? Who knows? Next is smash pockets, which are great for holding the bigger things like brochures and things like that. Smash bands, hold your smash book together. And your pens even closer. Now take your desired category you want to smash, your glue and pen and smash it in. Use your date stamp and date it if you would like. Add a smash caption too, some smash tape to hold in a picture that is a memory you want to keep! Some stickers, and writings of your own even drawings will work too if your artistic. Remember, this smash book isn’t a scrapbook. It doesn’t have to be all clean and neat. It’s not just about the pictures. It about the thought, a jot a feather that’s caught, it’s the idea that matters! Everything you have been keeping in that junk drawer for years, let it come out. Have fun with it. Don’t let it hide, and smash it! . It is easy to take along, anywhere you go. It has to time limit. It doesn’t take hours. So smash away and have fun, just remember those steps . Just choose your smash book style, or create your own, have the simple things to create your own, get the smash accessories, sort out all your stuff into categories and then smash it in and decorate your page to your desire.

Occupational Health and Safety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Occupational Health and Safety - Essay Example The author focuses on informing employers about the policies and practices they should implement in the workplace in order to ensure a safe working environment for employees. The author advises employers on the importance of having an accident prevention plan in the workplace and the effective strategy for handling accidents and investigations in their companies (Battles, 2011). The author attempts to advise employers on the ways of reducing costs and complications that could arise from the lack adequate safety procedures in the workplace. The author advises employers on ways of fulfilling the guidelines and regulations provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and any other guidelines provided by the state.   The author states that the process of formulating an accident prevention plan involves the evaluation of possible safety hazards across the workplace. The first step in analyzing job hazards entails identifying the potential actions that put the emp loyee at the risk of injury when performing their roles. After indentifying the risks, the employer will then develop the ways of preventing the accident or measures for mitigating the accidents in the unfortunate event that they happen. The process involves undertaking safety program reviews, procedures on managing emergencies, location of first aid kits, and procedures for reporting injuries. Employees should be provides an orientation on the safety procedures when they are newly employed or when existing employees transfer between jobs.

Ancillary 1 Audience Exploration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ancillary 1 Audience Exploration - Essay Example The company is based in New York City. In tandem with its objectives, it covers topics related to celebrity relationships, the ever growing fashion world with the latest trends, beauty and entertainment. The present format of the magazine was introduced in the year 2000. The important sections of the magazine are: â€Å"Just Like Us: photos of celebrities doing things everyday people do. Inspired by a regular Sesame Street feature about animals. Who Wore It Best? : Reader polls of which celebrity wore an outfit better Hot Stuff: the latest gossip from inside Hollywood’s The Red Carpet: the looks and styles from Hollywood’s hottest parties and premieres Hot Pictures: Celebrity sightings of stars around the globe Fashion Police: Famous comedians cite the fashion disasters of the stars, and the best â€Å"look of the week† The Record: A roster of changes in the lives of stars — births, marriages, divorces, etc. Loose Talk: Quotes from the stars Us Musts: Acc ording to Us Weekly, the must-see films, TV shows and DVDs.†(Us Weekly) The titles of the sections are self-explanatory that cater to the psyche and expectations of the celebrities and their fans. The ideal target audience and their social practices The Editorial Board, the policy and decision makers know their objectives well and the art of appealing to the psychology of the celebrities and their fans. The contents of the magazine lead the reader to their website Usmagazine.com launched in 2006 with about two million hits per month. This site is a source of public relations exercise to maintain and augment the popularity of the magazine. It also provides a number of additional features like news blog, star photographs, and coverage from the red carpet galleries from premieres special events, videos, games, quizzes and opinion polls. They know how to hold on and gain popularity amongst the target audience well, by bringing out many signature issues, Hot Hollywood special issue s, Best Bodies Issue and Best Makeovers issue. These moves make the magazine â€Å"celebrity friendly.† The magazine is more information-giving in its targeted areas and not totally gossipy in character. Well-researched information adds to the respectability of the magazine and the readers remain expectant about the arrival of the magazine week after week. Some of the top stories in the latest issue of the magazine are a pointer to the ground which it covers: Jane Seymour Goes Without Makeup in Stunning Picture Kim Kardashian Shows Off Growing Baby Bump on Super Bowl Sunday Kate Middleton Covers Up Baby Bump: Pictures Kate Middleton Covers Up Baby Bump: All About Her Outfit! Beyonce Performs at the Super Bowl: Why Jay-Z Didn't Join Her on Stage Thus, Us Weekly makes constant exploration to construct and maintain audience connectedness, and has been growing in all the directions like the octopus. Audience measurement means to be on the lookout for relationship of the audience to the sections of the magazine and the types of articles covered under those sections. The themes of the articles should cater to the needs of the current demands of the audience, besides creating a lasting impression in their minds. They need to inspire the focus groups and fan forums and establish a connectedness. They must answer the individual and social needs through the contents of the articles. Aggressive marketing helps audience

M7a2 - research methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

M7a2 - research methods - Essay Example This includes all researchers associated with University Institutional Review Board Handbook in conformity with the set of laws developed by the University Institutional Review Board Handbook. By not getting well-versed consent from the board, Ann will not be following the guidelines developed by the board. Even though she believes she is not interfering with participants, it is important to inform the board so that they conduct their investigations (Institutional Review Board Handbook, 2011). According to the code of federal regulations, participants are humans whom the researcher carrying out research obtains information, through involvement or contact with the person. Therefore, these individuals are known as participants. So, the other main purpose of University Institutional Review Board Handbook is to make sure that the risks to participants are reduced (Institutional Review Board Handbook, 2011). This is illustrates indispensable condition for guarantee. The perseverance of when the study participant is at possibility of being at risk is substance of using an ordinary sense and good professional opinion as it relates to the state of affairs of the research achievement (Corey, Corey & Callanan, 2007). The board will cautiously weigh the comparative risks and remuneration of the investigation measures as they communicate to the study participants. Therefore, researchers are not justified in not obtaining informed consent from the board (Corey, Corey & Callanan, 2007). Ann’s description described above does not meet the Universitys informed consent criteria. This is because she fails to follow the direct procedure developed by the university board. Ann should inform the board about the participants. She should ensure that the participants in the study are fully aware of the risks and that individuals may withdraw from the study at any time without any form of penalty. Ann should also be

Customer Loyalty at Ritz Carlton Hotel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Customer Loyalty at Ritz Carlton Hotel - Essay Example In his study, customer loyalty is associated will the kind of treated and services they receive. Customer loyalty is therefore seen with respect to how a customer responds to the products and services presented by the company (Lawfer 11). In Ritz Carlton industry, customer loyalty means the creation of customer satisfaction through creation of culture where customer needs is given priority through provision of high quality of products and services and good personal services by the employees of the company. He does this by making sure that the customer is made to feel valued by the company. However, as Andreassen and Lindestad state, customer loyalty is dependent on corporate image and the disconfirmation of expectations. Therefore, a company with good corporate image which puts the interests of its customers first is likely to win customer loyalty. In Ritz Carlton, a loyal customer has a lifetime worth of $ 1 million. According to Carflton, a loyal customer will try to sell a company to other customers luring them to it and that is why they are priced highly as opposed to a disloyal customer who will try to paint your company in a negative way. In Ritz Carlton`s hotel, customer satisfaction if given priority as the employees are empowered to use huge amounts of money as long as their motive is to satisfy their customers and make them happy. When a customer realizes that all her needs have been catered for in the hotel, their desire to come back for more service is boosted. The management also hires only those employees who are able and knowledgeable in meeting customer demand. Customer needs are given priority through customer orientation as they are made to feel valued. The company retains its customers through provision of high quality products and services. Ritz Carlton hotel builds customer relationships by ensuring that well trained and reputable employees are hired. The employees are trained to be customer focused and are required to

Giography Assignment (stateless nation) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Giography Assignment (stateless nation) - Essay Example For centuries before that date, the Jewish people basically lived as a religious group rather than one with a national homeland (Johnson, P., 2009). In Russia, the Dagestani homeland is the highland area of the Caucasus Mountains and occupies 70 percent of the Caspian Sea coastline. The Dagestan Republic has 31 official ethnic groups with over 80 nationalities. This area operates primarily on isolated clans, including its own language, cultural heritage and clan loyalties as the central focus, rather than considering itself a nation or a state (Minahan, 2002). This report covers the gypsies in several areas of the world. As a group unto themselves, there is no nation for the gypsies as they are group wanderers, settling down only for a short time before moving on. Information on the gypsies will be related to the following disciplines: physical, cultural and historical. The physical discipline will relate to places in different countries where they settled for any length of time. The cultural discipline will give an overview of how the gypsies lived their daily lives and what interactions they might have had with local populations. Finally, the historical discipline will outline how gypsies have affected national history and events while living in various countries, and how they, as an identified group, were viewed by the general population. Gypsies have always been regarded by nationals as being vagrants and somewhat unsavory because they moved around so much and did not interact with the public. Keeping to themselves and pretty much relying on the land was a principle they followed almost religiously. Townspeople were not inclined to reach out and attempt to make friends because of this negative view towards gypsies, perhaps fearing some thievery, or the possibility of catching diseases (Hoyland, 2011). Alternatively, gypsies avoided contact except in cases of great need in

Power and Privilege in Conflict Resolution Essay

Power and Privilege in Conflict Resolution - Essay Example In his article â€Å"Power and Conflicts†, Coleman clearly outlines how power is related to conflict resolution. According to him, there are different ways of defining power which could be power over, power with and dependence and powerless. He says that in conflict resolution, when one of the conflicting parties feels that the solution that is reached gives the other party power over them, the resolution is not satisfactory. This means that the same kind of conflict is likely to arise in future. In order to reach a lasting resolution, competition should not be created in resolving conflicts, and the parties involved should not feel like they are in a win-lose position. There should be more emphasis on promoting cooperation, independent power and shared power. It is also evident that the people who possess power have a tendency to justify having this power and using it in the manner that they feel fit. They are also not willing to share this power with those they perceive to b e powerless. The parties with low power on the other hand are likely to show discontentment with their situation and are shortsighted. They in most cases roll their discontentment to people who have less power than them (Coleman 12). This ruins their chances of being empowered and makes it even harder for the conflicts to be resolved. It is only through coalition building and cooperation where power is neutralized that conflicts can be resolved completely. Privileges also play a vital role in conflict resolution since they give power to the privileged and take power from the underprivileged. In dealing with conflicts that come with one party having power over the others because of one being privileged, there are certain things that need to be considered. For instance, gender equality has been a source of conflict for many years. Women complain of not being equally treated in education, work and other situation. Dealing with this kind of situation would require that the men acknowled ge the fact that they are privileged and accept to lose some of the privileges in order to resolve the conflict (McIntosh 3). This is because in most cases, although it may be universally acknowledged that women are under-privileged, men would not agree to the fact that they are privileged. This could be the reason why we are still very far away from dealing with the issue of gender equality. The question of truth and morality is an intricate one and it is crucial to understand this relationship in conflict resolution. This is especially based on the fact that a person may have wrong motives but his actions lead to good results while another one may have good intention but the ends become terrible. Truth is thus the harsh reality that people have to live with while morality is judged in terms of good intentions (Kriesberg, 3). Truth and morality are related to conflict resolution in the sense that morality and truth seeks to social justice and reconciliation and conflict resolutions are part of this quest. Take the example of the situation where single mothers who do not

Analysis Of the Articles about the Mission Of Linkedin Research Paper

Analysis Of the Articles about the Mission Of Linkedin - Research Paper Example â€Å"A contract is an enforceable agreement between two (or more) people where one person offers to do something and another person accepts that offer,† (http://www.paralegaladvice.org.za/docs/chap12/02.html). On the other hand, Koffman & McDonald (2007:1) also define a contract as, â€Å"a legally enforceable agreement giving rise to obligations for parties involved.† In simple terms, it can be said that if you and another person have agreed to do something for each whereby the other party promises to pay in return, then you will have made a contract. It can be noted that a contract can be in verbal or written form but the most important thing is that there would be an agreement to perform duties especially between the two parties involved. From the above definitions, it is abundantly clear that by virtue of creating a profile on the LinkedIn website, one would have entered into an agreement which constitutes a valid and legally enforceable contract. The one who creates a profile, in this case, is referred to as the User and the moment he creates an account, he agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of using the service. The User thus becomes obliged to meet certain conditions such as giving due respect to applicable laws such as privacy and copyright laws, obliged to ensure service eligibility as well as payments among other duties to be observed by the user. It is also clearly indicated in the agreement states that if one does not to be legally bound by using the LinkedIn service, then he must not create a profile. It can be noted that by any standard, these statements constitute a contract where the one about agreement clearly spells the binding terms while the other one about privacy states the expected cond itions of usage of the service.  

Outline what is meant by Localisation of function in the brain. Are Essay

Outline what is meant by Localisation of function in the brain. Are all psychological processes localised - Essay Example Paul Broca, a French doctor is probably one of the fundamental key players in the discovery of the localization of functions in the brain (Glassman 45). Working at an insane asylum at Bicetre in 1861, Broca met a patient who was not able to speak coherently after a head trauma that later led him to conduct an autopsy on the man’s brain and successfully demonstrated that what the man suffered from was due to some damage on a specific part of his brain (Glassman 45, Santrock 48, Serendip). From this point, further studies were conducted and until today, are progressing not only to satisfy the curiosity in man but most importantly, to help cure patients suffering from brain malfunctions. Considering divisions in the brain, early anatomists assumed that specific parts of the brain perform specific functions (Glassman 50) and true enough, recent studies established such assumptions. Among the famous contributors to the study of the functions of the brain is a German physician named Franz Joseph Gall who theorized that the bumps and depressions in the skull had something to do with personality and intelligence (Santrock 48, Serendip, Sabatini). ... Divided into two hemispheres, the right hemisphere of the cortex was found to be responsible to the control of the left side of the body while the left hemisphere controls its opposite (Glassman 50, Feldman 79, Santrock 100). Plotnik (p. 74, 2005) and Feldman (82, 2008) describe the cortex as a thin layer of cells covering the forebrain which amazingly, still is divided into four lobes having more specific functions. He further discusses the frontal lobe as responsible for the accomplishment of the use of voluntary muscles, translating and executing emotions, behaving in an accepted manner, controlling actions and character and being attentive (p. 75). This, he said was proven by a case involving Phineas Gage, a foreman in Vermont in 1848 who met an accident at work, surviving from a 3.5 feet long, 1.25 inches thick and 13 pound-rod that crossed his head entering his frontal lobe and crashing his eye. After the surgery, the foreman exhibited drastic changes in his personality from be ing friendly to impatient. His decision making was also affected leading him to making promises he was not able to keep (Plotnik 75). This event is just one of the many cases that has furthered and established the assumption of being attentive and the acquisition of social rules and moral behaviors (Plotnik 76) which is very essential to a psychologist’s understanding and managing of patients. Other important parts of the brain that need to be magnified in the field of psychology are the hypothalamus and amygdala. The hypothalamus is formed by groups of neuron cell bodies that affect a person’s sexual behavior, temperature regulation, sleeping, eating, drinking, aggression and the expression of emotion (Passer & Smith 99).

Nonviolence and South Africa Gandhi Essay Example for Free

Nonviolence and South Africa Gandhi Essay War is defined a state of hostility conflict or antagonism. But this definition would be thrown aside by a man named Mohandas Gandhi a man who would soon come to revolutionize India through the power of peace. Gandhi’s protests and civil disobedience would soon help create the India we see today. Gandhi did take India back from the British but not violently as one might expect, but peacefully through civil disobedience. This means that laws that Gandhi and his followers would refuse to obey any laws that they viewed to be unjust, not by striking blows but by carrying on with there daily activities while refusing to follow certain laws that they feel practice a system of apartheid. But keeping in mind never to strike back but to always keep your head up and never give up. Gandhi developed this idea of civil disobedience after his experience of apartheid while in South Africa. Gandhi while in South Africa Gandhi witnessed first hand the great injustices people of color faced simply while walking down the street. For example the need for a pass book by those of color. Gandhi saw this injustice and interjected, holding a public protest burning passbooks and symbolically burning the separation between people of color in South Africa and the British. But Gandhi did not stop there he went on to take this system of civil disobedience to India. In India he continued to gain followers and slowly take back India through his peaceful movements such as his salt march and cloth burning. Finally over the course of his adult life Gandhi had taken back India from the British all without India striking a blow. Gandhi clearly revolutionized India into its current state through peace. Gandhi, through peace, has helped change the way we see war.

Descartes Method of Doubt

Descartes Method of Doubt Explain Descartes Method of doubt; what does he hope to accomplish from this method; is Descartes a skeptic? Descartes began Meditation One of his classic Meditation on First Philosophy by saying that throughout his life, he had acquired several opinions and beliefs which he later discovered to be false (17-18). The main goal of Descartes was to find a foundation on which knowledge can be built. That is Descartes wanted to find a certainty or truth which could not be doubted beyond dispute. He agrees with Plato that knowledge requires certainty, but reject Plato idea that physical world is not knowable. What does it means to be certainty? Descartes main problem was how to achieve this certainty. In order to achieve this aim, Descartes adopted a systematic method known as the method of doubt. The method of doubt teaches us to take our beliefs and subject them to doubt. If it is possible to doubt, then we treat them as false, and we need to repeat this process until we are unable to find something to doubt on. The main point is that we treat all our beliefs as false until we find a foundation which is undoubtable, and we used the undoubtable things to build up everything on it. The method of doubt will be elaborated based on: doubting the senses, doubting the physical world (dream), and imagining that there exists an evil genius. Descartes begins by pointing out that our senses are unreliable. He questions all knowledge that he had acquired either from the senses or through the senses. He noticed that if the senses had deceived him even once, they were no more trustworthy. It is a mark of prudence never to place our complete trust in those who have deceived us even once. (18-19). For example, He often mistook what he saw at a distance such as straight thing look bent, round thing look oval, square thing look round, and mountains look purple (). In addition, even the impression Descartes received in the moment he was directly looking the fire before him while he was writing proved not to be reliable (19). How did Descartes know that he was not really in insane or dreaming? He answers this question by saying that our immediate impressions are so vivid that they must be real. However, Descartes contradict his answer by saying that he always dreamed of sitting before the fire while writing (19), and some of these dreams becomes visible to him quite vividly. Hence, he could not be sure that he was not dreaming at that moment. According to this doubt, Descartes confirmed that all the knowledge receivedthrough the senses must be temporarily prevented from continuing because there are not certain. In addition, we can doubt that what our senses give us is accurate, but they cannot be the foundation of building true knowledge or certainty. In addition, Descartes continues his method of doubt by assuming for the sake of argument that we are dreaming about everything. If we are dreaming about everything, there is still some knowledge that is acquired within the dream itself. This means that although we can doubt that all the images and ideas that we see in our dreams refer to some outward reality. However, we can consider these images and ideas in their simple components in order to see if any of images and ideas might be true in themselves. After rejecting all simple components of images and ideas which are based on senses such as color, sound, etc., Descartes came to the simple truth of mathematics. Which is that one plus two equals three does not depends on any sensible experience, but is gotten entirely from our minds despites of whether we are asleep or awake. Descartes used this principle to reach at a clear and distinct idea which is beyond all doubt. Therefore, we can say in words that one plus three equals four, but we cannot actually think in our minds that it equals four but three. Furthermore, Descartes took his search for the truth that is beyond any doubt to the extreme by imagining that there is an evil genius. Descartes consider the evil genius to be someone who has the power of God, but who is not good. The evil genius is determined to deceive us into thinking that there is a physical world when in fact there is none. For example, using the famous Matrix movie, the machines that are used in the movie would be considered as the evil geniuses. Everything would seem to us to be real just like in the matrix, but none of it would be real. However, Descartes does not actually believe that this evil genius exists, but there is no way to ruled it out based on our sensory experience. Hence, how can we doubt that one plus two does not equals three when our minds necessarily admit that it equals three? Descartes used the concept of the evil genuis to hypothesize that maybe there is an evil god who is deceiving us from getting the correct answer. Even though, we alwa ys think that one plus two equals three. Maybe this god is actually tricking us, and in reality it equals four. Descartes linked this circumstance where we are absolutely confident about our belief toward a certain fact, but despite this confident we often discover later that we had mistaken about the fact. This might be the case for our mathematical truths in which an evil god is deceiving us from getting the correct solution to a problem every time we count or do the mathematics. Moreover, Descartes main objective of using the method of doubt was to find a foundation on which truth or true knowledge can be built. Descartes wanted to find a certainty or truth which could not be doubted beyond dispute. The question what does it means to be certainty? as posed in above introduction can be define as being unable to doubt what we know. Something that cannot be possibly be doubted is certain. By possible to doubt, Descartes means any possibility what so ever. This will guarantee that whatever cannot be doubted really is certain. Therefore, if one could find something that was truly undoubted in this sense, we could use it in a valid argument like a syllogism. The conclusion of which would be that the world exists in the way that we think it does. In addition, Descartes was skeptical in his arguments. This is he apply reasoning and critical thinking to determine validity of his arguments. He was able to find supported conclusion and not the justification of a precon ceived conclusion. To conclude, Descartes developed the method of doubt to find certainty. For the purpose of this method, if we can doubt a belief then we treat that belief as false. He applies this method systemically. He doubts that the world is the way it appear to be, he doubts that there is a physical world at all, and finally he doubts the mathematical truths. However, the one thing that Descartes cannot doubt is that while he doubts, he must exist. Even if there was an evil genius and if he was deceiving me in to thinking that there was a physical world when in fact there is none, it could not be the case that I think that there is a physical world if there werent a me to deceived. Therefore, when I am thinking, I know I exist and this cannot be doubted. Using this method of doubt, Descartes finally found certainty which is he exist as a thinking thing, whether there is a physical world or not he cannot doubt he exists. This is the foundation he plans to build back all of the stuff he previousl y doubted as cited in the introduction.

Management Information On Decision Making Information Technology Essay

Management Information On Decision Making Information Technology Essay In today advance technological and competitive business environment Management Information System plays a vital role. This assignment report explains how information management changes the overall structure of the organisation and how it effects the different aspect of organisation business such as strategic decision making, Information sharing, production, financial, marketing and customer interaction. Some data and information evaluation methods are discussed which provides high quality information to the management information system for the completion of important task. Finally decision-making tools such as SWOT and ASHEN are discussed that how these tools helping in decision-making. ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES 7004-STRATEGIC INFORMATION MANAGEMENT ASSIGNMENT QUESTION With reference to your organization, identify strategic information system (IS) issues and critically analyze and evaluate the organizations practice to solve the problems connected with implementing strategic information systems. Also discuss the wider organizational implications of the steps taken by the organization in the use of IS and their consequences. Your report should cover the following learning outcomes and assessment criteria:- LO1: Understanding the impact of management information on decision making The basic concern of Management Information System (MIS) is the collection, processing, storing, exchanging and transmission of the appropriate information in the organization for the support of management operations. Therefore with help of this appropriate information collected from different process, an organization can make a successful decision. In the absence of Management Information System (MIS) there is small chances for an organization to achieve its targets and business growth. Assessment Criteria 1.1 Identify the features of data and information Data: Data is defined as the collection of facts about events. This collection of facts is in raw form means that an unorganised and unprocessed form, which cannot be use for meaningful purpose for example Name, Age, Price etc. Information: Information is defined as a well-organised, well-processed and meaningful form of data generated from raw data. The end users utilises this meaningful data for making a decision easily for example Employees Records, Sale Report etc. Accessibility, Relevance, comprehensibility, timeliness and accuracy: In any organisation it is important that accessibility to information must be provided to all departments employees it means that availability of information to the management and other staff. The accessible information must be relevant to the processes, functionality and operations of that department. The information must be comprehensible i.e. clear, well organised and structured, must be timelines i.e. suitable to complete related task and must be accurate to generate the expected result properly. Determine the criteria to be applied when selecting data and information to support decision-making In business environment data is a valuable asset for any organisation. The data must be collected carefully because organisation decision-making processes are based on the generated information from this data. While selecting data and information for decision-making we must apply some criteria to this selection such as accuracy, validity, clarity etc. Data selection criteria: Accuracy, completeness, validity, consistency Accuracy: Data accuracy is vital role in management information because an accurate data can generate highly valuable results. For data accuracy timeliness is important otherwise there will be errors in the result. Completeness: The completeness of the data means the availability of latest data for decision-maker. The incomplete data can lead to poor decision-making management information. Validity: The validity of data mean data must be collected carefully and from an authentic source. The source of data must be known and verified. Consistency: The consistency of data is key role in good management information because it generates reliable, steady, well-organised and well-structured information. Information selection criteria: Data quality, definition clarity, relevance, presentation, timeliness, availability Data quality: To generate highly valuable and standard information data must be according to certain quality standards such as data must be in the appropriate format, well structure, well-organised and standard transferring method must be used. Definition clarity: The generated Information must be clearly and easily understandable, this will allow organisation employees to use the right information in the right place. Relevance: Information must be relevant to a task that it can be examined and packaged into an effective format. This is helpful that the management information is having to the point information but the information must not be incomplete. Presentation: The management information must be able to present information in the right format, order, well-structured and attractive design. This will describe a clearer picture of the organisation. Timeliness: The information must not take longer time i.e. must be concise and to the point that the management information can quickly response. Availability: The regular availability of information must be guaranteed to the management information that all tasks can run smoothly and the management information is able to generate up to date results. Evaluate the impact of a management information system to an organisation Increasing productivity and creativity: Management information system provides knowledge to workers accessing information resources. Using this knowledge the productivity of organisation is increased rapidly i.e. manufacture more products in short time. Not only this but also it brings new ideas and inspiration into the organisation. Developing policies: Management information system helps organisations to get maximum benefits from the extensive use of these information resources in developing policies i.e. planning, implementation and evaluation in the organisation. Use of strategic information resources: In the management information system the strategic information resources helps organisation in increasing productivity and brings new innovation. Organisations are able to do better planning, implement new policies efficiently. Strategic information resources improve the use of information resources in business, government and non-profit organisations strategies. Understanding ICT as a tool for accessing information In the management information system the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools are the most commonly used source for accessing information. These tools allow organization to access any type of information such products, researches, new developments, quality standards, communication with employees and customers etc. Managing external, corporate and internal information in organization The management information system systematically and efficiently manages the external information i.e. customer needs and choices, corporate information i.e. organisation values, brand names, advertising and marketing procedure, and internal information i.e. effectiveness of tasks, quick processing, interpretation and response of the organisation staff. Using information to support business processes Information supports the following business process. Market and customer information Using Market information organisation can learn about the competitors in the market allowing them to improve product quality, increase productivity etc. using customer information organisation will have a better understanding of customer needs and choices. Product information Using product information organisation can improve products quality, increase production, price comparison and easily availability. Specialist knowledge Using specialist knowledge organisation can manufacture new innovative products, add new customer to business, reduced cost and expenditure. Business process information Business process information supports the internal information about the performance of the organisation such Finances, Customer, internal process and learning and growth. Management information and plans Management information and plans supports the developing policies, future planes, and improvement of services of the organisation. Human resource information Human resource information is essential for organisations reputation, product support, future planes and innovations. Supplier information The Supplier information allows the organisations to choose from a large number of suppliers offers affordable price, best quality and quick service. LO2: Understanding the importance of information sharing within the organisation Information sharing within the organisation making employees as team allowing them to put forward their ideas, inspiration, new creations, discuss different matter and find solution for critical issue. This improves the overall efficiency of the organisation in terms of employees, products, policies, customers and competitors. Assessment Criteria 2.1 Determine the legal responsibilities in sourcing, sharing and storing information Confidentiality and privacy: Special care must be taken when sourcing, sharing and storing information such that this must fully compliance with the Data Protection Act. Information about organisation and employee must not be disclosed with out their consent. Copyright and software protection Any type of data, information and software must be used under copyright and software protection Act. This means that using someone work must be authorised by that person or any organisation to which it belongs. Contractual obligations In case of conditional agreement information sourcing, sharing and storing must not breach the conditions i.e. all these operations must be according to the terms and conditions of contract. IS and Crime (criminal not civil law) This includes frauds i.e. dishonestly use of information, infringement i.e. violation of rules and regulation, miss used of information i.e. for the purpose of making organisation or individual unpopular. 2.2 Discuss when information should be offered and access allowed. Information obtaining, accessing and processing must be according to the Data Protection Act, which gives the right to individuals Person, organisation etc to know what information is held about them, the purpose of information holding as well ensures them that personal information is handled properly. Anyone who is processing someone personal information must comply with the eight principles of Data Protection Act, which are explained below. Fairly and lawful process: According to 1st principle, Personal data must be processed fairly and lawfully. This means that the data subject i.e. person, organisation permitted the processing of their personal information for any legal and legitimate purposes such as employment, justice, health and safety etc. Process for limited purpose: According to 2nd principle, Personal data must be obtained and process for a limited purpose only i.e. one or more particular and lawful purposes. If the further processing of personal information is required for other purposes than the specified then the data subject must be informed and further processing should be according to the data object consent. Adequate, relevant and not excessive: According to 3rd principle, Personal data must be adequate, relevant and not excessive in relation to the purpose it is obtained and processed. This must ensure the data subject that the processing of personal data is relevant to the specified purpose and is not unnecessary. Accurate and up to date: According to 4th principle, Personal data must be accurate and up to date if necessary. This means that the accuracy of the data must be ensure whatever it is directly obtained from the data subject or it is through third party. It is the responsibility of the data object to inform the about any changes or inaccuracy in the data. Not kept for longer than is necessary: According to 5th principle, Personal data must not be kept longer than is required for the purpose or purposes after it is processed. Process in line with a persons right: According to 6th principle, Personal data shall be processed with the data subject rights under the Data Protection act. This means the data subject has the right to request for the correction, blocking and deleting of their personal data after processing. Secure: According to 7th principle, the security of personal data must be ensures. This means that in case of unauthorised or unlawful processing, accidental loss and destruction to the personal data appropriate technical and organisational measures should be taken to prevent such incidents. Data Transfer According to 8th principle, Personal data must not be transferred outside the European Economic Area i.e. to outside countries. If the outside countries can ensures that personal data will have adequate level of protection and will be processed with the consent of data object and for the specified purpose, then in such situation data can be transferred. 2.3 Evaluate the formats in which information can be offered. Electronic/manual: In Electronic format information are provided through electronic means computer generated such as E-mail, Ms Word file, Excel sheet, Data Bases etc. while manual information are almost are provided on papers i.e. printed or handwritten such as log books, manual order book, letters, books, reports etc. Lists of Individuals List of individual could be computer generated or manual, which contains details about organization employees, managerial stop and other staff responsible for different task. Usually this contains names, designation, contact etc. Libraries: Libraries are well organized and well-structured data storage system used in computer to holds data files, folders, records, pictures, and videos in a proper order etc. now days there are many electronic libraries holding e-book, e-journal etc. not only electronic libraries are used still most organization using large number of manual libraries contains books, journal, research papers, reports etc. Folders Folder is container used by computer system for organizing folders, programs and files on a disk in graphical user interfaces mostly represented with a graphical image (icon) of file folder on the screen. Manual folders normally used for holding papers i.e. invoices, report, expenses etc. Documents Computer generated document is any self-contained piece of work created with help of any application program is saved with a unique file name. This unique name is used to retrieve that document. While manual documents are hard copies or handwritten records, personal detail, manual etc. List items inside the lists This is heretical or tree structure, similar items are list under single category the inside list are known as sub categories of the main category. This keeps items in an organized structure and it is easy to find and locate a specific item. List items present in the libraries: In the libraries all items are divided in categories, each category contains a list of interrelated items as well sub items, this categorization helps in searching and locating items within the vast amount of the available items. LO3: Use information to inform and support strategic decision-making Assessment Criteria 3.1 Analyze information to identify patterns and trends With the help of information system organisations can identify and predict the patterns and trends in all aspect of the business such as market, competition, customer demands etc and based on the information analysis they can make good strategic decisions. The market The Information system analyses the data collected from the market and based on the analysis the organisation can decide about the product quality improvement, increase productivity, adjust product price and can decide about the launching of new products and organisation future planes. The competition Based on the Information system analysis of the market data organisation can decide about the product price reduction, improves quality, improve advertising campaign, more facilities to customer and shareholder, easily availability etc as competition with other organisation. The state of economy Based on the Information system analysis organisation can manufacture economical product with low cost and can utilise available resources efficiently i.e. reduction in manufacturing time, proper use of material, required amount of product, reduction in manufacturing defects etc. Legislative development Information system improves the legislative system of the organisation. They are fully compliance with the data protection act, international laws and standards, legal rights. Based on the information analysis the organisations can take legal steps to attract Customers, compete with their competitors, can utilise information resources, shares informations, utilise hardware and software etc. Customer demands Based on the Information system analyses of the collected data from the market organization can predict the customer demands such as what customer wants, is their need of improvement in products, is there a possibility to launch new product, are products easily available to customer, is there a need of change in the policy and legislation, are customers able to commits complains and advices etc, are they happy with prices etc. Evaluate a range of decision making tools and techniques available to support a strategic decision SWOT SWOT (Strength weaknesses opportunities and Threats) analysis tools provide an organization a structural analysis of its Strengths, Weaknesses, the opportunities and threats they are facing. The SWOT analysis is based on the discussions and people viewpoints and it is not the end but step before any action planning take place. The organization use the analysis result to appreciate its strength (personal, competition, knowledge, production etc) for taking decision to minimize its weaknesses (improve developments, competition, product quality, customer communication etc), utilize most of the opportunities (possibilities, value in next five years, product demands etc) available and treating possible present and future threats (limitations, losing product values, equipment and software fault etc) in a planned and well organized way. Critical success factor (CSF) Critical success factor is an approach takes by the organisation to determine organisational need for information. There are a numbers of key factors required for any organisation to be successful, these factors are known as critical success factors. If organisation is unable to achieve these critical success factors, then this will have a high impact on the organisation and as a result there is possibility of organisation failure. The diagram below describes how CSF helping organisation in the determination for need in key decision (KD) and information Required (IR) CSF KD KD KD IR IR IR IR IR IR Where CSF represents Critical success factor, KDs represents key decision and IR represents information required to support key decisions. Model Driven DSS Model-driven is a complex Decision Support System (DSS) system helping in analyzing decisions or choosing different options between the available. This type of system is used by the organization / Business managers and staff members, or by other peoples usually interact with the organization. The use of the system is for a number of purposes, which is depending on the setup of the model such as scheduling, decision analyses etc. there are a number of ways for the deployment of Model Driven DSS system such as in stand alone PCs through hardware and software in, through client / server systems, or through the web. Data Driven DSS The organization manager mostly uses the Data Driven Decision Support System (DSS) system as well staff and the product/service suppliers used it. The use of the system is for a specific need by sending query to a database or data warehouse, which then returns the requested specific information. This type of system is mostly deployed through a mainframe system, client/server system and trough the web. Computer-based databases are the example such system, having the capability to response to query and valuable results value from existing databases. Data Mining Data Mining is the data analyzing process from different perspectives and after processing generation of useful information summary. This summary information are utilized by the organizations to increase revenue, cuts costs etc. Data mining software is one of the analytical tools available to analyze data. This tool allows users to do analysis of the data from different angles, categorize data, and finally identification of the relationships in a summarized data. Determine the source available to assist in analyzing data information Information resources such as Data, Information and knowledge In business environment information resources are the most valuable assets for any organisation. The information i.e. data, information or knowledge must be collected carefully and with authenticity because the organisation decision-making processes are based on these information. These sources of these information resources could be organisation employees, customer and other organisations but there must be some criteria for using these resources such as accuracy, validity, clarity etc. Technology resources such as hardware and software For the processing of organisation data and information such as products detail, employees details, manufacturing, stock and accounts information appropriate technology resources such hardware i.e. computer systems, printers etc and software database system, data analysis tools etc must be available to managers and staffs of the organisation. Using such resources reduces production time, cost, improves communication within the organisation and with the customers. People resources such as employee and managers in organizations Organisation employees and managers are the vital part in analysing data because they provides the organisation internal data such as manufactured quantity, cost, stock etc and as well they are operating the available equipments, computer systems and software. In organisation mostly there are people specially trained for operating specialised hardware and software for information processing, analysing, report generation. LO4: Monitor and review management information Assessment Criteria 4.1 Identify methods of evaluating management information within an organization For high level of management information organisations utilise different information evaluation methods to ensure a reliable, trusted and quality of information management system. Data governance Data governance (DG) is the overall management of the data employed in the enterprise. The Data governance ensures the availability, usability, integrity, and security of the employed data. A governing body or council runs a well-organized data governance program with a well-defined set of procedures and plans for the execution of defined procedures in the right direction. The followings are the three key elements of the successful data governance in an organization. The ability to use timely, reliable, trusted information to drive the business The data governance program must be able to ensure the information availability within the prescribed time frame to the recipients that it can be processed at in early stage. This information must be reliable i.e. consistent that execution of different processes can be performed in proper order and in the right direction. As well the information must be trusted i.e. accurate, update and must be gathered from the trusted source otherwise it will lead to program failure. Improving the quality of business decision- making The data governance programme must be able to utilise certain standard decision support systems for the achievement of high quality of business decision-making such as Model Driven DSS, Data Driven DSS etc. The available data for decision-making must be according to certain quality standard, appropriate format, well structured and well organised. Ensuring consistent use of information The data governance program must ensure the consistent use of information in organisation for reliability and smooth flow of business different process. The information flow must be regular to different component of the overall system that the system can generate reliable, trusted and high quality of result otherwise inconsistency will generate incorrect result and will lead to system failure. Management information value Timeliness Timeliness is a high importance in management information, which means that the recipients must receive information within the prescribed time frame. The timeliness can ensure an early stage information execution, which generates the accurate information result. The characteristic of timeliness of information must be effective as well must includes the current up to date information. Content Management information system provides valuable contents for organisation internal and external process support. These contents support business different process such as contents for decision making process, for manufacturing process, for marketing process, financial process, customer and services support etc. Format Management information system provides information in an appropriate and clear format, which is easily understandable. The provided information clearly describe the need, the purpose and place where it can be used such as market related information clearly describes the value of the organisation and its product that can be used to improve quality and services. Cost Management information systems help organizations in cost reduction in the overall business i.e. internally and externally. It allows organizations to deliver their products and services to customers at lower price than their competitors. Therefore, due to information system organizations can survive in difficult situations and can grow rapidly. 4.2 Discuss process for analyzing impact of information on strategic decision made Set objective of process or organization The information analysis allows the decision-maker in the organization to develop and set objectives and allocates resources required for the achievement of these objectives. Thus the organization top-level management is benefiting from information analysis in making strategic planning. Evaluate weather goals achieved The information system allows the organisation to evaluate weather the desired goals are achieved from the information analysis or not. In case of failure the process is refined with utilising more resources, expertise, care and thoroughly investigation to make sure a quality of result achieves. Gap analysis is used for the evaluation of weather goals achieved or not. Assess reasons for variance from target to actual The performance diagnosis is done by applying knowledge to performance to check weather the processes, operations and functions are generating the quality results or not. Each process is judged thoroughly weather the overall process is running smoothly and will complete successfully. Revise and implement new approaches or modify goals If there is any mistake in the process it is revised and retest. Some times the achievement of the desired resulted new approaches is implemented and some time the difficulties in achieving result can lead to modification in goals. 4.3 Determine methods of developing information capture to inform and support strategic decision-making DIKAR: Data Information Knowledge Action Result The DIKAR model is used for information quality, which is very helpful in understanding the attributes of management information quality. The diagram below is the description of the overall model. Source: Dr.L.Ali, 7004_Strategic Information Management, 2009, Lecture Notes, Cromwell college of IT Management As shown in the diagram the DIKAR model is based on the attributes of the Data, Information, Knowledge, Action and results. These attributes ensure the quality of the each component of the DIKAR model as from the start to the end quality is maintained in all processes. The table below explains the attributes of each component. Data Quality The provided data must be accurate i.e. up to date, the whole data to complete that task i.e. completeness, collected from authentic and trusted source i.e. validity and regularly available for smooth flow i.e. consistency. Information Quality Information must be generated from a quality data, all definition must clearly describe the purpose, only relevant information should be used related to a task, the presentation of information should be in the proper order and right format, information must be provided to the recipient in the prescribed time frame and finally availability of information must be ensure to the end user related to that task. Knowledge Quality For knowledge quality the information quality must be maintained as described in the previous section, ASHEN factors (is explained in the next section) must be taken into account, the end user must be experienced in using such knowledge i.e. prior experience, knowledge must be clear and easily understandable i.e. explicit knowledge and finally must be understood clearly by the end user i.e. tacit knowledge. Action Quality An appropriate action must be taken for the solution of the task, this action must be with in the prescribed time frame and must generate results with clarity that ends user can utilise results in the right place and in the right direction. Result Quality The generated output must clearly state the achieved objectives and consistency of results. The achieved result must be the right and desired and efficient for the task. ASHEN: Artefacts Skills Heuristics Experience Natural talent The ASHEN factors is used for the assessment of knowledge quality at the points des

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Strength, Personality, and Style Assessments & Motivation Essay

In my paper regarding strength assessments from the Rath’s Strengths Finder 2.00 (Rath) I learned how it can improve the development of my leadership. About a year ago I took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment (The Myers & Briggs Foundation); I was identified as an ENTJ and ENFJ (split personality). I recently took another assessment detailing with my style (Style Analysis). The strength finder 2.0 assessment defined my top five leadership strengths; the Myers Briggs defined my personality; and this new assessment defining my style behavior. These assessments are very valuable in knowing who I am as a leader. Leadership is about getting others to accomplish goals bigger than themselves. That requires motivation. Now that I understand more about myself and my leadership style, how can I use this knowledge to motivate and persuade others? In the lecture presentation by Dr Homes (Homes) he discussed how the strength-finder is a tool that he uses in his operations to help and identify strengths that both compliment and fill missing gaps. These assessments help identify compatibility. Compatibility includes your co-workers, superiors, subordinates and other in the work place but also in your personal life. He discussed the need to understand the strength of others so that we can relate to them better. And by relating better, we are able to manage, motivate and lead them better. He clearly articulated the value of the strength finder assessment for better leadership. The assessment that I recently took at work was titled Style Analysis (Style Analysis) also referred to as the DISC style analysis, (See attached materials) and was part of a presentation by Phil Begley, Managing Principal of Riverstone Organizational Ad... ... Begley, Phil. "Coaching Diverse Styles." Greenville: Rivestone Organicational Advisors, Inc., 2011 Presentation March 3rd, 2011 at Mount Pleasant Waterworks, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Collins, Jim. Good To Great. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2001. Greg Laurie, General Editor. New Believer's Bible. Ed. Greg Laurie. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2006. Homes, Dr. Sonny. "Strength Finder 2.0" Leacture March 3, 2011 at Charleston Southern University, SC Northouse, Peter G. Leaderhip Theory and Practice. Ed. Fifth Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Inc, 2010. Rath, Tom. Strengths Finder 2.0. New York: Gallup Press, 2007. "Style Analysis"- Target Traning International, Ltd, 2011. The Myers & Briggs Foundation. 2011. 6 March 2011 . Strength, Personality, and Style Assessments & Motivation Essay In my paper regarding strength assessments from the Rath’s Strengths Finder 2.00 (Rath) I learned how it can improve the development of my leadership. About a year ago I took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment (The Myers & Briggs Foundation); I was identified as an ENTJ and ENFJ (split personality). I recently took another assessment detailing with my style (Style Analysis). The strength finder 2.0 assessment defined my top five leadership strengths; the Myers Briggs defined my personality; and this new assessment defining my style behavior. These assessments are very valuable in knowing who I am as a leader. Leadership is about getting others to accomplish goals bigger than themselves. That requires motivation. Now that I understand more about myself and my leadership style, how can I use this knowledge to motivate and persuade others? In the lecture presentation by Dr Homes (Homes) he discussed how the strength-finder is a tool that he uses in his operations to help and identify strengths that both compliment and fill missing gaps. These assessments help identify compatibility. Compatibility includes your co-workers, superiors, subordinates and other in the work place but also in your personal life. He discussed the need to understand the strength of others so that we can relate to them better. And by relating better, we are able to manage, motivate and lead them better. He clearly articulated the value of the strength finder assessment for better leadership. The assessment that I recently took at work was titled Style Analysis (Style Analysis) also referred to as the DISC style analysis, (See attached materials) and was part of a presentation by Phil Begley, Managing Principal of Riverstone Organizational Ad... ... Begley, Phil. "Coaching Diverse Styles." Greenville: Rivestone Organicational Advisors, Inc., 2011 Presentation March 3rd, 2011 at Mount Pleasant Waterworks, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Collins, Jim. Good To Great. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2001. Greg Laurie, General Editor. New Believer's Bible. Ed. Greg Laurie. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2006. Homes, Dr. Sonny. "Strength Finder 2.0" Leacture March 3, 2011 at Charleston Southern University, SC Northouse, Peter G. Leaderhip Theory and Practice. Ed. Fifth Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Inc, 2010. Rath, Tom. Strengths Finder 2.0. New York: Gallup Press, 2007. "Style Analysis"- Target Traning International, Ltd, 2011. The Myers & Briggs Foundation. 2011. 6 March 2011 .

Concept map

Take for example, peer pressure from bad associates. They eight pressure us to ditch classes, cheat, drink alcohols, smoke, try taking drugs and influence us to disobey our parents. Another is peer pressure from our own wrong desires. Its given since in our teenage stage, we youth are adventurous. We wanted to try something new we haven't experience yet and we crave on something we don't have. Thus, being attentive can help us to caution ourselves from dangers.If we see troubles coming in our way, don't walk right in to it find another way. Secondly, think about the consequences. Why not ask yourself? For instance: How lives feel later if I give in? What may be the outcome? How can it affect the others, specially, to your love ones? Remember, bible says at Proverbs 14: 1 5, smart people watch their steps. Doing right decisions requires a lot of time to meditate. For this, we just don't jump in to any conclusions. Use your imaginations.Third step, we must plan ahead. Proverbs 24: 5, à ¢â‚¬Ëœwith knowledge a man increases his power'. If we know why we don't do those something and the reasons why it's bad, we can have the strength to say No. There are two ways to do that, strengthen your convictions and seek good explanations. Know how to distinguish right from wrong and give them the right reason for them to to bother you again. Finally the fourth step, take action. Now, we don't have to lecture them. Just say ‘No', clearly and confident.Stand firm in our beliefs for they are not theories but facts. Granted that, those beliefs are all according from the scriptures. Each time we show determinants to resist pressure, we grow strong and stronger. It'll be easier for us to resist peer pressure the next time. Therefore, reacting to peer's pressure depends on us. If we remain weak and unable to stand firm, well never get rid of it. Yes, they are inevitable but by following those steps, you'll see things differently.

Thar

STUDENT CAREER ESSAY What Do You Want to Be? D o you see yourself as the next great American inventor? Maybe you’re thinking about becoming a lawyer, an architect, a filmmaker or a photographer. There are as many career options out there as there are stars in the sky, so when it comes to your future — think big! You may change your mind about a career as you get older, but it’s important to have information about all types of careers as early in life as possible. Whatever you want to do, education beyond high school can help you make the most of your life.You can find information on all types of careers, and the education and training needed for each, at the websites listed below. You can explore other resources, or talk with someone who does this type of work, to find out even more about what you want to be. After you’ve researched the career you’re interested in, follow the instructions for writing an essay. Essay Instructions ? The essay should b e 200 to 300 words. (That’s about as long as these instructions, without the websites listed below. ) Be creative — make up your own title.Include your name. Tell us what career is of interest to you and why. What type of education or training will you need for the career? What are the opportunities for this type of work in the future? Tell us what steps you took to learn about this career. Don’t forget to pay attention to spelling and grammar while writing the essay. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? You can also view these instructions and the websites below at www. MatchThePromise. org. (Your parents can find information on essay scoring criteria on Page 5 of the Description and Application Instructions. Dream big! The future is waiting for you. Helpful Career Websites http://www. careeronestop. org/StudentsandCareerAdvisors/ExploreCareersStudents. aspx CareerOneStop Explore occupations and industries to plan your future. Sponsored by the U. S. Department of Labor, Employment an d Training Administration. Kids. gov http://kids. usa. gov/teens-home/jobs/index. shtml View occupations in different career fields. From the U. S. General Services Administration, Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies. My Next Move http://www. ynextmove. org Describe your dream career in a few words, browse careers by industry or answer questions about work you might enjoy. Also find careers with a bright outlook. Created for the U. S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, by the National Center for O*NET Development. (continued on back) Susan Combs Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts CAREER ESSAY Helpful Career Websites (cont’d) What Do You Like? http://www. bls. gov/k12/ Explore career information based on what you like to do. Kids’ career pages from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook http://www. bls. gov/ooh Search by occupation group, or search by pay, education, training and projected growth rate, to find information for hundreds of different careers. From the U. S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Every Chance Every Texan http://everychanceeverytexan. org/texasjobs/ View top jobs in Texas, and the education and training needed for each. Also view the state’s top industries. From the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.Texas Reality Check http://www. texasrealitycheck. com When you’re out on your own, you’ll need to pay for housing, transportation, clothes, entertainment and other expenses. Find out how much money you might need and which careers will pay for those needs. Brought to you by the Texas Workforce Commission and the Texas Education Agency. Texas CARES http://www. texascaresonline. com/wowmenu. asp Explore opportunities based on your work values and interests. Search by career title, occupation group, keyword and more. Also find out about new and emerging careers.From the Texas Workforce Commission. BigFuture https://bigfuture. collegeboard. org/majors-careers Explore college majors and career options. Also select an interest to explore related careers. By The College Board. CareerShip http://mappingyourfuture. org/planyourcareer/careership/ Match your career interests, review careers by clusters (occupations and industries that share common features) or search by keyword. Product of Mapping Your Future, a public-service website. Susan Combs Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts 96-1724 (9/12)

Founding Fathers Essay

In the past century, there has been a growing debate as to the motives of the founders of the republic and as a result the nature of our constitution. While Marxist analysts such as Charles Beard contended that the founders were wealthy elite that ultimately created a conservative document intended to weaken the poor popular majority, other scholars like John Roche believed that the fathers had no such agenda and they were working purely to reconcile states’ interests. Pluralists, such as Hofstadter, believed that the constitutional insistence of checks and balances intended to create a slow political process in which no interest can completely win and oppress other interests over a long period of time. While the scholars, Beard and Roche, make a strong defense of their opposing argument, it appears, based on the constitutional document and historical analysis that Hofstadter provided a more accurate portrayal of the founding fathers and their purpose in framing the various pi eces of the Constitution. The men who wrote the constitution came from a particular background of wealthy and politically elite people and as a result one of their main concerns in the newly developing nation was the protection of their property. Under the Articles of Confederation, there was no guaranteed right of property and the economy was becoming a mess as there was no power to keep it controlled. Charles Beard states in his document, â€Å"They were anxious above everything else to safeguard the rights of private property against any leveling tendencies on the part of the propertyless masses.† In a country where the majority rules, the wealthy few became vulnerable to possibility of the poor population taking their belongings. Beard believes evidence of this can be seen throughout the Constitution, such as the Contract and Commerce clause which both limit state powers and allow Congress to regulate trading and property rights. The second piece of evidence is that certain branches of the government, the Senate, President, and Supreme Court, are not directly elected by the people. John P. Roche suggests that the framing of the Constitution was essentially a democratic process involving the unification of the state, political, and  economic interests of the nation. Roche recognizes that the framers were an elite, but he is careful to point out that they were a political elite dedicated for the most part to creating an efficient and at the same time controlled national government that would be able to overcome the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. The framers were not an organized few dedicated to particular notions of political or economic beliefs beyond the need to create a national government that would be capable of uniting the disparate interests of the state. When the Constitutionalists decided to challenge the Confederation, they used the methods of political legitimacy. The 3/5 compromise allowed more representation of the lower population in the house of representatives and the bill of rights was formed in order to ensure state rights and c heck the central government. Roche believes the bicameral legislation of the constitution was effective at producing pluralism. Finally, the last theory of what the founding fathers intended for the purpose of the Constitution to be was to create a balanced government that followed the philosophy of checks and balance which derived from the Enlightenment ideals of Montesquieu. In â€Å"The Founding Fathers: An Age of Realism,† Hofstadter argues that the agenda of the founding fathers was not only to ensure the rights of property for the wealthy elite, but also for the poorer masses. â€Å"Most of them would probably have admitted that the rich, unrestrained, would also plunder the poor.† The purpose of the Constitution was to create a government that allowed both the elite and individuals to maintain their rights and opportunities in the nation. The framing made sure to include legislation that aided the wealthy but also pieces that helped represent the larger population. The contract and commerce clauses protected property rights and strengthened the central government, but then the Bill of Rights and the House of Representatives gave power to the states and the poor majority. In addition, while the President can veto bills, Congress has the chance to override the veto with a 2/3 majority. The Senate, representing states, and the House of Representatives provide involvement for the majority in the Constitution, while the President and Supreme Court are chosen by the minority and provide protection for the smaller group of individuals. The founding fathers made  sure to include checks and balances when they developed the Constitution in order to ensure a fair government where one group does not hold the most power. Both Beard and Roche have contrasting views on what the purpose was of the founding fathers in their framing of the Constitution, but both are ultimately flawed as it is wrong to say that their agenda was limited to selfish greed or altruism for the majority. The real agenda, as Hofstadter explains, was to form a balanced government that ensures the basic rights for both the majority and minority, allowing the wealthy and the poor to be represented and protected under the branches of the government and legislation through a system of checks and balances.

Night World : Witchlight Chapter 9

Keller reacted instantly and instinctively. She changed. She did it on the leap this time. Rushing the process along, pushing it from behind. She wanted to be entirely a panther by the time she landed on the girl's back. But some things can't be rushed. She felt herself begin to liquefy and flow†¦ formlessness†¦ pleasure†¦ the utter freedom of not being bound to any single physical shape. Then reformation, a stretching of all her cells as they reached to become something different, to unfurl like butterfly wings into a new kind of body. Her jumpsuit misted into the fur that ran along her body, up and down from the stomach in front, straight down from the nape of her neck in back. Her ears surged and then firmed up, thin-skinned, rounded, and twitching already. From the base of her spine, her tail sprang free, its slightly clubbed end whipping eagerly. That was how she landed. She knocked the girl cleanly over, and they both went rolling on the floor. When they stopped, Keller was crouching on the girl's stomach. She didn't want to kill the girl. She needed to find some things out first. What kind of Night Person the girl was, and who'd sent her. The only problem was that now, as she knelt with her hands gripping the girl's arms, staring into dark blue eyes under soft brown- bangs, she couldn't sense anything of the Night World in the girl's life energy. Shapeshifters were the uncontested best at that. They could tell a human from a Night Person nine times out of ten. And this girl wasn't even in the â€Å"maybe† range. She was giving off purely human signals. Not to mention screaming. Her mouth was wide open, and so were her eyes, and so were her pupils. Her skin had gone blue-white like someone about to faint. She looked utterly bewildered and horrified, and she wasn't making a move to fight back. Keller's heart sank. But if the girl was human and harmless, why hadn't she listened when Keller had shouted at her? â€Å"Boss, we have to shut her up.† It was Winnie, yelling above the girl's throaty screams. As usual, Nissa didn't say a word, but she was the one who shut the music room door. By then, Keller had recovered enough to put a hand over the girl's mouth. The screaming stopped. Then she looked at the others. They were staring at her. Wide-eyed. Keller felt like a kitten with its paw in the canary cage. Here she was, sitting on this human girl's midriff, in her half-and-half form. Her ears and tail were a panther's, and she was clothed from her snug boots to her shoulders in fur. It fit her like a black velvet jumpsuit, a sleeveless one that left her arms and neck bare. The hair on her head was still a human's and swirled around her to touch the floor on every side. Her face was human, too, except for the pupils of her eyes, which were narrow ovals, reacting to every change of light and shadow. And her teeth. Her canines had become delicately pointed, giving her just the slightest hint of fangs. She blinked at Galen, not sure what she saw in his expression. He was definitely staring at her, and there was some strong emotion pulling his face taut and making that white line around his mouth. Horror? Disgust? He was a shapeshifter himself-or he would be if he could ever make up his mind. He'd seen her in panther form. Why should he be shocked at this? The answer flashed back at Keller from some deep part of her brain. Only because I'm a monster this way. Panthers are part of nature and can't be blamed for what they do. I'm a savage thing that doesn't manage to be either an animal or a person. And I'm dangerous in this form. Neither half of me is really in control. Someone who's never changed could never understand that. Galen took a step toward her. His jaw was tense, but his gold-green eyes were fixed on hers, and his hand was slightly lifted. Keller wondered if it was the gesture of a hostage negotiator. He opened his mouth to say something. And Iliana came to life, jumping up and running past him and shrieking at Keller all at once. â€Å"What are you doing? That's Jaime! What are you doing to her?† â€Å"You know her?† â€Å"That's Jaime Ashton-Hughes! She's Brett's sister! And she's one of my best friends! And you attacked her! Are you all right?† It was all shrieked at approximately the same decibel level, but on the last sentence, Iliana looked down at Jaime. Keller moved her palm from Jaime's mouth. As it turned out, though, that didn't seem to be necessary. Jaime raised her free hand and began to make swift, fluid gestures at Iliana with it. Keller stared, and then her insides plummeted. She let go of the girl's other arm, and the gestures immediately became two-handed. Oh. Oh†¦ darn. Keller could feel her ears flatten backward. She looked unhappily at Iliana. â€Å"Sign language?† â€Å"She's got a hearing impairment!† Iliana glared at Keller, all the while making gestures back at Jaime. Her motions were awkward and stilted compared to Jaime's, but she clearly had some idea what she was doing. â€Å"I didn't realize.† â€Å"What difference does it make how well she can hear?† Diana yelled. â€Å"She's my friend! She's president of the senior class! She's chair for the Christmas Benefit bazaar! What did she do to you, ask you to buy a teddy bear?† Keller sighed. Her tail was tucked up close to her body, almost between her legs, and her ears were flatter than ever. She climbed off Jaime, who immediately scooted backward and away from her, still talking rapidly with her hands to Diana. â€Å"The difference,† Keller said, â€Å"is that she didn't stop when I told her to. I yelled at her, but†¦ I didn't realize. Look, just tell her I'm sorry, will you?† ‘You tell her! Don't talk about her as if she isn't here. Jaime can lip-read just fine if you bother to face her.† Diana turned to Jaime again. â€Å"I'm sorry. Please don't be mad. This is terrible-and I don't know how to explain. Can you breathe now?† Jaime nodded slowly. Her dark blue eyes slid to Keller, then back to Diana. She spoke in a hushed voice. Although it was flat in tone and some of the sounds were indistinct, it was actually rather pleasant. And the words were perfectly understandable. â€Å"What†¦ is it?† she asked Diana. Meaning Keller. But then, before Diana could answer, Jaime caught herself. She bit her lip, looked at the floor for a moment, then braced herself and looked at Keller again. She was frightened, her body was shrinking, but this time her eyes met Keller's directly. â€Å"What†¦ are you?† Keller opened her mouth and shut it again. A hand closed on her shoulder. It was warm, and it exerted brief pressure for an instant. Then it pulled away, maybe as if revolted because it was resting on fur. â€Å"She's a person,† Galen said, kneeling down beside Jaime. â€Å"She may look a little different right now, but she's as much of a person as you are. And you have to believe that she didn't mean to hurt you. She made a mistake. She thought you were an enemy, and she reacted.† â€Å"An enemy?† There was something about Galen. Jaime had relaxed almost as soon as he got down on her level. Now she was talking to him freely, her hands flying gracefully as she spoke aloud, emphasizing her words. Her face was pretty when it wasn't blue with suffocation, Keller noticed. â€Å"What are you talking about? What kind of enemy? Who are you people? I haven't seen you around school before.† â€Å"She thought-well, she thought you were going to hurt Diana. There are some people who are trying to do that.† Jaime's face changed. â€Å"Hurt Diana? Who? They'd better not even try!† Winnie had been twitching throughout this. Now she muttered, â€Å"Boss†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It doesn't matter,† Keller said quietly. â€Å"Nissa's going to have to blank her memory anyway.† It was too bad, in a way, because this girl's reaction to the Night World was one of the most sensible Keller had ever seen. But it couldn't be helped. Keller didn't look at Diana as she spoke; she knew there was going to be an argument. But before it started, she had one final thing to say. â€Å"Jaime?† She moved and got instant attention. â€Å"I'm sorry. Really. I'm sorry I frightened you. And I'm really sorry if I hurt you.† She stood up, not waiting to see if she was forgiven. What difference did it make? What was done was already done, and what was about to happen was inevitable. She didn't expect to be forgiven, and she didn't care. That was what she told herself, anyway. Diana did argue. Keller tried not to let Jaime see much of it, because that would only make her more scared and miserable, and the end really was inescapable. Leaving her memory intact would be dangerous not only for Iliana but for Jaime herself. â€Å"It's death for a human to find out about the Night World,† Keller said flatly. â€Å"And it's worse than death if the dragon and his friends think she's got any information about the Wild Power. You don't want to know what they'll do to try and get it out of her, Iliana. I promise you don't.† And, finally, Iliana gave in, as Keller had known she would have to from the beginning. Nissa moved up behind Jaime like a whisper and a shadow and touched her on the side of her neck. Although witches were the experts at brainwashing, at inserting new ideas and convictions, vampires were the best at wiping the slate clean. They didn't use spells. It was something they were born with, the power to put their victim into a trance and smooth away hours or even days of memoiy. Jaime looked into Nissa's silvery-brown eyes for maybe seventy seconds, and then her own blue eyes shut, and her body went limp. Galen caught her as she feU. â€Å"She'll wake up in a few minutes. It's probably best if we leave her here and get out,† Nissa said. â€Å"Lunch is over, anyway,† Keller said. In the quiet minutes while Jaime was being hypnotized, Keller had finally managed to convince her body that there was no danger. It was only then that she could relax enough to change back. Her ears collapsed, her tail retracted. Her fur misted into jumpsuit and skin. She blinked twice, noticing the difference in brightness as her pupils changed, and the tips of her fangs melted into ordinary teeth. She stood up, shifting her shoulders to get used to the human body again. They were all subdued as they escorted Iliana back to classes. The quietest of all was Keller. She had overreacted, let her animal senses throw her into a panic. It wasn't the first time in her life. The first time in her life had been when she was about three†¦ but better not to think about that. Anyway, it wasn't even the first time in her career as an agent for Circle Daybreak. An agent had to be ready for anything at any moment. Had to have radar running, in front, in back, and on all sides, all the time, and be prepared to react instinctively at the slightest stimulus. If that sometimes caused mistakes-well, it also saved lives. And she wasn't sorry. If she had to do it over, she'd do it again. Better one nice brown-haired girl scared than Iliana hurt. Better, Keller thought with bleak defiance, one nice brown-haired girl killed than Iliana in the hands of the enemy. Iliana represented the future of the entire daylight world. But†¦ Maybe she was getting too old for this kind of job. Or maybe too jumpy. Iliana sat moodily during afternoon classes, like a fairy who'd lost her flower. Keller noticed Winnie and Nissa being extra vigilant-just in case their boss got preoccupied. She flashed them a sarcastic look. â€Å"You waiting for me to slack off?† She poked Nissa in the ribs. â€Å"Don't hold your breath.† They smiled, knowing they'd been thanked. And Galen†¦ Keller didn't want to think about Galen. He sat quietly but intently through each class, and she could tell his senses were expanded. He didn't try to speak to her, didn't even look at her. But Keller noticed that every so often he rubbed his palm against his jeans. And she remembered the way his hand had pulled back from her shoulder. As if he'd touched something hot. Or something repulsive†¦ Keller gritted her teeth and stared at various blackboards with dry and burning eyes. When the last bell finally rang, she made the whole group wait in the chemistry classroom while the school emptied out. Iliana watched and silently steamed as her friends all left without her. Even the teacher packed up and disappeared. â€Å"Can we go now?† â€Å"No.† Keller stood at the second-story window, looking down. All right, so I'm a tyrant, she thought. A nasty, unsympathetic, whip-wielding dictator who jumps on innocent girls and won't let people out of school. I like being that way. Iliana wouldn't argue. She stood rigidly a few feet away, looking out the window herself but refusing to acknowledge Keller's presence. Finally, Keller said, â€Å"All right. Nissa, get the car.† Galen said, â€Å"I'll do it.† The answer to that, of course, was, â€Å"No way.† But Galen was going on. â€Å"It's something useful I can do. I've been standing around all day, wishing I was trained at something. At least driving I can handle. And if anybody comes after me, I can run fast.† The answer to that was still no. But Keller couldn't bring herself to say it, because she couldn't bring herself to face him for a long debate. She was afraid of what she might see in the depths of those gold-green eyes. It would be funny if she'd managed to turn the prince of the shapeshifters off from shapeshifting altogether. Wouldn't it? â€Å"Go on,† she said to Galen, still looking down onto the circular driveway in front of the school. After he had gone, she said to Nissa, â€Å"Follow him.† That was how everyone happened to be where they were in the next few minutes. Keller and Iliana were at the window, staring out at a cool gray sky. Winnie was at the door to the chemistry room, watching the hallway. Galen was a floor beneath them somewhere inside the school, and Nissa was a discreet distance behind him. And standing beside the circular driveway, obviously waiting for a ride, was a girl with familiar brown hair. She was reading a book that didn't look like a textbook. Jaime. It all happened very fast, but there were still distinct stages of warning. Keller was aware of them all. The first thing she noticed was a blue-green car that cruised down the street in front of the high school. It was going slowly, and she narrowed her eyes, trying to catch a glimpse of the driver. She couldn't The car passed on. I should make her get away from the window, Keller thought. This wasn't as obvious a conclusion as it seemed. The Night People weren't in the habit of using sharpshooters to pick off their targets. But it was still probably a good idea. Keller was tiredly opening her mouth to say it when something caught her attention. The blue-green car was back. It was at the exit of the circular driveway, stopped but facing the wrong way, as if it were about to enter. As Keller watched, it revved its engine. Keller felt her hairs prickle. But it didn't make any sense. Why on earth would Night People want to park there and draw attention to themselves? It had to be some human kids acting up. Hiana was frowning. She had stopped tracing patterns in the dust on the windowsill. â€Å"Who's that? I don't know that car.† Alarms. But still†¦ The car roared again and started moving. Coming the wrong way along the driveway. And Jaime, right below them, didn't look up. Diana realized at the same time Keller did. â€Å"Jaime!† She screamed it and pounded the window with one small fist. It didn't do the slightest good, of course. Beside her, Keller stood frozen and furious. The car was picking up speed, heading straight for Jaime. There was nothing to do. Nothing. Keller could never get down there fast enough. It was all going to be over in a second. But it was horrible. That giant metal thing, tons of steel, was going to hit about a hundred and ten pounds of human flesh. â€Å"Jaime!† It was a scream torn from Diana. Below, Jaime finally looked up. But it was too late.