Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Business Ethics Stealing from Employer

Business Ethics Stealing from Employer Introduction Ethics refers to moral values that define the behavior of an individual or a group of people. It defines the perception of the good or wrong things in a society. Business ethics thus define the ethical values that relate to a business environment. This paper seeks to discuss business ethics.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Business Ethics: Stealing from Employer specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The paper will look into a case of an employee who is stranded between reporting a friend whom she has caught stealing from their employer or protecting the friend. Case John and Joanne are employees in an organization in which John has been working for the past ten years. John is quite frustrated with the organization as it has seemingly failed to acknowledge his efforts and hard work. He is then caught in an act of stealing by his friend Joanne who is then torn between turning John in or risking being charged fo r being an accomplice. Advice to Joanne The basis of ethics is to differentiate between a good and bad thing. When an individual is faced with an issue, the first step of application of ethics is the determination of whether the issue is morally right or wrong. The first step in helping Joanne is therefore to aid her perception of ethics or morality with respect to John’s act. She must identify the act as either ethical or not in order to make her decision. She must therefore be brought to ethical values to help her gain insight into the issue. Joanne should for example be asked whether or not John was being honest with the organization or even with himself when he resorts to steal from the company. She should also be asked to determine in her opinion whether John’s act of attempting to steal was lawful. Was John under any conflict of interest in stealing? Was he acting in the benefit of the organization at all?Advertising Looking for essay on business economi cs? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Was John being fair to the organization and his fellow employees who may be depending on the office supplies for their work in the organization? These questions will help Joanne to actually understand that John’s action was not ethical at all in terms of â€Å"basic honesty and conformity to law, conflict of interest and fairness† (National 1). Although ethical dilemmas are common issues in business environment, an individual is expected to apply critical reasoning together with â€Å"moral creativity, negotiating skills and personal values to solve such dilemmas† (Weiss 96). A consideration of ethical values reveals that John has acted unethically and thus Joanne ought to act in accordance with the values of honesty to her employer and avoidance of conflict of interest. Ethics dictates that the interest of her employer comes first before that of her friend. Joanne sho uld therefore use her â€Å"moral creativity and negotiation skills† (Weiss 96) to convince John not to attempt stealing again. She needs to help John in understanding moral principles and better ways through which his problems in the organization can be resolved such as negotiations to promotions. Joanne should however take no action towards John’s supervisor especially if John is remorseful over his act and if he doesn’t have a history of such behavior or otherwise report him. Failure by Joanne to take any action will promote the act in John. The key terms related to this case that are associated to business and professional ethics are honesty and fairness. National. Values and ethics. AUF, n.d. Web. au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/ndu/strat-ldr-dm/pt4ch15.htmlAdvertising We will write a custom essay sample on Business Ethics: Stealing from Employer specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Weiss, Joseph. Business Ethics: A S takeholder and Issues Management Approach. New York, NY: Cengage Learning, 2008. Print.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Free Essays on Analysis Of Willy Loman

Willy Loman is the main character of â€Å"Death of a Salesman†. He is an old salesman who is lost in fake hopes about how things should be and how they really are, he kind of lives in the past. Willy works on commission and nothing else and he gets to a point where he cant bring enough money home to pay the bills. The place he works for has pretty much used him and now no longer has a need for him so they will basically throw him away after 34 years. Willy has bad routine of having flashbacks. Having flashbacks might not be that big of a problem for some people but for Willy it is because of the fact that he lets it interfere with his everyday life and is starting to have trouble distinguishing between fact and fiction and between past and present. Willy believes things that are not true. For example he thinks his sons are very successful, but in reality they are not at all. His son Biff can’t even keep a job because he steals for no reason. Most of the flashb acks Willy has are of after Biffs senior year of high school when all of the family problems started. Willy also thinks that he is worth more dead than alive. Willys feeling of not being wanted or needed by his job or his family and the fact he thinks he’s worth more dead than alive makes him try to commit suicide a few times in which he fails, until the end of the play when he does finally kill himself.... Free Essays on Analysis Of Willy Loman Free Essays on Analysis Of Willy Loman Willy Loman is the main character of â€Å"Death of a Salesman†. He is an old salesman who is lost in fake hopes about how things should be and how they really are, he kind of lives in the past. Willy works on commission and nothing else and he gets to a point where he cant bring enough money home to pay the bills. The place he works for has pretty much used him and now no longer has a need for him so they will basically throw him away after 34 years. Willy has bad routine of having flashbacks. Having flashbacks might not be that big of a problem for some people but for Willy it is because of the fact that he lets it interfere with his everyday life and is starting to have trouble distinguishing between fact and fiction and between past and present. Willy believes things that are not true. For example he thinks his sons are very successful, but in reality they are not at all. His son Biff can’t even keep a job because he steals for no reason. Most of the flashb acks Willy has are of after Biffs senior year of high school when all of the family problems started. Willy also thinks that he is worth more dead than alive. Willys feeling of not being wanted or needed by his job or his family and the fact he thinks he’s worth more dead than alive makes him try to commit suicide a few times in which he fails, until the end of the play when he does finally kill himself....

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Discuss the readings. What did you think of each of the stories Did it Essay

Discuss the readings. What did you think of each of the stories Did it have any meaning in your life Is it still relevant today Things you didn't like - Essay Example death is inevitable, but we must have faith that life will go on: â€Å"Death closes all; but something ere the end,/Some work of noble note, may yet be done† (Tennyson). He emphasizes that as long as we are alive, we can use our time to do something positive, so that we can have a meaningful existence. Arnold reminds us to have faith in each other. Without faith, we will be â€Å"Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,/Where ignorant armies clash by night† (Arnold). Many people fear what they do not know, such as other races, cultures, and experiences. Arnold asks us to trust each other, because without trust, it is easier to fear and hate, and consequently, it will be easier to fight with each other. Faith is one of the glues that bind humanity. Without it, these poems say that we will be prone to hate and anger. When we hate and we are angry, it is easier to stage wars. We live in a dog-eat-dog world, but sometimes, we have to pause and think about the kind of person we want to be and the kind of humanity we want to promote among our children. If we want to choose something to feel then, may it be faith, because faith will help us become better people and can help us provide a more peaceful and tolerant society to our children and their children, as

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Danger from Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Danger from Terrorism - Essay Example Invoking national security, the government is supposed to have taken advantage of 9/11 and the generally negative perception of terrorism to invest some righteousness and enlist popular support for its anti-terrorist war that often run roughshod over individual human rights and civil liberties. Richard Posner of the Atlantic Monthly affirms that officials tend to exaggerate the dangers to national security. When surprised and hurt, we tend to overreact. "The greater the threat that an activity poses to national safety, the stronger will the grounds seem for seeking to repress that activity, even at some cost to liberty Legality must sometimes be sacrificed for other values (p. 2)." American history itself is replete with examples of such overreaction to security threats. There was Lincoln who faced the threat of secession by suspending the writ of habeas corpus. This triggered the Civil War. Officials in the modern era have learned their lessons from the past when their counterparts in the old days ignored the storm clouds in the horizon and paid dearly for it. The Japanese early posturing, for example, was glossed over and led to the Pearl Harbor disaster that triggered World War II.When Soviet missiles were installed in Cuba, the US shrugged its shoulder and regretted it when theit later grappled with the Cuban missile crisis. As for terrorism as it is known today, Posner notes that 9/11 indeed showed the US as 'in much greater jeopardy from international terrorism than was previously believed." However, the government must exercise some discretion and sensitivity in running after terrorists. There have been a good number of men who were labeled "terrorists" by the western media when they engaged in a struggle to liberate their countries, among them Nelson Mandela and Menachem Begin. Later, the same media called them "statesmen" when they assumed leadership of their liberated nations. Thus, "one man's terrorist may be another man's freedom fighter (Posner, 2001, ch. 2). Process of Terror Wikipedia says "Terrorism" comes from the French word terrorisme which is based on the Latin verb terrere (to frighten). It was first used by French officials to describe themselves as members of the Jacobin Club which ruled post-Revolution under a "Reign of Terror (1793-94)." The terrorist acts consisted mainly of illegal arrest and execution of dissidents as a means of coercing compliance. Before this, terrorist acts under different labels were carried out by the 1st century Zealots against the Roman occupiers of eastern Mediterranean, by the Islamic sect Hash-Ishiim (which became the root word for "assassin") against people who opposed their beliefs, and by the IRA precursor Irish Republican Brotherhood against the British to demand independence. (p.1) Terrorism in the modern sense is commonly described as an "immoral, wanton and unjustified political violence characterized as indiscriminate, targeting civilians and executing them with disregard for human life (Wikipedia, p. 2). On the other hand, those accused of such acts call themselves by other names, among them, freedom fighter, separatist, liberator, revolutionary, vigilante, militant, paramilitary, guerrilla, rebel, and in the Muslim world, jihadi and mujaheddin (engaged in a holy war) or fedayeen (prepared for martyrdom). For

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Islamic Women Essay Example for Free

Islamic Women Essay At the beginning of the 21st century, many Islamic women are deprived equal rights with men suffered from oppression and family violence. The example of Saudi Arabia, India and Indonesia show that violence and abuse are still the major problems faced by Islamic women. The main problem is that law in Islamic communities does not come into force being violated. In many communities women are not legally protected and have no possibility to protect themselves: sexual, physical and emotional violence are the major weapon of intimidation of women. In some communities, family violence is a result of traditions and values as an integral part of cultural development. In contrast to India and Indonesia, in Saudi Arabia women have no rights and freedom of choice. The main problem is that in Saudi Arabia rights of women are constitutionally granted by most of them do not come into force and violated. â€Å"Like millions of other Saudi women, Munif hoped she would be allowed to vote since nothing in the law excludes it. But after a year of debate, the government told women to wait† (Women Speak Out In Saudi Arabia, 2005). Today, the main rights of women in India and Indonesia concern birth control, civil rights, education and work. Today, individual freedom of American women means much more than the absence of physical coercion but an equal social status. Still, similar to Saudi Arabia women, many women in India and Indonesia suffer from domestic violence and sexual abuse. Indonesian women are the most unprotected category which experiences violence within the institution of marriage. Among this group of women sexual abuse and physical violence are the main forms of humiliation and oppression. Similar to Saudi Arabia, in Indonesia women have constitutional rights, but face discriminated. Similar to India, Indonesians have job opportunities and high social status than women in Saudi Arabia. â€Å"Compared to the lives of their mothers, sisters and even brothers who stayed in the village these factory women have gained a strong advantage in terms of wages and conditions† (Indonesia, n. d). In Saudi Arabia women are not legally protected and have no possibility to protect themselves. Women have no equal opportunities with men in pay and work conditions. Most of them take low administrative positions or considered as common labor. In Saudi Arabia, religion dogmas and values play the dominant role determining the destiny of a woman and her social position. In contrast to Indonesia and India, in Islamic countries women deprived the right to use contraception and safe abortions. The main problem caused absence of freedom and rights is that abuse is the part of the culture. In India, â€Å"among Hindus, polygamy too was rampant† (Bhandare 2004). In contrast to Islamic countries, India accepts liberal laws and regulations which give women more rights and freedoms. The main preventive measures against family violence include social programs organized by women’s organizations, legislative initiatives accepted in the national level, petitions, publicity. In Saudi Arabia, women are still lived under double oppression, cultural and legal. Similar to Indonesian women, Indian women have a right to divorce, but in reality it takes a long time and a long legal battle while men can divorce at will in a short period of time. Also, there is a great threat for a woman not to receive children because she does not have a possibility to earn for living. Women in India and Indonesia are deprived of many rights and freedom, but they are free to choose their work, receive education and divorce. In contrast to these groups, Saudi Arabia women are deprived these rights living under state and family oppression. â€Å"For instance, events like a soccer match are strictly for men. In public, there are separate sections where they eat, where they work, and where they pray† (Women Speak Out, 2005). In sum, Women in India and Indonesia are free to choose profession and work conditions, broad employment opportunities and equitable wages; they have equal rights with men to be promoted and appraised. The examples of women in Saudi Arabia show that specific gender roles determine the way of living and cultural norms of several generations of people and strong enough to be changed in a short period of time. Works Cited Page 1. Bhandare, M. C. Women’s rights and wrongs. 2004. Available at: http://www. expressindia. com/fullstory. php? newsid=34277 2. Indonesia. N. d. Available at: http://www. onlinewomeninpolitics. org/indon/indodoc. htm 3. Women Speak Out In Saudi Arabia. Available at: http://www. cbsnews. com/stories/2005/03/23/60minutes/main682565. shtml.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Big Game Hunting Should be Allowed :: Benefits of Hunting

When a Minnesota dentist killed a prized African lion named "Cecil" he received an onslaught of criticism and reignited the debate concerning big game hunting.  Is big game hunting wrong? Should big game hunting continue? Big game hunting has been a very controversial topic for some time and these types of questions are being asked daily. There are a lot of people for it and a lot of people against it. This issue causes a lot of extreme behaviors and ideas by both sides. Those who oppose it believe it to be morally wrong, unfair to the animals and damaging to the environment. Those individuals for it believe that it is the citizens' rights and a way to be involved in the environment. Hunting is the law and shall not be infringed upon. In defense of the hunters' I believe that there are five main issues of concern. The first big issue concerning big game hunting is that it is considered to be the citizens' rights. Anti-hunters would believe that there is no right for anyone to take the life of another living creature. It would be morally wrong. The thought of going out and killing an animal for fun is just appalling to these individuals. Maybe they believe hunters will rear a generation of killers. They would argue that there are many other things in this world that could bring that sort of excitement to a person. The right to hunt is the law. The twenty-ninth Article states, "...securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others..." If this is the law then it can not be infringed. With this there really is no question of big game hunting. These rights are personal rights of the citizens of the United States. Parents can choose what they want for there own children and let them do what they desire, and if that desire is hunting then let it be. When other people who oppose hunting try and stop this freedom then they are the ones at fault and are doing wrong by infringing on the rights of others. These actions are illegal and should be taken care of. In C M Dixon's article, "The Banning of Hunting is an Affront to Freedom," he stated that, "He has never heard of hunters violating the just requirements of public order or general welfare" (2). From the hunting experiences that I have had I agree with this statement one hundred percent.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Succubus on Top CHAPTER 16

I rang Bastien's doorbell for the third time and then glared peevishly at the house. Where the hell was he? I was a little earlier than our agreed meeting time but not significantly. I gave the door a petulant kick as I imagined Bastien â€Å"held up† in the arms of some panting housewife. â€Å"He's not here,† said a cool voice nearby. I looked over and saw Dana standing there, a small leashed dog by her feet. It looked like the product of a tragic accident at the cottonball factory. â€Å"Nice dog,† I said. â€Å"My sister's. I'm taking care of him for a few days. You want to walk with us?† No, but I had promised myself the other day that I would pick Dana's brain to figure out how I might aid Bastien, and this seemed as good an opportunity as any. Besides, he'd kill me if he knew I'd passed up a chance for â€Å"reconnaissance.† I fell into step beside Dana and the fluff ball, congratulating myself for the hundredth time on being smart enough to choose cats over dogs. Tutu – yes, that was his name – pranced along daintily, small tongue hanging out. His beady black eyes peered everywhere as he trotted merrily, but otherwise seemed oblivious to the wet sidewalk dirtying his tiny white feet. â€Å"How's your rally going?† I asked after we'd exhausted dog topics. â€Å"Excellent. I'm surprised you haven't heard about it in the news. We're getting a lot of press.† â€Å"Haven't paid that much attention to the news.† She told me the date and time. â€Å"Think you can make it?† â€Å"I think I'm working that day,† I said automatically. Dana gave me a knowing look. â€Å"Tabitha, I get the impression you're not entirely settled on that issue.† You think? I looked away, again fighting the mental battle of speaking my mind versus causing trouble for Bastien. I finally opted for something that sounded vaguely like the truth. â€Å"I just think†¦there's a lot of different ways to look at it, that's all.† â€Å"It's okay to be unsure, you know.† That was astonishing, coming from her. â€Å"Is it?† â€Å"Of course. That's why groups like the CPFV exist. To help you see the truth of an issue.† I repressed a snort. I'd thought for a moment she might startle me with a display of open-mindedness. I let the silence collect again. â€Å"So,† she began after a moment, â€Å"what do you believe then?† â€Å"Er, on what? Homosexuality? Or homosexual marriage?† â€Å"Either.† My opinion was simply that people wanted who they wanted, end of story. There was no regulating love or saying it was wrong. But Dana's views on that were religiously based, and I of all people knew better than to argue the right or wrong of faith. â€Å"I'm just not sure people choose who they're attracted to,† I explained, not exactly attacking her question head-on. â€Å"So, I guess, it seems weird to me to talk about ‘helping' or ‘changing' people who can't really do anything about their natures, regardless of whether that nature is right or wrong.† â€Å"So you think homosexuality is inborn?† That sweet voice couldn't entirely hide her scornful surprise. â€Å"For some people. I think there are those who engage in†¦uh, same-sex activities for the fun of it, but for others, it's biological.† I had a feeling Dana wouldn't describe same-sex activities as fun, but I still felt better at having voiced my opinions. â€Å"You express yourself very well,† she admitted. â€Å"Even if I don't necessarily agree with you.† I laughed out loud, and she looked at me strangely. â€Å"No, I didn't think you would.† We grew quiet again, and I remembered I was supposed to be sounding her out on what she found romantic for Bastien. â€Å"I wish I could choose who I was attracted to,† I said out of the blue, bringing up personal matters in a manner that was out of character for both Tabitha Hunter and Georgina Kincaid. Dana seemed appropriately startled. â€Å"Things aren't going so well with your boyfriend? What was his name? Sven?† â€Å"Seth,† I corrected, feeling only a little bad at dragging him into the cover story. Things with Seth were actually beautiful at the moment, but for the sake of appearances, I kept lying. â€Å"He's okay, I guess, and I like him†¦but he's not very, you know, romantic. â€Å" â€Å"Ah,† she said neutrally. â€Å"Am I crazy? Is that too much to ask? Maybe I should focus on other things.† â€Å"What do you consider romantic?† â€Å"I don't know. Little touches and flourishes here and there. Gestures to show how important you are, how much the other person cares about you.† Irises, smiley-face pancakes. â€Å"What do you think it is?† She shrugged. We were rounding the corner back to Bastien's now. â€Å"I've come to see romance as not quite so important anymore,† she admitted. â€Å"Neither Bill nor I have time for it.† â€Å"Oh.† â€Å"That's not a bad thing. I'd say, more important than superficial flourishes is being able to connect with someone. To talk openly with them and share yourself. To know they're feeling what you're feeling.† â€Å"Oh,† I said again, surprised. Her comments almost made sense. In some ways, they were a variation of Seth's views on honesty in a relationship. Biting my lip, I plunged on. â€Å"And what about†¦you know, attraction and sex appeal?† She gave me a sidelong glance. â€Å"What about it?† I shrugged. â€Å"I don't always feel it around him.† Liar, liar, pants on fire. â€Å"Do I have the wrong ideas about it? What do you think is sexy?† Her answer took a long time in coming. â€Å"I don't know.† Bastien stood by his front door as we approached. He waved a hand in greeting. â€Å"Hello, ladies.† He looked pleasantly astonished to see us together – and getting along. Dana thanked me for the company and returned to her own home after refusing Bastien's automatic invitation to come inside and stay a while. Once she was gone and we were in the car headed to my photo shoot, I gave him the scoop on our talk. â€Å"She doesn't know what's sexy?† he exclaimed. â€Å"She's practically begging for me to ravage her. Hmph. And Bill's not romantic. Well, no surprise there. You think she was lying about saying it wasn't important? Sort of a defense mechanism?† â€Å"I don't know. Possibly. But even if she does miss romance, I think too many over-the-top gestures would throw up a flag. She isn't stupid. Profound conversation might be the way to go.† â€Å"Then the cooking thing is a good idea. Lots of talking there.† â€Å"I guess.† I didn't tell him that I had doubts about the efficacy of that method. Honestly, I wasn't sure what he could do anymore. We'd decided to pull out all the stops for my pictures. He drove us downtown to the Hotel Andra, one of the nicest local spreads, despite its plain exterior. Through some charm I didn't know about, he'd even managed to book us the hotel's one-of-a-kind Monarch Suite on practically no notice. It had more room than we could possibly need, but its true selling point – for me – was an utterly sumptuous, utterly sexy bed. Enclosed in its own romantically lit alcove, it had a deep, royal purple spread and a headboard of gleaming, black wood. The whole effect was dark and sensuous. We shape-shifted out of Mitch and Tabitha upon clearing the door. â€Å"This bed alone,† declared Bastien, â€Å"will sell these pictures. Well, that and your naked flesh. But really, it's a tough call.† He raided the mini-bar and made us improvised Grand Marnier martinis, which I gulped down with surprising eagerness. Suddenly, facing these pictures seemed a lot more daunting than I'd originally believed. â€Å"Nothing to it,† he said, sensing my nervousness. â€Å"Put on something sexy and sprawl on the bed.† I hadn't brought anything in particular to wear, for once willingly opting for shape-shifting. I started with a basic black nightgown. Super short, super low-cut. It seemed like a safe bet. Bastien positioned me on the bed, lying back in a sort of languid pose. He mussed my hair and requested a lazy pout. â€Å"The point here, Fleur ,is to make it look like if you don't get fucked again soon, you're going to be very, very upset. Men go for that.† My apprehension melted away as Bastien took over, directing my postures and expressions, snapping away with his digital camera. We ran the gamut. Some shots I did completely naked, hiding nothing. For others, we found the suggestion of nudity could almost be more provocative. The way the slipped strap of a chemise could nearly reveal a breast. The way a sheer bra and panty set could cover and yet not cover. Nor did we give all of them the just-got-fucked look. In some, I was very elegant, unbelievably perfect in every possible way, not a strand of hair out of place. In others, however, we played up the messy, wild look – â€Å"unplanned,† as Seth would say. We also didn't limit ourselves to the bed, as gorgeous as it was. I posed by windows, by a sofa, by the bathtub, in the bathtub. Both of us, as was requisite for our jobs, had pretty good imaginations for what was sexy and alluring. Nonetheless, we had brought along a few lingerie catalogs and adult magazines for inspiration. We would take breaks to plan, both of us frowning and giving each new pose serious thought. All in all, it was an exhausting endeavor, but Bastien's energy never flagged as he guided me through it all with a professional ease. And honestly, after a certain point, I didn't need his coaching. I knew I was sexy, and it was easy to play that up, especially knowing that Seth would view all of this. When the incubus had filled up the memory card, we finally called it quits. Sprawling on the bed beside me, he called room service and ordered us some professional martinis, since we'd run out of Grand Marnier. They arrived, and we luxuriated in a well-deserved rest, sipping our drinks. â€Å"Thanks Bas,† I told him, touching his arm. â€Å"You're a good friend.† â€Å"Easy to be one when the subject matter is so nice to look at. You're going to have a bitch of a time getting these printed, though. Take them to a store, and you won't get them back.† I'd already thought of that. â€Å"Hugh has a snazzy, state-of-the-art printer. I'll do it there.† I considered. â€Å"Although, he might keep a few too.† â€Å"I wouldn't blame him.† Bastien set his drink down and rolled over to regard me affectionately, face almost serious for a change. â€Å"You're a beautiful woman, Fleur ,and that means something when you can perfectly control your appearance. It's not your physical side – as nice as it is. It's something in here.† He tapped my breastbone. â€Å"Something warm and sensual and lovely that shines out. I'd know you in any body, in any place. â€Å" I curled up against him, happy. â€Å"I'm glad you're here. Even if it's because of the Barton and Dana mess. We're going to fix that for you, you know. I promise. I'm not letting them ship you off somewhere horrible.† A faint, playful smile curled his lips. Affection shone in his dark eyes, affection that was no doubt mirrored in my face. Suddenly, he leaned over and kissed me. Whoa. It wasn't a friendly kiss either, not the kind we so regularly planted on each other's lips in a careless way. This was a deep kiss, an erotic kiss. His lips felt like velvet, his tongue slowly sliding over mine. I was so floored by what was happening that for a moment I couldn't do anything except sink into that kiss and let it send shockwaves through my body. My senses returned to me, and I broke away, sitting up. â€Å"What the hell are you doing?† He sat up as well, as surprised by my reaction as I had been by what triggered it. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"You kissed me. I mean, really kissed me.† He grinned, sensual and provocative. I shivered. When incubi targeted you with that charm, it was bewildering, even for a succubus. â€Å"What's wrong with it? You mean more to me than anyone else in the world. This is a natural step for us. We should have been doing it a long time ago.† I shook my head, backing away. â€Å"I like the way we've always been.† â€Å"Only because you haven't tried anything else. Look, I'm not asking you to run off into the sunset here. We're friends. I know that, and I like that. But you've said it yourself – sleeping with people you don't care about is wearying.† â€Å"Yeah, but†¦I don't think this is necessarily the answer.† â€Å"Then what is the answer?† he demanded. â€Å"Sleeping – or rather not sleeping – with a mortal you do care about?† I climbed out of bed. â€Å"That was harsh. And it's unrelated. I don't want us to be anything more than friends, Bastien. Sex,ll mess things up.† He stayed on the bed, watching me pace. â€Å"Sex will fix a lot of things. It's about time we got some satisfaction that wasn't all business. It'll be therapeutic for both of us. We need it.† I turned away, staring out the window without seeing. â€Å"I don't need it.† â€Å"Don't you?† Only the voice that asked me that wasn't Bastien's. It was Seth's. I spun around, eyes wide. â€Å"Stop that! Change back right now!† Bastien – as Seth – lay back easily against the pillows. He wore jeans and a Whitesnake T-shirt, just as Seth might have. His hair was unkempt. He'd even perfected that cute, distracted smile. â€Å"What's the problem, Thetis?† I stormed up to the bed, wanting to give him the full force of my fury even as I longed to run away. â€Å"This isn't funny! Change back now.† Sitting up again, he slid to the edge of the bed. â€Å"Come on, how have you not seen this coming? This is the perfect solution to all your problems.† â€Å"No, it's not. It's really not.† He stood up and walked toward me, not touching me but coming close enough to make my heart race. I stood rooted, unable to move. â€Å"Of course it is. If you ever want to get Seth out of your system, this is the way to do it. You spend all this time pining for him, wondering what it'd be like to touch him and be with him. Well, this is your chance. This is the only safe way, your chance to do everything you want without hurting him. Do this now, and you could save yourself a lot of grief in the future. â€Å" I shook my head, as my mouth apparently couldn't move now either. Too many conflicting feelings. The entire scene was unreal. Mind blowing. I was still shocked by Bastien's audacity in doing it in the first place. I knew he was rash and bold, but this was crossing the line, even for him. On the other hand, Bastien had mimicked Seth down to the last detail, and seeing him had the effect it always did on me. Everything was the same. Cute and flawless. More intoxicating still was the truth of Bastien's offer. I really could do what I wanted here. It was wrong on so many levels, but I couldn't deny the pull. The perfect temptation. â€Å"I won't cheat on Seth.† â€Å"What's cheating between you guys? You do it all the time.† â€Å"Then I'm not going to be one of your conquests,† I snapped. â€Å"Fine.† He shape-shifted the shirt away so I saw only lovely, bare chest now. He drew my hands forward, resting them on his skin. I discovered it was almost entirely smooth; there were just a few soft and silky golden hairs. â€Å"You do the conquering.† â€Å"I'm not doing any conquering.† â€Å"All right. Then take your hands away.† I stared at where my hands lay on his chest. On Seth's chest. He was warm. My hands matched him almost perfectly. We both had light, barely tanned, golden skin. Take your hands away. That's all I had to do. I just had to move my hands, step away, and leave this ridiculous game behind. I was only a hair's breadth from normality†¦yet I couldn't seem to move away. I knew it wasn't Seth, but the illusion was so powerful, I could easily imagine that this was exactly how it would feel to touch him. Without thinking, I ran my fingers down his chest, down to his stomach. Seth was no bodybuilder, but he was lean and trim from swimming and running. I had seen him in boxers before; the strong muscles were firm and exactly where they should be. Again, a perfect illusion. My hands had brushed this same part of Seth in bed before, but I never allowed myself to sensually explore him, the way I could now. I moved my fingers further, tracing the lines and contours. For his part, he didn't say or do anything. But whenever I looked up, those brown eyes were on me, brimming with heat. They made my body respond with a heat of its own. Would Seth look at me the same way if we were together like this? Somehow, I expected the answer would be yes. I knew Seth viewed sex as a serious matter, despite his characters' casual attitudes. He would treat such an encounter seriously. Also – although I had no proof – I thought Seth would be just as cautious as Bastien was being now, letting me take the lead. Nothing aggressive. My hands slid farther, down to the edge of his jeans where blue flannel boxers barely peeped out. I ran my fingers under the edge, arousing myself further with this dangerous game. Being this close to hitherto forbidden territory was heady. My scouting fingers started to tremble. Never, never would I have let things reach this point with Seth. Not with both of us pressed together. Not with both of us in so little clothing. My common sense would have long since kicked in before something dangerous might happen. But Bastien was right: nothing dangerous could happen tonight. At least not physically. I looked back up. His own breath had quickened. The space between us sizzled. He was so like Seth, I realized. So very much like him. It would be so easy. Easy to pretend. I leaned up and kissed him, again tasting those soft lips, pushing my tongue past them so I could fully savor him. His hands moved around my back, touching silk and bare skin. I was in the same outfit I wore for the last picture: another chemise, this time with a revealing top of ivory lace and a rose-pink silk skirt. I pushed into that kiss, letting it burn me. He kept his hands carefully neutral the whole time, not taking liberties, instead letting me dictate the terms. Reaching around, I grabbed a hold of his hands and moved them over me. I wanted to know what it was like to have him – Seth – touching me. I moved them down to my backside, then over to the sides of my thighs, urging him to push the chemise up. He did, letting silk gather up in his fingers as it slid up, up over my breasts and then over my head. I exhaled as those hands traveled up my body, every part of my skin electric and alive as I stood completely naked now. â€Å"Lay down,† I said, surprised at the rough note in my voice. He obliged, and I crawled onto the bed after him, straddling his hips with my legs so I leaned over him, letting my hair brush his chest as it had that night at Terry and Andrea's. Seth. I had Seth. And I could do anything I wanted. I kissed him again, harder than I had before, as if my mouth realized this could stop at any moment and had to get as much as it could right now. Pulling back slightly, I placed his hands back on me. â€Å"Don't stop touching me.† I returned to his lips, crushing his in return, letting my teeth nibble that soft flesh. All the while his hands roved over me as I'd commanded, coming to rest under my breasts so that he could cup them and stroke them. His fingers trailed to the nipples, which were already standing erect, brushing them lightly at first and then squeezing with greater intensity. I cried out, my own savage urges stoked, and I moved my lips to his neck. My mouth worked fiercely against that tender skin, pressing and biting, as though by leaving a mark I could somehow brand Seth as mine forever. Breaking away at last, I raised myself up slightly on my knees and moved his hand between my legs. He stroked me without being told to, letting his fingers slide over my clitoris, building up the mounting, scorching sensation in my lower body. His fingers moved easily, aided by my own wetness. Greater and greater that swelling ecstasy grew until it was almost agony, but I stopped him before I peaked and could find release. Frantically, I tore at his jeans and boxers, getting them off as fast as I could. I sighed shakily, looking at that long, perfect hardness as though it could keep me alive when nothing else could. I moved myself back down and ground myself against him, rubbing myself against that hardness, letting it finish the job his fingers had started. I came almost instantly, having been already on the edge, and before those spasms could even begin fading, I slid him inside of me, letting him fill me up entirely until it seemed there was nothing left of me in my own body, only him. He was still letting me take charge here, but he wasn't unaffected. His breath came heavy and hard now, his own lips parting slightly with desire, eyes begging me to do more. As for me†¦I was losing myself. I didn't care about anything else but him inside me, as close as I'd ever been able to get to Seth. It still seemed like something had to give, something had to stop us. But it didn't. I became more than a conqueror. I was a ravager, taking what I wanted with no thought of the consequences. I rode on top of him, bringing myself down hard each time, willing him to pierce right through me. My hands held him down as I thrust, not that he was trying to get away. My breasts shook as our bodies moved together, the nipples still hard and sensitive. I heard the slap of skin on skin each time I moved down, forming a rhythm with our ragged breathing. I was drowning in Seth, in his sweat and in his touch. I was liquid and golden, merged into him. My body ached, unable to get enough of him, and I moved harder still. I knew exactly which angle I needed to make myself come, and I didn't even try to hold back the waves and waves of pulsing bliss that racked my body. Small crackles of energy passed between us occasionally – not the usual absorption that occurred with a victim, but the inevitable sharing that happened between an incubus and succubus, two creatures whose bodies were made to collect the power of life. I needed to consume Seth, take as much of him as I could. I had no other purpose. Time passed. My body took its pleasure greedily and often. I said his name over and over, sometimes whispering it, sometimes screaming it, until finally exhausted, I couldn't move anymore. I stopped, nearly collapsing against him. Barely able to work my lungs anymore, I struggled to get the air I needed. He was still inside me, still ready, but I had nearly rubbed myself raw. My throat was dry and painful. Sweat formed a slick coating on me, and I hung over him panting and desperate, an animal who had just sated her hunger with no concern for who lay beneath. He watched me intently, running a careful hand over my damp cheek. Then, at some unspoken signal between us, he flipped me over onto my back to at last finish himself off. Gripping my ankles and putting them over his shoulders, he knelt before me and pushed back inside. A soft whimper passed over my lips. I was jelly now, unable to do anything but lay there and let him have his way with me. My arms spread out carelessly over my head, fingers brushing the black headboard, and I closed my eyes, just letting myself feel Seth taking me now. I was weak and spent, but it still felt wonderful. I opened my eyes and watched him working hard against my body, at last able to give in to his own pleasure. He'd held back for so long for my benefit, waiting until I had satiated my lust. Now he was the greedy one, ravaging me in the way he wanted. At last, he climaxed with a small groan, closing his eyes briefly, holding himself against me as he came into me. When he finished, he slumped forward and pulled out, lying beside me. We stayed like that for several moments, and then he pulled me roughly to him so we spooned, the back of my body pressed against the front of him. Both of us still breathed in heavy, torn gasps as our hearts gradually slowed. I let my cheek rest against his arm. I still shook all over from sex with Seth, with the feel of Seth inside of me and the way he had broken my body with that devastating ecstasy. Then, as one hand tightened on me and his other ran gently over my hair, I noticed something. He didn't smell right. I don't mean to imply that he smelled bad. He didn't. He just didn't smell like Seth. The sweat wasn't the same. There was no fleeting smell of apple, leather, and musk, no unique Seth scent. He smelled like Bastien. He was Bastien, I reminded myself sternly, and with that, the illusion shattered, the spell broke. I wasn't with Seth, no matter how perfect the shape. I was with my friend the incubus. â€Å"Change back,† I whispered. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Change back to yourself.† He didn't ask why, and a moment later, I rested in Bastien's arms. It wasn't Seth, I realized with a dull and terrible emptiness, but it was the truth. We said no more after that, staying in bed together for the rest of the night. Sleep never came for me, however. I lay awake the whole time, staring off into the shadows.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Hilton Hotels Corporation Marketing Analysis Essay

The marketing issues addressed here are focused on how to draw more consumers from other gambling casinos, and how to make Hilton a resort destination. Two-thirds of Hilton’s total operating earnings in the early 1990’s were derived from the four casinos they owned in Las Vegas, Nevada. Expanding on this idea will ensure the hotel chain firmly plants its feet in the entertainment and resort business (Hilton Case Study). By investing massive amounts of revenue into developing their gaming division, the Hilton will become a destination resort that would encompass of all the guest’s needs to keep them interested staying within the confines of the resort. Some considerations include how Hilton would get its market share of the billions of dollars in casino revenues. The percentage of gambling versus side attractions will influence the profit margins, depending on how much focus is placed on each area. The hotel chain can also strive to increase its overall occupancy rate of seventy percent while continuing to set the industry benchmark (Hilton Case Study). In researching how to improve marketing to attract customers, we must first look at where the Hilton stands today. Second, we must analyze what has worked in the past and see if we can apply past practices into the current market. Third, we shall look at how the competitors are more effective by looking at their gaming plans, marketing structure, customer’s spending habits and dollar/cost value based on guest surveys. Hilton entered the gaming market as an attempt to compete with the other big hotels for the gambling dollar. Investments in renovation and expansion caused Hilton to over- extend. Although the investments were needed to compete, the hotel chain felt it needed to lure big money to its locations, and extend credit more than usual. Heavy hitters receive this same courtesy from other hotels, but this puts a strain on the operating cash flow, as chasing bad credit costs money, and slows up cash flow. Gaming revenue was already down, which was attributable in part to renovation and more so to extended credit that had been difficult to reclaim. In today’s market, families are a prime target. Big beautiful hotels are  catering to families all along the Las Vegas strip. Gambling is still the main focus, but today’s gambler is more inclined to visit the â€Å"Casino Resort†, a place that the kids can stay, have a good time and be entertained. Meanwhile, the parents can drop next months mortgage money at the casino. This type of package appeals to the whole family. As far as quality of service, no one does it better than Hilton, because they create an environment that the customer, family or non-family guests will remember and to which they will want to return. The focus on entertainment is important, but Las Vegas is still â€Å"sin-city†. Three point six billion dollars have been spent in packaging entertainment; focus on the family is important, but a balance of adult-only and child-friendly entertainment is required. Gambling is the central purpose for casinos to exist. Continue to market the standard tables of chance, card tables, slot machines, and lavish floor shows, with headliners people recognize, and the main source of revenue will continue to flow. Have shopping, kids activities, and outdoor recreation available, but not as the focus of why travelers should visit, and that will provide entertainment for the rest of the family. Hilton should pull back the extended credit. By doing so, they may lose a few customers, but the resulting loss of risk will increase bottom-line profit. By changing the focus to families, the customers that discontinue patronizing the hotel for credit line reasons are not the desired target anymore. The chain should pay more attention to the middle-market segment, conventions, and sporting events such as youth tournaments and professional venues. In volume, the more people that move through the doors, the more money there is to be made. With this said, room rates must stay within the $100.00 a night rate with weekend promotions of Thursday through Sunday at a lower rate; perhaps 25% to 35% lower. This would be a novel concept, as the industry generally promotes lower room rates Monday through Thursday. The food and beverage structure should remain the same, as it has proven to be more than adequate and very popular. The increase in competition can be dealt with through better values in room rates, children’s activities, slot machines that pay off more frequently and the most important aspect of the business, service. Hilton could offer something that the other hotels do not: ensuring the employee responses to each customer’s needs are met with enthusiasm and expedience. People are paying for an experience along with the opportunity to break the house; give them what they are looking for. Word of mouth is far more powerful than any media advertisement. Hilton has entered the gaming industry. Gaming must focus on gambling and hotel must focus on hotel amenities and service. It would be the hotel’s responsibility to insure the entertainment, promotions and accommodations were settled; leaving the gaming operations to generate gaming interest. Advertising would be a joint effort, but casino operations would focus on the age 21 and older market. The two operations would report to the Chief Executive Officer and his staffs to ensure all objectives are met. It would be the CEO and staff’s responsibility to ensure both lines were working hand-in-hand, while maintaining separate operations. The purpose for this suggestion is to keep revenues separate so one function does not bear the full brunt of any losses that may occur. The casino will always show a bigger profit than the hotel, but by having separate bottom lines, profit and losses are easier to control. The hotel/casino is one business, but must have two different mindsets as the casino and hotel does, and will operate much differently. Situational AnalysisThe U.S. based Hilton Hotels Corporation is a multi-billion dollar corporation and a leading brand in the hotel and gaming industry. Conrad Hilton started the company in 1919 with his first hotel purchase. Since then the company has grown to over 2,000 hotels globally, with several brand name acquisitions, including Bally’s, Hampton Inn, Doubletree Suites and Homewood Inn. Besides standard hotel service, the Hilton Corporation runs casinos, vacation ownership businesses and luxury hotels, like the Conrad Line. The Hilton Hotels Corporation earned in excess  of $3.8 billion in fiscal year 2003 (Datamonitor, p. 4). External FactorsAccording to the Datamonitor report, the Marriott and Hyatt Corporations are the Hilton Hotel Corporations biggest competitors. Las Vegas is a gaming town, thus every hotel is expected to have gambling casinos within. The Las Vegas Hilton website shows that they also provide live entertainment, including comics and headline musical acts, as well as hosting a million-dollar Blackjack tournament. These factors, along with the attractive room packages and gambling activities, should be enough to maintain the occupancy rate and keep the gambling action constant. According to its website, the Las Vegas Marriott is a hotel with 278 rooms. The Hyatt franchise is located 17 miles away from the Las Vegas strip on Lake Las Vegas, but is a resort, casino and spa. While the Hyatt is a luxury hotel chain, the Marriott is a corporation more in line with Hilton. The Marriott made over $9 billion in fiscal year 2003; more than three times the Hilton Hotel Corporation (Marriott Datamonitor report). To contend with a company of this magnitude is not an easy job for any of their competitors. Hilton Hotels Corporation is an enormous company as mentioned above; so sizable that they had to split the corporation into six main divisions, totaling approximately 100,000 employees worldwide. Hilton Hotels Corporation has been very successful since they were established in 1946. Their diversification profile is significant and ambitious; no matter where you go, there are Hilton hotels there. In addition, Hilton Corporation has been leading in customer service and efficient staffing by utilizing a call center to help them maintain their reputation for hospitality. Hilton Reservations Worldwide handles reservations and information requests for thousands of hotel properties, under their various brands, positioning the company on the top of: †¢ Accurate intraday forecasts†¢ Reduced management costs†¢ Excellent customer service †¢ An edge over the competitionA company’s strength does not solely lie in the size of the company but in the management of the company, the employees and their commitment to their customers. Hilton’s management promoted brand relevancy within minority markets. Their sales team strategic initiatives are to target the multicultural market. In relation to their employees, Hilton’s are some of the finest. They are trained to do their jobs with care and make sure the customers are comfortable and happy. The customer personal profile allows the Hilton employees to treat each customer as a unique and special individual. WeaknessEvery company has weaknesses; Hilton Hotels weakness lied in its inability to recover quickly from the attacks on America in 2001. Although Hilton Hotels is a large company in many locations across the country, they had to reduce their manpower due to the decline in business. Matthew J. Hart (president and CEO) said; â€Å"we have had a lot of job losses – about 2,500 full-time equivalent jobs out of a worldwide workforce of 100,000. But we have no plans for any more, unless business gets worse† (Finch, 2001, p.1). The September 11th attacks left the whole nation in awe, in grief, and for many New Yorkers, jobless. The attacks left the airline and hotel industry to recover from lost sales. Another weakness the hotel industry is facing is the evident decline in supply. The below chart shows how the demand to occupy the Hilton hotels has been a declining behavior during the last years:A closer examination of the demand cycle for economy hotels during the past several years reveals a pattern that is not consistent with other hotels. The rate of demand growth in this segment began declining during mid-2000, about nine months before a similar effect was felt industry-wide. In addition, as the industry’s demand recovery has begun to accelerate the rate of demand growth, the economy segment has plateaud. Of even more concern is that the number of rooms currently being purchased in this segment is still declining when compared to previous-years levels. (Look Smart Articles, 2004, p.1)OpportunitiesAs mentioned earlier, Hilton Hotels Corporation is known worldwide; with this notoriety their reputation will carry them to expand their hotel empire even further. Their opportunity lies in the growing international market. The company is expecting 4-5% fee growth in 2004 within; new management contracts in Austin, Houston, Omaha and Conrad Miami. The company market overview reveals that recent trends in major markets are:†¢ Strong in New York, D.C., Hawaii†¢ Stable in New Orleans, Boston†¢ Weak in San Francisco, ChicagoThere will always be a demand for hotels and resorts. Currently, Hilton Hotels are working on more room availability; 80% of rooms have been renovated within last five years, and they are expanding into new markets. They also have â€Å"Best Rates. Guaranteed†, Internet easy access with a success rate of utilization from the customers:†¢ 13% of all reservations†¢ 85% through proprietary websites†¢ Self-service kiosksThis kind of service assists in making the experience convenient for the customer. Along with the convenience, Hilton Corporation and their six divisions take pride in making ever y building feel like home and ensuring the customer is satisfied and pleased with their accommodations (Hilton Hotels Corporation, 2003, s.3-5). ThreatsA few of the threats for The Hilton are competition, and a declining economy. The competition for The Hilton is not only other hotel companies, but restaurants and other service centers as well. Marriott is the main competitor of The Hilton amongst other hospitality companies. Because Hilton is so grand and reputable, they have more room for error, which also makes them vulnerable. As time passes, the Hilton Hotels continue to strive for excellence and perfection. They make each new hotel or resort better than the last. Because of the continuous growth of this company, it has dealt  with it’s competition head on (Nairn, 2001, p.3). The second threat is the economic decline of this century. Since the September 11th attacks in New York City, the American economy has been declining in all service industry areas. There was an ominous fear of flying and for quite some time, many people chose not to travel for vacations or long-distance business trips. This reaction to the events of 2001 hurt the hospitality industry, and made difficult rebuilding what they lost in revenue. Fortunately, this trend has started to change and the industry will soon recover from their losses. This is an area that still needs close monitoring from the executives of the corporation. References Datamonitor Hilton Hotels Company Overview August 2004. Datamonitor Marriott International Inc. Overview August 2004. Finch, J. (2001, November 16). Hilton reports impact of September 11. Retrieved October 26, 2004, http://www.union-network.org/unitourism.nsf/2c89b80c011f2519c1256b06002163c2?OpenDocumentHotels Hilton Hotels Corporation. (1998, Fall 1998). Corporate History. Retrieved October 26, 2004, Http://hiltonworldwide.hilton.com/en/ww/company-_info/corporate_history.jhtml;jsessionid=FGTDSXUCGXCGSCSGBIX222QKIYFCXUUCHilton Case Study. https://mycampus.phoenix.edu/secure/resource/resource.asp Retrieved October 23, 2004. Hilton Hotels Corporation (2003, July). Hilton: Great Brands and a Balanced Business Model (presentation). Retrieved October 26, 2004, http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/NYS/HLT/Hilton%20Presentation%20February%202004/tsld002.htmhttp://www.lakelasvegas.com/http://www.lv-hilton.com/http://www.vacationclub.com/en-us/vc/about/marriottworld/lasvegas.asp?cookies=trueLook Smart Articles (2004, January 14). Economy segment lags industry in key performance measures – Trends & Stats. Retrieved October 26, 2004,

Friday, November 8, 2019

Prophetic, Predictive, Presageful, and Portentous

Prophetic, Predictive, Presageful, and Portentous Prophetic, Predictive, Presageful, and Portentous Prophetic, Predictive, Presageful, and Portentous By Maeve Maddox A reader has asked me to explain the differences between prophetic, predictive, presageful, and portentous. In a very general sense, the words are synonymous. All four are adjectives indicative of the future. Their connotations, however, differ. The adjective prophetic has two meanings: 1. prophetic: â€Å"characteristic of prophecy or a prophet.† For example, King Saul was known to fall into a â€Å"prophetic frenzy,† a mental state usually associated with a prophet. 2. prophetic: â€Å"foretelling events.† For example, Jules Verne (1828-1905) created fictional scenarios that have proved to be prophetic of events and discoveries in our own times. Prophetic often conveys supernatural connotations. The adjective predictive is a simple way to say that something can be predicted or foretold. For example, anyone who has ever browsed an investment flyer has come across this expression: â€Å"Past performance is not predictive of future success.† The adjective presageful derives from the noun presage: â€Å"something that portends, foreshows, or gives warning of that which is about to happen.† Presageful means, â€Å"full of presage.† The verb presage means, â€Å"to predict.† I found this example on a site dedicated to prison reform: â€Å"Two decades after [a former warden’s] presageful caveat, the Louisiana penal system is imploding under the weight of a burgeoning inmate population and a societal mindset that is more retributive than rehabilitational.† Presageful is so uncommon that Word’s spellchecker flags it as a misspelling. Merriam-Webster’s single citation- â€Å"presageful gloom†- is from a convoluted sentence of 101 words spoken by Merlin’s sweetheart Vivien in Tennyson’s Idylls of the King. Trust me, this is a word you can do without. The adjective portentous is used with three meanings: 1. portentous: â€Å"relating to a portent.† A portent is a sign thought to predict the future. Etruscans studied the  flight of birds  to foretell the future. Even the number of  birds  was regarded as  portentous. 2. portentous: â€Å"eliciting amazement.† A travel article contains this example: â€Å"In the Grand Forks Valley at the foot of the mountain the portentous wall cuts off entirely the view of the summit.† 3. portentous: â€Å"exhibiting gravity or ponderousness.† A New York Times reviewer uses the word in the sense of inflated or pompous writing: â€Å"To be sure, there were plenty of passages like this in Cold Mountain - prose that somehow managed to be simultaneously portentous, folksy and cloying, like banjo music on the soundtrack of a Ken Burns documentary.†Ã‚   Used with the first meaning given above, portentous often suggests that whatever is being foretold is ominous and to be feared. A Google search of the four words gives the following results: predictive: 44,700,000 prophetic: 17,800,000 portentous: 464,000 presageful: 15,300 The Ngram Viewer shows that predictive and prophetic are far more common than portentous or presageful in printed books. English has so many words that refer to foretelling the future or knowing something without being told that no writer need be at a loss to choose exactly the right one. For example: clairvoyant divinatory farseeing farsighted insightful intuitive perceptive percipient prescient prognostic psychic vatic visionary Here are a few synonyms for portentous: foreboding ill omened inauspicious menacing ominous premonitory threatening unfavorable Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:85 Synonyms for â€Å"Help†What is Dative Case?The Difference Between "Shade" and "Shadow"

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Licencia de manejar para indocumentados en Nuevo México

Licencia de manejar para indocumentados en Nuevo Mà ©xico Si eres migrante indocumentado y radicas  en Nuevo Mà ©xico puedes sacar legalmente una licencia de manejar siguiendo una serie de pasos que se explican en este artà ­culo. En la actualidad ms de diez estados permiten sacar este tipo de licencia  a los indocumentados, pero no todas son iguales ni dan los mismos derechos. En cuanto a Nuevo Mà ©xico y  los requerimientos, hay que distinguir entre los necesarios para renovar la licencia, que se explican al final de este artà ­culo, y los que en este momento piden para sacarla por primera vez. Licencia de manejar para indocumentados en Nuevo Mà ©xico por primera vez Antes de aplicar por la licencia comprueba que tienes todos los documentos imprescindibles que te van a pedir cuando acudas a la cita a la oficina del Departamento de los Vehà ­culos a Motor (MVD, por sus siglas en inglà ©s). Bsicamente vas a tener que probar tres cosas: residencia en el estado, tu identidad y un nà ºmero que te identifica. Para ello sà ³lo se admiten una serie de documentos muy especà ­ficos para cada categorà ­a. Para probar que efectivamente tienes tu domicilio en Nuevo Mà ©xico Debes presentar DOS documentos  de entre los listados a continuacià ³n:   Contrato de compra, hipoteca o lease (renta) de la viviendaExtracto del banco o del credit unionDocumento original de un municipio, condado, organizacià ³n comunitaria  o tribu indà ­gena de Nuevo Mà ©xico o del estado o gobierno federal en el que se diga que efectivamente resides en ese estadoFactura (utility bill) del agua, gas, electricidad,  là ­nea fija de telà ©fono, televisià ³n por cable o satà ©lite, recogida de basura. Sà ³lo puedes presentar una factura de esta categorà ­a. Por ejemplo,  si presentas la de la electricidad no admiten tambià ©n la del cablePrueba de que un hijo asiste a una escuela en el estado. Puede presentarse la forma de matriculacià ³n o una carta en papel oficial  firmada por un oficial de la escuela.Recibo de pago del impuesto por ser propietario de bienes raà ­cesRecibo de sueldo o nà ³minaRegistracià ³n de un auto, siempre y cuando sea actual y vlidaTarjeta de asistencia pà ºblica o mà ©dica que sea de Nuevo Mà ©xico Adems, si eres menor de 18 aà ±os puedes presentar como prueba de residencia en NM cualquier documento que pruebe que asistes a una escuela en ese estado o perteneces a un equipo deportivo u organizacià ³n religiosa. Los documentos tienen que ser originales (no se aceptan copias), tener menos de 3 meses de antigà ¼edad y tu direccià ³n debe de aparecer en ellos. Prueba de identidad cuando no tienes un Nà ºmero del Seguro Social Debes tener uno de los siguientes documentos: Origial o copia de tu acta de nacimiento que debes de pedir a tu paà ­s. Tiene que ser traducida al inglà ©s por una persona con buen conocimiento del inglà ©s y del espaà ±ol y debe firmar su traduccià ³n siguiendo este modelo. Adems, debe notarizarse. No se admite que el traductor y el notario sean la misma persona.Certificado de matrimonio si te has casado en cualquiera de los 50 estados de EEUU o uno de sus territorios, como por ejemplo, Puerto Rico.Orden de una corte de los Estados Unidos con sello en la que se declara que has cambiado de nombre o que te has divorciado o que has cambiado de gà ©nero. En este caso, la orden debe contener tu nombre legal y tu fecha de nacimiento.Una licencia de manejar, learner ´s permit, tarjeta de ID emitida por un estado de EEUU o por el gobierno federal o por Canad. En este caso debe de tener una foto y ser vlida o haber expirado no hace ms de un aà ±o.Matrà ­cula consular emitida despuà ©s del uno de febrero de 2005 por el consulad o mexicano de El Paso o el de Albuquerque. Tu pasaporte. Tiene que ser vlido y no estar vencido. Prueba de Nà ºmero de Identificacià ³n cuando no tienes un Nà ºmero del Seguro Social Debes presentar uno de los siguientes documentos: Matrà ­cula consular de los consulados mexicanos en El Paso o en Albuquerque con fecha posterior al 1 de febrero de 2005.Tu pasaporte vlido.El ITIN, pero esto sà ³lo si se emplea como prueba de ID la matrà ­cula o el pasaporte. Cà ³mo entender estos requerimientos Debes presentar dos documentos del listado de prueba de residencia, uno de prueba de identidad o ID y otro como prueba de nà ºmero de identificacià ³n. Hay dos documentos- pasaporte y matrà ­cula- que se pueden utilizar como identidad o como prueba, pero si utilizas uno de ellos para una cosa, no puedes utilizarla para la otra. Cà ³mo aplicar por la licencia por primera vez Si eres menor de 25 aà ±os, debes cumplir con requisitos adicionales. Si ya has cumplido esa edad, a diferencia de lo que ocurre con los ciudadanos americanos, los extranjeros no pueden presentarse en una oficina del MVD. Es necesario realizar una cita previa aquà ­. Tambià ©n puedes cerrarla marcando al 505-827-2257. En Choose appointment type, escoge First Time Foreign National DL/ID. Adems, necesitars pasar un examen de visià ³n, un examen escrito, el de carretera y pagar un arancel. Renovacià ³n de la licencia Si ya tienes una licencia de manejar de Nuevo Mà ©xico para renovarla no puedes hacerlo por internet si no tienes un Nà ºmero del Seguro Social. Si ese es tu caso, la à ºnica manera es acudir en persona a una oficinal del MVD. Si ya tiene ms de un aà ±o de vencimiento, tendrs que tomar de nuevo el examen escrito. Y si tiene ms de cinco aà ±os de vencimiento, tambià ©n el de carretera. Tip de interà ©s Si no puedes obtener la licencia porque no cumples con los requisitos,  infà ³rmate y evita ser và ­ctima del fraude de  las licencias internacionales para manejar en Estados Unidos cuando vives aquà ­.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Research Paper

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace - Research Paper Example Definitions Sexual harassment as defined by the EEOC is an unwanted verbal, non verbal or physical act that is sexual committed by the employer towards the employee. This means that it is due to the person’s sex that he or she is being harassed. The sexual harassment has to be proved and the following is an analysis of what has to be proved. The presence of unwanted sexual advances is the first point to be proved. The second ground is whether sex, where it occurs was solicited or wanted. The law states that a consensual relationship that later leads to rejection of sexual advances will amount to sexual harassment. The employee, to have a claim for sexual harassment under a consensual relationship has to notify the employer that the sexual advances are no longer wanted. This is necessary to prove that the act was unwelcome. The question that then arises is regarding the sexual behaviour. The law sets the test on whether conduct is sexual to be an objective test. This means that the burden of proof rests on the person making the claim, to show that the act was sexual in nature. This creates problems when it comes to proving the allegation. This is because it is a scenario of one person’s word against the other. The element of unwelcome or unsolicited advances is difficult to prove as either party may assert that the advance was made by the other party. The problem lies especially where there is absence of corroborative evidence. The best evidence entails showing that there was an explicit rejection of the sexual request. The tabling of evidence to show the complainant resisted is sufficient to show the advance was not welcome. The law does not only give protection for harassment by way of sexual advances, but also goes further and covers discrimination based on the basis of sex. Sex here connotes one’s gender. The law as to sexual harassment under Title Vii of the Civil Rights Act Of 1964 bars employers from discrimination of employees on the basis of race, colour, religion sex or national origin. This law applies to employers with a minimum of 15 employees or more. The law covers the following employers. Federal Government, State and Local governments’ Labour bodies and Employment agencies. Sexual harassment is divided into two Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment and Hostile Environment Sexual Harassment. Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment The employer-employee relationship is one of one party asserting power over the other. The employer is the one who has power. The employer can misuse this power to get sexual favours. The law comes in to giving protection to the employee. This protection is provided throughout the whole employment process. This is from time of interview, employment and dismissal. The law also covers training and benefits. The law that deals with this is called Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment. Quid pro quo in Latin means getting â€Å"something for something† or â€Å"this for that† Quid pr o quo sexual harassment under the law is defined as the situation where the employer directly or overtly asks for sexual favours, physical or verbal sexual conduct or makes unwanted sexual advances as a prerequisite to employment. The other employment situations

Friday, November 1, 2019

E.H. Carr and Historical Thought Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

E.H. Carr and Historical Thought - Essay Example Though to properly assess the academic value and relevance of his claim, it is first necessary to analyze the broader intellectual context to which Carr sought to make a contribution. As such, it will be necessary to briefly address the very same question he himself posed, for the pragmatic purpose of assessing the accuracy of his claims. The American historian and political philosopher Allan Bloom, in his cultural jeremiad on the state of university education in the closing decades of the twentieth century, lamented what he saw as the contemptuous antagonism felt for one another by the aforementioned three main divisions of modern academia. According to Bloom: While both social science and humanities are more or less willingly awed by natural science, they have mutual contempt for one another, the former looking down on the latter as unscientific, the latter regarding the former as a philistine. They do not cooperate. And most important, they occupy much of the same ground. Many of the classic books now a part of the humanities talk about the same things as do social scientists but use different methods and draw different conclusions;... (1987, p. 357) And yet history does not easily fit into any of these main categories. History, unlike the natural sciences, cannot conduct a controlled experiment because its object of study, being the past, is incapable of being ‘recreated.’ Bloom made note of this general dilemma, that is, the categorization of the work of the historian. History may not, on the other hand, claim to be a social science: its goal is not to predict human action (as is the case in any sort of study of human behavior), but rather to understand past actions (Bloom 1987, pp. 243-380). Thus, in many ways, history enjoys a sort of liminal existence which transcends the natural and social sciences, not to mention the humanities.