Judging a Music Genre by Its Cover Essay Example

Judging a Music Genre by Its Cover Essay Judging someone or something, good or bad, is a natural habit we all have. Malcolm Gladwell says â€Å"The ability of our unconscious to find patterns in situations and behavior based on very narrow slices of experiences† (23). This sentence explains the theory of â€Å"thin-slicing† which are the snap judgments we make is and small amount of time. They are a part of the unconscious mind, which is the automatic response process we have when it comes to memory, motivation, thought process and many other. (Gladwell 21 ). You may never even recognize that some of the things you do, but just because that habit comes to you so naturally you’ll do it in a split second and won’t think twice about it. In this paper I want to discuss the one of the various ways we can thin-slice a certain genre of music based on what you already know about it. Im not doing it just to show you how exactly thin-slicing works but also to show how at times it necessarily doesnt work. H ow you can absolutely hate something, for in this instance rap, just because of the popular icons that come to mind but at the same time you can actually still like rap. This may sound confusing but once you give it a chance and flip a couple pages you might find something you really enjoy. Music is something that has been around as longs people have been on this planet and has been a big part of many lives. From its beginning to now different ways to make a beat and they way you sing a song. New artist come up a lot and change the way you view that genre and there are artist that stay with the basic ways of how that genre was all about. When a certain genre of music is said we get an idea in our head of a popular artist and what kind of music they are associated with. If I were to ask you, â€Å"what is country music like?† Most people who listen would probably say that it’s peaceful, relaxing, or maybe comforting. Then I could ask well, â€Å"what kind of people listen to heav We will write a custom essay sample on Judging a Music Genre by Its Cover specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Judging a Music Genre by Its Cover specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Judging a Music Genre by Its Cover specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Zoo Paper essays

Zoo Paper essays On my visit to the Zoo their were many interesting animals that grabbed my attention. The first animal was the Black Necked Swan which is also known by its scientific name Cygnus Melan Coryphus. This bird appeared to be very comfortable in its new environment at the Zoo. Their were two of these magnificent birds for me to observe. Both of them had snow white bottoms, with dark black necks and a red orange colored bill. The male swan is known as a cob and the female a pen, the males are usually a bit larger than the females. The areas of origin are in open lakes and marsh lands in the Southern parts of South America, including Chile, Argentina, and Falkland Islands. The black necked swan feeds on Aquatic plants in the zoo, and as wild swan they typically feed on vegetation, insects, and fish spawn. The black necked swan is not in any danger of being extinct. The swans seem to some how stay close to each other and their behavior was calm. I find the black neck on the swan to be very i nteresting, I had never known of a black necked swan until my recent visit to the zoo. The swans neck was very long it seems at times to wrap around the bottom of its body, as it dives its head into the pond. I think that the black necked swan is a must see bird. The gracefulness and common behavior makes it one of my top birds to purchase and put into a private pond. The multi color of this bird gives it a very complex, but different style that sets it in a class of its own. According to research these birds rarely are on land they are known to say in water, maybe this is some sort of instinct, which allows them to stay out of harms way. What ever the case, I hope these birds survive a long time so that others can view them as I did. The zebra is one of the most distinctive looking animals in the world, also known by its scientific name Equus burchelli bohmi. The zebra can usually be found in the grass lands and lightly wooded areas of eastern A...

The Role of Secession in the American Civil War

The Role of Secession in the American Civil War The Civil War was a fight to preserve the Union which was the United States of America. From the conception of the Constitution, there were two differing opinions on the role of the federal government. Federalists believed that the federal government and the executive needed to maintain their power in order to ensure the survival of the union. On the other hand, anti-federalists held that states should retain much of their sovereignty within the new nation. Basically, they believed that each state should have the right to determine the laws within its own borders and should not be forced to follow the mandates of the federal government unless absolutely necessary. As time passed the rights of the states would often collide with various actions the federal government was taking. Arguments arose over taxation, tariffs, internal improvements, the military, and of course slavery. Northern Versus Southern Interests Increasingly, the Northern states squared off against the Southern states. One of the main reasons for this was that the economic interests of north and south were opposed to each other. The South was largely comprised of small and large plantations that grew crops such as cotton which were labor intensive. The North, on the other hand, was more of a manufacturing center, using raw materials to create finished goods. Slavery had been abolished in the north but continued in the south due to the need for inexpensive labor and the ingrained culture of the plantation era. As new states were added to the United States, compromises had to be reached concerning whether they would be admitted as slave or as free states. The fear of both groups was for the other to gain an unequal amount of power. If more slave states existed, for example, then they would garner more power in the nation. The Compromise of 1850 - Precursor to the Civil War The Compromise of 1850 was created to help stave off open conflict between the two sides. Among the five parts of the Compromise were two rather controversial acts. First Kansas and Nebraska were given the ability to decide for themselves whether they wanted to be slave or free. While Nebraska was decidedly a free state from the start, pro and anti-slavery forces traveled to Kansas to try and influence the decision. Open fighting broke out in the territory causing it to be known as Bleeding Kansas. Its fate would not be decided until 1861 when it would enter the union as a free state. The second controversial act was the Fugitive Slave Act which gave slave owners great latitude in traveling north to capture any escaped slaves. This act was hugely unpopular with both abolitionists and more moderate anti-slavery forces in the north. Abraham Lincolns Election Leads to Secession By 1860 the conflict between northern and southern interests had grown so strong that when Abraham Lincoln was elected president South Carolina became the first state to break off  from the Union and form its own country. Ten more states would follow with secession: Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. On February 9, 1861, the Confederate States of America was formed with Jefferson Davis as its president. The Civil War Begins Abraham Lincoln  was inaugurated as president in March 1861. On April 12, Confederate forces led by General P.T. Beauregard opened  fire on Fort Sumter which  was a federally held fort in  South Carolina. This began the American Civil War. The  Civil War  lasted from 1861 until 1865. During this time, over 600,000 soldiers representing both sides were killed either by battle deaths or disease. Many, many more were wounded with estimates of more than 1/10th of all soldiers being wounded. Both the north and the south experienced major victories and defeats. However, by September 1864 with the taking of Atlanta, the North had gained the upper hand and the war would officially end on April 9, 1865. The Aftermath of the Civil War The beginning of the end for the Confederacy was with General Robert E. Lees unconditional surrender at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865.  Confederate General Robert E. Lee  surrendered the  Army of Northern Virginia  to Union General  Ulysses S. Grant. However, skirmishes and small battles continued to occur until the last general, Native American Stand Watie, surrendered on June 23, 1865. President  Abraham Lincoln  wanted to institute a liberal system of Reconstructing the South. However, his vision of  Reconstruction  was not to become reality after  Abraham Lincolns assassination  on April 14, 1865. The  Radical Republicans  wanted to deal harshly with the South. Military rule was instituted until  Rutherford B. Hayes  officially ended Reconstruction in 1876. The Civil War was a watershed event in the United States. The individual states after years of reconstruction would end up joined together in a stronger union. No longer would questions  concerning secession  or nullification be argued by individual states. Most importantly, the war officially ended slavery.

Biotechnology Final Assignment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Biotechnology Final Assignment - Case Study Example It has offered people a better way to benefit from other organisms while being environmentally friendly. The modification of genes has enabled there to be different breeds of certain animals. This has led to the creation of a different breed altogether with certain characteristics (Sutton 29). This paper will review the way biotechnology has been crucial in the evolution of the environment through time. How the topic relates to the class Biotechnology has led to the improvement of the preservation of the environment. Throughout history, it was vital that people protect and preserve the environment. The problem with this came with the little knowledge they had to dispose of certain waste products (Sutton 35). These waste products may have come from anywhere take for instance the animals, and people. The waste would often be left unattended, and this led to the degradation of the environment. However, people found out alternative methods of ridding the environment of this waste by conv erting it into something useful. Animal waste found use in farms as a way of offering fertility to the soil. This is since the decomposition that occurred provided the necessary elements for the growth of healthy plants, and crops. Biotechnology has improved the manner in which people relate to the environment. In prehistoric times, it was easy to see how biotechnology was used to carry out day to day activities (Sutton 39). An example would be the fermentation of fruit drinks to make wine. Personal thoughts on the topic It is vital to note the significance biotechnology has brought forth. Many fields in the world are coming up as a result of biotechnology. There have been many things that have become possible due to biotechnology. This is with improvement in technology over time. However, it is clear that biotechnology is not something that is accepted globally. Some believe that it has led to the creation of things that go against God’s design. The manipulation of DNA in di fferent animals has been condemned by many (Sutton 45). The use of herbicides over long periods has received criticism from different quarters. This criticism is becoming more of a hindrance to the use of biotechnology to clean up contaminated environments (Sutton 48). Marine life depends on biotechnology to take care of the growing number of accidents in the sea. Oil spills require techniques that are incorporated by biotechnology to clean up. The ceasing of such techniques would mean that these fields would be rendered useless over a certain period. Biotechnology has found ways to get rid of waste from the environment while having little negative impact on the said environment. The biological processes that biotechnology offers are seen to play a key role in the promotion of a sustainable environment (Sutton 59). Some of the things that it does to benefit the environment are immense. They seem to outweigh the things that it has done that seem to impact the environment negatively. Reason for choosing the topic One of the reasons for choosing this topic is to bring to the attention of many people the benefits brought on by biotechnology. Biotechnology should be embraced for the betterment of the whole global village. This is since the benefits can be seen and felt around the world (Sutton 69). The advancement has contributed to the production of medicine that has eradicated many diseases that would, otherwise, still exist. Not only has biotechnology improved the lives of many, it has prevented the

Exam one Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Exam one - Essay Example Modernism changed the world’s perspective on art, music, jobs and housing. Many new ways of life had also changed the public’s view of many different things. This was an interesting time for growth and finding one’s self. Art in the modern era was different than any other forms of art seen before. Many new artists were trying out a new way to express themselves. Literature was also influenced on many mixed feelings. The unsteadiness of the upcoming war led to art that could be defined without imperfection. Art as described in the quote, â€Å"similar to a pair of glasses that make two visions become one† (Toronto1962). Modernist literature consists of a world within a world. This perceived world was very imaginative. Many looked to this form of modernist literature as a way to get away from the many surroundings. This new way of thinking left writers and artist wondering about life. Many felt that life was nothing without the presence of God. This feeling is commonly expressed in many forms of literature in the twentieth century. This anxiety and realist approach made its mark on history in a modernist

Integrity and Values Essay Example for Free

Integrity and Values Essay Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. Barbara Killinger offers a traditional definition: Integrity is a personal choice, an uncompromising and predictably consistent commitment to honour moral, ethical, spiritual and artistic values and principles. [1] In ethics, integrity is regarded[by whom? ] as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy For other uses, see Integrity (disambiguation) Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. Barbara Killinger offers a traditional definition: Integrity is a personal choice, an uncompromising and predictably consistent commitment to honour moral, ethical, spiritual and artistic values and principles. [1] In ethics, integrity is regarded[by whom? ] as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of ones actions. Integrity can stand in opposition tohypocrisy,[2] in that judging with the standards of integrity involves regarding internal consistency as a virtue, and suggests that parties holding within themselves apparently conflicting values should account for the discrepancy or alter their beliefs. The word integrity stems from the Latin adjectiveinteger (whole, complete). [3] In this context, integrity is the inner sense of wholeness deriving from qualities such as honesty and consistency ofcharacter. As such, one may judge that others have integrity to the extent that they act according to the values, beliefs and principles they claim to hold. A value systems abstraction depth and range of applicable interaction may also function as significant factors in identifying integrity due to their congruence or lack of congruence with observation. A value system may evolve over time[4] while retaining integrity if those who espouse the values account for and resolve inconsistencies. [5] ones actions. Integrity can For other uses, see Integrity (disambiguation) Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. Barbara Killinger offers a traditional definition: Integrity is a personal choice, an uncompromising and predictably consistent commitment to honour moral, ethical, spiritual and artistic values and principles. [1] In ethics, integrity is regarded[by whom? ] as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of ones actions. Integrity can stand in opposition tohypocrisy,[2] in that judging with the standards of integrity involves regarding internal consistency as a virtue, and suggests that parties holding within themselves apparently conflicting values should account for the discrepancy or alter their beliefs. The word integrity stems from the Latin adjectiveinteger (whole, complete). [3] In this context, integrity is the inner sense of wholeness deriving from qualities such as honesty and consistency ofcharacter. As such, one may judge that others have integrity to the extent that they act according to the values, beliefs and principles they claim to hold. A value systems abstraction depth and range of applicable interaction may also function as significant factors in identifying integrity due to their congruence or lack of congruence with observation. A value system may evolve over time[4] while retaining integrity if those who espouse the values account for and resolve inconsistencies. [5] in opposition tohypocrisy,[2] in that judging with the standards of integrity involves regarding internal consistency as a virtue, and suggests that parties holding within themselves apparently conflicting values should account for the discrepancy or alter their beliefs. The word integrity stems from the Latin adjectiveinteger (whole, complete). [3] In this context, integrity is the inner sense of wholeness deriving from qualities such as honesty and consistency ofcharacter. As such, one may judge that others have integrity to the extent that they act according to the values, beliefs and principles they claim to hold.

Beethoven, Bach And Bartok: Comparisons Essay -- essays research paper

Barouque Composers Still Being Played Frequently Monteverdi Lully Corelli Pachelbel Scarlatti Purcell Couperin Albinoni Vivaldi Telemann Rameau Bach Handel Gluck Baroque and Classical Orchestras – Differences <td width="50%">Baroque OrchestrasClassical OrchestrasString section and basso continuo central to the orchestra. Other instruments are occasional additions.Standard group of four sections: strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion. Different instruments treated individually.Fairly small; generally 10- 40 players.Larger than baroque; great variation to the numbers of players.Flexible use of timbres, e.g. Timpani and trumpets used generally just for festive music.Standardised sections. Most sections used regularly.Tone colour is distinctly secondary to other musical elements.Greater variety of tone colour and more rapid changes of colour. Timbre is unimportant and therefore a piece written for harpsichord could easily be rearranged for a string section.Each section of the classical orchestra has a special role. And each instrument is used distinctively.Wind instruments mainly used as solo instruments or as part of the basso continuo.The wind section had become a separat e unit capable of contrast and distinct colour.The harpsichord generally plays an ostinato under the orchestra. Piano not invented.The piano introduces a third colour-tone to be contrasted with the orchestra Baroque and Classical Concerto Form– Differences <td width="50%">Baroque Concerto FormClassical Concerto Form Concerto grosso (use of string orchestra set against a number of solo instruments) is the most popular concerto form of this period. Other forms include The ripieno concerto and the solo concerto.Symphony form develops from baroque concerto forms and becomes the new form. Shorter movements than classical form.Concerto longer than baroque from. Fairly strict structure and prerequisites, e.g. Traditional ritornello form, virtuostic displays etc.More freedom and experimentation with traditional form. First movement has solo passages extending into long sections; alternated between four or five ritornello sections. First movement constructed in a variant of ritornello form with a double exposition. Violin is preferred concerto solo instrument although the harpsichord becomes more and more popular throughout the century.The newly prominent piano tak... ...and Bart&oacute;k used instruments for solo passages that had not been used again. All demanded high performance levels from their orchestra. Both Mozart and Bart&oacute;k wrote string quartets. All had great influence on later composers, Mozart on Beethoven, Bart&oacute;k on Copeland and Bach on everyone including his twenty or so children&#61514; All were leaders in their own eras. All died tragically, all succumbing to illness. Bibliography TitleAuthor/ EditorPublisherDate James Galways’ Music in TimeWilliam MannMichael Beazley Publishers1982 The Concise Oxford History of MusicGerald AbrahamOxford University Press1979 Music in Western CivilizationPaul Henry LangW. W. Norton and Company1941 The Ultimate Encyclopaedia of Classical MusicRobert AinsleyCarlton Books Limited1995 The Cambridge Music GuideStanley SadieCambridge University Press1985 School text: Western European Orchestral MusicMary AllenHamilton Girls’ High School1999 History of MusicRoy BennettCambridge University Press1982 Classical Music for DummiesDavid PogueIDG Books Worldwide,Inc1997 Assignment Completed By: Wolff, &copy; June 2000 A: Yr 12 Musical Knowledge Research Assignment 24/05/00/Joan

Succubus Shadows Chapter 13

I woke up next to Seth, and for the space of heartbeat, I thought I truly was waking – waking up from an awful, awful dream about the Oneroi and everything else that had happened since Seth and I had broken up. He lay asleep in bed with the sheets tangled around him, his light brown hair glinting reddish in the morning sun. He slept only in boxers, and his chest looked warm and smooth and perfect for cuddling against. His breathing was even, his posture still and relaxed. I drank it all in, all the little Seth details I'd been missing for months. I swore that I could even smell him. Did dreams have smells? This one did, I was certain. That soft woodsy-apple scent wrapped around me like an embrace. After a few moments, he began to stir and sleepily open his eyes. He squinted at the light and rolled onto his back, stifling a yawn. I wanted to roll right over to him and snuggle against his warmth, telling him all about the nightmares I'd been having. Then, I realized there was no way I could go to him. I couldn't move. Well, that wasn't exactly true. There was more to it than that. I just didn't have a body. I was an observer only, like the invisible camera I'd been with Roman and Jerome. This apparently was not a dream I was active in, and the realization of that drove home the terrible truth: this was still an Oneroi dream. I hadn't imagined them. I hadn't imagined Seth and me breaking up. He sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes. It was such a familiar, nostalgic sight. Getting up was always hard for him, largely because of the bizarre writing hours he kept. He glanced over at the clock, which was near the direction from which I was â€Å"watching.† His eyes passed right over where I would have been. Yes. I was just a ghost in this. But what was â€Å"this† exactly? Truth or lie? The time on the clock – nine in the morning – must have been motivation enough for him to drag himself out of bed. Still in boxers, he stumbled into the bathroom, miraculously not walking into anything in his sleepy state. While brushing his teeth, he noticed a note on the counter. I immediately recognized the writing because I saw it all the time at the bookstore. Went in early today to get a few things done and should be done by six. Bring Brandy by, if you can, to try on those shoes. Love, Maddie Seeing Maddie's name jolted me out of the Seth Fantasyland I'd been living in as he went through his morning routine. Expanding my vision now, I saw changes to his bathroom – things that hadn't been there when we'd dated. Another toothbrush, for one thing. Makeup in the corner. A pink robe on the bathroom hook. On the books, Maddie was still sharing a place with Doug, but we all knew what the reality was. That pain that hadn't really left since my last dream grew tighter within my chest. She was all over this place. She had left her mark everywhere, everywhere in this space he and I had once shared together. I had been replaced. Seth went through the rest of his routine, including a remarkably fast shower. He was notorious for staying in there forever while plotting some story line. I tried hard not to focus on the sight of him naked and wet and instead pondered where he might be going today. If it was just to write at the bookstore, he wouldn't have been moving so briskly. He easily found clean boxers and jeans, but the hardest part of his day came next: what T-shirt to wear? When we'd been together, I'd loved watching this. I'd lie in bed – after all, I had no urgency to ever get ready – laughing while he deliberated and deliberated over his massive T-shirt collection. Each had its own hanger, displaying some bit of retro or pop culture novelty. Vanilla Ice. ALF. Mr. T cereal. He flipped through them all, studying each one carefully as his hand touched each sleeve. Then, his fingers suddenly brushed against a sleeve longer than the others. His closet wasn't all T-shirts. There were a few sweaters and pullovers crammed into the sides. There was also a flannel shirt; it was what he'd stopped and noticed. Pushing the other shirts aside, he took the flannel off of its hanger and held it up, his motions almost reverent. Even without physical form, I had the sensation of my heart going still. I knew this shirt. It was one he'd given me to wear a long time ago, the night I'd passed out at his place from too much alcohol. I'd met his family the next day, looking ridiculous with the flannel over my strappy party dress. Even while dating, I'd totally forgotten all about that shirt. He held it there between his hands, and the look on his face†¦there was so much there, I didn't even know where to start. Seth was so good at keeping his expression neutral and could be extremely short-spoken when he chose. But here, alone, he was unguarded. There was sorrow on his face. Sorrow and regret. And when he held the shirt up and rested his head on it, I saw longing as well. The whole mood was rounded out with a sort of helpless resignation. He inhaled deeply and then hung the shirt back up. As he did, I caught the faintest whiff of tuberose blossoms – the leftover scent of my Michael Kors perfume. Seth had never worn or washed it again, I realized with a start. He'd just kept it like some sort of treasured artifact. After that, he simply grabbed the first T-shirt his hand came across, without even looking. It was an old favorite of his, showing the Tasmanian Devil from Looney Tunes. Seth's mood had shifted considerably, down to something a little more solemn and thoughtful than when he'd gotten out of the shower. My observations didn't go into his head, though. I could only judge by outside signs. His reason for getting up turned out to be a trip to his brother's house. Like always, the elder Mortensen's home was chaotic, with small adorable blond girls running around, many of them shrieking when they saw their favorite uncle. He'd barely stepped inside when Andrea, his sister-in-law, came out to greet him. She wore a corduroy jacket with her jeans and T-shirt, her blond hair slicked back into a neat ponytail. She gave Seth a startled look. â€Å"You didn't bring your laptop?† Andrea was as cheerful as always but appeared tired. He gestured over to where his twin nieces, McKenna and Morgan, were playing tug of war with a string of Christmas lights. It was odd because Christmas was over a month away and also because the lights were plugged in, which seemed like some sort of electrical risk to me. Apparently Seth felt the same way because he hastily intercepted them and removed the string of lights altogether, amid much protest. â€Å"I don't think I'll get much work done with these guys,† he said dryly. â€Å"Yeah,† she admitted. â€Å"I can see that.† She glanced at her watch. â€Å"Okay, gotta go. I don't know how long this'll take.† â€Å"No problem,† he said. â€Å"Do what you need to.† She scurried out the door. I wanted to ask where she was off to but had no means. Again, I was reminded how out of the loop I was from the Mortensen world now. Once I would have known every detail. Kendall, a precocious nine-year-old, solemnly walked up to Seth. â€Å"Uncle Seth,† she said, â€Å"will you play Loan with me?† Seth arched an eyebrow. â€Å"Loan? What's that?† â€Å"It's where I'm the mortgage broker, and you come to get a loan for a house but don't have the money for a down payment.† She paused. â€Å"We'll have to make a pretend income fax for you.† â€Å"Tax,† he corrected. â€Å"And how about we go to the bookstore instead?† She frowned. â€Å"I want to play Loan.† â€Å"They have real estate books there,† he said. â€Å"I don't think we can play Loan without sufficient background.† â€Å"Okay,† she conceded. â€Å"We can go.† Brandy strolled into the living room just then with her four-year-old sister in her arms. Kayla looked like she'd woken up from a nap and sleepily had her head against Brandy's shoulder. I loved all the girls, but something about Kayla always affected me more strongly. â€Å"Go where?† asked Brandy, shifting Kayla's weight. Although she held her sister tenderly, Brandy had a dark cloud around her. â€Å"To Emerald City.† Brandy sighed. â€Å"Don't you spend enough time there?† â€Å"Maddie got a few pairs of shoes for the dress and needs you to try them on.† Brandy gave him a look that exquisitely expressed all of her feelings on that topic. â€Å"Don't start,† he warned, in as chastising a tone as I'd ever heard him use. Welcome to adolescence, Seth. â€Å"Is Georgina working?† she asked. Kendall looked up from where she'd been starting to color. In orange crayon, a blank piece of paper read â€Å"IRS.† â€Å"Yeah, can we see Georgina?† Kendall piped in. Seth looked pained. â€Å"I don't know if she's there or not.† I didn't know either. I didn't know if this was a true or false dream. It felt true so far, but I didn't trust the Oneroi. Being an observer, I had to think I wouldn't be there. Certainly I wouldn't if this were true. I wondered what would happen at the store when I suddenly stopped showing up. â€Å"I can just stay here while you're gone,† Brandy said. â€Å"Mom doesn't mind if I'm alone.† â€Å"Then you can't try on the shoes. Which defeats the whole purpose.† After a carefully worded â€Å"discussion,† in which Brandy suggested he just bring the shoes to her, she finally conceded. With the whole gang along, they had to take the Mortensen van, which Seth didn't seem overly thrilled about. But there was no other way to transport five girls, one of whom needed a car seat. The troop arrived at Emerald City. Seth left the four younger ones in the kids' section, which was a wonderland of picture books, puzzles, and stuffed animals. Janice was working that area today and told him she'd keep an eye on the girls. Seth also put Kendall in charge of her sisters, with the bribe that he'd buy her some finance books. That left him and Brandy to find Maddie, who was holed up in an office. Her face lit up when she saw them, and she practically flew from her seat to give him a quick kiss. Brandy scowled, and a troubled feeling burned within me. The love on Maddie's face was so obvious, so strong†¦anyone could see it. She made no attempts to hide it, even at work. I hated their relationship, but how could I resent her feelings? How could I resent her loving the man who meant the world to me? â€Å"How's work?† he asked her, smiling fondly. Was that his way of showing love too? How had he looked around me? For some reason, I was certain he'd been different†¦hadn't he? I couldn't remember. Maddie gestured to the desk she shared with Doug. â€Å"A little crazy. Yet strangely boring. I'm stuck on paperwork all day. Performance reviews.† â€Å"Hey, I'm stuck on paperwork every day.† She rolled her eyes. â€Å"Bad joke. And not the same at all.† â€Å"Try putting some sex and violence into the reviews, and they might go faster.† I was too disturbed by their banter to pay much attention to the fact that Maddie was doing my job. Brandy looked equally pained by the conversation. As Maddie and Seth spoke, I studied him further, trying to read his feelings. Yes, there was affection†¦yet, it reminded me a little of the warm indulgence he showed his nieces. At last, Maddie produced a shopping bag full of shoes. Brandy's dress was hanging in the office, and Maddie ordered Seth to leave while his niece changed. Just before he was shooed out, Maddie remarked to Brandy, â€Å"I'm glad this color looks good on you. I decided to do everything purple because of how great it looked on Georgina. I found some awesome flowers that go with it all too.† Oh, fucking fantastic. I had influenced the color scheme for their wedding. Seth left, and I went with him. He wandered through the store, browsing through books – an activity he never tired of. Several employees said hello to him as they passed by. Including me. Seeing as the Oneroi had put me in dreams a couple times now, I shouldn't have been surprised. Except, whenever I was a character in the theatre of these dreams, I'd always had awareness of it. I'd watched me and felt me. Now, I saw myself approach Seth exactly the same way I'd seen Maddie and Brandy approach him. I was still objective. No inner connection. Again, just like watching a movie. I didn't entirely understand it, but nothing the Oneroi did should really shock me anymore. â€Å"Hey,† I (she?) said, shelving a couple books. They were copies of The Scarlet Letter, and I'd set them in new releases. â€Å"Hey,† said Seth, a weird mix of shyness and familiarity in his manner. â€Å"How's it going?† â€Å"Not bad,† I said. â€Å"Quiet day. Mostly just putting away books.† â€Å"You've got Maddie doing reviews.† â€Å"Yeah, well, I thought she could handle it. Besides, this dress is new. It'd be a shame to keep it hidden.† My watching self had already noticed the dress because that was second nature to me. It was a great dress but not necessarily one to wear to work. It was a silk sheath that stopped high on the thigh, with straps tying around the neck and a scoop neckline that showed a considerable amount of cleavage. There was no bra anywhere. I looked like I should have been clubbing, not shelving. Seeing as this whole vision was no memory of mine, the dress only furthered the fact that this was one of the lies. I wasn't afraid to tart it up, but even I had boundaries at work. Seth seemed surprised at the dress but not unappreciative. â€Å"You should be hand-selling,† he said. â€Å"Go outside with a book, and I bet you could push it on anyone.† â€Å"This dress might not work on everyone,† I pointed out. He gave me one of those little smiles of his, and I wondered if the other Georgina melted like I did. â€Å"The dress is only half of it. You're charming enough to talk anyone into anything.† I gave him a smile in return, one that was both cheery and sly. â€Å"Anything?† The innuendo didn't progress because Kayla suddenly pranced over and wrapped her arms around Seth's legs. He scooped her up and glanced around. â€Å"What happened to Kendall? No finance books for bad babysitters.† My alter ego peered over toward the magazines. â€Å"Is that her?† I sounded uncertain, which was odd because when Seth turned to see, it was perfectly obvious it was Kendall. She was reading Forbes. Seth sighed and called her over. She brightened when she saw me. â€Å"Hi, Georgina! You're so pretty today.† â€Å"Thanks,† I said, beaming. â€Å"You were supposed to be in charge,† said Seth. â€Å"Go get the twins. Hopefully they haven't wandered out into traffic.† Kendall shook her head. â€Å"They're playing with puzzles.† But she raced off nonetheless. Kayla was staring around the store in that distracted way children her age had, watching the people and sights. Seth gave her a slight nudge. â€Å"What about you? Aren't you going to say hi to Georgina?† Kayla glanced in the direction he indicated, looked me over, and then continued her survey of the store. It wasn't so much she shunned me or was repulsed by me; it was more like she was disinterested. I didn't stand out to her more than any other patron or even one of the shelves. â€Å"One of her moods,† said Seth apologetically. Brandy surfaced, still annoyed by the shoes, but immensely happy to see me. The rest of the girls were rustled up, and after a bit more chatting, Seth and the nieces left me to my bad shelving. He'd continued holding Kayla in his arms, and she suddenly turned to him in all seriousness. â€Å"When are you going to find Georgina?† she asked. Her voice was small and sweet. She rarely spoke, so I always loved the sound of it when she did. He frowned, trying to open the van door with one hand. Brandy helped him. â€Å"We just saw Georgina,† he said. â€Å"Inside.† â€Å"No, we didn't,† said Kayla. â€Å"We did. You snubbed her,† he teased. â€Å"I told you to say hello.† â€Å"That wasn't Georgina. You have to find her.† â€Å"What have you been smoking?† Brandy asked, taking over to buckle Kayla into her booster. â€Å"That was Georgina.† Seth sighed. â€Å"Be careful with your choice of expressions.† The topic dropped after that, but as they drove back to Terry and Andrea's, a chill ran through me. Kayla knew. Kayla knew I was gone. This must be a true dream after all. We'd learned recently that she had the faintest stirring of psychic powers and the ability to perceive some things on the supernatural plane. She had a vague sense of my aura, and she'd realized that it wasn't me in the store. That's why she'd been so disinterested. It was also why I hadn't been inside that Georgina. It wasn't Georgina. Then who was it? With a sinking feeling, I immediately answered my own question. Who else would have an interest in looking like me and flirting with Seth? Simone. Simone was impersonating me in my absence, I was certain of it. Son of a bitch. I couldn't feel her aura in this dream form, and no mortal could, period. Except for Kayla. Fuck. This was not what I needed. The rest of Seth's day was uneventful, though he thankfully never ran into â€Å"me† again. Andrea returned, and it was then I learned she'd been at a doctor's appointment. She thanked Seth for his help, though it took a long time for him to leave, due to all the younger girls' good-byes. Seth finally returned to his condo and spent the day writing, which was boring for me to watch. I didn't get why the Oneroi hadn't pulled me out yet. Sure, it had been disheartening to see that no mortal knew I was gone, but this dream hadn't had the devastating effects of the others. Evening fell, and Maddie returned home. Seth, engrossed in his work, stayed at his desk until she found him and spun his chair around. She climbed onto his lap, wrapping her legs around him in a way very similar to what I used to do. He smiled at her, wrapping his arms around her as well and returning her hello kiss. â€Å"How was your paperwork?† he asked. Maddie ran her fingers along the side of his face, that love radiating off of her. â€Å"Nonstop. Georgina left it all on me today. I don't know what was up with that.† â€Å"She said she thought you could handle it.† Maddie pulled a face. â€Å"More like she wanted to take the day off and prance around. Did you see that dress she was wearing? I mean, yeah, she can pull off anything she wants to wear, but that wasn't really work appropriate.† He laughed and pulled her closer. â€Å"I think Georgina thinks her wit and charm can let her get away with anything she wants.† â€Å"Yeah, well, she's not as funny as she always thinks she is,† grumbled Maddie. â€Å"And all she got away with today was looking like she was trying to pick up some guy at the store.† â€Å"Wouldn't be the first time,† said Seth with a shrug. â€Å"What?† â€Å"You didn't know? She sleeps with Warren all the time. Usually in his office.† I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Not only were the two of them mocking me, Seth had also told Maddie about my on-again off-again affair with the store's owner Warren. Doug had always had his suspicions, but other than Seth, no one else knew. I had never expected Seth to betray that secret. â€Å"I had no idea,† said Maddie. â€Å"And yet†¦I don't know. Maybe I did. I mean, everything she wears is kind of slutty.† â€Å"She sleeps around a lot. She'll pretty much go home with anyone.† He paused. â€Å"She even tried it with me once.† â€Å"Really?† Maddie's eyes went wide. â€Å"What'd you do?† â€Å"Nothing. I have no interest in that. I couldn't handle being with someone so easy. She'd probably sleep with all my friends while we were dating.† He cupped Maddie's face in his hands. â€Å"Not that it matters. I have no reason to even go looking, not when I have the best thing right here.† He drew her to him, and they kissed again. It wasn't the earlier hello kiss either. It was deep and ardent, both of them eagerly trying to get as much of the other as they could. His hands gripped hold of the bottom of her tank top and jerked it over her head, revealing a black satin bra I was pretty sure I'd helped her pick out. Never breaking the kiss, his hands then went around her waist as he half-carried, half-stumbled out of the office and into the bedroom. They fell onto the covers, hands moving all over each other's bodies and kisses starting to spread beyond lips. No, I thought, unsure if the Oneroi could hear me or not. No. I don't want to see this. Take me back. Take me back to the box. Send me to another dream. But if they were there, they weren't listening. I had no eyes to close. I couldn't look away. There was no way to unsee what I was seeing. I'd experienced a lot of heart-wrenching things in my relationship with Seth, things that had hurt me so badly that I swore I wanted to die. But nothing, nothing could have prepared me for seeing him have sex with another woman. And it wasn't just watching the act itself, the way their naked bodies intertwined with one another and the cries of pleasure elicited in the height of orgasm. It was the look on his face as he did it. There it was. The love I'd been searching for earlier. I'd thought before he only regarded her with a strong affection, similar to the fond love he had for his nieces. No. This was passion I saw on his face, the kind of love that burned so deeply, it connected two people's souls. He was looking at her the way he'd once looked at me. I had never thought it was possible. Somewhere, somehow, I'd been convinced that he loved her in a different way from me. Maybe their love was strong, but I'd felt certain it could never match what he felt for me. Ours was different. Yet, seeing them now, I saw that wasn't true. And when, at the end, he told her she was his world – just as he'd once told me – I knew that I really was nothing special. The love he had for me was gone. And in the terrible, excruciating pain of that moment, I no longer wanted to die. There was no point because I was certain just then that I had died – because surely, surely, Hell couldn't be worse than this.

Inside marketing: practices, ideologies, devices Essay

Marketing Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marketing refers to functions carried out by an organization and the processes set for communicating, creating and delivering services to customers (Gundlach, 2009: p.259). The essence of marketing is to influence customers’ behavior or precipitate behavioral change. Marketing practitioners needs to understand consumer behavior and have better market analysis and segmentation. This helps in managing customer relationships in ways that are beneficial to the shareholders and the organization. However, these activities involve interaction where both the buyer and seller enter into an agreement concerning the price of a given commodity. On 24th October 2013, I happened to visit Bet Electronic Company Limited. The company deals in different electronic items both households and industrial supplies and installations the aim was to purchase a home computer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In every market, a new customer needs to have a marketing orientation. This gives the customer a general overview of the company and some information concerning the product at hand. Before I started negotiating about the price of the computer, the attendant did two orientations, product and selling orientation. Product orientation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He explained about the quality and the benefits of purchasing the hp computer. The company believed that their computers were of the best quality than any other. Their products have two years guarantee, and they offer after sales services such as convenient distribution to customer premises. Selling orientation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The company uses applies both face to face and e- selling when dealing with their products. We had face to face conversation where the sales department manager appeared to have all skills required. They sell their products even through the internet. In this situation, I met with one customer from Britain. He assured that the company sells high quality products being their customer for two years. Understanding customers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Though it was very hard to make the decision, their approach and understanding of customers influenced my decision. They contributed to the evaluation and better selection of computer. Situational analysis Pricing   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This plays a very important role in every marketing situation. The price of products affects both the customer and the marketer (Amaldoss, 2010: p.32). BET company uses customer based pricing. Through the orientation, I realized that they set their final prices considering the customer willingness and the company profit. The initial price of the home computer was $525, but my offer was $350. Considering the cost of production and distribution, $350 was not profitable to the company. Through long bargaining, we came to an agreement of $450 as the price of the computer. Distribution   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This involves the channels used by a business to either distribute goods to the market or to customer premises (Shen, 2009: p.5885). The business has means of transporting goods to the required destinations. During the product orientation stage, the company promised of convenient distribution of the product to the customer’s premises. This contributed to my decision of purchasing the computer from BET Company. This is a very essential marketing mix that the company has adopted to ensure better customer services. After purchasing the computer, I left it but later it was transported to my house four kilometers from the market. Internal and micro-environments   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These refer to the factors in the immediate area of operations in the organization (Takahashi, 2007: p.5). These factors include customers, competitors, suppliers, distribution channels and the general public. They affect the freedom of decision-making and performance of the business. BET Company considers all these factors when conducting its operations. The company is located in a market full of competitors. This led the company to accept my terms as they feared that their competitors might offer the same item at a lower price. Distribution channels were used to ensure that goods are at their respective destinations on time. Macro-environment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Refers to uncontrollable and major external factors that influence decision making in the business, and affects its strategies and performance (Gala, 2008: p.273). These factors are demographics, economic factors, political, legal, technological changes, social conditions, and natural forces. Economic factors   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is a very important aspect that marketers need to apply when influencing the buying and spending patterns of the consumer. BET Company applied factors such as the price to influence customers to purchase their products. The better terms offered such as guarantees and distribution of the goods to customers’ premises was very economical and attractive. Ethical implications   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These are assumed consequences that result from a moral/ethical action (Weaver, 2010: p.951). In the case of BET Company limited, there are some present ethical implications. Pricing ethical issues   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marketing mix has many areas that lead to interaction between marketers and customers. Those involved in marketing should bear in mind that these implications has effects in the success of the business. On issues concerning pricing, BET Company practiced unethical issue in pricing its products. Due to high competition that prevailed in the market, they have decided to offer their goods at low prices. The intention behind is to outdo the other firms in the market and attract more customers. The cost of the computer was supposed to be $600 the final price according to the other companies. Though this is beneficial to the customers, it might have future implications. After all the other companies are eliminated from the market, BET Company will charge high prices due to their monopolistic power.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marketing strategy allows an organization to direct its resources on the optimal opportunities available (Varadarajan, 2010: p.119). The aim is to achieve sustainable competitive advantage and increase sales. BET Company should find a relevant and efficient marketing strategy that will lead to sales increase and have a competitive advantage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marketers need to have marketing knowledge and how to segment their markets for effective operations and better customer relations. BET Company should learn other ways of attracting customers rather than reducing their prices below the market price. This will create a favorable environment and increase their profits. They should use marketing practice such as market communication. This involves activities such as advertising, sales promotion, personal selling and public relations. This will enable them to increase their sales through reaching more customers both the existing and potential customers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   They should sub-divide their market into small manageable portions that will reach their potential customers. They can achieve this through use of distribution channels and agents located in different areas. They should also focus on micro-environment to ensure that they create better customer relationship and favorable competition. Distribution channels should also be enhanced to facilitate transportation of goods both to the market and consumer premises. Another focus is on consumer behavior. This is very crucial as the marketer has to understand the consumer behavior and how it can be influenced. They should focus on dissonance-reducing buying behavior. This will help consumers to differentiate different brands of their goods for effective buying. In their marketing mix, they should improve the quality of their products, have better pricing strategy, and enhance distribution channels and their marketing communications References Blythe, J. (2009). Key concepts in marketing. Los Angeles, Calif.: SAGE. Blythe, J. (2013). Consumer behaviour (2. ed.). Los Angeles, Calif. ; London: SAGE. Fox, S. C. (2009). E-riches 2.0 next-generation marketing strategies for making millions online. New York: American Management Association. Richter, T. (2010).Marketing mix standardisation in international marketing: an empirical investigation of the degree of marketing programmestandardisation in German companies and its internal and external correlates. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang. Solomon, M. R. (2011). Consumer behaviour: a European perspective (3rd ed.). Harlow, England: Financial Times/Prentice Hall. Weinstein, A. (2012). Handbook of market segmentation: strategic targeting for business and technology firms (3rd ed.). New York: Haworth Press. Zwick, D. (2011). Inside marketing: practices, ideologies, devices. Oxford [England: Oxford University Press. Source document

Rocked Out essays

Rocked Out essays Thesis: The lifestyle of a professional musician is more difficult than glamorous. II. The Hardships of being a professional pop musician. A. The physical and mental rigors of being on tour. 1. Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys was stressed to the max. 2. When the GooGoo Dolls performed on tour with Everclear, the amount of performing they did was ludicrous and very taxing. a. One night, John Reznick was forced to perform even though he had totally lost his voice the night before. B. The difficulties of dealing with record companies. 1. It is hard for groups to deal with the pressure of constantly having to produce new and fresh material. a. Van Halen had to go through several lead singers mainly because of the desires of the record company. b. The Mamas and Papas were a group back in the late 70s who were continually forced to write new albums and eventually it compromised the sound of the band. a. The Goo Goo Dolls almost lost every cent they made as musicians to their label Metal Blade Records. C. The exposure to the dark side of the professional musicians world. 1. The murder of Tupac Shakurs was due to his exposure to marijuana. 2. Jimmi Hendrixs had a clean beginning, but ultimately was killed in a drug overdose; his exposure to drugs was due to the amount of them to be found in the music industry. Watching a rock band perform, hearing rumors about the ludicrously large salaries some performers make and buying into all the propaganda associated with pop musicians leads many to long for this same kind of fame and fortune. However it is unknown to most that the lifestyles led by professional pop musicians are deceptively pleasant and glorified. Being involved in such a career comes with more than its own share of stresses and burdens. Such burdens include the physical and mental pressures of being on tour, the ridiculous politics involved in dealing with the recording ...

A beginner guide to playing the Shield of Valoranâ€Å

A beginner guide to playing the Shield of Valoran  One of the rarest supports to be found on the Rift is surely one of the oldest supports out there, as well as one of the most beloved. Now, he might not be the best pick in the current meta, but other than being a rare pocket pick he can truly turn the game around and help carry your team to victory if played the right way, against an adequate team composition. For the last two seasons I have only once found myself playing against a Taric in lane so if you worry about mirror match-ups in normal games, you can be sure that the chances are next to none when picking Taric. He was recently completely reworked and as of the latest patch (6.12) he is in a somewhat strange place. He is neither as easy as he once was (although he isn’t hard by any stretch of the imagination), nor is he overpowered/underpowered. He shouldn’t be played in every comp since he has a very particular set of skills. I started playing Taric a couple of seasons ago when I first started being a support main. He had an extremely fun kit and was nearly unkillable. The enemy team never focuses you because by the time late game comes, you have around 400 armor and over 3k health, so you don’t have to worry about bad positioning in team fights, no matter how you position they will rarely attack you, meanwhile you would shred their armor, buff your teammates with your ultimate and, when needed, stun the enemy carry with a point and click stun.He went great with a couple of AD Carries, and while in lane, with the right rune and mastery setup, he was one of the tankiest supports out there. Now it’s a bit of a different story. Let’s take a look at his new kit: Abilities PASSIVE: Bravado His passive is a simple one. After casting an ability, his next two basic attacks deal increased damage and reduce his cooldowns. Q: Starlight’s Touch Taric’s Q ability is still a heal albeit a different one. Now it stores charges, up to three. It takes 15s to get one charge and you heal yourself as well as an ally that your W ability is tethered to. (more on that below) Now this ability is nice since it is a heal and those are always great to have while laning but it’s really weak compared to Nami’s heal. After a couple of these when out of combat you can really feel the difference but in the long run it’s not something that is going to benefit you too greatly. W: Bastion This ability has a passive and an active component. Passively, it increases Taric’s armor as well as the armor of the teammate it’s tethered to. When you activate it, it gives you and your ally a shield for 2.5 seconds for a percent of their maximum health. You will be using this ability only for tethering, changing the tether target and giving the active shield. It’s not a lot, but you should use it strategically. The shield also isn’t something to write home about but it can be a life-saver when needed. E: Dazzle This is your bread and butter. After a 1 second delay, Taric blasts his hammer in a straight direction and if an enemy is to be found at the end of it —they’re getting stunned for up to 1.75s. (the duration scales with level)Now, first of all this ability is a skillshot, so you can miss it easily. The visual indicator also looks a bit longer than the ability actually is, so you should also have that in mind. It takes some time to get used to, especially if you’re used to the old Taric, but nothing too special. Now for the catch. It can stun multiple targets! On top of that, not only does Taric get a beam that can stun but his tethered ally gets one as well. So in theory you have an even bigger chance to land that skillshot, and you can also use it in teamfights. Realistically, when the fight starts you usually can’t see much when all the ability effects start to stack up, (depending on the number of participants and the champions used) so having two stunni ng beams is something really beneficial. R: Cosmic Radiance After a 2.5s delay, a mysterious cosmic energy makes Taric and his tethered ally invulnerable for 2.5s. The amazing thing here is that any other ally that is inside the aura when the ability activates also gets affected, so in theory your whole team can be invulnerable for that duration.Depending on what you’re going for, this is a miraculous ability. It is more than enough to change the direction your fight is going, and you can use it for diving your enemies and any other purpose. It has a longer cooldown, but with your passive and the Frozen Heart (20% cooldown reduction) it goes down a significant amount.As for the order in which you level up your abilities, you can check the very in-depth statistics from the latest patch.Champion.gg Skill Order (Patch 6.12) When to pick Taric? You should pick Taric when against full AD compositions, since he is one of a small group of champions that scale of armor. Against those comps Taric might be the best possible pick if you can play him right and if your team needs a tanky support. In general, Taric counters most engage supports out there. When they initiate, he can counter with an easy to land stun. Of course, it mostly boils down to a skill matchup in the 2v2 lane. He is however insanely countered by poke mage supports like Sona and Soraka, and Morgana. He is tanky, and he does have a heal, but he has problems engaging against supports that keep a distance and constantly poke. If you succeed in outplaying them a couple of time it becomes easier, but it’s also a skill matchup. I’ve won countless times against a Morgana because me and my duo ADC have fantastic synergy because we’ve been playing for years now. Had that been a random solo queue ADC, I believe the outcome would have been completely different. Also, depending on your ELO, Taric can be viable only up to high Gold. Already in Platinum he is a stretch in terms of viability, so keep that in mind. He is one of the easiest champions to learn but also has a good skill ceiling, and pul ling of a game winning ultimate or stunning the whole enemy team is a fantastic feeling. If you’re new to supporting or just want to have some fun — he is a great pick, but don’t underestimate the impact he can have on a game. Laning with Taric While playing Taric in lane your objectives are very clear. Protect your ADC at all costs, while also trying to survive his weak early game. You can’t rely on your heal any longer since even with 3 stacks it heals for an extremely small amount, and your W is fairly straightforward, you use it either to get a shield for you and/or your linked ally or to link to someone else, so that really simplifies the way you play the game with Taric. Act as a human shield, try to stun as many people as possible and use your ultimate to protect as many allies as you can. While in lane, try to survive and wait for a gank from your jungler. When that happens, you have huge kill potential with the way your stun works. With some good coordination it can easily result in a kill or two. Do have in mind that you can also activate Dazzle (E) and flash while it’s channeling to catch the enemy AD or support unprepared. It can be tricky to land that way but it’s nothing impossible and you should have this in mind if it’s needed to secure the kill. Roaming with Taric is another good thing to do when you get the chance. Taric’s ganks on mid almost always result in a burned flash from the enemy midlaner and since no one wants to get stunned, people will often flash preemptively so you usually won’t have to pull any flashy plays in order to get an advantage for your midlaner. As for summoner spells — always take Flash, that is a general rule for Taric, and depending on the enemy team, you can take either Exhaust or Ignite. Exhaust is the best choice if the enemy team has assassins like Zed or Rengar or any similar champion, where a well timed exhaust can change the direction of a teamfight, and ignite gives you higher kill potential while in lane, and should be picked if playing against a champion that has a lot of healing built in their kit like Volibear, Soraka or Dr. Mundo. Now, regarding his item build order, here is what Platinum+ players are building on the current patch. (6.12) It’s a general rule that you don’t build mechanically, you need to adapt not only to the enemy team comp but to the situation you’re in at every moment in the game, from the beginning of the laning phase to late game. You wouldn’t always need Thornmail, but if the enemy team comp is full of AD (and preferably auto-attack heavy) champions it is a good and cheap item to get, especially since Taric scales so well off of armor. If you’re playing against a couple of AP champions, top and mid or perhaps Elise jungle, you should always get Locket of the Iron Solari not just for it’s active but passive magic resist aura for your team. You should always go a bit more in-depth if you can when thinking of item build order. If you’re losing in lane 2v2 and the enemy jungler isn’t present on the lower half of the map, it is OK if you delay your Sightstone, and go for some defensive items like a Cloth Armor and so on since it might be more beneficial in the short term when another 2v2 fight breaks out.Champion.gg build order. (Patch 6.12) Another fantastic thing about Taric’s new kit is the fact that you can rebind your W to another ally at any moment in the game. This is a fantastic strategic advantage not because of the active on the ability (the shield) but because of your ult. If you have a fed Katarina on your team, you should bind her seconds before she jumps into the enemy team to wreak havoc. Since she will be invulnerable for 2.5 seconds, this gives more than enough time for your team to follow up, while at the same time defending her for any kind of damage she might receive while being in the heart of battle. This goes for any kind of carry or assassin champion. Two and a half seconds is incredibly long in-game and can turn the game around in your favour. Of course, if your team is all grouped up then it doesn’t matter that much if your W is on your ADC or some other ally since the ultimate has a large area of effect and every teammate will be affected. Taric should be played aggressively but w ith some planning. You shouldn’t just go in like crazy, but he is extremely durable and tanky so you shouldn’t be scared of going in and being the frontline.

Conflict Management Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Conflict Management - Term Paper Example All these can be categorized to fall under four different causes of conflict – personality, leadership, communication and the work environment (Psychometrics 2009). Poor leadership plays a significant role in generating conflict. In nutshell, when there is clash of values, conflicts occur. Positive and negative conflict   Conflicts can reduce morale, lower productivity, increase absenteeism and lead to long-term confrontations leading to violence and crime (Gatlin, Wysocki and Kepner 2008). Conflicts increase group-tension and lead to negative emotions. It can also trigger the desire to abandon the project mid-way, and lead to antagonism, frustration and stress (USDA 2005). Not all of these conflicts that are likely to arise are negative. Conflicting perceptions, for instance, can give rise to something entirely new and creative. New solution to an existing problem implies that conflicts can be positive. Conflicts can help individuals evolve with time and experience. It can lead to better cohesion within the group; it can lead to growth and change. Conflicts act as painful stimulus that urge one to act and grow. Conflicts also indicate commitment to organizational goals as all involved are trying to find the best solution (Stack 2011). It promotes challenge and increases efforts. Conflict is essential for the continued development of human beings (Pedler 1977). The consequences of conflict depend upon how the people involved choose to approach it. Conflict process Since conflict does not always have negative consequences, the first step should be to identify the problem, and then the causes of conflict. Conflict is a process and involves five steps. The prelude stage is the frustration or the latent stage where the variables conducive to the conflict are present – the people, the environment and the relationship between the people (Cahn and Abigail 2007 p43). The triggering phase marks the beginning of the perception of the conflict and could st art with something as insignificant as criticism. The initiation phase is the time when personal realization occurs through feelings of anxiety and tension that there exists some conflict. During the differentiation phase conflict becomes evident to others around, even those that are not involved. Strategies are devised and participants work on dealing with problems and issues. This is followed by the last phase known as the resolution phase when the parties involved agree to arrive at some conclusion which then gives rise to a new phase. However, all these require effective communication methods. II. Communication in conflict   Communication can be complex even within a single culture and society. It has pervasive problems among nations. However, when two cultures are involved, communication is even more complicated. One of the strategies to resolve conflicts is the S-TLC system. Stop - One has to take time out (Stop) and not continuously engage the mind in conflict. Think - The mind has to then engage in thinking rationally instead of jumping to conclusion about others. One should learn not to take things personally. Listen – In conflicts people tend to justify their own actions and become defensive. However, one should devote time to listen to others, their view points because perhaps listening itself could provide solution to the conflict. Communicate –