The Modern Researcher

Both authors, Jacquez Barzun and Henry Grafff are historians and are faculty members of Columbia University. They finished this book by year 1969. THE BOOK- Summary and Purpose: This book is primarily intended to â€Å"guide and instruct students in the arts of research   and writing†(note on the revised edition), with special emphasis on historiography. The book is divided into three parts, with the titles: The First Principles, Research and Writing . The idea for the first principles is to lay down the necessary frame of thought, the attitudes and qualifications of a (modern) â€Å"researcher†- apparently, to distinguish him from an antiquated one. It combines both the technique of research and writing. Unlike common writing/research manuals that concentrate only on the â€Å"how to’s† ,   Barzun & Graff, offered all the necessary ingredients for excellent history writing that is based on fastidious effort to search for â€Å"the truth†. It is a book on historiography that develops the idea that â€Å"facts alone do not constitute history† but that these need to be interpreted and ably written. Writing   should consist an effort on the writer to communicate as close as possible his   own ideas to the reader. It gives a very convenient outline summary for all the great philosophical systems  Ã‚   that influenced historians and their writings. This background could further enhance an understanding of historians’ very human tendency to reduce patterns into ‘laws’ in order to make them coherent and unified. However, such laws overly simplify   phenomenon and , if possible, should be avoided by the writer. Barzun convincingly provides strong bases for his ‘principles’ through excellent  Ã‚  Ã‚   choice of examples. An anecdote on how a historian was able to establish the authorship of the â€Å"Diary of a Public Man† is such a good example on how   one investigates and verifies his data. This historian was able to come up with a  Ã‚  Ã‚   probable answer to his problem through trial and error that took him more than thirty years- visiting libraries, interviewing key people mentioned in the diary, verifying documents written during the period in question (Lincoln Administration). In the end the historian found out that the author employed both fact and fiction in his diary entry and therefore   this (diary)   would not be useful as a historical document. Another is about a researcher who investigated the origin of the motto: â€Å"In God We Trust† written on dollar currencies. He noticed that there was a period when such a motto was absent,   and he wanted to investigate, first -its origin and then,   the reason   for its absence; then, its revival in the present currencies. Through painstaking investigation he found out that it was Stuart Chase, the Secretary of Treasury who , being a clergyman, mandated its inclusion on all currencies during his incumbency. When his term expired, his successor had this motto deleted only to reappear later when the American Congress saw the wisdom of restoring it. Such examples on the process of research reinforces the idea that research is a worthy endeavor and   is indeed exciting. Moroever, the book stresses on the importance of having the proper perspective in writing history, i.e. â€Å"Book concentrates on principles of thought and analysis of difficulties and aims at imparting the fundamentals of informed exposition.† The authors repeatedly expounds on these throughout the book. Another important tenet which Barzun convinces his reader is that it is by way of probability that all scholars, including scientists can claim the truthfulness of their work. Thus, patterning in history is intended not to arrive at â€Å"laws† or generalizations that are â€Å"unbreakable† and immutable but rather to serve as guidepost that may give coherence to an ,otherwise, confusing motley of data. They are therefore made for convenience, just as periodizations in history are. The menacing issue on subjectivity and objectivity in historical writing was given adequate attention by Barzun. He avers that   these words apply â€Å"not to persons and opinions but rather to sensations and judgments† and are better avoided by historians and their critics. â€Å"An objective judgment is one made by testing in all ways possible one’s subjective impressions, so as to arrive at a knowledge of subjects.† A corollary principle will be that â€Å"competence, not majority opinion, is decisive. There have been collective hallucinations that deceived large majorities’† (p.166). This obviously happens, specially with political issues and with politicians who exploit public opinion to suit their ends. Analysis: Barzun & Graff’s Modern Researcher is, indeed, not an ordinary manual on research and writing. But I have only one comment, why did they entitle the book â€Å"The Modern Researcher†? Nowhere in this book did they explain the title. Does the word â€Å"modern† means a historical period? Or a frame of mind? I would assume that the work being about historiography may connote a historical period. But it could also be a frame of mind, i.e. progressive and liberal.

Hamlets Delay Essay

In William Shakespeare’s â€Å"Hamlet†, the character Hamlet aspires to kill his uncle and, in doing so, avenge his father. During Act I, Scene V, Hamlets father comes to him as a ghost. The ghost explains that Claudius, Hamlets uncle, murdered him in order to become King of Denmark and marry Hamlets mother, the Queen of Denmark. The ghost of Hamlets father then asks Hamlet to kill Claudius and make his mother feel guilty for allowing his murder to happen. However, Hamlet delays his achievement of this goal for reasons that are not directly confronted in the play. There are many theories on the matter of why Hamlet continuously waits to avenge his fathers’ murder. Of these theories, the most plausible is that Hamlet simply spends too much time thinking about how he will act rather than actually taking action. Hamlet takes an oath at the end of Act I saying â€Å"†¦thy commandment all alone shall live within the book and volume of my brain†¦Ã¢â‚¬  meaning that all he will think about is what the ghost has told him to do. The problem is that, while Hamlet does constantly think about what the ghost said, he does not do a lot about it. One thing Hamlet does do is try to confirm that what the ghost said is true. In Act II, Scene II, Hamlet uses a play called â€Å"The Murder of Gonzago† to make Claudius look guilty or, as Hamlet says, â€Å"The plays the thing, wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King. † Hamlet does this by writing a short speech for the beginning of the play. The speech is a complete recollection of how the ghost described his murder to Hamlet. Everything goes as planned and Claudius outwardly shows his guilt. Now Hamlet has all the evidence he needs to kill his uncle. However, Hamlet still does not take action in Act III but rather he thinks even more. The difference is that this time he is not trying to form a plan against his uncle but is contemplating life in general. â€Å"Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles. And by opposing end them. † Hamlet proclaims while wondering if death would be better than dealing with his problems. At this part in the play, Hamlet acts as if he has given up on planning to kill Claudius. In Act IV, Scene IV Hamlet reacquaints himself ith the goal of killing his Uncle. Hamlet meets with a messenger from Fortinbras, the prince of Norway, who says that the Norwegian army is going to attack Poland for no reason other than retaining honour. Hamlet is taken back by the lack of motivation for action and is ashamed because he has a lot of motivation to kill Claudius but still has not taken action. At the end of Scene IV hamlet says â€Å"O, from this time forth, my thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth! † The implications of this sentence are that Hamlet had not thought about killing his Uncle very seriously in previous Acts. In the scenes following Act IV Scene IV, Hamlet becomes more impulsive and acts without thinking more often than he used to and this leads to the accomplishment of his goals. One may argue that there are more plausible explanations than Hamlet over thinking everything. One argument could be that Hamlet was being deterred by things such as the Kings guards or by other outside forces. If this was the case then Claudius would not have been able to kill the previous King so easily. Also, the only time guards are mentioned in the play are when they are outside guarding the walls rather than being personal guards for the King at all times. We can see this in Act III Scene III when Claudius is praying. If he had guards they would be somewhere close by most likely at the door to whatever room Claudius was praying in. However, Hamlet was able to not only enter the room but be in a position where he would be able to kill Claudius if he had chosen to. Hamlet then leaves the room and, during all of this, not once are guards mentioned or heard from. Another part of this theory states that Hamlet was waiting to have more proof before he acted against Claudius. This is why Hamlet puts together the ruse to make his Uncle look guilty in Act II Scene II but, even after he has proved Claudius’s guilt, Hamlet neglects taking action. Instead, he continues to obey what Claudius tells him to do like getting on a ship to England. The theory that Hamlet is stopped by external obstacles is invalid because the obstacles stated are either non-existent in the beginning or are removed part way through the play. If we are only looking at this theory, there is nothing left to stop Hamlet and yet he does not act. Out of all the theories presented for why Hamlet delays his revenge I believe the best choice is that he is overthinking everything. Starting from the beginning of the play, all he does is think about what he should be doing or how he should be doing it and there really is not anything stopping him from killing the King. For his plans to come to fruition, Hamlet needed to become motivated enough that he would act and not stop to think about what he was doing. With this narrow mindedness achieved, Hamlet was able to finally kill the Claudius and avenge his father.

Human resouces function Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human resouces function - Essay Example This made me spend much of my time looking for another computer with the appropriate program. Once through we were given question papers with question, we were supposed to answer within thirty minutes. The questions were particularly tough involving calculations and grammar. We were taken to the firms’ clinic for blood samples to test for drugs upon completing the tests. I tried to object but was informed that it was a requirement according to the organizational policy and this would be conducted upon suspicion and applies to all employees. When the test results were out I was ranked the second best, but laboratory drug test were not given to us in the group. This marked the start of the panel interview. The first person got in, and I was truly nervous as I waited outside. After twenty, minutes, he emerged from the room, but I did not get an opportunity to ask him the possible question I was likely to be asked. I was called in, and when I stepped in and closed the door and I m anaged to greet the panelists with a smile and waited to be assigned a seat. I was shown to my seat which I responded with "thank you." When we were all seated formal introductions followed with all panelists introducing themselves. I was requested to hand over my resume. The human resource manager asked me: â€Å"So you are (name)? â€Å"Yes sir† â€Å"Tell us more about yourself† â€Å"I am a third year students pursuing a human resource management degree. In high school, I attained a GPA of 2.1. I'm from a family of three and am the only child. I have served as a class leader and a team leader in various groups within the classroom set up. I also actively participate in other co-curricular activities such as swimming, helping the needy in the society and making social friends†. â€Å"What do you think are your major contributions to this company?† Though we have other people interested in this same position who have similar qualifications, I believe I have a personal drive that enables me to work beyond the expected limits. I also pay attention to details a factor I believe is highly significant in managing human resources. With these qualities, I believe I can manage to help the organization move towards the attainment of their set goals and objectives. â€Å"What is your greatest weakness?† â€Å"In one instance during our class lessons the teacher asked my views about equal employment opportunities. I responded that the physically challenged and people of other races should only be given jobs once the whites and the physically fit have already gotten jobs. I felt that they were not able to perform just like the white. However, I have tried to change this perception by interacting with the physically challenged and people of other races that have enabled me to realize that they have capabilities and potential that lack in some of the physically fit and white individuals.† After a series of other questions in rela tion to discrimination, employee rights, and job analysis, I was requested to leave the room and wait for the results outside. I stood up, thanked all of them and left the room. When the results were out I emerged the best. Objective II During the interviewers sought to understand my level of understanding and expertise in the field of human resource management. For any organization to be able to select the right

Analysis Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Analysis Paper - Assignment Example The defendant in this trial was U.S Department of Justice and they put forward their arguments. The argument of the defendant was that The Controlled Substances Act has formed a nationwide system which control and regulates controlled substances. The defendant argued by using an  informative rule  stating physician-assisted suicide basically debased the "Controlled Substances Act"  (CSA), and it would lead to the cancellation of the license of the physician. The Trial Court gave its decision. The Trial Court gave its decision in favor of Oregon State. The Trial Court reached to the decision that The Department of Justice had no right to deal with the issue of physician-assisted suicide under the "Controlled Substances Act". This decision put forward the fact that CSA was concerned with the management of banned drugs and did not have to play a role in the healthcare field. The Trial Court stated that medicals decisions were matters of the States. The Appellate Court confirmed that The Department of Justice had appealed. The appellate court was the Supreme Court of the United States. Supreme Court stated that Congress’ decision was clear and they also confirmed the purposes of CSA, which were to keep a check on the use of banned drugs and the regulation of criminal activity. Supreme Court gave reference of Chevron Doctrine in which courts were not bound to abide by the judicial decisions of The Department of Justice. The Supreme Co urt brought into their knowledge that the federal government had the authority to keep a check on the medications that were used in the medical profession. But particularly the CSA did not allow the banning of suicidal medications by The Department of Justice. A dissent was also filed in which an argument was presented that drugs used for the purpose of suicide did not fall in the category of licensed medical practice and

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 70

Leadership - Essay Example I have also observed that good leaders are role models who are willing to create more leaders (Chand, 2008). They pass their leadership skills and experience to specific individuals. Leaders must accommodate innovation and be flexible to diverse opinions from other leaders and their followers. They manifest relevance by being flexible and accommodative. Indeed, good leaders seek to make a difference and engage in consultations aimed at making the best decisions. As such, leaders must be followers of experienced leaders. I observed that leaders establish strong associations and collaborations with others to enhance their skills and competence. This enables them to derive authority and respect from their followers. Most importantly, I observed that good leaders are objective and focus on growth in their organization (Chand, 2008). As such, they engage in activities like seminars and conferences that foster personal and leadership development. Nevertheless, it is evident that certain traits like corruption and misuse of power hinder good leadership. As such, it is challenging to find a good leader.Bottom of

The importance of the theologian Tertullian Essay

The importance of the theologian Tertullian - Essay Example Tertullian considered that Heretics were altering the religious teachings and scriptures to fulfill their personal desires, which is leading people towards corruption and confusion about religion and its core believes. He has mentioned it in his treatise of De Praescriptione Haereticorum, in which he defends the Rule of Faith. He argues that religion is not a source to attain material goals and comfort, but a path towards finding oneself and the reason of their existence. Hence, it cannot be guided by an individual who is seeking religion in terms of materialism (Barnes). The prevailing concept of the church being a place only assigned, or prayers was also modified by Tertullian, and describes in his Apology that it is not just a place of worship but attaining wisdom and social integration. In his later works gathered in De Carne Christi, he enlightened the concept of ‘substance’ and ‘person’, explaining how a being can be material and spiritual at the same time. Explaining this notion he addresses the authorities of God, Spirit of God and the Son of God. He exemplifies that as one person can have right over different substances, similarly Jesus Christ has the right over both humanity and divinity, and both exist in equality (Roberts). This paper will deal with Tertullian ideology of Penitential discipline, the church doctrine and his contributions for ethical and moral correction of the people. The paper also aims to provide authentic information about his contribution in forming the Latin vocabulary developing the terminologies of Trinitarian theology and Christology. 1. Trinitarian Theology Trinity defines the core concept of substance and person, illuminating that that there are three divine persons, not one, and one substance not three. The three persons are The God, The Spirit of God and Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God. All the three exist in eternity and entirety and are distinct to other, yet possess the same substance. The refore, all can be considered as God or divine in autonomy (Morrison). Tertullian explains this concept as discussed by Osborn (1997). that the kingdom of God is not suppressed but supported by the son of God. He describes that God’s monarchy is balanced by the Son of God and not in any ways threatened or distributed (Osborn). He explains that there is an economy of divinity, which is possible to maintain only if the divinity is practiced in both natural and supernatural forms. God is one who has created the entire universe and all creations; the Son of God is the protector and presenter of God, while the Spirit of God is the procedure of creation and protecting. Therefore, Tertullian states that, for the existence of God’s monarchy, the co-existence of the Son of God and the Spirit of god is equally important, and they are not dependent but related to each other (Morrison). In explaining the theology of Trinity, Tertullian in his doctrines, also throws light to the On eness and Corporeity of God. He rejects the concept of Marcion of dual God that is one of the Old Testament and one of the New Testament. In his argument to this, he lays the foundation of God as the supreme Authority. If He has someone equal

Research Design Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Research Design - Assignment Example The design is appropriate since it reviews high-quality randomized controlled trials, which are key to evidenced-based medicine. Additionally, the design aimed at providing a comprehensive summary of recent literature from scientifically recognized databases. Blueman and Bousfield utilized several online databases while conducting the review. Some of the databases that they used include Medline, British Nursing Index, Athens, EMBASE, and Cumulative Index to Nursing (Blueman, & Bousfield, 2012). Since this type of design often utilizes transparent and objective approach to research synthesis and aims at minimizing bias, makes it appropriate for exploring the particular research question. Blueman and Bousfield concluded that the study provided strong evidence that link the use of larvae therapy to reducing the bacterial load in chronically infected wounds (2012). The authors, Blueman, and Bousfield acknowledge the limitations of this particular study. They point the application of liquid medium for studies that utilized live maggots as a key limitation. Additionally, they note the lack of standardization for the ecological niche of the bacteria as a

American Society is a Society of Denial Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

American Society is a Society of Denial - Essay Example The troops too have been conditioned on the power of silence, and so they have no one to share their stories to. Apparently, the civilians have learnt to shut out the war veterans, literary, as they attempt to share their experiences and tribulations at war. Who then, can dispute that the United States is indeed a society in denial In his 1994 publication titled, "Achilles in Vietnam: combat trauma and the undoing of character", Jonathan Shay (1994) describes, through the testimonies of veterans in Vietnam, how the war commanders would habitually attempt to eradicate normal compassion feelings and perception that were elicited by troops from the United States who were in this war. During times of war, military necessity, along with political propaganda acts as a yardstick of not just what the troops are able to perceive, but also the manners in which they are able to do so. According to Shay (1994), military superiors that were charged with the responsibility of handling both trauma and crime had a habit of telling their troops that these two occurrence never happened in the first place, and that the troops did not also experience them (Shay 1994). With such a mindset therefore, little wonder then, that when they were being interviewed by news reporters, the troops would not hesitate to point out that that trauma never occurred, and if it did, they somewhat expected it. Shay recounts how he recorded the testimony of one former troop in Vietnam, and how he recounted the ordeals back then with a taste of anger and bitterness. Apparently, his superiors were trying to alter the veteran's perception as regards the collective murder that he had not only contributed to, but also saw the dead bodies when daylight came. The comforting words of his superior were that he need not worry about the ordeal, and that his superiors would handle it. The superiors would then go ahead and commend the officers for what they called 'a job well done'. Ultimately, the trend found its way into the United States after the war was over (Bacevich 2005). Those soldiers that make it back home often get medals of Honor, albeit with a condition; that they ma intain silence as regards the pathos, realities, as well as the bizarre ills of war. To the war veterans, obstinate ignorance of the members of the public becomes a basis for pain. Through his short story titled Soldier's Home, Ernest Hemingway sheds light on how reluctant the civilians were to attend to the intuitive requirements of the troops who were returning back to the United States upon the end of the First World War. This book by Hemingway was published in 1925, and it therefore coincides with the end of the war. The story talks about Kerbs, a young soldier from Oklahoma. Upon return, he is not keen to disclose war issues. With time however, the urge to address war matter builds up. He thus desires to share these issues with his family, friends, as well as neighbors. However, Hemingway observes that "Nobody wanted to hear about it" (Rockwell 2008). Apparently, the young man's town had no wish to learn about war atrocities. Krebs finally discovered that if the town people were to listen to his stories, then he hand no choice but to lie about the war. Apparently the capability of this young man to absorb into the way of life of the civilians hinged upon how keen he has to put

Cultural Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cultural Analysis - Essay Example Government statistics of Iceland note that 94 percent of the inhabitants of Iceland live in the urban regions whereas up to 63 percent are the residents of the Reykjavik metropolitan area ("People"). The history of Iceland can be understood to be based on survival prosperity. Iceland was discovered by the Scandinavian sailors around the mid-ninth century. The first settler arrived in Iceland in 874. Landnà ¡mabà ³k, the book of settlements, compiled in the 12th century contains information about the initial 400 settlers in Iceland. A famous story set down there is that Floki, a Norse Viking made a voyage to Iceland but he spent all his time and energy on fishing and hunting and thus could not lay up any hay for the livestock, because of which they died during the winters, thus giving the land its name as Iceland. Icelandic history is shaped by the Norsemen settlers from the British Isles, Celts, and Scandinavia around the 9th and 10th centuries and is significantly shaped by the events occurring on the Nordic Countries larger political stage (â€Å"History†). Christianity was adopted in Iceland around the year 1000 (â€Å"History†). Nearly 33 per cent Icelanders were wiped out during the Black Plague infection in 1402. In 1940, the British Troops occupied Iceland. The Republic of Iceland was formally established in 1944 (â€Å"History†). The Icelandic language has remained almost the same since the 12th century and its similar to the Old Norse language. Letters of the Icelandic alphabet are not recognized in the modern English. For example, Þ is an Icelandic alphabet that is pronounced as "th". The most prominent religion in Iceland is Christianity. This is evident from the fact that the population following the Lutheran Church in Iceland is 80.7 per cent, those following the Roman Catholic Church make 2.5 per cent of the total, and other populations include â€Å"Free Church 2.4%,

Black Elk Speaks Essay Example for Free

Black Elk Speaks Essay Black Elk Speaks is about a Native American boy that has visions and these visions help him with the religious aspects of live. He has these visions that tell him what to do and shows him the path to righteousness. These visions can also be seen as myths, which are stories that try to explain something. Every culture has their own collection of myths. Black Elk Speaks is also a very symbolic book, because it has the use of many objects or people that represent other things. In the American culture, as well as other cultures around the world, are also very symbolic. The American culture is very diverse in that there are many different cultures that have mixed and created the American culture. The American culture is not something that is easily explained, because it is so mixed with many other cultures from around the world. At first there were American Indians and they brought along their tribes and myths and rituals. Then came the British and over time the Chinese because of the California gold rush. In time America was in habited with many different nationalities and ideas. These ideas were slowly but surely blended together. As for example, when the British shared their meal with the Indians they were also sharing their culture and food. The exchange of food and other ideas brought the two distant worlds closer. The more important ideas are what does all this exchanging of food and ideas symbolize? â€Å"A symbol is something such as an object, picture, written word, sound, or particular mark that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention†(Wikipedia, 1). The object used in Black Elk Speaks is a pipe, given to them by a â€Å"young and very beautiful† woman, which symbolizes trust and companionship. Now, my friend, let us smoke together so that there may be only good between us† (Black Elk Speaks, 5). Black Elk and Neihardt have a smoke together to share their friendship and trust between the two. The pipe can also symbolize peace amongst people and/or tribes. Another act, such as the killing of a bison, might be seen as bravery, integrity, courage, pride. The American culture changed drastically when more cultures were included, such as the Chinese and African Americans. Slaves brought in from Africa, which meant that they brought along their culture and tendencies to America. Even though slavery was not the right thing to do, it brought a new culture into America and made it more diverse and â€Å"developed. † For example, superstitions are something that has shaped the culture as well. Spilled salt, walking under a ladder, a broken mirror, etc. are all superstitions that are said to lead to bad luck. When someone does one of these things they believe that bad luck is upon them. This causes them to act in a different way. Something bad in the future happens they may turn and blame it on the bad luck. Maybe some of the things that happen are just coincidences but culture has taught us to believe that it was the bad luck caused by the spilled salt, broken mirror, or walking under a ladder. Another big symbol in Black Elk Speaks is the four ribbons tied to the pipe that Black Elk and Neihardt smoke. It represents the powers of the four quarters of the universe. There are four ribbons tired to the pipe and each ribbon is a different color, which symbolizes a different power. Black is for the west, the source of the rain; red is for the east, the place of the morning star that gives wisdom; white is for the north, source of cleansing wind; and yellow is for the south, the places of summer and growth. Myths are another big thing that shapes a culture. Black Elk’s visions are like the myths in this story. In his vision, a bay horse greets Black Elk. He then tells Black Elk that he will tell him a story of the life history of himself. The horse walks in a circular motion â€Å"‘Behold me! ’ he said, ‘My life-history you shall see. ’†¦ ‘Behold them! Their history you shall know’† (Black Elk Speaks, 19). Each side that the horse goes to there are twelve horses that are each in a group of different colors. The horses to the north are white, those to the east are sorrel, those to the south are buckskin, and the ones to the west are black. The horses will take Black Elk to his Grandfathers. The sky fills with dancing horses that change into diverse creators and lead a formation of the horses from the four directions. They arrive at a cloud those changes into a tepee with a rainbow door, which inside the six Grandfathers are waiting. A myth is like a traditional story which usually contains some sort of hero or event. In this myth, the vision that Black Elk is having, is an event that is occurring. A bay horse appears in front of him and shows him the way to meet the six Grandfathers. Sometimes myths may sound like a fairy tale. For example, in ancient China, there was once this monkey that was very troublesome and cause destruction to the heavens. He was punished and put under a mountain. After about several hundred to a thousand years a monk comes along to save the monkey and there starts a journey of adventures and evil to obtain immortality. This is a myth because it is a legend of a hero that is punished for his crimes and therefore pays his debt by serving under his master. There are many aspects of a culture. The American culture is very diverse and tough to explain in one short answer. There is no true American culture because it is just a mixture of different cultures from around the world. Black Elk Speaks shows the forms of myths and symbols and how they contribute to American culture. Black Elk’s myths and symbols are very similar to those of the American culture.

Market Segmentation And Product Positioning Marketing Essay

Market Segmentation And Product Positioning Marketing Essay The student is required to prepare a 4-5 page research plan to support introducing the Product and Service for Your Marketing Plan to the U.S. market. In addition to stating your marketing objectives, the student is required to: 1. Identify the marketing segment for the product and explain why this segment was selected; 2. Discuss the target market and why these customers will be targeted; 3. Conduct a SWOT (strengths, weakness, opportunities and treats) analysis for the company; 4. Describe the market position for your product and service. Mobile News Games LLC (MNG) to develop mobile games related to current news events. The marketing plan, their market segments and strategies to get customers and they strive to create a solid revenue stream looks like. They just do not any mobile game developer. They make games news thread a unique focus for their customers to enjoy new mobile games store offering gives us an edge over competitors. This is not just traditional gamers, but full of need to read what people tend to use more mobile unique angle, they are happy to play the game is to expand their reach. They offer consulting services to companies that create mobile games for marketing purposes to those who are looking for similar games by creating their own games to finance development. These consulting advertising sponsorship relationships that they have come to companies in their brand, and other games offer more and more interested in embedding a custom that they can offer the game as some would have been established. 3 during the first year they have been a large part of their income is expected to hear. Market segmentation Games for mobile users and organizations who want to reach them: They segment on two areas. Both areas are savvy customers with computers and mobile phones and enjoy the creative experience. 1. Mobile Game Users There are two types of customers that determine the population of mobile gamers: adolescents (including adolescents) and young adults in this trade are for young people under age 18 and over, because they are considered young adults in the general population and the right. The main difference between the segments of the population gives money to the game store. Free mobile games: They offer morning version of the game for free trimmed so that users can play all the taste without any money .Some free versions are available, and some advertising in strategic locations in the game so that users do not bother or interfere with the ads are displayed. For example, beverage companies can pay for support and they can enter their name (trappable) clickable which looks as if it were part of their game. Paid mobile games: They paid mobile games contains a collection of more extensive features. Prices range between $ 1.99 and $ 4.99 in order to create very little resistance to price for customers. Games also paid through sponsored ad clicks (tappable) embedded within the game monetized. Games available via instant download their appropriate Platform mobile (eg, Appstore Apple iPhone) Target market segment strategy Their strategy is focused on developing a set of libraries containing features of the basic game that can be combined to create new games. After launching the first series of games, they are in regular contact with their customers via the Internet numerous ways, including social media and email marketing to stay. After creating this library and games, they will be able to market quickly turning to consulting services for organizations that want their ads to play as. Target Market: Mobile Game Users Mobile games when they have a connection to news and current events. They publish new games within two weeks of important news. For example, if a politician involved in a scandal that they leverage architectures of their game now and customize it with the names of those involved in the scandal and even make funny spoof of interactive events. If a celebrity makes a stupid comment, their library features in a game that pokes fun at their celebrity access. Find mobile phone market knows playing games that interact with them feel the power and enthusiasm, allowing them to life in some way, users of this section is also limited financial capacity. Often, teenagers of their own money to buy their game from his parents, who can be a gift or grant to pay or find a job. Very often, these customers talk about any game they enjoy, including strategies for playing and winning. They also have online forums and discussion groups to gather information and advice to help other businesses or to read them to find new challenges. In addition, they benefit from high score is available in a public environment for the players are mentioned. They intend to provide the general framework allowing the customer to upload their scores on their website for each game. Highest score will be displayed, giving players worldwide rights to brag. Therefore, the word of mouth potential for the game is explosive manner. Target Market: Organizations Who Want to Reach Youth and Young Adults Users of mobile games are composed of young people. Since the youth and young adult population is so big, it is also very lucrative. Countless products are targeting this population, manufacturers of soft drinks to clothing designers hair product companies there. This can also be employed, which can be for military service or other tasks will have been formed. Companies currently spend millions of dollars in the market to this group regularly for newer, more creative ways to reach this market, strengthen its brand and products for sale. Organizations that want to reach the men (and women, though less than their customer is not defined) between 13 and 25 Realize that this group has a lot of spending power. This age group is that saving money is not used so they typically spend a lot of what they earn. Senior vice president and marketing organization want to reach this market and need to do this catchy, creative ways. Much to fear from the older generation, teenagers and young adults are reading less and spending more time in front of the screen, whether television, computer or mobile phone with a variety of applications. Deputy CMO or need to reach their target market hangs out there. They usually have big budgets to spend on marketing and are afraid to try new things. SWOT Analysis Strengths: This the one of the most personal channel available for marketing the product Freedom of channel because there are 260million mobile user all over the country and 3.5 billion all over the world Now a day many retailer and marketers are realizing the needs of mobile presence. Weaknesses Most of user do not have an ideal mobile screen size ,key pad and slow network problems User are not aware of games on mobiles Opportunities: Gives legs to the other channels stores, online, television, radio, print and billboards Mobile is the future not now marketing database. Marketers should loyalty program with the supplements online and offline Benefit from marketing dollars from television, radio, print and more than measurable, Media ROI is driven, aka, the Internet and mobile phone set Threats: People may not use these games because they think that they are part of marketing strategies Privacy legislation, security, unsolicited messages, location-based ads, advertising and children to mislead users to enforce security Market position Market share is the portion or percentage of sales of a particular product or service in a given region that are controlled by a company. These kinds of games are quite new to enter in the market so they are not having any strong position in the market but with the passage of time it will gain a larger market share Recommendation: Company must realize its weakness and convert them into opportunities. Secondly they must not over coulter their games with ads and other things

Food Consumption in America :: Health Nutrition Diet Exercise Essays

Food Consumption    Not all people eat the same food, but there are some connections between who people eat with and what types of food they eat. Throughout life, people live with different people or alone and they eat different food. Most people live with their family when they are young, then move out and live on their own, then sometimes get married and have their own family, and then live once again on their own or with their spouse.    While living at home, parents usually make food for their children. They make dinner for the family, and it is usually healthy. The children eat fairly healthy because even when they make food for themselves, the food in the house is probably fairly healthy. Not only do the children eat pretty healthy, the parent or parents do too. They make meals for the family and they mostly have all food groups included. They can prepare a lot of food and most of it will get eaten. For example, a parent can make a bag of frozen vegetables, and most of it will get eaten by the family. If a person living on their own wanted vegetables, the bag would have more servings than needed. When someoneà ­s food is prepared for them, they will be very willing to eat it and they will not need to do any work themselves.    When children move away from home and go to school, the school cafeteria makes food for them. This food is made for many people and there is a large variety. Overall it is healthy and people eat it because it is good, but mostly because it is prepared for them.    When children move away from home and do not go to school but live on their own, they do not always eat very healthy. No one makes food for them, and they do not want to take a lot of time to prepare food for just themselves. Also, they do not want to make a large amount of food for just one person and have too much food left over. This is true for anyone who lives on their own. People who live alone only need to make enough for one person, and they always need to make it themselves unless they go out to eat.

Indentity Loss Essay -- essays research papers

In The Odyssey and The English Patient the main character, Odysseus and Almasy, suffer from a form of identity loss and try to regain it. They both regain their identity through the help of other people. Every person that stumbles across a piece of their past helps them regain a piece of their identity. Because he cannot remember Almasy must get help remembering his past from the people around him. One of his first memories came from the book â€Å"he brought with him through the fire- a copy of the Histories by Herodotus† (Ondaatje pg 16). Hana reads some of the notes that he had written in the book; she reads of the different winds â€Å"the ---, the secret wind of the desert, whose name was erased by a king after his son died within it. And the nafhat—a blast out of Arabia† (Ondaatje pg16-17). Before Hana had read this passage Almasy couldn’t tell her the name of the tribe that had helped him after his plane crashed. â€Å"The Bedouin were keeping me alive for a reason†(Ondaatje pg 18); Almasy was able to recall what had happened to him and who had helped him. Hana had stumbled on a passage that helped Almasy remember what had happened. Odysseus comes across a piece of his identity in a different way. He goes to the island of Kalypso and she promises him that she will make him a god. The challenge that she put on Odysseus was to go to the island of the dead. Once he was at the island of the dead Odysseus realized that he did was not dead and he wasn’t a god, this meant he was somewhere ...

Reinforcement and Employees Essay

Q3. What tools does Walmart use to motivate employees? How might a lack of motivation affect associates and how should managers respond? Give me a W! Give me an A! Give me an L! Give me a squiggly! Give me an M! Give an A! Give me an R! Give me a T! What’s that spell? Walmart! Whose Walmart is it? It’s my Walmart ! Who’s number one? The customer! Always! The good times continue at Walmart, and so do hard work and achievement. For many employees, seeing peers rewarded for a job well done proves highly motivational. Executives at Walmart refer to the company as one big family. There are no grunts or gophers –no employee, no matter how new, is thought of as low person on the totem. According to the company’s â€Å"open door† policy, all associates are encouraged to speak freely, share concerns, and express ideas for improving daily operations. In return, they can expect managers to treat all discussions fairly with an open mind. The policy is ri ght out of Walton’s playbook. â€Å"Listen to your associates,† Walton urged. â€Å"They’re the best idea generators.† The founder’s wisdom is routinely reaffirmed through the oft-repeated quote that â€Å"nothing constructive happens in Bentonville† – a reference to Walton headquarters. In Walton’s grass – roots ethic, local employees are the ones most likely to produce fresh ideas. One significant way managers can meet higher motivational needs is to shift power down from the top of organization and share it with employees to enable them to achieve goals. Empowerment is power sharing, the delegation of power or authority to subordinates in an organization. Increasing employee motivation for task accomplishment because people improve their own effectiveness, choosing how to do a task and using their creativity. Empowerment is one way managers promote self- reinforcement and self- efficacy, as defined in the discussion of social learning. Empowering employees involves giving them four elements that enable them to act more freely accomplish their jobs: information knowledge, power, and rewards. First of all, employees receive information about company performance. In companies where employees are fully empowered, all employees have access to all financial and operational information. Secondly, employees have knowledge and skills to contribute to company goals. Companies use training programs and other development tools to help people acquire the knowledge and skills they need to contribute to organizational performance. The third motivation is employees have the power to make substantive decision. Empowered employees have the authority to directly influence work procedures and organizational performance, such as through quality circles or self- directed work teams. And last but not least, employees are rewarded based on company performance. Organizations that empower workers often reward them based on the results shown in the company’s bottom line. Organizations may also use other motivational compensation programs described in Exhibit 16.8 to tie employee efforts to company performance. Exhibit 16.8 Many of today’s organizations are implementing empowerment programs, but they are empowering workers to varying degrees. At some companies, empowerment means encouraging workers’ idea while managers retain final authority for decisions; at others it means giving employees almost complete freedom and power to make decisions and exercise initiative and imagination. Current methods of empowerment fall along a continuum, as illustrated in exhibit 16.9 . The continuum runs from situation in which front- line workers have almost no discretion, such as on a traditional assembly line, to full empowerment, where workers even participate in formulating organizational strategy. Exhibit 16.9 Perhaps the most important things managers can do to enhance organizational communication and dialogue can encourage people to communicate honestly with one another. Subordinates will feel free to transmit negative as well as positive message to managers without fear of retribution. Efforts to develop interpersonal skills among employees can also foster openness, honesty, and trust. Second, managers should develop and use formal communication channels in all direction. Scandinavian Designs uses two newsletters to reach employees. Dana Holding Corporation developed the â€Å"Here a Thought† board- called a HAT rack- to get ideas and feedback from workers. Other techniques include direct mail, bulletin boards, blogs, and employee surveys. Third, managers should encourage the use of multiple channels including both formal and informal communications. Multiple communication channels include written directives, face- to- face discussions, and the grapevine. For example, managers at GM’s Packard Electric plant use multimedia, including a monthly newspaper, frequent meeting of employees’ teams and an electronic news display in the cafeteria. Sending messages through multiple channels increases the likelihood that they will be properly received. Fourth, the structure should fit communication needs. An organization can be designed to use teams, task forces, project managers, or matrix structure as needed to facilitate the horizontal flow of information for coordination and problem solving. Structure should also reflect information need. When team or department task are difficult, a decentralized structure should be implemented to encourage discussion and participation. Empowerment is the process of distributing decision-making power throughout an organization. It is a process which enables employees to set personal work goals, make minor decisions and to solve conflicts by using their personal authority. Team Bonuses, in situations in which employees should cooperate with each other and isolating employee performance is more difficult, companies are increasingly resorting to tying employee pay to team performance. For example, in 2007, Wal-Mart gave bonuses to around 80% of their associates based on store performance. If empl oyees have a reasonable ability to influence their team’s performance level, these programs may be effective. One way Wal-Mart facilitates respect for an individual is through an open-door policy that allows employees of all levels to communicate with managers in higher levels of the company. This open-door policy is also a way of keeping unions from forming in the company. The philosophy is that when employees have avenues for expressing their complaints and problems, there will be no reason to have union representatives (Cray, 2000; Slater, 2003). However, people may question how effective this policy is, because employees still attempt to form unions. Walton also believed in the importance of having a clear flow of communication with his workers, claiming that the more information they received the harder they would work for him. â€Å"The more they know, the more they’ll understand,† he said. â€Å"The more they understand, the more they’ll care. Once they care, there’s no stopping them.† To Walton, the free flow of information between him and his worke rs demonstrated the trust and respect he had for them. Without that trust, Walton felt he could not succeed. â€Å"Information is power, and the gain you get from empowering your associates more than offsets the risk of informing your competitor,† he said. For Walton, the bottom line was to appreciate his workers and to make them feel valued. He knew that a paycheck and stock options alone would not guarantee loyalty or hard work. Instead, he realized the importance of making sure his workers knew they were appreciated. â€Å"Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen, well-timed, sincere words of praise,† he said. â€Å"They’re absolutely free – and worth a fortune.† By having motivated and loyal employees, Walton could then use them as his secret weapon. â€Å"The folks on the front lines – the ones who actually talk to the customer – are the only ones who really know what’s going on out there,† he said. By listening to his workers and their ideas, Walton could stay on top of his game; â€Å"This really is what total quality is about.† Listen to everyone in your practice/team. Obviously your team is a lot smaller than Wal-Mart, but Sam’s tactic of figu ring out ways to get â€Å"front line† people talking holds true for advisors. You can gain a lot of insight into your clients, and it will help strengthen relationships with support personnel. And yes, listen to your clients too. continuous communication is the most important thing to remember. Change usually causes fear about different things. Communication must be very open, honest and encouraging. It also has to cover all the parties involved in the change. Happy employees mean happy customers. Walton admitted that initially he was so stingy and did not give good pay to his employees. But eventually he realized that he should give a larger payment to his employees because they are considered as â€Å"business partners†. According to Walton, who treated the way management is the same business partner in a way that applied to the consumer. If the business partner treats their customers well then the consumer will come again and again therein lies the advantage and business success. Walton also often visited his shop and asked for their opinions, especially employees who are on the front lines, those who actually faced and talking with customers, as people who know the real situation on the ground. Management’s number one goal with their employees is to make working at Wal-Mart fun and rewarding. They even have their own cheer to boost associates morale and organizational spirit (Wal-Mart, 2008). â€Å"Who’s Wal-Mart? It is my Wal-Mart† (Wal-Mart, 2008). This is the type of leadership styles that all organizations need to use. This style makes employees want to come to work everyday and they feel secure knowing that they are working for a great organization. Wal-Mart is like one big family and like to make their associates feel like they are an important part of keeping the doors open for everyone. If Walmart this organization are lack of motivation it’ll affects associates also called employees. Lack of motivation equates to less work being accomplished. Productivity does not disappear; it is usually transferred to aspects not related to the organization’s work. Things like personal conversations, Internet surfing or taking longer lunches cost the organization time and money. Reduced productivity can be detrimental to an organization’s performance and future success. Low employee motivation could be due to decreased success of the organization, negative effects from the economy or drastic changes or uncertainty within the organization. No matter what the cause, having the reputation of having an unpleasant work environment due to low employee motivation will ultimately impact how existing and potential clients or partners view working with an organization. A reputation can precede an organization and dictate its future in the industry. The reinforcement approach employee motivation sidesteps the issue of employee needs and thinking processes described in the content and process theories. Reinforcement theory simply looks at the relationship between behavior and its consequences. It focuses on changing or modifying employees’ on –the-job behavior through the appropriate use of immediate rewards and punishments. Behavior modification is the name given to the set of techniques by which reinforcement theory is used to modify human behavior. The basic assumption underlying behavior modification is the law of effect, which states that behavior that is positively reinforced tends to be repeated, and behavior that is not reinforced tends not to be repeated. Reinforcement is defined as anything that causes a certain behavior to be repeated or inhibited. The four reinforcement tools are positive reinforcement, avoidance learning, punishment, and extinction, as summarized in exhibit16.6 Positive reinforcement is the administration of a pleasant and rewarding consequence following a desired behavior, such as praise for an employee who arrives on time or does a little extra work. Research shows that positive reinforcement does help to improve performance. Moreover, nonfinancial reinforcement such as positive feedback, social recognition, and attention are just as effective as financial incentives. One study of employees at fast- food drive- thru windows, for example, found that performance feedback and supervisor recognition had a significant effect on increasing the incidence of â€Å"up- selling† or asking customers to increase their order. Montage Hotels &resorts, known for its culture of gracious yet humble service, uses a variety of employee recognition programs to positively reinforce employees for providing exceptional service. CEO Alan J. Fuerstman says â€Å"it’s simple psychology. People commit more acts of kindness when they are appreciated f or them.† Avoidance learning is the removal of an unpleasant consequence once a behavior is improved, theory encouraging and strengthening the desired behavior. Avoidance learning is sometimes called negative reinforcement. The idea is that people will change a specific behavior to avoid the undesired result that behavior provokes. As a simple example, a supervisor who constantly reminds or nags an employee who is goofing off on the factory floor and stops the nagging when the employee stops goofing off is applying avoidance learning. Punishment is the imposition of unpleasant outcomes on an employee. Punishment typically occurs following undesirable behavior. For example, a supervisor may berate an employee for performing a task incorrectly. The supervisor expects that the negative outcome will serve as a punishment and reduce the likelihood of the behavior recurring. The use of punishment in organization is controversial and often criticized because it fails to indicate the correct behavior. However, almost all managers report that they find it necessary to occasionally impose forms of punishment ranging from verbal reprimands to employee suspensions or firings. Extinction is the withholding of a positive reward. Whereas with punishment, the supervisor imposes an unpleasant outcome such as a reprimand, extinction involves withholding praise or other positive outcomes. With extinction, undesirable behavior is essentially ignored. The idea is that behavior that is not positively reinforced will gradually disappear A New York Times reporter wrote a humorous article about how she learned to stop nagging and instead use reinforcement theory to shape her husband’s behavior after studying how professionals train animals. When her husband did something she liked such as throw a dirty shirt in the hamper, she would use positive reinforcement, thanking him or giving him a hug and a kiss. Undesirable behaviors, such as throwing dirty clothes on the floor, on the other hand, were simply ignored, applying the principle of extinction. Reward and punishment motivational practices based on the reinforcement theory dominate organizations. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, 84 percent of all companies in the United States offer some type of monetary or non- monetary reward system, and 69 percent offer incentive pay, such as bonuses, bases on an employee’s performance. However, in other studies, more than 80 percent of employers with incentive programs have reported that their programs are only somewhat successful or working at all. Despite the testimonies of organizations that enjoy successful incentive programs, criticism of these â€Å"carrot- and- stick† methods is growing, as discussed in the Manager’s Shoptalk. If rewards and motivation are failed to fulfill the employees the manager of Walmart should apply some positive reinforcement in order to safe the situation. Positive reinforcement is the practice of rewarding desirable employee behavior in order to strengthen that behavior. For example, when you praise an employee for doing a good job, you increase the likelihood of him/her doing that job very well again. Positive reinforcement both shapes behavior and enhances an employee’s self-image. Recognizing and rewarding desirable employee behavior is the essential key to motivating employees to work more productively. This method will reap many benefits, first it clearly defines and communicates expected behaviors and strengthens the connection between high performance and rewards. It reinforces an employee’s behavior immediately after learning a new technique and promotes quick, thorough learning. It motivates effective workers to continue to do good work. Lack of reinforcement leads to job dissatisfaction. It increases productivity by rewarding workers who conserve time and materials. Employees who are rewarded after they successfully perform feel self-confident and become eager to learn new techniques, take advanced training, and accept more re sponsibility. Rewarding employees who suggest improved work procedures will produce more innovation – if you create a relaxed work environment, reward new ideas and tolerate innovative failures. Employees who receive recognition for their achievements are more enthusiastic about their work, more cooperative, and more open to change. Besides that, when you show appreciation and reward employees for good work, you’ll be able to increase their job commitment and organizational loyalty. In conclusion, giving positive reinforcement does not mean that what is done incorrectly by an employee is to be ignored. Instead, it means to recognize what portion of the work was done correctly first, then follow-up with what can be done better the next time and why the performance or work result was not quite what was expected. If this means the manager must take some of the blame for not giving detailed instructions for the desired behavior or result, they should do so in an apologetic manner and then proceed to explain how the manager personally will try to do better. This is an excellent time for the manager to let the employee know they still have faith in them but need their help and cooperation by their asking questions if the manager’s instructions are not clear. This allows both the employee and manager to get better at communication, which results in improved task completion. Remember mangers need to give positive results first, then follow-up with what improvements are needed, apologize if necessary, and then reinforce what was done right again. When working the improvement or follow-up statement do not use the word â€Å"but† as this word often negates anything said before it and the employee may stop listening as they know a negative is coming next.

A Game of Thrones Chapter Twenty-five

Eddard Lord Arryn's death was a great sadness for all of us, my lord,† Grand Maester Pycelle said. â€Å"I would be more than happy to tell you what I can of the manner of his passing. Do be seated. Would you care for refreshments? Some dates, perhaps? I have some very fine persimmons as well. Wine no longer agrees with my digestion, I fear, but I can offer you a cup of iced milk, sweetened with honey. I find it most refreshing in this heat.† There was no denying the heat; Ned could feel the silk tunic clinging to his chest. Thick, moist air covered the city like a damp woolen blanket, and the riverside had grown unruly as the poor fled their hot, airless warrens to jostle for sleeping places near the water, where the only breath of wind was to be found. â€Å"That would be most kind,† Ned said, seating himself. Pycelle lifted a tiny silver bell with thumb and forefinger and tinkled it gently. A slender young serving girl hurried into the solar. â€Å"Iced milk for the King's Hand and myself, if you would be so kind, child. Well sweetened.† As the girl went to fetch their drinks, the Grand Maester knotted his fingers together and rested his hands on his stomach. â€Å"The smallfolk say that the last year of summer is always the hottest. It is not so, yet ofttimes it feels that way, does it not? On days like this, I envy you northerners your summer snows.† The heavy jeweled chain around the old man's neck chinked softly as he shifted in his seat. â€Å"To be sure, King Maekar's summer was hotter than this one, and near as long. There were fools, even in the Citadel, who took that to mean that the Great Summer had come at last, the summer that never ends, but in the seventh year it broke suddenly, and we had a short autumn and a terrible long winter. Still, the heat was fierce while it lasted. Oldtown steamed and sweltered by day and came alive only by night. We would walk in the gardens by the river and argue about the gods. I remember the smells of those nights, my lord—perfume and sweat, melons ripe to b ursting, peaches and pomegranates, nightshade and moonbloom. I was a young man then, still forging my chain. The heat did not exhaust me as it does now.† Pycelle's eyes were so heavily lidded he looked half-asleep. â€Å"My pardons, Lord Eddard. You did not come to hear foolish meanderings of a summer forgotten before your father was born. Forgive an old man his wanderings, if you would. Minds are like swords, I do fear. The old ones go to rust. Ah, and here is our milk.† The serving girl placed the tray between them, and Pycelle gave her a smile. â€Å"Sweet child.† He lifted a cup, tasted, nodded. â€Å"Thank you. You may go.† When the girl had taken her leave, Pycelle peered at Ned through pale, rheumy eyes. â€Å"Now where were we? Oh, yes. You asked about Lord Arryn . . . â€Å" â€Å"I did.† Ned sipped politely at the iced milk. It was pleasantly cold, but oversweet to his taste. â€Å"If truth be told, the Hand had not seemed quite himself for some time,† Pycelle said. â€Å"We had sat together on council many a year, he and I, and the signs were there to read, but I put them down to the great burdens he had borne so faithfully for so long. Those broad shoulders were weighed down by all the cares of the realm, and more besides. His son was ever sickly, and his lady wife so anxious that she would scarcely let the boy out of her sight. It was enough to weary even a strong man, and the Lord Jon was not young. Small wonder if he seemed melancholy and tired. Or so I thought at the time. Yet now I am less certain.† He gave a ponderous shake of his head. â€Å"What can you tell me of his final illness?† The Grand Maester spread his hands in a gesture of helpless sorrow. â€Å"He came to me one day asking after a certain book, as hale and healthy as ever, though it did seem to me that something was troubling him deeply. The next morning he was twisted over in pain, too sick to rise from bed. Maester Colemon thought it was a chill on the stomach. The weather had been hot, and the Hand often iced his wine, which can upset the digestion. When Lord Jon continued to weaken, I went to him myself, but the gods did not grant me the power to save him.† â€Å"I have heard that you sent Maester Colemon away.† The Grand Maester's nod was as slow and deliberate as a glacier. â€Å"I did, and I fear the Lady Lysa will never forgive me that. Maybe I was wrong, but at the time I thought it best. Maester Colemon is like a son to me, and I yield to none in my esteem for his abilities, but he is young, and the young ofttimes do not comprehend the frailty of an older body. He was purging Lord Arryn with wasting potions and pepper juice, and I feared he might kill him.† â€Å"Did Lord Arryn say anything to you during his final hours?† Pycelle wrinkled his brow. â€Å"In the last stage of his fever, the Hand called out the name Robert several times, but whether he was asking for his son or for the king I could not say. Lady Lysa would not permit the boy to enter the sickroom, for fear that he too might be taken ill. The king did come, and he sat beside the bed for hours, talking and joking of times long past in hopes of raising Lord Jon's spirits. His love was fierce to see.† â€Å"Was there nothing else? No final words?† â€Å"When I saw that all hope had fled, I gave the Hand the milk of the poppy, so he should not suffer. Just before he closed his eyes for the last time, he whispered something to the king and his lady wife, a blessing for his son. The seed is strong, he said. At the end, his speech was too slurred to comprehend. Death did not come until the next morning, but Lord Jon was at peace after that. He never spoke again.† Ned took another swallow of milk, trying not to gag on the sweetness of it. â€Å"Did it seem to you that there was anything unnatural about Lord Arryn's death?† â€Å"Unnatural?† The aged maester's voice was thin as a whisper. â€Å"No, I could not say so. Sad, for a certainty. Yet in its own way, death is the most natural thing of all, Lord Eddard. Jon Arryn rests easy now, his burdens lifted at last.† â€Å"This illness that took him,† said Ned. â€Å"Had you ever seen its like before, in other men?† â€Å"Near forty years I have been Grand Maester of the Seven Kingdoms,† Pycelle replied. â€Å"Under our good King Robert, and Aerys Targaryen before him, and his father Jaehaerys the Second before him, and even for a few short months under Jaehaerys's father, Aegon the Fortunate, the Fifth of His Name. I have seen more of illness than I care to remember, my lord. I will tell you this: Every case is different, and every case is alike. Lord Jon's death was no stranger than any other.† â€Å"His wife thought otherwise.† The Grand Maester nodded. â€Å"I recall now, the widow is sister to your own noble wife. If an old man may be forgiven his blunt speech, let me say that grief can derange even the strongest and most disciplined of minds, and the Lady Lysa was never that. Since her last stillbirth, she has seen enemies in every shadow, and the death of her lord husband left her shattered and lost.† â€Å"So you are quite certain that Jon Arryn died of a sudden illness?† â€Å"I am,† Pycelle replied gravely. â€Å"If not illness, my good lord, what else could it be?† â€Å"Poison,† Ned suggested quietly. Pycelle's sleepy eyes flicked open. The aged maester shifted uncomfortably in his seat. â€Å"A disturbing thought. We are not the Free Cities, where such things are common. Grand Maester Aethelmure wrote that all men carry murder in their hearts, yet even so, the poisoner is beneath contempt.† He fell silent for a moment, his eyes lost in thought. â€Å"What you suggest is possible, my lord, yet I do not think it likely. Every hedge maester knows the common poisons, and Lord Arryn displayed none of the signs. And the Hand was loved by all. What sort of monster in man's flesh would dare to murder such a noble lord?† â€Å"I have heard it said that poison is a woman's weapon.† Pycelle stroked his beard thoughtfully. â€Å"It is said. Women, cravens . . . and eunuchs.† He cleared his throat and spat a thick glob of phelm onto the rushes. Above them, a raven cawed loudly in the rookery. â€Å"The Lord Varys was born a slave in Lys, did you know? Put not your trust in spiders, my lord.† That was scarcely anything Ned needed to be told; there was something about Varys that made his flesh crawl. â€Å"I will remember that, Maester. And I thank you for your help. I have taken enough of your time.† He stood. Grand Maester Pycelle pushed himself up from his chair slowly and escorted Ned to the door. â€Å"I hope I have helped in some small way to put your mind at ease. If there is any other service I might perform, you need only ask.† â€Å"One thing,† Ned told him. â€Å"I should be curious to examine the book that you lent Jon the day before he fell ill.† â€Å"I fear you would find it of little interest,† Pycelle said. â€Å"It was a ponderous tome by Grand Maester Malleon on the lineages of the great houses.† â€Å"Still, I should like to see it.† The old man opened the door. â€Å"As you wish. I have it here somewhere. When I find it, I shall have it sent to your chambers straightaway.† â€Å"You have been most courteous,† Ned told him. Then, almost as an afterthought, he said, â€Å"One last question, if you would be so kind. You mentioned that the king was at Lord Arryn's bedside when he died. I wonder, was the queen with him?† â€Å"Why, no,† Pycelle said. â€Å"She and the children were making the journey to Casterly Rock, in company with her father. Lord Tywin had brought a retinue to the city for the tourney on Prince Joffrey's name day, no doubt hoping to see his son Jaime win the champion's crown. In that he was sadly disappointed. It fell to me to send the queen word of Lord Arryn's sudden death. Never have I sent off a bird with a heavier heart.† â€Å"Dark wings, dark words,† Ned murmured. It was a proverb Old Nan had taught him as a boy. â€Å"So the fishwives say,† Grand Maester Pycelle agreed, â€Å"but we know it is not always so. When Maester Luwin's bird brought the word about your Bran, the message lifted every true heart in the castle, did it not?† â€Å"As you say, Maester.† â€Å"The gods are merciful.† Pycelle bowed his head. â€Å"Come to me as often as you like, Lord Eddard. I am here to serve.† Yes, Ned thought as the door swung shut, but whom? On the way back to his chambers, he came upon his daughter Arya on the winding steps of the Tower of the Hand, windmilling her arms as she struggled to balance on one leg. The rough stone had scuffed her bare feet. Ned stopped and looked at her. â€Å"Arya, what are you doing?† â€Å"Syrio says a water dancer can stand on one toe for hours.† Her hands flailed at the air to steady herself. Ned had to smile. â€Å"Which toe?† he teased. â€Å"Any toe,† Arya said, exasperated with the question. She hopped from her right leg to her left, swaying dangerously before she regained her balance. â€Å"Must you do your standing here?† he asked. â€Å"It's a long hard fall down these steps.† â€Å"Syrio says a water dancer never falls.† She lowered her leg to stand on two feet. â€Å"Father, will Bran come and live with us now?† â€Å"Not for a long time, sweet one,† he told her. â€Å"He needs to win his strength back.† Arya bit her lip. â€Å"What will Bran do when he's of age?† Ned knelt beside her. â€Å"He has years to find that answer, Arya. For now, it is enough to know that he will live.† The night the bird had come from Winterfell, Eddard Stark had taken the girls to the castle godswood, an acre of elm and alder and black cottonwood overlooking the river. The heart tree there was a great oak, its ancient limbs overgrown with smokeberry vines; they knelt before it to offer their thanksgiving, as if it had been a weirwood. Sansa drifted to sleep as the moon rose, Arya several hours later, curling up in the grass under Ned's cloak. All through the dark hours he kept his vigil alone. When dawn broke over the city, the dark red blooms of dragon's breath surrounded the girls where they lay. â€Å"I dreamed of Bran,† Sansa had whispered to him. â€Å"I saw him smiling.† â€Å"He was going to be a knight,† Arya was saying now. â€Å"A knight of the Kingsguard. Can he still be a knight?† â€Å"No,† Ned said. He saw no use in lying to her. â€Å"Yet someday he may be the lord of a great holdfast and sit on the king's council. He might raise castles like Brandon the Builder, or sail a ship across the SunsetSea, or enter your mother's Faith and become the High Septon.† But he will never run beside his wolf again, he thought with a sadness too deep for words, or lie with a woman, or hold his own son in his arms. Arya cocked her head to one side. â€Å"Can I be a king's councillor and build castles and become the High Septon?† â€Å"You,† Ned said, kissing her lightly on the brow, â€Å"will marry a king and rule his castle, and your sons will be knights and princes and lords and, yes, perhaps even a High Septon.† Arya screwed up her face. â€Å"No,† she said, â€Å"that's Sansa.† She folded up her right leg and resumed her balancing. Ned sighed and left her there. Inside his chambers, he stripped off his sweat-stained silks and sluiced cold water over his head from the basin beside the bed. Alyn entered as he was drying his face. â€Å"My lord,† he said, â€Å"Lord Baelish is without and begs audience.† â€Å"Escort him to my solar,† Ned said, reaching for a fresh tunic, the lightest linen he could find. â€Å"I'll see him at once.† Littlefinger was perched on the window seat when Ned entered, watching the knights of the Kingsguard practice at swords in the yard below. â€Å"If only old Selmy's mind were as nimble as his blade,† he said wistfully, â€Å"our council meetings would be a good deal livelier.† â€Å"Ser Barristan is as valiant and honorable as any man in King's Landing.† Ned had come to have a deep respect for the aged, white-haired Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. â€Å"And as tiresome,† Littlefinger added, â€Å"though I daresay he should do well in the tourney. Last year he unhorsed the Hound, and it was only four years ago that he was champion.† The question of who might win the tourney interested Eddard Stark not in the least. â€Å"Is there a reason for this visit, Lord Petyr, or are you here simply to enjoy the view from my window?† Littlefinger smiled. â€Å"I promised Cat I would help you in your inquiries, and so I have.† That took Ned aback. Promise or no promise, he could not find it in him to trust Lord Petyr Baelish, who struck him as too clever by half. â€Å"You have something for me?† â€Å"Someone,† Littlefinger corrected. â€Å"Four someones, if truth be told. Had you thought to question the Hand's servants?† Ned frowned. â€Å"Would that I could. Lady Arryn took her household back to the Eyrie.† Lysa had done him no favor in that regard. All those who had stood closest to her husband had gone with her when she fled: Jon's maester, his steward, the captain of his guard, his knights and retainers. â€Å"Most of her household,† Littlefinger said, â€Å"not all. A few remain. A pregnant kitchen girl hastily wed to one of Lord Renly's grooms, a stablehand who joined the City Watch, a potboy discharged from service for theft, and Lord Arryn's squire.† â€Å"His squire?† Ned was pleasantly surprised. A man's squire often knew a great deal of his comings and goings. â€Å"Ser Hugh of the Vale,† Littlefinger named him. â€Å"The king knighted the boy after Lord Arryn's death.† â€Å"I shall send for him,† Ned said. â€Å"And the others.† Littlefinger winced. â€Å"My lord, step over here to the window, if you would be so kind.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Come, and I'll show you, my lord.† Frowning, Ned crossed to the window. Petyr Baelish made a casual gesture. â€Å"There, across the yard, at the door of the armory, do you see the boy squatting by the steps honing a sword with an oilstone?† â€Å"What of him?† â€Å"He reports to Varys. The Spider has taken a great interest in you and all your doings.† He shifted in the window seat. â€Å"Now glance at the wall. Farther west, above the stables. The guardsman leaning on the ramparts?† Ned saw the man. â€Å"Another of the eunuch's whisperers?† â€Å"No, this one belongs to the queen. Notice that he enjoys a fine view of the door to this tower, the better to note who calls on you. There are others, many unknown even to me. The Red Keep is full of eyes. Why do you think I hid Cat in a brothel?† Eddard Stark had no taste for these intrigues. â€Å"Seven hells,† he swore. It did seem as though the man on the walls was watching him. Suddenly uncomfortable, Ned moved away from the window. â€Å"Is everyone someone's informer in this cursed city?† â€Å"Scarcely,† said Littlefinger. He counted on the fingers on his hand. â€Å"Why, there's me, you, the king . . . although, come to think on it, the king tells the queen much too much, and I'm less than certain about you.† He stood up. â€Å"Is there a man in your service that you trust utterly and completely?† â€Å"Yes,† said Ned. â€Å"In that case, I have a delightful palace in Valyria that I would dearly love to sell you,† Littlefinger said with a mocking smile. â€Å"The wiser answer was no, my lord, but be that as it may. Send this paragon of yours to Ser Hugh and the others. Your own comings and goings will be noted, but even Varys the Spider cannot watch every man in your service every hour of the day.† He started for the door. â€Å"Lord Petyr,† Ned called after him. â€Å"I . . . am grateful for your help. Perhaps I was wrong to distrust you.† Littlefinger fingered his small pointed beard. â€Å"You are slow to learn, Lord Eddard. Distrusting me was the wisest thing you've done since you climbed down off your horse.†

Building, Tasking, and Empowering Teams

While building a cross functional team, I am interested in analyzing a candidate’s skill level, background, expertise, and previous success dealing with product development. In order to handle a self-managed work team, I would provide relative details for the product’s deadline, dates of launch, and other important facts so the team can work together to develop the proper course of action. As the manager, I would practice the art of self-managing the team from a distance unless there is a conflict of interest.The interest of R&D and marketing may be different from that of the manufacturing and R&D departments. The recent build in SMWT breaks the barriers of the diversity pool, but their findings are still valid to a degree. The increase in intragroup task conflict arises once a diverse group capitalizes their initial tasks of granting credentials or age, tenure, and expertise into the work environment (Jassawalla & Sashittal, 1999, p. 53). For example, Team A and B allo ws open forums for discussion of the project’s progress whereas Teams X and Y have intragroup conflicts (Jassawalla & Sashittal, 1999, 55).A cross functional group can develop the overall tasks to be done because a plan must be assembled before action is taken. The dynamics of a cross functional group depends on their capabilities to complete tasks through a detailed outline associated with the desired outcomes. It is very important to utilize research data to formulate the appropriate answers for potential problems they may experience throughout the project (Metlay & Kaplan, 1995, p. 54).These milestones can help the planning committee in making preventive methods to counter each issue one by one. Many cross functional groups use practical procedures and policies to utilize all of the resources for a good reason. One must recognize the significance of a complete, factual plan because the basis of each project must have data or statistics to back up the departments’ de sired outcomes (Metlay & Kaplan, 1995, p. 56). If a manager restricts employee discussion, there is a possibility that the workers are unsatisfied with the functions of the group.Further reviews analyze the different communications styles available: assertiveness, ingratiation, rationality, exchange, upward appeals, and coalition. The five communication distinctions employ various employee empowerment styles that enable the manager’s workers to voice opinions in subtle ways. The firm’s ability to allow the team to help in the decision-making process evolved the motives of each worker. Some employees prefer the upward appeal method because it deals with flattery of skills and unique talents.Others are interested in the assertiveness of their employees because it shows their ability to adapt or acquire more information regarding their work. Continued efforts should be implemented in the cross functional group’s structure to produce high-quality responses from the team (Jassawalla & Sashittal, 1999, 60). The self-managed work teams allow managers more time to focus on the manager’s vision than on how to instruct team of their role (Metlay & Kaplan, 1995, p. 55).Employees gain a different perspective on the role in which they must play in the cross functional group. On each account, both parties capitalize on their new communication models to push the cross functional group in a more, profound direction. References Cited Jassawalla, A. R. & Sashittal, H. C. (1999, Aug. ). Building collaborative cross-functional new product teams. The Academy of Management Executive, 13(3), p. 50. Metlay, E. F, & Kaplan, etc. , (Metlay & Kaplan, 1995). Self-managing work teams: Do they really work? HR. Human Resource Planning, 18(2), p. 53.

General relativity Essay

For many years time travel was the stuff of science fiction. This was all just part of the world’s imagination until recently. Scientists now believe that the current laws of physics allow us to travel though time. They believe that we can now travel back to see our founding fathers sign the declaration of independence. We could travel to 2999 to witness the birth of the next new millennium. Such travel would require a machine capable of withstanding great pressures and incredible amounts of speed. The act of actually traveling though time is for the most part, agreed upon, but the implications of such travel is not so decided upon. Many different theorists have different views of what could happen and some go, as far as to say that if we did travel to the past, we would end up in a different universe that is a replica of this one. One of the most basic concepts is that of Dilation, a stretching of something. Some scientists believe that the main gateway to the past or future is a wormhole. Einstein’s general relativity theory explains about universal constants, this is important to understand the concepts of travel at light speed. Traveling to the past could create problems if someone tried to change something. This is a paradox. A few of these paradoxes are explained through the use of quantum mechanics. Sailing though the cosmos at the speed of light with no time passing us by, moving throughout time to witness the ancient Egyptians create their masterpieces. This is an exciting concept that we could actually formulate and make happen. Before the time of Einstein, Newton and other great investigators thought of space as an infinite expanse in which all things exist (Hewitt 213). We are in space and we live in it along with all of the planets and stars. It was never clear if the universe exists in space or space exists in the universe. Dose space exists outside the universe or only within the bounds of it. The similar question, does the universe exist only in time or does time only exist in the universe? Was there time before the universe, and will there be time after it ceases to exist? â€Å"Einstein’s answer to this is that time and space only exist within the universe. There is no time or space ? outside. ‘(Hewitt 213)† Einstein said that space and time are two separate parts of a whole called space-time (Hewitt 213). To understand this, consider our present knowledge. We move though time at the rate of 24 hours per day. This is only half the story though. To get the other half we have to convert our thinking from moving though time to moving though space-time (Hewitt 213). When we move, we not only move through space, we move though time. This is the idea of space-time. If a person were to stand still, they would be moving only though time. If they moved a little bit, they would be moving though space a little bit, but still mostly though time. If one were to travel at the speed of light, what changes would they experience in time? The answer is simple; they would be traveling through space, with no travel though time (Hewitt 214). They would be as ageless as light, for light travels though space only (not time) and is timeless. > The frame of reference of a photon, a particle of light, a trip across the universe would take no time at all (Hewitt 214). To understand how traveling though time would work, we must first understand how time and space can be stretched. Motion in space affects motion in time. Whenever we move through space, we to some degree alter our rate of motion in time. This is known as time dilation, a stretching of time that occurs ever so slightly for everyday speeds, but significantly for speeds approaching the speed of light. If we were to attempt to travel to the nearest star, Alpha Centauri, which is 4 light years away, even traveling at the speed of light would take 8 years round trip (Hewitt 228). The center of our galaxies is something like 30000 light years away and at the speed of light would take 30000 years to get there. We could not possibly survive that long. These arguments fail to take in to account of time dilation though. Time for a stationary observer on earth and for an astronaut on a spaceship of high velocity is different. A person’s heart beats to the rhythm of the realm it is in. One realm of time seems the same as any other to the person in the realms, but not to an observer outside that realm that can see the difference. As an example, astronauts traveling at 99% the speed of light could make a trip to the star Procyon that is 11. 4 light-years away in 23 earth years round trip (Hewitt 229). Because of time dilation, it would seem that only 3 years passed for the astronauts, there clocks would be 3 years older; they would be biologically only 3 years older (Hewitt 229). It would be the mission control people that would appear to be 23 years older. The question is why dose this happen. Let’s say that we are in our hometown, looking at the grandfather clock that is in the center of town. The clock reads 12:00 noon. Light from the sun bounces off the face of the clock and hits our eyes. We then turn our head and the light misses us and travels off into space. In space, there is a space ship that is traveling at the speed of light. An astronaut looks out his passenger-side window and sees the reflection of the clock. It reads 12:00 noon. As he continues to move at the speed of light, he keeps up with the reflected face of the clock. In the space ship time would pass as normal, but time in the universe would have seemed to stop. This might sound like cosmic bologna but the idea has been proven. In 1975 Professor Carl Tllie of the University of Maryland tested this theory using two synchronized atomic clocks (Brian par2). One clock was placed on a plain and flown for several hours while he other clock stayed on the ground. Upon landing, the clock on the plain was a little slower than the one on the ground. This was not due to experimental error, for the same test was done several times and each time yielded the same results. Because of time dilation travel in to the distance future is a definite possibility. The only problem lies in propelling a craft to such speed at which light travels. Carl Sagan wrote a science fiction novel about a fictional device that allowed his character to travel great distances across the universe. â€Å"Those faster than light speeds are not achievable; he also knew there was a common convention in science fiction that would allow a gimmick of a shortcut through ? Hyper space’ as a means around this problem( par2 ) . † Sagen turned to Kip Thorne for help for hyperspace connections through space-time( par2). A black hole always has two â€Å"ends†, a property ignored by everyone except a few mathematicians until the mid-1980s. Thorne was sufficiently intrigued to set two of his Ph. D. students, Michael Morris and Ulvi Yurtsever, the task of working out some of the details of the physical behavior of what the relativists know as†wormholes. † By starting out from the mathematical end of the problem, they constructed a space-time geometry that matched Sagans requirement of a wormhole that could be physical traversed by human beings. Sagan was right; hyperspace connections do at least in theory provide a means to travel to far distant regions of the universe without spending thousands of years putting around in an ordinary spacecraft. Since the 30’s scientists have speculated that wormholes exist. Einstein’s theory combines 3 dimensional space with time to create a 4 dimensional space (Brian par3). Wormholes are gateways between two different parts of the universe made by linking two black holes. Wormholes are in the fabric of 4 dimensional space that are connected, but which originate at different points in space and different times. By connecting the two holes they provide a quick path between two different locations in space and time. Distortions in space cause the point separated by the gap to bulge out and connect. This forms a wormhole through, which something could instantaneously travel to a far away place and time. This is basically the 4dinensial equivalent of a folded sheet of paper, to make contact from one edge of the paper to the other. One could build a craft strong enough to withstand the intense force of the gravity towards the center, and pass right through like opening a door of a house and stepping outside, except the space travelers outside could be light-years away and centuries before the current time. If the traveler enters one side he would exit in the opposite side in a different place and time. The difficulty of doing this is in keeping the hole open till the travel gets through otherwise it would collapse and the traveler would not be seen again. The trip is not impossible just extremely difficult. It is believed to be possible to create our own wormhole. To actually make one, two identical machines consisting of 2 parallel metal plates charged with unbelievable amounts of energy would need to be constructed. When the machines are placed in close proximity of each other the enormous amounts of energy, about that of an exploding star, would rip a hole in the space-time continuum and connect the two machines via a wormhole. This is possible and the beginnings of it have been illustrated in the lab by what is known as the Casimir effect. The next step would be to put one of these machines on a space ship and send it off at near light speed. The ship would take the machine on a journey while being connected to the other on earth via the wormhole. A step in the hole would take us to where the other machine is, but that would be in a different time. Its use would be somewhat limited because we could not travel to a time before the machine was created. However if we were to utilize wormhole technologic we would have to be so advanced that we could master the energy within blockhouse. Space-time consists of portraits or events that represent a particular place at a particular time. Your life forms sort of a worm in space-time. The tip of the tail is your birth and the head is your death. And everything that is the body is your life, otherwise called your world line. In three-dimensional space, a rocket that is not accelerating is stationary, but in four-dimensional space the ship is moving along is world line. Einstein’s law states simply that the world line of every object is a geodesic in the continuum. A geodesic is the shortest distance between two points but in curved space is not generally a straight line. If an object’s world line were to be distorted, so much of form a loop connected with a part on itself that represented an earlier place in time it would create a corridor to the past. Picture a loop to loop that runs into it as it comes around. This closed loop is called a closed time like curve. These curves could be used to travel into our own history. All the clams made about time travel are consequences of the basic scientific laws and standard Quantum Mechanics. Wormholes and closed time like curves appear to be the main way to travel to the past. The aforementioned theories do fine in expelling how to we would go about traveling through time, but they do little to explain what it would be like traveling through them. Quantum mechanics can be used to model possible scenarios and yields the probability of each possible output. In the context of time travel, it has a so-called â€Å"many universe interpretation. † First pursed by Huge Evertt III in 1957. This means that if something can physically happen it does in some universe. Everett says that our reality is only one of the many equally valid universes. There is a collection of these universes called a multiverse. Every multiverse has copies of every person, structure and atom. For every possible event every possible outcome is said to be played out in a different universe. This interpretation of Quantum Mechanics is quite controversial, but it does suggest that it may be impossible to travel backward in it to our own dimension, but quite possible to travel back in time to an alternate dimension. Such an idea of linking parallel universes has been suggested in science fiction novels and in some television shoes such as â€Å"Sliders. † In the television series â€Å"Sliders,† a â€Å"sliding machine† creates a wormhole that links 2 parallel dimensions. Each week a group of these sliders jump into the wormhole and emerge in the same place and time, but in a different dimension. They can run into there own selves and experience a society vastily different than their own. The stuff of science fiction stems from existing Physical theories. So now that we know travel through time is theoretically possible, what would it be like? What would traveling at light speed be like? It would be similar to driving our car at 60 mph. You could not really tell the difference, Einstein says that you can not tell the difference in uniformly moving vessels. According to Einstein’s laws of special relativity sight speed travel is not achievable. For any object to attain light speed, an object must be massless, such as a photon. Any object with mass would require an infinite amount of energy to accelerate to light speed. As we know, everything has mass so it would be impossible for any human to achieve these speeds. Another barrier on our traveling the speed of light, is the fact that light is pure energy, if we were to travel at that speed, we would turn into energy blobs. What happens when we actually travel back in to time? What happens if we change something, or try to commit suicide or to invent something from the future that we take for granted? The future from that point could be drastically changed. This argument is commonly called the Chronology principal. This principal states that the time travel could bring information to the past that could be used to create new ideas or products. If Pablo Picaso, the most influential and successful painter of the 20th century were to travel back in time to meet his younger self, assuming he stayed in his correct universe, he could then give himself a portfolio of all his work. His younger self could reproduce the paintings and profoundly and irrevocably affecting the future of art. This would involve no creative energy by the â€Å"inventor. † The reproductions would exist because they are copies from the original and the originals exist because they are copies of the reproductions. No creative energy would ever have to be put forth to create these masterpieces. Because of the chronology principal time travel, by some, has been ruled out. The cosmos await us, and the history of our world is at our fingertips. Would we use this great power for good, bad, and wealth? All we have to do is get in our spaceship, set sail for the nearest wormhole, and hope for a little luck, and we can witness things only told in stories. Only the traveler can decided what he or she wishes to go back for. The theories today state that traveling through time is possible, however they do not say what could be the repercussions of our actions. This great frontier awaits us; we have the knowledge, and are slowly but surly developing the technology. Only time will tell when time itself no longer rules our lives as one of the chief amendments of the universal constitution.