Recommendations to the Wallace Group Essay

Mr. Wallace, I have concluded my interviews with your team and have a list of recommendations based on priorities. The recommendations are unbiased and not intended to be personal attacks on the current management; they are based on the sound management principles and intended to maximize your company’s potential. a. Realign the corporate structure. Begin by recruiting a new board of directors using outside directors, â€Å"executives of other firms but are not employees of the board’s corporation†1, in addition to a limited number of management directors from inside the company. This combination of three companies working as independent entities is not working, they must be integrated and a different management organizational structure must be implemented. This group will be able to accomplish the next recommendation. b. Develop a mission statement and goals. The company must embark upon strategic management planning. This will include: †¢Clearer sense of strategic vision for the firm †¢Sharper focus on what is strategically important Improved understanding of a rapidly changing environment1 The Wallace group lacks vision and goals for its divisions and this leads to a lack of direction for the management team. A mission statement â€Å"defines the fundamental, unique purpose that sets a company apart from other firms of its type and identifies the scope of the company’s operations in terms of products offered and markets served†1. This business must develop a corporate wide strategic management plan to set a direction for the company and its shareholders. A part of this management planning would consist of SWOT analysis, strategy formulation, implementation and evaluation. This process is often referred to as Plan – Do – Act – Check or PDAC and is a continuous process. Making a profit today is not enough; there has to be an evaluation of where the company is now, where will it be in 2, 5, & 10 years and how the company will attain those goals. c. Change the organizational chart: There needs to be an in-depth evaluation of the personnel currently in place. The current chart is one of vertical structure and should be revamped to be more horizontal. This accomplishes the goals of empowerment and coordination between the divisions. A glaring problem is the VP of the chemical division, J. Luskics, as he was the former owner that guided the company into foreclosure and appears to not be running the division efficiently now. The chemical division is not even internally competitive for the plastics or electronics divisions. Mr. Luskics should either be bought out of the company or reassigned to a position that he might be successful. There also is a redundancy among positions in the company, for example there are three directors of industrial relations, these positions should either be combined or incentivized to cooperate in the best interest of the company. d. Personnel development. There is no apparent leadership development in place and the company has relied on promoting technical staff to management positions which many are not equipped to handle. There needs to be a leadership development series initiated, leadership retreats to communicate and encourage relations amongst the teams, and perhaps some Management Assessment of Proficiency (MAP) testing to asses the current management team. Management development and succession planning must be implemented to ensure long term success. Job responsibilities need to be developed and implemented for all positions but specifically for the management team; including specific goals, budgeting, forecasting (long range planning), training, and staff satisfaction. . Communication. The lack of clear strategies, long term plans, goals and objectives has led to the recent revolt at the stockholders meeting. This is a clear indication of the frustration felt from the staff level up and the new direction of the company must be clearly communicated to all staff. Enthusiasm is contagious and the presentation of a new course for the company will be very exciting for staff. Employee surveys, sugges tion boxes and an engaging of the front line staff will do much to improve morale and spark improvements. I would like to commend you sir for creating a successful company but I do believe there are concrete steps that you can take to improve the future of this company. Mr. Wallace I believe the development of a vision will produce great results, with this vision you will attract personnel that want to be a part of a great company and profits for all involved will naturally follow. Remember â€Å"Visionary companies make some of their best moves by experimentation, trial and error, opportunism, and – quite literally – accident†2. I estimate that this plan of action will initially cost $1. 5 million but there will be cost savings realized in personnel reassignments, recruitment and retention, productivity, and a renewed sense of commitment that will be reflected in profits far surpassing the costs.

The Spearheading Commitments of Goldsmith

The spearheading commitments of Goldsmith (1969), Mckinnon (1973) and Shaw (1973) in regards to the connection between budgetary improvement and monetary development has remained a vital issue of level headed discussion in creating economies. The hypothetical contention for connecting money related advancement to development is that an all around created money related framework plays out a few basic capacities to upgrade the effectiveness of intermediation by diminishing data, exchange, and observing costs. An advanced money related framework advances speculation by recognizing and financing great business openings, activates reserve funds, screens the execution of administrators, empowers the exchanging, supporting, and expansion of hazard, and encourages the trade of merchandise and ventures. These capacities result in a more effective distribution of assets, in a more fast collection of physical and human capital, and in quicker mechanical advance, which thus bolster financial development [Creane, et al. (2004)]. The vast majority of the writing has fundamentally centered around the part of macroeconomic steadiness, disparity, pay and riches, institutional advancement, ethnic and religious decent variety and money related market imperfections.1 Among these components the part of budgetary markets in the development procedure has gotten significant consideration. In this system, money related advancement is considered by numerous financial analysts to be of central significance for yield development. Especially, government confinements on the saving money framework, for example, loan fee roof, high hold necessities and coordinated credit programs block money related improvement and diminish yield development [Mckinnon (1973) and Shaw (1973)]. The early commitments because of Mckinnon (1973) and Shaw (1973) hypothesize that the administration mediation in the valuing and distribution of loanable assets obstructs budgetary restraint chiefly discouraging genuine financing costs. Governments are looked with just restricted alternatives, for example, inflationary financing, in this manner much further crumbling the genuine financing cost. Mckinnon underlines that the request what's more, fitting sequencing of budgetary changes in the money related area would be much more compelling once value adjustment has occurred. Truth be told, budgetary improvement is not desolate a component of changing money related instruments but rather â€Å"predictable macroeconomic strategy bundle involving a scope of strategies, including brief money related market supervision keeping in mind the end goal to screen credit value of borrowers and to maintain a strategic distance from bends, for example, moral perils and unfavorable selection†.2 The endogenous development writing stresses the impact of budgetary markets on financial growth.3 Benhabib and Spiegel (2000) contend that a positive relationship is normal between monetary advancement and aggregate factor efficiency development and speculation. In any case, their outcomes are exceptionally touchy to display particular. Moreover, Beck, et al. (2000) locate that money related advancement has a huge and positive effect on add up to factor profitability, which bolsters through to in general Gross domestic product development [Neusser and Kugler (1998)]. Various scholars have underscored the part of budgetary improvement in better distinguishing venture openings, lessening interest in fluid however inefficient resources, activating investment funds, boosting mechanical advancement, and enhancing hazard taking. The issue with the past investigations is that a positive connection between budgetary advancement and yield development can exist for various reasons. As yield builds the interest for money related administrations increments as well, this thusly has a beneficial outcome on money related advancement. Robinson (1952) contends that â€Å"all things considered, it is by all accounts the case that where undertaking drives back streams†. Kuznets (1955) states that monetary advertise starts to develop as the economy approaches the middle phase of the development process and grow once the economy ends up develop. Lucas (1988) states that â€Å"the significance of budgetary issues is severely overemphasized† while Chandav arkar (1992) noticed that â€Å"none of the pioneers of improvement financial aspects†¦ Even rundown fund as a factor of advancement† [Luintel and Khan (1999)]. Consequently the interest for the specific kinds of monetary administrations produced by monetary development.Many observational examinations have researched the connection between budgetary profundity, characterized as proportion of aggregate bank store liabilities to ostensible GDP and monetary development. In any case, the outcomes are equivocal. The examinations in view of the cross segment and board information discover beneficial outcomes of money related advancement on yield development a great many representing different determinants of development and in addition for potential inclinations initiated by synchronization, overlooked factors and imperceptibly nation particular impact on the back development nexus.5 On the other hand, the investigations in view of the time arrangement information give opposing outcomes. Demetriades and Hussein (1996) discover the confirmation that back is a main factor during the time spent monetary development. They additionally found that for most of the nations, causality is bi-directional, while at times money related improvement takes after monetary development. Luintel and Khan (1999) utilized a test of ten less created nations and inferred that the causality between money related improvement and yield development is bi-directional for all nations. At long last, contemplates, which take a gander at the structure and wellsprings of organization back, likewise finish up that the advancement of the money related area encourages the development of corporate division [Rajan and Zingalas (1996)]. Every one of these outcomes demonstrate that an agreement on the part of budgetary improvement during the time spent financial development does not exist up until this point. The part of money related factor in financial improvement of Pakistan isn't well inquired about. This investigation is an endeavor to fill this hole. The target of the present contemplate is to look at the connection between budgetary advancement and monetary development in Pakistan for the period 1971-2004. We additionally look at the auxiliary solidness of the back development relationship within the sight of monetary segment reforms?which were indispensable piece of the advancement procedure of the economy started in mid 1990. The significant segments of the money related part changes identified with the deregulation of the business bank's loaning rates, bringing down of their save prerequisites and the presentation of prudential controls and gauges extensively alongside the lines suggested by the Basle Committee on Banking Supervisions.6 Whatever is left of the paper is sorted out as takes after. Segment II outline the monetary part changes in Pakistan. Demonstrate determination and information issues are exhibited in Segment III. Econometric strategy and observational discoveries are given in Section IV, while some closing comments are given in the last segment.

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 7

â€Å"Get out,† I said immediately. Yasmine and Vincent, finishing their breakfast at my table, looked up in surprise. Niphon gestured toward them. â€Å"I was invited in. I didn't think it'd be a problem.† Angel and human looked distinctly uncomfortable, and I could guess what had happened. Niphon had turned up, and they'd let him inside, not knowing about our animosity. They'd probably figured he was a partner in evil which, in the most technical of ways, he was. Vincent hastily stood up and took his empty plate to the sink. Yasmine followed. â€Å"Well,† said Vincent. â€Å"We should probably get going.† â€Å"Yeah,† agreed Yasmine, grabbing her coat. Fools rushed in where angels feared to tread, apparently. â€Å"Great seeing you guys.† They left so fast that they might as well have teleported out. I fixed my attention back on Niphon. â€Å"Get out,† I repeated. He leaned back against my couch, draping his arms over the back of it. â€Å"Letha, Letha – â€Å" â€Å"And stop calling me that.† â€Å"Whatever you like. And don't worry, I'll be out of your hair soon. I just wanted to give you a Tawny update.† Oh God. Tawny. Please, please let her have scored last night, I silently begged. Her attitude at the bar hadn't really inspired confidence, but maybe me leaving with Jude had set a good example. â€Å"She hasn't taken a victim yet.† Damn. â€Å"Alright, thanks,† I said, pointing at the door. â€Å"You can leave now. And next time, it's really okay if you call to give me an update. Preferably when you're in the taxi that's taking you to the airport so I don't ever have to fucking see you again.† He rose from the couch, giving me a wounded look. â€Å"Fine, fine. But there is one other thing I wanted to talk to you about.† â€Å"There is nothing at all I want to talk to you about.† I was on the verge of growling. â€Å"Oh, I'm not so sure about that.† His hand rested on the doorknob, but he showed no intention of actually leaving. â€Å"I think you'll be very interested. It's about your love life.† â€Å"No! We are not talking about this.† â€Å"Le – Georgina, I just want to help you,† he whined. â€Å"I think it's terrible that you two can't fully express your love.† â€Å"We. Are. Fine. And don't lean against the door. I don't want your hair to leave an oil stain.† Niphon straightened up and ran a solicitous hand over the back of his head. â€Å"Look, I get why you don't want to sleep with him. It's admirable. You want to protect his lifespan, not wipe him out, etc., etc. But what if that wasn't an issue? What if I made it so that you could have sex without the dire side effects?† â€Å"Right. And you'd do that out of the kindness of your heart.† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shrugged and spread his hands wide. â€Å"There's always a price.† â€Å"It's not worth it. Not worth Seth selling his soul.† â€Å"I could sweeten the deal. Give him a longer lifespan†¦longer youth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No. I swear to God, if you don't leave now, I'm calling Jerome.† That was a bluff, seeing as Jerome was out of town. â€Å"Like I said, just trying to help,† Niphon said. â€Å"Yeah, like you helped me?† I asked, not bothering to hide the sarcasm. Suddenly, the mocking, teasing look vanished. Niphon's face grew hard. Angry. Scary. â€Å"I did help you, Little Letha. You were no one. No one at all. Some poor fisherman's daughter in a shit, backwoods town. Some whore in a shit, backwoods town. You fucked up your life, and I fixed it for you. I made you who you are. Erased your problems. Saved your husband. Gave you eternal life and beauty. If anything, you owe me.† â€Å"It wasn't worth it,† I said, in a voice that matched his dark expression. â€Å"It wasn't worth it.† â€Å"Wasn't it? Would you have rather watched your husband commit suicide? Would you rather have died an outcast and disgraced?† I didn't answer. I thought about the desperate look on my husband's face when he'd found out that I'd cheated on him. Even after all these centuries, that expression still haunted me. He'd been driven to such despair that he'd been on the verge of taking his own life. In selling my soul and becoming a succubus, I'd struck a bargain with Hell that made him and everyone else I knew forget me. My husband had lived and gone on with his life, forgetting I'd ever existed. Had it been worth it? Observing my silence, Niphon's face turned taunting once more. He opened the door. â€Å"Good-bye, Georgina. Let me know if you change your mind.† He left, and I stared at the door for a long time before finally forcing my feet to start moving. The Seth soul-selling offer held no temptation for me whatsoever. That didn't trouble me. But his other words†¦the reminders of my past†¦ I sighed. I didn't want to deal with that, not with everything else going on in my life right now. And speaking of which†¦with two hours left until work, I decided to bite the bullet and again try to get more information about my dreams. From Dante. His store looked as bleak as the last time I'd visited, but this time, he actually had a customer. She was a young woman, college-aged maybe, with layered brown hair and a gray sweatshirt. Seeing her, I started to step back outside, but he waved me in. â€Å"No, no, it's okay. You can wait here.† Dante glanced at the girl. Both of them sat at the shabby, velvet-covered table. â€Å"You don't mind, do you?† She barely spared me a glance. â€Å"No! No! Hurry, go on. I want to hear more about the man.† Dante produced a dazzling grin that seemed a bit fake to me but which I suspected was actually very effective on her. Taking a step closer, I realized he was reading her Tarot cards. Several already lay on the table. He flipped another over. â€Å"Ah, the Hierophant.† His voice held a mysterious, knowing note. â€Å"What's that mean?† she squealed. â€Å"You don't know? You don't know anything about these?† She shook her head. â€Å"Nothing.† â€Å"Well, the Hierophant is a great love card. It represents a romantic man, someone good-looking and charming who loves giving gifts and doing small gestures. You know the kind.† â€Å"I don't, actually,† she said wistfully. â€Å"All my boyfriends have been jerks.† â€Å"Well, that's going to change,† he promised. I knew quite a bit about Tarot cards, actually. The Hierophant represented tradition, wisdom, and organized religion. He wasn't exactly a romantic figure, particularly considering he was usually depicted as a priest. â€Å"Why is he dressed so weird?† asked the girl. â€Å"He looks like he's in robes.† â€Å"It's not weird,† Dante said. â€Å"It's opulent. Remember, the Tarot is an ancient system. A guy dressed like this represented the height of fashion back in the old days. You know, a real designer label kind of guy.† I caught Dante's gaze and rolled my eyes. He maintained his poker face and flipped the next card. â€Å"Things are looking good,† he declared. â€Å"The Tower.† The Tower was pretty much the worst card in the deck. â€Å"This shows you guys have a promising future.† â€Å"Why is it on fire?† she asked. â€Å"And why are people falling out of the windows?† â€Å"It's all symbolic,† he said hastily. â€Å"And although things look really good for when you meet this guy, it means you have to be cautious and read the signs around you.† â€Å"Oh, wow,† she said. â€Å"I hope I can.† Dante gathered up the cards and stacked them neatly. â€Å"Well, I can help if you want. I could give you a package set of readings at a discount. That way, you'll have a guide as you go along. You'll be prepared for when you meet him.† I sincerely doubted she was ever going to meet this mythical guy. â€Å"How much?† she asked hesitantly. â€Å"Hmm, let's see.† Dante turned speculative. â€Å"Well, they're normally fifty dollars. Usually, I give a five-dollar discount for packages†¦but, hell. I really want to see this work. I'm a romantic myself, you know? It's a stretch, but I'll do a set of six for forty dollars each. You can buy them now and then come in whenever you want to claim them.† The girl deliberated, and I wanted to yell at her that it was a scam. But I needed Dante's advice and didn't want to get on his bad side. Not that I was necessarily on his good side right now. â€Å"I don't want to pressure you,† he told her gently. â€Å"So, please. Don't feel obligated. Just do whatever your heart tells you to do. I mean, if the cards have told us anything, it's that you have to protect your heart now as you enter this important stage of your life.† That sold her. â€Å"Okay. I'll do it.† I watched in disbelief as the two of them walked to his register. She handed over two-hundred-forty dollars – plus tax – and he gave her a Tarot punch card, not unlike what you'd get at a coffee or sandwich shop. â€Å"You should be ashamed of yourself,† I told him when she was gone. â€Å"Succubus. Nice to see you too.† â€Å"That wasn't a romance reading.† â€Å"Nope,† he agreed, coming over to stand beside me. â€Å"It actually suggested she'd soon be having a sex change and joining a suicide cult.† â€Å"But you told her it was about love.† â€Å"She's twenty years old. Love's all they want to hear about at that age.† â€Å"You're going to Hell.† â€Å"I could have told you that. In fact, I did tell you that last time, didn't I? Now. What can I do for you? You change your mind about the sex?† â€Å"No. Of course not.† He looked offended. â€Å"Of course not? What's with the attitude? I'm not that unappealing.† â€Å"No,† I agreed. He looked like he still hadn't shaved in a couple days, and there was something very sexy about that and the way his indigo T-shirt fit him. I hadn't realized before what nice ab muscles he had. Probably the lack of business around here gave him lots of time to work out. â€Å"But that's not why I'm here. And honestly, if this behavior is just the tip of the iceberg, I'm thinking your soul isn't going to be worth my time anyway.† He threw his hands in the air. â€Å"She comes and insults me, then expects help. So what is it you want? Your dishwasher finally break?† â€Å"No, but I had the dream again. And there was more.† I recapped it, and he listened, face unreadable. â€Å"You sure you don't want a new dishwasher?† he asked dubiously. â€Å"No!† â€Å"What about kids?† â€Å"What about them?† â€Å"You want them?† I fell silent, and despite his lopsided smile, I could see Dante scrutinizing me. He might be a con artist, but he was smart. The best ones always are. People like him make their living reading people and exploiting little things – like that girl's longing for romance. â€Å"It doesn't matter,† I said. â€Å"You know that. I can't have them.† â€Å"I didn't ask that, succubus. I asked if you wanted them.† I averted my eyes, studying the crystal ball. With the way the sunlight hit it, I suspected it was actually plastic. â€Å"Sure. I did even when I was mortal. If I could have kids now, I would.† He nodded, and for the first time, I got the impression he might almost be taking me seriously. Almost. â€Å"And let me guess. You woke up without energy.† â€Å"Yes, and I'd gotten a victim the night before. Just like last time.† His face turned speculative. â€Å"Interesting. It only happens when you're charged up.† â€Å"What do you think it means?† â€Å"Dunno. Might not mean anything.† â€Å"It has to! I'm losing energy for no reason at all.† â€Å"You're stressed,† he argued. â€Å"And you're, like, one of the most uptight people I've ever met – immortal or otherwise. You've spent centuries wishing you could get knocked up. You have this celibate boyfriend thing going on. And you work for that demon, right? The one who looks like Matthew Broderick?† â€Å"John Cusack,† I corrected. â€Å"He looks like John Cusack.† â€Å"Whatever. That's enough to tax anybody. Your dreams are manifestations of the woes in your life, coming out of your subconscious in vivid, energy-sucking ways.† â€Å"You are so unhelpful. Your dream expertise is a scam – like everything else.† â€Å"Nah. Not everything I do is a scam. I know dreams. I know spells. And I know what could help you.† â€Å"What?† He pointed to the counter. â€Å"You and me. Up there. Naked. Horizontal.† I groaned. â€Å"Wow, you really weren't lying. You are a romantic.† â€Å"A pragmatist. And an opportunist.† â€Å"A sleazy guy, treating me like a cheap whore†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Fuck, I haven't been laid in months, and now this succubus shows up wanting my help. You'd try to bargain for sex too.† I eyed him warily. â€Å"Is that what this is about? I have to sleep with you to get help?† Dante shoved his hands in his pockets. â€Å"Nope. You'd be more fun if you were willing, I think. Besides, I have no other help to give.† Disappointed, I made motions to leave. â€Å"Okay. Thanks. Sort of.† â€Å"You know what else might help?† he called after me. â€Å"If it involves sex – â€Å" â€Å"A vacation. At the very least, a massage. Basic stress reliever things.† Those were actually reasonable things, and I was pleasantly surprised to see his mind wasn't always in the gutter. â€Å"They can help,† I told him. â€Å"But I doubt a massage will fix the problems in my life.† â€Å"Maybe. Maybe not. But if you want a free one†¦a naked free one†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I left. I'd already felt like my romance with Seth was some infinite loop tape reel. The rest of my life apparently was too. Have the same dream, go to Dante, get no help, go to work, and ruminate. Because that's exactly how my day was unfolding, just like before. I went through the motions of paperwork and customer service at Emerald City, all the while consumed by images of the little girl in the dream and the sweet fantasy of having a daughter. My heart ached to see her again, to see that smile. Everything at my job seemed so shallow and meaningless compared with her. When work ended, I brought Maddie back to my apartment to make good on my promise to get her a date. â€Å"You're going to sell me?† she exclaimed when I told her the plan. â€Å"It's an auction,† I said. â€Å"For a children's charity. You don't hate kids, do you?† â€Å"Well, no, but – â€Å" â€Å"Then this'll be great. Here, try this on.† I tossed her a BCBG shopping bag. She eyed it warily. â€Å"Isn't that a place for teenagers?† â€Å"It's a place for anybody with style,† I assured her. She opened the bag and pulled out the knee-length dress I'd picked up for her the other day. It was silk chiffon with a dark pink geometric print. The empire waist had a slightly gathered top, and the V-neck had a bow that tied underneath it. Fluttery cap sleeves finished it off. â€Å"I can't wear this,† she said immediately. â€Å"Why? Because it'll look good?† She shot me a glare. â€Å"There's hardly anything there.† â€Å"What? There's plenty.† I owned lots of dresses that had â€Å"hardly anything there.† This was elegant and tasteful. Amish country compared to some of my clothing. â€Å"Try it on, and we'll see.† She did, reluctantly, and I could have crowed with delight when she stepped out of my bathroom. I'd totally nailed the size. It fit perfectly. â€Å"There isn't an extra inch here,† she fretted, pulling at the fabric around the waist. â€Å"Exactly.† â€Å"Doesn't it make me look fat?† â€Å"It makes you look great. If it were spandex or something, there might be a problem, but this is light and drapey.† â€Å"The neckline's awfully low – â€Å" â€Å"Oh, be quiet,† I snapped. â€Å"And let's finish the rest of you.† I did her makeup and arranged her hair down for a change. It shone like black silk when brushed out, and I thought it was a shame she wore it in a haphazard ponytail so often. Besides, everyone knows that in the movies, shy girls always become beautiful by letting down their hair and taking off their glasses. Maddie already wore contacts, but the principle was still sound. I finally finished her off with half-heeled shoes I'd bought to match the dress. Higher ones would have looked better, but even I knew when not to press my luck. Satisfied with the results, we headed out to the auction. â€Å"You're like my fairy godmother,† she muttered as we walked into the hotel the event was being held at. â€Å"But I'm still a pumpkin.† I elbowed her. â€Å"How did you get so negative? You should start some angstful emo rock band to compete with Doug's.† â€Å"Oh, yeah. That'd go over – hey, is that Seth?† We were cutting across the open room the auction would take place in, heading toward the volunteers' area. Lots of people had gathered, filling most of the round tables facing the stage. I followed her gesture to where Seth sat at one of the few tables that wasn't already full. Seeing us notice him, he held up his hand in greeting. â€Å"He wanted to come support you,† I told her. Actually, Seth had been appalled at me strong-arming Maddie into this and had attended mainly out of a perverse fascination at what he thought might end in disaster. But Maddie, not knowing his motives, was pleasantly surprised. She smiled, and I nearly swooned. â€Å"That,† I said. â€Å"That right there is what you need to do.† The smile dropped. â€Å"That what?† Hugh practically skipped over when he saw us. â€Å"I knew you didn't hate kids. I knew you'd cave and come help – â€Å" â€Å"Not me,† I said. â€Å"Maddie.† I rested a hand on her shoulder. Hugh's face turned perfectly blank. â€Å"Oh?† Just then, a tall brunette in a black satin evening dress strolled over. The â€Å"fucking fox,† presumably. She extended her hand. â€Å"Hello, I'm Deanna, the coordinator. You must be Hugh's friend?† â€Å"Georgina,† I said, shaking. â€Å"But Maddie here is your volunteer. She's a journalist for an important women's magazine.† Deanna's eyes lit up. â€Å"Ah! We love celebrities. Let me take down your information.† She led Maddie away. As soon as they were gone, Hugh turned on me. â€Å"What the hell? I wanted Georgina, and you give me Georgy Girl.† â€Å"You are such an asshole. That's a horrible thing to say.† He shrugged, eyes on Maddie. â€Å"I call 'em like I see 'em. She's huge.† My eyes were on Maddie too. She actually looked quite slim in the dress, but Hugh was one of those guys who liked bony types – so long as their chests were big enough. â€Å"You're the reason women have such horrible self-esteem issues. You tear them apart. Women, I mean. Not the issues.† â€Å"Look, I'm sure she's not all bad,† he said. â€Å"She probably gives good head.† I rolled my eyes. â€Å"Flatterer. Why do you say that?† â€Å"Fat girls always do. They have to. Only way they can get men.† I punched him in the arm. Hard. â€Å"Ow! Fuck, that hurt.† â€Å"You're a jerk,† I told him. â€Å"Maddie's beautiful.† â€Å"She's okay,† he said, rubbing his injured arm. â€Å"And I can't exactly have just okay tonight – not with that liability already on deck.† He pointed over to where some of the other volunteers waited. Immediately, I found what he referred to. It was easy because Tawny towered over the other women by about a foot. â€Å"Holy Christ,† I said. â€Å"How did that happen?† He threw up his hands, looking miserable. â€Å"She latched on to the idea when you mentioned it at the bar.† â€Å"I didn't even think she heard me,† I said apologetically. Hugh waved me toward the crowd. â€Å"Too late now. Go have a seat, Brutus, so this disaster can get under way. You've ruined the night. I don't know why you hate kids so much.† I gave him a parting glare and went off to find Seth. The vampires had joined him since I'd come in. â€Å"You guys here to get a date or a victim?† I asked. â€Å"Neither,† said Peter. â€Å"We're here to see the Tawny Show.† I sighed. â€Å"This is supposed to be a charity event, and people are treating it like a freak show. Hugh already accused me of ruining it by bringing Maddie.† Seth looked surprised. â€Å"Why? She looks great.† I pointed her out to Peter and Cody, who also concurred about her cuteness. â€Å"She'll be fine,† said Cody. â€Å"Tawny's going to be the one to watch. I haven't really been able to see what she's wearing. I hope it's up to her usual standards.† â€Å"Maybe her Secret Santa will get her some nicer clothes,† said Peter. He glanced at me. â€Å"You bought for yours yet?† â€Å"Huh?† Right. Carter. I'd completely forgotten. Buying something for that cynical angel hadn't exactly been at the top of my priority list. â€Å"I, um, have some ideas. Still thinking about it.† â€Å"What about a Christmas tree? You got one of those?† â€Å"Um, haven't done that either.† â€Å"I didn't know you wanted a Christmas tree,† said Seth. â€Å"Do you need help picking one out?† â€Å"Well, I don – â€Å" The auction started, cutting me off. The auctioneer, Nick, was a young guy in his early thirties who probably had a second job doing minor modeling contracts that would never actually get him out of Seattle. He smiled non-stop and did a good job flirting with the women and making guy-jokes to the men. Bids flew fast and furious, and it was easy to get caught up in the excitement. â€Å"Next up,† said the auctioneer, reading from a card, â€Å"is Tawny Johnson.† â€Å"Johnson?† asked Cody. â€Å"Kind of boring.† â€Å"She made up both her names,† I said. Succubi often did. â€Å"She probably didn't have any mental energy left after choosing the first one.† â€Å"Ouch,† said Seth. â€Å"Who's being mean now?† â€Å"You haven't met her,† I warned. Tawny pranced up, wearing seven-inch high-heeled shoes that appeared to be made out of stainless steel. They looked like medieval torture devices but matched her super-tight, silver lam? ¦ hot pants and jacket. â€Å"She didn't disappoint,† said Cody, studying the outfit. Unsurprisingly, she stumbled the last couple of steps, and Nick reached out to steady her. â€Å"Careful there,† he said, flashing his brilliant white teeth. â€Å"Men are supposed to fall all over you.† It took her a moment to get the joke, and then she burst into small, high-pitched giggles. The noise grated on my nerves, but Nick seemed quite pleased to have someone appreciate his jokes. â€Å"Why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself, Tawny,† he said. â€Å"It says here you're currently unemployed. Does that mean you're out looking for something right now?† â€Å"Well, Nick, I'm out looking for someone right now – if you know what I mean.† â€Å"Oh my God,† I said. â€Å"That was kind of funny,† Peter noted. â€Å"No, it wasn't.† Nick apparently agreed with Peter. He threw back his head and laughed. â€Å"Careful there, guys†¦we got a dangerous one on our hands. Tell me, Tawny, what is it you're looking for in a man?† She pursed her red-lacquered lips in deep thought. â€Å"I'm looking for heart, Nick. Heart and soul. Those are the most important things.† There was a collective â€Å"aww† from the audience. Beside me, Peter said, â€Å"Okay, the soul thing really was funny. Only to us, of course, but still.† Tawny then winked at the crowd. â€Å"But stamina and a big checkbook can make up for that sometimes.† Nick waited for the audience's laughter to fade. â€Å"Okay, let's start the bidding at fifty – oh my God.† Tawny had taken off her jacket, revealing a zebra-print bandeau top underneath. ‘Top' was a dubious term at best, though. When wrapped around her enormous bust, it looked more like a rubber band and really only served to cover her nipples. Bids exploded from the audience, much to the astonishment of my friends and me. More surprising still was when Nick the auctioneer actually joined in. â€Å"Folks, I know this is a bit unusual†¦but, well, I just can't help myself. Three-hundred dollars.† â€Å"Three-fifty!† â€Å"Four-hundred!† In the end, Nick was the one who ended up winning her, paying a startling five-fifty. â€Å"Well, I'll be damned,† said Peter. I would have made a joke about his comment if I wasn't so shocked. When I finally found my voice, it was to say, â€Å"Well†¦this is a good thing, right? That guy looks like he'd sleep with her right now.† â€Å"And,† added Cody, â€Å"it was all for the kids.† Slowly, my astonishment faded into relief. This was an unexpected twist to the evening. The Tawny problem was fixed. Apparently, all we'd needed to do was essentially run an ad for her. She'd sleep with him, and Niphon would get off my back. One less thing for me to worry about – which was good, because I certainly had plenty of other things. Like Maddie. It was her turn next. She walked out, face grim and set for battle. She looked both terrified and terrifying. In spite of that hard countenance, I still saw a few interested faces in the audience. â€Å"Smile, smile,† I muttered to no one in particular. â€Å"Maddie Sato,† said Nick cheerily. â€Å"You write magazine articles. Anything I'd know?† â€Å"Probably not,† she said, still wearing that grimace. â€Å"Not unless you read feminist publications.† â€Å"Feminist,† he said, clearly amused. â€Å"Next you'll be telling us you hate men.† She gave him a blank look. â€Å"I only hate stupid men who don't actually understand what ‘feminist' means.† He laughed. â€Å"You run into a lot of men like that?† â€Å"All the time.† â€Å"Really?† â€Å"Even as we speak, Nick.† â€Å"Oh no she didn't,† said Peter. I groaned. It took Nick a full ten seconds to realize he had just been insulted. Then, for the first time that night, he stopped smiling. Turning to the crowd, he said flatly, â€Å"Okay, let's start the bidding at fifty.† Silence met him. The interested faces no longer looked so interested. I swallowed a scream. No, this couldn't be happening. I'd promised her a date. This would destroy her. After what seemed like an eternity, I heard a voice in the back of the room. â€Å"Fifty.† Relieved, I craned my head and looked. The guy who had bid was about fifty years old and looked exactly like this pedophile I'd once seen on a news special. â€Å"Fifty,† said Nick. â€Å"Do I hear seventy-five?† Silence. I turned to Seth. â€Å"Do something!† I hissed. He flinched. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Going once†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I elbowed him, and his hand shot up. â€Å"Seventy-five.† There was a collective â€Å"ooh' in the room. Apparently no one, including Maddie, had expected a bidding war for the belligerent man-hater. Her eyes widened in surprise. â€Å"One hundred,† said the pedophile look-alike. Then, either to end this quickly or because he felt sorry for Maddie, Seth said, â€Å"Three hundred.† More sounds of astonishment followed. The other bidder couldn't compete; he must have spent all his money on bail. â€Å"Sold to the gentleman in the Welcome Back, Kotter T-shirt.† â€Å"Nice,† said Cody, as Maddie exited the stage. I reached out and squeezed Seth's hand. â€Å"Thank you.† He gave me his half-smile. â€Å"Anything for the kids.† Nick flipped to his next card. â€Å"And now we have†¦Georgina Kincaid.† My head shot up. Across the room, I saw Hugh's smirking face. â€Å"Oh no he didn't,† I said through gritted teeth. Nick, puzzled, glanced toward where the other auctionees were. â€Å"Georgina Kincaid?† â€Å"No avoiding it,† Peter told me. â€Å"Might as well go up there. Otherwise people'll think you hate kids.† â€Å"That joke is getting old,† I hissed. Vowing to slap Hugh later, I reluctantly rose from my chair. Upon seeing me, Nick turned on the supernova smile. â€Å"Ah, there she is. Fashionably late.† On the subject of fashion, I wished I'd worn something as nice as Maddie's dress. I might have just gotten tricked into this thing, but now I wished I could do it right. I still looked good; my normal sense of aesthetics would allow for nothing less. I had on a black skirt and a purple cashmere sweater, my hair in a ponytail. In tiny increments – too slow and small for anyone to notice – I tightened the sweater around my figure and made the neckline bigger. I put a saunter into my hips and pulled out my ponytail tie, shaking out my hair. It had worked for Maddie and countless nerdy movie girls. It would work for me because I suddenly had a serious issue at stake here. There was no way on God's green earth that I was going for less than Tawny. â€Å"Georgina,† said Nick, helping me onto the stage. â€Å"My notes say you prefer Georgie.† Yeah, Hugh was definitely getting slapped. â€Å"And that you run a bookstore.† If I'd taken a victim recently and had succubus glamour on me, I wouldn't have to do a single thing except stand there. I wouldn't even have to smile. Now I'd have to work a little. Quickly, I assessed this crowd. The kinds of guys who came to events like this tended to be white-collar professionals with disposable income. Some would be here simply because philanthropy was trendy and good for the image, and this was a stylish way to do it. Others, while perhaps not desperate, were nonetheless intellects and introverts who found this a good opportunity to meet women. These men all wanted smart, competent women – women who were also pretty, of course. And wit†¦wit always went over well. I gave Nick, then the audience, a heart-stopping smile. â€Å"That's right. I organize events, bring in money, make sure everything looks good, and whip people into shape.† â€Å"Sounds like a lot of work,† he said. â€Å"Or,† I said, â€Å"an excellent first date.† There was no cymbal crash, but my punch line elicited the laughs I'd hoped for. â€Å"You have some high expectations,† said Nick. â€Å"Well, I think everyone should. Why settle? If a guy meets my expectations, I'll meet his. And in the end, it's all about sense of humor and a conversation that won't put me to sleep.† I realized I sounded vaguely like a Miss America contestant, but maybe there wasn't much difference. I could see from the intrigue in the audience that I'd made a good impression. â€Å"This one's a keeper,† said Nick. â€Å"Let's start at fifty for Georgie.† I got my fifty and then some. Bids flew around the room. At one point, I glanced at Seth. Our eyes met, and I could tell by his expression that he was on the verge of bidding. I shook my head. He was the only one I wanted to go out with in this room, but I didn't want to taint Maddie's win. I wanted her to feel special. Besides, I also didn't want Seth to blow that much money. I went for seventeen-hundred dollars. â€Å"I can't believe that,† Maddie whispered to me afterward. â€Å"I think you're the highest one so far. The guy looked cute too.† He had. Late thirties. Armani suit. Harmless. Nobody I planned on establishing anything meaningful with, but he'd do for a casual date. Maybe an energy fix if I decided to use this body. â€Å"You brought in some money yourself,† I teased. Her eyes found Seth, sitting across the room, and studied him speculatively. â€Å"Seth probably did it because he felt sorry for me.† â€Å"Of course not,† I said quickly. She still looked skeptical. â€Å"Well, it doesn't matter. I'd rather drink coffee and talk shop with him than go out with some sleazy guy. That other bidder reminded me of this sex offender I saw on TV once†¦Ã¢â‚¬  When the auction wound down, I exchanged contact info with my buyer for a future date. Hugh attached himself to Deanna and stayed as far away from me as possible. No worries. I'd have plenty of time to deal with him later. Tawny, fortunately, also stayed away from me and clung to Nick's arm. I watched them like a proud parent. Tonight was going to be a great night.

Corporate Compliance Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Corporate Compliance Report - Essay Example This model was basically implemented in order to improve upon the effectiveness and efficiency of organizational operations, increase the credibility and reliability of financial information as well as insuring compliance with regulatory laws and regulations. The Committee aimed to achieve above by implementing a uniform set of standards which provided best practices to be used in order to create an environment of internal control which involve board of directors and higher management of the firms so that the potential risk elements associated with weak internal controls can be effectively controlled. This report will outline a plan to implement the enterprise risk management in Apple Computers. This plan will however, be based on the recommendations of COSO in order to ensure compliance with the model. 1) Control Environment which comprises of elements such as integrity and ethical values, commitment to competence, board of directors and audit committees, Management's Philosophy and operating style, Organizational structure etc. COSO model on internal controls roughly covers above parameters an... 4) Information and Communication includes quality of information 5) Monitoring includes On-going monitoring, Separate Evaluation as well as reporting deficiencies. COSO model on internal controls roughly covers above parameters and attempt to outline different policies and procedures which must be adopted in order to effectively monitor and manage internal control environment within the organization. It is also important to understand that the firms may not need to implement the whole document verbatim however the same may have studied and customized to suit the organizational needs and structure while at the same time keeping the real essence of the model intact. The above mentioned components also work to produce a combine impact on implementing a better and more efficient internal control environment within an organization and laid the foundations for the development of systems and procedures which ensure that the organization not only meet the requirements of the model but also put in place a systematic environment within the organization which ensure transparency within different functional and operational areas of the organization. Enterprise Risk The above prelude suggested that the COSO was active in implementing effective internal controls within the organizations however as the complexities of the business grew, COSO developed a separate framework for enterprise risk management for organizations. According to COSO, an enterprise risk management is "a process effected by an entity's board of directors, management, and other personnel, applied in strategy setting and across the enterprise, designed to identify potential events that may affect the entity, and manage risk to be within its risk

331 U.S.1, 67 S. Ct.1047,91 L.Ed.1301,1947 U.S.3021 Essay

331 U.S.1, 67 S. Ct.1047,91 L.Ed.1301,1947 U.S.3021 - Essay Example It was the genesis of the current tax law which states that if a buyer assumes a nonrecourse debt upon the sale of a property, that assumption will be equivalent to receiving cash proceeds from the seller of the property and thus should be included in the calculation of tax. The following section gives a brief of Crane v. Commissioner. (Lau, 2007).   The petitioner’s husband died and because she was the sole beneficiary of the will, she had to inherit all the property he owned. Among the property, there was an apartment he had built on mortgage. Therefore, the petitioner contracted with the mortgaging company to continue operating the property and remit the net rental to the company. The petitioner was the sole beneficiary of the will her husband had written. Her husband owned an apartment building and a lot which were subject to a mortgage. The apartment building was valued at 255,000 US dollars. The petitioner entered into an agreement with the mortgaging company to allow her continue operating the property. The agreement allowed the petitioner to remit the net rentals to the mortgaging company. The apartment building did not have equity and this was because the outstanding balance on the mortgage and the interest in arrearage equaled the total appraisal value of the apartment. This petitioner owned the apartment for seven years and during this time, she claimed depreciation deductions. The petitioner later sold the apartment to a third party for 3000 US dollars which she paid 500 US dollars for expenses incurred during the selling process. The third party also took the apartment subject to a mortgage. Because the petitioner believed that she had no basis on t he property, she took zero depreciation, and thus, the sale of the property generated a gain of 2500 US dollars. The Commissioner of Internal Revenue determined that the petitioner had realized a net taxable gain of 23, 767.03 US dollars. The Commissioner’s theory was that the property was not

How to achieve HR Operational Excellence in Global Corporations Research Paper

How to achieve HR Operational Excellence in Global Corporations - Research Paper Example In order to survive in this tough competitive world it has become essential to achieve organizational excellence. Organizational excellence is a broad term and encompasses excellence in every department of the organization including finance, marketing HR and operations. In order to achieve excellence it is absolutely essential to have an integration of key departments of an organization. This has been aided by use of high end technology in business processes which include functional integration packages like an ERP which help in linking the different departments of an organization under one single unit. Organizations are also employing different efficiency techniques like TQM and Six Sigma in their operations which have helped them in creating competitive advantage in the business markets. Operational excellence has become the buzzword for business organizations across the globe. Multinational organizations like Wal-Mart and UPS have developed expertise by employing technologies whic h has helped in integration of departments as well as generation of organization efficiency. Wal-Mart is a classic example which has set benchmarks in the retail industry by adopting an efficient ERP program which has helped in creating large scale competitive advantage as well as generation of economies of scale and scope which have helped in creating entry barriers for organizations trying to capture the market share in a consumer market. This assumes considerable importance considering the fact that organizations need to have efficiencies so as to sustain the level of competition. Adoption of efficiencies also assumes significance considering the fact that business organizations operate in rapidly changing situations which demand greater flexibilities form the organization. This is only possible when an organization adopts innovations in operations and operational excellence as a part of its business strategy. Operational and organizational excellence includes three essential com ponents. Firstly it requires the top management of an organization to have the vision so as to identify the crucial factors at an appropriate time; these factors should be such that they help in adding value to the organization as well as to all the stakeholders including the customers of an organization. Secondly, organizational efficiency also calls upon organizations to achieve excellence and other necessary technological machinery so as to achieve large scale efficiencies in the organization. Thirdly organizational excellence and efficiencies also requires organizations to have the ability to ensure continuous betterment of business operations and its sustainability in the long run. Innovations are also crucial for organizations in their quest for organizational excellence as they not only generate organizational excellence but also help in generating competitive advantage in the form of cost savings and value addition to the product offering. Adopting innovations in processes l ike procurement help in generating cost advantage for an organization whose benefits could be passed on to the consumers to add value and affordability in the product offer

Human Resources & EEOC Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Human Resources & EEOC - Research Paper Example Hence it is an integral part of the Human Resources Management in United States. It is headquartered in Washington DC (About EEOC, 2013). EEOC’s Vision is: â€Å"Justice and Equality in the Workplace† EEOC’s Mission is to: Stop and Remedy Unlawful Employment Discrimination (About EEOC, 2013) EEOC laws are applicable for almost all employers who have employee strength of minimum fifteen employees. In case of age discrimination, the firm should be of minimum twenty employees. EEOC laws also cover most employment agencies and labor unions. Hiring, firing, training, promotion, wages, benefits, harassment and all other work situations are covered by the EEOC laws. (About EEOC, 2013) The U.S. EEOC is a bipartisan Commission. The President appoints all of its five members. They are the Chair, Vice Chair and the three Commissioners (The Commission, 2013). The President also appoints EEOC's General Counsel (Strategic Plan for fiscal year 2012-2016, 2013). EEOC has a speci fic strategic plan and the three values that underlie the plan are: Commitment to Justice: The Commission has been entrusted by the Congress, with the duty of enforcing non-discrimination laws of employment for the nation. Accountability: EEOC is accountable to the nation, just like any other federal agency. Integrity: The Commission has to be objective in nature while investigating charges and adjudicating cases. Every person it serves or interacts with during work and every member of the EEOC workforce has to be respected and treated with good manners and professionalism. (Strategic Plan for fiscal year 2012-2016, 2013) Role of EEOC EEOC has the right to investigate any sort of discrimination charges against employers, duly covered by the EEOC law. Their investigation has to be fair and accurate in order to assess the allegations. If it is found that discrimination has taken place, EEOC will first try to settle the allegation. If they are unable to sort it out they have the right to file a lawsuit for the same. However, EEOC does not file lawsuits in every case of discrimination (About EEOC, 2013). EEOC also believes in â€Å"prevention is better than cure† that is, it tries to prevent discrimination through various awareness and technical assistance programs, before it occurs. Federal agencies are guided by EEOC on every aspect of equal employment opportunity program. Affirmative employment programs of federal agencies’ are being regularly monitored and evaluated by EEOC (About EEOC, 2013) The company distributes informative and educational materials and provides training, guidance and assistance to all stakeholders, including administrative judges who conduct EEOC lawsuits. (About EEOC, 2013) Laws Enforced by EEOC (listed in the sequence EEOC got authority): Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), as amended. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), as amended The Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA), as amended Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended - prohibits employment discrimination against federal employees and applicants with disabilities. Title I and Title V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as amended. The Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act of 2008 (GINA). (Strategic Plan

Leadership Assumptions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leadership Assumptions - Essay Example Educational leaders are not pre defined and moulded into certain stature. They are people who may be in the position to influence and motivate students to give their best. Educators and school administrators both can take up the role of educational leaders because both of them have the capacity to wield considerable influence among the students and teachers alike so that they give their best. Good leadership teaches through self example. Students like to emulate persons who inspire them and are capable of instilling self confidence. It is especially relevant in the context of multi cultural society where students learn to interact with each other without racial prejudice. They learn to develop attitude and behaviour which is conducive for a mutually benefiting and tolerant society. Educational leadership is a strong tool for promoting independent thought and actions with good analytical and rational approach towards issues and people thus facilitating and building a society which believes in peaceful coexistence in a multicultural atmosphere. Good leaders build relationships based on mutual trust and confidence which is the main reason that changes are accepted with equanimity. Students learn to become good leaders through observation and imbibe qualities that help them to evolve as an individual with strong character. In the educational institutes, peer leadership promotes and develops, quality education with scientific temperament incorporating the needs of the changing time. School administrator as educational leader, helps create a congenial atmosphere of learning and encourages students and teachers alike to develop skills and knowledge base that would be mutually beneficial to them. Students get effective learning environment and teachers are provided with a wider scope for professional growth in the area of core competencies. They

The Kingdom of Ends Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Kingdom of Ends - Essay Example "In the kingdom of ends everything has either a price or dignity. Whatever has a price can be replaced by something else as its equivalent; on the other hand, whatever is above all price, and therefore admits of no equivalent, has a dignity." (Kant 42) In this statement above, Kant mentions that morality which is attributed as a universal requirement for every person in the society has a price, a price which is placed on virtue or vice. In this sense, morality can have a price if it is inclined to a good thing or a bad thing. The price of a bad thing or a vice is tantamount to a sin according to the laws of God. And the price of a sin is an eternal life in hell with Satan. On the other hand, a good thing or a virtue is rewarded by a promise of a happy after life. This is associated to the life in heaven with God where the price is happiness and joy in an eternal life. Therefore the human person in his nature can choose to do whatever he or she likes. This can be in the form of something that is not considered of ethical standards or one that is justified as being good. However, in the kingdom of ends, the virtuous side is only considered by Kant where the moral nature of man is at play. This moral aspect is the one that provides the creation of a universal law, a law that every one is supposed to be conversant with and obey its directions. In another aspect however, morality is correlated to dignity. Dignity as it is known is the term that means an ethical inclination of a person where he or she accords respect to others and also accorded respect in return. Hence, dignity is something that has no direct price because it is inwardly developed in someone. Due to this inward development of dignity, it does not have an equivalent of it because it is unique in each and every human. Thus moral value of dignity can not be measured in terms of price as it is not visible for one to measure. The level of dignity that is given to somebody is probably the only measure that can be used to determine morality. In this sense, Kant mentions, "For when moral value is being considered, the concern is not with the actions, which are seen, but rather with the inner principles, which are not seen." (Kant 19) Human nature which is exhibited in dignity is correlated to an art in the kingdom of ends. An art or talent is something that is God given. This means that it can not be created by the human being but only by the supernatural being God. Because of this, it can not be tagged a price that can be purchased by anyone. Just like one can not buy another human being, dignity can not be bought. It is something non-tangible. Art can be something that can be fostered in someone through learning and continuous practice. One can involve him or herself in continuous practice that with time perfects this ability in a specific field. Likewise in dignity, it can be practiced so that one can gain a high level of respect from others. However, in the Kingdom of ends, it can only be practiced by obeying and constantly following the universal law. The universal law acts as the

Creativity in music and children learning in 3-5 years Annotated Bibliography

Creativity in music and children learning in 3-5 years - Annotated Bibliography Example Creativity in music helps children build their confidence. Children learn to be independent by taking the initiative of forming their own songs. This could be with the help of their parents or their teachers. Examples of these songs are songs on responsibility. The songs help children face the world by making them know their talents count.Creativity in music helps enhance the quality of a child’s life. This is by enabling the child express his or her ideas and experiences by the use of music. Examples of these songs are songs on trust. These songs help guard a child around strangers. A child will remember the message in the song and know what to do when a stranger talks to him or her.Creativity in music allows a child to express his or her feelings through music. When children are given a chance to be creative, they can openly say what they feel or think confidently. Examples of these songs are the ones on compassion. These songs teach them how to behave and how to handle them selves around grownups and around their friends. This book explains that nurturing a child’s talent at an early age is important. Children can use their musical talents to earn a living when they grow up. At these stages, children are usually curious and they are always looking for answers. This stage is not of serious study and exposing a child to critical theory, makes him or her loose the desire to learn. When asking a child, what he or she learnt in school, it is possible that the child will not have a clue of a hint.

Critically evaluate the role counseling and psychotherapy theory and Essay

Critically evaluate the role counseling and psychotherapy theory and practice in the application of adventure therapy - Essay Example It is important to note the appropriate role and use of counseling in the context of society and in relation to abnormal psychology. For example, the counselor is primarily dealing with normal, functioning children and adults that may at some point during their life develop psychological or emotional problems with which they benefit from personal and professional assistance. Generally, between 5% to 10% of the population at any time can be expected to display the signs and symptoms of major mental illness as defined in abnormal psychology, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, manias, psychosis, etc., though less than 1% will require clinical hospitalization. (NIMH, 2008, See: Appendix) This leaves counseling as a profession tasked with first separating cases of abnormal psychology from problems of normal development of individuals, and secondly, assisting in the provision of effective treatment to the individuals who are seeking counseling. It is in this context that Adventure T herapy should be understood, as well as its application, for there may be human development problems that are caused by the individual’s relation to modern society that can better be solved by treatments fostering social relationships and exercise activities as opposed to pharmaceuticals or institutionalization. Nevertheless, there may also be instances where a combination of medication and Adventure Therapy can also assist in the treatment of those afflicted with psychological problems and mental illness. Creating the ability to distinguish the causes and treatments for patients is an important aspect of training that the counselor must undertake, including research in a multiplicity of methods and a willingness to experiment in finding the treatment that best suits the unique nature of every individual and effectively promotes positive mental health recoveries. The life of an individual can be viewed on a continuum of functionality related to self-realization with normality at the center, functioning at the highest levels of individual mental and physical operations at one extreme, and the psychoses and neuroses of severe mental illness or insanity at the other extreme. The counselor can expect the range of behavior for most people to stay within the realm of normal operations on usual occasions, straying into psychological crisis through challenges, problems, and obstacles in life or relationship issues that occasionally need to be addressed by the individual. Viewing the counselor’s office as a mixture between a general practitioner’s office and an emergency room highlights the manner that the counselor must prepare for all of the contingencies of not only mental illness, but also for mental health, in the population he or she is tasked with serving. Counseling in this regard can be seen as a tool to help maintain or restore normalcy to individuals based upon their own self-definition of importance and accepted societal standards of fu nctioning. In being able to distinguish between the critical and clinical symptoms of severe mental illness and the factors that are required to build a stronger sense of well-being and mental health, the counselor can begin to serve the diversity of needs that he or she will encounter within a given population, as well as to understand some of the causes that lead people to psycho-spiritual crisis and life

Heros Of Today And Heros Of Yesterday Essay Example for Free

Heros Of Today And Heros Of Yesterday Essay Heroes by todays standards can be many things, such as firefighters, teachers, or cops. This wasnt always what the word hero was once intended to mean. What a hero is in present day is surprisingly different than what a hero once was. In ancient times one was only called a hero if they were the strongest, bravest, smartest and the most warlike. During the course of time, the definition of what a genuine hero is has changed and the role and form of a hero has been altered, but yet some things remain the same between the two known meanings of the word. Although there has been drastic changes to the meaning of a hero, deep down some qualities remain unaffected. Heroes of yesteryears and heroes of today still manifest, while not in the same physical forms but the same spiritual forms. Beowulf, Hercules, Achilles, and other heroes of past ages all have the same motives, drives, and characteristics. A great example of how a hero acted in ancient times is in the story Beowulf. In the story Beowulf hears that a friend of his fathers is in need of help, so he bravely went to his aide, it took his courage to help out the way he did. He fought Grendle with his godlike strength and after a great battle, prevailed. Being brave, strong, alert, determined, honest, bold, are all the things that made them heroes. Today, if you look at the men and women that are known for being heroes you will see a great similarity in their bravery, courage, and intelligence. In these ways they are greatly the same. The image of a hero that ancient stories and books told were slightly different than the heroes in our modern tales. An example of an ancient heros behavior that is not inhabited by modern heroes is again in Beowulf. In the story, Beowulf goes into Herot Hall, sits down and begins to boast and brag about his previous battles, as if to say he is better than everyone else. Another example is later on in the story when Beowulf kills Grendel and hangs his bloody arm over the Hall for everyone to see. Seeing how they had perfect physiques and were loud, cocky, and selfish, those things are not needed by todays heroes and some of these more barbaric qualities are even discouraged by todays society. In current time heroes neednt be  physically strong, nor have muscles and if they are cocky and brag and claim to be better than everyone else, they will be looked down upon. A hero in the public eye differs from my personal definition of a hero. I along with many others have a personal hero. My hero is my father, now I really doubt that anyone else would choose him as his or her hero, but I do. He does have a few qualities of a hero such as being strong, brave, and courageous, but the reasons I believe him to be a hero are different. He isnt like any other person, when I talk to him about problems and ask him questions he listens and actually helps me out and gives me answers and solutions that are acceptable to me, he helps understand answers instead of just giving me right ones. He tries to be a perfect father, which is an unattainable goal but I value his efforts and respect him for trying.

Positive Working Environments for Children

Positive Working Environments for Children Introduction â€Å"To be included is to experience belonging.† Lancashire County Council (2010) The aim of this assignment is to explain and examine how the staff within a setting ensures a positive working environment for the child. The practitioner will demonstrate an up to date and working knowledge of principles, policies and practices of inclusion. The practitioner will also discuss how parents and multi-agency team’s maybe involved in meeting the particular learning needs and care needs of a child through the implementation of a case study. And also review how new legislation such as Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 and The Children and Families Act 2014 have resulted from the term ‘inclusion’. According to Lancashire County Council (2010), children are included when they attend a mainstream setting and have complete access to its social and academic life. In becoming more inclusive, schools should meet a greater diversity of needs. Some children may have an identified Special Educational Needs (SEN), whilst others maybe gifted, a child who has English as an additional language or a child with behavioural difficulties. All these children will experience barriers when it comes to learning; therefore we describe such children as having additional needs. All settings should make arrangements to meet the individual needs of all their children, before considering whether some children need arrangements that are additional to or different from their usual practice. All settings should be following good practice guidelines and be providing a differentiated approach for all children. â€Å"Differentiation â€Å"means altering and adapting the way activities are presented to children to enable them to access them and make progress. Settings should offer a range of resources to match different levels of ability, use staff flexibility to give children one to one or small group activities or individual attention and ensure that members of staff has time to plan and prepare activities. Staff should also look at how their setting is organised, are children expected to sit and listen for longer than is appropriate for their age and stage of development? Do children know the structure of the session? , does the setting have clearly defined area s for activities? All these issues can be addressed by adding visual cues for the defined areas and structure of the session. this can make such a difference to the children with speech and language development and for children with English as an additional language as these visual prompts will help the child to learn what is coming next and what is happening in that specific area. â€Å"Every child deserves the best possible start in life, and support to fulfil their potential† DFES (2008) According to the DFES (2008) a child’s experience in the early years has a major impact on their future life chances. Practitioners should focus on each child’s individual learning. All Early years providers must have and implement an effective policy for ensuring equality of opportunities and for supporting children with additional needs, learning difficulties and disabilities. Working effectively in partnership with parents is a crucial part of the early years work. Parents frequently feel that their parenting skills will be judged according to how their child is getting on. Even the most confident and assertive parents can feel very vulnerable and ignorant when it comes to inclusion. â€Å"Parents are the children’s first and most enduring educators. When parents and practitioners work together in early year’s settings, the results have positive impact on the child’s development and learning. Therefore, each setting should seek to develop an effective partnership with parents.† (QCA 2000 page 19) When a parent is told that their child might have an additional need the parents might endure a number of feelings for example, guilt – what have they done wrong? Denial- his brother was just the same and he’s fine now, Anger- who do they think they are giving me this information? Worry- I don’t want my child being treated differently from any other children. Recognizing and accepting that their child is experiencing difficulties can take time but as a practitioner it is important to support this process by taking the time and effort to build up a good relationship with the parents, have an honest and open approach, avoid using language that the parent might not understand or find distressing. It is important to remember that a parent has a lot of valuable information about a child and as a practitioner there aim should be to build a trusting relationship with the parent/carer and to keep the parent fully informed and included in any processes following the initi al discussion. In March 2011, the government published the SEN and disability green paper which proposed a new approach to special educational needs and disability .they intended to develop a radically different system that will support better life outcomes for young people. Any legislation changes were to be taken forward from May 2012. The green paper offered a visual representation of the main themes of the recommendations put forward by the government in the form of a ‘word cloud’.in the illustration below, the larger the word ,the more heavily it featured in the green paper. Although the modern SEN started in the early 1980s, the current framework emerged in the 1990s with the education act 1993/1996 and the issue of the SEN code of practise (as revised in 2001). The code of practice as become the bible of SEN for anyone involved for anyone involved with children with an SEN. The new SEN code of practice 0-25 years (2014) has evolved from many criticisms of the older publications. Parliaments own education and skills committee said in 2006 that the system was â€Å"not fit for purpose†, and many people felt that getting children and young people the correct provision had become a â€Å"fight† between parents and the local authorities, with schools and nurseries often caught in the middle. Parents also perceived that local authorities had a conflict of interest as they both assessed need and made provision. There was also a criticism of the SEN system and particularly of statements in an Ofsted report in 2010 entitled a† a statement is not enough† Five separate inquiries conducted about SEN/disability issued between 2006 and 2010 made other criticisms. After a change of government in 2010 a call for views of the SEN Green paper in 2011 promised the biggest reform in SEN in 30 years. A subsequent SEN Green paper has become The Children and Families Act 2014 and a completely new SEN code of practice has now been issued coming into law in September 2014. Main body Child A is 35 months old; he lives with his mum and dad and is an only child. His mum and dad both work full time so child A spends a lot of time with his grandparents. He lives on a local council estate 3 miles away from the setting and this is his first setting that he has attended which he started in September 2014.Child A has an identified speech and language difficulty which has been identified through observations and assessments by the practitioner and the settings SENCO. The child’s parents have also identified the speech and language difficulty and have a scheduled meeting with the settings SENCO. DFES (2008) suggests that the development and use of speech, language and communication are very imperative in young children’s learning. Much teaching is delivered verbally; and children need good communication skills to make friends. Children’s future achievements are reliant on their capability to communicate effectively. It is essential for us, practitioners to ensure that we do everything we can to support child A in becoming a skilful and capable communicator. As well as making use of spoken language effective communication is also non-verbal. Eye contact, body posture, gesture, facial expressions displaying interest/surprise/boredom can be just as expressive as words. If children arrive in the classroom without the ability to communicate effectively, then they will be disadvantaged from the outset. A number of reasons are given for the decline in early communication skills, forward facing buggies may hinder a childs speech development as it is difficult to push and talk to a child whilst the child is facing away from you , it is impossible to have any eye contact and engage in running commentary of sights, sounds and smells. New technology is also another factor in a child’s speech delay, mobile phones and listening to music with headphones isolate a parent in their own world , leaving a child to become isolated in theirs..Tallent et al(2011). It is my job as child A’s key person is to identify these key issues and educate the child and the parents on opportunities for communication .ways in which I can do this is describe the stage child A’s speech and language and communication development has reached, track their progress (as shown in appendices 1) and identify issues as they arise. I encourage and interact with child A and also plan and implement activities that meet the level of his language development (as shown in appendices 2). I have the responsibility as child A’s key person to provide additional support for child A and to give the child my full attention when child A is talking and to ask open ended questions to encourage the child’s speech development. Skinner the behaviourist therapist suggested that children learn language through reinforcement. In other words, when we show enthusiasm for something that the child is trying to say, this should encourage child A to repeat the utteran ce. It is also essential that i provide the correct support for the child by adapting activities such as adding visual aids, adding visual aids around the room in the defined areas and offering the child visual aids in form of choices, and provide the child with prompts to indicate a response or request. This will help the child communicate effectively and give the child the same opportunities. I identified that child A had a speech and language difficulty whilst tracking his progress child A was at the developmental age of 16-26 months I observed and assessed the child over the next few months in accordance with the graduated approach outlined in the SEN code of practice 2014 and when no progress was being made I took the evidence to the settings SENCO as outlined in the graduated approach shown in the illustration below. In my settings inclusion policy reviewed in 2014(as shown in appendices 3) it states that the setting will encourage children to thrive and to recognise and appreciate their differences and so fulfil their unique potential. It also states that the settings objective is to help parents with children and their families to take part in the nursery and their community and will do this by working with partner agencies and the local community to eliminate the causes of social inclusion and make our services available to all. This includes facilitating, assisting, supporting and valuing each child in pursuit of this aim. As a practitioner following the above graduated response will help the child to reach their full potential. And allow the families access to the partner agencies such as a speech and language therapist. According to DFES (2008) parents need to work in partnership with the setting and support their communication within the home, with their family and in the wider world. These situations are very different from those provided by the setting. For that reason I as child A’s key person must work with the parents in partnership. I should plan regular opportunities to discuss child A’s level of development with his parents. Information should be relayed between me and the parents such as rhymes that child A likes in the setting so these can be repeated at home. The settings single equality policy is derived from The Equality Act which first came into force in October 2010. The equality act states that, public organisations including schools have to take action to make things equal for the people who work for them and use their services. This is called the Single Public Sector Equality Duty. My setting is committed to taking positive action based on the equality act and to make sure staffs are aware of the law and how to put it in to practice. My setting has a professional and dedicated, multi skilled, highly qualified and diverse team of staff who have lots of experience of working in a diverse setting within a diverse community. All these professionals such as practitioners, family support , the setting SENCO and other outside professionals such as health visitors and speech and language therapists will work together to ensure that child A will get the support that he needs. This support will come in the form of regular reviews and meetings with the setting SENCO and key person and additional support in the form of family support services and speech and language referrals may also be offered to child A’s parents..

Post Feminist Television Film Studies Essay

Post Feminist Television Film Studies Essay The media creates powerful representations and therefore has a strong impact on what people believe in. Gender has always been present in media and it is the media that creates stereotypes and assumptions of it. The representation of women in media has changed throughout the years. In the 1950s women were always at home, taking care of their children and making sure that the house was clean and dinner served on time. In other words they were born to become mothers and wives and it was a mans role to work and provide for the family. In recent years on the other hand women in television are presented as successful businesswomen with extremely good sense of fashion and most of the time they are single. Lotz explains that the term postfeminism is used in media to explain contemporary gender politics (2001:106). Women are more present in media than ever, they play leading roles; they can be mothers, wives, and successful businesswomen without losing their femininity. The process was possible by connecting postconvergence of television with postfeminist culture. Bonnie J. Dow (1996) notices that The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977) was one of the first examples of the shift from the domestic family situation shows into a single woman, career-oriented program. It is seen as the result of how powerful and influential feminism was at that time, creating new female audiences and allowing social changes in the way that women could fulfill themselves as successful and independent businesswomen without the need having a family. Dow (1996:26) argues that The Mary Tyler Moore Show created important parameters for future television discourse representing feminism, parameters that include a focus on working women (and a concomitant avoidance of a critique of the traditional patriarchal family), the deception of womens lives without male romantic partners, the enactment of a feminist lifestyle by young, attractive, white, heterosexual, female characters, and a reliance on the tenets of second-wave liberal or equity feminism. The show helped in creating new audiences and encouraged women to find new ways of fulfilling themselves outside their shallow, filled with housework and looking after their children lives. At the same time it was addressed to women experiencing changes in their economic and familial status with stories infused with consciousness-raising perspectives and lifestyle politics (Lotz, 2001:107). Year 1986 brought significant changes to the way women were represented in media (Dow, 1996:nr). A third-wave of feminists movements found coverage in television and press, women were more interested in educating themselves and building their careers around their family lives. Professions occupied previously only by men were now available for women, even though their pay was significantly lower. Bonnie J. Dow (1996:105-108) recognises three modes of postfeminist US drama series: professional serial drama, with the example of L.A. Law (1986-1994) where women characters struggle to find a balance between professional life and a family life, postfeminist family television (e.g. thirtysomething (1987-1991)) which illustrates an idealised version of a woman who can be a successful businesswoman and a perfect mother at the same time, and finally a postfeminist nirvana (e.g. Designing Women (1986-1993)) showing successful women who are also single mothers and divorcees. It was the end of 1990s when a new kind of television programs emerged with women as protagonists, these include: Xena: Warrior Princess (1995-2001), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003), Ally McBeal (1997-2002), Sex in the City (1998-2004) or Family Law (1999-2002). This was the time when a new, new woman was introduced to television shows, much more complex than Mary Richards in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and bringing a new wave of feminism, also identified as postfeminism. As Elyce Rae Helford says the late 90s offered some of the most developed and compelling (if contradictory and sometimes even reactionary) televisual representations of gender politics and debates over (and within) feminism (2000a:6). One of the most significant feminine role models in prime-time US television series was Ally McBeal (played by Calista Flockhart). She is an attractive, young, single and successful lawyer and a problematic character at the same time, struggling to find a man who would meet her expectations. Moseley and Read (2001:222) suggest that it was a combination of feminine discourses and feminist discourses that made Allys character a subject of men gaze and a role model for feminists. The show challenges feminists conventions regarding natural differences between men and women, underlying the fact that these differences can be eliminated or ignored entirely. Sex and the city series is another example of how influential feminism is. Main characters are a group of friends, single independent women who gave up on looking for their perfect life partners, but unlike Ally they decide to live life to the full and act like men, without any commitments, feelings or sentiments. Every detail of their lives has its meaning: Carrie Bradshaw (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) rents a house, lives from paycheck to paycheck, but spends fortune on top of the range designer clothes and accessories which indicates on her lack of stability and frivolous relationships with opposite sex; Samantha Jones (played by Kim Cattrall) treats men like objects, repulses relationships, monogamy, institution of marriage and children; Miranda Hobbes (played by Cynthia Nixon) is a wealthy, cynical feminist who criticises men for taking advantage of women and cannot understand why no men are attracted to her; and finally Charlotte York (played by Kristin Davis) is an outcast of the series, who dreams about her ideal wedding and children, which shows her dedication to one person and traditionalism. There are no taboo subjects in this circle of friends, they share their sexual fantasies with each other, insult men and cherish their singledom. There is a connection point between Ally McBeal and Sex and the City: both shows seek to change female nature into male behavious, but in both cases characters end up choosing traditional routes. Unlike single women in Sex and the City, protagonists in Desperate Housewives (2004-) are far from being perfect feminine heroines: Mary Alice Young (played by Brenda Strong) kills herself in the first 5 minutes from the start of the series because she cannot live with the guilt of the crime she committed, Bree Van De Kamp (played by Marcia Cross) who is a widowed recovering alcoholic, obsessed with keeping a perfectly clean household to hide dirty secrets of her life, Lynette Scavo (played by Felicity Huffman) who used to be a successful businesswoman, but had to leave her job after giving birth to six children; Susan Meyer (played by Teri Hatcher) who is an emotionally unstable divorcee living with her teenage daughter; and finally Gabrielle Solis (played by Eva Longoria)- a former super-model who is an unemployed trophy wife to her wealthy husband and cheats on him on every occasion. The series suggest a completely different ways of finding fulfillment in lives of these domestic g oddesses as they do not seem to find satisfaction in their family lives, struggle with their ungrateful and overpowering children. There are certain but slight different aspects of postfeminism visible in Gossip Girl (2007-). This new teen drama portrays young women as successful, independent, socially mobile and free to choose their destiny (McRobbie, 2007:270). The freedom that young women represent in the series is highlighted through material and sexual consumption. Just like in Sex and the City, protagonists in Gossip Girl are attractive, thin and well off. Anita Harris (2004:128) argues that a young in-control woman in twenty first century needs to actively participate in the flow of information technology, which shapes her sense of identity and gives her a technological capital, which can be acquired through knowing the latest technological trends, having the latest camera phone and Facebook or Twitter account. Gossip Girl is based on the book series of the same title written by Cecily von Ziegesar and tells the story about a group of teenagers living in Manhattan. Two main girl characters, Serena van der Woodsen (played by Blake Lively) and Blair Waldorf (played by Leighton Meester), are almost every girls wannabies: extremely beautiful, wealthy and privileged, and at the same time very unrealistic. It is almost impossible to identify with them, but the viewers can take pleasure from fantasising about the world they live in or identify themselves with Jenny Humphrey (played by Taylor Momsen), who attends the same school and Blair and Serena, but comes from a normal middle class family and can never be one of these girls (Pattee, 2006:167). The aspect of post-feminism in Gossip Girl series is portrayed through the lifestyle and the consumption of culture of Blair and Serena. They are both socially active, but it is Blair who has the most dominating characteristics. She named herself the Queen Bee, positioned herself at the top of the hierarchy at school, which means that every decision made by any of her peer needs to be authorized by her. She victimises girls that do not match her taste, makes fun of them and blocks their way to all social evens. On the other hand Blair is very insecure about herself, hates losing or being alone. She needs constant appreciation and acceptance, especially when Serena tries to steal her crown. In episode 4 of the first series she says to Serena: (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) you could not deal with the spotlight shining on me for once, could you? Because you steal everything from me: Nate, my mom and girls at school (2007). Throughout the years women revolutionalised prime-time television. From Ally McBeal from Ally McBeal, Carrie Bradshaws from Sex and the City, Bree Van De Camp from Desperate Housewives and Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf from Gossip girl, every woman finds her ideal character features she wants to implement into her life. FEMALE NARRATORS- VOICE-OVER NARRATION IN POSTFEMINIST DRAMA SERIES The female voice has enormous conceptual and discursive range once it is freed from its claustral confinement within the female body. It is capable of talking about terrorism, anger, melancholia, homosexual as well as heterosexual desire, ancient Mexican divinities, soap operas, Emma Goldman, the circulation of money and even cinema itself (Silverman, 1988:186). Kathleen A McHaugh (2001:3) notices that voice-over narration has a long history in American cinema, began in 1930s and was mostly presented by men. Silverman (1988:ix) argues that female voice-over narration is rare and only occurs in experimental feminist productions. McHaugh (2001:3) says that women storytellers is only a recent development, but very rarely occurs in noir films. Susan Snaider Lancer has described female narrators voices as a site of crisis, contradiction, or challenge (1992:7). Women narrators help in defining textual effects and function as a link between language and the feminine body. Voice-over narration is typical in most television programs and as Kozloff (1987) notices, the voice-over narration helps to introduce the story, reveals thoughts and emotions. The number of prime-time television shows with voice-over narration has risen in recent years, these include: Felicity (1998-2002), Aliens in America (2007-2008), How I Met Your Mother (2005-), Heroes (2006-2010), Everybody Hates Chris (2005-2009), Scrubs (2001-2010), Greys Anatomy (2005-), Pushing Daisies (2007-2009), My Name Is Earl (2005-2009), Dexter (2006-) and analysed in this work Gossip Girl, Desperate Housewives (which popularised omniscient narration with its premiere in 2004) and Sex and the City. Although female voice-over narration is most often associated with television series, there are examples of it on the big screen. These include films like Fried Green Tomatoes (Avnet, 1991), Orlando (Potter, 1993), Clueless (Heckerling, 1995), Bound (Wachowski Bros, 1996), Daughters of the Dust (Dash, 1996) or Mansfield Park (Rozema, 1999). The common characteristic for all these films is that they are either experimental cinemas or independent productions, which leads to the conclusion that female voice-over narration very rarely occurs is box office productions. The voice-over narration is repeatedly chosen in films where the characters deal with trauma (McHaugh, 2001:5) to mark the seriousness of its circumstances (war films, in these cases however, the narrator is male) or in films where protagonists tell their coming of age stories, with the examples of Titanic (Cameron, 1997) and Notebook (Cassavetes, 2004). THE IMPORTANCE OF VOICE-OVER NARRATION: OMNISCIENCE IN THE AGE OF GOSIPDOM Sarah Kozloff (1988:5) says that voice-over narration can be formally defined as oral statements, conveying any portion of a narrative, spoken by an unseen speaker situated in a space and time other than that simultaneously being presented by the images on the screen. Kozloff (1988:3) claims that in voice-over narration all three words are fully operative. Voice controls the medium, over is a connection between the narrator and the image on the screen (the narrator in not visible at that time) and narration is the message being sent from the narrator to the viewer (Kozloff, 1988:3). The aim of this section is to explore forms and functions of female voice-over narration in the television series Sex and the City, Desperate Housewives and Gossip Girl with the main focus on Desperate Housewives series. To fully understand the agenda of each one of them, it is important to fully analyse who the narrators are and what they represent. The research for this article is based on analysis of the first three series of each television program with the main focus on their voice-over narration. It is worth noticing that all three television shows belong to different genre. Although Sex and the City and Desperate Housewives both focus on private lives of their four main characters, they differ in length of the episodes: approximately 25 minutes of Sex and the City, which classifies it as a sitcom and approximately 45 minutes of Desperate Housewives, which classes it to a drama series category (similarly to Gossip Girl, which is a teen drama with episodes approximately 45 minutes long). Although in Desperate Housewives and Sex and the City we know who the narrator is, we rarely see them speaking. It is what Allrath et al. calls a non-visible narrators voice (year:15). The narrator shows the viewers around, introduces the scenes that they look at without showing his or her face to help them understand the main focus of the episode. One of the reasons why the narrator is present in television series is that he or she gets to choose what the viewer should focus on by defining what scenes are shown: Voice-over narration changes the quality of the visual, adding a subjective note by implying that what the audience is watching has been chosen by the narrator (Hoth, 2010:82). In Sex and the City the voice-over is provided by one of the protagonists- Carrie Bradshaw. She is a newspaper columnist writing about female sexuality and her voice-over represents her thoughts about hers and her three friends sexual exploits. The Sex and the City series start with the narrators statement, the naked truth about the times we live in: Welcome to the age of un-innocence. No one has breakfast at Tiffanys and no one has affairs to remember. Instead, we have breakfast at 7 a.m. and affairs we try to forget as quickly as possible. Self-protection and closing the deal are paramount. Cupid has flown the co-op (S01E01, 1998). The message that comes with the above statement is cruel but simple: romantic love does not exist any more, but it becomes untrue later on in the series as we learn that all of the characters are looking for true love, romantic dinners and honest feelings. The theme of each episode is a series of questions of different sexual subject that she ponders about with her closest friends, and answers to these questions she puts in a form of an article to her sex column: I explore those sorts of issues in my column and I have terrific sources- my friends (Carrie Bradshaw: S01E01, 1998). Each episode starts with the view of Carrie sitting in front of her laptop. She ponders on the sexual dilemmas by sharing her internal thoughts, which is a rare characteristic for television series featuring single women. Singledom is the subject that Carrie very often comes back to. As an unmarried woman herself, she tries to find the resolution to the nurturing stereotype that it is easier to be killed by a terrorist that it is for a woman to get married after 30 (Carrie Bradshaw: S01E01, 1998). She often brings up the statistics about the number of singles in Manhattan, trying to convince herself about the endless possibilities of finding a perfect life partner. The filming technique being used in the series help the viewer to identify with the narrator. The camera movements makes the viewers feel that they perform the same activities as Carrie: the camera moves as she looks through the window, walks around her flat or zooms in on her computer screen the same moment when Carrie looks at it. Carries voice-over is technology mediated, whatever she thinks she types on her laptop. Her thoughts at the same time are available to public audience, making her private life dilemmas a public read. Sex and the City uses female narration to intervene in feminine discourses regarding female sexuality and lifestyle choices. For example in episode in episode 2 of the first series Carrie says: the truth was I thought I had come to terms with my looks the year I turned 30, when I realised that I no longer had the energy to be superficial (1998). She is very honest about her sexuality. When at the beginning of the third series Carrie starts dating a twenty six year old, bisexual man named Sean (played by Eddie Cahill), she soon realises how uncomfortable she feels being with someone who is not only attracted to her, but still has feelings for his ex boyfriend. But this is not what she was expecting. At the beginning of episode 4 of the third series she states: its been said that New Yorkers are the most jaded people in the world. The fact is weve pretty much done and seen it all. It takes quite a bit to shock usà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦'(S03E04, 2000). It was only after she met Seans ex boyfriend, who also happened to be married to a guy and had a daughter with his ex girlfriend who was also married to another woman, when Carrie realised how strong she feels about her sexuality. Carrie provides the voice-over narration to each episode. Her voice-over also frames each episode. Her prologue introduces the topic of the episode, e.g.: Lets be honest. Sometimes there is nothing harder in life than being happy for somebody else, like lottery winners or extremely successful people who are twenty something. And then there is the hell on earth that only your closest friends can inflict on- the baby shower (S01E10, 1998). The statements that she gives us at the beginning make the viewers aware of her insecurity and subjectivity. Usually the entire episode is based on Carries thoughts and dilemmas that she shares with her friends, analyses them and provides possible answers and resolutions at the end of the episode. Carrie uses a very innovative and unusual technique to share her thoughts with the viewers. Especially in the first and the second series she gives background information by directly addressing it to the audience. It seems like she pauses the world behind her, e.g. during a telephone conversation, she stops talking, looks in the camera and starts talking to the viewers. Similarly, when Carrie does the research for her column article, she asks random passers-by for their opinion and usually they look straight in the camera while giving their answers. Both mentioned above techniques cause confusion to the viewer, it is hard to say if she talks to the viewer or becomes one. Mary Alice Young The first series of Desperate Housewives opens with scenes of a model housewife, Mary Alice Young (played by Brenda Strong), preparing a family breakfast, painting a chair, polishing and dusting- and then killing herself just after she has finished these tasks. Her voiceover interrupts the suicide to say: in truth I spent the day as I spend every other day, quietly polishing the routine of my life until it gleamed with perfection. Thats why it was so astonishing when I decided to go to my hallway closet and retrieve a revolver that has never been used (S01E01, 2004). She says these words with a very calm tone of voice, almost as she was telling a story that ends with a happy end, or even as she was talking about somebody else. Does she think of her suicide as of a happy moment? What about her family? What about all these people she left behind? Why did she even do that? Why did no one predict it? Apparently suicidal thoughts are an involuntary thoughts and people who want to take their lives away just want to stop hurting. This proves the point that Mary Alice did stop hurting and it seems that committing suicide dehumanised her and took away all her feelings. This moment of suicide enables her to become the omniscient god-like narrator of the series, whose voiceover tells the story from Heaven. Marys suicide thus makes her central to the main plot line of the first season of the show, since her fatal pulling of the trigger is precisely what triggers the dynamics of investigation and the shows gradual revelations about her past. Listening to Mary Alice the viewer gets the impression of listening to a good old friend, which gives the feeling of authenticity of the series. She can be classified as a heterodiegetic, third person narrator, because she talks about her past, has no active position in the series and her voice starts and ends each episode. This kind of narrative sets up an enigma, which incites the series and gives the viewer something to look forward to every week. Sarah Kozloff (1988) has called the narrator who begins and ends the story a frame narrator. She claims that frame narrators possess a greater degree of believability, also called authentication authority- the ability to establish and verify the facts of the fictional world. At the end of each episode she sumarises it and helps to understand its message that people believe is true, sharing her worldly wisdom with the viewers: we honour heroes for different reasons. Sometimes for their daring. Sometimes fort heir bravery. Sometimes for their goodness. But mostly we honour heroes because at one point or another we all dream of being rescued. Of course if the right hero doesnt come along, sometimes we just have to rescue ourselves (S01E17, 2004). A perfect housewife leaves her family behind to lead us through the mysterious lives of the people of Wisteria Lane, but what her best friends, and at the same time the main protagonists of the story, want to know is why did she do it? Suspicions arise when four of Mary Alices best friends: Susan (played by Teri Hatcher), Bree (played by Marcia Cross), Lynette (played by Felicity Huffman) and Gabrielle (played by Eva Longoria) find a note in her belongings: I know what you did, it makes me sick, Im going to tell (S01E01, 2004). This opening to the series provided an effective entry into the unfolding narrative, setting up new enigmas week by week and encourages watching following episodes. The secret is revealed at the end of season one and after that the stories that she tells are not related with her family or herself. This is also the time when her son and husband move out from Wisteria Lane. All she does from this moment is commenting on her friends problems, lies and affairs. Surprisingly to all the living, she says something that no one would ever think about, which intensifies this enigma: an odd thing happens when we die, our senses vanish: taste, touch, smell and sound become a distant memory, but our sightà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ oh our sight expands and we can suddenly see the world weve left behind so clearly. Of course, most of whats visible to the dead, could also be seen by the living, if theyd only taken time to look (S01E02, 2004). This provides the characters way of explaining where her omniscience comes from. By saying this she also explains herself that all she has got left are memories, but what she gained is the limitless access to peoples lives and thoughts. Thanks to Mary Alice the dirty secrets, affairs, illnesses and financial problems of Wisteria Lane are made public. At the beginning of each episode the voice-over prologue introduces more and more complications to the narrative and new information about the characters in the series. For example in episode 2 of the first series Mary Alice reveals Gabrielles secret: (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) like my friend Gabrielle. I should have seen how unhappy she was, but I didnt. I only saw her clothes from Paris and her platinum jewellery, and her brand new diamond watch. If I looked closer, I would have seen Gabrielle was a drowning woman, desperately in search of a life raft. Luckily for her, she found one. Of course Gabrielle only saw her young gardener as a way to infuse her life with little excitement. But now she was about to discover just how exciting her life could get (2004). Following this statement Mary Alice proceeds to showing Gabrielles husband getting out of his car while she is having a bath with her lover. Narrators prologue functions as the time to reveal her friends dirty secrets and also to show who they really are behind the closed doors. Another example could be episode 15 of the first series where Mary Alice shows Bree finding a condom in the laundry basket: Bree Van De Kamp believed in old-fashioned values, such as respect for God, the importance of family and love of country. In fact Bree believed so strongly in her values, it was always a shock whenever she was confronted with those who didnt (2004). Mary Alice knew her friend so well that she instantly knew what Brees reaction would be- to find out if her husband is cheating or if one of her children has pre-marital sex. She predicts characters actions, knows the resolution to their problems, but waits with the reveal and gives hints of what is going to happen next. At the end of every episode Mary Alices voice-over summarises the events, which she has unfolded with an epilogue and teases the viewer with what is going to happen next: (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) yes, each new day in suburbia brings with it a new set of lies, the worst are the ones we tell ourselves before we fall asleep. We whisper them in the dark, telling ourselves we are happy or that he is happy, that we can change or that he will change his mind. We persuade ourselves we can live with our sins or that we can live without him. Yes, each night before we fall asleep we lie to ourselves in a desperate, desperate hope that come morning it will all be true (S01E15, 2004). Suburban areas used to be portrayed as idyllic places, where people grew up in their communities, raised their kids and everyone was extremely nice to each other. With Mary Alices words the impression that the viewer gets is that the association of this idyllic place has been turned upside down. It seems that there are lots of lies and secrets that it holds, which makes it an example of juxtaposition for the truth about the series, she explains: Suburbia is a battleground, an arena for all forms of domestic combat (S01E06, 2004). Another example of this kind is shown in episode 2 of the second series, where Mary Alice says: beautiful lawns. Spacious homes. Happy families. These are the hallmarks of suburbia. But if you look beneath the veneer of gracious living, you will see a battle raging. A battle for control. You see the combatants everywhere, engaged in their routine skirmishes fighting fiercely to have dominion over the world around them (2005). The way that suburbia is presented in Desperate Housewives denies being a sacred domestic space of mutual trust and affection, altruistic care, peaceful innocence, religious inspiration, security from outside interference, and all-encompassing virtue (Hebel, 2005:187). What is striking about this statement is that the narrator of the series is presented as authoritative, truthful and realistic, while people living on Wisteria Lane and the idea of the place itself are illusive. Everyone attends Mary Alices funeral, which either proves a strong relationship between neighbours or is a gesture of politeness in the community. Everyone seeks scandal in modern world, there are no perfect places mentioned by Hebel (2005:187), they varnished the moment the first crime was committed and the truth hidden: (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) yes, everyone loves a scandal, no matter how big or small. After all, what could be more entertaining than watching the downfall of the high and mighty. What could be more amusing than the public exposure of hypocritical sinners. Yes, everyone loves a scandal, and if for some reason youre not enjoying the latest one, well, the next one is always around the corner (Mary Alice, S01E16, 2005). Mary Alice is initially portrayed by her friends- the main protagonists- as the nicest person they have ever met. At the wake, Bree, Lynette, Gabrielle and Susan gather at a dining table, stare briefly at the chair that Mary Alice used to sit on and start pondering about their friends life. They cannot believe that someone so happy could have done something so terrible. Gabrielle reflects: what kind of problems could she have had? She was healthy, had a great home, a nice family. If Mary Alice was having some sort of crisis, we would have known, she lives fifty feet away for Gods sake (S01E01). There are many situations throughout the series when Mary Alices apparent narrative omnipresence and omnipotence are demonstrated. When she says that to understand Maisy Gibbons (played by Sharon Lawrence), you first need to know how she spends her afternoons (S01E10, 2004) and then proceeds to show the viewers how Maisy does her husbands laundry, helps her children with their homework and works as a prostitute in the afternoons when her family is not at home. It is a shocking juxtaposition to the way that her neighbours see her: as a perfect mother and an exemplary housewife. The interesting fact here is that Maisy is not a main character in the series and here almost the whole episode is dedicated to her. The narrators voice is always very calm, the viewer is never able to notice any emotions driving her. She speaks with a lot of confidence and authority because she is aware of the fact that she knows everything and everyone. Sometimes she gives the viewer the impression of interacting with other characters. When her friends gather to pack up her belongings and Gabrielle notices that all Mary Alices clothes were size 8, not size 6 like she had been telling everyone, she drops a comment: Guess we found a skeleton in her closet (S01E01, 2004), Mary Alice responds: Not quite Gabrielle, not quite (S01E01, 2004), which insinuates that even darker secrets are to be revealed in the future. Mary Alice seems to be enjoying her power and knowledge. She knows in what emotional state her friends are, e.g. when Edie Britt (played by Nicollette Sheridan) decided to ask Mike Delfino (played by James Denton) out on a date despite the fact that she knew that Susan was interested, Mar