Hobbes’ Political Philosophy Essay

Hobbes argues that the state of nature is a state of perpetual war of all against all and consequently, the life of man in the state of nature â€Å"solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short† (xiii, 9). In this paper I will explain Hobbes’ arguments that support his claim to the state of nature. I will also assess these arguments and state that they are not valid and, therefore, not sound. I will then talk about the most controversial premise, relative scarcity of goods, and how Hobbes would respond to the objections of this premise. I will then talk about his response to this objection being unsuccessful. Finally, I will assess whether it will be possible to leave the state of nature given the factors Hobbes describes that create the state of nature. I will show that Hobbes’ argument on how men will leave the state of nature is a valid and sound argument. According to Hobbes this war of â€Å"all against all† comes from three key points. First, Hobbes states that there is a rough equality among men. Hobbes means by equality of men, that one man is not strong or intelligent enough that he can overpower two men. Secondly, because of this equality between men, if there is competition for the same goods, men will begin to distrust each other. Lastly, Hobbes states that because of this mistrust there is a cascade effect. The anticipation of one man being attacked causes them to attack the other because they consider it a better option to attack, rather than wait and be attacked. According to Hobbes this leads to a war of all against all. This is an invalid argument and therefore unsound. I will show that this argument is invalid by showing that because of the equality of men there is a fear among men. The premise dealing with the equality of men makes this argument invalid because if all men were considered equal, then men would be in constant fear of one another. This is due to the lack of ability to overpower each other. They would be unwilling to attack each other because there is no assurance that they would win because of this. The most controversial premise is the one dealing with the competition between goods. The scarcity of goods does not necessarily have to lead to a competition amongst the goods. An example of this is the Native Americans. They could be considered to have lived in the state of nature, but they did not live in a state of a war of all against all as described by Hobbes. Some tribes had goods that other tribes did not have and vice versa. The tribes realized this and traded their own goods with each other. Hobbes might respond to this objection by saying that this is an invalid argument because it is relying on the premise that everyone is going to keep to their covenants in the state of nature. If people behave rationally and act on their own self-interest it would make sense that people would break their covenants after the other party has completed their side. They would break them because they would have more to gain This response would not be adequate because Hobbes also states in Leviathan, that if one side completes their part of the covenant then the other side should keep their part, even in the state of nature. If one were to not keep their covenant, then they may not be trusted to keep covenants by another group because of their previous breaking of covenants. Hobbes’ description of the state of nature as a state of a constant war of all against all is that it is not a literal state of every man against every man but more like a war of several small groups of family and friends against other groups of the same. The key factors that generate the state of war are equality of men, scarcity of goods, competition for goods, mistrust because of competition, mistrust generates anticipation of an attack, and therefore they arm and attack. Hobbes’ argument assumes that people behave rationally and act on their best self interest. If they act in their best self-interest in the state of nature it will cause them both to arm and attack each other rather than to disarm and have peace. They will do this because it is in their best self-interest. If one of them were to disarm and the other were to arm then the one who arms would have victory over the other who disarmed, who will have defeat. Rationally they would both arm and attack each other causing a war of all against all. In order to escape the state of nature men must first realized that it would be better if they compact together under a sovereign. They must then decided on a common sovereign and allow that sovereign to rule over all, despite whom each individual chose. I will show that Hobbes’ argument that gets men out of the state of nature is valid and sound. I will show this by taking the premise that men act on their own self-interest, and explain how it will lead to an escape of the state of nature. If men have the option, either to remain independent or compact together with someone else under a sovereign, and if men think rationally, then it would be in their best self-interest to live under the common interest and the protection of the sovereign. It is in their best self-interest because if they remained independent then they would be at a disadvantage because the others would have the backing of everyone who has compacted with the sovereign. Additionally, if there is a dispute between who is to be sovereign, even if it is not the one that they would prefer, if they behave rationally, they would decide to compact under the rule of that sovereign. It is in their self-interest to live under a sovereign even if they did not want them as sovereign, instead of reverting back to the state of nature. Assuming Hobbes is correct in stating that the state of nature is a war of all against all, it is shown that even with the mistrust between people, it will still be rational to compact under a sovereign to escape the state of nature.

What Are in Your View the Main Principles Governing International Trade Policy

Course: International Political Economy [GT27M/ GOVT 2049] ID Number: 620033630 Name: Matthew Thomas Lecturer: Sheldon Barnes Date of Submission: 7/9/2012 Question I: What are in your view the main principles governing international trade policy in the context of the WTO and which would be the main provisions in which you find these principles reflected in the WTO agreements? Please elaborateFormed in 1995 to replace its predecessor the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade  (GATT), under the Treaty of Marrakech, The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only international organization that deals and treats with the global rules of trade between nations. Its main function is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible. The goal of the WTO is to aid and facilitate producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business.At its core are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by a majority of the world’s trading nations and approved within their respective parliaments. These principles aid in the efficient government of international trade policy ensuring that all signatories adhere to the contract they are bind to, by this governments are now required to create national trade policies transparent by notifying the WTO about present laws in actions and measures implemented, and through regular reports by the secretariat on countries’ trade policies.The WTO agreements cover goods, services and intellectual property. They explain the principles of liberalisation, as well as the allowed exceptions. They include individual countries’ commitments to lower customs tariffs and other trade barriers, and to open and maintain open services markets. The agreements set procedures for settling disputes; prescribe special treatment for developing countries.The agreements of the WTO are detailed and intricate as they are legal texts that facilitate a wide range of activities such as: agriculture, cl othing and textiles, banking and finance, telecommunications, government purchases, industrial standards and product safety, food sanitation regulations, intellectual property, among others. A number of simple, fundamental principles run throughout all of these documents. These principles exist as the foundation of the international multilateral trading system.Given that the core of the WTO, especially leading out of the Doha Round of Trade Negotiations [2001- present], is to focus and adjust the concerns that are faced by developing nations; the main principles within the context of the WTO that validate international trade policy are: i) Trade without discrimination ii) Freer Trade iii) Promotion of fair competition v) Development and economic reform. These principles of international trade within the legislation of the WTO can be reflected in trade agreements drafted by the organisation.The principle of â€Å"Trade without discrimination† has two key underlying principles: Most Favoured Nation [MFN] and National Treatment [NT]. The MFN, in essence is simply treating other people equally. As legislated by WTO agreements, countries are prohibited from discrimination between their trading partners. Wherein one country is restricted from granting a particular country a special favour e. g. such as a lower customs duty rate for one of their products and this favour is not extended to all the other members of the WTO. This principle is known as Most Favoured Nation (MFN) treatment.The first article of the  General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) [1947], which is the governing legislation for the trade in goods, this article speaks to prohibition of member nations to discriminate between â€Å"like† products originating from other member nations. In Article I of the GATT it states â€Å"any advantage, favour, privilege or immunity granted by any contracting party to any product originating in or destined for any other country shall be accord ed immediately and unconditionally to the like product originating in or destined for the territories of all other contracting parties. MFN is also a focus in  Article II of General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), where it states â€Å"each Member shall accord immediately and unconditionally to services and service suppliers of any other Member treatment no less favourable than that it accords to like services and service suppliers of any other country. † Likewise Article IV on the  Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)   which states â€Å"With regard to the protection of intellectual property, any advantage, favour, privilege or mmunity granted by a Member to the nationals of any other country shall be accorded immediately and unconditionally to the nationals of all other Members. † The agreements in essence cover all three main areas of trade handled by the WTO and gives guidelines as how to WTO member nations execut e their trade policies. Though the essence of the MFN treatment is to permit some sense of equality among WTO signatories exceptions are permitted. For example, countries can set up a free trade agreement that applies only to goods traded within the group —    discriminating against goods from outside.Or they can give developing countries special access to their markets. Or a country can raise barriers against products that are considered to be traded unfairly from specific countries. And in services, countries are allowed, in limited circumstances, to discriminate. Though these exceptions exist, they are permitted under highly strict conditions. In essence, the MFN policy acts a facilitator to ensure that every time a country lowers a trade barrier or opens up a market, it has to do so for the same goods or services from all its trading partners – regardless of their economic development.National Treatment eliminates discrimination between the products of national a nd foreign services or nationals, in this sense the protocol for national products are expected to be reciprocated to that of foreign entities. Once foreign goods enter a local market, the expectation exists that they should be treated equally as the locally-produced goods. This expectation extends pass produce; it should apply to foreign and domestic services, and also foreign and local trademarks, copyrights and patents.Given that NT covers various areas of trade it is highlighted in three main WTO agreements. In Article III of the GATT it is stated that â€Å"The products of the territory of any contracting party imported into the territory of any other contracting party shall be accorded treatment no less favourable than that accorded to like products of national origin in respect of all laws, regulations and requirements affecting their internal sale, offering for sale, purchase, transportation, distribution or use. Article XVII of  GATS  states that â€Å"†¦each Mem ber shall accord to services and service suppliers of any other Member, in respect of all measures affecting the supply of services, treatment no less favourable than that it accords to its own like services and service suppliers. † Article III of  TRIPS, speaks to the issue of Intellectual Property [IP] by stating that â€Å"Each Member shall ccord to the nationals of other Members treatment no less favourable than that it accords to its own nationals with regard to the protection  (3)  of intellectual property†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The three treaties highlights the areas of trade the WTO governs, from that of goods exchange, services exchange and the importance of ensuring the proper utilisation of Intellectual Property rights such as copyrighting and patenting. According to the WTO â€Å"National treatment only applies once a product, service or item of intellectual property has entered the market.Therefore, charging customs duty on an import is not a violation of national treatment even if locally-produced products are not charged an equivalent tax. † In conclusion, the â€Å"Trade without Discrimination† principle with its two underlying principles of Most Favoured Nation [MFN] and National Treatment [NT] policies The National Treatment principle constitute the two pillars of the non-discrimination principle that is widely seen as the foundation of the GATT/WTO multilateral trading regime. The concept of â€Å"Freer Trade† assists in the decrease of trade barriers which acts as an excellent facilitator for encouraging trade.Such barriers include: customs duties (or tariffs) and measures such as import bans or quotas that restrict quantities selectively; it can also span to include the decrease of other administrative barriers such as red tape- including policies of exchange rate. The WTO’s global system lowers trade barriers by means of negotiation and applies the principle of non-discrimination [MFN and NT]. This brings a bout a result of a reduction in the costs of production, as imports used in production are far cheaper; a reduction in the prices of finished goods and services, which in essence can contribute to a lower cost of living.Since the GATT’s creation in 1947, there have been  eight rounds of trade negotiations. The ninth round, under the Doha Development Agenda, is still in negotiations for the past eleven years. The initial focus was geared towards lowering tariffs on imported goods; however the 1980s, the negotiations had expanded to cover non-tariff barriers on goods, with the inclusion of areas such as services and intellectual property. As a result of the negotiations, the tariffs on industrial goods declined to less than 4%, during the mid-1990s. Opening markets can be beneficial, but it also requires adjustment.The WTO agreements allow countries to introduce changes gradually, through â€Å"progressive liberalization†. Article XIX of the GATS states â€Å"†¦w ith a view to achieving a progressively higher level of liberalization. Such negotiations shall be directed to the reduction or elimination of the adverse effects on trade in services of measures as a means of providing effective market access. This process shall take place with a view to promoting the interests of all participants on a mutually advantageous basis and to securing an overall balance of rights and obligations.The process of liberalization shall take place with due respect for national policy objectives and the level of development of individual Members, both overall and in individual sectors. There shall be appropriate flexibility for individual developing country Members for opening fewer sectors, liberalizing fewer types of transactions, progressively extending market access in line with their development situation and, when making access to their markets available to foreign service suppliers, attaching to such access conditions aimed at achieving the objectives re ferred to in Article  IV. The article clearly addresses developing countries which are usually given longer to fulfil their obligations. The principle of â€Å"Promoting fair competition†Ã‚  portrays The WTO as an instrument of not just extending mechanisms of free trade but is also a system of rules dedicated to open, fair and undistorted competition. By this, the system of the WTO permits tariffs and, in limited circumstances, other forms of protection. More accurately, it is based on the rules on non-discrimination [MFN and NT] which are designed to secure fair conditions of trade.So too are those on dumping (exporting at below cost to gain market share) and subsidies. The issues are complex, and the rules try to establish what is fair or unfair, and how governments can respond, in particular by charging additional import duties calculated to compensate for damage caused by unfair trade. By removing some market barriers The WTO has promoted competition in the global trad ing market extending it beyond the borders of WTO membership; the trading principles set by the WTO are meant to allow fair and undisturbed market competition.The WTO extends and clarifies previous GATT rules that laid down the basis on which governments could impose compensating duties on two forms of â€Å"unfair† competition: dumping and subsidies. WTO agreements are geared towards the support and maintenance of fair competition in the sectors of: agriculture, intellectual property, services. The WTO Agreement on agriculture is designed to provide increased fairness n farm trade, the agreement on intellectual property will improve conditions of competition where ideas and inventions are involved, and another will do the same thing for trade in services. The construct of the WTO contributes to development and as it encourages development and economic reform geared towards to the developmental process of developing nations. Given that notion, developing countries require an urgent sense of flexibility to effectively implement the agreements drafted by the organisation.The current agreements inherit the earlier provisions of GATT that allow for special assistance and trade concessions for developing countries. The WTO cannot claim to make all countries equal however it aids in the reduction of some inequalities; by doing this it gives smaller countries more voice, and at the same time freeing the major powers from the complexity of having to negotiate trade agreements with each of their numerous trading partners.A majority of over three quarters of the WTO membership comprise of developing countries and countries in transition to market economies. The 1986-1994 Uruguay Round saw over 60 of these countries implementing trade liberalisation programmes unconventionally. At the same time, developing countries and transition economies were much more active and influential in the Uruguay Round negotiations than in any previous round, this activeness has also transpired to the current Doha Development Agenda.Developing countries were prepared to take on most of the obligations that are required of developed countries by the end of the Uruguay Round. The agreements did grant developing nations transition periods to adjust themselves to the more stringent and arduous provisions of the WTO. The GATT has a special section on Trade and Development which speaks to provisions on the concept of non-reciprocity in trade negotiations between developed and developing countries. Both GATT and the GATS allow developing countries some measure of preferential treatment.A  ministerial decision   adopted at the end of the Uruguay Round says more developed countries should accelerate the implementation of market access commitments on goods exported by the least-developed countries, while increasing technical assistance for them. More recently, developed countries have started to allow duty-free and quota-free imports for almost all products from least -developed countries. The current Doha Development Agenda includes developing countries’ concerns about the difficulties they face in implementing the Uruguay Round agreements. ——————————————– 1 ]. The Marrakech Agreement developed out of the  General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, which it includes; but it supplemented it with several other agreements, on such issues as  trade in services,  sanitary and phytosanitary (plant health) measures,  trade-related aspects of intellectual property  and  technical barriers  to trade. It also established a new, more efficient and legally binding means of dispute resolution. [ 2 ]. The Secretariat has a particular responsibility to provide technical support to developing countries, and especially the least-developed countries. 3 ]. As a result of the  Uruguay Round  negotiations the treaty was created to extend the multilateral trading system to  service sector. [ 4 ]. (NAFTA)North American Free Trade Agreement is an example of one of the most successful trade agreements in history; it has contributed to significant increases in agricultural trade and investment between the United States, Canada and Mexico and has benefited farmers, ranchers and consumers throughout North America. The Mexican-Canadian agreement eliminated most tariffs either immediately or over 5, 10, or 15 years. 5 ]. Page 248 the proliferation of rules and regulations prescribing the conduct of decision making in bureaucratic affairs (Politics Economic Welfare) [ 6 ]. The removal or reduction of restrictions or barriers on the free exchange of goods between nations. This includes the removal or reduction of both tariff (duties and surcharges) and non-tariff obstacles (like licensing rules, quotas and other requirements). The easing or eradication of these restrictions is often referred to as promoting â€Å"free trade. à ¢â‚¬  [ 7 ].GATT (Article VI) allows countries to take action against dumping. The Anti-Dumping Agreement clarifies and expands Article VI, and the two operate together. They allow countries to act in a way that would normally break the GATT principles of  binding  a tariff and  not discriminating  between trading partners — typically anti-dumping action means charging extra import duty on the particular product from the particular exporting country in order to bring its price closer to the â€Å"normal value† or to remove the injury to domestic industry in the importing country. 8 ]. The WTO Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures disciplines the use of subsidies, and it regulates the actions countries can take to counter the effects of subsidies. Under the agreement, a country can use the WTO’s dispute-settlement procedure to seek the withdrawal of the subsidy or the removal of its adverse effects. Or the country can launch its own investig ation and ultimately charge extra duty (â€Å"countervailing duty†) on subsidized imports that are found to be hurting domestic producers. 9 ]. This is a procedure when developed countries grant trade concessions to developing countries they should not expect the developing countries to make matching offers in return. [ 10 ]. The URUGUAY ROUND AGREEMENT: â€Å"Decision on Measures Concerning the Possible Negative Effects of the Reform Programme on Least-Developed and Net Food-Importing Developing Countries†

Team Empowerment Through Effective Communication Case Study

Team Empowerment Through Effective Communication - Case Study Example With this type of set-up that allow creative and innovative juices to flow through the constant sharing of information, people could appropriate division of labor among the members of the team can lead to the more effective, more efficient and less stressful workplace. Their high levels of performance with regards to quantity, quality, and timeliness of work results can contribute to their sense of satisfaction, addressing a psychological and motivational need. With incessant exposure to each other, team members and their superiors could ascertain whether they have a team that can continue working together with synergy or their togetherness poses a detrimental effect on their output and interrelationships. This is why effective communication is very crucial in a group or a team. Lack of communication could sometimes produce unfavorable working environments. For example, Susan had worked in supply-chain management of a certain company for three years. She enjoyed her work in large part because her boss, Tim McGuire, was a great guy to work for. Then Tim got promoted six months ago and Chuck Benson took his place. Susan says her job is a lot more frustrating now. "Tim and I were on the same wavelength. It's not that way with Chuck. He tells me something and I do it. Then he tells me I did it wrong. I think he means one thing but says something else. It's been like this since the day he arrived.

Analysis of Problems Facing PETRONAS Corporation Research Paper

Analysis of Problems Facing PETRONAS Corporation - Research Paper Example This essay aims at identifying and analyzing the challenges faced by organizations in the public sector. The specific challenge that will be discussed is the poor management of the Malaysian state-owned multinational corporation, PETRONAS. The current state of the organizations are also analyzed by the researcher in the essay after reviewing various resources on the organization selected. Recommendations are also provided by the researcher on the topic of how the organization can improve its performance and be effective in modern world. The public sector organization selected and analyzed in the essay is the Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS) Corporation. In conclusion, the researcher sums up the study and states that government-owned organizations receive high consideration and support from the government to effectively operate and achieve their goals. Similarly, PETRONAS Corporation is a Malaysian government-owned corporation that receives support from the government and enables the corporation effectively to exploit oil and gas fields in Malaysia and in other countries. Although PETRONAS is a government-owned company, it is a profit-based entity owned by the Malaysian government rather than a public utility organization. Currently, the corporation is among the top five best companies producing Liquefied Natural Gas in the world. It is stated by the researcher of the essay that the success attained by the corporation is dependent on the support of the Malaysian government.

E-Commerce Website Development Using Component Technologies Essay

E-Commerce Website Development Using Component Technologies - Essay Example A major difference between the server side and client side is that when you are performing client side operations, you must always contact the server in some cases. For instance, when shifting codes based on an individual’s requirements, the code can be placed on the client side using Sencha or ExtJs and then a simple API coding on the server. On the server side, it is possible to stay completely inside without the need to access the client side if a user picks PHP UI framework. On the client side, the client code is visible to all users that are using the application, for instance, a web browser, but on the server side, the code is not visible to anyone viewing a webpage.The client side of computer programming interacts with temporary storage such as cookies and local storage while the server side of computer programming interacts with permanent storage such as SQL and files. The programming languages that these two sides use also differ; while client side uses programming language such as JavaScript, HTML, CSS or any language that runs in a client’s device and interacts with a remote service, server side uses programming languages such as PHP, ASP.Net in C++ or Visual Basic or any other language that is used in programming. Benefits of server side components One of the advantages of server side components is that they reduce the load on the user’s computer since it does not require any special or additional plug ins or browser scripting technology such as JavaScript. Secondly, with server side components website owners can create their own applications or use content management systems to maintain their websites without necessarily having to edit their code. Another advantage of server side components such as programming language is the ability for websites to provide dynamic content, which is contrary to the period before the server side languages when WebPages wee static. Server side languages provide an individual with security because in order to access a site one has to login using an ID and a password therefore a secure access to the site. This is done when the site sends a webpage known as a form where the user types his ID and password then submits them to the site. After verification that the user is an authenticated member, the server allows him secure access to the site. Application of component technologies in development of E-commerce website The electronic component commerce model comprises of both internet based transactions but also EDI based business to business activities that were used before commercialization of the internet. For development of technologies of e-commerce, there are three Meta levels that need to be c onsidered; infrastructure, services, and products and structures. Four pillars that include network, multimedia content, messaging and ordinary business services support infrastructure; these four pillars are contained in a complex web of technical, business and legal issues. The three meta-levels in e-commerce and their boundaries are determined by the business organisations, clients, service providers and other stakeholders that are involved in the transactions according to their specific and individual needs. Components that are contained in the e-commerce component models can be changed overtime, for instance, the WebPages that are used to display various business contents in the internet are bound to get outdated

Outsourcing to Foreign Countries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Outsourcing to Foreign Countries - Essay Example Changes in the way in which organizations conduct business have been rapid and wide-spread as the concept of outsourcing has been introduced. It is the inherent nature of the marketplace to increase efficiency within the workplace by constantly striving to produce the most products with the least expenditure of resources. It is this concept that has driven many corporations to join in the globalization process, frequently outsourcing many of their activities and production processes to less developed countries in which this process is less expensive and requires fewer restrictions, licensing, and/or controls. â€Å"Global markets offer greater opportunity for people to tap into more and larger markets around the world. It means that they can have access to more capital flows, technology, cheaper imports and larger export markets†. Although the idea of a global market and outsourcing sounds like an ideal situation for the increased flow of goods and currencies throughout the world, as well as a possible solution for the redistribution of wealth into some of the world’s most destitute countries, â€Å"in practice, this has meant that the governments of the advanced capitalist countries, along with the I.M.F., the World Bank, and the W.T.O., have increasingly sought to force other nations to adopt market economies, privatize public companies and resources, abandon labor and environmental regulations, reduce social services, and embrace ‘free trade’ and the free movement of transnational capital†.

The Theories of Milton Friedman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Theories of Milton Friedman - Essay Example Freedom constitutes of both economic and political freedom. (Friedman, 2002) For Friedman, the economic freedom does not just relate to the economic arrangements that are made between two parties voluntarily, but also is an indispensable means to the achievement of political freedom. Hence, freedom in this case might refer to a situation with a minimum government intervention so that the rights of any of the citizens are not in any way restricted and a free market is entailed. Appropriate as it might seem to Freidman, the notion of freedom he has may not exactly involve democracy. Democracy means the rule by people but when observed practically, the term is another word for majority rule. The basic of notion of democracy thus is that rational individuals may want to prefer freedom over absence of freedom and so the majority of the rational individuals would chose to vote for freedom. In this sense, the democracy may be linked to the freedom prescribed by Friedman. But on the other hand, a democracy may not coexist with a free system. This is so because total freedom may lead to anarchy as it would also include the freedom to restrict the freedom of others, a notion that is not followed in a democracy. As a result, the level and extent of freedom proposed by Friedman may not involve democracy. For Friedman, the distinction between a democratic or authoritarian government is irrelevant. This is so because his general characterization of the government is a body that intervenes in the economic system to restrict its freedom, and since economic freedom is related to political freedom, the freedom politically. It does not matter to him whether the country is ruled by one person or a group of people having the same ideas.

News Paper Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

News Paper Summary - Essay Example nce been evident especially on the waterfront, and buyers are relying on the Latin American-style of financing, which necessitates one to deposit a minimum of 50% before closing to fund construction. Developers will thus affect the rental market adversely since everyone is moving away from rentals thus raising demand. CIT group is set to acquire $3.34 billion in cash from OneWest in a deal they project to produce profits of 3.35 times its initial investment. OneWest collapsed in 2008 thus becoming the third largest bank failure due to growing concerns by customers about its rising mortgages. The deal drew scrutiny from the dividends they produced for private-equity firms and their investors, but regulators had few choices. CIT majors in commercial lending and the deal is set to boost its assets to $67 billion. The firm’s top cop is confident the regulators will approve the deal, and he is gratified with the deal because it will be worth the expense that comes about with crossing the $50 billion mark. The article tinctures on a court ruling set to be revisited to determine whether misconducts done by employers to staffs should apply to cases brought under Connecticut law. It further cites an example from a case brought forward by Mr. Trusz, who was fired by UBS for allegedly overvaluing properties leading to excessive fees for clients. He consequently sued the banks citing his superiors treated him differently from others who did not complain before winding up their employments. Investors predict they could lose a lot if the court interprets the law narrowly since whistleblowers will have their safety compromised against reporting firms’ wrongdoings. If the ruling favors Mr. Trusz, it will limit employers’ flexibility to make tough verdicts on workers. In its defense, UBS claimed Mr. Trusz duties encompassed in his official duties did not include valuations of property, but he defended his actions by saying that whistleblower shelters are essential to shield

Energy Resource Challenges Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Energy Resource Challenges - Essay Example Thirdly, author mentions liquid fuels and the practice of turning food into fuel. For instance the cellulose in corn is used to produce ethanol. However, at present, there is a shift from the use of food grains to that of the stalks and stubble left after harvest, thus not compromising on the loss of grains to the generation of power. The National Renewable Energy Lab uses a plant to turn leftovers from the harvest and many other non-usable things into energy. Finally, the author talks about the use of wood chips to generate power. Nevertheless, despite the fact that renewable energy sources have several advantages, there are also a few challenges to their effective use. For instance, in the case of solar power, a solar concentrator is required which may be difficult to keep ones backyard. Also, in the United States, the cost for energy is very low and hence the renewable energy industry faces stiff competition from fossil fuels. Thirdly, in order to make a difference with renewable sources of energy, it has to be on a large scale. Lastly, there is also a lack of urgency with regard to the utilization of renewable sources of energy. One form of renewable energy not mentioned in the video is Hydroelectricity, in which water is harnessed for generating energy.

Immigration from Mexico to the Us Essay Example for Free

Immigration from Mexico to the Us Essay Introduction When you think about the US you think about immigration, both the legal and the illegal immigration. The United States of America is a country buildup around immigration. Ever since the possibility of fleeing chaotic and poverty hit Europe had become a reality, many chose to take the jump and take the long journey against the possibilities country, America. Since the 16th century, where the country was discovered, it has been connected with The American Dream and a new start on life and a possibility to be able to create a better life for yourself, better than the one you knew from your home country and many immigrated for that chance. The only Native Americans are the Indians all others are immigrants, most often more generations old. The US also has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, this means that a lot of people still believe in â€Å"The American Dream† and therefore try to immigrate into the US. We will explain the illegal immigration to the US from Mexico in our task. After that we will look at the pros and cons of the illegal immigration financially. Subsequently we want to analyze which influence the illegal immigration has on the United States economy. Finally wed like to see on what the present president, Obama thinks of the subject and reckon which possibilities it opens up for in the future among other things the Dream act. Country portrait USA The United States of America is a democratic federal republic with more than 9,6 billion km2 and a population of 310 million people. This makes them the third largest and third most populated country in the world. The US gained their freedom from the British Empire in 1776, and had first there been recognized as a nation. Ever since the breakaway from Brittan the US had a lot of issues on the national level. Among other things the civil war in the middle the 19th century. Up through the 19 and 20 century 37 new states was added to the republic, this resulted in the 50 states we know as the United States of American today. It was not until after the Second World War the US took place as a superpower of the world and it has since been the all-dominant power both political and military, which has created the university-polar world community that we know today. The US has one GNP at 15.29 trillion $ which is the largest economy for a single country in the world, GNP growth was in 2011 on 1.7 % which ranks as a no. 162 in the world. The US has a complete workforce on 153.6 million (2011) and GNP per inhabitant on 49,000 USDS (2011) this gives a little misleading picture, since the difference between rich and poor is huge compared countries with less GNP per inhabitant. The US has an unemployment rate on 9 % (2011) and an incredible 15.1 % of the population live under the poverty threshold (2010) the US is the result of a country with large immigration from many different countries over several hundred years, therefore the US is among the top of the countries in the world with most ethnic groups. The main spoken language in the US is English/American 82, 1% of the population speaks that while a staggering 10,7 % of the population only speaks Spanish this creates a lot of barriers and challenges for the country. Issue – Illegal immigration from Mexico Definition The border between the United States and Mexico stretches more than 2.000 miles and has become a symbol of a boiling bowl of political issues between the two countries. It is especially the illegal immigration from Mexico to the United States that are causing problems. Facts * Mexico experienced economic turmoil in 1994, and there has been a large influx of Mexican immigrants ever since * Some 1.1 million people tries to cross the border and gets arrested every year * The Gini-coefficient (which is a measure of statistical dispersion that measures the inequality among values) illustrates the difference between living standards in the US and in Mexico. Where zero is complete equality, 100 is perfect inequality. Mexico has a gini index on 54,6 compared to the US which has a gini index around 46. Push / Pull factors This difference between the two countries might not be clear from the gini index. But there is a huge difference in living standards and possibilities of doing something grater with their lives than what is possible in Mexico. * GDP per capita * Mexico $14.800 * US $49.000 Push factors * Unemployment rate in Mexico may be as high as 25 % * Crime with especially drugs and gun trafficking * 51, 3 % of the population are living below the poverty line * Difficult to develop a higher standard of living Pull factors * Unemployment rate in the US is about 9 % * 15,1 % of the population are living below the poverty line * There are work for the Latinos in the South * Its hard work in the hot sun. Americans just dont want to do it anymore, said Betty Perez, a local rancher. * Noticeable difference in the quality of life between the two countries * Immigrants are chasing the â€Å"American Dream† Future immigrants * Despite a recent report from the Pew Hispanic Center * There will always be immigrants trying to immigrate to a better life * Pull factors are getting lower and this might have an effect / still a huge push factor Issue Linguistic Challenges Definition The linguistic challenges that arise because of the Mexicans’ immigration, have a huge effect on the us. By 2050 the United States will be the biggest Spanish-speaking country in the world. Analyzes * Education system loses quality, because of more Spanish talking students. Dropout rate for Hispanics is increasing. * Hispanic get substandard health care * Available jobs, but the language cause problems * Spanish can be a gateway The education systems lose quality, because of more Spanish talking students. The dropout rate for Hispanic between 16 and 19 years old who have poor English language skills is 59 percent. The Hispanic dropouts in educational institutions results in Hispanics with high an unemployment rate and low paying jobs. Hispanic Immigrants get substandard health care, because they cannot speak English well and not all hospitals have Spanish translators. Some places in the us there’s is actually jobs available for Hispanics, but manufacturing and retail employers can’t hire the immigrants, because of their bad English level, the immigrants aren’t able to be trained and placed in the jobs as well as the job safety requirements. You have to speak English on the job, so nobody has to be around you to tell you what the boss wants or translate out of an instruction manual, said Jose Adame of Horn Lake, Miss. He came from Mexico nine years ago for work, but said he was not able to find a steady job as a machine operator until he improved his English. The growing standard of living among Spanish-talking countries affects the trading. South-America is a way more important country now to trade with, than it was before. Some places it’s actually good to speak Spanish, and can it can be a gateway for a job if you speak Spanish. Issue – Economical ups and downs from immigration Definition The constant wave of immigrants to the US presents some difficulties and some advantages. We will now try to uncover some of the economical ups and downs that have come as a result of immigration in the US. Analyzes Are there economic and social consequences of illegal immigration? Some say Illegal immigrants have cost billions of taxpayer-funded dollars for medical services, others say that they are an asset to the society. * One of Mexicos largest revenue streams (after exports and oil sales) consists of money sent home by legal immigrants and illegal immigrants working in the U.S. * â€Å"All empirical study of illegals economic impact demonstrates that illegal immigrants contribute more than they cost.† – Francine J Mipman, Professor of Law, Business and Economics at Chapman University * Many small cities in the south, close to the Mexican border, wont function without the immigrants. * Recent estimate from the Council of Economic Advisers is that immigrants as a whole (not just illegal immigrants) add about $37 billion a year to the U.S. economy, on net. * It’s typically young uneducated men who immigrate to the US, so they don’t really contribute that much. * Illegal immigration from Mexico caused a 3.6 percent reduction in the wages of non-high school graduates in the U.S. during 1980-2000. Issue – President Obamas immigrations plans for the future Definition In November 2010 the Democrats lost the House and much of their Senate majority, which made it complicated for president Barrack Obama to successfully get his immigration politic reform through the senate. What is Barrack Obama’s immigrations plan for the next 4 years? Facts In 2008 president Obama ran for the president post with immigration as one of his main issues, but there has been a lack of progress on immigrations reforms, which Obama explains with a large Republican opposition, as well as a shift in priorities given the global financial crisis. Even though Barrack Obama admits that the lack of immigrations reforms are the greatest failure of his time as president. One of the main issues of immigration in USA is the deportation of young hard working people, who were brought to the country by their parents. Obama will stop these deportations, and help those young men get an education and be a part of the society. Since the beginning of his time in office, President Obama has worked to build a consensus for Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform. He plans to continue his efforts to work with Congress to pass a bipartisan immigration reform, and has promised to make it a priority of his second term as president. The President understands the challenges that immigrants face. That’s why he proposed a new rule to keep families together by allowing undocumented spouses and children of U.S. citizens to stay in the country while they begin the legal immigration process. Conclusion / estimate It is incredibly hard to draw any conclusions on the illegal immigrations part, mainly because they are illegal and no one keeps track of them. Some studies shows that the immigrants push the wage level down on certain jobs, but the overall picture is that they contribute to the US economy. The illegal immigrants are not allowed any social services, therefore the cost of having them in the country is low while they take jobs that most Americans aren’t interested in. The legal immigrants pose a different issue, they are eligible to social services, and often ship their money to Mexico to their families, but they also use a steady flow of money in the country, it is more of a 50/50 saturation with the legal immigrants. Obama is going to continually try and make the US better for immigrants, and cut down on deportation of young people who were brought to the country by their parents. Obama will try to get a lot of reforms through the senate, but its going to be hard, depending on how the votes in the house goes at the election. The linguistic challenge presented by the Hispanic speakers in the US is something to take serious. The costs that public institutions in the US have to spend, to please all the Spanish speakers in the US, are huge. The educational challenge is also present here, the standards of the US education system has been dropping as a result of the Spanish speaking students. Method Most of the used statistics have been found online by using CIA, the world factbook. We have used the quantitative method and compared the two countries (Mexico and the US) statistics with each other looking at both economic and social problems. While looking at the numbers and statistics we have been critical and double checked the statistics that we found on different sites both Danish and American. In addition to that we have looked at several articles that have spoken about the issue of immigration both looking at pros and cons. We also watched a film during class in which there where some useful information about immigration from Mexico.

Meaning and Definition of Performance Appraisal

Meaning and Definition of Performance Appraisal Performance appraisal is a formal system that evaluates the quality of a employees performance. An appraisal should not be viewed as an end in itself, but rather as an important process within a broader performance management system that links: Organizational objectives Day-to-day performance Professional development Rewards and incentives In simple terms, appraisal may be understood as the assessment of an individuals performance in a systematic way, the performance being measured against such factors as job knowledge, quality, and quantity of output, initiative, leadership abilities, supervision, dependability, co-operation, judgment, versatility, health, and the like. Assessment should not be confined to past performance alone. Potentials of the employee for future performance must also be assessed. Traditional Performance Appraisal The history of performance appraisal is quite brief.Its roots in the early 20th century can be traced to Taylors pioneering Time and Motion studies. But this is not very helpful for the same may be said about almost everything in the field of modern human resources management. During the First World War, appraisals concept was adopted by US army which was in the form of merit rating. It was man-to-man rating system for evaluation of military personnel. From the army this concept entered the business field and was restricted to hourly-paid workers. During 1920s, relational wage structures for hourly paid workers were adopted in industrial units and each worker were used to be rated in comparison to other for determining wages rates. This system was known by merit rating. The process was firmly linked to material outcomes. If an employees performance was found to be less than ideal, a cut in pay would follow. On the other hand, if their performance was better than the supervisor expected, a pay rise was in order. Little consideration, if any, was given to the developmental possibilities of appraisal. If was felt that a cut in pay, or a rise, should provide the only required impetus for an employee to either improve or continue to perform well. Sometimes this basic system succeeded in getting the results that were intended; but more often than not, it failed. These observations were confirmed in empirical studies. Pay rates were important, but they were not the only element that had an impact on employee performance. It was found that other issues, such as morale and self-esteem, could also have a major influence. As a result, the traditional emphasis on reward outcomes was progressively rejected. In the 1950s in the United States, the potential usefulness of appraisal as tool for motivation and development was gradually recognized. The general model of performance appraisal, as it is known today, began from that time. Modern Appraisal Performance appraisal may be defined as a structured formal interaction between a subordinate and supervisor, which usually takes the form of a periodic interview, in which the work performance of the subordinate is examined and discussed, with a view to identifying weaknesses and strengths as well as opportunities for improvement and skills development. In many organizations but not all, appraisal results are used, either directly or indirectly, to help determine reward outcomes. That is, the appraisal results are used to identify the better performing employees who should get the majority of available merit pay increases, bonuses and promotion. By the same token, appraisal results are used to identify the poorer performers who may require some form of counseling, or in extreme cases, demotion, dismissal or decreases in pay. Whether this is an appropriate use of performance appraisal, the assignment and justification of rewards and penalties, is a very uncertain and contentious matter. Objectives of Performance Appraisal Salary Increase Performance appraisal plays a role in making decision about salary increase. Normally salary increase of an employee depends upon on how he is performing his job. There is continuous evaluation of his performance either formally or informally. This may disclose how well an employee is performing and how much he should be compensated by way of salary increase. Promotion Performance appraisal plays significant role where promotion is based on merit and seniority. Performance appraisal discloses how an employee is working in his present job and what are his strong and weak points. In the light of these, it can be decided whether he can be promoted to the next higher position. Training and Development Performance appraisal tries to identify the strengths and weakness of an employee on his present job. This information can be used for devising training and development programmers appropriate for overcoming weaknesses of employees. Feedback Performance appraisal provides feedback to employees about their performance. A person works better when he knows how he is working. This works in two ways, firstly, the person gets feedback about his performance. Secondly, when the person gets feedback about his performance, he can relate his work to the orgaisational objectives. Pressure on Employees Performance appraisal puts a sort of pressure on employees for better performance. If the employees are conscious that they are being appraised in respect of certain factors and their future largely depends on such appraisal. Others: Identifying systemic factors that are barriers to, or facilitators of, effective performance. To confirm the services of probationary employees upon their completing the probationary period satisfactorily. To improve communication. Performance appraisal provides a format for dialogue between the superior and the subordinate, and improves understanding of personal goals and concerns. This can also have the effect of increasing the trust between the rater and the rate. To determine whether HR programmers such as selection, training, and transfer have been effective or not. Methods of Performance Appraisal A) Traditional methods 1) Rating Scales: The rating scale method offers a high degree of structure for appraisals. Each employee trait or characteristic is rated on a bipolar scale that usually has several points ranging from poor to excellent. The traits assessed on these scales include employee attributes such as cooperation, communications ability, initiative, punctuality and technical (work skills) competence. The nature and scope of the traits selected for inclusion is limited only by the imagination of the scales designer, or by the organizations need to know. The one major provision in selecting traits is that they should be in some way relevant to the  appraisers job. 2) Check-list Method: Under this method, checklist of statement of traits of employee in the form of Yes or No based questions is prepared. Here, the rater only does the reporting or checking and HR department does the actual evaluation. The rater concerned has to tick appropriate answers relevant to the appraises. When the check-list is completed, it is sent to HR department for further processing. Various questions in the check list may have either equal weightage or more weightage may be given to those questions which are more important. The HR department then calculates the total scores which show the appraisal result of an employee. Advantages economy, ease of administration, limited training required, standardization. Disadvantages Raters biases, use of improper weights by HR Dept, does not allow rater to give relative ratings. 3) Force Choice Method: A series of statements arranged in the blocks of two or more are given and the rater indicates which statement is true or false. The rater is forced to make a choice. HR department does actual assessment. Advantages Absence of personal biases because of forced choice. Disadvantages Statements may not be correctly framed. 4) Force Distribution Method: One of the problems faced in large organizations is relative assessment tendencies of raters. Some are too lenient and others too severe. This method overcomes that problem. It forces everyone to do a comparative rating of all the employees on a predetermined distribution pattern of good to bad. Say 10% employees in Excellent Grade, 20% in Good Grade, 40% in Average Grade, 20% in Below Average Grade and 10% in Unsatisfied grade. The real problem of this method occurs in organizations where there is a tendency to pack certain key departments with all good employees and some other departments with discards and laggards. Relatively good employees of key departments get poor rating and relatively poor employees of laggards departments get good rating. 5) Critical Incident Method: In this method, only critical incidents and behavior associated with these incidents are taken for evaluation. This method involves three steps. A test of noteworthy on the job behavior is prepared. A group of experts then assigns scale values to them depending on the degree of desirability for the job. Finally, a checklist of incidents which define good and bad employees is prepared. Advantages: This method is very useful for discovering potential of employees who can be useful in critical situation. Disadvantages: a) Negative incidents are, generally, more noticeable than positive ones. b) The recording of incidents is a core to the superior and may be put off and easily forgotten. c) Overly close supervision may result. 6) Essay Method: In the essay method approach, the appraiser prepares a written statement about the employee being appraised. The statement usually concentrates on describing specific strengths and weaknesses in job performance. It also suggests courses of action to remedy the identified problem areas. The statement may be written and edited by the appraiser alone, or it be composed in collaboration with the appraisee. 7) Grading: In this method, certain categories of abilities of performance are defined well in advance and person are put in particular category depending on their traits and characteristics. Such categories may be definitional like outstanding, good, average, poor, very poor or may be in terms of letter like A, B, C, D etc with A indicating the best and D indicating the worst. This method, however, suffers from one basic limitation that the rater may rate most of the employees at higher grades. 8) Performance Tests Observations: This is based on the test of knowledge or skills. The tests may be written or an actual presentation of skills. Tests must be reliable and validated to be useful. Advantage Tests only measure potential and not attitude. Actual performance is more a function of attitude of person than potential. Disadvantages Sometimes costs of test development or administration are high. 9) Confidential Reports: Though popular with government departments, its application in industry is not ruled out. Here the report is given in the form of Annual Confidentiality Report (ACR). The system is highly secretive and confidential. Feedback to the assessed is given only in case of an adverse entry. Disadvantage is that it is highly prone to biases and regency effect and ratings can be manipulated because the evaluations are linked to future rewards like promotions, good postings, etc. 10) Comparative Evaluation Method (Ranking Paired Comparisons): These are collection of different methods that compare performance with that of other co-workers. The usual techniques used may be ranking methods and paired comparison method. Ranking Method: Superior ranks his worker based on merit, from best to worst. However how best and why best are not elaborated in this method. It is easy to administer. Paired Comparison Method: In this method each employee is paired with every other employee in the same cadre and then comparative rating done in pairs so formed. The number of comparisons may be calculated with the help of a formula N x (N-1) / 2. The method is too tedious for large departments and often such exact details are not available with raters. B) Morden Methods 1) MBO (Appraisal by Results): The use of management objectives was first widely advocated in the 1950s by the noted management theorist Peter Drucker. MBO (management by objectives) methods of performance appraisal are results-oriented. That is, they seek to measure employee performance by examining the extent to which predetermined work objectives have been met. Usually the objectives are established jointly by the supervisor and subordinate. Once an objective is agreed, the employee is usually expected to self-audit; that is, to identify the skills needed to achieve the objective. Typically they do not rely on others to locate and specify their strengths and weaknesses. They are expected to monitor their own development and progress. 2) Assessment Center Method This technique was first developed in USA and UK in 1943. An assessment centre is a central location where managers may come together to have their participation in job related exercises evaluated by trained observers. It is more focused on observation of behaviours across a series of select exercises or work samples. Assesses are requested to participate in in-basket exercises, work groups, computer simulations, role playing and other similar activities which require same attributes for successful performance in actual job. Advantages Well-conducted assessment centre can achieve better forecasts of future performance and progress than other methods of appraisals. Also reliability, content validity and predictive ability are said to be high in Assessment Centres. The tests also make sure that the wrong people are not hired or promoted. Finally, it clearly defines the criteria for selection and promotion. Disadvantages Concentrates on future performance potential. No assessment of past performance. Costs of employees travelling and lodging, psychologists. Ratings strongly influenced by assassins inter-personal skills. Solid performers may feel suffocated in simulated situations. 3) 360o Appraisal: It is a technique in which performance data/feedback/rating is collected from all sections of people employee interacts in the course of his job like immediate supervisors, team members, customers, peers, subordinates and self with different weight age to each group of raters. This technique has been found to be extremely useful and effective. It is especially useful to measure inter-personal skills, customer satisfaction and team building skills. One of the biggest advantages of this system is that assesses cannot afford to neglect any constituency and has to show all-round performance. However, on the negative side, receiving feedback from multiple sources can be intimidating, threatening, and expensive and time consuming. 4) Psychological Appraisals: These appraisals are more directed to assess employee potential for future performance rather than the past one. It is done in the form of in-depth interviews, psychological tests, and discussion with supervisors and review of other evaluations. It is more focused on employees emotional, intellectual, and motivational and other personal characteristics affecting his performance. This approach is slow and costly and may be useful for bright young members who may have considerable potential. However quality of these appraisals largely depends upon the skills of psychologists who perform the evaluation. Performance Appraisals purpose Performance appraisals are essential for the effective management and evaluation of staff. Appraisals help develop persons, progress of organizational performance, and feed into business planning. Official performance appraisals are generally conducted annually for all staff in the organization. Every staff member is appraised by their line supervisor. Directors are appraised by the CEO, who is appraised by the chairman or company owners, depending on the size and formation of the organization. Annual performance appraisals allow management and monitoring of standards, agreeing expectations and objectives, and allocation of responsibilities and tasks. Staff performance appraisals also create individual training needs and facilitate organizational training needs analysis and planning. Performance appraisal also normally feed into organization annual pay and grading reviews which commonly also coincides with the business planning for the next trading year. Performance appraisals generally review each individual`s performance against objectives and standards for the trading year, agreed at the earlier appraisal meeting. Performance appraisals are also necessary for career and succession planning for individuals, critical jobs and for the organization as an entire. Performance appraisal are important for staff motivation, attitude and behaviour development, communicating and supporting individual and organization aims and fostering positive relationship between staff and supervision. Performance appraisal affords a formal, recorded, regular review of an individuals performance and a plan for future progress. Job performance appraisal in whatever forms they take are therefore fundamental for managing the performance of people and organizations. Managers and appraises frequently dislike appraisal and try to avoid them. To these people the appraisal is daunting and time consuming. The process is seen as a difficult administrative responsibility and emotionally challenging. The annual appraisal is may be only time since last year that the two people have sat down together for a meaningful one to one discussion. No wonder then that appraisals are stressful which then beats the whole purpose. Appraisals are much easier and especially more peaceful, if the boss meets each of the team members individually and repeatedly for one to one discussion throughout the year. Meaningful regular discussion about work, career, aims, progress, development, hopes and dreams, life, the universe the tv, common interests etc., whatever, make appraisals so much appraisal so much easier because people then know and trust each other which diminish all the stress and the uncertainty. Appraisals much address whole person development not just job skills or the skills necessary for the subsequently promotion. Appraisal must not differentiate against anyone on the grounds of age, sexual orientation, race, gender, religion etc. For Example in the uk, the uk employment equality regulation 2006, which is effective from 1st oct. 06, make it particularly important to avoid any comments, judgments, suggestions, questions or decision which might be supposed by the appraisal to be based on age. This means people who are young as well as old. Age, along with other description stated above, is not a lawful basis for assessing and managing people, unless proper objective justification can be proven. See the age variety information. When crafty or planning behaviour appraisal, seek to help the whole person to grow in whatever direction they want not just to identify clearly relevant work skill training. Increasingly, the best employee distinguish that increasing the whole person promotes positive attitudes, advancement, motivation and also develops lots of new skills that can be unexpectedly significant to working productively and effectively in any nature of organization. Developing the whole person is also an important aspect of modern corporate duty and independently, whole person development is a crucial benefit in the employment market, in which all employers contend to attract the best recruits and to retain the best staff. Therefore in appraisal be creative and imaginative in discussing discovering and agreeing whole person development that people will respond to, beyond the usual job skill set and incorporate this sort of development into the appraisal process. Abrsham Maslow recognised this over fifty year ago. If you are an employee and your employer has yet to cuddle or even acknowledge these concepts, do them a favour at your own appraisal and suggest they look at these ideas or maybe mention it at your exit interview prior to joining a better employer who cares about the people not just the work. Incidentally the Multiple Intelligences test and Vak learning styles test are tremendously useful tools for appraisals before or after to help people understand their nature probable and strengths and to help managers appreciate this about their people too. There are a lot of people out there who are in jobs which dont allow them to use and develop their supreme strengths, so the more we can help folk understand their own special likely and find roles that really fit well the happier we shall all be. Essentials for a successful performance appraisal system Basing appraisals on accurate and current job descriptions Ensuring that appraisers have adequate knowledge and direct experience of the employees performance Providing ratings via aggregated anonymous feedback when multiple sources of information are used Incorporating performance appraisals into a formal goal setting system Offering adequate support and assistance to employees such as professional development opportunities in order to improve their performance Conducting appraisals on a regular basis (at least two times a year) rather than annually. If resource constraints do not permit frequent formal appraisals, consider conducting one formal appraisal annually, with a review of progress in the mid-year and ongoing review in regular supervision meetings Using performance appraisal to address workforce development challenges: Regular performance appraisals provide a useful opportunity to conduct a check up on various workforce development issues that may impact on employees effectiveness and well being. Performance appraisals can be used to: Recognize, reward and support effective performance Develop and reward effective teamwork Identify and manage issues likely to impact on retention Monitor and support employees well being.   Recognize, reward and support effective performance Ensuring employees receive adequate rewards and recognition is a key workforce development issue for the performance. Performance appraisals provide a good opportunity to formally recognize employees achievements and contributions to the organization, and to ensure a clear link is maintained between performance and rewards. The appraisal interview can also be used as a vehicle to demonstrate supervisory and organizational support for employees by discussing barriers and supports to effective performance, and strategies to address problems or difficulties.   Develop and reward effective teamwork The appraisal interview is also a useful vehicle for recognizing and rewarding employees contributions to various teams in the organization, especially if appraisal information is gained from team members. An appraisal of the team as a whole can also be a useful strategy to recognize and reward team performance, and to identify strategies to improve team functioning.   Identify and manage issues likely to impact on retention Open and constructive performance appraisals can be useful to identify issues that are likely to impact on employees willingness to stay with the organization in the longer-term. Key factors associated with retention include salary and remuneration, professional development opportunities, and work-related demands and stress. The appraisal interview provides a good opportunity for a check up regarding employees satisfaction with their working conditions and environment, and a discussion of strategies to address any problems or issues.   Monitor and support employees well being Performance appraisal interviews are a good opportunity to discuss employees health and well being in the workplace, particularly in regard to factors that contribute to feelings of stress and experiences that promote satisfaction with their work. 360 Degree Assessment The concept of 360 degree feedback makes a lot of sense and, if used well, should have a great deal to offer. It seems to suit the move towards the less hierarchical, more flexibly-structured and knowledge-based organization of the future Professor Clive Fletcher Goldsmiths College, University of London Introduction In recent year the 360 degree appraisal has become much admired. It has been felt for long that one person`s assessment of another cannot be free of favoritism. In supplementary with the focus on customers and emphasis on softer dimensions of performance it has become necessary to multiple assessments for a more objective assessment. The 360 degree appraisal is multilayer assessment and feedback system. Almost Fortune 500 Company is using this in some form or other. In this method, the candidate is assessed periodically by a number of assessors including his supervisor, immediate subsidiary, colleagues, and inner and outer customers. The assessment is made on a questionnaire specially designed to measure activities measured critical for performance. The appraisal is done anonymously by others and the assessment is collected by outer agent or specially designated inner agent. The assessment is consolidated; feedback profiles are prepared and given to the participant after a workshop o r directly by his supervisor or the HRD department in a performance examination conversation sitting. Due to the incalculable variations possible in the 360 degree feedback and Appraisals and its effectiveness as a competency identification and development tool, it is important to understand the process and its dynamics. 360 degree feedback 360 degree feedback is a full circle system of acquiring informal from peers, subordinates and inner and outer customers about employee`s performance. 360 degree assessment is based on the assessment of an individual`s management styles, competencies and behavior by contemporaries horizontally and vertically by involving his supervisor, peers and direct report in organization. 360-degree feedback is an assessment of multi source, which contain; Self Supervisor Internal customers/staffs/peers External customers Why 360-degree feedback is needed in the organizations? Business is towards surplus generation. Without additional no organization can develop. Here the effort to grow the business and the surplus should come from employee part. The performance of the employees is at work here matters in business development and organizational development. The performance of the employees should then align with the strategic decisions that integrate the business goals in more and more aggressive environment. It is the duty of the Human Resource Management to assimilate the culture of the organization with all available resources to the best possible output. The 3600 Appraisal helps the HR Department to have better understanding of the competitive advantage and disadvantages of the current manpower resources and tune them towards performance quality and output. Prerequisites Top management support Confidence of employees on the appraisal methodology Objective need to be with performance requirement clearly stated A detailed plan of implementation Collaboration between superior and subordinates Some prior experimentation and positive experiences clear organization philosophy and policy objective Uses for 360 Degree Feedback contain: Performance Appraisal Recognition of performance. Providing feedback on individual performance. Providing a basis for self evolution. Assessing employee development   Diagnosing training and career development needs.   Providing a basis for promotion, dismissal, job enrichmen, job transfer, probation etc.   Monetary and other rewards. Organizational Climate Study   Organizational environment improvement needs   Changes in managerial approaches, leadership etc. Customer satisfaction study   Employees attitudinal change   Customer satisfaction improvements Using of 360-degree performance appraisal we get benefits like, 360 degree feedback permit an organization to focus on developmental efforts, at the individual and grouping level, in the nearby business position where the success of the company depends on constant revolution, which is possible through organizational development. 360-degree feedback facilitates the alignment of individual capabilities and behaviors with organizational strategies. That adds value to the organization uncaring ways:- 360 degree feedback afford a talented view about the employee from different source 360 degree feedback provides increased the understanding about one1s role probability 360 degree feedback provide a better understanding of employed development requirements 360 degree feedback provide the understanding of competence and skill in various roles 360 degree feedback provides a better understanding of individual presentation at work 360 degree feedback reduces training costs by identifying common development want 360 degree feedback extends better morale to those who perform and put in well to the organization 360 degree feedback helps everyone to work for a common standard and institutionalize presentation management 360 degree feedback ensure better interpersonal relationship and grouping cohesiveness It promotes self directed learning and provides a road map for employee`s development planning It promotes better communication within departments 360 degree feedback increases the team`s ability to put in to the organization goals 360 degree feedback increases the team`s ability to put in to the organizations goals develop better bottom line thought additional the capability of the organization to meet its objectives. For 360-degree feedback this steps may be taken to gauge the readiness of an organization Identification of the problem.  · Analysis of the organization context for finding a solution to the problem. Allocation of resources for the purpose in terms of time and finances. A detailed plan of implementation. Follow up Drawback of using 360-degree feedback A detailed plan of action which, ensure the transparent and clear implementation of appraisal with employee accountability. Effective follow up is the prime requirement of 360 degree feedback. Failure in follow u cause more scratch than superior. The 360 degree feedback is time consuming and cost consuming assessment process. Without having adequate resource to implement the process, it will end up no where and develop financial

The Origins of Chattel Slavery in Colonial North America Essay

The Origins of Chattel Slavery in Colonial North America There have been many illuminating studies in the field of the origins of chattel slavery in Colonial North America. Alpert, 1970; Edmondson, 1976; Jordan, 1962: Ruchames, 1967; Starr, 1973, wrote seminal studies that did much to bring insight to the subject. Goetz, 2009; Mason, 2006; Smaje, 2002; Neeganagwedgin, 2012, presented evidence that have either reexamined old questions or used new methods and approaches to ask news questions to add insight to this topic. However, little has been written about indeginous slavery and its pycho-social impacts that still influence North American people today, or the political considerations that led to black society becoming chattel slaves. These topics have been under scutinized and their study would add insight and new perspective to this body of literature. In looking at the body of discourse the recurring themes of what came first; prejudice or slavery first is the most contested. Logically in order to enslave the master must find a means to establish the enslaved â€Å"otherness† and it seems that a primary means of doing so was and is ethnocentric superiority and religion. It doesn’t seem that one could justify morally, subjugating another without â€Å"knowing† that you were culturally, socially and morally superior to those you wanted to subjugate. In the majority of the studies, the idea that imposing values and religion on the subjugated as beneficial to the subjugated, was a primary theme, yet if there was no financial benefit it is doubtful that the slave system in the United States would have developed or had the impact that it has. Because of this reasoning, I believe that Jordan’s model is probably the closest to accurat... ...Press. Ruchames, L. (1967). The Sources of Racial Thought in Colonial America. Retrieved March 25, 2012, from Retrieved from URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2716188 Smaje, C. (2002). Re-thinking the Origins Debate: Race Formation and Political Formations in England's Chesapeake Colonies. Journal of Historical Sociology, 15(2), 193-219. Starr, R. (1973). Historians and the Origin of British North American Slavery. The Historian, 36(1), 1-18. doi:DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-6563.1973.tb01523. Tomsett, F. (2000). 1606 and all that: The Virginia Conquest. Race and Class, 41, 29-14. doi:10.1177/0306396800413003 Wareing, J. (2002). Preventive and punitive regulation in seventeenth-century social policy: conflicts of interest and the failure to make ‘stealing and transporting Children, and other Person’s a felony. Social History, 27(3), 288-308. Doi:10.1080/03071020210159685

Two Autonomous Women in American Literature Essay -- social issues, wo

In American history, women have not always had the same rights and opportunities of men. Yet, there were exceptions throughout history of women casting aside the general role of just a mother or housewife. Two fictitious examples occur in the book The Awakening by Kate Chopin, and the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare. In The Awakening, Edna, the protagonist of the story, undergoes a realization that her nineteenth-century lifestyle is not the way she wants to live. She rebels against being treated like a piece of property and tries to break free of societies laws. Macbeth tells the story of a man named Macbeth and his wife Lady Macbeth who desires to become queen. Lady Macbeth is the one who told him to kill the current king Duncan to become king himself. Both Edna and Lady Macbeth portray examples of women with autonomy, but the one who displays the characteristics of autonomy the best is Edna. Edna is more autonomous than Lady Macbeth, who only influences rather than displ ay her own independence, because she takes a stand against society, which is the ultimate act of independence. Lady Macbeth is inarguably a very strong, powerful woman with a lot of control, especially at the beginning of the play. This quote explains the extent of her control over her husband, â€Å"Lady Macbeth appears to be somehow in league with evil and Macbeth its victim, a fly in the spider’s web who struggles mightily but cannot escape† (Johnson). She manipulates her husband to get him to do what she wants. When she learns of his destiny to become king, she can’t just let him sit around waiting on it to happen; she knows he has to act. She tells Macbeth he has to kill king Duncan and overrides his objections. Lady Macbeth tries to commit the mu... ...to live, has more autonomy than Lady Macbeth who could only persuade. Both of these women are extremely strong and independent, which makes it very difficult to decide between them. In the end though, Edna is the more autonomous because she held her beliefs until the very end. Lady Macbeth let her ideas get the better of her and felt the guilt of these ideas. So in conclusion, Edna is the more autonomous woman out of the two. Both women were strong and brave for being different in a time when being different was not acceptable. Works Cited Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. New York: Dover Publications, 1993. Print. Dominic, Catherine C. ed. Shakespeare’s Characters for Students. Detroit: 1997. Print. Johnson, Vernon Elso. ed. Social Issues in Literature. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Logan, IA: Perfection Learning, 2004. Print.

Promising Medical Applications for Embryonic Stem Cells Essay -- Explo

Promising Medical Applications for Embryonic Stem Cells Special cells that are taken from human embryos, called embryonic stem cells (ES cells), actually possess the power to save your life. The importance of embryonic stem cells rests in their lack of specialization. These basic cells are present in the earliest stages of developing embryos and are able to develop into virtually any type of cell and tissue in the body. Being self-renewing, they offer a potentially limitless source of cells and tissue. The versatility of these unique cells is what makes them so valuable and vital to human existence. These cells can serve many medical purposes and have the ability to benefit people in infinite ways. a. Joint replacement? There is great potential for stem cell use in joint repair and replacement as several recent studies have shown. For instance, a team of researchers at the University of Calgary used embryonic stem cells to create osteoblasts, or bone producing cells. The osteoblasts were generated in culture at a limited scale. The team cites the limited availability of embryonic stem cells as a major limiting factor to future studies. Most scientists are avoiding the ethical issues surrounding embryonic stem cell research by studying the potential uses of adult stem cells. In January of 2004, Dr. Michael Longaker of the Stanford University Medical Center and a team of doctors published their findings on bone replacement using adult stem cells in mice. They used adult stem cells derived from subcutaneous fat to create bone on premolded scaffolds. These bone structures were used to repair congenital craniofacial deformations in mouse subjects. An extension of this procedure to humans could result in monumental advanc... .... â€Å"Researchers Aim To Create â€Å"Living Glue† For Replacement Joints.† Stem Cell Research Foundation. September 2004. â€Å"Stem Cells Regenerate Injured Heart Muscle.† Stem Cell Research Foundation. August 2004. . â€Å"Stem cells therapy ‘may grow tissue’.† BBC News. 11 February, 2002. . â€Å"Stem Cell Research Targets Cerebral Palsy.† Stem Cell Research Foundation. August 2004. . Warren, Stephen M. MD; Nacamuli, Randall K. MD; Song, HanJoon M. MD; Longaker, Michael T. MD, FACS. â€Å"Tissue-Engineered Bone Using Mesenchymal Stem Cells and a Biodegradable Scaffold.† Journal of Craniofacial Surgery. January 2004: Vol. 15: 1.

Postpartum Contraception Essay

Postpartum contraceptive methods are those used by breast feeding women before twenty six days after they have given birth. Basing on the NICE guidelines, the advice on how to use these methods should be explained to the patients before their second postpartum week. The breast feeding women are allowed to use the lactational amenorrhoea method but they are not recommended to use the COCP (combined oral contraceptive pills) method by the World Health Organization before the first 42 days postpartum because it’s illegal (outside the license) (WHO, 2006). Below are some of the postpartum contraceptive methods. The contraceptive methods; The combined contraceptive pills (to the breast feeding women) This contraceptive method to breast women brings about some hormonal out comes on the quantity of milk and its quality too. If these pills are taken before 24 weeks postpartum, they affect the baby’s growth. In a previous review of randomized controlled trials held to clarify this case, the review reassured women that hormonal contraceptive method has no strong effects on the baby’s growth. On the other hand, the World Health Organization recommended that, breast feeding mothers before 24 weeks of postpartum should not use the combined contraceptive pills because its use is outside the license (WHO, 2006). Sterilization Basing on the guideline of Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, it shows that women should be alert about the consequences and the increasing rates at which sterilization fails before the postpartum period (Johnson, Edelman and Jensen, 2003). Lactational Amenorrhoe This method is scientifically proved to be effective in preventing unwanted pregnancies, given to a woman, in less than 24 weeks postpartum. As Johnson, Edelman and Jensen (2003) states, she does not experience virginal bleeding after the first seven weeks postpartum, and if she can fully breast feed the baby day and night. Progestogen injectables If this method is used before 42 days of postpartum, it means, that it has been used illegally by the applicant (outside their license). According to Johnson, Edelman and Jensen, (2003), if injectables are used in the early periods of postpartum, it may result into excessive bleeding. It is therefore, recommended that it should be used after 42 days of breast feeding. This may prolong bleeding if applied when not breast feeding in five days of delivery. Emergency contraceptive method This method is not required before twenty one days postpartum and it can be used even if the woman is breast feeding. The IUD may be used after one month postpartum. Implants and the progestogen only pills It is recommended by World Health Organization that this method should not be applied in the first 42 days postpartum (WHO, 2006). On the other hand, in the United Kingdom, this method is commonly used by women before 42 days postpartum since it is proved that it has no effect on the quantity of breast milk and the fact that it does not affect the growth of the baby during this specified period. The following have to be noted for application of POP As noted by (Guillebaud (1993) if its application is started after the first two weeks, there is need for some additional contraception and need to clarify that the woman is not pregnant. If the woman starts to experience constant menstrual cycles again, she has to begin the applying POP including the period of five days without the necessity for additional barrier methods. For Etonogestrel implants Guillebaud (1993) explains that, this can be applied between the first 21 to 28 days of delivery. If it exceeds from 28 days, there is need to apply additional contraception methods for a week. Barrier methods (condoms, cervical caps and diaphragms); Condoms It has been proved by scientists that condoms are eighty seven percent effective when used without any other protective measure. And said to be ninety eight percent effective if used with another measure of protection (spermicide). Every time you have sex, it is recommended that you use condoms (Guillebaud, 1993). Diaphragm As Guillebaud (1993) explains, scientifically, this method is said to be ninety eight percent effective that is if used correctly. It has to fitted by the doctor and used when having sex. Conclusion From what has been discussed above, there are many postpartum contraceptive choices a breast feeding woman can use like POP, COCP, barrier methods such as condoms, cervical caps and condoms, progestogen only pills, and others. Some women are using the COCP method, for example, women in UK, before the first 42 days postpartum and yet it is not recommended by WHO. We there by strongly conclude that women should be keen when taking postpartum contraceptives for the seek of their healthy and the child they have, it is important that they should follow the recommendations of the World Health regarding postpartum contraceptives. Reference Guillebaud, J (1993): Postpartum Contraception: Unnecessary before three weeks: BMJ, Vol. 307, 6918; p 1558-61 Johnson L, Edelman A, and Jensen J (2003): Patient satisfaction and the impact of written material about postpartum contraceptive decisions: AMJ Obstet Gynecology; Vol. 188, 5, p, 1201-5 WHO (2006): Medical eligibility criteria for contraception: Available online at: www. who. int/reproductive-health/public/mec/mec. pdf

The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 32

Matt watched in horror as the phantom shook Damon like a rag dol . Elena spun around to lock eyes with Matt and Bonnie. â€Å"We have to save him,† she whispered, a fierce determination on her face, and immediately took off running, shoving her way through the piles of ash. Matt figured that if Damon, with al his vampire strength and fighting skil s honed over the centuries, was so completely helpless in the hands of this phantom – and jeez, with the way it was yanking him back and forth now, his head real y was going to pop off – then Matt, Bonnie, and Elena had less than a snowbal ‘s chance in hel of making any difference to this fight. The only real question would be whether the phantom would kil them, too. And the truth was that Matt didn't even like Damon, not one tiny little bit. Sure, Damon had helped save Fel ‘s Church from Katherine and Klaus, and from the kitsune demons, but he was stil a murderous, sarcastic, unrepentant, cocky, arrogant, nasty, usual y unpleasant vampire. Damon had undoubtedly hurt more people than he had helped over his long life, even if you generously credited him with saving every single resident of Fel ‘s Church. And he always cal ed Matt â€Å"Mutt,† pretending that he couldn't remember his actual name, which was completely infuriating. As Damon meant it to be. Stil , Elena loved Damon. For whatever reason. Probably the same inexplicable reason that regular girls loved regular old bad boys, Matt suspected. A dyed-in-the-wool good guy, he'd never seen the appeal himself. But Elena did. And Damon was part of the team, sort of, and you didn't leave your teammates to get decapitated by demon icewomen on ash-blanketed moons in other dimensions without at least doing your best to put up a fight. Not even if you didn't like them at al . Matt ran after Elena, and Bonnie fol owed. When they reached the phantom, Elena was already scrabbling at the icy blue hand clutched around Damon's throat, trying to pry its fingers up enough to slip her own underneath. The phantom barely glanced at her. Matt gave an inward sigh at the hopelessness of it al and swung a powerful roundhouse blow toward the phantom's stomach. Before his fist could connect, his target turned from ice to swirling, intangible mist, and his punch passed right through the phantom. Thrown off balance, Matt staggered and fel into the phantom's now-vaporous torso. It was like fal ing into a freezing-cold river of sewage. A numbing chil and a horrible, sickening smel washed over Matt. He pul ed back out of the mist, nauseous and shivering but upright. He blinked dazedly around. Elena was grappling with the phantom's fingers, scratching and yanking, and the phantom watched her with a kind of distant amusement, not the least bit alarmed or discomforted by the girl's efforts. Then it moved, so quickly Matt saw only a blur of bluish green, sending Elena flying, her arms and legs flailing, into a heap of ash. She scrambled to her feet immediately, blood trickling from her hairline, leaving red tracks through the ash that now coated her skin. Bonnie was trying, too: She'd worked her way around behind the phantom and was hitting and kicking at it. Mostly, her feet and fists swung harmlessly right through the phantom's mist, but occasional y a blow would connect with the more solid ice. These blows seemed like they were total y ineffective, though: Matt couldn't tel whether the phantom had even noticed Bonnie was attacking it. Veins were bulging out of Damon's face and neck, and he hung from the phantom's hand. The flesh of his neck was white around the stretched tendons. Superpowered strong old vampire or not, Damon was hurting. Matt tossed up a prayer in the direction of whatever saint looked after people pursuing hopeless causes, and threw himself back into the fight. There was blackness. And then there was pain, and the darkness reddened, then cleared, and Damon could see once more. The phantom – that bitch of a phantom – was holding him by the neck, and her skin was so cold, so cold it burned everywhere it touched him. He couldn't move. But he could see Elena standing below him. Beautiful Elena, covered in ash, streaked with blood, her teeth bared and her eyes flashing like a warrior goddess. His heart swel ed with love and fear. The brave little redbird and the boy Mutt fought beside her. Please, he wanted to say. Don't try to save me. Run. Elena, you have to run. But he couldn't move, couldn't speak. Then the phantom shifted her stance and, as Damon watched, Elena stopped her attack and clutched at her stomach, grimacing in pain. Matt and Bonnie were holding themselves as wel , their faces pale and strained, their mouths open in screams. With a wail, Bonnie col apsed. Oh no, Damon thought with a bolt of horror. Not Elena. Not the redbird. Not for me. Then suddenly, a gusting wind swirled around him, and he was flung from the phantom's grip. There was a roaring in his ears and a stinging in his eyes. Looking around, he saw Bonnie and Elena, their long hair flying around them wildly; Matt, his arms pinwheeling; and the phantom, its glass-green face for once startled instead of knowing. Tornado, Damon thought vaguely, and then, Gateway, and he realized he was being thrown upward, back into the darkness once more. The wind was howling at a deafening pitch now, and Stefan had to raise his voice to a shout to even hear himself over it. He had to keep both hands clamped down on the book – it was being pul ed out of his hands as if something alive and very strong were consciously trying to yank it away. â€Å"Mihi adi. Te voco. Necesse est tibi parere,† Stefan said. â€Å"Come to me. I summon you. You must obey.† That was the end of the summoning spel in Latin. The next part was the banishing spel , which would be in English. Of course, the phantom would have to actual y be there for that part of the spel to be effective. The wind whipping through the garage grew even stronger. Outside, thunder rumbled. Stefan watched the innermost circle, deep in the shadows of the garage, but there was nothing there. The unnatural wind was beginning to let up. Panic rose in his chest. Had they failed? He glanced anxiously at Alaric and Meredith, then at Mrs. Flowers, but none of them were looking at him, staring transfixed at the circle. Stefan looked back into it, hoping against hope. But there was nothing there. Wait. There was the faintest movement of something, right in the center of the circle, the tiniest flash of blue-green light, and along with it came a chil . Not like the cold wind that had spun through the garage, but more like an icy breath – inhale and exhale, inhale and exhale – slow and steady and freezing cold, right from that one spot. The glimmer widened, deepened, darkened, and suddenly what Stefan was looking at shifted and changed from an amorphous glimmer to a woman. An icy, misty, giant woman tinted in shades of blue and green. Inside her chest was a deep red rose, its stem a solid mass of thorns. Meredith and Celia let out audible gasps. Mrs. Flowers stared calmly, while Alaric's jaw had dropped. This must be the jealousy phantom. Stefan had always thought of jealousy as burning hot. Fiery kisses, fiery anger. But anger, lust, envy, al the things that made up jealousy, could be cold, too, and he had no doubt that they had the right phantom. Stefan noticed al these things about the phantom and forgot them again in a split second, because it wasn't just the ice-woman who materialized at the center of the circle. Confused, weeping, staggering, streaked with ash and mud, three humans had appeared there as wel . His beautiful, elegant Elena, caked in grime, her golden hair tangled and matted, lines of blood running down her face. Delicate little Bonnie, tearstained and pale as milk, but with an expression of fury as she kicked and clawed at the phantom. And al -American, always reliable Matt, dusty and disheveled, turning to peer out at them with a peculiarly blank expression, as if simply wondering what fresh hel he'd landed in now. And then one more person, a fourth figure wobbling and gasping, the last to shimmer into view. For a moment, Stefan didn't recognize him – couldn't recognize him, because this man wasn't supposed to exist anymore. Instead he just felt like a hauntingly familiar stranger. The stranger put his hands to his throat protectively and looked out of the circle, straight at Stefan. Through a bloody, swol en lip and bruised slits of eyes, the ghost of a bril iant smile appeared, and the gears of Stefan's mind slotted into place and began to turn again at last. Damon. Stefan was so flabbergasted he didn't know what to feel at first. Then, deep within him, a slow warmth spread with the realization that his brother was back. The last piece left of al his strange history was here once again. Stefan wasn't alone. Stefan took a step forward toward the edge of the diagram, holding his breath. â€Å"Damon?† he said softly, wonderingly. Jealousy snapped its head toward him, and Stefan was pinned to his spot by its glassy cold gaze. â€Å"He came back before, you know,† it said conversational y, and its voice chil ed Stefan as if ice water had been thrown in his face. â€Å"He just didn't want you to know so he could have Elena al to himself. He's been lurking around, lying low, playing tricks like he always does.† Jealousy was undoubtedly feminine, and its cool observational tone reminded Stefan of the little voice that sometimes spoke from the back of his mind, cal ing out his darkest and most shameful thoughts. Could the others even hear it? Or was it speaking straight into his mind? He risked a glance around. They al – Meredith, Celia, Alaric, Mrs. Flowers – stood stil as statues, staring at Jealousy. Behind them, the makeshift beds lay empty. When the three sleepers' astral forms had entered the circle with the phantom, their bodies must have somehow joined them, making them solid within the inner circle. â€Å"He came to Elena,† the phantom taunted. â€Å"He kept his resurrection a secret from you so that he could pursue her. Damon didn't worry for a moment about how you felt about his death. And while you were busy mourning him, he was busy visiting Elena's bedroom.† Stefan reeled backward. â€Å"He always wants what you have, and you know it,† the phantom continued, its translucent lips curving in a smile. â€Å"It's been true since you were mortals. Remember how he came home from university and stole Katherine away from you? He used al his charms on her, just because he knew you loved her. Even with the smal things: If you had a toy, he'd take it. If you wanted a horse, he'd ride it. If there was a piece of meat on the platter between you, he'd take it even if he wasn't hungry, just so you wouldn't get it.† Stefan shook his head slowly from side to side, again feeling too slow, like he had once again missed the important moment. Damon had been visiting Elena? When he had cried on her shoulder about his fal en brother, had Elena known Damon was alive? â€Å"But you thought you could trust Elena, didn't you, Stefan?† Elena turned to stare at him, her cheeks pale beneath their coating of ash. She looked sick and apprehensive. â€Å"No, Stefan – † Elena started to say, but the phantom went swiftly on, its words soothingly spoken poison. Stefan knew what it was doing. He wasn't a fool. Yet he felt himself nodding, agreeing, a slow red anger rising inside him despite his more rational self's struggle against it. â€Å"Elena kept his secret from you, Stefan. She knew you were in pain and that knowing Damon was alive would have eased that suffering, but stil she kept silent, because Damon asked her to, and what Damon wanted was more important than helping you. Elena's always wanted both of the Salvatore brothers. It's funny, real y, Stefan, how you're never quite enough for the women you love. This isn't the first time Elena's chosen Damon over you, is it?† Elena shook her head, but Stefan could barely see her through the tide of fury and misery rising up inside him. â€Å"Secrets and lies,† the phantom went on merrily, with an icy tinkling laugh, â€Å"and foolish Stefan Salvatore always a few steps behind. You've known al along there was something between Elena and Damon that you weren't part of, Stefan, and yet you would never have suspected she'd betray you for him.† Damon seemed to snap out of his daze, as if suddenly hearing the phantom for the first time. His brows drew into a heavy frown and he slowly turned his head to stare at it. He opened his mouth to speak, but at that moment, something in Stefan broke, and before Damon could issue whatever denial or taunt was on the tip of his tongue, Stefan lunged forward with a shout of rage, plunging straight through the chalked diagram. Faster than the human eye could fol ow, Stefan knocked Damon backward out of the circle and threw him against the far wal of the garage.