Iron And Silk Essay Example For Students

Iron And Silk Essay Salzman, M., (1986). Iron and Silk. New York: Random House. This book was given to me by a good friend who knew that I had an interest in Asia. I chose to read it because it was a true story and was told that it was a good read. The author travels to China as an English teacher for the Hunan Medical School. There he stayed for two years picking up many anecdotes along the way. The author already had spent a large amount of his life studying Chinese language and the martial arts. However, when he arrives in China he meets teachers who have dedicated their entire lives to perfecting a particular art or skill, whether it be martial arts or calligraphy. Mark Salzman was perfecting his calligraphy skills and as weeks had passed he began to make progress. He was getting tired of the models and wanted to try something new. When he told Hai Bin,(his teacher), he frowned and said,Some people spend their entire lives researching a single model. You should be willing to spend a year on this one. This is an example of the dedication and perseverance these men have towards their chosen artform or skill. Another example of this theme, was Marks Wushu teacher, Pan, who punched a fifty pound plate of steel up to ten thousan d times a day. Marks relentless practicing of the many forms of Wushu was influenced by Pan. Salzman also showed that there was great oppression. The people of China were under constant surveillance and control. Rarely were they able to make important decisions for themselves. It was sad to see thatin a country with so many people there was so little freedom. The government controlled everything from the railroad to the Rat Collection Office to whether families and friends could mourn for lost loved-ones. Mark found this way of life troublesome yet he had stay strong and focused for his calligraphy and martial arts. Another example of this theme, was Marks Wushu teacher, Pan, who punched a fifty pound plate of steel up to ten thousand times a day. Marks relentless practicing of the many forms of Wushu was influenced by Pan. Salzman also showed that there was great oppression. The people of China were under constant surveillance and control. Rarely were they able to make important decisions for themselves. It was sad to see that in a country with so many people there was so little freedom. The government controlled everything from the railroad to the Rat Collection Office to whether families and friends could mourn for lost loved-ones. Mark found this way of life troublesome yet he had stay strong and focused for his calligraphy and martial arts. Mark Salzmans Iron and Silk did a wonderful job of illustrating the people of China. He brought to life a corner of the world that we would rarely be able to see, outside of picture books. His representation is a very personal one, taking you beyond the scenery and into the action and heartache. Throughout this book, Salzman expertly reveals the personality and spirit of the Chinese people. He does this with his own type of special imagery. He drops in enough key details and leaves the rest to your imagination. This caused me to pay close attention to what was going on. His style of writing makes you feel like you are right there beside him, participating in each of his many escapades. I was influenced by the dedication his teachers had for their chosen artform and will remind myself to use that dedication and perseverance in my long-term goals. Mark Salzmans purpose was to take you to China and introduce you to the people he had met on his journey. He had published this book only two years after he had gone to China. He desperately wanted to share an outsiders look into China and what influences were in his life. Mark wrote so fluidly that it was person to person. Anyone can pick up this book and be an observer in the memories of the author. I found that my reading skills vary like a roller coaster. I had days when I found my reading to be very choppy and I had to remind myself to see the words in the book as speech and not words in a book,(if that makes any sense). My vocabulary was up to par and the book was an easy read. I began to use my speed reading techniques without discomfort near the last few chapters in the book.

Stages in the Consulting Process

The Different States of the Consulting Process The consulting process involves giving respect to the audience, identifying with the client, being equipped with a good base of information, alluding to the real day-to-day facts, and making the audience crave for more information. Each of these stages is important in ensuring that the overall goal of the consultation process is achieved with minimal resistance by the client and the audience (Lucas, 2008).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Stages in the Consulting Process specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The professor accords respect to the audience from the point that he enters the room to address them. This is exhibited when he appreciates how much the audience already knows. Thus, by doing this he is winning the faith and trust of those who may be skeptical about what he speaks and how he acts. This shows how keen he is concerning the application of emotional intell igence in order to understand the mood of the audience. In addition, he maintains that the audience is part of the system and gives credit for any effort made as a result. This is why he gets credit for being good at using creative approaches to analyze his ideas. Furthermore, he believes that understanding of the information in his area of study is essential. Thus, it is difficult for the audience to challenge the professor as the information he presents is verified. More so, when he talks he ensures that he alludes to what happens in the real life situation and this helps in supporting his assertions. He also winds up his talk by making the audience crave for more by arguing that much is yet to be accomplished (Lukas, 2008). Management of the Consulting Process Proper management of the consulting process requires broad knowledge in the area of consultation, skills in creative approach analysis, auditing the client’s business capabilities, evaluating business opportunities, sample consulting contract, and the ability to use emotional intelligence. It should be mentioned that these aspects combine into a perfect means through which one can create the best consulting process while ensuring that everything pertaining to the process is not compromised (Schein, 1998). The skills in creative approach are of utmost importance as they enable the manager to come up with new and innovative ideas that will improve the business comparing to others (Haan, 2004). This approach largely depends on a common sense rather than on what one necessarily knows. It is through the approach that the business gets information that may be borrowed by other businesses requiring to streamline their operations to develop (Lukas, 2008). More so, it is important to audit the client’s business capabilities and know exactly the potential of the business in terms of the growth of assets and overall value.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we ca n help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The fairness of the Anecdote at the Beginning of the Article The anecdote at the beginning of the sentence is fair. It comes clear that the driver outlines the obvious facts about the shepherd and his flock. Besides the shepherd does not ask the driver about that, meaning that the initiative comes from the consultant. Finally, taking the dog instead of a sheep, it shows how unprofessional and shallow the management consultants can be. Thus, one may question the necessity of such a profession if the specialists cannot bring any new information or just be helpful to their clients (Skapinker, 2010). References Haan, E. (2004). The consulting process as drama: Learning from King Lear. London, UK: Karnac Publishing. Lukas, C. (2008). Consulting with nonprofits: A practitioner’s guide. Saint Paul, MN: Amherst Wilder Foundation. Schein, E. (1998). Process consultation revisited: Building the helping relationship. Lond on, UK: Addison-Wesley. Skapinker, M. (2010). The consulting process: A flair for stating the obvious, New York, NY: McGraw Hill. This essay on Stages in the Consulting Process was written and submitted by user Rylie A. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Tradition English Courtship In The 17th Century

TRADITIONAL ENGLISH COURTSHIPS IN THE 17th CENTURY TIFFANY NORWOOD â€Å"We live in a conjugal age, when the couple has become the standard for all intimate relationships, the unmarried and the married, the homosexual as well as the heterosexual.† Men and women are always searching for that â€Å"certain someone.† Courtship is defined as wooing, but in the 17th century England it was much more. It was a session that had stages, rituals, and procedures. The parents played a huge role in the courtship and even the marriage. Traditional courtship in the 1600s was much more complex and drowns out then today’s engagement. Many were arranged or based on social status. There was also a large age difference between the men and women. Marriage and courting was often thought of as a brutal and painful ordeal. There were many problems with courting in the 17th century. Courtship was approached with caution and little romantic spontaneity that we expect from our young lovers today. Straight forwardness and personal expressions of love was not accepted. The action of courting was very impersonal. â€Å"There has never been a time in recorded history when the relations between the sexes have not been highly problematic. ‘The rituals and procedures had very distinctive acts among them. This consisted of betrothal, posting of banns, and a big church wedding, all combined in a period of several months. There were three steps to a proper marriage; first there was the consent of the friends and parents, publicly making their engagement known or the exchange of love tokens. Then following was a required public blessing by the family and close kin. And finally the big church ceremony after the posting of the banns. The very being of this was all too impersonal. The young were the owners of courtship. â€Å"Its rites expressed their needs, its symbols their desires.† Family consent as well as the friends’ approval had a large e... Free Essays on Tradition English Courtship In The 17th Century Free Essays on Tradition English Courtship In The 17th Century TRADITIONAL ENGLISH COURTSHIPS IN THE 17th CENTURY TIFFANY NORWOOD â€Å"We live in a conjugal age, when the couple has become the standard for all intimate relationships, the unmarried and the married, the homosexual as well as the heterosexual.† Men and women are always searching for that â€Å"certain someone.† Courtship is defined as wooing, but in the 17th century England it was much more. It was a session that had stages, rituals, and procedures. The parents played a huge role in the courtship and even the marriage. Traditional courtship in the 1600s was much more complex and drowns out then today’s engagement. Many were arranged or based on social status. There was also a large age difference between the men and women. Marriage and courting was often thought of as a brutal and painful ordeal. There were many problems with courting in the 17th century. Courtship was approached with caution and little romantic spontaneity that we expect from our young lovers today. Straight forwardness and personal expressions of love was not accepted. The action of courting was very impersonal. â€Å"There has never been a time in recorded history when the relations between the sexes have not been highly problematic. ‘The rituals and procedures had very distinctive acts among them. This consisted of betrothal, posting of banns, and a big church wedding, all combined in a period of several months. There were three steps to a proper marriage; first there was the consent of the friends and parents, publicly making their engagement known or the exchange of love tokens. Then following was a required public blessing by the family and close kin. And finally the big church ceremony after the posting of the banns. The very being of this was all too impersonal. The young were the owners of courtship. â€Å"Its rites expressed their needs, its symbols their desires.† Family consent as well as the friends’ approval had a large e...

Shakespeares New Year and Christmas Quotes

Shakespeare's New Year and Christmas Quotes New Year Celebrations hardly feature in Shakespeare’s works and he only mentions Christmas three times. Explaining the lack of New Year quotes is easy enough, but why did Shakespeare dodge Christmas in his writing? Shakespeare New Year Quotes New Year barely features in Shakespeare’s plays simply because it wasn’t until 1752 that the Gregorian calendar was adopted in Britain. In Elizabethan England, the year changed after Lady Day on 25 March. For Shakespeare, the New Year celebrations of the modern world would have seemed bizarre because in his own time New Year’s Day was nothing more than the eighth day of Christmas. However, it was still customary in the court of Elizabeth I to exchange gifts at New Year, as this quote from Merry Wives of Windsor demonstrates (but note the distinct lack of celebratory tone): Have I lived to be carried in a basket, like abarrow of butcher’s offal, and to be thrown in theThames? Well, if I be served such another trick,I’ll have my brains ta’en out and buttered, and givethem to a dog for a new-year’s gift†¦Merry Wives of Windsor (Act 3, Scene 5) Shakespeare Christmas Quotes So that explains the lack of New Year celebration; but why are there so few Shakespeare Christmas quotes? Perhaps he was â€Å"a bit of a Scrooge!† Joking aside, the â€Å"Scrooge† factor is actually very important. In Shakespeare’s time, Christmas simply wasn’t celebrated in the same way as it is today. It was 200 years after the death of Shakespeare that Christmas was popularized in England, thanks to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert importing many of the German Christmas traditions. Our modern conception of Christmas is immortalized in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, from the same period. So, in many ways,  Shakespeare was â€Å"a bit of a Scrooge!† Here are the three times Shakespeare did mention Christmas in his plays: At Christmas I no more desire a roseThan wish a snow in May’s new-fangled mirth;Love’s Labours Lost (Act 1, Scene 1) I see the trick on’t: here was a consent,Knowing aforehand of our merriment,To dash it like a Christmas comedy:Some carry-tale, some please-man, some slight zany,Love’s Labours Lost (Act Five, Scene 2) SLY. Marry, I will; let them play it. Is not a comonty a Christmas gambold or a tumbling-trick?PAGE. No, my good lord, it is more pleasing stuff.The Taming of the Shrew (Intro, scene 2) Did you notice how downbeat these Shakespeare Christmas quotes are? That’s because, in Elizabethan England, Easter was the main Christian festival. Christmas was a less-important 12-day festival known for pageants put on at the Royal Court and by churches for townspeople. In the quotes above, Shakespeare does not hide his dislike of pageant acting: In Love’s Labours Lost, Berowne guesses that a wooing strategy has failed and that the ladies are now ridiculing the men. The ridicule is compared to a Christmas play: â€Å"dash it like a Christmas comedy.†In The Taming of the Shrew, Sly disregards the action as a Christmas â€Å"gambold†, a word meaning a frolic or light entertainment. Page suggests that it will be better than that awful acting you see at Christmas. Overlooking New Year and Christmas The lack of New Year and Christmas celebration may seem strange to the modern reader, and one must look at the calendar and religious conventions of Elizabethan England to contextualize this absence. None of Shakespeare’s plays are set at Christmas, not even Twelfth Night, which is commonly considered to be a Christmas play. It is widely believed that the play’s title was written for a performance on the twelfth day of Christmas at the royal court. But a reference in the title to the timing of the performance is where the Christmas references of this play end. It actually has nothing to do with Christmas.

To what extent would the smoking ban affect the pub industry in Wales Essay

To what extent would the smoking ban affect the pub industry in Wales - Essay Example In 1974, 51% of men and 41% of women smoked cigarettes - nearly half the adult population of the UK. Now just over one-quarter smoke, but the decline in recent years has been heavily concentrated in older age groups: i.e., almost as many young people are taking up smoking but more established smokers are quitting. Adult smoking rates vary only slightly between different parts of the country, as defined by the Government Office Regions. For example, in the East of England 25% of people smoke, in the North West, 30%. In Scotland 31% of the population smokes; in Wales the prevalence is 27%. (Smoking statistics 2005) About 48 million people in the United States smoke an estimated total of 430 billion cigarettes each year. Until the 1940s, smoking was considered harmless, but laboratory and clinical research has since confirmed that tobacco smoke presents a hazard to health. Smoke from the average cigarette contains around 4,000 chemicals, some of which are highly toxic and at least 43 of which cause cancer. Nicotine, a major constituent of tobacco smoke, is both poisonous and highly addictive. Nicotine is an oily liquid substance found in tobacco leaves that acts as a stimulant and also contributes to smoking addiction. When extracted from the leaves, nicotine is colorless, but quickly turns brown when exposed to air. It has an acrid, burning taste. Nicotine is a very powerful poison, and it forms the base of many insecticides. Cigarette tobacco contains only a small amount of nicotine and most of this nicotine is destroyed by the heat of burning so that the actual concentration of nicotine in smoke is low. However, even a small amount of nicotine is sufficient to be addictive. The amount of nicotine absorbed by the body from inhaling smoke depends on many factors including the type of tobacco, whether the smoke is inhaled, and whether a filter is used. Nicotine has various effects on the body. In small doses nicotine serves as a nerve stimulant, entering the bloodstream and promoting the flow of adrenaline, a stimulating hormone. It speeds up the heartbeat and may cause it to become irregular. It also raises the blood pressure and reduces the appetite, and it may cause nausea and vomiting. The known health risks associated with cigarette smoking, such as damage to the lungs and lung cancer, are thought to be caused by other components of cigarettes such as tars and other by-products of smoking, and by the irritating effects of smoke on the lung tissue. Addiction to smoking is caused by nicotine itself. Stopping smoking produces withdrawal symptoms within 24 to 48 hours, which commonly include irritability, headaches, and anxiety, in addition to the strong desire to smoke. Ban on smoking in pubs Smoking bans are government prohibitions or voluntary bans decided by establishment management on tobacco smoking in public or quasi-public indoor areas such as offices, restaurants, hotels, or even outdoor public areas such as parks and sports stadiums. In most jurisdictions the sale of tobacco to minors, or minors under a certain age, is prohibited. Such laws have been introduced by many countries in various forms over the years, with legislators citing health statistics that show tobacco smoking is often

International Human Resoerce Managmanet Assignment

International Human Resoerce Managmanet - Assignment Example As co-operation processes play a central role in teams we focus on processes centered on co-operation in and between groups with teams understood as social systems which define themselves in relation to their organizational and social surroundings"(Brewster, Harris, 279: 1999). So the culture needs to be considered here, culture means the norms, the traditions, and the values, in the case of MPS we have to bring the same culture and ways of working that are being followed in the USA to all the subsidiaries, this is the only way to survive and to have the same success that the USA based MPS achieved, another important thing that should be kept in mind prior to culture is the mentality of employees in subsidiaries, which should be similar to the employees of parent company. No matter where you are from, no matter what are your preferences but you should be very much competitive in working and should be a hard worker, so from this point of view the company has to make slight adjustments in their recruitment and selection policies, more importantly, the company is a very popular one and not an ordinary company which is having poor market everywhere, so they need to bring in the best talent of Europe in their company, this is all possible by proper interviewing and keeping a selection criteria, where communication barriers are occurring the company needs to form a new policy, they can bring in the natives at the executive positions so that it would be very easy to give them incentives and through them communicating the union to work effectively. Also there is another policy that should be formed and that is instead of bringing in all the employees for the training program, the parent company should call the executives of the native countries to the USA and then give them training and also instructions so that they can give similar instructions to their employees in the native country, this would for sure help the employees to understand the rules and regulations in a better way because they would be taught and instructed by their own people.  

Roles in Our Everyday Life Essay Example for Free

Roles in Our Everyday Life Essay In our everyday life, every person plays or carries more than one role. Our lives have become demanding. One role would not accomplish our goals from day to day. Carrying different roles also will mold us into stronger, more independent individuals. Each role is different and carries its challenges. Three roles that I carry are a parent, a wife, and a child. I would say out of these three roles being a mother is the most difficult and challenging. First role and most important role to me is being a mother. As a mother I have to care for my children’s needs, safety, health concerns, and daily needs. My children are my life, which is why it is the most important role. To care for a child and provide for their needs is demanding and stressful. I have learned how to juggle between what they need constantly and balance my other roles and accomplish my goals. The best tool to succeed in carrying different roles as a mother is multi-tasking. A mothers’ full day of work is getting my children up and ready for school on time. Help them with homework questions. Install morals and the difference between wrong and right. Encourage them to make correct decisions when I am not there. Help them understand life may not be fair and things may not go our way but we learn from our mistakes and move on. Being a mother has made me a stronger person, more independent, and more understanding and passionate. Children have a way of breaking the person we are and molding us into the way we should be. An example would be my daughter has asthma and her health condition requires complete and constant care. Caring for or stopping an asthma attack while helping my other children requires prioritizing to obtain the best outcome. A mother can balance school functions, doctor appointments, cooking dinner, paying bills, shopping, cleaning the house, laundry, as well as other roles we play. All of the demands for a mother also fall in the same category as a wife which is our next role. Being a wife has taught me having a companion, partner; friend in life can also be a challenge. Couples will have disagreements, but being role models are a crucial part of life. You also have to become familiar with the person you commit too. You learn their likes and dislike, as well as, what kind of person they are. Marriage is a never-ending learning experience. An example is being there for my husband in sickness/health, supporting his career; or simply standing behind him in all things. This includes even at time when he may be wrong. Behind every good man is a good woman. A perfect example of this is my husband is a veteran. He served his time in the military and school and works to provide for our family. During the time he was in the military we were never in one location, I did not complain I supported him in his duty to our country. Although, his service to our country; required him to leave his family, to be deported to Afghanistan. He was fighting for our freedom and rights. My husband may not have been around at times when I needed him but he was there in mind, spirit and heart which is what pulled me through the difficult time of deployment. Again, this is another role that molded me into a more independent and stronger individual. My final role in life is being a child. It is funny we start out as a child, grow into adults, become parents; but we will always remain mommy or daddy’s little girl/boy. When we are growing up we don’t think about getting in trouble or the consequences. When we become parents we look back and appreciate what our parents taught us so we may pass it on to our children. Our parents care for us as we are children then the roles reverse and we care for our parents when we are older. Now that I look back I can see me in my mothers’ eyes. I think back when I was a child and remember how hard it was for my mother to care for me and my siblings and the roles she played in my childhood. One challenge as a child I remember my mother faced, was when I was 11 months old and my mother cared for me, my sister, and my brother after losing my dad. It brought more challenges for her and more roles as a woman, and mother. My mother has always said things in life happen for a reason, we don’t understand why but in the end everything works out for the best. I can remember my mother caring for her children, working to provide for us, caring for our everyday needs while sacrificing her needs. My mother has showed my through life you do the best you can, always be yourself, and stick to your morals. With this advice you can go anywhere and be anything in life you set your mind too. Now that I am a mother, wife, and my mother’s child I get to apply the lessons she has taught us to my roles. Full filing many different roles in life is challenging, hard, complicated, and may be stressful. We learn in life to handle these as they come along and our end result is something we hold the result too. Through life we can offer advice, recommendations, and support to our children who will have a challenging life ahead of them with today’s society and its steady decline. In the end, I would not take anything for the life, lessons, morals, support, and journey I have walked but look back and be proud of the individual I have accomplished.