Industrial Revolution and its Effects on Science Literature review

Industrial Revolution and its Effects on Science - Literature review Example Scientific research leads to the advent of numerous devices like the telephone, phonograph, elevator, ice machine, gasoline-powered cars, and light bulbs, to name a few. In the field of entertainment, new technologies such as the radio and moving pictures became popular. The huge improvements in the process of obtaining and working on raw materials affected primarily metallurgy and chemistry. Applied first in coal mining and textiles, the new techniques, new machines, and new methods rapidly spread into other industrial areas. The application of steam to transportation led to the railroad system, which in turn generated dozens of other technical changes in iron and steel, bridge building, communication and organization ("The Industrial Revolution"). An increase in scientific publications was facilitated by the network of informal societies like the Lunar Society of Birmingham, in which members met to discuss science and its application to manufacturing. Some of these societies published volumes of proceedings and transactions, new inventions, as well as papers about them. Scientific research post-Industrial revolution has also resulted in advancements in chemical and biological warfare as well as in nuclear weaponry. The term Romantic covers most of the music, art, and literature of Western civilization from the nineteenth century.

Proof Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Proof - Essay Example Look, if you’re not happy with your life right now, maybe you should try to do something instead of gossiping, because that’s represent yourself as uneducated person. You might be educated, but may not act like one. Everybody has a chance to do what they want to be successful in their lives, but needs effort to do it not just waiting and doing nothing†¦ 2. I finished my studies last year, but I didn’t join the graduation last December because I want my mother to present in my graduation to see me walking and receiving my Diploma.. I want my momma to be proud despite of all the things I’ve done in my life. It was a tough year for me working on my assignments, project and etc . Every night was hard, but I did it. To some people, who think I’m lucky, it is not a compliment it’s like an insult to me, because my achievements in my life didn’t came from the luck that just handed it to you and you got it.. No, it is not my situation†¦ I had to work hard for it and not just sitting my ass off gossiping, watching tv, or

Zara's strategic approach to Information Technology Management Essay

Zara's strategic approach to Information Technology Management - Essay Example Information technology management not only involves basic functions of management such as staffing and budgeting, but also has aspects like software design, change management, tech support and network planning that are unique to the management of information and technology only. Table of contents Executive Summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...2 Zara’s Approach to management of information and technology†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦4 Cisco’s approach†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 8 Comparison†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.11 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...11 References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.12 Cutting back on cost is one of the most crucial aspects of the Zara Company’s approach to information and technology. This can be proved by the fact that the company tries as a much as possible to minimize cost in their information technology infrastructure. This can be seen in the way they handle their information technology needs. For example, the company prefers to develop their own programs rather than employing software developing companies to write their program or buying software’s. It is good to develop ones softwa re internally, but it has its limitation. In fact, what most companies do is to buy shell programs and then configure them accordingly to the suitability of their company. They do not develop their programs themselves from scratch. Although developing one’s programs internally like in the case of Zara has some advantages like ownership to rights of the programs, it comes with some disadvantages. Firstly when a company writes its own program from scratch and does not intend to gain from it commercially, they face they risk of being behind in technology. This can be proved by the case of Zara clothing company which as of 2003 the company was still using DOS operating system, which even its manufacturer Microsoft has termed it as well out dated (Macafee & Dessain & Sjoman, 2007). One reason why Zara finds it difficult to upgrade to another current operating system is the fact that it wrote its point of sale (POS) program specifically run on a dos operating system. Thus, as much as any management tries to minimize running cost as much as possible, quality should also be considered. This because in the long run cheap is expensive. Five years down the line, Zara Fashion Company will find itself in a lot of technical problems. This is because it will be left behind by other fashion companies since other companies are moving forward with the technology in regards to point of sale. If we look at Zara’s systems, after making transactions at the end of the day, one needs to back up the data in a floppy disk. However, in modern point of sale systems, information is backed up automatically in real time. This means that a good point of sale system should store information of any transaction in the main server immediately. Saving information each and every day is exceedingly tiresome and time consuming. Another disadvantage of this is that if one forgets to store the information in a floppy disk, then it means that information will never be retrieved hence caus ing problems in accounting. Zara’s approach to information technology management can be evaluated considering the ten principles of good information management and seeing if it satisfies these principles. Good information management should focus on adoption. This means information manag

The Definition Of Health Management Essay

The Definition Of Health Management Essay This assignment is actually will describe about the contradictory demand of cost reduction program and the need to invest to enhance the standard of health, safety and environment (HSE) in the industry. This assignment consist of the definition of Health, the definition of Safety, the definition of environment, Professional Organization in Malaysia, Cost Reduction, Profit, Discussion and also the Conclusion of this assignment. 2.0 THE DEFINITION OF HEALTH Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a persons mind and body, usually meaning to be free from  illness,  injury  or  pain  (as in good health or healthy). The  World Health Organization  (WHO) defined health in its broader sense in 1946 as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Systematic activities to prevent or cure health problems and promote good health in humans are undertaken by  health care providers. Applications with regard to animal health are covered by the veterinary sciences. The term healthy is also widely used in the context of many types of non-living organizations and their impacts for the benefit of humans, such as in the sense of  healthy communities,  healthy cities  or  healthy environments. In addition to health care interventions and a persons surroundings, a number of other factors ar e known to influence the health status of individuals, including their background, lifestyle, and economic and social conditions, these are referred to as determinants of health. Generally, the context in which an individual lives is of great importance for his health status and quality of life. It is increasingly recognized that health is maintained and improved not only through the advancement and application of  health science, but also through the efforts and intelligent  lifestyle  choices of the individual and society. According to the  World Health Organization, the main determinants of health include the social and economic environment, the physical environment, and the persons individual characteristics and behaviours. 3.0 THE DEFINITION OF SAFETY Safety  is the state of being safe, the condition of being protected against physical, social, spiritual, financial, political, emotional, occupational, psychological, educational or other types or consequences of failure, damage,  error,  accidents,  harm  or any other event which could be considered non-desirable. Safety can also be defined to be the control of recognized hazards to achieve an acceptable level of risk. This can take the form of being protected from the event or from exposure to something that causes health or economical losses. It can include protection of people or of possessions. There are two slightly different meanings of  safety. For example,  home safety  may indicate a buildings ability to protect against external harm events (such as weather, home invasion, etc.), or may indicate that its internal installations (such as appliances, stairs, etc.) are safe (not dangerous or harmful) for its inhabitants. Safety is the condition of a steady state of an organization or place doing what it is supposed to do. What it is supposed to do is defined in terms of public codes and standards, associated architectural and engineering designs, corporate vision and mission statements, and operational plans and personnel policies. For any organization, place, or function, large or small, safety is a normative concept. It complies with situation-specific definitions of what is expected and acceptable. Security is the process or means, physical or human, of delaying, preventing, and otherwise protecting against external or internal, defects, dangers, loss, criminals, and other individuals or actions that threaten, hinder or destroy an organizations steady state, and deprive it of its intended purpose for being. Safety can be limited in relation to some  guarantee  or a standard of  insurance  to the quality and unharmful function of an object or organization. It is used in order to ensure that the object or organization will do only what it is meant to do. It is important to realize that safety is relative. Eliminating all  risk, if even possible, would be extremely difficult and very expensive. A safe situation is one where risks of injury or property damage are low and manageable. 4.0 THE DEFINITION OF ENVIRONMENT 4.1 Environment system In  science  and  engineering, a  system  is the part of the  universe  that is being studied, while the  environment  is the remainder of the universe that lies outside the boundaries of the system. It is also known as the  surroundings, and in  thermodynamics, as the  reservoir. In some disciplines, such as  information theory,  information  may also be exchanged. The environment is ignored in analysis of the system, except in regards to these interactions. The Environmental systems are vital to the human race and to all living organisms. Without the systems in place and working, we would all cease to exist. Rivers and streams are an example, if the system of this were to not work, then the whole system would collapse. 4.2 Environmental Health Environmental health  is a branch of  public health  concerned with all aspects of the  natural  and  built environment  that may affect human  health. Other phrases that concern or refer to the discipline of environmental health include  environmental public health  and  environmental health and protection. The field of environmental health differs from  environmental science  in that environmental health is concerned with environmental factors affecting human health whereas environmental science is concerned with the environment as it affects ecosystems. Environmental health addresses all the physical, chemical, and biological factors external to a person, and all the related factors impacting behaviours. It encompasses the assessment and control of those environmental factors that can potentially affect health. It is targeted towards preventing disease and creating health-supportive environments. This definition excludes behaviour not related to environme nt, as well as behaviour related to the social and cultural environment, and genetics. Environmental health is defined by the  World Health Organization. Those aspects of the human health and disease that are determined by factors in the environment. It also refers to the theory and practice of assessing and controlling factors in the environment that can potentially affect health. Environmental health as used by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, includes both the direct pathological effects of chemicals, radiation and some biological agents, and the effects (often indirect) on health and well being of the broad physical, psychological, social and cultural environment, which includes housing, urban development, land use and transport. 4.3 Environmental Health Profession Environmental health practitioners may be known as  sanitarians,  public health inspectors, environmental health specialists,  environmental health officers  or environmental health practitioners. In many European countries, physicians and veterinarians are involved in environmental health. In the United Kingdom, practitioners must have a graduate degree in environmental health and be certified and registered with the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. In Canada, practitioners in environmental health are required to obtain an approved bachelors degree in environmental health along with the national professional certificate the Certificate in Public Health Inspection (Canada). Many states in the  United States  also require that individuals have a bachelors degree and professional  licenses  in order to practice environmental health. 4.4 Disciplines of Environmental Health Three basic disciplines generally contribute to the field of environmental health. The three disciplines of Environmental Health is environmental epidemiology, toxicology, and exposure science. Each of these disciplines contributes different information to describe problems in environmental health, but there is some overlap among them. Environmental epidemiology  studies the relationship between environmental exposures (including exposure to chemicals, radiation, microbiological agents, etc.) and human health. Observational studies, which simply observe exposures that people have already experienced, are common in environmental epidemiology because humans cannot ethically be exposed to agents that are known or suspected to cause disease. While the inability to use experimental study designs is a limitation of environmental epidemiology, this discipline directly observes effects on human health rather than estimating effects from animal studies. Toxicology  studies how environmental exposures lead to specific health outcomes, generally in animals, as a means to understand possible health outcomes in humans. Toxicology has the advantage of being able to conduct randomized controlled trials and other experimental studies because they can use animal subjects. However there are many differences in animal and human biology, and there can be a lot of uncertainty when interpreting the results of  animal studies  for their implications for human health. Exposure science  studies human exposure to environmental contaminants by both identifying and quantifying exposures. Exposure science can be used to support environmental epidemiology by better describing environmental exposures that may lead to a particular health outcome, identify common exposures whose health outcomes may be better understood through a toxicology study, or can be used in a risk assessment to determine whether current levels of exposure might exceed recommended levels. Exposure science has the advantage of being able to very accurately quantify exposures to specific chemicals, but it does not generate any information about health outcomes like environmental epidemiology or toxicology. Information from these three disciplines can be combined to conduct a  risk assessment  for specific chemicals or mixtures of chemicals to determine whether an exposure poses significant risk to human health. 5.0 PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION IN MALAYSIA 1. Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) Occupational Safety and Health Agency OSHA is comprised of a diverse team of safety and quality professionals whose expertise is focused on what the company does best. With technical expertise as diverse and complex as the sites and facilities of its clients, OSHA is strategically positioned to help the regulated community manage a wide range of technical and regulatory issues related to past, present and future operations. OSHA is distinguished by the range and variety of professional disciplines it provides; the advanced technical expertise of OSHA staff; and professional contributions that OSHA has made to industry as well as the local community through participation in a number of projects and events that have helped to raise public awareness related to safety, and quality concerns. OSHA has established long term-valued relationships with our clients, providing customized approaches to occupational injury and illness prevention.   The OSHA organization work closely and discretely with clients to identify hazards and provide perspective on risk. OSHA can then correct deficiencies and improve performance within an existing organizational framework. 2. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Malaysia is a company limited by guarantee owned by the Government of Malaysia. In the words of the Minister of Human Resources, Malaysia, NIOSH would be a critical catalyst in the promotion of occupational safety and health that would also serve as the backbone to create a self-regulating occupational safety and health culture in Malaysia. NIOSH is committed to ensure a safe and healthy working environment to all employees and others involved in or affected by its operation taking into account statutory requirement and relevant national and international standards and codes of practices.   Implementation and effectiveness of this policy is a line management responsibility together with the participation and involvement of all employees and NIOSH will ensure that adequate resources, training and time are made available.   Safety and Health management systems and programmes will be regularly reviewed to ensure continuous improvement. Humanistic approach will be adopted by NIOSH to promote a safe and healthy work culture which employer and employees share the common responsibility of creating a better work environment for all. This policy will be monitored to ensure achievement of our objectives and reviewed in light of legislative or organizational changes. 6.0 COST REDUCTION Cost reduction  is the process used by companies to reduce their  costs  and increase their  profits. Depending on a companys  services  or  product, the strategies can vary. However, it is important to remember that every decision in the product development process affects  cost. Companies typically launch a new product without focusing too much on cost. Cost becomes more important when competition increases and price becomes a differentiator in the market. There are several types of main cost reduction strategies:- Supplier consolidation Component consolidation Re-source to low cost countries Request For Quotations Supplier cost breakdown analysis Function analysis / Value analysis / Value engineering Design For Manufacture / Design For Assembly Reverse costing Cost driver analysis Should cost Product benchmarking Design to cost Design workshops with suppliers Competitor benchmarking There are right  cost reduction  techniques and there are wrong ones. Using the right strategies will result in a more efficient company spending. Using the wrong techniques will create a reduction of expenses required to maintain product quality and company value. It is a fine line sometimes, but a systematic approach can help managers avoid making serious mistakes in the rush to cut expenses. Cost management strategies should be utilized as components of a larger objective to maintain maximum profitability. As such, cutting expenses will be just one part of a plan that focuses also on maximizing revenue. Effective techniques will begin with the setting of goals and objectives. There can be many reasons why a company might need to cut costs. To create additional cash reserves To reduce price of product or service To bring expenses in line with revenues To eliminate unnecessary expenses or wasteful spending To increase company value To increase competitive advantage To move costs between departments Identifying the goal of the expense reduction exercise will assist with implementation of an effective plan. In other words, if you dont know why you are cutting costs, how are you going to know where to cut costs? The purpose of expense reduction is to help the company towards long term survival. Purposes of expense reduction include: Create cash for reinvest in research and development Reduce manufacturing costs to stay competitive Reduce costs as a non profit so able to serve more people Lower costs of service in order to provide additional services To become more efficient To prevent employee lay-offs To prevent reduction in employee benefits Cost reduction techniques should also be evaluated in terms of impact on the organization. Prioritizing the goals of the cost cutting program will insure that the strategies are implemented appropriately. There are many different ways a company can institute a plan to reduce expenses. Across the board reductions Prioritized reductions Departmental reductions Reductions based on professional assessment Cost reduction techniques can be an important strategy for another reason. They can teach a company to be economical, by forcing a regular review of spending at every level of the organization. It can keep a company vital and streamlined. The Alternate Considered Cost Reduction Ideas When seeking to reduce its expenditures on goods and services, the first thought in many organizations is Lets find cheaper suppliers. But in many cases, sourcing for new suppliers are either not practical or its a suboptimal alternative.  Fortunately, there are several ideas for achieving cost reductions without switching suppliers. Ask You May Receive   Ask your suppliers if they have cost savings ideas. You never know when the answer may surprise you.   Aggregation   According to Patton, Aggregation is any effort that makes the buyers requirements more attractive to the seller by bundling those requirements with the volume of other buyers. This can be internal across business units or geographies or external with other companies. For external bundling, you can build your own consortium or join an existing group purchasing organization. Spec Rationalization   Spec Rationalization involves looking at the goods and services you buy and determining smarter ways to specify them. Patton shares an example from previous employment: We discovered that we had between 80 and 100 different specifications across the company worldwide for water. No reasonable person in Purchasing or Engineering is gonna say that we really need that many specs for water.   Leveraging The Supply Chain   In this technique, youre looking at suppliers suppliers, one or two steps back in the supply chain, Patton explains. Sometimes, the biggest cost component in the equation is really out of your own immediate suppliers direct control. Patton recommends working to identify situations where several of your suppliers buy the same material towards what they make for you and then leveraging that combined demand to drive cost reductions from lower tier suppliers. 7.0 PROFIT A financial benefit that is realized when the amount of revenue gained from a business activity exceeds the expenses, costs and taxes needed to sustain the activity. Any profit that is gained goes to the businesss owners, who may or may not decide to spend it on the business. Calculated as: Profit = Total Revenue Total Expenses Profit is the money a business makes after accounting for all the expenses. Regardless of whether the business is a couple of kids running a lemonade stand or a publicly traded multinational company, consistently earning profit is every companys goal. 7.1 Economic Profit In neoclassical  microeconomic  theory, the term  profit  has two related but distinct meanings.  Normal profit  represents the total  opportunity costs  of a venture to an investor, whereas  economic profit  is, at least in the  neoclassical microeconomic theory  which dominates modern economics, the difference between a  firms total  revenue  and all costs (including normal profit).   A related concept, sometimes considered synonymous in certain contexts, is that of  economic rent. Other types of profit have been referenced, including  social profit  (related to  externalities). It is not to be confused with  profit in finance and accounting, which is equal to revenue minus only explicit costs and  super profit. Profit is not synonymous with the concepts of profitability and the  profit motive. 7.2 Normal Profit Normal  profit is a component of (implicit) costs and so not a component of business profit at all. It represents the opportunity cost for enterprise, since the time that the owner spends running the firm could be spent on running another firm. The enterprise component of normal profit is thus the profit that a business owner considers necessary to make running the business worth his while for example it is comparable to the next best amount the entrepreneur could earn doing another job. Particularly if enterprise is not included as a  factor of production, it can also be viewed a return to capital for investors including the entrepreneur, equivalent to the return the capital owner could have expected (in a safe investment), plus compensation for risk.   In other words, the cost of normal profit varies both within and across industries; it is commensurate with the riskiness associated with each type of investment, as per the risk-return spectrum. Only normal profits arise in ci rcumstances of  perfect competition  when long run  economic equilibrium  is reached; there is no incentive for firms to either enter or leave the industry. 8.0 DISCUSSION 1. Cost Reduction  by Design How to Reduce Product Cost by Design: Practice  Concurrent Engineering  with early and active participation of manufacturing, purchasing, vendors, etc. Implement  Design for Manufacturability  ( DFM ),  Design for Lean, and  Design for Quality For dramatic cost reduction   half cost to order-of-magnitude  Ã‚  optimize the concept/architecture phase To convert ideas, research or prototypes into viable products, use commercialization techniques to ensure success Activities Supportive to Low Cost Product Development: Co-locating Engineering with Manufacturing  ensures the best teamwork; avoid distant  off shoring If outsourcing, choose local vendors which ensures early and active vendor participation in product development teams Pre-select Vendor/Partners  who will help develop products, avoid low-bidding so that vendors will help with design Implement  standardization  and good product portfolio planning for the best focus Total cost measurements  to quantify all costs affected by design Correcting  Counterproductive Policies.  Ã‚  New ventures and start-ups will be able to implement these principles right away. Established companies may have to first correct  counterproductive policies, by prioritizing portfolio planning, scrutinizing high-overhead sales, emphasizing thorough up-front work, quantifying all costs, and avoiding time-draining attempts to  reduce cost after design, going for the  low-bidder, or  moving production offshore. See full  article on counterproductive policies. 2.  Lean Production  Cost Reduction How to Reduce Manufacturing Cost: Implement Lean Production Activities Supportive to Lean Production: Design product families for lean production Concurrently Engineer flexible processes Implement  standardization to enable  dock-to-line distribution Rationalize products to eliminate the most unusual products with the most unusual parts and processes Total cost measurements to quantify all costs related to manufacturing Keep control of manufacturing in house or with vendor/partners. 3.  Overhead  Cost Reduction How to Reduce Overhead Cost: Implement  Build-to-Order  and  Mass Customization  to build products on-demand without forecasts or inventory Activities Supportive to Build-to-Order Mass Customization: Implement  lean production Rationalize products Total cost measurements  to quantify overhead costs 4.  Standardization  Cost Reduction How to Reduce Cost with Standardization: Implement Standardization  with a practical procedure has been developed to standardize part and materials for new designs Activities Supportive to Standardization: Rationalize products  to eliminate or outsource the most unusual products that have the most unusual parts and materials Total cost measurements  to justify standardization efforts and encourage picking standard parts 5.  Product Line Rationalization  Cost Reduction How to Reduce Cost with Product Line Rationalization: Implement Product Line Rationalization  to eliminate or outsource low-profit products that have high overhead demands and are not compatible with cost reduction strategies Activities Supportive to Product Line Rationalization: Product Portfolio Planning focuses new product development Total cost measurements  to identify opportunities and supports rationalization decisions 6.  Supply Chain Management  Cost Reduction How to Reduce Cost in Supply Chain Management: Design products around standard parts  to simplify Supply Chain Management Standardize parts  to focus Supply Chain Management on high-volume, easy to get parts Rationalize away the most unusual products  which have the most usual, hardest-to-get parts Establish Vendor/Partnerships, which saves more money than  low-bidding Activities Supportive to Supply Chain Cost Reduction: Total cost measurements  to encourage and justify standardization and rationalization Dont merge acquired products into the same plant or build others products 7.  Quality Cost  Reduction How to Reduce the Cost of Quality: Eliminating quality costs starts with  designing in quality Rationalizing away unusual products  raises net factory quality and avoids wasting quality resources on inherently lower quality products Activities Supportive to Quality Cost Reduction: Total cost measurements to quantify the Cost of Quality 8.  Total Cost  Measurement to Support All Cost Reduction Activities How to Reduce Cost with Total Cost Measurements: Implement total cost measurement  with the easy-to-implement  cost driver  approach Activities Supportive to Total Cost Measurements: Until total cost can be quantified, everyone must make decisions based on  total cost thinking Senior management understands the importance of quantifying total cost, implements total cost measurements, and encourages all cost decisions to be made on basis of total cost 9.0 CONCLUSION As conclusion we can said that, the objectives of this assignment have been achieved which is to understand how to be cost effective but yet meeting the ever increasing HSE requirement. The conclusion is made due to what I have done about this assignment, describe properly about the problem required in this assignment. Cost becomes more important when competition increases and price becomes a differentiator in the market. Identifying the goal of the expense reduction exercise will assist with implementation of an effective plan. The purpose of expense reduction is to help the company towards long term survival. 10.0 REFERENCES [1] http://mydiposh.wordpress.com/tag/niosh-malaysia/ [2] http://www.niosh.com.my/en/ [3] http://www.pwc.com/gx/en/cost-reduction/index.jhtml [4] http://www.the-cost-reduction-consultant.com/CostReduction.html [5] http://www.nextlevelpurchasing.com/articles/cost-reduction-ideas.html?gclid [6] http://www.halfcostproducts.com/

Educational Philosophies Essay -- Philosophy Education Psychology Essa

Educational Philosophies Many different ideas of the correct educational philosophy exist. Highly acclaimed psychologists and educators developed these varying philosophies. Each of these philosophies have their strengths and weaknesses and have their positives and negatives in different situations. It is our job as educators to sift through this list of philosophies to find our own style and philosophy. We must research the pros and cons of each philosophy and pick and choose which sections of each idea to take out and make our own. Our job is also to familiarize ourselves with the philosophies that we do not agree with. So that we have a clear picture in our minds of what we want and do not want as part of our educational thinking and to have the knowledge to back up these opinions. After reading through different writings on each of these philosophies, I have begun to take on the task of sorting out which I choose to support and which I strongly oppose. Once having a clear idea of which philosophies appeal to me and which do not, I hope to have the groundwork laid to then analyze the philosophies and take from them what I need to develop my own personal philosophy. Sometimes to find out what you are or what you find true, you must first learn what you are not and what you do not find as truth. Therefore, in beginning my search for my own personal philosophy, I began with ruling out the philosophies that I am strongly opposed to. These philosophies are perennialism and behaviorism. Perennialism is a very conservative and inflexible philosophy of education. It is based on the view that reality comes from fundamental fixed truths-especially related to God. It believes that people find truth through reasoning and revelation and that goodness is found in rational thinking. As a result, schools exist to teach reason and God’s will. Students are taught to reason through structured lessons and drills. The teacher’s role is a fountain of knowledge, put in place to regurgitate the wisdom of the past and pass it down to the next generation. To begin with, I find this philosophy extremely outdated since church and state have been separated for quite some time now. Perenialism leaves no room for progression, which seems to be it’s objective. Students in these schools do not learn to think independently. They do not learn creativity or how... ...personal satisfaction. I most identify with this philosophy and strongly agree with the majority of its principles. As stated above, the most important lesson a teacher can teach a child is the importance of learning, the enjoyment of learning and how to learn. Above all, this is the most important lesson. I agree that students are self-motivated if the desire to know something. The job of the teacher is to make the student want to learn, not make the student learn. I agree that self-evaluation and self satisfaction should weigh above grades. Grades should be a measure more for the teacher, not the student. The humanistic philosophy can be effectively applied to literacy mainly with its ideas of choice and desire. Students will be more inclined to write to their best ability and read at a high level if they are the ones choosing the topic to write on or the book to be reading. Humanism parallels with my strongest conviction of teacher and once again I will repeat what I have repeated throughout this entire paper. The goal of literacy learning is to instill a love of reading and writing within them and to give them the tools to continue with that love.

Storm Born Chapter Twenty-Eight

About two days passed before I had enough of a grip on consciousness to get out of bed. I had dim recollections of a commotion outside Aeson's stronghold after returning to my body that night but little more. Shaya had cradled me in her arms. Dorian had yelled for a healer. But best of all, beside me I'd seen Kiyo stir. Now I woke up in one of Dorian's many guest rooms. It was smaller than his but as opulently decorated as everything else around there. I'd come to a few times before this but only now found the strength to stay up. Nia, who had hovered by my side the entire time, remained less convinced. â€Å"You shouldn't†¦you need to sleep more†¦.† I was stripping off the long chemise they'd put me in, trading up for my recently laundered clothes. â€Å"If I sleep any more, I'll be dead, and I've already come too close to that. Where's Dorian? I need to talk to him.† â€Å"I'm sure he'd come to you, your majesty.† I winced at the title. â€Å"No. Just take me to him.† Despite her protests, her sense of duty couldn't disobey the order. She led me through the maze of corridors where I earned a number of curious looks from the various occupants. Since my initial arrival, I'd become sort of a common fixture around here, accepted and ignored. Now people regarded me with the same frightened curiosity I'd first received. Outdoors, we found Dorian in one of the gardens, standing over a small, fluffy dog. Muran hovered nearby, and between them, they tried unsuccessfully to coax the dog to lie down and roll over. It merely sat looking at them, tail thumping. Dorian noticed me first, his face breaking into a wide smile. The healers had been at work on him too; no trace of the burns remained. â€Å"Queen Eugenie, lovely to see you out and about.† Muran nearly fell all over himself to bow. â€Å"Y-your majesty.† â€Å"We need to talk,† I told Dorian firmly. â€Å"Alone.† â€Å"I never tire of being alone with you. Nia, take this unreasonable beast away with you. And take the dog too.† He waved them off. Once alone with him, I demanded, â€Å"What the hell were you thinking?† â€Å"There are so many incidents to which you could be referring, I don't even know where to start.† â€Å"Yes, you do. You made me queen of Aeson's kingdom.† â€Å"Your kingdom now, my dear.† I paced around in the grass irritably. It was the middle of the day, crisp and sunny. â€Å"I didn't want it. You had no right to do it.† â€Å"It's done. Besides, if I hadn't, someone else might have snatched it up. Would you have liked to see your charming little sister on the throne?† That stopped me. Extensive searching had found no trace of Jasmine. She seemed to have gotten away cleanly during the yeshin fight. â€Å"Give it to someone else. There has to be a better choice than Jasmine or me.† â€Å"Give it away?† He laughed his wondrous melodic laugh, the one that declared all the world was a joke. â€Å"The land recognized you. You can't go back on that. It's yours forever†¦well, at least until you die. Or pass it on to an heir.† â€Å"Great. Here we go again. I might have known you'd start pushing that.† â€Å"I did no such thing, but†¦since you brought it up†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stopped pacing and glared at him. â€Å"Quit it. I don't want to talk about it. I don't even want to think about it.† Some of his humor faded. â€Å"Maybe you should. Jasmine certainly will be. If she has a son first, all your good intentions won't matter. You say you don't want it, but you know†¦it could all turn out differently if you beat her to it.† It was so alarmingly close to what Storm King had told me in the Underworld that I didn't even know what to say at first. Was this a coincidence? I felt pretty sure that all I'd seen there had been an illusion, meant to test my resolve and make me face my fears. â€Å"What's wrong?† Dorian asked, seeing my face. There was nothing sly or knowing in his expression, only worry. â€Å"Nothing. Look, forget about the prophecy for a minute. Go back to the Alder Land thing. If you were so worried about it falling into the wrong hands, why didn't you just seize it for yourself?† â€Å"Why, Eugenie, do you think me so power hungry?† â€Å"Yes. I do. I've heard and seen as much. When these kingdoms were formed, you wanted more. And you had your chance when Aeson died.† He didn't answer, and I pushed on, knowing I was right. â€Å"But that would have upset a lot of people, wouldn't it? Maiwenn and the others might have turned against you. But by making me Alder Queen†¦you got a placeholder. No one can say anything because I defeated Aeson fairly in battle, and now you have easy access to the same power. You plan to use me and this fucking title to extend your control.† â€Å"You have a very low opinion of me. No wonder you're so upset.† â€Å"Come on. Why else would you have done it?† He stared in astonishment. â€Å"Why, because I love you.† He said it as though it was the most reasonable thing in the whole world. Like I should have known this already. â€Å"You barely even know me.† â€Å"We've known each other almost as long as you've known the kitsune, and I daresay you think you're in love with him. Your little foray that night demonstrated as much. By the gods, that was one of the most foolish things I've ever witnessed. You stopped breathing. I thought you were dead.† I heard the catch in his voice, and it really struck me that he just might love me after all. It gave me a strange feeling, one I didn't know how to cope with. Dorian loving a person was almost incomprehensible. I thought of him as loving only his own amusements and ambitions. â€Å"I do love Kiyo,† I said in a low voice. â€Å"And if we can work it out†¦I'm going to – â€Å" He shrugged, carefree and lax again. â€Å"It doesn't matter. I don't mind sharing you.† â€Å"You told Aeson you don't share.† â€Å"As a general rule, no – and certainly not with the likes of him – but I don't think you'll give me exclusivity, so I must compromise.† â€Å"There isn't going to be any exclusivity or compromise.† â€Å"So you say. You also said you'd never come to my bed in the first place. Or that you'd ever use magic. You probably said a dozen other things too. We all saw how those turned out.† â€Å"Stop it. I'm serious about this.† â€Å"And so am I. You're a queen now. You control part of this world. Ally with me, and we'll be the greatest power since your father.† â€Å"I don't want the power or the Alder Land.† â€Å"It's the Thorn Land now.† â€Å"I – what?† â€Å"The land conformed itself to you. The Alder Land was Aeson's domain. Yours is the Thorn Land. You're the Thorn Queen.† â€Å"The smokethorn,† I recalled. If someone tried to force a crown of thorns on me, that was going to be seriously fucked up. â€Å"Very fitting actually. A tree covered in beauty yet possessing a sharp and deadly core.† I shook my head. â€Å"I don't care about metaphors. I don't want to rule this kingdom.† He moved into my space, something passionate kindling in those gold-green eyes. â€Å"So what? You think you can just ignore it? Pretend it'll go away? The land conformed itself to your will! You can't turn away from that. Its survival depends on you – particularly since, for reasons only the gods know, you turned it into a wasteland.† I faltered. â€Å"Well†¦I'll get one of those people†¦you know, someone who rules in your place†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"A regent? That'll only work for so long. You can't avoid the land. You have to come back and visit it, or it will die. You're connected now.† â€Å"I didn't want this, Dorian.† I felt tired. Maybe getting up hadn't been such a good idea after all. â€Å"You shouldn't have done it.† â€Å"We'll have to agree to disagree on that, but I'll do what I can to make amends. Take Shaya. She'd make an excellent regent. And I'll give you Rurik and Nia and any other servants you seem to like reasonably well.† â€Å"I don't really like Rurik.† â€Å"No, but he'll be as loyal as that dog I just had. More so, actually, considering what an unreasonable little bastard it was. Rurik will sift through what's left of Aeson's guard and keep only those who'll support you.† â€Å"You mean who support Storm King.† â€Å"It's the best I can do,† he said with a shrug. â€Å"You may take it or not. And you'll still have to fill other positions yourself. Nia will do nicely for a lady-in-waiting, but she's not quite up to being a seneschal. You'll need one of those. And a herald too.† He spoke like he was reciting things I needed to pick up at the grocery store. â€Å"Oh, God. I'm trapped in the fucking Chronicles of Narnia.† â€Å"I'm sure that would be an amusing reference, if I understood it. For now, I can do no more. I'm giving up some of my favorites for you. The rest is in your hands.† There was a smile on his face, but his eyes were serious. â€Å"No matter what you think of me and my motivations, I swear to you I wouldn't have had you seize Aeson's land if I didn't think you were worthy. There's power burning inside of you, Eugenie. I meant it when I said you'd surpass us all.† I shook my head and turned away, unable to hear this. â€Å"I'm leaving now. I really don't want to see you again. Nothing personal. Well, yeah, actually it is.† I started walking toward the door. â€Å"What about your magic lessons?† I froze. â€Å"What about them?† â€Å"Don't you want to continue them?† I slowly turned around. â€Å"I have some control now. Not great control, but enough to keep me from doing something stupid.† â€Å"And that's good enough for you?† He took a few steps toward me. â€Å"You killed one of this world's greatest magic users with a novice's control of water. Imagine when you master it – and the other elements.† â€Å"No. I'm not going to. I don't need to.† â€Å"I thought you liked the way it made you feel.† The ghostly memory of power flared up in my mind, and I swallowed, willing it to go away. I shook my head at him. â€Å"Goodbye, Dorian.† I started to turn again, but he caught my shoulder and pulled me into a kiss. He deserved to be slapped, but the kiss was exquisite, just like all his kisses. And feeling him against me reminded me of our night together, how he'd brought me to a wildness I didn't think myself capable of. â€Å"That's the last time you're going to kiss me,† I warned when it ended. He smiled knowingly, and in his eyes, I could see his own memories of that night. â€Å"So you say.† I left him and returned to my own world. Kiyo found me a few days later, as I'd know he would. I'd been out running errands and came home to see him sitting on my doorstep, in human form. He wore a white cotton shirt, tucked neatly into khakis. The black hair was brushed away from his face, and his dark eyes were as smoky and sensual as ever. He looked good – and healthy. Like Dorian, he'd enjoyed the benefits of gentry healing magic. In fact, Kiyo had received the very best: Maiwenn had tended him during his recovery. â€Å"Come on in,† I said, unlocking the door. He entered wordlessly, following and waiting as I put away my keys and purse. I offered him iced tea and then sat down with him on the couch, wanting to say so much and not knowing where to start. â€Å"You look better than the last time I saw you,† I finally said. His teeth flashed in a lovely smile. â€Å"Wouldn't take much.† I looked away. â€Å"Maiwenn did a good job.† I felt his hand reach out and turn my face toward him. Those fingers held the same warmth I remembered, the same electric tingle. â€Å"The way I hear it, it was more you than her.† â€Å"I didn't do so much.† He tsked me. â€Å"Honesty, Eugenie.† â€Å"All right, it was bad. Really bad. But I'd do it again.† â€Å"You're a crazy, wonderful woman. I can't repay what you did.† I started. â€Å"There's nothing to repay. Why on earth would you think that?† â€Å"Because I didn't deserve it. Not after the way – â€Å" â€Å"No. Forget it. I†¦I shouldn't have freaked out over it. Not over something that happened before you even met me.† What I didn't add was that I could suddenly empathize with how dangerous certain bits of information could be to a relationship. Like, say, revealing how a gentry king had initiated you into sexual bondage. â€Å"I still should have told you.† â€Å"Yeah,† I conceded, â€Å"you should have. But it's done. I can live with it.† His arm had snaked around me in that subtle way he had. â€Å"What are you saying?† â€Å"You know what I'm saying. There's too much between us†¦I'm not ready to give that up yet.† The arm pulled me closer, and there was a slight tremble in his voice when he spoke. â€Å"Oh, God, Eugenie. I've missed you so much. You're like a part of me.† â€Å"I know.† We held each other for a quiet moment, and then I heard him say in carefully measured tones, â€Å"I hear you're a queen now.† â€Å"That's what they say.† â€Å"How do you feel about that?† â€Å"Use your imagination.† â€Å"Dorian had no right to do that.† There was a growl in Kiyo's voice. â€Å"You're preaching to the choir here. I already had that argument with him. He doesn't see it as wrong. He thinks I should keep progressing in magic too.† The hand stroking my face stopped moving. He pulled away slightly so he could look me in the eyes. â€Å"That's an even worse idea. You aren't going to, are you? I mean, you got what you needed from him, right?† â€Å"Right.† He visibly relaxed, again touching my cheek with a sensual languor. â€Å"We'll get you through the queen thing. I won't let anything happen to you.† â€Å"There you go again with the macho protectiveness thing. Who brought who back from the dead?† â€Å"Fair point.† I gave voice to something I'd wondered about for a while now. â€Å"How†¦how did you know when I was at Aeson's anyway? Did you really stake out his place and wait for me?† His eyes crinkled with seductive mischief. Moving his hands to my back, he let his fingers trace the still-healing scars from where he'd scratched me. â€Å"There's no place you can go that I can't find you.† I groaned. I'd forgotten about that. â€Å"Those damned things are going to heal one of these days.† â€Å"I'll make more.† We leaned into a kiss, and like that, things were solved between us. We didn't need many words to get across how we felt. Maybe that's how it is with someone you really love, someone you're connected to. That wasn't to say we didn't have reams of communication to hash through in the future, not if we were going to attempt some sort of relationship. But for now, the kiss conveyed enough. It was an exchange of heat, an exchange of love, and it felt like coming home. â€Å"I've still got to make amends,† he told me, his lips only a fraction of an inch from mine, â€Å"no matter how magnanimous you're feeling. You know, the usual. Chocolate. Flowers.† â€Å"Whatever. I don't need the covert signs to know you want to have sex with me. There are plenty of more obvious ones.† â€Å"Like what?† â€Å"Like your hand on my breast.† â€Å"No. This is still subtle.† He pulled my body to his, melding us together. â€Å"Now, when my mouth is there, then you'll know – â€Å" â€Å"You're such a freak. Sex got us into this mess. I don't know that it's healthy to rely on it to fix everything.† â€Å"Only one way to find out.† Queenly authority or no, I didn't do a very good job of protesting. And when he pushed me down on the couch, I didn't do a very good job of protesting that we should go to the bedroom. Fortunately, Tim never came home, so I didn't shock his sensibilities again. Whatever words he'd withheld in our conversation came out as Kiyo made love to me, telling me he wanted me, would love me forever, and would do anything in the world for me. They were the sort of promises all people make when they're falling in love, but that didn't make them any less powerful. I floated on them long after he left that evening, awash in emotion and contentment and residual lust. I was getting dressed in my bedroom when a voice behind me said: â€Å"He's a mistake, you know. So is the Oak King. You're better off without either of them.† I jumped and spun around angrily on Volusian. â€Å"Don't sneak up on me like that! Christ. Were you watching me out there? What is it with you Otherworldly types and your fetishes? Exhibitionists and bondage and voyeurism. Good grief.† His red eyes regarded me levelly as I finished pulling on my shirt. â€Å"I was not joking, mistress.† â€Å"About Dorian and Kiyo? What's the matter with them? Well, Dorian's kind of obvious, but Kiyo's all right.† He shook his head. â€Å"Hardly. He is a fox, and part of him thinks like one. He regards you as his mate, and that is a dangerous thing. He and Dorian are both zealots in their way. They sit at different ends of the spectrum, perhaps, but both are fixed in their beliefs. Each will have his own agenda for you – even the kitsune, whose views you tend to agree with. They will each try to dominate you and make you think it was your idea.† For one uneasy moment, I thought about how sex had been with each man. Aggressive. Controlling. I'd had small pieces of control, but in the end, I had always been pushed to submission, a submission I welcomed. There was only the one night with Kiyo – the night I'd woken up in the afterglow of remembered power – that I had truly been the dominant one. â€Å"You would do better to find someone milder and more malleable. Someone less ambitious.† I considered his words. Maybe he was right. Maybe. â€Å"Men without ambition are boring.† â€Å"And that attitude, mistress, is why the females of your kind continue to struggle for equality. And why they continue to fail.† I sat on the bed and clasped my hands in front of me. â€Å"I didn't summon you. Was that all you came to tell me, Dr. Love?† â€Å"No. I came to tell you that you need to visit your kingdom sooner rather than later. The people are nervous and restless. You are their queen, and that means something, no matter how much you loathe it. Your people need to see a strong monarch right away.† â€Å"I was hoping to put that off.† My people, huh? â€Å"I wouldn't recommend it. Not unless you want a disaster on your hands.† â€Å"So should I appoint you as one of my advisers now?† â€Å"You may do anything you like. As for me, I tend to share Finn's view. If I cannot rip you apart yet and must be enslaved to someone, I would rather it be to someone more important than a human shaman.† I'd been teasing him, but my feelings sobered at the thought of Finn and poor Nandi. â€Å"You're the last man standing, Volusian. Who would have seen that coming?† â€Å"I did, mistress.† The incredulous look on his face resembled Dorian's when he'd told me he loved me. â€Å"There was never any question. They were inferior.† I laughed. â€Å"I never thought I'd say this, but after everything that's happened, you're the only normal thing I can rely on.† He didn't reply. â€Å"Go back to the Otherworld and stay with Shaya. Tell her I'll be there soon. Only cross over if there's a message I need to hear.† â€Å"As the Thorn Queen wishes.† â€Å"Oh, be quiet.† I spoke the banishing words and sent him on. After that, I stretched out on my bed and tried to assess my life thus far. I was still a shaman, one of the most powerful around if the stories were true. I possessed human means of working and controlling magic, using it to fight and banish anything nasty that slipped into this plane. But I was also gentry, the daughter of one of the Otherworld's biggest tyrants, and I could supposedly be the one to bring about a terrible prophecy – provided my woman-child sister didn't do it first. I was dating a guy who could turn into a fox and who might very well turn on me if I ever got pregnant. I had the love of a king who could tie damned good knots and wanted my help to take over his world and my own. Somehow I'd developed the power to call storms and blow up people. I'd been to the land of death and returned. And finally, I was a queen: the Thorn Queen, which didn't exactly sound flattering. Why couldn't I have been the Violet Queen or s omething? Why trees and not flowers? There was no accounting for Otherworldly tastes. I needed tequila and Def Leppard right away. I walked out to the kitchen, hoping to uncover one or the other but found neither. Instead, I settled for water from a large glass pitcher we kept chilled in the refrigerator. I poured a cup for myself and then set to refilling the pitcher while my mind spun. Why had everything turned so confusing lately? I didn't want any of this. I just wanted Kiyo and the occasional exorcism. Love and a way to pay the mortgage. That was it. I didn't need all this Otherworldly entanglement or the gentry and their games. They offered me nothing. I didn't want anything from any of them. Angrily, I slammed the faucet off and turned toward the refrigerator. I didn't realize how wet my fingers were until the glass pitcher slipped from my hands. Everything after that happened in the space of a heartbeat. The pitcher fell. It hit. It shattered. Without thinking, my senses reached out and seized the water, ordering it to stay where it was. There was nothing to be done for the glass – Yet, it didn't move. The shards hung frozen in midair, just like the water, suspended in the pattern created from the impact. I stared, dumbstruck, until a faint breeze brushed my skin and I realized the fragments trembled slightly. Cautiously, I reached out to that air with my mind and felt its answering resonance. Stretching further, I could sense the currents of power running from me to the space around the glass. The air shifted there as its molecules fought to keep the pieces from falling. Somehow, without even knowing how, I'd made the air obey me, just as I had the water. Only this was a lot more difficult. I gradually became aware of exactly how I affected the air molecules, and the longer I did it, the harder it was. The pieces of glass felt like bricks, their weight heavy on my senses as I kept holding them up. With a casual thought, I sent the water away to my sink. Forcing all of my attention to the glass gave me a little more strength, but I knew my control would give out soon. Still, I held on. I suddenly wanted to dominate the air, understand how it worked and what I needed to do to command it. Imagine when you master it – and the other elements. As I connected to the air, I felt that burning, glorious feeling start to run through me. It still had yet to ever come close to the levels in the dream-memory, but the surge I felt now was stronger and sweeter than anything else I'd felt from controlling water alone. Tim walked in just then, freezing midstep when he saw me. â€Å"Eugenie?† Fatigue beat at my muscles, and sweat broke out along my brow. The glass would fall any moment now, and when it did, the magical high would disappear. I fought as long as I could, but when the glass started to shake violently, I hastily ordered the air to carry the pieces to a nearby garbage can. My control was clumsy; only some of the glass made it. I thought you liked the way it made it made you feel. Gasping, I sat down in a chair, staring at the glass on the floor. Tim was staring at me. â€Å"Eug†¦what just happened?† The euphoria of power flickered briefly as I desperately tried to summon the air again. No luck. That achingly wonderful glory drained out of me, like embers fading from orange to gray. Some part of my soul screamed for it as it disappeared, begging it to come back, swearing that I would do anything at all for it to return. I closed my eyes and swallowed. â€Å"Eugenie,† Tim tried again, â€Å"what was that?† I opened my eyes and followed his gaze to the glass that still lay on the floor. It took me a moment to find my voice, and when I did, it came out soft and husky. â€Å"I don't know. But I think I want it.†

Friendship: Meaning of Life and Friends Essay

What is a friend? According to Aristotle, a friend is a single sole dwelling in two bodies. People understand the concept of friendship differently, but there is one common ground for it. It is always built on a mutual sympathy. Friendship plays an important role in our lives, to a large extent. Friends can help you find the meaning of life by helping you overcome challenges. They are people in your life that care for you and they simple add joy and meaning to your life. In some cases it is short and finds its end quickly, while in other cases it may last for many years and grow stronger every year. True friendship is built on trust and mutual support. Your real friend will always find time to talk and try to find solutions to the hard problems you face every day. They are always there to help you and expect the same from you. Friends are psychologically comfortable with each other, and sometimes are emotionally closer than with their relatives. Friends help you overcome challenges you may face at times in your life. A special thing about friendship is that friends have the ability to do different things like simply talking something through and giving advice or physically helping you Sometimes friends find more comfort in each other rather than family because they might have the idea that there family might judge them, and there friend will tell it right. In difficult times, friends make you see things from a different point of view, allowing you to take time to reflect and examine the situation. Doing this it allows you to see another perspective of the situation and find another way to overcome your challenge. Not only do friends help you through situations, but they go about this through love. Friends are people in your life that love and care about you. They will not only help you through something but they are the ones that will always be there for you in those times of need. They care about you and how you feel and that is what makes them a true friend. A friend is someone who believes in you when you have yet to believe in yourself. They help you to find the meaning of life because they let you know that there is someone out there that cares for you and that you are valuable to someone else in this world. Friends are not only there to help you, but they also add fun, happiness and joy to life. They add fun, happiness and joy as you can relate to each other and share the same values about things. Through sharing the same values you are able to laugh and joke about things that you will both find funny as you share the same ideas. They can make you forget about any problems you have by simply having some fun. Friends can be your whole life as you revolve many things around them. You know you can trust them as much as they can trust you. Friends help us to not take everything in life too seriously and have a bit of fun by simply being in each other’s company. Friendship has great value in the meaning of life. It is one of the richest treasures of life. Friends help you overcome challenges and difficult times in your life, through talking and physically helping you. They are someone who knows you well and cares about you, so that everything they do for you and through love. When the crowd dies down after a crisis, your friends are the ones who are still active. Friends will sit with you in the hospital, be with you while you grieve, be available at a moment’s notice of crisis, come out to help in the middle of the night, stand up for you, lend a hand when there is work to be done, be loyal to you, have fun with you, make you laugh when you are sad etc etc†¦ and the list goes on. The most important thing about friendship is that it adds meaning and value to our lives.