Interface Between Theory And Practice In Reflecting On Creative Essay

Interface Between Theory And Practice In Reflecting On Creative Teaching And Learning - Essay Example 12). Even so, there has been a call for a relaxation of the dominant prescriptive and policy saturated teaching and learning agenda (Jeffrey 2006, p. 399). Theory and experience both demonstrate that creativity in teaching and learning is becoming more significant for progress and congruence in the knowledge society of the 21st century (Ferrari, Cachia and Punie 2009, p. iii). Be that as it may, the interface between the theory and practice relative to creative teaching and learning covet an uneasy co-existence. Sawyer (2011) informs that although creativity or improvisation is a necessary criteria for effective teaching and learning, prescriptive teaching as dictated by a statutory directed curriculum and the focus on public testing outcomes has given way to a culture of â€Å"less creative teaching and learning† (p. 2). This essay examines the theoretical basis of creativity in teaching and learning and demonstrates how these theories can be put to practice. The first part of this essay critically analyses theories of creative teaching and learning and the second part will reflect on the experiences and observations of the author during creative week. Theoretical Perspectives on Creative Teaching and Learning Definition of Creative Teaching and Learning . ... 30). In this regard, creativity in teaching and learning is characterized by four factors. First it involves â€Å"thinking or behaving imaginatively† (NACCCE 1999, p. 30). Secondly, the imaginative thinking and behaving must have a purpose in that it must be directed at achieving goals or objectives. Thirdly, in thinking, acting and achieving, there must be some originality involved. Finally, the results must have some value to the goals or objectives (NACCCE 1999, p. 30). Creative teaching is thus defined as: Teachers using imaginative approaches to make learning more interesting, exciting and effective (NACCE 1990 p. 6). The emphasis appears to be on engagement in terms of making learning more interesting. Perceptions are that students who are engaged are more likely to retain what they are being taught (Willms 2003, p. 3). It is therefore possible to argue, that by definition, creativity in teaching and learning is method for engaging students and therefore improving outco mes for individual learners. Theories of Creative Teaching and Learning Theories of creative teaching and learning embrace the twin concepts of teaching for creativity and teaching creatively. Teaching for creativity focuses on the â€Å"learner orientation† of teaching and teaching creatively focuses on the â€Å"teacher orientation† of creativity teaching (Cremin 2009, p. 36). Cremin (2009) explains that creative teaching thus makes â€Å"learning more interesting and effective† (p. 36). Teachers also identify â€Å"children’s creative strengths† and foster â€Å"their creativity† (Cremin 2009, p. 36). Creative teaching practices are more effective when students find purpose in the lesson through practical exercises or through mental or personal

Centralia No. 5 Essay Example for Free

Centralia No. 5 Essay The obvious problem with Centralia No. 5 is that an explosion killed 111 people. However, prior to the actual explosion, the problem is less obvious, especially since Centralia No. 5 was similar to so many mines that did not explode. In this analysis, I will examine the possible roles and responsibilities of Driscoll O. Scanlan, the mine inspector, given the corruption of modern administrative enterprises prior to the accident. From this perspective, the perspective of a public official in the field, the problem is that a potential danger exists and the regulatory machinery in place to address the danger is ineffective. As an expert, Scanlan recommended that the mine be dusted with non-explosive, pulverized stone to diminish the possibility of the coal dusts exploding. However, his expert advice alone was not enough to motivate a response. History The chronology of the case shows a progression of appropriate action within the existing law and according to organization or bureaucratic norms. On an organiza ¬tional level, the players include the State of Illinois, the U.S. Government, the Centralia Coal Company, the United Mine Workers of America, and the miners themselves, who could hardly be said to have been well represented by any of the others. Beginning in 1941, Scanlans reports of excessive coal dust in the Centralia No. 5 mine were sent to Robert Medill, the Director of the Department of Mines and Minerals, and handled as routine by Robert Weir, the Assistant to the Director. All three positions were appointed by the Governor, Dwight H. Green. Also in 1941, the U.S. Bureau of Mines began making inspections of mines. The first inspection of Centralia No. 5 was in September 1942. However, only the State of Illinois had any power to enforce compliance, and reports from the Bureau there ¬fore had primary significance as further documentation in the hands of the Department of Mines and Minerals and the Governor. Scanlans reports were forwarded to the Centralia Coal Company, owned by Bell Zoller, with a letter requesting that the Company comply with the inspectors recommendations. Needless to say, the Coal Company did not comply, which is predictable given the lack of any attempt to enforce the requests and the high demand during the war. The mine workers eventually began working  through Local Union No. 52, led by William Rowekamp, recording secretary. Throughout the course of events, the mine workers sent correspondence to the State of Illinois, at first to Medill and then directly to the Governor. The letters consistently and emphatically requested attention to the danger present in the mine as documented by Scanlans extensive reports. The seriousness of the situation seemed to fade within the bureaucratic and political routine within the Department of Mines and Minerals. Alternatives Scanlan was faced with several logistical alternatives, but the motivations behind action were of two sorts. As I said before, all of the players followed paths of appropriate action within the existing law and according to organizational or bureaucratic norms. The only exception, perhaps, was the Centralia Coal Company. But the coal company clearly recognized a difference between a routine infraction and a serious infraction, at least as it concerned the correspondence from the Department of Mines and Minerals, and they had no indication that Scanlans reports on Centralia No. 5 were anything unusual. Scanlans performance was no exception. He did precisely what was required of him by his position. Even the Department itself complied with the letter of the law. Because the Director of the Department of Mines and Minerals has some discretion, it is not a requirement of law that every technically enforceable infraction actually be enforced. This is a matter of judgment. Scanlan was clearly motivated by attention to law and bureaucratic norms, but he was also pulled by an obvious obligation to the public welfare, in this case the miners lives at Centralia No. 5. The problem confronting Scanlan was not so much a moral conflict as the need to recognize that compliance with his designated role was inadequate as a response, both as public official and as expert, to the greater responsibility to the public. And because Scanlans reports were extensive and thorough, including every infraction, he had a responsibility to make sure that the decision makers understood the gravity of the danger, perhaps by highlighting the more serious problems. However, given that the system failed to recognize the danger, there were two possible paths of action: (1) work within the system, possibly in ways beyond the designated role of mine inspector; or (2) work outside the system and mobilize public concern, through the union or otherwise. There is a sense in which staying  within the system would preserve Scanlans conformity with legal and organizational norms while still addressing the public welfare. However, there is ample evidence that the organizational players would be unresponsive or at least politically difficult. Solution I think that Scanlan could have effected a response within the system, although he would certainly have had to abandon a passive stance. First, the obligation to the general welfare clearly trumps any mere compliance with organizational norms and in this case the spirit of the law, never mind the letter of the law, is in the name of such general welfare. Second, the role of mine inspectors is to police the mine operators. This could be construed as a responsibility to report infractions and leave enforcement to the Director of the Department. However, because the Director allows his subordinates to handle so much of the routine, it seems reasonable to expect the inspectors to handle cases like Centralia No. 5 more pro-actively. Third, there is a responsibility left on Scanlans shoulders as an expert and a professional. His technical expertise allows him to distinguish apparent and real dangers. And because his role in the field puts him in close proximity to the mines, he is perhaps the only individual with such responsibility in a situation where serious problems are apparent. Costs/Benefits The costs for Scanlan are evident. Because his position is a political patronage job, any aggressive pursuit of his responsibilities runs the risk of getting him removed from his position. Of course, this is as much a matter of how one negotiates the political terrain as of what one is trying to accomplish. I have no doubt that interesting correspondence, emphasizing the prudence of avoiding deaths in the mines, could have been sent to Governor Green, with the assistance and political experience of the Director of the Department of Mines and Minerals, of course. Even if Scanlan loses his job, the clear benefits are 111 lives. There are hidden benefits as well, though. By generating a relationship with the Director and the Governor, Scanlan is creating a mechanism for handling this sort of issue—a sort of policy formation from below. Given that Centralia No. 5 appears no  different from the other mines, this may be the more pressing issue anyway.

Community Gardens Essay -- Personal Narrative Culture Papers

Community Gardens As I tire of the ongoing struggle between my umbrella and the wind, I look for a warm, sheltered corner to pause and pull myself together. All I see is a deserted parking lot. Frustrated, I step onto the concrete under the awning of a neighboring building and fumble with the weathered wiring of my umbrella. Fighting the torrential rain isn’t my idea of a nice afternoon as my venture to explore the picturesque EastVillage turns into hugging the side of a building to escape a storm, staring at black pavement marked and divided with white lines. As I muse over how unpleasing the aesthetics of a parking lot are, I notice a worn 8 by 11 sticker stuck to the wall of the building. The phrase Save Our Gardens frames a torn caricature of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. I wonder why someone would put up a poster in this parking lot because no one is likely to see it. The tears on the sticker stand out because they remove the first printed layer of the image. Someone who inhabited this space just as I have has made a physical statement representing his or her response to the sticker. Was it the mocking picture of Giuliani that captured their attention and inspired their resistance? Was it the gardens? Or was it the location? Regardless, it is clear that the Save Our Gardens sticker has aroused controversy. I am reminded of â€Å"Enactments of Power: The Politics of Performance Space,† an essay by Ngugi Wa Thiong’O that investigates the rich content of a performance space in the context of post-colonial Kenya. He explains that the â€Å"space is never empty† (291). According to Ngugi, even a space as sterile as a parking lot can be â€Å"the site of physical, social, and psychic forces in society† that often reveal points of contention, mani... ...l interview. 23 Feb. 2003. Geertz, Clifford. â€Å"Deep Play: Notes on a Balinese Cockfight.† The World Through Art: The Advanced College Essay. Ed. Darlene A. Forrest, Pat C. Hoy II and Randy Martin. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002. 145-78. Goulish, Matthew. â€Å"How Does a Work Work Where?† The World Through Art: The Advanced College Essay. Ed. Darlene A. Forrest, Pat C. Hoy II and Randy Martin. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002. 184-87. Greenblatt, Stephen. â€Å"Culture.† The World Through Art: The Advanced College Essay. Ed. Darlene A. Forrest, Pat C. Hoy II and Randy Martin. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002. 188-95. Sonia. Personal interview. 23 Feb. 2003. Thiong’O, NgugiWa. â€Å"Enactments of Power: The Politics of Performance Space.† The World Through Art: The Advanced College Essay. Ed. Darlene A. Forrest, Pat C. Hoy II and Randy Martin. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002. 287-319.

What Do I Want to Be When I Grow Up

Ever since I was small, people always ask me â€Å"What do you want to be when you grow up? † I used crayons to illustrate my dream career. My drawing was hung in the hallways for my parents to see. I remember the typical careers of my kindergarden class- ballerinas, firefighters, singers, and astronauts. I remembered mine. My picture showed a stick figure with black hair holding a mic. Underneath the beautiful drawing, I wrote â€Å"When I grow up, I want to be a singer. To this day I can still remember my youth self wanting to sing and perform on a big stage. When I was younger, questions like this were asked very often. I answered these types of questions with silliness, never thought it was likely to come true. However, as I am getting older, I realized that now I'm suppose to answer this question with confidence and mean what I say. Teenagers are expected to know exactly what they want to be and should be able to give good reasons why. Now that I am a teenager, I still d on't exactly know what I want to be.Doctors, lawyers, dentists, business managers are all great jobs; however, I don't think my parents or any parents in fact, had ever sat down with their children and ask them â€Å"What do you want to be when you grow up? † If I have to answer this question, I would say â€Å"happy†. All I want to do in my grown up life is to be happy. In my opinion, if you hate your career, it's mostly unlikely for you to enjoy it. The fun part of being an adult is that you get to choose who you want to be and make your own decisions.Happiness isn't something you can buy with money. I feel like society today is all about money. The so called â€Å"good† jobs are usually the jobs that make the most money. I know money is pretty powerful, but it still has its limits. Money can't buy us happiness nor health. In my opinion, being happy isn't as easy to achieve as people think. Sometimes, it is even possible for happiness to spread. Being happy is n't going to be easy in any way, sometimes people underestimate the power of happiness. Therefore, my dream for now is to be happy when I grow up.But my ultimate goal in my life is to make everyone around me happy, I want to bring happiness in the people I love. I don't have a specific plan to determine how I'm going to make everyone happy but all I know now is that if you are not happy yourself, no one around will be happy. Happiness is a destination for everyone. We may want to try different paths in life, but I think we all want to be happy wherever we end up. Life is rough sometimes, but if you are optimistic about it, you will concur your failure. Happiness.

The Da Vinci Code Chapter 60-62

CHAPTER 60 Sangreal†¦ Sang Real†¦ San Greal†¦ Royal Blood†¦ Holy Grail. It was all intertwined. The Holy Grail is Mary Magdalene†¦the mother of the royal bloodline of Jesus Christ.Sophie felt a new wave of disorientation as she stood in the silence of the ballroom and stared at Robert Langdon. The more pieces Langdon and Teabing laid on the table tonight, the more unpredictable this puzzle became. â€Å"As you can see, my dear,† Teabing said, hobbling toward a bookshelf,† Leonardo is not the only one who has been trying to tell the world the truth about the Holy Grail. The royal bloodline of Jesus Christ has been chronicled in exhaustive detail by scores of historians.† He ran a finger down a row of several dozen books. Sophie tilted her head and scanned the list of titles: THE TEMPLAR REVELATION:Secret Guardians of the True Identity of Christ THE WOMAN WITH THE ALABASTER JAR: Mary Magdalene and the Holy Grail THE GODDESS IN THE GOSPELS Reclaiming the Sacred Feminine â€Å"Here is perhaps the best-known tome,† Teabing said, pulling a tattered hardcover from the stack and handing it to her. The cover read: HOLY BLOOD, HOLY GRAIL The Acclaimed International Bestseller Sophie glanced up. â€Å"An international bestseller? I've never heard of it.† â€Å"You were young. This caused quite a stir back in the nineteen eighties. To my taste, the authors made some dubious leaps of faith in their analysis, but their fundamental premise is sound, and to their credit, they finally brought the idea of Christ's bloodline into the mainstream.† â€Å"What was the Church's reaction to the book?† â€Å"Outrage, of course. But that was to be expected. After all, this was a secret the Vatican had tried to bury in the fourth century. That's part of what the Crusades were about. Gathering and destroying information. The threat Mary Magdalene posed to the men of the early Church was potentially ruinous. Not only was she the woman to whom Jesus had assigned the task of founding the Church, but she also had physical proof that the Church's newly proclaimed deity had spawned a mortal bloodline. The Church, in order to defend itself against the Magdalene's power, perpetuated her image as a whore and buried evidence of Christ's marriage to her, thereby defusing any potential claims that Christ had a surviving bloodline and was a mortal prophet.† Sophie glanced at Langdon, who nodded. â€Å"Sophie, the historical evidence supporting this is substantial.† â€Å"I admit,† Teabing said,† the assertions are dire, but you must understand the Church's powerful motivations to conduct such a cover-up. They could never have survived public knowledge of a bloodline. A child of Jesus would undermine the critical notion of Christ's divinity and therefore the Christian Church, which declared itself the sole vessel through which humanity could access the divine and gain entrance to the kingdom of heaven.† â€Å"The five-petal rose,† Sophie said, pointing suddenly to the spine of one of Teabing's books. The same exact design inlaid on the rosewood box. Teabing glanced at Langdon and grinned. â€Å"She has a good eye.† He turned back to Sophie. â€Å"That is the Priory symbol for the Grail. Mary Magdalene. Because her name was forbidden by the Church, Mary Magdalene became secretly known by many pseudonyms – the Chalice, the Holy Grail, and the Rose.† He paused. â€Å"The Rose has ties to the five-pointed pentacle of Venus and the guiding Compass Rose. By the way, the word rose is identical in English, French, German, and many other languages.† â€Å"Rose,† Langdon added,† is also an anagram of Eros, the Greek god of sexual love.† Sophie gave him a surprised look as Teabing plowed on.† The Rose has always been the premiere symbol of female sexuality. In primitive goddess cults, the five petals represented the five stations of female life – birth, menstruation, motherhood, menopause, and death. And in modern times, the flowering rose's ties to womanhood are considered more visual.† He glanced at Robert. â€Å"Perhaps the symbologist could explain?† Robert hesitated. A moment too long. â€Å"Oh, heavens!† Teabing huffed. â€Å"You Americans are such prudes.† He looked back at Sophie. â€Å"What Robert is fumbling with is the fact that the blossoming flower resembles the female genitalia, the sublime blossom from which all mankind enters the world. And if you've ever seen any paintings by Georgia O'Keeffe, you'll know exactly what I mean.† â€Å"The point here,† Langdon said, motioning back to the bookshelf,† is that all of these books substantiate the same historical claim.† â€Å"That Jesus was a father.† Sophie was still uncertain. â€Å"Yes,† Teabing said. â€Å"And that Mary Magdalene was the womb that carried His royal lineage. The Priory of Sion, to this day, still worships Mary Magdalene as the Goddess, the Holy Grail, the Rose, and the Divine Mother.† Sophie again flashed on the ritual in the basement. â€Å"According to the Priory,† Teabing continued,† Mary Magdalene was pregnant at the time of the crucifixion. For the safety of Christ's unborn child, she had no choice but to flee the Holy Land. With the help of Jesus' trusted uncle, Joseph of Arimathea, Mary Magdalene secretly traveled to France, then known as Gaul. There she found safe refuge in the Jewish community. It was here in France that she gave birth to a daughter. Her name was Sarah.† Sophie glanced up. â€Å"They actually know the child's name?† â€Å"Far more than that. Magdalene's and Sarah's lives were scrutinously chronicled by their Jewish protectors. Remember that Magdalene's child belonged to the lineage of Jewish kings – David and Solomon. For this reason, the Jews in France considered Magdalene sacred royalty and revered her as the progenitor of the royal line of kings. Countless scholars of that era chronicled Mary Magdalene's days in France, including the birth of Sarah and the subsequent family tree.† Sophie was startled. â€Å"There exists a family tree of Jesus Christ?† â€Å"Indeed. And it is purportedly one of the cornerstones of the Sangreal documents. A complete genealogy of the early descendants of Christ.† â€Å"But what good is a documented genealogy of Christ's bloodline?† Sophie asked. â€Å"It's not proof. Historians could not possibly confirm its authenticity.† Teabing chuckled. â€Å"No more so than they can confirm the authenticity of the Bible.† â€Å"Meaning?† â€Å"Meaning that history is always written by the winners. When two cultures clash, the loser is obliterated, and the winner writes the history books – books which glorify their own cause and disparage the conquered foe. As Napoleon once said, ‘What is history, but a fable agreed upon?'†He smiled. â€Å"By its very nature, history is always a one-sided account.† Sophie had never thought of it that way.† The Sangreal documents simply tell the other side of the Christ story. In the end, which side of the story you believe becomes a matter of faith and personal exploration, but at least the information has survived. The Sangreal documents include tens of thousands of pages of information. Eyewitness accounts of the Sangreal treasure describe it as being carried in four enormous trunks. In those trunks are reputed to be the Purist Docum ents – thousands of pages of unaltered, pre- Constantine documents, written by the early followers of Jesus, revering Him as a wholly human teacher and prophet. Also rumored to be part of the treasure is the legendary† Q† Document – a manuscript that even the Vatican admits they believe exists. Allegedly, it is a book of Jesus' teachings, possibly written in His own hand.† â€Å"Writings by Christ Himself?† â€Å"Of course,† Teabing said. â€Å"Why wouldn't Jesus have kept a chronicle of His ministry? Most people did in those days. Another explosive document believed to be in the treasure is a manuscript called The Magdalene Diaries – Mary Magdalene's personal account of her relationship with Christ, His crucifixion, and her time in France.† Sophie was silent for a long moment. â€Å"And these four chests of documents were the treasure that the Knights Templar found under Solomon's Temple?† â€Å"Exactly. The documents that made the Knights so powerful. The documents that have been the object of countless Grail quests throughout history.† â€Å"But you said the Holy Grail was Mary Magdalene.If people are searching for documents, why would you call it a search for the Holy Grail?† Teabing eyed her, his expression softening. â€Å"Because the hiding place of the Holy Grail includes a sarcophagus.† Outside, the wind howled in the trees. Teabing spoke more quietly now. â€Å"The quest for the Holy Grail is literally the quest to kneel before the bones of Mary Magdalene. A journey to pray at the feet of the outcast one, the lost sacred feminine.† Sophie felt an unexpected wonder. â€Å"The hiding place of the Holy Grail is actually†¦ a tomb?† Teabing's hazel eyes got misty. â€Å"It is. A tomb containing the body of Mary Magdalene and the documents that tell the true story of her life. At its heart, the quest for the Holy Grail has always been a quest for the Magdalene – the wronged Queen, entombed with proof of her family's rightful claim to power.† Sophie waited a moment as Teabing gathered himself. So much about her grandfather was still not making sense. â€Å"Members of the Priory,† she finally said,† all these years have answered the charge of protecting the Sangreal documents and the tomb of Mary Magdalene?† â€Å"Yes, but the brotherhood had another, more important duty as well – to protect the bloodline itself. Christ's lineage was in perpetual danger. The early Church feared that if the lineage were permitted to grow, the secret of Jesus and Magdalene would eventually surface and challenge the fundamental Catholic doctrine – that of a divine Messiah who did not consort with women or engage in sexual union.† He paused. â€Å"Nonetheless, Christ's line grew quietly under cover in France until making a bold move in the fifth century, when it intermarried with French royal blood and created a lineage known as the Merovingian bloodline.† This news surprised Sophie. Merovingian was a term learned by every student in France. â€Å"The Merovingians founded Paris.† â€Å"Yes. That's one of the reasons the Grail legend is so rich in France. Many of the Vatican's Grail quests here were in fact stealth missions to erase members of the royal bloodline. Have you heard of King Dagobert?† Sophie vaguely recalled the name from a grisly tale in history class. â€Å"Dagobert was a Merovingian king, wasn't he? Stabbed in the eye while sleeping?† â€Å"Exactly. Assassinated by the Vatican in collusion with Pepin d'Heristal. Late seventh century. With Dagobert's murder, the Merovingian bloodline was almost exterminated. Fortunately, Dagobert's son, Sigisbert, secretly escaped the attack and carried on the lineage, which later included Godefroi de Bouillon – founder of the Priory of Sion.† â€Å"The same man,† Langdon said,† who ordered the Knights Templar to recover the Sangreal documents from beneath Solomon's Temple and thus provide the Merovingians proof of their hereditary ties to Jesus Christ.† Teabing nodded, heaving a ponderous sigh. â€Å"The modern Priory of Sion has a momentous duty. Theirs is a threefold charge. The brotherhood must protect the Sangreal documents. They must protect the tomb of Mary Magdalene. And, of course, they must nurture and protect the bloodline of Christ – those few members of the royal Merovingian bloodline who have survived into modern times.† The words hung in the huge space, and Sophie felt an odd vibration, as if her bones were reverberating with some new kind of truth. Descendants of Jesus who survived into modern times. Her grandfather's voice again was whispering in her ear. Princess, I must tell you the truth about your family. A chill raked her flesh. Royal blood. She could not imagine. Princess Sophie. â€Å"Sir Leigh?† The manservant's words crackled through the intercom on the wall, and Sophie jumped. â€Å"If you could join me in the kitchen a moment?† Teabing scowled at the ill-timed intrusion. He went over to the intercom and pressed the button. â€Å"Remy, as you know, I am busy with my guests. If we need anything else from the kitchen tonight, we will help ourselves. Thank you and good night.† â€Å"A word with you before I retire, sir. If you would.† Teabing grunted and pressed the button. â€Å"Make it quick, Remy.† â€Å"It is a household matter, sir, hardly fare for guests to endure.† Teabing looked incredulous. â€Å"And it cannot wait until morning?† â€Å"No, sir. My question won't take a minute.† Teabing rolled his eyes and looked at Langdon and Sophie. â€Å"Sometimes I wonder who is serving whom?† He pressed the button again. â€Å"I'll be right there, Remy. Can I bring you anything when I come?† â€Å"Only freedom from oppression, sir.† â€Å"Remy, you realize your steak au poivre is the only reason you still work for me.† â€Å"So you tell me, sir. So you tell me.† CHAPTER 61 Princess Sophie. Sophie felt hollow as she listened to the clicking of Teabing's crutches fade down the hallway. Numb, she turned and faced Langdon in the deserted ballroom. He was already shaking his head as if reading her mind. â€Å"No, Sophie,† he whispered, his eyes reassuring. â€Å"The same thought crossed my mind when I realized your grandfather was in the Priory, and you said he wanted to tell you a secret about your family. But it's impossible.† Langdon paused. â€Å"Sauniere is not a Merovingian name.† Sophie wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or disappointed. Earlier, Langdon had asked an unusual passing question about Sophie's mother's maiden name. Chauvel. The question now made sense.† And Chauvel?† she asked, anxious. Again he shook his head. â€Å"I'm sorry. I know that would have answered some questions for you. Only two direct lines of Merovingians remain. Their family names are Plantard and Saint-Clair. Both families live in hiding, probably protected by the Priory.† Sophie repeated the names silently in her mind and then shook her head. There was no one in her family named Plantard or Saint-Clair. A weary undertow was pulling at her now. She realized she was no closer than she had been at the Louvre to understanding what truth her grandfather had wanted to reveal to her. Sophie wished her grandfather had never mentioned her family this afternoon. He had torn open old wounds that felt as painful now as ever. They are dead, Sophie.They are not coming back.She thought of her mother singing her to sleep at night, of her father giving her rides on his shoulders, and of her grandmother and younger brother smiling at her with their fervent green eyes. All that was stolen. And all she had left was her grandfather. And now he is gone too. I am alone. Sophie turned quietly back to The Last Supper and gazed at Mary Magdalene's long red hair and quiet eyes. There was something in the woman's expression that echoed the loss of a loved one. Sophie could feel it too. â€Å"Robert?† she said softly. He stepped closer.† I know Leigh said the Grail story is all around us, but tonight is the first time I've ever heard any of this.† Langdon looked as if he wanted to put a comforting hand on her shoulder, but he refrained.† You've heard her story before, Sophie. Everyone has. We just don't realize it when we hear it.† â€Å"I don't understand.† â€Å"The Grail story is everywhere, but it is hidden. When the Church outlawed speaking of the shunned Mary Magdalene, her story and importance had to be passed on through more discreet channels†¦ channels that supported metaphor and symbolism.† â€Å"Of course. The arts.† Langdon motioned to The Last Supper. â€Å"A perfect example. Some of today's most enduring art, literature, and music secretly tell the history of Mary Magdalene and Jesus.† Langdon quickly told her about works by Da Vinci, Botticelli, Poussin, Bernini, Mozart, and Victor Hugo that all whispered of the quest to restore the banished sacred feminine. Enduring legends like Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, King Arthur, and Sleeping Beauty were Grail allegories. Victor Hugo's Hunchback of Notre Dame and Mozart's Magic Flute were filled with Masonic symbolism and Grail secrets. â€Å"Once you open your eyes to the Holy Grail,† Langdon said,† you see her everywhere. Paintings. Music. Books. Even in cartoons, theme parks, and popular movies.† Langdon held up his Mickey Mouse watch and told her that Walt Disney had made it his quiet life's work to pass on the Grail story to future generations. Throughout his entire life, Disney had been hailed as† the Modern-Day Leonardo Da Vinci.† Both men were generations ahead of their times, uniquely gifted artists, members of secret societies, and, most notably, avid pranksters. Like Leonardo, Walt Disney loved infusing hidden messages and symbolism in his art. For the trained symbologist, watching an early Disney movie was like being barraged by an avalanche of allusion and metaphor. Most of Disney's hidden messages dealt with religion, pagan myth, and stories of the subjugated goddess. It was no mistake that Disney retold tales like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White – all of which dealt with the incarceration of the sacred feminine. Nor did one need a background in symbolism to understand that Snow White – a princess who fell from grace after partaking of a poisoned apple – was a clear allusion to the downfall of Eve in the Garden of Eden. Or that Sleeping Beauty's Princess Aurora – code-named† Rose† and hidden deep in the forest to protect her from the clutches of the evil witch – was the Grail story for children. Despite its corporate image, Disney still had a savvy, playful element among its employees, and their artists still amused themselves by inserting hidden symbolism in Disney products. Langdon would never forget one of his students bringing in a DVD of The Lion King and pausing the film to reveal a freeze-frame in which the word SEX was clearly visible, spelled out by floating dust particles over Simba's head. Although Langdon suspected this was more of a cartoonist's sophomoric prank than any kind of enlightened allusion to pagan human sexuality, he had learned not to underestimate Disney's grasp of symbolism. The Little Mermaid was a spellbinding tapestry of spiritual symbols so specifically goddess-related that they could not be coincidence. When Langdon had first seen The Little Mermaid, he had actually gasped aloud when he noticed that the painting in Ariel's underwater home was none other than seventeenth-century artist Georges de la Tour's The Penitent Magdalene – a famous homage to the banished Mary Magdalene – fitting decor considering the movie turned out to be a ninety-minute collage of blatant symbolic references to the lost sanctity of Isis, Eve, Pisces the fish goddess, and, repeatedly, Mary Magdalene. The Little Mermaid's name, Ariel, possessed powerful ties to the sacred feminine and, in the Book of Isaiah, was synonymous with† the Holy City besieged.† Of course, the Little Mermaid's flowing red hair was certainly no coincidence either. The clicking of Teabing's crutches approached in the hallway, his pace unusually brisk. When their host entered the study, his expression was stern. â€Å"You'd better explain yourself, Robert,† he said coldly. â€Å"You have not been honest with me.† CHAPTER 62 â€Å"I'm being framed, Leigh,† Langdon said, trying to stay calm. You know me.I wouldn't kill anyone. Teabing's tone did not soften. â€Å"Robert, you're on television, for Christ's sake. Did you know you were wanted by the authorities?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Then you abused my trust. I'm astonished you would put me at risk by coming here and asking me to ramble on about the Grail so you could hide out in my home.† â€Å"I didn't kill anyone.† â€Å"Jacques Sauniere is dead, and the police say you did it.† Teabing looked saddened. â€Å"Such a contributor to the arts†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Sir?† The manservant had appeared now, standing behind Teabing in the study doorway, his arms crossed. â€Å"Shall I show them out?† â€Å"Allow me.† Teabing hobbled across the study, unlocked a set of wide glass doors, and swung them open onto a side lawn. â€Å"Please find your car, and leave.† Sophie did not move. â€Å"We have information about the clef de voute.The Priory keystone.† Teabing stared at her for several seconds and scoffed derisively. â€Å"A desperate ploy. Robert knows how I've sought it.† â€Å"She's telling the truth,† Langdon said. â€Å"That's why we came to you tonight. To talk to you about the keystone.† The manservant intervened now. â€Å"Leave, or I shall call the authorities.† â€Å"Leigh,† Langdon whispered,† we know where it is.† Teabing's balance seemed to falter a bit. Remy now marched stiffly across the room. â€Å"Leave at once! Or I will forcibly – â€Å"Remy!† Teabing spun, snapping at his servant. â€Å"Excuse us for a moment.† The servant's jaw dropped. â€Å"Sir? I must protest. These people are – â€Å"I'll handle this.† Teabing pointed to the hallway. After a moment of stunned silence, Remy skulked out like a banished dog. In the cool night breeze coming through the open doors, Teabing turned back to Sophie and Langdon, his expression still wary. â€Å"This better be good. What do you know of the keystone?† In the thick brush outside Teabing's study, Silas clutched his pistol and gazed through the glass doors. Only moments ago, he had circled the house and seen Langdon and the woman talking in the large study. Before he could move in, a man on crutches entered, yelled at Langdon, threw open the doors, and demanded his guests leave. Then the woman mentioned the keystone, and everything changed.Shouts turned to whispers. Moods softened. And the glass doors were quickly closed. Now, as he huddled in the shadows, Silas peered through the glass. The keystone is somewhere inside the house.Silas could feel it. Staying in the shadows, he inched closer to the glass, eager to hear what was being said. He would give them five minutes. If they did not reveal where they had placed the keystone, Silas would have to enter and persuade them with force. Inside the study, Langdon could sense their host's bewilderment. â€Å"Grand Master?† Teabing choked, eyeing Sophie. â€Å"Jacques Sauniere?† Sophie nodded, seeing the shock in his eyes.† But you could not possibly know that!† â€Å"Jacques Sauniere was my grandfather.† Teabing staggered back on his crutches, shooting a glance at Langdon, who nodded. Teabing turned back to Sophie. â€Å"Miss Neveu, I am speechless. If this is true, then I am truly sorry for your loss. I should admit, for my research, I have kept lists of men in Paris whom I thought might be good candidates for involvement in the Priory. Jacques Sauniere was on that list along with many others. But Grand Master, you say? It's hard to fathom.† Teabing was silent a moment and then shook his head. â€Å"But it still makes no sense. Even if your grandfather were the Priory Grand Master and created the keystone himself, he would never tell you how to find it. The keystone reveals the pathway to the brotherhood's ultimate treasure. Granddaughter o r not, you are not eligible to receive such knowledge.† â€Å"Mr. Sauniere was dying when he passed on the information,† Langdon said. â€Å"He had limited options.† â€Å"He didn't need options,† Teabing argued. â€Å"There exist three senechaux who also know the secret. That is the beauty of their system. One will rise to Grand Master and they will induct a new senechal and share the secret of the keystone.† â€Å"I guess you didn't see the entire news broadcast,† Sophie said. â€Å"In addition to my grandfather, three other prominent Parisians were murdered today. All in similar ways. All looked like they had been interrogated.† Teabing's jaw fell. â€Å"And you think they were†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"The senechaux,†Langdon said.† But how? A murderer could not possibly learn the identities of all four top members of the Priory of Sion! Look at me, I have been researching them for decades, and I can't even name one Priory member. It seems inconceivable that all three senechaux and the Grand Master could be discovered and killed in one day.† â€Å"I doubt the information was gathered in a single day,† Sophie said. â€Å"It sounds like a well-planned decapiter.It's a technique we use to fight organized crime syndicates. If DCPJ wants to move on a certain group, they will silently listen and watch for months, identify all the main players, and then move in and take them all at the same moment. Decapitation. With no leadership, the group falls into chaos and divulges other information. It's possible someone patiently watched the Priory and then attacked, hoping the top people would reveal the location of the keystone.† Teabing looked unconvinced. â€Å"But the brothers would never talk. They are sworn to secrecy. Even in the face of death.† â€Å"Exactly,† Langdon said. â€Å"Meaning, if they never divulged the secret, and they were killed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Teabing gasped. â€Å"Then the location of the keystone would be lost forever!† â€Å"And with it,† Langdon said,† the location of the Holy Grail.† Teabing's body seemed to sway with the weight of Langdon's words. Then, as if too tired to stand another moment, he flopped in a chair and stared out the window. Sophie walked over, her voice soft. â€Å"Considering my grandfather's predicament, it seems possible that in total desperation he tried to pass the secret on to someone outside the brotherhood. Someone he thought he could trust. Someone in his family.† Teabing was pale. â€Å"But someone capable of such an attack†¦ of discovering so much about the brotherhood†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused, radiating a new fear. â€Å"It could only be one force. This kind of infiltration could only have come from the Priory's oldest enemy.† Langdon glanced up. â€Å"The Church.† â€Å"Who else? Rome has been seeking the Grail for centuries.† Sophie was skeptical. â€Å"You think the Church killed my grandfather?† Teabing replied,† It would not be the first time in history the Church has killed to protect itself. The documents that accompany the Holy Grail are explosive, and the Church has wanted to destroy them for years.† Langdon was having trouble buying Teabing's premise that the Church would blatantly murder people to obtain these documents. Having met the new Pope and many of the cardinals, Langdon knew they were deeply spiritual men who would never condone assassination. Regardless of the stakes. Sophie seemed to be having similar thoughts. â€Å"Isn't it possible that these Priory members were murdered by someone outside the Church? Someone who didn't understand what the Grail really is? The Cup of Christ, after all, would be quite an enticing treasure. Certainly treasure hunters have killed for less.† â€Å"In my experience,† Teabing said,† men go to far greater lengths to avoid what they fear than to obtain what they desire. I sense a desperation in this assault on the Priory.† â€Å"Leigh,† Langdon said,† the argument is paradoxical. Why would members of the Catholic clergy murder Priory members in an effort to find and destroy documents they believe are false testimony anyway?† Teabing chuckled. â€Å"The ivory towers of Harvard have made you soft, Robert. Yes, the clergy in Rome are blessed with potent faith, and because of this, their beliefs can weather any storm, including documents that contradict everything they hold dear. But what about the rest of the world? What about those who are not blessed with absolute certainty? What about those who look at the cruelty in the world and say, where is God today? Those who look at Church scandals and ask, who are these men who claim to speak the truth about Christ and yet lie to cover up the sexual abuse of children by their own priests?† Teabing paused. â€Å"What happens to those people, Robert, if persuasive scientific evidence comes out that the Church's version of the Christ story is inaccurate, and that the greatest story ever told is, in fact, the greatest story ever sold† Langdon did not respond. â€Å"I'll tell you what happens if the documents get out,† Teabing said. â€Å"The Vatican faces a crisis of faith unprecedented in its two-millennia history.† After a long silence, Sophie said,† But if it is the Church who is responsible for this attack, why would they act now? After all these years? The Priory keeps the Sangreal documents hidden. They pose no immediate threat to the Church.† Teabing heaved an ominous sigh and glanced at Langdon. â€Å"Robert, I assume you are familiar with the Priory's final charge?† Langdon felt his breath catch at the thought. â€Å"I am.† â€Å"Miss Neveu,† Teabing said,† the Church and the Priory have had a tacit understanding for years. That is, the Church does not attack the Priory, and the Priory keeps the Sangreal documents hidden.† He paused. â€Å"However, part of the Priory history has always included a plan to unveil the secret. With the arrival of a specific date in history, the brotherhood plans to break the silence and carry out its ultimate triumph by unveiling the Sangreal documents to the world and shouting the true story of Jesus Christ from the mountaintops.† Sophie stared at Teabing in silence. Finally, she too sat down. â€Å"And you think that date is approaching? And the Church knows it?† â€Å"A speculation,† Teabing said,† but it would certainly provide the Church motivation for an all-out attack to find the documents before it was too late.† Langdon had the uneasy feeling that Teabing was making good sense. â€Å"Do you think the Church would actually be capable of uncovering hard evidence of the Priory's date?† â€Å"Why not – if we're assuming the Church was able to uncover the identities of the Priory members, then certainly they could have learned of their plans. And even if they don't have the exact date, their superstitions may be getting the best of them.† â€Å"Superstitions?† Sophie asked.† In terms of prophecy,† Teabing said,† we are currently in an epoch of enormous change. The millennium has recently passed, and with it has ended the two-thousand-year-long astrological Age of Pisces – the fish, which is also the sign of Jesus. As any astrological symbologist will tell you, the Piscean ideal believes that man must be told what to do by higher powers because man is incapable of thinking for himself. Hence it has been a time of fervent religion. Now, however, we are entering the Age of Aquarius – the water bearer – whose ideals claim that man will learn the truth and be able to think for himself. The ideological shift is en ormous, and it is occurring right now.† Langdon felt a shiver. Astrological prophecy never held much interest or credibility for him, but he knew there were those in the Church who followed it very closely. â€Å"The Church calls this transitional period the End of Days.† Sophie looked skeptical. â€Å"As in the end of the world? The Apocalypse?† â€Å"No.† Langdon replied. â€Å"That's a common misconception. Many religions speak of the End of Days. It refers not to the end of the world, but rather the end of our current age – Pisces, which began at the time of Christ's birth, spanned two thousand years, and waned with the passing of the millennium. Now that we've passed into the Age of Aquarius, the End of Days has arrived.† â€Å"Many Grail historians,† Teabing added,† believe that if the Priory is indeed planning to release this truth, this point in history would be a symbolically apt time. Most Priory academics, myself included, anticipated the brotherhood's release would coincide precisely with the millennium. Obviously, it did not. Admittedly, the Roman calendar does not mesh perfectly with astrological markers, so there is some gray area in the prediction. Whether the Church now has inside information that an exact date is looming, or whether they are just getting nervous on account of astrological prophecy, I don't know. Anyway, it's immaterial. Either scenario explains how the Church might be motivated to launch a preemptive attack against the Priory.† Teabing frowned. â€Å"And believe me, if the Church finds the Holy Grail, they will destroy it. The documents and the relics of the blessed Mary Magdalene as well.† His eyes grew heavy. â€Å"Then, my dear, with the Sang real documents gone, all evidence will be lost. The Church will have won their age-old war to rewrite history. The past will be erased forever.† Slowly, Sophie pulled the cruciform key from her sweater pocket and held it out to Teabing. Teabing took the key and studied it. â€Å"My goodness. The Priory seal. Where did you get this?† â€Å"My grandfather gave it to me tonight before he died.† Teabing ran his fingers across the cruciform. â€Å"A key to a church?† She drew a deep breath. â€Å"This key provides access to the keystone.† Teabing's head snapped up, his face wild with disbelief. â€Å"Impossible! What church did I miss? I've searched every church in France!† â€Å"It's not in a church,† Sophie said. â€Å"It's in a Swiss depository bank.† Teabing's look of excitement waned. â€Å"The keystone is in a bank?† â€Å"A vault,† Langdon offered. â€Å"A bank vault?† Teabing shook his head violently. â€Å"That's impossible. The keystone is supposed to be hidden beneath the sign of the Rose.† â€Å"It is,† Langdon said. â€Å"It was stored in a rosewood box inlaid with a five-petal Rose.† Teabing looked thunderstruck. â€Å"You've seen the keystone?† Sophie nodded. â€Å"We visited the bank.† Teabing came over to them, his eyes wild with fear. â€Å"My friends, we must do something. The keystone is in danger! We have a duty to protect it. What if there are other keys? Perhaps stolen from the murdered senechaux? If the Church can gain access to the bank as you have – â€Å" â€Å"Then they will be too late,† Sophie said. â€Å"We removed the keystone.† â€Å"What! You removed the keystone from its hiding place?† â€Å"Don't worry,† Langdon said. â€Å"The keystone is well hidden.† â€Å"Extremely well hidden, I hope!† â€Å"Actually,† Langdon said, unable to hide his grin,† that depends on how often you dust under your couch.† The wind outside Chateau Villette had picked up, and Silas's robe danced in the breeze as he crouched near the window. Although he had been unable to hear much of the conversation, the word keystone had sifted through the glass on numerous occasions. It is inside. The Teacher's words were fresh in his mind. Enter Chateau Villette. Take the keystone. Hun no one. Now, Langdon and the others had adjourned suddenly to another room, extinguishing the study lights as they went. Feeling like a panther stalking prey, Silas crept to the glass doors. Finding them unlocked, he slipped inside and closed the doors silently behind him. He could hear muffled voices from another room. Silas pulled the pistol from his pocket, turned off the safety, and inched down the hallway.

English Term Paper Topics

English Term Paper Topics Every student in his academic carrier comes across the situation when he has to write term papers. So, it is very important for each and every student to acquire skills to write English term papers. English term papers vary as they cover different topics, levels and styles. A broad understanding about the different term papers is needed in order to score good grades. English term papers need broad area of study. Your English term paper can be related to different academic fields. An English term paper can be persuasive, ethnographical or can be based on literature works. It is very important to know how to give a head start to you term paper. For many students it is very complicated to start the paper and it is in fact the most difficult part. Sometimes professors provide topics for students. Choosing your topic is an important part of writing a term paper on English topics as it must be interesting and there must be enough information available for a student to research and write about it. For example, if you are asked to write about a book, you must be able to choose the part of the book which is most understandable and interesting for you. This will give you a good thesis statement. Now once you have already got thesis statement the steps following it are easy and come into the flow of writing as the opinion about the subject has already been made. The purpose of the body of a term paper is to support the thesis statement.   Various quotes and citations are used in the body in order to give a better impression on the topic which you have chosen. But, you must keep an eye on the quotes as the use of quotes in excess might decrease reader’s interest in your arguments. After you are finished with the body of the paper, you can start writing the conclusion, which gives the extract of the ideas of term paper and gives your term paper a better finish. If you are having any problems with your English term paper topics, you can ask CustomWritings.com for help and get advice from our experts. There are more than 735 expert writers working with CustomWritings.com and will gladly assist you with your papers.

Perception in advertising essays

Perception in advertising essays After working in the sales market for three years you begin to recognize certain things about your customers. You realize that your mood can affect their buying habits and how the attitudes can affect how you approach a prospective sale. If a person comes in showing that they have no idea about your market, you have to take the time to basically introduce them to your product. You tell them the advantages and disadvantages that your product offers. If they come in having knowledge of your product, you ask them to tell you what they already know and then correct them if there is anything they have been misinformed about. You have to make sure that what you offer for information is something they need and then move on with the sale. Over the past few months somthing new has presented itself that at first seemed rather surprising. When our company got bought out we were given new red shirts as part of our uniform. Our old company had provided white shirts. No big deal? Our company has told us that we can wear whatever we want to work as long as it is presentable. What I have noticed is the days I wear my red shirt to work, sales seem easier to make! As I have not had the time to run a personal experiment to see if shirt color (which would be my independent variable), affects the number of sales in a given day (the dependent variable), I decided that I would look to see if color in fact can affect a persons motive to buy. Eric Johnson, who is the head of Research Studies for the Chicago-based Institute of Color Research says that their research explains that when eyes see red, the pituitary gland sends out signals that make the heart beat faster, the blood pressure increase, and the muscles tenseall physiologic changes that can lead to the consummation of a purchase (Tufts). Davis Masten of Cheskin + Masten/Image Net sat that packaging of products is done to reflect what consumers want to be, not what they rea...

How to Make Glow in the Dark Mountain Dew

How to Make Glow in the Dark Mountain Dew Mountain Dew has a vibrant yellow-green color to it but ever thought about making it glow? Heres how you do it: Glow in the Dark Mountain Dew Materials 20-oz bottle of Mountain Dewâ„ ¢ (but any 20-oz bottle will work)Glowstick or light stickScissors or wire cuttersDishwashing liquidHydrogen peroxideBaking soda Make It Glow Pour out or drink all but a small volume of the soft drink (~1/4 inch). If your bottle is empty, add a little water.Add a squirt of dishwashing liquid.Use scissors or wire cutters to cut the glowstick.Empty the contents of the glow stick into the bottle. If the liquid wont flow you can snip the glowstick into pieces and just add the pieces to the bottle.Add 1 to 3 capfuls of hydrogen peroxide.Add a pinch of baking soda and immediately seal the bottle.Turn out the lights (if you havent already) and vigorously shake the bottle.Dont drink the contents of the bottle. Keep it out of reach of children or anyone else who might be tempted to drink the liquid. Modern glowsticks are nontoxic, but that doesnt make them good for you to eat. Similarly, dishwashing liquid is not edible. Tips Theres nothing special about Mountain Dew. In fact, you dont even need soda. The glowing red bottle was made using a bit of water, a squirt of Dawn, a broken red glowstick, a couple of capfuls of hydrogen peroxide, and a pinch of baking soda.You dont absolutely need the peroxide or baking soda either. The project works if you add a little detergent and the contents of a broken glowstick to any near-empty 20-oz bottle.However, if you add the peroxide and baking soda, you get an immediate bright glow. Enjoy the glow while you can because the chemiluminescence reaction proceeds rapidly. If you use peroxide you will notice the light starting to fade within about half a minute.Avoid contact with the contents of the glow stick. Clean off any residue from your scissors or another cutting tool. If you get any of the product on your skin, rinse it off immediately with warm soapy water.

Business Ethics Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Business Ethics - Case Study Example ased on the argument that Snowden had not followed the right mechanisms for whistle-blowing and that he was working with foreign states which makes his action treasonous. In countering the view that Snowden did not follow the right channel in his complaints, the example of Drake who tried to complain through these channels but failed is given to indicate that taking that route would have ended the same way as it did for other whistle-blowers. The justification of Snowden’s actions should commence with an understanding of what whistle-blowing means. According to Alavudeen, Rahman, and Jayakumaran the act of whistle-blowing aims to expose â€Å"negligence, abuses, or dangers† (220) within an organization especially when these actions pose a threat to public interest. A key characteristic of a whistle-blower is the possession of expertise or inside knowledge from within the organization. Some authors have identified a whistle-blower as an employee who feels the activities performed by their employer can potentially harm a third party, violate human rights or is against the law which established such institutions and who therefore proceeds to inform the public of this fact (Duska 147). What arises from the above characteristics and motivations behind whistle-blowing is that the actions are deliberate, done by insiders with knowledge and expertise to assess the information, the information concerns actions that threatens citizens’ rights. The information is such that the public wants to know and that such information is given out as petition to for the wrongs to be corrected through public pressure. Based on the definition, Snowden fits the characteristics of a whistle blower given that he had gained insider knowledge about US and European telephone data and Internet surveillance programs by the National Security Agency (NSA) while working as a contractor. Further, the information provided concerned the privacy of the people, which means they would want to know

Job application Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Job application - Essay Example the financial scenario of the present is closely associated with the political world around use, I believe that my knowledge in politics might be of great help for my sustenance in the banking business. One can easily find that by looking at the current global crisis where the financial breakdown has been associated with wrong government policies. Again, my management degree has taught me the structure of a business organization in the financial scenario. I have also developed the corporate ethics essential to work in a business structure. Both my degrees complement one another in terms of the knowledge gathered. Last of all, I can assure you that I shall dedicate my utmost efforts to sustain myself in your organization and at the same time add some value to the same. I shall therefore be obliged if you kindly consider my application for the post of a trainee in your bank and let me know the necessary procedure I need to follow. Attached herewith is my CV for further details. Awaiting your kind

How will Spotify change the traditional music industry Assignment

How will Spotify change the traditional music industry - Assignment Example try, where consumers do not purchase their music, and where artists, producers and the company itself to not generate profits by directly selling music, surely, Spotify generates in a lot of changes in how the music industry works. In this case, the researcher would like to look at how Spotify changes the traditional music industry by using the five forces, which includes the following: Supplier Buyer Competitors Threats of New Entrants Threats of Substitutes In addition, the researcher would also try to integrate the different strategic maps used in the module, in able to provide a deeper breadth and insight into the analysis of the entry of Spotify in relation with the traditional music industry. In particular, the researcher would focus upon using the triangle map and the delta model to give deeper insights on the changes that Spotify will bring to the music industry. How would Spotify then affect the force of suppliers in the music industry? Of course, in the music industry, one of the main suppliers includes the company that distributes music to consumers, which in this case is the Swedish company Spotify. However, it is important to take note of the fact that the supply process is not a simple process, but it is rather complicated; this includes agreements with respect to the artists and the producers of the music that Spotify is about to offer to consumers. In the traditional music industry, the supply process goes this way: the company (which either distributes music through the sale of CDs or downloadable digitized music) pays royalty to the artists of the music. Then, the distributing company would earn profits through the direct sales of the copy of the music, to where the artists would also have some percentages. In this case, extra income for the company... The "How will Spotify change the traditional music industry" essay, describes the effect of the Spotify on the music business. While Spotify actually believes that â€Å"artist payments are increasing all the time as ad revenues and subscriptions go up†, it actually remains to be proven in the future. Such circumstances may pose threats with respect to the supply side of the music industry. However, the major change in the supply side (using the Delta model) would be in the form of redefining the customer relationship, wherein the supplier would need to establish long term relationships with their consumers in order for the company to ensure artists that they would get competitive royalties, as well as ensuring that they would attract enough ads so that they can get enough revenues to make artists happy and make their business profitable. With regards to the buyer side of the music industry, Spotify also introduces major changes. In traditional companies, they actually entice customers to own albums and other music collections for their favoured artists through their purchase of CDs or downloadable digital files. In this case, the central theme would include inducing consumers to actually own music, and expanding their personal collection. In this case, the major break with Spotify is that it does not induce consumers to own a personal collection of music; on the contrary, it entices consumers to enjoy the music that they want, when they want, and where they want, without actually owning it.

Legal Perspective on Euthanasia Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Legal Perspective on Euthanasia - Term Paper Example Nevertheless, even the issue of going through legal proceedings becomes contentious in several instances because some individuals think that the ‘right to die’ must be decided personally (Devettere 70). Even though individuals with these thoughts may seek advice from medical professionals or spiritual counselor, the concept of a legal resolution is detested because the act of placing the decision on another person meddles with a person’s rights to liberty and freewill. Numerous legal cases concerning euthanasia use the U.S. Constitution to support their judgments. They refer to privacy and liberty rights, protected by the Constitution, as the basis for a person’s right to decide how and when death should take place. Numerous individuals and groups supporting euthanasia claim that the reasonable step to take in the future is to constitutionally guarantee the ‘right to die’ (Keown 89). Even though legal decisions that support euthanasia somehow s et precedents which advocates can eventually use in future cases, making euthanasia legal would offer stronger protection under the constitution. Critics of euthanasia, in contrast, assert that euthanasia must not be legalized. This essay critically analyzes the legal perspective on euthanasia. Euthanasia: An Overview When patients and their loved ones see misery and intolerable pain, disagreement usually occurs between patients and their families, who want to put an end to misery, and medical practitioners, who are instructed to save human lives. This disagreement focuses on the notion of euthanasia and its value in the contemporary period. The issue of euthanasia forces an individual to face the greatest fear of human beings—death. The legal system has confronted it and has made progress in establishing certain rules to help decision makers in this issue; unfortunately, there is still a long way to go. Society should be safeguarded from the undesirable possibilities related to allowing the taking out of life-support mechanisms. Society cannot permit the complicated matters related to this issue to be underestimated to the point where it is simply recognized that life can be subjectively or instinctively terminated. The law should make sure that the patient’s constitutional rights are protected, while preserving society’s concern for life, and strengthening the integrity of health care professionals. During a medical emergency, it is impractical to instruct a health care provider to first check the patient’s clinical record for prior instructions before addressing the patient’s urgent needs (Pozgar 124). Ultimately, the limits of patient’s rights are still quite vague. Over time, euthanasia has become a subject matter with opposing moral, medical, and legal repercussions. Today, there are passionate campaigns supporting dignified death, which prohibits tubes, monitors, machines, and other technical equipment (Biggs 15 ). Even the definition of ‘euthanasia’ has evolved over time. Euthanasia is generally defined as â€Å"the mercy killing of the hopelessly ill, injured, or incapacitated† (Pozgar 124). In the 1870s, literature on euthanasia started to surface, mostly in the United States and England. Even though this literature was written, primarily, by ordinary people, medical professionals and the public started to pay attention to the issues posed by euthanasia (Biggs 25). During that time, euthanasia is viewed as

Japanese views on Gender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Japanese views on Gender - Essay Example The post-war educational reforms in 1949 had opened all forms of higher education to women but the ‘gender-track’ in Japan continues. Higher education in Japan serves only two functions – general education and professional education and there is significant difference in the higher education of men and women. Women were given education enough for them to fulfill their assigned roles as women, which is why their education was limited to home sciences and humanities. Women are still confined to Junior colleges or women’s colleges or to some particular fields of specialization. Women however became conscious and entered the field of high education and started fighting for their rights as equals. With changes in education, legislation and work force, women’s attitudes and values changed. This affected women’s self-concepts and perception of abilities. According to Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, Japan is a collectivist society, an extremely masculine country. Inequality and gender discrimination in Japanese society remains pervasive due to persisting assumptions about the sexual division of labour. Women have made progress in the education the business world but obstacles towards equality persist. While women’s consciousness has been stirred and they have also entered the field of politics, it is argued that gender issues should not be seen as a simple issue of improving the status of women. Women are becoming engaged in politics and standing for election. They have also been forming associations to act together on issues such as day-care, maternity leave, and sexual harassment policies but they encounter political constraints when it comes to decision making.

650 questions 11 and 12 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

650 questions 11 and 12 - Assignment Example This provision is made in the marketable bonds so as to attract the investors. If at any point of time the provisions regarding the make whole call are ever invoked then the bondholder is subject to a lump sum payment much earlier than anticipated. Thus investors are usually made whole with the make whole call provision (Capital Advisors Group, Inc., 2004, p.1). The regular bonds of the company bears the interest payment which is usually absent in case of a zero coupon bonds. Again the bond holder of a zero coupon bond receives only the face value of the bond at its maturity. However the regular bondholder receives the coupon paid over the life of the bonds along with the face value of the bond. Thus it is better to opt for the regular bond of the company as the distribution of interest of the bond may change as per the market condition but such a probability is not available in case of the zero coupon bond. Under the typical call option facilitates the issuer to gain advantage through the prepayments of debt with the decline in the market yields. In case of settlement the ordinary call option is usually less than the fair value of the debt. Contrarily, the make-whole call option is obtained through the discounting of the remaining contract of the debt at an appropriate treasury rate. Thus it is always better to opt for the make-whole call than an ordinary call as the advantage at the time of settlement is more for make-whole than ordinary shares. The company should not pursue international sales further because if the financial exposures of the company results in the exchange rate rising from $0.73/â‚ ¬ to $0.80/â‚ ¬ it may tend to be cause of dilemma for the company. With the rise in the exchange rate the cost of the product will also raise leading to the increase in the prices of the product. As per the law of demand, the rise in the prices of the product leads to decrease in its demand. Further

Japanese views on Gender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Japanese views on Gender - Essay Example The post-war educational reforms in 1949 had opened all forms of higher education to women but the ‘gender-track’ in Japan continues. Higher education in Japan serves only two functions – general education and professional education and there is significant difference in the higher education of men and women. Women were given education enough for them to fulfill their assigned roles as women, which is why their education was limited to home sciences and humanities. Women are still confined to Junior colleges or women’s colleges or to some particular fields of specialization. Women however became conscious and entered the field of high education and started fighting for their rights as equals. With changes in education, legislation and work force, women’s attitudes and values changed. This affected women’s self-concepts and perception of abilities. According to Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, Japan is a collectivist society, an extremely masculine country. Inequality and gender discrimination in Japanese society remains pervasive due to persisting assumptions about the sexual division of labour. Women have made progress in the education the business world but obstacles towards equality persist. While women’s consciousness has been stirred and they have also entered the field of politics, it is argued that gender issues should not be seen as a simple issue of improving the status of women. Women are becoming engaged in politics and standing for election. They have also been forming associations to act together on issues such as day-care, maternity leave, and sexual harassment policies but they encounter political constraints when it comes to decision making.

Poverty and Obesity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Poverty and Obesity - Essay Example Additionally, individual view on obesity contributes to the prevalence. Obese children are at risk of developing high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, behavior, and learning disorder, psychosocial health problems such as low self-esteem, and depression (Ogden et al, 2010). Indeed, there are various healthcare teams involved in health care education that include practicing nurses, parental and healthcare professionals, community and government health workers. These healthcare teams help in identifying children at-risk, provision of medical referrals, educating parents on the resultant health risks, encouraging consumption of nutritional balanced diets, promoting increased physical activities, and offering counseling for physical and emotional support. Indeed, through the healthcare teams we can clearly assess childhood obesity and promote obesity prevention. Ogden, C., Molly, M., Lamb, M., Carroll, M., & Flegal, K. (2010). Obesity and Socioeconomic Status in Children and Adolescents: United States, 2005-2008. NCHS Data Brief No. 51 Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health

Value Conflicts Essay Example for Free

Value Conflicts Essay Looking at the article â€Å"Charge it to our children† written by Thomas L. Friedman, the obvious value conflict is monetary. Which is valued more, saving money in taxes, or pay for a war? However that question gives rise to another, more detrimental conflict†¦ should we even be fighting the war in Iraq? Many supporters of the war see no reason we shouldn’t pay for it, moreover the opposition undoubtedly feels they shouldn’t pay for something they don’t agree with. Friedman writes about a $1 per gallon tax on gasoline â€Å"which could reduce our dependence on Middle East oil dictators and reduce payroll taxes for low- income workers, pay down the deficit and fund the development of renewable energy†. Would we be willing to pay that amount to secure the future? Yet another type of value conflict now arises quality of live in the present as opposed to the quality of live for the future? Unfortunately money makes the world go around, where we decide to put it is always a conflict. This correlates with another article written by Freidman entitled â€Å"Generation Q† where he comments on the lackadaisical stance the younger generations have taken in regard to polity. He states that although we are more involved in the world, we are not riled up enough about our own prosperity. Should our generation sacrifice peace and political correctness in order to â€Å"light a fire under the country†? He tends to imply that we have become far too dependant on electronic communication. Should we give up the ease of e-mail in order to actually take time from our busy schedules to attend a rally? Would anyone else even show up? In the end it all boils down to a matter of proximity. Our country seems to have adopted the old out of sight, out of mind adage. I think we need to collectively do something, but are we willing to sacrifice our own self diluted cushy little lives in order to standup for ourselves, or will we go, uninspired and quiet into the darkness our future now holds. Works Cited â€Å"Charge it to Our Children† By Thomas L. Friedman. Published in the International Herald Tribune, October 7, 2007 http://www. iht. com/articles/2007/10/07/opinion/edfried. php â€Å"Generation Q† By Thomas L. Friedman. Written in young-Turks via Google Groups, October 10, 2007 http://groups. google. com/group/yotu/browse_thread/thread/5a20aa7a200eba46

Comparing Readers and TV Watchers :: essays research papers

Comparing Readers and TV Watchers In today’s society, one needs to be well prepared for the problems they will encounter. One might be offered drugs, or be faced with the decision of whether or not to breakup a friendship. How does one get prepared to deal with these types of situations? Reading books definitely will not help. Sure, one can get background knowledge on just about every topic from a book, but reading will not prepare you to deal with the outside world. Television is the best way to get a grasp of society’s problems at hand.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Readers believe that not only is reading a form of entertainment, but you can learn from it also. Readers are generally better writers; however, too much reading can make you an introvert. There are probably dozens of books that try to depict real life problems, but it’s hard to get the emotional feeling by looking at text. When watching Television, you feel what the character feels. Additionally, readers lack the verbal communication skills possessed by T.V. watchers. To prepare yourself for a job interview, would you rather read a book, or watch people be interviewed? By watching them, one can see how they visually present themselves, and how they speak and listen. That, you cannot learn from a book.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Television watchers have a tendency to be more extroversive. They are better verbal communicators, and they know how to present themselves to others. If you were to give a speech, the best way to prepare yourself would be to watch others, and take notes. Additionally, T.V. watchers can build vocabulary through listening to context on the television. When one watches T.V., they can share their experiences with most of America, since most Americans prefer television to reading. Thus, T.V. watchers will get along better with others. Lastly, T.V. sitcoms introduce all kinds of problems and solutions which can be adapted into real life situations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It’s quite obvious that reading will help one become more educated.

Differences that Divide Essay -- Literary Analysis

Throughout most of human history, humans have had a tendency to judge people on the basis of clearly defined qualities, in an attempt to characterize and classify society into more easily understood â€Å"black and white† groups. In Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, the characters, representative of the surrounding cultures portrayed, frequently participate in acts of inclusion and exclusion on the basis of ethnicity, religion, and lifestyle as a means of dividing the population into clearly defined, mutually exclusive groups. This underlying expression of discrimination serves as a modern critical analysis against society’s prevalent tenets of inequality. The first form of discrimination, most significant to the character Hassan, is done on the basis of ethnicity. As Edward Hower comments in â€Å"The Servant†, The Kite Runner’s depiction of Afghanistan is frighteningly â€Å"tense with the friction between the nation's different ethnic groups.† Representative of this prevalent Afghan culture, Assef believes in the superiority of the Pashtun people and thus the inferiority of the Hazara people, saying â€Å"Afghanistan is the land of the Pashtuns... We are the true Afghans, the pure Afghans, not this Flat-Nose [Hassan] here†. With these statements Assef self-justifies the distinctly different and unequal actions he displays towards people of different ethnicities. Through Assef’s carefree rationalization of segregation and reason for conflict, Assef serves as a criticism by the author about modern society and how attitudes such as Assef’s can prove harmful to even genuinely good-natured people . To represent such victimized people, Hassan starkly contrasts any form of negativity and fulfills a sacrificial role for Amir’s sake, clearly noted by Asse... ...al analysis of modern society's tendencies. The author requests that rather than operate in conflict, cultures, even those that contrast each other, should act together as a continuous entity, rather than be splintered by differences that divide. Works Cited Bartley, Jim. "Kite Catches and Flies High." Globe & Mail [Toronto] 28 June 2003: D3. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Vol. 254. Detroit: Gale, 2008. N. pag. Literature Resource Center. Web. 30 Mar. 2010. Denby, David. "Hard Life." Rev. of The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. New Yorker 17 Dec. 2007: 106. Literature Resource Center. Web. 30 Mar. 2010. Hower, Edward. "The Servant." Rev. of The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. New York Times Book Review 3 Aug. 2003: n. pag. Literature Resource Center. Web. 29 Mar. 2010. Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York: Penguin Group, 2003. Print.

A Task at Hand Essay

Learning is an experience that requires some mode of transfer of knowledge from the source of the learning experience to the learner. More often learning is not automatic, that is, it is not a guarantee that learning experiences will be acquired automatically once they are presented to the learner. Sometimes learning experiences are gained thorough some repetitive actions. Assigning a task to a learner requires an understanding of the learner’s needs and then an appropriate articulation of these needs with the learning experiences and resources. Learning can be academic or physical (Peter, 1994). Learning activities for the chosen tasks. In trying to assess the learner, some two tasks were performed where one is a physical activity and the other is an academic activity. And therefore two different lesson plans were prepared for the tasks. The lesson plans are prepared in an essay format. Jumping rope. The specific objective of this learning activity is that by the end of the lesson the learner should be able to perform the activity of jumping perfectly using a rope, that is, given a rope, the student should be able to use the rope and perform the task of jumping. This is how the lesson will be developed. During the first five minutes, the teacher provides definitions of the available resources and the lesson in general. Then the next ten minutes, the teacher shows by teacher shows the student by using teacher demonstration method on how to hold the rope and go on jumping using the rope. Then the next ten minutes the teacher should ask the student to perform the task of jumping using the given rope. If the student fails to perform the task as expected, then the teacher should use the next five minutes repeating the instructions. Then the last part of the instructional objective should be that the teacher should ask the learner which areas the learner felt were so tough on grasping the ideas. During this instructional session the following resources can be used. A rope, nice fitting and flat sole shoes preferably sports shoes, and relevant pictures of people jumping using the rope depending on the level of the learner (Abbey, 1996). Solving a two digit math problem. By the end of the lesson the learner should be able to solve a given two digit math problem. The teacher should start the lesson by introducing numbers and digits and use the concept of addition of math problems using single digits, and then defining these terms to the student. During the five minutes the teacher should start by asking the giving the learner a simple single digit additional math problem to solve. Then using the next fifteen minutes using chalk and board method, the teacher should vividly show the learner how to go about in the process of solving a two digit math problem. Then using g the next fifteen minutes, the teacher should give an assignment to the student involving the solving this kind of problem. Then lastly the teacher should ask the learner to identify the areas the learner felt were quite hard to understand. This instruction uses the following resources. A textbook recommended in the syllabus on solving simple math problems, pen and paper for the student, a chart showing the demonstrated problems and chalk and board for the teacher.

Employee Death Sparks Outrage at Sourcing Factories Essay

On July 16, 2009, a 25-year-old Foxconn employee named Sun Danyong committed suicide by jumping from the twelfth floor of his apartment building. Mr. Sun, who worked at an electronics factory in Shenzen, had been put in charge of a prototype of a new Apple iPhone that went missing. Mr. Sun’s death has sparked outrage about labor conditions at China’s factories and at the Western companies that source from them. Foxconn manufactures electronics for some of the world’s largest companies, including Sony, Hewlett-Packard, and Apple. When the prototype iPhone went missing, Foxconn allegedly accused Mr. Sun of theft and initiated an investigation. On the day before his death, Mr. Sun told friends he had been beaten and humiliated by factory security guards. Mr. Sun’s suicide has brought about an outpouring of further complaints against Foxconn, including unpaid overtime and a militant management regime. However, it is not only Foxconn that has taken the blame for the suicide and the conditions that led to it. The Western giants that source from Foxconn—Apple, in particular—have received criticism for their â€Å"cultures of secrecy,† which many believe encourage militant management at their factories. These companies’ intense efforts to protect their trade secrets at sourcing factories in China point to another difficulty with sourcing from China: intellectual property rights violations. Popular brands like Apple are counterfeited heavily in China, and prototype theft is a real and widespread problem. Foreign companies that source from China must therefore walk a very fine line between protecting their intellectual property and ensuring reasonable working conditions that comply with international and local standards. Management that is too lenient subjects a company to theft and counterfeit,  but an overly militant managerial regime may lead to inhumane working conditions and potentially even to tragedies like the suicide of Mr. Sun. Questions 1. Was Mr. Sun’s reaction to the accusation of theft something that only might be expected in China? (10%) 2. Is theft of intellectual property a problem everywhere? Why or why not? Does every culture view the importance of intellectual property in the same way? (20%) 3. Why is theft of intellectual property such a concern in foreign sub-contractors? What can be done to control it? (20%) II. Works Councils and â€Å"Inform and Consult† In the EU: HP Acquires Compaq (EU/US, 2002) The merger of Hewlett-Packard and Compaq in May 2002 triggered extensive consultation with workers in Europe. Under EU requirements, such corporate mergers require companies with 1,000 or more employees in the EU, with at least 150 of those in each of two or more member states, to consult with their employee representatives (through their works councils) on any business decisions contemplated as a result of the merger, such as redundancies, restructuring, and changed work arrangements (all of which were triggered by this merger). Because of that experience, HP took the initiative under the new EU Inform and Consult Directive (and the pending—at that time—UK enabling legislation) to become the first US firm to announce an â€Å"Inform and Consult† framework which was approved by its workforce. At quarterly meetings, HP’s management consulted with and informed their employee representatives on matters such as HP UK business strategies, financial and operational performance, investment plans, organizational changes, and critical employment decisions, such as layoffs, outsourcing, workforce agreements, and health and safety. Key UK HP managers plus HP employee representatives elected to the HP consultative forum from each of the four UK business units met on a  quarterly basis. Wally Russell, who was HP’s European employee relations director at that time, said, â€Å"My own preference is that we be the master of our own destiny. So let’s work together now to [develop] a model that suits HP’s culture.† Questions 1. What do the EU directives on works councils and â€Å"Inform and Consult† require in a situation like this? To whom do these directives apply? (25%) 2. What is it about European culture that has led to the development and implementation of these sorts of practices and policies? Why haven’t they developed in countries like the US? (25%)

Barbara Jordan: The First African-American Woman State Senator

Jordan campaigned for the Texas House of Representatives in 1962 and 1964. [1] Her persistence won her a seat in the Texas Senate in 1966, becoming the first African American state senator since 1883 and the first black woman to serve in that body. [1] Re-elected to a full term in the Texas Senate in 1968, she served until 1972. She was the first African-American female to serve as president pro tem. of the state senate and served one day, June 10, 1972, as acting governor of Texas.In 1972, she was elected to the United States House of Representatives, becoming the first black woman from a Southern state to serve in the House. She received extensive support from former President Lyndon Johnson, who helped her secure a position on the House Judiciary Committee. In 1974, she made an influential, televised speech before the House Judiciary Committee supporting the impeachment of President Richard Nixon.Jordan was mentioned as a possible running mate to Jimmy Carter in 1976,[1] and that year she became the first African-American woman to deliver the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. [1] Her speech in New York that summer was ranked 5th in â€Å"Top 100 American Speeches of the 20th century† list and was considered by many historians to have been the best convention keynote speech in modern history. Despite not being a candidate Jordan received one delegate vote (0. 03%) for president at the convention.Jordan retired from politics in 1979 and became an adjunct professor teaching ethics at the University of Texas at Austin Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. She again was a keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention in 1992. In 1995, Jordan chaired a Congressional commission that advocated increased restriction of immigration, called for all U. S. residents to carry a national identity card and increased penalties on employers that violated U. S. immigration regulations. [2][3] Then-President Clinton endorsed the Jordan Commission's proposals. 4] While she was Chair of the U. S. Commission on Immigration Reform she argued that â€Å"it is both a right and a responsibility of a democratic society to manage immigration so that it serves the national interest. † Her stance on immigration is cited by opponents of current US immigration policy who cite her willingness to penalize employers who violate US immigration regulations, to tighten border security, and to oppose amnesty or any other pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants[5] and to broaden the grounds for the deportation of legal immigrants. [6]

News of the week Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

News of the week - Essay Example One of the facts in the article is the aspect of the government spending much in printing the typefaces that are standard and the issue of the teen’s idea of a cheaper typeface embrace. The author provides sufficient explanation and factual material that support his idea and propel his thought. He believes that Garamond requires lesser ink as compared to Times News Roman, which is factual. He argues that the government loses hundreds of millions on typefacing using Times News Roman. There is an image of a simple piggy Bank provided in the magazine (Frizel, Para. 2). The 14 year old Mirchandani Suvir thought that changing the government documents standard typeface would save millions in ink posts. The teen advises that using of Times News Roman as a standard font style wastes more ink and suggests that the government resorts to Garamond. The teen got the information from observing other teens switch between font styles with an intention of attaining the required length by the teacher (Frizell, Para. 1). In my opinion, the reportage is true, balanced and unbiased. Times New Roman tends to use more space on a space hence more ink is needed to print it out. However, there are no diversified viewpoints provided in the article. The article is an editorial because it is the author’s original idea and it is convincing because of the fact that if one compares Garamond and Times New Roman, it is evident that the latter requires more ink usage. Lastly, my general opinion about the article is that the teen has an idea that should sell across the world and not only in America. This might save countries millions of

Science in my world Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Science in my world - Essay Example One key concept is called the sequential summation of movement in which heavier objects are able to increase the speed at which smaller attached objects move (Exploratorium.edu). For this reason, the pitcher’s bodily movements are a critical component to how fast the ball will be released and thrown towards the hitter. If the pitcher’s momentum through using his legs to push off of the mound is at a greater force, so too should be the force and speed at which the ball is released as long as the arms, shoulders and hand release the ball at the optimum position during the movement. Another key component to baseball has been the explosion of curve balls and the extent to which a ball can be thrown straight but through its overall release the ball can actually curve away from the straight-line pathway. A scientific research study tested whether a curve ball actually does curve and â€Å"the results indicated that it is possible to make a ball curve as much as 18 inches away from a straight line within a distance of 60 feet, six inches† (ProjectView.org). Through gripping the baseball a particular way and releasing the ball with the right controlled movements, a pitcher is able to make a ball travel in a straight pathway but curve after enough full revolutions have been completed. All of this is very interesting because it changes how the game can be viewed and alters how players should play the game. If careful analysis is performed and a critique of physical movements is made, science can help all players and coaches perform at the optimum level possible . Exploratorium.edu. "Science of Baseball: Putting Something on the Ball: Page 1." Exploratorium: the Museum of Science, Art and Human Perception. Web. 22 Sept. 2010.

BPA fetal exposures affect male and female development and quality of Research Paper

BPA fetal exposures affect male and female development and quality of life as adults - Research Paper Example In essence, early exposure to BPA, as well as other chemicals, especially in the foetal stage signifies an increase in the risk of disease later in life. This paper will examine the impact of BPA in adults following foetal exposure. Health Concerns Some of the risks involved with foetal exposure to BPA include increased risk for prostate cancer in adult men and breast cancer in both women (Okada et al 32). In addition, foetal exposure to BPA results in adverse metabolic changes, early onset of puberty and decreased fertility. Furthermore, immunological changes are also a major consequence of foetal exposure to BPA (Rubin 30). Whenever foetal exposure to BPA occurs, the chemical infiltrates the body in an active fashion. BPA binds to the body’s oestrogen receptors replicating the functions of oestrogen. Furthermore, in both male and female adults, BPA causes adverse reproductive effects, particularly in populations exposed to BPA due to their occupations. During the initial 11 weeks of gestation, which is a time when most pregnant women are unaware of their pregnancy, the internal communication systems, and organs of the foetus develop quite rapidly, thus are extremely sensitive to external pressures. Organs such as the brain and mammary glands develop during gestation, thus experience a prolonged period of vulnerability to the effects of BPA, especially since foetal development of such organs is susceptible to oestrogen fluctuations. Additionally, in certain instances, BPA has been shown to cause obesity. When BPA binds to oestrogen receptors in the human body, it causes alternative estrogenic effects, which start outside the nucleus. The alternate path caused by BPA ultimately alters lipid and glucose metabolism, resulting in weight gain (Rubin 31). This is primarily since the alternative oestrogen receptors trigger pathways that result from exposure to BPA to rework the functions of vital components that play a significant role in metabolism, for insta nce, adiposities and pancreatic B cells. In a recent study, it was confirmed that foetal exposure to BPA has the capacity to potentiate the systems inherent in the central dopaminergy. This is bound to result in marked super sensitivity to the drugs linked to abuse-induced reward implications. In essence, by affecting mesolimbic dopamine activity, BPA causes adverse effects such as attention deficits, hypersensitivity and an increased sensitivity to drugs linked to abuse. Furthermore, BPA is also known to bind to receptors of the thyroid hormone, and possibly cause certain side effects on its functions. For instance, BPA impacts triiodothyronine in adults following exposure to the chemical during the prenatal development phase (Rubin 33). Researchers now consider that there are actually two ways through which BPA interrupts the regular endocrine function (Okada et al 32). The compound can perform as a weak estrogen, which binds to the estrogen receptor. It also can, on the other han d, impede the impact of stronger natural estrogens, restraining estrogen function. They are usually considered performing in the cell nucleus via the estrogen receptors, which control gene expression. Many other ways of BPA action are considered to be related to its biological