Reverberation Time and Absorption Coefficients Lab Report

Reverberation Time and Absorption Coefficients - Lab Report Example In any enclosed space the sound remains in air even after the source of sound is taken off. This 'hanging on' of the sound in a room is known as Reverberation and the time required for the sound to decay to one millionth of its initial value (or 60 dB) after the source has stopped, is termed as 'Reverberation Time'. The R/T of any room depends upon the shape and size of the room, sound frequency, and the amount of absorption offered by the boundary surfaces. This experiment aims to find out how the boundary wall formation and other parameters affect the R/T and absorption coefficients of a room and its significance in acoustic treatments. Step-4: Set the analyser to excite the room with a stationary broadband noise, which is suddenly stopped. This will provide relevant information to the analyser from which the reverberation time, in one-third octave bands can be calculated. The Octave bands could be centred at 125, 250, 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz. From the above mentioned experiment it is quite evident that reverberation and absorption are inextricably linked with each other. Reverberation figures in a room with bare walls are more than a room fitted with absorbent surfaces. During the experiment it was also observed that the volume of sound increases due to the reverberation, which at times complements the audibility of the sound, but at the same time it has been observed that quality of sound suffers adversely when there is too much of reverberation. Prolongation of sound was observed with the reverberation. In fact if we can make use of reverberation in the most efficient manner, particularly during musical or theatre performances, it results in a soothing blending of one sound with the next, thus producing a very pleasant continuity in the flow of music. It is worthwhile here to mention that if the extent of prolongation increases it results in quality deterioration. It is also worth mentioning here that during entire lab experiment all positions of the microphones, the equipment, furniture and other

Understanding Psychology Essay Example for Free

Understanding Psychology Essay I chose Karen Salmansohn and Don Zindell’s How to be Happy, Dammit (2001) primarily because of the title’s first impression upon me—it did not appear to be a conventional self help book that took itself seriously. A lot of people seem to resent the idea of reading self-help books and this book seem to be geared exactly towards those types, and I was intrigued as to what this book has to offer. The graphics also looked appealing as well as the book’s unusual dimensions. Of course, I also considered that I should get something for myself when reading a book to review, the title suggests that the author is somewhat more intelligent (or at least uses a more intelligent approach) than the run-of-the-mill self-help author. The book’s thesis is that a person (the cynic) can become happy by deciding to become happy. The book asserts that a person must maintain a rational mind and must make active decisions (and not just passively wait for life’s pseudo random events) to directly affect his state of mind. She supports this by bringing on forty-something life lessons that, viewed with the proper perspective, actually makes sense. The author tries to avoid the usual, drawn-out cliches by referencing various areas. It is peppered with witty remarks and draws inspiration from a number of different fields such as psychology, pharmaceuticals, biology, math, mountain climbing, even Bazooka Joe’s wisdom: â€Å"Never compromise your dreams†. It really isn’t that she’s saying something new, but she has a refreshing approach to some old ideas. The writer affects a whimsical, familiar tone that makes for very easy reading. It was an easy read, taking me just about an hour to finish, and would perhaps qualify as a coffee-table book, but is something really thought-provoking. She has a decent sense of humor and doesn’t seem to take herself seriously, but at the same time sounds sincere. She creates spoofs of famous and familiar lines to drive her points across, like stressing that one should have â€Å"Great Non-Expectations†, or that one should possess â€Å"the power in: I Think Therefore I Have†. The Psychological theory may be that emotions can be directly affected by the conscious decisions that a person makes. Akin to the idea that just as being happy makes a person smile, smiling can also make an unhappy person a bit happier. By being a rational being, as in Carl Jung’s conjecture one who controls his actions by thinking (Morris 340), one would, as the author puts it, attain the â€Å"secret to happiness. † Another life lesson in the book that illustrates this is the assertion that one could always choose how he projects his feelings toward life, that we always have a choice. Life is a series of random events, but we can control what direction we’re going (or at least we can control our feelings, no matter what the circumstances. ) The books intended audience is the unhappy disillusioned crowd, those who abhor and cringe at the thought of reading self-help books. The book has, on some level, given me ideas, or at least made a concrete illustration of ideas that have always been afloat in my mind in some vague form. Luck is, ironically, something you can create, and that life must be lived now. I would recommend this book to someone who is jaded or seems to have lost hope being happy. It won’t take long to read, and whoever’s reading it could sure appreciate the humor. It may or may not prove to be the key to ultimate happiness but it would at least make a fun and interesting read. Works Cited Morris, Charles G. and Albert A. Maisto. Understanding Psychology. Upper Sadle: Prentice Hall, 2001. Salmansohn, Karen and Don Zindell. How to Be Happy, Dammit: A Cynics Guide to Spiritual Happiness. Berkeley: Celestial Arts, 2001.

Social Factors Affecting HRM

Social Factors Affecting HRM HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT Social Factors Influencing Human Resource Management and Planning The human resource management is heavily affected by the internal and external influences on an organisation. To figure out as to what extent the external factors affect the human resources, one of the prominent external features out of these are social factors. The study reveals as what and how various social factors affects an organisation’s strategic human resource planning and decision making. The study on various articles include social factors such as: worker unions at workplace, minorities, social status, uniform or dressing, social mobility and quality of life affects human resource practices. Health and safety, job security, the privacy of employees, the roles of different sex, rights of gay or lesbian etc. affect the different aspects of HRM. Human resource planning and management helps in assuring employee rights, providing equal benefits for gay or lesbian employees, rewards and recognition policy for staff. Creating healthy working environment for all, abuse or ra cism free working culture, managing different sex at workplace. (Stone, 2010). The study also focuses on how the changing values and attitude of the staff poses new challenges for the human resource. These external influences must be efficiently identified by the HR managers and then adequate planning and management must be done in accordance with these factors to provide a safe, sound, secure and healthy environment for the employees. The motivation behind this examination is to focus the scope of working environment considers that impact worker view of their workplace as what is casually alluded to as a fun work environment. Social holding is subsidiary of positive social practices that are characterized by methodology instead of withdrawal or evasion sort practices. (Curtis Upchurch, 2008). The social aspects of work environment leads to employee turnover such as hotel size, rating etc. and it also leads to the productivity of employee turnover (Brien, Hussein, Thomas, 2013). The article suggests that retention is important for job satisfaction. Work fulfilment turned into a noteworthy develop that encourages strength predominantly by diminishing turnover. Also, fulfilled workers attempt endeavour to end up capable at what they do, build their loyalty to the association and serve clients in a more productive way. (Israeli Barkan, 2003). â€Å"Employee’s behaviour assessment, which is based on indust rial settings, should be reconfigured in order to suit the tourism and hospitality sector as well as imply the indicators of the customer–employee relation within the assessment†, as said by Saad (2013, p. 341). The study highlights the importance of HR and trade unions to enhance the productivity, protection and the employee welfare, preserving jobs (Daemone, 2014).It also tells how trade unions working with human resources helps in providing excellent working environment, practising labour laws and preserve rights of employee (Boardman Barbato, 2008). This study tells the factors that influence the labour turnover in an organisation and also attempts to review as how employee turnover, employment factors, and employee satisfaction are linked. It provides the framework that explains the relationship between job satisfaction and the employee satisfaction in terms of service quality and customer loyalty (AlBattat, Mat Son, Helalat, 2014).Management strategies that enhances different individuals with the internal control locus might increase on one’s job satisfaction since strengthening is harmonious with the workers interior locus convictions that they have control over their own behaviour. It also emphasis on the relationship between employee job locus and their job satisfaction (Salazar, Hubbard, Salazar, 2002). The research (AlHrout Mohamed, 2014) analysed the behaviour i.e. employee- employer relationship, of the employees in a hospitality industry in general and the front-line staff’s behaviour is linked to hotel’s business and can improve the quality of the services rendered by them. The social external factors (Ongori, Iravo, Munene, 2013) not only provide ultimate employee satisfaction but also provides various opportunities in career that has important effect on employee morale and motivation, also these factors that generally affect an employee motivation are family relations and job commitment, that are witnessed prominently in city and coastal hotels whereas reward factor is more effective in city hotels, it isn’t that effective in the coastal hotels (Kingir Mesci, 2010). According to Cheung, Baum and Wong (2010), the comprehension of strengthening by hotel administrators in China identifies with the degree to which the responsible directors or the managers have individual trust for the employees. This study also tells about the commitment of the staff to devolve responsibilities of HR across all the employees and offers significant ramifications for worldwide hotel organizations wanting to situate in a desired location and looking to apply the established strengthening and empowerment approaches inside the hotels of that location (Fleming, 2000).The study yields results that HRM practices arbitrate the uniting of business strategy and employee outcomes. Also the collective effects of business strategies and human resource practices on the workers in MNCs are not much different from the ones that are carried out in hotel organizations (The impact of strategic human resource management on employee outcomes in private and public limited comapanies in Ma laysia, 2013). The study in New Zealand shows at least 22% people work 50 hours a week and this is a great example to signify the workplace as an appropriate environment to promote the health and wellbeing of working class. The work environment acts crucially in the advertisement of health and supporting health conditions with joy of work. Also the workplace programmes, management support helps in establishing their employees feel that their employer is committed to their health and wellbeing (A guide to promoting health and wellness in the workplace, 2012).The understanding of the employee attitudes and their effect on the business results are furthermore complicated in yesteryears by the new era of service workers. The initial analysis of data from the researcher’s study of generation’s differences in employee attitudes yields that there are still major differences in all, but only one key work-related behaviour (Health and safety for hospitality small business, 2002). The same has been agreed by Solnet and Kralj (2011). The article records out issues which influence the adequacy and proficiency of a human resource planning and administration in an association. Among the ranges in this talk are, planning; progression learning; maturing workforce; devotion; expanding number of female employers; uncertain sets of expectations and determinations; debilitated specialists, proactive employers; slow learners; and aptitude inadequacies of the workforce (Gopalakrishnan, 2012).The need of understanding the human resources is to make it effective in workplace, to share the values amongst the staff. The HRM is used as a term that helps in enclosing various human resource practices such as recruiting, training, directing human resource policies and embracing the HR philosophies amongst the workforce (Jackson Schuler, 1995). Social security, that deals with the health and safety of the employees. The management decision effects the employees and it is the responsibility under HR practices of providing a safe a secure environment, as talked about the Iranian hotels in the article (Tabibi, Khah, Nariripour, Vahdat, Hessam, 2011).The rights of the employee are important and sensitive in a workplace. The article talks about the key points of record keeping of employees and the use of biometrics. As how the employee record and information are kept secret and how biometric has become a significant tool in roster planning and payroll (Babu, 2007).The article emphasis on the employee attitudes in attaining ultimate job satisfaction. It basically talks about the causes of employee behaviour, the outcomes of positive or the negative job satisfaction, and how to record and effect employee attitudes. Also it is talked about as how to close these gaps in employee demand and job satisfaction (Saari Judge, 2004).The article states that how HR practices may lead to firm growth rate. The practices that may lead to the firm growth rate are a job security, management’s selective hiring, a self-driven teams, remuneration policy, the rigorous training with the staff and the flow of information sharing (Vlachos, 2009). Various studies refers to an imbalanced distribution of the income between male and female employees in the hotels and hospitality industry, with the earnings of females are less than the males. In various developing countries, women are less empowered in comparison to males, due to the visible and invisible challenges. These factors often reflect in hiring, recruitment, promotions etc. (K, Musa, Ibrahim, 2010). As quickly talked about above with the backing of distinctive scholarly and expert diary articles the paper finishes up by depicting how all the outside social compelling components influence the hotel’s key human asset administration arranging. The paper covers the variables, for example, work fulfilment which is specifically proportionate to the view of individual workers with respect to their occupations which straightforwardly impacts the lodgings worker turnover. It is comprehended that to hold a representative and to keep them fulfilled by their occupation and workplace, the worker should be spurred through distinctive means. The articles studied connects certain elements, the preparation and advancement of individual staff individuals in their territories of interest. Their general wellbeing, security and employer stability with the inspiration of staff and their maintenance to the employment and the hotel organizations. The human resources li kewise differentiates strategies, for example, rewards or recognitions that may be in monetary terms related or others as said above helps boosting the morale and in the ultimate staff satisfaction. The administration and representative’s helps in supervising and the execution of work laws and to reach an agreement between the management and trade unions that provides an excellent workplace. This also helps in providing equal opportunities are given to all genders, prominently gay and lesbians. Works Cited A guide to promoting health and wellness in the workplace. (2012, December). 1-5. AlBattat, A. R., Mat Son, A. P., Helalat, A. S. (2014, Febuary). Higher dissatisfaction higer turnover in the hospitality industry. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 4(2), 45-50. Retrieved June 14, 2015, from http://hrmars.com/hrmars_papers/Higher_Dissatisfaction_Higher_Turnover_in_the_Hospitality_Industry.pdf AlHrout, S. A., Mohamed, B. (2014). Human resource management practice tourism and hotel industry. SHS Web of Conferences, 12, 2-11. Retrieved June 19, 2015, from http://journal-archieves31.webs.com/897-928.pdf Babu, T. (2007). Privacy rights of employer. Accomodation association of Australia, 23-26. Retrieved June 18, 2015 Boardman, J., Barbato, C. (2008). Review of socially responsible HR and labour relations practice in internationsl hotel chains. International Labour Organization, 9-14. Retrieved June 19, 2015, from http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/ed_dialogue/sector/documents/publication/wcms_162286.pdf Brien, A., Thomas, N., Hussein, A. (2013). The low level of organizational social capital in hotel A New Zealand case study. Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality and Tourism, 12, 400-413. Retrieved June 15, 2015, from http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/[emailprotected]5vid=2hid=4114 Cheung, C., Baum, T., Wong, A. (2010). Factors affecting employee empowerment practics in China hotels. Journal of Business Research, 7(3), 1-11. Retrieved June 20, 2015, from http://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/26542/36/strathprints026542.pdf Curtis, C. R., Upchurch, R. S. (2008). A case study in establishing a positive culture: Attachment and invlovement in the workplace. Journal of Retail and Leisure Property, 7, 131-138. Retrieved June 15, 2015, from http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/[emailprotected]5vid=1hid=4114 Daemone, M. M. (2014). Human resources management (HRM) and trade unions compatibility: Soft-Hard model digestion for human capacity building and sustainable productivity at workplace. Journal of Emerging Trends in Economics and Management Sciences, 5(7), 121-130. Retrieved June 19, 2015, from http://jetems.scholarlinkresearch.com/articles/HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT.pdf Fleming, S. (2000). From personnel management to HRM: Key issues and challenges. Journal of CPMR, 11, 8-13. Retrieved June 19, 2015, from .http://www.ipa.ie/pdf/cpmr/CPMR_DP_16_Personnel_Management_to_HR_ KeyIssues_Challenges.pdf Gopalakrishnan, G. (2012). Issues that influences the effectiveness and efficiency of a human resource management in an organisation. Internal Journal of Economics Management Sciences , 1(6), 65-70. Retrieved June 20, 2015, from http://omicsonline.com/open-access/issues-that-influences-the-effectiveness-and-efficiency-of-a-human-resource-management-in-an-organisation-2162-6359-1-056.pdf?aid=17177 Health and safety for hospitality small business. (2002). Workers Compensation Board of British Colunbia, 6, 8-28. Retrieved June 11, 2015, from http://www.healthandsafetycentre.org/resources/hospitality/hosp_smbiz.pdf Israeli, A. A., Barkan, R. (2003). The impact of hotel social events on employee satisfaction: A case study. Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality and Tourism, 2(2), 24-39. Retrieved June 16, 2015, from http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/[emailprotected]5vid=2hid=4114 Jackson, S. E., Schuler, R. S. (1995). Understanding human resources management in the context of organizations and their environments. 46, 251-254. Retrieved June 13, 2015, from http://www3.ul.ie/ulearning/html files/global hrm/pdfs/Understanding HR Management in the Context of Organizations.pdf K, M. M., Musa, P., Ibrahim, B. (2010, Febuary). Gender bias in managing human resources in the Turkish hospitality industry: Is bias impacted by demographic context? ASBBS, 17(1), 479-483. Retrieved June 19, 2015, from http://asbbs.org/files/2010/ASBBS2010v1/PDF/B/Birkan.pdf Kingir, S., Mesci, M. (2010). Factors that affect hotel employees motivation the case of Bodrum. Serbian Journal of Management, 5(1), 59-67. Retrieved June 19, 2015, from http://www.sjm06.com/SJM ISSN1452-4864/5_1_2010_May_1-188/5_1_59-76.pdf Ongori, J. L., Iravo, M., Munene, C. E. (2013). Factors afecting performance of hotels and restaurants in Kenya: A case KISII Country. Interdiciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business , 4(12), 897-907. Retrieved June 18, 2015, from http://journal-archieves31.webs.com/897-928.pdf Saad, S. K. (2013). Contemporary challenges of human resources planning in tourism and hospitality organizations: A conceptual model. Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality and Tourism(12), 333-354. Retrieved June 16, 2015, from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/[emailprotected]vid=3hid=101 Saari, L. M., Judge, T. A. (2004). Employee attitudes and job satisafaction. Human Resource Management, Winter, 43(4), 395-407. Retrieved from http://www.utm.edu/staff/mikem/documents/jobsatisfaction.pdf Salazar, J., Hubbard, S., Salazar, L. (2002). Locus of control and its influence on hotel managers job satisfaction. Journal of Huma Resources in Hospitality and Tourism, 1(2), 15-26. Retrieved June 17, 2015, from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/[emailprotected]vid=1hid=101 Solnet, D., Kralj, A. (2011). Generational differeneces in work attitudes: Evidence from the hospitality industry. Journal of FIU Review, 29(2), 37-42. Retrieved June 20, 2015, from http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/[emailprotected]4vid=1hid=4207 Stone, R. J. (2010). Managing Human Resources. Milton, Queensland, Australia: John Wiley and Sons. Tabibi, J. S., Khah, S. V., Nariripour, A. A., Vahdat, S., Hessam, S. (2011). Factors affecting human resource development in the Iranian social security organizations hospitals. World Applied Sciences Journal, 15(2), 164-173. Retrieved June 19, 2015, from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.390.1758rep=rep1type=pdf The impact of strategic human resource management on employee outcomes in private and public limited comapanies in Malaysia. (2013, September). ISS MLB, 175-193. Retrieved June 17, 2015, from http://ibac-conference.org/ISS MLB 2013/Papers/MLB 2013/3028..doc.pdf Vlachos, I. P. (2009). The effects of human resource practics on firm growth. International Journal of Business Science and Applied Management, 4(2), 18-30. Retrieved June 11, 2015, from http://www.business-and-management.org/library/2009/4_217-34-Vlachos.pdf

Conflict Resolution Theories and Strategies

Conflict Resolution Theories and Strategies Conflict Resolution Conflict According to oxford dictionary the word conflict is defined as 1 A serious disagreement or argument. 2 A prolonged armed struggle. 3 An incompatibility between opinions, principles, etc conflict can be described as a disagreement between the parties, it arises due to lack of consensus between the parties. Conflict can arise due to various facts which can hinder the development in any sort of activity, generally it is caused due to: * Rigidity of rules and regulations * Inflexibility of the parties * Lack of cooperation and understanding between the conflicting parties * Due to the varied behaviour A conflict is a normal situation to happen as it is the human nature which is so varied and dynamic that persons with same perception about one thing may end up in a conflict over the other and Participants in conflicts tend to respond on the basis of their perceptions of the situation. People generally base their perceptions over their values, culture, beliefs, information, experience, gender, and other variables. Conflict responses are both filled with ideas and feelings that can be very strong and powerful guides to our sense of possible solutions. Conflicts, to a large extent, are predictable and expectable situations that naturally arise as we go on managing the complex projects in which we have significantly invested. As such, if we are able to develop procedures for identifying conflicts which are likely to arise, as well as systems through which we can constructively manage those conflicts, we may be able to find out new opportunities that can transform our conflict into a pr oductive result. Stephens P Robbins in his book Organizational Behaviour defines conflict as â€Å"Conflict is a process in which an effort is purposefully made by one person or unit to block another that results in frustrating the attainment of others goals or the furthering of his or her interests† Industrial conflict Industrial conflict refers to all the expressions of dissatisfaction which arise in an employment. There are many different kinds of industrial conflict, which can be divided into two broad classes 1 Formal. 2 Informal Formal industrial conflict is an organized way of conflict through a Trade union. It is characterised by organized strikes, which is referred to withdrawal of labour so as to constitute a temporary breach of contract, using the collective strength of the workforce to avoid sanctions and achieve personal objective of increase in pay or improved working conditions. Strikes may be reinforced by other types of formal tactics such as go-slow tactics and work to rule. Informal industrial conflict is not systematic or organized, it results directly from grievances, which arise at various situations. An informal industrial conflict includes protesting through absenteeism, frequent job-changing, negligence, and even accidents at work. An informal industrial conflict has rather more severe effects on the organization than a formal industrial conflict Industrial sociologists have also regarded spontaneous walk-outs and strikes as examples of informal industrial conflict. The idea of informal industrial conflict thus draws attention to the roots of behaviour which may appear strange from the point of view of management. A conflict can arise in a company as humans of varied perception are working under a single group, but a manager should be able to anticipate conflicts as he is given a responsibility to handle the conflict, thus it is the duty of managers not only to provide solutions to industrial problems but also to predict the future conflicts by anticipating them in advance and coming up with a solution well in time so that the productivity of the firm is not affected due to the conflict Functional and dysfunctional aspects of conflicts Most experts today view conflicts as a useful aspect of an organization. It is claimed that the conflict helps in preventing the stagnation and provide new ideas and solutions to various issues, it also stimulates interest and curiosity. But a conflict is helpful to a level where it is minimum and can be resolved easily, therefore it is necessary to keep a proper control of conflict by keeping it at a minimum level, as it helps an organization in the following ways: 1 It acts as a stimulant for change in the systems which are not conductive to the organization. The existence of conflict means that there is some thing wrong with the systems, therefore it helps us in improving the systems well before in time as it can lead the organization to losses. 2 Conflict sometimes may lead to innovation and creativity as in a conflicting environment people tend to put forward imaginative suggessions to solve the problems. In such a challenging situation people usually think before they put forward their ideas to resolve issues. 3 Conflict can be used as a source of reducing the tension and frustration as people express their frustrations by means of conflict. It helps people to bring them back to their normal situation which can be beneficial for the firm. While the positives of a conflict are few and limited, its negatives are abundant and may be severe for an organization. Conflict to an extent of healthy competition may be beneficial but when it exceeds that level it becomes destructive. Organizational conflicts have led to the closure of many organizations or has turned their profits into losses. Conflict may cause disequilibrium in an organization, it may lead to diversion of resources from constructive to the destructive activities also it is one of the major cause of stress and tension in an organization which leads to the decrease of overall productivity. These destructive causes by conflict are also known as dysfunctional aspects of conflict. But it is believed by certain scholars that Conflict itself does not create a problem, although it is the mismanagement of a conflict that can lead to a problem. Thus the negatives of conflict overweigh its positives and an organization should try to remove the conflict from its very basic roots so as to sustain in the long run therefore the companies adopt various methods to resolve conflicts, but as a manager you should always give priority to that method which assures that the same conflict is not going to arise in the organisation. The process of removing organizational conflict is known as conflict resolution. Conflict Resolution Conflict resolution is the process of reaching an agreement between the parties which are having a conflict or it is a process of reaching a consensus and improve the cooperation between the conflicting parties, conflict resolution is a way to overcome the problems of conflict. Conflict resolution includes strategies that help in handling the disputes between the conflicting parties. A given conflict should be viewed from the point of view of the issues that had led to its creation in order to resolve it and ensure that the conflict does not arise on the same grounds again. Thus conflict resolution refers to strategies of disposing off or settling disputes which may otherwise lead to violence or damage the relationship between various people, so it is always better to diffuse and resolve conflict before it damages the relations. Negotiation as a Method of conflict resolution. Methods of conflict resolution were originally developed for purposes of business management gradually these were used in the fields of international relations, legal settings etc. According to the principles of conflict resolution, the only true solution to a conflict is one that attempts to satisfy the inherent needs of all the parties involved. Thus an organisation should adopt such a method for conflict resolution that comes up with a solution for all the parties, it should come up with a resolution that satisfies the needs of all of them, because only those methods of resolving conflicts irradiates it and leaves less scope for the rise of conflict on the same issue. Thus to resolve organizational conflicts negotiation is the best way in which it can be resolved, as it is through negotiations that the objective of both the parties are considered and a point of consensus is reached through mutual negotiation by the parties. Negotiation Negotiation is one of the most useful approach used to make decisions to resolve organizational disputes. Negotiation is the most diverse approach to conflict resolution. Most conflict resolution programs employ some form of negotiation as the primary method of communication between parties. Hence it is also the major building block for many other alternative conflict resolution procedures, as it guides the organization to resolve disputes in one way or the other. Negotiation in an organization occurs between, managers and staff, employers and employees, professionals and clients, within and between organizations and between agencies and the public. Negotiation is a problem-solving technique in which two or more people who are in conflict with each other discuss their differences and issues so as to reach a joint decision on their common concerns. Negotiation requires participants to identify issues about which they differ, educate each other about their needs and interests, generate possible settlement options and bargain over the terms of the final agreement. In todays competitive environment negotiation is such a common problem-solving procedure that it is in everyones interest to be familiar with negotiating skills. Conflict resolution through negotiation is that it helps in * Reduction of the obstacles to communication * Maximized exploration of the alternatives to resolving the conflict * Satisfaction of everyones needs * Developing negotiating channel to stop future conflicts * Establishment of a model for future conflict resolution Review of literature Abstract 1 Conflict Resolution: The author of this article has elaborated that there are certain persons who hate conflicts based on their personality, the author believes that for everything there is a right time or in other words, timing is critical, in todays competitive world you should not just do the right thing but do the same at the right time. Before getting into conflict you should be able to answer three basic questions. Is the other party doing something that is getting in the way of your happiness or success, is the issue of such importance that the conflict should be raised, is the conflict with that person going to resolve the issue.. when all of the above queries give a positive answer you should then decide to go for action but it is advisable to first analyse the whole situation and then make a decision Abstract 2 Workplace conflict resolution This article provides that the prime cause of the work place conflict is due to the organization leaders who are responsible for creating an environment of disagreements and differences of opinion. In order to prevent the organisation from loss the managers should try to resolve through their intervention. This articles provides us with dos and donts in Conflict Resolution which can help in resolving a conflict in a better way. Resolving a conflict is challenging, however as a manager or supervisor, the role of mediator comes with your job. Your willingness to appropriately intervene sets the stage for resolution of conflict. And you should always remember to resolve the conflict in a manner that it is fully resolved. Abstract 3 Creating a Respectful Workplace: Workplace Conflict Resolution Strategies This article provides that people should feel good at the place where they go to work everyday, and different opinions regarding work may arise which may lead to conflict, and a respectable work place emphasise on implementation of workplace conflict resolution strategies . companies establish policies with an intention of preventing workplace conflict but its not a complete solution for the prevention of conflicts. However it is through continues interaction between people working in the organization with managers which can create a good work environment with an emphasis on the organisational culture. By developing such a healthy work environment you may be able to know the situation well in advance and devise strategies to prevent the conflict with a proactive approach. Abstract 4 Organizational Conflict The Good, The Bad The Ugly An organization in general does not consider a conflict as a way of getting the information from subordinates so that they may take corrective action before the worst. Organizations consider conflicts as unpleasant and time-consuming. Though organizational conflicts need not be destructive provided conflict is properly managed and directed towards resolving the issue. However the management of conflict requires that the persons in conflict are able to understand the purpose and root cause of conflict. A conflict can be constructive if it is properly managed, it can lead towards the organizational and individual growth. But when there is a mismanagement of a conflict it becomes destructive for the firm as well as its employees, usually the mismanagement of conflict arises when a conflict is avoided. Abstract 5 Is Conflict Prevention the Same As Conflict Avoidance A conflict can be resolved through logical approach or the emotional approach . the basic difference between avoiding and preventing the conflict is that preventing refers to use of precautions in order to keep a person away from conflict whereas avoidance means not to take care of the consequences and letting the conflict to grow rather than acting in the manner to prevent the conflict. A conflict can be destructive or constructive in its nature, a conflict is made destructive by not properly addressing the problems associated with it or by avoiding the conflict, however if it is managed properly or duly taken care of or prevented at the right time, it can prove to be constructive for an organization. Conflict prevention is not however binding a person to listen to the other party even if we disagree, a person should rather clarify almost every issue in which there is a disagreement which otherwise may act as a base of some other conflict. we should always approach the conflict with a positive approach, that a conflict has come into existence due to its importance and try to prevent the conflict in the future a conflict should not be however avoided so as to bring out positive results. Abstract 6 Resolving conflict rationally and effectively Effective conflict resolution skills of a manager can make the difference between its outcomes which may be positive or negative, on the other hand, if conflict is not handled efficiently, the results can be destructive. Thus a conflict should be resolved rationally and effectively as when a conflict gets mismanaged its effect is devastating for the firm on the whole. Thomas and Kilmann provided us with five styles of dealing with conflict which are. The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict styles (TKI) help us to identify, various style towards which people tend to move as the conflict arises: * Competitive style is used for the situation to prevent the exploitation by the other party * Collaborative style is used when the people cooperate effectively to satisfy almost all people involved * Compromising style where a solution that will at least partially satisfy everyone * Accommodating style where one party sacrifice to meet the needs of others. * Avoiding the conflict These styles may be used in resolving the conflicts, conflict management styles tend to come out with a solution to various conflicts, however different styles are different in their approach of resolving conflicts and may suit different situations. Abstract 7 Type related conflicts Conflict at work occurs due to a number of reasons, this article has explained the type of conflicts, through describing conflicts between Extraversion-Introversion, and Sensing-Intuition. People who prefer Extraversion work at a rapid pace. They develop their ideas by talking to individuals, resulting in frequent changes of direction during the course of a discussion. People who prefer Introversion want to process internally and do not share with others the course of action planned by them informally hence they rely on their own judgement only. This results in Extraverts seeing Introverts as people who are not interested in work, while Introverts see Extraverts as the people who lose out all the secrets of an organization. this may lead to the conflicts between Extraverts and Introverts Similarly people consider Sensing and Intuition to base their decisions, people who prefer Sensing comes with a solution whose implementation may not be accepted by the person who bases their decisions on Intuition. Thus this may be the base for the conflict between the parties. Abstract 8 How to Resolve Conflict Conflict at work occurs due to a number of reasons, this article has explained the type of conflicts, through describing conflicts which arise at the workplace due to the varying behaviour and varying solution to problems based on their Thinking-Feeling and Judging-Perceiving the decisions of the people who work in the organization may vary due to their varied decisions to the problems based on their Thinking-Feeling and Judging-Perceiving which creates conflicting situations between the parties as People who prefer thinking may not accept the solutions to the problem which is based on thinking and people who base their decisions on judging may not accept perceived solutions which may lead to conflict at the workplace Abstract 9 Ethical Conflict Resolution / Anger Management Tips This article is based on the management of anger while resolving conflicts. The author bases conflict is natural according to the varied human behaviour but we can resolve the same by knowing about human nature, and if we consider the human nature there may be the better the outcome for parties in conflict. The author has given tips to resolve conflicts which include: Be proactive instead of being reactive to the situation. Control your anger Do not tell people directly that they are wrong Look for mutual solution Admit that if there were any wrong decions made by your side Before telling people they are wrong admit your mistakes on the same Abstract 10 Basic Negotiating Tips This article provides us with some basic negotiation principles, skills, hints and tips in order to have a negotiation between conflicting parties. Negotiation should be a two way process, it should not come up with the benifet of one party at the cost of the other. Through negotiation we should be able to understand the needs of the other party. When we talk about negotiation we should never blame the other person for the cause of conflict rather we should be able to come up with a solution by mutual cooperation. If the negotiating parties blame each other in negotiating, they can create the worst situation. The author has also provided with some negotiation tips which may be helpful to negotiate the conflict. * Respect the Perspective of the other party. * Determine your Needs clearly without creating confusion. * Come up with Options Beforehand in order to resolve conflict. * Dont Argue with the other party * Consider Timing of negotiation as regarding the situation of the conflict Abstract 11 Understanding and Managing Conflict It has been said that the Chinese symbol for conflict is a combination of the symbols for opportunity and danger. This suggests that, at least in the Chinese culture, conflict includes the opportunity for resolution, and carries significant consequences if it is not resolved. Conflict generally falls into one of three levels. Level 1. Cant We Just Get Along Level 2: I Intend to Win. Level 3: I Will Make You Hurt. Identifying the right third-party intervener, whether an attorney, a mediator or an arbitrator, is the most critical part in predicting the success of a conflict resolution process. understanding the basics of conflict resolution, and by implementing the strategies appropriate to the situation, a person in conflict can find ways to successfully resolve the conflict and take the danger out of the Chinese character, leaving an opportunity for growth and learning. Abstract 12 Conflict Resolution Conflict can be viewed as a difference in perspectives: what you see, think, feel, and believe may be different from what I see, think, feel, and believe. While conflict can be a positive influence, it is not necessarily something that people want to face every day. As the saying goes, too much of a good thing is ? well, too much!. Conflict should therefore be resolved keeping in view win-win strategy which involves collaboration and negotiation. It is based on interests rather than positions One way that people grow is through overcoming challenges and developing good problem-solving skills. And if work environments support new ideas and encourage constructive criticism in an open, blame-free setting, problem-solving skills are encouraged and nurtured. As leaders and professionals, we can facilitate and support a win-win problem-solving workplace Abstract 13 Conflict resolution Conflict from the Latin root to strike together can be defined as any situation where incompatible activities, feelings, or intentions occur together. Conflict may take place within one person, between two or more people who know each other, or between large groups of people who do not know each other. the conflict may remain unexpressed, as in avoidance and denial A given conflict may be defined in terms of the issues that caused it, the strategies used to address it, or the outcomes or consequences that follow from it. conflict resolution refers specifically to strategies of diffusion developed during the second half of the twentieth century as alternatives to traditional litigation models of settling disputes. Based on the idea that it is better to expose and resolve conflict before it damages peoples relationships or escalates into violence, methods of conflict resolution were developed in business management and gradually adopted in the fields of international relations, legal settings, and, during the 1980s, educational settings. Abstract 14 Conflict Resolution Conflict resolution is an umbrella terms that covers may different methods that can be used to resolve the conflict. While everything a person does toward ending the conflict, no matter how unfortunate, is technically a form of conflict resolution, conflict resolution is also commonly called ADR which stands for Alternative Dispute Resolution. Common Types of Conflict Resolution are: Negotiation Mediation Arbitration Abstract 15 Conflict Negotiation Strategies Negotiations are the key to reaching agreement in a conflict situation. Without the proper training, it can be very difficult to reach a satisfactory agreement with your counterpart in a tense negotiation setting. Conflict arises because you and the other party in a business deal have differing opinions about what solution is the best outcome for a particular situation. It might be the wording of a contract, or the terms of a sale. One of the most important skills a negotiator will learn in training is formulating a clear objective of what to expect from the process of negotiating. You can also achieve a successful conflict negotiation by first beginning to reach an agreement on some small issues. Once you have some agreement, begin to build on this. By doing so, it may help you to achieve the ultimate resolution that you desire. Abstract 16 Two Common Mistakes in Negotiation Many people make two mistakes regarding their thinking about negotiation. One is the belief that negotiation is a formal event, such as a meeting at a conference table. This blinds them to the fact that they are negotiating all the time. Another is that they associate negotiations with money. The truth is, most negotiations dont concern money. Negotiations are about relationships decisions. At a personal level, at work, or between countries, specifics may vary, but negotiation is about improving the quality of life. Negotiations may be connected with a person: Personally Professionally For the Company Globally within between countries most actions are the result of negotiations, the negotiations of our leaders determine the world our children grandchildren will inherit. Abstract 17 Conflict and Negotiation The gradual shift over the last years form a focus on resolution to a focus on settlement has had an important implication for the conflict field. It has increased the importance of understanding negotiation. One of the ways for effective conflict settlement is enlightened self interest (Robin J.Z. 1989) which is a behaviour that allows moving towards your objectives in negotiation, and at the same time make it possible for other party to approach his/her goal. It is tempting for parties to a conflict to begin by experimenting with a set of adversarial, confrontational in the hope that these will work. People usually make a mistake by thinking why not give hard bargaining a try a first Negotiation is one of the tools that help settling a conflict; I would even say that also one with the most creative opportunities. Negotiators have well-recognized interests in the outcome, either in getting a settlement It is always better to try negotiating the conflict first than give it away and let an arbitrator decide about a solution. Abstract 18 Negotiation Conflict Styles Conflict situations occur when the needs of two or more negotiators appear to be incompatible or opposite. There are five models of resolving conflicts, All five profiles of dealing with conflict are useful in different situations. Although were capable of using all five, most of us tend to have one or two preferred negotiation conflict styles that we use unconsciously in most conflict situations. Compete (I win You lose) Accommodate (I Lose You Win) Avoid (I Lose You Lose) Compromise (I Lose / Win Some You Lose / Win Some) Collaborate (I Win You Win) Abstract 19 Summary Conflict Negotiation: Psychological Dynamics Conflict in negotiation may have a psychological basis that doesnt fully show itself at the negotiation table. There are many reasons why people respond defensively, or with some measure of hostility. We have to engage in communication to better understand the underlying reason behind this behaviour. A cooperative atmosphere can only be engendered when both parties think cooperatively, and believe that the other party will abide by any agreement they reach. It always takes one party to act first by being collaborative. Negotiators must always strive to fully understand the real interests that lay behind the position. Abstract 20 What Is Win-Win Negotiation? We need to appreciate that not just any agreement leads to a win-win scenario or outcome in our negotiations. In reality, very few negotiations reach this inspirational and theoretical ideal. Time constraints all too often straight-jacket how long and far we can explore. Attitudes, positions and skills set invisible boundaries that constrain what we see as possible. Win-win deals are more likely when set up correctly through effective use of framing, research and building relationships at the right levels. If a win-win approach is appropriate, its essential that we remember to pursue a win-win agreement for both parties. Abstract 21 Conflict Cooperation In The Workplace Is Conflict Bad? Many of us think that conflict is always bad. Thats not true. There are actually two kinds of conflict that occur, and learning which is which will help you handle each type better. how it works, how to avoid it, and how to deal with it when it occurs. It is indeed the rare organization that doesnt have to face the issue of conflict, In the workplace (and almost any setting), you are likely to find two forms of conflict. The first is conflict about decisions, ideas, directions and actions. We will call this substantive conflict since it deals with disagreements about the substance of issues. The second form, personalized conflict is often called a personality conflict. In this form, the two parties simply dont like each other much. Solution Strategies Identification Move To Substantive Issues Work To Prevent Personalization Abstract 22 How to Negotiate a Win-Win Conflict Resolution Once co workers get stuck in the points of disagreement, progress is stalled, and the team suffers. In these situations, teams need a step-by-step framework for conflict resolution, to move them from breakdown to breakthrough, these steps include :Determine the real problem, Identify goals, Generate other options, Examine the options and select one, Implementation and Set a review date. Abstract 23 Resolving Conflict in Work Teams As organizations continue to restructure work teams, the need for training in conflict resolution will grow. Conflict arises from differences, and when individuals come together in teams, their differences in terms of power, values, and attitudes contribute to the creation of conflict. To avoid the negative consequences that can result from disagreements, most methods of resolving conflict stress the importance of dealing with disputes quickly and openly. Conflict is not necessarily destructive, however. When managed properly, conflict can result in benefits for a team. Conflict in work teams is not necessarily destructive, however. Conflict can lead to new ideas and approaches to organizational processes, and increased interest in dealing with problems. Abstract 24 Methods of Conflict Resolution There are a number of different conflict resolution methods and tools that are available for people who are dealing with conflict. Conflict resolution methods usually involve talking the problem through and making sacrifices and compromises rather than inciting violence and fighting over the problem. Conflict Resolution Methods and Principles Think Before You React Actively Listen Promise a Fair Process Strive to Attack the Problem Take Responsibility Communicate Directly Find True Interests Be Future-Focused Explore Options for Mutual Advancement Abstract 25 Conflict Resolution Tips Although conflict is something that is unavoidable in our lives, conflict is quite full of opportunities. Still, conflict resolution is stressful and often frustrating without the right conflict resolution tips. If you want to commit yourself to conflict resolution, consider the conflict resolution tips Be Respectful Control your Emotions Use a Structured Process for Hot Topic Interactions Understand Willingly Communicate Openly and Hon

Biblical and Classical Interpretations of the Witches of The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

Biblical and Classical Interpretations of the Witches of The Scarlet Letter      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The theme of witchcraft is woven into the fabric of The Scarlet Letter. The introductory "Custom-House" chapter includes an appeal by the author to remove any witches' curses on his family. Once he takes us back to the Boston of the 1640's, he frequently hints about the cohorts of the "Black Man" who meet in the woods beyond the town. But if the reader understands the classical meaning of the word witchcraft such as used in the Bible and other classical works, then we understand that Hawthorne had something more in mind than the sad cultists like Mistress Hibbins. The real witch of The Scarlet Letter was a far more sinister character, a personality who makes a significant statement about the nature of man.    The Greek New Testament and Septuagint on Witchcraft Witchcraft occurs only once in the King James New Testament and sorcery twice--Galatians 5:20, Revelation 9:21 and 18:23. The word in the Greek New Testament in all three cases is pharmakeia, derived from the word pharmakon ("drug"), the source of the English word pharmacy and its cognates. The standard koinà © Greek-English Lexicon translates the word as "sorcery" or "magic," but its cognate "sorcerer" (pharmakous) used in Revelation 21:8 and 22:15 is translated "mixer of poisons" as well as "magician." The root of both words, pharmakon, literally means "poison" or "drug."1    A few key Old Testament passages about witches which are often associated with the puritans such as Exodus 22:18 ("Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live"--KJV) use pharmakous in the Septuagint--the word translated sorcerer in Revelation 21:8 and 22:15.2 The Greek New Testament and the Septuagint version of the Hebrew Scriptures use different words such as mageia ("magic") when other types of occult practices like calling on spirits or using curses are meant. In English such words are usually translated "wizard," "necromancer," or some other appropriate word or phrase.2 Because of the Greek word chosen in each case, it appears that the New Testament authors and Septuagint translators understood the idea of witchcraft in terms of the use of drugs or poisons.    Finding the Witch according to this Definition Now there is a character in The Scarlet Letter who would be convicted of witchcraft, Mistress Hibbins. She characterizes the witch of New England folklore such as we see in "Young Goodman Brown.

Weed Kill Experiment Report :: essays research papers

Weed Kill Report ABSTRACT - The objective of this experiment is to determine which of three weed kill methods will be most successful in killing the Cobblers peg weed over a five day period. Two of the weed kill methods are natural - boiling water and vinegar solution. One of the weed kill methods is a weed spray Yates ZERO. The most effective weed kill was found by examining how fast and effectively each weed kill treatment killed its group of seventeen weeds which were separated into one of three foam boxes over a period of five days. The most successful method was found to be one of the natural methods, boiling water. The next best method was the herbicide and then the least successful method was the vinegar solution which killed none of its weeds. INTRODUCTION – My initial observation was that simple conservation actions such as reducing the use of pesticides can achieve measurable improvements in habitat quality and environmental health. Herbicides are toxic to most mammals as well as to the beneficial insects that you want to encourage in your garden. Sometimes herbicides seep into the ground water; causing contamination of which the long term effects are not known. Herbicide application can also result in drift or movement in the soil, this endangers wanted vegetation nearby. Herbicides are used far too rampantly. Excessive use of toxic herbicides is used when not necessary and because most are not aware of the many other natural alternatives. We must find more ways to cut back on the use of chemical herbicides and change to biological weed control methods. Foreign plants which turn into weeds are continuously being introduced to Australia both accidentally and intentionally. They can cause extreme damage to Australia’s environment, as they threaten the survival of many native plants. They are successful in growing as they - usually grow faster than native plants competing for nutrients, water, space etc, they survive better as they do not have the pests and diseases that would normally control them in their natural habitats, they take over the native plants that the native animals use for shelter, food and nesting. The Cobblers peg (Bidens pilosa) also known as farmers friend, Spanish needle and beggars tick was introduced from South America and has become a weed in Australia. Individual flowers are yellow with white petals and do not last for very long, eventually turning into seeds.

Practical Demonkeeping Chapter 19-20

19 JENNY'S HOUSE Jenny parked the Toyota behind Travis's Chevy and killed the lights. â€Å"Well?† Travis said. Jenny said, â€Å"Would you like to come in?† â€Å"Well.† Travis acted as if he had to think about it. â€Å"Yes, I'd love to.† â€Å"Give me a minute to go in and clear a path, okay?† â€Å"No problem, I need to check on something in my car.† â€Å"Thanks.† Jenny smiled with relief. They got out of the car. Jenny went into the house. Travis leaned against the door of the Chevy and waited for her to get inside. Then he threw open the car door and peeked inside. Catch was sitting on the passenger side, his face stuck in a comic book. He looked up at Travis and grinned. â€Å"Oh, you're back.† â€Å"Did you play the radio?† â€Å"No way.† â€Å"Good. It's wired into the battery directly; it'll drain the current.† â€Å"Didn't touch it.† Travis glanced at the suitcase on the backseat. â€Å"Keep an eye on that.† â€Å"You got it.† Travis didn't move. â€Å"Is there something wrong?† â€Å"Well, you're being awfully agreeable.† â€Å"I told you, I'm just glad to see you having a good time.† â€Å"You may have to stay the night in the car. You aren't hungry, are you?† â€Å"Get a grip, Travis. I just ate last night.† Travis nodded. â€Å"I'll check on you later, so stay here.† Travis closed the car door. Catch jumped to his feet and watched over the dashboard while Travis went into the house. Ironically, they were both thinking the same thing: in a little while this will all be over. Catch coughed and a red spiked heel shot out of his mouth and bounced off the windshield, spattering the glass with hellish spit. Robert had parked his truck a block away from his old house and walked up, hoping and dreading that he would catch Jenny with another man. As he approached the house, he saw the old Chevy parked in front of her Toyota. He had run through this scene a hundred times in his mind. Walk out of the dark, catch her with the guy, and shout â€Å"Ah ha!† Then things got sketchy. What was the point? He didn't really want to catch her at anything. He wanted her to come to the door with tears streaming down her cheeks. He wanted her to throw her arms around him and beg him to come home. He wanted to assure her that everything would be fine and forgive her for throwing him out. He had run that scene through his mind a hundred times as well. After they made love for the third time, things got sketchy. The Chevy was not part of his preconceived scenes. It was like a preview, a teaser. It meant that someone was in the house with Jenny. Someone who, unlike Robert, had been invited. New scenes ran through his mind: knocking on the door, having Jenny answer, looking around her shoulder to see another man sitting on the couch, and being sent away. He couldn't stand that. It was too real. Maybe it wasn't a guy at all. Maybe it was one of the women from the coven who had stopped over to comfort Jenny in her time of need. Then the dream came back to him. He was tied to a chair in the desert again, watching Jenny make love with another man. The little monster was shoving saltines in his mouth. Robert realized he had been standing in the middle of the street staring at the house for several minutes, torturing himself. Just be adult about it. Go up and knock on the door. If she is with someone else, just excuse yourself and come back later. He felt an ache rising in his chest at the thought. No, just walk away. Go back to The Breeze's trailer and call her tomorrow. The thought of another night alone with his heartbreak increased the ache in his chest. Robert's indecision had always angered Jenny. Now it was paralyzing him. â€Å"Just pick a direction and go, Robert,† she would say. â€Å"It can't be any worse than sitting here pitying yourself.† But it's the only thing I'm good at, he thought. A truck rounded the corner and started slowly to roll up the street. Robert was galvanized into action. He ran to the Chevy and ducked behind it. I'm hiding in front of my own house. This is silly, he thought. Still, it was as if anyone who passed would know how small and weak he was. He didn't want to be seen. The truck slowed almost to a stop as it passed the house, then the driver gunned the engine and sped off. Robert stayed in a crouch behind the Chevy for several minutes before he moved. He had to know. â€Å"Just pick a direction and go.† He decided to peek in the windows. There were two windows in the living room, about six feet off the ground. Both were old-style, weighted-sash types. Jenny had planted geraniums in the window boxes outside. If the window boxes were strong enough, he could hoist himself up and peek through the gap in the drawn curtains. Spying on your own wife was sleazy. It was dirty. It was perverse. He thought about it for a moment, then made his way across the yard to the windows. Sleazy, dirty, and perverse would be improvements over how he felt now. He grabbed the edge of the window box and tested his weight against it. It held. He pulled himself up, hooked his chin on the window box, and peered through the gap in the curtains. They were on the couch, facing away from him: Jenny and some man. For a moment he thought Jenny was naked, then he saw the thin straps of her black dress. She never wore that dress anymore. It gave out the wrong kind of message, she used to say, meaning it was too sexy. He stared at them in fascination, caught by the reality of his fear like a deer caught in car headlights. The man turned to say something to Jenny, and Robert caught his profile. It was the guy from the nightmare, the guy he had seen in the Slug that afternoon. He couldn't look any longer. He lowered himself to the ground. A knot of sad questions beat at him. Who was this guy? What was so great about this guy? What does he have that I don't? Worst of all, how long has this been going on? Robert stumbled away from the house toward the street. They were sitting in his house, on his couch – the couch he and Jenny had saved up to buy. How could she do that? Didn't everything in the house remind her of their marriage? How could she sit on his couch with some other man? Would they screw in his bed? The ache rose up in his chest at the thought, almost doubling him over. He thought about trashing the guy's car. It was pretty trashed already, though. Flatten the tires? Break the windshield? Piss in the gas tank? No, then he would have to admit to spying. But he had to do something. Maybe he could find something in the car that would tell him who this home wrecker was. He peered through the Chevy's windows. Nothing much to see: a few fast-food wrappers, a comic book on the front seat, and a Haliburton suitcase on the backseat. Robert recognized it immediately. He used to carry his four-by-five camera in the same model suitcase. He had sold the camera and given the suitcase to The Breeze for rent. Was this guy a photographer? One way to find out. He hesitated, his hand on the car door handle. What if the guy came out while Robert was rummaging through the car? What would he do? Fuck it. The guy was rummaging through his life, wasn't he? Robert tried the door. It was unlocked. He threw it open and reached in. 20 EFFROM He was a soldier. Like all soldiers, in his spare moments he was thinking of home and the girl who waited for him there. He sat on a hill looking out over the rolling English countryside. It was dark, but his eyes had adjusted during his long guard duty. He smoked a cigarette and watched the patterns the full moon made on the hills when the low cloud cover parted. He was a boy, just seventeen. He was in love with a brown-haired, blue-eyed girl named Amanda. She had down-soft hair on her thighs that tickled his palms when he pushed her skirt up around her hips. He could see the autumn sun on her thighs, even though he was staring over the spring-green hills of England. The clouds opened and let the moon light up the whole countryside. The girl pulled his pants down around his knees. The trenches were only four days away. He took a deep drag on the cigarette and stubbed it out in the grass. He let the smoke out with a sigh. The girl kissed him hard and wet and pulled him down on her. A shadow appeared on the distant hill, black and sharply defined. He watched the shadow undulate across the hills. It can't be, he thought. They never fly under a full moon. But the cloud cover? He looked in the sky for the airship but could see nothing. It was silent except for the crickets singing sex songs. The countryside was still but for the shadow. He lost the vision of the girl. Everything was the huge, cigar-shaped shadow moving toward him, silent as death. He knew he should run, sound the alarm, warn his friends, but he just sat, watching. The shadow eclipsed the moonlight and he shivered, the airship was directly over him. He could just hear the engines as it passed. Then he was bathed in moonlight, the shadow behind him. He had survived. The airship had held its bellyful of death. Then he heard the explosions begin behind him. He turned and watched the flashes and fires in the distance, listened to the screams, as his friends at the base woke to find themselves on fire. He moaned and curled into a ball, flinching each time a bomb exploded. Then he woke up. There was no justice; Effrom was sure of it. Not an iota, not one scintilla, not a molecule of justice in the world. If there was justice, would he be plagued by nightmares from the war? If there was any justice would he be losing sleep over something that had happened over seventy years ago? No, justice was a myth, and it had died like all myths, strangled by the overwhelming reality of experience. Effrom was too uncomfortable to mourn the passing of justice. The wife had put the flannel sheets on the bed to keep him cozy and warm in her absence. (They still slept together after all those years; it never occurred to them to do any different.) Now the sheets were heavy and cold with sweat. Effrom's pajamas clung to him like a rain-blown shroud. After missing his nap, he had gone to bed early to try to recapture his dreams of spandex-clad young women, but his subconscious had conspired with his stomach to send him a nightmare instead. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he could feel his stomach bubbling away like a cannibal's caldron, trying to digest him from the inside out. To say that Effrom was not a particularly good cook was an understatement akin to saying that genocide is not a particularly effective public relations strategy. He had decided that Tater Tots would provide as good a meal as anything, without challenging his culinary abilities. He read the cooking instructions carefully, then did some simple mathematics to expedite the preparation: twenty minutes at 375 degrees would mean only eleven minutes at 575 degrees. The results of his calculation resembled charcoal briquettes with frozen centers, but because he was in a hurry to get to bed, he drowned the suffering Tots in catsup and ate them anyway. Little did he know that their spirits would return carrying nightmare images of the zeppelin attack. He had never been so frightened, even in the trenches, with bullets flying overhead and mustard gas on the wind. That shadow moving silently across the hills had been the worst. But now, sitting on the edge of the bed, he felt the same paralyzing fear. Though the dream was fading, instead of the relief of finding himself safe, at home, in bed, he felt he had awakened into something worse than the nightmare. Someone was moving in the house. Someone was thrashing around like a two-year-old in a pan-rattling contest. Whoever it was, was coming through the living room. The house had a wooden floor and Effrom knew its every squeak and creak. The creaks were moving up the hall. The intruder opened the bathroom door, two doors from Effrom's bedroom. Effrom remembered the old pistol in his sock drawer. Was there time? Effrom shook off his fear and hobbled to the dresser. His legs were stiff and wobbly and he nearly fell into the front of the dresser. The floor was creaking outside the guest bedroom. He heard the guest room door open. Hurry! He opened the dresser drawer and dug around under his socks until he found the pistol. It was a British revolver he had brought home from the war – a Webley, chambered for.45 automatic cartridges. He broke the pistol open like a shotgun and looked into the cylinders. Empty. Holding the gun open, he dug under his socks for the bullets. Three cartridges were held in a plate of steel shaped like a half-moon so the pistol's six cylinders could be loaded in two quick motions. The British had developed the system so they could use the same rimless cartridges in their revolvers that the Americans used in their Colt automatics. Effrom located one of the half-moon clips and dropped it into the pistol. Then he started searching for the sound. The doorknob of his room started to turn. No time. He flipped the gun upward and it slammed shut, only half loaded. The door slowly started to swing open. Effrom aimed the Webley at the center of the door and pulled the trigger. The gun clicked, the hammer fell on an empty chamber. He pulled the trigger again and the gun fired. Inside the small bedroom the gun's report sounded like the end of the world. A large, ragged hole appeared in the door. From the hall came the high-pitched scream of a woman. Effrom dropped the gun. For a moment he stood there, gunfire and the scream echoing in his head. Then he thought of his wife. â€Å"Oh my God! Amanda!† He ran forward. â€Å"Oh my God, Amanda. Oh my†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He threw the door open, leapt back, and grabbed his chest. The monster was down on its hands and knees. His arms and head filled the doorway. He was laughing. â€Å"Fooled you, fooled you,† the monster chanted. Effrom backed into the bed and fell. His mouth moved like wind-up chatter dentures, but he made no sound. â€Å"Nice shot, old fella',† the monster said. Effrom could see the squashed remains of the.45 bullet just above the monster's upper lip, stuck like an obscene beauty mark. The monster flipped the bullet off with a single claw. The heavy slug thudded on the carpet. Effrom has having trouble breathing. His chest was growing tighter with each breath. He slid off the bed to the floor. â€Å"Don't die, old man. I have questions for you. You can't imagine how pissed I'll be if you die now.† Effrom's mind was a white blur. His chest was on fire. He sensed someone talking to him, but he couldn't understand the words. He tried to speak, but no words would come. Finally he found a breath. â€Å"I'm sorry, Amanda. I'm sorry,† he gasped. The monster crawled into the room and laid a hand on Effrom's chest. Effrom could feel the hand, hard and scaly, through his pajamas. He gave up. â€Å"No!† the monster shouted. â€Å"You will not die!† Effrom was no longer in the room. He was sitting on a hill in England, watching the shadow of death floating toward him across the fields. This time the zeppelin was coming for him, not the base. He sat on the hill and waited to die. I'm sorry, Amanda. â€Å"No, not tonight.† Who said that? He was alone on the hill. Suddenly he became aware of a searing pain in his chest. The shadow of the airship began to fade, then the whole English countryside dissolved. He could hear himself breathing. He was back in the bedroom. A warm glow filled his chest. He looked up and saw the monster looming over him. The pain in his chest subsided. He grabbed one of the monster's claws and tried to pry it from his chest, but it remained fast, not biting into the flesh, just laid upon it. The monster spoke to him: â€Å"You were doing so good with the gun and everything. I was thinking, ‘This old fuck really has some gumption.' Then you go and start drooling and wheezing and ruining a perfectly good first impression. Where's your self-respect?† Effrom felt the warmth on his chest spreading to his limbs. His mind wanted to switch off, dive under the covers of unconsciousness and hide until daylight, but something kept bringing him back. â€Å"Now, that's better, isn't it?† The monster removed his hand and backed to the corner of the bedroom, where he sat cross-legged looking like the Buddha of the lizards. His pointy ears scraped against the ceiling when he turned his head. Effrom looked at the door. The monster was perhaps eight feet away from it. If he could get through it, maybe†¦ How fast could a beast that size move in the confines of the house? â€Å"Your jammies are all wet,† the monster said. â€Å"You should change or you'll catch your death.† Effrom was amazed at the reality shift his mind had made. He was accepting this! A monster was in his house, talking to him, and he was accepting it. No, it couldn't be real. â€Å"You're not real,† he said. â€Å"Neither are you,† the monster retorted. â€Å"Yes I am,† Effrom said, feeling stupid. â€Å"Prove it,† the monster said. Effrom lay on the bed thinking. Much of his fear had been replaced by a macabre sense of wonder. He said: â€Å"I don't have to prove it. I'm right here.† â€Å"Sure,† the monster said, incredulously. Effrom climbed to his feet. Upon rising he realized that the creak in his knees and the stiffness he had carried in his back for forty years were gone. Despite the strangeness of this situation, he felt great. â€Å"What did you do to me?† â€Å"Me? I'm not real. How could I do anything?† Effrom realized he had backed himself into a metaphysical corner, from which the only escape was acceptance. â€Å"All right,† he said, â€Å"you're real. What did you do to me?† â€Å"I kept you from croaking.† Effrom made a connection at last. He had seen a movie about this: aliens who come to Earth with the power to heal. Granted, this wasn't the cute little leather-faced, lightbulb-headed alien from the movie, but it was no monster. It was a perfectly normal person from another planet. â€Å"So,† Effrom said, â€Å"do you want to use the phone or something?† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"To phone home. Don't you want to phone home?† â€Å"Don't play with me, old man. I want to know why Travis was here this afternoon.† â€Å"I don't know anyone named Travis.† â€Å"He was here this afternoon. You spoke with him – I saw it.† â€Å"You mean the insurance man? He wanted to talk to my wife.† The monster moved across the room so quickly that Effrom almost fell back on the bed to avoid him. His hopes of making it through the door dissolved in an instant. The monster loomed over him. Effrom could smell his fetid breath. â€Å"He was here for the magic and I want it now, old man, or I'll hang your entrails from the curtain rods.† â€Å"He wanted to talk to the wife. I don't know nothin' about any magic. Maybe you should have landed in Washington. They run things from there.† The monster picked Effrom up and shook him like a rag doll. â€Å"Where is your wife, old man?† Effrom could almost hear his brain rattling in his head. The monster's hand squeezed the breath out of him. He tried to answer, but all he could produce was a pathetic croak. â€Å"Where?† The monster threw him on the bed. Effrom felt the air burn back into his lungs. â€Å"She's in Monterey, visiting our daughter.† â€Å"When will she be back? Don't lie. I'll know if you are lying.† â€Å"How will you know?† â€Å"Try me. Your guts should go well with this decor.† â€Å"She'll be home in the morning.† â€Å"That's enough,† the monster said. He grabbed Effrom by the shoulder and dragged him through the door. Effrom felt his shoulder pop out of its socket and a grinding pain flashed across his chest and back. His last thought before passing out was, God help me, I've killed the wife.