Kathak and Social Communication Essay

Social Science and Communication ‘Kathak’ is one of the most popular forms of Indian classical dance. We have grown up watching it in movies from UmraoJaanuptoDevdas. Most young girls in India even start learning kathak right from the tender age of 5 years. However is kathak just a simple cultural product of the country that can be counted among the artistic treasures of this land or is there a larger understanding to the same? Through this article we shall travel through the journey of time and see how a thing as simple and pure as an ancient dance form can tell us the stories of the cultural, religious, political transformations of the country. The Fifth Veda Traditionally the Hindu society was divided in five varnas – Brahmins (intellectuals), Kshatriya (warriors), vaishya (merchants), shudra (manual labourers), achoot (untouchables). The purpose of this form of division was to have a more organized society by distributing it on basis of the type of work performed. However with time this became a hierarchical division of the society which led to oppression of the lower caste (shudra& untouchables) by the upper caste members. In this entire struggle for power the holy hindu scriptures (the Vedas) remained as the sole possession of the Brahmins or the educated class. Any attempt to even touch these holy texts by members of the lower caste was considered a crime. Even our holy text of Ramayana narrates an incident where lord Ram (mariyadapurushottam) chops of the head of a person from the lower caste when he attempts to read the Vedas. The shudra’s were forbidden to listen to these puranas (holy texts). (Massey, 1999) It’s believed that looking at this state of the society gods asked Lord Brahma to devise something which would be accessible to all and bind this society together. This is how the fifth veda or Natya Veda was born. The Hindu epics have stories of brahma teaching Bharata (the then king of Bharat what we know as India) the Natya Veda and later his 100 sons became the authorities of music, dance and drama. The Bharat NatyaShashtra has been variously dated from 2nd century BC to 3rd century AD. This Veda was common for all sections of society and all genders. Stories and teaching were told through dance. This is where we saw the birth of Kathak as a dance form. Kathak Kathak is derived from the root word Katha which means story. Kathak as a dance form was used to narrate stories mainly mythological stories primarily for the function of educating people. This was the only form in which people of all castes and genders could share their learning. This dance form was spread far and wide through abhinayawhich meaning ‘a carrying to the spectators’. This form of dance contained various components:(Massey, 1999) Kathak Abhinaya Sentiment and Mood Pure Dance Dramatic Element Vachik: poetry, song, recitation, music and rhythm Aharya: costume, make-up, jewellery Satvik: physical manifestation of mental and emotional states Angik: gestures of the body Nritya Nritta Natya Caste Politics The Hindu caste divide that Kathak tried to dissolve eventually took another form of dominations. The Brahmins saw this movement as a loss of their supremacy and power; hence they brought in another angle to the same. According to the Brahmins since dance was nothing but another form of worshiping god they had the supreme say in these matters. The social anthropology of Kathak dancers in history is thus highly fascinating as it got equated to the priestly caste and even the kathak gurus in the northern belt of india represented the Brahmin status.(Booth, 2005) The Brahmins not only separated this form of dance from its core purpose of binding people across various castes but also hit the gender angle by bringing in the concept of devdasi . These were women who were dedicated to dance and sing only for god. These women were neither allowed to marry, nor have have any form of physical relationships. Thus the power game was won by the Brahmins by playing their cards of caste and gender politics. Gender Politics Traditionally Kathak was meant to be a platform accessible to all. It defamiliarises the ordinary sexual and social experience of women and men as people. Indian mythology also reveals various stories exemplifying gender ambiguity, androgyny, sex transformations, male pregnancy, and erotica through some of the metaphorical discourses related to gods, goddesses, heavenly nymphs, and demons, as well as sages, ascetics and yogis. There have been innumerable examples of transcending gender in kathak. Men dressed like women and performed. The concept of gender in the Natya Veda is highly complex. It believes that gender is past our physical being, it is connected with our soul and souls aspire for the realisation moksha which can only be achieved when one can get free from the shackles of bodily existence. As per the Tantric school of thought the Supreme Being is conceptualised as one complex sex, comprises of both male and female (on the right and left side respectively). In order to attain salvation one must be able to transcend these shackles of one’s sex.(Shah, 1998) Even in the Pre-Vedic literature Shiva is known as ardhanarishwara, which means containing the polarities of both male and female force in the form of Shiva-Shakti. Dance is an important means by which cultural ideologies of gender difference are reproduced. Through movement vocabulary, costuming, body image, training, and technique, discourses of dance are often rooted in ideas of natural gender difference However as time passed Kathak also came under the purview of the political game of gender and it’s got labelled with the tag of being a dance form only for the females. Even the stories narrated through kathak like the stories of lord Krishna have got adapted. Earlier it was believed that Radha was Krihna’shladini Shakti and not different from him, hence the dance was performed in a semi-circular manner where the same dancer took the roles of both Krishna and Radha. However, now these roles are performed by different actors.(Chatterjee, 1996) CHANGING DIMENSIONS OF WOMEN The birth of Kathak took place with the Benarasgharana of kathak which was then ruled by the Rajputs. This dance form then travelled to Jaipur establishing the Jaipur gharana of kathak. Though both these forms were highly dominated by females they still had a great respect in terms of an art of telling stories of god and educating others on the powers of truth , righteousness etc. However when the Mughal’s invading our country and the marriage of JodhaBai and Akbar took place two cultured merged together. The Mughals got dancers from Persia and captured women form india and got them trained in kathak. It’s from this time onwards that Kathak got labelled as the courtesans dance what we today call as tawa’if or prostitutes.(Massey, 1999) The costumes changed and the new gharana of Kathak was born which is today the most famous one – Luckhnowgharana. The dressed changed from the ghaghra (like a long skirt) to chudidar. The dresses were tighter at the bust and presented the women as a sexually desirable object. A lot of change took place in the basic hand movements and presentation if the dance and a dance that used to tell the love story of Krishna and Radha at one time became a dance form with movements meant to entice men. In the whole power struggle and caste politics it was the women who suffered the most and were heavily exploited. DURING THE COLONIAL INDIA During the British colonial rule dance became a tool of rebellion and political resistance. It demonstrated unity and power. The dancing women’s position changed from ‘pure and pious’ to ‘fallen and sinful’ and hence either victims or perpetuators of the evil of dance. Women were encouraged to display their beauty, energy, skill, sensuality and seductiveness in dance. Thus for the fear of saving there girls from the being looked on as an object of desire dance became a tabooed activity for members of society especially the upper caste. This mindset exists even today, as we don’t see many girls from the upper class of society taking up dancing. However these mind sets are changing gradually.(Reed, 1998) GURU and SHISHYA As per Natyashashtra an acharya or teacher should have an intrinsic knowledge of vocal and instrumental music, dance, rhythm and movement. He should further have imagination, intelligence, creative faculty, memory, sharpness and capacity to shape the taught. The shishyas, or the taught, on the other hand should be intelligent, retentive, appreciative, devoted, enthusiastic and must have an innate desire to excel. This form of teaching has been continued over time however the essence of the relation has got lost with the loss of the pure and pious status of dance. CULTURAL SYMBOL Today Kathak has been attributed with various new meanings on the global platform like * Traditional heritage of India * Carrier of Indian culture * Indianness * Recounting the significant past Today kathak has become a cultural commodity that gets sold in form of a few dance shows and performances however it has lost its original purpose and ethos(Royo, 2004) KATHAK AND MOVIES Kathak has always been used as an important tool in cinema. In 1955 classic, JhanakJhanakpayalBaje by V. Shantaram the film’s hero, Ghirdar competes for artistic supremacy in Kathak dance against another dancer Ram Prasad. Ghirdar’s triumph is ensured during the last series of rhythmic systematic turns or chakkras which he performs elegantly, however his opponent is left all dizzy. Ghirdhar here is from Varanasi, the birthplace of kathak and the ultimate hindu city and his opponent is from Agra the Mughal capital which is associated with the more popular kathakgharana of lucknow. Thus kathak was used to demonstrate a state of communal tension in the country. This art form was also reduced to mockery when UstadHalimJaffar Khan, who worked on Kohinoor, and other films, with Naushad Ali (Kohinoor’s music director), explains that the singing in this scene was undertaken by Niyaz Ahmad: â€Å"Naushad spoke to him about this scene. He said, ‘Please forgive me Khan-saheb, but for this scene please sing some tans and things, but in a comic way, in a foolish way.’ And Nyaz Ahmad agreed to do that† Even in later films kathak remained as a dance of the prostitutes through movies like umraojaan. And even today when we have become more liberal in our thinking and claim to have crossed these old regressive practices the choreographers still use kathak in a ovie like devdas only for the character of chandramukhi, who plays a prostitute. Also today’s concert stage kathak is more focused of fast, complex, rhythmic footwork and tracing handwork rather than the old ethos of the dance which had its core around freedom, liberalization, unity, storytelling, love and expression of oneself.(Chakravorty, 2006) CONCLUSION A cultural dance form created to unify everybody and give everyone a freedom to expression eventually got used as a tool for playing out caste and gender politics. Whether it was the sufferings of the women or the link of the dance to the Bhakti movement, Kathak has transformed with all these interactions. The various stakeholders of the society have also used this to their convenience as and when required. Initially the Brahmin established their supremacy over this pure and pious form of expression an today they are the ones who have started the movement to label this as a fallen and sinful act. Thus we have seen the journey of nation through one form of dance and the story of Kathak through the nation. Bibliography Booth, G. (2005). Pandits in the Movies: Contesting the Identity of Hindustani Classical Music and Musicians in. Asian Music, Vol. 36, 60-86. Chakravorty, P. (2006). Dancing into Modernity: Multiple Narratives of India’s Kathak Dance. Dance Research Journal, Vol. 38, 115-136. Chatterjee, A. (1996). Training in Indian Classical Dance: A Case Study. Asian Theatre Journal, Vol. 13, 68-91. Coorlawala, U. A. (1992). Illustrating Kathak. Dance Chronicle, Vol. 15, 88-93. Lidke, J. S. (2006). DevÄ «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s Dance: The Interweaving of Politics, Mysticism, and Culture in Kathmandu Valley. International Journal of Hindu Studies, Vol. 10, 35-57. Massey, R. (1999). India’s kathak dance, past present, future. Delhi: Abhinav Publications. Pillai, S. (2002). Rethinking Global Indian Dance through Local Eyes. Dance Research Journal, Vol. 34, 14-29. Reed, S. A. (1998). The Politics and Poetics of Dance. Annual Review of Anthropology, Vol 27, 503-532. Royo, A. L. ( 2004). New Directions in Indian Dance. Dance Research Journal, Vol. 36, 135-138. Shah, P. (1998). Transcending Gender in the Performance of Kathak. Dance Research Journal, Vol. 30, 2-17. WALKER, M. (2010). Courtesans and Choreographers: The (Re)Placement of Women in the History of Kathak Dance. New Delhi: Routledge.

Belmont is a place of youth, happiness and concord, Venice a place of age, melancholy and strife Essay

Shakespeare sets â€Å"The Merchant of Venice†, in two very contrasting settings of Venice and Belmont. Venice is the city of the merchants; it symbolizes money, business, men and hate. Belmont is a magical town which Shakespeare created to symbolise women, happiness, poetry and love. Shakespeare uses this juxtaposition to give a dramatic effect on the audience and he uses the places to introduce various contrasting themes and emotions. In Shakespeare’s time, to set the play in two very different settings was particularly radical and innovative because of the traditions of theatre set by Greek unities. It was simply not possible to show too much on the stage and so the audience would have come to ‘hear the play’, rather than to see it. By focusing closely upon language differences to show character or setting Shakespeare broke the rules of unity, which had been revived in the Renaissance period. The characteristics of Venice are shown as that of strife, age and melancholy and those of Belmont as a place of happiness and concord. Initially, these places seem to fit the title’s descriptions and Shakespeare shows how the places oppose each other. However, gradually and once the audience begin to ‘hear the play’, it appears all is not as opposing as it seems. Through the language and ideas brought out through the plot, the audience realises it is not the complete truth and that there is more to each setting than is first thought. The more you delve into the play, the more it is apparent that the two places’ themes appear to be often crossed over and constantly change. Strife, for example, is brought into Belmont by an aged father’s will which shows how the concepts of Venice are introduced into the magical place of Belmont. Whereas, in Venice, Belmont’s youthful attitude intervenes when a couple in Venice run off together when the parent forbids it. As the play progresses even more similarities appear between the two settings and more often than not the concepts of the contrasting places become crossed. In Act 1, Scene 1, the audience is introduced to Venice and its themes and characteristics. These themes of age, melancholy and strife are shown throughout the scene through the language Shakespeare uses. The play begins in a melancholy tone, as Antonio is introduced, â€Å"In sooth I know not why I am so sad.† Here Shakespeare demonstrates the melancholy in Venice through the character Antonio’s sadness and confusion. As the audience later find out, Antonio is one of the richest merchants, however this initial line shows despite his money he is discontented and this shows how Venice is not perfect. Even though, Venice is a wealthy industrial, business-rife city it is not as exciting as first thought by the audience for whom it had the appearance that it was an exotic and thrilling place. For Antonio, Venice has not lived up to his expectations. This first line primarily helps to set the impression that working in Venice is risky business and that the merchants lives are full of worry and anxiety. The majority of the first act is written in prose which was used, in the Elizabethan era, to show gossip or low life characters. As the story unfolds of Antonio’s fortune, it is brought to the audience’s attention how his fortune lays on the sea. â€Å"Your mind is tossing on the ocean,† This indicates to the audience that, Antonio must own some sort of big ship and that his mind is constantly with his boats. He always worries that something is going to go wrong. This shows the issues of melancholy and anxiety that lie in Venice. Antonio also represents age, because he is one of the oldest merchants in Venice and is getting weary of life. He is also in denial of life’s value and thinks that everything is always going to go wrong. â€Å"Why then you are in love.† â€Å"Fie, Fie!† Here, when Solanio suggests his sadness is down to love, Antonio dismisses it, as if he is fated to be miserable. He is very flippant about the idea that he will ever have anyone to share his life with. The language Shakespeare uses suggests that although Antonio is rich, he will never be happy and that he is doomed in terms of love and relationships. The audience, see the first cross-over between Venice and Belmont when Bassanio enters during this scene. He talks in verse, which gives the impression of a softer, more exciting tone. He also has a whole speech about love, which encourages the audience to think that Venice is not all it may seem. However, despite all the love language, the idea of money and Venetian values can still be found. He explains that Portia is beautiful, but she is also rich and Bassanio needs her money. Shakespeare liberally interposes the speech with money phrases, as he mentions, â€Å"debts I owe†, â€Å"warranty†, â€Å"prodigal† and â€Å"rate†. Bassanio talks of Portia as, â€Å"A lady richly left,† which keeps in with the Venetian themes of money over love. By the end of this scene, through the style and language Shakespeare uses, the audience builds up the ideas and concepts of melancholy, strife and age surrounding Venice. Scene 2 opens with a wealthy, but weary Portia, â€Å"By my troth, Nerissa, my little body is aweary of this great world.† This quotation echoes the opening of Scene 1 and Antonio’s sadness, and it echoes the problems Antonio has found with wealth. This opening suggests melancholy in the magical place of Belmont as well. The audience’s first impression of Belmont is shown as strife- ridden and not a complete contrast to Venice. Shakespeare uses this to create dramatic excitement as it not what the audience expects and it gives the impression that Belmont is all not what it appears. However, one of the key ideas to notice is that in Belmont, it is woman orientated, which does contrast to Venice’s male dominated world. However, as a woman, Portia’s freedom is strictly limited and although Belmont may have a woman at its head, it is still a restricted world. This mirrors the realism of the male domination in the Elizabethan times and it gives something for the audience to relate too. The only factor, that causes all the apparent strife and melancholy in Belmont, is one of love, not money. Portia is worried because her future lies in the caskets left by her deceased father. As the audience become aware of the plot, it also becomes apparent that aspects of Venice are already sneaking into Belmont. This is shown through the caskets; her father set up a kind of lottery to decide her future, which is like gambling- a strong aspect of Venetian values. â€Å"Therefore the lottery that He hath devised in these three chests of gold, silver, and lead†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Also, by making the conflict work and by trying to achieve concord, she is causing herself melancholy and strife by keeping to her word. The scene is spoken in prose which contrasts to the love of Belmont. Shakespeare uses this for dramatic effect, as the audience would expect the characters to speak in poetry in such a beautiful, romantic setting. Nerissa and Portia gossip about the suitors who have already come to woo her and when Bassanio is mentioned, Portia becomes elated and excited. â€Å"I remember him well, and I remember him worthy of thy praise.† Bassanio symbolises youth, happiness and concord coming into Belmont. Yet, this proves to be contrasting that a merchant of dreary Venice is bringing happiness into Belmont, where the audience would have anticipated it to be the other way around. Shakespeare does this to create dramatic effect and to show the audience how the plot is unexpected. Act 3, Scene 2 follows a scene of hatred. Shakespeare completely contrasts this in this scene, as it is all about love. In this scene this is where it may seem most clear about Belmont’s youthful, happy, peaceful theme. However, even in the second line, â€Å"hazard† is said, which is a Venetian type word. It is written entirely in poetry to help achieve the romantic effect for the audience. The morals of Belmont are obvious when Portia says, â€Å"Before you venture for me. I could teach you How to choose right, but then I am forsworn.† She remembers her fathers’ will and knows, despite how much she is in love, that she cannot sway him to the right choice. This shows, a typical Belmont value, unlike Venice, she is sworn to secrecy. However, soon after we see another cross-over of age from Venice. Her father, despite being dead, is still overruling everything causing strife and melancholy. This reminds the audience of the situation between Shylock and his daughter and how similar the two situations appear. However, Portia quickly brings back the feeling of love and happiness back to Belmont, â€Å"One half of me is yours, the other half yours- Mine own, I would say: but if mine then yours, a And so all yours.† The length, style and content of Portia’s speech creates dramatic tension, That tension then becomes the subject of Bassanio’s speech, as he compares his waiting to the agony of being, â€Å"upon the rack.† Here Bassanio brings back a contrast to Belmont’s soft language and turns back to Venetian ways. However, Portia remains romantic and emphasises the fairytale aspect of Belmont. â€Å"Then if he loses he makes a swan-like end, Fading in music.† Shakespeare continues in the romantic style of language and Belmont begins to take hold of Bassanio and he is also converted to Belmont language. He talks in poetic verse and for once is rejecting the attractions of riches. â€Å"Therefore thou gaudy gold, Hard food for Midas, I will none of thee,† Surely enough, he chooses the correct lead casket, which once again represents the true values of love and Belmont, instead of the gold casket which is where the Venetian values lie. It also shows the triumph of his inner feelings over the outward show, which is also more typical to Belmont. Although, soon enough, he returns back to Venetian values, while splitting up the romantic verse, with Portia injecting financial words, â€Å"A thousand times more fair, ten thousand times More rich, that only to stand high in your account.† Following this, Portia begins to plot and set up the ring trick which is another Venetian theme creeping back in to Belmont. â€Å"I give them with this ring, Which when you part from, lose or give away, Let it presage the ruin of your love, And be my vantage to exclaim on you.† Here Shakespeare uses Portia, to bring conflict into the present and future of the idyllic Belmont marriage. Shakespeare does this to create dramatic tension between Bassanio and Portia and to create dramatic effect so the audience feel anxious after the joyful and romantic marriage. The scene comes to a problematic close as Venice continues to sweep back into Belmont bringing strife, melancholy and age as news that Bassanio’s friend, Antonio is in trouble. â€Å"I have engag’d myself to a dear friend, Engag’d my friend to his mere enemy, To feed my means.† Here Shakespeare completely changes the tone of the scene to one of worry, fear and misery. He uses the bad news of the Venetian strife and melancholy to create dramatic effect. The audience feel such a contrast of moods from romance to sudden melancholy and Shakespeare uses this to prove the cross-over between both places and how the moods of each place interlink with each other. Act 4, Scene 1 is more commonly known as The Trial Scene. In this scene, the crossover between the themes of Venice and Belmont is shown constantly through the language and symbols used by Shakespeare. Firstly the people from both places come together and the stories from both places intervene with each other. This proves the point that both places are far more similar than how they first appear.In the scene, Portia and Nerissa disguise themselves as the lawyer and lawyer’s clerk. Here, Shakespeare uses dramatic irony to add to the intensity of the plot and the excitement of the scene. The atmosphere in the early part of the scene is so intense that it seems as though Shylock himself is being tried, rather than having his case against Antonio heard. Shakespeare uses this to show the audience how the law is in control, not Shylock. Shakespeare allows the appearing fair and unbiased Duke of Venice to show partiality towards Antonio, â€Å"I am sorry for thee.† The scene is generally full of strife, which is mainly caused by Shylock. He represents the age, melancholy and strife in Venice. His hatred for Christians, causes the conflict in the court. â€Å"I bear Antonio, that I follow thus A losing suit against him. Are you answer’d?† Also Shakespeare uses Shylock’s knife and scales to add symbolic meaning as well as drama. He believes in law and sacrifice; both of which are typical for Venetian values. The Court and the Duke also symbolise how law is needed to run Venice and keep control. Human values and opinions are not important, it is all based on the system of the law. â€Å"To have the due and forfeit of my bond If you deny it, let the danger light Upon your charter and your city’s freedom!† This ancient precedent of the law again represents the age in Venice. â€Å"If you deny me, fee upon your law There is no force in the decrees of Venice.† Also, Shakespeare uses the character of Antonio to show age and strife in this scene. He is the oldest out of his friends and thinks he is approaching his death. Shakespeare shows how Antonio is prejudiced against Jews, through the language he uses, â€Å"You may as well do anything most hard As to seek to soften that- than which what’s harder- His Jewish heart.† He believes that there is nothing harder than a Jewish heart and that they have no feelings. As Nerissa and Portia enter the scene, an element of youth is brought into Venice. Portia brings in Belmont’s values of concord and happiness and her beliefs of how human values are more important than the law. She asks Shylock to be merciful and she looks at him as a human, rather than just a Jew. However Shylock’s response to this is, â€Å"On what compulsion must I?† evokes the quality of mercy speech which sums up the values of Belmont and how the values of mercy remains strong, â€Å"The quality of mercy is not strain’d, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath.† Shakespeare uses this speech of Portia’s to bring in concord to Venice and tries to convert the Venetians to Belmont ways. However, despite her best efforts, Shylock refuses to be merciful and Portia is resorted to using the Venetian laws. â€Å"It must not be; there is no power in Venice Can alter a decree established.† This shows how Venetian ways are taking hold of Portia as she turns almost selfish as she is only thinking about the best interests of her own husband. She uses these laws of Venice to strip Shylock of everything including his religion, money and his pride. Still, Portia is not only contented with that, Shakespeare uses her character and the ring trick to take strife back to Belmont. â€Å"And if your wife be not a mad woman And know how well I have deserv’d this ring.† Shakespeare use the ring trick to show the balance of power between the sexes, and Shakespeare uses Portia to show how the female can have the underlying power in the marriage. He makes the audience think about the consequences the ring and power will have on the marriage and how the trick may have ruined the trust in their strong and loving relationship. In conclusion, overall I think it is not correct to set the themes of Venice as age, melancholy and strife and those of Belmont as youth, happiness and concord. From analysing the language and style Shakespeare uses throughout the play, but mainly in Act 1 Scenes 1 and 2, Act 3 Scene 2 and in Act 4 Scene 1, I believe that the themes of both places continuously interlock and crossover with each other. Shakespeare uses the language and characters of both settings to show the audience how even though both places may appear to be completely contrasting initially, as you delve deeper it becomes clear that the settings are more alike than the audience may first realise. However, Venice is full of strife, age and melancholy at times and at first it seems to definitely appear as if those are the values of Venice. Furthermore Belmont, on occasion, seems to be full of youth, concord and happiness. Therefore, the themes of these places are, in turn, correct, however more often than not the values of the settings swap and interfere with each other to create the dramatic effect for the audience, encouraging them to think about the ‘old values’ in an age of commercialism and the social problems surrounding the different classes in Elizabethan society.

Acquiring a Contract with the Navy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Acquiring a Contract with the Navy - Assignment Example This has raised the importance of negotiation in order to win the bidding on a contract with Navy (Dilger, 2013). In United States, most of the jobs are created in small business as a result of which initiative for growth and development of the concerned sector has been taken into account through the implementation of federal contracts. The Small Business Act (1953), states the importance of federal contract for the development of concerned sector. The Act further states that equal opportunity is provided to small sectors to ensure participation in the federal contracts. In the context of small business, HUBZone set-asides for small business that restrict some contracts associated with the same. Lester has developed the business across the regions and has been creating a huge amount of impact on the overall area and developing the effectiveness of the system. Therefore, it can be considered that with respect to the policies of the Act LesterMyers is qualified for gaining the bid cont act of Navy. In addition Lester has the proposed financial capacity that helps in developing as well as supporting it to meet with the needs of specifications of HUBZone (Dilger, 2013). The multi-year contract signifies continuous purchase of products and services from the same supplier for the period between one to five years at maximum. In case of multi-year contract, it becomes essential to maintain the performance according to terms of contact because it may lead to cancellation of payment to the concerned contractor. A multi-year contact is likely to be beneficial for Navy because it reduces the problem associated with seeking to identify the potential supplier of services. The changing rate of inflation as well as other market factors is likely to affect the price associated with the service (Jensen, 2006). In such case, multi-year contact is beneficial for navy as it ensures that change in prices does not affects the overall value of contact. A multi-year

Understanding Organizations Through Imagery Assignment

Understanding Organizations Through Imagery - Assignment Example This has led to the growth of corporate social responsibility a move that tries to improve the organizational image within the outside World (Jones, 2013). Possible defects with corporate cultures lies in the way it affects the business management and operations. There exist a thin line between a healthy and unhealthy corporate culture which has a direct effect on the employees, sales and the overall customer satisfaction (Tosi, 2009). A culture that encourages aggressive behavior on the part of employees can be a turn off for the customer and thus drive sales downwards. Furthermore, an unhealthy culture can disrupt the team spirit among employees reducing their level of commitment on improving sales and services to customers (Scott & Davis, 2007). Thus, the top management should strive to ensure they propagate a healthy culture to the employees for a successful retail management. The images that I am most familiar are those that depict an organization as a living organism and an instrument of domination. This is demonstrated in the manner in which an organization struggles to survive within a competitive environment. Employees are subjected to long working hours to ensure service delivery of goods and services to the customer beyond the normal working hours e.g. in supermarkets. Unfortunately, a reduction in consumer purchasing power leads to employees’ retrenchment as the retail outlet try to reduce the operational cost (Jones,

Current Trends and Future of Public Relations Essay

Current Trends and Future of Public Relations - Essay Example Their wishes are conveyed and their sentiments are made known to the celebrities in a very easy way. The celebrities have a safe route towards reaching their fans without actually getting nabbed by them. It also increases the chances of these fans to connect with their die-hard celebrities because usually the latter find ways, under which they could keep away from the fans due to invasion of privacy, however this problem gets solved in an amicable way when there is a virtual connection between the two. Moving ahead further, it is important to ascertain what the exact basis of this connection between the fans and the celebrities is, and how they connect with one another through the social media platforms which have come about with the passage of time. What needs to be understood here is a need to bring all of these fans to a common platform, which only the social media regimes can do in essence. The social media includes some of the most sought after names on the world of Internet, wh ich might comprise of Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, MSN and so on and so forth. What is required here is an understanding of each of these social media sites and software before delving deep further into the study of celebrities and their connection with the fans. The fans have all the right over their celebrities to know more about them and hence gain the knowledge and information regarding them in the long run. Social media tools make this data available to all and sundry, and create the vital link amongst all concerned (Franklin, 1999). The trend of social media has kicked off well. It has turned heads more often than any other aspect within the world of Internet in the recent years. It has made one realize how important the social media tangents really are, and what kind of affect this new form of social linkage has had. Since social media forms do not have any physical basis, it is quintessential that these can be used from just about anywhere. It is also important to understand that social media is the basis of achieving success when the celebrities want to reach out to their fans and apprise them about the recent developments and changes which are happening within their fore. What is interesting is the fact that these celebrities can remain in touch through the different social media forms and be ahead with regards to their competitors (Shaviro, 2003). The trend of social media is all the more interesting because it raises quite a few eyebrows every now and then. With the recent upsurge in the communication platforms between the celebrities and their fans through Twitter and Facebook, this phenomenon has been beefed up nonetheless, and there is reason enough to believe such a premise in the first place. One should believe that the social media forms have more or less brought together the chain of interacting one another with how they view the celebrities and what they would like the celebrities to commit or do in the long run. The reason why the trend has centered on the excessive usage of these websites is because these remain online for 24 hours a day and almost anyone can hook on to them, as and when needed. This is such a blessing that the social media forms can have over individuals as they look to bridge the gap between themselves and their celebrities who are much revered and desired. On the flip side, these celebrities can heave a sigh of relief because they get to know what their fans think about them and how they will interact with them once they

Drug testing for employers Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Drug testing for employers - Research Paper Example Most of the employers carry out drug tests because drug abuse in working places leads to substantial health and safety threats, which can result to low production and lower employees’ morale to work. These threats have additional costs from health care claims, which involve short-term claims from disabilities. So, most employers carry out drug test in order to deter their employees from drug abuse and avoiding to hire drug addicts in their organizations. In addition, they drug test them to offer harmless working environment to their employees and abide by the state regulations (Straete 135)A firm may need a drug examination in various conditions. Firstly, it may be during the pre-employment test to avoid hiring drug addicts. These tests happen after a condition that, one has to pass drug examination before getting the job, so when the interviewee fails the test he/she loses the job. Secondly, firms conduct drug test due to reasonable suspicion from employees showing some drug use symptoms and after an accident to define if drugs were the main cause.   Thirdly, a firm can do drug test randomly by not announcing or alerting the employees, this works as a deterrent. Lastly, the test can be periodic where by testing arrangements happen earlier before administering it to the employees.Drugs mostly show up in body fluids and sometimes through hair test. Drug testing at work place can be through different methods these include hair, urine, saliva and blood. During hair test, there is drug detection.... So, most employers carry out drug test in order to deter their employees from drug abuse and avoiding to hire drug addicts in their organizations. In addition, they drug test them to offer harmless working environment to their employees and abide by the state regulations (Straete 135) A firm may need a drug examination in various conditions. Firstly, it may be during the pre-employment test to avoid hiring drug addicts. These tests happen after a condition that, one has to pass drug examination before getting the job, so when the interviewee fails the test he/she loses the job. Secondly, firms conduct drug test due to reasonable suspicion from employees showing some drug use symptoms and after an accident to define if drugs were the main cause. Thirdly, a firm can do drug test randomly by not announcing or alerting the employees, this works as a deterrent. Lastly, the test can be periodic where by testing arrangements happen earlier before administering it to the employees. Drugs mos tly show up in body fluids and sometimes through hair test. Drug testing at work place can be through different methods these include hair, urine, saliva and blood. During hair test, there is drug detection in the hair revealing the existence of drugs in the body but this method is not accurate. Secondly, drug test through blood analysis which is the most accurate but expensive method. Thirdly, drug test via saliva and sweat examinations, the test is accurate but not popular among work places. Finally, urine testing is less invasive compared to blood examination as it is the cheapest and detects the most recent single consumption of drugs, making it the most applicable drug testing method (Straete 133). Drug testing at the work

How can we explain Americas involvement in the Vietnam War. To what Essay

How can we explain Americas involvement in the Vietnam War. To what extent did America get it wrong, terribly wrong - Essay Example In the North, the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam first proclaimed in September 1945, which the French had fought to suppress; in the south, the Government of the Emperor Bao Dai, which the French had sponsored. Both governments were committed to achieve the unity of the country. In the south, the chief minister Ngo Dinh Diem, the strongest figure in the government faced lots of difficulties because the gangster called as Binth Xuyen controlled the country side which was a total failure in the field of agriculture, communication and defence.Ngo Dinh diem defeated both Binh Xuyen, Bao Dai and proclaimed himself as president of the Republic of Vietnam on 26th Oct 1955.President Diem was greatly helped by United States and it disapproved of the Geneva agreement as a partial victory for the communists and was determined that they should make no further advance. In the last critical months of the Indo- China war, it had developed the view that the situation in the whole South East Asia was in danger of slipping under the pressure of the Soviet Union and China, that if the South Vietnamese or any other friendly government was allowed to fall to the communists, the others might fall down one by one. In the months following the Geneva agreement, the Eisenhower Administration took the basic decision to assist the South Vietnamese Government economically and to help it to build up its forces for internal security. On 8 Sep 1954, it led Australia, Britain, France, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand in the signature of the South East Asia Collective Defense Treaty. The "free territory under the jurisdiction of the state of Vietnam" together with Cambodia and Laos were designed in a protocol as coming under the provisions of the Treaty The final Declaration of the Geneva Conference had affirmed the unity of Vietnam and had envisaged the holding of general elections in July 1956. However, the South Vietnam Government had protested against the proceedings at Geneva and then proved to have no intention of holding elections jointly with the North. The wartime destruction was greater in North than in the South. The authority of Dang Lao Dong and the president Ho Chi Minh like they made local Mines, factories and industries were nationalized; those measures resented the people which led to execution and "suicides" in November 1956. When the quarrel between the Soviet Union and China developed in the late 1950 the North Vietnam reduced its dependence on them it was seen in their share of foreign aid had fallen from 65.3 to 19 percent in 1962.From 1956 onwards discontent with the rule of President Diem grew in the South. His manner of ruling, arbitrary arrests, censorship, suppression of dissent, were resented.Some economic progress was made but that was confined to the towns. In the countryside, broken land reform was implemented but it was too little. The communists were able to make use of this discontent. By the end of 1960, the South Vietnamese Government was faced with full scale insurgency, with the Communists in control o f the Mekang delta, the coastal provinces north-east of Saigon, and the highlands in Central Vietnam. Over the next

FIN MOD 2 SLP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

FIN MOD 2 SLP - Essay Example However, given the pace of economic growth and the fears of double dip recession in US, the price increase may not be sustainable. Thus prices may decrease by some percentage, but it may not change by great percentage due to fears of double dip recession. The movement in stocks indicates that the stock prices have relatively swung over the period of last five years. Though it remained in stable zones for some period of time, however, most of the time, it remained volatile given the fact that the overall performance of the firm was volatile also due to the financial crisis. However, its recent performance has seen the firm’s revenue to sky rocket again and its prices also swung upward due to higher performance of the firm. However, given the strong fundamentals of the firm and its strong financial performance and industry dominance, stock may not be entirely termed as risky. Theoretically, any firm with strong fundamentals and unique industry position may not be termed as a risky business because of the stability in the earnings. It is, however, also important to note that FedEx may still be considered as going through its growth stage given the fact that means of logistics are continuously changing i.e. e-mails and social networking has now become a norm, and consumers prefer to use free methods of communication. However, in other segments of the business such as parcel delivery and logistics, FedEx still leads the way. Some of the alternative investments that may be available include investing in mutual funds, saving accounts, etc. The normal rates offered by the banks on savings account range of 4.5% to 3.5% depending upon the term of the deposits. However, this return may be good enough to force the investor not to go for equity futures as given the recent performance of the stock, the investor may lose money on the futures as price of the futures may go down. Based on

Economic globalization and environment change Essay Example for Free

Economic globalization and environment change Essay Ever since the evolution of globalization, which began in 1990s, Asia and Europe have been benefiting with industrial success and economic development. As a matter of fact globalization is lead by United States under the leadership of WTO and United Nations. Globalization has developed a business network connectivity through Internet technology bringing global businesses to a single platform enabling exchange of goods, services and technologies. Globalization operates on predetermined success followed by global norms of business principles, bringing a change in global civil society at a macro level. Some of the benefits of globalization are, increased employment opportunities in computer technology, opportunities to commence new businesses, scope for finding new customers through Internet. Globalization is not similar to internationalization, which reinstate a fact that in order to encourage globalization, political and economic processes of nations also have to be globalized to be in tune with globalization. Globalization can be successful, only when a nation’s economic policies are globalized. This once again reinstates a fact that there is a clear and close interconnectivity between globalization and economic development of nations. Economic globalization expands businesses, industrial sector, technology sector, science and research. Economic development strengthens the financial capacity of nations whether it is through export of goods or by a rise in stock market. Certainly, there is a huge impact on global civil society who directly or indirectly, participate and reciprocate by contributing a portion of service to the nation. International global political economy (IPE or GPE) is it in any way related to globalization? In this regard, â€Å"It is generally agreed that the 1970s have seen fundamental changes in the way in which the international political economy is organized, leading to a more global approach both in IPE/GPE and environment†. (Strange 1996; Scholte, 1993; Mittleman, 1997, Lipschutz, 1996). Further, it is important to understand what the ‘global’ definition states. â€Å"the encompassing of the whole globe rather than just regions. Therefore, it would not be technically, geographically, or indeed spatially correct to use the term globalization for economic, social, or political phenomena that affect only part of the (inhabited) world, as many authors do indeed propose†. (Gabriela Kutting, 2004). The environmentalism celebrated its anniversary in the year 2002 conducted by United Nations Conference on Economic Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro. This was followed by 1971 Earth Day which framed the importance of global civil society. And it was 40 years since Silent Spring (Carson 1962) began the consciousness-raising work that many now credit with the birth of environmentalism as a social movement in America. †( Sheila Jasanoff, Marybeth Long Martello. 2004) â€Å"The concept â€Å"global† in contemporary environmentalism remains in this respect as essentially contested as are â€Å"liberty† and â€Å"accountability† in democratic politics†. â€Å"For now the struggle to define â€Å"global† may be one of the best avenues we have for engaging in a meaningful politics of globalism. (Sheila Jasanoff, Marybeth Long Martello, 2004) Protecting environment is an important aspect in global perspective. Conservation of forests, protection of wildlife, natural resources, controlling population, construction of dams, transport and infrastructure of states, are some of the basic criteria of a well developed nation, for which governments allocate a portion of budget every year. Global warming is also due to the cause of excessive industrialization and industrial pollution. Glaciers are also one of the causes, to the rise of water level in seas and oceans, causing floods, cyclones or other natural disasters to environment. United Nations has particularly been following up with island states in order to minimize the impact of the UN Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction. In simple form to explain, economic globalization leads to emission of more hazardous industrial gas, green house gases and automobile pollution. As a result of this, the health of environment is damaged bringing new sicknesses and epidemics such as SARS to people. There is a particular concern in 21st century about protecting environment above the parameters of economic development through globalization. From the times of 1940, when the actual industrialization began in United States till the present date, when globalization and industrialization has reached its peak and is still growing at a robust rate, a significant concern has emerged about global warming and about emission of green house gases, the causes of which have to be dealt with on an emergent need, which if ignored, may further deteriorate environment in a vast measure. This discussion of economic globalization and environment change are affecting each other, and it is important to give due consideration to each issue as a separate identity i. e. economic globalization advantages, disadvantages and its impact. Similarly the changes in environment, its negative impacts and effects and how these can be prevented. Especially environmental system brings huge unforeseen losses, such as loss of human lives in Tsunami (2004), Katrina ((2005), epidemics and loss of industrial houses and businesses, and in view of these, funds for disaster management have to be adequately provided. A periodical report of economic globalization and its impact on global civil society and above all, environment change must be followed by United Nations, WTO and World Bank in order to monitor, organize globalization and environment. The present world population is crossing the limit of six billion, which reveals a fact that, it is important to protect environment for the safe and secured health of its people. Further economic development has further disadvantage with devaluation of currency and inflation. Globally accepted currency for exchange of goods and services is admittedly U.  S. Dollar. A nation’s financial strength is determined by its regional currency exchange with U. S dollar. When U. S. dollar is devalued, it has a greater impact on all those nations, which are in trade with United States. â€Å"At the beginning of 1970s, Americans faced two economic problems: declining competitiveness and rising inflation. In 1971, for the first time in the twentieth century, the United States posted a trade deficit, meaning that Americans purchased more goods from other countries than they sold to people living in those countries†. Robert K. Schaeffer, 2005) Further U. S spends huge amounts on wars such as Iraq (2003) and disaster management for Katrina (2005) which further adds to the deficit of U. S. budget. These unforeseen events, lead to an excessive monetary pressure on governments resulting in deficit budget and in slowing down the growth in economy, resulting in inflation. This further puts work pressure on workers of industries to produce more output as compared to the regular working hours. Whenever there is a crisis in government, the negative impact of crisis affects its population both financially and at emotional level. â€Å"On August 15, 1971, President Richard Nixon confronted both problems simultaneously. To improve U. S. competitiveness, he took steps to devalue the dollar in relation to currencies in Western Europe and Japan. And to fight inflation, he introduced price and wage controls, which were designed to limit wage raises and price increases. The Nixon shocks, as these were called in Japan, marked the beginning of U. S. efforts to solve two serious economic problems†. (Robert K. Schaeffer, 2005) There is financial crisis existing in all parts of the world. The World Bank and other respective regional Central Banks have been funding nations, to use funds in order to sustain financial crisis. Conclusion Protection of environment vis-a-vis economic development along with globalization are equally important for global economy whereas appropriate measures have to be considered.

Two Men Destroyed by a Secret Essay Example for Free

Two Men Destroyed by a Secret Essay The characters of Oedipus from Sophocles Oedipus the King, and Torvald from Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House, while coming from two different periods in time, are in some ways very similar. Torvald and Oedipus share many qualities, such as arrogance and a fiery temper. Their lives also mirror each other in many ways. They were both prestigious well-off men with powerful positions, happy families, and everything to lose. Both men were destroyed by the revelation of a secret, which had been kept from them by their wives. Oedipus and Torvald both seem to be created by the author to have their lives shattered by a secret, and this premeditation by the author is the cause for the similarities between both the personalities and biographies of the two characters. Torvald and Oedipus share a great number of traits and flaws giving them similar personalities. Oedipus and Torvald are both arrogant stubborn men who are quick to anger and are often too curious for their own good. We are provided with spectacular evidence of Torvalds temper during the last act of the play. Torvalds explosion of anger upon the discovery of Noras secret, shows us the extent of his fiery temper. Torvalds statement, You Miserable thing, what have you done? (Ibsen, pg 104) shows us clearly the rage, which can erupt from his gentle exterior. The same blind rage is also present in the character of Oedipus. On several occasions in the play, he becomes deeply incensed and abandons his wits. This is true of his lengthy dialogue with Tiresias, the following argument with Creon, and the encounter with the Shepard at the end of the play. During this dialogue with Tiresias he remarks, Enough! I wont listen to this sort of talk from you. Damn you! My curse upon you! (Sophocles, pg 29) He is so angry that he dismisses the warning of Tiresias, failing even to consider their dire predictions. The curse he utters against Tiresias was truly a dire action since the ancient Greeks took curses much more seriously than we would today. In the play we see the fulfillment of the curse that Oedipus unintentionally brings upon himself, and from this we can gauge the seriousness of Oedipus statement. Another shared characteristic of Oedipus and Torvald is stubbornness. Oedipus stubbornness is evident in both the scene with Tiresias and the scene with the Shepard. Tiresias is unwilling to speak but (Sophocles, pg 23) Oedipus drives him to it. Oedipus is so stubborn that he ignores the warning of Tiresias, Jocasta and the shepherd not to pursue the issue of his parentage and the identity of Laius murderer. He pushes past all resistance and learns the truth to his own detriment. Torvald also is at times very stubborn. Torvald comments several times that Nora is incredibly stubborn, (Ibsen, pg 61) but it is Torvald that prevails in the battle of will that occurred over Krogstads dismissal. In this argument Torvald shows his resolve by resisting the charms of Nora, leads to the revelation of Noras secret, which shatters their marriage.

Health And Fitness Structure

Health And Fitness Structure To-day health and fitness or wellness services industry is also a fast growing sector in India. In the previous unit we have discussed about the hospitality industry wherein offering health club services are considered as an additional feature of a hospitality business. Now, in this unit let us discuss exclusively about the health and fitness industry that is booming in India. This segment includes a number of services such as beauty treatment services, therapy based treating products, personal health counselling, rejuvenation such as yoga, spas and last but not least the fitness developing centres viz. various gymnastic clubs or centres. In fact the field is experiencing a healthy growth rate and currently has an estimated market size of USD 120 million. The visible trend of surge in wellness business is the increased range of wellness books, products, and wellness holidays on the offer of the concerned person or that particular product manufacturing company. India has emerged as a big player not only in medical, tourism industry but also in developing domestic fitness and health centres in addition to the supply of the fitness product made to the individual by the manufacturing company for doing the exercises with those products to keep them fit. As on 2008, there were 765 fitness clubs in India with total membership of 2.3 million members. (Source: Statistics of the IHRSA Asia Pacific Market Report, 2008) In fact the Indian fitness industry is an immensely under penetrated market compared to several developed and developing countries in the world. For example, 16.0% of the US populations have fitness club membership whereas in India, a survey taken in seven metro cities shows that it is only 0.4%. On the other hand you know that India has the highest incidence of diabetes in the world. That is 40 million people are affected and it is likely to go up to 70 million by 2025 if left unchecked. This sudden increase is due to the changes in the lifestyle. You can notice some major changes in the areas of food consumption, lack of physical activities, longer commutation, lesser or change in sleeping time etc. among the working class population. The point is most of them in this class are well aware of the correction they need to necessarily make in their living styles. Therefore, there is a huge emphasis on regular exercise to prevent obesity and diabetes. An entrepreneur can start a business of fitness centre with the equipments and tools which are being sold by many manufacturers. The habit of people living in main metro cities like Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi etc, ladies in particular utilise these centres to make them fit for a healthy live. Some of the equipments are Aerobic stepper, forearm flexor, anti microbial speed rope, resistance bands, skipping rope and many more equipments and products are available for doing exercises. The equipments like treadmill, stretch, and rovers, elliptical are also available to do exercises safely for everyone who wishes to keep their body fit in all aspects. There is a scope for the entrepreneurs to start this type of health institutions, gyms, fitness centres etc. Since these equipments are given to customers on a fixed time basis they come to the centres regularly, and the entrepreneur can earn a considerable amount. http://www.healthkart.com/sports/fitness-accessories/aerobics-general-fitness?pre=pageNo=3 Example: AC Nielsens global online consumer survey findings released in Feb 2009 said that 54 percent Indian respondents think they have issues with their weight. About 80% people said that they exercise at least once a week. Going to a gym is second most preferred option for exercise after walking. Objectives: After studying this unit, you will be able to explain the concept of health and fitness list the types of health and fitness activities classify the types of health and fitness services describe the business opportunities list the advantages starting a health and fitness centre list the challenges of managing a health and fitness centre commencing a health and fitness business 10.2 Concept Health is defined in the WHO (World Health Organisation) constitution of 1948 as a state of complete physical, social and mental well-being, and not merely the absence of any disease or infirmity. Health is optimal well-being that contributes to quality of life. Being free from ailments alone cannot be considered as healthy although it is essential to good health. Optimal health includes high-level mental, social, emotional, spiritual, and physical wellness within the limits of ones heredity and personal abilities. Health is the state of being and wellness depicts the quality of life or the state of living a healthy life style. Wellness reflects the positive aspects of health that can help expand your potential to live and work effectively. Wellness is possible for everyone, regardless of whether you have a diagnosed disease Fitness refers to being fit enough to perform our personal and social obligations in an active manner. To achieve this, sufficient energy and strength levels are important. Being fit need not mean being an athlete or sport person but a capable and independent human being in general.(http://www.mhhe.com/hper/physed/clw/01corb.pdf) The concepts of health and fitness are related. If you are fit, you have a higher chance of being healthy. For example, if we observe the people who go for a walk or jogging every day, we can notice that they enjoy a healthy life, free from stress and illness. This is because their persistent walking improves their physical fitness, and also their mental well-being. Well being refers as an organised set of activities fabricated to help the individuals and families and maintain the behavioural pattern which in turn help to reduce the risk of them and simultaneously enhancing the ability of them in order to perform the tasks. The health and fitness industry is focused on the supervision of exercise and physical activity either in an individual capacity or within a group in a controlled environment. The industry provides various services and facilities that encourages and promote physical activity and the general concept of promoting wellness. In health and fitness industry, you also need to know the five major health related physical fitness components, namely: Cardio -respiratory endurance Body composition Flexibility Muscle endurance Muscular strength Let us now discuss each of these in detail. Cardio respiratory endurance: This refers to the ability of the heart, its functions, blood, and blood vessels including the total respiratory system. The required power and oxygen will be supplied to the muscles and allow them to do the exercises. Any person who does the muscle exercises can be bodily fit and can do physical activities for a longer period of time without any stress. Cardiovascular exercise offers the individual major benefits to the health and to those who are regular and constant with their exercises. The exercises for cardiovascular activities are swimming, cycling, jogging, and swimming, and pedalling and riding a machine which is elliptical in shape used in health institutes and fitness centres. (http://www.livestrong.com/article/502099-recommended-total-duration-for-cardiovascular-endurance-exercise/#ixzz1wbJEGORh) Source: http://healthplux.com/intense-cardio-workouts/ Body composition: It comprises of bones, muscles, fat and tissues etc. An individual who perform regular exercises will have normal percentage of fat. Body composition refers to your percentage fat in the body. The bone, connective tissue, muscle and internal organs are fat-free and termed lean mass. This mass is superior to fat mass and should be checked and maintained by taking healthy foods and regular exercises. Everyone who wants to keep the fat in control can improve body composition by losing fat, increasing lean muscle or a combination of both. For example, weight training adds both muscle mass and bone density. Flexibility: It is refers to the movement of joints in a body. The movement range may vary from person to person. There should be a free movement of such joints to have the flexibility. It is affected by length of the muscle, the structure joints etc. An individual can move his joints to the maximum level and full range for engaging himself in his duty and play as well. Source: http://eugenept.blogspot.in/2009/07/if-it-looks-like-duck-flies-like.html Muscle endurance: This refers to the repeated usage and ability of the muscles. An individual can repeatedly move his muscles for a longer period of time without any tiredness. Muscular strength: This refers to the ability of the muscles to carry out the external works such as lifting the weights and keeping the arm and shoulders in good shape and strength. You can perform this for maintaining the external force and lifting of weight and controlling of your body. Source: http://www.ehow.com/list_6967692_good-weight-training-exercises-beginners.html A health and fitness professional must be able to measure the components to advise clients about their health related fitness, and to use data obtained from the tests to design appropriate exercise programs which can then be evaluated. It is intended that all 5 components contribute evenly to make up a holistic health related physical fitness. Self Assessment Questions Fill in the blanks: _________ reflects the positive aspects of health that can help expand your potential to live and work effectively. The health and fitness industry is focused on the supervision of _____________ and physical activity either in an individual capacity or within a group in a controlled environment 10.3 Categories of Health and Fitness Activities You have learnt that being healthy and staying fit means meeting all our personal and social needs independently and actively. Let us now discuss more about general health and fitness scenarios. Wellness incorporates all aspects of health, including the physical, mental, spiritual and environmental. Wellness programs are those that work to positively influence these areas of a persons life to improve overall health and well-being. The term wellness program is most often associated with corporations and work-sites however wellness programs may also be offered through community organizations such as schools, Cooperative Extension Offices or public health departments However, as we are going to discuss about fitness industry more, let us also have a closer look on the health related issues in this section. The fitness centres differ from the nature of exercises they offer. Some of these are; Meditation and yoga therapy centres for deriving peace and pleasure and keeping good health Fitness centres and health spas for keeping the health fit and rejuvenated. Gym and dance 10.3.1 Meditation As we are from the land of Buddha we are not new to many of his thoughts though we do not practice them in our real life. Meditation is considered to be a way for attaining spiritual bliss and peace, ultimately for healthy living. Every culture and tradition has its own distinct and exclusive styles of practicing meditation. The basic concept and understanding i.e. to concentrate and focus towards one issue or object for a longer duration may not be feasible for all. But once we get habituated to do this in a systematic way the result is there. In India there are many missions conduct programs and classes on various captions involving meditation to teach this. Here, all you can attach yourself as a member and practice meditation for individual benefit to attain the ultimate benefit which the modern science proves true. There are many groups in all the main areas of the cities and they are teaching the meditation to group of people at different timings. This meditation controls the anger of a person and it induces us to concentrate on what we do. As per Michael J.Baime the meditation educates to have an emotional stability which allows the meditator to experience the intense emotions. One can gain insight and proper understanding of his thoughts. If you do the meditation regularly you can conquer your emotional intense and can get rid of the emotional imbalances. This helps in full relaxation of the body. The entrepreneur may get the knowledge about the meditation from the leading group of institutions and in turn this meditation will help to fell comfort and confidence including self control in his life. And he can also conduct such training centres for the benefit of the residents and can earn money with the knowledge of meditation. Meditation gives a sense of calm and acceptance of oneself and the others as well. This technique is being done for many years. Irrespective of caste and creed many people practicing the meditation for their wellness. Hence there is much scope for an entrepreneur to start such centres or visit s chools and colleges etc to teach the meditation. 10.3.2 Yoga therapy India was the origin of Yoga. It is a simple but useful technique for doing exercise which works as union among our body, mind and soul. It consists of gestures and postures. It is called Asna in Sanskrit. Yoga helps you to keep your body fit and maintain the balancing and to get self enlightenment. And it helps to control the emotions of the mind. As you know yoga is simply one sort of physical exercise involving stretching and balancing. This is mainly to keep the physique fit thereby derive fitness. But ancient legend would speak much about this theory and there are therapies developed in modern days to either prevent or cure various illnesses. However, you must appreciate that a right postures play a very important role for health fitness. As said above Yoga means union and aims at the realisation of the unity of our whole being. It is a Hindu discipline aimed at achieving a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquillity. In the West, the term is most commonly understood as the physical exercises that are practiced as part of this discipline. Human health fitness depends not only on the general physical fitness but mental peace. The entrepreneurial company can do the business of teaching Yoga to the people in and around in his area. He can also conduct group wise and offer packages of services of Yoga and there is a scope for him to earn money out of it. 10.3.3 Nature cure Naturopathy is a science of healthy living and a drugless system of healing. Nature Cure is rightly defined as a system of man building in harmony with constructive principles of nature on physical, mental, moral and spiritual. This is a technique for keeping you fit by using herbals and other naturally grown food. In nature therapy green vegetables, spinach and fruits etc are given to the people who want to cure their disorders. Since it is also a simple technique the entrepreneurial enterprise can invest money in this business and can earn some return from the investments made. Naturopathy deals with treatment of disorders by balancing the condition of homoeostasis and up-keeping the equilibrium through addition and deletion of substances. This type is available only in some places and the entrepreneur can opt for this business. Now-a days the public are fully aware of these techniques and they are known about the facts of maintaining wellness. Yet they know that these are inexpensive and there is no side effect for these techniques. For the entrepreneur it is a good chance for them to start the business as there is no much competition in India. He can start many branches across India even in abroad also. The public are eager to know about their health conditions and they want to learn more and more about the nutrition, diet and exercises to be followed etc for maintaining their wellness. Physical Exercise There are many institutions which deal with physical fitness for the wellness of the people concerned. You have already learnt that fitness is about being in shape or in good physical condition. Wellness refers to being free from illness. Living fit requires not only consuming healthy diet but doing some regular exercises along with diet. Exercising can be done by means of special equipment for lifts, squats presses or in various other ways like aerobic exercises viz. cycling, running, biking, swimming, rowing, gymnastics such as pull-ups and push-ups. Doing all these exercises in different combinations will increase our withstanding power and stamina. In USA there are more fitness and recreational sports centres which are equipped with latest machineries. These are running as a successful business unit. Some of them are: aerobic dance and exercise centres athletic club and physical fitness health spas exercise fitness centres gymnasiums health studios weight training centres nutrition strength development centres (http://www.census.gov/epcd/naics02/def/ND713940.HTM) Hence, in this unit we discuss about catering to the ever increasing demand of people in the field of fitness by setting up commercial units such as gymnastic centre or centre for yoga and other related therapies. Many publications are also available for the people to do exercises which are re commended in that. People in India use the fitness centres to do exercises. These centres have instructors and trainers to teach the people how to do exercises or meditation etc. They are conducting group exercise classes with audio and video facilities for making the people to grasp the techniques. Various fitness centres in India are: spice world fitness centre -New Delhi fitness flash- New Delhi fitness studio- New Delhi fit line- New Delhi Ozone fitness N spa- New Delhi Satguru machine fitness-Mumbai Proline fitness- Mumbai Herbal life- Mumbai Body grace- Mumbai Park health club-Kolkata Enkon body gym- Kolkata Source: http://business.mapsofindia.com/fitness-centres/ The entrepreneur can very well start his fitness centre in any place. It is undoubtedly a good business for him as people are very much interested in maintaining their body, mind and soul to survive as a fittest. Self Assessment Questions State true are false: Pathology clinics are meant for diagnosing and analysing various biological factors. To concentrate and focus towards one issue or object for a longer duration is very easy and feasible for all. Naturopathy deals with treatment of disorders by balancing the condition of homoeostasis and up-keeping the equilibrium through addition and deletion of substances. 10.4 Classification of health and fitness services The health and fitness services are classified according to the nature and technique provided in the centres. There are more services available for the entrepreneur to chose. It is required by the entrepreneur to gain knowledge about these health fitness and wellness products. There are facility and service providers who are mushrooming in India across the urban areas. Let us now broadly classify them. The classifications are: Gymnasiums with workout areas (fitness building): The Bodybuilding is always unique; it joins the unknown elements of human nature with nutritional science, exercise and psychology. Your workout in the gym will vary from other Bodybuilders. You have to determine the goals such as lose fat and tone up or gain weight or doing both at the same time. But it will be difficult and can lead to zigzag diets. Some workouts will provide good results and other workouts will be a waste of time. Aerobic dance and exercise centres (Physical fitness): At first, the main aim of the step-aerobic dance exercise was to achieve a heart rate of 50-60% as per the age of the individual. This was raised to 70-80% of the heart rate. The step-aerobic dance exercise was performed by all in the experimental group for the total of eight weeks time. These were choreographed by a professional step-aerobic coach. The movement were simplified and was to learn, required the use of both the upper and lower extremities and the back. Verbal and tactile prompts were given during each step-aerobic dance exercise class. The subjects in the experimental group participated in three groups of 40 minute sessions per week for four weeks initially, followed by three 50-minute sessions per week for another four weeks. Athletic club facilities, (Physical fitness keeping the sport in mind): Athletics club are offering mind body programming and facilities which can help you to obtain new level of goals of the fitness and wellness. These clubs are having a management team and provide childcare enrichment programs, nutrition and private training etc. Exercise centres and fitness salons (Physical fitness and stress relieving): These are providing the regular exercise programs. They are equipped with modern equipments which are necessary for the wellness. To remove the stress they teach meditation along with the exercises. This stress leads to unnecessary problems of the individual. Hence the technique to overcome the stress is being taught and training is given by these clubs. Fitness Spas (health building): These spas offers house spa, hydro spa, and massages etc. They provide phenomenal facilities to their customers. In addition they are providing group class training programs, including personal training. Ice skating rinks or roller skating (fitness as well as entertaining in sport): It is a place of ice skating where high tech plastic is used to skate on. And they use synthetic ice skating rink surface for easy skating. They provide ice skating and play hockey, figure skating and public skating. Squash club facilities: These squash club provides the facilities of viewing gallery for men and women in addition to the coaching given for the indoor games. There are trainers and at some clubs these training are given free for the members. Swimming pools: Constructing of such swimming pools will yield a good income to the entrepreneur as many products are to be supplied along with the construction of pool. They are to be provided with cleaning chemicals, swimming pool covers and rollers, pumps and fittings, lightings and ladders, safety equipments , separate room for men and women for their urgent needs etc. Tennis club having court facilities: These sports club is used by some people only in the society. Since this game is not that much popular and do not attract the viewers only a few are using this to play to keep them fit and proper, Tai chi studio: Tai chi referred to as meditation in movement. It is a martial art which combines physical movement and stretching technique. It teaches and promotes the health, well being and longevity. GYM: An entrepreneur can opt for this business as it is attracted many youngsters including the women. The regular exercises practices in gym help the individual to build the body and the structure including shaping. A gym is an integrated part of a health club or leisure centre which allows the users whether members or non members to exercise effectively using a wide range of resistance and cardiovascular machines. Presently many gym centres provide necessary classes on aerobics, body buildings and the ways to use the available equipments and fixtures to prevent a loss or damage to both the operator and the users. In the case of health club it may be necessary to equip a spacious fully equipped gym facility, exercise area, giving initial training, constructing a swimming pool, steam room, sauna and a club room for various social activities and a small snack cum juice bar. By adding more facilities such as internet access etc. the founders of the club will initially arrange for membership enrolment to have more viability in its operation. Gyms with workout areas Some of the health clubs have a main workout area, which primarily consists of free weights including dumbbells, barbells and exercise machines. This area often includes mirrors so that exercisers can monitor and maintain correct posture during their workout. A gym which predominately or exclusively consists of free weights (dumbbells and barbells), as opposed to exercise machines, is sometimes referred to as a black-iron gym, after the traditional colour of weight plates. Gyms with cardio facility theatre A cardio theatre or cardio area involves many types of cardiovascular training-related equipment such as treadmills, rowing machines, stationary exercise bikes etc. These areas often include a number of audio-visual displays (either integrated into the equipment, or placed on walls around the area itself) in order to keep exercisers entertained during long cardio workout sessions. Health Clubs offering various exercising facilities Most of the new health clubs offer group exercise classes that are conducted by qualified fitness instructors. Many types of group exercise classes exist, but generally these include classes based on aerobics, cycling (spin cycle), boxing or martial arts, high intensity training and muscle training. Health clubs with swimming pools sometimes offer aqua aerobics classes in addition to their coaching on various swimming styles. Health Clubs offering only sports facilities Some health clubs offer squash courts or boxing areas in addition to swimming facilities. In those cases, additional fees are charged for the use of these facilities. In addition to the above larger health clubs generally include health-shops, snack bars, restaurants, child-care facilities, member lounges etc. Where these facilities are available it is not unusual for a sauna, steam shower or wellness areas to be made available. These clubs generally charge a fee to allow visitors to use the equipments, courses and other available services. A fairly new trend is the advent of eco friendly health clubs which incorporate principles of green living in its fitness and in their systematic way of giving therapies. Due to the influences of all the above factors it results in the monthly or annual membership fees varying differently. 10.5 Equipments Accessories Now let us see the various fitness equipments and its classifications. Cardiovascular Equipments: Treadmills, stationary bicycles and stair climbers etc. comes under this category. In some places it is common to see rowing machines also. Weight Training Equipment: Weight lifting machines, barbells, various types of benches bars and racks are considered as weight training equipments. These are meant for body shaping and buildings especially for the sport communities. Weight Reduction Equipment: Weight reduction or weight loss equipment consists of more methods than any specific equipment in any particular formation. Still there are small tools like jumping rope and other handy products etc. for the needy to do exercises as all the above models of equipments mostly involve weight reduction. The exceptional ones are that you use for body buildings that too with specific in takes. The fitness industry has a huge growth potential as only 1.5% of the urban Indian population regularly practices workout. When we talk about the points of end-user segment, they are divided into two. 1) Residential or Home Segment 2) Institutional Segment Equipments for Home Segment The entrepreneur can manufacture the equipment needed for maintenance of the wellness of the people. He can supply to these clubs and fitness centres. Apart from that he can supply these equipments to the individuals who want to do exercises at home. For this he advertises in media and informs the features of the products including its spares. He sends the equipments by VPP or courier to his customers. New products with additional features are being introduced from many countries like Japan and China. The entrepreneur can deliver the equipments for residential usage some equipment. If the entrepreneur buy them for the usage in his fitness centres it is called institutional segment. The entrepreneur can save cost if purchases additional quantity of the different equipments. He can get quantity discount from his supplier. Cost The followings are the top and the entrepreneur can supply or lend them on rent to the individuals those who are not able to make use of the gym facilities are the following ones. 1. Treadmills, this will cost approximately Rs.30,000/- 2. Bikes for exercising will cost approximately four thousand to forty thousand depending upon the models and amenities available in it. 3. Small multifaceted gymnastic machine will cost Rs.18,000/- For example Home Leaper 16H, Pro Leaper 16P etc. Equipments for Institutional Segment There is a vast requirement for these equipments. The fitness equipment markets there are opportunities for the entrepreneur to start the fitness centre for the maintenance of the wellness. In India it is estimated to be worth Rs 12.5 billion in the year 2008 and is expected to reach Rs. 63.3 billion by 2012. The annual growth rate is expected to be around 50%. Hence the entrepreneur can start this fitness centres in many places of a city and can control all the branches through effective management system. The following equipments are generally installed in the fitness centres and the entrepreneur can purchase considerable quantities for meeting the demand in his centre. The important requirement for the entrepreneur is the knowledge about the equipment and the way they are to be utilised. The company which manufactures these fitness equipments are conducting training for the entrepreneurs and teaches them how to use those equipments including the trouble shooting process. Treadmill The cardio equipment in a gym is among the most popular equipment because it is the most effective equipment available there to help people lose weight and the treadmills are also of that category. Cardio equipment has one main purpose i.e. to get your heart pumping and functioning normally. Treadmill is important equipment and now-a-days insisted by many insurance companies to have the facility of treadmill even in diagnostic centres. If the necessary equipment is available with the entrepreneurial for the wellness he can earn more revenue out of it and this will be fetching for ever as this industry is growing day by day. Elliptical Machines An entrepreneur can include these Elliptical machines in his fitness centres since they used by many for performing cardiovascular exercise. Like a treadmill, this machine will be in an elliptical shape and is stationary but allows to simulate running or walking by using a rolling or gliding ramp that are moved by feet. Many elliptical machines also have handlebars that move, allowing you to get an upper-body and lower-body workout at the same time. Weight training equipment These can also be found in most gyms and generally comes in two varieties. One is for free weights such as barbells and dumbbells that can be moved around from place to place in the

Hustler v. Falwell :: essays research papers

Hustler v. Falwell   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hustler Magazine versus Jerry Falwell was a case that involved many key elements. First of all it was a case that examined if a public figure such as Jerry Falwell could collect for emotional damages sustained to him by a parody that was published in an issue of Hustler Magazine. Secondly, did Hustler invade Falwell’s privacy by publishing the contents of the parody? The most important aspect of the case, that was under review, was if Hustler was in accordance with their First Amendment Rights, of freedom of speech, by publishing the parody.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The parody in question was published in an issue of Hustler in a faux advertisement for Campari Liqueur. In the advertisement entitled, â€Å"Jerry Falwell tells about his first time,† Falwell is portrayed as giving an interview. In the fake interview Falwell talks about his first sexual experience, which was with his mother, and describes how he was drunk and the experience took place in an outhouse. The interview also tells how Falwell doesn’t go out in front of the pulpit unless he’s â€Å"sloshed.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The district Court found Hustler Magazine liable for Falwell’s emotional distress and granted him 100,000 dollars in damages. However, the court did rule in favor of Hustler in that they did not invade Falwell's privacy since he was a public figure. They also ruled against Falwell’s libel claim, stating that Hustler did not publish anything that a reasonable person would misinterpret as the facts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The big argument in the case, when it was introduced to the Supreme Court, was if the District Court had deprived Hustler Magazine of their First Amendment rights. Since Hustler was a magazine of nationwide circulation and since Falwell is a national figure Hustler argued that the parody was in no way wrong since any reasonable person would identify it as humor rather than facts. The Court agreed and it found that Falwell should not be rewarded any damages.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Chief Justice Rehnquist presided over the case. In his statement of opinion Rehnquist acknowledged that the article wasn’t of the best taste. He also acknowledged that there isn‘t really a good way to distinguish between cases of this nature. His argument of this was since all jurors have different views and opinions that verdicts in cases such as this would be of opinion rather than clearly defined by the law. He acknowledged that not all speech is protected equally by the First Amendment but this case didn‘t possess such speech.

The Purpose of an Education Essay -- Educational Teaching Teachers Ess

The Purpose of an Education Many of today’s youth do not see the purpose of education. Students, however, have goals and ambitions they want to fulfill when they reach adulthood. They want to be the lawyers, doctors, teachers, computer analysts, and government officials. They want to have salaries that exceed $50,000 so they can drive the BMW(s) and Lexus(es). To fill these positions, young people need to meet the qualifications and they will see that it fundamentally comes down to receiving a good education. The purpose of education is not to prepare young people for the next grade. The overall purpose of an education, however, is to prepare adolescents to be adults so they can be productive citizens in our society. Before the overall goal can be met, students need to learn the smaller things. In kindergarten, they are taught their ABC’s and 123’s. Here they realize that their hands can be used to write and color. By second grade, they would have mastered penmanship and adding and subtracting numbers. They also should know how to spell small words and use them in small sentences. By fifth grade, multiplication and division should be memorized. They should know by now how to write short essays. By this time, punctuation should not be much of a problem. As they reach junior high school, students would have experienced writing longer essays and they now should be able to comprehend what they read. Throughout their high school career, they should ...

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner Chapters 11

That didn't make sense to me. Didn't the secrecy protect her more than it protected any of us? Riley hurried on before we had too long to examine his statement. â€Å"Of course, it doesn't matter now that they've decided to move on Seattle. We wil surprise them on their way in, and we wil annihilate them.† He whistled a single low note through his teeth. â€Å"Done. And then not only is the city al ours, other covens wil know not to mess with us. We won't have to be so careful to cover our tracks anymore. As much blood as you want, for everyone. Hunting every night. We'l move right into the city, and we will rule it.† The growls and snarls were like applause. Everyone was with him. Except for me. I didn't move, didn't make a sound. Neither did Fred, but who knows why that was? I was not with Riley because his promises sounded like lies. Or else my whole line of logic had been wrong. Riley said it was only these enemies that kept us from hunting without caution or restraint. But that didn't go along with the fact that al other vampires must have been discreet, or humans would have known about them long ago. I couldn't concentrate to work it out, because the door at the top of the stairs had not moved. Diego†¦ â€Å"We have to do this together, though. Today I'm going to lead you through some techniques. Fighting techniques. There's more to this than just scuffling around on the floor like toddlers. When it gets dark, we'l go outside and practice. I want you to practice hard, but keep your focus. I am not losing another member of this coven! We al need each other – every one of us. I wil not tolerate any more stupidity. If you think you don't have to listen to me, you are wrong.† He paused for a short second, the muscles in his face shifting into a new arrangement. â€Å"And you wil learn how wrong you are when I take you to her† – I shuddered and felt the tremor through the room as everyone else did, too – â€Å"and hold you while she tears off your legs and then slowly, slowly burns off your fingers, ears, lips, tongue, and every other superfluous appendage one by one.† We'd al lost a limb, at least, and we'd al burned when we became vampires, so we could easily imagine how that would feel, but it wasn't the threat itself that was so terrifying. The truly scary thing was Riley's face as he said it. His face was not twisted in rage, the way it usual y was when he was angry; it was calm and cold, smooth and beautiful, his mouth curled at the edges into a smal smile. I suddenly had the impression that this was a new Riley. Something had changed him, hardened him, but I couldn't imagine what could have happened in one night to create that cruel, perfect smile. I looked away, shivering a little, and saw as Raoul's smile shifted to echo Riley's. I could almost see the gears turning in Raoul's head. He wouldn't kil his victims so quickly in the future. â€Å"Now, let's get some teams figured out so that we can work in groups,† Riley said, his face normal again. â€Å"Kristie, Raoul, get your kids together and then divvy up the rest evenly. No fighting! Show me you can do this rational y. Prove yourselves.† He walked away from those two, ignoring the fact that they fel almost immediately into bickering, and made an arc around the outside edge of the room. He touched a few vampires on the shoulder as he passed, nudging them toward one of the new leaders or the other. I didn't realize at first that he was heading in my direction, because he took such a wide way around. â€Å"Bree,† he said, squinting toward where I stood. It looked like this took some effort. I felt like a block of ice. He must have smel ed my trail. I was dead. â€Å"Bree?† he said, softer now. His voice reminded me of the first time he'd talked to me. When he was nice to me. And then even lower, â€Å"I promised Diego I'd give you a message. He said to tel you it was a ninja thing. Does that make any sense to you?† He stil couldn't look at me, but he was edging closer. â€Å"Diego?† I murmured. I couldn't help myself. Riley smiled a tiny bit. â€Å"Can we talk?† He jerked his head toward the door. â€Å"I double-checked al the windows. The first floor is total y dark and safe.† I knew I wouldn't be as safe once I walked away from Fred, but I had to hear what Diego had wanted to tel me. What had happened? I should have stayed with him to meet Riley. I fol owed Riley through the room, keeping my head down. He gave Raoul a few instructions, nodded to Kristie, and then went up the stairs. From the corners of my eyes I saw a few people curiously watch the direction he was going. Riley passed through the door first, and the kitchen of the home was, as he'd promised, total y black. He motioned for me to keep fol owing and led me through a dark hal past a few open bedroom doors, then through another door with a dead bolt. We ended up in the garage. â€Å"You're brave,† he commented in a very low voice. â€Å"Or real y trusting. I thought it would be more work to get you upstairs with the sun up.† Whoops. I should have been more skittish. Too late now. I shrugged. â€Å"So you and Diego are pretty tight, right?† he asked, just breathing the words. Probably, if everyone were silent in the basement, they would stil be able to hear him, but it was pretty noisy down there right now. I shrugged again. â€Å"He saved my life,† I whispered. Riley lifted his chin, almost but not quite a nod, and appraised. Did he believe me? Did he think I stil feared the day? â€Å"He's the best,† Riley said. â€Å"The smartest kid I've got.† I nodded once. â€Å"We had a little meeting about the situation. We agreed that we need some surveil ance. Going in blind is too dangerous. He's the only one I trust to scout ahead.† He exhaled, almost angrily. â€Å"Wish I had two of him! Raoul's got too short a fuse and Kristie is too self-absorbed to get the big picture, but they're the best I've got, and I'l have to make do. Diego said you were smart, too.† I waited, not sure how much of our story Riley knew. â€Å"I need your help with Fred. Wow, that kid is strong! I couldn't even look at him tonight.† I nodded cautiously again. â€Å"Imagine if our enemies can't even look at us. It wil be so easy!† I didn't think Fred would like that idea, but maybe I was wrong. He didn't seem like he cared anything for this coven of ours. Would he want to save us? I didn't respond to Riley. â€Å"You spend a lot of time with him.† I shrugged. â€Å"Nobody bothers me there. It's not easy.† Riley pursed his lips and nodded. â€Å"Smart, like Diego said.† â€Å"Where is Diego?† I shouldn't have asked. The words just ripped out of their own accord. I waited anxiously, trying to look indifferent and most likely failing. â€Å"We don't have time to waste. I sent him south the second I found out what was coming. If our enemies decide to attack early, we need the advance warning. Diego wil meet up with us when we move against them.† I tried to imagine where Diego was now. I wished I were there with him. Maybe I could talk him out of doing Riley's bidding and putting himself in the line of fire in the process. But maybe not. It seemed like Diego was thick with Riley, just like I'd worried. â€Å"Diego wanted me to tel you something.† My eyes snapped to his face. Too fast, too eager. Blew it again. â€Å"Sounded like nonsense to me. He said, Tel Bree I've got the handshake figured out. I'l show her in four days, when we meet up.' I have no idea what that means. Do you?† I tried to force a poker face. â€Å"Maybe. He did say something about needing a secret handshake. For his underwater cave. Some kind of password. He was just kidding around, though. I'm not sure what he means now.† Riley chuckled. â€Å"Poor Diego.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"I think that kid likes you a lot more than you like him.† â€Å"Oh.† I looked away, confused. Was Diego giving me this message as a way to let me know I could trust Riley? But he hadn't told Riley I knew about the sun. Stil, he must have trusted Riley to tel him so much, to show Riley that he cared about me. I thought it would be wiser to keep my mouth shut, though. Too much had changed. â€Å"Don't write him off yet, Bree. He's the best, like I said. Give him a chance.† Riley was giving me romantic advice? This could not get weirder. I bobbed my head once and muttered, â€Å"Sure.† â€Å"See if you can talk to Fred. Make sure he's on board.† I shrugged. â€Å"I'l do what I can.† Riley smiled. â€Å"Great. I'l pul you aside before we leave, and you can tel me how it went. I'l keep it casual, not like tonight. I don't want him to feel like I'm spying on him.† â€Å"Okay.† Riley motioned for me to fol ow and then headed back to the basement. The training lasted al day, but I wasn't part of it. After Riley went back to his team leaders, I took my spot beside Fred. The others had been divided up into four groups of four, with Raoul and Kristie directing them. No one had picked Fred for a side, or maybe he'd ignored them, or maybe they couldn't even see that he was there. I could stil see him. He stood out – the only one not participating, a big blond elephant in the room. I had no desire to insinuate myself into either Raoul's team or Kristie's, so I just watched. No one seemed to notice that I was sitting out with Fred. Though we must have been somewhat invisible, thanks to talented Fred, I felt horribly obvious. I wished I were invisible to myself – that I could see the il usion so that I could trust it. But no one noticed us, and after a while I could almost relax. I watched the practicing closely. I wanted to know everything, just in case. I wasn't planning on fighting; I was planning on finding Diego and making a break for it. But what if Diego wanted to fight? Or what if we had to fight to get away from the rest? Better to pay attention. Only once did anyone ask about Diego. It was Kevin, but I had a sense that Raoul had put him up to it. â€Å"So, did Diego end up getting fried after al ?† Kevin asked in a forced joking tone. â€Å"Diego's with her,† Riley said, and no one had to ask who he meant. â€Å"Surveil ance.† A few people shuddered. No one said anything more about Diego. Was he real y with her? I cringed at the thought. Maybe Riley was just saying that to keep people from questioning him. He probably didn't want Raoul getting jealous and feeling second best when Riley needed him at his most arrogant today. I couldn't be sure, and I wasn't going to ask. I kept quiet, as usual, and watched the training. In the end, watching was boring, thirsty work. Riley didn't give his army a break for three days and two nights straight. During the daytime it was harder to stay out of the mix – we al were crammed so tightly into the basement. It made things easier in one way for Riley – he could usual y catch a fight before it got ugly. Outside at night, they had more room to real y work around each other, but Riley was kept busy darting back and forth to catch limbs and get them back to their owners quickly. He kept his temper wel, and he'd been smart enough to find al the lighters this time. I would have bet that this would spin out of control, that we'd lose at least a couple of coven members with Raoul and Kristie skirmishing head to head for days on end. But Riley had better control of them than I had thought possible. Stil, it was mostly repetition. I noticed Riley saying the same things over and over and over again. Work together, watch your back, don't go at her head-on; work together, watch your back, don't go at him head-on; work together, watch your back, don't go at her head-on. It was kind of ridiculous, real y, and made the group seem exceptional y stupid. But I was sure I would have been just as stupid if I'd been in the thick of the fight with them rather than watching calmly from the sidelines with Fred. It reminded me in a way of how Riley had dril ed into us our fear of the sun. Constant repetition. Stil, it was so dul that after about ten hours that first day, Fred produced a deck of cards and started playing solitaire. That was more interesting than watching the same mistakes over and over again, so I mostly watched him. After about another twelve hours – we were inside again – I nudged Fred to point out a red five that he could move over. He nodded and made the change. After that hand, he dealt out the cards to both of us, and we played rummy. We never spoke, but Fred smiled a few times. No one ever looked our way or asked us to join in. There were no hunting breaks, and as time went on, this got harder and harder to ignore. Fights broke out more regularly and with less provocation. Riley's commands got more shril, and he tore off two arms himself. I tried to forget the burning thirst as much as possible – after al, Riley must have been getting thirsty, too, so this couldn't last forever – but mostly thirst was the only thing on my mind. Fred was looking pretty strained. Early into the third night – one more day to go, and when I thought about the ticking clock it tied my empty stomach into knots – Riley cal ed al the mock fights to a halt. â€Å"Round it up, kids,† he told us, and everyone moved into a loose half-circle facing him. The original gangs al stood close together, so the practicing hadn't changed any of those al iances. Fred put the cards in his back pocket and stood up. I stood close to his side, counting on his repulsive aura to hide me. â€Å"You've done wel ,† Riley told us. â€Å"Tonight, you get a reward. Drink up, because tomorrow you're going to want your strength. â€Å" Snarls of relief from almost everyone. â€Å"I say want and not need for a reason,† Riley went on. â€Å"I think you guys have got this. You've stayed smart and worked hard. Our enemies aren't going to know what's hit them!† Kristie and Raoul growled, and both of their companies fol owed suit immediately. I was surprised to see it, but they did look like an army in that moment. Not that they were marching in formation or anything, but there was just something uniform about the response. Like they al were part of one big organism. As always, Fred and I were the glaring exceptions, but I thought only Riley was even the slightest bit aware of us – every now and then his eyes would scan across where we were standing, almost like he was checking to make sure he stil felt Fred's talent. And Riley didn't seem to mind that we weren't joining up. For now, anyway. â€Å"Um, you mean tomorrow night, right, boss?† Raoul clarified. â€Å"Right,† Riley said with a strange little smile. It didn't seem like anyone else noticed anything off in his reply – except for Fred. He looked down at me with one eyebrow raised. I shrugged. â€Å"You ready for your reward?† Riley asked. His little army roared in response.