Listening Habits Essay Example for Free

Listening Habits Essay â€Å"Tap, tap, tap.† is what you hear as your elbow partner is writing their pencil against the table. The tapping continues to go on until the teacher says something important then there is a moment of silence. There are many bad listening habits out there, it’s just finding them within ourselves, but everyone else as well. A bad listening habit that one may obtain is finding a subject that it too boring or dull. In order to pay full attention, you need something worth giving the attention. Another thing that poor listeners do is make fun of how the speaker is; meaning they either don’t like the way they look, speak, or act. It doesn’t matter who or how it comes out; what matters is what comes out. One last poor listening habit is trying to take every single detail down. You’re just writing a lot of useless information because you and I both know that you won’t go back and read it all. I myself am guilty of having some bad listening habits as well. One of them is that I get really excited about one part of the presentation that I completely blank out on the next part. I need to work on keeping focused on the entire presentation. A second bad habit that I contain is that I get lazy so I only listen for the most important facts and write them down. I should be alert throughout the whole presentation that way I can get more then the facts, like the little details. The last poor listening habits that I have is that I get distracted extremely easily. No matter how fast a distraction distracts me, I need to fight the urge to let it get to me! Luckily, there are ways to help us become better listeners! One way is to guess or predict what the presenter will say next. This will help us be engaged in the presentation and get something out of it. Another helpful idea to try is to point out the supporting materials, along with being engaged. This will also help us get better studying material. One last habit that will be great to get into is summarizing while the speaker is taking a break. Summarize what they said in your mind to help you keep track of what they are talking about. No matter with all of the bad listening habits, we can easily change them. Not only will this help us in high school, but it will also help us in college. Better listening skills along with other college readiness skills will help us walk into our future pretty easily. All it takes is the willingness of the student themselves to give that little extra push!

Essay example --

Aristotle and Niccolà ² Machiavelli were two great minds from completely different times, both having rather different views on the world, that touched on many similar points throughout their respective works Politics and Machiavelli’s various writings. This occurred because Machiavelli was illustrating his positions directly against Aristotle’s theories, which allows for an interesting comparison between the two’s opinions on a variety of issues. While Politics is more of a discussion for the populous and The Prince was specifically made as a sort of guidebook for the future ruling class, they can still be compared based upon their similar topics of discussion regarding political goals and the opposing points that need to be avoided. This combined with The Discourses, which was an analysis of the Roman republic and why it was so successful, provide a rather comprehensive view of Machiavelli’s core beliefs. The concept of differing worldviews is key to u nderstanding the similarities and differences between the two as they come from very different basic places of opinion when regarding the overall goal of politics. Aristotle came from a position of lofty, boarding on impractical, goals with the effort of creating the concept of the good life for its citizens, in which they could expand and flourish. Machiavelli on the other hand worked on a much more practical scale of thought, focusing on concepts of gaining power, and control, while maintaining stability as the main goals of participating in politics. Both however stated a vast array of necessary requirements for achieving the best political scenario along with opposing points to avoid, and in turn theories on how to distinguish between the two. In this paper, these two great poli... ...nd goals a governing body can hope to achieve, asking the individual to question how they are being governed and how the system around them can be improved. They also however provide guidelines for how to govern one’s self, and legitimate goals that an individual should strive to achieve, not just goals for the governing body over top of them. From these two theories, an individual should be able to learn how to better govern their soul and identify how best to serve themselves throughout life. No one theorist is ultimately ‘better’ then the other therefore because of this, as they both gain significant merit in the debate that they open up to their audiences. Their timeless core theories will remain with society forever as there will always be some form of governance, and their theories can fit so many scenarios throughout life. Sources:

El salvador

This case was written by Susan Bartholomew based on personal interviews. Names, dates, and details of situations have been modified for illustrative purposes. The various economic, political, and cultural conditions described are presented as perceptions of the individuals in the case; they do not necessarily reflect the actual conditions in the region. The events described are presented as a basis for classroom discussion rather than to illustrate effective or ineffective handling of a cross- cultural situation.December 10, 1998: The Job Offer John and Joanna Lafferty had Just opened a bottle of wine to share with friends who had come to see their new apartment in Toronto when the telephone rang. John, a lanky, easygoing development economist, excused himself to answer the phone in the kitchen. Recently married, John and Joanna were excited to be building a life together in the same city at last. As a development economist specializing in Latin America, John Laffertys work had taken him to Peru, Bolivia, and Guatemala on a series of three- to four-month assignments over the previous three years.While he loved the challenge and adventure of this fieldwork and had come to love the people and culture, he also wanted a home base and steady presence in Toronto, where Joanna worked as a human resource management consultant. Just before their wedding six months earlier, John accepted a position with a Toronto-based NGO (non-government organization) focused on research, fund-raising, and government lobbying on issues related to Central American political refugees.Throughout the 1980s, tens of thousands of refugees had fled political persecution and human rights abuse in war- orn Central America to seek political asylum in Canada; John's field experience in Guatemala and his natural diplomacy were invaluable to the Canadian organization. He was passionate about his work and quickly gained a reputation for being a sa'. n. y and politically astute advocate of refugees' c ases. As Joanna went to get some wineglasses from the kitchen, she could overhear her husband speaking in Spanish on the phone.Joanna had studied Spanish in college but had difficulty following the rapid, one-sided conversation. However, one phrase, â€Å"Me allegre mucho,† and John's broad grin as he said it, was impossible to isinterpret. Joanna returned to her guests in the living room: â€Å"It sounds like good news. † John's work with refugees in the Canadian NGO had caught the attention of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, headquartered in Geneva, and he had recently returned from a one-week visit and series of interviews. While John had not been searching for a new Job opportunity, the Geneva invitation had been too exciting to resist.John walked back into the living room with a huge smile: â€Å"Forget the wine, I think we should open some champagne. The U. N. has Just offered me the most incredible Job. † â€Å"In Geneva? Joanna asked ex citedly. Decision The El Salvador assignment would be for two years, as a Program Officer responsible for organizing the repatriation of Salvadoran refugees from various refugee camps back to El Salvador and developing programs to ensure the protection and well-being of such refugees in their return to Salvadoran communities. The position would report to the Charge de Mission of the El Salvador office.While this office was based in the capital city, San Salvador, the Job would also require frequent travel to various field offices and refugee camps throughout El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Honduras. The challenge of the assignment excited John tremendously; he also believed that this was an exceptional opportunity for him to make a real difference in the lives of the refugees of Central America. He certainly wanted to accept the Job; however, he would only go if Joanna would be willing and happy to go with him.Two questions would weigh heavily on Joanna's mind: 1 . â€Å"Wha t about the political instability of the area? † The politics of El Salvador were complicated and difficult to understand, and the story seemed to vary depending on the source. As Joanna gathered, the civil war in El Salvador had come to an end in 1992 with a U. N. -brokered peace treaty between the conservative government of the Republican Nationalist Alliance (Arena) and the Marxist-led Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN). Throughout the war, the U. S. ad apparently spent more than $4 billion to support the government and military, while the Soviet Bloc supported the FMLN. Human-rights groups alleged that right-wing death squads had murdered 40,000 of the 70,000 people killed during the 12-year war. However, the peace agreement had significantly reduced the size of the rmy, disbanded corrupt police forces, purged the country of the most notorious human-rights abusers, and disarmed the FMLN, allowing it to become a legal political party. The country appeared to h ave made substantial progress toward peace and democracy.The information and briefings they received from Salvadorans and other expatriates who had recently returned from the country suggested that life in the capital, San Salvador, was quite safe. Economically, the country was becoming more internationally open, with establishment of large export factories, increasing rivatization, and reforms aimed at stimulating foreign investment. While certain precautions were required, and the area was still heavily patrolled by armed forces, Joanna was told she could expect a relatively normal lifestyle. They would live in a highly secure part of the city, in the area populated by all the foreign embassies.They would also be living and traveling on a U. N. diplomatic passport (â€Å"Laissez- passer†), which would afford them excellent protection. 2. â€Å"What about my career? † Moving to El Salvador was the last thing Joanna had imagined when she married John Lafferty six month s earlier. Joanna had worked in Toronto for three years as a human resource consultant after graduating with an MBA. She was bright and ambitious, and her career was advancing well. While she was very happy to be married, she also enjoyed her professional and financial independence.Besides, Toronto was not only professionally rewarding, it was also home, friends, and family. However, Joanna was also ready for a change; secretly, she had always envied John the sense of adventure that accompanied his work. Maybe this was an opportunity for her to develop her After much discussion, they decided that John would accept the assignment. January-March 1999: Predeparture Arrangements When John confirmed with the Geneva office that he would take the assignment, it was arranged for him to move to San Salvador at the end of March and for Joanna to follow one month later.It was often recommended in assignments of this kind to send married staff ahead of time to get settled into the Job before th eir spouse and/ or family arrived. This option made sense to the Laffertys and had several advantages. First, it would give Joanna more time to finish off her current consulting rojects in Toronto and make a graceful exist from her present firm. She had a strong professional reputation and wanted to ensure she was remembered favorably by her corporate clients when she returned to Toronto two years later. Second, John would be able to get the housing arrangements settled before Joanna's arrival.John's employer would provide ample financial and logistical supports to staff in finding housing; however, John also knew from past experience that dealing with local real estate agents and utility companies in Central America could be highly frustrating. Tasks that were quite simple in Toronto, such as having a lease drawn up and getting a telephone installed, Just didn't seem to follow any system or set of procedures. â€Å"Tomorrow' could mean next week or even next month. Patience, flexi bility, and a good deal of charm were usually required; getting angry rarely helped.While John was used to the inconvenience and unpredictability of local services in Central America, he was uncertain how Joanna would react initially. John held a deep affection for the Central American people and felt hopeful that Joanna would develop an affinity for the culture as well. However, he hoped to at least have the majority of the living arrangements worked out before she arrived to make her transition to El Salvador as smooth as possible. Finally, the extra time gave Joanna more opportunity to prepare herself for the transition.Joanna had taken a course on international human resource management as an MBA and was familiar with the phenomenon of culture shock in international assignments. She recalled from her course that predeparture preparation and cultural orientation made a significant difference in helping employees and their families adapt to the foreign environment. Joanna was dete rmined to read and learn as much about Salvadoran history and politics as she could. She was also keen to improve her Spanish before she arrived and as soon as the decision was made that they would be going to El Salvador, she enrolled in night courses for six hours a week.As Joanna walked home from her Spanish class one evening, pleased with her results on her comprehension test, she recalled with amusement a conversation she had had with Joan Taylor. Joan was the wife of a senior executive with Altron, a Canadian firm with offices throughout Latin America. The Taylors had Just returned rom a two-year assignment in Guatemala City, and Joanna had contacted Joan to get some insight on the practicalities of living in the region. â€Å"My dear Joanna,† Joan began, â€Å"you will have a very fine life in Central America, or in most developing countries your husband will be sent to, for that matter.You will â€Å"Just watch out for the ‘gilded cage syndrome. †  "The what? † Joanna had asked. â€Å"As corporate executives or diplomats in third-world postings, we live a pretty high life, certainly a standard of living far beyond what we could have in our own countries. Everything is there for you and everything is done for you. It's like living in a gilded cage. Some people love it, and get pretty spoiled; after a while you cant imagine even making a sandwich for yourself†¦ .† Humph, Joanna thought to herself at the time. That would certainly never happen to me.I am a professional. This is an incredible learning opportunity and I am going to make the most of it! May 1999: Joanna's Arrival Joanna arrived on a balmy afternoon, grateful for the warm breeze after a cold Toronto winter. She was excited to see John and only slightly disappointed that their first drive into San Salvador would not be alone, but accompanied by a young Salvadoran named Julio Cesar, who had been assigned as their driver. On the drive from the airport, Joanna tried hard to follow his rapid banter as he pointed out the sights to her.She had felt confident in her Spanish in the classroom in Toronto, but now she could barely understand a word Julio Cesar said. John, sensing her frustration, began to translate, and by the time they reached the house, Joanna was exhausted and discouraged. John was proud of the house he had found, next door to the Mexican embassy and only a block from a tennis club where most of the members were expatriates. He hought this might provide a good social base for Joanna if she got homesick for North American lifestyle. The large 12-room house was certainly impressive, with its shining terrazzo floors and two large gardens.Joanna wondered what to do with all the space. It was also quite secure, with metal bars on all the windows, and surrounded by 12-foot walls. â€Å"This isn't a house, John, it's a fortress,† Joanna said in amazement. mieah . I know it's a bit much,† said John. â€Å"But thi s is the one area of the city we are strongly advised to live in, for security reasons. Smaller homes or apartments Just on't exist. Most of the families living here are either expats or very wealthy Salvadorans. Most have live-in help and need the space. † â€Å"But I don't want anyone else living with us †¦ † . I want you to meet Maria. † Joanna followed John out to the back of the â€Å"Come .. house, and was introduced to a small, brown woman, vigorously scrubbing clothes. â€Å"Maria worked for the family who lived here before; it only seemed right that she should stay. She only lives a few blocks away, though, so she will go home each evening. † After a week, Joanna soon learned Maria's work patterns. Maria would hand wash all their clothes in the cement tub and hang them to dry outside, a chore that would take all day long, as Maria would often wash things three times.The following day she would return to do the ironing, which would take anothe r full day. As Joanna sat in her study upstairs, reading her books and newspapers, she felt an overwhelming sense of guilt thinking of Maria, hand washing every last item of their clothing in the own clothes in a washing machine. Then, when Joanna found out that John paid Maria $6. 00 per day, she was furious. John explained to Joanna that this was the ustomary wage for the women from the â€Å"barrios marginales† who worked as domestic help for wealthy Salvadorans and expatriates.These â€Å"marginal communities† were small groupings of tin shacks located in the ravines that surrounded the city. A few had electricity, but many of the communities, including Maria's, still cooked their meals over fires and lit their homes with candles. Joanna began to slip more money into Maria's pay envelope. Joanna hoped to make a friend of Maria and looked forward to having lunch each day with her and learning more of the local way of speaking. Joanna realized now hat the formal Span ish she had learned in school was vastly different from the language she heard each day on the streets of San Salvador.However, Maria refused to eat at the same table as Joanna and insisted on serving Joanna first in the dining room, and then eating her own lunch on the stone steps in the back room. Joanna was deeply uncomfortable with this and began to eat lunch at the restaurant in her nearby tennis club instead. Other things began to irritate Joanna as well. For example, one day, she started to wash the car in the driveway. Suddenly, Maria's son appeared and insisted that he do he Job for her, horrified that â€Å"la Senora† would undertake such a task herself.Another time, Joanna began to dig up some of the plants in the garden for replanting; the following morning, a gardener appeared at the door, saying that he was a cousin of Maria's and would be pleased to take on additional gardening work. Joanna resented this intrusion into her daily life. If she was going to be spe nding so much time at home, she wanted privacy to read and study. It was going to be a while, she realized, before she found a Job. Joanna was disappointed with the Job prospects among local and even international companies. Most available positions were clerical, for which she was vastly overqualified. l didn't get an MBA to work as a file clerk! † she would think to herself angrily. Then, she would think sadly, â€Å"My Spanish probably isn't even good enough to get a Job as a file clerk. † One day, in frustration, Joanna called her two closest friends in Toronto, colleagues from her old firm. â€Å"l can't win! † Joanna complained. â€Å"l feel guilty all the time. I feel guilty because I don't do anything myself. And I feel guilty if I don't hire local people to the housework. They need the money so much. Then I feel guilty that we pay them six dollars a day. We can afford so much more.I feel guilty that I have a maid and she lives in a tin shack in a ravine two blocks from my house. But John says we can't pay her more than the going rate because it would upset the whole balance of her community. He says they have their own economic structure and norms and we have to respect that. My Salvadoran neighbors tell me that if I pay Maria or the gardener more they won't respect me. But I do anyway, and then I feel guilty because I don't tell John. And then our driver, Julio Cesar . The sarcastic response was the same from both. Gee, Joanna, sounds tough.Beautiful house, a maid, gardener, and driver, afternoons at the tennis club †¦ n wonder you're so miserable. † been a big mistake? She knew how much this Job meant to John, and it was a great step forward for his career. But what about her career and her own happiness? This had been a mutual decision. Something was going to have to change or they would be on a plane back to Toronto very soon. The question was †¦ what? Questions For discussion 1 . Is Joanna suffering from cultu re shock? What elements of the Salvadoran culture seem most difficult for her to adapt to? 2.Should Joanna have done anything differently in terms of her preparation for moving to El Salvador? What do you think she should do now? 3. How could Joanna further her career as a human resource consultant while living in El Salvador? What skills could she develop? Would these skills be transferable if she moved back to Toronto? To another country? 4. If you were John, would you have taken the Job in El Salvador? If you were Joanna, would you have agreed to go? 5. Do you think international careers are feasible for dual-career couples? What issues are important to consider for the individuals involved? What can companies do to make foreign assignments more successful for couples and families? Is the happiness of the employee's spouse the responsibility of the company? 7. What recommendations would you make to international organizations and companies sending employees to politically unstabl e regions? Do companies have a responsibility for the physical safety of expatriate employees? Does this responsibility extend to locally hired staff as well? 8. Do you think Joanna should pay her cleaning lady and gardener more than the standard $6. 00 per day? Why or why not?

Gallic Wars Battle of Alesia and Julius Caesar

The Battle of Alesia was fought September-October 52 BC during the Gallic Wars (58-51 BC) and saw the defeat of Vercingetorix and his Gallic forces. Believed to have occurred around Mont Auxois, near Alise-Sainte-Reine, France, the battle saw Julius Caesar besiege the Gauls in the settlement of Alesia. The capital of the Mandubii, Alesia was situated upon heights which were surrounded by the Romans. In the course of the siege, Caesar defeated a Gallic relief army led by Commius and Vercassivellaunus while also preventing Vercingetorix from breaking out of Alesia. Trapped, the Gallic leader surrendered effectively ceding control of Gaul to Rome. Caesar in Gaul Arriving in Gaul in 58 BC, Julius Caesar began a series of campaigns to pacify the region and bring it under Roman control. Over the next four years he systematically defeated several Gallic tribes and gained nominal control over the area. In the winter of 54-53 BC, the  Carnutes, who lived between the Seine and Loire Rivers, killed the pro-Roman ruler  Tasgetius and rose in revolt.  Shortly thereafter, Caesar sent troops to the region in an attempt to eliminate the threat. These operations saw  Quintus Titurius Sabinus Fourteenth Legion destroyed when it was ambushed by  Ambiorix and Cativolcus of the Eburones. Inspired by this victory, the  Atuatuci and Nervii joined the rebellion and soon a Roman force led by Quintus Tullius Cicero was besieged in its camp.  Deprived of around a quarter of his troops, Caesar was unable to receive reinforcements from Rome due to the political intrigues caused by the collapse of the First Triumvirate. Fighting the Rebellion Slipping a messenger through the lines, Cicero was able to inform Caesar of his plight. Departing his base at  Samarobriva, Caesar marched hard with two legions and succeeded in rescuing his comrades men. His victory proved short-lived as the Senones and Treveri soon elected to rebel.  Raising two legions, Caesar was able to gain a third from Pompey. Now commanding ten legions, he quickly struck the Nervii and brought them to heel before shifting west and compelling the  Sernones and Carnutes to sue for peace (Map). Continuing this relentless campaign, Caesar re-subjugated each tribe before turning on the Eburones. This saw his men ravage their lands while his allies worked to annihilate the tribe. With the end of the campaign, Caesar removed all of the grain from the region to ensure that the survivors would starve.  Though defeated, the revolt had led to an upsurge in nationalism among the Gauls and the realization that the tribes must unite if they wished to defeat the Romans. The Gauls Unite This saw  Vercingetorix of the Averni work to draw the tribes together and begin to centralize power. In 52 BC, the Gallic leaders met at Bibracte and declared that Vercingetorix would lead the united Gallic army. Launching a wave of violence across Gaul, Roman soldiers, settlers, and merchants were killed in large numbers. Initially unaware of the violence, Caesar learned of it while in winter quarters in Cisalpine Gaul. Mobilizing his army, Caesar moved across the snow-covered Alps to strike at the Gauls. Gallic Victory and Retreat: Clearing the mountains, Caesar dispatched Titus Labienus north with four legions to attack the Senones and the Parisii. Caesar retained five legions and his allied Germanic cavalry for the pursuit of Vercingetorix. After winning a series of minor victories, Caesar was defeated by the Gauls at Gergovia when his men failed to execute his battle plan. This saw his men execute a direct assault against the town when he had desired them to conduct a false retreat to lure Vercingetorix off a nearby hill. Temporarily falling back, Caesar continued to attack the Gauls over the next few weeks through a series of cavalry raids. Not believing the time was right to risk battle with Caesar, Vercingetorix withdrew to the walled Mandubii town of Alesia (Map). Armies Commanders Rome Julius Caesar60,000 men Gauls VercingetorixCommiusVercassivellaunus80,000 men in Alesia100,000-250,000 men in relief army Besieging Alesia: Situated on a hill and surrounded by river valleys, Alesia offered a strong defensive position. Arriving with his army, Caesar declined to launch a frontal assault and instead decided to lay siege to the town. As the entirety of Vercingetorixs army was within the walls along with the towns population, Caesar expected the siege to be brief. To ensure that Alesia was fully cut off from aid, he ordered his men to construct and encircling set of fortifications known as a circumvallation. Featuring an elaborate set of walls, ditches, watchtowers, and traps, the circumvallation ran approximately eleven miles (Map). Trapping Vercingetorix Understanding Caesars intentions, Vercingetorix launched several cavalry attacks with the goal of preventing completion of the circumvallation. These were largely beaten off though a small force of Gallic cavalry was able to escape. The fortifications were completed in around three weeks. Concerned that the escaped cavalry would return with a relief army, Caesar began construction on a second set of works which faced out. Known as a contravallation, this thirteen-mile fortification was identical in design to the inner ring facing Alesia. Starvation Occupying the space between the walls, Caesar hoped to end the siege before aid could arrive. Within Alesia, conditions quickly deteriorated as food became scarce. Hoping to alleviate the crisis, the Mandubii sent out their women and children with the hope that Caesar would open his lines and allow them to leave. Such a breach would also allow for an attempt by the army to break out. Caesar refused and the women and children were left in limbo between his walls and those of the town. Lacking food, they began to starve further lowering the morale of the towns defenders. Relief Arrives In late September, Vercingetorix faced a crisis with supplies nearly exhausted and part of his army debating surrender. His cause was soon bolstered by the arrival of a relief army under the command of Commius and Vercassivellaunus. On September 30, Commius launched an assault on Caesars outer walls while Vercingetorix attacked from the inside. Both efforts were defeated as the Romans held. The next day the Gauls attacked again, this time under the cover of darkness. While Commius was able to breach the Roman lines, the gap was soon closed by cavalry led by Mark Antony and Gaius Trebonius. On the inside, Vercingetorix also attacked but the element of surprise was lost due to the need to fill in Roman trenches before moving forward. As a result, the assault was defeated. Final Battles Beaten in their early efforts, the Gauls planned a third strike for October 2 against a weak point in Caesars lines where natural obstacles had prevented construction of a continuous wall. Moving forward, 60,000 men led by Vercassivellaunus struck the weak point while Vercingetorix pressured the entire inner line. Issuing orders to simply hold the line, Caesar rode through his men to inspire them. Breaking through, Vercassivellaunus men pressed the Romans. Under extreme pressure on all fronts, Caesar shifted troops to deal with threats as they emerged. Dispatching Labienus cavalry to help seal the breach, Caesar led a number of counterattacks against Vercingetorixs troops along the inner wall. Though this area was holding, Labienus men were reaching a breaking point. Rallying thirteen cohorts (approx. 6,000 men), Caesar personally led them out of the Roman lines to attack the Gallic rear. Spurred on by their leaders personal bravery, Labienus men held as Caesar attacked. Caught between two forces, the Gauls soon broke and began fleeing. Pursued by the Romans, they were cut down in large numbers. With the relief army routed and his own men unable to break out, Vercingetorix surrendered the next day and presented his arms to the victorious Caesar. Aftermath As with most battle from this period, precise casualties around not known and many contemporary sources inflate the numbers for political purposes. With that in mind, Romans losses are believed to be around 12,800 killed and wounded, while the Gauls may have suffered up to 250,000 killed and wounded as well as 40,000 captured. The victory at Alesia effectively ended organized resistance to Roman rule in Gaul. A great personal success for Caesar, the Roman Senate declared twenty days of thanksgiving for the victory but refused him the a triumphal parade through Rome. As a result, political tensions in Rome continued to build which ultimately led to a civil war. This climaxed in Caesars favor at the Battle of Pharsalus.