The Angel – Ted Hughes Poem Analysis

1) What is the poem about? My personal view is that Ted Hughes has attempted to interpret his inner feelings relating to the deaths of his two wives and mother in his writing. The poem is centred around Halifax and I think this is of relevance because Ted Hughes grew up in the town so will always be able to make a connection between the actual place, his family and his upbringing. I find it significant that Hughes was frequently accused of writing poetry which is unnecessarily violent as my opinion is that he was simply being a typically blunt Yorkshire man, describing visions as he sees them. I am aware that the understandings of meanings may vary from reader to reader, but from studying the poem I understand that Hughes is describing a vision of what he thought to be an angel over the Calder Valley landscape. I also think that Hughes may use his poetry as a method to display his emotions and guilt felt towards both of his wives committing suicide. Also you can read Analysis July at the Multiplex 2) How does the poet use language to convey the meaning, give examples of use of any figurative or metaphorical language? Hughes endeavours to use his poetry as a powerful way of reaching our feelings and emotions in a subconscious manner. In his position as a writer, Hughes attempts to help release our suppressed creative energies, and he believes that poetry is particularly effective for this purpose. Hughes technique involves using appropriate wording to influence the reader's imagination which results in the effect being a release of emotional energy. I don't think his language and structure of writing is necessarily easy to understand. My approach to this was to study the background of Hughes as a person, this helped me to appreciate his work and recognize the style in which Hughes aspires to create a vision. I have researched more of Hughes poetry and upon doing so, noticed and become aware of the fact that certain images recur in his work. In his poem The Angel, Hughes uses metaphors such as â€Å"it was a swan the size of a city!† this type of wording will attract the reader's attention with an element of surprise as a metaphor is a phrase or figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing, is used to designate another. The result is it makes an implicit comparison. â€Å"Smoking Snow† is an oxymoron as two contradictory terms are combined. Realistically, it is not possible for snow to smoke but this is designed to add effect as it sounds quite dramatic. â€Å"Rippling its fringed edges† – Rippling is an onomatopoeia as is fluttered. Hughes uses these types of words to imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to (such as fluttered referring to dress). â€Å"Glowed like the night-cloud over Sheffield† would be classed as a simile as it is making a comparison and using the word like. I find the wording â€Å"Strange square of Satin† to be alliteration as Hughes is repeating the consonants to result in the same types of sounds. My view is that Hughes has used the word â€Å"enigmatic† as a personification as it is giving a human attribute to an inanimate object (square of satin). 3) What senses is the poet using to convey his vision and meaning? I think Hughes mainly tries to illustrate his poem The Angel as a vision in which we can receive a vivid and quite clear picture in our heads of the events and images. I think this is particularly correct of the sentence â€Å"She was cast in burning metal† as I can actually envisage the sight of the angel surrounded by the hot, flaming metal. Part of Hughes piece also appeal to my touch senses such as â€Å"When I next saw that strange square of satin I reached out and touched it†. This comment made me think of the soft and silky feel of holding satin in my hand. When Hughes is quoting his vision of the words of advice spoken by his mother it appeals to the senses of sound. Read also  Case 302 July in Multiplex 4) Which pieces of the poem do you especially like and why? The first reason I favour the poem is because I am familiar with the towns he is referring to (Halifax and Sheffield) and I think it is important to comprehend the significance of his Yorkshire origins in order to understand his work. I am curious of the fact that there is often a darker side to Hughes poetry. I particularly enjoyed the section where Hughes was describing his vision of an angel and how it suddenly changed into an omen surrounded by burning metal as I receive a clear picture of the event in my imagination and I can almost feel the terror and panic that Hughes aspires to describe. I like the way that Hughes describes his experiences realistically and does not try to express himself in the traditional and romantic way for which other English poets are famous. I especially favoured The Angel as it arouses strong emotions and it is not a conventional piece. I have noticed that Hughes frequently does not conform to the conventions which society expects of him, and naturally this upsets people.

Procedures in Making the Soap Out of Pineapple Peel Essay

Last month, I and my group decided to pick â€Å"Pineapple skin extract as soap† as our I.P title yet we are unaware of the things that might come our way. We are planning to conduct an experiment tomorrow using the procedures that we guess will work.We have separate procedures for our ingredients: For our pineapple skin extract 1)Cut the pineapple skin into one-inch squares with a sharp knife. 2)Put the pineapple skins in a pot. Add water until the skins are barely covered. 3)Cover the pot with a lid and put it on the stove at medium-high heat. Allow the water to boil for 20 minutes. 4)Remove the pot from the stove. Strain the mixture through a strainer. Discard the skins and put the liquid in a clean container. 5)Cover the container and keep it in the refrigerator. For our lye 1. Get the ingredients and equipments ready: You would need the following things to try your hand at making lye: two plastic buckets (a small one and a large one ? The small one should fit into the large one in such a way that liquid from the small one drips slowly into the large one); some fresh ash from burning hard wood (you can even burn some hard wood to get this); gallons of rain water and a handful of straw. Now to the step-by-step process: 2. Make a few holes in the small bucket. Better if the holes are tiny enough to allow only liquid stuff through. Check after you make holes by pouring some water through the bucket. 3. Now set the small bucket inside the large bucket. See to it that there is some space between the base of the small bucket and the large one. This is important as liquid should drip through holes drop by drop and not smudge the bottom of the small bucket. 4. Place the straw you have inside the small bucket and hide the holes with the straw. Lye water, when formed, will seep through the holes only through the straw. This would prevent other hard blocks of wood or ash from collecting directly into the large bucket. 5. Now place the wood ash above the straw and pour cold water over it. Ensure that the ash is above the straw and not directly near the holes. The straw base will act as a filter and prevent wood ash from flowing down with water. 6. As you pour the water slowly, you will see liquid lye dripping through the holes in the small bucket and getting collected in the large bucket. 7. Once all the water is poured onto ash, repeat the process with the liquid collected in the large bucket. Pour the collected lye solution onto the wood ash (above the straw) once again. Repeat and recycle the lye solution at least three times. This is done to concentrate the lye solution. 8. After repeating the process, you can collect the lye solution from the large bucket and store it in another plastic or wooden container and use it in soap making. Avoid metal utensils as it can result in increase in temperature of lye. 9. Before storing lye, test its strength. In olden days, people tested lye with fresh egg. If a fresh egg floats near the surface of the solution with a little lye water above it, your lye is of right strength. If the same egg drowned, your lye lacks strength. If the egg floated above the solution, then it is too strong. 10. If your lye lacks strength, add more wood ash and repeat the process with the same solution. If it is too strong, add water and check the strength with the egg again. You can keep adding water till you are certain that your lye is of the appropriate strength.

Pollution is our enemy Essay Essay

Pollution is when something is added to the environment that is harmful or poisonous to living things. Smoke in the air from factories is a type of pollution as it is bad for the lungs when breathed in. Sewage in drinking water is another type of pollution, as it can make people ill because it contains germs andviruses. People living next to a building site where there is too much noise can become sick as they cannot sleep orrelax. This is called noise pollution.Air pollution is caused by harmful gases such as carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide,nitrogen dioxide carbon monoxide and very small particles of carbon. Most of the pollution is caused by factories, vehicles and livestock. Today air pollution has become dangerous to humans. Heavy air pollution may causebreathing problems such as asthma or other health problems.Increase in human activities has also polluted air. Water pollution is the presence of harmful materials in water, such assewage, dissolved metals, waste fromfarms and fac tories and crude oil spilled from shipwrecked tankers. The three main substances that pollute water arenitrates from fertilisers, sewage anddetergents.[1] Pollution hey causes harm to organisms living in water and can also harm people’s health, and can cause problems such as cancer.[2] Noise pollution The harmful noises in the environment, such as the sound of vehicles, loud speakers, etc. in a city is called noise pollution. Noise pollution can cause ear problems or even permanent deafness, especially to older people. Noise pollution can be defined as the unwanted sound present in the atmosphere. Soil pollution Soil pollution pertains to the contamination of the soil due to man-made chemicals such as hydrocarbons, heavy metals, solvents, and the like. These chemicals come mainly from industrial activities, and also from improper waste disposal. Soil pollution poses various health risks, as the chemicals can produce harmful vapors, or they can contaminate the water supplies located directly under the polluted soil.

Slavery and the Making of America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Slavery and the Making of America - Essay Example Slave owners could sell their own children by proving they were illegitimate. Slave owners often slept with female slaves (Luminary_Aurora 2013). In the process, some of them conceived and depending on whether the owner was open about these relations, they could sell these children. Often considered an investment, slave owners could even intentionally impregnate their female slaves to place a sort of dividend. Slave owners considered the slave status something acquired from the mother only (Luminary_Aurora 2013). As a result, selling their children was not considered immoral or cruel. In effect, slave owners could either sell such children or keep them as their own slaves in hopes to make profits off of them.Frances Driggus went back to slavery after county Gaol found her guilty of theft in February 1699. Before this incident, Driggus allegedly stole meat from Charles Trelfo several years after being granted freedom (Luminary_Aurora 2013).

Organisational Development and change (Managment Psychology) Dissertation

Organisational Development and change (Managment Psychology) - Dissertation Example ndustry since September 2008. Pettigrew et al (2001) stated there are six interconnected analytical issues that should be kept in mind when studying change or development in an organisation. These issues are as follows: (a) Multiple levels of contexts and analysis (b) The inclusion of time, history process and action (c) The link between change processes and organisational performance and outcomes (d) Receptivity, customisation, pace, sequencing and episodic versus the continuous change process (e) Cross-cultural comparisons in research, and (f) The partnership between scholars and practitioners in studying change Keeping these six principles in mind, the changes that have taken place in the mobile phone industry since September 2008 are examined closely. The focus is on understanding the motivations and the reasoning behind these changes. September 2008 was chosen as the starting point because this was when a global recession had just set in that also affected the UK economy. This t herefore allows examining the impact of these external changes in the environment on the mobile phone companies and their impact on the strategy formation in these organisations. The organisations chosen for examination are Apple, Nokia, Samsung and HTC. One possible key source of information could be their annual reports, as this would detail changes in strategy that have taken place. It would also give an insight into the direct impact these changes have had on the organisations’ performance, and could help to identify the nature of the change processes, i.e. is the change episodic or continuous in nature? Another set of sources that could provide more insight are statements, letters and interviews from the leadership of these organisations. These could provide an insight into how the organisation perceives its own progress in contrast to its competitors and the future direction the organisation is striving to take. The perception of these changes in the press shall also be examined by looking at the relevant business resources. These changes in strategy formation shall be examined and the impact these changes have produced shall be explored by looking at the relevant sources mentioned in the methods section. It would be necessary to explore more the nature of the change, and the comments and interviews from the leadership of these organisations should provide a better understanding of the reasons and motivations behind their respective strategies. Method of study This will be an Internet resource based study only. It is therefore a non-participant contact study. The idea is to examine the organisations’

The Hunger Games Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

The Hunger Games - Essay Example Katniss emerges winners in the game in many perspectives: she is lovely and likeable, perhaps attributes that make her the envy of other girls her age. She is adored by many because of her sheer struggles, never relenting even when other characters in the play would have given up. Katniss is the rock, the foundation of her family. She becomes a role model to her sister, Prim. She is protective. She helps a young girl, Rue, from her neighborhood with food she forages from the forest. Apart from food, they share companionship and clothing. In her words, she teamed up with the young lady â€Å"because she is a survivor, and I trust her, and why not admit it? She reminds me of my Prim† (15.28). Through her survival and protective instincts, one can conclude that she has weathered many storms even at her tender age. What is more, girls her age cannot survive on their own, let alone protect themselves. She seems to be older than her actual age. This means that she is a survivor, another quality that makes her a winner in comparison to other characters in the play. She provides for yet another boy from a different district. The girl is named Peeta Mellark. She is skilled in hunting than a boy, Peeta. She comes out as a stronger character with a resolve to succeed in life regardless of her unfortunate background. Towards the end of the play, she risks her life so that she can help Peeta by going into the dangerous forest to bring the only medicine that can cure the boy. She is a reliable character that many people, within and without her neighborhood, can depend on. She protects people whenever she can, even at the expense of her own life. She is courageous, not a coward. This makes her a winner. When it is evident to her that she could win the Hunger Games, she asks: â€Å"For the first time, I allow myself to truly think about the possibility that I might make it home. To fame. To

Human resource management (Case study) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Human resource management (Case study) - Essay Example It defines the organisation’s behaviour and how it tries to cope with its environment.† More precisely, the MBA Tutorials (2010) defines SHRM as â€Å"the linking of human resources with strategic goals and objectives in order to improve business performance and develop organizational culture that foster innovation and competitive advantage† (par. 1). The key features of SHRM were identified as: (1) some organizing strategies or schemes link individual human resource interventions so that they are ‘mutually supportive’; (2) a great amount of responsibility is transferred down the line for the management of HR; and (3) there is a precise link between overall organization strategy, organization environment, HR policies and practices† (MBA Tutorials, 2010, par. 3) In this regard, the Talent Management at Standard Chartered Bank displays features of SHRM in terms of manifesting the presence of strategies that show â€Å"emphasis on people that has seen HR issues ascend the corporate agenda, with the bank’s declared goal of measurably increasing its leadership capacity by 2011† (Case facts, 2). ... .to introduce certain global standards and tools, (and) to give managers some freedom to decide locally how best to use them† (Case facts, 3).   1.2 Comment on the relevance of this approach in the light of the recent banking crisis? The Talent Management program that is consistent with the SHRM approach is appropriately significant in the light of the recent banking crisis due to its ability to gauge performance of personnel and bank branches regardless of their assigned locations; it has the ability to generate and integrate performance of employees on a global scale. In this regard, the effect of changes in the external environment could immediately be measured in terms of repercussive effects on bank branches worldwide and on how creative managers and respective personnel are in responding to the external pressures. The Talent Management Program of Standard Chartered manifests acknowledged the important roles and functions of HRM opting to implement SHRM in adapting to di verse factors from the external environment and adjusting to the demands of the times. Its ability to assess its effectiveness evolves into encompassing areas of employee development (employee behavior, attitudes and skills), competencies, performance, as these attributes all contribute to the achievement of organizational goals. As Cabrera & Cabrera averred, â€Å"no longer are operational measures of internal efficiency sufficient. HR departments must be able to demonstrate the value of their strategic contributions† (2003, 3) which are most applicable especially during the financial crisis. 1.3 Why is it important to measure the impact of SHRM? What might be included in an evaluation strategy to measure the impact of SHRM in

The film Boys Dont Cry Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The film Boys Dont Cry - Movie Review Example Since its inception, films are determined to encompass a plethora of complete human activities and are saturated with them. Human mind and its excellence at aesthetic paradigm evolve out with multiple hues at length while coming into the interface of any art medium. Films like any other art medium involve human mind in its creation, it displays human action and most importantly they are made to be comprehended and enjoyed by human minds as its audiences. Films are always considered as a wide form of art medium through which the manifestation of the striking moving images decorated with vibrant colors and sounds enables a connection between the film-makers and audience upon the matrix of celluloid and the senses enhanced through the pictorial description of emotions and actions. The intensity of the influence which a film leaves on the minds of its audiences cannot be undermined at any level. Therefore, the sociological aspect of the film, or myriad social psychologies depicted through the medium of the films holds a very important space in the minds of the modern audiences. With the growing complexities of life, the films began to develop with foreboding complexities. Skip Dine Young in his book, â€Å"Psychology at the Movies† mentioned rightly, â€Å"The psychology of film can be unified by thinking of movies as symbols. Movies are symbols that have meaning; these symbols are created by ways do they infuse aspects of themselves into their creations? While it is probable that everyone who works on a movie brings something of him or herself to the activity, I focus on those artists whose individuality is in the foreground- the directors (who make the final choices about how a movie looks and sounds) and the actors (whose visual likeness is so vividl y captured on the screen)† (Young, 2012). A latent symbolic framework does operate within the films upon which the complex social psychology depicted through various modern films gets manifested. â€Å"Boys Don’t Cry† as an independent American drama amazed the audiences in the year 1999 by depicting the story of Brandon Teena, a transsexual man and his predicament evoked the themes of desperation, insensitive attitude and the issues of empowerment and gender equality prevalent in the society of contemporary times. At the same time, the subtle display of psychology operating in terms of dealing with these issues in society forms the crux of the film. Social Psychology and Boys Don’t Cry In October 1999, the American drama, â€Å"Boys Don’t Cry† was first premiered which was based on a real life story. Being the reflection of a true incident, the film mirrored many intricacies and complexities of modern society at length. Directed by Kimberly Peirce and co-written by Andy Bienen, the film stars Hilary Swank in the role of Brandon Teena whose powerful acting paved the way for her receiving Best Actress in the Academy Awards. Brandon Teena was a transsexual man who was allegedly beaten up brutally, raped and tortured by his male partners after they discovered that Teena had a female by body. Depiction of this incident through the medium of film was not a piece of cake. The film did not hint at only displaying the content as a crime thriller. On the contrary, a very strong social message was inherent within the film which evidently develops its social psychology. A strong notion and social perception towards body of a woman specially develops the pivot of the film’s aspect towards prevailing psychology of the society. When America was vouching on the propositions of same-sex marriages and gender equality, the film, â€Å"Boys Don’t Cry† reinstated the hollow pursuits involved with the concepts of gender equality and rights of transsexuals in the American society. If America with its teeming American dreams could not secure the rights of its citizen within a social structure which is so liberal and cosmopolitan in nature, it is quite evident that the future of the minor sexual entities such as transsexual men or women is in

Comparing handwashing techniques - microbiology Essay

Comparing handwashing techniques - microbiology - Essay Example coli K 12 colony count before and after the hand washing, E.coli K12 strain being the indicator organism used in the study. In normal hand wash, the reduction factor was found to vary from 2.4 - 4.18 where as in case of NHS hand wash the value ranges from 0.86 – 2.91. The average reduction factor was found to be higher in case of the NHS hand wash. NHS protocol of hand rubbing for 30 seconds was found very effective in bringing down the microbial load of the hands. The major objective of the study was to compare the normal hand washing techniques with that of NHS standard techniques (in accordance with BS EN 1500). Assessment was based on the E.coli count before and after the hand washing. E.coli normal inhabitants of the normal intestine and they are excreted out in large numbers to the outside through human faeces. Presence of E.coli is thus an indication of feacal contamination of the concerned food item or object by means of insects or human hands. Adequate hand hygiene is the most effective method of preventing infection in hospitals, homes and workplaces. Health care related problems has been in the air for the past two decades with an alarming rate of nosocomial infections. The public concern on hand hygiene has stimulated a review of the scientific data regarding the same and the development of new guidelines designed to improve hand-hygiene practices in health-care facilities. Proper hand washing using detergents like soap was considered as a criteria of personal hygiene since olden days. In 1843, Oliver Wendwell Holmes brought to light the reason for perpural fever found in parturient women as improper hand hygiene of health professionals. The Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) in the year 1995 recommended that either antimicrobial soap or a waterless antiseptic agent should be used for cleaning hands upon leaving the rooms of patients with multidrug-resistant pathogens like vancomycin-resistant

Summery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Summery - Essay Example This impetus was followed by a series of strategies with aggravated the situation of Timex, to wit: diversification into electronics manufacturing, subcontracting, employment of Peter Hall as the manager, cost reduction through lay-offs and wage reductions. The ultimate result was the closure of the Dundee plant in August of 1993 after an industrial dispute that lasted eight months. In analyzing the case of Timex, the authors averred that the â€Å"failure to take into account the wider context that relates the present to the past and to situate the conflict in the emergent and interrelated nature of business decisions and human resources policies† The relevant lessons that Martin & Dowling emphasized in this article are as follows: International firms should adapt and adjust to the culture and organizational competencies of the host country. There is a need to evaluate the qualifications of managers who will lead and operate international firms. As required, training and development programs should be undertaken for managers (as well as the rest of the personnel) to be assigned in international organizations. Multinational corporations should have broader efforts to internationalize their organizations in terms of encompassing cultural diversity, environmental scanning, and open mindedness in accepting lessons from each

Business Strategy and Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Strategy and Decision Making - Essay Example The practice of an effective strategic management approach helps to conserve continuous refurbishment and expansion of the organisations to proactively deal with a number of potential challenges. Moreover, it also provides adequate support to the leaders to enhance their potentials in decision making process and improve organisations’ credibility within a competitive business market (Hill & Jones, 2011). Emphasising the emerging trend of strategic management processes, the study intends to focus on critically discussing different competitive strategic approaches that enable the organisations to maintain long-term sustainability. In this regard, the discussion of this study represents widely accepted strategic approaches of the modern organisations along with their roles and significance towards helping the leaders to improve their decision making processes. Moreover, the discussion would also incorporate real-world examples of major organisations from different business industry perspectives. In relation to the unconventional trends currently witnessed in the business environment, it has been observed that modern organisations commonly seek to develop advanced strategies and focus on the effective adoption of rational and integrated business steps with the intention to remain sustainable in their respective field of operations for a long-term period. With regard to the changing scenario along with fierce competitive trend currently witnessed in today’s global business environment, the notion of intended and emergent business strategies has evolved as a commonly debated issue (Mintzberg & Waters, 1985). According to the modern phenomenon of the global business environment, there are a number of strategic management approaches that are highly practiced by the organisations to gain competitive advantage over their rivals. In

Post-Civil War Urbanization Pros and Cons Essay Example for Free

Post-Civil War Urbanization Pros and Cons Essay The Post-Civil War era of urbanization in the United States created a number of improvements and positive results that outweighed the negative aspects of the time. The country witnessed an increase in population, a better public school system, and increased social reform movements. During urbanization, the population of the United States rose. In 1860, none of America’s cities had a million citizens but by 1890, New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia all had more than one million inhabitants. With a population of approximately 3. 5 million people, New York became the second largest city in the world. A wave of immigration from Europe contributed to the increase in population. These â€Å"New Immigrants† came from eastern European nations such as Italy, Greece, and Poland. The increase in population allowed for the increase in other sections of society. As the population increased, the need for education also rose. The number of public high schools in America grew between the 1880s and the 1890s. The idea that a free government could not function successfully with uneducated and ignorant people became more widely accepted. Colleges became increasingly necessary and schools designed for training teachers expanded. Education was greatly helped by the Morrill Act of 1862 which granted public lands to the states for support of education, many of which became state universities. Urbanization and the population boom allowed for education to greatly increase. The problems surrounding the immigrant and working class helped awaken a new social reform movement. Jane Adams was a college-educated reformer against war and poverty. In 1889, she established the Hull House as a settlement house to help immigrants. More settlement houses were established and used as centers for activism and social reform. In 1893, the Hull House successfully lobbied for an Illinois anti-sweatshop law to protect women workers and prohibit child labor. Urbanization after the Civil War helped to reawaken the Social Reform movements in America. Urbanization helped the United States of America rebound after the Civil War. The Population boom, growing education, and social reforms were all beneficial results that changed the nation. Though there were some negative aspects of urbanization, the good results outweighed the bad. Kaitlyn Lucas Ms. Rizzo AP United States History B February 10, 2014 Urbanization Cons The post-Civil War age of urbanization had terrible effects on the nation as a whole. The good aspects of urbanization were not worth the bad aspects that accompanied them. The United States of America faced new problems. Urbanization led to pollution and waste production, and a disturbance in rural America. People who lived in the country produced very little waste. They used and renewed the resources at their disposal. Once urbanization began to pick up and new businesses such as Sears began to package things in throwaway bottles, boxes, bags, and cans, getting rid of waste became a problem. Pollution became a real problem in cities and sanitary facilities could not keep up with the waste produced by the booming population. The cities were filled with a permanent stench due to impure water, uncollected garbage, unwashed bodies, and animal droppings. Urbanization removed and replaced many jobs, particularly those in agriculture. Farmers were drawn from their fields and moved to cities to work in factories. Rural America was declining and giving way to the rise of urban America. Local general stores were replaced by large chain department stores such as Macy’s. The era of urbanization increased the division between classes. The Wealthy lived in suburban mansions and the poor lived in dirty slums, many struggling to survive. Urbanization created mass waste production, and the decline in rural America. Any good that came out of post-Civil War urbanization, was overshadowed by the negative aspects of the time period.

Rush Hour Movie Analysis Film Studies Essay

Rush Hour Movie Analysis Film Studies Essay Rush Hour, directed by Brett Ratner one of Hollywoods most successful directors stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. It achieved commercial success and became the 7th top grossing film of 1998. The plot of the film centers on the kidnapping of the daughter of the Chinese Consol. Inspector Lee, played by Jackie Chan, is called to assist in the investigation because it is believed that the mysterious Crime Lord Juntao is behind the kidnapping. Lee finds himself paired with Detective James Carter of the Los Angeles Police Department, played by Chris Tucker. They gradually learn to work together and are able to reunite the family as well as discover the identity of Juntao. Rush Hour disrupts Hollywoods racial hierarchy by removing white culture and focusing on Asian American and African American culture. The film is able to break down the boundaries between races and change hierarchies, but the enjoyment of numerous racial ideologies that are integrated within the dialogue and scenes, p rove that the jokes influence the audience to reify their own racial beliefs. The film gained positive reviews about Tuckers comedic performance and how Chan and Tucker work very well together. This fact supports my thesis of how race-based humor naturalizes racial differences, so the audience is more likely to focus on the true aspects of a stereotype rather than challenge the exaggerated portrayal. The positive reception proves that there is a paradox between racist representations and widespread approval and acceptance. The movie targets teenagers and adults because they have preconceived notions about different racial groups. Without these conceptions, the film would not be able to garner laughter but rather offense. Rush Hour 2, directed by Brett Ratner one of Hollywoods most successful directors stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. It received high box-office revenues and is considered one of the highest grossing martial arts films of all time. This sequel to the 1998 film Rush Hour follows Inspector Lee, played by Chan, and Los Angeles Police Detective James Carter, played by Tucker, and the adventures that they have. Carter is on vacation visiting Lee in Hong Kong, but they soon find themselves implicated in a scandal that involves counterfeit money, which brings them from Hong Kong to Los Angeles and then finally to Las Vegas. Although this movie is a comedic action film, it challenges typical Hollywood films by starring two minorities. While minorities have traditionally been casted in the roles of a sidekick or villain, Chan and Tucker are the main protagonists. By challenging the popular notion that the leading role features an individual from the dominant white race, Rush Hour 2 propose s the possibility of a cross-racial bonding between an Asian and an African American. Chan and Tucker both embody the stereotype of their particular race: Chan is a serious Asian man yet extremely skilled in Kung Fu, while Tucker is a tall African American who acts childish and seems very impulsive. To the everyday viewer, this movie serves as an entertaining comedy, but for such representations of race to be humorous, the audience must unconsciously accept or believe the stereotypes to be somewhat true. Thus, supporting my thesis that besides entertainment, the movie proves that race in comedy generalizes and influences people to accept racially defined characteristics. The movie targets teenagers and adults because it implies that a previous understanding of stereotypes is needed for the jokes to make sense and have their intended response, which is laughter. This scholarly article, written by Sheng-mei Ma professor at Michigan State University who specializes in Asian American studies and East-West comparative studies documents the start of the phenomenon of pairing an Asian martial artist with an African American comedian. Ma provides a historical context to movies such as the Rush Hour series, which combine yellow kung fu and black jokes (241). He begins by noting that the genre of kung fu was introduced to the West by Bruce Lee. Although there was no prominence on black jokes in earlier kung fu films that starred Lee, The Last Dragon marks the development of racial depictions. In this film a young African American bows, meditates, and wears the stereotypical Chinese dress (240). The Asian Americans, on the other hand, take on black dialect and body rhythm (240). Ma considers the joining of yellow kung fu and black jokes a marriage of convenience for box office profit in which the public supports this collaboration. Films such as Rus h Hour contain jokes that include the common prevailing notions of Asians and blacks in American mass media, which would render yellow yellower and black blacker. However, this odd couple is able to blend with each other, creating a racial hybridity. Rush Hour focuses on the relationship between the Asian and African American stars; therefore, the film offers the likelihood of cross-racial identification. The article provides film theorists and scholars with new understandings of race-based comedy. Mas writings reinforce my thesis for the buddy-cop genre has a history of interracial partnerships where race is explicitly shown. Thus, besides validating racial differences, such performances further hybridize todays multicultural society. This expository piece, written by LeiLani Nishime Assistant Professor in the Department of Communications at the University of Washington who specializes in multiracial and interracial studies, Asian American media representations, and Asian American sub cultural production analyzes the history of Asian American and African American relations. The chapter explains how Rush Hour breaks the general conventions of a buddy-cop film and defies the norms of Hollywood film and generic character stereotype. She utilizes the film Rush Hour as an example for its portrayal of race relations with its removal of the white male character. By including Chan as well as Tucker, the film appeals to a wider range of audiences. The purpose is primarily to inform, but it also encourages the reader to examine certain films for comedic relief as well as social and cultural commentary. Rush Hour is a comedy yet it helps the audience to notice the concept of racial power. In most buddy-cop films, there is always someone in control and someone who is simply the follower. The white male will never be the buddy but with Chan and Tucker, they are almost equals. Nishime is most likely targeting Asian Americans because for an Asian American, America is characterized by both African American and Euro-American society. Rush Hour offers a vision of cross-racial identification and the idea of hybrid identities for there is a convergence of culture in music and film (48). This builds upon my thesis in that besides an acceptance of racially defined differences, race-based humor can provide a possible changing of racial hierarchy and the questioning of racial tolerance. Such a composition is more geared towards academia instead of garnering attention from the general public because it provides background information about Asian/Black relations, applies elevated language, and creates a possibility of a future state of relations. This research article, written by Ji Hoon Park Assistant Professor in Communication at Hope College who specializes in Asian stereotypes in the media- analyzes the ideological implications of racial stereotyping. The article, which is a result of sociology study, explains that though minorities are starring in more mainstream films, a racial hierarchy is still evident. The study included a focus group of whites, black, and Asians in order to analyze subtle reactions and responses to the films implicit stereotypes. Minorities continue to inhibit negative stereotypes but the contradiction that arises is that these stereotypical portrayals have commercial viability. Rush Hour 2 is an example of this incongruity between racism in comedy and widespread popularity. Park discusses how the genre of comedy allows for its audience to make an interpretation of racial jokes as harmless for stereotypes are an important element of comedy in that they help establish specific character classificati ons that are based on some truth that has been exaggerated. This supports my thesis because I contend that race-based humor influences the audience to not challenge the established assumptions of race. His study supports this belief since the focus group was able to laugh throughout the entire movie. Most participants did not find the humor personally offensive but they do acknowledge that the racial humor has the possibility of becoming prejudiced. In comedy, Park notes that a joke is conceived of as racist based on whether a minority is telling it or a white person. Another aspect that creates success for this film is that all races are objects of mockery and bias. Parks conclusion is that racial stereotypes are problematic because realism in the media encourages viewers to incorporate on-screen attitudes and beliefs into the real world (172). The purpose is primarily to inform since the study examines how race is configured within the dialogue. Racial ideology is also embedded in Jackie Chans performance of the racial myth of an Asian man who excels in kung fu but is culturally ignorant as well as Chris Tucker personifying a coon. Furthermore, with the study, it becomes clear that the comedic portrayals of racial traits encourage participants to see the small truths in racial stereotypes rather than dispute these distortions. It does prompt the audience to consider that when viewing a comedy, critical analysis is usually absent and this can lead to believe that racial differences are natural and not culturally created. Park is targeting teenagers and adults because they are able to apply actuality to racial myths and hence find amusement in the satirical portrayals of race. The anticipated audience could also include scholars since this composition was published in the Journal of Communication and scholars will be more interested in learning about the responses of black, white, and Asian viewers and how they make sense of racial differences.

Bad Odor and Bio-filtration Solutions

Bad Odor and Bio-filtration Solutions Mikhail Kachmazov UQ: How have microbes solved a local or global problem? The specific problem or issue: Sewage and industrial plants situated near residential areas can produce unpleasant odors making it difficult to live there. Explain the problem: The sewage plants near residential areas can be a subject to the social and environmental problems if these facilities produce unpleasant odors. The causes of the odors are generally the inorganic and volatile organic compounds which result from bio filtration and from the sewer of industrial waste. There are different types of volatile organic compounds that are emitted as a result of bio filtration like 2-butanone, ÃŽ ±-pinene, tetrachloroethylene, dimethyl disulfide, ÃŽ ²-pinene, limonene, phenol and benzoic acid. One of the main culprits for the bad odor are sulphur compounds which are relatively less in concentration but play significant role in odor causing factors.[5] Explain how science is helping, or has helped, to solve the problem: Bad odor from sewage water is a major environmental issue worldwide. Bad odor from sewage water is an indicator of possible health risk therefore governments spend a lot of money on treating the sewage water and unpleasant odor. Science has played a major role in solving this problem biologically as well as chemically. Following are several methods to treat sewage water and odor from this water. Bio filtration Thermal Oxidation Chemical Thermal oxidation burns the odor causing compounds directly or indirectly. Bio filtration on the other hand oxidizes the odor causing compounds by using microbes. Microbes like Pseudomonas Putida that are used in this technique have been significant in treating sewage water and bad odor in an efficient, safe and inexpensive way. [4] How it works: Bio-filtration is quite an innovative technology to control pollutants. It helps to eliminate malodorous gas emissions and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of low concentrations. The most common design of a bio-filter is just an ordinary big box. Some of them can be very big, others can be quite small. A bio-filters main function is to bring microorganisms together with pollutants in an air stream. The bio-filter which has the breeding material for the microorganisms is placed inside the box. The â€Å"biofilm†, which is a layer of moisture where the microorganisms live, can be found around the particles of filter media. When the bio-filtration process takes place, the operators pump the polluted stream of air through the bio-filter, so that the filter media absorbs the pollutants. The bio-filter diffuses the contaminated gas and sends it onto the biofilm that absorbs it. The pollutants are then degraded by the microorganisms. The metabolic products of this process are carbon dioxide and water as well as the produced energy. The chemical formula of this process caused by oxidation is: Volatile Organic Pollutant + O2à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚  CO2 + H2O + Heat + Microbial Biomass [3] Effectiveness of this technique: This technique is very efficient and it has plenty of advantages over the traditional methods of pollutants. First of all, one of the major conditions for traditional methods is high temperature, however when it comes to bio-filtration the technicians can use low temperatures, thus the whole process becomes cost effective, because there are no costs of combustion. Moreover it is safer than traditional methods because combustion is a dangerous process. Secondly, the maintenance cost of bio-filtration is much lower than traditional methods. According to a research conducted by Pinchin Environmental Group Canada, this technology is more than 95% efficient and environmentally friendly because the whole process can be done in an absolutely natural way. [1] Limitations of this technique: Even though this is an effective method it still has some limitations that restrict the implementation of this technique. First of all the bio-filtration is not able to remove all the organic substances from the water, for instance, those with low rates adsorption or degradation like chlorinated VOCs. Moreover this technique requires a large area to be installed in case it will need to treat a large amount of water. Finally, acclimation periods for populations of microbes may be as long as weeks or months, in particular for volatile organic compounds treatment. Applications of Bio-filtration: Even though the simple forms of bio-filters can be used by general public, the main uses are in the commercial areas. The following industries apply VOC: Chemical and petrochemical industry Synthetic resins Paint production Oil and gas industry Pharmaceutical industry Treatment of wastewater Remediation of Soil and Groundwater The following industries apply odor abatement applications: Treatment of sewage Slaughter houses Gelatin and glue plants Rendering Agricultural processing Tobacco, sugar and cocoa industry Fragrance and flavor Environmental, health and social impact: This technique is environmentally friendly because it does not damage the environment and it does not pollute the air or anything. It’s eco-friendly because the process is natural and does not harm the nature of the Earth, it is also been called a â€Å"green technology†. Moreover, it has positive health impact on the society, because the process of bio-filtration does not involve any chemical substances and does not produce any harmful chemical by-products. Basically, the only by-products of the process of oxidation used in bio-filtration are water and carbon dioxide, which makes this technology extremely clean and safe. Conclusion: To conclude I want to say that the bio-filtration process is an effective process that is used frequently nowadays. Even though it has its own limitations and disadvantages, still it is one of the most promising, environmentally friendly and efficient technologies, that combines both simplicity and effectiveness, therefore it is a viable alternative to traditional methods of sewage water treatment. Sources: Odour Complaints. Pinchin Environmental. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2014. http://www.pinchin.com/air/news/odour-complaints Pseudomonas Putida. Pseudomonas Putida. Kris Hamilton, n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2014. http://web.mst.edu/~microbio/bio221_2007/P_putida.htm WHAT IS BIOFILTRATION? WHAT IS BIOFILTRATION? N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2014. http://missmason230.tripod.com/ â€Å"Sewage and Wastewater Odor Control† by Dr. Giancarlo Riva, Ozono Elettronica Internazionale, Muggio, Italy Anthony Sacco, Spartan Environmental Technologies, Mentor, OH, USA  http://www.cwtozone.com/uploads/SalesDocs/Markets/Air%20Treatment/Papers/Technical%20Papers/Municipal-Odor-Control-Italy%20TP.pdf â€Å"Detection, Composition and Treatment of Volatile Organic Compounds from Waste Treatment Plants† by Xavier Font, Adriana Artola and Antoni Sà ¡nchez , Composting Research Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, Universitat Autà ²noma de Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallà ¨s), Barcelona, Spain. http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/11/4/4043

International Public Health Policy Essay example -- Graduate Admission

International Public Health Policy    As a student of international public health, I intend to obtain an essential part of my instruction overseas. My formal education, with the potential to undermine more culturally appropriate knowledge and practices considering its decidedly Western perspective, is still incomplete. The Harvard Public Health Program will allow me the flexibility to learn Asian public health policy and programming, the benefit of which is undeniable. Asia has dealt admirably with the effects that rapidly changing socioeconomic conditions have had on health, particularly the emergence of chronic diseases that characterize industrialized nations side by side with infectious diseases that characterize still developing nations. All of this has been made even more complex by the emergence of new diseases such as AIDS. The decision to pursue public health was not a haphazard one, but the result of a thoroughly thought out estimation of my interests, concerns and capabilities. When I was seventeen, I wrote an essay for college that described my motivation and commitment to learning a subject well for a purpose. Sitting under covers in a small, poorly lit room, listening to my father swear at the walls during a cocaine high, I wanted to understand substance abuse and addiction. The purpose then was to "grow up and learn why people become addicted to things that hurt them, their bodies. . . and their children," and my intent was to use that information in my work as a substance abuse rehabilitation counselor. During my undergraduate years, I participated in numerous and rigorous courses related to my interest in substance abuse, one of which led to my involvement with a university-sponsored program called... ..., considering the World Health Organization's revised definition of health: "...a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease," and one that cannot be accomplished with too narrow a perspective. Similar to when I was seventeen, I am still learning for a purpose, having recognized that I will always feel the obligation to do so. Yet it is now with the blessing and encouragement of an international community with whom I attempt to bridge the growing inequity between our countries, actualizing that obligation through the transfer of the knowledge and experience that I am fortunate enough to receive. Most importantly, I wish to apply, on their terms, the theory, methodology, and technology that I have been taught, thereby fulfilling the responsibility that I have to use this knowledge in the most beneficial manner.

Mensch und Natur: Ein Beitrag zu der Theorie des :: German Essays

Mensch und Natur: Ein Beitrag zu der Theorie des "Homo Universus" ABSTRACT: The following discussion is centered on German romantic philosophy. The founder of philosophical romanticism, F.W.J. Schelling, speaks of the identity of all spheres of the universe. This view is echoed by other romantic philosophers, e.g., Novalis, Hà ¶lderlin, von Baader, and Schubert, as well as later neoromantics such as Scheler and Heidegger. I wish to show homo sapien as homo universus. Homo sapien is tied to the universe and must be aware of this oneness. Such knowledge will ameliorate his alienation from nature. Uralt ist die Frage: "Was ist der Mensch?" Uralt und à ¤ußerst schwer zugleich. Wir wissen nicht genau sowohl wann "der Mensch" erschienen ist als auch was sein eigenstes Wesen ausmacht. Soll man "den Menschen" mit der geraden Haltung, mit seiner Neigung zur kà ¼nstlerischen oder symbolischen Gestaltung, mit der Sprache oder vielleicht mit der Fà ¤higkeit sich seines Intellects zu bedienen und Abstracta zu schaffen, verbinden? Alle die (sowie auch zahlreichen anderen) Auffassungen beleuchten den Menschen von einer bestimmten Seite, und tragen damit zu einem besseren Verstehen seiner Eigentà ¼mlichkeit bei. Hier wollen wir noch eine Theorie hinzufà ¼gen, die ein zusà ¤tzliches Licht auf "den Menschen" werfen kann. Es geht um die Auffassung des Menschen in mannigfaltigsten Verflechtungen mit der Umwelt. Die Umwelt wird weit begriffen und bedeutet sowohl das unmittelbare Milieu des Menschen als auch den ganzen Kosmos. Der letzte soll nicht nur als das Materiell-Sichtbare verstanden werden, sondern als Etwas, was neben der Materie auch das beinhaltet, was wir "Geist" zu nennen pflegen. Den Menschen wollen wir also als innigst verbunden mit dem allumfassenden "Universum" verstehen, mit Dem, was erfahrungsmà ¤ÃƒÅ¸ig bekannt und erreichbar ist, aber auch mit Dem, was noch der heutigen Erfahrung entflieht und oft als "unnatà ¼rlich" oder "geheimnisvoll" bezeichnet wird. Es ist klar, daß eine solche Theorie des "homo universus" im Mißklang mit den aufklà ¤rerischen oder positivistischen Auffassungen steht. Alle die wollen den Menschen nicht nur von den "unerforschbaren" Weltereignissen "loslà ¶sen", die sie fà ¼r "metaphysisch" halten. Sie wollen auch den Menschen von der sonstigen Natur abgrenzen und ihn als den selbststà ¤ndigen und von der Umwelt wenig abhà ¤ngigen Subjekt ansehen. Erwà ¤hnen kà ¶nnen wir in diesem Zusammenhang I. Kant, der die Welt "entzweit" und sie in die dem Menschen gegenà ¼ber existierenden "Dinge an sich" und in die "Erscheinungen" (Dinge fà ¼r uns) teilt. Der Mensch gewinnt zwar à ¼ber die Noumena die Oberhand im Erkentnisprozeß indem er sie zur "Erscheinungen" macht, er steht aber letzen Endes ihnen gegenà ¼ber einsam und ratlos indem sie vor ihm fà ¼r ewig gechlossen bleiben.

Brand Development

Question: Analyze ESPN according to the brand development strategies from the text. What have they done in the past? What would you recommend to ESPN for future brand development? Discussion: Brand development in the past has consisted of creating new and exciting ways to bring the latest sporting events. A company has four choices when it comes to developing brands. It can introduce line extensions, brand extensions, multi brands, or new brands.Line extensions occur when a company extends existing brand names to new forms, colors, sizes, ingredients, or flavors of an existing product category. A company might introduce line extensions as a low-cost, low-risk way to introduce new products. Or it might want to meet consumer desires for variety, use excess capacity, or simply command more shelf space from resellers. However, line extensions involve some risks. An overextended brand name might lose some of its specific meaning.Or heavily extended brands can cause consumer confusion or f rustration. A brand extension extends a current brand name to new or modified products in a new category. A brand extension gives a new product instant recognition and faster acceptance. It also saves the high advertising costs usually required to build a new brand name. At the same time, a brand extension strategy involves some risk. Now for ESPN. ESPN loves its name. It puts it name on everything. ESPN The Magazine. ESPN2. ESPN News. The ESPN Zone.To a degree it is fine, as long as it stays within the bounds of extending ESPN's core value: getting sports into every ounce of your life. ESPN The Magazine is the only one that isn't worhty of the ESPN headliner. They should have named it something else. It's not up to the minute, so it isn't consistent with everything else ESPN promotes. Anyways, ESPN Mobile fits the bill. Every sports fan has been stranded to some degree without being able to access sports info they needed to have. And die hard sports fans NEED their info.The concept of the insane amount of sports data being pumped over that network is mind blowing. What is also mind blowing is that for what it is, its restrictive. Today, I don't see the ESPN phone in a family plan or the Mobile ESPN service being offered through standard phone outlets. If Dad or Junior could get a Samsung on Verizon's network featuring Mobile ESPN? Done and done. And with the move to converged handsets, I see the market for Mobile ESPN as single guys with 40 hour-per-week blue collar jobs who like to watch football at the bar.If that's the segment they are targeting, good for them. Love the concept, just wish it fit my profile a little better. The middle class loves the family plans because they don't have to spend twice as much to get the core function of a phone: the phone. For the small service business: stay focused on what makes your name valuable. If you absolutely need to get into a new business opportunity. Sleep on it. If you still must get in, you need a new name for that new business!!!! Nothing dilutes a brand like the jack of all trades.

Recrystallization Lab Essay

Recrystallization is a method used for purifying solid organic compounds. It is the most efficient method to purify and remove impurities from a solid to allow a crystal to grow. The method is when the solute in a hot solvent yields to a solution. Once the solvent cools, the solution is saturated with respect to the solute, which is when it recrystallizes. A crystal is the end result of the method and it is a single pure substance with the impurities being excluded from it. The recrystallization method can be broken down into seven steps: 1) Choosing the solvent, 2) Dissolving the solute, 3) Decolorizing the Solution, 4) Filtering suspended solids, 5) Recrystallizing the solute, 6) Collecting and washing the crystals, and 7) Drying the product. Activated Charcoal is used in Recrystallization to absorb the impurities that are in the solution. Experimental Section 1) Recrystallization of Phthalic Acid 2) Recrystallization of Benzoic Acid 3) Recrystallization of Naphthalene Table of Chemicals Melting point Boiling Point Molar Mass Color Phthalic Acid 230 °C Decomposes 166.13 g/mole White Benzoic Acid 122.4 °C 249.2 °C 122.12 g/mole Not available Naphthalene 80.2 °C 218 °C 128.19 g/mole white Results Phthalic Acid Benzoic Acid Naphthalene Mass .143 g .126g (w/ out water) .098g (w/ water) .439g Percent Recovery 71.5% (0.143g/0.2g) 252% (.0126/0.05g) 196% (0.098g/0.05g) 43.9% (0.439g/1.0g) Melting Point 220 °C 110 °C (w/ out water) 105 °C (w/ water) 70 °C Discussion The percent recovery of Benzoic Acid is way above 100%. This indicates that an error was performed during the experiment. Phthalic Acid melted just 20 °C less than the standard melting point for Phthalic Acid. Naphthalene melted 10 °C less and Benzoic Acid also did not reach the standard melting point. Reasons for a low percent Recovery for Phthalic Acid and Naphthalene is probably because not all of the solid were collected when filtered out. Reasons for Benzoic Acid being over 100 % is probably because there was an excess of solute and it was not filtered out correctly. Conclusion To conclude, the experiment was successful in creating crystals and removing them from impurities. Only fault was not taking out enough of the crystals to get the right percent recovery. The techniques for recrystallization can be used for any chemicals as long as there is a solvent that it can mix with and it is an impure compound. References Weldegirma, Solomon. Laboratory Manual: CHM 2210L and CHM 2211L. Tampa: Chemistry Department, 2014. Print. â€Å"Phthalic Acid Msds.† Science Lab. N.P., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2014 â€Å"Recrystallization Technique.† – [www.rhodium.ws]. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2014.

Sonys Business Strategy In The Global Environment Commerce Essay

Since 1946, Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita founded Sony as Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corp in Tokyo. The company commenced researching with 20 employees with a budget lower than 200,000 hankerings. The company was fabricating telecommunication and measurement equipment. Within a twelvemonth, the first merchandise was launched, a power megaphone. In 1950, the Japan ‘s first tape recording equipment was distributed to a market. When Sony eyes on conveying their wares to the international market in the mid-1950s, it seemed to be a virgin name, at the interim, because the initials TTK were antecedently selected. The company combined its name from the Latin word for sound, â€Å" sonus, † and the American word â€Å" sonny † . Regard to a trade taging grounds, the company desired to hold a word that will non be found in any linguistic communication. Many inquiries came up from an internal harmonizing to the alteration because of the clip spent on implementing its former trade name known globally, but in 1958, the name was officially changed to Sony Corp. In 1960, Sony started out its U.S. subdivision, called SONAM ( Sony Corporation of America ) , known as SCA, and the first subdivision in the United Kingdom in eight old ages subsequently. First, the subdivision was named as Sony ( U.K. ) Ltd and was changed subsequently into Sony United Kingdom Ltd. The company spreads out into Spain and France in 1973 every bit good as in German in 1986. Sony has a long history of presenting engineerings. Sony novices, in 1950, the Japan ‘s first transistor wireless, the TR-55. In a piece, the company released a minor transistor wireless. For a decennary, Sony released the universe ‘s first direct-view portable Television, the TV8-301. The company persisted in developing the Television and in a twosome of old ages manufactured the tiniest all-transistor Television. In 1989, Sony released the Handycam, a portable, easy-to-use, 8 millimeter camcorder. Six old ages ago, the company brought the universe ‘s first Blu-ray phonograph record participant into the amusement market. In 2005, Sony upgrades the Handycam to the High Definition Handycam, making the universe ‘s smallest picture camera. The Walkman is the leader merchandise from Sony forcing the SONY trade name to the top. The first version was launched in 1979. The little, lightweight portable tape participant revolutionized the manner people listened to music. It besides allowed persons to do music truly personal by utilizing earphones. In 1984, Sony released the Discman, the company ‘s first portable Cadmium participant. Since March 2009, Sony employed more than 171,300 people. The one-year gross of company in 2009 was about $ 8 billion, with about $ 1.5 billion in net income. They remain headquartered in Tokyo and have about 100 attached companies outside Japan.Particular Critical Incident of SonySony has got assorted retail mercantile establishments around the World which ensures a uninterrupted supply of merchandises to the clients. However, from these retail mercantile establishments there are a batch of rivals such as Motorola which produce similar merchandises and use the same mercantile establishments to do the merchandises reach the consumers. Due to this there is a demand for Sony to come up with schemes which can do them win over their rivals merchandises. For illustration in the late 1990 ‘s Sony lost its leading place in most of its markets merely because of improper schemes. There are assorted grounds which led to this failure and they are farther discussed and supported by assorte d schools here under ;Mintzberg SchoolsHarmonizing to Mintzberg et Al ( 1998 ) there are 10 schemes which when divided into three groups can be applicable in transporting out strategic direction procedure. The three groups are ; normative, Descriptive and Configuration. Prescriptive describes how schemes should be made instead than how schemes are formulated ; descriptive describes assorted procedures involved in the formation of scheme and constellation includes description of both descriptive and constellation. For a company ‘s scheme to work best in a given concern environment, it has to place and utilize a mix of schemes. As referred to the instance survey, the failure of Sony to take in most of its market would hold been solved by looking as to whether the scheme behind the company was working or non. The company taking place in the market would hold worked on the longer footings by placing three Mintzberg schemes of entrepreneurial, cognitive every bit good as Power schools. The entrepreneurial school focal points on cognition and intuition which directors need to be cognizant of, in the procedure of transporting out their managerial activities ( Betz, 2002 ) . The success of any scheme is chiefly based on director ‘s vision, personal intuition, judgements, experience and wisdom. As referred to the instance survey, one of the ways which seemed to be solution to resuscitate Sony was to replace the bing Chief executive officer at that clip and Howard Stringer took over the company as a new Chief executive officer in 2005. Stringer was able to resuscitate the company through efficiency and reorganisation which made different section collaborating together to accomplish a common end. Another feature of scheme which needs to be seen at Sony Company is the cognitive schools which focus on strategian head. Harmonizing to Ginder at Al. 2002, scheme depends on single ‘s apprehension and how that single manages the information used to develop the scheme. The doomed of Sony ‘s leading place was due to failures of strategians to acknowledge the growing of new engineerings. This means the strategians did non hold adequate information related to market environment. This information would hold been obtained through SWOT analysis and could assist directors explicate the company ‘s schemes efficaciously. Power School as another Mintzberg scheme focuses on power relationships of where the scheme is created. The power school requires of import characters in the organisation to dicker persuade and comfort each other in the procedure of scheme preparation. ( Betz, 2002 ) commented on his survey that scheme can be used as a tool of doing partnerships. Having a new CEO, Howard Stringer Sony reported a loss which was caused by failure of the company to convey up advanced merchandises. The new CEO and directors of the company fail to look into alterations go oning in the competitory concern environment, and hence the alterations brought loss to the company sometimes subsequently.WhittingtonWhittington ‘s theory of scheme focal points on four schools of classical, evolutionary, processual and systemic. The school which relate to Sony Company is evolutionary theory. Harmonizing to Doty et Al ( 1993 ) the evolutionary school focal points on the environment as the chief factor instead than rational attack suggested by other schools. The Evolutionary attack believes that organisational environment is the biggest factor in the preparation of concern scheme therefore the preparation of scheme must be reflected to the environment since it is unpredictable and mutable. In add-on to that the theory supports on emphasizing that net income maximization is determined by markets and non directors. Whittington concludes that rational attacks can non find the endurance of houses in the selling environment but it is development which determines it. In development, competition is overcome by the battle and endurance of the house from which the rule of natural choice is translated into the scheme for the best public presentation. Sony failure to be a leader in the planetary market can be linked to the evolutionary school due to miss of market information. Bing a leader in the market, top direction was supposed to be cognizant of the conditions predominating in the market including invention and technological promotion which could assist the company keep its leading place. On the other manus, when the new CEO, Mr. Stringer took over the company he seemed to be less concern with the environment alternatively he focused on reorganisation. The sections in the company functioned independently and made the CEO to see it as a chief cause of the company ‘s failure to globalise. The Chief executive officer was supposed to look at what the company is bring forthing and do comparing with the merchandises available in the selling environment to keep the leading place of the company. Successful organisations are those that most efficaciously interact with their environments ( Hambrick 1982, Pfeffer and Salancik 1978 ) . Organizational Performance is dependent on the organisation ‘s ability to aline or fit its schemes, constructions, and processes to its environment. Alignment depends on the organisation ‘s ability to obtain relevant information about its current and future environment. Environmental scanning is the procedure by which an organisation collects environmental information, which is utilized in its strategic direction procedure. Therefore to be a leader and go success in its planetary markets it was suppose to scan its environment and any information obtained should be incorporated into the company ‘s scheme every bit good as constructions and procedures within the company. While making that, the top direction has to do certain that information is shared among assorted members of the company chiefly between the sections. Corporate CEO is a individual whose determinations take the company in the coveted way. Most of the CEOS are leaders in the environmental motion. It is clip to acknowledge that their committedness is critical to success. The universe economic system is now propelled by venture capital and proficient invention. Barney ‘s ( 1991 ) says that organisational resources are said to be embedded in the organisation, squad based, and capable to causal ambiguity. Such capablenesss are besides really much in line with the â€Å" modus operandis † . Here we focus on managerial accomplishments at running the concern or a portion of the concern. The success of the Sony, at the beggary was good known but later on the company experienced losingss merely because of its hapless organisational construction in which sections ‘ maps independently from each other. The results indicated that segmented and isolated work to team-based operations is important to organisational market leading. Organizations operations should be carried out in line with undertaking forces for short-run job resolution exercisings, and with cross-functional and cross-hierarchical squads to accomplish longer-term aims and specific undertakings of an ongoing nature. Moss Kanter ( 1983 ) argues that such squad mechanisms promote the circulation of resources, information and support. The tendency, hence, has been off from segmented and isolated constructions with small communicating and interaction between countries and different degrees, to a state of affairs where interaction and integrating are seen as being indispensable to operations. No longer do functional countries concentrate merely on their ain undertakings. Now they are made cognizant of the work of other countries and how they can be of aid to them. Interaction through squads and webs ensures that the wider image of the organisation is understood. Team-based work ensures a more flexible and adaptable attack to work makes possible the wider exercising of liberty and duty, gives rise to increased interaction, communicating and information flows, and makes work more gratifying for those involved.Strategic DecisionsGlobally, SONY is perceived as the trade name whose merchandises are of high quality, with the presence of rivals the company has to do certain that it has a tool of competitory advantage in or der to get the better of the approaching rivals and get larger market portion. In order to accomplish the planetary aspirations the company has to see the following cardinal strategic determination ; Harmonizing to Gupta and Govidarajan ( 2001 ) , any company wishing to function its markets globally will hold to do four nucleus determinations refering ; The markets the company wishes to run The merchandises to vie in the planetary market The manner of come ining the market Time/speed of entryPlague analysisOn the other manus SONY Company has to utilize PEST analysis to obtain the necessary information which helps the company to analyse and measure the competition it is confronting. PEST analysis involves ; Political forces such as Government policies and statute law Political stableness Public involvement groups ( consumer watchdogs ) Economic forces such as Exchange rates Inflation Social forces such as Changes in life style ( faster gait of life taking to a demand in products/services which enable people to make things more rapidly and handily ) Manner and tendencies Technological forces such as Fast gait of technological alteration Research and development ( a demand for increased budgets to maintain measure with the gait of technological alteration ) Opportunities for invention The cost of engineering ( reducing/increasing ) Increased ordinance ( wellness and safety facets of new merchandises )SWOT analysisBesides Sony ‘s SWOT analysis is one of the schemes which the company will hold to do in order to achieve its planetary aspirations. SWOT analysis will assist the company to fit its strength and failings against chances and menaces available in the environment in which the company operates. Strengths for illustration skilled work force, good systems and strong trade name Failings for illustration unequal resources, high cost base and decelerate internal determinations. Opportunities for illustration dining economic system and stylish merchandise Menaces for illustration – Global competition and industry repute.Porter ‘s five forcesIn add-on to that the SONY Company has to utilize Porter ‘s five forces analysis as a competitory scheme which postulates the impact that other organisations pose on the company. Porter ‘s five forces include ; New entrants, Sony ‘s planetary aspirations and High cost of entry to organize a barrier to entry rivals. Features of replacement merchandises as to whether they are, Cheaper, Different and better Existing participants chiefly competition within the industry such as Apple and Samsung. Suppliers ; Supplier concentration, Bargaining power, Supplier extension every bit good as Fixed/variable cost. Customers ; Buyer concentration, Customer trueness, Switch overing costs and Buyer motivations.Porter ‘s DiamondIn order Sony to accomplish its planetary aspirations, it must be prepared to get the better of strong competition in the planetary electronics concern market. Porter ‘s diamond theory concludes that the state in which the organisation is based can strongly impact the organisation. Harmonizing to Johnson et Al. 2006, the state in which the organisation is based can assist in making a tool of competitory advantage by supplying factors from which the organisation can explicate the advantages. The factors include factor conditions, demand conditions, house ‘s scheme, construction and competition and related and back uping industries. Beginning: hypertext transfer protocol: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File: The_Porter_Diamond.svgThe Porter ‘s DiamondOrganization ‘s can derive competitiveness utilizing four factors presented in the Porter ‘s diamond scheme ( Matsuyama and Vanderbrink, 2003 ) . The conditions bing in the local environment clime and policies can be tracked utilizing the house ‘s scheme, construction every bit good as competition. Information about competition and local market influence can be collected utilizing demand conditions. If related to Sony Company, the lone factor conditions, which will assist to make competitory advantage, are invention and engineering betterments. Having produced assortments of electronics merchandises, invention will do the company to come up with new, good differentiated merchandises and quality merchandises. In order to accomplish its planetary aspirations Sony Company can utilize merchandise development scheme to ease its advanced patterns.Merchandise developmentNew merchandises in current markets – this may intend perfectly new merchandises or loops of other merchandises to do them more suited to the known market. The benefit to the administration is ; if the new merchandises are successful, the cost of marketing a broader scope of merchandises to the market is less in relation to the larger grosss generated. The hazard involved here is that new merchandises can hold a high failure rate.Execution Challenges in the Global MarketMichael, J. ( 1999 ) International relation of production mediated either by the market through internal minutess of the transnational corporation ( MNCs ) , are distributing quickly to the most parts of the universe. Porter, E ( 1998 ) Trade liberalisation has brought competition among enterprisers in the universe, as consequence ; invention remained the cardinal arm for concern to last within a market. However, alteration within an organisation is a measure frontward toward to acknowledgment of a concern menace. Menace of concern can be internal or external, whichever manner, Koontz and O'Donnell ( 1984 ) Contributed on the issue of direction within an organisation † Five countries were identified which makes directors to be proactive in their public presentations an compulsion with reactivity of clients, invention in all countries of the house, partnership – means sharing across stakeholders and derive connexion with all people around organisation † Harmonizing to the academic school, the Kurt lewin alteration was assumed to be a necessary within the organisation if at all a company mean to convey alteration. However, Howard Stringer ( CEO ) of Sony Company has made some necessary alterations into Sony Company, which lead to some sensible alterationThe jobFrom The company expert analyst major job for Sony was a awkwardness of oversing its merchandise. This job was associated with company civilization which prevented sharing information among other section. When main executive of Sony Company came to gain the job, new scheme was implemented to decide a job. The jobs were solved, but the major 1 was to reconstitute the whole administration. February 2009, in one of ( CEO ) his critical addresss he said â€Å" There is still a batch of the old Sony, and non plenty of the new which constraints our fight † . Haward Stringer said Mintzberg et Al ( 1998 ) the school theoretical account scheme prognosis to do certain that internal and external capableness are step. This means a scheme should be planed diligently from the top to the underside of the administration, by specifying the major obstruction to impede alteration. Otherwise, alteration starts inside, where member of the administration, their mentality should be influenced to get by with the alteration required. Kurt lewin theoretical account argued that alteration has a procedure ; this procedure starts to, dissolving ; traveling and refreezing Cummingss and Worley, ( 2002 ) . However other theoretical account described lewin theoretical account gaining the importance of whole people ( members ) of the administration to back up alteration.it is good thought to act upon bulk get downing from top side of the direction construction to the underside by explicating why alteration was necessary for the administration. This may cut down the impact of opposition for alteration. Ivancevich and Matteson ( 2002 ) There different types of alteration, but alteration of behavior and height and values are the most major which in bend consequences to travel the administration at different degree of production. Harmonizing to the proclamation made by CEO of Sony Company early 2009, foremost and foremost alteration was for organizational civilization, beliefs come from the perceptual experience and consequence it is fruit itself. If the company managed to alter staff beliefs, turn negative height to positive height the consequence is to do alteration happen. Harmonizing to Maslow ‘s Hierarchy of demands, as director should understand the complexness of human demands. If this was instance, â€Å" the inquiry which is raised that, how an employee can run into the organizational demands ( Objectives ) if the company director has non fulfilled an employee demands? † Maslow ‘s theoretical accounts recognised that, nevertheless a basic demands should be fulfilled at least so every bit far as you meet an employee demand from bottom to exceed of the hierarch, perceptual experience of many employees is security. Refreezing degree this is the degree whereby a company a company is looking to brace the alteration in a new manner, confidence to staff is made and they feel unafraid therefore they will be able to present the quality as required by the administration. Example is where by a company will come in into the market chest frontward with a merchandise which meets â€Å" beyond clients the outlook † such as laptops by Sony ‘s merchandise. Very little and easy to maintain into a little pocketbook in fact person with piece in head has to come up with this invention etc. Therefore motive is most of import if truly alterations are planned. The meet a end has been defined, a company will specify how far is looking to make in the market! This inquiry automatically will be answered by the SWOT ANALYSIS discussed in the text above. â€Å" Every civilization has their say! † Swahili linguistic communication acknowledges the usage of the word â€Å" the caput is a moist † significance every determination should be pass foremost to the caput of the administration. Kurt Lewin supported that by back uping to seek support from the caput of the administration.MentionsBurnes, B ( 2004 ) ‘Managing Change ‘ 4th edition, England: Prentice Hall. Cumming, T. G and Worley, C. G ( 2001 ) ‘Organization development and alteration ‘ United statess: South-Western College. Govindarajan, V. and Gupta, A. K. ( 2001 ) ‘Mastering Global Business ‘ Hrsg: Fiscal Time, Great Britain, p.98. Harris, N. ( 2000 ) ‘Business Economicss: Theory and Application ‘ Oxford: UK, p.132 Ivancevich, J. and Matteson, T. ( 2002 ) ‘Organizational Behaviour and Management ‘ 6th edition, North Amarica: McGraw-Hill. Karlof, B. and Gilderson, A. J. ( 1993 ) ‘Business Concept: A Concise Guide ‘ USA: Routledge, p.190.Mark Kennan ( 2010 ) ‘Sony Corporation History & A ; Background ‘ [ Online ] Available from: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.ehow.com/about_5176244_sony-corporation-history-background.html ( Accessed: 3 April 2010 )Michie, Jonathan and Grieve Smith, John ( 1999 ) ‘Global instability: the political economic system of the universe economic administration ‘ London: Ruthledge, p.112. Mintzberg, H. ( 1994 ) ‘The rise and autumn of strategic be aftering ‘ London: FT Prentice Hall. Mintzberg, H. et Al ( 1998 ) ‘Strategy Safari: The complete usher through the natural states of strategic direction ‘ New York: Prentice Hall. Mullins, L. J. ( 2002 ) ‘Management and organisational behavior ‘ 6th edition, England: Prentice Hall. Raynor, M. E. ( 2007 ) ‘The Strategy Paradox ‘ New York: Doubleday Business. Smartbrief.com ( 2010 ) ‘Sony Corporation ‘ [ Online ] Available from: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.smartbrief.com/news/cea/companyData.jsp? companyId=3938 ( Accessed: 4 April 2010 ) Sony Global ( 2010 ) ‘Sony Corp. Info ‘ [ Online ] Available from: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.sony.net/ SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/ ( Accessed: 2 April 2010 ) Sony UK ( 2010 ) ‘The History of the Sony Corporation ‘ [ Online ] Available from: hypertext transfer protocol: // www.sony.co.uk/article/id/1060176719725 ( Accessed: 2 April 2010 ) Usb4ever.com ( 2007 ) ‘The History of Sony Corporation ‘ [ Online ] Available from: hypertext transfer protocol: // www.usb4ever.com/Sony/sony-corporation.html ( Accessed: 4 April 2010 ) Whittington, R ( 2001 ) ‘What is scheme, and does it count? ‘ 2nd edition, London: Thomson.

Educator In Community Essay

Initial assessment should focus on learning styles and knowledge level of students. This can be accomplished by asking the expectation of students, activities that they want to participate in and through an assessment of existing skills and competencies. The nurse educator must then mediate the course objectives with the result of these tests: assessment of the class must be bridges with the target outcomes for students (Priest, 2004). Instructional strategies should include literature, practical demonstrations and activities as well investigative or research activities. Reading materials should be supported by activities that will allow the students to experience what they have read. Further reinforcement should be done through participation in discussions and research activities. Processing by students of the strategies and assessment by the teachers performance can then be used to determine shat activities or strategies is most effective for the class (Gay et al, 2006). Testing of students should assess their understanding of the significance of each element in the educational program. Evaluation of which teaching strategy, literature, practical or research based activities, should be done as a means of initial assessment and to gauge what strategy will be used in the program. Similar settings for health education should be assess individually, either anonymously or through personal or written by students, as well as a group to promote collaboration among participants and the nurse education. Nurse educators in community and staff education settings have to be sensitive regarding their audience and at the same time must not discriminative regarding the level of learning requires of their students (Blair, 2004; Priest, 2004). This entails effective assessment tools to gauge topic knowledge and the learning style of students (Gay et al, 2006). Nurse educators must expect that strategies must respond to the characteristics of their audience rather than the reverse and that. This will entail constantly redeveloping teaching methods to allow communities to work collaboratively with nurse educators in promoting long-term and sustainable health programs.

Angels Demons Chapter 24-27

24 The security technician held his breath as his commander leaned over his shoulder, studying the bank of security monitors before them. A minute passed. The commander's silence was to be expected, the technician told himself. The commander was a man of rigid protocol. He had not risen to command one of the world's most elite security forces by talking first and thinking second. But what is he thinking? The object they were pondering on the monitor was a canister of some sort – a canister with transparent sides. That much was easy. It was the rest that was difficult. Inside the container, as if by some special effect, a small droplet of metallic liquid seemed to be floating in midair. The droplet appeared and disappeared in the robotic red blinking of a digital LED descending resolutely, making the technician's skin crawl. â€Å"Can you lighten the contrast?† the commander asked, startling the technician. The technician heeded the instruction, and the image lightened somewhat. The commander leaned forward, squinting closer at something that had just come visible on the base of the container. The technician followed his commander's gaze. Ever so faintly, printed next to the LED was an acronym. Four capital letters gleaming in the intermittent spurts of light. â€Å"Stay here,† the commander said. â€Å"Say nothing. I'll handle this.† 25 Haz-Mat. Fifty meters below ground. Vittoria Vetra stumbled forward, almost falling into the retina scan. She sensed the American rushing to help her, holding her, supporting her weight. On the floor at her feet, her father's eyeball stared up. She felt the air crushed from her lungs. They cut out his eye! Her world twisted. Kohler pressed close behind, speaking. Langdon guided her. As if in a dream, she found herself gazing into the retina scan. The mechanism beeped. The door slid open. Even with the terror of her father's eye boring into her soul, Vittoria sensed an additional horror awaited inside. When she leveled her blurry gaze into the room, she confirmed the next chapter of the nightmare. Before her, the solitary recharging podium was empty. The canister was gone. They had cut out her father's eye to steal it. The implications came too fast for her to fully comprehend. Everything had backfired. The specimen that was supposed to prove antimatter was a safe and viable energy source had been stolen. But nobody knew this specimen even existed! The truth, however, was undeniable. Someone had found out. Vittoria could not imagine who. Even Kohler, whom they said knew everything at CERN, clearly had no idea about the project. Her father was dead. Murdered for his genius. As the grief strafed her heart, a new emotion surged into Vittoria's conscious. This one was far worse. Crushing. Stabbing at her. The emotion was guilt. Uncontrollable, relentless guilt. Vittoria knew it had been she who convinced her father to create the specimen. Against his better judgment. And he had been killed for it. A quarter of a gram†¦ Like any technology – fire, gunpowder, the combustion engine – in the wrong hands, antimatter could be deadly. Very deadly. Antimatter was a lethal weapon. Potent, and unstoppable. Once removed from its recharging platform at CERN, the canister would count down inexorably. A runaway train. And when time ran out†¦ A blinding light. The roar of thunder. Spontaneous incineration. Just the flash†¦ and an empty crater. A big empty crater. The image of her father's quiet genius being used as a tool of destruction was like poison in her blood. Antimatter was the ultimate terrorist weapon. It had no metallic parts to trip metal detectors, no chemical signature for dogs to trace, no fuse to deactivate if the authorities located the canister. The countdown had begun†¦ Langdon didn't know what else to do. He took his handkerchief and lay it on the floor over Leonardo Vetra's eyeball. Vittoria was standing now in the doorway of the empty Haz-Mat chamber, her expression wrought with grief and panic. Langdon moved toward her again, instinctively, but Kohler intervened. â€Å"Mr. Langdon?† Kohler's face was expressionless. He motioned Langdon out of earshot. Langdon reluctantly followed, leaving Vittoria to fend for herself. â€Å"You're the specialist,† Kohler said, his whisper intense. â€Å"I want to know what these Illuminati bastards intend to do with this antimatter.† Langdon tried to focus. Despite the madness around him, his first reaction was logical. Academic rejection. Kohler was still making assumptions. Impossible assumptions. â€Å"The Illuminati are defunct, Mr. Kohler. I stand by that. This crime could be anything – maybe even another CERN employee who found out about Mr. Vetra's breakthrough and thought the project was too dangerous to continue.† Kohler looked stunned. â€Å"You think this is a crime of conscience, Mr. Langdon? Absurd. Whoever killed Leonardo wanted one thing – the antimatter specimen. And no doubt they have plans for it.† â€Å"You mean terrorism.† â€Å"Plainly.† â€Å"But the Illuminati were not terrorists.† â€Å"Tell that to Leonardo Vetra.† Langdon felt a pang of truth in the statement. Leonardo Vetra had indeed been branded with the Illuminati symbol. Where had it come from? The sacred brand seemed too difficult a hoax for someone trying to cover his tracks by casting suspicion elsewhere. There had to be another explanation. Again, Langdon forced himself to consider the implausible. If the Illuminati were still active, and if they stole the antimatter, what would be their intention? What would be their target? The answer furnished by his brain was instantaneous. Langdon dismissed it just as fast. True, the Illuminati had an obvious enemy, but a wide-scale terrorist attack against that enemy was inconceivable. It was entirely out of character. Yes, the Illuminati had killed people, but individuals, carefully conscripted targets. Mass destruction was somehow heavy-handed. Langdon paused. Then again, he thought, there would be a rather majestic eloquence to it – antimatter, the ultimate scientific achievement, being used to vaporize – He refused to accept the preposterous thought. â€Å"There is,† he said suddenly, â€Å"a logical explanation other than terrorism.† Kohler stared, obviously waiting. Langdon tried to sort out the thought. The Illuminati had always wielded tremendous power through financial means. They controlled banks. They owned gold bullion. They were even rumored to possess the single most valuable gem on earth – the Illuminati Diamond, a flawless diamond of enormous proportions. â€Å"Money,† Langdon said. â€Å"The antimatter could have been stolen for financial gain.† Kohler looked incredulous. â€Å"Financial gain? Where does one sell a droplet of antimatter?† â€Å"Not the specimen,† Langdon countered. â€Å"The technology. Antimatter technology must be worth a mint. Maybe someone stole the specimen to do analysis and R and D.† â€Å"Industrial espionage? But that canister has twenty-four hours before the batteries die. The researchers would blow themselves up before they learned anything at all.† â€Å"They could recharge it before it explodes. They could build a compatible recharging podium like the ones here at CERN.† â€Å"In twenty-four hours?† Kohler challenged. â€Å"Even if they stole the schematics, a recharger like that would take months to engineer, not hours!† â€Å"He's right.† Vittoria's voice was frail. Both men turned. Vittoria was moving toward them, her gait as tremulous as her words. â€Å"He's right. Nobody could reverse engineer a recharger in time. The interface alone would take weeks. Flux filters, servo-coils, power conditioning alloys, all calibrated to the specific energy grade of the locale.† Langdon frowned. The point was taken. An antimatter trap was not something one could simply plug into a wall socket. Once removed from CERN, the canister was on a one-way, twenty-four-hour trip to oblivion. Which left only one, very disturbing, conclusion. â€Å"We need to call Interpol,† Vittoria said. Even to herself, her voice sounded distant. â€Å"We need to call the proper authorities. Immediately.† Kohler shook his head. â€Å"Absolutely not.† The words stunned her. â€Å"No? What do you mean?† â€Å"You and your father have put me in a very difficult position here.† â€Å"Director, we need help. We need to find that trap and get it back here before someone gets hurt. We have a responsibility!† â€Å"We have a responsibility to think,† Kohler said, his tone hardening. â€Å"This situation could have very, very serious repercussions for CERN.† â€Å"You're worried about CERN's reputation? Do you know what that canister could do to an urban area? It has a blast radius of a half mile! Nine city blocks!† â€Å"Perhaps you and your father should have considered that before you created the specimen.† Vittoria felt like she'd been stabbed. â€Å"But†¦ we took every precaution.† â€Å"Apparently, it was not enough.† â€Å"But nobody knew about the antimatter.† She realized, of course, it was an absurd argument. Of course somebody knew. Someone had found out. Vittoria had told no one. That left only two explanations. Either her father had taken someone into his confidence without telling her, which made no sense because it was her father who had sworn them both to secrecy, or she and her father had been monitored. The cell phone maybe? She knew they had spoken a few times while Vittoria was traveling. Had they said too much? It was possible. There was also their E-mail. But they had been discreet, hadn't they? CERN's security system? Had they been monitored somehow without their knowledge? She knew none of that mattered anymore. What was done, was done. My father is dead. The thought spurred her to action. She pulled her cell phone from her shorts pocket. Kohler accelerated toward her, coughing violently, eyes flashing anger. â€Å"Who†¦ are you calling?† â€Å"CERN's switchboard. They can connect us to Interpol.† â€Å"Think!† Kohler choked, screeching to a halt in front of her. â€Å"Are you really so naive? That canister could be anywhere in the world by now. No intelligence agency on earth could possibly mobilize to find it in time.† â€Å"So we do nothing?† Vittoria felt compunction challenging a man in such frail health, but the director was so far out of line she didn't even know him anymore. â€Å"We do what is smart,† Kohler said. â€Å"We don't risk CERN's reputation by involving authorities who cannot help anyway. Not yet. Not without thinking.† Vittoria knew there was logic somewhere in Kohler's argument, but she also knew that logic, by definition, was bereft of moral responsibility. Her father had lived for moral responsibility – careful science, accountability, faith in man's inherent goodness. Vittoria believed in those things too, but she saw them in terms of karma. Turning away from Kohler, she snapped open her phone. â€Å"You can't do that,† he said. â€Å"Just try and stop me.† Kohler did not move. An instant later, Vittoria realized why. This far underground, her cell phone had no dial tone. Fuming, she headed for the elevator. 26 The Hassassin stood at the end of the stone tunnel. His torch still burned bright, the smoke mixing with the smell of moss and stale air. Silence surrounded him. The iron door blocking his way looked as old as the tunnel itself, rusted but still holding strong. He waited in the darkness, trusting. It was almost time. Janus had promised someone on the inside would open the door. The Hassassin marveled at the betrayal. He would have waited all night at that door to carry out his task, but he sensed it would not be necessary. He was working for determined men. Minutes later, exactly at the appointed hour, there was a loud clank of heavy keys on the other side of the door. Metal scraped on metal as multiple locks disengaged. One by one, three huge deadbolts ground open. The locks creaked as if they had not been used in centuries. Finally all three were open. Then there was silence. The Hassassin waited patiently, five minutes, exactly as he had been told. Then, with electricity in his blood, he pushed. The great door swung open. 27 â€Å"Vittoria, I will not allow it!† Kohler's breath was labored and getting worse as the Haz-Mat elevator ascended. Vittoria blocked him out. She craved sanctuary, something familiar in this place that no longer felt like home. She knew it was not to be. Right now, she had to swallow the pain and act. Get to a phone. Robert Langdon was beside her, silent as usual. Vittoria had given up wondering who the man was. A specialist? Could Kohler be any less specific? Mr. Langdon can help us find your father's killer. Langdon was being no help at all. His warmth and kindness seemed genuine, but he was clearly hiding something. They both were. Kohler was at her again. â€Å"As director of CERN, I have a responsibility to the future of science. If you amplify this into an international incident and CERN suffers – â€Å" â€Å"Future of science?† Vittoria turned on him. â€Å"Do you really plan to escape accountability by never admitting this antimatter came from CERN? Do you plan to ignore the people's lives we've put in danger?† â€Å"Not we,† Kohler countered. â€Å"You. You and your father.† Vittoria looked away. â€Å"And as far as endangering lives,† Kohler said, â€Å"life is exactly what this is about. You know antimatter technology has enormous implications for life on this planet. If CERN goes bankrupt, destroyed by scandal, everybody loses. Man's future is in the hands of places like CERN, scientists like you and your father, working to solve tomorrow's problems.† Vittoria had heard Kohler's Science-as-God lecture before, and she never bought it. Science itself caused half the problems it was trying to solve. â€Å"Progress† was Mother Earth's ultimate malignancy. â€Å"Scientific advancement carries risk,† Kohler argued. â€Å"It always has. Space programs, genetic research, medicine – they all make mistakes. Science needs to survive its own blunders, at any cost. For everyone's sake.† Vittoria was amazed at Kohler's ability to weigh moral issues with scientific detachment. His intellect seemed to be the product of an icy divorce from his inner spirit. â€Å"You think CERN is so critical to the earth's future that we should be immune from moral responsibility?† â€Å"Do not argue morals with me. You crossed a line when you made that specimen, and you have put this entire facility at risk. I'm trying to protect not only the jobs of the three thousand scientists who work here, but also your father's reputation. Think about him. A man like your father does not deserve to be remembered as the creator of a weapon of mass destruction.† Vittoria felt his spear hit home. I am the one who convinced my father to create that specimen. This is my fault! When the door opened, Kohler was still talking. Vittoria stepped out of the elevator, pulled out her phone, and tried again. Still no dial tone. Damn! She headed for the door. â€Å"Vittoria, stop.† The director sounded asthmatic now, as he accelerated after her. â€Å"Slow down. We need to talk.† â€Å"Basta di parlare!† â€Å"Think of your father,† Kohler urged. â€Å"What would he do?† She kept going. â€Å"Vittoria, I haven't been totally honest with you.† Vittoria felt her legs slow. â€Å"I don't know what I was thinking,† Kohler said. â€Å"I was just trying to protect you. Just tell me what you want. We need to work together here.† Vittoria came to a full stop halfway across the lab, but she did not turn. â€Å"I want to find the antimatter. And I want to know who killed my father.† She waited. Kohler sighed. â€Å"Vittoria, we already know who killed your father. I'm sorry.† Now Vittoria turned. â€Å"You what?† â€Å"I didn't know how to tell you. It's a difficult – â€Å" â€Å"You know who killed my father?† â€Å"We have a very good idea, yes. The killer left somewhat of a calling card. That's the reason I called Mr. Langdon. The group claiming responsibility is his specialty.† â€Å"The group? A terrorist group?† â€Å"Vittoria, they stole a quarter gram of antimatter.† Vittoria looked at Robert Langdon standing there across the room. Everything began falling into place. That explains some of the secrecy. She was amazed it hadn't occurred to her earlier. Kohler had called the authorities after all. The authorities. Now it seemed obvious. Robert Langdon was American, clean-cut, conservative, obviously very sharp. Who else could it be? Vittoria should have guessed from the start. She felt a newfound hope as she turned to him. â€Å"Mr. Langdon, I want to know who killed my father. And I want to know if your agency can find the antimatter.† Langdon looked flustered. â€Å"My agency?† â€Å"You're with U.S. Intelligence, I assume.† â€Å"Actually†¦ no.† Kohler intervened. â€Å"Mr. Langdon is a professor of art history at Harvard University.† Vittoria felt like she had been doused with ice water. â€Å"An art teacher?† â€Å"He is a specialist in cult symbology.† Kohler sighed. â€Å"Vittoria, we believe your father was killed by a satanic cult.† Vittoria heard the words in her mind, but she was unable to process them. A satanic cult. â€Å"The group claiming responsibility calls themselves the Illuminati.† Vittoria looked at Kohler and then at Langdon, wondering if this was some kind of perverse joke. â€Å"The Illuminati?† she demanded. â€Å"As in the Bavarian Illuminati?† Kohler looked stunned. â€Å"You've heard of them?† Vittoria felt the tears of frustration welling right below the surface. â€Å"Bavarian Illuminati: New World Order. Steve Jackson computer games. Half the techies here play it on the Internet.† Her voice cracked. â€Å"But I don't understand†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Kohler shot Langdon a confused look. Langdon nodded. â€Å"Popular game. Ancient brotherhood takes over the world. Semihistorical. I didn't know it was in Europe too.† Vittoria was bewildered. â€Å"What are you talking about? The Illuminati? It's a computer game!† â€Å"Vittoria,† Kohler said, â€Å"the Illuminati is the group claiming responsibility for your father's death.† Vittoria mustered every bit of courage she could find to fight the tears. She forced herself to hold on and assess the situation logically. But the harder she focused, the less she understood. Her father had been murdered. CERN had suffered a major breach of security. There was a bomb counting down somewhere that she was responsible for. And the director had nominated an art teacher to help them find a mythical fraternity of Satanists. Vittoria felt suddenly all alone. She turned to go, but Kohler cut her off. He reached for something in his pocket. He produced a crumpled piece of fax paper and handed it to her. Vittoria swayed in horror as her eyes hit the image. â€Å"They branded him,† Kohler said. â€Å"They branded his goddamn chest.†