Simulacrum And Simulations And Simulacra And Science Fiction

Think about the last time you sent a text in order to communicate with another person. You may have been under the impression that you were talking with someone, but in reality you were simply pressing down on your phone and watching the pixels on the screen move. According to Jean Baudrillard’s ideologies, you were the mere product of a simulation. In â€Å"Simulacra and Simulations† and â€Å"Simulacra and Science Fiction†, author and sociologist Jean Baudrillard explains this phenomenon by exploring the concept of simulacrum and simulations. Baudrillard argues that we live in a simulation that is more real than reality, and thus no longer even bears a resemblance to reality. In other words, the reality we think we know is really just an illusion. One movie with an exceptional amount of parallels to Baudrillard’s ideologies is The Matrix, directed by the Wachowskis. Many people believe that foundation of The Matrix’s plot is based off Baudrillardà ¢â‚¬â„¢s philosophies, however this has been met with numerous counterarguments. While The Matrix’s plot may correspond with many Baudrillard’s beliefs, it is my belief that The Matrix is not solely based on Baudrillard’s works but instead incorporates ideas from a variety of different sources. Although people may assume that the terms simulacra and simulation are interchangeable, it is important to specify how they differ. The chapter, â€Å"Simulacra and Simulations† in Selected Writings opens with quote from Ecclesiastes stating â€Å"[t]he simulacrumShow MoreRelatedThe Simulation Of Reality, By Cameron Stewart2555 Words   |  11 PagesThe Simulation of Reality Even at a first glance, Cameron Stewart’s webcomic Sin Titulo seems to be fraught with mystery, uncertainty and a certain sense of foreboding. It’s fast-paced and pulls the reader in immediately with its questions of existentialism as it blurs the line between dream spaces and reality. There is anxiety, paranoia and the text is full of philosophical paradoxes and references. Above all, however, the text grapples with the question of what reality is, how human beings perceiveRead MoreHyperreality3079 Words   |  13 Pagesrepeat, deception, falsehood, operation and forcibly. Hyper- reality or media accelerate new wedding behaviour to intrude our mind and it permeates our mental. J.Baudrillard(1988:98) said â€Å"as a sort of historical attraction to the second degree, a simulacrum to the second power.† The new wedding behaviours are deception and falsehood; the wedding photography companies build up a hyper reality land for the bride and groom to takes photos. There normally like a Destiny land or cinema studio, people canRead MoreModifying the Story Summer Solstice Through the Screenplay Tatarin4949 Words   |  20 PagesFulfillment of the Subject RD 100 - Research Design Leader Divine Angeline Leaà ±o Members Erinn Chua Jan Erik Miras Jamie Robertson San Juan Clarissa Tan Cherryl Tolentino October 2011 Department of Media Studies College of Arts and Sciences Trinity University of Asia Abstract The purpose of this thesis is to come up with a clear justification on the reasons why screenwriters and filmmakers would modify books. It should be understood that the book and the film are two different

Economic way of thinking Free Essays

In addition to their Immediate effects secondary effects are effects of a policy change that might not be noticeable when the policy change Is Implemented 7. The value of a good or service Is subjective what one good Is worth to person A, may have a completely different value by person B (l Like pizza with extra cheese, I value It highly. You are allergic to dairy products, so you place a low value on a pizza with extra cheese) 8. We will write a custom essay sample on Economic way of thinking or any similar topic only for you Order Now The test of a theory Is Its ability to predict Positive and normative economics Positive economics – the study of â€Å"what Is† among economic relationships For Instance, positive statements can be statistically evaluated. Normative economics – Judgments about â€Å"what ought to be† In economic matters Normative statements merely reflect people’s values – these statements cannot be proven true or false by economic thinking (think of It as a policeman’s views on any matter – abortion, capital punishment, etc. Those pollens cannot be proven right or wrong – they can merely be Judged) Economic way of thinking By gangplank 5. The acquisition of information is costly information can help people make better decisions, but information is a scarce good – the time it takes to search for the 6. Economic actions often generate secondary effects in addition to their immediate when the policy change is implemented 7. The value of a good or service is subjective what one good is worth to person A, may have a completely different value by person B (l like pizza with extra cheese, I alee it highly. You are allergic to dairy products, so you place a low value on a pizza with extra cheese) 8. The test of a theory is its ability to predict Positive economics – the study of â€Å"what is† among economic relationships For instance, positive statements can be statistically evaluated. Normative economics – judgments about â€Å"what ought to be† in economic matters proven true or false by economic thinking (think of it as a politician’s views on any matter – abortion, capital punishment, etc. Those opinions cannot be proven right or How to cite Economic way of thinking, Papers

International Food and Agribusiness Management

Question: Discuss about the International Food and Agribusiness Management. Answer: Introduction: Seafood processing sector across the world comprises of the breeding and production of fish and other creatures found in the sea. Many of the firms in this sectors operate vessels which are used for processing and not catching fishes and other food. Besides the industry also have enterprises that freeze the whole fish and offer it to the market. The focus of the report is Tassal salmon company based in the Tasmanian region in Australia. Globally, the seafood and fishing sector is becoming the most luxurious due to expected growth in the coming decades occasioned by the increased demand for seafood products and services (Birch et al. 2012). In Australia, the industry is also performing well, and it is capable of providing the products to the local and other markets across the world. The industry is expanding to meet the increasing demand and broaden the market. In Australia there are many companies but there are various companies competing to satisfy the consumers such as Petuna Seafo ods, Tassal and Huon Aquaculture. Firms operating in this industry adheres to certain environmental practices, are concerned about the society and use resources to meet their objectives (Bose Brown 2000). Marketing Background of the Company Tassal pays a particular attention to the ecological and social issues in the process of providing the services to consumers and other clients. These practices ensure that seafood reaches the consumers but with minimal effects on the fish populations and damage on the marine environment. For example, sustainable environmental practices do not only focus on the number of fish species left in the ocean, it is concerned with the methods of catching the fish, the influence on the marine wildlife and seafloor. It also touches on the regular functioning of the marine ecosystems (Farmery et al. 2014). As such, Tassal is conscious of the practices and takes into consideration the factors. Some of the reason why some companies are unable to satisfy the environmental requirements includes poor management, insufficient knowledge, and catching of the unintended species such as unwanted fish, seabirds, corals, turtles and dolphins (Tassal, n.d.) Tassal deals with seafood caught and farmed responsibly and this prevents depletion of fish populations and no ecosystem jeopardy. Besides, the company sources food from the sea and uses methods which do not threaten the habitats or end up catching huge volumes of non-intended species (Tassel, n.d.). Further, the company supports the surrounding communities by making positive contributions because they are part of the same society and employees live in the same environment. For example, the company is involved in some support activities in schools, local sports clubs, and nongovernment organizations because they are an essential part of an active community (Tassel, n.d.). Tassal Marketing Strategies Tassal is a Food processing, a fishing company founded in 1986 and since then it had grown from private to public company and listed on ASX back in 2003. The firm was established in Tasmania Australia and headquartered in Hobart in Tasmania, and since its inception, Tassal has been proving a full range of delicious, healthy and fresh Atlantic salmon responsibly bred from pristine waters. In the industry where it operates, it is recognized as one of the leading companies with more 800 fabulous employees proving services to consumers (Tassal, n.d.). The company has an extensive range of services and products such as fresh, canned, frozen and smoked salmon recipes. Services offered includes cooking techniques and the methods of preparing salmon dishes to family and friend in homes. To ensure the supply of products, Tassal relies on three hatcheries that are capable of producing ten million of smolt annually through selective breeding programs. The fishes produced are demanded by companies on wholesale while other are exported to other markets (Tassal, n.d.). In the country, consumers can access salmon in two major stores based in Salamanca, Kew and Tasmania and Victoria. The main competitors include Huon, Petuna Seafoods, and Aquaculture (Curtotti et al. 2012). The section explores the marketing mix strategies used by tassel in the market. The focus includes price, place, promotion, product and theories will be used to support the market moves employed. These strategies are important for the firms when marketing their products and services in the market (Goi 2015). This makes the company understand the right product for the market and target consumers, appropriate prices which the target population can afford, placing them in the right place and employing the most suitable promotion strategies to popularize products portfolio and the brand. The purpose of applying the strategies is to ensure the offering have the right and desired features that consumers want, providing good price, delivering them at the right time and making the buyers aware of the availability and cost adjustments (Dentoni et al 2014). The product is the center of the marketing focus by Tassel and therefore resources, energy and innovativeness should be employed to make it appealing to the market. The company should be concerned with the meaning of the product offered to the customer and work on aspects such as its appearance and the benefits to the buyers. For instance, the packaging must be appealing to the people and meets others social requirements such as health benefits which can attract the consumers currently and in the future. Further, the brand can be broadened for tactical purposes like competition from other salmon companies which means the company need increase the innovation of its products and services and also cater for fluctuating demand for Seafood in the coming decades (Constantinides 2006). According to segmentation theory, the products and services offered to consumers seek to satisfy and address customers' problems and needs. However, all buyers have different needs and want, and therefore some will find the product not favorable to them. Therefore, the firms should produce products based on the target segments purchasing power. Thus, Tassel makes products that are tailored toward particular segments based on demographics, desires, and behaviors and the marketing efforts and strategies are directed to the prospects segments to them (Dentoni et al. 2014). The Life Cycle theory argues that the marketing strategies adopted by the firm should evolve as the product goes through various phases such as growth phase and maturity. In the early phases, the marketing should be tailored toward informing consumers of the benefits to spark interests, at other stages, the aim should be to build loyalty and achieve differentiation (Lam Harker 2015). In the marketing mix theory aspects, the price is essential as it helps the company generate sales revenue to support other activities. This means that the set prices of the product and services provided have a significant role in determining the value made by the firm (Lam Harker 2015) To this regard, the salmon costs are determined by understanding the customers perception on what the real value of the services and product are. The management, therefore, has initiatives aimed at exploring the consumers opinions and using them to adjust the price based on what customers value what they pay for. However, there are diverse marketing forces which affect the pricing strategy of Tassal, and this makes the pricing policy to keep evolving. This is due to time changes and circumstances in the market such as demand, supply and seasons (Constantinides 2006). According to pricing theory, the prices of the products and services are determined by the cost incurred, demand and the level of competition in the industry. According to the model, pricing strategy concerns three main points namely the cost and profit targets, the demand and the level of competition (Hollensen 2015). Therefore, regarding the model principles, Tassel should set their prices based on the costs incurred during the production of its products. Other factors that need to be considered is the demand for good during different seasons by researching on the industry accepted range. Because Tassal has significant local and international competitors, there is need to check their prices and reduce its pricing rate to capture and retain more consumers. The strategy is sustained by understanding the demand, completion, and production pricing and adjusting them to gain competitive advantages. Although the figure may be different based on the products offered to the market, there is a significant share of cost which is used to get the product and services closer where the customer can access them. This is the Tassal as the place where their stores are set serves the roles of storing and making available to the consumers (Hollensen 2015). For instance, the firm has significant stores based in Salamanca, Kew, Tasmania and Victoria where customers can access quickly and be transported to other areas through roads. But many of the products are processed by factories in different locations and delivered to wholesalers who takes them closer to the retailers. In addition the processing centers are placed in a strategic location where people from different geographical locations can access them easily (Birch et al. 2012). According to operations theory in marketing, the business location is essential as it determines the access of products and services by the primary consumers. Besides, the place where the business is located has an enormous impact on the profits and revenues generated by the company. Therefore, Tassal should seek and establish their stores and processing facilities where it is possible to maximize the scale of income generated and minimize the costs incurred to reach the peoples. When the business is placed in a disadvantaged position, they experience rising competition, incurs huge costs of reaching consumers, have communications challenges and face falling demand (Hollensen 2015). The Promotion strategy by the organization has the primary objective of communicating to the consumers on why they should buy the product and how. The aim is to make the relevant information available in a bid to help the customers makes the decision on whether to purchase the product or service or not (Posner 2015). Tassal just like any other organization engages in a range of promotional activities in the digital, print and broadcast media to inform the consumers about their service and product offerings and to boost the sales. The strategy is also employed by Tassal to deal with the issues of competition from local and international companies invading the Australian market and others where they have demand (Friel et al. 2014). Alignment theory is relevant to the promotion strategies used by Tassel to capture more consumers in the market. For the promotion strategy used to be effective, then it must communicate the product features, benefits associated with it and others based on the target consumers. Therefore it is paramount for Tassel to use alignment strategy to during promotional activities such as PR, advertising (Kozlenkova et al. 2014). For example, when marketing Salmons they should be presented as aimed toward enhancing individuals health and capacity and downplaying another fundamental aspect which is not relevant for the promotion activity. Comparison of Marketing Mix Strategies In the Australian market, the main competitors of the organization of Tasssal include Huon, Petuna Seafoods, and aquaculture. The comparison mainly focuses on the product, pricing, place, and promotion strategies employed in the market. These strategies have more similarity but with slight differences. First of all, all the companies are competing in the seafood and fish industry, and their common products to consumers are Salmon. These firms provide framed salmon for the market, but there are differences in how they present the products in the market based on their target consumers and the demographics. Moreover, the companys products are offered to the consumer with their health benefits to attract them. There is difference in the way the products are packaged to make more appealing (Birch et al. 2012). The pricing strategy has a lot of similarities and differences. The competitors pricing strategy is determined by the perception held by consumers regarding the value of the products. These rivals tries to offer great products that are well packaged at a higher price. The advertising means and messages adopted by these companies position the salmon products as bearing higher values which outweigh the products. However, the costs of the product are not the same as they are determined by location, mode of delivery amongst others (Fleming Lim-Camacho 2014). The place strategy of the organization also has some differences and similarities. Where the company place is services is dependent on the consumers being targeted and the mean of transporting adopted as it is a determining factor on how the product is purchased. Both Tassel and Huan Tasmania Aquaculture operates in Tasmania and mainland Australia to reach the distributors and the consumers quickly. Both have stores at strategic locations in places such as Salamanca, Kew, Tasmania, Victoria, Habert and other location for easy access to markets and consumers. This also helps them to be in virtually all geographical areas (Fleming Lim-Camacho 2014). Lastly is the promotion strategies used by the competitions. The platforms and strategies are similar only the messages adopted are different due to the target consumers. The rise of technology and high penetration of internet has changed the way companies tries to reach people in the market and turn them into customers. Some of the leading digital platforms used to advertise and engage the consumers in including blogs, social media and websites where consumers can comments on various issues. Other strategies used includes public relations where the companies explain few issues that users might not understand well about the products. There is also a heavy reliance on sales promotion to move their goods faster in the market (Emery et al. 2017). Recommendation on How Tassal Should Improve Its Marketing Mix The best way for Tassal can understand and improve their 4Ps and move toward market domination is learning what persuades the customer toward purchasing a product or subscribing to the service and the areas where improvement is required to create more satisfactions. For packaged Salmons, the management should improve the packaging to make it look appealing, making it environmental conscience and differentiate it with that of the rivals. On the other hand, the place includes the places where the consumers can access the product. The firm should have store distributed across regions, a specialist boutique and make their packaged products to supermarket chains locally and internationally to make it accessible to users of all kind. Tassel should also improve and use the right distribution channels, try to perfect their supply chain management, learn the mistake and differentiate the company brand. Price strategy should take into consideration the value of the product and service offered to the buyer. The Tassel group should seek to understand the established price points in the industry and research whether the consumers are price sensitive to figure out whether a decrease in price can gain the firm a substantial extra market share against the rival. It is also essential to know discounts could be offered to customers and distributors. Lastly, the company can understand where the Promotion strategies can be applied by understanding where the message can spread quickly in the markets. For instance, Tassel should seek to understand sustainable and efficient platforms such as digital and others such as TV, radio, billboards or direct marketing. The company should know when to engage in promotional activities and when to avoid such strategies in the future. The plan also includes understanding how the competitors do their work and the best choices to combine to reach people. Tassal SWOT Analysis STRENGHS Dominance in the local market There is a strong existing distribution and sales networks Production of unique products Product diversification WEAKNESES Satisfying the future market size OPPORTUNITY Growing demand Income level is Increasing New Acquisitions Growth Rates And Profitability THREATS Increasing rates of interest in the region The bargaining power of suppliers is high Bibliography Birch, D., Lawley, M. Hamblin, D., 2012. Drivers and barriers to seafood consumption in Australia. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 29(1), pp. 64-73. Bose, S. Brown, N., 2000. A preliminary investigation of factors affecting seafood consumption behaviour in the inland and coastal regions of Victoria, Australia. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 24(4), pp. 257-262. Constantinides, E., 2006. The marketing mix revisited: towards the 21st century marketing. Journal of marketing management, 23(3-4), pp. 407-438. Curtotti, R., Hormis, M. McGill, K., 2012. The Australian seafood industry: Workforce information and stakeholder responses. Australia : ABARES. Dentoni, D., English, F. Schwartz, D., 2014. The impact of public RD on Marketing and Supply Chains on Small Farms' Marketing-Sensing Capability: Evidence from the Australian Seafood Industry. ndustry. International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, 17(1), pp. 38-58. Emery, T., Gardner, C., Hartmann, K. Cartwright, I., 2017. Incorporating economics into fisheries management frameworks in Australia. Marine Policy, Volume 77, pp. 136-143. Farmery, A., Gardner, C., Green, B. Jennings, S., 2014. Managing fisheries for environmental performance: the effects of marine resource decision-making on the footprint of seafood. Journal of Cleaner Production, Volume 64, pp. 368-376. Fleming, A. H. A. F. A. V. P. E. P. G. G. B. Lim-Camacho, L., 2014. Climate change risks and adaptation options across Australian seafood supply chainsA preliminary assessment. Climate Risk Management, pp. 39-50. Friel, S., Barosh, L. Lawrence, M., 2014. Towards healthy and sustainable food consumption: an Australian case study. Public health nutrition, 17(05), pp. 1156-1166. Goi, C., 2015. Marketing Mix: A review of'P'. The Journal of Internet Banking and Commerce. Hollensen, S., 2015. Marketing management: A relationship approach. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. James, N., 2016. Something fishy about Tasmania's salmon farming. Green Left Weekly, Volume 1091, p. 11. King, A., 2016. Staying ahead of the game: a framework for effective aquaculture decision-making. s.l.:(Doctoral dissertation, University of Tasmania). Kozlenkova, I., Samaha, S. Palmatier, R., 2014. Resource-based theory in marketing. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 42(1), pp. 1-21. Lam, W. Harker, M., 2015. Marketing and entrepreneurship: An integrated view from the entrepreneurs perspective. International Small Business Journal, 33(3), pp. 321-348. Posner, H., 2015. Marketing Fashion: Strategy, Branding and Promotion. s.l.:s.n. Tasmania, n.d. Tasmania. [Online] Available at: https://www.brandtasmania.com/seafood-stories/?item=358 Tassal, n.d. Tassal. [Online] Available at: https://www.tassal.com.au/sustainability/our-salmon/ [Accessed 25 April 2017]. Tassal, n.d. Tassal. [Online] Available at: https://www.tassal.com.au/sustainability/our-environment/ [Accessed 25 April 2017]. Tassal, n.d. Tassal. [Online] Available at: https://www.tassal.com.au/sustainability/our-community/#community-engagement [Accessed 25 April 2017].

The article is about how doctors also billers can Essays

The article is about how doctor's also billers can submit clean claims, along with correct doctor's information, such as, NPI number. When supplying the wrong NPI the claim will be kicked back and be unpaid. On the CMS-1500 some people will put information in the wrong slot which would allow the claim to be denied and kicked back also. In the article the reimbursement commit came up with modifiers. In which a CPT code along with clinical are provided so that the procedure can get approved with accuracy. The article also stated how lost claims are less controllable. However, since more doctors moved from paper claims to electronic claims it is easier to track a lost claim. Paper claims sometimes got lost in the mail and electronic claims sometimes got lost in cyberspace but noted in the article it very seldom get lost as an electronic claim. The ACA is a coding and compliance manual that cost about $50 for member and $80 for non-member which helps/teachers providers and they staff how to submit clean claims. They also emails to provider and their staff to keep them updated on the coding and claim processing. I think that this resource was a good ideas and hopefully has alleviated the problem of providers not getting paid on time.

Impressive List of Topics for Speech Competition Which Wont Bore Your Audience

Impressive List of Topics for Speech Competition Which Wont Bore Your Audience Impressive List of Topics for Speech Competition Which Won’t Bore Your Audience If you’re looking for speech competition topics, it means that you take part in a contest in your college, national tournament or you’re just a member of Toastmasters! Anyway, if you have no idea what to talk about in front of the audience, you’ve come to the right place. We will provide you with a list of topics for speech competition where you will be able to find a suitable subject for your performance or at least get inspired to come up with your own one. But before that we would like to remind you the most important rules and requirements that you have to remember while giving a speech: Keep to the formal structure – introduction, main body, and conclusion. Make sure your style of language is appropriate to your speech theme. Avoid plagiarism at all costs. The speech must be polite and shouldn’t offend people on racial, gender, religious or any other basis. Control your movements: you are allowed to use slight natural gestures and keep them to a minimum. Match your look with the topic of your speech (within reasonable limits). These aspects are very important to consider while choosing the subject because you need to understand which topic you will be able to meet the rules as well as do your best. So, keep them in mind while having a look at our 20 sample topics for a speech competition. White Supremacists and Statues of Confederates: to Take Down or Not to Take Down? Mandatory Minimums as a Legal Display of Racism on the Governmental Level in Matters of Drug Abuse and Drug Trade Lack of Trust in Mass Media as an Instrument of Propaganda The Future of Pilotless Airliners with Autopilot Controls A New Economic Bubble: Do Governments Have to Regulate the Blockchain Markets? Donald Trump and Big Data: a Winning Combination Sophia – the First Robot in the World to Get a Citizenship and Other Privileges The Role of Ireland in the Brexit Process Recent Hurricanes and the Prospects of Geoengineering AIDS Epidemic Among Children What Will Happen When the US Acknowledges Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel? Slobodan Praljak’s Suicide During the Trial: What Does It Tell Us about Bosnia-Herzegovina? The Lack of Child Psychiatrists in Ireland and Its Consequences Who Are the Rohingya People and Why Did Pope Publicly Address Them? The Problem of Fake News on Facebook How Police Use Facebook to Catch Criminals Sexual Harassment Revelations of 2017: What Was the Trigger? Accelerated Bachelor’s Degrees: Their Advantages and Dangers The Premises for Banning College and School Beauty Contests Consequences of Revealing Your Life on Social Media Go through this list and while choosing the final topic to remember – it is important that the subject you’ll settle with would be interesting for you as well as for your audience. That’s one of the most significant criteria that you should always stake into account. At writing company you can buy speeches online which will impress your professor.

Intonation Definition and Examples in Speech

Intonation Definition and Examples in Speech In speech,  intonation is the use of changing (rising and falling) vocal pitch to convey grammatical information or personal attitude. Intonation is particularly important in expressing questions in spoken English. For example, take the sentence, When does the meeting start? The word start- including the question mark- rises up or comes up in your voice when you utter the word, notes the website  English Pronunciation Roadmap. The Musicality of Language Intonation  is the melody or music of a language, says  David Crystal, author of A Little Book of Language. Intonation refers to the way your voice rises and falls as you speak, as in, Its raining, isnt it? (or innit, perhaps) In this sentence, youre not really asking a question: Youre  telling  the listener that its raining, so you give your speech a telling melody. The pitch-level of your voice falls and you sound as if you know what youre talking about, and of course, you do, so youre making a statement. But now imagine that you  dont  know if its raining, says Crystal. You think there might be a shower outside, but youre unsure, so you ask someone to check. You use the same words, but the musicality of your voice makes a different point, as in, Its raining, isnt it? Now youre  asking  the person, so you give your speech an asking melody, says Crystal. The pitch-level of your voice rises, and you sound as if youre asking a question. Pitch and Chunking To understand intonation, its important to comprehend two of its key terms: pitch and chunking.  Encyclopaedia Britannica  notes that pitch is, the relative highness or lowness of a tone as perceived by the ear, which depends on the number of vibrations per second produced by the vocal cords. Everyone has different levels of the pitch in their voice, notes Study.com: Though some are more prone to a higher pitch and some to a lower pitch, we can all change our timbre depending on who we are talking to and why. Timbre  refers to the  quality of sound that distinguishes one  voice or musical instrument from another or one vowel sound from another: It is determined by the harmonics of the sound. Pitch, then, refers to the musicality of your voice and how you use that musicality or timbre to convey meaning. Chunking- and pausing- meanwhile  packages information for the listener, says  the University of Technology (UTS)  in Sydney, adding that speakers divide  speech  into chunks, which may be single words or groups of words to communicate a thought or idea, or to focus on information the speaker thinks is important. UTS gives the following example of chunking: Does it really matter whether people speak with an accent as long as they can be easily understood? This sentence breaks into the following chunks: Does it really matter /whether people speak with an accent /as long as they can be easily understood? // In this example, in each chunk, your pitch would be slightly different to better convey your meaning to the listener. Your voice, essentially, rises and falls in each chunk. Types of Intonation Another key point about intonation involves the rising and falling of your voice. Just as a musical instrument rises and falls in its tone as an accomplished player creates a melody to convey a sense of mood, your voice rises and falls in a similar melodic way to create a sense of meaning. Take this example from an article by Russell Banks, in an article called Adultery, which was published in the April/May 1986 issue of Mother Jones. I mean, what the hell? Right? The speakers voice rises and falls in the separate chunks in these two brief sentences, as follows; I mean /What the hell? /Right? // As the speaker says the first chunk- I mean- the voice falls. Then, during the second phrase- What the heck?- the voice rises, almost like climbing a melodic ladder with each word. The speaker does this to express outrage. Then, with one the last word- Right?- the speakers voice climbs even higher, similar to hitting the elusive  high C in music. This is almost like pushing the sentence to the listener- handing it off if you will- so that the listener will agree with the speaker. (If the listener does not agree, an argument is likely to follow.) And, in the article, the listener  does  indeed agree with the speaker, by responding with, Yes, right. The response is spoken with falling intonation, almost as if the listener is giving in and accepting the dictate of the speaker. By the end of the word right, the responders voice has dropped so much its almost as if the person is giving in. Put another way, intonation is the process of chunking statements (and responses), to deliver packages of meaning. Generally, the initial statement (often a question), may rise and fall in tone, but it generally rises at the end, as the speaker passes off the sentence or question to the listener. And, just as with a musical piece that starts quietly, and crescendos in sound and timber, the tone or sound of the response falls as if the responder is bringing the discussion to a quiet ending, just as a melody quietly comes to a soft finish at the end.

Speech class assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Speech class assignment - Essay Example Audience analysis is essential for gathering situational information. Situational information refers to the context under which a speaker will deliver one’s speech. To begin with, a speaker should know the size of the expected intended audience. This is useful for presentation materials such as visual aids, which the whole audience should adequately see (Hamilton 73). In addition, the speaker should know an audience’s intention of attending a lecture such that one gauges the interest that such people will pay to the speech. Other factors include the audience’s knowledge of a person such that the speaker assesses the trust that one will receive from the audience. In addition, audience analysis is crucial for understanding an audience’s mastery of a given topic. A speaker should be cautious not to overestimate an audience’s comprehension of a subject. This is because the speaker may become too abstract for an audience, which is highly likely to shift attention in case of incomprehensible speech. Such analysis would help the speaker in explaining theoretical concepts entailed in the speech before the actual presentation. On the other hand, presenting a simplistic discussion to a knowledgeable audience may kill its enthusiasm. Audience analysis helps a speaker unravel the demographics of an audience. The demographic factors include ethnic background, age, income status, class, religion, gender, and other related factors. These factors help a speaker articulate a speech in order to address the needs of an audience. It is essential to note that an individual is highly likely to pay attention to a speech that addresses one’s needs. A speaker, however, should be careful not to stereotype an audience because individuals are more complicated than simplistic categorizations. Categorization, therefore, is only important for giving attention to immediate

Why the actual budget deficit is not a good indicator of the fiscal Essay

Why the actual budget deficit is not a good indicator of the fiscal stance and suggest any other better alternatives - Essay Example The budget deficit must therefore be subjected to an intense analysis and scrutiny. Unless it is cautiously interpreted, the budget as is conventionally defined deficit can give rise to misleading conclusions regarding fiscal policy stance. Such conclusions may result in erroneous policy prescriptions that cause more harm than good to the economy (Abedian and Biggs 1998). For many years policy makers placed a lot of emphasis on limiting government’s role in the economy and lowering the budget deficit (Easterly and Schmidt-Hebbel 2004). The two were regarded as policy goals necessary to achieve equity, growth and redistribution of resources. The big question as to whether the conventional budget balance is the correct indicator of the fiscal stance however remains. It should be noted that there are several other fiscal indicators were proposed as alternatives to the conventional budget balance. These indicators are already in use successfully by international organizations such as the OECD and the IMF (Abedian and Biggs 1998). This study will aim to explore the possibility of using alternative fiscal indicators in monitoring and evaluating the sustainability of fiscal policies. A critical analysis of the actual budget balance indicates that it is not the ideal measurement instrument with regard to ascertaining the fiscal stance of a country. The term budget deficit also referred to as budget balance appears regularly in news articles, policy documents by the government that usually warn of it being very undesirable (Eisner 1999). ... The term budget deficit also referred to as budget balance appears regularly in news articles, policy documents by the government that usually warn of it being very undesirable (Eisner 1999). The budget deficit is usually blamed for several economic ills, such as high levels of inflation and discouragement of private investment (Eisner 1999). There is rarely any concrete proof produced for all these guilty assumptions. To add on to this, concerned parties pay very little attention to the objective measurement and interpretation of the budget deficit. The method of measurement of the budget balances also raises several conceptual and practical issues, which are compounded by the absence of uniformity in usage among many countries. For instance, one way of measuring the conventional budget balance is by cash basis. Another person may use the accrual/ payment order basis (Agenor and Montiel 1999). In the first instance, the balance will be the difference between fiscal revenue and total cash flow expenditure. For the second case, the balance will reflect accrued income and spending flows, regardless of whether they involve cash payments or not. The accumulation of arrears on revenue or payments is reflected by a higher balance when measured using the accrual basis as compared to the cash-based approach (Agenor and Montiel 1999). Definitions By definition, actual budget deficit is the difference between government revenues and government expenditure. Structural budget deficit is an estimation of what the government’s budget would be at full level of employment in the economy (Abedian and Biggs 1998). The cyclical budget deficit is defined as the component of

The relationship between censorship and student publications Essay Example for Free

The relationship between censorship and student publications Essay Pushing the limits of free speech and then killing it is not an uncommon theme for todays student press. Civil disobedience and censorship of student publications has been a hot-button issue since the 1960s and remains a crucial, yet under-examined area of free speech. In an assumed tolerant democracy which flaunts philosophical ideals like a free market of ideas, censorship laws have undermined the essential function of student newspapers as an outlet for challenging, insightful and investigative journalism. The following essay seeks to examine the relationship between censorship and student publications by specifically drawing on the Rabelais case. Accordingly, this essay further attempts to explore the legal and philosophical reasoning behind censoring student newspapers. In 1998, the Full Court of the Federal Court handed down its first decision which directly involved the right to political communication of a student publication1. The court held that an article advocating theft published in the La Trobe University student publication, Rabelais, instructed in matters of crime and was not protected by the implied constitutional freedom of speech.2 The appellants four editors of the publication argued that the article addressed issues of wealth distribution in a capitalist society and constituted political communication.3 Prior to Rabelais, Australian courts have never squarely confronted political communication in relation to the National Classification Code.4 Whilst the Federal Courts decision to uphold the findings of the Classification Review Board generated another proponent of control on the boundaries of political communication, it simultaneously limited the journalistic scope of student publications in challenging the moral and political patterns of society. The implications of Rabelais have since posed an explicit threat to the autonomy of student publications by which student journalists are left confined within the legally permissible censorship system.5 A common principle validating restrictions on free speech is balancing. In the case of Rabelais and similar articles in nature published in other student publications, striking a reasonable balance between political material and Australias censorship laws fosters the argument that the protection of political communication is not absolute. Judicially-considered concepts underpinning political communication6 is often subject to the maintenance and protection of the system of representative government.7 By strict adherence to this generalization, virtually all political dissent and civil disobedience is then liable to interfere with the maintenance and protection of the government system. Heerey J8 provided further insight, claiming this relationship to accommodate an imbalance in which the protection of representative democracy overrides the protection of dissent9 by student publications: It should be noted that Anarchist theory extended from non-violent writers and political leaders like Tolstoy, Thoreau and Ghandi to Proudhon (property is theft) the Anarcho-Syndicalists whose creed was that unions should become militant organizations dedicated to the destruction of capitalism and the state. All this may be in one sense politics, but the Constitutional freedom of political communication assumes indeed exists to support, foster and protect representative democracy and the rule of law. The advocacy of law breaking falls outside this protection and is antithetical to it. 10 However, the argument brought forward by his Honour is severely flawed. The knowledge needed to draw political comparisons from the works of Tolstoy, Thoreau and Ghandi lies in the mere fact that the writings of these revolutionaries were not refused classification, but available to the public for debate and reflection. In this instance, measuring competing interests on the basis of political ideologies in power would easily translate into banning all commonly dissenting student publications.11 The classic role of student publications in discussing socio-political affairs beyond the bounds of moral and legal civility is one which indeed supports, fosters and protects the system of representative democracy. This lends itself to another critical failure in determining classification of student publications. In refusing classification of Rabelais, the Review Board directly addressed the legal aspect of inciting crime, compromising the publications implied rights to political communication.12 It did so by appraising the article in isolation from other writings of political nature, published in the same edition.13 Setting aside possible constitutional questions, the approach in reviewing student publications does not distinguish between student and mainstream media. If a student press is to function as the dutiful outlet of alternative and challenging thought in society, then such definition should allow for exceptional free speech privileges. To give further reference to the limited interpretation of the role of student publications in Australia, there is a high probability that the article in question would have been permissible to publish in other countries, particularly the United States. Not only does the existence of a U.S. Bill of Rights expressly protect the rights of individuals to free speech, but an implicit rule applied by U.S. courts entitles student journalists to the highest level of First Amendment protection to sustain the traditional libertarian function of student publications. 14 The rule that student publications enjoy freestanding exemptions of restrictions underlying the First Amendment emanates from legislation based in the state of California, which expressly duplicates First Amendment rights to college and university students. 15 One can hardly ignore the advantageous effects of a similar law being implemented in Australia. Like the United States, it is widely maintained that student publications in Australia should remain wide-open free speech zones, where every form of speech is permitted and censorship controls are turned off.16 However, the recent introduction of the Voluntary Student Unionism bill17 before parliament has additionally threatened the agenda of student publications. Although the bill, which traces back to 197418, sets out to render universal student unionism voluntary, it could potentially be the first law that directly undermines students right to free speech by defunding Australias student press19. The Western Australian (WA) VSU model, which came into force in 1997, has cut funds directed to all student publications in the state, while other student advocacy bodies were lost completely.20 In conclusion, although Australia has a robust commitment to freedom of speech, on a practical level, this commitment is too often regulated by prevailing moral and legal protocols. As evidenced by the legal implications brought forward by the Rabelais case, there remains little conscious acknowledgement of the significant function of student media in challenging dominant viewpoints. Given the undoubted importance of the court in interpreting political communication, the process in determining such can only be rendered valid and objective if the historical and philosophical principles underpinning student media are taken into consideration. The burden here is not only on the narrowed definition of political communication, but the lack of an accountable and tolerant classification system. Similarly, the Rabelais case reawakens the time-worn argument of implementing an express free speech right in Australia. Given that student publications are dedicated to political dissent and civil disobedience, and thus vulnerable to legal ramifications, it would arguably seem fair to grant student media the privilege of special free speech rights, over and above all the general speech rights Australians enjoy. A law similar to that of the United States would allow society to recognize the doctrine of academic freedom and protect and maintain the free market of ideas in a representative democracy. As Parsons once said: The creative writer should enjoy a latitude greater than would be of proper to the journalist and newspaper published who deal with fact.21 1 Brown v Members of the Classification Review Board of the Office of Film and Literature Classification (1998) 154 ALR 67 (hereinafter Rabelais) 2 The article provided a step-by-step guide on how to shoplift. Pursuant to the Classification (Publication, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995, publications that describe, depict, express or otherwise deal with matters of crime will be refused classification 3 Note 1. The Federal Court upheld the decision of the Chief Censor to refuse classification (i.e. ban) of Rabelais. The charges were later dropped. 4 Clayton, M. (2005). Interview. [Interview with Christopher van Opstal, 24/05/2005]. See also Classification (Publication, Films and Computer Games Act) Act 1995 5 Boey, H. (2005). Interview. [Interview with Christopher van Opstal, 19/05/2005]. Duncan, J. (2005). Interview. [Interview with Christopher van Opstal, 19/05/2005]. Fomiatti, L. (2005). Interview. [Interview with Christopher van Opstal, 19/05/2005]. Belford, A. (2005). Interview. [Interview with Christopher van Opstal, 19/05/2005]. 6 For example, in Australian Capital Television v The Commonwealth (1992) 177 CLR 106, six members of the High Court acknowledged the implied freedom of communication in government and political matters. Other judicially-considered cases in Rabelais, include Theophanous v Herald Weekly Times (1994) 182 CLR 104; Lange v Australian Broadcasting Commission (1997) 189 CLR 520; Levy v The State of Victoria (1997) 189 CLR 579 7 Pearson, M. (2005). Interview. [Interview with Christopher van Opstal, 23/05/2005] 8 French J and Sunberg J were the two other judges in Rabelais 9 Heerey J refers here to dissent as writings which advocate breaking the law or anarchy 10 Note 1 (Heerey J). By contrast, the appellants council argued that advocating theft was an appropriate means of reallocation of resources of political dissent or as a central tenet of Anarchist theory. The same argument is brought forward by Des Clark, Chief Censor of Australia. Clark, D. (2005). Interview. [Interview with Christopher van Opstal, 26/05/2005] 11 Clark, D. (2005). Interview. [Interview with Christopher van Opstal 26/05/2005]. Clayton also points out that a publication which incites crime must be banned under regulations by the OFLC, even though the publication may be of political nature. Note 4. 12 Note 4. See also Clayton, M. 1998 Censorship, Free Speech and the Rabelais Case, Legal Date, Vol. 10, No 1.; Clayton, M. and Borgeest, T. 1998, Free Speech and Censorship after the Rabelais Case, Media and Arts Law Review, Vol. 3 at 194 13 Note 1. The Rabelais edition also discussed political issues of death penalty in the United States and pending execution of a former black activist, Mumia Abu Jamal 14 Goodman, M. (2005). Interview. [Interview with Christopher van Opstal, 23/05/2005] 15 Pursuant to s 76120 of the California Education Code, the governing board of a community college shall adopt rules and regulations relating to the exercise of free expression by students. See California Education Code Section 66301. 16 Boey, H. (2005) Interview. [Interview with Christopher van Opstal, 19/05/2005] 17 Higher Education Support Amendment (Abolition of Compulsory Up-front Student Union Fees) Bill 2005 18 Aldrich, F. (2005). Interview. [Interview with Christopher van Opstal, 27/05/2005] 19 Note 13. If impending VSU is passed by the Senate in July, it will be necessary to cut funds to the printing of student publications. This will result to the disappearance of most student publications. 20 Hastings, G. (2004) VSU Legislation Experiences in WA, Victoria, and Federally, NUS Research at 5 21 Pollak, M. 1990, Sense and Censorship, Reed Publishers, Sydney, at p. 284

Confucianism Essay -- Papers China Chinese Culture Religion Essays

Confucianism A philosopher named Confucius founded Confucianism in China 2,500 years ago. Confucianism is a system of ethical behavior and social responsibility that became the great traditions of the East.1 It played an important role in the evolution in Chinese culture over the centuries. It has influenced near-by countries and had made a mark in the history of religion. There are today over six million people who call themselves Confucianists. Most Confucianists live in East Asia where Confucianism is thought to be born. For over two thousand years, Confucianism has been the dominant philosophical system of Chinese government, which has still a great hold on their people. Because Chinese culture has spread to the counties of Vietnam, Korea, and Japan, the values of Confucianism can be found there too. Confucius Confucius was born in 551 BC in the village of Zou in the country of Lu. During that time, the Zhou dynasty was in decline-this was controlled by King Zhou. As a child, Confucius would have make-believe rituals; as a young adult he quickly earned a reputation for politeness, fairness and had a love for learning. He traveled often and studied at the imperial capital, Zhou, where legend has it he spoke with Lao Zi, the leader of Daoism. When Confucius returned to Lu, he became a renowned teacher. At the age of 35, Confucius followed Duke Zhao into war. Duke Zhao was later captured and Confucius again followed. Zhao often went to Confucius for advice, but was later advised not to by one of his advisors. Eventually Zhao stopped going to him for advice and Confucius returned to Lu. When he returned, he saw that conditions have been unchanged so he retired from public life to concentrate on teaching and studying... ...ducted at the many Confucian temples on the island. In June, Taiwan?s Dragon Boat Festival commemorates the death, in 299 BCE, of the Confucian diplomat Chu Yuan, who drowned himself to call attention to unheeded demands for government reform. Bibliography: 1Confucianism ? World Religions by Thomas and Dorothy Hoober P. 3 2 Confucianism ? World Religions by Thomas and Dorothy Hoober P. 75 3 Confucianism http://albany.net/~geenius/kongfuzi/teach.html 4 Confucianism ? Encarta Encyclopedia http://www.encarta.com 5 Confucianism ? World Religions P. 56 6 Confucianism http://www.albany.net/~geenius/kongfuzi/modkong.html 7 World Book Encyclopedia ? Confucianism 8 Confucianism http://www.encyclopedia.com 9 Confucianism http://connect.net/ron/confucianism.html 10 Confucianism http://www.encarta.com (I would check it first)

Management Key Concepts

Organizational behavior is defined as a study aimed at revealing how individuals, people and groups are interacting. Simply saying, organizational behavior is norms and standards how employees should behave in work environment. Organizational behavior interprets people-organization relations within organization and social system as a whole. The purpose of organizational behavior is claimed to create more comfortable relations between employees and simply individuals by means of achieving organizational, human and social objectives.Organizations operate within the four models of behavior: autocratic, custodial, supportive, and collegial. Organizational behavior suggests that the potential of employees should be appreciated; organizational structure, people and technology work together; human problems should be encountered in work; problems are identified and corrective measures are taken. Organizational behavior is primary related to a workplace as it encompasses human behavior, human interactions, teams and leadership.(Damours, p.115)Organizational culture is defined as attitudes, beliefs, values and experiences within particular organization, firm or company. Organizational culture is a set of specific norms and values which must be shared by all employees, mangers and board of directors and which identify the way people should interact with each other and outside organization. Organization develops its own values stating how employees are expected to achieve the desired objectives and goals. Moreover, organizational culture prescribes norms of behavior in particular situations.The primary task is to integrate individuals into effective team which is able to adapt to external and internal environment of organization. Culture is â€Å"an active living phenomenon through which people jointly create and recreate the worlds in which they live†. (Damours, p.122) Elements of organizational culture are stated values, customs and rituals, comfortable climate, e tc. Organizational culture is related to a workplace as it sets norms and values of behavior and means of achieving organizational values.Diversity at workplace is defined as differences and similarities among organizational personnel. Diversity embraces, gender, age, cultural and ethnic background, physical abilities, religion, sexual orientation, etc. Nowadays diversity is essential concern in business world as companies are trying to retain the best employees not considering their age, gender or ethnicity.Workforce diversity means that organization develops practices and policies in order to include people who are considered to be different from what is considered normal. Diversity contributes social and corporate responsibility of organization as it gives an opportunity for everyone to earn living and to accomplish their dreams. Diversity also helps to turn tax users into effective tax players fostering in such a way economic development of the country. Diversity gives organizat ions advantage over companies which fully ignore diversity at workplace. (Damours, 134-137)Communication is defined as a means which convey verbal meanings creating shared understanding. Communication process requires interpersonal and intrapersonal processing, speaking, observing, listening, evaluating and analyzing. Communication process is related to a workplace is people are constantly interacting with other, arguing and debating. Future success of a person mainly depends on his ability to use language and to communicate effectively.Understanding how to communicate effectively will promote creating smoothly working project teams; responding to customers, clients, and markets; living and working in a culturally diverse world. Effective communication is playing nowadays one of the most important roles in organizations and companies, because it is the only source of mutual understanding among employees and customers, directors and suppliers, etc. Nevertheless learning how to commun icate effective isn’t limited only to one organization, because, for example, learning cross-cultural communication suggests how cultural traditions and patterns are understood and how cultural values may affect the process of communication. Learning effective communication is nowadays necessity. (Managing Communication, p.2)Business ethics is defined as a code of accepted norms, beliefs and values in business world. In other words, business ethics is a standard of human behavior that offers how to act in particular situations in professional life. Ethics incorporates norms of conventional morality to distinguish ‘wrong’ behavior from ‘right’ behavior. Generally, ethical norms suggest honesty, truthfulness, fairness, integrity, justice and respect for others. Ethical norms and values play important role in maintaining harmony and stability in social life as ethics suggests proper ways of human-human interactions.Ethics recognizes human needs and aspi rations, as well as cooperative efforts, fairness and truthfulness. Ethics contributes social stability and ensures balance in all spheres of life and business.   For example, in financial sphere ethical violations are associated with stakeholder interest, insider trading, investment management and camping financing. Business ethics is related to a workplace as it sets standards of behaviour within organization. (Damours, 205-209)Change management is defined as distinctly specifying and implementing procedures and methods to deal with changes in the organizational environment for the overall prosperity of the business. The term â€Å"change management† is mostly used to define â€Å"organizational change management or the management of change triggered in organizations or industries†. (Change Management, 2006) Change management is thus the overall process of grooming a planned approach to change in an organization.Due to globalization processes taken place in modern society change management has to be universal requirement. Change management deals primarily with the human aspect, because humans and their psychology are the most subjected to changes. There are two types of change management: reactive and proactive. Management is considered reactive when the change comes from external source. Management is considered proactive when change comes from either internal change aimed at achieving organizational objectives and goals. Change management is related to a workplace as changes are inevitable and mainly employees resist them.ReferencesManaging Communications. (1996, August). Peace Watch, 2, 5, 1-2.Coping With Change. (2006). Coping with Change: Public Sector Employees. The Paper Store Inc. Retrieved March 30, 2008, from http://search.1millionpapers.com/cgi-bin/query?mss=1millionpapers&q=Change+Public&source=googleppcDamours, Stephen. (1992). Management Analysis in Public Organizations: History, Concepts and Techniques. Westport: Quorum.

Saving Grace by Lee Smith

Lucid and devoid of any ornate sentimentality, Saving Grace is the ninth novel of Lee Smith, followed by what many considers to be her masterpiece, Oral History. The Appalachian setting of the novel reflects the author’s unceasing obsession with nature, folklore and traditional humane values. Like Oral History, Saving Grace too deals with the thematic constructs of troubled family relations and wistful remembrances. The first person narrative technique brings out the feel of the novel perfectly. Florida Grace Shepherd, the protagonist of the story, vividly recounts her younger days in a melancholy tone which reverberates with lack of self-pity. Such a tone reflects Grace's complete alienation not just from established family or social orders, but also from her own internal world. Her subsequent coming of age in an adulterous world is amply recorded in the prose style which is â€Å"breathtaking in scope and heart-rending in effect–a redemptive work of art†¦ † (Saving Grace 2006). This essay is going to critically discuss how Grace’s life is shaped by her encounter with various men. What makes Saving Grace a standout among Lee Smith’s other novels is its portrayal of a compelling journey to self-exploration. The title itself serves as an interactive vehicle for bringing out the thematic aspects of the plot. Right from the fictional beginning, the heroine of the story Florida Grace Shepherd feels the need to be saved: â€Å"I am and always have been contentious and ornery, full of fear and doubt in a family of believers. Mama used to call me her â€Å"worrywart child. † (Smith 3) However, the fact that she never liked to be saved by some kind of divine intervention goes to show the matriarchal-patriarchal dichotomy in the Shepherds household. The first Man whom Grace is commanded to put her trust is Jesus Christ, and she hates doing that. She openly avows her hatred for Jesus. It is her mother in whom she finds solace and healing touch in moments of extreme pain and emotional anguish: â€Å"†¦smoothing my long yellow hair and pressing me against her bosom where I could smell the familiar smell of cotton dried out on the line. (Smith 3) Despite her mother’s firm faith in the Holy Lord, much like her father’s, Jesus to her is the perpetrator behind broken family relationships. Deep in her mind she knows that her father finds the forgiving nature of God as an alibi to lead a life of a compulsive womanizer on the pretext of fundamentalist preaching of Evangelism. The main line of business for the Reverend Virgil Shepherd is the unassuming womenfolk of the mountain community of Scrabble Creek, North Carolina. Her father’s escapades and itinerant schedule have spelled doom for the entire family. The serpent-healing of Grace’s father haunts her at night when she and her sister Billie Jean â€Å"fall asleep to the sound of serpents rattling in boxes under their bed. † (Eckard 174) In this context, the all-important theme of spiritual salvation comes into contention. Grace refuses to embrace the ways of salvation by being obedient to the Holy Lord. She scorns the prospect of becoming a â€Å"special servant of the Lord† (Smith 30). Her reluctance is extended to such a degree that she cannot even gather up enough courage to rely on the Lord fearing it would lead to misunderstandings within the family and she may be cast out of the known bondage. Moreover, her restricted and brainwashed childhood is manifested through the religious customs imposed upon the children by their father: â€Å"he would not let us read anything except the Bible, he said that was all we needed to read. We were not even allowed to read the newspaper, as the only news we needed to know was the good news of the Gospel, and anything else would distract us from it. † (Smith 11) So we have seen the affect of two men on Grace’s upbringing – firstly, her father and secondly and perhaps more ominously, Jesus Christ Himself. As the story sets in motion, the readers are introduced to a 38-year old Grace making a homecoming to Scrabble Creek. The course of her life appears to be bleak after two failed marriages, childhood seduction by half brother Lamer, her mother’s suicide, and the forsaking of her own children. Here we can get a feel of the plot which is to be unfolded as we go along. It is primarily a plot based on begin-at-end formation with the main character revealing her past life at a time when everything in her present seems to have come to a cul-de-sac. However, as The Washington Post Book World reviewed, Lee Smith gives an almost impersonalized voice to her heroine as she states the truth with an â€Å"honesty so severe we are brought to our knees†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Saving Grace 2006). â€Å"I mean to tell the truth†¦even the terrible things†, and she does unhurriedly and forthrightly (Eckard 174). Her recollection touches down the lives of everyone she happened to come across right throughout her childhood and adolescent days. What she can relate to fondly was the maternal love and care she got. But nowhere in her narration do we find traces of accusation or bitter repudiation against those men who directly or indirectly exploited her. Her matter-of-fact presentation renders a dramatic appeal to the narrative, making her a storytelling model. It conforms to the viewpoints held by Sheila Collins who in her essay Theology in the Politics of Appalachian Women argues that â€Å"women must resist the silent, feminized roles traditionally expected of them in religious and political spheres†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Eckard 175). Indeed, Grace’s account shakes the stereotyped role of womanhood hailing from rough and repressive highland living. All along the novel, the readers can find several sets of juxtaposition in terms of feminine ways of perceiving life. Time and again, Grace embarks on self-evaluation to find meaning behind her existence in a world which is ruthless and full of contradicting elements. Her internal world is perpetually at flux for the simultaneous presence of sin and salvation, silence and voice, power and powerlessness and so on. All these elements are typically associated with the male connections Grace has during her eventful journey. It won’t be an overstatement to claim that Saving Grace is about the tragic life of a woman who, after coming in touch with lumps of dirt, remains unblemished in the end. Her single life may not be seen ideal to follow, but one cannot deny the unyielding spirit of humanity in the face of male dominance that Lee Smith documents through the portrayal of Florida Grace Shepherd.

Should You Get SAT Question and Answer Service for Score Verification

Should You Get SAT Question and Answer Service for Score Verification SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Do you want to use the results of your first SAT to study for your second attempt? Are you interested in seeing exactly how your SAT scores turned out the way they did? Do you love the SAT so much that you want to order 1600 copies of your test and dive into the pile of booklets like a much nerdier Scrooge McDuck (disclaimer: you can't actually do this)? Good news! The College Board provides the Student Answer Service and Question-and-Answer Service for the SAT to allow you to review your results in more detail after the test. In this article I’ll go through how these services work, why you might use them, and how to order them. What Are the Student Answer Service and the Question-and-Answer Service? They are two slightly different ways to review your scores in more detail after you take the SAT. The Question-and-Answer Service is basically a full disclosure guide to your scores. It includes: A booklet copy of the test that you took, including all the original questions. A table of correct answers and scoring information for the questions. A comprehensive report that lists the question type and level of difficulty for each test question. This report also shows your answers and whether you answered correctly, incorrectly, or omitted the question. The QAS is available if you took the SAT in October, March, or May in the United States or Canada. For testers in other countries it is only available for May test dates.It costs $18 to order. If QAS isn’t available, you can always order the Student Answer Service, which includes: Information on the types of questions on your test. The level of difficulty for each question and whether your answer was correct, incorrect, or omitted. The Student Answer Service is essentially a pared down version of the Question-and-Answer Service. It won't include your test booklet, so it doesn't allow you to review the questions in their original forms. Basically, the College Board only wants to release official exams when it's ready to retire the entire exam. (You can read about how the College Board reuses questions, leading to cheating, here). The SAS costs $13.50 to order, and you better believe it's $13.50 of the SAS(S)iest review materials you'll ever see. Unfortunately, you don’t have the option to choose between these two services. One or the other will be available exclusively based on when and where you took the test. Here’s a chart from the order form that makes it easy to figure out: Reasons to Order the Student Answer Service or Question-and-Answer Service The Student Answer Service and Question-and-Answer Service are useful and low-cost tools for reviewing your scores. Here are a few reasons why you should consider ordering whichever one is available to you: #1: To Figure Out Why You Got the Score You Did QAS gives you your entire test booklet, so you can review your answers and see exactly where your mistakes happened.You will know which question types tripped you up the most and their difficulty levels. #2: To Use as Review Material for the Next Time You Take the SAT You can see where your weaknesses were in the real test environment and use that information to guide your prep.QAS in particular is an excellent tool for this because you get your complete test booklet and can look in-depth at the questions you got wrong and the reasons why you missed them. #3: To See If a Mistake Was Made With Your Score Ordering QAS or SAS is the first step you should take if you are considering the more extreme option of Hand Score Verification.Hand Score Verification means your test is reviewed manually to see if an error was made in the scoring or scanning process.It costs a lot more, so you probably don’t want to order it without reviewing your results in more detail first. Signs of a scoring problem warranting further investigation might include a pattern of incorrect answers on a string of questions that should have been easy for you or a dramatically lower-than-expected overall score (as in 300+ points lower, not 50). The report you receive with the QAS or SAS shows you the correct answer, your answer, the question type (a key for this is provided), and the difficulty level. This makes it easy to detect these types of weird patterns. How to Order the Student Answer Service or Question-and-Answer Service You can order the Student Answer Service or Question-and-Answer Service during the process of test registration.This is something that you might consider if you know you are going to be taking the SAT again in the future and want to review your results to see how you can improve your scores.In this case, you should receive your materials in the mail within eight weeks of the test.If you are ordering the QAS or SAS after you take the test, there are a couple ways you can do it.You can place your order online through your College Board account by selecting â€Å"Order Verification† in the â€Å"My Scores† section. Or, if you’re old school or not paying with a card, here is a link to the order form that can be mailed in with payment.You can also order over the phone by calling the College Board’s Customer Service. If you order score verification services five weeks or more after the test date, results will take up to three weeks to be mailed to you.Make sure you place your order within five months of your original test date! What's Next? If you're wondering when you should take the SAT next, this article lists all the upcoming dates and helps you choose the right one for your needs. Still deciding whether or not to retake the SAT? Check out this article for some guidance. Here's a little more information if you're wondering how many times you should take the SAT overall. Also take a look at our complete study plan for the SATto learn more about structuring your prep time! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

The Origin of the Name Nunavut

The Origin of the Name Nunavut The meaning of Nunavut is the Inuktitut word for our land.  Nunavut is one of the three territories and 10 provinces that make up Canada. Nunavut became a territory of Canada in 1999, formed from the eastern region of the mainland Northwest Territories and most of the Arctic Archipelago.  The vast territory is helmed by its capital,  Iqaluit, located at the head of  Frobisher Bay  on southern  Baffin Island. In 1975, an accord, the  James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, was agreed upon  between the Canadian federal government, the Province of Quebec and Inuit representatives. This accord resulted in the establishment of the  Kativik Regional Government  in the Nunavik territory, and the residents of all 14 Nunavik settlements now elect their own representatives in regional elections. The Inuktitut Language Inuktitut, or Eastern Canadian  Inuktitut, is one of the principal  Inuit languages  of  Canada. It is also an aboriginal language that is  written  using the Canadian Aboriginal syllabics. Syllabics is a family of  consonant-based alphabets called abugidas. It is used by several Aboriginal  Canadian  language families including Algonquian,  Inuit, and Athabaskan.   Vastly different from the  Latin script used by more widespread  languages, the use of  syllabics greatly increases the likelihood of literacy among readers, due to its ease of use.   The Inuktitut language is spoken throughout Arctic Canada, including all areas north of the  tree line. The northern regions in the provinces of Quebec, Newfoundland Labrador,  Manitoba,  and  Nunavut use the language, as well as the Northwest Territories.  Inuktitut not only refers to the language but the entire culture of the Eastern Canadian Inuit.   Inuit Culture and Language The Inuit mannerisms, social behaviors, and values make up Inuktitut, in addition to the written and spoken word. An Inuktitut education takes place outside of traditional schools in the home,  and also on the land, sea, and ice. Young tribe members observe their parents and elders  and practice their new language and life skills in order to perfect them. The word  Inuit means the people, and it is an autonym. The singular form is  Inuk. Lifestyle Based Around Extreme Weather Conditions The Inuit lifestyle is completely based around the  extreme weather conditions they must endure. Basic survival skills along with fishing, hunting and  trapping are essential for daily life. Agriculture has always been an impossibility, so instead, the  Inuit diet is unlike any typical eating plan found elsewhere in the world. Beluga whale, seal, arctic char, crab, walrus, caribou, duck, moose, caribou, quail and geese make up almost the entirety of their diet, except in the warmer months when field roots and  berries, such as cloudberries are picked and served, when in season. This meat and fat-heavy diet has proven to be a health issue for the Inuits. Many suffer from  a  low  calcium and vitamin D intake, but surprisingly, a vitamin C definitely has not been an issue for most.

Philosophy of Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Philosophy of Education - Essay Example In order to compensate for the deficiencies pointed above, a lot of hard work from earnest educators is necessary. It is perhaps a reflection of my deep compassion for children that I have decided to be an educator. Moreover, I have thoroughly enjoyed teaching young kids, especially of elementary school level. With modern education technology much advanced than what it was a few decades ago, it would be an exciting time to be a teacher. For example, today there are overhead projectors, personal computer terminals, on-line library databases with extensive catalogs, sophisticated research methodologies, etc that are available to the instructor. Using all these, I intend to create for my students a wonderful learning experience in the classroom and beyond. At another level, I would like to contribute toward positive changes to our education system. At present, as research conducted on SAT score data reveal, there is a definite race-bias in many of these standardized tests. There is also the problem faced by Hispanic-American kids, whose mother tongue is Spanish. The way in which some schools get funded easily while others struggle to garner government support is also problematic. This is illustrated by the obvious failure areas of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act in the last few years. Despite so much social progress over the centuries, socio-economic background and race/ethnicity are significant determinants of academic success. And I am interested in working on viable solutions for these problems.

Family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

Family - Essay Example As an institution for socialization, a family provides the necessary knowledge to the growing individuals in the family to help them to understand their social and physical environments. Other roles of the family are to provide security to the individuals as well as to ensure that they provide the needs of each of its member to enhance their life (Brownfield, 2010). One of the conceptual frameworks for the family assessment is the Neuman’s systems model, which is used as a guide to assessment and intervention of a dysfunctional family and help in streamlining the conditions that are failing in a society and that need attention for proper functioning of the whole unit. This helps to implement a therapy that is focused on all the family members to ensure that the intervention program is successful in the society in curbing an issue that arises at the family level. This model incorporates all the members of the family in the implementation in order to ensure that it achieves the best results in the society to address an occurrence that can be perceived harmful the people (Parker & Smith, 2010). In the society, there are usually community-based services that are aimed at promoting the health of individuals in that particular society and ensure smooth running of the society. Some of these services serve the community by preventing disease and injuries, improving the health status of the society and also they enhance the quality of life of people (Gregitis et al, 2010). These services include such like coordinated school health program which facilitate health for different members of the school as well as the child and adolescent mental health program that help to address issues of children and youth mental health stability (Baggett et al 2010), In US, the Child and adolescent mental health is a popular community-based program that runs in the society and which has helped

Adventure Tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Adventure Tourism - Essay Example In this context, tourism offered by the state is really important for people of ‘weak’ financial status, whereas tourism products that are designed specifically for people with a strong financial background, can be just a part of daily life without a significant value for the people involved (in terms of expectancy). However, in terms of pleasure tourism products are welcomed by people of all social levels around the world. It has to be noticed that tourism has been developed a lot especially the last decade where a series of tourism products have appeared and are offered to the public (or to a more limited part of the population). Under these terms, the adventure tourism products have expanded internationally and keep on gaining the preference of people in the global community. The types of these products are many, however because they have common characteristics they can all be evaluated simultaneously with just slight differentiations referring mostly to their ‘ structure’ and the facilities used for their ‘realization’. The development of tourism around the world has been in accordance with the potentials of each particular geographical area (in terms of landscapes and facilities provided) as well as the preferences of tourists as they are expressed through the tourism products chosen worldwide. In this context, it has been stated by Werner (2003, 141) that ‘within the past century, international tourists have increasingly sought exotic destinations in their pursuit of relaxation, escape, and adventure; recognizing the opportunity to earn valuable foreign currency, developing countries have catered to these desires by encouraging tourism development’. The types of tourism products offered by each country are depended on a series of parameters with most important its ability to respond to the requirements set by these products from a financial and environmental aspect as already expected above. For this reason, it is hardly

A Report on the Balanced Scorecard for Yunnan Lucky Air

A Report on the Balanced Scorecard for Yunnan Lucky Air The Chinese airline industry is a heavily regulated industry which provides limiting flexibility to both new as well as growing airlines. In the recent years many low-cost airlines have mushroomed, Lucky Air being one of them. Lucky Air was founded in July 2004 with an initial capitalisation of US$2.2 million. The ownership of the airline is with Hainan Airlines, Shanxi Airlines and Yunnan Shilin Tourism Aviation.The airline exists in a crowded field of around 15 low-cost Chinese airlines. The airline, though growing, anticipates a potential squeeze in its business. The management of Yunnan Lucky Air, hereinafter referred to as Lucky Air, approached us to advice them on monitoring their performance closely so as to achieve their organisational mission and objectives. After initial discussions with the management of the airlines, my team has recommended the use of a Balanced Scorecard to monitor its performance. I present in this report a Balanced Scorecard for Lucky Air that translat es the airlines mission and strategy into a comprehensive set of performance measures. Recent Trends in Lucky Air Lucky Air is currently based in Kunming in Peoples Republic of China. The airline has its main base in Dali airport and runs its flights between Dali to Kunming and Xishuangbanna. The routes in this region have greatly contributed to most of its profits. It is slowly reaching out to other regions in China. The overall growth of the airline has been facilitated by the limited route licensing policy of the Chinese government that has given Lucky Air a near monopoly status within Yunnan. The number of passengers carried by the airline has grown from 500,000 passengers over 5,746 flight hours in 2006 to 1.2 million over 17,875 total flight hours. During the same period, its operating revenue tripled from US$31.2 million to US$104.3 million. Over the recent years, Lucky Air has also grown in terms of flights to and from destinations outside the Yunnan province. As in early 2008, the additional routes represented almost 87 of its 150 weekly flights by the airline. Lucky Air Strategy Lucky Air operates as a low-cost, high-efficiency airline. This is the basis of its key strategy. The low-cost and high efficiency is maintained through: Using single type of aircraft leading to reduced maintenance and operational costs. Having only one category of seat class, thereby simplifying pricing. Having no seat assignments or in-flight entertainment. Increasing on-time departure and arrival by having short haul point-to-point routes. Operating mostly in secondary cities to avoid congestion and reduce landing costs. As a part of its expansion strategy, in recent times Lucky Air has tried to build its competitive advantage by focusing on e-commerce. Customers can buy and refund tickets online by paying 5% to 20% less than anywhere else. The airline has created an online community for its passengers and hopes to reach more customers directly via its website and build more brand recognition and a loyal customer base. In addition, Lucky Air has invested in own call centres to facilitate ticket booking. Balance Scorecard for Lucky Air Lucky Airs strategy rests around it being a low-cost, high-efficiency airline. A scorecard can measure the airlines performance across four different but linked perspectives that are derived from its vision, strategy and objectives. These perspectives include: Financial, Customer, Internal and Learning Growth. The left-hand side of the diagram represents the cause-and-effect relationships across the four perspectives that describe low cost and high-efficiency strategy. (Refer Appendix A for an explanation of the Lucky Air Scorecard and Appendix B for Cause and Relationship between perspectives) Benefits and Limitations of the Scorecard Like any other performance measurement tool, a Balanced Scorecard is not foolproof. Before the scorecard that has been designed for Lucky Air is implemented, the benefits and limitations of the scorecard need to be examined and understood. Benefits of Lucky Air Scorecard Balance Scorecard has led companies to develop a variety of corporate scorecards suggesting a process approach to innovations in performance measurements. (Source: Epstein and Birchard, 2000 and Hoque and James 1997). The benefits that can be obtained from a Balanced Scorecard depend on not just its design but also what it is used for and how it is applied. In general, a Balanced Scorecard will help Lucky Air: Enhance traditional financial accounting measures of Lucky Air by including certain non-financial measures. Thus, Lucky Air, through a Balanced Scorecard, can examine the drivers of financial performance by focusing at least three other perspectives: customers, internal business processes, and learning and growth. (Source: Kaplan and Norton, 1992, 1996). Acquire an effective means for clearly translating a firms vision and strategy into tool for communicating the firms strategy to the various sections of the organisation. In the case of Lucky Air, the Balanced Scorecard can show how focusing on the customer and the services can lead to increased profits. (Source: Chow, 1997; Source: Kaplan, 1992) Motivate performance against established strategic goals. A handful of critical measures have been identified for each perspective and the corresponding targets have been defined. The performance measures force managers to focus on the measures that are most critical. The targets provide managers with a framework to manage the various activities in line with the corporate objectives. For example, a manager can clearly see that managing on ground time is critical and it needs to be kept below 20 minutes. Ensure that its employees understand the long-term strategy of the organisation and also the association between the employees actions and the chosen strategic goals. It can provide strategic feedback and promote learning within the airline through the monitoring of short-term strategic results. Allocate resources and set priorities based on the initiatives contribution to long-term strategic objectives. (Source: Kaplan and Norton, 1996). Evaluate and judge the decisions, policies, plans of the airline. For example, the success or otherwise of the decision of adopting e-commerce as an expansion strategy by Lucky Air can be examined in terms of the four perspectives and its impact on the profitability of the airline. Fosters organisational learning and continual improvement when it is used as a strategic management tool. Limitations of Lucky Air Scorecard Though Balanced Scorecard may be an effective tool for many organisations, it may not help in improvement of performance of all organisations. A Balanced Scorecard is only a tool and the deployment of the tool rests with the airline itself. It is not easy to provide practical guidance for deployment of the scorecard. Some of the key limitations that can cause a Balanced Scorecard initiative at Lucky Air to fail are as follows: Effectiveness of a balanced scorecard depends on a well defined strategy and an understanding of the linkages between strategic objectives and metrics. (Source: Howard Rohm pp.4). If this is lacking its deployment will be unsuccessful. The biggest limitation of the Lucky Air scorecard is that it has been designed by an external team of consultants who have been in discussion with some key players in the airline. It did not involve a cross-section of the airline in developing the system. Thus if the scorecard of Lucky Air fails to link the correct drivers in the internal and learning and growth perspective to the desired outcomes in the financial and customer perspectives, it will not be effective. A scorecard may not be effective if it includes a few measures for each perspective. For example, success of Lucky Air is not only a result of the training and motivation of the ground crew but the entire staff. Thus a scorecard with too few measures may not depict enough of Lucky Airs strategy and does not represent a balance between desired outcomes and performance drivers of the outcomes. Likewise if too many measures are included, the managers attention may get so diffused that he may pay insufficient attention to those measures that can make the maximum impact. No balanced scorecard can be flawless with respect to its design. The Lucky Air scorecard too may have certain design flaws which may not be visible now. These will only be detected when the scorecard is implemented. It is only over a period of time that a company will learn about the effective drivers of performance. (Source: Norreklit, 2000) The scorecard on its own will not be effective if Lucky Airs top management is not committed to it. The top executives may end up looking at Balanced scorecard as a quick fix that can easily be installed in the airline. The scorecard may have its limitations if the top management simply uses it as a checklist for operational improvements or to expand the compensation system to include non-financial measures. (Source: Atkinson, A. et al, 2004) The scorecard seems to have too much internal focus. The scorecard is only depicting incentives for desired behaviour changes in the ground crew and not focusing on other employees. Conclusion and Recommendation A scorecard balances traditional financial measures of success such as profits and return on capital with non-financial measures of the drivers of future financial performance. It can prove to be an effective tool for Lucky Air if it is appropriately deployed by the airline. Appropriate deployment will require complete commitment from all levels in the organisation by making its implementation everyones job. Moreover, the initial Balanced Scorecard should only be taken as a starting point and needs to be looked upon on an ongoing basis. Frequent reviews of the scorecard are required and new performance measures identified as a Balanced Scorecard evolves over a period of time. Data on various measures or metrics needs to be collected on a regular basis and the targets of the metrics should be sufficiently linked to rewards and incentives to motivate their accomplishment. APPENDIX Appendix A: Explanation of the Lucky Air Scorecard The classes which can be formed and the parameters which may be put in the balance scorecard are: Financial: How is success measured by Lucky Airs owners, namely, Hainan Airlines, Shanxi Airlines and Yunnan Shilin Tourism Aviation? The financial parameter can be evaluated by assigning values to parameters like total revenue or increase in revenue from tickets, total amount refunded due to cancelled tickets etc. It is also measured in changes in the plane leasing costs, maintaining and operating costs etc. Customers: This is the customer perspective. It focuses on how the airline creates value for the customers. Customer perspective provides an insight into the perceptions customers hold for Lucky Air. Internal: What internal processes should Lucky Air excel in to satisfy customers and shareholders? Internal Processes can be known from turnaround time, on-ground time, arrival and departure delays, number of ticketing errors, customer care services etc. This would help in attaining an idea of the operations of the organization in question. Learning and growth: What employee capabilities, information systems and Lucky Airs climate does the airline need to continually improve its internal processes and customer relationships? It focuses on the motivation and training of the crew members. Starting at the bottom of the diagram, the strategy has a learning and growth objective to train and motivate ground crew with the expectation that this will lead to better improved ground turnarounds, from arrivals to subsequent departures, for its planes. This internal objective enables Lucky Air to have its planes depart on time and to get better utilisation of its airplanes and flight crews, further enabling it to earn profits even at prices that are lowest in the industry. It also focuses on improvement of internal processes to realise bigger revenue opportunities. The low prices and on-time departures attract more customers, improve customer loyalty and lead to a growth in revenues. The combination of revenue growth and low costs finally results in high profits and high return on assets. The strategy is clearer through the cause and effect relationships among objectives in each of the four balanced scorecard perspectives. These can be stated as follows: Increase revenues through increased sales to existing and new customers (financial) Grow to be service oriented ( customer perspective) Excel in providing services through continuous process improvements ( internal) Bring into line employee incentives and rewards with the strategy (learning and growth)

Chocolate Chip Cookies :: essays research papers

Chocolate Chip Cookies Roy McKenzie L.A. 6 ° February 26 1997   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Whoever in here likes chocolate chip cookies STAND UP! Well, I like them too.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story of the Chocolate chip cookie is really an interesting one. In fact, did you know that the invention itself was really an accident? Nope, well, I didn't think so. Let me tell you a little about it. Have you ever wondered how the chocolate chip cookie came to be? Have you ever wondered who brought this American tradition into our homes? Do you know how they became so popular?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Well, it all started one day with a young lady named Ruth Wakefield. One day she was making some cookies for her guests. They were called Butter Drop Do's. This cookie required semisweet chocolate pieces to be melted in the batter. Well she was in a hurry, she had beds to make and drapes to clean so, instead of melting the chocolate pieces in the batter she just chopped them up in the batter, thinking they would melt during the cooking process. To her surprise they stayed very much intact See what happens when you do not follow the directions?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Well, never the less everyone at the Toll House Inn simply loved them. In fact, they became so popular the recipe was published in the Boston Newspaper. The recipe was named the Toll House Cookie. One day Nestlà © was going over their reports and they found that sales for chocolate bars rose rapidly in the Boston area. This was because the chocolate bars were the primary ingredient in the Toll House Cookies. When Nestlà © found out what was up they started making their chocolate bars with score lines on them for easier breaking. This was ok but still not easy enough. So to solve this problem they made morsels (miniature chocolate kisses)and bought the Toll House name. With that they called them Nestlà © Toll House Morsels.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Did you also know that the chocolate chip cookie is the most popular cookie in America? The Toll House produces thirty-three thousand cookies each

Angels Demons Chapter 28-31

28 Secretary Sylvie Baudeloque was now in a panic. She paced outside the director's empty office. Where the hell is he? What do I do? It had been a bizarre day. Of course, any day working for Maximilian Kohler had the potential to be strange, but Kohler had been in rare form today. â€Å"Find me Leonardo Vetra!† he had demanded when Sylvie arrived this morning. Dutifully, Sylvie paged, phoned, and E-mailed Leonardo Vetra. Nothing. So Kohler had left in a huff, apparently to go find Vetra himself. When he rolled back in a few hours later, Kohler looked decidedly not well†¦ not that he ever actually looked well, but he looked worse than usual. He locked himself in his office, and she could hear him on his modem, his phone, faxing, talking. Then Kohler rolled out again. He hadn't been back since. Sylvie had decided to ignore the antics as yet another Kohlerian melodrama, but she began to get concerned when Kohler failed to return at the proper time for his daily injections; the director's physical condition required regular treatment, and when he decided to push his luck, the results were never pretty – respiratory shock, coughing fits, and a mad dash by the infirmary personnel. Sometimes Sylvie thought Maximilian Kohler had a death wish. She considered paging him to remind him, but she'd learned charity was something Kohlers's pride despised. Last week, he had become so enraged with a visiting scientist who had shown him undue pity that Kohler clambered to his feet and threw a clipboard at the man's head. King Kohler could be surprisingly agile when he was pisse. At the moment, however, Sylvie's concern for the director's health was taking a back burner†¦ replaced by a much more pressing dilemma. The CERN switchboard had phoned five minutes ago in a frenzy to say they had an urgent call for the director. â€Å"He's not available,† Sylvie had said. Then the CERN operator told her who was calling. Sylvie half laughed aloud. â€Å"You're kidding, right?† She listened, and her face clouded with disbelief. â€Å"And your caller ID confirms – † Sylvie was frowning. â€Å"I see. Okay. Can you ask what the – † She sighed. â€Å"No. That's fine. Tell him to hold. I'll locate the director right away. Yes, I understand. I'll hurry.† But Sylvie had not been able to find the director. She had called his cell line three times and each time gotten the same message: â€Å"The mobile customer you are trying to reach is out of range.† Out of range? How far could he go? So Sylvie had dialed Kohler's beeper. Twice. No response. Most unlike him. She'd even E-mailed his mobile computer. Nothing. It was like the man had disappeared off the face of the earth. So what do I do? she now wondered. Short of searching CERN's entire complex herself, Sylvie knew there was only one other way to get the director's attention. He would not be pleased, but the man on the phone was not someone the director should keep waiting. Nor did it sound like the caller was in any mood to be told the director was unavailable. Startled with her own boldness, Sylvie made her decision. She walked into Kohler's office and went to the metal box on his wall behind his desk. She opened the cover, stared at the controls, and found the correct button. Then she took a deep breath and grabbed the microphone. 29 Vittoria did not remember how they had gotten to the main elevator, but they were there. Ascending. Kohler was behind her, his breathing labored now. Langdon's concerned gaze passed through her like a ghost. He had taken the fax from her hand and slipped it in his jacket pocket away from her sight, but the image was still burned into her memory. As the elevator climbed, Vittoria's world swirled into darkness. Papa! In her mind she reached for him. For just a moment, in the oasis of her memory, Vittoria was with him. She was nine years old, rolling down hills of edelweiss flowers, the Swiss sky spinning overhead. Papa! Papa! Leonardo Vetra was laughing beside her, beaming. â€Å"What is it, angel?† â€Å"Papa!† she giggled, nuzzling close to him. â€Å"Ask me what's the matter!† â€Å"But you look happy, sweetie. Why would I ask you what's the matter?† â€Å"Just ask me.† He shrugged. â€Å"What's the matter?† She immediately started laughing. â€Å"What's the matter? Everything is the matter! Rocks! Trees! Atoms! Even anteaters! Everything is the matter!† He laughed. â€Å"Did you make that up?† â€Å"Pretty smart, huh?† â€Å"My little Einstein.† She frowned. â€Å"He has stupid hair. I saw his picture.† â€Å"He's got a smart head, though. I told you what he proved, right?† Her eyes widened with dread. â€Å"Dad! No! You promised!† â€Å"E=MC2!† He tickled her playfully. â€Å"E=MC2!† â€Å"No math! I told you! I hate it!† â€Å"I'm glad you hate it. Because girls aren't even allowed to do math.† Vittoria stopped short. â€Å"They aren't?† â€Å"Of course not. Everyone knows that. Girls play with dollies. Boys do math. No math for girls. I'm not even permitted to talk to little girls about math.† â€Å"What! But that's not fair!† â€Å"Rules are rules. Absolutely no math for little girls.† Vittoria looked horrified. â€Å"But dolls are boring!† â€Å"I'm sorry,† her father said. â€Å"I could tell you about math, but if I got caught†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He looked nervously around the deserted hills. Vittoria followed his gaze. â€Å"Okay,† she whispered, â€Å"just tell me quietly.† The motion of the elevator startled her. Vittoria opened her eyes. He was gone. Reality rushed in, wrapping a frosty grip around her. She looked to Langdon. The earnest concern in his gaze felt like the warmth of a guardian angel, especially in the aura of Kohler's chill. A single sentient thought began pounding at Vittoria with unrelenting force. Where is the antimatter? The horrifying answer was only a moment away. 30 â€Å"Maximilian Kohler. Kindly call your office immediately.† Blazing sunbeams flooded Langdon's eyes as the elevator doors opened into the main atrium. Before the echo of the announcement on the intercom overhead faded, every electronic device on Kohler's wheelchair started beeping and buzzing simultaneously. His pager. His phone. His E-mail. Kohler glanced down at the blinking lights in apparent bewilderment. The director had resurfaced, and he was back in range. â€Å"Director Kohler. Please call your office.† The sound of his name on the PA seemed to startle Kohler. He glanced up, looking angered and then almost immediately concerned. Langdon's eyes met his, and Vittoria's too. The three of them were motionless a moment, as if all the tension between them had been erased and replaced by a single, unifying foreboding. Kohler took his cell phone from the armrest. He dialed an extension and fought off another coughing fit. Vittoria and Langdon waited. â€Å"This is†¦ Director Kohler,† he said, wheezing. â€Å"Yes? I was subterranean, out of range.† He listened, his gray eyes widening. â€Å"Who? Yes, patch it through.† There was a pause. â€Å"Hello? This is Maximilian Kohler. I am the director of CERN. With whom am I speaking?† Vittoria and Langdon watched in silence as Kohler listened. â€Å"It would be unwise,† Kohler finally said, â€Å"to speak of this by phone. I will be there immediately.† He was coughing again. â€Å"Meet me†¦ at Leonardo da Vinci Airport. Forty minutes.† Kohler's breath seemed to be failing him now. He descended into a fit of coughing and barely managed to choke out the words, â€Å"Locate the canister immediately†¦ I am coming.† Then he clicked off his phone. Vittoria ran to Kohler's side, but Kohler could no longer speak. Langdon watched as Vittoria pulled out her cell phone and paged CERN's infirmary. Langdon felt like a ship on the periphery of a storm†¦ tossed but detached. Meet me at Leonardo da Vinci Airport. Kohler's words echoed. The uncertain shadows that had fogged Langdon's mind all morning, in a single instant, solidified into a vivid image. As he stood there in the swirl of confusion, he felt a door inside him open†¦ as if some mystic threshold had just been breached. The ambigram. The murdered priest/scientist. The antimatter. And now†¦ the target. Leonardo da Vinci Airport could only mean one thing. In a moment of stark realization, Langdon knew he had just crossed over. He had become a believer. Five kilotons. Let there be light. Two paramedics materialized, racing across the atrium in white smocks. They knelt by Kohler, putting an oxygen mask on his face. Scientists in the hall stopped and stood back. Kohler took two long pulls, pushed the mask aside, and still gasping for air, looked up at Vittoria and Langdon. â€Å"Rome.† â€Å"Rome?† Vittoria demanded. â€Å"The antimatter is in Rome? Who called?† Kohler's face was twisted, his gray eyes watering. â€Å"The Swiss†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He choked on the words, and the paramedics put the mask back over his face. As they prepared to take him away, Kohler reached up and grabbed Langdon's arm. Langdon nodded. He knew. â€Å"Go†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Kohler wheezed beneath his mask. â€Å"Go†¦ call me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Then the paramedics were rolling him away. Vittoria stood riveted to the floor, watching him go. Then she turned to Langdon. â€Å"Rome? But†¦ what was that about the Swiss?† Langdon put a hand on her shoulder, barely whispering the words. â€Å"The Swiss Guard,† he said. â€Å"The sworn sentinels of Vatican City.† 31 The X-33 space plane roared into the sky and arched south toward Rome. On board, Langdon sat in silence. The last fifteen minutes had been a blur. Now that he had finished briefing Vittoria on the Illuminati and their covenant against the Vatican, the scope of this situation was starting to sink in. What the hell am I doing? Langdon wondered. I should have gone home when I had the chance! Deep down, though, he knew he'd never had the chance. Langdon's better judgment had screamed at him to return to Boston. Nonetheless, academic astonishment had somehow vetoed prudence. Everything he had ever believed about the demise of the Illuminati was suddenly looking like a brilliant sham. Part of him craved proof. Confirmation. There was also a question of conscience. With Kohler ailing and Vittoria on her own, Langdon knew that if his knowledge of the Illuminati could assist in any way, he had a moral obligation to be here. There was more, though. Although Langdon was ashamed to admit it, his initial horror on hearing about the antimatter's location was not only the danger to human life in Vatican City, but for something else as well. Art. The world's largest art collection was now sitting on a time bomb. The Vatican Museum housed over 60,000 priceless pieces in 1,407 rooms – Michelangelo, da Vinci, Bernini, Botticelli. Langdon wondered if all of the art could possibly be evacuated if necessary. He knew it was impossible. Many of the pieces were sculptures weighing tons. Not to mention, the greatest treasures were architectural – the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, Michelangelo's famed spiral staircase leading to the Museo Vaticano – priceless testaments to man's creative genius. Langdon wondered how much time was left on the canister. â€Å"Thanks for coming,† Vittoria said, her voice quiet. Langdon emerged from his daydream and looked up. Vittoria was sitting across the aisle. Even in the stark fluorescent light of the cabin, there was an aura of composure about her – an almost magnetic radiance of wholeness. Her breathing seemed deeper now, as if a spark of self-preservation had ignited within her†¦ a craving for justice and retribution, fueled by a daughter's love. Vittoria had not had time to change from her shorts and sleeveless top, and her tawny legs were now goose-bumped in the cold of the plane. Instinctively Langdon removed his jacket and offered it to her. â€Å"American chivalry?† She accepted, her eyes thanking him silently. The plane jostled across some turbulence, and Langdon felt a surge of danger. The windowless cabin felt cramped again, and he tried to imagine himself in an open field. The notion, he realized, was ironic. He had been in an open field when it had happened. Crushing darkness. He pushed the memory from his mind. Ancient history. Vittoria was watching him. â€Å"Do you believe in God, Mr. Langdon?† The question startled him. The earnestness in Vittoria's voice was even more disarming than the inquiry. Do I believe in God? He had hoped for a lighter topic of conversation to pass the trip. A spiritual conundrum, Langdon thought. That's what my friends call me. Although he studied religion for years, Langdon was not a religious man. He respected the power of faith, the benevolence of churches, the strength religion gave to many people†¦ and yet, for him, the intellectual suspension of disbelief that was imperative if one were truly going to â€Å"believe† had always proved too big an obstacle for his academic mind. â€Å"I want to believe,† he heard himself say. Vittoria's reply carried no judgment or challenge. â€Å"So why don't you?† He chuckled. â€Å"Well, it's not that easy. Having faith requires leaps of faith, cerebral acceptance of miracles – immaculate conceptions and divine interventions. And then there are the codes of conduct. The Bible, the Koran, Buddhist scripture†¦ they all carry similar requirements – and similar penalties. They claim that if I don't live by a specific code I will go to hell. I can't imagine a God who would rule that way.† â€Å"I hope you don't let your students dodge questions that shamelessly.† The comment caught him off guard. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Mr. Langdon, I did not ask if you believe what man says about God. I asked if you believed in God. There is a difference. Holy scripture is stories†¦ legends and history of man's quest to understand his own need for meaning. I am not asking you to pass judgment on literature. I am asking if you believe in God. When you lie out under the stars, do you sense the divine? Do you feel in your gut that you are staring up at the work of God's hand?† Langdon took a long moment to consider it. â€Å"I'm prying,† Vittoria apologized. â€Å"No, I just†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Certainly you must debate issues of faith with your classes.† â€Å"Endlessly.† â€Å"And you play devil's advocate, I imagine. Always fueling the debate.† Langdon smiled. â€Å"You must be a teacher too.† â€Å"No, but I learned from a master. My father could argue two sides of a Mobius Strip.† Langdon laughed, picturing the artful crafting of a Mobius Strip – a twisted ring of paper, which technically possessed only one side. Langdon had first seen the single-sided shape in the artwork of M. C. Escher. â€Å"May I ask you a question, Ms. Vetra?† â€Å"Call me Vittoria. Ms. Vetra makes me feel old.† He sighed inwardly, suddenly sensing his own age. â€Å"Vittoria, I'm Robert.† â€Å"You had a question.† â€Å"Yes. As a scientist and the daughter of a Catholic priest, what do you think of religion?† Vittoria paused, brushing a lock of hair from her eyes. â€Å"Religion is like language or dress. We gravitate toward the practices with which we were raised. In the end, though, we are all proclaiming the same thing. That life has meaning. That we are grateful for the power that created us.† Langdon was intrigued. â€Å"So you're saying that whether you are a Christian or a Muslim simply depends on where you were born?† â€Å"Isn't it obvious? Look at the diffusion of religion around the globe.† â€Å"So faith is random?† â€Å"Hardly. Faith is universal. Our specific methods for understanding it are arbitrary. Some of us pray to Jesus, some of us go to Mecca, some of us study subatomic particles. In the end we are all just searching for truth, that which is greater than ourselves.† Langdon wished his students could express themselves so clearly. Hell, he wished he could express himself so clearly. â€Å"And God?† he asked. â€Å"Do you believe in God?† Vittoria was silent for a long time. â€Å"Science tells me God must exist. My mind tells me I will never understand God. And my heart tells me I am not meant to.† How's that for concise, he thought. â€Å"So you believe God is fact, but we will never understand Him.† â€Å"Her,† she said with a smile. â€Å"Your Native Americans had it right.† Langdon chuckled. â€Å"Mother Earth.† â€Å"Gaea. The planet is an organism. All of us are cells with different purposes. And yet we are intertwined. Serving each other. Serving the whole.† Looking at her, Langdon felt something stir within him that he had not felt in a long time. There was a bewitching clarity in her eyes†¦ a purity in her voice. He felt drawn. â€Å"Mr. Langdon, let me ask you another question.† â€Å"Robert,† he said. Mr. Langdon makes me feel old. I am old! â€Å"If you don't mind my asking, Robert, how did you get involved with the Illuminati?† Langdon thought back. â€Å"Actually, it was money.† Vittoria looked disappointed. â€Å"Money? Consulting, you mean?† Langdon laughed, realizing how it must have sounded. â€Å"No. Money as in currency.† He reached in his pants pocket and pulled out some money. He found a one-dollar bill. â€Å"I became fascinated with the cult when I first learned that U.S. currency is covered with Illuminati symbology.† Vittoria's eyes narrowed, apparently not knowing whether or not to take him seriously. Langdon handed her the bill. â€Å"Look at the back. See the Great Seal on the left?† Vittoria turned the one-dollar bill over. â€Å"You mean the pyramid?† â€Å"The pyramid. Do you know what pyramids have to do with U.S. history?† Vittoria shrugged. â€Å"Exactly,† Langdon said. â€Å"Absolutely nothing.† Vittoria frowned. â€Å"So why is it the central symbol of your Great Seal?† â€Å"An eerie bit of history,† Langdon said. â€Å"The pyramid is an occult symbol representing a convergence upward, toward the ultimate source of Illumination. See what's above it?† Vittoria studied the bill. â€Å"An eye inside a triangle.† â€Å"It's called the trinacria. Have you ever seen that eye in a triangle anywhere else?† Vittoria was silent a moment. â€Å"Actually, yes, but I'm not sure†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It's emblazoned on Masonic lodges around the world.† â€Å"The symbol is Masonic?† â€Å"Actually, no. It's Illuminati. They called it their ‘shining delta.' A call for enlightened change. The eye signifies the Illuminati's ability to infiltrate and watch all things. The shining triangle represents enlightenment. And the triangle is also the Greek letter delta, which is the mathematical symbol for – â€Å" â€Å"Change. Transition.† Langdon smiled. â€Å"I forgot I was talking to a scientist.† â€Å"So you're saying the U.S. Great Seal is a call for enlightened, all-seeing change?† â€Å"Some would call it a New World Order.† Vittoria seemed startled. She glanced down at the bill again. â€Å"The writing under the pyramid says Novus†¦ Ordo†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Novus Ordo Seculorum,† Langdon said. â€Å"It means New Secular Order.† â€Å"Secular as in non religious?† â€Å"Nonreligious. The phrase not only clearly states the Illuminati objective, but it also blatantly contradicts the phrase beside it. In God We Trust.† Vittoria seemed troubled. â€Å"But how could all this symbology end up on the most powerful currency in the world?† â€Å"Most academics believe it was through Vice President Henry Wallace. He was an upper echelon Mason and certainly had ties to the Illuminati. Whether it was as a member or innocently under their influence, nobody knows. But it was Wallace who sold the design of the Great Seal to the president.† â€Å"How? Why would the president have agreed to – â€Å" â€Å"The president was Franklin D. Roosevelt. Wallace simply told him Novus Ordo Seculorum meant New Deal.† Vittoria seemed skeptical. â€Å"And Roosevelt didn't have anyone else look at the symbol before telling the Treasury to print it?† â€Å"No need. He and Wallace were like brothers.† â€Å"Brothers?† â€Å"Check your history books,† Langdon said with a smile. â€Å"Franklin D. Roosevelt was a well-known Mason.†