Harry potter Community Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Harry potter Community - Assignment Example Dream and hallucination may conceal these real factors however they exist and I realize that without a doubt. Maybe this is simply the motivation behind why I find in him. Why I am agreeable and quiet to expound on this as my talk network. I can relate to him and his reality. In the event that it weren’t for the convenient reaction of the nephew, Harry, an individual tuning in on the discussion would not have known about the motivation behind why that day was considered by Mr. Vernon as the greatest day of the week. So imagine a scenario in which there is no post on Sundays. The family doesn't care for accepting letters? Is it true that they resent the mailman? †These are only a portion of the inquiries that the audience to the discussion would inquire. Actually, the explanation goes further and is considerably uglier than the responses to these straightforward, honest and unimportant inquiries. Mr. Vernon likes accepting letters for that implied that individuals preferred him all around ok to keep in touch with him. He feels significant when he gets letters. At the point when he discovered that his nephew, a â€Å"nobody† and an individual who just eats scraps from his table and wears his old larger than usual garments were getting letters that enraged him. How could a â€Å"nobody† be a higher priority than him? As a result of his mounting outrage, he took to getting the letters routed to the nephew from the mailman and consuming them. A dull undertaking for he needed to sit tight for the mailman. He has been doing this for seven days at this point and he really felt calmed that he would not be doing it again that day. On this day, the nephew was remaining close to the window anticipating orders as though he was a footman. He was not permitted to sit on the seats in the front room. A benefit delighted in just by the close family. This implicit guideline was intended to show pecking orders in the family. At the point when the discussion started it was simply between the close family. To additionally accentuate the eliteness or the

Importance of Statistics in Business Free Essays

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan Auditing Intermediate Examination Autumn 2012 Module D Q. 1 5 September 2012 100 imprints †3 hours Additional perusing time †15 minutes Shahrukh and Company, Chartered Accountants, have led the legal review of the budget reports of Karim Limited, a recorded organization, for the year finished 30 June 2012 under the Companies Ordinance, 1984. The activity incharge has drafted the accompanying review report: Auditors’ Report to the Members We have evaluated the added monetary record of Karim Limited (the Company) as at 30 June 2012, and the related Income and Expenditure Account, Statement of Comprehensive Income, Cash Flow Statement and Statement of Changes in Equity along with the notes framing part thereof, for the year at that point finished and we express that we have gotten all the data and clarifications which were vital for the motivations behind our review. We will compose a custom paper test on Significance of Statistics in Business or on the other hand any comparable subject just for you Request Now It is the obligation of the company’s the executives to build up and keep up an arrangement of inner control and get ready and present the above said explanations in congruity with the affirmed evaluating principles and the necessities of the fourth calendar to the Companies Ordinance, 1984. Our obligation is to review these announcements. We led our review as per the evaluating guidelines as material in Pakistan. These principles necessitate that we design and play out the review to acquire sensible and constrained confirmation about whether the above articulations are liberated from any misquote. A review incorporates looking at proof supporting the sums and exposures in the above said articulations. A review additionally incorporates surveying the bookkeeping strategies and huge appraisals made by the executives, just as, assessing the general introduction of the above said articulations. We accept that our review gives a sensible premise to our sentiment and, after due check, we report that: (an) as we would like to think, legitimate books of records have been stayed with by the. (b) as we would like to think: (I) the asset report and benefit and misfortune account along with the notes subsequently have been drawn up in congruity with the Companies Ordinance 1984, and are in concurrence with the books of record and are further as per bookkeeping arrangements reliably applied; (ii) the use acquired during the year was in ccordance with the objects of the Company; and (iii) the business directed, ventures made and the use caused during the year were with the end goal of the Company’s business; (c) as we would like to think and to the best of our data and as indicated by the clarifications given to us, the asset report, benefit and misfortune account, articulation of far reaching salary, income explanation and proclamation of changes in value along with the notes shaping part thereof, adjust with the endorsed bookkeeping guidelines as relevant in Pakistan and give the data required by the Companies Ordinance, 1984, in the way so required and individually give a valid and reasonable perspective on the condition of the Company’s undertakings as at 30 June 2012; and (d) as we would like to think, no zakat was deductible at source under the Zakat and Ushr Ordinance, 1980. Contracted Accountants Date: 01 September 2012 Required: Identify the mistakes in the above report versus a standard legal review report. (Note: You are not required to redraft the report. ) (12 imprints) Auditing Page 2 of 3 Q. 2 As the commitment accomplice, you have assessed the review working papers of Samarkand Limited (SL). The review group has featured the accompanying issues in the working papers. (a) 20% of the company’s recorded turnover (income) contains money deals. Legitimate records of money deals have not been kept up. Thusly, the review group couldn't configuration review methodology to confirm the money deals. During the present year, the organization changed the technique for charging deterioration on its fixed resources from the straight line to the reducing balance strategy. In any case, all the necessary divulgences have been remembered for the notes to the budget reports. The past year’s budget summaries were examined by another firm of sanctioned bookkeepers which has given an un-adjusted assessment on those fiscal summaries. (b) (c) Required: Discuss the effect of every one of the above issues on your review report. (10 imprints) Q. 3 You are as of now in the arranging period of the review of Mineral Water Limited (MWL) for the year finished 30 June 2012. The accompanying data is accessible to you: Customer Segment Super markets Wholesalers Retailers Five star inns No. of Customers 12 65 553 7 Balance 10-20 21-30 31-90 gt; 90 exceptional days †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Rs. in thousand†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 20,014 8,125 5,053 6,396 311 129 14,910 5,078 6,019 3,150 454 209 4,743 1,756 1,798 724 278 187 7,694 2,805 2,793 1,784 201 111 47,361 17,764 15,663 12,054 1,244 636 half arrangement for far fetched obligations has been made by MWL against balances remarkable for over 30 days though the equalizations extraordinary for over 90 days have been completely given. Required: (an) Indicate what might be the reason for choosing indebted individuals for circularizing positive and negative solicitations for affirmations. 06 imprint) (b) Briefly disclose regarding how might you manage a circumstance where an indebted person affirms an equalization which is not the sa me as the sum showing up in the affirmation demand. (08 imprint) Q. 4 (a) Classification of specific things revealed in the fiscal summaries depends on the management’s goals. In such a circumstance the inspector needs to depend on the board portrayals. Required: List the elements that the reviewer ought to consider in assessing the management’s goals as to their future game-plan, as expressed in their composed portrayals. (04 imprint) (b) Briefly talk about how the evaluator would manage a circumstance where he is in question with respect to the unwavering quality of the composed portrayals gave by the administration of the organization. (05 imprint) Q. 5 Rundown the meaningful strategies that might be performed by an inspector to confirm the accompanying: (a) (b) (c) Bank compromise explanations Payroll Raw material buys (06 imprints) (08 imprints) (06 imprints) Auditing Page 3 of 3 Q. 6 List the review strategies that might be performed by the reviewer so as to guarantee that all occasions happening between the date of the fiscal summaries and the date of the auditor’s report that require alteration of, or divulgence in, the budget summaries are recognized and suitably reflected in the budget summaries. (10 imprints) Q. 7 Discuss the classes of dangers that might be engaged with every one of the accompanying autonomous circumstances and educate the accomplices with respect to the concerned firm as to the conceivable strategy that might be followed, for each situation. a) Burewala Bank Limited (BBL) is a recorded review customer of Umer and Company, Chartered Accountants (UCC). BBL has conceded a house advance of Rs. 5 million to an accomplice in UCC. (04 imprints) Kamal was the review director during the last year’s yearly review of Faisalabad Textile Mills Limited (FTML). He has joined FTML as their Manager Finance, before the beginning of the current year’s review. (08 imprints) (b) Q. 8 Comment on every one of the accompanying autonomous circumstances concerning the relevant standards and guidelines. (a) Zaman is an accomplice in a firm of Chartered Accountants and holds 5,000 offers in Mardan Limited (ML). His firm has gotten a proposal for arrangement as examiners of Khanewal Limited (KL). ML and KL are auxiliaries of Dera Khan Limited (DKL). (03 imprints) Bilal and Company has gotten a proposal for arrangement as evaluators of IJK Limited. The all out settled up capital of the organization is Rs. 990 million while its conventional offer capital is Rs. 130 million. Faryal, the spouse of an accomplice in Bilal and Company, is an executive in LMN Limited which holds 50 million non-casting a ballot inclination offers and 2 million standard offers in IJK Limited. Faryal likewise holds 10,000 offers in LMN Limited. The standard estimation of the two sorts of offers is Rs. 10 each. (04 imprints) (b) Q. 9 List the significant issues that are required to be remembered for a review commitment letter. (06 imprints) (THE END) The most effective method to refer to Importance of Statistics in Business, Papers

Supply Chain Management as a Value Driver

Acquaintance Supply chain the board alludes with different stages required between procurement of crude materials and benefiting a completed item to a customer. It includes various players including providers, makers, wholesalers, retailers and buyers. Gracefully chain the board includes directing of assets, information and funds as they progress from a provider to a consumer.Advertising We will compose a custom article test on Supply Chain Management as a Value Driver explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More Supply chain the executives comprises of three primary successions including item arrangement, data grouping and funds arrangement. Item grouping includes section of materials from a provider to a shopper just as any assistance looked for by a buyer subsequent to buying an item. Data arrangement incorporates sending of requests and conceding reports on conveyance condition while funds grouping includes thoughts relating to credit terms, installment periods, items a nd possession title plans. Partners in flexibly chain the executives utilize two fundamental sorts of programming: projection virtual products and usage programming projects. Projection virtual products show the best technique in taking care of a request while execution programming projects track state of being of items, use of crude materials and monetary information identifying with all players in a flexibly chain. Flexibly chain procedures Supply affix system alludes to thoughts and choices concerning gracefully tie the board that add to generally speaking business technique. Business methodology can either be cost decrease based or separation based. Wal-bazaar is genuine case of an organization that has applied different parts of gracefully chain procedures. The organization has received both lean and lithe techniques. Lean methodology is apparent when Wal-shop uses stock augmentation and transportation boost strategies to diminish costs. Then again, Wal-store applies cross dock ing to react proficiently to client requests. Concerning lean techniques at Wal-shop, the organization begins with vital distinguishing proof of merchandise at least costs conceivable from providers who can continually satisfy Wal-mart’s need. To continue stream of materials, Wal-shop makes vital associations with providers and offers them long haul and incredible volume buys at most attractive conceivable prices.Advertising Looking for exposition on business financial matters? How about we check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Such providers transport materials to Wal-mart’s dissemination units where cross docking happens before conveyance to different stores. Cross-docking marks Wal-mart’s lithe gracefully chain technique. It includes getting products from makers and legitimately benefiting them to clients in the most limited time conceivable. Cross-docking helps Wal-bazaar in decreasing holding charges and evasion of o verloaded stores. Wal-mart’s gracefully chain procedure allows the firm different practical serious edges. Such edges incorporate low item costs, diminished stock conveying costs, upgraded items assortment just as serious offering for clients. All things considered, Wal-bazaar has become and stayed an extraordinary power in the market. The Human Factor in Supply Chain Management As much as innovation assumes a critical job in flexibly chain the executives, human asset segment assumes a similarly significant job. On the off chance that providers neglected to deliver required materials or items, the flexibly chain would have no item to gracefully. Staff individuals can disturb gracefully chain by going on strikes. Clients can avoid items and stores selling certain items. All these potential responses lead to enormous misfortunes by different associations. To evade such situations, associations should pay providers on schedule and as concurred. Staff individuals require getting the hang of, preparing, and reasonable compensations. Clients need refreshed data on all items and nearness of required products consistently. Associations must abstain from loading items that debase the earth. References Kwon, I.- W. G., Suh, T. (2004). Variables Affecting the Level of Trust and Commitment in Supply Chain Relationships. Web. Animate, M. (2010). Gracefully chain the board (SCM). Web. Flexibly Chain Musings. (2010). Gracefully Chain Strategy: Lean and Agile at the Same Time? Web.Advertising We will compose a custom exposition test on Supply Chain Management as a Value Driver explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More University of San Francisco. (2013). Walmart’s Keys to Successful Supply Chain Management. Web. This exposition on Supply Chain Management as a Value Driver was composed and presented by client Bradley Compton to help you with your own examinations. You are allowed to utilize it for research and reference purposes so as to compose your own paper; notwithstanding, you should refer to it in like manner. You can give your paper here.

An Overview of the Maker Movement †What is It, and Why Now [Part 2] Hult Blog

â€Å"I do not think that there is any thrill that can go through the human heart like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of his brain unfolding to success†¦such emotions make a man forget food, sleep, friends, love, everything.† – Nikolai Tesla In part one of the  Maker Movement overview, we took a close look at the first driver of the movement, access to global markets. Now, let’s take a look at the remaining three, as we begin to break down why the movement has become a global business phenomena. 2. Proliferation of cheap, powerful, easy to use tools For people designing physical products, the prices of the tools of the trade have fallen profoundly. When I was an engineering student (back in the day), 3D CAD software was priced as high as $50K per license. Today, open source 3D CAD software is freely available. Companies like Autodesk have made their software very affordable for micro-entrepreneurs and engineer-designers, but it’s not the only. GrabCAD enables mechanical system designers to source 3D models of key components that serve as the foundation of their systems, all from a global community of designers. What does this mean exactly? It means that engineers can tap into a network of fellow designers in order to build their products faster than ever before. Until now, software had been one of the largest barriers to using 3D printers. That is no longer the case. Designers can use Adobe  software to  design 3D models, and then send them to a local 3D printer—or an online 3D printer with outsourcing capability. Recently, the company announced that it will also integrate 3D printing in  Photoshop CC. In my day, 3D printers cost many hundreds of thousands to over a million dollars, limiting their use to a select few. Just a few years ago, 3D printers became mainstream (you can now buy one at Staples). And this year, on the exhibit floor of the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, for the first time ever, a section of the exhibit hall was entirely dedicated to 3D printers. Leading 3D printer producers include open system pioneer MakerBot, now part of Statasys, and 3D Systems and RoBo3D. Or, perhaps there’s something you want to scan before printing? Matterform has created a 3D scanner, making it easy to replicate objects by scanning and printing them. But designers, engineers, and makers of all kind don’t need a printer if they don’t really want one. Companies like CloudFab  allow makers to upload their designs into the cloud, which links them to an ecosystem of hundreds of global 3D printing companies that specialize in a wide range of products and materials. Designers can choose the company through which theyd like to print by searching for their ideal vendor mix of experience and quality.      Some ventures offer more than just tools. Shapeways â€Å"helps make and sell things,† from really small items (think a ring), to larger ones (try a chair), with more than 30 material options. The company essentially serves as a one-stop shop: it offers 3D software for designing, the hardware needed to print designs, and a virtual store through which to sell items. To date, it has printed more than 1,000,000 products, and serves 10,000 independently run shops. Quirky (â€Å"products invented by real people†) provides similar capabilities to inventors in the consumer products space, matching their inventions with category subject matter experts and specialists in market research, manufacturing and sales. 3. Widespread availability of â€Å"maker spaces† and mentors There are two challenges that makers face as they begin the creation process: a physical place in which to build, and a â€Å"coach† of sorts to help them through what can be a complex process. TechShop helps to solve both of these problems by providing maker space on a national level, thereby facilitating maker communities where knowledge distribution and transfers can easily take place. There are also countless community-centric maker spaces like the Artisans Asylum in Somerville, Massachusetts. The non-profit organization furnishes education, tools, and workspaces to empower hobbyists, artists, and early stage entrepreneurs, to create on large or small scales. The organization’s goal? To help make the world a place where sincere, creative individuals are able to give form to their ideas. Betaspring, a mentorship-driven start up accelerator, was named this year among the top 15 start-up accelerators in the world. It has the distinction of having â€Å"accelerated† more hardware/physical technology companies than any other accelerator in America. (Disclosure: I serve as a mentor at Betaspring.) A year ago they began building on their increasing momentum by expanding their program, and adding new resources, including a â€Å"Maker-in-Residence,† â€Å"Maker Fellow Program,† and a small maker shop onsite in collaboration with Inventables, which offers a â€Å"Designers Hardware Store,† giving easier access to individuals and small teams seeking to source materials for reasonable prices. 4. Historically unprecedented access to capital Crowdfunding has been a huge catalyst in the surge of the Maker Movement. Instead of seeking one, or a handful of funders, makers now have access to many, many more, thanks to the Internet. Kickstarter, a crowdfunding platform, recently celebrated a significant milestone: it provided its billionth dollar of funding. Many companies that have received funding through it—and the myriad of other crowdfunding sites—are also categorized as makers. Some Kickstarter beneficiaries includes Gustin, the San Francisco-based maker of high-end Selvedge Denim, as well as Pebble, the â€Å"smartwatch† maker, and OUYA, the multi-platform console that can play games developed for Xbox, Sony Play Station, Wii and Nintendo on a single console. In 2013, there were a record 31 Consumer Electronics Hardware funding deals, with over $900M USD invested in devices such as the GoPro Extreme-Sports camera, the Nest Thermostat, and the Roku streaming media player. This is double the approximately $450M invested in this category in 2012, and there are early signs of even higher growth in 2014. All this signals that the Maker Movement is moving full speed ahead to revolutionize business, as we know it. In fact, some argue it already has. In my experience, and I’ve got just a bit, I’ve never witnessed a time as exciting as this one in which anything is possible. The number of global resources, and the technology that provides easy access, is empowering innovators of all types to nurture their ideas into reality. You could even say that all of us, on some level, are makers. But this also means that we all have a greater stake—and responsibility—in supporting sustainable innovation efforts that will make the world a better place for generations of makers to come. Make the most of what your career has to offer with a Masters in International Business from Hult. To learn more, take a look at our blog 7 steps to working out what you want and how to get it, or give your employability a huge boost with an MBA in international business. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to explore everything about the business world, the future, and yourself. Related posts News Building success: Dual Degree students win at USASBE Community How going beyond business at Hult helped me launch my company Admissions Accepted Students Weekend: A weekend to remember Careers Career mapping: How to become an executive in the next 5 years 0 Thought leadership How to prepare for an uncertain future in a world of AI News Is mail a dying form for businesses and marketing? Instagram Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .

The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald - 1122 Words

The Fresh Prince of West Egg Yo Halla The American dream is a desire to grow one’s domain over more materialistic areas through hard work. In the book, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, this common strivation during the 1920’s dramatizes becomes salient role.Two of the book’s main characters, Nick and Gatsby, have opposite goals to satisfy themselves. Fitzgerald utilizes the motif of the American dream to express the theme concerning the hollowness of this idea by using Gatsby to symbolize it and using Nick to express Fitzgerald s own views on the subject. Gatsby’s lifestyle to some seems to be utterly and definitely perfect and well rounded. People who have a feint knowledge of who this man is say that he is powerful, wealthy,†¦show more content†¦He describes his house in the novel as, â€Å"My own house was an eye-sore,but it was a small eye-sore and it had been overlooked, so I had a view of the water, a partial view of my neighbor’s lawn and the consoling proximity of millionaires - all for eighty dollars a month† (9). The way that Nick so delicately lays out his home for the reader makes it sound like he is fine with his establishment, but not with his big-headed neighbors. Nick directly reflects how Fitzgerald feels about rich snobs. Nick even overhears some party guests gossip begins about him: â€Å"One time he killed a man who had found out that he was the nephew to Von Hindenburg and second cousin to the devil† (65). The amount of people that Gatsby doesn’t know that are in his house partying makes it sound ridiculous to the reader. Fitzgerald sets the scene withdrawing the idea that people infected by this endless dream base their status upon wealth and property before even making a full deduction of character unbiased of rumors. Tons of people show up to these ‘classy’ parties and this allows Gatsby to flex his wealth by amusing them. Nick is not impressed: There was music from my neighbor s house through the summer nights. In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars. At high tide in the afternoon I watched his guests diving from the tower of his

The Evolution of Film-Making Technology - 1417 Words

Film Industry has been expansively affected by the changes in technology. The mechanical and digital innovations give cause to the influence of equipment, distribution and the way in which films are made and consumed. New trends shape directors and filmmakers to expand creatively towards telling stories in motions. The film industry has developed to one of the most important tools of communication, its cause so powerful affecting the way individuals and societies think, act and behave. Among the new Era approaching film, and seeing celluloid film fade is that of the Digital Era and a camera that saw celluloid films passing hastened. The cinematographic camera industry emerged in fact more than 100 years ago, it was only until recently that significant digital changes took place, apart from minimal technological improvements. Before the invention of digital cameras the main medium for shooting a movie was on celluloid film in which the quality of the image was very high from the beginning. However these cameras had some inconveniences. The cinematographer would have to set the lighting and frame to the directors vision and make sure that it was right. He could not see immediately if the scene was shot as desired and this caused the workflow to be very complex and time consuming which most producers would see limited. The developing, processing, transferring, editing and conforming the film normally took a day and the director along with the cinematographer would sitShow MoreRelatedFilm Review On The Film Cinema 1673 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout the history of cinema, a never-ending evolution in technological progression – paired with filmmakers’ resourcefulness and ingenuity – allowed for the development of style and encouraged a more involved craft, thus giving individual films a specific personality which therefore eased the process of discerning which piece of cinema was created by which filmmaker. Because of the progress made in film technology, especially early on, certain aspects of filmmaking that once were inconceivableRead MoreTechnological Evolution in the Film Industry Essay701 Words   |  3 Pageschanging. With that, the development of motion picture complexity has changed the film industry by a continuing technological evolution. It is evident that films have changed significantly over the last 100 years. The intricacy of filmmaking technology has rapidly progressed, allowing creative potential for filmmakers. Films are often due to technological advances, or even to reintroduce a classic story. Some examples of films that have been remade include Sc arface (1932), remade in 1983, and The MagnificentRead MoreThe Blu Ray Disc1456 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction An emergence roadmapping process is crucial to managers and policy makers taken decisions about which technologies it should be or it should not be developed, despite the uncertain trends of the market. This report aims to address the emergence roadmapping of the Blu-ray disc. It will be structured in the three essential parts: the development of this technology, the environment involved and its initial market and competitors. The first part describes the technological developmentRead MoreThe Evoluation of Media Essay563 Words   |  3 Pagesremoved to the media my parents accessed many years ago. I have been long fascinated by the way media has developed around me and the role I play in the evolution of it. Production of digital media not only excites me, but challenges my very being as I am only a minor part in an ever developing media world. The evolution of media stemming from technologies and innovations which are changed, adapted and evolved everyday brings a whole new level of relevance to the core of the course. The many facets ofRead MoreThe Cultural Context and Evolution of the Telephone963 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿The Cultural Context and Evolution of the Telephone It is common knowledge that the telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876 and that Bell was awarded the patent after a race (and legal battle) with Elisha Gray of the Western Electric Telegraph Company; what is less well-known is the cultural context that enabled the invention or the effect that the telephone eventually had on modern life. This paper places the invention of the telephone into context and explores the relationshipRead MoreEssay on Special Effects: Simulation in Cinema by Temengua Trifonova1084 Words   |  5 Pagesthat, in a world where pluralism, an ability to engage in any culture, is more widely practiced than ever before thanks to technology, mainstream media has become so limited. Such limited depictions of contemporary culture reduce humanity’s ability to identify the constructed nature of their reality and to imagine possibilities outside of this system. Advancements in technology have made it possible for astonishing inventions such as nearly limitless access to information via the internet, improvementsRead MoreHow Media Has Influenced The Production Of Documentaries1414 Words   |  6 Pagesadvancements, such as cameras, audio equipment, editing stations and even the distribution of the films themselves. As such it is important to see the impact that these advancements have had on the making of documentaries both stylistically and technically. It is important to first know what a documentary is to fully understand why the development of technology has shaped them. From their conception documentary films have been about capturing life, about the â€Å"raw material of actuality.† (Beattie; 10) NotRead MoreTechnology in the American Classroom1154 Words   |  5 Pages Technology has dramatically influenced our modern day culture in several ways; we now operate completely different compared to the past. In fact, it can be shown in many tasks that we very rarely complete a simple operation without the use of technology. For example, washing dishes, heating food, doing our homework, and even communication are all examples of how technology has evolved simple tasks. Even furthermore, technology has changed the way education has been taught and received in AmericanRead MoreSome Theorists Believe Cinema Must Be Realistic And May1725 Words   |  7 Pagesonly be seen as art if it remains in its original form—a static image on film stock. Others, however, argue that cinema is an important and relevant art medium no matter its form. Digital cinema, while making use of new and different technologies such as animation, is the next step in the evolution of film. Contrary to what certain theorists believe, it is the most efficient and most artistically inclined way to create films as it offers a world of possibilities. This is elaborated on in â€Å"DigitalRead MoreThe Importance Of Fairy Tales1065 Words   |  5 Pageslisteners were extremely important to them, because the response of the listens helped to form the genre (â€Å"Why Fairy Tales Stick: The Evolutions and Relevance of a Genre† 17). The media has played an enormous role in the relevancy of fairy tales. The characters of these stories have visual representations now through device such as painting, photography, radio, and film. They each have a certain look that has expected when the characters are used in different adaptions. While, word of mouth to spread

Classical Conditioning and Associative Strength free essay sample

The experiment conducted was a 22 within subjects experiment. The 2 cue types were over-expectation and control whereas the 2 independent variables were salience. Subjects were randomly presented varying levels of salient stimuli in the form of food pictures. These pictures were then to be associated with an allergy score between 1 and 9. In the next phase, the subjects were given each cue type 8 times along with some filler cues arranged to some simple rules. The allergy ratings were also to be determined by the subject. The third phase combined the stimuli into a compound CS conditioning and subjects were asked to determine the allergy rating. The test phase involved participants being shown each of the previous foods one at a time. They would then determine the allergic reaction rating. Overall, the results of the experiment used an analysis of variables to show that the likelihood rating for the high salience cues were, on average, lower than those of the lower salience. A significant main effect with cue-type was found, indicating an over-expectation effect, of F(1,271)=25.  758, plt;0. 001. This means that participants rated the compound cues in phase 3 as less allergenic than those that were elementally reinforced in phase 3. While there was no significant difference found between the elementally reinforced stimulus cues I and J (pgt;0. 05), there was found to be a significant difference between the compound cases involving stimulus cues B and F (plt;0. 05). Question 2: With compound CS, the associative strength is now dependant on the combined associative strength of all stimuli present and the total amount of learning. Generally in the Rescorla-Wagner model, conditioning is dependent on how effectively surprising an unconditioned stimulus is. With compound conditioned stimuli, this characterisation of surprise is altered. Instead of just a single CS being linked to a US, it is now the combined effects of all stimuli present which collectively predict the US. Over-expectation occurs when the collective associative strength of the various CS is greater than the total capacity to learn. To use the equation, ? V= (? -V) Note: We ignore ? and assume it a constant. The value of V would be  greater than ?. This occurs when the stimuli have been well presented and the associative strength of each individual stimulus is quite high. Because of this, when the target cue for, which the stimuli are conditioned for, is presented the subject expects the combined response of each individual stimulus. When the subject only receives the normal amount of reinforcement, it begins to expect less until there is no mor e association that can be gained from the combined effects of the condition stimuli. To use an analogy, a mouse is conditioned separately with a tone and a flashing light. Each of these stimuli provides one piece of cheese, with the mouse salivating when each stimulus is presented. If both the stimuli are presented together, the mouse expects two pieces of cheese and will salivate more than usual. However, only one piece of cheese is presented. As a result, the mouse begins to expect less of the compound stimuli until no further association can be gained. This consequently lowers the overall association by a certain rate until the total combined association is at total learning potential. Question 3: To get the over-expectation result, we must first have two fully conditioned CS’s which were separately conditioned. For example, let us use the A+ and B+ case. If we fully conditioned A+ and B+ separately, that means the associative strength of both would be 100%. Now, when we combine these two into a compound CS, the Rescorla-Wagner model states that the overall associative strength of the compound CS is equal to the sum of the all the stimuli presented in the compound trial. So with A+ and B+, their total associative strength would be 200%. However, the Rescorla-Wagner model only allows the maximum value of associative strength that can be conditioned to be 100%. The case of A+ and B+ is twice as much as this maximum value. Therefore, after repeated trials of the compound stimulus of A+B+ being paired with their US, the Rescorla-Wagner model predicts that the total associative strength of 200% will fall at the rate of their salience until it reaches a strength of 100%, the maximum level which can be conditioned. To show how an extinction event of a fully conditioned CS operates in the Rescorla-Wagner model. ?V= (? -V) Note: We ignore ? and assume it a constant. With a fully conditioned CS, ? , the total amount of learning, would be 0 as there is no more possible connection to make with a fully conditioned CS. V would be 100% as all possible learning has been made. Therefore, ? V=-? would be what is left over. This means that, in extinction, the rate at which the association strength, ? V, is lost at is –?, the salience. Now, in the case of B+, it was a much more salient stimulus whereas F+ was a lower salient stimulus. Therefore, B would be lost at a faster rate than F. This is shown in the results with the likelihood rating of B being lower than that of F. Therefore, salience of each individual stimulus not only effects how fast the rate of association is increased but also determines, in the case of the over-expectation scenario, how fast the association of each individual, fully co nditioned stimulus is lost.

Swot Analysis of Bank Al-Falah Essay Example

Swot Analysis of Bank Al-Falah Essay SWOT Analysis of Bank Al-Falah Here we have applied this very useful technique to identifythe strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats ofBank Al-Falah. Strengths Strengths Strong Financial Position Strong Financial Position As we can see in the financial statements of the bank, the financial position of the organization is very sound and its profitability is in increasing. The Earning per sharehas been increased on a rate of about 50%, which is a verypositive sign. Highly Qualified Employees Highly Qualified Employees The bank has highly qualified and skilled workforceand it has succeeded to attract the best bankingprofessionals from across the country due to its growingpace and sound reputation. Conducive Environment Conducive Environment The management of the bank is very muchconcerned with the development of and improvement of theworking environment. The bank has state of the art andpurpose built branches where all the modern technologiesare provided to get the efficiency of the workforce and thecustomer satisfaction. Govt. Support and Encouragement Govt. Support and Encouragement As the owners of the bank belong to UAE and thetype of their investment in Pakistan is a foreign investment,the govt. is fully supporting the bank management due to itspolicy to maximize the foreign investment in the country, toget the economic prosperity. Fastest Growing Financial Institution Fastest Growing Financial Institution Due to its successful business policies and thestrong financial position the bank has achieved thereputation of fastest growing financial institution in thecountry. We will write a custom essay sample on Swot Analysis of Bank Al-Falah specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Swot Analysis of Bank Al-Falah specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Swot Analysis of Bank Al-Falah specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It has greatly increased the customers confidencein the bank Huge Expansion Plan Huge Expansion Plan Due to its strong financial position the bank has undergone a huge expansion plan to compete with the existing bank all over the country and with the passage of time the branch network is expanding at a very good pace. Young and Energetic Workforce Young and Energetic Workforce As the bank is a newer one in the country, the bankhas an advantage over its competitors because the majorityof its workforce is young and not very much over aged. Thus the bank is getting maximum out put from its youngand energetic workforce by spending comparatively less ontheir remunerations. Islamic Banking Division Islamic Banking Division The bank is one of the pioneers of the commercialbanks who have started the Islamic Banking along with theirconventional banking. The bank has a separate network ofits Islamic Banking Division which has 16 branches acrossthe country and this network is also expanding at a very good pace. Weaknesses Waiver of charges Waiver of charges Currently the middle management of bank Al-Falah is thebig reason for waiver of charges. Bank Al-Falah loosing alot of its income likes (Cheque book charge, online charges,statement charges, and other things) because ofmanagement. This is a weakness of bank Al-Falah. Inexperienced workforce Inexperienced workforce As the majority of the workforce consists of young professional, they lack in their experience. And sometimes ack of experience becomes a hurdle while serving to thecustomers. It is the point where they feel difficulty whilecompeting the other bank, which have a very experiencedworkforce. Over work Load on Employees Over work Load on Employees It was observed in the branch that as compared tohuge business the bank is dealing in, the no. of employeesis lesser and thus there is an increased workload on theemployees. Due to this the efficiency of the employees isreduced. Employees are not very much Employees are not very much Motivated Motivated As discussed before, the workload is high and theemployees, especially the credit department, have to dolate sittings to complete their tasks. On the other hand thebank has revised its salary increments policy to decreasethe increment rate, as a result a decreased motivation levelof employees is observed Opportunities Rapidly Growing Economy Rapidly Growing Economy At present the Pakistan’s Economy is growing on avery fast pace. The rapid growth of economy has resulted inthe increase in the growth rate of all economic sectorsespecially in the banking sector which is growing at afastest speed than ever and in future the growth is expectedto increase even a higher rate. Increased Interest Rates Increased Interest Rates The SBP has revised the interest policy and theinterest rates have been linked with the KIBOR rates. Dueto which the banks interest rate has been substantiallyincreased which will greatly increase the banks’ profitability. Mega Projects Financing Mega Projects Financing As the increase in overall business activity in thecountry, the investors are launching various types of MegaProjects especially in housing and textile the bank has agreat opportunity to finance these projects at very profitableterm. Huge Demand for Consumer Huge Demand for Consumer Financing Financing The increase in per capita income and overalleconomy has resulted into a great demand for theconsumer financing especially for home finance and carfinancing and it is said that this trend will increase more infuture. The bank can earn a lot by focusing on its consumerfinancing sections. Merger with UBL Merger with UBL After the privatization of United Bank Limited,  themanagement of the BAL has purchased the majority sharesof the UBL, and it is planning to merge these two banks. AsUBL is the second largest bank in the country, this mergercan make the bank the largest bank of the country. Growing Trend of Islamic Banking Growing Trend of Islamic Banking There is a very good growth trend in the Islamicbanking in the country and in the world as well. BAL has theadvantage of having full fledged Islamic Banking networkand the growth in this particular field can be very fruitful forthe bank. Spending Practices of Mass Spending Practices of Mass As the Pakistani’s are known for their extravagantpractices, and to fulfill their funds requirements they don’thesitate from getting loans from banks. Thus there is a verygood scope for the bank to run successful business in suchcircumstances.

Elucidating Tradeoffs Bioengineered Foods

Elucidating Tradeoffs Bioengineered Foods Dr. Seethaler kept on reiterating one theme when she revealed her strategy in evaluating the risks and benefits of scientific breakthroughs. She reminded her readers to keep on elucidating tradeoffs. It is her way of saying that there is more than meets the eye and nothing is what it seems.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Elucidating Tradeoffs: Bioengineered Foods specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A logical thinker must carefully analyze the facts and consider that there are always two sides to the issue. More importantly different stakeholders have a different take on the benefits and risks of a certain product or technology. Thus, Dr. Seethaler developed a framework which focuses on tradeoffs as means to determine risks and benefits. Her framework can be used to analyze if it is worth the risk to use bioengineered foods. Stakeholders There are various stakeholders when it comes to bioengineered foods. The first majo r stakeholder is the company that invested in the research and development of a bioengineered food. The rest of the stakeholders are listed as follows: USDA; WTO; EPA; FDA; and the media. With regards to the first major stakeholder companies like Monsanto spent hundreds of millions of dollars in research and development of bioengineered foods and has to make a profit out of the said investment. It is therefore imperative for biotech companies to demonstrate that bioengineered foods are healthier than ordinary ones. But they often fail to show the tradeoffs such as the extensive use of fertilzers and othe chemicals to produce such foods. The USDA on the other hand finds the development of a bioengineered foods as a breakthrough in science and would support its development and mass production. However, the USDA may not highlight the fact that there is need for more extensive tests because no one is certain of the long term effects of this new type of food products. The WTO on the othe r hand is concerned with efficiency and therefore would love nothing else than to diffuse tension between trade partners. The tradeoff is the tendency to gloss over problems. The EPA on the other hand is focused on saving the planet. It is therefore important for them to point out how unnatural means of producing food is not sustainable and could negatively affect the ecosystem of the planet. But the EPA may not mention the benefit of a vitamin-fortified food. The same thing can be said of the FDA. This government agency is in-charge of determining if a certain food product is safe for consumption. The FDA may downplay the tradeoff which is a much improved food product that can help enhance the quality of life of many people.Advertising Looking for essay on agriculture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Finally, the media is also a stakeholder in this issue. The media has the responsbility to inform the public on new d evelopments when it comes to food. The media can be seen as some sort of a watchdog. But media outlets such as news bureaus are dependent on ratings, thus there is a tendency to sensationalize the news to edge other TV networks in the ratings game. Five Factors With regards to the five factors it is easy to understand that environment must be an important consideration. But someone has to find out the exact process that can link environmental degradation and bioengineered foods. It is also possible that the environmental impact is negligible or manageable and therefore the benefits easily outweigh the risks. Human health is also a primary concern. It is easy for the media to create fear by releasing news information that is not based on facts but on assumptions. There is no hard evidence that the consumption of bioengineered foods can cause acute health problems. On the other hand, if it can be proven that there is indeed a tremendous health benefit in consuming bioengineered foods then the benefits outweigh the risks. When it comes to economics it is difficult to find fault with bioengineered foods. There is evidence to show that this type of products can be enhanced to make it resistant to pests. In other words a higher yield for farmers. Nevertheles, there are those who will argue that in the long run the cost will be catastrophic in terms of the destruction of the environment. But in the present there the main problem to tackle is hunger and if bioengineered food can help curb hunger in many parts of the world then the other issues becomes secondary becaue human life takes priority. Ethics is a difficult issue because there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to what is allowed when it comes to tampering with the natural design of food. But it can be argued that human life is more important than anything. If bioengineered food can help save lives and increase the quality of life then whatever ethical issues that is related to biotechnology. Long term effects of bioengineered food is difficult to determine because the breakthroughs in this field only occurred recently. There is not enough data to know the impact in the next 100 years or so. But this does not mean that nothing can be done to mitigate risks. It is possible to make adjustments as problems crop up and make predictions based on what is known today. In the process problems can be anticipated and solutions can be applied early on.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Elucidating Tradeoffs: Bioengineered Foods specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Europe and Zambia In Europe the main concern is in the long-term effects of bio-engineered food. They are afraid of the unknown. This fear is of course related to the perceived negative impact to human health. The rest of the European consumers are not into bioengineered foods because they believe that farmers who produce this type of food utilized unethical practices. W ith regards to Zambia the reason is less about health and the environment and more on the economic interests. Zambian farmers discovered early on that they can sell unmodified food to Europe. Thus, it is important for them that people continue to oppose the consumption of bioengineered food. The moment that their main market switches to bioengineered food, their livelihood can be threatened. Conclusion There is nothing wrong with bioengineered food. This is especially true if one will talk about vitamin-fortified food. The benefits can easily outweigh the risks considering that fact that there are many bioengineered foods that has been proven safe for consumption. It is easy to embrace bioengineered foods when critics consider world hunger and vitaimin deficiency in many parts of the world.

Philosophy - Plato Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Philosophy - Plato - Essay Example Its democracy was on its knees. There was rampant political selfishness in the great City and this greatly angered Plato. He saw justice as the only true remedy to all of the city’s and the entire country’s problems Self satisfaction was rampant owing to the popularity of the Sophistic teachings that dwelled on self satisfaction that turned the society into largely individualistic people. Most people were running for public offices to achieve their own selfish gains and this eventually divided the city into two groups of the haves and the have nots. The culture of individualism became his main target for attacks in his works.Cephalus established the traditional theory of justice. He viewed justice as speaking the truth and paying one’s debt. He viewed justice as identifying with the right conduct. According to Polemarchus, justice consists in giving what is proper to him. He viewed it simply as doing good to friends and harm to enemies. These two views were criticized to great lengths by Plato. He criticized Cephalus’ theory with the view that there may be cases in which his preferred formula may violate the spirit of right; hence it cannot be taken as a sound universal life principal. He poked holes in Polemarchus’ theory by asking hoe this could be applied in a case whereby the friend is only a friend in seeming but in reality was an enemy. He wondered what would happen in this scenario. He concluded that if justice is determined by the relations between two individuals it promoted individualistic principles and ignores the rest of the society. In the allegory of the cave, Plato proposes a group of prisoners that have been bound in the cave all their lives only being able to see the cave walls. The only light is from a fire at the top of the cave. A path runs above and behind them separating them from the fire. People passing by the path have their shadows cast onto the wall viewed by the

How should other areas of DE Mar(marketing, finance, personnel) Essay

How should other areas of DE Mar(marketing, finance, personnel) support its product strategy.. And how should each of the 10 OM decisions be managed to ensure - Essay Example There are many examples f good promotional techniques, and I will go over some f them in this article. A good time to offer special sales is before and during the busy time f your business year. In De Mar, we see this in retail all the time. There are spring sales, summer sales, fall sales, winter sales, white sales, close out sales, inventory sales and on and on. What's really happening here is that companies want to excite you about coming in and taking advantage f price reductions they are offering. Also, if they are heavy on inventory or out-of-style garments, they want to get rid f them and will do so at a reduced rate. You can have sales too. Let's use the example f an air conditioning contractor. Prior to summer, you can offer reduced rates on cooling systems for homeowners. By doing so, you cause people to think about those systems ahead f time. We all know that you are not going to reduce the prices very much in the dead f summer. Also, people know they may have to wait during the summer because it's a busy time, and this way they can be ready for summer and save money as we ll. Efficient customers' caring policy and service department, De Mar can offer to check systems. Tell homeowners you will come out, check their heating and cooling systems, provide general service and repair any needed components. Your price to come out and perform this service should be purposely reduced from your normal rate to attract attention. This also helps to increase business during slower times and even out your business cycle. If you offer service contracts, you can sign up homeowners at certain times f the year and at a special rate. You'll notice that when you purchase an appliance these days, they offer service or extended warranty contracts at very low rates. You would be amazed at the number f people that take those contracts, and the amount f money it generates for the business. The customer just purchased something at a reduced or sale price and for just a few more dollars the customer can have an extended warranty. Most f us accept the offer, and those extra dollars help to bring the profitability f the sale up. You are probably asking yourself, what about the warranty If something happens, a company could spend all kinds f money fixing the problems under the warranty. This is where quality products, construction or services play an important role. Having an open house, mini trade show, buffet lunch or other events at your location is also very effective. Asking contractors to attend and see the products demonstrated or explained by manufacturers' representatives while they have lunch really works. They get a chance to see your company and services in action. Additionally, most manufacturers will help sponsor the lunch in order to be invited. Done correctly, it is possible to stage such an event and have it totally paid for by others. Companies have invited homeowners to "How To" sessions conducted after working hours, and they have been very

The withered arm Essay Example for Free

The withered arm Essay The Withered Arm by Thomas Hardy and The Schoolteachers Guest by Isabelle Allende although written a century apart both are similar: they involve a son dying, close communities and both span long periods of time. In contrast, Hardys 19th century short story is set in rural England whereas Allende sets her story in South America both of which strengthen the credibility of the stories. Although they start in different manner both set out to fascinate the reader, Hardy chooses to set the in great detail and brings it altogether at the end, Allende chooses to hit the reader with a shock and fills out the background using a series of flashbacks. During this piece of coursework I shall look closely at parts 1,39 of the Withered Arm and the whole of The Schoolteachers Guest and how they engage the readers interest and convince of their reality. To begin with Hardy describes the working atmosphere of an eighty-cow dairy in which we find one of the protagonists of the story. Immediately the reader is transported into the believable yet fictitious setting of Wessex, rural England. The language used backs up and adds to the verisimilitude of the story: He do bring home his bride tomorrow. The syntax here shows a time gone by as does some of the archaic language used throughout: tisty-tosty, supernumery and barton. As the story develops we see mentioned a woman separate from the rest. Hardy is slowly introducing this woman to the reader she mentioned as: a thin fading woman of thirty milked somewhat apart from the rest. The reader is immediately interested in this person the mention that she is thin and fading at thirty suggests that she may have had an arduous life. The woman being spoken of is named Rhoda Brook. In this chapter we are told of the farmers new wife. During conversation between other milkers about his new wife there is a hint in their speech that there may have been a relationship between the farmer and Rhoda: Tis hard for she Oh no he haant spoke to Rhoda Brook for years. Again an item that would interest the reader greatly as it can raise many questions, Was there any relationship? How long did the relationship last? and Why did the relationship end? Not long after this point arises we see the emergence of Rhodas son of twelve this immediately makes me think, Could this have been the result of the relationship between farmer lodge and Rhoda? This answered by Rhoda: Your father brings home his young wife tomorrow. Rhoda asks her son to go to the church the next day to get a detailed report on what this new wife looks like, the class she comes from, distinguishing features, she wants to know everything about her; perhaps still harbouring feelings for Farmer lodge and wants to know if she is better in any way to his new wife. At the end of chapter two Hardy prepares us for what is to happen when he shows us Rhodas growing obsession with the new wife of farmer lodge, she know, after all the descriptions given her by her son, has a mental picture clear as a photograph. This is emphasised when we enter chapter three and Rhoda is contemplating Gertrude so intently she doesnt stop thinking about her even whilst working or doing general jobs around her home. Chapter three A Vision begins with Rhoda thinking about Gertrude so much that she loses track of time and it becomes quite late. By the time she goes to bed still contemplating Gertrude she is visited by an incubus whose features are shockingly distorted, the incubus is Gertrude as Rhoda would like her to be which, as we find out, is in great contrast to what she really looks like. The incubus is thrusting her wedding ring in Rhodas face taunting her with what she has and Rhoda wants and creates a powerful image in the readers mind as to what might be happening in that room. To relieve herself she grabs the arm of the incubus and throws it to the floor. Rhoda, along with the reader, believes this to be nothing more than a dream that is until her son mentions hearing a loud thud on her bedroom floor, this shocks not only the Rhoda but also the reader that the events of the previous night are more believable than may have been first thought of; it also helps to keep the reader engaged. When asked by her son Rhoda gives a nervous response: Did you hear anything fall? At what time? She is worried about it and is still preying on his mind. Not long after Gertrude appears at the gate of Rhodas home the reader could of expected a point of anger from Rhoda as she has already decided she does not like Gertrude and says: I told you never go near that place. She wants nothing to do with her; as Gertrude approaches the door Rhoda is still imagining her as she was the previous night features shockingly distorted, Rhoda wants to hide, leave, be anywhere other than in her home: She wouldve escaped had escape been possible. Rhoda opens the door and discovers not the haggard being she had seen the previous night but someone sweet and innocent and Rhodas heart reproaches her for harbouring bad feelings toward Gertrude. From the first meet hey become good friends, during conversation Gertrude reveals her withered arm Rhoda is taken aback as is the reader. This raises the question, Is this real? Rhoda asks when it happened and when Gertrude mentions the exact time and date of Rhodas incubus. Hardys era would have been very superstitious and people like Rhoda would have believed themselves to possibly have supernatural powers that help the verisimilitude of the story. At the end of the chapter the reader is left wondering what will happen between Rhoda and Gertrude a point that will keep the interest of the reader. The final chapter has Hardy showing us how fate has a major part to play in how the story finishes. His attention to detail brings to the reader the reality of the current situation: One oclock on Saturday County jail 1793. Gertrude still has the withered arm and her final option given to her by a conjuror is to touch the neck of a man just hung, hence her visit to a county jail. Hardy begins to build slowly and dramatically to the climax by giving each detail of Gertrudes actions: she crossed the inner paved court beyond he gatehouse, her knees trembling so that she could scarcely walk. Gertrude is shown as being visibly nervous by the task at hand. Gertrude touches the young mans neck, neither she nor the reader at this point realise it is Rhoda Brooks son. Hardy shocks the reader once more when he reveals Rhodas arrival: Immediately behind her stood Rhoda Brook her face drawn and eyes red with weeping. However this is not Hardys only surprise for the reader and Gertrude: Behind Rhoda stood Gertrudes own husband. Hardys clever use of fate has brought together the protagonists for this intoxicating finale and explains the coincidences. In the end of the story we see Gertrude die from he stress of the recent events and that her blood has turned too far, the irony is evident as it was Rhoda who gave Gertrude her ailment and it was Rhodas sons neck which Gertrude tried to cure herself with. Farmer Lodge ends trying to make amends with Rhoda for what happened, he also died and left most of his money to a reformatory for boys and a small annuity to be paid to Rhoda possibly out of guilt. Rhoda ends the story as she began with very little and rejecting the annuity left for her by Farmer Lodge. As the reader we feel satisfied with the outcome whilst feeling melancholy about Gertrudes death; throughout, she did no wrong and remained the sweet innocent person described by the young boy, also pleased that the Farmer realised he had a responsibility to Rhoda no matter how late on it was. The unfortunate barriers of Victorian class are indeed the real barriers to a true relationship; neither Rhoda or Farmer Lodge can ever truly be together a fact all too well accepted by Hardys readers. In comparison, the contemporary writer Allendes short story The Schoolteachers Guest, begins with a shock: she announced to him that she had just cut off the head of a guest in her boarding house. Allende begins to immediately engage the reader with this announcement whereas Hardy decides to begin by setting the scene in great detail. At this point the reader has no clue for the reasons behind this brutal murder all we know is how she has killed him. The reader would have noticed the closeness of both Ines and Riad, proven by the fact Riad is the first she tells of this murder, Allende is showing indirectly the closeness of their friendship and Riad knows immediately Ines is being truthful as he clasps his handkerchief to his mouth; she would not of told him this if she did not fully trust him and this trust plays a key part throughout the story. Subsequently, Allende uses flashback to show the reader the depth of their relationship; and to show the length of it: The two had known each other so long an Arab immigrant with a false Turkish passport still-young woman with firm hips and proud shoulders. Similarly to Hardy, Allende chooses to open up the doors to the protagonists history slowly by using flashback, which engages the reader and helps them to become part of the fictitious Agua Santa. Agua Santa as a place helps the plausibility of the story, it is set as a quiet town somewhere foreign to Britain possibly South America as it mentions it being on the edge of the jungle. Ines does things made possible only by the setting she is in: Girls brought boyfriends for approval she was counsellor, arbiter and judge of all the towns problems. Ines is shown to have an aura about her a certain authority that makes people listen and her opinions matter to them: Her authority, in fact, was mightier than that of the priest, the doctor, or the police. The town respects Ines, as she is the only teacher in the area so she would have taught everyone there and that is why everyone respects her. Allendes Agua Santa makes things like these possible, these sorts of things would of not been possible in a modern British setting, as they would be seen to be totally unreal, however Agua Santa is a completely different culture thats what makes it more acceptable to the reader. Allende, likewise to Hardy, incorporates fate as a main reason for Ines killing the man: I had to do it, it was fate. In comparison to Hardy, Allende shows the idea of fate directly with Ines mentioning it, whereas Hardy does no mention it as such but the reader knows it is involved to explain some of the goings on. This is a point that fascinates the reader as it helps to explain a lot of occurrences especially the murder. The narrative ends with the death of the schoolteacher Ines that releases the people from their duty to keep the murder secret. Allende changes her style from second to first-person, as though she was around when all of this happened: the death of the schoolteacher freed us, and now I can tell the story. Allende keeps the story present tense, which helps to make the reader feel a part of Agua Santa as all is happening before their eyes. Finally both stories are convincing in use of technique. Hardy and Allende have settings, which convince the reader of their verisimilitude; Hardys characters actions are accepted because are set, though in Britain, a century ago and gives them licence to do things that would otherwise be cast aside as nonsense. Despite their contemporary nature, Allendes characters are acceptable as they are in a different land and culture; it is because of such strong credible settings the reader is able to accept the goings on. Despite an age difference of 100 years each author has the skill to captivate us.

Free Great Gatsby Essays: Criticism of American Society :: Great Gatsby Essays

The Great Gatsby as Criticism of American Society    In the novel The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald is criticizing American society of the 1920s. He uses the characters to demonstrate the power than men had over women during these times, as well as their mindless, self-indulgent actions, where consequence was only an afterthought. The attitude towards and the role of women is shown throughout the novel. Fitzgerald also shows how many people in America during this time were delusional and had meaningless existences.    Fitzgerald has used Tom in The Great Gatsby, to demonstrate the power that men had during the 1920s. In order to understand Tom's purpose in the book, it must be known that he has been purposely set up as a character the reader does not like. Fitzgerald has done this, as he does not like men whose lives mirror Tom's. Tom is a violent man, who is completely in control of the women in his life. He shows how disrespectful some men were to women. For example, he breaks his mistress Myrtle's nose.    Making a short, deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand    Another example showing the disrespect for women is the fact that Tom is cheating on Daisy quite openly. She knows that he is having an affair, but there is nothing that she can do about it. Fitzgerald comments on this power and disrespect that men had for women because he disagrees with it himself. He believes that men should not do these terrible things. Tom never once expresses his guilt for his actions, and never considers Daisy's feelings. His life is full of selfish actions which lead him nowhere.    Fitzgerald comments on the changing role and attitudes of women of the 1920s in America. He shows this through the characters Daisy and Jordan. Daisy and Jordan both drink, smoke and drive, and associate freely with men. Daisy's flirtatiousness is an example of this, along with her drunken state in the first chapter when she says 'I'm p-paralysed with happiness'. Daisy also shows the attitude Fitzgerald felt was common in this society, when talking about her daughter.    'I'm glad it's a girl. I hope she'll be a fool -that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.'    This demonstrates that during the 1920s, women were not regarded as equals, and had little chance of making something of their lives.

The Da Vinci Code Chapter 30-32

CHAPTER 30 Security warden Claude Grouard simmered with rage as he stood over his prostrate captive in front of the Mona Lisa.This bastard killed Jacques Sauniere! Sauniere had been like a well-loved father to Grouard and his security team. Grouard wanted nothing more than to pull the trigger and bury a bullet in Robert Langdon's back. As senior warden, Grouard was one of the few guards who actually carried a loaded weapon. He reminded himself, however, that killing Langdon would be a generous fate compared to the misery about to be communicated by Bezu Fache and the French prison system. Grouard yanked his walkie-talkie off his belt and attempted to radio for backup. All he heard was static. The additional electronic security in this chamber always wrought havoc with the guards' communications. I have to move to the doorway.Still aiming his weapon at Langdon, Grouard began backing slowly toward the entrance. On his third step, he spied something that made him stop short. What the hell is that! An inexplicable mirage was materializing near the center of the room. A silhouette. There was someone else in the room? A woman was moving through the darkness, walking briskly toward the far left wall. In front of her, a purplish beam of light swung back and forth across the floor, as if she were searching for something with a colored flashlight. â€Å"Qui est la?† Grouard demanded, feeling his adrenaline spike for a second time in the last thirty seconds. He suddenly didn't know where to aim his gun or what direction to move. â€Å"PTS,† the woman replied calmly, still scanning the floor with her light. Police Technique et Scientifique.Grouard was sweating now. I thought all the agents were gone!He now recognized the purple light as ultraviolet, consistent with a PTS team, and yet he could not understand why DCPJ would be looking for evidence in here. â€Å"Votre nom!† Grouard yelled, instinct telling him something was amiss. â€Å"Repondez!† â€Å"C'est mot,† the voice responded in calm French. â€Å"Sophie Neveu.† Somewhere in the distant recesses of Grouard's mind, the name registered. Sophie Neveu? Thatwas the name of Sauniere's granddaughter, wasn't it? She used to come in here as a little kid, but that was years ago. This couldn't possibly be her! And even if it were Sophie Neveu, that was hardly a reason to trust her; Grouard had heard the rumors of the painful falling-out between Sauniere and his granddaughter. â€Å"You know me,† the woman called. â€Å"And Robert Langdon did not kill my grandfather. Believe me.† Warden Grouard was not about to take that on faith. I need backup! Trying his walkie-talkie again, he got only static. The entrance was still a good twenty yards behind him, and Grouard began backing up slowly, choosing to leave his gun trained on the man on the floor. As Grouard inched backward, he could see the woman across the room raising her UV light and scrutinizing a large painting that hung on the far side of the Salle des Etats, directly opposite the Mona Lisa. Grouard gasped, realizing which painting it was. What in the name of God is she doing? Across the room, Sophie Neveu felt a cold sweat breaking across her forehead. Langdon was still spread-eagle on the floor. Hold on, Robert.Almost there.Knowing the guard would never actually shoot either of them, Sophie now turned her attention back to the matter at hand, scanning the entire area around one masterpiece in particular – another Da Vinci. But the UV light revealed nothing out of the ordinary. Not on the floor, on the walls, or even on the canvas itself. There must be something here! Sophie felt totally certain she had deciphered her grandfather's intentions correctly. What else could he possibly intend? The masterpiece she was examining was a five-foot-tall canvas. The bizarre scene Da Vinci had painted included an awkwardly posed Virgin Mary sitting with Baby Jesus, John the Baptist, and the Angel Uriel on a perilous outcropping of rocks. When Sophie was a little girl, no trip to the Mona Lisa had been complete without her grandfather dragging her across the room to see this second painting. Grand-pere, I'm here! But I don't see it! Behind her, Sophie could hear the guard trying to radio again for help. Think! She pictured the message scrawled on the protective glass of the Mona Lisa.So dark the con of man.The painting before her had no protective glass on which to write a message, and Sophie knew her grandfather would never have defaced this masterpiece by writing on the painting itself. She paused. At least not on the front.Her eyes shot upward, climbing the long cables that dangled from the ceiling to support the canvas. Could that be it? Grabbing the left side of the carved wood frame, she pulled it toward her. The painting was large and the backing flexed as she swung it away from the wall. Sophie slipped her head and shoulders in behind the painting and raised the black light to inspect the back. It took only seconds to realize her instinct had been wrong. The back of the painting was pale and blank. There was no purple text here, only the mottled brown backside of aging canvas and – Wait. Sophie's eyes locked on an incongruous glint of lustrous metal lodged near the bottom edge of the frame's wooden armature. The object was small, partially wedged in the slit where the canvas met the frame. A shimmering gold chain dangled off it. To Sophie's utter amazement, the chain was affixed to a familiar gold key. The broad, sculpted head was in the shape of a cross and bore an engraved seal she had not seen since she was nine years old. A fleur-de-lis with the initials P. S. In that instant, Sophie felt the ghost of her grandfather whispering in her ear. When the time comes, the key will be yours.A tightness gripped her throat as she realized that her grandfather, even in death, had kept his promise. This key opens a box, his voice was saying, where I keep many secrets. Sophie now realized that the entire purpose of tonight's word game had been this key. Her grandfather had it with him when he was killed. Not wanting it to fall into the hands of the police, he hid it behind this painting. Then he devised an ingenious treasure hunt to ensure only Sophie would find it. â€Å"Au secours!† the guard's voice yelled. Sophie snatched the key from behind the painting and slipped it deep in her pocket along with the UV penlight. Peering out from behind the canvas, she could see the guard was still trying desperately to raise someone on the walkie-talkie. He was backing toward the entrance, still aiming the gun firmly at Langdon. â€Å"Au secours!† he shouted again into his radio. Static. He can't transmit, Sophie realized, recalling that tourists with cell phones often got frustrated in here when they tried to call home to brag about seeing the Mona Lisa.The extra surveillance wiring in the walls made it virtually impossible to get a carrier unless you stepped out into the hall. The guard was backing quickly toward the exit now, and Sophie knew she had to act immediately. Gazing up at the large painting behind which she was partially ensconced, Sophie realized that Leonardo Da Vinci, for the second time tonight, was there to help. Another few meters, Grouard told himself, keeping his gun leveled. â€Å"Arretez! Ou je la detruis!† the woman's voice echoed across the room. Grouard glanced over and stopped in his tracks. â€Å"Mon dieu, non!† Through the reddish haze, he could see that the woman had actually lifted the large painting off its cables and propped it on the floor in front of her. At five feet tall, the canvas almost entirely hid her body. Grouard's first thought was to wonder why the painting's trip wires hadn't set off alarms, but of course the artwork cable sensors had yet to be reset tonight. What is she doing! When he saw it, his blood went cold. The canvas started to bulge in the middle, the fragile outlines of the Virgin Mary, Baby Jesus, and John the Baptist beginning to distort. â€Å"Non!† Grouard screamed, frozen in horror as he watched the priceless Da Vinci stretching. The woman was pushing her knee into the center of the canvas from behind!† NON!† Grouard wheeled and aimed his gun at her but instantly realized it was an empty threat. The canvas was only fabric, but it was utterly impenetrable – a six-million-dollar piece of body armor. I can't put a bullet through a Da Vinci! â€Å"Set down your gun and radio,† the woman said in calm French,† or I'll put my knee through this painting. I think you know how my grandfather would feel about that.† Grouard felt dizzy. â€Å"Please†¦ no. That's Madonna of the Rocks!† He dropped his gun and radio, raising his hands over his head. â€Å"Thank you,† the woman said. â€Å"Now do exactly as I tell you, and everything will work out fine.† Moments later, Langdon's pulse was still thundering as he ran beside Sophie down the emergency stairwell toward the ground level. Neither of them had said a word since leaving the trembling Louvre guard lying in the Salle des Etats. The guard's pistol was now clutched tightly in Langdon's hands, and he couldn't wait to get rid of it. The weapon felt heavy and dangerously foreign. Taking the stairs two at a time, Langdon wondered if Sophie had any idea how valuable a painting she had almost ruined. Her choice in art seemed eerily pertinent to tonight's adventure. The Da Vinci she had grabbed, much like the Mona Lisa, was notorious among art historians for its plethora of hidden pagan symbolism. â€Å"You chose a valuable hostage,† he said as they ran. â€Å"Madonna of the Rocks,†she replied. â€Å"But I didn't choose it, my grandfather did. He left me a little something behind the painting.† Langdon shot her a startled look. â€Å"What!? But how did you know which painting? Why Madonnaof the Rocks?† â€Å"So dark the con of man.† She flashed a triumphant smile. â€Å"I missed the first two anagrams, Robert. I wasn't about to miss the third.† CHAPTER 31 â€Å"They're dead!† Sister Sandrine stammered into the telephone in her Saint-Sulpice residence. She was leaving a message on an answering machine. â€Å"Please pick up! They're all dead!† The first three phone numbers on the list had produced terrifying results – a hysterical widow, a detective working late at a murder scene, and a somber priest consoling a bereaved family. All three contacts were dead. And now, as she called the fourth and final number – the number she was not supposed to call unless the first three could not be reached – she got an answering machine. The outgoing message offered no name but simply asked the caller to leave a message.† The floor panel has been broken!† she pleaded as she left the message. â€Å"The other three are dead!† Sister Sandrine did not know the identities of the four men she protected, but the private phonenumbers stashed beneath her bed were for use on only one condition. If that floor panel is ever broken, the faceless messenger had told her, it means the upper echelon has been breached. One of us has been mortally threatened and been forced to tell a desperate lie. Call the numbers. Warn the others. Do not fail us in this. It was a silent alarm. Foolproof in its simplicity. The plan had amazed her when she first heard it. If the identity of one brother was compromised, he could tell a lie that would start in motion a mechanism to warn the others. Tonight, however, it seemed that more than one had been compromised. â€Å"Please answer,† she whispered in fear. â€Å"Where are you?† â€Å"Hang up the phone,† a deep voice said from the doorway. Turning in terror, she saw the massive monk. He was clutching the heavy iron candle stand. Shaking, she set the phone back in the cradle. â€Å"They are dead,† the monk said. â€Å"All four of them. And they have played me for a fool. Tell me where the keystone is.† â€Å"I don't know!† Sister Sandrine said truthfully. â€Å"That secret is guarded by others.† Others who are dead! The man advanced, his white fists gripping the iron stand. â€Å"You are a sister of the Church, and yet you serve them?† â€Å"Jesus had but one true message,† Sister Sandrine said defiantly. â€Å"I cannot see that message in Opus Dei.† A sudden explosion of rage erupted behind the monk's eyes. He lunged, lashing out with the candle stand like a club. As Sister Sandrine fell, her last feeling was an overwhelming sense of foreboding. All four are dead. The precious truth is lost forever. CHAPTER 32 The security alarm on the west end of the Denon Wing sent the pigeons in the nearby Tuileries Gardens scattering as Langdon and Sophie dashed out of the bulkhead into the Paris night. As they ran across the plaza to Sophie's car, Langdon could hear police sirens wailing in the distance. â€Å"That's it there,† Sophie called, pointing to a red snub-nosed two-seater parked on the plaza. She's kidding, right? The vehicle was easily the smallest car Langdon had ever seen.† SmartCar,† she said. â€Å"A hundred kilometers to the liter.† Langdon had barely thrown himself into the passenger seat before Sophie gunned the SmartCar up and over a curb onto a gravel divider. He gripped the dash as the car shot out across a sidewalk and bounced back down over into the small rotary at Carrousel du Louvre. For an instant, Sophie seemed to consider taking the shortcut across the rotary by plowing straight ahead, through the median's perimeter hedge, and bisecting the large circle of grass in the center. â€Å"No!† Langdon shouted, knowing the hedges around Carrousel du Louvre were there to hide the perilous chasm in the center – La Pyramide Inversee – the upside-down pyramid skylight he had seen earlier from inside the museum. It was large enough to swallow their Smart-Car in a single gulp. Fortunately, Sophie decided on the more conventional route, jamming the wheel hard to the right, circling properly until she exited, cut left, and swung into the northbound lane, accelerating toward Rue de Rivoli. The two-tone police sirens blared louder behind them, and Langdon could see the lights now in his side view mirror. The SmartCar engine whined in protest as Sophie urged it faster away from the Louvre. Fifty yards ahead, the traffic light at Rivoli turned red. Sophie cursed under her breath and kept racing toward it. Langdon felt his muscles tighten. â€Å"Sophie?† Slowing only slightly as they reached the intersection, Sophie flicked her headlights and stole a quick glance both ways before flooring the accelerator again and carving a sharp left turn through the empty intersection onto Rivoli. Accelerating west for a quarter of a mile, Sophie banked to the right around a wide rotary. Soon they were shooting out the other side onto the wide avenue of Champs-Elysees. As they straightened out, Langdon turned in his seat, craning his neck to look out the rear window toward the Louvre. The police did not seem to be chasing them. The sea of blue lights was assembling at the museum. His heartbeat finally slowing, Langdon turned back around. â€Å"That was interesting.† Sophie didn't seem to hear. Her eyes remained fixed ahead down the long thoroughfare of Champs-Elysees, the two-mile stretch of posh storefronts that was often called the Fifth Avenue of Paris. The embassy was only about a mile away, and Langdon settled into his seat. So dark the con of man.Sophie's quick thinking had been impressive. Madonna of the Rocks. Sophie had said her grandfather left her something behind the painting. A final message? Langdon could not help but marvel over Sauniere's brilliant hiding place; Madonna of the Rocks was yet another fitting link in the evening's chain of interconnected symbolism. Sauniere, it seemed, at every turn, was reinforcing his fondness for the dark and mischievous side of Leonardo Da Vinci. Da Vinci's original commission for Madonna of the Rocks had come from an organization known as the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception, which needed a painting for the centerpiece of an altar triptych in their church of San Francesco in Milan. The nuns gave Leonardo specific dimensions, and the desired theme for the painting – the Virgin Mary, baby John the Baptist, Uriel, and Baby Jesus sheltering in a cave. Although Da Vinci did as they requested, when he delivered the work, the group reacted with horror. He had filled the painting with explosive and disturbing details. The painting showed a blue-robed Virgin Mary sitting with her arm around an infant child, presumably Baby Jesus. Opposite Mary sat Uriel, also with an infant, presumably baby John the Baptist. Oddly, though, rather than the usual Jesus-blessing-John scenario, it was baby John who was blessing Jesus†¦ and Jesus was submitting to his authority! More troubling still, Mary was holding one hand high above the head of infant John and making a decidedly threatening gesture – her fingers looking like eagle's talons, gripping an invisible head. Finally, the most obvious and frightening image: Just below Mary's curled fingers, Uriel was making a cutting gesture with his hand – as if slicing the neck of the invisible head gripped by Mary's claw-like hand. Langdon's students were always amused to learn that Da Vinci eventually mollified the confraternity by painting them a second,† watered-down† version of Madonna of the Rocks in which everyone was arranged in a more orthodox manner. The second version now hung in London's National Gallery under the name Virgin of the Rocks, although Langdon still preferred the Louvre's more intriguing original. As Sophie gunned the car up Champs-Elysees, Langdon said,† The painting. What was behind it?† Her eyes remained on the road. â€Å"I'll show you once we're safely inside the embassy.† â€Å"You'll show it to me?† Langdon was surprised. â€Å"He left you a physical object?† Sophie gave a curt nod. â€Å"Embossed with a fleur-de-lis and the initials P. S.† Langdon couldn't believe his ears. We're going to make it, Sophie thought as she swung the SmartCar's wheel to the right, cutting sharply past the luxurious Hà ´tel de Crillon into Paris's tree-lined diplomatic neighborhood. The embassy was less than a mile away now. She was finally feeling like she could breathe normally again. Even as she drove, Sophie's mind remained locked on the key in her pocket, her memories of seeing it many years ago, the gold head shaped as an equal-armed cross, the triangular shaft, the indentations, the embossed flowery seal, and the letters P. S. Although the key barely had entered Sophie's thoughts through the years, her work in the intelligence community had taught her plenty about security, and now the key's peculiar tooling no longer looked so mystifying. A laser-tooled varying matrix.Impossible to duplicate.Rather than teeth that moved tumblers, this key's complex series of laser-burned pockmarks was examined by an electric eye. If the eye determined that the hexagonal pockmarks were correctly spaced, arranged, and rotated, then the lock would open. Sophie could not begin to imagine what a key like this opened, but she sensed Robert would be able to tell her. After all, he had described the key's embossed seal without ever seeing it. The cruciform on top implied the key belonged to some kind of Christian organization, and yet Sophie knew of no churches that used laser-tooled varying matrix keys. Besides, my grandfather was no Christian†¦ . Sophie had witnessed proof of that ten years ago. Ironically, it had been another key – a far more normal one – that had revealed his true nature to her. The afternoon had been warm when she landed at Charles de Gaulle Airport and hailed a taxi home. Grand-pere will be so surprised to see me, she thought. Returning from graduate school in Britain for spring break a few days early, Sophie couldn't wait to see him and tell him all about the encryption methods she was studying. When she arrived at their Paris home, however, her grandfather was not there. Disappointed, she knew he had not been expecting her and was probably working at the Louvre. But it's Saturday afternoon, she realized. He seldom worked on weekends. On weekends, he usually – Grinning, Sophie ran out to the garage. Sure enough, his car was gone. It was the weekend. Jacques Sauniere despised city driving and owned a car for one destination only – his vacation chateau in Normandy, north of Paris. Sophie, after months in the congestion of London, was eager for the smells of nature and to start her vacation right away. It was still early evening, and she decided to leave immediately and surprise him. Borrowing a friend's car, Sophie drove north, winding into the deserted moon-swept hills near Creully. She arrived just after ten o'clock, turning down the long private driveway toward her grandfather's retreat. The access road was over a mile long, and she was halfway down it before she could start to see the house through the trees – a mammoth, old stone chateau nestled in the woods on the side of a hill. Sophie had half expected to find her grandfather asleep at this hour and was excited to see the house twinkling with lights. Her delight turned to surprise, however, when she arrived to find the driveway filled with parked cars – Mercedeses, BMWs, Audis, and a Rolls-Royce. Sophie stared a moment and then burst out laughing. My grand-pere, the famous recluse! Jacques Sauniere, it seemed, was far less reclusive than he liked to pretend. Clearly he was hosting a party while Sophie was away at school, and from the looks of the automobiles, some of Paris's most influential people were in attendance. Eager to surprise him, she hurried to the front door. When she got there, though, she found it locked. She knocked. Nobody answered. Puzzled, she walked around and tried the back door. It too was locked. No answer. Confused, she stood a moment and listened. The only sound she heard was the cool Normandy air letting out a low moan as it swirled through the valley. No music. No voices. Nothing. In the silence of the woods, Sophie hurried to the side of the house and clambered up on a woodpile, pressing her face to the living room window. What she saw inside made no sense at all. â€Å"Nobody's here!† The entire first floor looked deserted. Where are all the people? Heart racing, Sophie ran to the woodshed and got the spare key her grandfather kept hidden under the kindling box. She ran to the front door and let herself in. As she stepped into the deserted foyer, the control panel for the security system started blinking red – a warning that the entrant had ten seconds to type the proper code before the security alarms went off. He has the alarm on during a party? Sophie quickly typed the code and deactivated the system. Entering, she found the entire house uninhabited. Upstairs too. As she descended again to the deserted living room, she stood a moment in the silence, wondering what could possibly be happening. It was then that Sophie heard it. Muffled voices. And they seemed to be coming from underneath her. Sophie could not imagine. Crouching, she put her ear to the floor and listened. Yes, the sound was definitely coming from below. The voices seemed to be singing, or†¦ chanting? She was frightened. Almost more eerie than the sound itself was the realization that this house did not even have a basement. At least none I've ever seen. Turning now and scanning the living room, Sophie's eyes fell to the only object in the entire house that seemed out of place – her grandfather's favorite antique, a sprawling Aubusson tapestry. It usually hung on the east wall beside the fireplace, but tonight it had been pulled aside on its brass rod, exposing the wall behind it. Walking toward the bare wooden wall, Sophie sensed the chanting getting louder. Hesitant, she leaned her ear against the wood. The voices were clearer now. People were definitely chanting†¦ intoning words Sophie could not discern. The space behind this wall is hollow! Feeling around the edge of the panels, Sophie found a recessed finger hold. It was discreetly crafted. A sliding door.Heart pounding, she placed her finger in the slot and pulled it. With noiseless precision, the heavy wall slid sideways. From out of the darkness beyond, the voices echoed up. Sophie slipped through the door and found herself on a rough-hewn stone staircase that spiraled downward. She'd been coming to this house since she was a child and yet had no idea this staircase even existed! As she descended, the air grew cooler. The voices clearer. She heard men and women now. Her line of sight was limited by the spiral of the staircase, but the last step was now rounding into view. Beyond it, she could see a small patch of the basement floor – stone, illuminated by the flickering orange blaze of firelight. Holding her breath, Sophie inched down another few steps and crouched down to look. It took her several seconds to process what she was seeing. The room was a grotto – a coarse chamber that appeared to have been hollowed from the granite of the hillside. The only light came from torches on the walls. In the glow of the flames, thirty or so people stood in a circle in the center of the room. I'm dreaming, Sophie told herself. A dream. What else could this be? Everyone in the room was wearing a mask. The women were dressed in white gossamer gowns and golden shoes. Their masks were white, and in their hands they carried golden orbs. The men wore long black tunics, and their masks were black. They looked like pieces in a giant chess set. Everyone in the circle rocked back and forth and chanted in reverence to something on the floor before them†¦ something Sophie could not see. The chanting grew steady again. Accelerating. Thundering now. Faster. The participants took a step inward and knelt. In that instant, Sophie could finally see what they all were witnessing. Even as she staggered back in horror, she felt the image searing itself into her memory forever. Overtaken by nausea, Sophie spun, clutching at the stone walls as she clambered back up the stairs. Pulling the door closed, she fled the deserted house, and drove in a tearful stupor back to Paris. That night, with her life shattered by disillusionment and betrayal, she packed her belongings and left her home. On the dining room table, she left a note. I WAS THERE. DON'T TRY TO FIND ME. Beside the note, she laid the old spare key from the chateau's woodshed. â€Å"Sophie! Langdon's voice intruded. â€Å"Stop! Stop!† Emerging from the memory, Sophie slammed on the brakes, skidding to a halt. â€Å"What? What happened?!† Langdon pointed down the long street before them. When she saw it, Sophie's blood went cold. A hundred yards ahead, the intersection was blocked by a couple of DCPJ police cars, parked askew, their purpose obvious. They've sealed off AvenueGabriel! Langdon gave a grim sigh. â€Å"I take it the embassy is off-limits this evening?† Down the street, the two DCPJ officers who stood beside their cars were now staring in their direction, apparently curious about the headlights that had halted so abruptly up the street from them. Okay, Sophie, turn around very slowly. Putting the SmartCar in reverse, she performed a composed three-point turn and reversed her direction. As she drove away, she heard the sound of squealing tires behind them. Sirens blared to life. Cursing, Sophie slammed down the accelerator.