Ethical values of transactional and transformational leaders Research Paper

Ethical values of transactional and transformational leaders - Research Paper Example For leadership to occur there needs to be some leader-follower relationship ­ without followers, there is no leader (Hay & Hodgkinson, 2006). Though a leader might be chosen as part of a formal system, a person can be a leader without official authorization. The actual leader of a group might not be the "assigned" manager, and in reality, the roles of leader and follower may be ever-changing, as needs and circumstances change (Burns, 1978, 2003). Leaders are a means toward change (Bass, 1981). Burns (1978, 2003) points-out that the primary, driving force for leadership is change, and leaders/followers have a dynamic interdependency. They succeed or fail, based on how well they work through change. According to Bolman and Terrence (2003), although leaders may share some common qualities (i.e., vision), a major factor in making leaders is the situation or environment in which they lead and/or develop. Kouzes and Posner (1995) state that job assignments, relationships/contacts with ot her people, as well as formal training and education can help develop leadership. Integrity and Moral Leadership Merriam- Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines integrity as "firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values; an unimpaired condition; the quality or state of being complete or undivided." But integrity is more complicated than these simple definitions. Persons of integrity must be independent enough to choose freely the values by which they will guide their lives. They must have an awareness and understanding of both their strengths and weaknesses and the capacity to evaluate themselves in a realistic fashion without self-deception (Spencer, 1996). Integrity may be seen as related to the desires with which we identify in order to act effectively in our lives. This identification signifies our capability to focus on reasons for carrying out certain actions other than our simple desire to do so. We therefore possess values relevant to our behavior and not just desires. We can be said to value something provided the identifications are sufficiently consistent and derived through practical reasoning and a sense of responsibility to act according to them. Integrity is displayed through self ­ awareness and self-control in acknowledging these values (Taylor, 1985). According to Ciulla (1995), in defining "good" leaders, consideration must be given of their ethics, as well as their effectiveness. It is a leader's character that really matters (Bass & Steidlmeier, 1999). Leadership quality can't be considered without evaluating character, and core values are more critical than anything else (e.g., expertise, techniques, knowledge) (Sankar 2003). "Moral literacy is as important as computer literacy to a leader's effectiveness" (Sankar, 2003, p. 52). Ethical leadership in an organization can be heavily influenced by its senior leadership. Hood (2003) found that, in order to understand an organization's ethical practices, it is significant to understand the moral orientation of its CEO. Even the most ethical supervisors will have difficulty if their own upper management is unethical. For there to be an ethical organization, along with top management support, there needs to be a corporate-wide ethics policy, and, most importantly, there is a need for individual leaders who practice ethical behavior (i.e., integrity, honesty, trustworthiness) (Carlson & Perrewe, 1995).

To be Determined Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

To be Determined - Essay Example Collier wastes little time stating that she felt wronged by Mr. Ducks poem and suggests that it is perhaps men who are to blame for any perceived faults women may display. She describes a time when women were honored by men simply because they were women. During this Golden Age, women were revered as objects of desire and revered as givers of life. She speaks of a day and age when men labored and toiled so women could devote themselves to pursuits more in keeping with their sex. She suggests that is the men that are at fault for ending the Golden Age, not women. Having established that perhaps mankind as a whole is at fault for their current attitudes toward women, Collier next seeks to establish the fact that women perform many of the same chores on the farm as men. She describes cheerfully threshing hay and working in the fields alongside the men. By establishing womens participation in traditional labor performed by men, Collier is preparing to establish her theme of inequality by going into detail concerning the labors expected of women that occur after the men are asleep or at leisure. Women have countless chores around the household. When the men were in the field, women could stay home to do work such as caring for children, gardening, tending to domestic animals and preparing food for the family. But when women were called into service in the fields, they needed to help there in addition to all of these other duties. This results in a workday for women that begins very early and ends very late. Collier describes this inequality by s peaking of waking as the stars are still shining and the men folk are still in bed slumbering and dreaming. (141-146) Though written over two hundred and fifty years ago, Collier could have well been writing about the trials of modern women in the workplace. While men share more in domestic chores than they

The Restaurant Industry Today Marketing Essay

The Restaurant Industry Today Marketing Essay Restaurants are one of the most highly regulated businesses today. The nature of the project is starting a new Asian restaurant in North West London. We decided to open the new restaurant in Wembley central. According to the National Restaurant Association, the restaurant industry sales are expected to reach a record $537 billion in 2007 and they have estimated that there are approximately 935,000 restaurant-and-food service centres. Firstly we need to do first business plan in order to open a new restaurant. Project objectives Opening up a new Restaurant in Wembley central area will meet the following set of objectives: Achievement of companys objective which includes maximisation of shareholders wealth. Fulfil its growth organically. Accomplishing customers requirement such as easy access to our stores and good customer services. Industry Analysis Although the restaurant industry is very competitive and as the number of people have less time, resources, and ability to cook for them it is important that the restaurant is well positioned for the current interest and people get healthier foods at moderate to low prices. The Restaurant Industry Today The food service business is one of the third largest industries in the country. It accounts for more than $240 billion sales annually. The independent restaurant accounts for 15% of that total. According to a survey the average American spends 15% of his/her income on meals eating away from home. This number has been increasing for the past seven years. In the last five years the restaurant industry has out-performed the national GNP by more than 40%.Due to the change in people lifestyles, economic climate, and due to the increase in the variety of products there are more than 600 restaurants opening every month and over 200 more needed to keep pace with increasing demand. Future Trends Strategic Opportunities The predicated expansion movement is very positive both in short and long-term projections. Folkney states again that as modern living creates more demands, people will be forced to eat more meals away from home. According to the DMR Industrial Report (April 1995) estimates this as high as 30% over the next five years. According to the National Restaurant organization (1998) released that how the Foodservice industry might look in the year 2000. Some highlights from the panels findings are as follows: Consumers will spend a superior quantity of their food dollar away from home. Independent operator and entrepreneurs will be the main source of new eating place concept. Food concern will be critical at all types of foodservice operations, and food flavour will be of greater significance. Ecological concerns will receive increased interest. Feasibility Study Financial Feasibility A Financial Feasibility study is an estimation of the financial aspects of something. This project has been assessed in terms of its financial feasibility and it feasibility in terms of cost and benefit analysis. The benefit that can be derived from this project and will outweighs it initial cost. Taking into account performance of restaurant with similar size in Wembley area, I have used those performances as to project the expected cash flows where on average they both produce  £10,000 per week. Operational Feasibility I recommend that this restaurant will be able to achieved these targeted payback period of five months to make back the initial investment. This analysis has been shown below: Revenue per month:  £78,350/5 =  £15,670 Revenue per staff per operating hours:  £78,350/ (10*8) =  £980 as part of company training policy, all staff will be well trained to deliver excellent customer service standard. Revenue per week:  £15,670/5 = £3,134 Social and Environment Feasibility I have undertaken a market a market research and environment scanning to ascertain whether there will be interest on our restaurant, what is the demographic settlement like in terms of food. My study indicated that most people will like our food because we will provide different kind of variety. Timescale In order to open a restaurant, we need to prepare business plan first. It will take around 1 month. About finding location and finding restaurant name will take 1 month. Finance the business will take 2 month because sometimes it takes time. Installation of electricity and equipment will take also 1 to 2 month. And last we need to obtain business licence. Task-1.2 SWOT Analysis SWOT Analysis is a tactical preparation process used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. It involves specifying the purpose of the business course or project and identifies the internal and external factors that are favourable and unfavourable for achieving the business objective. Strengths Brand equity The Restaurant location ( Wembley area ) Reliability of food Consumers choice at reasonable value and great service Cheaper price than others We have take-away option Different menu items Weakness Quality and taste of products Our restaurant is new and not established Our restaurant has poor disabled facilities Limited funds Opportunities A new office complex is being built near by A new housing development is planned Threats The high street brand is moving into the area A main competitor has lowered their prices Our operational costs are set to boost PEST Analysis A PEST analysis stands for Political, Economic, Social, and Technological analysis and describes a framework of macro-environmental factors used in the environmental scanning component of strategic management. Political Factors This relates to direct impact of political influences and it impacts our project. In the case of this project local council will support to our business because it will create jobs as well as optimize councils tax revenue. Especially creating job is a major priority for the national government so they will be in support of the project. And also there will be less political risk that will affect this project such as government rejection of the propose moved, increased in tax at present time in very unlikely. Economic Factors The general economic environment shows that spending level among some people individual will fall due to difficulty in gaining credit but most young people with relative disposable income can at least spend and these are the people we are targeting. Social Factors Social factors mainly include the educational aspects and include health consciousness, population growth rate, age distribution, career attitudes and emphasis on safety. In this area I have undertaken a market research and environment scanning to ascertain whether there will be interest on our restaurant food. My study indicated that most people are Asian in Wembley area and will be interested in our Asian. . Technological Factors A technological factor includes the ecological and environmental aspects, such as RD activity, automation, technology incentives and the rate of technological change. Here the impact of technological changes which we already possessed will help the company to gain competitive advantages such as e-commerce. Stakeholder Analysis A Stakeholder Analysis is a essential tool for identifying those people, groups and organisations that have significant and genuine interests in a specific urban issue. Clear understanding of the likely roles and contributions of the many different stakeholders is a original condition for a successful participatory urban Governance process, and stakeholder analysis is a basic tool for achieving this understanding. The Stakeholders are; Customers Suppliers Employees Shareholders Customers Each of the stakeholders will have different expectation of an organisation. They try to engage with customers. They provide sales information, monthly monitoring of views. Their customer question time meeting help to identify and respond to changing customers needs. Suppliers The relationship of interests between an organisation and its suppliers can be seen as very similar to that between the organisation and its customers, but reversed. They do regular visits, meeting and discussions with suppliers. They have direct relationships with important raw material suppliers. Suppliers stock the business with all its business supplies. Suppliers may want an increase in wages. Suppliers have an interest in ongoing and mutually beneficial business relationships, and they expect to be paid on time. Employees The Company try to engage with employees. They have many ways such as internal communications including an employee magazine and regular business updates. Employees many want an increase in pay rise. Staffs have a very big interest in the business in the form of wages, bonuses, discounts and holidays pensions. Employees interests may be seen as the assertion of certain rights deriving from what is seen to be acceptable in the way in which employees are treated within society. Shareholders The Company have shareholders. They do collection of feedback questions from individual shareholders. Shareholders are the owners of a company. Their only real involvement in the organisation will be at the Annual General Meeting, when they are called upon to approve, by a vote, the overall direction of the organisation and the senior management team responsible for achieving that direction. Oftentimes, the only difference between floating and drowning is the direction. Without the restaurant financial analysis, a restaurant may be face downwards without even knowing it. A restaurant financial analysis analyzes routine metrics such as profits and losses, cash flow, cost of sales and cost of labour. By assessing this data, operators can evaluate their finances and establish systems and structures to keep their restaurant a float. Restaurant financial analysis performance metrics Profits and losses Whether we are produced monthly or weekly, profit and loss statements give restaurant operators a broad overview of their sales history. But the information only becomes useful when broken down to reflect the cost of sales, cost of labour and other overhead costs. Restaurant financial analyses assess the profits and losses With a vital eye to settle on specific areas taht should be improved upon. . Cost of sales A restaurants cost of sales, sometimes referred to as cost of goods, is the sum of all expenses associated with producing the menu items. Should food costs be running at 20 percent or 40 percent? The answer can vary depending on A restaurants positioning (fast casual, casual or upscale) and menu mix. Restaurant financial analysis can help operator decide where their cost of sales should be by building academic food and beverage costs. Cost of labour Cost of labour is another donor to cost of sales. A fine line exists between overstaffing a Restaurant and scheduling enough employees to run a restaurant effectively. Sensible setting up and employee output are the best ways to control cost of labour. In addition, tools should be available to assess mid-shift needs. Many restaurateurs are unwilling to phase out employees in a timely fashion. Restaurant financial analysis can re-examine payroll reports, sales reports and customer counts to optimize Scheduling and productivity and decrease cost of labour. When to undergo restaurant financial analysis Opening a new restaurant When opening a restaurant, restaurateurs can make use of financial analysis to forecast their success. A restaurant financial consultant can sketch a five-year plan and financial forecast based on industry and division standards. Financial analysis can also be used to establish financial systems for a new restaurant. Wheels for cash handling, inventory, payroll and daily sales reconciliations should best established well in advance of a restaurant opening. By implementing these systems early in the game, a restaurant can effectively monitor them, giving it a greater chance of succeeding financially. Purchasing an existing restaurant Before the purchase of an existing eating place concept, restaurateurs should conduct financial analysis and feasibility studies to determine the productivity probable of the operation. This can be sketchy by evaluating pattern and trend in the restaurants past presentation and estimate the effect of probable changes. Running an operating restaurant Restaurant financial analysis is not just for new operations. Generally, it is most beneficial for restaurants already in operation. Whether a restaurant has been in business for a year or 20, financial analysis can help identify losses and hidden costs. That information will help establish proper financial systems or process existing ones to keep money from slipping through the crack. Who can perform a restaurant financial analysis? Restaurant financial analysis shouldnt be performed by just any financial consultant. It is best to work with consultants that specialize within the restaurant industry. The main goal of restaurant financial analysis is to help operator understand how their restaurant can become more profitable. A restaurant-specific consultant can explain the analysis course and their findings in terms that restaurant operators will know. A financial consultant will know the aim routine metrics for specific restaurant categories and the industry as a whole. They can provide guidance for the selection and performance of point-of-sale and accounting systems and show operators how to get best results from these systems. A financial consultant can help eating place operators build the necessary tools to pull and analyze their own financial reports. Eventually, financial analysis should be ongoing, becoming an everyday part of a restaurants thinking. Restaurant financial analysis doesnt just keep a restaurant floating, it helps their business fly. Task-1.3 Market Competitively and Activity This project will fit the business strategic of the restaurant because it will help gain competitive advantage, create new market for potential customers, gain market share in as well as responding to changes in business environment, increase profitability, establish local branch, obtaining new customers, expansion of business and improve companys image which could be achieved since there is an existing market gap which we can fill via Ansoffs matrix. Marketing Analysis shows that this project will make the business more competitive in the following ways: Demographic population: In west London area, the population is very high. There are many Asian restaurants available in the area. And the all restaurants provide good services and good food. Food variety: The social society will be interested in our food because we will provide variety in the food along with music. Market gap: the economic feasibility have highlighted that our competitors are doing well in these area. Industry Trends Studying industry trends is one of the first steps in conducting a market analysis. It will help you recognize opportunity and threats in the industry that may affect your productivity. Consider the following Food Service Industry 2000 Trends, reported by the National Restaurant Association: Consumers will spend a greater portion of their food dollars away from home; Competition in the food service industry will be more intense as growth continues; Major food service chains will increase their shares of both sales and units; Independent operators will be the main source of new restaurant concepts; Nutritional concerns will be critical at all types of food service operations; and Service will become a more important point of differentiation. Industry Tends Checklists: Growth in Industry Sales Quick-service vs. table-service Chain vs. Independent Types of restaurants (steakhouses, ethnic) Catering Deli, bakery and takeout operations Monthly/seasonal dining out patterns Industry sales outlook Market Demand Economic trends Consumer confidence Demographic trends Food away from home trends Factors that motivate one to dine out Eating habits of different market segments Menu Preferences Appetizers/soups Entrees Sandwiches Desserts Nutritional concerns Menu pricing Alcoholic beverage consumption Vegetarian trends Restaurant Success Factors New and popular concepts/themes Customer service innovations Pricing practices Food production methods Labour saving techniques Debt-to-Sales ratios and other statistics Legislative and Regulatory Issues Business meal tax deductibility Health insurance Wage and hour requirements Americans with Disabilities Act Competition:- This is restaurant in the area is very good because in this area almost Indian and mix people living. So restaurant is also provide verity of foods and dices serve. But in our restaurant totally different from other like blue ginger, Panther, Tikka world, Bombay bits etc .these all are our competitors but we provide best services, best food, best drinks so automatically our restaurant beet our restaurant . Competitive Strategy There are three major ways in which we will create an advantage over our competitors; product identity, quality, and novelty high employee motivation and good sales attitude Innovative and aggressive service options The restaurant will be the only restaurant among all the competition which focuses the entire menu on healthy, low-fat cooking. Each of the competitors offers at least one healthy selection on their menu. The target market will perceive the restaurant as the destination location for healthy, low-fat cooking. The main points are Pricing, Location, Reputation, Image/Brand, Choice/Variety, Service and Atmosphere. References www.essortment.com (12th June 2010 ) www.awib.org (12th June 2010 ) www.mplans.com (12th June 2010 ) www.virtualrestaurant.com (12th June 2010 ) http://www.bplans.co.uk/steak_buffet_restaurant_business_plan/financial_plan_fc.cfm (12th June 2010 Part 2 Task 2.1 Resources Materials: Rented property from an individual landlord in west London as a perfect location for the new restaurant to be open, this is critical factor in terms of visibility and easy access of the restaurant for our customers. Equipments: Different kinds of restaurant will require different kinds of equipment. Typically equipment needed to open a restaurant includes a service kitchen (oven, microwave, heat lamps, prep tables and dish washer, fryers, boilers, refrigerators (table, chairs, spoon, glasses and cash registers). Labour: Ten staff normal standard hours (8 hours per day) and contractors the fixed day of work for one month. Finance: Most banks and lenders require you to put some of your own money into the business and contrary to popular belief, they do lend money for businesses. The project financed can be source from long term borrowing from bank in Iceland of  £50,000 to finance the project deliverables. Cost Associated With Resources These are one-off capital cost required immediately to deliver project deliverables. Materials: property rent in west London area will requires a normal rental agreement with the landlord. A deposit of  £15,550 plus one months rent in advance including council tax will be require total  £32,350. Equipments: Kitchen equipment will cost  £10,000, boiler will cost  £2000, till and it maintenance will cost  £12000 and general things e.g. tables, chairs will coat  £8000. Labour: External contractors for refurbishment are expected at  £12,500 this will includes: electrician, refurbishing the restaurant and painting the restaurant. Sources of Finance The project financed can be source from long term borrowing from bank of  £78,350 to finance the project deliverables. They could be approach on the based that this project will recoup its initial investment within four months time; and that revenue generate can be used to pay of principal loan plus interest. Budget for the Project This project has been budgeted on the grounds of Zero based budgeting which involves identification of tasks to be performed and then funding resources to complete the task independent of current resourcing it ensure that resources are efficiently allocated. The project budgets have been made on this bases with each cost justify in terms of their usage in the project: Resources  £ Cost Rent 16,800 Total 16,800 Resources  £ Cost Deposite 15,550 Equipments 32,000 Labour 12,500 Miscellaneous expenses 1,500 Total 61,550 Cost Benefit Analysis Cost Benefit Analysis is classically used by governments to assess the attraction of a given interference; it is an analysis of the cost success of different alternative in order to see whether the benefits outweigh the costs. The aim is to gauge the competence of the involvement relative to the status quo. The costs and benefits of the impacts of interference are evaluated in terms of the publics willingness to pay for them (benefits) or willingness to pay to avoid them (costs). Inputs are typically measured in terms of opportunity costs the value in their best alternative use. The guide attitude is to list all of the parties affected by an intervention, and place a monetary value of the outcome it has on their benefit as it would be valued by them. Years 0 1 2 3 Present value 78,350 3,90,180 1,090,860 1,072,163 Probability 50% 50% 50% Certainty equivalent 1,95,090 5,45,430 5,36,082 D.F 9% 1.000 0.880 0.945 0.820 Present value (75,000) 1,71,679 5,15,431 4,39,587 NPV  £10,51,697 The project is viable because it will yields to shareholder wealth conception of about  £2.01 million in three years time. However incorporate rick to the cash flows using certainty equal, and for the fact that current economic climate in terms of expenses will affect all industries, I am certain that the 50% of the cash flows will be generate in each of the years. This is show below: One time investment Budget Overview    Sources of Funds Proposed Loan from Bank  £100,000 Uses of Funds Construction  £65,000 Walk-in Refrigerator  £10,000 Cooler for Beverages  £5,000 Stove oven  £5,000 Deep Fryer  £4,000 Two sinks for Kitchen  £1,000 Microwave  £500 Toaster  £100 Cash Register  £400 Furniture  £7,000 Dinnerware  £1,000 Pots and Pans  £1,000 Plan by Month or Period Most of the restaurants use a scheme of 12-month or 13 four-week periods to way their yearly accounts. By infringement the budget down into these types of sections, it is easier to see when money is moving in and out of the eating place. Anticipate Your Costs In the eating place, budget is often a game of evaluation costs and income. In fact, a budget is much like a profit and loss (PL) account extended over a longer period of time. Be set to account for the following costs in your yearly budget: Rent or mortgage payments Taxes Insurance Labour/payroll Utilities Loan payments Operational supplies Repairs and maintenance Marketing Training Food service professional recommend that you plan to spend about 30 percent of your budget on food, 25 percent on labour, 10 percent on rent or advance, and 3 percent on utilities.1 The rest goes in small part to operational charge, promotion, taxes, continuation and other patchy costs. These are purely sketchy plan to follow, as every restaurants payment and budget are different. Look below for a graphical image of these suggested expenditures: Know Your Breakeven Point The cope point is the volume of sale needed to cover all charge without making a profit. It is the bare least amount amount of sales the restaurant process needs to bring in to survive. It is central to know your restaurant breakeven point so that future monetary decisions can be made in hopes of making a reasonable profit. Analyze Your Financials Every Period Exploratory your PL and your budget on a weekly and monthly basis will help you keep your bases covered in terms of realize your payment and income. Appraise your budget operational payment and your actual expenses, as well as the net profit you expected and what your eating place actually made. Make a note of any areas in which your expenses exceed your budget amount. When budgeting for the year, especially if you are doing so for the first time, it helps to have a budget worksheet. Download a sample budget worksheet to your own back office computer. Cost of Goods Sold The cost of goods sold was strong-minded by taking actual Profit and Loss statement from various eating place concepts and then using our price structure and guest counts to arrive at costs. Management Payroll Figures are based upon the use of five managers per unit at our maximum bonus and salary levels. If we use four managers per restaurant, this will lower our payroll. Fixed and Variable Expenses The various fixed and variable expenses were determined by taking actual numbers from several different restaurant concepts. Marketing Fees These funds will be used for the production of various marketing materials. Advertising These funds will be used, if necessary, to maintain our sales at projected levels. If we are management appreciably ahead of our sales projection, then these funds may not be necessary. Management Fees We will use these pounds for accounting and payroll services of our firm. As we grow in size, this cost burden will shrink per store due to efficiencies in volume. Important Assumptions The financial plan depends on important assumption, most of which are revealed in the following table as annual assumption. The journal assumptions are included in the annotation. Interest rates, tax rates, and personnel burden are based on traditional assumptions. Some of the more important causal assumption is: We assume a strong economy, without a major recession. We assume, of course, that there are no unforeseen changes in consumers tastes or interests to make our concept less competitive. Task 2.2 Report TO: Management FROM: Project Manager DATE: 20th May 2009 SUBJECT: Staff Development and Training Cost Introduction This report is concerned staff training and development it related cost associated to this project. The company sales force plays a vital role in delivering better customer services and each member have different training needs depending our their position. The companys their future depends on nurturing great individual talent and providing an environment where staff can flourish personally and professionally. Successful training will help to develop the following skills. Deliver excellent customers Well motivated Increase morale Improved job and staff performance. Recruitment takes place from the point when a business decides that it needs to employ somebody up to the point where a pile of completed application forms has arrived in the post. Selections then involve choosing a suitable applicant through a range of ways of organization out suitable candidates leading to interview and other tests. Training involves providing a range of planned performance that enable an employee to develop the skill, attitudes and knowledge required by the organisation and the work required. A job account is also helpful because it sets out: The job description can be sent out to probable candidate along with a person arrangement, which sets out the pleasing and vital description that someone will need to have to be selected to the post. A variety of media will be used to be a magnet for applications e.g. national newspapers for national jobs, and local papers and media for local posts. Objectives of Training and Development The main objective of staff training and development is to improve the qualities of the trainee, formulation of objectives for different needs and ways to achieve it. The training objective is very important because it determine the calculated and content of the training programme. Contents of the training stay put the same no matter the type of training occupied. It is to increase personnel efficiency, professional growth and smooth and more useful organizations operations. Methods of Training and Development On the job training/coaching: This relates to formal training on the job. A worker becomes experienced on the job over time due to modification of job behaviours at the point of training or acquisition of skills. Induction/orientation: This is carried out for new entrants on the job to make them familiar with the total corporate requirements like norms, ethics, values, rules and regulations. Apprenticeship: A method of training where an unskilled person understudies a skilled person. Demonstration: Teaching by example, whereby the skilled worker performs the job and the unskilled closely observes so as to understand the job. Vestibule: This is done through engineering part for the purpose of skills and technology transfer. It is therefore achieve through residency of an individual within anothe

International Free Trade and World Peace Essay -- Politics Political S

International Free Trade and World Peace When analyzing trade’s effect on state behavior, it is not the mere existence of trade between countries that should be central, rather, the nature of trade that is crucial. This distinction will be explored by studying the arguments of key economic and political thinkers of both the 18th and 20th centuries. The general nature of trade, the role of national government regarding trade and security, trade's capacity to befriend belligerent nations, and finally, the influence of international economic institutions will be explored. In an attempt to present a fairly broad range of sources, this study features the ideas of four influential authors from two time periods and continents: from the 18th Century, Adam Smith and Alexander Hamilton, and from the 20th Century, John Maynard Keynes and Secretary of State Cordell Hull. My thesis is that the four authors examined actually agreed with one another on the connection between free trade and peace, despite the discordant resonance of their arguments. Due to the nature of trade in Hamilton and Smith's time, their assertions that trade had ambiguous, if not adverse effects on state behavior is equivalent to Hull's statement that trade under the auspices of international organizations ensured peace. Almost all trade, up until the foundation of post-W.W.II international economic bodies, was practiced in an opaque, unfair, and mercantilist manner. Both Keynes and Hull, who argue that trade is pacific, lived in a rapidly liberalizing environment where international organizations were gaining legitimacy and influence. Thus, the conclusion of all four authors can be modified to state that trade is pacific only when it is conducted in an open, fre... ...The Memoirs of Cordell Hull. New York: Macmillan. Keynes, John Maynard. 1919. The Economic Consequences of the Peace. London: Macmillan. ________. 1922. A Revision of the Treaty. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company. ______. In: Moggridge, Donald. ed. 1980. The Collected Writings of John Maynard Keynes: Activities 1941-1946. London: Macmillan. Kramnick, Isaac. ed. 1987. The Federalist Papers. London: Penguin Books. [1788] Moggridge, Donald. ed. 1980. The Collected Writings of John Maynard Keynes: Activities 1941-1946. London: Macmillan. Raphael, D.D. 1985. Adam Smith. London: Oxford University Press. Smith, Adam. 1766. "Lectures on Jurisprudence." Cited in: An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. ________. 1981. An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund. [1776]

Diversity, equality and inclusion in a work setting Essay

Diversity means variety. The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. It is the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment. It is about understanding each other and moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual. Diversity is a reality created by individuals and groups from a broad spectrum of demographic and philosophical differences. It is extremely important to support and protect diversity because by valuing individuals and groups free from prejudice, and by fostering a climate where equity and mutual respect are intrinsic. â€Å"Diversity† means more than just acknowledging and/or tolerating difference. Diversity is a set of conscious practices that involve: ï‚ §Understanding and appreciating interdependence of humanity, cultures, and the natural environment. ï‚ §Practicing mutual respect for qualities and experiences that are different from our own. ï‚ §Understanding that diversity includes not only ways of being but also ways of knowing; ï‚ §Recognizing that personal, cultural and institutionalized discrimination creates and sustains privileges for some while creating and sustaining disadvantages for others; ï‚ §Building alliances across differences so that we can work together to eradicate all forms of discrimination. Diversity includes, therefore, knowing how to relate to those qualities and conditions that are different from our own and outside the groups to which we belong, yet are present in other individuals and groups. These include but are not limited to age, ethnicity, class, gender, physical abilities/qualities, race, sexual orientation, as well as religious status, gender expression, educational background, geographical location, income, marital status, parental status, and work experiences. Finally, we acknowledge that categories of difference are not always fixed but also can be fluid, we respect individual rights to self-identification, and we recognize that no one culture is intrinsically superior to another. Health and social care settings reflect the diversity of the population at large. Residents in a care home for elderly people – men and women, possibly gay and lesbian – may range in age from 60 to well into their ninth decade. Each will have their own set of perso nal experiences and in locations with an immigrant community, may hail from a variety of different countries. And preferences, for example for food and music, will vary from one person to another, as will attitudes, for example to staff and fellow residents, beliefs, for example political ideas and religious faiths, health status and physical and intellectual ability. Apart from differences in age, sex and gender, physical characteristics, ability, experiences and personal attributes, people also differ in respect of their: Diet, for example different health conditions mean that some people have specific dietary needs, and vegetarians and vegans can’t take medication that is derived from animals. Religious faith, for example some religions have specific requirements with respect to diet and method of worship, others require the use of running water to maintain personal hygiene, the right hand for eating and the left for personal cleansing after using the toilet, and so on. Need for modesty and dignity, for example some people aren’t comfortable being touched or seen undressed by someone of the opposite sex or that they don’t know; and different people have different ideas about how to be addressed when being spoken to. Communication, for example different physical and mental health conditions require the use of different methods of communication; some people express their fear, pain and grief freely and openly whilst others are more reserved; and different people have different ideas about the extent of their personal space. Working with and getting to know a diverse range of people – service users, patients, their friends and family, colleagues and other professionals – enables health and social care workers to develop their knowledge and understanding of different ways of thinking and living and the reasons for different behaviours. As a consequence, tolerance of and respect for others develops, both of which are essential for meeting diverse – and individual – needs. And having their differences acknowledged and understood helps people to develop a sense of belonging. In addition, learning about different ways of thinking and living can be life-enriching. We become more open-minded to new experiences, opportunities and challenges, and are able to develop new relationships. As a result we grow as human beings and are able to achieve our full potential. Equality Equality is about treating people fairly, regardless of their differences, by ensuring that they have access to the same life opportunities as everyone else, ie that they have equal opportunities. Life opportunities include: Housing. Warmth and shelter are basic human needs. Education and employment. Just about everybody is capable of learning, and education not only enables us to find employment, it helps us to realize our full potential as human beings. Transport, without which we couldn’t get to work, to the shops, to see friends and family, to gp and hospital appointments, and so on. Health and social care, which all of us need at some point in our lives. Having enough money to buy a decent quality of life and not live in poverty. Being able to buy goods and services, in person, by telephone or online using cash, cheques, credit or debit cards or electronic transfer. Some people need extra help to access life opportunities. For example, having a physical or sensory disability can impact on gaining an education, a job, using public transport, getting to the doctors; and being elderly or mentally ill can affect an individual’s ability to maintain a decent standard of living, buy goods and services, speak up for themselves and have others listen to them. For this reason, equality is also about giving people help, providing them with appropriate services, so that they are not disadvantaged or treated less fairly than anyone else. People are disadvantaged for many reasons, but usually because they are different with respect to their: Appearance. Racial harassment and attacks are usually acted out on people whose appearance, for exam ple their skin colour and style of dress, is different from that of the perpetrator. Sex. Men are still more likely to be better paid than women and to reach the top of the career ladder, and some jobs are still perceived and advertised as being ’women’s’ or ‘men’s’ work. Sexual orientation. Gays and lesbians remain subject to physical and verbal abuse. Age. Older people often describe themselves as invisible, undervalued and a burden because of the way society treats them. Ability. A general lack of understanding about the needs of people with physical or mental disabilities results in them finding it very difficult to make the most of life’s opportunities. Imposing disadvantage on people can prevent them from entering into the everyday life of their community and of society. In other words they can become socially and financially excluded. Inclusion The term inclusion is seen as a universal human right and aims at embracing all people irrespective of race, gender, disability, medical or other need. It is about giving equal access and opportunities and getting rid of discrimination and intolerance. Inclusion nurtures a sense of wellbeing and of confidence in ones own identity and abilities. And it ensures that everyone can achieve their potent ial and take their rightful place in society. The potential effects of discrimination A prejudice is an attitude or way of thinking based on an unfounded, unreasonable pre-judgement of an individual, particular group of people or situation, rather than on a factual assessment. Prejudices can be positive or negative. If we are positively prejudiced towards someone, we think well of them. On the other hand, if we are negatively prejudiced against someone, we tolerate them less. In the main, negative prejudices develop against people who are different in some way. Discrimination happens when we act out our negative prejudices. Discriminatory behaviour results in unfair, unjust treatment. The people most likely to be discriminated against are those who are different in respect of their: Age. Age discrimination, or ageism, isn’t only targeted at elderly people – youngsters can also be on the receiving end of bullying, harassment and undeserved criticism. Sex. Men and women continue to be treated unfairly in certain walks of life, in particular in the workplace. Discrimination based on sex is known as sexism. Nationality, ethnic background, religion. Some people consider themselves superior to those from different backgrounds and faiths. Victimisation, bullying and harassment of people for such reasons is known as racism. Ability. Barriers that prevent disabled people from accessing the same opportunities as able-bodied people and the ignorant acting out of negative prejudices against physically or intellectually disabled people, for example through namecalling and damage of their property, is known as disablism. Size. Some of us are guilty of judging people by their size and treating them unfairly as a result. This behaviour is known as sizeism. Financial status. Discrimination against people on the grounds of their income, for example treating people living in poverty as inferior, is known as povertyism. There are two forms of discrimination, direct and indirect. Direct discrimination occurs when someone is intentionally treated unfairly, for example harassment on the basis of skin colour or religion. Indirect discrimination occurs when rules or guidelines meant to apply to everyone unintentionally affect one group of people more than others. For example, a company policy requiring everyone to work night shifts indirectly discriminates against single parents or people who care for elderly relatives, and menus that fail to offer a selection of food indirectly discriminates against people with specific dietary needs or preferences. Discrimination takes place in a variety of settings, for example within educational establishments, where learners may not be given support and encouragement if it’s assumed that their disability or advancing years affects their ability to learn; in the workplace, when people are persecuted on the basis of their skin colour or sexual preference. In housing, when landlords refuse to let their property to someone because of their refugee status or ethnic background; and in health and social care, when people are denied access to care on the basis of where they live – the postcode lottery. Inclusive work practice Inclusive practice is about the attitudes, approaches and strategies take n to ensure that people are not excluded or isolated. It means supporting diversity by accepting and welcoming people’s differences, and promoting equality by ensuring equal opportunities for all. Inclusive practice is best practise. Health and social care workers demonstrate inclusive practice by working in ways that recognise, respect, value and make the most of all aspects of diversity. Having a sound awareness of and responding sensitively to an individual’s diverse needs supports them in developing a sense of belonging, wellbeing and confidence in their identity and abilities. And it helps them to achieve their potential and take their rightful place in society. In addition, inclusive practice involves having an understanding of the disastrous impact that discrimination, inequality and social exclusion can have on an individual’s physical and mental health. Having such an understanding ensures appropriate, personalised care and support, thereby enabling an individual to develop selfrespect and maintain a valued role in society. Because people who fail to support diversity or promote equality are usually entirely unaware of their attitudes and the impact of their behaviour, inclusive practice in volves reflecting on and challenging ones own prejudices, behaviours and work practices. It also involves challenging those of colleagues and other service providers, with a view to adapting ways of thinking and working and to changing services to build on good practice and to better support diversity and promote equality. Discrimination is an injustice and has devastating effects. The UK has in place numerous pieces of legislation (laws), rules, regulations, guidance documents and statutory codes of practice, all of which are intended to promote diversity, ensure equality and end discrimination. In other words they are in place to promote everyone’s right to fair and equal treatment, regardless of their differences. Acts of Parliament and regulations include: ï€  Ã¯â‚¬  The Human Rights Act 1998. This covers many different types of discrimination, including some that are not covered by other discrimination laws. Rights under the Act can be used only against a public authority, for example, the police or a local council, and not a private company. However, court decisions on discrimination usually have to take into account what the Human Rights Act says. The Equality Act became law in October 2010. It replaces previous legislation (such as the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Disability Discri mination Act 1995) and ensures consistency in what you need to do to make your workplace a fair environment and to comply with the law. The Equality Act covers the same groups that were protected by existing equality legislation – age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership and pregnancy and maternity – but extends some protections to groups not previously covered, and also strengthens particular aspects of equality law. The Equality Act is a mixture of rights and responsibilities that have: Stayed the same – for example, direct discrimination still occurs when â€Å"someone is treated less favourably than another person because of a protected characteristic† Changed – for example, employees will now be able to complain of harassment even if it is not directed at them, if they can demonstrate that it creates an offensive environment for them Been extended – for example, associative discrimination (direct discrimination against someone because they associate with another person who possesses a protected characteristic) will cover age, disability, gender reassignment and sex as well as race, religion and belief and sexual orientation Been introduced for the first time – for example, the concept of discrimination arising from disability, which occurs if a disabled person is treated unfavourably because of something arising in consequence of their disabilit. Other pieces of legislation that protect the rights of people who use care services include: The NHS and Community Care Act 1980. This protects the rights of older and disabled people to receive care at home and in the community in ways that take account of their choices. The Children Act 2004. This protects children’s rights by requiring Local Authorities to be flexible in meeting their needs. Health and Social Care Act 2008. This Act established the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the remit of which is to protect and promote the right of people using health and social care services in England to quality care and to regulate its provision. CQC took over the roles of the Healthcare Commission, Commission for Social Care Inspection and the Mental Health Act Commission in March 2009. These pieces of legislation have helped us move forward on equality, but in 2009, women were still earning, on average, 23% less per hour than men; less able but better off children were overtaking m ore able, poorer children at school by the age of six; people with disabilities were still more than twice as likely to be out of work than able bodied people; and one in five older people was unsuccessful in getting quotations for motor insurance, travel insurance and car hire.

A Dirty Job Chapter 6

6 VARIABLE SPEED HEROES In the alley behind Asher's Secondhand, the Emperor of San Francisco hand-fed olive focaccia to the troops and tried to keep dog snot from fouling his breakfast. â€Å"Patience, Bummer,† the Emperor said to the Boston terrier, who was leaping at the day-old wheel of flat bread like a furry Super Ball, while Lazarus, the solemn golden retriever, stood by, waiting for his share. Bummer snorted an impatient reply (thus the dog snot). He'd worked up a furious appetite because breakfast was running late today. The Emperor had slept on a bench by the Maritime Museum, and during the night his arthritic knee had snaked out of his wool overcoat into the damp cold, making the walk to North Beach and the Italian bakery that gave them free day-old a slow and painful ordeal. The Emperor groaned and sat down on an empty milk crate. He was a great rolling bear of a man, his shoulders broad but a little broken from carrying the weight of the city. A white tangle of hair and beard wreathed his face like a storm cloud. As far as he could remember, he and the troops had patrolled the city streets forever, but upon further consideration, it might have just been since Wednesday. He wasn't entirely sure. The Emperor decided to make a proclamation to the troops about the importance of compassion in the face of the rising tide of heinous fuckery and political weaselocity in the nearby kingdom of the United States. (He found his audience was most attentive to his proclamations when the meat-laced focaccia were still nuzzled in the larder of his overcoat pockets, and presently a pepperoni and Parmesan reposed fragrant in the woolly depths, so the royal hounds were rapt.) But just as he cleared his throat to begin, a cargo van came screeching around the corner, went up on two wheels as it plowed through a row of garbage cans, and slid to a stop not fifty feet away. The driver's-side door flew open and a thin man in a suit leapt out, carrying a cane and a woman's fur coat, and made a beeline for the back door of Asher's. But before he got two steps the man fell to the concrete as if hit from behind, then rolled on his back and began flailing at the air with the cane and the coat. The Emper or, who knew most everyone, recognized Charlie Asher. Bummer erupted into a fit of yapping, but the more levelheaded Lazarus growled once and took off toward Charlie. â€Å"Lazarus!† the Emperor shouted, but the retriever charged on, followed now by his bug-eyed brother in arms. Charlie was back on his feet and swinging the cane as if he was fencing with some phantom, using the coat like a shield. Living on the street, the Emperor had seen a lot of people battling with unseen demons, but Charlie Asher was apparently scoring some hits. The cane was making a thwacking noise against what appeared to be thin air – but no, there was something there, a shadow of some sort? The Emperor climbed to his feet and limped into the fray, but before he got two steps Lazarus had leapt and appeared to be attacking Charlie, but he soared over the shopkeeper and snapped at a spot above his head – then hung there, his jaws sunk into the substantial neck of thin air. Charlie took advantage of the distraction, stepped back, and swung the cane above the levitating golden retriever. There was a smack, and Lazarus let go, but now Bummer launched himself at the invisible foe. He missed whatever was there, and ended up performing a doggy swish shot into a garbage can. Charlie made for the steel door of Asher's again, but found it locked, and as he reached for his keys, something caught him from behind. â€Å"Let go, fuckface,† the shade screeched. The fur coat Charlie was holding appeared to be swept out of his hand and was pulled straight up, over the four-story building and out of sight. Charlie turned and held the cane at ready, but whatever had been there seemed to be gone now. â€Å"Aren't you just supposed to sit above the door and nevermore and be poetic and stuff?!† he shouted at the sky. Then, for good measure, added, â€Å"You evil fuck!† Lazarus barked, then whined. A sharp and metallic yapping rose from Bummer's garbage can. â€Å"Well, you don't see that every day,† said the Emperor as he limped up to Charlie. â€Å"You could see that?† â€Å"Well, no, not really. Merely a shadow, but I could see that something was there. There was something there, wasn't there, Charlie?† Charlie nodded, trying to catch his breath. â€Å"It will be back. It followed me across the city.† He dug into his pocket for his keys. â€Å"You guys should duck into the store with me, Your Majesty.† Of course Charlie knew the Emperor. Every San Franciscan knew the Emperor. The Emperor smiled. â€Å"That's very kind of you, but we will be perfectly safe. For now I need to free my charge from his galvanized prison.† The big man tipped the garbage can and Bummer emerged snorting and tossing his head as if ready to tear the ass out of any man or beast foolhardy enough to cross him (and he would have, as long as they were knee-high or shorter). Charlie was still having trouble with the key. He knew he should have had the lock replaced, but it worked, if you finessed it a little, so he'd never made it a priority. Who the hell thought you'd ever have to get in quick to escape a giant bird? Then he heard a screech and turned to see not one, but two huge ravens coming over the roof and diving into the alley. The dogs arfed a frantic barking salvo at the avian intruders and Charlie put so much body English into wiggling the key in the lock that he felt an atrophied dancing muscle tear in his hip. â€Å"They're back. Cover me.† Charlie threw the cane to the Emperor and braced himself for the impact, but as soon as the cane touched the old man's hand the birds were gone. You could almost hear the pop of the air replacing the space they had taken up. The dogs caught themselves in mid-ruff; Bummer whimpered. â€Å"What?† the Emperor said. â€Å"What?† â€Å"They're gone.† The Emperor looked at the sky. â€Å"You're sure?† â€Å"For now.† â€Å"I saw two shadows. Really saw them this time,† the Emperor said. â€Å"Yes, there were two this time.† â€Å"What are they?† â€Å"I have no idea, but when you took the cane they – well, they disappeared. You really saw them?† â€Å"I'm sure of it. Like smoke with a purpose.† Finally the key turned in the lock and the door to Asher's back room swung open. â€Å"You should come in. Rest. I'll order something to eat.† â€Å"No, no, the men and I must be on our rounds. I've decided to make a proclamation this morning and we need to see the printer. You'll be needing this.† The Emperor presented the cane to Charlie like he was turning over a sword of the realm. Charlie started to take it, then thought better of it. â€Å"Your Majesty, I think you'd better keep that. It looks as if you might be able to use it.† Charlie nodded toward the Emperor's creaky knee. The Emperor held the cane steady. â€Å"I am not a worshiper of the material, you know?† â€Å"I understand that.† â€Å"I am a firm believer that desire is the source of most of human suffering, you're aware, and no culprit is more heinous than desire for material gain.† â€Å"I run my business based on those very principles. Still, I insist you keep the cane – as a favor to me, if you would?† Charlie found himself affecting the Emperor's formal speech patterns, as if somehow he had been transported to a royal court where a nobleman was distinguished by bread crumbs in his beard and the royal guard were not above licking their balls. â€Å"Well, as a favor, I will accept. It is a fine piece of craftsmanship.† â€Å"But more importantly, it will permit you to make your rounds in good time.† The Emperor now betrayed the desire in his heart as he let fly a wide grin and hugged the cane to his chest. â€Å"It is fine, indeed. Charlie, I must confess something to you, but I ask you to grant me the credulity due a man who has just shared witness, with a friend, of two giant, raven-shaped shades.† â€Å"Of course.† Charlie smiled, when even a moment before he would have thought his smile lost somewhere in the months past. â€Å"I hope you won't think me base, but the second I touched this, I felt as if I had been waiting for it my whole life.† Then, for no reason that he could think of, Charlie said, â€Å"I know.† A few minutes before, inside the store, Lily had been brooding. It wasn't her general brood, the reaction to a world where everyone was stupid and life was meaningless and the mere act of living was futile, especially if your mother forgot to get coffee at the store. This one was a more specific brood, that had started out when she arrived at work and Ray had pointed out that it was her turn to wear the vacuuming tiara, and insisted that if she wore the tiara, she actually vacuum the store. (In fact, she liked wearing the rhinestone tiara that Charlie, in a move of blatant bourgeois sneakiness, had designated be worn by whoever did the vacuuming and sweeping each day, and no other time. It was the vacuuming and sweeping she objected to. She felt manipulated, used, and generally taken advantage of, and not in the fun way.) But today, after she'd put the tiara and the vacuum away and had finally gotten a couple of cups of coffee in her system, the brooding had gone on, building to full -scale angst, when it began to dawn on her that she was going to have to figure out this college-career thing, because despite what The Great Big Book of Death said, she had not been chosen as a dark minion of destruction. Fuck! She stood in the back room looking at all the items that Charlie had piled there the day before: shoes, lamps, umbrellas, porcelain figures, toys, a couple of books, and an old black-and-white television and a painting of a clown on black velvet. â€Å"He said this stuff was glowing?† she asked Ray, who stood in the doorway to the store. â€Å"Yes. He made me check it all with my Geiger counter.† â€Å"Ray, why the fuck do you have a Geiger counter?† â€Å"Lily, why do you have a nose stud shaped like a bat?† Lily ignored the question and picked up the ceramic frog from the night before, which now had a note taped to it that read DO NOT SELL OR DISPLAY in Charlie's meticulous block-letter printing. â€Å"This was one of the things? This?† â€Å"That was the first one he freaked out about,† said Ray matter-of-factly. â€Å"The truant officer tried to buy it. That started it all.† Lily was shaken. She backed over to Charlie's desk and sat in the squeaky oak swivel chair. â€Å"Do you see anything glowing or pulsating, Ray? Have you ever?† Ray shook his head. â€Å"He's under a lot of stress, losing Rachel and taking care of the baby. I think maybe he needs to get some help. I know after I had to leave the force – † Ray paused. There was a commotion going on out in the alley, dogs barking and people shouting, then someone was working a key in the lock of the back door. A second later, Charlie came in, a little breathless, his clothes smudged here and there with grime, one sleeve of his jacket torn and bloodstained. â€Å"Asher,† Lily said. â€Å"You're hurt.† She quickly vacated his chair while Ray took Charlie by the shoulders and sat him down. â€Å"I'm fine,† Charlie said. â€Å"No big deal.† â€Å"I'll get the first-aid kit,† Ray said. â€Å"Get that jacket off of him, Lily.† â€Å"I'm fine,† Charlie said. â€Å"Quit talking about me like I'm not here.† â€Å"He's delirious,† Lily said, trying to pry Charlie out of his jacket. â€Å"Do you have any painkillers, Ray?† â€Å"I don't need painkillers,† Charlie said. â€Å"Shut up, Asher, they're not for you,† Lily said, automatically, then she considered the book, Ray's story, the notes on all the items in the back room, and she shuddered. It appeared that Charlie Asher might not be the hapless geek she always thought him to be. â€Å"Sorry, boss. Let us help you.† Ray came back from the front with a small plastic first-aid kit. He peeled back Charlie's sleeve and began to clean the wounds with gauze and peroxide. â€Å"What happened?† â€Å"Nothing,† Charlie said. â€Å"I slipped and fell in some gravel.† â€Å"The wound's pretty clean – no gravel in it. That must have been some fall.† â€Å"Long story.† Charlie sighed. â€Å"Ouch!† â€Å"What was all the noise in the alley?† Lily asked, needing badly to go smoke, but unable to pull herself away. She just couldn't imagine that Charlie Asher was the one. How could it be him? He was so, so, unworthy. He didn't understand the dark underbelly of life the way she did. Yet he was the one seeing the glowing objects. He was it. She was crestfallen. â€Å"Just the Emperor's dogs after a seagull in the Dumpster. No big deal. I fell off a porch in Pacific Heights.† â€Å"The estate,† Ray said. â€Å"How'd that go?† â€Å"Not well. The husband was grief-stricken and had a heart attack while I was there.† â€Å"You're kidding.† â€Å"No, he just sort of became overwhelmed thinking about his wife and collapsed. I gave him CPR until the EMTs came and took him off to the hospital.† â€Å"So,† Lily said, â€Å"did you get the – uh – did you get anything special?† â€Å"What?† Charlie's eyes went wide. â€Å"What do you mean, special? There was nothing special.† â€Å"Chill, boss, I just meant will we get the grandma's clothes?† He's it, Lily thought. The fucker. Charlie shook his head. â€Å"I don't know, it's so strange. The whole thing is so strange.† He shuddered when he said it. â€Å"Strange how?† Lily said. â€Å"Strange in a cool and dark way, or strange because you're Asher and you're out of it most of the time?† â€Å"Lily!† Ray snapped. â€Å"Go out front. Dust something.† â€Å"You're not the boss of me, Ray. I'm just showing my concern.† â€Å"It's okay, Ray.† Charlie looked like he was considering how, exactly, to define strange, and not coming up with anything that was working. Finally he said, â€Å"Well, for one thing, this woman's estate is way out of our league. The husband said he called me because we were the first secondhand store in the phone book, but he doesn't seem like the kind of man to do something like that.† â€Å"That's not that strange,† Lily said. Just confess, she thought. â€Å"You said that he was grief-stricken,† Ray said, dabbing antibiotic ointment on Charlie's cuts. â€Å"Maybe he's doing things differently.† â€Å"Yes, and he was angry at his wife, too, for the way she died.† â€Å"How?† Lily asked. â€Å"She ate silica gel,† Charlie said. Lily looked at Ray for an explanation, because silica gel sounded techno-geeky, which was Ray's particular field of geekdom. Ray said, â€Å"It's the antidesiccant that they pack with electronics and other things that are sensitive to humidity.† â€Å"The ‘Do Not Eat' stuff?!† Lily said. â€Å"Oh my God, that's so stupid. Everyone knows you don't eat the ‘Do Not Eat' stuff.† Charlie said, â€Å"Mr. Mainheart was pretty broken up.† â€Å"Well, I guess so,† Lily said. â€Å"He married a complete fucktard.† Charlie cringed. â€Å"Lily, that's not appropriate.† Lily shrugged and rolled her eyes. She hated it when Charlie dropped into Dad mode. â€Å"Okay, okay. I'm going outside to smoke.† â€Å"No!† Charlie jumped out of the chair and put himself between Lily and the back door. â€Å"Out front. From now on if you have to smoke you go out front.† â€Å"But you said that I look like a child hooker when I smoke out front.† â€Å"I've reassessed. You've matured.† Lily closed one eye to see if she could better glimpse into his soul and thus figure out his true agenda. She smoothed over her black vinyl skirt, which made a tortured, squeaking noise at the touch. â€Å"You're trying to say I have a big butt, aren't you?† â€Å"I absolutely am saying no such thing,† Charlie insisted. â€Å"I am simply saying that your presence in front of the store is an asset and will probably attract business from the tourists on the cable car.† â€Å"Oh. Okay.† Lily snatched her box of cloves off the desk and headed out past the counter and outside to brood, grieve really, because as much as she had hoped, she was not Death. The book was Charlie's. That evening Charlie was watching the store, wondering why he had lied to his employees, when he saw a flash of red passing by the front window. A second later, a strikingly pale redhead came through the door. She was wearing a short, black cocktail dress and black fuck-me pumps. She strode up the aisle like she was auditioning for a music video. Her hair cascaded in long curls around her shoulders and down her back like a great auburn veil. Her eyes were emerald green, and when she saw him looking, she smiled, and stopped, some ten feet away. Charlie felt an almost painful jolt that seemed to emanate from somewhere in the area of his groin, and after a second he recognized it as an autonomic lust response. He hadn't felt anything like that since Rachel had passed, and he felt vaguely ashamed. She was examining him, looking him over like you would examine a used car. He was sure he must be blushing. â€Å"Hi,† Charlie said. â€Å"Can I help you?† The redhead smiled again, just a little, and reached into a small black bag that he hadn't noticed she'd been carrying. â€Å"I found this,† she said, holding up a silver cigarette case. Something Charlie didn't see very often anymore, even in the secondhand business. It was glowing, pulsating like the objects in the back room. â€Å"I was in the neighborhood and something made me think that this belonged here.† She moved to the counter opposite Charlie and set the cigarette case down in front of him. Charlie could barely move. He stared at her, not even conscious that to avoid her eyes he was staring at her cleavage, and she appeared to be looking around his head and shoulders as if following the path of insects that were buzzing around him. â€Å"Touch me,† she said. â€Å"Huh?† He looked up, saw she was serious. She held out her hand; her nails were manicured and painted the same deep red as her lipstick. He took her hand. As soon as she touched him she pulled away. â€Å"You're warm.† â€Å"Thanks.† In that moment he realized that she wasn't. Her fingers had been ice-cold. â€Å"Then you're not one of us?† He tried to think of what â€Å"us† might be? Irish? Low blood pressure? Nymphomaniac? Why did he even think that? â€Å"Us? What do you mean, ‘us'?† She backed away a step. â€Å"No. You don't just take the weak and the sick, do you? You take anyone.† â€Å"Take? What do you mean, ‘take'?† â€Å"You don't even know, do you?† â€Å"Know what?† Charlie was getting very nervous. As a Beta Male, he found it difficult enough to function under the attention of a beautiful woman, but she was just plain spooky. â€Å"Wait. Can you see this thing glowing?† He held out the cigarette case. â€Å"No glow. It just felt like it belonged here,† she said. â€Å"What's your name?† â€Å"Charlie Asher. This is Asher's.† â€Å"Well, Charlie, you seem like a nice guy, and I don't know exactly what you are, and it doesn't seem like you know. You don't, do you?† â€Å"I've been going through some changes,† Charlie said, wondering why he felt compelled to share this at all. The redhead nodded, as if confirming something to herself. â€Å"Okay. I know what it's like to, uh, to find yourself thrown into a situation where forces beyond your control are changing you into someone, something you don't have an owner's manual for. I understand what it is to not know. But someone, somewhere, does know. Someone can tell you what's going on.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† But he knew what she was talking about. What he didn't know was how she could possibly know. â€Å"You make people die, don't you, Charlie?† She said it like she had worked up the courage to tell him that he had some spinach in his teeth. More of a service to him than an accusation. â€Å"How do you – ?† How did she – â€Å"Because it's what I do. Not like you, but it's what I do. Find them, Charlie. Backtrack and find whoever was there when your world changed.† Charlie looked at her, then at the cigarette case, then at the redhead again, who was no longer smiling, but was stepping backward toward the door. Trying to stay in touch with normal, he focused on the cigarette case and said, â€Å"I suppose I can do an appraisal – â€Å" He heard the bell over the door jingle, and when he looked up she was gone. He didn't see her moving by the windows on either side of the door; she was just gone. He ran to the front of the store and out the door onto the sidewalk. The Mason Street cable car was just topping the hill up by California Street and he could hear the bell, there was a thin fog coming up from the Bay that threw colorful halos around the neon signs of the other businesses, but there was no striking redhead on the street. He went to the corner and looked down Vallejo, but again no redhead, just the Emperor, sitting against the building with his dogs. â€Å"Good evening, Charlie.† â€Å"Your Majesty, did you see a redhead go by here just now?† â€Å"Oh yes. Spoke to her. I'm not sure you have a chance there, Charlie, I believe she's spoken for. And she did warn me to stay away from you.† â€Å"Why? Did she say why?† â€Å"She said that you were Death.† â€Å"I am?† Charlie said. â€Å"Am I?† His breath caught in his throat as the day played back in his head. â€Å"What if I am?† â€Å"You know, son,† the Emperor said, â€Å"I am not an expert in dealing with the fairer sex, but you might want to save that bit of information until the third date or so, after they've gotten to know you a little.†

Сomparison and Contrasting Country Lovers and Child of the Americas

Ð ¡omparison and Contrasting Country Lovers and Child of the Americas In every literary works, the author uses his or her life experience and the immediate social, political and spiritual practices to educate or pass a specific message to the society. For instance in her intriguing epic country lovers, Nadine Gordimer focuses on the social prejudices practiced in an environment which harbors mixed races.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Ð ¡omparison and Contrasting: Country Lovers and Child of the Americas specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Through discussing the adventures and social attributes of the characters, Gordimer highlights the aspect of racism. On the other hand, Aurora Morales expresses her poetic skills by enlightening the reader on the aspect of ethnicity as practiced in her contemporary society. Although both Gordimer and Morales apply different forms and style of writing literature, each of them condemns social injustices less seriously. While Gordimer highlights constrained relationship arising from aspects like racism, Morales boasts of her ethnic culture as a way to call for unity. Through focusing on the social and political relationships and elusive interaction of various characters in the articles, the next discussion elaborates the theme of racism/ethnicity while highlighting their similarities and differences. Critical analysis of Gordimer and Morales’ pieces of work highlight some differences as per literature. For instance, both authors apply different forms of writing literary works to express their artistic skills. Gordimer writes a short story in form of a narrative giving it ironical title country lovers. Gordimer has organized the story in form of well-structured paragraphs accurately punctuated. Furthermore, each paragraph highlights a different idea. For instance, the first paragraph gives the picture of the environment or the setting of the story as a farm, which harbors two races blacks and whites. Moreover, the au thor enables the readers to pick out the main theme of the story from the first paragraph. The rest of the paragraphs give emphasis on the theme by applying aspects like the direct speech, which is a common element in short stories. More over, Gordimer applies the aspect of narration and vivid description, which draws the picture of her story in the readers mind. For example, she describes Thebedi’s hut, which is made of raw bricks with a chimney thus, mimicry of the white man’s house. Inside the hut there is a bed made from iron, wooden table and boxes. At the same time, she gives a description of Paulus house as a permanent structure with thick walls to prevent penetration of heat and inside the house there is a kitchen with plenty of foodstuffs and servants, dining room and with numerous bedrooms. Therefore, Gordmer’s description of the two homesteads enables her to emphasize her theme of racism (Spain, 2012, p.770). While the blacks live in abject poverty, t he white masters live in large, well build permanent structures.Advertising Looking for research paper on comparative literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More From the above analysis, Gordimer is against economic differences, which arise because of racism. Although Njabulo is a servant in a white man’s house, he is unable to build a permanent house for his family. The huts are traditional houses of the African society, which are not only unstable but also prone to distraction in strong weather conditions like storms. On the contrary, Morales express her artistic nature by writing her literary work in form of a poem. Written in four stanzas, each stanza has different number of lines highlighting a different aspect. Each stanza starts with the letter â€Å"I†, which is common in most poems. The first stanza emphasizes on the author’s title child of Americas therefore, underscoring the aspect of ethnicity in the society. There are many aspects of poetry expressed for instance repetition of the expression â€Å"I am†, which shows the author is more concerned about her ethnic identity in a foreign environment with multiple cultures (Rich, 1982, 54). The narrator has accepted her culture, race, ethnic background and identity as an American. In addition, Morales add rhythm to the poem to accentuate the element of rhyme, which is common in poetry. For example, the first two lines in stanza three produce a rhythmic fashion as shown below â€Å"I am not African.   Africa is in me, but I cannot return.† This intrigues the reader to appreciate the author’s cultural and ethnic identity. Thus, silently appreciating the social diversity found in America. The second difference evident in the two pieces of literary works is the setting of the Gordimer’s story and Morales’ poem. The short story is set in a farm, in which the owners are whites while the blacks only offer labor. The farm has many families where children play together. Unfortunately, only the white children enroll in school. The author elaborates the theme of her story by writing â€Å"the farm children only play together when they are small but once the white children go away to school, they soon dont† (Gordimer, 1988, p.3). Therefore, Gordimer underscores the racial segregation in her setting. Similarly, children know how to make toys of oxen and bracelets using beans and castor oil seeds (Gordimer, 1988, p.3). Gordimer shows that the whites are colonizers who oppress the black people and have set social rules in the environment that have culminated into injustices. There are no schools for black children, the black people are servants and neither of them freely visits each other’s house. Romantic interracial sexual relationships are illegal, an aspect, which has been socially accepted. Critical analysis of the story proves that the setting of the st ory is in Africa with the whites being immigrants who forcefully decided to rule the natives.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Ð ¡omparison and Contrasting: Country Lovers and Child of the Americas specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Contrarily, the setting of Morales story is in America. In the first stanza and from the first line, the writer confesses, â€Å"I am a child of the Americas† (Morales, n.d, stanza 1). However, although the whites dominantly inhabit America, there are other ethnic groups and races like Jews, Spanish and African among others. However, the narrator applauds other races and countries, which have contributed to the richness of the American culture. Comparison of the main themes in Gordimer and Morales literary works accentuates some differences. For example, Gordimer silently condemns racial prejudice in her contemporary society by vividly describing the social activities in th e farm and its surroundings. The first instance of racial practice Gordimer points at is the separation of the black and white children especially when the latter enrolls in boarding schools. Although in their early childhood, their parents allow them to play together; this habit dies out as the children progress into adulthood. Secondly, a romantic relationship between different racial groups is a social taboo as experienced by Thebedi and Paulus. Paulus is white while Thebedi is black; however, the two accept their childhood friendship to culminate into an illegal love affair. Gordimer condemn racism when she writes, â€Å"He told her, each time, when they would meet again† (clungston, 2010, p.11). Intuitively it was a taboo for the two lovebirds to have an open relationship. Although their relationship grew, but it seemed like a game of hide and seek. Thus, forcing them to have their sexual adventures in weird locations like the riverbank, away from the public. At this lev el, Gordimer enlightens the reader on the impact of racism on social development among children. Furthermore, after a few sexual adventures, Paulus impregnates Thebedi. Ironically, her parent marries her off to a black man to conceal any form of suspicion from the white master (Paulus father). Due to social prejudice, Paulus kills his child to escape embarrassment and further punishment from his parents. Thebedi refrains from stopping Paulus to kill her child because of her identity as a black woman. Therefore, Gordimer proves that racial segregation is a barrier to social development and can lead to social or human injustices as experienced by Thebedi. Thebedi is sure Paulus killed her child but she is unable to testify openly against him retracting her initial accusations. The author writes â€Å"Yet a year later, she retracted her testimony and in a calmer manner testified,† she had not seen what the white man did in the house† (Clugston, 2010, p. 49). Therefore, The bedi’s identity as a black woman forces her to accept oppression from the white man. Moreover, the judge not only drags the case for at least a year but he also rules in favor of the white man. According to Gordimer, racism culminates into social injustices like murder and oppression thus, social growth in a multiracial environment.Advertising Looking for research paper on comparative literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On contrary, in her epic masterpiece Morales focuses on ethnicity in the society more so, America which, harbors many immigrants. The main theme of her poem is to emphasize self-identity a problem experienced by most Americans especially due to ethnicity. Social diversity is an aspect that America currently experiences. Therefore, the first line of the first stanza confirms the author’s message to the reader â€Å"I am a child of the Americas†¦A child of many Diaspora, born into this continent at a crossroad†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Morales, n.d, stanza 4). The native people of America are the American Indians while all the other citizens like Europeans, African Americans, blacks, Spanish and Jews among others are immigrants. All these races have enriched America’s ethnic culture. However, the ethnicity has led to oppression, disunity and lack of identity amid other social problems. Therefore, Morales poem is not only appreciating her culture but also calling upon other pe ople to embrace and use their culture for the social development of America. In the last line of the last stanza, the author writes, â€Å"I was born at the crossroads and I am whole† this statement emphasizes the rich cultural heritage America boasts posses (Morales, n.d). Although these traditions culminated from a turbulent past experience, all immigrants whether slaves, tradesmen or natives proudly belong to one country, America. Therefore, the ability of the Americans to struggle, persevere and integrate into one society proves that cultural diversity is essential for the social development. Comparatively, both Gordimer and Morales, focus on social development as an important feature in the society. Gordimer highlights racial segregation as a social barrier, which eventually, leads to oppression and other forms of prejudices in society. Similarly, Morales praises ethnicity as an aspect that should promote cultural growth especial in a multiracial environment. According t o her poem, all Jews, Spanish, African American and Europeans living in America are Americans. Thus, the different ethnic groups should unite to explore and integrate into the unique culture. Both authors express the negative impact of racism and ethnicity in the society. While Gordimer presents oppression and social injustices as the outcome of racism, Morales focuses on lack of self-identity and esteem as the eventual impact of ethnicity when traded on the wrong grounds. The second similarity evident in the two pieces of work is the application of the literary elements like metaphors and similes. Although the authors use different types of literary techniques, each of them uses these literary techniques to emphasize their themes. In her short story, Gordimer embraces similes especially when comparing the social lives of the blacks and the whites. For example, after finding out Thebedi’s baby belongs to him Paulus says, â€Å"I feel like killing myself† (clungston, 20 10, p.10). Paulus statement proves that racism is highly practiced in his society. Therefore, he relates his relationship with Thebedi to death. Analytically, Gordimer uses this element to condemn silently racism because practicing it is equally to killing a human being. Another simile, which expresses racism appears when the author says, â€Å"Already at birth there was on its head a quantity of straight, fine floss, like that which carries the seeds of certain weeds in the veld.† (Gordimer,n.d, par.6) according to this statement, Gordimer shows that Thebedi’s daughter was illegal and therefore, unwanted in her society. Thus, the author highlights inhumanity because eventually, Paulus kills the little innocent baby because of fear, racism and oppression as commonly practiced in his society. In addition, Gordimer uses metaphors to express black color as ugly thus, not beautiful to look at or admire. For instance, she describes Njabulo skin as â€Å"matt, opaque coffee -grounds† (Anderson, 1991, P.20). According to the author, although the black skin is unique, people tend to despite the victim. Therefore, she condemns segregation of the blacks especially by the white people who think their skin color is superior. Eventually, she uses the black and white skin to promote racial unity an element that constantly misses in the society. Similarly, Morales applies the art of metaphors to express her poetic skills and educate the reader on the importance of embracing ethnic unity. The first metaphors, she coins is â€Å"I am not African, Africa is in me†¦Spanish is in my flesh†¦I am not European, Europe lives in me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Morales, n.d. stanza 1-4). The aforementioned group of metaphors highlights the narrator’s identity, culture and ethnic background. However, intuitive analysis of the poem reveals that the narrator accepts herself as an African, Spanish and European. When she writes,† Europe lives in me â€Å"(Mora les, n.d, stanza 1 line 5), it means that the narrator accepts Europeans as Americans who were unable to be accommodated in their original country because of oppression, economic constraints and religious conflicts among other social, political and economic problems. While the phrase â€Å"Spanish is in my flesh† (Morales, n.d, stanza 1 line 3), highlights the integration, intermingling and eventual assimilation of the Spanish people into America thus, giving them a common identity as Americans. Additionally, the metaphor â€Å"Africa is in me† mean Africans came into America as slaves, however, with the abolishment of slavery they became Americans. Surprisingly, the African culture still lingers in African Americans because of the origin and traditions that has not changed for many ages. Therefore, acceptance of all the races in America transforms America into a peaceful country with multiple cultures, racial identities and traditions among others. The fourth metaphor Morales applies is â€Å"I was born at the crossroads and I am whole† (n.d, stanza 4 line 1), her literary expression describes American people as originating from diverse background. Besides, American Indians, there is no other American person who can claim that America is his or her native land. African, Spanish, Jewish and European cultures are all form a unique American culture while at the same time retaining the individual cultural practices. According to Morales, lack of self-identity especially in relation to ethnicity has slowed down social development culture. Essentially, the different ethnic groups in America should create a rich culture that would build self-esteem of most Americans. In conclusion, Gordimer constructs her short story to educate the society on the negative impact of racism. She uses different literary techniques like narration, similes and metaphors to put emphasis on her theme. On the other hand, Morales writes a short poem to preach against the use of ethnicity in oppressing others especially in America. She calls upon all Americans to embrace ethnic unity for the social development. She uses metaphoric expression to emphasize her theme. Finally, both authors not only use similar literary techniques like metaphors but they also focus on a common goal social development in the society. References Anderson, P. (1991). Attitudes to Race in Nadine Gordimers Country Lovers and Alice  Walkers The Welcome Table’. New York. Indie Print publishers Clugston, R. W. (2010). Journey into Literature. California: Bridgepoint Education publishers. Gordimer.N. (n.d). Country lovers. Retrieved from https://www.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/cms/lib/NC01001395/Centricity/Domain/22/Country%20Lovers.pdf Gordimer, N. (1988). Town and Country Lovers . New York. Reclam Philipp publishing company. Morales, L. A. (n.d). Child of the Americas. In Lauraa.diaz-authors page. Web. Rich, P. (1982). Tradition and revolt in South African Fiction: The Novels of Andre Brink, Nadine Gordimer and J.M. Coetzee. Journal of Southern African Studies, 9 (1), 54-73 Spain, A. (2012). Event, Exceptionalism, and the Imperceptible: The Politics of Nadine Gordimers the Pickup. MFS: Modern Fiction Studies, 58 (4), 747-772.

Conjugation of Past or Preterite Tense Verbs in Spanish

Conjugation of Past or Preterite Tense Verbs in Spanish As one of Spanishs two simple past tenses, the preterite  has a conjugation that is essential to learn. It is the verb form used most often to tell of events that have already happened and that are seen as completed. The other simple past tense, the imperfect, is used for past actions that are not completed, meaning the past action did not have a definite beginning or a definite end. How to Conjugate the Preterite Tense In Spanish, verbs are the words that change the most often and depend on different tenses, moods, gender, and agreement in person according to what needs to be conveyed in the sentence. A verb ending can indicate when the action occurs, and also give the listener a better idea of who or what is performing the action. As is the case with standard Spanish conjugation rules, the preterite verb forms are made by removing the infinitive ending of the verb, such as -ar, -er or -ir, and replacing it with an ending that indicates who is performing the action of the verb. Verbs agree in person and number. For example, the infinitive or base form of the verb that means to speak is hablar. Its infinitive ending is -ar, and the verb stem is habl-. To say I spoke, remove the -ar, add -à © to the stem, forming hablà ©. Yo hablà © is I spoke. To say you spoke, singular you in an informal way, remove the -ar, add -aste to the stem, forming hablaste:  Tu hablaste is You spoke. Other forms exist for other personal pronouns. The endings are slightly different for verbs that end in -er and -ir, but the principle is the same. Remove the infinitive ending, then add the appropriate ending to the remaining stem. Conjugation of Regular -AR Verbs in the Preterite Tense Person -Ar Ending Infinitive: Hablar Translation: To Speak yo - habl I spoke t -aste hablaste you (informal) spoke l, ella, usted - habl he/she spoke, you (formal) spoke nosotros, nosotras -amos hablamos we spoke vosotros, vosotras -asteis hablasteis you spoke (informal) ellos, ellas, ustedes -aron hablaron they spoke, you (formal) spoke Conjugation of Regular -ER Verbs in the Preterite Tense Person -Er Ending Infinitive: Aprender Translation: To Learn yo - aprend I learned t -iste aprendiste you (informal) learned l, ella, usted -i aprendi he/she learned, you (formal) learned nosotros, nosotras -imos aprendimos we learned vosotros, vosotras -isteis aprendisteis you learned (informal) ellos, ellas, ustedes -ieron aprendieron they learned, you (formal) learned Conjugation of Regular -IR Verbs in the Preterite Tense Person -Ir Ending Infinitive: Escribir Translation: To Write yo - escrib I wrote t -iste escribiste you (informal) wrote l, ella, usted -i escribi he/she wrote, you (formal) wrote nosotros, nosotras -imos escribimos we wrote vosotros, vosotras -isteis escribisteis you wrote (informal) ellos, ellas, ustedes -ieron escribieron they wrote, you (formal) wrote In the preterite tense, regular -er and -ir verbs use the same pattern of endings. Additionally, the first-person plural, the we form of nosotros and nosotras, has the same conjugation for both the present indicative tense and the preterite past tense for -ar and -ir verbs. The word hablamos can mean either we speak or we spoke, and escribimos can mean either we write or we wrote. In most cases, the context of the sentence makes clear which tense is intended. Conjugations of Common Irregular Verbs Below are the preterite-tense for the irregular verbs you are most likely to use. Irregular forms are shown in boldface; the forms given follow the same order as in the charts above, beginning with the first-person singular and continuing to the third-person plural. dar (to give): di, diste, dio, dimos, disteis, dieron. decir (to say, to tell): dije, dijiste, dijo, dijimos, dijisteis, dijeron. estar (to be): estuve, estuviste, estuvo, estuvimos, estuvisteis, estuvieron. haber (to have as an auxiliary verb): hube, hubiste, hubo, hubimos, hubisteis, hubieron. hacer (to make, to do): hice, hiciste, hizo, hizimos, hicisteis, hicieron. ir (to be): fui, fuiste, fue, fuimos, fuisteis, fueron. (Note that the preterite conjugations of ir and ser are identical.) llegar (to arrive): lleguà ©, llegaste, llegà ³, llegamos, llegasteis, llegaron. poder (to be able, can): pude, pudiste, pudo, pudimos, pudisteis, pudieron. poner (to put): puse, pusiste, puso, pusimos, puisisteis, pusieron. querer (to be): quise, quisiste, quiso, quisimos, quisisteis, quisieron. saber (to know): supe, supiste, supo, supimos, supisteis, supieron. ser (to be): fui, fuiste, fue, fuimos, fuisteis, fueron. tener (to have or possess): tuve, tuviste, tuvo, tuvimos, tuvisteis, tuvieron. ver (to see): vi, viste, vio, vimos, visteis, vieron.