Television Effects on Children Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Television Effects on Children - Research Paper Example ar I may have rode a horse to school and spent their days primarily taking care of the family farm or working in what would now be considered ‘sleepy hamlets’ with malt shops, drug stores and barbers sweeping their front step. Their children listened to the radio, rode in cars, could call anyplace in the world and enjoyed the comforts of electricity and indoor plumbing. While this lifestyle was already accelerated to at least twice the speed of their forebears, it was the next generation that was changed most by technology. In the 1950’s, television entered the home becoming part of almost every family. It was not simply a tool; it entertained, educated and babysat the generations to follow. Society took its biggest leap either forward or backward, depending on your viewpoint, after the public adopted what was to become the family friend. Commentators have noted how each generation since the introduction of the television have become progressively more violent, le ss active and suffer from an increasingly diminished attention span. It seems reasonable, therefore, to look to the television as the possible source of this violence as it negatively affects the development of our children. Studies vary on the exact amount of television children watch per day but it is commonly accepted that it is a large percentage of their lives outside school and sleep. While mesmerized in front of the T.V., children are exposed to many hours of violence, drug use and sex as well as to influential, sophisticated and enticing commercials. Research regarding the behavioral outcomes of television advertising found that it is a significant factor in determining the specific items children request and contribute to children’s sense of social status based upon whether they can ‘have that’ or not. From the time of television’s inception, no one has doubted that this medium would generate its operating revenues from advertising. However, advertising directed

Upgrading wastewater treatment facilities Essay

Upgrading wastewater treatment facilities - Essay Example The European Economic Community and the European Commission embarked on designing a common regulation regarding urban wastewater treatment, as insufficient treatment of wastewater from a given state will have significant impacts on other member states (Vesilind, 2003:114). Consequently, industries and municipals were required to adhere to certain wastewater treatment policies that would ensure pollution and other adverse effects remain minimal, including the common primary settling and activated sludge. These regulations are still applicable, forcing majority of organization to upgrade their treatment facilities to more sustainable sanitation. This report discusses the issues that lead to non-compliance. The report further proposes the adoption of a recent technological innovation in chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT) as the best initial step in management and treatment of urban water waste through case studies approach (Marsalek et al., 2004:135). There have been numerous discussions on population growth in mega cities and urban areas in developing countries and the subsequent public health and water-related pollution. The central concern for the stakeholders has been whether these emerging mega cities should adopt the municipal wastewater t reatment technology similar to that of Western Europe, whether there is need to adopt another approach that is more sustainable sanitation.

Identification Of Strategic Problems Of Tesco Marketing Essay

Identification Of Strategic Problems Of Tesco Marketing Essay 1. After doing the PEST analysis of the company, we can recognize the result or the marketing issues, a company is facing. Pest analysis is about doing analysis of political, economical, social and technological factors, which a company is surrounded by. 2. Get an understanding about why firm issues require to get instant thought and why there are strategic marketing problems once the findings are assessed. 3. Determine the consequences of not addressing certain issues by considering the urgency or immediacy of the issue. 4. Consolidate overlapping or related issues into a controllable number. The last list should include no more than twelve issues. 5. Organize issues in priority order by bearing in mind how they transmit to one another. Introduction   Once the strategic issues are found, the next step is to use the conclusion to identify strategic issues. It is in this stage that participants decide which issues are critical to the success of the company and its dream of improving the marketing strategies. Marketing Strategic issues or problems are those fundamental policy choices or critical challenges that must be addressed in order for a company to achieve its vision. Examples: (Cock Burger King) For over a century now, Coca-Cola has been the number one soft drink company in the world. They have vast profitable resources and some of the greatest marketing minds existing at their disposal. Despite all of that, Coca-Cola failed glumly when it introduced New Coke to the public back in 1985. The reason was that they were unable to understand the marketing threats and could not target the right market and were fail to arrangement their new product in the market. The simples reason of failure was people did not like the new cock. In spite of all the research that was done, and despite the thousands of taste tests conducted; the buying public just didnt like the taste of New Coke. And completely nothing Coca-Cola said or did could change that one simple fact. Unfortunately, that crooked out to be a very expensive lesson for Coca-Cola. They lost millions of customers to their bitter rival and number two soft drink giant, Pepsi. Yes, Coca-Cola is still the number one soft drink. But the slit has been narrowed significantly. Burger King required very much to be French Fries King. For years, the No. 2 hamburger chain beat out McDonalds in taste tests of hamburgers, but the Golden Arches kept a lock on having the number one french fries. So, Burger King spent several years formulating a new french fry, a potato stick coatedunlike its precursorwith a layer of starch calculated to help keep heat and add chomp. Armed with a $70 million marketing war chest, the company rolled out its biggest product launch ever in 1998. So, what happened? Burger Kings new french fries turned out to be a whopper of a flop! Sales of fries are significantly down, stated a 1999 internal memo. Double digit percent of consumers keep away from Burger King because of our french fries. Fortunately, Coca-Cola and Burger King were able to live on near disastrous miscalculations, because they had billions of dollars behind them. But other companies that poorly miscalculate their strategic marketing problems, and dont have those kind of financial resources, generally end up going out of business. Thats mostly why so many dot-com companies are reducing like fliesand will carry on to do so. Itroduction The presented piece of work studies the presentation of the TESCO public incomplete company in UK stock market, follows its progress and interesting events for the fresh time as well as provides with financial The presented piece of work studies the performance of the TESCO public limited company in UK stock market, follows its progress and interesting events for the recent time as well as provides with financial statements, balance sheet and calculates figures necessary. , balance sheet and calculates figures requiredFirst, name and address of the company is presented. Secondly, annual report, share prices graphic in compare with other companies and share price graph for the past two years, latest news and other information is provided in this report.TESCO was founded in 1919 by Jack Cohen it made unbelievable success in international grocery and general merchandising retail chain. Nowadays it is the largest retailer in global and UK domestic market share whichs profits exceeds  £2 billion. Firstly company expert in food and drink and later it has diverted areas such as clothing, financial services, electronics, insurance and others. Now it has 3,728 number of stores all of the world and 440,000 numbers of employees working for the TESCO. TESCO leaders define their values as every little helps toward erecting value for customers and earn their loyalty. Company work hard for the buyers, meet their needs, act sensibly and treat with employees in trus t and respect. The strategy of the company is to offer great quality, affordable prices, high variety and customer service. TESCO own 2,115 stores in United Kingdom and had already penetrated to 13 international markets including Europe, Asia and USA. Aiming to provide excellent value and choice TESCO Company tries to provide all its customers with the goods they want to have and also take part in social and environmental challenges. (www.tescoplc.com) TESCO CASE STUDY: Tesco runs more than 2,300 supermarkets, hypermarkets, and expediency stores in the UK (where it is the market leader in food retail), Ireland, Central Europe, and Asia. Its operations include convenience and gasoline retailing (Tesco Express), small municipal stores (Tesco Metro), hypermarkets (Tesco Extra), and financial services through Tesco Personal Finance. A global leader in online grocery sales, it owns a 35% stake in US grocery chain Safeways GroceryWorks. It is the most important online grocery store and it is now expanding its business with a TV channel and a retail based education organization. HOW TO IDENTIFY THE STRATEGIC MARKETING PROBLEMS OFD TESCO: (By Doing SWOT and PESTLE Analysis of Tesco Plc) A PEST analysis of the industry will examine the local, national and global influences of political, economic, social and technological factors to appreciate opportunities and threats well. External Environment PESTLE Analysis All of those (political, economic, social, technical, legal and environmental) factors will to some degree apply to the retail manufacturing in Sweden. POLITICAL Following the European addition and Free Trade Agreements, the market has opened up for British Companies to invest in Eastern Europe. Tesco already has 60 Hypermarket store in Hungary.  Ã‚   Lidl is frankly fighting to maintain its market share with an violent pricing strategy. ECONOMIC the Retail sector is fairly recession prawn and also very sensitive to changes in interest rates. Since the events of September 11th the world economies have suffered heavily, stocks plummeted and prices are at all time lows. The world economy is however, now on the up post September 11th. Consumers are optimistic and the retail industry is once again booming. SOCIAL changes in consumer taste and lifestyle represent both opportunities and threats for the industry. Opportunities in terms of new market and consumers, however, there are new threats in terms of alternative established Swedish national retailers (foreign company bias). TECHNICAL Changes in retailing methods as such clothes sales via the Internet is now a common place in retailing. Paperless operation, the management and administration of the company are undertaken on IT systems, which are accessed through secure servers; provide flexibility in the running of the business. As Sweden is at the forefront of technological advancement with national companies like Ericsson, Tesco would enjoy the complete logistic and distribution channels already in place. LEGAL National legislation for health and safety both in terms of consumer rights and also in terms of production of own natural renewable resources for making clothes. ENVIRONMENTAL The renewable source of resources used in production, namely cotton and wool are environmentally friendly. The threats are in terms of legal penalty for livestocks in terms of health and safety.  Ã‚   After the on top of analysis, following were the strategic marketing problem found for Tesco: Identification of Strategic Marketing Problems of TESCO à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Perception of low quality -(Tesco value brands) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lack of local knowledge of customers and culture à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Foreign brand à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   New existing competition à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   unpredictability in Price of raw materials à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Economic recession à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Market shift to globalisation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   conquest bids à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Far-East low cost brands à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Extremely high competition for customers and resources  Ã‚  Ã‚   Strategic Marketing opportunities of TESCO: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Diverse ranges of products à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Open 24 hours a day à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Strong Cash Flow Position à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Increase turnover and trading profits à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Strong Balance Sheet à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Leading Supermarket Chain à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Brand Awareness à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Human resources à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Online Shopping à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Capabilities to turn resources into advantages  Ã‚  Ã‚   OPPORTUNITIES à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Develop brand awareness globally à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   New Markets à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Market shift to globalisation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Health awareness growth -GM crops à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Innovation Alliances à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Low cost brand growth à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Diversification à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Non-food offers untapped new markets with higher margins  Ã‚  Ã‚   Market Entry Strategy of TESCO: We can utilize An offs product/market matrix to identify guidelines for Tescos strategic development. This environment offers directions for strategic choice available to Tesco in terms of products and market coverage, taking into account its strategic ability and also expectation of stakeholders  Ã‚  Ã‚   Markets Existing Protect/build à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Consolidation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Market penetration  Ã‚  Ã‚   Product development à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With existing capabilities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With new capabilities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Boyond current expectations   Ã‚  Ã‚   New  Ã‚  Ã‚   Market development à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   New segments à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   New territories à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   New users à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With new capabilities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Beyond current expectations  Ã‚  Ã‚   Diversification à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With existing capabilities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With new capabilities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Boyond current expectations Source: Johnson, G., Scholes, K., Whittington, R., (2005) We can see from the Ansoff Matrix that Tescos launch of Baby wear in Sweden will involve a market development strategy. As Tesco already sells kids clothing (existing product) but Sweden will be a new market. Both capability and market consideration has driven Tesco to into development into new markets. Kids clothing is a product that can be exploited in other market segments and also geographical spread internationally. Tesco may encounter some difficulties around creditability and expectations as they attempt to enter the new market. Tesco may not be seen as a credible mainstream supplier. Tesco Plc Target Customers Tesco must decide which market segment in Sweden it wants to target; this will subsequently determine its common strategy. If it wishes to with the low cost retailers then it must adopt a cost leadership strategy. Otherwise it will have to look for differentiation so that it can charge premium prices at the high-end market. As the competitive rivalry in the low cost market is passionate, Tesco should enter the high-end market with a differentiation strategy. However, before Tesco decides on its goal customers, we need to conduct a market analysis, in provisions of size of the baby clothing market in Sweden, market shares of all the existing firms in the market and ultimately segments within the market, to identify particular segments, so that Tesco can target these and adjust its marketing. TESCO Marketing Objectives: Tesco could have the following objectives: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Profitability, in terms of operating margin (a 10% target) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Swedish Market share (a 20% target) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Customer advocacy (the number of customers who recommend Tesco branded clothing, repeat business) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Respected company (the number of community stakeholders who respect Tesco) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Employee motivation (the number of employees who feel motivated to deliver Tescos goals) Tesco must ensure that it sets SMART marketing objectives that are measurable, time limited, attainable and relevant. New Marketing Strategy of TESCO: Tesco strategy is clear, with growth being from four areas the core UK grocery business, non-food, international expansion and pursued retailing services such as financial services, the dotcom business andtelecommunication packages. Basically, Tesco is using its strong stable core to keep the business ticking over while it forges new riskier areas of growth. Pushing further into non-food in the next phase (Johnson, G., Scholes, K., Whittington, R., (2005)). Lidl is currently destroying the market by selling the products below cost price. Therefore, Tescos generic strategy will have to be cost leadership, unless we can successfully differentiate our line of clothing so that we can charge a premium price. A marketing strategy will involve analysing the markets, and which products to offer. The strategy is implemented through marketing tactics, which involve detailed decisions about factors such as the price and the way the product is distributed. So Tesco must decide on its model of entry in terms of, own stores, Internet selling or joint venture with an existing national retailer. Source: (http://www.universitydissertations.com/Marketing/Tesco-Marketing-Strategy.php)

John Alexander Macdonald: A Good Role Model? :: essays research papers

John Alexander Macdonald: A Good Role Model? A role model can be looked up upon and imitated. Many would argue that Sir John A. Macdonald is not someone of this stature, but I have different opinions about him. By studying some books about him I concluded that this humble man is someone who deserves to be known as a good role model. Here are some reasons to why. It is John A. Macdonald's outstanding qualities that made him a upright leader. He won the hearts of people because he could relate to them and their problems. Showing humility, Mr. Macdonald considered himself as one of them*. And his devotion to helping these people is shown by his life course, to which even his opponents admitted "there does not exist in Canada a man who has given more of his time--more of his heart--more of his wealth or more of his intellect and power, such as they may be, for the good of the Dominion of Canada." Yes, we can say that the first Prime Minister was very devoted to Canada and her people, and helped direct Canada to become what it is now. John A. Macdonald became well known for the way he treated people. He was kind and courteous. And because of his humor and consideration of others, people enjoyed being around the Prime Minister. He left a good impression on the people of Canada because he cared for not only the English, but also the French and Natives. One example is when he visited the Council House of the Six Nation Indians near Brantford. Mr. Macdonald met more than thirty farmers and after only thirty minutes of chatting with them he knew them all by name# . In another instance, a guest of John A. Macdonald was so impressed with the hospitality he received that he described him as "courteous in his social relations--a very prince". In both cases he made those involved feel noticed and cared for. The most prominent attribute that makes John A. Macdonald a good role model is his honesty. In comparison to all of the politicians, he is by far one of the most honest Prime Ministers. Although he was not perfectly honest as shown in the Pacific Scandal, he rarely made promises that weren't fulfilled. The people recognized this and showed their appreciation by continuing to support him till

Iron Crowned Chapter 9

I propped myself up so that I could look Dorian in the face. Even in dim lighting, I could see he was serious. â€Å"Who, Kiyo?† I asked in astonishment. â€Å"No, the other annoying kitsune in your life.† â€Å"Why would you †¦ why would you suggest something like that?† â€Å"Excellent question,† he murmured. His brow furrowed in thought, then relaxed into resignation. â€Å"Because his human blood would protect him and – my personal opinions of him aside – he is a good asset in a fight. Most importantly, he would have no interest in the crown. Nor would it be of any use to him.† Every one of those things was true. But there was one obvious problem. â€Å"Kiyo wouldn't help me. Not anymore. Jasmine would be more willing – if only for a chance to escape.† The argument that Kiyo and I had had in the mountains was still fresh in my head. This brought a smile to Dorian's lips, and he trailed his fingertips down my arm. â€Å"You doubt your own charms. The kitsune will help you, if you ask him nicely. He's not over you as much as you think. And he too would jump at the chance at some foolhardy way to end this war.† â€Å"Foolhardy †¦ You've gone back and forth on the usefulness of the crown yourself. And now you're willing to – † I almost said â€Å"allow† but recalled my earlier words. Dorian didn't dictate my life. † – accept me going off with my ex-boyfriend?† â€Å"This is an acceptable solution. Still dangerous †¦ but I believe you two could manage it. And I trust you,† Dorian said simply. â€Å"As you trust me.† I stared down into his eyes, dark in the flickering torchlight, though the striking shape of his face and fair skin glowed like a masterpiece in marble. â€Å"I do trust you.† He smiled again. â€Å"Good. We'll make plans in the morning. But for now †¦Ã¢â‚¬  The smile gave way to a yawn. â€Å"I need sleep. This has been a long day.† It was true. He'd been part of an epic battle and then made love – or whatever you wanted to classify that kinky shit as – like a pro. My day had been pretty busy too, to say the least. I put my head down, wrapping back against him, and soon slept in spite of the shocking suggestion he'd just made. When we woke, however, the crown became our immediate breakfast topic. We'd opted for private dining at a small table in the sitting room adjacent to his bedroom. After hearing about my traipsing about in his too-long robe, he'd had my own made for these slumber parties: white velvet with gold embroidery. It was a bit more elaborate than I would have preferred but felt nice against my bare skin. The wounds certainly appreciated loose clothing too. â€Å"Invite him to your castle,† said Dorian. Fully rested, he'd shifted completely into cunning mode, barely touching the elaborate spread of pastries and meats his servants had set before us. â€Å"The gods know he won't come here.† â€Å"Or Tucson,† I suggested after swallowing a gentry version of a cinnamon roll. Maybe I could get Tim the recipe. â€Å"He'd probably come to my house there.† Dorian considered. â€Å"No. Get him to this world, to your domain, so that you can leave as soon as possible. Above all, you must not – under any circumstances – allow him to go back to Maiwenn and consult her on this.† I swallowed another bite and smiled. â€Å"You think she'd be jealous?† â€Å"That's the least of our reasons.† He ticked them off on his fingers. â€Å"Remember – she fears you. Us. She wouldn't see this as an end to the war. She'd see it as you scrambling for power. And, who knows? The kitsune might have no use for the crown himself, but she could coax him into bringing it to her.† â€Å"She's not vying for power, last I knew. Besides – it's winning the crown that's the big deal, right? If it was just given to her, no one would respect her for it. If it can even be given †¦ I thought it returns home when it's away from its victor.† Dorian didn't respond right away. â€Å"True. But then that would still keep the crown from you. And we mustn't forget she might simply talk him out of it because of simple concern for his life.† Dorian's tone implied this was a petty concern. â€Å"No, don't give him a chance to talk to her. Invite him to you and ask – beg, if need be – for his help. Stress whatever urgent reason will work. A need to end the war. Make up some ultimatum from the ghost.† I set the roll down and tapped my water glass absentmindedly. This was all starting to make me feel strange. â€Å"There's a lot of conniving here.† â€Å"There always is in politics. In war. In love, even. But this can help us – more than you can imagine. We must put our faith in the old adage that the ends justify the means.† I sighed. â€Å"Okay, then. I'll do it. When?† â€Å"As soon as possible. Katrice is regrouping. We can take advantage of that.† That smooth, calculating air faded. â€Å"Though I hate to lose you.† â€Å"Hey.† I reached across the table and laid my hand over his. â€Å"Don't think of it as ‘losing' me. It's just like I'm going to Tucson for a few days.† He grimaced. â€Å"Except your petty human job doesn't carry such risks. Fetches aside. I do wish you'd let my healers take care of those wounds before you go.† The stitched-up cut itched, though the rest weren't bothering me. I tested the range of motion on my left arm. It was stiff but moved. â€Å"Let your healers keep working here. Maybe I'll have Shaya fix it up.† She didn't possess the skill of a bona fide healer but could do some quick patches. Dorian didn't like that but let the matter go. We finished breakfast, rehashing what little he knew about the path to the Iron Crown. I shed my robe for my normal clothes, after first having one of his servants clean and re-bandage my back. My mother would be proud, seeing me follow doctor's orders. We didn't know where Kiyo was exactly, here or the human world, but Dorian sent a messenger to Maiwenn's court, inviting him to mine. No one from our lands would be welcomed with open arms in her territory, but she'd allow a messenger through and hopefully let us know if he wasn't currently in the Otherworld. I also sent Volusian to Tim and Lara, warning I'd be gone for a while and to cancel all my appointments. Lara wouldn't like that, but I had a feeling it would be the least of her worries when faced with Volusian for the first time. When the time for me to leave came, Dorian couldn't hide his conflicted feelings. The part of him always striving for advantage and control wanted that crown. The part of him that loved me worried about what I was walking into. â€Å"It'll be okay,† I said, wrapping my arms around him. â€Å"I'm Storm King's daughter, remember? This'll be cake. And hey, if that ghost's lying, I'll be back tonight.† â€Å"I don't know if I'd prefer that or not,† he mused. He rested his hand behind my neck and gave me a long, lingering kiss. â€Å"Be careful, Eugenie. Fight hard, but be careful. And take this.† From a hidden pocket in his cloak, he produced something glittering and handed it to me. I held it up. It was a ring, hanging on a fine chain. Both were made of gold. A diamond flanked by sapphires sat prominently on the ring, which was fashioned to look like a circle of leaves. â€Å"Is this magic?† I asked. He shook his head. â€Å"Just something to remember me by. Just something to think about.† I eyed him carefully. Marriage happened among the gentry, though not as often as among humans. Considering our divorce rate, maybe that was smart. They didn't give engagement rings like humans did, but he'd know my world's custom. This ring suddenly made me uneasy. â€Å"It's a thing of beauty,† he said, seeing my reaction. â€Å"For someone beautiful. I knew you wouldn't wear it on your finger, so keep it on the chain.† I nodded. Sometimes a gift was just a gift – particularly when someone was afraid his beloved might get killed soon. I kissed him again. â€Å"Thank you.† I'd come alone via the human world, so he sent an escort back to the Thorn Land with me. No one except Dorian and Masthera knew what I was going to do, but the group could sense something big was about to go down. Tension crackled around us as we traveled. Like so many, these soldiers considered Dorian and me a powerhouse. They could hardly wait to see what would happen next. Kiyo wasn't waiting for me in the Thorn Land, not that I'd expected results that quickly. No refusal had come from Maiwenn either, which I took as a good sign. â€Å"What are you and my lord planning?† asked Rurik when he saw me. â€Å"You've got that look.† â€Å"What look is that?† I asked curiously. He reminded me of Tim. â€Å"The look that says you're planning something.† I rolled my eyes. â€Å"Eloquent as ever, Rurik.† â€Å"Should I assemble fighters?† he asked, shrugging off my comment. Shaya joined us then, scrolls in her arms. â€Å"No. I do this alone. Well, not exactly. Kiyo's coming with me. I hope. He should be showing up here today.† I spoke more confidently than I felt. Despite Dorian's certainties, I still wasn't sure whether Kiyo would help or not. Rurik and Shaya exchanged glances. â€Å"Stop that,† I told them. â€Å"It's perfectly platonic. Dorian suggested it.† Rurik looked like he still had a few things to say about it, but Shaya interrupted. â€Å"The Linden King wrote back. He won't join with us – but he also won't fight against us.† â€Å"Not the best news, not the worst. We'll see if he comes crawling when his power's in dispute.† The words came out with more venom than I expected. Rurik seemed to approve. Shaya leafed through more papers. â€Å"Caria, the Laurel Queen, would like to meet with you and discuss the war, however.† I knew nothing about that land. â€Å"Have we even contacted her?† â€Å"No,† said Shaya, giving me a meaningful look. â€Å"But her kingdom borders the Linden Land.† â€Å"Ah.† I smiled. My comment to Ranelle that others would be eyeing her king's land as his power faded was true. In refusing my offer to defend against that, they'd allowed someone else to solicit me for the other side of that future dispute. â€Å"He'll regret his neutrality later. See if Caria'll meet with Dorian while I'm gone.† Dorian would understand the situation perfectly. I figured this was it and started to leave. â€Å"There's one more thing,† added Shaya, twisting a black braid in that nervous habit of hers. â€Å"Girard would like to see you.† Her unease had made me think something bad was coming, but Girard was one of the few people who rarely delivered bad news. If anything, he usually delivered gifts, always coming up with some marvelous new piece of craftsmanship. Some pieces – like Dorian's sword and Jasmine's chains – I'd commissioned specifically. Sometimes, however, inspiration struck the artist, and he'd present some intricately worked necklace or diadem that I felt certain was beyond human skill. He could even touch iron in very small amounts. â€Å"I'm sure he's made something great, but I'm not in the mood today,† I told her. â€Å"I want to see Jasmine.† â€Å"He's not here to display work. He wants to introduce you to his sister.† She looked at me expectantly and seemed surprised by my lack of reaction. â€Å"You've never heard of her? Imanuelle de la Colline?† I shook my head. â€Å"Should I have?† Shaya shrugged. â€Å"Maybe not. But I think you'll find her †¦ interesting. It'll only take a minute.† It was true I was in a hurry, but Shaya's attitude intrigued me. We went to Girard's workshop, rooms I'd given to him on the castle's outer edge in case his work ever set something on fire. He was bent over a table, fingers magically working a bundle of metal and jewels. â€Å"Another crown?† I asked with amusement. They seemed to be his favorite thing to make. Girard looked up, startled, and bowed. â€Å"No, Your Majesty. It's something Lord Rurik has requested. If you'd like another crown – â€Å" I waved him silent. â€Å"No, no. God knows I have plenty. Hardly seems like Rurik's style, though.† Girard didn't comment. Client confidentiality, I supposed. Turning, he pointed off toward the side of his workshop, and I gaped. A woman stood there, and somehow I hadn't noticed her upon entering – which seemed impossible. She and her brother shared the same dark skin and black hair, as well as a taste for bright clothing. The dress she wore was a stunning teal silk, cut shorter than most gentry dresses. Something about it gave me the impression she wore it for utility, not sexiness. â€Å"Your Majesty,† she said, sweeping me a curtsey. Also like Girard, a faintly French-sounding accent laced her words. â€Å"This is my sister, Imanuelle,† he said. Like Shaya, he seemed to expect me to know who his sister was. â€Å"It's nice to meet you,† I told her. When no one said anything, I shifted restlessly, impatient to go. Seeing this, Imanuelle strode forward, her steps graceful and liquid. â€Å"Your Majesty,† she said. â€Å"I've come to offer my services to you, should you like to hire me.† I glanced at the other faces, seeking more information, but received none. â€Å"What do you do?† I asked. â€Å"Do you work metal like Girard?† A mischievous smile crossed Imanuelle's face. She had caught on that I really didn't know who she was and appeared to enjoy that. â€Å"No. My talents are of †¦ a different nature.† I saw a slight gesture of her hand, and then suddenly, the teal silk dress turned yellow. A moment later, it changed form altogether, turning into a flowing velvet gown. Then, she wasn't Imanuelle at all. A clone of Shaya stood before me. After letting that sink in, Imanuelle returned to her original form. She bowed, as though having just performed a stage show. â€Å"I'm an illusionist,† she said. â€Å"I can make people see things that aren't there. Most importantly, I can make myself look like anything I choose.† It was one of the cooler gentry powers, but I didn't entirely see how it'd be useful for me. â€Å"So I can finally be in two places at once?† I joked. That brought another smile. â€Å"I suppose †¦ but I've honed other skills to accompany these. Ones many monarchs find useful. I †¦ get rid of problems.† Apparently guessing my confusion, Shaya sighed and dropped her usual formality. â€Å"You're better off not dancing around the subject. My queen prefers directness.† She turned to me. â€Å"Imanuelle is an assassin, Your Majesty.† Imanuelle's smile tightened a little. I think she preferred her more flowery description. â€Å"That's an ugly word for a formidable skill set.† It took me a moment to catch on. â€Å"So, you're here to – Wait. You think I'm going to hire you to, what, assassinate Katrice?† Imanuelle shrugged eloquently, and her brother spoke up for her. â€Å"Some might see that as a quick way to end the war, if I may be so bold.† Girard had picked up that I didn't like this idea at all and was understandably nervous. He valued his position with me. â€Å"It's a dirty, sneaky way to end a war!† I exclaimed. â€Å"It'd make me no better than Katrice and her bastard son.† â€Å"It would eliminate Katrice directly,† said Imanuelle. â€Å"Since she is the source of your problems. I could disguise myself as someone in her castle. Quick, easy. No other innocents need be hurt.† For a heartbeat, her words almost made sense. Then I shook my head emphatically. â€Å"No. I'm not going to stoop to that level.† Some of Imanuelle's pleasant demeanor faded. â€Å"There are monarchs who would give half their kingdoms for my services! I'm very selective. I'm doing you a great honor.† I narrowed my eyes. â€Å"You're doing me an honor?† She hesitated, realizing she was addressing one of the most formidable queens in the Otherworld. Again, Girard jumped in to save her. â€Å"Forgive our presumption, Your Majesty. We only wanted to offer it as an option.† â€Å"It's been offered,† I said bluntly. â€Å"And refused. Thank you for the ‘honor.' You're welcome to visit your brother, of course, but I'd prefer that you stay here no longer than absolutely necessary.† I turned dramatically away from them, just catching the outrage on Imanuelle's face, and strode out. Shaya hurried by my side. â€Å"Spoken like a queen,† she said. â€Å"Do I need to worry about that woman killing me now?† I asked. â€Å"Is she going to change into you and pull a knife on me?† â€Å"I'm sure you'd respond as efficiently as you do to the other attacks on you,† said Shaya dryly. â€Å"Her illusions aren't foolproof to everyone. I'm guessing Volusian could see through them if he were around. But, honestly †¦ although her pride has been hurt – she does have quite the reputation – I suspect she'll simply stalk off and leave you be, if only for her brother's sake.† â€Å"Well, that's nice. One less person trying to kill me.† I raked my hand through my hair. â€Å"Anything else I need to deal with?† That was a loaded question, of course. Shaya had a few more business matters for me to look over before I could finally see Jasmine. I hadn't talked to her after the dinner at Dorian's and felt she'd be a good distraction as I waited to see if Kiyo would come. I found her outside in one of the gardens, sitting in the shade of a mesquite tree as the sun grew higher and the heat increased. Her guards stood stoically nearby, and her fine chains glittered in the light. At my approach, she glanced up from a book. Petulant, power-hungry teen that she might be, she was also an avid reader, using fantasy to escape her mundane existence when she'd still lived among humans. This book was one I'd brought her recently, the first in a trendy series. â€Å"Is it good?† I asked, sitting down opposite her. â€Å"Not bad,† she said, playing cool. A moment later, she gave herself away. â€Å"Are there more out in the series?† â€Å"Three more, I think.† She said nothing but smiled as she set the book beside her. â€Å"Did you have fun at Dorian's?† I asked. â€Å"Yeah. It was nice to be out.† Her eyes gazed off, not really focusing on anything. â€Å"I think the best part was watching Shaya scare off all the guys hitting on me.† She turned back to me. â€Å"Is that what it's like for you all the time?† â€Å"Not since I got together with Dorian. They've slacked off – and Shaya doesn't scare them away. She abandons me.† Jasmine smiled again. â€Å"Dorian's crazy about you. Obsessed.† â€Å"That's kind of an extreme observation.† â€Å"It's true.† She brushed hair out of her eyes. The sunlight was turning it to gold, making me a little envious; I'd gotten true red from our father, rather than strawberry blond. She could wear pink. â€Å"It's good,† she continued. â€Å"His obsession. That bitch Ysabel wants him, you know. And she hates you. So does her mom.† â€Å"Yeah, I kind of figured that out.† She shrugged. â€Å"Well, then, keep Dorian close.† â€Å"I'm not worried.† â€Å"Ysabel's got kids, and you won't give him any.† I was so sick of hearing about me and procreation. â€Å"Lots of gentry women have kids. Are you saying I should worry about all of them, Little Miss Love Guru?† â€Å"Not all of them look like you. I mean, not exactly like you †¦ but I think Dorian gets off on redheads. Maybe he figures he'll have red-haired kids that way. I don't know. But, whatever. I'm just saying she's waiting there for you to slip up with Dorian. And he's already gone for her before. She's got a bigger chest than you, too.† â€Å"Hey,† I said indignantly. â€Å"That's irrelevant. Besides, he went for her – and she annoyed him. And I'm not going to ‘slip up.' He's not going anywhere.† I frowned, surprised by my next words, that I'd actually say them to her. â€Å"It's Kiyo I've got to pull in.† Jasmine's gray eyes widened in shock. â€Å"Him? He's no use to you †¦ unless, oh Jesus. You guys aren't planning some three-way, are you? I mean, I know you and Dorian get into some – â€Å" â€Å"No!† I exclaimed. â€Å"It's nothing like that. I need a favor from Kiyo, that's all. A big one. A dangerous one. I'm not sure what'll convince him.† I smiled weakly, remembering Dorian's expression when I'd showed up in the tight gentry dress. â€Å"I'd know what to do if it was Dorian.† Jasmine scoffed and gave me a scathing look. â€Å"How stupid are you? Even I know what to do if you want to suck in Kiyo. Look human.† â€Å"I am human. Who's stupid now?† Good grief. We'd advanced to snippy quarrelling. We were becoming real sisters more and more each day. â€Å"You're half human. Dorian likes that because he thinks he can knock you up †¦ but the rest? He wants you to be a queen. One of the shining ones. Kiyo doesn't. He hates all of that. He doesn't want you anywhere near it. You hooked up before you were into all the Otherworld stuff. Be like that.† I stared at her, startled because she had an excellent point. â€Å"Do I look human now?† Jasmine studied me critically. I had jeans and a T-shirt on, my hair pulled sloppily into a ponytail. My boots were sturdy, made for hiking. Plain. â€Å"Yeah,† she said, sounding surprised. â€Å"Scruffy and human. He'll be into that. Except for the ring. It's from Dorian, right? Put it under your shirt.† I touched the ring hanging on my chest, having forgotten about it. â€Å"How'd you know it was from him?† â€Å"Because you wouldn't get it for yourself, and no one else would either. It's also got oak leaves.† I peered down at it. Sure enough. I hadn't identified the leaves earlier. I followed her advice, concealing it under the shirt. She watched with approval, then seemed to really notice my shirt. â€Å"Who's Mà ¶tley Cre?† I was saved from lecturing her on classic rock when a servant scurried up to us, telling me Kiyo was here. The ease I'd felt with Jasmine vanished. I stood up, forcing calm, half-wondering if I should take her after all. No. Kiyo was the right choice. â€Å"Good luck,† Jasmine said, picking up her book. â€Å"And remember: be human.† I followed the servant away, embarrassed that I was taking advice from an insane fifteen-year-old. Except †¦ I knew she was right. I made sure my gait was casual, nothing regal. Then, I sent the servant away, deciding it'd be best to come to Kiyo on my own, rather than approaching with an escort, no matter how insignificant. He was waiting inside a parlor, pacing restlessly. I knew how uneasy I made him, and this invitation had no doubt put him on guard. I watched him unnoticed for a moment, admiring that muscled body while knowing it was wrong to do so. Sneaking up on him was impossible, though. He could smell me. My sweat and skin alone would have given me away, let alone the vanilla sunscreen and violet perfume I also wore. â€Å"Eugenie,† he said, turning around. â€Å"Nice to see you.† He seemed impassive, but his eyes made me think he really did like seeing me – physically at least. â€Å"Sorry for the abrupt request,† I said. â€Å"You were probably visiting Luisa, huh?† The mention of his daughter softened his expression a tiny, tiny bit. â€Å"Yeah, she's †¦ she grows every day. It's amazing.† He flipped back to alert mode. â€Å"But that's not why you asked me here.† â€Å"No.† I settled into one of the chairs, crossing my legs and hoping I looked casual and unassuming. â€Å"I need your help.† He continued standing. â€Å"That's unexpected.† â€Å"Well, I got an unexpected offer. Do you still want me to get out of this war?† â€Å"Of course.† He made a face. â€Å"Oh, Eug. Please tell me you don't want me to negotiate or something.† I smiled, both at the suggestion and his use of the nickname. â€Å"No, I need you for something that's more your specialty. I don't suppose you've ever heard of the Iron Crown?† Kiyo hadn't. I provided a brief rundown, explaining how the person who fought through and won it could allegedly inspire fear and awe. â€Å"And that's enough to make Katrice back off?† he asked skeptically. â€Å"So they say.† I shrugged. â€Å"It's weird to me too, but everyone I've talked to claims it'll intimidate Katrice and her armies.† Best not to mention that â€Å"everyone† was Dorian, a ghost, and a crazy seeress. â€Å"It'll prove what a badass I am. And if that forces her into peace talks †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I let him draw his own conclusions. â€Å"It's a gamble,† Kiyo said. He still sounded doubtful, but there was a crack there. He wanted the war over. He wanted me out of it. â€Å"But why ask me? Why not Dorian?† â€Å"Because he couldn't survive the quest. The way's lined with iron. It would take an insanely strong gentry – or people with human blood, like you and me. Plus, I trust you.† I didn't know if the human solidarity had gotten me anywhere, but he was definitely considering this more and more. I also wondered if admitting trust in him did anything. Part of what had driven us apart was my accusation that he didn't care enough about me to punish Leith. â€Å"I'd like to help you,† Kiyo said finally. â€Å"It's crazy – but no crazier than half the stuff around here. I should talk to Maiwenn first, though.† You must not – under any circumstances – allow him to go back to Maiwenn and consult her on this. â€Å"There's no time,† I said, hastily running through Dorian's laundry list of excuses. â€Å"We have to go now. The ghost who's going to help me threatened to back out if I didn't act soon. And we're currently on hold with Katrice. If I could return with the crown before the next battle, it would be †¦ well, it'd be amazing. No more bloodshed.† I could see him wavering, but he wasn't quite convinced. Really, I didn't blame him. If I had an ally who could advise me on some bizarre quest, I'd want to talk to her too before jumping in. â€Å"You can talk to her if you want,† I said. â€Å"But I've got to leave now. I can't stand waiting. I'll just go by myself.† That drove the dagger in. No matter how sketchy the logic, no matter how smart it would be to get Maiwenn's advice †¦ the fear of my running off into unknown dangers was too great. He stared at me for several heavy moments, his expression unreadable. Finally, he sighed. â€Å"Right now?† he asked. â€Å"Right now,† I said. â€Å"Then let's go.†

Fish Out of Water Essay

Every person has grown up adhering to specific set of standards, traditions and rules of conduct. People also conform to the underlying system and mandates of the society. These characteristics define the culture of the person; however, people do not follow a single culture with its set of laws and standards. Every person has its own cultural characteristics because each individual is reared in different societies with its own embedded culture and traditions. The difference in culture is often referred to as cultural relativism which means that every culture is equal and no culture is superior to others. Every culture has its own set of â€Å"systems of morality, law and politics† (â€Å"Cultural Relativism – Illogical Standard†). It is believed that every culture is valid and equal. Cultural relativism attempts to explain that the various aspects of culture such as religion, ethics, aesthetic and beliefs are subjective and largely depends on the individual within a particular cultural identity (â€Å"Cultural Relativism – Illogical Standard†). Given that each individual has grown up within a defined set of culture, there will be a point in a person’s life that he or she will experience being somehow out of place when put in a different crowd with new set of people. This may be called as a â€Å"fish out of water’ sensation. This means that a person feels uncomfortable with the surroundings and activities going on. We tend to experience this kind of feeling around people who are unknown to us, especially when hindered with a lot of communication and cultural barriers. An example of a fish out of water experience is attending a wedding ceremony conducted in pattern of a different culture. I was once invited in a wedding of my colleague who married a person from another culture. Unfortunately, the groom is the only person I knew in the whole crowd. He married a Korean and they followed a Korean wedding ceremony. It was a very uncomfortable situation for me because the Korean culture is very different from western culture and tradition. The two countries are separated by hundreds of miles of land and ocean and located at both ends of the world. Korean wedding is really a weird thing for me. First, Korean weddings mean joining of two families instead of two individuals, so most Korean weddings are composed of families of various generations. I was therefore intimidated to mingle with other people, especially to the members of the Korean families while my colleague is largely participating on the ceremony. Korea is a unified country and its people tend to look alike, think alike and act alike. There is strength in the people of Korea. Koreans may be residing in the United States and somehow follow some of the western trends. But they have retained some of the important rites and tradition of their culture. Koreans are also individuals from the eastern hemisphere where people are not so liberal. People tend to be conservative and sensitive on some issues unlike westerners that are open-minded and can cope with every type of conversation. Some issues are still taboo to Koreans. Issues of gender and sexuality are only some of the issues that Koreans are quite sensitive with. Communication is also a barrier and makes me feel more of the â€Å"fish out of the water. † Problems in communication and relating with others are some of the encountered problems in being out of place in an event or situation. Some people are having difficulty relating to others, especially those who belong to another culture. Cultural diversity is also characterized by difference in communication styles and attributes. The experience really tested my communication skills. First, I do not know anyone but the groom and he was busy on the ceremony. Starting a conversation is a little awkward for me because I do not want to offend people on something that I would say. There are only a few white men who attended the wedding and interrupting their on-going conversation may be rude and awkward. Most of the attendees are Koreans which have a different communication style. Koreans are quite covert and have the tendency of not showing themselves to others. In short, they are not initiators of conversation and communication with other people. Their actions are also firm and delicate and they move with grace. Language differences may also be a problem. Some of them speak native Korean language that may hinder our understanding of one another. It is quite hard to initiate a conversation with people from different cultural identity for the fear of misunderstanding and conflict. They also have their personal beliefs that they may be sensitive about. Intimidation is also a problem in starting interpersonal communication with other people. Fish out of water sensation is a feeling that a person may feel while dealing with events and situations where they feel different and deviant. However, overcoming this feeling is quite easy. First, you will never really get to know people when you do not approach them. Communication is always the key, along with politeness and respect. Overcoming this particular feeling in events that may make you feel uncomfortable will provide a good opportunity to learn other cultures, traditions and practices that may be helpful for you in relating with people of the same cultural identity the next time you encounter them. It will also be a good opportunity to become knowledgeable in intercultural communication which is vital in today’s global society. Work Cited â€Å"Cultural Relativism – Illogical Standard. † 2009. Cultural-Relativism. com. 26 March 2009 .