Discuss How Service Operations are Different from Manufacturing Essay

Discuss How Service Operations are Different from Manufacturing Operations - Essay Example Waste in the process or fail points are not obvious in service operations that efforts to reduce cost and control quality before they reach the customer can be very difficult (Wienclaw 2008). This makes the operations of many service oriented companies costly with many customers dissatisfied with the service they received. The need to align service delivery in accordance to customer expectations and the market imperative to reduce cost to remain competitive in the market, however, compels the operations of service oriented industry to adopt and implement manufacturing approaches and systems. By implementing manufacturing approaches and systems, the cost of operations in service oriented companies are being reduced such as the case of McDonalds as stated in this paper. The implementation of quality control system such as Six Sigma also enabled Bank of America not only to increase the level of its customer’s satisfaction but also saved the company $2 billion in expenditures rela ted to areas where Six Sigma was implemented. II. How service operations are different from manufacturing operations.   The most obvious difference between a service operations and manufacturing operations are the products they produce. Service operations sell service that has no physical presence while manufacturing operations produces concrete products that has a physical existence. Unlike manufacturing operations that produces concrete products whose quality can easily determined by its specifications, service operations differs from manufacturing operations because its output is often evaluated in terms of customer experience. Activities of a service operation are often based on the quality, speed, competence and courtesy of its delivery that is not easily quantifiable that could be subjected to the relativity of customer’s experience (Wienclaw 2008). The factors that determine a good service cannot be easily quantified because of the difficulty of operationally definin g what makes a good service delivery. Unlike in manufacturing where fail points in its process can be easily determined and substandard products can be readily rejected before reaching the customer, service operations outputs are subjected to perceptions and expectations of the customer which are relative (Wienclaw 2008). For example, walking through a novice customer in a step by step computer troubleshooting procedure may be very helpful that would constitute a good customer service but the same could also be annoying to a technically proficient customer that could affect the overall customer satisfaction. The differences of service operations from manufacturing operations can be categorized in the factors of intangibility, heterogeneity, inseparability and perishability that make services difficult to control and improve. Intangibility – plainly, service cannot be recognized by any of the five senses. Unlike in manufacturing operations whose outputs are concrete, services rendered by a service oriented company cannot be seen, touched, smelled, heard, or tasted (Kotler et al. 2004). It can only be

Law governing Turkey Essay Example for Free

Law governing Turkey Essay IVF (in vitro fertilization) refers to treatment for infertility, in which eggs are removed from a womans body, fertilized with sperm in a laboratory, and then returned to the womb shortly afterwards to continue developing. IVF has been greatly achieved by the Turkish Medicine community such that even individual mothers and couples from other countries hospitals in go into Turkey in order to get children through this process. The sperms donated by sperm donors undergo screening in order to check their health status and the desirable traits required by most patients (ourbodiesourselves para2). These advances in technologies are not in harmony with the culture and the law governing Turkey. The paces at which the technologies are advancing are greater than the rate at which the society is responding to such changes, especially by those in lower socioeconomic class. But again many people would prefer the idea of surrogate motherhood and oocyte donation to some new techniques that are applied in medical practice today. All over the world, Turkey included, people are still debating on the social and ethical impacts of oocyte donation and surrogacy on the society. According to (Selim, et al 34), not many studies have been carried out in Turkish society to get their views on surrogate motherhood and oocyte donation. But studies that have been conducted with an aim of investigating the ethical dilemmas faced by the Turkish people on in vitro fertilization and oocyte donation have shown that even most infertile married females would still not accept surrogate motherhood and egg donation. Most of them had preferred adoption to IVF method. They reason that, these advancements in medicine are against nature (Selim, Et al 54). Interestingly, many studies carried out in Turkey show that many people agree to oocyte donation. Analysis Ethics is the belief and principles that determine people’s behavior which in turn forms people’s culture. IVF and oocyte donation for a long time has been a topic of debate especially concerning their conflicting values to societal norms and at the same time the need to fulfill patients’ desires to have children. Normally infertile couples can make decision on what they want regarding having children but this is limited the laws that govern reproduction in Turkey. The laws have to be consistent with the socio-cultural and religious values, which in Turkey does not permit certain reproductive treatments. Ethical issues that have risen since this technology came to place include the spread of gay marriages which is against Islamic and Christian teachings and is a threat to moral being of most societies in the world (Jinemed Hospital para 4). Unfortunately, even Lesbian couples and gay men hire surrogates to give birth to their children. This is against the purpose for which the technology was developed. Another issue is the sustainability of most marriages not just in Turkey but in the whole world in general especially in USA where most divorce cases occur. Some women particularly those of high socioeconomic status prefer to stay single because after all there is oocyte donation and they can afford to pay surrogates. Some just do this because she would never want to be seen pregnant or to bear the pain of carrying the baby in her womb. These technologies have serious effects on marriages today since anybody can have a child whether in a relationship or not. Although Turkey does not experience high divorce rates as the USA, but it still poises a problem. The issue about the stability of the family has also been a major concern especially on the side of the surrogate mother comes from. The first surrogate mother in the world, Elizabeth Kane describes her ordeal as surrogate mother to be one of the worst experiences in her life since normally the society has eyes on you and your family. She says that being a surrogate psychologically and emotionally affects the mother, her husband and even their children. It even becomes difficult to think of surrendering the child to the mother due to the emotional attachment between the surrogate mother and the child. She considers being a surrogate to be prostitution (Ourbodiesourselves para 2). Conclusion IVF (in vitro fertilization) and oocyte donation had all the good intentions but its negative impacts were not seriously looked into before putting it into practice for human beings and that is the reason why coming up with a proper and all inclusive legislation has not been possible not only in Turkey but in any country in the world. Just like cloning has been a big issue and threat to humans, IVF might be different but it poses almost the same threat to human beings. Proper legislation is necessary to curb the ethical issues that have been raised by religious communities and the civil society. Again, just like abortion, legislation alone may not contribute much in reconsidering such practices. The most important is the attitude of the people towards such technologies. Works Cited Page Jinemed Hospital: Infertility treatment in Turkey. Intuition Communication Ltd, Istanbul 2010 Retrieved from http://www. treatmentabroad. com/infertility-treatment-abroad/turkey- infertility/jinemed-hospital/ Our Bodies Ourselves: The Politics of Womens Health. Health Resource Centre, Boston. 2008 Retrieved from http://www. ourbodiesourselves. org/book/companion. asp? id=31compID=67 Selim; Muharrem; Hakan; Mahir; Gulec; Adnan; Fatma; Ceren and Ozlem et al. Determination of the attitudes of Turkish infertile women towards surrogacy and oocyte donation. Professional Medical Publication, Karachi 2009

Devastating Effects of the Oleoducto de Crudos Pesados Essay -- Ecuado

Devastating Effects of the Oleoducto de Crudos Pesados Although relatively small in size, Ecuador is one of the most biologically diverse nations in the world. A drastic range of altitude and geographical diversity in such a small area has resulted in a high number of diverse climactic regions. Because of their very different climates and altitudes, Ecuador’s four main regions, the lowland Pacific Coast, the Andes Mountains, the Amazon rainforest, and the Galapagos Islands, are each home to a wide variety of plant and animal species. These many distinct ecosystems and the hundreds of endemic species residing within Ecuador’s borders have led scientists to classify it as a biodiversity â€Å"hotspot†. Ecuador’s rich biodiversity and natural beauty have been key factors in the success of the nation’s ecotourism industry. Tourists from around the world are drawn to Ecuador by the opportunity to see plants and animals found nowhere else on Earth. Birdwatchers are especially interested in the lo wer elevations of the Andes, commonly known as the cloud forest, which are home to an extremely high number of endemic bird species. Unfortunately, many of Ecuador’s unique ecosystems are under threat from deforestation and other anthropogenic forces. The oil industry in Ecuador has historically been, and continues to be, one of the worst offenders of environmental degradation. Despite this, the Ecuadorian government, under the strong influence of the World Bank and IMF (International Monetary Fund), has encouraged the development of Ecuador’s oil reserves, as opposed to other more sustainable forms of economic growth, in an attempt to rescue the nation’s struggling economy. The Amazon rainforest, where virtually all of Ecuador’s oil re... ...curb the devastating effects certain types of economic development continue to have on their fragile ecosystems. In order to attract foreign capital to these nations, international organizations like the IMF and World Bank have consistently encouraged the development of extractive industries like oil, which virtually without fail result in massive environmental degradation. Finding alternative ways of economic development that encourage environmental conservation and responsible resource use is crucial to the survival of Ecuador’s unique ecosystems and endemic species. Sources â€Å"The New Heavy Crude Pipeline in Ecuador.† Amazon Watch Mega-Project Alert. June 2001 High Paramo Ecosystem of the Andes. 10 December 2004

Personality Analysis

Personality Analysis Shannon C. Chavez PSY/405 March 5, 2013 Dr. Barry Brooks Personality Analysis This paper will include personality analysis between the learning theory and the humanistic and existential theories. The learning theory is referred to as the process by which all individuals learn and how they acquire a change or potential change in behavior (Feist & Feist, 2000). The learning theories involved are Skinner's behavioral analysis, Bandura's social cognitive theory, and Rotter and Mischel's cognitive social learning theory.The humanistic approach is focused on the individuals potential and stresses the importance of self-actualization and the belief that people are innately good. Humanistic psychology assumes that mental and social problems are a direct result of one’s natural tendencies (Cherry, 2013). Existentialism stresses the importance of free will, freedom of choice by each individual, and the responsibility one takes on his or her own life. This theory emp hasizes the responsibility each person takes on the choices they make and what they make of themselves (Cherry, 2013).Combining these theories with the knowledge they possess outlines the basics of human nature and personality as it develops by the environment, particularly within the social aspect while accommodating the powerful affects of one's own internal ideas. Affects on Situational Behavior According to learning theory, individuals behave according to their environmental, cognitive, and behavioral conditions. In Bandura’s social cognitive theory, he argues that people can learn new information and behaviors by watching what others do.This type of learning known as observational learning is explained in most behaviors (Cherry, 2013). In the behaviorist learning theory, learning takes place by trial and error, with individuals trying different types of behaviors until they engage in one that is reinforcing. Learning theory states individuals apply previously learned mat erial as a means to find familiar reward values in similar situations (Feist & Feist, 2009). Behaviors produced within new situations allow the individual to review similar experiences to determine the best course of action and will then choose the one with a similar outcome.In some learning theories, the learner may become passive, thus responding to environmental stimulus. Cognitive learning theory assumes all people are logical beings whose behavior is determined by choices that make the most sense to them (Fritscher, 2011). Rotter believed humans interact with their environments through reinforcement. He assumed people's situational behavior is a combination of their expectations of reinforcement and the amount of influence their needs demand in any given situation.His predictions of human behavior stem from one’s expectancy, reinforcement value, behavior potential and psychological situation (Feist and Feist, 2009). Mischel's personality theory suggests that an individua l’s cognitive activities and situations play a vital role in behavior determination. Although he acknowledged this stability, he explained the environment has a powerful influence on behavior. Other’s theories suggest people are motivated by particular drives and traits that would make a person’s behavior consistent (Feist and Feist, 2009).Humanistic approach from Roger’s person-centered theory believes learning is implemented as an act to fulfill one’s fullest potential. The actions of individuals in situational behavior are derived from their potential from which an individual is capable. In humanistic theory, people have cognitive needs by which they respond to certain situations. Within a supportive environment, individuals learn and react appropriately in any situation based on what they have learned previously (Feist and Feist, 2009).According to a humanist approach, responses to a specific situation are directly regarded towards personal gro wth fulfillment of current needs and satisfaction (McLeod, 2007). The individual will always respond in a way that will ultimately fulfill current needs. Personality Characteristic of Theories The learning theories suggest that personality is a combination of learned inclinations that continue throughout one’s life. Learning theories are believed to have present awareness, which guides the development of personality according to how individuals anticipate specific events, thus ll human behavior is influenced by anticipation (Feist & Feist, 2009). Skinner believed that human behavior was shaped by three forces: natural selection, cultural practices, and an individual’s history of reinforcements. Ultimately, Skinner believed that one’s geographical environment and personal physical strength helped shape humans personality in general, however, the environment would be vital in the uniqueness of each individual’s personality (Feist and Feist, 2009). Skinner d efined personality as â€Å"at best a repertoire of behavior imparted by an organized set of contingencies† (2009, p. 72). Bandura described the act of human nature as â€Å"self-regulating, proactive, self-reflective, and self-organizing† (2009, p. 486). He recognized that observational learning allows individuals to learn without performing the behavior. Rotter believed an individual’s personal history and experiences was more powerful in shaping their personalities and goals, but emphasized the similarities in everyone, whereas Mischel considered an individual’s differences and variations in behavior as more significant.He believed human behavior, through the cognitive-active personality system, adapts to the interaction of â€Å"stable personality traits and the situation, which includes a number of personal variables† (2009, p. 546). Kelly's theory explains the idea that all people anticipate events by the meanings placed on those events and b elieves these constructs of the world are how an individual’s behavior is shaped. People see the world in their own way and believe that every construction is open to revision (Feist and Feist, 2009).Skinner’s learning theories have been criticized for neither accommodating â€Å"individual differences, intelligence, genetic factors, nor the whole realm of personality† (2009, p. 472). Humanistic psychology believes in the natural drive toward personal development, and the idea that people make decisions regardless of environmental factors. Free will is one of the most important factors in the development of one’s personality, and the drive toward self-actualization is a powerful motivation for the creation of one’s personality (Feist and Feist, 2009).According to the idea behind humanism, people make their own choices and are actively involved in the creation of their personalities. Rollo May theory includes three relationships that form the basis for personality: one's relationship with the environment, with others, and with oneself. The influence of all three relationships helps create and contributes to the personality's ongoing reconstruction (Feist ; Feist, 2009). Maslow believed that biological components provided the basic parameter for the individual; however, environmental and cultural affects shaped the ego identity or personality (Feist ; Feist, 2009).Explanation of Interpersonal Relations The humanist/existential perspective assumed people associated with others to engage in productive and healthy relationships, although ultimately, they may be alone. Maslow believed in fulfilling love and belongingness first and fulfilling this was a primal need filled by friendship, family, having a mate, and ultimately maintaining associations with others. He proposed fulfillment at this level was essential for other levels of human success, through his hierarchy of needs (Feist ; Feist, 2009).Rogers believed growing up in a lo ving environment, having a caregiver who had positive regards, fostered positive self-regard, which in turn promotes psychological growth. Positive experiences from others are also essential for an individual’s development in mental health, thus success towards self-actualization (Cherry, 2013). May's existentialism proposed that even though people associate with others, forming healthy relationships, they would ultimately choose who and what they will become.The basic idea of humanism and existentialism views interpersonal relationships as an integral part of human life. Humanism views interpersonal relationships as an important factor in the development of personality. Maslow believed once an individual’s fulfillment of interpersonal relationships was completed, they will have more confidence and esteem in social situations and will experience the reciprocity of love from those of importance to them (Feist and Feist, 2009).From a learning perspective, people tend to associate with others because they receive some type of reward for doing so. Humans originally formed groups within their families to use as protection from enemy tribes and animals. This happens today when people form associations with those of the same interest group and are reinforced for the particular behaviors of that group. Even when not reinforced, people will continue to maintain close associations because of personal connections within the group from which they receive reinforcement (Feist & Feist, 2009).Social constructivism is defined as the knowledge, behavior, and personality constructed from social interactions and people build new ideas and concepts that are based on current and past knowledge or experience (Feist & Feist, 2009). Bandura believed people learn from their experiences, although much of human learning is taken from the observation of others. Rotter believed human behavior is â€Å"best predicted from an understanding of the interaction of people with th eir meaningful environments† (2009, p. 510).Mischel also believed that an essential component of one’s personality development was dependent on observations of others within the environment. Mischel and Rotter stressed the importance of learning within a social context, but Mischel continued to maintain his belief in the importance of genetic factors in the development of personality. Kelly believed social influences were much more significant in determining one’s personality than biological ones. He believed humans are influenced by each other and in constructing their own personality, involving other influences from the environment (Feist and Feist, 2009).Kelly stated â€Å"the actions of others do not mold their behavior; rather, it is their interpretation of events that changes their behavior† (2009, p. 572). Conclusion Learning theories define learning and its resulting behavior and personality as a response to the environment in which its consumed in cluding biological considerations, whereas humanistic theory believes in a greater tendency for internal human drive toward a goal and ultimately self-actualization.The different perspectives regarding the effectiveness of personalities on situational behavior, the distinct characteristics of personality and human nature, and the understanding of interpersonal relations all provide an abundance of thought and a more dimensional understanding of humanity within psychological thought process and its applications toward humankind. References Cherry, K. (2013). What is Existentialism? Retrieved from http://psychology. about. com/od/eindex/g/def_existential. htm Cherry, K. (2013).Humanistic Psychology: the â€Å"Third Force† in Psychology. Retrieved from http://psychology. about. com/od/historyofpsychology/a/hist_humanistic. htm Feist, J. and Feist, G. (2009) Theories of Personality (7th ed. ). Retrieved from the University of Phoenix eBook Collection online. New York: McGraw Hill Fritscher, L. (2011). Cognitive Theory. Retrieved from http://phobias. about. com/od/glossary/g/cognitivethedef. htm McLeod, S. (2007). Humanism. Simply Psychology. Retrieved from http://www. simplypsychology. org/humanistic. html

The Da Vinci Code Chapter 21-23

CHAPTER 21 The Mona Lisa. For an instant, standing in the exit stairwell, Sophie forgot all about trying to leave the Louvre. Her shock over the anagram was matched only by her embarrassment at not having deciphered the message herself. Sophie's expertise in complex cryptanalysis had caused her to overlook simplistic word games, and yet she knew she should have seen it. After all, she was no stranger to anagrams – especially in English. When she was young, often her grandfather would use anagram games to hone her English spelling. Once he had written the English word† planets† and told Sophie that an astonishing sixty-two other English words of varying lengths could be formed using those same letters. Sophie had spent three days with an English dictionary until she found them all. â€Å"I can't imagine,† Langdon said, staring at the printout,† how your grandfather created such an intricate anagram in the minutes before he died.† Sophie knew the explanation, and the realization made her feel even worse. I should have seen this!She now recalled that her grandfather – a wordplay aficionado and art lover – had entertained himself as a young man by creating anagrams of famous works of art. In fact, one of his anagrams had gotten him in trouble once when Sophie was a little girl. While being interviewed by an American art magazine, Sauniere had expressed his distaste for the modernist Cubist movement by noting that Picasso's masterpiece Les Demoiselles d'Avignon was a perfect anagram of vile meaningless doodles.Picasso fans were not amused. â€Å"My grandfather probably created this Mona Lisa anagram long ago,† Sophie said, glancing up at Langdon. And tonight he was forced to use it as a makeshift code.Her grandfather's voice had called out from beyond with chilling precision. Leonardo Da Vinci! The Mona Lisa!Why his final words to her referenced the famous painting, Sophie had no idea, but she could think of only one possibility. A disturbing one. Those were not his final words†¦ . Was she supposed to visit the Mona Lisa? Had her grandfather left her a message there? The idea seemed perfectly plausible. After all, the famous painting hung in the Salle des Etats – a private viewing chamber accessible only from the Grand Gallery. In fact, Sophie now realized, the doors that opened into the chamber were situated only twenty meters from where her grandfather had been found dead. He easily could have visited the Mona Lisa before he died. Sophie gazed back up the emergency stairwell and felt torn. She knew she should usher Langdon from the museum immediately, and yet instinct urged her to the contrary. As Sophie recalled her first childhood visit to the Denon Wing, she realized that if her grandfather had a secret to tell her, few places on earth made a more apt rendezvous than Da Vinci's Mona Lisa. â€Å"She's just a little bit farther,† her grandfather had whispered, clutching Sophie's tiny hand as he led her through the deserted museum after hours. Sophie was six years old. She felt small and insignificant as she gazed up at the enormous ceilings and down at the dizzying floor. The empty museum frightened her, although she was not about to let her grandfather know that. She set her jaw firmly and let go of his hand. â€Å"Up ahead is the Salle des Etats,† her grandfather said as they approached the Louvre's most famous room. Despite her grandfather's obvious excitement, Sophie wanted to go home. She had seen pictures of the Mona Lisa in books and didn't like it at all. She couldn't understand why everyone made such a fuss. â€Å"C'est ennuyeux,† Sophie grumbled. â€Å"Boring,† he corrected. â€Å"French at school. English at home.† â€Å"Le Louvre, c'est pas chez moi!† she challenged. He gave her a tired laugh. â€Å"Right you are. Then let's speak English just for fun.† Sophie pouted and kept walking. As they entered the Salle des Etats, her eyes scanned the narrow room and settled on the obvious spot of honor – the center of the right-hand wall, where a lone portrait hung behind a protective Plexiglas wall. Her grandfather paused in the doorway and motioned toward the painting. â€Å"Go ahead, Sophie. Not many people get a chance to visit her alone.† Swallowing her apprehension, Sophie moved slowly across the room. After everything she'd heard about the Mona Lisa, she felt as if she were approaching royalty. Arriving in front of the protective Plexiglas, Sophie held her breath and looked up, taking it in all at once. Sophie was not sure what she had expected to feel, but it most certainly was not this. No jolt of amazement. No instant of wonder. The famous face looked as it did in books. She stood in silence for what felt like forever, waiting for something to happen. â€Å"So what do you think?† her grandfather whispered, arriving behind her. â€Å"Beautiful, yes?† â€Å"She's too little.† Sauniere smiled. â€Å"You're little and you're beautiful.† I am not beautiful, she thought. Sophie hated her red hair and freckles, and she was bigger than all the boys in her class. She looked back at the Mona Lisa and shook her head. â€Å"She's even worse than in the books. Her face is†¦ brumeux.† â€Å"Foggy,† her grandfather tutored. â€Å"Foggy,† Sophie repeated, knowing the conversation would not continue until she repeated her new vocabulary word. â€Å"That's called the sfumato style of painting,† he told her,† and it's very hard to do. Leonardo Da Vinci was better at it than anyone.† Sophie still didn't like the painting. â€Å"She looks like she knows something†¦ like when kids at school have a secret.† Her grandfather laughed. â€Å"That's part of why she is so famous. People like to guess why she is smiling.† â€Å"Do you know why she's smiling?† â€Å"Maybe.† Her grandfather winked. â€Å"Someday I'll tell you all about it.† Sophie stamped her foot. â€Å"I told you I don't like secrets!† â€Å"Princess,† he smiled. â€Å"Life is filled with secrets. You can't learn them all at once.† â€Å"I'm going back up,† Sophie declared, her voice hollow in the stairwell. â€Å"To the Mona Lisa?† Langdon recoiled. â€Å"Now?† Sophie considered the risk. â€Å"I'm not a murder suspect. I'll take my chances. I need to understand what my grandfather was trying to tell me.† â€Å"What about the embassy?† Sophie felt guilty turning Langdon into a fugitive only to abandon him, but she saw no other option. She pointed down the stairs to a metal door. â€Å"Go through that door, and follow the illuminated exit signs. My grandfather used to bring me down here. The signs will lead you to a security turnstile. It's monodirectional and opens out.† She handed Langdon her car keys. â€Å"Mine is the red SmartCar in the employee lot. Directly outside this bulkhead. Do you know how to get to the embassy?† Langdon nodded, eyeing the keys in his hand. â€Å"Listen,† Sophie said, her voice softening. â€Å"I think my grandfather may have left me a message at the Mona Lisa – some kind of clue as to who killed him. Or why I'm in danger.† Or what happenedto my family. â€Å"I have to go see.† â€Å"But if he wanted to tell you why you were in danger, why wouldn't he simply write it on the floor where he died? Why this complicated word game?† â€Å"Whatever my grandfather was trying to tell me, I don't think he wanted anyone else to hear it. Not even the police.† Clearly, her grandfather had done everything in his power to send a confidential transmission directly to her.He had written it in code, included her secret initials, and told her to find Robert Langdon – a wise command, considering the American symbologist had deciphered his code. â€Å"As strange as it may sound,† Sophie said,† I think he wants me to get to the Mona Lisabefore anyone else does.† â€Å"I'll come.† â€Å"No! We don't know how long the Grand Gallery will stay empty. You have to go.† Langdon seemed hesitant, as if his own academic curiosity were threatening to override sound judgment and drag him back into Fache's hands. â€Å"Go. Now.† Sophie gave him a grateful smile. â€Å"I'll see you at the embassy, Mr. Langdon.† Langdon looked displeased. â€Å"I'll meet you there on one condition,† he replied, his voice stern. She paused, startled. â€Å"What's that?† â€Å"That you stop calling me Mr.Langdon.† Sophie detected the faint hint of a lopsided grin growing across Langdon's face, and she felt herself smile back. â€Å"Good luck, Robert.† When Langdon reached the landing at the bottom of the stairs, the unmistakable smell of linseed oil and plaster dust assaulted his nostrils. Ahead, an illuminated SORTIE/EXIT displayed an arrow pointing down a long corridor. Langdon stepped into the hallway. To the right gaped a murky restoration studio out of which peered an army of statues in various states of repair. To the left, Langdon saw a suite of studios that resembled Harvard art classrooms – rows of easels, paintings, palettes, framing tools – an art assembly line. As he moved down the hallway, Langdon wondered if at any moment he might awake with a start in his bed in Cambridge. The entire evening had felt like a bizarre dream. I'm about to dash out of the Louvre†¦a fugitive. Sauniere's clever anagrammatic message was still on his mind, and Langdon wondered what Sophie would find at the Mona Lisa†¦if anything. She had seemed certain her grandfather meant for her to visit the famous painting one more time. As plausible an interpretation as this seemed, Langdon felt haunted now by a troubling paradox. P. S. Find Robert Langdon. Sauniere had written Langdon's name on the floor, commanding Sophie to find him. But why? Merely so Langdon could help her break an anagram? It seemed quite unlikely. After all, Sauniere had no reason to think Langdon was especially skilled at anagrams. We've never even met.More important, Sophie had stated flat out that she should have broken the anagram on her own. It had been Sophie who spotted the Fibonacci sequence, and, no doubt, Sophie who, if given a little more time, would have deciphered the message with no help from Langdon. Sophie was supposed to break that anagram on her own.Langdon was suddenly feeling more certain about this, and yet the conclusion left an obvious gaping lapse in the logic of Sauniere's actions. Why me? Langdon wondered, heading down the hall. Why was Sauniere's dying wish that his estranged granddaughter find me? What is it that Sauniere thinks I know? With an unexpected jolt, Langdon stopped short. Eyes wide, he dug in his pocket and yanked out the computer printout. He stared at the last line of Sauniere's message. P. S. Find Robert Langdon. He fixated on two letters. P. S. In that instant, Langdon felt Sauniere's puzzling mix of symbolism fall into stark focus. Like a peal of thunder, a career's worth of symbology and history came crashing down around him. Everything Jacques Sauniere had done tonight suddenly made perfect sense. Langdon's thoughts raced as he tried to assemble the implications of what this all meant. Wheeling, he stared back in the direction from which he had come. Is there time? He knew it didn't matter. Without hesitation, Langdon broke into a sprint back toward the stairs. CHAPTER 22 Kneeling in the first pew, Silas pretended to pray as he scanned the layout of the sanctuary. Saint- Sulpice, like most churches, had been built in the shape of a giant Roman cross. Its long central section – the nave – led directly to the main altar, where it was transversely intersected by a shorter section, known as the transept. The intersection of nave and transept occurred directly beneath the main cupola and was considered the heart of the church†¦ her most sacred and mystical point. Not tonight, Silas thought. Saint-Sulpice hides her secrets elsewhere. Turning his head to the right, he gazed into the south transept, toward the open area of floor beyond the end of the pews, to the object his victims had described. There it is. Embedded in the gray granite floor, a thin polished strip of brass glistened in the stone†¦ a golden line slanting across the church's floor. The line bore graduated markings, like a ruler. It was a gnomon, Silas had been told, a pagan astronomical device like a sundial. Tourists, scientists, historians, and pagans from around the world came to Saint-Sulpice to gaze upon this famous line. The Rose Line. Slowly, Silas let his eyes trace the path of the brass strip as it made its way across the floor from his right to left, slanting in front of him at an awkward angle, entirely at odds with the symmetry of the church. Slicing across the main altar itself, the line looked to Silas like a slash wound across a beautiful face. The strip cleaved the communion rail in two and then crossed the entire width of the church, finally reaching the corner of the north transept, where it arrived at the base of a most unexpected structure. A colossal Egyptian obelisk. Here, the glistening Rose Line took a ninety-degree vertical turn and continued directly up the face of the obelisk itself, ascending thirty-three feet to the very tip of the pyramidical apex, where it finally ceased. The Rose Line, Silas thought. The brotherhood hid the keystone at the Rose Line. Earlier tonight, when Silas told the Teacher that the Priory keystone was hidden inside Saint- Sulpice, the Teacher had sounded doubtful. But when Silas added that the brothers had all given him a precise location, with relation to a brass line running through Saint-Sulpice, the Teacher had gasped with revelation. â€Å"You speak of the Rose Line!† The Teacher quickly told Silas of Saint-Sulpice's famed architectural oddity – a strip of brass that segmented the sanctuary on a perfect north-south axis. It was an ancient sundial of sorts, a vestige of the pagan temple that had once stood on this very spot. The sun's rays, shining through the oculus on the south wall, moved farther down the line every day, indicating the passage of time, from solstice to solstice. The north-south stripe had been known as the Rose Line. For centuries, the symbol of the Rose had been associated with maps and guiding souls in the proper direction. The Compass Rose – drawn on almost every map – indicated North, East, South, and West. Originally known as the Wind Rose, it denoted the directions of the thirty-two winds, blowing from the directions of eight major winds, eight half-winds, and sixteen quarter-winds. When diagrammed inside a circle, these thirty-two points of the compass perfectly resembled a traditional thirty-two petal rose bloom. To this day, the fundamental navigational tool was still known as a Compass Rose, its northernmost direction still marked by an arrowhead†¦ or, more commonly, the symbol of the fleur-de-lis. On a globe, a Rose Line – also called a meridian or longitude – was any imaginary line drawn from the North Pole to the South Pole. There were, of course, an infinite number of Rose Lines because every point on the globe could have a longitude drawn through it connecting north and south poles. The question for early navigators was which of these lines would be called the Rose Line – the zero longitude – the line from which all other longitudes on earth would be measured. Today that line was in Greenwich, England. But it had not always been. Long before the establishment of Greenwich as the prime meridian, the zero longitude of the entire world had passed directly through Paris, and through the Church of Saint-Sulpice. The brass marker in Saint-Sulpice was a memorial to the world's first prime meridian, and although Greenwich had stripped Paris of the honor in 1888, the original Rose Line was still visible today. â€Å"And so the legend is true,† the Teacher had told Silas. â€Å"The Priory keystone has been said to lie' beneath the Sign of the Rose.† Now, still on his knees in a pew, Silas glanced around the church and listened to make sure no one was there. For a moment, he thought he heard a rustling in the choir balcony. He turned and gazed up for several seconds. Nothing. I am alone. Standing now, he faced the altar and genuflected three times. Then he turned left and followed the brass line due north toward the obelisk. At that moment, at Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport in Rome, the jolt of tires hitting the runway startled Bishop Aringarosa from his slumber. I drifted off, he thought, impressed he was relaxed enough to sleep. â€Å"Benvenuto a Roma,†the intercom announced. Sitting up, Aringarosa straightened his black cassock and allowed himself a rare smile. This was one trip he had been happy to make. I have been on the defensive for too long.Tonight, however, the rules had changed. Only five months ago, Aringarosa had feared for the future of the Faith. Now, as if by the will of God, the solution had presented itself. Divine intervention. If all went as planned tonight in Paris, Aringarosa would soon be in possession of something that would make him the most powerful man in Christendom. CHAPTER 23 Sophie arrived breathless outside the large wooden doors of the Salle des Etats – the room that housed the Mona Lisa.Before entering, she gazed reluctantly farther down the hall, twenty yards or so, to the spot where her grandfather's body still lay under the spotlight. The remorse that gripped her was powerful and sudden, a deep sadness laced with guilt. The man had reached out to her so many times over the past ten years, and yet Sophie had remained immovable – leaving his letters and packages unopened in a bottom drawer and denying his efforts to see her. He lied to me! Kept appalling secrets! What was I supposed to do? And so she had blocked him out. Completely. Now her grandfather was dead, and he was talking to her from the grave. The Mona Lisa. She reached for the huge wooden doors, and pushed. The entryway yawned open. Sophie stood on the threshold a moment, scanning the large rectangular chamber beyond. It too was bathed in a soft red light. The Salle des Etats was one of this museum's rare culs-de-sac – a dead end and the only room off the middle of the Grand Gallery. This door, the chamber's sole point of entry, faced a dominating fifteen-foot Botticelli on the far wall. Beneath it, centered on the parquet floor, an immense octagonal viewing divan served as a welcome respite for thousands of visitors to rest their legs while they admired the Louvre's most valuable asset. Even before Sophie entered, though, she knew she was missing something. A black light.She gazed down the hall at her grandfather under the lights in the distance, surrounded by electronic gear. If he had written anything in here, he almost certainly would have written it with the watermark stylus. Taking a deep breath, Sophie hurried down to the well-lit crime scene. Unable to look at her grandfather, she focused solely on the PTS tools. Finding a small ultraviolet penlight, she slipped it in the pocket of her sweater and hurried back up the hallway toward the open doors of the Salle des Etats. Sophie turned the corner and stepped over the threshold. Her entrance, however, was met by an unexpected sound of muffled footsteps racing toward her from inside the chamber. There'ssomeone in here! A ghostly figure emerged suddenly from out of the reddish haze. Sophie jumped back. â€Å"There you are!† Langdon's hoarse whisper cut the air as his silhouette slid to a stop in front of her. Her relief was only momentary. â€Å"Robert, I told you to get out of here! If Fache – â€Å"Where were you?† â€Å"I had to get the black light,† she whispered, holding it up. â€Å"If my grandfather left me a message – â€Å"Sophie, listen.† Langdon caught his breath as his blue eyes held her firmly. â€Å"The letters P. S†¦ . do they mean anything else to you? Anything at all?† Afraid their voices might echo down the hall, Sophie pulled him into the Salle des Etats and closed the enormous twin doors silently, sealing them inside. â€Å"I told you, the initials mean Princess Sophie.† â€Å"I know, but did you ever see them anywhere else? Did your grandfather ever use P. S. in any other way? As a monogram, or maybe on stationery or a personal item?† The question startled her. How would Robert know that? Sophie had indeed seen the initials P. S. once before, in a kind of monogram. It was the day before her ninth birthday. She was secretly combing the house, searching for hidden birthday presents. Even then, she could not bear secrets kept from her. What did Grand-pere get for me this year? She dug through cupboards and drawers. Did he get me the doll I wanted? Where would he hide it? Finding nothing in the entire house, Sophie mustered the courage to sneak into her grandfather's bedroom. The room was off-limits to her, but her grandfather was downstairs asleep on the couch. I'll just take a fast peek! Tiptoeing across the creaky wood floor to his closet, Sophie peered on the shelves behind his clothing. Nothing. Next she looked under the bed. Still nothing. Moving to his bureau, she opened the drawers and one by one began pawing carefully through them. There must be something for me here! As she reached the bottom drawer, she still had not found any hint of a doll. Dejected, she opened the final drawer and pulled aside some black clothes she had never seen him wear. She was about to close the drawer when her eyes caught a glint of gold in the back of the drawer. It looked like a pocket watch chain, but she knew he didn't wear one. Her heart raced as she realized what it must be. A necklace! Sophie carefully pulled the chain from the drawer. To her surprise, on the end was a brilliant gold key. Heavy and shimmering. Spellbound, she held it up. It looked like no key she had ever seen. Most keys were flat with jagged teeth, but this one had a triangular column with little pockmarks all over it. Its large golden head was in the shape of a cross, but not a normal cross. This was an even-armed one, like a plus sign. Embossed in the middle of the cross was a strange symbol – two letters intertwined with some kind of flowery design. â€Å"P. S. ,† she whispered, scowling as she read the letters. Whatever could this be? â€Å"Sophie?† her grandfather spoke from the doorway. Startled, she spun, dropping the key on the floor with a loud clang. She stared down at the key, afraid to look up at her grandfather's face. â€Å"I†¦ was looking for my birthday present,† she said, hanging her head, knowing she had betrayed his trust. For what seemed like an eternity, her grandfather stood silently in the doorway. Finally, he let out a long troubled breath. â€Å"Pick up the key, Sophie.† Sophie retrieved the key. Her grandfather walked in. â€Å"Sophie, you need to respect other people's privacy.† Gently, he knelt down and took the key from her. â€Å"This key is very special. If you had lost it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her grandfather's quiet voice made Sophie feel even worse. â€Å"I'm sorry, Grand-pere.I really am.† She paused. â€Å"I thought it was a necklace for my birthday.† He gazed at her for several seconds. â€Å"I'll say this once more, Sophie, because it's important. You need to learn to respect other people's privacy.† â€Å"Yes, Grand-pere.† â€Å"We'll talk about this some other time. Right now, the garden needs to be weeded.† Sophie hurried outside to do her chores. The next morning, Sophie received no birthday present from her grandfather. She hadn't expected one, not after what she had done. But he didn't even wish her happy birthday all day. Sadly, she trudged up to bed that night. As she climbed in, though, she found a note card lying on her pillow. On the card was written a simple riddle. Even before she solved the riddle, she was smiling. I know what this is! Her grandfather had done this for her last Christmas morning. A treasure hunt! Eagerly, she pored over the riddle until she solved it. The solution pointed her to another part of the house, where she found another card and another riddle. She solved this one too, racing on to the next card. Running wildly, she darted back and forth across the house, from clue to clue, until at last she found a clue that directed her back to her own bedroom. Sophie dashed up the stairs, rushed into her room, and stopped in her tracks. There in the middle of the room sat a shining red bicycle with a ribbon tied to the handlebars. Sophie shrieked with delight. â€Å"I know you asked for a doll,† her grandfather said, smiling in the corner. â€Å"I thought you might like this even better.† The next day, her grandfather taught her to ride, running beside her down the walkway. When Sophie steered out over the thick lawn and lost her balance, they both went tumbling onto the grass, rolling and laughing. â€Å"Grand-pere,†Sophie said, hugging him. â€Å"I'm really sorry about the key.† â€Å"I know, sweetie. You're forgiven. I can't possibly stay mad at you. Grandfathers and granddaughters always forgive each other.† Sophie knew she shouldn't ask, but she couldn't help it. â€Å"What does it open? I never saw a key like that. It was very pretty.† Her grandfather was silent a long moment, and Sophie could see he was uncertain how to answer. Grand-pere never lies. â€Å"It opens a box,† he finally said. â€Å"Where I keep many secrets.† Sophie pouted. â€Å"I hate secrets!† â€Å"I know, but these are important secrets. And someday, you'll learn to appreciate them as much as I do.† â€Å"I saw letters on the key, and a flower.† â€Å"Yes, that's my favorite flower. It's called a fleur-de-lis. We have them in the garden. The white ones. In English we call that kind of flower a lily.† â€Å"I know those! They're my favorite too!† â€Å"Then I'll make a deal with you.† Her grandfather's eyebrows raised the way they always did when he was about to give her a challenge. â€Å"If you can keep my key a secret, and never talk about it ever again, to me or anybody, then someday I will give it to you.† Sophie couldn't believe her ears. â€Å"You will?† â€Å"I promise. When the time comes, the key will be yours. It has your name on it.† Sophie scowled. â€Å"No it doesn't. It said P. S. My name isn't P. S. !† Her grandfather lowered his voice and looked around as if to make sure no one was listening. â€Å"Okay, Sophie, if you must know, P. S. is a code. It's your secret initials.† Her eyes went wide. â€Å"I have secret initials?† â€Å"Of course. Granddaughters always have secret initials that only their grandfathers know.† â€Å"P. S. ?† He tickled her. â€Å"Princesse Sophie.† She giggled. â€Å"I'm not a princess!† He winked. â€Å"You are to me.† From that day on, they never again spoke of the key. And she became his Princess Sophie. Inside the Salle des Etats, Sophie stood in silence and endured the sharp pang of loss. â€Å"The initials,† Langdon whispered, eyeing her strangely. â€Å"Have you seen them?† Sophie sensed her grandfather's voice whispering in the corridors of the museum. Never speak ofthis key, Sophie.To me or to anyone.She knew she had failed him in forgiveness, and she wondered if she could break his trust again. P. S. Find Robert Langdon.Her grandfather wanted Langdon to help. Sophie nodded. â€Å"Yes, I saw the initials P. S. once. When I was very young.† â€Å"Where?† Sophie hesitated. â€Å"On something very important to him.† Langdon locked eyes with her. â€Å"Sophie, this is crucial. Can you tell me if the initials appeared with a symbol? A fleur-de-lis?† Sophie felt herself staggering backward in amazement. â€Å"But†¦ how could you possibly know that!† Langdon exhaled and lowered his voice. â€Å"I'm fairly certain your grandfather was a member of a secret society. A very old covert brotherhood.† Sophie felt a knot tighten in her stomach. She was certain of it too. For ten years she had tried to forget the incident that had confirmed that horrifying fact for her. She had witnessed something unthinkable. Unforgivable. â€Å"The fleur-de-lis,† Langdon said,† combined with the initials P. S. , that is the brotherhood's official device. Their coat of arms. Their logo.† â€Å"How do you know this?† Sophie was praying Langdon was not going to tell her that he himselfwas a member. â€Å"I've written about this group,† he said, his voice tremulous with excitement. â€Å"Researching the symbols of secret societies is a specialty of mine. They call themselves the Prieure de Sion – the Priory of Sion. They're based here in France and attract powerful members from all over Europe. In fact, they are one of the oldest surviving secret societies on earth.† Sophie had never heard of them. Langdon was talking in rapid bursts now. â€Å"The Priory's membership has included some of history's most cultured individuals: men like Botticelli, Sir Isaac Newton, Victor Hugo.† He paused, his voice brimming now with academic zeal. â€Å"And, Leonardo Da Vinci.† Sophie stared. â€Å"Da Vinci was in a secret society?† â€Å"Da Vinci presided over the Priory between 1510 and 1519 as the brotherhood's Grand Master, which might help explain your grandfather's passion for Leonardo's work. The two men share a historical fraternal bond. And it all fits perfectly with their fascination for goddess iconology, paganism, feminine deities, and contempt for the Church. The Priory has a well-documented history of reverence for the sacred feminine.† â€Å"You're telling me this group is a pagan goddess worship cult?† â€Å"More like the pagan goddess worship cult. But more important, they are known as the guardians of an ancient secret. One that made them immeasurably powerful.† Despite the total conviction in Langdon's eyes, Sophie's gut reaction was one of stark disbelief. Asecret pagan cult? Once headed by Leonardo Da Vinci? It all sounded utterly absurd. And yet, even as she dismissed it, she felt her mind reeling back ten years – to the night she had mistakenly surprised her grandfather and witnessed what she still could not accept. Could that explain – ? â€Å"The identities of living Priory members are kept extremely secret,† Langdon said,† but the P. S. and fleur-de-lis that you saw as a child are proof. It could only have been related to the Priory.† Sophie realized now that Langdon knew far more about her grandfather than she had previously imagined. This American obviously had volumes to share with her, but this was not the place. â€Å"I can't afford to let them catch you, Robert. There's a lot we need to discuss. You need to go!† Langdon heard only the faint murmur of her voice. He wasn't going anywhere. He was lost in another place now. A place where ancient secrets rose to the surface. A place where forgotten histories emerged from the shadows. Slowly, as if moving underwater, Langdon turned his head and gazed through the reddish haze toward the Mona Lisa. The fleur-de-lis†¦ the flower of Lisa†¦ the Mona Lisa. It was all intertwined, a silent symphony echoing the deepest secrets of the Priory of Sion and Leonardo Da Vinci. A few miles away, on the riverbank beyond Les Invalides, the bewildered driver of a twin-bed Trailor truck stood at gunpoint and watched as the captain of the Judicial Police let out a guttural roar of rage and heaved a bar of soap out into the turgid waters of the Seine.

Free Essays on The Rape Of The Lock

and armor. However despite the similarities of the subject matter there is a crucial difference between the two authors: the depiction of women Pope portrays women as shallow vapid creatures completely absorbed in the social trivialities of their upper crust world. Congreve on the other hand paints a kinder picture of the â€Å"gentler sex†. A woman, despite being a good herself, has certain resources at her disposal: wit (intellect), her sexuality, and wealth. The women in Congreve’s world all have some form of power and are distinctly aware that these are bargaining chips to â€Å"conquer† a man into a good marriage i.e. a marriage that provides wealth and respectability. Essentially Congreve portrays women similarly to men as creatures with real concerns, intellect, power but limited so that it is a struggle to achieve one’s goals while Pope portrays them as beautiful inconsequential ornaments. The pursuit of women, in Congreve’s it is the witty Millamant and in Pope’s it is the ravishing Belinda, drives the plots of both stories. In both texts these beautiful and virginal â€Å"prizes† can only be won through much verbal maneuvering and ambushes. In Congreve’s ... Free Essays on The Rape of the Lock Free Essays on The Rape of the Lock Dehumanizing Women Women are portrayed as commodities in both Alexander Pope’s â€Å"The Rape of the Lock† and in William Congreve’s â€Å"The Way of the World†. However in Congreve’s â€Å"Rape of the Lock† women play a more active and cognizant role wrangling a suitable marriage than in Pope’s poem. In both texts elite society is portrayed as a group that have complex social interactions. The stakes are quite high: marriage. Marriage in those days was not simply a matter of the heart, but it is an institution that defined people’s class status, wealth, and connections. This is a battlefield of affection and the spoils of marriage go to the victor. Here the weapons are verbal spars and witty parries replacing the clash of metallic swords and armor. However despite the similarities of the subject matter there is a crucial difference between the two authors: the depiction of women Pope portrays women as shallow vapid creatures completely abs orbed in the social trivialities of their upper crust world. Congreve on the other hand paints a kinder picture of the â€Å"gentler sex†. A woman, despite being a good herself, has certain resources at her disposal: wit (intellect), her sexuality, and wealth. The women in Congreve’s world all have some form of power and are distinctly aware that these are bargaining chips to â€Å"conquer† a man into a good marriage i.e. a marriage that provides wealth and respectability. Essentially Congreve portrays women similarly to men as creatures with real concerns, intellect, power but limited so that it is a struggle to achieve one’s goals while Pope portrays them as beautiful inconsequential ornaments. The pursuit of women, in Congreve’s it is the witty Millamant and in Pope’s it is the ravishing Belinda, drives the plots of both stories. In both texts these beautiful and virginal â€Å"prizes† can only be won through much verbal maneuvering and ambushes. In Congreve’s ... Free Essays on The Rape Of The Lock As the name indicates, the Mock-Epic is a literary form that ridicules the ‘classical epics.’ It does so by using characteristics of the classical epic; the invocation of a deity, a regular statement of theme, the division of the work into books and cantos, ostentatious speeches, battles and supernatural machinery; to reveal the absurdity of a certain subject. The main consequence of utilizing the style of an epic is, however, not so much to have fun with the epic, but to deflate a subject or characters that by contrast appear exceptionally insignificant. One of the best examples of a Mock Epic is Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock. Pope uses highly refined verses, pungent satirical heroic couplets, and intelligence to satirize not only the irrepressible intricacy and solemnity of subject matters found within epic poems, but the commotion that results when a young lord cuts a small lock of hair from the head of an young beauty. In The Rape of the Lock, Pope exhausts much energy preparing the audience for a ‘battle’ (card game) that will shortly take place, that of English intrigue at Hampton Court. Pope treats the subject with gravity, portraying the story as a true epic. Pope's intent was perhaps to weaken, with pleasantry, the adverse feelings aroused by the trial of the episode. Pope is asking the reader to laugh, to see how an event of little significance has been filled with importance. Though its manner may be light, its purpose is completely earnest; it keeps the public conscience mindful, it exhibits absurdity for what it is, and makes those prone to embrace senseless or garish customs conscious that they are ludicrous. Thus, his work is ranked more accurately as a bemused satire. In other words, Pope aimed to show to society the absurdity of the subject, rather than to abhor them as wrong. The main subject that Pope mocks is beauty. Pope addresses beauty in a multitude of ways. The Rape of the Lock discloses...

How To Write Exciting Content Even For A Boring Industry

How To Write Exciting Content Even For A Boring Industry As you peruse the internet for content marketing tips, strategies, and case studies, you may find plenty examples of what works. But, unfortunately, not all of those examples resonate with you because your industry doesnt inspire exciting, viral content. So the questions you may have are as follows. Do you need the kind of content that attracts and entertains thousands of visitors? What do you do if you want to make your content exciting in an otherwise boring industry? In this post, were going to answer both. What do you do if you want to make your content exciting in an otherwise boring industry? @kikolaniContent Doesnt Have to Be Exciting Not all content has to be exciting. Audiences in certain industries may not want exciting or entertaining, but rather straightforward, professional content. When youre not sure whether your industry is up for exciting content, the best approach is to look at what your competitors are publishing. If you see competitors at that are publishing exciting content, and those that are publishing what you might consider stuffy content, look at the engagement for both. If you notice the exciting content gets more engagement from those in your target audience, then it is something you should try in your content marketing strategy. If the stuffy content is getting more engagement, it doesnt mean you have to give up on the idea of exciting content. You may just want to incorporate it slowly. Remember that exciting has its place in your content marketing. Blog posts can be exciting and entertaining because they are considered to be more casual, conversational pieces of content. White papers, sales presentations, and similar content (again, depending on your industry) would be better served as formal content for serious audiences.

Peroxisomes - Eukaryotic Organelles

Peroxisomes - Eukaryotic Organelles Peroxisomes are small organelles found in eukaryotic plant and animal cells. Hundreds of these round organelles can be found within a cell. Also known as microbodies, peroxisomes are bound by a single membrane and contain enzymes that produce hydrogen peroxide as a by-product. The enzymes decompose organic molecules through oxidation reactions, producing hydrogen peroxide in the process. Hydrogen peroxide is toxic to the cell, but peroxisomes also contain an enzyme that is capable of converting hydrogen peroxide to water. Peroxisomes are involved in at least 50 different biochemical reactions in the body. Types of organic polymers that are broken down by peroxisomes include amino acids, uric acid, and fatty acids. Peroxisomes in liver cells help to detoxify alcohol and other harmful substances through oxidation. Key Takeaways: Peroxisomes Peroxisomes, also known as microbodies, are organelles that are found in both eukaryotic animal and plant cells.A number of organic polymers are broken down by peroxisomes including amino acids, uric acid, and fatty acids. At least 50 different biochemical reactions in the body involve peroxisomes.Structurally, peroxisomes are surrounded by one membrane that encloses digestive enzymes. Hydrogen peroxide is produced as a by-product of peroxisome enzyme activity which decomposes organic molecules.Functionally, peroxisomes are involved in both the destruction of organic molecules and the synthesis of important molecules in the cell.Similar to mitochondria and chloroplast reproduction, peroxisomes have the ability to assemble themselves and reproduce by dividing in a process known as peroxisomal biogenesis. Peroxisomes Function In addition to being involved in the oxidation and decomposition of organic molecules, peroxisomes are also involved in synthesizing important molecules. In animal cells, peroxisomes synthesize cholesterol and bile acids (produced in the liver). Certain enzymes in peroxisomes are necessary for the synthesis of a specific type of phospholipid that is necessary for the building of heart and brain white matter tissue. Peroxisome dysfunction can lead to the development of disorders that affect the central nervous system as perioxsomes are involved in producing the lipid covering (myelin sheath) of nerve fibers. The majority of peroxisome disorders are the result of gene mutations that are inherited as autosomal recessive disorders. This means that individuals with the disorder inherit two copies of the abnormal gene, one from each parent. In plant cells, peroxisomes convert fatty acids to carbohydrates for metabolism in germinating seeds. They are also involved in photorespiration, which occurs when carbon dioxide levels become too low in plant leaves. Photorespiration conserves carbon dioxide by limiting the amount of CO2 available to be used in photosynthesis. Peroxisome Production Peroxisomes reproduce similarly to mitochondria and chloroplasts in that they have the ability to assemble themselves and reproduce by dividing. This process is called peroxisomal biogenesis and involves the building of the peroxisomal membrane, intake of proteins and phospholipids for organelle growth, and new peroxisome formation by division. Unlike mitochondria and chloroplasts, peroxisomes have no DNA and must take in proteins produced by free ribosomes in the cytoplasm. The uptake of proteins and phospholipids increases growth and new peroxisomes are formed as the enlarged peroxisomes divide. Eukaryotic Cell Structures In addition to peroxisomes, the following organelles and cell structures can also be found in eukaryotic cells: Cell Membrane: The cell membrane protects the integrity of the interior of the cell. It is a semi-permeable membrane that surrounds the cell.Centrioles: When cells divide, centrioles help to organize the assembly of microtubules.Cilia and Flagella: Both cilia and flagella aid in cellular locomotion and can also help move substances around cells.Chloroplasts: Chloroplasts are the sites of photosynthesis in a plant cell. They contain chlorophyll, a green substance that can absorb light energy.Chromosomes: Chromosomes are located in the cells nucleus and carry heredity information in the form of DNA.Cytoskeleton: The cytoskeleton is a network of fibers that support the cell. It can be thought of as the cells infrastructure.Nucleus: The cells nucleus controls cell growth and reproduction. It is surrounded by the nuclear envelope, a double-membrane.Ribosomes: Ribosomes are involved in protein synthesis. Most often, individual ribosomes have both a small and large subunit.Mitochondria: Mit ochondria provide energy for the cell. They are considered the cells power house. Endoplasmic Reticulum: The endoplasmic reticulum synthesizes carbohydrates and lipids. It also produces proteins and lipids for a number of cell components.Golgi Apparatus: The golgi apparatus manufactures, stores, and ships certain cellular products. It can be thought of as the shipping and manufacturing center of the cell.Lysosomes: Lysosomes digest cellular macromolecules. They contain a number of hydrolytic enzymes that help to break down cellular components.

Strategy for Siam Canadian Food Co Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Strategy for Siam Canadian Food Co - Case Study Example At present, Siam Canadian Co., Ltd. has inter-linked offices strategically located throughout Asia-including Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar (Burma), China and India. In 1997/98 the Thai economy was in a deep recession as a result of the severe financial problems facing many Thai firms, particularly banks and financial institutions.Siam Canadian, in an effort to expand its bases, had to determine if opening a branch in Burma would be feasible at that time. It was important for the company to explore the possible risks of such a move, and a study of the country of Burma was necessary. One risk that needed to be addressed was the United States decision in April 1997, to clamp sanctions on Burma. It quickly became evident, however, that the United States had less economic leverage in Burma than in many countries around the world. And it failed to persuade Burma's neighbors in the region-- its primary trading partners -- to join in any form of sanctions.   Effects of US economic sanctions also were offset by Burma’s admission into the Association of South-East Asian Nations in 1997. One Burmese official had already shrugged off the sanctions. "We have been surviving without any assistance from the US government for years, so I don't think these sanctions will have any effect on the Myanmar (Burmese) economy," he said. Another possible risk was the existence of a powerful military group, which is 1997 was renamed the Union Solidarity Development Association and was recognized as the military junta’s political wing. Nevertheless, Siam Canadian was not affected by these risks. Thailand has never expressed openly what sectors might be at risk from market access, but it has had experience in the agriculture and food sectors and the strategy has always been to conform to importing countries’ expectations.     

Net Present Value Model (NPV) Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Net Present Value Model (NPV) - Coursework Example A con of this method is that the numerical values can sometimes lead to erroneous decisions (Arya & Fellingham & Glover, 1998). The IRR is the rate of return a firm expects to earn if a project is accepted. Similarly to NPV an advantage of this method is that it takes into consideration time value of money. The biggest con of the method is that it is more difficult to calculate. A lot of companies prefer to use the internal rate of return method because this method quantifies the potential earnings of a project in the form of a numerical rate. The calculation of IRR is similar to finding the yield to maturity of a bond (Besley & Brigham, 2000). A project manager can know how much extra income a firm can obtain from a project. The capital budgeting evaluation technique that I prefer is net present value. This technique allows a manager to select the best project among several options. The project selected should be the one with the highest NPV value. Another reason that I prefer NPV over other capital budgeting techniques is because it is the best method to accomplish the goal of maximizing shareholder’s wealth (Besley, et al. 2000). Arya, A., Fellingham, J., Glover, J. (1998). Capital Budgeting: Some Exceptions to the Net Present Value Rule. Issues in Accounting, 13(3). p.499-508. Retrieved April 3, 2014 from

Philosophy of nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Philosophy of nursing - Essay Example This partnership between nurse and patient evolved from a relationship where one does things for another, to a therapeutic partnership not only existing while the patient is ill but is extended long after getting better. Integrating the importance of understanding one’s behavior and how this affects the delivery of quality care for patients has turned nursing both into a science and art: science due to the importance of the basic principles of scientific inquiry; and art due to the nurse practitioner’s ability to be creative in applying or modifying various concepts and other bodies of knowledge such as evidence-based practice, depending on what the situation needs (Parker & Smith, 2010). In addition, because establishing a nurse-client relationship that is based on trust and integrity has become just as important as the accuracy and applicability of the care provided, the nurses need to have an awareness not just on the patient’s whole situation but of themselves as well, to assess whether it is in their capacity to bring the necessary service or if they need other forms of assistance. This combination of methodological and creative thinking has made the nursing profession a sc ience and an art. I have chosen to become a nurse by profession because doing so allows me to express various sides of me: the scientific and methodological side; the creative side; and most importantly my caring side. This is because in reality, various disciplines are not strictly separated but rather overlap with one another, thus it is important to acknowledge the fact that every kind of discipline, even the nursing profession borrows other ideas from seemingly-different fields such as psychological theories to business and economics in the process of improving care delivery for patients and other stakeholders. Such ideas were inspired by Peplau’s ground-breaking psychodynamic theory, which integrated interpersonal theory, a psychological

Strategic Initiatives Required of easyJet plc to maintain its Dominant Dissertation

Strategic Initiatives Required of easyJet plc to maintain its Dominant Market Share in the United Kingdom - Dissertation Example The venture failed, being squeezed out by the established airlines, but the concept remained and was revived in the 1980s, when deregulation in the airline industry in the U.S.A. witnessed Southwest airlines using this strategy to gain dominance in the domestic market. Liberalization in the airline market by the European Commission resulted in this concept reviving in the European sector in the 1990s. Consequently, â€Å"no frills airlines† sprung up by the mid-1990s in the United Kingdom and began dominating the European Market. easyJet came into being in 1995 as the brainchild of the Cypriot businessman Stelios Haji Ioannou, having a background steeped in the shipping industry. The early days of easyJet did not witness much success in proving to be a profitable venture. However, between the period 1998 to 2002 easyJet demonstrated the hunger and drive for larger market share and profitability through an impressive record of raising its 77 million pound turnover and 5.9 milli on pound profitability to 582 million pound turnover and 71.6 million pound profitability over this period. Strategic initiatives in the form of mergers and acquisitions of competitors and brand extension resulted in easyJet rising to a dominant market position in the United Kingdom market (Homer & Swarbrooke, 2004). ... Such a study would add to the body of knowledge of strategic management, providing insight into sustaining competitive advantage. 3. Literature Review easyJet has its headquarters in Luton England, providing direct employment to 7,300 people that include 1,900 pilots and 4,300 cabin crew. It has revolutionized the manner in which people in Europe travel for business or for pleasure. It has led the way in utilizing the Internet as means of providing convenience in ticketing and quick dissemination of information. It operates on more than 540 routes in Europe with its 196 aircraft. In 2010 it carried fifty million passengers. It has strong market positions in key markets in Europe. It holds the dominant position at Gatwick, Milan and Geneva and is a strong contender in Paris (easyJet plc, 2011). The business and financial highlights of easyJet for the year 2010 shows a total revenue of 2,973.1 million pounds, profit before tax of 154.0 million pounds, return on equity of 8.6% and retur n on capital of 8.8%. easyJet has demonstrated continuing growth, with passenger numbers up by 7.9% and total revenue per seat up by 5.1% (easyJet plc, 2011). With the passing of each year easyJet’s market position in the European short haul aviation sector has only grown stronger. In the first half of 2010 it increased its market share from 6.5% to 7.6% (easyJet plc, 2010). easyJet has demonstrated how to use the resource based model to attain competitive edge and success in the business world. In its initial days it imitated this business model used by Southwest Airlines of U.S.A. which was characterized by use of one type of aircraft, the Boeing 737; catering to short haul needs; no

Pros and Cons of Legalizing Drugs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Pros and Cons of Legalizing Drugs - Essay Example The government starts experiencing constraints in sustaining its citizens and therefore is forced to result to heavy borrowing from other nations, non-governmental organizations, World Bank among other financial institutions. The resulting effect is a huge deficit in the balance of payments, which in turn leads to bad debts (Parks 2009). b) High costs incurred- The costs incurred by the government in following up and arresting drug traffickers are high. It involves the use of machines like vehicles and detectors, to track the criminals and this means expenditure has to be incurred. When these criminals have been arrested and prosecuted, they have to be retained in the cells and provided with the basic needs. If any of them falls sick, they have to be taken to the hospital by the government and it settles their medical bills. This all are extra costs incurred which should have otherwise been saved (Bean 2010). Many nations find it unreasonable nowadays to arrest and prosecute drug offenders as that is not helping in any way to reduce the vice and hence the urge to legalize drugs. The graph below compares the total number of people jailed for drug abusing in U.S.A and the total number of people arrested and jailed by the European Union for all offenses:Medical expenditure by the government increases since many fall vic tims of drug abuse. Many of them become addicted to the drugs to a point whereby they cannot do without them, and this means rehabilitation is the only solution to save their lives. The sensitization programs that the government may decide to organize to enlighten the people on the effects of drug abuse and ways of avoiding drug abuse are very costly. c) Increased mortality rate- Due to drug legalization, many drivers will be under the influence of drugs when driving. This increases road accidents hence leading to loss of lives of many civilians and traffic jams in the roads. In addition, since it is legal to use drugs, many people will result to abusing them. Drug abuse may lead to death of the victim at the end because the drugs have their side effects on human health. For example, many people have been abusing pharmaceutical products that are legal and this has resulted in the death of the individuals. These deaths reduce the population of a country, which should have provided the country with enough labor force to maximize output thus profits (Parks 2009). d) Increased war with other nations and terrorism- Many terrorists do abuse drugs so that they can stimulate their bodies for the plans ahead. Many of these drugs affect the reasoning capacity of an individual and

Strategic Initiatives Required of easyJet plc to maintain its Dominant Dissertation

Strategic Initiatives Required of easyJet plc to maintain its Dominant Market Share in the United Kingdom - Dissertation Example The venture failed, being squeezed out by the established airlines, but the concept remained and was revived in the 1980s, when deregulation in the airline industry in the U.S.A. witnessed Southwest airlines using this strategy to gain dominance in the domestic market. Liberalization in the airline market by the European Commission resulted in this concept reviving in the European sector in the 1990s. Consequently, â€Å"no frills airlines† sprung up by the mid-1990s in the United Kingdom and began dominating the European Market. easyJet came into being in 1995 as the brainchild of the Cypriot businessman Stelios Haji Ioannou, having a background steeped in the shipping industry. The early days of easyJet did not witness much success in proving to be a profitable venture. However, between the period 1998 to 2002 easyJet demonstrated the hunger and drive for larger market share and profitability through an impressive record of raising its 77 million pound turnover and 5.9 milli on pound profitability to 582 million pound turnover and 71.6 million pound profitability over this period. Strategic initiatives in the form of mergers and acquisitions of competitors and brand extension resulted in easyJet rising to a dominant market position in the United Kingdom market (Homer & Swarbrooke, 2004). ... Such a study would add to the body of knowledge of strategic management, providing insight into sustaining competitive advantage. 3. Literature Review easyJet has its headquarters in Luton England, providing direct employment to 7,300 people that include 1,900 pilots and 4,300 cabin crew. It has revolutionized the manner in which people in Europe travel for business or for pleasure. It has led the way in utilizing the Internet as means of providing convenience in ticketing and quick dissemination of information. It operates on more than 540 routes in Europe with its 196 aircraft. In 2010 it carried fifty million passengers. It has strong market positions in key markets in Europe. It holds the dominant position at Gatwick, Milan and Geneva and is a strong contender in Paris (easyJet plc, 2011). The business and financial highlights of easyJet for the year 2010 shows a total revenue of 2,973.1 million pounds, profit before tax of 154.0 million pounds, return on equity of 8.6% and retur n on capital of 8.8%. easyJet has demonstrated continuing growth, with passenger numbers up by 7.9% and total revenue per seat up by 5.1% (easyJet plc, 2011). With the passing of each year easyJet’s market position in the European short haul aviation sector has only grown stronger. In the first half of 2010 it increased its market share from 6.5% to 7.6% (easyJet plc, 2010). easyJet has demonstrated how to use the resource based model to attain competitive edge and success in the business world. In its initial days it imitated this business model used by Southwest Airlines of U.S.A. which was characterized by use of one type of aircraft, the Boeing 737; catering to short haul needs; no

Taxation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 8

Taxation - Essay Example The decision of the amount of public opinions pay to devour today and the amount to put something aside for future utilization is among the most essential financial choices. It can have suggestions not just for the prosperity of the family units taking the choices, additionally for the rate at which the economy contributes and develops, and consequently the prosperity of future eras. (Wildasin And Boadway, 1995) . Taxation is one of numerous arrangements that influence the level of reserve funds. Other huge ones incorporate the arrangement of social protection, particularly benefits, additionally wellbeing and inability protection, welfare administrations and instruction; exchanges of different sorts; and obligation approach (Hmrc.gov.uk, 2014). None the less, the standards by which sparing conduct reacts to these different approaches are fundamentally the same. In the UK, people had the tendency of having progressive saving. This ensured that there were cash reserves to take care of a rainy day. Nevertheless, today the culture of progressive saving is dying out; partly because on the tax that is imposed on saving. The culture of saving needs one to have the highest levels of self-control. The UK government has imposed a 10% rate tax for saving. This means that the government gets 10% of the money that you have saved and are continuing to save (Tax aid, 2010). The system that is in use on taxation of saving in the UK is not fair and entails a lot of detail. This is so much in the accounts that gain interests on their savings. Saving is both important in ensuring economic growth and personal monetary security. There are several purposes for saving taxation in the tax system. Tax is based on income and savings of an individual and the difference between these two is the way tax on savings is treated. Tax on savings is always equal to the

Excel based problems Essay Example for Free

Excel based problems Essay The fund-basis financial statements of Jefferson county have completed for the year 2012 and appear in the first tab of the excel spreadsheet provided with this exercise. The following information is also available: a. Capital Assets †¢ Capital assets purchased in previous years in governmental type funds totaled $752,000 (net of accumulated depreciation) as of January 1, 2012. †¢ Depreciation on capital assets used in governmental- type activities amounted to $79,500 for 2012 †¢ No capital assets were sold or disposed of in 2012 and all purchases are properly reflected in the fund-basis statements as capital expenditures. b. Long-term Debt †¢ There was no outstanding long-term debt associated with governmental- type funds as of January 1, 2012. †¢ April 1, 2012, 6 percent bonds with a face value of $ 700,000 were issued in the amount of $ 720, 000. Bond payments are made on October 1 and April 1 of each year. Interest is based on an annual rate of 6 percent and principal payments are $ 17, 500 each. The first payment (Interest and principal) was made in October 1. †¢ Amortization of the bond premium for the current year is $1,000. c. Deferred Revenues †¢ Deferred revenues (comprised solely of property taxes) are expected to be collected more than 60 days after year-ed. The balance of deferred taxes at the end of 2011 was $18,200 d. Transfers †¢ Transfers were between governmental-type funds. e. Internal Service Fund †¢ The (motor pool) internal service fund’s revenue is predominantly derived from departments classified as governmental-type activities †¢ There were no amounts due to the internal service fund from the General fund. The outstanding balance of â€Å"due to other funds† was with the Enterprise Fund and is not capital related. †¢ The enterprise fund provided a long-term advance to the internal service fund (not capital related). Required Use the excel template provided to complete the following requirement; a  separate tab is provided in Excel for each of these steps. 1. Prepare the journal entries necessary to convert the governmental fund financial statements to the accrual basis of accounting 2. Post the journal entries to the conversion worksheet provided 3. Prepare a governmental-wide Statement of Activities and statement of Net Assets for the year 2012. All of the governmental fund revenues are â€Å"general revenues.† This is an involved problem, requiring many steps. Here are some hints. a. Tab 1 is information to be used in the problem. you do not enter anything here b. After you make the journal entries (Tab2), post these to the worksheet to convert to the accrual basis. This worksheet is set up so that you enter Debit as positive numbers and credits as negative. After enter you post your entries, look at the numbers below the total credit Colum to see that debits equal credits. If not, you probably entered a credit as a positive number. c. Make sure that total debits equal total credits in the last column (balances for Government-wide statements ) d. When calculating Restricted Net Assets, recall that permanent fund principal is added to restricted fund balances.

The Stepford Wives Film Analysis

The Stepford Wives Film Analysis With the birth of Second Wave feminism in the 1960s women started to ask the questions of what their roles in life are. A generation of future housewives wondered that if they continued to keep doing the chores and giving their undivided attention to their husbands they would not be living a life they really wanted. The Stepford Wives (Forbes, 1975) addresses these concerns with a terrified and gloomy look at the perfect woman. The Stepford Wives (Forbes, 1975) portrays the feminine condition in a bourgeois, patriarchal society (Boruzkowski, 1987). In the film, liberated females who are equal to, if not more powerful than their husbands and hold on to their own sexuality are murdered and changed with supposedly superior copies who supposedly embody perfection. These robotic copies have the best figure, do chores, they are extremely maternal, and are willing to satisfy their husband sexually whenever he wants it. With women being forced into becoming domestic housewives being dominate d by men sexually, this essay will textually analyse the final ten minutes of the film in relation to these issues.   Sexuality and mans desires play an important part in the final ten minutes of The Stepford Wives (Forbes, 1975). The scene starts with the character of Joanna searching for her children in the Mens Association building. After having a conversation with the robotic wife creator Diz, in which he tries to persuade her that conforming to a male oppression is the right thing to do and she should embrace the male dominated is society, she then flees from him. The darkness does not allow the audience to clearly see her actions, but a room with a life-sized female replica is seen briefly. Finally she opens a door and is greeted by an exact replica of her bedroom, including Fred the dog she thought was dead. The existence of him can be read as a metaphor to what the men of Stepford want their wives to be like, mans best friend; to be well-trained, faithful, passive, and subservient, to want for nothing, and to always be there. The camera slowly pans to Joannas robotic double brushing her hair in a three-way mirror. As she turns we see that her eyes are completely black. This reiterates that this double is not a real person; she has no life in her eyes. When Joanna meets her replacement, we see her sitting at her dresser. As the robotic Joanna stands, we notice through her see-through clothes that she isnt an accurate representation of Joanna, but a new-fangled superior version. The double has clear skin, perfectly wavy hair, a fake smile and black robotic eyes. Joannas shock is revealed and soon the audience sees why; the camera reveals a shot the robot has perfect and significantly larger breasts, a narrower waist and fuller hips. The camera then pans back up to the human Joanna. Joanna stares in horror as the robot stands up with a pair of tights stretched tightly in her hands. The camera shows a close-up of a very satisfied Diz, distractingly petting Fred and watching the scene with genuine voyeuristic pleasure. The scene ends with a close-up of the tights stretched tightly between the robots hands and the see-through lingerie that reveals the perfect abdomen.  This scene clearly demonstrates to the audience that the robo tic females are not for any scientific method or anything other than to be used for the pleasure of men only. When Joanna is talking to Diz he explains this viewpoint; if the roles were reversed, wouldnt you like some perfect stud waiting on you around the house praising you, servicing you, whispering how your sagging flesh was beautiful no matter how you looked (Forbes, 1975). Desire is a main focal point for the scene between the real Joanna and the robotic Joanna created by Diz. Dizs creation falls into what MacKinnon would say is typical gender division and inequality. Male power takes the social form of what men as a gender want sexually, which centers on power itself, as socially defined woman is defined by what male desire requires for arousal and satisfaction (MacKinnon, 1991, p. 131). Diz creates what he believes to be the perfect woman, to meet his sexual desires and has marketed his product to all the men in Stepford. They believe the women have become too successful, powerful and independent , while the robots are the completely opposite to this, lacking ambition and are repressed and submissive . The fantasy that Diz creates is not meant to be woman but instead sexuality. When the robot is shown the focus is not on her mind or anything immediately beautiful, like the eyes or the smile, instead the focus is on her breasts and her stomach and her female body as a sexualized form. The object of desire is the artificial beauty man created. Artificial beauty is a theme that is recurrent throughout The Stepford Wives (Forbes, 1975), focusing on dolls or other subjects that relate to childhood innocence. The robotic domestic Joannas blatant sexuality reveals her submission to male desire. The camera emphasises the object of desire multiple times, lingering on the breasts, abdomen and full body. In the scene between the two Joannas, the liberated female must die in order for the domesticated female to exist. With womens liberation becoming more culturally excepted, the number of women who chose to stay at home was decreasing. Women were beginning to become less submissive to men. In the film this process had to be reversed so that in order for mans perfect creation to exist, the threat of womens liberation must die.   The final image in The Stepford Wives (Forbes, 1975) shows the robotic wives in their best dresses doing their shopping and talking to each other. The dress that the robotic women are wearing hides the sexuality she possesses. The women to be under complete control of the men need to be both sexual and in need of a man to be there. The robotic females have been programmed to please their husbands physically; they are vain and self-absorbed because of this. The robotic wife has become an à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ isolated, glamorous, on display, sexualized property (Mulvey, 1975, p. 9). She is weak, hopeless, and unable to protect herself. However as she has been reprogrammed it could be argued she no longer has a self to protect. The ideal housewife is an ardent consumer who buys endlessly new things for the home, and gains satisfaction from doing so (Frieden, 1963, p. 206). In The Stepford Wives (Forbes, 1975), women shop systematically and neatly, discuss and consume products with devouring interest and gratification. The robotic wives are almost at one with the supermarket, the woman are merchandise available for any man, just like the products available for purchase on the shelves in the aisles and in there trolleys. In this clip from The Stepford Wives (Forbes, 1975) we see men forcing their dominance by creating new and improved versions of their wives in the shell of a robot. The robot serves as mans ultimate fantasy, a beautiful and subservient wife with the perfect figure and a sex drive constantly set to on. The fantasy doll created in Joannas image kills her competitor in an act of sexuality. The ending to the film is very negative. Women have lost both the battle of the sexes and a battle for their lives. What were once very educated women are now obedient consumerist automatons (Inness, 2003, p. 38) who all think the same, and are nothing but sexual objects for their husbands.

No Solutions Offered in There Are No Children Here :: There are No Children Here Essays

No Solutions Offered in There Are No Children Here  Ã‚  Ã‚      Does your home have a lock on your door, a telephone and working appliances and plumbing? Do you dodge bullets in your sleep, have 13 people living in one apartment or wash your dishes in the bathtub because the kitchen sink hasn’t worked for months? Do you wash your clothes in the bathtub because the laundry room is too dangerous to do your washing? Do you live in an environment with no role models, where the gangs control everything and you can’t trust anyone? You may think these are strange questions for people who live in America in the late 20th century, but some people’s answers to these questions may be very different from yours. Those people are the one’s living in the â€Å"other America†. Alex Kotlowitz tells us â€Å"the story of two boys growing up in the other America† in his book There Are No Children Here. The â€Å"other America† Kotlowitz describes in his book is the public housing complex at Henry Horner Homes in Chicago. By following the lives of two boys, Lafeyette and Pharoah Rivers, we are exposed to the misfortunes, turmoil and death that their lives are filled with. Lafeyette and Pharoah are faced with many hardships in their day to day activities. Their apartment, the once beautiful complex, now has broken appliances, poor plumbing, horrible security and from the basement come smells that one housing manager described as â€Å"foul odors† that â€Å"no equipment presently in use by staff could be used to withstand the odor beyond a minute† (p. 240). The boys wake up every morning in this horrible public housing that would most likely be condemned if it was located in any decent neighborhood. Lafeyette and Pharoah get ready for school, usually putting on clothes which have been washed the night before in the bath tub, and then leave for school. Pharoah, who loves school, is always in a hurry to get there, leaving the apartment before anyone else. School is the one place for Pharoah to stand out and get away from the neighborhood for a while. He even attended a summer school program that was supported by the University of Illinois. Lafeyette, on the other hand, isn’t into school very much; which explains why he has such a large number of tardies. Both boys are always careful as they walk through the streets to school to be alert for gunfire, they don’t want to die young like so many friends of theirs.

Henry David Thoreau`s concept of government Essay

Thoreau is one of the most influential thinkers of the world. His Civil Disobedience theory has inspired many leaders who employed it to acquire freedom for their colonized countries. Mahatma Gandhi was inspired by this essay and put it to practice in his Civil Disobedience movement during Indian freedom struggle. This method proved to be stronger than war with weapons.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thoreau’s motto is, ‘That government is best which governs least’. To him government is the ‘mode which the people have chosen to execute their will’. So people holding posts in the government need to reflect the choice of the people.   He hereby does not say that there is no need for a government but demands a better one which can reflect the needs of the people. He derides the kind of government that treats men like ‘movable forts and magazines at the service of some unscrupulous man in power’. Herein he is referring to soldiers at war who risk their lives against their conscience.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thoreau describes the situation of the countries invaded by America   where ‘a sixth of the population of a nation which has undertaken to be the refuge of liberty are slaves’ and under the subjugation of foreign army. He speaks against invasion of foreign lands. Million are against this kind of war and acquisition but no one raises their voice against this. Some times he says that people petition or give up their ’cheap vote’. He questions the citizen giving up their conscience to the legislator. Thoreau ridicules parliamentary elections and proclaims that only those who vote for the abolishment of slavery are real voters. Thoreau finds fault with those who are not able to tolerate unjust laws but at the same time are contended with mere petitioning. A common citizen meets government in the form of tax collectors once in a year. Thoreau does not support taxation which is created without any subjectivity. He does not mind paying tax for essential utilities but he does not find logic in poll tax. He refuses to pay for those that his conscience does not permit. Consequently he is put in jail later to be released on account of someone else paying for him. Thoreau upholds freedom of every individual and criticizes the government for treating individual citizens as a herd. He adds that every individual should be allowed his choice in the welfare activities he wishes to do. He blames the State of collecting tax in the name of welfare activities and using it to invade other nations putting thousands of lives in danger. How can a government that is closing its eyes on the evil of slave trade be trusted in welfare activities? His solution to tackle this issue is Civil Disobedience movement. Instead of waiting for others to start a movement or stop with petitions, every individual should rise up to the occasion with resistance towards the Government. He says, ‘There will never be a really free and enlightened State until the State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power, from which all its own power and authority are derived, and treats him accordingly.’ Thoreau admits that to this kind of government he will willingly submit himself and cheerfully obey. There has been a good change from monarchy to democracy. Now the change needs to be extended to progress towards true respect for the individual. The Government needs to find ways to recognize and organize the rights of man. He also recommends that the legislators could take instruction from the New Testament to make his governance better. This thought from Thoreau has had great impact in the world history. Many nations were made and strengthened by following Civil Disobedience. He recommends what is called as Bloodless war and this war is more powerful than that which is fought with arm and ammunitions.