Sunday, October 6, 2019
Teacher Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Teacher Evaluation - Essay Example There are teachers who don't teach very well according to my evaluation but still students are able to score high grades in their courses. Hence the greatest challenge while teaching is to measure the effectiveness of a teacher. The evaluation process used is quite simple. The process includes the evaluation of the average grade report of the class the teacher is teaching. There is a separate teacher's evaluation form that is filled by each and every student, without their names. I regularly inspect classes and the way teachers are teaching. All these methods combine to give us a clear picture of how the teacher is teaching and help us to evaluate his or her performance. From my point of view a regular visit of 5 to 10 minutes in a class by a principle is good enough to inspect a teacher but then the principle has to make sure the visit is unannounced, which will give the principle a clear view of what is happening (Danielson & McGreal, 2000). Long observing hours distract the students and teachers both hence short and regular observing periods are most suitable. Well there are a number of settings, for example a teacher assigns some work to the students and then we observe how is he or she helping the students in completing their work, it shouldn't be overdone like the teacher shouldn't help the student too much or too less. There should be a balance. Then a teacher is observed while giving a lecture to check on the methods that are being used, we prefer interactive lectures that keep the students interest, boring and less interactive sessions are of no help to the teacher and the students both. These settings are important as being a teacher is not that difficult but handling situations and maintaining the interest of the class in a lecture are two difficult things that a good teacher must learn. We can learn how well the teacher is at maintaining healthy relationships plus a good teacher will always have a scheduled life. An effective teacher would always be motivating people around as that's how he treats the students in his or her class. A teacher should be polite and should listen to each and everyone. We don't often use conferencing techniques while evaluating a teacher but in some cases where problems are being faced by the students and no possible solution is being derived and the root cause is not being caught, we prefer conferencing. The teacher goes through a brief meeting with the principle and other higher staff members like the vice principle and the coordinator. The primary concern for holding a teacher incompatible to teach in any class is the fact that the students do not understand the core concepts of the course and the overall grades are lower than expected. After the initial assessment of the teacher we predict an average grade of the class keeping in mind the ability of the students and the past trends. If the grades are higher or lower than expected we conduct an evaluation of the reasons for that and then accordingly change our evaluations about the teacher. If the teacher is performing at a higher level than expected we do promote the teacher in terms of the class and rewards are also given, in case a teacher does not want renewal of contract than a meeting is held where the vice principal the coordinator and the principle talk to the teacher for the reasons of this demand and try to make every possible
Saturday, October 5, 2019
It is not a paper, it is homework Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words
It is not a paper, it is homework - Case Study Example For awhile, until more profits roll in you will have to work with a skeleton crew, perhaps just yourselves for now to build up business and your wife should probably maintain her office manager position that is already in tact. According to the will, you were left with $300,000 paid to you in $15,000 increments. Though it is intended for your childrens college, you can decide to use it to to start out your new business. Additionally, you were left with $50,000 for unconditional and immediate use. It may take awhile for you to build up your finances to support additional staff members since you do not have a large amount of money to buy equipment and such. You may be able to build up additional money, while your wife is at work to buy and sell cars from auction to flip for a profit. This will help you to gain stability while you are working toward a larger overhead to have more staff. Ideally, you will need to work for a year or two and when you feel a bit more stable in your business , your wife can quit her job at the university and be your office manager in your new business. You will need to take into consideration the median income would be approximately $30,000 to keep in mind as a base salary per person depending on their specific job. You will also need to take into consideration how experienced your other workers are when you consider their salary base. These recommendations fall in line with the original plan because at this point, it is a job that Keena can take over and shift into when the business starts to pick up. She can then start this is a trial process in figuring out what needs are required. This falls in line with the total compensation plan by offering competitive salary base This falls in line with the original plan and provides the accountant who is educated a competitive base salary and other reasons to stay with the company and will also help you to keep all of your monies in order. This falls in line with the
Friday, October 4, 2019
Benefits of eating organic foods Essay Example for Free
Benefits of eating organic foods Essay There are many benefits of eating organic foods and the main reasoning for this is because of the way these foods are grown. They are all grown on smaller farms and are cared more for. The farmers use natural soils, get rid of the weeds naturally without using sprays, and they use beneficially insects and birds to get rid of pests and diseases. Using natural resources to grow foods prevents us from eating chemical and in some cases added hormones. Organic foods have more zinc, iron and other vitamins than non-organic foods. They can help reduces your risk for cancer because weed, insect, and mold killers have been linked to the cause of some cancers. The ways these foods are grown also help our environment by creating less pollution. The prices for organic foods are more expensive than non-organic. Non-organic foods are generally more affordable and there are more varieties as well. Non-organic foods do not contain E coli because most organic soil that is animal manure and it can cause E coil in organic foods. Between organic and non-organic foods there are benefits to eating each of them. There are certain foods that you should buy organic over non-organic. These foods are the ones that are more nutritious and contain fewer pesticides. Apples are generally more contaminated with pesticides so buying them organically will reduce the risk of them. Celery, strawberries, peaches, spinach, nectarines, grapes, sweet bell peppers, potatoes, blueberries, kale, and lettuce are all other foods that you should buy organically due to pesticides. There are some foods that are safe to buy non-organically and they will save you money. These foods are onions, corn, pineapple, avocado, asparagus, sweet peas, mangos, eggplant, cantaloupe, kiwi, cabbage, sweet potatoes, watermelon, grapefruit, and mushrooms. Some sources think that organic foods are healthier than non-organic foods and others believe there is no significant difference between the two. Organic foods are grown on smaller private farm and they do not release or consume any pesticides. Organic foods are also more nutritious because they do not contain any pesticides either. The sources I chose were all from the Internet and they were from either a print or web source. I found these sources to be helpful because they were all able to provide me with enough information that I needed. More than half my sources described what foods you should buy organically and what foods you shouldnt buy organically. I found this information to helpful because the list of foods that you should buy organically is shorter than the ones you shouldnt. Fruits are typically the ones that have to worry about having pesticides and that are why more fruits are recommended to buy organically. The pesticides that are used on foods kill the nutrients in foods but it still is able to hold some nutrients but not as much as organic fruits. Composting at the Worldââ¬â¢s Largest Natural Foods Supermarket Chain. (2004). Biocycle. 45(11). p27. Retrieved on 3-3-05 from Ebscohost. Federal or Government Sources Organic Foods 101: Basic Information about organic foods, national labeling standards and online organic foodsellers. (2002). Retrieved on 3-3-05 from http://www. nrdc. org. The National Organic Program . (USDA). (2002). Retrieved on 3-3-05 from http://ams. usda. gov. Trade Publications Organic Food Facts. (2003). Organic Trade Association. Retrieved on 3-3-05 from http://www. ota. com/organic/mt/food. html Industry Statistics and Projected Growth. (2003). Organic Trade Association. Retrieved on 3-3-05 from http://www.ota. com/organic/mt/business. html Organic foods are getting more popular among the world compare to the bigger consumption of conventional foods. There certain true organic foods may cost a bit more, but most of the people agree, taste and quality are well worth compare to conventional. In today`s supermarket, organic foods are everywhere. There are clearly many benefits to organic foods, but there are specific like: it is healthier, protect the environment, different taste. The organic farming and produce of organic foods has been prevalent from the time agriculture was first conceived. The natural way of growing crops started becoming unpopular and economically less feasible. More crop yields meant higher profits to the farmer and better utilization of the land. The farmers who used fertilizers started growing two crops during the same time-period. That was the begging of fast growing industry of conventional foods. Organic foods are healthier than conventional in many aspects. The nutrients present in organic foods that are not in commercial foods. Organic food for mineral levels, the researchers also looked for the amount of the heavy metals aluminum, cadmium, lead and mercury. Aluminum has been implicated for years in the development of Alzheimers disease. Its content in organic food averaged 40% less that in commercial foods. Lead toxicity, which has been in the new a lot lately, can adversely affect our childrens IQ. It averaged 29% lower in organic foods. Mercury, which can cause neurologic damage, averaged 25% lower in organic foods (Crinnion, Walter). The organic meat is healthier compare the conventional gown, full with antibiotics and many other chemicals for fast growing, which goes to us. The healthier means saver way of leaving. People consume more conventional food which evokes more farmers to use pesticides and to double their crops. The pesticides are dangerous for environment and wild life. People should buy more organic foods and lower the production of the conventional. That`s one of the ways to protect and safe the environment and wildlife of the world. Used chemicals kill different insects which are part of our ecosystem. Chemicals go from soil to the water reservoir and again back to us. The organic foods are proven to taste better and different than conventional grown foods. The organic food not only taste better, but doesn`t contains preservatives. The conventional milk, has inspiration date around 2 months compare to the organic one it`s not more than two weeks. The smell and the taste of organically grown tomatoes are totally different. The organic farms will continue to grow and produce more quality foods around the world. The healthier and long lasting life is connected with the consumption of more organic foods, which taste better and than the conventional. The organic farms help to reduce chemicals that are used for produce their crops. Thats the way to save the environment and the wild life of the world. A disadvantage of organic food is the life of the product. Without the preservatives found in inorganic foods nearly all of these products must be refrigerated. Organic farming also yields fewer crops because insects, weeds, and fungi often damage a larger portion of organic crops than conventionally grown crops. Finally, only about half of the states regulate organic foods and little exists to stop organic farmers from labeling any food they wish as ââ¬Å"organicâ⬠. There are numerous benefits of organic farming[-0] for the environment, as well. Without pesticide or chemical use, the water contamination and health risks that occur elsewhere are eliminated. Crops on organic farms are rotated constantly, which keeps the land fresher, healthier, and less worn out. They also help to avoid pest problems, erosion of the soil, and nutrient deprivation in the soil. Cover crops are planted prior to the main crop and bring helpful things to the land such as nitrogen and helpful insects (Roth, 2) [-0] .. /essay_search/organic_farming. html.
Thursday, October 3, 2019
Time And Tide Wait For None Philosophy Essay
Time And Tide Wait For None Philosophy Essay No one is so powerful that he can stop the march of time this is what the phrase time and tide wait for none means. Although the origin of this phrase is not sure, yet it is obvious that it has ancient origins and predates modern English. The mere mention of the tide being beyond mans control brings to mind images of King Canutes story. He showed the limitations of a Kings powers by failing to make the sea obey his orders. The word tide in this phrase originally didnt imply what the present meaning is the rising and falling of the sea. à It denoted a period of time. At the time when this phrase was coined the word tide meant a season or a time or a while. à à à à à à à à à à à This phrase is also sometimes mentioned as time and tide wait for no man. Nevertheless, it signifies the importance of time. In literature time has often been referred to as Once upon a timeà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦ and then as the story progresses we discover how time passes, how it comes to a standstill, how it flies sometimes and how the character develops as time goes by. Time was a great teacher for King Lear in Shakespeares play King Lear. His character undergoes a sea-change with passage to time. His tow elder daughters failed the test of time. It was the youngest one, the reticent Cordelia, who faced the stormy times and came out a winner in being united with her father. But then time was a cruel teacher. Both Lear and Cordelia had to pay the price of their lives. Time had not waited for them. How time flies! they say. Rightly has Ben Hecht said, Time is a circus always packing up and moving away. à à à à à à à à à à à à Time is to be treated as a precious commodity. Its as important as life itself. What is life? Is it a mere breathing exercise? How do we define time? We often refer to the term lifetime. What makes a life is not the whole life at one go. Rather it consists of moments stitched together. We should live life in parts, so to say. Live a whole lifetime in a whole day. Live as if theres no tomorrow. This doesnt mean being rash. But start enjoying your life, you never will be able to when times change. You never can judge what time has in store for you. Being alive and living is a totally different thing. If you go to accumulating wealth hoping that youll indulge yourself, do something for your family and enjoy life one day, you are grossly mistaken. When a man dies he will never wish he would have spent some more time in the office. As we say, opportunity is here, similarly, time is here and now. Time should never be wasted. I wasted time and no w doth time waste me, says Shakespeare in Richard II (Act V, scene v). à à à à à à à à à à à German Nobel Prize Winner, Thomas Mann in his novel The Magic Mountain writes: What is time? It is a secret lacking in substance and yet almighty. The concept of time has been treated differently in different periods of time. In ancient Greece time was treated as a circle. Hesoid, the Greek historian of 8th century B.C. divided time into five ages of mankind, beginning with the golden age of the distant past when men lived in peace and continuing upto the contemporary Iron Age where fights and warfare prevail. But in medieval and modern times time has been treated as a linear process. Saint Augustine in his City of God favoured the linear concept of time and labelled the Greek cyclic time as a mere superstition. Time has been mentioned in literature in different ways. à Even the mythical and cyclic depiction of time had influenced many writers such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez (One Hundred Years of Solitude), Octavio Paz (his poem Piedra de sol). Even T.S. Eliot in his poem Geronation gave to us the negative document on human life just as Paz. According to the linear concept time is an irreversible process; in Christianity from Creation to Judgment Day. An illustration of this in literature can be seen in Dantes Divine Comedy. William Faulkner, the winner of Nobel Prize Winner in literature in 1949, in his celebrated novel The Sound and the Fury gives in detail the downfall of a wealthy and prosperous family in the southern United States. à à à à à à à à à à à We have examples of famous personalities who dreamt big but had to accept defeat in front of time. The most brilliant example is that of Alexander the Great. At his death he wished to show to the people that he was going empty-handed. This was the realization of a lifetime but it dawned upon him when he was on his death-bed. Time didnt wait for him either. Hitler had dreamed of ruling over the whole world, but his progress was checked very soon and had to commit suicide in the end. These are all examples of human failure in front of the divine power of time. We have to move ahead with the time to conquer it. Generally what we do is that we move where life takes us. Thus, we allow to be driven by time, and to dominate us. If we stand still we will reach nowhere and time wont stop for us, to take us along. Austin Dobson writes: Time goes, you say? Ah no! Alas, Time stays, we go. à à à à à à à à à à à Indeed, men may come and men may go but time stays on just like the brook. But, again just as water is never the same in a flowing river, time too never repeats itself. Time once past cannot be recalled. How beautifully Omar Khayam puts it: The moving finger writes; and, having writ, Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line, Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it. No matter how many pains you take, you cannot use the undo command in life and edit again. à à à à à à à à à à à Another quality of time is its uniformity and impartial nature. It works at the same pace for the wealthiest and for the poorest one. An hour means sixty minutes both for a king and a pauper. All are slaves of time. What we can do is make the most of the time at hand, as the old proverb goes make hay while the sun shines. à à à à à à à à à à à We can broadly divide time into three categories past, present and future. But actually it is indivisible. Its a wonder how soon a past is created. You wink and eye and the moment is past. You will never find back the time wasted by you, there will only be tales of past. Future too is not revealed to us. We never know what is going to happen. Theres many a slip between the cup and the lip. So we should live in the present. It is only in the present that the essence of life is contained. We cannot depend on either the past or future which is not in front of us. Live life as it unfolds itself before us, that is, in the form of present. Trust no Future, howeer pleasant! Let the dead Past bury its dead! Act, act in the living Present! Heart within, and God oerhead! (H.W. Longfellow in A Psalm of Life) Time doesnt give you chances. There are no retakes in real life. Time teaches you with experience but it has been called the cruelest teacher. Why? Because it never waits and you cant change your actions later. So much destruction has been caused in the world. The two World Wars have been there. Atom bombs have been dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It seemed as if the country of Japan would be destroyed, its economy would never be able to recover. But time didnt come to a standstill. Japan is one of the leading nations of the world. This is because the Japanese didnt wait for the time, rather they acted. People lose their loved ones. Their lives are shattered by the death. Life doesnt seem to be moving ahead. But things change because time doesnt wait for the mourner to get back to life again. Time is a great healer too. It goes on and on, just like a stream. Indeed, time is the stream of life. Just like the bubbles some people fade away, some new ones take their place and the proc ess goes on. Life goes on. à à à à à à à à à à à There is a time and place for everything according to an old proverb. So when opportunity knocks at your door dont turn around. Grab the offer with both hands. Act spontaneously. The moment you act will be the right time. You never know when the time runs out or the tide turns unfavourable. Time is like the sand fast pouring out of your hands. It is just like the onion being layer after layer and in the end you find theres nothing remaining in it. Its now or never. So like Henry Wadsworth Longfellow says: Let us, then be up and doing, With a heart for any fate; Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labour and to wait. TIME AND TIDE WAIT FOR NO ONE This is a very simple, clear and self-explanatory proverb. It means that time and tide do not wait for anybody. Time goes on passing without caring for anybody and anything. Similarly tides occur ; they have no regard or consideration for anybody. Time and tide symbolise valuable opportunity. They occur without any notice. The essence of the proverb is that opportunities do not wait for anyone. No one can command or foretell their occurrence http://essaysandarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/time-and-tide-wait-for-no-man-43347-300225.jpg or recurrence. One should be alert and cautious because they occur without any notice. They are generally shortlived and pass quickly; No one can say whether or when they would come again. So one should be fully prepared to make the best use of an opportunity as and when it presents itself. Time and tide are natural phenomena. Like other agents of nature, they too have no consideration and regard for any individual. Man cannot change their course. They are beyond the control of human hands. Man finds himself helpless before them. In ancient times there were no steamships. There were huge boats equipped with sails. They were called ships. Their launching in the sea was a difficult affair, which depended on the tide. The sailors had to wait for weeks and sometimes for months, because their ships could not sail without the help of a tide. As soon as the tide came, they sailed their ships away with it. If they missed the chance, they had to wait for the next tide about which there could be no certainty. A tide never waits for any sailor. It is for the sailor to wait and take advantage of the tide when it comes. It is for the sailors to take advantage of the tide. If they fail they suffer the consequences. This proverb is a lesson to all of us. It lays emphasis on the desirability of our preparedness to make the best use of an opportunity that presents itself to us. We should, therefore, remain vigilant, because even the slightest carelessness on our part may result in missing a great opportunity in life resulting in colossal loss. It also implies that opportunities are rare. No one can create them. They come of their own. Those who are ready, are able to take advantage of them, but lazy^ people let them slip. Time is running fast. Yesterday will never come again. Even this moment when you are reading these lines will never come again. Time is an opportunity. If time will not come again, it means the opportunity will not come again. It is, therefore, necessary that one should grasp the opportunity as it comes. Missing an opportunity means missing the chance for ever, because one does not know whether the opportunity will recur or not. No amount of repentance would compensate the loss caused by such a failure. Nature is impersonal. It does not matter to it if a certain individual fails to make use of an opportunity offered by it. It is because of this aspect of the matter that wise men are always prepared to act with full vigour when time comes. They never postpone things. Suppose a student is to appear in his final examination in January 1980. He has still many long months for study and preparation. In January 1980, he will get an opportunity to pass the examination in any division he likes. He can put in hard work to make the best use of the opportunity and achieve his objective. But if he does not put his heart and soul into the study or in case he completely misses this opportunity, he cannot get a chance of passing the examination in January 1980 in his whole life. It may be that he . passes the examination later but passing the examination in January This is a very simple, clear and self-explanatory proverb. It means that time and tide do not wait for anybody. Time goes on passing without caring for anybody and anything. Similarly tides occur ; they have no regard or consideration for anybody. Time and tide symbolise valuable opportunity. They occur without any notice. The essence of the proverb is that opportunities do not wait for anyone. No one can command or foretell their occurrenceor recurrence. One should be alert and cautious because they occur without any notice. They are generally shortlived and pass quickly; No one can say whether or when they would come again. So one should be fully prepared to make the best use of an opportunity as and when it presents itself.Time and tide are natural phenomena. Like other agents of nature, they too have no consideration and regard for any individual. Man cannot change their course. They are beyond the control of human hands. Man finds himself helpless before them. In ancient times t here were no steamships. There were huge boats equipped with sails. They were called ships. Their launching in the sea was a difficult affair, which depended on the tide. The sailors had to wait for weeks and sometimes for months, because their ships could not sail without the help of a tide. As soon as the tide came, they sailed their ships away with it. If they missed the chance, they had to wait for the next tide about which there could be no certainty. A tide never waits for any sailor. It is for the sailor to wait and take advantage of the tide when it comes. It is for the sailors to take advantage of the tide. If they fail they suffer the consequences. This proverb is a lesson to all of us. It lays emphasis on the desirability of our preparedness to make the best use of an opportunity that presents itself to us. We should, therefore, remain vigilant, because even the slightest carelessness on our part may result in missing a great opportunity in life resulting in colossal loss . It also implies that opportunities are rare. No one can create them. They come of their own. Those who are ready, are able to take advantage of them, but lazy^ people let them slip.Time is running fast. Yesterday will never come again. Even this moment when you are reading these lines will never come again. Time is an opportunity. If time will not come again, it means the opportunity will not come again. It is, therefore, necessary that one should grasp the opportunity as it comes. Missing an opportunity means missing the chance for ever, because one does not know whether the opportunity will recur or not. No amount of repentance would compensate the loss caused by such a failure. Nature is impersonal. It does not matter to it if a certain individual fails to make use of an opportunity offered by it. It is because of this aspect of the matter that wise men are always prepared to act with full vigour when time comes. They never postpone things.Suppose a student is to appear in his final examination in January 1980. He has still many long months for study and preparation. In January 1980, he will get an opportunity to pass the examination in any division he likes. He can put in hard work to make the best use of the opportunity and achieve his objective. But if he does not put his heart and soul into the study or in case he completely misses this opportunity, he cannot get a chance of passing the examination in January 1980 in his whole life. It may be that he . passes the examination later but passing the examination in Januaryà 1980 will be an impossibility for him. January 1980 will not wait for him. Missing the January 1980 examination will result in an irreparable loss. Opportunities are rare. Generally they do not repeat. That is why wise people call them golden chances. It is always advisable to seize an opportunity as soon as it occurs, because it may never occur again. Such a chance, if availed of, may prove a boon in ones life and may also ruin ones life if it is missed. Many such instances may be cited from everyday life of many of us. A wise man, therefore, anxiously waits for an opportunity and makes the best use of it as soon as it occurs. Those who miss such opportunities because of their negligence or carelessness have to repent. There is another aspect of the matter. Time and tide are immune to sentiments of loss or gain to individuals, communities and nations. In total disregard of loss or gain to individuals they follow their schedules. There can be no appeal against them. It also flows from the proverb that one should be strictly punctual and should do ones work at the proper or appointed time. The habit ofpostponing things is not good. A thing postponed is generally never done. It also means that one should cultivate the habit of taking decisions quickly or at the ripe time. Vacillation in this regard may prove disastrous. Many people have met with failure in life because they would not take decision at the right time. Due to their vacillation the opportunity slipped out of their hands. In conclusion, this proverb teaches us to be very cautious and not to miss an opportunity that comes to us, because the opportunity will not wait for us, and we do not know whether it will come again. If one fails to take advantage of one opportunity, he may never get another. Time and tide wait for none!à TIMEà AND tide wait for no man. This indeed is a well-known proverb. But how many times in our life have we desired that time was something we could capture in our hands and never let go. When we look back into our past, we gather a lot of memorable moments which we never want to get over, especially, those cheerfulchildhood daysà where we were pampered by one and all in our families. Those were the golden days of our lives. In the school days, we thought homework and exams were the hardest things one can ever face. Little did we know that with time, more hardships are bound to come. In college days deciding on a career was anotherà Herculean task. Advices came when they are hardly required. Everybody had a say on our decision making process and they got the better of us. Then we took a plunge into the vast ocean called career. For some of us, there will be a phase when we want to change that one decision. Alas!, the realization will sink in deep that its too late to change our decision. We will realize that there is no rewind option in the lifes clock.à We should realize the importance of taking the right decision at the right time. In that way, we will never regret any decision that we make in life.à Procrastinationà will not help you to achieve the best things in life. So wake up before it is too late. Time might keep dodging us, but we should not get intimidated by it. All you need to do is, become excellent time managers. Be more organized in life and most importantly, be time-bound. Lead your life is such a way that you run in pace with time. Success will follow suit. In English:à Time and tide wait for no one. Time is precious, once it is past, no one can go back and claim it. Thus everyone should be mindful of how his time is spent. In German:à Zeit ist Geld. Time is money. = Time is precious. So you have to make the most of it. Time is the most precious thing for a man as it comes only once in someones life and never stays long. Whether favorable or unfavorable, time is gone once means it never returns just like tide. Thus, the popular proverb goes like Time and Tide wait for none. It is seen that some people miss the bus for a while escape the severe accidents. Likewise a scientist discovers a valuable finding at a particular point of time which he had missed by chance means eh might not have got the credit of finding that. Although all these are matter of fate nevertheless time does not wait for anybody. If we fail to act when time is ripped, we miss the chance and curse our fate for ever. So it is advisable to do every work at an appropriate time so that one would never repent for the time wasted. In fact, he should wit patiently for the proper and favorable time, so that success will come easily and time will be used best. In every field time has its own importance. If a farmer had not sown the seeds in proper season he would not get the paddy as thought. Similarly, the game of football one extra minute may also make a difference as during that one minute a player could score a goal against the opponent tem and the game would be over with an 1:0 score in spite of simple draw. To add another example, if a doctor would not reach at the right time the patients life will not be saved. Thus, time is very important for every work to be completed as required. In olden days there were now watches an people used to do their working following the direction of the Sun, even though people were sincere and punctual at those days. But today even after innumerable inventions and a lot developments people used to complain that they dont have time. Is it that the time in olden days was long and today it is short? Not at all. Then where is the problem? Actually problem exists in time management. As time wasted never returns and today people are wasting a lot of time wandering they are experiencing the time short, so the complaint. For instance when the students have the time, they waste it in unnecessary discussions, love and student politics etc. but when examination comes nearer they start studying and complain for time short as they could not use the time left in a proper manner. Here a saying comes to mind, Time is short, not for rest, think your aim and do your best. Have we ever thought of the importance of time. If not, then we should give attention towards it To known the value of one year, ask the student who failed. To know the value of one month, ask the mother of a premature baby. To know the value of one week, ask the editor of a weekly. To know the value of one day, ask the daily wage worker. To know the value of one minute, ask the passenger who missed the train. To know the value of one second, ask the person who escaped an accident. Thus, scheduled management of time can give a person more time to do what he wants, improve his availability, improve his decision making, improve his health, improve his productivity, efficiently and effectiveness, make him easier to work with, make him feel more relaxed, minimize the risk he takes and most importantly reduces stress. So following steps should be taken to manage time. Keep a time record. fix time for each activity and see that the work is completed within the time frame. Short term goals: Set the goal for each day, week or a month, so that you can make sure that the time is spent in a systematic manner. Planning- Plan and use your time in such a way that you have a clear idea of what you want to do with the day, make out a definite programme, know what you like doing with your leisure. Plan your work, organize it before you start, fix a time limit for each job and do your best to complete it within that time, learn to do things the right way- with ease and speed, eliminate all unnecessary moment, have the materials which you require at hand so that you can reach them without having to get up and walk around, try to do something useful with odd minutes like those spend waiting for bus or train i.e. read a book or plan your next job. Be punctual about appointments. Talking to people is fine but too much can become a vice. Interruptions- Dont allow any one to disturb you when you are doing an important work. Relaxation- Relaxation is also important, so do spare for it. Avoid overworking- Avoid overworking and try to begin and end the work in schedule time. Thus, make schedules to execute your work in a fruitful manner. Meetings- Plan and prepare for conducting a meeting which will help in saving time and dealing with the subjects in an orderly manner. Squandering time versus valid Downtime- Dont squander time on low priority things during the time set aside for high priority goals. For example dont watch television during the study time. Doing it right the first time- The biggest thief of your valuable times is doing a sloppy job when you get down to work. If you are not bothered to do it right the first time, then you will not be motivated to do it ever. Procrastination- Overcome these hurdles in the best possible manner. You must prepare and set study goals, imagine the pain, imagine the pleasure and give yourself permission to procrastinate some things, like giving a car a tuning. Live and work at steady rhythm- Once you master the art of working steadily, you will certainly make the best use of time. If you put these suggestions into practice and remember that if wealth is lost it can be regained but not the time, then you will be the happiest person in the world. Never leave till tomorrow what you can do today ? How do you explain this golden maxim ? One of the many weaknesses of which man must be warned is procrastination or putting off things that can be done today till a later date. There is some natural inertia in man which makes him lethargic. He knows he must work but he doesnt want to unless he is goaded, very often leaves things where they are. If it doesnt affect him personally he doesnt act immediately. He would rather bask in idleness. To make him work and act many incentives are offered. Thus we see in business, what is called an incentive bonus. In regular services they are offered increments. Man knows that putting off till tomorrow what one can do today is bad. So there are many maxims like time and tide wait for no man. Take time by the forelock; Make hay while the sun shines. These idioms go to show how society realize the value of time and doing thing in time. For time lost is a loss forever and it cant be brought back. Hence the proverb procrastination is a thief of time. Time is a factor which is very important, the more so nowadays. In the jet-age or the Supersonic-age everything takes place at a speed which the ancients would never have dreamed of. A generation or so ago it took many days to reach Malaysia from India. Now it is a matter of less than four hours. In order to keep pace with the speed with which things move, man also must know how to act quickly. Suppose one has to fly on a mission or business to a distant place he has to be at the airport very early. A delay of even five minutes would see the plane taken off and his whole program would be causing a lot of chain reactions. Suppose a man fails to turn up at the hour he has fixed for an engagement he would not only lose his face but it may also tell on his future with which his whole life is tied up. The more complex and technological the society grows, the value of time grows equally acute. Work falls in arrears, means he has to work harder and even faster the next day. This is found among students who often postpone doing their homework and wait for the weekend holiday to come. But when the holiday comes they find it difficult to sit and do their homework while their friends are playing outside. The next day they have to think of ways and means to deceive their teachers when homework has to be passed up. There is a sense of fulfillment for those people who are punctual and regular in their work. They enjoy a guilt-free conscience. A forcibly true example is the case of health. If there is any ailment one should attend to it immediately. Some people hide their ailments only to suffer later, when it is too late. When one is regular and punctual it adds to his dignity and brings him peace at heart. It requires principles, discipline and will power to do ones duty on hand at once. If only one were to keep a record of idle hours it would be astounding to see the sum total of the time. One must develop the philosophy of life quoted in the Village Blacksmith, Something attempted, something done, earned him a nights repose. Never leave till tomorrow what you can do today ? How do you explain this golden maxim ? One of the many weaknesses of which man must be warned is procrastination or putting off things that can be done today till a later date. There is some natural inertia in man which makes him lethargic. He knows he must work but he doesnt want to unless he is goaded, very often leaves things where they are. If it doesnt affect him personally he doesnt act immediately. He would rather bask in idleness. To make him work and act many incentives are offered. Thus we see in business, what is called an incentive bonus. In regular services they are offered increments. Man knows that putting off till tomorrow what one can do today is bad. So there are many maxims like time and tide wait for no man. Take time by the forelock; Make hay while the sun shines. These idioms go to show how society realize the value of time and doing thing in time. For time lost is a loss forever and it cant be brought back. Hence the proverb procrastination is a thief of time. Time is a factor which is very important, the more so nowadays. In the jet-age or the Supersonic-age everything takes place at a speed which the ancients would never have dreamed of. A generation or so ago it took many days to reach Malaysia from India. Now it is a matter of less than four hours. In order to keep pace with the speed with which things move, man also must know how to act quickly. Suppose one has to fly on a mission or business to a distant place he has to be at the airport very early. A delay of even five minutes would see the plane taken off and his whole program would be causing a lot of chain reactions. Suppose a man fails to turn up at the hour he has fixed for an engagement he would not only lose his face but it may also tell on his future with which his whole life is tied up. The more complex and technological the society grows, the value of time grows equally acute. Work falls in arrears, means he has to work harder and even faster the next day. This is found among students who often postpone doing their homework and wait for the weekend holiday to come. But when the holiday comes they find it difficult to sit and do their homework while their friends are playing outside. The next day they have to think of ways and means to deceive their teachers when homework has to be passed up. There is a sense of fulfillment for those people who are punctual and regular in their work. They enjoy a guilt-free conscience. A forcibly true example is the case of health. If there is any ailment one should attend to it immediately. Some people hide their ailments only to suffer later, when it is too late. When one is regular and punctual it adds to his dignity and brings him peace at heart. It requires principles, discipline and will power to do ones duty on hand at once. If only one were to keep a record of idle hours it would be astounding to see the sum total of the time. One must develop the philosophy of life quoted in the Village Blacksmith, Something attempted, something done, earned him a nights repose. Essay on the Importance of Time Time is said to be eternal. It is said that it has neither a beginning nor an end. Yet men are able to measure it as years, months, days, hours, minutes and seconds. They have also given meanings to the words past, present and future. True, time has a meaning. It moves. What was yesterday is not today. What is today will not be tomorrow. Yesterday is gone. Today is
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Contrasting Perspectives on Horseââ¬â¢s Representation in Various Media Ven
Horses are valued by humans for the past million of years. Humans began to domesticate horses due to their ability to modulate with their environment. Horses' anatomy enables them to use of speed to escape predators. They have a well-developed sense of balance and a strong fight-or-flight instinct. Most domesticated horses begin training under saddle or in harness between the ages of two and four. The average life span of horses is approximately between 25 and 30 years. Horse breeds are based on general temperament. Spirited speed and endurance. Horses and humans intermingle in a wide variety of working activities such as police work, agriculture, entertainment, and therapy. Horses were historically used in warfare, from which a wide variety of riding. Many products are derived from horses, including meat, hide, and hair. Humans provide domesticated horses with food, water. and shelter. Horses are valued by humans in many ways and many forms of media such as Disney and the tale of Sprit, Hippotherapy, a form of rehabilitative therapy, and the tale of the Trojan horse. . Disney has made films regarding horses such as Sprit. It is about a mustang stallion that grows up to proudly succeed his father as leader of the Cimarron herd in the Wild West. When they reach the Dakota Territory, Sprit gets curious and a cowboy catches him and sells him to the United States cavalry. The cavalry uses a method of training by breaking a horse. This method fails with sprit. Spirit is captured by a brave and escapes on his back. He also tricks him to a coral with his beloved mare, but shows respect and wins some trust. As the railroad arrives, the Indian village is wrecked and Spirit gets captured for use as a draft-horse. When the stallion... ... and occasionally, horses are trained to perform without a bridle or other headgear. Many horses are also driven, which requires a harness, bridle, and some type of vehicle. Horse are valued by human in the past and will be in the future by all aspect horses are used to help human gain an increase in function in a variety of traditions and existing methods. Works Cited Association, A. H. (n.d.). Hippotherapy Researh and Supportive Evidance . Retrieved November 1, 2010, from American Hippotherapy Association . Greek Myths in Order of Publication. (n.d.). Retrieved November 1 1, 2010, from Storynory LTD: http://storynory.com/category/greek-myths/ Kelly Asbury, L. C. (Director). (2002). Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002) [Motion Picture]. Viegas, J. (Director). (2010). Horses Never Forget Human Friends [Television Picture].
Human Resource Management Essay -- Business Resource Managing Essays
Human Resource Management Effective human resource management is undoubtedly critical to the success of virtually all firms. Thus its importance is huge in the study of business strategy; which is the system of the firmââ¬â¢s important choices that are critical to the firmââ¬â¢s survival and relative success (Boxall and Purcell 2003). Getting more specific, strategic human resource management as a field of study is concerned with the strategic choices associated with the use of labour in firms and with explaining why some firms manage them more effectively than others (Boxall and Purcell 2003). Traditionally there has been much debate in the field of strategic HRM over two main schools of thought; ââ¬Å"best fitâ⬠(contingency theory), and ââ¬Å"best practiceâ⬠(universalism). The ââ¬Å"best fitâ⬠school of thought argues that HR strategy will be more effective when it is appropriately integrated with its specific organizational and broader environmental context (Boxall and Purcell 2003). This proposes questions about which are the most critical contingencies in this context and how they are best connected. The ââ¬Ëbest practiceââ¬â¢ school of thought argues that all firms will see performance improvements if only they identify and implement best practice. This perspective requires top management to commit themselves to key HR practices. Basically, the idea is that a particular bundle of HR practices has the potential to contribute improved employee attitudes and behaviours, lower levels of absenteeism and labour turnover, and higher levels of productivity, quality and customer service. This has the ultimate effect of generating higher levels of profitability (Boxall and Purcell 2003). Both of the aforementioned ââ¬Å"best theoryâ⬠approaches to strategic HRM place emphasis on critical choices associated with competitive strategy; such as which industry to enter and what competitive position to seek in it (Boxall and Purcell 2003). However, these models make some serious assumptions of the firms HRM. They assume that the firm already has a clever leadership team that makes the competitive strategy choices effectively. They also assume that human resource issues such as hiring and training a capable workforce are straightforward and basic. The resource-based view (RBV) of strategy, a modern school of thought in the field of strategic HRM, sees these issues as strategic rather than stra... ... over time, and their importance to sustained competitive advantage (Boxall and Purcell, 2003). Works Cited Boxall, Peter and Purcell, John. Strategy and Human Resource Management. Palgraveà à à à à Macmillan. 2003. Deephouse D. ââ¬ËTo be different, or to be the same? Itââ¬â¢s a question (and theory) of à à à à à strategic balanceââ¬â¢ , Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 20, 1999. pp147-166 Mabey, Christopher and Salaman, Graeme and Storey, John. Human Resource à à à à à Management: A Strategic Introduction. Blackwell Business. 1998. Marchington, Mick and Wilkinson, Adrian. People Management and Development: à à à à à Human Resource Management at Work. CIPD Enterprises Ltd. 2002. Purcell, John. ââ¬Å"Business Strategies and Human Resource Management: Uneasy à à à à à Bedfellows or Strategic Partners?â⬠University of Bath. April 27, 2005 à à à à à [http://www.bath.ac.uk/werc/pdf/business_strategies_and_HRM.pdf] Sisson, Kieth and Storey, John. The Realities of Human Resource Management: à à à à à Managing the Employment Relatoinship. Open University Press: à à à à à à à à à à Buckingham. à à à à à 2000. Schuler, Randall S. and Jackson, Susan E. Strategic Human Resource Management. à à à à à Blackwell Publishers Ltd. 1999.
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Coyote Blue Chapter 23~24
Part 3 Quest CHAPTER 23 Pavlov's Dogs and the Rhinestone Turd Las Vegas The only distractions from the noise of his own mind were desert-dried roadkills, thrown retreads, and road signs reflecting desolation. Sam drove, smoked, and fought drowsiness by worrying about how he would find the girl. The trickster slept in the passenger seat. Sam had been to Las Vegas three times before ââ¬â with Aaron ââ¬â to see championship boxing at Caesar's Palace. Two hundred dollars bought them seats at nosebleed altitude, closer to the moon than the ring, but Aaron insisted that there was nothing like being there. Without binoculars, following the progress of the fight was like tracking down a rumor. Sam usually watched the women and did his best to keep Aaron calmed down. As soon as they walked into a casino Aaron started. ââ¬Å"This is my town! The lights, the excitement, the women ââ¬â I was born for this place.â⬠Then Aaron would drop a couple thousand at the tables and suck free gin and tonics until he staggered. In the morning Sam would drag Aaron out of a tangle of satin sheets and hookers, throw him in the shower, and listen to his long lament of remorse and hangover as he lay in the backseat of the car with a jacket over his head, whining the whole way home about how he would never return. Aaron never failed to fuel the greed machine and was always dumbfounded when it juiced him of his hope. It was the machine that fascinated Sam. While Aaron ground himself through the velvet gears, Sam watched the workings of the most elaborate Skinner box on the face of the Earth. Drop the coin, hear the bell, see the lights, eat the food, see the women, hear the bell, see the lights, drop the coin again. The ostentation of the casinos did not create desire for money; it made money meaningless. There were no mortgages in a casino, no children needing food, no car needing repairs, no work, no time, no day, no night; those things ââ¬â the context of money ââ¬â were someplace else. A place where people returned before they realized that a turd rolled in rhinestones is a turd nonetheless. Sam saw the glow from Las Vegas rising over the desert from thirty miles out. He poked Coyote in the leg and the trickster woke up. ââ¬Å"Hold the wheel,â⬠Sam said. ââ¬Å"Let me drive. You can sleep.â⬠ââ¬Å"You're not driving my car. Just hold the wheel.â⬠Coyote held the wheel while Sam punched buttons on the console. The screen of the navigation system flickered on. Sam punched a few more buttons and a street map of Las Vegas lit up green on the screen. A blip representing the Merecedes blinked along Highway 15 toward the city. ââ¬Å"Okay,â⬠Sam said, taking the wheel again. Coyote studied the screen. ââ¬Å"How do you win?â⬠ââ¬Å"It's not a game, it's a map. The blip is us.â⬠ââ¬Å"The car knows where it is going, like a horse?â⬠ââ¬Å"It doesn't know, it just tells us where we are.â⬠ââ¬Å"Like looking out the window?â⬠ââ¬Å"Look, I'm going to have to sleep when we get to Vegas. I don't even know where to start looking for Calliope.â⬠ââ¬Å"Why don't you ask the car?â⬠Sam ignored the question. ââ¬Å"I'm going to get us a room.â⬠He dialed information on the cellular phone, got the number of a casino hotel, then called and reserved a room. The exits off the highway were marked by names of casinos they led to, not by the names of streets or roads. Sam took the exit marked Camelot. He followed the signs down the surface streets lined with pawnshops, convenience stores, and low-slung cinder-block buildings under neon signs that proclaimed, CASH FOR YOUR CAR, CHECKS CASHED HERE, MARRIAGES AND DIVORCES ââ¬â TWENTY-FOUR-HOUR DRIVE-THRU WINDOW. Coyote said, ââ¬Å"What are these places?â⬠Sam tried to think of a quick explanation, but was too weary from lack of sleep to tackle the concept of Las Vegas in twenty-five words or less. Finally he said, ââ¬Å"These are places where you go if you want to fuck up your life and you don't have a lot of time to do it in.â⬠ââ¬Å"Are we going to stop?â⬠ââ¬Å"No, I seem to be fucking up at a fine rate of speed, thank you.â⬠Sam spotted the pseudomedieval towers of Camelot rising above the strip, multi-colored pennons flying from standards tipped with aircraft warning lights. He wondered what the real King Arthur (if there was a King Arthur, and who was he to question the truth behind myth?) would have thought about the casino named after his legendary city. Would he recognize anything? Would he cower in fear at the sight of his first electric light? Flush toilet? Automobile? Would he be reduced to a pathetic Quixote attacking this place where chivalry was a quaint marketing idea? Or would the Once and Future King lay eyes on a leggy keno girl and raise another lance to lead the knights of the Round Table in a charge? The women, Sam decided, would be Arthur's touchstone, and his downfall. He shot a glance at Coyote. ââ¬Å"When we get there you're going to see a lot of women without a lot of clothes on. Stay away from them.â⬠Coyote looked surprised. ââ¬Å"I never touch a woman who does not want it-ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Don't touch!â⬠Sam interrupted. Coyote slouched in his seat. ââ¬Å"Or need it,â⬠he whispered. Sam drove the Mercedes over a giant drawbridge and stopped at the valet parking station where a dozen young men dressed like squires were scrambling around unloading cars, filling out slips, and driving cars away. ââ¬Å"This is it,â⬠Sam said. He popped the trunk and got out, leaving the engine running. A warm desert wind washed over him at the same time a young man ran around the car and held out a numbered slip of paper. ââ¬Å"Your ticket, milord.â⬠Sam dug in his pocket for a bill to tip the kid, but found nothing. ââ¬Å"I'm sorry,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"I don't have any cash on me. I'll get your name and leave a tip at the desk.â⬠The kid tried to force a smile and failed. ââ¬Å"Very good, milord.â⬠He jumped in the car and slammed the door. Sam cringed and tapped on the window. The window whirred down; the kid waited. Sam leaned in and read the kid's plastic badge. ââ¬Å"Look, uh, Squire Tom, I really will leave a tip at the desk for you. We left in a hurry and I forgot to get cash.â⬠The kid waited, gunning the engine. ââ¬Å"There's an alarm remote on the keys. Could you turn it on after you park it? One chirp is armed.â⬠Squire Tom nodded and pulled away. Sam heard him say, ââ¬Å"The pox on you, Moorish pig,â⬠over the squeal of the tires. How authentic, Sam thought. He watched the Mercedes disappear around the corner and wondered why valet parking always made him feel as if he had seen his car for the last time. Coyote stood across the lane waving to the car. He looked over. ââ¬Å"Moorish pig?â⬠ââ¬Å"The dark skin, I guess,â⬠said Sam. He led Coyote past a half-dozen squires and an overweight guy in a purple-and-yellow jester's outfit with a radio on his belt and a badge that read, Lord Larry, over another drawbridge, and into the casino. Trumpets played a fanfare as they crossed the threshold under a brace of huge broadswords. A jolly electronic voice welcomed them to Camelot. Sam spotted a woman in a peasant dress by a sign reading, Ye Olde Information. The badge she wore, next to a magnificent display of cleavage, read, Lusty Wench Wendy. Sam pulled Coyote back and approached the girl. ââ¬Å"Excuse me, er, Wendy. I have a room reserved and I need to find a cash machine.â⬠The girl spoke in a whining fake-English-over-true-Brooklyn accent. à «Wellà » ââ¬â she threw out a hip, struck a pose ââ¬â ââ¬Å"if milords proceed through the casino to the left to the second arch, ye will find the registration desk. There's cash machines by every arch, milord.â⬠ââ¬Å"Thanks,â⬠Sam said. He started to walk away, then turned back to the girl. ââ¬Å"Excuse me, but I've been here before and I thought everyone was a lord or a lady. Lusty wench is a new one.â⬠The English accent had overheated and failed. ââ¬Å"Yeah. About three months ago they said it was getting sorta confusing. You know, six Lord Steves, ten Lady Debbies. They use a bunch of other medieval titles now. The bellboys are serfs. Lusty wenches, alchemists, stuff like that.â⬠ââ¬Å"Oh, thanks,â⬠Sam said as if he understood. He led Coyote into the chaos of the casino, looking for a cash machine while trying to move quickly. Coyote's appearance was attracting attention, and when people looked up from a slot machine or blackjack table, Sam knew they were truly distracted. As they passed a carousel of slot machines, a middle-aged woman who was pumping quarters into a machine by the handful leaned so far back to get a look at the trickster that she nearly toppled off her stool. Sam caught her and steadied her. ââ¬Å"He works at the Frontier, up the strip,â⬠Sam said. Coyote peeked over Sam's shoulder, winked at the woman, then licked his eyebrows. The woman's jaw dropped. ââ¬Å"Exotic dancer,â⬠Sam explained. The woman nodded, a little stunned, and returned her attention to the slot machine. ââ¬Å"I wish you wouldn't do that,â⬠Sam said to Coyote. ââ¬Å"And don't you have any other clothes? Something a little more conservative?â⬠ââ¬Å"Wool?â⬠Coyote made an incredibly realistic sheep noise. A pit boss at the blackjack tables raised an eyebrow and two security jesters fell in behind Sam and Coyote. ââ¬Å"Be cool,â⬠Sam said. He turned under a hanging tapestry of a unicorn and stopped by a cash machine, checking over his shoulder for the security jesters. They waited and watched, standing a few feet away, while Sam took a deck of credit cards from his wallet and shuffled through them. When he inserted one of the cards in the machine and punched his identification number the jesters moved off. ââ¬Å"They're gone,â⬠Coyote said. ââ¬Å"Yeah, as long as it looks like you're going to spend money I guess it doesn't matter what you look like.â⬠Coyote watched as the cash machine spit a stack of twenties into the tray. ââ¬Å"You win,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"You picked the right numbers the first time.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yeah, I'm lucky that way.â⬠ââ¬Å"Try again, see if you win.â⬠Sam grinned. ââ¬Å"I'm very good at this game.â⬠He put a different card into the machine and punched the same PIN number while Coyote watched. The machine whirred and another stack of twenties shot into the tray. ââ¬Å"You won! Play again.â⬠ââ¬Å"No. We need to check in.â⬠Sam picked up the money and walked to a registration desk that was long enough to land planes on. At this hour of the morning there were only two people on the desk, a lusty wench named Chantel and a very tall, thin, very black man in a business suit and wraparound sunglasses who stood back from the desk and watched, unmoving. ââ¬Å"Hunter, Samuel,â⬠Sam said. ââ¬Å"I have a reservation.â⬠He placed a credit card on the desk. The girl typed for a second. The computer beeped and the girl looked over her shoulder at the black man, who moved like liquid to her side. He consulted the screen for a moment. What now? Sam thought. The black man looked down at Sam and a crescent moon of a smile appeared on the night sky of his face. He picked up Sam's credit card and handed it back. ââ¬Å"Mr. Hunter, thank you for joining us again. The room's on Camelot, sir. And if there's anything I can get you, please don't hesitate to call down and ask.â⬠Sam was dumbfounded. Then he remembered. The last time he had stayed here Aaron had lost almost twenty thousand dollars and billed it to their suite of rooms. The suite had been registered in Sam's name. Vegas loves a loser. ââ¬Å"Thank youâ⬠ââ¬â Sam read the man's nameplate, which was pinned at Sam's eye level ââ¬â ââ¬Å"M.F.â⬠No Lord, no Squire, no title at all ââ¬â just M.F. ââ¬Å"The second elevator on your left, Mr. Hunter,â⬠the lusty wench said. ââ¬Å"Twenty-seventh floor.â⬠ââ¬Å"Thanks,â⬠Sam said. Coyote grinned at the girl and Sam dragged him away to the elevator, where the trickster immediately punched in four floor numbers and stood back. ââ¬Å"This time, I will win.â⬠ââ¬Å"It's a fucking elevator,â⬠Sam said. ââ¬Å"Just push twenty-seven.â⬠ââ¬Å"But that is not the lucky number.â⬠Sam sighed and pushed the floor number, then waited while they stopped at all the floors Coyote had pushed on their way to twenty-seven. Once in the room, Sam stripped to his shorts and fell onto one of the king-size beds. ââ¬Å"Get some sleep if you can. I'll try and figure out how to find Calliope in the morning. I'm too tired to think now.â⬠ââ¬Å"You sleep,â⬠Coyote said. ââ¬Å"I will think of a plan.â⬠Sam didn't answer. He was already asleep. Coyote Loses His Ass Coyote and his friend Beaver had been hunting all day, but neither had found any game. After a while they sat down on some rocks and began talking. ââ¬Å"This is your fault,â⬠Coyote said. ââ¬Å"I can always find game.â⬠ââ¬Å"I don't think so,â⬠Beaver said. ââ¬Å"If you are such a good hunter, why is your wife so skinny?â⬠Coyote thought about his skinny wife and Beaver's fat little wife and he was jealous. ââ¬Å"Well, how about a bet?â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"Tomorrow we will each go out hunting. If you get more rabbits, you can come to my lodge and sleep with my wife so you can see that my skinny wife is better. But if I get more rabbits, I get to sleep with your wife.â⬠ââ¬Å"Sounds fair,â⬠Beaver said. The next day, after the hunt, Coyote came to Beaver's lodge carrying his one scrawny rabbit. ââ¬Å"Oh, Mrs. Beaver,â⬠he called. ââ¬Å"I've come to collect on my bet.â⬠Mrs. Beaver called from inside the lodge. ââ¬Å"Oh, Coyote, you are a great hunter. Mr. Beaver just stopped by with twenty rabbits on his way to your lodge. You better go stop him and tell him that you got more.â⬠ââ¬Å"Right,â⬠Coyote said. ââ¬Å"I'll be right back.â⬠He slunk off to his lodge dragging his rabbit. His wife was waiting outside. ââ¬Å"Nice rabbit,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"Beaver is inside. I'll see you in the morning.â⬠Coyote's wife went into the lodge and pulled down the door flap. All night Coyote sat outside his lodge shivering and listening. At one point he heard his wife cry out. ââ¬Å"Beaver!â⬠Coyote shouted. ââ¬Å"Don't you hurt my wife.â⬠ââ¬Å"He's not hurting me,â⬠Mrs. Coyote said. ââ¬Å"I like it!â⬠ââ¬Å"Swell,â⬠Coyote said. The next morning Beaver came out of Coyote's lodge singing and grinning. ââ¬Å"No hard feelings, right?â⬠ââ¬Å"A bet is a bet,â⬠Coyote said. Mrs. Coyote peeked out and said, ââ¬Å"Maybe this will teach you not to gamble.â⬠ââ¬Å"Right,â⬠Coyote said. Then he called to Beaver, ââ¬Å"Hey, how about playing the hand game with me ââ¬â double or nothing?â⬠ââ¬Å"Sounds good,â⬠Beaver said. ââ¬Å"Let's go down to the river.â⬠At the river Coyote said, ââ¬Å"This is for a night with your wife.â⬠Then he picked the wrong hand. ââ¬Å"You really shouldn't gamble,â⬠Beaver said. ââ¬Å"I'll bet you my best horse for a night with your wife,â⬠Coyote said. After a while, Coyote had lost all his horses, his lodge, his wife, and his clothes. ââ¬Å"One more time,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"But you don't have anything left,â⬠Beaver said. ââ¬Å"I'll bet you my ass against everything else.â⬠ââ¬Å"I don't want your ass,â⬠Beaver said. ââ¬Å"I thought you were my friend.â⬠ââ¬Å"Okay,â⬠Beaver said. He hid the stone behind his back. Coyote picked the wrong hand. ââ¬Å"Can I borrow your knife?â⬠Coyote said. ââ¬Å"I don't want your ass,â⬠Beaver said. ââ¬Å"A bet is a bet,â⬠Coyote said. He took Beaver's knife and cut off his ass. ââ¬Å"Boy, that stings.â⬠ââ¬Å"I've got to go,â⬠Beaver said. ââ¬Å"I'll tell your wife she can come and sleep in my lodge if she wants to.â⬠He picked up all of Coyote's things and went home. When Coyote got home his wife was waiting. ââ¬Å"Beaver took the lodge,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"Yep,â⬠Coyote said. ââ¬Å"Where's your ass?â⬠she asked. ââ¬Å"Beaver got that too.â⬠ââ¬Å"You know,â⬠she said, ââ¬Å"there's a twelve-step program for gambling. You should look into it.â⬠ââ¬Å"Twelve steps.â⬠Coyote laughed. ââ¬Å"I'll bet I can do it in six.â⬠CHAPTER 24 Coyote in Trickster Town Las Vegas Coyote had been a long time in the Spirit World, where everyone knew him, so no one would gamble with him. Now that he was in Trickster Town, he wanted to make up for lost time. He waited for Sam to fall asleep, then he took the salesman's wallet and went down the elevator to the casino. Coyote saw hundreds of shiny machines blinking, and ringing, and clanking big coins into hollow metal bowls. He saw green tables where people traded money for colorful chips and a woman in a cage who paid money for the chips. He saw a wheel with a ball that went around and around. When the ball stopped a man took everyone's chips. The key to that one, Coyote thought, is to grab your chips when you see the ball slowing down. At one green table, a shaman with a stick chanted while players threw bones. There was much shouting and moaning after each throw and the shaman took many chips from the players. That is a game of magic, Coyote thought. I will be very good at that one. But first I must use Sam's cheating medicine on this machine. The trickster stood by a machine that he had seen Sam win from two times. He took one of the gold cards from Sam's wallet and slipped it into the machine, then he pressed the number that he had seen Sam use. The machine beeped and spit the card out. ââ¬Å"Panther piss!â⬠Coyote swore. ââ¬Å"I've lost.â⬠He pounded on the machine, then stepped back and drew another card from Sam's wallet. He put it in the machine and pressed the number. The machine beeped and spit out the card. ââ¬Å"Balls!â⬠Coyote said. ââ¬Å"This cheating medicine is no good.â⬠A round woman in pink stretch pants who was standing behind Coyote cleared her throat and made an impatient humphing noise. Coyote turned to her. ââ¬Å"Get your own machine. This one is mine.â⬠The woman glared at the trickster and tapped her foot. ââ¬Å"Go, go, go,â⬠Coyote said, waving her away. ââ¬Å"There are many machines to play on. I was here first. Go away.â⬠He put another card into the machine and hunched over the keyboard so the woman would not steal his cheating medicine. He looked back over his shoulder. She was trying to see what he was doing. ââ¬Å"Go away, woman. My cheating medicine will not help you. Even if you win you will still be ugly.â⬠The woman wrapped the strap of her pocketbook around her wrist and wound up to swing it at Coyote. Coyote was going to turn into a flea and disappear into the carpet, but he would have had to drop Sam's wallet to do it, so he hesitated and the woman let fly. Coyote ducked and covered his head, but the blow didn't come. Instead he heard a solid thud above his head and looked up to see a huge black hand holding the pocketbook in the air, the woman dangling from the strap at the other end. Coyote looked up further, craning his neck, until he saw a dazzling crescent moon of a smile in the face like night sky. ââ¬Å"Is there a problem?â⬠said the crescent moon in a soft, calm, deep voice. The giant lowered the woman, who stood stunned, staring up at what looked like a living late-afternoon shadow in sunglasses. The giant was used to shocking people ââ¬â white people anyway; a seven-foot black man anywhere off a basketball court nonplussed most. He squeezed the woman's shoulder gently to bring her back to her senses. ââ¬Å"Are you all right, ma'am?â⬠Again the smile. ââ¬Å"Fine. I'm fine,â⬠the woman said, and she tottered off into the casino to tell her husband that, by God, they would spend their next vacation in Hawaii where natives and giants ââ¬â if they were there at all ââ¬â were part of the entertainment. The giant turned his attention to Coyote. ââ¬Å"And you, sir, can I help you with anything?â⬠ââ¬Å"You look like Raven,â⬠Coyote said. ââ¬Å"Do you always wear sunglasses?â⬠ââ¬Å"Always, sir,â⬠the giant said with a slight bow. He pointed to the brass nameplate on his black suit jacket. ââ¬Å"I'm M.F., customer service, at your service, sir.â⬠ââ¬Å"What's the M.F. stand for?â⬠Coyote asked. ââ¬Å"Just M.F., sir. I am the youngest of nine children. I suppose my mother was too tired to come up with a full name.â⬠This was not entirely true, nor entirely false. The giant's mother had, indeed, been weary by the time he was born, but she had also developed an unnatural obsession with dental hygiene as a child, after she was chosen to be one of the first students ever to participate in a Crest toothpaste test. It had been her single moment of glory, her fifteen minutes of fame (and her best checkup ever). When she grew up she married a navy man named Nathan Fresh, and as she bore her children she christened them in remembrance of her day in the dental sun. The first of the Fresh children, a boy, was named Fluoristat. Then came three more boys: Tartar, Plaque, and Molar. Then two girls: Gingivitis and Flossie (the latter after the famous dental hygiene cow). After normal deliveries of two more sons, Bicuspid and Incisor, she had a long, difficult labor with her largest and last son, Minty. Later, Mother Fresh swore that had the child taken one more minute to come into the world, she would have nam ed him Mr. Tooth Decay out of spite ââ¬â a fact that gave little solace to the man named Minty Fresh. Coyote said, ââ¬Å"People think that it stands for motherfucker, don't they?â⬠ââ¬Å"No,â⬠Minty said. ââ¬Å"No one has ever mentioned it.â⬠ââ¬Å"Oh,â⬠Coyote said. ââ¬Å"Can you fix this machine? When I give it the cheating number it just beeps.â⬠Minty Fresh looked at the cash machine, which was still blinking the message INSTRUCTIONS IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, OR JAPANESE. CHOOSE ONE. ââ¬Å"You'll need to choose a language, sir.â⬠He reached down and pushed the English button. ââ¬Å"It should be fine now.â⬠Coyote inserted a card and punched two numbers on the keyboard, then looked at Minty. ââ¬Å"This is my secret number.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes,â⬠Minty said. ââ¬Å"If you need anything at all, please ask for me personally.â⬠He turned and walked away. Coyote finished punching the PIN number. When the machine prompted him for an amount he punched in $9999.99, the maximum allowed by the six-figure field. The machine whirred and spit five hundred dollars into the tray, then flashed a message saying that this was the card's transaction limit. Coyote tried the card again and got another five hundred. The third time the machine refused the transaction so Coyote tried another card. After running all of Sam's cards to their limit he walked away from the machine with twenty thousand dollars in cash. Coyote went to the roulette table and held the four-inch brick of twenties out to the croupier, a slight Oriental woman in a red-and-purple silk doublet with a name badge that read, Lady Lihn. The croupier said, ââ¬Å"On the table.â⬠She gestured for Coyote to put the money down. She nodded to a pit boss. ââ¬Å"Watch count, please,â⬠she said mechanically. The pit boss, a sharp-faced, slick-haired Italian man wearing a polyester suit and a ten-thousand-dollar Rolex, moved to her side and watched as she counted the bills out on the table. ââ¬Å"Changing twenty thousand,â⬠Lady Lihn said. ââ¬Å"How would you like this, sir?â⬠ââ¬Å"Red ones,â⬠Coyote said. The pit boss raised an eyebrow and smirked. Lady Lihn looked irritated. ââ¬Å"Red is five dollar. No room on table.â⬠The pit boss addressed Coyote. ââ¬Å"Perhaps you'd like two hundred in fives and the rest in hundreds, sir.â⬠ââ¬Å"What color are the hundreds?â⬠Coyote said. ââ¬Å"Black,â⬠Lady Lihn said. ââ¬Å"Yellows,â⬠Coyote said. ââ¬Å"Yellows are two dollars.â⬠ââ¬Å"You pick,â⬠Coyote said. Lady Lihn counted out racks of chips and pushed them in front of Coyote. The pit boss nodded to a cocktail waitress, then to the stack of chips in front of Coyote, which the cocktail waitress interpreted as ââ¬Å"Take the order.â⬠The cocktail waitress would bring strong drinks until Coyote started to get drunk, then she would bring watered drinks until he looked tired, when she would offer coffee and disappear until the caffeine kicked in. ââ¬Å"Can I bring you something to drink?â⬠Coyote turned to the cocktail waitress and stared into her cleavage. ââ¬Å"Yes,â⬠he said. The waitress held a pen ready over a cocktail napkin. ââ¬Å"What can I bring you?â⬠Coyote shot a glance to a woman at the table who was drinking a mai tai, resplendent with paper parasols and sword-skewered tropical fruit. He grabbed the woman's drink and downed half of it, nearly taking his eye out with the plastic broadsword. ââ¬Å"One of these,â⬠Coyote said. He replaced the drink in front of the woman, who didn't seem to notice that it had been missing. She'd been riding the alcohol-and-caffeine roller coaster for hours and was absorbed in winning back her children's college fund. ââ¬Å"Bets down,â⬠Lady Lihn said. Coyote put a single red chip on black and the ball was dropped. Coyote watched the ball race around the outside of the wheel. When it slowed and dropped to the numbers he reached for his bet. ââ¬Å"No touch bet,â⬠Lady Lihn snapped. In an instant the pit boss, the cocktail waitress, and two security jesters in steel-toed elf shoes were at Coyote's side. The trickster pulled his hand back. It will be hard to trick these people, Coyote thought. They talk like wolves, all twitches and gestures and smells. The ball dropped into a red slot and Lady Lihn placed another red chip next to Coyote's. ââ¬Å"I win, I win, I win,â⬠Coyote chanted. He did a skipping dance around the table and sang a victory song. Above the casino, in a mirrored dome, a video camera picked up Coyote's dancing image and sent it to a deck of monitors where three men watched and, in turn, watched each other watch. One pressed a button and picked up a telephone. ââ¬Å"M.F.,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"This is God. Customer service on table fifty-nine. The Indian you were talking to a few minutes ago. Watch him.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm on it,â⬠Minty Fresh said. He turned to the girl who was working behind the computer. ââ¬Å"God wants me on the floor.â⬠The girl nodded. As Minty walked by her she sang softly, ââ¬Å"He knows when you are sleeping. He knows when you're awakeâ⬠¦.â⬠Minty Fresh smiled. He really didn't mind being watched. Because of his size, people had always watched him. He had never blended into any background, never entered a room unnoticed, never been able to sneak up on someone. Attracting attention was as natural to him as being. And for every original-thinking dolt who asked him how the weather was up there, there was a woman who wanted to research the wives' tale of proportional hand-foot-penis size. (A tale, Minty thought, dreamed up by the unsatisfied wives of small-footed men.) Minty spotted the Indian at the roulette table. The two security jesters had moved off a few feet but were still watching, as was the pit boss. When Minty came to the table they nodded in acknowledgment and moved off. The croupier looked at Minty and immediately looked back to the bets on the table. Minty Fresh put her on edge. It wasn't his size that rattled her, but the fact that no one was exactly sure what his job was, only that when there was a problem, he was there. He handled things. Lady Lihn dropped the ball into the wheel. It raced, then rattled into a slot, and she raked all the bets off the table. Coyote cursed and let out a howl. The woman playing next to him staggered back and wandered away, carrying visions of her children wearing paper hats and saying, ââ¬Å"I was going to go to college, but my mother went to Vegas instead. Would you like fries with that?â⬠Coyote looked at Minty Fresh. ââ¬Å"She was bad luck. I lost half of my chips because of her.â⬠ââ¬Å"Perhaps you should move to a different table,â⬠Minty said. ââ¬Å"We can open a private table just for you.â⬠Coyote grinned at Minty. ââ¬Å"You think you have a table where you can trick me?â⬠ââ¬Å"No, sir,â⬠Minty said, a little embarrassed. ââ¬Å"We don't wish to trick you.â⬠ââ¬Å"There's nothing wrong with tricking people. They pay you to be tricked.â⬠ââ¬Å"We like to think of it as entertainment.â⬠Coyote laughed. ââ¬Å"Like movie stars and magicians? Tricksters. People want to be tricked. But you know that, don't you?â⬠He picked up his chips and walked to a crap table. Minty thought for a moment before following the Indian. He prided himself on being able to handle any situation with complete calm, but he found dealing with this Indian made him nervous, and a little afraid. But of what? Something in the eyes. He moved in behind Coyote, who was throwing chips on the crap table. ââ¬Å"You can't bet the numbers until the point has been made, sir,â⬠said the stickman, a thin, balding man in his forties. He pushed Coyote's chips back across the table. The stickman looked over Coyote's head and nodded to Minty Fresh before pushing the dice to the shooter. ââ¬Å"Place your bets,â⬠he said, and the dealers working at either end of the table checked the bets on the felt. ââ¬Å"New shooter coming out,â⬠the stickman said. A blond woman in a business suit and perfect newswoman makeup picked up the dice and blew on them. ââ¬Å"Come on, seven,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"Baby needs new shoes.â⬠Coyote twisted his neck to look at Minty Fresh. ââ¬Å"Does talking to them work?â⬠Minty nodded to the table as the woman let fly with the dice, rolling a two. ââ¬Å"Snake eyes!â⬠the croupier said. ââ¬Å"Lizard dick!â⬠Coyote shouted back. The blond woman cursed and walked away from the table. The stickman shot a glance to Minty, then continued. ââ¬Å"Two. Craps. No pass. No come. Place your bets. New shooter coming out.â⬠He pushed the dice to Coyote, who threw a handful of black chips on the table and picked up the dice. ââ¬Å"You are small, but I am your friend,â⬠Coyote said to the dice. ââ¬Å"You have beautiful spots.â⬠He pulled the rawhide pouch from his belt and poured a fine powder on the dice. ââ¬Å"You can't do that, sir,â⬠the stickman said. Minty Fresh gently took the dice from Coyote and handed them to the boxman, who sat across from the stickman watching an enormous rack of chips that was the table's bank. He inspected the dice, then gave them to the stickman, who dropped them in his tray and pushed a fresh pair to the trickster. ââ¬Å"What is this, shade?â⬠Coyote said. ââ¬Å"The shaman gets to use his power stick but I can't use my cheating powder?â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm afraid not,â⬠Minty said. Coyote picked up the new dice and chucked them to the end of the table. ââ¬Å"Eight! Easy,â⬠the stickman said. ââ¬Å"Did I win?â⬠Coyote asked Minty. ââ¬Å"No, now you have to roll another eight before you roll a seven or eleven.â⬠Coyote rolled again. The dice showed a pair of fours. ââ¬Å"Eight. Winner. Hard way,â⬠the stickman chanted. The dealer placed a stack of black chips next to Coyote's bet. ââ¬Å"Ha,â⬠Coyote said, taunting Minty Fresh. ââ¬Å"See, I am good at this game.â⬠ââ¬Å"Very good,â⬠Minty said with a smile. ââ¬Å"You roll again.â⬠Coyote placed the remainder of his chips on the table. The dealer immediately shot a glance to the boxman, who looked to Minty Fresh. Minty nodded. The boxman nodded. The dealer counted Coyote's chips and stacked them on the pass line. ââ¬Å"Playing twenty-one thousand.â⬠Coyote threw the dice. ââ¬Å"Two!â⬠the stickman said. The dealer raked in Coyote's chips and handed them to the boxman, who stacked the racks in the table bank. ââ¬Å"I lost?â⬠Coyote said incredulously. ââ¬Å"Sorry,â⬠Minty said. ââ¬Å"But you didn't crap out. You can shoot again.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'll be back,â⬠Coyote said. He walked away and Minty followed him through the casino, into the lobby, and out the door. Coyote handed the valet ticket to a kid named Squire Jeff, then turned to Minty, who stood by the valet counter. ââ¬Å"I'll be back with more money.â⬠ââ¬Å"We'll hold a place for you, sir,â⬠Minty said, relieved that the Indian was leaving. ââ¬Å"I was just learning your game, shade. You didn't trick me.â⬠ââ¬Å"Of course not, sir.â⬠Squire Jeff pulled up in the Mercedes, got out, and waited with his hand out. Coyote started to get into the car, then stopped and looked at the valet. He took the pouch from his belt and poured a bit of powder into the kid's hand, then got in the car and drove away. Minty felt a wave of relief wash over him as he watched the Mercedes cross the drawbridge. Squire Jeff, still holding his palm out, turned to Minty Fresh. ââ¬Å"What am I supposed to do with this?â⬠ââ¬Å"You could snort it.â⬠Squire Jeff sniffed at the powder, then wrinkled his nose and brushed the powder from his hand. ââ¬Å"Fucking Indian. You work inside, right?â⬠Minty nodded. Squire Jeff looked Minty up and down. ââ¬Å"You play any ball?â⬠ââ¬Å"One year, UNLV.â⬠ââ¬Å"Injury?â⬠ââ¬Å"Attitude,â⬠Minty said. He walked back into the casino.
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