Privacy Is Lost Essay

Do we have privacy anymore? Some people say we have no privacy and to simply get over it. Others believe that we have really became comfortable sharing our private information with others. After considering both sides of the issue, I strongly believe that privacy is lost. For instance, a web-savvy programmer can easily infiltrate your email account, replicate the coding, and pretend to be you. In the article, â€Å"Take My Privacy, Please!† Ted Koppel widely discusses privacy with many examples of companies and systems designed to secure the confidential rights and private information. He presents the negative effects people who give all of their personal information to companies that may lose all of it. I really liked how the author started off his article by grabbing your attention right away. For Example, in the article it was interesting that he talked about the Onstar commercial. He reveals in a conversation between the Onstar assistant system, driver, and emergency services on how peculiar it is that they always know all of your information and exactly where you are. The reasoning for this position argument is for the general public to understand that some of their information isn’t so confidential. In the last part of his article he describes how many different companies lose customers valuable information. I agree with that because it’s odd to think that people put trust into companies with such private information. It should be mandatory that if a company loses a customers data they tell the customer right away. He knows that technology is useful, but the language he uses suggests he believes it takes advantage of the customer. Ted Koppel does a great job of structuring sentences with his tone in the article. He also does an exceptional job of highlighting how people’s privacy is invaded in everyday life. Ted Koppel has a very sarcastic tone which throws you off as you read this story. There are both aspects that I liked and didn’t like from the article, but it was really cool how he started off his article by grabbing your attention right away. â€Å"The patriotic act- brilliant!† With this, you know what he will be talking about and its good that he relates his topic to something that happened earlier in history. After you read the introduction, the structure of the rest of the essay starts to weaken. Koppel adds in a commercial that is typed up on the page. Others may agree that they really don’t like how he did that. He could have just described the commercial, but he instead took the time to waste space on the page. The segment of the commercial was not necessary to add. Overall, this essay did have both strong and weak points. Another thing that Koppel does well is the sentence structures that he uses in his essay that help with his tone. Every now and then he uses short abrupt transitions in the beginning of paragraphs to emphasize his thoughts that give a moment for the reader to think. Koppel uses dialogue in his article also. The dialogue that was added in the middle was very distracting and caused unnecessary line usage, but it gives people something to think about and they can relate to the commercial if they’ve seen it. People will believe what he has to say and take him more seriously, even though he used sarcastic and informal tone. The tone may have cost him some of his readers, but it was a convincing argument. In my opinion Ted Koppel shows great examples to back up his thoughts. When the title, â€Å"Take My Privacy, Please!† is read you know right away the tone of the essay, sarcastic. This is a good title and it makes the reader more interested in reading the article. Ted Koppel has a sarcastic tone in his writing. I think that it helps make his point because it makes people think about how ridiculous technology has become. â€Å"There is no end to what we will endure, support, pay for and promote if only it makes our lives easier†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This just states how we would go to such extremes and go through such struggles just as long as we benefit from it in the end. The title alone is sarcastic, â€Å"Take my Privacy, Please!† He sets the tone of being ironic and it lets the reader know that he’s not being harsh or bitter, but he’s trying to put an important point across.

History Behind Moulin Rouge the Movie Essay

It was 1899 in Paris, France, it was the time of the Bohemian Revolution, and it was the summer of love. Christian, played by Ewan McGregor, was a writer and came to Paris to experience this revolution and be surrounded by the artists, singers, and dancers of this new Bohemian world. Little did he know that he would experience something he had never felt before but always believed in: love. Moulin Rouge, directed by Baz Luhrmann, is an exquisite movie musical based off of a real life cabaret called Moulin Rouge in Montmartre. The movie tells the story of the love triangle between Christian, Satine aka the â€Å"Sparkling Diamond† of the Moulin Rouge, played by Nicole Kidman, and The Duke. Although Christian and Satine are fictional characters, the story includes real life characters such as Harold Zidler, the co-mastermind of the Moulin Rouge and Toulouse-Lautrec, a famous French artist. Moulin Rouge is a great look into what life was like back in Paris in 1900, but also adds in the love story between Christian and Satine to make for a great movie musical. In the beginning of the movie, Christian’s optimistic love shines some light into Satine’s dark materialistic reality. To make a living, Satine became a courtesan at the Moulin Rouge. She gets paid for making men believe what they want to believe, so she sells her body to make money. She mistakenly became attracted to Christian for his pure and optimistic belief in love. Seeing that Christian did not have a lot of money, she becomes hesitant of loving him because he would not be able to support her and her dreams of being an actress. With Christian’s pure and optimistic belief of love, he captures Satine’s heart by loving her for who she really is, not for what she is. Although Satine dies in the end of the movie, Christian learns that true love lasts forever even through death. Harold Zidler, who is not a fictional character, is the man who helped to run the real Moulin Rouge cabaret. In the film, and in real life Paris, Zidler was the man who was,  "a ‘brother’ to the artists and the man in the shadows who watched over the dancers and the rest of the personnel with a benevolent eye and ruled with an iron fist† (History). In the film he is the one who is in charge of making sure everything goes perfectly at the cabaret and makes sure all his dancers, especially Satine, know what they are supposed to do and who they should impress that night. Not only did he run the Moulin Rouge he was also a showman and performed with his dancers in the shows. Toulouse-Lautrec was also an important person when it comes to the cabaret in Paris. In the film he does not have a huge role other than help Christian get inside the Moulin Rouge and find a way for him to meet Satine. In Paris in the 1900’s, though, he is said to have been â€Å"the eyes of the Moulin Rouge.† Toulouse-Lautrec attended every evening show when the cabaret opened; and as mentioned before he was an artist, so every night he would sit in a corner and draw the dancers accompanied by a glass of absinthe (History). The fact about the absinthe is also in the movie; Toulouse-Lautrec, Christian, and a few others take a shot of absinthe before they head to the Moulin Rouge one night and the next few minutes of the film are just filled with pure craziness and hallucinations. His artwork, though, was extremely important in the success of the Moulin Rouge. â€Å"In 1891, he drew the first advertising poster for the Moulin Rouge, which today remains the best known image of the Moulin Rouge around the world† (History). His work is still famous today and without him the Moulin Rouge in Paris would not be as well known as it is today. The dancers of the Moulin Rouge were masters of the â€Å"cancan.† One of the stars and also known as â€Å"Queen of the Cancan† was Louise Weber, but her nickname was â€Å"La Goulue.† She is not specifically in the film, but in a biography about her, it states that, â€Å"one evening when she was dancing a frenetic cancan, between two cartwheels she spotted the Prince of Wales, who had come to spend an evening on his own at the Moulin Rouge, and called out, with the Parisian cheek for which she was well know, ‘Hey, Wales! The champagne’s on you?’† (History). La Goulue is relatable to Satine in the film, because Satine was also the star and best dancer and she spotted Christian the first night he was there and while she was dancing called him out in front of everyone who was in attendance at the Moulin Rouge that evening. Moulin Rouge is one of Baz Luhrmann’s best films. The movie came out in June 2001 and has won many awards and is one of the best movies in the musical genre. The set design, costumes, casting of roles, and music all is so perfectly put together to create this brilliant film. Luhrmann, who also co-wrote the movie with Craig Pearce, traveled to Paris with Pearce and the production designer to conduct historical research and write the synopsis for the movie. â€Å"To find ways to depict 19th century Paris and the Moulin Rouge as it may have felt to its audience then – at the cutting edge of sex, music, dance, theater and modern thinking – the filmmakers immersed themselves in the neighborhood, venues and culture of their story† (Luhrmann). Through their research and learning about the culture, they came to understand that the Moulin Rouge was a club that brought all different classes together and Pearce quotes that is the equivalent of â€Å"Studio 54 in New York in the late 70’s; a place where the rich and the powerful can mix with the young, the beautiful and the penniless† (Luhrmann). This is shown in the movie because we see the powerful, such as The Duke, and then Christian who is just a writer, come to the same club to experience the same thing, women and entertainment. The first half an hour of the movie is nonstop music, dancing, lights, and just absolutely craziness. Audiences are not given a chance to â€Å"relax† and just slowly take the movie in; it is fast paced and keeps the movie viewer on their toes just waiting for what will come next. In a movie critique, shortly after it came out in 2001, the movie reviewer describes Moulin Rouge as â€Å"grandiose, glorious, absinthe-soaked excess.† When filming, Luhrmann wanted everything to be over the top and wanted more out of the production; more songs, more sound, more color, more everything (Kaplan C.D.). This is what it was like in the real cabaret, the dancing and songs were all so intense and crazy so the men would be fully entertained and never get bored. There was a lot going on in Paris in the late 1880’s and 1890’s. The Eiffel Tower was built, the first cinematographic screening was shown by the Lumiere brothers, and the most famous cabaret opened its doors. â€Å"The public came in mass to discover this extravagant place with its huge dance floor, mirrors everywhere, and galleries that were the last word in elegance, to mix with the riffraff and girls of easy virtue† (History). The Moulin Rouge was a place for the rich and poor men to come for dancing, music, and entertainment from the ladies; it is said to have been an atmosphere of â€Å"total euphoria.† This was a time where workers, aristocrats, artists, and the middle-class could all gather together to experience cabarets, music-halls, and other night time activities. As mentioned before, this movie takes place during the Bohemian Revolution. This revolution was not a revolution of fighting, but a revolution of art and culture. It was a time for artisits, poets, writer, singers, dancers, and anyone else who wanted to express themselves to show off their talents and be recognized. These were the â€Å"children of the revolution† (Moulin Rouge). In the beginning scenes of Moulin Rouge, Christian is told that to really be a child of the revolution, he has to believe in beauty, freedom, truth, and most importantly love. Which of course he believes in love, it is what he lives for and as stated earlier, he is given the chance to experience love for the first time. Not only is the movie based off of the real cabaret in Paris, but it is also partly based on the Greek myth of Orpheus and partly on the opera La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi (IMDb). The Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice is somewhat like the story between Christian and Satine. Orpheus is said to have been the best musician that ever lived and until he met Eurydice, he lived his simply and carelessly. Orpheus and Eurydice fell in love and it meant everything to both of them but someone else wanted Eurydice’s beauty and wanted her but she did not care for this other man. To make a long story short, she ends up dying and Orpheus tries to get her back from the underworld but could not save her; all he had left was the love they once had (â€Å"Orpheus†). For Christian, he lost Satine and would never get her back again but what he got from her death was a story of true love that he has to share with the world. Satine was already dying before she fell in love with Christian, but at least she was able to die knowing what it was like to be in love. The opera La Traviata is another love story that ends tragically. Violetta, who is a courtesan, claims that love means nothing to her until she meets a young man named Alfredo which makes her then wonder if he could be the man that she could love. In the end of the story, though, Violetta is diagnosed with tuberculosis and does not have long to live and dies at Alfredo’s feet (â€Å"La Traviata†). This opera, the myth of Orpheus, and Moulin Rouge, are all similar in the way that the woman never really believed in love until they met that one man that changed their views on love, there are challenges to face one the man and woman fall in love, and then it is the woman who dies in end leaving their lovers all alone. Each story is a little different but the same basic idea, from the opera and Greek myth, are apparent in the film. From twentieth century Paris, the Bohemian Revolution, the myth of Orpheus, Harold Zidler, and other historical moments, Moulin Rouge is a one of a kind musical film that is an amazing piece of work put together by Luhrmann. Knowing the history behind the film makes it exciting to watch and understand what it was like back in Paris in 1899. Works Cited â€Å"The History of the Moulin Rouge and its Shows.† Moulin Rouge.fr. Le Bal du Moulin Rouge, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2011. Kaplan, C.D. Rev. of Moulin Rouge, by Baz Luhrmann. Louisville Eccentric Observer, Louisville, Ky.: 30 May 2001. Vol. 11, Iss. 30; pg. 21 â€Å"La Traviata.† The Metropolitan Opera. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2011. Luhrmann, Baz,, and Craig Pearce, commentary. Moulin Rouge. Dir. Baz Luhrmann. Perf. Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. Twentieth Century Fox, 2001. Film. Moulin Rouge. Dir. Baz Luhrmann. Perf. Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. Twentieth Century Fox, 2001. Film. â€Å"Moulin Rouge.† IMDb. IMDb.com, Inc., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2011. â€Å"Orpheus and Eurydice.† Paleothea Myths. N.p., 10 Jan. 2008. Web. 18 Nov. 2011.

Environment: Pollution and Human Impact Essay

Every living thing has an impact on its environment. Therefore a human impact on the environment is inevitable. By simply existing, all species – including ourselves – will imprint their mark on the world around them. What differentiates us from other species is our ability to greatly overburden our environment with very few limits. The information regarding our human impact is vast and impossible to cover in one article but I will attempt to cover a basic overview. For 200 years we’ve been conquering Nature. Now we’re beating it to death. ~ Tom McMillan Water Pollution Perhaps the most obvious examples of a negative human impact on the environment is water pollution. It’s obvious we need water to survive but few people realize how much we need and just how much is available. Consider these facts from the United Nations Environment Programme: * Of all the water on Earth, only 2.5% of it is freshwater. * Of that 2.5%, less than 1% is available to us. * Humans each require up to 13 gallons (50 litres) a day of fresh water for drinking, cooking and cleaning. This does NOT take into account the countless gallons of water needed to grow food or care for animals. * 70% of all freshwater usage goes to irrigation. According to Organic Farming Research Foundation, only 2% of farms are organic. This means almost 69% of our freshwater supply is being contaminated by chemical pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers, while also compounded with fossil fuels and emissions from heavy farming machinery. These chemical compounds contribute to acid rain. Since very little can live in an acidic environment, acid rain has harmful effects on plants, animals, and aquatic life, as well as humans and even buildings, statues or other objects. Acid rain also contaminates our limited freshwater supply, and thus the cycle of water pollution continues. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 45% of assessed stream miles, 47% of assessed lake acres, and 32% of assessed bay and estuarine square miles were not clean enough to support uses such as swimming or fishing. The following reasons and possible sources for this include: Photo Source: Alan Liefting| * Sediments, pathogens and habitat alterations from agricultural activity and hydrologic modifications (such as dams) * Excessive nutrients, metals and organic enrichment from agricultural activity and atmospheric deposition (the movement of pollutants from one environment to another, such as from water to air) * Heavy metals (primarily mercury), excess nutrients and â€Å"organic enrichment† from industrial and municipal discharges (â€Å"treated† or untreated waste water released from sewer plants and industrial factories into natural water sources) These points listed above lead to a poisoned and uninhabitable environment for plants and aquatic life, as well as affect land animals and humans reliant on these systems for survival and other land-bound plant life in need of clean water for growth. Land Pollution Land pollution, the degradation of the Earth’s surfaces and soil, is caused by human activity and a misuse of natural resources. Causes of land pollution and degradation include: * Urban sprawl: Natural habitats are removed to make room for communities, usually with inefficient or irresponsible planning. Urban sprawl generally results in a waste of land area for unused development (such as excessive roads, decorative and unused areas, etc). * Poor agricultural practices: Animal manure runoff from CAFO (Confined Animal Feeding Operations), the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, the practice of growing monocultures (only one crop season after season) and the deforestation required to expand farm land all contribute to degradation and pollution. * Personal consumption: Our modern culture’s desire to have more, bigger and better â€Å"things†, as well as our relationship to and habit of waste, has lead to stripping of the land, excessive mining and pollution from industrial activities. * Industrial activities: The production of chemical-laden plastics, poor quality of products, unethical practices (such as illegal dumping), and extreme emissions affect both surrounding and far-reaching areas. None of this takes into account illegal dumping, diminishing landfill space, litter,  overproduction of synthetic materials, radioactive waste and more. All land pollution is caused by a human impact on the environment and thus can be averted by our actions alone. Two of the necessary actions must be proper planning and proper usage of natural resources. For instances, animals could be taken out of CAFO and allowed to graze on mountainous or wooded areas unsuitable for buildings or crops. Using organic and sustainable farming techniques can eliminate our need for chemical applications. Clean energy, such as wind or solar power, can slowly begin to replace coal or nuclear plants. And as consumers we can lessen our human impact on the environment by demanding better quality products, environmentally ethical practices from industries and a shift toward sustainable energy. Air Pollution One bit of good news about our human impact on the environment is that air pollution is lowering and air quality is increasing. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, since 1990 to 2008: * Ozone decreased 14% * Lead decreased 78% * Nitrogen dioxide decreased 35% * Carbon monoxide decreased 68% * Sulfur dioxide decreased 59% However, 127 million people still live in areas that exceed quality standards. And some of the quality standards are far from ideal, such as ozone. The question is: what amount of air pollution is really okay? Shouldn’t we be striving for technologies or practices that virtually eliminate major polluters, such as: | Photo Source: Michael CavÃÆ' ©n| * Better public transit, electric cars, rail, and city planning etc to replace heavy commutes, fossil fuels, air travel and unwalkable communities * Retrofitting or otherwise upgrading existing factories with greener technologies such as solar panels or air filtration systems * Removing  animals from factory farms and raising them on natural diets and rotating pasture to reduce methane emissions and pollution The greatest human impact on the environment we can have is to vote with our pocket book and our actions. By supporting companies that use greener technologies, we can start a trend toward better solutions. By getting involved in community planning and zoning we can have a global impact on a local level. And by buying less â€Å"stuff†, eating less animal products and sourcing our food from sustainable farms, we can spread the word that better solutions do exist and they don’t have to cater to mega-corporations and lobbyist pressure. The Consequences Of A Human Impact On The Environment Man maketh a death which Nature never made. ~ Edward Young What most of us fail to realize is that we will never truly destroy Earth. The planet will always remain and its nature will change and adapt to the conditions. But we have evolved to rely on the very particular conditions currently in place. We have specific water and food requirements, can only tolerate certain temperature ranges and we must have an abundance of clean, breathable air. Just look at how the environment is affecting human health already. Thus the question is not whether the Earth can withstand a human impact on the environment. The real question is will we so change the environment as to drive ourselves (and other species) to extinction? Ready To Get Stepping? All of this information about the human impact on the environment is great to help you understand and formulate your own opinions to the issues, but the most important part is not your opinions; it’s how those opinions change your lifestyle. Don’t find fault. Find a remedy. ~ Henry Ford If you’re ready to get started, I’d recommend the following Steps first: * Top Ways To Go Green: These should be your starting points. They are the no-duh things and most of them are very easy to implement. * Going Green At Home: For most of us, our homes are probably our biggest carbon footprint. Pop over there to learn easy ways to save water, energy and other  resources.

Visual Identity Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Visual Identity - Assignment Example And (6) how does the visual identity graphic fit with the product or service of this company or organization? The company logo is the famous logo for Apple, Inc. and is famously recognized globally by various people who have had interests in computers and its applications. The logo, representing the company Apple was first introduced to me during academic pursuit, as early as one could remember using the personal computer. Likewise, I remember that the logo was initially in rainbow-colored horizontal stripes, but using exactly the same graphic form (an apple with a bite at the right side). Currently, it is in its monochromatic form to indicate a more professionalized and sophisticated style commensurate to the image that the organization aimed to project. A little research apprised me that there was one logo prior to the famous visual representation of the company known as Newton Crest which was used only for one year in 1976 (Edible Apple, 2009). The graphic design is a perfect fit for the company as it accurately provided a visual identity: the representation of the apple with a bite, or byte that the designer, Rob Janoff, disclosed meant: â€Å"the â€Å"bite† in the Apple logo was originally implemented so that people would know that it represented an apple, and not a tomato. It also lent itself to a nerdy play on words (bite/byte), a fitting reference for a tech company† (Edible Apple, 2009, par. 3). Therefore, aside from the apple image, the color selection and the bite were appropriately and effectively designed and evolved through the years to depict transformations from â€Å"using a colorful logo as a means to â€Å"humanize† the company† (Edible Apple, 2009, par. 4), into â€Å"one capable of churning out sleek and cutting edge products† (Edible Apple, 2009, par. 9). Therefore, the visual identity perfectly fit the image of the company in terms of providing opporunities for easy r ecognition and recall of the corporate name and the brand

Zaha Hadid Starcitect a 20th century phenomenon Dissertation

Zaha Hadid Starcitect a 20th century phenomenon - Dissertation Example In a technological world that is global in nature, most civic heads are now aiming to create global villages that are uniform in nature, without overtly portraying any of the local culture and traditions. It is here the ‘starchitects’ have gained prominence by creating structures that have no link to history or traditions, and are more futuristic in colour , and thus can fit almost anywhere in this world. In this article, I will examine the works of the famous ‘starchitect’ Zara Hadid’s works, to comprehend the uniqueness in this form of architecture. Name Instructor’s name Date ‘Star architect’ and Zaha Hadid– a 20th century phenomenon 1 Introduction Starchitecture culture is â€Å"characterised by the premature coronation of designers based on flashy forms and blowout press coverage, the infection of schools with the idea of fame as a career objective and...a certain enabling complicity by the leading lights of our critic al establishment† – Phillip Nobel, 1 ‘Starchitect’  is a recent  phenomena or ‘neologism’ that is a relatively new doctrine within the field of art of architecture.  The term is used to distinguish architects  (and also artists/ sculptors), who have used their works in a manner that have turned them into a celebrity of sorts, and after receiving a certain degree of critical acclaim they have managed to transform themselves into idols of the architecture world, and in the process even earning fame amongst the general public. It has been observed that worldwide developers are quite enthusiastic to bring in the "top talent" or (starchitects), in order to attract the local governments into approving projects for large developments, or when requiring more financial help, and also for adding more star quality into their projects in order to raise the building value. The chief characteristic of a starchitect's design is that it is always so di fferent from the surrounding architecture, that it forcibly stands out and is highly visible within a particular locality, thus often turning into an icon, by its mere power of being starkly different. Since this entire process is completely dependent on the media publicity and the subsequent degree of current visibility, there are also instances of architects losing the ‘starchitect’ status (hence turning into former ‘starchitects’) owing to fading visibility in the media, thus forcing these icons to always try and remain within the range of media visibility. The latest development in this field is the hiring of famous ‘starchitects’ by various civic heads, in order to produce structures that turn into a landmark feature, an iconic representation of a city, thus elevating its international status or profile. Having maverick architects like Zaha Hadid, Renzo Piano, or Norman Foster designing an opera house or a museum, are instances of ‘s tarchitecture,’ when architectures or buildings are produced for more of a shock value, which would help to create a landmark or an icon. According to a recent economic theory followed by the civic heads, claims that a city tends to thrive and flourish if it possesses some amount of an  international fame.2 This was most evident in the case of Bilbao, where we find the ‘starchitect’ Frank Gehry designed an art museum, and this allowed the

Today, organisations need no longer concern themselves with service Essay

Today, organisations need no longer concern themselves with service quality, satisfaction and customer loyalty value is now the key to corporate success - Essay Example Among the many reasons why I agree with the above statement is that value has become a core function in Business Corporation to the extent that it has been relative to the overall organizational endeavour and success in its commercial activities. In essence, values are those principles that govern the existence, purpose and overall activities of an organization. Therefore, every organization is governed by certain principles that constitute its value (Cahill, 2006, 34). Value is a broad concept that underscores the inherent essence of an organization or in simple terms value underscores the organizational personality and moral fibre. As a result, value is of great importance in determining the efficacy of a corporation and has often been described as the key to organizational success in modern times. The evolution of organizations has witnessed a radical change in the priorities that govern organizational success. For instance, there was a time when quality was the core function of o rganizations and the success of Business Corporations was hinged on the capacity to deliver quality goods and services. During this time, most organizations primarily focused on quality parameters of their products and ignored the other considerations. Previously, the marketing concept defined organizational success as a function of marketing whereby an organization was successful only if it properly marketed its goods and services appropriately. The marketing concept was a quick replacement of the product concept that insisted on quality. In essence, the marketing concept implied that quality was not as important as marketing since customers buy goods on the basis of being persuaded and not on the basis of quality (Hurth, 2006, 8). The customer satisfaction concept, on the other hand, lays emphasis on the satisfaction of customers needs, fantasies and desires as the primary determinant of organizational success. This premise is based on the assumption that

Brief report Government and not for Profit Accounting Case Study

Brief report Government and not for Profit Accounting - Case Study Example Some governments set up independent bodies to formulate guidelines that are followed in the process of financial reporting. These bodies come up with rules and regulations that are followed by these entities. These independent bodies also determine which institutions are supposed to submit financial reports. This paper aims at illustrating a good understanding of the need for financial reporting by the government and private entities. This is going to be achieved by discussing the importance of regulation of financial reporting by government and not-for-profit entities. The regulation of financial reporting serves the purpose of acting as a check and balances system. The system is meant to limit the powers of the government on spending public finances, raising taxes to cover government spending. Regulation on financial reporting also helps shed light on government plans of public money expenditure (Ruppel, 2009 p201). This requires the government to state the amount of finances it ho lds and the nature of its intended expenditure. The purpose of government financial reporting is to provide information that facilitates decision making by different institutions. These institutions are citizens of that country, citizen representatives and private business entities. Intergovernmental agencies can also be described as parties that benefit from government financial reporting. ... The purpose of these objectives is to give information that facilitates decision making by various institutions with stakes (Earnst & Young, 2011 p 523). Accountability is the main objective of government financial reporting because it transfers responsibility from citizens to another body. The analysis of accountability is met when financial reporting facilitates the use of financial data in determining the extent of current expenditure supported by current income. There are two basic types of budgets that are used by both governments and corporate entities. These include capital budgets and annual operating budgets. Government annual operating budgets are expenditure appropriations for a specific fiscal year and estimated revenues. Capital budgets constitute the expenses incurred in fixed asset acquisition and government construction projects like laying down of infrastructure. Governments record these budgets as a means of compliance or control (Hussey, 2010 p174). Not-for-profit entities are those organizations or institutions whose activities are focused on other objectives other than making a profit. They include non-governmental organizations involved in charity work and other community based projects that the government cannot fulfill adequately. Not-for-profit entities face a challenge when it comes to financial reporting as laid down by ASSB. This is because they lack the same financial structure and background like the government. Not-for-profit entities do not have revenue-generating sources like the government, which means they cannot adopt the same budgetary procedures like the government. Their main source of operating funds comes from grants and donations, from charitable

Industrial Biotechnology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Industrial Biotechnology - Essay Example Transgenic plants, like Bt corn and herbicide resistant soybeans, were designed to improve agronomic performance, although these are also used in biopharming (pharmaceuticals from plants). Transgenic animals are currently used to express drugs in milk. Biotechnological approaches have been used to enhance the yield and diversity of the important compounds amino acids, vitamins, antibiotics and biofuels. Amino acids Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Humans and animals alike can synthesize amino acids, except for eight that have to be supplemented by the diet. Aside from their roles in nutrition, amino acids are also used as food flavour enhancers, for medical uses such as transfusion of proteinaceous food and ammonia detoxification, and in the manufacture of synthetic raw materials in the chemical industry (Okafor, 2007). Globally, glutamic acid, lysine and methionine are produced in the highest amounts, although all amino acids can be and are being synthesized. The fla vour enhancer monosodium glutamate is the number one product in terms of tonnage (Demain, 2007). Okafor (2007) reviewed the different methods used to manufacture amino acids. Hydrolysis of high protein products like hair, keratin and feathers is the oldest means of manufacturing amino acids. However, this procedure is highly dependent on the amount of raw material that is available. Amino acids are also chemically synthesized, but the end-products are a mixture of D and L forms which necessitate an additional expensive step to produce the biologically active L-form. Fermentation of carbon and nitrogen materials through the action of different bacterial species is the most economical and feasible to large-scale process. Enzymatic process converts specific substrates to amino acids through specific enzyme catalysis. The most important method for microbiological production of amino acids is through direct fermentation and this is where biotechnological approaches have been utilized the most. The discovery that microorganisms like bacteria, moulds and yeast express amino acids was the stimulus for advancement in this field. Corynebacterium, Brevibacterium, Microbacterium and Arthrobacter are the most common bacterial genera employed for direct fermentation. To induce expression of amino acids, media and culture conditions are modified. However, bacteria will produce the amino acids only to a certain extent because they have this innate control of production to prevent toxic effects. Thus, bacteria have been engineered that do not have the control mechanisms for inhibiting amino acid production. Auxotrophic mutants have increased production of L-glutamic acid (Nakamura, et al., 2007; Asakura, et al., 2007). Regulatory mutants for amino acid production have also been developed. These mutants possess an enzyme that is insensitive to feedback inhibition, and thus continues to overproduce a certain amino acid. For example the bacterium Brevibacterium flavum was enginee red to be insensitive to increased lysine concentration which has an inhibitory effect on aspartate kinase activity (Fernandez-Gonzalez, et al., 1996). Aspartate kinase is the only system in the lysine biosynthesis pathway that is sensitive to increased lysine levels. Recombinant DNA technology has greatly enhanced the introduction of genes into current

Moral and Religious Censorship, Family and Religious Values Essay

Moral and Religious Censorship, Family and Religious Values - Essay Example This increase has led to sorely needed strict laws that address these affronts. A personal incident has affected me. I have a nephew, who is so close to me that I think of myself as his â€Å"second father.† My nephew, being part of the new generation, uses the internet frequently for such activities as school work, playing games etc. One day, when he was on the internet and I was visiting, he asked me, pointing at the computer, â€Å"what are those two people doing?† I looked at the computer and was shocked to see a porn movie playing. I rushed instantly towards the computer and switched it off. I told him that this is adult stuff that he would learn in the future. I was outraged – children should not be exposed to sex. The early years should be spent thinking of studying and the small things in life, not thinking about sexual imagery. I used to believe that porn websites, magazines and movies were far from the reach of children, but my thoughts have changed as a result of this incident. After seeing a ten-year-old open a porn website, I realized just how easy it is for our youth to be exposed to these images. There is a clear lack of moral censorship in today’s society. Most of our recently produced movies have sexual content or nude scenes, while music videos that could be easily viewed on youtube and other video broadcasting websites feature ladies with about a quarter of their bodies covered. Childhood exposure to such adult imagery may lead to the increase of masturbation, voyeurism and sadism. Pornographic, indecent and obscene imagery also affects adults, as they introduce fantasies that could increase rape in our society. â€Å"According to conservatives, the sexually explicit content of pornography is an affront to decent family and religious values and deeply offensive to a significant portion of citizens who hold these values. The consumption of pornography is bad for society. It undermines and  destabilizes the moral fabric of a decent and stable society, by encouraging sexual promiscuity, deviant sexual practices and other attitudes and behavior that threaten tradit ional family and religious institutions, and which conservatives regard as intrinsically morally wrong.

Aristotelian Conventions of Tragedy in King Lear and Brave New World Essay - 1

Aristotelian Conventions of Tragedy in King Lear and Brave New World - Essay Example Aristotelian conventions such as a characterized Recognition of Self, and Suffering, both of which work to together to give tragic drama much of its emotional impact, are found to be driving forces in these master works. King Lear and Savage John, respectively, reveal their statuses as tragic heroes through their belated recognition of their own self-awareness and the suffering they undergo in order to reach that self-recognition. In this essay, both Shakespeare’s King Lear and Huxley’s Savage John will be analyzed in terms of these two Aristotelian conventions of tragedy in order to show how both Lear and John represent tragic heroes in some of literature’s best forms. Both King Lear and Brave New World follow the Aristotelian convention of Recognition of Self. In Aristotle’s formulation, this requires that heroes undergo some suffering that leads to a cathartic sense of self-awareness derived from the pain of suffering (20). Aristotle claims that a man m ust realize the (internal) root of his own downfall before he can become a tragic hero. King Lear gains this self-awareness as he wanders the heath with his Fool. He realizes the role he has played in his own downfall and it causes his descent into madness. Lear returns to sanity and to wisdom by realizing that his arrogance has led him both to accept the flattery of others and to overestimate his own power. He remarks upon this in a lament that â€Å"they told me I was everything; ‘tis a lie, -- I am not ague-proof† (1001). He later displays this growing self-awareness as he shakes hands with Gloucester but says that first he must wipe his hand because it â€Å"smells of mortality† (1001). Through a realization that his own power is limited, Lear is able to reassess his life and the loyalty of others, but not before the war breaks out across his former kingdom by those fighting to right the wrongs largely brought on because of his arrogance. Similarly, in Brave New World, John comes to realize his own limitations, partly because of his ongoing struggle to maintain a separation from the new world he confronts. At the end of his story, as he decides to go live by himself, he tells his friend Helmholtz, â€Å"I ate civilization†¦ it poisoned me; I was defiled. And then†¦ I ate my own wickedness† (241). In this admission, he shows that he was unable to resist society’s hold upon him due to something inside his own heart. While he continues throughout the story to try to purify himself, in the end, like Lear, he fails in his effort to overcome the world that he himself has had a hand in creating through a refusal to understand himself earlier in the story. Both King Lear and Brave New World also deal with the Aristotelian convention of Suffering. Aristotle argues that suffering is constituted in destructive or painful action that brings about death, wounds, or agony (21). For King Lear his suffering is brought on by his unjust treatment of Cordelia in the beginning of the play. This action is parallel by the way his cruel older daughters, Goneril and Regan, treat him after he has given them their portion of his holdings and power. He recognizes

TESCO's Business Plan Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

TESCO's Business Plan - Case Study Example According to Kanter (1995) such an action will not constitute an adequate response. This is so because success is based on an organisation's ability to create, rather than predict the future by developing those products that will literally transform the way the world thinks and view it self and the needs (Kanter 1995:71). The study first of all scans the market environment using the PESTLE framework; thereafter the study looks at TESCO corporate mission and vision statement in the phase of its new business plan. Finally the study looks into how ecological factors and other environmental factors have been used by TESCO to benefit its business plan. The last section of the paper provides the conclusion and recommendation for the study. Founded by Jack Cohen in 1919, Tesco Plc today, has established itself as the largest super store in Europe. According to the company 2007 corporate report and the website, Tesco PLC is an international retailer. Tesco principal activities include food retailing having over 2,000 stores in the United Kingdom. The company also has stores and retail outlet in other countries like the Republic of Ireland, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan and China (Tesco 2006 Review). Tesco operates 165 International Express stores. In addition it operates 39 stores in China, 111 in Japan, 13 in Malaysia, 62 in South Korea, 6 in Taiwan, 219 in Thailand, 35 in Czech Republic, 87 in Hungary, 105 in Poland, 91 in Republic of Ireland, 37 in Slovakia and 8 in Turkey. (Tesco Annual Review, 2006). It therefore operates round the clock which demonstrates its commitment to create customer value which in turn generates superior value for its shareholders. Tesco denotes its success to an aggressive global strategy of geographical diversification, product differentiation, cost focus and it use of umbrella branding. In its attempt to renew the brand and keep it in sync with changing customer tastes, Tesco follows various strategies including international diversification, providing value to customers, product diversification, innovation, acquisition and umbrella branding. Its recent strategy is the creation and opening of environmental friendly and energy efficient stores. 1.1.1 Political Factors The PESTLE framework outline in appendix one stipulates that a company is

Difference Between Self Esteem and Self Confidence Essay Example for Free

Difference Between Self Esteem and Self Confidence Essay * Difference between self esteem and self confidence Self confidence and self confidence are linked but they are not the same thing. Your self esteem is how much you like yourself, how you see yourself. What we see when we look in the mirror. Self esteem is somewhat passive and isnt something others can observer in you. While, if we look at, self confidence. It is something more active, and describes our abilities and willingness to interact with the world around us. By comparison, we can see how self confidently somebody (or even a group such as a ports team) is acting. Self esteem is the idea about yourself. It is how much you value yourself and how important you think you are. It is the acceptance, respect, trust and belief in you. Self confidence means that you believe in your own abilities. Self confidence is related to self assurance, you are proud of your own abilities. You are positive, take risks and set goals and reachable standards. With self-confidence you have the certainty that you can do it . Self esteem is valuing oneself unconditionally, if you are alive you can have full self- esteem. Go on, you have permission. Self-esteem is valuing yourself as a human being. You are alive, you have the powers of thought, emotion, speech ; movement. You can do things! When you think about the amazing freedom of being alive and being able to think, feel, speak and behave as you want, this is awe inspiring. No matter what you do or who you are you can esteem yourself. Self-confidence is having the confidence that you can do this or that thing. It is about your skills and performance and is conditional. If you are competent at a certain skill, you can be confident that you can do that. Confidence is conditional upon you being good at the said skill. If you are not good at it, there is no use being confident. If you are confident that you can skydive buy youVe never done it before and know nothing about it, that is recipe for disaster. Your confidence will improve naturally as your competence increases. There is another element that you can be confident in that can help you improve your confidence at any skill.

Structure and Development of Curriculum

Structure and Development of Curriculum Introduction The curriculum is not a simple word that can be defined; it is a discipline that consists of many factors that ultimately create the curriculum. Upon reading further into this subject, it has become obvious that the curriculum is a complex field and is more likely to reveal that many authors, scholars, academic writers each have a definition describing what the curriculum best means to them or its best definition in the context they discuss. This paper will focus on the Australian Curriculum and will attempt to address issues such as the various definitions of the curriculum, the purpose or goal of the curriculum, how the curriculum is developed, the structure of the curriculum, how the curriculum is influenced by different learning theories, the processes of teaching, learning and assessment and how the curriculum relates to 21st Century learners. Incorporating these factors and understanding this information will allow the reader to formulate his or her own educated definition of t he curriculum whilst recognising the primary features which influence learning within our schools. Definition of Curriculum and its Stakeholders Several definitions surround the meaning of curriculum; to get an overview of the definition we can throw relevant words together such as plan, objective, content, subject matter, opportunities, guidelines, framework, experiences or strategies, although in order to make sense of these words and their relationship to the curriculum we must connect these words in a logical pattern. Authors and academics Brady Kennedy (2010, p.5) simply state In seeking to understand better the role of the curriculum in the 21st century, the purpose should be to ensure that children and young people are well equipped to handle whatever it is that this century will call them to do and be, in other words, there must be a common interest and a common bond by all those involved, while Marsh and Willis (2007, as cited in Marsh, 2010, p.93) define curriculum as an interrelated set of plans and experiences which a student completes under the guidance of the school. Other definitions of the curriculum arise, d ependant on the stakeholders in question, these stakeholders are people who have an interest in the curriculum, its formation and its delivery. The business community feel that the curriculum must be able to support students in their future employment opportunities while preparing them for the economic needs of society (Brady Kennedy, 2010) and parent groups are concerned that the curriculum could be manipulated by government bodies for academic analysis instead of concentrating on equipping their children with the appropriate knowledge and experiences for a successful future (Brady Kennedy, 2010). ACARA (2010c) describes the new National curriculum as a broad scope and sequence of core learning. Critical decisions about the total educational program and how it will be implemented and adapted to meet the needs and interests of students will be the responsibility of education authorities, schools, teachers, parents and students Marsh (2010, p.24) provides a list of stakeholders with whom the National Curriculum Board (NCB), now known as the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) consults Government Federal/State Minister for Education, Council of Australian Governments, Premiers, State/Territory ministers, Federal opposition, State/Territory opposition Education authorities Government and Non-Government Schools, Australasian Curriculum, Assessment and Certification Authorities (ACACA), Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). Professional associations Unions, Business, Employers School-based Principals, Administrators, Teachers, Students Community Parents, Parent groups, Parent Associations Tertiary Sector Universities, TAFE, Industry training sectors, Academics From this information it is evident that the curriculum is complex, detailed and is influenced by many groups. Fundamentally, it is a plan that consists of goals/aims, content and achievement standards for each subject to be taught within Australian schools, in other words, the curriculum is a planned description of the what, how and when of teaching, learning and assessment. Understanding the foundation of curriculum, we can now concentrate on the goal of the curriculum WHO is it for and WHAT do we expect from our education system and for young Australian citizens? The purpose or goal of the Curriculum and Education Curriculum must be of direct relevance to the childs social, cultural, environmental and economic context and to his or her present and future needs and take full account of the childs evolving capacities; teaching methods should be tailored to the different needs of different children (UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, General Comment 1 as cited in Sullivan Keeney, 2008, p.38). In order to understand the goal or purpose of education, we must understand who we are directing our learning to. Acknowledging the diversity of learners will assist in identifying the scope and range of the content to be covered by the curriculum. Brady and Kennedy (2010, p.38) state Teachers must examine the curriculum carefully to ensure it does not exclude the diverse experiences that students bring with them to the classroom. More positively, the curriculum should highlight those experiences and make them the basis for discovery and learning. The K-12 National Curriculum is directed towards students developing their knowledge and understanding of the major disciplines Mathematics, English, Science and History to enable students to further their knowledge and specialise in fields through further tertiary education. Further to this, the curriculum provides the foundation that allows young Australian citizens to deal confidently with issues that arise and enables them to make informed decisions regarding social and personal matters. (EQUITY) ACARA is responsible for the development of the Australian curriculum from Kindergarten to Year 12. ACARAs work with the Australian curriculum is directed by the 2008 Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians. This declaration commits to supporting learners with quality education and providing them with the skills necessary for future endeavours (ACARA, 2009a). The Australian curriculum will outline the scope and sequence of key learning areas, in other words WHAT and WHEN it is to be taught at schools, although teachers will ultimately make the decision on HOW to organise, structure and deliver this information to benefit each and every students learning experience (ACARA, 2009b). The educational goals for young Australian citizens focus on creating successful learners such as developing their capacity to be creative, resourceful and motivated individuals, to be able to think, obtain and evaluate evidence, work independently and in teams, be able to communicat e ideas, utilise current technology and be able to make informed decisions and gain the necessary skills regarding their learning and employment directions. These goals also aim to create confident individuals by providing the tools that promote a sense of self-awareness to be able to manage all facets of their wellbeing, develop values such as honesty, empathy and respect for themselves and others, form personal, social and professional relationships and have the confidence to pursue further education and training. In addition, becoming active and informed citizens is addressed through the cross-curriculum dimensions, which aim to instil an understanding and appreciation for Australias indigenous history and diverse culture and sustaining and improving our natural and social surroundings (ACARA, 2009b). So far we have discussed what the curriculum is and how it can be defined, the major influences on the curriculums development, namely the stakeholders and the purpose or goals of the curriculum and education. Before we discuss the structure and development of the curriculum, it is important to be aware of where and how the curriculum originated and why the curriculum is structured the way it is. Structure and Development of the Curriculum The structure of the curriculum and how it is developed caters for the wide range of stakeholders involved while endeavouring to achieve the best learning outcomes for Australian students. The core-curriculum was developed through the Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) by the former Director, Malcolm Skilbeck in 1980. The 24-page document attempted to reconceptualise the existing school subjects within a social-reconstructionist framework (Marsh, 2010, p.11). Even though parts of the core-curriculum were adopted in NSW, WA and NT, the development did not continue due to a lack of funding for the CDC. As the decades passed, many attempts at developing a national curriculum failed to make it successfully through its journey, finally in 2008, under the Rudd Government, a National Curriculum Board (NCB) was created to develop a National Curriculum for students Kindergarten to Year 12, consisting of four Key Learning Areas (KLAs) Mathematics, English, History and Science, with additiona l components of general capabilities and cross-curriculum dimensions working alongside these KLAs (Marsh, 2010). ACARA (2009c) was created to oversee the successful development of the Kindergarten to Year 12 Curriculum, plus the Senior Secondary Curriculum and the Early Years Curriculum Framework. Below outlines the four stages involved in the development of the Australian Curriculum Kindergarten to Year 12. Curriculum shaping stage- This involves the development of the draft shape paper, where expert advice is requested and endorsed by ACARAs board for public feedback. This creates the final shape paper, consisting of an outline of the Australian curriculum including design advice for learning areas. Curriculum writing stage A team consisting of writers, curriculum experts, and ACARA curriculum staff developing the Australian curriculum. The information includes content description and achievement standards; to achieve this, the team refers to national and international research on curriculum, while also referring to current state and territory curriculums. After public feedback and necessary modifications, the Australian curriculum for the particular learning area is ready for publication. Implementation stage Implementation plans are developed by ACARA and state/territory curriculum and school authorities (ACARA, 2010b) Evaluation and review stage Implementation feedback is reviewed carefully via processes that monitor this information. Below is a visual snapshot of the components included in the National Curriculum to be implemented in the year 2011. Australian curriculum graph.png Source: (ACARA, 2009a) Each KLA contains a statement of rationale, aims, content structure and descriptions, and achievement standards. Statement of rationale Overview of the particular subject Aims What students will achieve from this subject Content structure/organisation How the subject is arranged/designed and the information involved Content description specifies what teachers are expected to teach for each learning area at each year level, also provides the scope and sequence of teaching Achievement standards describes the quality of learning e.g. the understanding, knowledge and skill students are required to achieve at each year level. While the National curriculum will keep the original structure of scope and sequence for the KLAs, it is evident the new curriculum has become more detailed and involved, by introducing general capabilities and cross-curriculum dimensions in addition to the KLAs, teachers may find it difficult to be able to get through all the required content in the time allocated, while some may require further intensive training to increase their knowledge in certain areas such as History. Few primary teachers have a sufficient background in History and that they will require concentrated training to develop academic and pedagogical knowledge in History (Harris-Hart, 2009 as cited in Marsh, 2010, p.26), although ACARA (2010c) states the key focus during curriculum development is on depth of learning and not breadth of learning, so as not to overcrowd the curriculum. Since the Australian Curriculum has been collated from different components of the eight state/territory curriculums currently in ope ration, they have maintained the KLAs, added general capabilities and cross-curriculum dimensions while keeping the existing structure for sequencing within the learning areas. (REFERENCE) For example, the NSW curriculum comprises of six KLAs for primary school and eight KLAs for secondary school. Below is a visual snapshot of the NSW Primary syllabus. http://k6.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/images/time_on_each_subject.jpg Source: (NSW-BOS, 2008) Schools in New South Wales use the Kindergarten to Year 10 Curriculum Framework as the foundation of what, how and when the content is to be taught, although the NSW Board of Studies acknowledges that schools and teachers take responsibility for the way in which the content is organised and delivered (NSW-BOS, 2002a). NSW primary teachers use the NSW Primary Curriculum Foundation Statements to find out what needs to be taught in each subject. The six subjects within the NSW curriculum are English, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE), Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE) and Creative arts (NSW-BOS, 2002b), while the Australian Curriculum takes into consideration two new components that will enhance the learning process by working alongside the four KLAs, these components are ten (10) general capabilities and three (3) cross-curriculum dimensions. The ten (10) general capabilities are: literacy, numeracy, information and communication technology, thinking skills, ethical behaviour, creativity, self-management, teamwork, intercultural understanding and social competence. The three (3) cross-curriculum dimensions are: Indigenous history and culture, Asia and Australias engagement with Asia and Sustainability (ACARA, 2010a). Conclusion The Curriculum is a planned description of the what, how and when of teaching, learning and assessment, it is the foundation for learners, students and teachers while being influenced by the many stakeholders that want a share/input in the direction of the Curriculum. The structure and development of the Australian Curriculum includes many components such as teaching, learning and assessment which have focused on the depth of learning not the breadth. Throughout this paper it is also evident that the Australian Curriculum has been influenced by the theories of teaching and learning from several theorists such as Piaget, Bloom, Krathwohl, Vygotsky, Bruner and Maslows taxonomy. In addition, we must keep in mind that by understanding our students changing nature and their diversities, the Australian Curriculum has the opportunity to be in the forefront of teaching and learning in the 21st Century.

Ever At Odds: The Conflict and Reconciliation of Science and Religion in Paradise Lost and The Blazing World :: Paradise Lost Blazing World

Ever At Odds: The Conflict and Reconciliation of Science and Religion in Paradise Lost and The Blazing World Throughout history, scientific theories and spiritual beliefs have often been at odds. Even today, most people are faced with the difficulty of reconciling their religious beliefs with modern science. In the 17th Century, when scientific thought was in its infancy and religion was the established source of knowledge about the universe, this conflict was of particular interest to writers and philosophers. Two similar but contrasting viewpoints on this issue can be seen in John Milton's Paradise Lost and Margaret Cavendish's The Blazing World. Milton and Cavendish both see science as a tool for exploring the world; however, while Milton feels that science can provide no deep insight into God's workings, Cavendish believes that science can potentially be a source of greater knowledge and understanding. Under the reign of Elizabeth I, England enjoyed a period of religious toleration. However, near the end of her reign, a growing religious minority, the Puritans, became increasingly critical of her policies, believing that she was still too close to Catholicism. These grievances were magnified when Elizabeth's successor, James I, a devout Anglican, proved to be far less tolerant and tactful. Furthermore, James was accused of abusing his royal authority by attempting to undermine Parliament. The growing tension between Anglicans and Puritans worsened under James' son, Charles I, who repeatedly angered a Parliament in which the House of Commons had gained a significant Puritan influence. In response, the Puritans, led by Oliver Cromwell, called for a reformation of the church, including the abolition of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer and a ban on bishops voting in the House of Lords. When Charles attempted to dispel the situation by arresting five Commons leaders, loyalties in the country split and the English Civil War began. Under Cromwell's political and military leadership, the Puritan forces gained organization and determination. His New Model Army won a major battle in Naesby in 1645, which ultimately lead to Charles' surrender. In January 1649, Charles I was executed and the Interregnum under Cromwell began. However, Cromwell's reign was not successful, and by 1653 he was forced to rule through military dictatorship. After Cromwell's death in 1660, Charles II was invited to return from exile to claim the English throne. His return to power is known as the Restoration (Chambers 478-85).

Body Image in the Media :: Advertising Papers

How does the media influence our body image? In what forms, does the media influence our perceptions about our body? These were the two questions that I asked myself in order to do the research paper and the panel discussion. In my opinion, I would agree that the media does influence and promote women and men to believe that the culture's standards for body image are ideal. Hence, the phrases, "thin is in" and "the perfect body" are two examples of "eye-catching" headlines that I observed in many women magazines. I learned that the media influences us through television, fashion and health magazines, music videos, film, commercials, and various other advertisements. Sadly, as a result, this repeated exposure, the "thin" ideal, can lead many young girls in triggering eating disorders, depression, low self-esteem, stress, and suicide. After acquiring this relevant information, I decided to focus my research on what type of media influences elementary school children and the adolesc ent teenager. The three central types of media that I found that did indeed influence body image are: Fashion magazines, famous top-models and actresses, and teenage or young adult women in the music industry. According to the Seretean Center for Health Promotion, " the term, "body image" has been coined to describe a person's inner sense of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the physical appearance of her/his body." (From The Wellness Column, April 1, 1996.) In my research, I found that many young girls are dissatisfied with their bodies and many "strive" to look like the "waif-thin" models or actresses one sees on television or in fashion magazines. There was a lot of information and facts on body and image that I found on the Internet. However, one website, Just Think Foundation, supported my belief that the media, magazines in particular, do indeed influence young girls to be "thin" in order to be popular and beautiful in our society. For example, I was in alarmed to learn that "eighty percent of 10-year-old American girls diet; more than five million Americans suffer from eating disorders and ninety percent of those are adolescent and young adult women; the number one magic wis h for young girls age 11-17 is to be thinner; and between elementary and high school, the percentage of girls in the U.S. who are "happy with the way I am" drops from 60% to 29%.

Experience is knowledge :: essays research papers

Option # 1 Write an essay with the theme of your first quotation â€Å"A man should never be ashamed to own he has been in the wrong, which is by saying, in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.† - Alexander Pope (1688-1744)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Experience is Knowledge†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many regrets may burden ones mind throughout their life. This is a totally normal part of ones life that one may have no control over. â€Å"A man should never be ashamed to own he has been in the wrong, which is by saying, in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.† - Alexander Pope (1688-1744) It is important that one will learn from their mistakes and take out a valuable lesson learned through their actions. The world does not stop for your sake, it simply keeps going and does not put into consideration that the day did not go accordingly to plans.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is perfectly normal for one to feel question or doubt of a certain action performed. Anyone that is human would have this reaction to something that was a difficult decision to make. As many will come to see, life was not equipped with a pause button to put everything on hold so life as we know it can be put back into order. So many little things happen everyday, if a person would let all of these things get under their skin, life would be better known as â€Å"hell.† The best advice one could use would be to learn from the mistakes made, and become wiser with each one made.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Should mistakes be looked at as something to be ashamed of? Being a human, mistake are inevitable. There is no such thing as someone who has not ever questioned an action performed or a decision made. Humans are given a conscious, this is strictly for making decisions. It helps one makes decisions by questioning everything. By doing this, uncertainty is not out of the question. Wrong choices, and bad actions are not something one should ever be ashamed of. Wrong choices, and bad actions that are performed more then once are something one should be ashamed of.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wisdom comes with experience, engorging oneself in many opportunities comes with its mistakes. If one can comes out of a bad experience with some sort of knowledge that will help them, or teach them anything, it was not something to be ashamed of.

Pd help

Outline TWO indicators of morbidity. Include examples in your answer. Morbidity is the incidence or level of illness, disease or injury in a given population. Two indicators of morbidity include: Hospital use, by the cause and number of admissions. It provides a measure of the rates of illness and accidents to the community, major reasons for ill health and information on serious diseases.Yet, it is not descriptive of less serious illnesses and ill health. For example, hospitalisation statistics have limitations as an indicator of morbidity because they treat each episode as a new case rather than having re- admissions of the same condition. Disability and handicap, which is lead to by the incidence of disease or injury. An example of handicap could be an individual injured in an accident which has become impaired, resulting in an abnormal function or loss of physical or mental capacities.This could cause disability by disturbing the individual's normal activity or performance. An ex ample of disability can be loss of ability in verbal communication. . What should consumers consider before choosing complementary and/or alternative health care approaches? (4 Marks) Prior to choosing complementary and/or alternative health care approaches, consumers should investigate the service offered and the credibility of the practitioner.Making informed choices should be completed by gathering information specific to the nature of the alternative medicine, credibility as an effective type of treatment, questioning friends and the community about experiences and recommendations and also the qualifications and experience of practitioners. Alternative medicines have endeavoured the highest quality of treatment by providing courses within the technique. For example, the Bowen Therapy Academy of Australia offers an introductory course followed by a 6 month practitioner course to obtain accreditation. 3. Why is it important to prioritise health issues in Australia?

The Tiger Who Would Be King

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Mr. Smith Honors English – Period 6 19 January 2013 Ambiguity and Irony in the Tiger Who Would Be King James Thurber weaves ambiguity and irony into â€Å"The Tiger Who Would Be King† and allows them to influence the readers understanding and perception of the characters, themes, and plots in various ways. For example, ambiguity, a lack of clarity, presents itself when the brash and volatile tiger arrogantly declares â€Å"I’ll be king of beasts by the time the moon rises† (312). This presents us with the central plot and conflict of the story as well as some insight into his character and personality.The fact that he declares war against Leo the Lion leaves us with some ambiguity as we do not know if he will triumph and only know that an epic battle lies in store. Another example of this is evident when the tiger rebelliously states â€Å"’We need a change,’ said the tiger. ‘The creatures are crying for a change. â₠¬â„¢Ã¢â‚¬  (312). The fact that his mate notes that the only crying she can hear is that of her cubs, leaves the reader with ambiguity as to why he really wants change. The reader must critically approach the text and derive the unclear meaning from his faulty decision and decide and discover what it really means.Ambiguity in this story as well as in all literature is what captivates readers and teaches them to critically analyze the text and takes reading to a whole new level. Dramatic, verbal and situational irony all appear in this story and provide it with a kind of humor that keeps readers entertained. For example: â€Å"The tigress listened but she could hear no crying, except that of her cubs† (312). This is an example of situational irony because readers expect there to be a serious problem, however the tigress’ observation proves that the conflict the tiger created may not actually be there.Situational irony occurred here because what happened is the opposite of what as expected. Another instance of irony in the story this time comes verbally when the lioness wakes Leo the Lion and tells him â€Å"The king is here to see you† (312). The fact that Leo is the king is what is so ironic about the statement. This instance of verbal irony in the story is what sets the wheels in motion and gets the blood boiling for the fight of the king of beasts. Irony in this story is used often and is supports the main ideas, plot, theme and characters and helps the story move along.

The Lost Symbol Chapter 44-47

CHAPTER 44 New York editor Jonas Faukman was just turning off the lights in his Manhattan office when his phone rang. He had no intention of picking up at this hour–that is, until he glimpsed the caller- ID display. This ought to be good, he thought, reaching for the receiver. â€Å"Do we still publish you?† Faukman asked, half serious. â€Å"Jonas!† Robert Langdon's voice sounded anxious. â€Å"Thank God you're there. I need your help.† Faukman's spirits lifted. â€Å"You've got pages for me to edit, Robert?† Finally? â€Å"No, I need information. Last year, I connected you with a scientist named Katherine Solomon, the sister of Peter Solomon?† Faukman frowned. No pages. â€Å"She was looking for a publisher for a book on Noetic Science? Do you remember her?† Faukman rolled his eyes. â€Å"Sure. I remember. And thanks a million for that introduction. Not only did she refuse to let me read the results of her research, she didn't want to publish anything until some magical date in the future.† â€Å"Jonas, listen to me, I don't have time. I need Katherine's phone number. Right now. Do you have it?† â€Å"I've got to warn you . . . you're acting a little desperate. She's great looking, but you're not going to impress her by–â€Å" â€Å"This is no joke, Jonas, I need her number now.† â€Å"All right . . . hold on.† Faukman and Langdon had been close friends for enough years that Faukman knew when Langdon was serious. Jonas typed the name Katherine Solomon into a search window and began scanning the company's e-mail server. â€Å"I'm looking now,† Faukman said. â€Å"And for what it's worth, when you call her, you may not want to call from the Harvard Pool. It sounds like you're in an asylum.† â€Å"I'm not at the pool. I'm in a tunnel under the U.S. Capitol.† Faukman sensed from Langdon's voice that he was not joking. What is it with this guy? â€Å"Robert, why can't you just stay home and write?† His computer pinged. â€Å"Okay, hold on . . . I got it.† He moused through the old e-mail thread. â€Å"It looks like all I have is her cell.† â€Å"I'll take it.† Faukman gave him the number. â€Å"Thanks, Jonas,† Langdon said, sounding grateful. â€Å"I owe you one.† â€Å"You owe me a manuscript, Robert. Do you have any idea how long–â€Å" The line went dead. Faukman stared at the receiver and shook his head. Book publishing would be so much easier without the authors. CHAPTER 45 Katherine Solomon did a double take when she saw the name on her caller ID. She had imagined the incoming call was from Trish, checking in to explain why she and Christopher Abaddon were taking so long. But the caller was not Trish. Far from it. Katherine felt a blushing smile cross her lips. Could tonight get any stranger? She flipped open her phone. â€Å"Don't tell me,† she said playfully. â€Å"Bookish bachelor seeking single Noetic Scientist?† â€Å"Katherine!† The deep voice belonged to Robert Langdon. â€Å"Thank God you're okay.† â€Å"Of course I'm okay,† she replied, puzzled. â€Å"Other than the fact that you never called me after that party at Peter's house last summer.† â€Å"Something has happened tonight. Please listen.† His normally smooth voice sounded ragged. â€Å"I'm so sorry to have to tell you this . . . but Peter is in serious trouble.† Katherine's smile disappeared. â€Å"What are you talking about?† â€Å"Peter . . .† Langdon hesitated as if searching for words. â€Å"I don't know how to say it, but he's been . . . taken. I'm not sure how or by whom, but–â€Å" â€Å"Taken?† Katherine demanded. â€Å"Robert, you're scaring me. Taken . . . where?† â€Å"Taken captive.† Langdon's voice cracked as if he were overwhelmed. â€Å"It must have happened earlier today or maybe yesterday.† â€Å"This isn't funny,† she said angrily. â€Å"My brother is fine. I just spoke to him fifteen minutes ago!† â€Å"You did?!† Langdon sounded stunned. â€Å"Yes! He just texted me to say he was coming to the lab.† â€Å"He texted you . . .† Langdon thought out loud. â€Å"But you didn't actually hear his voice?† â€Å"No, but–â€Å" â€Å"Listen to me. The text you received was not from your brother. Someone has Peter's phone. He's dangerous. Whoever it is tricked me into coming to Washington tonight.† â€Å"Tricked you? You're not making any sense!† â€Å"I know, I'm so sorry.† Langdon seemed uncharacteristically disorientated. â€Å"Katherine, I think you could be in danger.† Katherine Solomon was sure that Langdon would never joke about something like this, and yet he sounded like he had lost his mind. â€Å"I'm fine,† she said. â€Å"I'm locked inside a secure building!† â€Å"Read me the message you got from Peter's phone. Please.† Bewildered, Katherine pulled up the text message and read it to Langdon, feeling a chill as she came to the final part referencing Dr. Abaddon. â€Å"`If available, have Dr. Abaddon join us inside. I trust him fully . . .' â€Å" â€Å"Oh God . . .† Langdon's voice was laced with fear. â€Å"Did you invite this man inside?† â€Å"Yes! My assistant just went out to the lobby to get him. I expect them back any–â€Å" â€Å"Katherine, get out!† Langdon yelled. â€Å"Now!† At the other side of the SMSC, inside the security room, a phone began ringing, drowning out the Redskins game. The guard reluctantly pulled out his earbuds one more time. â€Å"Lobby,† he answered. â€Å"This is Kyle.† â€Å"Kyle, it's Katherine Solomon!† Her voice sounded anxious, out of breath. â€Å"Ma'am, your brother has not yet–â€Å" â€Å"Where's Trish?!† she demanded. â€Å"Can you see her on the monitors?† The guard rolled his chair over to look at the screens. â€Å"She hasn't gotten back to the Cube yet?† â€Å"No!† Katherine shouted, sounding alarmed. The guard now realized that Katherine Solomon was out of breath, as if she were running. What's going on back there? The guard quickly worked the video joystick, skimming through frames of digital video at rapid speed. â€Å"Okay, hold on, scrolling through playback . . . I've got Trish with your guest leaving the lobby . . . they move down the Street . . . fast-forwarding . . . okay, they're going into Wet Pod . . . Trish uses her key card to unlock the door . . . both of them step into Wet Pod . . . fast- forwarding . . . okay, here they are coming out of Wet Pod just a minute ago . . . heading down . . .† He cocked his head, slowing the playback. â€Å"Wait a minute. That's odd.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"The gentleman came out of Wet Pod alone.† â€Å"Trish stayed inside?† â€Å"Yes, it looks that way. I'm watching your guest now . . . he's in the hall on his own.† â€Å"Where is Trish?† Katherine asked more frantically. â€Å"I don't see her on the video feed,† he replied, an edge of anxiety creeping into his voice. He looked back at the screen and noticed that the man's jacket sleeves appeared to be wet . . . all the way up to his elbows. What in the world did he do in Wet Pod? The guard watched as the man began to move purposefully down the main hallway toward Pod 5, clutching in his hand what looked like . . . a key card. The guard felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. â€Å"Ms. Solomon, we've got a serious problem.† Tonight was a night of firsts for Katherine Solomon. In two years, she had never used her cell phone inside the void. Nor had she ever crossed the void at a dead run. At the moment, however, Katherine had a cell phone pressed to her ear while she was dashing blindly along the endless length of carpet. Each time she felt a foot stray from the carpet, she corrected back to center, racing on through the sheer darkness. â€Å"Where is he now?† Katherine asked the guard, breathless. â€Å"Checking now,† the guard replied. â€Å"Fast-forwarding . . . okay, here he is walking down the hall . . . moving toward Pod Five . . .† Katherine ran harder, hoping to reach the exit before she got trapped back here. â€Å"How long until he gets to the Pod Five entrance?† The guard paused. â€Å"Ma'am, you don't understand. I'm still fast-forwarding. This is recorded playback. This already happened.† He paused. â€Å"Hold on, let me check the entry event monitor.† He paused and then said, â€Å"Ma'am, Ms. Dunne's key card shows a Pod Five entry event about a minute ago.† Katherine slammed on the brakes, sliding to a halt in the middle of the abyss. â€Å"He already unlocked Pod Five?† she whispered into the phone. The guard was typing frantically. â€Å"Yes, it looks like he entered . . . ninety seconds ago.† Katherine's body went rigid. She stopped breathing. The darkness felt suddenly alive all around her. He's in here with me. In an instant, Katherine realized that the only light in the entire space was coming from her cell phone, illuminating the side of her face. â€Å"Send help,† she whispered to the guard. â€Å"And get to Wet Pod to help Trish.† Then she quietly closed her phone, extinguishing the light. Absolute darkness settled around her. She stood stock-still and breathed as quietly as possible. After a few seconds, the pungent scent of ethanol wafted out of the darkness in front of her. The smell got stronger. She could sense a presence, only a few feet in front of her on the carpet. In the silence, the pounding of Katherine's heart seemed loud enough to give her away. Silently, she stepped out of her shoes and inched to her left, sidestepping off the carpet. The cement felt cold under her feet. She took one more step to clear the carpet. One of her toes cracked. It sounded like a gunshot in the stillness. Only a few yards away, a rustle of clothing suddenly came at her out of the darkness. Katherine bolted an instant too late and a powerful arm snagged her, groping in the darkness, hands violently attempting to gain purchase. She spun away as a viselike grip caught her lab coat, yanking her backward, reeling her in. Katherine threw her arms backward, slithering out of her lab coat and slipping free. Suddenly, with no idea anymore which way was out, Katherine Solomon found herself dashing, dead blind, across an endless black abyss. CHAPTER 46 Despite containing what many have called â€Å"the most beautiful room in the world,† the Library of Congress is known less for its breathtaking splendor than for its vast collections. With over five hundred miles of shelves–enough to stretch from Washington, D.C., to Boston–it easily claims the title of largest library on earth. And yet still it expands, at a rate of over ten thousand items per day. As an early repository for Thomas Jefferson's personal collection of books on science and philosophy, the library stood as a symbol of America's commitment to the dissemination of knowledge. One of the first buildings in Washington to have electric lights, it literally shone like a beacon in the darkness of the New World. As its name implies, the Library of Congress was established to serve Congress, whose venerated members worked across the street in the Capitol Building. This age-old bond between library and Capitol had been fortified recently by the construction of a physical connection–a long tunnel beneath Independence Avenue that linked the two buildings. Tonight, inside this dimly lit tunnel, Robert Langdon followed Warren Bellamy through a construction zone, trying to quell his own deepening concern for Katherine. This lunatic is at her lab?! Langdon didn't even want to imagine why. When he had called to warn her, Langdon had told Katherine exactly where to meet him before they hung up. How much longer is this damned tunnel? His head ached now, a roiling torrent of interconnected thoughts: Katherine, Peter, the Masons, Bellamy, pyramids, ancient prophecy . . . and a map. Langdon shook it all off and pressed on. Bellamy promised me answers. When the two men finally reached the end of the passage, Bellamy guided Langdon through a set of double doors that were still under construction. Finding no way to lock the unfinished doors behind them, Bellamy improvised, grabbing an aluminum ladder from the construction supplies and leaning it precariously against the outside of the door. Then he balanced a metal bucket on top. If anyone opened the door, the bucket would crash loudly to the floor. That's our alarm system? Langdon eyed the perched bucket, hoping Bellamy had a more comprehensive plan for their safety tonight. Everything had happened so fast, and Langdon was only now starting to process the repercussions of his fleeing with Bellamy. I'm a fugitive from the CIA. Bellamy led the way around a corner, where the two men began ascending a wide staircase that was cordoned off with orange pylons. Langdon's daybag weighed him down as he climbed. â€Å"The stone pyramid,† he said, â€Å"I still don't understand–â€Å" â€Å"Not here,† Bellamy interrupted. â€Å"We'll examine it in the light. I know a safe place.† Langdon doubted such a place existed for anyone who had just physically assaulted the director of the CIA's Office of Security. As the two men reached the top of the stairs, they entered a wide hallway of Italian marble, stucco, and gold leaf. The hall was lined with eight pairs of statues–all depicting the goddess Minerva. Bellamy pressed on, leading Langdon eastward, through a vaulted archway, into a far grander space. Even in the dim, after-hours lighting, the library's great hall shone with the classical grandeur of an opulent European palace. Seventy-five feet overhead, stained-glass skylights glistened between paneled beams adorned with rare â€Å"aluminum leaf†Ã¢â‚¬â€œa metal that was considered to be more precious than gold at one time. Beneath that, a stately course of paired pillars lined the second-floor balcony, accessible by two magnificent curling staircases whose newel posts supported giant bronze female figures raising torches of enlightenment. In a bizarre attempt to reflect this theme of modern enlightenment and yet stay within the decorative register of Renaissance architecture, the stairway banisters had been carved with cupidlike putti portrayed as modern scientists. An angelic electrician holding a telephone? A cherubic entomologist with a specimen box? Langdon wondered what Bernini would have thought. â€Å"We'll talk over here,† Bellamy said, leading Langdon past the bulletproof display cases that contained the library's two most valuable books–the Giant Bible of Mainz, handwritten in the 1450s, and America's copy of the Gutenberg Bible, one of only three perfect vellum copies in the world. Fittingly, the vaulted ceiling overhead bore John White Alexander's six-panel painting titled The Evolution of the Book. Bellamy strode directly to a pair of elegant double doors at the center rear of the east-corridor wall. Langdon knew what room lay beyond those doors, but it seemed a strange choice for a conversation. Notwithstanding the irony of talking in a space filled with â€Å"Silence Please† signs, this room hardly seemed like a â€Å"safe place.† Located dead center of the library's cruciform- shaped floor plan, this chamber served as the heart of the building. Hiding in here was like breaking into a cathedral and hiding on the altar. Nonetheless, Bellamy unlocked the doors, stepped into the darkness beyond, and groped for the lights. When he flipped the switch, one of America's great architectural masterpieces seemed to materialize out of thin air. The famous reading room was a feast for the senses. A voluminous octagon rose 160 feet at its center, its eight sides finished in chocolate-brown Tennessee marble, cream-colored Siena marble, and apple-red Algerian marble. Because it was lit from eight angles, no shadows fell anywhere, creating the effect that the room itself was glowing. â€Å"Some say it's the most striking room in Washington,† Bellamy said, ushering Langdon inside. Maybe in the whole world, Langdon thought as he stepped across the threshold. As always, his gaze first ascended straight up to the towering central collar, where rays of arabesque coffers curled down the dome to an upper balcony. Encircling the room, sixteen bronze â€Å"portrait† statues peered down from the balustrade. Beneath them, a stunning arcade of archways formed a lower balcony. Down at floor level, three concentric circles of burnished wood desks radiated out from the massive octagonal circulation desk. Langdon returned his focus to Bellamy, who was now propping the room's double doors wide open. â€Å"I thought we were hiding,† Langdon said, confused. â€Å"If anyone enters the building,† Bellamy said, â€Å"I want to hear them coming.† â€Å"But won't they find us instantly in here?† â€Å"No matter where we hide, they'll find us. But if anyone corners us in this building, you'll be very glad I chose this room.† Langdon had no idea why, but Bellamy apparently wasn't looking to discuss it. He was already on the move toward the center of the room, where he selected one of the available reading desks, pulled up two chairs, and flipped on the reading light. Then he motioned to Langdon's bag. â€Å"Okay, Professor, let's have a closer look.† Not wanting to risk scratching its polished surface with a rough piece of granite, Langdon hoisted his entire bag onto the desk and unzipped it, folding the sides all the way down to reveal the pyramid inside. Warren Bellamy adjusted the reading lamp and studied the pyramid carefully. He ran his fingers over the unusual engraving. â€Å"I assume you recognize this language?† Bellamy asked. â€Å"Of course,† Langdon replied, eyeing the sixteen symbols. Known as the Freemason's Cipher, this encoded language had been used for private communication among early Masonic brothers. The encryption method had been abandoned long ago for one simple reason–it was much too easy to break. Most of the students in Langdon's senior symbology seminar could break this code in about five minutes. Langdon, with a pencil and paper, could do it in under sixty seconds. The notorious breakability of this centuries-old encryption scheme now presented a couple of paradoxes. First, the claim that Langdon was the only person on earth who could break it was absurd. Second, for Sato to suggest that a Masonic cipher was an issue of national security was like her suggesting our nuclear launch codes were encrypted with a Cracker Jack decoder ring. Langdon was still struggling to believe any of it. This pyramid is a map? Pointing to the lost wisdom of the ages? â€Å"Robert,† Bellamy said, his tone grave. â€Å"Did Director Sato tell you why she is so interested in this?† Langdon shook his head. â€Å"Not specifically. She just kept saying it was an issue of national security. I assume she's lying.† â€Å"Perhaps,† Bellamy said, rubbing the back of his neck. He seemed to be struggling with something. â€Å"But there is a far more troubling possibility.† He turned to look Langdon in the eye. â€Å"It's possible that Director Sato has discovered this pyramid's true potential.† CHAPTER 47 The blackness engulfing Katherine Solomon felt absolute. Having fled the familiar safety of the carpet, she was now groping blindly forward, her outstretched hands touching only empty space as she staggered deeper into the desolate void. Beneath her stockinged feet, the endless expanse of cold cement felt like a frozen lake . . . a hostile environment from which she now needed to escape. No longer smelling ethanol, she stopped and waited in darkness. Standing dead still, she listened, willing her heart to stop pounding so loudly. The heavy footsteps behind her seemed to have stopped. Did I lose him? Katherine closed her eyes and tried to imagine where she was. Which direction did I run? Where is the door? It was no use. She was so turned around now that the exit could be anywhere. Fear, Katherine had once heard, acted as a stimulant, sharpening the mind's ability to think. Right now, however, her fear had turned her mind into a tumbling torrent of panic and confusion. Even if I find the exit, I can't get out. Her key card had been lost when she'd shed her lab coat. Her only hope seemed to be that she was now a needle in a haystack–a single point on a thirty- thousand-square-foot grid. Despite the overwhelming urge to flee, Katherine's analytical mind told her instead to make the only logical move–no move at all. Stay still. Don't make a sound. The security guard was on his way, and for some unknown reason, her attacker smelled strongly of ethanol. If he gets too close, I'll know it. As Katherine stood in silence, her mind raced over what Langdon had said. Your brother . . . he's been taken. She felt a bead of cold sweat materialize on her arm and trickle down, toward the cell phone still clenched in her right hand. It was a danger she had forgotten to consider. If the phone rang, it would give away her position, and she could not turn it off without opening it and illuminating the display. Set down the phone . . . and move away from it. But it was too late. The smell of ethanol approached on her right. And now it grew stronger. Katherine struggled to stay calm, forcing herself to override the instinct to run. Carefully, slowly, she took one step to her left. The faint rustle of her clothing was apparently all her attacker needed. She heard him lunge, and the smell of ethanol washed over her as a powerful hand grabbed at her shoulder. She twisted away, raw terror gripping her. Mathematical probability went out the window, and Katherine broke into a blind sprint. She veered hard to the left, changing course, dashing blindly now into the void. The wall materialized out of nowhere. Katherine hit it hard, knocking the wind from her lungs. Pain blossomed in her arm and shoulder, but she managed to stay on her feet. The oblique angle at which she had collided with the wall had spared her the full force of the blow, but it was little comfort now. The sound had echoed everywhere. He knows where I am. Doubled over in pain, she turned her head and stared out into the blackness of the pod and sensed him staring back at her. Change your location. Now! Still struggling to catch her breath, she began moving down the wall, touching her left hand quietly to each exposed steel stud as she passed. Stay along the wall. Slip past him before he corners you. In her right hand, Katherine still clutched her cell phone, ready to hurl it as a projectile if need be. Katherine was in no way prepared for the sound she heard next–the clear rustle of clothing directly in front of her . . . against the wall. She froze, stock-still, and stopped breathing. How could he be on the wall already? She felt a faint puff of air, laced with the stench of ethanol. He's moving down the wall toward me! Katherine backed up several steps. Then, turning silently 180 degrees, she began moving quickly in the opposite direction down the wall. She moved twenty feet or so when the impossible happened. Once again, directly in front of her, along the wall, she heard the rustling sound of clothing. Then came the same puff of air and the smell of ethanol. Katherine Solomon froze in place. My God, he's everywhere! Bare-chested, Mal'akh stared into the darkness. The smell of ethanol on his sleeves had proven a liability, and so he had transformed it into an asset, stripping off his shirt and jacket and using them to help corner his prey. Throwing his jacket against the wall to the right, he had heard Katherine stop short and change direction. Now, having thrown his shirt ahead to the left, Mal'akh had heard her stop again. He had effectively corralled Katherine against the wall by establishing points beyond which she dared not pass. Now he waited, ears straining in the silence. She has only one direction she can move–directly toward me. Even so, Mal'akh heard nothing. Either Katherine was paralyzed with fear, or she had decided to stand still and wait for help to enter Pod 5. Either way she loses. Nobody would be entering Pod 5 anytime soon; Mal'akh had disabled the outer keypad with a very crude, yet very effective, technique. After using Trish's key card, he had rammed a single dime deep into the key-card slot to prevent any other key-card use without first dismantling the entire mechanism. You and I are alone, Katherine . . . for as long as this takes. Mal'akh inched silently forward, listening for any movement. Katherine Solomon would die tonight in the darkness of her brother's museum. A poetic end. Mal'akh looked forward to sharing the news of Katherine's death with her brother. The old man's anguish would be long- awaited revenge. Suddenly in the darkness, to Mal'akh's great surprise, he saw a tiny glow in the distance and realized Katherine had just made a deadly error in judgment. She's phoning for help?! The electronic display that had just flickered to life was hovering waist high, about twenty yards ahead, like a shining beacon on a vast ocean of black. Mal'akh had been prepared to wait Katherine out, but now he wouldn't have to. Mal'akh sprang into motion, racing toward the hovering light, knowing he had to reach her before she could complete her call for help. He was there in a matter of seconds, and he lunged, arms outstretched on either side of her glowing cell phone, preparing to engulf her. Mal'akh's fingers jammed into a solid wall, bending backward and almost breaking. His head collided next, crashing into a steel beam. He cried out in pain as he crumpled beside the wall. Cursing, he clambered back to his feet, pulling himself up by the waist-high, horizontal strut on which Katherine Solomon had cleverly placed her open cell phone. Katherine was running again, this time with no concern for the noise her hand was making as it bounced rhythmically off the evenly spaced metal studs of Pod 5. Run! If she followed the wall all the way around the pod, she knew that sooner or later she would feel the exit door. Where the hell is the guard? The even spacing of the studs continued as she ran with her left hand on the sidewall and her right out in front of her for protection. When will I reach the corner? The sidewall seemed to go on and on, but suddenly the rhythm of the studs was broken. Her left hand hit empty space for several long strides, and then the studs began again. Katherine slammed on the brakes and backed up, feeling her way across the smooth metal panel. Why are there no studs here? She could hear her attacker lumbering loudly after her now, groping his way down the wall in her direction. Even so, it was a different sound that scared Katherine even more–the distant rhythmic banging of a security guard pounding his flashlight against the Pod 5 door. The guard can't get in? While the thought was terrifying, the location of his banging–diagonally to her right–instantly oriented Katherine. She could now picture where in Pod 5 she was located. The visual flash brought with it an unexpected realization. She now knew what this flat panel on the wall was. Every pod was equipped with a specimen bay–a giant movable wall that could be retracted for transporting oversize specimens in and out of the pods. Like those of an airplane hangar, this door was mammoth, and Katherine in her wildest dreams had never imagined needing to open it. At the moment, though, it seemed like her only hope. Is it even operable? Katherine fumbled blindly in the blackness, searching the bay door until she found the large metal handle. Grasping it, she threw her weight backward, trying to slide open the door. Nothing. She tried again. It didn't budge. She could hear her attacker closing faster now, homing in on the sounds of her efforts. The bay door is locked! Wild with panic, she slid her hands all over the door, feeling the surface for any latch or lever. She suddenly hit what felt like a vertical pole. She followed it down to the floor, crouching, and could feel it was inserted into a hole in the cement. A security rod! She stood up, grabbed the pole, and, lifting with her legs, slid the rod up and out of the hole. He's almost here! Katherine groped now for the handle, found it again, and heaved back on it with all her might. The massive panel seemed barely to move, and yet a sliver of moonlight now sliced into Pod 5. Katherine pulled again. The shaft of light from outside the building grew wider. A little more! She pulled one last time, sensing her attacker was now only a few feet away. Leaping toward the light, Katherine wriggled her slender body sideways into the opening. A hand materialized in the darkness, clawing at her, trying to pull her back inside. She heaved herself through the opening, pursued by a massive bare arm that was covered with tattooed scales. The terrifying arm writhed like an angry snake trying to seize her. Katherine spun and fled down the long, pale outer wall of Pod 5. The bed of loose stones that surrounded the entire perimeter of the SMSC cut into her stockinged feet as she ran, but she pressed on, heading for the main entrance. The night was dark, but with her eyes fully dilated from the utter blackness of Pod 5, she could see perfectly–almost as if it were daylight. Behind her, the heavy bay door ground open, and she heard heavy footsteps accelerating in pursuit down the side of the building. The footsteps seemed impossibly fast. I'll never outrun him to the main entrance. She knew her Volvo was closer, but even that would be too far. I'm not going to make it. Then Katherine realized she had one final card to play. As she neared the corner of Pod 5, she could hear his footsteps quickly overtaking her in the darkness. Now or never. Instead of rounding the corner, Katherine suddenly cut hard to her left, away from the building, out onto the grass. As she did so, she closed her eyes tightly, placed both hands over her face, and began running totally blind across the lawn. The motion-activated security lighting that blazed to life around Pod 5 transformed night into day instantly. Katherine heard a scream of pain behind her as the brilliant floodlights seared into her assailant's hyper dilated pupils with over twenty-five-million candlepower of light. She could hear him stumbling on the loose stones. Katherine kept her eyes tightly closed, trusting herself on the open lawn. When she sensed she was far enough away from the building and the lights, she opened her eyes, corrected her course, and ran like hell through the dark. Her Volvo's keys were exactly where she always left them, in the center console. Breathless, she seized the keys in her trembling hands and found the ignition. The engine roared to life, and her headlights flipped on, illuminating a terrifying sight. A hideous form raced toward her. Katherine froze for an instant. The creature caught in her headlights was a bald and bare-chested animal, its skin covered with tattooed scales, symbols, and text. He bellowed as he ran into the glare, raising his hands before his eyes like a cave-dwelling beast seeing sunlight for the first time. She reached for the gearshift but suddenly he was there, hurling his elbow through her side window, sending a shower of safety glass into her lap. A massive scale-covered arm burst through her window, groping half blind, finding her neck. She threw the car in reverse, but her attacker had latched on to her throat, squeezing with unimaginable force. She turned her head in an attempt to escape his grasp, and suddenly she was staring at his face. Three dark stripes, like fingernail scratches, had torn through his face makeup to reveal the tattoos beneath. His eyes were wild and ruthless. â€Å"I should have killed you ten years ago,† he growled. â€Å"The night I killed your mother.† As his words registered, Katherine was seized by a horrifying memory: that feral look in his eyes–she had seen it before. It's him. She would have screamed had it not been for the viselike grip around her neck. She smashed her foot onto the accelerator, and the car lurched backward, almost snapping her neck as he was dragged beside her car. The Volvo careened up an inclined median, and Katherine could feel her neck about to give way beneath his weight. Suddenly tree branches were scraping the side of her car, slapping through the side windows, and the weight was gone. The car burst through the evergreens and out into the upper parking lot, where Katherine slammed on the brakes. Below her, the half-naked man clambered to his feet, staring into her headlights. With a terrifying calm, he raised a menacing scale-covered arm and pointed directly at her. Katherine's blood coursed with raw fear and hatred as she spun the wheel and hit the gas. Seconds later, she was fishtailing out onto Silver Hill Road.