Reaction on stress management seminar Essay

Stress Management Workshop spearheaded by the Third Year Psychology Majors and their adviser Prof. Aminoding B. Limpao was successfully been carried out last March 03, 2013. The 4-hours activity from 8am-12noon were offered to students like me who are taking up the subject Psychology as part of our Course. The objective of the said activity focuses on what’s, where’s, when’s and how’s of the main topic which is â€Å"STRESS† itself. The workshop is about the nature and definition of stress; from where can we acquire it; the duration and when will it occur; and the possible interventions and coping activities that will enable us to manage it. These subtopics were presented to us. Before I went to the venue that day, I was preoccupied with the idea about how the activity would go. Lots of questions were formulated inside my head as of that moment. I don’t know exactly what to expect and what to look forward to. But there are just few things I am sure of, the learning and the knowledge that I will be able to acquire after adds interest in me. I am but a student who crave for knowledge and who search for information which will have a relevant impact into my life in the field of academe and also in my everyday living. Just the thought of positive and informative activity in which I can get something out of it gives vigor and motivation for me to really attend and discover how beneficial it could be to me. Since I have never been into such a Seminar Workshop involving Stress Management and its related topics, I choose to attend willingly aside from the compliance of this requirement. Together with my MSUan co-participants we were welcomed with the comfortable ambiance of the facilitating council with enthusiasm. I was amazed by the number of students willing to learn and sort out how such an activity will help us. I saw familiar faces but most of them were new to my eyes. Having no idea about the process of the workshop puts a little tinge of nervousness that grappled me. However, that strange feeling wear off as the opening of the workshop started. They facilitate ice-breakers and games so as to make us feel comfortable on them, the facilitators. They were very friendly and accommodating making us participant at ease in their hands. We were divided into groups composing 8-10 members. Each of the groups was isolated in a classroom and there the proper session was held. Inside the classrooms we did series of unexpected activities. I like the way they conduct the whole session because it’s not a spoon-feeding type of lecture but a two-way process wherein interaction is there. The facilitators let us discover and evaluate ourselves through asking us questions that aids our learning. These are my summation and learning drawn from the activity in which the questions and objectives presented has been answered. I learned that stress is considered as expected or unexpected constraining force, influence, conditions and the like. These stimuli are stressors which trigger a response from an individual and have relative effect from one person to the other. Stress is a two-faced event that is either negative or positive. They are characterized because of the nature of the cause whether it is from anxiety and pressures that result into a negative effect or it from strivings and challenges that motivate an individual resulting into a positive outcome. With the statements on the latter I can say that stress doesn’t only bring about negativities into our very lives but it also motivate us and compel us to become productive. If we don’t recognized the stressors around us and felt stressed out, probably we will not be able to accomplish tasks which are handed before us. Without stress we will not be able to strive in order to attain or finish something. We get stress for some factors, external or internal factors. External factors are the environment, the people we get in touched with, the activities we are facing every day, the conditions we are into. Internal factors may be classified into the mind setting that we have and the reactions we initiate upon subjected into a stressful situations. Sometimes it’s not always that other people or things are the very reason why we are stressed at times we create our own stress. Stress is everywhere, from the very day that we are born to the very last breath that we take in life. Therefore, we cannot really predict when this stressor will come to visit us. It is proper that we prepare ourselves anytime because during stressful situations our body reacts with it affecting the physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioral aspects of an individual that brings about change to the normal functioning. All of these aspects are interconnected with each other. We cannot really eradicate totally stress but at least we do steps which will lessen our vulnerability to it and to avoid oneself be controlled by this stress. With these, in order to cope up with this and to get back on track is to gain  control over one’s life. We do things which will lessen the baggage that we are bringing through the following activities: diversional activities, finding company to be with, sleep, eat, watching movies, self-isolation and others. But for me the very useful way to manage stress is to identify it, reflect for positive mind-setting, plan acts that will compensate with it, do this acts for the betterment of one self and everything else will follow later on that will finally lead to stress managing and stress relief. I also learned that there are also techniques on how to manage stress by doing massage, nine-joint exercises, relaxation techniques like deep breathing and others. Human as we are, we are created differently from one another. A stress for one may not be a stress for the other. An intervention or coping mechanism against stress by certain may consider by another as an additional stressors. Therefore, we must try to manage ourselves and recognize clearly our individual limits. The Stress Management Workshop, I may say, was a success. We learned a lot and at the same time we enjoyed the routines and sessions they conducted to us. Knowledge was acquired and rest assured this knowledge will be shared to others, be used in my daily living especially when I’m under a stressful situation.

Geography Was the Primary Factor in Shaping the Development of the British Colonies in North America

Throughout the course of human history, geography has always played an essential role in the migration and development of various civilizations. It influenced the way people lived, the food they ate, and their entire life. For some colonies, the geography was perfect to live in, while others had to endure harsh conditions. When the Quakers first arrived to Pennsylvania, they were able to establish a successful colony through hard work, but their geography was what determined the success. The warm climate and fertile soil made it an excellent place to grow wheat, bread, and other profitable crops to supply more than enough for everyone. The Middle Colonies (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware) did not only have fertile land, but they also had rivers and the sea for hunting fish and establishing ports. The ports made it accessible for the Middle Colonies to easily trade goods with Great Britain and other colonies, enticing foreigners such as the Germans and Scots Irish to settle down. On the other hand, the New England Colonies did not fare off as well as the Middle Colonies did, since the land wasn’t as fertile and the colonies was located on a rocky region, making it hard for plants to grow. When Jamestown was first established, the colonists faced a very difficult time because they were unprepared for the cold weather and lacked food to survive through the harsh climates. However, they were able to prevail and utilized the sea and abundance of trees, and eventually grew tobacco to become rich and successful. While geography played a significant factor in the development of colonies, one should also consider the influence of religion. People that wanted to escape religious persecution from the Anglican Church established colonies and soon, people flooded into the Americas. However, within these religious communities were those that had their own beliefs, and these people created their own colonies. For example, Roger Williams and Thomas Hooker had differentiating views of how the community should be run, and they were banished. Despite this banishment, Roger Williams eventually established Rhode Island, where he allowed complete religious tolerance and Thomas Hooker created Connecticut for much more lenient voting right requirements. Geography surely was a primary factor in the development of British colonies in North America as it determined the success or failure of the colonies, but religion also greatly influenced the development of the British colonies.

Data Privacy in Electronic Health Records System Essay

Data Privacy in Electronic Health Records System - Essay Example The data stored in the system are accurate and updated on regular basis and require data banks for that process. Patient’s state is captured, and his/her medical history can be retrieved at ease when needed by the medical personnel despite the density of the data at their end user. In that case, privacy and confidentiality become an issue (Fetter 409). The confidentiality is at risk because information may easily get into the third party who gets access to the network and hospital system. The information in the system can only be modified using one modifiable file this ensures data is correct and precise. On patients with long-term illness, their medical history can be retrieved, and his/her development studied for precise treatment depending on the development. Hacking and malicious intentions are the prominent problems. The systems can be hacked and patients medical information was stolen and used for unscrupulous deeds (Amatayakul and Amatayakul 45). Clinicians may also carelessly place their tablets or computers at insecure places where they can be stolen and patient’s information can be accessed disclosing the patient’s condition, which is always private and confidential, between the patient and clinician no third parties involved. In case of virus invasion on the system, all data may be lost leaving no records of patients especially the medical history, which is much far important as patient’s well-being is concerned. Illegal access to the system may cause more damage to patients since patients medical information can be exaggerated even changed leading to a wrong diagnosis and eventually wrong medications to patients. To curb the vice, the infrastructure platform should be supported by software designs with functionalities that prevent and avert the menace.  

Country Profile Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Country Profile - Research Paper Example Kenya is a country situated in the eastern coast of Africa and lies on the equator. The country hares borders with five countries; Tanzania lies to the South, Uganda lies to the West, South Sudan to the North-West, Ethiopia lies to the North part of Kenya while Somalia lies to the North-Eastern side of the country. (Pateman, 28). The Republic of Kenya has a total land area of 582,684 square km. (224,960 square miles) this is nearly the same size as Texas. The country got its name from Mount Kenya, which is quite a significant landmark and is the second highest mountain peak in Africa. The capital city of Kenya is Nairobi which is also the largest city in the Eastern Africa region. HISTORY The history of Kenya can be evidently be traced in the late 1800s when the Kenya-Uganda railways was being constructed by the British. Before then, the country was under the Protectorate of Sultan of Zanzibar who handed over the country to the Germans. The Germans later handed over the country to Im perial British East Africa which was in charge of constructing the railways going through the two countries (from Kenya to Uganda). Later on after the First World War and the completing of the Kenya-Uganda railways most of the British and European settlers in the early 20th century chose to settle in the country especially the central highlands this was in order for them to practice farming and grow coffee and tea. This in did not go down well with the locals as they felt their lands had been grabbed by the colonialists who had forbidden them from cultivating their lands by imposing huge taxes soon their houses and farming. The natives later started a resistance and they called the resistance Mau Mau Rebellion. From the October of 1952 to December 1959 the country was under the state of emergency and the Mau Mau fighters were engaged in guerrilla war against British rule. The capture of key Mau Mau fighters led to the war ending and thereafter the first direct elections for the Afri cans in the Legislative Council was held in the 1957 and in December 12th 1963 Kenya gained independence from Britain and also formed their first constitution on the same day. (YouTube) and (Pateman). One year later on 12th December 1964 Kenya was declared a republic. The first president of the country was Jomo Kenyatta who was the president until his untimely death in 1978. Daniel Arap Moi took over the country from 1978 until 2002 when a new political revolution led by the current president Mwai Kibaki won the election took over. In 2007 there was a massive ethnic unrest and political violence after different political parties accused the current president of rigging the election, this led to approximately more than 1000 people being killed and more than 60,000 displaced in the ethnic violence that was the aftermath of the flawed election. President Mwai Kibaki is expected to hand over the presidency in 2013. STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT Kenya is a democratic republic in the sense that the president is both the head of state and also he is the head of the government. The country has also a multi party system of politics. After the 2007 ethnic clashes caused by the elections, there has been constitutional amendments that enabled the sharing of the executive powers between the two political rivals in the government that is the President and the Prime Minister. The executive power is mainly exercised by the

The Portable Machiavelli ( Edited and Translated by Peter Bondanella Essay

The Portable Machiavelli ( Edited and Translated by Peter Bondanella and Mark Musa) - Essay Example This paper will analyze the qualities of successful leaders in maintaining a healthy state as argued by Machiavelli. To found and to maintain a healthy republic, according to Machiavelli, the founder utilizes the virtu-fortuna dynamic, and the people engage in healthy conflict and renewal processes. The word virtu means acceptable morals in the society. However, Machiavelli uses the word to refer to the personal characteristics that a ruler must have in order to lead a state successfully. Machiavelli argues that princes’ need to possess certain virtues in order for them to remain in power and make great achievements. The virtues include the ability to vary change from a democrat to a dictator according to the circumstances that they face generosity, courage, and faithfulness (Machiavelli, Bondanella and Musa 1979, 38). Efficient leaders should be generous to the public so that they can be loved and accepted. The generosity should be in the form of offering public goods for low prices and redistributing wealth. The redistribution of wealth ensures that the income gap between the rich and the poor is minimal meaning that at least everyone in the society is satisfied. The satisfaction that people derive from the income and wealth equality enables them to love the leader who makes this possible (Machiavelli, Bondanella and Musa 1979, 41). Machiavelli argues that generosity will guarantee love and support from the public, and this will help leaders to issue authority and remain in power. Since the main objective of a prince is to remain in power according to Machiavelli, he argues that those in power should have the courage to face every situation that comes their way. Courageous leaders are able to defend themselves and their states from the war with other states. Therefore, Machiavelli argues that an efficient leader should have mastered the art of war and always be ready for it because it takes place without plans (Machiavelli, Bondanella and Musa 1979, 40 ). The preparation that the author describes is in the form of possessing the essential fighting tools and training the military. The author argues that a leader can employ war in situations that call for it as long as it helps them to maintain their power. Since war is unacceptable in most societies, it means that Machiavelli advocates for leaders who have the ability to outdo the societal expectations. An example of a leader who possesses this characteristic is Obama; he demonstrated this quality when he ordered his military to find and kill Osama Bin Laden, who was the most wanted criminal. Thus, it means that this quality is applicable in the real world despite the fact that it is offensive. The ability of a leader to take part in war and be generous at the same time demonstrates that leaders should be capable of changing from good to bad people depending on the circumstances at hand. Machiavelli recommends this character because according to him, a leader should be lovable and fearful at the same time (Machiavelli, Bondanella and Musa 1979, 42). The lovable character helps leaders to gain support from the public because it is the citizens who bring them into power. The fearfulness quality, on the other hand, helps a leader to be different from the common citizens. This difference enables citizens to respect and regard

Ban Ki-Moon's Leadership Style Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ban Ki-Moon's Leadership Style - Research Paper Example However, Ban seems to be silent on these issues. He is not at all asking United States or Israel to stop their massacres at different parts of the world. Critics of Ban believe that he is keeping a pro-American stand in his functioning. Ian William (2010) pointed out that in a speech delivered at 22nd Summit Conference of the League of Arab States held in Sirte, Libya on March 27, 2010, â€Å"Ban commented on issues related to the situation in Gaza and stated his support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state† (Ban Ki-moon's Soft-Spoken Approach Belies His Straightforward Words, p.20). Even though Ban criticized some of the actions of Israel in this speech, he was keen to use only soft words to criticize Israel. In fact many people believe that he had no other way to avoid criticizing Israel in this meeting since the meeting was organized by Arab states. On the other hand, scholars such as Ian Williams believe that Ban is successfully handling some of the ma tters involved by Israel. He has pointed out that â€Å"Ban Ki-Moon's persuasion forced Israel to accept an international fact-finding inquiry into the Gaza flotilla assault†(Ban Ki-moon Engages Israeli Politicians, as Israel Remains Mum on Kosovo Precedent, p.19). Earlier, Israel was adamant in their approaches and they never accepted the offers to allow any international agencies to interfere in their matters. They never allowed any international agencies to enter Israel’s territories to conduct any enquiries. However, Ban was successful in persuading Israel to allow a neutral enquiry by an international body about Gaza flotilla assault. Schlesinger (2010) mentioned that America sidelined United Nations while dealing... This paper deals with the major criticism labeled against Ban Ki-moon’s leadership is that â€Å"he appointed his own people and stamped his own priorities on the organization†. In other words, Ban was keen in appointing those people who are supporters of his policies. While appointing UN officials at various parts of the world or while posting UN peace keeping forces at different parts of the world, Ban gave more emphasize to preserve his interests. â€Å"He tries to cement his position a little wonkily through issues, with the world financial crisis sharing the top of the priority list with global warming†. Many people believe that Ban like to have one more term in UN secretary’s office and for that purpose he deliberately trying to gain support from all major powers. Even though Ban is commanding respect from all the major powers in the world, he failed to command respect from some of the problematic countries. For example, it is reported that â€Å"Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is facing international pressure to end a crackdown on anti-government protestors, is not taking the U.N. chief's phone calls†.

Book Review of American Grace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Book Review of American Grace - Essay Example American grace is an optimistic book that explains how Americans manage their religious diversity. This is the main cause of inequality and social conflicts experienced within America. The authors say that American religion has adopted most of the social justice-oriented change rather than promoting the positive expected changes. Therefore, the book affirms that social contacts and familiarity in America increases religious tolerance instead of theological doctrine. The authors emphasize religious history of Americans even though they draw attention on the last half of the century throughout the entire book (Putnam & Campbell 3) Who are the authors? Robert D. Putnam and David E. Campbell wrote the book American Grace. Putnam is a political scientist and professor of public policy at Harvard University, where he lectures both the â€Å"Graduate and Undergraduate Courses†. He is a member of the National Academy of Science, a previous president of Political Science Association and a fellow of British Academy. David Campbell is a political science professor at the university of Notre Dame. He is also the founding director of Rooney Center for the study of American Democracy. What are the author’s findings about American religion? The authors discovered interesting things about the American religion. They discovered that that religious experience and religiosity are alive in the United States. This is regardless of the fact that millennial generation present barriers to the management and the spread of religious aspects in the state. According to empirical studies, American religion is unique compared to other western nations. The authors believe that the American’s rates of religious belonging, behaving and believing are high (Putnam & Campbell 36). In addition, the authors assert that Americans have a very complicated religious experience, which is seen in their historical tradition, races, gender, personal relations, and generational. Therefore, the authors conclude that the high level of pluralism that exists in America pervades them. The authors also insist that the potential of American pluralism developing into strife is unlikely to happen because of friendship among the believers where the impor tance of religious diversity is seen. After their research, the authors determined that most of the Americans are intimately acquainted with people from other faith. This is true because their research indicated that every American has an average of at least two friends from a differing faith. Putnam and Campbell also discovered that most American Protestants highly value the Buddhists compared to the Muslims. However, the black Protestants value Muslims compared to the Buddhists. This is because most of the black Protestants are acquainted with black Muslims (Putnam & Campbell 76) The authors discovered that the American religious diversity is not as tolerant e as many people tend to think. This is because; most of the American believers are willing to bend their basic doctrines in the name of interfaith amity. For example, most Christians and evangelical Christians believe that it is possible for the non-Christians to go to heaven. This means that they do not believe in the New Te stament chapters, which insists that without Christ, no one will see the kingdom of God. In the book, the authors also discovered that almost half of the white American population diverted from their parent’s religion by turning to other religious tradition or lapsing into religious indifference (Putnam & Campbell 176). A significant proportion of the married people in America married a person who came from different religious tradition. The authors realized the American’s perception of heaven depends on personal experience with their friends or families who come from differing religious background. The authors real

Giovanni Boldini, Duchess of Marlborough and Her Son 1906 and Gustave Essay

Giovanni Boldini, Duchess of Marlborough and Her Son 1906 and Gustave Courbet, The Young Bather 1866 - Essay Example Giovanni Boldini gained prominence in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as an established portrait painter. Boldini was not able to claim much fame and recognition throughout his life because the subject of most of his works was to document the families of the rich and the famous. His prominence in elite social circles was overwhelming and by the early twentieth century nearly everyone who was someone was looking for Boldini to get a portrait done. Perhaps Boldini’s only remarkable addition to contemporary art was the utilization of his swish style that received wide acclaim. After his death Boldini was also claimed as the â€Å"Master of Swish†1. The distinctive swish present in Boldini’s works was able to attract a number of wealthy patrons including nobility, industrialists and other such patrons. Hence, most of Boldini’s pieces are essentially portraits including the piece currently under scrutiny titled Consuelo Duchess of Marlborough with her son Ivor Spencer Churchill. In contrast to Boldini, Gustave Courbet was more of a maverick both in terms of style as well as the subject of his works. Courbet can be seen as the leader of the Realist movement that was seen in the nineteenth century that took prominence before the Impressionism of Boldini and his contemporaries. While the content of Boldini’s work was documenting the rich and the famous, Courbet instead concentrated on bringing social commentary through his work. Often Courbet’s social commentary was bold and innovative. The current piece under discussion by Courbet also represents somewhat of a social taboo for the time – the nude female figure. Courbet was an early libertarian and his work certainly represented this influence in great detail. While placing the more conventional symbols and techniques in his paintings, Courbet was concentrating instead on the content in order to stir the audiences. This he accomplished through the use o f libertarian ideas that became the subject of his paintings2 which applies equally well to his work under scrutiny. It is equally important to contrast the subjects of the works in order to decipher the intent of the artists. The subject chosen by Bouldini was more commercial in nature than anything else. The commercial success of Bouldini made him a favorite for the creation of portraits in Paris. The current work being studied depicts the Duchess of Marlborough, Consuelo Vanderbilt and her young son Lord Ivor Spencer Churchill lounging around in their daily lives. One look at the painting reveals the pleasant atmosphere being carried in the household of the Churchill family. The painting is more or less an attempt by the artist to depict an affluent patroness and her son as being happy and enjoying their time together. The Duchess is shown in a suggestive manner as she glances across the floor depicted towards the artist. Her son is crouched next to her in a kneeling posture. The Duchess is seated on a sofa and is attempting to get up while her son is trying to hold her down as many children would hold down their mothers when they are being adamant. The smile on the Duchess’ face is only interrupted by her apparent beauty depicted in the painting. Much like modern celebrities the Duchess is represented as a

American government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

American government - Essay Example The ruling which opened the floodgates to unlimited corporate and union spending in elections was a major victory for the groups which wanted to participate in the campaign process but had been barred from doing so by the laws. On top of that the Supreme Court ruled that donors need not to be disclosed and so it will be no longer be possible to tell which interest groups are funding which politicians. I do not agree with the Supreme Court’s ruling on this matter. By allowing the groups to give their independent contributions in the campaigns then they will be acting to manipulate the will of the people as with such funding they will be able to impose the candidate that they want to be voted for against the other candidates. This cannot be protected as free speech on the above argued basis. The contributions the groups make towards the campaigns should be regulated and the names of the contributors should be made public so that they can shy off from such expedition. By concentrating on the super PAC Stephen Colbert wanted to raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions and other groups as well as wealthy individuals. He specified that the money raised would not only be used for political ads but also for normal administrative expenses which would include private jet travels, hotel stays, and PAC mementos from Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. In this way Colbert was able to raise $1.02 million in their January 2012 filing with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The decision and the resulting Super PACs have the potential to increase one’s ability to influence elections. By having the money it means that the best strategies will be put into place and this will definitely have a positive impact on the results of the election. The increased amount of money drawn from outside sources will change the face of politics and the results as well. The groups funding the candidates will also have a say once the

Education research paper on Oral Proficiency in the Foreign Language

Education on Oral Proficiency in the Foreign Language classroom - Research Paper Example Foreign-language teachers are as a result advised to promote classroom participation of students since through this they will be able to enhance their foreign language speeches. This paper in particular tries to find the appropriate ways that teachers can employ in order to promote foreign language oral proficiency in their classrooms. Research was carried out through interviews, surveys and classroom observations and various findings presented, from which conclusions were drawn. Table of contents Abstract 2 Introduction 4 Literature Review 5 The Importance of Oral Assessment 5 Motivating Students to Speak 6 Results/ Presentation 16 Interview Results/Findings 16 Survey Results/Findings 18 Classroom Observations 19 Discussion and Analysis 20 Pedagogical Applications 24 Recommendations 27 References 30 Appendices 33 Introduction Increasing global development and the need for expanded second language skills have led many educators to seek ways to ensure that students of foreign language s leave their classes with a level of language proficiency. Though tests of written language are frequently defined by state standards that are based on written assessments, spoken language proficiency and the use of oral assessments in language classes are receiving increasing attention. The current literature on this topic reflects varied views of educators and administrators, both in relation to foreign language instruction and as a reflection of efforts in this country to support second language instruction for those with limited English proficiency. The application and increasing emphasis on oral assessments in foreign language instruction in the United States has extended from the realization that spoken language proficiency is an imperative part of the application and utility of language learning. In correlation, educators have applied a range of strategies to improve oral language performance, including methods to motivate learners, improve classroom process, and improve ora l language skills. The purpose of this research is to learn and investigate how to prepare activities to engage students in speaking and how to assess speaking in class. Given that not all students will speak the target language outside of class the classroom is a crucial if not the only space for students to engage in the spoken language in their early learning experience. The purpose of this study is also to ultimately create an assessment system that would match effective teaching practices. The research questions guiding the study are: How can I incorporate oral assessment as a daily part of class? How much weight should I place on oral assessment? How can I provide a classroom environment that will motivate students to speak in class? What would appropriate tasks look like? How do other skills/factors support speaking? Literature Review The Importance of Oral Assessment Foreign language instructors have taken the lead from second language (L2) instructional models that place an emphasis on the acquisition of oral language skills and the application of assessments to determine a learner’s pragmatic skills, the skills that they can use in an authentic speaking environment (Ishihara, 2009). Language educators have recognized that pragmatic competence should be achieved through language experiences in the classroom, and instructors can benefit from making

Effect of violent video games Essay Example for Free

Effect of violent video games Essay There are millions of people who play highly controversial games like Grand Theft Auto and other violence video games, realize that it is a game and do not do things they do in the game in real life. If people believe that video games cause behavior problems, they are underlying issues with the gamer himself, and not with the software, but according to American Psychological Association, almost ninety percent of kids between the ages eight and sixteen are addicted to video game especially the violent one. The average girls spends almost six to eight hour week’s playing video games which does not sound bad comparing to boys who spends an average of thirteen hours a week. Some parents reported that video games only describe virtual reality, and should not translate into real world problem. However, children are more likely to imitate the actions of a character with which they classify themselves with. In all violent video games, players are often required to take point of view of the shooter or perpetrator, which show a change of their behavior. Study shows that repetition increases learning and video games required repetition in order to master control characters movement. If the game is violent, then the effect is a behavioral practice for a violent activity. These children who are involve in playing violent video games are more aggressive than who are not involve with these game, which at some point of their life, they will get heart or might die because of their action. Recently, parents become unaware with their kids behavior in real life. Some of them let their kids do whatever they like to do like playing violent video games for long hours or watching brutal shows on television. Report by American Psychological Association â€Å"disagree that violent video games cause behavior problems, because the choices people make cause violent behavior. Video games, even the violent once, can be good experience. † But parents need to teach their kids those video games need to be separate from reality. The choices they make in their daily life have absolutely nothing to do with video games. In fact they may be able to take out any aggressions that they have on a video game, rather than go out and beat someone up, that what their parents believe, but what they do not know is playing video game frequently for long hours has a huge negative on kids because it feed their brain with aggression, violence, and fighting which creates problems such as poor social skills from kids to their parents and the outside world. Sociology studies shows that boys by the age of twenty-one had spend more than 10000 hours or more just by playing video games American Psychological Association wrote â€Å"97% between the age 12 to 17 in the US played video game†¦ top 10 out of 20 were violent. † USA today made study twenty years ago about sixty percent of American family had sat down as family dinners, same study last year the number drop down to twenty percent. Because kids are spending their times on video game, it creates huge problems such as poor social skills, poor grade in school, and live in hostile environment. Psychologist concludes, that video game is nature requirement activities, because it based on reward system and as human we try to be satisfied and achieved all requirements. For example, in video game Mafia 2, the character is required to rob bank which is the basic objective. But if the player kills all securities without triggering the alarm, the player will receive bounce. Since all players love to achieve more, they will do the mission, after completing the mission they will play it again in order to get the bounces. If parents are worried that their children are addicted to violent video game and spending so much time playing it, they should set limits, like playing video game for an hour after completing their homework, also try to encourage their children to play outside, and do other activity. Parents must check the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) to learn about the video game’s content and what age range it belongs to. Parents should strongly monitor their children about video games that they are buying, and from online games. Violent video games have been blamed for increase bullying, assaulting women, and school shooting, because violent games teach children that violence is way to solve problems and it is acceptable in this world. Studied showed that sixty percent of middle school children who played at least one video game that rated mature has hit, beat, and assault other students. Also it shows that students who committed this violence act were enjoying inflected pain and become less forgiving. For example, in Bully the character have to fight with teacher and other student in order to be popular in school. In other word, this video game encourages kids to be disrespectful to the elder and to the other student. Female in violent video games are mostly present as explore to sexual contact, like being rape, get killed, and thrown behind the bushes. What make it ironic is the player is rewarded by getting some extra feature. For example, in LA Noire the character is homicide, in one of his chapter the player must solve several of cases that women been rape, nude, murder, and thrown in dumpster or tree. In 1998 study shows that thirty percent of violent video games involve women been attacked and rape. Another example, in Grand Theft Auto, which considers one of the best seller games in 2008, player must gain money to be able to buy armor or guns so the player will target female for two reasons. First, they carry more cash, and second they weak. Schools shooting have been connected to shooting video games. Students who have been exposed to violent video games held more violent attitudes, had more hostile personalities, were less forgiveness, and believed that being sadistic with other is normal. Seung-Hui Cho the student who opened fire at Virginia Tech incident. He was addicted to shooting game called Counter Strike, the objective of that game is to kill the other team where character are allowed to buy guns, armor, and grenade. Every time the character kill member of the other team he rewarded with money. If parents and schools are affected by kids who play violent video games for long hours, it means media and society are affected too. Societies are concern with violence and media including the internet have extend worlds of video game, especially the violent one, such as the Hitman series, Grand Theft Auto, Mortal Kombat, and more. The character in video games may get away when he committed crime or brutal events. As adults they know the different between real life and fiction one, but kids do not know that. Kids might steal money or attack other kids believing they will get away. For example, in Grand Theft Auto player can steal car, run over pedestrian, and hit another car. With kind action the police well attempt to arrest you character. However, if the character were able to drive fast or hide inside building for couple of minutes police will ignore you and let you free.

Effect of Politics on Airlines and Breweries

Effect of Politics on Airlines and Breweries The Effect of Political Factors on the Airline Industry and the Brewing Industry, 2005 Politics has a huge impact on all businesses, and the range of its influence is broad. Political factors include statutes which may be implemented because of a UK governmental decision or a decision in Europe, or by the UK being a signatory to an international agreement. Other legislation arises in response to issues such as terrorist threats. Other political influences include trade agreements, restrictions and opportunities arising from foreign governments’ policies or opposition groups in the form of political parties or pressure groups formed by the public to address specific issues, who may challenge, delay or obstruct government plans. This essay looks at the impact of recent political factors on the airline and brewing industries. The Airline Industry In a speech delivered in June 2005, Derek Twigg, the Transport Minister outlined progress on the Aviation White Paper. He recognised issues with capacity, particularly with recent increases in demand for low-cost flights (Twigg 2005). A fifth terminal at Heathrow Airport is being constructed, and additional runways are planned at Stansted and Heathrow. However, there is opposition, focused on noise pollution, fuel pollution, the strain on roads and rail links to airports, and the destruction of countryside to accommodate airport expansion. The government’s pursuit of its policies depends, stated Twigg, on the ability to meet strict environmental standards, and airlines’ increased expansion depends on successful implementation of these policies. Energy Policy The UK government has secured a commitment from airlines to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions, but this will require investment from the airlines. The industry must strike a balance, spending on initiatives to become more ‘green’ in return for an infrastructure development policy from the government. Terrorism The 9/11 terrorist attack on the US had immediate consequences, with a drop in demand. This has had particular impact in the US, where a number of airlines have survived only because of Chapter 11 of US bankruptcy laws, which allows continued trading with protection from creditors until profitability is achieved. United Airlines has been operating under Chapter 11 for 3 years. Delta and Northwest are entering Chapter 11, and will probably follow a similar policy to United, focusing on international flights and disposing of smaller planes used for domestic flights (Field 2005). They will therefore continue to compete in the international market with protection: UK airlines would probably be forced out of business if they were to find themselves in a similar position. US anti-terror legislation requires foreign operators to undergo an audit by the Federal Aviation Administration, and to have a Part 129 Licence. Demand for transatlantic charters has been difficult to meet at times, due to many carriers not having the necessary authorisation (Wastnage 2005). Meeting new legislative demands has an economic effect on businesses due to the additional financial and human resources required. Terrorist attacks in holiday resorts are considered by many to be a response to foreign policy, particularly that of the UK and US. Consumer response is to book a holiday in an area considered safe, rather than to forego the holiday altogether, suggesting that airlines carrying holidaymakers should consider a portfolio of varied destinations. The instability of the market due to international politics has encouraged some airlines to carry out work through contractors (for example, Air Atlanta), who will provide aircraft and crew without the demand for the level of commitment required with an airline’s own staff and aircraft investment. The Influence of Europe The UK is required to adhere to European laws which may affect airlines. For example, UK legislation is being broadened to encompass an EC directive on Age Discrimination. From October 2006, one of its effects will be to outlaw forced retirement before age 65 unless it can be justified (www.agepositive.gov.uk). Current practice at British Airways is to retire pilots at 55: as many transfer to other airlines, it would appear unjustified. Salaries are much higher for pilots with long service at BA and the effect of having to keep them rather than employing cheaper new pilots could affect profits. Iraq War The Iraq war has impacted on oil prices. It has been argued that the agenda behind the US/UK decision to go to war was oil-influenced, with the US increasingly reliant on Gulf oil and hence having a particular interest in control of oilfields in the region (Cable 2003). Airlines are particularly sensitive to changes in oil prices due to their large amount of fuel consumption, and all airlines have recently had to choose between reflecting rising fuel costs in ticket prices or accepting reduced profits. Global Change The ‘BRIC’ nations – Brazil, Russia, India and China – are set to become more economically influential in coming decades. China has recently removed the barriers to private airline companies. Domestic flights in China have increased by 20% over a year, which equates to 17,000 extra flights per month (Brown 2005), as planes replace trains as the preferred method of domestic transport. This generates business for aeroplane manufacturers but places additional demands on the world oil supply. It is also part of a larger trend of China engaging more with the global economy, with the consequence of boosting wealth and consumption among its population. The Brewing Industry Environmental Issues Brewing, as with airlines, is affected by green issues. In July 2005, the British Beer and Pub Association reported a continuing fall in the energy used to produce a pint of beer to achieve double the industry’s target, reducing CO2 emissions by 13.9% (www.beerandpub.com, press release 16/2005). Although reducing emissions requires investment, meeting targets qualifies the industry for a rebate on the Climate Change Levy. Changes in Student Funding The student market is important to the brewing industry. Changes to student finances over the last 15 years have seen a switch from non-repayable grants to repayable loans to support study, with tuition fees added to student costs. This has not reduced student spending as might be expected. The average student spends  £7000 per year and 70% of students have part-time jobs (Turner 2005). Debt is accepted as the norm to meet study and living costs, with a wide range of lending sources available. Money for drinking is hence readily available, and Reachstudents, an independent marketing consultancy, claims that 29% of student spending is on entertainment (www.reachstudents.co.uk), including drinking. Extension of Licensing Hours The UK Government has proposed extended licensing hours in England and Wales: however, legislation is being opposed by the Conservatives and LibDems as well as medical bodies and organisations working to reduce alcohol problems. Implementation in November is threatened which could affect permissions granted for Christmas and New Year and reduce takings during the most profitable trading period of the year (Wintour 2005). Smoking Ban Initial plans to implement a smoking ban only in pubs where food is served have been changed in favour of an outright ban on smoking in all pubs (e.g. Carr-Brown 2005). Spirit is the UK’s largest pub chain and owns brands including Chef and Brewer. It suggests a gradual transition to pubs becoming non-smoking, anticipating that an immediate implementation could result in 5000 pub closures and 75,000 job losses across all pub companies. The chain JD Wetherspoon has already begun introducing a complete ban on smoking in a number of its pubs. However, it has recently reported a 4% drop in profits, with an even higher figure of 7% among its non-smoking pubs (Anon 2005). Binge drinking Binge drinking is somewhat double-edged for the brewing industry. On the surface, the increase in drinking to excess would appear to bode well for brewing industry profits. However, drinking large volumes often takes place in conjunction with drinks promotions, where lower prices mean a higher quantity must be consumed to give the same profit. JD Wetherspoon, responding to a recent drop in profits, suggested that the proliferation of binge drinking was keeping many consumers away from town centres and pubs (Anon 2005). Government policy on binge drinking has been criticised for its reluctance to take more extreme measures (e.g Plant 2004): however, there is pressure on the government to take steps to tackle binge drinking and the consequences for the brewing industry are uncertain. Could it open up a more profitable market by creating a more pleasant drinking atmosphere, encouraging more people to drink moderately? Or could the amount drunk in the UK drop significantly, or measures be too little to impact on the current situation? Fuel Prices The brewing industry is affected by the increase in fuel prices caused in part by the Iraq conflict, discussed previously. Transport and distribution costs have been increased by the rise in fuel costs, and consumer spending is also impacted by increased petrol and diesel costs reducing disposable income. While world oil prices affect fuel costs to some extent, a far greater proportion of the cost of a litre of petrol or diesel is the tax – both fuel duty and VAT – which are set by the Chancellor: domestic policy is having more effect than global oil price trends. Conclusion From the above, it can be seen that politics both in the UK and around the world impact on the airline and brewing industries in many different ways. While the industries can have some impact through lobbying the government, or by encouraging public support for industry-friendly policies, a significant proportion of political influences cannot be impacted by the industry, and potential threats and opportunities must therefore be addressed in each organisation’s business strategy. Bibliography Anon (2005) Wetherspoon presses on with no-smoking pubs (Press Association) in The Guardian September 3 2005 Brown C (2005) Air travel recovers to spread its wings above 9/11 clouds in The Scotsman 11 April 2005 Cable V (2003) Saddam’s other weapon of mass destruction: the potential economic fallout from a war in Iraq (from January 2003 lecture) www.lse.ac.uk/collections/globalDimensions/research/vcable.htm Cambridge Marketing College (1999) Marketing Operations (BPP Publishing, UK) Carr-Brown J (2005) Total ban on smoking in pubs and clubs a step nearer in The Sunday Times, 9 October 2005 Diageo plc (2005) Press release 1 September 2005: Preliminary results for the year ended 30 June 2005 at www.diageo.co.uk Field D (2005) Delta and Northwest shelter from creditors in Flight International 20-26 September 2005 (Reed Businss Information, UK) p10 Hall W (2005) British Drinking: A Suitable Case for Treatment? Editorial in The British Medical Journal2005;331:527-528(10September) Meikle J (2005) Pub firm changes tack on smoking ban in The Guardian September 5 2005 Plant M (2004) The alcohol harm reduction strategy for England in British Medical Journal 328 pp905-6 (17th April 2004) Turner S (2005) Drink in the Atmosphere in The Guardian, July 12 2005 Twigg (2005) Speech on UK government aviation policy, 28 June, by Derek Twigg, Transport Minister www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_aviation/documents/page/dft_aviation_038580.hcsp Wastnage J (2005) Brokers split on effects of tighter US security in Flight International 13-19 September 2005 (Reed Businss Information, UK) p35 Wintour P (2005) Minister cites support of police chiefs to head off licensing rebellion in The Guardian October 11 2005 Websites Brewers continue to lead battle on emissions British Beer and Pub Association 28 July 2005 Download Ref: 16/2005 www.beerandpub.com/download.asp?id_Doc=2121 www.agepositive.gov.uk (Government website devoted to Age Discrimination Legislation issues). www.reachstudents.co.uk Student statistics and profile

Jane Eyre Book Report

Jane Eyre Book Report The main character of the book is Jane Eyre (round character). The book follows her through her troubled childhood and life as a young woman. She is a gentle and intelligent girl, but she has no confidence in herself because she is raised by her aunt who does not love her. She has no family and is completely unprotected by social position. When the novel begins, she is an isolated, powerless ten-year-old girl who lives with her aunt and cousins who dislike her. As the novel progresses, she grows in strength. Jane Eyre slowly develops from an unhappy young girl learning the hardships of life, into a happy and contented woman. At the end of the novel, she has become a powerful, independent woman living together with the man she loves: Mr. Rochester. Charlotte Brontà « was born in 1816 in Thornton in Yorkshire, England. She was the third child of Patrick Brontà « and Maria Branwell and was soon followed by her brother Patrick Branwell in 1817, her sister Emily in 1818 and her sister Anne in 1820. Her father was a poor English clergyman and was eccentric and abusive. In 1821 the family moved to Haworth, after her father find work at a church there. In the same year her mother dies of cancer. In 1824 Charlotte and three of her sisters were sent to study at the Clergy Daughters School at Cowan Bridge. The conditions at the school were poor and they were treated with inhuman severity. The Lowood School in Jane Eyre was based on this school and Miss Scatcherd in the novel was based on the manager of the school. A fever broke out at the school and the girl returned home, but two of the sisters, Maria and Elizabeth, died of tuberculosis. The experience of Cowan Bridge and the loss of her sisters had an effect on Charlotte. With their father not communicating much with them and having no real contact with the outside world, the children spent their time reading and creating their own imaginary worlds. When Charlotte was nineteen years old, she became a teacher. But because of her bad health, she had to give it up. She later worked watching over the children of wealthy families as a governess. But the people treated her poorly, so she had to give this up too. She decided then to attend a language school in Brussels with her sisters Emily and Anne and fell in love with a married professor at the school, but she never fully admitted the fact to herself. After returning to Haworth in 1844, Charlotte Brontà « became depressed. She was lonely and felt that she lacked the ability to do any creative work. She discovered that both of her sisters had been writing poetry, as she had. They decided to publish selected poems of all three sisters; in 1846 a collection of their was published under the pseudonyms of Currer (Charlotte), Ellis (Emily) and Acton (Anne) Bell. Charlotte contributed 19 poems. Then they decided to each write a novel and to publish them. Her sisters novels were accepted for publication, but Charlottes first novel The Professor, based upon her Brussels experience, was rejected and was not published until after her death. Charlotte Brontà «s second novel, Jane Eyre, was published in 1847. It became the most successful book of the year and it was translated into most of the languages of Europe. Despite her success as a writer, Charlotte Brontà « continued to live a quiet life in Yorkshire. In 1854 she married Arthur Nicholls, a man who had once worked as an assistant to her father, but she died within a year of their marriage on March 31, 1955. Summary. Jane Eyre is a young orphan being raised by Mrs. Reed, her cruel, wealthy aunt. A servant named Bessie provides Jane with some of the few kindnesses she receives, telling her stories and singing songs to her. One day, as punishment for fighting with her bullying cousin John Reed, Janes aunt imprisons Jane in the red-room, the room in which Janes Uncle Reed died. While locked in, Jane, believing that she sees her uncles ghost, screams and faints. She wakes to find herself in the care of Bessie and the kindly apothecary Mr. Lloyd, who suggests to Mrs. Reed that Jane be sent away to school. To Janes delight, Mrs. Reed concurs. Once at the Lowood School, Jane finds that her life is far from idyllic. The schools headmaster is Mr. Brocklehurst, a cruel, hypocritical, and abusive man. Brocklehurst preaches a doctrine of poverty and privation to his students while using the schools funds to provide a wealthy and opulent lifestyle for his own family. At Lowood, Jane befriends a young girl named Helen Burns, whose strong, martyr like attitude toward the schools miseries is both helpful and displeasing to Jane. A massive typhus epidemic sweeps Lowood, and Helen dies of consumption. The epidemic also results in the departure of Mr. Brocklehurst by attracting attention to the insalubrious conditions at Lowood. After a group of more sympathetic gentlemen takes Brocklehursts place, Janes life improves dramatically. She spends eight more years at Lowood, six as a student and two as a teacher. After teaching for two years, Jane yearns for new experiences. She accepts a governess position at a manor called Thornfield, where she teaches a lively French girl named Adà ¨le. The distinguished housekeeper Mrs. Fairfax presides over the estate. Janes employer at Thornfield is a dark, impassioned man named Rochester, with whom Jane finds herself falling secretly in love. She saves Rochester from a fire one night, which he claims was started by a drunken servant named Grace Poole. But because Grace Poole continues to work at Thornfield, Jane concludes that she has not been told the entire story. Jane sinks into despondency when Rochester brings home a beautiful but vicious woman named Blanche Ingram. Jane expects Rochester to propose to Blanche. But Rochester instead proposes to Jane, who accepts almost disbelievingly. The wedding day arrives, and as Jane and Mr. Rochester prepare to exchange their vows, the voice of Mr. Mason cries out that Rochester already has a wife. Mason introduces himself as the brother of that wife a woman named Bertha. Mr. Mason testifies that Bertha, whom Rochester married when he was a young man in Jamaica, is still alive. Rochester does not deny Masons claims, but he explains that Bertha has gone mad. He takes the wedding party back to Thornfield, where they witness the insane Bertha Mason scurrying around on all fours and growling like an animal. Rochester keeps Bertha hidden on the third story of Thornfield and pays Grace Poole to keep his wife under control. Bertha was the real cause of the mysterious fire earlier in the story. Knowing that it is impossible for her to be with Rochester, Jane flees Thornfield. Penniless and hungry, Jane is forced to sleep outdoors and beg for food. At last, three siblings who live in a manor alternatively called Marsh End and Moor House take her in. Their names are Mary, Diana, and St. John Rivers, and Jane quickly becomes friends with them. St. John is a clergyman, and he finds Jane a job teaching at a charity school in Morton. He surprises her one day by declaring that her uncle, John Eyre, has died and left her a large fortune: 20,000 pounds. When Jane asks how he received this news, he shocks her further by declaring that her uncle was also his uncle: Jane and the Rivers are cousins. Jane immediately decides to share her inheritance equally with her three newfound relatives. St. John decides to travel to India as a missionary, and he urges Jane to accompany him as his wife. Jane agrees to go to India but refuses to marry her cousin because she does not love him. St. John pressures her to reconsider, and she nearly gives in. However, she realizes that she cannot abandon forever the man she truly loves when one night she hears Rochesters voice calling her name over the moors. Jane immediately hurries back to Thornfield and finds that it has been burned to the ground by Bertha Mason, who lost her life in the fire. Rochester saved the servants but lost his eyesight and one of his hands. Jane travels on to Rochesters new residence, Ferndean, where he lives with two servants named John and Mary. At Ferndean, Rochester and Jane rebuild their relationship and soon marry. At the end of her story, Jane writes that she has been married for ten blissful years and that she and Rochester enjoy perfect equality in their life together. She says that after two years of blindness, Rochester regained sight in one eye and was able to behold their first son at his birth. [1] Personal evaluation. I think Jane Eyre is a very good novel, for its great theme, its moving plots and its happy ending. The story develops in a way that holds your interest as Jane meets Mr. Rochester and the secrets of Thornfield Hall are revealed. The characters are very realistic written and its an exciting story, so I can recommend this novel to other people. [1] = http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/janeeyre/summary.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Eyre http://summarycentral.tripod.com/janeeyre.htm http://www.shmoop.com/jane-eyre/summary.html http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/janeeyre/facts.html

Biography of Edgar Allan Poe :: essays research papers

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts on Jan. 19, 1809 to David Poe, Jr. and Elizabeth Arnold Poe. He grew up to be an 'American poet, short story writer, playwright, editor, literary critic, essayist, and one of the leaders of the American Romantic Movement' (Edgar Allan Poe) and married Virginia Eliza Clemm Poe. Poe was influenced by many people such as Nathaniel Hawthorne, Lord Byron, Ann Radcliffe, and Charles Dickens. He was involved in the Romanticism and Dark Romanticism literary movements and demonstrated a gothic style in the majority of his works. Gloomy tales of mystery and death are what Poe was typically known for. Poe used the tone and the organization of his poems, as well as imagery, to make his poems unique and interesting. The tone of Poe?s poems is one of the major aspects people seem to remember about them. ?A Poe setting, atmosphere, or situation is instantly recognizable? (Minor). All of Poe?s poems demonstrate the dark and melancholy tone that was so unique to his writing. ?The apparent tone in Edgar Allan Poe?s ?The Raven? seemingly represents a very painful condition of mind, an intellect sensitive to madness and the abyss of melancholy brought upon by the death of a beloved lady? (Heimel). Poe starts off at the very beginning of this poem with a melancholy tone when he says, Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December, And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. Eagerly I wished the morrow, -- vainly I had sought to borrow From my books surcease of sorrow-- sorrow for the lost Lenore-- For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore-- Nameless here for evermore. This tone causes the reader to feel the pain and sadness that the man in the poem seems to be feeling due to losing his lover. Poe also demonstrates this tone in ?Annabel Lee?, especially at the end, when he talks about his bride that he will never see again. Poe consistently made his poems catchy and organized them in a way so that they would be distinct. He seemed to like to demonstrate internal rhythm and repetition in the majority of his poems. In Poe?s poem, ?Annabel Lee?, he repeats the name ?Annabel Lee? constantly throughout the poem. Also he uses internal rhyme throughout this poem.

Black Feminists Debate :: essays research papers

Black Feminists Debate Whiteness Stephanie Philipovich & Angela Torchia Passage #1: "Here is the house. It is green and white. It has a red door. It is very pretty. Here is the family. Mother, Father, Dick, and Jane live in the green-and-white house. They are very happy. See Jane. She has a red dress. She wants to play."(Morris, pg. 7) Passage #2: here is teh hous it is green and white it has a red door it is very prety hrere is the family mother father dick andjane live in the green and white hous they's are very happy see jane she gots a red dress she wants too play. (Both passages based on the passages found in the opening of The Bluest Eye.) Passage taken from I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou "After we left Mr. Willie Williams' Do Drop Inn, the last stop before whitefolksville, we had to cross the pond and adventure the railroad tracks. We were explorers walking without weapons into man-eating animals' territory. In Stamps the segregation was so complete that most Black children didn't really, absolutely know what whites looked like. Other than that they were different, to be dreaded, and in that dread was included the hostility of the powerless against the powerful, the poor against the rich, the worker against the worked for the ragged against the well dressed. I remember never believing that whites were really real†¦ Whitefolks couldn't be people because their feet were too small, their skin too white and see-throughy, and they didn't walk on the balls of their feet the way people did- they walked on their heels like horses. People were those who lived on my side of town.

The Approach of U.S. Foreign Policy and Terrorism Essay -- Argumentati

The Approach of U.S. Foreign Policy and Terrorism U.S. foreign policy is plunging head first in its war on terrorism. Our focus is expanding and including various dynamics that harbor American interests. By broadening our focus in our war on terrorism, we are beginning to spread ourselves too thin. Therefore, we risk the danger of fighting too many battles at once. Terrorism is a large issue that American foreign policy will not be able to tackle in the manner it has set out to do. Recently, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle voiced his concern over the direction the U.S. is taking in its war on terrorism. He was criticized because his statements are "one of the most critical assessments to date of the U.S. war effort," and therefore "divisive at a time when the country needs to be united," (Bash). Daschle stated the war has been successful up until now, but was concerned the war effort has been spreading "without clear direction," (Bash). Daschle's statement reflects a growing concern in Congress on the expansion of the war on terrorism. U.S. foreign policy and its approach to the war are broadening to include a widening spectrum of terrorist related issues in more regions of the world. Daschle's main concern is that foreign policy initiatives supported by Congress in the aftermath of September 11th are taken as a blank check to expand the war on terrorism. Particularly, in the movement of American troops to regions of the world where events were not considered directly linked to US interests or security threats previously. His argument rests in the lack of communication between the Bush Administration and Congress on war initiatives. For example, despite regular briefing... ...sh.† CNN.com. 3 Mar 2002. www.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/03/03/Daschle.terror/index.html â€Å"Georgia: Caucasus flashpoint.† CNN.com. 27 Feb 2002. www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/02/27/georgia.chechnya/index.html Gordon, Michael R. â€Å"Saudis Warning Against Attack by U.S. on Iraq.† Nytimes.com. 17 Mar 2002. www.nytimes.com/2002/03/17/international/middleeast/17CHEN.html Press, Bill. "'Axis of Evil' Reveals Excess of Ignorance." CNN.com. 20 Feb 2002. www.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/02/20/column.billpress.index.html â€Å"U.S. expanding war on terrorism.† CNN.com. 1 Mar 2002. www.cnn.com/2002/US/03/01/ret.us.forces/index.html â€Å"U.S. may send troops to Yemen soon, officials say.† CNN.com. 12 Mar 2002. www.cnn.com/2002/US/03/12/ret.yemen.troops/index.html

Cumberland Metal Industries Essay

In its initial evaluation, the company believes that the new product, curled metal cushion pads, has a potential for increasing the company’s sales and profit and for diversifying the products it offers. Early demands for the product appear to be good, however an in-depth analysis of the marketing aspect is necessary before the company can introduce the product to the market. Situational Analysis Based on the two trials made, it is clear that the company is in possession of a product that is better than any of those currently available in the market. The question only is how much better this product is than the others already available. Based on the first trial performed, the product is 25% more efficient than its closest competitor in terms of feet of piles driven per hour. It also increases the efficiency of the operations by requiring less time for set changes of about 80%. Each set of the product also performs nineteen times better than said competitor. In the second trial, the product maintained its previous performance as far as feet driven per hour time for set changes is concerned. It surpassed its previous performance by performing forty-nine times better than its competitor. The efficiency and effectivity of the product translates to other forms of savings on the part of the user. First, the contractor or builder will decrease the cost of rental of the equipment used in the construction by at least 25%. If the workers’ compensation is computed based on the number of hours worked, the contractor or builder will incur savings amounting to 25% of the cost of labor. Aside from its efficiency the product can also decrease, on the part of the workers, the health risk usually associated with the use of asbestos and decrease employers’ expenses relating to workers’ health insurance in the long run. Actual figures of demand for the product are hard to calculate. Based on the assumptions made by Mr. Simpson that the construction industry will need to drive 290 million to 390 million feet of piles annually, the total demand for the product annually is around 174,000 (290,000,000/10,000 x 6) to 324,000 (390,000,000/10,000 x 6) pads annually. To penetrate the market, the company will need to convince the key players of the construction industry that it should use the product. The approval of the architecture/ consulting firms, engineering/construction contractors and independent contractors are a must since they are the ones that will actually use the products. Independent contractors could be targeted since they are more willing to try new products that can increase their profits. A positive review from this group can convince bigger firms to use the product. The approval of pile hammer manufacturers and pile hammer distributing/ renting companies will be good but not necessary. These two groups know that the use of the product will decrease their profits so they have motivation to not recommend the products to their customers. Pile hammer distributing/ renting companies can provide an efficient distribution channel and reduce the company’s distribution cost since the mechanism is already in place, but not having the approval of this group is not essential since other methods of distribution are available to the company. Once amount of demand for the product is large enough this group can later decide to offer the product to their customers. Recommendations Initially, the pricing used by the company should be based on the data provided by the first test since it is more conservative. It can gradually increase its prices if the performance of the second trial is confirmed by actual practice. Based on the first trial, the company should charge $167 per pad. This price is computed by multiplying the cost of each set with the number of sets required ($50 x 20 pads) and dividing the result with the no. f pads of curled metal cushion required (1000/6). By using this price, the consumer will incur the same amount of cost for cushion pads in a project whether it uses asbestos or the curled metal cushions; it is only the amount of cushion pads used that will vary. However, this price does not charge consumer for the additional benefits provided by the product, such as 25% decrease in the cost of renting equipment and wages of laborers. This will be the selling point of the product upon its introduction. It will be important for the company to concentrate on building the confidence of the key players of the industry, instead of maximizing the profits in the first few years of introducing the product. Marketing campaigns should be focused towards convincing the architecture/ consulting firms, engineering/construction contractors and independent contractors to use the products. It could try to market the products directly to these groups since renting companies may be hesitant to distribute products that will decrease the profits generated by the services they offered. Moreover, most contractors used their own pile hammers instead of renting, so distribution through these renting companies has limited reach. Independent contractors should be given particular attention, as far as efforts at direct selling is concerned, since these groups are more likely to try new methods that decreases their cost and increases their bottom line than the more established firms. When the reputation of the product is established, it can decide whether it will continue its direct approach or use the services of pile hammer distributing/ renting companies. For the reasons stated above, the demands of the Colerick Foundation Company should be accepted by the company since this would be the first of the company’s direct sales. In summary, I would like to recommend that the company sell its curled metal cushion pads for $167 each. The company should first focus in building the reputation of its product because of its innovative quality. One way of doing so is convincing the experts that it is better than anything else present in the market.

The Lost Symbol Chapter 19-21

CHAPTER 19 Director Inoue Sato stood with her arms folded, her eyes locked skeptically on Langdon as she processed what he had just told her. â€Å"He said he wants you to unlock an ancient portal? What am I supposed to do with that, Professor?† Langdon shrugged weakly. He was feeling ill again and tried not to look down at his friend's severed hand. â€Å"That's exactly what he told me. An ancient portal . . . hidden somewhere in this building. I told him I knew of no portal.† â€Å"Then why does he think you can find it?† â€Å"Obviously, he's insane.† He said Peter would point the way. Langdon looked down at Peter's upstretched finger, again feeling repulsed by his captor's sadistic play on words. Peter will point the way. Langdon had already permitted his eyes to follow the pointing finger up to the dome overhead. A portal? Up there? Insane. â€Å"This man who called me,† Langdon told Sato, â€Å"was the only one who knew I was coming to the Capitol tonight, so whoever informed you I was here tonight, that's your man. I recommend–â€Å" â€Å"Where I got my information is not your concern,† Sato interrupted, voice sharpening. â€Å"My top priority at the moment is to cooperate with this man, and I have information suggesting you are the only one who can give him what he wants.† â€Å"And my top priority is to find my friend,† Langdon replied, frustrated. Sato inhaled deeply, her patience clearly being tested. â€Å"If we want to find Mr. Solomon, we have one course of action, Professor–to start cooperating with the one person who seems to know where he is.† Sato checked her watch. â€Å"Our time is limited. I can assure you it is imperative we comply with this man's demands quickly.† â€Å"How?† Langdon asked, incredulous. â€Å"By locating and unlocking an ancient portal? There is no portal, Director Sato. This guy's a lunatic.† Sato stepped close, less than a foot from Langdon. â€Å"If I may point this out . . . your lunatic deftly manipulated two fairly smart individuals already this morning.† She stared directly at Langdon and then glanced at Anderson. â€Å"In my business, one learns there is a fine line between insanity and genius. We would be wise to give this man a little respect.† â€Å"He cut off a man's hand!† â€Å"My point exactly. That is hardly the act of an uncommitted or uncertain individual. More important, Professor, this man obviously believes you can help him. He brought you all the way to Washington–and he must have done it for a reason.† â€Å"He said the only reason he thinks I can unlock this `portal' is that Peter told him I can unlock it,† Langdon countered. â€Å"And why would Peter Solomon say that if it weren't true?† â€Å"I'm sure Peter said no such thing. And if he did, then he did so under duress. He was confused . . . or frightened.† â€Å"Yes. It's called interrogational torture, and it's quite effective. All the more reason Mr. Solomon would tell the truth.† Sato spoke as if she'd had personal experience with this technique. â€Å"Did he explain why Peter thinks you alone can unlock the portal?† Langdon shook his head. â€Å"Professor, if your reputations are correct, then you and Peter Solomon both share an interest in this sort of thing–secrets, historical esoterica, mysticism, and so on. In all of your discussions with Peter, he never once mentioned to you anything about a secret portal in Washington, D.C.?† Langdon could scarcely believe he was being asked this question by a high-ranking officer of the CIA. â€Å"I'm certain of it. Peter and I talk about some pretty arcane things, but believe me, I'd tell him to get his head examined if he ever told me there was an ancient portal hidden anywhere at all. Particularly one that leads to the Ancient Mysteries.† She glanced up. â€Å"I'm sorry? The man told you specifically what this portal leads to?† â€Å"Yes, but he didn't have to.† Langdon motioned to the hand. â€Å"The Hand of the Mysteries is a formal invitation to pass through a mystical gateway and acquire ancient secret knowledge– powerful wisdom known as the Ancient Mysteries . . . or the lost wisdom of all the ages.† â€Å"So you've heard of the secret he believes is hidden here.† â€Å"A lot of historians have heard of it.† â€Å"Then how can you say the portal does not exist?† â€Å"With respect, ma'am, we've all heard of the Fountain of Youth and Shangri-la, but that does not mean they exist.† The loud squawk of Anderson's radio interrupted them. â€Å"Chief?† the voice on the radio said. Anderson snatched his radio from his belt. â€Å"Anderson here.† â€Å"Sir, we've completed a search of the grounds. There's no one here that fits the description. Any further orders, sir?† Anderson shot a quick glance at Sato, clearly expecting a reprimand, but Director Sato seemed uninterested. Anderson moved away from Langdon and Sato, speaking quietly into his radio. Sato's unwavering focus remained on Langdon. â€Å"You're saying the secret he believes is hidden in Washington . . . is a fantasy?† Langdon nodded. â€Å"A very old myth. The secret of the Ancient Mysteries is pre-Christian, actually. Thousands of years old.† â€Å"And yet it's still around?† â€Å"As are many equally improbable beliefs.† Langdon often reminded his students that most modern religions included stories that did not hold up to scientific scrutiny: everything from Moses parting the Red Sea . . . to Joseph Smith using magic eyeglasses to translate the Book of Mormon from a series of gold plates he found buried in upstate New York. Wide acceptance of an idea is not proof of its validity. â€Å"I see. So what exactly are these . . . Ancient Mysteries?† Langdon exhaled. Have you got a few weeks? â€Å"In short, the Ancient Mysteries refer to a body of secret knowledge that was amassed long ago. One intriguing aspect of this knowledge is that it allegedly enables its practitioners to access powerful abilities that lie dormant in the human mind. The enlightened Adepts who possessed this knowledge vowed to keep it veiled from the masses because it was considered far too potent and dangerous for the uninitiated.† â€Å"Dangerous in what way?† â€Å"The information was kept hidden for the same reason we keep matches from children. In the correct hands, fire can provide illumination . . . but in the wrong hands, fire can be highly destructive.† Sato took off her glasses and studied him. â€Å"Tell me, Professor, do you believe such powerful information could truly exist?† Langdon was not sure how to respond. The Ancient Mysteries had always been the greatest paradox of his academic career. Virtually every mystical tradition on earth revolved around the idea that there existed arcane knowledge capable of imbuing humans with mystical, almost godlike, powers: tarot and I Ching gave men the ability to see the future; alchemy gave men immortality through the fabled Philosopher's Stone; Wicca permitted advanced practitioners to cast powerful spells. The list went on and on. As an academic, Langdon could not deny the historical record of these traditions–troves of documents, artifacts, and artwork that, indeed, clearly suggested the ancients had a powerful wisdom that they shared only through allegory, myths, and symbols, ensuring that only those properly initiated could access its power. Nonetheless, as a realist and a skeptic, Langdon remained unconvinced. â€Å"Let's just say I'm a skeptic,† he told Sato. â€Å"I have never seen anything in the real world to suggest the Ancient Mysteries are anything other than legend–a recurring mythological archetype. It seems to me that if it were possible for humans to acquire miraculous powers, there would be evidence. And yet, so far, history has given us no men with superhuman powers.† Sato arched her eyebrows. â€Å"That's not entirely true.† Langdon hesitated, realizing that for many religious people, there was indeed a precedent for human gods, Jesus being the most obvious. â€Å"Admittedly,† he said, â€Å"there are plenty of educated people who believe this empowering wisdom truly exists, but I'm not yet convinced.† â€Å"Is Peter Solomon one of those people?† Sato asked, glancing toward the hand on the floor. Langdon could not bring himself to look at the hand. â€Å"Peter comes from a family lineage that has always had a passion for all things ancient and mystical.† â€Å"Was that a yes?† Sato asked. â€Å"I can assure you that even if Peter believes the Ancient Mysteries are real, he does not believe they are accessible through some kind of portal hidden in Washington, D.C. He understands metaphorical symbolism, which is something his captor apparently does not.† Sato nodded. â€Å"So you believe this portal is a metaphor.† â€Å"Of course,† Langdon said. â€Å"In theory, anyway. It's a very common metaphor–a mystical portal through which one must travel to become enlightened. Portals and doorways are common symbolic constructs that represent transformative rites of passage. To look for a literal portal would be like trying to locate the actual Gates of Heaven.† Sato seemed to consider this momentarily. â€Å"But it sounds like Mr. Solomon's captor believes you can unlock an actual portal.† Langdon exhaled. â€Å"He's made the same error many zealots make–confusing metaphor with a literal reality.† Similarly, early alchemists had toiled in vain to transform lead into gold, never realizing that lead-to-gold was nothing but a metaphor for tapping into true human potential– that of taking a dull, ignorant mind and transforming it into a bright, enlightened one. Sato motioned to the hand. â€Å"If this man wants you to locate some kind of portal for him, why wouldn't he simply tell you how to find it? Why all the dramatics? Why give you a tattooed hand?† Langdon had asked himself the same question and the answer was unsettling. â€Å"Well, it seems the man we are dealing with, in addition to being mentally unstable, is also highly educated. This hand is proof that he is well versed in the Mysteries as well as their codes of secrecy. Not to mention with the history of this room.† â€Å"I don't understand.† â€Å"Everything he has done tonight was done in perfect accordance with ancient protocols. Traditionally, the Hand of the Mysteries is a sacred invitation, and therefore it must be presented in a sacred place.† Sato's eyes narrowed. â€Å"This is the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol Building, Professor, not some sacred shrine to ancient mystical secrets.† â€Å"Actually, ma'am,† Langdon said, â€Å"I know a great number of historians who would disagree with you.† At that moment, across town, Trish Dunne was seated in the glow of the plasma wall inside the Cube. She finished preparing her search spider and typed in the five key phrases Katherine had given her. Here goes nothing. Feeling little optimism, she launched the spider, effectively commencing a worldwide game of Go Fish. At blinding speed, the phrases were now being compared to texts all over the world . . . looking for a perfect match. Trish couldn't help but wonder what this was all about, but she had come to accept that working with the Solomons meant never quite knowing the entire story. CHAPTER 20 Robert Langdon stole an anxious glance at his wristwatch: 7:58 P.M. The smiling face of Mickey Mouse did little to cheer him up. I've got to find Peter. We're wasting time. Sato had stepped aside for a moment to take a phone call, but now she returned to Langdon. â€Å"Professor, am I keeping you from something?† â€Å"No, ma'am,† Langdon said, pulling his sleeve down over his watch. â€Å"I'm just extremely concerned about Peter.† â€Å"I can understand, but I assure you the best thing you can do to help Peter is to help me understand the mind-set of his captor.† Langdon was not so sure, but he sensed he was not going anywhere until the OS director got the information she desired. â€Å"A moment ago,† Sato said, â€Å"you suggested this Rotunda is somehow sacred to the idea of these Ancient Mysteries?† â€Å"Yes, ma'am.† â€Å"Explain that to me.† Langdon knew he would have to choose his words sparingly. He had taught for entire semesters on the mystical symbolism of Washington, D.C., and there was an almost inexhaustible list of mystical references in this building alone. America has a hidden past. Every time Langdon lectured on the symbology of America, his students were confounded to learn that the true intentions of our nation's forefathers had absolutely nothing to do with what so many politicians now claimed. America's intended destiny has been lost to history. The forefathers who founded this capital city first named her â€Å"Rome.† They had named her river the Tiber and erected a classical capital of pantheons and temples, all adorned with images of history's great gods and goddesses–Apollo, Minerva, Venus, Helios, Vulcan, Jupiter. In her center, as in many of the great classical cities, the founders had erected an enduring tribute to the ancients–the Egyptian obelisk. This obelisk, larger even than Cairo's or Alexandria's, rose 555 feet into the sky, more than thirty stories, proclaiming thanks and honor to the demigod forefather for whom this capital city took its newer name. Washington. Now, centuries later, despite America's separation of church and state, this state-sponsored Rotunda glistened with ancient religious symbolism. There were over a dozen different gods in the Rotunda–more than the original Pantheon in Rome. Of course, the Roman Pantheon had been converted to Christianity in 609 . . . but this pantheon was never converted; vestiges of its true history still remained in plain view. â€Å"As you may know,† Langdon said, â€Å"this Rotunda was designed as a tribute to one of Rome's most venerated mystical shrines. The Temple of Vesta.† â€Å"As in the vestal virgins?† Sato looked doubtful that Rome's virginal guardians of the flame had anything to do with the U.S. Capitol Building. â€Å"The Temple of Vesta in Rome,† Langdon said, â€Å"was circular, with a gaping hole in the floor, through which the sacred fire of enlightenment could be tended by a sisterhood of virgins whose job it was to ensure the flame never went out.† Sato shrugged. â€Å"This Rotunda is a circle, but I see no gaping hole in this floor.† â€Å"No, not anymore, but for years the center of this room had a large opening precisely where Peter's hand is now.† Langdon motioned to the floor. â€Å"In fact, you can still see the marks in the floor from the railing that kept people from falling in.† â€Å"What?† Sato demanded, scrutinizing the floor. â€Å"I've never heard that.† â€Å"Looks like he's right.† Anderson pointed out the circle of iron nubs where the posts had once been. â€Å"I've seen these before, but I never had any idea why they were there.† You're not alone, Langdon thought, imagining the thousands of people every day, including famous lawmakers, who strode across the center of the Rotunda having no idea there was once a day when they would have plunged down into the Capitol Crypt–the level beneath the Rotunda floor. â€Å"The hole in the floor,† Langdon told them, â€Å"was eventually covered, but for a good while, those who visited the Rotunda could see straight down to the fire that burned below.† Sato turned. â€Å"Fire? In the U.S. Capitol?† â€Å"More of a large torch, actually–an eternal flame that burned in the crypt directly beneath us. It was supposed to be visible through the hole in the floor, making this room a modern Temple of Vesta. This building even had its own vestal virgin–a federal employee called the Keeper of the Crypt–who successfully kept the flame burning for fifty years, until politics, religion, and smoke damage snuffed out the idea.† Both Anderson and Sato looked surprised. Nowadays, the only reminder that a flame once burned here was the four-pointed star compass embedded in the crypt floor one story below them–a symbol of America's eternal flame, which once shed illumination toward the four corners of the New World. â€Å"So, Professor,† Sato said, â€Å"your contention is that the man who left Peter's hand here knew all this?† â€Å"Clearly. And much, much more. There are symbols all over this room that reflect a belief in the Ancient Mysteries.† â€Å"Secret wisdom,† Sato said with more than a hint of sarcasm in her voice. â€Å"Knowledge that lets men acquire godlike powers?† â€Å"Yes, ma'am.† â€Å"That hardly fits with the Christian underpinnings of this country.† â€Å"So it would seem, but it's true. This transformation of man into God is called apotheosis. Whether or not you're aware of it, this theme–transforming man into god–is the core element in this Rotunda's symbolism.† â€Å"Apotheosis?† Anderson spun with a startled look of recognition. â€Å"Yes.† Anderson works here. He knows. â€Å"The word apotheosis literally means `divine transformation'–that of man becoming God. It's from the ancient Greek: apo–`to become,' theos–`god.' â€Å" Anderson looked amazed. â€Å"Apotheosis means `to become God'? I had no idea.† â€Å"What am I missing?† Sato demanded. â€Å"Ma'am,† Langdon said, â€Å"the largest painting in this building is called The Apotheosis of Washington. And it clearly depicts George Washington being transformed into a god.† Sato looked doubtful. â€Å"I've never seen anything of the sort.† â€Å"Actually, I'm sure you have.† Langdon raised his index finger, pointing straight up. â€Å"It's directly over your head.† CHAPTER 21 The Apotheosis of Washington–a 4,664-square-foot fresco that covers the canopy of the Capitol Rotunda–was completed in 1865 by Constantino Brumidi. Known as â€Å"The Michelangelo of the Capitol,† Brumidi had laid claim to the Capitol Rotunda in the same way Michelangelo had laid claim to the Sistine Chapel, by painting a fresco on the room's most lofty canvas–the ceiling. Like Michelangelo, Brumidi had done some of his finest work inside the Vatican. Brumidi, however, immigrated to America in 1852, abandoning God's largest shrine in favor of a new shrine, the U.S. Capitol, which now glistened with examples of his mastery–from the trompe l'oeil of the Brumidi Corridors to the frieze ceiling of the Vice President's Room. And yet it was the enormous image hovering above the Capitol Rotunda that most historians considered to be Brumidi's masterwork. Robert Langdon gazed up at the massive fresco that covered the ceiling. He usually enjoyed his students' startled reactions to this fresco's bizarre imagery, but at the moment he simply felt trapped in a nightmare he had yet to understand. Director Sato was standing next to him with her hands on her hips, frowning up at the distant ceiling. Langdon sensed she was having the same reaction many had when they first stopped to examine the painting at the core of their nation. Utter confusion. You're not alone, Langdon thought. For most people, The Apotheosis of Washington got stranger and stranger the longer they looked at it. â€Å"That's George Washington on the central panel,† Langdon said, pointing 180 feet upward into the middle of the dome. â€Å"As you can see, he's dressed in white robes, attended by thirteen maidens, and ascending on a cloud above mortal man. This is the moment of his apotheosis . . . his transformation into a god.† Sato and Anderson said nothing. â€Å"Nearby,† Langdon continued, â€Å"you can see a strange, anachronistic series of figures: ancient gods presenting our forefathers with advanced knowledge. There's Minerva giving technological inspiration to our nation's great inventors–Ben Franklin, Robert Fulton, Samuel Morse.† Langdon pointed them out one by one. â€Å"And over there is Vulcan helping us build a steam engine. Beside them is Neptune demonstrating how to lay the transatlantic cable. Beside that is Ceres, goddess of grain and root of our word cereal; she's sitting on the McCormick reaper, the farming breakthrough that enabled this country to become a world leader in food production. The painting quite overtly portrays our forefathers receiving great wisdom from the gods.† He lowered his head, looking at Sato now. â€Å"Knowledge is power, and the right knowledge lets man perform miraculous, almost godlike tasks.† Sato dropped her gaze back down to Langdon and rubbed her neck. â€Å"Laying a phone cable is a far cry from being a god.† â€Å"Perhaps to a modern man,† Langdon replied. â€Å"But if George Washington knew that we had become a race that possessed the power to speak to one another across oceans, fly at the speed of sound, and set foot on our moon, he would assume that we had become gods, capable of miraculous tasks.† He paused. â€Å"In the words of futurist Arthur C. Clarke, `Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.' â€Å" Sato pursed her lips, apparently deep in thought. She glanced down at the hand, and then followed the direction of the outstretched index finger up into the dome. â€Å"Professor, you were told, `Peter will point the way.' Is that correct?† â€Å"Yes, ma'am, but–â€Å" â€Å"Chief,† Sato said, turning away from Langdon, â€Å"can you get us a closer look at the painting?† Anderson nodded. â€Å"There's a catwalk around the interior of the dome.† Langdon looked way, way up to the tiny railing visible just beneath the painting and felt his body go rigid. â€Å"There's no need to go up there.† He had experienced that seldom-visited catwalk once before, as the guest of a U.S. senator and his wife, and he had almost fainted from the dizzying height and perilous walkway. â€Å"No need?† Sato demanded. â€Å"Professor, we have a man who believes this room contains a portal that has the potential to make him a god; we have a ceiling fresco that symbolizes the transformation of a man into a god; and we have a hand pointing straight at that painting. It seems everything is urging us upward.† â€Å"Actually,† Anderson interjected, glancing up, â€Å"not many people know this, but there is one hexagonal coffer in the dome that actually swings open like a portal, and you can peer down through it and–â€Å" â€Å"Wait a second,† Langdon said, â€Å"you're missing the point. The portal this man is looking for is a figurative portal–a gateway that doesn't exist. When he said, `Peter will point the way,' he was talking in metaphorical terms. This pointing-hand gesture–with its index finger and thumb extended upward–is a well-known symbol of the Ancient Mysteries, and it appears all over the world in ancient art. This same gesture appears in three of Leonardo da Vinci's most famous encoded masterpieces–The Last Supper, Adoration of the Magi, and Saint John the Baptist. It's a symbol of man's mystical connection to God.† As above, so below. The madman's bizarre choice of words was starting to feel more relevant now. â€Å"I've never seen it before,† Sato said. Then watch ESPN, Langdon thought, always amused to see professional athletes point skyward in gratitude to God after a touchdown or home run. He wondered how many knew they were continuing a pre-Christian mystical tradition of acknowledging the mystical power above, which, for one brief moment, had transformed them into a god capable of miraculous feats. â€Å"If it's of any help,† Langdon said, â€Å"Peter's hand is not the first such hand to make an appearance in this Rotunda.† Sato eyed him like he was insane. â€Å"I beg your pardon?† Langdon motioned to her BlackBerry. â€Å"Google `George Washington Zeus.' â€Å" Sato looked uncertain but started typing. Anderson inched toward her, looking over her shoulder intently. Langdon said, â€Å"This Rotunda was once dominated by a massive sculpture of a bare-chested George Washington . . . depicted as a god. He sat in the same exact pose as Zeus in the Pantheon, bare chest exposed, left hand holding a sword, right hand raised with thumb and finger extended.† Sato had apparently found an online image, because Anderson was staring at her BlackBerry in shock. â€Å"Hold on, that's George Washington?† â€Å"Yes,† Langdon said. â€Å"Depicted as Zeus.† â€Å"Look at his hand,† Anderson said, still peering over Sato's shoulder. â€Å"His right hand is in the same exact position as Mr. Solomon's.† As I said, Langdon thought, Peter's hand is not the first to make an appearance in this room. When Horatio Greenough's statue of a naked George Washington was first unveiled in the Rotunda, many joked that Washington must be reaching skyward in a desperate attempt to find some clothes. As American religious ideals changed, however, the joking criticism turned to controversy, and the statue was removed, banished to a shed in the east garden. Currently, it made its home at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, where those who saw it had no reason to suspect that it was one of the last vestigial links to a time when the father of the country had watched over the U.S. Capitol as a god . . . like Zeus watching over the Pantheon. Sato began dialing a number on her BlackBerry, apparently seeing this as an opportune moment to check in with her staff. â€Å"What have you got?† She listened patiently. â€Å"I see . . .† She glanced directly at Langdon, then at Peter's hand. â€Å"You're certain?† She listened a moment longer. â€Å"Okay, thanks.† She hung up and turned back toward Langdon. â€Å"My support staff did some research and confirms the existence of your so-called Hand of the Mysteries, corroborating everything you said: five fingertip markings–the star, the sun, the key, the crown, and the lantern–as well as the fact that this hand served as an ancient invitation to learn secret wisdom.† â€Å"I'm glad,† Langdon said. â€Å"Don't be,† she replied curtly. â€Å"It appears we're now at a dead end until you share whatever it is you're still not telling me.† â€Å"Ma'am?† Sato stepped toward him. â€Å"We've come full circle, Professor. You've told me nothing I could not have learned from my own staff. And so I will ask you once more. Why were you brought here tonight? What makes you so special? What is it that you alone know?† â€Å"We've been through this,† Langdon fired back. â€Å"I don't know why this guy thinks I know anything at all!† Langdon was half tempted to demand how the hell Sato knew that he was in the Capitol tonight, but they'd been through that, too. Sato isn't talking. â€Å"If I knew the next step,† he told her, â€Å"I'd tell you. But I don't. Traditionally, the Hand of the Mysteries is extended by a teacher to a student. And then, shortly afterward, the hand is followed up with a set of instructions . . . directions to a temple, the name of the master who will teach you–something! But all this guy left for us is five tattoos! Hardly–† Langdon stopped short. Sato eyed him. â€Å"What is it?† Langdon's eyes shot back to the hand. Five tattoos. He now realized that what he was saying might not be entirely true. â€Å"Professor?† Sato pressed. Langdon inched toward the gruesome object. Peter will point the way. â€Å"Earlier, it crossed my mind that maybe this guy had left an object clenched in Peter's palm–a map, or a letter, or a set of directions.† â€Å"He didn't,† Anderson said. â€Å"As you can see, those three fingers are not clenched tightly.† â€Å"You're right,† Langdon said. â€Å"But it occurs to me . . .† He crouched down now, trying to see up under the fingers to the hidden part of Peter's palm. â€Å"Maybe it's not written on paper.† â€Å"Tattooed?† Anderson said. Langdon nodded. â€Å"Do you see anything on the palm?† Sato asked. Langdon crouched lower, trying to peer up under the loosely clenched fingers. â€Å"The angle is impossible. I can't–â€Å" â€Å"Oh, for heaven's sake,† Sato said, moving toward him. â€Å"Just open the damned thing!† Anderson stepped in front of her. â€Å"Ma'am! We should really wait for forensics before we touch–† â€Å"I want some answers,† Sato said, pushing past him. She crouched down, edging Langdon away from the hand. Langdon stood up and watched in disbelief as Sato pulled a pen from her pocket, sliding it carefully under the three clenched fingers. Then, one by one, she pried each finger upward until the hand stood fully open, with its palm visible. She glanced up at Langdon, and a thin smile spread across her face. â€Å"Right again, Professor.†