Trip Like I Do :: Essays Papers

Trip Like I Do Force and counterforce, resistance and power. What is the space and relation of one to the other? Are they to be understood as in parasitic or symbiotic relation? Does the yes need a no for its function, and in what ways? Could there be a â€Å"war† on Iraq without protests of such brutal possibilities? Slavoj Ã… ½iÃ… ¾ek’s â€Å"The Seven Veils of Fantasy† provides a relation of sincere hypocrisy within but ostensibly against ideology. Fantasy squirms throughout the piece as concealment of horror, creation of horror to be concealed, and vital sustaining support of an ideological edifice. Effectively, not taking ideology seriously and consistently is crucial to its survival; this sort of resistance is already internal to power in this analysis. Ã… ½iÃ… ¾ek’s painting of the space between ideology and resistance - the counterpower Foucault seems to have missed that is lodged already within power itself - fails to take its own acrylic depth seriously . And like a depth charge too, this catabolizes what remains of ideology itself in a bubbling broth wrenched from the ingredients that might fill it. To begin with, his conception of fantasy takes some descriptive moves to defend its apparently ridiculous presumptions. Upon reading it, the article’s quick acceptance of fantasy as distinct from a reality and external to it seems unimaginative and inexcusable. Yet, fantasy is not unreal for any reason but the old one: the terms are counterdefined and a matched pair of a dichotomy - people think so. â€Å"The aim of psychoanalytic treatment is thus to (re)focus attention from factual accuracy to hysterical lies, which unknowingly articulate the truth† (37). Your truth in terms of, uh, ours. Whereas fantasy can be experienced as completely compelling reality, Ã… ½iÃ… ¾ek nearly denudes it of alternative associations and frameworks. For him, fantasy cannot take a hold any more important than one inhering to desire, the real, and all the rest. His work ensconces it within the terms of a language/system - which itself is treated as something previous and joined, such that its conclusions can be presumed as already present. Not that his argument is circular, but the language that Ã… ½iÃ… ¾ek joins in order to strike such gymnastic maneuvers need not be taken as already ensuring the division of fantasy as an extricable parasite within a real.

Finance Analysis Essay

Nike continues its lead based on this test. | †¢ Both companies have a ratio higher than the dangerous 1. 0 acid test ratio. Both companies are able to pay their current liabilities. †¢ This test shows that Under Armour is more financially stable. †¢ Another conclusion that can be based on this test is that Under Armour`s current assets are more dependent on inventory than Nike`s current assets| Conclusion: Basing ourselves on the acid test ratio we concluded that both companies have no liquidity issues and are able to maintain their liquidity far above the required minimum. There was a change in the leading position from 2009-2010. Nike improved their liquidity and took the lead. Another conclusion about the business styles of the two companies is the fact that Under Armour keeps a higher dependency of current assets on inventory, which is more typical for retail store businesses. 2. Profitability | Comparison between Nike & Under Armour| | 2010| 2009| Gross Profit Margin| The gross profit margin of both companies is almost the same. Still Under Armour show a higher GPM than Nike. There are no large fluctuations in the GPM which is always a good sign for the stability of the companies. | The gross profit margin of both companies is almost the same. Still Under Armour show a higher GPM than Nike. | Net Profit Margin| Nike leads in the net profit margin categoryThere is an apparent difference between the leadership in GPM and NPM | Nike leads in the net profit margin categoryThere is an apparent difference between the leadership in GPM and NPM| Ratio of Net Sales to Assets| Under Armour leads in this categoryUnder Armour has a higher effectiveness of assets in respect to sales. Under Armour leads in this categoryUnder Armour has a higher effectiveness of assets in respect to sales| Rate Earned on Total Assets| Nike is the leader in this categoryNike maintains a higher return on its investments which means that its management team is more effective. | Nike is the leader in this categoryNike maintains a higher return on its investments which means that its managem ent team is more effective. | Conclusion: Both companies show a big gross profit margin during both years. The lack of fluctuations in the GPM suggests that there were no major changes in the sports apparel industry and its development is fairly stable. The huge differences in net profit margin show that the marketing/administration costs of sports apparel companies are big. This also implies that operating costs and cost of goods sold of sports apparel companies is relatively low. Under Armour has a lower Rate Earned on Total Assets and a smaller growth based on a year to year comparison. This may be a result of bad managerial decisions or less effective managerial team. Based on the leverage Nike is a better choice for investment in comparison to Under Armor. 3. Solvency | Comparison between Nike & Under Armour| | 2010| 2009| Solvency Ratio| Both companies have solvency ratios that are far above the critical 20%. Nike has a little bit higher solvency ratio than Under Armour. The problem is that the solvency ratio of Nike has fallen with almost 2% for one year. | Both companies have solvency ratios that are far above the critical 20%. Nike has a little bit higher solvency ratio than Under Armour. Working Capital| Nike has a much larger working capital which is understandable based on the size of the two companies. Nevertheless Under Armour shows a larger percentage increase in Working Capital in comparison to 2009 (UA 24% Increase, NIKE – 18% Increase)| Nike has a much larger working capital which is understandable based on the size of the two companies. | Conclusion: Nike & Under Armour show a high solvency ratio which means that they are capable of meeting their debt obligations. The solvency ratio in Under Armour is lower, but on the other hand the company shows a fairly constant rise in these criteria. Nike lost some of its solvency during 2010. The size of the two companies and the stage of development in which they are result in large differences in the amount of working capital. Again Under Armour shows a higher growth of working capita, 24% compared to the 17% growth in Nike. 4. Cash flow adequacy | Comparison between Nike & Under Armour| | 2010| 2009| Cash flow adequacy ratio| Nike clears its cash problems and increases its cash flow adequacy ratio to a sufficient level. In contrast Under Armour loses its advantage and falls below the critical 1. ratio. A sign of potential liquidity problems in the future. | Under Armour showed a sufficient amount of cash to cover its obligation during the year. In comparison Nike fell under the 1. 0 level which is a sign of potential liquidity problems| Conclusion: There are a lot of changes in both companies based on these criteria. Nike raised their cash flow adequacy ratio to normal levels that may increase the trust in the company. On the other hand Under Armour shows a disturbing 2010 Cash Flow adequacy ratio that may be a sign for future liquidity problems. . Asset utilization | Comparison between Nike & Under Armour| | 2010| 2009| Cash flow adequacy ratio| Nike clears its cash problems and increases its cash flow adequacy ratio to a sufficient level. In contrast Under Armour loses its advantage and falls below the critical 1. 0 ratio. A sign of potential liquidity problems in the future. | Under Armour showed a sufficient amount of cash to cover its obligation during the year. In comparison Nike fell under the 1. 0 level which is a sign of potential liquidity problems|

Storm Born Chapter Twenty

I became merely mortal the next morning, the last lingering memories of magic recalled only in theory, not in feeling. I wanted to try to explain the dream-memory to Kiyo, how I'd at last recalled what happened between Storm King and me before Roland killed him. But I didn't know how to explain it. I barely understood magic at all and found recapturing that terrifying yet glorious feeling nearly impossible. Besides, I had other things to worry about today. It was Beltane Eve. I found myself busy almost from the crack of dawn. Beltane – or May Day – ushers in the return of life to the year; many western European cultures consider it a peak day for fertility and conception. Apparently many Otherworldly creatures do too. Like Halloween – or Samhain – the gates between the worlds open, facilitating passage between humans and the Otherworldly alike. Midnight on May 1 was the ultimate opening, but the passages steadily increased throughout the day on April 30. Since my presence at Dorian's party tonight was common knowledge, many must have decided to get in their chance before I left the human world. Fortunately, most of these same gentry and assorted creatures were those who could not have passed through under normal circumstances. This meant they were considerably weaker and hence easier to banish or destroy. Unfortunately, when they came in a steady stream, they also became a huge and exhausting annoyance. I got home around dinnertime, not long before I was supposed to show up in the Otherworld. Hastily, I shed my sweaty clothes and took the world's fastest shower. Afterward, I managed a makeup job rivaling the last one, but it cost me time. With minutes ticking away, I threw on the dress Lara had procured and ran a quick brush through my damp hair. There was nothing else to be done with it. I threw a little mousse into it to avoid frizz, and then I was off to the desert. Dorian had wisely put my Slinky anchor in a more secure place than a flimsy table. I appeared in a small chamber where a servant had awaited my arrival. He gave me a polite bow and then took me straight to Dorian's room. Inside it, I found pandemonium. Male and female servants ran in and out, doing God only knew what. Dorian stood in front of a giant mirror, checking himself out in an azure blue robe. A stout man hovered nearby with about a dozen other robes weighing down his arm. It was the same man, I realized, whose place I'd taken in croquet. â€Å"Eugenie Markham,† announced my escort. Dorian gave me half a glance. â€Å"Lady Markham, so nice to – sweet gods. She's wearing beige.† I looked down. Lara had found me a clingy silk dress in a shade she termed â€Å"champagne†: a warm ivory tinged with gold. I wouldn't have thought the color worked for me, but she apparently knew me better than I did. The strapless bodice was gathered and decorated with a bit of iridescent beading meant to imitate buttons down the middle. From the waist down, the skirt cascaded in smooth, shining folds. It fit snugly against my silhouette, flaring slightly only when it hit my ankles. â€Å"It's ‘champagne,'† I corrected. â€Å"And what's wrong with it?† â€Å"Nothing. It's lovely.† He turned back frantically to his valet. â€Å"It's not going to match any of these, Muran. What else do we have?† Muran bit his lip. â€Å"There's the green velvet, your majesty. Its trim has that shade in it. Paired with an ivory shirt, it would look quite stunning.† Dorian made a face. â€Å"Silk or satin would be better. Grab it anyway, and see if there's anything else we're missing. Oh, and send someone to do Lady Markham's hair.† â€Å"What's wrong with my hair?† â€Å"Nothing, were you sprawled in my bed after a night of passion.† A young woman hurried forward, and he jerked his head in my direction. â€Å"See to her, Nia.† Nia, a tiny thing with olive skin, curtsied to me and led me to the parlor where Dorian and I had first chatted. I couldn't see what she did, but her fingers worked as deftly and intricately in my hair as Dorian did when tying the cords around me. I'd only once had my hair done by a stylist, and it had been for a wedding in which a cruel friend had required me to wear orange taffeta. The event still woke me with nightmares. A slight tingle occasionally brushed my skin as Nia worked, and I realized she used magic in the styling. I supposed it was handier than a curling iron, but geez. What a disappointment to discover you had the magical equivalent of cosmetology when other gentry got healing and the ability to tear buildings apart. â€Å"There you are, my lady.† She took me to a mirror, nervously assessing my reaction. Scattered braids ran toward the back of my head where the rest of my hair had been gathered up into a high ponytail. She'd smoothed and curled most of that hanging hair, but a few tiny braids hung in it here and there. Long, smooth locks framed my face, curled slightly at their ends. Violets and dark ivory sweetheart roses adorned some of the braids. â€Å"Wow,† I said. Nia wrung her hands. â€Å"My lady likes?† â€Å"Very much.† She beamed. With her petite frame and smooth face, she looked about sixteen but could probably actually boast a century. â€Å"I didn't know how humans wore it.† I smiled and gave her arm a small pat. â€Å"It's wonderful.† She looked ready to swoon with joy, and I recalled how eagerly Dorian's staff always jumped to obey his commands. Was I inspiring that kind of loyalty? Or fear? Dorian swept into the room then, resplendent in a forest green robe made of silk. The edging contained an intricate pattern of ivory, russet, and gold, set off by the black slacks and ivory shirt underneath. â€Å"Much better,† he said, taking my hand. â€Å"Come, we're late.† Muran and a few others followed as we headed for the throne room. Dorian didn't actually run, but an urgency underscored his movement. â€Å"Why the rush?† I asked. â€Å"Don't they wait on your every pleasure?† â€Å"Certainly. But I have to be in there before the other monarchs arrive, or we'll create a complication of etiquette. Everyone will bow when we enter, but the other monarchs don't have to. If they're in there before me, it'll be awkward.† â€Å"What do you mean by ‘bow'? Does that mean – â€Å" A herald hurled open the double doors and announced in a booming voice: â€Å"His royal majesty, King Dorian of the House of Arkady, caller of Earth, protector of the Oak Land, blessed of the gods.† â€Å"Whoa,† I breathed. Dorian squeezed my hand. † – with Eugenie Markham, called Odile Dark Swan, daughter of Tirigan the Storm King.† I didn't think I'd ever get used to being titled, but my astonishment over that faded compared to what happened next. Everyone in the room turned toward us and fell to their knees, heads bowed. Dead silence followed. Slowly, almost in a glide step, we walked down the center aisle, and I tried to look straight ahead and not at the sea of obeisance. Civilizations rose and fell in the time it took us to reach the throne. When we did, Dorian turned us around to face the assembly and made a small, nondescript gesture. I don't know how the others saw it with their heads so low, but they all rose and the drone of life and music promptly returned. People moved again, mingling and laughing. Servants scurried to and fro with drinks and trays. It could have been any human party, save for the occasional troll and wraith sipping wine. The men dressed in variations of the Renaissance look Dorian seemed to favor, but the women's gowns ran the gamut of bell sleeves and velvet to Grecian wraps and gauze. â€Å"And now, my dear, we must part ways.† I jerked my gaze away from the assembled throng. â€Å"What are you talking about?† He waved his hand. â€Å"These are the greatest nobles in my kingdom, not to mention the other kingdoms. I must mingle, listen to their simpering, act like I care. You know how it is.† Panic seized me as I looked back at all those gentry faces. â€Å"Why can't I go with you? I mean, we coordinate and everything.† â€Å"Because if I keep you on my arm all night, I'll look possessive and insecure. Leaving you on your own shows I have absolute confidence that you'll leave with me tonight, regardless of other solicitations.† â€Å"Oh, my God†¦I'm going to be hit on all night.† He laughed. â€Å"Don't worry, that's all they'll do – unless you wish otherwise. Anyone who touches you against your will would incur the wrath of my entire guard, not to mention most of the guests. It would be a shocking insult.† â€Å"And yet I could apparently go off with anyone if I wanted to.† â€Å"Of course. You're free to choose as you like.† â€Å"Wouldn't that be an insult to your manhood or something?† â€Å"A bit. But then I'd just take five or so women to my bed and redeem myself fairly quickly.† â€Å"Whoa. I feel like I'll be holding you back.† â€Å"Don't worry. I'll recover once you're gone tomorrow.† I swallowed and looked around, the jokes unable to allay my anxiety. â€Å"I don't even know anybody.† He turned me to him and gave me a soft kiss on the lips. I had to consciously work to keep my body relaxed. It was still a shock each time he did that. â€Å"You'll just have to meet them, then,† he said. He strolled off toward the first group of people he saw, and I heard a flurry of exuberant greetings at his approach. Feeling stupid and awkward, I wondered where I should go and whom I should talk to. I didn't really do big parties. Too much of my time was spent in solitude to really know how to interact in a group like this. That wasn't even taking into account that these were all Otherworldly residents. Two of my deepest phobias combined into one long evening. â€Å"Wine?† asked a servant who had suddenly appeared at my side. â€Å"Yes, please.† I seized one of the goblets from her proffered tray and took a hasty gulp of a sweet, fruity red. Picking a direction at random, I took five steps and was immediately intercepted by a tall gentry in scarlet velvet. He had black hair and a neatly trimmed beard. â€Å"Lady Markham,† he oozed, taking my free hand and kissing it. â€Å"It's a pleasure to meet you at last. I am Marcus, lord of Danzia in the Rowan Land.† â€Å"Hi,† I said, knowing I would never again remember his name once he left. He kept holding my hand and let his eyes run over me from head to toe. I suddenly wished the dress wasn't so tight or the neckline so low. â€Å"I must say,† he murmured, â€Å"I'd heard reports of your beauty, but they are paltry things compared to the reality.† â€Å"Thanks.† I tried to take back my hand, but he held on to it. â€Å"My family's nobility extends all the way back to the migration to this world. We are renowned for our fierce warriors. Magic runs strong in our blood, usually calling to one of the elements. My own inclinations run toward control of the air.† As if to emphasize the point, I suddenly felt the slightest of breezes blow against my arms. â€Å"My heirs will inherit a vast estate. My house has always served in an advisory capacity to royalty. Even now, I am a close personal friend of Katrice, the Rowan Queen. She is a powerful ally.† I realized then he was laying out his pedigree for me, quickly and efficiently, much as a breeder might show off a prize dog's papers. I opened my mouth, ready to tell him I wasn't interested, but he just kept going. â€Å"Some men would fear having a warrior consort. They would seek to control you and seize the power for their own uses.† He inclined his head ever so suggestively toward where Dorian conversed with a tall, dark-skinned woman. â€Å"Not me. I would not use you to further my own ends. You would rule by my side as an equal, sharing in the guidance of our children.† Yikes. This wasn't even our first date. I managed to break my hand free of his. â€Å"Thank you, but this is all kind of sudden. It's been really great talking to you, though.† Anxiousness flooded his face. â€Å"But I haven't even told you about my famed reputation as a lover – â€Å" â€Å"I've got to be somewhere right now. Sorry.† I took two steps back, turned, and practically ran into another man. Beyond him, a few others attempted to linger inconspicuously. In fact this one, I realized, had simply been waiting for me to reject Marcus. He gave me a dazzling smile. â€Å"Lady Markham, it's a pleasure to meet you at last†¦.† I sort of lost track of time after that. I never got much farther than that spot and my wine remained forgotten and undrunk. Listening politely to each guy's sales pitch, I amused myself by considering just how much I could push the limits of the hospitality rule before getting in trouble with Dorian. Yet, no matter how annoying each guy got, I squashed my rebellious instincts and kept to good behavior. After a couple hours, I caught sight of Shaya, the black-haired woman who had captured me that first night. She walked alone through the room. Brushing off my current suitor, I broke free of the next contender and hurried over to her. â€Å"Hey, Shaya, how's it going?† She looked at me in astonishment, not surprising considering I hadn't spoken to her since my capture. Her gown was midnight blue velvet with a full skirt, tight sleeves, and a high collar. I didn't entirely understand her whole background, but apparently she was the younger daughter of some noble and had ended up in a military career as part of Dorian's guard. â€Å"Lady Markham,† she returned. Mild curiosity showed on her face. â€Å"What can I do for you?† â€Å"Oh, nothing. Just thought we'd†¦you know, talk.† One delicate eyebrow rose. She glanced over at the eager throng of men and turned back to me with a half-smile. â€Å"It seems like you have plenty of guests to talk to.† â€Å"Please,† I whispered. â€Å"I know we aren't friends, but just talk to me like we are. Just for a minute. I can't stand it. I need a break. I'm so tired of hearing about how big each guy's estate is†¦not to mention other things.† She laughed, the sound rich and sweet. Linking her arm through mine, she led me idly around, like we were indeed friends. â€Å"I've heard stories about the things you've faced down. And yet, in the end, it's a group of desperate nobles who undo you.† She allowed me a few minutes' solitude, and we talked about trivial things. As we did, I realized something: She was really funny. And intelligent. And†¦nice. I'd dismissed her upon our first meeting as a prissy gentry bitch, my attitude fueled partially by my capture and partially by the antagonism at dinner. But here she was, hanging out with me like any other person would, her comments both witty and astute. â€Å"I have to go. Rurik's looking for me,† she said at last, letting go of me. She smiled again, amused and compassionate. â€Å"Put up with them a little longer. They're nothing more than a nuisance.† I shook my head. â€Å"They're so blunt and straightforward. It's strange.† Kiyo and I had once mocked the pretenses in dating, but right now, a little less honesty had its appeal. â€Å"Then be blunt back. If you're too nice, they'll think they have a chance and will try another time. Most now consider you a high-ranking noble; arrogance is expected. They won't think you're rude.† I thanked her and watched her leave, just as a hand tapped my shoulder. I sighed. Time to face the wolves again. Or fox, as it turned out. â€Å"Hey,† I said. â€Å"Nice threads.† Kiyo stood before me in a beautifully tailored tux, its clean black and white lines standing out in sharp contrast beside the flowing colors of the other men. â€Å"I wore it for you. Figured you might like a change from velvet and silk. And as for you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His smoky eyes did a quick assessment of me. â€Å"I've been hearing a lot of guys drool over your dress tonight.† â€Å"You've been here for a while? And didn't come talk to me?† He grinned. â€Å"You looked pretty busy.† â€Å"Well, stay with me now. Maybe they'll leave me alone if they think I'm occupied with someone.† We found a two-seated bench against a wall, padded with brocade-covered cushions. I sighed and leaned my head against his shoulder. He put an arm around me. â€Å"I wish I was out patrolling like I usually do tonight. Fighting spirits and whatnot isn't half as exhausting as this.† â€Å"And so Tucson goes undefended, eh?† â€Å"Roland's on it, much to my mother's dismay. I just hope I've drawn a lot of the action here instead of back there.† We sat quietly for a while, watching the party. It reminded me of the bar. Alone but not alone. Like any other party, people were getting more drunk as the night progressed. That unabashed sexual contact popped up more and more frequently, and a number of people danced wherever they found room. They moved in graceful strides, reminiscent of ballroom styles I knew. â€Å"I've been thinking†¦about last night.† I looked up at him. â€Å"Yeah. I've thought about that a few times myself.† â€Å"You were†¦I don't know. I've never seen you like that. Not that we've done it all that much, but†¦wow. You marked me up pretty good.† â€Å"Is that a bad thing?† He smiled. â€Å"No. I don't think so.† His fingers brushed my chin and tipped my face up. â€Å"But what was going on? How'd a nightmare bring that on?† I turned my face away. â€Å"It wasn't exactly a nightmare.† â€Å"What, then?† â€Å"Just a dream†¦or a memory. It was about my father. And magic.† â€Å"What happened?† â€Å"I†¦well, it's hard to explain.† â€Å"Eugenie – â€Å" I kept my demeanor light and playful. â€Å"Forget about it. For tonight at least, okay? It isn't the right time. We can talk later.† He hesitated, then nodded. I moved my face closer, and he brushed his lips against my forehead, down to my cheek. I closed my eyes and sighed, luxuriating as his lips moved delicately down the side of my neck. We turned toward each other, our mouths drawn by some unseen force. And as we kissed, I forgot all about the crazy propositions tonight. There was only this. Me and Kiyo. â€Å"No groping,† I warned, seeing his hand slyly move toward forbidden areas. â€Å"I don't care how many other people are doing it. Or how much attention we don't draw to it.† â€Å"Then let's go somewhere private,† he murmured, trailing kisses along my shoulder. â€Å"I can't. You know I have to leave with Dorian. Nothing's going to happen,† I added, seeing him open his mouth. â€Å"It's just for appearances. We can get together tomorrow.† He considered and nodded. â€Å"All right. But I'm giving you a good sendoff tonight.† He moved back, and we continued our kissing for a bit until a voice said, â€Å"The gods know I've seen some strange things in my life, but never did I expect to find a kitsune trying to make himself ruler over all of us.† We looked up in surprise. I hadn't expected another suitor while clearly busy with Kiyo. Aeson stood there.

MIR essays

MIR essays Mir is the Russian word for village, world, and peace. In fact that is what the Russians are trying to establish, a village in space. Mir is the Russian space program's efforts to maintain people for a long duration of time in space. Mir has completed over 81,350 trips around the Earth. It has been up in space for fourteen years. Cosmonauts and astronauts from many nations have lived on the station and performed experiments of historical significance. The first element of the Mir station, The Mir Core was launched on February 20, 1986. Mir was the soviets 3rd generation space sation. Although an old station, new parts are constantly added and fixed. Mir is basically Russias tinker toy in space. The station currently consists of seven modules: Mir Core (1986) - The Mir core module was the first part of Mir; it was launched in February 1986. Originally a space station itself, it is now the core, (hence the name Mir core), of the much larger Mir complex. The module contains living quarters, a control center, and power and life support equipment. The living quarters include a galley, small individual crew quarters, and bathroom/shower facilities. Kvant (1987) - This module contains equipment for observations of galaxies, neutron stars, quasars, and other astrophysical phenomena at x-ray and other wavelengths of light. The module also has life support equipment for the station. Part of the module is a pressurized area for working and living, while the rest is not pressurized space for equipment. This was the first addition to the Mir. Kvant-2 (1989) - Kvant-2 includes scientific equipment, life support equipment, and an EVA airlock. The Kvant-2 is basically used for biological research and Earth observation experiments. Kristall (1990) - This module contains experiment space inside for biological and materials for scientific experiments. It also hosts solar panels used to generate power for Mir. ...

Gerunds, Participles, and Infinitives Explained

Gerunds, Participles, and Infinitives Explained A verbal  is a word derived from a  verb  that functions in a sentence as a  noun  or  modifier  rather than as a verb. In other words, a verbal  is a verb that acts like a different part of speech. Verbals include  infinitives,  gerunds  (also known as  -ing  forms), and  participles  (also known as  -ing  forms  and  -en  forms). A word group based on a verbal is called a  verbal phrase. Each of these verbals is often part of a phrase, which includes related modifiers, objects, and  complements. What Are Participles? A participle is a verb form that can be used as an adjective to modify nouns and pronouns, as in this example: The children, crying and exhausted, were guided out of the collapsed house. Crying is a present participle, formed by adding -ing to the present form of the verb (cry). Exhausted is a past participle, formed by adding -ed to the present form of the verb (exhaust). Both participles modify the subject, children. All present participles end in -ing. The past participles of all regular verbs end in -ed. Irregular verbs, however, have various past participle endings- for instance, thrown,  ridden, built, and gone. A participial phrase is made up of a participle and its modifiers. A participle may be followed by an object, an adverb, a prepositional phrase, an adverb clause, or any combination of these. For example, in the following sentence the participial phrase consists of a present participle (holding), an object (the torch), and an adverb (steadily): Holding the torch steadily, Jenny approached the monster. In the next sentence, the participial phrase consists of a present participle (making), an object (a great ring), and a prepositional phrase (of white light): Jenny waved the torch over her head, making a great ring of white light. What Are Gerunds? A gerund is a verb form ending in -ing that functions in a sentence as a noun. Although both the present participle and the gerund are formed by adding -ing to a verb, the participle does the job of an adjective while the gerund does the job of a noun. Compare the verbals in these two sentences: The children, crying and exhausted, were guided out of the collapsed house.Crying will not get you anywhere. Whereas the participle crying modifies the subject in the first sentence, the gerund crying is the subject of the second sentence. What Are Infinitives? An infinitive is a verb form- often preceded by the  particle  to- that can function as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. Compare the verbals in these two sentences: I dont like crying in public unless Im getting paid for it.I dont like to cry in public unless Im getting paid for it. In the first sentence, the gerund crying serves as the direct object. In the second sentence, the infinitive to cry performs the same function. Exercise: Identifying Verbals For each of the following sentences, decide if the word or phrase in italics is a participle, a gerund, or an infinitive. The childrens singing and laughing woke me up.Jenny likes to dance in the rain.There are many ways of breaking a heart.A broken heart will mend over time.Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city. - George BurnsI believe that laughing is the best calorie burner.I dont want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it through not dying. - Woody AllenI dont want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it through not dying. - Woody AllenIt is not enough to succeed. Others must fail. - Gore VidalSucceeding is not enough. Others must fail. Answer Key Gerund: In this sentence, the words  singing  and  laughing function as nouns, making them gerunds.Infinitive: You can tell that  to dance  is an infinitive because to precedes the word dance.  Gerund: The verbal  breaking  serves as a noun. It is also the object of the preposition  of.(Past) participle: Implied in this sentence is the verbal phrase, that  has been  preceding the verbal,  broken, making it a past participle, which indicates something that happened and was completed in the past.(Present) participles:  Loving and caring  are actions that are occurring in the present, making these verbals present participles.Gerund:  Laughing  is a noun making it a gerund.Infinitives: The verbal to achieve, in both cases, is an infinitive because its a verb preceded by  to.Gerund:  Dying  is used as a noun in the sentence.Infinitive:  To succeed  is an infinitive- a verb preceded by  to.Gerund:  Succeeding  is a noun here; indeed, it is th e subject of the first sentence, making it a gerund.

Unit II non specific topic (Intercultural Management) Essay

Unit II non specific topic (Intercultural Management) - Essay Example In most cases, the parent company owns majority of stocks in the subsidiary companies (Deresky, 2011). Consequently, the host countries have minimal control over the MNC. Moreover, the host countries have minimal benefits from the corporation’s income. The MNC also reserve key managerial and technical positions to expatriate from their countries. Thus, the MNC are accused of failing to contribute to the development of human recourses in the host countries. In addition, MNCs do not contribute to the development of technologies and production capacity of the host country. The MNCs are mostly concerned with profits and in so doing they neglect their development obligations. MNCs also dominate the manufacturing industry thereby giving unnecessary competition to the local companies. In most case, the companies take advantage of corruption and mismanagements in the host countries to establish their interests. Thus, failure to meet corporate social responsibilities is the main source of complaints against the MNC. Question 2: What processes do MNCs need to establish in order to reduce prosecution risk? Many MNCs have decided to confront concerns about ethical behavior by developing worldwide practices that represent the companys policy. What are four policies used to address this issue? How would you implement these four policies in your business strategy? Multinational companies are faced with prosecution risks arising mismanagement and poor international relations. In order to reduce prosecution risks, MNCs needs to establish various processes. Firstly, MNCs need to ensure high level of integrity and accountability (Thomas, 2008). This will enable the corporations to avoid being drawn into unnecessary corruptions and scandals. However, some prosecutions are driven by business interests and, therefore the MNCs have minimal control over such occurrences. International business ethics are business

Managing people in team Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managing people in team - Essay Example Problem-solving skills are essential in this case since the team is made up of individuals with different views and interests thus bound to conflict. One question though that lingers on most organisations is how to manage a teams performance. Who should be credited for team’s success, is it the manager or the workers? This is an issue that has received considerable debate over the years. Adam Smith considered managers as ‘principle clerks’ thus assuming away any role for managers (Berri, Leeds, Leeds & Mondello, 2009). The workers were believed to be the ones contributing to success. Early researchers differentiated managers from entrepreneurs and viewed entrepreneurs as more active in ensuring productivity. However, recent studies have started acknowledging the role played by managers in improving productivity and ensuring workers are always motivated. Another crucial role is that of team leaders. These are entrusted with leading the group to success and as such have a big role to play in ensuring team effectiveness. The aim of this report is to evaluate the role of managers in overseeing performance as well as the importance of leadership role in team performance. This will entail interviewing managers of two organisations to find out their views on how they manage and lead their teams in eliciting excellent performance. Marks and Spencer is one of UK’s leading retailers of clothing, food, home products and financial services. It has an employee base of 78,000 employees in the UK and abroad and serves 21 million customers. It has more than 700 UK stores and a turnover of  £8 billion. It is committed to offering superior quality products to its customers at attractive prices (Corporate.marksandspencer.com, 2013). This is enhanced by its various teams which are headed by sectional managers as well as retail managers. Bluebird Garments is a textile company situated in the UK. It has a total of 2000 employees who are involved in