Trinidad and Tobago: Carnivals

Trinidad and Tobago: Carnivals Carnival, The Pulse of Trinidad Tobago Draft Trinidad Tobago is a twin-island republic, located on the southern fringe of the Caribbean Sea, approximately six miles off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. The economy of this tiny republic (with an area of 1,979 square miles and a population of approximately 1.3 million) is acknowledged as the most prosperous and sophisticated, in the island states of the Caribbean region. It is largely based on oil and natural gas, which it mainly exports to North America.[1] The islands offer contrasting experiences, Trinidad hosts the commercial, financial and industrial activity of the nation; while Tobago is the Tourism destination of foreign visitors, with its sandy beaches, coral reefs, sport fishing, and all-inclusive hotels. The social experience is also a significant attraction. The widely diverse cultural components of the island nation, makes for interesting customs, foods, and activities. The resulting easy-going, laughter-filled nature of the average Trinidadian and Tobagonian, makes for a great host, and memorable experiences. This unique potpourri of peoples with their contrasting cultures, blended gradually into the personae known as a â€Å"Trini†, is annually rejuvenated in that cauldron of harmony, known as Trinidad Carnival. Trinidad Carnival developed as part of the Roman Catholic observance of Lent, which mandates the abstinence from meat and pleasure (carni flesh and vale to say good bye to). Its pre-Lenten activity culminates in two days of explosive masquerading, leading up to Ash Wednesday, but the actual festivities start with the parties, competitions and shows that begin right after the Christmas season is over. Of, course the creative activity that results in the vistas of sight and sound on Carnival Days usually start shortly after the end of the previous Carnival. Brilliant costumes by the thousands are created and assembled at Mas Camps throughout the island, as early as September. Hundreds of pannists religiously practice their musical arrangements at the various panyards, in preparation for the musical competitions. Songs specially created for the festival are performed nightly at the Calypso Tents and blared with monotonous regularity from the many radio-stations, who promote their favorites for the various Calypso, Soca and Chutney competitions. At the fetes (day time or night time), tourists will look on in amazement at the throngs of people effortlessly jumping in time with the beat of the runaway harmony of calypso or soca music played by the steelband, brass band, or the ubiquitous fete DJ. These parties are so infectious, that it impossible to be a spectator for long, and one by one, the non-participants fall prey to the music and energy, and shuffle or sway as best they can to the beat. These parties also present an opportunity to experience the aromas and tastes of many local dishes, generally, flavorful and spicy: corn soup, pelau, roti, doubles truly, finger-licking, delicious! The weekend before Ash Wednesday, hosts the finals of most of the major competitions of the Festival. On Saturday night, the Panorama competition final is the big event with remaining 16 bands competing for the highly coveted title of â€Å"Panorama Champion† and significant prize-money, in two categories large band and medium band. This event is the ultimate challenge, the moment for which all the participating pannists have so diligently practiced over the past several months. Emotions are so charged at the venue The Big Yard at The Queens Park Savannah from players and spectators alike, that the electrical energy could probably light up the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. The musical harmony can be heard from afar, sweet and euphoric to the connoisseur. In the wee hours of Sunday morning, the judges scores produce emotional highs for the winners and their supporters, lows for the disappointed, and fuel for lively debate until the next Panorama. On Sunday night, all look forward to experiencing the breathtaking spectacle of sound and color of the grand finale of all Competitions â€Å"Dimanche Gras†, so named because all the major finals took place at this event (until the Panorama Final was relegated to Saturday because of the significant logistics involved). The crowning of; the Calypso Monarch, the National King and Queen of the Bands can be enjoyed live, at the Queens Park Savannah, for an entry fee amounting to the cost of a ticket to a Broadway Show, or in the home, for free on National Television. Before the break of dawn on Monday morning precisely at four a.m. the Street Parades are officially launched with the Jouvert celebrations. This phase signifies the opening of festivities and is characterized by the portrayal of characters and ‘mas forms intrinsic to the development of Trinidad Carnival. One popular portrayal is the commentary on social and political events, through the satirical use of placards, costume and pantomime once the essence of the early Carnival art form. Several Bands parade in costume, but the theme and content are subdued and remind of the somber costuming of Halloween. Much like the grey of dawn, before the beauty of tropical sunshine. Monday evening breaks the exhausted sleep of revelers, who are part of the Big Parade, for the prelude to the big day, Carnival Tuesday. All registered bands parade in the streets in all the towns of the twin island nation, but the major spectacle occurs on the streets of the capital, Port of Spain. Costumes are elaborately made with beads, plumes, brocades, sequins, lots of color and style. To participate in the parade (‘play mas), apart from purchasing a costume from the â€Å"Mas Camp† which can now be done from overseas via the Internet you must be physically fit; for the process of jumping and dancing on the asphalt, in 97 ° F + temperatures, is no picnic! As a result, from the month of December, gyms and parks are invaded by intended masqueraders, sweating and jiggling, in the hope of miraculously looking like Brad Pitt, Barry Bonds or Halle Berry in their precious little costumes. On these Parade days, the crowds on the streets would rival those of New O rleans Mardi Gras. There are specific parade routes for the bands to use in order to access the three main judging venues in the capital city. The most popular venue with spectators and masqueraders alike, the Queens Park Savannah, is the place to be when the color and glitter of the sea of swaying costumes are caught in the splendor of the setting sun! The magic of Carnival is not just in the audio-visual spectacle, but for the islanders, it is a time when the soul of the Trinidadian regenerates itself, while achieving the goal of the religious of observance of Lent. The nation experiences lower crime rates, while social and class differences are set aside. It is as though the soul of the Trinidadian recognizes that the time has come for the annual leveling of the human playing field, which is necessary for peoples of a diverse ethnic heritage, to coexist in harmony and to foster the cross-fertilization of cultures, critical to the identity of a unique Trinidadian. At this time, the superficial world of commerce is placed on the back burner. Carnival is a time to enjoy the art, music, friendships, and simply to relax. So significant an event is Carnival to the Trinidadian, that those, who found it difficult to return to the motherland every year to be part of the renewal, have began to introduce the process to their adopted countries and cities: New York, Boston, Miami, Toronto and Notting Hill (England). However, as any Trini will own, it is not the same. Carnival in Trinidad Tobago, once truly experienced cannot be forgotten, and the attraction to return is difficult to resist. Source Out of an annual US import of 631 million cu ft of LNG, 439 million cu ft originated in Trinidad Tobago Energy Information Administration; US Natural Gas Imports by Country (Annual)

Lord Of The Flies Essay -- essays research papers

How mankind can’t survive without rules and laws   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Could civilization live a normal and stable life, without any rules and orders to obey? Could you picture, New York City, with no laws to follow and everyone doing as they please? Just imagine the disasters that we will experience. In the novel, Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding, we see how each individual character reacts differently to the exposure of complete freedom from an organized society. Also, awe see how this separation from a structural society causes chaos among all these different characters.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story begins with 20 pre-adolescent boys who are on an airplane and the airplane crashes on a remote jungle-island, which is a very effective setting to establish the idea of savagery. The setting of the story is very important because it shows how the boys are given their own paradise and destroy it. The airplane crew is killed and the boys are left on their own, with no adult supervision. At the beginning of the story, we meet the character, Ralph, the protagonist of the novel. Ralph is an example of the ethical citizen, intelligent and responsible but, on many occasions, is caught up in the opinion of others. The leadership that Ralph offers isn’t as stable and organized because he isn’t able to control the â€Å"littluns† and the others after a certain point. This is when the society that Ralph tries to create starts to break apart and Jack takes control.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Then immediately comes Piggy, a chubby asthmatic but intelligent kid, who becomes â€Å"friends† with Ralph. He is teased relentlessly by the other boys but is highly respected by Ralph for his ability to think. Piggy is considered the adult voice on the island, which often spoils the fun for the other boys. He also becomes Ralph’s right-hand man. Whenever Ralph can’t think straight, Piggy is there to put some common sense into him. Just like Ralph, Piggy wants to be rescued desperately. A while later, Ralph finds a conch. He then uses the conch to call upon the other kids. The conch is presented as a symbol of authority and order. It is used to summon all the boys from the island to the assembly and it gives its holder the right to speak. The conch also sets Ralph apart from the other boys and is what helps him be categorized as chief and leader. The c... ...ll Ralph because he feels that by doing this he will remain chief and leader and he will take away the idea of being civilized and having a democracy. Again we see how the fire symbolizes power but this time differently because instead of being used for survival and rescue it’s used as destruction and as a weapon for hunting. Jack uses the fire by burning a thicket where Ralph is hiding to be able to take him out. He then hunts him down to mount his head on the sharp stick like the pig’s head. Jack loses complete sense of his mind and is definitely stripped away from what is considered civilized. His immoral actions take the best of him and the others in the island and led them all to forget what is truly important, which is to be rescued. At the end, they are rescued and Ralph is saved from being killed from Jack and his tribe. The novel, Lord of the Flies, gives you, the reader, a clear image of how easily a society could fall apart if we allow ourselves to only live by the day and not care what tomorrow brings. Also, it shows how a society can’t survive without any rules to be followed and that there must be laws and rules in order, to have an established society to live in.

Comparison of Roman and American slavery Essay

Slavery is one of the most common entities between the Roman’s society and the Western society in the late 1800’s. Both civilizations have many differences and similarities between their views on slavery, treatments of the slaves, and economics of slavery. Such similarities include the imprisonment of slaves, the cruel treatments towards slaves, and the legal status of slaves as their owner’s property. However, despite the many differences, slavery between polar societies always has its differences. These differences include the rights of the slaves, the slave’s origins, and the payment of the slaves. Through the comparison of slavery present in Western society of the later 1800’s and Roman society, several astonishing similarities and differences become apparent, especially when considering the movie, â€Å"Sparticus†. The astonishing amount of similarities between the slavery in Roman society and the slavery in Western society show the great importance of slavery to one’s populace. In both society’s, the slave was the basic unit of society, for all of the agricultural market rested upon their shoulders. Just as cotton was the staple crop of the United States, wheat was the fundamental crop in Roman society, both of which are cultivated by slaves. In both societies, owning a multitude of slaves showed one’s social status, for if one owned numerous slaves, then they were considered wealthy. Additionally, the lower class looked down upon the slaves as lower individuals than themselves, treating them like animals through their constant beatings and tiresome work. This work that the slaves had to endure was similar in both societies, for they similarly had to work in the fields for long hours. A child born of a slave woman was a slave (the legal status of his father being irrelevant) and the property of the slave woman’s owner. Ultimately, the Roman and Western society’s views and actions upon slaves were the same in several ways, yet there will always be differences between the two. The differences between the Roman and Western treatment and thoughts about slavery seem to be even more immense than the similarities, but you must keep in mind that the two society’s thrived in completely different ages  with different circumstances. In Roman society, the slaves were all prisoners of war from various countries and races not just one race like the Western slavery. In United States, the slavery consisted of almost all Africa-American captives who didn’t have any interference with their society before they were beginning to be imprisoned. Another difference is the ability for the Roman slaves to rebel with a large force, while the American slaves only tried to run away. The Roman slaves created large slave armies, while the American slaves only created the secret underground railroad. Just as the Romans gather together large quantities of slaves to create an army, Sparticus similarly was one of Rome’s great heroes who shows the similarities and d ifferences between Roman and Western slavery. In the movie, â€Å"Sparticus†, there are several events which allow the viewer to compare Roman slavery to that of Western slavery. In the movie, the slaves were paid small sums of money for their efforts, as seen when they are able to buy the several fleets of ships. However, in Western slavery, the slaves were seldom paid, because they were considered property of their owner. Furthermore, Roman slaves were trained in specific arts and crafts, such as the slave who Sparticus met that was a singer and magician. In Western society, on the other hand, the slaves mostly just cooked the meals and worked in the fields. However, the similarity between the two society’s includes the abuse felt by the slaves. In the movie, Sparticus was constantly hit with the wooden paddle and made to fight as a gladiator, just as the American slaves were whipped and hung by their white masters. The movie, â€Å"Sparticus†, is an excellent example of the treatment and views of slavery in Roman society, all of which can be compared and contrasted to American slavery. There are several similarities and differences between the slavery present in Roman society and Western society. Just some of the similarities include the society’s views on slavery, the treatments of the slaves, and economics of slavery. Several more differences arise, on the other hand, because of the vast time and cultural differences between these two civilizations. These differences include the rights of the slaves, the slave’s origins, and the payment of the slaves. Through the comparison of slavery present in Roman  society and American society, several intriguing similarities and differences become apparent, especially when considering the movie, â€Å"Sparticus†.

A Year of Wonders

Year of Wonders is a story of great courage in the face of extreme adversity discuss. ‘A Year of Wonders’, written by Geraldine Brooks is based during an era that represents a challenging time in history where original ideologies of religion is confronted by the effects of a catastrophic disease known as the black plague. Because traditional remedies through religious rituals proved ineffective, core beliefs were questioned and faith waned. How does one respond through such calamities where a cure seemingly ceased to exist?Strength, bravery and tenacity through specific females in the novel demonstrated how individuals can respond in an exceptional manner in horrific situations. As well as highlighting the constructive effects, Geraldine Brooks also points out how a dissimilar outcome can also be created where iniquitous behaviour is resulted instead. Despite this, it is clear that although the author acknowledges the negative results, she tries to emphasise the heroic a bilities instead through her narration of the novel ‘A Year of Wonders’.The heroine of the novel, Anna Frith is a symbol of hope. She represents the underdog, a character for which has no significant importance in society, but as the story unfolds and her town becomes the breeding ground for a deathly infestation, she rises above her original character, an ordinary maid, and is transformed instead into a hero for her community. Her subservience is illustrated through her selfless act in which she helps Merry Wickford, a young orphaned girl who lost her family to the plague.To prevent Merry from living a ‘bleak future in a poorhouse’, Anna embarks on a dangerous mission to attain the required dose of lead in the Wickford mine. Such an act held many potential dangers, although aware, Anna continued with her pursuit. Described as ‘the one good, perhaps, to come out of [that] terrible year’, Anna is a clear example of how arduous times can make â⠂¬Ëœheroes of us’. Independent, unconventional and unique are the words that describe Anys and Mem Gowdie. Their courage is shown through their decision to not conform to their community’s ideas.They represented a different group of women in their society, one who was not ‘a man’s chattel’ and was still able to ‘manage alone as a woman in the world’. Such behaviour was unheard of in their society, their differences were not welcomed in the town in which they resided and many despised them for behaving as they did. As tensions rose due to the death toll from the plague increasing, any ‘strange’ behaviours were questioned. Anys and Mem represented ‘strange’ but despite this, they stayed true to their character from start to finish.Only the brave can stand against the perceived normal, against the ideas of what is ‘right’ in the eyes of the majority and Anys and Mem are two symbolic figures who were b old enough to challenge the norm. Unlike the aforementioned, Aphra is a character who responds to adversity in a manner that can only be described as destructive and damaging. In the circumstance of plague in this time frame where cures were unknown, people become desperate for any remedies that may prove effective.Aphra takes advantage of these insecurities of fear and distress and exploits it for her own selfish gains. Posing as Anys Gowdie’s ghost, she deceives her community by selling fake charms at night which were assumed to provide cure to the disease but instead were merely a way to make profit of the situation. Another example demonstrating Aphra’s detrimental means to survive is through her most climatic experience, the death of her children.This is final event for which her personality is transformed dramatically where her rational is lost completely as a coping mechanism for the loss of her kin. Harbouring ‘a wealth of superstitions in her simple mind ’, the situation in which she is placed only further fuels these thoughts which eventually drives her into a state of insanity and hysteria. Her growing madness leads her to keep her child, Faith’s deadly corpse for torturous superstitious reasons and eventually to the most climatic event in the novel, the bloody murder of Elinor Mompellion and her own gruesome suicide.Through the character Aphra, Geraldine Brooks is able to illustrate how adverse times can also make ‘monsters of us’. ‘A Year of Wonders’ demonstrates ‘how people are changed by catastrophe’. These changes lead to the establishment of one of two persons; a ‘hero’ or a ‘monster’. Geraldine Brooks created characters such as Anna Frith and the Gowdie’s to highlight how individuals can use tragedy as the catalyst for good change such as valor, fortitude and tenacity.Although being largely based on celebrating such personalities, the auth or also takes into account of the opposing reactions. Aphra exemplifies wicked behaviour through her exploitative activities and corruptive mindset. Through this approach of contrasting two opposite reactions of the same environment, the story shows realism as it relates to how people of today’s society can respond to such conflict. By characterising these reactions, Geraldine Brooks is able to effectively mirror the responses of society in her powerfully dramatic tale.

Agamemnon and Achilleus Essay

‘Describe the characters of Agamemnon and Achilleus as they are revealed in Book 1 of The Iliad. Who do you think was more to blame for their quarrel and its immediate outcome?’  In book 1 of the Iliad the quarrel between Agamemnon and Achilles establishes their characters. We see Agamemnon and proud and authoritative yet often uncaring and uncompromising. Achilles is by contrast practical, powerful, yet deeply and sometimes dangerously passionate. Agamemnon is repeatedly unreasonable. When Chryses comes for his daughter (an entirely normal and natural request in the ancient world), Agamemnon does not listen, even though â€Å"all the other Achaians shouted their agreement†. He is rude and arrogant towards the priest and â€Å"sent him†¦ on his way†, with threats and taunts about Chryseis, who will â€Å"serve my bed†.  When Kalchas, who has repeatedly stated that Agamemnon will not like what he says blames Agamemnon for the plague among the Greeks, Agamemnon reacts vehemently. â€Å"in deep anger†¦ he spoke†¦ ‘prophet of evil, you have never told me anything to your liking†. It is this unreasonable and uncompromising attitude that contributes to his quarrel with Achilles. He persists with his demand for compensation for the loss of Chryseis, even after he has seen how much this angers Achilles.  Achilles however often displays a practical and compromising approach to problems. When the plague is ravaging the Greeks, it is Achilles who calls the assembly and takes the lead. When Agamemnon first demands compensation, Achilles simply states that there isn’t anything to give Agamemnon. He goes on to promise that â€Å"we will recompense you three and four times over if†¦ ever†¦ we†¦ sack Troy†. And when Agamemnon decides to take Briseis, Achilles holds back from attacking Agamemnon. Nor does he bear any grudge against the servants of Agamemnon who come to take Briseis. â€Å"It is not you I blame,† he says. Another aspect of Agamemnon’s character is his arrogance. He sees women as mere objects, describing Chryseis as â€Å"to serve my bed† and â€Å"work at the loom†, a girl who he prefers to his wife Klytaimestra. He is arrogant towards Chryses, a respected priest, and even to his fellow kings, Ajax and Odysseus, whose prizes he threatens to take. He arrogantly demands compensation, and never once apologises for taking Briseis. He is repeatedly insensitive towards Achilles’ anger and sense of injustice and deliberately takes Briseis, so that Achilles can see â€Å"how much I am your superior†.  Undoubtedly these attitudes fuel the disagreement between Agamemnon and Achilles. Agamemnon is a leader, and leaders are supposed to compromise and not abuse their power. The Greeks need Achilles, yet Agamemnon’s pride seems to overrule this. â€Å"Yes, run home, if that is what your heart urges† Achilles’ is extremely passionate and one of the more human of the Homeric heroes. He often expresses his emotion quite openly, â€Å"he threw the staff to the ground†, â€Å"broke into tears†. He launches savage verbal attacks of â€Å"stinging words† on Agamemnon, describing him as â€Å"dog-face† who â€Å"never has the courage† and â€Å"whose shamelessness is your very clothing†. Achilles anger is such that he stops fighting, leaving his fellow Greeks to the mercy of the Trojans, even though he is â€Å"yearning for battle†. Achilles is passionate about his rewards and has an almost egalitarian streak about him. â€Å"Your prize is by far the larger, when I have worn myself out in the fighting†, he says, â€Å"I have no mind to stay here reaping up treasures for you†. Achilles passion nearly leads him attacking Agamemnon, and his hand is only stayed by the intervention of a goddess. Nestor correctly identifies that Achilles feels that Briseis is his prize, not to be taken by anybody, and that Agamemnon feels that to back down would be to call his own authority into question. Yet the men respond quite differently to Nestor’s words. Agamemnon makes yet more savage accusations against Achilles claiming that he wants to â€Å"rule all, to dictate all† – when all he has wanted so far is to keep possession of what is his.  Achilles however responds quite reasonably. He backs down and decides â€Å"not to come to hand-fighting over the girl†, accepting that â€Å"you Achaians gave her, and you shall take her away† – which is exactly what wise Nestor had asked him to do – not to â€Å"seek open quarrel with the king†. Agamemnon must therefore be more to blame for the quarrel. He is leader of the Greeks. It is his duty to compromise and unify the Greeks. He never offers Achilles any form of compensation for the loss of Briseis. He ignores the wishes of his fellow Greeks and the wisdom of Nestor. Achilles may be impulsive sometimes, but it is the duty of a leader to control that impulsiveness.

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 20

History - Essay Example He currently earns a salary of $ 1 per month in a show of his philanthropy thereby investing the rest in numerous donor foundations. His success story begins back in his college days where he teamed up with a group of colleagues to create numerous computer programs and software applications. The journey to stardom as a social network entrepreneur has encountered myriad challenges most of which he overcame successfully thereby becoming the leading entrepreneur in the industry. Mark Zuckerberg had an average childhood just as most American children. He was born in White Plains, New York in 1984. While he currently bears no religious inclination, he was born a Jew with his conferment in the religion occurring while he was thirteen. He attended Ardsley High School alongside his other siblings namely Randi, Donna and Arielle. At school, Zuckerberg excelled in classical studies. Additionally, he had exemplary performance in physics, astronomy and math. Besides his exemplary in academics, Zuckerberg portrayed leadership and sports ability factors that influenced his selection to serve as the captain of the schools fencing team. He graduated from high school and applied to Harvard where he would later develop his career in software development. Zuckerberg ventured into software development early in life while in middle school. In the 1990s for example, his father, Edward Zuckerberg began teaching him different programming languages. He perfected in Atari BASIC programming. His father later hired David Newman to tutor him thereby growing his interest and skills in software development. Owing to his immense interest in computer programming and software development, Zuckerberg performed exemplarily with Newman calling him a prodigy in software development. Among his early success in the practice while still in middle school was a program he name â€Å"ZackNet†. He developed the

Managing Creative People Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing Creative People - Essay Example Creativity means many things to many people, and it is not only found in engineering, art, and design teams within the company. It can also be found in finance and in sales and marketing, even in seemingly mundane jobs as administration, records-keeping, and logistics, now called supply chain management, a creative way of describing a complex process that is fast becoming a source of competitiveness (Tan, 1998). Creativity can be useful in developing new products, but it also helps save costs (see those suggestion boxes scattered all over the office), time, and jobs, raise revenues, increase output, motivate people, discover new customers, and keep old ones. In fact, the problem really lies not in making people exercise creativity, because they are normally eager to exercise this power that most humans possess. The real problems are: first, how to ensure that they exercise useful creativity; second, how to choose which of the 'creative' solutions will work; third, how to 'manage' the creative process so that those whose ideas are not accepted do not stop being creative; and fourth, how to turn creative ideas into profits for the company and its stockholders (Lapierre and Giroux, 2003). In this paper, we attempt to suggest concrete strategies to solve the problems of managing employee creativity with a few basic rules based on several decades of experience of what works and what do not work. We will refer to articles in journals, periodicals, and management classics from authors who have proven themselves in the past as competent managers. But before we begin, we need to keep two points very clear in our minds. First, we consider only an organization filled with people like you and me who think, breathe, move, and have the minimum of intelligence to be employed. These pointers on managing creativity may not work, for example, in a penitentiary work detail, or in a firm where the workers are "challenged" in one way or another. For examples like those, we need different models of management. Second, the creative people we want to manage are human beings whom we assume to be motivated to do well and contribute to the world by earning a decent living. Therefore, we are not talking of criminals or cult members who exercise their creativity in ways that are not considered normal. In other words, we want to discuss how to manage a group of psychologically balanced people who are intelligent and highly motivated to exercise exceptional levels of creativity in their ordinary work, a task that by itself is tough enough and guaranteed to make any well-intentioned manager challenged and equally creative. The Rules of Creative Engagement How does an ordinary manager handle creative workers We can follow a few basic rules. Don't Fake It Before he was hired as IBM's CEO, Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. was a McKinsey & Company consultant, then an executive in a company that sold credit cards (Amex), biscuits, and cigarettes (RJR Nabisco). Tapped to turn around one of the best technology companies, he admitted in his first interview for the job that he was not qualified because he lacked the technical background (Gerstner, 2002, p. 10). In fact, one of the first pieces of advice he got from his older brother (a retired IBM